MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[huhoops]

Pretty hard to believe the Scots were in reach of a W against UST.  Looks like Fritz needs to go back to the drawing board if they want to have another dominant season.  9 pt win against the predicted worst team in the MIAC is just not good enough. 

16 mins. out of Hipp in the loss to the Knights??? He only had 4 fouls so I don't think it's due to foul trouble unless he got 2 early ones in the first half which is very likely.  But when they give up 16 offensive rebounds to Carleton I don't understand how he gets 16 mins and only 8 shot attempts.  Anyone care to elaborate?

Hipp was in foul trouble all night and couldn't get into a groove due to his sporadic minutes. He was really effective when his post touches were deep enough but anything outside of five feet allowed for double teams, which he didn't handle very well.

The rebounding effort was abysmal and like papahoops, I almost turned off the webcast at the half. It was discouraging to see Carleton get so many open looks from three, and although they started out ice cold, it was apparent that it would only be a matter of time.

Rieg played a nice game and showed potential to fill some scoring voids for the Pipers.

They need to have some go to sets late in games to get the ball inside. Teams will key on Hipp and Campbell late in close games and they need to put some patterns in to get those guys shots they are comfortable taking.

Congrats to AUG on the win @ SMU. Not an easy place to win, especially when your main perimeter scorer in Quammen doesn't have a great night (6pts 2 rbds 1 asst in 38 min).

Steam rolling by GAC. BU cuts it to 12 with 10 minutes left, only to let it get back up to 23

Didn't catch any of UST/MAC...Love to hear someone's thoughts who was in attendance.

[Russian Mig AK47]

Salutations dirt bags!

Margin of victory?  Worthless.  W's?  All that matters.  UST is just takin' care of business.  Very blue collar-like.

I will make a half-hearted attempt to provide my pro-UST sentiments earlier than the last couple weeks of the season, this year.  That being said, I am easily distracted.  Especially by tripple burgers and roller skates...

p.s.  Gopher's note:  Trevor Mbakwe scares me.  It's one thing to have the physique to kill anyone that looks at you sideways, and entirely another thing to have the eyes that say you definitely will.  He won't finish the season on the team.

[Gacman]

A little recap from the GAC vs. BU game.

The game was fun to watch if you were a gustie fan. Tough defense and extra passes to open players were enjoyable to watch. After James Hill got on a roll and helped extend the lead to double digits with about 8 minutes left in the half, the game was pretty much over as the Royals never got any closer than 12 the rest of the game.

GAC's defense was the real story of this game. Every drive BU had was cutoff outside the lane. BU wasn't getting any good looks at the basket the entire game. Most of the shots they took were forced as the shot clock was consistently winding down. This is another balanced GAC team that will be a tough out for anyone come playoff time.

I will say though that there is a noticeable difference when either Phil Wirtjes or Dan Schmidtknecht is in the game. Their poise and leadership are visibly noticeable.


I was a little confused as to how Westlund used Baah during the game. He was in foul trouble in the first half committing 3 fouls. He picked up his 4th foul with about 9 minutes left in the game as the Royals were closing the gap on the Gustie lead, and he was taken out. He never returned only playing 13 minutes in the game. I would have just let him keep playing until he fouled out. Especially since he torched the gusties last year, and has the capability to score in bunches. Taking him out was basically throwing the towl in at the 9 minute mark even though he never took his starters out besides him the rest of the game.

BU didn't run any type of recognizeable offense the entire game. They had no flow and you could never tell what their goal was. Also, Taylor Hall always caught the ball at the three point line. Most nights he is going to be quicker than the person guarding him, but not quick enough where he is going to get all the way to the rim without help defense stopping his drive. BU doesn't have enough shooters for him to constantly be driving and kicking the ball out. I would try posting him up every time, and then let him turn and face his opponent who will will probably be shorter and slower in most cases. His strength is his midrange game, not his 3 point shooting.

JD Robinson was invisible, and it sounds like he has been all year. Until BU can find someone else to step up besides Baah, Taylor, and Meyer, it is going to be a long season for the Royals because right now if all three of them aren't on at the same time, they don't have a real shot at winning a game against a good team.

On a side note, Bobby Johnson has practiced the last two days and is expected to return right after Christmas if not sooner. It sounded like he felt like he coluld have played, but it makes sense to ease him into game situations. He is only a sophomore eligibilty wise, and his return to the lineup will be a huge boost to the gusties.

[wabbit]

[url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/]Did anyone see a movie this summer/fall called "Inception"? It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and is about invading a person's mind and stealing their secrets. I think my mind has been invaded.    

I have no recollection whatsoever of a 2 year starting PG named Blaise Davis who was an unsung hero, & steadying influence at Carleton College during their playoff run last year.  The dude has been totally removed from my consciousness, sub consciousness, & the latest Carleton roster. I wonder if the MIAC coaches who voted for Carleton knew that Davis doesn't exist anymore. I'd have to see a lot of improvement out of the other guards to rate them as high as 2nd place without an experienced PG.

DP, you need to drop down to level five to find Blaise Davis. There you will find him studying hard at Carleton. Turns out he had just had enough basketball and wants to focus on what is next in life. I guess the top stopped spinning.  A colleague of mine had a son who was a track stud and had a scholarship to run. Senior year of high school he told his dad, I'm done. Never ran again. It happens. I'm going to miss Mr. Cool skipping down the court and the in-transition threes.
The other guards are surely different types. Swatzke and Silbert (SP) are more frenetic/high octane but I worry when they have to face the Tommy dogs. We'll see.

[Drake Palmer]

[url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/]Did anyone see a movie this summer/fall called “Inception”? It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and is about invading a person’s mind and stealing their secrets. I think my mind has been invaded.   

I have no recollection whatsoever of a 2 year starting PG named Blaise Davis who was an unsung hero, & steadying influence at Carleton College during their playoff run last year.  The dude has been totally removed from my consciousness, sub consciousness, & the latest Carleton roster. I wonder if the MIAC coaches who voted for Carleton knew that Davis doesn’t exist anymore. I’d have to see a lot of improvement out of the other guards to rate them as high as 2nd place without an experienced PG.

DP, you need to drop down to level five to find Blaise Davis. There you will find him studying hard at Carleton. Turns out he had just had enough basketball and wants to focus on what is next in life. I guess the top stopped spinning.  A colleague of mine had a son who was a track stud and had a scholarship to run. Senior year of high school he told his dad, I’m done. Never ran again. It happens. I’m going to miss Mr. Cool skipping down the court and the in-transition threes.
The other guards are surely different types. Swatzke and Silbert (SP) are more frenetic/high octane but I worry when they have to face the Tommy dogs. We’ll see.

Finally someone from Carleton answers.   Thanks Wabbit.

Davis will be missed. His coolness under pressure & the transition three were fun to watch.  If Sawatzke can learn to pace himself he might be an adequate replacement. But it seemed a lot of times when I saw him play last year I thought someone must have yelled "Fire" in his ear, because he was flying up the court.

[papahoops]

I am glad Wabbit finally solved the Blaise Davis mystery. Although it doesn't surprise me when marginal D1 players get burned out due to the heavy time demands made by D1 athletics, I never understand D3 players dropping out of the game, particularly when they are good enough to make a significant contribution to a team. The D3 time commitment for D3 athletics is relatively low, and it gives students a nice physical break from academics.  Grad schools and employers also recognize that athletes need to develop excellent organizational skills to participate in athletics at a high caliber institution like Carleton.
I certainly wish Davis the best, but he would have been a nice additional piece to the Knight squad this year, and wonder if he will regret the decision like another player from Bethel did a few years ago.

Other notes: Nice summary Gacman. If Johnson is indeed healthy, that will make a big difference for your squad. I have not seen him play this year, but I don't even remember James Hill from last year and his numbers look very good. Did he improve that much or was he just not given opportunities last year??

Final Note: Congratulations to all the undefeated pickum board participants, which unfortunately does not include Drake Palmer or Miacmaniac. You already have a lot of people to climb over guys

[Gacman]

I have not seen him play this year, but I don't even remember James Hill from last year and his numbers look very good. Did he improve that much or was he just not given opportunities last year??

He had the offensive skills last year, but his defense was a little lacking compared to those who played ahead of him. Last year GAC had plenty of depth at the 4 & 5 with Paulson & McParltand starting and Blacklock & Crowder coming off the bench. He has definitely improved his defensive this year though. Add in a year of experience of getting used to GAC's system and adjusting to the speed of the college game, and it doesn't surprise me that he is putting up these type of numbers.

[Drake Palmer]

Pops - Rome wasn't built in one day, and the league pickem champ wasn't declared in one night.  Heck, half of these contestants will be lucky to remember their picks after the first of the year. We've gotta lot more votes to count, a governor to elect, and a winner to be declared before you count DP Associates out of the running.  So I'm glad you offered your shoulders & back as a stepping stone to the top.

 

By the way, I notice you didn't share any of your comments & insights with us regarding the UST offensive machine. Apparently the Tommies needed a former HS QB to lead them to victory. 

[papahoops]

I did not see any of the MAC/UST game since UST, despite great facilities, can't seem to offer a video webcast
Did notice Nicolai and Archer had woeful shooting nights for the Tommies (2-14 combined). Perhaps the MAC chemistry department came up with a potion to slip into their pre-game drinks to drag down their performance
MAC obviously gave a good effort. I suspect Mose's blod pressure was raised a bit with that close of a contest with MAC (AT THE SHOE)

[Buddo]

Anyone else watch AUG/SMU on live stream?

First half ended with SMU up by six. Nice half by WW led the Cards in scoring. Andy GG and Quammen were COLD in the first half... GG went 1-7, mostly from close to the hoop.

Auggie had a 12-0 run in the second half, and SMU never recovered. Polta started clicking down low and ended with 12 pts. Sorenson had the dagger with 7 straight points - one being an and-one tip-in and the other being a rare four-point play... 3-pointer and the foul shot.

SMU was dangerous but could not put together two complete halves. They will still be a threat in the MIAC, they just need to work some kinks out. Auggie looked decent without Cassens... Hines showed poise and a calm nature with the ball.

Leading scorers

AUG

Sorenson 18
Polta 12
GG 9, 10 reb
Humphrey 9

SMU

Wright 18
Holland 10
Freeman 10
Palmer 10, 12 reb

[huhoops]

With my boys off this weekend, it looks like Saturday afternoon will be a game time decision for where I will get my MIAC fix  

UST v. BU won't offer much entertainment. It's quite possible that BU's football team will score more points against UST than the basketball team on Saturday

The other four games will be very interesting match ups, all for different reasons. AUG and STO look to defend their undefeated starts against the preseason #2 and #3 teams in the MIAC. Although it's early, those games will be a barometer for how "for real" each program is. With CAR being a little banged up (Jonker), I think they have the better chance of an upset.

Although CON had a deflating loss to UM-Morris to start the season, the Cobbers are on a 3-0 tear since, with a crushing 27 point win over Central College (IA) and a quality win over NSIC doormat (but improved doormat  ), MSU-Moorhead. GAC just lost to that same MSU Moorhead team this past Sunday, and have a loss to a much improved UW-Superior team. GAC is an extremely difficult place to play, especially coming from Moorhead. I give the edge to GAC, coming off the BU dismantling and this being CON's first MIAC matchup.

SMU v. MAC will be a great indicator of where MAC is at as a team. Obviously, on Wednesday, they caught UST off guard and gave them a great go at it. I'm not huge on "moral victories" but if I'm MAC, I'm feeling pretty good about the effort put forth in that game. It's doubtful that SMU takes the Scots lightly, but coming off a loss to AUG, SMU needs to beat a team like MAC in order to keep their early season optimism in tact.

STO v. SJU offers two of the hottest teams in the MIAC right now. As Drake has already stated, SJU went through a rigorous schedule in the non-conference (SCSU, @ UWSP, @ Aurora, @ U Chicago, @ Martin Luther) with flying colors, coming out 4-1 when all is said and done. STO, on the other hand, played a less than impressive non-conference schedule (@ Bethany Lutheran, Luther, Martin Luther, neutral site vs. Loras and McPherson (NAIA D2)), but did come out undefeated @ 5-0, nonetheless. Depth is somewhat of an issue for each squad, but on the same token, both have a legit top 5-6 (4-5 for STO).

Should be a fun weekend of MIAC hoops  

[miacsuperfan]

some rather intriguing match-ups tomorrow; in fact all games except for the ust-bu (basketball) bout could be more than a little bit interesting.   it will be fun to see if macalaster's effort on wednesday was a mere blip on the screen, and if the oles can win a few games before coach O.C. kosmoski finds a way to screw 'em up.     tick. . tick. . tick. . tick. . . .     

haven't seen any picks on this board, but i'm going with bu over ust tomorrow on the gridiron.  i don't envy the tommies having to try to beat the royals twice in one season.

[papahoops]

Based on the pickum selections made by board "experts" on the pickum board , it seems the Auggie/Carleton matchup is the "tossup" game of the day. I would have added Ole/SJU game to that category, but I think home court gives the Johnnies a definite edge. MAC certainly has an upset shot as well, but this is a critical game for SMU after losing to Auggies at home, so I don't see the SMU letdown needed for the Scots to pull off a win today. Although I didn't pick them, I hope I am wrong and would love for MAC to finally snap their long conference losing streak, as I feel for the players that have had to endure it.

[papahoops]

Pops' Breakout game of the day awards go to Stu Neville 28 point perfomance leading the Oles to a win over SJU in hostile Collegeville and Caleb Rosenow's 21 point explosion leading the Knights to a victory over the Auggies.

Coach Koz looks like he may really have something this year. I'm pulling for him to have a good year, and he certainly is off to an excellent start with his Ole squad. I should have gone with my hunch and picked them on the pickum board

[Gacman]

Some interesting scores last night. St. Olaf might actually be for real this year. SJU continues to underachieve in conference play.

GAC gets a nice win against a good CON team that had won 3 in a row coming in. It nice to see that GAC can beat a good team when its top two scorers go a combined 2-12 from the field. Just like the BU game, it looks like GAC's success will hinge on its defense. Holding CON to 30% was definitely nice to see.

I think the three major story lines I'm going to be looking at going forward are:

Is St. Olaf for real?

Who is MAC going to be beat because it's going to happen.

Who is going to challenge UST and end their 5 year reign.