Happy to be blogging here, many of you probably know me as RE/MAXGriz over on egriz, I was asked to add some of my long winded insight into the blog features here.  Earlier this week in a discussion about the next season I thought I’d take a look at how the conference has booked their out of conference schedule (OOC).  It’s interesting what’s been set up, and for the amount of teams that are really striving to reach the playoffs, I was pretty surprised at how difficult they set up their schedules.  So lets take a look at what each team has set up before conference play starts:

Eastern Washington - Two FBS schools in Texas Tech and Colorado, in back-to-back games, ouch.  I know that the gap between top FCS teams and many FBS teams has closed, I see both of these games as very tough ones to win for EWU.  They’ve also got a home against Western Washington and two open dates (which I’ll bet one gets filled).  I’d expect possibly a Great West team or maybe another D2 school if they don’t want to travel.  If they look to a mid-west or east coast FCS team I’d expect they’d have to travel out there.  3 road games and 1 home game OOC could be rough, however it could also really toughen them up for the conference.

Weber State - They’ve also got 2 FBS teams, Hawai’i and Utah, probably both losses, those are both very good football teams.  The two home games they have booked are lower division schools, Dixie St and Montana-Western.  So chances are they’ll be 2-2 when done with the OOC, however they’ll not have a single win to help their status with the playoff committee, they’ll have to win at least 7 conference games to be even considered, if they even go 6-2 in conference play they’ll just have 6 Division 1 wins.  So Weber must be banking on winning the conference auto-bid this year.

Idaho State - ISU has Boise and Idaho booked in their OOC, as well as North Dakota.  Boise will most likely win, Idaho… who knows, I’d think the Vandals would have the edge there.  North Dakota went 10-2 last year and beat Southern Utah (although SUU didn’t win a game).  I think this game will be tough for ISU, they’re rebuilding and they’re having budget issues, so they probably won’t book an FCS road game as well.  They could limp out of the OOC with either a 1-2 or 0-3 record.

Portland State - They’ve got an OOC that tilts to their favor, games against Cal Davis and W. Oregon.  I don’t know much about Davis, so I can’t say how competitive they’ll be.  PSU should have their system in place and I think they’ll win both of those games.  Also they travel to Washington State, Wulff, WSU’s coach will be familiar with them, but he’s rebuilding a Cougar team that could have trouble stopping the spread offense.  Could be interesting to see what happens.

Montana - The Grizzlies have a bear of an opening game, testing a defense with 8 new starters against Cal Poly’s amazing and experienced offense.  The Wofford game stung Montana, and Cal Poly could do the same.  After that Montana returns to home to host Southern Utah, Central Washington and Cal Davis.  Most likely they’ll finish the OOC 3-1.

Montana State - Another team with 2 FBS and 2 lower division schools.  The Cats play Minnesota and Kansas State back-to-back, they also host Adams State and South Dakota.  MSU could be in a similar bind as Weber State, coming out of their OOC 2-2 and relying on winning the conference to make the playoffs.  I think they might have a chance to knock off Minnesota, they beat Colorado a few years back, so who knows!

Sacramento State - CSUS has an interesting OOC, they host two lower-division schools, Humbolt State and Southern Oregon.  They also travel to Davis and to Colorado State.  Since half of the conference is playing Davis, maybe I should check up on these guys!  Sac could be 3-1 OOC when it’s all said and done, they don’t play Davis until late, as they usually do. 

Northern Colorado - They’ve got 3 games booked so far, they travel to Purdue and travel to (guess who?) UC Davis.  They also host Texas State.  Didn’t they beat Texas State last year, or the year before that?  UNC is still building, and they’re on the rise, they could come out of this 1-2 but most likely I’ll say 0-3. 

Northern Arizona - NAU plays Arizona State, New Mexico Highlands (who?), and Southern Utah.  Pretty straight forwards, ASU will most likely beat NAU, but the other two games should be wins for the Lumberjacks.  2-1 OOC is decent. 

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Quick, “Who is UC Davis?” note - Just looked it up, Davis went 5-6 last year, their most notable wins were against Portland State and beating San Diego late in the season.  They didn’t do much else.  A quick manual count has them losing 12 seniors to graduation from the 2007 season, which included some skill players.  They’re a younger team, probably still finding their way.

—

It amazes me how some teams almost schedule themselves right out of the playoffs, I know it’s usually because of money issues, but there’s a lot of cases where teams would have made the playoffs if they wouldn’t have booked 2 or 3 FBS teams, or didn’t book 2 or 3 Division 2 (or lower) schools.  It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out, it’s just a bummer we’ve got to wait so long until football season actually starts.

Idaho State comes into the Big Sky semi-finals on the heels of a two point victory over Montana. They are the real unknown of the four remaining teams. They are young, and should be in the upper-echelon of the Big Sky for the next few years.

For the Vikings, there is a different story. After a 23 point win at home against the Bengals, and a 10 point win on the road, there is little reason to doubt Portland State’s chances to advance to advance to the Big Sky Championship game. If there is one unknown, it is how the Viking players will react to the Rose Garden. The only other game there this year, the Vikings only beat Division III Lewis & Clark by 1 point. Needless to say the current Viking team has come a long way. They give up the friendly confines of the Stott Center for the added seating capacity and big game atmosphere of the Rose Garden. One would hope the great season Ken Bone’s squad has had would bring more than a thousand fans to championship games.

Match-Ups
Center
ISU: Lucas Steijn PSU: Scott Morrison
This match-up is not fair. Out of the 3 options the Bengals have here, none can guard Scott Morrison, none can rebound with Morrison and none can score against Morrison. In the first game, Morrison had a very solid all-around game while holding Steijn to just 3 points and 3 rebounds. The second match-up saw Morrison have a little less success offensively, while giving the Bengal centers 2 points and 4 rebounds. Even JR Moore had success. I don’t see much changing. As I said before their last game, ISU doesn’t really have any post presence, so PSU may be able to put a little more pressure on the wing players.
Advantage: Vikings

Forward
ISU: Logan Kinghorn PSU: Kyle Coston
Kinghorn was outplayed by his backup, Chron Tatum in the second game against the Vikings. If Kinghorn starts slowly this time, look for the Bengals to go to Tatum early. They can’t hold anything back, as this is likely the last game of their season. Kyle Coston had a so-so game the last time he played against the Bengals, with 8 points and 2 rebounds. Considering how ineffective the other options for the Vikings were at the 4, he had a solid game. PSU doesn’t necessarily need a great effort from this position to win the game, but a little extra cushion couldn’t hurt.
Advantage: Push

Guard/Forward
ISU: Amorrow Morgan PSU: Deonte Huff
Morgan has had decent success against Huff, going for 11 points in both contests. However, he hasn’t been able to equal Huff’s success (20 points and 6 rebounds the last game between the two.) As I pointed out the last game between the two, Morgan is only a sophomore, so he could one day become the player Huff is. However, he is not ready to beat out the Big Sky first-teamer at this point in his career.
Advantage: Vikings

Off Guard
ISU: Donnie Carson/Austin Kilpatrick PSU: Andre Murray
Kilpatrick won the last battle between the two with 14 points to Murray’s 6. However, Murray went only 2-10 from the field. Assuming he can hit an average percentage of his shots, Andre should be able to keep pace. He outrebounded Kilpatrick 5-1 in the first match-up, something he probably won’t have to do in this match-up for the Vikings to have success. Can Kilpatrick seize the initiative and provide the much-needeed scoring punch aside Stucki and Morgan? If not, this game won’t be close. Recently, Carson has been receiving a lot of playing time. Against Montana he turned that into 10 points and 5 rebounds. If he can pitch in and contribute the same amount tonight, that will help keep the game close, and perhaps Stucki can pull something out of the bag late, who knows?
Advantage: Push

Point
ISU: Matt Stucki PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Stucki may be the one player who gives Dominguez serious problems defensively. Dominguez has been great all year, but the 6’6” Stucki is a full foot taller than Dominguez. Here, I gave the advantage to Stucki in the Stott Center game based on their outputs in the first game. Dominguez was able to hit right on his averages, but Stucki was great, going for 26 points. However, Dominguez had a very solid all-around game in the second match-up that superceded Stucki. As this season progressed, one could tell Jeremiah went out every night to send a message. He was rewarded for his outstanding play with the Big Sky Player of the Year award. He is clearly the factor that made last year’s mediocre squad into this year’s Big Sky champions.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Vikings have the advantage here. The Bengals have three bench players who average 5 or more points per game, but none who is a real threat to go for a bunch of points. At home, the Viking bench players just tend to do better. Alex Tiefenthaler had 16 points the first time around against ISU, but failed to score a single point in the second contest. JR Moore stepped up with 6 points and 9 big rebounds in the second contest. With Julius Thomas healthy, Moore may not even see time. Hard to believe that even JR was dominant in the post against the Bengals.
Advantage: Vikings

Well… now comes the time for a prediction. The Bengals won only two conference games away from home: Northern Colorado and Montana. I predicted 76-60 at the Stott Center, and the game came out 81-58. This time, I’m expecting the Vikings to score a few less points in the unfamiliar atmosphere at the Rose Garden. However, I think they should still have plenty to get by the Bengals for a championship match-up with Northern Arizona or Weber State.
Prediction: PSU 73-60

2008 SIGNEES ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
FLAYER pOS HT WI. YR EXP HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)
Thomas Bauer LB 6-2 237 Jr. JC Niwot, Co (Saddleback CC)
Brandon Beecher DB 5-10 175 Fr. HS Aurora, CO (Overland HS)
Levi Buckles WR 6-3 % 195 Fr. HS Post Falls, ID (Post Falls HS)
Charles Burton OL 6-5 2315 Fr. HS Long Beach, CA (Milikan HS)
Tyzer Cady WR 6-0 180 Fr. HS Colstrip, MT (Coistrip HS)
Mike Cummings DB 6-1 192 Fr. HS Scottsdale, AZ (Chaparral HS)
Ray DeBruycker DE 6-3 205 Fr. HS Choteau, MT (Choteau HS)
Beau Donaldson RB 6-1 223 Fr. HS Missoula, MT (Big Sky HS)
Andrew Douglass LB 6-2 225 Fr. HS San Clemente, CA (San Clemente HS)
Kyle Finneman P 6-2 205 Fr. HS Havre, MT (Havre HS)
Sam Gratton WR 6-0 190 Fr. HS Billings, MT (Senior HS)
Greg Hardy TE 6-5 245 Fr. HS Fairview, MT (Fairview HS)
Josh Harris DR 6-5 210 Fr. HS Kalispell, MT (Flathead HS)
Eric Homec DR 6-5 215 Fr. HS Bozeman, MT (Bozeman HS)
Matt Hulse DL 6-3 260 Fr. HS Chandler, AZ (Hamilton US)
Jared Hunt DB 6-3 175 Fr. US Helena, MT (Helena Capital HS)
Trumaine Johnson — WR 6-3 180 Fr. HS Stockton, CA (Edison HS)
Gerald Kemp — QB 6-2 185 Fr. HS San Diego, CA (Rancho Bernardo HS)
Ryan Kessman WR 6-0 195 Fr. TR San Jacinto, CA (BYU)
Kyle Kmet OL 6-5 300 Fr. US Bonita, CA (Bonita Vista HS)
Blake Lebeau OL 6-5 275 Fr. US Union City, CA (James Logan US)
Matt Lipski OL 6-9 320 Fr. HS Ashland, OR (Ashland I-IS)
Donny Lisowski DB 5-11 190 Fr. HS Seattle, WA (O’Dea HS)
Mike McCord DB 6-0 185 Fr. HS Phoenix, AZ (Maryvale HS)
Caleb McSurdy LB 6-2 240 Fr. HS Boise, ID (Borah HS)
Dan Moore RB 5-11 215 Fr. HS Tucson, AZ (Mountain View US)
Jon Opperud OL 6-7 280 Fr. HS Milwaukie, OR (Milwaukie HS)
Brooks Rabold LB 6-2 205 Fr. HS Billings, MT (Central Catholic US)
Jabin Sainbrano WR 5-1 1 165 Fr, HS Temecula, CA (Great Oaks HS)
Russell Schey - K 6-2 180 Fr. HS Billings, MT (West HS)
Alex Shaw LB 6-2 220 Fr. I-IS Spokane, WA (Lewis & Clark HS)
Josh Stuberg LB 6-2 190 Fr. US Helena, MT (Helena HS)
Cody Von Appen DB 5-10 180 Fr. HS Kailua, HI (Kalaheo US)

TOTAL SIGNERS: 33.

GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN: Montana-12; California-8; Arizona-4; Colorado-2; Idaho-2; Oregon-2 Wash ington-2;Hawaii- 1.

BY POSITION: Wide Receiver-7; Linebacker-6 Offensive Line-5; Defensive Back-5; Defensive Line: 4; Running back-2; Tight End-I; Kicker-I; Punter-I; Quarterback- 1.
Griz 2008 FB Signees Add 4-4-4

Jabin Sainbrano (Pronounced: san-braw-no), WR, 5-11, 165, Fr., HS, lemecula, CA (Great Oaks HS): Jabin was a first team all-conference player at wide receiver and defensive back…chosen football MVP as a senior…lettered in football, track, and wrestling…served as team captain in track…voted recipient of Community Service Award. ..his high school football coach was Scott Strohsnider. Personal: Parents: Rick and Julia Sainbrano of Temecula. Major: Undecided. Birth date: March 13, 1990.

Russell Schey (Pronounced: Shy), K, 6-2, 180, Fr., HS, Billings, MT (West HS): Russell was named the “AA” first team at kicker twice. ..he was a first team all-state pick at safety as a senior…he is a two-time all-league selection at kicker and at defensive back…he earned letters in soccer (I), basketball (1), football (3), and track (2)…was team captain in football…his 2006 football team was the state champions with a 13-0 record…he made 150 PATs and converted 97.9% of his PAT attempts…kicked 10 career field goals with a long of 43 yards…he scored 211 career points in football, the third most in school history.. .his track team won the state title last year.. .his prep football coach was Paul Klaboe. Personal: Joan and Steve Schey of Billings. Major: Business. Birth date: March 3, 1990.

Alex Shaw, LB, 6-2, 220, Fr., HS, Spokane, WA (Lewis & Clark HS): Alex was the Washington 4A co-Player of the Year as a senior for the state champions who had a record of 11 -2…he was first team all-state and all-conference at running back and at linebacker in 2007…his senior season he rushed for 1,655 yards, and he gained 793 yards on 151 carries in the state playoffs..he rushed for 176 yards and was voted the “Player of the Game” in the state championship against Bothell High School game. ..nominated for the Eastern Washington “Student-Athlete of the Year Award”.. first team all-league, team MVP, and honorable mention all-state at defensive end as a junior…Greater Spokane League shot put (55-0) champion as a junior and member of winning 4×100 relay team…team captain in football as a junior and senior…earned three letters in football, basketball, and track. ..his prep football coach was Tom Yearout.. .Personal: Parents: Carl and Diane Shaw of Spokane. Major: Undecided. Birth date: June 28, 1990. Misc. Info.: He has a 3.6 GPA.

Josh Stuberg (Pronounced: stew-burg), LB, 6-2, 190, Fr., HS, Helena, MT (Helena HS): Josh was a first team all-state pick at cornerback as a junior, and a second team pick at wide receiver and kick returner.. .he led the state in touchdowns (15) and scoring (9.0 points a game) in 2006, and was third in all-purpose yards (1 ,324)…an all- conference player at cornerback and receiver as a sophomore and junior…second team all-state choice at wide receiver as a sophomore when he was second in the state in receptions. ..he started both ways as a senior, but was injured most of the season…placed in three events in the state track meet as a sophomore and injured for most of his junior year.. .high school football coach was former (1985-88) Griz quarterback Tony Arntson. Personal: Parents:
Rob and Carolee Stuberg of Helena. Major: Business. Birth date: August 18, 1989.

Cody Von Appen (Pronounced: vawn-ah-pln), DB, 5-10, 180, Fr., HS, Kailua, HI (Kalaheo HS): Cody was a first team all-conference selection following his junior and senior seasons in high school.. .as a senior he passed for 975 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 537 yards and nine scores…his junior year he passed for 11 TDs and rushed for 4 touchdowns.. .he was named his gird teams MVP on offense as a senior…chosen his high school’s “Athlete of the Year” as a freshman, sophomore, and junior…he has lettered four times in football and basketball, and three times in baseball…Persoflal: Thea Wheeler of Kailua and Fred Von Appen of Missoula. Major:
Undecided. Birth date: August 12, 1990. Misc. Info.: Cody’s dad, Fred, was an assistant head coach at Montana in 2003 and 2004. Fred coached in the professional and college ranks for 35 years.
Griz 2008 FB Signees Add 3-3-3
Donny Lisowski, DB, 5-11, 190, Fr., HS, Seattle, WA (O’Dea HS): Donny was a first team all-league selection at quarterback and defensive back as a senior…he was chosen the game MVP of the state-semi-final football game in 2007…nominated to East-West All-Star Game…named among the top 20 defensive backs in the state of Washington by Rivals.com and tabbed one of the top 100 recruits in the state by the Seattle Times…lettered in football (3), wrestling (1), and track (4).. ,track team MVP as a junior…state finalist in the 200 and 400 in 2007.. .league champion in wrestling as a freshman.. .prep football coach was Monty Kohler. Personal: Parents: Bob and Mary Lisowski of Seattle. Major: Journalism. Birth date: Jan. 20, 1989.

Mike McCord II, DB, 6-0, 185, Fr., HS, Phoenix, AZ (Maryvale HS): Mike was named All-Region Two-way
Player of the Year as a senior…selected first team All-Region at quarterback and defensive back in 2007…named Region Offensive Player of the Year.. .all-state honorable mention both ways following his senior campaign. ..in 2007 he rushed for 1,070 yards and passed for 490, and had 82 tackles and two interceptions. ..team captain as a junior and senior and offensive player of the year as a senior…earned three letters in football and two in track…his high school football coach was Pat Rowe. Personal: Parents: Michael and Anna McCord ofPhoenix. Major: Undecided. Birth date: May 9, 1990.

Caleb McSurdy, LB, 6-2, 240, Fr., HS, Boise, ID (Borah HS): Caleb was a first team all-state pick at linebacker and second team at tight end following his senior season when he had 65 tackles (52 solos), 8 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks, along with 22 catches for 232 yards and 4 touchdowns…a three-time all-conference selection at linebacker… voted his team’s “Defensive Player of the Year” as a junior and senior, and received “Commitment Award” those seasons as well…won the state championship in the shot put (56-6) and discus (166-0) as a junior and was tabbed “Thrower of the Year”.. .placed in the state shot put three times.. .team captain in football and track junior and senior years…his prep teams won state track titles in 2006 and 2007…his high school football coach was Vince Mann. Personal: Patrick and Nancy McSurdy of Boise. Major: Business. He carries a 3.7 GPA. Birth date: Feb. 24, 1990. Misc. Info.: He is Borah’s record-holder in the bench press (390) and squat (515). He plays the drums in a jazz band.

Dan Moore, RB, 5-11, 215, Fr., HS, Tucson, AZ (Mountain View HS): Dan was an all-state choice in 2007, and named All-Region and all-conference three times…the l4th~ranked poop in the nation by Scout.com. . .as a senior he rushed for 1,941 yards for 21 touchdowns and averaged 9.5 yards a carry, and had 2,525 all-purpose yards (he averaged 229.0 a game).. .voted his team MVP on offense after his senior year. ..team captain his junior and senior seasons.. set freshman rushing record and was a U.S.A Power-lifting champion as a freshman… .his high school football coach was Paul Schmidt. Personal: Parents: David and Amanda Moore of Tucson. Major: Forestry. Birth date: February 1, 1990. Misc. Info.: Has been chosen the MVP of every sports team he has been on since Elementary School (soccer, baseball, basketball, wrestling, and football).

Jon Opperud II (Pronounced.’ Ah-per-ood), OL, 6-7, 280, Fr., HS, Milwaukie, OR (MilwaUkie HS): Jon earned three letters in football, three in basketball, and two in track…team captain and Outstanding Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior.. .started both ways as a senior. ..high school football coach was Roland Aumueller. ..team captain in hoops as a senior and averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds a game…placed fourth in the state in the discus last season.. ,second team all-state in track as a junior and was all-league in track. Personal: Parent: Gail Opperud of Portland. Major: Undecided. Birth date: Feb. 13, 1990.

Brooks Rabold (Pronounced.’ ray-bold), LB, 6-2, 205, Fr., HS, Billings, MT (Central Catholic HS): Brooks was a two-time all-state and aII~confereflce pick in football.. .selected to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Mon-Dak All-Star Game.. .named to Great Falls Tribune’s “Super State Team”…hiS prep football teams won two league titles and one state championshiP.. .team captain as a senior. ..twice voted team MVP on defense. ..earned two letters in basketball and track, and three in football…PreP football coach was Jim Stanton…hiS senior year he had 99 tackles, 17 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 19 QB hurries, 4 fumble recoveries, and 3 forced fumbles. PersonaI.~ Parents:
Pat and Tessie Rabold of Billings. Major: Criminology. Birth date: May 16, 1990. Misc. Info.: His dad, Pat, is a member of the Football Flail of Fame at the University of Wyoming.
Griz 2008 FB Signees Add 2-2-2

Matt Hulse (Pronounced hull-see), DL, 6-3, 260, Fr., HS, Chandler, AZ (Hamilton HS): Matt earned letters in football and track.. .his football team was conference champion his senior year and an Arizona State semi-finalist in 2007 as well…his senior year he had 11 tackles for loss and two sacks…his high school football coach was Steve Belles. Personal: Parents: Sam Hulse Jr. And Alma Jo Cobb Hulse of Chandler. Major: Exercise science. Birth date: Sept. 26, 1989.

Jared Hunt, DB, 6-3, 175, Fr,, HS, Helena, MT (Helena Capital HS): Jared was a key players for his high school squads that won “AA” championships in 2006 (11-2) and 2007 (12-1)…all-state and all-conference as ajunior and senior at quarterback and punter.. track MVP in 2006 and 2007, and football MVP his junior year. ..passed for 1,857 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, rushed for 366 yards and six scores., and averaged 40.8 yards per punt….voted conference player of the year as a senior…grid coach was Pat Murphy. Personal: Parents: William and Mary Hunt of Helena. Major: Wildlife biology. Birth date: May 23, 1989. He’s played hockey for the past 13 years.

Trumaine Johnson, WR, 6-3, 180, Fr., HS, Stockton, CA (Edison HS): Trumaine was an outstanding quarterback last season, passing for 1,800 yards (with just 5 interceptions), rushing for 500 yards, and he had 22 total touchdowns.. .he was named first team all-league at quarterback and defensive back last season, and voted to his high school’s football “Hall of Fame” at defensive back…his junior year he was first team All-Area and all-league at wide receiver when he had 750 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns…he was tabbed his team’s “Junior of the Year” in football.. .he is also an all-state basketball player…his high school football coach was Elliot Burke. ..Personal:
Parents: Lynn Stallworth and Curtis Johnson of Stockton. Major: Business. Birth date: Jan. 1, 1990.

Gerald Kemp, QB, 6-2, 185, Fr., HS, San Diego, CA (Rancho Bernardo HS): Gerald was named team MVP in football as a senior. ..he was a second team All-North County pick in 2007, as well a first team all-league choice. ..he was also an all-league player in basketball last season..,voted team captain in football and basketball. ..he also competes in track, and last year his track team was league champion…his high school football coach was Brad Elrod…PersOflal.~ Parent: Geradine Kemp of San Diego. Major: Undecided. Birth date: May 23, 1990.

Ryan Kessman, WR, 5-10, 210, Fr., TR, San Jacinto, CA (BYU): Ryan spend one year at BYU last season and was a redshirt. . he was a standout at San Jacinto High School where at wide receiver he was chosen All-C.1.F., allstate, all-league, and his league’s “Player of the Year” as a senior…he had 43 catches for 848 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he had 1,493 total yards at receivers and as,a returner his senior year…his high school football coach was Bill Powell…Personal.~ Parents: Steven and Paulynn Kessman of San Jacinto. Major: Undergraduate studies. Birth date: TBA.

Kyle Kmet (Pronounced: keh-met), OL, 6-5, 300, Fr., HS, Bonita, CA (Bonita Vista HS): Kyle was a an Diego All-Country selection and first team all-conference choice as a senior…he earned three letters in both football and track (shot/discus) and one in lacrosse.. he was also a three-time All-Academic Mesa League pick. ..team captain in football…hiS 2005 football team was the conference champion…hiS high school football coach was Carl Parrick. Personal: Parent: John Kmet of Bonita. Major: Undecided. Birth date: Oct. 16, 1990.

Blake Lebeau, OL, 6-5, 275, Fr., uS, Union City, CA (James Logan HS): Blake was named first team All-East
Bay and all-league.. .his senior football team rushed for 3,542 yards…his football teams won league championships in
2006 (8-3) and 2007 (1 1-1)…served as team captain in football…earned two letters in football…hiS high school
football coach was George Zuber. Personal.’ Parents: Thierry and Luana Lebeau of Union City. Major: Business.
Birth date: April 29, 1990.

Matt Lipski, OL, 6-9, 320, Fr., HS, Ashland, OR (Ashland US): Matt was a first team All-Southern Conference team pick his junior and senior seasons.. his third-ranked 2007 Grizzlies football team went 11-i and advanced to the state semi-finals.. .a three-year letterman in football…an all-conference player in basketball as a junior when his team went to the state 5A play-offs for the first time since l986…currently averaging 14 points, S rebounds, and 3 blocks a game…also lettered in water polo.. .grid coach was Charlie Hall. Personal: Parents: Tom and Sheryl Lipski of Ashland. Major: History or business. Birth date: Nov. 30, 1989.
Griz 2008 FB Signees Add 1-I-I
Beau Donaldson, RB, 6-1, 223, Fr., ~S, Missoula, MT (Big Sky US): Beau was named all-state three times in football.. .earned three letters in football, two in basketball, and four in track…his senior season he set school record and led the state with 1,682 yards rushing for 23 touchdownS…had 13 sacks in 2007…career-Wise he set school standards with 3,749 yards rushing for 44 touchdowns, scoring 278 points…set 10 school records in football…head coach was Gary Ekegren, a former Griz player (1959-6 1) and UM defensive line coach (1977-79)…flrst team allstate both ways as a senior.. .his prep football teams made the state playoffs twice in his career…offenSiVe team MV? as a junior and senior in football, and team MVP his senior year. PersOnal.~ Parents: Larry and Catherine Donaldson of Missoula. Major: Physical therapy. Birth date: July 21, 1989.

Andrew Douglass, LB, 6-2, 225, Fr., US, San Clemente, CA (San Clemente US): Andrew was an All-C.I.F. first team pick at linebacker as a senior. ..first team All-South Coast League as a junior and senior…tabbed South Coast League’s MV? on defense following his senior season…lettered three times in football.. .team captain his senior year…high school football coach was Eric Patton…aS a senior he had Ill tackles (61 solos), 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions. Personal.~ Parents: Richard and Jane Douglass of San Clemente. Major: Business. Birth date: Nov. 16, 1989.

Kyle Finneflian, P, 6-2, 205, Fr., US, Havre, MT (Havre US): Kyle was tabbed all-state at running back and punter…all-cOflfere1~ pick at halfback and linebacker…a three-sport letterman in football (3), track (4), and basketball…ClasS “A” champion in the 100 and 200.. .football team was Central A” champions in 2006~07…foOtba11 team captain and MVP as a senior.. .voted team captain in hoops as well…high school football coach was Kevin Sukut. Persoflal.~ Parents: Bruce and Pam Finnemafl of Havre. Major: Undecided. Birth date: June 14, 1989.

Sam Gratton, WR, 6-0, 190, Fr., HS, Billings, MT (Senior US): Sam was a three-time all-state choice at wide receiver.., selected to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Mon-Dak All-Star Game. ..named to the Great Falls Tribune’s “Super State Team”…flamed an All-American and Montana’s Player of’ the Year by PrepNation.COm…PruP football team was the “AA” runners-up in 2007, going 10-3…his senior year he had 43 catches for 723 yards and 7 touchdownS.. .team captain in 2007…co-Special Teams MVP as a senior at kicker…his high school football coach was former (l987-88)Griz wide receiver Mark Sulser… also lettered in track…in his career he had 149 receptionS for 2,155 yards and 13 TD5…Academic All-State with a 3.6 GPA. Personal: Parents:
Scott Gratton and Shelley Haughton, both of Billings. Personal: Major: Undecided. Birth date: Oct. 10, 1989. Sam’s dad Scott played linebacker for the Griz from 1979-82 and was Golden Helmet Award (hardest hitter) recipient in 1981 and 1982.

Greg Hardy, TE, 6-5, 245, Fr., US, FairvieW, MT (Fairview US): Greg was an all-state pick in football, basketball, and track.. .earned 12 letters: four each in football, basketball, and track. ..a three-time all~confereflCe selection in football, hoops, and track.. football and basketball team captain. ..givefl “Warrior Award” and chosen MV? in football.. .hoop team won the district title, going 20-6…high school football coa~h was Kevin Clausen. Personal: Parents: Jim and Mary Hardy of FairvieW. Major: Business. Birth date: Jan. 2, 1990. Greg’s dad, Jim, played football and basketball at Western Montana College (UM-Western).

Josh Harris, DE, 6-5, 210, Fr., HS, Kalispell, MT (Flatllead US); Josh was named all-state his senior year when he had 47 tackles, 7 sacks, and 14 quarterback hurries…team defensive MVP his senior season two-time all-league pick in football. ..honOrable mention all-state as a junior…selected to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Mon-Dak All-Star Game.. ,.lettered in football (3), basketball (I), and track (2). Named Academic All-State twice. His high school football coach was Russell McCarVel. Personal.’ Parents: Greg and Jeanie Harris of Kalispell. Major: Undecided. Birth date: Sept. 15, 1989. Josh’s dad, Greg, lettered in football at Montana from 1972-74.

Eric HomeC (Pronounced home-eck), DE, 6-5, 215, Fr., HS, Bozeman, MT (Bozeman US): Eric was an all-state pick at defensive end as a senior when he had 14 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and 6 pass break-UPS, two of which led to interceptions…named to Great Falls Tribune’s “Super State Team”…chosen to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Mon-Dak All-Star Game.. .lettered in football and track.. .high school football coach was Troy Purcell. Personal Parents: Steve and Susan Flomec of Bozeman. Major: Business. Birth date: Sept. 15, 1989.
MONTANA GRIZZLIES “CLASS OF 2008” FOOTBALL SIGNEES

Thomas Bauer, LB, 6-2, 237, Jr., JC, Niwot, CO (Saddleback CC): Thomas comes to UM from Saddleback City College in Mission Viejo, Calif., where he was a first team All-Mission Conference pick at middle linebacker.., he was one of the leading tacklers on his 7-3 team a year ago and had 17 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles…he attended Northern Colorado as a freshman and was ranked 10th in the Big Sky Conference in total tackles and had the second most on the team…nominated for Big Sky “Player of the Week” twice as a freshman….he prepped at Niwot High School and was a first team all-state pick as a senior for his 12-I team, and was also named the All-Area Defensive Player of the Year that season…he was first team all-conference as a junior and senior and a three-year starter. Personal: Parents: Ron and Deb Bauer of Niwot. Major: Business. Birth date: October 21, 1986. He has been an honor roll student in high school, at UNC, and at Saddleback.

Brandon Beecher, DB, 5-10, 175, Fr., HS, Aurora, CO (Overland HS): Brandon was a first team all-conference as a junior and all-league as a sophomore. ..prep coach was Tony Manfredi who coached former Griz standout linebacker Tyler Joyce. ..lettered three times in football and basketball. ..plans to compete in track this spring in the 100 and 200…has been timed in the 40 in 4.38. Personal: Parents: Brian Beecher and Dana Moore of Aurora. Major: sociology/criminology. Birth date: Aug. 29, 1990.

Levi Buckles, WR, 6-3 ‘/2, 195, Fr., HS, Post Falls, ID (Post Falls HS): Levi was a second team all-state pick at wide receiver, and first team all-league as a junior and senior…tabbed the Inland Empire League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior when he had 51 receptions for 1,018 yards and 14 touchdowns…prep football coach was Jeff Heinz…first team All-North Idaho and offensive team MV? as a junior and senior…three-year letterman in basketball and team MV? in hoops his junior year. Personal: Parents: Carolyn and Dave Sims of Post Falls and Doug Buckles of Plumnier, Idaho. Major: Undecided. Birth date: Dec. 18, 1989.

Charles Burton, OL, 6-5, 315, Fr., HS, Long Beach, Ci~ (Milikan HS): Charles was an AlI-C.I.F. pick…voted
Moore League co-Offensive Linemen of the Year…on Milikan High’s Weight Lifting Hall of Fame (benches 305 and
squats 325).. .his school football coach was Kirk Diego.. .a four-year letterman in football and twice in track.
Personal: Parent: Felicia Burton of Long Beach. Major: Education. Birth date: Oct. 15, 1990.

Tyzer Cady (Pronounced Cay-dee), WR, 6-0, 180, Fr., US, Colstrip, MT (Colstrip HS): A 12-time letterman in football, basketball, and track and team captain in all three sports…all-state in football as a senior and all-league twice…all-state performer in track as a sophomore and juni~r…all-conference in basketball his junior year.. .prep grid coach was Mark Ator… member of Colstrip’s 2005 state cl.ampionship track team..retumed three kickoffs for touchdowns…the Clas’s B 100-meter champ as a junior. Personal: Parents: Rick and Tresa Cady of Colstrip. Major:
Undecided. Birth date: Nov. 28, 1989.

Mike Cummings, DB, 6-1, 192, Fr., HS, Scottsdale, AZ (Chaparral HS): Mike was an All-Region selection at wide receiver and at defensive back his junior and senior seasons…all-state wide receiver as a senior and at defensive back as ajunior…footbal! captain and offensive MVP as a senior and defensive MV? his senior year…high school football coach was Charlie Ragle. . .earned three letters in both football and basketball.. .BB defensive MVP three times.. team captain in football and basketball.. .senior year he had 77 catches for 1,421 yards and 18 TDs.. .had 14 career interceptions…football squad won region titles in 200~ (12-2) and 2006 (11-3), and in basketball in 2005-06 (25-4). Personal: Parents: Mickey and Lynn Cummings of Scottsdale. Major: Business. Birth date: Aug. 17, 1989.

Ray DeBruycker (‘Pronounced dee-brucker,), DE, 6-3, 205, Fr., US, Choteau, MT (Choteau HS): Ray was an all-state selection in football, wrestling, and track…two-time all-conference pick at tight end and linebacker. ..state wrestling champion at 189 pounds as ajunior…earned 10 letters in football (3), wrestling (4), and track 3)…team captain in wrestling as a junior and senior, and in football his senior season…prep football coach was Joel Chrisiaens…had 11 sacks his senior season, along with 45 catches for 450 yards and 6 touchdowns.. .chosen MVP of wrestling squad.. .selected to play in Montana’s annual East-West Shrine Game. Personal: Parents: Nels and Lorraine DeBruycker of Choteau. Major: Forestry. Birth date: Oct. 2, 1989.

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

Alright everybody, are you ready? It is time for Big Sky basketball. Though this game is only a tease into the conference season, it should be a good gauge in how they might fare the rest of the season.

Saturday marks the first shot a Big Sky team has had against the Eastern Washington Eagles in the post-Rodney Stuckey era. All signs indicate that opponents will like what they see. They are 3-1 at home, but the teams they beat in those three games have won a combined 6 D-I games all year. The Eagles are lead by senior Kellen Williams, who averages an astonishing 35 minutes per game. In the first game last year, the Vikings lost 88-70 at home to a strong team led by Stuckey and senior Paul Butorac, and beat the same team 92-88 in Cheney later in the season.

So far this season the Vikings are 3-4 on the road. Tuesday’s defeat against the Washington Huskies made the Vikings 0-3 against the Pac-10, but on the positive side, exposed them to the style of game they’ll have to play if they get to the NCAA tournament in March. It also provoked some questions from fans about the coaching decisions of Ken Bone. There will always be more questions when the team is losing, but concerns that Scott Morrison isn’t seeing enough time definitely appear valid. Along with Jeremiah Dominguez, he is the guy that makes the offense work. Even when he’s not scoring, he forces the defense to focus on him, opening up the perimeter for the rest of the team. From now on the Viks play a schedule full of games they can win, many of which they will be favored in. The January 13 game at Idaho State will be available on ESPN Full Court.

Match-Ups
Center
EWU: Brandon Moore PSU: Scott Morrison
After a lackluster performance at U-Dub, Morrison will look to rebound. Moore will present a challenge on the boards for Scott because he is a strong player inside. Though Kellen Williams leads the team in rebounds, the Eagles will depend on Moore to pick up some big ones inside if they want to win. Neither player is an explosive scorer, but I’ll give the edge to Morrison who leads in all statistical categories and should be able to use his height to get some put back opportunities. The other option the Eagles have used at center is Matt Brunell, but he is a smaller guy who has produced less, so Moore should get the start.
Advantage: Vikings

Power Forward
EWU: Kellen Williams PSU: Tyrell Mara
Mara had a tough night on Tuesday trying to cover Jon Brockman. Unlike that match-up, Mara won’t be at a major physical disadvantage in this one. As a smaller team, the Eagles may be forced to try to use the fast break against the Vikings. If they do, it is at their own peril. Both Mara and Tiefenthaler excel in that system, and outside of Morrison and JR Moore, it benefits every player’s game. Williams is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Eagles, and will not be taken lightly by the Vikings. I expect that they’ll try to really apply pressure with Mara, and when he tires, using Tief. If the Vikings really focus their effort here, they may not win the power forward point battle, but it will be hard for the Eagles to win. Besides Williams and DeLeon, they don’t really have another scoring option, which means bad nights for them almost always equates to a loss.
Advantage: Eagles

Small Forward
EWU: Marcus Hinton PSU: Deonte Huff
Hinton isn’t much of a scoring threat, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make a huge impact on the game. Huff has been the Vikings’ most consistent player offensively, even when he’s not shooting well from the outside. If Hinton is able to slow him down while staying out of foul trouble, it could go a long way in keeping the Eagles in this game late. If he can’t it’s tough to see how they could win. The Vikings have too many advantages on the rest of the floor. As for Huff, he’s really moved into a leadership role by example. He gives great effort every night while performing at a high level, and a great example is the massive improvement in free throw percentage, even though he has played more minutes. I expect him to beat Hinton in every category, but I think Hinton will be able to slow him down enough to keep it close near the end.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
EWU: Trey Gross/Milan Stenojevic PSU: Dupree Lucas/Andre Murray
The starter for each team is the more consistent performer. The backups are explosive scorers who can shoot the lights out from the outside. Lucas did a great job along with Dominguez on Justin Dentmon, and has really become a more consistent, if scoring less than before. Murray has developed into a potent weapon for the Vikings as the season has gone on, which has helped the team win some tough games like the one against Utah Valley State. Gross is a pretty good player for the Eagles, but nothing special. Stenovic, the junior newcomer is a different story. Though his effect depends entirely on his shooting, he can really torch an opponent. Even though he is new to the team, the seem ready to delegate a large number of shots to him in tough contests. In games against Wazzu, U-Dub Santa Clara, and Portland, he averaged 9 shots per game and over 11 points. Neither option had any success defensively against Nik Raivio, so the Viks will hope that they can outscore the duo.
Advantage: Push

Point
EWU: Gary Gibson/Adris DeLeon PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez/Mickey Polis
After a tough stretch early in the season, definitely warrants mention as a semi-starter. Though he isn’t the most effective running the offense, and he isn’t as quick as Dominguez, his ability to shoot the 3 ball make him an important piece of the Vikings’ arsenal. After the game off JD came back with a strong effort against the Huskies. If the Viks’ two point guards duplicate their performance from that game, there is no team with a better combination in the Big Sky. The Eagles boast a strong pair themselves. Sophomore Gary Gibson isn’t the prototypical pass first point guard, but he plays a very effective game. He has the ability to score in bunches at times, as the big total against Idaho speaks to. The real star of the team may be Bronx native and future candidate for All Big Sky Adris DeLeon. He is the team’s best passer and third best rebounder. If need be, he can carry the team on his shoulders offensively (22 points @Washington, 24 @ Kansas.) If the Viks are able to shut down Williams, and Stenojevic has an off-shooting night, look for DeLeon to pick it up.
Advantage: Push

Bench
Even though they had a tough night on Tuesday, there is still reason to believe in the Viking bench. There is a lot of talent as players have exhibited all year, but a major lack of consistency outside of Murray recently, and Thomas on the boards. This may point out that the lack of confidence that coaches have had in players has had an effect. I look for this trend to continue in this one. Maybe Hammond, Tiefenthaler, or Coston will come back with a strong game. It’s hard to tell who it is going to be at any given time. The Eagles have a bench led by the strong play of DeLeon and Stenojevic. If they have good games, it could help keep an otherwise mediocre offensive team in the game. The advantage goes to the depth of the Vikings, no matter how inconsistent.
Advantage: Vikings

The first conference game, especially on the road, should be a thrill for the new guys. Nobody else has played yet, so the winner gets the top spot in Big Sky rankings for the coming week. If the Eagles are able to come out with a strong shooting game and get some production out of their two bench stars they could win this game at home. Unfortunately, I don’t think they can put together a full team effort yet, and even a semi-solid performance from the Viks should get it done. Hopefully, Coach Bone will give Morrison some more minutes to utilize his advantage.

Prediction: PSU 68-61

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