Saturday, February 27, 2016

Big Sky morning links -- Feb. 27

SOUTHERN UTAH AT NORTHERN ARIZONA


EASTERN WASHINGTON AT IDAHO

From the Spokesman Review ... Eagles look for defensive intensity at Idaho

From the Moscow-Pullman Daily News ... Brothers Chad, Nate Sherwood share spotlight at Idaho

SACRAMENTO STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA

From the Grand Forks Herald ... UND’s Quinton Hooker joins an elite group

North Dakota coach Brian Jones told the Herald: “As the captain, (Hooker) has to demand these young kids get to his level. Not necessarily in scoring but from an urgency and energy standpoint.”

Sacramento State game notes

MONTANA STATE AT IDAHO STATE

From the Billings Gazette ... Turkish terror bombings hit home for MSU's Gobeloglu

The Gazette's Greg Rachac does a terrific job, as usual, in the above story. Check it out. Scroll down a bit and you'll also see some very interesting quotes from Montana State coach Brian Fish. Apparently, MSU couldn't find hotel rooms in Pocatello because of the high school state wrestling tournaments going on. Fish isn't pleased.

“It’s a screw-up I’m not happy about by our league,” Fish told the Gazette. “Idaho State, they’ve got things going on and they didn’t reserve rooms for us. We’ve been trying to get hotels. … We’re staying a long way away. That’s not the way you handle things. That’s not very professional on their part. It takes you completely out of your rhythm. But it’s part of life on the road. It will be addressed this summer and when we have our coaches meetings.”

Rachac mentions that according to the Big Sky Conference it's the visiting team's responsibility to book hotel rooms during the regular season.

I bring this all up because ... 1) It's interesting. It's life on the road. ... 2) Idaho State coach Bill Evans is a prideful guy, and he's all about respecting the opponent. Fish really went after the Bengals in that quote. Evans is going to take it personally.

From the Idaho State Journal ... Matchup with Montana State big for Bengals

“They’re a terrific shooting team," ISU coach Bill Evans told the Journal. “They’re much improved.”

Both teams are "much improved" and have had seasons that have taken many by surprise. In the preseason media polls, the Bobcats and Bengals were pegged to finish second to last and dead last. Now they have the opportunity to play a game in late February with real consequences.

From the Bozeman Daily Chronicle ... Backcourts on center stage when MSU men face Idaho State

Here's the real question with this game. Will former NBA pros Sebastian Telfair and Stephon Marbury be in the gym again to watch Ethan Telfair do his thing?
PORTLAND STATE at NORTHERN COLORADO
MONTANA AT WEBER STATE

From the Standard-Examiner ... Down, but not out, Weber State's Joel Bolomboy reflects on his Wildcat career

Weber State coach Randy Rahe told the Standard-Examiner: "He’s a sponge. He can’t get enough. Because of his work ethic and attitude, every year he’s made a significant jump.”

After reading the story, I got the sense from Bolomboy and Rahe that Weber State's star is done for the season. I hope not. But it doesn't sound promising.

From the Missoulian ... Montana, Weber State rivalry has deep roots

Read that last story. It's a fun look back at the rivalry between the two best basketball programs in the Big Sky.

1 comment:

  1. Are conference teams literally making hotel reservations just days before their road games? How in the heck can you feel sorry for Fish when he knew the conference schedule months and months ago? How hard is it to make travel arrangements when you first know your schedule? Sounds like a case of not accepting personal responsibility and finding someone else to blame.

    ReplyDelete