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Big Sky 2013-2014


Smoggy

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As frustrating as this season has been to me, it is shaping up to be a very exciting finish. If you would have told me a month ago that we'd be in position to get the #2 seed for the conference tournament, I'd have laughed hysterically.

Now, the eternal optimist and die-hard fan with high-expectations in me wants to expect North Dakota to win out, finish 13-7, and lock up the number two seed.

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And if it wasn't official already, it should be after tonight. This league is officially nutty. Weber gets beat by NAU at home. Portland State bounces back and beats N. Colorado...how does a team that has gone unbeaten all year at home-all of a sudden lose 2 straight? What is going on with this conference? And Idaho State keeps its slim hopes alive with a home win over Sac St. No matter who makes the conference tournament all 7 teams will have a realistic chance to go dancing, because the Big Sky truly is the world where anybody can beat anybody.

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The state of North Dakota is doing it self proud. The UND's men and women's hockey teams could both be in their national tournaments this year. Both the men's and women's basketball teams for UND could be dancing this year. NDSU's men's basketball could be dancing too. That would be a real nice winter season for the state of North Dakota. Those scenarios might not all happen but certainly could.

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Weber still locked up the #1 seed last night, so the Tournament will officially be in Ogden. Obviously, it is highly unlikely that Weber loses its last two, but mathematically, North Dakota and Montana could still get a share of the Big Sky championship.

UNC's loss puts us all alone in 2nd place at the moment. The Griz host MSU tomorrow night.

If we can take care of business at the Sioux Center on Tuesday, we should be in pretty good shape for the #2 seed. The Bears are reeling right now, having lost 3 straight. Let's not take the foot off the gas.

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Griz beat the cats last night, so they would be the #2 seed if the tourney started today. They have to play Sac St. and NAU on the road to finish the season.

One Week To Go - Quick Rundown

- Montana controls their destiny for the two seed, as they would win a tiebreaker if both them and UND finished with identical records. However, they have a tough roadtrip to end the season, so I think North Dakota is likely the favorite right now for that two spot (at SUU, home against UNC) after a big two game homestand. However, I'm not sure there's much difference between the two and three seed... mostly, you want to avoid the 4/5 spots.
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Current standings:

WSU 13-5 (clinched regular season title)

UM 11-7

UND 11-7

UNC 10-8

NAU 10-8

PSU 9-9

EWU 9-9

MSU 9-9

SSU 9-9

ISU 8-10

SUU 0-18

UM has Sac St and NAU left

UND has UNC ans SUU left

UNC has UND and SUU

NAU has UM and MSU

Still alot to be figured out. UND and UNC both have the easiest schedule with a game against SUU remaining. If UNC wins tonight, they will likely get the 3 seed and UND will end up 4th (UNC will hold tie-breaker over UND and I believe UM will as well as they have a win over Weber and UND does not). If UND wins tonight, I believe would be guaranteed a 3 seed regardless of what happens against SUU and still have a decent shot at the 2 seed. Though the way it is shaping up, there is no way to know if the 2 or 3 seed will end up with a tougher first round match-up. EWU is the team I would prefer not to see again out of the jumbled mess on the cut line for the tournament.

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What happened to Southern Utah!!! 8-12 in the conference and 11-20 overall LAST YEAR. This year 0-18 in the conference and 1-26 overall. That one win was against NAIA Arizona Christian University. What a downfall for the T-Birds!! I bring this up because UND beat them in the BSC tournament last year. From the Tournament to a one win (so far) season...YIKES!

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What happened to Southern Utah!!! 8-12 in the conference and 11-20 overall LAST YEAR. This year 0-18 in the conference and 1-26 overall. That one win was against NAIA Arizona Christian University. What a downfall for the T-Birds!! I bring this up because UND beat them in the BSC tournament last year. From the Tournament to a one win (so far) season...YIKES!

RPI: 344 out of 349

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RPI: 344 out of 349

So they are better than Maryland-E.S., Citadel, Bethune-Cookman, Grambling St, and Presbyterian with 18 total wins amoung those 5 schools? I don't understand RPI's. Cornell is 1-24 with an RPI of 331. HUH?!?

UND is 205

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So they are better than Maryland-E.S., Citadel, Bethune-Cookman, Grambling St, and Presbyterian with 18 total wins amoung those 5 schools? I don't understand RPI's. Cornell is 1-24 with an RPI of 331. HUH?!?

UND is 205

In a nutshell, RPI is made up of (1) 25% - your win/loss record directly, (2) 50% - your Opponent's Win/Loss and (3) 25% - your Opponent's Opponent's Win/Loss. The team being looked at also falls into the Opponent's Opponent's Win/Loss as well, so that compounds the problem when you aren't doing well. There are adjusters for home/road/neutral games. Due to a lot of variables not relying on the team being measured, you can help inflate it by playing higher ranked teams, especially those in power conferences, whether you win or lose (you are better off losing on the road though).

Southern Utah has played some higher ranked teams than Presbyterian, so it helps move up their RPI, even though they don't have a win. It is also why people who point to it as how good a team is are only partially correct. The selection committee takes a good look at actual records against top 50 and top 100 teams, not just whether or not you've played them. The biggest dings against UND this year are losing to Cal Poly on a neutral floor, PSU and Sac on the road and MSU and SDSU at home.

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In a nutshell, when RPI is made up of (1) 25% - your win/loss record directly, (2) 50% - your Opponent's Win/Loss and (3) 25% - your Opponent's Opponent's Win/Loss. The team being looked at also falls into the Opponent's Opponent's Win/Loss as well, so that compounds the problem when you aren't doing well. There are adjusters for home/road/neutral games. Due to a lot of variables not relying on the team being measured, you can help inflate it by playing higher ranked teams, especially those in power conferences, whether you win or lose (you are better off losing on the road though).

Southern Utah has played some higher ranked teams than Presbyterian, so it helps move up their RPI, even though they don't have a win. It is also why people who point to it as how good a team is are only partially correct. The selection committee takes a good look at actual records against top 50 and top 100 teams, not just whether or not you've played them. The biggest dings against UND this year are losing to Cal Poly on a neutral floor, PSU and Sac on the road and MSU and SDSU at home.

Thanks, that explains a lot!

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Well anybody COULD be dancing. Big Sky is one of the only conference tourneys that doesn't feature all conference members.

Which makes the regular season more important in conferences like the BSC. You go 0-18 in the BSC you won't have a chance for the dance, SUU at 0-18 could be dancing in a conference that allows all its members in their tournament. I think thats sad.

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What a difference a year makes in the Big Sky. Last year, Montana and Weber St. combined to go 37-3 in the conference, and won 25 and 30 games, respectively. This year, 14-6 won the league, and 12-8 was good enough for a tie for second. It's possible no Big Sky team will even make it to 20 wins on the season.

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What a difference a year makes in the Big Sky. Last year, Montana and Weber St. combined to go 37-3 in the conference, and won 25 and 30 games, respectively. This year, 14-6 won the league, and 12-8 was good enough for a tie for second. It's possible no Big Sky team will even make it to 20 wins on the season.

And the seed will be from 13 last year to potentially being in the play-in game this year

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