#4 seed Pittsburgh versus #13 Montana

[grizaremoregooder]

#13 is a rip-off. PSU's men's team drew a 13 and they cannot compare to how the Lady Griz stack up nationally.

Time to win a game in the tournament then-we havn't done that for a long time.

 

[GrizLA]

It is far easier for a basketball program to reach parity than football. You're talking maybe 3 marquee players and a half dozen backups ,plus you can play in a far less auspicious venue than the Adams Center. The East is full of Villanova's and St. Johns. Cal State Northridge made a great run today against Memphis and their gym is smaller than my double car garage. You guys need to switch from thinking "Why?" to "Why not?" I find very interesting that former BSCers, CSUN and Gonzaga both improved their basketball fortunes AFTER leaving the conference. And why not? They're facing better competition December to March. UM has zero excuse for not producing a better men's program. The fan base is simply waiting impatiently for it to happen...and waiting...

Well, Tip, I empathize with you about UM and the some of the fans' ways of thinking...though, the way I read things here, many, many Montana fans feel "less than"......they have given up on the Lady Griz before the lights even go on in the gym....I think the LG have a better than good chance to win a game on Sat. It is kinda shocking to read so much negativity here, alas...
As for Northridge....they had a mediocre season....barely made into the finals of their tourney...and their conference is probably less competive top to bottom than the Big Sky...of course, the fact that they have the lowest grad rate of all schools in the tourney along with a couple of starters and the coach's son in jail speaks for itself...I like CSUN as an institution...good school...they dropped football and most other sports...Gonzaga is another one major sport (men) program, a private school that doesn't have to meet State funding requirements....but my own feeling about Gonzaga is that it is more a media creation than not.....the Zags just don't look like a good team but everyone says they are...if UM got that treatment by its fans and all media, I suspect they would be better motivated....I will say, if the Cherry kid from Sacto actually shows up in Missoula, UM will be on the map...big time....the future of the mens' bball is bright if the coach can motivate...not sure about the women....they seem caught in a time warp but they think they can win....and that is half the game...

 

[BelierPeaux]

It is far easier for a basketball program to reach parity than football. You're talking maybe 3 marquee players and a half dozen backups ,plus you can play in a far less auspicious venue than the Adams Center. The East is full of Villanova's and St. Johns. Cal State Northridge made a great run today against Memphis and their gym is smaller than my double car garage. You guys need to switch from thinking "Why?" to "Why not?" I find very interesting that former BSCers, CSUN and Gonzaga both improved their basketball fortunes AFTER leaving the conference. And why not? They're facing better competition December to March. UM has zero excuse for not producing a better men's program. The fan base is simply waiting impatiently for it to happen...and waiting...

Well, Tip, I empathize with you about UM and the some of the fans' ways of thinking...though, the way I read things here, many, many Montana fans feel "less than"......they have given up on the Lady Griz before the lights even go on in the gym....I think the LG have a better than good chance to win a game on Sat. It is kinda shocking to read so much negativity here, alas...
As for Northridge....they had a mediocre season....barely made into the finals of their tourney...and their conference is probably less competive top to bottom than the Big Sky...of course, the fact that they have the lowest grad rate of all schools in the tourney along with a couple of starters and the coach's son in jail speaks for itself...I like CSUN as an institution...good school...they dropped football and most other sports...Gonzaga is another one major sport (men) program, a private school that doesn't have to meet State funding requirements....but my own feeling about Gonzaga is that it is more a media creation than not.....the Zags just don't look like a good team but everyone says they are...if UM got that treatment by its fans and all media, I suspect they would be better motivated....I will say, if the Cherry kid from Sacto actually shows up in Missoula, UM will be on the map...big time....the future of the mens' bball is bright if the coach can motivate...not sure about the women....they seem caught in a time warp but they think they can win....and that is half the game...

Yeah, I was kinda wondering where the Northridge thing came from. They aren't that good and never have been that good. Aside from this year they have only made the tourney once in 2001, I believe that was the year after they dropped out of the BSC. Like LA said, they had a marginal year in an OK conference. And to say they had a great run in the first game of the tourney that they lost by 11 is a bit of a stretch. They had a good half. That was it. The Zags are a mid-major anomally. They get good exposure, they play quite a few ranked teams every year, moreso than the Griz do, but aside from one or two good showings in the dance, they routinely get bounced in the tourney fairly early. I don't know if they have ever really been seen as a threat to take the whole thing. If anything they are set up to choke more often than not. You kind of make it sound like Gonzaga had good BBall fortune the instant they left the BSC. They weren't really good until well after they left the BSC. They've had a good 10 year run of making the tournament, I wish we could say that, but they have only made the sweet 16 three times and the elite once.

 

[coyote]

They've had a good 10 year run of making the tournament, I wish we could say that, but they have only made the sweet 16 three times and the elite once. PeauxRouge

THEY HAVE ONLY? That is a good run.

 

[Silvertip]

Sorry, Tip, but, even when offered free admission, the fans didn't show up to watch the basketball version of the Griz. You and I have disagreed many times -- and will probably continue to do so -- but UM has no business "moving up." There certainly is not the money to do so, and I sincerely doubt the fans are interested in getting whipped on a regular basis, no matter what the sport may be, which is what I believe would be the case should UM become a member of, for example, the WAC. I recognize that you are going to tell me that we "aren't dreaming big enough," but my response will be (as always, as you already know) that we who object to moving up are the realists.

68: You seem to have serious difficulty in separating "moving up" in football and improving a moribund basketball program. I suggest you reread my post. I made it abundantly clear that there are major distinctions. Applying "moving up" to roundball is inappropriate. UM is already on the cusp of mid-major. Surely you must be able to comprehend that with 50,000+ seat stadiums, large upgraded coaching staffs, 85 full ride athletic scholarships plus another half dozen non-revenue programs we are not talking basketball! Duh. Why do you think Gonzaga has never revived football? As for people not embracing the men the answer is so obvious as to really make an answer moot. They aren't very good and can't even manage to elicit some excitement when they lose. Alas, your Griz glass remains half empty.

GrizLA: Are you saying Gonaga is simply a figment of our media inflamed imagination? Hmm.

 

[BelierPeaux]

They've had a good 10 year run of making the tournament, I wish we could say that, but they have only made the sweet 16 three times and the elite once. PeauxRouge

THEY HAVE ONLY? That is a good run.

Again, I wish we could say that.

 

[GrizLA]

Sorry, Tip, but, even when offered free admission, the fans didn't show up to watch the basketball version of the Griz. You and I have disagreed many times -- and will probably continue to do so -- but UM has no business "moving up." There certainly is not the money to do so, and I sincerely doubt the fans are interested in getting whipped on a regular basis, no matter what the sport may be, which is what I believe would be the case should UM become a member of, for example, the WAC. I recognize that you are going to tell me that we "aren't dreaming big enough," but my response will be (as always, as you already know) that we who object to moving up are the realists.

68: You seem to have serious difficulty in separating "moving up" in football and improving a moribund basketball program. I suggest you reread my post. I made it abundantly clear that there are major distinctions. Applying "moving up" to roundball is inappropriate. UM is already on the cusp of mid-major. Surely you must be able to comprehend that with 50,000+ seat stadiums, large upgraded coaching staffs, 85 full ride athletic scholarships plus another half dozen non-revenue programs we are not talking basketball! Duh. Why do you think Gonzaga has never revived football? As for people not embracing the men the answer is so obvious as to really make an answer moot. They aren't very good and can't even manage to elicit some excitement when they lose. Alas, your Griz glass remains half empty.

GrizLA: Are you saying Gonaga is simply a figment of our media inflamed imagination? Hmm.

Yes, something like that. They have superb talent but fail to impress a lot of people who are not in the media. My point is not whether they are good or not, but that they are not as good as the media says, with no exceptions...when you hear contant praise, and have huge fan support, tv announcers pronouncing you the :best in the West....final 4 probable, etc. the players themselves begin to believe it and play accordingly...I watched yesterday's game, and the Zags did win...not easy....sorta like the Griz in football.....toughness and expectations can produce results....now, if Gonzaga had to field a football program could they afford all this travel and promo? Not likely....it isn't Notre Dame or Boston College.