MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[HopeConvert]

If Hope loses to Alma, I think a lot of us would be going for a swim in Lake Michigan tomorrow. Tri-State is a different story. Let's hope the Dutchmen can get things straightened out a little tonight. One of the good things about this team remains the fact that on any given night any one of a number of players has been stepping up big. They have a lot of ways to hurt you. It seems to me that the defense is not where it was, but that may be because teams have a better idea how to attack it, and are being more patient. With all the doubling Hope does, there will always be someone open.

It's cold up here. For those traveling, the roads from Detroit to Holland were fine today.

[HopeConvert]

After last Wednesday its hard to try and get excited for a matchup at Alma tonight. If it weren't for the potential to claim sole possession of the regular season championship and hosting the MIAA tourney I'd have nothing to look forward.

In other depressing news, Hope would be playing 3State on the road the one weekend all year that I will be Holland:(

Maybe we can make up for that depressing news with a refreshing malted beverage.

[Mr. Ypsi]

To the best of my knowledge, where the first-round games are played has no effect on whether or not they count against the 25-game limit.  The CCIW (as David pointed out) will be a special case (it doesn't begin until 2009) because they are still 'officially' a 4-team tourney, with 'play-in games' as still part of the regular conference schedule.

It's a crock, of course - it IS an 8-team tourney in all-but-name (and 25-game limit).  It was done for the sake of 'equity' (women's bball and all other sports with tourneys will remain 4-team), but it raises some interesting possibilities that I'm not sure they've thought through - e.g., to seed the play-in games they will already have to decide the regular season #1, etc.  Since the CCIW crowns the regular-season champ as 'conference champ' (not the tourney champ, which is just for pool A purposes), what if the regular season #1 loses the play-in game, falling to #2?  Are they or are they not the conference champion?!  They were #1 after the double round-robin, but are #2 at the end of the 'regular' season.  Hmmm...

[ziggy]

To the best of my knowledge, where the first-round games are played has no effect on whether or not they count against the 25-game limit.  The CCIW (as David pointed out) will be a special case (it doesn't begin until 2009) because they are still 'officially' a 4-team tourney, with 'play-in games' as still part of the regular conference schedule.

It's a crock, of course - it IS an 8-team tourney in all-but-name (and 25-game limit).  It was done for the sake of 'equity' (women's bball and all other sports with tourneys will remain 4-team), but it raises some interesting possibilities that I'm not sure they've thought through - e.g., to seed the play-in games they will already have to decide the regular season #1, etc.  Since the CCIW crowns the regular-season champ as 'conference champ' (not the tourney champ, which is just for pool A purposes), what if the regular season #1 loses the play-in game, falling to #2?  Are they or are they not the conference champion?!  They were #1 after the double round-robin, but are #2 at the end of the 'regular' season.  Hmmm...

Between this and the D3/D4 debate, my head is starting to hurt

[Mr. Ypsi]

Mine, too, and the 4-team/8-team tourney doesn't even begin for more than two years!

[realist]

HC:  Your points are well made.  Like several others I occasionally have a few spare moments, and let my mind mull over various "what if" type situations.  All that being said, the probablity of Alma beating Hope tonight is so small it's difficult to either calculate or conceive.

[ziggy]

HC:  Your points are well made.  Like several others I occasionally have a few spare moments, and let my mind mull over various "what if" type situations.  All that being said, the probablity of Alma beating Hope tonight is so small it's difficult to either calculate or conceive.

Even though it may be hard to conceive, its still fun to try!     Happy Valentines Day!

[gohope]

on a sidenote...the Dew got engaged over the weekend in Philadelphia. I had five of my best friends fly in from around the country and I sent my now fiance, Erin around Philly with clues to our favorite places. At each was one of my/our friend and a Rose and the next clue. Last clue was to go to the Philadelphia Eagles stadium...where I was waiting on the field and we walked to midfield  of the empty WINDY stadium and I proposed. She said yes...and we went out and partied all night with our friends. Good times had by all...just thought I'd pass along to Go Hope and other people I know on here. Spring '08 wedding we think. Giddyup and GO HOPE!
My buddy Johnny had the line of the night as he dropped him off at the park with his rose/clue. "I feel like I'm meeting my internet date....I'll be the one in the park with the Red Rose"  

CONGRATULATIONS!!! 

That's GREAT news!  And what a way to do it!  So the dothedew family is getting hitched from the youngest to the oldest?  I'm very happy for you and will give you a hug the next time you're in town!  Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[ChicagoHopeNut]

After last Wednesday its hard to try and get excited for a matchup at Alma tonight. If it weren't for the potential to claim sole possession of the regular season championship and hosting the MIAA tourney I'd have nothing to look forward.

In other depressing news, Hope would be playing 3State on the road the one weekend all year that I will be Holland:(

Maybe we can make up for that depressing news with a refreshing malted beverage.

Sounds wonderful.

How does one lose karma for merely remarking that the Hope-Alma game does not get me as excited as Hope-Calvin last week? Touchy board today. Or there are some silent Alma lurkers.

[AndersDY]

Alma does of course have a small but non-zero chance at victory tonight. I would give them the Villanova - Georgetown odds. If they shoot 79% from the floor against Hope, I bet they'll win.

I see that our Ohio friends are staying home tonight due to weather. I haven't heard reports of how much snow they are getting down there, but anyone else guessing that it probably wouldn't have been enough to even cause one of us to turn the radio on to listen for school closings?

[sac]

Way back when...... Glenn VanWieren was 2-5 vs Alma Scots.............he and his teams have been taking it out on the Scots ever since, 57-4  for a career record of 59-9 vs Alma.

Hope's won 22 in a row vs Alma, last loss in 1998, and are a perfect 18-0 this millenium, infact, Hope is 32-1 since 1994.

That only loss might be a memorable one to some Hope fans, on that (presumably snowy) day in Alma, the Scots won 66-65...........more memorable though because earlier Hope found out they had lost All-American candidate Dave Muhlenberg for the rest of the season from a broken foot.  Simply put that group of Hope players were crushed mentally.  Hope finished the regular season and MIAA tournament stretch going just 3-3, after starting 19-1 with 19 straight wins.

That Hope team caught fire and went to Salem. 8)

Also of note, Hope cruised to the MIAA Championship by a comfortabe 2 games, despite 2 MIAA losses, and lost the MIAA tournament to Albion.........and it was also the last year Kzoo beat Hope.

[sac]

I see that our Ohio friends are staying home tonight due to weather. I haven't heard reports of how much snow they are getting down there, but anyone else guessing that it probably wouldn't have been enough to even cause one of us to turn the radio on to listen for school closings?

My brother told me in Columbus yesterday around 5pm they had 5 inches of snow, and then ice on top of that and were still expecting another foot over night..................haven't heard from him since.

.........I should probably check on him

I did get a kick last week when they cancelled school because it was too cold...........but it was cold so I'll give them a break on that one.

How does one lose karma for merely remarking that the Hope-Alma game does not get me as excited as Hope-Calvin last week? Touchy board today. Or there are some silent Alma lurkers.

Nope.........silent Calvin Karma Faries........beware!

[sac]

My David Muhlenberg memory was tapped by my Alma post.........one of the last games he played for Hope was his 36 point (35?) performance at Calvin when he was perfect from the floor and the FT line.

Hope won 86-85 in OT and needed every single one of those points.  It has to be regarded as one of the all-time best individual performances in the series, certainly for Hope.



MIAA.org  for your audio of tonights games, live scoreboards at Albion,  Kalamazoo and Alma

[almcguirejr]

Alma does of course have a small but non-zero chance at victory tonight. I would give them the Villanova - Georgetown odds. If they shoot 79% from the floor against Hope, I bet they'll win.

I heard the forecast for tonight.  Hell (not the place in Michigan either) is not going to freeze over.

[HopeConvert]

Alma does of course have a small but non-zero chance at victory tonight. I would give them the Villanova - Georgetown odds. If they shoot 79% from the floor against Hope, I bet they'll win.

I see that our Ohio friends are staying home tonight due to weather. I haven't heard reports of how much snow they are getting down there, but anyone else guessing that it probably wouldn't have been enough to even cause one of us to turn the radio on to listen for school closings?

Having lived in NE Ohio for 10 years, I can tell you that from Cleveland to the Penna border they can get quite a lot. South of Akron it tends to drop, but I understand it was 12-18" Akron and north. They also tend to get more freezing rain there.

DCHN: lurkers can't smite. When are you going to be in town?