North Central Regional (time change and results)

[filbert]

Re: North Central Regional

Probably the best of all possible draws for the Rabbits.  Northern's always dangerous, but given the other alternatives, I'll take my chances with the Wolves.

[jackmd]

Re: North Central Regional

Don't hold me to it but I think we will play the late game on Saturday night and Sunday night, too (if we beat NSU).

I believe the same will hold true for the women except the games are Friday and Saturday in St. Paul.

[jackmd]

Re: North Central Regional

Host Metropolitan is 28-2 with a 26-game win streak, and will face another Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foe, Mesa State, 19-9, in the first round.

South Dakota State, 26-6, gets a rematch with Northern Sun tournament champion Northern State, 24-6.

NCC champion Nebraska-Omaha, 22-7, and the University of South Dakota, 21-9, get a rematch of their Wells Fargo Finals title game, and Bemidji State, 20-9, the NSIC regular-season champion, faces Nebraska-Kearney, 26-4.


In the men’s tournament, Nebraska-Kearney, Metropolitan and SDSU are back from last year’s field.
Nebraska-Omaha won the North Central Conference regular season and postseason titles, and is 22-7 overall entering NCAA tournament play with a seven-game win streak. The last six of those games were at home. The Mavericks swept the season series against SDSU, including a 74-63 decision on the final weekend of the regular-season, a game which put UNO in first place in the NCC standings. UNO split with USD in the regular season, then defeated the Coyotes 82-70 in the Wells Fargo title game last weekend. UNO is in the NCAA playoffs for the ninth time and has a 6-10 record.

South Dakota was the NCC pre-season favorite to win the title, struggled some at mid-season, but came on strong at the end to secure a playoff berth. The Coyotes are led by Tommie King’s 21.9 points per game, but also have a deadly perimeter game, with 254 three-point baskets led by Derek Paben’s 86.USD is making its tenth NCAA playoff appearance, and is 15-8 including a national championship in 1958.

South Dakota State was ranked as high as No. 2 in the country during the season, and had a sporty 16-0 record against non-conference competition, but the Jacks have struggled of late. After averaging around 90 points per game most of the season, SDSU has scored just 67.2 per game over the last four starts, and shot just 36.4 per cent from the field (90x247) including just 20-of-83 on three-point attempts (24.1 per cent). SDSU is led by senior forward Derrick Schantz and junior guard Andy Moeller, both members of the 1,000 point club.

Northern State ended the Minnesota-Duluth string of NSIC men's basketball Tournament titles by downing the Bulldogs 63-58 Sunday. The Wolves are now 24-6 after finishing second, behind Bemidji, in the NSIC regular season. Steve Smiley was the NSIC postseason MVP. Sophomores Adam Grant and Matt hammer each earned first-team all-conference honors, while Smiley, a senior, was the league Defensive Player of the Year. Northern, which won the regional in 1998, is making its fifth NCAA playoff appearance, and has a 3-4 NCAA record.

Metropolitan State, 28-2, has won 26 in a row. Metro has become a perennial threat to win the NCAA title under coach Mike Dunlap. The Roadrunners have won national titles every other year, in 2000 and 2002, so this fits the sequence. They were also in the title game in 1999. Jackrabbit killer Luke Kendall is still around, leading the team in scoring witha 13.5 average. he scored 38 against the Jacks in Metro’s 87-86 victory in the 2002 regional finals. Lester Strong was also a starter on the team which won the regional at Brookings two years ago. He’s getting 12.4 ppg. And Michael Morse, who transferred from Northern Colorado, is at 12.1 on a team which has five starters scoring in double figures. Morse tapped the Jacks for 39 points when UNC beat SDU 97-85 at Greeley in 2002. This is Metro’s seventh straight NCAA appearance and ninth overall, and they have a 21-6 playoff record.

Nebraska-Kearney is the defending regional champion and is in the playoffs for the third straight year. Kearney is 26-4, and three of the losses have been to Metro: 88-73, 104-79 and 99-78 Sunday in the RMAC finals. UNK’s Nick Branting, a 6-6 senior, is one of the top players around. He starte the season with over 1000 career points (1028) and is getting 22.5 points per game this year. This is the seventh NCAA tournament for Kearney, and sixth since 1996. They are 5-7 in NCAA play.

Bemidji State, 20-9, won the NSIC regular season title at 14-2, then lost to Minnesota-Duluth in the playoff semifinals. Bemidji is led by Charles Hanks, getting 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 59.5 per cent from the field. Bemidji State is making its first appearance in the NCAA playoffs.

Mesa State, the eighth seed, finished 19-9 but won the Western Division of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. No player on their roster has started every game. The Bucs leading scorer, David Dunbar, is getting 10.7 ppg, the only player averaging in double figures. This is Mesa’s fourth trip to the NCAA playoffs, and first since 1999. They are 0-4 in tournament play.

[jackmd]

Re: North Central Regional

Both SDSU Teams Advance To NCAA Basketball Playoffs
For the third straight year, both South Dakota State University basketball team have qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The men’s North Central Region, hosted by Metropolitan State in Denver, is Saturday-Sunday-Tuesday at the Auraria Events Center.

For the men, it’s their 24th apperance overall. The Jacks have a 35-22 NCAA record in 23 previous appearances including a national champion in 1963, a runner-up finish in 1985, and a third-place finish in 1961.

SDSU went 1-1 last year, defeating Fort Hays 84-78 in the opening round before losing to Nebraska-Kearney 86-85 in the semi-finals of the region, hosted by Nebraska-Kearney.
Overall, it’s the fifth time (1992, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004) that both SDSU basketball teams have qualified for the playoffs.

Combined, the two SDSU teams are 49-12 this winter, a .803 won-lost percentage. In addition, they were 29-2 (.935 won-lost percentage) at home, with the men 16-1 (losing to Nebraska-Omaha) and the women 13-1 (losing to NDSU).

http://www.ncaasports.com/images/nca...acket_2004.pdf

[jackmd]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

South Dakota State will meet Northern State at 6 p.m. MT Saturday in first-round action of the North Central Regional in Denver, Colo.

First-round matchups and starting times are listed below. Ticket information will be posted when it becomes available.

#3 Nebraska-Omaha (22-7) vs. #6 South Dakota (21-9), noon MT
#2 Nebraska-Kearney (26-4) vs. #7 Bemidji State (Minn.) (20-9), 2:30 p.m. MT
#4 South Dakota State (26-6) vs. #5 Northern State (24-6), 6 p.m. MT
#1 Metropolitan State (28-2) vs. #8 Mesa State (Colo.) (19-9), 8:30 p.m. MT

[89rabbit]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Here is a link to the Brackets:

http://campus.umr.edu/sports/bracket.html

Go State!

[nsufan]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Jackmd, filber, 89rabbit - really enjoy your posts here and on bisonville & siouxsports. This board is usually more enjoyable reading then those boards. To much garbage & trash talking there.

While I am glad the wolves are in the regional and I feel deservedly so, anything beyond this point is a bonus. I feel our best years are ahead of us. We start 3 sophomores and only have 1 senior & 2 juniors who play. Waiting in the wings is a 7' athletic center who had to sit out this year. His final choices came down to Kentucky Wesleyan, Northern Michigan & NSU. I think with SDSU leaving, NSU will become the team to look out for in the region.

Also, while it will be exciting for SDSU to go D1, I will miss the rivalry that we have had with them. The NSU/Jackrabbit game at home is always the best attended game every year & I believe it is usually one of your better attended games also. I have heard that we may play one more year though (hope so).

Good luck Wolves & Rabbits and may the best team win!

[Crashola]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Welcome Aboard NSUFan! I too will miss the Northern-SDSU rivalry. While the State-U rivalry was more of a culture clash than anything else, the rivalry with Northern was always about two great basketball programs and two universities/cities that are nuts about hoops. I'll even venture to say that the folks in Aberdeen are more nuts about basketball than the folks in Brookings.

[jackmd]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

If you don't fish or hunt (what the hell are you doing in Aberdeen?), basketball is the only thing to be nuts about. I suspect the SDSU and NSU contingency will be similar in size out in Denver.

[filbert]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Of the four D-II programs in SD, the only other one I had true, unvarnished respect for is Northern. Augie had too much attitude without anything to back it up, USD was like an annoying little kid brother who didn't know better.

Northern is a basketball program to respect. I hope we can treat you to some D-I paydays in Brookings in the coming years...

[Crashola]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Northern is a basketball program to respect.  I hope we can treat you to some D-I paydays in Brookings in the coming years...

With State going D-I, perhaps NSU will get a better chance at hosting some regionals in the second-best basketball venue in the state.  

[filbert]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Of the four D-II programs in SD, the only other one I had true, unvarnished respect for is Northern.  Augie had too much attitude without anything to back it up, USD was like an annoying little kid brother who didn't know better.

Northern is a basketball program to respect.  I hope we can treat you to some D-I paydays in Brookings in the coming years...

OH, NO!!!!!!

My comment about USD could possibly be taken as...

ARROGANT!!!!

AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I'd have said snotty, ill-behaved spoiled brat kid brother, but we don't have a smack board here...)

[nsufan]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

filbert,

Myself and most fans I know, have the same respect for SDSU. You have to respect a program that plays hard, coaches hard and has respectful knowledgable fans.

It's for the same reasons that I don't care for USD. None of the above seems to apply to them. Even though they are from SD, I hope UNO is able to beat them again in the regional.

[89rabbit]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

I too respect the Wolves. They will be my favorite D-II team in the Region starting next year.

Go State!
Go Wolves (next year).

[jackmd]

Re: North Central Regional (game times)

Regional capsules now available. No picture for the Jacks.

http://campus.umr.edu/sports/ncreg.html