MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[cubs]

Despite being in 7th place, I'm cautiously optimistic for the Pointers in the next 3 games, two at home. Next up is a game against Oshkosh,previously losing to them by 5 at home. Point had the lead for most of the game until Oshkosh went on a huge run to clinch it. On Wednesday we host Whitewater,  another close loss where we were getting blown out, rallied, but to only fall short at the end. Lastly, next weekend, we host River Falls, an 8-point loss on the road, previously. I suppose, now that I posted my rare optimism, they'll lose all 3!

Pelkofer and McGann scored ~85% of the Pointers points in that game vs. Oshkosh.  More balance is needed for them to play with the Titans.  The Semling D was there, I wonder if they can score enough? 

I assume you meant ~75%....

This time Pelkofer and Goedeke combine for 60% of the points, and it's enough for Point to win by double digits.  Heck, add in McGann and Bublitz and they scored 51/55.

Seems pretty evident that UWO goes as Ben Boots goes....  He has hit a rough patch as of late, and it seems to coincide with UWO's three game losing streak....

[badgerwarhawk]

Another huge lead blown another loss.  Some things just never change.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Never change? They won the national title a few years ago, right? So I am assuming you mean some thing this year aren't changing.

[badgerwarhawk]

Yes, Dave, I'm referring to this year.   

[Greek Tragedy]

A week and a half from now (Feb 10), the 1st regional rankings come out and there's a real chance no WIAC teams will be any of the 8 teams ranked in the Central Region. 4 teams stand at just 12-7: River Falls (6-2), La Crosse (6-2), Eau Claire (5-3) and Whitewater  (3-5). Two teams are 11-8: Stevens Point (4-4) and Oshkosh (4-4).

According to knightslappy, Point has the best chance to crack the rankings, mostly due to their SOS.

http://detroitjockcity.com/division-iii-mens-basketball-regional-rankings-data/

That gives everyone 2 more games before the rankings are decided. I think if Point can take care of business with home games against Whitewater and River Falls, they can crack the rankings. With that said, Point would have to win out and lose in the conference tourney final to have any shot at a Pool C bid. Likewise for anyone else. Point's only advantage would be their results against regionally ranked opponents, which could include Hope, Augustana, North Central (IL), St. Thomas and St. Norbert.

[badgerwarhawk]

WARHAWKS: 68
River Falls: 73

The WARHAWKS scored first on Cole VanSchyndel's layup and with the exception of a 2-2 tie led the entire first half.  The lead reached double digits half way through the half and a high of twenty points 35-15 with a little less than five minutes remaining.  However when the Falcons finished the half with a 16-3 run the WARHAWKS lead was just seven, 38-31 when the half ended.  Trinson White (13), Andre Brown (8) and Haki Stampley (7) led the WARHAWKS who shot 46% for the half.  White also pulled down 7 rebounds.  A 8 to 3 advantage in turnovers led to a 19-5 advantage in points and the WARHAWKS were able to penetrate the paint outscoring the Falcons 20-12.  Devin Buckley's 11 points off the bench led the Falcons who shot 43% from the floor and gave them a 15-4 advantage from the bench.  Grant Erickson added 9 points and Jon Christiansen  pulled down 6 rebounds.  The WARHAWKS lead remained in single digits for the first eight minutes of the second half before Brown's layup pushed it to ten, 51-41.  But the Falcons quickly got to single digits and tied the game 64-64 on Connor Goodwin's layup and took the lead 66-64 on a pair of free throws from Brennan Witt when White committed an off the ball foul.  In the remaining 2:45 the WARHAWKS went 2-5 from the floor, 0-4 from the free throw line and turned the ball over once while the Falcons made 2-3 shots from the floor and hit 3-4 free throws.

WARHAWKS
White: 24 points, 8 rebounds, steal
Brown: 14 points, 5 rebounds
Stampley: 9 points
Team: 25-12 off of turnovers, 42-28 in the paint, 20-10 second chance

Falcons:
Erickson: 15 points,
Garret Pearson: 15 points,  2 assists
Buckley: 11 points
Witt: 10 points
Herum: 10 rebounds
Team: 59% from the floor (2nd Half), 27-14 off the bench

Will the WARHAWKS win again or will we choke away the rest of the season?  Most likely a little of both.

[Greek Tragedy]

River Falls (12-7, 6-2)
LOST at La Crosse 66-54
WON vs Whitewater 73-68

La Crosse (12-7, 6-2)
WON vs River Falls 66-54
WON at Platteville 79-71

Eau Claire (12-7, 5-3)
WON vs Oshkosh 67-50
WON at Stout 78-57

Oshkosh  (11-8, 4-4)
LOST at Eau Claire 67-50
LOST to Stevens Point 55-42

Stevens Point  (11-8, 4-4)
WON vs Stout 68-51
WON at Oshkosh 55-42

Platteville (10-9, 4-4)
WON at Whitewater 78-75 OT
LOST to La Crosse 79-71

Whitewater (12-7, 3-5)
LOST to Platteville 78-75 OT
LOST at River Falls 73-68

Stout (3-14, 0-8)
LOST at Stevens Point 68-51
LOST to Eau Claire 78-57

WEDNESDAY
Eau Claire at River Falls
Platteville at Oshkosh
Stout at La Crosse
Whitewater at Stevens Point

SATURDAY
Oshkosh at Stout
Platteville at Eau Claire
River Falls at Stevens Point
La Vrosse at Whitewater

[cubs]

According to Mitch Capelle, for the first time in the 16+ year history of the d3hoops mens poll, no WIAC team is ranked or receiving votes.

[John Gleich]

According to Mitch Capelle, for the first time in the 16+ year history of the d3hoops mens poll, no WIAC team is ranked or receiving votes.

And truthfully, nobody deserves to be. A couple of top 25 teams have 5 losses. Nobody in the WIAC has fewer than 7.


Pretty deep dive for a conference that has given us 3 of the last 4 national titles (and 4 out of the last 6... and 6 out of the last 12).


Perhaps, though, it isn't that much of a deep dive. Maybe it's just a dive for Point and Whitewater. The Purple Powers steamrolled the rest of the conference last year. And the third place team, River Falls, stumbled into the conference schedule after going 2-8 in the Non-con.

And except for a few years nobody has threatened them.

In the last 12 seasons...

Point has: 6 Conference titles, 5 2nds (one game back), and 1 third (two games back).
Whitewater has 5 Conference titles, 4 2nds, 1 3rd, 2 4ths.

The rest of the conference combined: 2 Conference titles (none since 2005), 7 2nds (none since 2011)


Around the Central Region:

http://d3hoops.com/columns/around-the-region/central/2015-16/uw-la-crosse-jared-staege-didnt-know


There is discussion about the league in general:

The conference has a different feel to it this year with UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater – winners four of the last six national championships – further back in the league standings.

"I think when you have more teams in it, and have something vested yet, I think it's going to create more excitement every time teams match up," Koelbl said.

However, the coach was quick to point out that he doesn't think it is a down-year in the WIAC. Rather, he believes the league is competitive as ever – the only difference is there isn't a Stevens Point or Whitewater squad pulling away from the pack.

I have to respectfully disagree with Coach Koelbl, in so much as the non-conference record for the league is down fully 20 percentage points compared to the tops 15 or so years ago.

If you look at the most recent year like this year (2005-06), the WIAC got 3 teams in, largely on the non-conference records of the three teams (LaX was 9-0, WW was 6-2, Stout was 7-1).

The current WIAC top 3 in the Non-con?

LaX: 6-5
RF: 6-5
EC: 7-4

They're (potentially) allowed an extra loss because they're playing 2 more non-con games. But that's a loss that they CAN'T get in the conference.

[Just Bill]

Who would have thought it was UW-Superior holding the whole ship together all along!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Circling back to the coach who indicated the conference was just as competitive. I can't tell you how many coaches say that in every single conference. From their point of view, while trying to recruit and sway recruits to their schools, of course it is competitive and tough. My favorite conference to hear this from is the NJAC. They point out how competitive it is which I agree, but they make it sound like they are the toughest conference in the country as a result. The problem is the reality is the conference may be tough, but it isn't great (like they make it sound). That is clear by how much they have struggled over the years in the NCAA Tournament. Whereas we all agree the WIAC, CCIW, and other conferences are very difficult and competitive, but they are very good which has been proven with the top of the conference(s) always doing well in the NCAA tourney.

However, the WIAC is down from what everyone has gotten used to. There is no Top 25 team (which isn't the end of the world) and there isn't any team I see being even a dark horse come March. Heck, I would be shocked to see a second team out of this conference makes the tournament because too many losses will leave everyone else home. The top, Whitewater and Stevens Point, has come crashing back to the middle. The bottom may have gotten better and that has made the entire conference far more competitive.

But being more competitive does not mean better or the best - i.e. the NJAC.

I don't think there should be any panic, by the way. Thee programs will back and national powers again. This is now what happens in what is a much more diverse landscape in Division III college basketball.

[Gregory Sager]

Who would have thought it was UW-Superior holding the whole ship together all along!

LOL!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

For the third consecutive year, Hoopsville will air for 12 hours as the regular season enters the final four weeks. Dave McHugh will chat with coaches, administrators, student-athletes, and others involved in Division III basketball from around the country. Other guests will include those who have Division III roots or appreciate the division and the game along with the student-athletes who play the sport.

Hoopsville will air from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (and maybe later) on Thursday, February 4 live from the WBCA/NABC Studio. You can see what guests are scheduled, get more information, and watch the show here: http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2015-16/feb4

You can also read the press release about the show: http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/hoopsville-marathon-2016

Here is the guest list as we speak. All times are Eastern and subject to change. Additional guests to be added if and when necessary:


   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Time	Guest	School
10:15am	Connie Tilley	St. Norbert (WBB) - WBCA Center Court
10:40am	Jamie Purdy	Peidmont (WBB)
11:00am	Keri Carollo	UW-Whitewater (WBB) - Nat'l Committee Chair
11:20am	Brent Pollari	Saint Mary's (Minn.) (WBB)
11:40am	Kent Madsen	No. 21 Wheaton (Ill.) (WBB)
12:00pm	Russell Loyd	Rose-Hulman (MBB)
12:20pm	Kevin Broderick	Nazareth (MBB)
12:40pm	Justin Scott	Arcadia (MBB)
1:00pm	Sam Hargraves	No. 12 Alma (MBB)
1:20pm	Lenny Reich	Mount Union (SID)
1:40pm	Maureen Webster	Clarkson (WBB)
2:00pm	Betsy Witman	York (Pa.) (WBB)
2:20pm	Sara Lee	Denison (WBB)
2:40pm	Klay Kneuppel	Wisconsin Lutheran (MBB)
3:00pm	Brian Van Haaften	Buena Vista (MBB) - Nat'l Committee Chair
3:30pm	Sydney Moss	No. 1 Thomas More (WBB)
3:45pm	Aaron Rousell	Bucknell (WBB) - former Chicago coach
4:00pm	Tim Shanahan	Staten Island (WBB)
4:20	Pat Cunningham	Trinity (Texas) (MBB) - NABC Coach's Corner
4:50pm	Bubba Smith	Sewanee (MBB)
5:15pm	Ben Strong	Former Guilford All-American
5:30pm	Kevin Connors	ESPN SportsCenter Anchor - Ithaca alumnus
6:00pm	Kristen Dowling	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (WBB)
6:20pm	Allison Coleman	Sage (WBB)
6:40pm	Landry Kosmalski	Swarthmore (MBB)
7:00pm	Dave Niland	No. 23 Penn State-Behrend (MBB)
7:20pm	Aaron Galletta	Lasell (MBB)
7:40pm	John Baron	Gwynedd-Mercy (MBB)
8:00pm
8:20pm
8:40pm	Melissa Hodgdon	Wheaton (Mass.) (WBB)
9:00pm	G.P. Gromacki	No. 2 Amherst (WBB)
9:20pm	James Wagner
9:40pm	HAPPY HOUR	Free-for-all of calls, tweets, and fun!

We hope to get at least the full show on a podcast, or several podcast, during the on Friday. You can find it here:
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hoopsville/id1059517087

Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/d3hoopsville

And a reminder the Hoopsville Fundraising Project has begun yet again. Please consider helping us cover Division III basketball the way it deserves to be covered. If you can not donate, please don't worry about - we understand. At least share the campaign with anyone you think might be interested: http://igg.me/at/hoopsville-fundraiser/x/6029509

Also, if you know any advertisers interested in promoting their company or products on the show, send them our way: hoopsville@d3hoops.com

Thanks!

[cubs]

With five games to go, here is where things stand:

UW-La Crosse   7-2   
UW-River Falls   6-3
UW-Eau Claire   6-3   
UW-Oshkosh   5-4   
UW-Whitewater 4-5   
UW-Stevens Point 4-5   
UW-Platteville   4-5   
UW-Stout   0-9   

Could the WIAC Tournament be without one of Whitewater or Stevens Point this year?

[Brian R. Carroll]

The Eagles shot 25 pct. in the first half, and trailed Stout 28-22 at the break. A quick start, including a 17-1 run, brought La Crosse back for the win over the Blue Devils. La Crosse is looking for it's first conference title in 50 yrs., and this would be the first title since moving into Mitchell Hall. Let's bring it home.