WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[badgerwarhawk]

Hirssig joins the select ranks of those with multiple POW's this season.   Burns and Morton are the other two. 

[buf]

This weeks regional rankings are out, and me likes what I see.

Central
1 UW-Whitewater 21-2 19-2
2 UW-Eau Claire 18-5 16-4
3 UW-Stevens Point 19-4 18-4
4 Illinois Wesleyan 21-2 18-2
5 Washington U. 16-6 13-4
6 Chicago 17-5 15-5

[bulk19]

Finals tonight -
UWEC 76, Platteville 67
Whitewater 86, Oshkosh 78
Stevens Point 62, UWL 48
Stout 82, UWRF 53

Standings heading into the finale on Saturday:
Whitewater 13-2, 22-2 = host River Falls
Eau Claire 13-2, 19-5 = host Stout
Stevens Point 11-4, 20-4 = at Platteville
Stout 10, 16-8 = at Eau Claire
La Crosse 9-7, 14-11 = off
Platteville 5-10, 11-13 = host Stevens Point
Oshkosh 4-11, 9-15 = host Superior
River Falls 2-13, 8-16 = at Whitewater
Superior 1-14, 4-19 = at Oshkosh

[bulk19]

Three seniors step up for the Blugolds, who saw a 37-22 halftime lead shrink, and one as big as 21, to 74-67 with 41 seconds left...

Michelle Burns leads the way for UWEC with a double-double (26 points, 10 boards), Amanda Zenner adds 14 (on 7-11 from the field) and Rachel Mueggenborg chips in 11. Heidi Aricsewski has 9 boards; Missy Fremsted has 6...

Platteville was led in scoring by Lisa Grantman (18), Lisa Wubben (16) and Megan Guernsey (11).

Big differences were in rebounds, as UWEC had a 42-25 advantage, and in shooting percentage. Golds were 16-32 for 50% in the first half, while the Pioneers struggled, at 6-25 (24%)...

The Blugolds have positioned themselves for a chance to share a conference title on Saturday against Stout. Should be a good one... Alumni games tip before the doubleheader from Zorn...

Pointers are really playing well down the stretch here... After Saturday, who'll be the one to win three in a row??? 

[Mr. Downtown]

Whitewater beats the Teen Titans in a high scoring affair.

Whitewater was 18/37 from the free throw line...perhaps the only downer they had all night.

[shootfromthearc]

This weeks regional rankings are out, and me likes what I see.

Central
1 UW-Whitewater 21-2 19-2
2 UW-Eau Claire 18-5 16-4
3 UW-Stevens Point 19-4 18-4
4 Illinois Wesleyan 21-2 18-2
5 Washington U. 16-6 13-4
6 Chicago 17-5 15-5

That rocks. Period. Let's go WIAC!

[The Champ]

Well, time to try and catch up on my posting....

Regretfully, UWL, as I predicted upset someone...   After coming so close so many times they finally knocked off one of the top four teams in the WIAC - and it was Stout last Saturday.  I posted that it could happen, but didn't want the Runnin' Lady Blue Devils to be the victim!!!

Last night I made the trip to Menomonie to see the UWRF game.  River kept it close for the first 8 minutes, but then Stout's pressure started to affect the Falcons and the Lady Devils opened up an 11 point lead at the half.

In the second half, that 11 point lead grew to 20 in the first 2.5 minutes.  It grew to as much as 33, but ended with a 29 point advantage at the final buzzer.

Stout played their entire bench, and all but one player scored points.  Julia Hirssig lead the scoring with 18 points in just 19 minutes of play.  She just missed a double/double, finishing with 9 rebounds.  Stout's 3 point shooting was 9 - 19, led by Lindsey Gerber who hit 3 of 3 from beyond the arc.

I'm not sure, but I think the officials were having trouble keeping up with the game...  They kept calling fouls on Stout, but many of us in the stands couldn't understand what they were calling...  I think they just needed the rest....

I've never seen Charlee Edwards foul out in three years of watching her play, yet last night in only 20 minutes of action, she was whistled 5 times...

Next up, UWEC.  Like to get the win their and have Platteville upset the Pointers so we could be the #3 seed.  It could happen.  Regardless, we have a home playoff game on Tuesday night, but after that it's on the road.

Maybe Stout could be the first team in WIAC history to win the Tournament on the road!!!! 8)

[buf]

Next up, UWEC.  Like to get the win their and have Platteville upset the Pointers so we could be the #3 seed.  It could happen.  Regardless, we have a home playoff game on Tuesday night, but after that it's on the road.

Without looking at the tiebreakers, I think Point has secured the #3 seed.  If Point were to lose and Stout were to win on Saturday, they would then have the same conference record.  They split during the regular season and would (hypothetically) have split against EC.  However, Point went 1-1 against UWW while Stout went 0-2.

[The Champ]

You're right buf...

They do look at the record of teams above first, then look at the record of teams below.

My mistake.

Either way, odds were that we would only get one playoff game at home - even if we were the #3 seed.  To win the tourney, we will have to win 2 road games.

[badgerwarhawk]

Good luck Lady BlueDevil.

I don't see Platteville beating Point.  No way, no how. 

[shootfromthearc]

I'd like to see Stout take EC out Saturday...that would possibly slide Point up to #2 regionally, hopefully only slipping EC to #3 regionally and maybe () Stout jumps into the top 6 regionally.

I know it's a Viking fan's chance in Lambeau (nice way of stating the ol' snowball in you know where) to see 2, 3 or 4 teams in the tourny but man it would be great to see us make some noise.

Good luck to all next week. It's the best time of year!

[The Champ]

I know it's a Viking fan's chance in Lambeau (nice way of stating the ol' snowball in you know where) to see 2, 3 or 4 teams in the tourny but man it would be great to see us make some noise.

You do know that the VIKINGS are undefeated in the playoffs at Lambeau Field, don't you... 8)

Sorry, I couldn't resist taking advantage of that wide open shot...

[buf]

I'd like to see Stout take EC out Saturday...that would possibly slide Point up to #2 regionally, hopefully only slipping EC to #3 regionally and maybe () Stout jumps into the top 6 regionally.

I know it's a Viking fan's chance in Lambeau (nice way of stating the ol' snowball in you know where) to see 2, 3 or 4 teams in the tourny but man it would be great to see us make some noise.

Good luck to all next week. It's the best time of year!

I really think that Stout's only shot to make the national tourney is if they win the conference tourney.   They may have a slim chance for pool C if a lot of the teams with a slightly better regional record lose this week and then of course lose next week in their respective conference tourneys.  Stout would also have to hope for basically no upsets in all conference tournaments that would effect the Pool C count.

The best bet for the WIAC to get multiple bids would be for both EC and Point to win on Saturday and each win their 1st round games next week.  UWW is already a lock for the national tournament.

Huge game tomorrow between Stout and EC.  Its a rivalry, senior night, the last game of the regular season, and a possible conference championship on the line.  EC needs this one.  If they lose, their pool C chances will be reduced dramatically.  Stout is playing well down the stretch, so EC will have to perform well.  This game could go either way, but I would have to give EC a slight edge, especially playing in  Zorn.

[The Champ]

I really think that Stout's only shot to make the national tourney is if they win the conference tourney. 

I agree that the only way I will feel comfortable about going to the national tournament for the fourth year in a row is to win the WIAC tourney.

And to do that, I think they need to win tonight.  That will set the tone for the start of the WIAC tournament and the 2 road wins that will be necessary to win it.

EC upset us (at least I considered it an upset) at home in the first WIAC game of the year.  Now it's our turn to return the favor in the last regular season WIAC game of this year.

[buf]

EC wins over Stout 77-74 in what was a great game played in front of an electric atmosphere.  Stout jumps out to a quick 12-4 lead but EC quickly responds.  Pretty back and forth first half, however EC stretches lead to 39-33 only to have Stout come back and take a 42-20 halftime lead.  In the 2nd, EC pretty much lead the entire way.  It was a series of EC having 5-10 point leads followed by a Stout run.  Stout finally got to within 1 late, but as EC has done all season long, they responded to their opponent's runs and finished the game well.

Really good games from Hirrsig, Burns and Heidi A.  Burns has got my vote for MVP.  She has been absolutely huge down the stretch this season for the Golds.

Congrats to both EC and UWW on their conference championship.  BTW, shortly after the game, EC's AD said that EC won the coin toss, so they are the #1 seed.