UND92,96

It's going to be an interesting decision. I think Sather will be given the opportunity to come back for the final year of his contract, but with the understanding that another extension won't be forthcoming without major improvements. So even with a probable pay cut, is he better off with the security of a multi-year deal at someplace like Northern? My guess is yes, and he leaves on his own. I still think he's a pretty good coach. It just hasn't worked out here.

Yup. But I have to believe extending a coach with .396 winning percentage after five years is a line even he won't cross. The optics would be horrible.

I see three realistic possibilities, and none involves giving Mallory an extension: 1. Allow her to come back for the last year of her contract, with the understanding that UND will move on after next season unless there are major improvements, e.g. 20-plus wins and a top-three regular season finish in the conference; 2. Fire her, and name Hutter as interim coach for a year. If he does well, give him the job. If not, conduct a national search after next season; 3. Fire her, and conduct a national search now.

Agree that Ibrahim is the better player, but I think the problem is that between fouls and just getting tired, Ibrahim can generally only play about 25 minutes per game. With Demers out, or if he she became a full-time 4, Hurst would need to be the backup 5. Need to add another game-ready player for next season who can play the 5 and/or 4 in order for Ibrahim and Demers to play together IMO.

Schiller has been named to the Summit all-freshman team and freshman of the year. Pemberton is second-team all-Summit. Ibrahim is on the all-defensive team and is Summit defensive player of the year. Congrats to all three.

I don't think there are very many kids who play hockey who actually reside in the traditional Central district. And just to clarify, it's not actually open enrollment in Grand Forks. Generally, anybody can go to Central. But if you live in the Central district, you generally can't go to Red River. The idea used to be based ostensibly on evening out the overall enrollment numbers between the schools, but at this point I strongly suspect it also has a lot to do with the fact that hockey would be a major problem in Grand Forks if Red River district residing kids couldn't go to Central. As long as the kids/families more or less divide themselves up, I guess it more or less works out for hockey, but not for some other sports, particularly on the girls side.

I have seen him play a number of times over the past several years, albeit not yet at the college level. He's an explosive scorer with great shooting range, and I could see him playing at UND or some other division I school at some point. He actually used to live in Grand Forks. I know he was here for middle school anyway.

Craig Smith has been fired at Utah.

I realize it falls on the coach regardless, but is the bigger problem right now X's and O's, or the fact that there is so little depth? There are only eight players on the team who average 10 or more minutes per game (really only seven since one of those is no longer on the team), which leads to at least some of the starters playing arguably too many minutes. Nobody on either SDSU or NDSU's team is asked to play 30-plus minutes per game, whereas UND has three players doing so. It takes a toll over the course of a season. I can't help wondering how many more wins UND would have had this season with just a couple of more solid role players off the bench. The kinds UND probably could have had but never offered and are currently playing at UMary and other area NSIC schools.

No. Just search KNOX TV on YouTube.

Per the Herald, Beal is no longer on the team.

Steve Fisher. Won a national title at Michigan in 1989 after taking over for Bill Frieder during the season. Another example closer to home is Aaron Johnston at SDSU. He was like 26 years old and they were at best the third-best women's basketball program in the NCC when he took over. I don't think anybody could have predicted how well that would work out.

I don't know if she got much of a raise in the last extension, but based on her previous contract she was at $165k.

Mallory probably should go back to coaching high school ball in Iowa. She did well there. UND should hire somebody like Emilee Thiesse from MSU-Mankato. UND would be back to being a consistent women's basketball power quickly in my opinion.

I think it speaks volumes about the roster makeup when a true freshman PWO like Mathern is getting fairly significant minutes. That's not meant as a knock on her ability, but it really shouldn't be happening, at least his early in her career, with 15 scholarship players on the roster. In order to add the needed inside help for next season, I think it's safe to say there are going to potentially be several players leaving after this season. As it is, scholarships appear to be overcommitted, with presumably both Hillesheim and Harvey being scholarship players.