MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[localcoach]

Another interesting night of MIAC basketball.  Things are still up in the air for the #3 though #6 playoff spots.  The Tommies have already clinched a playoff spot if I've done my math correctly, and Carleton doesn't appear to be too far behind.  Then you have seven teams (GAC, SJU, SMU, BET, STO, HAM, and MAC) fighting for 3 spots.  All are within 3 games of each other and most play one another in these final two weeks of regular season play. 

Looking at those seven teams, GAC and HAM appear to be heading downwards while MAC and BET are on the upswing. 

Expanding on my post from yesterday, here's a further look at the remaining schedules for those seven teams.

GAC - 6 games left, all against teams that currently sit below them in the standings (SJU is actually tied with them) 3 at home, 3 away

SJU - 6 games left, 4 are at home, and 2 away.  They still have to face UST and GAC, along with a road trip to MAC.

SMU - 6 games left, 4 away, 2 at home.  They still have to play all 4 teams that currently sit above them in the standings.

BET - 6 games left, 3 at home, and 3 away.  3 are against the current top 3 teams in the MIAC, although all are at home, and also included is away games at HAM and STO.

STO - 5 games left, 2 at home, 3 away.  3 are against the current top 3 teams in the MIAC, and they also have to make a trip to Winona and SMU.

HAM - 6 games left, 3 at home, 3 away.  4 are against teams currently battling for that 3 through 6th spot in the playoffs and the other 2 are against the current bottom two teams in the MIAC.

MAC - 5 games left, 3 at home, 2 away.  They still have to play 3 of the current top 4 teams in the MIAC, 2 of which are on the road.  They also play AUG and HAM at home.

What a final two weeks this is shaping up to be. 

[Flip the Red Bird]

miacmaniac

when did SMU last win a playoff game?

Ouch, it really is hard to win a playoff game if you have never played in one.   It seems that winning on the road is a bit tough from SMU and in order to play in the playoffs this year they need to win a couple.  They did win the title in 1942 so their streak is a bit shorter the CAR. 

[funbballer]

Local....nice wrap up, thanks!

And as I previously stated, this is a great time for fans, but hell for coaches. (that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?!!)   

What we really have is two weeks of "playoff basketball." Everybody, save for UST & CAR, are fighting for their lives to get into the playoffs.

It doesn't get any better than this!

[sumander]

Question for the board: What are the tiebreakers? I assume # 1 is head to head. Where does it go after that?

[onearmedscot]

The Fine Print of the MIAC

oAs.

[localcoach]

sumander - I believe the tie breakers are as follows.

1. Head-to-head competition between tied teams.
2. Cumulative Won/Loss record vs. teams placed higher in the conference standings.
3. Record vs. teams in conference standings in descending order (i.e., #1 seed, #2 seed).
4. Team with the best road record in conference games.

[sumander]

Thanks Local!

[sumander]

oAs, Touchdown Tommy is back on the MIAC FB board and looking for you!

[KnightsArmor]

Not quite the complete story Local!  From the MIAC web site:

MIAC Men's Basketball Tie Breaking Procedure
1. Head to head competition
2. Results against all teams above those tied
3. Results against above teams beginning in rank order.
4. Descending order of losses.
5. Best road record.
6. Coin flip.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

miacmaniac

when did SMU last win a playoff game?

Ouch, it really is hard to win a playoff game if you have never played in one.   It seems that winning on the road is a bit tough from SMU and in order to play in the playoffs this year they need to win a couple.  They did win the title in 1942 so their streak is a bit shorter the CAR. 

Flip- was just tweakin' ya a bit, but the Cards have made the MIAC Playoffs (although I think they were still called the Redmen back then). They were one of four teams in the very first playoff in 1984-85, ccming off a 3rd place finish. They lost to Hamline 64-56 (HAM lost to SJU in a mild upset...SJU & Aug both played in the NCAA tourney-- wth Auggie playing in NC (glad to see the NCAA squeezed the pennies back then   )-- both lost first round)

You're right abuot CAR going longer than SMU since their last title, but SMU last won the title in 1939-40. Hamline won the next 3, and then there was a 2 yr hiatus due to WWII.

Bethel has never won even a share of it (and Mac won it outright in 36-37, and was given a share of it iit 1980-81, thanks to forfeits, so arguably Mac's wait is longer than SMU's.)

But I remember SMU being a strong contender in the 70s & early 80s, back when GAC still played on an elevatef floor like the Barn.

(time to slap myself and get back into the present.)

Congrats to UST for offically nailing down a playoff spot...a win Sat assures them a top-two finsh, at worst.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Not quite the complete story Local!  From the MIAC web site:

MIAC Men's Basketball Tie Breaking Procedure
1. Head to head competition
2. Results against all teams above those tied
3. Results against above teams beginning in rank order.
4. Descending order of losses.
5. Best road record.
6. Coin flip.

I think Local was using the "olde" versrion, which was updated several yars ago.

[Drake Palmer]

So ummm Local...

What's going on with the boys in the Hamline scarlet (?) & white?

I realize you didn't say it, but most posters seem to believe the Pipes were close to a lock last night.  Neither STO or HAM shot particularly well last night, 36.9% for the Oles & 34.8% for the Pipes. Fortunately for the Oles, Chad Norberg was the only player from either team who took more than two shots & was able to score at a better than 50% success rate. He scored 22 points on 7-14 from the field, 4-8 from behind the arc,  & 4-5 from the free throw line.

The game against Mac is looming as huge on Saturday!

[Flip the Red Bird]

Great playoff info from Local.

Basically everyone from MAC on up have their fate in their own hands, if you beat the teams around you in the standings your in, if not to bad you aren't going to get to lose to CAR or ST. Thomas in the playoffs.

[KnightsArmor]

Maniac......

Exactly!  What relevance do the old(e) MIAC tie breaking procedures have to do with the upcoming playoffs?  And just what do you mean by "yars ago" ? Just how long of a time is that?

[Flip the Red Bird]

Miacmaniac,

Are you just a walking history book on the MIAC or what?  That is amazing trivia info.  It has just been so long since SMU had even a ok team that we can't even remember that they ever were good.

Can Olaf win more than one game left on their schedule?  And I agree, what is going on at Hamline??  The MIAC sure will be fun the next few week!!