MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[calvinite]

I hope people don't mind the bias/perspective/Adrian news that I will mostly provide.

I, for one, appreciate it, ABA! Keep posting. Look at how well Adrian has done the last couple year's under Mike White's leadership combined with the fact that Adrian is still a young team, and I don't doubt that Adrian will be a regular in the MIAA tournament in the next couple of years. I'd be surprised if they don't make the MIAA tournament this year. With Adrian's ability and only two games in the tournament, anything could happen... Look at their last game against Calvin.... that game could have gone either way.

As for pool C bids, my experience (concerning Calvin) is don't get your hopes up. If the women's draw last year with the Hope women not getting an invite is any indication of how things will work for the men this year, I'd be very surprised if Adrian or Hope could get into the NCAA tournament without the automatic bid. The Hope women, as I recall, were ranked in the top ten for almost the entire year, and basically they only had 4 or 5 losses. Two of those losses were to Calvin (ranked #1 or #2 or something) AND they had a win over Calvin. Even if Adrian and Hope both beat the Calvin men this year, they won't have a win over a top 3 team like the Hope women had. For that matter, I don't think it's a given that Calvin would get in without the automatic bid--but that might just be my cynicism that has built up over the years.

[Chief]

Overway...injured.

[almcguirejr]

Overway...injured.

Is it his back? 

Seriously, what did he injure and when will he be able to play?

[sac]

Its in the Sentinel tonight.

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/newsnow/x846050057/Hope-College-basketball-loses-point-guard-Colton-Overway-to-foot-injury


Pretty much the one guy they couldn't lose.  Time for some others to quit moping around and lift their team.

Ben Gardner will become the 11th different Dutchmen to start a game this year.

[KnightSlappy]

As for pool C bids, my experience (concerning Calvin) is don't get your hopes up. If the women's draw last year with the Hope women not getting an invite is any indication of how things will work for the men this year, I'd be very surprised if Adrian or Hope could get into the NCAA tournament without the automatic bid. The Hope women, as I recall, were ranked in the top ten for almost the entire year, and basically they only had 4 or 5 losses. Two of those losses were to Calvin (ranked #1 or #2 or something) AND they had a win over Calvin. Even if Adrian and Hope both beat the Calvin men this year, they won't have a win over a top 3 team like the Hope women had. For that matter, I don't think it's a given that Calvin would get in without the automatic bid--but that might just be my cynicism that has built up over the years.

The women's game is a bit different in that it's more a case of the haves and have nots. It seems the good teams usually have really good winning percentages -- more so than on the men's side. And, If I recall correctly, the Hope women didn't have a good strength of schedule number.

"Wins over top 3 teams" is not an NCAA criteria either but Adrian DID beat Wooster who's #8 right now.

[KnightSlappy]

Since we've been talking tournament selection: Calvin fans really want Adrian to go 2-0 this week. If they can beat Hope and Trine, they'll surely be ranked in the first set of the NCAA's regional rankings (due out next Wednesday) and Calvin will be able to claim their two wins over Adrian as "results versus regionally ranked opponents" (a primary criterion). This would help for selection purposes (if they fail to win the AQ) and/or seeding purposes either way.

If Calvin can finish the regular season 4-2, it would be tough to keep them out even if Adrian doesn't end up ranked at some point.

[calvinite]

Good news if Calvin should need a Pool C bid and actually get one. Better if they don't need it.

As for seeding and regional rankings and the rest, my question for those in the know is this: Does Overway's injury affect rankings and seeding and the like. I get that it would be good for Calvin if Adrian is ranked, and that Adrian beating Hope and Trine increases the chances they'll be ranked regionally. Logic, however, would suggest that if they beat a Hope team without Overway that Overway's injury makes Hope less competitive. That is, that Hope is worse, not that Adrian is necessarily 'better.'

That's all too complicated. What I mean to ask is if the folks on the NCAA regional ranking committee look at significant injuries like Overway's when voting? Or is voting purely 'subjective' in the sense that some voters might factor this in while others might not?

Thanks for you patience with this wordy, awkward question.

[KnightSlappy]

Good news if Calvin should need a Pool C bid and actually get one. Better if they don't need it.

As for seeding and regional rankings and the rest, my question for those in the know is this: Does Overway's injury affect rankings and seeding and the like. I get that it would be good for Calvin if Adrian is ranked, and that Adrian beating Hope and Trine increases the chances they'll be ranked regionally. Logic, however, would suggest that if they beat a Hope team without Overway that Overway's injury makes Hope less competitive. That is, that Hope is worse, not that Adrian is necessarily 'better.'

That's all too complicated. What I mean to ask is if the folks on the NCAA regional ranking committee look at significant injuries like Overway's when voting? Or is voting purely 'subjective' in the sense that some voters might factor this in while others might not?

Thanks for you patience with this wordy, awkward question.

I believe injuries and the like are not considered. At any rate, there wouldn't be anything about this Hope/Adrian matchup that they'd dig into that much.

[calvinite]

Pretty much the one guy they couldn't lose. 
Ben Gardner will become the 11th different Dutchmen to start a game this year.

I agree. Not only is Overway the one guy they couldn't lose, but the timing of the injury could hardly be worse. I mean losing Overway right before the Calvin-Hope game would be terrible too, but having to play two freshman point guards against Adrian's defense seems especially difficult -- even though I think Gardener has played well this year ....

[sac]

"It's been an emotional couple of days. You hate to go out like this. You work at this your whole life — all the sprints, the weightlifting, the ballhandling, shooting. You don't wish this on anybody.

"But it's the hand I've been dealt. I'm just going to attack it head-on. I'm going to be out there on the bench, giving my all for my teammates."

"I believe in Ben and Jordan. They're great players,"  "I told my mom I'm going to get a sport coat, blazer, so I can feel like a coach out there." - Colton Overway



"One of the things I tried to impress on my guys is we're not a one-man team," Neil said. "It's important for the other 15 guys to step up and do a little more. We certainly ache for Colton, but we just have to move on."  -  Matt Neil

[Gregory Sager]

"I believe in Ben and Jordan. They're great players,"  "I told my mom I'm going to get a sport coat, blazer, so I can feel like a coach out there." - Colton Overway

Then don't forget the khaki Dockers, Colton!

(Seriously, I hope the kid gets well enough and beats the odds by getting back into uniform. No senior deserves to have his career end with an injury.)

[Titan Q]

"It's been an emotional couple of days. You hate to go out like this. You work at this your whole life — all the sprints, the weightlifting, the ballhandling, shooting. You don't wish this on anybody.

"But it's the hand I've been dealt. I'm just going to attack it head-on. I'm going to be out there on the bench, giving my all for my teammates."

"I believe in Ben and Jordan. They're great players,"  "I told my mom I'm going to get a sport coat, blazer, so I can feel like a coach out there." - Colton Overway



"One of the things I tried to impress on my guys is we're not a one-man team," Neil said. "It's important for the other 15 guys to step up and do a little more. We certainly ache for Colton, but we just have to move on."  -  Matt Neil

Unfortunately reminds me of a situation at IWU two years ago.  Senior PG Travis Rosenkranz, a 4-year starter, suffered a bad concussion at Wheaton on Feb 12.  He missed the final 7 games of his basketball career.  It was hard to watch him sit there on the bench.

I hope Overway can come back.

[Mr. Ypsi]

If Colton really wants to feel like a coach, tell him to visit Augie.  The coach can teach him proper techniques for throwing his sports coat during games!

Good luck to him for a quick recovery.

[hoopdreams]

My heart breaks and thoughts go out to Overway if he cannot come back, even if it's just a brief check in for some closure.  No one wishes an injury on anyone, especially a quality high character kid.  My guess is that you will his teammates rally together for him....it's what generally happens when a brother (especially the ones you really care about) goes down.  Adrian had better be prepared for something "extra" inside the Devos

[wiz]

"quality high character kid"

Very well said!