Men's conference preditions

[TomCat88]

Looks like we need a change of pace here.
Here's how I see the standings at season's end:

PSU
UM
NAU
WSU
ISU
MSU
EW
UNC
SSU

I'd really like to pick MSU higher, but right when it seems like we're making headway we hit a bump and our free throw shooting needs a lot of work. That EWU loss kind of surprised me after we were able to win at Colorado and Oregon State, and also give Nevada and Boise State good games.

[bpcats]

I can see the Cats struggling this year as the young guys grow up. Howard needs to be a more consistent scorer. He started out on fire but has really cooled off the last couple of game. Rush can definitely create his own shot but they haven't been falling. He is making strides. Looks like Peipoli is going to be a good one. Our team needs to work on rebounding the ball if we want any chance of improving.

I think that the Cats will really struggle the early part of the conference and make a push late as the young guys mature.

[SACCAT]

PSU
NAU
WSU
MSU
UM
EWU
ISU
UNC
SAC

[Ponycat]

PSU (win the tie breaker with ISU)
ISU (three losses in overtime, they beat Utah and only lost by two to Wisconsin)
NAU
WSU
MSU
UM
EWU (misses the tourney on a tie breaker)
UNC
SAC

[Old Skool Cat]

PSU
ISU
WSU
NAU
UM
MSU
EWU
SSU
UNC

I think we barely squeak into the conference tourney, go on the road to Weber and still a win in the first round, but lose to PSU in the semi-final game. As young and inconsistent as we are right now, I just don't envision much better. We should hit our stride next season as everyone matures. Like I have mentioned so many times before, we don't have any shooters and anyone on the offense we can rely on yet. Defense will carry this team to most of our wins.

[Billings_Griz]

The Cats have had some big wins this year. I think they're gonna turn some heads.

[BengalCub3]

1-Portland State
2-Idaho State
3-Northern Colorado
4-Montana
5-Eastern Washington
6-Weber State
7-Montana State
8-Northern Arizona
9-Sac State

[WYCAT]

Portland State
Idaho State
Northern Arizona
Montana
Weber State
Northern Colorado
Eastern Washington
Montana State
Sacramento State

[mslacat]

College RPI as of this date predicts

1 Eastern Washington (National Ranked 74)
2 Portland State (100)
3 Montana State (134)
4 Weber State (143)
5 Idaho State (186)
6 Northern Colorado (225)
7 Northern Arizona (254)
8 Montana (264)
9 Sac State (335)

The USA / Sagarin (as of Monday)

1 Portland State (Rank = 143)
2 Eastern Washington (159)
3 Weber State (176)
4 Montana State (181)
5 Montana (200)
6 Idaho State (216)
7 Northern Colorado (220)
8 Northern Arizona (223)
9 Sacramento State (332)

Ken Pomeroy Power Index (Pomeroy is very popular with those who like to put $$ down on games)

1 Portland St. (Ranking =108)
2 Weber St. (137)
3 Idaho St. (155)
4 Eastern Washington (188)
5 Northern Colorado (189)
6 Montana St. (197)
7 Montana (203)
8 Northern Arizona (220)
9 Sacramento St. (287)

Clearly Portland State is the cream of the crop right now, and Sac State is the Basement dweller. After that it is really jumbled up. I think Northern Arizona has been a real disappointment so far, and I would agree with these guys that that 8th place might be in their future. ISU has played a really tough schedule so far and that has helped there ratings in some polls and hurt them in others. Right now I would pick them for second. Weber and Montana have really under performed for their talent level. They scare me a little because if they can ever get it together they could really do some damage in conference. This is especially true when talking about Montana, like I said loads of talent and deep but they are very undisciplined and soft. Eastern, N. Colo. and MSU are pretty schizophrenic, and I think a lot of that has to do with youth of their team. I view these teams a being pretty equal in my mind right now, who ever plays the most consistently of those three will finish a head in this pack.

My prediction, but I do not feel very comfortable about it at all. (Note after careful consideration or not I have revised my List)

Portland State
Eastern Washington
Weber
Montana State
Idaho State
N. Colorado
Montana
Northern Arizona
Sac State

[BengalCub3]

Teams two thru eight will be in a dogfight every single night.

I take Northern Colorado as the sleeper of the league.

[Old Skool Cat]

Teams two thru eight will be in a dogfight every single night.

I take Northern Colorado as the sleeper of the league.

BengalCub - I think 1 and 2 will be a fight. You guys over at ISU will be damn tough this year and will PSU a great run for their money.

[alasax]

PSU
ISU
WSU
NAU
MSU
EWU
UM
UNC
SAC

Weber has played tough so far.Top 3 will distance themselves early.
As will the bottom 3
As normal MSU will exceed expectations and UM will disappoint.

[DawsonPirate]

1 Portland St.
2 Weber St.
3 Idaho St.
4 Montana
5 Northern Colorado
6 Montana St. (15-15 Overall and 8-8 in Big Sky Prediction)
7 Eastern Washington
8 Northern Arizona
9 Sacramento St.

PSU, Weber State, Idaho State and UNC have played truly tough pre-season schedules and are battle ready for conference play.

[grizzh8r]

1 Portland St.
2 Weber St.
3 Idaho St.
4 Montana
5 Northern Colorado
6 Montana St. (15-15 Overall and 8-8 in Big Sky Prediction)
7 Eastern Washington
8 Northern Arizona
9 Sacramento St.

PSU, Weber State, Idaho State and UNC have played truly tough pre-season schedules and are battle ready for conference play.

Yet you leave out MSU, who has played a tough schedule as well (only 2 D-1 home games so far, both against recent NCAA tourney teams, and beat a Pac 10 and Big 12 team on the road).

Who has PSU played besides Washington and CS-Fullerton?

And WSU? The only good team they have played is BYU.

Idaho St. has played a very tough schedule, and UNC's was decent (Oregon, Creighton, Air Force, SDSU).

Must you always undermine this team? Seriously man, I get sick of it.

[mslacat]

Here is a site I posted last year from Ken Pomeroy (as mentioned above). Not only does he rate all D-1 team but he will also project each teams individual games, final score, % chance of winning that game and, final win loss record for the year. I am posting the page for Montana State, but if you want to look at any other conference schools, just click on their name and it will take you to their page. This page is updated daily so it will change as the season goes on.

http://kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Montana%20St.&t=p" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[grizzh8r]

Here is a site I posted last year from Ken Pomeroy (as mentioned above). Not only does he rate all D-1 team but he will also project each teams individual games, final score, % chance of winning that game and, final win loss record for the year. I am posting the page for Montana State, but if you want to look at any other conference schools, just click on their name and it will take you to their page. This page is updated daily so it will change as the season goes on.

http://kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Montana%20St.&t=p" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wow, his predictions make a lot of sense. As a team the Cats are currently 2-2 on the road, 2-2 at home, yet he has us losing every road game save the game versus Sac. State. NOT gonna happen. Besides, if anyone knows anything about MSU basketball, the game in Sacremento is one we are more likely to lose. The Hornet's Nest has not been a friendly place for the Cats in the last Decade. Do we have one win there in the last 10 years? I don't remember one...

[bozbobcat]

Here is a site I posted last year from Ken Pomeroy (as mentioned above). Not only does he rate all D-1 team but he will also project each teams individual games, final score, % chance of winning that game and, final win loss record for the year. I am posting the page for Montana State, but if you want to look at any other conference schools, just click on their name and it will take you to their page. This page is updated daily so it will change as the season goes on.

http://kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Montana%20St.&t=p" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wow, his predictions make a lot of sense. As a team the Cats are currently 2-2 on the road, 2-2 at home, yet he has us losing every road game save the game versus Sac. State. NOT gonna happen. Besides, if anyone knows anything about MSU basketball, the game in Sacremento is one we are more likely to lose. The Hornet's Nest has not been a friendly place for the Cats in the last Decade. Do we have one win there in the last 10 years? I don't remember one...

We got one down there in 2005 or so, in Durham's last season at the helm. I'm not sure if either of Huse's teams have done that so far...I don't think so, but Sacramento State wasn't too strong last year. We have had about one, but not many more.

I was thinking about chiming in on this thread earlier, but I'm really not quite sure what kind of team we have yet. To be honest, I really haven't been paying much attention to the rest of the Big Sky either. If the defense can clamp down a bit, and the offense is consistent, we'll see some of Pomeroy's predicted road losses turn into wins. I like the direction that the team is heading, but each game needs to be more consistent.