WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

Started by MJA, February 24, 2005, 06:38:32 AM

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Roundball999

Hope's 2014-15 schedule is out:  http://athletics.hope.edu/sports/wbkb/2014-15/schedule

Completely unlike last year, the Dutch spend considerable time in the early season playing in the friendly confines of Devos including hosting an early season tournament.  They should get a good early season litmus test hosting a tough Wheaton squad on 11/25.  They host their usual Post Exam Jam tournament featuring Chicago, then travel to Ohio Wesleyan in a tournament that also features Franklin and York.  There's also a testy game at Capital shortly after the New Year.  Overall, a very solid though maybe not a killer schedule.

sac

7 of last 9 league games on the road. 

Its fairly easy to make an equitable round-robin schedule, even with 9 schools, so that teams are playing 4  home games in each half of the conference season.

I'd be curious to know the reason why the MIAA schedule is so lopsided.  Last year Hope played 5 of their last 8 at home.  Neither case should really happen unless there are lots of scheduling conflicts.


Are they just trying to avoid the Wednesday mens/womens double-headers more?

realist

Quote from: sac on July 05, 2014, 10:17:29 AM
7 of last 9 league games on the road. 

Its fairly easy to make an equitable round-robin schedule, even with 9 schools, so that teams are playing 4  home games in each half of the conference season.

I'd be curious to know the reason why the MIAA schedule is so lopsided.  Last year Hope played 5 of their last 8 at home.  Neither case should really happen unless there are lots of scheduling conflicts.


Are they just trying to avoid the Wednesday mens/womens double-headers more?
Check the St Marys (at home) game.  It has to occur in the post exam jam weekend, and that may be the root cause of the problem.  Calvin's schedule seems to only be showing 24 games so perhaps those non-conference games are as hard to schedule as we always believe they are.
"If you are catching flack it means you are over the target".  Brietbart.

bballfan13

Quote from: realist on July 05, 2014, 07:56:13 PM
Quote from: sac on July 05, 2014, 10:17:29 AM
7 of last 9 league games on the road. 

Its fairly easy to make an equitable round-robin schedule, even with 9 schools, so that teams are playing 4  home games in each half of the conference season.

I'd be curious to know the reason why the MIAA schedule is so lopsided.  Last year Hope played 5 of their last 8 at home.  Neither case should really happen unless there are lots of scheduling conflicts.


Are they just trying to avoid the Wednesday mens/womens double-headers more?
Check the St Marys (at home) game.  It has to occur in the post exam jam weekend, and that may be the root cause of the problem.  Calvin's schedule seems to only be showing 24 games so perhaps those non-conference games are as hard to schedule as we always believe they are.

Yes realist, you are right on the money as for the non-conference scheduling challenges.

sac


Roundball999

Practice starts tomorrow, it's a new year but I expect little change at the top of the MIAA basketball standings.  I see Hope, Olivet and Calvin as the top three again, though I think Calvin will leapfrog Olivet back into the #2 slot this year.  There's always some uncertainty around whether there will be incoming impact freshmen but barring a frosh sensation this is how I see the top three:

Olivet lost a lot of talent. a big chunk of scoring and almost all of their assists in Kelsey Campbell and Chelsea Ciba, but Stefanie Lang returns.  If Olivet can find someone to get Lang the ball in the post, she will continue to be a very tough matchup and will be hard to stop.  Nevertheless I see Olivet stepping back a little this year and finishing no better than third.

Calvin returns almost everyone, though the loss of Kristin Tripp hurts.  The Knights will have another year of the new offensive system under their belts and will have an experienced, senior laden team.  Breanna Verkaik and Kayla Engelhard are as good a duo as you'll find just about anywhere.  DIIINews has the Knights at #17 in their preseason poll.  That seems about right to me though they could go even higher.  This looks like a back to the future season with Calvin and Hope distancing themselves from the rest of the field.  I see Calvin as #2 in the league with the potential to pin a loss or two on Hope if they can hold their own on the boards.

Hope lost two very good guards in Megan Kelly (1st team MIAA and defensive POY) and Anna Kauffman, but the Dutch are still loaded.  MIAA POY and All America Maura McAfee is back inside while perhaps the best 3 pt shooter in DIII and 2nd team MIAA Britanny Berry returns for her final year of eligibility.  Defensive stopper Hannah Doell is a matchup nightmare who does a little of everything and is back after starting the past two years.  Add in the expected returns of outstanding post Rebekeh Llorens and slashing point guard Angelique Gaddy, both starters and among Hope's leading scorers when they went down with ACLs last year, and this could well be the top starting five in the country.  Unless someone else steps in, this five would boast three tall, athletic players in the 6'1" range; a deadeye 3 pt shooter with NBA range; and a slashing PG that can distribute, take it to the hole or stop on a dime with a very nice pull up jumper.  DIII News has Hope as preseason #4.  Much depends on if and how quickly Llorens and Gaddy can return to form, but if they do and everyone can stay healthy, I see the Dutch as serious national title contenders.  But they could be most vulnerable early in the season, especially at a very good Wheaton team away on Nov 25.

pointlem

Great post, Roundball.

With Brittany Berry and Mandy Traversa, Hope could have the best 3-point shooting in the country.  And when Angelique and Rebecca get back to full speed, this will be a hard team to beat. 

What remains to be seen is whether any new players at Hope, Calvin, Olivet and elsewhere are able to make a contribution.  Anyone have news of promising recruits?

Quote from: Roundball999 on October 14, 2014, 05:09:22 PM
Practice starts tomorrow, it's a new year but I expect little change at the top of the MIAA basketball standings.  I see Hope, Olivet and Calvin as the top three again, though I think Calvin will leapfrog Olivet back into the #2 slot this year.  There's always some uncertainty around whether there will be incoming impact freshmen but barring a frosh sensation this is how I see the top three:

Olivet lost a lot of talent. a big chunk of scoring and almost all of their assists in Kelsey Campbell and Chelsea Ciba, but Stefanie Lang returns.  If Olivet can find someone to get Lang the ball in the post, she will continue to be a very tough matchup and will be hard to stop.  Nevertheless I see Olivet stepping back a little this year and finishing no better than third.

Calvin returns almost everyone, though the loss of Kristin Tripp hurts.  The Knights will have another year of the new offensive system under their belts and will have an experienced, senior laden team.  Breanna Verkaik and Kayla Engelhard are as good a duo as you'll find just about anywhere.  DIIINews has the Knights at #17 in their preseason poll.  That seems about right to me though they could go even higher.  This looks like a back to the future season with Calvin and Hope distancing themselves from the rest of the field.  I see Calvin as #2 in the league with the potential to pin a loss or two on Hope if they can hold their own on the boards.

Hope lost two very good guards in Megan Kelly (1st team MIAA and defensive POY) and Anna Kauffman, but the Dutch are still loaded.  MIAA POY and All America Maura McAfee is back inside while perhaps the best 3 pt shooter in DIII and 2nd team MIAA Britanny Berry returns for her final year of eligibility.  Defensive stopper Hannah Doell is a matchup nightmare who does a little of everything and is back after starting the past two years.  Add in the expected returns of outstanding post Rebekeh Llorens and slashing point guard Angelique Gaddy, both starters and among Hope's leading scorers when they went down with ACLs last year, and this could well be the top starting five in the country.  Unless someone else steps in, this five would boast three tall, athletic players in the 6'1" range; a deadeye 3 pt shooter with NBA range; and a slashing PG that can distribute, take it to the hole or stop on a dime with a very nice pull up jumper.  DIII News has Hope as preseason #4.  Much depends on if and how quickly Llorens and Gaddy can return to form, but if they do and everyone can stay healthy, I see the Dutch as serious national title contenders.  But they could be most vulnerable early in the season, especially at a very good Wheaton team away on Nov 25.

sac

Olivet's potential PG solution is playing soccer.  I was told she was going to give basketball a go but had a recent knee injury that may change that.  She has a brand new Class B state championship ring.

sac


Roundball999

Quote from: Roundball999 on October 14, 2014, 05:09:22 PM
.......Unless someone else steps in, this five would boast three tall, athletic players in the 6'1" range; a deadeye 3 pt shooter with NBA range; and a slashing PG that can distribute, take it to the hole or stop on a dime with a very nice pull up jumper.  DIII News has Hope as preseason #4.  Much depends on if and how quickly Llorens and Gaddy can return to form, but if they do and everyone can stay healthy, I see the Dutch as serious national title contenders.  But they could be most vulnerable early in the season, especially at a very good Wheaton team away on Nov 25.

My bad, the Wheaton game on Nov 25 is at Devos.  That helps a ton, but I still think it will be a very tough game. 

wwjjdd

 :) Hope Women's BB 2014-15 roster has been posted.  Brittany Berry is back, as had been hoped/expected.  Let the games begin!!!!!!
"Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber, Founder, Faber College, 1904

sac

Exhibition schedule


Nov 8   Olivet at IU-South Bend
Nov 8   Saginaw Valley St at Calvin

sac

Pre-season poll  http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2014-15/preseason

Hope #6, Calvin #31, Olivet #45


I can't see Olivet duplicating last season with losing 3 starters. :-\


Flying Dutch Fan

MIAA Preseason Poll is out - unanimous pick to win it is Hope.

Preseason Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (8) 8 pts. 2. Calvin (1) 15. 3. Olivet 22. 4. Kalamazoo. 36. 5. Adrian 38. 6. Albion 40. 7. Saint Mary's 46. 8. Trine 55. 9. Alma 62.
2016, 2020, 2022 MIAA Pick 'Em Champion

"Sports are kind of like passion and that's temporary in many cases, but academics - that's like true love and that's enduring." 
John Wooden

"Blame FDF.  That's the default.  Always blame FDF."
goodknight

Mr. Ypsi

Trivia question:  when is the last time (in ANY sport) that Alma was not picked to come in dead last?

It seems they are even further down the food chain than North Park football or Millikin men's basketball.