MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Greek Tragedy]

I have my doubts about this weekend with Point traveling to River Falls. Obviously with the self-imposed sanctions, Point isn't in any position for post-season play. However, I would love to see them challenge for the regular season crown. It will be tough sledding with Semling out of the picture this season and a killer conference schedule. As a WIAC fan, I love the fact that River Falls, Eau Claire and Stout are doing extremely well. Whitewater, despite being 0-3 in the conference, is still dangerous and La Crosse and Oshkosh have had big wins.

My point is that through interviews I've heard and posts I've read, it seems there are a few people out there that think Point's self-imposed ban on the post-season may have been the "easy way out" since they were just 6-5 (?) and they "weren't going to make the NCAA tourney anyway." Whether or not the NCAA thinks this, no one will know, but I suppose the sanction would look more severe if Point was in position to make the WIAC tourney and the NCAA tourney.

As a fan who grew up watching Pointer sports, all I can do is cheer them on and hope for the best. I really feel bad for the players who are new to the program, maybe even more so to the transfers that came to Point looking for conference titles and post-season glory (not to say I don't feel bad for everyone, I do). Hopefully they'll do really well despite the sanctions and hopefully the NCAA will not add any more santions and worse, take away anything...

[badgerwarhawk]

Greek, just so you don't miss it my River Falls game wrap is the last post on the previous page.  Thought you'd want to know. 

Being honest with you it will surprise me if the NCAA doesn't strip Point of the 2015 National Championship  considering the repetitive nature of the violations and the length of time in which they were occurring.  Jaywalk long enough and sooner or later you'll get hit by a car. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I have my doubts about this weekend with Point traveling to River Falls. Obviously with the self-imposed sanctions, Point isn't in any position for post-season play. However, I would love to see them challenge for the regular season crown. It will be tough sledding with Semling out of the picture this season and a killer conference schedule. As a WIAC fan, I love the fact that River Falls, Eau Claire and Stout are doing extremely well. Whitewater, despite being 0-3 in the conference, is still dangerous and La Crosse and Oshkosh have had big wins.

My point is that through interviews I've heard and posts I've read, it seems there are a few people out there that think Point's self-imposed ban on the post-season may have been the "easy way out" since they were just 6-5 (?) and they "weren't going to make the NCAA tourney anyway." Whether or not the NCAA thinks this, no one will know, but I suppose the sanction would look more severe if Point was in position to make the WIAC tourney and the NCAA tourney.

As a fan who grew up watching Pointer sports, all I can do is cheer them on and hope for the best. I really feel bad for the players who are new to the program, maybe even more so to the transfers that came to Point looking for conference titles and post-season glory (not to say I don't feel bad for everyone, I do). Hopefully they'll do really well despite the sanctions and hopefully the NCAA will not add any more santions and worse, take away anything...

In my experience, what a team could have done the upcoming season I don't think is every considered. Baruch has a post-season ban, though they may have put that on themselves, but I don't think a lot of people thought they would be in play for the post-season this year anyway (granted, they could have won the conference...). Thomas More does NOT have a post-season ban and are obviously a team that could easily go the distance yet again this season. If the NCAA wanted to send a strong(er) message, a post-season ban on TMC this year would have been even more of a killer.

There will be more punishments coming, mostly the administrative kind. There will most likely be a fine, administrators and even coaches will be required to attend far more compliance meetings than the normal requirement (sometimes once a year versus once every two or four years; can't remember the rule), the program and possibly the department will probably be put on probation (not that surprising), and they probably will have to report to the infractions committee once or more times a year for a certain period of time to prove they are in compliance and adhering to Division III rules. Sometimes an outside "audit" or reviewer is brought in and suggestions on what to do differently are required to be followed (maybe a full-time compliance person who has no other responsibilities on the campus?).

The trick will be, will Montgomery or Semling get a "show of cause" thrown on them. If that is the case, that will basically end their athletics careers in the NCAA. I am not saying that will happen, but it did happen at Baruch and this is a repeat offense. Who else that we are not aware of will get in trouble for this case? Could the title be stripped? I'm not sure, I could argue both sides of that one with confidence it is the right decision no matter which way I choose. Could there be a longer post-season ban? Doubtful, but it might be on the table. It really is these kinds of punishments that will be the signal from the NCAA (Division III) as to how they feel about this case.

Just thoughts based on experience. I have no knowledge of what the NCAA is actually thinking in this one - hardly anyone does as the infractions side of things is kept completely separate from the rest of the NCAA for good reason.

[Gregory Sager]

If it makes you feel any better, Tom, UWSP will potentially pick up a lot more fans for this season as a result of all this. Many people who root for the teams in the upper half of the CCIW, as well as fans of Chicago, Wash U, St. Norbert, Ripon, etc., are now likely to root for the Pointers as well. Why? Because the more that the Pointers win, the more it hurts the chances of the other WIAC teams to register in the Central Region rankings and get ahead in the Pool C line in front of those teams from the other leagues on Selection Monday. Since UWSP is itself ineligible for Pool C, the Pointers are therefore not a threat to anybody from outside the WIAC as far as regional rankings are concerned.

Yeah, it's a mercenary attitude, and it doesn't mean that outsiders are condoning what the UWSP program has done. But all's fair in love, war, and Pool C.

[fredfalcon]

BW--I have a hard time, without watching/analyzing a film of the game, attributing RF's good shooting to bad defense by WW. Sometimes, even when the looks are good, a team cannot hit. I think that's been the case for 3 games in a row for the Warhawks. Occasionally, for some inexplainable reason, a team shoots a great percentage one night and a bad one the next night. Lax shot great in WW, poorly next game at home vs. Point (?) Knobloch was on fire for a few games, now he's not. Buckley was on fire vs. St. Thomas with 5 threes, but since then has not approached that level.

Watching a streamed game is not a great way to get an idea about who's playing good D and who isn't, so I'll defer to your judgement. I do know that Erickson is quick enough to play close to anybody in the league, and the Falcons do a good job of switching on screens, but did you see any Falcon especially tough on D?

[badgerwarhawk]

I don't know that any of them were "especially" good defensively but as a group they were ok.  We didn't help matters by missing multiple what I would call "bunnies." 

Offensively they shot well in part because we couldn't keep the ball out of the paint.  I'd love to see a shooting chart (actually I probably wouldn't) because my hunch is a significant majority of their shots were in the paint.  Their size and physicality were definitely a problem for us.

My friend and I both thought a turning point was their 10-2 run over the last couple of minutes of the first half.  We weren't playing that well but we were hanging in there and if we had been able to hang closer at that point the last couple of minutes of the game could have played out differently.  As it was we had chances to cut it to six with about a minute and half but couldn't get a shot to fall.  Your guys did, made their free throws and it ended the way it did.

I like your team's chances Fred.  Henrik is a great addition.  Erickson could easily have had 6-8 more points but chose to have 8 assists instead and Heidecker, Witt and Jackson combined for 26 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. 

We were just flat out outplayed.

[Greek Tragedy]

Greek, just so you don't miss it my River Falls game wrap is the last post on the previous page.  Thought you'd want to know. 

Got it! 

If it makes you feel any better, Tom,...

Not really...     I'm not used to the Pointers not being in the post-season, so this will be at least two years in a row. It's hard enough watching Manchester United not in the Champions League and being in 6th in the EPL or whatever they want to call it now.

Big weekend for me. Packers v Dallas, Pointers v Platteville, Manchester United hosts Liverpool.

[AppletonRocks]

If it makes you feel any better, Tom, UWSP will potentially pick up a lot more fans for this season as a result of all this. Many people who root for the teams in the upper half of the CCIW, as well as fans of Chicago, Wash U, St. Norbert, Ripon, etc., are now likely to root for the Pointers as well. Why? Because the more that the Pointers win, the more it hurts the chances of the other WIAC teams to register in the Central Region rankings and get ahead in the Pool C line in front of those teams from the other leagues on Selection Monday. Since UWSP is itself ineligible for Pool C, the Pointers are therefore not a threat to anybody from outside the WIAC as far as regional rankings are concerned.

Yeah, it's a mercenary attitude, and it doesn't mean that outsiders are condoning what the UWSP program has done. But all's fair in love, war, and Pool C.

I wonder how all those folks in purple or yellow sweaters that have season tickets feel?  Maybe they will abandon the program after such acts are reported a second time?  I could see that as much as "we'll show them" attitude. More seats for visiting fans. 

[Pat Coleman]

I wonder how all those folks in purple or yellow sweaters that have season tickets feel?  Maybe they will abandon the program after such acts are reported a second time?  I could see that as much as "we'll show them" attitude. More seats for visiting fans. 

Huh. Seats for visiting fans. Sounds like a familiar refrain for you. Oh wait, but you're not titan2000.

Roop:

While the proximity to Quandt will be an advantage, I would suggest you buy youself one of those cheap looking purple cardigan sweaters and get a season ticket, or the fine folks at Quandt will put you behind the band in the end zone.  And the girls in the Pointer Band aren't band camp material, ala American Pie anyway. 

I suspect if Tharp would have stayed at LU you could have switched your allegiance to that Beloit grad and began to enjoy the greatly improved Highway 10.

Let us know when you start feeling inferior.

T2K

I will be out of town so the Mrs. and I won't be there.  We'll be pullling for Carroll (girl's name) as they are the MWC team and well, everyone loves a Cinderella story. 

I do think the NCAA would be  better served to have these games at larger neutral sites, like the Kolf Center, but they won't because they are cheap.  Yet they could sell 6,000 tickets at Kolf vs. 2,800 at Quandt.  My economics training would suggest that it would be worth having these at large venues if you charge a fair price for the tickets, say $15 per game or $20 for two games. 

It could be at an NCAA institution and provide room for all the traveling fans, instead of the crammed in treatment they'll get at Quandt. 

I felt the same way about what we needed to do at Alex last year when LU hosted; that would have been a better situation if they could have moved it, even just to a local venue, say Appleton East,  that has more seats.  Kolf would have been perfect and the IWU fans would have had a better experience.  But LU had no option according to the NCAA.

I know about the high school sectionals, but if the NCAA guaranteed the facility, it wouldn't matter.  In fact, one could be played during the day and one at night, easily in the example of the Kolf Center.

Other venues in the other parts of the country could be established in advance. 

MAYBE NEXT YEAR?

I was told that the visiting team, SJU, is allowed 250 tickets.  Unused/returned tickets will then be sold.

Let us know if you have to sit behind the UWSP band.

Bulk:

Don't feel bad--the families of the opponent were shut out of Quandt that year as well. 

T2K

PS:

Covering a number of topics:

Grinnell recent success

If the oafs actually call the games, GC has about 4 more losses this year and are not in the running for the MWC title.   

Systemfan86 and Jeffp are probably at the game now, but when they read this there will be flames flying through the D3hoops server.  I don't care, I speak the truth.  Pat, if the server starts on fire, I'll pay for it.

LU loss prediction

As for my LU losing out prediction, I rescind that.  We have one game vs. Beloit remainng. 

Ripon "talent"

And someone mentioned earlier that the "talent" as missing at the Ripon game.  Most of the Ripon coeds work at the Mansion on Main for their physical education and psychology credits, so they were likely at work.

Quandt house of horrors?

And lastly, outside the MWC, I understand that the Titans made the basset hounds look pretty bad last week at the Quandt Vistiing Fan Abuse Center.  I couldn't attend, I couldn't afford the $500 seat license.

[fredfalcon]

BW--after checking the stats on the first 3 conference games, I found RF at or near the top and WW at the bottom of scoring defense and field goal % defense, so I guess that is amore accurate way to look at it.

Now all WW needs is an Aaron Rodgers kind of leader who says "we can run the table and still win it."

I still think WW will be somewhere within the top3 by the end of conference play. Three or four losses will look good around Feb 22.

[John Gleich]

  No score or report for LAX vs EC?

Looks like EC pulled it off 62-58

RF 3-0
EC, Stout, Point, Osh 2-1
LaX 1-2
WW, Platte 0-3

[badgerwarhawk]

I still think WW will be somewhere within the top3 by the end of conference play. Three or four losses will look good around Feb 22

Appreciate the confidence Fred. 

The way we are playing these past three games I can only hope the number is 3 by Feb 22nd.

[augiefan]

I am truly surprised at Augie's success so far. One would think losing their top 6 scorers from last year's great team would have resulted in a complete rebuild with the corresponding setbacks of a team relying on inexperienced talent. So all is good right now, but Augie's certainly benefitted from the injuries to Raridon and Seibring in the NCC and IWU games.

Going forward Augie has 7 of their last 11 games on the road, so there are lots of challenges ahead, as the road is seldom friendly in the CCIW. All in all the unlikeabke Coach G is once again validating his considerable coaching skills.

[Greek Tragedy]

I am truly surprised at Augie's success so far. One would think losing their top 6 scorers from last year's great team would have resulted in a complete rebuild with the corresponding setbacks of a team relying on inexperienced talent. So all is good right now, but Augie's certainly benefitted from the injuries to Raridon and Seibring in the NCC and IWU games.

Going forward Augie has 7 of their last 11 games on the road, so there are lots of challenges ahead, as the road is seldom friendly in the CCIW. All in all the unlikeabke Coach G is once again validating his considerable coaching skills.

Yeah. I agree. That's one heck of a job over there. To a lot lesser extent, it kind of reminds me of 2014 and 2015. Point looked dominant with 3 All- Conference guys in Tillema, Haas and Heuer. They went 28-1 and then lost to Emory. They graduated and it didn't look promising the following year, starting off 3-2. Well, the rest is history...

[cubs]

I am truly surprised at Augie's success so far. One would think losing their top 6 scorers from last year's great team would have resulted in a complete rebuild with the corresponding setbacks of a team relying on inexperienced talent. So all is good right now, but Augie's certainly benefitted from the injuries to Raridon and Seibring in the NCC and IWU games.

Going forward Augie has 7 of their last 11 games on the road, so there are lots of challenges ahead, as the road is seldom friendly in the CCIW. All in all the unlikeabke Coach G is once again validating his considerable coaching skills.

Yeah. I agree. That's one heck of a job over there. To a lot lesser extent, it kind of reminds me of 2014 and 2015. Point looked dominant with 3 All- Conference guys in Tillema, Haas and Heuer. They went 28-1 and then lost to Emory. They graduated and it didn't look promising the following year, starting off 3-2. Well, the rest is history...

Well, maybe not in the eyes of the NCAA?!?!