This Weeks Games:

[n.ogdencat]

Here in Wildcat Country we know how important these two games are this week, and how Weber needs to win both, for them to win the conference. These games are going to be tough since both teams, coming to the Dee, know that a loss will practically drop them out of their intended BSC Tourny Spots. Eastern just wants to get back to the tourny... losing to Weber and ISU will make it extremely difficult for the Eags to get into a tourny spot. Easterns' backs are against the wall, and they are going to be extremely tough to beat!! Weber needs to Bring IT... And the Dee needs to be rockin (at the Wildcat Club luncheon on Monday, Coach Rahe said that the team loves playing in a full and loud Dee, that it gives them energy and the drive to play harder and aggressive). Portland State knows that a loss to the Wildcats will drop them out of contention for a Big Sky Conference crown and the right to host the tourny.

ISU: the potatoes are in need of some W's... They, at very least, need to split this weeks games (I believe that they have the potential to win them both) for them to stay close to the 5 and 6 spots. Unfortunately for the Bengals, key injuries have been detrimental the ISU's success. With Kal Bay out and Ammorrow Morgan away from the team, the Bengals are going to have a difficult time winning. Granted, Stucki and Carson bring experience and tenacity, there just isnt' enough offense for propel the Bengals. I for one am hoping that ISU can help the Cats by beating Portland State this week, and Montana on the road next Sat. ISU's game against Eastern on Sat could be a deciding factor for who will get a tourny spot.

UNC... Well??? The Bears have a good team, they just lose focus and have a hard time finishing games. A lot of their loses have been OT or single digits, where at some point they had had a substantial lead. So if some teams, and their fans (Montana), are thinking, that playing at the Butler-Hancock Pavilion is like the Hornets Nest, and that it is an automatic and easy road victory, they are definitely mistaken and are deluding themselves. The Bears have a lot of fight left in them. This week will give them the opportunity to rest up and prepare for their remaining conference games. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears pull a couple of upsets before the Tourny.

NAU: I never count the Lumberjacks out! Adras is an excellent coach and he has a young team, with some exceptional players on it that hasn't fully gelled yet. Also, playing in Flagstaff is never automatic! That is one of the toughest venues in the conference to win at. NAU knows that their Tourny streak is in jepardy and they don't want to miss out on post-season play. This week is crucial for the Lumberjacks...Montana, has been able to get healthy playing at home, but now must go on the road. Its the doomed Sac St/NAU road trip. MSU gets to play NAU on thursday which will give them a little more energy, since they will be more rested once they get to flagstaff since they play on Thursday...But UM has to play NAU on Sat after playing at Sac on Thursday... There is nothing more draining than having to make the trip from Sac to Flagstaff in one day and then playing another game on Sat against a team that is acclimatized to the 7,000' Altitude. Also, I wouldn't overlook Sac... ISU did, look what happened! I really don't see UM getting out of NAU with a W on Sat...NAU will be playing for more than pride they are playing to survive. UM is tough at home, they haven't proven that they can win on the road. Now MSU... might come home with a sweeeeeep, which could make things very interesting. SAC... Well, if they do happen to win I'll be shocked.

This is how I think the season will end:
1. Weber: HOME AT DEE, surrounded by 10K Crazy Cats... Definitely the CLASS of the SKY!!
2. Portland State: Talent and Bone, it'll be tough to beat the Viks three times
3. Montana: Tinkle can recruit, but can he coach?
4.Montana State: I didn't think you'd make it at the first of the year.
4.Northern Colorado: Welcome to the Big Sky Tourny Bears
5. Idaho State: O'Brien saves his job
OUT OF THE TOURNY:
6. NAU: NO worries... Adras said that the jacks were rebuilding..
7. Eastern: Earlywino???
8. Sac: Don't count on Katz to be at the bottom of the sky for long.

 

[WILDCAT]

Im going to go out on a crazy limb here and say UNC will beat both UM and MSU, and UM will lose one other game or even 2, and UNC will finish 3rd, and host a first round game.

 

[Old Skool Cat]

Tal - I am pleased to see you have MSU finishing fourth, although at this point that's being very optimistic. Out of the six games left, we only have two at home, you and Idaho State. And we could lose both of those contests very easily. You guys will revenge on your agenda, and we couldn't even beat ISU at home. I think we'll take Sac State and NAU, but lose to both Northern Colorado and PSU on the road. So at 2-4, we'll finish the regular season in traditional Bobcat style - flat and losing. If we make it to the Big Sky tourney, it will only be because the teams currently under us flailed away their seasons too.

 

[n.ogdencat]

Thanks for the Post Old Skool... Realistically by winning three of your remaining 6 games (sweep this week and beating ISU at home) could be enough to secure a fourth place finish for the Bobcats. There is so much parity in the Sky this season that anyone can beat anyone else on any given night, so who knows... In all honesty, 4-7 or even 1-7, are all still up for grabs, and wont be decided for a few more games. I hope Weber wins it all, I am biased after all, but there is still a lot of basketball left, and nothing is for sure till all the games are played. It is fun to speculate though... IMHO, I believe that MSU, UNC, ISU, NAU, and EWU all are competitive, have good teams, and can get hot and put together a little streak to finish out the season, and finish with a tourn spot. NAU may be 3-8, but have a fairly favorable schedule to finish things out and could possibly get back into a tourny position this week. However, if your Bobcats put a beating down on them this Thurs that might be it for them... I do hope they destroy UM on Sat though!!

 

[n.ogdencat]

Well.... I'll be honest, I thought MSU would beat NAU and that PSU would beat ISU... NAU's victory over MSU is only satisfying because it shows that NAU has some fight left in them, and that they aren't just going to roll over. Hopefully that fight continues on Saturday, and they are able to beat the White Trash grizz... Sorry Old Skool, I thought for sure that your Bobcats would pull it off...Oh well, they will get it done against Sac.

I love how the bonner got thrown out of the potato barn!! Nice screen Phil... Looks like the viks are starting to implod. To bad, another championship might have gotten Bone out of the Stott, and into a bigger venue. Sorry, but did anyone tell PSU that the only team in the Sky that wins back-to-back championships is Weber?!?

For Weber the NAU/UM game is almost as important as the Cats game against Portland State, but not.