MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[ShineTime]

Looks like point and vwu have a common opponent in Emory with Emory beating vwu by 13 and point destroying Emory. 

[John Gleich]

Has to be the best coaching job in d3 sports history.  There's no one who can honestly say they thought this team would make the final 4 before the season started.  Nice to see a team work that hard defensively and play team basketball.  My guess is it doesn't hurt having bailey and gollon working with u on a daily basis too.

I won't say that I called the Final Four, because I didn't. But I wasn't quite as pessimistic about this team as many (most? all?)

See my emboldened, reddened, italicized comments from November:

John,

I don't understand your logic. Those examples were from last year. From what Point lost and what Whitewater lost, along with the 2 recruits Point brought in, compared to what Whitewater added, Point's going to have a big drop off this year. I haven't looked closely to see what other teams in the WIAC are doing, but I wouldn't be surprised to see someone other than Point in 2nd place come February.

Now to contradict my pessimistic feelings this year...

Point is the two-time defending WIAC champ and the WIAC tournament champ and has had Whitewater's number (to the tune of 8 in a row dating back to the WIAC tournament in 2010, the last time UWSP hoisted the Walnut and Bronze) and 9 of the last 10 (SP won 2/3 match-ups last season).

I get that Whitewater has lots back, but it isn't everybody. They lost 61% of their "starts," 49% of their minutes, 44% of their points, 38% of their rebounds, 46% of their steals, and 47% of their assists.

(No, I'm not willing do do these calculations for UWSP)

WW does return 2 starters, who were major contributors (#1 and #4 scorer) but lost scorer's 2, 3, and 5. It isn't simply automatic that the remaining pieces will be able to slot in and fill those voids... and even WITH the voids, WW hasn't had success against Point.
/Pointer Spin

In terms of places in the conference... look at history. The future isn't determined by past results, but SP has finished outside of the top two in the WIAC just once since 1999-2000. That season (05-06) they were just two games out of first. Every other season, UW Stevens Point has either tied for the conference title or ended the regular season one game back.

Let me repeat that. With the exception of one year in the last 14, UWSP has never been further than 1 game back at the end of the regular season and they boast 10 conference titles (3 2nd, 1 3rd). Add 3 National Titles and 12 NCAA appearances during the span.

Whitewater hasn't been quite as dominant, but they've been darn close.

WW has 5 conference titles (5 2nd, 2 3rd, 1 4th, 1 8th). Add 2 National Titles and 7 NCAA appearances.

The rest of the conference has combined for 3 conference titles (one outright and 2 shared). Depending how you define second place, (first team after the champions/co-champs), there are more "second place," especially because ties happen a lot in a 16 game conference schedule, with 9 combined NCAA tournament appearances.

Do I think Point is going to go undefeated? By no means. This team will have some growing pains. They're ranked too high right now. I wouldn't rank them higher than 15 or 20. But I can't rationalize too many teams to put in front of them and I think they'll be in the mix for an NCAA tournament bid when the selection comes around.

I'm also not 100% sold on Whitewater. The pieces that they lost may not have had the scoring ability of K. J. Evans or the speed of Quardell Young, but they were solid players who defended hard and took care of the ball. This isn't to say that I think the cabinet is bare for Whitewater, not by any stretch of the imagination. But there's a reason why Merg and Bryson started for several years. They brought a lot to the table.

Dave,

To call Point young and rebuilding may be inaccurate. Point returns two senior starters in Ritchay and Ryf, along with senior Alex Richard (14+ min a game) and junior Stephen Pelkofer (20 mpg). Lastly both senior Jordan Lutz and junior Sean McCann averaged over 11 minutes a game. So Point could potentially start 4 seniors and 1 junior. You usually don't rebuild with 4 senior starters and a junior.

So whether or not Point is a Top 25 team at the end of the year remains to be seen, but I agree with you now, they aren't in October.

Point doesn't have a lot of apparent firepower. If you look at two years ago when Tillema went down, there weren't too many players who stepped up, and it was often a 3-man show last year.

But this is a new year and players are going to HAVE to step up. I guess there's a chance that they won't... but that would be atypical for 1) seniors and 2) players at UWSP in general when they're called upon.

Really excited for the games next week against Whitewater and Stevens Point. Can we steal one?

I'd say that Whitewater is a no.

They've got enough back from last year that, through talent alone (even if the game doesn't go as they'd like... which is a fairly quick 10-12 point lead to about 15 at the half, then blow the doors off early in the second for a "get everybody some time" 30+ pt blowout).

That's just sort of how Whitewater expects non-conference games to go, in general.  (Please note, I understand that Hope isn't a lower-level NAthCon team and last year's game was competitive until the last few minutes).


Stevens Point could be interesting. SP lost a LOT from last year. Doesn't mean that the well is dry... by any means, but it may take a bit for the pieces to fit together properly.

Point scrimmaged Wheaton a few weeks ago Linky.  It looks like SP handled Wheaton for about 3/4 of the two main halves and Wheaton held their own in the final 1/4.  The garbage time half was pretty even.

It will be interesting to see who steps up to be The Guy this year for Point. If I were a betting man, I'd say either Pelkofer or Ritchay, but that's to be seen.

One thing that Point will lack is good size, but they will try to overcome this with quickness and defense.


Again, I didn't call for a run to Salem. But I did

[ShineTime]

Definitely were in the minority on that one.  I'm hoping the same thing happens with the baseball team as basketball.

[Greek Tragedy]

I never dreamed Point would go to the Final Four this year. Last year, yeah, but not this year. Of course,  everyone knows I'm the biggest Pointer pessimist! I am thrilled TO say the least. Though #1 RMC went down, VWC will be a tough game. Augustana looked amazing tonight against Marietta too. Can't forget about Babson too.

[AppletonRocks]

Has to be the best coaching job in d3 sports history.  There's no one who can honestly say they thought this team would make the final 4 before the season started.  Nice to see a team work that hard defensively and play team basketball.  My guess is it doesn't hurt having bailey and gollon working with u on a daily basis too.

Who are Bailey and Gollon? 

[SgtPaul]

Pointers Ast. Coaches
Brant Bailey former Pointer All Conference Player
Jacob Gollon played for Mercer in college, remember them beating Duke last year.  Point native, played ball in my driveway way back in grade school.

[Greek Tragedy]

They are assistant coaches.

Curious the flow of the game last night in Quandt. Friday was a clinic but even being up 23-8 at HT, Point didn't seem to click offensively after the break either.  I don't think ETBU got any closer than 14 though. Did ETBU play solid defense as well or just an off night for the Pointers?

[SgtPaul]

Very few clean looks for either team.  Point was not hitting outside shots and ETBU had a couple of taller atheletic guys swatting inside shots and influencing others that they did not block.  Points defense was smothering.  ETBU did not get a shot off for the first four minutes of the second half.

[AppletonRocks]

Pointers Ast. Coaches
Brant Bailey former Pointer All Conference Player
Jacob Gollon played for Mercer in college, remember them beating Duke last year.  Point native, played ball in my driveway way back in grade school.

Is Gollon the brother of the Pacelli player?  Where is he going to college?  He can fill it.

[SgtPaul]

Yes and his brother is going to Ohio U.

[ShineTime]

His name is James gollon very hard worker see him a ymca daily also seems to be down to earth.

[Brian R. Carroll]

Congrats to the Pointers and their fans. I hope you win it.

[badgerwarhawk]

Good luck Pointers

[bleedpurple]

Congratulations to the Pointers and good luck in Salem.

[badgerwarhawk]

Congrats Quardell Young, Bob Semling and Alex Richard.

Young was named the Central Region's player of the year and a first team member.  Richard was named to the second team and Semling was named the region's coach of the year. 

For the complete team:
http://d3hoops.com/awards/all-region/2014-15/central-men