2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Idaho State

One team is entering its season as defending Big Sky champions, the other is entering the 2012-13 campaign with a new head coach and a looming cloud of controversy stemming from an NCAA investigation.

WBB: The Idaho State women's basketball team made a trip to the NCAA tournament last season, their first since 2007, with a 24-8 record (14-2 in conference play).  Fifth-year head coach Seton Sobolweski returns four starters from his conference championship squad--three of them averaged more than 10 points/game last season.  Among those three top scorers is senior guard Kaela Oakes (right, in black), who was the team's second leading scorer behind the now-graduated Chelsea Pickering (but Oakes played six more games than Pickering did in 2011-12).  Oakes, along with fellow senior Ashleigh Vella and junior Lindsey Reed combined to score a total of 1064 points between them.  The other starter back this season is the team's leading rebounder from last season in junior forward Cydney Horton, who averaged just under 7 rebounds/game.

VERDICT: The prospects of repeating as Big Sky conference champion look very good, as both the coaches & media picked them to repeat as conference champions.  But they will definitely have a bulls-eye on their back coming into conference play with great teams like Montana, Montana State, and Northern Colorado nipping at their heels.

MBB: New head coach Bill Evans (left, at the podium) could be in for a very tough first season at the helm of the Bengals men's basketball program.  The program is under investigation by the NCAA, which was triggered by a letter written by former interim head coach Deane Martin to ISU athletic director Jeff Tingey.  The 2011-12 season wasn't kind to the team either, despite making the conference tournament with a 9-21 record (7-9 in conference) and losing to Eastern Washington 81-75 in the first round.  The Bengals return two starters from last season which includes senior guard Melvin Morgan, who averaged 12.2 points/game (3rd on last year's team) and junior guard Andre Hatchett, who averaged 4.5 rebounds/game (also 3rd on last year's team).

VERDICT: After spending 15 seasons at the helm at Southern Utah, and the last four years as Wayne Tinkle's primary assistant at Montana, Evans is once again back as a head coach, and he'll have a tall task at hand.  The coaches and media both picked the Bengals to finish 9th, but preseason polls won't matter at season's end.  If the Bengals can play well this season, they just might squeeze their way into the conference tournament.

UP NEXT: Eastern Washington

Photo credits: Spokesman-Review (Kaela Oakes)/Idaho State athletics (Bill Evans)

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Weber State

Talk about a tale of two different seasons at Weber State.  One team was one game away from playing in the NCAA tournament, the other was just playing for their lives.  The men's basketball team proved they're still a force in the conference as they played to a 25-7 record and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament.  The women's team, under first-year head coach Bethann Ord, went a dismal 2-27 and failed to record a single victory in conference play.

MBB: Oh, Damian Lillard will be missed in Ogden this season.  One of the greatest scorers in conference history was drafted 6th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft, after deciding to forgo his senior season with the Wildcats.  With Lillard in the NBA now, the Wildcats return just two seniors, one of them being guard Scott Bamforth (left).  As Lillard led last year's team in scoring at 24.5 PPG, Bamforth was second at 14.5 PPG.  The other senior returning to the Wildcats is forward Frank Otis, who battled injuries throughout last season.  Otis, along with junior center Kyle Tresnak, are the top returning rebounders for an otherwise young but always talented Wildcats team.

VERDICT: Seventh-year head coach Randy Rahe again has a solid team, but with the loss of Lillard to the NBA, it remains to be seen if the Wildcats will remain one of the best in the conference.  Rahe-coached teams have traditionally been very strong, winning 20 or more games in four of his six years in charge.  Another 20-win campaign by Weber State and conference tournament appearance shouldn't be out of the question.

WBB: There's only one way to go but up for the Weber State women's basketball team.  The 2011-12 season was a rather forgettable campaign, as they failed to record a win in conference play.  And this year's team will have a lot of inexperience to fall back on, as there are more freshmen on the roster (nine) than there are upperclassmen (two seniors and three juniors).  One of the upperclassmen back for the Wildcats this season is senior forward Amanda Hughes (right), who was second on the team in scoring at 10.2 PPG and led the team in rebounding at 9.1 RPG, so the potential of her averaging a double-double per game is there for her senior season if everyone else can play well.

VERDICT: This team returns only five players from last year's team. That's right--FIVE.  It may be looking to be another long season in Ogden with a very young and inexperienced team, as they have a ways to go before they become a tournament team again.

UP NEXT: Idaho State

Photo credits: Weber State athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Northern Arizona

The 2011-12 basketball season was one to forget down in Flagstaff.  Both Northern Arizona men's & women's basketball squads struggled for much of their seasons, with the women's team finishing 9-20 (4-12 in conference) while the men's team recorded a 5-24 record (1-15 in conference).  But things should be looking up for both squads, as they both hired new head coaches in the offseason.

WBB: Let's start with the women's basketball team.  Under former coach Laurie Kelly, the program made six conference tournament appearances and earned a trip to the big dance in 2006 during her nine-year tenure in Flagstaff.  Now, former Air Force head coach Sue Darling is in charge, after she had previously served as an assistant at Arizona.  The squad she inherits from Kelly includes four seniors, one of whom is guard Amy Patton (pictured above).  Patton led the Lumberjacks in both scoring (14.6 PPG) and rebounding (6.5 RPG).  Other key players back for the Lumberjacks include junior Amanda Frost, who finished second in scoring with 8.6 PPG, and junior center Shay May, who was second in rebounds (5.4 RPG).

VERDICT: Last year's team endured a nine-game losing streak in the middle of the season, which dropped the 'Jacks to an 0-6 start in conference play.  It depends on how this year's team will respond to coach Darling's up-tempo offensive style that was used in Tuscon, and they can pick it up well, they might knock on the conference tournament door.

MBB: The 2011-12 season was a train wreck for the Lumberjacks men's basketball team.  The wheels began to fall off when head coach Mike Adras abruptly resigned just nine games into the season amid an investigation by the school and the NCAA.  Former women's head coach Dave Brown took over from there, and after going 3-1 in his first four games in charge, the Lumberjacks plummeted from there as they lost their final 15 games.  Now, Jack Murphy is the man in charge of the Lumberjacks program, coming to Flagstaff after serving as an assistant coach at Memphis.  He's got a huge rebuilding effort ahead, especially with a roster with six seniors.  One of those six seniors is Gabe Rogers (pictured above), who is the team's top returning scorer at 10.2 PPG.  The top returning rebounder back this season is sophomore forward Gaellan Bewernick, who averaged 5.1 RPG, as well as leading the team in field goal percentage, making 59.1 percent of his shots.

VERDICT: The Lumberjacks were picked by both the coaches and the media to finish the season dead last.  But preseason polls won't matter at season's end.  Still, I'm not expecting the Lumberjacks to make the conference tournament this season, but the program should be headed in a more positive direction in the years ahead under coach Murphy.

UP NEXT: Weber State

Photo credits: Northern Arizona athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Portland State

Continuing with the countdown, the Portland State Vikings are featured.  The men's basketball team concluded their 2011-12 season with a 17-15 record and a berth in the Big Sky tournament, falling in the conference semifinals to eventual runner-up Weber State.  The women's team had a nearly equal season with a 15-14 campaign, but they missed the conference tournament for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

MBB: The men's basketball team made their first conference tournament since 2010, and just like the last time there, their season came to an end against eventual conference runner-up Weber State.  Head coach Tyler Geving is entering his third season in charge, after he took over the program from previous head coach Ken Bone (who went to Washington State after the 2008-09 season).  He has a team with no freshmen, as the vast majority of his team consists of transfers from junior colleges and two other Division I schools.  Among the five seniors on the roster include forward Renado Parker (pictured above left, #30 green), who is the team's top returning scorer and rebounder from last season, although he did not start any games.  Two starters are back, both are senior guards--Lateef McMullan and Michael Harthun.

VERDICT: This team has continued to make improvement under Geving's tutelage, and expect more of the same again this season, despite not having any freshmen on their roster.  They're a good team that can't be overlooked, as they should be able to fly under the radar for much of the season, and make another trip to the conference tournament.

WBB: Missing the Big Sky tournament is not typical of a Portland State team that plays under sixth-year head coach Sherri Murrell (right).  One year after hosting the conference tournament and two years after winning it, the Viking women just missed out on the tournament despite posting a respectable 15-14 record.  This year, the Vikings bring back four of their five starters from last season, as the only starter they lost to graduation was guard Eryn Jones, who was second on the team in scoring with 13.3 ppg.  Junior guard Kate Lanz, last season's newcomer of the year, led the Vikings in both scoring & rebounding last season at just under 16 points/game and 7.3 rebounds/game respectively.  Other returning starters include senior guards Courtney VanBrocklin and Karley Lampman, and junior forward Keaton McFadden.

VERDICT: Murrell is one of the best coaches in the Big Sky Conference, and she knows how to put together a very good team year in and year out.  With four starters back in the fold, a return to the Big Sky tournament shouldn't be out of the question for this talented squad.

UP NEXT: Northern Arizona

Photo credits: University of Oregon athletics (Parker) and Associated Press (Murrell)

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Sacramento State

The 2011-12 seasons for the Sacramento State basketball teams were almost identical in regards to where their records stood.  The men's team concluded their 2011-12 campaign with a 10-18 record under Brian Katz, who is entering his 5th season at the helm.  On the other hand, the women's team made the 2012 Big Sky tournament and pulled off a mild upset against Eastern Washington (first conference tournament game in school history) before losing in the semifinals to eventual league champion Idaho State.

WBB: Fourth-year head coach Jamie Craighead utilizes an up-tempo style of basketball to her squad, which is run & gun offensively and utilizing a full-court press defensively--a style that has helped the Hornets become one of the most explosive teams in the conference.  One of the key cogs on the Hornets' roster is senior forward Kylie Kuhns (above right), who averaged a double-double per game last season (13.6 ppg & a league-best 11.6 rpg) and finished 3rd in the nation with 21 double-doubles.  The Hornets' second-leading scorer is back as well, as junior guard Alle Moreno finished last season with 13.3 ppg, and finished just 10 points behind Kuhns in total points scored (413 to Kuhns' 423).  Also back are two more starters: sophomore guard Fantasia Hilliard and senior forward Mallorie Franco.

VERDICT: The Hornets under Craighead have a penchant for turning games into track meets, and while they're one of the best offensive-minded teams in the conference, the thing that just might keep them from being one of the best teams in the league overall is their defense--they coughed up 78.6 ppg last season.  Regardless, they're a very good basketball team with some talented players.  If they can bring their points against down this season, they could make the race for the top of the league interesting, because their offense just might be their golden horseshoe towards a potential conference championship.

MBB: The men's basketball team, as indicated earlier, concluded last season with a 10-19 record and did not make the conference tournament.  It marked the first time under Brian Katz the team recorded more than 10 wins in a season.  His team returns their five top scorers, including senior forward John Dickson (left), who averaged 12.4 points a game, and senior guard/forward Joe Eberhard, who averaged 11.1 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game.  Junior guard Jackson Carbajal finished tied for second with Eberhard in scoring, while senior center Konner Veteto (9.0 ppg and 4.7 rpg) and sophomore guard Dylan Garrity (8.1 ppg) round out the team's main point contributors.

VERDICT: With the Hornets' top five scorers back this season, this team is plenty capable of surpassing the team's 10-win total from last season.  The team went on a 5-3 run during the second half of conference play last season after going 0-8 to start.  As long as they can win the close games during league play this season, don't be surprised to see Sacramento State make a trip to the conference tournament.

UP NEXT: Portland State

Photo credits: Sacramento State athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Northern Colorado

The countdown continues with the teams from Northern Colorado.  Both teams had opposite seasons in 2011-12, with the women's team being the conference runner-up and making an appearance in the WNIT, while the men's team struggled for much of the season.

WBB: The Northern Colorado women's basketball program has been knocking on the door to win the Big Sky tournament, but they just haven't gotten over the hump yet.  Last year they came up one win short of making the big dance for the first time by falling to eventual conference champion Idaho State in the Big Sky championship game.  They instead settled for a WNIT berth, only to fall to Colorado 54-42 in Boulder.  This program has steadily improved under Janie White, who is entering her 7th season as head coach (and one win away from becoming the school's all-time leader in victories by a head coach).  Among top players coming back include senior forward Lauren Oosdyke (pictured above), who was second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg).  Also back is junior D'shara Strange, who not only lead the team at 13.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg, but also enters the season as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year as well.  Other key players back this season include senior guard Victoria Timm and junior forward Kim Lockridge.

VERDICT: The Bears' chances of winning the Big Sky title and making the NCAA tournament look very good.  During White's tenure as head coach, this team has gotten better every year.  If history stays true to itself like it has the past two seasons, the Bears might have their dancing shoes on the ready come March.

MBB: The 2011-12 season was not very kind to the men's basketball team, one year removed from making the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.  The 9-19 record the team recorded last season was far from the more respectable 21-11 mark the 2010-11 team posted.  But last year's team was a mostly young squad, and the same will hold true for this year's team coached by third-year skipper B.J. Hill (pictured right).  The team lost only one player from last year's team in forward Mike Proctor (led the team in rebounding at 6.8 rpg), but with no seniors on this year's team, the potential for improvement is there.  The team's top two scorers are back in junior guard Tatum Unruh (11.3 ppg) and sophomore guard Tevin Svihovec (10.8 ppg), along with junior center Connor Osbourne, who was second on the team in rebounding at 4.2 rpg.

VERDICT: This Bears team will bounce back in 2012-13.  They're far from a 20-win team at this point in time.  But if this team can play to their potential they just might compete for a conference tourney berth.

UP NEXT: Sacramento State

Photo credits: University of Northern Colorado athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Southern Utah

Next up on the Big Sky basketball countdown is the other all-sport newcomer to the league in the Southern Utah Thunderbirds.  Both men's and women's teams recorded losing records in their final season in the Summit League, with the men's team going 14-17 (and losing in the conference semifinals against eventual champion South Dakota State) and the women's team going 6-23.

MBB: The Thunderbirds return two starters from last year's team, and both are seniors heading into this season.  Forward Jackson Stevenett (right, #21 in white) led the team in both scoring (14.1 ppg) & rebounding (5.7 rpg) in 2011-12, while guard Damon Heuir from Australia was third in scoring at 10.8 ppg. Only one other player started games for the T-Birds last season, and that's junior forward Wade Collie, who started four games.  The team's three other seniors (guard Jordan Johnson and forwards Tyson Koehler and Julian Scott) and two other juniors (centers Jason Cheeseman and Jaren Jeffery) were primarily used in reserve roles.

VERDICT: Expect this Thunderbirds team to make some strides this season, as there will be three new starters in their lineup in their first season in the Big Sky.  And this will also be their first season under a new head coach in Nick Robinson, who played at Stanford (2001-05), with three seasons played under former Montana head coach Mike Montgomery.  If Jackson Stevenett can keep up his solid numbers heading into his senior season, their chances of competing for a conference tournament spot look good.

WBB: For fourth-year head coach JR Payne, the 2011-12 season is a season her team would like to forget after posting a paltry 6-23 record.  But everyone that started at least one game last season is back, and one of them is senior Tayler Anderson (left, #31), who started all 29 games for the Thunderbirds.  Also back is leading scorer Hailey Mandelko, who posted a team-high 13.1 ppg as a true freshman despite missing the team's last 10 games with an injury.  Leading rebounder Carli Moreland, who led the team with 8.3 rpg during her sophomore season, is also back as she was the only other player on the roster to start all the games.

VERDICT: This team is entering their first season in the Big Sky after struggling for most of the 2011-12 season.  Despite having only two seniors on their roster, there are six juniors on the roster, so there is plenty of experience to go around, and if Hailey Mandelko can stay healthy all season, the team will have something to build on should they not make the Big Sky tournament.

UP NEXT: Northern Colorado

Photo credits: Southern Utah University athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: North Dakota

The 2012-13 basketball countdown begins with the men's & women's basketball teams from the University of North Dakota.

MBB: Looking at the men's team, they return four starters from last season's squad that went 17-15 under head coach Brian Jones, who is entering his 7th season in charge.  Among the four starters back for North Dakota is junior guard Troy Huff (left), who was the team's leading scorer at 13.1 PPG, and second-leading rebounder at 5.9 RPG.  The team's leading rebounder is back as well. in junior post Brandon Brekke.  He led the team at 6.1 RPG.  Also back are two more juniors: guards Aaron Anderson (11 PPG & 2.9 RPG) and Jamal Webb (9.5 PPG & 3.5 RPG).

VERDICT: This team is loaded with experience, as there are four more juniors on the roster (along with the four returning starters) to go along with four senior reserves.  But in the years ahead, Brian Jones and his staff will have to fill the cupboard to replace a significant chunk of talent that will graduate from the program over the next two years.  Despite that, North Dakota will be coming to play in 2012-13, and could make the conference race very interesting once league play starts.


WBB: Just like with the men's team, the women's team returns most of their scoring and rebounding, but will be doing so with a brand new head coach, and someone the players on the UND roster are familiar with.  Travis Brewster inherited the reins of the program from long-time skipper Gene Roebuck, who retired over the offseason after a 21-11 record in his 25th and final season in charge.  Three starters on the team are back, led by senior guard Nicole Smart (right).  Also back are junior center Allyssa Wall, who led the team in scoring at 10.4 PPG, and junior forward Madi Buck, who led in rebounding at 7.4 RPG.

VERDICT: There's a very nice balance of experience on the team; half the players are upperclassmen, half are underclassmen.  But the true test is how good of a job Brewster will do in filling the relatively huge shoes that Roebuck left behind.  This is still a very good basketball team, and with the talent that they have, a conference tournament berth is very doable.

COMING UP: Southern Utah

Photo credits: University of North Dakota athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown

Over the summer, I took a look at the Big Sky Conference football teams and how they might fare during the 2012 season.  Now with basketball season around the corner, it's almost time to take a look at the men's & women's basketball teams of the Big Sky Conference.  All the women's teams have started their practices, while all the men's teams will start practicing tomorrow.

In men's basketball, the defending conference champion is the Montana Grizzlies.  Seventh-year head coach Wayne Tinkle guided the Grizzlies to a conference record 15 wins in conference play in 2011-12 and a 25-7 overall record.  While the Grizzlies' spectacular season ended with a 73-49 loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament, they were on a 14-game win streak entering their battle with the Badgers.

On the women's side, the Idaho State Bengals enter the season as defending conference champions.  Head coach Seton Sobolewski is also coming off Coach of the Year honors, and his team is loaded with experience as 11 of his 15 players are upperclassmen.  The Bengals' 2011-12 season concluded with a 70-41 loss to the Miami Hurricanes at the NCAA tournament.

The countdown will start on Monday, with the men's & women's basketball teams of nickname-less North Dakota.

Image credit: Big Sky Conference