MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[badgerwarhawk]

I noticed the Superior mens and womens coaching jobs are both open. Maybe I didnt search enough in the latest conversations but what happened?

I won't go into the circumstances that led to the release of either coach but my understanding is that the response to the posting of both jobs wasn't very good so they opted to hire interim coaches with the idea they'd repost the positions again later.  I assume when the season concludes.   

[badgerwarhawk]

It wasn't a pretty win by any stretch of the imagination but it was marked in the left column and it was the WARHAWKS[/color] seventh straight.  Defense was the story and fortunately for us we played it a little bit better than Eau Claire who had 29 turnovers, 12 of which were steals (Andy Freund-4).

After opening up a 12 point lead at the half, 35-23, WHITEWATER[/color] got careless with the ball, Eau Claire drained two three point baskets and went on 14-3 run to close within a point at 38-37.  Though they never did take the lead they kept the game within  7 points the rest of the way.  WHITEWATER[/color] managed to win despite experiencing their worst shooting half of the season (29%) though Manchester's clutch three point basket with 2:30 minutes remaining was a big one when it was needed.

Andy Freund led the team with 18 points and a game high 9 rebounds.  Manchester added 14 and Mike Toellner 10, including 8-8 from the free throw line.  Toellner has connected on 13 straight free throws in the past two games.

I was really getting a bad feeling as this game progressed.  I'm not sure we took it seriously and after forcing 19 first half turnovers but only being up by 12 points, watching them rally and letting them hang around all night I was having visions of last year when Will Jefferson made a tip in at the buzzer to beat us.   Fortunately my worrying was unnecessary as this year's edition of the WARHAWKS[/color] seems to be a stronger team defensively.

Eau Claire deserves some credit too.  They aren't really that talented, no offense intended, but they played hard for 40 minutes.   Zack Ryan had a big second half for them. 

River Falls has never been a kind gym for us and we'll have to play better than we did last night.

[Pioneerbacker]

I heard from a friend that was at the Platteville/Oshkosh game that it was pretty ugly.  Neither team seemed to get in a rythmn and could have gone either way.  By looking at the boxscores, it surprises me that Capelle and Gibson did not have bigger nights.  I thought Capelle was the real deal the last few years but his production has gone way down (but I'm sure Platteville put one of their better defenders on him, probably Gossens or Krause).  Gibson, apparently, doesn't shoot much from what my friend said.  Again, I thought he was going to be pretty good this year, but I guess not.  With that said, I don't think Oshkosh is a top-tier team this year.

Platteville needs to find some consistency and they'll be okay down the stretch.  Personally, I think we have a long way to go (conference-wise) to find out who the real contender is.   

[1 out of 38]

I will tell you what Oshkosh needs, is to learn to play together.  They put up 54 points against Platville, give me a break.  In order to be a good team in this leage, your team must work together-(make that extra pass for a wide open three, instead of forcing a contested jumper.)  It blows my mind with the personel they have, they can't put up more points than 54.  It goes to show you right there that they don't understand a team concept.  Capelle and Gibby only getting four shots, come on team and coach, understand the offense.  It also goes to show that there is no leader on this team.  A good team always is led by a leader.  And in most cases it needs to be a senior leader.  Someone who has been through the battles.  Remember back to when Miller, Dworak, Sowinski played.  They were all leaders in there own way.  Leaders that hated to let the other down.  It was all about earning and gaining respect with them. They all knew there roles and they realized in order for the team to win they must except those roles.  This is a key and pivotal point with the titans this year.  None of them know there roles, they think there out there for eachother but down deep they are out there for themselves.  A selfish team that has the ability to be outstanding but instead continuely underachieves; which will never lead to a championship.  Man, it just drives me nuts to think about it, With Dworak's team everything was set.  Dworak always getting his 12-15 shots, Miller always getting his 6-8 shots and 3 assists, and Sowinski always getting his 10-12 shots per game.  It was there roles, everyone knew and everyone stuck to them.  A championships team excepts there roles once they are established and dedicates each and every game to fullfilling the roles, whether it's playing ten minutes to give a starter a rest or having the confidence of being the go to guy at the end of the game to make the big shot.  The titans this year might be 19-8 at the end of the year but until they understand my previous points they will never be winning and championships!!!

[badgerwarhawk]

I won't argue that the perception is that Oshkosh is underachieving with the personnel that they have and TVD himself has been quoted in the media regarding the leadership and, indirectly, the team concept issues. 

But I would point out that they are averaging slightly over 66 points per game.  That's probably still on the low side for their personnel but it does indicate the 54 points they scored (on the road also) is well below their season average.   

It doesn't really matter to me and, of course, being a WARHAWK[/color] guy I don't mind seeing the Titan struggle.   But  I don't hear you giving Platteville's defense any credit.  I didn't see the game but knowing Platteville I'm thinking that probably had something to do with it as well.

The thing about all this is that all they have to do is get their act together by the time the conference tournament rolls around.   

[Hoopshead]

I was at the game in Plattevilee and BW is correct that the Pioneer defense had something to do with the low score as they bottled up Gibson and Capelle all night.  As a result, the Titans shooting percentage was low with a lot of shots from the outside.  Jahnke continues to carry UWO and as soon as Gibby and Jim C get out of their shooting slump, they should be ok.  But 1/38 is entirly correct in his assessment of the Titans.  I know the current team hates to be compared to the Dworak/Miller/Sowinski era team, but that is always going to be the case with any team that follows those guys.  When the Titans do figure out [and they will] to play selfless bb and everyone play within themselves for the better of the TEAM, they will suceed.

[BDB]

One interesting thing about the end of the Stout-Lax game is that Stout only had 2 fouls in the second half and with 5 seconds to go they had planned to keep fouling until the clock ran out forcing overtime.

Ryan Stangl had his arms around the LAX player with the ball at mid-court trying to get the foul without the intentional. None obviously was called and LAX cans the shot at the buzzer.

[frankiet]

Blue Devil Bob,

I was there the other night as well and that "no call foul" happened right in front of me. I can't believe there was not a call at all. Either way that was a tough way to lose. Good win for LaCrosse. Timothy Owen's shot from where I was sitting did not seem like it was even going to get to the rim. The ball just hung in the air and must have had a big gust of wind after that as it swooshed through the net. A very sloppy first 15 minutes turned out to be an exciting one in the end.

[Just Bill]

This is exactly why I never like the strategy of giving fouls like that.  It's similar to the team that leads by 3 and wants to give up bonus free throws at the end of the game.  I've never liked that strategy.  Too many strange things can happen.  Play it straight up and if they hit a great shot, then so be it.

Anytime you try to intentionally, unintentionally foul somebody you run the risk that the ref will see it a different way, or in this case, not at all.

[BDB]

Blue Devil Bob,

I was there the other night as well and that "no call foul" happened right in front of me. I can't believe there was not a call at all. Either way that was a tough way to lose. Good win for LaCrosse. Timothy Owen's shot from where I was sitting did not seem like it was even going to get to the rim. The ball just hung in the air and must have had a big gust of wind after that as it swooshed through the net. A very sloppy first 15 minutes turned out to be an exciting one in the end.

Maybe that big gust of wind came from us BlueDevil fans gasping when the winning shot went up in the air. 

[Greek Tragedy]

This is exactly why I never like the strategy of giving fouls like that.  It's similar to the team that leads by 3 and wants to give up bonus free throws at the end of the game.  I've never liked that strategy.  Too many strange things can happen.  Play it straight up and if they hit a great shot, then so be it.

Anytime you try to intentionally, unintentionally foul somebody you run the risk that the ref will see it a different way, or in this case, not at all.

I'll have to disagree.  YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!  There are times when a team is down and you do the old "3 for 2" strategy, fouling right away, hoping the guy either misses a free throw or makes both so you can come down and hit a "3".  It works sometimes.  Sometimes it doesn't...but, you do what you can to win.

I think if you only have 2 fouls and you have 4 to give, foul! 



Re:  La Crosse buzzer beater...

Karma?  Stout beat Oshkosh at the buzzer.  What goes around, comes around? 

[stoutguy]

Couldn't agree with you more, Old School.  Stout had two to give and what Eddie said in the paper afterward he probably should have done:  Tell the refs during the time out that he was going to foul.  You shouldn't have to do that as a coach but it can help.  A ref should know the situation and make the obvious call and I think Eddie's  stradegy was absolutely right.

[billys]

I love it (and I mean this in jest). But it's funny that a team called for FIVE fouls the entire night still can complain about the officials. I saw the play and it was a foul, I don't know if it was as blatant as it's coming across in writing, but it's still kind of amusing.

Stout women only had ten fouls themselves. Pretty relaxed with the whistles Wednesday night.

All four teams on display at Stout Wednesday are contenders in their leagues. Can't wait until the last weekend of the season when Stout goes down to La Crosse.

As far as the strategy goes. 100% right decision in my opinion, if they call the foul La Crosse probably doesn't get a shot off in regulation. To me it's only dangerous if you're trying to commit a foul near the buzzer when the player could potentially go up to shoot. It's not like the other Stout players stopped playing defense because of the foul attempt.

[BDB]

I know what you mean billys. The whole night the officials were letting 'em play.

Both mens teams only had 7 free throw attempts in the game.

 

[1 out of 38]

I have no dis-respect for platville's defense.  It sounds like they did a tremendous job on Gibby and Capelle.  All I am saying is capelle and Gibby are 3 year starters and they are both coming off all conference seasons.  A team will not get the job done if there go to guys are not getting there shots and touches.  I am not pointing all fingers at those two, it's like I said before it all has to do with the coaching, the other team members, etc...  And also the thing about being compared to Dworak/miller/sowinski; I understand every team wants there own team reputation, but when dworak played, that team was always compared to the team when Dennis Rudinger played.  Dworak's team took that comparison two ways:  One, as a challenge to up-hold tradition and two, to give there team there own identity.