MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Aconsmu]

I would argue that Cimperman should be 1st team. His numbers are better than Holt.

Coach Ryan Kershaw has done a fantastic job indeed. I would argue what Coach Joe Fano has done at St. Mary's is right up there.  SMU was one of the worst programs in the country before he took over and have gone to the playoffs 3 times and has had 3 winning seasons. Coach Abe Woldeslassie has also done an incredible job at MAC.

[bball1122]

I would argue that Cimperman should be 1st team. His numbers are better than Holt.

Coach Ryan Kershaw has done a fantastic job indeed. I would argue what Coach Joe Fano has done at St. Mary's is right up there.  SMU was one of the worst programs in the country before he took over and have gone to the playoffs 3 times and has had 3 winning seasons. Coach Abe Woldeslassie has also done an incredible job at MAC.

Cimperman has been outstanding.  There certainly is an argument that he could be a first teamer.  But I don't think Holt can be left of the first team.  As I posted, I think he's the Defensive Player of the Year in the conference.  He's also 10th in scoring,  1st in rebounding, 4th in assists, 2nd in blocks, and 1st in steals.   His 47 steals are tied for second most in MIAC play in the last dozen years.   He is,  in my opinion,  one of the most impactful players in the league and is right behind Anthony,  Beckler, and Williams as squarely on the first team.

To your second point - I completely agree.   Coach Fano and Coach Woldeslassie have done incredible jobs.   I believe just a few years ago I called a MAC-SMU match-up the "movable force vs the stoppable object" , so both coaches deserve all the credit for  getting them to not only make the playoffs, but make it multiple years in a row. However, Carleton is head and shoulders better than any other team this year, and Coach Kershaw deserves a ton of credit for that success.  I don't really think any other coach has a chance at this award for this season's results.

Love the feedback!

[carletonknights]

Coach Ryan Kershaw has done a fantastic job indeed. I would argue what Coach Joe Fano has done at St. Mary's is right up there.  SMU was one of the worst programs in the country before he took over and have gone to the playoffs 3 times and has had 3 winning seasons. Coach Abe Woldeslassie has also done an incredible job at MAC.

If the basketball coaches vote the same way as football, then Kershaw is the only right answer. If Tom Journell couldn't win COTY in football after either 7-3 seasons just a couple years after inheriting an 0-10 team then Abe and Fano won't win either. I'm still a little peeved in case you couldn't tell

[SagatagSam]

Concordia led at the half, but Carleton came storming back and outscored the Cobbers by 23 points in the second half to win, 81-64.

The playoff boat is loaded, there are just a few passengers that need to get their seat assignment this weekend.

Hamline (5) at Concordia (8). Hamline, by virtue of Concordia's loss last night, is locked into the playoff. With a win, the Pipers could end up in a three way tie for third should Macalester and St. Mary's lost on Saturday. If that happens, Hamline could jump as high as the #4 seed and host a quarterfinal game. A loss would put the Pipers in a tie with St. Olaf for fifth, and St. Olaf would win that tiebreaker by virtue of their 4-4 record against Carleton, SJU, MAC, and SMU (vs. Hamline's 3-5 record against those teams).

Macalester (T-3) at Augsburg (11). A Macalester win simply locks the Scots in as the third seed. A loss can send the Scots as far down as the fifth seed (if Hamline also wins). Macalester won the first matchup between these teams by 19 points in St. Paul. Augsburg hopes to pull the upset to end what has been a disappointing 2022-23 season.

St. John's (2) at Bethel (9). One more win for the Johnnies to secure the second seed and a few extra days to prepare for their semifinal opponent. However, a loss AND a Macalester loss AND a St. Mary's win would drop SJU to third, hosting a quarterfinal matchup--the winner of which would have to travel to Winona to face St. Mary's.

Gustavus (7) at St. Mary's (T-3). Gustavus is trying to find something--anything--positive to end a dreadful month of February. The Gusties are 0-4 so far this month and are currently on a five-game losing streak. The Gusties went from a near lock for the playoff a month ago to out in the cold. St. Mary's can jump up as high as the second seed with a win AND both SJU and Macalester lose.

Carleton (1) at St. Scholastica (10). It's all about keeping the national tournament resume clean for Carleton this Saturday. Carleton has a chance at an at-large bid should something go wrong in the conference tournament, and sleepwalking through this game would put a bad loss

St. Olaf is idle and hoping for a Hamline loss, which would put the Oles and Pipers in a tie for fifth. St. Olaf would have the tiebreaker in that situation (4-4 vs. Carleton, SJU, MAC, and SMU compared with Hamline's 3-5 record).

[SagatagSam]

Coach Ryan Kershaw has done a fantastic job indeed. I would argue what Coach Joe Fano has done at St. Mary's is right up there.  SMU was one of the worst programs in the country before he took over and have gone to the playoffs 3 times and has had 3 winning seasons. Coach Abe Woldeslassie has also done an incredible job at MAC.

If the basketball coaches vote the same way as football, then Kershaw is the only right answer. If Tom Journell couldn't win COTY in football after either 7-3 seasons just a couple years after inheriting an 0-10 team then Abe and Fano won't win either. I'm still a little peeved in case you couldn't tell

I was just reading Kershaw's bio--had no idea that he attended St. Olaf. That ought to make that rivalry a little more spicy.

[GoldandBlueBU]

I have long wished that there was more nuance in the football coach of the year award, rather than it just seeming to by default, go to the team that won the league that year.

Maybe it is an unwritten rule between them, that they don't want it to be political or ever cause any hurt feelings, so they just always vote for whoever won the league?

[txg]

Great picks bball1122.

It looks like the favorite for the playoffs is Mother Nature, with over a foot of snow forecast between Tuesday night and Thursday night.  Maybe they will push the starting time for the Tuesday games up a couple of hours, have the semifinals on Friday, and the finals on Sunday afternoon?

[SagatagSam]

[SagatagSam]

Swimming & Diving, Hockey, and Basketball all wrapped up their conference regular seasons this weekend. That means we have some points to award for the George Durenburger Trophy. Here are the current standings. The MIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships are this upcoming weekend, which will put a wrap on all winter sports championships.

[Aconsmu]

Some great playoff action tomorrow. Can the Ole's go into MAC and get a win?

[SagatagSam]

MIAC modifies playoff schedule due to winter weather:

https://miacathletics.com/news/2023/2/20/miac-postseason-events-rescheduled-due-to-winter-weather.aspx

[carletonknights]

MIAC modifies playoff schedule due to winter weather:

https://miacathletics.com/news/2023/2/20/miac-postseason-events-rescheduled-due-to-winter-weather.aspx

Darn weather, I might not be able to watch the championship game now.

[SagatagSam]

Double overtime thriller in Winona as #6 Hamline takes down #3 St. Mary's, 90-84!

#5 St. Olaf gets it done on the road, defeating #4 Macalester, 56-54.

[carletonknights]

Carleton beat Hamline by 1 early in the season and by 11 midway through the season. Hoping for victory more like the latter

[SagatagSam]

We had an exciting quarterfinals, let's hope for the same out of the semifinal games.

Note the schedule changes (highlighted in red).