Odds of both basketball teams dancing this year

[darell1976]

2nd place regular season finish in a non-auto bid conference gets you what?? I hope they string it together to get a NCAA spot...it is a possibility

I just struggle listening to fellow UND supports rail on SU cause "we beat them" and the Summit sucks and........

2 dance appearance in last 5-6 years...impressive.

Until this program under Jones does something...anything I think we, UND supporters, should drop all stones.

Exactly, and getting a CIT bid isn't going to cut it anymore especially this season where UND could be denied a bid if they lose to Sac St.

[Sampson]

I'm sorry, I have to laugh at all the "Summit sucks" post's. In the realm of college basketball, the Summit does suck, and the Big Sky is worse than the Summit. Anybody who actually follows the landscape of college basketball across all of D1 knows this.

[UND1983]

Great rebuttal.

But UND beat NDSU head to head and that's all that matters, right?

Great logic...so if Tampa Bay had been able to hold onto a 20+ point lead against the Seahawks this season, they could have had bragging rights as the better team. Riiiiiiight.

Jim Nantz: "...and it's a final! The North Dakota State Bison are on their way to the Final Four after beating Duke 63-61! Unbelievable!"

SiouxSports.com: "Wait a second...we beat NDSU! We're better!"

When you say the same thing over and over again, trying to be funny over and over again, it is an appropriate response.

[MafiaMan]

When you say the same thing over and over again, trying to be funny over and over again, it is an appropriate response.

As opposed to trying to defend the strength of the Big Sky Conference, justify a loss to a team on a 26 game losing streak, and claim that a .500 record is exactly where fans thought this team would be this season...

[Oxbow6]

I'll cheer on this MBB team in the BS tournament but now I'll go back to the hockey threads for bincity's sake where pitch forks and hot tar are the norm. Least the bar is set high over there albeit unrealistic!!

[bincitysioux]

2nd place regular season finish in a non-auto bid conference gets you what??

The Big Sky is an auto-bid conference. Finishing 2nd, in theory, gives them an easier path to the championship game. North Dakota is going to try to win that auto-bid over the next few days. I would not at all be surprised if they won it. I would also not be surprised if they bowed out in ugly fashion on day one. Unfortunately, that seems to be this team's M.O., and yes, that is on the coaches IMO.

I just struggle listening to fellow UND supports rail on SU cause "we beat them" and the Summit sucks and........

I get that. I'm not hung up on the NDSU win. For me that doesn't equate a successful season. But it was a good win, rivalry aside. They are top 40 in RPI for those that live and die by that.

I hate the obsession some have with the Bison and the Gophers. What really irritates me is when I'm sitting in the REA and the Sioux score a goal and the crowd goes, "Yay!". Then when theY announce that the Gophers are trailing in some random game and the crowd goes, "YYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!".

And I've never said the Summit sucks, just that I think it is comparable to the Big Sky and I'll stick by that.

2 dance appearance in last 5-6 years...impressive.

Until this program under Jones does something...anything I think we, UND supporters, should drop all stones.

North Dakota has only been eligible for "the dance" for 1 year.

I think Jones has basically squandered the talent on this team this year. Overall I've been disappointed. This team should have 20+ wins. But he has won two conference tournaments and his first two seasons in a legitimate DI conference have either met or exceeded expectations. I'm not chipping in for the bronze statue, but I'm not stringing up the rope either.

[darell1976]

The Big Sky is an auto-bid conference. Finishing 2nd, in theory, gives them an easier path to the championship game. North Dakota is going to try to win that auto-bid over the next few days. I would not at all be surprised if they won it. I would also not be surprised if they bowed out in ugly fashion on day one. Unfortunately, that seems to be this team's M.O., and yes, that is on the coaches IMO.

I get that. I'm not hung up on the NDSU win. For me that doesn't equate a successful season. But it was a good win, rivalry aside. They are top 40 in RPI for those that live and die by that.

I hate the obsession some have with the Bison and the Gophers. What really irritates me is when I'm sitting in the REA and the Sioux score a goal and the crowd goes, "Yay!". Then when theY announce that the Gophers are trailing in some random game and the crowd goes, "YYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!".

And I've never said the Summit sucks, just that I think it is comparable to the Big Sky and I'll stick by that.

North Dakota has only been eligible for "the dance" for 1 year.

I think Jones has basically squandered the talent on this team this year. Overall I've been disappointed. This team should have 20+ wins. But he has won two conference tournaments and his first two seasons in a legitimate DI conference have either met or exceeded expectations. I'm not chipping in for the bronze statue, but I'm not stringing up the rope either.

There was high expectations on this team with the amount of seniors and only getting a 15-15 record or should I say 13-15 DI record with zero OOC wins on the road. Jones's strength seems to be in tournaments and a late season push where there is very little or no margin of error. UND can't play today like they did against SUU. Cause next year without senior leadership it could be another .500 or less year. The women will be dancing before Jones does.

[Oxbow6]

The Big Sky is an auto-bid conference.

I hate the obsession some have with the Bison and the Gophers.

I think Jones has basically squandered the talent on this team this year.

To point one...I miss spoke. Meant to say ONLY an auto bid conference to get to the dance.

2 and 3 we agree on...but there is a nice write up on SU in the StarTribune today I just read.

Hopefully the team will still have a shot at point one after today.

[bincitysioux]

Cause next year without senior leadership it could be another .500 or less year. The women will be dancing before Jones does.

I think next year is probably going to be a disaster.

[gfhockey]

acorrdgint to this

title game is on espn2/

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24479526/big-sky-tournament-preview-prediction-tv-info

[Siouxphan27]

My guess is those on here saying the Summit isn't that great, actually watched the Summit title game on tv. And those claiming NDSU and the Summit are head and shoulders above the Big Sky, didn't. I saw the game... If beating a team with a starting lineup consisting of: a morbidly obese man, a guy so old he is almost completely bald, and a "leading scorer" who had an offensive meltdown of epic proportions in the second half- by a few points in the last seconds of the game, for a conference title is your idea of a tougher conference than the Big Sky, then I have some oceanfront property for you in eastern North Dakota.

[UND1983]

My guess is those on here saying the Summit isn't that great, actually watched the Summit title game on tv. And those claiming NDSU and the Summit are head and shoulders above the Big Sky, didn't. I saw the game... If beating a team with a starting lineup consisting of: a morbidly obese man, a guy so old he is almost completely bald, and a "leading scorer" who had an offensive meltdown of epic proportions in the second half- by a few points in the last seconds of the game, for a conference title is your idea of a tougher conference than the Big Sky, then I have some oceanfront property for you in eastern North Dakota.

That game was fugly. A battle of terrible high-ball screens that accomplished nothing the entire second half.

[jdub27]

My guess is those on here saying the Summit isn't that great, actually watched the Summit title game on tv. And those claiming NDSU and the Summit are head and shoulders above the Big Sky, didn't. I saw the game... If beating a team with a starting lineup consisting of: a morbidly obese man, a guy so old he is almost completely bald, and a "leading scorer" who had an offensive meltdown of epic proportions in the second half- by a few points in the last seconds of the game, for a conference title is your idea of a tougher conference than the Big Sky, then I have some oceanfront property for you in eastern North Dakota.

IPFW's coach is the real deal. He got robbed on coach of the year in the Summit.

[Bison Dan]

IPFW's coach is the real deal. He got robbed on coach of the year in the Summit.

Oh hell they stole it!

[JohnboyND7]

My guess is those on here saying the Summit isn't that great, actually watched the Summit title game on tv. And those claiming NDSU and the Summit are head and shoulders above the Big Sky, didn't. I saw the game... If beating a team with a starting lineup consisting of: a morbidly obese man, a guy so old he is almost completely bald, and a "leading scorer" who had an offensive meltdown of epic proportions in the second half- by a few points in the last seconds of the game, for a conference title is your idea of a tougher conference than the Big Sky, then I have some oceanfront property for you in eastern North Dakota.

We'll see how the committee feels about this statement in a few days.

[petey23]

NDSU obviously could contend for the title in the Big Sky although I think their lack of depth would hurt them over the course of the season and try as you might you can't hold down the pace every night....at the same time they could just as easily finish 8th. They are certainly not head and shoulders above any of the top 10 in the Big Sky but I wouldn't say any of the 5th through 10th place teams are better than the Bison either.

As far as NCAA tourney and RPI and conference rankings and all that...while I certainly understand them trying to sort teams on a objective basis to the point where they just plug the numbers in and let the computers spit out the results....well these are only as good as the numbers and data that someone chooses to use. At some point I would like the committee to be a little subjective and actually use their eyes to watch some basketball.....I saw FGCU in person a couple times last year as well as seeing NDSU, SDSU, and UND and when SDSU has a higher seed in the NCAA tourney than FGCU it really brought it to light. Anyone with any feel for the game that had watched these teams could have told you FGCU was easily 12-15 points better than the Jacks and the same looks to be shaping up this year as I see Mercer is pegged as a 14 seed while they are projecting NDSU as a 12. How much run is a win over the 13th best team in the ACC worth?

[ericpnelson]

I'd rather play NDSU for a chance to dance than Weber State. Simple as that to me.

[ndsubison1]

NDSU obviously could contend for the title in the Big Sky although I think their lack of depth would hurt them over the course of the season and try as you might you can't hold down the pace every night....at the same time they could just as easily finish 8th. They are certainly not head and shoulders above any of the top 10 in the Big Sky but I wouldn't say any of the 5th through 10th place teams are better than the Bison either.

As far as NCAA tourney and RPI and conference rankings and all that...while I certainly understand them trying to sort teams on a objective basis to the point where they just plug the numbers in and let the computers spit out the results....well these are only as good as the numbers and data that someone chooses to use. At some point I would like the committee to be a little subjective and actually use their eyes to watch some basketball.....I saw FGCU in person a couple times last year as well as seeing NDSU, SDSU, and UND and when SDSU has a higher seed in the NCAA tourney than FGCU it really brought it to light. Anyone with any feel for the game that had watched these teams could have told you FGCU was easily 12-15 points better than the Jacks and the same looks to be shaping up this year as I see Mercer is pegged as a 14 seed while they are projecting NDSU as a 12. How much run is a win over the 13th best team in the ACC worth?

theres no doubt FGCU was better than SDSU last season, but keep in mind they benefited from some pretty favorable matchups. GTown and SDSU werent world beaters and I thought FGCU matched up very well with them. Thats usually what it comes down to. You have a point about the seedings but theres a reason NDSU is being seeded around a 12/13 and Big Sky 16th. Notre Dame finished 13th in the ACC but remember their best player was lost for the season after that game so it is a little skewed. That same team also beat Duke, but it is what it is. Delaware, WMU, and Towson were also decent OOC wins for NDSU. What other team in the Big Sky had wins like that? The Summit is slightly above the Big Sky for good reason. Could it change next season? Of course. The two conferences are usually on par. Last couple of years has slightly favored the Summit. Between the two conferences there's no doubt NDSU is the best team and their overall record and body of work proves that. Sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is due.

[UND92,96]

Heard a pretty amazing stat today--barring some kind of shocking at-large selection, all of Indiana's 10 division I men's teams have been eliminated from NCAA tournament consideration. I wonder if that's happened before since the tournament expanded to 64?

[FSSD]

Between the two conferences there's no doubt NDSU is the best team

Congrats on the winning the Summit League. I am looking for NDSU in the Big Sky brackets don't see them - so I don't get it.. #scoreboard.

[bincitysioux]

Heard a pretty amazing stat today--barring some kind of shocking at-large selection, all of Indiana's 10 division I men's teams have been eliminated from NCAA tournament consideration. I wonder if that's happened before since the tournament expanded to 64?

What is amazing to me is that Indiana has 10 DI teams. I never knew that....................

[SiouxVolley]

What is amazing to me is that Indiana has 10 DI teams. I never knew that....................

Indiana, Purdue, Ind St, Ball St, Notre Dame, Butler, Evansville, Valpo, IPFW, IUPUI. Seven conferences represented.

It's normal for Indiana to have 4-6 schools dancing. At least the Pacers are doing well!