MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[BETHEL34]

d3bball,  are you still a student or a previous student of Bethel??

[d3bballfollower]

i'm a student, but not at bethel...plus, i grew up 5 minutes from campus so i've always been a huge fan...ever since the eric joldersma days...i would take him and tim and andy gilbert on my team any day of the week

[Drake Palmer]

all of my predictions above fail to mention 1 key player...meadowcroft...as he goes, so will bethel...besides moberg there isn't another "take over the game by himself" player on that team...meadowcroft is the x-factor for the royals...the royals have a chance to win the conference, but in order to do so meadowcroft will have to play well in at least 16 of the 20 games...and when they play UST he will have to outplay his probably matchup in mike keating

if meadowcroft can average 18 and 8 this year bethel wins at least 15 games in conference...if he doesn't then bethel will most like end up somewhere between 13-7 and 10-10

I like this new guy's thinking already.    He's not taking a backseat to anyone in his assessment of the Royals, but he knows where the hoopers are - Ike, Mike, Schnettler etc.     (Take that WW)  As I've previously posted, if Bethel can get the PG & biggs on the same page, & they honor their inside presence in Moberg & Meadowcroft,  the Royals could be an extremely dangerous offensive team.  However, they'll have to display the same amount of zeal on the defensive side of the ball to make a big splash in the league pecking order this year.

Since the Royals are the only local action in town this week, I'm assuming there'll be a pretty decent turnout to watch them take center stage on Friday.  Should be a great kick off to hopefully, a fun & entertaining season!

[piperinsider]

i'm a student, but not at bethel...plus, i grew up 5 minutes from campus so i've always been a huge fan...ever since the eric joldersma days...i would take him and tim and andy gilbert on my team any day of the week

Stop sucking up. J/K.

[cobbernation]

I pick the Bison over U of M tonight

NDSU 72
UM     69

[d3bballfollower]

bigger margin of victory than that for the Bison... NDSU 79 U of M 66

the U has some athletes, but those athletes will not be able to hang with athletes who are actually basketball players like Winkleman and Woodside, plus Andre Smith inside has had another year to develop and will be really tough this year.

Leaders for tonight: U of M- I actually think Coleman will lead the gophs with probably 13-15 tonight
NDSU-  Woodside will have 16 and 7 assists, Winkleman will have 19 and 8 rebounds, and Smith will have 14 and 11 rebounds

Go Bison

[d3bballfollower]

I've decided to put my cpnference predictions for record and finish up

UST- 18-2...23-2
Bethel- 16-4...21-4
St. Johns- 15-5...19-6
Hamline- 13-7...17-8
Gustavus- 12-8...15-10
Concordia- 11-9...14-11
Carleton- 9-11...12-13
St. Mary's- 6-14...7-18
St. Olaf- 5-15...7-18
MAC- 3-17...4-21
Augsburg- 2-18...3-22

I predict 2 MIAC teams in the NCAA tourney this year, 3 would be awesome, but I just don't see it, although I think you can argue that the top 5-6 teams in the conference are as good if not better than the top 5 in any other conference in the country, except for maybe the WIAC...it would be awesome to have a MIAC/ WIAC challenge every year a lot like the ACC/ BIG Ten challenge...what does everyone think?

[miacwatchmen]

all of my predictions above fail to mention 1 key player...meadowcroft...as he goes, so will bethel...besides moberg there isn't another "take over the game by himself" player on that team...meadowcroft is the x-factor for the royals...the royals have a chance to win the conference, but in order to do so meadowcroft will have to play well in at least 16 of the 20 games...and when they play UST he will have to outplay his probably matchup in mike keating

if meadowcroft can average 18 and 8 this year bethel wins at least 15 games in conference...if he doesn't then bethel will most like end up somewhere between 13-7 and 10-10

Its going to be tough for BET to match up with top teir teams (i.e. UST, SJU, and yes I will consider HAM as near the top teir) when they only have two go to guys.  I know the Tommies have three guys they would trust with the ball at the end of the game, and the Johnnies have an abundance of guys that can hit big shots, DeRock seemed last year to be very composed for a freshman. I know he will only get better. Thrasher can shoot the ball. I do think the BET HAM game will be more of a toss up than the SJU BET game.

I predict BET starts out 2-3 with losses to HAM, SJU and UST.

Follower: I think you have way to much confidence in BET. They haven't proven anything. If Moberg is as good as people say he is then there will be only one person that can guard him in this league- IKE. Meadowcroft is a good player, yes, that has been established but the Royals are going to need more than 2 players to beat anyone minus AUG, MAC and STO. That leaves a couple teams to play!

[d3bballfollower]

watchmen: i agree with you about Bethel needing to prove themselves.  And Moberg playing up to his hype will be a big question.  i also agree that they need more than 2 players, but i believe they have that.  laugen will be tough at point having gained strength and confidence from last year.  i see him as being a sean sweeney guy who will get you 8-10 pts and 6+ assists per night...the wing position will be huge for the royals...if madson and reck can play to potential then bethel will have a tough inside outside game...I know reck has been out for a couple years, but if there is anyone in the league that can shoot with schnettler i believe he can

and i also agree with you that derock and thraser are real tough, but hamline will have more trouble against UST, St. John's and Bethel because of their post play...i just don't think that it is nearly as good as those 3 teams...derock and thraser will win games for the pipers, just as wittwer and sowden will win games for gustavus, but as you said about bethel, those teams will need another guy or two to step up and contribute night to night...and i just don't see that from that team

[d3bballfollower]

upset tonight in the twin cities? Gophers beat Bison 63-49 behind 20 pts and 9 boards from lawrence mckenzie...Andre Smith had a great showing for NDSU with 17 and 15

NDSU held the Gophs to only 42% from the floor, but were worse, shooting at an atrocious 30% from the floor...winkleman and woodwide 5-21 from the floor

I don't know whether to praise the Gophs for the win or think them lucky that the Bison shot poorly...anyways...the Gophers better get the ship together by conference play because they won't win many games shooting 42%

Must congratulate Lawrence McKenzie- he definitely showed us that he hasn't lost anything after sitting out last year

[Drake Palmer]

Hey Watch - I think we've found your replacement for Rookie Poster of the year - D3bballfollower.    I'll afraid to think of how many posts "Prolific Poster"  might crank out when it's a MIAC game night!  Just kidding Pro P, it's nice to get new posters on board.

Now if we could pick up a few more posters from the Pipes, Mac, DAWGs, Cobbs etc.

[localcoach]

d3bballfollower - If BU finishes in second place in the MIAC and wins over 20 games on the season I will buy you a juicy steak from Manny's. Don't get me wrong the Royals will be good, but you're going waaaaayyy out on a limb with that prediction. 

[d3bballfollower]

local coach- i totally agree with you that i am going out on a limb...i've always been someone who takes chances and this is definitely a stretch, but they've got the talent, i don't know if anyone on this board can argue the fact that they have probably the 2nd or 3rd best individual talent behind UST and maybe Hamline or St. John's, they just need to put it all together...if they do that, LOOK OUT!

and Drake...as far as posters about those other teams...i'm going to go out on another limb and say that out of the teams you metion MAC will be the biggest surprise...i know i picked them to only win 3 conference games, and 4 overall, but will liddell back in the lineup, they've got a pg in assel who has a year under his belt, a solid wing in liddell, and a good post in conboy...if hollendar and johnson can fill their roles and one of the new guys can step up MAC could upset a few of those middle of the pack teams and win anywhere from 5-7 conference games and possibly ruin playoff hopes for 1 or 2 teams

[miacwatchmen]

Hey Watch - I think we've found your replacement for Rookie Poster of the year - D3bballfollower.    I'll afraid to think of how many posts "Prolific Poster"  might crank out when it's a MIAC game night!  Just kidding Pro P, it's nice to get new posters on board.

Now if we could pick up a few more posters from the Pipes, Mac, DAWGs, Cobbs etc.

You're right. He seems to be a good addition to the board. Plus he offers a very unbias opinion!!   Welcome to the board follower. I doubt if we will every see a MAC poster....unless oAs shows his face again!

[The White Silly]

a couple unbiased thoughts....Bethel University will WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP...and I think that John Jacobs will win the MIAC MVP award...deet