WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

[Erm Schmigget]

I wondered out-loud last night if Calvin might benefit from the "home court/home town" advantage the next two years at DeVos for the NCAA tournament.

We can only Hope.

We all know Mo recruits well and will, I'm sure, be ready to reload next year after losing his all-American and her four fellow senior teammates, but...

Our friends in Holland shouldn't be surprised how much different things will be without Snikkers, three other starters, and an important sub--but especially without Snikkers. Carrie is a one-in-a-generation kind of talent, much like Mark Veenstra and Steve Honderd were on the men's side when they played for Calvin. You just don't reload those kinds of players. Hope will be a good team, but not a dominant team next year while Calvin should be the clear favorite in the conference.

Considering the already great program that CS joined I am afraid we will never really know how good a player she might have been.  Unlike you I think Hope is going to miss her 4 teammates more than CS.  Take any one of the 5 away, and Hope is still great. 

As a devotee of the Hope women's program since Morehouse's teams started to show greatness, I can tell you that while each of the seniors will be missed, the team will redefine itself with current and new players, and will prove its strength is built upon a culture of team vs. individual.. CS is a special player and an outstanding individual, but there are others who have also contributed and others that will continue to, and the high level of play coming from Holland will carry on as it has through the coming and going of many great players.  I could list them, but you could all come up with a few on your own, and that will suffice for now...I am being dragged out the door.   

[Mr. Ypsi]

Have any of the Snikkers ever reveal how old Tom was before he could beat Carrie?

[fannie]

Any guesses on NCAA bid for Hope - where, when, if they even get a bid etc?  How about Calvin - where?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Any guesses on NCAA bid for Hope - where, when, if they even get a bid etc?  How about Calvin - where?

They are a 100% lock to get a C, but I haven't the foggiest where they will be sent.  If they had won the AQ, I'd estimate it at 85-90% certain they would have hosted.

[fannie]

Any chance Calvin might host???

[GoKnights68]

Great game today at VNA.  One of the best games I've ever seen.  It had it all - tight start, big lead, good comeback, great finish.  Congratulations to the Lady Knights!  I can see both of these teams making a big impact on the NCAA tournament.

Too bad Hope's team didn't have enough class to stick around for the award ceremony.  It looked a bit awkward when only their coach decided he better come back and watch after he had gone in also.  I guess they don't know how to handle themselves when they are on the other side of a championship game.

This is a ridiculous comment.  Show me the game when Calvin stays out for Hope to receive accolades.  You want to talk about how the Hope women handle themselves after being on the "other side" of a championship game, look at the video of last year's national tournament championship and the interviews afterward.  Besides, the Calvin men's and KVS's conspicuous absence after their loss nullifies what you have to say here.  Your uninformed opinion and snide remarks only make the Lady Knights' well-earned victory seem a bit less than what it should be. 

I say congratulations to the Calvin women today for their hard-fought win; congratulations to the Hope women for an excellent season and keep your chins up, you are and always have been graceful both in victory and defeat; congratulations to the Hope men on securing the MIAA bid for the national tournament; and congratulations to the Calvin men, especially the seniors, for another winning season.

You don't need to degrade the Calvin's men's basketball that bad by congratulating them for just having a winning record.  They didn't have a good season.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Any chance Calvin might host???

They have a very gaudy regional winning %, but a quite modest SoS.  A huge arena can't hurt!   Depending on who the other options are, I'd guess a better than 50-50 chance they host.

[fannie]

Thanks Mr. Ypsi - one more question - any chance Hope girls host?

[ziggy]

Any chance Calvin might host???

They have a very gaudy regional winning %, but a quite modest SoS.  A huge arena can't hurt!  Depending on who the other options are, I'd guess a better than 50-50 chance they host.

It looks like there is chance that Calvin could end the season as the #2 ranked team in the great lakes.

Calvin's problem is their SOS but that is also the case for Denison and Hanover so getting that second win over Hope could jump them up the rankings. Hope has a decent SOS but is now at a distinct head to head disadvantage to the Knights.

[wiz]

For a video of Calvin's winning play, see:

http://www.mlive.com/smallcolleges/grandrapids/index.ssf/2011/02/video_shows_calvins_buzzer_bea.html

It's a well-designed play, I must say. Not sure how often she makes a shot like that, but kudos to her for doing so.

Interesting to watch.  In the first meeting at Van Noord, Snikkers took the shot and Thomas got in her face and stood tall to try to obstruct the shot.  In the rematch, Thomas took the shot and Snikkers drifted over to defend but was just a step late in getting there.  Had she made it quicker, her height certainly would have been intimidating.  Same two people involved in the buzzer shot in both games.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thanks Mr. Ypsi - one more question - any chance Hope girls host?

IMO, VERY slight.  Pool C teams rarely host, and, with Calvin and Hope so near to each other, they would NOT import teams to Michigan for TWO 'pods' (and Calvin gets the nod if Michigan gets even one).  While I'm not nearly as familiar with the women's history as with the men's, I'll stick my neck out and predict Calvin hosts, while Hope gets sent to the Chicago area (VERY broadly defined ).  

[But, geez, don't send 'em to Bloomington - if Hope and IWU meet it should not be before at least round 4!  I always wanted to see a Snikkers/Solari showdown, but it is too late - Christina Solari graduated last May.]

[Out_Of_My_Kitchen]

It is going to be very interesting to see what the NCAA does with Hope.  Obviously one of the first teams, if not the first team, to get a Pool C, they will most likely have to be on the road.  Last years 1st and 2nd rounds they hosted DePauw, Denison and a Wisconsin team from the NAC.  I could see something very similar to this, except Denison hosts the pod. 

Thoughts?

[oldknight]

Thanks Mr. Ypsi - one more question - any chance Hope girls host?

IMO, VERY slight.  Pool C teams rarely host, and, with Calvin and Hope so near to each other, they would NOT import teams to Michigan for TWO 'pods' (and Calvin gets the nod if Michigan gets even one).  While I'm not nearly as familiar with the women's history as with the men's, I'll stick my neck out and predict Calvin hosts, while Hope gets sent to the Chicago area (VERY broadly defined ).  

It's true that Pool C's rarely host but I think Hope still has a good chance of getting a sectional. In 2005, the Albion men's team got in the NCAA's on a Pool C but went on to host a sectional that included Calvin, John Carroll and Mississippi College.

[Erm Schmigget]

Great game today at VNA.  One of the best games I've ever seen.  It had it all - tight start, big lead, good comeback, great finish.  Congratulations to the Lady Knights!  I can see both of these teams making a big impact on the NCAA tournament.

Too bad Hope's team didn't have enough class to stick around for the award ceremony.  It looked a bit awkward when only their coach decided he better come back and watch after he had gone in also.  I guess they don't know how to handle themselves when they are on the other side of a championship game.

This is a ridiculous comment.  Show me the game when Calvin stays out for Hope to receive accolades.  You want to talk about how the Hope women handle themselves after being on the "other side" of a championship game, look at the video of last year's national tournament championship and the interviews afterward.  Besides, the Calvin men's and KVS's conspicuous absence after their loss nullifies what you have to say here.  Your uninformed opinion and snide remarks only make the Lady Knights' well-earned victory seem a bit less than what it should be. 

I say congratulations to the Calvin women today for their hard-fought win; congratulations to the Hope women for an excellent season and keep your chins up, you are and always have been graceful both in victory and defeat; congratulations to the Hope men on securing the MIAA bid for the national tournament; and congratulations to the Calvin men, especially the seniors, for another winning season.

You don't need to degrade the Calvin's men's basketball that bad by congratulating them for just having a winning record.  They didn't have a good season.

No degrading to the Calvin men was ever intended.  That's not my style.  Sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't proposition.  I chose to be damned for offering praise.  Thanks for following through on the damning.   

[GoKnights68]

Great game today at VNA.  One of the best games I've ever seen.  It had it all - tight start, big lead, good comeback, great finish.  Congratulations to the Lady Knights!  I can see both of these teams making a big impact on the NCAA tournament.

Too bad Hope's team didn't have enough class to stick around for the award ceremony.  It looked a bit awkward when only their coach decided he better come back and watch after he had gone in also.  I guess they don't know how to handle themselves when they are on the other side of a championship game.

This is a ridiculous comment.  Show me the game when Calvin stays out for Hope to receive accolades.  You want to talk about how the Hope women handle themselves after being on the "other side" of a championship game, look at the video of last year's national tournament championship and the interviews afterward.  Besides, the Calvin men's and KVS's conspicuous absence after their loss nullifies what you have to say here.  Your uninformed opinion and snide remarks only make the Lady Knights' well-earned victory seem a bit less than what it should be. 

I say congratulations to the Calvin women today for their hard-fought win; congratulations to the Hope women for an excellent season and keep your chins up, you are and always have been graceful both in victory and defeat; congratulations to the Hope men on securing the MIAA bid for the national tournament; and congratulations to the Calvin men, especially the seniors, for another winning season.

You don't need to degrade the Calvin's men's basketball that bad by congratulating them for just having a winning record.  They didn't have a good season.

No degrading to the Calvin men was ever intended.  That's not my style.  Sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't proposition.  I chose to be damned for offering praise.  Thanks for following through on the damning.   

Wasn't intending on starting anything.  Although Calvin men have not have performed as well in recent years as Hope men, we Calvin fans and the administration still hold the men's program to very high standards each and every year.  That is all I was implying.