MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[John Gleich]

UWSP beats UWW 79-77 in a game that will have an eye-popping box score.

Davis (WW) scores 41, missing his school record by 2.

D. Tillema (SP) scores 35, missing his school record by 5.

UWSP shoots 67.5%.

Whitewater had three shots in the final minute to tie or take the lead, but didn't hit.

SP shot 14/19 in the second half... that's 73.68%.  They were 4/8 from 3... which means that they were 10/11 from inside the arc in the second half.... and that miss came on the first possession.  Jordan Brezinski missed a layup.

For the rest of the half, Point was 10/10 from inside the arc (of course, plays they got fouled on and miss don't count as attempts or misses... only if they go in).


The basket was gigantic tonight in Stevens Point (as proven by the fact that Davis and Dan Tillema had monster nights as well).

[emerging1]

The UWSP game was an entertaining event to say the least ...

Let's start with the positives:

1.  Point shot out of their minds tonight.  73+% is amazing.
2.  Dan put on a show.  Great talent (could have dished a few times though).  Brother Ty and Hass had nice games as well.
3.  With the exception of Davis, good team defense for the most part.
4.  Great crowd!!!!!

Here are some continuing concerns:

1.  Only a Point sycophant would not see that we continue to lack any kind of consistent inside presence.  Lack of a balanced attack may (read likely) keep us for a deep playoff run; no one wants to see that!
2.  Our two bigs on the floor - JB and Richards accounted for 3 total rebounds and 6 points (two lay ups - yes, I know they count).  We don't have any kind of inside threat - unless Dan posts up.  Really?
3.  LACK OF GAME TIME ADJUSTMENTS.  Davis, a man with a wonderful touch, was not mobile, quick or a leaper.  You could see that in the first four minutes.  Forcing him to up the ball on the floor (which we did only twice according to the alumni around me) resulted in a missed force shot and a turnover.  Why in the world did we not consistently play this man face up with a hand in his face or when in deep having the big establish position and the Point guard drop and dig?  Instead, when JB got into foul trouble we brought in a smaller player and often left him on an defensive island.  The people around me saw that!
4.  Little to no bench impact ... again.
5.  Turnover/assist ratio is still not good.  Highlights the fact we too often push rather than dish.

Just my two cents on a rather ... interesting season.  Go Point!

[John Gleich]

The UWSP game was an entertaining event to say the least ...

Let's start with the positives:

1.  Point shot out of their minds tonight.  73+% is amazing.
2.  Dan put on a show.  Great talent (could have dished a few times though).  Brother Ty and Hass had nice games as well.
3.  With the exception of Davis, good team defense for the most part.
4.  Great crowd!!!!!

Here are some continuing concerns:

1.  Only a Point sycophant would not see that we continue to lack any kind of consistent inside presence.  Lack of a balanced attack may (read likely) keep us for a deep playoff run; no one wants to see that!
2.  Our two bigs on the floor - JB and Richards accounted for 3 total rebounds and 6 points (two lay ups - yes, I know they count).  We don't have any kind of inside threat - unless Dan posts up.  Really?
3.  LACK OF GAME TIME ADJUSTMENTS.  Davis, a man with a wonderful touch, was not mobile, quick or a leaper.  You could see that in the first four minutes.  Forcing him to up the ball on the floor (which we did only twice according to the alumni around me) resulted in a missed force shot and a turnover.  Why in the world did we not consistently play this man face up with a hand in his face or when in deep having the big establish position and the Point guard drop and dig?  Instead, when JB got into foul trouble we brought in a smaller player and often left him on an defensive island.  The people around me saw that!
4.  Little to no bench impact ... again.
5.  Turnover/assist ratio is still not good.  Highlights the fact we too often push rather than dish.

Just my two cents on a rather ... interesting season.  Go Point!

Hard to disagree with anything you have there.

I think part of the reason that Davis went off was Brezinski... he just had a night to not be remembered.  I really like JB and I think he can (and needs to be) in important piece in this team... but his confidence is absolutely shot right now.

With a guy like Davis... if you let them get hot, they'll stay hot.  I didn't see the game... but it seemed like, even though he had 33 with about 10 minutes to go, they went away from getting him the ball.  He scored 8 points in the last 8 minutes, but it seemed like WW could have (should have?) forced the ball in to him and made SP foul him.

** I did step away from the computer for a few minutes and Davis did get a bucket and make 1/2 FT's during that stretch... but why do anything but go to Davis?  He was scoring or getting fouled every single time.  He missed only one shot up until the 10 minute mark... and WW got he rebound and he still scored on that possession... and interestingly, WW held the lead for much of those 10 minutes.

Anyway...


Point actually did get production off the bench tonight.  Richard played well (3/3 for 6 points) and Ryf hit a 3 (his first make of the year) and had 4 assists to just 2 turnovers.  They both played 26 minutes and they were good minutes, by an large.  They were at the expense of Brezinski and Giordana (23 and 18 minutes) but they got more production out of the young guys.  Definitely a good sign.

As a career big man, it pains me to say this.... but I don't think that SP needs a traditional back-to-the-basket big man to be successful.  They're so good off the dribble that they can create open shots for the big guys off of penetration and dishes... unless there's no help, and the guard goes all the way to the cup.

Now, the big guy has to finish... but Brezinski set a school record in field goal percentage last year, with Scott Hoelzel very close behind him and most of the plays were of this variety.  So he CAN do it... it's just his confidence is shot.


Davis might not be quick or mobile... but, strangely, that isn't a requirement for being a good scorer.  He averaged 21.5 coming into the game and can just flat out score. 



And it's interesting about the turnovers... I get frustrated with them like everybody else, but I'd rather have sins of comition rather than omition... make them be active plays and not plays just because... so get a charge instead of traveling with out any defenders around you.   You can always reign in when someone is trying to do too much.


On that note... Dan T had 7 turnovers tonight.  But Point wouldn't have had a shot without him and his 35 points.  So sometimes you have to take the bad with the good.



What's the over/under for the Edgewood game on Sunday?  It's Point's second undefeated opponent in a row... and it's on the road (where Point is 1-2). 

Both teams have remarkably similar stats... both shooting about 50% from the field, and 42% from 3, and 74 ppg.  Point is averaging letting up 2 fewer per game and are shooting better from the free throw line and outrebs their opponents by 2... as opposed to Edgewood who doesn't turn the ball over nearly as much but gets out rebounded by 3.


Wow... both teams have actually scored the same number of points this year... 670.  Both are led by two scorers... the Tillema bros are scoring more than Wisniewski and Faurote, as is the #3 option Hass, over Nkemnji.  I think that just means that Edgewood might be more balanced.


But I guess that's why you play the game! We'll find out Sunday!

[chmarx]

Johnny Wooden claimed that the team with the most turnovers usually won.

[havej]

First time I ever heard the legendary UCLA mentor referred to as Johnny -

[Drake Palmer]

Drake   Palmer--Ethan Thomforde quit the Falcon team, I was told at the game tonight. The quote from the guy who told me was that he "wasn't having any fun."

The Falcons were not especially sharp tonight, but didn't have to be. Stout started one junior, 3 sophomores, and a freshman. It's tough to win with that young a lineup.

Thanks Fred - sorry to hear that.  He would have been a nice addtion.
   

[bulk19]

UWEC announces today it will name the court in Zorn Arena after Ken Anderson...

http://www.uwec.edu/newsreleases/11/dec/1215ZornDetails.htm

[frodotwo]

UWEC announces today it will name the court in Zorn Arena after Ken Anderson...

http://www.uwec.edu/newsreleases/11/dec/1215ZornDetails.htm

An honor well deserved and well past due. In the 70's and early 80's they were the team to beat in the WSUC (WIAC)

[John Gleich]

UWEC announces today it will name the court in Zorn Arena after Ken Anderson...

http://www.uwec.edu/newsreleases/11/dec/1215ZornDetails.htm

It was before my time... but from what I've heard about Anderson's success, it's a well-deserved honor.



By the way, on the bottom of that press release are some links to old Eau Claire stat sheets...

I honestly can't fathom crowds like they're reported in those games.  Eau Claire never had more than about 1500 people... and even then, it was mostly Stevens Point fans.  And though my first trip there (2001) was Coach Bennett's first win there, Stevens Point hasn't lost to Eau Claire since, whether home or away.

The rivalry has sort of lost its fury, I think...

But I digress... I can't imagine what it would have been like with 3000 people, SRO.  Or Mitchell at La Crosse with 3200... or Superior with almost 2000!

And 3600 at Williams in Platteville?!  I've seen it with 2200 and it was nuts... I can't even imagine.

Ah, to go back to the days before fire codes... where you could pack as many people into a gym as wanted to be there.


Now, the interest has severely waned... I just looked at the NCAA stats, and the WIAC dropped to 8th in attendence... down from 4th.

[Simply Ravishing]

Drake   Palmer--Ethan Thomforde quit the Falcon team, I was told at the game tonight. The quote from the guy who told me was that he "wasn't having any fun."

The Falcons were not especially sharp tonight, but didn't have to be. Stout started one junior, 3 sophomores, and a freshman. It's tough to win with that young a lineup.

Thanks Fred - sorry to hear that.  He would have been a nice addtion.

I saw him play back in high school and was excited to see what he could add to RF off the bench.  He seemed to be a step slow and/or just didn't seem to be going all out.  Too bad it didn't work out.   

[Brian Carroll]

The La Crosse Tribune reports that UWL guard Jeff Heiden will probably be out for the season due to an ankle injury. As usual, the Eagles are deep at the guard position, but they will surely miss him. He is a talented player, and this is a most unfortunate development. I'm sure you'll all want to join me in wishing him well. On another note, I agree that the naming of the Zorn Arena Court for Ken Anderson is most appropriate. I'm old enough to remember that before the days of the great Pointer and Pioneer teams, that Anderson's Eau Claire Blugolds were the giants of the conference. He is one of the great figures of college basketball, and is eminently worthy of this honor. Good move, UWEC.

[fredfalcon]

BC--well stated comment about the Ken Anderson era/naming. I remember when Anderson could have had the Badger coaching job, but evidently backed away from being a "small frog in a big pond" in favor of remaining the reverse at EC. Or is that too much of a simplification?  Regardless, can't say I blame him.

Sorry to hear about the LaX kid, mostly because of the fun he'll miss.

[Brian Carroll]

Thanks FF. Point Special - I got a chance to look at some of the old box scores from the Anderson era which you referenced. A great walk down memory lane. In addition to the familiar names, I also took note of the attendance figures you referenced. Those were the days. 2800 at Mitchell Hall to boo the hated Blugolds, who always found a way to slip the noose. My brother often thanks me for letting him tag along when EC brought their national powerhouses to town. I swear that we got there an hour before the game, but still had to sit in the nosebleed seats. Why don't the games attract the crowds they once did ? As D3 fans, we all feel that these games are great entertainment. Why don't more people see it that way ? I'm told that young people have more to do than we did, but it still mystifies me that the games don't draw bigger crowds, especially in the bigger cities like Eau Claire and La Crosse.

[bulk19]

Good to see the positive chiming in on Coach Anderson... Long overdue, and thanks to the student/athlete efforts that got it done...

To date or age myself, I had Coach Anderson for a P.E. class - bowling - when he turned down the Madison job... Methinks he may have missed a class or two during that interview process, but I won't hold that against him... I do, however, give him credit, or blame, for moving on from that class to being a perennial league's highest handicapped bowler during my 15 or so years as a participant in that "sport." Ha. 

And yes, there were days when you had to shoehorn people in for the men's games in Zorn... It was nuts as a fan; I can only imagine what it would have been like to play in front of those large crowds... As it says in the notes, Anderson won 90% of his games at home, over 27 years... But nowadays the women have been outdrawing, and winning, more than the men...

PointSpecial = you bring up the good point about fire marshalls... I wonder, however, if there is as much student interest today, which translates into attendance, around the league as there was back then? Not sure?

I do know, however, that the simple answer is that winning brings in the crowds...

[bulk19]

Thanks FF. Point Special - I got a chance to look at some of the old box scores from the Anderson era which you referenced. A great walk down memory lane. In addition to the familiar names, I also took note of the attendance figures you referenced. Those were the days. 2800 at Mitchell Hall to boo the hated Blugolds, who always found a way to slip the noose. My brother often thanks me for letting him tag along when EC brought their national powerhouses to town. I swear that we got there an hour before the game, but still had to sit in the nosebleed seats. Why don't the games attract the crowds they once did ? As D3 fans, we all feel that these games are great entertainment. Why don't more people see it that way ? I'm told that young people have more to do than we did, but it still mystifies me that the games don't draw bigger crowds, especially in the bigger cities like Eau Claire and La Crosse.

It took more than 2,800 screaming meanies from the bleachers, like yourself, to rattle those wonderful UWEC teams... 

Yes, the students have more to do today, or at least it appears to be the case. And yet, on the same token, they oftentimes complain there aren't things to do for kids under 21, too... Can't figure that one out... Drinking age was 18 back when I was in school; perhaps hoops games were a nice lead-in to a night out barhopping, which 18 year olds aren't able to do?

Yep. These games are great entertainment....And the kids today get in for free... We had to wait in line for an hour to buy tix... But now, for the cost of two or three Bucks games, you can buy a season ticket and watch a dozen or so WIAC games during the season...Can't beat that...