MBB: American Rivers Conference

[Klompen]

So what is it that has WB playing better than last year?  More experience?  New mix of players?  I won't be able to attend the Central-WB game on Dec 4, but would be interested in your input. 

Central has some top reserves back from last year, but is really lacking height.  We have some decent outside shooters, but they need to get some consistency going for them.  Some of the players coming up from JV are looking like they will add a nice boost to the team.  They need to stay in the mode of last year's team where everyone played aggressive defense and most of the time they were really unselfish on offense, looking for the player with the open shot or the person who had the hot hand at the time.  We will have to play well on defense as rebounds won't come our way as often as last year.

[IntramuralChamp]

Klompen- Wartburg is off to a great start, 3-0 is as good as you can be right now. But who have they played? Carlton is typically a good team but who knows about this year? And Mt. Mercy and Marian at home? I am not buying that orange knight juice yet. Until they go on the road and beat some teams, I can't give them too much credit. Don't get me wrong though, if Sathoff scores 20 and 8 all year he will have the Knights at the top of the league. Also when was the last time major contributors where freshman and their team was in the top on the league? Its hard for freshman to put up great numbers because its a long tough year. I hope the Knights prove me wrong!

[coebball70]

Greetings from a rookie IIAC poster.  I decided to jump in the fray before the season was too far along.  Here are my conference picks:
1.  Buena Vista - pretty risky bet, but young team with potential.  Can you believe 35 turnovers in loss to Grinnell!
2. Dubuque
3. Loras
4. Wartburg
5. Cornell
6. Coe
7. Central
8. Luther
9. Simpson

[IntramuralChamp]

Coebball70- welcome to the boards! We always love some new guys, we got to get these board rocking. Interesting picks to say the least! Buena Vista's 1-3 record isn't scaring you from still picking them number one. I took them number one and that's not looking too good. 35 turnovers and there are giving up like 93 points a game, I don't care how much talent they got on offense, they are going to have to guard someone. Loras has also been a big surprise, only averaging 57 ppg while giving up 76. Duhawks need to figure it out quick on both offense and defense. I will give them credit- they are playing some good teams. Interesting to take Dubuque number 2. Do you have a reason for your madness? And Luther 8th with all there starters back? Interesting picks! I think someone had too many COCONUTS for breakfast!

[coebball70]

I'm stickin' with my picks ... but I'm wondering what the conference coaches are thinking right now.  I think BV's performances are reflective of a young team in need of some floor leadership and a combination of mental confidence and focus.  The Beavers have the talent to beat all IIAC teams on any given night and the mental toughness to fall asleep the next night.  I watched Loras last evening get shellacked by Wheaton.  The IIAC pre-season #1 pick is now 0-3 will probably be 1-4 when the conference season opens.  I'm not sure what that says about the conference.  Three conference losses will probably win the championship.  You're right about Luther, maybe I didn't give them enough respect but the last time I remember them being tough in basketball Frank Barth was the go-to guy!  Hopefully the Kohawks can get it together but I have my doubts.  By the way, WALNUTS are my favorite.  Go Beavers .. wake up and have some winning FUN .. defense is not a bad word.

[Klompen]

Welcome Coebball70.  Glad to have more posters on this board.  I wish there were more. 

Central isn't getting any love from anyone but me, good thing I'm around to support the Dutch.  It's a tough job, but someone has to do it and I actually enjoy it.     Central played a good game the other night against a much taller Augsburg team.  Central write up of the game, for what it's worth, has Augsburg as a preseason favorite to contend for MIAC conference title and the Dutch lead the first half and hung with them for a chance to win at the end, but missed the 3 point shot and follow-up that would have won or tied, respectively, the game.  The Dutch look like they are learning to play together pretty well.

In the first half, you could tell by watching the coach that he was really upset that we were still in the game with 5 new starters, let alone leading.  I said at the half that Ausgburg would likely come out on fire as they probably got a good chewing out at the intermission.  Sure enough, Augsburg came out and went on a 9-0 scoring spree to take the lead for good, but never by a comfortable margin.  I was impressed with the way the Dutch stayed focused and didn't let it rattle them.  They kept it close right down to the wire and lost by 2. 

Wish we didn't have to play the Knights so early, but that's the way it is.  I think they can give them a really good game. 

[IntramuralChamp]

Not hating on the Dutch, but until they prove me wrong I can't give them a lot of love. Hopefully by Christmas I am loving the dutch treats.
    Does anyone else have a concern for Loras? They lost again today, more then likely not going to win against Platteville at home tomorrow. They are going to enter the conference season 0-5? There may be trouble brewing in Duhawk land! Luther appears to have had a tough trip to Hawaii losing both games but will use that experience to get better results in the league? Interesting Sunday game besides Loras, includes Buena Vista playing at home against Hamline. If I remember right, Hamline beat them by 20+ at their place. Excited for the conference openers on Wednesday. My picks to come later in week!

[MiacMadness]

is there live feed for the Buena Vista vs Hamline game? 

[coebball70]

Glad that's over.  Not the IIAC's idea of a good non-conference season.  Loras at 1-4 and BVU at 1-4 picked first and second in the conference.  It's a new ball game starting 12/1.  Good luck to the BVU Beavers, but it's going to be a long year when you out rebound your opponent by 17 and still lose by 7.
25 turnovers, that is the difference in the Hamline loss.  I am still predicting a conference championship but somebody must put an end to this negative momentum.  Mike Kaufmann is getting better with each game, now someone has to step up at the #3.  

[coebball70]

Wow, the Duhawks woke up!  I can't believe they knocked off UW-Platteville 63-61.  That should give Loras some confidence going into the IIAC schedule.  I still don't think they will finish higher than the Beavers.

[wizbegs1304]

Not sure if this has been posted here or not...

http://www.cornellcollege.edu/athletics/General%20News/general%20news/midwest-conference.shtml

[doolittledog]

Not sure if this has been posted here or not...

http://www.cornellcollege.edu/athletics/General%20News/general%20news/midwest-conference.shtml

It was talked about on the football side of things here, but not in the basketball forum.  It seems to most that Cornell doesn't think they can compete in football in the IIAC and would do better in the MWC. 

There are 3 members of the ACM in the IIAC, there are 6 members of the ACM in the MWC.  There are others in the MIAC.  Of course Cornell has significant alumni groups in Illinois and Wisconsin...they are border states to Iowa.  EVERY school in the IIAC would have large alumni numbers in those states.  That is just the spin Cornell is putting out to the public. 

Cornell has competed just fine in the IIAC in most sports outside of football.  I do think there is an effort at Cornell to de-emphasize athletics and they feel that will be easier in the MWC.  Cornell won the mens basketball title in the IIAC 2 years ago and then told the head coach he had to take a 20% pay cut...he then left.  This is just after Cornell completed a $105million capital campain.  Cornell is bringing in decent money in donations and their enrollment is up.  Money is not a problem in Mt. Vernon.  The administration just doesn't want to give IIAC levels of money to their athletic department. 

I hate to lose a school like Cornell.  They are a perfect fit for the IIAC, especially with their rivalry with Coe.  I still hope something can happen to save the situation.  But I'm not holding my breath.  I will most certainly try to head to Mt. Vernon next fall when UD plays there so I can get one more Bluecheeseburger basket and a beer at Chameleons and watch one final IIAC football game at Ash Park. 

[Alfredeneumann]

Even thought WC has lost 2 straight I still feel better about them now then I did before the season started.

Lost to Bethany Luther without best outside defender(illness) and were hurt by outside game. Then a loss to Grinnell. Wartburg shot only 1 3 pt shot for the game - last :30. 32 TO's but a lot were because of HACK a Shaq defense with IIAC refs gasping for breathe rather than blowing the whistle.

We'll see how everyone is this week when conf play starts.

Good Luck and good health to all.

[carletonsid]

Not sure if this has been posted here or not...

http://www.cornellcollege.edu/athletics/General%20News/general%20news/midwest-conference.shtml

This is unlikely to be the last change for the Midwest Conference. I think they'd like to purge themselves of Carroll, St. Norbert, etc. Grabbing Cornell and keeping fellow ACM schools Ripon, Monmouth, Lawrence, Lake Forest, Knox, Grinnell and Beloit gives them eight schools. Seems like a nice, round number. I do think it would be hard for an ACM-centric conference to get to 10 institutions, unless maybe they could grab Colorado College and maybe Macalester. I don't see Luther, Carleton or St. Olaf leaving its current conferences.

For a grad of an IIAC school (Luther '97) it's hard to believe the IIAC will be down to eight schools. It's the smallest since '86 when Loras returned.

[IntramuralChamp]

Picks and thoughts for Wednesday Nights conference openers--

Central @ Loras Duhawks fresh off first win of year continue with their winning ways and after a slow start, dominate late in the game and win 84 to 71.

Coe @ Buena Vista- BV plays better defense, still turns it over too much and finds a way to outscore Coe down the stretch to win 86 to 80. In a game to close for comfort at home.

Cornell @ Wartburg- Cornell has no answer for Sathoff as he continues his double double streak and wins 80 to 69. Wartburg continues success at home in the league.


Dubuque @ Simpson- Fighting Storm put up a fight but can't overpower the Spartans down the stretch and lose by 7, 75 to 68. Blum shows why he is an all-conference player and Dubuque is only team to win on road in night one.

Wis.-Platteville    @ Luther- Platteville dominates game from start to finish and wins 80 to 66.