MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[True Basketball Fan]

Not this year, Point will be 4th at best, maybe 5th if Platteville gets hot late.  Whitewater and Stout will be duking it out for the 2nd and 3rd spots.

[Winneconne_Legend]

Am a bit surprised that I am the first to put anything up on this one but, RF looked better than I thought they would last night. They actually played very good in the second half (and yes I realize that the intensity wasn't quite there on the Badgers part...but we take our plusses where we can get them). Biggest surprsie for me was the play of Zylstra. He looks to have added some good weight this offseason and got right in there against Buthch and Stiemsma. They will be weak at the point again...Scott Kelly looked slightly improved, and Hoeg and Kossoris looked alright. Not much off the bench. A great time, good seats (thanks whichever Badger fans didn't show up and make us go sit up in the 3rd balcony)..and just a whole lot of fun watching the Falcons play the Badgers.

That being said....Meglomanic...you have one thing right....the worst WIAC team of the past decade will appear this year, but it will not be the Falcons.
Without sounding like a complete "jack###" I would like an argument as to why EC will win more than 2 conference games this year (I'll give them one at home against Superior, and MAYBE RF). 

[megalomaniac]

Legend
Good point. Upon further review, that UWEC roster yields a squad that looks incapable of being even mildly competitive. RF at least has some experience, so that has to give them an edge over EC. Birkel is the only multiple letter winner, and who on that team can score? RF has Kossoris and Hoeg, who at least have the potential to fill it up from time to time. That is more than can be said for EC. I guess I had just gotten too used to Archambault and Drake being there, and being good for a few wins no matter what, so I was going to give them the benefit of the doubt again this year. Theres absolutely no one to fill those perimeter scoring positions, and asking Birkel (too uncoordinated) and Beyer (too soft) to do it against the tough posts this conference has to offer seems rather ridiculous.
Have they had their annual scrimmage with UST yet?

[buf]

Unfortunately, as a EC fan, I also agree with Winneconne in that EC will struggle to win a couple games in conference.  The ONLY game they might be favored in is when they play Superior at home.  Lets just put it this way, I'd be more shocked if they win 4 conference games than if they were to win 0.  However, I am sure they will win one or two based on the chance that one game they come out hot while the other team struggles, but it would have to be against a fellow bottomfeeder.  Hopefully my expectations are too low, but I don't think they are.  Here is what they miss from a 13-13 year:

Seniors graduated
Archy
Drake
Jefferson
Briedenbach

Players that have eligibility but quit the team
Buck Smith
Colin Walsh
Kale Proksch
Marshall Watry
Chad Honl

That leaves only Tyler Birkel and Dan Beyer with significant minutes from last year.  Also, go take a look at EC's roster.  Only one center (Birkel 6'9").  Beyer(6'7"), who is the second tallest player naturally plays the 3-spot, will have to play the 4.  After those two, the tallest is 6'4.  What happens if Birkel and Beyer get into foul trouble or get injured?  The flood gates will open on the inside for opponents.

And one more question, why did all those players quit?  They would have been starters or first off the bench, so you know its not because of playing time.  I'm not 100% sure but I have a hunch though.   

[laxeagles1]

Unfortunately, as a EC fan, I also agree with Winneconne in that EC will struggle to win a couple games in conference.  The ONLY game they might be favored in is when they play Superior at home.  Lets just put it this way, I'd be more shocked if they win 4 conference games than if they were to win 0.  However, I am sure they will win one or two based on the chance that one game they come out hot while the other team struggles, but it would have to be against a fellow bottomfeeder.  Hopefully my expectations are too low, but I don't think they are.  Here is what they miss from a 13-13 year:

Seniors graduated
Archy
Drake
Jefferson
Briedenbach

Players that have eligibility but quit the team
Buck Smith
Colin Walsh
Kale Proksch
Marshall Watry
Chad Honl

That leaves only Tyler Birkel and Dan Beyer with significant minutes from last year.  Also, go take a look at EC's roster.  Only one center (Birkel 6'9").  Beyer(6'7"), who is the second tallest player naturally plays the 3-spot, will have to play the 4.  After those two, the tallest is 6'4.  What happens if Birkel and Beyer get into foul trouble or get injured?  The flood gates will open on the inside for opponents.

And one more question, why did all those players quit?  They would have been starters or first off the bench, so you know its not because of playing time.  I'm not 100% sure but I have a hunch though.   

birkel is terrible, if a team is relying on him to be a contributing force it is not a good sign

I am sure all the players quit because of who is running the ship.  In no situation do that many players quit for no reason, especially of that calibur.  If it isn't the coaching situation I would be really interested to know why they did............When I heard a few years back that Gibbons cut Walker Flannery from Antigo I thought to myself wow this team must be that good if he got cut.  Then I saw them play and saw a few guys at the end of the bench that couldn't pick up Walker's jock..........Amazing......

Buf, why be politically correct?  say what you think you know.  I have alot of people that don't like me because I am opinionated........Let's be honest with the way our society is going I will continue to be outspoken and hated upon because I am outspoken.......Say it like it is, if you offend someone don't worry...........'I have to worry so much about offending others I am now the one offended.'

[Woody Wilson]

But that's just TO being TO.  I believe we can expect of a lot of the Terry Gibbons Tie Flip (TM) this season.  By the way, Nick Bennett is no Tony Bennett.

[BDB]

titansrus,

The 7 foot freshman Jesse Piehl for the Devils is 220 pounds, not 170 as was a typo somewhere.

[John Gleich]

Woody Wilson, that post gets the award for the most random post of the week, I think.

By the way, Nick Bennett is no Tony Bennett.

And you're right... Nick has two National Championship rings.

[Greek Tragedy]

Tony has like 10 Grammys though. 

[Pioneerbacker]

Pioneers looked good last night at UW-M.  They played without starting guard, Sean Krause, and I think everyone was impressed with the play of the new players (as well as the returners).  The final difference was 16 points, but the last basket for them came with under a second to play with Platteville's subs in the game.  It was a six point game at half and UW-M went on a run to start the second, but UW-P never folded and kept the game within reach. 

We probably won't see players with the points Reitzner had, but I think we'll see a greater number of players with 8, 10, 12 points and etc.  Although, I'm not taking anything away from the current players because if they play consistently like they did last night, look out!  This is a talented bunch that might take some time to gel, but I think they'll raise some eyebrows around the league come tournament time.     

[stcroix]

What ever happened to Scott Vogel from Spooner?  He went to UMD for a year and transferred to UWEC...he just bag basketball?

[uww4ever]

No offense to anyone from Spooner, but Spooner sucks 

[laxeagles1]

What ever happened to Scott Vogel from Spooner?  He went to UMD for a year and transferred to UWEC...he just bag basketball?

look at the situation there, i heard a little lowdown about EC from my best friend who is friends with one of the players that quit.......One name, one coach is the reason behind most of the 'impact' players EC would have this year not playing

[laxeagles1]

UWL's roster is up at http://www.uwlax.edu/athletics  ............definitely looks like a good year.  Wondering if coach Koelbl's is going to have guys going both ways.......Looks like a Div 7 high school football team with 18 guys on it and still two extras listed

[Just Bill]

If only La Crosse would ditch those uniforms with the ugly "W"s on the collar and sleeves.  Then I could really get behind them.