MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Nites]

WW,

Thanks, and congrats on your sister making All-Defensive Team on the ladies side.  

As I recall, you called the Ike omission from the All-Defensive Team, noting that the ability to block a few shots doesn't make you a good defensive player.

I agree that there were no huge surprises.  I do find it interesting, however, that Drake didn't even make Honorable Mention when he was being touted as a possible POY candidate at the beginning of the year.  What in the world happened to his game?  Did he take the summer off and not pick up a basketball?

Nice twist to the Wittwer/Fredericksen debate, although Wittwer moved into the starting lineup after Olson went down.

[Drake Palmer]

...No real surprises otherwise, though I appreciate the coaches leaving Ike off the All Defensive Team even if it comes at the expense of Keating getting an award

Interesting spin there Willy -    . 

To win the trifecta of awards - All Conference, POY & All Defensive Team awards as Espo did last year is saying alot about a player.  Mebbe the coaches are saying - "Ike's good, he's darn good, but he's not 'there' yet".  If that's the case I would have to agree, but to quote one of my least liked musicians, Meatloaf - "two out of three ain't bad."   

Mose - you'll have to chime in on the last time two FYs made the All-Conference team.  Interesting that Mitch Haugen from STO makes the FY team. I think he was definitely flying under most posters' radar.  But after checking the stats I see he averaged almost 20 minutes/game & 4.5 ppg & 4.2 rpg.

One other note.  How do you make the All Defensive Team & not at least be selected Honorable Mention?  Keating, Wiener from Hamline & Hollerich from GAC fell into this category.  Obviously, Fork & Sweeney rightfully deserved to make All Conference, but with the possible exception of Hollerich, I would think the 3 remaining players would have made Honorable Mention.

Anyway, congrats to all.

[localcoach]

After a much needed, although way too short, vacation, I'm back and ready for the NCAA Tournament to begin. 

I appreciated everyone's MIAC Championship game recaps.  Hopefully I will get over tomorrow to St. Thomas and catch their first round game.  I also see that Carleton has to play UW-Stout on a neutral court.  That will be an interesting game.  Stout is loaded with size and in checking their statistics, they play some pretty darn good team defense it would appear.

My comments for the MIAC post-season awards are as follows:

1) Regardless of why the coaches did so, Isaac Rosefelt should have been on the "All-Defensive Team" instead of Mike Keating.  He was #1 in blocks and def. rebounds.  Keating wasn't even in the top 15 of either category. 

2) Guy Kalland winning "Coach of the Year" was the right choice.  I know Coach Fritz did some great things again at UST, but Kalland took an 0-3 team early and transformed them into a team that might actually win an NCAA tournament game or two.

3) I'm not really sure about Jay Melson from Carleton making the "All-First Year Team."  3.7ppg in 18 minutes of action.  Mike Sweeney from Saint Mary's played roughly the same minutes/gm and averaged 5.4ppg, shot 41.5% on 3's and started 10 games for the Cardinals.  I know it's being picky, but that's just my two cents.

4) As has been said by many before me, Jon DeRock and Zach Johnson should have some great battles over the next three years.  Both will probably end up being 4-year all-conference players and I have to think one of them will be the Conference P.O.Y. at some point.  I looked as far back as I could go and according to the records, they're the first two freshmen to be on the All-MIAC first team in at least 8 years.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

No real surprises on the All-conference team, although I am confused with the Fredrickson/Wittwer decision.  I would have considered Wittwer a starter, not a 6th man, as he started almost half of GAC's regular season games, while Freddie was a "pure" 6th man.  I would have put Wittwer on the all-conf and Freddie at 6th man.

Haugen & Melson on the all-FY team? neither impresse me enough to be considered ahead of M Sweeney, altho MS did tail off in the 2nd half of the season.  The stats you point out on Haugen dont everwhelm me,  DrakeP...maybe he benefitted from sympathy voes trying to keep Koz's job?

11 HMs seems kind of strange, as its an odd, unorthodox number-- I'd have found a way to include Drake and the elf from Augggie (not teen wolf, the one shorter than him--Kozlowski?) and dropped Lieser, so there were 12 (a road roster; 15 All-Con is a home team's roster).

Nice to see Hollerich and Keating named to the Defensive team--- both are very deserving. Maybe its only the 7 games I've seen him play in 2 seasons, but Wiener's defense has yet to impress me.

LoCo- good defensive play doesn't usually find its way into the box score, so looking at blocks, steals & def rebs is a poor way to judge a player's defensive skills. (I'm sure your entourage of coaching friends will back this up) Like Willy, I'm too lazy to look it up, but I doubt you find Hollerich's anme high up in any "defensive stats'-- but you know the guy he guards in for a tough game & is not likley to get a good shot all night, Ditto for Keating.

Drake- To my knowledge (althogh I'm at the office now and without my reams fo data), no more than 5 FY have made All-MIAC in the past 20 yrs and never more than one in a year that I can remember.

(my god, this is getting as long as a Drake Palmer or Greg Sager  -- just kidding, you two)

[columbianmaffia]

i can see why ike was left off all defensive team as the first two times they played CAR he seemed to be the weak link that CAR would go after with success too i might add...he played pretty solid in the championship game but nothing to write home about

i think melson deserved the 1st year team...he made a big impact in many games this year in places that dont always show up in the box score either

[ustbumkneez]

CM
I think Melson was one of the better frosh in the league this year, as well. While his point totals dont exactly jump out at you, he played very soild, smart basketball and made contributions each time I saw him play. In the championship game, he added an element to Carleton that they had been lacking-a wing who would attack the middle and draw defenders. Sure, he only scored 2 points and had 1 rebound, but as CM said, a lot of what he does cant be quantified.

MM
I also think Mike Sweeney should have made the team, in place of Haugen. He was a solid performer, and quality threat from the outside. While both his personal play, and the play of his team, dropped down the stretch, he made a substantial impact on a team that at least pushed for a playoff spot. That is more than can said for Haugen.

[Nites]

How did the actual All-Conference Team compare to the final poll results that OAS was compiling?

[Drake Palmer]

Well Mose – what's worse, long-windedness or excessive hyperbole? 

For example:

miacmaniac, February 27, 2006, 2:12pm

Not to put the cart TOO far in front of the horses, but should UST win its first two, they along with Whitewater are the two most likely to hose the Sweet 16.

 

Migawd man, you not only put the cart in front of the horse, you don't even own the horse yet!    Your Tommies are absolutely going to be put to the test Thursday night against North Central, & you're daydreaming about possibly hosting the Sweet 16s after knocking off NC & Lawrence! And don't even get me started on #1 ranked Lawrence & All American Chris Braier!

Unlike other MIAC posters, I am hoping for a successful post season run by both Carleton & UST.  But as I stated earlier, the UST/NC game has me very concerned.  From what I've read, the front line for North Central might be the most athletic, strongest, mobile & talented group UST will have competed against all season.  Prove the doubters wrong Ike, Mike, and Joey etc.

I agree with the other comments about Sweeney & Melson for the FY team.  Melson is another one of those unassuming looking players cut out of the Clark Kent/Alex Weaver type of mode.

[Drake Palmer]

[Willy Wonka]

And don't even get me started on #1 ranked Lawrence & All American Chris Braier!

Who? I've heard of The Big Bopper, but never this Braier character...

[ustbumkneez]

Chris Braier is a 4 time first team ALL MWC, 2 Time MWC Player of the Year, and a 2 time All American (sure to be 3 time after this season). Hes averaging 16 points and 12 boards a game this year, with career numbers of 1540 pts and 1246 rbds (15 and 12 averages). Ive seen him play twice, and hes the real deal. Physically, hes like Forkrud or Shimek; loves to mix it up and bang. Tenacious and always going full tilt. Is a tough matchup, even for a real big, physical defender, because he is relatively quick and has a nice jump shot.
But, thats down the road-this NCC team is going to give UST all it wants, first and foremost. Im a little nervous about the matchup, especially this Simmons character. The CCIW was incredibly competitive this year, three of their teams made it into the tourney, so this team will be coming in well-tested. A defensive effort like the one the Tommies put on during the MIAC Championship game would certainly be welcomed.

[Willy Wonka]

To think, ustbumknees didn't even have to duck for that one to go way over his lanky 6-5 head. At least you didn't call him Mr. Braier though

[miacsuperfan]

seems to be some interest in the all fy team.    i saw carleton play four times this year and can honestly say that i am having a hard time remembering what  melson even looks like.    and i am assuming that the only reason that bethel's tim madson was not on the team was that he is actually a sophomore who was playing his "red-shirt" freshman year.  saw him play 3 or 4 times and that kid has some game.   and where was sweeney from smu?   seems to me he could play some too.
two freshmen on the all conf. team is good.    guy kalland getting coach of the year is a no-brainer, as he took the "iron five" and the shortest bench of all time to a conference championship.   good luck tomorrow to carls and toms.

[ustbumkneez]

touche, WW, touche 

[Drake Palmer]

Kneez - I think Willy was messing wit us & knows quite well who the Big Bopper/Braier is.

If the Tommies get to Lawrence, here's an interesting article I came across while scrolling through the Midwest conference board last week.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/APC0201/602230722/1892

I don't think I referred to him as MR. Braier, but if I was on the receiving end of one of his elbows, I just might.