MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[frodotwo]

I will be out of town so the Mrs. and I won't be there.  We'll be pullling for Carroll (girl's name) as they are the MWC team and well, everyone loves a Cinderella story. 

I do think the NCAA would be  better served to have these games at larger neutral sites, like the Kolf Center, but they won't because they are cheap.  Yet they could sell 6,000 tickets at Kolf vs. 2,800 at Quandt.  My economics training would suggest that it would be worth having these at large venues if you charge a fair price for the tickets, say $15 per game or $20 for two games. 

It could be at an NCAA institution and provide room for all the traveling fans, instead of the crammed in treatment they'll get at Quandt. 

I felt the same way about what we needed to do at Alex last year when LU hosted; that would have been a better situation if they could have moved it, even just to a local venue, say Appleton East,  that has more seats.  Kolf would have been perfect and the IWU fans would have had a better experience.  But LU had no option according to the NCAA.

I know about the high school sectionals, but if the NCAA guaranteed the facility, it wouldn't matter.  In fact, one could be played during the day and one at night, easily in the example of the Kolf Center.

Other venues in the other parts of the country could be established in advance. 

MAYBE NEXT YEAR?

What makes you think that any more fans would go to the Kolf vs Quandt?? Unless you mean Point fans. Just a guess, but you may get 200-250 fans from the Oshkosh area to attend if it was there, but why would any of the other teams send more fans? Certainly not for the acoustics or the chance to lose something (or break your leg) that falls thru the gap of the bleacher seats there. If there was money spent to update the place maybe then you may attract more fans, but as it is the home team doesn't even get fans (681 per game for the season average - Point had 677 for their smallest home crowd). I guess the crammed in feeling you get at the Quandt may have something to do with actually filling the seats with fans instead of coats, empty popcorn bags and air.

[BBGUY]

Kolf would be an ideal location but  I agree with the person who said it would not attract many local folks when they average only 600 plus for the home team.
Another note: Can anyone shed light on the invitations of Wash U, Brandeis, Chicago and Rochester. Are these teams from the same conference??

[wizbegs1304]

Point deserves to have this.  Its great for them.  They deserve to host, why would they want it at the Kolf? I dont understand.

[diehardfan]

Point deserves to have this.  Its great for them.  They deserve to host, why would they want it at the Kolf? I dont understand.

Quandt is Stevens Point's gym. Kolf is the gym of UW-Oshkosh.... someone suggested it purely for the fact that it was big, I believe. Ironically, Quandt is the biggest host gym by far!!!

[Stout survivor]

Why move it to one of the least favorite gyms to play in this conference... for seats.  what makes it a home court advantage is not the size of the crowd but their spirit compared to the size of the building.  The Quandt is a hard to play in for visiting teams. The crowd is knowledgeable and into the game, they love dunks as much as a solid defensive stop.  It IS what I have always felt is good about DIII basketball,  fans waiting outside on tuesday moring for tickets and during the reagular season it is half full an half hour before tip off.  Stevens Point has earned the right to play in THIER gym.

Let the good times role

[sumander]

Just returned from our jaunt to Steven's Point. Old School Thanks for the tip on the Hill Top. We ate their before the game! Good food, Cold beer. My kind of place!

I love the Quandt! Talk about a gym with character and history! Great setting for college basketball.  I was impressed with your fans as well. Students were boisterous, but not obnoxious. I felt the fans in general treated SJU with respect! If it wasn't so damn far away I would love to come back to see the Pointers play again.

Once your boys got the early game jitters out of the way, they were a machine. Fun team to watch. I was shocked when I saw the shooting percentages, I would have swore you shot about 75% from beyond the arc.
The run at the end of the first half was stunning. One minute we are in the ggame and the next time you looked at the scoreboard it was a train wreck in progress.

The Johnnies pulled to within 12 a couple of times in the second half and had the chance to cut it to 10 or less. When you needed a clutch basket you came up with one!

Very disciplined team that takes care of the ball. My only critiscms would be that you allowed too many back door layups. I think Ohme must have had 3 or 4 himself. Not particularly a great defensive team, but still long and atheletic. The other shortcoming I see, and I am sure you have heard this before is the Krull might be undersized in the post. Krull had trouble with Craig Schafer  one on one, when the double came Schafer was not athletic enough to kick it back out.

All in all a great experience, best of luck to the Pointers! I will be watching your progress with interest.

[badgerwarhawk]

2K,

Despite the schools being "NCAA institutions" the NCAA does not own them nor do they have god like powers to command them to host their tournament.  UW-O would have to willing to host for the tournament to be played in Kolf.   The NCAA has no control over that.   Admittedly I haven't checked the hosting sites to see if any of them are neutral but I'd expected the overwhelming majority to be participating institutions.



Pretty much the only reason 2k wants it's moved is because he had to sit behind the band in Quandt (or some place like that) a couple of years ago and he's been whining about it ever since. 

[John Gleich]

My only critiscms would be that you allowed too many back door layups. I think Ohme must have had 3 or 4 himself.

This was one thing that seemed to happen over and over again last night, you're right.  I was thinking that if Wash U doesn't already have one or two sets that flow into back door cuts, they very well may, because this was the one area that seemed to be open time and time again.

I, too, was impressed with St. John's shooting.  Though they struggled a few times when pressured by Point's defense (due, in large parts, to double teams in the post) inside, they seemed to always get free and hit the deep shot (some of them VERY deep...).  The only frustrating thing about Point's defense from last night was that they seemed to have trouble getting off to shooters and navigating ball screens.  These offensive skills are things that need to be defended, and can be... but when an offense runs things like a pick and roll or a back cut effectively and efficiently, it's hard to stop.  ... But, a defense can usually make the necessary changes to stop this.  In Point's case, due to their offensive proficiency, it usually forces the other team to do things that they wouldn't normally... such as take lots of three's to catch up.

This, I believe, was the case last night...  Point was led by Kalif El-Amin, who had a career high 18 points.  He was matched by Steve Hicklin, also with 18.

Each Pointer starter made at least 4 shots, including a three, each had at least 3 assists, and all but Krull had a steal.  Add to that the great play of Drew Jackson (two of three from the field, 8 points, 5 boards, 3 blocks, 3 steals, and an assist in 29 minutes).  

Here are a few shots from Saturday night's game...







You'll have your pic in an email in a bit OS!

[OshDude]

I know it was brought up in passing, but Kolf hosts the Wisconsin high school boy's basketball sectionals this weekend.

There will be about 6,000 people there, BTW. No way Oshkosh would pass up that opportunity to place a bid on the NCAA regionals.

[sumander]

 In Point's case, due to their offensive proficiency, it usually forces the other team to do things that they wouldn't normally... such as take lots of three's to catch up.

This, I believe, was the case last night...  Point was led by Kalif El-Amin, who had a career high 18 points.  He was matched by Steve Hicklin, also with 18.

Pointspecial, You are spot on with this analysis. The second half the J's were too far behind to just trade baskets, which they did. My hope for the game was we would be able to keep it close long enough to be able to exploit our size advantage inside. That didn't happen. Your troops did a great job of doubling and tripling down low.

The run you put on after the 26-26 tie was impressive! The game was basically over after that.

[Just Bill]

I felt the same way about what we needed to do at Alex last year when LU hosted; that would have been a better situation if they could have moved it, even just to a local venue, say Appleton East,  that has more seats. 

Brillant.  Let's play an NCAA sectional at a neutral site on an high school length 84-foot court, in a gym that doesn't have shot clocks.  Great plan.

[Greek Tragedy]

Maybe they'll move it to Kolf at Oshkosh so they can fit all the Hope fans. lol I hear they travel well.  .  Plus, trips for Carroll and Washington U will be closer!  Hey, I'm a team player!  ...NOT. 

I'll take full responsibility for the Kolf idea.  I was trying to be funny because rumor around the campfire is that Hope travels well.  They had a pretty big showing down in Aurora on Friday night, and I'm sure more made the 3 hour trip for Hope v Calvin 5. 

I do think the NCAA would be  better served to have these games at larger neutral sites, like the Kolf Center, but they won't because they are cheap.  Yet they could sell 6,000 tickets at Kolf vs. 2,800 at Quandt.  My economics training would suggest that it would be worth having these at large venues if you charge a fair price for the tickets, say $15 per game or $20 for two games. 
It could be at an NCAA institution and provide room for all the traveling fans, instead of the crammed in treatment they'll get at Quandt. 

From the NCAA Tourney page:

According to this site:  Gym capacities

#1 Stevens Point: Quandt-2800
#10 Hope:  DeVos Center-3400
NR-Carroll:  Van Male Arena-1100
#8 Washington U.:  Field House-3000 (nice original name! lol )

#4 Virginia Wesleyan:  Jane P. Batten Center-1100
#3 Mississippi College:  A.E. Wood Coliseum-3500
#19 Guilford:  Ragen-Brown Field House-2500
NR-Lincoln: Manuel Rivero Hall Gymnasium-2500

#6 Amherst:  LeFrak Gymnasium-1800
Stevens:  Canavan Arena-1000
#21 Rhode Island College-Intercollegiate Athletic Center-2000
Keene State:  Spaulding Gym-2100

NR-St. John Fisher:  Not listed
NR-Brockport State:  Tuttle North Gymnasium-2000
#2 Wooster:  Timken Gymnasium-3400
#25 John Carroll:  Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center-2448

Various reports put Fisher's Varsity Gym at 900 to 1200 capacity.  It must be at least 1000, which is the minimum for a sectional host site, according to the handbook.  (By the way, I'm pretty sure the handbook said 1500 for the minimum in the Nov. version, and was changed to 1000 when the revision to the B/C pools was published a couple of weeks ago.  One has to wonder about that, since we have two hosts that fall between these marks.  And yes, I know VWC hosted last year, but there's a new handbook for each year.)

Another note: Can anyone shed light on the invitations of Wash U, Brandeis, Chicago and Rochester. Are these teams from the same conference??

Yes, they are all from the same conference...the UAA, University Athletic Conference.  They are spread all over the place, and though they are in different regions, all of their conference games are considered in-region.

From another board:

East Region
1. (19) Brockport State 23-5 22-5 (LOST to Plattsburgh State in SUNYAC Final) POOL C
2. (15) St. John Fisher 22-5 21-5 (Won Empire 8 AQ)
3. (11) St. Lawrence 22-5 21-5 (Won Liberty League AQ)
4. (46) New York U. 19-6 18-6 (lost to Brandeis, needs a Pool C)
5. (20) Rochester 18-7 18-6 (beat Carnegie Mellon, still needs a Pool C) POOL C

Midwest Region
1. (12) Chicago 20-5 19-5 (LOST to Washington U., needs Pool C bid) POOL C
2. (18) Augustana 22-5 22-4 (Won CCIW AQ)
3. (9) Washington U. 12-4 18-4 (defeats Chicago in UAA, gets UAA AQ)

Northeast Region
1. (2) Amherst 25-2 24-2 (LOST to Williams in NESCAC Final) POOL C
2. (8 ) Salem State 24-2 24-2 (Won MASCAC AQ)
3. (7) Trinity (Conn.) 21-4 17-4 (LOST to Williams in NESCAC Semis) POOL C
4. (3) WPI 22-3 20-3 (LOST to Coast Guard in NEWMAC Final) POOL C
5. (6) Rhode Island 24-3 24-3 (Won LEC AQ)
6. (26) Keene State 23-5 20-5 (LOST to Rhode Island in LEC Final) POOL C
7. (17) Brandeis 19-6 19-6 (defeated NYU, still needs a Pool C) POOL C

Just returned from our jaunt to Steven's Point. Old School Thanks for the tip on the Hill Top. We ate their before the game! Good food, Cold beer. My kind of place!

Glad you could make it over and thanks for the great compliments, on Hill Top and your experience at Quandt.  I noticed all the backdoor cuts as well, but I think it was a matter of being lazy.  Point had a pretty big lead and it seemed to me all those easy baskets came in the 2nd half.  Still concerning and I don't recall any other game when that happened.  I appreciate defense and though we had a big lead, I complained about it with Swampgoon.  I think he said assistants Jason Kalsow and Scott Anderson mentioned it in their post game wrap up on the radio.

My hope for the game was we would be able to keep it close long enough to be able to exploit our size advantage inside. That didn't happen. Your troops did a great job of doubling and tripling down low.

It also helped that your big man got into foul trouble early in the first half and we basically didn't see him until the tail end of the first 20 minutes. 

[Gregory Sager]

Maybe if we play the Pioneers, we can add an "L" to Carrol(L) lol.

I don't think we really need a MWC/WIAC challenge, at least an official one.  There are plenty of games between the two conferences already.  Whitewater plays Carroll every year and Oshkosh plays Lawrence every year.  Point played LU, Carroll and Ripon (Ripon, seemingly on a regular basis) and Oshkosh also played Grinnell and St. Norbs, off the top of my head.

It's tough because you guys West of Point are pretty far away, so I guess EC, St, RF and LX and PL must be content on playing the MIAC, while SP, WW, and OSH play the MWC...and Superior, those d2 schools and Finlandia and Northland! lol

MIAC games are too far.  We had a series against St Johns in the earlier part of this decade, but haven't played a team from that conference since 01-02 season.  We are guaranteed (the last four seasons anyway) 2 games against the IIAC, with the Mississippi River Challenge games with the three Dubuque schools, which the Pioneers always play Dubuque and Loras.  This year the Pioneers actually played 4 games against that conference, going 3-1 with the lone loss to Clarke.

Clarke's not in the IIAC, Pioneerhoops. Your team went 3-0 against the IIAC, not 3-1.

Clarke was in the now-disbanded NIIC. This year they were an independent, and next year they switch affiliations and join the NAIA, where they'll join the mostly-Iowa-based Midwest Classic Conference (UWL's crosstown rival Viterbo is the only non-Hawkeye school in that league).

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

Maybe if we play the Pioneers, we can add an "L" to Carrol(L) lol.

I don't think we really need a MWC/WIAC challenge, at least an official one.  There are plenty of games between the two conferences already.  Whitewater plays Carroll every year and Oshkosh plays Lawrence every year.  Point played LU, Carroll and Ripon (Ripon, seemingly on a regular basis) and Oshkosh also played Grinnell and St. Norbs, off the top of my head.

It's tough because you guys West of Point are pretty far away, so I guess EC, St, RF and LX and PL must be content on playing the MIAC, while SP, WW, and OSH play the MWC...and Superior, those d2 schools and Finlandia and Northland! lol

MIAC games are too far.  We had a series against St Johns in the earlier part of this decade, but haven't played a team from that conference since 01-02 season.  We are guaranteed (the last four seasons anyway) 2 games against the IIAC, with the Mississippi River Challenge games with the three Dubuque schools, which the Pioneers always play Dubuque and Loras.  This year the Pioneers actually played 4 games against that conference, going 3-1 with the lone loss to Clarke.

Clarke's not in the IIAC, Pioneerhoops. Your team went 3-0 against the IIAC, not 3-1.

Clarke was in the now-disbanded NIIC. This year they were an independent, and next year they switch affiliations and join the NAIA, where they'll join the mostly-Iowa-based Midwest Classic Conference (UWL's crosstown rival Viterbo is the only non-Hawkeye school in that league).

I realized this after I posted, but I was hoping that with the tournament this weekend that I might slide under the radar.  Thanks though Mr. Sager for correcting me 

Congrats to Point.

[hopefan]

I'm from St Louis and Formerly Holland Mi, so I support both Hope and Wash U      Just talked to Wash U regarding tickets - evidently there is to be a conference call this afternoon to discuss the how's where's etc. Also was given the rumor of a possible split session, I really hope not-   I was really hoping I would have it easy just to go over to Wash U and get tickets.......   If anybody hears formal plans before I do , please post here - a trip up is very meaningful to me....