MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[pointlem]

Based on what I saw last night, if Hope keeps it within 14 I'll be surprised.

Massey gives IWU an 82% chance of winning, with a predicted 80 to 71 victory.  Hope will need to shoot better against IWU's stronger defense than the 40% it shot last night against Lake Forest.  But I still like Hope's strength and depth in both the paint and point guard positions.  If the shooting guards are on, this could be an exciting game--and is certainly a rematch we've been looking forward to ever since that epic double overtime game two years ago.  Two great colleges with similarly great basketball traditions.

I was impressed with both IWU and with Wilmington, which I suspect will handle Lake Forest today.

[HopeConvert]

Based on what I saw last night, if Hope keeps it within 14 I'll be surprised.

Massey gives IWU an 82% chance of winning, with a predicted 80 to 71 victory.  Hope will need to shoot better against IWU's stronger defense than the 40% it shot last night against Lake Forest.  But I still like Hope's strength and depth in both the paint and point guard positions.  If the shooting guards are on, this could be an exciting game--and is certainly a rematch we've been looking forward to ever since that epic double overtime game two years ago.  Two great colleges with similarly great basketball traditions.

I was impressed with both IWU and with Wilmington, which I suspect will handle Lake Forest today.

Hope has some serious problems with foot speed and team defense. Hope is solid at the point and in the paint. I agree. But there are serious issues on the other spots on the floor. We shall see. As it looks to me now, I will be very surprised, as I said, if Hope keeps it in single digits.

Lake Forest dressed 22 guys last night. 22! What kind of travel budget do they have?

[sac]

Saturday, December 21
Lawrence Tech at Adrian, 3 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan at Hope, 3 p.m.
Trine at Wabash, Ind., 3 p.m.
Kalamazoo at Purdue-Calumet, Ind., 4 p.m.

Four games today, the league needs 1 more win to hit 31.  31 assures a winning percentage higher than 2007 which was probably the low point for the league in the last decade+.   Its still going to end up under .500 though.

[sac]

Lake Forest dressed 22 guys last night. 22! What kind of travel budget do they have?

Looking at their stats before yesterday I was wondering if they have a JV team.  At some point all 22 guys have had playing time.

Lake Forest has 5 guys from Michigan on the very large varsity.

Torrey Davis, Greenvillle
Chris Janner, Detroit Catholic Central
Mitch Caywood, Rockford
Jeff Koch, Troy Athens
Andrew Toth, Birmingham Brother Rice

[sac]

IWU 91  Hope  83

Hope hung tough with this really good IWU team, just a little too much ruthless 3 point shooting from Wesleyan.  IWU also turned the rebounding around from a deficit of 4 at halftime to plus 5 for the game.

Gardner 19,  Eidson 18,  Byers  16

[sac]

Wabash  67  Trine  65   OT

Trine with two rough no calls in the final moments of overtime.  Wabash gets its first win.

Tatu 18,  Dixon 16,  Good 12, Holmquist 11


--------------------------------------------------------

Adrian 60  Lawrence Tech 42

Wesley Reed 16

[oldknight]

Lake Forest dressed 22 guys last night. 22! What kind of travel budget do they have?

Apparently one that is large enough to fulfill the school's athletic department's mission statement to get every student involved with its program so everyone will feel they are part of a quality program.

Based on what I saw last night, if Hope keeps it within 14 I'll be surprised.

Massey gives IWU an 82% chance of winning, with a predicted 80 to 71 victory.  Hope will need to shoot better against IWU's stronger defense than the 40% it shot last night against Lake Forest.  But I still like Hope's strength and depth in both the paint and point guard positions.  If the shooting guards are on, this could be an exciting game--and is certainly a rematch we've been looking forward to ever since that epic double overtime game two years ago.  Two great colleges with similarly great basketball traditions.

I was impressed with both IWU and with Wilmington, which I suspect will handle Lake Forest today.

Hope has some serious problems with foot speed and team defense. Hope is solid at the point and in the paint. I agree. But there are serious issues on the other spots on the floor. We shall see. As it looks to me now, I will be very surprised, as I said, if Hope keeps it in single digits.

Count yourself surprised. Couldn't wait until next year to see another D3 basketball game so I traveled over to Holland to take in the IWU/Hope game. Immediately upon entry I was met by a Hope fan who--apparently oblivious to my school loyalty--offered me a free ticket. This being the holiday season, I was pleased to accept.

I must say, IWU is quite deserving of its high ranking. The Titans are well balanced, well coached and play like a team with the tools to make a long tournament run. Hope played well but just didn't play the kind of defense needed to take down a team playing at a high level. Gardner was terrific and kept the game close for Hope.

[sac]

Purdue-Calumet 87  Kalamazoo 77

Nothing says small college basketball like two bouncy castles in the corners of your gymnasium with a basketball game going on. 

Kzoo was down by about 19 at one point, pulled within 5 or 6 late.  Calumet moves to 11-2.

Ghafari 29

[pointlem]

Massey gives IWU an 82% chance of winning, with a predicted 80 to 71 victory.  Hope will need to shoot better against IWU's stronger defense than the 40% it shot last night against Lake Forest.  But I still like Hope's strength and depth in both the paint and point guard positions.  If the shooting guards are on, this could be an exciting game . . .

I was impressed with both IWU and with Wilmington, which I suspect will handle Lake Forest today.

Massey pretty well nailed the point margin.  IWU's shooting guards were the difference (12 for 26 on 3's, with Dolan and Sodemann going 8 for 11, while Hope's team 3-point shooting was 3 of 15.  Hope also couldn't control Zeimnik with 1 on 1 around the basket.  But Hope fans had to love their team's effort, with lots of hustle layups, only 6 turnovers, and Ben Gardner showing why he's a future all-American candidate.  It took a hot-shooting IWU to win this close game . . . suggesting not a great distance between the two teams. 

All in all, a well-played game by both teams.  With Hope being a developing young team, and IWU a senior-led team, Hope fans can fantasize a rematch at the season's end, especially if they can find some 3-point shooting.

[wiz]

Couldn't wait until next year to see another D3 basketball game so I traveled over to Holland to take in the IWU/Hope game.

Oldknight, I am surprised you ventured over there in these icy road conditions.  Why didn't you just watch the video like you do when you can't make it to a Calvin game?

[oldknight]

Couldn't wait until next year to see another D3 basketball game so I traveled over to Holland to take in the IWU/Hope game.

Oldknight, I am surprised you ventured over there in these icy road conditions.  Why didn't you just watch the video like you do when you can't make it to a Calvin game?

Actually I ran into no ice at all. The roads I took were only wet. Some game notes:

--My previous post mentioned how well Gardner played for Hope, and I see he led his team in both points (21) and assists (6). I failed to mention Byers who played extremely well against a deep, talented and physical IWU front line. If this afternoon's game was any indication of what he will do for Hope this year, he needs to be starting. He did get 28 minutes today so obviously MN recognized his importance.

--Eidson played quite a bit better against IWU than when I saw him in the CCIW/MIAA games a couple of weeks ago. He attacked the basket more with dribble penetration and had some nice finishes around the hoop instead of just trying to float around the perimeter, waiting to get a shot from the arc. He still isn't hitting beans from outside though (0-5 on threes) and if a couple of them had gone down this game would have been really interesting.

--Hope really lost this game on the defensive end and they need to tighten up on that half of the floor. If the Flying Dutchmen play consistently well on defense during the conference season, they certainly will make a serious run at the MIAA championship; if they don't, Hope will lose games to more than just their archrival. As well as they played on the offensive end, it wasn't realistic that Hope would beat IWU by trying to outscore them.

--Holy smokes is Victor Davis ripped. At 6'5", 235, and no discernible body fat, he has to make IWU's football coach weep to see this kid not on the gridiron. The kid knows how to play hoops though.

--My first look at Ron Rose in action and he impressed me. Doesn't whine excessively about officiating, is very engaged, and seems to communicate his wishes well to his players. Overstreet made some obvious errors in the first half, got pulled and Rose immediately talked to him. The conversation wasn't heated or appear uncomfortable, merely instructive and the point guard went back into the game moments later with no apparent after effects. Rose has talent but he knows how to use it.

--I'm still trying to understand what makes Ziemnik such an effective player. He doesn't overly impress you on any given play or possession but at game's end, there he is with a double/double (21 and 11), plus a team high 5 assists and 2 blocks.

[sac]

Brian Morehouse ‏@CoachMorehouse 3h

Great W today. Best part of the whole thing......Mr Tom Renner handed me my stats as his last official duty at Hope. #class #noonebetter

[Titan Q]

--I'm still trying to understand what makes Ziemnik such an effective player. He doesn't overly impress you on any given play or possession but at game's end, there he is with a double/double (21 and 11), plus a team high 5 assists and 2 blocks.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-31/sports/ct-spt-0131-prep-college-catchup-20130131_1_oswego-champaign-centennial-titans

He is a unique player.  I really love watching him play and just respect how hard he works.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

2+ weeks til the start of league play, so here are the rules for the 2014 version of the MIAA Pick 'Em contest.  No change in the rules from the last few years.  If you want to join - just go to the MIAA Pick 'Em page.

- Prior to the beginning of the first game on any given day, pick the winner of each game.  You must also indicate confidence points 1 through 4 (and you must use each confidence number once for each game day).  If you picked the winning team, you will be awarded the number of confidence points you put on that game (See example below).

- Any late picks will be counted as incorrect, and no points will be awarded.

- I will post a weekly update on the standings. 

- The ultimate winner to be decided by point total.  Any ties in point total will be broken by pick percentage.  If a tie still exists, the commissioner automatically wins- just kidding.

- Any disputes may be taken up with the commissioner (that's me) and I will make a final and fair ruling (I promise).


Pick Em example:

Let's say I used the picks below (the team I picked to win is bolded) and the number is my confidence points:

Team A vs Team B - 2
Team C vs Team D - 4
Team E vs Team F - 3
Team G vs Team H - 1

If the winning teams are B, D, F, and H, I would have gone 3-1 and have accrued 7 points.

Here is the slate of games for week 1:

Wednesday, January 8
Trine @ Hope, 7:30 p.m.
Olivet  @ Adrian, 7:30 p.m.
Albion @ Kalamazoo, 8:00 p.m.
Calvin @ Alma, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 11
Hope @ Calvin, 3:00 p.m.
Adrian @ Trine, 3:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo @ Olivet, 5:00 p.m.
Alma @ Albion, 7:30 p.m.

[HopeConvert]

I'm pleased I was wrong about Saturday's game. Hope played better on offense, for the most part, than I thought they would. The defense is still a problem, but IWU is a good team. On the other hand, I am a little frustrated. That was a winnable game, but I'm of the opinion Hope is not maximizing the minutes of its best players, and it's holding the team back.