OUTLOOK: Last season saw the Big Sky boast of two 20+ win teams in Portland
State (23-10) and Weber State (21-10), but there was only one other program,
Montana (17-12), that finished above .500 overall. In-conference was a
different story as Weber State ran over the Big Sky competition, winning 15 of
its 16 league tilts, followed by Portland State jumped up and won the tourney
title and take Weber State's NCAA Tournament bid. It was the second straight
ticket to the Big Dance for the Vikings, who earned the spot, despite
finishing four game behind the Wildcats in the league standings. Montana
finished tied with PSU in league play at 11-5 and won 17 games overall.
The rest of the league finished with losing records, some way below .500.
Montana State (14-17), Northern Colorado (14-18), Idaho State (13-19) and
Eastern Washington (12-18) had their ups and downs throughout the year and
their records were indicative of inconsistent play. Northern Arizona (8-19)
and Sacramento State (2-27) brought up the rear in the Big Sky, combining for
a mere 10 total victories.
This should be the year that Weber State finally earns its stripes and an NCAA
Tournament bid is the payoff. Still, until someone knocks off the Vikings in
tournament play, they have to be considered a favorite once again.
Idaho State and the two Montana schools represent the second tier of teams and
will could jump up and give the top two some worries. Northern Colorado and
Northern Arizona will be competitive, but both teams have some liabilities
that will prevent a significant jump in terms of win total.
Once again, the bottom of the conference is reserved for Eastern Washington
and Sacramento State. The Eagles are much further along than the Hornets, who
are still a year or two away from even being a competitive bunch.
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Weber State
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Weber State , 2. Portland State, 3. Idaho State,
4. Montana, 5. Montana State, 6. Northern Arizona, 7. Northern Colorado, 8.
Eastern Washington, 9. Sacramento State
TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:
WEBER STATE: Consistency is the key at Weber State and fourth-year coach Randy
Rahe is delivering. Last season, the Wildcats owned the Big Sky during the
regular season (15-1), only to be eliminated in the conference tourney and
have to settle for an NIT bid. Still, the team racked up 21 victories and with
four starters back, expect more of the same in 2009-10. Gone is leading scorer
Kellen McCoy (Big Sky Player of the Year), as well as fellow senior Daviin
Davis (Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year), but a solid nucleus remains
highlighted by guard Damian Lilliard (11.5 ppg), last year's Big Sky Freshman
of the Year. Senior Nick Hansen (8.5 ppg) will join Lilliard in the backcourt,
after leading the team in three-pointers (67) in his first season out of the
juco ranks. Frontcourt specialists Kyle Buddinger (8.7 ppg) and Steve Panos
(9.4 ppg) lead the way down low, as both played in all 31 games last year.
Newcomers who could come in and contribute right away include juco transfers
Josh Noble (6-2), Lindsey Hughes (6-3) and Franklin Sessions (6-2). There is
plenty in the cupboard at Weber State and this could be the year that the
Wildcats put it all together and get back to the Big Dance.
PORTLAND STATE: The Vikings actually won more games last season than regular-
season champ Weber State and captured their second straight tournament title,
earning a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament. With success comes new opportunities
and Ken Bone took advantage of back-to-back 23-win campaigns and jumped ship
for the Washington State job. Enter Tyler Geving, who was already with the
program, making things a little easier on the players. Two starters are back
from last year in Phil Nelson (10.8 ppg) and Jamie Jones (9.1 ppg). Add All-
BSC Second-Teamer Dominic Waters (11.4 ppg) to the mix and there is a nice
nucleus to work with. Waters is a dynamic playmaker with the ability to take
over a game. Freshman Chris Harriel has a great deal of potential and has
excellent size (6-4) for the guard position and could provide solid minutes.
The Vikings have won a lot of games over the last two seasons. The team has a
chance at 20 wins again, but falling just under that mark is probably more
realistic.
IDAHO STATE: Fourth-year coach Joe O'Brien has the most veteran squad in the
conference with seven seniors on the roster. None are more important to the
team's success than guard Amorrow Morgan (13.6 ppg), who earned All-Big Sky
honors last year. Fellow seniors Chron Tatum and Donnie Carson should
complement Morgan nicely. A trio of newcomers in Rolando Little, Mike Lacey
and Broderick Gilchrest should bolster the lineup both up front and in the
backcourt, with Gilchrest earning valuable minutes at the point. The biggest
frontcourt in the conference will feature Tatum (6-8), Demetrius Monroe (6-8)
and Deividas Busma (7-0). This very well could be the year that Idaho State
makes the jump from being merely competitive and becomes a true conference
contender.
MONTANA: Wayne Tinkle's Grizzlies finished tied for second in the conference
last season with an 11-5 mark. Montana has an opportunity for sustained
success thanks to the return of the league's leading scorer in Anthony
Johnson, who was named last year's Newcomer of the Year. Johnson averaged 17.3
points per game in 2009-10 and also made teams pay for sending him to the
free-throw line, converting a conference-best 87.1 percent from the charity
stripe. Johnson is joined on the roster this year by seven additional
letterwinners. Starters include seniors Ryan Staudacher and Jack McGillis.
Staudacher is a three-point specialist, whose 195 three-point attempts led the
way last year. McGillis is an Oregon State transfer with a good all-around
game. Defensive tenacity and shot-blocking are the strengths of 6-11 center
Brian Qvale, who will anchor play down low. The Grizzlies could be contenders
once again, but will need to work awfully hard to eclipse last year's 17
victories.
MONTANA STATE: The Bobcats could be the team with the biggest upside this
season, thanks in large part to four returning starters. The team made an
improbable run to the 2009 Big Sky Tournament championship game, despite
winning just 14 games a year ago. The bar has now been raised and more is
expected in 2009-10 from Brad Huse's squad. Seniors Will Bynum and Marquis
Navarre and junior Erik Rush give the team a potent backcourt trio. Bynum
averaged 10.7 ppg last year and should see that number increase as a senior.
Juniors Bobby Howard (6-7) and Branden Johnson (6-9) are the players to watch
down low, but neither possesses the low post play of the departed Divaldo
Mbunga. The only thing holding the Bobcats back from making another run at the
conference crown could be the lack of a real force in the frontcourt.
NORTHERN ARIZONA: The Lumberjacks were chopped down to size last year and won
a mere eight games, including just five in-conference. This season, head coach
Mike Adras welcomes back just four letterwinners, headlined by juniors Cameron
Jones (12.7 ppg) and Shane Johannsen (9.9 ppg). Sophomore Josh Lepley (5.9
ppg) and senior Nick Larson (3.1 ppg) will be counted on to increase their
production. The unknowns are three players that redshirted last year,
including Eric Platt, who sat out after transferring from Wyoming. The new
class is comprised of six players, including Liberty transfer Austin Smith.
NAU has some pieces to the puzzle, but that may not be enough to get the team
over .500 this season.
NORTHERN COLORADO: Fourth-year head coach Tad Boyle has done a nice job in
building a program at Northern Colorado, which posted 14 victories overall
last season, while breaking even in Big Sky play (8-8). Northern Colorado
qualified for its first Big Sky Conference tournament last season and has
increased its win total in each of Boyle's first three seasons at the helm.
Key returnees include shifty guard Will Figures (12.1 ppg) and sharpshooter
Devon Beitzel (11.8 ppg). Figures led the team with 117 made free-throws in
2009-10 and is a workhorse, logging the most minutes (29.5 per game). Beitzel
paces the Bears in three-pointers made (61), converting more than 42 percent
of his long range attempts. The loss of First-Team All-Big Sky Jabril Banks to
graduation won't be easy to overcome, but if Figures and Beitzel continue to
improve, Boyle's squad may make some noise, while putting a scare in the
conference big boys.
EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eagles struggled with consistency issues for much of
last season and the result was a mere 12 victories for a team that was
supposed to do much more. Kirk Earlywine is expecting better results in
2009-10, especially if Benny Valentine and Brandon Moore get help from some
talented newcomers. Valentine has developed into one of the conference's top
point guards and enters this year after posting 15.1 ppg a year ago. Moore is
a talented low post player who averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds last
year. However, he has just recently returned to the team after having minor
foot surgery in October and it may take some time for him to regain his form.
The new guys need to contribute right away and the most likely candidate to do
just that is redshirt freshman guard Kevin Winford. If sophomore Laron Griffin
can get going in the frontcourt that could take some pressure off of Moore.
SACREMENTO STATE: There isn't a lot of positives that come from posting just a
pair of victories over the course of an entire season. Not much went right for
Brian Katz in his first season at the helm at Sacramento State in 2009-10. The
Hornets recorded just a single conference victory and bring an eight-game
losing streak into the new year. The return of Justin Eller (10.0 ppg) and
Antonio Flaggs (7.7 ppg) won't make up for the loss of Loren Leath (team-high
15.6 ppg), who was one of the conference's top performers. Katz is relying a
great deal on a stellar recruiting class that includes juco transfers Alpha
N'Diaye, Sultan Toles-Bey, Walter Jackson and David Norris. True freshman John
Dickson is an explosive playmaker with great size as a 6-5 guard. He is
expected to provide immediate relief in terms of offensive production. Still,
the Hornets are probably still a year or two away from even being competitive.
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