Matt Jones

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Matt Jones

Nagy said at the JC meeting last wednesday that the Training group could not find anything wrong with Green's ankle, but Joe complained of great pain. They had an MRI last week and I noticed the past weekend he was in street clothes so their could be some time out for him too. It would be great to have Joe back, but it may not happen. Sort of another mystery were the nature of his injury has not been completely defined. It may be tendons and muscles not an MD here so dont know.

[JACKGUY]

Re: Matt Jones

This is good news that Mr. Jones will be suited up. If nothing more than moral support. Maybe Nagy has a surprise for us all and Jones and Green will get in the game. He is real good at spinning the woe is us card.

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: Matt Jones

If Matt is dressing he must be getting better. Even if we can get five minutes from him that would be great. a 50% Matt Jones is still better than most NCC players. I also agree that it would be an emotional lift just to have him dressed on the sideline.

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Matt Jones

I've finally got to add my two-cents to the Matt Jones discussion. First of all, Matt Jones was one of the best young centers in the NCC two years ago. When he's 100% healthy he can compete with anyone in the league in the post.

Here's where I'm struggling. Matt played zero minutes last year and only a handful this year. So that's basically two seasons without making a significant contribution. Yet we've go four pages of speculation as to when he'll return and the impact he'll make. This is my opinion and my opinion only, but I would venture to say that the guys that are playing for SDSU this weekend are not one bit affected by Matt Jones' status at this point. Athletes learn to read their teammates and judge their value at any given time. That said, I would think that no one that is suiting up has thought they'd see Matt back in action this year and have been playing as such. Seems to me the Jacks have put together a pretty good run without Matt and at this point trying to add another cog to the machine could hurt more than it could help. While Jackrabbit fans would get a rise out of seeing Matt step on the court, and yes, it could have a momentary impact on the players, in the long run the players on the court get over it and play on.

At this point if I'm Scott Nagy or Doug Jones, my main concern is seeing Matt's health return to normal so that he can live a long and healthy life. Basketball in regard to Matt Jones should be way down the list of priorities unless he is deemed 100% healthy.

My thoughts, and I know some of you will disagree and I respect that.

[jackmd]

Re: Matt Jones

I agree 100% and made the same statement back at the time we were struggling in the early NCC season. Once the team accepted the fact that Matt may no be back this year they sucked it up and started playing to their potential. I am almost certain that the players and coaches on this team are prepared to win it all with or without Matt's contribution. Its just much tougher without. I wish Matt and his family the best. I visited with him last week and he seems in good spirits. I anticipate a full recovery, it just takes time.

[Guest]

Re: Matt Jones

Could someone post what Nagy says during the pregame interview? I won't make it to the radio until after the game starts.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Matt Jones

Matt and Joe Green suited and also played quiet a few minutes. Matt got one dunk and a couple other buckets.

UNO kind of keep him under raps, but as he gets back to form, I expect he will really make a difference in a game in the near. future. It looks like its back to Omaha for the NCC Final Four.

Apparently, Matt has recovered nicely and he was not in true form. Joe Green has a tendonititis thing, I did not expect him to play much either, but he did. I dont know if they gave a cortosone shot or what but he did okay.

[jackmd]

Re: Matt Jones

This helps explain the speculation.  Nice to have Matt back!!  His impact will be greater than I anticipated.  After a horrible weekend and an uninspired first 35 minutes (excluding the first 2) Matt provided the pick-me-up we needed.  I'm easy, I know, but I am pumped up!!  GO GET'em Jacksrabbits!!

Here's where I'm struggling. Matt played zero minutes last year and only a handful this year. So that's basically two seasons without making a significant contribution. Yet we've go four pages of speculation as to when he'll return and the impact he'll make. This is my opinion and my opinion only, but I would venture to say that the guys that are playing for SDSU this weekend are not one bit affected by Matt Jones' status at this point. Athletes learn to read their teammates and judge their value at any given time. That said, I would think that no one that is suiting up has thought they'd see Matt back in action this year and have been playing as such. Seems to me the Jacks have put together a pretty good run without Matt and at this point trying to add another cog to the machine could hurt more than it could help. While Jackrabbit fans would get a rise out of seeing Matt step on the court, and yes, it could have a momentary impact on the players, in the long run the players on the court get over it and play on.

Jacks Win, Face USD Again
South Dakota State opened the game with 12-0 run, but needed a 14-0 spurt late in the second half to overcome a six-point deficit and defeat the University of North Dakota 74-63 in the Wells Fargo Finals quarterfinals Tuesday night at Frost Arena.

SDSU will advance to semifinals Friday in Omaha, facing the University of South Dakota, an 97-82 winner over Minnesota State, Mankato Tuesday. North Dakota State, which defeated St. Cloud State 87-74, will face North Central Conference regular-season champion Nebraska-Omaha in the other semifinal game.

It took UND eight minutes to score at the start of the game, but eight minutes later it was 16-14. SDSU held on for a 25-20 halftime lead.

SDSU led 40-30 with 15 minutes to play, but UND came back to tie the game at 48. Then Evan Lindahl’s layup with 4:15 to play put UND ahead 60-54.

Derrick Schantz hit a three-pointer to start SDSU’s 14-0 run. Then Matt Jones got a layup and with 2:35 to play, Jake Wenig drove for a layup, was fouled and hit the free throw putting SDSU on top for good at 62-60.

Jones, who missed 16 games before playing at Omaha Friday night, logged 18 minutes off the bench and led the Jacks with a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double. He was 6-for-8 from the field for a team which shot just 41.4 per cent (24x58).

Andy Moeller, who scored on a running jumper in the lane and added four free throws in the closing two minutes, added 12 points while Schantz finished with 11.

Mike Johnson scored 15 of his 19 points after halftime as he was the only UND player in double figures.

SDSU improved to 26-5 for the season, tying the school record for victories in a season. The 1985 team, coached by Gene Zulk, finished 26-7 and Scott Nagy’s 1998 team was 26-3.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 74, NORTH DAKOTA 63
NORTH DAKOTA (14-14)
Evan Lindahl 4-16 0-0 9, Adam Jacobson 1-6 2-2 5, Todd Rypkema 4-9 0-0 8,
Mike Johnson 7-15 2-3 19, Jade Jahner 2-3 0-0 6, Dan Dahl 3-5 0-0 8, Steve
Bradley 1-1 0-0 2, Aaron Austin 0-2 0-0 0, Germel Stoute 0-1 0-0 0, Jared
Wells 1-2 4-4 6. Totals 23-60 8-9 63.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (26-5)
Jared Gass 2-4 0-0 5, Derrick Schantz 4-9 2-2 11, Josh Cerveny 1-1 1-2 3,
Andy Moeller 3-11 4-4 12, Marquise Richardson 2-9 0-0 4, Jake Wenig 2-5 1-1
5, Joe Green 1-3 4-4 6, Ben Beran 2-4 0-0 4, Matt Jones 6-8 10-14 22; Jared
DeJong 1-2 0-0 2; Calvin Melaney 0-1 0-0 0; Luke Geiver 0-1 0-0 0; Andy
Kleinjan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-58 22-27 74.

North Dakota.................. 20 43 - 63
South Dakota State............ 25 49 - 74

3-pt FG-UND 9-27 (Johnson 3-6; Jahner 2-3; Dahl 2-4; Lindahl 1-8; Jacobson
1-5; Austin 0-1), SDSU 4-19 (Moeller 2-7; Gass 1-2; Schantz 1-3; Richardson
0-3; Geiver 0-1; Wenig 0-2; Green 0-1). Rebounds- UND 34 (Dahl 6), SDSU 41
(Jones 11). Fouls-UND 21, SDSU 13. Fouled out-UND- Rypkema, SDSU -None.
Assists-UND 12 (Lindahl 3), SDSU 10 (Moeller 4). Steals - UND 2 (Jacobson,
Dahl), SDSU 9 (Richardson 3). Blocked shots-UND 4 (Stoute 2), SDSU 3
(Cerveny, Melaney, Beran). Turnovers- UND 15, SDSU 12. Attendance-2294

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Matt Jones

I'm very happy to see that I was wrong about Matt's importance.

[JACKGUY]

Re: Matt Jones

I had a chance to take in the game and while Matt doesn't have the explosiveness as he has had in the past he is still easily the best player on the court. We had for a time Jones and Melaney on the court at the same time and talk about shot blocking and physical rebounding capabilities. I think Matt will be able to change outcomes of games if he can give us what he did on Tuesday. A 50% Matt Jones is better than most of the DII players. He plays so much bigger than he is as you forget he is just 6'6.