MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Greek Tragedy]

Greek's Random In-Season Power Rankings-Holiday Edition

1. Whitewater-Solid win over #1 ranked NAIA D2 Cardinal Stritch after tough loss to MWC favorite St. Norbert. A conference bye before heading to RF.

2. Stevens Point-Loss at St. Thomas not surprising, but loss to Concordia (TX) is. Games against bottom feeders RF and at EC should help.

3. Platteville-Two unimpressive wins but wins are wins.  Huge game at La Crosse before a home date with SUP.

4. Stout-Head scratching loss to Loras a possible read flag but should take care of business vs EC prior to a weekend bye.

5. La Crosse-Caught by the trap game vs North Park before falling to new #1 North Central. Hope home cooking is good with PL and OSH coming.

6. Oshkosh-Busy holiday with some morale boosting wins and a "good" loss to NATHCON South favorite Aurora. A home date with SUP preceeds a trip to LC. Wurtz is back too.

7. Superior-2 wins in three days follows a loss to GAC. Pack your bags with trips to OSH and PL this week.

8. River Falls-Won both games over the break. Now things get tough: A trip to SP and then hosts WW this weekend.

9. Eau Claire-An ok 1-1 showing at their own holiday tourney. A visit to ST and then a possible deja vu home game vs SP, who they beat at the end of the year last year.

[tomt4525]

Greek's Random In-Season Power Rankings-Holiday Edition

1. Whitewater-Solid win over #1 ranked NAIA D2 Cardinal Stritch after tough loss to MWC favorite St. Norbert. A conference bye before heading to RF.

2. Stevens Point-Loss at St. Thomas not surprising, but loss to Concordia (TX) is. Games against bottom feeders RF and at EC should help.

3. Platteville-Two unimpressive wins but wins are wins.  Huge game at La Crosse before a home date with SUP.

4. Stout-Head scratching loss to Loras a possible read flag but should take care of business vs EC prior to a weekend bye.

5. La Crosse-Caught by the trap game vs North Park before falling to new #1 North Central. Hope home cooking is good with PL and OSH coming.

6. Oshkosh-Busy holiday with some morale boosting wins and a "good" loss to NATHCON South favorite Aurora. A home date with SUP preceeds a trip to LC. Wurtz is back too.

7. Superior-2 wins in three days follows a loss to GAC. Pack your bags with trips to OSH and PL this week.

8. River Falls-Won both games over the break. Now things get tough: A trip to SP and then hosts WW this weekend.

9. Eau Claire-An ok 1-1 showing at their own holiday tourney. A visit to ST and then a possible deja vu home game vs SP, who they beat at the end of the year last year.

I'm sure I'm biased, but I can't put WW in front of Point with Point's head to head win, not to mention Point was playing without their best player down in Texas.

[02 Warhawk]

From what Ive read in the past, check the multi-regions thread specific to this, the top  25 NAIA teams are very comparable to the top 25 D3 schools.

Good to know.

I'll take back my comment then 

[02 Warhawk]

Greek's Random In-Season Power Rankings-Holiday Edition

1. Whitewater-Solid win over #1 ranked NAIA D2 Cardinal Stritch after tough loss to MWC favorite St. Norbert. A conference bye before heading to RF.

2. Stevens Point-Loss at St. Thomas not surprising, but loss to Concordia (TX) is. Games against bottom feeders RF and at EC should help.

3. Platteville-Two unimpressive wins but wins are wins.  Huge game at La Crosse before a home date with SUP.

4. Stout-Head scratching loss to Loras a possible read flag but should take care of business vs EC prior to a weekend bye.

5. La Crosse-Caught by the trap game vs North Park before falling to new #1 North Central. Hope home cooking is good with PL and OSH coming.

6. Oshkosh-Busy holiday with some morale boosting wins and a "good" loss to NATHCON South favorite Aurora. A home date with SUP preceeds a trip to LC. Wurtz is back too.

7. Superior-2 wins in three days follows a loss to GAC. Pack your bags with trips to OSH and PL this week.

8. River Falls-Won both games over the break. Now things get tough: A trip to SP and then hosts WW this weekend.

9. Eau Claire-An ok 1-1 showing at their own holiday tourney. A visit to ST and then a possible deja vu home game vs SP, who they beat at the end of the year last year.

I'm sure I'm biased, but I can't put WW in front of Point with Point's head to head win, not to mention Point was playing without their best player down in Texas.

I was to surprised GT put UWW ahead of Point. But I guess Point loss to a team they should have beat, while UWW beat a team they could have very easly lost to (as I just learned).

UWW was short handed too. They are without their best perimeter shooter for a while.

[Pat Coleman]

From what Ive read in the past, check the multi-regions thread specific to this, the top  25 NAIA teams are very comparable to the top 25 D3 schools.

Definitely NAIA D2. I would be disappointed if a top ranked D-III team lost to someone ranked in NAIA D2. In the past, the NAIA D1 teams have been tough to beat but some of them are moving to NCAA D-II so they may be losing their strength.

[Titan Q]

From what Ive read in the past, check the multi-regions thread specific to this, the top  25 NAIA teams are very comparable to the top 25 D3 schools.

Definitely NAIA D2. I would be disappointed if a top ranked D-III team lost to someone ranked in NAIA D2. In the past, the NAIA D1 teams have been tough to beat but some of them are moving to NCAA D-II so they may be losing their strength.

I think that statement about NAIA 2 is way too strong, Pat.  There are some really good teams in that division...

http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205823878

Rollie Massimino's Northwood team, for example, is more like an NCAA D2 program. (Carthage took them to OT, but that was without Northwood's 1st Team All-American superstar.)  Or Indiana Wesleyan - I've heard they are outstanding.  Or I think to some of those powerhouse Bethel (IN) teams a few years ago.  I'm sure Hope fans could tell us about great Cornerstone teams over the years.

As far as NAIA D1 goes, in my opinion, no Division III team would be favored to beat a team in the top 10 or so.  Like Northwood, those are almost good NCAA D2 teams...

http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205823806

I think the top D3 teams are comparable to NAIA D1 teams 11-15 maybe.  Unfortunately, we get very few ranked D3 vs ranked NAIA matchups nowadays - I'd love to see a few of these games each year.  I used to like IWU's trips out to Westmont's (CA) holiday tournament for example.

[sac]

NAIA's last poll was Dec 11, they take a month long break over the holidays doing the polling thing.  Cardinal Stricht lost a game on Dec 18 to Mid-American Nazarene (NAIA I) so its doubtful they would still have been #1.

Massey says the top 19 NAIA II teams would be among his top 25 D3 squads individually.  They compare just fine with d3's top 25.

[Pat Coleman]

Bob -- what I said was that I would be disappointed. I didn't say it shouldn't happen and wouldn't happen, but that I would be disappointed. I expect ranked D-III teams to beat those teams.

[tomt4525]

Greek's Random In-Season Power Rankings-Holiday Edition

1. Whitewater-Solid win over #1 ranked NAIA D2 Cardinal Stritch after tough loss to MWC favorite St. Norbert. A conference bye before heading to RF.

2. Stevens Point-Loss at St. Thomas not surprising, but loss to Concordia (TX) is. Games against bottom feeders RF and at EC should help.

3. Platteville-Two unimpressive wins but wins are wins.  Huge game at La Crosse before a home date with SUP.

4. Stout-Head scratching loss to Loras a possible read flag but should take care of business vs EC prior to a weekend bye.

5. La Crosse-Caught by the trap game vs North Park before falling to new #1 North Central. Hope home cooking is good with PL and OSH coming.

6. Oshkosh-Busy holiday with some morale boosting wins and a "good" loss to NATHCON South favorite Aurora. A home date with SUP preceeds a trip to LC. Wurtz is back too.

7. Superior-2 wins in three days follows a loss to GAC. Pack your bags with trips to OSH and PL this week.

8. River Falls-Won both games over the break. Now things get tough: A trip to SP and then hosts WW this weekend.

9. Eau Claire-An ok 1-1 showing at their own holiday tourney. A visit to ST and then a possible deja vu home game vs SP, who they beat at the end of the year last year.

I'm sure I'm biased, but I can't put WW in front of Point with Point's head to head win, not to mention Point was playing without their best player down in Texas.

I was to surprised GT put UWW ahead of Point. But I guess Point loss to a team they should have beat, while UWW beat a team they could have very easly lost to (as I just learned).

UWW was short handed too. They are without their best perimeter shooter for a while.

I forgot about Odegaard being injured...but I will say WW not having Odegaard is not the same as Point being without Tillema.  Tillema is the best player in the conference (I don't even think that is debatable) and he creates for everyone on his team.  Odegaard is a spot up shooter (albeit a very good one) who isn't the number 1 option on his team.

Point is undefeated in conference and has the head to head matchup over WW, I weigh the head to head matchup over the other losses by both teams more heavily.  Lucky for all of us is that they will settle it on the court.

Completely off topic but I just wanted to mention how impressed I've been with the maturation of Ryf and Ritchay this year...even Lutz to a lesser degree.  I was worried who would be the go to guy next year without Tillema but not anymore.  Ritchay has carried this team at times.  He is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams as he's so strong that guards can't D him up in the post and easily quick enough to take bigger players off the dribble, which he did numerous times against the Tommies when I watched.  Ryf just needed confidence with his shot, which he seems to have gotten this year.  He is extremely sure with the ball and turns it over at the bare minimum, the perfect point guard.  Plus, he is really working hard defensively.

[Greek Tragedy]

Based on the performances of both teams SINCE THE LAST RANKINGS, Whitewater is correctly ranked ahead of Stevens Point.   

[tomt4525]

Based on the performances of both teams SINCE THE LAST RANKINGS, Whitewater is correctly ranked ahead of Stevens Point.   

Will not agree and you can't make me...haha

[stoutfan1]

Stout up 22 to 9 over the Blugolds with 6 min to go in the first half. Eau Claire playing sloppy and with little intensity settling for a lot of 3 point shots (2 of 14) and missing any kind of contested inside shot. So far not a very entertaining game to watch online......

[tomt4525]

Stout up 22 to 9 over the Blugolds with 6 min to go in the first half. Eau Claire playing sloppy and with little intensity settling for a lot of 3 point shots (2 of 14) and missing any kind of contested inside shot. So far not a very entertaining game to watch online......

I was watching it online for a little while as well and my sentiments exactly....EC just jacking up jumpers and it's pretty boring to watch.

[John Gleich]

Stevens Point leads RF 49-29 at the half. SP shooting better than 62% and 50% from 3. RF shooting almost 48% themselves and 4/9 from 3.

[stoutfan1]

Bule Devils go into halftime with a 30-15 lead over the Bluegolds. Not much changed in the last 6 min of the half with EC tossing up unnecessary long range shots and missing just about all of them (3-19), and a mere 15% from the field (5-32). Although Stout is shooting much better from the field, 12-24, they have given the ball away 9 times and most were unforced turnovers. Niether team seems like they want to be playing and looks more like an intramural game.