MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[almcguirejr]

Calvin showed some good signs again today.  Big men are playing well, outside shooting improved, turnovers down considerably, patience improved, very unselfish and willing to spread it around, and more.  Tough to benchmark today's victory over Trinity, however, as the height advantage for Calvin made for a significant mismatch.  Trinity showed some positive signs but when you get 11 shots blocked and you are outrebounded by 20, it can get a bit demoralizing.

I agree.  27 assists (34 fg's) and only 9 turnovers is very good.  Powell and Rietema combined for 11 assists and only 1 turnover.  I know the competition was suspect today but it seems like they are making progress. 

The block shot that Van Ek had to be one to one of the hardest I've seen.  That Trinity player hit the floor hard.

[oldknight]

Anyone see the end--or near end--of the Cincinnati/Xavier game today? Yikes, is this ugly. Reminds me of the 1972 brawl between Ohio State and Minnesota, when Luke Witte got cold-cocked. There had better be suspensions from today's actions that last a lot longer than one game. This is totally unacceptable.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7339184/cincinnati-bearcats-coach-embarrassed-brawl-xavier-musketeers

[calvin_grad]

Trinity was getting slaughtered on the inside by Calvin through the first two-thirds of the game, but they improved drastically when they switched to zone. It forced Calvin to revert to jump shots from mid-range and further, and we all know that isn't their strength.

I wonder how the game would have played out if Trinity had switched to the zone earlier and forced Calvin to make jump shots.   

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Saw the replay of the end of the Xavier & Cincy game on ESPN today.  Terrible situation - but kudos to the Cincy coach for his actions afterwards in the locker room.  He told his team to take off their jerseys, some he "physically took off" players, and told his entire team that he would be evaluating all their actions and deciding who would be on the team going forward. He also said he was embarrassed by his team and hoped the AD and president of his university did not demand his firing. Guy seemed sincerely barassed and ready to do whatever is needed to set his kids straight.

[sac]

Figuring very conservatively, I estimate the league will finish the non-conference 12-12 which would put the overall record at 43-40.

There are some tournaments that are kind of tricky, but I think a winning record is very doable and a losing record would actually be pretty disappointing.


I think the leagues in-region record is around 11-8, several games listed as in-region need to be verified.  There are a number of in-region games yet to go.

[Gregory Sager]

Saw the replay of the end of the Xavier & Cincy game on ESPN today.  Terrible situation - but kudos to the Cincy coach for his actions afterwards in the locker room.  He told his team to take off their jerseys, some he "physically took off" players, and told his entire team that he would be evaluating all their actions and deciding who would be on the team going forward. He also said he was embarrassed by his team and hoped the AD and president of his university did not demand his firing. Guy seemed sincerely barassed and ready to do whatever is needed to set his kids straight.

I'm withholding my kudos until he kicks Yancey Gates and Cheikh Mbodj off the team. Heck, they both need to be expelled from Cincinnati, if not arrested for assault. And Cincy's Coach Cronin also needs to 'fess up to the fact that he let it escalate and did not attempt to control his team.

Several other players from both teams need to be suspended, including Xavier's Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, not just for being two of the instigators of the brawl but for that disgraceful performance that they put on in the postgame interview.

Oh, well. At least I learned something new today: "Gangsters" and "thugs" are apparently not the same thing.

[pointlem]

With a minute remaining in the first half yesterday, Hope led a closely contested game, 37 to 30.  In the game's decisive next 8 minutes, they went on a 30 to 6 run, featuring a series a steals and elegantly executed fast breaks that electrified the crowd.  To a somewhat lesser extent, fast break offense was also the highlight of the previous night's win.  This weekend got me to wondering when Hope fans last saw a transition offense executed with such skill and energy . . . very exciting to watch.   

[sac]

Sunday game:


Denison at Albion --  Denison is 3-5 after losing to Kzoo yesterday.  Albion played and lost a game yesterday that can only be described as a tire fire located in the basement of a sewage treatment facility.***  Albion's D will keep them in many games but the offense doesn't seem to notice.   Despite the early evidence I think Albion might be a little better than Kzoo, so I make them a slight favorite but I don't know how they'll score....... Albion never seems to play well during exam week, so this might get dicey.    (watch them blow the Big Red out......ha!)


***   I'm not kidding. I've become a big fan of offensive and defensive efficiency calculations.  Albion's game yesterday was atrocious, and calling it atrocious probably makes things that are atrocious mad.  If you gave Albion the ball 100 times yesterday they would have scored 67 points, I consider a very bad game 85, which is about what Carthage managed.

If it weren't for Olivet, Albion would be the lowest rated offense in the MIAA and it wouldn't even really be a contest.

[hoopdreams]

not only are "gangsters" and "thugs" worlds apart and the phase "zip em' up" should be everyone's mantra for the remainder of the season.  I'm not exactly young anymore but I believe it references....putting someone in a body bag and zipping it up.

I could go into a particular MIAA team who demeanor on the floor is often compared to "thug-like" play but maybe they're just gangsters???

[HopeConvert]

With a minute remaining in the first half yesterday, Hope led a closely contested game, 37 to 30.  In the game's decisive next 8 minutes, they went on a 30 to 6 run, featuring a series a steals and elegantly executed fast breaks that electrified the crowd.  To a somewhat lesser extent, fast break offense was also the highlight of the previous night's win.  This weekend got me to wondering when Hope fans last saw a transition offense executed with such skill and energy . . . very exciting to watch.   

At the 15:06 mark of the second half, David Krombeen executed one of the most electrifying steal and layup sequences I have seen. As the MVNU player was attempting a pass David put his hand directly on the ball, scooped it up, dribbled between players, rushed to the opposing hoop where he performed a balletic spin move, elevated, and gently laid it in. It all took about 2-3 seconds and had me shaking my head in disbelief. I looked across the arena toward the Hope bench and saw PL sitting behind the bench shaking his head in disbelief also.

David Krombeen has elevated his game this year and is now playing at a very, very high level. He showed in the Western Michigan game he belonged on the floor with the D1 players. He should be getting serious All-American consideration.

[KnightSlappy]

Figuring very conservatively, I estimate the league will finish the non-conference 12-12 which would put the overall record at 43-40.

There are some tournaments that are kind of tricky, but I think a winning record is very doable and a losing record would actually be pretty disappointing.


I think the leagues in-region record is around 11-8, several games listed as in-region need to be verified.  There are a number of in-region games yet to go.

I have the league as 10-8 11-9 in-region.

[Civic Minded]

With a minute remaining in the first half yesterday, Hope led a closely contested game, 37 to 30.  In the game's decisive next 8 minutes, they went on a 30 to 6 run, featuring a series a steals and elegantly executed fast breaks that electrified the crowd.  To a somewhat lesser extent, fast break offense was also the highlight of the previous night's win.  This weekend got me to wondering when Hope fans last saw a transition offense executed with such skill and energy . . . very exciting to watch.   

At the 15:06 mark of the second half, David Krombeen executed one of the most electrifying steal and layup sequences I have seen. As the MVNU player was attempting a pass David put his hand directly on the ball, scooped it up, dribbled between players, rushed to the opposing hoop where he performed a balletic spin move, elevated, and gently laid it in. It all took about 2-3 seconds and had me shaking my head in disbelief. I looked across the arena toward the Hope bench and saw PL sitting behind the bench shaking his head in disbelief also.

David Krombeen has elevated his game this year and is now playing at a very, very high level. He showed in the Western Michigan game he belonged on the floor with the D1 players. He should be getting serious All-American consideration.

It (and several plays like it, including a 90 ft. assist), left many of us shaking our heads in disbelief and grinning from ear to ear.  Quite a couple of days of basketball!

[sac]

Albion 69  Denison 63

Albion battled back from 9 down with just over 8 minutes to play to take this one.  Denison absolutely killed themselves at the FT line with 9 second half misses, but more importantly 5 misses in the last few minutes while Albion was chipping away at the Big Red lead, including the front of a 1 for 1.  Anthony Wash hit a big 3 to give Albion the lead for good with about a minute and a half to play.  Albion kind of iced it with FT's.

Albion really couldn't stop Denison's Larry Farmer but they found a way to do so in the last few minutes.


Kolin Kazen 20, Lawrence Ridgell 11, Anthony Wash 10

Larry Farmer with 26 for Denison.

[sac]

Today's game

Kalamazoo at Case Western Reserve   --   CWRU has the preview today  http://athletics.case.edu/sports/mbkb/2011-12/releases/20111212lrt71y

I'll add that CWRU is very young with 1 Sr., 3 Jrs., 2 Sophs, and 9 Freshmen but have managed a respectable 6-2 start.  Kenyon and Denison are probably their best wins however.  It hasn't been the most challenging schedule.

A pretty tall starting lineup for D3......5-10, 6-7, 6-6, 6-6, 6-9

Its in-region so a Kzoo win would be helpful.

[GoRed]

Albion 69  Denison 63

Albion battled back from 9 down with just over 8 minutes to play to take this one.  Denison absolutely killed themselves at the FT line with 9 second half misses, but more importantly 5 misses in the last few minutes while Albion was chipping away at the Big Red lead, including the front of a 1 for 1.  Anthony Wash hit a big 3 to give Albion the lead for good with about a minute and a half to play.  Albion kind of iced it with FT's.

FT's were definitely a factor, but I thought Albion's overall defense was a bigger factor.  Though they were not able to  stop Farmer, they held the Big Red to 43 FG attempts and forced 15 turnovers that resulted in 16 points.  Holding a team to that few shots should put you in a position to win any game.