MBB: Midwest Conference

[gobucs]

Nice game bucs, although way too many missed free-throws again.  In reply to The Game-Towns isn't starting because of a badly sprained ankle.  He's just not getting enough rest between games to let it heal.  It's still carrying quite a bit of swelling.  It's also thrown off his shot, as he can't jump as well.  It's too bad, he started the season like a ball of fire, he had 3 crucial assists last nite though that helped get the "W".  He's very disappointed to go out his senior year with an ankle injury, but will help in any way possible.  I don't have a clue why Bystad hasn't played the last 2 games??  The Bucs will have to play much more polished this weekend if they are to pick up a couple.  Missed free-throws has cost them 3 victories this year-LU, Carroll and IC.

[jeffdc]

I saw one post from Fireball that didn't seem to line up with the play-by-play - thus my curiosity.

well, on to Carroll and Lawrence this weekend!

[FireBall]

I noticed that with 8 seconds left and Knox up by three, they fouled the Grinnell player.  I wonder if this was done on purpose to put him on the line.  Two free throws instead of a three point attempt, and no Nordlund to compete for the rebound.  If it was done on purpose, that was good coaching.  But my hunch, however, was that it was dumb luck on the part of Knox.

Haha I take it you're from Monmouth with the Anti-Knox comment.  It's cool.  Thanks for the nice comment.  That's shocking.  But yes, that foul was done on purpose.  The old "unintentional intentional" foul.

[FireBall]

I saw one post from Fireball that didn't seem to line up with the play-by-play - thus my curiosity.

It didn't line up exactly with the play-by-play because I posted that a little bit after the game was over and it was all from memory.  It wasn't an exact duplication of the play-by-play, but I wasn't taking notes during the game to it's a little bit difficult to get it "exactly" right.

[hjmphelp]

FireBall-
was that kind of like the 'unintentinal intentional' foul that DID get called on Idrissa in the first half?

[scottie]

Fireball, My name is SCOTTIE so I must be from....ummm....Beloit.  

OF COURSE I'M FROM MONMOUTH!!   

But, I'll give credit where credit is due.  Knox is doing well so far (as many of us would expect with Maclin and Zick on their roster).

[FireBall]

Scottie,

Ya ya you got me.  It was dumb on my part.  I'm new here and wasn't really paying attention.  Lesson learned. Thanks for the credit though - it's definately shocking coming from Monmouth. 

Quick question for you though - What's up with Monmouth?  I was very impressed by them during our game a couple of weeks ago, but just one win so far?  I know that you guys have lost 3 OT conference game (one being Knox/Monmouth) but does that, in any way, sort of sum up the season so far?  Or have you guys just not hit your stride yet? 

[schwanman]

Price is scheduled to be back next year. I really like what I'm seeing from him lately.

As much as I side with Scottie, I have to concede that Knox is in the driver's seat for a playoff berth. A 5-3 record already, with their next three at home vs. St. Norbert, Beloit and Lake Forest.

If they do indeed improve to 8-3, that should be enough to git-r-done.

[FireBall]

FireBall-
was that kind of like the 'unintentinal intentional' foul that DID get called on Idrissa in the first half?

Haha.  Ya kinda.  Although I have to admit that was kind of a bogus call on Idrissa (the Intentional part, not the actual foul).  Idrissa was trailing the play and did grab his shirt from the back in an effort to slow him up (but I'm not Idrissa, so there's no way I can know what he was 'actually' trying to do).  

But to be fair (at least in my eyes) it was at a different time in the game.  When Knox "unintentionally intentionally" fouled at the end of the game, everyone in the building knew that a foul is coming - plus there was an attempt at the ball, however half-hearted it was.  Idrissa's foul was during the middle of a fast break, at the top of the key, in the middle of the 2nd (?) half, I can't remember exactly when it happened, but I do remember the play.  

It was a foul, but given the nature of the game at the time, I didn't think it needed to be an Intentional.  It was one of those (many) times where I think the refs let the crowd and the situation get to them.

[hjmphelp]

Welcome to the board, FireBall! Its great to have another poster as always, and especially good to see Knox represented a little more.

As much as your fans were complaining in the first 30 minutes, I know you have to have some questions about the quality of officiating in the MWC. This conference has become such a great basketball conference that it is time to clean up this glaring problem. So many of you have complained  that it is apparent the problem in the conference is widspread. I know some of you feel you get screwed when you come to Grinnell, and that is embarrassing as well. It was REEELLY embarassing to have to keep apologizing to Roop when he came down for the Grinnell-Beloit game. I see a few games each year in HS< the Iowa Conference, NAIA and very occasionally the Iowa Juco league (one of the best in the country) and none of them are as incompetent as those in the MWC.
Not to take anything away from your victory here at all. Knox played lights out in the second half after a shaky start. Macklin was amazing from 3 pt range. It was obvious that Heimann knew where the defensive weakness was for this team, and how to exploit it. I would also like to say how proud I am of the Grinnell players. Through all the crap they never complained or even showed much negative emotion. They were very workmanlike and concentrated in their approach throughout the game. Outside of the 8pt Knox run in that one minute period at the 10 minute mark or so in the second half, they never lost composure. This was not a question of Grinnell folding or getting rattled. Every attempt at a run or comeback was thwarted by questionable calls and great shooting by Knox. Jack Kennedy deserves special merit for helping keep heads together on the bench as does Paul Nordlund for helping run the show in Coach A's absence. I just think fans everywhere in this conference deserve better than what we got last night.

Our deepest sympathy  goes out to Coach A and his family-especially Mrs Arseneault- for your loss. We will keep you in our thoughts, and look forward to your return. You would have been very proud of your team and your son for the performance last night.

[FireBall]

jeffp,

Thank you for being civil in your response.  Definately condolances go to the Arseneault family.  Coach Arseneault and Coach Heimann are good friends and I'm sure that Coach Heimann was disappointed in not seeing his friend on the sideline with him.

When I decided to join this board and start posting (yesterday) I was a little concerned that this board was nothing but name-calling, bragging, and general posturing.  Although, quickly, reading through this years discussion of MWC basketball I see that is not the case.  Hopefully it can stay this way throughout the rest of the year and we can have civil, adult conversations while still supporting our teams.

That being said, Knox fans (it's kind of awkward being the spokesman for the entire school, parents, fans, etc. on this board) were pretty upset through the course of the game at the officials, and like you said, it was not without merit.  I noticed that Grinnell fans were quite upset with the officials too, especially late in the game - also not without merit.  It's odd though because Knox has had those officials work quite a few of our games in previous years and we've never had a problem with any of them.  I just feel, and maybe I'm alone on this, that the officials let the heat of the game and the passion on the floor and in the stands get to them a little bit.  They're human and it happens, although it does kind of put a sour note (at least in this discussion) on what I thought was one of the best games that I've ever seen. 

I thought that Grinnell played amazing for most of the game and can see why you guys are pretty much a lock for a seed in the conference tourney.  Through everything, I thought both teams handled themselves on the floor quite well and represented their schools nicely.  Basketball is a game of runs and slumps, and especially in Grinnell's system, runs and slumps occur quite frequently.  Knox happened to hit their big run at the right time.  The game at Grinnell on Feb. 15 should be a good one and I'm disappointed that I'll have to miss it.  Hopefully I'll get to see another KC/GC game in the conference tourney at the end of February.

[mwc4life]

I went to the RC vs. CC game lastnight and went home very disappointed.  Ripon battled tough through the first 20 minutes, but struggled to form any type of offense in the 2nd half. 

As usuall, Brian Schmitting had another great game scoring 19 pts. 10 bounds (8/11 FG%) in only 24 minutes!!!  Ripon did a better job...not good...better job of getting him the ball, but it was hardly enough.  He scored most his points off loose balls, rebounds, drive and dish.  I need/want/beg the Ripon players to feed him the ball more....force it if you have to.  It's obvious that he is your best player and it's time to start treating him like he is.

I was very impressed with Drury.  He is always moving and showed the ability to hit the mid-range/floater/3pt. shot.  He also did a very good job of finding the open man.  CC plays very well together and even better at home.  I thought Ripon had a chance to win, but once they got away from the big guy and continued to stay in that brutal zone they played, it was over.  CC only down fall is their size.  They can really be hurt by a bigger team inside, but they definitely make up for it with quickness and good a good help side.

All in all it looks like LU and CC are two very balanced, well-coached teams.  Should be interesting to see who will end up taking the title.

Believe it or not, I still haven't given up on Ripon's chances, but with Knox playing so well, it really doesn't look like it's going to happen. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Perhaps the problem is not the refs themselves, but the preparation that they are given.  I don't know if there is any standard training for refs in the MWC; I don't know anything about the officials in the MWC.  However, if there is some measure of training, they are prepared for the GC system.  However, since the rise of the MWC in recent years has led to better athletes and more talent, the refs may not be up to par on the abilities of these athletes.  I've officiated plenty of basketball on all different levels (although never as a professional).  At each level there are calls you can make blind.  When the ball goes up, the defender got the hand; when the ball goes down, the defender got the ball.  Things of that nature.  Basically, the athletes at the lower level of d3 basketball cannot physically do the same things that better d3 athletes can.  You have to understand the differences and what impapct those differences have on officiating and play.

I see the MWC emerging as an elite league (sorry to those of you who have always considered it such) and this is one of the major challenges to that process.

Just some thoughts; I'm not in on the particulars.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

mwc4life,

Thanks for the rundown.  I was wondering by the score whether Carroll is just that much better than Ripon or if Ripon struggled.  I know Carroll is a great team, but I didn't figure them to be that much better than RC.  Your insight was very helpful.

[Greek Tragedy]

Fireball, My name is SCOTTIE so I must be from....ummm....Beloit.  

OF COURSE I'M FROM MONMOUTH!!   

My name is Tom, but I'm not from St. Thomas! 

Anyway, here's a question for you MWCers

With the merger of the LMC and the NIIC next year, there is a lot of talk on the LMC board about MSOE (and I think teams like Edgewood and Concordia) not joining, but rather making the possibility of trying to join the MWC!

Have any of you heard of these rumors and what are the chances the MWC would actually expand?  Any inside info??