MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[OshDude]

Can't wait to read a full recap of the UWO/UWS game. I only got to see the last three minutes because of a stupid night class.

Wish I could have seen DJ's first 31 points. What I saw was DJ passing up a 10-foot leaner with four seconds left and throwing it into traffic for a turnover. I think everyone in the gym, including DSA – for whom the pass was intended and who was credited with the turnover, thought DJ was hoisting that shot.

I also wish Smith would have hit the second free throw with four ticks remaining. Didn't look like UWO had much of a play designed based off a miss – not that there necessarily IS one with 4 seconds. No fault of anyone, but I'm just assuming there would have been a better look off a made FT.

I will say this: It was a solid season for the Titans, all things considered. They probably weren't as good as the highs and not as bad as the lows. Congrats to Jordan Johnson for a good career and stellar leadership. He was a fun "gamer" to watch.

Congrats to Superior as well. Though I didn't see 37 minutes of it, Sup played with confidence. And that 3 by Smith on a broken play could be seen as a real turning point in a program that has made the WIAC so much tougher this year.

[frodotwo]

The WIAC tourney has already started off crazy...

GAME DELAYED BY BROKEN RIM IN WARM-UPS at Platteville. Approx... 7:30 tip off.

I'm really sorry about that everyone.  I guess my two handed windmill still has plenty of punch.

Could be why Hanson only scored 8 tonight

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

Great game in Platteville tonight.  Buf was right.  Everytime the Pioneers got a little sniff of mementum, Eau Claire lit a match and ended it almost as soon as it started.  Offensively the Pioneers were great tonight, but on the Defensive end, Eau Claire took it to them.  The game was delayed due to the broken rim, don't know if that made a difference for the Pioneers intensity tonight, but the way the 'Golds were playing when the game started...don't think it would've mattered.

Congrats to those pesky Blugolds.  Was really looking forward to a rematch from Saturday night, but tonight the better team on the floor won.

The WIAC tourney has already started off crazy...

GAME DELAYED BY BROKEN RIM IN WARM-UPS at Platteville. Approx... 7:30 tip off.

I'm really sorry about that everyone.  I guess my two handed windmill still has plenty of punch.

Could be why Hanson only scored 8 tonight

Could be a great excuse though, but unfortunately it was foul trouble.  Never got into a rhythm.

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

Before I forget,  thanks to Old School for the updates from the Point game.

I'm so depressed right now...and my wife is watching Making the Band 4 

Gotta get off the computer to gain control of the TV 

[Greek Tragedy]

There were some great individual performances this evening:

Probst: 11-14FG, 27pts
Shea: 17pts, 6rebs, 7as
Skemp: 21pts, 17rebs
Vernon: 19pts, 13rebs
Mane: 37pts
Culy: 7-9FG, 7-7FT, 25pts
Manor: 14pts, 11rebs, 5as
Marsh: 33pts, 13rebs

According to the Point PA announcer, Tony Mane broke the WIAC scoring record with 37.  The guy was unconscious.

EDIT:  Oops, you got that in there already!

[Greek Tragedy]

I'll have to say, Point literally WILLED itself to victory over La Crosse tonight.  The game story and boxscore are here, but that won't tell you much.

Will, determination, effort.  Wow.  If you weren't at the game, La Crosse fan, Point fan or whatever, you wouldn't have a clue what I'm talking about.  Mane was unstoppable but a team effort that I've never witnessed before overcame overall poor play by the host team.

Going way beyond the boxscore, players like MATT MOSES, PETE RORTVEDT, JARED JENKINS AND SCOTT HOELZEL came through when needed the most.  Moses, not once, but twice threw himself at the ball to make amazing saves and Point was able to convert both times.  Moses crashed into the La Crosse bench taking out two chairs to save a ball and later on took one for the team by going head to head with the scorer's table that Point also converted into points.  One of Rortvedt's biggest contributions that won't be seen in the boxscore was when he went head first into the bleachers to save an errant pass and El-Amin was able to convert. 

Hoelzel got a big offensive rebound from Jenkins' late free throw miss to give Point a shot at the win at the end of the game.  I told Swampgoon if Jenkins' makes the free throw, I really didn't want to have Mane with the ball with 10 seconds left!  Thankfully, I guess, Jenkins missed and Hoelzel got the board!  After at least 5 players got eaten up by Mane, Jenkins came in and did a solid job on him and also got a big basket at the end to tie it. 

Truly a gritty performance by the Dawgs and I hope we can beat Eau Claire on Wednesday.

Thanks to Pioneer Hoops Fan for the updates.  With about 3 minutes to go in the Pioneer game, the radio and stat guys and live-stat links to the Platteville game on two laptops, so there were about 50 fans huddled around the two screens while Coach Semling was trying to be interviewed!

Crazy, crazy night in the WIAC and I'm so relieved that Point survived.  Bring on Eau Claire, which will not be an easy task.

On a side note, did Superior end up just staying in Oshkosh Sunday night?

Oh yeah, I think Tony Mane saw my post when I said La Crosse didn't have a solid chance for the upset and got p*ssed at me! lol...what a performance.

And I think DJ Marsh answered TVD's "criticism"...33 pts and 13 rebs.

[Greek Tragedy]

Superior 67, Oshkosh 66

Eau Claire 84, Platteville 80

Whitewater 78, Stout 67

[mythicalbird]

Congrats to Coach Gibbons and the rest of the Blugold crew.  I'm so excited I literally can't sleep! 

[Greek Tragedy]

Just for the record:

I picked Geoff Probst in the poll.

Geoff Probst answered three of those calls, making a three-point shot when it was 55-54, a back-door laup when it was 74-73 and another three-point bomb when it was 76-75. After a Pioneer miss, Probst scored on a break-away layup and converted a free-throw with 4.8 seconds remaining for an 84-78 lead.

Plus, he was 11-14 from the field and 5-7 from 3.  Not only did he score 28, but they seemed to have been pretty timely!

[Cody-1-Kastern]

Old School,

Superior did stay in Oshkosh Saturday and Sunday night. 

[Cody-1-Kastern]

OshDude/Mr. Downtown,

I was watching the live stats last night.  I have a ?.  UW-Superior was down 4 and Jake Smith hits a 3ptr with about 29 seconds left.  UW-Superior then fouled Jordan Johnson to stop the clock.  He missed both free-throws, but Oshkosh was still up by 1 with 20 Seconds left, Jordan Johnson than fouled Dan Culy (who is automatic from the line).  What happened here?  Did he foul on purpose or was it frustration because he missed the free-throws.  Im sure TVD would have wanted Oshkosh to get back on Defense and try to get a stop to finish the game, right?

[frankiet]

Superior did stay in Oshkosh Saturday and Sunday night. 

So did Superior go straight to Whitewater for Wednesday? That's a big road trip bill, but well worth it. Congrats to the Jackets!

[Mr. Downtown]

Radio guys made it seem it was frustration on Johnson's part.

My only comment on Oshkosh for the rest of the season, is that Johnson's lack of luck at the free throw line at the end of the game, reminded me when Senior Captain Lisa Beck of the Women's Volleyball Team for Oshkosh last year, when the team was making a comeback in game 5 of the 1st round of the NCAA tournament against St. Thomas, served the ball right into the middle of the net to end her career.

Two athletes who do not deserve such an ending to their careers, and I know it still haunts Lisa to this day, and I'm wondering how long it will take Johnson to get over those free throws.

Yes, Marsh came out and played like he was the best player in the conference. Too bad the back court forgot to show up. Anyone see the numbers from Miller and Schrimpf? 3-15 FG, 1-10 3FG?? Brutal numbers, just brutal.

Not sure where Oshkosh goes from here considering next year. Two players leave in Johnson and Johnsen, who or how Oshkosh will replace them is up in the air.

They will return 4 starters. You know what that brings?

High expectations for 08/09.

[Mr. Downtown]

Also, kudos to Cubs, Superior did shoot over 50% from 3, and they did win.

I'm not sure it was the sole or biggest reason why they won, but once again they had a great shooting night.

[cubs]

1.  Radio guys made it seem it was frustration on Johnson's part.

2.  Too bad the back court forgot to show up. Anyone see the numbers from Miller and Schrimpf? 3-15 FG, 1-10 3FG?? Brutal numbers, just brutal.

3.  Two players leave in Johnson and Johnsen, who or how Oshkosh will replace them is up in the air.

4.  They will return 4 starters. You know what that brings?

High expectations for 08/09.

1.  Is wasn't frustration in my opinion.....  After the miss, it was tipped around and JJ was hustling after a loose ball (like he did all season) and was called for a loose ball foul.  (It was the correct call.)  It wasn't as if he went in and tried to grab the ball from someone who already had possession.

2.  If UWO doesn't screen any better next season, they are going to struggle with their new motion offense once again.  I was impressed with Superior's screening last night.  If UWO's bigs would screen as effectively, I think you would see their backcourt putting up more consistent numbers.  Last night was just one of those nights where Matty struggled.  Everyone has them....  Once he decided to look for his shot less, that was when UWO turned an 11 point deicit into a 4 point lead (Miller took two total shots in that span.)  Schrimpf only took four shots last night, making one of three from long range.

3.  I have a feeling the starting line-up will stay the same, with Tillema stepping in at the four spot.

4.  Look what everyone else returns as well.....
Whitewater-4 Starters (Once Perry was injured, they also lose Josh King)
Stevens Point-4 Starters (Lose Steve Hicklin)
Platteville-5 Starters
Superior-5 Starters

Just about everyone else returns a boat load of talent as well.  I truly think UWO needs to find a couple of guys who can step in off the bench and contribute.  If they go with that same 6-7 man rotation next season, things could repeat themselves unfortunately.