When I started reading and writing to D3 Hoops, Stout was in first place in the WIAC and Superior in last. Superior couldn't even make post-season. This year, UW-Superior's last in the WIAC, the tables have turned. It's been a nice year.

Adios, WIAC.

Superior has been playing two kinds of basketball in just about every game: one half very good, one half very mediocre. Sometimes it was the first half, sometimes the second. Too much reliance on Sally to carry the team too often--or just to spark a comeback. Last night was the first game they put all of it together, playing a full game with contributions from multiple players. Honest to god, I waited for them to slink off in the second half. When they didn't, I thought, "Finally." Superior has some very good freshmen, some very capable sophomores. If they can just fire on all cylinders reliably, they could be very, very hard to beat.

UWS rises. Like a snowbank out of the north. Congratulations to Don Mulhern and his team.

I guess Nett won't be in any MVP or POY battle next year, since she graduates this year--at least her years of eligibility are up. Sophomore standing in basketball doesn't mean squat if you're a senior, academically and eligibility-wise.  I should pay deeper attention

Whitewater. Good lord. Not even the same end of the alphabet. A wealth of juniors/seniors

I couldn't find a River Falls roster. I've always found the RF athletics site to be difficult to navigate, so the roster could very well be there but not nearly as obvious as someone--like me, apparently--needs.

QuoteSurely you jest

Ha! No kidding. I wonder which team I looked at and counted something like 13 of 24? Jest, no. Erred, yes. Sorry about that.

QuoteI'd pick Bingea as the runner up for MVP, since her leadership has been important on a young UWEC squad

A lot of the teams seem to be pretty young; not many players making it to junior or senior years, the exception being LaCrosse and Stevens Point, where about half are juniors or seniors. For the rest of the teams, juniors and seniors make up about 1/3 or 1/4.

At Superior, on-court leadership seems to be held by a senior (Urmanski) and a sophomore (Linzmeier). I think, however, the sophomore, buoyed by players who seem to like the style, models the kind of play the team is (finally) engaged in. I think the older players provide a sense of stability and maybe some calm within the storm, but it's the younger players that provide the flash. Superior has needed flash for a long time and just never had the depth to provide it--it certainly can't be done by a single player.

Last night Superior played Stout in what I considered a grudge match--we lost horribly in Menomonie--and it was interesting. My allegiance has shifted, and now it's good to see Superior be able to rotate all its able-bodied players onto the floor--beginning with more than five minutes left in the game--and still maintain a comfortable lead.

I seriously hope this lasts, because it's a good feeling I don't want to lose.

Me, too.

Selfishly--because Superior has never even been considered for discussion before--next year, I hope the debate is between Linzmeier and Nett

Just interested in live stats from Superior. I usually don't have trouble w/other schools' live stats.

QuoteSuperior shows that they're more than Linzmeier and Urmanski as the pair combine for just seven points in the 56-53 win over Eau Claire

They may not have carried the team, but they're teaching the team how to play basketball. Urmanski was a dynamic player for a couple years with precious little support. Superior just never had the depth to sustain 40 minutes of good play. They often faded badly in the second half after holding their own in the first. Picking up some decent players and having a sparkplug show some gumption--players not afraid to get a little physical--has made a huge difference.

Win or lose, they're a lot more fun to watch now.

I need evidence that UW-Superior live stats often don't work. If you've had trouble, please reply. Thanks

Spouse went to UW-S vs UWEC game last night and said Soup women played great defense early on. Appeared to lag in the last quarter of play (or UWEC became more offensive) but managed a win. I like defense. A lot.

Usually there's at least some noise about the bad calls. This silence is like The Day After Tomorrow and everybody but, apparently, Stoutguy and I are the only ones left alive. Has the shock of a UWS winning (so far) season struck everyone dumb?

Waiting for the fallout from UWS-UWW game yesterday. Helloo...elloo...looo?

Hilary Peterson plays first game this year (2013) after sitting out with a concussion. I wondered why Oshkosh trampled us so badly: no height.

Here's my question: when coaches rag on refs for a perceived missed call, do they argue as vehemently when one of their players benefits? If not, then they need to sit down and shut up.

Thank you. Finally, UWS can take advantage of bus legs

STOUTGUY! Long time-you know...

I'm cautiously optimistic about our women's basketball team. Sally Linzmeier doesn't like to lose and, thanks to some very nice players around her, she's been competitive--the team has been competitive. Of course, the real test comes now with the real season getting under way. I'm hoping.

Liz is in Tampa, working for FedEx. She escaped the snow and cold and won't come back, she says. Crazy, crazy, crazy. She keeps going farther south and I keep wanting to go farther north. Who can figure genetics?

I watched the Stout-UWS game via live stats while sitting through the men's game--yikes, that was awful--and rode a rollercoaster watching the point spread grow. I was practically hysterical when UWS caught up, and then morose when they lost. They're battlers. I like 'em.

Marcol. I don't know. I don't think she got much playing time last year. She had size, as I recall. It shocks me that we have a roster big enough that I don't clearly recall players. Not a luxury I'm used to up here.