MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SagatagSam]

The Johnnies are in desperate need of a win. They are 2-3 since the start of January, and feel like a completely different team. SJU faces a potential wheels-falling-off, nightmare scenario if they manage to lose in Duluth on Wednesday night at St. Scholastica. They shouldn't, but just bear with me here:

The loss would drop SJU to 7-5 in conference play. If St. Olaf, Macalester, and Gustavus all win on Wednesday night (which is a definite possibility if not a likelihood), SJU would fall into a tie with St. Mary's for 6th. If the playoff started at that moment, St. Mary's would be in by virtue of its 69-57 head-to-head win over the Johnnies on January 7 in Winona.

[Retired Old Rat]

I attended the SJU/Augsburg game on Saturday.  The word I would use to describe the Johnnie performance is lackluster.  They just couldn't get it going.  No disrespect to Augsburg, but they didn't do anything special to disrupt the Johnnies.  Many of the turn overs were just lazy, ill advised passes.  Shooting 28% from 3 didn't help either.

That said, Augies simply outplayed the Johnnies and deserved to win.

[SagatagSam]

I attended the SJU/Augsburg game on Saturday.  The word I would use to describe the Johnnie performance is lackluster.  They just couldn't get it going.  No disrespect to Augsburg, but they didn't do anything special to disrupt the Johnnies.  Many of the turn overs were just lazy, ill advised passes.  Shooting 28% from 3 didn't help either.

That said, Augies simply outplayed the Johnnies and deserved to win.

We are far too deep into the season to be lazy, especially against Augsburg.

[SagatagSam]

[SagatagSam]

As discussed already, still very tight. Six teams still within reasonable striking distance of the regular season championship. I don't think there is a basketball term that is perfectly analogous to "puck luck" in hockey (maybe 50-50 balls?), but this pack in middle of the conference at 2nd through 7th are going to need most of the 50-50 balls to go their way to have a shot at the overall #1 seed in the playoff.

[SagatagSam]

Some interesting storylines around the conference tonight:

Can Concordia (T-8) claw its way back toward a playoff spot at St. Olaf (T-3)?

Can Macalester (T-3) recover against Hamline (7) after a tough loss at home on Saturday to Bethel (T-8)?

What will we see out of St. John's (2) after a lackluster performance against Augsburg (T-8)? Will they beat St. Scholastica (11) handily and bring back some much-needed swagger? Or will the Johnnies' post-new year struggles continue?

How will Carleton (1) respond after the home loss to Gustavus (T-3)? They're facing an Augsburg (T-8) squad that just gave the Johnnies a punch in the mouth over the weekend.

Gustavus (T-3) is coming off a huge road win at Carleton (1), but they host a Bethel squad (T-8) that's had as much momentum as they've had all season.

[txg]

No upsets yesterday for a change.  Bethel took GAC to overtime, but the Gusties survived.

Some huge games over the next week.  St. Olaf has a super-tough stretch of @SJU, Carleton, @SMU.  Carleton hosts St. Mary's on Saturday.  Hamline faces a nearly must-win scenario on Monday, hosting St. Mary's.  They are currently two games in the lost column out of the playoffs, and can't afford to fall further behind.

[carletonknights]

As someone who doesn't follow too closely anymore, I greatly appreciate your updates txg and SagatagSam. You already inspired me to watch my first game in years. I'm hoping to tune into the playoffs too

[SagatagSam]

As someone who doesn't follow too closely anymore, I greatly appreciate your updates txg and SagatagSam. You already inspired me to watch my first game in years. I'm hoping to tune into the playoffs too

We have a top-tier football conference, and there's no reason we shouldn't be at or near the top in basketball (and other sports) as well. The more people we can get to watch and talk about the games, the better things are for the conference.

The football board is always the most active and popular board on D3boards.com during the fall (and it's even quite lively during the offseason). I'd like to raise the profile of this board as well, especially during the season.

I live just under three hours from the nearest MIAC school (Sioux Falls --> Gustavus), and I've got three kids under the age of 6. So, I don't get up to games as often as I like. This is one of the few outlets that I have to stay a little connected.

[SagatagSam]

This weekend's games:

Concordia (T-8) at Bethel (T-8). This is basically the last gasp for either of these teams to have a shot at making the playoff. 10 wins is more-or-less the threshold to make the playoff and there are six teams right now that are either at 10 wins or within 2-3 wins thereof. Bethel won the first matchup between these two teams, 81-77, in Arden Hills. Bethel has won two of its last three, including taking Gustavus into overtime. Concordia is reeling, losing their last four in a row and seven of their last eight games. The Cobbers lone victory was a 65-60 win at Hamline. The loser will be mathematically eliminated from the outright regular season championship, regardless of whether Carleton wins or loses.

Gustavus (T-3) at Augsburg (T-8). Augsburg, like Concordia and Bethel, are hanging on by a thread for the playoffs. Gustavus won the first meeting back on December 10 in St. Peter, 84-81. But, Augsburg has found a little pep in their step beating Concordia and St. John's. This game marks the halfway point in Gustavus' seven road trips in eight games. A win can help solidify the Gusties playoff aspirations, a loss puts them closer to the danger zone as potentially the last team in if the playoffs were to start now.

Macalester (T-3) at St. Scholastica (11).  Macalester needs to take care of business here if it wants to keep pace in the veritable log jam that is second through sixth in the conference right now. Those five teams are separated by a single game in the standings. Wins are precious for this group right now. A Macalester win would sweep the season series, as the Scots handled the Saints, 69-55, on January 7 in St. Paul.

St. Mary's (6) at Carleton (1). The Cardinals stunned the Knights, 85-66, in Winona on December 3. Carleton is looking for payback on their home floor, while St. Mary's needs a win to keep pace with the rest of the group of five in the middle of the standings for the final playoff spot. St. Mary's is as hot as any team in the MIAC right now, winning nine of their last ten games. Definitely a top game to keep an eye on.

St. Olaf (T-3) at St. John's (2). Probably the game of the weekend. The Oles caught the Johnnies flat footed in Northfield in the MIAC opener for both schools, winning 73-62. But, the Oles are just 3-5 away from the Skoglund Center. The Oles come into Collegeville on a three game winning streak, and have won five of their last six. The Johnnies, on the other hand, are lukewarm at best, losing two of their last three, including a lackluster performance in Minneapolis against Augsburg last Saturday. A win for either team will help them hold serve near the top of the MIAC, a loss could send either of these teams as low as sixth.

Hamline is idle tomorrow and will host St. Mary's at Hutton Arena in St. Paul on Monday night.

[GoldandBlueBU]

As someone who doesn't follow too closely anymore, I greatly appreciate your updates txg and SagatagSam. You already inspired me to watch my first game in years. I'm hoping to tune into the playoffs too

I second that!

Not quite enough interest to track what's going on in MIAC basketball on my own like I do for football, but curious enough to come on here and enjoy tracking it through SagatagSam!

[SagatagSam]

As someone who doesn't follow too closely anymore, I greatly appreciate your updates txg and SagatagSam. You already inspired me to watch my first game in years. I'm hoping to tune into the playoffs too

I second that!

Not quite enough interest to track what's going on in MIAC basketball on my own like I do for football, but curious enough to come on here and enjoy tracking it through SagatagSam!

Glad to hear it! Sometimes I like to go over to the football board and throw some breadcrumbs over there to see if anyone wants to come over here and chat hoops. There are far worse things to do during the football offseason!

[carletonknights]

Wow, Macalester's six point win was the most lopsided game of the weekend.

[SagatagSam]

Wow, Macalester's six point win was the most lopsided game of the weekend.

SMU at Carleton was an exciting one. Carleton seemed to control the first half, SMU would go on a small run every now and again to keep it close. At times it seemed SMU had the steam to make that final run to put them over the top (the 7-0 run with just under 4 minutes left).

The Johnnies seemed to have just enough defense to hold back St. Olaf.

Augsburg seems to be coming together and playing some of their best basketball. Although it will likely be too little to late for it to matter this season. They're 4 games out of a playoff spot with only 6 conference games left.

[SagatagSam]

No rest for the weary in the MIAC this week as the conference hits the midway point of a 5 games in 10 days stretch. This is the last set of Monday night games we will see this year, just Wednesdays and Saturdays from here until the end of the regular season.

Augsburg, Concordia, and St. Scholastica are all officially eliminated from the regular season conference championship hunt, and Bethel will be the next domino to fall.

Saint John's (2) travels to Moorhead to face Concordia (T-9). The Cobbers had one of their best performances in Collegeville on January 11, taking the Johnnies to overtime before falling 70-63. Now the Cobbers are in a near impossible position to make the conference playoffs. It would take a flawless run plus a bunch of help from the unlikeliest of places. The Johnnies look like a team that was very good early on and the rest of the conference has caught up with and/or passed. Calendar year 2023 has been bumpy so far, and the Johnnies are 4-5 away from Collegeville.

Augsburg (T-9) travels to Bethel (8). Both teams are unlikely to make the playoff, but are seemingly playing some of their best basketball of the season. Both teams are playing above .500 basketball these past four games.

Gustavus (T-3) travels to Duluth to face St. Scholastica (11). A win for the Gusties puts them at the 10-win mark for conference play, which is usually the minimum threshold to make the playoff, which means 1-2 additional wins would most likely lock them in. The Saints, on the other hand, are playing purely for pride points. What if the real victories were the friends we made along the way?

Carleton (1) travels across the Cannon River to attempt to avenge its January 11, 82-74 home loss against St. Olaf (T-3). The Oles have won 5 of their last 7 games. Carleton is, more or less, playing to be the regular season champion and overall #1 seed in the conference tournament. A win here for the Oles would bring them one step closer to clinching a playoff spot.

St. Mary's (6) travels to Hutton Arena in St. Paul to try and sweep the season series against Hamline (7). Huge playoff implications in this one. A Hamline win would bring the teams into a tie for the sixth and final playoff spot, and split the series. If the season ended after a hypothetical Hamline win tonight, Hamline would hold the tiebreaker. The teams would split the seasons series, and Hamline would hold the edge in combined record against Carleton, SJU, Macalester, GAC, and St. Olaf (3-5 for Hamline vs. 2-5 for St. Mary's).

Macalester has the odd late-January non-conference game at Minnesota-Morris, after which the Fighting Scots travel to Moorhead to take on Concordia on Wednesday night.