MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[sumander]

The Gusties still have a good shot at a playoff spot by my figures if they lose Saturday to the West region #2 Tommies.  A strong road win against #5 Buena Vista is on the resume.  Also helping the cause was #7 Platteville losing in the WIAC quarterfinals a couple days ago.

Based on pabegg's calculations over on the Pool C thread, The Tommies are in win or lose! The Gusties have no chance of a pool c bid if they lose! Plain and simple the Gusties need to win to make the NCAA field!

[gacbacker]

Gacbacker,

You want classy? I'll give you classy. In Carleton's win over SJU, Lieser got pulled in the closing minutes with Zach Johnson at the free-throw line. Johnson stops, gives Lieser a handshake and tap on the backside and leads an applause for him as he heads back to the bench. Doesn't get much classier than that. I also interviewed him after, and in the talk of MIAC MVP, he said he doesn't consider himself close to the caliber of the best players in the league. Fortunately for his case, he might be the only one who thinks that way.

That's all fine and dandy TH4L, it still doesn't prove that the Knights were "classy" last night and the Gusties were "Whiney" as one poster so eloquently put it.

[oldtimefan]

I was reading the GAC game story and if what I read is true...you have to say that the Knights mislplayed the end of that game...with 11 seconds left and up 3 they are on D and Jesse Van Sickle brings the ball down and pulls up for a top of the key three...the guy is the top 3 point shooter in the conference how do you not find him and defend him?  

I feel bad for Tommy Drake, missing that front end of the 1 and 1 which might have salted the game away,  is a tough memory to have.

It should be a good final...gotta give the edge to the Tommies, the way they play D and being on their home floor...I will be hoping the Gusties win though as I hope the MIAC gets two into the NCAA tournament...

Not misplayed by the Knights, just a great shot by Van Sickle. He was actually a few feet outside of the 3 point line with 2 guys on him. He hit a falling away, hand in your face 3. One of those shots that is only great if you hit it since he had a teammate wide open for a 3.
By "classy" , I wasn't referring to the Carleton players' personal characteristics. I meant their basketball style of play; as in "stylish" or "elegant" as the dictionary would say. As in, they handle the ball well, don't commit a lot of fouls, have some guys who look like they can knock down the jumper and a football game isn't about to break out on the court ala GAC/CON a few weeks ago. Gusties did what they had to do to win and I wish them luck on Saturday.
They were just more fun to root for about 6 years ago.

[concordia of the north]

some of us prefer a less classy, more garish brand of basketball.

right away in the first half you could tell this was Viau's night. For players like him, the offensive success often flows from other, seemingly inapplicable, events. Tip a couple passes, snag a few tough rebounds, play good position defense, keep a couple plays alive with offensive rebounds, and THEN take a good high percentage shot in the offense.  Now you can start looking for your shot; the game comes easier.

he did a great job.  there was one possession in the first half where he alone was able to get the ball into the lane and kick it out.  He drove the lane 2 or 3 times in the possession and found people on the perimeter for easy jump shots. all those shots were missed. he got both of the offensive rebounds and brought the ball back out.  Finally, after about 2 full shot clocks, he hustles for another loose ball, takes his time and banks in a shot from 6 feet on the right hand side. beautiful.

[VOJ]

Thanks oldtimefan...that is a better description of events than what was written, from the GAC summary which is very good overall, it sounded like he was wide open for the J...tough way for Carlton to go out...just shows you how close the talent level is in the MIAC>>>

I think we deserve 2 in the NCAA's regardless of what happens Saturday...

[Drake Palmer]

...For the Tommie fans, let's hope Saturday isn't anything close to what happened the last time the Gusties played at Schoenecker for the title. Yeah, I just brought that painful memory to the surface.

TH4L – ooh, you would have to bring up those memories.   In an indirect way, that thorough beat down & thumping administered by the Gusties over UST back in 03, & their magical run to the national championship game, was what hooked me into following the MIAC again.  I had followed the Cretin HS teams – Sean Sweeney, Mike Keating & others during the early 00s & was curious to see how well their HS success would translate to the college level.  On that particular day, there was no success to be found by the Tommies & the Gusties were stone cold solid.  I remember talking with friends in the stands – "is Sweeney that bad, or is Gustavus just that good?" We found out that the Gusties were that good, & we wouldn't find out how good Sweeney would be for another 2 years.  So umm, thanks, uhh Gusties.  

Interesting to note there are some striking similarities between 03 & 08:

Going into the championship game in 03, the Tommies were the #1 seed & the Gusties #2, the same as in 08.

The Tommies were riding a 23 game home winning streak in 03, & in 08 are currently on a 34 game home conference winning streak.

One of the biggest differences between 03 & 08 is that with the exception of Sean Sweeney, the Tommies were mostly a senior led team, & the Gusties had a nice balance of veterans & underclassmen. In 2008 the team lineups are almost reversed.  Plus, as far as I know, the Tommies are healthy going into the championship game this season.
**********
Although B.J. Viau is only 6-3, he's used more as a forward than as a guard, which is one reason for the high number of rebounds.  Plus, he just has a nice knack for getting to loose balls.

Bookend thrillers by the two perennial league powers last night.

[Drake Palmer]

some of us prefer a less classy, more garish brand of basketball....

I recall a game in 05, I think the date was 2-22-05,  when beauty & the beast was running around on the court.  Overall, the game was a thing of beauty & the game was a monster! The Big E was killing em, Bet34 was flaming, and, and someone was doing their best Wonka impersonation - 5 fouls, 18 minutes. tsk, tsk, tsk.     But he & players of their ilk, the Wonkas, CONs, Robinsons, etc they're gamers & every team needs one.

Flannery & Much might be those guys for Bethel in future years.

[VOJ]

Drake...good post ...by the way on that picture of Viau rebounding the ball (on that front page of the D3hoops.com) are you the guy in the yellow hat on backwards or the one that is diagonal from him to the left? 

Speaking of that pick...between the arms is that former Johnny baller Bryan Krause?

[AO]

The Gusties still have a good shot at a playoff spot by my figures if they lose Saturday to the West region #2 Tommies.  A strong road win against #5 Buena Vista is on the resume.  Also helping the cause was #7 Platteville losing in the WIAC quarterfinals a couple days ago.

Based on pabegg's calculations over on the Pool C thread, The Tommies are in win or lose! The Gusties have no chance of a pool c bid if they lose! Plain and simple the Gusties need to win to make the NCAA field!

A quote from Pabegg:

West: Top 5 are safe. Platteville, Cal Lutheran, and Loras could drop out. But who could replace them? The Carleton/Gustavus winner, perhaps. Is there any chance that Nebraska Wesleyan or Chapman gets ranked with a 2-0 weekend. Obviously Platteville has set themselves up to drop from the rankings with their 0-1 week (they should be below CLU and Loras), but they won't drop out unless there's someone there to take their place.]

While it gives the upcoming Tommie-Gustie showdown a little more hype and excitement, saying that Gustavus needs to win to get in might not be true.  They obviously won't play on their heels due to the great uncertainty of the situation, but I don't know how far you can be knocked down the rankings for losing to the #2 in the region on the road.

[concordia of the north]

It was nice to see the MIAC on the front page for approximately the same duration as Tennessee's #1 stint.

And if the action of our semi-final round was good enough to be the cover story, how was the MIAC omitted from the 5-7 team list of the front-page poll.  It was entitled something like, "Which conference will have the most exciting semi-final and final round of competition?"

It's a great day to be on Linz's bandwagon.

[Willy Wonka]

I was reading the GAC game story and if what I read is true...you have to say that the Knights mislplayed the end of that game...with 11 seconds left and up 3 they are on D and Jesse Van Sickle brings the ball down and pulls up for a top of the key three...the guy is the top 3 point shooter in the conference how do you not find him and defend him?  

I feel bad for Tommy Drake, missing that front end of the 1 and 1 which might have salted the game away,  is a tough memory to have.

It should be a good final...gotta give the edge to the Tommies, the way they play D and being on their home floor...I will be hoping the Gusties win though as I hope the MIAC gets two into the NCAA tournament...

Not misplayed by the Knights, just a great shot by Van Sickle. He was actually a few feet outside of the 3 point line with 2 guys on him. He hit a falling away, hand in your face 3. One of those shots that is only great if you hit it since he had a teammate wide open for a 3.
By "classy" , I wasn't referring to the Carleton players' personal characteristics. I meant their basketball style of play; as in "stylish" or "elegant" as the dictionary would say. As in, they handle the ball well, don't commit a lot of fouls, have some guys who look like they can knock down the jumper and a football game isn't about to break out on the court ala GAC/CON a few weeks ago. Gusties did what they had to do to win and I wish them luck on Saturday.
They were just more fun to root for about 6 years ago.

I won't argue with your last statement for obvious reasons...but I have to take issue with calling this particular GAC team out for thuggery. They don't have a true banger and, the few games I've seen, tend to be a much more finesse-based team than in recent memory. Great when shots are falling, terrible when they're not.

Carleton is a machine. I've heard stories where PGs of the past were specifically told how many dribbles they could take while running a particular play. I've never been a fan of plays in general, so the thought of that "style" almost makes me vomit "elegantly."

I can't wait until Doble takes Drake's loverboy out behind the woodshed again tomorrow night 8)

[VOJ]

Willy...low blow but darn hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


That is a key matchup...no doubt, but so is anyone guarding Joe Scott and who will take on Viau...he has upped his scoring a bit recently and could be the guy who decides it all...

[Pat Coleman]

Those were all conferences, other than the WIAC, who play their semis and finals on back-to-back nights. That's why we said "weekend semifinals and finals."

Indeed -- MIAC wasn't the top story for long. Nobody is on a week like this!

It was nice to see the MIAC on the front page for approximately the same duration as Tennessee's #1 stint.

And if the action of our semi-final round was good enough to be the cover story, how was the MIAC omitted from the 5-7 team list of the front-page poll.  It was entitled something like, "Which conference will have the most exciting semi-final and final round of competition?"

It's a great day to be on Linz's bandwagon.

[Drake Palmer]

I can't wait until Doble takes Drake's loverboy out behind the woodshed again tomorrow night 8)

Knowing the context behind your accusations, you might want to consider the use of a dfferent cliche.  Or who knows, maybe that was intentional on your part. 

If the Tommes win, I want Mose & or Snow to tell the story about the UST-GAC game in St. Peter a couple of years ago when Keating & Snow were "raising the roof," & Mose waved the sheaf of game stats in front of your face! 

[oldtimefan]

WW- I concede to your elegant and stylish rebuttal. Hard to argue with a former player. Maybe I've been watching way too much high school and women's basketball lately and am not used to seeing all that contact in the lane.  I just didn't like all that obvious complaining from the players.
Leave that stuff to the coaches and fans.