bincitysioux

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.

This is going to be a very tough game. Cal Poly is a very good program, they are year in and year out. We are 1-3 against them in the DI era and have lost the last 3 against them, twice at home including the one year when we had a semi decent team in 2011. They have played a much more difficult schedule than we have. We may have a great run defense, but I am sure that CP is going to get their yards. We need to limit the big run plays, just like we need to limit big pass plays against pass happy teams. Having said all that, outside of beating Montana in a non conference game, their other wins aren't real impressive. They've beaten Sac, ISU, and Davis. Not to be repetitive, but this game is the now the most important one of the DI era, just like last week, and the week before. Rise to the occasion...........

I say only 6,000 at most would show up to the Alerus Center for a football game on November 28. I say about 3,000 at most would show up to Memorial for a football game on November 28. It's a terrible facility and everyone who has been there knows it, some just aren't willing to admit it. And I'm talking about before it sat vacant for 15 years.

Yeah I was just saying in general. I know the hockey czars would never allow a home game to be held outside of prime-time anyways, just thinking outside the box. I'd like 4:00 as the regular start time. Doesn't blow the whole day. People who travel would get there and get home in plenty of time. Late season tailgating would be during the warmest part of the day. I'm sure there are TV implications when setting the start times.

My guess on attendance for a playoff game that day would be less than 6,000. As far as start times, I think 4:00 pm would be perfect, as long as there isn't a hockey game. Here is a crazy thought for double header Saturdays: a 3:30 pm hockey game and a 7:00 pm football game.

Regardless of what the "experts" say, I don't think it is a guarantee that if we win we are in. However I do know that it is a guarantee that if we lose we are out, so lets take care of business against Cal Poly. I am heading out for SLO on Tuesday and am jacked that this game has so much meaning. Can't ask for a better end to the regular season in just year 2 of Bubba's regime.

Just updated the attendance wiki. Overall average for this year was 8,318 which is about an 11% increase over last season, so that is a great sign. Best attended game was the opener against Drake. There was a glaring dropoff in attendance from the first 3 games to the last two. Averaged around 9,200 for the first three, and just about 7,000 for the last two. I suppose the 3 game losing streak heading into the game against the Bobcats played a big role in the poor attendence for that game, which was against what should be the most appealing opponent on our schedule. As a "die-hard", I continue to be frustrated by the lack of support that this program gets, but am pleased with the healthy increase in average over last season. I'll remain cautiously optimistic that a strong finish winning this last game and a potential playoff berth will spur even more ticket sales in the off season.

Thst is really lame.......

Attendance today was 6,996. Biggest home game of the DI era, and nobody saw it. Students were weak as usual. So was the rest of the building.

Just looking through the conference stats, these two teams are very evenly matched. Pretty much middle of the pack for both squads up and down the stat book. One advantage for us that I see is our running game against their rush defense. If we can establish the run again this week, it should provide a few opportunities for Studsrud to make a few big completions in play action. Where I see a big advantage for UNC over us, aside from special teams, is in turnover margin. They are +2 on the season while UND is -7. We lead the league in fumbles, and they are 2nd in the league at forcing them. Not a good recipe. I expect another nail-biter. Same as every game in the Alerus lately. Are they going to have some sort of priority seating for the hockey game for students that go to the football game? I know they have done that in the past on double-header days and it has helped with student turnout.

Keeping with the theme that "the playoffs start today", this game against Northern Colorado is probably the most meaningful game to be played in the Alerus Center since the 1st round playoff game in 2005 when we sort of limped into the playoffs on a two game losing streak after breezing through most of the season. Ironically, Bubba was the opposition head coach for UM Duluth that day.