MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Holy Guacamole!  Fraase went ballistic.... 31 pts, 24 boards...15 of 20 from the line,...who dahell fouls a guy who is that hot??
********************
The Shoe was rockin' tonight...excellent atmosphere...1800 attendance, 1500 must have been UST students (I think I saw 1 SJU student). The tiny Red contingent was so quiet it was like they thought they were in the Sistine Chapel. Come to think of it, they were witnessing a masterpiece of sorts

VOJ- is there some campus rule up there that all basketball recruits need to have "AB" or at least one of those letters as initials?

To end the great debate about Smith coaching-- he was actively coaching tonight, as active as his physical liabilities allowed.  #700 wont come till Nov/Dec

Out of a combination of respect for Coach Smith and a large dose of compassion and mercy, I will keep my comments on the game to myself, but the play Scott made on a steal/draw foul/layup was reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeediculous!!!! WOW

[Willy Wonka]

Ummm...Bethel recap up. Apparently that's the first home win for Bethel over the Gusties in 16 years. Unreal!

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

OK, I lied...I wil make a small comment on the game:
From the UST game story: "St. Thomas has won 17 of its last 19 home games against rival St. John's. "

'Nuff said.

[Drake Palmer]

OK, I lied...I wil make a small comment on the game:
From the UST game story: "St. Thomas has won 17 of its last 19 home games against rival St. John's. "

'Nuff said.

Umm, why do I get the sense that someone's a bit amped?? 

[BETHEL34]

Bethel 87, GAC 72

Cousin Ball: A secret agreement to let the player you're defending score at will if he/she does the same for you.
Van Sickle: 9/15 for season-high 27 points
Madson: 10/18 for 28 points

Sets up an interesting showdown Saturday between SJU and GAC to determine who's the biggest loser of the final two weeks.

AO - Just stop. For the love of everything holy, please stop.

Madson and Van Sickle didn't guard each other once all night...

[Willy Wonka]

Bethel 87, GAC 72

Cousin Ball: A secret agreement to let the player you're defending score at will if he/she does the same for you.
Van Sickle: 9/15 for season-high 27 points
Madson: 10/18 for 28 points

Sets up an interesting showdown Saturday between SJU and GAC to determine who's the biggest loser of the final two weeks.

AO - Just stop. For the love of everything holy, please stop.

Madson and Van Sickle didn't guard each other once all night...

Exactly

If you're saying they didn't ever matchup, I find that a little hard to believe. GAC guards have switched liberally for at least the past decade. While they have started using zone for the first time in years, I doubt the switching philosophy has changed since I saw them play in January...

[VOJ]

Turned my ballot into Mose today for CSN post-season awards. No Gusties. And, no McCoy. I only say that because someone said he would be in the post-season awards.

I've gotta believe the CSN committee must be using some type of weighted ballot system for the awards.  I can't imagine the committee would seriously consider a vote from a panelist who hadn't seen all or most of the candidates play.   

Dumb Drake.  He forgot Tommie students are notorious front runners & since they're now convinced the Tommies are going to win the league, they show up in droves for the UST- SJU game. When I couldn't find a parking spot in the usual lot, I knew I was in trouble.  Yup, no admission, even with a season pass & a call to the Pope.   

So it was off to Si Melby for another yawner. Augsburg 70- Carleton 54.  My prediction:  if Augsburg ends up hosting a playoff game, one or both teams will end up stinking up the joint with their shooting.  Tonight it was Carleton's turn - they could not buy a basket.  More later....

Drake if you had gotten ahold of me I would have had you in...but your pride and secret identity must be too important...seriously it would not have been a problem to give you a deputy badge with "Johnnies Radio" on it...

[VOJ]

Congrats to Papa Hoops, OAS, Denny15 and Macalester (missing any MAC posters from the past 6-7 years?) on a Detroit Lions-like season! Still got a great gym and facilities.

Don't forget Denny's mom, who ripped TH4L a new one in the liquor store parking lot before the GAC/MAC title game a few years back

One stop shopping for MIAC recaps here...except Bethel doesn't have anything up yet. I'll get it updated ASAP since my life consists of sitting on the couch thinking of new ways to piss VOJ off right now

Willy...I didn't know I had become a person of interest in your life...not sure if I should be flattered or scared.  As for Smitty last night, he took part in the huddles but did sit at the scorers table, I expect more of the same on Saturday on Senior day vs Gustavus...

Fellas if the following scenerio happens:  Auggy and Carleton both lose on Saturday and the Js win, do the Js vault to 3rd based on a 3-1 record against those two teams?  With a win and a Carleton loss I know we jump to 4th based on the 2-0 sweep of the Knights...

Tommies were solid to say the least, they are lethal from the outside and provided very good defensive pressure...20 TO's forced = 30 points scored...As I said more than once you can't leave Joe Scott, give up the layup on dribble penetration, but don't sag off Scott...

Mose you have a right to be proud of your boys...by the way where is my CSN ballot?  And I think Drake should get one too...maybe you could leave a flag in a pot on your back porch and arrange a drop off spot in a dark parking garage and...ah never mind no way he would go for it

[AO]

Bethel 87, GAC 72

Cousin Ball: A secret agreement to let the player you're defending score at will if he/she does the same for you.
Van Sickle: 9/15 for season-high 27 points
Madson: 10/18 for 28 points

Sets up an interesting showdown Saturday between SJU and GAC to determine who's the biggest loser of the final two weeks.

AO - Just stop. For the love of everything holy, please stop.

Madson and Van Sickle didn't guard each other once all night...

Exactly

If you're saying they didn't ever matchup, I find that a little hard to believe. GAC guards have switched liberally for at least the past decade. While they have started using zone for the first time in years, I doubt the switching philosophy has changed since I saw them play in January...

Madson must have a lot of cousins in the MIAC as last night seemed to be a pretty typical effort.

Basketballover: I took that straight from the live stats a few seconds after it happened.  It makes sense that the refs swallowed the whistles in the last minutes of a double digit win.  Just trying to make my point that Alm is maybe a better choice for MVP.  However, I could definitely see them giving it to Zorro after the amazing numbers he has amassed.

[basketballlover]

Madson must have a lot of cousins in the MIAC as last night seemed to be a pretty typical effort.

Basketballover: I took that straight from the live stats a few seconds after it happened.  It makes sense that the refs swallowed the whistles in the last minutes of a double digit win.  Just trying to make my point that Alm is maybe a better choice for MVP.  However, I could definitely see them giving it to Zorro after the amazing numbers he has amassed.
[/quote]

Good thing you don't pick MVP. No one would qualify, because your standards seem to be if someone has an off night, despite a double-double, they aren't a MVP candidate. They had almost the same stats last night, Alm 11 pts, 12 reb, Johnson 12 pts, 11 reb. Johnson didn't shoot as well, but they kept each other in check.

Why would he be a better candidate? Because he had a dunk? So did Johnson, he stole the ball and dunked it.

The refs swallowed their whistle all night. The call that should have been on Rosett came in the first half. They brought their whistles out in the last 2 minutes, that's why all the free throws were shoot then and Auggies won by 16.

[AO]

Good thing you don't pick MVP. No one would qualify, because your standards seem to be if someone has an off night, despite a double-double, they aren't a MVP candidate. They had almost the same stats last night, Alm 11 pts, 12 reb, Johnson 12 pts, 11 reb. Johnson didn't shoot as well, but they kept each other in check.

Why would he be a better candidate? Because he had a dunk? So did Johnson, he stole the ball and dunked it.

The refs swallowed their whistle all night. The call that should have been on Rosett came in the first half. They brought their whistles out in the last 2 minutes, that's why all the free throws were shoot then and Auggies won by 16.

go ahead and re-read my last sentence from my previous post and you might be able to answer your own questions.  Save the ref bashing for the playoffs.......unless you've got a good story, ala the apparent debacle that happened between oshkosh and whitewater last night.

anyone else really hate it when refs stop a game to make a minor clock adjustment, or in d-1, check way too often to see if somebody's foot was on the line.   refs are called on to make instant decisions for most of the game, then all of a sudden they get to take 5 minutes to look at a video replay? how about 15 seconds?

[papahoops]

I couldn't believe I got to the Shoe a whole hour before game time last night and was lucky to get a decent seat. Although I expected a comfortable win, I was particulary impressed with UST's defensive intensity, even when the game was in hand. Thought the J's actually did a nice job of staying with the Tommies for a half, even though they were obviously outmanned.

I'm not sure PI's ballot should be considered if it does not include McCoy on the top 3 MIAC teams . The only way you don't include him is if you just look at stat lines Last night was an excellent example. Excellent man post defense, help defense to take a charges or affect shots....many intangibles that his stat lines don't show that help his team win.

Final thought for the day to get everyone thinking.....everyone could debate the "best MIAC team", but is there any argument over whether this year's UST squad has the best "second" team? If I'm a coach this year and you gave me Tuma, Halvorsen, Archer, Healy,  Erwin/Pelletier/Eicher and give me the UST JV squad for a bench, I'm expecting to make the playoffs and probably disappointed if I don't finish in the top 4 of the league.  I couldn't even think of making this kind of statement with any othe MIAC bench that I have seen in the past. Thoughts???

[Drake Palmer]

I couldn't believe I got to the Shoe a whole hour before game time last night and was lucky to get a decent seat. Although I expected a comfortable win, I was particulary impressed with UST's defensive intensity, even when the game was in hand. Thought the J's actually did a nice job of staying with the Tommies for a half, even though they were obviously outmanned.

I'm not sure PI's ballot should be considered if it does not include McCoy on the top 3 MIAC teams . The only way you don't include him is if you just look at stat lines Last night was an excellent example. Excellent man post defense, help defense to take a charges or affect shots....many intangibles that his stat lines don't show that help his team win.

Final thought for the day to get everyone thinking.....everyone could debate the "best MIAC team", but is there any argument over whether this year's UST squad has the best "second" team? If I'm a coach this year and you gave me Tuma, Halvorsen, Archer, Healy,  Erwin/Pelletier/Eicher and give me the UST JV squad for a bench, I'm expecting to make the playoffs and probably disappointed if I don't finish in the top 4 of the league.  I couldn't even think of making this kind of statement with any othe MIAC bench that I have seen in the past. Thoughts???

Now that fellas is a post from a man who knows basketball.  PI - pay close attention.  If I didn't know better I think I might even know this Pops guy! 

As I said last night – "dumb Drake," or familiarity breeds contempt.  Since I live & work fairly close to UST I foolishly thought I could stay at work a little bit longer, drove by the Shoe around 6:20 on my way to the cleaners, stopped at home to change clothes, made a quick sandwich & then figured I''d stroll in around 7:00. Stroll?  Hmmph!!  The hawk was blowing around last night & I was practically sprinting back to my car with the sting of the security guard's  - "Sorry, it's full" ringing in my ears after he had rejected my self-righteous whining – "don't you know me? I'm VOJ's Deputy Dawg!? 

As a small consolation I did receive an email from my contact at UST this AM & they apologized for not hearing my cell phone in the swell of noise in the arena.  And I also received assurance that I would still be able to get a season pass to the Tommies games next year. Lesson learned – show up earlier for UST-SJU games. 

[VOJ]

I couldn't believe I got to the Shoe a whole hour before game time last night and was lucky to get a decent seat. Although I expected a comfortable win, I was particulary impressed with UST's defensive intensity, even when the game was in hand. Thought the J's actually did a nice job of staying with the Tommies for a half, even though they were obviously outmanned.

I'm not sure PI's ballot should be considered if it does not include McCoy on the top 3 MIAC teams . The only way you don't include him is if you just look at stat lines Last night was an excellent example. Excellent man post defense, help defense to take a charges or affect shots....many intangibles that his stat lines don't show that help his team win.

Final thought for the day to get everyone thinking.....everyone could debate the "best MIAC team", but is there any argument over whether this year's UST squad has the best "second" team? If I'm a coach this year and you gave me Tuma, Halvorsen, Archer, Healy,  Erwin/Pelletier/Eicher and give me the UST JV squad for a bench, I'm expecting to make the playoffs and probably disappointed if I don't finish in the top 4 of the league.  I couldn't even think of making this kind of statement with any othe MIAC bench that I have seen in the past. Thoughts???

Now that fellas is a post from a man who knows basketball.  PI - pay close attention.  If I didn't know better I think I might even know this Pops guy! 

As I said last night – "dumb Drake," or familiarity breeds contempt.  Since I live & work fairly close to UST I foolishly thought I could stay at work a little bit longer, drove by the Shoe around 6:20 on my way to the cleaners, stopped at home to change clothes, made a quick sandwich & then figured I''d stroll in around 7:00. Stroll?  Hmmph!!  The hawk was blowing around last night & I was practically sprinting back to my car with the sting of the security guard's  - "Sorry, it's full" ringing in my ears after he had rejected my self-righteous whining – "don't you know me? I'm VOJ's Deputy Dawg!? 

As a small consolation I did receive an email from my contact at UST this AM & they apologized for not hearing my cell phone in the swell of noise in the arena.  And I also received assurance that I would still be able to get a season pass to the Tommies games next year. Lesson learned – show up earlier for UST-SJU games. 

Pops...you know my feelings on the Great One, (Al McCoy)so I have your back there...as for your talk about taking their second five and the JV bench into the playoffs, in the words of a famous ESPN CFB honk...not so fast my friend...

I picture a team like St. Olaf, looks great on some nights and would stuggle on others, yes there is some great talent there, and mixed with the first five they wear you down, BUT overall to rely on them as a starting 5 with a young bench...fighting for 6th would be a more apt description.

Drake...if you make friends with people they would be more than willing to help you out, of course this means actually meeting them in person, one flash of an MIAC press pass and the words, he is with me on Johnnies radio and you would have been in the catbirds seat. 

[piperinsider]

I couldn't believe I got to the Shoe a whole hour before game time last night and was lucky to get a decent seat. Although I expected a comfortable win, I was particulary impressed with UST's defensive intensity, even when the game was in hand. Thought the J's actually did a nice job of staying with the Tommies for a half, even though they were obviously outmanned.

I'm not sure PI's ballot should be considered if it does not include McCoy on the top 3 MIAC teams . The only way you don't include him is if you just look at stat lines Last night was an excellent example. Excellent man post defense, help defense to take a charges or affect shots....many intangibles that his stat lines don't show that help his team win.

Final thought for the day to get everyone thinking.....everyone could debate the "best MIAC team", but is there any argument over whether this year's UST squad has the best "second" team? If I'm a coach this year and you gave me Tuma, Halvorsen, Archer, Healy,  Erwin/Pelletier/Eicher and give me the UST JV squad for a bench, I'm expecting to make the playoffs and probably disappointed if I don't finish in the top 4 of the league.  I couldn't even think of making this kind of statement with any othe MIAC bench that I have seen in the past. Thoughts???

Alex McCoy - 8.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 53 steals, 30 assists, 8 blocks

I'm sorry, those aren't the numbers of a top 15 player in the league.  Are they solid? Yes. Does he do "intangibles?" Probably.

But do baseball writers of America look at how many nice plays Johan Santana makes in the field to determine Cy Young? No, they look at his stats. Did Kevin Garnett's leadership skills get him All-NBA honors? No, his stats did. Will Nik Backstrom win the Venzia Trophy because he would win twice as many games if he played on Detroit? No.

Stats are what we look it. If McCoy was playing for SMU, would he put up bigger numbers? Probably. But he is the third or fourth option for the Tommies so he isn't going to pass a kid with bigger numbers. Plus, I like to spread the wealth around. Besides GAC, which I voted for zero of their players for All-MIAC.