MBB: Midwest Conference

The Roop · October 02, 2006, 03:54:13 PM

Quote from: Hoops Fan on October 02, 2006, 12:48:37 PM
So, the government is spending too much money of the bigfoot helicopter training?

Flight training costs are not the concern. Bigfootae are simply too large to fit in the helicopters, that's why they have to be cross breed with the Chupacabras to produce a human sized hybrid. Therein lies most of the expense. It also causes the Chupacabras to fall behind in their cattle mutilation schedule during the cross breeding season.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · October 02, 2006, 03:56:05 PM

Quote from: The Roop on October 02, 2006, 03:54:13 PM
It also causes the Chupacabras to fall behind in their cattle mutilation schedule during the cross breeding season.

I don't think those [crazy] little devils care one bit!

The Roop · October 02, 2006, 05:09:16 PM

You'd be surprised. They take pride in their mutilation efficiency.

LU_nut · October 03, 2006, 12:58:42 PM

FightinTitan:: Thanks for starting some b-ball conversation. As the reining MWC picem champion, I am going to hold off on my predictions until I hear a bit more about returning players and freshman before I weigh in with my picks......however, I think you got it largely correct on your forecast. I think LU will have as much talent as anyone. Leadership will be a question with the losses they had. They have largely won on defense the last several years and lost a bunch of it last year. I still think they have as good a chance as anyone to win the conference.

Regarding the Shepler discussions: I personally think Shepler was a stud and is going to be missed. Titan2000, he lost his cool a time or two against Braier, but who wouldn't. Shepler had a very rare mix of talent for the MWC. Carroll is going to miss him....Toshner too.....he is not going to get near as many layups as he has the last two years. I also heard that Straton might not have returned to Carroll......can anyone confirm this?? I thought he would be Carroll's second best player this year and if he is gone, that will hurt.

Ripon is the one team I had wrong last year. I thought they would be really good and in fact they were not even average. Their first three players have as much talent as anyone and their coach is supposed to be good, so what happened? and what is going to change this year??? Many times, guys step up as seniors so maybe this will be their year. They sure missed Becker....maybe McMullen is not a point guard, but a 2 guard??

I do look for Grinnell to continue to improve, but I think they have a problem....LU and Carroll have figured out how to play them as well as anyone.

I do think St. Norbies might surprise....they played hard late last year and looked good.

I think poor Macklin is the most talented player in the conference and deserves better.

Lastly, I do not support expanding the post season tourney. First off, the conference has only been 2-3 deep the last three years in terms of teams that could potentially win an NCAA game. Secondly, I think the current setup makes the regular season relevant and expanding it further would lessen that fact.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · October 03, 2006, 02:00:52 PM

Quote from: LU_nut on October 03, 2006, 12:58:42 PM
I do look for Grinnell to continue to improve, but I think they have a problem....LU and Carroll have figured out how to play them as well as anyone.

From my slim perspective you are half right here. LU does know how to beat Grinnell, but it was only because of Braier and McGillis that they were able to do it. I'm not saying they won't beat them this year, but there will have to be some drastic improvements from the remaining players for it to work. Then again, that can be said of LU's performance against a lot of schools.

LU_nut · October 03, 2006, 03:24:05 PM

Hoops fan....I disagree. Braier and McGillis obviously played a big role, but it is just as much about the approach. LU sits their big guys(centers), plays their deep contingent of guards, making sure they have a couple of "finishers" on the court to convert the layups. They shoot absoutley no 3s. Two years ago, Holinbeck set the school scoring record against Grinnell. It is not just McGillis and Braier.

I guess we will see this year.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · October 03, 2006, 03:41:08 PM

I was just going on the one game I saw in person at GC last year. Grinnell couldn't hit a three to save their lives in the first half, but it was still close because the young guards from LU were making a lot of mental mistakes (which is expected of young players). In the second half Braier and McGillis took control of most of the ballhandling (at least getting it over halfcourt) and LU pulled away without much difficulty.

It was quite obvious to me that at the very least, it would have been a tight game without the two experienced Seniors in there to calm things.

I'm not saying the young guys can't step up now that they have an extra year of experience, but I wouldn't just gift them the title of "system-breakers" until they've done it on their own.

The Roop · October 03, 2006, 07:30:48 PM

I think "The System" is as much a psychological opponent as it is a physical one. Although I don't think adopting a special scheme against it is necessary. Take what they give you and play good defense is all you need. It's not like Grinnell has figured out a way to shoot 75% from the 3 point line.

fightintitan2006 · October 03, 2006, 07:56:21 PM

"It's not like Grinnell has figured out a way to shoot 75% from the 3 point line."

And if they do Roop? Then what

Just kidding

I have to agree with a little bit with both LU_nut and Hoopsfans about Grinnell/Carroll/Lawrence....the one thing I remember about carroll is they made sure their vets, Johnson and drury, mainly, were the ones breaking the first line of defense and once they got it up court they had stock piled enough athletic players on their bench, that those guys really only had to worry about running the two-on-one drill. I just took a glance at the CC GC box from the MWC tourney last year...CC's bench had 12 players combine for 76 points and anyone who saw Carroll knows they really only went seven or eight deep. That tells me they have the system beat, but if you don't have the guys to beat that first line or are too young, then there is where you fall into trouble.

John Gleich · October 03, 2006, 08:08:52 PM

Quote from: fightintitan2006 on October 03, 2006, 07:56:21 PM
And if they do Roop? Then what

Then they would rule the world!

.... along with any other team that managed that feat.

systemfan86 · October 04, 2006, 08:52:58 AM

Quote from: fightintitan2006 on October 03, 2006, 07:56:21 PM
"It's not like Grinnell has figured out a way to shoot 75% from the 3 point line."

And if they do Roop? Then what

Just kidding

I have to agree with a little bit with both LU_nut and Hoopsfans about Grinnell/Carroll/Lawrence....the one thing I remember about carroll is they made sure their vets, Johnson and drury, mainly, were the ones breaking the first line of defense and once they got it up court they had stock piled enough athletic players on their bench, that those guys really only had to worry about running the two-on-one drill. I just took a glance at the CC GC box from the MWC tourney last year...CC's bench had 12 players combine for 76 points and anyone who saw Carroll knows they really only went seven or eight deep. That tells me they have the system beat, but if you don't have the guys to beat that first line or are too young, then there is where you fall into trouble.

The interesting component in this discussion is that Grinnell was also playing a lot of young/first year players last year. So part of the discussion might be who will progress more.

Will the key Grinnell players (both of their all conference players were freshmen) get better at executing their game plan more than the young players from other teams that face them twice a year? Certainly with the low turnover of coaches in the league, there are few coaches unprepared to play the Pioneers. That might be just as important.

systemfan86 · October 04, 2006, 08:57:00 AM

The MWC site indicates that Tharp was recognized as the Wisc. College Basketball Coach of the Year.

Congrats to Coach Tharp.

Shouldn't he be moving on the greener pastures already? (Please?!)

Early · October 04, 2006, 09:02:24 AM

Quote from: LU_nut on October 03, 2006, 12:58:42 PM

Ripon is the one team I had wrong last year. I thought they would be really good and in fact they were not even average. Their first three players have as much talent as anyone and their coach is supposed to be good, so what happened? and what is going to change this year??? Many times, guys step up as seniors so maybe this will be their year. They sure missed Becker....maybe McMullen is not a point guard, but a 2 guard??

Ripon will go as far as their defense will take them. They gave up 80 points per game last year. It's tough to constantly be in a shoot out every night. A lot of the alumni were asking those same questions LU_nut.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · October 04, 2006, 09:03:42 AM

Quote from: systemfan86 on October 04, 2006, 08:57:00 AM
Shouldn't he be moving on the greener pastures already? (Please?!)

One would think, although I'm guessing it will take a couple of more good post-season runs before he gets the D1 call he's waiting for.

LU_nut · October 04, 2006, 11:57:30 AM

Early.... you make a good point on Ripon...it is the D, isn't it? That reinforces my lack of confidence in what they will do this year......given the strong senior class, they should be good. However, if they do not improve the D, it might not matter. Defense is the constant that allows you to beat average or poor teams, even when things are not clicking on offense.

Even given all that, I would still think they are top 4.