MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[funbballer]

LC...you have heard right...the DeRock kid (think he's from Buffalo Lake?) is going to be a dandy.

[crazy_carl]

I also saw that Carleton has a recruit from Buffalo, NY on their roster.  Anyone know anything about this young man?

I have no idea who he is.  I saw Tucker Schieck quite a lot this summer, and don't recall him ever mentioning this person.  Based on first-hand experience, I would guess that he is someone who put up above-average numbers in high school, but perhaps applied to Carleton for academics first, then talked to Coach Kalland.  This was definitely my situation, as well as Brian Sharkey's (rising senior co-captain of the Knights), and many other out-of-staters who have gone through the program. 

Welcome to the board, Splash.

[scoo8b]

I don't know any of Augsburg's incoming freshman players I don't think. Some of the freshman football players, but none of them are going to play...

[megalomaniac]

As the topic seems to be freshmen contributions, might as well get some UST coverage on the board. Brian Sames, who Im sure the majority of you know as the point from Shakopee's state title team, could get a little burn every game as Sweeney's backup, though he will have to beat out Andy Dewyre, a junior, for that right. Weaver's days at the point are over, and he'll have to slide between the 2 or 3 to see the floor, so Sames has a good shot at getting 6+ minutes a game. While Sweeney rarely saw the bench last year, this years brand of UST ball promises more fast breaking and an up tempo pace, so I would presume that would add another couple of minutes to his break time. Other than that, I feel confident saying that there wont be any freshmen on the squad, and certainly none getting any serious clock. Easy to do that when you only lose 3 players-one of mention, and bring in a legit All-MIAC type forward who can do it all. Sames will get an opportunity if for nothing else than his speed and on the ball defensive pressure.

[localcoach]

Sames is a nice player megalomanaic.  When Sweeney graduates I expect that he will be guy who runs the show for the Tommies.  I like his toughness most of all.

One thing I'm excited about is the opportunity to watch all of the talented newcomers to the MIAC this season.  I think that the league will be even stronger from top to bottom this season than last.

[TommieHoops4Life]

I agree maniac. I think Weaver will slide into that 2-guard spot and it will be a nice spot for him. What's interesting to me is where Danny Peterson will mold into this year. I can see him playing a 3, but that's where Keating would play too I would think. So I don't know where exactly he will fit in, but once I see them play when the season starts, we'll have a better grasp. If Andy Dwyer is competing for a point guard spot, he must have had a good summer, because he has some talent, but I never really saw him as a starter for UST. Sweeney will start, and when he struggles or gets in foul trouble, I'm excited to see Sames after his season at Shakopee last year.

[Drake Palmer]

Local Coach:

I think that the league will be even stronger from top to bottom this season than last. 

LC - while I appreciate your enthusiasm, I would tend to diasgree with your statement regarding the overall strength of the conference this season.  I think there might be more parity in the conference this year simply because the lower division teams such as Hamline & St. Johns looked to be improved, not because the top division teams got better.  With the exception of UST, virtually every playoff team from last year lost a key contributor or two & no big time replacements identified on the horizon.

GAC - Espenson
Bethel - Gilbert, Jones
CARL- Beste, Baquero
CORD - Nelson
MAC- Splash

Out of this group, I would guess that the Gusties, Cobbers & Carleton have the best chance of staying in the playoff race this year along with nearly everyones' preseason favorite - UST.   I think Bethel will have to scramble the most to stay in the playoff hunt. 

From what I've read & heard it seems Hamline & St. Johns have improved the most & possibly St. Marys.  Not much word out of the Ole campus, Grand & Snelling, & the Dawg pound. (Last comment spoken in jest  Auggies)

[localcoach]

Drake, while I agree with all the points that you made in your post, I still believe that the league overall will be tougher this season than it was last year.

UST has the chance to be even stronger this season with the addition of Keating, though they may have chemistry issues as many have said on this board before me.  GAC will still be a tough team to defeat even with the loss of Espo.  They play great defense and work together.  Hamline, SJU, and SMU should all move up in the league as you stated (return a lot and each has a talented group of recruits entering), and I expect MAC and Concordia to both be competitive enough to challenge for a playoff spot.  Despite losing Erik Jackson and a few others, the Scots still have Conboy who should be a year better.  The only team I see moving downwards is Bethel, who lost almost everything and will count on new players to fill that void this season. 

I really enjoy these types of topics and hope we can all keep them going this season.

We are less then one month away.  I cannot wait to travel around the state again watching hoops.

[Russian Mig AK47]

My inaugural post!

Hello to all the familiar posters that I have listened to for the past four years with quiet disposition.  I hope to spice up the board this season with competitive banter and exclusive insight.  Rest assured, I am a Tommie through and through (a breed that is sorely lacking posters on this site) but I will try to remain objective.  I can say right now that I will disagree with nearly everything TommieHoops4Life says, based on spite alone. 

Two things to comment on based on what I have read so far. 1.) How can you say that UST had no significant personnel losses this year?!  They will be lucky to go .500 without trusty #20! - haha I jest.  But on a more serious note 2.) There will be NO chemistry issues on the UST squad.  Everyone knows everyone extremely well, and if you are concerned about Keating he has been playing with us in the summers for the last 3 years. No conflicting personalities, no conflicting styles of play, and everyone understands roles.

Shout out to Big Dan Forkrud, but I doubt he reads this garbage 

Sincerely,
     - mig

[TommieHoops4Life]

Mig,

Thanks for the note and welcome to the board. I see your sarcasm hasn't missed a beat since we last crossed paths. I fail to remember, but were you with the group of other UST bballers that I ran into a few weeks ago downtown? I can't recall due to the obvious Saturday night reasons, but I thought I remembered seeing you. Anyhow, I hope to make a few games this year, depends on how much my management at the Northfield News will let me get out to cover Olaf and Carleton. We need more UST posters on here, so I'm glad to see you jump on board. Hopefully the next time I'm around campus, I'll see you there. Welcome aboard!

[columbianmaffia]

big fork doesnt read the board but i tell him about it every now and then...i think carleton has a chance to be a playoff team but may end up being only 500 in the middle of the pack if things go as i think they will which would suck...i think this year they have too many players that are of equal ability and if they go with the scheduled substitutions this could hurt them in games when players off the bench are playing well and a couple starters may not be faring so well especially with the natural scorers of baquero and beste departing

[scoo8b]

I talked to Coach Griess today for awhile. He had some interesting things to say. He said they are doing things radically different from what these players are used to and some who were on the team in past years no longer want to be. So I don't know for sure if people have quit or if they are just thinking about it. He didn't make it sound like there would be too many impact freshman this year, but he said he had a couple of juco transfers that will be elgible next year that will really help the team. He also said there would be about 20-30 recruits coming to the football game this weekend. It sounds to me like the expectation for the first year or two is to instill the right attitude back into the players, and from there, getting to the postseason will be expected, but at first, probably not...

[localcoach]

scoo8b, thanks for the update from Augsburg.  I will be interested to see what Coach Griess does with that program this year, much like I was interested to see what Barry Wohler would do at Hamline last season.  The Auggies have a few talented players returning, but they lost alot of offense with LOP.  Recruiting well will be the key.

maffia, you don't think that Carleton can finish above .500?  I wouldn't be shocked to see them in the conference's top4 at season's end.  There are two keys to this happening.  First, will the point guard position be steady?  Second is will Tommy Drake take a leadership role and take the next step to becoming the elite player that many think he can be?  Forkrud will be fine and carry his share of the load.

Welcome to the board Russian Mig AK47.  On paper UST is by far and away the best team in the conference.  It's not Keating so much that I was referring to in my previous post about team chemistry.  I saw him enough during his Cretin days to know that he will be just fine.  It's everyone else that makes me wonder.  And again, I hope that they don't bring Schnettler off the bench!

I don't have much else in the way of news to offer.  I did run into a couple of Hamline staff members this past weekend (non-basketball staff members) and they told me that there is a big buzz around campus about the upcoming season.  It should be interesting.  They also said that the new football stadium might be one of the best facilities in all of Division III.

[megalomaniac]

Schnettler will be the leading three point shooter in the country this year. I think you need not worry about him coming off the bench, in fact he probably wont be off the court for more than 4-5 minutes a game.

[SPLASH]

I predict Schnettler won't even lead the MIAC in 3 point shooting. My pick is Eckhoff.