MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[miacwatchmen]

Johnnies win the rebounding battle tonight, the TO battle and shoot 50+ % from the field!! I think if they can do that every night they will be tough to beat. Plus they played most of the game without Henrichs who, as Fins pointed out, left the game with an ankle injury.

Westman shoots over 50 % again. He finished with 16 points. The Cornhuskers each chipped in 12 with Henrichs and Leiser rounding out the Johnnies 5 in double figures with 11 each. Ohme drops back in to oblivion with 4 points and 5 assists in 34 minutes. I think we could be seeing a new Matt Ohme. he may not score alot any more. 10 or 15 may be his max at the PG spot.

24-10 in favor of the Johnnies in the FT's attempted category. Late game fouls could have aided that though.

Conboy shot an awful lot tonigth. 21 times!! does he normally shoot that much oAs?? I know he is a good shooter but 21 times. Not even Westman shoots that much.

[ustbumkneez]

Good to see Bjorklund stuck to the defensive philosophy that allowed Schnettler to hit 8 treys last time Bethel played UST, so he could turn around and match it this time out. Double doubles from Keating and Rosefelt, Shimek played superbly and almost had a doub doub himself, and Sweeney had a nice floor game with 7 dimes. Meadowcroft and Frederickson led Bethel, but the Tommies just had way too much for them down the stretch. Royals kept it close through 25 minutes, but Keating was the catalyst in the second half (14 of 20 in the 2nd) as UST pulled away.

[funbballer]

Maybe we need to slide Bjorklund in with Koz's fraternity of ineptness?!!   

Word on the street is that this may be Bjorklund's last year of coaching and will just stick with his AD job.

Have you BU bucket-backers heard the same thing? Will Westlund get the job?

[columbianmaffia]

funballer
i have been offered the job but im holdin out...i told them their cafeteria needs to serve the tripple burger every day for my players along with a big ol porterhouse...we are currently in a stalemate

[sumander]

oAs I will be interested to hear your take on the game last night. Watched the MAC webcast. The two announcers made it sound like MAC did not play with their usual energy. They commented how dead the crowd was as well.

J's shoot 59% in the first half. Certainly a reversal from previous road games. Henrichs left the game with a sprained ankle. It will be interesting to hear how bad it is. Sounds like he is questionable for the HAM game on Saturday.

Two more teams lock up playoff spots. It looks to me like BET and HAM will be 5/6.

FBB, Congratulations you hit 200 posts. You have powers.

[localcoach]

It sounds like there were some exciting games played around the MIAC last night.  Unfortunately I made it to a grand total of 0.  Here's the tale of the tape per the individual boxscores.

The Johnnies and Gusties lock up playoff spots with a pair of 9-point victories over MAC and St. Olaf. 

St. John's shoots almost 50% for the game, however they were once again poor from behind the 3-point line (5-19).  What appears to have helped was a 16-24 effort from the charity stripe.  Five Johnnies hit double figures and 4 of the starters also had at least 5 rebounds.  Nice balance!  OAS I have to ask this question again.  What's up with Lars Johnson?  Stat line: 1-3 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 0-1 FT; 2 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers in 33 minutes. 

Phil Sowden leads the way for Gustavus yet again.  Last night he finished with 20 points and 6 rebounds.  This following a 23-point, 7 rebound performance against Bethel earlier in the week.  GAC makes 10 more free-throws then the Oles.

Hamline gets a big victory over Saint Mary's at home.   Freshman Jon DeRock has his second 20-point game in the past three games, finishing with 26.  Kyle Foster also recorded his second straight double-double, contributing 12 points and 13 rebounds (which was also his second straight 13-rebound performance).  Once again free-throws were huge.  HAM 14-22; SMU 0-1

As ustbumkneez indicated, Bryan Schnettler his 8 3's on his way to 28 points and a St. Thomas victory over Bethel.  How teams can give him any room to shoot from the perimeter is beyond me.  Isaac Rosefelt with another double-double (15 and 11) and Mike Keating goes for 20 and 10.  Like the Johnnies, that's good balance!  Looks like one of the other keys was the boards where UST held a 37-24 edge. 

And in the battle for "pride," the Cobbers pull one out over Augsburg.  The machine known as the Concordia offense, helps them shoot over 65% from the field.  This despite a season low 4 turnovers by the Auggies.  Jason Miller returns to lead the way with 17 points.

The MIAC playoff picture has become a little clearer after last night.  UST, CAR, GAC, and SJU are all in.  Unless Hamline can beat the Johnnies at home on Saturday, which I think is about 40/60 (maybe 60/40 if  Paul Henrichs doesn't play due to that ankle injury), it looks like the third and fourth positions will come down to the last game of the season when the Johnnies and Gusties go head-to-head in Collegeville. 

Barring a huge colapse, Hamline appears to be in, whether it's as a fifth or sixth seed is yet to be determined.  One win in their final three games should secure the spot. 

Saint Mary's will probably have to win either against UST or Carleton and notch one against St. Olaf if they want to have an outside shot at the sixth seed.  It's possible that Bethel could go 0-3, but I truly doubt it.  The key game is up next for the Royals as they travel to Concordia which is a long bus ride against a team with nothing to lose.  Then it's at Hamline and at home against Carleton.  A win on Saturday and I expect them to be the final playoff team.

[finsleft]

St. John's shoots almost 50% for the game, however they were once again poor from behind the 3-point line (5-19).  What appears to have helped was a 16-24 effort from the charity stripe.  Five Johnnies hit double figures and 4 of the starters also had at least 5 rebounds.  Nice balance!  OAS I have to ask this question again.  What's up with Lars Johnson?  Stat line: 1-3 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 0-1 FT; 2 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers in 33 minutes. 

I haven't seen the stats other than what the experts have posted here, but it seemed like the Scots were about 5 for a million in 3-point shooting. From my football-addled perspective, if I were coaching Mac, I'd tell the boys to lay off the treys, or if that was such an important part of the offense, practice shooting 'em until they could make 10 or so percent of 'em.

[Touchdown Tommy]

Mighty quiet in here from OAS.  I hope he is okay. 

[funbballer]

funballer
i have been offered the job but im holdin out...i told them their cafeteria needs to serve the tripple burger every day for my players along with a big ol porterhouse...we are currently in a stalemate

...how 'bout if they throw in a hefer...will that put you over the edge?!!!   

[funbballer]

FBB, Congratulations you hit 200 posts. You have powers.

Well, thank you. I'm not sure what exactly those "powers" are, but it's been fun having a little banter here and there!   

[sumander]

FBB, From listening to the posters on the FB board, i believe you now have the ability to give or take KARMA away from other posters! Not sure how it works, being a neophyte myself!

[miacwatchmen]

Let the force be with you FBB, use it wisely

[sumander]

Judging by the lack of posting activity you would think the MIAC was back at Christmas break. What gives?

[miacwatchmen]

Maybe people actually have to work today      First time for everything!! 

[sumander]

That was yesterday!