Middle Tennessee State

[filbert]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

79-72, Jacks lose. Tough home loss against a good team.

[Jacks02]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

Nice comeback but couldn't quite finish it off. I lost the internet feed at the end, second time this has happened to me at the end of a women's game. Anyone else have problems tonight?

[filbert]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

Nice comeback but couldn't quite finish it off. I lost the internet feed at the end, second time this has happened to me at the end of a women's game. Anyone else have problems tonight?

Yep. Broke right at what I imagine was the last time-out. I had the game stats up and that's how I knew the final score.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

Battling snow falling for 20 miles one way, I feel my trip to Frost was worth it. Middle Tenn is the best team that has come to Frost.  Both the Nodaks have had some great teams in recent years, but this team would top any of those teams or anything that USD has put on the court. Contrary to the opinion of Chad Lavin, there is a big difference between D2 and D1 women's basketball.

We played with them at times, but their defense took our offense out of rythem. We had turnovers that we should not have and some times the passing game gave up some easys steals.

MTU is very athletic, and very quick. Beating them by 2 on their court last year was a very big win. Tonight that just did not happen.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

http://www.goblueraiders.com/?go=story&doc=4638

Story on Blue Raider website about the game. I didn't realize our home record was that good the last 5 years.i

[Dakota]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

Women's Basketball - December 2, 2005
Blue Raiders Defeat South Dakota State 79-72
MT Media Relations
http://www.goblueraiders.com/?go=story&doc=4638

BROOKINGS, S.D. - Middle Tennessee women's basketball (4-2) earned its first road win of the season with a hard-fought 79-72 victory over South Dakota State (3-2) Friday in Frost Arena.

"What a valiant effort by our team," said Head Coach Rick Insell. "This was a big win for Middle Tennessee and I don't think people will understand what we did here until later in the year."

The Blue Raiders staved off a Jackrabbit rally late in the second half by hitting free throws. Middle Tennessee was 11-of-13 from the line to close out the game and secure the win.

Middle Tennessee never trailed in the second half, but South Dakota State made a run at the Blue Raiders throughout the half. With 3:58 remaining the Jackrabbits pulled within one point, 64-63. The Blue Raiders pushed the lead back to two when Tia Stovall hit 1-of-2 free throws and then went back to the line when Chrissy Givens hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back to four. It was free throws that won the game for the Blue Raiders in the final minutes.

Middle Tennessee came in and did something only four other teams in five years had done in Frost Arena, win. In the last five years, including this season, South Dakota State is 55-5.

"South Dakota State is the toughest team we played since we faced Georgia," Insell said. "We just came after them in the second half and decided to attack the basket and were able to get to the free throw line."

The Blue Raiders struggled early offensively, in the first half, but was sparked by the strong play by Givens. With the game tied at 10, Givens pulled down a rebound that set up a lay-up by Krystle Horton. A steal by Horton and a bucket pushed the Middle Tennessee lead to four.

Middle Tennessee went on a 5-0 run and didn't allow a Jackrabbit point until Megan Vogel hit a pair of free throws to trim the lead to three. The Blue Raider lead ballooned to 13 thanks to tough defense. Middle Tennessee didn't allow a South Dakota State field goal for almost eight minutes however the Jackrabbits did hit a pair of free throws.

SDSU got its first bucket after that eight-minute span when Christina Gilbert hit a lay-up with 5:48 left in the first half. The Blue Raiders battled late in the second half with three players with two or more fouls. Monique Martin and LaCondra Mason each had three fouls and Tia Stovall had two. In the remaining five minute span, the Jackrabbits went on an 11-5 run to cut the Blue Raider lead from 11 to five, 34-29, to end the half. South Dakota State stayed in the game in the first half at the line, hitting 12-of-15 from the charity stripe.

Givens led the Blue Raiders with 27 points and Horton followed with a season-high 26. Tia Stovall added 12. The Blue Raiders had 13 steals in the game and shot 50 percent from the field.

Middle Tennessee returns to action on Sunday when the Blue Raiders travel to Fargo, North Dakota to take on North Dakota State. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

[filbert]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

1,812 in attendance. Not too bad.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...01/1002/SPORTS

. . .

First-year Blue Raiders coach Rick Insell left impressed, relieved and - most importantly to him - victorious.

"What a team. (The Jacks) have a great team, so well-coached," he said. "We were not looking forward to coming to South Dakota State, I can tell you that."

. . .

Middle Tennessee State again appeared like it was ready to pull away with about eight minutes to play, when Horton hit a pair of free throws and a three-point play to make it 60-49.

That's when the Jackrabbits hunkered down and made it a close game, with forward Jennifer Warkenthien igniting another 11-2 run with a rattled-in 3-pointer. The freshman from Willow Lake made a layup, followed by a deep Vogel jumper and 3-pointer by sophomore Andrea Verdegan, that made the crowd of 1,812 erupt like a volcano.

"It got everybody on the floor excited, it got everybody on the bench excited, it got people going in the right direction," Vogel said. "It felt like more than 1,800, that's for sure."

[Alumguy]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

SDSUFan referred to it in his post ... it's something Coach Johnston talked about in his postgame interview ... Middle Tennessee State is the best team SDSU has faced in Frost Arena. They have some terrific athletes and they are very quick.

It was a fun game to watch, frustrating at times, yet it is a very special thing to watch that caliber of basketball being placed on the SDSU campus.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

SDSUFan referred to it in his post ... it's something Coach Johnston talked about in his postgame interview ... Middle Tennessee State is the best team SDSU has faced in Frost Arena.  They have some terrific athletes and they are very quick.

It was a fun game to watch, frustrating at times, yet it is a very special thing to watch that caliber of basketball being placed on the SDSU campus.  

I've heard that as well about MTS. A friend at the game said they were the quickest team to ever play in Frost. So quick even Seiler looked a step slow.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

Seiler in her defense has had some ankle problems and she twisted an ankle last night again. I don't know if this problem was what slowed her down or not. I wont dispute that MTU as I stated before was the quickest team and overall the best to come as an opponent to Frost. They made all of our ladies look "slow". Also our passing game was very vulnerable at times, and we got picked plenty.

I think its a shame only 1800 folks showed up for the game.  In my own mind, I am beginning to wonder about how a certain D2 mindset is playing a role in the low attendence. In the past most fans did not think the season began until the conference games in January. December ordinarily is a busy month with all sorts of events going on and it has to cut into basketball attendence.  I have a feeling that the lack knowledge about MTU kept a lot of D2 mindset fans away in that they thought, "Middle Tennessee, hmmm where are they located, I never heard of them, probably no better than Dakota State, I dont think I will bother going to Frost or buying a ticket. I think I will wait till January to see a real game".

As I said in another thread, a informed source told me that SDSU had a hard time getting MTU to come to SD, and December was the best we could do. We have to thank a good program to the north of us giving MTU a game as an incentive for MTU to come. If you get to the NCAA big Dance, I do think you can be picky when putting future schedules together.

[89rabbit]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

I think its a shame only 1800 folks showed up for the game.  

I don't mean to pick on SDSUFAN, but "ONLY" 1,812 fans showed up. 1,812 for a D-I Women's Basketball game is a pretty good showing for most schools in D-I. A quick check of the most recent D-I Women's Basketball attendance figures that I could find reveled that if SDSU was to Avg. our first night's attendance of 1,812 for the entire season that we would finish as the # 66 team in the Nation in attendance. That is out of 300 plus schools that play D-I Basketball, not to bad.

This leads me to my main point which is that I have seen what to me appears to be a theme developing that somehow our attendence isn't what it should be (on both the Men's and Women's side). I think this myth is being promulgated by our friends from UNO and I don't think we should buy into it. Those two knukleheads want to compare us to the top tier of the NCAA and then claim we are failing because we don't stack up. Yea we are a far cry from Kentuckies and Kansases of the world but did anyone really believe that just by going to D-I we would sell out Frost Arena every night? Even then we would still be behind Kansas and Kentucky, but who cares you don't have to be just like Kansas or Kentucky to have a successful D-I program.

What we need to do is look at our numbers and see how we compare overall to the entire D-I field. Since I have already discussed the Women, let's turn to the Men's side of the equation. I previously posted how that if SDSU just gets back to the level of support we had from 1995-2004 we would rank at #150 just ahead of USC (yes that USC, the Trojans of Southern California). Heck even last years home avg. attendance (which was not good by our own standards) was better then the conference avg. of the Big South, SWAC, and Atlantic Sun. Don't get me wrong I would like to see Frost filled everytime the Rabbits play. However, to set an expectation that to be a successful D-I program SDSU needs huge crowds every night that the Jacks play is quixotic.

Again, I do not want to single SDSUFAN out here. I just felt that it was time to look at our attendance under the bright light of reality. We are doing fine for a program at our level in D-I. There is room for improvment, and that is a good thing. Much like wins and losses this is not the time to get too hung up on a few hunrded people one way or the other as it pertains to attendance. At least that is my take on the subject, I will now step down from my soap box. Thanks for your indulgence.

Go State! ;D

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

89rabbit:
I dont disagree with your analysis. I tend to think historically that December is not a good month for attendence be it a D2 or D1 institution. Too much going on. Also the fact that the men and women games are now split and played at different times and dates has also affected attendence.

The bottom line though is fans missed seeing a good team come to Frost, and a good but certainly not the best effort by our women team. I think Coach Johnston would agree with that comment. The youth aspect of the roster is showing at times and during this game.

I dont think UNO posters have affected me, I may be overly optimistic and disappointed with what really are not bad attendence numbers.

[bub94]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

I will admit I missed the game on Friday night. For some reason, the Daktronics Holiday Party has been scheduled for the same night as a home game the last couple of years. I wish I would have been at the game.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

One other thing we might all have forgotten. In the past, men's and women's games were typically on the same night, and the same ticket got you into both. Now there are twice as many events with ticket sales attached to them during basketball season. Put the men's and women's attendance figures together and consider the revenue, and we're doing OK. We'd all like it to be better. By the way, while I was watching football yesterday, I saw a couple of TV ads promoting Tuesday's men's game.

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Middle Tennessee State

I've heard that as well about MTS.  A friend at the game said they were the quickest team to ever play in Frost.  So quick even Seiler looked a step slow.

Sieler injured her ankle in the Colorado State tournament, didn't play most of the second game.

She went down early in the MTS game stayed down a long time then went out of the game.

Went down a second time later but got back up and continued to play.

110% effort on a 90% wheel?