MBB: Midwest Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

Did anyone else notice that the CC over GC game (150-138) was almost exactly double the LU over MC game (75-68)?

Any significance for tomorrow?  Will Larry have trouble adjusting to twice the pace?  Will Carroll be too worn down against IC?

Thoughts?

[Gregory Sager]

I'd probably jokingly put your name in parentheses too if I knew it would get this kind of reaction.

To get the full effect, mention "preseason games" in there as well while you're at it. 

[falco1610]

A good win for Carroll, I was a little worried as at GC is always a tough one.  I would have hated to keep the book for that one.   There might be a let down tomorrow as CC is at IC but I think they will overcome and get another win due to the fact that they smoked em pretty good the first time... stranger things have happened though.  Good luck to both Pio teams in tomorrows games     

[Greek Tragedy]

Sam Johnson,

Wow.  There's a name NONE of us have seen in a long time!  I thought you were like, I don't know, not alive, or something.

Yeah, we all really wondered what the heck went on at the end of last year.  All of a sudden, you disappeared.  Taking a quote from one of my favorite movies, The Usual Suspects:

The greatest trick [Sam Johnson] ever pulled was convincing the [posters of the MWC] that he didn't exist!

So, anyway...living large in Madison now?  You can attend those great Edgewood games!  

Well, nice to see you back.  Hope you can post on occasion.  Maybe you can grace us with your presence more than once a year in the future!  

I'll actually be in Madison tomorrow to see the Pointers play Edgewood and then going to the Badger game.  If Minnesota wins tomorrow night, you won't want to be anywhere near me! lol.

[hjmphelp]

Have to mirror dc's comments about the Grinnell vs Carroll game. It was a fun game to watch and both teams played well. I have witnessed 3 of Grinnell's 4 losses and this is the first one that I can say Grinnell played as well as they have all year and just didn't have any answers. Just never had a chance to say they coulda won that one like I have in the other 2 losses I've seen.
A fine effort from both teams-nothing left on the bench, it was all left on the court. Some high points for me- Grinnell did a decent job keeping Schepper from the ball. However, he never flustered and in fact adjusted quite well to an ancillary role in this game. Chamberlain keeps getting better and better. THAT should bode well for the next two years. Grotberg got shut down form 3 pt range early in the 2nd half. I don't know if he just felt the touch go away or if the defense made the difference, but he started missing shots that would fall in the first half. No matter. He went inside and made his average. He also made some Carroll defenders look um...inadequate.  Mike had another complete game-what a difference maker he can be. Jack Kennedy has his best game in a Pioneer uniform and went 5-5 from treyland.
Carroll ran with Grinnell which made this very exciting to watch. Carroll is also the second team along with Knox to use the trey to beat us. Nice shootin' carroll!
Disappointed, yes but devastated? No. Carroll is a team that deserves its ranking. I would take this team over Wartburg in a bet any day. Looks to be very deep and seems to have the unders to deal with the loss of a great senior class next year.
One other thought-we are getting to see a taste of next year's Grinnell team (without Nordlund) and I like what i see. Just wish i was seein' Nordlund now!

One more volley in the Grotberg chronicles: My understanding is that John transfered several times during his HS career. He played his Jr year at Cranbrook (Thanks, Mr Coleman) and was injured during the summer before his senior year. He then may have finished up at Pioneer, but I'm not positive. It is a bit confusing, but solid time-consuming research always digs up the truth. try it sometime, OFS.

BTW, i saw nothing last night to change my mind. Unless Larry is hiding a first year, the best new freshman in the league is playing for Grinnell. I still can't believe i feel obligated to defend his ability from someone who has never seen him play!

[The Roop]

Having been to Lake Forest several times I may be answering my own question, but was anybody there that can tell about it It's hard to get a feel of the game by watching the streaming stats that LF has on their site. From those stats however it looks like both teams opened decent leads but could never deliver a knock out blow. LFs 3 failed them in the 2nd half and BC made 3 straight attempts after missing their previous 7. For now that apears to be the difference in the game.

[hjmphelp]

Almost forgot!

WELCOME BACK SAM!!!!!

[mwc4life]

"....but he started missing shots that would fall in the first half. No matter. He went inside and made his average."  -Jeffp


11-30 FG  2-13 3pt%.............but he got his 30 average.  Most players don't get 13 3pt. attempts before they decide to take it inside.  Just a little playful jousting for the morning   I'm sure he is the best freshman of his class.

But honestly Jeff, how much is Grinnell hurting from a guy like Nordlund being gone?  With a loss today to LU, things could get very interesting for Grinnell and not having a key senior leader out on the court could start to show. 

I know no one cares but Ripon won last night 85-60....really doesn't mean much without a victory in Lake Forest.

[mwc4life]

OH MY GOD...I FORGOT TOO


HI SAM....I thought you went to Hawaii and died...good to hear from you comish

[The Roop]

I care mwc4life, that RC-IC game made a difference in calculating Beloits QOWI. Which stands at 6.214 right now. Oooooooo, Aahhhhhhhhh.

Not sure I agree with how the points are awarded though. Yes, winning matters most but I think losing a close one @Carroll should count more than bludgeoning Maranatha @home

[Greek Tragedy]

OH MY GOD...I FORGOT TOO
HI SAM....I thought you went to Hawaii and died...good to hear from you comish

commish?  I'm hurt. 

[hjmphelp]

mwc4life-
we don't miss Paul at all. Not one bit. Not even a smidgeon.

a system secret-you have to take treys to make 'em; if you can't make 'em you trade deuces with a team like Carroll and lose.

I guess no one wants to go back and re-read the debate about scoring vs shooting, or back not so far in the debate where everone who has seen JG play says it is ALL the stuff he does, not just his low shooting %. Oh well. 

John Grotberg is the best 1st year in the league. Hands Down. Feet Down. Don't care what those of you who haven't seen him play think. I'll have to keep my ears covered and keep jumping up and down yelling things like "lalalalalalalalalalala" ti you do, eh?

[The Roop]

Another system secret is Grotberg wasn't offered a huge signing bonus to play there like most of their players are. Rather his is an incentive based contract until he gets upper classmen pay in two years. That's why he's scoring off the charts this year. 

[schwanman]

Monmouth 71, St. Norbert 58

Scots got up by 10 about 10 minutes in, and it stayed right around there the rest of the game.

[jeffdc]

LU 98, GC 79

Lawrence dominated the game and widened the lead in the 2nd half. GC's shooting was a bit cold when it counted and LU took great advantage of the turnovers.

A sad weekend in Grin-City...