2024-25 SMSU Mustangs: Looking to make a run

[MrMustang]

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.

I dunno

SMSU, Minot, and Winona, and Concordia are better than last year.

Mankato down (of course after Natty) but still good

Moorhead would be awesome but for injuries so once they get their 2 best players back they are a top 10 team nationally again.

so thats 7 really good teams. Plus SCSU has went from awful to decent

UMD is down from expectations but still good.

[MrMustang]

another good weekend. Stunned at Northern's fall. Mary is decent. Man they played hard and that was a grind.

Really big weekend tto go to Bemidji and St Cloud. Keep it rolling

[SW_Mustang]

Great weekend. Seems like Mary gave the women's team a bit of a struggle late in the second half, but a win is a win. Men won as expected.

I don't want to overlook any team, but it seems like we have a fairly favorable schedule for both teams. Too bad nobody is showing up to watch anymore.

[Purple Mav Man]

I dunno

SMSU, Minot, and Winona, and Concordia are better than last year.

Mankato down (of course after Natty) but still good

Moorhead would be awesome but for injuries so once they get their 2 best players back they are a top 10 team nationally again.

so thats 7 really good teams. Plus SCSU has went from awful to decent

UMD is down from expectations but still good.

SW and CSP are better teams than last year’s versions. But IMO, CSP won’t advance in the NCAA tournament if they make it. Their style/lack of D will beat them. Minot appears to be very similar to what they had last year, and may be starting that same pattern now too. Winona is difficult to figure out. They may or may not have a better roster than last year-they did lose a lot.

Just because their records are better than last year doesn’t mean they are automatically better teams. It could easily be because the rest of the teams are down and they are now winning more games. In fact, this seems more likely.

Mankato is borderline good at best. The fact that they are where they are in the standings also tells me something about the league. Their non-conference schedule was tough, but they got beat up outside the NSIC.

There not 7 really good teams in the conference. There’s maybe 1. Two if Moorhead can stop breaking all their toys.

[MrMustang]

SW and CSP are better teams than last year’s versions. But IMO, CSP won’t advance in the NCAA tournament if they make it. Their style/lack of D will beat them. Minot appears to be very similar to what they had last year, and may be starting that same pattern now too. Winona is difficult to figure out. They may or may not have a better roster than last year-they did lose a lot.

Just because their records are better than last year doesn’t mean they are automatically better teams. It could easily be because the rest of the teams are down and they are now winning more games. In fact, this seems more likely.

Mankato is borderline good at best. The fact that they are where they are in the standings also tells me something about the league. Their non-conference schedule was tough, but they got beat up outside the NSIC.

There not 7 really good teams in the conference. There’s maybe 1. Two if Moorhead can stop breaking all their toys.

It wil be interesting to see how CSP style ends up. If they are hot shooting, no way they lose. If they are cold, can they play enough defense.

[CoachSalscheider]

I went to the Beaver-Mustang game tonight. As a Beaver fan, Southwest did not disappoint. Although we (the Beavers) had our moments, it certainly wasn't enough. A couple of my observations are: Shaw may be the best, most consistent container I have seen all year. Lund had the best line tonight (going 8-9 from the field, including 4-5 from three-point range, didn't hurt). Congrats to Bratten for his 24-point performance (this guy looks like he throws hay bales in his spare time). As a team, they almost always defend well, pass with speed and purpose, and play hard.

[Stanger86]

I went to the Beaver-Mustang game tonight. As a Beaver fan, Southwest did not disappoint. Although we (the Beavers) had our moments, it certainly wasn't enough. A couple of my observations are: Shaw may be the best, most consistent container I have seen all year. Lund had the best line tonight (going 8-9 from the field, including 4-5 from three-point range, didn't hurt). Congrats to Bratten for his 24-point performance (this guy looks like he throws hay bales in his spare time). As a team, they almost always defend well, pass with speed and purpose, and play hard.

This group is certainly a lot of fun to watch...it might be my favorite team we've had in my 20 years following the program.

Kind of a tough stretch ahead over the next two weeks. Have to lock in, or we could lose to any of them.
Thursday vs. Augie
Saturday at Sioux Falls
Wednesday at Duluth
Saturday vs. Winona

[MrMustang]

Big game tonight. We have not beat Augie at home since 2013. Thats a crazy stat

[Stanger86]

Big game tonight. We have not beat Augie at home since 2013. Thats a crazy stat

Holy crap, that's crazy. That was the sophomore year for Jansen and younger Schilling, who would win the national title two years later.

[SW_Mustang]

Also be nice if we can get one over on Augie after our abysmal road loss. Have to imagine both teams are going in hungry for this one. 11 points separate us between where we are and a perfect season - so those small things matter like we convienently forgot about last time.

It's weird - I was a sophomore in college the last time we beat Augie at home, yet one of my college classmates is playing for Augie tonight. I need to stop going to college...

[vikingfaithful]

Also be nice if we can get one over on Augie after our abysmal road loss. Have to imagine both teams are going in hungry for this one. 11 points separate us between where we are and a perfect season - so those small things matter like we convienently forgot about last time.

It's weird - I was a sophomore in college the last time we beat Augie at home, yet one of my college classmates is playing for Augie tonight. I need to stop going to college...

Gotta say SMSU has one fine announcer for ganes. Why Mustangs struggle with Vikings is a mystery. You do have a great team and should win conference.

[SW_Mustang]

Gotta say SMSU has one fine announcer for ganes. Why Mustangs struggle with Vikings is a mystery. You do have a great team and should win conference.

Yeah the folks that handle SMSU sports are outstanding - I've relayed that to them as well. The wrestling bumpers are a wonderful touch - someone knows their stuff.

I tried listening on my way home from Sioux Falls but the radio kept switching between Mustang basketball and the Stampede - which would normally be fine except the Herd were in the pre-game and the men's game was finishing up, so I just turned it off.

Not sure either. It was the worst loss of the year by far in terms of points. Not too happy about it.

[MrMustang]

Gotta say SMSU has one fine announcer for ganes. Why Mustangs struggle with Vikings is a mystery. You do have a great team and should win conference.

Augie was tougher than us in the 2nd half. Akoi had a good game. but mostly -- we missed 3 wide open 3s int he 2nd half and to Augie's credit they made 3 wide open 3s in the same stretch! allowed them to take a slight lead from being behind and we enever recoved. when you make shots you are good and miss them -- well it can happen and then it is hard to win

Swami is a great announcer.

[SW_Mustang]

I have serious doubts about our ability to go deep this postseason after last night. That was horrendous. I wasn't able to watch so I don't know specifics, but I did check updates - did we just not want to win, or what?

Women's team was great as is the standard for this season though. Have to imagine Blandin is in the conversation for Player of the Week at this point.

[DapperDan]

I have serious doubts about our ability to go deep this postseason after last night. That was horrendous. I wasn't able to watch so I don't know specifics, but I did check updates - did we just not want to win, or what?

Women's team was great as is the standard for this season though. Have to imagine Blandin is in the conversation for Player of the Week at this point.

Can someone remind me why Hawaiian Night became Tropical Night? Was Hawaiian deemed racist in the thankfully quashed woke era?