MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

I found my early front runner for the Palmer MIAC All FY Name team.  And I'm not kidding.

UST's Derek Domino.   

You "younguns" might not appreciate this but that was one of the alter egos for rock & roll superstar Eric Clapton & the name of one of his bands back in the late 60s, early 70s.

(My dad told me about this group )   "Derek & Dominoes"

This name has gotta go right up there with a "Boy Named Sue."

[Drake Palmer]

It's official - one of our own has departed.

But they better hurry up & fix the glaring gender typo in the biography.    Otherwise, he'll really get a lot more grief.

Edit:  I spotted one more.

Now I'll be the first to admit I try to check my posts for typos & grammaticals (& not always successfully) but that's what they are, message board posts - not bios, or work reports.  Being the former/current journalist, I think he might be interested in getting them fixed.    

[PurpleReign]

Tommies finally get the dominate big man they have been so desperately missing over the past few years in Ryan Duxbury a 6-9 240lbs transfer from the University of Minnesota Crookston.  He was a top 20 Minnesota recruit in 2008 and also an All-State football selection.  He has a great inside game and big shot blocker.

[Drake Palmer]

Tommies finally get the dominate big man they have been so desperately missing over the past few years in Ryan Duxbury a 6-9 240lbs transfer from the University of Minnesota Crookston.  He was a top 20 Minnesota recruit in 2008 and also an All-State football selection.  He has a great inside game and big shot blocker.

Preign – you might want to doublecheck your facts.

Based on my research, Ryan Duxbury is not a transfer student, but graduated this spring - 2010 from Stillwater HS.  And although it's conceivable that Mr. Duxbury could have an outstanding career at UST, a scholarship offer to U MN-Crookston is not all that's it's cracked up to be.  U-MN Crookston has been a perennial doormat in the NSIC for years, & just this past season their W-L record was 5-22.  Arguably, Crookston & Bemidji State of the NSIC are comparable to the MIAC's 4-6th place level MIAC playoff teams.  The non-competitive program may be one of the reasons why Duxbury declined the Crookston scholie & enrolled at St. Thomas instead.

If I'm a Tommie fan, I'd be tickled pink/purple if he turns out to be as effective as say, Bethel's Mike Moberg.  But I doubt Duxbury will make people forget Ike Rosefelt. Nice name though & all sorts of nickname possibilities in the years to come - "the Duke of Duxbury", "Duke buries another defender with a sweet up & under", etc.    

According to my sources, 6-4 FY forward Zach Riedemann from Forest Lake & 6-1 guard Erik Tengwall from New London Spicer  are a couple of UST's prize FY recruits.   The Tomcats certainly have plenty of competition at each of the spots – 18 players on the varsity roster.  Time will tell if they have quantity depth or quality depth.

[TearDrop]

Not normally my way of doing things as I do not like to post about stuff that I have simply heard about and not seen for myself but a buddy of mine that lives in Sioux Falls caught the Augustana/Gustie exhibition game a few days ago and the report was not good for the a Gustie fans.

Augustana is a very well respected D2 program and from what I have heard is in good position to make a deep National Tourney run so it is expected that they would handle the Gusties but it sounds like they struggled to get anything at all accomplished. It may be a long year for them...

On a different note, I am becoming increasingly impatiant at my Birds refusal to post their 2010-2011 roster! I know that they still have the most talented player in the league with Mr. Wright but I am curious as to if the rumors  that I have heard about them not adding one player to help him are true.

[Gacman]

TearDrop, I don't think anybody should be too worried about the Gusties. They aren't going anywhere.

They did lose Van Sickle, Paulson, and McPartland but I'm not so sure it's as big of a loss as some might think. Van Sickle underperformed all year by the standards he set through his first three years. Paulson had flashes of brilliance, but that was mostly outweighed by his inability to pass out of the post. McPartland will be missed for sure, there is no way to get around that. His grit and determination was fun to watch.

But lets also remember that Bobby Johnson, who would have been the Gusties best player last year, was out all year. He also didn't play in this exhibition game, but should be back by the end of November. His return definitely lessens the void left by McPartland.

Gustavus also returns 8 of their top 12 from last year, and adds a player in Bobby J who would have been their best player a year ago, all on a team that finished second in both the regular and post seasons. Add in Hanson as coach, and I don't think anyone should expect Gustavus to be anywhere but contending for one of the top spots in the conference.

[Drake Palmer]

TearDrop, I don't think anybody should be too worried about the Gusties. They aren't going anywhere.

They did lose Van Sickle, Paulson, and McPartland but I'm not so sure it's as big of a loss as some might think. Van Sickle underperformed all year by the standards he set through his first three years. Paulson had flashes of brilliance, but that was mostly outweighed by his inability to pass out of the post. McPartland will be missed for sure, there is no way to get around that. His grit and determination was fun to watch.

But lets also remember that Bobby Johnson, who would have been the Gusties best player last year, was out all year. He also didn't play in this exhibition game, but should be back by the end of November. His return definitely lessens the void left by McPartland.

Gustavus also returns 8 of their top 12 from last year, and adds a player in Bobby J who would have been their best player a year ago, all on a team that finished second in both the regular and post seasons. Add in Hanson as coach, and I don't think anyone should expect Gustavus to be anywhere but contending for one of the top spots in the conference.

Gman – I love the optimism and the positive spin you're trying to put on the Gusties performance last year.  But...  I think it should also be pointed out that Gustavus tied for 2nd place with Augsburg last season with a 13-7 conference record. Certainly a solid record & nothing to be ashamed of, but not at the NCAA tournament level performance we saw back in the early & mid 2000s.

I would expect a top half finish, but would be surprised if they were contending for one of the top two spots in the league. I'm thinking more of a 3rd-6th place finish is in store for the Gusties this year.

[columbianmaffia]

Lather...rinse...repeat!!

just when i thought my groin injury was going to keep me out for the season i had an amazing recovery...the ghosts and goblins are finally gone and i am so excited because they were kinda creepin me out...now it is almost turkey time...GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!!

on to bigger news...i was a ninja turtle for halloween

[Gacman]

Certainly a solid record & nothing to be ashamed of, but not at the NCAA tournament level performance we saw back in the early & mid 2000s.

I would expect a top half finish, but would be surprised if they were contending for one of the top two spots in the league. I'm thinking more of a 3rd-6th place finish is in store for the Gusties this year.

DP-I agree that the performance we saw back in the early and mid 2000's isn't what anyboddy including myself is expecting for this season. With that said, we could be looking at one of the more wide open and unpredictable years we have seen in awhile in the MIAC.

SJU can't hide behind their lack of experience anymore.

UST is going to be good as always, but maybe not quite as dominant as we have seen over the past few years.

CON should refer to SJU. That freshman class a few years back are seniors now.

CAR showed that as long as Sutherland can stay healthy, they should be good.

GAC the cupboard is definitely not bare and should be very solid

BU should be much improved if they can stay healthy

SMU arguably has the best player in the conference

The rest in my eyes would be surprises if they stepped up and challenged for a playoff spot, but of those seven I could see anyone of them beating eachother on a given night. No guaranteed wins this year for teams in the top seven.

[Gregory Sager]

It's official - one of our own has departed.

But they better hurry up & fix the glaring gender typo in the biography.    Otherwise, he'll really get a lot more grief.

Edit:  I spotted one more.

Now I'll be the first to admit I try to check my posts for typos & grammaticals (& not always successfully) but that's what they are, message board posts - not bios, or work reports.  Being the former/current journalist, I think he might be interested in getting them fixed.    

Brett Boese is an assistant women's basketball coach at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, a position she has held since the beginning of the 2010-11 academic year.

Man, that bald chick is one ugly broad.

[Drake Palmer]

No time for analysis right now, but the Augsburg roster is posted.

Gman- I was going to mildly question your assertion that  Bethel was a top 7 team as  I thought  Augsburg would have a better squad, but the Dawgs appear to have experienced a significant loss - no Ben Flavin, plus guard Zach Eastman, & 6-10 post reserve Jimmy Johnson are not listed.  However they did pick up a player who should make the All-MIAC FY team & name team - Parker Hines.  That's one sweet name.

More later...

Augsburg roster

[lions gate]

Cool name, but heard Clapton is not much of a jumper, cant hit the 3 either.
Saw Oles take on Conconrdia St Paul in exhibition,  Koz had 5 of his 8 freshman playing at same time for most of second session..... lost by 15 but no "deer in headlights"  look ...   1 recuit last year, 8 this year how does that happen?   

[Gacman]

Fun Fact Friday.

GAC has won at least one playoff game every year from the 02-03 season to this present season. The longest active streak in the MIAC.

[carletonsid]

No time for analysis right now, but the Augsburg roster is posted.

Gman- I was going to mildly question your assertion that  Bethel was a top 7 team as  I thought  Augsburg would have a better squad, but the Dawgs appear to have experienced a significant loss - no Ben Flavin, plus guard Zach Eastman, & 6-10 post reserve Jimmy Johnson are not listed.  However they did pick up a player who should make the All-MIAC FY team & name team - Parker Hines.  That's one sweet name.

More later...

Augsburg roster

Also sounds like Marcus Brumm is lost not only for the rest of the football season but likely for basketball season as well.

[Buddo]

However they did pick up a player who should make the All-MIAC FY team & name team - Parker Hines.  That's one sweet name.

He was the highest-ranked recruit in the conference along with SJU's Luke Januschka (sp?). Lots of MIAC schools wanted him along with some lesser D2s.

Anyone have some preseason rankings??