MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[TommieHoops4Life]

SJU4life,

Some of your comments are barely even worth responding to, but i'll try my best to be fair and objective. I'll admit that Westman has hit some big shots in his day, but I haven't been there to see them with my own two eyes. Schnettler is the second best 3-point shooter in the entire country behind CDH grad Steve Sirr, and they are also 1-2 in total attempts. Westman is a good perimeter shooter who has had two tough nights against UST, but Schnettler is a great shooter. The difference between the two in my mind is that Westman is more of a set shooter who needs a screen to get open and some space to hit his shot, while Schnettler is a little better at creating his own shot. Yeah, he comes off screens too, but he has the deadly step back shot that he hit a couple times last Saturday, and he has the quickest release in basketball. I haven't seen Westman hit a lot of shots under heavy defensive pressure, but I have seen Schnettler make his with a hand in his face. If I had to choose between the two, without I doubt I'd rather have Schnettler, but I am a Tommie.

If I had to choose role players between UST and SJU, I'd take Robinson, Dwyer and Keating over S. Schafer, Ohme and Brink right now. Ohme clearly has been reduced in his scoring role and is a very nice player, but Dwyer has stepped up huge in his senior season. Robinson is one heck of an athlete who is very versatile on the court and can do just about anything, and from what I've seen of Brink, he has flashes of brilliance.

With all that said, I think the Johnnies win their opener since it's at Sexton and then get a little lesson taught to them against Steven's Point.

[TommieHoops4Life]

Here's perhaps a better point to think about before the NCAAs start. Are the Johnnies at an advantage because they have 3-4 days to prepare for Loras? On the other side of the coin, UST has to wait to see who will win between Caroll and Augustana to determine their first opponent, meaning they have pretty much 1 full day to prepare. I understand that Augustana will probably win, but the coaches aren't thinking that right now.

Do the Tommies just focus on what they do well for now in practice? Do they plan to prepare for one team and hope they don't face the other? I'm sure coaches are watching film of both teams, but it's gotta be hard to prepare for a game when you don't know until a day before who you're actually going to play. I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

[Freebird]

Comparing Westman and Schnettler is like comparing Ike and Schafer.  The difference is a great player and a good player.

Has UST started selling tickets for Saturdays game yet?

[Willy Wonka]

In the ongoing debate of whether Schnettler is God, it's worth noting he shot 29% in the three games Ike missed this season including a more reasonable 38% from deep. He still averaged 20.3 a game, but it took him almost 20 shots per game to get it. The shooting came in three close games against LaX, St. Scholastica and UW-RF, who combine for a 43-37 season record.

That seems like a pretty convincing argument for Ike as the league MVP and Schnettler as merely being a Titan in the pantheon of Gods.

[ustbumkneez]

Bird, UST isnt selling tickets in advance. From the UST website:"Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students. There is no advance sale and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Since either potential opponent is located out of the area, we do not expect the kind of ticket demand we saw for two recent games vs. rival St. John's."

[Dunkmachine]

columbianmaffia, I would say this even if you said you would give
me -1000 K

Kyle Foster = Not good at basketball




(also, in person, bears small resemblence to big Frank)

[miacwatchmen]

Warning: miacwatchmen personal opinion to follow



I can't remember if we talked about it earlier this year but the comparison to Brady Brink and Lonnie Robinson as far as athletic ability is concerned. I think bumkneez made the point. I think Brady is more athletic than Lonnie. Lonnie does have huge ups but Brady is one of the most athletic players in the MIAC. His lanky arms and overall size make him a tough defender (Most of the time, this past Saturday wasn't one of them.) He has made some plays in the games i've watched this year that made me shake my head.
Lonnie is a solid athlete but nothing in comparison to Brink.

[Freebird]

Kneez, thanks for the info.

I sure wish the NCAA would space out the basketball and hockey playoff season.  It is very possible UST will be playing at Bethel for the MIAC Men's Hockey Playoff Championship at 7pm on Saturday.  If this is the case it will be very similiar to last year when UST had a playoff basketball game the same night of the semi-finals in hockey.  There were about 300 Bethel Students and maybe 5 Tommie students, which is no fun.

[VOJ]

In the ongoing debate of whether Schnettler is God, it's worth noting he shot 29% in the three games Ike missed this season including a more reasonable 38% from deep. He still averaged 20.3 a game, but it took him almost 20 shots per game to get it. The shooting came in three close games against LaX, St. Scholastica and UW-RF, who combine for a 43-37 season record.

That seems like a pretty convincing argument for Ike as the league MVP and Schnettler as merely being a Titan in the pantheon of Gods.

Willy...u are right...the Toms have a very good inside/outside game, I would imagine if you took Schnettler away teams would go to a box and 1(with the one on Keating) or sag type defense on IKE, cutting down the passing lanes, double-teaming and basicly cutting him off

Here is what I noticed in seeing the Toms 3X this year...it really won't matter who they play in the tournament...they are playing at a level which is tough to touch.  I doubt you would get Fritz to say it, but this is probably the most talented team he has had since he took the Tommies to the Final 4. 

[columbianmaffia]

Here's perhaps a better point to think about before the NCAAs start. Are the Johnnies at an advantage because they have 3-4 days to prepare for Loras? On the other side of the coin, UST has to wait to see who will win between Caroll and Augustana to determine their first opponent, meaning they have pretty much 1 full day to prepare. I understand that Augustana will probably win, but the coaches aren't thinking that right now.

Do the Tommies just focus on what they do well for now in practice? Do they plan to prepare for one team and hope they don't face the other? I'm sure coaches are watching film of both teams, but it's gotta be hard to prepare for a game when you don't know until a day before who you're actually going to play. I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

i think UST has the advantage because the team they will play will also only have one day to prepare unless they have a dumb coach who looks past the first game in a win or die game...those two teams may beat up on one another too...ya never know if someone will come out of the game with a sprained ankle or bubble guts if they eat some bad food at taco bell

columbianmaffia, I would say this even if you said you would give
me -1000 K

Kyle Foster = Not good at basketball




(also, in person, bears small resemblence to big Frank)

+k


FRANK N BEANS!!!

[Greek Tragedy]

Bird, UST isnt selling tickets in advance. From the UST website:"Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students. There is no advance sale and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Since either potential opponent is located out of the area, we do not expect the kind of ticket demand we saw for two recent games vs. rival St. John's."

Not even for the visitors?  I assume they have set aside tix for them.

Kneez, thanks for the info.

I sure wish the NCAA would space out the basketball and hockey playoff season.  It is very possible UST will be playing at Bethel for the MIAC Men's Hockey Playoff Championship at 7pm on Saturday.  If this is the case it will be very similiar to last year when UST had a playoff basketball game the same night of the semi-finals in hockey.  There were about 300 Bethel Students and maybe 5 Tommie students, which is no fun.

That's nothing.  On the SAME WEEKEND a couple of years ago, Stevens Point had the women's basketball team in the Final Four, the men's basketball team in the Final Four and the women's hockey team in the Final Four.

PS
How does SJU4life have that many karma pts???

If anyone worries about karma points, they need to find a hobby. 

[Drake Palmer]

Before all the work I missed during the MIAC regular season totally consumes me, here are a few comments:

TH4L – have your lost your mind or has Wonka totally brainwashed you?!?  You're calling Keating a role player?? 

SJU4life,

...If I had to choose role players between UST and SJU, I'd take Robinson, Dwyer and Keating over S. Schafer, Ohme and Brink right now.

I know Willy is probably thinking I'm trying to revive the Keating for league MVP (which I'm not), but do these stats read like that of your typical role player?

15.6/ppg for 8th overall in league scoring
9.3/Rpg 2nd in the league in rebounding 

Watch – I like your boy Brink alot, but how are you measuring athletic ability?  Is he a college 2 sport athlete like UST's Lonnie Robinson?  Last year as a sophomore, Robinson was one of the stalwarts on the Tommie pitching staff & had a 4-0 W-L, 2.51 ERA, 5 saves, & had 46 SOs for 3rd place on the team.  I would probably agree with you though & give Brink the slight edge as a better basketball player than Robinson. But until I hear or see more evidence, I would say it's difficult to say which one is more athletic.  I would tend to give the nod to Robinson because of his additional baseball success.

If GAC's Trevor Wittwer fully recovers from his injury I think it could be a very interesting duel between him & Brink next year.  As I've said before, when I saw Wittwer & crew beat Bethel back in December, I thought I was witnessing the unveiling of the latest MIAC superstar.  I think Brink has similar type of ability.

VOJ – Are you trying to kill the Tommies with kindness?

...I doubt you would get Fritz to say it, but this is probably the most talented team he has had since he took the Tommies to the Final 4. 

They're certainly a talented bunch, but I don't think they're as strong as even last year's club, let alone the 94 Final Four team.  I think I may have even got Mose to agree with me on this one. Who knows, mebbe this bunch will prove me wrong.

[Nites]

Watch – I like your boy Brink alot, but how are you measuring athletic ability?  Is he a college 2 sport player like UST's Lonnie Robinson?  Last year as a sophomore, Robinson was one of the stalwarts on the Tommie pitching staff & had a 4-0 W-L, 2.51 ERA, 5 saves, & had 46 SOs for 3rd place on the team.  I would probably agree with you though & give Brink the slight edge as a better basketball player than Robinson. But until I hear or see more evidence, I would say it's difficult to say which one is more athletic.  I would tend to give the nod to Robinson because of his additional baseball success.

[/quote]

Just because someone plays two sports doesn't make him a better athlete, even if he has success.  I always thought Michael Jordan was a pretty decent athlete  , and he proved that he couldn't play baseball very well. . . .

[TommieHoops4Life]

DP,

Technically everyone on the basketball court is a role player. Keating's role is to score, rebound and play defense! I obviously didn't mean Keating to be a role player in the true sense of somebody who does a little of everything. I just kind of threw his name out there in terms of matchups with the three SJU players I had mentioned.

[Drake Palmer]

Watch – I like your boy Brink alot, but how are you measuring athletic ability?  Is he a college 2 sport player like UST’s Lonnie Robinson?  Last year as a sophomore, Robinson was one of the stalwarts on the Tommie pitching staff & had a 4-0 W-L, 2.51 ERA, 5 saves, & had 46 SOs for 3rd place on the team.  I would probably agree with you though & give Brink the slight edge as a better basketball player than Robinson. But until I hear or see more evidence, I would say it’s difficult to say which one is more athletic.  I would tend to give the nod to Robinson because of his additional baseball success.

Just because someone plays two sports doesn't make him a better athlete, even if he has success.  I always thought Michael Jordan was a pretty decent athlete  , and he proved that he couldn't play baseball very well. . . .
[/quote]
***********************
Nites - this is why I asked the question in my earlier post - how was Watch measuring athletic ability.  You're right, clips I've seen of Jordan playing baseball he didn't look too hot.  But Lonnie can.  On the flipside though, from one of PI's posts earlier in the season, Lonnie's not much of a skateboarder.