MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

I suppose it doesn't help the cause of local writers if I throw my hat in the same ring as PI then. I've never even heard those names in passing before.

Quit being old, Drake.

I wished I could Willy.  But -- as far as I know, I'm not as old as MM.    

Now what about that game against the Scots?   It was clever how you diverted the focus to Olson's rebounding (lack of) prowess rather than the close game.   

[Willy Wonka]

I diverted nothing. Nites beat me to the punch.

Anyway, I wasn't there and haven't talk to anyone who was. What else can I do beyond some blind box score analysis? Didn't I get yelled at by Tommies (and you) for intense box score analysis last year in criticizing the MVP-to-be?

Wittwer DID drop 20 in the second half, possibly emerging as the Gusties' go-to player. Anyone else think Conboy must have been guarding him?

*Yes, it's an extremely slow night at the office and I'm refreshing these pages every 32 seconds.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm probably significantly older than Drake, and confess to never having heard of those guys!  (Of course, I grew up in Illinois, and have been in Michigan since 1970, so Minnesota bball was not exactly my 'thing'! )

Good luck to IWU alum (and Bradley and NIU HC) Jim Molinari!  I'm unfamiliar with the Minnesota situation, but from the word from you guys he's gonna need all the luck he can get!

[localcoach]

shooter - To answer your question about the other two assistant men's basketball coaches at Hamline.  Jamison Rusthoven has been an assistant at Concordia-St. Paul and most recently Minneapolis Community College.  Brady Larson was at a Division 2 school in Michigan last year (name mistakes me right now??)  His dad, Ron, was the long time coach at St. Francis High School.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

I suppose it doesn't help the cause of local writers if I throw my hat in the same ring as PI then. I've never even heard those names in passing before.

Quit being old, Drake.

I wished I could Willy.  But -- as far as I know, I'm not as old as MM.    

Now what about that game against the Scots?   It was clever how you diverted the focus to Olson's rebounding (lack of) prowess rather than the close game.   

I doubt you do, Drake....I was at the game WW's old man's coach got T'ed up for throwing his wallet & swearing at the ref....it was priceless

[funbballer]

If I were making a line like I helped do for football (sometimes, I usually forgot to help Johnnie_Esque out...), I'd put the line well into double digits. My boy funbb would put it up around 30+ I think

Basically, save the gas money.

If Koz had any deceny of mind, he would cancel the bus and save the program some money....perhaps put the savings toward the end-of-the-season banquet!

But Koz will have his boys fired up and they'll be in it until.......the tipoff!!

[UST_LBOW]

From a conversation I heard with someone who was talking to Koz, he thinks they "got a real good shot this year".  I'm not sure if that means winning a few games or challenging for the crown, but knowing Koz I'm sure its the latter. You gotta love his optimism, but I just don't think they have a shot on Saturday.  Jon Bain's barrage of hook shots will not be enough. Ike will eat him alive.

[columbianmaffia]

From a conversation I heard with someone who was talking to Koz, he thinks they "got a real good shot this year". 

i hope he isnt talking about the coaching opening at the U

i think its more likely that he is talking about his shot at racing me...i would be on my roller skates and wear a bike helmet and racing spandex...he would be driving a car

[d3bballfollower]

going back to the pre-season debate about who the best point guard in the miac was...here are the top 3 pg's statistically so far this season

Jake Phillips- 18ppg 8apg 2.50 steals per game 3.20 assist/ turnover ratio 37mpg...this against D2 competition in Hawaii...if he keeps this up we could have surprises from carleton similar to last year
Jon Cassens- 15.3ppg 6.67apg 3.67 steals per game 2.86 assist/ turnover ratio 36mpg...also shooting a gaudy 58.6% from the floor...along with Krumwiede could help revive Augsburg basketball in the next few years
Abe Woldeslassie- 13ppg 6apg 1.85 assist/ turnover ratio...should help the Scots win a few more games this year and be a contender for the miac title next year
Matt Ohme- 13ppg 5.5apg 3.5 steals per game 2.75 assist/ turnover ratio..very solid, has lieser, westman and the twin towers to help in the scoring department...i expect the apg to increase as the season progresses

my rankings-

1.Phillips- 7th in scoring, 1st in assists, t-6th in steals, 3rd in assist/ turnover ratio...hard to argue with stats like that
2.Ohme- t-21st in scoring, 4th in assists, 3rd in steals, 5th in assist, turnover ratio...stats not quite as good as Cassens, but Ohme is a proven point guard on argueably the 2nd best team in the league, who just might give UST a run for their money
3. Cassens- the frosh is 14th in scoring, 2nd in assists, t-1st in steals, 4th in assist to turnover ratio...still early in the year, Augsburg hasn't played real tough competition yet, numbers may drop a little as the year goes on, but he will be counted on heavily if augsburg wants to win...should be fun to watch throughout the next 4 years
4. Woleslassie- t-21st in scoring, 3rd in assists, 9th in assist/ turnover ratio...obviously doesn't have much experience at the level (after playing jv at UST for 2 years)...is maybe the quickest guy in the league...gives the scots another outside shooting threat and an unselfish guy who can handle and pass the ball...will never be an Eric Jackson type player, but will be solid for the scots the next two years
Ohme-

[piperinsider]

Not to be picky about your hard work, but you said three, that's four.

I would say Phillps, Cassens, Abe and then Ohme. But I vote on importance to team so far in this early season, not on individuality.

Thanks for sticking up for the little guys WW. Now if we only had TH4L to stand up for the journalist youth of the Missota.

P.S. Teaching Mrs. Tingle was just on. Katie Cruise and former Mpls. star Marisa Coughling hugging. "It was very nice." That's all I got.

[d3bballfollower]

Piper-  I definitely agree with you on your rankings in terms of importance to the team... now the question is if you could pick one who would you take?  I think there is no doubt most people would take Phillips...he's started for a couple years now, he can score, dish and play D...he is also battle tested and know what NCAA tourney competition is like (which none of the others have)... although baby Cassens could be a popular pick due to his youth and future...Ohme has started since he was a frosh, shot is questionable, but his leadership is not...Abe is somewhat the wild card just because of his inexperience like Cassens

what does everyone else think?

[abominable_snowman]

you won't find much argument here

i see phillips as coming through in many games as the "go to" guy and being a solid x-factor as well as great stat lines

ohme will have his great games, and as long as he's at least consistent, he will help the johnnies finish in the top 3

cassens is making a statement, I'm going to give him a few more games, but it's good to have some hype coming from augsburg as a change of pace.

abe is just flat out fun to watch.  He won't be contirbuting much defensively, but as far as a push the ball, find the open guy, penetrate and dish type goes, he'll be the man for mac

final list goes phillips, ohme, cassens, abe

[d3bballfollower]

something that has been on my mind is where is nate assel for Mac...he started 22 games last year at the point and he's not been in the box score this year...i would assume that since he is still on the roster that he is injured...what will happen when he comes back?  Abe looks like the floor leader at Mac for the next two years and with Johnson and Liddell on the wings and the emergence of Brian Ranwick at 11ppg how much time will Assel get?  any thoughts or info on this situation?

[Drake Palmer]

From a conversation I heard with someone who was talking to Koz, he thinks they "got a real good shot this year". 

i hope he isnt talking about the coaching opening at the U ...

+K, CMob – good humor!

Good work D3BO, & I don't think you'll get much argument from most of the posters regarding Phillips' game.  He's clearly the senior statesman of the PGs in the league this year.  He's got a cool, efficient style of game. 

BTW, initially I heard/read that Assel was out for the year with his knee, then I heard he tried to come back too early, re-injured his knee, & now I don't know what his status is.  As thin as Mac's roster is, I'm sure they'll welcome him back once he's fit to play -- whether that's this year or next. 

ASnow is right about Cassens over at Augsburg.  The kid definitely looks like he's going to be a hooper.  Being a former PG himself, I hope Coach Griess knows what he's doing & doesn't burn the kid out.  I noticed in the win the other night against Bethany Lutheran, Cassens played all 40 minutes.  Based on the box score, it seems the game was a helter skelter, 40 minutes of He!! type of game.   Even Fritz at UST would give Sean Sweeney a couple minutes off a night.

I'm not up for digging any stats, but someone on the board should start a topic about who ithe best 2G in the league.  Then we can move on down the lineup & come up with our best "3/small forward", power forward & center.

Here's a starter list –

DeRock – HAM
Madson – BET
Lieser – SJU
Schnettler – UST
Citterman – CORD
Haywood – SMU
Liddell – MAC

[d3bballfollower]

best 2 guard in the league has to be broken down into a couple different catergories i think

best shooter- schnettler...followed by liddell and then citterman and lieser

best scorer- derock (25.3)...followed by lieser (22.5) then madson(17.8) and schnettler (18.3)

best overall- derock...followed by lieser then madson and citterman