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

[Silvertip]

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.

UC Davis and Cal Poly get it! They're joining the BSC as affiliate football-only members. They sure as hell won't find any worse basketball competition on the coast - and most likely better. UM needs to wiseup and end half a century as the selfless caregiver of the Big Sky hospice.

[Kabooom]

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!

How about the Griz apply to the West Coast Conference for B-Ball membership?? We....might want to get used to being a bit lower in the pecking order in the WCC if that were to happen though...I say all the better. It's obvious the Griz need to play better competition than what's available with the Big Sky... if they wish to be seeded higher for March tournament play. Could Montana have a successfull transition to the WCC? I dont think swithcing to the WCC would hurt attendance....I think the WCC affiliation would also benefit recruiting don't you think??

Big Sky for all other sports??

Would the WCC even want us?

Cal Poly , and UC Davis start Football only in the Big Sky next year, and will remain in the Big West for B-Ball....Maybe those two schools are onto something??.....

Do the Griz have the leverage to do something like this??

[Grizmayor]

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.

This.

[Silvertip]

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.

This.

...and you're still playing 16 or more games against teams in a conference that has zero credibility and a combined RPI you can count on the fingers of one hand... Big help,that...

[EverettGriz]

As I stated above, there's no doubt Montana must schedule better games -- and win a few of them -- in the nonconference season. But Tip is right: it's the BSC that's killing the Griz. There were, what?, 4 teams in the conference with RPIs under 300?? And next year, you can likely throw two more in there. Let's be honest, you shouldn't go on the road in a conference game, win by 26 and see your RPI drop by 17 like it did a few times to the Griz this year. That's simply unacceptable.

So either the conference must improve drastically, or UM needs to improve its conference. For my money, I'd say the latter is far more likely.

[Jaredkuehn]

I think you could make the argument that Montana is effectivley "moving down" by staying in the BSC. The addition of North Dakota and Southern Utah isn't doing the BSC or UM any favors. I'm guessing they'll effectively lower the conference RPI and the addition of two more teams to the conference schedule makes scheduling quality non-conference opponents that much more difficult. YIKES, where does that downward spiral end?

There was a time when the BSC was regularly ranked as the 15th-17th (ish) best conference in the nation...a true MID-major conference. I'm affraid I don't see the conference RPI ever getting above 20 in its current formation...Hell I'd be happy just to APPROACH 20 on the RPI list. I hope I'm wrong, but the situation seems pretty dire for Grizzly Basketball.

[HighLineGRIZ]

I agree with scheduling a tougher OOC schedule. No reason we can't work out a deal with Gonzaga, St. Marys, BYU, UNLV, or some programs from the power conferences. If we want to compete with the big boys we have to start playing with the big boys.

[Jaredkuehn]

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!

How about the Griz apply to the West Coast Conference for B-Ball membership?? We....might want to get used to being a bit lower in the pecking order in the WCC if that were to happen though...I say all the better. It's obvious the Griz need to play better competition than what's available with the Big Sky... if they wish to be seeded higher for March tournament play. Could Montana have a successfull transition to the WCC? I dont think swithcing to the WCC would hurt attendance....I think the WCC affiliation would also benefit recruiting don't you think??

Big Sky for all other sports??

Would the WCC even want us?

Cal Poly , and UC Davis start Football only in the Big Sky next year, and will remain in the Big West for B-Ball....Maybe those two schools are onto something??.....

Do the Griz have the leverage to do something like this??

I've often thought about this myself. The WCC is currently made up of all private colleges, so UM currently doesnt fit the mold. For that reason, I don't see that move happening any time soon. If UM could go to the WCC for all sports and stay in the BSC as a football only, I think that would be a pretty sweet deal!

[HighLineGRIZ]

San Diego State couldn't get into the WCC. I doubt we could. Like it or not, I don't see us leaving the BSC anytime soon. The WAC would probably consider taking us, but the only way we move there is if the football program moves there to. The BSC wouldn't keep us football only. The options just aren't there unfortunatly. Also, as weak as the BSC has been, we still haven't completely dominated. N. Colorado won the bid last year, PSU a couple years before that, and Weber definitely rivals us. All we can hope for is stronger OOC schedule and for the other programs to get better.

[votb]

Will the Board of Regents let UM go anywhere without MSU...even if its just basketball? If they did you might get into the Big West...but I see your chances of getting into the WCC as about 1 in a hundred( considering they're all private, religious-based institutions). Another question (just to stay grounded in reality here)...let's say you schedule 4 to 5 away games (they won't come to Missoula initially, although you might be able to schedule 2-for-1s) with top-40 RPI teams. You've got to beat them to help your own RPI and raise your NCAA tournament seeding levels. Playing those teams and losing won't cut it. In the past 5 years ISU has lost in OT at Illinois and BYU...lost by a bucket at Wisconsin, lost by 4 at Oklahoma (this year)...and beat Utah in Pocatello 4 years ago. It didn't help ISU's RPI squat. It made the strength of schedule better...but you've got to win those so-called money games consistently to make them count anything. Then you've got to keep winning the conference tournament to make it to the dance.
What other conferences want Montana...besides the WAC? Utah State and Louisiana Tech will soon be invited into the Conf-USA/Mountain West hybrid...and that will cap that conference and effectively kill the WAC(I guess you could always play Denver, Texas-Arlington, Texas-San Antonio and Texas State...some great rivalries there). Idaho, San Jose State and New Mexico State are going to be conference-shopping. San Jose State might well drop football and go basketball only to the Big West like Fullerton and Long Beach State did years ago. New Mexico State is out in the cold...and nobody(trust me), nobody wants Idaho...too remote for travel and no media market...which is also a stumbling block for Montana with no media market. You have lots of fans scattered everywhere...but not enough to be a "media market". Portland State and Sac State are in media markets...and no one cares.

I totally understand your frustration...but schools don't usually get to pick the conferences they want to be in...they have to be invited. Now maybe there's some stuff going on with the WCC or the PAC-12 with Montana that I'm not imagining...if there is...good luck. I just don't see you guys leaving the Big Sky without MSU. The WAC would probably take you both...but with Boise State and Fresno and Nevada and Utah State all gone...we already know YOU don't want the WAC. You truly have a dilemma...

[Tokyogriz]

The Big Sky Conference is a joke in all sports. Only Montana in Football atually has any credibility in any sport other than skiing and rodeo.

Can the Griz ever compete in the NCAAs? If they move up to a decent conference they could yes. The big suck conference will NEVER be anything other than a joke in the the tourney. But even then how far would they go? .... Basketball is pretty elite tbh but if Montana moved out of the Big Suck ass conference we would most likely get past the 1st round on a regular basis.

[votb]

The Big Sky Conference is a joke in all sports. Only Montana in Football atually has any credibility in any sport other than skiing and rodeo.

Can the Griz ever compete in the NCAAs? If they move up to a decent conference they could yes. The big suck conference will NEVER be anything other than a joke in the the tourney. But even then how far would they go? .... Basketball is pretty elite tbh but if Montana moved out of the Big Suck ass conference we would most likely get past the 1st round on a regular basis.

yes...the Big Sky is not a good conference...but I'm still waiting to see the list of conferences lining up with an invitation...besides the dying WAC. You don't just walk into a conference and say "Step aside...we're here to make you better!" (although you definitely could do that with the WAC)

[Tokyogriz]

The WAC is better than the big suck conference dude even with its turmoil atm. The WAC teams are not going to join the big suck conference. They will reform into another conference and that conference will also be better than the crappy one we are in atm.

but hey thank god we had the University of Great Falls to warm up on this year. Really helped us prep for the NCAA tourney. God knows the teams in the WAC sure would have liked to had that game as well.....

University of Great falls, Western State, SUU, northern colorado.....etc ...etc fun to watch a team win and dominate wanna be high school level teams but when push comes to shove it is just a jerk off for fans afraid of losing. Weak sports schedules make people like alpha, grizmayor, noser, playa happy and feel like winners but do nothing for making our team actually play better at the national level. One positive side is many if not most of the good football teams in fcs are leaving so that wont be as much of an issue soon in that sport. We will probably dominate the championship of Juco/FCS football in a brutal way soon with the dissapearance of any real competition.

[EverettGriz]

The Big Sky Conference is a joke in all sports. Only Montana in Football atually has any credibility in any sport other than skiing and rodeo.

Can the Griz ever compete in the NCAAs? If they move up to a decent conference they could yes. The big suck conference will NEVER be anything other than a joke in the the tourney. But even then how far would they go? .... Basketball is pretty elite tbh but if Montana moved out of the Big Suck ass conference we would most likely get past the 1st round on a regular basis.

yes...the Big Sky is not a good conference...but I'm still waiting to see the list of conferences lining up with an invitation...besides the dying WAC. You don't just walk into a conference and say "Step aside...we're here to make you better!" (although you definitely could do that with the WAC)

That invite is coming. And sooner than most in this conference want.

[votb]

From who?

[EverettGriz]

Voice, you know better: that should be, "from whom".




(and you gotta wait and see with the rest of the class).

[Growler1]

The Griz can never be what Gonzaga is.

[WyomingGrizFan]

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

If you got the fifty million to allow it, that is.

[moose/squirrel]

. And if that means going independent, so be it.

Though I agree the Big Sky sucks, name me the other independents in D1 hoops and how this would inprove the bb program. You can't because there are none of consequence other than programs like SUU who move up and are fishing for a conference. Let's see your list of indy bb programs that matter...you can't because there aren't any.

You seem to obsess because the Griz aren't FBS in football and it carries over to hoops. Anyone with a clear mind can see we are heading to super conferences in football in the near future, say 4 of them with 16 to 20 members. The math works, 2 division winners per conference, 8 in the playoffs, voila.

We will never be in this mix (Boise State will be on the outside looking in as well), so relax, when the dust settles we can form a conference with peers like CSU, NM, USU, et.al., not to mention the MAC, CUSA, Big East, Big 12 and all those not in the Big 10, Pac 12, ACC, and SEC that are left when this happens.

Until this shakes out there is no reason to join a doomed WAC or Mountain West for football. In 5 years it will make sense and I would love to see us compete with these schools and look forward to it.

[votb]

Voice, you know better: that should be, "from whom".




(and you gotta wait and see with the rest of the class).

I am so totally embarrassed...I certainly will wait to see from "whom" an invite is received...

[Unwrittengriz]

San Diego State couldn't get into the WCC. I doubt we could. Like it or not, I don't see us leaving the BSC anytime soon. The WAC would probably consider taking us, but the only way we move there is if the football program moves there to. The BSC wouldn't keep us football only. The options just aren't there unfortunatly. Also, as weak as the BSC has been, we still haven't completely dominated. N. Colorado won the bid last year, PSU a couple years before that, and Weber definitely rivals us. All we can hope for is stronger OOC schedule and for the other programs to get better.

I have a hard time believing the Big Sky wouldn't keep UM for football only. Cal Poly & UC Davis are football only. Montana & to a lesser extent MSU are the only schools that keep the BSC above a DII level conference for football. It sounds arrogant but the Big Sky would be a joke w/o the Montana schools & would probably do whatever it could to keep them, even if it were for football only.

[EverettGriz]

It sounds arrogant but the Big Sky would be a joke w/o the Montana schools & would probably do whatever it could to keep them

This is where I would disagree. Frankly, it seems to me -- particularly lately -- that the BSC is not taking any actions to try to keep UM in the league. Every decision they've made has hurt Montana, not helped them. I think the conference knows that Montana is gone sooner or later anyway so they aren't about to make any special concessions, even though everyone knows Montana not only drives the BSC bus, but they build the bus, own the bus and pave the roads the bus drives on.

Montana needs to stop holding up a conference, but rather go to a conference that benefits Montana.

[Unwrittengriz]

It sounds arrogant but the Big Sky would be a joke w/o the Montana schools & would probably do whatever it could to keep them

Montana needs to stop holding up a conference, but rather go to a conference that benefits Montana.

Agree 100%

[Paytonlives]

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

If you got the fifty million to allow it, that is.

It would not cost anything to get in another bball league... in fact UM would make more money.

WAC
Mountain West
Big West
@ West Coast are

ALL BETTER OPTIONS!!!!

[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.

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.

Creighton, a seasoned, regular NCAA tournament participant, had 28 wins out of the Missouri Valley Conference including Long Beach State, San Diego State, Wichita State, and 3 Big Ten wins and they were only an 8 seed. What do you expect? What is the lowest seed that would satisfy you?

I'm all for tougher competition, but for all we know, the Griz might not even have a coach a month from now. The Griz need more boosters and season ticket holders. Baby steps.