MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

GAC is 0-2 against both SJU and BU; BU and SJU split their head to head meeting. Against the 4 teams above them (UST, CORD, AUG and CAR), SJU is 1-7 with alone win over Car. BU is 2-6 with wins over CORD and CAR.

GAC is 3-3 with 2 games left. For GAC to be involved in a tie, they must split or lose both of their remaining games; if they win both they are in and get the 4 seed as they would be tied with CAR (or ahead of the Knights should CC lose to Ham) and would be 2-0 vs Car. If GAC splits finishing 11-9, they could be tied by SJU or BU or both. In any event of a tie with BU SJU or a three way tie with them, GAC is out of playoffs as they are 0-2 vs both SJU and BU.
BOTTOM LINE- GAC's best hope is to win out. BU has games with HAM & MAC left and should win both easily. SJU should beat SMU and has a good shot at beaating Olaf.

BU is the driver's seat in my opinion. They are nearly a lock to finish 11-9, and hold tiebreaker #1 against GAC and #2 over SJU.
BOTTOM LINE- BU can be penciled in at the #5 seed, barring a horrendous collapse.

SJU can slip in with a split, assuming BU wins out and GAC loses twice. They hold tiebreaker #1 vs GAC. They lose any tie to BU on head to head outcome. IF GAC wins twice SJU is out no matter how they do and the best they can hope for then is a tie with BU for 6th, and and lose the head to head tiebreaker to the Royals.
BOTOM LINE- SJU must post one more win than GAC or hosting HS playoff games will be the only activity in Sexton after this week. .

[Drake Palmer]

GAC is 0-2 against both SJU and BU; BU and SJU split their head to head meeting. Against the 4 teams above them (UST, CORD, AUG and CAR), SJU is 1-7 with alone win over Car. BU is 2-6 with wins over CORD and CAR.

GAC is 3-3 with 2 games left. For GAC to be involved in a tie, they must split or lose both of their remaining games; if they win both they are in and get the 4 seed as they would be tied with CAR (or ahead of the Knights should CC lose to Ham) and would be 2-0 vs Car. If GAC splits finishing 11-9, they could be tied by SJU or BU or both. In any event of a tie with BU SJU or a three way tie with them, GAC is out of playoffs as they are 0-2 vs both SJU and BU.
BOTTOM LINE- GAC's best hope is to win out. BU has games with HAM & MAC left and should win both easily. SJU should beat SMU and has a good shot at beaating Olaf.

BU is the driver's seat in my opinion. They are nearly a lock to finish 11-9, and hold tiebreaker #1 against GAC and #2 over SJU.
BOTTOM LINE- BU can be penciled in at the #5 seed, barring a horrendous collapse.

SJU can slip in with a split, assuming BU wins out and GAC loses twice. They hold tiebreaker #1 vs GAC. They lose any tie to BU on head to head outcome. IF GAC wins twice SJU is out no matter how they do and the best they can hope for then is a tie with BU for 6th, and and lose the head to head tiebreaker to the Royals.
BOTOM LINE- SJU must post one more win than GAC or hosting HS playoff games will be the only activity in Sexton after this week. .

Good job Mose, AO +k. 

I'm thinking the Gusties figure out a way to get into the playoffs.

[AO]

GAC is 0-2 against both SJU and BU; BU and SJU split their head to head meeting. Against the 4 teams above them (UST, CORD, AUG and CAR), SJU is 1-7 with alone win over Car. BU is 2-6 with wins over CORD and CAR.

GAC is 3-3 with 2 games left. For GAC to be involved in a tie, they must split or lose both of their remaining games; if they win both they are in and get the 4 seed as they would be tied with CAR (or ahead of the Knights should CC lose to Ham) and would be 2-0 vs Car. If GAC splits finishing 11-9, they could be tied by SJU or BU or both. In any event of a tie with BU SJU or a three way tie with them, GAC is out of playoffs as they are 0-2 vs both SJU and BU.
BOTTOM LINE- GAC's best hope is to win out. BU has games with HAM & MAC left and should win both easily. SJU should beat SMU and has a good shot at beaating Olaf.

BU is the driver's seat in my opinion. They are nearly a lock to finish 11-9, and hold tiebreaker #1 against GAC and #2 over SJU.
BOTTOM LINE- BU can be penciled in at the #5 seed, barring a horrendous collapse.

SJU can slip in with a split, assuming BU wins out and GAC loses twice. They hold tiebreaker #1 vs GAC. They lose any tie to BU on head to head outcome. IF GAC wins twice SJU is out no matter how they do and the best they can hope for then is a tie with BU for 6th, and and lose the head to head tiebreaker to the Royals.
BOTOM LINE- SJU must post one more win than GAC or hosting HS playoff games will be the only activity in Sexton after this week. .

Good job Mose, AO +k. 

I'm thinking the Gusties figure out a way to get into the playoffs.

Keep in mind that even if Gustavus beats Carleton Wednesday they need a win up at Concordia or a Hamline win over Carleton, as I think we all can agree that Bethel and St. John's should be heavily favored to win their last 2 as Olaf will no longer have anything to play for up in Collegeville.

[gacbacker]

I think assuming Bethel and St. John's will win out is giving two mediocre teams wayyyyyy too much credit. I think it's entirely possible for Bethel to lose to Hamline or for St. John's to lose to St. Olaf, regardless of what's on the line for the Oles.

Looking forward to Wednesday's game in Northfield between the Knights and Gusties.

[Drake Palmer]

I think assuming Bethel and St. John's will win out is giving two mediocre teams wayyyyyy too much credit. I think it's entirely possible for Bethel to lose to Hamline or for St. John's to lose to St. Olaf, regardless of what's on the line for the Oles.

Looking forward to Wednesday's game in Northfield between the Knights and Gusties.

Is it safe to assume that if you regard Bethel and St. John's as "two mediocre teams," that you include your own Gusties in the same mildly pejorative category? 

Although if truth be told, I'm leaning slightly toward your opinion than that of AO's.  Slightly. I also think that if SMU's soph PG Evan Peterson is back in action, & healthy, SMU will not be an easy out.   STO should be dangerous as well.
 

[carletonsid]

I think assuming Bethel and St. John's will win out is giving two mediocre teams wayyyyyy too much credit. I think it's entirely possible for Bethel to lose to Hamline or for St. John's to lose to St. Olaf, regardless of what's on the line for the Oles.

Looking forward to Wednesday's game in Northfield between the Knights and Gusties.

You know what they say when you assume something, you make both of us look bad!

Nothing a given at this point. If the Knights lost out and ended in a four-way tie with SJU, BU and GAC, the Knights would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs. However, Knights clinch a spot with a win over GAC or HU OR a loss by either SJU or BU. If the Knights win out they clinch either 3rd or 4th seed and a first-round home game. Distinct chance that Knights-Gusties is a first-round matchup.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

I think assuming Bethel and St. John's will win out is giving two mediocre teams wayyyyyy too much credit. I think it's entirely possible for Bethel to lose to Hamline or for St. John's to lose to St. Olaf, regardless of what's on the line for the Oles.

Looking forward to Wednesday's game in Northfield between the Knights and Gusties.

You know what they say when you assume something, you make both of us look bad!

Nothing a given at this point. If the Knights lost out and ended in a four-way tie with SJU, BU and GAC, the Knights would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs. However, Knights clinch a spot with a win over GAC or HU OR a loss by either SJU or BU. If the Knights win out they clinch either 3rd or 4th seed and a first-round home game. Distinct chance that Knights-Gusties is a first-round matchup.

Agreed that nothing is automatic at this point, but SMU is 1-46 in games at SJU in the Jim Smith era and hasn't won in Collegeville since 1968-- i think that's as close to an automatic win as it gets outside of a game involving Mac.

At this point, Im tentatively plannig to be in West Gym next Weds for the Carleton-Bethel barnburner in the opening round. In the other opening round game, I see Augsburg hosting SJU (6th seed via tiebreakers over GAC) in a rematch of last year's epic battle, only without Daddy Burns' outlandish postgame conduct.

On a non-basketball and rather morbid note, in yesterday's mail I received an offer to purchase a cemetery plot from the St. John's Abbey. I doubt they'd accept my planned purple tombstone with numerous  UST logos on it!

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Belated comments on the UST/SJU game...first off, the crowd was impressive. I'd guess the student section for SJU was packed with 1500 or so loud and rowdy students (well loud till about 3 minutes into the game). Nearly every one was wearing a red t-shirt until the final starter (Neumann) was introduced. Neumann roared facing the student section, ripped off his red warm-up top and simultaneously the entire student section ripped off their red tees revealing white SJU tees and waved the red shirts like Homer Hankies until the Tommie players took control of the game and muted the crowd with an awesome display of basketball.

Kudos to SJU on the remodeling job done to Sexton--- it looks and feels like a basketball arena again. Nice job on the seating, lighting and increasing the space in the walkway behind the benches and scoring table. The banners saluting the 5 Johnnies who have been named MIAC Player of the Year make a very nice touch.

Coupled with their newly minted baseball stadium/soccer complex, SJU appears to be stepping it up big time in the facilities "war" that AD Stock declared after UST opened Anderson Athletic. 

Funny thing...when Anderson opened, SJU alum/backers were ripping UST for its "opulence"...now, somewhat hypocritically, they are erecting even more plush venues and accommodations! I can't wait to take in a baseball game up there this year though...the stadium looks magnificent!!!

[Retired Old Rat]

We need to raise a little more money before we can install the cherry wood lockers with built in air conditioning.  And we have no plans for a veranda. 

[Drake Palmer]

NCAA Week 2 Regional Rankings are out.  Obviously UST is at the top, but Augsburg and now Concordia is in the mix.

West
1 St. Thomas 23-1 23-1
2 UW-Stevens Point 19-4 19-4
3 UW-Whitewater 18-4 19-4
4 Whitworth 19-3 20-3
5 Buena Vista 16-6 17-6
6 UW-Stout 17-5 18-5
7 Concordia-Moorhead 17-6 17-7
8 Whitman 13-6 16-7
9 Augsburg 17-6 17-6

Week 2 Regional Rankings

[gacbacker]

Gusties pull out a tight one in Northfield tonight thanks in part to some horrible free throw shooting down the stretch by the Knights. Now if the Gusties can win in Moorhead on Saturday they will host a first-round game as the No. 4 seed.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Heading into the final day of play, we have a few known facts:

1) UST has clinched the MIAC championship

2) Regardless of outcomes on Saturday, UST has clinched the top seed, Concordia has locked up second and Augsburg has wrapped up third place.

3) With a win on Saturday, Gustavus, Carleton and Bethel can each clinch playoff spots.

4) A GAC win secures them fourth place.

5) SJU must win Saturday AND have Gustavus lose, forcing a tie with GAC for 6th place.SJU has the #1 tiebreaker over GAC.

6) If SJU wins AND Bethel loses, the Johnnies are in and Bethel is out on tie-breaker #2

7) If GAC, Carleton and Bethel all win (regardless of what SJU does), the Gusties will host Carleton while Bethel plays at Augsburg.

It should be a wild, wooly day.... best of luck to all!!

[gacbacker]

And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if all four teams finish tied at 11-9, with Carleton and Gustavus losing on Saturday and Bethel and St. John's winning...the Gusties are the team on the outside looking in.

[AO]

And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if all four teams finish tied at 11-9, with Carleton and Gustavus losing on Saturday and Bethel and St. John's winning...the Gusties are the team on the outside looking in.

Gustavus just swept the season series with Carleton, Gustavus would keep their playoff streak alive with a Carleton loss.

[gacbacker]

Yeah, but you have to take their record against all teams they are tied with. Gustavus would be 2-4 against the three other teams, and Carleton would be 2-4 against the three other teams. So they would go to tiebreaker #2 which is combined results against teams above those tied - so St. Thomas, Concordia and Augsburg. Carleton is 3-3 against those teams and Gustavus would be 2-4.

So that's why I'm saying if Bethel, St. John's, Gustavus and Carleton all finished tied at 11-9, Gustavus would be out.