This year in the Big Sky was actually incredibly fascinating.  At one point during the season, 2nd place and 10th place were separated by a single game.  It turned out that a 10-10 Eastern Washington team (who could have been a live sleeper) missed the tournament by finishing 8th.  Also out are 9-11 Montana State and 8-12 Idaho State – both of whom could easily have risen up and knocked someone off).  Also missing is – literally – the WORST team in the country, Southern Utah.  One of the big stories this year is what happened to Montana.  I’m not sure, but they sure weren’t themselves.  It should be interesting to see if they show up here in the tournament.

Well, the majority of the field (16) like Weber to win this tournament on their home floor.  However, in amazing CTC craziness, the other 9 picks are spread out among nearly the entire rest of the field.  With the exception of #7 Sacramento State, every other team is represented with a championship pick.  That’s fantastic.  Needless to say, there are plenty of upset/sleeper picks here.  Perfection is the key in the Big Sky, as it has been 5 years since anyone has missed any game in the tournament and still won the crown.  Primm and Scoot shared the title last year.  Bry has actually won this tournament 3 times.

CHAMPIONSHIP (March 15th – 24 points)

#1 Weber State vs #2 North Dakota
In a conference that was all over the map all year, we get a chalky final here with the top 2 seeds battling for the auto-bid.  It wasn’t easy for the top seed and tournament hosts, Weber, though, as they took care of a Northern Colorado team that may have been the most talented team in the Big Sky this year, but just didn’t have the consistency in the regular season and, therefore, had to play a road game in the semis.  Now, North Dakota has that same task.  And, judging by their performance on Friday, they may be up for it.  UND hammered a good Portland State team to get here.  Weber won both regular season matchups by a dozen points.

Lynch and Scoot are all alone on North Dakota here.  16 people (Alexi, Becks, Bry, Caleb, Chris, Colton, Dave, Doogan, GrossJr, GrossSr, PapaCim, RDoc, Stri, Stritts, Teddy, WaTers) have Weber here.  Becks, RDoc, and Stri will complete perfect Big Sky brackets if Weber wins here.  Scoot will steal the outright Big Sky title with a North Dakota win.

SEMIFINALS (March 14th – 16 points each)

#2 North Dakota vs #5 Portland State
North Dakota survived a really tight game with #7 Sac State, while Portland State took out perennial juggernaut Montana, setting up a somewhat unlikely Big Sky semifinal.

Dave, Lohse, Lynch, and Teddy all have Portland State here in a nice upset pick, with Lohse has them winning it all.  8 people (Becks, Colton, Lynch, Primm, RDoc, Scoot, Stri, Stritts) have North Dakota winning here, with Lynch and Scoot taking them to win it all.

North Dakota 79 – Portland State 63

#1 Weber State vs #6 Northern Colorado
The big development with the terrible season in Missoula, MT, is that Weber State is all alone at the top of the Big Sky.  Usually, those two teams battle each other for the top spot, but this year it was all Weber.  That is not saying that this Weber team is all that special (though senior star Devion Berry sure is), and they certainly can be beaten, particularly by a talented UNC team that hasn’t been playing up to their potential lately.  They did survive a furious comeback by Northern Arizona in the quarters.  The winner of this game will be a strong favorite in the championship.  Weber State earned the right to host this game, so they have to be given the edge in this one.

Caleb, Lazarow, PapaCim, and Primm all have UNC winning here with Lazarow and Primm taking them to win it all.  Everyone except Lazarow, Lynch, and Primm have Weber State going to the finals.  This means that Caleb and PapaCim both have Weber and UNC playing each other in the finals, so they will win this game regardless and lose the other semifinal.

Weber State 66 – Northern Colorado 63 (OT)

QUARTERFINALS (March 13th – 8 points each)

#2 North Dakota vs #7 Sacramento State
North Dakota had a really nice season and was rewarded with the 2nd-seed in the tournament and a real shot to win this thing.  UND actually beat NDSU in the battle for North Dakota earlier this year, then they finished 12-8 in conference.  They are senior-laden and well-coached.  They will open the tournament with a Sacramento State team that is not used to important basketball games, as the program just isn’t very accomplished.

7 people (Bry, Caleb, Doogan, J, Lohse, PapaCim, Teddy) have Sac State in the upset here, though none of them have them going any further.  Lynch and Scoot put their champ at risk here, while Becks, Colton, Primm, RDoc, and Stritts put a finalist at risk.

North Dakota 79 – Sacramento State 76

#3 Northern Arizona vs #6 Northern Colorado
When UNC beat Weber State on Jan 9, it looked like UNC might be the best team in this conference.  But, two separate 4-game losing streaks ended that talk.  Now, they have new life and a shot to get this done in the tournament.  They open with a Northern Arizona team that has been solid all year long.

Only 7 people (Colton, Doogan, GrossSr, Lynch, Scoot, Stumpf, WaTers) have the higher-seeded UNA Lumberjacks.  The other 18 all have UNC in the upset.  Someone is going to lose a champ here, as Stumpf has UNA winning this tournament, while Lazarow and Primm both have #6 UNC.  Doogan, GrossSr, and WaTers all have UNA losing in the finals.  Caleb and PapaCim have UNC losing in the finals.  This is a pretty big swing game in the Big Sky.

Northern Colorado 62 – Northern Arizona 60

#4 Montana vs #5 Portland State
Will Cherry is gone for the Grizzlies, but Kareem Jamar (one of the best two-name names ever) is still there and Wayne Tinkle can flat-out coach.  There is no reason for this team to have struggled so mightily over the course of the season, but all is erased now, and they can salvage their season with a good weekend here.  They start with a Portland State team that is up-and-coming, but probably a year away.

11 people (Becks, Caleb, Dave, GrossSr, Lohse, Lynch, RDoc, Scoot, Stri, Stumpf, Teddy) have Portland State in the minor upset here.  Dave, Lohse, Lynch, and Teddy have them going to the finals.  Lohse has them winning it.  Gersh, J, and Mac all have Montana winning this tournament.  Alexi, Bry, Chris, GrossJr, and Lazarow have the Grizz losing in the finals.

CTC UPDATE

Championship Picks

• #1 Weber State (16)
• #2 North Dakota (2) – Lynch, Scoot
• #3 Northern Arizona (1) – Stumpf
• #4 Montana (3) – Gersh, J, Mac
• #5 Portland State (1) – Lohse
• #6 Northern Colorado (2) – Lazarow, Primm

Biggest Upsets

• QF – #7 Sacramento State (Bry, Caleb, Doogan, J, Lohse, PapaCim, Teddy)
• SF – #6 Northern Colorado (Caleb, Lazarow, PapaCim, Primm)

Previous CTC Champions

• 2008 – Bry
• 2009 – J
• 2010 – Lohse (perfect)
• 2011 – Bry (perfect)
• 2012 – Bry, Lynch, Rikey, RDoc (perfect)
• 2013 – Primm, Scoot (perfect)

2014 Scores