MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

I wonder if the attendence record would be broken if two of the three remaining ODAC  teams made it to the Final Four along with Williams.  They travel well, don't they?

It's easy to travel well when the Final Four is in your backyard. Don't forget that the ODAC tourney is held at the Salem Civic Center, the same place where the Final Four is held.

I think he was wondering about Williams.  It's a given that ODAC teams would be very well represented, and either IWU or UWSP would likely be too.

[Gregory Sager]

I wonder if the attendence record would be broken if two of the three remaining ODAC  teams made it to the Final Four along with Williams.  They travel well, don't they?

It's easy to travel well when the Final Four is in your backyard. Don't forget that the ODAC tourney is held at the Salem Civic Center, the same place where the Final Four is held.

I think he was wondering about Williams.  It's a given that ODAC teams would be very well represented, and either IWU or UWSP would likely be too.

It doesn't really read that way, but if that's the way that Tom meant it, my apologies to TD.

For the record, I don't know how well Williams travels, but the Ephs have certainly been to the Final Four enough times for their fans to know the way there. Williams has been to Salem four times, and since the Ephs are certainly the homecourt favorite tonight, their chances of making it to the Final Four a fifth time are solid.

[The Roop]

Point finally had the game many were waiting for. Now they are a final four team.

[John Gleich]

Point finally had the game many were waiting for. Now they are EDIT: AGAIN! a final four team.

[chmarx]

Congratulations to Point.  Best wishes in Salem.

[The Roop]

Jumpin Christmas. I can't even give a compliment without a WIAC fan beat down. 

[Gregory Sager]

(Posted this over in CCIW Chat, but it fits here, too. Please pardon my redundancy. )

UWSP was a machine tonight, and the Titans got crushed under the wheels. The Pointers were so phenomenally quick that they completely gummed up the flow of the IWU offense -- with one singular exception -- and offensively they used that quickness to make great cuts to the basket for easy layups and to enable wide-open midrange shots, all of which they seemed to hit. After the first five minutes or so of the game, they completely dominated -- and they never let IWU get any closer than nine in the second half. They were up by margins in the mid-teens most of the second half, and they were pulling away when both coaches emptied their benches.

Harris, Jenkins, Moses ... there's some serious wheels on that team. But what most impresses me about the Pointers is their offensive versatility. Every guy on that team can shoot, and every guy on that team can take the ball to the hole. Five Pointers scored in double figures tonight, and after watching them for two nights I get the impression that this sort of everybody-and-anybody scoring approach is not an unusual occurrence for them.

The singular exception of whom I spoke was Sean Johnson. He played a phenomenal game for IWU tonight, scoring 32 points, and, just as he did last night in the first half against Carthage, he basically carried his team on his back tonight. He made some huge NBA-distance treys and did a tremendous job of driving to the basket and being pesky and opportunistic on the defensive end. Kudos to him. But his teammates were seriously lagging. The next-highest-scoring Titan was Travis Rosenkranz, and he had a mere seven points. Johnson just didn't get any support at all.

Nick Krull did a phenomenal job guarding Doug Sexauer, who fouled out with only six points and was a total non-factor in the game. Sexauer only rarely was able to establish good position down in the blocks, and Krull sat on Sexauer's left hand all night. Sexauer spun and spun, but just never seemed to shake Krull off of his left. That was one of the best defensive jobs I've seen a big man turn in in a long time.

The Titans have no reason to hang their heads. They had a great Cinderella run this March. I sure didn't have them pegged as an Elite Eight team. Heck, even Chuck didn't foresee them going that far. And those of us who support the royal blue and gold certainly owe the Titans our thanks for knocking off Wash U and preserving North Park's status as the only school to threepeat the D3 men's basketball championship. This tournament run was a great experience for a Titans team that should be pretty formidable next season. But it is UWSP's time to shine. They should be a strong addition to what sounds like a very solid Final Four field.

[John Gleich]

Jumpin Christmas. I can't even give a compliment without a WIAC fan beat down. 

Sorry...

I was just excited.  5 years may not seem like a long time... but with the caliber of teams that Point has put out on the floor the last 4 years, we feel like a trip was overdue.



I think this Point team is more complete and they're a pretty darn good defensive team... in the four games of the NCAA tournament so far, they've held their opponents to 58, 48, 67, and 56.  A 57.25 point average... not too shabby!

[Gregory Sager]

Jumpin Christmas. I can't even give a compliment without a WIAC fan beat down. 

Sorry...

I was just excited.  5 years may not seem like a long time... but with the caliber of teams that Point has put out on the floor the last 4 years, we feel like a trip was overdue.

Trust me -- each and every Final Four appearance is an uphill climb, and Final Four trips should never be taken for granted nor expected to be manufactured upon demand.

I think this Point team is more complete and they're a pretty darn good defensive team... in the four games of the NCAA tournament so far, they've held their opponents to 58, 48, 67, and 56.  A 57.25 point average... not too shabby!

It's only the third time that IWU has been held below sixty points this year. Carthage beat the Titans, 80-55, in their second matchup, and Wheaton beat them, 65-59, in their second matchup.

[The Roop]

Look at it this way. Almost lost, could have lost, could have lost and tonight they finally put it together.

If they keep it serious I like their chances in Salem.

[Pat Coleman]

Williams does not travel well at all.

[John Gleich]

Jumpin Christmas. I can't even give a compliment without a WIAC fan beat down. 

Sorry...

I was just excited.  5 years may not seem like a long time... but with the caliber of teams that Point has put out on the floor the last 4 years, we feel like a trip was overdue.

Trust me -- each and every Final Four appearance is an uphill climb, and Final Four trips should never be taken for granted nor expected to be manufactured upon demand.

By no means... but having seen the teams the last 4 years at their very best, they played to the caliber to be able to get to Salem (even through a bracket of death). 

This team grinded out 3 pretty ugly wins and has an excellent performance.  Because they have the ability to win an ugly game, they're more complete (plus the fact that they're multi-dimensional on the offensive end).

[Barber Greene]

Congrats to Point! Now go win this thing!!

[Greek Tragedy]

My comment about breaking the attendence record with two ODAC teams, Williams and Point was meant as a collective bunch.  Obviously I know that the ODAC teams are close to where the Final Four is being played, let alone the ODAC tournament.   I know Point travels pretty well considering the distance.  The 2nd championship team, it seemed like EVERYONE was there.  I guess it helps when a lot of fans expected us to win the 2nd time around.  I think they might get a few more fans there now that we know the women aren't headed (back) to IWU for the women's Final Four.  I had thought Williams traveled well when we met them in the Final in our first championship run.  I guess I was wrong!  No big deal. 

I'm only speaking for myself, but I'm VERY surprised to see Point back in the Final Four this year.  Considering who we lost last year I thought a decent tournament run would be more than satisfying.  I think when the bracket came out, not many Pointer fans thought they'd make it to the Final Four, especially with the likes of Wash U. in the same bracket.

It's also good to hear that Point actually put together a great game.  Hopefully we can ride that next weekend. 

I'm working out conditions with my wife to allow me to attend the Final Four next weekend.  Not sure what i have to give up, but I'll probably do it!

[Greek Tragedy]

Top 7 Randolph-Macon players

Name	H-Pos-lbs	GmPl-GmSt	Min/Gm	R/G	A/G	STL	BLK	Pts/G
Danny Jones	6-6 F 215	32-0	19.5	4.8	1.2	18	7	13.1
Brandon Braxton	6-9 F 210	32-32	23.3	5.1	0.5	13	32	11.8
Eric Pugh	6-0 G 180	32-31	26.3	2.1	3.2	43	3	10.7
Jordan Brown	6-4 G 185	32-31	27.2	3.4	2	58	34	10.3
Calvin Croskey	6-0 G 170	32-31	25.8	3.3	1.8	21	3	8.5
Adam Desgain	6-3 G 185	32-1	20.1	3.3	1.8	24	2	7.3
Kevin Voelkel	6-5 F 220	32-32	21.9	6.1	2	28	8	2.8