The St. Thomas Tommie’s Men’s Basketball team opens up the season with a week that is best described as crawl (North Central), walk (at Green Bay), run (at Oklahoma State).
OPENING NIGHT
Tonight their opponent is a perennial opponent, the North Central University Rams. UST has scored over 100 points or more in the last two games between them, and tonight will be UST’s best chance in their four years in Division 1 to get an opening night win. UST has lost to Chicago State, Creighton, and Cal, in their opening games in years past. Getting a win in the victory column on night 1, especially at home, will be a first. In home-openers over the last three season, UST is undefeated. UST’s low scoring victory last season over Idaho State after returning from a tough road loss in Berkeley California to open the season. St. Thomas will not host a Division 1 home game for another month, when they host Chicago State on December 2nd. Tonight will be the last home game in Schoenecker Arena for the UST Men’s Basketball team, with the Anderson Arena projected to open by the home opener next season.
STARTING FIVE PREDICTION (annual tradition)
Drake Dobbs
Kendall Blue
Ryan Dufault
Ben Nau
Carter Bjerke
Traditionally Coach Johnny Tauer has started the guys who have been with the program the longest on opening night. If UST’s history against North Central is any guide, we will see the benches cleared tonight to have a chance to see the many mane newcomers in action.
GET RICH QUICK
The storyline I am following most closely this week is of newcomer Rich Byrhe’s return to Green Bay Wisconsin, to face his old team the UW-Green Bay Phoenix. Rich last season for Green Bay as a rotation player scored 38 three pointers, and averaged 6 points per game. The Phoenix are coached by Fox Sports Radio host Doug Gottlieb, and they open their season in Stillwater, Oklahoma tonight to play UST’s Sunday Opponent, the Cowboys of Oklahoma State. St. Thomas will be Green Bay’s home opener on Friday.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
ROTATIONS
St. Thomas last season had a very stable rotation, and whatever group is out on the floor tonight will not have had a ton of time playing together in games over the years, like the 23-24 group had. Having a non-D1 game to start the season is the perfect opportunity to grow that familiarity on the floor.
TEMPO
There was not better team at controlling the pace in the Summit League last year than St. Thomas. St. Thomas was a full 3 possessions slower last year than the year prior, ranking in the slowest 10 teams in Division 1 hoops. This pace resulted in St. Thomas having the best defense in the Summit League last year. Simply put, if you want to beat UST, you cannot waste your possession.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
My Pre-Season basketball rankings for the Summit League are as follows.
1.) UMKC
2.) UST
3.) SDSU
4.) NDSU
5.) UND
6.) USD
7.) ORU
8.) Omaha
9.) Denver
I will buy into the UMKC roos hype early on. Returning 5 starters in college basketball in today’s age is almost unheard of. St. Thomas had a similar situation last year returning a bunch of guys, and especially early on in conference play was significantly beneficial for them. In the Pre-Season poll, only UST, Denver, and Omaha received zero first place votes (I supposed they would not have gotten one from myself either) but I hope that Coach Tauer is using that as bulletin board material before conference play.
LET THE ROAD TO SIOUX FALLS BEGIN!