Thats hilarious. I'm just glad I wasn't the only one that had to look it up!

Yes we need some MIAA games. I am confident with the Hornets MIAA season outlook after their performance against Bluffton.

FDF: I think you're half right and half wrong. Turnovers, despite how many steals the other team has, and an inability to score at the end of the game could completely be due to the other team. Of course both of those things could be due to one's mistakes, but they also could be caused by great-in your face-buckling down the last few minutes-defense. I wasn't at the game so it could be the former, but I think it is worth pointing out.

Holy smokes, I need to mention the great game by the pistons against the celtics the other night. Great game to watch.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Just beating the dead horse here...I'm glad the video was posted. For the fact that it actually created some entertaining conversation besides how the new beams look, or the ketchup and mustard at the stadium is doing (haha ok thats funny), or the 1231259 hope post on why they lost, or the 9234670910002222 post reminiscing about a previous hope-calvin game.

If you are going to be offended with what someone else posts then don't read the posts, call your buddies by the phone and talk about the game.

I'm glad K is going into break with two wins. Bluffton was a good win for the hornets, and they still have a long way to come to be competitive in the league. Good news is they have plenty of spots they have improved, with a lot of other aspects that can still be corrected.

Yeah as sac noted the hornets lost their side of the opener for the Marian tournament. I have no clue how good their oponent was, but it looked like a semi-close game from the box score. Tied 31-31 at halftime and then lost by 8. Additionally as Sac noted, McCain must have been back on the floor in good form. He shot 9-13, which from the box score, was one of the few positives of the game. I also would like to note that Jerome, the starting PG, had a good ratio of 6 assists and 1 turnover. He has been playing well for the Hornets, filling his role as the point gaurd. The few games of theirs I caught this year he seemed to know he was in their to facilitate and take his opportunities when he is open. I hope that his good decision making continues. The Hornets have been plagued this year with a lot of turnovers and not many assists (13 assists to 20 turnovers last night). Without looking at the exact stats, I can't imagine their assist to turnover ratio is higher than .75, which is just one of the indicators why they are off to the start they are.

I am still curious on why McCain didn't play against Northwood and then didn't start tonight. Possibly he was ill and unable to practice?

The Hornets play Davenport tonight. As some previous discussion noted, Davenport is on the up this year. I know that for the past few years it seemed when the hornets played Davenport the games turned into a blowout for the hornets. It sure would be nice to get a win like that for the sake of the guys confidence. No matter what though when conference play starts everyone is 0-0.

please just win. Maybe some smokin Joe magic will be revived at Marian.

Hornets lose by 17. I don't think it was ever close.

I was wondering the same thing about McCain. Does anyone know why hes not playing? I hope not for disciplinary issues.

I just happened upon a live stats link for K's game as I was browsing the miaa website...they are down 13 at halftime. The only stat of the game that stands out so far is that matt barnes for Northwood has 14 at halftime...he used to play for Alma didn't he?


Looks like a very interesting article on the front of d3hoops. I hope that I get a chance to read the entire article in espn magazine.

DC - I would agree a team would like to get more assists (despite Hope playing good basketball anyway). Without seeing Hope play this year I was thinking of a few explanations why DVS doesn't have more assists.
1. Hope used to, not sure if they are still this year, but they run the swing offense. Yeah the point gaurd brings the ball up, but I know when Immink, and previous hope PGs, a major role of his was to basically enter the ball into the swing, not necesarily create offense himself.

2. Hope has a lot of talented players that can create offense themselves. I would agree you don't want to rely on this, but Hope is usually more talented than oponents, which can lead to guys simply out playing whoever is gaurding them.

Mind you this is without seeing Hope play in quite some time, but its my two cents.

Some interesting games over the weekend....

I was not at the chicago - kzoo game, but after seeing the box score I couldn't help to be disapointed. Lots of turnovers, not many assists, and low % shooting. Thats certainly not a winning formula for basketball, which shows in our record. I am hoping some K fans, or any other postercan give a synopsis of the game?

Just some things that stood out big time for me at looking box scores, and I read some discussion on them already

1. Kent Raymond with 12 turnovers as Hope blows out Wheaton. For a guy that is supposed to be an all american theres no excuse for that, I don't care how good of defense you play on him.

2. 7-7 trey balls for the guy from Wheaton to upset Calvin by 1...are you kidding me? Thats lights out! Was he wide open or just on fire hitting tough shots, or both?

I am sure like several posters I am pretty surprised that Wheaton beat Calvin!

I also think a big ten/ACC challenge type thing would be a great addition to the MIAA preseason.

JEVBB - "athletics never come before academics"...were you talking only about d3? Or did you mean athletics should never come before academics?

Thats great advice, I wonder if the % of kids is high or low in d3 sports that would actually follow it, I hope its high.

I'm not sure what the endowment is like at Cornerstone, but I would imagine that can be used as the source for the scholarship money. Read a great article in the WSJ today about Williams and Amherst boosting the money they are taking from their endowments each year to give out grants, rather than loans, since tuition is becoming so much...gese like they need any more incentives to give potential recruits!

Definitely no one should hold it against a college kid for transferring, usually it is in their best interest. Also, good point about the scholarship money with false promises...I do think some kids let that blind them a bit, then they realize a good education from any of these MIAA (ok most of them) with pay for itself and then some in the long run.

Realist: I agree recruits look at what they will face to a certain degree. But lets be honest...lets hypothetically say a hope team has 3/4 seniors?...how does Hope pull in 18 or so freshman (all of which desire to play college baskeball for 4 years) to fill those spots and an entire JV team?...someone is telling these kids they have a very legit chance, with this repeating every year. Don't get me wrong, this is a reason Hope is so good, they get 18 recruits and keep the cream of the crop. I do not doubt your sources, and yes 30+ may have been an exageration, but I have heard from other MIAA coaches that GVW tells a lot of kids some things that some would consider false promises.

If you're transfering for education why wouldn't you transfer to K?

"like clockwork"

I would indeed start to consider it clockwork. I do not doubt that the transfers to Hope has picked up in the last 5 years, but at what point do you consider 5 years an exception vs being the norm? 5 years is a pretty long time.

Realist: I'm not so sure very many of those Hope incoming players and recruits know the transfer situation at Hope. I'm pretty sure GVW wasn't boasting about on their visit. Additionally, I don't know how many high schoolers look into rosters from the past 4-5 years (maybe they do) but I'm pretty sure on a recruiting trip to Hope they see a huge following, winning team, and blonde Dutch girls...and not wondering how many transfers they got.  On top of those reasons for being a wide eyed recruit, when GVW is telling 30+ good players in the area they will be on the varsity team their first year because they are one of THE top recruits, a few of them are bound to take the bait and sinker.

Some would argue this strategy is wrong. Others say its how you build a winning basketball team.

Personally, I just don't understand why some recruits go to Hope who aren't the top recruits of MIAA coaches. Places like K, Albion, Adrian all give time for development. And it seems like year after year you see these guys are getting cut from Hope or Calvin because its in with the new and out with the old.

I know this has nothing to do with any topic but does anyone know why I can't send personal messages to anyone? I'm geussing I have to make a certain amount of posts before I am allowed to???