Last Chance, UNCo & NAU

[oldrunner]

We can still finish as the 2 or 3 seed in Boise. However, we must win out. There is no margin for error now. Not doing so will not be the end of the world, but it would make the road a little harder in Boise.

UNCo has a very good team this year. If we were to win on Thursday night, it would give us a sweep over them, tie us with them for 2nd or 3rd, and give us the tie breaker over them for what ever position we end up in. If EWU beats UM Thursday night as well, it would create a three way tie for 2nd and we would have the tie breaker over the other two. All we can control is what we have before us. We must win and win out.

Thursday's game is huge.

 

[Chex]

The cardiac Cats pull another one from the fire. Down 5 with 21 seconds left and only a 6% chance and they do it again and move into a tie for 2nd. Wish Jones could have got one more assist for the elusive triple double…but 30 points 23 boards, and 9 assists is amazing!

Let’s give this team a good home send off on Saturday vs NAU!

 

[the dan]

What a game. We got a gift from the refs in OT… and from UNC at the end of regulation. I’m stoked about the win, but it’s hard to be super optimistic about winning the tournament when we keep needing miracles to win games.

 

[oldrunner]

Wow, what a game. We had a great crowd, more students than have been to a game in a long time, 13 pro scouts in the house, and more turns than Trappers loop.

I was a bit worried about the next game, when it went into OT. However, the NAU/ISU game went into 2OTs, so there is certainly no advantage there.

We had to come from behind to win down in Flagstaff and I'm sure that NAU will give us their best. I do feel that we are playing well now that we have had a renewed emphasis on defense. Even in games where we haven't shot well, with the exception of our ISU games, we have been able to pull games out with defense and rebounding. The UNCo game was no different. We out rebounded them by 4 and turned them over 17 times. That helped us overcome shooting just 23% from three.

I have a feeling that we will shoot it better Saturday afternoon.

 

[Chex]

Good to see a dominant second half. Just wish Jones could have gotten the triple double…too many missed kick out shots otherwise it would have happened. Big game by the bench!

Looks like a big game in Bozeman for the second seed. I think the Wildcats need it if they are going to win the Tournament.

Go Wildcats!

 

[oldrunner]

I was a bit worried about how we might come out after that emotional, overtime win against UNCo. I guess the emotional 2 overtime win at ISU effected them more. They seemed to have less spring in their step than we did, especially in that second half.

I noticed that both teams were substituting freely all game long. I think that was for two reasons. First, due to the overtime games and second, due to having a Monday game coming up. NAU plays at home against UNCo and we travel to Bozeman to take on MSU. The MSU game will determine who will get the 2nd seed in Boise. We win and the second seed is ours. We lose and it could be 3rd or 4th, depending on what might happen with UM and UNCo on their final games.

Any way you want to cut it, I like our chances in Boise.