MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[piperinsider]

Looks like everything came up Milhouse tonight. Pipes season swept by Cards; Johnnies get Smithy No. 698.

Seriously, when is the last time the Cards swept a season series before this season as I can only assume they did it over MAC?

[VOJ]

Correction the final score was 75-72.  I'll have to come back later after my blood pressure returns to normal.    That's why I can only use the "Guarantee" on special occasions. That one was a mother of mothers!

I was hoping I would see a full re-cap of Drake chastizing Bethel for blowing a 17 point lead from the 1st half...and 11 point half time lead...so who made the big plays...who didn't??

A 5 way tie for second...its all down to seeding and staying opposite UST in the 2 or 3 spot...J's did a great job defending tonight, 4 in double figures...the kids are learning...it was a fun night...6 in a row for the J's

[Drake Palmer]

Too many heroes to list & momentum swings. A game of HUGE runs & streaks. Bethel had at least 5-6 big runs like 8-0, 16-2, 12-4.  Then the Tommies would crawl back to get it within 7-9 points & Bethel would explode for another huge run.

Cory Laugen was absolutely on fire.

Tim Madson was his usual ridiculous self & making huge basket after basket. His shooting % was insane.

Bethel team defense was some of the best I've seen from Bethel – well ever. They did a great job of preventing the interior passing which St. Thomas does so well.  And movement by the Tommies on the wing was sluggish.  Bethel also tried to give St. Thomas a bit of their own medicine & showed a token full court press a time or two.

Because UST wasn't making any shots in the first they couldn't get into their press to create some relatively easy TOs & baskets for UST.  Second half their D slowly started to pick up.  Joe Scott had a couple of key steals & baskets in transition & treys.  Nicolai put the Tommies on his back offensively & went off for a 3-4 tripples in the backstretch.  In the final turn the entire Tommie defense was magnificent. Lonnie Robinson shut down Madson in the closing minutes & McCoy kept scrapping,kicking balls around & picking up steals.  An absolutely tough game for Bethel to lose, they played their hearts out. 

On the other hand St. Thomas just would not quit. There was never any finger pointing, histrionics, etc. They just kept digging & refused to lose.  This team may not go down in history as one of the most talented Tommie teams, but UST basketball buffs would be hard pressed to find a team with a bigger heart than this one. Pretty amazing win.

[Willy Wonka]

The usual recaps available here.

A couple questions/comments for the board.

1. 16 points in the first half? Where was Fong? Koz seems to have missed him.
2. McPartland and Paulson combined for 14 points and 7 boards. Bobby J and Crowder combined for 10 and 14. None played more than 19 minutes. Can you say post-by-committee?
3. Gotta love the SJU story saying Smith "earned" win #698 and failing to mention he didn't actually coach the game.
4. A 5-way tie for second? Really?

Who are people installing as the favorite? I've got to think Gustavus is the MAJOR underdog to claim second with games left against UST and at Bethel and SJU...

[nca11]

tommies are a tough bunch - i still think a team with size and the athletes to handle their press will be their downfall.  that and free throw shooting (check nicolai's season #s).

st. mary's shoots 47 free throws...wow.

any idea whats wrong with fong and haugen for olaf?  how long will they be out?

race for second should be fun.

[oldjammer]

Saw Fong riding the end of the bench out of uniform--don't know what the scoop is.

WW--Schmidt, Wirtjes came out with guns blazing--just didn't miss in the 1st half.  The team was 65% in that half.

McP was riding the bench primarily because he was in foul trouble early.  Crowder again brought alot of fire to the team. 

Given that the posts will all be back next year you have to believe that having 4 will bodes well for the gusties

[AO]

How true is it that you have to be 15-20 points better than the other team to win on the road by 2.  Bethel was probably 10 points better than St. Thomas last night, but when you're playing at the Shoe you just have to accept that you're going to see a dozen bogus, away from the ball fouls on your team if you happen to be winning by 8 or 10.  You also can't expect the refs to call all the defensive fouls against the Tommies in the 2nd half who had to slap and claw their way back into it.  I told freebird at half that if Bethel could take care of the ball like they did in the first half, they looked like they should cruise to victory.  Robertson and Moberg absolutely abused the Tommie bigs inside when given the chance.  check out the rebounding numbers...Moberg and Robertson 18, McCoy Halvorson and Ervin 3.  Bethel did everything they could to lose in the 2nd half, miss late free throws, turn the ball over quickly, and they had no intention of forcing it inside to Moberg/Robertson in the 2nd half.  crazy game, tommie fans were as quiet as usual until they got the lead, bethel had 3 good chances in the last half minute to tie/win including a surprisingly good look at the bucket from three at the buzzer, albeit from Moberg.

If St. Thomas is #1 in D3, Bethel looked to be a very strong d2 team who was upset on the road.  Bethel is clearly bigger and stronger with better offensive talent, but the tommies clawed back in with smart defense and the 3 ball.

[piperinsider]

If St. Thomas is #1 in D3, Bethel looked to be a very strong d2 team who was upset on the road.  Bethel is clearly bigger and stronger with better offensive talent, but the tommies clawed back in with smart defense and the 3 ball.

Mr. AO, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[Drake Palmer]

If St. Thomas is #1 in D3, Bethel looked to be a very strong d2 team who was upset on the road.  Bethel is clearly bigger and stronger with better offensive talent, but the tommies clawed back in with smart defense and the 3 ball.

Mr. AO, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Thanks PI, you beat me to the punch. So while we're at it...

AO - Why would you leave your neighborhood team to hang out to dry with the following comments, and playing the blame game like you just did in your last post?

If St. Thomas is #1 in D3, Bethel looked to be a very strong d2 team who was upset on the road.  Bethel is clearly bigger and stronger with better offensive talent,

I find it interesting this "D2 team" you refer to is in a 5-way tie for 2nd place in a D3 conference with 4 other D3 teams. What's also interesting is this "D2 team" has now lost 11 straight games to the smaller, "inferior,"less talented  D3 team.

Bethel played exceptionally well last night and if it was a 36 minute game they would have won.  Bethel finally began to look like the team they and most other people were expecting to see at the beginning of last season.  I don't usually call other posters out on the board, but in this case maybe it's only fitting that your screen name initials are A.O. – Anal Orifice. You can write a better defense statement than what you did, and Bethel deserves better support than what you just defiantly tossed up on the board.

[papahoops]

I was planning to attend the big game last night and am now kicking myself for staying on the west side of town last evening. I was hoping to catch the game on a video webcast, but learned that UST's webcast is an audio broadcast with very inaccurate data showing on the screen (ie. the incorrect 1 point margin that I stated on the board right after the game). I wish the playoff teams that are more interesting to watch had video broadcast availability. Unfortunately, the good webcasts this year seem to be at STO, MAC. Enough said.

Congrats on another nice win by your improving young squad VOJ. The squad is obviously improving and it is clear some of my earlier negative impressions were a result of seeing them against weaker teams like STO and MAC. You were correct in calling me out on this earlier, and don't have to ask "what do you think of them now?".

[VOJ]

The usual recaps available here.

A couple questions/comments for the board.

1. 16 points in the first half? Where was Fong? Koz seems to have missed him.
2. McPartland and Paulson combined for 14 points and 7 boards. Bobby J and Crowder combined for 10 and 14. None played more than 19 minutes. Can you say post-by-committee?
3. Gotta love the SJU story saying Smith "earned" win #698 and failing to mention he didn't actually coach the game.
4. A 5-way tie for second? Really?

Who are people installing as the favorite? I've got to think Gustavus is the MAJOR underdog to claim second with games left against UST and at Bethel and SJU...

I will take a shot at answering a few of your questions/comments

1.  Fong had a deep quad injury and was at least a step or two slow against the Js last week, he may have re-aggravated the injury and is out because of it

2.  Seems like a typical version of Gusty basketball, strength in numbers, solid post play from a number of qualified individuals, Hanson's coaching ability is proven

3.  Willy...I am not sure if you are the kid who liked to kick the live beehive to see what would happen or if your brains are getting soft because you are clocking more time than normal sitting on them because of your injury??

The NCAA guidelines are the same as what the Elias Sports Bureau uses in major league baseball (and presumably, other pro sports for which it is the official statistician). It's odd but it's not like this isn't unprecedented.

I completely understand that fact. However, how many have ever achieved a milestone or broken a record for, essentially, doing nothing? The examples listed on NCAA.org seem to suggest this might be a first, *if* it actually were to happen. Can you imagine the reaction to this announcement from the PA guy if SJU beats the Gusties to end the regular season?

"Saint John's coach Jim Smith just became the second coach in Division III history to win 700 games. Congratulations to coach Smith...but he isn't here tonight."

That just seems silly.

Coach Smith will be in the house and will sit courtside to the left of the bench at the scorers table...in fact I might have un precedented access to the in game huddles tonight...who knows

Go back and listen to the game, you clearly hear Coach Smith coaching and yelling instructions from the sidelines, he also made notes on what he was seeing and led not only pregame talk, as Andy Burns said on air on the post-game show, but also made the adjustments at half time, he yelled our offensive sets and even gave the official a piece of his mind on a few occasions...so I ask, is that coaching or is he just an interested fan??  Proof is in the pudding Willy or in this case the audio, oh and he will be there on Saturday at Hutton against the Pipers...you can apologize anytime

4.   Why not a 5 way tie for second, outside of UST on most nights the other playoff teams in this league are pretty equal, its exciting and will be interesting to see who makes the plays to grab the top seeds.

5.  A favorite...hmm good question, I will leave that to Maniac or Drake or local to break it down and then let the debate begin...

Peace out...

[VOJ]

I was planning to attend the big game last night and am now kicking myself for staying on the west side of town last evening. I was hoping to catch the game on a video webcast, but learned that UST's webcast is an audio broadcast with very inaccurate data showing on the screen (ie. the incorrect 1 point margin that I stated on the board right after the game). I wish the playoff teams that are more interesting to watch had video broadcast availability. Unfortunately, the good webcasts this year seem to be at STO, MAC. Enough said.

Congrats on another nice win by your improving young squad VOJ. The squad is obviously improving and it is clear some of my earlier negative impressions were a result of seeing them against weaker teams like STO and MAC. You were correct in calling me out on this earlier, and don't have to ask "what do you think of them now?".

Papa...thanks for compliments for the J's...+k for the kind words...knock on wood that they keep defending well...Alm had all kinds of problems last night, never looked comfortable.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

If St. Thomas is #1 in D3, Bethel looked to be a very strong d2 team who was upset on the road.  Bethel is clearly bigger and stronger with better offensive talent, but the tommies clawed back in with smart defense and the 3 ball.

Mr. AO, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

PI & DP-- beautifully said. DP, I particularly liked your explanation of what AO stands for. I'd always been wondering what it meant 

AO-- I'm not sure if you were at the Shoe or not, but if you were, were you facing the playing court? The officiating was about as good & even as it gets. Foul calls on BU away from the ball? Name one. Other than the one on Moberg for cheapshotting Peltier on Scott's steal/slammajamma, I dont think there was a single foul on either team that could be labled as 'away from the ball'. Both teams played excellent. Bethel played up to the potential that earned them unanimous preseason favorite last year. UST played an incredible 2nd half (Westlund called it "about as good a half of basketball as you can play" and I think he knows a tad more about the game than you ever will). To follow your illogic, one can look at the rebounding numbers of Madson and Viau and see that USTdominated the boards.

BU played phenomenally well...dont diminish their accomplishment with your pathetic wining and distortion.

The game was easily one of the best ever in the long rivalry between UST & Bethel. Laugen was utterly amazing, Madson was his usual incredible self. BU's defense was rock solid. They crumbled a tad late in the game under UST's pressure and intesnity...they didn't crumble a lot, but enough to let UST pull out the hard fought and hard-earned win.

Kudos to Scott and Nicolai for having the chutzpah to launch some of the 3s they did-- talk about ice in your veins!

[AO]

When I talk about a team looking like a d2 team, I'm coming from the standpoint that D3 basketball is very good.  Obviously St. Thomas beat d2 concordia st. paul this year and winona the last year, so it's not as if St. Thomas has to have the type of size typical of a d2 team to beat one.  That's what happened last night.  St. Thomas is winning by having players with high basketball IQs, playing well together.  Not your typical top-ranked team.  this is why it's easier to pick against them in the playoffs.  

2nd of all, Bethel is not my team, my team is hoping to win out and potentially get a pool b bid.  I have more familiarity with the bethel program and I wanted them to win, but I also would have been behind any team in the MIAC to beat the Tommies last night.  it's easy to jump on the bandwagon of the #1 team, but it's more satisfying to see them get beat.

--Miacmaniac-you saw one questionable foul call?  That would have been the best reffed game I have ever seen.   alas, I was there and there were all types of inconsistent and make-up calls being made.   in the end the refs didn't decide the game in the final minute, that much can be said about them.   

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

AO- I didnt say I only saw 1 questionable foul call. If you READ what I said, I said there was only one foul called AWAY FROM THE BALL (which was your contention that fouls called away from the ball screwed Bethel over but they should expect it at the Shoe).  There are questionable calls in every game played on every level in every sport.  There were no calls last night that influenced the end outcome.

If this was Division I, they would be showing a replay of the BU/UST game right now on ESPN-Classics.