MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ziggy]

The CCIW has more layers of in-house tiebreakers than does the MIAA. After head-to-head and moving down the ladder (respective records vs. 1st-place team, then vs. 2nd-place team, then vs. 3rd-place team, etc.), respective road records in conference play becomes the next tiebreaker. If that doesn't resolve the deadlock (it would, in Hope's favor, if the MIAA used it, since the Dutch beat Olivet on the road and Calvin beat Olivet in VanNoord), the respective records of the two teams over the last nine games comes next (Hope would win that tiebreaker, too, 9-0 to 7-2, if the regular season were to end today). Next comes head-to-head point differential (Calvin would win that one by six points), and, finally, coin toss.

I don't think that the CCIW has ever gotten down as far as the road-record tiebreaker ... but, then again, the CCIW has been fairly tie-free over the years in terms of the league championship, and the CCIW's conference tournament is a relatively recent addition.

I don't mean to start a meaningless discussion (who am I kidding ), but I find this to be counterintuitive. Wouldn't one expect that, in a strong league, road loses are inevitable and very good teams will lose on the road to league average or below teams (BigTen?).

It's expected for good teams to win their home games, so a sign of a truly solid team would be an exceptional home record. (Rarely or never failing to meet expectations).

You could make the argument that more road wins equals better strength (more wins in a hostile environment), but that always comes at the cost of failing to protect the home court.

It comes down to choosing between a peak or a valley. Is the "least worst" better than the "greatest good"?

For instance, the Calvin blue hairs hate bad plays a lot more than they love good plays (more groans than cheers).

[wiz]

I have never been concerned about who hosts the league tournament.  The league championship is determined by the regular season conference won/loss record.  If there is a tie, it stays that way.  The league tournament doesn't change that outcome.  What the league tournament does produce is an automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament.  To get anywhere in that tournament, the qualifying team is eventually going to have to step up and prove they can beat worthy opponents on the road.  If teams aren't ready for it now, they may never be.  Also, if I am not mistaken, each participating school is offered an equal amount of tickets to the host school's venue.  So, while the court looks familiar to the home team, the opposing team's fans can show up and make it feel like a home game.

So, here's a different solution that could perhaps alleviate all the whining about home court advantage.  Let the team with the worst conference record host the tournament.  There should be plenty of seating, since the host school most likely won't get beyond the first game.  The championship will most likely be between two quality programs on a nuetral floor.  What could be more fair?  Seems like the winner of that game, should be well qualified to represent the league in the NCAA tournament.

[realist]

Only once since 2002 has the finals hosting team won the MIAA tournament.  That does not look like much of a home court advantage to me.    
From a strictly $$ standpoint the MIAA does much better if either Hope or Calvin is the top seeded team after the first round.  If memory serves correct part of the rationale for going to the tournament was to raise funds for the MIAA. 

[ziggy]

One of my biggest officiating pet-peeves is that a foul isn't always a foul. I'm not talking about dead horse phantom fouls but the calls that are or are not made based on the result of the shot. Why are some calls made only after a shot misses and others ignored because of a bucket?

Take heart MIAA fans, this phenomenon occurs in the Big Ten as well. Interesting comments from DeShawn Sims: http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-basketball/michigan-forward-deshawn-sims-explains-his-game-tying-shot/

[sac]

So, here's a different solution that could perhaps alleviate all the whining about home court advantage.  Let the team with the worst conference record host the tournament.  There should be plenty of seating, since the host school most likely won't get beyond the first game.  The championship will most likely be between two quality programs on a nuetral floor.  What could be more fair?  Seems like the winner of that game, should be well qualified to represent the league in the NCAA tournament.

We'd all get sick of going to Alma.

[wiz]

So, here's a different solution that could perhaps alleviate all the whining about home court advantage.  Let the team with the worst conference record host the tournament.  There should be plenty of seating, since the host school most likely won't get beyond the first game.  The championship will most likely be between two quality programs on a nuetral floor.  What could be more fair?  Seems like the winner of that game, should be well qualified to represent the league in the NCAA tournament.

We'd all get sick of going to Alma.

Not me.  I have always come back from Alma feeling great!

[KnightSlappy]

One of my biggest officiating pet-peeves is that a foul isn't always a foul. I'm not talking about dead horse phantom fouls but the calls that are or are not made based on the result of the shot. Why are some calls made only after a shot misses and others ignored because of a bucket?

Take heart MIAA fans, this phenomenon occurs in the Big Ten as well. Interesting comments from DeShawn Sims: http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-basketball/michigan-forward-deshawn-sims-explains-his-game-tying-shot/

I can't believe that the official actually told a player that he would have made a different call based on a made or missed basket!

I truly believe some officials take it upon themselves to even out games (score wise).

[oldknight]

The front page has an article mentioning that McMurry's head coach, Ron Holmes, is stepping down after 20 years of service. Knight fans well remember when the ever-affable Holmes brought his quick, tough-minded club into Knollcrest for a Sweet 16 appearance in 2000. Calvin's victory in the national quarterfinal game was the loudest and most exciting game I ever observed a Knights team play and McMurry's Daniel Martinez was probably the quickest player I ever saw at the D3 level. I believe Martinez ended with 10 steals for the game. After the game, the likeable Holmes endeared himself to fans by declaring that he was a Calvin Knight and that he was going to go to the bookstore and buy something.

[arena]

The front page has an article mentioning that McMurry's head coach, Ron Holmes, is stepping down after 20 years of service. Knight fans well remember when the ever-affable Holmes brought his quick, tough-minded club into Knollcrest for a Sweet 16 appearance in 2000. Calvin's victory in the national quarterfinal game was the loudest and most exciting game I ever observed a Knights team play and McMurry's Daniel Martinez was probably the quickest player I ever saw at the D3 level. I believe Martinez ended with 10 steals for the game. After the game, the likeable Holmes endeared himself to fans by declaring that he was a Calvin Knight and that he was going to go to the bookstore and buy something.

That was the 2000 National Championship team, right?   

[almcguirejr]

The second halves can't go fast enough.

[Knight In The Stan]

Not even a pin drop in this place...

[almcguirejr]

Ernie would say "hang on to your Stroh's"

[Knight In The Stan]

Ernie would say "hang on to your Stroh's"

$15 for a 30...

[ziggy]

Not even a pin drop in this place...

So how 'bout those Winter Olympics?

[KnightSlappy]

Not even a pin drop in this place...

So how 'bout those Winter Olympics?

I was watching the US curling team come back from a 4-0 defecit to take a 6-4 lead after the 8th end. Then the Calvin game on so I didn't get to see the conclusion...