SWSiouxMN

Sanders already has 2 fouls

UND 10 Idaho 9 15:18 1st

I would expect Geno and Seales to take another step in their developments to help offset the loss of Q and Baldwin.

Q turned in another POY type game and got a major contribution off the bench from Cortez that lead to a big home victory (and gaining an important tiebreaker) over EWU. They can't rest on their laurels however, as another tough matchup is looming as Idaho come into town for another battle for 2nd Things did not look promising for Idaho, who was viewed as 1 of the 4 teams with a legit shot of winning the league, they lost their 2nd leading scorer from last year to an ACL tear (Callendret) and started the conference season poorly with a 1-3 record. Someone forgot to tell them in Moscow that they were dead in the water. Winners of 7 out of their last 8, they charged back up the standing to the point they are sitting 1 game back of UND in 3rd and looking much like the threat they were going to be. How did they turn their season around? Well its starts with their star guard Victor Sanders, who has been putting up big numbers, including a 40 point performance at Portland. The Sherwood brothers have stepped up and provide big moments when needed, Brayon Blake has been their big performer in the post. Idaho is very similar to what UND is, strength is in their guards. The opposite of what UND was dealing with Thursday night This is only the 4th meeting in Big Sky play for the two teams. Idaho has a 2-1 advantage and won both matchups last year by a combined total of 4 points. The only matchup in Grand Forks was a 74-71 win for the Vandals. Other Games: Weber (9-2) @ PSU (5-6) It appears that the SAC/PSU swing has been a nightmare for the top teams, UND barely got out with a split and Montana got swept. Weber dropped a surprising one down in Sac State and now need to salvage the road swing with a split. Especially with UND coming in next weekend. PSU snapped a 4 game losing streak with a close win against ISU, which they are 1.5 back of Montana for the final bye for Reno, and are looking to get an important home sweep before two big games up in Montana. EWU (8-4) @ UNC (4-8) Eastern dropped a tough one in Grand Forks and are looking to avoid going 0-2 on this road trip and damaging their chances at a top 3 seed. UNC losers of 7 out their last 8 and at this point just looking forward to 2017. Important for EWU not to drop with one with Idaho, Weber and ISU coming up in the next two weeks MSU (6-6) @ SUU (2-10) The Bobcats were sitting pretty one week ago, had a halftime lead over their rivals in Missoula. Then, it all came crashing down. Worse yet, they dropped one on the road at NAU and now sit 1 game back on Montana for the final bye. They cannot afford to slip up again against a basement team. SUU looking forward to 2017 and better days. ISU (3-8) @ SAC (5-6) If Sac State wanted to get back into the race for the final bye they sure did by knocking off Weber at home. Now they need to avoid the let down game against ISU, who just cannot get anything going this year and without question is the leagues most disappointing team. Mont (7-5) @ NAU (4-8) The Griz look to be back on track, in the 5th spot and sitting only 1 back from EWU and Idaho for 3rd and 4th respectively and two back of UND. They are out of the league race unless a miracle occurs but 2nd is definitely in play. They have to avoid the upset down in NAU, who is playing pretty good these past 5 games. Could be a tough play-in game matchup for anyone. The Call: Brian Jones said it best in the GF Herald after the EWU Win: If they don't beat Idaho then it doesn't mean anything, and I agree. The last thing UND wants to do is drop this game at home in the only matchup of the year. They do not want to get back into the muck for a top 3 seed and losing two important tiebreakers to Idaho and Montana. Not only that, but the Weber loss at Sac has open the door to a potential 1st place showdown if UND takes care of business these next two games. UND has won 11 in a row at home in conference play, Idaho has won 7 out of 8. Something has got to give! Being that this is at home, another big game moment for Q to proclaim his frontrunner status as Big Sky POY, and a bounce back game from Geno. UND will extend the streak to 12 in another close win. UND 81-77 Editors note: I enjoy doing these and thank everyone for the kind comments. Even if they aren't perfect 100% of the time

This brings up a story I was told last year by a professor who has been around for 40 years. This was back when they were doing the cuts the first time. Think this still applies to the current situation. Won't go into too much detail on it but basically the main point of it was the deans will look for anyway to claim their schools are the "most important" on campus and not do serious cuts or take it as seriously as they should. Plus they don't want to cut a major and take the heat for it.... even thought exactly how much of that heat was on the Dean of the Arts and Science when she put MT on the table to being cut? I don't think too much.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4215654-kennedy-asks-deans-rewrites-budget-proposals Not surprising that some of the deans would try a one time cut. Good for Kennedy to call them out on it

Suddenly, Saturday's game has now taken on another level of importance

Your standings after tonight's action Weber 9-2 UND 9-3 EWU 8-4 Idaho 8-4 Mont 7-5 MSU 6-6 PSU 5-6 SAC 5-6 UNC 4-8 NAU 4-8 ISU 3-8 SUU 2-10

Sac up 6 with 58 seconds to go

Sac has a 10 point lead over Weber with 835 to go... upset brewing?

I hope Cortez can keep up his play through Reno. Anything off the bench going forward is going to be huge for this team. Been waiting for him to flash his talent in a big spot and tonight was finally the night.

They just have a knack for winning, no matter how pretty or ugly it is Another big road win against a top conference foe, 75-71. If they can beat Idaho on Saturday, I think they can win out and win the conference outright

Montana takes down SUU, NAU trips up MSU

Speaking of Idaho, they are pummeling UNC right now, looking like another battle for 2nd place on Saturday

HUGE Win Big night for Q, Bigger night for Seales

Seal it Seales

need them both Geno

UND get the time out after being trapped at mid-court 37 seconds left

UND 89 EWU 85 48.9 2nd

Big tip by Seales to give UND another possession, he has been awesome all night

UND 86 EWU 74 3:46 2nd

must have said the magic word, refs must have had enough of his antics for one night

Drick fouled out

UND 82 EWU 70 4:54 2nd

EWU coach got tossed