Cats Picked to win Big Sky WBB

[aucat]

Frankly, this surprised me given all of the very good players we lost, especially Esme. I attended the scrimmage last night and was impressed with the quickness and athleticism especially the new freshmen.

However, so many big shoes to fill from last season's 30-4 squad.

https://www.montanasports.com/college/m ... ason-polls

[ClowderUp]

Can't wait for this to start. This team is an absolute joy to watch. They're tough, they hustle, they're ferocious and they actually know what it means to play as a team (not just an over used expression). I watched a game last in Cheney on ESPN+ when EWU couldn't get the ball past half court in 7 straight possessions. Even through the television, you could see their souls leave the their bodies.

[arvcat2]

Frankly, this surprised me given all of the very good players we lost, especially Esme. I attended the scrimmage last night and was impressed with the quickness and athleticism especially the new freshmen.

However, so many big shoes to fill from last season's 30-4 squad.

https://www.montanasports.com/college/m ... ason-polls

If Dykstra & Picton would have stuck around, a #1 ranking would have been expected. I, too, am surprised considering over 50% of the minutes played from last year are gone. But I do look forward to a bunch of new faces on the floor and how this year's team will perform.

[SACCAT]

Frankly, this surprised me given all of the very good players we lost, especially Esme. I attended the scrimmage last night and was impressed with the quickness and athleticism especially the new freshmen.

However, so many big shoes to fill from last season's 30-4 squad.

https://www.montanasports.com/college/m ... ason-polls

If Dykstra & Picton would have stuck around, a #1 ranking would have been expected. I, too, am surprised considering over 50% of the minutes played from last year are gone. But I do look forward to a bunch of new faces on the floor and how this year's team will perform.

Who would you put above MSU?

Montana lost 5 of their top 7 scorers last year

Idaho brings back the most scoring, but loses leadership with Nelson and Aadland gone.


I would say that MSU should be 1st until someone can prove that they can knock them off. From what I saw yesterday, that is going to be a very tall task for teams in the Big Sky.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I was privileged to watch a WBB team practice up close on my recent visit to Montana. There is nothing to worry about.

Had I not known anything about the players beforehand it would have been difficult to separate the old and the new. Top to bottom, this team will have very little drop-off in athletic ability. The average team speed has been improved. Not all of the new players are freshmen, and everyone is hungry on defense. Every player looked capable of pushing the ball hard in the open court. Guards, centers, forwards? Guess. It didn’t matter.

30 wins? Not likely against this schedule but by the end of the season this team will be a snarling clowder of ‘Cats, the most tournament-ready of Coach Binford’s teams yet. You read it here first.

Go ‘Cats!

[MSU01]

I was privileged to watch a WBB team practice up close on my recent visit to Montana. There is nothing to worry about.

Had I not known anything about the players beforehand it would have been difficult to separate the old and the new. Top to bottom, this team will have very little drop-off in athletic ability. The average team speed has been improved. Not all of the new players are freshmen, and everyone is hungry on defense. Every player looked capable of pushing the ball hard in the open court. Guards, centers, forwards? Guess. It didn’t matter.

30 wins? Not likely against this schedule but by the end of the season this team will be a snarling clowder of ‘Cats, the most tournament-ready of Coach Binford’s teams yet. You read it here first.

Go ‘Cats!

Thanks for the update, is Dylan Philip back out there on the court yet? Would be great news if she is as the knee injury she suffered at the end of last season looked pretty serious.

[Cat449yrs]

Dylan is brace-free and doing some running but not practicing yet. Word is they hope to have her back by conference.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I was privileged to watch a WBB team practice up close on my recent visit to Montana. There is nothing to worry about.

Had I not known anything about the players beforehand it would have been difficult to separate the old and the new. Top to bottom, this team will have very little drop-off in athletic ability. The average team speed has been improved. Not all of the new players are freshmen, and everyone is hungry on defense. Every player looked capable of pushing the ball hard in the open court. Guards, centers, forwards? Guess. It didn’t matter.

30 wins? Not likely against this schedule but by the end of the season this team will be a snarling clowder of ‘Cats, the most tournament-ready of Coach Binford’s teams yet. You read it here first.

Go ‘Cats!

Thanks for the update, is Dylan Philip back out there on the court yet? Would be great news if she is as the knee injury she suffered at the end of last season looked pretty serious.

Dylan was very upbeat (as usual) about her progress. If anyone can will a good outcome, she’ll do it. Same scene, one of the newbies will have to pick up the slack and there are plenty of candidates. By the end of the season they should have Dylan plus a newly-experienced player.

[lutecat]

My one concern for us is PG. We have Dyl coming back from injury and our other two PG from last year are gone. Her little sister is supposed to be awesome but who's going to be the backup to her until Dylan is back?

As for the Griz, they may return just 2 of their top scorers but those two were picked preseason all Big Sky. But they also had literally noone score hardly any points outside their top 7. But giving Nate a whole off-season. It'll be really intriguing to see what they do.

[arvcat2]

Dylan is brace-free and doing some running but not practicing yet. Word is they hope to have her back by conference.

Thanks for that update. Do you know how Grace Hintz is doing? She lost around half of the last three years to her knee injury.

[MSU01]

My one concern for us is PG. We have Dyl coming back from injury and our other two PG from last year are gone. Her little sister is supposed to be awesome but who's going to be the backup to her until Dylan is back?

As for the Griz, they may return just 2 of their top scorers but those two were picked preseason all Big Sky. But they also had literally noone score hardly any points outside their top 7. But giving Nate a whole off-season. It'll be really intriguing to see what they do.

Not sure if Binford feels the need to have a traditional point guard these days. Give the ball to Taylee Chirrick and let her go!

[Cat449yrs]

Grace Hintz tore her second ACL in December last year and missed her senior year. She's about two months ahead of Dylan in her recovery but they're being careful with her. I believe she has been in noncontact practices but she didn't play in the blue-gold scrimmage.

Missing that much high school experience means she has some catching up to do, but her high school coach has said she has talent beyond her years so I'm optimistic she'll contribute this year. Deadly shooter from anywhere on court.

As far as point guard we'll be fine. Brianne Bailey also played point in high school. She and Jamison will be competing for freshman of the year in the Big Sky, imho.

[mslacat]

Grace Hintz tore her second ACL in December last year and missed her senior year. She's about two months ahead of Dylan in her recovery but they're being careful with her. I believe she has been in noncontact practices but she didn't play in the blue-gold scrimmage.

Missing that much high school experience means she has some catching up to do, but her high school coach has said she has talent beyond her years so I'm optimistic she'll contribute this year. Deadly shooter from anywhere on court.

As far as point guard we'll be fine. Brianne Bailey also played point in high school. She and Jamison will be competing for freshman of the year in the Big Sky, imho.

Thanks for the update on the freshmen. In my opinion, this is a stellar class. I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best classes Binford has brought in — though, to be fair, I think I’ve said that just about every year for the past five or six years. Binford and her staff have easily been the best freshman recruiters in the Big Sky over that stretch.

Hintz could be a very special player — a high-scoring, relentless guard. Her past injuries are a bit of a question mark, though. If I were coaching, I might consider sitting her out this year and bringing her back slowly. Ultimately, that’s a decision for the player and her family.

Bailey is going to be a special player — athletic, versatile, and likely to be a stat stuffer.

Jamison Phillip is another intriguing prospect. She came out of high school a bit more highly ranked than her sister Dylan (who started as a freshman before her injury) and has been mostly injury-free.

Kayden Couture, despite being the player I have seen most of in high school, is the freshman I’m most curious about. I’ve heard some great things about her this summer and fall, but I think her impact will depend on how quickly she adjusts to the D-1 level. With only 13 scholarship players and two out with injuries early in the season, I think Kayden will see some solid floor time, especially at the start.

By the way, next year’s freshman class may be small — just two players — but it’s shaping up to be another strong one.

Again, these are just my observations and opinions. Feel free to chime in if you see things differently!