Next Head Coach

[McBuckets]

5 hours ago, UNDDOM said:

Hit the portal for a better team and or $$:  A3, Greyson Uelman, Curtis Twins....Only one of these guys could hit the portal for a better team and $; the others, sorry not convinced yet.  

Well there are about 320ish better D1 teams… this team desperately needs some positive momentum before conference play. Have 6 games to try and find some offensive identity 

[Kab]

7 minutes ago, McBuckets said:

Well there are about 320ish better D1 teams… this team desperately needs some positive momentum before conference play. Have 6 games to try and find some offensive identity 

They do need offensive identity but I don’t know how long they can continue to trap on defense and let teams shoot the 3 at 50%

the ladies are terrible at guarding the 3 too 

[NDRoots4Life]

1 hour ago, Kab said:

They do need offensive identity but I don’t know how long they can continue to trap on defense and let teams shoot the 3 at 50%

the ladies are terrible at guarding the 3 too 

The trapping has gotten out of control. They try to do it nonstop, and it is leaving 1-2 men completely unguarded for easy baskets. It's not an effective defense, how long will it take to realize this?

[Long Snapper 92]

I disagree with the people talking about the new "aggressive" defense we are doing this year. Not saying it is great or anything close to that but I have been pleasantly surprised by it. I thought for sure defense would look way worse than it has.

Offense is the real issue. There is no motion, no ball movement, just so much standing and dribbling in one place. How many games have we had a 5+ minute scoring drought at one point in the game? I'd guess almost every single one. That's not going to win you many ball games against D1 competition. 

Also, a legit big man would solve a lot of our issues on both sides of the ball. I don't understand how Sather has missed on this every single year he has been here. 

[Hans8891]

Using a trap defense is something you do to disrupt, not play all game long.  Every game, we start with a steal or 2 but give up 30 in uncontested layups and dunks after that once they realize the low post and weak side 3 will have nobody close to them.  It also gets us out of position rebounding which is partially why we are getting destroyed on the boards.  The hard part is that Eli is the only player on the team that can play d on vertical penetration so solid man d is not a good option either. The others just wave as their guy goes to the rack. We need a good defensive assistant who requires Schmitty’s JYD mentality.    Players need to buy into defensive toughness.  That does not appear to be a point of emphasis in our program.

[McBuckets]

3 hours ago, Hans8891 said:

Using a trap defense is something you do to disrupt, not play all game long.  Every game, we start with a steal or 2 but give up 30 in uncontested layups and dunks after that once they realize the low post and weak side 3 will have nobody close to them.  It also gets us out of position rebounding which is partially why we are getting destroyed on the boards.  The hard part is that Eli is the only player on the team that can play d on vertical penetration so solid man d is not a good option either. The others just wave as their guy goes to the rack. We need a good defensive assistant who requires Schmitty’s JYD mentality.    Players need to buy into defensive toughness.  That does not appear to be a point of emphasis in our program.

I agree, I think the trapping has been really good in spurts but can’t be something you play for 40 minutes.

[EternalOptimist]

How long before they either announce a men's basketball coach contract extension, or a removal? And when would be a good time for that? 

[EternalOptimist]

And yes, the removal should have happened years ago. I'm just curious with the portal happening very soon after the end of the season, do you wait until that last game, or make the decision sometime during the season? If an extension comes, that would be bad

[SIOUXFAN97]

On 12/4/2025 at 8:49 PM, Long Snapper 92 said:

I disagree with the people talking about the new "aggressive" defense we are doing this year. Not saying it is great or anything close to that but I have been pleasantly surprised by it. I thought for sure defense would look way worse than it has.

Offense is the real issue. There is no motion, no ball movement, just so much standing and dribbling in one place. How many games have we had a 5+ minute scoring drought at one point in the game? I'd guess almost every single one. That's not going to win you many ball games against D1 competition. 

Also, a legit big man would solve a lot of our issues on both sides of the ball. I don't understand how Sather has missed on this every single year he has been here. 

joshy aint the anwer your saying?

or guga...or  bismarck boy?

or 1-16 bothum?

[EternalOptimist]

New coaching staff - that's the answer.

 

 

1 hour ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

joshy aint the anwer your saying?

or guga...or  bismarck boy?

or 1-16 bothum?

I

[gfhockey]

I wonder what assistant he hires in the soring

[Shawn-O]

It’s a total rebuild from the ground up 

[gfhockey]

3 minutes ago, Shawn-O said:

It’s a total rebuild from the ground up 

So was women’s but we got an assistant that is family

[sioux24/7]

Unless there’s a miraculous turnaround, I don’t see how we aren’t looking for a new coach in March so who is it? Kyan Brown? Jeff Boschee? I like the idea of going and getting a P4 assistant but I doubt we can pay enough. Idk I don’t feel good about the future of basketball at UND. 

[EternalOptimist]

Is there any advantages in letting him go now, run with an interm coach wile looking for another head coach? Or is it better practice to wait until the season is over?

[Siouxphan27]

5 minutes ago, EternalOptimist said:

Is there any advantages in letting him go now, run with an interm coach wile looking for another head coach? Or is it better practice to wait until the season is over?

it would be a nice Christmas gift to the fans.

[UND92,96]

I have no idea whether he still wants to coach, but Craig Smith is available after Utah surprisingly let him go late last season. It would be incredibly ironic given he could and should have been hired instead of Brian Jones to replace Rich Glas 20 years ago. UND grad from Stephen, MN. Still only in his early 50s.

[HawksHoops]

42 minutes ago, EternalOptimist said:

Is there any advantages in letting him go now, run with an interm coach wile looking for another head coach? Or is it better practice to wait until the season is over?

My preference would be to wait for the end of the season.  I don't want Chaves to decide that the "interim" coach did such a great job that they deserve the permanent position with no search.

[SIOUXFAN97]

the complete dismantling of und men's basketball is almost complete...what's a few more weeks or months?

are we in the 350's yet?

[Shawn-O]

50 minutes ago, UND92,96 said:

I have no idea whether he still wants to coach, but Craig Smith is available after Utah surprisingly let him go late last season. It would be incredibly ironic given he could and should have been hired instead of Brian Jones to replace Rich Glas 20 years ago. UND grad from Stephen, MN. Still only in his early 50s.

It would be malpractice if Chaves didn’t at least call him.  

[tnt]

17 minutes ago, HawksHoops said:

My preference would be to wait for the end of the season.  I don't want Chaves to decide that the "interim" coach did such a great job that they deserve the permanent position with no search.

Does that give the new coach enough time to get ahead of the game for potential portal help?  Like to give the coach plenty of time to construct their staff and do their due diligence on players.

[Und Princess]

2 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

the complete dismantling of und men's basketball is almost complete...what's a few more weeks or months?

are we in the 350's yet?

The Men's Basketball winning percentage is at. 308 @SIOUXFAN97.

[SIOUXFAN97]

1 minute ago, Und Princess said:

The Men's Basketball winning percentage is at. 308 @SIOUXFAN97.

meant that kempom stuff people talk about that i know nohting of other than if you get to about 364 your the worst team in the world

[HawksHoops]

1 minute ago, tnt said:

Does that give the new coach enough time to get ahead of the game for potential portal help?  Like to give the coach plenty of time to construct their staff and do their due diligence on players.

If you can get Craig Smith right now, then I'm all for it.  Make the move.  Unless you can hit a home run like that, I don't think you will find the right person in the middle of a season.

[Und Princess]

3 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

meant that kempom stuff people talk about that i know nohting of other than if you get to about 364 your the worst team in the world

Oh!!!