MBB: Midwest Conference

[The Roop]

Nice work Tom. Nobody has lost twice (yet) but no more than 7 or 8 are in danger of dropping out. That makes it difficult for LU to leap from #36 into the rankings this week.

[LU 05]

Given what MWC teams have done in the tournament in recent years, I would argue that makes the top team in the MWC deserving of a top 25 ranking. 

This was brought up earleir this week in the top 25 board

[LU_nut]

Roop

I think LU will get rated this week.  You are over-anlyzing things.  Teams ahead do not need to lose for a team to pass them.  The preseason poll starts things off and usually is way off.  Over time, voters realize where things should be.  LU05 has got it right, given the success the MWC has had recently in the post season, when it has a clear number one with a good record, they should be in the top10-20.   There are a bunch of teams ahead of them with 3 or more lossses.  They will pass those teams.   

I keep going back to two years ago.  LU had no preseason rating.  Oshkosh was number 2.  Gustavas was top 20 even though LU had just killed them on their court in the second round of the ncaa tourney....and gustavas lost their best player(by far).   Early polls are just plain often way off.   LU's rating early last year was unfortunately another example.

LU will be 22nd this week.(I am assuming roop like powers in that forecast).

Nut

[schwanman]

This weekend was a good indicator of why I'm not in the Pick 'Em league. I was 0-for-2 on my Monmouth and Lake Forest picks and missed a Knox game as well. I could have done just as well flipping a coin.

The Monmouth-St. Norbert game wound up being just what I thought it would be -- until OT, at least. Close, low-scoring and Monmouth COULD have won. But credit goes to St. Norbert for dominating the OT about as much as an OT can be dominated.

The loss to Beloit was disappointing, but the Bucs did hit some big shots, and Horton is a stud. The play of the game came when Terwelp encountered Horton in the lane on a charge or block call. Both had four fouls. I'm going to go against a lot of Monmouth fans and say the officials got the call right ... Terwelp did charge ... but had the call gone the other way, it's possible the outcome would have. Terwelp would have been at the line shooting two with two minutes to play, down five. Instead, Monmouth's only offensive weapon that day was on the bench and Beloit had the ball. Crivello hit a three, and it was basically game, set, match.

[larry_u]

Speaking of the pick-em, this weeks games are up, standings/ results will be up later today.  There is a TUESDAY NIGHT game, go get your picks in in time.

[scottie]

The Monmouh Scos are still #1 in my book.

[The Roop]

Save a copy of the pic, then post it on a flickr account. If you don't have one don't worry, it's free. "flickr.com" Once you post it on your flickr page you can copy the URL to your D3 profile.

[thevicar]

So I went to yesterday's Brandeis - Wash U game, and wasn't at all impressed with either team. Both teams looked very sloppy on offense, and Brandeis' defense was downright atrocious. Brandeis had some good shooters, and Wash U's big man was pretty impressive, but nothing beyond what I've seen in the Alex in past years from good Carroll and Ripon teams, and I think Braier's final team could have handled both teams with relative ease. Although I don't know about both teams at the same time...

[PC]

From where I sit the stories of the year so far are St Norbert and Ripon.

It seems that the deepest coaching staff in the country at St Norbert is paying off.  A sweep on the road is rare in this conference and proves that Norbert may win more that the ugliest new mascot award this year.  An upset this week??

And Ripon?  Who would have thought that the former premiere team in the league would be sitting at the bottom of the conference?  It is sad to see this storied program fall so far.  I do think they will still have a few "upsets" as the year progresses.

Honorable Mention has to go to Knox -- This team seems determined to send coach Heimann out with a season to remember.

Of course I think LU is no surprise, but it is great for the conference that they have rebounded from a slight let down last year and that the departure of Braier and Tharp in the last 2 years can not take the wind out of their sails.

[larry_u]

On a random tangent, after discussing how well Lawrence is doing under DePageter's leadship at coach,

John Tharp's Hillsdale College team in Michigan is 10-8, with a 5-5 conference record.


Just in case anyone cared.

[scottie]

Not really.  I get enough of him on the "I'm a MAC, I'm a PC" commercials.   

[Greek Tragedy]

I am surprised about Ripon being this bad, but I didn't expect them to compete for a tourney bid.  The league predicted them 6th.

You have to remember who they lost.  Schmitting, Bo Johnson and McMullen.  For them, that's huge.

I'm pretty sure Brandeis and Washington U are very good.  Two very good conference rivals playing each other...The high level of competition may skew the perception of talent since they would be pretty much even.

[The Roop]

Hey Tom,

Wanna go double or nothing on that popcorn I owe you ?? Beloit -4.5 @Ripon on Saturday.

Holla.................

[scottie]

Thanks, The Roop.

Scottie

[Greek Tragedy]

Hey Tom,

Wanna go double or nothing on that popcorn I owe you ?? Beloit -4.5 @Ripon on Saturday.

Holla.................

Sure.  You going to that game?  I'm thinking about it, depending where I am this weekend.

There is also Carroll v Lawrence and Eau Claire v Whitewater...