Regional Predictions and Analysis

[Coyote Fan]

#7 Wayne State vs #2 North Dakota: I will have to go with Sioux here but this is a very dangerous game for UND. Wayne is only 30 miles south of Vermillion so I would imagine they will be well supported and fired up. This team gave Concordia their only two losses this year and 2-1 overall against them. Ryun Williams who was a former player for the Coyote Men is their coach and he is rumored to be a very serious candidate for the USD job next year. I will go with UND but in a closer game than maybe expected, 76-69

#6 Minnesota State vs #3 Concordia-St. Paul: I believe this is a rematch of a game earlier this year that was won by the Bears. I would like to think this could be close with the tough competition that MSU is used to but I will go with Concordia to take it 86-81

#5 Nebraska-Kearney vs #4 Fort Lewis: This will be an obvious rematch and one where UNK should have the momentum after knocking them off in the RMAC tourney. Fort Lewis has had an incredible year but they have slumped a bit as of late. Kearney will have the slightly shorter trip. This one should be a great one that could go either way but I will go with Fort Lewis to win it 84-83 in Overtime.

#8 Colorado State-Pueblo vs #1 South Dakota: It's always scarey having to go against a conference tourney winner despite the overall year being mediocre. Augustana beat them by about 8 in Colorado eariler in the season. I think this is a classic case of a team being in over their heads and going against competition tougher than what they see most weeks in the RMAC. They might finish 5th if they were in the NCC. I think with the crowd and excitement of the home game USD rolls the Thunderwolves 85-57.

Semi-Finals

#3 Concordia-St. Paul vs #2 North Dakota: The Sioux are too tough for the Bears as this is a classic case of the better and more talented team coming out on top. Concordia is good but not quite good enough. Sioux win it 78-64

#4 Fort Lewis vs #1 South Dakota: This is a tough one to gauge. I know USD beat Kearney at home by about 30 earlier in the year but the Yotes only loss came to RMAC's Adams State. I think the Yotes will be challenged here but Fort Lewis hasn't been playing their best ball so I will go with USD 79-62.

Finals

#2 North Dakota vs #1 South Dakota: Don't they always say that beating a good team 3 times in one year is tough so what kind of a task would be taking 4 games. I would rather have the pressure of trying to do that than the opposite. I am sure the Sioux have had that senario happen often in the past where they were the ones trying to go 4-0. Certainly anything can happen at this stage and it's really anyones game. UND is so tough inside but USD is so tough everywhere else on the court. The Yotes are very clutch when they need to hit big shots. I think USD rides the wave to the elite 8 with a 74-64 win.

[UND92,96]

If recent history is any indication, the odds may be against USD. Just twice in the last six years has the host team won the region.

[teamsioux]

Roebuck has always hated being on the other side when his team had went 2-0 or 3-0 against opponents before the regionals.....would be interesting to know how he feels this week. Does he believe the Sioux are at an advantage? He sounded confident after the game on Sunday, he thought it was one of the best halves they played all year.

Loved hearing USD cut down the nets, I guess when you beat a team that had went undefeated in a tournament in all 8 years of the tourney's existance it is a big deal.

Here is a good laugh....

USD student paper

[Coyote Fan]

I definately sense that UND fans just can't come to the realization that USD is the better team this year. It's not going to get any easier either. I feel USD has the easier bracket and the fans will be even more charged up for the regional. Past history of what UND has done is not going to make any difference what happens at the dome this weekend. USD has just wanted it more so far this year and they have come up big time and time against especially in crunch time.

[siouxperfulous]

I definately sense that UND fans just can't come to the realization that USD is the better team this year. It's not going to get any easier either. I feel USD has the easier bracket and the fans will be even more charged up for the regional. Past history of what UND has done is not going to make any difference what happens at the dome this weekend. USD has just wanted it more so far this year and they have come up big time and time against especially in crunch time.

If I may borrow some sarcasm from one of your previous posts, perhaps with fuel prices as high as they are, UND should not even waste their time in making the trip to Vermillion because we don't have a prayer. The big, bad Coyote team is just too much for us. I have a sense that you don't understand the long tradition of fan support that UND has and I would bet a much bigger base of support for the regional tournament. After listening to the game on Sunday, I would not say USD is the obvious better team. Both teams have there strengths and anything can happen. Lets just hope they both take one game at a time and get the chance to meet up again. These 3 wins over the Sioux won't mean a thing if they can't pull off the big one. I for one will look forward to it and have all the confidence in the world in our Fighting Sioux!