MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Dew Nation]

Check that:  Hope's Wnning MArgin is: 30.9 

My mistake.

[goodknight]

I know that I am just a rookie poster on this site but I saw some numbers on the MIAA website that I found to be quite amazing (expanding on sac's earlier post):

Hope's Average Score in League Play:  87.6
Next best:  Calvin with 74.6
Margin:  13 point

Hope's Average Opp. Score in League Play:  56.7
Next Best:  Calvin with 65.9
Margin:  9.2

Hope is winning by an average of 31.1 points per game.

That being said, do any of the MIAA historians on the forum have information concerning when another team has had such amazing numbers through half a season? Ideas?

Even at the more modest 30.9 margin, the carnage is fearsome! 
Let's cancel the remainder of the league games lest the blood stain the sparkling floor of the glittering DeVos, and splatter on the man with the orange pants. 

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Also, your words stink of the overconfidence and cockiness that Hope is well known for. 

It's actually quite similar to what you'll hear from the Hornet's tennis team   

(and I'm not comparing what they've done to this half of a league season)

[realist]

If you go back to the mid 90's Hope had several teams that were as dominating as this years team IMHO.  This is a very, very good Hope Team.  The only possible weakness now compared to then is inside strenght.   It is not "bashing" Hope to  state an opinion of a perceived weakness.  
I expect Hope to win the MIAA going away this year.  However, I don't think they will dominate teams the second time like they did the first.  
NB:  This year is very reminisent of 95.  If I were a Hope fan my biggest concern at this point would be a replay of the way that year ended.  
Sac;  It is hard to find fault with your midseason assessment.  I do think several of the fr. will step it up a bit going forward.  It will be interesting to compare this list with the one at year end.  How about adding a newcomer of the yr. to create a category for transfers?
Griffin has had a very good year coming in as a jr., and several other transfers have had an immediate impact on their teams.

[HopeConvert]

If you go back to the mid 90's Hope had several teams that were as dominating as this years team IMHO.  This is a very, very good Hope Team.  The only possible weakness now compared to then is inside strenght.   It is not "bashing" Hope to  state an opinion of a perceived weakness.   
I expect Hope to win the MIAA going away this year.  However, I don't think they will dominate teams the second time like they did the first. 
NB:  This year is very reminisent of 95.  If I were a Hope fan my biggest concern at this point would be a replay of the way that year ended. 
Sac;  It is hard to find fault with your midseason assessment.  I do think several of the fr. will step it up a bit going forward.  It will be interesting to compare this list with the one at year end.  How about adding a newcomer of the yr. to create a category for transfers?

For those of us who weren't around in '95: what happened?

[Flying Dutch Fan]

realist - totally agree and it's not Hope bashing - Hope's weakness is strength inside.  It's compensated for a bit by having guys like Kratz and Partridge and Klein who have the wingspan of guys 2-3 inches taller, but I think they would struggle against a true big man.

I also liked sac's mid-season picks, but would alos like to add a Most Improved or Comeback Player.  At this point, there's plenty of time and opportunity for players to step up and make the top 10 in the league.  

[Flying Dutch Fan]

For those of us who weren't around in '95: what happened?

sac - don't read this - it will bring back the nightmares   

In 94-95, Hope went undefeated through the regular season (26-0), only to lose to Bald Wally in the first round of the NCAA.

[HopeConvert]

realist - totally agree and it's not Hope bashing - Hope's weakness is strength inside.  It's compensated for a bit by having guys like Kratz and Partridge and Klein who have the wingspan of guys 2-3 inches taller, but I think they would struggle against a true big man.

I also liked sac's mid-season picks, but would alos like to add a Most Improved or Comeback Player.  At this point, there's plenty of time and opportunity for players to step up and make the top 10 in the league. 

I agree with that as well. It's no accident that the team in the league they had the most difficulty with this year - Calvin - also has the biggest frontline. Richardson struggles under the hoop, Remink is tough but a little undersized (and has a tendency to pick up cheap fouls), and MVH seems to prefer life on the perimeter. I really worry about how Hope will do against a UW team, or a team like Wittenberg. Or, for that matter, a Calvin team that brings its "A" game.

Most Improved: you could make a case for VanSolkema, but that is a complicated one. Jager strikes me as the most improved on Hope's team. No one has stood out to me on other teams, and I don't really recall how Smith did for Alma last year.

[David Collinge]

If you go back to the mid 90's Hope had several teams that were as dominating as this years team IMHO.  This is a very, very good Hope Team.  The only possible weakness now compared to then is inside strenght.   It is not "bashing" Hope to  state an opinion of a perceived weakness.   
I expect Hope to win the MIAA going away this year.  However, I don't think they will dominate teams the second time like they did the first. 
NB:  This year is very reminisent of 95.  If I were a Hope fan my biggest concern at this point would be a replay of the way that year ended. 
Sac;  It is hard to find fault with your midseason assessment.  I do think several of the fr. will step it up a bit going forward.  It will be interesting to compare this list with the one at year end.  How about adding a newcomer of the yr. to create a category for transfers?

For those of us who weren't around in '95: what happened?

Practically everyone in here can give a better answer to that question than I can, but I can't resist any opportunity to point out to our newer members some of the rich variety of information available on this site.  This includes information on all of the men's and women's NCAA tournaments in D3 history, accessible from the "Playoffs" link on the front page.  Here's a direct link to the men's 1995 tournament results.  Look near the bottom for Hope.

[realist]

FDF:  Thank you for fielding that one.   I was not trying to open an old wound.  This years Hope team is going through the MIAA like that 94-95 team did.  The MIAA/CCIW challenge is probably the biggest difference in Hope's schedule this year compared to that era.  FWIW:  I picked Hope for a banner in 95 myself.

[HopeConvert]

Practically everyone in here can give a better answer to that question than I can, but I can't resist any opportunity to point out to our newer members some of the rich variety of information available on this site.  This includes information on all of the men's and women's NCAA tournaments in D3 history, accessible from the "Playoffs" link on the front page.  Here's a direct link to the men's 1995 tournament results.  Look near the bottom for Hope.

But I don't LIKE looking near the bottom for Hope!

[HopeConvert]

Hide the kids - unless you want them frightened.

[oldknight]

Look near the bottom for Hope.

For some on this board that's an easier task than it is for others.

[Dew Nation]

Now that is a mascot. 

Didn't Calvin bring out a mascot a few years back.  It seems to have disappeared as of late. 

As for most improved I agree on Hope's Jager even thougg his is a second stringer.  He has played outstanding in each game I have seen and I used to cringe every time he took the court. 

By the way, thanks for the info on earlier Hope as a 1999 transplant I am pretty unaware of anything before that year. 

As for inside defense I always find it interesting that the best shot blocker on the Hope team (besides Cramer when he is on) is the second from the last guy on the bench.  Holt I think.  Instead GVW has chosen to run with a team in which 9 of the 10 players are real 3 point shooting threats.

[realist]

Hide the kids - unless you want them frightened.

Does this mascot wear wooden shoes to complete the outfit?