MBB: American Rivers Conference

[rlgyank]

You are absolutely correct come tournament time, but throughout the year, they played more guys.

Last year for example, Jack Hiller missed 9 complete games, and parts of a few others with injuries, and Nate Schimonitz missed 3 complete games and parts of others with injuries. NWU was undefeated in all of those games. NWU beat Loras by 18 points with both Hiller and Schimonitz not playing. Clay Reimers also only played 21 minutes because of foul trouble. They went to Simpson, the number 4 team in the league, and won by 12. Hiller and Schimonitz again did not play, and Reimers played only 10 minutes because of foul trouble. They were able to do this because the 8th, 9th and 10th players on the bench played well when called upon.

The bench was really shortened in the tournament though.

I haven't seen NWU practice or anything, but I don't think their depth will be as good this year, at least at the start of the season. The top 7 will have a lot of prior season minutes under their belts, but after that they will need a couple of less experienced players to step up. I am looking forward to the opening game tonight against St. Johns, it will be a good early season test of where both teams stand.

They won a national title two years ago playing six guys.  They were a national contender last year playing seven guys.  I don't think "depth" has ever been a real hallmark for NWU.

[Schipper Strong]

To answer a question from way back when, Central appropriately enough played in the Netherlands this summer.

Central loses the first two games of the year in very high scoring affairs. I believe the loss yesterday was 145-140. Wow! The preseason write=up said Spoehr had really worked hard in the off season. His performance in the first two games was fantastic averaging 27 pts. We also have a freshman, Drake Johnson, that scored 16 points last night. His dad played football at Central and if his dad is who I think he is, I look for very good things from him.

[dunkin3117]

A good start to the season for the ARC.  Overall the league went 9-3, with 5 teams eclipsing the 100 point mark.  The ARC website schedule had Central winning, but I believe they were beaten by Greenville (at least according to box score). 

[Schipper Strong]

Yes, Central lost both games by a narrow margin.

[Schipper Strong]

So I checked out the DIII stats and Central and Coe are tied for 3rd in scoring offense at 117 average. UD follows closely in a 3 way tie for 6th with 112, Loras is 12th at 108 and Simpson is 19th at 102. High scoring start for the ARC. Central averaging 117 over 2 games, all the others are based on one game. Central's coach emphasized that he wanted the team to work hard on defense. Guessing that is still an unmet goal since we lost both games. 

[SpartyBlue]

Good opening night win for UD over an outclassed Finlandia squad.  Good balanced attack, shot 46.2% from three.

ARC Tuesday night games--

Iowa Wes @ UD  UD
Wartburg @ Grinnell Wartburg
Maranatha @ Luther Luther
BV @ Bethany Lutheran BL
Cornell @ Coe  Coe

[dunkin3117]

BV is the *very early* surprise to the season after beating a Bethany team that upended Simpson last week.  Cornell will be a team to be reckoned with in the Midwest Conference.  They gave Wartburg all they could handle and now beat Coe. 

[Alfredeneumann]

BV is the *very early* surprise to the season after beating a Bethany team that upended Simpson last week.  Cornell will be a team to be reckoned with in the Midwest Conference.  They gave Wartburg all they could handle and now beat Coe.

Wartburg played 4 new starters. 3 Freshmen played in the first 5 minute.
2 probable starters were out with injury. Moore "lower leg" nagging injury from preseason and Stulken just cleared to resume practice after missing all but a few games last season due to injury/surgery.

Started - Molstead @ PG (Freshman), Touro (26), Roquet (2), Zumbach (26) Smith Drahos (26) - (2018-19 Games played)

Last night WC beat Grinnell @ Grinnell, 92-74. Telling stat. WC 1-2 from 3, GC 9-45.

https://go-knights.net/news/2019/11/12/mens-basketball-mens-hoops-downs-grinnell-on-the-road.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2fym7JZBMY1AqcNGwDYpN1_aQ9ySXbrxCa-IEU4XvR4qlIA1z_vyxotQ4

Cornell could meet up again @ Buzz Levick Tournament this weekend.

[dunkin3117]

Might have started 4 new faces, but 3 of them played significantly last year.  They clearly bounced back with Grinnell, a game that is always unorthodox and can be frustrating for freshman to play in.  What happened to Aidan Weber?  Started 19 games as a freshman last year and averaged 5 and 5 for the Knights?

[Greek Tragedy]

BV is the *very early* surprise to the season after beating a Bethany team that upended Simpson last week.  Cornell will be a team to be reckoned with in the Midwest Conference.  They gave Wartburg all they could handle and now beat Coe.

Cornell is picked 8th in their preseason poll.

[SpartyBlue]

Full slate of ARC games--

Friday

Central vs Carroll
Simpson vs. Fontbonne
BV vs. Westminster, MO.
Blackburn @ Loras
Iowa Wesleyan @ Wartburg
Luther @ Redlands

Saturday

Simpson vs. Westminster, MO.
Fontbonne @ BV
Beloit @ Coe
McMurry @ NWU
Concordia, WI. @ Loras
Luther @LaVerne

UD idle until Tuesday @ Edgewood

[doolittledog]

Those SLIAC games always have a bit of interest for me because I was born down there...I'm a full blood Iowan now 😏

[Schipper Strong]

Central men lost to Carroll tonight playing without Spoehr who averaged 27 points in the first two games. It sounds like he is out with an injury, hope it is nothing serious for this young man who got off to a great start this season. Central did not look very focused today for all the points scored in the two prior games. Lots of hurried shots, turnovers, etc. resulting in too many empty possessions. They did not seem like they were playing as a team or running offensive plays. I was excited about their potential after two very close losses, but this was just hard to watch. Then again, I only really caught the second half as there were problems with the video feed. Hopefully Spoehr's injury isn't serious.

[Alfredeneumann]

Might have started 4 new faces, but 3 of them played significantly last year.  They clearly bounced back with Grinnell, a game that is always unorthodox and can be frustrating for freshman to play in.  What happened to Aidan Weber?  Started 19 games as a freshman last year and averaged 5 and 5 for the Knights?

[/b]
Apparently Weber decided before the season started he didn't want to play bb. Still taking classes at Wart.

[Schipper Strong]

Central gets first win today in a landslide beating Illinois Christian 102-67. Wish they had a little more of that offense last night, but Carroll was a far better opponent. Still good to get the first win and to score 102 without Spoehr.