The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

As my hot take has been brewing this for nearly a year, but I think Spencer was the most important player for Augie the last two seasons -- partly because he was already so talented and mature -- and I have been waiting for a weekend like this, but I wish it would have contributed to two wins. I think he was already well-rounded, but his skills were better used as a distributor over the past two seasons. If Spencer doesn't split half of the ball screens set for him last year, Richter doesn't get wide open corner threes. If he doesn't possess the ability to drag screens out and let let Jansen, pop or roll, Jansen isn't NPOY. Schilling was the least dependent on Spencer last year and if it is my dying wish, I will rewrite the NSIC record books with him as the NSIC Player of the Year.

Anyway, I would prefer to call that trio: Schilling/Richter/That Blonde Guy

It's like they created this video just for you after you wrote your post:

[Guest69]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Obviously two wins would've been preferred over the split, but still very, very solid numbers either way. Spencer has definitely become a more well-rounded player in the absence of the Jansen/Schilling/Richter trio (still waiting on a great nickname for that trio, Augieholic or others). Here's to hoping another Vike is PotW next week after securing two wins rather than one.

As my hot take has been brewing this for nearly a year, but I think Spencer was the most important player for Augie the last two seasons -- partly because he was already so talented and mature -- and I have been waiting for a weekend like this, but I wish it would have contributed to two wins. I think he was already well-rounded, but his skills were better used as a distributor over the past two seasons. If Spencer doesn't split half of the ball screens set for him last year, Richter doesn't get wide open corner threes. If he doesn't possess the ability to drag screens out and let let Jansen, pop or roll, Jansen isn't NPOY. Schilling was the least dependent on Spencer last year and if it is my dying wish, I will rewrite the NSIC record books with him as the NSIC Player of the Year.

Anyway, I would prefer to call that trio: Schilling/Richter/That Blonde Guy

[laker]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Spencer has definitely become a more well-rounded player in the absence of the Jansen/Schilling/Richter trio (still waiting on a great nickname for that trio, Augieholic or others).

Since they are now departed, how about the Ring-lings in honor of the national title and the circus?

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Congrats to Augie's Jordan Spencer for being named NSIC South Division Player of the Week: http://goaugie.com/news/2017/1/23/me...-the-week.aspx

Spencer named NSIC South Division Player of the Week

Obviously two wins would've been preferred over the split, but still very, very solid numbers either way. Spencer has definitely become a more well-rounded player in the absence of the Jansen/Schilling/Richter trio (still waiting on a great nickname for that trio, Augieholic or others). Here's to hoping another Vike is PotW next week after securing two wins rather than one.

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Texas Tom was on KWSN yesterday talking about this weekend's games. Hate to chip away at your unmitigated dislike for anything Augustana, NSU4LIFE, but he actually said some nice things about Northern and their style of play a little over halfway through the interview: http://kwsn.com/podcasts/sports-talk...-of-home-games

[vikingfaithful]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

You do understand that the games are in Sioux Falls this weekend, right? smh

That's good. Yeah been a little off my game recently.

[simple as a $3 bill]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Big Big weekend on the road. Last season we lost to the Wolves and came back angry the next night and took it out on the Dragons for an easy win. Hopefully the Vikings have it in them for a split. Probably the toughest road trip of the season. Go Augie Go!

You do understand that the games are in Sioux Falls this weekend, right? smh

[vikingfaithful]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Big Big weekend on the road. Last season we lost to the Wolves and came back angry the next night and took it out on the Dragons for an easy win. Hopefully the Vikings have it in them for a split. Probably the toughest road trip of the season. Go Augie Go!

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Congrats to Mike Busack for being named this week's South Division Player of the Week: http://northernsun.org/news/2017/1/9...109172727.aspx. Although the numbers themselves are relatively tame for a Player of the Week award, they are numbers I'm more than happy to see (and continue seeing in the future).

Also must've been fun for him to win it over a weekend that included a game against the Mavericks. Wonder if he ever won any PotW awards when he was wearing purple and yellow. I don't remember and I'm too lazy to look it up.

In other news, huge, huge weekend coming up for the Vikes. From a standings standpoint, two wins this weekend would not only help boost the Vikings' regional hopes, but they would also help our cause when it comes to a conference championship and final standings. Northern and Moorhead are right there at or near the top, so wins over both would be huge.

Last year's team wasn't able to pull off the Moorhead/Northern weekend sweep, so here's to hoping we fare a little bit better at home this time around.

Also of note, the Northern game will be broadcast via ESPN3. Hopefully that doesn't hurt fan attendance, but a big crowd and a fun game would certainly make that ESPN3 appearance a little more exciting. And a win would obviously be ideal.

Feels weird going into the weekend hoping we win one of two instead of expecting to win two of two and being shocked when we don't. But even after the SMSU/USF weekend's disastrous outcome, all is not lost. Still a lot of conference play left if we can stay focused and do things the right way at the right time.

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Certainly not the outcome most Augie fans envisioned for this weekend going into Friday night. Obviously disappointing to go 0-2 any weekend, especially at home, and especially to a rival. A few things to be frustrated about. At the same time, the Vikes are still 10-4 with a handful of solid wins. I think the Minot loss still hurts worse than the SMSU game or the USF game, even with the rivalry factored in, but it's not a season-ending weekend by any means. I do think that unless a few teams step up to knock SMSU (and St. Cloud...and Upper Iowa...) off a few times, our chances of repeating as conference champs seem a little lower than before this weekend, but that's not really as important as making the Regional cut, which is always a challenge any year.

Not even really sure what happened this weekend as far as specific reasons for the losses. I'm sure others have better analysis than I can provide. I just hope the Vikes took this weekend hard and commit to doing the little things that will prevent those late-game mental mistakes and overall collapses. We were way too reminiscent of the 2013-14 Augie team that went 16-14 this weekend. We had two solid leads in the 2nd half of both games and, unlike in the past couple of years, we just weren't able to get over the hump and extend those leads to a game-sealing amount.

On the one hand, that's part of losing big-time players who played key, clutch minutes for 3-4 years straight. The guys playing this year typically weren't in those intense situations for more or less two seasons. On the other hand, someone has to step up in Jansen/Schilling/Richters' places, and that didn't exactly happen when it needed to against SMSU and USF.

Still lots to be optimistic about, but the Vikes definitely need at least one or two weekend road sweeps to make up for the home sweep we gave up. I still feel good about this team and look forward to the continued development of the younger guys. Lucas Walford has slowed down a little in terms of numbers, but I still feel good when he's out on the floor (from what I can tell, he's a better shot-blocker than any Viking in recent memory...or even less-than-recent memory...), and it was good to get the oft-injured Matt Brazendale back for a few minutes this weekend, even if he didn't contribute much when he was in. It still feels like maybe there's just a little too much pressure on Jordan Spencer, especially at the end of games, so hopefully a few guys will step up and relieve him of that "win the game for us" burden that used to be distributed amongst three players.

I'm rambling, as usual. Like I said, the weekend was a bit of a bummer basketball-wise for Augie fans, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel quite yet, even if I am the Apostle of Apprehension.

On a side note, I am looking forward to the SMSU/USF road trip. While we haven't exactly been historically great in the R/A Facility, I think the Vikes have the ability to snag one from the Mustangs there and as much as I hate the Stewart Center (which is a lot), it'll be great to get in there and try to take down the Cougars on their home floor.

[Stanger86]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Lady Vikings lost both nights as well! I wonder when both Women and Men both lost all 4 home games on a home stand. Never fear better days are ahead.

It may have felt like a loss, but they won on Friday.

[vikingfaithful]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Nov 9-10 2013 was the last time the Vikings have lost back to back games. Our one year man Mike Busack showed up well both nights. T.T will need his diaper dandies to grow up quickly for continued success. Lady Vikings lost both nights as well! I wonder when both Women and Men both lost all 4 home games on a home stand. Never fear better days are ahead.

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Just caught the recording of yesterday's KWSN interview with Texas Tom regarding the upcoming SMSU and USF games. Very complimentary of both teams. Also discusses the rivalry with USF and why he kind of sees Mankato and a few of those types of schools as bigger rivals than USF, even with the crosstown component and everything, which I wasn't expecting. For any of those Augie (or SMSU/USF) fans interested:

http://kwsn.com/podcasts/sports-talk...alry-with-usf/

[laker]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Congrats to Coach Billeter and the Vikings on what I would assume is the final media award of the year from last year's run.

Well deserved award after a national title. I never overlook a natty. I think that the Star-Tribune picked the guy who organized the Ryder Cup to be their sportsman of the year instead of the Gopher women winning the national title. Can't even begin to understand that. Call him business man of the year if you want, the women won the title. He didn't even swing a club.

[MrAugustana]

Re: The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

Congrats to Coach Billeter and the Vikings on what I would assume is the final media award of the year from last year's run.

http://goaugie.com/news/2016/12/27/m...sociation.aspx

Men's basketball earns year-end awards from South Dakota Sportswriters Association