MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It probably wouldn't happen that way. The Oshkosh hosting pod wouldn't get transferred to Stevens Point -- it would get transferred to someone else in the Oshkosh pod. (And hopefully the 3 or 4 team in the pod so that the second-best team in the pod doesn't get the advantage of hosting and parlay that into an upset win.)

I understand they aren't going to just move a whole pod to Stevens Point. Obviously its very unlikely that Point and Oshkosh would even be in the same pod (moving the whole pod if Point was in the same one as Oshkosh). But, aren't pods partially influenced on who can host, who submitted a bid to host and the like? So, if they already know Oshkosh can't host, couldn't the pods be manipulated a little to give someone else hosting rights nearby without too many travel changes?

It's a little more complicated in that part of the world because of the distances.  There are just fewer options for hosts where teams are within the 500 miles.  You're looking at Oshkosh AND St. Thomas getting bumped the first weekend, which will create a lot of interesting scenarios.  This is one year where our mock may be very, very different from reality because we don't usually get inside info on who's submitted to host and who hasn't.

[Smitty Oom]

How intensive of a process is it to submit a bid to host? I feel as if all 64 teams should do it, no matter where they stand in terms of resume. Take last year with no TX submitting a bid, I would be fairly upset if I found out my program/school failed to submit a hosting bid when the committee said they would have had a TX pod if they could have.

**Personally I would really enjoy traveling to a new site for a weekend, but in terms of my team advancing as far as possible that would be fairly disappointing.

[Greek Tragedy]

I would have been really been upset had my team not put in a bid to host. However, I suppose there are tons of reason NOT to host, personnel available, other sporting activities, just the lack of willingness. I don't know. Down there and out West, if you don't host, you're most likely flying somewhere.

As Ryan pointed out, it will be real interesting in this area (Midwest) if St. Thomas and Oshkosh get bumped.

[Greek Tragedy]

Point and La Crosse lost. The WIAC is looking more like a 1-bid league if Oshkosh gets the AQ.

[fredfalcon]

Platteville wins on a miraculous, last second desperation 3 from at least 25 feet-- a true buzzer beater by Voelker.

[Greek Tragedy]

Platteville wins on a miraculous, last second desperation 3 from at least 25 feet-- a true buzzer beater by Voelker.

Please tell me there's a video somewhere.

[tomt4525]

Platteville wins on a miraculous, last second desperation 3 from at least 25 feet-- a true buzzer beater by Voelker.

Please tell me there's a video somewhere.

https://twitter.com/platteville_mbb/status/1094420737555865600?s=21

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The 2018-19 season has entered it's final weeks. For some teams, their final games are this week. For others, they are fighting to hopefully still be playing next week and maybe beyond. While others hope their season stretches into March, as long as they take care of business this week and next.

The season can really all boil down to a couple of games. While November is just as important, February games seem to have a different feel to them. Regional Rankings coming out gives everyone a new sense of where they stand if they have postseason plans. Conference tournaments getting ready to start also gives gives teams more incentive to lock up seedings or berths.

As a result: A lot of craziness and games to watch on any given night.

On Sunday's Hoopsville, Dave and guests try and take the temperature of these final few weeks. Who has turned heads, who seems to be stumbling down the stretch, and who should we be talking about while we've been distracted by the usual suspects.

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. Sunday's show starts at 7:00 p.m. ET right here: http://bit.ly/2GkK7C6 (or video Facebook Live and Periscope simulcasts).

If you have questions about Division III basketball, feel free to send them and we will answer them on a the show. Email them to dave.mchugh@d3sports.com or use any of the social media options below.

Guests Schedule (order subject to change):
- Ashlee Rogers, Marymount women's coach
- Kristina Baugh, Mass-Boston women's coach
- Jarred Samples, UDallas men's coach and national committee member (NABC Coach's Corner)
- John Thompson, North Carolina Wesleyan men's coach
- Bob Quillman, IWUHoops.com (Central Region)
- Ryan Scott, D3hoops.com Senior Writer (Top 25 Double-Take with Quillman)

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts, choose your favorite avenue to listen and/or subscribe via the the following four avenues (click on the images when necessary):
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville




Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/d3hoopsville

[Greek Tragedy]

After their weekend loss to Oshkosh, the Pointers now sit at just 15-7 with two regular season games remaining. They are tied for 3rd in the WIAC with Platteville and a resurgent Eau Claire team. La Crosse remains in 2nd despite losing their last three. No need to go into tie-breakers yet because I don't want a headache afterwards.

Point's Pool C bid is on life support and they'll need to win out and lose in the conference tournament championship to have any chance at an at-large bid. Doing the math, that would put them at 17-7 for the regular season and 2-1 in the tournament, giving them a 19-8 record. That record puts them at the unofficial Mendoza Line of .700 winning percentage. Obviously teams have gotten bids under that % and others have not above that %. However, with a solid as usual SOS, this might get them in.

The funny thing is, IMO, Point needs that quarterfinal game to "get another win," which basically means I don't want them to finish 2nd. With the simple fact that La Crosse has already swept Point, I don't see that happening, unless multiple teams finish with the same record. Again, I'm not doing tie-breakers just yet.

[Gregory Sager]

The funny thing is, IMO, Point needs that quarterfinal game to "get another win," which basically means I don't want them to finish 2nd. With the simple fact that La Crosse has already swept Point, I don't see that happening, unless multiple teams finish with the same record. Again, I'm not doing tie-breakers just yet.

That is definitely one of the quirks of a six-team conference tournament, especially in a power conference. Sometimes you feel you need that extra win just to bolster your résumé by incrementally adding to your W% and your vRRO, which puts you in the weird position of desiring a lower seed than what you might normally aspire to get. Of course, the intuitive reasoning behind wanting the higher seed -- the best outcome of a conference tourney is the Pool A berth, and a bye increases your chances of getting that outcome -- remains sound.

I suppose that we CCIW types are going to start learning about that this year, since the CCIW is in the same boat as the WIAC -- one dominant team that's in no matter if it's Pool A or Pool C, with the rest of the league having cannibalized itself so badly that the W% of even the best of them teeters on the edge of the Mendoza Line or currently sits below it.

[fantastic50]

For this reason, a six-team tournament can be preferable to four teams, for Pool C reasons.  However, an eight-team tournament (with frequent quarterfinal mismatches for the top seeds) can be a drag on the SOS of the #1 and #2 seeds.

[WW]

How did Flynn get to UWO? Anybody know his track? D3 is full of guards and shooters, but bodies like his — especially with an athletic skill set — don't show up often here.

[UWO Titan 78]

How did Flynn get to UWO? Anybody know his track? D3 is full of guards and shooters, but bodies like his — especially with an athletic skill set — don't show up often here.

I know he is also an All-American thrower on the track team. Perhaps he thought this was the best place to succeed at both sports (although LAX and others have great track programs as well).

[UWO Titan 78]

I follow WIAC football more closely, but I've watched a half dozen Titan hoops games online this year. I'd like to get people's thoughts on the POY race. The Titans are the most balanced team, but do their big 3 cancel each other out in voting? I haven't see all the teams play, but Duax from Platteville is probably in the conversation. I would think the champion gets the POY, but the balance may split the votes. Here is the breakdown on the 4 players (with where they currently rank in major statistical categories):

Duax (UWP): 1st in scoring/3rd in steals
Boots (UWO): 4th in scoring/2nd in assists
Flynn (UWO): 5th in scoring/3rd in rebounding/2nd in FG %/2nd in blocks
Fravert (UWO): 9th in scoring/4th in rebounding/3rd in assists/10th in steals/1st in blocks

Boots is a SR and probably the leader of the team. Fravert is so long and athletic that he affects both ends of the court and fills up the stat sheet in every category. Flynn is a difference maker, because he provides size and post play that most teams can't match.

Thoughts?

[hindsight2020]

I follow WIAC football more closely, but I've watched a half dozen Titan hoops games online this year. I'd like to get people's thoughts on the POY race. The Titans are the most balanced team, but do their big 3 cancel each other out in voting? I haven't see all the teams play, but Duax from Platteville is probably in the conversation. I would think the champion gets the POY, but the balance may split the votes. Here is the breakdown on the 4 players (with where they currently rank in major statistical categories):

Duax (UWP): 1st in scoring/3rd in steals
Boots (UWO): 4th in scoring/2nd in assists
Flynn (UWO): 5th in scoring/3rd in rebounding/2nd in FG %/2nd in blocks
Fravert (UWO): 9th in scoring/4th in rebounding/3rd in assists/10th in steals/1st in blocks

Boots is a SR and probably the leader of the team. Fravert is so long and athletic that he affects both ends of the court and fills up the stat sheet in every category. Flynn is a difference maker, because he provides size and post play that most teams can't match.

Thoughts?

My feeling is that it will be Boots. Especially with Oshkosh being far and away the leader of the WIAC this season. Boots has been a great player for that program since his freshman year and makes big plays for them on a nightly basis. I guess I would be surprised if it wasn't him given his continued ability to score and dish out assists at a high level.