MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Gregory Sager]

I agree with Pat. The main thing that the expansion to 59 teams does is practically guarantee that the power conferences (WIAC, CCIW, OAC, NJAC) will no longer be saddled with the injustice of only seeing one of their teams in the tournament. But there are so many conferences that have automatic bids in D3 (36, if I remember correctly) that the number of at-large bids for teams from automatic-bid conferences (aka "Pool C") is a relatively low 18. That's worlds better than the five or six Pool C bids that have been available over the past few years, but when you take into consideration the fact that 380 or so teams are eligible for the D3 tournament you soon realize that 18 Pool C bids doesn't go very far.

As far as the MIAC is concerned, it'll be more common for your league to send two teams to the big dance in March than it has been in the past. The MIAC is further strengthened in that regard by being such a huge league in terms of membership that almost all in-region games are played within the conference; MIAC teams don't play very many non-conference games at all, so there's fewer chances to be roadkill for powerful WIAC teams in in-region non-conference play. That means better regional records for MIAC teams across the board, and thus a better shot at Pool C bids for the MIAC teams that don't win the league's automatic bid.

But I don't think it'll be a given that the MIAC will get in two teams every season. It'll just be more common than in the past. The de facto automatic second bids will go to leagues such as the WIAC, the NESCAC, and the CCIW that roll up those gaudy in-region non-conference records every season. 

[columbianmaffia]

i didnt make it to chicago because once i got to st. paul one of the barrings in my rollerskates rusted up and i fell...

[Willy Wonka]

Drake - Are you implying that I don't post objectively about the Gusties? They don't HAVE any warts for me to post about

Looking back at the past few seasons, I'm not sure a second (or third) MIAC team would have deserved to go to the Big Dance even with the currently expanded pool.

2004/05: BU 19-8 (weak NC sked hurts), UST 17-9 (not enough wins)
2003/04: Mac 18-9, CC 18-8, BU 19-8 (relative parity - who goes and why?)
2002/03: UST 21-6 (lost by 30ish on home court in tourney title game, 3-4 of top 7 were hurt and would have missed tourney)
2001/02: BU 21-6 (I don't remember specifics, but that looks like a record that may get in now. Poor NC sked and GAC/UST already being in may still have kept them out)

In theory, it should help the MIAC get borderline teams into the dance. The past four years don't seem to fit that theory, however. Without going through this with every league, it's impossible to say for sure. I'm guessing there were plenty of more deserving teams each of these seasons though.

[Mr. Ypsi]

In terms of 3 teams from a conference, that has already happened even under the previous limits - in 2001, IWU finished third in the CCIW and third in the country (beating, among others, #1 Chicago @ Chicago, and CCIW champ Elmhurst - lost to Horace Jenkins and supporting cast!).

I'd assume it has happened other times as well, but cannot cite any examples.

[Drake Palmer]

Drake - Are you implying that I don't post objectively about the Gusties? They don't HAVE any warts for me to post about

Wills - I'll earmark this page in case I have to pull out your quote for reference later this season.   

(Ok, I'll add this: Bethel34 you're another in a distingushed line of former players that are able to.... .  There is that better? Smirk.)  The last couple of years you really haven't had anything to complain about, at least from the hoops side.  Unless you count when other posters try to press you about personnel shuffling & cuts by a certain basketball coach in St. Peter.  Now football, that's another story.    

Speaking of football, your boys from Goodhue had a good showing at the Prep Bowl today.  If they could have capitalized on any of a handful of turnovers, they might have been able to pull off the upset.  I think covering that game wouldn't have been that tough of an assignment today.  At least you were inside. 

And I'm guessing from your latest karma count you must have been antagonizing some of the Johnnies on the football board - again.  I can almost guarantee if I venture too far from MIAC Conversations, I get dinged.  I was paying a compliment to Mr. Sager on the CCIW board the other day & got chop blocked . Oh well.

My 2nd favorite preps sports day the Prep Bowl.   Final Prep Bowl prediction, a scoring bonanza: Cretin 48 - Wayzata 35

[Gregory Sager]

In terms of 3 teams from a conference, that has already happened even under the previous limits - in 2001, IWU finished third in the CCIW and third in the country (beating, among others, #1 Chicago @ Chicago, and CCIW champ Elmhurst - lost to Horace Jenkins and supporting cast!).

I'd assume it has happened other times as well, but cannot cite any examples.

The CCIW also placed three teams (North Central, Illinois Wesleyan, and North Park) in the tourney in 1990 -- and that was a 40-team tourney. The WIAC placed four teams in the 1997 tourney. And the NJAC used to regularly put three or four teams in the tourney back in the nineties, but that was under the old rules in which at-large slots were handed out on a region-by-region basis -- rules that favored the NJAC more than any other league in the country.

Brett, keep in mind when going over the records of MIAC runners-up over the past few seasons that the overall record is irrelevant as far as the D3 selection committee is concerned. It's the in-region record that counts. In other words, an 18-9 MIAC team that went 17-5 in the West Region is going to have a leg up on a team from another conference that went 21-6 overall but 17-6 in its region.

[Willy Wonka]

Greg - I fully understand that, I just wasn't willing to run through and count all the in-region games when I could simply pull the overall records from the MIAC site and use my memory for comparisons. Feel free to rip my memory, but my laziness is fairly well documented

Drake - Yeah, the Wildcats played alright today. The first half killed them though. You can't muff a punt, fumble a snap and not convert a 4th and 1 and expect to win. For as bad as they played, Springfield was very beatable. PiperInsider called me today for the first time in months to make sure I wasn't taking the day off in fact

I've been posting on the football boards - my dad's a prestigeous Cobber alum so the Linfield fans maybe have been smacking me around for my comments. If the two MIAC teams advance tomorrow, I'll be heading up to Collegeville to talk some smack in person next Saturday (and eat their amazing burgers ). I don't know who you are - you should think about making the trip up if the dual upsets occur.

[Gregory Sager]

Greg - I fully understand that, I just wasn't willing to run through and count all the in-region games when I could simply pull the overall records from the MIAC site and use my memory for comparisons. Feel free to rip my memory, but my laziness is fairly well documented

Heh.  Yeah, I figured that that might be the case, so my waxing pedantic about the D3 selection committee was actually a disguised attempt to give you the benefit of the doubt.   

[columbianmaffia]

PC, GS and Yipsy
all i wanna say is im lovin havin the hall of famers around...it makes the board great to have such a good variety of posters...i feel like im in a mcdonalds commercial cuz "im lovin it"

CAR @ Chi-town tonight....my rollerskates are getting fixed in the shop...they are out 1-2 weeks as they needed to orders super turbo burner rockets to put on the side so i can go faster...the turkey is dead santa clause chopped off his head

[Drake Palmer]

Announcement:  Thanks to all you wonderful posters here on MIAC Conversations, but after two years or so, I think it's time to move on.   My new home board will be the UMAC board.

Just kidding.   

Although I did just witness Northwestern College beat Hamline 78-77.  The final score was a little deceiving since Chris Babcock for the Pipers hit a last second, desperation  3 from just over the half court line that rolled around the rim, hit the backboard & dropped in to give the Pipers 77.  Northwestern has got some hoopers & their offense reminds me alot of the Gusties. Lotta motion & cutting.

The Pipers really needed this game for several reasons,but one reason is their schedule, which over the next couple of weeks is absolutely brutal:

Wed 11/30 @ GAC
SAT 12/3 @ Carleton
Mon 12/5 home against UST

A little breather against Luther on 12/7, then they close out the pre-xmas portion of the schedue with a game @St. Scholastica.  Scholastica along with Northwestern were picked as co-favorites to win the UMAC thus year. 

I'll let Loco/al  fill us in on the game detail if he was in attendance, but I'll add these quick post game comments:

*Hamline should be good in a couple of years
*They've got some good athletes
*DeRock is going to be a stud in the league


*If Chris Babcock is 6-1, I'm 6-8
*Hamline should never let Foster shoot from the outside
*Hamline's help defense got beat down all afternoon
*Less than 1/3 of Hamline's points came from inside the paint (Not a good formula for success)
*NW backdoored them all afternoon, or drew the defense over & kicked the ball to the open man.

The UST & Gac coaches that were in attendance at the game I'm sure noted these items plus more.

That being said, if Wohler & staff can keep the players from getting discouraged after the opening salvo of games, sooner or later they'll be alright.

[piperinsider]

Stopped by Hamline today to watch the game vs Northwestern and ended up doing the camera for the webcast. If anybody was watching (i.e Drake), hope it was better and they were no interruptions.

Northwestern 78    Hamline 77

Eagles led 12-0 six minutes into game, but Hamline finally got it going but still trailed by 11 at half. They were down by as many as 16 before they started hitting 3's from everywhere.

Down 74-72, had three straight possessions to tie or take lead but had a turnover, a missed lay-up and a three by center Kyle Foster. Yes, he shot four threes in the second half. 0-4.

Freshman Tony Thrasher had something like 23 and played great. DeRock wasn't on, scoring 9 second half points but turning the ball over 6 times. Kory Kelzer had 15.

In defense of HAM and MAC, the Eagles would be mid-pack in the MIAC this year. THey are a balanced team that executes much like the Gusties. Not flashy, but does a nice job screening and running their offense like it's supposed to be run.

Willy-
Check out #34 on the NWC website. Twin brother? May look like you, but he was outstanding from outside the arc and on the dribble.

I think Hamline is a 9-10 win team. They have talent but I think they have so many guys at the same level that it takes a lot of the game to find the right lineup. Against Martin Luther, it was close until the final eight minutes when they found the right 5. Today was the same.

Also: A little birdie   says that Hamline has two bigger guys transferring in for J-term. Not sure on names. Wohler is keeping it hush-hush.

Hamline's first three conference games: @GAC, @CAR, UST. That's cruel.

One last thing: What do people think of the back-to-back women's and men's games this year? It's not men at home, women on road or vice versa. Starts times are now 5:45 and 8 too.

I like it, but I could see some discussion from the ladies on playing early every time. Tough on fans/parents.

[piperinsider]

Drake-looks like we saw the same game and think very much a like.

[Drake Palmer]

Good upps PI 

You gotta cut the coaches & players a little bit of slack since it's early in the season, but there's no way you want Foster taking those shots from the top of the key.  Crucial mistakes! 

You can just tell DeRock is going to be a player!  At one point in the 2nd half he had a great inside out, pullback dribble, the crowd all went "whooo" & then he nailed a jumper.  But there were alot more "whoos" for the Eagles than the Pipers.  Their ball movement was outstanding!

Someone stole my program, but you're right PI.  Schleizer or whatever #34's name for NW is a nice player, as is #50 the center with the handles & moves (take a note Foster) & Dan Hanson.  I could have fun watching NW play.


P.S.  Where's Wohler going to find clock for all these players?!?  Viemiester (team captain) & Montgomery never even got off the bench, as well as Seliga, the footballer that Wohler recruited to add bulk to the inside. 

Half of those TOS they gave Derock were from bad officiating, ref missed a NW player kicking a passed ball on a fastbreak, Rock's teammates weren't ready for the pass from him.

[bball4life3]

hello all i am new to the board, i have been reading the wall for a while now but i decided that i would sign up. with the few games that have been played so far is everybody still sticking with their picks for the conference? is ike really that good for st thomas? and whats going on with the rest of the freshman over at hamline? we have heard about derock and thrasher but whats up with the rest of them? arent they supposed to have a very good class overall?

[Willy Wonka]

Welcome to the board bball4life3. To continue with your line of questioning...wasn't Local singing the praises of David Johnson during the preseason? He looked like a solid post when I saw him play last year in high school. I know he was high on GACs recruiting list as well. He's seen only one minute of action in the first two games (the box for today isn't up yet, apparently). Who's played inside for the Pipers so far this season and how have they done?

For some reason it won't let me paste in the URL here, but the picture on the Hamline web site is pretty interesting to look at. Check out the background. The team may still be a year or two away, but the fans look ready