Grizfan-24 over at http://www.egriz.com/grizboard posted this historical look (below) at Big Sky Conference basketball last week.
Here's the egriz link to the ensuing conversation:
http://www.egriz.com/grizboard/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=43122
NAU is third place for total number of NCAA appearances for current members of the Big SKy Conference.
Quite an impressive run by Howland and Adras considered the less than stunning facilities @ NAU and lackluster general support from the community and students, although I see positive signs from the students the last few years.
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Big Sky Conference (A historical look)
by Grizfan-24 » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:22 am
There has been a lot of conversation lately about who is the flagship program in the Big Sky Conference, be it Weber State or Montana or anyone else. I did some basic simple math from 1980 to the Present and here are the findings:
Big Sky Conference Since 1980-81
Team................ Con.....AVG Finish ..Conf Tit....Tourn. Titles
Boise State............15.........4.5...........2............3
Cal-Northridge.........5..........4.4..........1.............1
Eastern Washington..23.........5.61.........1.............1
Idaho...................16.........4............4.............5
Idaho State............30.........5.7..........0.............1
Montana..............30.........3.37.........3.............7
Montana State........30.........4.77.........3.............2
Nevada................12.........3.42..........1............2
Northern Arizona.....30.........5.37.........4.............2
Northern Colorado.... 4..........5.75........0.............0
Portland State.........14.........4.93........2.............2
Sacramento State.....14.........7.57........0.............0
Weber State..........30.........3.47........9.............4
I could have done the data all the way back to the original year of the conference, but frankly I thought it to be a bit over done. I just wanted to get enough data over the modern era. The math might be a bit off because there were some ties in there that I simply looked at the overall record and determined the tie break.
As dominant as Weber State claims to be, really the interesting data that came from it, they have had more years at the bottom of the conference than the Grizzlies. In fact only Boise State, UNR and the Griz are at least in my rudementary data, the only programs to not have finished last in the conference since 1980. Weber State clearly dominates the conference championship titles, but since the advent of the 6 team conference championship the UofM has won 7 titles (91,92,97,02,05,06,10). I think there is an obvious argument that over the history (back to the orgins) of the conference, it probably bears out that Weber State is the class of the conference. Yet, when completing the data, I was suprised over the past thirty years really how close the race was. In raw data Weber State was just edged out by 3 pts by the UofM.
If UN was still in the conference, they would have a strong argument. In the near decade in the data, Nevada never finished lower 5th from 1981 until they left the conference.
The other 30 year members NAU, ISU, and MSU aren't even close in the conversation. MSU finished 6th or lower 14 times in the 30 years. ISU 15 times 6th and lower and NAU 16 6th and lower, yet only 3 times in the past 15 years.
On the other hand since Sac States entrance in teh conference the have only finished higher than 6th 3 times. But I think we could have come to that conclusion without the data.
Just some data to munch on. Use it as you may.
Here's the egriz link to the ensuing conversation:
http://www.egriz.com/grizboard/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=43122
NAU is third place for total number of NCAA appearances for current members of the Big SKy Conference.
Quite an impressive run by Howland and Adras considered the less than stunning facilities @ NAU and lackluster general support from the community and students, although I see positive signs from the students the last few years.
----------------------------------------------------
Big Sky Conference (A historical look)
by Grizfan-24 » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:22 am
There has been a lot of conversation lately about who is the flagship program in the Big Sky Conference, be it Weber State or Montana or anyone else. I did some basic simple math from 1980 to the Present and here are the findings:
Big Sky Conference Since 1980-81
Team................ Con.....AVG Finish ..Conf Tit....Tourn. Titles
Boise State............15.........4.5...........2............3
Cal-Northridge.........5..........4.4..........1.............1
Eastern Washington..23.........5.61.........1.............1
Idaho...................16.........4............4.............5
Idaho State............30.........5.7..........0.............1
Montana..............30.........3.37.........3.............7
Montana State........30.........4.77.........3.............2
Nevada................12.........3.42..........1............2
Northern Arizona.....30.........5.37.........4.............2
Northern Colorado.... 4..........5.75........0.............0
Portland State.........14.........4.93........2.............2
Sacramento State.....14.........7.57........0.............0
Weber State..........30.........3.47........9.............4
I could have done the data all the way back to the original year of the conference, but frankly I thought it to be a bit over done. I just wanted to get enough data over the modern era. The math might be a bit off because there were some ties in there that I simply looked at the overall record and determined the tie break.
As dominant as Weber State claims to be, really the interesting data that came from it, they have had more years at the bottom of the conference than the Grizzlies. In fact only Boise State, UNR and the Griz are at least in my rudementary data, the only programs to not have finished last in the conference since 1980. Weber State clearly dominates the conference championship titles, but since the advent of the 6 team conference championship the UofM has won 7 titles (91,92,97,02,05,06,10). I think there is an obvious argument that over the history (back to the orgins) of the conference, it probably bears out that Weber State is the class of the conference. Yet, when completing the data, I was suprised over the past thirty years really how close the race was. In raw data Weber State was just edged out by 3 pts by the UofM.
If UN was still in the conference, they would have a strong argument. In the near decade in the data, Nevada never finished lower 5th from 1981 until they left the conference.
The other 30 year members NAU, ISU, and MSU aren't even close in the conversation. MSU finished 6th or lower 14 times in the 30 years. ISU 15 times 6th and lower and NAU 16 6th and lower, yet only 3 times in the past 15 years.
On the other hand since Sac States entrance in teh conference the have only finished higher than 6th 3 times. But I think we could have come to that conclusion without the data.
Just some data to munch on. Use it as you may.
