MBB: Midwest Conference

[scottiedawg]

Here are my two cents on the Carroll-Hope game as a Hope fan.  Carroll came out shooting well early, and Hope forced three pointers that were not falling.  Once we decided to reign in the threes a bit, and play better defense, we started coming back, and then pulling away.  Drury hit a couple of shots early, and then was frustrated to no end by Hope's defense.  Desipte his seventeen points, I do not feel he played that well, and even though I think that, I see that he really is a good player, perhaps a great player, he was just shut down by some tough Hope team defense.  Colomy did a great job defending Cramer, by far the best anyone in the tournament has done.  Cramer's stats look huge, but he added about 8 free throws late.  Hope was deeper and played much fresher.  The rebound advantage of 52-28 is absolutely unheard of.  That speaks to either Carroll's lack of depth, lack of size, or lack of will, maybe a combination of the three.  Hope has some great athletes, with jumping ability, and long arms.  I was frustrated by the refs, but I am sure that Carroll fans were as well.  Sure there were questionable calls, but I would call the officiating a non-factor in the outcome.  I think Hope is the better team, and would win 7-8 out of 10 matchups.  Carroll and Hope are closer than the score indicates.  The Dutchmen are showing that early season losses, and a weak schedule mean nothing, as they are proving themselves to be a worthy tournament team. 

[The Roop]

The thing that has plagued Carroll at times this year has been the inability to score the "needed" basket to stop the bleeding. Boy, whoever wrote that preview of them on diehardfans page is a genius, because that's what happened tonight. If they could have kept it a little closer during Hopes run the game probably goes down to the wire. Not sure I agree with any officiating discrepancies but I do think they let too many things go. I realize it's the tournament and you have to let them play but only to a point. It got rougher out there than it needed to.

Hope and Carroll are pretty much even in my book. Each has different strengths and weaknesses but it all balances out. This was a really good D3 game. That being said, I think Wash U-Stevens Point was a really good D2 game. Very noticeable difference in the calibers of the teams from one game to the next. I've probably just jinxed Wash U now so best of luck to Hope in Salem.

This now makes 3 times I've seen the #1 team play in the round of 16. 1981, 2006 and 2007. They are now 0-3.

I'm not sure I saw the Wash U-Stevens Point game coming either but to be honest I knew very little, if anything about them. Point seemed to dominate the early going but every time you looked at the scoreboard Wash U was right there. Wash U cut it to 1 with a 3 at the buzzer to end the first half and it was pretty much their game after that. They play a little bigger than they are but they do have some muscle in the middle. Probably why Trinity (TX) gave so Point so much trouble two years ago.

Maybe if Point shoots a little better in the early going they do get the big lead and perhaps it's a different game. Facts are facts however and they didn't. As for Quandt......... It's not perfect but I'm not sure there is a bad seat in the house. Might want to consider vendors in the future though. I would have loved some popcorn but once you're seated the chance of getting out and back in isn't very good. 

[Dolph Stanley]

Roop,

It appears that Recruit X is one game away from that trip to Madison, correct?

Congratulations to Carroll on a great season and to Wash U on taking down the evil WIAC

[The Roop]

That would appear to be the case.

[Greek Tragedy]

I think Carroll threw the game away. They had an early 10 point lead or so, but then just missed some easy shots and felt the need to just run up and down the court as fast as they can.  As Swampgoon would say, "They don't know where they are going, but they are getting there in a hurry."  Some of the plays off rebounds were just insane.  Instead of slowing the play up and getting their heads on straight, the rebounder would try to dribble three guys and usually turn the ball over.  I talked to someone and they said that the turnovers were Carroll with 5 and Hope with 7 in the first half, or something like that, but it sure did seem a lot more than that. 

After getting beat on some transition plays when Hope didn't get back on defense, they adjusted and got everyone set before Carroll came up the court.  Carroll should've adjusted their game plan as well.  But, I don't think they did.  I don't know how many layups Carroll missed, but not only do they not get points, they let Hope come down and score, meaning a 4 point swing.  There was a sequence when a Carroll player was fouled on a 3-pointer, he missed two of them and then Hope came down and scored, then Carroll turned the ball over and Hope scored again...so, instead of something like a 13 point lead, it was 7.

As the boxscore shows, Carroll was killed on the boards.  I think Carroll had 28 rebounds and Hope had 23 OFFENSIVE rebounds.  Hope will need to be a lot better for them to beat Washington U tonight.  No offense to Hope, I just don't see anything special about them.  Maybe they'll prove me wrong.  I'm sure the Hope and Washington U. fans are saying the same thing about Point though! 

[diehardfan]

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I, sorry I could not travel both and be one traveller...

Greetings from the Lawrence University student center.... where I am right now just for the heck of it. The last time I was here I was here was 1998... nine years ago (!!!) for a prospective student visit, got strep (so I couldn't do my conservatory audition), and was sitting by the river loking at the paper mill and contemplating my future. Random. If I had gone to Lawrence, my team would have gotten to the Elite Eight twice, instead of making the tournament once and losing in the first round. On the other hand, I also wouldn't be the same person and I like who I am, so I guess things mostly worked out for the best.

Incidentally, Roop and I spoke at the game last night... without eating eachother... I'm sure that makes everyone here feel better.

[The Roop]

Spoke................. we sat together for an entire game. Maybe my memory is failing though. 

Apologies for my absense Saturday night. I dozed off on the couch watching the "exciting" Badgers game and woke up at 6:55. Didn't make sense to race to Point and only see the second half. So I split my time between the webcast and radio of another game.

In the other game I'm pleased to report that Recruit X and good ole New Roop City High punched their ticket to Madison next week.

[d3bbfan]

So the question is, now that Youngblood is out, does BC stand a better or worse chance of landing recruit x. With what sounds like most of the recruits bailing now that the coaching staff is gone, BC is gonna need some other recruits to show up next year.

I am still a BC fan so I hope they get some good kids otherwise it will be another tough year.

[Gregory Sager]

First off, I want to say congrats to Carroll on a great season. This is a great night for MWC basketball in my opinion...In a year where the league was down (the entire region probably was as well) Carroll knocked off two teams from "power conferences" in the tourney and gave it their best shot tonight.

The MIAC isn't really a power conference, fightintitan2006. However, that's no blemish either upon St. Thomas or the team from Waukesha that beat them. Everyone I know who saw St. Thomas over the past two seasons attested to the fact that Ike Rosefelt, Mike Keating, Bryan Schnettler & Co. were a quality team ... which means that Carroll can take due pride in beating them. But let's not get carried away about the conference from which the Tommies came; the MIAC has only sent three teams to the Final Four in 34 years, and the league as a whole went only 27-30 in non-conference play this season. Massey had the MIAC ranked 20th out of 40 D3 conferences.

[The Roop]

So the question is, now that Youngblood is out, does BC stand a better or worse chance of landing recruit x. With what sounds like most of the recruits bailing now that the coaching staff is gone, BC is gonna need some other recruits to show up next year.

I guess that goes against the MWC ideology of wanting kids to choose the school over the program. As for X, it probably doesn't make much of a difference. Although if kids are bailing out that would be a strong selling point as playing time is a concern of his.

[Dolph Stanley]

So the question is, now that Youngblood is out, does BC stand a better or worse chance of landing recruit x. With what sounds like most of the recruits bailing now that the coaching staff is gone, BC is gonna need some other recruits to show up next year.

I am still a BC fan so I hope they get some good kids otherwise it will be another tough year.

Can't help but laugh.  The team won 4 games this year.  Now we are being asked to buy in to the belief that next years recruiting class would have been the one that caused this program to turn the corner.  If only the coaching change had not been made perhaps those 3-4 McDonalds All Americans who all scored 28-29 on their ACT's and decided that they valued a Liberal Arts education and the social life in Beloit over the stages in LA, Columbus, Chapel Hill or Gainseville wouldhave been hitting the floor for the Bucs next year.

With no recruiting class next year this still can be a much improved team. 

[d3bbfan]

Laugh all you want "Dolph", but the facts are that kids who want to play basketball tend to want to play for a certain coach. They can can get a quality education anywhere. So if they felt comfortable with the ex-coaching staff and now they dont feel comfortable with the uncertainty of the changes, I think thats a normal and natural concern. Mayb some of them will still want to come because like The Roop says they see an oportunity for playing time.

And yes, talking with some of the coaches with the quality and shere nubers they were getting this next year, that freshman class could have made a huge impact. I know your hate for Cecil blinds you but the facts are most (if not all) of the kids were coming because they wanted to play for him and now that he's no longer there they are going to the other places that spent time recruiting them. Thwy will play for another coach they have gotten to know and trust, not some as of yet un-named, on-known coach.

And I will venture a bet with "Dolph" that if BC doesn't replace or allow the new coach some latitude with getting kids in late or with less then ideal credentials and some of the rumors I've heard about certain current BC players leaving, then it will be difficult for BC to match the 4 wins they got this past year.

Like I said, I'm a BC fan so I am hoping they get a quality coach, recruits and keep the kids they have and have a great year.

[Dolph Stanley]

And I will venture a bet with "Dolph" that if BC doesn't replace or allow the new coach some latitude with getting kids in late or with less then ideal credentials and some of the rumors I've heard about certain current BC players leaving, then it will be difficult for BC to match the 4 wins they got this past year.

How about this bet, regardless of who the new coach is and regardless of who leaves stays or enrolls, I will bet you that for each of the first three years the Bucs will have a better record than they did in the first three years under their most recent coach.  If you want to rule out the first year, fine.  Don't want to count the second, fine again.  We can do it all on the third season if that makes you feel better.  I'm willing to put up a Chapin Society donation if you are.  About time you stopped trying to cover the fact that you have been wrong time after time on this board and put your money where your mouth is don't you think.

I would also take any bet you want to make on the Bucs getting in to the MWC tournament more times over the next nine seasons than they did in the previous nine, regardless of how many coaches may come and go as well as a blind bet that they will win more games nine seasons from now than they did this year with no idea who the coach will be or what the roster will look like.  Any interest ?

Funny thing is, you have already hedged your bet with your comments about letting a new coach have some latitude in getting kids in as if the past coach didn't.  Yet, when I pointed out one of several examples of where this did happen you pulled you usual vanishing act.  I'm sure that any success enjoyed by the new  coach will be attributed to how much easier he had it in your postings.

[d3bbfan]

I would never want to go up against the all knowing and powerful "Dolph".

For every kid that you claim was let in by addmissions I can give you examples of 5 that they didn't.

But you have the inside knowledge of what has happened behind the basketball and admission doors so theres no way I can compete with your all knowing knowledge. I have never sat with any of the coaches and got there direst perspective on things and I've never talked with the head of admissions about getting kids in. Kids with solid gpa's and mid 20's act's that were wait listed and gone elsewhere.  I know absolutly knowthing compared to you.

I know certain things about what has gone on there for years and I'll leave it at that.

BTW I already give a heafty amount to my alma matter.

And as Ive stated all along I truly hope they have success no matter who the coach is.

I know certain things about what has gone on there for years and I'll leave it at that.

I'm out till next year. "dolph" your hate can end anytime.

Best of luck Bucs.

[The Roop]

Hopefully we will know soon so the recruiting process gets as fair a chance under the circumstances as possible. Who knows, maybe once a coach is named that some of the prospects will still come. Can't really see a mass exodus of current players however. Lets face it, everybody except the 1st years/10s (aka freshmen) will be halfway to graduation already.

And for what it's worth I already have a Recruit Y in the works for the 08-09 season. Even has ties to BC. Needs to put some weight on though. Zatarains Red Beans and Rice on a daily basis will fix that problem.