MBB: American Rivers Conference

Klompen · December 12, 2016, 06:49:42 PM

A little love in the top 25 for the IIAC would be nice. Great to see both teams taking on some challenging teams.

Alfredeneumann · December 13, 2016, 09:19:40 AM

Wartburg cracks top 25 @ #23

http://www.go-knights.net/news/2016/12/12/mens-basketball-ranked-no-23-in-d3hoops-com-top-25-poll.aspx?path=mbball

Central would be #30.

Klompen · December 13, 2016, 07:14:11 PM

That works. Central has that big loss to Coe on their record and it is a game they did not deserve to win by the way they played. They are a much better team, but just did not bring it on that night. I love this Central team when they are playing like they are capable of playing. They have loads of potential and some great experienced players and new ones who are fitting into the program. Hopefully the Coe game and the slow start against UD will help them realize they have to get fired up for every opponent and play their best every game. When they do that, the ratings will come.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · December 14, 2016, 08:38:18 AM

Quote from: Klompen on December 13, 2016, 07:14:11 PM
That works. Central has that big loss to Coe on their record and it is a game they did not deserve to win by the way they played. They are a much better team, but just did not bring it on that night. I love this Central team when they are playing like they are capable of playing. They have loads of potential and some great experienced players and new ones who are fitting into the program. Hopefully the Coe game and the slow start against UD will help them realize they have to get fired up for every opponent and play their best every game. When they do that, the ratings will come.

Central has Augustana, Stout, and Whitewater coming up - win those three and they'll be in for sure.

Alfredeneumann · December 14, 2016, 09:25:30 AM

Quote from: Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) on December 14, 2016, 08:38:18 AM
Quote from: Klompen on December 13, 2016, 07:14:11 PM
That works. Central has that big loss to Coe on their record and it is a game they did not deserve to win by the way they played. They are a much better team, but just did not bring it on that night. I love this Central team when they are playing like they are capable of playing. They have loads of potential and some great experienced players and new ones who are fitting into the program. Hopefully the Coe game and the slow start against UD will help them realize they have to get fired up for every opponent and play their best every game. When they do that, the ratings will come.

Central has Augustana, Stout, and Whitewater coming up - win those three and they'll be in for sure.

Sounds like Wartburg's game @ Simpson. Just didn't bring it and didn't deserve to win. I'm a little surprised they got ranked with that loss but is the best team @ Wartburg in a few years.

Should be a fun New Year in the IIAC!

Klompen · December 15, 2016, 05:35:59 PM

Glad to hear Central isn't the only one letting up. They will get things straightened out. They do have some big games coming up. It would be nice to see them staying strong.

Klompen · December 16, 2016, 09:09:58 PM

Central loses a game they should have won against Augustana tonight. As a fan I have to ask why? Not in terms of play, they lead by one at the half, then suffered cold shooting and poor rebounding in the second half along with an incredible number of traditional 3 point plays by Augustana in the second half.

Why did Colby Taylor sit out the first half? Why did Kyle Smith not dress? Did Pete Walker get seriously hurt? It could have been injury for Smith, could have been illness for Colby, and sure hoping Walker didn't break his arm when Augustana blocked his shot in the first half. Pure speculation for which I will apologize in advance has me wondering about a rules infraction benching both Smith and Taylor, with Taylor being allowed to dress in case we needed him. Which again, it could be illness, because if one could not dress for rules infraction, hopefully the other would not be allowed to either, even if he is the leading scorer. Whatever the reason, Taylor was held out the entire first half, even when second leading scorer Walker got hurt. For those players that did play in the first half, they did a great job. It can't be easy going to play at a ranked school with two of your top 6 players out of the game and then the number two scorer missing almost half of the first half. I was surprised at how well we stayed with them the first half. Maybe those players really stepped up with Taylor and Smith out, then Walker going out with an injury. I really can't say enough about how well Central responded to the situation the first half.

With Walker out, I think Douma felt forced to use Taylor regardless of the rules infraction or illness that kept him benched the first half. But in some psychological way, it seemed to throw the team off in the second half. We stopped rebounding and went cold on shooting at the same time Auggie started attacking the basket for numerous and one situations.

To Smith and Taylor, I sincerely hope my speculation is off. But if you were out for rules infraction, then you set a really poor example and your senior leadership needs a lot of attention. This was another game we could have won.

To those that picked up the slack, you showed tremendous leadership.

AndOne · December 16, 2016, 09:36:45 PM

Klomp-

1'm from one of Augie's bigger rivals..........

I think the reason you're at a bit of a loss you explain your team's defeat tonight is that you are actually looking in the wrong direction. Rather than Central being especially deficient in any certain area, you need to understand that, in the 2nd half, Augie probably played it's finest half of defense so far this season. I sense that as you continue to analyze the game, you'll see Augie's 2nd half D was the primary deciding factor in the final outcome.

I can't speak to any lack of PT due to possible suspensions or illness.

Klompen · December 17, 2016, 01:38:07 PM

I didn't mean to take anything away from Augustana and they definitely played a better second half. That said, playing a fully staffed Central team, I believe Central would have won. We had too much talent not in the game at all or for a full half or more.

I am a decades long Central fan and have supported Central through some really bad years of basketball. This team could be up there with some of the best Central teams, including the one when Colby Taylor was a freshman. They have the ability, they have the talent to be exceptional and it is frustrating when it looks like they aren't using it. Then again, last night gave some great playing time to the younger players and hopefully that will help us more than a non-conference loss will hurt us.

AndOne · December 17, 2016, 02:03:39 PM

Yep, win the conference and/or tournament, and you go to the big dance.
My old school, Nebraska Wesleyan, is now in your conference. I think the conference can be glad they weren't in last year when they had the Josten's Award winner plus another very fine player.

Klompen · December 17, 2016, 07:12:42 PM

That's right and I think the problems will work themselves out.

Looking back to the Wash U game, there was some cheap shot play that was either missed or ignored by the refs. Add the upset win and fevered pitch in the gym and there was some excess testosterone still bubbling in the handshake line, players and coaches. No fighting, but not far from it either. So that explains at least one of the absences. Cooler heads should have prevailed, but I get that at some point you have to defend yourself too and I don't know what lead up to the less than friendly exchange.

Alfredeneumann · December 20, 2016, 07:32:01 AM

Wartburg moves up to #19
http://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2016-17/week4

They won first game @ Cruzin Classic Monday 70-56 vs. SUNY Poly (5-3). Sawyer Herman had 18 off the bench in 14 min. He missed the first month+ with hand injury.
http://www.go-knights.net/news/2016/12/19/mens-basketball-no-23-knights-top-suny-poly-at-cruzin-classic.aspx?path=mbball

AndOne · December 20, 2016, 04:32:45 PM

North Central beats Wartburg 94-91 in double OT in Fort Lauderdale.
Wartburg had a 3 point lead, but as time was expiring NCC hit a 3 to send it to OT tied at 69. Then, with .06 left in the first OT, North Central hit another from downtown to tie it at 86 and force the 2nd OT.

NCC played without preseason All-American Connor Raridon.

Alfredeneumann · December 21, 2016, 07:27:15 AM

Quote from: AndOne on December 20, 2016, 04:32:45 PM
North Central beats Wartburg 94-91 in double OT in Fort Lauderdale.
Wartburg had a 3 point lead, but as time was expiring NCC hit a 3 to send it to OT tied at 69. Then, with .06 left in the first OT, North Central hit another from downtown to tie it at 86 and force the 2nd OT.

NCC played without preseason All-American Connor Raridon.

http://www.go-knights.net/news/2016/12/20/mens-basketball-no-19-wartburg-falls-to-no-20-north-central-college-in-double-ot.aspx?path=mbball

doolittledog · January 04, 2017, 11:06:18 PM

Conference play started back up tonight.

NWU wins 92-81 @ Simpson
Loras wins 84-75 @ Wartburg
Dubuque wins 78-64 over Coe
Central wins 82-67 over Luther

I was running honey do's most of the night and didn't catch any of the action. Hopefully Klompen and AEN and some others can chime in with what they saw!