82SiouxGuy Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Idaho to return to Big Sky for all sports except football in 2014, http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2012/10/19/GEN_1019120821.aspx. That will give the Big Sky 12 teams for all sports except football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Well that's good that it is apparently official. Should alleviate some of the belly-aching about the odd number of teams and the "lone-wolf" scheduling model they have been using ever since Northern Colorado joined for basketball, volleyball, etc. I assume there will be divisions for those sports now. Travel Partners: North Dakota-UNC Montana-Montana St. Idaho-EWU Idaho St.-Weber St. Southern Utah-Northern Arizona Portland St.-Sac St. Right now, Sac St. is the "lone wolf" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big10Sioux Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 What a great trade off to have u of Idaho rather than the lowly usd coyotes. I am loving this conference 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Well that's good that it is apparently official. Should alleviate some of the belly-aching about the odd number of teams and the "lone-wolf" scheduling model they have been using ever since Northern Colorado joined for basketball, volleyball, etc. I assume there will be divisions for those sports now. Travel Partners: North Dakota-UNC Montana-Montana St. Idaho-EWU Idaho St.-Weber St. Southern Utah-Northern Arizona Portland St.-Sac St. Right now, Sac St. is the "lone wolf" They average what 300 people for men's basketball...I don't think they (or anyone else) would care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 From the Big Sky website announcing the return of University of Idaho: "The Big Sky Conference has already begun the process of exploring a move to a two-division, six-team format starting in 2014-15 for sports such as basketball and volleyball." What are your speculations for the two divisions? Here's my theory: North Division South Division North Dakota Northern Colorado Montana Weber State Montana State Southern Utah Idaho Portland State Idaho State Sacramento State Eastern Washington Northern Arizona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 From the Big Sky website announcing the return of University of Idaho: "The Big Sky Conference has already begun the process of exploring a move to a two-division, six-team format starting in 2014-15 for sports such as basketball and volleyball." What are your speculations for the two divisions? Here's my theory: North Division South Division North Dakota Northern Colorado Montana Weber State Montana State Southern Utah Idaho Portland State Idaho State Sacramento State Eastern Washington Northern Arizona Formatting didn't quite turn out the way I typed it. This may work better. North Division: UND, UM, MSU, UI, ISU, EWU South Division: UNC, WSU, SUU, PSU, Sac. SU, NAU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiouxVolley Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 The divisions will be three sets of travel partners in each. North: UND, UNC, MSU, UM, UI, EWU South: NAU, SUU, WSU, ISU, SAC, PSU. The problem is that schedule would only be 16 conference games. Going to a full round robin is 22, which is too many. I think ISU will demand a H/H with Idaho and EWU. Forcing every travel partner to play another travel set H/H in the other division, making 18 games. Formatting didn't quite turn out the way I typed it. This may work better. North Division: UND, UM, MSU, UI, ISU, EWU South Division: UNC, WSU, SUU, PSU, Sac. SU, NAU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the green team Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I don't like divisions in basketball. I don't think it works. Other conferences have tried and found the same thing. The 16 Conference Game Schedule is too few- Honestly, 22 Conference doesn't bother me so much. Ask, any team in this area, SDSU, NDSU, UND how easy it is to schedule non-conference games...especially home non-conference. Talked to one of our assistants this summer and they said, its the same for everyone. No one wants to come this way, and secondly, our track records at home are very good, so teams know there is a chance they could get beat, so that also adds to the difficulty. I say the fewer non-conference games to schedule the better. Go with 22 Conference games- everyone plays each other twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 A 22-game conference schedule still leaves room for 5-7 non-conference games (depending on how you schedule them). Given that many non-Big Sky teams are too soft and meek to brave North Dakota in December through February a 22-game conference schedule isn't a bad notion. Alternatively, I predict the west coast and southern teams in the BSC will not want full round robing (22 games) because they have an easier time scheduling non-conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the green team Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 A 22-game conference schedule still leaves room for 5-7 non-conference games (depending on how you schedule them). Given that many non-Big Sky teams are too soft and meek to brave North Dakota in December through February a 22-game conference schedule isn't a bad notion. Alternatively, I predict the west coast and southern teams in the BSC will not want full round robing (22 games) because they have an easier time scheduling non-conference. I completely agree with you. A Sac St for instance can load up on Cal State Bakersfield and UC Davis (Home & Home) for non-conference basketball. They'll be in no hurry to go to 22 Conference games. Northern Arizona, could reach out to other schools in Colorado, Nevada, and Southern Cal, as well as their own state for non-conference. They most likely would want less than 22 games and avoidance of coming this way more than once every couple of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiouxVolley Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Weber will want to play UU,USU, BYU, and even UVU. PSU gets UP, OSU, and maybe even UO, Seattle, WSU etc. SAC has like seven Bay Area teams plus UC Davis and LA area teams. UNC has DU, CU, CSU, AFA, Wyo. Montana and MSU have the most difficulty to schedule due to geography and that they can get rowdy home environments. The Summit League schools are going to be very hard pressed in scheduling if they lose Oakland - they would be down to 14 games. It would make economic sense - travel wise and gate wise - if all of NDSU, SDSU, USD, Omaha, and UMKC all schedule UND, or even play UND twice (like SDSU, WIU have done). Then there are bracket buster and Big10/Big12 games for pay. UND will have much fewer scheduling issues than the other former NCC schools. Have 18 conference games and give the schools the right to schedule other BSC teams non-conference if the conference only schedules one game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Weber will want to play UU,USU, BYU, and even UVU. PSU gets UP, OSU, and maybe even UO, Seattle, WSU etc. SAC has like seven Bay Area teams plus UC Davis and LA area teams. UNC has DU, CU, CSU, AFA, Wyo. Montana and MSU have the most difficulty to schedule due to geography and that they can get rowdy home environments. The Summit League schools are going to be very hard pressed in scheduling if they lose Oakland - they would be down to 14 games. It would make economic sense - travel wise and gate wise - if all of NDSU, SDSU, USD, Omaha, and UMKC all schedule UND, or even play UND twice (like SDSU, WIU have done). Then there are bracket buster and Big10/Big12 games for pay. UND will have much fewer scheduling issues than the other former NCC schools. Have 18 conference games and give the schools the right to schedule other BSC teams non-conference if the conference only schedules one game. This is where us being the only local Big Sky school will really pay off. All those Summit schools are looking for games and we are a bus ride away. This is one reason why that "we are so far away" from conference teams argument is not as big of deal as some other schools claim, because we won't have to fly or take super long bus trips for our non-con. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 It is intersting though that the addition of Idaho will probably make scheduling more diffiucult for North Dakota. There will likely be 16 conference games, versus the 20 that have been alotted for through the next two seasons. Plus two "money" games likely leaves North Dakota with 10 or so non-conference games to schedule. One of those, let's say at least two, will be non-DI's so that leaves 8. They will probably knock 4 of those out with tournaments, so that leaves 4................ Northern Iowa, SDSU, USD, and FU rotating home-and-away on a yearly basis.................... Sounds good to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Formatting didn't quite turn out the way I typed it. This may work better. North Division: UND, UM, MSU, UI, ISU, EWU South Division: UNC, WSU, SUU, PSU, Sac. SU, NAU I think it would be: North: UND, UNC, UM, MSU, EWU, UI South: ISU, WSU, SUU, NAU, Sac St., PSU I don't think they will split up ISU and Weber. And North Dakota's only logical travel partner is Northern Colorado while Sac St.'s only logical travel partner is Portland St.................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I think it would be: North: UND, UNC, UM, MSU, EWU, UI South: ISU, WSU, SUU, NAU, Sac St., PSU I don't think they will split up ISU and Weber. And North Dakota's only logical travel partner is Northern Colorado while Sac St.'s only logical travel partner is Portland St.................... Not sure of established Big Sky rivalries, but I would think Idaho and Idaho St. would want to be in the same division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Not sure of established Big Sky rivalries, but I would think Idaho and Idaho St. would want to be in the same division. On that, I'm pretty sure you're mistaken. Idaho's leaving the WAC presumably because of the low academic calibre of the teams just invited to the WAC. Idaho State isn't much better. Idaho would prefer to be associated first with the Montanas. Idaho State and Weber State are the logical travel pair (as are EWU and UI). If it goes divisions, I expect them (UI/ISU) to be apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Would an east-west divison be better than a north south? East: UND, UNC, MSU, UM, WSU, SUU West: NAU, ISU, UI, EWU, PSU, Sac St. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnboyND7 Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Northern Iowa, SDSU, USD, and FU rotating home-and-away on a yearly basis.................... Sounds good to me! I don't know how easy it'd be to get Northern Iowa to come up to Grand Forks for basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoSiouxFan Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 It is intersting though that the addition of Idaho will probably make scheduling more diffiucult for North Dakota. There will likely be 16 conference games, versus the 20 that have been alotted for through the next two seasons. Plus two "money" games likely leaves North Dakota with 10 or so non-conference games to schedule. One of those, let's say at least two, will be non-DI's so that leaves 8. They will probably knock 4 of those out with tournaments, so that leaves 4................ Northern Iowa, SDSU, USD, and FU rotating home-and-away on a yearly basis.................... Sounds good to me! JOOC, who's FU?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiouxVolley Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 JOOC, who's FU?? Fison University, otherwise known as the AC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmksioux Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I don't know how easy it'd be to get Northern Iowa to come up to Grand Forks for basketball. They've already been up here once...2 or 3 years ago, I forget which. EDIT: it was the 2009-2010 season. Unfortunately it was one of UND's uglier games...here is the recap: http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=6388&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204860134 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homer Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 JOOC, who's FU?? Per the Summit league's new branding strategy they are calling their schools by the city location they are in. Its a similar branding strategy that is used by the leagues the Fargo RedHawks, Fargo Force and Bismarck Bobcats play in. FU=Fargo University 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Per the Summit league's new branding strategy they are calling their schools by the city location they are in. According to the Summit League ... UMKC? No, "Kansas City". UNO? No, "Omaha". IPFW? No, "Fort Wayne". IUPUI? No, "Indianapolis". Thus, we now also have "Fargo" (aka FU), "Brookings", and "Vermillion", and "Macomb" (Western Illinois). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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