MBB: Midwest Conference

[Pat Coleman]

"The Roop",

You are beginning to show SERIOUS signs of paranoia!  Hope beat no one of significance this week; Larry beat Carroll.  Lawrence was THREE SLOTS ahead of Hope.  Hope had ZERO first place votes last week, why would they this week?

Lawrence will OBVIOUSLY be #1 this week; the ONLY question is will it be unanymous (I'd say yes).

Hope might be ahead of Lawrence on some individual ballots. And with Wooster, B-W and Witt all losing this week, the gap between Lawrence and Hope could end up much less than three spots.

[hjmphelp]

Promised a recap of the GC vs LFC game as soon as I had internet access-

Grinnell lost.

[schwanman]

Been away for a while, but just wanted to catch up on a few things:

Lawrence was on CBS yesterday at halftime of the Illinois-Indiana game. I saw highlights of Braier, Kroeger and MacGillis, and there might have been more. Even though they're not my team, it's still way cool to see the MWC get major network coverage like that.

In regard to All-MWC, I posted five names back on Jan. 25 ... Braier, Drury, Grotberg, Hinz and Maclin. That would be one player from every playoff team, plus Hinz, who can't be left off the top unit. I would agree that Zick, Johnson and Beckford are also strong players, but I'll stick with my top five.

I guess that post got overlooked, kinda like my "Emerald Nuts" post after the Super Bowl (on page 148). Oh, well.

On a final note, I also posted on Jan. 25 that MSOE and Clarke were serious contenders to join the MWC. In the meantime, I have come across info backing that up. I'd certainly say it's possible they'll join, but I'd hesitate to use the word "probable" yet.

[scottie]

Hope might be ahead of Lawrence on some individual ballots. And with Wooster, B-W and Witt all losing this week, the gap between Lawrence and Hope could end up much less than three spots.

He writes with glee....   As always, thanks for the shot of confidence Pat.  We'll just assume that you're not campaigning with the voters right now to keep LU at #2.   

[systemfan86]

He writes with glee....   As always, thanks for the shot of confidence Pat.  We'll just assume that you're not campaigning with the voters right now to keep LU at #2.   

In his copious free time, I doubt Pat is campaigning one way or the other. 

I doubt that there will be enough voters willing to vote a 2 loss team ahead of an undefeated team to push Larry out of the #1 position. Interia seems to be a large factor in voting in any poll; a team has to make a big splash to jump a team ahead of them (that hasn't lost). Hope isn't even in first place in their conference, so let's just hold our powder and wait for the results before we start firing away.   

[scottie]

You know me, SF86.  I'm Mr. Ready, FIRE, Aim.  In fact, on my picture to the left, I'm actually cooling of the barrel of the ol' sidearm.   

[mwc4life]

Swannman beat me to this post:

Seth Davis (Sports Illustrated) talked about LU being the only undefeated team left in College basketball.  Really cool stuff.  It showed how packed LU's gym was and it really made me proud to have battled in that gym and to have played against those seniors.  It made me proud to have played in the MWC.  And for that I thank LU.  I am in awe of the amount of concentration and sacrafice that had to happen in order to go undefeated.  I can't imagine the amount of detication and hard work that those guys have put forth to have a season like this.  Congratulations...what an accomplishment.  I am now rooting for LU 100% of the way.  I hope those guys finish what they started. 

I'm I crazy to be rooting for these guys, being my hated rival?

As far as the Grotberg talk goes:

I picked Grotberg on second team for two reasons...I never saw him play for one, but secondly because he is a Freshman.  I realize it shouldn't matter what class you are in, but a guy like Johnson didn't even play his Freshman year....at all. He went from no time to averaging 18/gm last year and now close to 20/gm this year (along with 7 boards and a high shooting percentage from 3)  If Grotberg is as good as everyone says he is, he will have three more years to be first team and compete for MVP.

[viking68]

My grandmother emailed me this morning to tell me the Sports Trivia Question in her local paper (Fort Meyers, FL) -
Question: Who is the only undefeated men's college basketball team in the country this season?
Answer: The Lawrence University Vikings!!

Okay, okay, so it's not as cool as CBS or ESPN, but they are talking about us in Fort Meyers, FL - that can't be bad... Plus, my grandma volunteers to read the paper on the radio for the blind - so there is a whole contingent of blind Floridians who are hearing about Lawrence  !!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

So the whole debate is really over the 5th spot right?  I mean everyone is pretty much in agreement on the first four?

I think if its Grotberg or Johnson, its a dead heat.  I also think its more than appropriate to give it to Johnson based soley on seniority.  People putting in four years of effort deserve the get that kind of recognition.  I think Grotberg is a heck of a player, but he does have room for imporvment and he is just a freshman on a team that lends itself to team over individual accomplishments.

(Also, I think Schmitting loses out because his team didn't use him to his abilities; he could have been a shoe-in 5th if they played to his strengths).

[Early]

I think if its Grotberg or Johnson, its a dead heat.  I also think its more than appropriate to give it to Johnson based soley on seniority.  People putting in four years of effort deserve the get that kind of recognition.  I think Grotberg is a heck of a player, but he does have room for imporvment and he is just a freshman on a team that lends itself to team over individual accomplishments.

(Also, I think Schmitting loses out because his team didn't use him to his abilities; he could have been a shoe-in 5th if they played to his strengths).

I would have to agree with you here Hoops.  Johnson's numbers are hard to ignore, and seniority does have to play a factor....however Johnson is only a junior and has 3 years in. 

Schmitting can chew out his teammates over his second team selection.  But like 74%???  That is amazing!!

MWC, Bo did play his freshmen year.....he was 7 or 8 off the bench. (dang there goes my karma)

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Yeah, I'd leave Grotberg to the 2nd team if only because putting him on the top squad would be too much validation.  I have a hard time advocating for that when he's got so much he can improve.  The kid is lights out now, but he can get better and he has more developing to do.

[Pat Coleman]

DeNoble not renwed:
http://www.d3hoops.com/notables.php

[Dolph Stanley]

DeNoble not renwed:
http://www.d3hoops.com/notables.php

I don't know DeNoble well enough to comment on the move but St Norberts had clearly declined from the power that they were when they entered the MWC (or maybe others in the conference simply caught up.)

Either way, if a decsion to change coaches was to be made, I have to give credit to the ST Norberts AD for moving quickly allowing time to do a real search and still bring in someone well before the end of the school year.   

[scottie]

Dolph, amazing how you would have an opinion about a coaching change... 

As for Schmitting's 74%, he was finally named POW.  (see below)  Unfortunately, I think he only got that tie and collar about 74% completed before they snapped the picture.   

http://www.midwestconference.org/mbasketball/performers.asp

[Dolph Stanley]

Dolph, amazing how you would have an opinion about a coaching change... 

Actually, I have no opinion on the change, just that it was handled quickly which I think is the right way to it.

I just hope that DeNoble isn't Dutch or the HADO (Holland Anti-Defamation Organization) might well accuse the AD of being Anti-Orange.