MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ChickenHoops]

Trine ranked #3.

What are the odds they run the table in the MIAA? 

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Trine ranked #3.

What are the odds they run the table in the MIAA? 

Slim to none

[sac]

Trine ranked #3.

What are the odds they run the table in the MIAA? 

Massey says 8.6%

Trine's conference slate is front loaded with home games.  6 of their first 8. They will play 5 of their last 6 on the road when fatigue starts to set in.  (prior to their big tournament run last year the Thunder finished that season and MIAA tournament on a 2-3 stretch)

I think their toughest stretch this year might be a three week swing of

Albion
@Adrian
Hope
Calvin
Adrian
@Hope

But that might not end up as tough as finishing with 5 of 6 on the road so time will tell. 

Unless one or other slips up, I think that final day game of Trine @ Calvin will probably have a difference of just one game in the standings with possible league tournament hosting rights on the line.



The top 3 as they are and have been (Trine, Calvin, Hope) have a stellar record against the other 5 league members the last 3 years.  I doubt that changes much but I think Hope's in the more likely position to drop a game or two outside the top 3 than either of the other two.

But hey, there's a reason we play the games.

[TUAngola]

Trine ranked #3.

What are the odds they run the table in the MIAA? 

Trine ranked #3.

What are the odds they run the table in the MIAA? 

Slim to none

I agree with FDF.  Fred was the engine to this year's team.  Without him we look totally different.  We can still be good, but right now we're not playing like #3 in the country, probably not even top 25 either.  I'd put Calvin ahead of Trine, maybe even Hope.  It will be an emotional night tonight at MTI, first game for the student body without Fred.

[oldknight]

After a miserable shooting first half by Calvin from beyond the arc, the Knights dominated the second half to defeat Albion 76-58. A poor final two minutes of the opening 20 minutes by the home squad (Albion scored the last 8 points) left Calvin clinging to a 35-33 advantage going into the break. But as the second half progressed, I sensed the visitors were running out of gas, the Knights pulled away to a 20 point lead, and the hay was in the barn. Varnado, Winkle and Ressler led in scoring with 17, 16 and 11 respectively. Egekeze was his usual beastly self on defense, and Calvin forced 19 Albion turnovers which led to several breakaway baskets. On to Kalamazoo Saturday.

[pointlem]

Hope's defense in its 77 to 45 win over Olivet (which in late December beat DePauw which beat Hope) reminded me of the Lions v. Vikings . . . stifling, especially during the 16 to 1 run that ended the half, and the 16 to 0 run mid the second half. Eli Schoonveld, Parker Hovey, and Ethan Crabtree (whose minutes we may see more of) were especially impressive in their steals and blocked shots.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Hope's defense in its 77 to 45 win over Olivet (which in late December beat DePauw which beat Hope) reminded me of the Lions v. Vikings . . . stifling, especially during the 16 to 1 run that ended the half, and the 16 to 0 run mid the second half. Eli Schoonveld, Parker Hovey, and Ethan Crabtree (whose minutes we may see more of) were especially impressive in their steals and blocked shots.

And this assist by Hovey in the 2nd half was jaw dropping:

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxzpAMuDt_BImbHBsWalTv1UKp8wLleDhk?si=Y0DH0exiABq-xfFz

[TUAngola]

Record breaking crowd of 3029 at MTI last night as the Thunder outlasted Kalamazoo 76-63.  It was a very emotional tribute before the game as the Trine nation honored Fred not with a moment of silence, but with cheers to the heavens, arms raised with #1.  Fueled by the energy of the students back on campus the Thunder raced out to an early lead and stymied the Hornets with suffocating defense, it was 40-20 going in to the break.  Complete opposite feel in the second half as Kalamazoo found their footing and played well offensively, DJ Ferguson was very good for the Hornets off the bench.  You could tell Trine lost their intensity, especially after at least a 15-20 minute delay to the game as the fire alarm went off in the arena with the repeated announcement from the alarm telling everyone to leave the building.  It was not certain what to make of it, some left but most stayed until it was finally announced the alarm was due to a 'sensor' issue.  Who knows.  Next stop at Olivet this Saturday, the Comets took it to the Thunder last year on their court, hoping for a better outcome this time around.   

[sac]

Record breaking crowd of 3029 at MTI last night as the Thunder outlasted Kalamazoo 76-63.  It was a very emotional tribute before the game as the Trine nation honored Fred not with a moment of silence, but with cheers to the heavens, arms raised with #1.  Fueled by the energy of the students back on campus the Thunder raced out to an early lead and stymied the Hornets with suffocating defense, it was 40-20 going in to the break.  Complete opposite feel in the second half as Kalamazoo found their footing and played well offensively, DJ Ferguson was very good for the Hornets off the bench.  You could tell Trine lost their intensity, especially after at least a 15-20 minute delay to the game as the fire alarm went off in the arena with the repeated announcement from the alarm telling everyone to leave the building.  It was not certain what to make of it, some left but most stayed until it was finally announced the alarm was due to a 'sensor' issue.  Who knows.  Next stop at Olivet this Saturday, the Comets took it to the Thunder last year on their court, hoping for a better outcome this time around.   

Sounds like a prank from above.

[oldknight]

A rather ugly 67-56 win by Calvin over Kalamazoo at the Rollerdome (seems like every game at the Rollerdome is ugly), with the Knights led by Owen Varnado, who had a double/double, scoring 24 and snaring 10 rebounds. Ty Horky had a successful return to his old haunts, with 12, while Winkle added 10 for the winners. Bandemer, Brodsword and Sompa led the Hornets with 12, 12, and 10 respectively. Calvin led 27-25 at half, and never trailed the second frame, but really didn't put the game away until the final 2 minutes. Neither team shot well from the floor, but Kalamazoo was worse, going 30% for the game. The losing team stayed in the game largely from the free throw line, making 10 more from the stripe than did their opponent. Some curious officiating, I must say, but then this game was played at the Rollerdome (did I mention that?). 

[BigBallBoy]

I have noticed that James Felton hasn't played in Calvin's last several games.  Is he injured or just out of the rotation?  Regardless, it seems like Calvin's rotation has really solidified with some consistent results.

At this point in time, I think it is a toss-up between the top three teams in the league, with any of the three capable of beating the others....Home court should be valuable and stealing a win(s) on the road (as well as not losing "should win" games) will go a long way to securing conference championship.

[KnightSlappy]

Felton has had his hand in a splint/cast for a few weeks, not exactly sure what the injury is.

[goodknight]

Felton fractured a bone in his hand. I heard today he will have another x-ray soon in hopes of returning to action. It would help to have him available when the Knights travel to Holland next week Wednesday.

[oldknight]

After the first 18+ minutes of the most miserable offense I have seen from a Calvin team in many years, the Knights dominated the final 21+ minutes of play against the visitors from Adrian. Trailing 26-14 with 1:33 left in the first half, the Knights scored the last 7 points of opening frame. That welcome and needed closure to first 20 minutes marked the beginning of total dominance over the Bulldogs, with Calvin closing out the game on a 59-17 run and a 73-43 win at VNA. Calvin missed 9 straight wide-open shots from the arc to start the game, but the host team then made 8 of their next 9 to fuel the rout. As bad as Calvin was on offense in the first half, they played terrific defense throughout, and that appeared to wear on their opponent. Ty Horky--who seemed to be the only Calvin player to do anything the opening frame--led with 17, followed by Egekeze and Varnado adding 14 each, and Winkle with 10. Adrian got 20 from Dickerson and 10 from Logan. The Calvin win marked Bill Sall's 100th victory in his 6th season as head coach.

[sac]

Hope 81 Kalamazoo 71 F

Hope led by 24 before half, Kalamazoo cut it to 4 late.   There were a million fouls and free throws in between.  Kzoo went 0-18 from the three point line which was significant.


This marks the 29th consecutive win for Hope at Kalamazoo which takes us back to 1996.  Hope is now 54-1 vs Kzoo since that last K win. Combine that with the Hope women who have now won 71 in a row overall over the Hornets and its been almost 30 years since Kalamazoo has seen their team beat a Hope basketball team in that gym and only once in any gym. 


Despite that dominance on the road, Kzoo can be a difficult place to navigate and its always nice to come away with a win.