MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Stinger]

My bad, i knew that. Thanks for the help hope1

[sac]

I don't think I have to remind anybody what a great series Hope/Albion has been the last few years.  Going all the way back to the MIAA Championship game in 1998 they've played 17 games, its Hope 9 Albion 8

Here's the last few games involving current players, I included 2002 because that was Greg Imminks Fr year.

'02   Hope 78   Albion 73 (H)      
'02   Albion 54   Hope 39 (A)      
'03   Hope 57   Albion 52 (A)      
'03    Albion 69   Hope 65 (H)   
'03           Hope 61   Albion 48 (A)  *MIAA Tournament
'04   Hope 71   Albion 61 (A)      
'04   Albion 76   Hope 60 (H)      
'05   Albion 68   Hope 44 (H)      
'05   Hope 68   Albion 59 (A)   

....of note is the '02 game when Hope scored 39 points, the best I've ever seen Hope defended.   Only twice in the last  4 years has one team scored more than 70.  Pretty outstanding defense played between these two and they really get after each other.

Also of note the home team hasn't won since 2002, pretty strange that neither team has been able to get it done on the home wood considering the hostile environments of the home gyms.  I believe we can now pass the mantle of toughest home gym to Albion, DeVos is comfortable not hostile.

Its interesting that a couple others have brought up 3 point shooting.  I dug up the boxes from last season.  In Holland Albion was 8-13 from 3  to Hope's 2-17 and won 68-44, in Albion the Brits were 4-18 to Hope's 5-7, Hope won that one 68-59.  I'd say 3pt shooting will definately be key.

This season both teams look to be even better on defense, I wouldn't at all be surprised to see a slow deliberate game in the 50's.

[dren]

'03   Hope 57   Albion 52 (A)      
'03    Albion 69   Hope 65 (H)   
'03           Hope 61   Albion 48 (A)  *MIAA Tournament
'04   Hope 71   Albion 61 (A)      
'04   Albion 76   Hope 60 (H)      
'05   Albion 68   Hope 44 (H)      
'05   Hope 68   Albion 59 (A)   

anyone else notice that the visitors have won the seven meetings?

[sac]

'03   Hope 57   Albion 52 (A)      
'03    Albion 69   Hope 65 (H)   
'03           Hope 61   Albion 48 (A)  *MIAA Tournament
'04   Hope 71   Albion 61 (A)      
'04   Albion 76   Hope 60 (H)      
'05   Albion 68   Hope 44 (H)      
'05   Hope 68   Albion 59 (A)   

anyone else notice that the visitors have won the seven meetings?

I thought I did.   

[dren]

"Also of note the home team hasn't won since 2002"

lol... you sure did

[MIdoubleA]

Who has the upper hand behind the arc this year?

In the last 2 games, Albion's top three shooters looks like this:

Silas: 8-10
Gibbons: 2-9
Bailey: 2-7
Overall: 12-36 or ~33%
Team overal last two games: 13-30 or 43%



In contrast, Hope's top three shooters:

Partridge: 5-8
Immink: 3-7
Voisin: 2-3 ( )
Overall: 10-18 or ~55%
Team Overall last two games: 17-34 or 50%

I took the top 3 to mean who made the most shots, not who attempted the most. It looks like Hope has a slight edge over Albion, but as we all know, numbers mean nothing on paper, only on the scoreboard.

[David Collinge]

Hope moves up to #2 and Albion to #4 this week, splitting 11 first place votes between them.  Your southern brethren Wittenberg and Wooster occupy spots #1 and #3, sharing 10 first place votes, and giving our vaunted region the top four slots and 21 of 25 votes for #1.  Congratulations and backslaps all around. 

Here's hoping for a classic Hope/Albion tilt that leaves both teams in the top 4 (much like the Witt/Woo game that left the rankings undisturbed.)

[Flying Dutch Fan]

WOW!!!!

Hope actually gets more #1 votes than any other team, although I think you could take the top 5 and draw them out of a hat and be as accruate as anyone else.

The Great Lakes looks awesome!

[sac]

Beat me too it FDF.

Hope moves to #2 with the most first place votes, if anything is clear its that the top 5 is unclear.

Albion garners 2 first place votes, how about two MIAA teams getting #1 votes.

O.k. so get ready for #2 Hope at #4 Albion 8)

[SBell]

Another transfer to Hope?

Word on the street is that's where Derek Van Solkema is headed, leaving EMU.

[hope1]

WOW THE GREAT LAKES REGION IS TOUGH THIS YEAR MAYBE IF HOPE GOES 2-0 THIS WEEK MAYBE 1 NEXT WEEK

[MIdoubleA]

Well it looks like I got what I wished for!

*inserts foot into mouth*

[Mr. Ypsi]

WOW THE GREAT LAKES REGION IS TOUGH THIS YEAR MAYBE IF HOPE GOES 2-0 THIS WEEK MAYBE 1 NEXT WEEK

That's my prediction - the winner of the Hope-Albion game (assuming they don't blow the other one!) is #1 next wek.

[sac]

Well I guess its public.......but it doesn't say anything about him actually enrolling at Hope or playing basketball.

http://www.emueagles.com/News/mbball/2006/1/9/DVSLeaves.asp?path=mbball

This would be a good pickup for the future, let alone this season.

[David Collinge]

That's my prediction - the winner of the Hope-Albion game (assuming they don't blow the other one!) is #1 next wek.

It's possible.  Witt has an 18-point lead on Hope, despite having one fewer vote for #1.  That says to me (with exaggeration for emphasis) that Witt is pretty solid in the 1-3 positions on the voters' ballots, while Hope's voters are all over the place, stretching down probably as low as 7th or 8th.  A quality road win would buoy the spirits of the voters who have Hope relatively low, and might provide enough boost to push them past Witt, even if Witt's voters stay firm.

If Albion wins the game, Witt stays #1, and the question is whether Albion makes up the rather large 38-point deficit to Wooster.