NDSUstudent
11-13-2006, 05:18 AM
The changes in the past year have been both numerous and significant.
When North Dakota State arrived at Williams Arena for the opener of the 2005-06 men's basketball season, the Bison looked very much like a fledgling Division I program.
Sure, Tim Miles and his staff had recruited a nice group of young players, but NDSU was still the youngest team in D-I, just beginning its first season of playing a majority of its games against top-level competition and still very much on the hunt for a conference.
As the Gophers prepare for tonight's season opener against NDSU, the Bison program appears to be headed very much in the right direction.
On the court, there was a marquee victory at Wisconsin -- a place where Minnesota hasn't won since 1994 -- and a surprising 16-victory season. In addition, North Dakota State will join the Mid-Continent Conference beginning next season, and Miles turned down a chance to go to North Carolina-Wilmington in order to stay in Fargo.
Combine all that, and NDSU has much more legitimacy than it did a year ago. Throw in the fact that the Gophers lost to Division II Winona State in their final exhibition game, and the idea of a Bison victory tonight isn't completely farfetched.
"They're good," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said of NDSU. "And look at the schedule they play; they're used to being on the road. They're pretty good. I like what Miles is doing."......
http://www.startribune.com/512/story/806319.html
When North Dakota State arrived at Williams Arena for the opener of the 2005-06 men's basketball season, the Bison looked very much like a fledgling Division I program.
Sure, Tim Miles and his staff had recruited a nice group of young players, but NDSU was still the youngest team in D-I, just beginning its first season of playing a majority of its games against top-level competition and still very much on the hunt for a conference.
As the Gophers prepare for tonight's season opener against NDSU, the Bison program appears to be headed very much in the right direction.
On the court, there was a marquee victory at Wisconsin -- a place where Minnesota hasn't won since 1994 -- and a surprising 16-victory season. In addition, North Dakota State will join the Mid-Continent Conference beginning next season, and Miles turned down a chance to go to North Carolina-Wilmington in order to stay in Fargo.
Combine all that, and NDSU has much more legitimacy than it did a year ago. Throw in the fact that the Gophers lost to Division II Winona State in their final exhibition game, and the idea of a Bison victory tonight isn't completely farfetched.
"They're good," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said of NDSU. "And look at the schedule they play; they're used to being on the road. They're pretty good. I like what Miles is doing."......
http://www.startribune.com/512/story/806319.html