MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Mr. Ypsi]

Feeling a lot better about Calvin basketball thanks to that free hot dog at the pre-game bash.

I heard they were going to offer those hotdogs at the Hope game but then noticed Hope brought their own.  By the way, I heard Tanis scored 16 yesterday.  Way to go, Ty.

Did they bring their own condiments?!

I hear they are the best.

[sac]

I guess I should start by thanking the folks at Albion for changing the starting time of the Kzoo/Albion game so that I couldn't make it a double-header today.  Instead I was able to sneak into Yost Ice Arena and watched Michigan hockey for the first time in about 10 years or so.............still awesome.



Hope 59 Adrian 55

Entertaining tough defensive game today.  Hope just had to battle for this one and battle they did.  Again today they didn't have their best stuff on offense, but they found other ways to win mostly by being the better defensive team most of the day if not all of it.  I thought Hope really did a great job of making Adrian take shots they didn't want.  Adrian got caught quite a few times with the ball in the wrong guys hands with the clock running down.

Will Bowser didn't have his jump shot and even missed some close one's, Adam Dickerson struggled with foul trouble and a few other mistakes yet ending up making some of the biggest plays of the game.  David Krombeen was never really able to get going offensively and so Hope had to find other ways to score.  Neil, Snuggerud and Tanis were very good today.

This one seemed in hand and then turned a dime late........Hope up by 8 and just coming off its biggest lead of 10 on its last posession when Bowser drives the lane and is called for a very questionable hook, Adrian comes down and scores, on the next posession Overway gets sloppy with the dribble turns it over and in the space of 30 seconds its a 4 point game.  Ty Tanis' layup with about 2 min to go seemed to pull Hope out of the woods, but a Dennis Mason driving dunk andone brought it back to 2  (Mason will be famous for his FT line to baseline dunks by the time he graduates, best athlete in the league imo).

Adrian had a possession to win or tie, but Hope put together a terrific 34 seconds of defense that ended with Adrian fumbling the ball out of bounds without a shot, I don't believe the ball ever got in the shooters hands they wanted, I'm still not sure if they were going for 2 or 3.  Tanis wrapped it up with FT's.

Another shaky end of game finish for Hope, just 1 FG in the last 5, but they are getting it done.


I really like the personality of this Hope team, they just go out and do their thing and don't seem to be rattled by anything.  They aren't really great at anything, but are really good at a lot of things and it adds up to a pretty good team.  Afterwards I overheard enough to make be believe this team understands what these next two games with Albion and Kzoo mean as far as post-season opportunities go. 

It was kind of a strange feeling to watch such a close game with it really meaning little to Hope in terms of the MIAA.  This would have been a pressure packed finish if it were only a 1 or 2 game lead.

[sac]

Standings  +1 for road win/-1 for home loss

Hope    11-1     +5
Calvin   7-5       0
Albion   7-5      +1
Olivet   6-6       0
Adrian  6-6       0
Kzoo    6-6       +1
Trine    4-8       -2
Alma    1-11     -5


Wednesday, February 16
Calvin at Trine, 7:30 p.m.
Albion at Hope, 7:30 p.m.
Adrian at Alma, 7:30 p.m.
Olivet at Kalamazoo, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 19
Calvin at Albion, 3 p.m.
Trine at Adrian, 3 p.m.
Alma at Olivet, 3 p.m.
Hope at Kalamazoo, 3 p.m.



Hope is still the 2011 MIAA Champion

And now Trine could get in the blender with 2 wins next week, crazy.  Tie-breakers are going to be fun to figure out.  #1 and #8 are settled and for the 800th time Hope will host Alma in the first round of the MIAA tournament.  Everything else is up for grabs, but........

I think Calvin is in really good shape for the #2, they hold a win over Hope that's a big plus in tie-breakers (only Adrian holds the head to head over Calvin).  If Albion and Calvin both win Wednesday, it sets up a showdown for the #2 seed next Saturday in which the loser could in theory slip all the way to being on the road in round 1.  There really are seemingly a million scenarios.


Hope is still playing for Pool C and NCAA placement.


Here's what everyone has remaining, in standings form

Hope:     Albion, @ Kzoo

Calvin:    @ Trine, @ Albion
Albion:    @Hope, Calvin

Adrian:   @ Alma, Trine
Olivet:    @ Kzoo, Alma
Kzoo:     Olivet, Hope

Trine:     Calvin, @ Adrian

Alma:     Adrian, @Olivet

[sac]

Just saw on the MIAA website, Hope v-ball led the nation in attendance this season....wonder if they'll hang another banner for that since Calvin hung another one this year and all....   

too obscure?

Wow! I guess all that behind-the-scenes lobbying I did in favor of a banner featuring a prepubescent sac finally paid off.

My nephew would say the ears aren't big enough.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Loved the game at Adrian yesterday - although it wasn't the kind  of game a lot of folks like, a real defensive struggle - with some excellent defense on both sides.  I do agree with sac that I think Hope actually out defended the Bulldogs, and beat them at their own game.  Hope's FT shooting turned out to be the difference (IMHO) as the Dutchmen went 23-27 from the line.

Tanis with 16, Bowser 13 - and both of these guys worked extemely hard to get those points (a credit to Adrian's defense).  Snuggerud with an impressive stat line: 9 pts, 10 reb, 3 ast (including an increddible pass in traffic to a cutting Overway), 2 blks, 1 stl.   

[KnightSlappy]

If Albion and Calvin both win Wednesday, it sets up a showdown for the #2 seed next Saturday in which the loser could in theory slip all the way to being on the road in round 1.  There really are seemingly a million scenarios.

If Calvin beats Trine, the only way they could possibly get down to #5 would be if Kalamzoo beats Olivet, Hope goes 0-2 , Calvin loses to Albion, and then Calvin loses a couple of coin flips.

A Calvin win and a Hope or Olivet win on Wednesday guarantees a VNA home MIAA tournament game.

[almcguirejr]

A good story about Dan Tan and his friend Darius Morris here:


http://annarbor.com/sports/um-basketball/what-drives-darius-morris-memories-of-an-important-high-school-friendship-inspire-the-michigan-guard/

[gohope]

Another article to check out:

http://www.mlive.com/sports/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/02/allegan_graduate_matt_el_forge.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kalamazoosports+%28Kalamazoo+Gazette+Sports%29

[sflzman]

Feeling a lot better about Calvin basketball thanks to that free hot dog at the pre-game bash.

I heard they were going to offer those hotdogs at the Hope game but then noticed Hope brought their own.  By the way, I heard Tanis scored 16 yesterday.  Way to go, Ty.

Did they bring their own condiments?!

I hear they are the best.

Condiments?  

[sac]

I've been messing around with efficiency numbers, comparing last year to this year.  I have 5 of the 8 MIAA teams improved.  One significantly, and the 3 who's eff is down, are down only slightly.

The 3 who are down are probably not the 3 teams most people would pick.

[BogeyMan]

I've been messing around with efficiency numbers, comparing last year to this year.  I have 5 of the 8 MIAA teams improved.  One significantly, and the 3 who's eff is down, are down only slightly.

The 3 who are down are probably not the 3 teams most people would pick.

My guess would be Albion, Alma and Olivet?

[sflzman]

Alma, Olivet and Trine would be my guess....

[gohope]

I've been messing around with efficiency numbers, comparing last year to this year.  I have 5 of the 8 MIAA teams improved.  One significantly, and the 3 who's eff is down, are down only slightly.

The 3 who are down are probably not the 3 teams most people would pick.

SAC - Quick share and make your 7777th post!!!   

[Civic Minded]

I've been messing around with efficiency numbers, comparing last year to this year.  I have 5 of the 8 MIAA teams improved.  One significantly, and the 3 who's eff is down, are down only slightly.

The 3 who are down are probably not the 3 teams most people would pick.

My guess would be Albion, Alma and Olivet?

I'll take a shot -- Calvin, Albion, and Olivet?

[sac]

Woops didn't mean to make it a guessing contest.

Alma, Albion and Olivet are all just a tad down from last season in efficiency.

Kalamazoo has made a big jump from last season and Trine has also improved a significant bit.