MBB: American Rivers Conference

[doolittledog]

Dubuque up 54-37 over Cornell with 16:45 left in the game

[doolittledog]

Dubuque leading Cornell 79-57 2 minutes 40 something seconds left in the game

[doolittledog]

Final score...Dubuque 84 - 57 Cornell

[Klompen]

It looks like Coe is going to lose to Luther, BV pounds Wartburg, and Loras won at Simpson as well.  The surprise was how lopsided the game with BV and Wartburg was, if I remember right, it was 82-48.  What happened to Wartburg?  0-3 in the conference? 

[doolittledog]

It looks like Coe is going to lose to Luther, BV pounds Wartburg, and Loras won at Simpson as well.  The surprise was how lopsided the game with BV and Wartburg was, if I remember right, it was 82-48.  What happened to Wartburg?  0-3 in the conference? 

You're talking like that's a bad thing

This is going to take awhile for the conference to sort itself out. 

[Klompen]

It looks like Coe is going to lose to Luther, BV pounds Wartburg, and Loras won at Simpson as well.  The surprise was how lopsided the game with BV and Wartburg was, if I remember right, it was 82-48.  What happened to Wartburg?  0-3 in the conference? 

You're talking like that's a bad thing

This is going to take awhile for the conference to sort itself out. 

It's a surprising thing with all that athlete money floating around.       I was surprised to see 10 freshmen listed on the men's varsity squad.  Sounds like they may be struggling to retain their players.  Maybe other coaches had summer roofing jobs.   

[IntramuralChamp]

I was off in my scores but predicted the winners. 4-0 gets me back to 6-7. Great night of basketball in the IIAC-  haven't look at any box scores yet, who played well? Interesting thoughts on Wartburg--
Wartburg has had a problem retaining players for awhile, it seems like they get some good players in and they have a good first or 2nd year and then fade off as they become juniors and seniors or even leave school. I thought in the beginning of the year they were not that good and they are proving me right now. They got alot of freshman on their team and that will show as year goes by. Typically young teams will play well at home, not so good on road and be up and down. Wartburg may have its troubles but it will surprise people along the way as well. I am not writing off the Knights, Peth has been around long enough, he will get them rolling.

[Klompen]

Checking in on the live stats for the Central-Bethany Lutheran game tonight and Central must have started out really hot!  They are shooting 78% from 2 pt range and 62% from 3 pt range.  Problem is, with shooting that hot, it can realistically only cool down.  But for now, Central is up 41-22.  Go Dutch!

[Klompen]

Central does cool down before the half, but still leads 51-30.  At least they have a nice cushion to start the second half.

[Klompen]

Central beats Bethany Lutheran 96-84.  Somebody had to ruin IC's predictions for these games.   

Central finishes the night with 63.5% from 2 pt range and 57.1% from 3 pt range plus 75.9 from the FT line.  Not too bad, but they had a lot of second half turnovers that gave BL a chance to close the gap, but I think 11 pts was as close as it got.  Brock Caves steps things up tonight scoring 24 points.  Dutch got into some foul trouble tonight and had 3 guys playing with 4 fouls for awhile towards the end.  Fortunately, with a good lead, the pressure was on them.  A quality win for the Dutch.

[Klompen]

As we approach the Christmas break, how about assessing the early surprises?  Who is better than expected?  Who is not doing as well as expected?  No surprise that I am picking Central as being better than expected at this point in the year.  Sorry, my rosy red glasses can't see it any other way.  The teams not doing as well as expected I would guess to be Wartburg and Loras, it is just coincidence that those are the teams that Central has played.  If guesses on here have the conference champ with 3 losses, I don't think most would have thought Wartburg would be 0-3 already or Loras 1-2, regardless of who beat them, well except BV maybe. 

[doolittledog]

Central is a factory...they don't rebuild, they reload  

That is why Wartburg and Loras have early season losses...Central is the defending conference champion!!!

I would say Central is the better than expected surprise.  Wartburg and Loras are the worse than expected surprises. 

Beware though.  While I was at UD, there was a year we were loaded with talent and supposed to walk away with the title.  Our players came in unmotivated and we started off the year 4-9 and 1-3 in conference play.  UD ended the season 13-3 in the IIAC...including a 20 point win over Wartburg to end the season.  Unfortunately, that put us in a tie for the conference championship and Wartburg got the automatic bid to the NCAA (no conference tourney back then)  UD at 17-9 ended up staying home.  Moral of the story...don't start off cold, thinking you can just turn it on later in the season.  Though, with a conference tourney to end the season...maybe you can?!?! 

[Klompen]

Central is a factory...they don't rebuild, they reload  

Yes, they do.  In FOOTBALL!  This is the basketball board.  This is the board where Central only has one fan and for the most part, we would be thrilled just to make the BB conference tourney!  Even if it meant a quick one and done at a not-so-quick trip to BV and an even longer trip home.  Even last year with all 5 starters returning, most of whom started or played significantly as freshmen, we were not picked to win the conference.  After graduating all five starters, I thought we would take a significant tumble, even after seeing how well this year's team could play, I was still modest in my expectations, seeing us more as a spoiler than contender.  They will have a lot of work to do, but now I think they could be a contender for a repeat.  And IF they do, I would think Boschee would have COY all sewn up.  That is a huge accomplishment, rose colored glasses or not.   

[IntramuralChamp]

Klompen- no one can argue with Central's success up to this point. Playing Loras at their place early on in the year when they are struggling is a huge win none the less and beating Wartburg at home is great start to the year. I hope they prove me wrong, but I don't think that winning will continue throughout the league as teams get in the thick of things after Christmas. I think both 2-0 teams in the league are a surprise up to this point, Luther winning at Coe was a big road win. Loras and Wartburg being the bottom two teams right now may be the biggest surprise, but they will get it going and the conference will all even itself out. I think the conference is down as a whole and I know one poster thinks 3 losses will win the league. I think 4-5 could get it done if Wartburg and Loras get it going because they are going to beat some front runners after the Christmas break. It shall be interesting!

Central    2-0   1.000   6-3
Luther    2-0   1.000   4-4
Coe            2-1   0.667   5-3
Buena Vista 2-10.667   3-6
Dubuque    1-1   0.500   5-3
Cornell    1-2   0.333   5-3
Simpson    1-2   0.333   3-5
Loras    1-2   0.333   2-7
Wartburg 0-3   0.000   4-5

[doolittledog]

I think the conference is down as a whole and I know one poster thinks 3 losses will win the league. I think 4-5 could get it done if Wartburg and Loras get it going because they are going to beat some front runners after the Christmas break. It shall be interesting!

I've been thinking for awhile we might see a log jam at the top and 4 or 5...and maybe ever 6 losses gets you a conference championship.

The thing is, all that really doesn't matter.  The IIAC will be a 1 bid league this year so someone just needs to get hot around conference tourney time to make it to the NCAA tourney.  Of course, sharing a regular season title does allow you to hang a banner in your gym...which is always cool...and can help in recruiting