Tough draw for the Tommies. I like their first round matchup, but NWU is tough as nails. I don't see the Tommies flipping the switch after a poor couple weeks to end the season and getting out of that pod. The Johnnies should be able to handle UNW, but I imagine they will feel some pressure due to last years events and the fact they are hosting. Hopefully SJU gets an atmosphere like the one they saw Saturday. I'll take Johnnies moving onto the second weekend.

Few thoughts on the MIAC championship game. I thought both teams played great defense throughout, the Auggies double teaming the ball handler on the ball screen and their rotations made life tough for the Johnnies. St. John's inside presence forced the Auggies into shooting too many 3's, and Stokman was outstanding on Coplin late in that one. Zach Hanson is so underrated, uses his body excellent in the low post. What a great recovery he had on that last inbound play to swat Mulligans 3. It was a great design by the Auggies to attract everyone's attention to Coplin.

Oh - and Booker Coplin is...Booker Coplin. Took 30 shots, would have liked to see him take 30 more 

Quote from: Drake Palmer on February 22, 2019, 03:21:14 PM
Man, MIACHoops, where you been - the commissioner's office? Since it seems our Miacmaniac has taken a brief break, we need more posters like you on this board.  Great first post! +K

- glad to be here. Diamond in the rough!!

Quote from: miac952 on February 22, 2019, 04:16:53 PM
A couple thoughts & questions:

Yes, the Tommie D has been deficient the last quarter of the season. Without improvements on D and someone you can lean on for big buckets at the end of a game, an early NCAA exit is probable.

When was the last time the MIAC received three bids? Would love to see this happen.

Last season the MIAC had 3 NCAA Tournament teams, with Olaf, Augsburg, and St. John's. Olaf being the only one that advanced past the first round.

What a great effort by the Tommie's to make it a game at the end last night.  Booker and co. prove to be too much, and the Tommie's will limp into the dance.. I don't see them making a run in the national tournament, they seemed to have peaked at the wrong time (midseason).  The Johnnies look like the team we all expected them to be, I don't see Augsburg going into Sexton Arena and taking down SJU, but I didn't expect it last year and that's exactly what they did.  Although I'll be cheering for the Auggies so we can see 3 MIAC schools in the dance, I think the Johnnies' size will be too much for the Auggies to handle. 

Does Booker Coplin have a legitimate chance at national player of the year if the Auggies make it to the national tournament?  I haven't done a whole lot of research on other players around the country, but with Booker at 2nd in scoring at 27.3ppg to go along with 9.3rpg, 3.4apg, 2.2 spg, and 1 bpg I have to think he does.  All while shooting at a 50/40/90 clip.  I can't say I've ever seen a better year from a MIAC player.       

With only the championship game remaining, I thought it would be a good time to recognize how great a senior class the MIAC had this year.  7 seniors eclipsed 1,000 career points for their respective schools.  I did some career statistical research on those 7 and here's what I came up with:

David Stokman (SJU) - Career Shooting - 47.5% FG, 46.4% 3FG, 86.3% FT.  Career Averages - 13.7ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.9apg.  His 1,462 points rank 5th all time in the Johnnie record book.  His 260 3 pointers made rank 1st in Johnnie history.  Stokman has had an unbelievable career, unfortunately the Johnnie record book only has the career leader for stats such as rebounds and assists otherwise he likely sits in the top 10 in those categories as well.  He's a 2x Academic All-American, 4x MIAC Athlete of the Week, MIAC All-FY Team, and 2x All-conference.  He'll add to those marks in the coming days when the MIAC releases their all-conference honors.  Can Stokman add a national title to the resume?!?!

Derek Magnuson (Bethel) - Career Shooting - 59.8% FG, 41.2% 3FG (maybe Coach Novak should have had him shooting more than the 34 he took   ) 72.2% FT.  Career Averages - 12.4ppg, 6.9rpg, 1apg.  Magnuson sits atop the Bethel record book for career fg% at his 59.8, overtaking Kyle Zimmerman.  He is 14th in scoring all-time with 1,341 points, and 9th in rebounding with 742.  He was a member of the MIAC All-FY team and has since been an all-conf honorable mention.  He will surely add an All-Conf after this seasons awards come out.  Bethel will miss his inside presence.

Riley Sharbono (Gustavus) - Career Shooting - 46.6% FG, 38.3% 3FG, 78.2% FT.  Career Averages - 12.3ppg, 3rpg, 1.2apg.  Sharbono's 1,233 points put him 17th in scoring in the Gustie record book.  His 155 3 pointers made put him 5th all time in that category.  Also a 1x MIAC Athlete of the Week, All-Conf Honorable mention as well as an All-conference award his junior year.  He likely will add another all-conf in the coming days (surely an HM at the very least, but can't see a playoff team not getting an all-conf player), it was good to see the Gusties get back into the playoffs, one last hoorah for Sharbono.

Austin Korba (St. Olaf) - Career Shooting - 45.5% FG, 34.5% 3FG, 67.6% FT.  Career Averages - 11.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 2apg.  Korba's 1,135 points put him 12th in the Oles book.  He comes in at 13th in rebounds (454), 2nd in 3FGM (135), and 5th FGM (401).  The Oles book only dates back to the '03 season, an important note.  Nonetheless, a terrific career for Korba.  He was an all-conference player last season and will surely get that honor again this season.  The Oles could look a lot different next year without his scoring, rebounding, etc.     

Isaac Brooks (Hamline) - Career Shooting - 50.5% FG, 30.5% 3FG, 71.7% FT.  Career Averages - 11.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.4apg.  Brooks' 1,118 points rank 16th all-time at Hamline.  He sits 11th at FGM (449), and 10th in FG% (50.5).  Brooks will likely get his 1st all-conference honor this season.  A great career he hashed out as a Piper.  Hamline loses a ton this season and it will be interesting to see how the team looks next year.

Kevin McKiernan (Augsburg) - Career Shooting - 41.7% FG, 39.5% 3FG, 78.1% FT.  Career Averages - 10.1ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.2apg.  McKiernan's 108 games played sits 4th all-time, his 1,093 points sits 15th, he is 2nd in 3FGM with 191, and 10th in assists with 235.  McKiernan was often overlooked but was a huge part of the Auggies success over his 4 years.  I hope to see him dancing after Saturday  .

Wyatt Ferm (Macalester) - Career Shooting - 44.7% FG, 28.4% 3FG, 63.4% FT.  Career Averages - 13.4ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.2apg.  Ferm's 1059 points put him 17th all-time in MAC history.  MAC doesn't seem to have a record book for rebounds or his 526 rebounds would likely be up there as well.  Would be fun to see where these numbers would sit if he hadn't studied abroad last season - or if MAC hadn't played at that hellacious pace all of last year, which lead to him only getting 20mpg.  Ferm will surely add his 1st all-conf honors this season (at the very least HM). 

We should also note the 3 Tommie seniors who all have a national title (I'm sure they wouldn't trade it for 1,000 career points  ) - Connor Bair, Michael Hannon, and GT Johnson.

It's not too often you see a senior class with 7 guys scoring 1,000 career points.  All left their print on their respective schools and the MIAC will surely miss them!  Let's hope McKiernan and Stokman can continue to add to their marks and we can watch them deep into March!