MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

All I know about it is what everyone read in Frank's column...it is a tough blow to the inside game for the J's because Fogt was going to be in great shape and I thought he could be a double-double guy or close to that this year.

What this means is that other guys will have a chance to step up to fill in, there are a number of good young guys to pick from.  I am sure the coaching staff is confident in the guys who will fill in. 

Isn't the college game more guard orriented anyway?  The J's have some good guards returning...I think the inside game will take care of itself.

I think this will be Smith's motto the rest of the year! Leiser and Brink would need to shoot the ball 50 times a night combine for them to win with no inside game!
I'm not saying the J's are done for but things are going to be alot tougher for them without Fogt's massive body in the middle.

If the Johnnies' guard play resembles what I saw in the UST-SJU JV game this past season, it could be a long year. 

Aaah, nothing like a little breaking news to freshen up the board a bit!

Now that we have everyone's attention how about some stabs at the preseason All MIAC team?

Sum - we'd need to see all of the rosters before we could do that - grrh.   

[papahoops]

Another factor not raised to date regarding Fogt's absence is that SJU has gone from being able to throw 15 fouls/game (last year (Schaeffer twins plus Fogt) against higher caliber big men to ? It will not only be the replacement post starter, but the depth behind him that will provide new post defensive challenges for the Johnnies resulting from the injury.

[Nites]

/quote]

Sum - we'd need to see all of the rosters before we could do that - grrh.   

Drake - I noticed that Carleton's roster has expanded by 2 so that they now have 12 players listed.  I don't know if they picked a couple up out of the gym or whether they're actual recruits.  CMOB would probably have a better idea.

[mnblaster]

[/quote]

Drake - I noticed that Carleton's roster has expanded by 2 so that they now have 12 players listed.  I don't know if they picked a couple up out of the gym or whether they're actual recruits.  CMOB would probably have a better idea.
[/quote]

Carleton picked a couple players off open gymn for practice players. They are hurting at the guard position, with two guards nursing nagging injuries and no one else with any minutes. I don't see how miacfan55 has them ranked 3rd, but we'll see shortly.

[d3bballfollower]

this has nothing to do with the MIAC, but we have ourselves the first upset of the college basketball season...Garden Webb over Kentucky in Lexington (UConn almost got nipped by Morgan State as well)...what a great time to be a college hoops fan of any level...and with the exibition losses for MSU and OSU our Gophs might have a chance, huh?  maybe not, but with Tubby we can dream big!

[d3bballfollower]

did I mention that Gardner-Webb's win was by 16!!! 84-68! NUTS!

[Drake Palmer]

SIDs Don't Sleep!
I dang near fell out of my chair when I clicked on the Hamline website & saw that they finally posted their roster overnight!  I'll check back in later after I've had time to review the personnel.
 
Hambone

[d3bballfollower]

not any "big time" guys new this year at Hamline...expect to see a starting 5 of Thrasher, Zev, Gusaas, and then 2 quick guards

[localcoach]

You beat me to it Drake     Hamline's roster is an interesting one.  I ran into some of my long time friends that are HU supporters yesterday and got a "mini-scoop" on happenings in Piperville.  d3bballfollower - I was told that as many as 4 freshmen might start for HU.  Obviously you can pencil in Thrasher, but don't be surprised to see FR Adam Egan starting at PG and Carl Hipp getting the nod over Erik Gusaas.  The other newcomers I've heard that have surprised are Nick Carroll of Cretin-DH and Kwame Herzog of Irondale.  Obviously it's all still speculation at this point.  We will see come Nov. 17. 

Now on to other matters.  SJU and Bethel SID's.... WAKE UP    I'm tired of waiting for these rosters, even though the Johnnies have their season preview posted and we pretty much know the Royals newcomers.  So I'll be the first to prognosticate and post my pre-season MIAC predictions.  Time to put up and follow suit.  Let's hear your thoughts everyone. 

2007-08 MIAC Predictions
1. Bethel
2. St. Thomas
3. Gustavus
4. St. John's
5. Augsburg
6. St. Olaf
7. Macalester
8. Hamline
9. Concordia
10. Carleton
11. St. Mary's

[Drake Palmer]

So I'll be the first to prognosticate and post my pre-season MIAC predictions.   Time to put up and follow suit.  Let's hear your thoughts everyone. 

2007-08 MIAC Predictions
1. Bethel
2. St. Thomas
3. Gustavus
4. St. John's
5. Augsburg
6. St. Olaf
7. Macalester
8. Hamline
9. Concordia
10. Carleton
11. St. Mary's

Umm, Local - there have been a few other posters that posted their predictions.      I on the other hand, will stubbornly wait until all the little teams are present & accounted for.  Besides, who are all the newcomers at Bethel - I sure don't know.

You do make some interesting picks there Local.  I'll have to post later when I have more time, but in closing for now - Tommies 2nd?!?  I don't think so. 

[sju4life]

question...with SJU having the loss of fogt for 8 weeks or longer this could lead me to believe brink will have a "fighting" chance of being a top 5 player in the league this year.  It would not surprise me if he averages 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals a game.  He may be one of the most well rounded players in the miac this year.  What other players will also compete for player of the year?

[localcoach]

sju4life - Off the top of my head the two most obvious ones are Wittwer (GAC) and Conboy (MAC).  Others who might have a shot include Madson (Bethel); Linz (Concordia); Thrasher (HU); Z. Johnson (Carleton) and Solaja (Auggie).

Drake - I know other posters had previously posted but most had said they would re-post when the rosters all came out.  Well I just got tired of waiting.  Here's how I look at #2.  It was either GAC or UST or SJU.  Well SJU lost Fogt and that will be a huge loss.  GAC has Wittwer and Doble, but the loss of Phil Sowden in the post will be huge.  St. Thomas will be young but I see Joe Scott having a huge year; Lonnie Robinson increasing his production; the inside combination of McCoy and Baker sufficing; Teddy Archer having a break out season; and the freshmen duo of Halvorsen and Nicolai as being impact guys.  Plus Fritz and Tauer are just too smart and will find a way to get it done.

[d3bballfollower]

localcoach- I agree with your choices of Wittwer, Linz and Thrasher, possibly even with Johnson and Sojala, but how can you say that Conboy is one of the most well-rounded players in the MIAC?

last year Brady Brink averaged...7.9 points, 6 boards and 1.5 assists per game, while also registering a little more than 1 block a game, all while shooting 53.5% from the field (37.5 from 3)
Wittwer averaged...13.1 points, 5.2 boards, and a little more than 1 steal a game, he shot over 60% from the floor
Linz averaged...19.8 points and 7 boards a game, also registered a little over 1 block and 1 steal a game...he shot almost 56% from the floor (tops for the Cobbers)
Thrasher averaged...16 points and a little less than 5 boards a game, but his assist to turnover ration was 31/41...not good...he shot 47% from the floor
Johnson scored more, but didn't do much else...
Sojala averaged double digits in points and 7 boards a game, but a 22/68 assist to turnover ratio is also terrible

Now for Conboy's stats...17.4 points and 8 boards a game, but only 45% from the floor and 40% from the foul line! i don't think you can say that a guy who shoots a lower percentage from the line than from the field is a good overall player...38/64 assist to turnover ratio, also terrible...Conboy is a good MIAC post, but he would get eaten alive on the national level by guys like Troy Ruths from Wash U and Kevin Hopkins of Amherst

now here is who I would say are the top overall players in the league...Brink...obviously, Wittwer...obviously...Madson, and how about Tommy Drake, or Jon Cassens, or even Abe Woldeslassie...

[WXYZ]

I was able to get over and cover the Augsburg - UW River Falls at Augsburg. Since my son is playing in the MIAC the next couple of years I thought I would do some game stories. I shot a hundred or so game pictures and did postgame audio with Coach Griess, Nate Alm and Jon Cassens. The story is posted as a free story on www.minnesotapreps.com Gnosis - Michael J. Much

[Nites]

Now for Conboy's stats...17.4 points and 8 boards a game, but only 45% from the floor and 40% from the foul line! i don't think you can say that a guy who shoots a lower percentage from the line than from the field is a good overall player...38/64 assist to turnover ratio, also terrible...Conboy is a good MIAC post, but he would get eaten alive on the national level by guys like Troy Ruths from Wash U and Kevin Hopkins of Amherst

i don't think you can say that a guy who shoots a lower percentage from the line than from the field is a good overall player

I'll let you break that bit of news to Shaq . . .. Conboy did shoot 63% from the line as a FY and 59% as a sophomore.  I suspect he developed a bit of a mental issue with free throws last year, and I'd be willing to bet that he worked on that quite a bit during the off season.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him shoot 60% or better from the line this year. 

Conboy is a good MIAC post, but he would get eaten alive on the national level by guys like Troy Ruths from Wash U and Kevin Hopkins of Amherst

Yeah, but he plays in the MIAC...