MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[d3bballfollower]

game wasn't really close til the last 8 minutes...PC actually cut the lead to 4-5 a couple times in the last 5 minutes but Augsburg hit almost every throw down the stretch to keep a safe lead...solid win for the Dawgs against a mediocre Presentation club...great shooting from Mitch Dice tonight...4 3's

[sumander]

Nice little burst of activity on the board yesterday. Things are heating up for the resumption of  MIAC league play. MIAC gets two nice wins over UMAC teams. One from the upper end of the standings and one from the lower end of the standings. Clearly this means that the MIAC is a better conference top to bottom!

With the Pipers new up tempo style of play, are the putting on a full court press? I see in last nights game they had 9 steals. Northwestern had very Concordia like 19 turnovers and 12 assists. If they are pressing what type is it, man to man?

Clute going for 40 is unreal. I may have mentioned before but he was at least option #2 maybe #3 on his high school team!

[Drake Palmer]

Sum- I missed most of the 2nd half of the Pipes game but here's my take on their press.  I've seen better presses in my day, but I don't necessarily think Whitmore's strategy is force a bunch a TOs, but just physically & mentally wear you out.  They put mild pressure on the ball on the way up the court, & then go into more of a surprise half court trap at the top of the key & wings.

In the first half NW was lighting up the Pipe from the perimeter, in fact they shot 7-14 from behind the arc.  This was due in large part because ahem, certain Pipers were late recovering from a double team/trap back to their man & as a result the NW guards had wide open shots  After Hamline made some personnel adjustments, in the 2nd half those shots weren't there & NW only managed 8 shots from behind the arc & made only 3.  My guess is Coach Whitmore got his players' attention, & many of these players who were found lacking on the defensive end will exert better effort on D this Saturday.

I only had time to check on one other game, but my theory seems to be holding true.  In the Hamline 87-81 upset win over Bethel, Bethel shot 7-10 from the 3-pt line in the first half, & only 2-7 from behind the arc in the 2nd half.  A quick scan of the other games seems to show this same pattern.

[sumander]

Question for anyone with knowledge on "official" scoring. I have noticed in some box scores they have a category points off turnovers. Are the only points that qualify for this category, baskets scored directly after a turnover? (i.e. someone makes a steal and goes in for a lay-up).

If a pass is made between the steal (player A1 steals and passes to player A2 for a lay-up) and the basket does it still count as coming off the turnover.

The reason I ask is, this number in the box score usually is much lower than what my perception of points off turnovers would have been.

[slickyquick]

With the Pipers new up tempo style of play, are the putting on a full court press? I see in last nights game they had 9 steals. Northwestern had very Concordia like 19 turnovers and 12 assists. If they are pressing what type is it, man to man

Whitmore's teams in the past have done a mix of man and zone press. In the half court his style is making the other team uncomfortable. Similar to Michigan State's National Championship team with Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell, Mo Pete, AJ Granger, and Andre Hudson. There will a lot of fouls and the other teams generally wear down mentally and physically.

Don't be surprised to see a comeback from a sizable deficit late in games in next couple of years. His teams are usually in prime condition and I don't expect these Hamline teams to be an exception. 

[piperinsider]

Question for anyone with knowledge on "official" scoring. I have noticed in some box scores they have a category points off turnovers. Are the only points that qualify for this category, baskets scored directly after a turnover? (i.e. someone makes a steal and goes in for a lay-up).

If a pass is made between the steal (player A1 steals and passes to player A2 for a lay-up) and the basket does it still count as coming off the turnover.

The reason I ask is, this number in the box score usually is much lower than what my perception of points off turnovers would have been.

A basket after a turnover is points off turnovers - regardless if there are zero or 10 passes. A team received the ball because of a turnover - if they score on the next possession it's points off turnover. I believe if there is a foul called or a shot taken and missed, than it's nulled.

I used to do statcrew for Hamline and I just think it's one of the built in things in the program. For basketball, there isn't passing entered - just scores, rebounds, assists, etc.

[Drake Palmer]

Augsburg & Presentation game story & box score is finally up.   I think they still have the old fashioned rotary dial phones out on the wind swept prairie. Actually, I like South Dakota...


Edit: On 2nd thought, maybe there's a reason why they didn't hurry putting up the boxscore.  Augsburg shot a frigid 34.5 % from the field, yet they still manage to lead by 20 points early in the 2nd half.

[sumander]

Thanks Piperinsider. That is kind of what I figured, but wasn't sure.

  I think they still have the old fashioned rotary dial phones out on the wind swept prairie. Actually, I like South Dakota...

South Dakota is great especially if you are pheasant hunting!

Edit: On 2nd thought, maybe there's a reason why they didn't hurry putting up the boxscore.  Augsburg shot a frigid 34.5 % from the field, yet they still manage to lead by 20 points early in the 2nd half.

28.0% in the second half!

Looking at the play by play Presentation had 26 substitutions in the second half! 3 non starters had 10+ minutes in the second half. That's a revolving door.

[AO]

The Piper press was not really creating turnovers, as much of Northwestern's turnovers were unforced passing errors.  You could definitely see which team was playing a little more aggressive as Hamline was called for twice as many fouls.

The augsburg-presenation game was closer than I thought it would be.  I still believe Augsburg has the talent in this down year of the MIAC to start winning and possibly make the playoffs.

[NorfField Mafia]

If you've been reading the papers recently, you know that I've been very busy.  You all laughed when the NorfField Mafia came onto the scene a few years ago, but now the town has a drug problem and is removing their mayor from office (sounds like my family has been pretty successful lately).  Anyway, I've been out of the state for a while and am only in town for a bit.  Is Carleton at St Thomas the game of the weekend, or should I turn my attention elsewhere?

[gacbacker]

Interesting piece, with its fair share of inaccuracies, by Jay Weiner on MinnPost.com.

Not sure where he got the idea that Williams and Amherst don't compete in NCAA Division III playoffs, or the notion that Carleton and St. Olaf might be interested in joining a division that doesn't compete in national playoffs.

http://www.minnpost.com/jayweiner/2008/01/02/467/national_competitive_pressures_could_doom_miac_a_regional_sports_treasure

[piperinsider]

One can imagine a Carleton, Macalester, St. Olaf, Grinnell, Lawrence, Beloit, etc., in a regional conference of schools that aren't chasing national titles.

Thanks for not adding us into that group, Jay. We're trying to bring back a national title - albeit it gymnastics (circa 2001).

Double post coming.

[piperinsider]

Two days til conference play resumes...how about some matchup chatter?

SJU @ Bethel
* The real Bethel please stand up. I think if the Royals have any chance at a title this is a must-win, especially being at home against a team ahead of them. The Johnnies had a nice win over Whitewater, but a tough loss at Norbert's, which team will show up.

Macalester @ Concordia
* Will Siverson's announcement do anything to motivate his players? Or, will Abe, Conboy and Co. roll one of the two worst teams in the conference?

Augsburg @ Hamline
* A sneaky game for the 3-1 Pipers - we've seemed to struggle against the Dawgs lately in large part of their athleticism. Hamline may be better suited to play them this year, plus it's at home, which has been kind to the Pipes this year.

Carleton @ UST
* Yes Mafia II, this is the game to watch. 1. We'll find out how the Carls play against one of the bigs. 2. UST has been off for a bit, let's see how they respond (Dec. 8 to Jan. 5). 3. UST is undefeated at home (only 1 game so far - win over Hamline) - eight road games so far.

St. Mary's @ St. Olaf
* Time for NHL 94 on SNES. Somebody else find something interesting for this game.

[columbianmaffia]

The Piper press was not really creating turnovers, as much of Northwestern's turnovers were unforced passing errors. 

sounds like something a high school team from the burbs say after they play one of the inner city schools...however i was not at the game...so as my main man Chuck Barkley would say...i could be wrong, but i doubt it

If you've been reading the papers recently, you know that I've been very busy.  You all laughed when the NorfField Mafia came onto the scene a few years ago, but now the town has a drug problem and is removing their mayor from office (sounds like my family has been pretty successful lately).  Anyway, I've been out of the state for a while and am only in town for a bit.  Is Carleton at St Thomas the game of the weekend, or should I turn my attention elsewhere?

good to have you back NMafia...without you around i was begining to feel as if i had wiped out and all my spandex was torn off...that is the feeling of nakedness and pain all wrapped into one...that is the same power and intensity which is wrapped into every taco that taco bell makes


DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE A GANGSTER

GIMMIE THAT TRIPPLE BURGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MiacLostProphet]

So i was at the pipes game, sitting with former piper great Greg Koba.  What a game it was, like AO NWC was a pesky fly all night that should have been swatted long ago, but NWC hung around but eventually fell to the PIPERS. 

I would say the pipers pressure defense caused a few turnovers as well as forced the Eagles into some charges.  Hamline has a swarming defense.

Big E, the rarely used big man at hamline, doesn't seem to quite fit the bill with Whitmore' style.  He is a big body, but doesn't get up and down as fast as whitmore would like i assume.  And in an up tempo system you have to be able to get up and down.  Hipp hit a slump, but he is still a shot changer in the middle.  He may not block an obscene amount of shots, but he alters almost all of them in the paint. 

B.Hayes and Zev dunKujolic hooked up twice for some sweeeeeeeet oops.  Zev also had a nice wrap around the back past a NWC defender for a lay-up.  Didn't play in the first half but what a second half.  It seems you must be extremely mentally tough to play under Whitmore and constantly be ready to play.

Hayes played a heck of a game, hitting a big three down the stretch and flying to get a board over the heavy footed big man, number 42 i can't remember his name.  Also he drew a charge with under a minute to play.  Funny how he couldn't get a lick  of clock under Wohler in an up tempo system but is thriving in this up tempo system...hmmmm.

Clute for 40 points, wow, hats off.

Well another victory for the MIAC, oh how good it feels to be on the southern stretch of snelling....