MBB: Midwest Conference

[cubs]

UWGB 97
Ripon 81  FINAL

Ripon actually led by 1 at the half.

[Mr. Ypsi]

cubs,

Sounds promising for Ripon!

That's actually VERY much what I'm expecting in the IWU vs. U of Illinois exhibition - I suspect (despite coaches' warnings) that we'll shock them early with how good d3 can be, but have virtually no chance long run.  Though, who knows, maybe we'll pull the biggest upset since Chamoinade - Virginia (except, as an exhibition, I suppose it wouldn't REALLY count)!

[Early]

jeffp,
I think players read this nonsense.  I know myself and most of my teamates were checking this site quite often.  Mainly my senior year I wanted to read what Kohl was posting while pretending to be working at his job.   

[lu_nut]

Very impressive performance by ripon.  It sounds like UWGB is down a bit for a D1 program, but very impressive anyway.  Sounds like the frontline played a very stong game.  Schmitting's numbers look very strong.

[cubs]

Here is the report from the UWGB website on the Ripon/UWGB game.  I can't seem to find a boxscore anywhere.

http://www.uwgb.edu/athletics/mbb/110105b.asp

[steve_kohl]

Ripon game last night:

First, Schmitting is a beast.  UWGB could not stop him, and i doubt anyone in the MWC will be able to either.  He should get a touch on every possession this year, which probably won't happen, because of ripon's perimeter based offense.

Second, this game was much closer than the final score.  Ripon not only had the lead at half, but they had the lead by 2 with around 10 minutes to go in the game.  I'm not going to blame the refs, but there were some questionable calls, and the fouls were 10 to 2 to start the second half in GB's favor.  A couple of technical fouls from Ripon didnt' help their cause either.  GB was in the double bonus with 10 minutes to go, and they made their free thows down the stretch.

Finally, i really like this Ripon team.  I was wondering if there was going to be a guy who stepped up his game this year other than the "big three" (McMullen, Johnson, Schmitting), and i was pleased to see that there was.  That guy was Paul Wise.  He played hard, and provided a much needed scoring punch as well.

I'm excited to see what the hawks can do the rest of the season.

[Early]

Way to go Hawks!!!

Kohl where did the T's come from? 
I checked out that website from cubs.  Interesting story.....mainly from the GB side, but it is THEIR website.  Schmitting excites me.....after all I was his coach when he was a freshman....I pretty much made him the player he is today. 
Good to see Paul Wise step up.  I know from talking to Coach G that he was pretty high on him his preseason.  Nice to see that. 

[mwc4life]

See Steve, I was telling you Schmitting is going to be a version of the "Manimal."  He was real tough with his back to the basket.  He scored 21pts. on 9/12 shooting and 8 boards.  I really don't have that much more to add.  Gillie got a tech. for seriously complaining about the foul count which was ridiculous and I seriously doubt UW-GB's coach gets a tech for what Gillie did (bush league).  Too many calls we "anticipation" calls on Ripon. But anyways there's no way Ripon was going to come out of there a winner (GB shot 30 FT's to Ripon's 8 in second half alone). They competed hard and should be proud of the way they played.  I seriously think Ripon made more "plays" then GB did and if they keep this up they should be serious contenders this year.  A UW-GB cop told me that we should win our league (MWC) easily.  I had to tell him that there's no way we win our league easily and just how competitive it is.  I think UW-GB fans thought Ripon was a really good D3 team, which they might be, but UW-GB has some major issues.  They are going to struggle this year.  

Besides the others that steve mentioned Eric Wright had 5 assists in 10 minutes in back up PG role and John Murphy was real physical and rebounded well.

McMullen had too many TO's but he knows that.  He actually did an OK job running the offense and getting the ball to Schmitting and Johnson....also crossed a couple dudes nasty.

[hjmphelp]

You guys are scarin' all the little kiddies out here with this talk! Just scarin' the pants offus! 

[cubs]

A couple of questions for those of you who were at the game last night.....

Anyone happen to know if a freshman by the name of Rich Cloeter played at all for Ripon last night??  If so, did he make much of a contribution??

Also, did the Werch kid from Ripon who transferred from Utah play much for UWGB?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I think a foul disparity is to be expected from a D3-d1 match-up.  Certainly the home team gets the benefit  of the doubt in calls, especially in an exhibition and there is always the added physicality needed when the opposition has bigger bodies.  It's nice to see Ripon putting up a good show--16 points is impressive no matter what level Green Bay is on this year.

The recap on the GB site tells the story though.  Green Bay scored 59 in the second half.  When a d3 school can keep the score low and play good defense, they stick around, but if you slip a little and open the gates, then the tides can turn real fast.

I'll be interested to see how this works for IWU tomorrow night.  Physically, they match up real well with the Illinois backcourt.  The frontcourt will have some work cut out for them, but aside from Dee Brown, I don't doubt that the IWU guards can handle the young Illini guys.

[mwc4life]

Cubs,

Cloeter played pretty well for a freshman in his first game.  He had a real nice steal on a help side slap-down, which stripped the ball and led to a bucket.  He also had a 3pter in the face of a UW-GB defender....but he did shoot a three pointer off the side of the backboard, but over-all he competed real hard and fought for rebounds against the bigger team.  On a side note, i know the kid can play cause i saw him score 18pts against Ripon HS in the first quarter one game. He is a 6'5 guard who reminds me a lot of Falls...maybe with a little more athletic ability.

Hoops fan,

I know, and that's a good observation.  I didn't expect Ripon to get any calls but the refs were actually the same refs that officiated the mwc conference championship game last year (i think one might have been missing).  But it was a crew that refs D3 games a lot.  I have been critical of these same officials before.  It just seems like they are consitantly bad for every team.  As far as staying close with GB, Ripon was within one or two when Johnson got his technical and then on the next play they got a three point play and the lead was 7.  That was a 5 or 6 point swing that eventually put GB on top.  Ripon kept fighting back but then there would be a foul.  30 to 8 ratio is always going to be tough to beat...not to mention ripon got 3 or 4 FT att. within the last minute of the game.

There is an obvious difference between Ill. program and UW-GB.  One has a player of the year on the team and the other lost four starters from its team last year.  If Weslyn stays within 20 that should be a moral victory.  Dee brown is just sooo fast up and down and there's no way Ill.wes. has the big men to stay with the Illini's...but maybe they do

[cubs]

Here is a link to a better write-up on the Ripon/UWGB game.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/sports/archive/sports_23224884.shtml


mwc-I assume you ar talking about former LU player Brendan Falls??


Anyone want to take a stab at the projected standings this season?  I figure both Lawrence and Carroll will be near the top, but who else has a chance to make the Conference Tourney this season??  I would assume Ripon, however they did lose a bit of talent from last season.

[The Roop]

For what it's worth (I haven't verified this 100% but think it's likely to be true) no MWC team has ever made it to the NCAA or MWC Tournament in years that they have faced Goucher in a Holiday Tournament. Lawrence and Beloit will both do so this year. Might as well scratch them from the field now.

[tps040580]

Ripon 12-4
Carroll 11-5
Lawrence 10-6
Lake Forest and Knox 9-7
Beloit 8-8
Grinnell and Monmouth 7-9
St. Norbert 4-12
Illinois College 3-13