MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

miacwatchmen · January 31, 2006, 12:13:54 PM

And i don't know if Westman has been the MVP from SJU. I really don't know who is but nobody has been very consistent for the Johnnies. Everyone has had their moments but i would like to go with Henrichs despite his 0 pt 3 reb performance vs. CAR on saturday.

Drake Palmer · January 31, 2006, 12:40:41 PM

Weel - here's my two cents (5 paragraphs

) worth about the Gustie-Tommies game last night. I had the chance to watch the game with some high school ball players, two of whom are post players & it was interesting to hear their take on the game and players. First of all Ike's defense – right off the bat in the opening moments of the game, Ike's got his head turned to the ball & Tebrake sneaks by him for an uncontested lay up. Secondly, the post players both thought Rosefelt did a poor job of bodying up his opponent & preventing the deep entry pass into the post. This resulted in those easy shots that Willy pointed out that Stein & Wittwer were able to score deep in the lane over Rosefelt. I pointed out that Rosefelt was in foul trouble & he couldn't be as physical as he might normally be. However, warts & all, he's still a stud.

As an aside, I think playing Rosefelt physical & getting into his body is the key to negating his strengths - his athleticism, height & shot blocking ability. If you play him tight, he can't jump & he tends to foul. I'm assuming that's what Forkrud did against him in the game at Northfield, & the big post down at UW-LaCrosse & UW-Stout. For some reason the Gusties quit going inside consistently to Stein & Wittwer which I thought was unusual. Especially since the entire UST front line was in foul trouble during much of the 2nd half. At any rate, IMO they could have gone inside, sucked the defense in & then kicked it back out to the wing as the Tommies did.

Unfortunately, the Gusties were struggling to find any kind of rhythm from the outside. TeBrake was the only one who even took a trey going 3-8 from behind the arc, & Andrew Olson was a disappointing 1-6 from the field. The guards in my group of high school players felt that TeBrake should have tried to force his will & called for the ball more. With the way the rest of the Gustie guards were shooting, it's hard to argue against their logic.

Although the final score appeared to be another Tommie blow-out - 78-56, it was a precarious 10 point lead for most of the 2nd half. It always felt to me that at any moment the Gusties were going to go off on a run, but they never did. Obviously, the Tommie defense had something to do with the Gusties problems. Offensively, the Tommies executed great in the first half & were clicking on all cylinders. In the 2nd half Shimek & Worrell made a couple of clutch baskets or grabbed a key rebound or two. Also, when the Gustie D did a nice job of collapsing on Rosefelt, to his credit, Ike did a great job of turning against the defense & finding Sweeney out on the open wing for the triple. Now if he would just hit the weights...

Side note – for supposedly 1,100 people in attendance, the joint was not jumping at all. I'm trying to impress these kids with the value of a solid college education, the high level of play in D3 ball, & excitement at MIAC games. I think they've heard & seen enough to feel comfortable about the first two concepts. But locally, I think the UST fans lag behind Bethel & now Hamline in terms of enthusiastic fan support.

columbianmaffia · January 31, 2006, 01:26:24 PM

UST is what i like to call Abercrombie and Fitch (sp?) University...the entire crowd sits their lookin too cool to cheer like they are all posing for the side of a shoping bag at A&F and all spiffy in the clothes that they paid way too much for...im suprised some of the dudes there havent started showing up without shirts on to show their muscles and the ladies show up half naked for the adds they pose for...thats way too intense for me

onearmedscot · January 31, 2006, 01:56:40 PM

Mafia--

Were these guys there again last night??

oAs

Willy Wonka · January 31, 2006, 01:59:06 PM

CMob - Gotta love the guys who turn to look at you with annoyed glances when you're actually talking basketball at a game as they look pretty...but then go crazy when Ike throws down and look back with a smile on their faces.

MM - Looks like Drake and his high school boys were watching the same game I was...not sure where you and TH4L were sitting to get your perspective.

Has Drake now agreed with OAS and me in the same week? Ubbelievable!

piperinsider · January 31, 2006, 02:01:38 PM

OAS-
Look no farther/further (yeah, even a sports journalist can't figure that one out and the kid from Finding Forrester explains it to us and that's one of my fav movies) than your squad. Jesse Hollander plays forward. He's 5'3.

Is anybody planning on heading downtown on Wednesday? I have nothing going on, but I don't plan on driving 2 hours to watch a few 6-7 teams.

Pat Coleman · January 31, 2006, 02:02:14 PM

Quote from: ColonelJohn4Life on January 31, 2006, 05:23:12 AM
So, Pat posts in here at 5 AM, and posted in my home board (MAC Freedom) at 1 AM.

Dude, Selection Sunday isn't for a full calendar month. Get some sleep. We'll need those 20 hour weeks soon.

I'm at work until 3 a.m. so 5 isn't a big stretch for me.

Drake Palmer · January 31, 2006, 03:20:54 PM

Quote from: Willy Wonka on January 31, 2006, 01:59:06 PM
Has Drake now agreed with OAS and me in the same week? Ubbelievable!

For the season, I actually think we've agreed more often than not, other than regarding your favorite whipping boy.

In OAS's situation - for the week I think it's a case of:

One agreement
One total, position reversal.

By the way, I always thought OAS's position in football was wide receiver? With the nimble backpedaling he's been doing on Ranwick's basketball abilities, I thought OAS might have been an All-American D back. Get a couple more solid games out of Ranwick, & OAS will be promoting him as a late, emerging candidate for All-MIAC honors, if not 6th man of the year award!

Go Skippers!

onearmedscot · January 31, 2006, 03:22:06 PM

PI-

Yes, Hollander is a good candidate for the Puchtel Award.

I wish Conboy had some Puchtel hustle and heart in him!

When a kid's first MIAC game is midseason at Schoenecker against a top seed Tommie team, I guess it's hard to get a good read. He'll be a solid player if he continues to work hard.

Drake--
I go both ways. In a football sense, not a stereotypically Macalester sense.

oAs.

TommieHoops4Life · January 31, 2006, 04:51:31 PM

Apparently I have to revise my thoughts a little. I agree that early in the UST/GAC game, the Gusties were able to score inside effectively. I think for the game as a whole, Ike made a couple blocks in the first half that intimidated the Gusties to go inside for the rest of the night, and Shimek played a nice game on defense overall. Ike has improved his ability to score inside, but I would like to see him battle for position in the post more. He seems to create a lot of his opportunities after trying to set screens, or just standing there and waiting for the offense to come to him. Whatever works I guess. I was right behind the UST bench, so I really didn't see Ike's second foul, but to commit it 85 feet from the basket with one second left in the half is definitely a dumb foul. The refs seemed to be calling it very tightly when the Gusties were on offense, and much more loosely when UST was on offense. As for Olson's injury, it was a perfectly clean screen from Shimek as Sweeney was dribbling the ball up the floor. If I blame anybody, I blame Sowden or Wippler (don't remember who it was) for not calling out the screen to make Olson aware.

sumander · January 31, 2006, 04:56:45 PM

From the "For what it's worth" department out of Concordia. Brock Citterman went down in the first half of the SMU game with a deep bruise of the quadricep.

Looks like their one potential go to guy may be out!

Willy Wonka · January 31, 2006, 05:01:07 PM

If OAS was calling the Cobbers a high school team with Citterman healthy, what are they now? If you take Miller off, are they a middle of the pack Big Nine team?

TH4L - Sowden had a few blocked early and didn't seem very aggressive after that. Wittwer and Stein had no such trouble.

onearmedscot · January 31, 2006, 05:26:47 PM

Dixon
Eckhoff
Citterman
lInz
Miller
A
T
E
D

I've heard of the injury bug but dang! Hopefully they all make a full recovery. Will Eckhoff apply for a medical redshirt?

Watchmen--Remember, I'm an XL.

Will you be attending the Johnnie MAC game at MAC?

oAs.

SUMMIT!!!!! · January 31, 2006, 07:09:16 PM

Eckhoff more likely than not will apply for a medical hardship. Financing an additional year, delaying starting his career and a few other factors are being weighed. The NCAA has, on occasion, granted a full season, which would be optimal for him & Cord...but at the worst, Keith would be looking at a semester, should he choose.

miacwatchmen · January 31, 2006, 07:51:52 PM

Quote from: onearmedscot on January 31, 2006, 05:26:47 PM
Dixon
Eckhoff
Citterman
lInz
Miller
A
T
E
D

I've heard of the injury bug but dang! Hopefully they all make a full recovery. Will Eckhoff apply for a medical redshirt?

Watchmen--Remember, I'm an XL. Will you be attending the Johnnie MAC game at MAC?

oAs.

I think i might have to get up there for the game. MAC still needs to win more games than they have right now. 9-11 will be a tough stretch they will need to play well. SMU and STO choking helps their chances though.