Hot Seat

[SW_Mustang]

I don't think anyone said UIU was "upper echelon," just that they won when UMD/MSUM didn't.

[SW_Mustang]

Argument for nsu too

Meh... I mean, I respect NSU greatly, don't get me wrong - but I don't think anyone would say they've been more consistent than Augustana.

Augie is really the king of the hill, everything after that can be speculation,

[Thunder]

Meh... I mean, I respect NSU greatly, don't get me wrong - but I don't think anyone would say they've been more consistent than Augustana.

Augie is really the king of the hill, everything after that can be speculation,

I guess that kind of depends on what time frame you are talking about. Over the last 10 seasons NSU is 154-58 (.726) in conference with 4 regular season and 4 tourney championships and zero losing seasons. Augie is 145-63 (.697) in conference with 3 regular season and 2 tourney championships and one losing season.

[SW_Mustang]

I guess that kind of depends on what time frame you are talking about. Over the last 10 seasons NSU is 154-58 (.726) in conference with 4 regular season and 4 tourney championships and zero losing seasons. Augie is 145-63 (.697) in conference with 3 regular season and 2 tourney championships and one losing season.

That is an interesting stat - though in that time, Augustana is 1-0 in National Titles, and Northern is 0-1, fwiw.

I guess it's probably moot to my original point though, I just think the south is better - and I'd like to see the north catch up a bit. No ill will towards any one program.

[NWHoops]

I've enjoyed this conversation from a distance. Fun question- if you are an AD and are making a hire today with the following qualities in mind:

- Demonstrated ability to win consistently
- Long term hire (looking on the younger side with the hope they will be there for many years, not the backend of a career)
- Graduates players and develops them as both players and individuals

Who are you picking as your next head coach from the current NSIC coaches? Feel free to add your own qualifications but I think those are ones that would be at the top of my list. Based on those, I know who I would pick today but interested to hear perspectives of others.

[MrMustang]

I guess that kind of depends on what time frame you are talking about. Over the last 10 seasons NSU is 154-58 (.726) in conference with 4 regular season and 4 tourney championships and zero losing seasons. Augie is 145-63 (.697) in conference with 3 regular season and 2 tourney championships and one losing season.

this difference is almost entirely due to playing in the North vs the South. The North is better than years ago, but the difference is still big top to bottom.

Until there is a blanced schedule, this will be a point of debate. If I were Northern I would rather play UMC 2x every year than any South team. No one disputes that. Nt a rip on North fans, but the facts are what they are. Now Northern would be just as good in the South, but the schedule difference helps

[Moorhead123]

this difference is almost entirely due to playing in the North vs the South. The North is better than years ago, but the difference is still big top to bottom.

Until there is a blanced schedule, this will be a point of debate. If I were Northern I would rather play UMC 2x every year than any South team. No one disputes that. Nt a rip on North fans, but the facts are what they are. Now Northern would be just as good in the South, but the schedule difference helps

How is that any different than south teams playing CSP twice per season? UMC and CSP have been very similar over the recent past.

[Moorhead123]

I guess that kind of depends on what time frame you are talking about. Over the last 10 seasons NSU is 154-58 (.726) in conference with 4 regular season and 4 tourney championships and zero losing seasons. Augie is 145-63 (.697) in conference with 3 regular season and 2 tourney championships and one losing season.

[vikingfaithful]

NSU has been more consistent in conference play than AU, even the Vikings National Championship season's only blemish was a loss to the Wolves.

[Thunder]

I've enjoyed this conversation from a distance. Fun question- if you are an AD and are making a hire today with the following qualities in mind:

- Demonstrated ability to win consistently
- Long term hire (looking on the younger side with the hope they will be there for many years, not the backend of a career)
- Graduates players and develops them as both players and individuals

Who are you picking as your next head coach from the current NSIC coaches? Feel free to add your own qualifications but I think those are ones that would be at the top of my list. Based on those, I know who I would pick today but interested to hear perspectives of others.

Interesting question. The Long-Term hire is the tricky part here. If you get someone nearing the backend of a career, you would likely only have them for 5-10 more years? Depending on the coach, I'd take 10 years of highly successful basketball. On the other hand, there are some guys who will be coaching for 20+ more years. The problem with them is, if you have the success you are hoping for, you will continually be looking over your shoulder for them to move on to greener pastures. Such is the life of D2 basketball.

I think Phillips and Billeter are the top coaches in the conference. However, you may not be getting either of them long-term due to possible retirement or possibly moving back to the D1 ranks. Of the younger coaches, I would say McKowen from UIU would be my pick. He has made the Peacocks a pretty consistent program with much less to work with than some of his peers. The other option would be Wieck from UMD. He seems to have the start to a pretty good program and has been able to recruit pretty well. I'm not the biggest fan of his, but I think he will have success.

[Stanger86]

I've enjoyed this conversation from a distance. Fun question- if you are an AD and are making a hire today with the following qualities in mind:

- Demonstrated ability to win consistently
- Long term hire (looking on the younger side with the hope they will be there for many years, not the backend of a career)
- Graduates players and develops them as both players and individuals

Who are you picking as your next head coach from the current NSIC coaches? Feel free to add your own qualifications but I think those are ones that would be at the top of my list. Based on those, I know who I would pick today but interested to hear perspectives of others.

1. Justin Wieck - Arguably the biggest rising star on the list. Created a winning basketball program at a hockey school.
2. Brad Bigler - Yes, he's the oldest on this list but with that age comes the experience of knowing how to build a program culture. Marshall is not an easy place to win, especially with the program's budget. I don't think you could ask much more out of him.
3. Brooks McKowen - Has really created a strong foothold in Iowa.

[NWHoops]

Interesting question. The Long-Term hire is the tricky part here. If you get someone nearing the backend of a career, you would likely only have them for 5-10 more years? Depending on the coach, I'd take 10 years of highly successful basketball. On the other hand, there are some guys who will be coaching for 20+ more years. The problem with them is, if you have the success you are hoping for, you will continually be looking over your shoulder for them to move on to greener pastures. Such is the life of D2 basketball.

I think Phillips and Billeter are the top coaches in the conference. However, you may not be getting either of them long-term due to possible retirement or possibly moving back to the D1 ranks. Of the younger coaches, I would say McKowen from UIU would be my pick. He has made the Peacocks a pretty consistent program with much less to work with than some of his peers. The other option would be Wieck from UMD. He seems to have the start to a pretty good program and has been able to recruit pretty well. I'm not the biggest fan of his, but I think he will have success.

Good point on defining long-term. In today's world, I'd consider anything over 10 years long-term, 5-10 mid-term, and less than 5 would be short-term.

[Purple Mav Man]

I've enjoyed this conversation from a distance. Fun question- if you are an AD and are making a hire today with the following qualities in mind:

- Demonstrated ability to win consistently
- Long term hire (looking on the younger side with the hope they will be there for many years, not the backend of a career)
- Graduates players and develops them as both players and individuals

Who are you picking as your next head coach from the current NSIC coaches? Feel free to add your own qualifications but I think those are ones that would be at the top of my list. Based on those, I know who I would pick today but interested to hear perspectives of others.

Brooks McKowen

He checks the boxes and his name is closest to Ben McCollum

[vikingfaithful]

Brooks McKowen

He checks the boxes and his name is closest to Ben McCollum

Easily Brooks McKowen. He coaches at Upper Iowa the smallest campus and in the smallest town in the NSIC. He is successful at a school with little success in athletics.

[NWHoops]

My choices (albeit I'm farther removed than the NSIC fans so they have a better perspective):

1. Bigler- Less funding than other programs (not fully funded if I recall correctly), is still in his early 40s, some Regional success (finals and semi-finals appearances), fairly consistent winner (.554 winning percentage)

2. Wieck- Overall .578 winning percentage but .694 at UMD. Late 30s, no real Regional success but who knows this year if Andrews doesn't get hurt. Not a long track record at this point. Another 2- 3 years of sustained success and some Regional noise and he moves up to #1

3. McKowen- As mentioned does more with less. .574 winning percentage but no real noise in the Regionals (a couple first rounds and a semi-final this year)


Obviously, in the short-term you go with Billeter but at 61 you have to wonder how many more years he will be at it if you are looking for a long-term hire.

Winning percentages came from Wikipedia so I apologize in advance if it is inaccurate.