#1 UND (21-9) vs #3 Weber (19-12) Big Sky Championship 3/11 7:30

[SWSiouxMN]

UND once again got off to a hot start, survived an Idaho run, got one another one and hit a key 3 pointer to take down the Vandals 69-64 in the semis.  Standing between them and their first ever trip to the dance?  An old foe in BSC tourney play, Weber State.  Who has ended their chances at the dance every year UND has been in the tourney.

The old saying is that it is hard to beat a team 3 times in a row, UND is going to attempt to be the first team since I believe NAU in 2006.  The all time record still swings in Weber's favor 9-3, including a 3-0 record against UND in the Big Sky tournament.  Outside of a blowout in the tourney final (when UND was a skeleton) these games have been close and heartbreaking for UND in the conference tournament. 

In the two matchups, UND outrebounded Weber twice (37-22 in GF, 38-28 in Odgen), got big performances (Q and Geno in GF, Q, Geno and Seales in Odgen). Senglin and Hill have had decent games in both matchups against UND. 

This is UND's 2nd appearance in the tournament finals.  In 2014 they got the doors blown off at Weber, but that was without Schuler and Webb in the lineup.  UND is way healthier than that.

Weber has their old standbys in Senglin, Braxton and Hill, but he has been getting help off the bench from Dusty Baker, who is lighting it up in Reno.  Harding has also put us solid numbers in the 2 matchups against UND. UND also has a guard that has been lighting it up from downtown in Baldwin. UND has also gotten balanced scoring from the majority of their starters (4 of them are in double figures).  UND has gotten off to blistering starts but have had moments where they have been cold as well.  They are going to need a 40 minute effort in this one to get the job done. This isn't the Weber team from the 2nd matchup, this is much closer to the Weber team from the 1st go aound. UND has to be feeling pretty good too, but hopefully their bench will have a better game than they did against Idaho.

This is by far UND best season in D-1 history and have lived up to my high expectation this year, they are 1 game away from making history.

The fallen:

Idaho: good chance for postseason play, but next year is very bright.  Return all important starters and reserves and getting their 2nd best player back from injury.  Idaho should come in as BSC favorites for 2017-18

Eastern Washington:  CBI for sure, maybe NIT?  We shall see, but an overachieving year for the Eagles.  Lose Von Hofe and Wiley, but return Bogdan and a few guards.  Could go a number of different ways next year depending on Wiley replacement.  Hayford has done well in Cheney, does he take another job?

The call:

UND/Weber III will be a good game and match up very well against each other.  Both have star guards, both have guards shooting well, and both have decent post games.  Once again, the X factor in all of these games have been 1 Geno Crandall. If Geno plays well, UND is going to the dance.  If he struggles, Weber is going to break UND's heart again.  This to me has the feel of a 15 round heavyweight fight and will come down to the final shot.  UND fans have been waiting for this moment for a while, and another solid team effort and another fast start and a dagger 3 will be the difference in this one.  Get your dancing shoes ready.

UND 77-74

Tourney MVP:  Can make a case for either Corey or Geno, but I'd tip slightly to Geno on this one

 

[hoops44]

UND 1pt Favorite.....need Q to have a big game 

[geaux_sioux]

Need to make the dance. No ifs ands or buts.

[teamsioux]

Corey Williams and Roxy Bernstein calling the game for ESPNU.  

[homer]

Tough to beat a team 3 times in a season. Bigs need to play well tonight and Geno needs to keep focus.  He tends to jaw a bit with Senglin which is fine but time to finish the job.  

Best of luck to the coaches and team tonight.  Time to capitalize on the opportunity to be the only team in the state still playing and shift that perception. 

[darell1976]

41 minutes ago, teamsioux said:

Corey Williams and Roxy Bernstein calling the game for ESPNU.  

I hope they don't call us Portland State.

[UND-FB-FAN]

Gonna be a tough game for UND but they're more than capable of getting it done.

Go UND Fighting Hawks!

[SkoHawks]

Let's get it done tonight Hawks!!!! Play a full 40 minutes and we got this. Nervous, but excited, I guess this is exactly how a basketball fan should feel in March! 

[hoops44]

independent of result...by far the best season ever for UND (D1 Level....Not D2 or NAIA) mens basketball, players and coaches deserve credit for job well done on and off the court..

[geaux_sioux]

6 minutes ago, hoops44 said:

independent of result...by far the best season ever for UND mens basketball, players and coaches deserve credit for job well done on and off the court..

No it's not. It is clearly the best bang for the buck in the history of college athletics though.

[SIOUXFAN97]

i guess the question now is if they win this game does jones "drop the mic" and walk away from an offer from und to take other offers out there (down, up, or lateral moves)????

hawks by 14.....84-70...hooker with a triple double

[hoops44]

5 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

No it's not. It is clearly the best bang for the buck in the history of college athletics though.

yes it is and every sane person know it

[UND-1]

4 minutes ago, hoops44 said:

yes it is and every sane person know it

Johnny-come-lately who wasn't around in early 90s.  

[Nodak78]

20 minutes ago, hoops44 said:

independent of result...by far the best season ever for UND mens basketball, players and coaches deserve credit for job well done on and off the court..

In the D1 era, Yes.

[hoops44]

1 minute ago, Nodak78 said:

In the D1 era, Yes.

Yes of course should have qualified it....also best RPI and Ken Pom ever....D2 ball is not in the same league as NCAA D1 basketball

[SWSiouxMN]

12 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

i guess the question now is if they win this game does jones "drop the mic" and walk away from an offer from und to take other offers out there (down, up, or lateral moves)????

hawks by 14.....84-70...hooker with a triple double

If I were to odds it, I'd say 85% chance he stays.   If Drake is serious about Jones, I bet he takes it and take Horner with him. 

[SiouxVolley]

Normally would be concerned about beating a team the third time, as Weber has the revenge factor.  But this UND team has revenge on its mind too, as Weber has beaten us in all Big Sky tournament appearances, including lasts years semis.

Like this teams moxy.  Hooker will have his biggest day, as he's due.

[hoops44]

1 minute ago, SWSiouxMN said:

If I were to odds it, I'd say 85% chance he stays.   If Drake is serious about Jones, I bet he takes it and take Horner with him. 

Drake is a bottom feeder program ...They do pay in the 350 to 450K range and can get a coach with a better resume than Jones . That being said the high academic standards there and the lack of in state talent after Iowa,Iowa st, and UNI get done makes it a risky move for a coach who is doing well at another program and might do better to wait for a better gig .

[sioux24/7]

Looking for Hooker to have a major bounce back game. Struggled a bit finding his shot yesterday and even missed a couple of FTs which is unusual for him. I'm thinking a big game from him and Seales but not sure what the final outcome will be. Hopefully Geno can keep Senglin in check.

[teamsioux]

Lunardi's current brackets have UND (15) vs AZ (2).

UND RPI of 150.

Weber RPI of 180.

[SIOUXFAN97]

12 minutes ago, hoops44 said:

Drake is a bottom feeder program ...They do pay in the 350 to 450K range and can get a coach with a better resume than Jones . That being said the high academic standards there and the lack of in state talent after Iowa,Iowa st, and UNI get done makes it a risky move for a coach who is doing well at another program and might do better to wait for a better gig .

if drake offers jones 400k...he's gone by midnight

[UND92,96]

20 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

If I were to odds it, I'd say 85% chance he stays.   If Drake is serious about Jones, I bet he takes it and take Horner with him. 

Agreed. UND and Jones have had a great year, and he deservedly was selected Big Sky coach of the year. But realistically, it you are an a.d., would you be willing to take the heat you know you'd get from your fan base by hiring a coach with a career record of 30 games under .500? I don't see it happening at this point, but then again stranger things have happened.

[SIOUXFAN97]

does horner have any chance of taking over if jones leaves...

[hoops44]

Very few mens BB HCs.  graduate from the BSC  to a higher level other than from blue chip programs of Weber or Mt... Jones either gets let go or 3 year extension....If Jones stays on 1 or 2 assistants will score a better gig somewhere else

[SWSiouxMN]

28 minutes ago, hoops44 said:

Drake is a bottom feeder program ...They do pay in the 350 to 450K range and can get a coach with a better resume than Jones . That being said the high academic standards there and the lack of in state talent after Iowa,Iowa st, and UNI get done makes it a risky move for a coach who is doing well at another program and might do better to wait for a better gig .

And looking at the Drake board and who is rumored, a Creighton assistant for 20 years, Smith and Jones.  They dream of the guy from ETSU. 

With that said, we can all discuss this another time.  Take care of business tonight, make life a living nightmare for a 2 seed, and we can discuss logistics later.

 

21 minutes ago, UND92,96 said:

Agreed. UND and Jones have had a great year, and he deservedly was selected Big Sky coach of the year. But realistically, it you are an a.d., would you be willing to take the heat you know you'd get from your fan base by hiring a coach with a career record of 30 games under .500? I don't see it happening at this point, but then again stranger things have happened.

They sure have.