MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr. Downtown]

Regional Rankings are out.

Here's the West:

West Region
1. Occidental 18-3 11-1
2. St. Thomas 19-3 17-2
3. UW-Platteville 17-4 15-3
4. UW-Whitewater 18-3 16-3
5. Cal Lutheran 17-3 13-3
6. UW-Stevens Point 17-4 15-4
7. Buena Vista 18-4 14-2
8. Loras 17-5 14-3

Now, this is what I predicted
1. St. Thomas (MIAC)       15-2 *
2. UW-Platteville (WIAC)   14-3*
3. UW-Whitewater (WIAC) 15-3
4. Puget Sound (NWC)      12-2*
5. Occidental (SCIAC)       12-1*
6. Cal Luthern (SCIAC)       14-3
7. Stevens Point (WIAC)     13-4
8. Whitworth     (NWC)      13-3

So I got 5 out of the 8. Not bad, but not great.

Two teams are not even in the Regional Rankings that I thought they should be with Puget Sound and Whitworth. That doesn't spell well for teams like Oshkosh.

Just for giggles,
My predicted Midwest Regional Rankings
1. Augustana (CCIW)      14-4*
2. Washington U. (UAA)  11-3
3. Lawrence (MWC)       12-2*
4. Chicago  (UAA)          12-5
5. Wheaton (CCIW)         11-5
6. Elmhurst  (CCIW)         13-5
7. Aurora (NATHC)          14-4*
8. Carroll (MWC)             11-5

The released Regional Rankings
Midwest Region
1. Augustana 17-4 16-4
2. Washington U. 16-4 13-3
3. Lawrence 16-2 14-2
4. Wheaton (Ill.) 16-5 12-5
5. Chicago 13-7 12-7
6. Illinois Wesleyan 13-8 12-6
7. Carroll 14-5 13-5
8. Webster 15-5 13-5

6 out of 8, and had the top three in order (and had the first 5 teams right, with Wheaton ahead of Chicago instead of my predicted vice versa). Now that's pretty good! 

You notice something. No Elmhurst. Again, not helping Oshkosh's chances.

[Greek Tragedy]

This might be the hardest set of games to pick this year!!
Wed 2/13/08
UW-Stevens Point  @ UW-Eau Claire           1
UW-La Crosse  @ UW-River Falls                 4                       
UW-Whitewater @ UW-Platteville               2
UW-Superior @ UW-Stout                         3

Wed 2/13/08
4-UW-Stevens Point  @ UW-Eau Claire 
3-UW-La Crosse  @ UW-River Falls 
2-UW-Whitewater @ UW-Platteville   
1-UW-Superior @ UW-Stout

You do make good points about not putting a high number of confidence points on the Point/EC game.  Believe me, I didn't want to do that either.  But, considering my choices of points...

I do know that EC topped PL and OSH at Zorn.  But, looking at the matchups, Point's "quality" (for lack of a better term) compared to Eau Claire's "quality" has the greatest difference than any other matchup.  We basically both agreed that La Crosse v River Falls would be considered high as well.  You put four, I put three.  We both put PL/WW a two.  I did that because PL already won in WW, and partically because I don't have nearly as much confidence in the Superior/Stout game as you do.  Stout has ONE win, against Superior.  I obviously think Point has  a better shot at beating EC again than Stout does at beating Superior again, for their second win of the conference season. 

[Mr. Downtown]

That's how tough this Wednesday is!!

Somebody might walk away with 0 points tonight (probably me  )

[Greek Tragedy]

Regional rankings are listed below and color coded to give everyone an idea of where their team sits, in terms of who you want to root for!  For example, in the Midwest Region, Carroll College would really want Wheaton, Chicago and Ill.Wes. to drop games so they can move up the Pool C ladder.  And in the West Region, Stevens Point needs Occidental to keep that Pool A bid in the SCIAC and hope that Cal. Lutheran drops games to jump ahead of them in the Pool C race...looks like that loss out there to Cal. Lutheran really hurts Point right now.

BOLD is conference leader (Pool A)
RED is Pool C Contender
GREEN is Pool B contender...may need some help on those!

Atlantic Region
1. Richard Stockton 15-5 15-4 .544 .518 (NJAC)
2. William Paterson 16-4 16-4 .516 .518 (NJAC)
3. Farmingdale State 16-4 15-3 .462 .481 (SKY)
4. York (N.Y.) 17-7 15-6 .472 .495 (CUNYAC) (tied with Brooklyn)
5. St. Joseph's (L.I.) 16-5 15-5 .415 .477 (SKY)

East Region
1. Rochester 17-3 16-3 .629 .573 (UAA)
2. Plattsburgh State 19-2 16-0 .505 .524 (SUNYAC)
3. Brockport State 16-6 13-4 .585 .532 (SUNYAC)
4. Stevens 19-3 17-2 .447 .532 (Empire 8 )
5. Nazareth 15-5 15-5 .606 .544 (Empire 8 )

Great Lakes
1. Capital 18-3 17-3 .536 .530 (OAC)
2. Wooster 18-3 11-2 .525 .495 (NCAC)
3. Hope 17-3 10-2 .501 .519 (MIAA)
4. Ohio Wesleyan 14-6 13-4 .545 .498 (NCAC)
5. Heidelberg 16-5 14-4 .507 .528 (OAC)
6. Penn State-Behrend 17-4 15-3 .425 .501 (AMCC) (tied with Lake Erie)

Middle Atlantic Region
1. Ursinus 19-2 16-1 .526 .518 (Centennial)
2. Gettysburg 17-3 15-2 .553 .521 (Centennial)
3. Widener 17-4 14-3 .553 .524 (MAC Commonwealth)
4. Messiah 15-6 14-5 .650 .519 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Albright and Lycoming)
5. DeSales 17-4 14-3 .522 .507 (MAC Freedom) (tied with Manhattanville)
6. Albright 14-5 14-4 .528 .544 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Messiah and Lycoming)
7. York (Pa.) 16-6 16-5 .557 .506 (CAC)
8. Moravian 17-5 16-5 .462 .511 (LAND) (Pool B?)

Midwest Region
1. Augustana 17-4 16-4 .573 .571 (CCIW)
2. Washington U. 16-4 13-3 .690 .556 (UAA)
3. Lawrence 16-2 14-2 .519 .511 (MWC)
4. Wheaton (Ill.) 16-5 12-5 .565 .559 (CCIW)
5. Chicago 13-7 12-7 .641 .569 (UAA)
6. Illinois Wesleyan 13-8 12-6 .619 .555 (CCIW)
7. Carroll 14-5 13-5 .537 .492 (MWC)
8. Webster 15-5 13-5 .529 .475 (SLIAC)

Northeast Region
1. Amherst 21-2 21-1 .616 .539 (NESCAC)
2. Mass-Dartmouth 20-1 20-1 .558 .540 (LEC) (Tied with Rhode Island College)
3. Bowdoin 18-4 18-4 .565 .529 (NESCAC)
4. Trinity (Conn.) 18-5 16-4 .610 .543 (NESCAC)
5. Middlebury 17-5 16-4 .609 .513 (NESCAC)
6. Brandeis 16-4 15-4 .583 .584 (UAA)
7. Worcester Tech 16-5 15-4 .548 .539 (NEWMAC)
8. Rhode Island College 16-5 16-5 .537 .541 (LEC) (Tied with Mass-Dartmouth)
9. Emerson 18-3 17-3 .437 .511 (GNAC)
10. Bates 15-6 14-5 .567 .540 (NESCAC)

South Region
1. Centre 20-1 15-1 .474 .497 (SCAC)
2. Mary Hardin-Baylor 18-3 16-2 .486 .511 (ASC)
3. Guilford 16-4 15-4 .562 .530 (ODAC)
4. Maryville (Tenn.) 20-2 14-2 .487 .505 (GSAC)
5. Virginia Wesleyan 17-5 16-4 .533 .534 (ODAC)
6. DePauw 18-4 14-3 .478 .514 (SCAC)
7. Millsaps 19-3 14-2 .456 .492 (SCAC)
8. Randolph-Macon 17-4 12-4 .534 .542 (ODAC)

West Region
1. Occidental 18-3 11-1 .496 .535 (SCIAC)
2. St. Thomas 19-3 17-2 .487 .529 (MIAC)
3. UW-Platteville 17-4 15-3 .510 .554 (WIAC) (tied with Whitewater)
4. UW-Whitewater 18-3 16-3 .466 .545 (WIAC) (tied with Platteville)
5. Cal Lutheran 17-3 13-3 .504 .522 (SCIAC)
6. UW-Stevens Point 17-4 15-4 .566 .530 (WIAC)
7. Buena Vista 18-4 14-2 .464 .543 (IIAC)
8. Loras 17-5 14-3 .511 .547 (IIAC)

[cubs]

Whitewater 70
Platteville 66         FINAL

Stevens Point 89
Eau Claire 68         FINAL

Stout 93
Superior 88           FINAL

River Falls 73
La Crosse 57        FINAL

[Mr. Downtown]

Matt Goodwin, I think, just won POY tonight...

And I only got one game right tonight.

One game, for 3 points. Terrific.

BTW, what did Point do that Platteville and Oshkosh didn't at Zorn??

[Mr. Downtown]

Conference Tourney (If season ended today)

1  Whitewater  11-2
8  River Falls      3-10

4  Stevens Point   10-3
5  La Crosse          5-9

3  Oshkosh       10-3
6  Eau Claire      5-9

2  Platteville    10-3
7  Superior       4-10

[buf]

BTW, what did Point do that Platteville and Oshkosh didn't at Zorn??

Shot the lights out.  I think Point shot 63% for the game.

[voice]

Great win Hawks!!  I may not have a voice right now - but I sure was rooting for you.

For those who are under the preception that all Whitewater has going for them is being "very athletic" and their "aren't enough basketballs to go around".... WW finishes tonight 's game with 18 assists (Koski 5, Goodwin, McKay, Kolinske 4)  and 12 turnovers.  Platteville with 10 assists (15 turnovers).

WW bench outscores Platteville 13-3.  

No time for WW to put the lunch box away.  Next up at Stevens Point on Saturday - then Oskosh at Kachel next Wednesday.   As we say on the football side - Let's Pound The Rock!!

I'll be at Point even if I have the have an ambulence take me!

[Mr. Downtown]

I'm going to place the WW/SP game at a total of 160 points.

Anyone under/over that?

[Greek Tragedy]

WW 70, PL 66:  Platteville Game Story, boxscore link included

Whitewater's version...the score ends up the same though!

RF 73, LC 57 Boxscore

ST 93, SUP 88 Game Story ... Boxscore

SP 89, EC 68 Game Story with Boxscore link

[Gregory Sager]

Just asking, what is a few years ago? Cause if it is like...4-5 years ago, then yeah, of course it sucked because both teams were average at best.

Doesn't matter. If it takes one or both teams having good records for the fans to get excited about the game, then it's not a real rivalry.

You of all people should know that, because you live in Wisconsin. Ask your neighbors if the records of the Bears and the Packers matter when those two teams hook up. In Chicago they say, "I can live with the Bears going 2-14, as long as the two wins are over the Packers," and I'm pretty sure that the same sentiment (but in the opposite direction) is held by Packers fans.

There's a reason why there's a cliche that goes, "Throw out the records when these two teams play." It's never more true than when the Bears and the Packers play, and the same holds true when the Cubs and Cardinals play. In spite of the fact that the Cardinals have one of the most storied records of all MLB franchises while the Cubs have now gone almost a century without a World Series win and haven't won an NL pennant since Hiroshima was still radioactive, the Cubs still have a substantial lead over the Cardinals in the all-time standings of the I-55 Series that dates back to 1892, 1,137-1,072.

[badgerwarhawk]

Matt Goodwin, I think, just won POY tonight...



BTW, what did Point do that Platteville and Oshkosh didn't at Zorn??

He's sure making a run at it.

Win

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

Great game last night for the basketball fan in me, horrible game last night for the Pioneer fan in me.  I give credit to Pat Miller and his team for stealing one last night in a electrically charged Williams Fieldhouse.  Great atmosphere to play in, with the theme being an "Orange Out".

Pioneers for the most part seemed very lethargic.  Not really in to the game in teh first half, and were not feeding off the crowd.  Whitewater on the other hand was definitely feeding off the crowd, and loving it.  Hanson got in foul trouble in the first half, and right away in the second half.  That hurt us, since in the first half he was carrying the Pioneers.  Would've like to see Jeff assert more in the first half.  He scored 30 points in Whitewater, and it didn't look like the game plan changed any.  He may have gotten doubled a few times, but for the most part, they were just going to let him go...and all he did was stand there with his back to the basket.

Matt Goodwin, IMO after last night is POY of the conference.  He carried whitewater in the second half, and hit some huge "dagger-esque" threes.  Platteville was careless with the ball when they really needed the possesion.

Here is my only complaint about the game.  I was glad to see the officials for the most part, really let these two teams figure it out on their own.  It was a physical game, and seemed as though there was a guy on the floor after every play.  Platteville got called for two carries in the first half (Miller I'm sure had something to do with this) and I'm not saying they were not carries, because they were.  But in the second half, the officials seemed to forget what a carry was, because Goodwin carries the ball a ton, especially when coming off a ball screen.  If you call it in the first half, call it in the second half.  There I'm done 

[badgerwarhawk]

The plan was to defend Skemp in the same manner we previously had.  This time it worked. 

Out of curiousity I'm wondering if any three second calls were made.  None were called in WW.  That gave Skemp a big advantage and he made hay off of it.   I noticed he had a few turnovers in the first half but the running score doesn't indicated what type they were.

Miller must have gained a lot more influence over the officials since our first meeting when he called for a three second violation all night and got nothing.