MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

palum · February 21, 2014, 10:07:40 AM

I know this has come up before but will the WIAC ever do a final 4 of its tourney at one location like the, Kohl Center (probably hard to schedule) UW Field House or Just a Game Field House in the Dells or maybe a Men's & Women's double header for the championship. I know cost would be a factor but if it is put on right it could become a annual event. Just a thought.

Just Bill · February 21, 2014, 10:22:19 AM

It's been discussed but I don't think it will ever happen. The league and the host schools earn a healthy gate revenue from hosting games on campus. Once you pay rental on a facility, likely reduce your crowd because you're off campus and sacrifice concession revenue to the facility, you're going to be lucky to be even. Not to mention you're putting your top seed at a disadvantage by moving them out of their own facility, a privilege they've earned.

It only works if you can pull in a really large "neutral" crowd, and I don't think enough people in Madison or Wisconsin Dells would care.

Greek Tragedy · February 21, 2014, 01:16:07 PM

How about a Final Four at the top seed?

Just Bill · February 21, 2014, 02:04:52 PM

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on February 21, 2014, 01:16:07 PM
How about a Final Four at the top seed?

That would have a more legitimate chance of happening, but probably still unlikely. You'd be depriving a #2 seed of a home game, and at least one of the three games is going to be played in front of a sparse neutral site crowd. I'm sure you'd draw more neutral fans since some fans of the host school would likely show up early. You also have to coordinate with the women's games to make sure you have adequate gym time and space should one school win the top seed for both.

I didn't mention it before, but with either scenario you also add the possibility of hotel stays and that's a significant expense.

I think it would be cool to put them both together, but financially it probably doesn't work and getting a majority of schools on board probably doesn't happen.

But, how much fun would this be?

Friday -
Women's semifinals - 6:00, 8:00

Saturday -
Men's semifinals - 2:00, 4:00
Women's final - 7:00

Sunday -
Men's final - 2:00

If it wasn't a neutral site, you could flip between men and women each year. Men's top seed hosts in even years, women's top seed hosts in odd years. It'd be fun for die hard fans, but probably not going to work for most.

frodotwo · February 22, 2014, 12:19:48 AM

No one mentioned it and apparently what passes for a local newspaper in Stevens Point missed it, but Trevor Hass passed the 1,000 point mark in the win over Oshkosh on Wednesday. Congrats to Tevor, who is now the 32nd member of that elite club in Pointer history, joining Tyler Tillema this year in eclipsing that mark.

Greek Tragedy · February 22, 2014, 11:53:04 AM

With no seeding on the line today, I wonder if some players will get a little more rest than usual and some players getting more minutes than in the past.

John Gleich · February 23, 2014, 12:08:23 AM

Tough 24 hours for some ranked West region teams:

1. UWSP (win)
2. UWW (win)
3. UST (loss)
4. St Olaf (win)
5. Dubuque (won today, but lost 2 other games this week)
6. Whitworth (loss)
7. Pomona Pitzer (win)
8. Colorado College (loss)
9. Augsburg (win)

havej · February 23, 2014, 10:34:33 AM

All WIAC ballots to be turned in shortly - here's my first 9 as I have no idea who should get the 10th spot

Hass
Tillema
Evans
Bryson
Skogman
Cross
Whitehead
Peterson
White

badgerwarhawk · February 23, 2014, 10:37:59 AM

WARHAWKS: 82
EauClaire: 57

KJ Evans and Eric Bryson combined to score nine points as the WARHAWKS jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the first five minutes. The BluGolds rallied to close within a point at 11-10 but the WARHAWKS made another run, this time 11-2, led by Reggie Hearn's six points. The lead remained around nine points until the WARHAWKS closed out the half with a 14-4 run making the score 45-24 going into the intermission. The WARHAWKS shot 64% for the half including 5-9 from beyond the arc. As a team the WARHAWKS outscored the BluGolds 11-0 off of turnovers and 24-10 in the paint. Bryson led all scorers with 15 points. EauClaire made a run in the opening minutes of the second half to pull within sixteen points, 48-32 but that's as close as they would get. A 14-5 run by the WARHAWKS with less than three minutes remaining gave them their largest lead at thirty one points 82-51.

The WARHAWKS finished the game shooting 54% to the BluGolds 40%. They dominated in the paint out rebounding the BluGolds 40-27 and out scoring them 46-26. Bryson and Evans each scored 20 points and Evans rounded out a double-double by pulling down 12 rebounds. Hearn added 17 points and Steve Egan came off the bench to add 10 points. Hearn and Quardell Young each had 3 assists and Evans had a pair of steals.

Adam Hjetler led the BluGolds with 13 points. Lewis Mau had a game high 4 steals.

cubs · February 23, 2014, 11:55:47 AM

Quote from: havej on February 23, 2014, 10:34:33 AM
All WIAC ballots to be turned in shortly - here's my first 9 as I have no idea who should get the 10th spot

Hass
Tillema
Evans
Bryson
Skogman
Cross
Whitehead
Peterson
White

Quardell Young?

Leads WIAC in steals, 2nd in assists and assists/TO, and also averages over 10 points/game...

frodotwo · February 23, 2014, 08:09:32 PM

All WIAC

Tillema
Hass
Evans
Young
Bryson
Peterson
Cross
White
Skogman
Whitehead

Honorable Mention

Heuer
Hjelter
Hearn
Oman
Jenny
Byrne
Gerber
Royston

All Defense

Hass
Merg
Cross
Young
White

POY
Tillema

COY
Semling/Juckem

Greek Tragedy · February 23, 2014, 08:48:54 PM

I think I would switch out Bryson for Oman. I think Oman really carried Stout (whether wins or losses) when Whitehead was out and even when Jenny was out or not 100%.

badgerwarhawk · February 23, 2014, 09:24:50 PM

One objective way to evaluate the two is to calculate the efficiency rating of Oman and Bryson. Oman's calculated at +253, Bryson's at +322. I think Oman is a nice player and so is Bryson but from a purely statistical perspective Bryson had the better season. Not saying that should be the deciding factor but I thought it was interesting.

havej · February 24, 2014, 09:20:34 AM

BW - also a factor in Bryson's inclusion on first team is that he's a heckuva perimeter defender.

stoutguy · February 24, 2014, 08:05:40 PM

Quote from: badgerwarhawk on February 23, 2014, 09:24:50 PM
One objective way to evaluate the two is to calculate the efficiency rating of Oman and Bryson. Oman's calculated at +253, Bryson's at +322. I think Oman is a nice player and so is Bryson but from a purely statistical perspective Bryson had the better season. Not saying that should be the deciding factor but I thought it was interesting.

Agreed, BW. Oman really is a nice player and a really nice kid. That's his problem. Too nice. He never figured out how good he could be. My pick here: Bryson