USD Game

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: USD Game

Alumguy,
Very Nice Indeed.... ;D

[jackmd]

Re: USD Game

The father might add:

...and so did Vermillion until the Medical school, Law school, and allied health sciences school moved to Sioux Falls. Now Vermillion has a Junior College, son. ;D

[JACKGUY]

Re: USD Game

Look forward to the drive to Brookings for the big matchup tomorrow. Can't remember being this excited for a basketball tilt in a long time.

[DanceswithRabbits]

Re: USD Game

I can hear it in my head already, chants of "Let's Go Rabbits"! Jackmd, I'm not nuts 'em I? ;D

[filbert]

Re: USD Game

GAME DAY!

LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!
LET'S GO RABBITS!

(geez, I'm gonna wake the neighbors...)

[filbert]

Re: USD Game

Argus article on THE GAME...

http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Fridayarticle2.shtml

(go ahead, click on an advertiser or two...throw the Argus a bone...)

Coaches downplay NCC opener
Mick Garry
mgarry@argusleader.com

published: 1/9/2004

Jackrabbits play host to Coyotes as conference season opens tonight

The North Central Conference men's basketball season gets under way tonight at Frost Arena with all the fireworks it can muster.

In what for fans should be one of the most compelling contests of the season, if not the entire year, it's the undefeated South Dakota State men taking on rival South Dakota in a matchup that was sold out Monday afternoon.

No. 3 SDSU (16-0) is coming off a non-conference march. The Jacks, gone for Division I after this year, are riding a 26-game win streak at Frost, the second-longest home streak in Division II.

The Coyotes (10-2) meanwhile, played their first eight games without Tommie King, who received an extra semester of eligibility last spring. The preseason All-American has averaged 21 points and six rebounds in four games since his return.

It's tough to ignore the disproportionate fan interest the game is attracting in this, the final year of the NCC version of this 201-game rivalry, but both head coaches point out it's a small part of the big picture within the conference, and in terms of regional rankings - which ultimately determine NCAA playoff berths - it bears no special significance.

"There are going to be 14 tough games to prepare for," USD coach Dave Boots said. "We definitely are getting off to a tough start by playing the best team in the league, but we'll play as well as we can and see what happens. We open with them and end with them and there are a lot of tough games in between."

Nagy, who could win his 200th game tonight, agreed.

"You'd be hard-pressed to tell people that it's not a big game - most of all our fans - but in our approach, we've talked to our players a lot about placing too much importance on it. It doesn't weigh any more than any other game, in terms of how it affects you in qualifying for the NCAA playoffs."

Troubled by injuries a year ago, the Jacks nevertheless got through the NCC with a 12-4 record, good for second place. This year they've turned in the dominating pre-conference performance most expected. The Jacks eked out a 75-74 win at St. Paul-Concordia and they're coming off a 64-60 win at highly-regarded Michigan Tech. Otherwise, the games have been fairly one-sided.

SDSU leads NCC teams in margin of victory (+20.4), rebounding margin (+14.4) and rebounds (47.3 rpg) while playing a non-conference schedule that included perennial national powers. At Frost, they've outscored opponents by an average of 25.1 points.

"They can score inside and from the perimeter, and they defend both very well," Boots said. "They have some players who are really having good years for them. Plus they have the good veterans - they've been through the wars and they know how to win close games."

One of those players is Andy Moeller. The senior guard is averaging 16.4 points a game to lead the Jacks. They have four others in double-figures however, with Derrick Schantz (12.3 ppg), Matt Jones (12 ppg), Marquise Richardson (10.6 ppg) and Joe Green (10.6 ppg).

Jones' status is uncertain. The sophomore did not play last year after an extended bout with mono. He has played 12 games for the Jacks this year, but has missed the last three with a fatigue-related illness. Senior Josh Cerveny, who like Jones did not make the trip to Michigan Tech, is also uncertain, according to Nagy.

The Coyotes lost starting guard Luke Tibbetts for the season with a knee injury in the loss to Northern State. The departure makes USD, which has more depth this year than last year, fairly lean in the guard department.

"We have a lot of pretty good offensive players, so we'll probably be OK there, but defensively, we're not going to be as good without Luke," Boots said. "Everyone deals with injuries to key players, though. We're no different than anyone else."

The Coyotes top the league in scoring offense (91.9 ppg), field goal percentage (.504), and are second in scoring margin behind the Jacks (+18.8) and defensive field goal percentage (.415).

Boots said that a Coyote victory would be contingent on stopping the Jacks' knack for scoring points in bunches.

"They can put a 10-0 run on you really quick," Boots said. "It means we'll have to be very consistent from beginning to end. And obviously, you have to try to rebound with them."

Nagy calls this the best USD offense he's faced in his nine years at State.

"They put a lot of guys on the floor who can score points," Nagy said. "We'll have to do the job on them defensively because I don't think we can match up with them offensively."

[DanceswithRabbits]

Re: USD Game

Go State, Screw the "U"!