MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[hopefan]

Through my sources I have gotten word of Hopes non-conference schedule

Home:UW-Lacrosse, UW-Stevens Point, Spalding/Johnson&Wales (Holland Sentinel) Cornerstone/Aquinas (Hall of Fame)

Away: UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, John Carrol, Williams/Mount Union (Holiday Tournament)

Excited to see that Hope may be playing one of my favorite SLIAC teams in Spalding at the Holland Sentinel Tourney... wonder if there was any connection that got Spalding an invite?   Anyway, when the time comes, I'll be able to give this board a good preview of what to expect from Spalding...  They've been an outstanding program in the low-level SLIAC, and always play a challenging non-conference schedule in prepping for league games.... I really admire the work of Spalding coach Kevin Gray.

[sac]

Through my sources I have gotten word of Hopes non-conference schedule

Home:UW-Lacrosse, UW-Stevens Point, Spalding/Johnson&Wales (Holland Sentinel) Cornerstone/Aquinas (Hall of Fame)

Away: UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, John Carrol, Williams/Mount Union (Holiday Tournament)

Excited to see that Hope may be playing one of my favorite SLIAC teams in Spalding at the Holland Sentinel Tourney... wonder if there was any connection that got Spalding an invite?   Anyway, when the time comes, I'll be able to give this board a good preview of what to expect from Spalding...  They've been an outstanding program in the low-level SLIAC, and always play a challenging non-conference schedule in prepping for league games.... I really admire the work of Spalding coach Kevin Gray.

Hope played Spalding at the Wooster tournament two years ago.   LaCrosse was also there and that connection is also how Hope has ended up playing LaCrosse last year and this upcoming year.   


The fourth team at Hope's invite next Winter will be Olivet, it will be a "classic" format again.

Speaking of Olivet, the Comets date with Miami(Ohio) forced them to bail on their trip to Mt Union, so the Mt Union invite is currently Hope, Williams, Mt.Union and 4th D3 to be added.  Hope is locked in to Williams and Mt. Union.



Overall I think Hope's schedule is very good.  .

[sac]

Through my sources I have gotten word of Hopes non-conference schedule

Home:UW-Lacrosse, UW-Stevens Point, Spalding/Johnson&Wales (Holland Sentinel) Cornerstone/Aquinas (Hall of Fame)

Away: UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, John Carrol, Williams/Mount Union (Holiday Tournament)

More specifically

Nov 18/19 @Stout  vs River Falls @ Stout
Nov 25/26 Hall of Fame with Aquinas/Cornerstone
Nov 29 @John Carroll
Dec 3 LaCrosse
Dec 10 Stevens Point
Dec 19/20 Holland Sentinel Tournament with Johnson & Wales/Spalding
Dec 29/30  vs Williams @Mt. Union,  @Mt. Union

Hope @ John Carroll is a juicy non-conference matchup. May have to make the trek over to Cleveland for that one.

Unfortunately its a Tuesday night.     

[sac]

Some quick SOS math, if all of those teams have similar years to last Hope's non-conference SOS factor should be around .534  +/-  .015.   That's a little better starting point than what they had going into last year. 

--Hope really needs traditional powers like Williams and Stevens Point to have bounce back years from their 15-10 and 14-12 records last year.  Spalding has also had better years than last years 12-14 mark. 

--Hope will be heavily tied in to what the WIAC and OAC do from an SOS point of view so root hard for them in the non-conference. 

--One thing Wheaton and Carthage always brought to Hope's SOS was a strong OOWP factor, that won't be there next year, having Williams from the NESCAC should help that somewhat.  But, having both a SLIAC and GNAC opponent on the schedule will be a drag on OOWP.

--Given what the MIAA lost to graduation, it will be really hard to have the same SOS factor from the MIAA as last year (well above .500), a lower expectation is probably wise and thus I think Hope's SOS will somewhere between .495 and .525 unless they get the improvements from the teams I previously mentioned.

--From a rankings point of view the games @JCU and @Mt. Union are pretty close to must wins if Hope is in a position to be ranked next year.  Those would be aces in the pocket.

[HopeKnight]

SAC -

Nice analytical skinny on the schedule - what are your thoughts on the Hope squad for next year? HOPEFUL had some positive analysis a month or so ago. Thx HK

[sac]

Its very difficult to accurately asses what Hope will have next year given they will be relying on so many first year players.  I think I'll have a much better handle on things this Fall. 

[sac]

Grand Valley asst. Jeff Bauer was named the new coach at West Michigan Christian.  Jeff's name came up for at least a couple MIAA jobs, I thought he might be in the mix at Kzoo.



Steven Redmond  5-11 PG Holly will attend Albion

[hopefan]

Grand Valley asst. Jeff Bauer was named the new coach at West Michigan Christian.  Jeff's name came up for at least a couple MIAA jobs, I thought he might be in the mix at Kzoo.



Steven Redmond  5-11 PG Holly will attend Albion

Who is in the mix at K-zoo?

[ziggy]

Grand Valley asst. Jeff Bauer was named the new coach at West Michigan Christian.  Jeff's name came up for at least a couple MIAA jobs, I thought he might be in the mix at Kzoo.



Steven Redmond  5-11 PG Holly will attend Albion

Who is in the mix at K-zoo?

"a well known in state coaching name" per Steve Bell
https://twitter.com/BankHoops/status/741044246250020866

[sac]

Matt Neil is well known.

[ziggy]

Matt Neil is well known.

He was one of two names that immediately came to my mind. Mike Thomas is the other.

[oldknight]

Grand Valley asst. Jeff Bauer was named the new coach at West Michigan Christian.  Jeff's name came up for at least a couple MIAA jobs, I thought he might be in the mix at Kzoo.



Steven Redmond  5-11 PG Holly will attend Albion

Who is in the mix at K-zoo?

"a well known in state coaching name" per Steve Bell
https://twitter.com/BankHoops/status/741044246250020866

Maybe someone who played his college hoops in Kalamazoo, but not for Kalamazoo? Like a former Mr. Basketball?

[ziggy]

Grand Valley asst. Jeff Bauer was named the new coach at West Michigan Christian.  Jeff's name came up for at least a couple MIAA jobs, I thought he might be in the mix at Kzoo.



Steven Redmond  5-11 PG Holly will attend Albion

Who is in the mix at K-zoo?

"a well known in state coaching name" per Steve Bell
https://twitter.com/BankHoops/status/741044246250020866

Maybe someone who played his college hoops in Kalamazoo, but not for Kalamazoo? Like a former Mr. Basketball?

David Kool also came to my mind, but admittedly after Neil and Thomas. Also a good name for the speculation game.

[sflzman]

Grand Valley asst. Jeff Bauer was named the new coach at West Michigan Christian.  Jeff's name came up for at least a couple MIAA jobs, I thought he might be in the mix at Kzoo.



Steven Redmond  5-11 PG Holly will attend Albion

Who is in the mix at K-zoo?

"a well known in state coaching name" per Steve Bell
https://twitter.com/BankHoops/status/741044246250020866

Maybe someone who played his college hoops in Kalamazoo, but not for Kalamazoo? Like a former Mr. Basketball?

David Kool also came to my mind, but admittedly after Neil and Thomas. Also a good name for the speculation game.

I wonder if K wanted to go the younger route they'd look at Ryan Clark from Alma. Might still be a couple years out of being able to get his first head coaching job, but an alumnus who's certainly familiar with turning around a bottom dwelling MIAA squad. 

[ziggy]

I wonder if K wanted to go the younger route they'd look at Ryan Clark from Alma. Might still be a couple years out of being able to get his first head coaching job, but an alumnus who's certainly familiar with turning around a bottom dwelling MIAA squad.

Mike Thomas was in school when I was in school so he's still young, right?