Vikings Return Home To Host Northern Arizona On Thursday
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Northern Arizona @ Portland State
- Thread starter forestgreen
- Start date
Quick and unsolicited Lumberjack update since the four overtime game. Things are quite dead on the Lumberjacks board so I figured I'd initiate a bit of basketball talk here.
NAU has lost 4 of 6 since. The average point differential for in conference losses sits at 3.8 points. "Close but no cigar" is the season's theme so far but then again, NAU did just win their second close (under 5 pts) game of the year last Saturday. Free throw shooting is a daily adventure and is sitting at .605 for the season. Utterly and painful but it has improved just a bit the past few games. Maybe this is why Coach Adras looks bald-er this season? We rebound well but like to turn the ball over. Scoring is balanced with five players averaging between 9 and 12 pts per game. Jacks are playing better overall defense than I remember other Lumberjack teams since I've been a fan. That being said, opposing players often have career nights against us - Johnson fr. UM, Beitzel fr. UNC, Waters fr. PSU, maybe missing others? - and the Jacks consistently tend to have one five minute-ish intensity/defense lapse per game to give up the big lead they've acquired. Team's strength is definitely guard play. Post play is not what it was with Landry the last two seasons but that is no surprise. Their young "bigs", Johannsen and Lepley, have shown quite a bit of promise but haven't been able to bring their A game every night out like Landry did.
Your Vikings are proving to be an enigma in the Big Sky. Does the team that stuck it to my dad's alma mater Gonzaga Bulldogs and crapped on my soul after beating NAU in four overtimes show up or does the dogged, lackluster team from the Montana road trip skulk back to Portland for this coming Thursday's game? I'm expecting the latter and I'm sure Adras and staff/team are as well.
Adras' teams always play hard. Results aside this season has been no different. I expect NAU to give PSU a game on Thursday but not win. Their 1-10 record on the road for the season bodes not well. Regardless of the outcome I can't imagine there is any possible way I'll scream as many obscenities at the radio/computer this time around.
Here's to a competitive game on Thursday. Go Jacks!
MTJack
NAU has lost 4 of 6 since. The average point differential for in conference losses sits at 3.8 points. "Close but no cigar" is the season's theme so far but then again, NAU did just win their second close (under 5 pts) game of the year last Saturday. Free throw shooting is a daily adventure and is sitting at .605 for the season. Utterly and painful but it has improved just a bit the past few games. Maybe this is why Coach Adras looks bald-er this season? We rebound well but like to turn the ball over. Scoring is balanced with five players averaging between 9 and 12 pts per game. Jacks are playing better overall defense than I remember other Lumberjack teams since I've been a fan. That being said, opposing players often have career nights against us - Johnson fr. UM, Beitzel fr. UNC, Waters fr. PSU, maybe missing others? - and the Jacks consistently tend to have one five minute-ish intensity/defense lapse per game to give up the big lead they've acquired. Team's strength is definitely guard play. Post play is not what it was with Landry the last two seasons but that is no surprise. Their young "bigs", Johannsen and Lepley, have shown quite a bit of promise but haven't been able to bring their A game every night out like Landry did.
Your Vikings are proving to be an enigma in the Big Sky. Does the team that stuck it to my dad's alma mater Gonzaga Bulldogs and crapped on my soul after beating NAU in four overtimes show up or does the dogged, lackluster team from the Montana road trip skulk back to Portland for this coming Thursday's game? I'm expecting the latter and I'm sure Adras and staff/team are as well.
Adras' teams always play hard. Results aside this season has been no different. I expect NAU to give PSU a game on Thursday but not win. Their 1-10 record on the road for the season bodes not well. Regardless of the outcome I can't imagine there is any possible way I'll scream as many obscenities at the radio/computer this time around.
Here's to a competitive game on Thursday. Go Jacks!
MTJack
ManOfVision
Active member
So how do you see tonight's game going? Have JD and Waters pulled their heads out, or will Polis be starting again?
yungcastro23
Member
I think everythings back to normal. Im curious to know how they will bounce back!
ManOfVision
Active member
I'm starting to feel really pessimistic.
So much for pessimism! PSU played a zone defense almost all the way, and it worked. Komagic played only a half - might have been a different result if he'd gone all the way? And JD not only had 11 assists, he also hit his trademark 3s with great abandon. But so did Waters, so maybe we won't miss JD too much next year. Still, nobody dribbles the ball the way JD does. Good game, Vikes!
Pep band. Oh yeah. A move in the right direction, they must be getting ready for a good showing for ESPN.
As for the play... A little slow to start, but we turned it on.
Did we play a zone the entire game or just switch after NAU was bombing open three's at the start? I could have sworn we were in man for a bit.
There sure were some great passes tonight. JD, Waters, Mara on that break to the trailing Thomas.
Anyone hear that Sac State score at the half? 41-9. Wow.
As for the play... A little slow to start, but we turned it on.
Did we play a zone the entire game or just switch after NAU was bombing open three's at the start? I could have sworn we were in man for a bit.
There sure were some great passes tonight. JD, Waters, Mara on that break to the trailing Thomas.
Anyone hear that Sac State score at the half? 41-9. Wow.
Dominguez, Waters Lead Vikings To 78-66 Win Over 'Jacks
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I think we switched to the zone after NAU's #1 hit three 3s in a row. The zone kept a guy on him even when he was running around screens and such, so he only hit about one more shot the rest of the game.
I liked the zone defense. It looked really good, especially with having Phil or Kyle at the top with their long arms. Once we play a team with good penetration or post play, the zone will fall apart, but it works great when a team doesn't have an inside presence.
This might've been the most highlight worthy game I've seen in years. Lots of lobs and great passing, and some great moves by Murray.
I liked the zone defense. It looked really good, especially with having Phil or Kyle at the top with their long arms. Once we play a team with good penetration or post play, the zone will fall apart, but it works great when a team doesn't have an inside presence.
This might've been the most highlight worthy game I've seen in years. Lots of lobs and great passing, and some great moves by Murray.
ManOfVision
Active member
Thomas is starting to get a few more points in the flow of the offense and in transition, as opposed to simply getting hustle put backs and such. I've always appreciated his "bull in a china shop" style, but it is nice to see him developing a bit more a traditional game to compliment the hustle.
Well played, Portland State. You looked nothing like the you did on the Montana roadtrip.
Limited production on the inside. Lots of turnovers. Stagnant stretches on offense. Giving up quick momentum-changing runs to the other team - Dominguez and his three out of four 3 pointers towards the start the second half comes to mind.
I am eagerly anticipating the graduation of your gnat of a point guard, Dominguez. How about Waters graduates early also? Six straight losses.....crap. If Coach Bone sticks around I don't see the Vikings going away anytime soon.
Best of luck through the remainder of the season. My money's on you and Weber State facing off in March for the bid.
MTJack
Limited production on the inside. Lots of turnovers. Stagnant stretches on offense. Giving up quick momentum-changing runs to the other team - Dominguez and his three out of four 3 pointers towards the start the second half comes to mind.
I am eagerly anticipating the graduation of your gnat of a point guard, Dominguez. How about Waters graduates early also? Six straight losses.....crap. If Coach Bone sticks around I don't see the Vikings going away anytime soon.
Best of luck through the remainder of the season. My money's on you and Weber State facing off in March for the bid.
MTJack
Dominguez, Waters pace PSU past NAU
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=123390316248538100
Dominguez leads Portland State to win over Northern Arizona
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2009/02/ruders_gamer.html
Lumberjack rebound
Portland State’s relentless defense and Dominguez’ 11 assists helps end two-game skid
http://www.dailyvanguard.com/lumberjack_rebound-1.1357751
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=123390316248538100
Dominguez leads Portland State to win over Northern Arizona
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2009/02/ruders_gamer.html
Lumberjack rebound
Portland State’s relentless defense and Dominguez’ 11 assists helps end two-game skid
http://www.dailyvanguard.com/lumberjack_rebound-1.1357751
