MBB: American Rivers Conference

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I think you're just going to see NWU with a lot less margin for error.  They need consistent performances from everyone every night.  Those players are good, of course, but they no longer have three All-Americans to pick up the slack when needed (they just have one - and he can't do everything).

Nebraska Wesleyan looked super vulnerable this weekend. St. Thomas shot the lights out against that zone and hit 19 threes. With UChicago sticking with them the whole way, they eventually abandoned the 3-2 zone for man-to-man and just barely pulled it out in the final minute. It's a senior heavy team that is relying on their starters to do almost all the lifting. As St. Thomas showed, that zone can be exploited in the corners.

Exactly.  They won the national title because they were able to keep pace with all the threes Oshkosh was hitting against them (a tournament record, by the way) - it's just a superhuman ask for even a very good team.

[SpartyBlue]

UD 91 @ Simpson 81
Central 219 @ Loras 29
Coe 97 @ BV 36

Luther 253 @ Crown 314
Wartburg 80 @ UW Eau Claire 46

[Greek Tragedy]

St. Thomas might have their number. Sometimes that happens. Also, we have to remember St. Thomas got hammered at Whitworth, while NWU did beat ranked St. John's by 20+ on their home floor.

[rlgyank]

St. Thomas might have their number. Sometimes that happens. Also, we have to remember St. Thomas got hammered at Whitworth, while NWU did beat ranked St. John's by 20+ on their home floor.

The NWU/St. Johns game was a neutral court game.

[doolittledog]

I had planned on watching my first full UD game of the year.  I ended up talking college choices with my daughter and a friend of hers all the way until there was just 2 minutes and change left in the game. 

Dubuque wins 77-68 @ Simpson
Loras beats Central 96-91
Luther beat Crown 81-83

I'm always happy with an away win in conference play!!!

[SpartyBlue]

UD 77 Simpson 68 

Huge road conference win for UD over a team picked 2nd in the ARC.  Gritty defensive effort neutralized SC's big three. Ragan and Butler combine for 45/20, Butler with 7 blocks.  Back and forth slug fest, Simpson up 12 early, UD up 11, Simpson fought back.  UD answered every run and imposed their will down the stretch.  Free throw shooting is a concern, but that can be shored up.  The top of the ARC looks to be wide open and Sparty is right in the mix.

Loras 96 Central 93

Loras up 26, has to hold off huge second half charge from the Dutch.

[dunkin3117]

I turned the Loras/Central game off at halftime with the Loras up 52-31.  Central scored a blistering 62 points in the 2nd half after just putting up 31 in the 1st, thanks in large part to Adam Flinn, who absolutely took over the 2nd half for the Dutch, pouring in 33 of his 37. 

[Smitty Oom]

St. Thomas might have their number. Sometimes that happens. Also, we have to remember St. Thomas got hammered at Whitworth, while NWU did beat ranked St. John's by 20+ on their home floor.

The NWU/St. Johns game was a neutral court game.

One of St. Johns best players and now leaading scorer, Jubie Alade, was not playing that game. Think he would have been a huge plus both being able to create his own shot and guard some of the NWU stud perimeter players. Not saying SJU would have won with him, but definitely part of the reason it was a bigger differential than expected.

[Goldy97]

As was said, Loras/Central was pretty wild last night. Loras got out to as much as a 26 point lead with 13:00 remaining. Adam Flinn was unconscious in the second half. Didn't matter where he was, it was going in. For Loras, junior Rowan McGowen lead the way with 26 points. In the games final moments, Central had a chance to take their first lead, when Loras sophomore Jordan Matthews was able to seal the game with a last moment steal & lay-in.

We're only one game in! This conference should be something.

[Schipper Strong]

Wish Central would get some wins, but they are competing without an injured starter. They just need to get over the hump.

Everyone have a great Thanksgiving!

[SpartyBlue]

Friday

Ozarks 304 @ NWU 10
Willamette 296 vs. BV 35

Saturday

Ozarks 304 vs. BV 35
Willamatte 296 @ NWU 10
St. Mary's, MN 187 @ Luther 223
Millikin @ UD
Gustavus Adolphus 221 @ Central  202
Wartburg 96 @ UW-LaCrosse 12

[SpartyBlue]

UD 100 Millikin 85--Quality win for the Spartans for several reasons.  CCIW opponent Millikin is 1-6, but back at full strength last night with the addition of their best player, Zach Fisher.  Big Blue also has to be one of the bigger teams in Division 3: 6' 9", 6' 9", 6' 9", 6' 7", 6' 7", 6' 7", 6' 7", 6' 6".   Torrid pace for both teams early, 50-49 at the half, Millikin shot the lights out from mid-range.  UD came out blistering in the second, opened up a 15 point lead by the 14 minute mark, cruised the rest of the way.

PG Mitch Burger had a monster game with 33 points on 11-14, 5-7 from three.  He is very, very quick off the dribble, can finish, and is willing to kick to shooters.  This team has three point shooters, really about ten of them are threats from beyond the arc, shot 57.7% in this game.  Big man Avery Butler is rapidly improving, another double double with 18/13.  This is a fun team to watch, lots of scoring threats from all over the floor.  There are some defensive thing to clean up, primarily rotational continuity and communication, but overall very solid.

Beating Simpson and now Millikin sets up a very interesting matchup vs. NWU in Dubuque next Saturday.  This is a game Dubuque can stay in and possibly win. 

BV 96 Willamette 73
NWU 95 Ozarks 70

BV 100 Ozarks 84
NWU 101 Willamette 84

BV 8-0 @ NWU 7-1 is a huge game on 12/4. We will see if BV is for real.

Central 89 Gustavus Adolphus 79 OT
UW-LaCrosse 74 Wartburg 65

[Schipper Strong]

Central finally got another win Saturday against Gustavus in OT. They played poorly in the first half, no defense, terrible ball handling, little rebounding and very mediocre free throw shooting. Then they played a decent second half and a great OT. Just like Flinn got hot in the second half at Loras, Moody got hot in the second half with GAU. Now if the would just play well for an entire game and have more than one person who can score well on a given night. Like tomorrow against Wartburg would be nice.

[SpartyBlue]

Wednesday

Simpson 99 @ Coe 84  Both teams hungry for a win following layoffs after losses.  Should be close, but edge to the more talented squad.

Wartburg 100 @ Central 177

BV 33 @ NWU 11  NWU very difficult to beat at home, holds 145-64 free throw attempt advantage on home court. BV 8-0 against generally unimpressive opposition tries to prove they actually belong at top of conference.

Loras 28 @ Luther 243

[Schipper Strong]

Congratulations to the Dutch, beating Wartburg 92-79 tonight. Nice game for the Dutch who played well the entire game, even going without Moody who was injured in the first half. Central led from start to finish in this one with as much as a 28 point lead in the second half. I was hard on them for their first half play on Saturday, tonight their ball handling and turnovers were much improved, free throw shooting was better, rebounding was somewhat better. Great job of playing well the entire game. Sure would like to get Spoehr back now that Moody is out for awhile. Hopefully they will both be back after Christmas. Nice job by the freshmen who played tonight. Flinn was hot again tonight. Always fun to beat Wartburg.