WBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SOLID]

MIAC is down this year?  When was the last time ther wasn't a to 25 in the nation team from the MIAC for a month ? (Don't think ever) As far as why look at the NWC 'It's call defense.  Few teams that lose a game in the 70's can blame it on anything but defense.  CSB is down over 20% in total rebounds from last year (10th out of 11 teams) got to be worth a point or two. Yes your Mel and Bri are having very very good years no one is playing any D in the league thus  far.  CC and GAC lost a lot from last year, but seemed to have found the answer to get it done. It is a team game. If it wasn't MAC and CSC would have had the Player of the year the past few year (Excluding last year MP won it hands down).

Okay here are some facts. Conference scoring this year is at 63.9 pts/game. Here are some average scores from the past 5 years:
04-05=66.8
03-04=66
02-03=63.4
01-02=66.4
00-01=67

Now realize that from 00 through 03-04 the teams did play MAC twice. But also realize that MAC was by far the lowest scoring team in the conference, so it really balanced out the averages.  I guess I really don't see the argument that "Lack of Defense" is to blame for the conference being "down" 

Evidently in the past years when we have had teams go into the NCAA tourney and do well, it was when the scoring average was higher. So does that mean that there was even less defense being played in those years??  Please Randle, help me become unconfused.

Those stats are SOLID.

Here's another set of stats. Assuming that the DI level is proportionally better equally on both ends of the floor.

MIAC Women    63.9 pts/game/team =  127.8 pts/game both teams  = 3.2 pts/min
NCC Women      71.7 pts/game/team = 143.4 pts/game both teams = 3.6pts/min
Big Ten Women 62.7 pts/game/team =  125.4 pts/game both teams  = 3.1 pts/min

I'm not trying to say that the MIAC women have better offenses......please don't jump to that conclusion.  But if DI and DII is proportionally better on both sides than 63.9 pts/game isn't out of whack at all. 

[Willy Wonka]

SOLID - I have a sister who stars in the NCC. The SCSU coach was recently quoted as saying she's the best player in the conference. I've seen 20+ games over the past 4 seasons. Given that UND got spanked by a good Gophers squad last season and my sister was a relative non-factor in the game, there is no comparison.

Let's just leave these inane angles of comparison for the off-season when we're all bored. We have MUCH more important things going on in the MIAC to worry about such things, like tipoff for the conference lead in less than 10 minutes.

Assuming I can find a webcast and/or can get people on the horn, I'll be posting some updates and comments throughout the night.

[Willy Wonka]

Gusties up 8-0 early at a CC timeout. Some Boese girl hit a 3 as the shot clock went off. Cobbers with 4 straight TOs to start the game.

[Willy Wonka]

Yuck, sounds like an ugly performance by the Cobbers thus far.

11-0 with under 14 to play. CC has 7 turnovers and have only gotten off 3 shots by my unofficial count.

[Willy Wonka]

29-18 Gusties 3:24 left. Cobbers playing a lot better now. Vadnais with 10 to lead all scorers.

[Willy Wonka]

Wow! Cobbers battle back to take the lead on 2 FTs by Hageman...the Gusties rallied back to take a 51-46 lead on the strength of FY PG Raymo's 3 and dish for a layup. Sounds like a great game thus far.

[Willy Wonka]

Cobbers up by 3 with just over 3 minutes to play. GAC has missed a bunch of FT down the stretch, rendering its early presence in the bonus moot.

[Willy Wonka]

Hageman for a basket to push the lead to 5, but Nelson, who's playing in crunch time for perhaps the first time this season, drained a 3 after 2 or 3 offensive rebounds for GAC. 62-60 with a 1:35 to play, Cobbers ball.

[Willy Wonka]

Keeley missed 3, Vadnais missed a wide open 3 for the lead. Apparently a questionable foul called on Monahan when Ehlert fell to the ground on the rebound - made 1 of 2 FT.

63-60 with 47 seconds to play, GAC timeout.

[Willy Wonka]

Emily Nelson with her second HUGE 3 in the last few minutes to tie things up!! CC timeout, one second difference in the game/shot clock.

[Willy Wonka]

Raymo missed a steal and Heintz hit an easy jumper from 10-15 feet for the lead with 5 seconds left. Gusties made some weird subs after the last timeout. You absolutely CAN'T go for a steal and not get it in that situation.

65-63 Cobbs, GAC timeout.

[Willy Wonka]

Consier to Raymo to Nelson...time runs out. Gusties don't even get a shot off

Congrats to the Cobbers on what sounds like a great game and may lock up the conference title.

[peachbasket]

Looks like a great 2nd half for my Cobbers - 63% fg shooting! Mel 17, Bri 11, Mel for MVP!!!!
Hopefully no hiccups from here on out, especially this weekend!!
1/28/2006
Hamline @ St. Thomas - Tommies get revenge and win by 11
Concordia @ St. Olaf - hopefully no let-downs after a very emotional game, Cobbers by 5
Bethel @ Augsburg - the Christians slip up and lose to the rugged Auggies by 7.
Carleton @ Saint Benedict - Bennies get 'em back at home, win by 9
Saint Mary's @ Macalester - Mac scores 35, Mary's 42
Gustavus @ St. Catherine - Gusties struggle to pull out an ugly 12 point win.

[Willy Wonka]

peach - Sounds like it was a great game. Wish I could have been there. I have some questions/comments/concerns for you.

1. How were the refs? The GAC announcer was ripping them all game and it sounded like there were some blatant missed calls both ways. Was the foul by Bri late in the game on a rebound a good call? If not, that's a possible 4 point swing late in a tie game...

2. The Cobbers defensive strategy worked like a charm. Every time Bri touched the ball, it sounds like she was surrounded. For the girl leading the conference in shots to finish with 8 (she's averaging 15), the doubling down tactic worked as designed. Hard to fault Monahan for kicking it out, but GAC finished an ugly 5-19 from the arc.

3. Hageman was nonexistant in the first half, missing both her shots in scoring 2 points. However, she seemed to make every play down the stretch to finish with 17 and 7. A solid MVP choice right now.

4. Sounds like the last 30 seconds were a mess for GAC. An interesting lineup on the floor playing defense and play drawn up afterwards to not even get a shot off with 5 ticks on the clock.

[James T. Kirk]

Peach, Jimmy the Greek your not.  Your prediction of Augsburg over Bethel had to be made just to piss off East Coast.  This should be an interesting game though and if Bethel wins big it could be a sign that they are starting to "Get It".  Nice game for the Cobbers although I'm not ready to concede the championship to them.

Solid, yes I am aware that Pearson is not on the team this year, I should have made myself more clear.

Mr. Sulu, ahead warp factor six.