MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[Greek Tragedy]

I hope LU gets a shot at a WIAC team again in the tourney. 

I know our season ended in the final 8 and the final 16 vs. Point the last 2 years, I think 3 is the charm.  After all, Point did roll and win both years, probably because of their pit of a home court.

Point had just as many home games in the tournament as Lawrence did in 2003-2004.

With the amount of disparity between the public and private schools, it's interesting to me that you chose to say Lakeland will have its hands full with those two teams, and not vice versa.

Not to mention, these private schools ALWAYS have something to prove when the public schools come to town, no matter what sport they're playing. I tip my hat to Lawrence for having such a strong basketball program, and especially for beating Oshkosh last night. Very impressive.

I'll have to disagree.  I went to a private school and, me personally, I didn't feel any more desire to beat a big private school than I did when I wanted to beat anyone else, except a conference rival.  I think one of the only reasons why there is this perception (whether true or not) to "allows have something to prove"  against the big bad public schools of Wisconsin is because the WIAC is considered one of the best conferences in the nation, period.  If there is any truth to this, it may come in NCAA tourney time.  I don't think Marquette gets real excited when it beats it's public school counterpart and fellow Milwaukee native, UW-Milwaukee.  If the WIAC and the schools consisting of the WIAC weren't all that good (overall) year in and year out, I don't think it would matter that much to beat them.

Of course, I could totally be wrong.   

And I'll agree with Pioneerbacker.  These teams in the LMC and the MWC are trying to gain respect for their teams and conferences.  I think playing teams from the WIAC gives them more to play for because they want to beat these teams to gain respect.  I don't think it has anything to do with public vs. private.  I think if these teams were playing Ahmerst or Ill. Wesleyan, their feelings would still be the same because, although private, they are both perennial powers in solid conferences.

[Big_Uns]

Private schools elsewhere with success in the past as state/national powers may not feel much importance in beating a public school. Like your Marquette analogy...Marquette has had tons of success in the past. However, in the LMC, which is still young by NCAA standards (only 10 years in Division III or less? I'm not sure when all these schools officially joined), I think there is a little bit of heightened importance in beating the WIAC schools. The LMC is weak by all accounts with no wins yet in the NCAAs, which means that any win in a non-conference regular season game against a WIAC school means there is hope for that first tournament win by an LMC team. That's my opinion at least.

[Gregory Sager]

My comment had nothing to do with public vs. private, but it had a lot to do with Point and LaCrosse both needing to play strong throughout the preseason to gear up for conference play

Sigh. See, Tom? My work is never done.

It's non-conference, Pioneerbacker, not preseason. All games played since last Friday night count towards a team's record. Games between LMC and WIAC teams are especially important, because they're in-region games. As far as the NCAA tournament's selection criteria are concerned, a game between Lakeland and UW-LaCrosse is just as important as a game between Lakeland and Edgewood, or between UW-LaCrosse and UW-Stout.

Private schools elsewhere with success in the past as state/national powers may not feel much importance in beating a public school. Like your Marquette analogy...Marquette has had tons of success in the past. However, in the LMC, which is still young by NCAA standards (only 10 years in Division III or less? I'm not sure when all these schools officially joined), I think there is a little bit of heightened importance in beating the WIAC schools. The LMC is weak by all accounts with no wins yet in the NCAAs, which means that any win in a non-conference regular season game against a WIAC school means there is hope for that first tournament win by an LMC team. That's my opinion at least.

Also, the public vs. private analogy is completely irrelevant in D1 terms, because D1 players are on scholarship. The whole tuition issue that dominates the arguments between pro-WIAC and anti-WIAC types doesn't exist among followers of, say, Marquette and UW-Milwaukeee.

The LMC first became a full-membership D3 conference in 1999-2000 and sent its first-ever team to the D3 tourney in March of 2000.

I'm not a fan of an LMC team, but I suspect that Big_Uns is right. Knocking off a WIAC team isn't huge for an LMC team and its followers because of the public vs. private thing in Wisconsin. It's big because the WIAC is the top dog in D3, and beating their teams is particularly a matter of pride and prestige for teams from a lightly-regarded conference such as the LMC.

[Greek Tragedy]

I think we are on the same lines, it's more of a matter of the reputation of the WIAC and the lack thereof towards the LMC, not necessarily public vs. private.

I can't believe even a fellow WIACer would call it a preseason game!

Point comes to the cornfields tomorrow night.  Lakeland lost to La Crosse tonight, while Point took care of Ripon.  Teams swap opponents tomorrow.  Looking forward to seeing the new gym at my alma mater...though I'm still a Pointer fan.

[Greek Tragedy]

LMC triple header!

1 pm Eau Claire vs Concordia at the WLC tourney

3 pm Larry U at MSOE

7 pm Stevens Point at Lakeland

I must be really bored. 

[mnelson]

Is anyone else trying to listen to the webcast of the Lawrence - MSOE basketball game? All I get is garbled sound. Might anyone know if MSOE is broadcasting the game from their campus station, or if there is at least a live stats page somewhere? Thanks.

[da_foreigner]

Half time score at Kern Center

LU 31 - MSOE 26

Tight first half, MSOE down by  double digits early then made run midway through half.

[titan2000]

Can you keep posting updates ?  Thanks in advance.

[da_foreigner]

Final Score LU 74 - MSOE 53

LU pulled away with about 12mins left in the 2nd.  Ultimately LU had too much size inside.  Very nice crowd in the Kern tonight; almost a full house.  Do the Lawrence supporters always travel like this?

[titan2000]

We try to travel as much as we can.  Several players from the MKE area so they bring their friends and family too.   Braier from Tosa, Kroeger from Nicolet, etc.

They play at WI Lutheran next week if you want to see them again. 

Thanks for the quick update.

[Greek Tragedy]

After watching the LMC triple header today:  Eau Claire over Concordia, Larry U over MSOE and the Fish over my dawgs, Lakeland is by far the best of the three. 

[Big_Uns]

LC shot 56 percent against the defending champs. Pretty much shows how dangerous that team can be when they heat up.

[lu_nut]

Old School,

I give you a lot of credit for hitting three games.  I only saw the MSOE/Lawrence game.  I admit that I have not seen Lakeland,  but would be glad to bet a shinny nickel that LU blows them away if they meet down the road.  LU was out of synch, but still won by 20 on MSOE's home court.  Last time they played Lakeland, it was a 35 point blow out.  All teams play to their level of competition to some degree.......do you really think that Lakeland could beat Oshkosh?  Point is going to be very up and down with all the losses and the coaching change.  Home court is also a big deal.

[Big_Uns]

.......do you really think that Lakeland could beat Oshkosh?

It's not out of the question. Lakeland competed very well against a La Crosse team many have picked as a sleeper in the WIAC. I'm willing to bet Lakeland still has a better team than MSOE and would at least hang with Oshkosh or Lawrence if they played today. LC's defense is playing great so far this year.

[lu_nut]

Big Uns

No argument with me....I was reacting to the comment that Lakeland was by far the best of the three.  On a good day, they might give LU a good run.  LU's strength is D.  Sounds like Lakeland's strength is the same.  Until someone from the LMC  gives LU a real test, I will have a hard time picking anyone from the conference over them.

How do you or Old School view the Tuesday game between LU and Wisc Lutheran? It is at Lutheran.

LU