MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

Alma @ Indiana Northwest 8pm EST


When last we left Indiana Northwest, the Redhawks had lost 77-73 in Alma's season and new arena opener to drop to 0-6.....since then they've improved to 1-13 with that one win coming over Kuyper College.  Among the resume busting losses, Purdue North Central and Andrews.

Alma is 4-4 coming off a terrible loss to Finlandia in which they blew a 16 point second half lead.   This is a great opportunity for Alma to get above the .500 mark.

[wiz]

Alma @ Indiana Northwest 8pm EST


When last we left Indiana Northwest, the Redhawks had lost 77-73 in Alma's season and new arena opener to drop to 0-6.....since then they've improved to 1-13 with that one win coming over Kuyper College.  Among the resume busting losses, Purdue North Central and Andrews.

Alma is 4-4 coming off a terrible loss to Finlandia in which they blew a 16 point second half lead.   This is a great opportunity for Alma to get above the .500 mark.

But no such luck tonight.  In a disappointing loss, Alma falls 67 - 49.

[sac]

That's a thumping to a very bad basketball team.  Alma's last two losses have come to teams with a combined record of 2-24 coming into the games.

Massey had IUNW #134 out of 141 NAIA II teams.

[sac]

Hope plays Marygrove at 8pm in the Russ DeVette Tournament Wed. night. Marygrove is 4-9 on the season but a closer inspection reveals a team that is 0-4 vs the likes of Eastern Michigan, Oakland, Grand Valley State and Wayne State.... all were played in their first 5 games, all were games they had zero chance of winning.  Since their 1-4 start the Mustangs are a modest 3-5, with their only significant win coming vs East-West University(remember them Hope fans?)....their other 3 wins are vs Great Lakes Christian, twice, and Kuyper College.

On the losses side of things they lost 5 in row to familiar names Aquinas, Siena Heights, Concordia, Cornerstone and Spring Arbor.  But a closer look reveals very competitive losses to Cornerstone by 5 and Spring Arbor by 4.

Hope should be the favorite without much hesitation but I'm not so sure this is going to be the walk-over some might be expecting.  If Hope plays a little sloppy they could find themselves in a tougher game than they want in the 2nd half.

Marygrove roster ~ which appears to be a significant height upgrade from past Marygrove teams
http://www.marygrovemustangs.com/roster/8/1.php

In the last few years of looking for info on the Mustangs occasionally I can't recall their program having a full JV roster.  With their jump to NAIA II and hopes of joining the WHAC, this is a program that seems on the rise.




The other game at DeVos has Malone facing Madonna.  Malone is a top 25 NAIA II squad, as a matter of interest, Massey has them as the highest rated team in the tournament slightly ahead of Hope (very comparable to Wheaton).   Malone is 9-4, 2 of those loses to Youngstown State and Findley.

Madonna is 4-10, and has MIAA losses to Alma and Olivet, but they've won 3 of their last 4 games.


Malone roster:  http://www.malonepioneers.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball
Madonna roster:  http://www.madonnacrusaders.com/roster/0/4.php


side note of trivia, this is the second tournament in a row Marygrove and Madonna have been in the same gym.  Marygrove was a participant in Madonna's tournament before Christmas where they did not meet.

[wiz]

I doubt Hope will have any trouble with Marygrove.  A following game against Malone could be more troubling and coach Tim Walker, former Trinity coach and Calvin assistant, has some familiarity with Hope.

The more interesting game tonight will be on the women's side with the Dutch taking on Washington.  I expect the Dutch to prevail but very likely this will be their most serious threat thus far.

[almcguirejr]

Korey Van Dussen and his UNC Greensboro teammates host #1 Duke tonight.  Coach K trying to pass Dean Smith to move into 2nd on the all time list for wins.  UNC Greensboro is 0-11 on the year.  Van Dussen has played well against Wake Forest, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Florida State.  He struggled against Maryland.  The game is on ESPNU at 7.

[sac]

I'm short on time to do any kind of decent rundown of todays games.  Geneva and Spring Arbor are probably slight favorites in their games today vs Kzoo and Adrian.

Albion, Calvin and Hope should win theirs, under normal circumstances Alma should beat Purdue North Central but they've lost two in a row to bad basketball teams, so who knows what the Scots will throw out there tonight.

[KnightSlappy]

I'm short on time to do any kind of decent rundown of todays games.  Geneva and Spring Arbor are probably slight favorites in their games today vs Kzoo and Adrian.

Albion, Calvin and Hope should win theirs, under normal circumstances Alma should beat Purdue North Central but they've lost two in a row to bad basketball teams, so who knows what the Scots will throw out there tonight.

There are Live Stats for every game, except Alma's, and Video for the Calvin and Kalamazoo games.

Most of the links are at MIAA.org.

They don't have the links to the Kalamazoo feeds, but I've pasted them below.
Live Stats: http://www.case.edu/athletics/varsity/basketball_live/xlive.htm
Video: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mbbtournament2

[hoopdreams]

WOTS is that a decision has been made within the past 24 hours on Bunn's playing status for the 2010-11..... sure word will be passed around tonight. Maybe its been discussed on here but i've been away.....

[almcguirejr]

Davenport University has suspended HC Burt Paddock and asst coach Alex Briggs has "resigned."
http://www.mlive.com/smallcolleges/grandrapids/index.ssf/2010/12/burt_paddock_sitting_out_daven.html

[WLCALUM83]

Calvin/Benedictine-IL on deck:

[WLCALUM83]

Benedictine & Calvin tied at 24  9:43 left 1st half.

[WLCALUM83]

Benedictine 41, Calvin 39  2 secs left 1st half

[KnightSlappy]

My LiveStats went kerplooie, but it seems that Calvin is loosing the rebounding battle. This needs to change for the Knights to get the win.

I would like to see a little more 'drive and dish' out of the Knights.

Brent Schooooooooooster is leading the Knights with 13 points.

[WLCALUM83]

Benedictine 60, Calvin 55  10 1/2 min left 2nd half