MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[almcguirejr]

I'm imagining a stunning second-half comeback.

Final

Calvin 68
Hope 66

...after Calvin trails 44-29 at the break....

Calvin's record this year when giving up 44 pts or more in the first half is not good. 

[KnightSlappy]

It may be a little early for a 'must win' conference game but this one is as close as you can get for the Knights.  I don't know if this year's team will respond with a late season tear like last year's team if they get run out of the gym.  I don't see Calvin winning the conference if they lose this game.  I still think they will eventually end up in front of Adrian, but I don't see Hope losing too many conference games to teams not wearing Maroon and Gold.

[Oval]

Things I think need to happen for Calvin to win tomorrow:

Calvin has many fouls to give ..... I hope they use 'em.

[Civic Minded]

Things I think need to happen for Calvin to win tomorrow:

Calvin has many fouls to give ..... I hope they use 'em.

Probably not as many as Hope does...      Let's hope we avoid an all-out brawl, shall we?   

And probably, more importantly for both teams, let's hope the officiating is, well, um, in quality form!   

[Green Hornet]

Patridge is the key to the game. He needs to play starter quality minutes. Let the senior play! Free Patridge.

[goodknight]

I'm imagining a stunning second-half comeback.

Final

Calvin 68
Hope 66

...after Calvin trails 44-29 at the break....

If you're right, I'll eat Sac's big Orange foam hat (at the very least to stop the tirade of words I'll want to say at that point).

Of course, I have an active imagination. 8)
But it would be tons of fun to see you chow down the hat, CM. 
I'd provide the condiments at no charge, and a couple of cold ones to help you wash it down.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Well today is THE DAY.  We get to watch THE GAME.  I've already got a tape in THE VCR.  We're leaving shortly to get some breakfast at THE RESTAURANT.  Gotta get going early so we can watch THE JV GAME.  That of course will be followed by THE VARSITY GAME.  Unfortunately, after that we have commitments that will keep us from seeing THE WOMENS JV GAME and THE WOMENS VARSITY GAME.     

Here's to a well played, injury free, hard fought, I can't even remember who the officials were, I got to talk to some fellow posters at halftime, I'll never forget this one, game.

GO HOPE

[oldknight]

I think Almcquire makes good points about what has to happen for Calvin........to expound a little

1.  Handle the Press----In the first game Hope used mostly token pressure, as the season has gone on Hope has become much more agressive with the press to the point where its the most agressive I've seen Hope on the press in years.  They've been absolutely relentless in the MIAA.  Calvin has never been a team I felt comfortable seeing Hope press.

Sac shared some good thoughts last night on the keys to today's game but I'll quibble with him on point 1. I thought Hope's pressure in the Select Bank Classic was far more than token--in fact I thought it was intense and set the tone for the game right from the opening tip. Maybe I'm getting old and simply don't have a very good memory for what happened just a month ago, but my memory of that game was of Hope's full court defense creating some early turnovers and making it difficult for Calvin to even get into their half court offense. Even when the Knights began running their offense it started 1 or 2 steps outside their normal range of operation. When that happens it makes entry passes to the post far more challenging and perimeter passing less likely to result in a wide open three that the shooter can step into. Griffin hit some early threes for Calvin but they were really tough shots and it's hard for an entire team to shoot well when shooters are taking shots more quickly and farther out than normal. As a team Calvin shot very poorly that night and I attibute that first to Hope's effectiveness in full court defense and second to constant and excellent half court on-the-ball pressure. Remember, the point of a press isn't just to create turnovers that turn into layups but to make a difficult and uncomfortable environment in which an offense has to operate. I thought Hope did that to Calvin last month and if sac is right that Hope has been more relentless as the season has progressed that means Calvin's offense will have to step it up and be more aggessive in taking it to the basket if they have any chance of winning. Simply dribbling around the perimeter waiting for something to develop against Hope's pressing defense won't cut it.

[hope1]

leaving pretty soon for the game go  hope

[GoKnights68]

IMO, for Calvin to win, someone is really going to have to get on fire from the 3-point line.  Hopefully Griffin or Veldhouse can do that.  I'll be at the game. Can't wait.

[arena]

Well today is THE DAY.  We get to watch THE GAME.  I've already got a tape in THE VCR.  We're leaving shortly to get some breakfast at THE RESTAURANT.  Gotta get going early so we can watch THE JV GAME.  That of course will be followed by THE VARSITY GAME.  Unfortunately, after that we have commitments that will keep us from seeing THE WOMENS JV GAME and THE WOMENS VARSITY GAME.     

Here's to a well played, injury free, hard fought, I can't even remember who the officials were, I got to talk to some fellow posters at halftime, I'll never forget this one, game.

GO HOPE

Is THE RESTAURANT Russ'?

[realist]

Excellent, excellent comments.  After reading the commentary it strikes me the key for Hope is just don't give Calvin a chance.  For Calvin a key will be pounding the ball inside, and forcing the action.  The only 3's for Calvin will be ones taken after going inside, and kicking it back out quickly.

[HopeConvert]

Earlier in the year Hope was having real problems with its interior defense, especially suscpetible to penetration by a quick guard. I think the biggest improvement they have made so far this year is in their interior defense, and I agree with the previous posts that Calvin's front line has to come up big today in order for Calvin to win. Another key to the game will be how well Veldhouse handles Hope's press, and I have no doubt but that KVS has been focusing on that in practice. If it becomes a game of attrition Hope will win. But Calvin presents some matchup problems for Hope: I still think VanderHeide is shaky defensively, and if Reimink gets in early foul trouble that will be huge. If Calvin can exploit the interior matchups and keep the game close, they will likely win the game. Every Hope fan gets nervous toward the end of a close game.

Then, too, if Hope has a lead you can never underestimate the ability of GVW to let Calvin back in the game. In the loss (still painful) at Calvin last year Hope had that game in the bag until GVW let the air out of the ball with about 5 minutes left. If that wasn't bad enough, he repeated the error in the NCAA tournament game, saved only by Veldhouse's flagrant elbow  (Gott sei dank).

I can't wait for tipoff, sitting in the bleachers cheering on the Dutchmen. Wednesday night's game against Albion was about the best I have seen them play - even over last year's "shoulda-been-a-banner year" team). They really looked sharp. Let's hope they can keep it up today against a Calvin team that is better than it's record suggests.

(For the record, I've been lurking for awhile, but I am so excited about the game that I couldn't resist weighing in.)

[sac]

Oldknight-----I think your correct that Hope pressed pretty well against Calvin but they didn't do it the whole game and were quick to back off (maybe Calvin just knows what parts of the floor to avoid)  Perhaps my memory is failing me a little as well.  The Dutchmen seemed to have unleashed unholy heck on their first 3 MIAA opponents.


Well I had a wonderful night of about 4 hours sleep, a little groggy and feel a little like  I might have if I'd spent last night visiting friends on 14th and 15th streets in Holland at houses with funny sounding names say......15 years ago. 

Here are today's media links for the rest of the MIAA

miaa.org

Livescoreboard to Hope v Calvin
http://www.calvin.edu/scoreboard/

[sac]

Welcome Hopeconvert, stick around another opinion is always welcome.

convert from what?