Hey, its Thursday. Really should post these on Monday. That would take time and well focus that I just don't have. Just consider yourself luck that you get them.
What did we learn from Week #3:
---Idaho State is relentless. When they get going as they did on Saturday night in the second half, they come at you in wave after wave. You might be up 8 and then suddenly down by 20. They are the conferences best offensive rebounding team, and they claw over, around and through players to get rebounds. They can defend from half court in and have a level of athleticism that makes accessing the key very difficult when they are engaged.
---Northern Colorado can take punches and stay up. They got two rather spirited games from perennial conference pest Portland State and found a way to hang on. The same is true of Sacramento State, who showed some real fight in Greeley, who could have rolled over and lost by 30. Northern Colorado probably has the best core of wing players in the conference and all of them are terrible matchups for most teams on any given night. They can isolate, post up and handle the ball effectively.
--- Weber State isn't a 1-4 team, but has a 1-4 record. They have long runs in every game of truly dominant play, only to be matched be incredibly unfocused and undisciplined play. They might have had a 2-0 weekend had they Blaise Threatt, but really what undermined their effort was Dyson Kohler's awful offensive weekend. He clearly needs a wing man that can help him play off ball and when he becomes the sole facilitator and scorer, he's just not as dynamic. I am not one for speculation, but is Eric Duft's seat getting a bit warm?
Player(s) of the Week: Jake O'Neil Idaho State. Averaged a double-double in two wins over Montana State and Montana. Was 12-18 from the floor and snatched 23 rbs in two games. He tossed in 8 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Honorable Mention: To the whole ISU squad for their systematic dismantling of Montana in the second on Saturday, Isaiah Hawthorne again from Northern Colorado, and Jacob Holt from Sac State.
Game of the Week #3: Montana-Montana State Derby in Missoula would have the early line on a potential game of the week. However, that Idaho State v. Portland State matchup on Saturday in Portland has some very spiderman pointing at spiderman vibes. Teams both rebound exceptionally well, play harassing defense and both are while just off in the periphery are both challenging for the team most capable of defeating Northern Colorado.
Thanks for reading.
| Rank | Team | Conference (Overall) RPI | Last Week | This Week | What 2025 EPL Team would they be? |
1 | Northern Colorado | 6-0 (14-5) 129 (108) | Rank: #1 2-0: Win: v. Portland State Win: v. Sacramento State | TH: @ Idaho S: @ Eastern Washington | Liverpool: No one really expected Liverpool to return to the top slot in the EPL, the same with NC. |
2 | Montana | 5-2 (12-8) 214 (203) | Rank: #2 2-1: Win: @Weber State Loss: @Idaho State Win: v. Idaho | S: v. Montana State | Manchester City: Montana is always there, but like MC have some real defensive issues that are causing problems. |
3 | Idaho State | 3-2 (8-8) 165 (204) | Rank: #7 2-0: Win: v. Montana State Win: v. Montana | TH: @ Sacramento State S: @ Portland State | Nottingham Forest: Clearly the high riser and out of blue candidate for Championsh League in the EPL, Idaho State gets that nod in the BSC. |
4 | Portland State | 3-2 (11-7) 218 (237) | Rank: #3 1-1: Loss: @ Portland State Win: @ Northern Arizona | TH: v. Weber State S: v. Idaho State | Tottenham Hotspur: I debated on this one. If there is a fringe EPL team that is always there, in spite of maddening losses, has the talent to beath any one it is Tottenham. PSU is that team this year and every year. |
5 | Idaho | 3-3 (8-11) 246 (257) | Rank #4 1-1: Win: v. Eastern Washington Loss: @ Montana | TH: v. Northern Colorado S: v. Northern Arizona | Brighton Hove and Albion: I debated with Aston Villa as well (harkening back to their ancient success in the EPL) but BHA is probably a modern equivalent. Idaho has been just good enough this year to be competitive w/ everyone they have played, but haven't found that break-through. |
6 | Montana State | 3-4 (8-12) 179 (189) | LW: #8 2-1: Loss: @ ISU Win: @ WSU Win: v. EWU | S: @ Montana | Newcastle United: Newcastle has been the last couple of years the most difficult team to play against the EPL. Loge's MSU team this year isn't as talented as last year, but they are a bear to play against. |
7 | Eastern Washington | 2-4 (6-13) 252 (244) | LW: #5 0-2 Loss: @ Idaho Loss: @ Montana State | TH: v. Northern Arizona S: v. Northern Colorado | Chelsea: New team (they have a new team every year), new coach. Eastern Washington new team, new coach. Similar results. |
8 | Northern Arizona | 2-4 (11-8) 266 (268) | LW: #9 1-1 Win: v. Sac State Loss: v. Portland State | TH: @ Eastern Washington S: @ Idaho | Aston Villa: AV has some great individual talent (Ollie Watkins), but they haven't been able to find results. They are midtable and could be better. Sound familiar? NAU could be 4-2 and isn't and is in spite of the daily double-double they get from Carson Towt. |
9 | Sacramento State | 1-4 (5-13) 34 (345) | LW#10: 0-2 Loss: @ NAU Loss: @ UNC | TH: v. Idaho State S: Weber State | Wolverhampton Wanderers: Six weeks ago the Wanderers were in the basement. Improved play has them out of relegation zone for now. Sacramento State is playing competitive basketball (getting 20 a night from Holt helps) and isn't the walk over that every one assumed early on in the season. |
10 | Weber State | 1-4 (7-12) 260 (240) | LW: #6 0-2: Loss: v. Montana Loss: v. Montana State | TH: @ Portland State S: @ Sacramento State | Manchester United: Oof. There is no doubt that MU has endless resources, incredible talent, but it isn't translating. The same can be said of WSU. They are along w/ Montana BSC's blue bloods and they are finding ways to lose instead of win. Like MU, at the end of the season, they could be in second or third. At this point though in both cases that seems unlikely. |
What did we learn from Week #3:
---Idaho State is relentless. When they get going as they did on Saturday night in the second half, they come at you in wave after wave. You might be up 8 and then suddenly down by 20. They are the conferences best offensive rebounding team, and they claw over, around and through players to get rebounds. They can defend from half court in and have a level of athleticism that makes accessing the key very difficult when they are engaged.
---Northern Colorado can take punches and stay up. They got two rather spirited games from perennial conference pest Portland State and found a way to hang on. The same is true of Sacramento State, who showed some real fight in Greeley, who could have rolled over and lost by 30. Northern Colorado probably has the best core of wing players in the conference and all of them are terrible matchups for most teams on any given night. They can isolate, post up and handle the ball effectively.
--- Weber State isn't a 1-4 team, but has a 1-4 record. They have long runs in every game of truly dominant play, only to be matched be incredibly unfocused and undisciplined play. They might have had a 2-0 weekend had they Blaise Threatt, but really what undermined their effort was Dyson Kohler's awful offensive weekend. He clearly needs a wing man that can help him play off ball and when he becomes the sole facilitator and scorer, he's just not as dynamic. I am not one for speculation, but is Eric Duft's seat getting a bit warm?
Player(s) of the Week: Jake O'Neil Idaho State. Averaged a double-double in two wins over Montana State and Montana. Was 12-18 from the floor and snatched 23 rbs in two games. He tossed in 8 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Honorable Mention: To the whole ISU squad for their systematic dismantling of Montana in the second on Saturday, Isaiah Hawthorne again from Northern Colorado, and Jacob Holt from Sac State.
Game of the Week #3: Montana-Montana State Derby in Missoula would have the early line on a potential game of the week. However, that Idaho State v. Portland State matchup on Saturday in Portland has some very spiderman pointing at spiderman vibes. Teams both rebound exceptionally well, play harassing defense and both are while just off in the periphery are both challenging for the team most capable of defeating Northern Colorado.
Thanks for reading.
