MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Willy Wonka]

Gusties up 34-16 at the half at St. Mary's. Haven't listened to hear the stats, but it sounds like a solid performance thus far.

[piperinsider]

HAM 61    MAC 55    6:11 to play    Conboy's 18 or 19 keeping MAC in.

HAM 68    MAC 57   3:08 left

[piperinsider]

HAM 73   MAC 69   44.9 left Conboy at line for 2.
Scots have hit three consecutive threes.

Pipers have missed five of last six free throws

[piperinsider]

HAM 77    MAC 71    Final (HAM shoots just 33%)
73-71, Scots foul Sam Wiener, who had previously missed 3 of 4 including an air ball. Sank both. Conboy fouled. Misses both. Thrasher seals win with two fts.

One thing I've noticed against MAC and STO is the Pipers' inability to hold a big lead. The problem I have is that when they are up 13-14, they shoot the ball with 20+ left on the shot clock. Your inviting the other team to rally because your giving them more opportunities.

Again I bring up the point of playing too many guys. 10+ is too many. Why a guy like Joe Smock, who doesn't play the first 35 minutes, finds himself in there for the last five minutes mystifies me.

Conboy (22) looked very good tonight. Bosman (double-double) and Hollander (13) held their own, especially when they made the run to cut it close. They just need a bit more from other guys like Stein and Lars. Sure could use Liddell.

[onearmedscot]

Yowzer!!

82-41 UST over SJU

AND...Keating goes for 18!!!

oAs

[3m71578]

After UST and GAC lose 2 nights ago they blew up their opponents tonight

http://www.stthomas.edu/tommies/MBB/stats/1-4-mbb.htm

Wow, SJU with 17 pts in the 2nd half

I haven't seen the final stats but sure sound like GAC was busting some ass at Winona, the last time I heard was like 78-39.

PI - I think Mac just needs to be more patient and make better shot selection, at least in the 1st half.  too many quick shots. 

[faunch]

Tonight I took in my first MIAC basketball game in over a year. It might be my last for a while.   I attended the SJU/UST game.  I think I have completely given up on being a fan of basketball.

First let me say that UST is a very talented team.  SJU has a decent group of young players that just made/makes too many mistakes.  I think they still had a bit of a Hawaii hangover and are better than they showed tonight.   I think they could compete with UST down the road...time will tell.

Now my rant....12 fouls called in the first half?  6 on each team.  Jon Yorkovich and his partners could have called the game from their couch!  They were awful.
As a former high school official I think the 3 ref crews don't improve the quality of the officiating.  They miss more calls waiting for one of their partners to make the call and the result is a no call!  They seem afraid of making a call in somebody elses zone.

The main reason think I am done with hoops is what I call the "Allen Iversen/Stephon Marbury Effect", i.e. "palming/carrying the ball.  It's not a "hesitation dribble!"  It is a violation that should result in a turnover but never does.  It gives the offensive player an advantage and has destroyed basketball.  Nobody calls it and I truely don't blame officals because it is so rapant in the game.  It could be called on virtually every possession. 
When I first started officiating I was doing a scrimmage at Totino-Grace.  Darius Lane was a junior or senior.  I watched him literally put his hand under the ball in mid-dribble at half court and then dribble the ball again.  I considered blowing my whistle but his coach, Lou Mitteco, was right behind me and would have ripped me apart!

Finally....As I left Schoeneker (sp?) Arena I asked my brother and his friend the following question:
Has UST football or SJU basketball had the bigger dropoff over the past 5-10 years?

[SJU09]

I too was at the SJU/STU game tonight, what there was of it. I also agree completely about what was said about dribbling, palming could be called on almost every possession.  I attended SJU in the late 80's and I can't get over how the Johnnie/Tommie basketball rivalry has diminished.  It's really sad to see and I kept wondering if the students today have any idea how big it used to be, they are really missing out.  Of course today, there are many more distractions.  I think I counted 10 people having cell phone conversations during the game, something that would have been unheard of during my day.  : )

[Willy Wonka]

Keating with another big game after a stinker. We'll see if he can't string a couple together now or if he'll remain consistently inconsistent. In a shameless attempt to gloss over that fact, what happened to the Johnnies? They played an awful first half and an even worse second stanza after coming in looking pretty good. What gives?

Gusties shellack St. Mary's to dispel both of sju4lifes theories in one night. It looks like it was ugly early and often in Winona.

In a bigger story, why did you all go watch a stupid game like UST/SJU when you could get the thrill of D3 via Hamline's webcast while watching a glorious national title game? Silly kids.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

WW...."what gives" is UST's defense played as you saw them vs your alma mater. They held SJU to 6 pts in the first 10 mins of the 2nd half....Not one Johnnie in double figures. Your man Keatnig had either a forced TO or a full-fledged steal on 6 consecutive SJU possessions and intimidated the Johnnies throughout the game.  As much as you hate SJU, even you would have felt sorry for them by the end of the game.

As I predicted, Shimek shut down "Mr. Automatic"... good defense doesn't make the box score, but it DOES make All-Conference.

It seems UST plays up or down to the level of their opponent. If they can play like they did tonight or vs. GAC, I don't there are many teams in D3 that can beat them.

It was sad, almost pathetic, to see the SJU "faithful" stream out during the first half of the 2nd half. It reminded me of the way MUC fans left the 2003 Stagg Bowl, which SJU fans ripped them for....I guess its different when its your team getting hammered?

[Willy Wonka]

MM - I don't which is worse - watching my team get hammered by yours or trying to read your post while wondering at your level of hammeredness

And, if Shimek is really an all-conference performer as you claim, are you also going to petition for UST's top 8 to be on the squad?

[miacwatchmen]

#1Shimek is not an all conference player. That is final.

#2: Keating played really well tonight and i was impressed with him (this being the first and only time i have seen him play). He is a great shooter and a big athletic body. I think he will pose a tough matchup for alot of MIAC teams.

#3: I was pretty impressed with Ike's ability to jam and get some boards but he doesnt really work very hard to get his points. He didnt make any strong moves to the basket all night in my opinion. He forced a couple really bad shots at the beginning of the game. I also think he needs to develop the ability to shoot from further out than 6 feet. He had a wide open jumper tonight once and he looked at the hoop and passed. He's a good player and i cant imagine what he will be like next year or at the end of this year.

#4: Johnnies were pretty scared to go inside tonight. Ike cleaned the glass with Johnnie shots tonight and i think that helped UST. The Johnnies once again were forced to settle for mid range and outside jumpers alot. Even though it looked like not much could have helped tonight versus a clearly better team, if the jumpers would have fallen it could have been within 20 maybe   

#5: Overall I think UST seemed to be on a different level than the Johnnies and at team is gonna need to play really well or catch UST on an off night like AUG did on Monday night to beat UST come late FEB and early March.

[miacwatchmen]

Watchman-- I agree-- there will be no "pollution" tonight....just an incredible UST/SJU game...hoep its not as wild as the 3 OT heart stopper of the early 90s, or as wacky as the Tauer-mauling-to-"steal" the ball for a "W" in the 93 title game.

I feel bad i guess you and I were both wrong. A pretty stinky game for SJU tonight. UST was clearly the better team in every aspect. SJU played pretty scared after Ike got into it late in the first half. Tough one for the Johnnies but they need to get their heads up or they may have a long quiet trip back from Winona on Saturday too!!!

[Gregory Sager]

Gusties get a nice, albeit meaningless, road win tonight over Carthage 77-70. Sowden with a shot to put the Gusties up 72-68 with 25 seconds left and FTs from there it looks like. Sager, did you make it to the game? Any comments? It sounds like the Gusties looked a little rusty.

No, I was in bed with a bad cold that night ... plus, I was in the midst of a self-imposed hiatus from hoops for reasons I'd rather not get into here. I ended it tonight, and I thought I'd check back over the past couple weeks' worth of MIAC posts to see if any of you 'sotans came down to Kenosha for the GAC @ Carthage game.

The next time I'm in Kenosha for a Red Men game, I'll ask some of my Carthage friends to do the nerd chant so that I won't feel as though I missed anything. 

[localcoach]

It looks like some of us still are on a rant about Mr. Keating. 

piperinsider - Macalester finished the game against Hamline shooting 33.3% from the field, not the other way around.  The Pipers shot 46.6%.  Once again the box score shows great balance with four players in double figures.  Both Jon DeRock and Tony Thrasher sure aren't playing like freshmen.  An interesting stat again was the offensive rebounds that Hamline gave up.  18 this time around.  If my math is correct, that means the Pipers have given up 39 offensive rebounds the past 2 games.  Yikes!  And yet they have still won twice.  I hope they improve in that category if they plan to continue to win, especially in close games.  BY the way, if you get a chance, go to the Hamline men's basketball page and look at the picture from last night's game used in the lead story.  Look how high off the ground Jon DeRock is. 

Both the Tommies and Gusties blow out their opponents.  The GAC win isn't over surprising, but the Johnnies get blow by 40.  I see that no one scored more then 8 points and SJU shot 31.5% for the game.  Those of you that were there, is this stat due to great defense by UST or just missed open shots by the Johnnies?  Rosefelt with yet another double-double.  (And the UST website now has pictures) 

Carleton wins their third straight MIAC game.  As I said, it looks like the Knights are hitting their stride.  Freshman Zach Johnson matches his career high with 20 points.

Bethel gets it's first MIAC victory by blowing out the Oles who shoot 4 of 19 from behind the arc.  Perry and Meadowcroft both finish with 20 for the Royals.  No Andy Cook in the box score, only one of his other brothers.  What's going on here?