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UND (6-8, 0-0) @ DU (4-11, 0-1) 1/2 8 PM


SWSiouxMN

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UND finished their non-conference schedule with an expected loss to Oregon State, despite a bright performance from Brady Danielson.  Now the 2nd season is about to start for UND as they start their 2nd year of Summit League Play with a trip to Denver, who is going through a youth movement once again

About Denver:

When DU joined the Summit in 2012,  there was some discussion and expectation that the Pios would be capable of breaking through the monopoly that the Dakota schools had on the Summit League when it came to NCAA tournament.  So far, that has not been the case.  In fact, there has been more years where DU has finished near the bottom of the league than at the top of the league, and given what has happened recently, it doesn't look like that is going to chance.  Last year, they were favored to be one of the teams to challenge for the crown, only to crash and burn to dead last and missing the chance to go to Sioux Falls.  It was at that time, where DU decided to go young.  The squad has 7 sophomores on scholarship and only 2 upperclassmen, which only one is getting any significant minutes this season. Given all of that, it would mean a very solid DU team for the next two years, but at some point they have to breakthrough. 

About Rodney Billups:

The younger Bro of NBA great Chauncy Billups, Rodney is in his 4th season (43-62, 19-28 Summit) at Denver.  His first two years at DU were around .500, but was good enough to be in the top-half of the Summit.  It all fell apart last year, which lead to the beginning of the youth movement that we see today.  It could start to bear fruit this year, but missing Sioux Falls again could start to ask some difficult questions. 

Key Player:  Ade Murkey (6'5 Senior Guard)

I guess he would be considered the old man of the team, but the Senior from Minneapolis is winding down a solid career at Denver.  He should end up with 1000 career points by the time his career is all said and done.  Shooting his best from 3 pointer so far (around 40%) and has increased his rebounding numbers (5.6 per game) and his point total as shot up as well (14.7 a game).  He has been a great leader for this young squad and hopes to lead DU back to the top of the conference. 

UND Conference Facts

-While UND went 0-8 against the I-29 schools last year, they did go 6-2 against the other schools in the Summit League

-UND needs to buck some traditions of slow starts to conference seasons.  Going back to 2012-13 season when they moved to the BSC, they are 1-6 in conference openers.  If you look further out, they are 13-21 in the first quarter of the conference season (first 5 games of the BSC, first 4 games of the Summit).

Series History:

UND swept the series last year and has a 3-2 all time series lead over DU.  So far they are 2-0 against them since joining the Summit. 

Stats:

Milestone Watch:

Marlon currently sits at 868 career points, he needs 132 more points to get to 1000 career points, which he should be able to get sometime during the conference season

Other Games:

Wed 1/1

USD (0-1) @ Fort Wayne (0-0)

USD trying to bounce back and get healthy after losing surprisingly to WIU.  Fort Wayne starts the conference season, hoping that despite massive losses they can still be a top-tier Summit team. 

Thur 1/2

WIU (1-0) @ NDSU (1-0)

No surprises for NDSU as they took down DU and is 1-0.  WIU on the other hand, got a nice win against USD to start their campaign.  Can they pull another stunner in Fargo? Or will the Bison roll to 2-0 as expected?

ORU (0-0) @ SDSU (0-1)

ORU has the talent in the post and a zone defense to make a run, the question is that do they have the guard play?  SDSU lost a nail biter down in Omaha and cannot afford to drop another. 

Keys:

1) Senior Leadership

2) Take care of the ball

3) Help from the Bench

The Call:

UND needs to do something they haven't really done during conference play, start conference play 1-0.  Fortunately they have a great opportunity to do so.  Denver has a lot of talent, but it is young.  UND does as well, but I think they need to lean hard on their 3 seniors and Rebraca on this one.  Shoot well, take care of the ball and get home 1-0, which is what I am expected them to do.

UND 82-72

Game is on Altitude 2

 

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11 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

Yotes fall to 0-2 in conference play as they give up 47 2nd half points to Fort Wayne.

Not the start they envisioned. 

Weren't they thought of as a conference title favorite? A few bad losses here it would seem with Fort Wayne and WIU and throw on top of it losing to UNC in Sioux Falls.

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11 minutes ago, sioux24/7 said:

Weren't they thought of as a conference title favorite? A few bad losses here it would seem with Fort Wayne and WIU and throw on top of it losing to UNC in Sioux Falls.

Their PG has been out for a while (just returned during WIU after being out a month but appears to be rusty).   They still have the talent to win it but they need to play a lot better and get their PG healthy.  

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2 hours ago, Kab said:

No, he fouled out, each time he was in he got a foul or 2

i think he was in about 10 seconds when he received his 5th

I am not a Walter fan but it was too bad he had such a lousy game. He had a bunch of family and friends at the game. 

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