WBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[LA RAMS]

Now, we all know LArams is a genius but the MIAC coaches don't seem to agree with his assessment of GAC's chances this year. Here's the recently released coaches poll.

WW,

Don't know if I'm the genius that everyone seems to think I am  .  I am glad, though, that they have both the Knights and the Gusties right up there where they belong.  BTW, an excellent, excellent road win for the Gusties last night down in Waverly.  This may very well be the launching pad for them to bigger and better things down the road.  I'm not going to break out the frying pan just yet but I'll at least have it washed and ready to go  .

Actually, I'm a little surprised as I was a bit more generous to Bethel in my last poll than they coaches were and even more so that they have Hamline at the 9th spot.  Also, how do they have Concordia all the way up at 4?

[gacbacker]

Gusties getting shallacked in Eau Claire right now by Luther. The Norse were pre-season favorites to win the conference and they are playing like it. Luther 42 Gustavus 28 at halftime.

The two teams have combined for 40 turnovers in the first half with Gustavus committing 21 of them. Vadnais has 3 fouls at the half as well which doesn't bode well for the Gusties.

[buf]

Gusties lose by 32 to Luther.  Luther is very good, especially underneath the basket where they got layup after layup.  Their posts are huge and just powered it through the Gustie defenders.  Luther has got to be a top 25 team.  It was a bad match up for Gustavus as it will be tomorrow night when Luther plays a much smaller Eau Claire team.  Gusties had a lot of trouble with Luther's press.  Many of Gustavus' turnovers were caused by the Luther pressure in the backcourt.  One thing I thought the Gustie coaching staff should have tried to do is to play a zone defense and pack defenders underneath the hoop to try and stop the entry passes into the posts.  Once the posts got the ball, it was all over.  Gusties will play St. Scholastica @ 6:00 tomorrow evening.  I expect Gusties to give it to Monahan and Boese down low against a small Scholastica team.

[Willy Wonka]

Ugh. Not sure the box score could get any uglier. Vadnais played only 20 minutes and the two starting posts fouled out. The team shot 34% from the field and 50% from the line. The following is the game summary according to the box score. gacbacker, you have any further details?

Eau Claire Thanksgiving Showcase, First Round, Game 1. LC broke a 20-20 tie
with a 19-2 run to take a 39-22 lead with 2:18 to play in 1st half. Strate and
O'brien combined for 11 pts during the rund. GA got no closer than 11 in the
second half. LC advaces to final against Eau Claire St. Scholastica winner.

[gacbacker]

Willy- I wasn't there thankfully, I was at the Metrodome covering the Prep Bowl. I did get a report from Eau Claire and it sounds like we just got outplayed in just about every aspect.

When both teams have 30+ turnovers it's a game that makes a supporter of women's basketball cringe.

It didn't matter tonight, but Vadnais and Monahan have to stay out of foul trouble for us to have a chance.

The Gusties are a bit knicked after tonight to make matters worse. One concussion and an aggrevated foot injury.

[buf]

In addition to the loss last night, the Gusties did get beat up physically just as gacbacker said.  One player was noticeably limping (Monahan??), one had a huge ice pack on her hip and back, and another was stuggling to just plain walk (I think the one who got a concussion).  Tonights game should be pretty close, but if Gusties get good post play, they should win.

[gacbacker]

The one limping was not Monahan...she just dropped in a cool 19 points on 7-7 fg in the first half against St. Scholastica. She is fine. 

Gusties lead 35-26 at the half.

[buf]

Gusties use their go-to players (Vadnais + Monahan) to defeat St. Schlostica.  They led pretty much the whole game and were never really threatened, although the Saints hung in there.  Monahan earns a spot on the All Tournament Team.

EC defeats Luther 64-59 in the championship game.  A close game throughout.

By the way, who is that hottie wearing #34 for the Gusties?  Do you know WW?

[gacbacker]

Gusties win  by 13 as Monahan goes for 27 and 11 boards.

Carleton loses tonight 61-58 to Kenyon College which gives the top three teams in the pre-season poll (CSB, CAR & GAC) one loss apiece. Vig just 4-13 from the field.

[tommycorn]

St. Thomas posted an overtime win today versus Riverfalls.  The two Iowa freshman had another strong showing, and Keiser stepped up and hit some big three pointers.  I'm a little concerned with their ability to handle pressure late.  They had the ball with 20 secs left and a two point lead and turned it over.

Also, Opdahl continues to miss her easy shots under the basket.  She did have a game saving blocked shot at the end though.  She should dominate this league, no one else can match her size.  The tommies need to figure out a way to get the ball down low.  They are hitting three pointers right now, but a good team will take those shots away.

Overall it was an impressive win for an extremely young team.

[Willy Wonka]

I just checked out the GAC season stats. Ugh! Besides Monahan, the team has played rather poorly, especially at the second post position. Here are the three players (Boese, Vicky P, Kenzie C) stats who rotate (with Monahan too) at the post:

9/37 from the field
12.3 RPG
10.3 PPG
6.6 turnovers PG

Boese has missed extensive practice time due to various injuries (imagine that) and Kenzie appears ready to travel the same road until after X-mas break. Without actually seeing the games, I can't imagine it can get much worse...but it may be awhile yet before it actually gets better if the injuries don't go away. Given that, I imagine the coaches have to be excited at the 2-1 start.

[Ghost of MIAC Past]

Tommies with a dominent post player and a bunch of 3pt shooters.  Sounds like BU last year.  They can attest that eventually the 3's will be taken away.  If Opdahl doesn't learn to finish soon, the MIAC part of the season is going to be a rough one.  As far as Opdahl being the dominant post in the conference, I question that.  There are still posts in the league that can challenge her.  Boone from st bens will when she comes back.  Concordia has some talent in the post.  Bethel has some talent.  Hamline has Ewert I believe.  Jenna Martin is no slouch.  I agree she is a talented post, but maybe not the most dominant.
As for the Dowling kids, no surprise at them playing and impacting right away.  Dowling is and has been a great program for many years.  I watched them play ankeny last year, who was rated #7 in the country at the time, and they made a game out of it.  Does Wirtz still struggle with her left hand.  Last year she would go no more than two dribbles with it.  She's a great player who can only get better.  Any updates to the Knights loss?  Surprised we haven't heard about that one yet.

[tommycorn]

east coast

~ wirtz does struggle with her left hand, she had 8 turnovers last night.  what i should have said about opdahl is that she should be the dominate center in the league.  she is simply more physically big than anyone else in the league, but again, she has been consistently inconsistent with her little jump shot and those bunnies around the basket.

so if these teams resign to the fact that vig is going to score, and focus on shutting down the rest of their players, will carleton be able to win?  are these new players they got the real deal?

[Maroon&Gold]

Well sadly football season is over for the Cobbers, so I will have to take my postings over to the basketball boards now.

Atleast the season is ready to really get rolling now, it should be a great winter.

[Ghost of MIAC Past]

She is big and athletic, but there are still posts in the league that are big and athletic too.