MBB: Midwest Conference

[John Gleich]

FYI the T in Beloit is not silent, nor you do pronounce it like a Y.

Pronounced "bell-WAH" as everyone knows...  right?

[wc2viking]

LU pulls out the win 109-106.  LU missed 3 out of their last 4 free throws, but were fortunate that GC missed 2 3s at the end of the game.  GC was much more impressive than in the previous game against LU.  For one, they actually seemed to have a clue for what to do on offense when an open 3 wasn't immediately available.  They also seemed to play more unselfish ball overall.
LU played well enough to win, but they still seemed to give up too many offensive rebounds, and they let Grinnell score inside way too easily, even if they were trying to defend against the 3s.

[jeffdc]

LU 109, GC 106

Congrats to LU on a well-played game. Solid, confident playing most of the game.

And congrats to GC for coming really darn close to winning this one. The team never folded in the final minutes. Fine performances by Long, Davis (weaving in and under LU with some amazing moves), Grotberg (some amazing shots and defensive moves), Mahaffey, McDonald, and some key scoring by players that don't usually get much time, like Guzman and Preston. GC did a great job of rattling LU when it counted.

The refs? The old gray haired guy needs to find a nice retirement home somewhere. At least he handed out his calls with equal idiocy to both sides.

We didn't win but it was a hell of a game. Thanks, guys.

[wc2viking]

I neglected to mention that LU did play smart and patient offense for the most part.  This strategy worked particularly well as Chris Page used good positioning and solid finishing to score ~45 points.

Congrats to Beloit on their first conference win.

Wow, Carroll drops 2 games this weekend.  I didn't see that coming.

Now LU's next game against SNC becomes 1 vs. 2 in the conference.

[wc2viking]

Hey, I really tried to avoid talking about the officiating.  For anyone who is at the game (jeffdc), could you perhaps shed some light on the technical foul called on LU's #23 (Apelgren)?  The Grinnell announcers were just as confused as I was.

OK, after some googling I think I answered my own question.  My best guess is that the ref called face-guarding, intentionally trying to obstruct the player's vision.  So, in a "technical" sense, it was the right call.  However, since the rule is almost never enforced, it seems bizarre to suddenly pull it out for no reason here.  Heck, you could call that 50 times in most games.

[fightintitan2006]

No disrespect Roop, but have you ever considered that the T may be silent and that you have been pronouncing it wrong for all these years? 

[jeffdc]

the T was as you say technically correct. I think he moved in a tad too close (maybe within an inch? from where I was sitting). But I've seen plenty similar behavior at other games not called. Go figure.

[gobucs]

...Pat Kenny will be one of the best point guards in the conf before hes done.

I totally agree.  I saw him play vs. Grinnell and I was TOTALLY impressed.  Great ball handler/passer and scrappy.  BC sure has something to build around with him   Congrats to Vraney and staff for a nice win!

[LU_nut]

Roop

Congrats on your Beloit win.  You have know won more games than I thought beloit would for the entire year.  I must say, the same thing goes for Knox.

I do think Grinnell misses Chamberlin.  Page scores about half of those points if Chamberlin had been playing.  Still, a very good week for LU.  I was surprised by the Carroll fade.  I expected the St. Norb to be a trap game even before this weekend.  If LU can get past St. Norb this Wednesday, they could make a run at an undefeated regular season in the MWC.  As much as I thought they had as good a chance as anyone to win, I am a bit surprised.  The freshman from last year have made big steps up (Dekker and DeMatthew) and that has really helped the depth.

In my humble opionion, they deserve to make a major jump into the ratings, somewhere between 15 and 20.   The beat a good Oshkosh team that was rated and clubbed Point this week.  They have beat a good D2 team.  The have dominated a middle of the road conference so far.  That merits some attention.

Post season tourney could still be very interesting.  Lake Forest made Grinnell look bad last year and might regain that ability.  Grinnell will be ready to make noise if they get healthy.  Carroll and ST. Norbs would be dangerous because of their good guard play.   

I think Ripon surprises someone before the season is over.   Lastly, to you Grinnell fans.............. During is freshman year, I thought that Grotberg had clear d1 type abilities.  he had the rare talent you do not see a lot of in D3 ball of being able to create his own shot off the dribble.   I have got to say that I do not think he has gotten any better.   Is this your view or am I missing something?

Nut

[The Observation Deck]

Arseneault not playing for Grinnell - looks to be some sort of injury. 

Oh. I assumed they were planning to tie the record for fewest assists in a game.

[LU 05]

I cannot believe they actually called face-guarding.  I guess you have to expect anything when you go to the circus. 

[OshDude]

Anyone know what happened to Trevor Stratton from Carroll? Did he quit? Get cut?

I watched Bryan Beamish, Stratton's former Wisconsin Rapids HS teammate, play for Stevens Point tonight against Oshkosh, and it made me think of Stratton and Beamish lighting it up at HS sectionals in Oshkosh a few years ago. I thought Stratton could have been a great player at Carroll.

Oh, and go LU!

[Greek Tragedy]

LU 109, GC 106

Nice.  And I get to suffer through 79-55 in Appleton!

[The Roop]

In my humble opionion, they deserve to make a major jump into the ratings, somewhere between 15 and 20.   The beat a good Oshkosh team that was rated and clubbed Point this week.  They have beat a good D2 team.  The have dominated a middle of the road conference so far.  That merits some attention.

Nut,

They would need a 68 point jump just to get to the top 25. While that can happen it usually doesn't and here's why it won't this time. D2 wins can at times influence the rankings but Nova Southeastern is 7-9 and **1-2 vs. D3/NAIA competition, so I don't think beating them is any great feat. Yes, LU did beat Oshkosh that clubbed Point, but Point also clubbed LU earlier this year. That will make the voters go Hmmmmmmm.

LU will get more votes this week but I think the Top 25 is still another week away. Lets not forget about Lakeland in 05-06. 21-6 on the year and ranked 12th (I believe) but did not make the tournament. So while being ranked is nice it really doesn't mean anything when it comes to getting in the tournament.

I'd rather see an unranked LU (or any MWC team) make a run in the tournament. Rather than read next years media guide bragging about a ranking and forgetting to mention that they got bounced out in the first round.

**NSU has the Olivet Nazarene game listed as a D3 game but they are NAIA. So NSU is actually 1-1 vs. NAIA and 0-1 vs. D3.

[Greek Tragedy]

HOW THEY FARED (week of Jan. 21-27)       
      
#   1   Rochester (14-1) lost at Emory 81-76 (OT) and plays at Case Western Reserve Sun.
#   2   Brandeis (12-3) lost to Chicago 79-77 and hosts #4 Washington U. Sun
#   3   Amherst (16-2) won at So. Vermont 113-87, won at Middlebury 83-66, and won at #10 Williams 86-70
#   4   Washington U. (13-2) won at NYU 57-50 and plays at #2 Brandeis Sun.
#   5   Hope (14-2) won at Alma 81-55 and won at Calvin 79-76
#   6   UW-Whitewater (14-3) lost to UW-Platteville 79-73 and won at UW-Superior 86-55
#   7   UW-Stevens Point (14-4) def. UW-Eau Claire 57-44 and lost at #20 UW-Oshkosh 73-61
#   8   Mass.-Dartmouth (17-0) won at Rhode Island Coll. 77-70 and def. Western Conn. 72-67
#   9   Capital (15-2) def. Marietta 79-53 and won at Baldwin-Wallace 77-71
#   10   Williams (15-3) def. Trinity (CT) 65-48 and lost to #3 Amherst 86-70
#   11   Puget Sound (14-2) won at Lewis & Clark 92-87 (OT) and won at Willamette 90-75
#   12   Augustana (13-4) def. Millikin 71-63 and def. North Central (IL) 70-60
#   13   Elmhurst (13-4) won at North Park 66-39 and lost to #22 Wheaton (IL) 79-75 (OT)
#   14   Centre (14-1) def. #18 Millsaps 90-80 (OT) and hosts Hendrix Sun.
#   15   Mary Hardin-Baylor (13-3) def. Howard Payne 86-65 and def. Sul Ross St. 88-76
#   16   Virginia Wesleyan (13-3) def. Eastern Mennonite 97-92 and def. #19 Randolph-Macon 56-38
#   17   Plattsburgh St. (14-2) def. Geneseo St. 66-44 and def. Brockport St. 81-78 (OT)
#   18   Millsaps (14-2) lost at #14 Centre 90-80 (OT) and plays at DePauw Sun.
#   19   Randolph-Macon (14-3) def. Bridgewater (VA) 70-55 and lost at #16 Virginia Wesleyan 56-38
#   20   UW-Oshkosh (13-5) lost at Lawrence 81-78 and def. #7 UW-Stevens Point 73-61
#   21   Stevens (13-2) def. Drew 77-64 and plays at Elmira Sun.
#   22   Wheaton (IL) (13-4) lost at Illinois Wesleyan 63-60 and won at #13 Elmhurst 79-75 (OT)
#   23   Wooster (14-3) def. Denison 97-57 and def. Earlham 89-68
#   24   Roanoke (12-3) lost at Guilford 92-56, won at Hampden-Sydney 67-65, and hosts Lynchburg Sun.
#   25   Elizabethtown (14-2) lost at Lycoming 79-78 (OT) and def. Messiah 84-68