bincitysioux

Bradley is 1-7 on the season. They are one of the weakest programs treading water in the best Mid-Major Conference in the country. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that North Dakota shouldn't come out and give them a VERY competetive game on Saturday. This should be a very winnable game for North Dakota's flagship university.................

I really think Dale made a mistake when he didn't take the Montana St. job that was offered to him in 2007. I have no ill-will toward him for going to SIU the following year because he was doubling his salary, getting away from a disfuncional athletic department at the time, and facing a 5 year purgatory of a transition to DI. I just don't know what he saw in SIU compared to Montana St. the year before. Being at SIU isn't unlike being at UND in that the football program will always be the 2nd tier sport. Sure, Southern Illinois won a I-AA title in the 80's, but outside of that one good year and the Jerry Kill/Early Lennon era, the Salukis have always been lucky to be .500. Seems like Bozeman would have been a much better fit for Dale. I think right now both Montana St. and USD would be foolish not to give Dale a look for their openings. I really think USD would be a great fit for him right now.

That's the same thing I said!! And it was 4 of last five seasons........

Well I would say swagger just entered the building. Waldorf was completely out coached in the 2nd half.

Hanging tough so far with the #15 team in the NAIAtion. Could be one to remember.......

The last 9+ years of North Dakota basketball have provided some good moments and some bad moments. Unfortunately, through my eyes, the bad have outnumbered the good by a pretty wide margin. Despite some wonderfully talented and entertaining players that have come through the program in the last decade, when I look back on the last 10 years most of the memorable games to me seem to be the ones that got away and in many cases the ones that ran away. I find myself stuck in a state of pessimism regarding the program, so I came up with what I think amount to the 10 worst losses of the Brian Jones Era. Later, I'll do some looking back on the 10 best performances. #10: 12-8-14 at Minnesota UND was expected to be down last year after graduating Huff, Anderson, and Webb. Nobody including myself expected a win in the Barn, but a competetive effort would have been nice. The Gophers were a so-so team last year, the game was on national television, and outside of games at NDSU, this was probably the best attended away game for our fans in years since the Twin Cities are huge alumni base. Those in attendance and those watching around the country were treated to a 36 point loss that was over by halftime. #9: 11-29-13 vs Cal Poly (neutral floor) This was a Thanksgiving tournament game two seasons ago. Cal Poly was an OK team that year. They finished that year with 208 RPI and 11 DI wins. They ran us out of a nearly empty neutral court by 27 points. #8: 12-13-14 @‌ NDSU NDSU was a superb team last season. This game was played right after the arse-kicking that the Gophers laid down. It wasn't even on their home floor, it was in a rather sterile Scheels Arena. The final score was 71-42, and again it was pretty much over by halftime. Again, NDSU was very good, but the effort was seemingly missing from this game. #7: 12-10-11 @‌ SDSU Again, SDSU was very good this year, probably one of the better teams we've played in the DI era. UND went into Brookings and lost by 38. No real surprise by the loss. Nobody probably expected it to be so lopsided. What makes this loss such a headscratcher is that just 5 days later, the Jacks came to Grand Forks and North Dakota beat them. Obviously they were not well prepared for the first game because they played well enough to beat the same team that drilled them in less than a week. #6: 12-10-10 @‌ NDSU This was the first Sioux-Bison basketball game of the DI era, the first meeting in a major sport in 7 years. It was played at the Fargodome in front of the second largest crowd to ever watch a basketball game in the state of North Dakota. UND again seemed ill-prepared as they lost by 26 to an average at best NDSU team that would go on to win 12 DI games on the season. #5: 2-16-13 vs Northern Arizona in Grand Forks Just a 2 point overtime loss to a conference foe, this is a game that will probably be remembered for many years by North Dakota basketball fans. UND controlled the game throughout most of it before costly errors and missed free throws allowed NAU to force OT and eventually escape GF with the win. The most memorable part was the post game interview when radio announcer Paul Ralston dropped the infamous "choke job" phrase, sending Coach Jones into a tizzy that resulted in a two game suspension for the radio guy! #4: 11-29-14 vs Texas Pan-Am (neutral floor) This was another Thanksgiving tournament in an empty building. It was an 18 point loss to a Great West team that finished the year with 7 wins against DI teams and and a final RPI ranking of 334. #3: 3-6-14 @‌ Southern Utah This was the final regular season game for our senior laden team that I believe was picked 3rd or maybe even 2nd in the Big Sky preseason polls. We lost by 6 to the Thunderbirds who were arguably the worst team in the nation, finishing the season with an RPI of 348. The only Division I team that they beat all season was North Dakota. #2: 11-28-15 vs Northern Iowa in Grand Forks Fresh in everyones mind, this was a 46 point home loss. UNI is easily the best team to come to GF in the DI era, a homecoming for their coach, a nice crowd of potential "new fans" on hand, and nationally televised. A great opportunity to at least compete with one of college basketball's "name" programs. The result was the worst loss in the history of the Sioux Center, and the worst loss at home overall since the 1940's. The game was all but over by the second media timeout. The end of the day included the head coach throwing the team under the bus and accepting no responsibility for the poor performance. #1: 12-8-09 vs Mayville St. in Grand Forks A 12 point loss to NAIA Mayville. I think that is about all that needs to be said.

I doubt anything gets done either way before the end of the season. Unless maybe they suffer a couple more 30+ point losses at home? Even then, still a big maybe.

I posted this in another thread, but I guess it fits here better. I think PSU vs UNI will probably be the best game of the day next weekend. PSU is solid, at home, had the bye week. UNI has probably been the best team in the FCS over the last six weeks or so. I think it is going to be low scoring and close, not unlike when we played the Vikings out there. I think NDSU rolls over Montana in Fargo. At 9-2 and seeded for the playoffs. There is no question that we would have beaten Idaho St. if Studsrud finishes that game.

I think that will probably be the best game of the day next weekend. PSU is solid, at home, had the bye week. UNI has probably been the best team in the FCS over the last six weeks or so. I think it is going to be low scoring and close, not unlike when we played the Vikings out there. I think NDSU rolls over Montana in Fargo.

Pretty sure that is what is happening now.

So last years team, which was just the 3rd team in UND history lose more than 20 games, lost to Northern Iowa ON THE ROAD by just 12 points. This year's team loses at home by 46. Is that progress?

Pretty nice crowd at the game yesterday. The team's performance should help keep fans away in the future though.

I don't know what Coach Jones is talking about saying they "didn't execute the gameplan". It looked to me like the game plan was the same as it has been for the last 9 years and they ran it to perfection: 4 guys stand stationary outside the arc while one athlete dribble drives and tries to create something entirely on his own. That is the offense that has been run here since about Jones' third year and that is what it looks like it is going to be the rest of the season.

So we are all aware obviously that UNI is an excellent program, in fact this year's team is likely the best basketball team that's ever been in the Sioux Center. Even knowing that, seriously a 46 point loss on our home floor? The game was basically over by the 2nd media timeout. Even while acknowledging how good UNI is, this has to rank right up there as one of the most embarrassing losses of the Jones era. Ranks right up there with the time he lost to Mayville on our home floor IMO. I know he has quite few embarrassing losses under his belt over his decade of coaching here, so feel free to add to the list.

Thats a good point... WIU has had two playoff appearances in the last 15 years, so I guess they have that "name recognition" that probably swayed the committee as well like Montana and Northern Iowa have. Being 83-90 since the turn of the century has really built up their brand and reputation.

Apparently not only is being one game over .500 worthy of a playoff bid, it is also good enough to get coach of the year honors in the MVFC. I am really not understanding all the love for Western Illinois.

I could argue that if 6 wins is good enough, then Eastern Washington and Weber State both have as strong of a case as Eastern or Western Illinois. All of the losses for both of those teams were to FBS teams, playoff teams, and 7 win FCS teams. Weber played NDSU a heck of a lot tougher than Western Illinois did. If 6 wins is the new benchmark, then I'd say UND isn't the only Big Sky school that has a gripe.

This year's team was basically 2 quarters away from the BSC title and being seeded in the playoffs. 10-1 is achievable for next season. Big Sky title, autobid, Top 4 seed are all realistic goals for next year in my mind. Leave no doubt the next time around.

Nice win!

Must be hotel wifi, unwatchable in San Luis Obispo

Is it just me or does this webcast suck?

I am a little confused on the criteria, does UNI beating UNC mean anything to either team? Our game against UNI remains meaningless right? Why bother with all of these nonconference games? When does the line come out for the next game and will we have a chance to cover?

All that really matters is that we cover. Since this is not a conference game, it means little to nothing, or so I am told. #justcoverbaby

It is a game on the schedule. The goal should be to win it.

I am sure that is not the attitude that most low-major schools have had that have actually beaten schools from Power 5 conferences. I think if UND were to someday ever win the Big Sky's autobid, their performance against a Power 5 school in a "money game" could carry a lot of weight when it comes time to seed the teams. Every game means a lot.