2013-14 Season

[JackJD]

South Dakota State is up 18 on Belmont who a few weeks ago beat North Carolina in North Carolina. Belmont is a very good team who has many big wins over the past few years. Thought the game next week against South Dakota State would be kinda easy but they must be putting things together after a slow start.

final: SDSU 85, Belmont 72. Jacks finally put the pieces together...very balanced effort against a great Belmont team. SDSU will continue to have some rough spots as they find their identity without Wolters but that identity is emerging. Jacks will be a definite underdog coming to Grand Forks but I wouldn't bet against them. Should be a very good game.

[sioux24/7]

UND up 44-13 at the half against Presentation College. Calcaterra has 9 points and 12 boards. I'm guessing he is just bigger than everyone out there.

[NODAK13]

I hate these games cause it does absolutely nothing. Well at least we get a win that does absolutely nothing for RPI or helps us improve cause Calcaterra has proven he can't do anything against D1 schools. I thought we would shake up the lineup and try playing 4 guards for the move into the Big Sky.

[UNDsportsFANATIC]

This game is horrible! No reason we should have these types of games on our schedule.

[forksandspoons]

what good does playing presentation do for UND?? they'd be better off scrimmaging against their own D1 players...

[fightingsioux4life]

This game is horrible! No reason we should have these types of games on our schedule.

But we get to keep more of the gate and that is what really matters according to some people.

[SWSiouxMN]

They should have played USD this year, this game (USD) needs to get back on the schedule for next year and should find a way to schedule it for home so we can alternate between having them 1 year at home and NDSU/SDSU the next year. Throw Omaha into a long term deal too if you want.

I'd sacrifice $$$ now to have a better battle tested team that can win Big Sky regular season title to hold it at the Betty and win NCAA berths to make more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ then beat up the poor small school from Aberdeen, SD.

[MafiaMan]

This game is horrible! No reason we should have these types of games on our schedule.

I said that same thing about Valpo being on the football schedule and was absolutely skewered for it...

[Cratter]

The Valpo game helps you get one step closer to the playoffs and are scheduled early in the season to help establish a teams strengths and weaknesses (preseason).

These basketball types of games are all about money. And with so many games in basketball they can "afford" a soft opponent here or there. Not that I like seeing these type games.

[fightingsioux4life]

These basketball types of games are all about money. And with so many games in basketball they can "afford" a soft opponent here or there. Not that I like seeing these type games.

In that case, let's load up the non-conference slate with a bunch of NAIA schools from North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, etc.

Seriously, I think we should set D-II programs as the absolute floor when deciding how many "soft" opponents to schedule prior to the start of the conference schedule. NAIA schools should be banned. Permanently. We are not a "transition" program anymore.

[Cratter]

In that case, let's load up the non-conference slate with a bunch of NAIA schools from North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, etc.

Seriously, I think we should set D-II programs as the absolute floor when deciding how many "soft" opponents to schedule prior to the start of the conference schedule. NAIA schools should be banned. Permanently. We are not a "transition" program anymore.

The Big Ten feels the same way you do. That's why it doesn't want to schedule FCS teams anymore.

But they also like "doing it for the money."

I agree with you is rather see them play st cloud or Duluth in basketball. But

NDSU also played an NAIA team. NDSU plays more non Division I teams this year than UND does. So I'm not going to complain too much.

[MafiaMan]

The Valpo game helps you get one step closer to the playoffs and are scheduled early in the season to help establish a teams strengths and weaknesses (preseason).

Yea...cuz that Valpo game really showed what kind of caliber team UND has this season...

[MafiaMan]

In that case, let's load up the non-conference slate with a bunch of NAIA schools from North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, etc.

Seriously, I think we should set D-II programs as the absolute floor when deciding how many "soft" opponents to schedule prior to the start of the conference schedule. NAIA schools should be banned. Permanently. We are not a "transition" program anymore.

Couldn't agree more. What player for Dickinson State, Minot State, or even Williston State College wouldn't mind a road trip to Grand Forks? It would certainly generate more fan interest than Presentation College.

[UNDBIZ]

Couldn't agree more. What player for Dickinson State, Minot State, or even Williston State College wouldn't mind a road trip to Grand Forks? It would certainly generate more fan interest than Presentation College.

We needed to make sure we scheduled someone that a Mussman-coached team would beat though.......

[sioux24/7]

Joe Lunardi's bracketology came out and it has NDSU at 13 while we are no where to be found. The Big Sky representative is Weber St. Although we have had a disappointing start to the year, the good thing is we were never going to make the tourney with an at-large bid so conference play is really all that matters.

[SWSiouxMN]

And next year we go from 20 to 18 conference games. So I would expect more D-1 games next season. Not minot and crookston added.

NDSU SDSU on road

USD UNO at home

Alternate every year.

[sioux2013]

And next year we go from 20 to 18 conference games. So I would expect more D-1 games next season. Not minot and crookston added.

NDSU SDSU on road

USD UNO at home

Alternate every year.

Why are there less conference games next year? I thought we are adding another team to the conference so there would be more conference games.

[dmksioux]

Why are there less conference games next year? I thought we are adding another team to the conference so there would be more conference games.

I believe they are splitting into two divisions. Play in division teams twice and other division teams once. Six teams twice for twelve games and six teams for one game and you get 18.

[jdub27]

I believe they are splitting into two divisions. Play in division teams twice and other division teams once. Six teams twice for twelve games and six teams for one game and you get 18.

If schools handle the extra games correctly and schedule strong OOC games, it could very easily help bump up the conference RPI.

[sioux2013]

I believe they are splitting into two divisions. Play in division teams twice and other division teams once. Six teams twice for twelve games and six teams for one game and you get 18.

Thanks. Had not heard that but makes sense.

[bincitysioux]

The stench of mediocrity is strong with this team right now.

[Irish]

The stench of mediocrity is strong with this team right now.

Self inflicted mediocrity -

[sioux2013]

At this point I am very disappointed in this team, however we have 3 home games coming up in a row and if we don't win at least 2 of these then we are in serious trouble of making the conference tournament. These players and coaches have several days to ponder how they are playing and who is playing and make some major changes. If we don't start passing the ball when driving with 2-3 players on us then every team will start guarding with 3-4 players and the bad shots will continue. When we did get open looks against Northern Colorado the shots weren't falling but those nights will happen and I would rather miss an open shot then take a terrible shot and miss. Our shooters will come around and start hitting those shots. Help defense is a total joke when someone is driving and at this level and the amount of experience this makes no sense. Is this coaching or is it that some of the players don't care and just want to play offense. I say sit the players that are not willing to play defense cause our bigger scorers are giving up more easy points that they are making. Further judgement will be after our next 3 home games.

[UND Fan]

At this point I am very disappointed in this team, however we have 3 home games coming up in a row and if we don't win at least 2 of these then we are in serious trouble of making the conference tournament. These players and coaches have several days to ponder how they are playing and who is playing and make some major changes. If we don't start passing the ball when driving with 2-3 players on us then every team will start guarding with 3-4 players and the bad shots will continue. When we did get open looks against Northern Colorado the shots weren't falling but those nights will happen and I would rather miss an open shot then take a terrible shot and miss. Our shooters will come around and start hitting those shots. Help defense is a total joke when someone is driving and at this level and the amount of experience this makes no sense. Is this coaching or is it that some of the players don't care and just want to play offense. I say sit the players that are not willing to play defense cause our bigger scorers are giving up more easy points that they are making. Further judgement will be after our next 3 home games.

In my book, either way it is coaching. Players need to be taught how to play good defense and, if a player (or many players), chooses not to work hard on the defensive end of the court, they should be sitting at the end of the bench!!

[fightingsioux4life]

In my book, either way it is coaching. Players need to be taught how to play good defense and, if a player (or many players), chooses not to work hard on the defensive end of the court, they should be sitting at the end of the bench!!

Also, this is Jones' team 100%. He's been here long enough to instill his system and a winning attitude in the players he brings to Grand Forks. If he hasn't done it by this time, will it ever happen?