grizzlyjournal
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Big Sky Conference play starts Saturday and seems to promise a level of competitive parity that hasn’t been seen since 2010.
Conference parity: As of yesterday, the Big Sky Conference ranked 19th in overall strength (Kenpom) among the 32 NCAA D1 conferences… the highest it’s been in about a decade. Over the past 8-9 seasons, the Big Sky has been ranked in the lower third of the 32 Division 1 basketball conferences, ranked last year between 23-27th in overall strength. So far this season, the Big Sky is ranked well ahead of the WAC and Big West… but still lodged behind the Summit (18th)… three conferences they are often grouped with. If not for the very low analytical rankings of Idaho State (309) and Idaho (333) the Big Sky could vie for a “Top 16 Conference” ranking.
• Through conference play, three teams — Northern Colorado (121), Eastern Washington (129) and Southern Utah (155) are tightly grouped in a top tier. Montana (196), Sacramento State (205) and Portland State (212) are knotted in a second tier, with Montana State (256), Northern Arizona (267) and Weber State (278) in a third tier. The two Idaho schools anchor the basement. Another basketball analytics publication, Haslametrics, predicts that Northern Colorado will be the Big Sky NCAA post-season rep, followed closely by EWU.
The reason seems pretty clear on paper. There are no fewer than five veteran Big Sky teams with 4 or 5 returning starters and three more with deep veteran rosters:
• Eastern Washington returns starters Mason Peatling, Jacob Davison and Tyler Kidd. But Kim Aiken Jr. and Jack Perry each started 11 games for the Eagles last year.
• Southern Utah returns four starters in Cameron Oluyitan, Dre Marin, Andre Adams and Dwayne Morgan.
• Despite losing Jordan Davis, Northern Colorado returns starters Jonah Radebaugh, Sam Masten, Brodie Hume and Kai Edwards.
• Likewise, Sacramento State returns eight players who started several games, including Joshua Patton, Bryce Fowler, Ethan Esposito, Chibueze Jacobs, Osi Nwachukuwu, and Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa.
• New Northern Arisona coach (interim) Shane Burcar has five returning starters from a team that took the Griz to the wire in the last two of three battles last year. They are: Bernie Andre, Carlos Hines, Ted McCree, Brooks DeBisschop, and Chris Bowling… a lineup that now includes Nik Mains, who was a top reserve last season.
• Portland State returns star guard Holland Woods surrounded by four veterans who logged significant minutes last season…. and three D1 transfers who are in the 9-man Vik rotation.
• Weber State started slowly without senior star Jerrick Harding but seems back on track with Harding’s return. Joining Harding are sr. Cody John, soph Israel Barnes and bigs Michael Kozak and Dima Zdor.
• Senior guard Harald Frey has carried Montana State with help from veteran returners Devin Kirby and Ladan Ricketts and grad transfer Xavier Bishop. The Cats are getting solid front court help from 6-7 freshman Borja Fernandez.
So, throw Montana into the fray with seniors Sayeed Pridgett, Kendal Manuel, and jr. Timmy Falls and an otherwise very young lineup. In Friday morning’s Missoulian conference preview, coach Travis DeCuire (as he always does) split the season into four quarters: pre-season, first and second half of conference play… and then the post season tourney, with the goal of steady improvement over each of the final three quarters.
In many ways, Montana, Montana State, Weber State and Portland State will rely on one dominant player to carry the load through conference play. The team that gets the most growth from its surrounding players (Montana’s frosh-soph classes) could well battle its way into the top tier.
The Big Sky Conference will be an 8-team hurly-burly brouhaha this season. I’ll let others make specific predictions. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 5-loss regular season champion. I’ll be rooting for Montana, of course. Should be fun. I’m ready. Go Griz.
Conference parity: As of yesterday, the Big Sky Conference ranked 19th in overall strength (Kenpom) among the 32 NCAA D1 conferences… the highest it’s been in about a decade. Over the past 8-9 seasons, the Big Sky has been ranked in the lower third of the 32 Division 1 basketball conferences, ranked last year between 23-27th in overall strength. So far this season, the Big Sky is ranked well ahead of the WAC and Big West… but still lodged behind the Summit (18th)… three conferences they are often grouped with. If not for the very low analytical rankings of Idaho State (309) and Idaho (333) the Big Sky could vie for a “Top 16 Conference” ranking.
• Through conference play, three teams — Northern Colorado (121), Eastern Washington (129) and Southern Utah (155) are tightly grouped in a top tier. Montana (196), Sacramento State (205) and Portland State (212) are knotted in a second tier, with Montana State (256), Northern Arizona (267) and Weber State (278) in a third tier. The two Idaho schools anchor the basement. Another basketball analytics publication, Haslametrics, predicts that Northern Colorado will be the Big Sky NCAA post-season rep, followed closely by EWU.
The reason seems pretty clear on paper. There are no fewer than five veteran Big Sky teams with 4 or 5 returning starters and three more with deep veteran rosters:
• Eastern Washington returns starters Mason Peatling, Jacob Davison and Tyler Kidd. But Kim Aiken Jr. and Jack Perry each started 11 games for the Eagles last year.
• Southern Utah returns four starters in Cameron Oluyitan, Dre Marin, Andre Adams and Dwayne Morgan.
• Despite losing Jordan Davis, Northern Colorado returns starters Jonah Radebaugh, Sam Masten, Brodie Hume and Kai Edwards.
• Likewise, Sacramento State returns eight players who started several games, including Joshua Patton, Bryce Fowler, Ethan Esposito, Chibueze Jacobs, Osi Nwachukuwu, and Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa.
• New Northern Arisona coach (interim) Shane Burcar has five returning starters from a team that took the Griz to the wire in the last two of three battles last year. They are: Bernie Andre, Carlos Hines, Ted McCree, Brooks DeBisschop, and Chris Bowling… a lineup that now includes Nik Mains, who was a top reserve last season.
• Portland State returns star guard Holland Woods surrounded by four veterans who logged significant minutes last season…. and three D1 transfers who are in the 9-man Vik rotation.
• Weber State started slowly without senior star Jerrick Harding but seems back on track with Harding’s return. Joining Harding are sr. Cody John, soph Israel Barnes and bigs Michael Kozak and Dima Zdor.
• Senior guard Harald Frey has carried Montana State with help from veteran returners Devin Kirby and Ladan Ricketts and grad transfer Xavier Bishop. The Cats are getting solid front court help from 6-7 freshman Borja Fernandez.
So, throw Montana into the fray with seniors Sayeed Pridgett, Kendal Manuel, and jr. Timmy Falls and an otherwise very young lineup. In Friday morning’s Missoulian conference preview, coach Travis DeCuire (as he always does) split the season into four quarters: pre-season, first and second half of conference play… and then the post season tourney, with the goal of steady improvement over each of the final three quarters.
In many ways, Montana, Montana State, Weber State and Portland State will rely on one dominant player to carry the load through conference play. The team that gets the most growth from its surrounding players (Montana’s frosh-soph classes) could well battle its way into the top tier.
The Big Sky Conference will be an 8-team hurly-burly brouhaha this season. I’ll let others make specific predictions. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 5-loss regular season champion. I’ll be rooting for Montana, of course. Should be fun. I’m ready. Go Griz.
