MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Flying Dutch Fan]

So both men's and women's all MIAA teams (1st & 2nd) plus MVP and DPOY are announced live between the women's and mens 2-3 games - with the commish handing out awards to any who happened to be in attendance. Dumbest damn thing in the world. If you want to do it live at least wait for the packed house of the evening games - and notify the teams so more players are present.

[MaroonKnighty]

Go Scots!

[sflzman]

So both men's and women's all MIAA teams (1st & 2nd) plus MVP and DPOY are announced live between the women's and mens 2-3 games - with the commish handing out awards to any who happened to be in attendance. Dumbest damn thing in the world. If you want to do it live at least wait for the packed house of the evening games - and notify the teams so more players are present.

Agreed. That was really stupid. Walked into the building as it was happening and was shocked to see that.

On that note, does Lee Gardner leading the MIAA in scoring and not getting First Team recognition come across as a bit of a snub to anyone else? I know Olivet was terrible but so was Calvin and Daley still got recognition.

Good win for Alma today. Took care of the rebounding problem that they've had in their two league losses. Albion's offense looked very stagnant for much of the game today. They really didn't do a very good job at all of attacking the Alma zone. Too many pass pass pass around the perimeter, chuck up a 3 possessions IMO.

[oldknight]

Gutty 82-77 win by Trine over Hope. Trine overcame a 68-61 deficit, hitting crucial free throw after crucial free throw down the stretch, while Hope was struggling a bit. Holmquist with a monster game scoring 33 points, cool as a cucumber. Saw only the last 8 minutes and it was fun to watch.

[calvin_grad]

Alma vs. Trine @ Hope for the men's championship.  Raise your hand if you called that one at the beginning of the MIAA season.

[almcguirejr]

Gutty 82-77 win by Trine over Hope. Trine overcame a 68-61 deficit, hitting crucial free throw after crucial free throw down the stretch, while Hope was struggling a bit. Holmquist with a monster game scoring 33 points, cool as a cucumber. Saw only the last 8 minutes and it was fun to watch.

If Trine wins tomorrow, could the MIAA get 3 teams in?

[KnightSlappy]

Gutty 82-77 win by Trine over Hope. Trine overcame a 68-61 deficit, hitting crucial free throw after crucial free throw down the stretch, while Hope was struggling a bit. Holmquist with a monster game scoring 33 points, cool as a cucumber. Saw only the last 8 minutes and it was fun to watch.

If Trine wins tomorrow, could the MIAA get 3 teams in?

Yes, I think they all three would get in.

[oldknight]

Gutty 82-77 win by Trine over Hope. Trine overcame a 68-61 deficit, hitting crucial free throw after crucial free throw down the stretch, while Hope was struggling a bit. Holmquist with a monster game scoring 33 points, cool as a cucumber. Saw only the last 8 minutes and it was fun to watch.

If Trine wins tomorrow, could the MIAA get 3 teams in?

Yes, I think they all three would get in.

Now that would be fun. I'm rooting for Trine tomorrow. So Matt, what bubble teams should be nervous about that prospect?

[Hope ful]

Congratulations to Trine as they win and will be playing Alma tomorrow.  Great game played by Trine.  Holmquist is an absolute beast and really exposed Hopes lack of toughness in the paint.  Dixon was clutch in the closing minutes as he drove the lane as if it was an open freeway with no tolls!  It was a stellar night for Stuive as he defended and contributed on the offensive end.  Great effort and contribution by Dante too.
Tonight was really an entertaining game with the outcome in question till the end.

It will be interesting to see how Hope is seen now.  I hope that we can be invited to the Dance.  We will have to see.

[HOPEful]

1. If you chose the MVP based on the player that is truly "most valuable" to their team, it's Holmquist. Wow was he good tonight!

2. If Trine can do it again, the MIAA will get 3 in!! (And none of them are calvin)

[almcguirejr]

MIAA All Conference team: http://www.miaa.org/landing/022016MBBALLMIAA

Scott Nikodemski MVP

[KnightSlappy]

Gutty 82-77 win by Trine over Hope. Trine overcame a 68-61 deficit, hitting crucial free throw after crucial free throw down the stretch, while Hope was struggling a bit. Holmquist with a monster game scoring 33 points, cool as a cucumber. Saw only the last 8 minutes and it was fun to watch.

If Trine wins tomorrow, could the MIAA get 3 teams in?

Yes, I think they all three would get in.

Now that would be fun. I'm rooting for Trine tomorrow. So Matt, what bubble teams should be nervous about that prospect?

Teams like Whitman (WE), NYU (EA), Chicago (CE), WPI (NE), and Scranton (MA) are all rooting for favorites.

[sac]

Watching for a couple things in todays games

Albion/Alma  --  Alma's transition offense.  In the game at Alma it was very good, provided separation that Albion couldn't keep up with.  At Albion they made a few mistakes in transition the 2nd half that cost them in the end.  Alma likely wins if they convert on a bunch of transition plays, Brits can hang around if they limit those situations.

---Albion's activity on offense.   I've really enjoyed watching Hope and Albion try to attack Alma's zone.  In my opinion they've both been very good at it with slightly different takes.  Albion ends up creating a triangle of options.  Top of the key, baseline, and either corner or wing.  Herron's good off the dribble from the top of the key, if that's not there he'll look baseline or recycle.  When the ball goes baseline they either try to beat the defense to the basket, look for the cutter from the top or look to the corner or opposite wing.  If Albion's moving the ball well, creating open looks from gaps in the zone and making those corner and wing 3's they'll have a chance.

---rebounding, Albion is really good and really active on the glass, esp Oakes and Herron.



Hope/Trine     ---Hope has defended Trine really well in both previous games.  Its hard to imagine they'll have the same success a third time.  Hope forced a bunch of turnovers in both games many of the bad passing variety.

----Cummings was a big factor in the first half at Trine, if he's having a good 1st half around the basket on both ends again this game will remain pretty close.  That probably goes the same for Hope if they aren't able to keep Benson and Blackledge from staying out of foul trouble.

----Trine might try to play Kreglow more tonight over Syroka, he seems like a better option to get the ball in the paint and had some success in Angola.   Overall Trine will need better 3-point shooting, 2-9 and 3-9 won't cut it against Hope.

---It probably won't look pretty.



Really happy the semi-finals are back in one location this year, I really have missed watching both.

I think I deserve an A for this.



Only 2 things from the Hope/Trine game were different. 
---Cummings was a non-factor, barely even played.  Not sure if he was hurt or sick. 

---It was really a pretty game, very entertaining, high energy, good action.  Worthy of any kind of playoff.  Tough to lose, great one to win.


Albion/Alma
---Albion did most of the same things they did at Alma and at Albion attacking the zone, the difference was they couldn't make a shot from the perimeter, ended up getting behind by double-digits which allowed Alma to control the game.  They got almost nothing from their guards.  Later on they tried some stuff that was much different and personally I didn't think worked as well.

---Pretty sure Alma was intentionally giving up the 1v1 down the lane for Jordan Herron.  Alma stayed home better on the baseline, even when Albion was struggling it seemed like once they got it on the baseline they had success.  Alma took their chances with the 1v1 vs doubling or crashing the lane and giving up weakside 3's which killed them at Albion.

---Jason Beckman was really terrific in the 2nd half.  Hargraves deserves a lot of credit for starting Jason the 2nd half over DJ Beckman.  Maybe he saw a better matchup somewhere or felt DJ was struggling, whatever it worked brilliantly.

Albion was much more lazy with the ball in passing this game, not as sharp as they needed to be.



From my Hope perspective on the Trine game:

Hawkins and Stuive were really terrific tonight.  I actually like how Hope played a lot.  This was a tight game and Hope had two really tough possessions late that turned the last minute advantage to Trine.  A missed layup and 2 missed FT's.  Instead of playing ahead, Hope went behind and that's a tougher final minute pressure for sure.

Defensively Hope kind of struggled, but only with a few things.  This was just mostly about Trine being really good shooting the ball.  They had to be better shoooting the 3 ball and they were.  Holmquist was close to unstoppable and made some really high quality bank shots in the 2nd half.

Trine also cut its turnovers way down, from 29 in game one, 18 in game two to 9 tonight.  Low turnovers has been Miller coached team staples, had Trine played with that kind of ball security all year they would not have been 7-7 for sure. 

If Trine brings that kind of energy tomorrow night they'll have a shot.  Key will again be hitting those 3's against that zone.



Really tough loss for Hope given the circumstances, had they won the tournament they might have been in position to host next weekend given OWU's loss and the potential for JCU losing Saturday night.  They seem to be in the tournament which is really never a thing until they are, I expect a really tough draw regardless of where they go.

[sac]

I think Saturday night will be the third time the MIAA Tournament Championship will be contested on a totally neutral court.

1999  Defiance v Albion at Calvin
2004  Calvin v Adrian at Hope
2016  Trine v Alma at Hope

[TUAngola]

Congrats to Trine for making the tournament final.  Holmquist for President! 

How long has it been since the MIAA has seen a men's final pairing where Calvin or Hope was not a participant?  Love parity!

Go Thunder women and men!!