MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

Captain_Joe08 · January 20, 2013, 01:37:07 PM

Big upsets yesterday with Marian taking down Aurora and Dominican beating Concordia Wisconsin.

petemcb · January 21, 2013, 10:16:36 AM

And that is why I stay away from casinos! Who would have bet?

ExBBaller40 · January 21, 2013, 01:54:55 PM

I might have bet the Marian-Aurora game, but not the Dominican-CUW game.

Here is my blog looking at Marian-Aurora and MSOE-BenU and game from the WIAC and MWC http://diiihoopsblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/weekend-analysis-7-creating-separation.html

ExBBaller40 · January 24, 2013, 12:32:47 PM

My midweek blog looking at officiating as well as stuff from the NAC, WIAC and MWC http://diiihoopsblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/midweek-blog-9-tough-loss.html.

Crazy last couple of weeks in the NAC. Lakeland losing twice. Marian getting hot. Aurora losing and nearly losing to CUC Domincian beating CUW and getting hot. Should make for a fun final month.

Captain_Joe08 · January 25, 2013, 10:58:34 AM

Saw that Maranatha snapped their conference losing streak by beating Edgewood last night.

Captain_Joe08 · January 26, 2013, 07:30:45 PM

Lakeland goes down again this time to Wisconsin Lutheran 68-64.

Greek Tragedy · January 27, 2013, 01:19:47 PM

Wow...3 of 4 for Lakeland. At MOSE and then hosting Aurora. It could be 4 losses in a row.

North Standings

Lakeland 9-3
Concordia (WI) 8-3
MSOE 7-4
Marian 7-4

ExBBaller40 · January 27, 2013, 03:53:26 PM

My midweek blog that looks at Aurora-MSOE and Lakeland-Wisconsin Lutheran, as well as stuff from the MWC and WIAC http://diiihoopsblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/weekend-analysis-8-never-foul-jump.html

I was surprised to find out that Lakeland hasn't score over 80 in their last six games. Offense just isn't clicking like it was earlier in the season.

BadgerFan42 · January 28, 2013, 10:57:18 AM

Things just got really interesting in the North.

Remaining Games:
Lakeland - @MSOE, Aurora, @MBBC, Marian (Could potentially lose 3 of last 4)
CUW - Edgewood, Rockford, @MSOE, @WLC, @MBBC (Tough road games)
MSOE - Lakeland, Dominican, CUW, @CUC, Edgewood (3 of the top NAC Teams in a row)
Marian - MBBC, CUC, @Edgewood, @BU, @Lakeland (Tough finish on the road)

My final projections:
Lakeland 11-5
CUW 12-4
MSOE 9-7
Marian 10-6

RFMichigan · January 28, 2013, 01:56:01 PM

Quote from: BadgerFan42 on January 28, 2013, 10:57:18 AM
Things just got really interesting in the North.

Remaining Games:
Lakeland - @MSOE, Aurora, @MBBC, Marian (Could potentially lose 3 of last 4)
CUW - Edgewood, Rockford, @MSOE, @WLC, @MBBC (Tough road games)
MSOE - Lakeland, Dominican, CUW, @CUC, Edgewood (3 of the top NAC Teams in a row)
Marian - MBBC, CUC, @Edgewood, @BU, @Lakeland (Tough finish on the road)

My final projections:
Lakeland 11-5
CUW 12-4
MSOE 9-7
Marian 10-6

I'll throw this out as the final standings for the North:
CUW - 13-3 Bold prediction that they win out. WLC seems to be playing well right now, but the only possible loss for the Falcons right now might be MSOE.
Lakeland - 12-4 I think they have more talent than the rest of the teams they play, but at this moment they're not putting it all together. I like them winning both of their remaining home games and taking one on the road, probably MBBC.
Marian - 11-5 - They'll win the two at home and two on the road. (I'm not sure if BU or Edgewood will be in the playoff picture anymore while Marian will be playing for something besides pride.)
MSOE - 9-7 - I think they'll lose their next three games, but if they beat Lakeland at home, beware Dominican and CUW.

RFMichigan · January 28, 2013, 02:18:13 PM

By the the way, kudos to CUW for winning the Concordia Invitational Tournament in Seward, NE this past weekend. I thought that it would be a CU-AA - Concordia Nebraska final, but CUW just totally outplayed Ann Arbor down the stretch in the semi. (I thought Ann Arbor would be the best team in the tournament but their offense looked one dimensional.) Then on Saturday I was surprised that CUW had to pull out the final against Seward in the final minute seeing that Seward came into the weekend with 14 straight losses and then had to hang on to barely beat CUC in their semi.

Good deal - a DIII Concordia takes two from their NAIA brethren. (Now if only CUC would have found a way to beat Seward . . . )

Captain_Joe08 · January 30, 2013, 12:57:16 AM

The South got more interesting (Well 2-4 did) with WLC beating Dominican 76-63.

You have.....

1. Aurora (no doubt as #1)
2. Dominican 7-6 (Split the season series with Rockford 1-1 and was swept by WLC)
3. Wisconsin Lutheran 6-6 (Swept Dominican but was swept by Rockford
3. Rockford 6-6 (Swept WLC and Split with Dominican)

Dominican has at MSOE, at Concordia Chicago and Aurora left (could go 1-2 or 2-1)
Wisconsin Lutheran has Edgewood, at Benedictine, Concordia Wisconsin, and at Concordia Chicago (3-1 or 2-2)
Rockford has at Concordia Wisconsin, at Aurora, Edgewood, and at Benedictine (2-2 or 1-3)

The last few conference games could decide who gets a chance to host at least a round of the conference tournament.

BadgerFan42 · January 30, 2013, 11:29:28 AM

The South is always full of surprises...

I must admit, I didn't see WLC hanging around as long as they have, CUC being as bad they are, Rockford finding ways to get it done, and even though they are stumbling now, Dominican has been a nice surprise for the NAC after last season.

RFMichigan · January 30, 2013, 12:15:08 PM

Quote from: BadgerFan42 on January 30, 2013, 11:29:28 AM
The South is always full of surprises...

I must admit, I didn't see WLC hanging around as long as they have, CUC being as bad they are, Rockford finding ways to get it done, and even though they are stumbling now, Dominican has been a nice surprise for the NAC after last season.

I think that WLC hanging around, Rockford finding ways to get it done, and Dominican being a nice surprise have a lot to do with the South in particular (and maybe the league as a whole except for a very few exceptions) not being very good this year. If there are some very poor teams, even the mediocre ones will find some wins.

I am a little surprised how bad CUC is this year, but maybe I shouldn't be. The last four years they had a core group of guys, the last of which graduated last year, who were pretty decent basketball players. Unfortunately, they didn't get replaced with equally talented upperclass players who are still in the program.

This year they are playing with Khirey Floyd (who sat out the last half of last year) and Taylor Rawlings, plus a handful of guys who either couldn't get on the court last year as juniors or a crowd of underclassmen - many of whom should frankly be playing JV to gain some seasoning in this their first or second year of college basketball.

A quick look at the box scores of two of CUC's opponents at CIT showed two players, Al Kahlfeld (now at CUW) and Devin Pankey (now at CUAA) who used to play for CUC and would certainly help CUC be a better club this year if they were still in the program. Not to mention there were about five guys on the opening day roster who might have contributed at some point this year who are no longer with the team for whatever reason.

Oh well, almost time for baseball . . .

Just Bill · January 30, 2013, 12:29:43 PM

Quote from: RFMichigan on January 30, 2013, 12:15:08 PM
Quote from: BadgerFan42 on January 30, 2013, 11:29:28 AM
The South is always full of surprises...

I must admit, I didn't see WLC hanging around as long as they have, CUC being as bad they are, Rockford finding ways to get it done, and even though they are stumbling now, Dominican has been a nice surprise for the NAC after last season.

I think that WLC hanging around, Rockford finding ways to get it done, and Dominican being a nice surprise have a lot to do with the South in particular (and maybe the league as a whole except for a very few exceptions) not being very good this year. If there are some very poor teams, even the mediocre ones will find some wins.

I second that...