TerryVandrovec

So tonight’s got some potential, huh? South Dakota State hosts Oakland in Summit League men’s basketball. (I’ll be live blogging starting at 6:30.) The contest features:

* two teams picked to finish in the top 3 of the improving conference
* two teams that have spent in the mid-major top-25 and own wins over power-conference clubs
* two of the top 25 (according to some) point guards in all of NCAA Division I hoops in Nate Wolters and Reggie Hamilton (the reasons there will be an NBA scout on hand)
* the two-time defending league champs against an upstart that is 1-9 in the short series.

Plus, the Golden Grizzlies are coming off their fourth-worst Summit loss Wednesday, the same night the Jacks picked up their most lopsided win since joining the conference.

Some people have been asking if this is the biggest regular-season game SDSU has hosted since moving to the D-I level in 2004-05. My response to that: It might be … for now.

Think about what’s in front of the Jacks (and area basketball fans) the next few weeks besides a visit from this talented Oakland club: They’ll host the University of South Dakota for the first time in eight years; they’ll host preseason conference pick Oral Roberts (a recent winner over Xavier and Texas Tech); they’ll host rival North Dakota State (a team they haven’t beaten in forever); they’ll host an ESPNU BracketBusters game (potentially on national TV?) and they’ll host IUPUI and NBA prospect Alex Young.

Soak that up for a second. That’s good stuff, especially at a time when the Jacks are in position to prove themselves as contenders rather than just trying to pull off an upset. They’ll have to defend that title every night out.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that SDSU had a long list of things to prove this season, the first one being that it could win in Indianapolis for the first time. While the Jacks got that done in overtime, equal and larger challenges await - one after the other. That’s the beauty of the program both improving and becoming established within a league, and a rising one at that. The next game really is the biggest game.

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.

No weekly live chat today, but that doesn’t mean El Bloggo has to go dark …

Is it just me or is the Summit League portion of the SDSU basketball season genuinely starting to take on a different feel. More strategic and familiar and intense and … candid?

Jackrabbits women’s coach Aaron Johnston put some of that on display during an interview leading up to this week’s home games against Oakland and IPFW - the teams the Jacks beat in the final four of the Summit League tournament last year en route to a third straight title.

Asked to define any traits that are on the rise in the improved Summit, he said: “I think the league is probably more athletic than it used to be in some regard. I don’t know if that applies to our team.”
Plenty of folks have been thinking that about SDSU, but it’s another thing to have the coach volunteer that.

As for opening the bulk of the conference slate with two quality foes, he said: “Last year, we lost a couple of close games here to those games, and it’s been on my mind all year long, and I hope on my players’.”
Again, not surprising that SDSU didn’t like suffering consecutive conference home losses last year. But interesting that Johnston, who can be insightful yet calculated in his public comments, would admit it’s been bothering him.

This - coaches being more open and candid - is one of the things that comes with settling into a true conference home. It’s refreshing and welcomed and bound to make the next 10 weeks thoroughly entertaining. 

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.

Because it feels more like spring than winter outside, let’s talk some baseball. Oakland Athletics prospect and O’Gorman graduate Dusty Coleman is this week’s guest on the Too Much TV podcast.

The shortstop was back home during the Christmas break both to see family and to run a youth baseball camp at Augustana. He fills us in on his push to make the majors.

Here’s the link.

Also, stop back here tonight, Thursday, Friday and Saturday for live coverage of SDSU basketball games against Oakland and IPFW from Frost Arena.

However, we will not do the weekly live chat.

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. We’ve got a few days to prep for that whole happy new year thing:

A whole bunch of Football Championship Subdivision presidents and administrators - including some from South Dakota State – will be in Frisco, Texas, during the upcoming national championship game. Why? The second annual FCS Summit. Basically, it brings together all the stakeholders to discuss ongoing issues like playoff bids, television rights, etc. 

Likely to be amply discussed at that time: Proposed scholarship cuts. In January, the NCAA will vote on moving FBS scholarships from 85 to 80, FCS from 63 to 60, men’s basketball from 13 to 12 and women’s basketball from 15 to 13.
There’s also been talk about reducing the number of regular-season games by 10 percent. Add that to all the controversy about stipends and, well, it’s an interesting and important time for Division I legislation.

The SDSU basketball teams host four Summit League games in four days this week. That starts Wednesday with the men hosting IPFW. The Jacks beat the Dons three times last season, and take on two-time defending champion Oakland two days later.
Is coach Scott Nagy concerned about his players looking past IPFW?
“I have zero concern we’ll overlook them,” he said. “We could come in and not play well, but it wouldn’t be that we overlooked them.”

Despite all the real and alleged buzz about SDSU renewing its rivalry with the University of South Dakota in basketball, tickets were still available for the men’s and women’s games as of Monday.

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.

With one exception, the South Dakota State basketball teams have completed the non-conference portion of their schedules, and start Summit League play in earnest this week with four home games.
Here’s a recap of where things stand:

Men
Record: 10-4 overall, 2-0 Summit
Sagarin Rating: 87 (third in the Summit)
Strength of schedule: 86
Best win: at No. 84 Washington
Worst loss: at No. 262 North Dakota
What’s left: 17 games, 10 at home
The bottom line: SDSU is in perhaps the best possible position given its schedule so far, reaching the 10-win mark and getting national attention in the form of a road upset and a coming-out party for star Nate Wolters. These opportunities don’t come along all the time. The Jacks need to find a way to get to 20 wins and earn their first D-I postseason bid even if it’s not to the Big Dance. But they won’t have to play outside of themselves to do it.

Women
Record: 7-6, 2-0 Summit
Sagarin Rating: 124 (third in the Summit)
Strength of schedule: 61
Best win: vs. No. 59 Washington State
Worst loss: at No. 113 Middle Tennessee State
What’s left: 16 games, nine at home
The bottom line: Yes, the offense has struggled mightily at times, but the defense has been excellent. While the Jacks won’t be in contention for an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament this year, they’re probably better than their record indicates based on the fact that five of their six losses have come to top-100 teams.
If SDSU merely wins the rest of the games in which it will be favored this season, it’ll hit that 20-win mark and set itself up for a sixth straight Division I postseason entry.

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.

John Stiegelmeier feels like he’s been on vacation this week. No, he’s not lounging in Saint-Tropez, he’s just not out on the road recruiting because it’s a dead period in that process. Sometimes, that’s as good as a break. At least, that’s what the South Dakota State football coach said. Here are a few other notes from our conversation. There will be a more extensive recruiting update in the Saturday edition of the Argus Leader:

On associate head coach Luke Meadows staying on staff by virtue of not getting the top job at South Dakota Mines. It’s the second time in two years that he’s been a finalist for an NCAA Division II post: “I’m excited. I was excited either way because our profession’s also about pursuing your dreams, and it seems like most of the guys – assistant coaches – that a person is around want to have their own program, want to run their own program, so I need to support that. I’ve never made a guy feel awkward about pursuing their dream. But I’m excited he’s back because of staff continuity is huge in football.”

On senior wide receiver Dale Moss receiving an invite to the East-West Shrine Game – a modern first for the program – after playing just one year of college football: “That’s his hard work for a lot of years giving him an opportunity to showcase his ability. I think it’s a tremendous, almost unbelievable statement about pursuing your dream. A lot of guys spend a number of years trying to get something like that. I’m happy for him, proud of him. Obviously, it gives us a little public relations, but mostly I just hope he stays healthy and shows well and has a chance to play more football.”

On the University of South Dakota hiring Joe Glenn, an SDSU adversary on a regular basis when he was at Northern Colorado: “Professionally, Joe’s an engaging, outgoing and just a happy-go-lucky man - and he’s a great coach. He’s always fun to be around even when you’re competing. He’s a very positive guy. Prior to them naming that, I was disappointed for Ed Meierkort. You never know what does on good or bad inside (a program), but when a guy’s got the same first name as you (“Coach”), you hurt for him and his family and his staff.”

On adding a director of football operations, a new position that will be filled by Marc Davis, formerly the assistant director of football ops at the University of New Mexico: “He will really be my assistant and really the foreman of the football program, the guy that gets so much of the stuff done behind the scenes that bogs coaches down from coaching. He won’t sit and watch film - he’ll work on banquets and travel and academics. The job is infinite.”

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.

Here is the replay from this week’s live chat - a special holiday edition.

We’ll be back again next week in addition to having live game blogs from four South Dakota State basketball games – that’s Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday – as the Jacks get into the heart of the Summit League schedule with a set of home dates.

See you then. Merry Christmas, dear readers.

Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.