The Big Sky regular season certainly didn’t disappoint. Filled with former NBA stars, feel-good bounce-back stories, and great basketball. Now all 10 teams pack their bags and head to familiar territory, Idaho Central Arena. For some teams, there’s a possible four grueling days of basketball ahead of them. While others may lift a title in just two or three. Either way, the goal remains the same.
There’s been a dominance in Boise from schools out of the Treasure State of late. The Bobcats and the Grizzlies have split six of the last seven Big Sky Men’s Tournament Championships. Can the recently crowned Big Sky regular season champions, Portland State, pull off the hardware sweep? Or will we hear a surprise name called to represent the Big Sky on Selection Sunday next week?
Starch Madness Men’s Schedule
First Round, Saturday March 7
Game 1: No. 9 Idaho State vs. No. 10 Northern Arizona at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Game 2: No. 7 Idaho vs. No. 8 Sacramento State at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN+
Second Round, Sunday March 8
Game 3: No. 1 Portland State vs. Winner from Game 1 at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Game 4: No. 2 Montana State vs. Winner from Game 2 8:00 p.m. on ESPN+
Third Round, Monday March 9
Game 5: No. 4 Montana vs. No. 5 Northern Colorado at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Game 6: No. 3 Eastern Washington vs. No. 6 Weber State at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN+
Semifinals, Tuesday March 10
Game 7: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner at 7:00 p.m. on ESPNU
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Championship, Wednesday March 11
Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
All times MST.
Starch Madness Teams to Know
N0. 1 Portland State 13-5, 19-10 Overall
Jase Coburn’s turnaround of the Vikings program has been fun to watch. Not an overnight success by any means, but a methodically executed plan with a built culture, retention of talented players, and old school development. Portland State’s first title since 2009 was earned on Monday night. Won outright nonetheless, which gives them this year’s No. 1 seed in Boise.
The Vikings are a deep team, but are led by scoring duo Terri Miller Jr. and Jaylin Henderson. While also boasting one of the best big men in the conference in Tre-Vaughn Minott. The reigning defensive player of the year is a force around the rim on both sides of the ball. While San Diego transfer Keyon Kensie has carved out a nice role for himself as a big guard (6-8, 200) with great mobility and defensive utility. Something the Vikings as a whole know well, ranked 44th defensively in the nation by KenPom ($).
No. 2 Montana State 12-6, 18-13 Overall
Matt Logie continues to make progress in his third year in Bozeman. With a second-place finish after receiving a fifth-place prediction back in October. Montana State’s success in the transfer portal was on full display this season. A rotation full of high-major experience and Division-II mixed with returners who saw major jumps in production makes for a dangerous rotation. Led by senior returners Jed Miller and Patrick McMahon, who provide Logie with a nice in-and-out one-two punch offensively.
The Bobcats are also perhaps the best 3-point shooting team in the top half of the standings. Two players are shooting above 40% from deep, on 5.8+ attempts a game in Miller and Davian Brown, not including another four players averaging at least one triple a game. The Bobcats are tricky to handle defensively because, unlike their in-state counterparts, they don’t necessarily have one guy they get the ball to each possession. As several players can get hot and lead the team on any given night.
No. 3 Eastern Washington 11-7, 13-18 Overall
Year two of the Dan Monson era certainly had its ups and downs. But led by UC Riverside transfer Isaiah Moses, the Eagles managed to secure a top 3 seed. Fans in Cheney are used to challenging for championships, taking home six of the last 21 possible regular-season and conference tournament titles. The Eagles did that while staying competitive each season, only failing to secure a top-five finish one time in the last 12 seasons. It makes for a high ceiling, but apparently Monson and company are up to the challenge.
Aside from Moses, this Eagle squad also has one of the better frontcourt tandems in the conference in Alton Hamilton IV and Kiree Huie. Both are combining for 35% of the team’s 27.8 made field goals a game, with most of that coming in the paint. The interesting tidbit from this season is that the Eagles were without one of their best players, Andrew Cook. A severe ankle injury suffered in the preseason ended Cook’s hopes of hitting hardwood for Eastern Washington this season. The preseason All-Conference selection would have formed a dynamic one-two punch with Moses.
No. 4 Montana 16-15, 10-8 Overall
The Grizzlies fell shy of their hopes to repeat as Big Sky regular-season champs this year. But longtime head coach Travis DeCuire still has a talented group that is capable of a conference tourney run, which would spoil everyone else’s March plans and punch their own ticket. The preseason favorites returned star guard Money Williams, who led the Grizzlies in points (19.6), assists (5.0), steals (1.0), and minutes played this season (31.0).
This team has the potential to have an impact offense, currently second in the conference in effective field goal percentage at 56.4%. But the offense struggles to keep possession, leading the league with a whopping 13.7 turnovers a game. This is likely the result of Williams’ 4.0 turnovers a game, as the more traditional two guard has taken the responsibility of leading the offense this season. A role he’s done well but struggled with at times.
No. 5 Northern Colorado 10-8, 20-11 Overall
Steve Smiley continues to keep the Bears in the top five, finishing in a three-way tie for fourth with Montana and Weber State this season. Only a one-spot difference from their predicted 3rd place finish back in the preseason. In a very competitive top half of the conference, Coach Smiley has his three leading scorers to thank for their success. All of whom are returners from last season’s regular-season championship squad. Northern Colorado makes a lot of it’s money inside the arc.
With Brock Wisne and Quinn Denker knocking down 11.0 2-point field goal attempts a game, shooting a combined 59.4%. The Bears also have the best three-point shooter in the conference in Zach Bloch. He averages a league best 43.3% on nearly seven attempts a game. Northern Colorado has the highest-ranked adjusted offensive efficiency in the country, according to Bart Torvik. If they get hot, it’s going to be hard for most teams in the field to catch up.
No. 6 Weber State 10-8, 16-15 Overall
The Wildcats managed to make a bit of a run towards the latter half of the conference slate to be a part of a three-way tie for fourth. With their backcourt hit by injuries late in the season, they were led by Tijan Saine Jr., who continued to elevate his level of play throughout the season. Weber State was predicted to finish 9th in the preseason poll. Likely because they returned just three players who saw starting minutes throughout the season, none of whom were double-digit scorers. Include their recruiting class, with transfers who had yet to really prove themselves at the Division-I level, and it’s easy to understand.
But never count a Wildcats team out, especially this one. As this Weber State team leads the league in pace, field goal attempts, rebounds, and offensive rebounds, and is second in points averaged at 81.3 PPG. They do struggle on the defensive end, but they are hard to outwork and attack the rim better than anyone in the conference. And if they are at full strength? They can certainly go dancing for the first time in the Eric Duft era.
No. 7 Idaho 9-9, 17-14 Overall
The Vandals weren’t able to live up to their fourth-place predicted finish back in the preseason. Coach Pribble managed to retain his top talent from last season, hit the Portal for impact players, and even had a stud freshman in leading scorer Jackson Rasmussen (14.1 PPG) emerge. Though Idaho couldn’t fully put it all together this season. They lost star guard Kristian Gonzalez for the season due to injury after just one game played. And couldn’t build any further on top of that great roster retention. But upon closer look, they are just two wins away from a 3rd place finish. Maybe more of a testament to the competitiveness of the Big Sky this year than the shortcomings of the Vandals. If they could have secured a few more road wins, going 4-5 in conference play in games played away from ICCU Arena, maybe this blurb would have been written differently.
No. 8 Sacramento State 6-12, 10-20 Overall
Year one of the Mike Bibby era in Sacramento may not have gone exactly according to plan. But one thing is for sure, the spotlight was certainly on the Hornets most of the season. With former NBA stars Mike Bibby and Shaq running the program as Head Coach and General Manager, and former internet wonderkid Mikey Williams drawing crowds, Sacramento State basketball appeared to be on the up and up. Any headway made was soon halted by injuries to their starting lineup.
Bibby is currently without starters Jeremiah Cherry, Brandon Gardner, and Williams, who was injured late in the Hornets’ 1-point loss to Portland State back in early February. Even though this team is short-handed and undersized, they attack the rim like no other. They lead the league in free throws made at 19.4 per game, knocking them down at 77.8%. Not to mention their defense on the perimeter, where the Hornets average a league-best 7.6 SPG.
No. 9 Idaho State 5-13 ,12-19 Overall
The Bengals managed to end a nine-game losing streak with a pair of wins over the Montana schools at home. That was thanks in part to the recent emergence of former NAIA star Gus Etchison, who averaged 21.7 in his last four games of the season. Even with his recent emergence as a scorer in the backcourt. It doesn’t help their poor defense, ranked 317th nationally. And while they don’t wow you with their offense, it’s efficient and on the slower side. Usually facilitated through their forwards Caleb Van De Griend (11.8 PPG) and Connor Hollenbeck (13.2 PPG). Both played together at Division-II Minot State before making the trip West to Pocatello.
No. 10 Northern Arizona 4-14, 10-21 Overall
The Lumberjacks were the only team to land in the exact place they were predicted to be at in the Big Sky preseason poll. The Jacks lost four of their top 5 scorers from last season to either graduation or the transfer portal, and had no major success in the portal themselves. Shane Burcar’s group began Big Sky play with a seven-game losing streak and finished with a four-game losing streak. Can Northern Arizona steal some wins and make things interesting in Boise this weekend? Certainly, it wouldn’t be March without some Madness!
Players to Watch
Money Williams, 6-4 211 Junior Guard
Williams is one of the best scorers in the league, with the ability to knock down shots from anywhere on the floor. And the size to bully smaller defenders and the strength to bully some bigger ones as well. The NBA Draft prospect has elevated his game in many areas, including as a facilitator for the Grizzlies, as that may be the shallowest area of their depth chart.
Terri Miller Jr., 6-8 250 Senior Forward
Miller Jr. is a big body forward who can play in and out and distribute the rock. He’s also one of his team’s best three-point shooters, knocking them down at 39.7% with about 4.5 attempts a game. The big man really is a mismatch nightmare and has blossomed in his final year in Portland. Really representing the talent on this Viking roster and partly why they won their first Big Sky trophy in nearly seventeen seasons.
Jaylin Henderson, 6-3 175 Senior Guard
Henderson is about as athletic as they come and uses that athleticism to make highlight reel plays and get to the foul line (5.7 attempts a game, shooting 78.2%). His ability to create offense for others and distribute the basketball has much improved this season. Averaging 6.0 APG with only 3.1 turnovers a game. And while he can shoot the occasional three, he also averages 10.4 2-point field goals a game, with most of his money made inside the arc, attacking the rim.
Quinn Denker, 6-3 190 Graduate Student Guard
Denker has really blossomed into a dark-horse Player of the Year candidate for the Bears this season. After initially beginning his D-I career at Idaho after a stint at Division-II Cal State San Marcos. The combo guard has really flourished leading Northern Colorado this season. Without a physically gifted incoming transfer as in years past, Coach Smiley looked towards Denker, who is averaging a team high 18.9 PPG while shooting 49.1% from the field. He also orchestrates the offense beautifully, averaging a league-best 7.0 APG with just 2.6 turnovers a game. This three-level scorer will be at the top of everyone’s scouting reports in Boise this coming week, I guarantee it.
Tijan Saine Jr., 5-10 175 Junior Guard
Saine Jr. really came into his own in conference play. Especially with several injuries in the Wildcat backcourt, the former D-II All-Conference player took the lead and led the Big Sky in scoring with 20.8 PPG in conference play. As an under-six-foot guard, Saine Jr. uses his explosiveness to create shot opportunities and can knock them down over bigger defenders, which, on most nights, is everyone on the court. How far Weber State makes it in this tournament depends on how good he plays in Boise.
Isaiah Moses, 6-0 190 Senior Guard
Moses has been a beaming light in Cheney this season for the Eagles. Giving Eastern Washington exactly what they were missing last season in a consistently clutch scorer. Possibly more of a scoring guard disguised in a point guard’s body, he’s averaging 17.9 PPG while shooting an impressive 42.4% from deep on 4.9 attempts a game. Like others on this shortlist, he can score from all three levels, and he does it consistently. Only failing to hit double-digits once all season. While scoring thirty on two different occasions this season, and scoring over twenty another thirteen times.
Larry Muniz is a Mountain West Basketball beat writer for Couch Potato Sports along with West Coast mid-major coverage at Mid-Major Madness.