MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[KnightSlappy]

OK, so I'll address the "elephant in the room"  - is Tyler Kruis injured?  Saw mention that he was in street clothes at the last game, and I'm curious about his status heading into MIAA play next week.

Sounded like illness, but I'm not "in the know" on this.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

OK, so I'll address the "elephant in the room"  - is Tyler Kruis injured?  Saw mention that he was in street clothes at the last game, and I'm curious about his status heading into MIAA play next week.

Sounded like illness, but I'm not "in the know" on this.

Thanks - hope that's the case.

[oldknight]

OK, so I'll address the "elephant in the room"  - is Tyler Kruis injured?  Saw mention that he was in street clothes at the last game, and I'm curious about his status heading into MIAA play next week.

Sounded like illness, but I'm not "in the know" on this.

Thanks - hope that's the case.

Kruis was out with the flu bug. Calvin fans can breathe again. As one quipster noted, the rest of the team merely played like they had the flu bug.

Well, they topped the 37 point mark set at Wheaton last year.  So, that's good.

Yup; and Calvin shot better than 30% from the floor and only got out boarded by 11 so the Knights are well ahead of last season's low water mark.

[sac]

Hope closes out its non-conference against Edgewood tonight at 7pm in DeVos.  First meeting between the two schools on the hardwood.  They were 7-18 last season, at this point they seem decidedly improved from last year.

The Eagles come in 6-5 on the year and like Hope tried to tackle Whitewater and Stevens Point.
UWSP  80-45
UWW  80-53

Their other 3 losses have come by single-digits in NACC play.
http://d3hoops.com/teams/Edgewood/Men/2013-14/index

Starting Lineups:
G  Dylan Rusch  6-2  Jr.
G  Brett Meinecke  6-3  Sr.
G  Emilio Lopez  6-2  So.
F  Justin Williams  6-5  Sr.*  -started last game
F  Joe Kolcek  6-5  Jr.
---------------------------------
Primary Bench:
F  Jake Heuer 6-4 So.  *  -started 9 games
G  Tal Diekvoss  6-2  Jr.
G  Matt Savatski  6-2  So.
G  Dylan Heemstra   6-4  So.
C  Trevor Neale  6-8  So.

Williams, Klocek, Rusch, Lopez average 10-10-10 and 9, so there is no one single player they look to for scoring.  Neale is the only player over 6-5 who will likely see action.  Hope will have the size advantage, except at the guard spots.

3 things:
Edgewood is shooting 3's at just 28.8% on the year, they've attempted 20 per game.  Hope is shooting just 30% themselves.

Edgewood has been a good rebounding team on the year, +5 per game, and a very good 41.1% on the offensive glass.

Both teams have been allowing opponents to shoot the ball a little over 45%, Hope comes in shooting 47% to Edgewood 40%

Bonus Thing:   Edgewood's FT defense is outstanding as opponents have made just 66% of their FT's.

[sac]

If you are itching to see some basketball today and the MIAA slate doesn't satisfy,  Chicago Curie is playing at Muskegon High today.  A chance to see Kansas commit Cliff Alexander.  Curie was ranked #12 in USA Today's high school rankings.

[Titan Q]

If you are itching to see some basketball today and the MIAA slate doesn't satisfy,  Chicago Curie is playing at Muskegon High today.  A chance to see Kansas commit Cliff Alexander.  Curie was ranked #12 in USA Today's high school rankings.

http://www.cinewsnow.com/sports/Chicago-Curie-stars-puts-on-a-slam-dunk-show-at-Pontiac-237856091.html

[sac]

IPFW 110  Kalamazoo 74

Kzoo played without Mark Ghafari today, that's a pretty big concern heading into Wed's big clash with Albion.  Hopefully its just a minor illness or something.  Hornets weren't entirely punch less but they really had little chance in this game anyway.

Dykema 20, Goetz 17, Baysdell 10.........not bad having two Fr among your leading scorers against a D1. 


Trine 73  Ohio Northern 68

This is pretty easily Trine's best win of the season, massey had ONU as a 13 point favorite.  ONU will probably finish in the middle of the OAC, which is actually pretty good this year.  Trine missed a couple ft's in the last minute that left ONU with a couple chances to tie but couldn't get one to fall.

Good 25  Holmquist 17  Tatu 13 Dixon 13

[KzooHornet]

I feel a little guilty that I completely forgot about the Hornet game until it was almost halftime.  I was hoping that not seeing Mark Ghafari in the line-up was a live stats error, but I figured that happens less at the D1 level than it does at D3.  The recap on K's website mentions that he did not play, but does not give a reason.  Here's hoping he is okay by Wednesday night!

The good news from the game was to see Adam Dykema score so well in his first major action of the season.  K had four freshmen play double-figure minutes.  Another bonus is they are listed at 6'3, 6'5, 6'6, and 6'8.  Not quite as big as some teams in the league, but the size should help with match-ups as the season moves along.

Big in-region win for Trine.  I wasn't sure about the Thunder early in the season, but it looks like they are starting to find their way.  No matter how many players you have returning, it always takes a while for guys to step into new roles.  Two big sets of shoes to fill with the departure of Jackson and Rogers.

I'm not sure how much it has been discussed on this board, but personally I love seeing Hope play so many D3 opponents.  I know that it was at the expense of one of their tournaments and has meant a few more road games, but I think it will be a good thing for them in the long run. 

[sac]

Hope 68  Edgewood 64

Hope holds on for the W.  You'd never know looking at that score that Hope led by 18 at one point.  Hope dominated the first half, Edgewood dominated the first part of the second half.  Like Tuesday it became a back and forth battle that Hope gritted out.  Not the best execution in the final 5 minutes by either team.

*livestats was pretty much an adventure so no scoring until there's a boxscore

[wwjjdd]

Hope 68  Edgewood 64

Hope holds on for the W.  You'd never know looking at that score that Hope led by 18 at one point.  Hope dominated the first half, Edgewood dominated the first part of the second half.  Like Tuesday it became a back and forth battle that Hope gritted out.  Not the best execution in the final 5 minutes by either team.

*livestats was pretty much an adventure so no scoring until there's a boxscore

Edgewood opened the 2nd half in a zone defense (1-2-2) if I counted right.  Hope had no outside shooting to break it down and the score quickly narrowed until Edgewood took the lead.  Eventually, Hope was able to penetrate a bit to score, Stuive  hit a few shots and had some big rebounds. (He played a lot because of foul trouble for NVA, Benson and Byers and played well.)  It was then that Hope was suddenly unable to make a free-throw and limped to the win.  We could be in for a shaky January.

[pointlem]

Hope had no outside shooting to break it down and the score quickly narrowed until Edgewood took the lead. . . . We could be in for a shaky January.

On the radio afterwards, Tom Davelaar indicated that Hope's difficulty against the zone means they likely will see more such.  Although the starting guards together are 20 of 82 (24%) on 3's for the season, Hope can bring McMahon and Carlson off the bench--they together are 22 of 50 (44%), and Sasha Yonov also has long-range scoring ability.  Yesterday we again saw Carlson and Gardner playing together--a combination that lifted the team down in Kentucky.  Better outside shooting, combined with continued strong post play and Gardner and Eidson's ability to take the ball to the basket, could make for good things to come for this young team.  The next week will give us a clue.

[HopeConvert]

OK, so I'll address the "elephant in the room"  - is Tyler Kruis injured?  Saw mention that he was in street clothes at the last game, and I'm curious about his status heading into MIAA play next week.

Of course, that's not the biggest elephant in the MIAA room, is it?

[oldknight]

If you are itching to see some basketball today and the MIAA slate doesn't satisfy,  Chicago Curie is playing at Muskegon High today.  A chance to see Kansas commit Cliff Alexander.  Curie was ranked #12 in USA Today's high school rankings.

http://www.cinewsnow.com/sports/Chicago-Curie-stars-puts-on-a-slam-dunk-show-at-Pontiac-237856091.html

Interesting to see that Pontiac Township High School openly sports their team nickname and mascot on the gymnasium end zone mat. Don't tell Bob Costas.

[goodknight]

Conference openers have been pushed back a day due to meteorological madness across the Mitten.

From the league website:

MIAA Basketball Games For Wednesday Postponed By Winter Storm

The MIAA has announced that all men's and women's basketball games scheduled for Wednesday, January 8 have been postponed because of current and predicted weather conditions.

The games have been rescheduled for Thursday, January 9, with no changes in the scheduled start times.

[sac]

One day preparation for Hope/Calvin on Saturday.