MBB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Hugenerd]

Caltech wins again! 63-62 over UC Santa Cruz.  UCSC has beat CMS, PP, and Whittier this year.

[Hugenerd]

Caltech has some video from tonights game on their site:

http://www.gocaltech.com/sports/mbkb/2010-11/releases/20101218hm2r8k

They lead by as many as 16 in the first half, but couldnt put it away, but were able to pull it off at the end.

Ryan Elmquist scored his 1000th point and broke the schools all time blocks mark, breaking Ben Turk's old mark of 126 (who went on to be a grad assitant at Carnegie Mellon).

[Gosox]

Watched as Cal Tech was able to post another victory.  Was nice to see Ryan break Cal Tech "blocks in a career" record, and join the 1000 point club.  Some solid play all the way around. Ryan Elmquist, Todd Cramer, Mike Edwards, Mike Paluchniak and Alex Runkel contributed solidly to the all out team effort.   Nice to see them supported by so many fans as well, the little gym was packed.  There was lot's of alumni in attendance to see them battle.  Nice job Beavers!

[Gregory Sager]

Caltech wins again! 63-62 over UC Santa Cruz.  UCSC has beat CMS, PP, and Whittier this year.

Break up the Beavers!

[Hugenerd]

Here is a blog entry from a former Caltech player after last nights game.  He compares recruiting before and after Coach Eslinger's arrival:

http://mahalonottrash.blogspot.com/2010/12/beavers-win-beavers-win.html

I thought it was interesting, there is also a clip from the end of the UCSC game.

[Hugenerd]

Another blog entry from yesterday that references (and links to) the espn story from 2007.  The change in culture since Eslinger has arrived, at least in terms of recruiting, seems significant:

http://readingbyeugene.com/2010/12/18/the-remarkable-story-of-the-caltech-beavers-mens-basketball-team/

[cmsme]

is anyone getting the live stats on the cms whitworth game?

[nwhoops1903]

is anyone getting the live stats on the cms whitworth game?

not working here either

[(509)Rat]

Audio is working

http://www.whitworth.edu/Athletics/Teams/BasketballMen/Index.aspx

[(509)Rat]

Sounds like CMS turned off the air conditioning for the game

[Ralph Turner]

Hey, SCIAC is the lead story!  Loving it.

With the SCIAC nowhere to be found in the Top 50 of DIII this year, we all probably should accept that this is the year of the Beavers at CalTech.  Their coach was part of the turnaround at MIT, lifting that program up from the DIII baskeball ghetto where we all reside and into a consistent national power.  CMS & Pomona, take note: being an academic powerhouse does not confine you to the basketball underworld.

I am not sure CalTech can have that success but who is to say they can't.  Eslinger is a guy with vision. 

CalTech will not only win a SCIAC game this year, but they will win more than 1 game.  It will be a great story. 

My other predictions.  I agree that Redlands and Cal Lu look like favorites, with Oxy close behind.  BUT, I go with a different order because each of those teams has holes and nobody is better at exploiting those holes than Scali & Kats.   Oxy is just too young and that means that they won't bring their best game every night.  They will drop 2 to CMS and split with a bunch of other teams.  Same probably with Redlands and Cal Lu.   

Winner: CMS
PP
Redlands
Oxy
CalLu
Whittier
LV
CT

In a country as large as China, there are surely 3-5 really smart, tall basketball players who can compete at the D-3 level each year.

They might be natural "fits" for Cal Tech.

[Hugenerd]

And the dream streak ends at 3... Caltech falls 79-55 to Pacific Lutheran.

[CMSfan]

Whitworth 79, Stags 64

Box Score:
http://www.cmsathletics.org/sports/mbkb/2010-11/files/WHTW-CMS.HTM

First game I've seen in person this year.  CMS stuck with Whitworth throughout the first half, entering the break down just four thanks to good shooting and rebounding.  The Stags evened the score early in the second half, but Whitworth pulled ahead  as the Stags' shooting went cold and the team's inexperience showed with several turnovers and lapses on the boards.  While I was encouraged by the Stags play overall, I don't think CMS ever made Whitworth uncomfortable during the game, and that doesn't bode well for a team that usually prides itself on suffocating defense.

As expected, CMS without Blees is a very different team.  I was impressed with the play of newcomers Pinson, Gaffaney, and Mivshek.  Pinson seems like a solid point guard and plays with a lot of confidence.  Gaffaney reminds me a lot of Joey Anderson with his athleticism, defense, and nose for rebounds.  He can also shoot a little.  Mivshek had a huge first half, shooting 5-5 from the floor and putting up 16 points to lead all scorers.  Whitworth clamped down on him in the second half, but he still led all Stags scorers with 19.

I'm hopeful for the future...whether that ends up being this season or next season remains to be seen..  The big question is how quickly these young guys can develop.  Whitworth played a much more mature game than the Stags today, and it really showed in the second half.

[(509)Rat]

Kudos to the CMS kids. Whitworth was the better team, we knew that going in and we still know it now. But they were a scrappy bunch that really kept themselves in the game with some impressive rebounding.

I was surprised it was as close as it was for as long as it was without Blees. Don't know much about the rest of the SCIAC but I would think that CMS stands a good chance at winning the league.

[etule]

Took in the Cal Lu game and stayed for the first half of the Cal Tech game. If SCIAC teams don't come in ready to play and have an off day Cal Tech may beat a few of them this year. They play smart and very hard! They are just not deep.  They have some good shooters and get a good share of their points inside.
They are a good team! They surprised me and I think Santa Cruz!
Cal Lu has some really good players they just need to knock down some shots to open up the middle. Good team!