Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota St.

[Jacks99]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

Great win! Unfortunately I wasn't able to listen. Many positives from this game. A big negative I see is how bad it makes the team up to know look, when 3 new players with one practice can get the team over the hump.

I'd love to see some picks of the FB players. I expect an even bigger crowd at Mondays game, need to see if I can get up there....

[jack100]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aber...s/13791034.htm


Posted on Sat, Feb. 04, 2006
Football players energize Jackrabbits
By John PapendickAmerican News Sports Editor
Give credit to the South Dakota State men's basketball team.
The Jackrabbits overcame a lot of adversity to beat Southwest Minnesota State 70-66 on Thursday night at Frost Arena.
With two starters suspended earlier in the week as police continue their investigation into an alleged sexual assault on the Brookings campus, the Jackrabbits were down to eight active players, including a couple of walk-ons.
The Jacks also were coming off an extended road trip that resulted in three losses. Plus, they were playing their only Division II opponent of the season.
Last year, visiting Southwest beat SDSU 93-55 in the Jacks' first season of Division I. Southwest is a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference cousin of Northern State.
On Wednesday, the Jacks added four football players to bulk - literally - up their depleted roster of six guards and two forwards. Thanks to the cooperation of SDSU football coach John Stiegelmeier (Selby native and former NSU assistant), coming aboard were:
• 6-foot-5, 195-pound freshman receiver Mike Steffen of Mount Vernon;
• 6-foot-7, 253-pound sophomore tight end Chris Wagner of Brookings;
• 6-foot-2, 180-pound freshman defensive back Glen Fox of Fairfax, Iowa;
• and 6-foot-2, 205-pound freshman receiver Brock Campbell of Cherokee, Iowa.
Steffen, Wagner and Fox played a combined 15 minutes against Southwest and contributed nine rebounds, seven points and zero turnovers. Wagner did the most damage with five points and five rebounds in six minutes, and Steffen hit a 12-foot shot with about 20 seconds left in the game as time was running out on the shot clock to give SDSU a 68-65 lead. Some Aberdeen fans might remember Steffen as he led Mount Vernon to third place in the 2005 State B tournament at Wachs Arena.
Plus, the four players bulked up the crowd to 2,117 as their vocal football teammates turned out for the basketball debut wearing black sunblock under their eyes and shirts in support of the four.
How long the four football players will perform double duty is unknown. But as the Jacks prepare for Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne at 7 p.m. Monday at Frost Arena, SDSU coach Scott Nagy told WNAX sports director Steve Imming that he and his staff will have to work hard with the football players on the simple things between now and Monday.
Like learning the SDSU in-bounds plays.
But most of the credit for SDSU's big win has to go to the basketball players, Nagy and his coaching staff. The program has gone through some tough times since the move to DI and there are probably more ahead. (I, of course, have been against the move so in fairness, SDSU certainly has had successes to celebrate since its move as well.)
On Thursday, SDSU (6-15) especially got great play from starting guards Matt Cadwell, Andy Kleinjan and Gettysburg native Eric Heien. They combined for 44 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists and played 107 minutes out a possible 120.
Wow.
I listened to the game. For a couple of hours, it felt like I was a little - OK, I never was that little - kid again. A kid who was huddled around the farmhouse radio trying to keep track of his favorite college team's every point, rebound and foul.
I was back listening to WNAX announcer Norm Hilson talk about SDSU coach Jim Marking and maybe the best college forward duo in South Dakota college history, Lee Colburn and Dave Thomas.
Every point scored against SDSU felt like a jab to the ribs. The only relief was another Jackrabbit bucket at the Barn.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News-sports editor John Papendick: (800) 925-4100 or 622-2323 jpapendick@aberdeennews.com

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

Great article from Aberdeen American News. It kind of tells everyone what is going on. Surprisingly we have a lot of State fans around the state including sports writers for the Aberdeen American News. He may be an alum.

I feel one way or another we will bounce back. I dont think anyone now could argue for moving back to D2, but rather we need to make the necessary adjustments to get to a better program in D1. I have no idea at this time what the adjustments will be or when they happnen, but I sure it will happen.

[filbert]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

Great win! Unfortunately I wasn't able to listen. Many positives from this game. A big negative I see is how bad it makes the team up to know look, when 3 new players with one practice can get the team over the hump.

I'd love to see some picks of the FB players. I expect an even bigger crowd at Mondays game, need to see if I can get up there....

I don't think this team is over the hump yet. But they've definitely been given a second chance.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

Why does it take putting a couple of football players on the basketball team to get a larger contingent of the students and football players to a game?

[gus73]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I will offer an opinion about the increase in student attendance when the football players were added to the roster and the two basketball players were suspended. I have talked with some students on campus and students off campus. The students have been in various off campus social settings where the two suspended players have also been in attendance. It was the opinion of the students that the players are arrogant jerks with disagreeable attitudes, not very likable personalities. Thus no student support. Whereas the footballers are likable with the corresponding increase in student attendance.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

Why does it take putting a couple of football players on the basketball team to get a larger contingent of the students and football players to a game?

If nothing else makes me question the recruiting choices of the past two years, the abilities of the football players does. Something is very wrong with the choices that Coach Nagy has been presented to choice from. This all I going to say now, but to those who posted critical comments back in December, I hear you now. :-X

[89rabbit]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I think everyone needs to remember that although the football players did provide a lift, they had very limited rolls and we were playing a lesser opponent.  Not to take anything away from them or the team as it is amazing that they could contribute so quickly and I am glad that we won.  

Also for those who can not see the progress we have made from last year to this year, take a look at these facts.  

'04-'05 team

Five D-I wins and zero losses to D-II schools (with 8 D-I games to play)

'03-'04 team

Three D-I wins and four D-II losses and one NAIA loss


Go State!  ;D

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I have talked with some students on campus and students off campus.  The students have been in various off campus social settings where the two suspended players have also been in attendance.  It was the opinion of the students that the players are arrogant jerks with disagreeable attitudes, not very likable personalities.  Thus no student support.  Whereas the footballers are likable with the corresponding increase in student attendance.

I have to say, I heard the same sorts of things from students this week.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I will offer an opinion about the increase in student attendance when the football players were added to the roster and the two basketball players were suspended.  I have talked with some students on campus and students off campus.  The students have been in various off campus social settings where the two suspended players have also been in attendance.  It was the opinion of the students that the players are arrogant jerks with disagreeable attitudes, not very likable
personalities.  Thus no student support.  Whereas the footballers are likable with the corresponding increase in student attendance.

This is very troubling on a number of levels. I'm sure there are two sides of the story and perceptions go both ways. It is up to the players, coaches and administration to be ambassadors of the program on campus and off so that students and athletes of other sports want to support each other. I will say that I have seen the majority of the basketball team at almost every football game. I find it hard to believe on a campus of 11,000 + that there are very many people who truly come in enough contact with players to be able to make a judgement of their personality or lack there of.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I also want to echo the thoughts of 89. Let's put things in perspective regarding the contributions of the football team. It's a great story and they did some nice things to help the program and team get a win. Does this make them bonified DI players? NO. I doubt Wagner,Steffan and Fox had any DI options for a Basketball Scholarship. I think Steffan could be the exception if he wanted to truly focus on basketball which apparently he doesn't based on his decison to play football. It does show you that heart and desire can make up for lack of talent. I think you could question the level of heart and desire sometimes in this basketball team regardless of their schedule, injuries,departures,mental and physical state and whatever other obstacles you want to list.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

This is very troubling on a number of levels. I'm sure there are two sides of the story and perceptions go both ways. It is up to the players, coaches and administration to be ambassadors of the program on campus and off so that students and athletes of other sports want to support each other. I will say that I have seen the majority of the basketball team at almost every football game. I find it hard to believe on a campus of 11,000 + that there are very many people who truly come in enough contact with players to be able to make a judgement of their personality or lack there of.  

The students I talked to happen to be student athletes. On a campus of maybe 300 or 400 student athletes, is it so hard to imagine that there could be some conclusions drawn about certain high-profile student athletes' attitudes. So imagine what you will and if you want to pretend there was nothing to it, fine. I was simply noting that I had heard similar things from people who were in a position to know. I wouldn't have passed it along otherwise.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I also want to echo the thoughts of 89. Let's put things in perspective regarding the contributions of the football team. It's a great story and they did some nice things to help the program and team get a win. Does this make them bonified DI players? NO. I doubt Wagner,Steffan and Fox had any DI options for a Basketball Scholarship. I think Steffan could be the exception if he wanted to truly focus on basketball which apparently he doesn't based on his decison to play football. It does show you that heart and desire can make up for lack of talent. I think you could question the level of heart and desire sometimes in this basketball team regardless of their schedule, injuries,departures,mental and physical state and whatever other obstacles you want to list.

Perspective is good. From Nagy's perspective, the footballers' main contribution was energy and enthusiasm, and I don't think you can discount the value of that with a team that has been emotionally on cloud zero for months.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

I have had zero contact with students this week except to get out of their way on the hiway and elsewhere and that does not make them bad or good by any means. Just younger and smarter people.

What does trouble me is out of the 5 or 6 red shirt freshman that are now making big impact at NDSU, at least three are from the same area of recruiting that SDSU covers. Why did we at least snag one of these recruits. Ben Woodside is from Albert Lea, Minnesota. Its in our own back yard. These are details that I sure would like to to know. Did we have him in our sights or did we just write off as unrecruitbable? Last year we red shirted two and this year four, will it be six next year? Something is very wrong here.

[JackTwice]

Re: Men's Basketball: SDSU vs. Southwest Minnesota

doubt Wagner,Steffan and Fox had any DI options for a Basketball Scholarship.

Actually, Nagy was recruiting Fox at the same time the FB coaches were.

There is no question what the football players provided for the team was energy and spark. These are 4 guys essentially living a dream they didn't think they could have, they bring fresh legs and fresh attitudes. The rest of the guys on the team have been practicing, playing and traveling since November.