Weber State v. Montana 8pm CST on ESPN2

[WYOBISONMAN]

The Big Sky Championship will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 8pm CST (7pm MST) tonight. *The contest will feature the Wildcats of Weber State against the Grizzlies of Montana. *This is what the D1 move was all about. *

[greenandgold01]

The Big Sky Championship will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 8pm CST (7pm MST) tonight. The contest will feature the Wildcats of Weber State against the Grizzlies of Montana. This is what the D1 move was all about.


Weber State is usually pretty good, right? What about Montana?

What happened to Eastern Washington? They were good last year.

[WYOBISONMAN]

Actually, Portland State won the season championship, so I am a bit surprised that they are not in the final game of the tourney. Weber is the biggest surprise.

Here are the final regular season standings.....

BIG SKY STANDINGS

. CONF. OVERALL

TEAM W L W L

Portland State 11 3 19 9

Montana 9 5 17 12

Montana State 9 5 14 14

Sacramento State 8 6 12 16

Weber State 7 7 14 15

Eastern Wash. 5 9 8 20

Northern Arizona 4 10 11 17


Idaho State 3 11 9 18

[greenandgold01]

Wow, EWU really fell off this season.

[kchats]

Ray Giacollette left. I believe he is now coaching at Utah or something like that. He was the reason they were good. Never did anything at NDSU but doing well in division I now. Same with Greg McDermott never did anything at NDSU and now UNI might get an invite to the NCAA tournament. I hope Coach Miles develops as our last two coaches appear to have grown.

[IowaBison]

Ray Giacollette left. *I believe he is now coaching at Utah or something like that. *He was the reason they were good. *Never did anything at NDSU but doing well in division I now. *Same with Greg McDermott never did anything at NDSU and now UNI might get an invite to the NCAA tournament. *I hope Coach Miles develops as our last two coaches appear to have grown.

It's like getting up from a slot machine and having a blue haired grandma sit down and win a million bucks on her first pull.

[bisonhusker]

Oakland made the dance last night. According to Sportscenter, they are in only their 7th season at the D1 level. Congrats to them, it gives us alot of hope. We played them this year. I just looked at the box score, looks like they beat us pretty good, but had a 21-0 run to start the second half. Good luck to them in the tourney, I am guessing they will be a 16 seed.

[greenandgold01]

Oakland made the dance last night. According to Sportscenter, they are in only their 7th season at the D1 level. Congrats to them, it gives us alot of hope. We played them this year. I just looked at the box score, looks like they beat us pretty good, but had a 21-0 run to start the second half. Good luck to them in the tourney, I am guessing they will be a 16 seed.


They'll probably have to play Illinois in the first round. But going to the dance is a big deal!

[WYOBISONMAN]

Ray is doing VERY well at Utah and his stock is damn high in this part of the country.......

[D]

If Ray Jack is smart, he will get out after this year if offered a job in a BCS conference.

[BisonCountry]

They'll probably have to play Illinois in the first round. But going to the dance is a big deal!

I would guess they might not even see Illinois as they may get stuck in the 64/65 play-in game.

[BisonInTexas]

Oakland made the dance last night. According to Sportscenter, they are in only their 7th season at the D1 level. Congrats to them, it gives us alot of hope. We played them this year. I just looked at the box score, looks like they beat us pretty good, but had a 21-0 run to start the second half. Good luck to them in the tourney, I am guessing they will be a 16 seed.

Their record is 12-18, I believe. That pretty much assures them of a 16 seed!

Craig

[NDSU_grad]

If Ray Jack is smart, he will get out after this year if offered a job in a BCS conference. *
Are there going to be any openings at a BCS school. Iowa maybe?

[Sioux_Yeah_Yeah]

Are there going to be any openings at a BCS school. *Iowa maybe?

Just have to wait and see. As was shown when Roy Will left Kansas, if there is one opening there are more sure to follow!
Not sure if Alford would be gone though, are you saying he would get fired? I wouldn't think so, but FWIW I just went on the Hawkeyes website and boy is that thing bad! Not much info and hard to follow, they could use an overhaul!

[somebison]

If Alford leaves- I would look for McDermott to go to Iowa City.

[roadwarrior]

Pretty impressive crowd in Portland tonight ::)

[greenandgold01]

What's the deal with the game at the Rose Garden?

Is PSU hosting and they wanted a bigger venue?

Looks like maybe a 1000 there for WSU vs. UMT. I wonder if they could've gotten closer to 10k if PSU had made the final?

[roadwarrior]

The announcers said there were 4000 there last night for the semifinals. Portland got the home court by finishing in first place in the Big Sky regular season.

[roadwarrior]

Portland State's home basketball court, the Peter Stott center holds 1,500.

[greenandgold01]

Portland State's home basketball court, the Peter Stott center holds 1,500.

Hmm...I wonder if they're planning to upgrade in the future?

[WYOBISONMAN]

Geez......if the Big Sky would wake up and let the Bison in......imagine what that tourney would draw in Fargo......I bet you would sell out a championship game between Montana and Weber State. :-/

[Big_BisonFan]

I watched the game last night and from my point of view it didn't look much different than a NCC tournament championship game. Sure there were a few taller guys and a few transfers from big D-I schools, but other than that very similar level of competition. I really wasn't impressed, during halftime I switched to the Rutgers/Notre Dame game, what a difference in the level of play, more athletic players and a cleaner game. Those are just my observations. Oh yeah and 4000 people my AZZ. The best part of the game is when all twenty people including players, coaches and fans rushed the floor. A little bit different than the most celebrations.


Does anyone know which conference in D-I is the weakest?

[greenandgold01]

I watched the game last night and from my point of view it didn't look much different than a NCC tournament championship game. Sure there were a few taller guys and a few transfers from big D-I schools, but other than that very similar level of competition. I really wasn't impressed, during halftime I switched to the Rutgers/Notre Dame game, what a difference in the level of play, more athletic players and a cleaner game. Those are just my observations. Oh yeah and 4000 people my AZZ. The best part of the game is when all twenty people including players, coaches and fans rushed the floor. A little bit different than the most celebrations.


Does anyone know which conference in D-I is the weakest?


LOL! The funniest part of the game was at the end when Weber missed the shot and all the players rushed to the floor and **two** Montana fans were out there celebrating with them.

That's just a sad way to get into the dance, IMO.

I know it would've been much different if PSU had won it or if the game was at Montana.

But still, just a little pathetic.

[greenandgold01]

Geez......if the Big Sky would wake up and let the Bison in......imagine what that tourney would draw in Fargo......I bet you would sell out a championship game between Montana and Weber State. :-/


I don't think we would've made the final 4 let alone host it.

[WYOBISONMAN]

We will in time.

[greenandgold01]

We will in time.


Assuming we end up in the Big Sky, right?

[mikelsch]

Does anyone know which conference in D-I is the weakest?

Here are the Sagarin ratings for conferences. According to ESPN's college Bball experts, they think the Sagarin ratings have replaced the RPI as the best ratings index.

1 ATLANTIC COAST
2 BIG 12
3 BIG EAST
4 BIG TEN
5 SOUTHEASTERN
6 PACIFIC-10
7 MISSOURI VALLEY
8 CONFERENCE USA
9 MOUNTAIN WEST
10 WEST COAST
11 MID-AMERICAN
12 WESTERN ATHLETIC
13 ATLANTIC 10
14 SUN BELT
15 HORIZON
16 COLONIAL
17 BIG WEST
18 AMERICA EAST
19 MID-CONTINENT
20 SOUTHERN
21 METRO ATLANTIC
22 IVY LEAGUE
23 OHIO VALLEY
24 PATRIOT
25 SOUTHLAND
26 BIG SKY
27 ATLANTIC SUN
28 BIG SOUTH
29 NORTHEAST
30 MID-EASTERN
31 INDEPENDENTS (NDSU, SDSU included)
32 SOUTHWESTERN

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkc0405.htm

[D]

According to ESPN's college Bball experts, they think the Sagarin ratings have replaced the RPI as the best ratings index.


There are a lot of upset people because of the RPI this year. They tweaked it a little and put a greater emphasis on road games into the equation and the results that have come back have skewed it and the system. From everything I have heard it is going to change back to the old formula next year. It went from being, IMO and a lot of other peoples, the best and most reliable electronic ranking ranking system in sports to something that this year has the Pac-10 rated as the nation's #2 conference, something that even this Pac-10 backer knows is a joke.

[greenandgold01]

There are a lot of upset people because of the RPI this year. They tweaked it a little and put a greater emphasis on road games into the equation and the results that have come back have skewed it and the system. From everything I have heard it is going to change back to the old formula next year. It went from being, IMO and a lot of other peoples, the best and most reliable electronic ranking ranking system in sports to something that this year has the Pac-10 rated as the nation's #2 conference, something that even this Pac-10 backer knows is a joke.


They must have put a decimal point in the wrong spot.

[NDSU_grad]

Not sure if Alford would be gone though, are you saying he would get fired? I wouldn't think so, but FWIW I just went on the Hawkeyes website and boy is that thing bad! *Not much info and hard to follow, they could use an overhaul!
Well, I'm just speculating, but Iowa has underachieved ever since Alford got to Iowa, and attendance at Carver-Hawkeye was down this year. I'd at least say he's on the hot seat.

[TheTruth]

If Weber State is playing Montana, there would be maybe 2,000 fans at the BSU. Let's be real

[Sioux_Yeah_Yeah]

If Weber State is playing Montana, there would be maybe 2,000 fans at the BSU. *Let's be real

I would agree that the crowd would not be very large, having attended conference tournaments in the area in the past, people just don't go to the tournaments, I'm not sure if it is because you already basically knew if your team was going to make it to the playoffs or what but people didn't seem to support the tourney

[WYOBISONMAN]

But....we would be talking about a D1 tourney where the winner would go to the Dance. I think a lot of fans in Fargo would turn out for a Montana/Weber game. The state of North Dakota has never seen a game like that before.......

[Sioux_Yeah_Yeah]

Well, I'm just speculating, but Iowa has underachieved ever since Alford got to Iowa, and attendance at Carver-Hawkeye was down this year. *I'd at least say he's on the hot seat.

Here is Pat Forde's take on it from ESPN

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/champweek2005/news/story?id=2009966