Ducks are a tall order. They start a 6’8 kid and have a 6’7 kid on the bench. Those two don’t score much. Neither of those two are prolific scorers but could be helpful shutting down lane.
Formerly (and currently) BlueKeyAlum
I talked to Matt in Sioux Falls, he said they bid slightly over the minimum, which from my understanding is all USD and SDSU had done previous years in the past to host the opening round. I think this was just us getting matched up against a team with a significantly larger budget. Due to how they regionalize this bracket for travel we woulda had to draw maybe Nebraska, Kansas or Kansas St to have a shot and even they might have bid higher. A lot of teams we would have likely outbid weren't regional enough to get a matchup. Even Green Bay got to host which I'm sure we would've outbid so there's the logistical challenge to it too.
FORUM said the Bison will be spending $15k for travel to West Coast. What is the thinking behind bidding only "slightly over the minimum" (what, maybe $8k vs $6.5k minimum) when the result of a lost bid is having to pay $15k in travel? Is the break-even for a HOME GAME so unattainable (or loss so great) that it was better to pay $15k instead? What am I missing here?
Per the inforum.com article: Larsen said NDSU will pay the first $15,000 of its travel costs, with the WNIT picking up the tab for anything above that. With a traveling party of about two dozen, including 15 players and four coaches, the Bison will likely burn through more than $15,000 in airline tickets to fly from Fargo to Portland.
As I read this, the Bison are on the hook for the first $15k, an amount which they will likely spend.
I believe the minimum bid for hosting is partially due to cover the travel costs, I had seen this posted on a board somewhere:
The NIT then reimburses each traveling team for standard coach airfare, one bus + driver, and $120 per diem per person. As I read it, it looks like each player gets $120 per day for each day they are still participating in the competition. That hopefully is enough to cover meals. Hotel costs are the responsibility of the traveling institution.
So it seems like in the end all that NDSU would have to cover is the hotel costs.
just take it out of Matt Larson salary this year
NDSU TO FBS. HAVEN'T WE WON ENOUGH?