Northern State (Regionals)

[89rabbit]

Well the playoffs start Saturday, so I thought I would start a NSU Regionals thread. Although I respect the Wolves I think this was a great opening game for us. Perhaps playing someone we beat pretty handily (SDSU 96 - NSU 57) earlier in the season, will help us get out of our offensive woes.

Its time to snap out of it and play like the Jackrabbits that started the season 17-0. There are no more second chances! Go Jackrabbits, beat the Wolves!

Here is a link to Northern's site:

http://www.northern.edu/athletics/De.../mbb/HOME.html

Go State!

[89rabbit]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Here is a link to a story from the Aberdeen paper:

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aber...ts/8159086.htm

Northern senior goes home to show off defensive talent

By Eric Burgess

American News Sports Writer

Steve Smiley is possibly the happiest person of all regarding the fact that the Northern State men's basketball team qualified for this year's North Central Regional.

The tournament, which is being hosted by Metropolitan State in Denver Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, is being held where Smiley grew up. . . .

. . . .Smiley and the Wolves are also excited about their first-round opponent.

"We're really excited about getting a chance to play them (SDSU) again after December," Smiley said of the matchup that SDSU won 96-57. "We are a much different team. We were really young back then and it was early in the season. We're just excited to get another chance to play against them. We feel really good about how we're playing right now and we feel that we've come a long way. That's the one team that we were hoping to play, so we're really excited to be playing against them." . . .


Go State!

[Alumguy]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Coach Don Meyer has done a nice job with the Wolves. He had a tough go in the beginning of his tenure at NSU and many of their fans were upset.

The thing I find amusing is that how much things have changed. When SDSU and NSU began playing each other in the early '90s the Wolves fans were fond of saying, "At least we are winning with South Dakota players." They demonstrated great pride in saying this over and over again. Almost to the point of being smug about it. It was their way of saying, "SDSU might win, but their kids aren't home grown. At least we do it with South Dakota kids." I heard this hundreds of times, sometimes from our own fans.

Look at Northern's roster. Three kids from South Dakota and only one plays, that being Hammer from Elkton.

I wonder what they are saying in Aberdeen now? Maybe they forgot what they used to say because they are winning. Funny how a thing like that changes your tune.

Don't get me wrong, I will be rooting for Northern in the years to come. I just wanted to get this off my chest because I heard that stupid comment from their fans all the time. I'll bet that they don't say that up there anymore. Reality has finally struck home.

[nsufan]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Alumguy,

That was pretty much the way it was (although there are still a few people wish it was still that way). A team could compete at the NAIA level with local players. This all changed when we went D2. There's just not enough D2 basketball players in the state to go around much less make a complete team.

Post season is normally a time when upperclassmen step up and take control. The Jackrabbits have that leadership and have been in the regional the past few years. I'm really concerned about the youth of our team (we only have 3 upperclassmen who play). I am just hoping they play well and use this experience to help them the next few years.

Jones should be rested after a week. But from the looks of the past few weeks it appears he can only last a game or so before he tires out. Do you think he will play the first game or will they take a chance and try to save him?

[Charger13]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

"We're really excited about getting a chance to play them.... We're just excited to get another chance to play against them.... That's the one team that we were hoping to play, so we're really excited to be playing against them." . . .

I think he might be excited to be playing against us.

[JACKGUY]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Interesting your question about Jones as I have been thinking about the same thing. Of course we have to win Sat to play Sun but I think if we can get a decent lead on Northern they will rest Jones as much as possible. If SDSU beats NSU we will need Jones big time against Metro and I doubt he can play long minutes effectively on both nights. Did Jones play against Northern in the first game? I don't believe so.

[Guest]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

No offensive to northern, I'm sure they are playing better lately, but the competition they have been playing better against is pretty weak NSIC schools. I think that they might be in for a shock when the game starts. I think everyone should remember that they were playing pretty well before they played us (undefeated bfore they played us) in december. On the other hand, the way the rabbits have been playing lately, I'm almost afraid to say anything about the game.

[nsufan]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Jackguy, Jones & Wening both scored 17 points against NSU in the first game.

Ron, for the most part the NSIC is weak this year. But we did have non-conference wins against NDSU & USD.

Northern's achilles heel for most of the year is one of the Jackrabbits biggest strengths - Rebounding!! Unless the wolves are able to stay close in that department it should be a definite Jack win. If we're able to keep that fairly even I look for a closer game.

The Jacks haven't been playing well recently and I hope this isn't the game they bust loose. I think everybody knows if they are at the top of their game, it will be hard for anybody to beat them.

[JACKGUY]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

The Jacks absolutley dominated the NSIC this year with only one close game that being at lowly Concordia and winning by just one point. I agree that if Jacks dominate the Boards which they have done all year even in the losses we should win this game. Our guards continue to rebound well with the big guys.

[89rabbit]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Well the Argus ran a story about tonight's game and of course they combined the story to talk about USD, SDSU, and NSU in that order.

http://www.argusleader.com/sidebar/S...article3.shtml

USD, SDSU men ready for region
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com

published: 3/13/2004

Jacks open against Northern today

Dave Boots might be tired of seeing North Central Conference champion Nebraska-Omaha, but the longtime University of South Dakota men's coach also knows his players should appreciate an NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament appearance.

"We're just excited about the opportunity to get into the national tournament. It's very difficult to get into," said Boots, who today leads the Coyotes into their first North Central regional since 1999-2000. "Our region is very competitive, with three conferences competing for the eight spots. To earn one is a nice reward.

"It doesn't matter who you're playing. You're going to have to play a great basketball game to win at a national tournament." . . .

What Chris fails to mention in his article is that although it is "very difficult" for USD to get into the Regionals, it is not for SDSU. The Jackrabbits have gone to the Regionals 8 out of the last 9 years. We have been 23 times 3rd most all time in NCAA D-II history, but that is Chris for you.

Good Luck tonight Jacks, lets make our last D-II Tournament a memorable one!

Go State!

[jackmd]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

I think Chris means well but the slant on most of his writing seems to favor USD.  This is a long-term trend for the Argus, long before Chris arrived.  There is clear favoritism for schools and teams south of I-90.  Granted, this is logical from a geographical standpoint, but if the Argus wants to portray itself as "the paper" for eastern S.D. they have a lot of work to do.

[89rabbit]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Doc,

Agreed that this is nothing new in how the Argus covers the two schools. I am not sure that Chris means well however judging from his choice of words. I am not sure Why is it logical from a geographic stand point. Sioux Falls is about in the middle. It makes sense from a "who owns the Argus" stand point, but not geographic or business stand point (SDSU is bigger and is the Ag College in an Ag State). Just looking for a little clairification.

[jackmd]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

89,

The geographic standpoint I am talking about is more in reference to coverage of high school sports and amatuer baseball. I played high school sports for a team in northeast S.D. that won the state football championship 3 straight years. Each year we were chosen as underdogs by the Argus because we were playing teams in the southern or southeast part of the state. The explanation we received was that a larger portion of their subscribers live in that geographical location so they were essentially trying to please their readership (if thats a word). I could site more examples but I am certain no one cares.

As for my use of the word "logical", I think of the decision as one that is consistent with the Argus' approach to all news in S.D. especially as it applies to SDSU. In no way do I intend logical to be interpreted as meaning "correct, accurate, or appropriate." Does this clarify things?

[89rabbit]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Doc,

I see your point. I too know what it is like to be picked as underdogs. When I played for the Bobcats we were picked to lose all three of our Playoff games on our way to the Schools first Football Championship. My favorite was the Argus picking Watertown over Brookings. Final Score: Brookings Bobcats 42 - Watertown Arrows 7. Missed it by just a little.

Go State!

[89rabbit]

Re: Northern State (Regionals)

Here is a good Story from the Aberdeen paper. I do feel that I need to share the fact that the Regionals are PART of the "National Tournament". We call it the NCAA Men's D-II National Tournament, it just like the "Big Dance" only for D-II schools.

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aber...ws/8178224.htm

Posted on Sat, Mar. 13, 2004





Northern players on road to national tournament

'Awesome foursome' to help team take on SDSU tonight in Denver

By Eric Burgess

American News Sports Writer


Call them the awesome foursome.

When the Northern State men's basketball team plays South Dakota State at 9:30 tonight in Denver to start what it hopes to be a path to the national tournament, it will be relying on sophomores Matt Hammer, Aaron Busack, Adam Grant and Taite Plaas.

"We were not ecstatic about how our sophomores were playing earlier in the year, because we just were not getting complete games from them," said NSU head coach Don Meyer, whose team is in the North Central Regional Tournament tonight. "They were learning how to step up from being guys who came in as freshmen. Somewhere along the line, they understood that it was time to grow up, step up and play every night on both ends of the floor." . . .

. . ."We won't lie, we're looking forward to the next couple of years," Hammer said. "Our goal is to host the region some year before we're gone. But right now all we're concerned about is the SDSU game. That's the game we're looking forward to right now."


Go Jackrabbits! ;D