MBB: American Rivers Conference

[Alfredeneumann]

Is Loras getting this vote due to their strong history?  3-11 last year and they have been missing the conference tourey more than they have been making it the past few years.  Is there something I'm not aware of?  Some big time transfers??
[/quote]

That was my thought, but I guess that's why they play the games.
From the article
Loras returns three starters and 12 letterwinners from last season's 8-17 squad that tied for sixth place in the Conference with a 3-11 record. Leading the Duhawks will be junior wing Nathaniel Smith. Smith, a second team all-league pick, was the team's top scorer last season, averaging 10.4 points on 100-of-233 (42.9 percent) shooting. He also made a team-high-tying 33 3-pointers, posted team-highs with 71 assists and 28 steals and ranked third on the team with 109 rebounds. Smith ranked seventh among IIAC players in assists and steals and 12th in 3-point field-goal percentage.

Also back and expected to contribute are a couple of seniors – center Ryan Coon and wing player Alex Cline. Coon played in 23 games last season, starting eight, and ranked fourth on the team in scoring at 7.1 points per game. He shot a team-high 63.5 percent (73-of-115) from the field and pulled down 80 rebounds. His field-goal percentage ranked highest among IIAC players last season. Cline ranked sixth on the team in scoring with 7.0 points per game while pulling down a team-leading 138 rebounds. He was also one of the team's top free throw shooters, converting 53 of 66 attempts (80.3 percent) from the charity stripe. Cline also handed out 34 assists and made 20 steals. He ranked fifth among IIAC players in free-throw percentage and ninth in rebounding.

Loras head coach Greg Gorton says, "We are looking forward to this season. My team has a lot to prove and has been working extremely hard this off-season. I expect a balanced league top-to-bottom again this year."

http://www.iowaconference.com/news/2013/11/15/MBB_1115135506.aspx

Anxious to see what style/temp everyone will play this year. I think Wartburg will play not a quickly this year without Murphy and/or  Flenor running the point.

[doolittledog]

Dubuque Telegraph-Herald article on Loras losing their season opener to Rockford and Dubuque winning their season opener to North Central of Minnesota.

http://www.thonline.com/sports/local_sports/article_0ef9e90b-c42d-573b-8ff0-9e9ba6a14826.html

From the article...


Rockford (Ill.) 89, Loras 84 -- At Rockford, Ill.: The Duhawks (0-1) lost their season opener after trailing by five at halftime and then playing Rockford to a stalemate, 45-45, in the second half.

Former Dubuque Wahlert prep Aaron Schueller scored a team-high 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting. Nathaniel Smith added 16 points and five assists for Loras.

Dubuque 88, North Central (Minn.) 70 -- At Minneapolis: The Spartans (1-0) opened the season with a victory at the Northwestern Tip-Off Tournament. Dubuque was picked by league coaches to win the Iowa Conference this season.

[doolittledog]

Dubuque leading Northwestern Mn. 49-46 at the half.  Dubuque is shooting 61% from the field, including 6-9 from 3 point range...I then heard the announcers say even with those stats, Northwestern is shooting better than Dubuque...wow!!!

[doolittledog]

Dubuque beats Northwestern Mn 85-81

[duhawk]

Loras takes down #5 Wheaton.  They play #2 on Sat., could be a really big week for the Duhawks.  Regarding their chances, they have played under their talent in recent years.  They would be better if their center Ruton(sp?) was back but word is he just lost his passion for the basketball and didn't want to play anymore.  There is still enough talent there to put a run together though, I think they showed that tonight.

[doolittledog]

Dubuque beats Monmouth 91-81

[Floyd in Iowa City]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- The University of Dubuque, which won the 2013 Iowa Conference basketball tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship, has been named a slim favorite by the coaches to capture the 2013-2014 Iowa Conference title. The Spartans received four of seven possible first-place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own teams), totaling 53 points in the IIAC Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll.

Buena Vista University picked up three first-place votes and sits second with 52 points. The Beavers were also picked second on four ballots. Loras College received the remaining first-place vote and edged Luther College for third place by a 40-38 margin. The complete 2013-2014 IIAC Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll follows.

Rank    School (1st place votes)    Points    2012-2013 Record
1    Dubuque (4)    53    22-7, 9-5 IIAC
2    Buena Vista (3)    52    19-7, 11-3 IIAC
3    Loras (1)    40    8-17, 3-11 IIAC
4    Luther    38    18-8, 11-3 IIAC
5    Wartburg    33    15-12, 8-6 IIAC
6    Coe    26    15-11, 8-6 IIAC
7    Simpson    23    7-19, 3-11 IIAC
8    Central    15    10-14, 3-11 IIAC

Is Loras getting this vote due to their strong history?  3-11 last year and they have been missing the conference tourey more than they have been making it the past few years.  Is there something I'm not aware of?  Some big time transfers??

I thought Loras was a great example last year of how the league was so competitive.  Luther (co-champs last year with B.V.) split with Loras and if I remember correctly shot really well from the 3 in the game that they won against the Duhawks early in the season.  I thought Loras had a nice front line last year even though they were 3-11.  My memory was that they returned more guys this year, and maybe so did the coach that voted them to win the league.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Dubuque beats Northwestern Mn 85-81

That is usually a very solid win beating the Bible college from the Twin Cities as I have seen Luther play them a few times and Northwestern always has shooters (and at least one player that flops, grabs, and loses his temper quite often as well ).

Sounds like both Dubuque and Loras are showing themselves already as contenders.  Congrats!

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Luther beat UW-La Crosse last night in Decorah, 72-70.

That is a good win for a hopefully reloading Norse team as UWL was 3-0 coming into the game and had beaten a good Luther team last season.  Lots of season left, but it seems to be a solid start for some of the IIAC schools in hoops!

[doolittledog]

Luther beat UW-La Crosse last night in Decorah, 72-70.

That is a good win for a hopefully reloading Norse team as UWL was 3-0 coming into the game and had beaten a good Luther team last season.  Lots of season left, but it seems to be a solid start for some of the IIAC schools in hoops!

That is a nice win by Luther. This season will definitely be a grind.   

I'm curious how the new rules will come into play.  The write-up on the Dubuque game noted the number of fouls called, the number of free throw attempts, and how long the game took. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- The University of Dubuque, which won the 2013 Iowa Conference basketball tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship, has been named a slim favorite by the coaches to capture the 2013-2014 Iowa Conference title. The Spartans received four of seven possible first-place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own teams), totaling 53 points in the IIAC Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll.

Buena Vista University picked up three first-place votes and sits second with 52 points. The Beavers were also picked second on four ballots. Loras College received the remaining first-place vote and edged Luther College for third place by a 40-38 margin. The complete 2013-2014 IIAC Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll follows.

Rank    School (1st place votes)    Points    2012-2013 Record
1    Dubuque (4)    53    22-7, 9-5 IIAC
2    Buena Vista (3)    52    19-7, 11-3 IIAC
3    Loras (1)    40    8-17, 3-11 IIAC
4    Luther    38    18-8, 11-3 IIAC
5    Wartburg    33    15-12, 8-6 IIAC
6    Coe    26    15-11, 8-6 IIAC
7    Simpson    23    7-19, 3-11 IIAC
8    Central    15    10-14, 3-11 IIAC

Is Loras getting this vote due to their strong history?  3-11 last year and they have been missing the conference tourey more than they have been making it the past few years.  Is there something I'm not aware of?  Some big time transfers??

I thought Loras was a great example last year of how the league was so competitive.  Luther (co-champs last year with B.V.) split with Loras and if I remember correctly shot really well from the 3 in the game that they won against the Duhawks early in the season.  I thought Loras had a nice front line last year even though they were 3-11.  My memory was that they returned more guys this year, and maybe so did the coach that voted them to win the league.

Loras just knocked off #5 Wheaton, so maybe the coach who voted them #1 was on to something!

[duhawk]

Last seconds of the Loras win.  Hopefully they can ride this to bigger things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvmUSkyEUkw

[Alfredeneumann]

Wartburg loses to Grinnell, 88-79.  Held J. Taylor to 3pts, his season average drops 30pts.

http://wartburgcircuit.org/wartburg-shuts-down-taylor-but-loses-to-grinnell-in-front-of-espn-cameras

[doolittledog]

Dubuque wins @ Benedictine 79-76.  UD led 72-68 with 35 seconds left.  Must have been a lot of fouls with free throws made and then buckets at the other end over those last 35 seconds. 

[doolittledog]

Dubuque beats Carthage 93-89 in OT.  Carthage was up 40-23 at the half.  Dubuque is now 5-0 on the season.