MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

Even a simple exhibition game vs a small D1 can pay alot of bills. 

Many of the D1/D3 games come about through coaching associations and friendships.  FWIW Oakland and Hope had been working on playing for about 2 or 3 years before it finally took shape last season.  I'm sure when they first started talking about it, Oakland was in nowhere near the shape they were last season.  Sometimes thats just how things work out, there was no doubt that game was a mismatch all the way.......but I was there, and it was competitive from the standpoint both teams put alot of effort into what they were doing.   Oddly it was Hope that liberally subbed more than Oakland and were playing without 2 of their eventual starting 5.

If it takes a D1 team 40 minutes of pressing to win vs a D3 by 40, I guess I'll take that every night.


Not every D1/D3 game is a mismatch either.......Albion took Eastern Michigan to the wall just 3 or 4 years ago.  Hope had an 18 point lead at halftime over Detroit 3 years ago without Hope's eventual all-american Vanderheide.   I bet it will be a long, long time before Northwestern schedule's Wheaton again. etc, etc.

I'm sure coaches and players find something worthwhile about playing that level of competition, otherwise it wouldn't happen at all.


FWIW, my feeling is these matchups should all be exhibitions, D1 programs have no business scheduling a D3 as a regular season game.  (ie Oakland v Alma last year)  But I guess sometimes thats just how the available dates work out.

[Gregory Sager]

Even a simple exhibition game vs a small D1 can pay alot of bills. 

Many of the D1/D3 games come about through coaching associations and friendships.  FWIW Oakland and Hope had been working on playing for about 2 or 3 years before it finally took shape last season.  I'm sure when they first started talking about it, Oakland was in nowhere near the shape they were last season.  Sometimes thats just how things work out, there was no doubt that game was a mismatch all the way.......but I was there, and it was competitive from the standpoint both teams put alot of effort into what they were doing.   Oddly it was Hope that liberally subbed more than Oakland and were playing without 2 of their eventual starting 5.

If it takes a D1 team 40 minutes of pressing to win vs a D3 by 40, I guess I'll take that every night.


Not every D1/D3 game is a mismatch either.......Albion took Eastern Michigan to the wall just 3 or 4 years ago.  Hope had an 18 point lead at halftime over Detroit 3 years ago without Hope's eventual all-american Vanderheide.   I bet it will be a long, long time before Northwestern schedule's Wheaton again. etc, etc.

I'm sure coaches and players find something worthwhile about playing that level of competition, otherwise it wouldn't happen at all.


FWIW, my feeling is these matchups should all be exhibitions, D1 programs have no business scheduling a D3 as a regular season game.  (ie Oakland v Alma last year)  But I guess sometimes thats just how the available dates work out.

Your second, third, and fourth paragraphs all appear to be arguing against your last paragraph, sac. Yeah, sometimes D3 squads can give their D1 counterparts a real run for their money. So why should all of these games be exhibition games? Why do D1 schools "have no business scheduling a D3 as a regular-season game"? Theoretically, at least, you're gonna get better competition if the game actually means a little something (and part of the matter is that it doesn't mean that much more to either team, since regular-season D1/D3 contests won't count towards the respective postseason eligibility standards of either team).

You're right about coaching contacts explaining a lot of D1/D3 games, although it doesn't explain them all (it didn't explain Wheaton @ Northwestern, f'rinstance; Wheaton was a fill-in for a fill-in). Nevertheless, given the growing size and expanding geographic reach of D2, I'm always a bit surprised when a D1 team schedules a regular-season contest against a D3 team. Yeah, Gonzaga put Augustana on the slate last year because of a relationship between their respective coaches, but if Gonzaga head coach Mark Few really wanted to fill that open date with a more competitive opponent he had a half-dozen D2 schools in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho who would've dropped everything for the chance to come to Spokane and play the Zags. Even if you can't find a mid-major D1 patsy to fill in on late notice, if you're a heavyweight like Gonzaga you should at least be able to dig up a D2 opponent with one phone call.

[realist]

GS:  ".......since regular-season D1/D3 contests won't count towards the respective postseason eligibility standards of either team)."  Are you 100 % sure this is the case?  I have seen quotes, and heard D1 coach's say their seeding, and whether they made the dance or not were impacted by the fact they had scheduled too many D2, NAIA, and D3 schools.   My distinct impression is the mid or lower level D1 has more to gain by scheduling a "major" than they do blowing out an inferior lower level team.
The one common trait at all levels (imho) is no selection committee is going to be impressed by a W column stacked with "cake walks".  
I can see a D1 coach scheduling perhaps 1 early season "puff game" just to get the chance see his playerss respond to actual game clock situations, and perhaps to take a second look at borderline players.

You may technically be right about the "eligibilty standards", but if it gets down to anyone making a subjective determination it could get dicey.

[Gregory Sager]

GS:  ".......since regular-season D1/D3 contests won't count towards the respective postseason eligibility standards of either team)."  Are you 100 % sure this is the case?  I have seen quotes, and heard D1 coach's say their seeding, and whether they made the dance or not were impacted by the fact they had scheduled too many D2, NAIA, and D3 schools.   My distinct impression is the mid or lower level D1 has more to gain by scheduling a "major" than they do blowing out an inferior lower level team.
The one common trait at all levels (imho) is no selection committee is going to be impressed by a W column stacked with "cake walks".  
I can see a D1 coach scheduling perhaps 1 early season "puff game" just to get the chance see his playerss respond to actual game clock situations, and perhaps to take a second look at borderline players.

You may technically be right about the "eligibilty standards", but if it gets down to anyone making a subjective determination it could get dicey.

Those games don't count towards RPI and all that other good stuff that D1's selection committee uses to issue its ducats to the big dance, just as D3's selection committee doesn't use games against NAIA, D1, or D2 teams when determining its five primary criteria.

[gohope]

Our Sympathy is extended to Flying Dutch Fan whose father passed away this past Saturday in Iowa. Our thoughts and prayers are with you FDF! 

[gohope]

Sympathy is also extended to Civic Minded whose Father-n-law passed away on June 26, 2010.  Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time. Safe travels to you too as you travel back to Michigan later in the week.

[hoopdreams]

CM and FDF, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Haven't heard much from the summer leagues, although I had a pair of eyes watching Hope a week or so ago at the Courthouse. Word back was that 5 Hopesters gave Ferris a run for their $$$ until the tanks fell on empty (they were ahead at half).  11 or 12 athletes versus 5 usually spells doom eventually.  Based on the descriptions of a couple players not known to my "scout", 2 of the 5 were a little used varsity player and a jv player as well, if I've got it correct.

Haven't learned of any players not returning (hmmm) for any of the MIAA schools, although I am more curious as to who is coming in.  WOTS is that Hope has the typical 20-25 frosh coming in but I haven't heard any "big" names. 

The Orlando matchup of Hope vs. Dominican U will have a distinct and unique WM flavor to it, if the family connection I heard about at church is indeed correct.  I don't want to, dare i say it...speculate. 

Big, statement series for the tigers......

[Mr. Ypsi]

Good news: Tigers move into first place!

Bad News: Zumaya appears to be injured again.

[ziggy]

Good news: Tigers move into first place!

Bad News: Zumaya appears to be injured again.

Non-displaced fracture in his elbow: http://motorcitybengals.com/2010/06/29/joel-zumayas-mri-results-released/

[Knight2Day]

T-minus 5 hours until NBA free agency begins. I'm saying the Bulls will be the big winners getting Lebron, Bosh, and picking up a player such as Ray Allen for less money or a sign and trade for Joe Johnson :-)  but I'm also a little bit h***ful

[KnightSlappy]

T-minus 5 hours until NBA free agency begins. I'm saying the Bulls will be the big winners getting Lebron, Bosh, and picking up a player such as Ray Allen for less money or a sign and trade for Joe Johnson :-)  but I'm also a little bit h***ful

I still think he's staying with the Cavs.

[hoopdreams]

Grand Rapids Storm website has VanLoo from Hudsonville and a kid from Freemont coming to Hope.  VanLoo recruit in hopes of landing his little bro in a couple of years who was pretty impressive at times as a soph.

[sac]

Grand Rapids Storm website has VanLoo from Hudsonville and a kid from Freemont coming to Hope.  VanLoo recruit in hopes of landing his little bro in a couple of years who was pretty impressive at times as a soph.

Also Jake Green from Rockford Calvin......don't remember that name previously being mentioned.

Reed Luchies is the kid from Freemont. 

[Knight2Day]

It will be interesting to see how the lineups go with the Knights. Supposedly freshmen Vallie, Kruis, and Brink will compete for major time, and there's always Fabiyi from Gary West Side but we'll see how complete of a player he is. All that and they have Green coming from Rockford and will probably have a few other nice recruits along with the JV club that was pretty good last year. I'll be interested to see how KVS does will time management. Wonder who sticks around from the varsity ball club from last year. Apart from the two guys just listed by HD, any other recruits coming in for Hope? Any word on Austin Eilling?

[jspiii]

Re: Austin Elling: I see he joined the Facebook group. "Hope College Class of 2014", so that sounds pretty definitive.