MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

[They made the Final Four and lost to the eventual national champions by two points. Nobody who makes the Final Four can be called "underachieving".

Greg,

Probably true, but it seems to me that the team was perhaps "over" something.  Maybe the correct term is over-hyped.  Clearly, an excellent team, but not, in my mind, a great team.  Not with 7 losses, especially with 2 First Team All-Americans and a Second Team All-Region player.  No doubt all three players are outstanding, but maybe not as good as some other players who might have been named to those teams?  I really don't know.  I never saw the team play so I can't legitimately judge the talent of the team or the players.

IW got a lot of press when they went to number 1 and then later in the playoffs when they went on their run to the Final Four.  Three marquee players; yet the team still lost 7 games.    Based upon their press clippings, I guess I was expecting the second coming of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.  The likely reality is that there is great parity in the game today and while expectations are often great, there can only be one champion.  That doesn't make everyone else a loser.  IW had a great season and everyone associated with the team should be proud of the team's accomplishments.

What's your take Illinois Wesleyan?

Unfortunately, I'm 400 miles from Bloomington and never got to see IWU this year (though I did see them last year - mostly the same team).  Several posters who DID see them beat Carroll by double digits, beat WIAC champ UWW by double digits (at UWW), beat undefeated, #1 Lawrence (at LU), and/or beat Puget Sound by double digits asked the same question: how could that team possibly lose (then) six games?  My only answer is - I have no clue!

I'd agree with Greg that it's hardly fair to say that a team that finished third in the nation be labelled 'under achievers', but I AM disappointed that it wasn't #1.  Ever since these seniors were freshmen, I'd been dreaming of at least two final fours, and at least one title - twas not to be.

BTW, Va Wes has all but one of their starters returning; I'd imagine they will be the pre-season #1.  And national POY, Kyle Myrick, returns for Lincoln (don't know who they lose), so I'd imagine they would be on the short list of contenders.  In general I haven't yet looked to see who other teams return or lose, but, alas, I doubt IWU will be among the contenders, losing about 8 of their top 10.

[Pat Coleman]

Myrick does not return.

[miacwatchmen]

MM & Sumander- Last team in the "weak 11" playing well in the first half....only down 13 at the half to 7th seeded G'town.

[sumander]

It's probably a good thing they don't have a Big Ten/Missouri Valley challenge! Mo Valley with two teams in the Sweet 16.

My day would be complete if the burnt orange of Texas would go down.

[miacwatchmen]

My bracket isn't to screwed I still have 6 of 8 elite 8 teams and all 4 final 4 teams. I am still mad that I placed so much trust on Kansas and UNC when i knew they were young and had no experience!! Gotta love the seniors this time of year.

[Nites]

My day would be complete if the burnt orange of Texas would go down.

Hey now!  Hook'em Horns.     They scorched the Wolfpack today.  NC State tried to play the Horns' game and got smoked.

Don't worry though, the Longhorns don't have the depth to make the Final Four, although Abrams came through big today.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Myrick does not return.

I just discovered that on another board, then confirmed from your AA listings.  I had it stuck in my mind somehow that he was a junior, but Adair of VaWes is the only first-team junior.

Will Lincoln likely be still a solid national team without him, or was he a 'Larry Bird at Indiana State' sort of situation?

[miacwatchmen]

My day would be complete if the burnt orange of Texas would go down.

Hey now!  Hook'em Horns.     They scorched the Wolfpack today.  NC State tried to play the Horns' game and got smoked.

Don't worry though, the Longhorns don't have the depth to make the Final Four, although Abrams came through big today.

I think you are right Nites. The Horns will demolish Pittsnogle and Gansy but fail versus the nations best player JJ Reddick in the elite 8. Overall not a bad season for the Hook'ems though.

[sumander]

The thing that concerns me about a potential match up between the Dukies and the Horns is the revenge factor! The Devils embarassed the Horns back in December. That should be huge motivation for them.

[Nites]

The thing that concerns me about a potential match up between the Dukies and the Horns is the revenge factor! The Devils embarassed the Horns back in December. That should be huge motivation for them.

Sumander,

While I think it would be a closer game this time, I don't see the Horns beating Duke.  They are too inconsistent, they don't have depth, Gipson has been in a passive funk and is not playing at the same level he was at mid-year and Williams is too strong for Aldredge.  Oh, and sometimes it seems like Coach K walks on water; he is that good.

[Gregory Sager]

Probably true, but it seems to me that the team was perhaps "over" something.  Maybe the correct term is over-hyped.

That's a legitimate point, Nites. Illinois Wesleyan certainly got the lion's share of accolades heading into this season, from the preseason #1 D3hoops.com ranking and unanimous preseason #1 ranking from the other coaches in the CCIW coaches poll to the constant zealous attempts to tout Amelianovich, Dauksas, and Freeman by the Illinois Wesleyan faithful. It did seem a bit too much at times (especially for us non-Wesleyan CCIW types who had to endure it). Nevertheless, given the team's talent and experience (the entire rotation was in its third year together as an intact unit), it was impossible to argue with the hype on either a conference or national level.

Given all that, you're correct in saying that a detached onlooker should've expected the second coming of the '76 Indiana Hoosiers. The reason why it never worked out that way is actually easy to explain: The CCIW was just too good for one team's dominance this season. Illinois Wesleyan was hands-down the best team coming into the season, but nobody anticipated just how much Augustana, North Central, and Elmhurst would raise their games. While all three of those teams started out with plenty of talent, each of them raised the bar both as a collection of individual players and as a team and made themselves the equal of Illinois Wesleyan -- in Augie's case, the superior in January and February. That's why Illinois Wesleyan entered the tournament with six losses. Only one (an upset loss to Wheaton) was to a team other than those other three contenders.

As many CCIW teams have done in the past, Illinois Wesleyan used their tough conference slate as a springboard in March. More than anything else, the reason why the CCIW and WIAC have been so successful in tournaments past and present is because the leagues themselves are so difficult that their tourney reps are ready for anything come March. In fact, this was actually the third time that Illinois Wesleyan made it to the Final Four without having won the CCIW. Augie pulled off that feat twice in the 1970s. And one of North Park's five national championships came in a season in which the Vikings had to share the conference title with another team. The WIAC is replete with similar examples; UWSP won the national title in 2004 in spite of the fact that the Pointers didn't win the WIAC (UWRF did), and last year they won the national title in spite of the fact that they shared the conference crown with UW-Platteville.

The MIAC doesn't have this kind of depth, and it's a big reason why your league has not fared nearly as well in the tournament. I've seen MIAC champions before, and they tend to be as good, or pretty darn close, as the Final Four teams in terms of talent. But they don't have to run through as tough of a gauntlet in league play as do the teams in the power conferences, and that becomes a crucial difference in March.

Next year could prove to be a potent example, seeing as how St. Thomas has Rosefelt (19.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and Schnettler (17.6 ppg, 43.4% trey accuracy) returning. The Tommies will undoubtedly be ranked very high in the D3hoops.com preseason poll next fall. But as talented as the Tommies ought to be, if three or four other MIAC schools don't rise up to the point where they can each give the Tommies a serious challenge for the conference title, I will not hesitate to bet against St. Thomas next March.

You just can't overvalue the importance of playing in a rugged conference.

[Willy Wonka]

I agree with pretty much everything Sager had to say above. I think the Tommies were aided by their games against WIAC teams, but I'll be interested to see who they put on the schedule next winter. If they can't find anyone tough in the preseason, they won't come anywhere close to achieving their perceived potential.

I say perceived because it takes more than 2.5 guys to win a title. Keating needs to be healthy and a consistent contributor, and they could have MAJOR issues at point guard. I don't think most people understand how much Sweeney meant to that team.

[Gregory Sager]

If they can't find anyone tough in the preseason, they won't come anywhere close to achieving their perceived potential.

Thanks, WW, for giving me one last chance in 2005-06 to utter my mantra: It's non-conference, not "preseason". 

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

they could have MAJOR issues at point guard. I don't think most people understand how much Sweeney meant to that team.

God how I love when Sweeney bashers reform their ways and see that he was a vital factor. WW--may you spend this time next year eating your Keating-bashings 

Dwyer will do a solid, servicable job replacing Sweeney...he's not Mr Clutch like SS was, nor will he have any 0--fer-doubledigit nights like Sean did vs GAC his frosh year. He handles the ball well, doesn't get rattled, and should do just fine.

The losses of Shimek and the bench depth (Weaver, Peterson & the minutes from Worrell... those minutes gave Ike some time to catch his breath) worry me, but with the depth coming up from the JV (and rumors of at least one D-I transfer) and my confidence in Fritz' system, things will be A-O-K. 

[miacwatchmen]

Damn......fun weekend over and now I have 5 more days of hell until the next weekend. What will I do.