MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[HOPEful]

I'd be surprised to see more than 50 PSB or Rose-Hulman fans...

Last time Wheaton came to Hope, they brought a decent following (something about two orange and blue, Christian schools playing each other)...

[almcguirejr]

FWIW  I remember last year when "conventional" wisdom didn't give Calvin much of a chance once they won the MIAA tourney.

I'm not sure this is correct either. Massey gave Calvin the advantage at Rose-Hulman last year, then predicted a five-point loss to UWSP, and then an eight point loss at St. Thomas.

They weren't predicted to do quite as well as they did, but they were supposed to be competitive in the three games.

I think Pat Coleman might have even picked Calvin as the potential "surprise team" in that section of the bracket in his pre-Tournament writeup on the main page.

I think Calvin can do rather well in their pod.  Kruis will need to have two good games though.

I think Calvin can remain competitive in any game if they continue to defend like they did the last few games.  I thought they worked a lot harder in the 2 games against Albion and the game against Hope.  They double teamed well and recovered well to keep pressure on the ball.  I know this is a different team, but they went into 3 quality opponents gyms last year during the tournament and played very well.  Winning at Hope Saturday was really their 1st NCAA tournament game and after a slow start they responded in a tough environment. They should be able to draw on their experience of playing well in unfamiliar and/or tough environments.

[ziggy]

And in the past, I believe the split was 2/3 Home team, 1/6 each for the 3 visiting teams.  Either way, there is no way they each consume all their tickets based on their home attendance figures for the year:

PSU-Behrend - 354
Rose0Hulman - 459
Wheaton - 888

The attendance at R-H for last year's tournament game against Calvin was 894. Take the Calvin fans out of that number and you're left with needing an impossibly high percentage of fans willing to make the trip to Holland.

[realist]

FWIW  I remember last year when "conventional" wisdom didn't give Calvin much of a chance once they won the MIAA tourney.

I'm not sure this is correct either. Massey gave Calvin the advantage at Rose-Hulman last year, then predicted a five-point loss to UWSP, and then an eight point loss at St. Thomas.

They weren't predicted to do quite as well as they did, but they were supposed to be competitive in the three games.

I think Pat Coleman might have even picked Calvin as the potential "surprise team" in that section of the bracket in his pre-Tournament writeup on the main page.

I think Calvin can do rather well in their pod.  Kruis will need to have two good games though.

I think Calvin can remain competitive in any game if they continue to defend like they did the last few games.  I thought they worked a lot harder in the 2 games against Albion and the game against Hope.  They double teamed well and recovered well to keep pressure on the ball.  I know this is a different team, but they went into 3 quality opponents gyms last year during the tournament and played very well.  Winning at Hope Saturday was really their 1st NCAA tournament game and after a slow start they responded in a tough environment. They should be able to draw on their experience of playing well in unfamiliar and/or tough environments.

Like you I am much more optmistic going into this weekend than perhaps others may be.  The one thing I felt that Calvin was lacking or weak on was intensity, and that sure wasn't the case on Sat.  To me the important thing is once Calvin survived Hope's initial flurry they had enough heart to get back in the game, and by half time they finally started to show some "killer instinct" which they will need to keep going forward. 

[iwumichigander]

All 3 visiting schools will return tickets, even Wheaton.

NCAA handbook requires schools to notify host of the number of unsold tickets (24 hours ?).   Schools that do not notify host/NCAA have to pay for their entire allocation whether sold or not. 

And, I do not recall Rose Hulman traveling well when they played @IWU  in the tournament.  Wheaton might not sell allocation for Friday but suspect more would travel up if they win and play Sat

[Happy Calvin Guy]

Tyler Kruis has been named MIAA MVP.

All-MIAA First Team
Jordan Brink, Calvin* (junior from Dyer, Ind./Illiana Christian HS)
Alex Eidson, Hope*  (sophomore from Grand Haven/Grand Haven HS)
Mark Ghafari, Kalamazoo** (senior from Grosse Pointe Shores/Grosse Pointe University-Liggett HS)
Tyler Good, Trine* (junior from Swanton, Ohio/Evergreen HS)
Tyler Kruis, Calvin* (senior from Grand Rapids/Grandville Calvin Christian HS)
Nate VanArendonk, Hope* (senior from Grand Haven/Grand Haven HS)

All-MIAA Second Team
Tyler Dykstra, Calvin (junior from Holland /Holland Christian HS)
Ben Gardner, Hope (sophomore from Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS)
Jordan Herron, Albion (sophomore from Holt /Holt HS)
Brandon Krause Alma (sophomore from Sanford/Meridian HS)
Blake Krum, Olivet (junior from Schoolcraft/Schoolcraft HS)
Adam Peters, Kalamazoo (junior from Hickory Corners/Richland Gull Lake HS)

http://miaa.org/sports/mbkb/2013-14/index

Overall, I think this list is spot on with very few exceptions.  The glaring omission is DJ Beckman--how could he not even be mentioned in the top 12 players???  Dykstra is a bit of a surprise too but I'm happy for him.  And well-deserved congrats to Tyler Kruis--Calvin's first MVP since Jeremy Veenstra!

[sac]

This is the 8th time in the last 9 years Hope's made the NCAA field.  There's a pretty impressive and short list of schools that have done as well or better in the same time frame.

St. Thomas--9
Va Wesleyan --9
Wooster--9

Stevens Point--8
Whitworth--8
Hope--8
Rhode Island--8

A lot of really great D3 programs missing from that list.

[HollandKnight]

Jordan Brink, and Tyler Kruis share player of the week honors.

From what I saw at DeVos on Saturday, both honors are well-deserved.  The Knights will miss these two next year.  (Or is Jordan Brink returning?) .

Calvin seniors are DeVries, Kruis, and Mast.

Brink is actually a fourth year junior but I think his staying/going will depend on his offers to play overseas or he could be a potential GR Cyclone 

It's my understanding that he'll be a fifth-year senior next academic year and will use his fourth year of eligibility.

That info makes Calvin's guard situation a little sticky. Not saying he is unwanted but it could make a recruit or transfer feel as if his play time is being threatened. They have the pair of freshmen who are looking to make a splash, Brad Visser and Danny Leach, and the two sophomores that have already proven themselves, Jordan Daley and Austin Parks. I think a logical move would be to move him to more of a small forward position, as we saw in the Hope game and become more of a guard based team. That seems like a wise decision especially with the departure of forwards Mickey Devries and Jordan Mast and of course the big man Tyler Kruis. With his staying the starting 5 would potentially be Daley,Visser, Brink, Dykstra/VanLoo and Dan Stout. Of course you need to factor in recruits that could potentially make an impact and/or athletes transfering either in or out. Knight Nation will just have to see.

[monsoon]

This is the 8th time in the last 9 years Hope's made the NCAA field.  There's a pretty impressive and short list of schools that have done as well or better in the same time frame.

St. Thomas--9
Va Wesleyan --9
Wooster--9

Stevens Point--8
Whitworth--8
Hope--8
Rhode Island--8

A lot of really great D3 programs missing from that list.

That's good company.

[almcguirejr]

Jordan Brink, and Tyler Kruis share player of the week honors.

From what I saw at DeVos on Saturday, both honors are well-deserved.  The Knights will miss these two next year.  (Or is Jordan Brink returning?) .

Calvin seniors are DeVries, Kruis, and Mast.

Brink is actually a fourth year junior but I think his staying/going will depend on his offers to play overseas or he could be a potential GR Cyclone 

It's my understanding that he'll be a fifth-year senior next academic year and will use his fourth year of eligibility.

That info makes Calvin's guard situation a little sticky. Not saying he is unwanted but it could make a recruit or transfer feel as if his play time is being threatened. They have the pair of freshmen who are looking to make a splash, Brad Visser and Danny Leach, and the two sophomores that have already proven themselves, Jordan Daley and Austin Parks. I think a logical move would be to move him to more of a small forward position, as we saw in the Hope game and become more of a guard based team. That seems like a wise decision especially with the departure of forwards Mickey Devries and Jordan Mast and of course the big man Tyler Kruis. With his staying the starting 5 would potentially be Daley,Visser, Brink, Dykstra/VanLoo and Dan Stout. Of course you need to factor in recruits that could potentially make an impact and/or athletes transfering either in or out. Knight Nation will just have to see.

Sticky or not I'm elated Brink is coming back!

[HollandKnight]

Jordan Brink, and Tyler Kruis share player of the week honors.

From what I saw at DeVos on Saturday, both honors are well-deserved.  The Knights will miss these two next year.  (Or is Jordan Brink returning?) .

Calvin seniors are DeVries, Kruis, and Mast.

Brink is actually a fourth year junior but I think his staying/going will depend on his offers to play overseas or he could be a potential GR Cyclone 

It's my understanding that he'll be a fifth-year senior next academic year and will use his fourth year of eligibility.

That info makes Calvin's guard situation a little sticky. Not saying he is unwanted but it could make a recruit or transfer feel as if his play time is being threatened. They have the pair of freshmen who are looking to make a splash, Brad Visser and Danny Leach, and the two sophomores that have already proven themselves, Jordan Daley and Austin Parks. I think a logical move would be to move him to more of a small forward position, as we saw in the Hope game and become more of a guard based team. That seems like a wise decision especially with the departure of forwards Mickey Devries and Jordan Mast and of course the big man Tyler Kruis. With his staying the starting 5 would potentially be Daley,Visser, Brink, Dykstra/VanLoo and Dan Stout. Of course you need to factor in recruits that could potentially make an impact and/or athletes transfering either in or out. Knight Nation will just have to see.

Sticky or not I'm elated Brink is coming back!

I would most definitely agree. He is a top-tier scorer and when he gets hot from long range he can't be stopped.

[wiz]

Calvin/Wittenberg live video feed, Friday, 6:00pm EST

http://mobile.stretchinternet.com/listEvents.htm?clientID=155#

[sac]

Front page article on Wheaton
http://d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2014/wheaton-thunder-still-plugging-away

[HOPEful]

I have a slight fear that Tyler Peter's will go Will Dixon on Hope on Saturday...

Hopefully, Eidson and/or Stuive will go off, as well. We need to go back to spreading defenses out and then finding a single covered NVA... Dumping it inside every possession, even when there are 4 defenders in the paint, is not a winning game plan...

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I have a slight fear that Tyler Peter's will go Will Dixon on Hope on Saturday...

Hopefully, Eidson and/or Stuive will go off, as well. We need to go back to spreading defenses out and then finding a single covered NVA... Dumping it inside every possession, even when there are 4 defenders in the paint, is not a winning game plan...

Interesting.  I sure Hope the coaches and players aren't as fixated on Wheaton as all the discussion is here and in the CCIW room (and I'm confident they have the right focus).  PSU-Behrend is no slouch team, and needs to be the only focus at this point.  We can worry about Wheaton later if we get to that point.