MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[txg]

Nice to see that Coplin made the first team after flying under the radar all year.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

full awards list:
https://www.miacathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20190223e9rpt3

No surprise in the selections of POY (Coplin) or COY (Tauer) since the COY or co-COY nearly always goes to the guy who wins the league. But Tauer took a young team, expected to finish 4th, and nearly ran away with the league title, so I'd say he truly earned the award. Some defensive glitches down the stretch made things a little dicey towards the  season's end. I don't think any other team exceeded preseason expectations as much as UST did.   

More than enough has been said about the phenomenal season Coplin had.

I was (pleasantly) surprised to see the Sixth Man selection. I think it was a tribute to the incredible job UST's "second wave" did all season. The honor was quietly earned by Hedstrom, who averaged 7.5 ppg in 18 mpg. Add in a 3.8 A/TO ration in MIAC game (tied for 2nd in the league) and his defensive play and, yeah, the coaches made a good pick. (on a sidebar-- check out FY Riley Miller's A/TO ratio for MIAC games-- 7.2!)

Also, no surprises with the various All-MIAC teams. One might quibble that player X belongs on the 2nd team not the 3rd (side note to the "Ferm-ites" as I glare at DP-- if your guy should be on the 2nd team, who do you bump down?)  but on the whole I think the 16 selections are the right choices and ranked correctly.  I honestly cant think of a player who I'd say was erroneously but left out.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Looking ahead to this weekend, a few questions need answers.... Will the young Tommies right ship and resume playing above expectations or will they struggle and be one (or two) and done?  Will SJU have an encore of last year's NCAA choke or will they reach the Sweet 16 for the first time ever? Did the NCAA shaft the MIAC with the pods that the committee put the Johns and Toms? Was the MIAC slighted when LAX got picked in and Augsburg was left home (no, a loss to Mac precludes any feelings of being slighted)?

[Drake Palmer]

And, away we go!!

Here's a quick factoid.  SJU's is undefeated in 15 games at homes this season.  The average margin of victory has been 26.8 points!!

The teams that have come closest to SJU have been:  Augsburg who lost by 11, 82-71 in early February, and in the championship game last week, when the Dawgs lost by 3, 82-79. The only other team that came close to beating them was UW-LaCrosse who lost by 5 pts, 84-79 back in late November. Will the Jays continue their dominant streak at home or will the winner of the UMAC - the Northwestern Eagles cause them to tighten up, or possibly stumble like they did last year against the UMAC team?

The same UW-LaCrosse team that played the Jays so tough is playing UST in another opening round game of the NCAAs down in Lincoln tonight.   Which Tommie team will show up?

Let's hope the answers come up positive for both MIAC reps.



     

[miac952]

Year #2 of the John's getting UMBC'd my a UMAC team. That's really a shame.

[Retired Old Rat]

Congratulations to Northwestern for a masterfully played game. One team came ready to play. The other, I don't know what to say. Mystifying.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Year #2 of the John's getting UMBC'd my a UMAC team. That's really a shame.

Has a UMAC team ever lost in Collegeville?  Definitely not in post-season action.

Congratulations to Northwestern for a masterfully played game. One team came ready to play. The other, I don't know what to say. Mystifying.

Is it time for SJ-Boo-Hoo to join the UMAC?
*************
Oh well, at least UST upheld the league's image by swatting down LAX.  It was a great all around game for the Purple--they shot 54% from the floor,  committed a mere 5 turnovers, and led from wire to wire. Ryan Lindberg with a sizzling hand draining six treys as part of a 24 point night. Anders Nelson found scoring tough, but doled out 11 assists and had a game-best 8 rebounds.

[AO]

Year #2 of the John's getting UMBC'd my a UMAC team. That's really a shame.

Has a UMAC team ever lost in Collegeville?  Definitely not in post-season action.

Congratulations to Northwestern for a masterfully played game. One team came ready to play. The other, I don't know what to say. Mystifying.

Is it time for SJ-Boo-Hoo to join the UMAC?
************

I'm sure we've taken a lot of losses in Collegeville during our annual scrimmage with the Johnnies.

I think the Johnnies are extremely talented and came to play, but the shots just didn't fall for them.  We've certainly been in that position a bunch of times in the UMAC where we're heavily favored at home but run into a team that can get streaky. 

Thanks to the Johnnies for being great hosts tonight.  It was well worth the 3 and a half hours it took me to drive from Eagan to Collegeville.  The back roads were clear of traffic but I think I topped out at 35mph.

[Greek Tragedy]

Year #2 of the John's getting UMBC'd my a UMAC team. That's really a shame.

Is that as be as being Ypsi'd?

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Year #2 of the John's getting UMBC'd my a UMAC team. That's really a shame.

Is that as be as being Ypsi'd?

I guess that depends on what you're trying to say  but as far as S-J-Boo-Hoo's NCAA track record goes, only 2 words come to mind: utterly embarrassing 

[miac952]

Who would have thought lockdown defense from UST's second unit, moves them on to the Sweet Sixteen. Shutting down the high scoring #1 ranked defending national champs on their home floor. I guess that why it's March Madness.

Not a lot of talk this season about UST's "other" Freshman PG. Riley Miller brings a lot to the team. Fantastic on ball defender, physical, good game manager, and solid behind the arc. Tauer put the keys in his hands for the stretch run tonight.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

What a night!! UST started hot, made some key adjustments at half and roared past #1 ranked, defending national champ and game host Nebraska Wesleyan 70-58. Hot hands by Ryan Lindberg, Michael Hannon, and Riley Miller paced the way, along with incredible performances by Connor Bair. GT Johnson and Anders Nelson. The UST defense was lock-down limiting the high scoring NWU squad to just 20 second half points and 0 for 13 shooting from three-point range in that half.  Special props to the "Second Wave" who did an outstanding job throughout the night, and to the coaching staff- led by John Tauer, who put together a perfect game plan and kept the guys on plan. Just an incredible TEAM effort from all 10 men that played.

[Drake Palmer]

Nice article by D3hoops lead columnist Ryan Scott on UST & the Tommie basketball team.  I wonder if D3hoops board scold, our own Greg Sager will reprimand Ryan for his use of the phrase "perennially among the best teams in the country" in his sentence - "Relying so much on young players is new for Tauer and St. Thomas, perennially among the best teams in the country and seemingly always full of experienced and talented seniors." 

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2019/tommies-12-year-challenge

I happen to agree with Ryan.  A 10+ year run in the D3 Hoops Top 25, two National Championships, plus a final four appearance, and a one year blip, equals a perennial power.  Conversely, a two year absence from the polls and sub .500 record should warrant an "oh how the mighty have fallen" post.  I would add that I certainly did not expect to see this type of season from the Tommies this year.  My two cents worth.   

[tomt4525]

Nice article by D3hoops lead columnist Ryan Scott on UST & the Tommie basketball team.  I wonder if D3hoops board scold, our own Greg Sager will reprimand Ryan for his use of the phrase "perennially among the best teams in the country" in his sentence - "Relying so much on young players is new for Tauer and St. Thomas, perennially among the best teams in the country and seemingly always full of experienced and talented seniors." 

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2019/tommies-12-year-challenge

I happen to agree with Ryan.  A 10+ year run in the D3 Hoops Top 25, two National Championships, plus a final four appearance, and a one year blip, equals a perennial power.  Conversely, a two year absence from the polls and sub .500 record should warrant an "oh how the mighty have fallen" post.  I would add that I certainly did not expect to see this type of season from the Tommies this year.  My two cents worth.   

Oh no...here comes Sager...you don't mention transfers or perennial powers or use anything short of perfect grammar without Sager coming after you to tell you you're opinion is wrong.

[Drake Palmer]

Nice article by D3hoops lead columnist Ryan Scott on UST & the Tommie basketball team.  I wonder if D3hoops board scold, our own Greg Sager will reprimand Ryan for his use of the phrase "perennially among the best teams in the country" in his sentence - "Relying so much on young players is new for Tauer and St. Thomas, perennially among the best teams in the country and seemingly always full of experienced and talented seniors." 

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2019/tommies-12-year-challenge

I happen to agree with Ryan.  A 10+ year run in the D3 Hoops Top 25, two National Championships, plus a final four appearance, and a one year blip, equals a perennial power.  Conversely, a two year absence from the polls and sub .500 record should warrant an "oh how the mighty have fallen" post.  I would add that I certainly did not expect to see this type of season from the Tommies this year.  My two cents worth.   

Oh no...here comes Sager...you don't mention transfers or perennial powers or use anything short of perfect grammar without Sager coming after you to tell you you're opinion is wrong.

Nah, Greg usually lets the grammar slide. It's the rules and interpretation of the rules he generally gets worked up about. In addition to drawing attention to the UST article, I figured if I sparked Greg's interest, it might create a bit more readership on the board and create some talk in the next few days before the Sweet 16.