MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[iceBerg]

Couple of thoughts:

- Bosch did indeed play some good minutes off the bench - and that block was incredible.

- Marcus and Jesse were both dominating scorers tonight - and a powerful dunk by Jesse really lit the crowd on fire late in the second half.

- Your going to win a lot of games shooting 54% from the floor, 55% from three, and 81% from the line.

- The last three games, Hope's halftime adjustments have been great - signs of another great job by GVW.

I agree, Hope's halftime adjustments have been great.  If only GVW could get the team out of the gates that way.

On Carter, I wonder if coming in with the scrubs is indicative of the fact that his ankle may not be 100% yet.  We have much to look forward to with Carter!

[Dutch_Man]

I am so pleased to know that I will see the Dutchmen play next weekend!!! Back to the round of 16 and another Ohio team. It will be very interesting to see where we will be next weekend. How great would  it be to be at home again!

Well it sounded like Hope really made a statement tonight. Their shooting percentage was incredible. I was expecting them to come down a bit after such a great first half but they continued it throughout the entire game. I knew that GVW was going to have to make some serious adjustments on the boards if they wanted to in this game and they did. Hope dominated the boards the second half and it proved to really take Capital out of the game.

Way to go HOPE! The dance continues!

[Erm Schmigget]

Great game tonight, and Hope certainly maintained the level of performance we've enjoyed watching the last few weeks.  If they continue the way they're playing, there may be some Hope fans willing to sell their Women's Final Four tickets.   

[HopeConvert]

Does anyone have any idea what time tomorrow the NCAA will be announcing the sectional locations?

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I heard it would be at 7pm

[scottiedawg]

Wonderful adjustments again by GVW.  This team is deep, multi-faceted, focused, senior-driven, and could be very special.  The boys just have that look in their eyes and were able to summon something extra when needed. 

On the hosting note, the only way the Hope men do not host is if the NCAA grants the women a hosting site.  I do not believe this will happen for three reasons:
1. Howard Payne is the #1 seed in the regional
2. No team is within 500 miles of another team (TX, PA, OR, MI) so since three teams will fly no matter where the regional is held, the #1 seed will host.
3. The NCAA would rather not give the Lady Dutch the possibility of home-court advantage for their last four games of the tournament.

SO, unless people are planning to pay for airfare, I will see all of you at DeVos next Friday to cheer on the Dutchmen! 

[scottiedawg]

Ryan Klein's Defense

MIAA Semi-Final vs Adrian
Desmond Young-16 first half points-Enter Klein-4 points in next 10 minutes, 4 points in final 10 minutes

MIAA Championship vs Calvin
Derek Griffin-15 first half points-Enter Klein-2 points in next 10 minutes, 6 points in final 10 minutes

NCAA Second Round
Nate Stahl-16 first half point-Enter Klein-2 points in next 10 minutes, 5 points in final 10 minutes

(The assumption being that sometime around the 10 minute mark, these games were decided). 

Yeoman's work being done by Klein.

[HopeConvert]

I don't think it's a given that HPU is the number one seed. Byes can be given for geographical reasons.

Also - looks as if Whitworth will be rounding off the sectional.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Looking over the teams (for both the men and women) I gotta believe the men will be hosting - although I wish they both could.  The women (IMHO) will most likely be going to Howard Payne in Texas.  The reason I think this happens is two-fold.  H.P. is the top ranked team, and all four teams are at least 700+ miles from each other, meaning 3 teams are flying somewhere, so it makes sense for the top team to host.  If the women aren't hosting, then the men have to be chosen based on their ranking.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I don't think it's a given that HPU is the number one seed. Byes can be given for geographical reasons.

Also - looks as if Whitworth will be rounding off the sectional.

Yes, but HPU was at #1 in all of the published regional rankings.  Hope was actually third

[scottiedawg]

I don't think it's a given that HPU is the number one seed. Byes can be given for geographical reasons.

Also - looks as if Whitworth will be rounding off the sectional.

Howard Payne's OWP was 80 to Hope's 216.  Both were undefeated in region.  Draw your own conclusions.

And George Fox is currently leading Puget Sound for the last spot.  But Oregon vs Washington doesn't make a difference.

[sac]

Geez I think the Capital coach pretty much summed it up better than any of us can.

"They showed their maturity and their toughness and they picked up their defensive effort,  That's what good teams do. And when guys shoot the ball well as they did, it's tough to win games."
----Damon Goodwin, Capital's head coach.


I thought the difference was the defensive effort in the second, Hope was getting stops and when Capital really needed one, they just couldn't get one and Hope ended up running away.  It felt like Hope scored almost every posession in the 2nd, though I know that isn't true.

Stahl got 7 2nd half points, 2 came off a fast break, and a 3 which came after they screened Ryan Klein 3 times to get him open.  Basically Ryan Klein shut the kid down in the 2nd half.  Hope also did a better job defending the post and were less willing to give ground.   All those easy first half layups weren't as available in the 2nd half.

There were several plays tonight where Hope just showed they wanted it more, DVS's scramble and timeout, Reimink taking the ball away on a rebound from 3 Cap players and laying it in for 2, as a couple of examples.  Lots of good fight out there.  Hope's bench didn't score but each of the guys had big plays at some point.  Bosch's block, Tanis steal, Osburn hustle for boards etc.

http://miaa.org/mbb/stats/0708/0308capt.htm

I was hopefull Hope's defense would be the decisive factor and I think it was, along with the 3 point shooting.  After seeing them Thursday, I just felt that Cap was big and strong and could really give Hope problems underneath, I was certain Hope would face some foul trouble adversity but they stayed out of it and that was another big key.  However it was obvious Capital didn't play defense as well as Hope and that they let Bethany get (and miss) alot of 3's that Hope was just going to bury.  

March is about moving on,  Hope's moving on.

[scottiedawg]

Last 3 games

Hope's First Half Offense=38
Hope's Second Half Offense=49.67
Hope's First Half Defense=35.67
Hope's Second Half Defense=33.67


Kind of interesting that our defense isn't statistically that stronger in the second half.  Then again, maybe those two points are bigger than we think.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Of course you might consider that some of the 12 extra points in the second half are coming from the defense (steals, etc), and that with big leads, the opponent scores some points when the outcome has laready been decided.

[sac]

Looks like Whitworth will win over Occidental, so they'll join Hope, Ohio Wesleyan and Wheaton. 

I think Hope's the #1 choice on the men's side, it all comes down to what happens with the women.  Like someone said, fly 3 to Texas or fly 3 to Holland.  The bracket suggests,
Texas would be the location for the women.

I think we'll be in Holland next week.

....but if we aren't, take your pick, Wheaton or Ohio Wesleyan, not much difference.  Going to Whitworth would be the shocker of the tournament.