MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

Gusties win 90-68 over Bethany tonight. No stats up yet.

Bethany had the boxscore http://www.blcvikings.com/custompages/Men%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/BLCMBK10/mn27gabl.htm

Augsburg & St. Olaf run their early season winning streak to 4 games each.  The Dawgs beat tourney host Nebraska Wesleyan 60-59 behind the clutch play of Matthew Quammen – 16 pts. He scored 5 points in the last minute on a trey, & the game winning short jumper off the glass.

Oles beat IIAC preseason favorite, Loras College 79-65 behind 19 pts from St Neville & 17 pts & 7 rebs from Tucker Sheley.    

[Buddo]

Is this the year that Sam Blank emerges as a top scorer in the conference?

[MiacMadness]

Depends on what you consider a top scorer I guess.  I don't see him in the top 10 because he won't get to the free throw line enough.

[huhoops]

HU up 39-38 @ the half. Should be up at least 10 right now as BV is shooting 38% and has 11 turnovers but we are keeping them in it by giving up 13 offensive boards and shooting way too many threes (3/13). Campbell with a pretty efficient first half outside of some turnovers late. This is all off of live stats, so I'm not sure if they are zoning us or what the reason for the threes is.

U Chicago up one point 40-39 on the Johnnies. Andy Burns with a nice first half (12 points on 4 threes and 4 dimes to boot).

[ChairmanYao]

Pipers win 87-80. Mr. Mike Cambell with 24 off of 8-11 shooting. Tyler Pannell apparently likes all the attention he has been getting here on the boards and responds with 12 points (4-6 from three). Doesn't look like Buena Vista plays much defense as they have given up 100+ multiple times this season. Seems like it would be a good match up for the Pipers.

[Drake Palmer]

Pipers win 87-80. Mr. Mike Cambell with 24 off of 8-11 shooting. Tyler Pannell apparently likes all the attention he has been getting here on the boards and responds with 12 points (4-6 from three). Doesn't look like Buena Vista plays much defense as they have given up 100+ multiple times this season. Seems like it would be a good match up for the Pipers.

*Good job by the Blazer – Tyler Pannell. How can a team outrebound a team by edit: near 2-1 margin, & turn the ball over 23 times? Buena Vista did.

*Boy, another down year in the IIAC?  The MIAC goes 7-1 against the IIAC this season. Last season the MIAC was 6-2 against our neighbors from the south.

*Johnnies won a track meet against University of Chicago 90-87.  JR PG Andy Burns scored a career high 35 pts, "including eight three pointers, as the Johnnies earned a 90-87 road win at the University of Chicago Sunday, Nov. 28.

Burns was 11 of 18 from the field, including 8-for-11 from behind the arc, and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. He also added eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and did not commit a turnover."

*St. Olaf concludes the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 5-0 record. The first time they've started a season 5-0 since 1995.

*Augsburg finishes their non-conference schedule with a 4-0 mark. "Augsburg is off to its second straight 4-0 start to the season, marking the first time that the Auggies have started consecutive seasons at least 4-0 since the 1979-80 (20-0 start) and 1980-81 (5-0 start) campaigns."  

This is pretty good record considering they have such a young bench & very limited help for their post players – Andy GG & Cory Polta.  

*Gusties lost at MSU-Moorhead 68-57.

*Once all the teams complete their non-conference schedule at the end of December, I'll post a league summary like I did last year.

[Drake Palmer]

Conference play begins on Wednesday night.  Based on what I've seen, read & watched, this could really be a topsy-turvy year in the MIAC.  Other than say Bethel & Macalester, every other team can claim they have a shot at the playoffs. Even Bethel might be thinking they can turn things around.  I realize MAC is 0-3, but if the coaches can keep their spirits up, they could be a dangerous spoiler.

Who all is in for conference pick-ems?

AO – are you going to do pickems for us this year? 

[TearDrop]

Conference play begins on Wednesday night.  Based on what I've seen, read & watched, this could really be a topsy-turvy year in the MIAC.  Other than say Bethel & Macalester, every other team can claim they have a shot at the playoffs. Even Bethel might be thinking they can turn things around.  I realize MAC is 0-3, but if the coaches can keep their spirits up, they could be a dangerous spoiler.

Who all is in for conference pick-ems?

You can count me in for pick'em. Sorry I can not run it this year. I just dont have the time.

[huhoops]

DP and TD, I'm in for pick em's. I'd be willing to run it as well. A couple questions for consideration: 1) do we want to do a confidence ranking for picks (1,2,3,4,5)? 2) are we limiting it to conference play, or do we want to include the remainder of the non-conference schedule?

Feel free to add any other contributions that I may miss. I will post tomorrow night's first round of games over on the pick-em board right after this post.

[Drake Palmer]

DP and TD, I'm in for pick em's. I'd be willing to run it as well. A couple questions for consideration: 1) do we want to do a confidence ranking for picks (1,2,3,4,5)? 2) are we limiting it to conference play, or do we want to include the remainder of the non-conference schedule?

Feel free to add any other contributions that I may miss. I will post tomorrow night's first round of games over on the pick-em board right after this post.

Phew! Good ups Hoops man, +K.    Obviously, you can count me in.  Due to the low responses thus far, I'd suggest limiting the pickems to conference games only. We can add some other contests you,or anyone else might have throughout the season.  The confidence rating game is fun too, so glad you've decided to run that as well.

Moes, Pops, AO, Supe, everyone sign up for Pickems.

[huhoops]

DP and TD, I'm in for pick em's. I'd be willing to run it as well. A couple questions for consideration: 1) do we want to do a confidence ranking for picks (1,2,3,4,5)? 2) are we limiting it to conference play, or do we want to include the remainder of the non-conference schedule?

Feel free to add any other contributions that I may miss. I will post tomorrow night's first round of games over on the pick-em board right after this post.

Phew! Good ups Hoops man, +K.    Obviously, you can count me in.  Due to the low responses thus far, I'd suggest limiting the pickems to conference games only. We can add some other contests you,or anyone else might have throughout the season.  The confidence rating game is fun too, so glad you've decided to run that as well.

Moes, Pops, AO, Supe, everyone sign up for Pickems.

What I will do with the non conference games is treat them like they are treated for MIAC teams. It will go on your overall record, but ultimately, what will matter will be the conference games. I will just post each contestant's overall record along with the conference record and confidence totals.

Some great games tomorrow night, I'll try to write my take on a couple later on   

[papahoops]

I have answered DP's call to arms and entered picks on the pickum board. The challenge of taking on Drake was too much to resist

I continue to be intrigued by the St. Olaf's non-conference success. Could this finally be the year they jump from playoff pretender to contender? We all know the "usual suspects" will be in the picture come playoff time, but I am looking forward to a real battle for the lower seeded playoff spots. I agree with DP that Bethel and MAC are the only teams I view as "playoff challenged" at this point.

[TheSuperfan]

Hey everyone. I'm new to the board and hope I don't catch too much grief. I realize I will have some coming my way. Hopefully you guys will also let me on the pick em's.

Unlike "Mr. Pannell", I will come right out and acknowledge that I am a Piper. I know new pipers have not been received well recently, but hope I can leave with some dignity in place.

I have enjoyed reading this board for awhile now and am finally ready to jump in.

[Drake Palmer]

Hey everyone. I'm new to the board and hope I don't catch too much grief. I realize I will have some coming my way. Hopefully you guys will also let me on the pick em's.

Unlike "Mr. Pannell", I will come right out and acknowledge that I am a Piper. I know new pipers have not been received well recently, but hope I can leave with some dignity in place.

I have enjoyed reading this board for awhile now and am finally ready to jump in.

Umm, it's not so much if you're a Piper, Tommie, Ole or Gustie etc.  If you're an active player, coaches typically frown upon or discourage their players from posting. If you do post, as some former players have done in the past – be cool about it & don't let your teammates or coaches know.  If you're a family member or friend, be tactful about touting the merits of your homeboy.  Some of us have been posting for so long we forgot why we started.  Otherwise, have fun & go for it.

[Drake Palmer]

I realize that the league schedules are made a year or so in advance, but all of the real compelling matchups seem to be out of town on Wednesday night:  Augsburg @ SMU, Hamline @ Carleton.

Gusties @ Bethel, & MAC @ UST are interesting simply because the season is young, & we're trying to get a handle on how competitive all of the teams might, or might not be.  So do I save my shekels & do Live Video & Stats around the conference, or watch a game live?  Plus, with Stevens Point playing at Stout in the WIAC, & the game being showed on Live Video, I'm leaning toward computer command central.
***
Pops, we won't have to wait long to get your answer regarding the credibility of St. Olaf.  The Oles & Johnnies square off in their conference opener for both teams on Saturday at C-Ville.

After the expected loss against UW-Stevens Point, the Johnnies have been excellent road warriors.  I'm not sure how tough their competition was against Aurora, & U of Chicago, but out of state road wins are not to be poo-poohed.  When I looked at their non conference schedule, at best I thought the Jays would be 2-2, probably 1-3, but definitely not 3-1.  I'm looking forward to seeing them play in person.