Men's Big Sky Conference Tournament Thread

[Willie]

Yes...very.

[GOKATS]

Weber's message board appears to have gone completely silent…

all two or three of them?

[Mvemjsunpx]

Weber's message board appears to have gone completely silent…

all two or three of them?

Nah. They've been talking about how awesome & dominant Weber basketball is over there for the last several weeks now. Now, no-one's talking at all.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Idaho State goes on a 18-3 run to open the second half, but can't quite overcome a 19 point halftime deficit and falls to Portland State, 61-53. PSU went 8-20 from the arc (7-13 in the first half) while the Bengals missed all 13 of their 3-ball attempts. Andre Murray had 21 points (including 10 of PSU's 19 second-half points) to lead the Viks. Lucas Steijn went 7-8 from the field and scored a team-high 16 points for the Bengals, but the rest of his team only shot 26%.

Montana State adds to their inexplicable mini-run by upsetting Weber in Ogden, 70-61. The Wildcats shot 41% from the arc in regular season conference play, but only made 4-26 attempts for 15% in this game. Divaldo Mbunga had a double-double and Branden Johnson led the Bobcats with 16 points while making as many threes as the entire Wildcat team did.

Tonight's losers were a combined 4-39 from the arc.

[Mvemjsunpx]

• • Quarterfinals
  (6) Montana State (6-10, 12-16) 56-54 @ (3) Montana (11-5, 17-11)
  
  (5) Northern Colorado (8-8, 14-17) 60-67 @ (4) Idaho State (9-7, 12-18)
  
  
  • Semifinals
  (4) Idaho State (10-7, 13-18) 53-61 vs. (2) Portland State (11-5, 21-9)
  
  (6) Montana State (7-10, 13-16) 70-61 @ (1) Weber State (15-1, 21-8)

• • Championship
  (6) Montana State (8-10, 14-16) vs. (2) Portland State (12-5, 22-9) - Wednesday, March 11, 8:30 PM MST on ESPN2

• • (Semifinals & Championship Game at the Dee Events Center in Ogden, UT)

[grizzaholic]

Big congrats to Montana State and Portland State.

[Willie]

Bynum's dunk was #1 on ESPN's Top Plays last night. It was a vicious dunk.

[hank scorpio]

If MSU wins tonight they will still have a losing record for the year (15-16).

Would they have to do the 64/65 play in game?

[dbackjon]

If MSU wins tonight they will still have a losing record for the year (15-16).

Would would have to do the 64/65 play in game?

A good chance of it, depending on who else wins conference tourneys.

A good reason to cheer for PSU.

[grizzaholic]

If MSU wins tonight they will still have a losing record for the year (15-16).

Would would have to do the 64/65 play in game?

A good chance of it, depending on who else wins conference tourneys.

A good reason to cheer for PSU.

I always thought the 64-65 play in game was only for at large birth teams. Conference winners automatically get seeded.

[hank scorpio]

A good chance of it, depending on who else wins conference tourneys.

A good reason to cheer for PSU.

I always thought the 64-65 play in game was only for at large birth teams. Conference winners automatically get seeded.

The Play-In Game

Two teams play the opening round game (colloquially known as the "play-in game") on the Tuesday preceding the first weekend of the tournament, with the winner of that game advancing to the main draw of the tournament and playing a top seed in one of the regionals. This game has been played at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio since its inception in 2001. This game originated in 2001 with the addition of the Mountain West Conference (and its automatic bid into the tournament) after the NCAA tournament committee opted to include an additional team and a play in game in lieu of taking away one of the 34 "at-large" bids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%2 ... ay-In_Game

[grizzaholic]

Thanks Hank.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Game was tied at 50, but just like that, Portland State leads 61-51.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Learned something I didn't know: apparently the Big Sky Tournament is the second oldest conference tourney in the nation (after the ACC).

PSU up 77-74 with 1:25 left.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Bobby Howard bobbles an off balance three at the buzzer and PSU wins.

[GOKATS]

Bobby Howard bobbles an off balance three at the buzzer and PSU wins.

Howard didn't do sh!t all night and shouldn't have been in the game. It was a helluva game all the way and came down to the wire. Cats three tied it with about five seconds to go & the Vikes got two on what would normally be called a charge to win. Great game and congrats to PSU!!

[Mvemjsunpx]

Portland State earned their second straight NCAA trip by beating Montana State in Ogden, 79-77, thanks to a dunk by Julius Thomas with 3 seconds left. Brandon Johnson hit a three to tie it just 8 seconds earlier. Divaldo Mbunga had 20 points and 10 boards in his final game as a Bobcat while Jeremiah Dominguez led the Viks with 22 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals, earning him Tournament MVP honors. All 5 Bobcat starters scored in double figures, but the bench had 2 points collectively. Both teams shot over 50% from the field. Portland State only committed 4 turnovers the entire game.


(Some of the stats may be wrong because I could only find ESPN's box score at the moment)

[Mvemjsunpx]

• • Quarterfinals
  (6) Montana State (6-10, 12-16) 56-54 @ (3) Montana (11-5, 17-11)
  
  (5) Northern Colorado (8-8, 14-17) 60-67 @ (4) Idaho State (9-7, 12-18)
  
  
  • Semifinals
  (4) Idaho State (10-7, 13-18) 53-61 vs. (2) Portland State (11-5, 21-9)
  
  (6) Montana State (7-10, 13-16) 70-61 @ (1) Weber State (15-1, 21-8)

• • Championship
  (6) Montana State (8-10, 14-16) 77-79 vs. (2) Portland State (12-5, 22-9)

• • (Semifinals & Championship Game at the Dee Events Center in Ogden, UT)

• All-Tournament Team
  
  
  Andre Murray (PSU)
  Julius Thomas (PSU)
  Branden Johnson (MSU)
  Will Bynum (MSU)
  Divaldo Mbunga (MSU)
  
  MVP - Jeremiah Dominguez (PSU)

[dbackjon]

Congrats to Portland State!

[grizzaholic]

Good job PSU

[grizzaholic]

Was just listening to the radio and they were talking about the teams that already have punched their ticket to the NCAA tourney and PSU came up. They, whoever the two talking heads were on the radio, were talking up PSU a little and said that they were looking at them to have a good chance to upset whoever they played. Cannot believe they actually knew about the team. Spoke well of the coach, the point guard, and one other player.

[clenz]

Weber's gym looks like a horrid place to watch a game. Is there a seat that actually faces the court squarely in that entire place?