MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[The Roop]

A minimum 6,000 seat arena convenient to a major airport is all I'm asking for.

[nescac1]

Thanks for all the info, Point Special.  I imagine some of the links here may be of interest to you:

http://www.ephblog.com/2010/03/17/final-four-preview-liveblog/

As for Williams, I imagine they will want to push the pace against Guilford and not get into too much of a half court game.  Williams can win either way, but I think the Ephs have an advantage in terms of perimeter quickness and will want to exploit that a bit, and they don't want to get in a situation where Guilford can just methodically pound it in to Sanborn.  I am also very curious to watch Whittington vs. Sanborn when Troy is in the game.  I'd like to see Whittington go right at Sanborn and try to draw a cheap foul or two.  Troy gives up about 4-5 inches and 50 plus pounds, but he is used to playing against bigger guys and can surprise them with a very quick first step, long arms, and ridiculous elevation for this level.  He is a tremendous defender although, again, here is seriously outsized.  Hopefully Joe G's big body can keep Sanborn relatively in check and wear him down a bit, and then a quick, rested Troy can go to work off the bench, it will truly take a tag-team effort, because given Guilford's shooters I don't think the Ephs are going to want to depend on the double-team too much.  

Meanwhile the Eph guards (Wang and Robertson, especially) will need to push the pace and get layups in transition or find shooters for open three's so they can get into a rhythm, which never happened vs. Brandeis due to Brandeis' very quick guards applying ball pressure on the perimeter and basically sending four guys back after every offensive shot to stop the transition game.  That is the best case scenario for the Ephs.  My concerns are that Guilford may pound it inside and/or get a lot of second chance points off offensive rebounds (Ephs have had trouble at times on the defensive glass this year), methodically work the shot clock, and keep the Eph shooters from getting into any sort of rhythm / prevent any sort of transition game.  Wang can break most guys down off the dribble one-on-one in the open court and get to the rim and finish or draw fouls, but I'd expect with a week to prepare Guilford will definitely be prepared to take that away and will clog the lane a bit and make Wang dish it.  Williams will really need some points out of tremendous outside shooters Rubin and Dodson if that is the case; you know Schultz and Wang will be priorities for the defense, so they could find openings in the corners.    

[The Roop]

I don't think pre-game conversation is allowed until the first Hoopsville Final Four show airs. For now we are discussing meaningless points. Please keep it on topic. 

[bballBG]

Anyone know if Ziemer is going to play at Point next year or if he's even still in school?

It's my understanding that both Gregory and Ziemer are going to Oshkosh.

I do know that the Gregory kid had enrolled at UWO second semester so that would seem logical, however I hadn't heard anything regarding Ziemer.  I will see what I can find out about on that end.

Ran into Ziemer at one of the games this past weekend.  Had a brief conversation with him.  He is still attending UWSP.  I asked him what his plans where for next season and he said if nothing changes he will be right here (UWSP).

That was the extent of the conversation.  I am not really sure what happened this season and why he isn't on the team, but he made it sound like the he will be playing next year.  Just thought I would pass on the info.

Also Point is getting a transfer next year...Devon Jackson (already enrolled this spring) who played high school ball in Milwaukee (King I think).

Doesn't leave a whole lot of room for newcomers considering they only have 3 seniors.

[Pat Coleman]

But my point, still, is that Salem is driving distance for SOMEONE. Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta and San Antonio are driving distance for a very, very small part of the Division III population. Indy every five years is the exception, not the rule.

[UWBadgers]

I heard rumors to this a few weeks ago but I was going to wait until after the final four. But the rumor I heard was that Ziemer will be back at Point and playing next season and that this season was simply an unoffical red shirt year for him.

Anyone know if Ziemer is going to play at Point next year or if he's even still in school?

It's my understanding that both Gregory and Ziemer are going to Oshkosh.

I do know that the Gregory kid had enrolled at UWO second semester so that would seem logical, however I hadn't heard anything regarding Ziemer.  I will see what I can find out about on that end.

Ran into Ziemer at one of the games this past weekend.  Had a brief conversation with him.  He is still attending UWSP.  I asked him what his plans where for next season and he said if nothing changes he will be right here (UWSP).

That was the extent of the conversation.  I am not really sure what happened this season and why he isn't on the team, but he made it sound like the he will be playing next year.  Just thought I would pass on the info.

Also Point is getting a transfer next year...Devon Jackson (already enrolled this spring) who played high school ball in Milwaukee (King I think).

Doesn't leave a whole lot of room for newcomers considering they only have 3 seniors.

[BBGUY]

Had the opportunity to see the SPoint sectional championship game against IW and many people are certainly missing out on just a fantastic college basketball atmosphere. The energy from before the start of the sold-out game, from the "Pointer" mascots giving high fives to everyone coming in to the arena, to the student section dressing up and chanting, to the area citizens coming in to support the college team, is wonderful.  People are focused on every play and understand subtle things like double dribble, etc. Surely good players create winning seasons which creates a flow of talent to SP but the X factor at SP is ....coaching talent. Go all the way back to a guy named Terry Porter who was a relatively unknown player from Milwaukee I believe, and the coach molded him to be a great pro NBA player.

As for where the D 3 championships are played? Get real.. Have it in the Midwest( Milwaukee?) to make it even a reflection of fairness. I think a good portion of the teams from the east play several games in Salem!! Politics?

[The Roop]

Milwaukee would work for a couple of reasons but the main issue would be a suitable venue. Kern Center at MSOE is way too small, US Cellular Arena and the Bradley Center are way too big. Unfortunately the best locations seem to have a minor league franchise of one kind or another and the scheduling may be problematic at best.

[Pat Coleman]

And a big city would not be a place for a D-III championship, unless you wanted it to be hidden so nobody would see it.

One conference plays the final eight teams of its tournament in Salem. A good portion of the teams in the East? No -- two teams play three games on the floor. Two more play two games and four more play one game.

[OshDude]

Milwaukee would work for a couple of reasons but the main issue would be a suitable venue. Kern Center at MSOE is way too small, US Cellular Arena and the Bradley Center are way too big. Unfortunately the best locations seem to have a minor league franchise of one kind or another and the scheduling may be problematic at best.

There are many more suitable Milwaukee locations like the Al Maguire Center, but I'm with Pat – Milwaukee's too big.

There's a little gym in Oshkosh that's held 6000+ for HS games. It's near several airports, the school/town has hosted many national events, lodging is not a problem and there's ample practice space at Kolf (Fieldhouse and downstairs), Albee or even the Rec.

Wonder if UWO has ever bid for basketball. I could ask. A potential major drawback is the outdated banks of bleacher seating, but other than that (and it's admittedly a big "that"), why not?

[Just Bill]

Coincidentally, the Kolf Center holds the all-time attendance record for NCAA D-III women's championship game attendance at 4,001 in 1996.  Of course, that was in the era before pre-determined sites for the women.

[hasanova]

Something like 47% of Americans live in the Eastern Time Zone, so (and this is purely a guess) you'd think that percentage (or more) of DIII colleges would be in the Eastern Time zone.  Why would you want to have the DIII tournament where almost no one knows what it is?  

I can think of no DIII schools in 15 states, mostly west of the Mississippi.  Again, why would you want to have the tournament where they "ain't"?

Salem may not be the best location, but it is "centrally" located and has more to offer the tournament than you might think.

[Pat Coleman]

Well, it's not so central -- it's a little off in the corner.

[Just Bill]

UW-Stout athletic director steps down

http://athletics.uwstout.edu/news/2010/3/18/GEN_0318102338.aspx

[Titan Q]

Salem may not be the best location, but it is "centrally" located and has more to offer the tournament than you might think.

Teams that have made it to the Final Four in the Salem Era (1995-96 to present)
Williams 5 (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2010) - NESCAC
Amherst 4 (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008) - NESCAC
Illinois Wesleyan 4 (1996, 1997, 2001, 2006) - CCIW
Franklin & Marshall 3 (1996, 2000, 2009) - Centennial
Hope 3 (1996, 1998, 2008) - MIAA
UW-Stevens Point 3 (2004, 2005, 2010) - WIAC
Washington U. 3 (2007, 2008, 2009) - UAA
Calvin 2 (2000, 2005) - MIAA
Guilford 2 (2009, 2010) - ODAC
Hampden-Sydney 2 (1999, 2003) - ODAC
Rochester 2 (2002, 2005) - UAA
UW-Platteville 2 (1998, 1999) - WIAC
Virginia Wesleyan 2 (2006, 2006) - ODAC
William Paterson 2 (1999, 2001) - NJAC
Wooster 2 (2003, 2007) - NCAC
Alvernia 1 (1997) - MACF
Carthage 1 (2002) - CCIW
Catholic 1 (2001) - LAND
Connecticut College 1 (1999) - NESCAC
Elizabethtown 1 (2002) - MACC
Gustavus Adolphus 1 (2003) - MIAC
John Carroll 1 (2004) - OAC
Nebraska Wesleyan 1 (1997) - ind
Ohio Northern 1 (2001) - OAC
Otterbein 1 (2002) - OAC
Randolph-Macon (2010) - ODAC
Richard Stockton 1 (2009) - NJAC
Rowan 1 (1996) - NJAC
Salem St 1 (2000) - MASCAC
Ursinus 1 (2008) - Centennial
UW-Eau Claire 1 (2000) - WIAC
Wilkes 1 (1997) - MACF
Wittenberg 1 (2006) - NCAC
York (Pa) 1 (2005) – CAC

By state
Massachusetts: 10
Pennsylvania: 8
Wisconsin: 7
Ohio: 6
Michigan: 5
Virginia: 5
Illinois: 4
New Jersey: 4
Missouri: 3
New York: 2
North Carolina: 2
Connecticut: 1
DC: 1
Minnesota: 1
Nebraska: 1


I'd argue that Salem is not all that "centrally" located...

* "Midwest"  (OH, MI, IL, IN, MO, IA, WI): 26
* "Northeast" (PA and up): 25
* "East"/"Southeast" (DC/VA/NC): 8
* "Northwest": 1

For about half of the teams that have been there, I don't think Salem was easily accessible (I consider a 10+ hour car ride or $600+ airfare to be not easily accessible).  Granted, there is no way to make the D3 Final Four easily accessible for teams like Nebraska Wesleyan, or NWC/SCIAC teams...but in the Salem Era, we've only had 1 of those.

To me, "centrally located" - as far as Division III goes - is somewhere in Ohio.  I have been clear on these boards to note, however, that no one has yet to propose a perfect venue that is centrally located.  And even when we located the perfect venue, the ownership has to want the D3 Final Four (not exactly a big money maker).  Until all of that happens, I am a firm Salem supporter...even with the location being what it is.  The folks in Salem do a tremendous job.