MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Kilted Rat]

WW,

Agreed! At least we're good at something.


Miacwatch,
That was the toughest post I have ever made... it hurts my eyes to re-read it, so we'll just all pretend it never happened

[larry_u]

I was at the game tonight..and it was a good one.

As a impartial observer..St. Thomas was aided big time by yhe home court....and a bit of home cooking from the refs.  It seems whenever St Thomas needed  a big foul called, they got it, while the exact same thing would happen on the other end and the refs let them play.  First half there was lots of physical contact...but only 9 fouls combined...

Here's why St Thomas will lose Saturday night..

Lu is more physical down low.  St Thomas has some great shooters, but LU has am amazing defense.  They held Grinnell College to thier lowest point total in about 6 seasons this year, and if you kow how Grinnell plays thats an acomplishment.

Rosenfelt is good, I'll admit to that, but he seems to shy away from contact down low..lots of fadeaways, not going up strong.

Braier for Lawrence however is just the opposite.  I think he will manhandle Rosenfelt or Keating or whomever guards him.  There is noone the quality of the player that braier is in the MIAC, I guarantee you that.


St Thomas did a great job of protecting the ball, but Lu's half court defense is a lot better then NCCs was.  We have probably one fo the best defenders in the country in Chris MacGillis.  He will be on you tighter then white on rice. 

Home court will play a huge roll.  Alexander gym is small, and loud.  Trust me..its loud.  Shoenecker was nothing tonight compared to what Alex will be like.

Good luck to the Tommies..I hope its a good game, but Be ready.  There is a reason we are undefeated and number one in the nation.  This will not be fun.  So for all of you who make the 5 hour drive to Appleton..enjoy, but be ready for one looong hungover ride home the next moring after you spend the night drowning your sorrows on College Ave.  Make sure to stop off at the Wooden Nickel, the unofficial official bar of the Midwest conference.

[Kilted Rat]

Make sure to stop off at the Wooden Nickel, the unofficial official bar of the Midwest conference.

Funny, I had heard the unofficial bar of the MWC was the Pluged Nickel... you can see the Rainbow Budweiser neon light from blocks away!





Edit: Larry, thanks for the smite, it means a lot coming from you Hope it made you feel better about yourself.

[piperinsider]

I also enjoyed tonight's game, well at least the second half. Didn't get the memo on 7pm tap.

Tommies play best half of b-ball this year. Score 50 points, six players contribute on offense. Schnettler clutch from line 10-10, but also hit two big threes after scoring only 2 in the first half. I agree with Larry U that Ike really shied away from contact tonight, but nobody could guard him inside. He did what's he best at, catch, turn, floater. But he did have a few nice post moves an alley-oop that started a 13-2 run that gave the Tommies the lead.

Simmons from NUC was garbage and showed it in the final minutes by throwing a shoulder into Schnettler then giving him an extra push on a foul. Simmons made a lot of mistakes-bad passes, bad shots (3's?) down the stretch. I was not impressed. Did like #44. Good player.

UST got the majority of the calls and bounces, but they played so well, they deserved it. They made the extra pass, played TEAM DEFENSE, got easy baskets off the NCC press. They executed and NCC was unable to match.

Sweeney was clutch again in the final 10 minutes. A couple nice takes to the hoop. Shimek did his thing. Great rebounding, defense. Weaver-5 points and a block that helped fuel the run as well.

MIG-
Seriously, when did CDH and STA become inner-city? It's a day late, but cmon.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Make sure to stop off at the Wooden Nickel, the unofficial official bar of the Midwest conference.

Funny, I had heard the unofficial bar of the MWC was the Pluged Nickel... you can see the Rainbow Budweiser neon light from blocks away!

Um, the 'Rainbow Budweiser' sign says 'Miller Time'??!!

[Kilted Rat]

Thats the problem with googling for pictures once you've already typed the message, I couldn't find a Budweiser rainbow neon sign without a big trademark across it.

Plus, for a town just up 41 from Milwaukee, Miller seemed more appropriate!   

[Mr. Ypsi]

Understood!

As far as Wisconsin brews I'm familiar with (there may be micro-brews I haven't tried that are better), I'd have to say that Point Special is tops.  (It used to be Leinenkugel, but since they've gone national [Miller?] I think they've definitely gone downhill.)

Interestingly, I think the best micro-brews I ever tried are in Utah.  It is virtually a dry state, but those who DO drink know what they're doing!!  (New England has some EXCELLENT micro-brews as well.)

[Drake Palmer]

Wow – what can I say?  I'll try in 5 paragraphs or less.  Nice ball game!

First of all Willy Wonka: Dang dude - shame on you!  I read your mean spirited post over on the CCIW Update board.  Even KiltedRat was able to temporarily set aside his grudge against the Tommies to extend a "congrats" to UST.  (Alright this paragraph doesn't count against my self/OAS imposed paragraph total. )

1.  The crowd was decent to good & NC had nice support with their band, cheerleaders & a small, but fairly vocal following of fans.  The Tommie fans were vocal, but it was louder at the CARL/UST game than tonight.  It also seemed like more Tommy "fair weather" fans started creeping out of the woodwork once the Tommies looked like they were going to win in the 2nd half. Then again, a # of them started to leave when the game was still up in the air with 2 minutes left.  Go figure.  One other fan comment, the "over-rated" chant is very weak.

2.  NC is a solid ball club & their front line was worthy of the pre-game hype.  Simmons, Walton & Krumtinger were all very tough players.  In not too much of a surprise, they controlled the boards & out rebounded UST 34-26.  If UST didn't make their shots, they got very few offensive rebounds.  In the game of personnel match ups, UST had Ike on arguably the weakest NC forward – Krumtinger, while NC's Simmons was either guarding Shimek or Keating.  Early on, NC's other biggs - Krumtinger or Walton guarded Rosefelt.  Later on in the 2nd half NC switched Simmons back to guarding Rosefelt.  But tonight was just one of those nights for Rosefelt – even though the NC forwards did a good job of bodying up Isaac, he had a very efficient, workman like performance.  A stellar 9-11 from the field & 6-7 from the FT line.  I think he hit 3-4 turnaround Js that I've NEVER seem him hit on a consistent basis, 2 dunks, a reverse lay-up, & a couple of calm, up & under type moves to score.  Nice.

3.  The Tommie defense was rock solid & Keating again showed why he was selected to the All Defensive team.  In addition, he had a very big game offensively, scoring 15 clutch points.  Schnettler couldn't go off from downtown (solid D by NC), but he was ice at the FT line going 10-10.  Sweeney had a solid floor game with 6 assists & 0 TOs, & Shimek was doing the grunt work inside playing solid D & snatching boards. The unsung hero had to be "Price Waterhouse" Weaver.  In the first half he swoops in & grabs an offensive rebound on a jump stop, then goes right back up & scores the putback basket.  Tremendous athletic ability. In the 2nd half, he makes a very surprising trey, makes his customary block or two per game, gets a steal & then scores off a nice penetrating layup in traffic.

4.  To those who were complaining about the officiating – I'm sorry but I didn't see it.  Looking at the box score NC was called for 17 fouls & UST called for 13 fouls.  Not a huge discrepancy if you ask me.   UST also did a great job of protecting the ball on offense – 4 T0s to NC's 13 TOs.  In a tightly contested game such as this, each mistake seems to get magnified.  I would be willing to bet at least 4-5 of those NC TOs were caused by excellent defense by one of the Tommies stepping into the passing lanes  & picking off the pass, & not shoddy play by the Cardinals.

5a.  Good season North Central! It appears you have a good nucleus returning for next season with all 3 post players returning.  Simmons is tough, but I really liked Walton's game & the FY post - Chris Drennan.  He had nice composure out on the court & shooting touch around the basket.  The coach's kid, another FY, Mitch Raridon looks like he'll be a player too.

5b. Nice win Tommies!  Rest up & get ready for the Bopper & wild man MacGillis on Saturday.

[John Gleich]

Ypsi,

You called?

[TommieHoops4Life]

WW,

Quit crying because your Gusties lost two weeks ago and support the other MIAC teams in the NCAA's. It's getting old and annoying, rather quickly. I know everyone not at UST hates the Tommies, but seriously, get over it and support the rest of the conference.

Tommies play probably their best overall effort of the season tonight at Schoenecker. As was previously stated, they committed only four turnovers, scored 50 in the second half and played great team defense. NCC is a very disciplined team, and I loved that they didn't settle for the first open look. I like their interior play, but their guards needed to look more to score other than when they needed points late in the game. Weaver was huge off the bench with his play. Hits a big three, a gorgeous lay-in and a huge offensive board and putback that nobody saw coming. Ike had an absolutely ridiculous alley-oop dunk on a pass from Sweeney that looked like it was headed nine rows up into the stands. Schnettler was big in the second half, as were Sweeney, Shimek and Keating. NCC gave Keating way too many good looks from 12 feet and in, after he was broke in the first half. While I like NCC's offense, they didn't seem to want to play defense in the second half, and the 50 points proves it. I wasn't impressed by Simmons either. He thinks he's a thug, but he isn't. Gives two cheap shots to Schnettler at the end. I'll agree that Ike for the most part isn't a fan of physical play, but he was really battling for position in the post tonight. When he got the ball, I loved his aggressiveness in going to the hoop. When he got doubled, Keating was the happy recipient of a wide open basket. Even though I didn't, I would have paid for the price of admission for this one.

One other thing on NCC: The male cheerleader and the baton girl, who dropped one of her batons during a timeout, were absolutely hilarious. The male cheerleader needs to keep talking trash when his team is down 10 in the second half and playing like garbage. If UST can play for 40 minutes like they did in the second half tonight, they can beat anybody in the nation. I don't care if you're Lawrence, undefeated and on your home court. Block out the noise for 40 minutes, execute and the better team will win.

[Russian Mig AK47]

Good W by the tommies tonight.  I loved the aggression they played with in the second half. This game belongs to two long deserving tommies: Alex Weaver and Joey Shimek.... Weaver provided not only defensive support (blocking two huge shots in the game) but also the most important 5 points in the game, a 3 with the shot clock running down, and then shortly thereafter a driving layup to give UST a 4 point lead with under 10 to go.  Did i mention that he is suffering from a severe flu... the guy is flat out sick as a dog and he freaking came to play ball, ala mike jordan in 97 against the jazz.  Shimek freaking played out of his mind defense, and along with his help he was able to contain the NCC offensive in the second half, not to mention he chipped in on offense. 

I don't normally like to beat dead horses but, I found it extremely offputting when a NCC parent came up to me and Keating after the game when we were trying to celebrate and said "you played a good game, but we got screwed. we should have never have played you...the ncaa committee was unfair tous.  Which in my mind completely attempted to undermind the hard efforts of UST.  shut the **** up and play basketball, that is what UST did, and they won!

Larry_U- I won't be at the game but i am very excited to play lawrence.  Your beloved team now gets to exprience what it feels like to sit out a game and then attempt to play a tough competitive game against a team who is hungry as ****, much like myself and the tommies faced back in 2002 against Oshkosh.  I don't care if you think you have 3 NBA prospects on your team, you suck and so do your pathetic players that are apparently so acclaimed.  Keep in mind that your team is undefeated which means they have everything to lose and only minimal to gain, against a team that would love to stick foreign objects in lawrence mouths... innapropriate objects! 

And yes I agree with some sentiments that CDH and STA aren't as hardcore as advertised, but at the same time Sweeney, Keating, and Rosefelt are more hardcore than anything else that D3 has to offer, and they certainly think that they can bitch slap any other douchebags in the circuit, especially those that live in Appleton WI.

Braier or whatever his stupid name is, and Lawrence's pg are in big trouble because UST is looking to stick a catheter in their pee holes and straight bitch slap the entire team to send a message:  Congratulations on being undefeated in a ****ty conference that the blind sisters of the poor could have won! We came to play ball, and we don't need the likes of your bitch asses getting in the way.  Enjoy your first loss of the season on expense of a team that doesn't give a ****.  Better luck next season.

[Nites]

Mig,

Please don't hold back.  Tell us how you really feel.   

[columbianmaffia]

Larry U
home cooking from the refs? sorry i just didnt see it...especially when the refs were from a neutral conf...there were bad calls for both teams NCC just cried about it more than UST cuz i think UST realizes its just one call in a long game and they continue to play and dont let it bother them

i played against Kris Humphries when he was in high school in a pick up game he wasnt very good his freshman year so he shouldnt be in the NBA

Shimek was great tonight...he was the muscle for UST and held his own...i saw the team defense i expected to see out of UST tonight and i wasnt suprised by the way they played on either ends of the court...i was dissappointed in NCC though for all the talk they got they didnt seem as good as i thought they would be

for everyone that though Ike should have been on the all-defensive team tonight was a perfect example of why he wasnt...he is only good as a help side defender but he was unstoppable on offense and when he got good possition (which he had trouble doing) he scored when and how he wanted to.....what the hell am i thinkin writing a post this long im off to watch CAR play

AK 47
did the lil lady cut ya off from some lovin this week? haha in the words of trent tucker "dont     be        soooo          mean    big     fellla"

[sumander]

4.  To those who were complaining about the officiating – I'm sorry but I didn't see it.  Looking at the box score NC was called for 17 fouls & UST called for 13 fouls.  Not a huge discrepancy if you ask me.   

Looking at the play by play NC committed 5 fouls in the last 1:33 of the game. Sounds like the fouls were pretty even. The big question in my mind is were the officials CONSISTENT? You may not like how they are calling it, but if they are calling it the same on both ends of the floor you can't complain.

Great win for the Tommies, congratulations! Now you have some unfinished business to take care of on Saturday! Good luck!Carry the MIAC banner proudly!

[Gregory Sager]

Keep in mind that your team is undefeated which means they have everything to lose and only minimal to gain,

Proceeding to the next round of the tournament and a possible national championship is only "minimal to gain"? That goofy line ruined what would've been an otherwise witty (if a bit over-the-top) spite-filled rant, Mig.