grizzlyjournal
Well-known member
The Big Sky Conference's media and coaches pre-season men's basketball polls are out and have defending champ Weber State (justifiably so) picked to repeat.
While the order of the top four -- clearly indicated as the top tier in the Big Sky for 2016-17 -- is shuffled a bit from there, both polls include Idaho (2nd in coaches poll, 3rd by media), North Dakota (3rd by coaches and 4th by media) and Montana (4th by coaches and 2nd by media).
The polls indicate the Big Sky split roughly into three groupings with the top four battling for the championship and three teams -- Southern Utah, Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona -- rubbing elbows in the basement.
The second tier includes Idaho State, Montana State and Eastern Washington tightly grouped, with Portland State and Sacramento State on the fringes.
Looks pretty accurate to me. I like where & how Montana is picked: good enough to win it but with something to prove after losing Martin Breunig to graduation. It'll be a battle. Weber State is loaded, despite losing Joel Bolomboy, while both Idaho and North Dakota return essentially their entire battle-tested starting lineups from last season.
Here's the link: http://www.gogriz.com/news/2016/10/14/mens-basketball-griz-tabbed-second-by-media-fourth-by-coaches-in-preseason-polls.aspx
Of course the Griz -- as has been discussed herein all summer -- have a few wild cards in highly touted newcomers Ahmaad Rorie (redshirt soph) and Sayeed Pridgett (true frosh)... and Alphonso Anderson (true frosh, but recovering from knee surgery). Looks like the perfect recipe for a team that -- if it shapes into form around the first of January -- could be ready to challenge.
Regardless, it looks to be a very competitive Big Sky Conference battle this season.
While the order of the top four -- clearly indicated as the top tier in the Big Sky for 2016-17 -- is shuffled a bit from there, both polls include Idaho (2nd in coaches poll, 3rd by media), North Dakota (3rd by coaches and 4th by media) and Montana (4th by coaches and 2nd by media).
The polls indicate the Big Sky split roughly into three groupings with the top four battling for the championship and three teams -- Southern Utah, Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona -- rubbing elbows in the basement.
The second tier includes Idaho State, Montana State and Eastern Washington tightly grouped, with Portland State and Sacramento State on the fringes.
Looks pretty accurate to me. I like where & how Montana is picked: good enough to win it but with something to prove after losing Martin Breunig to graduation. It'll be a battle. Weber State is loaded, despite losing Joel Bolomboy, while both Idaho and North Dakota return essentially their entire battle-tested starting lineups from last season.
Here's the link: http://www.gogriz.com/news/2016/10/14/mens-basketball-griz-tabbed-second-by-media-fourth-by-coaches-in-preseason-polls.aspx
Of course the Griz -- as has been discussed herein all summer -- have a few wild cards in highly touted newcomers Ahmaad Rorie (redshirt soph) and Sayeed Pridgett (true frosh)... and Alphonso Anderson (true frosh, but recovering from knee surgery). Looks like the perfect recipe for a team that -- if it shapes into form around the first of January -- could be ready to challenge.
Regardless, it looks to be a very competitive Big Sky Conference battle this season.
