MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Greek Tragedy]

Updated with help from Ralph Turner.

Here are Wednesday's regional rankings (I left everything "As Is", so if there was a change in conference leaders, the Pool A and Pool C teams are from Wednesday's release).   This should give posters & lurkers an overall look on how other teams faired and if it helped or hurt their team.

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

Atlantic Region
1. Richard Stockton 15-5 15-4 (NJAC): LOST at Rutgers-Camden 87-74, def. New Jersey 83-72.
2. William Paterson 16-4 16-4 (NJAC): LOST to Montclair State 69-61, won at New Jersey City 61-53.
3. Farmingdale State 16-4 15-3 (SKY):  Won at New York City Tech 104-59, def. Bard 105-66, def. Mount St. Mary 92-60.
4. York (N.Y.) 17-7 15-6 (CUNYAC) (tied with Brooklyn):  def. Ramapo 72-66, def. Lehman 59-54 (REGULAR SEASON COMPLETE)
5. St. Joseph's (L.I.) 16-5 15-5 (SKY):  Won at Mount St. Vincent 112-108, won at SUNY-Purchase 74-59.

East Region
1. Rochester 17-3 16-3 (UAA):  LOST at Brandeis 68-64, LOST at NYU 92-85 2OT.
2. Plattsburgh State 19-2 16-0 (SUNYAC):  def. New Paltz State 87-68, def. Oneonta State 83-59.
3. Brockport State 16-6 13-4 (SUNYAC):  Def. Buffalo State 89-73, def. Fredonia State 86-69.
4. Stevens 19-3 17-2 (Empire 8 ):  Def. Hunter 69-55, LOST at Utica 65-59.
5. Nazareth 15-5 15-5 (Empire 8 ):  Won at Alfred 88-73, LOST to Utica 85-77, def. Harwick 90-61.

Great Lakes
1. Capital 18-3 17-3 (OAC):  Won at Mount Union 80-68, def. Ohio Northern 83-75.
2. Wooster 18-3 11-2 (NCAC):  Won at Denison 82-64, def. Wittenberg 66-61.
3. Hope 17-3 10-2 (MIAA):  Won at Adrian 70-48, def. Alma 92-43.
4. Ohio Wesleyan 14-6 13-4 (NCAC): Won at Wittenberg 72-69, LOST at Earlhman 79-73.
5. Heidelberg 16-5 14-4 (OAC):  Won at John Carroll 82-74, LOST to Otterbein 81-66
6. Penn State-Behrend 17-4 15-3 (AMCC) (tied with Lake Erie):  Def. Medaille 71-61, def. La Roche 69-61.

Middle Atlantic Region
1. Ursinus 19-2 16-1 (Centennial):  Won at Franklin and Marshall 77-60, won at Dickinson 88-62.
2. Gettysburg 17-3 15-2 (Centennial):  Won at Johns Hopkins 67-56, def. Swarthmore 69-55.
3. Widener 17-4 14-3 (MAC Commonwealth):  Def. Lebanon Valley 58-44, won at Messiah 75-62.
4. Messiah 15-6 14-5 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Albright and Lycoming):  LOST at Lycoming 75-53, LOST to Widener 75-62.
5. DeSales 17-4 14-3 (MAC Freedom) (tied with Manhattanville):  Won at Delaware Valley 78-63, def. FDU-Florham 75-47.
6. Albright 14-5 14-4 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Messiah and Lycoming):  LOST at Elizabethtown 79-75, LOST to Lycoming 75-73.
7. York (Pa.) 16-6 16-5 (CAC):  Def. Wesley 84-77.
8. Moravian 17-5 16-5 (LAND) (Pool B):  Won at Goucher 78-71, LOST at Catholic 85-79.

Midwest Region
1. Augustana 17-4 16-4 (CCIW): LOST at Wheaton (IL) 73-60, won at Millikin 59-56.
2. Washington U. 16-4 13-3 (UAA):  Won at Case Western Reserve 71-68, won at Emory 78-71 in OT.
3. Lawrence 16-2 14-2 (MWC):  Won at Ripon 87-83, def. Beloit 72-48.
4. Wheaton (Ill.) 16-5 12-5 (CCIW):  Def. Augustana 73-60, LOST to Illinois Wesleyan 61-59.
5. Chicago 13-7 12-7 (UAA):  Won at Emory 87-73, won at Case Western Reserve 84-56.
6. Illinois Wesleyan 13-8 12-6 (CCIW):  Def. Millikin 95-52, won at Wheaton (IL) 61-59.
7. Carroll 14-5 13-5 (MWC):  LOST at St. Norbert 69-59.
8. Webster 15-5 13-5 (SLIAC):  Def. Greenville 82-64, won at MacMurray 83-72.

Northeast Region
1. Amherst 21-2 21-1 (NESCAC):  Def. Trinity (Conn.) 69-58. 
2. Mass-Dartmouth 20-1 20-1 (LEC) (Tied with Rhode Island College):  LOST to Rhode Island College 79-72, won at Eastern Connecticut 80-76.
3. Bowdoin 18-4 18-4 (NESCAC):  Def. Tufts 71-66, LOST to Bates 65-62.
4. Trinity (Conn.) 18-5 16-4 (NESCAC):  LOST at Amherst 69-58.
5. Middlebury 17-5 16-4 (NESCAC):  Def. Wesleyan 75-71, LOST to Connecticut College 93-86.
6. Brandeis 16-4 15-4 (UAA):  Def. Rochester 68-64, def. Carnegie Mellon 84-81.
7. Worcester Tech 16-5 15-4 (NEWMAC):  Def. Springfield 70-68, Def. MIT 81-46.
8. Rhode Island College 16-5 16-5 (LEC) (Tied with Mass-Dartmouth):  Won at Mass-Dortmouth 79-72, def. Southern Maine 79-72.
9. Emerson 18-3 17-3 (GNAC):  Won at Mount Ida 88-70, won at Rivier 72-70 OT
10. Bates 15-6 14-5 (NESCAC):  LOST at Colby 68-65, won at Bowdoin 65-62.

South Region
1. Centre 20-1 15-1 (SCAC):  Won at DePauw 69-66.
2. Mary Hardin-Baylor 18-3 16-2 (ASC):  Won at Howard Payne 71-68, won at Sul Ross State 78-58.
3. Guilford 16-4 15-4 (ODAC):  Won at Hampden-Sydney 78-71, def. Bridgewater (Va.) 77-69.  Def.  Eastern Mennonite, 100-93.
4. Maryville (Tenn.) 20-2 14-2 (GSAC):  Won at Huntingdon 69-61.
5. Virginia Wesleyan 17-5 16-4 (ODAC):  Won at Eastern Mennonite 78-68.  Won at Randolph-Macon 69-66. 
6. DePauw 18-4 14-3 (SCAC):  LOST to Centre 69-66.
7. Millsaps 19-3 14-2(SCAC):  Won at Southwestern 80-71.  Won at Trinity (TX) 77-68.
8. Randolph-Macon 17-4 12-4 (ODAC):  Won at Bridgewater (Va.) 72-64, LOST to Virginia Wesleyan 69-66.

West Region
1. Occidental 18-3 11-1 (SCIAC):  Won at Redlands 83-80 OT, LOST at Ponoma-Pitzer 62-47
2. St. Thomas 19-3 17-2 (MIAC):  Def. Augsburg 72-60.
3. UW-Platteville 17-4 15-3 (WIAC) (tied with Whitewater):  LOST to Whitewater 70-66, LOST to Superior 70-59.
4. UW-Whitewater 18-3 16-3 (WIAC) (tied with Platteville):  Won at Platteville 70-66, LOST at Stevens Point 76-47.
5. Cal Lutheran 17-3 13-3 (SCIAC):  Def. Caltech 91-48, def. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 53-50.
6. UW-Stevens Point 17-4 15-4 (WIAC):  Won at Eau Claire 89-68, def. Whitewater 76-47.
7. Buena Vista 18-4 14-2 (IIAC):  Def. Simpson 103-65.
8. Loras 17-5 14-3 (IIAC):  Def. Luther 61-43.

[Greek Tragedy]

A part of me wishes Point was traveling somewhere west of Stevens Point (then it would be too far for me) because I'd like to see that Oshkosh game at Whitewater... 

[Greek Tragedy]

West Region
1. Occidental 18-3 11-1 (SCIAC):  Won at Redlands 83-80 OT, LOST at Ponoma-Pitzer 62-47
2. St. Thomas 19-3 17-2 (MIAC):  Def. Augsburg 72-60.
3. UW-Platteville 17-4 15-3 (WIAC) (tied with Whitewater):  LOST to Whitewater 70-66, LOST to Superior 70-59.
4. UW-Whitewater 18-3 16-3 (WIAC) (tied with Platteville):  Won at Platteville 70-66, LOST at Stevens Point 76-47.
5. Cal Lutheran 17-3 13-3 (SCIAC):  Def. Caltech 91-48, def. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 53-50.
6. UW-Stevens Point 17-4 15-4 (WIAC):  Won at Eau Claire 89-68, def. Whitewater 76-47.
7. Buena Vista 18-4 14-2 (IIAC):  Def. Simpson 103-65.
8. Loras 17-5 14-3 (IIAC):  Def. Luther 61-43.

Not sure what to think about the next West Regional Rankings.

It could be:

1. St. Thomas (leads MIAC)
2. Cal Lutheran (tied with Occidental for SCIAC lead)
3. Stevens Point (tied with Oshkosh and Whitewater for WIAC lead)
4. Whitewater (tied with Oshkosh and Stevens Point for WIAC lead)
5. Occidental (tied with Cal Lutheran for SCIAC lead)
6. Buena Vista (leads IIAC)
7. Loras (one game back in IIAC)
8. Oshkosh (tied with Whitewater and Stevens Point for WIAC lead) 
8.  Whitworth (tied with Puget Sound for NWC lead)

St. Thomas, Cal. Lutheran and Stevens Point all move up, obviously.  I'm not sure if Point will leapfrog Lutheran, even with a win against a fellow ranked opponent.  Lutheran still has that win over Point in it's back pocket.  I don't see Occidental falling behind Buena Vista and Loras simply because their regional record will still be about the same and I'm not sure those wins over Simpson and Luther for BV and Loras are too impressive anyway.  Whitewater will be hard to figure out since they beat a ranked team ahead of them on the road and then lost to a ranked team behind them on the road.  It doesn't matter if they lost by 2 or 29.  Though Puget Sound isn't in the rankings, a win over them by Whitworth should boost their profile a little, while Oshkosh's win over River Falls probably won't stand out.  Chapman is a Pool B team, but I still don't think they'll get in the rankings.  They do have good wins against Cal. Lutheran and Whitworth and losing a close 2nd game to Cal. Lutheran and Plattsburgh State (doesn't count anyway) and a loss to Occidental.

As you can see, it's a mess.  As we know:

• Point travels to Platteville on Saturday, giving Platteville a shot to get back into the rankings.
• Oshkosh goes to Whitewater on Wednesday.
• Occidental host Cal Lutheran on Wednesday looking for the sweep.
• Loras heads to Buena Vista on Saturday, hoping for a split and tie for the conference.
• Whitworth has already swept Puget Sound

[Mr. Downtown]

This region is going to be a mess after this weekend.

Chapman is 10-5 in regional play, so you can count them out.

I don't see Oshkosh in the top 8, yet. Of course a win on Wednesday would change everything, and all the Titan fans will be asking the regional rankers why are they behind Point and Whitewater if they swept them (knock on wood).

I think Whitworth is #8 the next time the rankings comes out, or who knows, maybe Platteville stays in.

[phoenix_rising]

...Superior (can anyone figure them out?)...

They're freshmen lead by a sophomore. They don't know what they can and can't do, yet. That's kind of what makes them exciting to watch. Some games, you just wonder why they can't see disaster looming just down the court--failure to follow shots, failure to stick with that guy that's already launched and made four three-pointers, failure to realize that one on three is bad odds. When they click--and the other team graciously doesn't--they're outstanding. Anytime, they're fun to watch.

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

I was @ the UW-Superior/UW-Platteville game last night.  Platteville was probably the classiest team I've seen all year.  It was senior night for 2 UWS players, and all the Platteville players clapped for them during the ceremony.  I saw a Platteville player help a Superior player off the floor.  I saw a player run after a ball that went way out of bounds and hand it to the ref.   I saw no players questioning calls (when the probably could have).  That's a first class program, but i'm glad Superior won.

Nice words Cody, just too bad their play didn't match it.  I didn't listen to the game, but from looking at the box score, the Pioneers are not playing Defense like the can and should.

The corner the Pioneers are painting themselves into, is getting smaller with every game.  Hopefully it doesn't get too small, so they can get out of it now with two difficult games to go.

[Mr. Downtown]

Thanks to pabegg, who always does a great job with numbers on the Pool C board.

Take a look at this:

WE  82   01   02   0.6021 0.4921 0.5241 St. Thomas                011  A w C       18-2 20-3
WE  86   02   04   0.6206 0.5732 0.5263 UW-Stevens Point          013  A w C       17-4 19-4
WE  84   03   01   0.6003 0.5008 0.5423 Occidental                017  A w C       12-2 19-3
WE  81   04   05   0.5853 0.4594 0.5400 Buena Vista               025  A w C       15-2 19-4
WE  81   05   06   0.5943 0.5011 0.5415 Loras                     028  C 9         15-3 18-5
WE  86   06   07   0.5852 0.4967 0.5379 UW-Whitewater             032  C 12        17-4 19-4
WE  84   07   08   0.5876 0.5087 0.5328 Cal Lutheran              033  C 13        16-4 22-4
WE  86   08   09   0.6027 0.5668 0.5403 UW-Oshkosh                041  C 17        14-5 17-6
WE  86   09   03   0.5831 0.5227 0.5369 UW-Platteville            048  C second    15-5 17-6
WE  82   10   11   0.5666 0.5180 0.5161 Gustavus Adolphus         066  C third     15-6 17-6
WE  89   11   12   0.5349 0.3758 0.5308 Nebraska Wesleyan         067  B 3         6-1 13-10

According to the computers, the WIAC would have three teams in today, with Platteville on the outside looking in.

However, I assume that is going to change this Wednesday when either Whitewater or Oshkosh  will lose on Wednesday night.

Things look good once again for the WIAC's chances of having multiple teams in the tourney...right now. I'm very anxious to see what will happen after Wednesday.

[fredfalcon]

Fred Falcon,

I played with Rich, on the same team, the summer going into our Senior Season's, in the Minneapolis Pro-Am (Howard Pulley).  I my mind, Rich was one of the top players in that league.  He probably averaged 20 and 10 in that league, going up against Pro players and mostly all D1 players.  I saw him score consistently over players like Kris Humphries, Devan George, and Mike Bauer-And he made it look so easy.  So, when he dominated competition like that and came back to the WIAC; I always wondered what he was doing here.

Kody-1-Kastern,

You made the point I tried to make much better than I did. I saw you and Rich a couple of times that summer. Also, your comments about Platteville's players were classy too. Let's hope those players' examples of sportsmanship can set the pace for the rest of the league.

[chmarx]

Looks like we are going to have another wild finish in the WIAC.

[Hoopshead]

I would like to take exception to Mr. DT who is waiting for this years UWO team to "let things slip through their fingers" as past teams have.  I would remind Mr.DT that the past four years were pretty much a huge letdown with all the expectations that were there.  But please do not compare this year's team to that of the past few.  This team has a lot more fire, determination, guts, and will to win.  And do not forget that the last year of the Dworak, Sowinski, Miller, and Sherer team, they were killed by Point toward the end of the season, but came back to beat Point and WW on the road in the tourney and missed the final four by five points.  Let's give this year's team a little credit until the league tourney is done.  If they do lose on Wednesday it will not because they did not put in a great effort.  If you knew these guys at all, you know that they want the tourney championship and a ticket to the NCAA more than anything in the world.  Do not count them out yet.

[cubs]

+ Karma Hoopshead!!!!!

[cubs]

Congrats to one our very own on their All Tournament Team selection this past weekend.......

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/APC02/80219092/1892

Gotta love the spelling in the article!!!!   (I believe BJ Larue played at UWGB if I'm not mistaken.)

[Mr. Downtown]

I picked them to beat Whitewater, and I picked them to win the conference tourney, what else do I have to do to show I'm somewhat of a homer when it comes to Oshkosh?

Anyways, hoopshead, covering all of the athletics at UW-Oshkosh the last 4 years has gotten me a bit cynical when its comes to the Titans chances of winning a championship (exception of Track and Gymnastics). So many times we are so close to winning it, and then plop, we lose and it's all over.

This team gives a lot of reasons to be hopeful for, but I've seen them at there best (7-0 to start the season) and at their Worst (7-6 from Dec. 8th to Jan. 30th).

As a Fan, which I want to point out that I still root for the Titans, Oshkosh start the year 4-0 against teams with winning records, and then since, they are 2-4*. FYI, if we are going to make it to the national tournament, we are going to need to beat teams with winning records. (*both were against Stevens Point)

I know this team, because I have interviewed them many times after the games and such. Yes, there is a fire and different attitude to this team then the past couple of years. Is it enough though?

Let's face it Titan fans, we have had a pretty easy time in the last 4 games (as I said a month ago), while Whitewater had to travel to Platteville and Point.

If Oshkosh loses to Whitewater on Wednesday, then yes, once again a great opportunity slip through their fingers.

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

Congrats to one our very own on their All Tournament Team selection this past weekend.......

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/APC02/80219092/1892

Gotta love the spelling in the article!!!!   (I believe BJ Larue played at UWGB if I'm not mistaken.)

Good Pick up Cubs.  I was going to look for that yesterday and post something, but it slipped my mind.

The tourney was fun, and playing with Jack...I mean Jacob was great.  He was a great pick up not only for our team, but for the tourney I believe.  A lot of people were drawn to him for his obvious reason of being an excellent player, but I don't know if there was anyone affiliated with the tourney that didn't like him.   

LaRue did go to UWGB, and I believe (from the games we either played or watched) shot about 85% from "3".  A lot of former WIAC players in the tourney, along with the other private schools in the state.  Some former D-I & D-II players as well, make the tourney a competitive battle.

Here's to DPM's!  I know you'll like that one Dave 

[cubs]

Mr. DT-
While you may feel you are a "homer" when it comes to Oshkosh, you come across rather negatively when talking about them most of the time, and that is what sticks out when I (and I assume others based on the previous reply today) read your posts.  Go back and look at some of your posts.  Back when they were struggling, you thought it would take a miracle for them to beat Point and sweep the season series.  Now you are saying that if Oshkosh loses, they will have had yet another opportunity "slip through their hands."  Tell me this, what do the Titans get for winning the WIAC regular season title?  (A banner and that is about it.....  I guess as a fan I would like to see them win both, but knowing that the only sure way to make the post-season is by winning the WIAC tournament, I guess I would rather see that hapen if they only win one.) 

Anyway, it's the comments above that really rub people the wrong way.  It's almost as if you want them to lose so you can come back and say "I told you so" instead of taking pleasure or pride in seeing a group of guys win more than anyone thought they could. 

As far as covering UWO athletics, you must have forgot that the baseball team won the regular season title last season (by two and a half games.) I'm sure since they lost in the finals of the conference tournament and Regionals that is all you remember though.