MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

Great ballgame.  Torrid shooting by the Dawgs in the first half had them up by 11 pts on a couple of different occasions. But the Jays kept their composure and stuck to their game plan which was a lot of heavy inside work by Walford & the big boyz.  Jubie Alade hit a couple of clutch threes, and one right before the end of the first half to give the Jays the lead. Otherwise, Alade was doing a great job of slithering through the lane & scoring.  Alade 20 pts, Walford 22pts, Zach Hanson 15 pts. Jays cut off all the driving lanes and crushed Augsburg on the boards, 41-27.  Augsburg had three offensive rebounds all night.

For Augsburg, it was pretty much hit the outside shots or nothing else. Yet the Dawgs never went away and kept making one run after another. But the Jays responded like true champs under pressure. Although it must have been a nerve wracking last 2-3 minutes for SJU since they had blown everyone else out at home all season.  Well done.

What else can you say about Booker Coplin that hasn't already been said? Terrific season, terrific player.  Although Augsburg will lose Mark Della Vedova & Kevin McKiernan to graduation, the cupboard will not be bare for the Dawgs next year.

Good luck to the Jays & Tommies, hope you both can rep the MIAC well next week!

[Bspratt2]

Proud and also very happy for Stokman and the senior class to get one of these MIAC titles after the gut-wrenching loss two years ago in Arden Hills. Tonight's game felt so much like last year's playoff loss to Augsburg for the first 10 minutes, but they turned it around and went on a great run before the half. Second half was just a back-and-forth slugfest. So fun (nervewracking) to watch. Booker Coplin had probably the most unbelievable shot-making performance I've seen. I mean 46 points!! He was incredible, but the Johnnies have just enough weapons that are tough to stop especially inside. I love where they are heading into the tournament. Go Johnnies!

[faunch]

When will the first round NCAA games be played? This Friday and Saturday?

[Smitty Oom]

Friday will be the first round and Saturday the second.

[Smitty Oom]

Teams that can travel to SJU for potential hosting... (or where SJU could be shipped to without a flight). It sure looks like with the strength of the west and central regions there are a lot of teams with resumes that warrant hosting privilege. Due to this, if a team can travel west I assume they will be doing so.

TEAMS THAT WILL NOT BE AT A POTENTIAL SJU POD
:: Nebraska Wesleyan University - ARC - Pool A // A lock to host a first weekend pod
:: Augustana College - CCIW - Pool C // A lock to host a first weekend pod
:: UW-Oshkosh - WIAC - Pool C // Will not host due to womens priority - Will more than likely still be top seed in their pod, might go east
:: University of St. Thomas - Pool C // Will not host due to womens priority and lack of resume - Committee will try to break UST and SJU up in first weekend independent of hosting

PLAUSIBLE TEAMS AT A POTENTIAL SJU POD
:: North Central College - CCIW - Pool A // Has a chance to host a first weekend pod - or strong second seed
:: Loras College- ARC - Pool C // Has a chance to host a first weekend pod - or strong second seed
:: Wheaton College - CCIW - Pool C // Will not host - Probably a 2nd seed, maybe a 3rd in a strong pod
:: UW- Platteville - WIAC - Pool A // Will not host - Probably a 3rd seed
:: University of Northwestern - UMAC - Pool A // Will not host - 4th seed
:: Lake Forest College - MWC - Pool A // Will not host - 4th seed
:: Aurora/Illinois Tech - NACC - Pool A // Will not host - 4th seeds

It would be fun to get a MWC or NACC school up to Collegeville, but my best guess is that Northwestern will probably be playing St. John's in round one (if it is held in Collegeville) and the first game will probably be either Loras/NCC vs. Wheaton/UW-Platteville. Working against St. John's is the fact that it is somewhat difficult to get an evenly competitive pod based on the teams eligible to make it to Sexton Arena in under a 500 mile bus trip. UW-Platt could be shipped off to NWU or Augie, especially since they have better resumes and will be prioritized higher as hosts in the eyes of the committee. Furthermore, like SJU, NWU has a select amount of schools that can make the bus ride to Lincoln, and a lot of these teams overlap with SJU. NCC and Loras are more centrally located and will be able to draw more teams from the east to their pods if they end up hosting.

After further review, unfortunately I am a little more pessimistic that the Johnnies will be playing at home this Friday compared to before I made this post..

[Titan Q]

Of these 3 teams that have a very strong case to host a first weekend pod, I think only two realistically can...

(C) North Central: .815, 22-5/.543/5-3
(W) St. John's: .852, 23-4/.534/4-2
(W) Loras: .778, 21-6/.587/2-2

My best guess is that St. John's passes Loras in the final West region ranking, and Loras ends up the tough luck traveler here.

But honestly, it could end up being any of them that loses out -- the geography of the entire bracket comes into play.

[Pat Coleman]

Here's how we ended up doing this:
https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2019/projected-mens-bracket

[Smitty Oom]

If St. John's ends up hosting this weekend, I think there is a very good chance we see the Wheaton Thunder and the national POY Aston Francis play in Sexton Arena. Really hoping for this to happen. Would love to see him live.

[AO]

Here's how we ended up doing this:
https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2019/projected-mens-bracket

Another UNW-UST neutral site playoff game sounds like a pretty good draw for us, but I kind of like playing the host first.  Put all the pressure on them to hold serve. 

[AO]

Here's how we ended up doing this:
https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2019/projected-mens-bracket

Another UNW-UST neutral site playoff game sounds like a pretty good draw for us, but I kind of like playing the host first.  Put all the pressure on them to hold serve.

Wish granted, thanks NCAA.

[Smitty Oom]

2 straight years the UMAC champ upsets the Johnnies on their home court?

In the first game UW Oshkosh plays Lake Forest... a potential UW-O at SJU is a tough round of 32 draw for both teams. UW-O has to travel to a team who went 15-0 at home and was a top 10 d3hoops.com team all year. Loras at NCC would be the next toughest.  This pod probably has two one seeds and two four seeds. I feel like the UW-LAX at large selection really threw a wrench into things based on our projected pods as of yesterday.

[MIACHoops]

Tough draw for the Tommies. I like their first round matchup, but NWU is tough as nails. I don't see the Tommies flipping the switch after a poor couple weeks to end the season and getting out of that pod. The Johnnies should be able to handle UNW, but I imagine they will feel some pressure due to last years events and the fact they are hosting. Hopefully SJU gets an atmosphere like the one they saw Saturday. I'll take Johnnies moving onto the second weekend.

Few thoughts on the MIAC championship game. I thought both teams played great defense throughout, the Auggies double teaming the ball handler on the ball screen and their rotations made life tough for the Johnnies. St. John's inside presence forced the Auggies into shooting too many 3's, and Stokman was outstanding on Coplin late in that one. Zach Hanson is so underrated, uses his body excellent in the low post. What a great recovery he had on that last inbound play to swat Mulligans 3. It was a great design by the Auggies to attract everyone's attention to Coplin.

Oh - and Booker Coplin is...Booker Coplin. Took 30 shots, would have liked to see him take 30 more 

[D O.C.]

(509)Rat is not trying to get into Johnnie good graces, he's simply calling it as he sees it - I think

Really St. John's probably has the toughest draw in the whole tournament.

[bball1122]

Tough draw for the Tommies for sure, but it could be a measure of revenge for Coach Tauer.   I'm pretty sure Nebraska Wesleyan is the team that ended his playing career  - in 94-95, the Tommies started out 27 or 28-0 and then lost fairly handily to Wesleyan.  This time around, it's Wesleyan that is favored.   Maybe the Tommies can spring an upset of their own in the second round.

The Johnnies certainly have the talent edge, but Northwestern is scary.  Well-coached, have a couple shooters that can get hot.  However, they don't have much size.   Against the Johnnies imposing front line, I'm worried they'll get beat up on the boards.

[Cav-J]

Just announced..

2019 MIAC Men's Basketball First Team All-Conference
G   Booker Coplin           Augs       Jr.
G   Granger Kingland   Bethel   Jr.
G   David Stokman           SJU       Sr.
G   Anders Nelson           UST       Fr.   
F   Austin Korba           St.O       Sr.
F   Connor Bair           UST       Sr.

2019 MIAC Men's Basketball Second Team All-Conference
F   Kent Hanson   Carleton   Jr.
F   Henningfield   Macalester   So.
F   Lucas Walford   SJU           Jr.
F   Eli Cave           SMU           So.
C   D. Magnuson   Bethel   Sr.   

2019 MIAC Men's Basketball Third Team All-Conference
G   Matt Carik           Augs           So.
G   Jack Jenson   Bethel   Jr.
G   Jubie Alade   SJU           Jr.
F   Wyatt Ferm   Mac           Sr.
F   Zach Hanson   SJU           So.

2019 MIAC Men's Basketball Honorable Mention
G   Kevin McKiernan   Augsburg   Sr.
G   Riley Sharbono           Gustavus   Sr.
G   Dominic Bledsoe   St. Olaf   So.
F   Isaac Brooks           Hamline   Sr.
F   Troy Diggins, Jr.   St. Olaf   Jr.   

2019 MIAC Men's Basketball All-Defensive Team

G   Booker Coplin   Augsburg   Jr.   
G   Quinn Johnson   Carleton   Sr.   
G   D. Bledsoe           St. Olaf   So.
G    GT Johnson   UST           Sr.
F   Lucas Walford   SJU           Jr.

2019 MIAC Men's Basketball All-First-Year Team
G   Colton Codute   Saint John's   Fy.
G   Caden Freetly   Saint Mary's   Fy.
G    Riley Miller   St. Thomas   Fy.
G   Anders Nelson   St. Thomas   Fy.
F   Nolan Malo   Gustavus           Fy.