MBB: Midwest Conference

[The Roop]

Is the Bremner transfer as sure of a thing as the Hoch transfer

I don't think anybody said the Hoch transfer was a sure thing, but Bremner has been on campus for a while now. 

[Huge LUser]

Hey guys, long time listener, first time poster.

Just wondering when people are going to start making conference predictions. I know it's early, but LU football is just not doing it for me.

Yes, I am another Lawrence poster!!!!

[The Roop]

WIAC
CCIW
UAA
MIAA
ODAC
MIAC
HCAC
NWC
ASW
MWC

[Huge LUser]

I forgot how quick witted The Roop was. 

I am anxious to see what people think is going to happen this winter in the Midwest Conference.

I would be sarcastic and angry if I rooted for Beloit as well.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I forgot how quick witted The Roop was. 

I am anxious to see what people think is going to happen this winter in the Midwest Conference.

I would be sarcastic and angry if I rooted for Beloit as well.

The Roop may be sarcastic, but I'm not sure about angry.

To elaborate on the question you did NOT ask, I'd say for the last several seasons (turnover in bball is faster than in most sports, since even one or two 'superstars' can do wonders as long as they have an at least adequate 'cast') the conferences have been:

CCIW, UAA, WIAC (alphabetical - pick your order by year )

then (behind, but knocking on the door)

NESCAC, ODAC.

I'd agree with his top five, except he left out NESCAC, and MIAA has lately been a two-team conference (Hope and Calvin).

I'm not brave enough to go beyond 5th!

And not foolhardy enough to rank the MWC until I hear a lot more!

[sac]

WIAC
CCIW
UAA
MIAA
ODAC
MIAC
HCAC
NWC
ASW
MWC

Any discussion about top conferences must include the OAC

I'd agree with his top five, except he left out NESCAC, and MIAA has lately been a two-team conference (Hope and Calvin).

We are only 3 years removed from the MIAA being very much a 3 team conference for a 3 or 4 year period.    Lest we forget Calvin had to beat Albion to reach the 2005 Final Four.  The Albion teams of 04, 05, 06 were very much NCAA tournament caliber teams.....and Albion's 2008 team was 1 game back going into the final week of that season.

In most years I'd put the MIAA outside the top 5, hovering closer to 10, the last couple and probably this year outside the top 10.  Only in our very best years does the MIAA come close to being one of the top 5, and thats rare.........but with that said, its champion makes a pretty good run in the tournament every 2 to 3 years on average.  As a league, we are a bit down right now.




FWIW, I think the MWC's stature as a basketball conference has grown in recent years.  At Hope, we've bumped heads with St. Norbert and Carroll in the tournament and both were tough competitive games.

[The Roop]

After the top 3 I was just grabbing them in the order they came to mind. No real attempt at actually ranking them was made. 

But as far as the MWC goes I line them up like this:
LU
CU
GC
SNC
RC
LFC
MC
IC
BC
KC

[Gregory Sager]

It's really more like this baker's dozen:

1. WIAC -- clear-cut perennial #1
2. CCIW -- clear-cut perennial #2
3. UAA -- within shouting distance of the top two, but not quite there
4. OAC -- historically strong top-to-bottom
5. NESCAC -- hard to gauge, since they play in a poor region and use that wimpy single round-robin format
6. ODAC -- most improved league over the past ten years
7. NJAC -- former powerhouse circuit has slipped in recent seasons
8. NWC -- has had three separate schools make good postseason showings in this decade
9. MWC -- second-most improved league over the past ten years
10. MIAA --Hope, Calvin, and sometimes Albion ... and then nothing but dross
11. Centennial -- best of a mediocre region
12. HCAC -- very good balance ranks it over the MIAC
13. MIAC -- can anybody hoop up there besides the Tommies and the Gusties?

[The Roop]

See what you've started Huge LUser................................

[fightintitan2006]

My MWC picks...
1. CU
2. LU
3. SNC
4. RC
5. GC
6. LFC
7. KC
8. BC
9. MC
10. IC

[bballer1280]

Now, the fun starts with today representing the first day of practice.  Also, for many D-3 colleges, one month from today represents the opening game of the actual regular season.  Thank goodness basketball has arrived.  I just love it.  Go, Grinnell College!!!

[PC]

Should be a interesting year in the MWC.  Some obeservations...

Will Ripon ever get back their swagger and push to the top of the conference?

Can an Illinois team step up this year?  Lake Forest?  Monmouth... if they ever stop playing that other sport.

Has the new facility at IC started to pay off on the recruiting side?

Will SNC finally push back into the top 4?

Where will Grinnell's scoring come from?

Is Lawrence really over the post Tharp hang-over?

Will the Rooper Hoopers reign supreme?

Questions to be answered in the coming months...

[Titan Q]

For help with my D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 ballot, can you guys help me sort out the 2010 MWC race?  I see some of that discussion above, but would appreciate all the help I can get.  Who do you see finishing, say, 1st through 3rd this year?

Thanks for your help!

[hickory_cornhusker]

For help with my D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 ballot, can you guys help me sort out the 2010 MWC race?  I see some of that discussion above, but would appreciate all the help I can get.  Who do you see finishing, say, 1st through 3rd this year?

Thanks for your help!

I think it's between Carroll and Lawrence for the top this year. After them it gets interesting. I think St. Norbert can pull out a third place finish. Grinnell just has too much scoring to replace but they will be near the top again. Ripon is my darkhorse pick. I don't think a conference championship is possible but I can see them playing on the last weekend in February.

[John Gleich]

Was St. Norbert's strong play (and then pretty historic downfall) just an anomaly last year, or was it something they can build on?  I thought I remembered Norbert leading the league... and then they quietly bowed out.  Or would that be loudly fell all over themselves?