MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[larry_u]

Damn right we do.  St. Paul is the nice picturesque city, the seat of state government, and full of tradition and history.  Then you have that craphole across the river....

Don't brag too much about your side of the river larry_u. There is also a place called South St. Paul on your side. Had family there previously so I've seen it.         

Eh South St. Paul is a suburb.  The only qualities St Paul and South St. Paul share is a name. 

[LCfan]

Can anyone give a little analysis on the strengths and weaknesses of Whitewater?

[duhawkdanran]

For all the Whitewater fans here are some videos of Loras's games this year (wins and loses):

Loras Basketball Highlights and Stories:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K3GgThFVuU (First Practice)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwePMFz3LFA (Loras vs. Clarke)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v3Wubn3ksM (Loras vs. North Park)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GN1vXmRlWU (Loras vs. Simpson)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9htch6upeU (Loras vs. BV)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZJwAKpx-8o (Loras vs. Coe)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYrJS3-dm0o (Whitewater Teaser)

[LCfan]

Since it is Wed. and the game is Fri I will start the predictions off.  I look for White and Slater to give the "bigs" from UWW trouble with their quickness and ability to face up and shoot the 3.  Centella and Oeth will do a great job on defense and Kolze will break out for 18+.  Duhawks in a very tight game 77-74.

[Pat Coleman]

Chaminade beat Virginia, not Georgetown.

I haven't done seedings in a year or two.

The NCAA calls them first and second rounds, but since we went back to putting multiple games at one site it makes sense to go back to the "regionals" terminology.

[Gregory Sager]

Pod. Can anyone identify the person responsible for calling these games pods?

Donald Sutherland can identify him!

[OshDude]

Since it is Wed. and the game is Fri I will start the predictions off.  I look for White and Slater to give the "bigs" from UWW trouble with their quickness and ability to face up and shoot the 3.  Centella and Oeth will do a great job on defense and Kolze will break out for 18+.  Duhawks in a very tight game 77-74.

I'd be surprised if Loras can out-quick Whitewater. No knock on LC, but WW is VERY quick and athletic. And that's without WW's best player, Rob Perry.

With Perry out WW starts three guards, Goodwin, McKay and Koski. Goodwin and McKay are athletic scorers. They both shoot the 3 very well and can make opponents look silly on drives. Koski can score 10-12 on some nights, but he's the steady assist man. All three are good defensively, and McKay is a lockdown type. The three guards combined for eight steals in the WIAC championship against Point, a team that's nationally known as sure-handed. Goodwin has a decent chance to be the WIAC POY.

The forwards, Vernon, Kolinske and King, can either beat the crap out of you or finesse you. They're versatile like that, although none are threats from 3. Vernon, who's really stepped up in Perry's absence, is active and gets some putbacks when he's on. Kolinske hits the glass hard as well.

Don't get too comfy even if LC gets a lead. WW can light it up in bunches, and LC will turn it over. I'll see your prediction of a three-point LC win and raise you with a 14-point WW win.

[LCfan]

Since it is Wed. and the game is Fri I will start the predictions off.  I look for White and Slater to give the "bigs" from UWW trouble with their quickness and ability to face up and shoot the 3.  Centella and Oeth will do a great job on defense and Kolze will break out for 18+.  Duhawks in a very tight game 77-74.

I'd be surprised if Loras can out-quick Whitewater. No knock on LC, but WW is VERY quick and athletic. And that's without WW's best player, Rob Perry.

With Perry out WW starts three guards, Goodwin, McKay and Koski. Goodwin and McKay are athletic scorers. They both shoot the 3 very well and can make opponents look silly on drives. Koski can score 10-12 on some nights, but he's the steady assist man. All three are good defensively, and McKay is a lockdown type. The three guards combined for eight steals in the WIAC championship against Point, a team that's nationally known as sure-handed. Goodwin has a decent chance to be the WIAC POY.

The forwards, Vernon, Kolinski and King, can either beat the crap out of you or finesse you. They're versatile like that, although none are threats from 3. Vernon, who's really stepped up in Perry's absence, is active and gets some putbacks when he's on. Kolinski hits the glass hard as well.

Don't get too comfy even if LC gets a lead. WW can light it up in bunches, and LC will turn it over. I'll see your prediction of a four-point LC win and raise you with a 14-point WW win.

Ok a little research shows that Loras is an equal and better 3pt% team in conference.  I think that Kolze will be the difference in the game.  So if you are lighting it up in bunches I assume that 3's is what you mean.  Being from the CCIW, I have seen some very good teams (e.g. IWU from 2001-2005) Loras plays very good defense and like I said White and Slater will be a handful for any of your post players. They are both 6'5 and shoot the 3.  I wish I could take you on that 14 pt spread. 

[LCfan]

Goodwin and McKay shoot 41% and 37% respectively.  I dont think that either of those would make anyone frightened.  41% is very good but 37% is nothing so I dont know why you say they both shoot it very good.  Loras has three guys that shoot the three at a better % (based on 30 att. and over 14 min) and as a team Loras is almost .o15.  Ghis shoulc be a great mathcup.  I will take 14 anyday....lol

[Gregory Sager]

Numbers comparisons between Loras and UWW are fairly pointless, because the competition isn't the same. Shooting 41% against WIAC opponents is different than shooting 41% against IIAC opponents.

[OshDude]

So if you are lighting it up in bunches I assume that 3's is what you mean.
I wish I could take you on that 14 pt spread. 

Not necessarily. There will be a stretch when WW gets turnovers, and that's usually fast breaks. WW is not the best 3-point shooting team overall, but the two scoring guards will jack. If those two are on, and one or both usually are, good luck. My spread assumes both McKay and Goodwin will combine to hit some long ones.

I'm by no means a WW fan, but I am a WIAC supporter come tourney time. I'm just a dude from Oshkosh who knows what this WW team can do.

[chmarx]

So, the smack talking has begun. 

[OshDude]

Goodwin and McKay shoot 41% and 37% respectively.  I dont think that either of those would make anyone frightened.  41% is very good but 37% is nothing so I dont know why you say they both shoot it very good.  Loras has three guys that shoot the three at a better % (based on 30 att. and over 14 min) and as a team Loras is almost .o15.  Ghis shoulc be a great mathcup.  I will take 14 anyday....lol

Like I wrote, best of luck. I just don't think LC can hang with WW. It's not only LC that will have trouble with WW. I have the Warhawks in the national championship game.

Since Sager brought it up, I'd like my team's (Oshkosh) chances against WW more than LC's chances.

[LCfan]

Sager, while I hate to disagree with a fellow CCIW; shooting is shooting, either you can or you can't.  Having played competitive bball, I think that shooting is one stat that is fairly reliable across the board (i know you are a stat man so I dont have any regressions to the mean or anything like that, just my opinion from playing).  I just think it will be closer than 14 pts.  If Loras is "on" there is no way they lose.  That would be there STARTING 5 all capable of hitting the 3.  I look for a good game and I am glad that no one respects Loras or the IIAC (same thing seems to happen in football.  My sophomore year at Illinois Wesleyan we beat LAX apparently out of nowhere...at LaCrosse). 

Go Duhawks

[Gregory Sager]

Sager, while I hate to disagree with a fellow CCIW; shooting is shooting, either you can or you can't.  Having played competitive bball, I think that shooting is one stat that is fairly reliable across the board (i know you are a stat man so I dont have any regressions to the mean or anything like that, just my opinion from playing).

I strenuously disagree. Shooting is not the same irrespective of the opponent. Some opponents are quicker than others, and are thus harder to shake in order to get yourself an open look. Some are smarter than others and know which hand you favor, or what move you favor. Some have both the quicks and the smarts, and are adept at recovering when the defense rotates. Some have enough size to impede your shots, whereas you may be used to shooting over the top of a smaller team. Some are more physical than others, and know how much they can harrass you and get away with it.

Shooting is just like every other component of basketball, in that your success at it is contingent upon what sort of an opponent you have.