MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[titan2000]

I think all three WIAC teams ahead of Carroll and St. Norberts is a travesty in light of Stevens Points losses to two MWC teams and Platteville's loses to another MWC team. 

[Just Bill]

I think all three WIAC teams ahead of Carroll and St. Norberts is a travesty in light of Stevens Points losses to two MWC teams and Platteville's loses to another MWC team. 

Carroll is 1-3 against the WIAC.  They're fine right where they are.

[badgerwarhawk]

I've only seen Carroll play once and that was the night we drilled them 89-68.

[titan2000]

They drilled Point so you should be in good shape against the Pointers.

[BanditUWSP]

Pointers beat Viterbo 92-40 at the Quandt.  Pointers started with a 15-0 lead and built that to a 49-12 halftime margin.  I knew Viterbo was not shooting well but didn't realize that they only shot 13 percent in the 1st half.  The radio guys interviewed Pete Rortvedt after the game and he said that his elbow is getting healthy and that's why he's getting his stroke back.  He scored 23 points in only 16 minutes and was 7-8 from behind the arc.  This team is finally getting healthy and is starting to roll.  I think most Pointer fans would have to admit to being at least a little surprised that at this point in the season both men's and women's teams would be undefeated in the WIAC, let alone being both ranked #3 in tonight's top 25.

[frodotwo]

I think all three WIAC teams ahead of Carroll and St. Norberts is a travesty in light of Stevens Points losses to two MWC teams and Platteville's loses to another MWC team. 

Carroll has a nice squad, but their only signature win came against SP on an off night after one of their two dreaded 10 day layoffs. SP can counter with road wins over Southwestern TX (13-5), Trinity TX (#8 now, #36 then) Elmhurst (#17 now, #7 then) and Platteville (#4 now, #4 then) as well as a home victory over Whitewater (#6 now, #2 then). WW can look to wins over Carroll, Lewis and Clark and North Central as well as close losses to SP (OT) and Platteville on the road. St. Norbert has the upset win over Platteville and a win over only one other team with a winning record at the time, Grinnell. I know nothing about the Green Knights other than they have beaten everyone else on their schedule. Platteville has beaten Loras, Anderson, Wooster, Carthage and Whitewater who were all ranked at some time this year as well as an OT loss to SP. In my opinion, the quality of opponents is far better for the WIAC teams, far better.

Here's where pabegg puts the approximate regional rankings from the Pool C Board:

Reg Conf Rank Prior RPI    OWP      OOWP   School                Natl Status      Reg Overall
MW  74   06   05    0.5674 0.4108 0.5193 St. Norbert      034  A w C       13-1 14-1
MW  74   07   06    0.5883 0.5007 0.5391 Carroll             040  C 15        13-3 13-3
WE  86   02   03    0.6788 0.6390 0.5548 UW-S Point      005  A w C       15-2 15-2
WE  86   04   05    0.6496 0.5898 0.5725 UW-Plat           009  C 1         11-2 16-2
WE  86   05   04    0.6473 0.5983 0.5690 UW-WW           016  C 2         14-3 15-3

No way either of the MWC teams should be ahead of the WIAC based on schedule played thus far. But you just wanted civil conversation right

[Greek Tragedy]

They drilled Point so you should be in good shape against the Pointers.

T2K likes to annoy people...he obviously does a good job. 

He's had at least a year exile, so he needs to catch up anyway, right T2k? lol 

[titan2000]

They drilled Point so you should be in good shape against the Pointers.

T2K likes to annoy people...he obviously does a good job. 

He's had at least a year exile, so he needs to catch up anyway, right T2k? lol 

Sure, my karma is my badge of honor.   

I really think highly of the Carroll squad; Hoch and Ladwig are tremendous guards and they have some good 3 pt shooters off his drives.   I can't believe they lost to WW and Oshkosh based on other games I've seen, including wins at Point and Lawrence.  Must be a chameleon squad. 

[stoutguy]

chmarx, Brian Carroll, Phoenix Rising--do you guys have any access to the coaching staffs at Lax or Superior? It looks to me like you don't. Otherwise, why the  speculation  on what's going on?

If the puzzles you guys pose about the two teams were happening in RF or Menomonie, the answer would be more apparent because stoutguy has access to the coaches, and so do I. Maybe the fact that Culy, Manor, and Hill scored a total of two points among them vs. SP in their 44  point loss at Superior is related to their disappearance from the roster two games later. And all three of them got plenty of minutes vs. SP. Culy and Manor did  not do very well vs. Stout either, and Hill does not get into the boxscore. Maybe Hill's absence is still injury related. Also, the sports info guy at Superior has no game stories, or at least I could not find any, on the Superior site.

Are there any basketball booster clubs in either Lax or Superior? There is not in RF. MeI'm not sure about nomonie, or about that kind of support in the other WIAC cities. It seems there's an information void related to the Lax and Superior programs. But maybe it's better this way: it's great soap/hoops opera!

Stout and EC both have very actice booster meetings.  It gives anyone who wants to show up "access"

[badgerwarhawk]

They drilled Point so you should be in good shape against the Pointers.

If you call six points a drilling.

[John Gleich]

They drilled Point so you should be in good shape against the Pointers.

T2K likes to annoy people...he obviously does a good job. 

He's had at least a year exile, so he needs to catch up anyway, right T2k? lol 

I actually have appreciated T2K's insights since he's been back, and though his comment does have a bit of validity, it isn't a truly valid point because it overlooks so much.  But on those two nights, Lawrence and Carroll played better than UWSP and deserved to win.

I don't think the Lawrence argument for being ranked carries much weight... they've got 5 losses, and only Augustana and Elmhurst have 4 losses of the top 25 teams.  There's been plenty of discussion on other boards as to if/how high CCIW teams should be... but the conference did have one of its best non-conference performances ever and they've had plenty of national success before.  Just a week or two ago, 7 out of the 8 teams were ranked.  There's more in that than meets the eye, though... there were several (4?) CCIW teams that were ranked in the early going and they solidified their positions by their good early play.  Other CCIW teams, like I said, had great starts too... and then with the start of CCIW play, the non-ranked teams beat the ranked ones.  Oops.  So, some of the voters switched their allegiances among apparently deserving teams from the conference.  But I digress...

I think St. Norberts and Carroll should be in discussions of the top 25... and indeed they are... they're ranked for heaven's sake.  Norb's win over Platteville really put them on the map.  Their case is going to be pushed even further if they knock off Carroll this weekend.  And vice-versa for Carroll.

The plain truth re: the MWC is that they won't get the respect in the poll you feel they deserve until they consistently beat the WIAC more than they lose to them and until they make a strong run in the NCAA tournament.  Yes, I know Lawrence had some great runs and Carroll has done well in past years too... but it might take a trip to Salem to put 'em over the top.

The WIAC teams ranked in the top 10 are senior laden teams who have passed the majority of the tests they have been faced with.  It is rather ironic that the three losses (WW to Mary Hardin Baylor, Platte to Norbers, and Point to Carroll) all happened on Dec 30th.  Each of the three slipped... Platte from #1 to #4 (losing ~ 50 points), Point from #5 to #6 (losing ~70 points), WW from #6 to #9 (losing ~85).  Those are appropriate losses of top 25 points based on the opponents and the high regard the teams had been placed in earlier in the year.  It would be one thing if the voters didn't feel that these teams were that good... but that wasn't the case.  And one loss did drop them, but one tick in the loss column doesn't discount an entire year's worth of work.

[titan2000]

PS:

I don't think Lawrence should be ranked.    I wonder if our WIAC schools are ranked too highly.  Just to clarify.



T2K

[titan2000]

They drilled Point so you should be in good shape against the Pointers.

If you call six points a drilling.

It was never a game and without pulling up the detailed box I think it was about 10 or more most of the way.

[Barber Greene]

Lacrosse mascot has a name now...Eddie (I like Baldy better)

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2009/01/27/news/04eddie27.txt

[titan2000]

How about you get some new cheerleaders, too?   

LaCrosse--where the men are men and the women are too.