MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Kilroy]

Hello friends... fun to see the rosters posted and to see all the newcomers.

SMU: Drake, you're right, just from looking at the roster they'll likely need to recruit big men this year. Although they've got a nice experienced pair in Ferron and Schumacher. They did get a good crop of guards (remember the last guard from Marist? Will Wright ), and a pretty versatile player in Prescott's Charlie Tayson (6-6 wing). Kevin Gleason is a gritty PG who a lot of schools liked.

Gusties: Sharbono is a nice pickup, although I believe he's on his third school in three years. Hopefully St. Peter is a good fit for him. I liked him as a kid when I spoke to him as a senior. Charlie Krambeer is a really nice sleeper prospect as a shooter... destroyed the state tournament this spring from 3-point range.

Bethel: They did get a little bigger, but I believe Mattern is more of a project where guys like Engstrom and Magnuson (Duluth transfer) are ready to contribute right now. Magnuson should be in the rotation immediately, he was college-ready from a physical standpoint as a HS senior.

Carleton: Gillespie's potential is sky-high. He's a big man with a D1 body who has had the absolute worst luck when it comes to knee injuries. Quinn Johnson's got a ton of potential, too, as a bouncy wing.

MAC: I've said it for a while, Gutierrez and Ferm might be the best recruiting combo that anyone in the MIAC pulled off this year. Gutierrez obliterated box scores (although for a small school) and Ferm did the same thing to a slightly lesser extent with tougher competition. Both were hot recruits last winter, and both fit the MAC mold of student-athletes.

Olaf: Scheffley and Stensgard are solid guards, and Lyle is a good long wing option. Nobody in this class really blows me away (no Gunderson, no Fong), but they could be good pieces.

[jimhoops1234]

Kilroy - noticed a few rotation guys from last year missing on the SMU roster, mainly Ronnie Ortiz. The freshman from Washburn you referenced may get thrown to the fire right away. Back to back years losing Pederson and Ortiz who had the ball a lot for Coach Rusthoven's squad.

I've heard some good things as well about the Mac combo.

[Kilroy]

Yep, not sure on what happened with Ortiz, although he was from Ohio so homesickness may have played a factor.

[hazzben]

Not totally on topic, but I had to share it somewhere.

Daniel Jansen, a kid from my high school and local church growing up, just led DII Augustana to a win over Iowa (yes, the Hawkeyes) in an exhibition game, with a buzzer beater.

Great kid from a great family. Fun so see small college guys get a shot at taking down the big boys!

[Drake Palmer]

Tsk, tsk, Tsk.  The MIAC Basketball Preview was released this afternoon and still no rosters from Concordia or Hamline.  The Johnnies must have just posted their roster today as I checked yesterday and they still had the 2014-2015 roster posted. 

Off to a meeting will comment later.

MIAC Hoops Preview & Coaches Poll

http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/111115_MBB_2015-16_preview

[Drake Palmer]

MIAC 2015-2016 Palmer FY All-Name Team

Honorable Mention

Davis "Dave Cowens" Cowan – St. Thomas
Wyatt "Earp" Ferm – Macalester
Abdulsalan "Donny" Osman - Hamline

All Name Team

Brent "Burnt" Kinder – Augsburg
Quinn "Buckner" Johnson – Carleton
Riley "Sonny" Sharbono – Gustavus

All MIAC Co-FY Name Player of the Year

Derek "Magnum, P.I." Magnuson – Bethel
Shane "Shame Les Steckel" Steckler - Concordia


Good luck all!

[Drake Palmer]

Weekend Wrap up

On Saturday I caught the second half of the Gustavus -Northwestern game, and a portion of the Bethel- Martin Luther game on the net.  A few thoughts on both games...

Northwestern 75-73 over Gustavus.

Northwestern looks like the real deal and it is apparent why they are favored to win the UMAC again this season.  The Eagles generally always move the ball and shoot well, and this year seems to be no exception.  They also picked up what appears to a stud D2 transfer in Clay Elrod from Bemidji State. The smooth stroking 6-6 Elrod was 6-11FGA & 4-63FGA for 19pts & 5 boards.

Gustavus looked good, but a hair slow? The Gusties outrebounded NW 33-25, shot the ball fairly well 50% FGA and 50% 3FGA.  Unfortunately, NW shot a blistering 59.2% from the field.

*SR forward Brody Ziegler was a white hot 9-9 from the floor for 19pts and 11 rebs for a sweet double-double.

*Fellow SR Sergio Najera added 13 pts & 6 rebounds.

*FY newcomer Riley Sharbono showed nice moves and a smooth shooting touch as he was 5-6 FGA, and was 2-3 3FGA for 12 pts.

*Overall, the Gusties guards seemed to be a half step slower than their NW counterparts which may account for their so-so performance on Saturday.  Stronger PG play would also be helpful.  I'm sure Coach Hanson and staff will address these areas.

*Interestingly, a kid who played at Bethel several years ago has suddenly reappeared at Gustavus, SO Wing AJ Hatchett. I checked the Bethel website and he was listed on the roster as a FY during the 2011-2012 season and now has reemerged three years later at Gustavus.  Not sure of his personal circumstances or background, but wish him the best athletically and academically.

***

Bethel 94-71 over Martin Luther

*Bethel had their way with Martin Luther who is picked to finish last in the UMAC this season.  Even without Bridgeport Tusler (football) or Brycen Wojta (injury?), the Royals had no problem dispatching of the Knights.

*Initially I thought some of the football team were making cameo appearances, as the Royals had no shortage of shall we say, robust players – Tim Hanson, Kyle Von Schmidt Pauli, and the ringleader, 6-3 200lb+ wing Sean "Twinkle-toes" Baumgard.    Baumgard displayed a nice shooting touch from behind the arc as he was 5-8 from behind the arc and scored 20pts to go along 6 rebs.

*Scouting report on FY Derek "Man-child" Magnuson appears to be correct. The 6-7 235lb forward had a nice debut with 10 pts & 4 rebs.

***
In other action

*UST beat UW- Eau- Claire 76-62
*STO over Bethany Lutheran 82-53
*SMU beat Crossroads College (really?)83-66
*Concordia defeated Minn-Morris 92-65
*Macalester lost two games in their road trip out west to Willamette and Pacific University.

[AO]

Weekend Wrap up

On Saturday I caught the second half of the Gustavus -Northwestern game, and a portion of the Bethel- Martin Luther game on the net.  A few thoughts on both games...

Northwestern 75-73 over Gustavus.

Northwestern looks like the real deal and it is apparent why they are favored to win the UMAC again this season.  The Eagles generally always move the ball and shoot well, and this year seems to be no exception.  They also picked up what appears to a stud D2 transfer in Clay Elrod from Bemidji State. The smooth stroking 6-6 Elrod was 6-11FGA & 4-63FGA for 19pts & 5 boards.

Gustavus looked good, but a hair slow? The Gusties outrebounded NW 33-25, shot the ball fairly well 50% FGA and 50% 3FGA.  Unfortunately, NW shot a blistering 59.2% from the field.

*SR forward Brody Ziegler was a white hot 9-9 from the floor for 19pts and 11 rebs for a sweet double-double.

*Fellow SR Sergio Najera added 13 pts & 6 rebounds.

*FY newcomer Riley Sharbono showed nice moves and a smooth shooting touch as he was 5-6 FGA, and was 2-3 3FGA for 12 pts.

*Overall, the Gusties guards seemed to be a half step slower than their NW counterparts which may account for their so-so performance on Saturday.  Stronger PG play would also be helpful.  I'm sure Coach Hanson and staff will address these areas.

*Interestingly, a kid who played at Bethel several years ago has suddenly reappeared at Gustavus, SO Wing AJ Hatchett. I checked the Bethel website and he was listed on the roster as a FY during the 2011-2012 season and now has reemerged three years later at Gustavus.  Not sure of his personal circumstances or background, but wish him the best athletically and academically.

Thanks for the recap Drake!  Was only able to watch the final few minutes of the webcast.  Certainly not a game I would have expected to win going 11-20 from the line and Gisler being held scoreless.  Also couldn't believe some of the shots Ooms was hitting to keep us in it late.  The interior defense might have been suspect both ways considering Ziegler's perfect night.

I'll try not to get too worked up if the shots don't fall tonight against the Pipers.  2-9 to start the season last year and they managed to find a way to the sweet 16.  It's still early for everybody.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Bethel 94-71 over Martin Luther

*Bethel had their way with Martin Luther who is picked to finish last in the UMAC this season.  Even without Bridgeport Tusler (football) or Brycen Wojta (injury?)

Tusler missed the last three games of the football season w/ an injury, so I assume that might have something to do with him, but I don't know anything about the injury in particular.  Haven't heard anything on Wojta either, but hope they are both able to come back soon...they're definitely the difference between a top 3 or 4 finish in the MIAC and not making the conference playoffs.

[AO]

Bethel 94-71 over Martin Luther

*Bethel had their way with Martin Luther who is picked to finish last in the UMAC this season.  Even without Bridgeport Tusler (football) or Brycen Wojta (injury?)

Tusler missed the last three games of the football season w/ an injury, so I assume that might have something to do with him, but I don't know anything about the injury in particular.  Haven't heard anything on Wojta either, but hope they are both able to come back soon...they're definitely the difference between a top 3 or 4 finish in the MIAC and not making the conference playoffs.

Would be only the 3rd time in the last 17 years the Royals have missed the playoffs.  I don't know what's harder to believe, that they haven't managed to luck into winning the tournament one of those years, or that the great middle of the MIAC has only been able to shut them out of the playoffs twice.  The league has had a lot of parity besides MAC and SMU the last 16 years.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Would be only the 3rd time in the last 17 years the Royals have missed the playoffs. I don't know what's harder to believe, that they haven't managed to luck into winning the tournament one of those years, or that the great middle of the MIAC has only been able to shut them out of the playoffs twice. The league has had a lot of parity besides MAC and SMU the last 16 years.

Right?  I can only cite their history since I started paying attention to them around 2002 or so, but their MO under Westlund was that they typically had 1 or two very good, (but sometimes not necessarily great) players, so they were competitive enough to almost always get in the playoffs, but they didn't have a complete enough roster around them to push them over the top.  (Andy Gilbert, Travis Jones - Tim Gilbert, Tim Madson - Cory Laugen - Mike Moberg, though Laugen had some injury issues, Taylor Hall - Daniel Baah,....)

I'd love to see them finally make a push to winning a MIAC title, but UST will always be very competitive, and I think SJU will be very good this year, along with Olaf.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Looks like your Eagles put away the Pipers without much issue last night AO.  Did they lose anyone significant to graduation from last year?  The names I read in the recap seemed like mainly the same group?

Still no Wojta for BU last night...hopefully he doesn't have anything long term going on in the injury department.  Tusler played, but as you noted on the football board, his stat line indicated someone who is pretty rusty, getting tagged with 5 fouls in less than 20 minutes of PT, or perhaps still slightly injured, as you suggested, but I doubt he'd be playing these non-conf games if he wasn't 100%.

Edit - also, I tried to watch the BU @ UWRF game last night but was going to have to pay to watch it online, which I wasn't interested in doing.  Do all of the WIAC schools do this?

[AO]

Looks like your Eagles put away the Pipers without much issue last night AO.  Did they lose anyone significant to graduation from last year?  The names I read in the recap seemed like mainly the same group?

Still no Wojta for BU last night...hopefully he doesn't have anything long term going on in the injury department.  Tusler played, but as you noted on the football board, his stat line indicated someone who is pretty rusty, getting tagged with 5 fouls in less than 20 minutes of PT, or perhaps still slightly injured, as you suggested, but I doubt he'd be playing these non-conf games if he wasn't 100%.

Yeah, Hamline made a mini run, but it was never really in doubt.  Hamline has lost a lot.  Might take them a while to figure out how they want to play. 

5 of the top 6 scorers return for Northwestern, but these are also the same guys that went 2-9 to start last year.  It was really odd to hear the Hamline commentators talk about moral victories considering they beat us by 20 last year.  I still consider beating St. Thomas to be one of the most amazing upsets in tourney history.  A true 16 vs 1 upset.

[MIAC23]

http://www.inforum.com/sports/3885003-dragons-hold-stingy-cobbers-mens-basketball-victory

Cobbers come up short against MSUM Tuesday night. They have looked pretty good in two games against a very bad Morris team, and a very good Dragon team.

- Tom Fraase off to a hot start averaging 19.0 and shooting 8-16 from downtown.
- Dylan Alderman has looked solid at the point in two games with a 7 to 1 A/T ratio.
- Jordan Bolger looks to have a big sr year averaging 17.0 so far, despite being in foul trouble against the dragons.

[GoldandBlueBU]

BU moved to 3-0 after knocking off Lacrosse on Saturday, but was still without Wojta, and I noticed him with crutches in some pictures taken of the game.  Hope it's just a sprain that he's been instructed to keep weight off of and not something more serious and long term.

Definitely would like to have him back for AO's eagles next week, but if he was on crutches this weekend, I'd have a hard time believing that he'd be playing 100% by next Tuesday...hopefully he's good to go for the MIAC season.