MBB: University Athletic Association

[iwumichigander]

Note to self: do not talk about the Augustana game until the Webster game has been played.

Self: note - do not read the WIAC board; Auggie's 20+ point wins over three WIAC teams will just have you talking to --- your self!

[WUPHF]

Self: note - do not read the WIAC board; Auggie's 20+ point wins over three WIAC teams will just have you talking to --- your self!

+1 That is very good advice.

I am excited about the game as it will be against a team that is significantly better than anyone else we will play in the conference.  And, I was already chalking this up as a rebuilding year, so if the team plays relatively well and loses by +20, well, it will not be the end of the world.

I'll be at the game with a host of Augustana alumni plan to make me pay for my bragging from the last time Augustana played at Washington University.  Augustana was ranked No. 1 at the time, but the Bears played what was one of their best games of the season and pulled the upset.  Maybe they were No. 2 or No. 3, but I do not think they made the tourney that season.

[WUPHF]

Augustana 70
Washington University 67

Washington University almost pulled the upset over No. 1 Augustana in a game that went down to the wire.

It goes without saying that this was a good result even if it i did not go our way.

Our defense was strong tonight.  The Bears forced Augustana to take a lot of tough shots.  The Vikings made a lot of those tough shots, but they still shot significantly below their season average (42% from the field, 29% from three point range).

Our No. 14 had scored more than Hunter Hill, also wearing No. 14, until the final Augustana possession.  Clinton Hooks had a career game and tied Hunter Hill for a game high 20 points.  He also pulled down six rebounds.  Hooks is the man.

Andrew Sanders scored 13 while picking up 2 fouls in 38 minutes.  Sanders has struggled with foul trouble and played only 17 minutes in the loss last Saturday, but played well tonight.

Washington University had a few scoring droughts including a seven minute stretch in the second half in which they only scored 2 points.  The first five minutes of the game were brutal.

They did not shoot particularly well from three point range (4-15) or from the free throw line (9-16) and had 14 turnovers including two passes that were picked off in the final minute or so.

The box score suggests that over 1,000 people were in attendance tonight.  Student support was strong considering that we are entering week two of final exams.

[jaybird44]

Hooks is playing well to start the season.  He will be essential to Wash-U's UAA success from beyond the arc, as Luke Silverman-Lloyd is facing teams that are blanketing him pretty well.  Kevin Kucera may have to take a few more 3s to loosen things up for Luke.

Felt really bad for Luke and the Bears when he splashed what would've been a game-tying 3 in the final minute, except a foul was called on the Augie player guarding Kucera...who delivered the pass to Luke.  Not arguing the call--thought there was a foul.  Just a bad break for Wash-U that desperately needed a good break late in the game.

[WUPHF]

Hooks is playing well to start the season.  He will be essential to Wash-U's UAA success from beyond the arc, as Luke Silverman-Lloyd is facing teams that are blanketing him pretty well.  Kevin Kucera may have to take a few more 3s to loosen things up for Luke.

Hooks needs to improve his passing.  He was turned over 5 times last night and 5 times against Illinois Wesleyan with two or three more kicked balls.

Hooks had one of the passes that was picked off late along with Luke Silverman-LLoyd who otherwise played a good game.  After rebounding Straughter, I believe, on the defensive end, the way Luke juked Straughter was so perfect it deserves to be memorialized as a GIF.

[jaybird44]

I agree with your assessment.  Augie's quickness had a lot to do with that, too.  Hooks, IMO, is playing with much more control in a starting role.  If he continues his maturation, Hooks will probably cut down his errant passes.

[WUPHF]

I do think you are right about the passing. 

It is probably unfair to compare Hooks to his predecessor who played much more as a freshman and sophomore, but so far, he really does have all the versatility one would expect from the role.  And, so far on the season: 12 points per game and 5 rebounds.

I also think you are right about Kucera who has taken just a handful of shots from three point range over the past week.

Incidentally, you probably talk about this on the broadcast, but how about the play of Kevin Kucera so far?  He played very little last season, but so far on the season, he ranks 31st nationally on assists per game and 27th nationally on assist to turnovers.  10 points per game or so.

[WUPHF]

The UAA is 46-19 after the first month or so of non-conference play with 1-3 games left for each squad before league play begins.

In 2013, I had suggested that in my time following the conference, I did not remember seeing the top 4 teams rank so low and the bottom 4 teams rank so high.  The final rankings were closer to the norm, but it was definitely interesting to see this early in the season.

The 2014 Massey Ratings have the top 6 teams in the top 100 rankings which is great to see.

December 2013
No. 20 Washington U. 6-2
No. 36 Emory 6-3   
No. 64 Carnegie Mellon 5-1
No. 76 New York University 6-1
No. 88 Brandeis 6-3
No. 109 Chicago 5-4
No. 127 Case Western Reserve 5-1
No. 144 Rochester 5-5

December 2014
No. 1 Washington University 10-0
No. 20 Emory 7-1   
No. 40 Chicago 6-3
No. 41 Carnegie Mellon 7-0
No. 69 Case Western Reserve 4-3
No. 100 New York University 4-2
No. 140 Brandeis 3-5
No. 172 Rochester 4-6

A cursory glance at Massey for the conference so far this season with a look back at the past two seasons.

The UAA is currently 46-20 with 1-4 games left for each team before conference play begins.

December 2015
No. 13 Chicago 8-2
No. 23 Washington University 7-2
No. 32 New York University 5-0
No. 43 Emory 6-3   
No. 105 Case Western Reserve 6-1
No. 125 Brandeis 5-3
No. 127 Carnegie Mellon 7-0
No. 166 Rochester 6-4

[WUPHF]

Washington University leads Centre College, 41-29 at the half.

The Colonels led early before the Bears went on a 10-2 run or something like that.  No audio and no live stats have made this game hard to follow.  Not to mention the fact that I am at work.

[y_jack_lok]

Washington University leads Centre College, 41-29 at the half.

The Colonels led early before the Bears went on a 10-2 run or something like that.  No audio and no live stats have made this game hard to follow.  Not to mention the fact that I am at work.

Watching now. Bears fell asleep on an inbounds play under their basket (i.e. the one they wee defending) resulting in a pass to a wide open Centre player in the corner who drains a 3. Coach Edwards calls time. Not sure I've ever seen a Wash U team be that unaware.

[WUPHF]

The Bears had a almost-perfect defensive possession until the guards switched and a player left his man wide open at the three point line with the shot clock certainly almost down to zero.

Bears lead 61-55 at some point in the second half after Colonels closed the gap to within two.

[WUPHF]

I know there is no audio, but I can almost hear those Highsmith mid-range jumpers splash.

[WUPHF]

Washington University holds on to defeat Centre College, 75-67.

[y_jack_lok]

I know there is no audio, but I can almost hear those Highsmith mid-range jumpers splash.

He made three or four hoops in a fairly short time when the lead had gotten down to 2 points. That plus some much needed defensive stops in that same stretch of the game built the lead back up. Centre was a good team. Great, quick passing finding open guys.

[WUPHF]

He made three or four hoops in a fairly short time when the lead had gotten down to 2 points. That plus some much needed defensive stops in that same stretch of the game built the lead back up. Centre was a good team. Great, quick passing finding open guys.

I did not get to watch the entire game because, but I thought Centre played a good game. 

The Washington University starters may have played their best games of the season.  They had struggled from three point range lately, but shot 40% last night with Hooks and Silverman-Lloyd shooting 50%.  Coach Edwards used the bench sparingly, going with David Schmelter, Jake Knupp and Sasha Sobolev.  It was great to see Schmelter back in after being out since mid-December.

Washington University plays Wittenberg tonight at 6:00 pm.