MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Started by miac newbie, February 17, 2005, 03:57:25 PM

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OldAuggie

Quote from: bball1122 on December 11, 2018, 04:28:33 PM
Chris Palmer was the D3Hoops West Region Rookie of the Year in 2010.  My guess is that would be the last D3Hoops recognition for the Cards.

After now having watched just about everyone at least once, I think it's clear that St. John's is the best team in the league, UST a small step below, Augsburg, Bethel, and St. Olaf next, and then we'll see what happens after that.  I really do think it's Hamline or SMU for that final playoff spot, but a lot can happen in the next two months.  If I'm being candid, this is the least talented Gustavus team I've seen in following the league for the last fifteen years or so and could easily see them finishing tenth. 

Also, I think Booker Coplin is the best player in the league this year. He's just...really good.  Hamline had the Auggies on the ropes the other night, with Isaac Brooks hitting a three to take the lead in the last two minutes, and Booker came down and hit a three on the next possession to give the Auggies the lead for good.  Ice in his veins. 

Still wondering about Erik Davis from UST - what happened to him?
I have watched online 3 Auggie games so far this year and Coplin looks legit to me. A very limited sample size and limited basketball knowledge on my part but he can play. Looking forward to seeing SJU vs. Augsburg in January.
MIAC champions 1928, 1997

SUMMIT!!!!!

A couple of close games tonight.... Hamline scored the only point in  the last 2:50 to eke out a 62-61 home win over Mac. Meanwhile, GAC led for all  but the first 1:30  and the final 0:04. They led by as many as 12 but St Olaf battled back and took the lead with four seconds left and then held on for a 68-66 win. SJU and UST kept pace with the Oles as the trio head into the holiday break with identical 4-0 MIAC records. The John's thumped Mary's 87-70 and UST held off a pugnacious Concordia bunch for a 79-70 win in Moorhead.
After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box.

Italian proverb

bball1122

The bottom of the league threw some haymakers last night, but as miacmaniac pointed out, none were able pull off the knockout.   

Gustavus had the Oles on the ropes the entire game, but last second heroics by Dom Bledsoe (and missed free throws by Nolan Malo (who's going to be/is already really good)) helped St. Olaf pull it out.  GAC was up by 15 early in the second half, but the Oles kept chipping away, setting up the clutch three by Bledsoe with .5 seconds left (not sure why the box score says 4 seconds).   But then, up 2 and with the Gusties needing to go the length of the court, the Oles foul on the long inbounds pass!  Alas, Malo misses the first, then intentionally misses the second, the Oles clear, and they walk away 4-0 in the league before Christmas. 

Meanwhile, in Hutton Arena, the Scots came out swinging, up 27-10 at one point in the first half.  The Pipers were ice cold, which made solving the Mac zone a struggle.  Hamline cuts the lead to 9 at the break, but Mac pushes it back out to 16 two minutes into the second half.  Then...Connor Knutson happens.   Over the next 7 minutes, he outscores the Scots 20-7 by himself,  putting the Pipers up 4.  They'd hold on after going cold again late.  A must win and they get it by a single point.   

Up I94, the Tommies looked to be in control after a late first half burst, maintaining a 14 plus point lead with seven minutes to play.  But Concordia made UST work, cutting the lead to as little as 6 twice in the waning minutes.  Bryden Urie led the comeback charge, but also missed 4 big free throws late that could have cut the lead to as little as 4.   I cannot state enough how good Anders Nelson is.  He's the low D1/high D2 talent the Tommies have been missing.   

Didn't watch any of SJU/SMU, but it panned out about as expected.  The Johnnies are just so good - as a team, they're shooting 59% from the field in conference play.  They're the best three point shooting team in the league, but have taken the second fewest because they're getting easy looks all over the place.  Ethan Novacinski with his breakout game, going 13-15 from the floor for 29 points along with 7 rebounds.  Can't believe we have to wait until MLK day for our first Tommie/Johnnie matchup.

jamtod

St Thomas knocks off #7 UW-Stevens Point by 16.

SUMMIT!!!!!

A great night in the New Shoe last night. As expected, the annual UWSP/UST game was a battle of top-tier defenses and a showcase of all-around good basketball.

The first half was a titanic struggle. It was like watching Ali/Foreman in their prime-- two true champs slugging it out. The defensive play on both ends was incredible. Both squads displayed amazing team efforts and crisp passing that set up sweet buckets on the offensive end. Michael Hannon was on fire (especially in the first half) with a key pair of threes and six of six from the charity line as part of a game high 20 point effort. Tauber for UWSP was a beast in the paint.

The  back-and-forth warfare continued into the second half and UWSP was up 45-44 with 12 minutes to play. UST had it "second tier" in-- Tommy Anderson, Elijah Hannah, Burt Hedstrom, Thomas Madison & Riley Miller. Suddenly these reserves turned into the Golden State Warriors! They dominated the tiring Pointers, and erupted for a 13-4 spurt that broke the game open. The starting unit returned to the floor rested & recharged and continued to pull away from UWSP until the final buzzer for a 73-57 win.

The Tommies depth was the key to this win and will be the key to the season.  UST had a preposterous 30-2 edge in bench points  and Tauer's willingness to rotate freely between the 10 men he regularly uses means UST seems to always have five sets of fresh legs on the court. This depth allows them to play an aggressive, trapping defense that swarms the opposition. This resulted in UWSP going 0-11 from beyond the arc in the second half and 3-of-20 (15%) on the night. The Toms dominated the boards against the taller Pointers 37-25 withe every player chipping in with a rebound.

If USWP is a top ten team (and I am not calling them over-rated).... where does that put the Tommies?

After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box.

Italian proverb

Greek Tragedy

Point's obviously way overrated. I presume St. Thomas will garner some votes this upcoming poll.
Pointers
Breed of a Champion
2004, 2005, 2010 and 2015 National Champions

Fantasy Leagues Commissioner

TGHIJGSTO!!!

SUMMIT!!!!!

After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box.

Italian proverb

Retired Old Rat

Just returned from SJU at Mac.

Mac is terrible. They have one player who belongs in the regular player rotation of an MIAC team. And he is asked to do so much that his effectiveness suffers..

I hope the new coach can recruit some guys who belong.
   
National Champions: 1963, 1965, 1976, 2003

faunch

Quote from: Retired Old Rat on January 05, 2019, 06:33:56 PM
Just returned from SJU at Mac.

Mac is terrible. They have one player who belongs in the regular player rotation of an MIAC team. And he is asked to do so much that his effectiveness suffers..

I hope the new coach can recruit some guys who belong.

The SJU fan base is amazing...from what i saw on the webcast they filled about half the gym today!!


"I'm a uniter...not a divider."

AO

Quote from: Retired Old Rat on January 05, 2019, 06:33:56 PM
Just returned from SJU at Mac.

Mac is terrible. They have one player who belongs in the regular player rotation of an MIAC team. And he is asked to do so much that his effectiveness suffers..

I hope the new coach can recruit some guys who belong.
Are you talking about Ferm or Henningfield? Ferm was absolutely amazing at Northwestern earlier this season, 10-10 from inside the arc and 3-7 from outside. Best Scot I've seen since Ben Van Thorre.

Retired Old Rat

Quote from: AO on January 06, 2019, 01:41:40 PM
Quote from: Retired Old Rat on January 05, 2019, 06:33:56 PM
Just returned from SJU at Mac.

Mac is terrible. They have one player who belongs in the regular player rotation of an MIAC team. And he is asked to do so much that his effectiveness suffers..

I hope the new coach can recruit some guys who belong.
Are you talking about Ferm or Henningfield? Ferm was absolutely amazing at Northwestern earlier this season, 10-10 from inside the arc and 3-7 from outside. Best Scot I've seen since Ben Van Thorre.

Henningfield.  Ferm had 12 but did not impress. Only took 5 shots. Like most of Mac intimidated by SJU length.
   
National Champions: 1963, 1965, 1976, 2003

bball1122

A couple of games in to the new year, and more clarity, at least in my opinion.

SJU and UST are the clear class of the league.  I fully expect both to have 17 plus MIAC wins this year.  I just don't think most of the league has the talent to beat either of them.  Really looking forward to that MLK day tilt at the Shoe.

St. Olaf with very puzzling home loss to Concordia.   I guess that's what happens when you turn it over 15 times and go 4-12 from the charity stripe.  I still think they are the third best team in the league, but the gap between them and the top 2 is quite large.

The next three seem clear as well: Augsburg, Bethel, and Hamline.  Each is good enough to beat the teams below, but they are all flawed.   I think 10 league wins gets you to the playoffs this year, and I think all three of these teams make it.

After those six...it's not great.  Perennial powers Carleton and Gustavus are way down.    Both already have five league losses - it's not impossible to dig out of that hole, but would take a lot of work, and I don't think either team is talented enough to do it.

Recent bottom feeders Concordia, Saint Mary's, and MAC seem to be destined to be there again.  I thought Saint Mary's was the team out of this group that had a chance to move up, but now it seems as though Concordia has the best shot.   The trio of Urie, Schyma, and Larson have been huge, and a road win at Olaf is a big deal.  I still don't think they have enough to get to the playoffs.  SMU without Jakob Bailey and Kareem Anthony-Bello since the break.  Given the timing, I'd be worried they won't be returning this year, and if that is the case, they will struggle to win more than a few more games this year.  MAC has Henningfield and Ferm (who is very talented and capable of carrying them some nights, but it is rare that he reaches his full potential), and after that, they really are devoid of MIAC level talent.   They are playing hard and their zone could trip a team or two up, but I don't see more than 2-3 wins at most for the Scots.

I know it's very early in the season, but I will be surprised if SJU, UST, STO, AUGS, BET, and HAM aren't the six playoff teams.   Feel free to convince me I'm wrong. 

Five league games Monday on the dreaded short turnaround.  I'm most curious about STO at UST and AUGS at GAC.  St. Olaf gets their first shot at one of the top two teams, and Gustavus gets a chance to show they can be a factor in the playoff hunt. 

I'll end with this:  Anders Nelson is the best freshman guard I've seen in my time watching MIAC hoops. 

txg

Quote from: bball1122 on January 06, 2019, 11:05:01 PM
St. Olaf with very puzzling home loss to Concordia.   I guess that's what happens when you turn it over 15 times and go 4-12 from the charity stripe.  I still think they are the third best team in the league, but the gap between them and the top 2 is quite large.

I would happily lay 60 points combined in the Tommies/Johnnies games against St. Olaf this week.  The gap is enormous.

AO

One more thing on Macalester that I didn't see until today: Doogie interviewed Abe and Ferm before the Johnnie game and posted the whole thing to the KSTP website.  https://kstp.com/sports/macalester-mens-basketball-coach-abe-woldeslassie/5199216/

GoldandBlueBU

Quote from: bball1122 on January 06, 2019, 11:05:01 PM

St. Olaf with very puzzling home loss to Concordia.   I guess that's what happens when you turn it over 15 times and go 4-12 from the charity stripe. I still think they are the third best team in the league, but the gap between them and the top 2 is quite large.



I would agree with that - the top 2 are head and shoulders above the rest of the MIAC this year.  BU should be right there (nearly did beat UST, was up on St. Olaf a lot of that game), but it seems like Granger Kingland has taken an unfortunate step backwards production - wise this season.  Hopefully he'll pull out of his slump and get things going again. 

Hopefully SJU can make a run in the post-season this year after last year's abrupt exit.  They certainly seem to have the horses.