Northern Colorado has Montana on its mind

[UofMGrizFan]

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_17356561

Northern Colorado has Montana on its mind

As Northern Colorado tore through its basketball schedule down the stretch last season, winning seven of its final eight regular-season games to gain enough momentum for a possible NCAA Tournament berth, one loss lingered like a hanging domino.

A two-point defeat to Montana way back in January eventually dropped the Bears to a second seed in the Big Sky Conference Tournament, forcing them to hit the road in a very home-friendly league.

This season, the Bears are again angling toward national attention. Before a Thursday game, UNC had a one-game lead in the Big Sky — and with it, an early claim to host the postseason tournament.

That lingering loss from last season sets the backdrop to a crucial road game for UNC this weekend. The Bears (13-9, 9-2 in the Big Sky before Thursday) travel to Missoula to face Montana (16-7, 8-3) on Saturday at 7 p.m. Montana trails UNC in the league standings by one game.

Just three league games remain for UNC after this weekend, so Saturday's matchup should play like a de facto regular-season title game — and with it, the right to host the Big Sky tournament.

"This is what our body of work has built up to," UNC senior forward Neal Kingman told the Greeley Tribune this week.

The Bears fell in the Big Sky semifinals in Utah last season and missed the NCAA Tournament.

This season, UNC has been perfect at home, going 9-0 at Butler- Hancock Pavilion. As host of the Big Sky Tournament, the Bears would be favored to earn an automatic NCAA bid.

"We've earned our position where we are at. We're going to go up there and take care of business," Kingman said.

In January, Northern Colorado routed Montana by 18 points in Greeley. And the Grizzlies are coming off two road losses last week.

For matchups, UNC's Devon Beitzel ranks second in the Big Sky with 19.2 points a game, just ahead of Montana's Will Cherry (15.5).

 

[dub-foncy]

o

 

[Grizbacker1]

Discounting Northern Colorado is for foolswho have no idea what basketball is all about. Beitzel is a big time player and he is not the only weapon they have. If Cherry can't go the Griz are going to have to play one heck of a game to beat them.

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Could people in Colorado be any stupider?

Lofl. Using Bitzel's PPG as support for why UNC could win? LOL. Talking about UNC getting "national attention"? Uh, Montana is the only team that matters in the conference. Nobody anywhere will ever care about any of the other schools. LOL.

UNC gets routed at Dalberg and then falls apart and loses the rest of their games. LOL.

Im sure alot of people would disagree with that statement, especially some folks from Utah

 

[grizindabox]

Weebs is the hottest team in the BSC right now.

 

[SeaGrizluvr]

Weebs is the hottest team in the BSC right now.

Yah but they have been at home(and won one of those on a lucky half-court shot). Let's see how they do on the road.

 

[grizindabox]

Weebs is the hottest team in the BSC right now.

Yah but they have been at home(and won one of those on a lucky half-court shot). Let's see how they do on the road.

They do not have a tough conference schedule remaining: @EWU, PSU, @ISU, @Sac, EWU
and they have the best road win in the conference so far @NAU

 

[Potomac Griz]

The way the Big Sky is this year, the hottest team seems to always be the one who just played several games in a row at home.

Going by Weber's success (or lack of) on the road this year, they may cool off... @EWU isn't going to be a gimme. They are 7-3 at home this year including a 13 point victory over NAU. Weber is only 3-7 on the road. With 4 of their last 6 games being on the road (3 of them being conference games) we'll get to see if Weber can continue to impress, or if they (like almost all the other teams in the Big Sky) play great at home, and then stink it up on the road.

Weber's conference road games are @EWU (7-3 at home), @ISU (5-3 at home), and @Sac (6-5 at home).

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Weber is playing with alot of confidence, our injuries are starting to heal, this home stand is exactly what Weber needed. Having said that our road record has left much to be desired, As Weber fans we are hoping to win out (including our game vs San Jose State) and finish with a 19-9 overall record and a 12-4 conf record, and most likely a 3rd place finish, which is a great accomplishment without our best player and with how young our team really is. One of our posters on our board said he talked to BJ Porter and he said Lillard is definetely getting his medical redshirt and will get his junior year back, so we will have Lillard for 2 more years.

All 3 of our remaining conf road games are going to be difficult, especially ISU, it is a rivalry and no matter what kind of team they have they always give us fits up in Pocatatoe.

 

[bigtyme]

How many games did Lillard play??? If memory serves me correct, and it probably doesn't, he got hurt about a third of the way into the season. This would not allow for a medical RS to my knowledge. Of course they can be hoping for the RS, but rules are rules. My recollection is 20 percent of the games and injury must occur in the first half of the season.

edited as I was going to look, but did not end up looking the percentage up.

 

[GrizBBIsKing]

How many games did Lillard play??? If memory serves me correct, and it probably doesn't, he got hurt about a third of the way into the season. This would not allow for a medical RS to my knowledge. Of course they can be hoping for the RS, but rules are rules. So rather than speculating, I figured I would look for myself. My recollection is 20 percent of the games and injury must occur in the first half of the season.

it is 30% or less. Lillard played in 9 games. Weber State scheduled 28 games. 30% of 28 is 8.4 games.

8.4 is less than 9 games, so it appears that he may have played too many, but not sure how they round things off. If someone plays any part of a game, it is considered playing that game, so I would think they would round that 8.4 to 9, and therefore, he would qualify.
By the way it isn't considered medical redshirt. it is considered medical HARDSHIP. there isn't such a thing as medical redshirt. Anyway, Weber state plays two games in the tournament, and they won't have to worry about how they round things as they would have played 30 games, which 30% of 30 is 9 games.

Griz player Billy Reader played 9 games also. Griz are scheduled for 29 games, but since they have clinched a spot in the tournament, the Griz will be playing in at least 30 games this year. So there isn't any question whatsoever that Billy Reader will qualify for a medical hardship.

 

[EverettGriz]

According to the Weber board, Weber State has added a game prior to the BSC tournament to ensure that they have played enough games that DL will qualify for a MRS.

 

[WSUnPurple]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

Its too bad St. Mary's graciously declined a return to the Dee trip, oh well.

 

[BelierPeaux]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

At least you hope he is, right? I wouldn't be surprised if, after a succesful Jr. season, he enters the draft.

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

At least you hope he is, right? I wouldn't be surprised if, after a succesful Jr. season, he enters the draft.

well..................... yeah :?

 

[bigtyme]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

Its too bad St. Mary's graciously declined a return to the Dee trip, oh well.

Apparently they are giving up hopes of making the NCAA tourney this year. And scheduling a game just so a guy can have another year...sounds like WSU to me. Scandalous.

 

[WSUnPurple]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

Its too bad St. Mary's graciously declined a return to the Dee trip, oh well.

Apparently they are giving up hopes of making the NCAA tourney this year. And scheduling a game just so a guy can have another year...sounds like WSU to me. Scandalous.

I'm not quite sure how you come to the conclusion that Weber is giving up on the NCAA's...... St. Mary's will be in the tourney and they were willing to play us......................... Most of the conference tourneys will end Saturday or Sunday with the Championship game being 4 games in as many days. The BSC and WCC tourneys just happen to wrap up as the others are starting

...........couldn't be anymore scandalous than recruiting guys that kill people......Or bite unsuspecting young women..........ya know what I mean bigtyme

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Weber St. recently scheduled St. Mary's for March 12 after the conference tourney to ensure Lillard meets the requirement. Lillard is getting his Junior year back, and will be in purple and white for 2 more years, after this season. You can schedule extras games up until the Final 4.

Its too bad St. Mary's graciously declined a return to the Dee trip, oh well.

Apparently they are giving up hopes of making the NCAA tourney this year. And scheduling a game just so a guy can have another year...sounds like WSU to me. Scandalous.

If Montana had a player of Lillard's quality, dont you think UM would do everything they could to get a medical redshirt for him? Its not every day a BSC team is able to recruit someone like Lillard.

Dont you think Montana would do that for Cherry or Qvale if they could? Im willing to bet money they would.