Can the Griz ever compete in the NCAA's? The answer's easy

[Silvertip]

But first, consider that Wisconsin tempered their game against eleven ranked teams (and lost most of them) including a number in the course of a 16 game Big Ten season. All the while, Montana boasted a 2 point home win over Long Beach State and another 15 pointer against a very average Hawaii team and a pair at home against WSU while clearing the decks with the conference's other usual suspects (Zzzzzzz). Would Gonzaga have their national rep if they hadn't upgraded to a WCC that qualified three teams for the 2012 NCAA tournament? The answer is obvious.

So onto the emerging answer to the original question... If Griz basketball is to ever escape the annual March "Groundhog Day" syndrome, they need to get the hell out of the Big Sky which has proven to be dead weight killing any realistic aspirations for basketball credibility. (The BSC can probably expect a return to a 15 or 16 seed next year). Escaping the shackles of mediocrity should be a priority. And if that means going independent, so be it. The Nevada win aside, UM hasn't made a notable - if a losing presence - since Eric Hayes lit it up against UCLA long before half of egriz had their baby teeth.

The BSC season prepares the Griz for nothing better than an early exit come March.

[badger007]

But first, consider that Wisconsin tempered their game against eleven ranked teams (and lost most of them) including a number in the course of a 16 game Big Ten season. All the while, Montana boasted a 2 point home win over Long Beach State and another 15 pointer against a very average Hawaii team and a pair at home against WSU while clearing the decks with the conference's other usual suspects (Zzzzzzz). Would Gonzaga have their national rep if they hadn't upgraded to a WCC that qualified three teams for the 2012 NCAA tournament? The answer is obvious.

So onto the emerging answer to the original question... If Griz basketball is to ever escape the annual March "Groundhog Day" syndrome, they need to get the hell out of the Big Sky which has proven to be dead weight killing any realistic aspirations for basketball credibility. (The BSC can probably expect a return to a 15 or 16 seed next year). Escaping the shackles of mediocrity should be a priority. And if that means going independent, so be it. The Nevada win aside, UM hasn't made a notable - if a losing presence - since Eric Hayes lit it up against UCLA long before half of egriz had their baby teeth.

The BSC season prepares the Griz for nothing better than an early exit come March.

18.

[stubbins]

Not until they move up....

[MissoulaMarinerFan]

But first, consider that Wisconsin tempered their game against eleven ranked teams (and lost most of them) including a number in the course of a 16 game Big Ten season. All the while, Montana boasted a 2 point home win over Long Beach State and another 15 pointer against a very average Hawaii team and a pair at home against WSU while clearing the decks with the conference's other usual suspects (Zzzzzzz). Would Gonzaga have their national rep if they hadn't upgraded to a WCC that qualified three teams for the 2012 NCAA tournament? The answer is obvious.

So onto the emerging answer to the original question... If Griz basketball is to ever escape the annual March "Groundhog Day" syndrome, they need to get the hell out of the Big Sky which has proven to be dead weight killing any realistic aspirations for basketball credibility. (The BSC can probably expect a return to a 15 or 16 seed next year). Escaping the shackles of mediocrity should be a priority. And if that means going independent, so be it. The Nevada win aside, UM hasn't made a notable - if a losing presence - since Eric Hayes lit it up against UCLA long before half of egriz had their baby teeth.

The BSC season prepares the Griz for nothing better than an early exit come March.

Not sure I agree with you on the Eric Hays comment. Beat Nevada as a 12 seed in 2006, after putting up a good showing against a talented UW team in 2005, only losing by 10(?) as a 15 or 16 seed. agree on the conference affiliation for b-ball though. Only way you get better is by playing those better than you. Playing BBQ-U just 2 (or 3) times per year, and isn't going to cut it. I think this is the first time in awhile though, that the Griz have been better (by quite a bit) than others in the Big Sigh - no matter who you play, 14 wins in a row and 20/21 isn't anything to sniff at.

[Proud Griz Man]

But But But but but but The BSC season prepares the Griz for nothing better than an early exit come March.

Say it tipper: we would be stuck in the WAC right now if people had listened to you.

[Unwrittengriz]

The WAC is a far superior conference to the BSC in basketball.

[grizchamp]

The WAC is a far superior conference to the BSC in basketball.

Top to bottom...absolutely, but there is no doubt in my mind that we could win that conference regular season and tourney as well.

[Silvertip]

Many, including Plodding Griz Man, miss the point. Forget the WAC. I did a long time ago.
UM must engage begin in due diligence to find a new home. Mariner's being pleased with a 14 game largely-conference produced win streak smacks of nothing more than putting lipstick on the Big Sky pig. A very ugly pig at that. For Montana March Madness is March Insanity...doing the same thing and expecting different results. Over, and over, and over...

[AllWeatherFan]

We are merely one athletic, six-foot-ten, 280 pound guy away from a much better tourney showing.

[EverettGriz]

I tend to agree the GRIZ need to leave the Big Sky. Being happy when you're awarded a 13 seed is no way to be successful in the NCAA tournament.

While they are in the BSC, they simply have to find a way to play tougher competetition. I know no one will come to Missoula to play them. So I guess they're just going to have to be road warriers early in the year. Most GRIZ fans are still consumed with football then, anyway. Go play top teams on the road, build a resume and be ready come tournament time.

[mtgrizrule]

I tend to agree the GRIZ need to leave the Big Sky. Being happy when you're awarded a 13 seed is no way to be successful in the NCAA tournament.

While they are in the BSC, they simply have to find a way to play tougher competetition. I know no one will come to Missoula to play them. So I guess they're just going to have to be road warriers early in the year. Most GRIZ fans are still consumed with football then, anyway. Go play top teams on the road, build a resume and be ready come tournament time.

That is the way other small to mid major programs have done it. This year proved, it does no good to have a sparkling record, like Montana, and Weber State did. The NCAA, and selection committees just do not respect the Big Sky Conference. I hope Montana, and Weber State will lead the way in stepping up the competition also.

[Paytonlives]

I could not agree more... The BSC was terrible this year and it never really got UM ready for any MArch Madness games...

Please regents.... get the Griz the hell out of the BSC!

[GrizDDS]

The Griz had their chance this year. Could have had Colorado State, should have had Nevada at home, lost to North Dakota . . . make some more plays in those games and the Griz are 28-3, probably an 11 seed, don't have to run into Wisconsin in round 1.

[UMcheer2000]

We are merely one athletic, six-foot-ten, 280 pound guy away from a much better tourney showing.

This

[cclarkblues]

We are merely one athletic, six-foot-ten, 280 pound guy away from a much better tourney showing.

I think we had that guy last year, got our butts kicked then too. We had a good seed this year. If we don't have more quality wins next year we will probably be seeded lower if we go. The Big Sky is looked upon like a Division II conference in the rest of the country. If we can't start showing better in important televised games, there's no reason to think any different. We are the biggest disappointment of the tourney so far.

[stubbins]

The Griz had their chance this year. Could have had Colorado State, should have had Nevada at home, lost to North Dakota . . . make some more plays in those games and the Griz are 28-3, probably an 11 seed, don't have to run into Wisconsin in round 1.

28-3 and an eleven seed....that says it all right there. Move the f*** up please. And to proud griz man, the wac as it is, in disarray and nobody having a home...is still better than the big sky.

[blazerbird]

Teams from the Ivy, Southern, and Big South conferences put up a much better fight against tougher competition today. What would you tell UNC Asheville, Davidson, or especially Harvard? Hell, Butler's in the mighty Horizon and figured out a way to make it to back to back national championship games. Try telling them to move up and on. Although the Griz have half the BSC titles in the last 10 years, they have exactly 1 regular season title. I'm not sure that's the kind of dominance that demands a move to greener pastures. So here's how I'd address the problem. Begin by scheduling more than 5 out of conference games, and set a goal of winning more than two of them. After that, we'll talk.

[MtTarheel]

But first, consider that Wisconsin tempered their game against eleven ranked teams (and lost most of them) including a number in the course of a 16 game Big Ten season. All the while, Montana boasted a 2 point home win over Long Beach State and another 15 pointer against a very average Hawaii team and a pair at home against WSU while clearing the decks with the conference's other usual suspects (Zzzzzzz).

Would Gonzaga have their national rep if they hadn't upgraded to a WCC that qualified three teams for the 2012 NCAA tournament?

The answer is obvious.

So onto the emerging answer to the original question... If Griz basketball is to ever escape the annual March "Groundhog Day" syndrome, they need to get the hell out of the Big Sky which has proven to be dead weight killing any realistic aspirations for basketball credibility. (The BSC can probably expect a return to a 15 or 16 seed next year). Escaping the shackles of mediocrity should be a priority. And if that means going independent, so be it. The Nevada win aside, UM hasn't made a notable - if a losing presence - since Eric Hayes lit it up against UCLA long before half of egriz had their baby teeth.

The BSC season prepares the Griz for nothing better than an early exit come March.

18.

WCC wasnt getting 3 teams until the zags started performing well nationally. and in turn experienced a few conference upsets that eventually put other WCC teams on the map.

that being said, i agree with you, i have felt for a while that we need to move up. we have just about hit the ceiling for where we are

[MissoulaMarinerFan]

Many, including Plodding Griz Man, miss the point. Forget the WAC. I did a long time ago.
UM must engage begin in due diligence to find a new home. Mariner's being pleased with a 14 game largely-conference produced win streak smacks of nothing more than putting lipstick on the Big Sky pig. A very ugly pig at that. For Montana March Madness is March Insanity...doing the same thing and expecting different results. Over, and over, and over...

Trust me, I hear ya there. Pleased? Yes (who wouldn't be pleased with their team winning 14 in a row at any level?), but nowhere near satisfied with the competition we played.

[SeaGrizluvr]

At least moving up to a better conference in Div 1 in basketball makes a whole hell of a lot more sense than us moving up to BCS in football!

[GrizLA]

Teams from the Ivy, Southern, and Big South conferences put up a much better fight against tougher competition today. What would you tell UNC Asheville, Davidson, or especially Harvard? Hell, Butler's in the mighty Horizon and figured out a way to make it to back to back national championship games. Try telling them to move up and on. Although the Griz have half the BSC titles in the last 10 years, they have exactly 1 regular season title. I'm not sure that's the kind of dominance that demands a move to greener pastures. So here's how I'd address the problem. Begin by scheduling more than 5 out of conference games, and set a goal of winning more than two of them. After that, we'll talk.

With the expanded conference, playing out of conference games with faster, bigger supposedly top tier schools is not likely to happen since that would involve expensive travel...On the other hand, like the other poster said, right now, UM is one big guy who does not hesitate to rebound, shoot, and rebound, away from a top 16. I think UM is going to do some major things next year...there are bad to mediocre teams in every conference, not just the Big Sky....

[GrizLA]

We are merely one athletic, six-foot-ten, 280 pound guy away from a much better tourney showing.

This

[Spanky]

I don't think so LA. We had a very good team this year that was coached by the very capable Wayne Tinkle, however, it will take regular competition against more talented teams to show consistent improvement beyond our current level of play. The big man that you talk about won't make much difference.

[Silvertip]

Nice, having tall beef is good but it's scheduling up that earns you a decent RPI and has the selection committee drooling. Consider Gonzaga, runners up in a WCC that is head and shoulders above the Sky. They played Notre Dame, Illinois, Michigan State, Arizona, Butler and Xavier this season and won all of them but one. Mark Few and his predecessors have long known that if you want to be the best you got to play the best...consistently. (And as we post, the Zags playing West Virginia, practically in their own backyard in Pittsburgh, are up by 25).

[Spanky]

Frankly, I doubt that the UM administration will make a change, however, I can tell you as one that was involved for years in an individual sport, the only way we will ever improve beyond the Big Sky level is to schedule the best in the nation on a regular basis. Otherwise, we won't progress beyond our current level of play. Many of you are satisfied with that and if so, don't complain when the selection committee isn't excited about a team coming from a conference with a RPI of 26 which doesn't get much worse.