BIG SKY RUNDOWN
http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/goodmanonfox/2009/06/15/STILL_WAITING_DECISIONS_BIG_SKY_OFFSEASON_REPORT
Here’s a Big Sky rundown. Please e-mail me at
[email protected] with any additions or corrections.
Eastern Washington – Eagles coach Kirk Earlywine and his team will play in the Las Vegas Invitational along with Chicago State, Wagner and Jacksonville State. They will also play at Nevada and BYU in the event. Non-conference games include Gonzaga and Washington State. Chris Busch is transferring to Colorado Pueblo.
Idaho State – The Bengals replaced assistant Steve Swanson (doctorate at Temple) with Tim Walsh (Wisconsin-Green Bay). Kal Bay left and will walk-on at Arizona State and sophomore Tom Taylor will remain at school, but won’t play. Non-conference games include Iowa State, Bradley, BYU, Utah State, Notre Dame, Utah, USC and Oregon.
Montana – Wayne Tinkle hired former Wisconsin player Freddie Owens on his staff to replace Nate DuChesne. The Grizzlies have an opening tournament in Missoula with North Dakota, Loyola-Marymount and Boise State and also play Washington and Oregon – as well as Colorado State – in non-conference games.
Montana State - Coach Brad Huse will likely get a three-year extension and the Bobcats will play non-conference contests at Memphis and Oregon. Huse will also welcome in a big-time power forward, Jeff Budinich, out of Kentlake High in Washington.
Northern Arizona – Lumberjacks assistant Julious Coleman has left and so has freshman guard Shayar Lee. NAU will play road non-conference games at Arizona and New Mexico and home games against Fresno State and Pacific.
Northern Colorado – Terry Anderson was promoted from director of basketball operations to third assistant. The Bears will play in the Tip-Off Classic in Hawaii with McNeese State, Hawaii and Southern Utah. Tad Boyle’s team had sophomore Justin Weslowski transfer to Grand Canyon.
Portland State – Assistant Tyler Geving took over for Ken Bone and the current staff consists of Nate DuChesne, Eric Harper and Anthony Owens. The Vikings will play at a tournament at Washington in mid-November along with Belmont and Wright State and also have non-conference games against Washington State, Stanford and the return of a BracketBuster at Boise State. Three players are leaving the program – freshman Wendell Wright and juniors Donatas Visockis and Kyle Coston (Trinity Western) – while sophomore big man Nate Lozeau (San Diego) is transferring into the program.
Sacramento State – Assistant Terry Battenberg will be replaced by Ajay Riding – who played at Fresno State and was a student assistant there for the past two years. Riding played for head coach Brian Katz at Delta College. The Hornets will play in the Rice tournament and will face USC and Oregon State in non-conference games.
Weber State – Randy Rahe promoted Eric Duft to associate head coach. The Wildcats will play in Utah State’s tournament in December. Weber had three kids transfer out – freshman Terrence Dent (Lamarie CC), sophomore Josh Cottle (Eastern Oregon) and junior Marco Ramos (Grand Canyon).
