MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[realist]

DC nut:  This seems to happen almost every year.  Probably just indicates that us posters should just relax, enjoy the games, and let the guys play.  I do think the MIAA tourney is going to be one for the record books.  A night like tonight isn't going to make it any easier for the tourney selection comm. 
It will be interesting to hear what Sac. has to say about Calvin/Albion if he in fact did attend the game.  Based on the final stats. it sort of sounds like role reversal with Albion shooting 10 3's.
It sounded like a nice win for the orange and blue.  Always nice to blow someone out, but Alma has been hard to predict all season long.

[KnightSlappy]

Great win for the Knights they played big D on the Brits only allowing Crawford about 11 points and almost as many traveling calls.  Only a string of threes by Silas kept them in the game in the second half.  With the Wittenberg loss and the Bald-Wally loss maybe the Knights get a NCAA tournament host....?

[big_yellow_hat]

Congrats to the Knights as they now have at least a share of the regular season title and home court for the tournament. 

Couple of game notes:  The refs really emphasized what the kzoo fans were complaining about the past couple of days as Crawford was called for 3 or 4 travels in the paint.  I think that got to Crawford's head as he really didn't dominate down low and was even block 3 maybe even 4 times also, Evan Way couldn't get anything inside and was also blocked a couple of times.

[admittedlydutch]

Great night at the Devos--first time seeing VanSolkema play...he will be a real asset to the team.  Tough to see Partridge playing essentially third string.  Not sure what to make of that, but the team as a whole played extremely solid all night long.  Good to see the Dutchmen aren't looking ahead too far.

[realist]

KS: Let's not get too far ahead of reality.  First Calvin must win Sat., and then do well (win) the MIAA, and then they might just get a chance to host a first round game.   Any thing past the first round would be a bit of a gift, and like other posters have said it doesn't pay to consider anything except the next team, and the next game.  Winning them all from here on is really the only option.

[midline]

47-43 Hornets with +/- 5 Min to go.

[Dark Knight]

The knights led from start to finish, with the lead reaching as much as 20 late in the game. The knights' inside defense was excellent, really shutting down Crawford and the Brits. If they hadn't been hot from behind the arc, the score would have been more lopsided.

It's fun to see those freshmen develop. Some of them are really going to be good, are really good already. Doug Wentworth called a couple of Zoerhof's more athletic shots slam-dunk Gs in a game of pig, or some such.

The good part of this for non-Knight fans is that we'll be able to get some nice crowds at the tournament. None of this 3200 limit! 

[realist]

DK:  Nice shot on the 3200, however, remember that is before they let in the extra 300 or so the fire marshall never seems to account for in Holland.   With the fan support in Holland why not build the De Vos at least 4500?  Calvin did it way back in 64/65.

[oldknight]

Exceptional play tonight by the now not so baby Knights. They looked like a veteran team by taking control early, fending off a couple of Albion runs in the second half and using the clock wisely once they reestablished control at about the 8 minute mark. The first half ended with a Veldhouse leaner that gave them a 41-28 lead but left Knight fans with a distressing feeling going into the dressing room when Draayer got T'd just as the halftime buzzer went off (apparently for yapping to someone). Naturally the Brits started the second half by making both FT's and the ensuing basket which fueled an Albion run cutting the Knights lead to 43-41. Calvin reestablished control by scoring the next 7 points before Albion cut it back to 53-48. It was at that point that I believe KVS got his own T after Chappel had his shot blocked and Kevin objected thinking the block was a missed goaltending call (for what it's worth, so did I). I thought the ref was unusually hasty with the T and should haven eaten his whistle at that point. Calvin had just gone through a tough series of calls (or noncalls) that didn't go their way and unless Kevin used one of the magic words (knowing him I would bet the farm he didn't) the ref should have let play continue. At any rate the game completely changed at that point with Calvin getting the benefit of every close call for the next 3 minutes. Veldhouse made a basket and free throw (which was properly called by the ref) to put Calvin up 8 which was the beginning of a decisive 15 point run to go up 68-48. Turnovers were decisive. Calvin took care of the ball making only 9 while they forced an amazing 22 from the Brits. But to me the single biggest factor was Calvin's ability to control Crawford and frustrate him repeatedly. Brandon made 2 FT's with 7:33 left after Calvin had taken their 20 point lead and they were only his 7th and 8th points of the game. Much of the credit goes to Meckes who is simply a superior interior defender. Calvin did run double teams at Crawford of course but not every time and the double teams came from different directions. When the double team is not there Meckes has the ability to make life difficult even for a strong and skilled post player like Crawford. Hats off to the Knights for becoming conference champs. Well deserved.  

[midline]

K wins 59-47. MIAA site reports TriState lost to Adrian. Good night to be a Hornet.

[admittedlydutch]

Hats off to the Knights for becoming conference champs. Well deserved.  

Doesn't Calvin still need to win on Saturday?

[Picket Fence]

They clinched a share.

The rest of the league is lucky KVS doesn't have talent on that team. That would be scary.

[oldknight]

It will be interesting to hear what Sac. has to say about Calvin/Albion if he in fact did attend the game.

Sac was at the game and I am sure he will post once he gets to a computer.

One other point. It truly was role reversal with Albion taking and making most of the threes tonight. Calvin's post offense and scoring was easily the best I have seen it this year.

[ziggy]

Crawford was a complete non-factor.  I still have no doubt he will be voted league MVP but in the two games I have seen him play in person have made him look pretty darn average.  Silas was the only reason Albion wasn't completely embarassed tonight.

[oldknight]

Hats off to the Knights for becoming conference champs. Well deserved.  

Doesn't Calvin still need to win on Saturday?

Calvin is can win the conference outright by winning Saturday but the Knights are already guaranteed to host the conference tournament by virtue of their 2 wins over Albion while Hope lost once to the Brits.