The rematch of the two teams at the top of the Big Sky Conference standings promises to be an interesting affair. In the first match-up this season, PSU completely dominated the Jacks in all facets of the game, especially rebounding, en route to the 80-66 final. Tomorrow night’s game looks to be different. First of all, the game is not being played at the Stott Center, where the Viks are 8-1. The first matchup was also a break-out game for Kyle Coston. Before and since that game he has done nothing to indicate he can reproduce that effort. Nobody will ever question his shooting touch, but his lack of tenacity and inability to create his own shot makes him an offensive clone of the two other options for the Vikings at the 4 spot. Tiefenthaler, Mara, and Coston all have the ability to shoot the ball well from the outside, but none have been able to produce when their shot hasn’t fallen. This, along with injuries, is one of the reasons that Ken Bone is forced to shuffle his lineup almost every game. Speaking of consistency, there are two names that come to mind for Viking fans: Deonte Huff and Jeremiah Dominguez. The two have carried the Vikings to almost all of their victories, one of the few exceptions being the first match-up with the Jacks. The pair only produced 19 points in the first game. They will need to be on their game if the Viks have any chance on the road. The last big factor for change is the rotation. Scott Morrison only played 20 minutes in the first contest, with Julius Thomas going 17. With Thomas out, Morrison will likely be depended on to go at least 30 minutes, and be given a few mintues rest by JR Moore.

On the other side, the first contest was an off night for Kyle Landry. He was able to manage 12 points, a good night for most, but not for Landry who is averaging 17.3. In his place, Zarko Comagic stepped up and had a really big game. The two of them will need to be consistent to keep pace with Huff and Dominguez. Coming off losses to Idaho State and Northern Colorado on the road, the Lumberjacks will look to get back on track, and back into first place.

Match-Ups
Center
NAU: Ryan McCurdy PSU: Scott Morrison
Though his play hasn’t been as consistent as many would like, Scott Morrison has started every game with the exception of the near disaster against Lewis & Clark. For the last 4 games Morrison has been very consistent. With increased opportunity (30+ minutes) he has delivered over 17 points per game. In the first game against NAU Morrison scored only 6 points, but was limited to just 5 shots. With renewed confidence Morrison should deliver at least 15 points against the rail-thin McCurdy. McCurdy’s advantage in this match-up is his speed. If the Jacks can create some fast-break opportunities, he should have no trouble beating Morrison down the floor and putting defenders in the position to foul.
Advantage: Vikings

Power Forward
NAU: Kyle Landry PSU: Kyle Coston
Landry is clearly the better player in this match-up, even though his production in their first contest wouldn’t indicate it. No matter who he goes up against for PSU, he should have the advantage. None are particularly good defenders, and only Mara brings the intensity necessary to be one. The challenge for the Vikings will be to get some offensive production here, because they are better at the other positions, but the outside shot here creates room for Morrison to work inside.
Advantage: Lumberjacks

Small Forward
NAU: Zarko Comagic PSU: Deonte Huff
This match-up should be the exact opposite of the one at power forward. Here, Comagic had a great game offensively while the consistent Huff made a lackluster performance. If Comagic can produce more than 10 points against Huff this time around, it bodes well for a team that will need to shoot much better than 42% to win. I expect Huff to come through with another strong performance, which should be aided by his recent hot streak at the free throw line.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
NAU: Nathan Geiser PSU: Andre Murray
Murray seems to be adjusting well to his role as the team’s unquestioned shooting guard. With his ability to rebound much larger than his stature, his play is somewhat reminiscent to that of Huff. He had a solid game against the Jacks the first time out, and should the Viks need his production, I expect him to be there again tomorrow. Geiser really struggled in the first contest, throwing a bagel up on the scoreboard. Since then, he has returned to form, and should fare better this time around. If not, Zach Filzen will be ready to pick up the slack.
Advantage: Push

Point
NAU: Josh Wilson PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Wilson is definitely one of the top point guards in the Big Sky Conference. Averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists, he would get the nod over just about anyone. The problem is that he is going up against the best point guard in the conference. Dominguez is a tenacious on-ball defender, with quickness that allows him to take the ball at any time. Add that to his recent offensive explosion, and he becomes one of the favorites for MVP. He outscored Wilson by 9 points in the first game, but the two combined for only 13. This time around, I expect them to go for 30+.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
For the Vikings, the role of the bench has decreased substantially. However, they will need to get quality minutes from JR Moore in place of Morrison, and some scoring production from the 4 spot to have a good shot at winning. For NAU, Filzen, Johnson, and Jones will have to take advantage of the Vikings weaker defenders. If they can produce 10+ points, it will go a long way towards determining the outcome.
Advantage: Push

I see the Viks giving one back here. I hate picking against them, but they aren’t a particularly good team on the road. If they get a solid performance from all the role players and Dominguez has an amazing output that might change things.

Prediction: NAU 72-70

I cannot guarantee that I will have time to do a blog for every game, but I will do my best while I am here. The upcoming contest between the Portland State Vikings and the Montana Grizzlies is an intriguing mid-season match-up as the teams have become rivals in recent years. We all remember the fight after the game two years ago, and it looks like the game on Thursday should be just as hard-fought. Montana enters the contest with two convincing wins against Big Sky opponents which were preceded by a tough home loss against Weber State. The Grizzlies are again lead by their consistent inside duo, Jordan Hasquet and Andrew Strait. Portland State is coming off an extended hiatus which should benefit the team from a health standpoint, but it remains to be seen the effect it will have on team chemistry.

Match-Ups
Center
UM: Andrew Strait PSU: Scott Morrison
The Griz will almost definitely throw everything they have at Morrison offensively. Their combination will include at least Strait and Hasquet, as well as Brian Qvale and Kyle Sharp. There is no doubt that the Grizzly coaching staff has seen how different a team the Vikings are without Morrison on the floor, and it is likely they will try to get him in foul trouble from the opening tip. The Vikings do not have anywhere near the depth of the Grizzlies at center, so it is essential that Morrison stays on the floor for as many minutes as possible and that players like JR Moore and Tyrell Mara are available to spell him inside. Julius Thomas may be the direction Ken Bone wants to go, but it will be difficult for him to compete with the height that the Griz possess at center.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Power Forward
UM: Jordan Hasquet PSU: Kyle Coston/Alex Tiefenthaler
For what has been the most inconsistent position for the Viks all year, Thursday may be a relief. Coston and Tiefenthaler have been much better players at the Stott Center, and Tyrell Mara has not been healthy since his break-out game at the Top of the World Classic. The three man combo will be assigned the Grizzlies top offensive threat, Jordan Hasquet. He has dominated the Big Sky Conference, both offensively and on the glass. If he matches up with Morrison defensively, it will be a showdown between two of the premier big men in the conference. If he matches up at the 4 it will be up to the Viking combo to run him ragged around screens outside, and keep him honest by making a good percentage of the 3 point shots they take. Hasquet and Kyle Sharp should be able to eclipse the Viking players here offensively and on the glass. The question will be whether or not the Viks can keep it close.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Guard/Forward
UM: Ryan Staudacher PSU: Deonte Huff
If the Viks have a mismatch, this is it. Staudacher is big enough to compete with Huff, but is overmatched talent-wise. If he can hold Huff to less than 10 points, I think the Grizzlies should win easily. Unfortunately for him, I do not think that he is capable of that. I think the Viks will depend on strong games from Huff and Dominguez, and it will be up to Huff to keep the game close until the last five minutes. Staudacher is a bit of an unknown to the Viks as he played less than 10 mintues per game last season. At almost 32 per game this year, it is obvious that he has become an important part of the Grizzly attack.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
UM: Matt Martin/Ceylon Elgin-Taylor PSU: Andre Murray
Murray has been a very important player to the Vikings this year. Unfortunately, he has also been very inconsistent. The Vikings need a huge effort from him on Thursday, especially if Dupree Lucas is unavailable behind him. Martin and Elgin-Taylor have both averaged 25 minutes a game, so it is up to Murray to play at least that much to provide an equal counterpart. I think Murray should be ready for the challenge if he can stay out of foul trouble.
Advantage: Push

Point
UM: Cameron Rundles PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
After a strong stretch of games, Dominguez is now leading the team in scoring. He is the go-to-guy down the stretch, and seems to relish the role, as he fares well again and again. This game should give him another opportunity to put the Big Sky on notice. Big or small, he has vanquished them all, and Rundles should provide quite a challenge as he stands 6 ft 1. Rundles is less of a scoring threat than he was last year, but has become a much better passer, an asset the tea, needs at the point. The Viks could definitely use a good shooting night from Mickey Polis, as their front-court match-ups are not likely to produce many points.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Vikings are hoping to have a bit more depth available after the extended break. The team could definitely use the intensity of a player like Mara, or the scoring punch a player like Lucas has provided in the past. The Griz only have 3 bench players who have seen extended action this year, so it is imperative that the Viks try to push the pace and use the extra legs they have available. As that has been their style of play most of the year, it should not be a task with which they have too much trouble.
Advantage: Vikings

Both teams have won their last two games. However, they are at very different places in the conference standings. Thursday will be a chance for the Grizzlies to get back towards the top, where they were expected to be all season. For the Vikings it is a chance to keep pace with Northern Arizona and Weber State at the top of the table. I see this one playing out as a slugfest. Each team is going to take their best shot at the knockout early on, but it is the team that has the most left at the end who should pull it out. In an even match, who do you take? I will go with the home team on a last second floater by Dominguez.

Prediction: PSU 70-68

Over the course of the season, the Vikings may be the most inconsistent team in the country. They have had standout games from 3 different players at the power forward position, 2 at the point, and 2 at shooting guard. The coaches have utilized offensive schemes that focused on using Scott Morrison in the post, and have benched him for long stretches in favor of a smaller, quicker lineup. With at least 13 games left, what can we expect from the Vikings? Saturday brings the UNC Bears to the Stott Center. A rapidly improving team, the Bears have already doubled their win total from last year, and have beaten defending Big Sky champion Weber State.

Match-Ups
Center
UNC: Jabril Banks PSU: Scott Morrison
No matter who matches up with Morrison, there will be a decided size advantage for the Vikings. Without Kirk Archibeque inside due to a concussion, the Bears will have to choose between two guys who are really combo forwards, Banks and Taylor Montgomery. Banks is the more talented of the two. The former Iowa Hawkeye and Indian Hills CC player is leading the team in scoring and rebounding at 13.7 per game 6.2 per game. He is also the only player who qualifies who is leading Scott Morrison in field goal percentage. He has only attempted 2 three point shots all year which means Morrison will be able to play his style of defense against Banks. Though Morrison has been less productive than Banks all year, his size advantage and style of play should allow him to out-produce Banks in this game, and ultimately lead the Vikings to victory.
Advantage: Vikings

Power Forward
UNC: Taylor Montgomery PSU: Kyle Coston/Alex Tiefenthaler
If Coston is not productive early, Ken Bone will not be hesitant to use Tiefenthaler who had the best game of his collegiate career against Idaho State on Sunday. Montgomery is not much of an offensive threat, but should be able to power past the opposition inside because they lack his power. However, the specialty of all the Viking power forwards this season has been their ability to hit the outside shot. Whoever plays here for the Viks should be more productive than Montgomery.
Advantage: Vikings

Guard/Forward
UNC: Jefferson Mason/Neal Kingman PSU: Deonte Huff
A promising player in his own right, Mason has averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds per contest this year. His height advantage should allow him some easy buckets at times in this one. However, I think it is very unlikely that he will out-produce Huff unless he can get him into foul trouble early. Mason should be able to utilize his size to keep Huff away from some of the put-backs that he normally gets, but I do not see him stopping Huff from driving and getting to the line. If the Bears are going to be competitive in this contest, they will need to minimize the damage that Huff can do because the Vikings have too many offensive weapons for them to deal with. Kingman had been the starter recently before missing the San Diego State game due to influenza. He has a very similar skill set to that of Mason with a little added bulk. He had a season high in the road loss at NAU, but seems to have lost confidence since then.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
UNC: Sean Taibi/Robert Palacios PSU: Andre Murray
If Taibi cannot play in this one, then the Bears will likely start Robert Palacios, a teammate of Jabril Banks at Indian Hills CC. Another option here is Devon Beitzel, a freshman who shared player of the week honors with NAU’s Kyle Landry, after he came off the bench for 15 points against San Diego State. The combination of these players will go up against Andre Murray, a player who has also been inconsistent and had trouble staying away from fouls against Idaho State. The Vikings do not necessarily need Murray to have a big scoring night to beat the Bears, but it would definitely help. If he cannot provide the punch Ken Bone is looking for, Dupree Lucas will be waiting for another opportunity to prove that the coaches made a mistake when they benched him in favor of Murray. I give a slight advantage to UNC, especially if Taibi is available. He is a deadly long range shooter who can score in bunches.
Advantage: Bears

Point
UNC: Thanasi Panagiotakopoulos PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Panagiotakopoulos has been in double figures three times this year. It appears that his ability to score is similar to that of Mickey Polis in that he has trouble when his three point shots are not falling. Dominguez shoots a lot of threes himself, but he also has the ability to drive and score against the bigger players. Like the Vikings, the Bears have a short backup point guard who has the ability to score. His name is Will Figures. He had a strong showing in the beginning of the season but has cooled off recently. It would really help the Bears if he could get back on track in this one.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Bears have the potential for a very strong bench with players like Mason and Figures. They do not have a lot of overall depth so they will depend on those guys to spell their starters. If they cannot handle that task, it might be a long night. For the Vikings the bench is loaded. It has endless depth and guys who could start for many teams. The issue with the bench, as it is with the rest of the team is consistency. If Tiefenthaler, Lucas, Polis, Hammond and Thomas can each score a few points, that would decrease the burden felt by Dominguez and Huff to shoot so often.
Advantage: Vikings

I think the Vikings are primed to make a run for the Big Sky title. Everyone except Tyrell Mara is healthy enough to play, and some of the guys who were expected to contribute early on are finally coming into their own. The three game home stretch is a critical set for the Vikings, who will need to win all three to compete for home court in the Big Sky tournament. It is definitely a doable task, but the Vikings will need strong play from their leaders and something from the bench to get it done. The first game against Northern Colorado is probably the easiest task, but the most important, as the team will look to start off their home stand the right way.
Prediction: PSU 72-63

The Vikings recent success might lead fans to forget the disappointments of the early season. If they had hit the majority of their late free throws the team would be 12-4, and there would be no doubt they were the best team in the conference. Needless to say, that is not the case. A week ago most Viking fans would have been pessimistic about a tough conference game on the road. However, with the recent development of Kyle Coston, this game is once again intriguing.

Weber State is led offensively by the senior duo of Arturas Valeika, a versatile forward from Lithuania, and Dezmon Harris. The Wildcats have to be upset with the production from their veteran players. Both Harris and Juan Pablo Silveira have been less productive this year without David Patten. Unfortunately, their inability to fill that void has really hurt the team so far. The defending Big Sky champions are 5-8 thus far this year and lost their first conference game to last year’s cellar dweller, UNC. To turn things around this year Weber will have to get increased production from their veteran guys.

Match-Ups
Center
WSU: Arturas Valeika PSU: Scott Morrison
This is a game where Bone often looks to play Thomas inside. Offensively, Morrison should have no trouble scoring 10 points on Valeika. However, he isn’t mobile enough to cover Valeika if he is playing out on the wings putting up three balls. I don’t see Morrison getting more than 20 minutes in this one, but I’d be happy if he did. I think the Vikings need him in there to provide a post presence and a stronger rebounder. Because the Vikings made a big change in their offense after the first few games of the season, Morrison has less impact on the game. However, given the right system, he could be just as good as Valeika. I’ll give the edge to Valeika because the Wildcats are committed to giving him the ball and letting him go to work.
Advantage: Wildcats

Power Forward
WSU: Steve Panos PSU: Kyle Coston
To mention the word power in relation to Kyle Coston seems comical. The rail-thin shooter has the ability to rebound at times, but tends to foul quickly when matched up against more physical players, and he has no real power game offensively. It looks like he’ll continue to be the guy until he gives up the spot. Alex Tiefenthaler has done very little since becoming eligible, and Tyrell Mara has had a tough go of it since the Top of the World Classic. As long as Coston stays out of foul trouble, he should win this match-up because Panos isn’t much of an offensive guy at all. He’s averaged only 6 points per game. Other options for Weber at forward include Tyler Billings and Daviin Davis.
Advantage: Vikings

Guard/Forward
WSU: Juan Pablo Silveira PSU: Deonte Huff
Silveira had a strong 3 games against the Vikings last year. If he struggles, look for them to go to Davis who dominated the Vikings in limited time last year. Huff will look to rebound after a tough shooting game against NAU. Aside from the Akron game, it was his worst game of the year. Not bad to get 8 points and 9 rebounds from a guy in one of his worst games. There is no reason to believe the star will have any trouble getting back into form. It is possible that Silveira will get to Huff’s level by the time he is done, but this isn’t that time. I think Huff will have a big game, and he will need to if the Viks have a chance to pull this one out on the road.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
WSU: Dezmon Harris PSU: Andre Murray
Murray has been a spark for the Vikings. When he starts the team is 5-1. As the number two scorer, the Wildcats will need more than the 9 points Harris scored against UNC if they are going to play with the Vikings. Harris has shown that ability, scoring 16 points against a tough Utah State team. If he scores 15+ points the game should stay close. If not, they will be pressed to score with Huff, Murray and Dominguez.
Advantage: Vikings

Point
WSU: Brody Van Brocklin/Kellen McCoy PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
McCoy was the only player who was able to get into double figures for the Wildcats against UNC. He should be a good match-up for Dominguez and Mickey Polis as he is one of the few players in the country who isn’t taller than them. Van Brocklin is one of the three combo guards who starts for the Wildcats. Harris and Silveira are just as capable of running the team if they are asked to. PSU should again have the advantage here. If Dominguez can play the consistent basketball we have become accustomed to this year and Polis can knock down a couple shots, it would push the Vikings in the right direction.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Viking bench has really come on since the beginning of the season. It remains to be seen whether or not they can sustain this energy, but it has led to some positive results recently. Two players who should factor in down the stretch are Tyrell Mara and Dupree Lucas. If either gets his starting spot back after his absence it would surprise me. Neither has had the kind of season expected from a starter, and that would lead me to believe that the guys in there now will finish out the season. The Wildcat bench is led by McCoy, Davis and Tyler Billings. They should all see significant time as Randy Rahe looks for an effective combination against the Vikings. Both teams have talented guys on the bench who should have an impact on the game and their production should be similar.
Advantage: Push

I am going to give the Vikings the advantage in this one, but not as big as their talent advantage would suggest. Randy Rahe is a much better coach than Ken Bone, even though he’s had a tough go of it this year. After seeing their early results, I feel that they just don’t have enough scoring to compete for the Big Sky crown this year.
Prediction: PSU 68-64

Carlos Taylor scored a career-high 34 points en-route to a 74-58 victory over the Montana Grizzlies Saturday night in Bozeman. A crowd of over 6,500 watched as the two teams evenly battled for the first half and part-way into the second half, before MSU went on an 11-0 run to take a 4 point lead, and would never look back. Taylor’s 34 points were the 3rd highest total by a Bobcat versus the Griz in MSU history, and the most by a Bobcat since 1988.

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/sports/

Cal Poly finished second in the Big West last season, posting a 19-11 mark. They beat the Vikings in a BracketBuster game 92-87 last year in San Luis Obispo. This season, they have had trouble shooting, and as a result, trouble winning. So far this season, they are .500, and 2-4 on the road. The Mustangs are coming off an 85-51 loss to NAU on Sunday. In that game, they shot 32% to bring their season average to 38.5%. The Mustangs distribute the scoring very evenly with 7 players averaging 6 points per game, and none averaging more than 10. They are lead by sophomore Lorenzo Keeler, who only plays 19.6 minutes per game, but averages 9.6.

The Vikings are happy to return to the “friendly” confines at the Stott Center after the water damaged court left them without a home for the last two weeks. In the last week, the players went from a solid team that had won two road games in a row over teams it was supposed to beat to one that barely held on against a team they should have beaten by 40. Sunday night’s game against Washington State saw the team take some steps back in the right direction, especially on the part of D-Huff. He returned to the form of late last season, which could spell doom for opponents. He was already a complete player save for on the ball defense, but with a shooting touch he is next to unstoppable. Jeremiah Dominguez also showed some life after a terrible performance against the Pioneers. On the other hand, some players were nowhere to be found. Scott Morrison only had 5 points on three shots, leading many Viking fans to question Coach Bone’s play calling, and Morrison’s positioning. Sunday was his second opportunity against a bigger opponent, and both opportunities have shown Scott’s weakness. Both Kevin Love and Aron Baynes have been able to get inside and score, as well as keep Scotty away from the basket with their wide bodies, and he’s been unable to answer. The other major question is whether or not Justynn Hammond will be available for his first action as a Viking on Wednesday. He arrived as a recruit last fall, but was unable to qualify academically, so he’s been working the last year to do it.

Match-Ups
Center
CP: Titus Shelton PSU: Scott Morrison
Shelton scored a career-high 20 points in the game against the Vikings last year. He went on to become the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 1.48 blocks per game. If he is to replicate that success against the Vikings, something will have to go wrong. If the team speed of the Mustangs or foul trouble forces them to go small, it could happen. Otherwise, Morrison should win this match-up. He should be strong enough to deal with Shelton down low, and has a 4 inch height advantage. Morrison has done well against smaller defenders this season, scoring in double figures in every mismatch contest except IUPUI. Shelton’s production has dwindled in the last two games, but he should get the nod here with his success last year, and his larger size.
Advantage: Vikings

Power Forward
CP: Matt Hanson PSU: Alex Tiefenthaler/Tyrell Mara
This is an interesting position choice for the coaching staff: Do they go with the bigger guy to save back-court depth against a guard-heavy team, or do they go with the guy who’s been starting all year? I think they go with Mara to start off because Tief didn’t play big minutes against Wazzu. However, if he doesn’t wear down, he may see a majority of the minutes, especially if Hammond is eligible. Hanson has been very inconsistent this year for the Mustangs. He began the season averaging double-figures, but hasn’t done much recently. His production on the boards has also seen a significant decline over the same time period. When he’s on, Hanson can be a difficult match-up because he has a good shooting touch outside, and soft hands inside. He is also a tough defender. I doubt we’ll se much point production from this position on Wednesday because neither team will have much of an advantage.
Advantage: Push

Guard/Forward
CP: Dawin Whiten PSU: Deonte Huff
After a solid beginning to his career at Poly, Whiten’s production is down significantly. Across the board, he’s worse at everything. 3 less points per game, 1 less rebound, and a 3 point percentage that’s gone down from 36 to 27%. He will need to find his touch from the outside, and make better passes if the Mustangs are going to have a chance in this one. What can be said about Deonte Huff? Eventually you knew he’d find his stroke. Unlike Lucas, he is able to get to the rim and free throw line, so he’s been scoring 10+ without jump shots. With the jump shot, he’s a very dangerous player. Look for the Vikings to try to run the high-low with Huff and Morrison and create some fluidity, because they should both have success on Wednesday.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
CP: Chaz Thomas/Lorenzo Keeler PSU: Dupree Lucas
Though he probably won’t start, Keeler’s scoring ability warrants him mention as part of the starting lineup. Like Whiten, Thomas has seen a drop-off in the numbers as the team shooting percentage has gone down. He was a very important part of the offense in the first 5 games, and has been less utilized since. If he is ineffective, the Mustangs will go with Keeler who got stuck with the bagel on Sunday night on 0-6 shooting. The production here can only go up for them, so the Vikings better be prepared. Until Andre Murray’s ankle allows him to play, this is once again Dupree’s position. He was very good in Alaska, but dreadful after that until Sunday. With improved shot selection and patience he can be a very effective player, especially when others are shooting the ball well. I expect Lucas to have a good game after the success Huff and Dominguez enjoyed on Sunday. If eligible, Justynn Hammond will probably see some minutes here. Hopefully he can get a few looks at home.
Advantage: Mustangs

Point
CP: Trae Clark PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Clark is the one guy for Cal Poly who has really stepped up his game this year. He has taken on an increased scoring load while passing and rebounding better too. Like JD, he’s a small guy who likes to shoot the 3. Jeremiah is back after a bad game against Lewis & Clark. He should excel in a game like this because he likes to run and snap off quick passes.
Advantage: Push

Bench
The two guys who see a lot of minutes off the bench for the Mustangs are Keeler and Dreshawn Vance, a 6′7″ forward. In this game, they may also give wide-bodied center Zach Thurow some minutes. He has only seen action in two games, but as the only center on the roster, might warrant some time against the sizable Morrison. At 6′9″, 270 you have to wonder why he chose basketball over football after high school. For the Vikings, Julius Thomas will definitely see considerable minutes, as will Tiefenthaler. Depending on the need for shooting, Kyle Coston may also see extended time. With their newfound depth, the Vikings should have some really serviceable guys available at every position.
Advantage: PSU

The Mustangs are prone to turnovers and bad shooting. On the road, these problems should only be accentuated. Add this to the fact that they’re not a particularly good defensive team, and this should be a contest that favors the Vikings. The outcome will depend on how well the teams shoot, and whether or not Poly can defend Morrison inside. I think that they may do well at the 2 guard, but I don’t think this team is built to win on the road.

Prediction: PSU 78-66

The University of Northern Colorado broke several nasty streaks this week in notching their first ever Big Sky Conference win with a 16-13 victory over #19 Montana State at Nottingham Field in Greeley, CO. The Bears were on a 16 game loosing streak (the longest in school history) and an 8 game home loosing streak (the longest at Nottingham). This is the first home victory for second year head coach Scott Downing. With the win the Bears improve to 10-13-1 all time against MSU and 6-5 in Greeley. The game also marked the first successful field goal attempts of the season, with RS-Freshman kicker Zak Bigelow connecting on all three attempts from 25, 40, and 37 yards. The win did not come easily, as the Bears who lead for most of the second half, gave up a game tying touchdown with only 48 seconds remaining. However a 51 yard kickoff return by Cory Fauver followed by a 26 yard completion from Dominic Breazeale, to Ryan Chesla set up the final field goal with 8 seconds left on the clock.

NAU 44-43 PORTST
NCOL 14-26 IDST
CSUS 7-26 WEBER
EWU 23-24 UMT
SUU 3-7 MTST

Best Performance: (#1) Montana 24, Eastern Washington 23 - Griz eke out a hard-fought victory despite being outgained by 276 yards.

Worst Performance: Northern Colorado 14, Idaho State 26 - The Bears are now 0-4 against the Bengals since moving up in 2003.

Most Surprising Result: Northern Arizona 44, Portland State 43 - The ‘Jacks rebound from a bad loss partially thanks to two botched 2PC attempts by the Vikings in the 4th. quarter.

Posted on ChampionshipSubdivision.com by Mvemjsunpx

Here are my humble predictions for week 6 around the Big Sky:

UNC @ ISU- While I have yet to see the Bears in person, I have seen the Bengals, and they are close to being a good offensive team. Depending on who starts at QB (Butler suffered a concussion @ MSU), UNC may have a hard time stopping the pass. Barnett is proving once again he is on the top 3 backs in the Big Sky. UNC has given up a ton of points, and I would like to say their defense has improved, but the least amount of points they have allowed is 31, and that was their 31-0 loss at home to DII Chadron State. If Russell Hill starts, it won’t be as bad for the Bears, but if Butler is healthy, he is a young talented QB with his best days ahead of him.
UNC 17 ISU 35

NAU @ PSU - Lumberjacks, what happened? From what I understand, Kreissen was playing hurt and went out at halftime? What is his status? For this prediction, I will assume he will be a go at gametime. If he does start, this could be the highest scoring game of the year so far in the Big Sky. A classic Big Sky game, where defense is optional. PSU’s Brian White has been on fire lately, throwing for 1,529 yards and 6 TDs in just 5 games, although he does have 5 INTs in that span as well. They beat a very good EWU team last week, and White did it without star receiver Tremayne Kirkland. NAU on the other hand got smoked by an up and coming (maybe) Sac State squad. Did I hear that Skyler Moore was injured? Both teams have the offense, but who will step up on defense? I think NAU is a little banged up, and this game is in Portland where Glanville has drummed up decent support so far.
NAU 24 PSU 35

Sac @ Weber - Weber had a horrible OOC start to the year, but have played well, at least defensively, in conference so far. They did lose their best DLmen last week on a questionable block by UM’s Cody Balough, but they still have plenty of talent on that side of the ball. Teams often struggle with their man-to-man coverage, and will be a good test to see how good freshman QB Jason Smith really is. Whatever happened to Ryan Mole, or the JC transfer that went to the same JC as MSU’s Demetrius Crawford? On the other end, Weber’s offense has struggled mightily, despite having one of the best RB’s in the Big Sky in sophomore Trevyn Smith. Getting his second start at QB should be Cameron Higgins, a dual-threat freshman who may have emerged to the top of the muck that is the Weber QB situation. I’m still not a believer of the Hornets, and I think Weber wins in a low-scoring affair in Ogden, thanks to the play of their defense.
Sac 10 Weber 14

Southern Utah @ #13 Montana State - The T-Birds of Southern Utah have played the most brutal schedule in FCS football so far, and it doesn’t get any better this week as they head to Bozeman to play the 13th ranked Bobcats. SUU’s QB, Wes Marshall, is a good dual-threat QB in a pretty decent option offense, but rumor is he is a game time decision for Saturday. It would be a big blow to the T-Birds hopes of winning, who despite their 0-4 record are not a horrible team. But they are going to have to be above average Saturday against a Bobcat team playing with confidence and swagger. Demetrius Crawford has emerged as the league’s leading rusher, though he has yet to actually start a game (though he does get most of the carries), and is averaging an amazing 7.8 yards per carry. Jack Rolovich has made a few mistakes, but is always going to bounce back and make the big play. The Cats struggled early against a well-prepared ISU squad, but eventually found their rhythm, and settled down defensively, and soundly beat the Bengals 40-20 in Bozeman. The T-Birds were in the middle of their brutal schedule last week at #6 McNeese State, losing 41-20. The T-Birds may put up more points than Bobcat fans will like, and it may take some second half adjustments, but the Cats should beat the T-Birds by at least 2 TDs.
SUU 20 MSU 38

Game of the Week:

EWU @ #1 UM - Eastern was upset last week in Cheney to a PSU squad that is finally beginning to click in that spread offense. The Eagles have thrived on turnovers this year, but lost the turnover battle for the first time last week, and the score reflected that, but still retain the best turnover margin in the nation. The Griz actually have a negative turnover ratio for the first time in recent memory, but are playing very solid on both sides of the ball, despite their lackluster performance offensively against an underrated Weber defense. EWU sophomore QB Matt Nichols is having a stellar season, throwing for 1,129 yards, 11 TDs and just 2 INTs, good for a rating 162.6, good for 9th nationally. The ground game has also produced 8 TDs and over 700 yards of rushing offense through four games. In fact, the Eagles have the 5th ranked offense in the country. They will bring that potent offense into Washington-Grizzly stadium to face the 6th ranked defense in the country, and the #1 scoring defense nationally as well, only allowing 10.3 points per game. UM struggled with what many call their first “real” opponent of 2007, Weber, and look to improve offensively against a EWU defense ranked 97th in the country. Cole Berquist isn’t exactly lighting teams up, but he is playing mistake-free ball and scoring points, and he can do it on the ground as well. EWU always plays the Griz tough in Missoula, but I just can’t quite smell upset here. If EWU can get up early, it will force the Griz to play catch-up, something I don’t think they will be able to do. Whereas if UM gets up early, EWU has the passing offense to get back into it. But I’ll go with the Griz at home.
EWU 24 UM 30

Week 5 Scores
PORTST 28-21 EWU
NAU 9-38 CSUS
WEBER 10-18 UMT
IDST 20-40 MTST
NCOL 21-56 CPOLY

Best Performance: Sacramento St. 38, Northern Arizona 9 - The Hornets inexplicably dominate NAU.

Worst Performance: Northern Arizona 9, Sacramento St. 38 - Neither the Lumberjacks’ vaunted offense, nor their “vaunted” defense show up in Sacramento.

Most Surprising Result: Sacramento St. 38, Northern Arizona 9 - When was the last time the Hornets blew out any BSC team?

Posted on ChampionshipSubdivision.com by Mvemjsunpx