MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WW]

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?

Boots would be an easy and popular choice. He's fine. Kind of like choosing Wilber in football. But Flynn is the engine for that team. "Difference maker" is spot on. Take him away and the WIAC race is a scrum.

[UWBadgers]

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).

How did Jeff Skemp end up at Platteville?

[Greek Tragedy]

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?

Boots would be an easy and popular choice. He's fine. Kind of like choosing Wilber in football. But Flynn is the engine for that team. "Difference maker" is spot on. Take him away and the WIAC race is a scrum.

You could say the same thing about Boots too, I imagine.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The second week Regional Rankings have been released: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2019/02/men-regional-rankings-second

[Greek Tragedy]

Well, if there was any thought of Point moving up in the regional rankings, you can forget about it. Despite North Central losing twice last week AND La Crosse suffering two setbacks, Point failed to move above either of them. Our resident math guru, a professor of mathematics at Wooster, predicted Point would be ahead of both. Stevens Point was 1-1, topping Whitewater and losing at Oshkosh, while NCC lost to IWU and Wheaton, both at home. La Crosse, meanwhile, lost at River Falls and to Eau Claire at home. I'm guessing the gap between NCC and Point was too big to overcome, while La Crosse has two wins over Point in it's back pocket.

1. Augustana
22-2, 22-2
2. UW-Oshkosh
22-1, 22-1
3. Wheaton (Ill.) v Millikin, CCIW tournament
17-7, 17-7
4. UW-La Crosse v Oshkosh, at Stout, WIAC tournament
15-8, 15-8
5. North Central (Ill.) at Carthage, at Elmhurst, CCIW tournament
18-5, 18-5
6. UW-Stevens Point v Stout, at Platteville, WIAC tournament
15-7, 15-7
7. Illinois Wesleyan
15-8, 15-8
8. Chicago
14-8, 14-8


As I've stated before, Point needs to win out and then lose in the WIAC tourney final. I think that'll be enough to give them a strong case to get a Pool C bid.

NCC has two road games and then the CCIW tournament where they'll only play a maximum of two games.

Wheaton only has one regular season conference game remaining and then the CCIW semis.

La Crosse has Oshkosh tonight and then a trip to Menomonee before the WIAC tournament.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I think the reality of the "entire resume" is coming into focus now.

[Gregory Sager]

NCC has two road games and then the CCIW tournament where they'll only play a maximum of two games.

It's still mathematically possible for NCC to finish third, thus necessitating a meximum of three CCIW tourney games rather than two. But in order for that scenario to occur, the Cardinals would have to lose tonight and then again on Saturday, rendering moot their chances for a Pool C berth.

Wheaton only has one regular season conference game remaining and then the CCIW semis.

Actually, Wheaton is probably going into the CCIW tourney as the third seed ... which means that WC will have to play in the CCIW quarterfinals next Tuesday at King Arena, most likely against Carroll.

[Greek Tragedy]

NCC has two road games and then the CCIW tournament where they'll only play a maximum of two games.

It's still mathematically possible for NCC to finish third, thus necessitating a meximum of three CCIW tourney games rather than two. But in order for that scenario to occur, the Cardinals would have to lose tonight and then again on Saturday, rendering moot their chances for a Pool C berth.

Wheaton only has one regular season conference game remaining and then the CCIW semis.

Actually, Wheaton is probably going into the CCIW tourney as the third seed ... which means that WC will have to play in the CCIW quarterfinals next Tuesday at King Arena, most likely against Carroll.

I did completely forget the CCIW went to a six-team format.

[Greek Tragedy]

Point rips Stout 80-53

La Crosse upsets Oshkosh 66-61

Whitewater tops Platteville 58-49

Eau Claire drops one to River Falls 66-62

[Greek Tragedy]

Here we go...

Oshkosh 12-1 #1 seed
La Crosse 9-4 #2 seed

Stevens Point 8-5 v PL
Platteville 7-6 v SP
Eau Claire 7-6 v Osh

Whitewater 5-8 v RF
River Falls 4-9 v WW

LC had the #2 seed even if they lose and SP wins based on a 2-0 h2h.

If PL beats SP and EC beats Osh, they all finish 8-6. In a 3-way tie, PL gets the #3 seed based on a 3-1 record with SP (2-0) and EC (1-1). SP then gets the #4 seed based on a 2-0 h2h with EC.

If SP and EC win (PL loses to SP), it's #3 SP, #4 EC and #5 PL based on records.

If PL beats SP and EC loses to Osh, it's PL #3 based on a 2-0 h2h v SP, then #4 SP and #5 EC based on records.

If PL and EC lose, SP gets #3 based on records and PL gets the #4 seed as both PL and EC split with Oshkosh and LC, but PL would be 1-1 v SP, while EC was 0-2.


If RF beats WW, they'd split their meeting and RF would get the #6 seed because both went 0-2 v Osh, but RF split with LC while WW was 0-2.

Got all that? I think that's right, unless they changed he tie-breakers.

[WW]

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?

Boots would be an easy and popular choice. He's fine. Kind of like choosing Wilber in football. But Flynn is the engine for that team. "Difference maker" is spot on. Take him away and the WIAC race is a scrum.

You could say the same thing about Boots too, I imagine.

My point is that 6-foot shooters are more replaceable at D3 than athletic 6-8, 240-lb post players.

That said, UWL was certainly unintimidated last night by the Titan size and outrebounded them by a bunch. Huge contribution by Dahlke, the 6-9 freshman, with season-highs in minutes (17), rebounds (8) and points (11).

[tomt4525]

6'5" Kimberly Forward, Levi Borchert, has committed to play basketball for the Oshkosh Titans.  He's having a huge senior season and a really good get for the Oshkosh program, was getting a ton of D3 interest.  Ranked 34th in the wissports Senior rankings and 25th on Wisconsin Prep Hoops.

[tomt4525]

Point's season is over.  Good defensive team that is awful on the offensive end.  The way they are playing late in the season won't allow them to win the conference tourney.

Lose 8 seniors that seem to have regressed from last season.  Need a big infusion of talent to just compete next year.  Big offseason ahead.

[Greek Tragedy]

1-bid league unless someone besides Oshkosh can win the AQ, both Point and La Crosse already have 8 losses and that won't get them to the unofficial Mendoza Line of .700 winning percentage. Good SOS, but that won't matter as much. Too many losses by both teams. Point got swept by Oshkosh, La Crosse and Platteville. Ouch. La Crosse had some questionable losses. I guess we can hope that Oshkosh carries the WIAC flag once again to the Final Four.

[Greek Tragedy]

Congrats to Oshkosh on their WIAC title. I really didn't think they'd go 13-1. Very impressive.

La Crosse with solid 2nd place finish. I said before the season started they'd be the surprise team.

Platteville with a good 3rd place finish.

Point disappointed with a 4-seed. With Bublitz back, I really thought they'd contend for a WIAC title. They may not even get a Pool C bid.

Eau Claire with a good season after losing their two big scorers from last season.

Whitewater with a real disappointing season. They roll through the nc schedule but can't translate that into the WIAC schedule.

River Falls does ok after losing a lot from the previous year.

Stout disappointed and couldn't even get a win in conference play.

Tuesday has #4 Point hosting #5 Eau Claire and #3 Platteville welcoming #6 Whitewater. Whitewater did sweep Platteville, so that could be an upset while Point swept Eau Claire.