2024-25 SMSU Mustangs: Looking to make a run

[Stanger86]

Men and women are a combined 21-5. Not many complaints here.

[SW_Mustang]

It's been a fun season. The loss to Augie is a stinger - I was there and was not happy with the effort in that game. Three losses by a combined 11 points has to be on the coach's mind heading into the second half. But besides that, not much to complain about there.

Seems like the women have won every game that was expected of them, and many are fairly dominant wins. They seem to really be moving along nicely. I know Bigler gets the spotlight for SMSU basketball but I'm kinda happy with the direction Webb is moving things on his end.

[Stanger86]

I know Bigler gets the spotlight for SMSU basketball but I'm kinda happy with the direction Webb is moving things on his end.

Webb has been a home run hire since the day he was brought in!

SMSU is in the Top 25 for the first time since 2002.

[SW_Mustang]

Webb has been a home run hire since the day he was brought in!

SMSU is in the Top 25 for the first time since 2002.

He did that podcast a few years back and it was great insight into how he runs things - not the least surprised he moved them into the rankings. That has to be a good feeling, that team is clearly working really hard.

[Stanger86]

Cannot emphasize enough how huge this weekend is for the Mustangs. I'm hoping for a split at worst. A SMSU sweep of Minot and Moorhead would do some serious heavy lifting when it comes to the regional rankings.

[SW_Mustang]

Cannot emphasize enough how huge this weekend is for the Mustangs. I'm hoping for a split at worst. A SMSU sweep of Minot and Moorhead would do some serious heavy lifting when it comes to the regional rankings.

Niiiiiiiiice.

Great weekend back in Marshall. Wish I could have watched tonight, sounds like it was down to the wire.

[MSUKato]

Who is going to win the conference?? After watching every team play…. I’m going with Winona State. These guys play harder than any other team and each player compliments each other’s game. Bench is starting to grow and think this team has the potential to be very dangerous all year long.

[Purple Mav Man]

Who is going to win the conference?? After watching every team play…. I’m going with Winona State. These guys play harder than any other team and each player compliments each other’s game. Bench is starting to grow and think this team has the potential to be very dangerous all year long.

Not Minot.
I still stand by the take that the NSIC is way down this year. It’s wide open and any team could win it, though.

[Stanger86]

Who is going to win the conference?? After watching every team play…. I’m going with Winona State. These guys play harder than any other team and each player compliments each other’s game. Bench is starting to grow and think this team has the potential to be very dangerous all year long.

Remaining schedule for SMSU (current records):
vs. Northern (0-10)
vs. Mary (2-8)
at Bemidji (3-7)
at St. Cloud (6-4)
vs. Augustana (6-5)
at Sioux Falls (5-5)
at Duluth (5-4)
vs. Winona (8-3)
at Wayne (4-7)
vs. Crookston (2-8)
at Mary (2-8)
at Northern (0-10)

[simple as a $3 bill]

Remaining schedule for SMSU (current records):
vs. Northern (0-10)
vs. Mary (2-8)
at Bemidji (3-7)
at St. Cloud (6-4)
vs. Augustana (6-5)
at Sioux Falls (5-5)
at Duluth (5-4)
vs. Winona (8-3)
at Wayne (4-7)
vs. Crookston (2-8)
at Mary (2-8)
at Northern (0-10)

Thats a nice schedule to finish on.

[MrMustang]

very good weekend and 2 nice wins in compeltely different ways.

Friday vs Moorhead was an ugly grind and in slow motion at times as both teams were just gassed. defense by both teams was great

Then Saturday was a great game, well played, crisp, and both teams played well. good offense, good defense, plays made, what a fun game

[Stanger86]

To this point, SMSU has the 12th hardest strength of schedule. The rest of the way though? 13th easiest.

[Stanger86]

I still stand by the take that the NSIC is way down this year. It’s wide open and any team could win it, though.

The more time I spend looking around at both our schedule and the teams we've played, I think I would definitely agree it is down. Just as one example, I think our old friends the Peacocks would probably be one of our top teams this year. Right now in the GLVC, they're only 4-3.

For the Mustangs specifically, some of our biggest wins of the season have turned out to be not as impressive as I once thought. Northwest is an obvious example. Fort Hays is another, voted by the media to win the MIAA but currently just 3-2.

[Purple Mav Man]

The more time I spend looking around at both our schedule and the teams we've played, I think I would definitely agree it is down. Just as one example, I think our old friends the Peacocks would probably be one of our top teams this year. Right now in the GLVC, they're only 4-3.

For the Mustangs specifically, some of our biggest wins of the season have turned out to be not as impressive as I once thought. Northwest is an obvious example. Fort Hays is another, voted by the media to win the MIAA but currently just 3-2.

And to be clear, I’m definitely not trying to dump on any of the teams. Even in a down year, there can still be high performing teams. Overall though, the league isn’t what we’re used to.

Good call out on Upper Iowa.

[Stanger86]

Good call out on Upper Iowa.

For those who don't want to look it up, the finally Jake Hilmer-less Peacocks went 3-1 in nonconference play against the NSIC.

75-65 win at UM-Crookston
66-65 loss at St. Cloud State
96-88 win vs. Concordia-St. Paul
79-78 win vs. Southwest Minnesota State