MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

GP87 · March 12, 2006, 01:34:30 PM

I think everyone is spending too much time looking for a favorite. I feel it will be an extremely close game and, because of that, I don't think there is a heavy favorite at all. I refuse to say that a team with a 26 game winning streak is a heavy underdog to anyone in the country. That's a joke. It should be a great game.

IWU won't shoot 75%. That isn't saying they won't win but VWC plays good solid defense, as seen in beating WP at their own game. Holding any Elite 8 team to 35 points is a good sign noone should be shooting 75%. That being said, the Final Four should be great and I agree, any team in Salem could bring it home.

shadylady · March 12, 2006, 02:10:35 PM

Team stats IWO VWC

scoring:
pts per game 79.37 77.1
scoring margin +10.7 +14.1
GF % .505 .485
3pt FG .409 .379
3ptFG/Game 7.4 6.3
Free throw pct .705 .694
Rebounds 1034 1121
Rebounds per game 36.9 36.2
Rebound margin +6.7 +3.7
Assists 404 471
assists per game 14.4 15.2
Turnovers 353 386
T per game 12.6 12.5
ass/T ratio 1.1 1.2
Steals 159 242
Blocks 95 83
per game 3.4 2.7 sorry about the margin here. VWC didn't get to the Final FOUR on it's looks ( sorry guys) I thinkt this is gonna be a war!

shadylady · March 12, 2006, 02:13:55 PM

printed too soon. These were latest stats on the websites of each. IWU doesn't seem to have it's last 3 games included...... but it still should give you an idea of this matchup.........

FISHTANKFAN · March 12, 2006, 03:05:38 PM

PAT, ANY team that's shoots 75% should win. That's a no-brainer but to assume that IWU will again match that output is a great assumption. If both teams shoot their average then it will certainly be a battle. IWU is not unbeatable, as their record shows. Don't underestimate the Marlins, they have found ways to win that no one has thought of and Macedo will have his team ready. Making it to the FINAL FOUR without one of your starters is also not too shabby. Hopefully Sumpter will be ok to play by Friday. Any team can be beaten on a given night no matter how good they are. Sometimes its the intangibles that win games. The Marlins have those intangibles but we shall have to wait and see Friday how they put them to use.

Titan Q · March 12, 2006, 04:48:08 PM

While IWU's 2nd half shooting performance last night was very impressive, I wouldn't read too much into the 75%. Remember, this was against a gambling, full-court pressure defense. Puget Sound forces 27 T.O.'s per game, but a team like IWU is good enough to break the pressure...the Titans had just 14 turnovers (the same # of T.O.'s Stevens Point had vs UPS in the 2004 and 2005 tournaments). Once you break the UPS pressure, you can get easy baskets.

Look at the 2nd half play-by-play...

http://www.lawrence.edu/athletics/mbasketball/stats0506/ncaa4.htm

9 consecutive IWU field goals were listed as "dunk" or "layup"...all Titan baskets from 14:29 to 6:54.

It is not like playing Grinnell where looking that stat sheet is just completely worthless, but Puget Sound games are somewhat similiar. The Loggers give up a .530 FG% to opponents on average. Shooting a ridiculously high % against UPS is not like doing the same vs a "traditional" style.

Bob Quillman
Color Analyst, IWU basketball
WJBC Radio

Titan Q · March 12, 2006, 04:52:28 PM

For anyone looking for info. on IWU, this is from a post I made on the MWC board last week before the Sectional...

Quote from: Titan Q on March 06, 2006, 08:00:35 PM
Photos of IWU's 9-man rotation...

G Adam Dauksas, #22 (6-3/190, Sr) -- 14.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 6.4 apg
G Jason Fisher, #20 (6-2/210, Sr) -- 5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg
F Keelan Amelianovich, #32 (6-6/210, Sr) -- 18.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg
F Cory Jones, #42 (6-6/215, Sr) -- 8.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg
C Zach Freeman, #30 (6-7/210, Jr) -- 15.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg

F Chris Jones, #34 (6-5/210, Sr) -- 6.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg
G Matt Arnold, #10 (5-11/165, Sr) -- 6.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg
F Steve Schweer, #40 (6-6/220, Sr) -- 2.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg
F Andrew Freeman, #24 (6-6/200, Jr) -- 2.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg

Titan Q · March 12, 2006, 04:55:19 PM

It seems to me we have 4 very even teams. I expect both semis and the title game to be very tight.

Titan Q · March 12, 2006, 05:28:09 PM

Va Wesleyan's assist leader is Thomas Sumpter...I see he didn't play vs William Paterson. Did he get hurt recently? Anyone know the status?

Titan Q · March 12, 2006, 06:41:05 PM

Some Final Four matchup notes:

http://www.iwuhoops.com/TOURN06.HTM

Looks like the marquis players are...

Perimeter
Keelan Amelianovich (6-6/210, Sr), IWU - 18.2 ppg, 90-195 3-pt (.462)
John Bedford (6-3/195, Sr), Amherst - 17.3 ppg, 45-96 3-pt (.469)
Dan Wheeler (6-5/218, Jr), Amherst - 14.5 ppg, 67-151 3-pt (.444)
Adam Dauksas (6-3/190, Sr), IWU - 14.3 ppg, 6.5 apg, 2.6 A/T.O.
Marques Fitch (6-0/165, Sr), VWC - 12.2 ppg, 25-91 3-pt (.295)
Ton Ton Balenga (6-1/190, So), VWC - 12.2 ppg, 56-131 3-pt (.427)

Low post
Brandon Adair (6-5/205, Jr), VWC - 18.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 231-371 FG (.623)
Zach Freeman (6-7/210, Jr), IWU - 15.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 165-284 FG (.581)
Dan Russ (6-9/210, Sr), Witt - 15.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 189-338 FG (.559)
Dane Borchers (6-8/215, Sr), Witt - 12.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 152-239 FG (.636)

Pat Coleman · March 12, 2006, 06:46:21 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on March 12, 2006, 05:28:09 PM
Va Wesleyan's assist leader is Thomas Sumpter...I see he didn't play vs William Paterson. Did he get hurt recently? Anyone know the status?

Deep thigh bruise suffered in ODAC tournament. He attempted to play through it but did not dress this weekend. His status is in doubt as of now.

justafan02 · March 12, 2006, 09:38:58 PM

The only games I miss in seven years are the sweet sixteen....someone should have told me the marlins were gonna make it that far. However, I did listen to the game. It was tough, I was on the road w/ no internet so the girlfriend put her phone up to the speaker of her computer for each game. Longest I have been on the phone with her in years!!!

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but rumor has it that a Lincoln fan pulled a gun in the parking lot of the Batten Center after Friday nights game. Supposedly there were a ton of police officers, a helicopter etc. It is a shame some younger people can't shy away from violence. I heard the crowd was pretty rough and back and forth, but that is a reaction that is way over the edge. GL to the Marlins this weekend in Salem. It should be like playing at home, because all the ODAC should be there cheering for the home team. Gooooo Marlins.

Pat Coleman · March 12, 2006, 10:53:42 PM

This is a rumor I have heard but there has been absolutely no substantiation of it whatsoever, so I think we had best let it die.

GP87 · March 12, 2006, 10:57:42 PM

Quote from: justafan02 on March 12, 2006, 09:38:58 PM
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but rumor has it that a Lincoln fan pulled a gun in the parking lot of the Batten Center after Friday nights game. Supposedly there were a ton of police officers, a helicopter etc. It is a shame some younger people can't shy away from violence.

Unfortunately, you don't need to be corrected. I don't know the details, but there were a good number of police, an ambulance, and a helicopter. I've heard someone pulled a gun and fired in the air, but I don't know what rumors are true. It is definitely a shame. It was a great game and, even though the atmosphere was intense, that type of action is simply uncalled for.

Anyway, lets keep the focus on the final four and VWC. There isn't any need to give attention to a fan who can't keep his emotions under control. Go Marlins!

jeloesel · March 13, 2006, 06:03:11 AM

Final Four fever grows in Salem/Roanoke. The RT headline read, "Marlins not fish out of water."

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/56544

oldfish · March 13, 2006, 08:43:37 AM

What do the IWU v. VWC match-ups look like? Who should be guarding who? What are IWU's strengths/weaknesses?