SB Nation - Montana St. Bobcats

MBB Game 6 Recap: Oregon 89, Montana State 66

dvieira — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:43:40 -0000

Tajuan Porter and Joevan Catron were out with injuries but that didn't stop the Ducks from defeating the Bobcats 89-66. The ball movement by Oregon was top notch throughout the game and looked worlds away from last year. Ernie's gameplan was very clear. Get out in transition and crash the boards which Oregon did very well.

It took awhile for Oregon to get aggressive on defense but you could tell when the guys turned it on as MSU started having all kinds of problems finding a rhythm on offense. The reason why it was even close in the first half was because of all the wild, long distance shots the Bobcats were making.

Individual Notes

Michael Dunigan didn't start the game because of his lingering hip injury but played quality minutes and had some great post moves on the block. There were flashes of potential on the block. He still needs to be careful with dribbling but his decision making has improved.

Teondre Williams had another great night offensively with 17 points and 3-4 from beyond the arc. I think Dave said it best in the open thread when he compared him to Freddie Jones with a jump shot.

EJ Singler had a very quiet 8 points and 6 rebounds. He seemed to always be around the ball making plays.

Jeremy Jacob scored the first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Final Thoughts

This was a good, bounce back win for Oregon. We needed this win and we came through in a big way. I was a little worried that we would come out a bit flat after losing two games but Ernie had the team ready to play and they gave a strong effort for the entire game. Six Ducks were in double figures in the win.

Next Game: Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Missouri. Pac-10/Big-12 Hardwood Series. 2pm on ESPNU

MBB Game 6 Preview: Montana State vs. Oregon

dvieira — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:17:35 -0000

Game Time: 7:30pm PST, OSN/Comcast Sports Net (which means technical problems and cutting to a Blazers Retrospective)

We've lost two in a row, one of those losses against a team we definitely should have beat. After what the Portland Pilots did to UCLA this week, I feel a bit better about our performance at the Chles Center. As for Montana, I still feel sick about it. This is another week however and it's time to move on. The basketball season is a marathon, not a sprint and even though we lost a game we should have won, it won't matter too much in the grand scheme of things. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and look forward to actually seeing a game on television

A Look at the Bobcats

Playing in the Big Sky conference, Montana State is 2-2 after a 70-66 win over San Francisco in the bay area on Wednesday. There isn't a lot of depth on the team with most of their starters playing extended minutes. Forward Bobby Howard will be coming off one of the best games of his career, shooting 9-11 from the field for 21 points including 3-3 from beyond the arc. Eric Rush, a 6-5 guard, provides a considerable mismatch for any team and represents the other major scoring threat for the Bobcats.

This is a team that shoots very well all over the court, averaging 48% from the field and over 40% from beyond the arc. Oregon needs to play fast and limit halfcourt opportunities for Montana State. If the Ducks can play sound, straight up defense, it should help to limit their field goal conversion percentage. The Bobcats don't shoot well from the free throw line which will give Oregon an advantage.

Keys to the Game

1. Run, Run, Run! Oregon needs to use their superior depth to run Montana State out of the gym. With the starters for Montana State playing so many minutes, you can be sure that they will want to slow the game down a bit to keep themselves fresh.

2. Play strong, in your face defense. The Ducks have to be disciplined on defense to make sure opportunities at jump shots are limited looks. If Montana State gets in a rhythm, it will be hard to stay in the game.

3. Control the boards. Defensive rebounding will be an important aspect of this game. Limiting Montana State to one shot per possession is huge for getting out on the run and controlling the tempo of the game.

Final Thoughts

Catron and Dunigan are again questionable for this game. Oregon has superior talent but how they will deal without the low post presence they provide will be very interesting. On paper, Oregon should win this game but it could be very close depending on how much defensive intensity the Ducks play with. If TP and company can get their shot going, look for a run and gun tempo with the Ducks running away with it.

BtB 2009-10 Big Sky Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:29 -0000

With their second consecutive Big Sky crown last year, Portland State joined Weber State (2 titles) and Montana (3 titles) as the only teams to win multiple conference titles in the first decade of the 21st century. Northern Arizona in 2000, former league member Cal State-Northridge in 2001, and Eastern Washington in 2004 were the only squads able to break that triumvirate during the decade.

Given that the Vikings and Wildcats will be strong again this season and the Grizzlies are resurgent, the odds are against another team crashing the party this time around. However, that's not going to stop last season's surprise Big Sky finalist, Montana State, a team that returns four starters from the team that claimed road wins over Montana and regular season champ Weber before falling to Portland State in the final. Eastern Washington and Idaho State, two squads that feature three returning starters bolstered by junior college transfers, also bear watching as the league race unfolds.

More on these teams, along with the Big Sky squads who are in a rebuilding mode, after the jump.

Let's start with a look at the final Big Sky standings for 2008-09.

Big Sky Conference Standings

(updated 3.20.2009 at 11:52 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Weber St. Wildcats	15	1	21	10
Portland St. Vikings	11	5	23	10
Montana Grizzlies	11	5	17	12
Idaho St. Bengals	9	7	13	19
Northern Colorado Bears	8	8	14	18
Montana St. Bobcats	6	10	14	17
Eastern Washington Eagles	6	10	12	18
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	5	11	8	19
Sacramento St. Hornets	1	15	2	27

Now here are my picks for the 2009-10 season, presented in reverse order.

Sacramento State (last NCAA: None) Since the 2004-05 season, when the Hornets finished with an 8-6 Big Sky mark, the conference win totals have consistently shrunk, even dropping from 2 league wins to 1 in Brian Katz's first season. Things may not improve that much thanks to the departure of leading scorer Loren Heath, a 6-2 guard who averaged nearly 16 points a game. 6-8 center Justin Eller (10 ppg, 6.7 rpg) is back, giving Katz a force in the middle, but a flood of JC transfers will have to gel for the Hornets to avoid the wooden spoon. Sacramento State will travel to Houston to take on host Rice, South Alabama, and Houston Baptist in a round-robin. The game against the Huskies is a chance for a rare Hornets' win.

Northern Arizona (last NCAA: 2000) The Lumberjacks will struggle to improve on last year's eighth place finish, thanks to the departure of three starters, all of whom averaged more than 9 points per contest. But Mike Adras does have two players back who can provide offense--6-4 junior guard Cameron Jones (12.7 ppg) and 6-7 forward Shane Johannsen, a junior who averaged nearly 10 points a game while shooting almost 73 percent from the floor, all while grabbing over 5 boards a game. 6-10 C Joshua Lapley was also a key frontcourt contributor as a reserve, and he should improve on his 5.9 points and 3 rebounds a game with more minutes this year. The arrival of 6-5 DeAngelo Jones, a JC transfer who started at New Mexico State, means NAU should have another frontcourt weapon. Point guard is a major question mark after the graduation of Josh Wilson, but 5-9 Julian Olubuyi, another JC transfer, may be called on to fill that role. The Lumberjacks will participate in the first ever West Coast Classic, a unique round-robin event in which NAU will host Fresno State and Pacific and visit Santa Clara and San Diego State.

Northern Colorado (last NCAA: None) The strength of the Bears will be backcourt, as both senior PG Will Figures (12.1 ppg, 2.3 apg) and junior SG Devon Beitzel (11.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg) return. The frontcourt could be an issue, despite all of the returning personnel head coach Ted Boyle has at his disposal. The problem is that none of the returnees, led by 6-7 junior Taylor Montgomery (3.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg), has been able to show they can consistently match the performances put up by the departed Jabril Banks (12.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg). The Bears will open their season with back-to-back tournaments, heading to Hawai'i to take on the Warriors, McNeese State, and Southern Utah in the scaled-down Rainbow Classic, then returning to the mainland to play Texas Southern and either Air Force or Dickinson State in the Reggie Minton Classic.

Eastern Washington (last NCAA: 2004) Kirk Earlywine returns three senior starters from a team that won only 12 games last season. The Eagles' key man is in the backcourt, as 5-7 PG Benny Valentine averaged 15+ points alongside 3 assists per contest. The frontcourt features EWU's only other returning double-digit scorer, 6-9 Brandon Moore (11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and 6-8 Mark Dunn (5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg). The Eagles should get a lot of help from four transfers-6-6 F P.J. Bolte (Rice), 6-3 Alden Gibbs, 6-8 Laron Griffin, and 6-7 Morgan Hislop (all JC). The Eagles will participate in the low/mid-major bracket of the Las Vegas Classic after they visit Nevada and BYU in the same event.

Idaho State (last NCAA: 1987) The Bengals take on a difficult non-conference schedule, featuring road contests at Bradley, BYU, Iowa State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Utah, and Utah State, and a home game with in-state rivals Boise State. Like EWU, Idaho State also returns three senior starters, led by leading scorer Amorrow Morgan (13.6 ppg, 3.7 apg), a 6-5 senior PG who is one of five players on the roster who's from Memphis. That number includes 6-0 JC transfer Broderick Gilchrist, who could replace the team's second leading scorer from last season, Matt Stucki (12 ppg), who graduated. Expect to see 6-8 Demetrius Monroe, who averaged 6.5 points and over 5 boards a game off the bench, get more playing time this year.

Montana State (last NCAA: 1996) Brad Huse's Bobcats hope to build on the end of last season, when they claimed road wins over third-seeded Montana and top-seeded Weber State to make the Big Sky final, where they fell two points short of claiming a surprise NCAA bid. Montana State returns the bulk of that team, except for C Divaldo Mbunga (10.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg), leaving a huge void in the middle that Huse hopes a combination of 7-foot French C Michel Swita and 6-9 F Brandon Johnson (6 ppg, 3.5 rpg) can fill. If they can, the frontcourt could be among the best in the league, as 6-7 junior Bobby Howard (10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and 6-6 Danny Piepoli (7.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg) are already key contributors. The backcourt is also loaded, thanks to the presence of shooting guards Will Bynum (10.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Erik Rush (9.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and senior PG Marquis Navarre (5.7 ppg, 2.8 apg). To prepare for a conference run, the Bobcats will travel to Boise State, Memphis, Nevada, and Oregon during the early part of the season.

Portland State (last NCAA: 2009) The Vikings will try to reach the NCAAs for the third straight seaon, but they'll have to do it without two of the men most responsible for their recent success. Former head coach Ken Bone has moved onto the BCS level and Washington State, while 5-6 guard Jeremiah Dominguez (12.9 ppg) graduated. Bone's former assistant Tyler Geving will try to keep things going with a team that returns three starters: 6-1 senior G Dominic Waters (11.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg), and 6-7 Fs Phil Nelson (10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Jamie Jones (9.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg). 6-5 F Julius Thomas, who averaged almost 7 points and over 5 boards a game coming off the bench last season is due for a bigger role, while two JC transfers will see significant time. 6-8 F Phillip Thomas, who started during his time at Idaho, is another body for an undersized frontcourt, while 5-10 guard Melvin Jones will be called on to replace Dominguez. Portland State will open their season in a tournament in Seattle, where they'll take on hosts Washington, Belmont, and Wright State. They'll also face their former coach's team in a neutral site game in Kennewick, Washington.

Montana (last NCAA: 2006) Fresh off finishing in a second-place tie, the Grizzlies should contend again, especially as last season's Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, point guard Anthony Johnson (17.6 ppg, 3 apg), should be even better as a sophomore. He'll be joined in the backcourt by Ryan Staudacher, who shot over 45 percent from three-point land while averaging nearly 8 points a game. Head coach Wayne Tinkle does have a major hole to fill in the frontcourt, thanks to the graduation of 6-9 Jordan Hasquet (11 ppg, 6 rpg). The Griz will need 6-11 junior C Brian Qvale to improve upon his 5.6 points and 5 boards a game to make up for his production. Positively, Qvale was a defensive force last season, averaging nearly 2 blocks per contest. Montana heads to Oregon and Washington during their non-conference season, while Boise State visits Missoula this season.

Weber State (last NCAA: 2007) The Wildcats stormed to a 15-1 league mark, which ultimately resulted in an NIT bid (and first round loss to San Diego State) thanks to their Big Sky semifinal loss to Cinderella Montana State. The frontcourt should be a strength for the Wildcats, thanks to the return of starters Steve Panos, a 6-8 C who averaged 9.4 points and 4.4 boards a game, and Kyle Bullinger, a 6-6 sophomore who added almost 9 points and 4.4 rebounds a contest himself, and key reserve Trevor Morris, a 6-9 junior C who scored almost 5 and grabbed nearly 4 boards a game off the bench. He may have to increase his production thanks to the departure of Davlin Davis, who scored almost 10 a game for Weber State last season. Sophomore Damian Lillard (11.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.9 apg) will run the offense, and 6-4 senior Nick Hansen who averaged nearly 9 points a game in a reserve role last year, should slide into the 2 guard spot after the graduation of leading scorer Kellen McCoy (14.1 ppg). Three JC transfers, swingmen Josh Noble and Franklin Session and guard Lindsey Hughey, should see significant minutes for Randy Rahe's team. Weber hosts Utah and visits UNLV and BYU. They also face Utah State in a home-and-home. The trip to Logan will be one of the Wildcats' three games at a pre-Christmas round-robin event that also features Cal State-Fullerton and Morehead State.

Weber State is my pick to claim the Big Sky's auto bid for this season. They'll appear in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big Sky team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big Sky Team

Player of the Year: Anthony Johnson, 6-3 G, Sr. (Montana)

Remainder of the Team
Bobby Howard, 6-7 F, Jr. (Montana State)
Damian Lillard, 6-2 G, So. (Weber State)
Brandon Moore, 6-9 C, Sr. (Eastern Washington)
Benny Valentine, 5-7 G, Sr. (Eastern Washington)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big Sky this season?

Eastern Washington

0 votes

Idaho State

2 votes

Montana

3 votes

Montana State

3 votes

Northern Arizona

0 votes

Northern Colorado

0 votes

Portland State

1 votes

Sacramento State

1 votes

Weber State

3 votes

13 votes | Poll has closed

Busy Thursday Preview/Championship Wednesday Recap

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:01:53 -0000

Today is an extremely busy day so I'm going to dive straight into my hybrid review/preview for today.

First up, two new teams know they're going dancing.

Northeast - Robert Morris knocked off Mount St. Mary's, 48-46, after a titanic defensive struggle. Dallas Green gave the Colonials the lead with 2.5 seconds left and the Mountaineers threw an interception on the inbound to send RMU dancing.

Big Sky - Portland State, the two seed, is in. The Vikings, led by pint-sized powerhouse Jeremiah Dominguez's 22 and Julius Thomas' 17, knocked off sixth-seeded Montana State, 79-77.

Meanwhile, just about everyone on the bubble will be in action today. Here's a brief rundown of these games.

ACC First Round (day session and 9:30 game on Raycom/FS Florida/Full Court, 7 pm game on ESPN2)

Virginia Tech vs. Miami (12 EDT) - This is a virtual elimination game for two teams who are right at the cut line.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech (2:30 EDT*) - In my opinion, the Tigers seed is dropping because of their late season mediocrity.
Maryland vs. NC State (7 EDT) - The Terps beat the Wolfpack to open the month up. They need to do it again to keep their hopes alive.
Boston College vs. Virginia (9:30 EDT*) - The Eagles should be in good shape if they get this one.

A-10 Quarterfinals (FS Ohio/MASN/Cox RI/CSN Philly for the day session, FS Ohio/MASN/Comcast Network, Cox RI for the night session)

Xavier vs. St. Louis (12 EDT) - The Musketeers need to win the A-10 to have a real shot at a protected seed.
Temple vs. St. Joseph's (2:30 EDT*) - This is a rematch of last year's championship game. This year, only the Owls find themselves on the bubble.
Rhode Island vs. Duquesne (6:30 EDT) - The Dukes beat the Rams by 2 at the Palumbo Center to start off the month. A loss here would end URI's at-large hopes.
Dayton vs. Richmond (9 EDT*) - The Flyers should be safe with a loss, but really shouldn't try to test that out.

Big East Quarterfinals (all games on ESPN)

Providence vs. Louisville (12 EDT) - Since the Friars' case wasn't helped by beating DePaul yesterday, this is an elimination game for them. The Cards are looking to keep building their case for a one seed.
Villanova vs. Marquette (2:30 EDT) - The Golden Eagles finally won a game without Dominic James, in style, holding St. John's to 10 points in the first. However, the Wildcats aren't the Red Storm.
Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia (7 EDT) - The Mountaineers all but ended Notre Dame's chances last night. Tonight, they'll look to stop the Panthers' run to a one seed.
Connecticut vs. Syracuse (9:30 EDT*) - The Orange pulled away from Seton Hall last night. They also look to be a roadblock to a team building a case for a spot on the top line, while working toward a potential top four seeding of their own.

Big Ten Opening Round

Minnesota vs. Northwestern (Big Ten, 12 EDT) - This is another virtual elimination game. The Wildcats will probably need one more win if they get this one.
Michigan vs. Iowa (ESPN2, 2:30 EDT*) - A second loss to the Hawkeyes would doom the Wolverines to the NIT.
Penn State vs. Indiana (ESPN2, 5 EDT*) - The Nittany Lions swept the Hoosiers this year, but the second meeting, in State College less than two weeks ago, was a close one. Like Michigan, PSU can't afford to drop this one.

Big 12 Quarterfinals

Baylor vs. Kansas (ESPN2, 12:30 EDT) - A win here, and the Bears are back in the discussion. Jayhawks need to keep winning to earn a two seed and, who knows, maybe even a slot in KC next weekend.
Kansas State vs. Texas (Big 12/Altitude/Full Court, 3 EDT*) - The Wildcats would be back in the frame with a season sweep of the Longhorns, with both wins away from Manhattan.
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12/Altitude/Full Court, 7 EDT*) - The Sooners and Cowboys meet up for the second time in six days. OU still has a shot at a one seed, while the Cowboys have a little breathing room after defeating Iowa State last night.
Missouri vs. Texas Tech (ESPN2, 9:30 EDT*) - The Red Raiders put a major dent in Texas A&M's hopes, thanks to a record-breaking night by Mike Singletary (43 points (tournament record), 29 consecutive TT points (2nd best in NCAA history)). That's good news for the Tigers, as they beat the Red Raiders by 11 in Lubbock and lost to the Aggies by 10 on Saturday.

Conference USA Quarterfinals (all games on CSS)

UAB vs. Southern Miss (3:30 EDT*) - The Blazers still have slim at-large hopes, but they'll need to make the final.
Memphis vs. Tulane/East Carolina (7 EDT) - The Tigers are among the many teams playing for a one seed.

MWC Quarterfinals (all games on the mtn./CBS CS)

BYU vs. Air Force (3 EDT) - The good news for the Falcons, they repeated Colorado State's feat of going winless through the conference and winning the opening round game yesterday afternoon. The bad news is they have to face a Cougar team looking to win the MWC tournament and improve their seeding.
San Diego State vs. UNLV (5:30 EDT*) - The Aztecs swept the Rebels in the regular season, making this a must win for UNLV. It's also a must win for SDSU, whose non-conference strength of schedule is a bit of an issue.
Utah vs. TCU (9 EDT) - Utes are looking to improve their seeding.
New Mexico vs. Wyoming (11:30 EDT*) - The Lobos need to continue their hot play of late to make their way into the field.

Pac-10 Quarterfinals (all games on (FSN/selected CSN outlets)

Arizona State vs. Arizona (3 EDT) - This is an absolute must-win for the Wildcats. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, need to win to stop their seed's freefall.
Washington vs. Stanford (5:30 EDT) - The Cardinal knocked Oregon State out last night. Next, they'll try to stop the Huskies run at the title and up the S-curve.
California vs. USC (9 EDT) - The Trojans need to make a big run in this tournament to get themselves back in the conversation.
UCLA vs. Washington State (11:30 EDT) - The Cougars were unmerciful in putting an end to Oregon's season last night. Next, they'll try for a repeat of their upset win over the Bruins back on February 21.

SEC First Round (all games on Raycom/Full Court/FS South/Sun Sports)

Kentucky vs. Ole Miss (1 EDT) - The Wildcats have absolutely no chance if they lose this one.
Mississippi State vs. Georgia (3:30 EDT*) - I'll refrain from making any bad Bulldog jokes here. The question for the day is, can Georgia repeat their magical run of last year? You know, the one that temporarily saved Dennis Felton?
Alabama vs. Vanderbilt (7:30 EDT) - Like I've said before, if you're talking about Auburn being in the discussion, you need to talk about the Commodores too.
Florida vs. Arkansas (10 EDT*) - Like Kentucky, the Gators cannot lose this one. UF cannot repeat their performance against Alabama in this stage last year.

WAC Quarterfinals

Utah State vs. Fresno State (ESPNU, 5:30 EDT*) - Aggies look to start their run to a WAC championship.

The MAC tournament (which I will get to one of these years!) will also be on FS Ohio and FS Detroit.

Kansas Jayhawks @ Colorado Buffaloes Basketball Game Preview

irish1611 — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:36:54 -0000

8-7, 0-1
NR (AP)
NR (USA Today)

January 17th, 2009
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Where: Coors Event Center (Boulder, Colorado)
1:30 pm MT
TV: ABC
Radio: AM 760
Live Stats: ESPN.com
Line: Kansas -12.5

12-4, 1-0
NR (AP)
NR (USA Today)

It is hard to dedicate a full preview to the Buffs basketball team. With some positives going down in football right now, I find it much more satisfying to talk about that but it is the start of Big 12 play and the defending National Champions are coming into Boulder today for a 1:30 pm MT tipoff on ABC against the Black and Gold. Football is just a little better to write about right now as the Buffs basketball team is coming off a 45 point loss to a less-than-dominant Missouri team who lost to Nebraska a couple nights before. The 45 point loss was the eighth worse loss for a conference game in league history. Missouri shot 63.3% and it was the Tigers first time over 100 points in conference play in eight years. I am not going to get too negative on Bzdelik or the team because, like I have said before, they were left in a worse spot than the football team after Barnett got finished with it. The Buffs have one upperclassmen and are extremely young. They lack an inside presence and depend too much on a couple players to win them ball games. Let's just not have any more embarrassing moments this year. Keep it within 20.

And what is with Missouri beating down the Buffs. Most recently, the Buffs basketball team lost 67 - 102. Last year the Buffs basketball team kept it close but still lost both meetings and in football the last two years, Mizzou has beat the Buffs by a combined score of 113 - 10. That is having someone's number. Anyone we can play them every other year? Bring Texas Tech into the North, we can beat them.

Okay, onto some Kansas Jayhawk discussion and links. Right now the Buffs are 12.5 point underdogs. With losses to Montana State (at home), SMU, Vermont (by 25), TCU (at home by 16) and Buffalo...you tell me what you think about that line? Don't forget the 45 point loss a couple nights ago as well. Kansas is 12 - 4 and yes, they are inconsistent with a ton of youth and they don't rebound particularly well but that does sound like somebody we know? Yes, it is the Buffs. Young and inconsistent but the talent level is a different story. Kansas is 0 - 2 on the road (1-1 on a nuetral floor) this year but those losses were against a good Michigan State team and an Arizona team who is pretty athletic and a difficult matchup inside with PF/C Jordan Hill. The Buffs don't have a great inside presence like Jordan Hill and are not athletic enough to run up and down with the Jayhawks. Back to the spread of 12.5 points. I only checked back to 2003 - 2004 but over those 5 years, CU has played Kansas, for the most part, pretty well in Boulder but have never lost by less than 12 points (0 - 5). This year the Buffs are 3 - 8 against the spread while Kansas is 12 - 4 ATS, which is their record.

I am looking for a reason from you, the readers, why this game will be close. The game is sure to be half full of Jayhawk fans. The real question is will Dan Hawkins let his 11+ recruits attend the game with all the opposing team's fanbase in full support. I would love to see the Buffs only lose by single digits but it is hard for me to believe that will happen. Cory Higgins will need to go off in a big way and the defense will have to be much better than allowing a Missouri team to shoot 63% from the field. Last game, the Buffs shot in the 30% range which was by far their worst performance of the year. Coloradpo is 7 - 2 at home but the wins aren't that impressive and the losses were against TCU and Montana State. Here's to a big upset and Vegas proving me wrong.

Here are some links about the game today:

The Kansas City Star recognizes that today's matchup is the closest thing to a home game away from Fogg Allen Field House:

Thousands of Kansas fans will be on hand today when the Jayhawks take on Colorado in what has become an annual crimson-and-blue invasion of the Coors Events Conference Center in Boulder.

The Star likes Kansas' chances at getting their first road win of the year today...me too.

From the Denver Post, Bzdelik always cuts to the chase which is refreshing:

"We need to strap it on against Kansas," Bzdelik said. "It's got to come down to our guys saying enough is enough, in terms of being manhandled all the time."

The Buffs have lost 4 of their last 5 and the only win during that stretch as against Western State, a Division II foe.

A good article from the RMN on where the Buffs basketball program is right now. You can sense the frustration Bzdelik is going through and I agree, it is going to take 2 - 3 recruiting classes to get this thing straightened out:

“I’m tired of being politically correct,” Bzdelik said. “We’re not on a level playing field as of this moment with other schools in the Big 12. Fortunately, our administration understands that.

“So, it’s a process. I’m excited about where we’re headed; I know the support is here to get us to a level playing field.”

If you want some more quick facts for the game today, check out cubuffs.com as they put together good one liner stats for every game.

We answered a few questions from our buddies at the SBNation KU site, Rock Chalk Talk, for the upcoming game. I am particularly proud of my answer to the final question about Buff football. I wouldn't read the other five answers about Buff basketball. Stay with the positives. They also put out a pretty good synopsis of the Colorado Basketball team for the upcoming game.

A game thread post will go up today as this game is on ABC 1:30 MT. We will have player stats for you. Feel free to leave some comments about the game as hopefully the Buffs pull a 180 today and compete.

Basketball Preview: Colorado Buffaloes at Stanford Cardinal

irish1611 — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:00:07 -0000

	VS.
Colorado Buffaloes		Stanford Cardinal

Who: Colorado Buffaloes at Stanford Cardinal
Where: Maples Pavilion (Stanford, CA)
When: 8:30 pm MT
Line: Stanford by 15

The young Buffs will be on the road for the first time this season after going 3 - 1 in the first four. The Buffs have been exactly what we thought they would be: young and small inside. Colorado has been out-rebounded by a lengthy margin this year, especially on the offensive side end. The Buffs have been holding the oppositions to lower shooting percentages but due to the lack of rebounding, teams have been able to get extra chances against the Buffs. With freshman Toby Veal not ready for collegiate play, according to Jeff Bzdelik, the Buffs don't have a big answer in the middle. The 6'5" guard, Cory Higgins has 6.0 rebounds a game which is tied for the lead. That is a problem especially when the Buffs start Big 12 play.

Their have been a few bright spots this year and it starts on the offensive end of the court. CU has shot 50% from the field against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Harvard and Lafayette. Buffs guard Cory Higgins leads the team in what seems like every major statistical category. Last game, Higgins had a team high and personal career high 24 points but three other players had double digits as well so there is some balance on this team. Back to Higgins, look at the improvement from his freshman year. He has definitely led this team to the record that they currently have. Higgins, the 6'5" guard from Florida, is a sophomore which is considered a veteran on this team. Look for him to continue to get better and better as the Buffs youth grows around him.

Season Averages - Cory Higgins
SEASON	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	TO	A/T	STL	BLK	PF	FG%	FT%	3P%	PPS
2007-2008	33.6	8.3	4.3	2.3	2.1	1.11	1.1	.3	2.1	.459	.680	.333	1.29
2008-2009	36.8	17.8	6.0	3.8	2.8	1.36	2.3	.0	2.0	.528	.732	.231	1.97

Another few positives to this year already in each of the four games the Buffs have played this year, they have had four players in double digits and overall, Colorado is shooting over 50% from the field on the year. For a young team, offense doesn't seem to be the problem. The fans would like to see more on the defensive end nad boards.

The Buffs will get a taste of higher level collegiate basketball tonight as the Stanford was a sweet 16 team last year. Stanford is currently on the "Colorado Tour" as they there last game was against Air Force (W - 76 - 57), Colorado Saturday night and then @ Colorado State in 15 days.

The Cardinal are 3-0 on the season with a pair of home against CSU-Northridge (103-85) and Air Force (76-57), played on Wednesday. Stanford opened the season with a 75-67 winner at Yale. The Cardinal returns seven players and three starters from last year's 28-8 Sweet 16 team. Sounds like a dangerous team right? Well, the two players who are missing are 7-foot twins, Brook and Robin Lopez, both of whom are in the NBA. That has caused first year coach, Johnny Dawkins a long time Duke assistant, to go relatively small this year. The good thing for the Cardinal is that they are led by three seniors, something the Buffs will have to wait a long time to say. Forward Lawrence Hill, who was great as a sophomore then struggled last season, will need to have a big season for the Cardinal to be successful in the PAC 10. Currently, Hill is second on the team in scoring, averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds a game. The leading scorer is point guard Mitch Johnson, who is the team leader, is averaging an impressive 21.3 points a game. Scoring has not been a problem so far for the Cardinal, averaging 85 a game. This team wants to play on the perimeter. Against Air Force, Stanford hit on 12 of 25 shots from three-point range.

The Buffs are going to have their hands full defending the high flying offense of the Cardinal but the good news for the Buffs is the Lopez twins are gone and Stanford will not be overpowering inside. For the Buffs to be successful tonight, rebounding will be key.

Other Notes:

Colorado is an early 15 point underdog. I would expect that to possibly go up even though this Cardinal team should not be expected to make a lot of noise in the PAC 10 this year
Tonight's tip off is at 8:30 MT
The game will be on Fox Sports Network. The first televised game this year for the Buffs.
For more on tonight's game, check out the rivals yahoo preview of Stanford.

Quick Stat Comparison
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	STK
COLO	3-1	75.3	64.3	3-1	0-0	W2
STAN	3-0	84.7	69.7	2-0	1-0	W3
Team Stat Leaders
	COLORADO			STANFORD
Points	C. Higgins 17.8			A. Goods 21.3
Rebounds	C. Higgins 6.0			L. Hill 7.0
Assists	C. Higgins 3.8			M. Johnson 6.0
Steals	C. Higgins 2.3			A. Goods 2.0
Blocks	J. Jackson-Wilson 1.3			L. Fields 1.0

Game Preview: Lafayette Leopards @ Colorado Buffaloes

irish1611 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:15:31 -0000

	VS.
Colorado Buffaloes		Lafayette Leopards

Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Lafayette Leopards
Where: Coors Event Center (Boulder, CO)
When: 7:00 pm MT
Line: None Available

As we are fresh in the middle of Nebraska week and with the Buffs welcoming another "who" school in town tonight (would be funny if the Buffs hadn't lost to a "who" school and survived against another), forgive me if this preview is a liittle light. Straight to the point with this one.

The Buffs come off a come from behind victory against the Harvard Crimson last Saturday as CU picked up the tempo and were able to claw out a 70 - 57 victory. The score doesn't reflect how close the game was. The Buffs found success by picking up the pace and playing pressure defense, something I expect Colorado to do frequently the rest of the season. A young team plays better when they are not thinking but playing aggressive. Right now the Buffs best player has been 6'5" Sophomore G Cory Higgins who is leading the Buffs in points, rebounds and assists. Higgins has shot a solid 48% from the field on his way to averaging 16 points per game. Higgins is considered a veteran on this team of youth and should continue to be the Buffs meal tickets as Bzdelik's pups continue to develop.

The Lafayette Leopards from the Patriot League come into tonight's game at the Coors Event Center (7:00 pm MT) 2 - 2, beating Wagner and Stony Brook to start the year but losing their last two against Temple and Rider. Lafayette was up by as much as 15 in the second half against Rider before giving up the lead late in the second half. The Leopards don't boast a powerful inside presence, something that should be music to the ears of Colorado fans. But the Buffs will need to defend the perimeter as close to half of Lafayette's 215 field goal attempts are from the three point line (103). That is unbelievable. I guess when you don't have much of an inside game, that is where you go. Last year, Lafayette was able to get hot early in the season and really surprised some teams with their outside shooting ability. Colorado doesn't have the the offensive fire power to match these guys if the Leopards start going off so playing tough on the perimeter will be important for this team. The two leading scores for Lafayette, 6'2" G Jeff Kari and 5'11' G Andre Brown, both have attempted more three point field goals than two point field goals in the first four games. Kari averages 17 points per game and has shot 42.9% from behind the arc this season. The 6'2" guard led the Leopards in all four major statistical categories against Rider so he will be the guy the Buffs must keep an eye on. Brown, who most predicted would be the best player on the team before the season, averages 15.3 points per game and 28% from three point range. Last year, Brown made 40% of his 3-pointers last year and made 99 treys (third most in the league). Brown is from the state of Colorado.

With the heavy reliance on outside shooting and smaller players, the Buffs will need to dominant the boards. Temple outrebounded the Leopards by 9 and they went on to cruise. The problem is the Buffs are just as bad on the boards as the Leopards. On the offensive end, keep feeding Higgins. Cory has had the hot hand this year so look for the Buffs to try and establish him early and often. Also, Colorado needs to make the effort against a smaller team to win the offensive rebound game. If the Buffs do that and shut down the perimeter play of the Leopards, CU should roll.

Gameday Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	STK
LAF	2-2	71.3	73.3	1-2	1-0	L2
COLO	2-1	76	66	2-1	0-0	W1
Team Stat Leaders
	LAFAYETTE			COLORADO
Points	J. Kari 17.0			C. Higgins 15.7
Rebounds	R. Willen 6.3			C. Higgins 7.3
Assists	J. Kari 3.5			C. Higgins 4.7
Steals	J. Kari 2.3			C. Higgins 2.0
Blocks	M. Koltun 1.5			J. Jackson-Wilson 1.0
Projected Starting Lineups
	LAFAYETTE			COLORADO
1	Darion Benbow, F			Jermyl Jackson-Wilson, F
2	Marek Koltun, C			Austin Dufault, F
3	Andrew Brown, G			Nate Tomlinson, G
4	Ben Wheeler, G			Cory Higgins, G
5	Jeff Kari, G			Dwight Thorne II, G

Harvard Crimson at Colorado Buffaloes Preview

irish1611 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:51:03 -0000

	VS.
Colorado Buffaloes		Harvard Crimson

Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Harvard Crimson
Where: Coors Event Center (Boulder, CO)
When: 2:00 pm MT
Line: Buffs Favored by 10.5

The University of Colorado welcomes another non BCS school into the Coors Event Center tonight, this time it is the Harvard Crimson (just sounds prestigious) from the Ivy League. Harvard has a little more luster to their basketball squad as former Seton Hall and Michigan coach Tommy Amaker now patrols the sideline. Amaker, who struggled at Michigan to say the least, has already shook up the Harvard program, getting called out for trying to lower the standards to admit stronger basketball players and bringing a huge recruiting class to replace members of the team he dismissed. Coach Tommy Amaker booted five players off the roster this September, after the semester had already started, to clear the spots needed for his incoming freshmen. To say Amaker wants to make an early splash and get out of the recruiting hell hole that is the Ivy League. Amaker has already ruffled the feathers of other coaches in the Ivy League:

Fellow coaches and perhaps university insiders are whispering that Harvard has lowered its academic standards to allow these players to be enrolled at the college on the banks of the Cambridge River. These same people are whispering that Amaker has broken or at least circumvented NCAA rules to recruit some of these players. Even a recruit’s father - a player not attending Harvard - is telling a story of a chance meeting that, according to the father, was not chance at all.

Enough about the mediocre coach who is Tommy Amaker, the Crimson come into tonight's game 1 - 0 after beating New Hampshire on the road. The Crimson at one time had a 16 point lead. Just looking at the box score from the game, Harvard shot an unbelievable % from the floor. Like most smaller schools, Harvard can shoot the three well. Against UNH, the Crimson went 8 - 12 or 67%. From the field as a whole, Harvard shot 61.4% and 81% from the free throw line. The good thing for the Buffs is that it looks like Harvard isn't stellar on the offensive boards, which is the major problem for this Buffs team so far. Harvard is a relatively deep team as compared to other Ivy League teams and that showed in the first game as they got double digit scoring from three players and nine players played substantial minutes.

The incoming freshman class of G Max Kenyi and G Oliver McNally are excellent talents for playing in the Ivy League. Kenyi was recruited by Marquette, Virginia, Virginia Tech and George Mason while McNally wasn't extend a ton of offers but teams like Gonzaga and Stanford. Kenyi, the 6'3" shooting guard came out in his first collegiate game and led the team with 17 points and 3 - 3 from deep. Here is a box score from the game against New Hampshire.

As for the Buffs, they will face a team that will probably start a team that's tallest player will be 6'7". This is good news for a Buffs team who's biggest weakness right now is rebounding. As the Longmont Times stated, the Buffs are dead last in rebounding margin in the Big 12 even with teams like Montana State and Arkansas Pine Bluff on the schedule. Many believe it is a problem because of the lack of height on the squad. Members like freshman Toby Veal were supposed to aid in the rebounding problem but he, according to Jeff Bzdelik, is not quite ready for big time college basketball. But Bzdelik says that rebounding is not necessarily about height or size but the desire to rebound. Bzdelik threw out an interesting stat after watching films that confirms his team is not boxing out.

What bugs him most is what he found studying tape from Tuesday's loss, in which CU was out-rebounded, 37-30. He counted 88 chances his players had to block opponents off. They did so only 46 times.

The seemingly larger issue is the fact that the Buffs are getting dominated even more on the offensive end, only getting 11 offensive rebounds compared to 24 for the opposition. Rebounding is about effort and will, the Buffs need to make it an importance tonight against a smaller Harvard team.

Another surprise this year, especially from a Jeff Bzdelik coached team, is the points scored by the opposition. Last game, Montana State scored 72 points in regulation and 85 points total with Bobby Howard leading the way with 24 points. The Buffs didn't guard the perimeter at all, letting the Bobcats shoot over 50% from the outside. Tonight, I believe it is simple, if the Buffs want to win, they need to guard the perimeter and have a positive turnover margin.

Colorado is currently 10.5 point favorites. Against Montana State, they were 14 point favorites.

TEAM COMPARISON
HARV	1-0	80	69	0-0	1-0	W1
COLO	1-1	79	70.5	1-1	0-0	L1

TEAM LEADERS

Points		C. Higgins 16.5			M. Kenyi 17.0
Rebounds		C. Higgins 6.5			J. Lin 8.0
Assists		C. Higgins 5.5			J. Lin 6.0
Steals		C. Higgins 2.5			J. Lin 2.0
Blocks		J. Jackson-Wilson 1.0			P. Swiatek 1.0

For more stats, click here			Colorado		Harvard

Buffs Basketball: Previewing the Montana State Bobcats

irish1611 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:51:00 -0000

	VS.
Colorado Buffaloes		Montana State Bobcats
(1 - 0, 0 - 0) NR		(0 - 1, 0 - 0) NR

No, we are not flashing back to 2006. Rest assured Buffs fans, we aren't going back there. Montana State scares us all, don't worry. No football talk. It's basketball time. The Buffs take on Montana State tomorrow night at the Coors Event center in their second game of the young season. Montana State is in the Big Sky conference and is currently 0 - 1 on the year losing to a pretty strong team in Nevada. Before diving into the Bobcats, let's look at Colorado's first victorious contest of the season.

The Buffs are coming off a relatively strong performance against Arkansas-Pine Bluff last Friday. CU jumped out to a 20 point lead at halftime that stemmed from a strong defensive effort toward the end of the first half and sharp shooting. The Buffs never looked back after they gained a big lead and ended up winning the game 76 - 56. Bzdelik's team seemed to play rather well together from all the accounts I have read, especially when you take into account that most of the team is underclassmen. Colorado shot 52% from the field, 43% from the three point line and held their opponent to 23.5% from the beyond the arc. Two things the Buffs will have to work on is rebounding and free throw shooting. Rebounding may be an issue all year as the Buffs are not huge inside. Colorado was edged on the glass 29 - 36 as Lebraon Weathers seemed like the dominant force mustering 10 rebounds and 22 points for the Golden Lions.

CU freshman F Austin Dufault, sophomore F Cory Higgins, freshman G Nate Tomlinson and sophomore G Casey Crawford all were in double digits and provide the early spark in the game. Nate Tomlinson showed why many are very high on him. He saw the floor well and was accurate from downtown, going 4 for 5. Freshman Toby Veal did not see any meaningful playing time as Bzdelik said he just isn't ready yet. He is a big body guy at 6'8" and was seen as the most college ready of all the new faces. I still expect him to be a big player this year for the Buffs, especially on the boards, something Colorado desperately needs. Another stat that jumps out is the Buffs had double the assists the Lions did. Jeff Bzdelik's offense needs good passing and strong guard play. Assists are a good sign that the players are becoming familiar with his style. The Golden Lions are not going to confuse anyone as being a strong opponent but the Buffs are trying to build a program themselves and many onlookers at the Event Center saw things to get excited about.

Now, on to Montana State. Last year, MSU was 15 - 15, 7 - 9 in conference. This has been a .500 team for the past couple of years and that is where most peg them at this year, if not worse. They lost their best player and three other starters due to graduation off last years team that finished 6th in the Big Sky. This year is supposed to be a struggle with new faces and a lack of strong guard play. Against Nevada, though, the Bobcats got down early to a strong basketball program in the Wolfpack but fought back to close the gap to 57 - 60 with under five minutes to play. They ended up losing the game by nine but if your a Montana State fan, you have to like the effort especially from a lot of new faces. MSU has five transfers/JUCOs on its roster. Recently, Montana State has been known as a better defensive team than an offensive team and that showed against Nevada. The Cats held Nevada to less than 35% shooting and 22% from behind the arc. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, they only shot 32% when they had the ball. The MSU guards had eight turnovers which is there true weakness. The Buffs would be well advised to put a lot of pressure early on these ball handlers and try to get them rattled. Make them start the offense well off the perimeter and take the flow out of their offense.

The Bobcat player to watch for is center Divaldo Mbunga who had 16 points and 11 rebounds. With the Buffs weakness being inside the paint, centers like Mbunga will look to have big games. MSU also got a strong performance against Nevada from G Will Bynum and F Bobby Howard, who had 19 points and 9 rebounds.

Hopefully the Buffs can make it 2 - 0 and get some revenge for the football team against the Bobcats.

Here is our initial Buffs preview in case you are still a little fuzzy about the Buffs. If you are craving more MSU Bobcat information, here is one preview from yahoo rivals.

SB Nation - Montana St. Bobcats

MBB Game 6 Recap: Oregon 89, Montana State 66

MBB Game 6 Preview: Montana State vs. Oregon

BtB 2009-10 Big Sky Conference Preview

Big Sky Conference Standings

Preseason All-Big Sky Team

Who is your pick to win the Big Sky this season?

Eastern Washington

Idaho State

Montana

Montana State

Northern Arizona

Northern Colorado

Portland State

Sacramento State

Weber State

Busy Thursday Preview/Championship Wednesday Recap

Kansas Jayhawks @ Colorado Buffaloes Basketball Game Preview

Basketball Preview: Colorado Buffaloes at Stanford Cardinal

VS.

Colorado Buffaloes

Stanford Cardinal

Game Preview: Lafayette Leopards @ Colorado Buffaloes

VS.

Colorado Buffaloes

Lafayette Leopards

Harvard Crimson at Colorado Buffaloes Preview

VS.

Colorado Buffaloes

Harvard Crimson

Buffs Basketball: Previewing the Montana State Bobcats

VS.

Colorado Buffaloes

Montana State Bobcats

(1 - 0, 0 - 0) NR

(0 - 1, 0 - 0) NR