MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[WLCALUM83]

Benedictine 62, Maranatha 48  Less than 2 min left

(Crusaders' talls got in foul trouble, still cut it to 2 with less than 10 min left but then the IL Eagles went on an 8-0 run to get distance.--MBBC site)

[WLCALUM83]

Lakeland 72, Aurora 70  Final

[BadgerFan42]

early favorites for conference player of the year?

Malone (RU)?
Meier (MSOE)?
Green (BU)?
Wisniewski (EU)?
Schneider (CUW)?

[WLCALUM83]

early favorites for conference player of the year?

Malone (RU)?
Meier (MSOE)?
Green (BU)?
Wisniewski (EU)?
Schneider (CUW)?

Interesting. Take just NAthCon in-conference stats alone, and you can make a case for any of those players. There isn't one dominant one in terms of consistently being at the top in several individual statistical areas so far. So far, if it was an "Iron-Man Like Minutes Played" award, the Rockford and Edgewood player would be running neck and neck for it right now.

Still early yet-- (sent a PM out to the poster who brought this up, looking at setting up a separate poll if there's enough interest.)

[WLCALUM83]

Thoughts, anyone?

(kudos to BadgerFan 42 for first bringing this up!)

[BadgerFan42]

These players are up there because they are atop the conference in PPG and they are 'contending' teams, if anyone else thinks there is a player worthy of mentioning (I don't see everyone play), simply drop there name.  I live close to Mequon and am a CUW alum, so thats why my vote lies Schneider...homer vote

[Just Bill]

I don't know where MSOE is going to end up in the standings, but for my money, Austin Meier is the best all-around player in the league.

[BadgerFan42]

Based on what I've seen so far this season Meier, Schneider, & Malone do more for their teams than any other player in the conference, Meier scores, rebounds, and is a tough defender.  Schneider fits the same mold as Meier, but doesn't have to put up huge numbers for his team to win, and Malone might be the best scorer in the conference.

[WLCALUM83]

MSOE 64, Benedictine 60  Final   

Despite shooting 28% in 1st half, Benedictine makes a late run, but missed several 3s toward the end of this game

MSOE  --Deacon & Bande  13 pts each, Bloom 12--including crucial FTs toward the end

Benedictine  --Snelling a double double, Licht scored 15 pts before fouling out

                Ben stats

[WLCALUM83]

Other finals:

Concordia-Chicago 74, Dominican 66  (All 5 Cougar starters scored in double figures--Dominican-- 17 turnovers per CUC stats)

Aurora 88, Rockford 70

[BadgerFan42]

CUW beat WLC 82-65 last night, despite being outrebounded, CUW's defense forced 32 turnovers

http://www.cuwfalcons.com/article.asp?articleID=1210

[RFMichigan]

I had a chance to watch CUW last night in a first round game of the Concordia Invitational Tournament against Concordia - Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor and was treated to a very entertaining game. As one would expect based on their record so far this year, CUW is really good, and I was impressed with their team play and excellent athletes. Truthfully, I felt that they were the better of the teams last night, but Ann Arbor just went off on their 3's (14-23) with their point guard taking (and making) some unconscienable shots later in the 2nd half.

Nobody mentioned this player in their NAC Player of the Year candidates, but Luke Doedens for CUW has got to be in the mix.  I haven't been following his stats so far this year, but he seems to be an excellent all-around player who shot, rebounded, hustled, and did everything last night but drive the bus. I think that if CUW didn't have so many talented players and didn't spread the wealth around as well as they do, one of their players; Schneider, Doedens, Stark, or Newton-Kemp would have to be a front-runner.

And then there's CUC. Truthfully, I was somewhat disappointed with their early conference results, and when they lost Morgan I was not very hopeful, but Tyler Jones has gone really small (because they really don't have any height left) and has pieced together some nice wins. Their win last night vs. Concordia-Nebraska was quite shocking as a good Seward squad went 6'5, 6'6, 6'7, and 6'7 while Concordia's main rotation has no one over 6'4', but the Cougars took charge early and never let Seward within 9 points the entire last 30 minutes.

I am intereted in how CUC plays Ann Arbor tonight, as CU-AA has played extremely well and with confidence ever since they played Michigan (as in The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, not UM-Dearborn who is in CU-AA's conference) tough in December. Frankly, I would like to see an up-and-down game if the coaches let the guys run, but that's Ann Arbor's game, and I don't think Coach Jones will let that happen (although they've got the numbers to run with Ann Arbor).

Although I love this tournament and everything that it (used to?) stands for, it's got to be tough for a coach who is in the middle of their conference schedule to take a long trip and then play two non-conference games to further cook their players' legs. ( I'm listening to the feed for CUW's consolation game with CUW handling Nebraska easily), and there are already a number of bench players who have played in the first half that didn't see any action in last night's game.) Maybe CIT could be changed to a pre-conference tournament?

Question for the Hope or Calvin fans who patrol this site (A good question seeing you guys are tangling tonight): Do you root for your rival to get smoked in all their games? (i.e. Do the Calvin fans root for Hope to lose ALL their games? Be honest now. This is sort of like the UM-MSU question.) Even though it's been 30 years since I played against Seward, the fact that CUW is now just laying the lumber to the Bulldogs is okay with me.  (CUW didn't exsist in its present form when I played, so although the CUC-CUW rivalry is a pretty big deal, it's not as personal with me.)

[WLCALUM83]

Final  Edgewood 79, Dominican 64

              (WI Eagles shot 56% from floor for whole game, got to the FT line for 28 shots, compared to  Stars' 13, per Dominican stats)

[WLCALUM83]

MSOE 74, Lakeland 65  Final:

MSOE:  Deacon 21 and Meier 20 pts respectively--Raiders hit late FTs to seal this one-per MSOE release.

[RFMichigan]

CUC won the 60th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament over the weekend by defeating Concordia-Ann Arbor 72-63 in the championship game. Deontay Young was named the tournament MVP with a 19 point, 11 rebound double double in the final. Joining him on the all-tournament team was Jeff Weberg for CUC and Edward Newton-Kemp for CUW.

This had to be one of the best CITs in history as all four teams entered the tournament with winning records, and the championship game was just intense, as the lead was never more than 3 for either team during the first 15 minutes of the second half with numerous lead changes to boot.

I'm still not sure that CUW wasn't the "best team" in the tournament, but they couldn't get past CU-AA's torrid three point shooting in the first round game. In the consolation game, CUW just destroyed Concordia-Nebraska by 20 although at one point they were up by 38. Now it's back to league play with CUW looking to run the table heading into the conference tournament while CUC tries to continue it's recent good play and qualify for the tournament.