MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[MiacLostProphet]

AO, did you see the first time these two teams played? paulson couldn't do anything.  i expect him to have a better game but if gustavus wants to win they need to keep the pace down and my homeboy and Van Sick Jumper need to catch fire.  otherwise the game may be ugly.

[TearDrop]

First and foremost -- I don't remember who said it and honestly I am too lazy right now to go back and see who it was, but Will Wright ABSOLUTELY deserves to be first team all-conference. I do not think that there is a more talented player in the conference (I am not saying he should be POY). I guess him being on the second team just shows how much winning is a deciding factor.

Second -- the games tonight will both be close games I think. There are not too many times where teams make it to the semi-finals and get blown out. That being said, there is not a chance that the Gusties even give St Thomas a scare. It will be a close game but the Tommies will win by double figures after it is all said and done. Bethel will get the win by about 7 or 8 tonight setting up a great championship game. I will save my predictions for the championship game until after tonights games!!

[Drake Palmer]

AO, did you see the first time these two teams played? paulson couldn't do anything.  i expect him to have a better game but if gustavus wants to win they need to keep the pace down and my homeboy and Van Sick Jumper need to catch fire.  otherwise the game may be ugly.

Interesting that Sam Paulson's name keeps getting brought up.  Not to pick on him but...the first time the Tommies & Gusties played in St. Paul this season; Paulson turned the ball over 8 times.  For a post player that's a ton of turnovers.  In the game at St. Peter Paulson made a nice turnaround & didn't turn the ball over at all.

Interestingly Paulson had one of his strongest showings of the year in the quarterfinal win over SJU as he scored 15 points, 6 rebs, yet still turned the ball – 5 times.  You think the Tommie coaching staff doesn't have this stat filed away?

AO - You just can't leave sleeping dogs alone can you?  

Northwestern Drops Playoff Opener at Home

[AO]

AO, did you see the first time these two teams played? paulson couldn't do anything.  i expect him to have a better game but if gustavus wants to win they need to keep the pace down and my homeboy and Van Sick Jumper need to catch fire.  otherwise the game may be ugly.

Interesting that Sam Paulson's name keeps getting brought up.  Not to pick on him but...the first time the Tommies & Gusties played in St. Paul this season; Paulson turned the ball over 8 times.  For a post player that's a ton of turnovers.  In the game at St. Peter Paulson made a nice turnaround & didn't turn the ball over at all.

Interestingly Paulson had one of his strongest showings of the year in the quarterfinal win over SJU as he scored 15 points, 6 rebs, yet still turned the ball – 5 times.  You think the Tommie coaching staff doesn't have this stat filed away?

AO - You just can't leave sleeping dogs alone can you?  

Northwestern Drops Playoff Opener at Home

I'd put a lot more emphasis on a game that happened a couple weeks ago rather than a couple of months ago.  on the 14th, paulson had 14 and 9, the gusties shot poorly as a team and still kept it pretty close.

thanks for the reminder about the results of last night's game as well.  it would be a little easier to get upset or excited about the umac tourney if it meant anything in regards to the playoffs.  haven't had an AQ in the NAIA since 02, and it'll be another 2 years before the UMAC gets one in D3 (i think).  my guys have a pretty good shot of doing some damage in the nccaa's again this year though.

[oldtimefan]

Based on what I saw a couple of weeks ago at GAC, St. Thomas is simply a better basketball team. They have an aggressive defense and it really doesn't matter if someone gets in foul trouble because their bench is so deep. Unless GAC changes something up, the result tonight will be similar.
This isn't a best of 7 series however,  so there is hope.
Sometimes it's just a matter of knocking down more shots
Hanson seemed to be going with a small lineup in the 2nd half in their last meeting to little effect as the guards struggled to get themselves open for any kind of a shot before the shot clock ran down. (or a "24 second violation" as the GAC announcer said). Maybe need to go big with a lot of McPartland, Paulson ,and Crowder.
I would like to see the GAC post players shoot the ball once they have it down on the blocks 1 on 1 rather than dribbling it and then passing it back out. If Paulson can't do it then maybe put McPartland down there.

[sumander]

Man, what a weak board.  Semis finals tonight & nary a peep? No smack talking, in-depth game analysis & breakdown, nuthin, nada, zero, zip?  Sad.   

AO - You just can’t leave sleeping dogs alone can you?  

Northwestern Drops Playoff Opener at Home

Our newest All-American laying the smack down this afternoon!

Tomcats win in a breeze, BET gets the Dawgs by double digits. Setting up the rematch everyone is looking for.

[papahoops]

AO wants us to remember a more recent improved game for Paulson, but that game was in St. Peter, not the Shoe. I had a front row seat of the Gusties last game at the Shoe and actually felt sorry for Paulson that game. It was a brutal. He will need MAJOR improvement this time around in his post play for GAC to stay in the game. The key to this matchup is someone on GAC has to be able to create open shots. The last game at the Shoe, GAC had no post offensive threat and Paulson was unable to pass out of the double team without turning the ball over. On top of this, GAC had no dribble drive penetration to open up outside shooters, so the Tommies were able to defensively blanket the perimater. This has to change dramatically for tonight to be a competitive game.

[Nites]

Interesting that Sam Paulson's name keeps getting brought up.  Not to pick on him but...the first time the Tommies & Gusties played in St. Paul this season; Paulson turned the ball over 8 times.  For a post player that's a ton of turnovers.  In the game at St. Peter Paulson made a nice turnaround & didn't turn the ball over at all.

Interestingly Paulson had one of his strongest showings of the year in the quarterfinal win over SJU as he scored 15 points, 6 rebs, yet still turned the ball – 5 times.  You think the Tommie coaching staff doesn't have this stat filed away?

The Tommies make up for their lack of height be collapsing very quickly on the big guys down low.  If Paulson gets the ball in the blocks, he needs to make his move quickly.  If In the last game against Hamline, Hipp turned the ball over 6 times and in the close match with Bethel, Moberg turned it over 4 times.

[oldjammer]

Let's face it the tommies are a heavy favorite tonight---that being said we never know which gustie team is going to show up and maybe they bring the red hot team tonight.

Paulson definitely needs to show up to play tonight--but given that he only shows up about half the time it is a coin toss.  I think Sams problem is all above the shoulders.  Van Sickle and/or Schmidt must shoot well tonight--tough to win when the defense can sag back and the gusties seldom win if one of them isn't shooting well.

Of course we all know the gacs can turn the ball over a million times in a game--just one more item that can kill them.  They did reasonably well at Gus Young against the tommies a couple weeks ago turnover wise.

If I was Hanson I would work it in for the shot versus taking outside shots initially--If McPartand and Paulson can move in on them I think there could be foul issues early.

[MiacLostProphet]

Thanks Pops, you beat me to pointing out another wrong thing AO said.  I know for a fact that when playing at the shoe you aren't going to get foul calls on what usually are fouls.  ust has free reign to rake you across the arms to steal the ball.  it will be a togh togh game for the gusties, they have to come out strong.

[Drake Palmer]

Sum - any mortgage replacement plans, or B&B (burger & beer) bets on the line for tonight's games, or just the voice of experience making several observations?  

[Willy Wonka]

oldjammer — GAC did "reasonably well" with turnovers last time? They had 11. For reference, that's usually how many STEALS the Tommies finish with, and it was about a third of the previous meeting. They were awesome in that department.

They just couldn't shoot.

I expect offense to be a problem once again for the Gusties. But, as I told one former Gustie last night, if GAC gets hot from the perimeter then anything is possible. It would be a stunner, but that's really the only area where the Gusties could be called better — they are 2nd in percentage and 1st in defensive percentage; UST is 1st and 6th. A big game from Paulson and/or McPartland would help open up those shooters.

[AO]

Thanks Pops, you beat me to pointing out another wrong thing AO said.  I know for a fact that when playing at the shoe you aren't going to get foul calls on what usually are fouls.  ust has free reign to rake you across the arms to steal the ball.  it will be a togh togh game for the gusties, they have to come out strong.

let's not start making excuses before the game even starts.  of course the tommies are going to be feeling the love from the refs tonight, if you're a small and athletic team, and you're ranked #1, playing on your home floor, odds are heavily stacked against a fairly officiated game, but it's still not worth talking about until it happens.

[Pat Coleman]

AO, did you see the first time these two teams played? paulson couldn't do anything.  i expect him to have a better game but if gustavus wants to win they need to keep the pace down and my homeboy and Van Sick Jumper need to catch fire.  otherwise the game may be ugly.

Interesting that Sam Paulson's name keeps getting brought up.  Not to pick on him but...the first time the Tommies & Gusties played in St. Paul this season; Paulson turned the ball over 8 times.  For a post player that's a ton of turnovers.  In the game at St. Peter Paulson made a nice turnaround & didn't turn the ball over at all.

Paulson looked absolutely awful in the game at UST. Ooof.

[MiacLostProphet]

AO- until it happens? it has happened almost every home game they have played. i've seen film of a few home games and been a part of one of them. i'm not saying its an excuse, thats why i said they,gac, are going to have to be tough.