UND vs. SDSU

[the green team]

That was really well said and laid out Bin.

Listen we may not be a "Basketball Town" but just because the rivalry is being played on a Tuesday night should not mean people can't go or won't. Many teams around the country play their rivalries on Monday's Kansas-Missouri. Neither Columbia nor Lawrence are big cities they are college towns and they get there if the game is on a Monday. The obvious big difference being is that they are "Basketball Towns" and Kansas City is just down the road. Another example is Florida is entertaining Florida State this Thursday night in Gainsville. All the students are home for break even and do you think any of those schools are worried about attendance for that game because it's on a Thursday before Xmas and the students are gone? I'm thinking no.

I understand that we all would rather have it on a Saturday, but unless this game in future years can be scheduled before Xmas that will be the only chance either team will have to schedule it on a Saturday. Because once we get into January next year and the same can be said for the Ag School, as they have been for the last several years and will for the forthcoming both will have conference games scheduled during weekends next year. All I'm trying to point out is-- moving forward, the window will be real small for Saturday games when UND & NDSU meet on the court. So we'd better get used to it.

Honestly, I don't like having to play a rivalry game on a neutral floor. There is no homecourt advantage when we move games to the Ralph. I would much rather sellout the Betty but raise ticket prices enough to recoup some of the cost. If it's $75 or $100 a seat for that game so be it. I'm thinking it would be a hot ticket- keep it out of Season ticket packages- however they have priority- to get their seat. But I'm thinking tickets would sell and we would have a full venue and on the home floor. Play it in the Betty---that's where the heart of Sioux basketball is right now.

[star2city]

I understand that we all would rather have it on a Saturday, but unless this game in future years can be scheduled before Xmas that will be the only chance either team will have to schedule it on a Saturday. Because once we get into January next year and the same can be said for the Ag School, as they have been for the last several years and will for the forthcoming both will have conference games scheduled during weekends next year. All I'm trying to point out is-- moving forward, the window will be real small for Saturday games when UND & NDSU meet on the court. So we'd better get used to it.

Honestly, I don't like having to play a rivalry game on a neutral floor. There is no homecourt advantage when we move games to the Ralph. I would much rather sellout the Betty but raise ticket prices enough to recoup some of the cost. If it's $75 or $100 a seat for that game so be it. I'm thinking it would be a hot ticket- keep it out of Season ticket packages- however they have priority- to get their seat. But I'm thinking tickets would sell and we would have a full venue and on the home floor. Play it in the Betty---that's where the heart of Sioux basketball is right now.

The UND-NDSU volleyball game was on a Tuesday evening and drew a record college volleyball crowd (2400) for ND.

Students actually showed up. They will show up for an NDSU game, as the game will be free and won't interfere with their party nights.

Basketball will attract a lot more fans than volleyball.

Unless the weather is really bad, the game will attract at least 8000. Fans on both sides want to see UND vs NDSU.

[JackJD]

For a little perspective on UND's win over SDSU at Grand Forks...to show your fans UND beat a good team:

With about 7:00 to go in the half, SDSU 39, U of Washington 18.

The Huskies aren't quite sure what to make of the Jackrabbits. Of course, lots of game left and the Huskies are a very good team and are favored to pull this one out. They haven't lost a home, non-conference game in 32 games.

[star2city]

For a little perspective on UND's win over SDSU at Grand Forks...to show your fans UND beat a good team:

With about 7:00 to go in the half, SDSU 39, U of Washington 18.

The Huskies aren't quite sure what to make of the Jackrabbits. Of course, lots of game left and the Huskies are a very good team and are favored to pull this one out. They haven't lost a home, non-conference game in 32 games.

Good luck to the Jacks the rest of the way!

[Teeder11]

For a little perspective on UND's win over SDSU at Grand Forks...to show your fans UND beat a good team:

With about 7:00 to go in the half, SDSU 39, U of Washington 18.

The Huskies aren't quite sure what to make of the Jackrabbits. Of course, lots of game left and the Huskies are a very good team and are favored to pull this one out. They haven't lost a home, non-conference game in 32 games.

I really admire the Jacks and that Wolters kid is unconscious without even trying. I hope the SDSU-UND game served as a wake-up call for the Jacks so they could walk into this game with the Huskies with a bit of a chip on their shoulders. Go Jacks! Fight on Sioux!

[UNDsportsFANATIC]

I would to to see a Dakota team pull off that upset! (SDSU). That would be huge for the Dakota's!

[JackJD]

Final: SDSU 92, Washington 73.

Closest Washington could close was 11 points a couple of times in the second half. Wolters had 34 points, 16 in the first half. SDSU put up 51 points in the first half, most points scored on UW in the first half this year. Also SDSU put up more points against UW than Duke did a couple weeks ago.

Washington's home, non-conference win streaks ends at 32.

[Feff]

Final was 92-73 SDSU win! Wolters went off for 34 points, that kid is downright amazing.

[UND92,96]

Final was 92-73 SDSU win! Wolters went off for 34 points, that kid is downright amazing.

As if missing on Woodside wasn't bad enough, now Minnesota has to wonder what may have been with Wolters...

[dakotadan]

Honestly, I don't like having to play a rivalry game on a neutral floor. There is no homecourt advantage when we move games to the Ralph. I would much rather sellout the Betty but raise ticket prices enough to recoup some of the cost. If it's $75 or $100 a seat for that game so be it. I'm thinking it would be a hot ticket- keep it out of Season ticket packages- however they have priority- to get their seat. But I'm thinking tickets would sell and we would have a full venue and on the home floor. Play it in the Betty---that's where the heart of Sioux basketball is right now.

My god, I am glad you are NOT our athletic director. If you did this, you would be lucky to see 100 people at the game.

As far as the Meltdown at the Ralph, people need to remember that they were forecasting one of the worst winter storms that night the region had seen in years. That kept a huge number of people away that didn't live inside the Grand Forks city limits. I made the trek in from Mayville and remember it was a pretty scary drive that I probably shouldn't have made.

The biggest issue with the rest of the sports moving to DI is getting the casual fan to view them as DI and no longer DII. I didn't mind when we were playing NCC games in the Ralph. I thought it was a fun atmosphere. I hope the day comes that the team is successful enough that we can try something similar with hosting some of our Big Sky men's games in the Ralph. Even if we could pull in 6-8,000 for certain BSC games in the REA, it would be a fun DI atmosphere. Or bringing in NDSU every other year, maybe an Iowa State, do a 2-1 with Minnesota or Wisconsin. The Ralph is such an amazing trump card that it would be nice to be able to utilize it as much as possible for other sports.

Imagine showing a recruit "Phil Jackson Court at Ralph Engelstad Arena".