MBB: Midwest Conference

[hjmphelp]

I continue to be disapointed by the officiating in the MWC as well this year. I don't know if a collective D3hoops howl to the MWC comish would make a difference, but I can only suggest that it needs to be improved a great deal. Both teams suffered here, and a lot of the bad calls both ways seemed to be at critical times in the game.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

(but he also does a good job using his arm that's off the dribble to create space between him and the man that's defending him, which I think should be an offensive foul but never really got called for it tonight)

Sadly, this never gets called anywhere anymore (or very rarely) so you can't fault the kid for doing it.

[hjmphelp]

Scottie-
Sorry I didn't give you more of a heads up, but i didn't know for sure I was going to TRY to go til Tuesday morning, and REALLY for sure until late morning.

God Bless my early-returning-from-break staff!

[Snydz822121]

JeffP - I would like to appologize for the post I posted earlier.  I deleted my post I posted earlier due to it being inappropriate and uncalled for.  I am sorry for that remark and sorry to those people it pissed off.

[hjmphelp]

Gratefully accepted, snydz. Consider the matter forgotten.

[Badger5]

I saw that T on Ripon and it confused me too.  My guess is that he may have been on a short leash with that ref already and some action caused him to blow the fuse.   Too bad, it did make a huge difference in sealing the game for LU, would have been real tight otherwise.

Saw the game at LU and the kid from Ripon bumped the official...the other official called it...I am guessing, because he saw the kid bump him.

[mwc4life]

Badger~

I think he probably deserved the T too, but who do you think knows more about the play?  The ref who it happened to or the ref, who by the way missed sooo many calls, who thought he saw a bump? All I'm saying is that you normally never see that happen...it should be up to the official who is having the altercation because he knows the circumstances better

-apologize for the over dramatic statement...I obviously wrote that before seeing the play-by-play stat sheet

-Is it becoming more clear to LU fans that 1) They aren't as tough as they have been (still better then anyone else in our league). 2.) Briaer again saves the day along with MaGillis...

-Steve Wood was the first guy that popped in my head when I saw Grotberg's stat line....in only 19 minutes!!!

-MC is 0-4 in the league...I wouldn't want to be playing those guys any time soon because they are due to bust out.

-Is Knox for real? They come in to play Ripon this weekend.  What about LFC?

-With a 4-0 start in the league, Grinnell has all but wrote its ticket to the conference tourney...one more road victory should seal it for a great home team.

-What happened to St. Norbert's program?

[systemfan86]

-With a 4-0 start in the league, Grinnell has all but wrote its ticket to the conference tourney...one more road victory should seal it for a great home team.

I hope you're right. I wondered about that when I looked at the league standings; although I think I approached it as "How many losses will get you into the tourney and does Grinnell have a chance to reached that threshold based on their 4-0 start?"

I was surprised when I looked at the standings and there were only 3 teams with overall records better than .500 (LU, GC, and Carroll). Given that GC only has to play Carroll once, and they get them in Iowa, it would appear at this point in the season that they have a decent chance. If nothing else, they are in control of their 'destiny' in that respect.

And, at the risk of jumping wa-a-a-y too far ahead, are we at a point where the right situation to get two teams into the NCAA tournment is taking shape? Given their ranking and unblemished record, Larry U is a very good bet. If they were to lose the automatic bid in the conference tournament, I'm pretty certain they get a bid anyway. If Carroll or Grinnell can get through the conference season with say, 2 (maybe 3) losses, and then lose in the conference tournament final. They might have a shot. Carroll is a probably step ahead of Grinnell at this point: they have 1 close home loss to a good UWO team and they beat a team that Grinnell lost to in Carthage; Grinnell's other loss at this point was at home, but was to a very good (currently #19) Wartburg. If either of these teams gets to 3-4 losses, they might have a chance.   

Of course, we have a long conference season to complete before we get there and I'm sure there a couple teams out there that will have a say in whether either of these teams get there.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Grinnell's been screwed before, but Carroll is getting respect.  It could be interesting to watch as it all plays out.

[d3bbfan]

after watching the BC LU game last night i would not count beloit out for a 4th place finish in the conf. They are much improved over last year and for a couple of to's right at the end, the game could have just as easily gone their way. i was dissapointed to not see horton play. i hear he is a difference maker in the paint when he's on the floor. i think if bc plays this weekend like they did last night they should win both against ic and knox.

[Maverick]

Hoops Fan - Glad to see that someone else feels the same way that I do on that offensive fould matter.  And you're right, I don't fault the kid for doing it since the referees let it go each and every time so he's smart enough to take advantage of that--but it does bother me that officials have let it get to the point where it's common to just let it slide.

jeffp - Sorry I couldn't figure out who you were across the gym from where I was at.  There were several guys that I thought could've been you but I didn't know for sure (obviously).

Snydz - You pissed someone off?  No way!   This is the first time I've checked the board since late last night so I missed whatever it was that you posted and angered people with.

mwc4life - I may have said this in a previous post (don't remember for sure), but it's  the same thing you were thinking...Grotberg is basically the second coming of Steve Wood.  He fills the same role in the system as Wood did during his time.  And speaking of Steve Wood, he was there at Glennie Gym last night; sat right behind the Grinnell bench while watching the game.  Also, as you said, MC is 0-4 in conference play right now but all of us Scots posters still believe that it could get turned around at anytime.  All 4 losses have been close games (the last 2 in OT) which could've gone either way down the stretch late in those games.

[jeffdc]

Grinnell's been screwed before, but Carroll is getting respect.  It could be interesting to watch as it all plays out.

?? How has GC been screwed before? Just curious.

[hjmphelp]

mwc4life-
response to 3 points:

IMHO, Grotberg is already as good as Steve Wood 10 games in to his Collegiate career. I can't think of any more complete player this early-unless maybe it was Ed Brands or a guy named Kincaid who, as a frosh in 1965 or so led GC to a 13-0 record before he got kicked out of school for plagarism. As I recall GC never won another game that season.

Monmouth has to be one of the best 0-4 (conference record) teams in the country. I wouldn't be surprised by any upward movement from this team.

Just a wee bit early to get on the GC Tourney Bandwagon quite yet, but SF86 is quite right in stating that GC controls its own destiny. I think they will have a shot at it, but this conference can chew you up and spit you out on the road.

Maverick-i was in the back row directly behind the GC bench and spent some time talking to Mission Man and Schwannman in the center-back row during the break between the men's and womens games and at intermission of the men's game and a bit at the end of the game. did I mention that I thought it was a great game?

[jeffdc]

You know, the thing I find fascinating about this exchange is, I just can't figure out if JeffP liked the game last night! He's so damn shy and introverted. 

[hjmphelp]

I don't care what anyone says, it was a GREAT GAME!