MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[fredfalcon]

tomt--I've seen Point three previous times online, and thought they were beatable, but perhaps I was a too strongly influenced by their performance at RF. Ehrke and Koerner got 22 and 21 points on a combined 7/9 from three point range that night. Last night they got 3 and 2 points on combined 2/11 three point attempts. My main point was that it's all about shooting. Ive also seen Lax more than once and have not been impressed, including the recent game vs. RF.

[PauldingLightUP]

Getting back to Stevens Point-La Crosse from Saturday. It was a very competitive and intense game. Ehrke got two fouls and had to sit for the final 10 minutes of the first half. Semling mentioned this was a turning point on the post game. Again, Point is going to struggle when Ehrke and Koerner are not very impactful, the two combined for just five points. Bublitz, as expected, coming back for his senior season has carried Point throughout the season. I think Spray as well has stepped up this year proving big minutes for the Pointers.

La Crosse's starting five all played and shot well. Great balance in scoring. It was amazing what some cooking did for them in the past week at Mitchell Hall after a poor shooting performance the week before in Oshkosh. I will be interesting if they can translate that on road on Whitewater.

It was my first chance to catch Whitewater this season and it seems like they just don't have the athletes and depth this year. River Falls was in control for most of the game, although like in Stevens Point-La Crosse it got closer than it needed to be at the end. I know the game was moved up, but Kachel seemed pretty lifeless. A far cry from what it used be.

Oshkosh shook off a slow start and started use Flynn, Borchert, and Fravert's size to their advantage against Stout. Ciriacks is a really nice player, but he has to do it all for Stout it seems. Mahoney is quickly turning into a really nice player for Oshkosh as a freshman and is playing big minutes and contributing. He has a nice three point shot, can drive and score. Oshkosh has turned it around at the free throw line in the last two. Something they struggled with before in games. Muench started in place of Vlotho on Saturday. Vlotho was there, not sure if he is injured or was just sick. JT Petrie is still on the roster, but has not been at any game after finals. Tommy Borta has not been at the last few, but you can't read too much into that yet with his big injury and knee scooter he was using.

Looking forward to round four on Wednesday.

[tomt4525]

6'7" La Crescent (MN) F, Luke Schwartzhoff, has committed to play basketball at La Crosse.

[PauldingLightUP]

Connor Voelker was just named player of the week in the WIAC for Platteville's 2-0 week. He averaged 18.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists  in the two games.

On the season for player of the week:

Voelker 2
Shields 2
Fravert 2
Bublitz 1
Rabedeaux 1


Pretty easy to see who are the early player of year candidates are.

[cubs]

JT Petrie is still on the roster, but has not been at any game after finals.

It appears Petrie has joined Duax and is no longer listed on the roster....

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

JT Petrie is still on the roster, but has not been at any game after finals.

It appears Petrie has joined Duax and is no longer listed on the roster....

Neither one is in the team picture at the top of the roster page.  Do you think they retook it or just got lucky with who had class that day?

[PauldingLightUP]

Not sure if that was a serious question Ryan, but this is definitely a retake  . Duax was front and center of the last one. Tommy Borta is also not in the new picture. I guess you'd still leave a scenario out there where he returns to the team next season following the injury. Remembering back Borta played unexpected, key minutes in the Loras Sweet Sixteen game last season.

Interestingly, the Titans also did a team picture retake last season when Matthew Rader left at semester for St. Thomas.

[Greek Tragedy]

After losing a close one to La Crosse over the weekend, Point comes through and knocks off the Pioneers on the road. Great win for the dogs. I think they really needed this one as their slim Pool C hopes (always assume they don't get the AQ) weren't looking great.

https://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/men/2019-20/boxscores/20200115_ifo6.xml?view=boxscore

Nelson and Ehrke combine for 38 on 14-25 shooting to offset Spray's and Bublitz's off night going a combined 8-28 for just 18 points. Ehrke did make up for it with 7 boards and 7 assists. The big difference in the game was probably the turnovers as the hosts coughed up the ball 17 times to just 5 for the visitors. Point was outrebounded by 16 (23-39) but did get off 10 more shots.


River Falls 92, Stout 79
Oshkosh 82, Eau Claire 66
La Crosse 84, Whitewater 78 OT

Standings
La Crosse 3-1, 13-1
Platteville 3-1, 13-2
Stevens Point 3-1, 11-4
Oshkosh 3-1, 9-6

River Falls 2-2, 9-6

Eau Claire 1-3, 10-5
Stout 1-3, 5-11

Whitewater 0-4, 5-10

Saturday's games
Whitewater at Stout
River Falls at Oshkosh
Eau Claire at Stevens Point
Platteville at La Crosse

[WUPHF]

Platteville is going to struggle to win every game if Quentin Shields plays 5 minutes and finishes with a bunch of goose eggs. 

[Greek Tragedy]

Platteville is going to struggle to win every game if Quentin Shields plays 5 minutes and finishes with a bunch of goose eggs.

Obviously that was probably a big help for Point to have QS out. I'm guessing he got injured? Maybe someone will be able to fill us in.

[palum]

Platteville is going to struggle to win every game if Quentin Shields plays 5 minutes and finishes with a bunch of goose eggs.

Obviously that was probably a big help for Point to have QS out. I'm guessing he got injured? Maybe someone will be able to fill us in.

Shields started but he did something to his foot or ankle they were working on him behind the bench after halftime he sat on the bench with his ankle/foot taped. Gard wouldn't comment on how serious it was after the game only said they were still evaluating.  Platteville started strong but Point came roaring back after the injury. Platteville came back just before half to take the halftime lead. Game was back and forth in the 2nd half at one time Point had a 10 point lead that Platteville chipped away at and they had a chance to tie or win at the buzzer. Point did a good job creating mismatches down low they would get Ehrke (6'5")the ball when he was guarded by Ranney (5'11") and all three of Platteville's bigs had 3 or more fouls. Point got a great road win and Platteville showed that it could face some adversity and hang in there. 

[tomt4525]

Point loses to EC by 1 on a failed box out off a free throw, also didn't help that it was 15-0 before Point scored a point.  To make matters worse, looks like Spray has a badly sprained ankle that happened in the first 2 minutes and he didn't return.  The inconsistency this team shows each game doesn't allow them to withstand any injuries, they only play 7 guys to begin with.

[palum]

Platteville pulls off a win at the end in LaX. LaX led most of the 2nd half but Voelker and McCann hit some huge shots  to put Platteville ahead. Watching the game on my phone it didn't look like Shields was even on the bench. Platteville and LaX was the only game between the 4 teams tied for first. Quality win the Pioneers have now beaten LaX and Oshkosh on the road.

[John Gleich]

Point loses to EC by 1 on a failed box out off a free throw, also didn't help that it was 15-0 before Point scored a point.  To make matters worse, looks like Spray has a badly sprained ankle that happened in the first 2 minutes and he didn't return.  The inconsistency this team shows each game doesn't allow them to withstand any injuries, they only play 7 guys to begin with.

Point battled back well from a big early deficit, like you said... And has a 1 pt lead with the ball with 0:29 left (14 in the shot clock). Tough shot missed... and rebounding foul, put EC on the line, which they missed and which allowed EC to take that last lead, as you said.

Very interesting foul on the Point miss. An SP player (I don't remember who) tried to away the ball back, missed, and clocked an EC player in the face. The Point radio guys didn't like it, but I watched it three times and it definitely was a foul - just one I've never seen before in that situation!

SP missed Spray a ton and continues to be inconsistent... No real go-to guy or options in crunch time.

And yet, defensively, they're still really good... Just need to clean up the board at the other end.

There was a big discrepancy in free throws in this one which allowed SP to come back in a mediocre shooting night. Coach Siverling was quite unhappy about that at a certain point in the second half and his display of displeasure (several feet out onto the floor) gave SP two more... And could have had an impact on the outcome of the game. But, alas, Point couldn't seal the deal in the end.

[PauldingLightUP]

From Saturday when three games came down to the final seconds.

Whitewater at Stout was a even match and played within 10 points the whole way. Whitewater led late and almost let it slip away. A key Stout offensive rebound on a miss and missed free throws by the Warhawks let Stout back in. With 4.5 seconds left Stout had it up in the front count after a timeout, down only 1. Mericle had a pretty good look from the baseline at the buzzer for the win that did not go. Whitewater won 73-72.

La Crosse took a 18 point lead at the half against Platteville. Noricia extended it to 19 85 seconds into the second. Then Platteville would chip away with Voelker being the aggressor and others hitting timely threes. La Crosse found themselves down three late when Gunnink hits his huge three, but Neisheim answered with a deep three of his own to tie with 19.1 one to go.  The Voelker, stop turn and jumper in the paint for the two point lead was smooth with 3.6 to go. A series of back and forth agonizing time outs followed. A half court shot that got stuck on top of the backboard was a very anti-climatic finish to otherwise great back and forth play down the stretch. Platteville seemed to miss Shields' leadership and ball handling, but got the win in the end, 69-67.

River Falls at Oshkosh went pretty much as expected. It was close early and Oshkosh took a nine point halftime lead. There seemed to be a concentrated effort to get the Flynn the ball down low and early. The Titans led by as many as 34 before benches were emptied in the 89-62 win.


And then came the night cap in a great day of WIAC play, Eau Claire at Stevens Point. The 15-0 start was stunning and shocking from Eau Claire. Spray turning his ankle coming down with a rebound at 6-0 was hard to watch. For all the world, it looked like the Pointers would escape, but the Kuepers offensive rebound and layup was a turn of events I did not see coming at all. The Brooks block and ability not to foul on the final drive for Bubltiz was outstanding to preserve the 63-62 win for Eau Claire.

The Shields and Spray injuries, if they can not play for an extended time, will continue to shape games and the conference.

Stevens Point at Oshkosh comes at such an interesting time Wednesday for both teams in the conference and Pool C. It's very difficult to predict how this conference will play out night to night much less after nine more nights of play. I do know this, Stevens Point finishes with 5 of 8 at home, Platteville finishes with 4 of 5 on the road, Oshkosh finishes with 5 of 8 on the road, and La Crosee and Eau Claire look to have more balanced schedules to finish WIAC play.