MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[wabbit]

I see Carleton beat Simpson 81-65. Does anybody know anything about Simpson? Zach Johnson had 32 and climbs to third on Carleton's all-time scoring list.

[sju82]

SJU game was pretty much what I thought.  SJU has now given up 97 and 85 points!!!  No defense at all, the kids they are counting on are not good defenders.  Why the upper classmen are not given more of a chance when it's obvious some freshman are struggling is something I don't understand.  Point guard and post positions are really hurting them.  Burns is struggling shooting the ball, along with the other frosh, Walker.  I learned that Stanfield is injured with a back problem, I think he would help a lot.  Post play without a big body is gonna take it's toll also.
Hopefully they'll get going during conference play.

[Drake Palmer]

From the "For What It's Worth" department:

Just as St Olaf came up 5 points short last night against 8th ranked Buena Vista in IA, Hamline fell short 78-73 in their upset bid against 18th ranked Elmhurst College in Chicago Elmhurst.

After being down 40-30 at the half, Hamline came storming out the gates to take a 4 point lead with 7 minutes in the game.  Elmhurst fought back to take a 7 point lead, Pipers tie it behind the play of Tony Thrasher, Carl Hipp & crew, only to have a couple of crucial, closing minutes baskets made by pre-season AA Brent Ruch & senior All CCIW running mate Ryan Burks.

Good effort Pipes.  League play could be very interesting.

Earlier in the day St. Mary's wins the consolation game at the North Central tournament, also in Chicago far west suburban DuPage County & beat MacMurray College 84-70 behind a career best 41 points by soph Will Wright.

Great to see Will Wright have such a tremendous game, as he's a Chicagolander whose old high school stomping grounds are only a 45-minute drive from the North Central (IL) campus in Naperville.

Ok – Greg (Pharisee) Sager - from here on out, whenever I refer to the greater Chicago area in one of my posts, I'll use the acronym GMAC – Greater Metropolitan Area of Chicago or LOBO -"Land of Barack Obama" 

I think Mose was planning on attending being it was the formal dedication of the Jim and Adrienne Smith Court. Be interested in hearing his observations.

Sounds like the J's may be only slightly more advanced than WW Gusties!

Sum – I wouldn't be too harsh on your Johnnies – yet.  I think they've got plenty of horses in the stable; they just need to decide which ones they'll ride, which ones will be used for plow horses, or a worse fate - turned into geldings.    Due to the perceived parity in the league this year, I still think the Js could make a run for the playoffs.  Also, using the less than reliable comparative scores analysis – the Johnnies only lost 81-78 to Concordia of St. Paul, while Augsburg, whom many are expecting to make the league playoffs lost to CSTP 91-75 on Sunday.

In the mammoth NSIC conference, St. Cloud State was picked to finish 5th in the Coaches' Preseason poll & Concordia St. Paul was picked to finish 8th out of 14 teams.

Speaking of preseason polls, in the IIAC, Simpson College was picked to finish 8th & Luther College was picked to finish 9th out of 9 schools.  So the Carleton win over Simpson last night was solid, but not all together unexpected.  The Oles will get a chance to find out if they're posers or contenders when they play Luther tonight in Northfield.

[abominable_snowman]

next 2 rounds of non conference pickem up.  status updates to follow later...

[InRepair]

I find it is incredibly ignorant that so many are ready to write a team off after their first game. If you know anything about basketball, you would realize the first game is often not-at-all resembling of a teams ability. Bethany, for example, got hammered by Olaf in their first game. They got pissed off and returned the favor to Gustavus, who was not ready to play that night. Gustavus has a lot of talent on their team, a team that was extremely competitive with Mankato State in a scrimmage earlier this year. I wouldn't be so quick to write them off just yet. They have one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, which is going to test the grit of their young team and get them in shape for the conference schedule.

[AO]

Sam, I don't think Willy or anybody else here really thinks that your team is done before you've played a single conference game.  Look at st. john's football this year losing 2 of their first 3 conference games and still managing to win the MIAC and get to the playoffs.  Keep hope alive.   Take some of that rage out on the Buena Vista and Winona.

[Nites]

I find it is incredibly ignorant that so many are ready to write a team off after their first game. If you know anything about basketball, you would realize the first game is often not-at-all resembling of a teams ability. Bethany, for example, got hammered by Olaf in their first game. They got pissed off and returned the favor to Gustavus, who was not ready to play that night. Gustavus has a lot of talent on their team, a team that was extremely competitive with Mankato State in a scrimmage earlier this year. I wouldn't be so quick to write them off just yet. They have one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, which is going to test the grit of their young team and get them in shape for the conference schedule.

Easy, big fella.     GAC has a lot of supporters on this Board.  I think that if you go back and read some posts, you'll find that many expect GAC to have some growing pains early this year and begin to put things together for a run at a playoff spot.  Few, if any, underestimate Coach Hanson and the quality of the basketball program at Gustavus.

You also might be quite surprised by the collective basketball IQ of the posters on this Board.

[InRepair]

Well obviously I come from a biased standpoint. We were embarrassed our first game. We have a chip on our shoulder. But I do agree the team has a lot of growing to do...but this team has the ability to hang with anyone...D3 or D2. Talents not the weak point of the Gusties, if a game is lost it will be because we weren't mentally prepared/mentally strong enough.

[BBRyan]

While I do agree that GAC has a lot of growing to do and will be a good team by the end of the year, I am not quite sure that you can say talent is not their weak point (compared to past years that is). They do not have a player that will be able to take over a game, especially at both ends of the court. They do not have a Espo, C TeBrake, Wittwer or dare I add a WW on the team this year. While they do have a talented group, it is not the same as it has been in the past. The past few years there was a clear difference between the top players and the "bench" players. It seems this year they have a much more even team with a lot of depth. Should be fun to see who emerges from the pack and really establishes themselves this season, especially the second post behind Paulson.

[piperinsider]

Well obviously I come from a biased standpoint. We were embarrassed our first game. We have a chip on our shoulder. But I do agree the team has a lot of growing to do...but this team has the ability to hang with anyone...D3 or D2. Talents not the weak point of the Gusties, if a game is lost it will be because we weren't mentally prepared/mentally strong enough.

GAC is weak sauce as Mafia would say. The Pipers should have no problem sweeping the Gusties for the first time since 1939 this year. Hamline beat St. Olaf who beat Bethany who beat GAC. We're comin!

Back to actual reality...big fella, you have a big opportunity to prove how good you are with the rest of the non-conference season. I still think you finish in the top six in the MIAC regardless of how you finish in the "pre-season." I'd like to see more than three minutes from Tyler Grey though - but what do I know? I'm only a sports writer.

[Willy Wonka]

While I did score 26 last night, I also let some greybeard score at least 15 on me. Plus, my post-GAC winning percentage is down right around .400. While you better believe I'd be cracking some heads in practice if they keep sucking at defense, I feel pretty safe in saying I would not solve what is currently ailing the current Gusties.

I'm not sure I ever said I was ruling the Gusties out of anything, though the league title would seem a major stretch given what Bethel and the Tommies have returning. In fact, I think they and the Johnnies will show the most improvement throughout the season. That's as much an indictment of their starting point as it is a blatant attempt at optimism.

GAC returns just two guys who played 21+ minutes a game last year. One starter is a senior who has never played a significant minute in his career. Six of the 13 who got some PT were essentially making their collegiate debut against Bethany, and their "best" freshman didn't even play. Once (if?) Hanson figures out what he has and sets a rotation, things should start coming around.

Keep in mind the 14-13 Gustie team of 2006-07, who also lost to Bethany, did manage to beat a heavily favored UST squad (that I predicted and was universally laughed at...until afterwards). Hanson is generally able to get his guys playing well in crunch time, so we'll see where this version ends up in three months. I won't panic if we start 2-6, but there better be some noticeable improvement or it could be a L-O-N-G season.

[ozzie679]

SJU had a very nice ceremony for Coach Smith, and the floor looks great.  I was surprised there were so many SCSU fans considering they had a home hockey game. 

Not the greatest game to watch...

[Gregory Sager]

Ok – Greg (Pharisee) Sager - from here on out, whenever I refer to the greater Chicago area in one of my posts, I'll use the acronym GMAC – Greater Metropolitan Area of Chicago or LOBO -"Land of Barack Obama" 

"Bring back Sheriff Lobo!" -- Homer J. Simpson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPE2ySTIGRM

Well obviously I come from a biased standpoint. We were embarrassed our first game. We have a chip on our shoulder. But I do agree the team has a lot of growing to do...but this team has the ability to hang with anyone...D3 or D2. Talents not the weak point of the Gusties, if a game is lost it will be because we weren't mentally prepared/mentally strong enough.

Wow. So if the Gusties take a loss it will never be because the other team is better?

[TearDrop]

Well obviously I come from a biased standpoint. We were embarrassed our first game. We have a chip on our shoulder. But I do agree the team has a lot of growing to do...but this team has the ability to hang with anyone...D3 or D2. Talents not the weak point of the Gusties, if a game is lost it will be because we weren't mentally prepared/mentally strong enough.

I respect the Gusties program as much as the next guy, but to say that they can hang with any D2 program, thats absurd.

[columbianmaffia]

+k for remembering i have used the word weak sauce

i just pumped some iron in hopes that the ladies wont think im weak sauce this weekend