MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Mr. Ypsi]

The Bible Tigers of Grace (student enrollment, 190) dismantled Cornerstone last night 82-68 at Mol Arena. Calvin's opening game loss--by almost the identical score--is looking less and less disappointing.

http://www.mlive.com/smallcolleges/grandrapids/index.ssf/2009/12/grace_bible_shows_it_belongs_v.html

For a city of less than 200,000 people, Grand Rapids has a pretty impressive resume for small-college men's basketball.

I think you aren't using the proper census data. The MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) for Grand Rapids, according to 2008 census estimates, is 778,833. The CSA (Combined Statistical Area - which would include Holland up to Muskegon) is 1,324,513, making it the 32nd largest in the US, right behind Louisville but ahead of cities such as Buffalo, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/metroareas/metrodef.html

(FWIW: census.gov is one of my favorite websites.)

Hope---

You quite likely were a math major, and now employed as a statistician. As my wife, the college math teacher says, only a statistician OR someone with a totally illogical mind for math, could make < 200,000 come out to be 1,324,513!    

Even if you include the entire Kent County population, you're still only at approximately 604,000. From how far away are people over there coming to see D3 basketball games?

I chose the statistician description for you least anyone think of you as illogical in any way.  

I'd prefer to be thought of as illogical than a statistician.

I am a sick man. I am a spiteful man. ... Merciful Heavens! But what do I care for the laws of nature and arithmetic when, for some reason I dislike those laws and the fact that twice two makes four? Of course, I cannot break through the wall by battering my head against it if I really have not the strength to knock it down, but I am not going to be reconciled to it simply because it is a stone wall and I have not the strength. ... In fact, man is a comical creature; there seems to be a kind of jest in it all. But yet mathematical certainty is after all, something insufferable. Twice two makes four seems to me simply a piece of insolence. Twice two makes four is a pert coxcomb who stands with arms akimbo barring your path and spitting. I admit that twice two makes four is an excellent thing, but if we are to give everything its due, twice two makes five is sometimes a very charming thing too.

I have no clue what point you are making, but +k anyway!

[Though the statistician jabs are still gonna cost you!  Someday, somehow, when you least expect it. ]

[And I haven't forgotten you, oldknight. ]

[calvinite]

KS:  I did not include 2000 in my calculations.  
For the record ....
Remember Hope has played 23 more games than Calvin.  Part of that is they go to the tournament more often, and part is they win more games when they get there.

Since VandeStreek has been coaching at Calvin, Calvin has made the tournament 6 times and Hope 5 times. Even leaving out 2000 -- and I don't see what the point of the discussion is to leave out Calvin's best year -- Hope still has not been to the tournament more than Calvin.

Since VandeStreek has been coaching at Calvin, Calvin is 12-5 in the tournament (1 win was in the consolation game) and Hope is 10-6 (also with a win in the consolation game). Hope's record is not better than Calvin's  -- but even leaving out 2000 (again I don't know why), Calvin's record is 7-5 and Hope's is 10-6. Obviously Hope's record is better, but I hardly say that it's so much better that it proves anything.

Finally, I don't know about the 23 games and all that since 2000, but if you include 2000, Calvin has played more post season games than Hope. Without 2000, Hope has only played 4 of its 'additional' 23 games in post season more than Calvin -- that's over 8 years.

Maybe the other additional 19 games that Hope has played are a bigger factor in that Hope has more experience than Calvin going into the tournament rather than all this talk about the 'scheme.'

[northb]

However, I should be careful what I ask for because I will probably go into cardiac arrest if the "scheme" is ever modified let alone abandoned

If you pray for rain, you should make sure you take your umbrella.

[sac]

KS:  I did not include 2000 in my calculations.  
For the record ....
Remember Hope has played 23 more games than Calvin.  Part of that is they go to the tournament more often, and part is they win more games when they get there.

Since VandeStreek has been coaching at Calvin, Calvin has made the tournament 6 times and Hope 5 times. Even leaving out 2000 -- and I don't see what the point of the discussion is to leave out Calvin's best year -- Hope still has not been to the tournament more than Calvin.

Small quible, VandeStreek began coaching at Calvin in 1997.

Hope has been to the NCAA tournament 8 times to Calvin's 6

Hope 97, 98, 02, 03, 06, 07, 08, 09

[sac]

halftime in Holland and the Dutchmen are struggling with the Panthers.

PNC 44 Hope 36.........Jared Mysliewiec has not played for Hope, he's been a solid contributer offensively so far this year.



also  Oberlin 75 Alma 66

[sac]

FINAL  Hope 96  Purdue-North Central 73

Hope pretty much came out and crushed the Panthers in the 2nd half, outscored PNC 23-6 in the first 6 minutes or so to take control.   60-29 in the 2nd half.

Big night for the starters....Nelis 23, Bowser 20, Snuggerud 20, Bunn 12, Neil 10 off the bench.......thats a career high for the Fr. Snuggerud and So. Neil


First game I can recall this year where Hope didn't shoot well from behind the arc, just 2-12.

Hope will play Ohio Dominican at 3pm Saturday in the Championship game.

[Happy Calvin Guy]

Congrats to the Dutchman on a convincing victory tonight and three double-doubles.

A lot of talk here about KVS.  On the postgame interview yesterday, he was very upset with Calvin's effort and took ownership of that as head coach.  Even went so far as to say that if they pulled it out at the end, they wouldn't have deserved the victory based on the effort put forth.  With that type of leadership at the top and the talent Calvin has, don't count them out, I think you'll see some improvements soon.  Also, the rotation seems to be taking shape, with Salo and Schnyders getting fewer minutes and Snikkers and Powell getting more.  Also Campbell playing a more major role and he has been been playing well.  All this is good.  We really need a victory next Friday over Trinity though heading into the Christmas break.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Truly a tale of 2 halves in Holland tonight.  The first half the Dutchmen looked a step slow, not really ready to play and just not "in to the game".  Felt like a week since they last played, and they had no intensity.  Terrible FT shooting (47%), poor defense (PNC shot 51%), and just blah!!

Start the second half, and it was obvious a fire had been lit in the locker room.  The defense was great (held PNC to 31%), rebounding was dominate (finished the game with 23 offensive rebounds and 28 def), and the ball was pushed down the court at every opportunity. 

Gotta love a game where your front line gives you 63 points, 37 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 8 steals.

[fire3rain3]

Quoting OK: "I just can't get over the quality of shots Calvin's defense consistently gives opponents this year."
Really   It's not only the quality, but the quantity that should concern you.  FWIW This situation is not new to this year!
IMHO this occurs with regularity because opposing coaches know exactly what defense Calvin is going to play, and it doesn't take much time to figure out how to use that to your advantage.  Expecting Calvin's results to change without a change in Calvin's basic defense is idle daydreaming.
Concentrating on perfecting a defensive scheme everyone knows has produced a 2-5 record. 

I don't think the scheme is to blame, I think poor execution is to blame.

Knightslappy,
I could not disagree with you more.  Realist is looking at the same thing I have been looking at for years.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  - Albert Einstein

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Calvin's defensive philosophy is insane but perhaps, as others have suggested, the scheme should change somewhat year-to-year depending on its personnel? or its opponent's personnel?

[HopeConvert]

A very odd game tonight at DeVos. I thought, at halftime, that Hope was not going to pull it out. Way too many missed free throws, and also a high number of missed bunnies. That continued in the second half. I really don't know, given the missed number of layups and the poor FT shooting and non-existent 3-point shooting, how they put up 96 points. A lot of rebounds. When this team rebounds well, they will be competitive. I'm willing to challenge OK to a season-long challenge on the relative merits of the fg% stat v. the rebounding stat.

I'll say this: I like the intensity of this team. It seems to me they have some good chemistry. They are missing some vital parts, but I think they'll be competitive.

Mysliewiec had his finger taped. Venema was in uniform tonight, but didn't play.

[scottiedawg]

Nate Snuggerud had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 5 steals in the second half?  Pretty impressive.

[calvin66]

Some thoughts about KVS, Calvin, etc.  The KVS defense is deny the ball (overplay your man).  It opens up the "back door" layups and good teams can take advantage of the defense.  Weak teams, like most of the MIAA (Alma, Adrian, Kazoo, Trine, Olivet) can't handle the pressure.  Calvin should be better.  KVS is way under 500 against Hope.  That's where I look at his coaching ability.  Everyone talks about his 2000 championship.  He had the players from previous coach (Douma) and was fortunate with two freshmen, Veenstra and Foultice.  However, because of the weakness of the league, it will be Calvin and Hope at the end of the year for the championship.

[Erm Schmigget]

I hate it when I sign in for just an hour, get distracted and end up finishing my post after my session times out.  

Basically, I'm encouraged by Hope's halftime adjustment and apparent high levels of intensity and sense of urgency.  Also, some nice individual performances from Snuggerud--big 2nd half--and Nelis--23 pts. in 25 min. and a double-double.  Wish I could have been there last night.  Lots of basketball today will help make up for that.

FDF and CM:  I know you sometimes take time after games to chat with players and coaches.  Any insight re: Jared's absence from the floor?  Vera thinks she saw his finger taped last week, so we wondered if there's more to the story.

[hope1]

he hurt  some muscles in his  legs  he said he hopes to play today

[sac]

FINAL  Ohio Dominican 65 Hope 58

Bunn 17, Nelis 11

Pretty ugly shooting performance from the Dutchmen this afternoon, at one point in the 2nd half they were just 2-15 from the floor and down 14.  Hope rallied from those 14 down to within 3 a couple times with plenty of time remaining, but Panther FT's and more missed Hope shots put it away.

Hope finished 19-65 from the floor at 28% and shot just 26% in the 2nd half on 9-34 shooting.  I think this has to be considered a pretty disappointing result.  ODU is just 6-6 on the year and none of their wins are vs anyone I would call impressive (although I haven't really looked into it)

Hope is off for exams untill next Saturday when they face a pretty good Spring Arbor team in Holland.  That should be a pretty good challenge.