MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[oldtimefan]

Congrats to former Gustie, Aaron Johnston, now the head women's coach at SDSU, on his team's victory over the Gophers today at Williams arena. He clearly outcoached an athletically superior team in the Gophers. Wouldn't be surprised to see him at a higher profile school soon.

[VOJ]

D3BBALLfollower...

Very interesting...I think Bethel can rebound as well, but MAC might be a different story because they finish out with all their games on the road due to the re-construction of their athletic facility...

I also think the Tommies will get picked off by someone else besides SJU, just one man's observation here, but sometimes they lose focus against lesser opponents, see Augsburg last year...

As for the Johnnies, they have a HUGE test tomorrow night vs Hamline...the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.

[piperinsider]

Good to hear from OAS and Soaps. Drake, I think you are great too. Hopefully some day we'll have the opportunity to meet. Maybe Wednesday??

I don't really have the energy as a long, long weekend in Madison to breakdown each team and why they will make or not make the playoffs, but here is a condensed version.

No doubt
UST
SJU

All signs point to yes
GAC

Are you kidding? They got in
STO
MAC

I thought they'd do better, but they're in
BET

Just missed out
AUG
CAR

Pretenders
HAM
SMU
CON

[Drake Palmer]

Nice to see all the activity on the board for a snowy afternoon & evening.  I don't have time to respond to a number of the low hanging posting fruits, but I will tackle a couple now & a few more once the first half of conference play is completed later this week.  So here are a few dribbles from Drake...

Sum – nice write up on the CORD-UST game.  I think we all knew the Cobbs weren't as bad as their early season record seemed to indicate, but I never thought they were playoff bound this year like other posters on the board.  On the other hand, the Tommies must be awfully close, or have exceeded their quota of nine cat lives this season!

D3BBO – good job with the league projections.  I'm probably going to wait until Thursday or Friday to toss out my picks.  As I posted last week, I too forecast that the Ts & Js split the regular season series, & then the Toms win the conference tourney.

Watch – At a legit 6-1, I don't think AUG's Jon Cassens is all that small & appears to be fairly muscular.  He's certainly bigger than SJU's Ryan Lieser.  And I think there are few, if any other players in the league with "Abe-like speed."  Cassens is going to be a player in this league.  Sounds like mebbe some Johnnies were annoyed the "lil" Auggie Dawgies didn't rollover & play dead for the bigger Johnnies.  From what I heard, young Cassens & Mr Ohme was doing a little jaw-jacking with each other last week.    BTW – it's not that the league stinks this year – it's parity.   

Local – it's a new year & I've heard there's a kindler, gentler poster base on the board.  What the heck is going on with the Pipes?  While it's certainly way too early to write off a sophomore's playing career, I'll admit I was wrong - I really thought John DeRock's career was going to take off like a meteor this year.  But still, with 4 starters back from last year's playoff squad & a deep recruiting class, I don't think any one expected a 2-6 conference record.  It would be one thing if they were losing like the Cobbs with gut wrenching narrow losses, but they are absolutely getting their heads handed to them on a platter!  Since the first of the year – the past 2 weeks, they've lost by 20 pts to AUG – 45-65, 19 to the Cobbs 65-84 & now by 23 to Gustavus – 50-73.  Granted they did squeeze in a surprising win over another wildly,inconsistent Carleton team.  Who knows, maybe the "lopsidedness" of the losses help lessen the sting of the defeat.

[finsleft]

Just got done brushing the snow off the bandwagon. I don't want anybody getting a cold ass on Wednesday as I pilot into Collegeville for the big tilt.
I'm thinking about installing a few heated seats which will be available to purchase as an upgrade at the gate. Bring cash...or Hamm's...or both. 8)

[Drake Palmer]

Just got done brushing the snow off the bandwagon. I don't want anybody getting a cold ass on Wednesday as I pilot into Collegeville for the big tilt.
I'm thinking about installing a few heated seats which will be available to purchase as an upgrade at the gate. Bring cash...or Hamm's...or both. 8)

Well, well, well, look who's here, Fins & the Johnny wagon.  As a Hamms beer afficionado, I thought of you when I came across this article over the weekend. 

Calling All Furries

[sumander]

Just got done brushing the snow off the bandwagon. I don't want anybody getting a cold ass on Wednesday as I pilot into Collegeville for the big tilt.
I'm thinking about installing a few heated seats which will be available to purchase as an upgrade at the gate. Bring cash...or Hamm's...or both. 8)

Fin's the J's  first have to take care of business down at Hambone tonight!

[Drake Palmer]

Pardon the digression, & now back to basketball...

I liberally lifted this idea from Old School, a poster next door in the WIAC room.

The halfway point of the MIAC season is Wednesday, & I think it would be fun to see who all the board would honor with midseason conference awards.  Please post your picks throughout the week & I'll try to have the poster results posted this weekend.  It will be interesting to compare our picks with the official year end league picks, & the College Sporting News honors.  I'll also post the results of last month's best burger poll.

10-player All-Conference Team

Coach of the (Mid) Year

Player of the (Mid) Year

Sixth Man of the (Mid) Year

All Fy team (pick 5 only)

All Defensive (pick 5 only)

Most surprising team (let's try to keep it positive)

Reg. Season Conference Winner

Sleeper (not necessarily has to win the conf. but could make some noise and surprise)

PLEASE TRY TO FILL OUT THE WHOLE BALLOT.  THANKS! 

[finsleft]

Excellent point Sumander, the mighty J's can't overlook the Pipsqueaks. Since I'm just a bandwagon guy, I sometimes forget that there's always business to be taken care of. Look for the good guys to handle things in typical lunch-bucket fashion: solid play from the starters with deep bench support.
Drake-
Thanks for the link to the awesome CP article. I am now on full-search mode for one of the remaining 5 bear suits. Love the shot of the bear getting a "snootful" down at the Double Deuce. +K for that.

[Nites]

Pardon the digression, & now back to basketball...

I liberally lifted this idea from Old School, a poster next door in the WIAC room.

The halfway point of the MIAC season is Wednesday, & I think it would be fun to see who all the board would honor with midseason conference awards.  Please post your picks throughout the week & I'll try to have the poster results posted this weekend.  It will be interesting to compare our picks with the official year end league picks, & the College Sporting News honors.  I'll also post the results of last month's best burger poll.

10-player All-Conference Team

Coach of the (Mid) Year

Player of the (Mid) Year

All Fy team (pick 5 only)

All Defensive (pick 5 only)

Most surprising team (let's try to keep it positive)

Reg. Season Conference Winner

Sleeper (not necessarily has to win the conf. but could make some noise and surprise)

PLEASE TRY TO FILL OUT THE WHOLE BALLOT.  THANKS! 

Drake,

Do we also want to add Sixth Man of the (Mid) Year?

[Drake Palmer]

Pardon the digression, & now back to basketball...

I liberally lifted this idea from Old School, a poster next door in the WIAC room.

The halfway point of the MIAC season is Wednesday, & I think it would be fun to see who all the board would honor with midseason conference awards.  Please post your picks throughout the week & I'll try to have the poster results posted this weekend.  It will be interesting to compare our picks with the official year end league picks, & the College Sporting News honors.  I'll also post the results of last month's best burger poll.

10-player All-Conference Team

Coach of the (Mid) Year

Player of the (Mid) Year

All Fy team (pick 5 only)

All Defensive (pick 5 only)

Most surprising team (let's try to keep it positive)

Reg. Season Conference Winner

Sleeper (not necessarily has to win the conf. but could make some noise and surprise)

PLEASE TRY TO FILL OUT THE WHOLE BALLOT.  THANKS! 

Drake,

Do we also want to add Sixth Man of the (Mid) Year?

Good call Nites,  I spaced that one out.  I'll add it to my original post.  Thanks +K

[Nites]

... just thinking of our Johnnie posters and B. Brink fans   

[sumander]

... just thinking of our Johnnie posters and B. Brink fans   

Thanks Nites!

[Drake Palmer]

I just saw this in the paper over the noon hour.  My sympathies to the Feely family & UST extended community.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/16462080.htm

[d3bballfollower]

10 player all-conference team

Rosefelt 17.5 ppg 9.5 rpg best big man in the league
Schnettler 19.8 ppg...top scorer and best shooter in conference
Keating 15.6 ppg 9.1 rpg...overshadowed by Rosefelt and Schnettler...considered by many, including some league coaches (barry wohler) to be the best player in the league
Abe Woldeslassie 18.7 ppg 5.38 apg...Mac would not be where they are at without him
Tim Madson 18.8 ppg...one of the best pure scorers in the MIAC
Luke Linz 19 ppg 6.9 rpg...playing as expected, really the only bright spot on a so far dark season for the cobbers
Zach Johnson 18.1 ppg...maybe shoots too much,  but is leading scorer on a team that could be trouble for others in the second half of the year
Trevor Wittwer 13.5 ppg 5.8 rpg...best player for the 3rd best team in the league...a tough matchup on both ends of the floor
Charles Meadowcroft 14.1 ppg 7.5 rpg...along with great stats provides great leadership and dependability for a youthful Bethel team
Mike Moberg 15.4 ppg 7.4 ppg...has stats that are deserving of this list, plus he does his work very quietly...also, to put up the numbers he does with how little he gets the ball down low is great...only downside is his aggressiveness (0 rebounds against Concordia last week)...if he fixes that he will be as dominant as Rosefelt is if not more

Coach of the (Mid) year

Curt Kietzer- Macalester...they are only 3-5 in conference and 6-7 overall, but have played UST, SJU and Gustavus all close and have beaten Augsburg and St. Olaf...except for their loss to St. Mary's @ SMU they played good basketball, don't expect them to lose at home in the rematch...Kietzer has found a way to balance an inside/ outside attack with wonder-boy woldeslassie and liddell shooting lights out from the outside and Conboy and Hollander playing solidly on the inside

Other Considerations-

Aaron Griess- Augsburg and Mark Hanson- Gustavus

Player of the (Mid) Year

Abe Woldeslassie- 4th in scoring, 1st in assists, 1st in 3 fg%, 4th in 3's made...handles the ball well and plays good defense...I have Abe as my MVP because he is the most valuable player to his team and I believe that he is the one player that if you take them away from their team, the team would struggle mightily...other player could be Luke Linz at Concordia

All FY Team

Mike Moberg- is a sophomore, but it's his first year in the MIAC
John Cassens- playing the point slot well for a surprising Augsburg team, lets see if he can keep it up
Zach Krumwiede- Cassens running mate...good wing player
Jeremy Sutherland- provides defense and explovieness from the wing position
Jesse Van Sickle- started slow for the Gusties, but has been playing really well the last couple games

All-Defensive

Mike Keating
Abe Woldeslassie
Jake Phillips
Isaac Rosefelt
Mike Moberg

Most Surprising Team

St. Olaf- at 4-5 in conference they have not only beaten teams, but beaten teams handily (beat Carleton 67-51 and Bethel 75-65)...still a little inconsistent, i predict they will struggle in the second half, but we will see...at 7-7 overall they could end up winning 13-14 games and barring a major debacle should qualify for the conference tourney

Regular Season Conference Winner

UST- no question

Sleeper- Bethel...not really a sleeper because they are considered to be one of the top teams in the conference, but right now with  a 3-5 record they have a lot of ground to make up and are playing better...with the way they played UST earlier they could knock them off in the re-match and they have the talent to win it all (the conference tourney) but we will have to wait and see if they have the discipline

6th Man of the Year- Brady Brink- I don't think anyone can argue with this pick...Brink has started some, but most of his time has been off the bench...would start of almost any other team in the league...very solid on both ends of the floor