WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

[Dark Knight]

Calvin ... they plays #3 Hope, but those are Calvin's only games against opponents that are currently ranked.

It looks as though Calvin's game against Carthage on Friday will also be a tough one. Carthage (4-0) just beat #14 Chicago at Chicago.

[sac]

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

new poll, Hope stays at #3, Calvin joins the fun at #25

[sac]

The new women's NAIA poll hasn't been released online yet, but I imagine 7-1 Aquinas probably moved up from their #17 pre-season ranking.

Hope 86 Aquinas 53

never close.

Ellis 14, Snikkers 11pts 14 rbs, Kussmaul 11

[oldknight]

With a 7-1 Aquinas squad at VanAndel I decided to take in some hoops expecting a competitive game for the Lady Dutch. Didn't happen. Hope overwhelmed AQ 86-53 in a game as dominating as the final score indicates. Knowing several of the Saints' players I'm quite surprised how easily Morehouse's squad ran away with this one. AQ is led by Jocelyn Narber, a stout 5'10" Wyoming Park grad who can play any position on the floor, has excellent ball handling skills, a sweet shooting stroke, and is surprisingly light on her feet. Narber did go for 16 and 11 and kept her team in it early, but Hope buried AQ by raining down a hail of threes (or is that hailing down a rain of threes?). It was 54-28 at half and Hope cruised from there. The freshmen Ellis looked terrific scoring 14 on the strength of 4 of 5 from the arc and the team went 10-19 on treys. Snikkers made life miserable for any Saints player who attempted to play the post or enter the lane. While scoring a very quiet 11 points, Carrie was a beast with 14 boards 6 blocks and 3 steals in just 19 minutes of PT. She never even broke a sweat. Too bad for her she can't get in 25-30 per game because her stats would be remarkable.

[AlwaysHope]

After Hope's win over Aquinas described above, the women are now 65-1 at the DeVos Fieldhouse, winning the last 54 games in a row at home.  Only loss was to Calvin in the last minute of a game in 2006.

Aquinas was ranked # 13 in NAIA Division 2 prior to the game.

The men's BB team have lost four games at home since the Fieldhouse opened up in 2005.

Talk about home court advantage!

[Erm Schmigget]

Hope's junior center Carrie Snikkers has been named MIAA Player of the Week on the strength of 11 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 3 steals in 19 minutes of play against (then NAIA II #13) Aquinas (7-2), featuring 09 NAIA II 3rd team All-American forward Joslyn Narber.

She beat out Calvin's freshman forward Carissa Verkaik, who in 33 minutes one night scored 39 points, grabbed 23 rebounds, and added 5 blocks and 1 steal to lead Calvin to a 81-73 win over a "meh" unranked NAIA II Purdue Calumet featuring...not much to write about.  Verkaik also had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and no steals in 28 minutes in a loss to DIII Carthage, who remains unbeaten at 6-0.

The honor went to the player who consistently contributes as much as her (very deep) team needs her to, and who has been around the league a few times, for everyone to see firsthand.  Nonetheless, I am really looking forward to seeing these 2 face off on January 19 in Holland.

I have more thoughts on the subject, but I really should have been in bed an hour ago.  Discussion re: this match-up, anyone?

[realist]

E.S.  Like you I am looking forward to seeing how Hope and Calvin match up this year.  At this point I doubt the "dream" matchup will live up to expectation.   A very disturbing number for Calvin is the t.o. stat which indicates they have problems handling the ball, and one would expect Hope to really use that to their advantage.  
:)The game I would like to see is the one were Snikkers is forced to play 30+ minutes because she needs to.
After following Calvin, and the MIAA for 40+ years I am not a fan of individual player awards, and non-conference game player of the week is close to the top of the "waste of ink" list imho.  There is no realistic way to compare the performance of the two individuals in the previous week.  Verkaiak had a good performance, but against a weak team.  The same is true for Snikkers as evidenced by the lack of playing time.  Your statment regarding why you thought Snikkers deserved the award really is more relevant to MIAA player of the year than for performance for one week.  
Hope is blessed with many talented players.  

[Erm Schmigget]

Realist-

I too would like to see Hope's starters have to play +/-30 minutes in a game.  I have really enjoyed the level of talent on the Dutch squad the past several years.  But I think Hope's season-ending losses in the quarterfinals the past 2 years are reason enough to wish for greater challenges earlier in the season.

In reagrds to Calvin's high turnovers, that is frustrating for Calvin folks, for sure.  But do you think some of the kinks will be ironed out 6 weeks from now?  This is a young squad with 6 frosh and 3 sophomores.  I'm sure with enogh practices and games before the Hope game, they will be taking better care of the ball.  I doubt we'll see many more 30-turnover games.

As for Snikkers deserving the award this week, my statement was more a guess as to why the voters thought she deserved it.  I thought Verkaik was a lock for the honor.  I tend to agree with you that it makes a better reason to consider someone for a POY award.

[realist]

Yes, the Hope team would benefit by being tested greatly several times during the season.  I like blow out wins as a fan, but it does little to build the mental/physical toughnerss that teams need to get to the top.
I would like to believe that Calvin can, and will reduce the turnovers.  My concern is that it points to a flaw in fundamental skills, and a smart opposing coach can press to force the turnovers  My first impressions are that Calvin's frontline can give Hope a heck of a fight, but only if they get the ball on our end of the court.
Perhaps I am becoming more cynical in my old age, but these player awards seem to be ocassions for the parties giving them out to make various statements.  The MIAA in recent past seems to be worried about parity, and political correctness.  The tendency is not to give the award to one person week after week, and it seems they really strive to make sure a player from each team gets it at least once a season.
To my way of thinking if Snikkers has the stats for a week give her the award.  If she gets it 10 times in the season fine by me.  Same for any other player that has a great week, and great weeks back to back.

[oldknight]

 
The game I would like to see is the one were Snikkers is forced to play 30+ minutes because she needs to.

So would Snikkers. I talked to Carrie last week and tried (and failed) to successfully trash talk with her. I told her that she was going down to the Knights this year and that Verkaik was going to eat her lunch. We both had a good laugh. Carrie correctly pointed out that Carissa was getting substantially more PT to build her stat line. Carrie clearly relishes the opportunity to show everyone who's boss, as she did when they competed against one another in high school.

Carrie is more athletic than Carissa but things have changed a bit since they last played against one another. There is less difference between a college freshmen and a college junior than there is between a high school freshmen and junior. While Carrie is more athletic, Carissa is a real force on defense, runs the floor well, and is a consistent shooter despite her rather ungainly looking style.

In reagrds to Calvin's high turnovers, that is frustrating for Calvin folks, for sure.  But do you think some of the kinks will be ironed out 6 weeks from now?  This is a young squad with 6 frosh and 3 sophomores.  I'm sure with enogh practices and games before the Hope game, they will be taking better care of the ball.  I doubt we'll see many more 30-turnover games.

High numbers of TO's in early season women's games are not unusual. Hope hammered Madonna this year while commiting 35 turnovers, 20 of them in the first half. Also, Calvin's Emily Ottenhoff, a point guard, only recently began playing for John Ross, after concluding her soccer season with a trip to a national quaterfinal game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

If Hope (or Calvin, for that matter) really wants to upgrade their schedule, try calling Bloomington!  (Having already faced D1 DePaul in an exhibition, plus then #1 WashU, then #15 UWSP, and then #22 [now #21; they rose a spot by losing to IWU!] UChicago, I don't think Mia Smith would duck a challenge!)  The only fly in the ointment is that I think it is a few too many miles to be in-region.

I've been eagerly awaiting a FF matchup of IWU and Hope for two years now, but we fell just short both years (and Hope was also one short last year); maybe this year (in Bloomington, instead of Holland ).  The face-to-face matchup I most await is Snikkers vs. Solari (but this is Christina's last year, so let's get it done NOW).

[Dark Knight]

The honor went to the player who consistently contributes as much as her (very deep) team needs her to, and who has been around the league a few times, for everyone to see firsthand. 

I hope you're not suggesting that the POW should be awarded according to reputation, familiarity, or how one thinks the player would do if given more playing time--but I don't think it is in fact awarded that way. If anything, the POW awards seems to be spread around, among different players and different teams.

I did find a way to check out big point/rebound performances on the ncaa.org stats page, but stats are only available for division I so far, so that's no direct help. However, among DI women, there were about 4 instances of a player scoring more points in a game and a couple with a better rebound total. However, none was better at both. The situation among DI men was similar.

[Erm Schmigget]

The honor went to the player who consistently contributes as much as her (very deep) team needs her to, and who has been around the league a few times, for everyone to see firsthand. 

I hope you're not suggesting that the POW should be awarded according to reputation, familiarity, or how one thinks the player would do if given more playing time--but I don't think it is in fact awarded that way. If anything, the POW awards seems to be spread around, among different players and different teams.

Nope.  I'm only saying that may have been one approach voters took this time around.  Not to take anything away from Carrie's great game last Tuesday, but Verkaik's numbers against Purdue Calumet were more than twice what most players will get as a career best.  I don't really put much thought into the player of the week honors until they are announced, and then only to read a little about a quality effort, but I was surprised when I saw that someone else was named.

As for being spread around...  Most years, it seems that way.  This year it's been Carrie, Carissa, Carrie.  Next week Carissa?  

[realist]

Calvin has averaged 19 T.O's per game this year.  A quick check shows they averaged 20 T.O.'s per game last year in a 16-10 season.
Unless the T.O's per game come down markedly I think it spells trouble for Calvin once MIAA play starts.
Emily O has played in 5 games, and has averaged 21 minutes per game.

[Dark Knight]

Calvin has averaged 19 T.O's per game this year.  A quick check shows they averaged 20 T.O.'s per game last year in a 16-10 season.
Unless the T.O's per game come down markedly I think it spells trouble for Calvin once MIAA play starts.
Emily O has played in 5 games, and has averaged 21 minutes per game.

Calvin's 19 TOs per game is second best in the league; Hope is averaging 21.8. I don't think that's cause for too much concern, especially given the number of PT minutes going to freshmen.