MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

Olivet looking for their 6th MIAA title of all time and first since 1973 when they host Hope on Wednesday. It's certainly the biggest game for the Comets in my lifetime. Perhaps, ever? I'm not old enough to say, I suppose. Either way, I can't wait to make the trip to Culter for the first time on Wednesday. It's sure to be hostile for the incoming Dutchmen. Any suggestions on where to stop for a bite before the game?

Lansing

[sac]

Trine 76 Albion 72

We were 4 minutes and change from a very entertaining 2 game battle for the 4th tournament spot between 5 teams.......and then Albion completely fell apart.   Myles Copeland was just incredible in the first half, he had 20 before 14 minutes had even gone of the clock.  Sluggish start to the second, but a quick snack and gatorade and he was back to dominating the final 8 minuts or so.

Albion played without Corey Wheeler who was in a boot, thats a tough ask for the Britons.  Amazing they hung in there today considering Trine beat them by 30 earlier this season and being shorthanded.   Nice second halves from Lowe and Armstrong.

[sac]

Hope 95  Alma 73

Hope continued its run of good play tonight.  Close first half but a late burst by Hope put them up 9 at the break they extended that lead early second half.  Lead stayed just over double-digits before pulling away around the 5 min mark.   Big difference behind the arc Hope 14-27, Alma just 5-22.

Ryan Stevens had a nice game with 23 but maybe a couple sloppy turnovers he'd like back as well.

Hope:   Hawkins 20, Granger 17, Beckman 16, Ray 15
Alma:  Stevens 23, Schibert 12, Rosquist 12

[sac]

+1 for road win
-1 for home loss

Olivet    9-3     +3     (HPE, @Cal)
Hope     9-3     +3     (@Oli, ALB)
Adrian   7-5     +1     (ALM, @KZO)
Trine      7-5     +1     (KZO, @Alm)
Alma      5-7       -1     (@Adr, TRN)
Albion    5-7       -1     (CAL, @Hpe)
Calvin    5-7      -1     (@Alb, OLI)
Kazoo    1-11    -5     (@Trn, ADR) --Eliminated


Albion, Alma Calvin can really only hope for a tie w/play-in  (if it exists?).  Loser of Wed's Calvin @ Albion games is officially eliminated.

Any win by Adrian or Trine clinches a tournament slot, seeding can still stretch from 2 to 4 I think.

At the top, Wed's the night for sure.  Biggest game in Southern Eaton County in what 45 years?  Pretty simple, winner earns a share of the MIAA Championship.

If I'm not mistaken Wed's winner is also guaranteed to host the MIAA semi-final regardless of next Sat. results by how the tie-breakers change.

Hope wins--- Hope wins tie-break over Olivet with 2-0 head-to-head
Olivet wins---Olivet wins tie-break over Hope by beating Adrian twice, regardless of where Adrian finishes in the standing.  (ugh, unless Calvin or Albion somehow end up in a play-in game and win over Adrian.  Super complicated, super unlikely)


Good luck getting a seat Wed. night.

[Jameswys]

Biggest game in Southern Eaton County in what 45 years? 



Good luck getting a seat Wed. night.

Unfortunately for me the Olivet High school teams are usually quite good and they have played some pretty big games in southern Eaton county. But I completely agree this game will be huge, I'm not sure if Olivet has ever played a bigger game, even including past championship seasons, and the domination of MSU in the first 4 games we played against them.


I believe that there is a JV game on Wednesday night at 5:15. It might have been cancelled but I will check tomorrow when I see some of the JV kids at work. If it's being played as scheduled that's a good opportunity to arrive and find a seat. Working on campus does have a few advantages.

[sac]

Trine's Myles Copeland this week:

78 points, 31-52 shooting, 20 rebounds


Endzone view of Adrian's OT winner

https://twitter.com/ChaseCavric/status/962514859769434112

[TUAngola]

Final from Albion: Trine 76 Albion 72

Monster week for Myles Copeland who put the team on his back and willed them to 2 big wins.
His stats for the week: 78 pts on 31-52 from the field and 16-20 from the line; 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks.

Trine sits in 4th at 7-5 in the MIAA.  A split this week against Kalamazoo at home and Alma on the road should get them in the tournament.  After watching some ugly games by Trine in November and December they have exceeded my expectations in the league for sure.  Either a testament to steady improvement (yes) or playing in a league that is average at best this year (probably a combination of both).   

Trine's Myles Copeland this week:

78 points, 31-52 shooting, 20 rebounds


Endzone view of Adrian's OT winner

https://twitter.com/ChaseCavric/status/962514859769434112

Duplicated.

[devossed]

Biggest game in Southern Eaton County in what 45 years? 



Good luck getting a seat Wed. night.

Unfortunately for me the Olivet High school teams are usually quite good and they have played some pretty big games in southern Eaton county. But I completely agree this game will be huge, I'm not sure if Olivet has ever played a bigger game, even including past championship seasons, and the domination of MSU in the first 4 games we played against them.


I believe that there is a JV game on Wednesday night at 5:15. It might have been cancelled but I will check tomorrow when I see some of the JV kids at work. If it's being played as scheduled that's a good opportunity to arrive and find a seat. Working on campus does have a few advantages.

So it was previously mentioned that Olivet had moved the Hope game back to "the old gym" again this year, a la another Throwback Night.

Would that still be the case now, what with the additional fan/ticket interest? Does anyone know what is the capacity difference between the two?

[Winifred Durfee]

So it was previously mentioned that Olivet had moved the Hope game back to "the old gym" again this year, a la another Throwback Night.

Would that still be the case now, what with the additional fan/ticket interest? Does anyone know what is the capacity difference between the two?

Upton is smaller. I was told that it will be played at the more massive Cutler Events Center, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[HupHolland]

Another part of the reason it got moved back to Cutler is that Upton is too much of a safety hazard. The floor had become "too slippery" according to Ernst

[Dutch_Man]

Any suggestions on the best way to get a ticket for the game at Olivet? I would imagine calling their ticket office will be my best bet. Would rather not drive the distance if I can't get in the door...

I was just reminded there is a holiday on Wednesday...

Good luck getting a seat Wed. night.

[Jameswys]

Any suggestions on the best way to get a ticket for the game at Olivet? I would imagine calling their ticket office will be my best bet. Would rather not drive the distance if I can't get in the door...

I was just reminded there is a holiday on Wednesday...

Good luck getting a seat Wed. night.

Olivet doesn't have a ticket office. There is a table at the entrance to the gym where they collect money. For this game they might do something different, I'm not sure. The number for the main Olivet line is 8004567189 they should be able to put you in touch with someone in the Athletic department. 

[sac]

This week in MIAA officiating:
https://youtu.be/ou3qta-gBsg?t=5631

This isn't necessarily a bad call either way, its one of those 50-50 calls you either get or you don't and what color you're wearing determines what you think of it.  What I found amusing about it is that Coach Mitchell got the call but spent the entire walking the ball up the floor time arguing for a travel on Edwards.

FWIW, I don't think Hargraves is really upset at the call, but from where the call was made.   A recurring theme in MIAA officiating this year.  The ref in front of Hargraves doesn't even flinch and I'm not sure Arnulfo Perez(baseline) is even awake.


Bonus:   Follow the play to Hope's next possession and Dennis Towns is bumped just as he's turning to rise for a jumper, also 50-50 on whether the process of shooting has started.  I've certainly seen those types of shots counted.


Here's one from Albion/Trine the officials just flat out get wrong
https://youtu.be/V-OKVbBJBvs?t=5326

Live I wasn't sure, but I'm sitting at the other end of the court.  Very clearly the ball doesn't touch the rim and two officials even signal shot clock violation, but a talk ensues and curiously one of the two guys who signals shot clock violation (John Creek, under the basket) never gets involved in the discussion.

I don't understand how this is overturned without Creek getting involved  (also interesting he was not the head official).  Brooks Miller wasn't happy and shouldn't have been.

Albion missed the ensuing shot, so no matter.  But this is pretty bad I think.

[GreatScot!?]

This week in MIAA officiating:
https://youtu.be/ou3qta-gBsg?t=5631

This isn't necessarily a bad call either way, its one of those 50-50 calls you either get or you don't and what color you're wearing determines what you think of it.  What I found amusing about it is that Coach Mitchell got the call but spent the entire walking the ball up the floor time arguing for a travel on Edwards.

FWIW, I don't think Hargraves is really upset at the call, but from where the call was made.   A recurring theme in MIAA officiating this year.  The ref in front of Hargraves doesn't even flinch and I'm not sure Arnulfo Perez(baseline) is even awake.


Bonus:   Follow the play to Hope's next possession and Dennis Towns is bumped just as he's turning to rise for a jumper, also 50-50 on whether the process of shooting has started.  I've certainly seen those types of shots counted.


Here's one from Albion/Trine the officials just flat out get wrong
https://youtu.be/V-OKVbBJBvs?t=5326

Live I wasn't sure, but I'm sitting at the other end of the court.  Very clearly the ball doesn't touch the rim and two officials even signal shot clock violation, but a talk ensues and curiously one of the two guys who signals shot clock violation (John Creek, under the basket) never gets involved in the discussion.

I don't understand how this is overturned without Creek getting involved  (also interesting he was not the head official).  Brooks Miller wasn't happy and shouldn't have been.

Albion missed the ensuing shot, so no matter.  But this is pretty bad I think.

By Edwards, I think you mean Gamble...

[HupHolland]

Massey Ratings has the following prediction for Wednesday...

Hope 88 Olivet 87

Honestly, Hope can make this a double digit win if they simply hit their open shots. Going back to the first game in Holland, Hope had some wide open looks that just didn't go down, especially in the first 10 minutes. Dante had only five points and while Jason did have 21, he was 6-17 from the field. I don't expect either of those performances to happen again. Many of Olivet's baskets came in transition which was the result of missed shots and careless turnovers as well as against Hope's 2-3 defense that looked quite lazy at times. Hope has kinda figured out how to defend and surprisingly are a better rebounding team than last year but need to limit the offensive rebounds (olivet had 10 the first game)

I expect Olivet to full court pressure out of makes and dead balls to slow down Hope. It was pretty successful in the first matchup. If they can take dante or jason out of their game I like their chances of pulling off the upset  But if Hope can do what they have done in their last 4 games, it might not be as close as expected.

*All of these predictions are subject to poor officiating