MBB: American Rivers Conference

[Walston Hoover]

Don't know why they did that this year Keith. Both Wartburg games with BV and Luther are on weeknights this year.

[Walston Hoover]

Big Match-up this weekend in Indianola.
Can Steege and boys contain the Hittenmiller/Soppe show.
The key here is that Wartburg is the best rebounding team in the league and Simpson is one of the worst. Wartburg always finds a way to get up big at Cowles and then let the Storm back into it in the end.
However, if coach OC coaches b-ball like he plays ping-pong, he'll have the Storm up big at first, only to choke it away in the end.
Unless things have changed, Simpson is hands down the worst place to play in the league in terms of home support, I think the Knights overrun the place.

[lorbec47]

Wow Keith,

I don't know what to say. Some of the UD guys take some really tough shots. They're gonna have to be really on to win. They just have so many young guys playing they just get overpowered out there. Thomas and Daugherty played pretty well, those two are nice ball players. Unfortunately they'll get killed in the paint everygame. Some have to learn to accept roles, when I see guys check in and immediately the next time down court jack a wild-a$$ 3, it's gonna be tough.

[IIAC Observer]

Very surprised about some of the outcomes last night.  Especially Luther dominating at BV.  I wasn't surpried that Loras one, even though I picked UD.  Wasn't a huge shock to see Coe win, although I picked Simpson.  Only game I got right was Wartburg over Central.  I guess this shows us one thing this year.....PARITY...which is kind of nice considering it has been a 1 and 2 team race each of the last 6 or 7 years.  Nice to know even the top teams can go on the road and get beat....who knows...I would have to say Wartburg and Coe are the teams to beat right now.

[keith45]

I was on the money with Coe, I like their game, adn I think they match up well with Wartburg..I don't knwo what to say about UD now...I really thought the post players would help them, they got some size this year, but i guess not...I'm hoping we can still finish top 4, but losing to Loras and Luther and Coe already hurts..
Lorbec,
UD's guards always shoot those shots, last year it was Thomas taking most of them (by the way, Thomas is in SLAM magazine this month)..I think they need to move thomas back to the 2, and try to find someone else to play that 3 spot, or go big

[lorbec47]

Keith,
I would agree that Thomas and Daugherty have to take those shots, but some of those guys off of the bench? I just couldn't see it. Not enough TEAM out there last night, I sure hope they can get it turned around. Here's hoping.

[keith45]

well, we lose 1-2 more, so much for a top four appearance..and what kills me is Luther, out of the  BLUE, kickin A@@!!!! Where is the poster who said that Luther was for real?? Someone owes him a drink!

[welseyanbulldog]

I would like to say all this without Tony Brantner as well!!!  Luther is playing extremely well right now.  The key for the Norse is offensive consistency.  If they get a 3rd double digit scorer in a game they will be unbeatable!!!

[lorbec47]

The key to Luther IMO is that Lappe. I played against him 3 years ago! And he wasn't a freshman then. How the heck has his eligibility held up? Just wondering what the deal was there? Also, what the heck happened to that Brungaard kid at Coe? Haven't seen him in the boxes lately.

[keith45]

The thing about Luther is that they haven't lost the physical defense they are known for..kinda like BV when Jones was there, they played hard nosed D, but still could score..Luther always played D, but you knew, no matter what, if you got to 50 points, you have a great chance of winning....now they can score a bit, and have some athletes..can they hold it up is the question?

I like Coe's big guys as well, they are breaking the mold that Coe had of being "pretty shooters" from back in the day.
the IIAC has parity finally! The fact that we had a winning record against the WIAC (or almost winning if it wasn't) has to give us some cred as well..how did we do against the MIAC? They arent as highly regarded as the WIAC, but the MIAC is looked at as superior to the IIAC..anyone know how the conferences are ranked? Greg or Pat?

[stickman]

Jake Lappe did not play as a frosh at Luther due to illness, and he only played 5 games his soph year due to tearing his ACL - he is back at Luther finishing up stuff for physical therapy

[lorbec47]

Thanks for the info stickman. Glad Lappe's good now.

[The Show]

Seeing how I managed to pick a whopping 1 game correctly from Tuesday's games ...I'll try to improve this time.

Friday's Games:
Coe over Central
Wartburg over Simpson
Loras over Luther
Dubuque over Cornell

Saturday's Games:
Simpson over Cornell
Coe over Luther
Wartburg over Dubuque
Loras over Central

[IIAC Observer]

I'm just going to pick Friday's games and see how they turn out before thinking about Saturday's.  I am in the same boat as Show....after getting them all the first go round...went back to the story of my life...mediocrity after that.....

Coe over Central  - starting to think maybe Coe is the class of the conference this year.

Cornell over UD - sorry Keith....Cornell is going to win at home.

Loras over Luther- at home or I might reconsider

Wartburg over Simpson -  Really want to see the Knights stink this year, but Simpson has had trouble w/ them since around 2000.  Could be a VERY good game.

[balla_1982]

Lappe didn't play last year did he, I don't remember him being in there at all anyways