With the first week of NSIC basketball already over, it's hard to believe how the first weekend transpired. Friday night proved to be an exciting night of basketball where four games were decided by three points or less, including two overtime games. Saturday had two more games of similar magnitude. All-in-all, it leads to a somewhat difficult power ranking to make, especially to me personally. I don't really like doing co-rankings but this is one week where I had to have co-#1's.
T1. Winona State 5-0 (2-0 D2, 1-0 NSIC) (-)
PG - W vs. Clarke College 111-66
LG - W vs. Upper Iowa 78-61
UG - @ Bemidji State (4-2), @ UM-Duluth (4-2)
Note - It wasn't exactly a textbook victory for the Warriors, but they still came away with a solid 17 point victory over Upper Iowa. It wasn't a great win but it wasn't a terrible win either. The Warriors continue to see outstanding play out of sophomore center Clayton Vette. He scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting with seven rebounds. What intrigued me about WSU in this game was how unwilling they were to go to their bench, even though their bench saw a lot of minutes in non-conference play. Only Xavier Humphrey and Jon Walburg saw more than 10 minutes off the WSU bench. Brad Meyer only saw eight minutes of the bench and Taylor Cameron, the Warriors promising young freshman point guard only saw a minute. I guess if there's anything to take away from it, Coach Leaf probably realized the starters could probably play a few more minutes since they only played one game this weekend. The Warriors hit the road next weekend when they travel to Bemidji and Duluth.
T1. MSU-Mankato 6-0 (4-0 D2, 2-0 NSIC) (+2)
PG - W vs. Wayne State 74-63
LG - W vs. Augustana 83-67
UG - @ Concordia-St. Paul (4-2), @ St. Cloud State (2-4)
Note - This was a tough call for me to make. I couldn't decide if they should be #1 or #2. Finally, I just decided to make them co-#1 until next week. Their wins this weekend were very convincing, especially beating a high-caliber team like Augustana by 16. Considering how well coached the Vikings typically are, that's impressive. They also perhaps have the best non-conference win with a win over a 6-1 Michigan Tech team from the GLIAC. What is surprising me the most out of MSU-Mankato is how deep they are. They had nine players see 10+ minutes against Wayne State and Augustana. It was a good weekend for Jefferson Mason, scoring 16 points against Wayne State and 24 points against Augustana. I'm sure the Vikings are still a little concerned with their perimeter shooting, but with how talented they are up-and-down the roster, it's something they won't be worrying about too much. The Mavericks will have a challenging road contest this weekend when they travel to Concordia-St. Paul and St. Cloud State for their first NSIC road battles of the season.
3. SW Minnesota State 5-1 (4-0 D2, 2-0 NSIC) (+1)
PG - W vs. Augustana 66-64
LG - W vs. Wayne State 73-43
UG - @ St. Cloud State (2-4), @ Concordia-St. Paul (4-2)
Note - What a great weekend for the Mustangs. A big time home win against a great program like Augustana and then follow it up with a slamming of Wayne State. In the Vikings game, they did what they needed to do...allow someone other than Schilling or McCaffrey beat them. Of course, Schilling dropped 30 on them, but they help McCaffrey to seven points and not one other Viking scored in double figures. Against Wayne State, the Mustang defense was tenacious, only allowing the Wildcats to shoot 28% from the field and forced 18 turnovers. A 30 point victory is impressive against any team in the NSIC, let alone a solid Wayne State team that is in the running for a potential NSIC tournament bid. I know I was one that didn't think there was a big gap between the Mustangs and Wildcats...boy was I wrong. Could we be seeing another 2009-esque SMSU team on our hands? I don't think they are quite as good as that team was but they still seem to be a team that's buying in to Coach Brad Bigler's system and it's paying big dividends right now. With a road trip to St. Cloud and St. Paul, they could make a big statement as to what sort of team they have in the NSIC this year.
4. U-Mary 5-1 (5-1 D2, 1-1 NSIC) (-2)
PG - W vs. St. Cloud State 84-81 (OT)
LG - L vs. Concordia-St. Paul 70-67
UG - @ Augustana (3-3), @ Wayne State (4-2)
Note - What a roller coaster ride weekend for the Marauders. They had a thrilling OT battle with St. Cloud State on Friday night and then followed it up with a hard-fought, but disappointing loss to Concordia-St. Paul. The game against the Huskies felt like an NCAA tournament game with the sort of atmosphere and excitement surrounding the game. Granted, I'm sure both teams will be playing better when March rolls around, but it was still an exciting game with an exciting finish. Even after Damon Smith and Cameron Lee fouled out, this team was able to rally around guys like Baley Johnson and Jalen Jaspers to come up with big plays. In the Concordia-St. Paul game, the team struggled mightily from three-point range, hitting only 26% of their threes. It showed on the Marauders last possession as they had three open three-point shot attempts to tie the game up and missed on all three attempts. If there's an apparent weakness on this Mary team, it's that they still lack depth. Only eight players saw the floor in the Saturday game and only one of the bench players saw more than 10 minutes. Four of the five starters played 37 minutes or more, which is not a good sign when you played an OT game the night before. This team will have a challenging road test at Augustana and Wayne State this weekend. Despite both teams struggles, the Marauders won't want to overlook either of those teams.
5. Northern State 5-1 (1-1 D2, 1-1 NSIC) (+1)
PG - W vs. Concordia-St. Paul 96-94 (OT)
LG - L vs. St. Cloud State 91-83
UG - @ Wayne State (4-2), @ Augustana (3-3)
Note - It feels odd putting Northern State in this position. Splitting on your home court isn't necessarily a good thing. However, considering Augustana went 0-2 this past weekend, the Wolves made it to this position due in part to that event. The Wolves certainly need to be feeling good with the cast of players they have on this team, especially the new additions. Of Northern's top 5 scorers, only one of them is a player that returned from last year's active roster (Colin Pryor). Tom Parks, one of the new transfers had a nice game against Concordia-St. Paul, scoring 23 points on 5-of-8 shooting, 4-of-7 three-point shooting and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. Against St. Cloud State, David Lane had a huge game, scoring 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting and made 10-of-13 free throw attempts. Northern State needs to find some consistency with their scorers because if they can get Pryor, Parks, Lane, Dustin Tetzlaff and Tydan Storrusten in double-figures consistently, this team will be hard to stop. Who knows? With Bojan Todorovic slowly getting back in game shape, this team could be a six-headed monster in the scoring column. I'm sure the Wolves will be looking for that consistency this weekend at Wayne and Sioux Falls because they are going to need it for this road trip.
6. Concordia-St. Paul 4-2 (2-1 D2, 1-1 NSIC) (+3)
PG - L @ Northern State 96-94 (OT)
LG - W @ Mary 70-67
UG - vs. MSU-Mankato (6-0), vs. SW Minnesota State (5-1)
Note - The Golden Bears are looking a little more golden in the NSIC Power Rankings this week after picking up an incredible road win in Bismarck, North Dakota last week. That's one of the toughest places to win in the NSIC and Concordia-St. Paul sure looked like they were up for the challenge. There were no last-second heroics needed for that game as the Golden Bears remained in control for a strong portion of that game. Concordia-St. Paul is getting great play out of the Olefeso brothers, especially Kenny, who tallied 19 points and nine rebounds against Northern State as well as 17 points and 13 rebounds against Mary. Brent Barz also seems to be getting back-on-track as he put up 17 points against both NSU and Mary. This weekend, the Golden Bears host a pair of tough NSIC basketball games against MSU-Mankato and SW Minnesota State. Even a split between those two might send them up the ranks. If they can sweep those two teams, who knows...you could see this team ranked as high as #2 or #3.
7. St. Cloud State 2-4 (1-3 D2, 1-1 NSIC) (+1)
PG - L @ Mary 84-81 (OT)
LG - W @ Northern State 91-83
UG - vs. SW Minnesota State (5-1), vs. MSU-Mankato (6-0)
Note - A road split at Mary and Northern State was huge for the Huskies. They could not afford to start off the conference season 0-2, especially considering how awful their non-conference season started off. It is really incredible to think how close the Huskies were to going 2-0 and 0-2. They came close to pulling off the upset against Mary but still fell a little short. Against Northern State, they were down by eight going in at halftime and caught fire in the second half, shooting 54% from the field and more importantly, shot 19-of-22 from the charity stripe (86%) to keep the Wolves at bay. The Huskies are going to need to pull for at least another split this weekend because they have a tall order in front of them. They draw SW Minnesota State on Friday night and then MSU-Mankato on Saturday night. The Huskies are being run through the gauntlet to start off the season and just need to hope they can pull through some of these tough games. With the way the Mustangs and Mavericks are playing, the Huskies might even be hard-pressed for a split.
8. Augustana 3-3 (0-2 D2, 0-2 NSIC) (-3)
PG - L @ SW Minnesota State 66-64
LG - L @ MSU-Mankato 83-67
UG - vs. Mary (5-1), vs. Northern State (5-1)
Note - Here's some food for thought, the Vikings have not lost three straight games since the 2005-2006 season. It just so happened that the Vikings lost four straight games that year and one of those losses in that string was at MSU-Mankato. Scary thought for Vikings fans...the Vikes finished 12-16 that year, 10-15 in D2. Needless to say, if Augustana repeats that this year, they won't even sniff at the NCAA Tournament. That would be a huge disappointment considering they've been the runners-up in the NSIC the past two seasons. However, we need to keep in consideration that we're only six games into the season. There is PLENTY of time for the Vikings to right the ship, but they'll need to do it in a hurry. They've got two tough home games to deal with right off the bat with Mary on Friday and Northern State on Saturday. If they drop both these games, they'd be looking at an 0-4 start in NSIC play and 3-5 overall. The key factor for Augustana this weekend is to get someone other than Schilling and McCaffrey going on the offensive end. Augie learned the hard way what happens when one of their top two scorers isn't producing on offense and it resulted in two losses.
9. Wayne State 4-2 (1-2 D2, 0-2 NSIC) (-2)
PG - L @ MSU-Mankato 74-63
LG - L @ SW Minnesota State 73-43
UG - vs. Northern State (5-1), vs. Mary (5-1)
Note - I'm not sure what happened to the Wildcats for three halves on this past road trip. The word "skunk" is an insult to skunks considering Wayne State's play the last three halves. In those three halves, the Wilcats have been outscored 117-67 and have only shot 22-of-74 (.297) from the field. Now THAT'S cold. It's not just the shooting with this team though. They turned the ball over 17 times against MSU and 18 times against SMSU. A combination of sloppy play offensively and poor shooting leads to very poor results. Right now, the Wildcats need somebody other than Amry Shelby to score for them, granted, it's not like Shelby lit up the Mustangs. Shelby needs Jensen, Starken, Tasa and Williams to help him out on the offensive end because he cannot carry the load by himself. Even though this team does get a well-needed homecoming from such a rough road test, it doesn't get much easier with Northern State and Mary on back-to-back nights. The Wildcats better pull for at least a split because starting off the conference 0-4 without even seeing Winona State, St. Cloud State or Augustana yet wouldn't look promising.
10. UM-Duluth 4-2 (2-2 D2, 2-0 NSIC) (+4)
PG - W vs. UM-Crookston 68-44
LG - W vs. MSU-Moorhead 71-70
UG - vs. Upper Iowa (1-4), vs. Winona State (5-0)
Note - Well, I can officially say the Bulldogs have surprised me. This team only won four conference games last year and are already halfway to matching that. I had a pretty good feeling they would beat UM-Crookston, but I thought the game would be much closer than what the final score was. The MSU-Moorhead game was certainly dramatic to say the least. To think what might have happened if Tarell Clark makes both free throws and sends the game into OT. I really wonder who would've pulled out the win in OT. I guess we should give a big welcome back to Ryan Rasmussen for showing up this weekend. If there was one guy not named Eric Erdmann that could've won NSIC POW honors, it might've been him. He scored 27 points on 10-of-16 FG, including 7-of-11 from three-point range against UM-Crookston and followed that up with 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-6 from the charity stripe against MSU-Moorhead. They might need him to continue lighting up the scoreboard if they have any chance of pulling the upset against Winona State this weekend.
11. MSU-Moorhead 4-2 (1-1 D2, 1-1 NSIC) (-)
PG - W @ Bemidji State 60-58
LG - L @ UM-Duluth 71-70
UG - @ UM-Crookston (4-2)
Note - Wow, the Dragons were REALLY CLOSE to springing two road victories and perhaps climbing as high as #8 in my NSIC Power Rankings. Instead, a missed three throw killed those chances and they'll have to settle for what they were last week...#11. The good news for the Dragons is they did get that improbable win in Bemidji. I thought there was no way the Beavers drop that game to Moorhead, but they did. Major credit should be given to the Dragons for attacking the offensive glass. They outrebounded the Beavers 19-to-1 on the offensive glass and that was the difference between winning and losing that game. Unfortunately, that mentality doesn't work so well with UM-Duluth because they are better at attacking the glass than MSU-Moorhead is. The good news for MSU-Moorhead is they are taking better care of the basketball. They only turned the ball over seven times against BSU and 12 times against UMD. More good news is they play at UM-Crookston this weekend...definitely a winnable game for them to end their three-game road stretch.
12. Upper Iowa 1-4 (0-3 D2, 0-1 NSIC) (+1)
PG - W vs. Valley City State 88-59 (N)
LG - L @ Winona State 78-61
UG - @ UM-Duluth (4-2), @ Bemidji State (4-2)
Note - I must admit, the Peacocks are a much better basketball team than I gave them credit for. It's so easy to laugh at them with a 1-4 record, but they've lost tough games to some darn good basketball teams. In D2, they lost to a 4-2 Quincy, a 7-1 Drury and a 5-0 Winona State. Some props to the Peacocks for not only scheduling those teams, but hanging with their opponents in those games as well. I believe the Peacocks luck is about to change. They travel to UM-Duluth and Bemidji State this weekend. I have a feeling they will win one of those two games. Which one? It's tough to say. It's just a feeling I have. The one key for them is that somebody outside of Matt Lesan or Tucker Wentzien NEEDS to step up. I know Peacocks fans would be saying Dan Bestul but he was essentially non-existent against Winona State, scoring seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and only gathering four rebounds. All I will say is it will take a total team effort to pull off an upset in either Bemidji or Duluth, but I believe they can do it.
13. Bemidji State 4-2 (1-2 D2, 1-1 NSIC) (-3)
PG - L vs. MSU-Moorhead 60-58
LG - W vs. UM-Crookston 88-63
UG - vs. Winona State (5-0), vs. Upper Iowa (1-4)
Note - Am I a little harsh putting the Beavers at the metaphorical cellar (considering UM-Crookston has it reserved)? Perhaps...but one thing I will say, losing at home to MSU-Moorhead is BAD. I'm not exactly saying the Dragons are the worst team in the NSIC but that's a game you have to win on your home floor if you want to make a push for the NSIC Tournament. I have a feeling the Beavers are not that far from doing it...but they REALLY need to win those games on their home floor. As for the problem with this team, it's obvious. It is rebounding and low post defense. Dennis Williamson and Alex Novak had their way with the Beavers in the low block, combining for 26 rebounds. The Beavers should consider themselves lucky Novak couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in that game. If they struggle against Dennis Williamson, how are they going to fare against the 3rd highest scoring post player in the NSIC in Clayton Vette? They've got Winona State on Friday and Upper Iowa on Saturday. Losing to WSU wouldn't be unexpected but if they lose at home to Upper Iowa, this team could be in trouble.
14. UM-Crookston 4-2 (0-2 D2, 0-2 NSIC) (-2)
PG - L @ Bemidji State 88-63
LG - W vs. St. Scholastica 64-56
UG - vs. MSU-Moorhead (4-2)
Note - Well, that's what I get for getting my hopes up for UM-Crooston...they get into NSIC play and get EXPOSED!!! They lose by 24 to a less than average UM-Duluth team and by 23 to a Bemidji State team coming off a bad loss to MSU-Moorhead. I'd say, "well, at least they got a nice non-conference win against St. Scholastica, right?" That's even less impressive considering St. Cloud State just beat this same St. Scholastica team by 34 points. It is especially sad that it was a five-point game with 1:30 remaining. The phrase "they are who we thought they were" holds true. They aren't the least bit improved from last year and to be honest, they are probably worse. I really don't have high hopes for them in their upcoming game against MSU-Moorhead. Considering this MSU-Moorhead won in Bemidji, a place the Golden Eagles lost by 23 doesn't bode well. I don't care if this game is at home, it's still bad news for Crookston.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Adam Stanek's Men's Basketball NSIC Power Rankings (Start 'em up) Edition
With the NSIC kicking things off this weekend, I just thought I'd do my NSIC Power Rankings once again before we get things underway. I'll try and do these every week from now on. With no further ado, here they are...
1. Winona State 4-0 (1-0 D2) (-)
PG - W @ Barry 83-75 (OT)
LG - W vs. Clarke College 111-66
UG - vs. Upper Iowa (1-3)
Note - I would be lying to myself if the Warriors didn't look like the best team in the NSIC right now. They are coming off a blowout home win against Clarke College. They didn't look good in the first half, going into half with only a 13 point lead and turned the ball over 10 times. However, they had an outstanding second half performance, outscoring Clarke by 32 and not turning the ball over at all in the second half. There are two things that have really surprised me about the Warriors at this point in the season. The first being how well they have gelled at this point in the season. With the players they have and brought in, I thought their chemistry would be bad to start off with. Not so. The second being the emergence of their D1 transfers Anthony Tucker and Clayton Vette. Tucker is currently averaging 21.5 PPG (1st in NSIC) and Vette is averaging 14.8 PPG (18th in NSIC). These were the two guys I expected that needed to step up for the Warriors to be successful and so far they have been. They start off NSIC play nice and easy with one home game against Upper Iowa.
2. U-Mary 4-0 (4-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. Saginaw Valley State 51-36 (N)
LG - W vs. PR-Rio Piedras 98-63 (N)
UG - vs. St. Cloud State (1-3), vs. Concordia-St. Paul (3-1)
Note - The Marauders have certainly got their season off on the right foot. They had a very successful trip down to Florida, picking up a victory over a very solid Saginaw Valley State team. Most importantly, they are 4-0 against D2 opponents, which looks very good if the Marauders want to make a push for the NCAA tournament. Part of the reason behind the Marauders early season success is the emergence of a third scorer. Anthony Moody and Eric Erdmann were proven stars but the one guy that's stepped up his game is Jordan Wilhelm. Wilhelm is currently averaging 16.8 PPG (T-9th in NSIC) along with Moody averaging 18.3 PPG (6th in NSIC). With Moody's driving and passing ability, Wilhelm's outside shot and Erdmann's inside game, the Marauders are looking like a force to be reckoned with. The Marauders are looking to start off NSIC play on the right foot as they host St. Cloud State and Concordia-St. Paul this weekend.
3. MSU-Mankato 4-0 (3-0 D2) (+1)
PG - W vs. Michigan Tech 63-61
LG - W vs. Eureka College 120-44
UG - vs. Wayne State (4-0), vs. Augustana (3-1)
Note - Just like Winona State, I am surprised at how well things are going for the Mavericks to start off the season. After losing some great players from last year's squad, I thought it'd take them a few games to adjust, but they look just fine to me. They didn't play particularly well against Michigan Tech and still won, which is worth saying something considering the Huskies are 4-1 to start off the season. Jefferson Mason isn't WOWING anyone yet, but he's putting up some solid all-round stats, while notable Marcus Hill and Cameron Hodges are putting up some good numbers. With some surprising bench play out of Joe Drapcho and Jimmy Whitehead, as well as Andre Gilbert coming back and showing some signs of promise, I think the Mavericks could be a team to watch out for in the NSIC. They start off the season with two tough home games against Wayne State and Augustana. If they can get off to a 2-0 start with those two teams, all the more power to them.
4. SW Minnesota State 3-1 (2-0 D2) (+1)
PG - W vs. Minnesota-Morris 87-65
LG - W vs. NW Missouri State 47-46
UG - vs. Augustana (3-1), vs. Wayne State (4-0)
Note - The Mustangs are heading in the right direction as they swept the home-and-away series with NW Missouri State. Sure, they weren't impressive wins but they are wins nonetheless. Their only loss was at D1 South Dakota State, which certainly wasn't a bad loss by any means. Jordan Miller and Scott Roehl have been absolute monsters for the Mustangs thus far in the early season and Roehl is nearly averaging a double-double a game at 16.5 PPG (12th in NSIC) and 9.0 RPG (3rd in NSIC). However, the Mustangs might need someone else to pick up the scoring load, however Matt Zager has looked poised to fill that position as a redshirt freshman. What's scary is this team has yet to see Vinard Birch step up...trust me, I think he will too. If Birch can get going and this team can find a 3rd and 4th scorer, look out, they'll be tough. This weekend should provide a good test for the Mustangs as they host Augustana and Wayne State.
5. Augustana 3-1 (0-0 D2) (-2)
PG - W vs. Valley City State 65-53
LG - L vs. Dakota State 52-51
UG - @ SW Minnesota State (3-1), @ MSU-Mankato (4-0)
Note - I really don't know what to think of the Vikings. To be honest, I almost feel like I'm rating them too high...and then again, I feel like I'm rating them too low. It's tough to get a read on a team that's expected to be one of the best teams in the conference, but then lose a game at home to Dakota State. No offense to Dakota State, but they had no business beating Augustana...but they did. Even though Augie is loaded with talent, they sort of remind me a lot of Winona State last year. It is a team full of inexperienced players and are asking two players to carry the load. So far, Cody Schilling and Cameron McCaffrey have been outstanding, yet mediocre. They are terrific scorers but it also feels like they are trying too much to score and now allowing their teammates to get into the mix. To be honest, Augie NEEDS to find a guy outside of Schilling and McCaffrey to contribute on the offensive end. I thought that guy would be Nathan Truex since he averaged 6.0 PPG in 15.6 MPG on a talented scoring team. However, Truex has fallen off the map with this team, averaging 1.3 PPG in 11.8 MPG. Overall, Augie needs to fix things fast because they could be looking at 3-3 if this road trip doesn't go well in Marshall and Mankato.
6. Northern State 4-0 (0-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. Jamestown 86-80
LG - W vs. Mayville State 74-68
UG - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (3-1), vs. St. Cloud State (1-3)
Note - While the Wolves aren't playing as well as I expected them to, they still have a very solid, athletic team that I think can make some noise in the NSIC. I dare you to find many players that are playing better than Colin Pryor right now. Pryor is currently scoring 17.8 PPG (7th in NSIC) and averaging 10.5 RPG (1st in NSIC). I think what's scary about the Wolves is that they are deep. I'd say they are probably coming close to matching the Warriors in the depth department. With guys like Dustin Tetzlaff, Tydan Storrusten and Bojan Todorovic coming off the bench, it's hard not to say that. Granted, I think we'll see Todorovic start sooner or later, as he is recovering from a knee injury. Northern State has an opportunity to show that they are a team to be reckoned with when Concordia-St. Paul and St. Cloud State come to town. This will be a particularly good opportunity to perhaps kick the Huskies while they're down and on their home turf.
7. Wayne State 4-0 (1-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. York College 75-64
LG - W vs. Dakota State 84-80 (OT)
UG - @ MSU-Mankato (4-0), @ SW Minnesota State (3-1)
Note - I'll be honest, I feel like I am underrating Wayne State. To me, it feels like they are playing better than the 7th best team in the NSIC. On top of that, they did something Augustana could not...beat Dakota State at home. Granted, it took OT to do it, but they still did it. There are two things that are surprising me about the Wildcats. For one, they are extremely balanced with their scoring. They have five players scoring 9.8 PPG or more. To me, that bodes well if you can have somebody else step up on your team when somebody else is struggling. On top of that, after losing key players like Brett Spiker and Brian Metz, to have balance like that is incredible. The second thing that's surprising me about the Wildcats is the play of Amry Shelby. Granted, he led the team in scoring last year at 13.8 PPG, he's taken his game to another level, averaging 18.5 PPG (T-5th in NSIC) and has a 2.60 A/TO ratio (2nd in NSIC). He's a dangerous player in the NSIC. We'll see if the Wildcats can prove they deserve to be in the forefront when they go to Mankato and Marshall this weekend.
8. St. Cloud State 1-3 (0-2 D2) (-)
PG - L vs. Grand Canyon 71-65 (N)
LG - W vs. St. Scholastica 88-54
UG - @ U-Mary (4-0), @ Northern State (4-0)
Note - While the Huskies maybe 1-3, that's no reason to take the Huskies for granted. With how things have gone in St. Cloud to start the year, it should come as no surprise they are 1-3. They lost Tim Bergstrasser for the rest of the season (torn ACL), they've missed Andrew Bernstetter and Josh Ortmann for a few games this season (both are back in the lineup now), Nate Phillips was suspended for the first 2 games of the season due to violating a team rule and now Theo Rothstein appears to have an injured ankle (missed 1 game vs. St. Scholastica). If there is some good news, most of these players are back and playing for the Huskies but it should be needless to say that all these guys were sorely missed during their non-conference games. If there is a bright spot for the Huskies, it has been the emergence of freshman center Ben Bucholz. Bucholz is currently averaging 11.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG, not bad for a frosh. I do feel kind of bad for St. Cloud considering they are only playing one home game in their first six games. Of course, I am including the current road trip to Mary and Northern State. I believe the Huskies would be more than happy to split this road trip...but an 0-2 start to the conference season would not bode well for the Huskies.
9. Concordia-St. Paul 3-1 (1-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. Valley City State 69-63
LG - W vs. Academy of Art (CA) 77-67
UG - @ Northern State (4-0), @ U-Mary (4-0)
Note - I REALLY don't know what to think of the Golden Bears. They are more hot-and-cold than Katy Perry. They looked good at UW-Parkside but AWFUL against St. Thomas. They looked AWFUL against Valley City State but good against the Academy of Art (which may not be a D2, play a lot of D2 schools). I guess it should be understandable when you have the turnover the Golden Bears had. They have almost a completely different starting five than they had last year. The one thing the Golden Bears have a lot of compared to prior years teams is athleticism. Tyler Courtney, Isiah Thomas and the Olafeso brothers (Peter and Kenny) have a ton of athleticism to go with Brent Barz in the low post. One thing I am surprised by is the lack of production from Barz. Barz is currently only averaging 9.0 PPG and 5.0 RPG. I do believe those numbers will go up as we get into NSIC play, but he'll need them to go up if the Golden Bears want to have any sort of success in the NSIC. It could be a rough road trip for the Golden Bears as they start off the season at Mary and Northern State. I'd say that's the toughest road trip of all...certainly up there with going to MSU-Mankato and SW Minnesota State...
10. Bemidji State 3-1 (0-1 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. UW-Stout 89-87
LG - W @ Jamestown 75-60
UG - vs. MSU-Moorhead (3-1), vs. UM-Crookston (3-0)
Note - Are they 'G? They certainly could be. Their only loss was in Houghton, Michigan...which is not an easy place to play. Not to mention they have been without Lance Rongstad so far this season. He did make his comeback against Jamestown even though he saw limited minutes. The one player that is putting the 'G factor back into Bemidji is James Ellisor, who is looking like one of the best newcomers to the NSIC. Ellisor is currently averaging 20.5 PPG (3rd in NSIC) and 8.0 RPG (5th in NSIC). Did I mention this guy hasn't missed a free throw yet (21-of-21)? I believe he gives the Beavers a dynamic that they might not have had last year. Granted, it's tough to replace a player like Seth Haake, but it looks like the Beavers have done just that. I believe with Rongstad back in the lineup and the current rotation the Beavers have, they could be a pretty scary team. Bryce Tesdahl is just as dynamic as he's ever been and Patrick Cassidy has really stepped up his game as an inside-outside scoring threat. The Beavers have an opportunity to get the season started on a high note as they host MSU-Moorhead and UM-Crookston this weekend.
11. MSU-Moorhead 3-1 (0-0 D2) (+2)
PG - L @ Concordia-Moorhead 83-78
LG - W vs. Gustavus Adolphus 68-57
UG - @ Bemidji State (3-1), @ UM-Duluth (2-2)
Note - If there's a mystery team to me in the NSIC, it's the MSU-Moorhead Dragons. The reason why I say that is they have size, athleticism and a balanced scoring effort. However, they are 3-1 with a REALLY bad loss to Concordia-Moorhead. They seem to turn the ball over a lot as well, being only one of three teams in the NSIC that has a negative turnover margin against their opponents. However, they do have scorers...and a lot of them. They are the only team in the NSIC that has five players averaging double-figures per game (granted there is a HUGE dropoff after those five players). This team doesn't get much from their bench but their starters do score a lot. I think the Dragons could clear a lot of mystery about them under new head coach Chad Walthall if they can go into Bemidji and Duluth and come away with wins. Granted, those aren't exactly "powerhouse" teams in the NSIC but I think it might be a way to prove they aren't a bottom tier NSIC team.
12. UM-Crookston 3-0 (0-0 D2) (+2)
PG - W @ Mayville State 78-76
LG - W vs. Crossroads College 105-42
UG - @ UM-Duluth (2-2), @ Bemidji State (3-1)
Note - Okay, maybe the Golden Eagles aren't as bad as I thought they'd be. Mayville State barely lost to Northern State and MSU-Moorhead and UM-Crookston did what they didn't do...won in their place. On top of that, they kicked Crossroads College around like the Sisters of the Poor (sorry, I had to get one Gordon Gee comment in this). Right now, the bottom tier in the NSIC is hard to figure out because the Golden Eagles have a few guys I didn't think of would be big time contributors for them (or at the very least last year). Larry Brown has been solid, averaging 17.7 PPG (8th in NSIC). Adam Hendricks has also stepped up his game, averaging 15.7 PPG (15th in NSIC). The question is, can the Golden Eagles get out of the cellar in the NSIC? It'll be interesting to see since they start off the year with two road games but right now it is wait-and-see with this team.
13. Upper Iowa 1-3 (0-2 D2) (-1)
PG - L vs. Academy of Arts (CA) 63-61 (N)
LG - W vs. Valley City State 88-59 (N)
UG - vs. Winona State (4-0)
Note - I really don't know what to think of this Peacocks team. I see they still play a ridiculous amount of players in one game. I still know Matt Lesan is "the man" on this team, averaging 18.5 PPG (T-4th in NSIC). However, the truth is, it is hard to gauge the Peacocks because they've played a really tough schedule so far and haven't really played any "middle of the road" teams. The closest team to that "middle of the road" would be Academy of Arts and it was a close loss for Upper Iowa. For the Peacocks to succeed, the need somebody outside of Lesan, Tucker Wentzien and Dan Bestul to step up. Upper Iowa is truly comparative to a box of chocolates. There's a lot of variety and you just don't know what you're going to get...all I know is most of the time, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth and you'll be wanting to demand a refund. We'll see with this team though. They brought back a lot of players from last year and we'll see how they handle NSIC teams this year. I don't think they could've asked for a worse NSIC opponent to start off with than at Winona State. I guess that's just the tough luck the Peacocks have.
14. UM-Duluth 2-2 (0-2 D2) (-4)
PG - L vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills 65-60 (N)
LG - W vs. UW-Superior 78-74
UG - vs. UM-Crookston (3-0), vs. MSU-Moorhead (3-1)
Note - Well, I wonder what Bulldogs team we'll see this week since they've had a week off from their game against UW-Superior. You might be wondering, why did I drop the Bulldogs four spots when they didn't play a game? It was basically a matter of getting a better evaluation of the teams I placed ahead of them. All-in-all, I just think teams like Upper Iowa and UM-Crookston have played better than UM-Duluth, granted the Bulldogs played Dominguez Hills pretty tough. In general, the bottom four teams are really hard to rank because of the early season. Obviously Crookston won't go undefeated and I'll be really surprised if the Bulldogs finish .500 after the conference season has come and gone. However, the Bulldogs do have a good opportunity to boost their record to 4-2 with two of the "bottom feeders" coming to their house this weekend. UM-Duluth better hope somebody other than Adam Rasmussen or Dylan Rodriguez steps up for them this weekend. If the non-conference is any indication, Jake Hottenstine and Riley Walker could make a big name for themselves in this weekend's games.
1. Winona State 4-0 (1-0 D2) (-)
PG - W @ Barry 83-75 (OT)
LG - W vs. Clarke College 111-66
UG - vs. Upper Iowa (1-3)
Note - I would be lying to myself if the Warriors didn't look like the best team in the NSIC right now. They are coming off a blowout home win against Clarke College. They didn't look good in the first half, going into half with only a 13 point lead and turned the ball over 10 times. However, they had an outstanding second half performance, outscoring Clarke by 32 and not turning the ball over at all in the second half. There are two things that have really surprised me about the Warriors at this point in the season. The first being how well they have gelled at this point in the season. With the players they have and brought in, I thought their chemistry would be bad to start off with. Not so. The second being the emergence of their D1 transfers Anthony Tucker and Clayton Vette. Tucker is currently averaging 21.5 PPG (1st in NSIC) and Vette is averaging 14.8 PPG (18th in NSIC). These were the two guys I expected that needed to step up for the Warriors to be successful and so far they have been. They start off NSIC play nice and easy with one home game against Upper Iowa.
2. U-Mary 4-0 (4-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. Saginaw Valley State 51-36 (N)
LG - W vs. PR-Rio Piedras 98-63 (N)
UG - vs. St. Cloud State (1-3), vs. Concordia-St. Paul (3-1)
Note - The Marauders have certainly got their season off on the right foot. They had a very successful trip down to Florida, picking up a victory over a very solid Saginaw Valley State team. Most importantly, they are 4-0 against D2 opponents, which looks very good if the Marauders want to make a push for the NCAA tournament. Part of the reason behind the Marauders early season success is the emergence of a third scorer. Anthony Moody and Eric Erdmann were proven stars but the one guy that's stepped up his game is Jordan Wilhelm. Wilhelm is currently averaging 16.8 PPG (T-9th in NSIC) along with Moody averaging 18.3 PPG (6th in NSIC). With Moody's driving and passing ability, Wilhelm's outside shot and Erdmann's inside game, the Marauders are looking like a force to be reckoned with. The Marauders are looking to start off NSIC play on the right foot as they host St. Cloud State and Concordia-St. Paul this weekend.
3. MSU-Mankato 4-0 (3-0 D2) (+1)
PG - W vs. Michigan Tech 63-61
LG - W vs. Eureka College 120-44
UG - vs. Wayne State (4-0), vs. Augustana (3-1)
Note - Just like Winona State, I am surprised at how well things are going for the Mavericks to start off the season. After losing some great players from last year's squad, I thought it'd take them a few games to adjust, but they look just fine to me. They didn't play particularly well against Michigan Tech and still won, which is worth saying something considering the Huskies are 4-1 to start off the season. Jefferson Mason isn't WOWING anyone yet, but he's putting up some solid all-round stats, while notable Marcus Hill and Cameron Hodges are putting up some good numbers. With some surprising bench play out of Joe Drapcho and Jimmy Whitehead, as well as Andre Gilbert coming back and showing some signs of promise, I think the Mavericks could be a team to watch out for in the NSIC. They start off the season with two tough home games against Wayne State and Augustana. If they can get off to a 2-0 start with those two teams, all the more power to them.
4. SW Minnesota State 3-1 (2-0 D2) (+1)
PG - W vs. Minnesota-Morris 87-65
LG - W vs. NW Missouri State 47-46
UG - vs. Augustana (3-1), vs. Wayne State (4-0)
Note - The Mustangs are heading in the right direction as they swept the home-and-away series with NW Missouri State. Sure, they weren't impressive wins but they are wins nonetheless. Their only loss was at D1 South Dakota State, which certainly wasn't a bad loss by any means. Jordan Miller and Scott Roehl have been absolute monsters for the Mustangs thus far in the early season and Roehl is nearly averaging a double-double a game at 16.5 PPG (12th in NSIC) and 9.0 RPG (3rd in NSIC). However, the Mustangs might need someone else to pick up the scoring load, however Matt Zager has looked poised to fill that position as a redshirt freshman. What's scary is this team has yet to see Vinard Birch step up...trust me, I think he will too. If Birch can get going and this team can find a 3rd and 4th scorer, look out, they'll be tough. This weekend should provide a good test for the Mustangs as they host Augustana and Wayne State.
5. Augustana 3-1 (0-0 D2) (-2)
PG - W vs. Valley City State 65-53
LG - L vs. Dakota State 52-51
UG - @ SW Minnesota State (3-1), @ MSU-Mankato (4-0)
Note - I really don't know what to think of the Vikings. To be honest, I almost feel like I'm rating them too high...and then again, I feel like I'm rating them too low. It's tough to get a read on a team that's expected to be one of the best teams in the conference, but then lose a game at home to Dakota State. No offense to Dakota State, but they had no business beating Augustana...but they did. Even though Augie is loaded with talent, they sort of remind me a lot of Winona State last year. It is a team full of inexperienced players and are asking two players to carry the load. So far, Cody Schilling and Cameron McCaffrey have been outstanding, yet mediocre. They are terrific scorers but it also feels like they are trying too much to score and now allowing their teammates to get into the mix. To be honest, Augie NEEDS to find a guy outside of Schilling and McCaffrey to contribute on the offensive end. I thought that guy would be Nathan Truex since he averaged 6.0 PPG in 15.6 MPG on a talented scoring team. However, Truex has fallen off the map with this team, averaging 1.3 PPG in 11.8 MPG. Overall, Augie needs to fix things fast because they could be looking at 3-3 if this road trip doesn't go well in Marshall and Mankato.
6. Northern State 4-0 (0-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. Jamestown 86-80
LG - W vs. Mayville State 74-68
UG - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (3-1), vs. St. Cloud State (1-3)
Note - While the Wolves aren't playing as well as I expected them to, they still have a very solid, athletic team that I think can make some noise in the NSIC. I dare you to find many players that are playing better than Colin Pryor right now. Pryor is currently scoring 17.8 PPG (7th in NSIC) and averaging 10.5 RPG (1st in NSIC). I think what's scary about the Wolves is that they are deep. I'd say they are probably coming close to matching the Warriors in the depth department. With guys like Dustin Tetzlaff, Tydan Storrusten and Bojan Todorovic coming off the bench, it's hard not to say that. Granted, I think we'll see Todorovic start sooner or later, as he is recovering from a knee injury. Northern State has an opportunity to show that they are a team to be reckoned with when Concordia-St. Paul and St. Cloud State come to town. This will be a particularly good opportunity to perhaps kick the Huskies while they're down and on their home turf.
7. Wayne State 4-0 (1-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. York College 75-64
LG - W vs. Dakota State 84-80 (OT)
UG - @ MSU-Mankato (4-0), @ SW Minnesota State (3-1)
Note - I'll be honest, I feel like I am underrating Wayne State. To me, it feels like they are playing better than the 7th best team in the NSIC. On top of that, they did something Augustana could not...beat Dakota State at home. Granted, it took OT to do it, but they still did it. There are two things that are surprising me about the Wildcats. For one, they are extremely balanced with their scoring. They have five players scoring 9.8 PPG or more. To me, that bodes well if you can have somebody else step up on your team when somebody else is struggling. On top of that, after losing key players like Brett Spiker and Brian Metz, to have balance like that is incredible. The second thing that's surprising me about the Wildcats is the play of Amry Shelby. Granted, he led the team in scoring last year at 13.8 PPG, he's taken his game to another level, averaging 18.5 PPG (T-5th in NSIC) and has a 2.60 A/TO ratio (2nd in NSIC). He's a dangerous player in the NSIC. We'll see if the Wildcats can prove they deserve to be in the forefront when they go to Mankato and Marshall this weekend.
8. St. Cloud State 1-3 (0-2 D2) (-)
PG - L vs. Grand Canyon 71-65 (N)
LG - W vs. St. Scholastica 88-54
UG - @ U-Mary (4-0), @ Northern State (4-0)
Note - While the Huskies maybe 1-3, that's no reason to take the Huskies for granted. With how things have gone in St. Cloud to start the year, it should come as no surprise they are 1-3. They lost Tim Bergstrasser for the rest of the season (torn ACL), they've missed Andrew Bernstetter and Josh Ortmann for a few games this season (both are back in the lineup now), Nate Phillips was suspended for the first 2 games of the season due to violating a team rule and now Theo Rothstein appears to have an injured ankle (missed 1 game vs. St. Scholastica). If there is some good news, most of these players are back and playing for the Huskies but it should be needless to say that all these guys were sorely missed during their non-conference games. If there is a bright spot for the Huskies, it has been the emergence of freshman center Ben Bucholz. Bucholz is currently averaging 11.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG, not bad for a frosh. I do feel kind of bad for St. Cloud considering they are only playing one home game in their first six games. Of course, I am including the current road trip to Mary and Northern State. I believe the Huskies would be more than happy to split this road trip...but an 0-2 start to the conference season would not bode well for the Huskies.
9. Concordia-St. Paul 3-1 (1-0 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. Valley City State 69-63
LG - W vs. Academy of Art (CA) 77-67
UG - @ Northern State (4-0), @ U-Mary (4-0)
Note - I REALLY don't know what to think of the Golden Bears. They are more hot-and-cold than Katy Perry. They looked good at UW-Parkside but AWFUL against St. Thomas. They looked AWFUL against Valley City State but good against the Academy of Art (which may not be a D2, play a lot of D2 schools). I guess it should be understandable when you have the turnover the Golden Bears had. They have almost a completely different starting five than they had last year. The one thing the Golden Bears have a lot of compared to prior years teams is athleticism. Tyler Courtney, Isiah Thomas and the Olafeso brothers (Peter and Kenny) have a ton of athleticism to go with Brent Barz in the low post. One thing I am surprised by is the lack of production from Barz. Barz is currently only averaging 9.0 PPG and 5.0 RPG. I do believe those numbers will go up as we get into NSIC play, but he'll need them to go up if the Golden Bears want to have any sort of success in the NSIC. It could be a rough road trip for the Golden Bears as they start off the season at Mary and Northern State. I'd say that's the toughest road trip of all...certainly up there with going to MSU-Mankato and SW Minnesota State...
10. Bemidji State 3-1 (0-1 D2) (-)
PG - W vs. UW-Stout 89-87
LG - W @ Jamestown 75-60
UG - vs. MSU-Moorhead (3-1), vs. UM-Crookston (3-0)
Note - Are they 'G? They certainly could be. Their only loss was in Houghton, Michigan...which is not an easy place to play. Not to mention they have been without Lance Rongstad so far this season. He did make his comeback against Jamestown even though he saw limited minutes. The one player that is putting the 'G factor back into Bemidji is James Ellisor, who is looking like one of the best newcomers to the NSIC. Ellisor is currently averaging 20.5 PPG (3rd in NSIC) and 8.0 RPG (5th in NSIC). Did I mention this guy hasn't missed a free throw yet (21-of-21)? I believe he gives the Beavers a dynamic that they might not have had last year. Granted, it's tough to replace a player like Seth Haake, but it looks like the Beavers have done just that. I believe with Rongstad back in the lineup and the current rotation the Beavers have, they could be a pretty scary team. Bryce Tesdahl is just as dynamic as he's ever been and Patrick Cassidy has really stepped up his game as an inside-outside scoring threat. The Beavers have an opportunity to get the season started on a high note as they host MSU-Moorhead and UM-Crookston this weekend.
11. MSU-Moorhead 3-1 (0-0 D2) (+2)
PG - L @ Concordia-Moorhead 83-78
LG - W vs. Gustavus Adolphus 68-57
UG - @ Bemidji State (3-1), @ UM-Duluth (2-2)
Note - If there's a mystery team to me in the NSIC, it's the MSU-Moorhead Dragons. The reason why I say that is they have size, athleticism and a balanced scoring effort. However, they are 3-1 with a REALLY bad loss to Concordia-Moorhead. They seem to turn the ball over a lot as well, being only one of three teams in the NSIC that has a negative turnover margin against their opponents. However, they do have scorers...and a lot of them. They are the only team in the NSIC that has five players averaging double-figures per game (granted there is a HUGE dropoff after those five players). This team doesn't get much from their bench but their starters do score a lot. I think the Dragons could clear a lot of mystery about them under new head coach Chad Walthall if they can go into Bemidji and Duluth and come away with wins. Granted, those aren't exactly "powerhouse" teams in the NSIC but I think it might be a way to prove they aren't a bottom tier NSIC team.
12. UM-Crookston 3-0 (0-0 D2) (+2)
PG - W @ Mayville State 78-76
LG - W vs. Crossroads College 105-42
UG - @ UM-Duluth (2-2), @ Bemidji State (3-1)
Note - Okay, maybe the Golden Eagles aren't as bad as I thought they'd be. Mayville State barely lost to Northern State and MSU-Moorhead and UM-Crookston did what they didn't do...won in their place. On top of that, they kicked Crossroads College around like the Sisters of the Poor (sorry, I had to get one Gordon Gee comment in this). Right now, the bottom tier in the NSIC is hard to figure out because the Golden Eagles have a few guys I didn't think of would be big time contributors for them (or at the very least last year). Larry Brown has been solid, averaging 17.7 PPG (8th in NSIC). Adam Hendricks has also stepped up his game, averaging 15.7 PPG (15th in NSIC). The question is, can the Golden Eagles get out of the cellar in the NSIC? It'll be interesting to see since they start off the year with two road games but right now it is wait-and-see with this team.
13. Upper Iowa 1-3 (0-2 D2) (-1)
PG - L vs. Academy of Arts (CA) 63-61 (N)
LG - W vs. Valley City State 88-59 (N)
UG - vs. Winona State (4-0)
Note - I really don't know what to think of this Peacocks team. I see they still play a ridiculous amount of players in one game. I still know Matt Lesan is "the man" on this team, averaging 18.5 PPG (T-4th in NSIC). However, the truth is, it is hard to gauge the Peacocks because they've played a really tough schedule so far and haven't really played any "middle of the road" teams. The closest team to that "middle of the road" would be Academy of Arts and it was a close loss for Upper Iowa. For the Peacocks to succeed, the need somebody outside of Lesan, Tucker Wentzien and Dan Bestul to step up. Upper Iowa is truly comparative to a box of chocolates. There's a lot of variety and you just don't know what you're going to get...all I know is most of the time, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth and you'll be wanting to demand a refund. We'll see with this team though. They brought back a lot of players from last year and we'll see how they handle NSIC teams this year. I don't think they could've asked for a worse NSIC opponent to start off with than at Winona State. I guess that's just the tough luck the Peacocks have.
14. UM-Duluth 2-2 (0-2 D2) (-4)
PG - L vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills 65-60 (N)
LG - W vs. UW-Superior 78-74
UG - vs. UM-Crookston (3-0), vs. MSU-Moorhead (3-1)
Note - Well, I wonder what Bulldogs team we'll see this week since they've had a week off from their game against UW-Superior. You might be wondering, why did I drop the Bulldogs four spots when they didn't play a game? It was basically a matter of getting a better evaluation of the teams I placed ahead of them. All-in-all, I just think teams like Upper Iowa and UM-Crookston have played better than UM-Duluth, granted the Bulldogs played Dominguez Hills pretty tough. In general, the bottom four teams are really hard to rank because of the early season. Obviously Crookston won't go undefeated and I'll be really surprised if the Bulldogs finish .500 after the conference season has come and gone. However, the Bulldogs do have a good opportunity to boost their record to 4-2 with two of the "bottom feeders" coming to their house this weekend. UM-Duluth better hope somebody other than Adam Rasmussen or Dylan Rodriguez steps up for them this weekend. If the non-conference is any indication, Jake Hottenstine and Riley Walker could make a big name for themselves in this weekend's games.
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