WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Just Bill]

For my money, the best WIAC team I've ever seen was the 2001-02 UWSP national championship team, and they lost to UW-Stout TWICE!  Now THAT is strength at the top of the conference.

Schmitt, Kraemer, Schultz, Boehning and Groshek starting with Heuer and Nechuta off the bench. (Nechuta off the bench, YIKES).  I don't think any of this year's top 3 could beat that squad.  I also saw the UW-Oshkosh national champion team play back in the day, and I think they were every bit as good.

I think the bar has lowered slightly, mostly to more mid-major D-I's and D-II's gaining recruiting footholds in the state and more competitive WIAC teams spreading around the top recruits.  Once upon a time, the best 8 freshman in the league were all on EC's and OSH's roster.  I think those days are gone.  There's a solid 5-6 teams that can consistently pull in quality recruits.

[The Champ]

For my money, the best WIAC team I've ever seen was the 2001-02 UWSP national championship team, and they lost to UW-Stout TWICE!  Now THAT is strength at the top of the conference.

You had to remind me of that season...

Stout goes 15 - 1 and Point goes 14 - 2 (both losses to Stout, as you mentioned) during the WIAC season.

Point doesn't make it to the WIAC Tournament Championship Game.

Yet Stout had to travel for the first game of the NCAA Tourney to play St. Bens (who also failed to make their MIAC Tournament Championship Game) and Point played at home...

I know that the NCAA has some mysterious formula to decide which teams travel and which teams get home games, but that was my first experience going to an NCAA Tournament game, and it was very disheartening...

[The Champ]

Hirssig made this week's D3hoops.com team of the week.

http://d3hoops.com/tow/

Trying very hard not to sound biased...  But she done good...

[buf]

Todays scores:

EC wins over Sup, 70-43

UWP nips UWO, 57-52

Point big over RF, 75-49

AND.....

UWL wins at UWW, 62-53.  What happened here?

[buf]

EC played OK tonight.  They had a lot of missed opportunities on fast breaks in the 1st half.  The 2nd half was better offensively.  Again, EC defense steps up and keeps their opponent to only 43 points.

[JMM]

EC played very well tonight. While there were a few missed break opportunities, the offense was tight and very effectively working the ball down to Messick. EC has really been working on their offense. The defenses again was outstanding. Second half was focused on breaking in the younger players who did a good job - their play was mature, calm, not ragged. Zorn will be packed with Blugold fans on Saturday night. The new EC offense is maturing nicely. Hopeful that EC seniors will be cool, calm and hitting from underneath and outside. EC fans extend a big Hooray to LC. WW faces an uphill battle with both SP and EC and Stout left to play. Still waiting for Stout to win a big game maybe the SP game on Saturday JH is playing almost the full game these days and really rocking. Love that WIAC - best conference in the US of A.

[badgerwarhawk]

The LaCrosse win over WHITEWATER was a matter of shooting.  Despite attempting 13 more shots than LaCrosse (61-48), outrebounding them (36-26 including 14 offensive rebounds) and having fewer turnovers (23-26) the WARHAWKS lost because they couldn't throw the ball in the ocean.    Shooting what may have been a season low 32.8% to LaCrosse's 47.9% the Eagle jumped out to a double figure lead early and every time WHITEWATER closed the gap to a single digit we'd miss shots, turn the ball over and eventually the Eagle would score and build the lead back to a more comfortable margin. 

Tiffany Morton got her 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds.   Kelsey Hendrickson put 11 points on the board but it took 15 shots to do and Heidi Sontag finished with 10 points.

McKenzie Hunter led the Eagle with 19 points.  But one player who made some clutch shots and definitely influenced the outcome, not that Hunter didn't, was Dana Churchill who scored 14 points and led LaCrosse with 8 rebounds.

It was an ugly night for WARHAWK fans and a bad loss.  LaCrosse didn't play that well but they played better than we did and deserved to win the contest.  With their backs to the wall it will be interesting to see how the WARHAWKS responded Saturday in Eau Claire.   

[closetothechest]

For my money, the best WIAC team I've ever seen was the 2001-02 UWSP national championship team, and they lost to UW-Stout TWICE!  Now THAT is strength at the top of the conference.

You had to remind me of that season...

Stout goes 15 - 1 and Point goes 14 - 2 (both losses to Stout, as you mentioned) during the WIAC season.

Point doesn't make it to the WIAC Tournament Championship Game.

Yet Stout had to travel for the first game of the NCAA Tourney to play St. Bens (who also failed to make their MIAC Tournament Championship Game) and Point played at home...

I know that the NCAA has some mysterious formula to decide which teams travel and which teams get home games, but that was my first experience going to an NCAA Tournament game, and it was very disheartening...

Let's see, what would I rather do?  Would I rather go on the road to a team who didn't even make their conference title game or get a home game, then go play at four time National Champion Wash U when they had something like a 80 game home winning streak? I think the first round road game sounds a little better if the team has championship aspirations. 

Also, I believe that Point team was the best team in the WIAC this century.  Anytime you can win a championship, that has to be the best team. 

[closetothechest]

The LaCrosse win over WHITEWATER was a matter of shooting.  Despite attempting 13 more shots than LaCrosse (61-48), outrebounding them (36-26 including 14 offensive rebounds) and having fewer turnovers (23-26) the WARHAWKS lost because they couldn't throw the ball in the ocean.    Shooting what may have been a season low 32.8% to LaCrosse's 47.9% the Eagle jumped out to a double figure lead early and every time WHITEWATER closed the gap to a single digit we'd miss shots, turn the ball over and eventually the Eagle would score and build the lead back to a more comfortable margin. 

Tiffany Morton got her 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds.   Kelsey Hendrickson put 11 points on the board but it took 15 shots to do and Heidi Sontag finished with 10 points.

McKenzie Hunter led the Eagle with 19 points.  But one player who made some clutch shots and definitely influenced the outcome, not that Hunter didn't, was Dana Churchill who scored 14 points and led LaCrosse with 8 rebounds.

It was an ugly night for WARHAWK fans and a bad loss.  LaCrosse didn't play that well but they played better than we did and deserved to win the contest.  With their backs to the wall it will be interesting to see how the WARHAWKS responded Saturday in Eau Claire.   

I am glad you gave UW-L credit.  I think that shooting percentage is a direct result of defense.  I especially think this was true as WW was at home and should be use to the gym.   

Great win for the Eagles, they should be getting some votes to be ranked if they can win at WW and Superior in the same week.

It will be interesting how the Warhawks respond this weekend.  I believe the Warhawks haven't won in EC since Reagon was President.  To add to the already rocking environment in Zorn, it will be alumni day. 

[badgerwarhawk]

I would agree that LaCrosse played with a defensive intensity that we did not match.  Also in most games there will come a point when the WARHAWKS put together a dominating run which often puts the game out of reach of our opponents.  LaCrosse didn't let them do that last night and that was a significant factor in the outcome.  LaCrosse didn't play great but they played better and the outcome reflects that.

[Just Bill]

For my money, the best WIAC team I've ever seen was the 2001-02 UWSP national championship team, and they lost to UW-Stout TWICE!  Now THAT is strength at the top of the conference.

You had to remind me of that season...

Stout goes 15 - 1 and Point goes 14 - 2 (both losses to Stout, as you mentioned) during the WIAC season.

Point doesn't make it to the WIAC Tournament Championship Game.

Yet Stout had to travel for the first game of the NCAA Tourney to play St. Bens (who also failed to make their MIAC Tournament Championship Game) and Point played at home...

I know that the NCAA has some mysterious formula to decide which teams travel and which teams get home games, but that was my first experience going to an NCAA Tournament game, and it was very disheartening...

Let's see, what would I rather do?  Would I rather go on the road to a team who didn't even make their conference title game or get a home game, then go play at four time National Champion Wash U when they had something like a 80 game home winning streak? I think the first round road game sounds a little better if the team has championship aspirations. 

Also, I believe that Point team was the best team in the WIAC this century.  Anytime you can win a championship, that has to be the best team. 

I think Champ's point isn't that UWSP got a free ride (which they clearly didn't), rather that Stout got a crappy draw (which they did).  However, I'm pretty sure that Stout wouldn't have wanted Point's position playing Lake Forest at home and then traveling to Wash U. who had beaten Stout by 101-47 during the regular season.

If anyone can explain to me how Stout loses to Wash U huge, beats Point twice and then Point beats Wash U, I'm all ears.  I've always thought that was one of the most unusual triangles I've ever seen.

[closetothechest]

Stout was sometimes undisciplined with their run and gun style before they got Duoss.  Once they got Duoss they could also play a half-court game and not relay on the press so much.  If a team could handle their press, and obviously Wash U could, it could have meant trouble for them.   

[The Champ]

I think Champ's point isn't that UWSP got a free ride (which they clearly didn't), rather that Stout got a crappy draw (which they did).  However, I'm pretty sure that Stout wouldn't have wanted Point's position playing Lake Forest at home and then traveling to Wash U. who had beaten Stout by 101-47 during the regular season.

If anyone can explain to me how Stout loses to Wash U huge, beats Point twice and then Point beats Wash U, I'm all ears.  I've always thought that was one of the most unusual triangles I've ever seen.

JB 

You got the drift of my post.

But I'd much rather have had the opportunity to play Lake Forest at home than play on the road against anybody else.  Even though that would have meant playing Wash U. 

Our loss to Wash U. was early in the season (November 25th) and was the 5th game in an 8 day stretch - all 5 games on the road.

Would Wash U. have beat us in the DIII Tournament? 

Who knows??? 

But I bet it would have been a much better game than the first one.  And who knows, it might have been a home game for us (as stated before, I have no clue how the mastermixers end up deciding where the games are played)...

[buf]

The LaCrosse win over WHITEWATER was a matter of shooting.  Despite attempting 13 more shots than LaCrosse (61-48), outrebounding them (36-26 including 14 offensive rebounds) and having fewer turnovers (23-26) the WARHAWKS lost because they couldn't throw the ball in the ocean.    Shooting what may have been a season low 32.8% to LaCrosse's 47.9% the Eagle jumped out to a double figure lead early and every time WHITEWATER closed the gap to a single digit we'd miss shots, turn the ball over and eventually the Eagle would score and build the lead back to a more comfortable margin. 

Tiffany Morton got her 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds.   Kelsey Hendrickson put 11 points on the board but it took 15 shots to do and Heidi Sontag finished with 10 points.

McKenzie Hunter led the Eagle with 19 points.  But one player who made some clutch shots and definitely influenced the outcome, not that Hunter didn't, was Dana Churchill who scored 14 points and led LaCrosse with 8 rebounds.

It was an ugly night for WARHAWK fans and a bad loss.  LaCrosse didn't play that well but they played better than we did and deserved to win the contest.  With their backs to the wall it will be interesting to see how the WARHAWKS responded Saturday in Eau Claire.   

Didn't UWW know that they were supposed to have their "bad" game on Saturday against EC rather than on Wednesday against UWL. 

[closetothechest]

I think Champ's point isn't that UWSP got a free ride (which they clearly didn't), rather that Stout got a crappy draw (which they did).  However, I'm pretty sure that Stout wouldn't have wanted Point's position playing Lake Forest at home and then traveling to Wash U. who had beaten Stout by 101-47 during the regular season.

If anyone can explain to me how Stout loses to Wash U huge, beats Point twice and then Point beats Wash U, I'm all ears.  I've always thought that was one of the most unusual triangles I've ever seen.

JB 

You got the drift of my post.

But I'd much rather have had the opportunity to play Lake Forest at home than play on the road against anybody else.  Even though that would have meant playing Wash U. 

Our loss to Wash U. was early in the season (November 25th) and was the 5th game in an 8 day stretch - all 5 games on the road.

Would Wash U. have beat us in the DIII Tournament? 

Who knows??? 

But I bet it would have been a much better game than the first one.  And who knows, it might have been a home game for us (as stated before, I have no clue how the mastermixers end up deciding where the games are played)...

Well I would assume it would have been a much better game that the first one.  If the first one was a 54 point loss, it can't get much worse than that.