The only thing the Griz did wrong tonight was not pay $40,000?

[Grizfan-24]

I don't think honestly, and you could probably ask someone within the athletic department, they had the time to accumulate such backing. Plus as noted above, spending 40,000 grand on a game like this with maybe a 50/50 chance was a poor choice in the current culture on campus. Good or bad that is what it is.

The end of the game was manipulated by two events as I see it. First was the questionable 4th foul on Breunig and forced his removal for a few minutes. That would have changed any coaches strategy. Nevada was smart to take advantage of it, considering the highly subjective officiating that had gone on. Our offense isn't the same without Breunig on the floor.

Secondly and I think this was a problem as the season wore on, is that our offense gets less free at the end of games and becomes dependent on watching people drive to the basket. We didn't have effective game in and game out wing scoring within an offense, and basically it became the Walter-Martin show way too much at the end of games. By design or not, that offensively stagnant pattern has or might have been a product of having such a dominant low post guy who is great in isolation.

DC seems to have a NBA style philosophy with DT and offensive spread. It does wear on the shot clock and has little movement at times, and I think it doesn't require teams to defend much movement, but rather depend on teams to make logical defensive slides to stop Martin in the low post. If the ball doesn't go through martin and Walter doesn't drive, how else are we going to score? Just a question.

 

['68griz]

If UM didn't have the time/backing to come up with $40,000, then how the hell did EWU????

 

[Grizfan-24]

If UM didn't have the time/backing to come up with $40,000, then how the hell did EWU????

My gut was the athletic department deemed it okay to spend on the money on it.

I just don't think, and I could be wrong, the current politics would have allowed for a 40 grand purchase for a game in Missoula. People might have been sacked if they bid, came up short on attendance and didn't have the coverage from the community. Too much risk I think from the prior experience and maybe not knowing who their opponent would be.

 

[grizindabox]

If UM didn't have the time/backing to come up with $40,000, then how the hell did EWU????

You have to look no further than the financial crunch the entire campus is under thanks to a shrinking enrollment....and failed leadership....

 

[GrizLA]

Even the team was not unanimous in playing in the tournament.

The Reno BSC finals really dumped on the teams in the middle of Midterms. To then get the CBI spot was really putting some of these guys behind the 8-ball. Far, far better for them to have had the first round in Missoula than back in Reno. That was NOT a good choice from the team's academic perspective, esp because these have been bus trips.

I agree with your last sentence, wholeheartedly. The Griz should not have played in this game. The NCAA should be the final goal, and for the, often politically, dismissed teams that are turned away, the NIT is a weak reward. I think we forget that Montana, like most of the NCAA institutions, is not a "one and done' league with hot shot players where classes and university obligations are minimal or where stars go to be seen.But, education elements are the reason student athletes are there. There is no rhyme or reason to have something called the CBI tournament. UM lost the chance to play in the NCAA because they lost their last game. That should have ended the season there and I'm kinda wondering what our coaching staff thought would be gained by busing to Reno and back.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Even the team was not unanimous in playing in the tournament.

The Reno BSC finals really dumped on the teams in the middle of Midterms. To then get the CBI spot was really putting some of these guys behind the 8-ball. Far, far better for them to have had the first round in Missoula than back in Reno. That was NOT a good choice from the team's academic perspective, esp because these have been bus trips.

I agree with your last sentence, wholeheartedly. The Griz should not have played in this game. The NCAA should be the final goal, and for the, often politically, dismissed teams that are turned away, the NIT is a weak reward. I think we forget that Montana, like most of the NCAA institutions, is not a "one and done' league with hot shot players where classes and university obligations are minimal or where stars go to be seen.But, education elements are the reason student athletes are there. There is no rhyme or reason to have something called the CBI tournament. UM lost the chance to play in the NCAA because they lost their last game. That should have ended the season there and I'm kinda wondering what our coaching staff thought would be gained by busing to Reno and back.

I agree with how Travis handled the post season. He put it out to the heart and soul of the program, the players. The majority wanted to play in the tournament. Their GPA has been terrific all season. In this case, the players have proven they can handle basketball and academics. If they were struggling academically, then by all means, don't participate in the tournament.

Also, from a coaching standpoint and program standpoint, there is a lot to be gained if the team does well in the post season tournament. It allows more practice and developmental time toward the upcoming season. If I were a player, I too would have voted to play more. I know I hated it when my basketball season was over with. I also would have wanted to do everything I could do to send Martin Breunig out on a little better note, providing that is if he supported it.

Either way, ending the season with a loss will serve as additional motivation to the players who return next season. It will likely be what gets them to push themselves a little harder to do more in their off season. Even if the team would have decided not to play in this tournament, I would have supported that decision as well. I have all the respect in the world for our coaches, and in this case don't feel it is my responsibility to criticize them for this kind of thing.

 

[GrizLA]

Yes, I understand all that. But, I am questioning the real purpose of this type of tournament. The season ended with the loss to Weber. The NIT is the bailout for some, but this tourney seems to be exist for embellishing resumes. If it were to develop for the next season, then why would seniors on any team be involved? Sometimes, enough is just enough. Personally, I think it is bad enough that the NCAA has gotten so imbedded in our sports consciousness that we tend to downplay the actual basketball season game to game. Now, I see the usual Big Conference teams, as in football, grudgingly accept the mid majors and below. But, big money wins.

 

[mondayamqb]

If we're going to play in a "secondary" tournament, we have to host. Our 3 "bigs" had 5/5/4 fouls. 5-6 vs. 23-26 free throws. It isn't just the free throw difference it's their time on the bench and how passively they have to play with 4 fouls. This is why all of the home teams won. It wasn't a "let down", "philosophy", or the "weasel mascot". It's calls like Breunig's fast break bucket waved off--even the homer announcers were incredulous--causing us to lose 3 points. Same thing would happen to the visiting team if we host. Crappy officiating in tournaments like this is what dictates hosting or passing. In the past, Gordie Fix, Jim Palmer, Bill Bouchee, Earl Sherron and others would have guaranteed any shortage in fifteen minutes. If the current University "folks" don't have those kind of community relationships, we have a problem.

 

[grizindabox]

If we're going to play in a "secondary" tournament, we have to host. Our 3 "bigs" had 5/5/4 fouls. 5-6 vs. 23-26 free throws. It isn't just the free throw difference it's their time on the bench and how passively they have to play with 4 fouls. This is why all of the home teams won. It wasn't a "let down", "philosophy", or the "weasel mascot". It's calls like Breunig's fast break bucket waved off--even the homer announcers were incredulous--causing us to lose 3 points. Same thing would happen to the visiting team if we host. Crappy officiating in tournaments like this is what dictates hosting or passing. In the past, Gordie Fix, Jim Palmer, Bill Bouchee, Earl Sherron and others would have guaranteed any shortage in fifteen minutes. If the current University "folks" don't have those kind of community relationships, we have a problem.

CBI is not even a secondary tournament....

 

[EverettGriz]

Recall that the UM TEAM didn't even make the decision to play in the tournament until Sunday afternoon. Bids came out that evening. I'm not really sure how the university was supposed to reach out to anyone in that time span. Eastern, of course, had 4 days to agree to participate, offer to host and put in a bid. UM maybe had 4 hours to do all that.

Under the current situation, they made the right decision not to host. Sucks, but it is what it is.

Freaky, thanks for the nice comments. Loved the heart your team showed and the energy from your crowd. Good luck the rest of the tournament.