2005-06 men's basketball

[UND92,96]

I didn't make it to the game last night, but from what I read in the Herald, it sounds like this was the worst performance so far this year. A 9-point home win over UMC is not good, considering how they are supposed to be down even by their standards this year.

[bincitysioux]

When is Lindahl supposed to be back?

[UND92,96]

When is Lindahl supposed to be back?

I think he's supposed to start practicing as early as today, according to the Herald.

[UND92,96]

I can't help but wonder what the point was to taking the red shirt off Blackwell. If he's not ready to play now, and he's only the 11th man (12th if Lindahl starts playing again), it seems that this year will be a complete waste of a season of eligibility for a guy who was supposed to be one of our best recruits.

[UNDBB75]

The info I got on Blackwell was that if they red shirted him he would get disappointed and leave. Seems to me the same thing is true in this situation. Not playing is also a way of losing interest. Word is he is not a very good defensive player and unless he could deliver 20 points per game they can't afford his man to get 15 to 20.

Wills is another player whose PT will go down if and when Lindahl and Koenig get healthy. He (Wills) could definitly use a year of physical conditioning.

[UND92,96]

The info I got on Blackwell was that if they red shirted him he would get disappointed and leave. Seems to me the same thing is true in this situation. Not playing is also a way of losing interest. Word is he is not a very good defensive player and unless he could deliver 20 points per game they can't afford his man to get 15 to 20.

Wills is another player whose PT will go down if and when Lindahl and Koenig get healthy. He (Wills) could definitly use a year of physical conditioning.

That does seem like an odd way of going about things--not red-shirting him so that he doesn't get disillusioned with the program, but then not giving him any p.t. (not that he deserves any if he can't defend). If that story is true, I don't like the odds of this kid actually lasting four years here.

[Cratter]

I give you guys props for sticking and caring for a program that everyone knows is going nowhere.

[UND92,96]

I give you guys props for sticking and caring for a program that everyone knows is going nowhere.

It's not easy to stay interested, but I'm trying.

I thought it might be interesting to compare Rich Glas's record during the five years with Greg McDermott, to his record since Mac left. Here are the numbers:

with Mac

overall record 126-37 (.773)

NCC record 65-25 (.722)

NCC titles 2 (both outright)

NCAA appearances 5

Elite 8 appearances 2

since Mac left

overall record 192-123 (.609)

NCC record 98-88 (.527)

NCC titles 1 (shared)

NCAA appearances 3

Elite 8 appearances 0

[coachdags]

It's not easy to stay interested, but I'm trying.

I thought it might be interesting to compare Rich Glas's record during the five years with Greg McDermott, to his record since Mac left. Here are the numbers:

with Mac

overall record 126-37 (.773)

NCC record 65-25 (.722)

NCC titles 2 (both outright)

NCAA appearances 5

Elite 8 appearances 2

since Mac left

overall record 192-123 (.609)

NCC record 98-88 (.527)

NCC titles 1 (shared)

NCAA appearances 3

Elite 8 appearances 0

Mac....Maybe the best Young Coach in the Nation..Last year rated by USA Today..Top 5 up and Coming Coaches.....To prove this point don't look at his UND record..Look at his Wayne State Record..that program is almost impossible to win at...They hosted the Regional his final year there....

[knowledge]

Mac....Maybe the best Young Coach in the Nation..Last year rated by USA Today..Top 5 up and Coming Coaches.....To prove this point don't look at his UND record..Look at his Wayne State Record..that program is almost impossible to win at...They hosted the Regional his final year there....

Just a thought.......possible will ruffle some feathers but I wanted to throw it out there.

If and/or when Glas is forced to or chooses to step down......is Ben Jacobson the guy to replace him? I believe he is still with Mac at UNI (which SI ranked the 17th best team in the nation). Is he the guy to bring the program back up to the standards that it once was?

Young, Local guy, alumnus, good experience as an assistant.

One knock is that it would be his first program.

What do you think?

[coachdags]

Rich is in a no win situation....Most of the UND Fans love to root for local Kids...Not enough Talent in the ND Area...Needs to expand our recruiting base...To Jr Colleges ect..and these kids some have proved to be undesireables...I Really believe the Hardest National Championship Trophy to win is in D2 Mens B-Ball....Tell me the last Ncc School or Region School to do it other than Metro with all there aussie Players...?

Never happen...Ben had a shot at the NDSU Head Job and Went with Mac to UNI..Gets paid pretty well there and he loves it, If and When Mac moves..Jake either goes with or he Gets UNI Head Job

[coachdags]

Hey UND92,96....you maybe can answer this one...Who in the NCC has the most elite 8 apperances?

Edited November 27, 2005 by coachdags

[UND92,96]

Hey UND92,96....you maybe can answer this one...Who in the NCC has the most elite 8 apperances?

I believe UND and SDSU both have eight.

[UND92,96]

Rich is in a no win situation....Most of the UND Fans love to root for local Kids...Not enough Talent in the ND Area...Needs to expand our recruiting base...To Jr Colleges ect..and these kids some have proved to be undesireables...I Really believe the Hardest National Championship Trophy to win is in D2 Mens B-Ball....Tell me the last Ncc School or Region School to do it other than Metro with all there aussie Players...?

Never happen...Ben had a shot at the NDSU Head Job and Went with Mac to UNI..Gets paid pretty well there and he loves it, If and When Mac moves..Jake either goes with or he Gets UNI Head Job

I agree that it's extremely difficult for an NCC school to win a national title in men's basketball. That makes our failure to do it in the 1990-91 season all the more painful because we probably had the best team that year. I feel that region titles are a more realistic goal for NCC teams than are national titles, but with Metro's success with Australian and other foreign born players, even that will be difficult--at least until their coach decides to move on. I think we're better off just recruiting the best high school talent possible from ND, MN and Wisconsin, plus the occasional dI bounceback kid (Guldseth, Jacobson, Koenig, etc.), and recruit only juco kids whose character is very high, e.g. Rico Burkett.

[coachdags]

I agree that it's extremely difficult for an NCC school to win a national title in men's basketball. That makes our failure to do it in the 1990-91 season all the more painful because we probably had the best team that year. I feel that region titles are a more realistic goal for NCC teams than are national titles, but with Metro's success with Australian and other foreign born players, even that will be difficult--at least until their coach decides to move on. I think we're better off just recruiting the best high school talent possible from ND, MN and Wisconsin, plus the occasional dI bounceback kid (Guldseth, Jacobson, Koenig, etc.), and recruit only juco kids whose character is very high, e.g. Rico Burkett.

Totally agree just wish we knew who those kids were?...I think we have missed on a few..Lindgren,Burkhart,Arenson,..to name a few....or what would be nice is to get a Nick Jacobson,Jeff Boschee,John Godfread to stay home.....

[star2city]

Rich is in a no win situation....Most of the UND Fans love to root for local Kids...Not enough Talent in the ND Area...Needs to expand our recruiting base...

Over the next couple of years, it will be interesting to see how well NDSU performs at the DI level. By moving to DI, it seems they may have assembled the best young team in the school's history, largely because they now can attract mid-level DI Minnesota/Wisconsin recruits that previously were turned off by the DII label. If NDSU can attract those type of players, certainly UND could.

I would agree that UND fans love to root for local kids, but they would adopt anyone who has a passion for the game. That is the bigger issue, now, IMO.

[mnbison]

Totally agree just wish we knew who those kids were?...I think we have missed on a few..Lindgren,Burkhart,Arenson,..to name a few....or what would be nice is to get a Nick Jacobson,Jeff Boschee,John Godfread to stay home.....

Both Burkhart and Arenson wanted to play for the Sioux but Glass wouldn't take them. Instead they both landed at St. Cloud for a red shirt year. For whatever reason they both left St. Cloud and went to Northern and Moorhead where they were great players. Rich missed out on some big time local talent with those two. Not only were they great players, they are good people too.

[UND Fan]

Both Burkhart and Arenson wanted to play for the Sioux but Glass wouldn't take them. Instead they both landed at St. Cloud for a red shirt year. For whatever reason they both left St. Cloud and went to Northern and Moorhead where they were great players. Rich missed out on some big time local talent with those two. Not only were they great players, they are good people too.

Refresh my memory - where was Arenson from?

[UND92,96]

Refresh my memory - where was Arenson from?

I think he was from Crary.

[UND92,96]

Although the on-court success was relatively modest, I think UND was on the right track in terms of recruiting high school players in the mid-90's when Mustard, Reinke, Travis, Larson, Behrens and Tom Jacobson were all brought in. I'm not sure why we got more heavily into juco recruiting after those guys graduated. Maybe because the 1999-2000 season, which on paper should have been the best team since the Elite 8 teams of the early 90's, didn't do quite as well as hoped and it was thought that the only way to get over the hump was to roll the dice with talented--but in many cases undisciplined and/or academically challenged--juco players. In any event, I think that unless there's a Rico-type kid out there, or perhaps somebody who is playing at Wahpeton, Lake Region or Williston and knows what he's getting into with regard to the ND winters, recruiting jucos probably isn't the best idea.

[mnbison]

I think he was from Crary.

That's correct.

Edited November 28, 2005 by mnbison

[UND92,96]

I'm curious as to whether anybody thinks we should consider Craig Nelson from May-Port as another "miss" in terms of ND kids who UND probably could have had? He's only a red-shirt sophomore for Northern, and is already starting for his second year and is averaging a very respectable 9.7 points and 4 assists per game.

[Corella]

The thing that some may not realize are that today, junior college players and D1 transfers are essential in D2 basketball, especially way up here. In D2 basketball, there are players recruited according to potential, what they could be. Yes, those some players are taken by D1 schools as well. But, if that player does not pan out after 2 years at the D1 level it is not so large of a problem based on the scholarship difference. In D2, if someone does not pan out, that creates a large gap that often requires a JUCO player, someone with experience, to come in and play at a position that would, because the player of potential has not progressed, would otherwise be left to a perhaps even less talented player. These D2 players are a lot fo the time fantastic athletes, something that is few and far between in the ND and MN high school ranks. More times that not, the JUCO player that is brought in is a D1 caliber of player, but he did not graduate from his junior college so he has to go D2, or his clock is ticking and he only would have 1 year of eligibility and D1 schools aren't interested in a 1 year JUCO guy. Sure, JUCO players may be more risky, but in every instance they bring different elements and potential to the team that cannot be matched by the few "local" kids who are actually worthy of playing at this level. There simply aren't enough 6-9 PF/C's in the area and available to play at this level, and the same thing can be said about every other position. And if some want the local JUCO players who are perhaps perceived as being less risky, Thomas Dryburgh down at NDSCS is doing well right now and will hopefully be in a Sioux uni next year despite immanent D1 offers.

[coachdags]

I'm curious as to whether anybody thinks we should consider Craig Nelson from May-Port as another "miss" in terms of ND kids who UND probably could have had? He's only a red-shirt sophomore for Northern, and is already starting for his second year and is averaging a very respectable 9.7 points and 4 assists per game.

I think both Nelson's from Mayville could have played here...but thats my opinion...We could of used a good gaurd "THAT PASSES THE BALL"...and the other Nelson as they say you can't teach Height,is What 6'10"...maybe a project but a good Kid that would pay attention and LEARN...somethings are bench seems to lack...

[UND Fan]

Although the on-court success was relatively modest, I think UND was on the right track in terms of recruiting high school players in the mid-90's when Mustard, Reinke, Travis, Larson, Behrens and Tom Jacobson were all brought in. I'm not sure why we got more heavily into juco recruiting after those guys graduated. Maybe because the 1999-2000 season, which on paper should have been the best team since the Elite 8 teams of the early 90's, didn't do quite as well as hoped and it was thought that the only way to get over the hump was to roll the dice with talented--but in many cases undisciplined and/or academically challenged--juco players. In any event, I think that unless there's a Rico-type kid out there, or perhaps somebody who is playing at Wahpeton, Lake Region or Williston and knows what he's getting into with regard to the ND winters, recruiting jucos probably isn't the best idea.

We started recruiting JC players more heavily because it became more difficult to recruit the better HS players. We were often the DII team a recruit planned to choose IF they did not get a DI offer. Many got that offer while others walked on at DI programs. That could mean that we either were recruiting players who were "too good" for us or that we were recruiting the right players but were unlucky at landing them. I truly think it was the latter. Our location and weather is also a real problem for HS kids who live in Iowa, Illinois, etc. We have lost a lot of kids to SDSU and USD in recent years - simply because Brookings and Vermillion were closer to home for them. Many of these kids went on to great NCC careers.

Obviously, when you go after two or three talented HS players very hard and then they decide not to attend your school, you are in trouble - other quality kids have already made their decisions - this means you are forced to go to the juco ranks. Our problem was then compounded by injuries, etc. which forced us to rely even more heavily on JC kids for awhile.

I agree with your comments regarding juco players who are quality people - I just think we were forced to take some chances in recent years out of necessity.

Despite my comments, I think we could have done a much better job recruiting in recent years. As other posts have noted, our recruiting has really suffered since Mac left UND. He had lots of contacts plus he was very well liked by the athletes and their parents.