MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Smitty Oom]

One very heads-up play by Erickson deserves mention: he lost the ball and the Bethel player was on his way to a lay-up. Erickson chased him down, grabbed his jersey, and was called for a flagrant foul. The Bethel player missed both free throws and on the ensuing inbounds by Bethel, the Royals failed to score. That play alone saved defeat.

Interesting to call getting a flagrant foul heads-up. Yes it worked out for them since Hall ended up not making the FTs and they did not get a shot off next possession. But if he would have just fouled Hall on the layup, he could have missed both FT still and UWRF collects the D-board and the Falcons have the last possession to try and win it. I guess what I am trying to say is that it came down to giving the Royals the next possession after the foul because it was deemed "flagrant" which in my eyes is no where near a "heads-up play."

[badgerwarhawk]

Was it "flagrant" or "intentional"? 

[Greek Tragedy]

I think Uruguayan Luis Suarez may argue that. I'm sure he thought his deliberate handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup was a "heads up" play when the resulting penalty kick was saved and Uruguay went on to win on penalties.

[fredfalcon]

Good point, Smitty, but it looked like a desperation play by Erickson because he did not think he could catch Hall. And what if Hall makes the first, misses the second and Bethel gets the rebound?

I was surprised to hear B. coach say in a post-game interview that he felt sorry for RF because the draw meant RF had to play Bethel instead of some lesser team. I don't think strength of opponent is a factor in the selection process.

I doubt Warburg will have the crowd support B. had. Last night's game was about as close to a home game as a visitor could hope for, except for a UST/B. game.

Not sure whether the call was intentional foul or flagrant foul. The announcer said intentional foul, and the ref signal, I'm told, was crossed arms.

[Smitty Oom]

Was it "flagrant" or "intentional"?

There was no audio for the stream and I always confuse the terms so I can't tell you, but didn't they do away with the verbiage "intentional" and made all fouls "flagrant 1" or "flagrant 2"? But from watching, the Bethel player was not close to the hoop (just inside half court) and had a clear path (if it was NBA that would have been the call) when the UWRF player fouled him. BU got two FT with no one on the lane and was awarded the ball back and took it out side line out of bounds and proceeded to not score.

[Gregory Sager]

I was surprised to hear B. coach say in a post-game interview that he felt sorry for RF because the draw meant RF had to play Bethel instead of some lesser team. I don't think strength of opponent is a factor in the selection process.

It's not a factor in the selection process -- but, then again, Bethel wasn't selected (i.e., it wasn't chosen to receive a Pool C at-large berth). Bethel earned the MIAC's automatic bid via the MIAC tournament. What the coach meant was that the draw, not the selection process, gave UWRF a tougher opponent than UWRF, as the second-best team in the region, deserved for the first round. His use of "selection process" was a little misleading in that regard. The bracket is typically set up in a way in which teams are (secretly) seeded 1, 2, 3, and 4 in each pod. Thus, by implication, Bethel was the #4 playing at the #1 last night ... and Bethel, in the coach's opinion, was better than a #4. However, he cleverly worded it in such a way as to make it sound that UWRF was the victim of the seeding rather than Bethel.

I doubt Warburg will have the crowd support B. had.

Given the average attendance that Wartburg drew this season, I wouldn't expect a huge contingent tonight for the Knights, either. It's a little over a three-hour drive from Waverly to River Falls, incidentally.

[lmitzel]

Was it "flagrant" or "intentional"?

There was no audio for the stream and I always confuse the terms so I can't tell you, but didn't they do away with the verbiage "intentional" and made all fouls "flagrant 1" or "flagrant 2"? But from watching, the Bethel player was not close to the hoop (just inside half court) and had a clear path (if it was NBA that would have been the call) when the UWRF player fouled him. BU got two FT with no one on the lane and was awarded the ball back and took it out side line out of bounds and proceeded to not score.

I'm assuming from watching the stream (again, no audio, which is a separate issue) that it was a Flagrant 1 based on that theory of a "clear path" or whatever even though that doesn't appear in the rule book, but it would probably fit under the definition of "excessive."

[Gregory Sager]

Holy cow. Wartburg scores the first dozen points of the game and now leads UWRF, 26-4!

[Greek Tragedy]

Holy cow. Wartburg scores the first dozen points of the game and now leads UWRF, 26-4!

I was just going to say, when you're the conference tourney 6th seed and you're hot...well then, you're scorching hot.

[Gregory Sager]

UWRF trails Wartburg at the half, 44-17. Go figure.

[fredfalcon]

RF is shooting 17% and Wartburg is shooting 59%. That tells it all.

[Gregory Sager]

UWRF scored the first eight points of the second half. Problem is, it took the Falcons five minutes to do it. I think that they're going to have to pick up the pace in order to cut down this huge Knights lead.

[Greek Tragedy]

Could be another disappointing year for the WIAC in the tourney. Oshkosh ousted at Hope in the 1st round. River Falls getting spanked at home and Augie leads late in Whitewater.

[AppletonRocks]

If Whitewater loses tonight, Shinetime will have a stern talk with Pat Miller, who got a critical technical foul late in the game.  Get that cage out, that is my advice.

[Greek Tragedy]

Augie 70
Shinetime U 68

34 seconds left.

tied up 21 seconds.

Augie 72-70 3 seconds to go.

Augie wins.