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This Should be Intriguing

S

Skippy

Active member
The Idaho State women host Sac State on Thursday night in the ultimate battle between contrasting styles. Sac State is averaging 90 points a game, and put a Big Sky record 110 on first-place North Dakota last week. ISU, of course, lives for a slow tempo and is the lowest scoring team in the league. Will be a very interesting test of wills.

Oh, and Sac has the best named player (Fantasia Hillard) and coach (Bunky Harkelroad) in the league. Come on out Thursday night at Reed. Should be a fun contest.
 
Sac has also already played 11 home games where they are 10-1, only a .500 team on the road.

They started the year with 14 players. Have lost two, to season ending ACL injuries, one is being red shirted and one hasn't played a minute this year. They are down to 10 players which will probably change their substitution patters (they liked to sub five out at a time).

They average 39 three point attempts PER GAME.

Also the way they choose the starting lineup is interesting. They have a point system (points scored + rebounds + assists minus turnovers). The five players with the highest point totals start the next game.

It is a very different style to be sure. Is it the wave of the future or simply a 'niche' system for a club (like the run and shoot in football)? Time will tell.

I was told that last week in the Northern Colorado game, Sac was basically giving UNC driving lanes to the basket for layup's if they wanted them. Openly saying in essence, "walk right in, sit right down, take the layup" and UNC wouldn't bite continuing to run the shot clock down to 10 before doing anything.

That sound preposterous defensively but Sac's philosophy is based on mathematics. 'We'll give you two point baskets all day because we want the ball back, we'll hit enough three point shots to beat you...'

PBP
 
I REALLY enjoyed the show tonight. Mark does a great job as host, and I enjoyed the conversation with Brad and Seton, especially as it related to Sac's style. Using examples such as the old run and gun of LMU and with various football philosophies was interesting. Good job guys!
 
Thanks, Sas, it was fun. Also had an interesting conversation with Jeff Tingey about the state of the athletic department, the future of Holt Arena, why we don't have concerts there anymore, etc. If you're interested, the archived show should be up on the ISU web site soon.
 
Sas:

Thanks for the kind words. I always enjoy working on the show and having the chance to talk to athletic folks from ISU. My philosophy on those shows is to try to make the guests think a little and not just ask 'pap' questions for wont of a better word.

PBP
 
Jeff Tingey seemed kind of clueless when you asked him about ways to finance the improvements to Holt Arena. That dude seemed a little in over his head, and I hope he talks to somebody to get it figured out. He realizes that bonding, like UI did with its life-safety issues, still means that ISU has to raise the money itself, right? He at least admitted he needs to research this, but it seemed like he thought bonding meant ISU wouldn't have to raise any money or pay for Holt itself. Maybe I just misunderstood him.
 
I think Jeff has a firm grasp on the financial realities at Idaho State. Bottom line: until ISU can find some "deep pockets" donors, the athletic department will be trying to compete "with one hand tied behind its back," as Jeff said.

Having said that, Jeff and his staff have done an excellent job in making significant facilities upgrades on very limited budgets. The new football practice field and softball stadium, the weight room and lockerroom upgrades, and the new turf were all important. But as Jeff said on our show, Holt Arena is now 44 years old and there is going to come a time when it will no longer be functional. And, it would be great if the university could build a separate basketball-only facility. Unfortunately, ISU has not identified its own T. Boone Pickens or Phil Knight just yet.
 
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