Season in Review
The Big Sky was one of the few conferences where at the end of the season I went "Yeah, that's what I expected". Montana repeated as conference champions, beating out Northern Colorado by a game to take the regular season championship. We largely saw the other main challengers, the Bears, Eastern Washington, and Weber State, led by a star players, and Montana State's Tyler Hall took the conference record for points earlier this year. With a top 6 that all finished over .500 in conference play, there are multiple challengers to the Grizzlies as they look to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Bracket
Contenders
Montana (23-8, 16-4)
The Grizzlies had a very successful season, repeating as the regular season champions just a year after making a tournament appearance. This is a very balanced attack offensively, with an eight man rotation where everyone contributes. They have been driven by guard play ever since big man Jamar Akoh went down with a wrist injury, and while he could still return, the smaller lineups haven't really suffered without him present. This is largely thanks to a very efficient offense. They have a lot of players in their backcourt and on the wing who can get to the basket seemingly at will, and that has helped them shoot 56.2% from two point range, fourteenth best in the nation. They also just miss out on the top 30 in three point shooting, making 37.9% of their shots, so they are tough to defend. They also have the second best adjusted defensive efficiency in conference play, so they can win games even when they aren't scoring. I really like Montana, and they are clearly the favorite to return to the NCAA Tournament.
Northern Colorado (21-10, 15-5)
The Bears went on a 4 game losing streak right before conference play, but they didn't let it affect them as they then won their first four games in the Big Sky, and were one of the best teams all season. They have been playing really well of late, as since the start of February they are 7-3, with one loss coming by just three points and the other two coming in overtime. The Bears have the highest adjusted defensive efficiency in the conference, and one of the things they do best is guard the three point line. Teams rarely even attempt threes against them, with just 31% of their opponents shots coming from behind the arc. Offensively, they are led by conference leading scorer Jordan Davis, so they have some firepower on that end as well. They won their most recent game against Montana, so they can definitely knock off the Grizzlies.
Sleeper Team
Montana State (14-16, 11-9)
Unlike their in-state counterparts, the Bobcats struggled for most of the season, playing a tough non-conference schedule and only winning three games. While they started off 9-5 in conference play, they faltered down the strecth, finishing the year losing four of six. However, they absolutely have a shot to win the conference tournament. They have the second best offense in the conference, led by Big Sky all time leading scorer Tyler Hall as well as point guard Harald Frey. Those two rank third and fourth in the Big Sky in scoring respectively, so they clearly have two guys who can fill it up. Frey is also third in assists, and his steady play had lead to very few turnovers for the Bobcats. If those two are playing at their best, then Montana State could absolutely go on a tear and win the entire tournament.
Players to Watch
Jordan Davis
Stats: 23.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 47.3/36.3/80.3
Davis is as complete a player as you find in the country, leading the conference in scoring while also ranking top 5 in assists and steals, and averaging 4.5 rebounds a game as well. The senior is mainly known for his scoring exploits however, ranking second in all time points in the Big Sky behind fellow senior Tyler Hall. Davis has often been the driving force behind the Bears offense, consistently scoring over 20 points to lead his team to victory. He cracked 30 points five different times this season, and perhaps not shockingly, they are 4-1 in those games. He comes into the tournament averaging 24.3 points over his last six games, and if the Bears make a run, be sure to check for Davis' name as the driving force behind it.
Jerrick Harding
Stats: 21.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 47.3/38/87.1
Harding spent his freshman season in the shadow of Weber State great Jeremy Senglin, but since then, he's been a star in Ogden. The guard is a pure scorer, and his scoring average is actually down .1 from last season. Not only is he one of the best shooters in the conference, fourteenth in three point percentage, but he'll often take over a game to lead the Wildcats to victory. He's always a threat to go off for the Wildcats, and he'll be looking to lead them on a run with his scoring.
Tyler Hall
Stats: 20.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 44.6/36.8/83.3
The all time points leader in Big Sky history, Hall will be looking to cap off his time in Bozeman with a NCAA Tournament appearance. He is almost all the main focus of the opposing scouting report, and yet still finds ways to put up 34 points, like he did in a recent game against Portland State. He has struggled in the past during the tournament, and the Bobcats have never advanced past their first game when he's been on the team, and he'll surely be looking to change that this season. I think he's going to have a big time tournament, and you should tune into one of his games just to see the star one last time.
My All Conference Teams
First Team
G: Jordan Davis, Northern Colorado
G: Jerrick Harding, Weber State
G: Tyler Hall, Montana State
G: Sayeed Pridgett, Montana
F: Jesse Hunt, Eastern Washington
Second Team
G: Harald Frey, Montana State
G: Ahmaad Rorie, Montana
G: Marcus Graves, Sacramento State
G: Holland Woods, Portland State
F: Brekkott Chapman, Weber State
My Pick: Montana over Northern Colorado
The Big Sky hasn't surprised me yet, so I see no need for it to start now. In a slightly boring pick, I'm going with the two top teams in the conference to make the finals, with the Grizzlies winning it all. I do have Montana State in my semifinals, but I don't think they can get past the defense of Northern Colorado. Also on the side of this pick: history. Starting in 2011, the regular season champ has also won the conference tournament in the Big Sky, and I think the Grizzles continue that streak this season.
The Big Sky was one of the few conferences where at the end of the season I went "Yeah, that's what I expected". Montana repeated as conference champions, beating out Northern Colorado by a game to take the regular season championship. We largely saw the other main challengers, the Bears, Eastern Washington, and Weber State, led by a star players, and Montana State's Tyler Hall took the conference record for points earlier this year. With a top 6 that all finished over .500 in conference play, there are multiple challengers to the Grizzlies as they look to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Bracket
Contenders
Montana (23-8, 16-4)
The Grizzlies had a very successful season, repeating as the regular season champions just a year after making a tournament appearance. This is a very balanced attack offensively, with an eight man rotation where everyone contributes. They have been driven by guard play ever since big man Jamar Akoh went down with a wrist injury, and while he could still return, the smaller lineups haven't really suffered without him present. This is largely thanks to a very efficient offense. They have a lot of players in their backcourt and on the wing who can get to the basket seemingly at will, and that has helped them shoot 56.2% from two point range, fourteenth best in the nation. They also just miss out on the top 30 in three point shooting, making 37.9% of their shots, so they are tough to defend. They also have the second best adjusted defensive efficiency in conference play, so they can win games even when they aren't scoring. I really like Montana, and they are clearly the favorite to return to the NCAA Tournament.
Northern Colorado (21-10, 15-5)
The Bears went on a 4 game losing streak right before conference play, but they didn't let it affect them as they then won their first four games in the Big Sky, and were one of the best teams all season. They have been playing really well of late, as since the start of February they are 7-3, with one loss coming by just three points and the other two coming in overtime. The Bears have the highest adjusted defensive efficiency in the conference, and one of the things they do best is guard the three point line. Teams rarely even attempt threes against them, with just 31% of their opponents shots coming from behind the arc. Offensively, they are led by conference leading scorer Jordan Davis, so they have some firepower on that end as well. They won their most recent game against Montana, so they can definitely knock off the Grizzlies.
Sleeper Team
Montana State (14-16, 11-9)
Unlike their in-state counterparts, the Bobcats struggled for most of the season, playing a tough non-conference schedule and only winning three games. While they started off 9-5 in conference play, they faltered down the strecth, finishing the year losing four of six. However, they absolutely have a shot to win the conference tournament. They have the second best offense in the conference, led by Big Sky all time leading scorer Tyler Hall as well as point guard Harald Frey. Those two rank third and fourth in the Big Sky in scoring respectively, so they clearly have two guys who can fill it up. Frey is also third in assists, and his steady play had lead to very few turnovers for the Bobcats. If those two are playing at their best, then Montana State could absolutely go on a tear and win the entire tournament.
Players to Watch
Jordan Davis
Stats: 23.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 47.3/36.3/80.3
Davis is as complete a player as you find in the country, leading the conference in scoring while also ranking top 5 in assists and steals, and averaging 4.5 rebounds a game as well. The senior is mainly known for his scoring exploits however, ranking second in all time points in the Big Sky behind fellow senior Tyler Hall. Davis has often been the driving force behind the Bears offense, consistently scoring over 20 points to lead his team to victory. He cracked 30 points five different times this season, and perhaps not shockingly, they are 4-1 in those games. He comes into the tournament averaging 24.3 points over his last six games, and if the Bears make a run, be sure to check for Davis' name as the driving force behind it.
Jerrick Harding
Stats: 21.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 47.3/38/87.1
Harding spent his freshman season in the shadow of Weber State great Jeremy Senglin, but since then, he's been a star in Ogden. The guard is a pure scorer, and his scoring average is actually down .1 from last season. Not only is he one of the best shooters in the conference, fourteenth in three point percentage, but he'll often take over a game to lead the Wildcats to victory. He's always a threat to go off for the Wildcats, and he'll be looking to lead them on a run with his scoring.
Stats: 20.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 44.6/36.8/83.3
The all time points leader in Big Sky history, Hall will be looking to cap off his time in Bozeman with a NCAA Tournament appearance. He is almost all the main focus of the opposing scouting report, and yet still finds ways to put up 34 points, like he did in a recent game against Portland State. He has struggled in the past during the tournament, and the Bobcats have never advanced past their first game when he's been on the team, and he'll surely be looking to change that this season. I think he's going to have a big time tournament, and you should tune into one of his games just to see the star one last time.
My All Conference Teams
First Team
G: Jordan Davis, Northern Colorado
G: Jerrick Harding, Weber State
G: Tyler Hall, Montana State
G: Sayeed Pridgett, Montana
F: Jesse Hunt, Eastern Washington
Second Team
G: Harald Frey, Montana State
G: Ahmaad Rorie, Montana
G: Marcus Graves, Sacramento State
G: Holland Woods, Portland State
F: Brekkott Chapman, Weber State
My Pick: Montana over Northern Colorado
The Big Sky hasn't surprised me yet, so I see no need for it to start now. In a slightly boring pick, I'm going with the two top teams in the conference to make the finals, with the Grizzlies winning it all. I do have Montana State in my semifinals, but I don't think they can get past the defense of Northern Colorado. Also on the side of this pick: history. Starting in 2011, the regular season champ has also won the conference tournament in the Big Sky, and I think the Grizzles continue that streak this season.
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