MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Smitty Oom]

Well, it took them awhile to figure it out, but BU eventually was able to close out Carleton, and move on to a date with the Oles on Friday.  I was a little concerned for the Royals, as Carleton is not a bad team, and knocking them off 3 times in one season wasn't going to be easy.

Hopefully Bethel can give St. Olaf a good challenge on Friday.

Congrats to Kevin Grow on a great career.  He has had quite the evolution - I recall him getting pushed around as a skinny and not very strong freshman, but he got stronger and improved his game every year.  Unfortunately, Carleton didn't really ever have a great cast around him.

Interested to see if Augsburg can find a way to get after SJU - given two (relatively) sound defeats of 10 and 12 points in the regular season.

I watched most of the UST-Auggie game, but then tuned into the last minutes of BU vs. CC. I don't know if I saw the Knights get a decent look in the closing minutes. This has been an achilles heel for Carleton for a while now, but they don't have solid guards to close out the game to go along with their stud posts. To your point on Grow, he hauled in his 1000th rebound during the game, making him only the 8th MIAC player to ever have 1000 points and 1000 rebounds, quite the accomplishment!

I wasn't watching at the time but the announcers said Bridge got hurt during the game, how bad was it? I know he isn't having a great year (he did have a double double yesterday 11-11), but BU isn't too deep and it would be really nice for the Royals to have him come off the bench to try and take down the Oles.

Auggie was in control the whole way against UST. We have grown accustomed to the Tommies being a deeper and more athletic team over the years, but it was Augsburg who had playmakers step up and make some big plays last night and all year in fact. Coplin, Sonie and McKiernan all had big plays down the stretch to go along with Olmsheid.

Boll wrapped up his career on a couple tough games but he had a great career and a national championship his sophomore year, not too shabby. The Tommies showcased some young talent last night, as always they will reload and I dont expect them to stay in the middle pack of the MIAC for long.

[bball1122]

Thought Bethel was done for, but they battled down the stretch and won a hard fought game.  Carleton has the same issues they've had all year - will be interesting to see what they bring in next year with the loss of Grow.

From my understanding, Bridge has been playing with a broken foot for awhile now.  Not sure if he aggravated the injury or it was something else, but it's been pretty clear that he's not 100%.

Augsburg is really clicking right now - I think they have a decent shot to knock of the Johnnies.  Would love to see them make a run and win the tournament and then hopefully we get 3 MIAC teams in (league historians, how many times has that happened?).

Finally, UST lost to the more talented team.  Boll is great, but probably would have been better suited being a second option than a go to guy.  Love Hedstrom, but other than he and Boll, the Tommies just aren't that physically tough. Some of that is because of youth, but they seem to be lacking the gritty, make it happen player that they've had in the past (Shaeffer, Reideman, etc.).    Lots of young talent, but they look more like a good D3 team than a D2 team, which hasn't been true for a long time.  (I'm sure they'll go 33-0 next year and miacmaniac will shove this post in my face.) 

[Drake Palmer]

Through the miracles of modern technology, I was able to watch most of the UST- Augsburg game, and the second half of the Bethel -Carleton game last night.

As I told several longtime followers of the MIAC yesterday, this is one of the first UST teams I've seen in quite awhile that wasn't superior athletically, and also the quickest team on the court.  Although Augsburg's Harry Sonie & Kevin McKiernan were smaller than the UST guards, they were half a step quicker than the UST wings all night, and in the three games Augsburg & UST played this season.  One of the best individual D3 moves I saw this year was when Harry Sonie broke someone's ankles on the way to the basket, and then dropped off a sweet no look pass to Chany Pal who capped it off with a sweet reverse layup.

As Bball1122 stated, I can't see the Tommies staying at this level too long. One of the keys to their sustained run on top of the MIAC was their successful recruitment of top D3 talent, along with D1 and D2 type talent over the past 13+ years.  Isaac Rosefelt, Mike Keating, Sean Sweeney, Joe Scott,  Taylor Montero, Grant Shaffer, etc.  Another couple of big time recruits and they'll be back in top.  There's a great senior PG on the Cretin HS team, Ryan Larson, who would look great in Tommie colors, or any other MIAC school if he can be convinced to go D3 route. He's the engine that drives that Cretin team.

***

Augsburg has a big task ahead of them, but if they can play inspired hoops, keep Booker Coplin out of foul trouble, the Dawgs have a shot in a one game winner take all event.  But the Jays have plenty of firepower.

***

Bridge Tusler was injured after making a terrific pass to Granger Kingland for a trey late in the second half.  Tusler drove through the lane, jumped stopped, passed the ball, and his momentum carried him into the protective padding on the wall behind the basket where he made an awkward landing. It will be tough going for the Royals against the Oles if Tusler can't play. He's not scoring a ton right now, but he's a heady floor general.

I like this Ole team.

***
Props to Kevin Grow for a magnificent career. Tip of the cap also to Coach Kalland who year in and year out does more with his talent than any other coach in the league.  At the beginning of the year the Carleton guards were turning the ball over like crazy, but in last night's tough loss, they only had 8 TOs. 

[GoldandBlueBU]

Tusler looks to be an ankle or knee...fast forward to the 58 second mark.

https://youtu.be/YFSrrWsUtJk

[Smitty Oom]

Thought Bethel was done for, but they battled down the stretch and won a hard fought game.  Carleton has the same issues they've had all year - will be interesting to see what they bring in next year with the loss of Grow.

https://twitter.com/carlston4/status/963087990712098816

https://twitter.com/kiemsports/status/962145496650280965

2 big gets for Coach Kalland, both should see some minutes right away.

[D O.C.]

St. Johns has a basketball team? 
Watch it!  I know what my Karma is.

[Retired Old Rat]

St. Johns has a basketball team? 
Watch it!  I know what my Karma is.

Yes, and just like the football team they are undefeated against Linfield.

[D O.C.]

[faunch]

Johnnies playing horribly...but did the MIAC send an officiating crew to Collegeville w/ instructions to screw the home team? Seriously....f_ck!!!!

[faunch]

this is why a D3 conference tournament sucks...Johnnies and Oles both deserve to go to NCAA...maybe one will. Why not cancel the entire season and just have a playoff?

[OldAuggie]

Nice job Augsburg!! Good crowd for the game, probably a lot of long faces?

[Smitty Oom]

Johnnies playing horribly...but did the MIAC send an officiating crew to Collegeville w/ instructions to screw the home team? Seriously....f_ck!!!!

The crazy thing about it is that they are far more unbiased than you are and are trained to ref basketball games. I didn't watch today but Im sure they tried their best and did just fine.

this is why a D3 conference tournament sucks...Johnnies and Oles both deserve to go to NCAA...maybe one will. Why not cancel the entire season and just have a playoff?

I think you will be dying alone on this hill. I assume you don't listen to Dave's Hoopsvilel but Grey Giovainne of Augustana (A true blue blood in D3 hoops) is one of the best coaches in the nation and he was on the last episode going on about how great it is that the CCIW changed to having the post season playoffs. The playoff tournament is great as it gives everyone something to play for down the stretch, even the 6 seeds who are competing for a chance to extend their season. It also rewards teams for playing their best basketball at the end of the season. If a team goes 20-0 to start the year and then losses 3 or 4 of their last 5 and limps into the postseason would that team really be the best to represent our conference in the NCAA tournament? It is also a really good tune up for playoff basketball should a team make it to the NCAA tournament.

Lastly, the Johnnies have nothing to worry about and will still probably host the first weekend, depending what happens elsewhere, specifically in the Whitman-Whitworth game. Olaf is still about a 97% chance at getting into the tourney even with the loss.

http://www.fantastic50.net/d3h_men.html
(this is a math professor from Woosters site, and he is able to run teams primary criteria numbers and see their At Large berth percentage based on teams that received Pool C bids in years past)

I assume Bethel will get into the regional ranks this week which extremely helps all of the MIAC teams resumes. In fact, Augsburg even has a chance to get an at large as well should they fall to BU on Sunday and how other things fall in the different conference tournaments, but they would be very much on the bubble. So, it may not be likely but we might get 4 MIAC teams into the NCAA tourney.... now that would be AWESOME!!! (And none of them are UST  )

[Smitty Oom]

Nice job Augsburg!! Good crowd for the game, probably a lot of long faces?

I will also add congrats to the Auggies and Royals. BU hosting the MIAC championship two years in a row, pretty impressive feat! Wish I would have been able to watch the games today.

[Pat Coleman]

Johnnies playing horribly...but did the MIAC send an officiating crew to Collegeville w/ instructions to screw the home team? Seriously....f_ck!!!!

Even VOJ didn't think the Johnnies got screwed so I'm kinda surprised that others did. Sometimes a team just gets outplayed.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Johnnies playing horribly...but did the MIAC send an officiating crew to Collegeville w/ instructions to screw the home team? Seriously....f_ck!!!!

Even VOJ didn't think the Johnnies got screwed so I'm kinda surprised that others did. Sometimes a team just gets outplayed.

C'mon Pat, you know its an anti-USJ conspiracy between the refs, the MIAC, the NCAA, CBS/TNT, and Dr Naismith. I for one am thrilled that Faunchie is exposing this.

But seriously, last night's games are exactly what I love about having conference tourneys- they add a huge layer of excitement for the players and (especially) the fans and test the mettle of the supposedly top-tier teams. The John's have a damn good team, very talented,  albeit played a rather soft non-conference schedule. However, have flinched twice now in playoff-caliber games-- NOT a good sign for NCAA success.

Augsburg has been on a roll and is a most athletic tea. They show something not many Auggie teams have shown in the past-- patience and discipline. Meanwhile Bethel has been "Jekyll and Hyde" all season-- immensely talented and  playing at times like a top tier team but at other times playing like a team barely lucky to scrape by and seeming lost on the court. 

Both AUG and BU are coming together at the right time and playing their best ball of the season. SUNday should be FUN day at Robertson!