MBB: Midwest Conference

larry_u · February 16, 2012, 10:24:34 PM

Well...not a great season for the Vikes. But a season sweep of Ripon makes it a little better! Better Dead Than Red!!!

I only wish their loss last night knocked them out of the playoffs making it even sweeter....

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 16, 2012, 10:46:41 PM

If you missed tonight's Hoopsville show, the archive is already available: http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2011-12/feb16-show

Coach Conger was on the show around the 1:40/:45 mark.

The Roop · February 17, 2012, 04:07:40 AM

h-c, I think Beloit is a lot better now than they were even 10 games ago. Unfortunately it took them 12 games to get serious this season. They graduate talent so for next season I will close my eyes and cross my fingers. As for the 13-14 campaign they need to be in the MWC Tournament.

With Cornell coming in I wouldn't mind seeing a mid week 4 vs. 5 play in game for the tournament. As for lost class time, only 1 team would have to travel. I'm sure fraternity initiation results in more lost class time than that. Besides, only about half the schools in the conference whine about lost class time anyway.

jeffdc · February 17, 2012, 09:55:20 AM

Quote from: OBC on February 16, 2012, 10:21:36 AM
Perfect year for the MWC to get 2 teams in the NCAA tournament. If Lake Forest can win at Grinnell Saturday and then win the first MWC tournament game they will be 22-2. Then they can lose the MWC final (to Grinnell) and good chance they won't be dogged by the NCAA with a 22-3 record for some team with 6 losses from a "better" conference.

Seems unlikely. GC is perfect at home this year. Don't know why that would stop with LFC....I hope.

OBC · February 17, 2012, 01:44:34 PM

Jeffdc, I know. I am in a strange mood about this game. Always want to see Grinnell win, but that means we would have to beat LFC 3 times this year to advance (Again assuming the Foresters can beat Ripon/Carroll). That's a tall order. Also, if Lake Forest loses their last 2, or 2 of 3, they become a serious bubble team IMO.

jeffdc · February 17, 2012, 03:28:55 PM

Quote from: OBC on February 17, 2012, 01:44:34 PM
Jeffdc, I know. I am in a strange mood about this game. Always want to see Grinnell win, but that means we would have to beat LFC 3 times this year to advance (Again assuming the Foresters can beat Ripon/Carroll). That's a tall order. Also, if Lake Forest loses their last 2, or 2 of 3, they become a serious bubble team IMO.

Well...looking at it that way, it would be better for GC to beat LFC in their *2nd* matchup, true. But I think the team could use a confidence booster right now.

Greek Tragedy · February 17, 2012, 04:05:22 PM

Grinnell needs to win. If they lose, it's not going to be any easier to beat LF in the potential MWC Final.

OBC · February 17, 2012, 06:11:21 PM

I think you're right GT. A win for Grinnell is better for the players psyches. Gets into the Foresters heads, too.

Mr. Ypsi · February 17, 2012, 06:28:10 PM

Quote from: OBC on February 17, 2012, 06:11:21 PM
I think you're right GT. A win for Grinnell is better for the players psyches. Gets into the Foresters heads, too.

And as Gregory Sager always says (having beaten me to the punch) "It's hard to beat a team 3 times in a season is perhaps the silliest cliche in sports". If you have already beaten the team twice, it is FAR more likely that you've gotten into their heads than that 'NOW they know just how to beat you'! Oh really, then why didn't they!

(And why don't YOU now know how to beat them?)

Gregory Sager · February 18, 2012, 03:48:18 PM

Yep. The time of year has arrived when I mount my hobby horse and set out to slay that cliche.

OBC · February 18, 2012, 07:30:32 PM

It even sounds dumb to me, now that I think about it. Of course there are a lot of qualifiers, i.e. two good evenly matched teams who played close games against each other in the season.........oh, crap, I'm just making it worse.

Anyway, Grinnell handled Lake Forest today 112-101. It wasn't that close. Grinnell jumped out to a 21 point halftime lead, built it to 25 or so in the second half. Lake Forest closed the gap at the end and scored about 8 unanswered against the very deep end of the Grinnell bench.

The energy GC showed on senior night was outstanding. A nice all around performance.

Grinnell enters the Midwest Conference tournament as the only team to beat all the other tournament teams. We beat St. Norbert by 10 or so at our place and lost to them by 1 in De Pere after leading big late.
I like the Pioneers chances.

OBC · February 18, 2012, 07:43:41 PM

How does a team with Ripon's talent NOT MAKE THE TOURNAMENT? Well, congratulations to Carroll on closing strong and rounding out the MWC field.

jeffdc · February 18, 2012, 07:55:25 PM

Quote from: OBC on February 18, 2012, 07:30:32 PM
The energy GC showed on senior night was outstanding. A nice all around performance.

Grinnell enters the Midwest Conference tournament as the only team to beat all the other tournament teams. We beat St. Norbert by 10 or so at our place and lost to them by 1 in De Pere after leading big late.
I like the Pioneers chances.

I gotta agree. Commanding performance. And I am amazed Ripon isn't going to conference...

Maverick · February 18, 2012, 11:58:06 PM

Quote from: The Roop on February 16, 2012, 06:42:54 PM
hc - they will go by Ripon beating Beloit on Saturday, giving Ripon 11 wins. Since St. Norbert isn't likely to tank one against Lawrence, no tie breakers will come into play this year.

@Lake Forest vs. Ripon
Grinnell vs. St. Norbert

That is the MWC Tournament.

The Roop - Guess again.

scottie · February 19, 2012, 03:19:33 PM

Barring a national champion coming out of the MWC, the good guys will be riding the longest active winning streak (2). A little something to chew on in anticipation of the inevitable power shift in the Scots' favor.