MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

I did pretty good this year, this is how many times I saw each team play in person.

Hope----17
Alma-----8
Albion----5
Olivet----5
Adrian---4
Trine-----4
Calvin----4
Kzoo-----1

Overall, I saw 32 games.  I was able to attend at least one game on each conference game day and 3 double-header Saturday's.  I'm not sure I've ever done that but I probably have.

I can thank the weather and a very understanding family.  With special thanks to some wonderful people at Hope College who make it worth my longest trip.  This is the most enjoyable year I've ever had following the MIAA and that really is saying something because its hard to disappoint me where basketball is concerned.

[pointlem]

I had a nice weekend watching all of these games.  The Friday/Saturday semi-final is a really great thing, I don't really know why we ever went away from it.  Not sure I'm sold on combining it with the women in years one school wins both titles (which should actually be rare), that's just a really long day and I think short changes the student athletes playing in the early games with pretty small crowds.   Might be better to alternate Thursday/Saturday---Friday/Saturday and have Thursday games at two sites.

So appreciate you observations all season, Sac. I do think the scheduling needs some rethinking. . . taking the student/athletes who played the afternoon games out of classes for a whole day to play afternoon games in an empty gym that was an away game for all four teams (and with less revenue to the MIAA).

And I wondered: Did Alma travel home after their game, and then drive back to play in Hope's gym rather than host Saturday night's game in their own gym? Or did they pay for an overnight and meals in Holland?

[TUAngola]

Great job Thunder women and men on outstanding seasons!  Both playing in MIAA finals for the first time.  Thunder women are young, most of their roster will be back.  Congrats to Hayley Martin and Brandi Dawson for garnering all conference 2nd team.  Watch out for bigger and better things to come next year!

I knew the Thunder men would have a tough road to hoe to beat Alma.  The Scots are just a tad more athletic and deeper team, which is an advantage when playing on consecutive nights.  Would have been awesome for Jared and Tarvis and Ben to experience the NCAA tournament.  Wish I could have made the trek to Holland to support the teams, but I am driving a rental car this week as I totaled my car hitting a deer last Sunday night, and needed to stay close to home.

Congrats to the Hope women and Alma men for winning the conference championships.  Good luck to all MIAA teams in the NCAA tournament!

[sac]

Working with an incomplete list of teams right now......

I like to seed pods 1-4.  I have Alma as a pretty solid #2 that should avoid potential rematches with North Central, Ohio Wesleyan and St. Norbert.  I think for opponents they're looking at St. Vincent, Denison, AMCC Champion (Hilbert or Pitt-Greensburg), WIAC Champion (River Falls or Oshkosh), HCAC Champion (Mt. St. Joseph or Rose-Hulman) possible teams from East, Mid-Atlantic or South Regions.  A really tough pairing would be Elmhurst or Wooster.


Should Hope get in.......I have them as either a #2 or #3, it could go either way.  Its probably between Hope, Wooster and Elmhurst for the last couple #2 spots in this part of the country.  As a #2 the same opponents list as Alma above.  As a #3 they'd be looking at North Central, Ohio Wesleyan, Elmhurst, Wooster and maybe St. Norbert in round one.



Both Alma and Hope are within 500 miles of likely hosting sites  Augustana, Benedictine, John Carroll, Marietta and possibly St. Norbert or Ohio Wesleyan.

I'm relatively certain Hope, Alma Wooster or Ohio Wesleyan is going to Augustana.   North Central and Elmhurst will probably go to Benedictine, St. Thomas or  Ohio, leaving a need for a #2 to backfill into Augustana. 

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I had a nice weekend watching all of these games.  The Friday/Saturday semi-final is a really great thing, I don't really know why we ever went away from it.  Not sure I'm sold on combining it with the women in years one school wins both titles (which should actually be rare), that's just a really long day and I think short changes the student athletes playing in the early games with pretty small crowds.   Might be better to alternate Thursday/Saturday---Friday/Saturday and have Thursday games at two sites.

So appreciate you observations all season, Sac. I do think the scheduling needs some rethinking. . . taking the student/athletes who played the afternoon games out of classes for a whole day to play afternoon games in an empty gym that was an away game for all four teams (and with less revenue to the MIAA).

And I wondered: Did Alma travel home after their game, and then drive back to play in Hope's gym rather than host Saturday night's game in their own gym? Or did they pay for an overnight and meals in Holland?

Couple of thoughts on the format (with full discloser that I was a serious doubter of the format)

- I know that the coaches from the visiting schools were all very greatful to have this format.  Alma & Trine both had "send offs" when their teams left campus.  I know the coaches all appreciated the opportunity for their teams to be in a tournament environment and that they think the experience for their teams was very good.  For many of them this is the only kind of experince like this that they will have.  Heck the Olivet womens team even came to watch the womens championship on Saturday.  Missing one day of classes is surely worth that experience IMHO.

- I was curious how this all might affect attendance - and as you mention revenue.  I think it was actually positive.  Looking at the last 2 years (with the semis at separate sites), here is what the attendance looked like for the semis only (including host):

Women
2014 - 1771 (Hope, Olivet)
2015 - 1233 (Hope, Calvin)
2016 - 2963 (Hope)

Men
2014 - 1738 (Hope, Calvin)
2015 - 2508 (Trine, Calvin)
2016 - 3970 (Hope)

Wiht the two sessions at Hope being separate tickets, it was a revenue positive thing.  Of course we might expect some difference if it was men at one school and women at another, but we will have to wait till that happens to see.

At this point I hope to see this format continue.

[realist]

Hope did a nice job broadcasting the games.  About the only thing they could do to make it better would be to show the clock ticking down at half time.  The announcers were pretty good, and even handed.  Having watched a ton of games this season via streaming these were definitely some of the better production jobs.

[GreatScot!?]

I had a nice weekend watching all of these games.  The Friday/Saturday semi-final is a really great thing, I don't really know why we ever went away from it.  Not sure I'm sold on combining it with the women in years one school wins both titles (which should actually be rare), that's just a really long day and I think short changes the student athletes playing in the early games with pretty small crowds.   Might be better to alternate Thursday/Saturday---Friday/Saturday and have Thursday games at two sites.

So appreciate you observations all season, Sac. I do think the scheduling needs some rethinking. . . taking the student/athletes who played the afternoon games out of classes for a whole day to play afternoon games in an empty gym that was an away game for all four teams (and with less revenue to the MIAA).

And I wondered: Did Alma travel home after their game, and then drive back to play in Hope's gym rather than host Saturday night's game in their own gym? Or did they pay for an overnight and meals in Holland?

Alma traveled to Holland Thursday night had shoot around the following morning and stayed Friday night as well.

[KnightSlappy]

I had a nice weekend watching all of these games.  The Friday/Saturday semi-final is a really great thing, I don't really know why we ever went away from it.  Not sure I'm sold on combining it with the women in years one school wins both titles (which should actually be rare), that's just a really long day and I think short changes the student athletes playing in the early games with pretty small crowds.   Might be better to alternate Thursday/Saturday---Friday/Saturday and have Thursday games at two sites.

So appreciate you observations all season, Sac. I do think the scheduling needs some rethinking. . . taking the student/athletes who played the afternoon games out of classes for a whole day to play afternoon games in an empty gym that was an away game for all four teams (and with less revenue to the MIAA).

And I wondered: Did Alma travel home after their game, and then drive back to play in Hope's gym rather than host Saturday night's game in their own gym? Or did they pay for an overnight and meals in Holland?

Couple of thoughts on the format (with full discloser that I was a serious doubter of the format)

- I know that the coaches from the visiting schools were all very greatful to have this format.  Alma & Trine both had "send offs" when their teams left campus.  I know the coaches all appreciated the opportunity for their teams to be in a tournament environment and that they think the experience for their teams was very good.  For many of them this is the only kind of experince like this that they will have.  Heck the Olivet womens team even came to watch the womens championship on Saturday.  Missing one day of classes is surely worth that experience IMHO.

- I was curious how this all might affect attendance - and as you mention revenue.  I think it was actually positive.  Looking at the last 2 years (with the semis at separate sites), here is what the attendance looked like for the semis only (including host):

Women
2014 - 1771 (Hope, Olivet)
2015 - 1233 (Hope, Calvin)
2016 - 2963 (Hope)

Men
2014 - 1738 (Hope, Calvin)
2015 - 2508 (Trine, Calvin)
2016 - 3970 (Hope)

Wiht the two sessions at Hope being separate tickets, it was a revenue positive thing.  Of course we might expect some difference if it was men at one school and women at another, but we will have to wait till that happens to see.

At this point I hope to see this format continue.

I always liked the tournament feel of the Friday/Saturday being at one site. I'd love to see that stay with the Wednesday quarterfinals returning. 

[GreatScot!?]

So happy that Alma finally won an MIAA championship!!! Only complaint is that it would've been nice to have beaten Hope to win it, but with no history of even making the final I am more than grateful that Alma pulled it off. What a tale of two halves though, in the first have both teams came out guns blazing, but in the second both teams shot around 20%. It seemed that it was going to be hard for Trine to keep up with the paced, but after the game became trench warfare in the second halve I have to admit I was a little worried about the outcome of the game. Great group of players in the way they play and their character, very fun basketball! It will be interesting to see how teams in the tournament react to the 2-3 zone. Excited to see where we get placed at tomorrow.

[MaroonKnighty]

Only complaint is that it would've been nice to have beaten Hope to win it,

[almcguirejr]

I just read this article about the Trine win over Hope.  I found the quote from Trine's coach, Brooks Miller, regardingSam Hargraves comment to him about Hope interesting.

http://m.hollandsentinel.com/sports/20160226/trine-knocks-hope-out-of-miaa-tournament

Alma press release after winning MIAA Tournament:

http://www.goalmascots.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20160227yre5u3

[Hopester]

Hello everyone,

I am nervous.

That is all. Carry on.

[sac]

Championship game attendance

OAC  1724  (thats a sold out Ban Johnson Fieldhouse at Marietta)
NCAC  840   neutral floor at Ohio Wesleyan
HCAC  345   neutral floor at Defiance
PAC    1025  St. Vincent home floor
AMCC  610    Hilbert home floor

MIAA  1811   neutral floor at Hope

[sac]

Hello everyone,

I am nervous.

That is all. Carry on.

I find this helps  https://youtu.be/vv-xLUXuycw

I don't watch the NBA, but I'll watch this guy. 

[KnightSlappy]

Hope draws Mount St. Joseph at the Augustana pod. Not a great location for fan travel, but they get a pretty soft first round game. Westminster (Mo.) is the fourth team there.

Alma goes to the John Carroll pod to play Denison in round one. St. Vincent is the fourth team there.

Alma and Hope are on opposite sides of the bracket, so they could both get to Salem.