MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Take a look at the La Crosse game against the Tommies this year.  Looks like they didn't struggle with the press that much being that the Tommies had 0 fast break points for the whole game.

I wouldn't put too much faith in the accuracy of that particular line in the box score; it's rarely tracked by the UST stat crew and almost always listed as 0.

Yeah, I dont think they've shown one bucket as "fast break" all season. I'm not sure why that is.

I'd say the possible bracket as laid out by d3hoops looks about right for "Bracket 8"... there are a couple of scary brackets, but you gotta play - and beat -  the big boys to get the walnut & bronze

[Drake Palmer]

And, it's worth noting that the "flat, slow and unathletic" UWSP team that Drake just ripped played the Beavers better than the Tommies last year. BVU returns almost everything from a year ago, including the PG who beat the pressure and the bigs who dominated the boards. The Beavers controlled that game for 37 minutes...and then nearly pissed it away. Personally, that's rematch I want to see.

With all those BUTS out of the way...it wouldn't surprise me to see the Tommies make a deep run. They are athletic across the board, defend very well and can hit the deep ball at a nice percentage. They aren't big, but they battle inside. When I look at these Tommies, I see a team eerily similar to my Gustie team who made a run to the title game — except they rely heavily on TOs to spark the offense. A veteran, heady PG who can navigate the press might be a bigger cause for concern than a good big man.

UPDATE

Almost forgot, congrats to the Tommies on the undefeated year. I didn't have comp access last night, but it looked like another steamroller. That's an impressive feat.

Willy - The primary purpose for that particular sentence was because one of our colleagues from the "east" was talking a little stuff on the WIAC board earlier this afternoon, & I know he reads our board on occasion.  Just as he knows some of us MIAC posters stop by their board. I was just retaliating. 

According to the D3 Hoops projection, Buena Vista is in another bracket.

Pops - I'm not an expert on the WIAC, but I've seen a few games this year. Here are a couple of thumbnail opinions.

**UWSP- a very disciplined, athletic version of GAC, good shooters, & solid % team defenders.

**UWWW - not real deep, but very, very athletic, very quick, good shooters.

**UWPville- total package, a preseason AA post - Jeff Skemp, solid, quality, big, athletic guards, good shooters, good defenders. 

Seriously all three of these teams can shot the rock. 

You'll like Skemp, But  I think you'll love the post player from Elmhurst Brent Ruch.  Another preseason AA - Sweet game.

If matchups materialize, I'll go into more detail.

Either UPS or Whitworth from the Northwest conference will be scary good.

***

I know I posted a bunch of stuff this afternoon, but didn't anyone besides me think it was odd the Hamline's Nelson Whitmore was on the NCAA West Region Turney Advisory committee? This was his 2nd year at Hamline?

[Drake Palmer]

One last final post  ...

If I'm a "bigtime receiver" why would I want to play for the Vikings??  Bengals' - free agent  receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh

[Pat Coleman]

Is now a good time to point out that UST has only defeated five teams with a winning record this year, none of which are in consideration for an NCAA berth? They beat everyone they were supposed to beat, which is great, but they haven't ever been challenged with quality. You'd think Fritz might have wanted to step outside of his comfort zone a little bit in the nonconference schedule, but it didn't happen.

They only had five games to work with. They played Occidental -- usually that's a team that can be considered a quality opponent.

[Drake Palmer]

The fact that the Tommies are untested is a point that can't be argued. When they have been tested on the national level, namely the last three years, the results have been disappointing and ugly. Keep in mind, they are 1-3 during that stretch and three (I think) of those losses have come at Schoenecker as the high seed.

UST Post season play in the last 3 years

2006: (1-1)  They beat North Central from the CCIW, & lost to Lawrence on the road

2007: The Bitter pill - lost to Carroll at home

2008: Lost to Buena Vista at home.

Overall record in the past 3 years (1-3).
(1-2) at home
(0-1) on theroad
   

[papahoops]

2007: The Bitter pill - lost to Carroll at home

I vividly recall that game and recall being amazed at how well Carroll executed that night. UST really ran into a "perfect storm" that evening. I thought UST might do some damage that year, but they ran into a well coached team that night that couldn't have had executed a better game plan. That night really provided evidence that on a given night, any playoff team can jump up and beat you no matter the location of the game. I will say the defensive intensity of this year's team is well above any UST I have seen in recent years, so hopefully this will help them to go deeper into the playoffs and avoid another quick exit.

[Willy Wonka]

Is now a good time to point out that UST has only defeated five teams with a winning record this year, none of which are in consideration for an NCAA berth? They beat everyone they were supposed to beat, which is great, but they haven't ever been challenged with quality. You'd think Fritz might have wanted to step outside of his comfort zone a little bit in the nonconference schedule, but it didn't happen.

They only had five games to work with. They played Occidental -- usually that's a team that can be considered a quality opponent.

Only one of those five had a winning record — and it was a Pomona-Pitzer at just 14-13. There's plenty of room for criticism...but we'll see if it matters.

Thanks for the correction, Drake. I'm feeling lazy today.

[wabbit]

Having watched St Thomas twice before against Carleton I just didn't remember the pressure on the guards being so intense. I went back and took a look at the stats to see what the TOs looked like. Surprisingly, Carleton was on the low side of the turnovers and and more surprisingly so was St. Olaf! Both those teams have guards that can handle the ball and get it up court (Davis/Silbert and Jaryan/?). Therefore, if the teams St  Thomas face don't have the guards it bodes well for them. IMO.

Opponent      Date      Score   TO

----------------------   --------   -------   ----

at Gustavus Adolphus   2/14/2009   72-59   11

at St. Olaf College   1/24/2009   73-61   12
at Bethel University   1/7/2008   73-64   13
at Carleton College   2/7/2009   68-59   13
UW-RIVER FALLS      11/25/2008   75-61   13
ST. OLAF COLLEGE   12/6/2008   60-52   14
UW-LA CROSSE      12/20/2008   94-87   15
CARLETON COLLEGE   1/10/2009   83-72   16
at Hamline University   1/19/2009   64-59   17
at Concordia College   1/21/2009   83-61   18
at Concordia-St. Paul   12/30/2008   72-69   19
at Pomona-Pitzer Coll   11/21/2008   82-65   19
at Occidental College   11/22/2008   61-47   20
SAINT JOHN'S UNIV.   2/18/2009   82-47   20
BETHEL UNIVERSITY   2/11/2009   75-72   21
CONCORDIA COLLEGE   12/3/2008   74-63   21
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS   2/25/2009   90-50   21
HAMLINE UNIVERSITY   2/21/2009   71-49   21
at Saint John's Univ.   1/14/2009   86-55   22
AUGSBURG COLLEGE   12/8/2008   86-58   22
at Augsburg College   1/28/2009   87-57   24
at Macalester College   1/31/2009   86-41   27
at Saint Mary's Univ.   12/10/2008   102-64   27
BETHEL UNIVERSITY   2/28/2009   68-51   27
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS   1/17/2009   70-49   29
MACALESTER COLLEGE   1/3/2009   95-55   29
SAINT MARY'S UNIV.   2/2/2009   99-44   37[/table]

[titan2000]

2007: The Bitter pill - lost to Carroll at home

I vividly recall that game and recall being amazed at how well Carroll executed that night. UST really ran into a "perfect storm" that evening. I thought UST might do some damage that year, but they ran into a well coached team that night that couldn't have had executed a better game plan. That night really provided evidence that on a given night, any playoff team can jump up and beat you no matter the location of the game. I will say the defensive intensity of this year's team is well above any UST I have seen in recent years, so hopefully this will help them to go deeper into the playoffs and avoid another quick exit.

Carroll comes from a power conference.  Why the shock?   

[sumander]

My prediction on the Tommies in the NCAA tourney...they will be bounced out in their first or second game.  There are too many teams out there in the tourney that will be able to beat there press and when it comes down to a half court game they will get out manned inside and get beat pretty bad...double digit loss when they go out in their first or second game.  I hope I am wrong and would love to see them win it all, but I just don't see that happening when you have to rely so much on your full court pressure and your 3's to win a game come tourney time.  With all that said though, good luck to the Tommies!  Represent the MIAC proudly!

34, wondering how many of those teams you have seen personally?

From a distant observer sounds like a touch of sour grapes!

Maybe a small touch of sour grapes  .  

34 +k for manning up. 

[VOJ]

Tommies get a 16-12 Aurora team in the first round at home...and will have homecourt if they win against Cornell or Stevens Point....

None of the WIAC teams get to host...what a slap in the face to that league. 

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

27-0 doesn't get a first round bye? The byes appear to be driven more by geographic isolation than performance. TOUGH draw for UST.. getting TO the Final 4 means beating 2 teams I feel belong IN the Final 4-- UWSP and Wash U. Seven top 10 teams in one bracket (of 16). But you gotta beat the big boys to win the trophy, so take care of biz one game at a time.

[PurpleReign]

First time post - long time MIAC fan - so I guess I better make this first post a good one  8).  The past two years has seen the Tommies draw two teams that got hot at seasons end and bump them out.  What does this year have in store?  If I am reading this bracket correctly, the Tommies would potentially have to knock off the #6 ranked team (WSP), the #3 ranked team (Puget Sound), and the #2 ranked team (Washington U) and with the potential of facing the #4, #5, and #7 ranked teams.  That's a killer bracket!!!!!

[PurpleReign]

All this to get to the Final Four!!!!!

First time post - long time MIAC fan - so I guess I better make this first post a good one  8).  The past two years has seen the Tommies draw two teams that got hot at seasons end and bump them out.  What does this year have in store?  If I am reading this bracket correctly, the Tommies would potentially have to knock off the #6 ranked team (WSP), the #3 ranked team (Puget Sound), and the #2 ranked team (Washington U) and with the potential of facing the #4, #5, and #7 ranked teams.  That's a killer bracket!!!!!

[papahoops]

Based on last weeks D3Hoops poll, the top 7 teams in the country (UST, Washington U, Pudget Sound, Wheaton, UWPlattesville, UWStevens Point, UWWhitewater) are in the very tough lower left quad of D3 NCAA tournament bracket released this morning. What a meat grinder!!!!! Analysts on Hoopsvile listed Middlebury (upper right), Ithaca (lower right) and John Carroll (upper left) as bracket favorites heading into the tourney. They thought there are so many high quality teams in lower left bracket ot the tournament, however, that picking a "favorite" would be foolish. Definitely a tough road to final 4 for this bracket