MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[larry_u]

Looks like Larry_Lu might be right about the possible regional finals locations for next week.  TitanQ, another poster who has been around the national scene for awhile posted the following earlier tonight:

It depends who the four teams are.  If St. Thomas is in that group, I think they will host as their undefeated record would likely trump anyone.

Not necessarily.  Seeding is very important, but so is travel/location.  Let's say the 4 teams are:

St. Thomas
Wheaton
Wash U
Puget Sound

It would take 2 flights to get that grouping to St. Thomas (Wash U, Puget Sound), but just one to get them to Wheaton.

(If 500 miles or less, you bus...more than 500 miles, fly.)

Money is the reason the Bracket of Death exists, and money will impact the Sectional decisions.

I haven't been around as long as Q has....but I'm up and coming, and understand all the NCAA's faults...

[columbianmaffia]

u only live life once....why not storm the court??

on the other hand...i really have no idea of what happened or what the season was like...as long as it was with the flow go for it

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

...I hope UST gets to host again, although someone needs to let the UST fans know if you're ranked #1, you shouldn't storm the floor. And if you do, don't have 10 percent of the fans do it.

Sid – lighten up.  The collective psyche of the MIAC was sitting on top of the Tommies' shoulders like a 400lb gorilla.  Practically everyone on this board or in private has questioned St. Thomas's ability to win in the post season.   In some circles it almost seemed like a sport to point out the Tommies less than stellar record the past 3-4 years.  So if the students want to rush the floor – cool.  The Tommies proved to their doubters & more importantly to themselves, they can win the big one.

Agreed, DP. Should your team get this far in the playoffs, "Sid", I'd suspect you'd be the first one storming the floor. When/if your team gets that far, THEN you will be a position to make comment.   

It was a euphoric moment at the conclusion of the best game of the over 225 I've seen in the Shoe, and possibly the final game in the history of the gym. That makes it storm-worthy, if you ask me.

Absolutely a great performance by UST & and equally solid showing by the Pointers.  The Tommies showed their mettle and proved that they can bang with the best of them and can win playing hard-nose ball as well as with their press/high octane style. It was a brutally physical battle that reminded me of the Ali-Frazier epic title bouts-- 2 true champs going at it toe to toe.

While Scott's dunk (reverse/backwards/amazing- choose your adjective) was electric, to me the biggest play of the night was right before that as Viau-- he of the Hoop-A-Thon free throw shooting fundraisers-- essentially sealed the win with a pair of FTs. Talk about poetic justice/irony/symmetry!

[papahoops]

I borrowed my friend's computer to check in from Florida. My golf game still sucks, so I needed to check in and get my hoops fix. Congrats to Mose and the UST fans. Not happy that the matchup with UPS I was hoping for may not be played at the Shoe. It is old news by now, but not naming Zorro MVP was a joke. I wish the MIAC would just call it the " Best player on the best team award" , because anyone that thinks that Joe was more valuable than Zorro this year needs their head examined. I love Scott and and have taken the position all year that he is UST's MVP, but I think the league disrespected Zorro on this one. I haven't always agreed with his on court antics, but no way he is not the league MVP this year.

[localcoach]

Well I for one hope that larry_U and titanQ are wrong about the location, although they have more knowledge on the subject then I do. 

I missed the games last night and was hoping to attend on Friday.  What does everyone think about the St. Thomas/Puget Sound match-up?  As many of us remember, Puget will run and press for 40 minutes.  Obviously UST can play that way, can't they??

[Retired Old Rat]

When does the NCAA announce the sites for the next round?

[nkwest]

When does the NCAA announce the sites for the next round?

Just within the last minutes: http://twitter.com/d3hoops

[larry_u]

Wheaton it is.  Not unexpected.  The NCAA speaks in one language at the D3 level and that is $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Titan Q]

Wheaton it is.  Not unexpected.  The NCAA speaks in one language at the D3 level and that is $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Generally yes, but the IWU women got a hosting nod over what would have been the cheaper alternative (UW-Stevens Point) based on their seed.  3 teams could have bussed to Stevens Point, but to IWU, St. Benedict will have to fly.

I posted the following on the CCIW board this morning.  I think there is a chance Wheaton is actually considered the #1 seed over St. Thomas...

One more thought on St. Thomas vs Wheaton...

I have been assuming that undefeated St. Thomas is the higher seed in the Midwest/West bracket - the #1 to Wheaton's #2.  Since the committee does not release their seedings, all we really know is that Wheaton went in as the #1-ranked team in the Midwest and St. Thomas #1 in the West (that is where both were in the final released regional rankings).  But we don't know how they seeded St. Thomas vs Wheaton.

As of Selection Sunday, here are the considerations...

1. In-region winning % (St. Thomas 1.000, Wheaton .870)
2. In-region strength of schedule, OWP/OOWP (Wheaton .5982/.5702, St. Thomas .5117/5193)
3. In-region head-to-head (n/a)
4. In-region common opponets (n/a)
5. In-region results vs regionally ranked teams (Wheaton 7-2, St. Thomas 0-0)

There is a chance Wheaton is the #1 seed is in the Bracket of Death.  St. Thomas didn't even have a game vs a regionally ranked team until last night (vs Stevens Point).  Wheaton was 2-1 vs Elmhurst, 2-0 vs Augustana, 2-1 vs North Central, and 1-0 vs Hope (who I assume snuck in the final Great Lakes rankings).  Huge disparity there.

[carletonsid]

...I hope UST gets to host again, although someone needs to let the UST fans know if you're ranked #1, you shouldn't storm the floor. And if you do, don't have 10 percent of the fans do it.

Sid – lighten up.  The collective psyche of the MIAC was sitting on top of the Tommies' shoulders like a 400lb gorilla.  Practically everyone on this board or in private has questioned St. Thomas's ability to win in the post season.   In some circles it almost seemed like a sport to point out the Tommies less than stellar record the past 3-4 years.  So if the students want to rush the floor – cool.  The Tommies proved to their doubters & more importantly to themselves, they can win the big one.

Agreed, DP. Should your team get this far in the playoffs, "Sid", I'd suspect you'd be the first one storming the floor. When/if your team gets that far, THEN you will be a position to make comment.   

It was a euphoric moment at the conclusion of the best game of the over 225 I've seen in the Shoe, and possibly the final game in the history of the gym. That makes it storm-worthy, if you ask me.

Absolutely a great performance by UST & and equally solid showing by the Pointers.  The Tommies showed their mettle and proved that they can bang with the best of them and can win playing hard-nose ball as well as with their press/high octane style. It was a brutally physical battle that reminded me of the Ali-Frazier epic title bouts-- 2 true champs going at it toe to toe.

While Scott's dunk (reverse/backwards/amazing- choose your adjective) was electric, to me the biggest play of the night was right before that as Viau-- he of the Hoop-A-Thon free throw shooting fundraisers-- essentially sealed the win with a pair of FTs. Talk about poetic justice/irony/symmetry!

Well, I'm too old to storm the floor, but in hindsight maybe my assessment was a bit harsh and I wasn't there to judge the atmosphere. It would have been cool if the entire student body had streamed out of the bleachers like Penn State or Cornell U did this past week, but it sounds like some were really into the game and others weren't. Or maybe it's that 'Minnesota Nice' at work and the students were too polite to run onto the floor.

If UST had to travel, Wheaton is a good place simply for the fact they have an excellent video stream. I was able to catch the end of UWP-Wheaton last night, and the announcers are solid and picture is clear (with a scoreboard). The end of that game was crazy. The Pioneers erased a six-point deficit with 90 seconds left, but couldn't get it done in OT. At the end of regulation UWP forced 3 TOs in the final minute or so.

Congrats to the Tommies and Coach Fritz. I think they proved last night they are for real, and by association, that the MIAC wasn't maybe as bad as everyone thought (not saying it was great, but maybe not as bad as everyone says). I frankly thought UST didn't play that great offensively and still won (missed a lot of bunnies and open 3's they usually knock down) and I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out looser and more effective next weekend. Playing on the road could be a blessing well--less pressure, you're together as a team and more focused, etc. Willy, maybe you can give some insights here whether or not this is true in your experience.

[carletonsid]

While Scott's dunk (reverse/backwards/amazing- choose your adjective) was electric, to me the biggest play of the night was right before that as Viau-- he of the Hoop-A-Thon free throw shooting fundraisers-- essentially sealed the win with a pair of FTs. Talk about poetic justice/irony/symmetry!

Sorry for the double, but I thought the same thing when they fouled Viau--that's the last guy you want to foul!

OT in prep for today's Tobacco Road showdown: Greg Paulus-I Kissed a Boy

[OxyBob]

Wheaton it is.  Not unexpected.  The NCAA speaks in one language at the D3 level and that is $$$$$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ = MIACGETSBONED
$$$$$$$$$$$$$ = CCIWPREJUDICE
$$$$$$$$$$$$$ = NCAASCREWSUST

OxyBob

[LogShow]

So has anyone heard of Puget Sound?  Out in the D3 isolation of the Pacific Northwest. 

Really looking forward to the match up with St. Thomas!

[Jimmy Chitwood]

The Tommies were able to erase the doubt that they could make an effective run in the tourney after Saturdays HUGE win.  Their track record of early exits made a lot of us Tommie fans uneasy about this weekend, especially the inevitable match up against Steven's Point.  When I first saw the bracket, I was upset that UST would have to face a perennial power house in UWSP in the first weekend.  I knew the match up was going to happen, just not in the first round.  But afterall, the NCAA in the Division 3 realm is all about dollars and keeping travel costs down--thus putting Point in the Tommies regional.

St. Thomas faced their toughest opponent all year in Point, and beat a team and program that has a history of making a deep push into the tourney.  The Tommies missed a lot of 3 pointers that they were nailing the night before, and they never really were able to establish an inside game, but they fought through a hotly contested match up to move onto the sectionals.  

Talk about a nail biter.  The game was never out of reach for Point, and it really could have gone either way in the closing minutes.  I am glad to see St. Thomas get out of the first weekend and move onto Sectional action  in Wheaton, IL--although I firmly believe that The Shoe should be next weekends host.  Again it comes down to dollars, and it is unfortunate that St. Thomas hosted its last game on Saturday night.  The Tommie Fanamaniacs put on a good show, especially the football guys and the fan in the tight shorts that was hoisted up during free throws by Point--very original!!

I loved the full court pass to Scott for the mind-boggling REVERSE dunk to essentially put the game away.  Could you imagine if Scott goes to reverse that dunk and misses and Moses comes down and nails the 3 to put it into OT?  Thankfully it didn't happen that way, but talk about a gutsy play given the score and circumstances.  

It has been a fun run this far, and hopefully the Tommies can have another successful weekend and push their way to the finals.  Lets Go Tommies!!

[Willy Wonka]

Did UST really get screwed? Wheaton has the credentials to get the top seed over the Tommies and it will save money. Seems logical enough for me, even though I'm one of those disappointed I won't get to see them play anymore.

Drake — Did you see Point play against Cornell? Their offensive philosophy last night seemed odd. They had #33 at PG to beat the press...but then he still wanted to play guard and take his guy off the dribble. The drive where he juked himself to the floor and watched the ball roll out of bounds was priceless. Other than that, UWSP routinely moved the ball around the perimeter without ever initiating its offense. It's tough to score against a good defense when the shot clock nears zero and you haven't even been inside the 3-pt line yet...

Nice piece about Scott in the Strib today...but how much press will these Tommies get when everything is said and done? Every starter but Nicolai has been the focus of a major feature so far, and Fritz has been prominently featured twice. If I recall correctly, my Gustie team that took second in the nation got back page pub for the title game and Reusse finally made his way down for a story the next season. I'm assuming major kudos goes to McGivern for this media onslaught...but it seems a little out of whack with the usual D3 coverage.