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Monday, January 23, 2012

MIAC Power Rankings For Monday 1-23-12

Time for my latest MIAC Power Rankings....

1.  UST
2.  GAC
3.  St. Olaf
4.  Concordia
5.  (tie) Bethel & SMU
6.  Augsburg
7.  Macalester
8.  (tie) CSB & Hamline
9.  Carleton
10.  St. Kate's

No change among the top three spots - yet, anyway.  UST has already cheated defeat a couple of times in the last week and GAC needed a half court Hail Mary buzzer-beater from Steph Comer just to force OT at Hamline and escaped Hutton Arena with a one-point victory.  St. Olaf staved off a hard challenge from their cross-town rivals on Saturday over at West Gymnasium.

After that, things are a bit convoluted.  Concordia went down to St. Joe and (expletive deleted)-slapped a moribund CSB team.  Not suprising at all to see the Corn getting better and better.  GAC was coldly efficient in hammering Bethel at the Robertson Center on Saturday and the second-half of their conference schedule is just plain brutal; I'm beginning to have serious doubts about the Royals chances now.  UST predictably clipped the wings of SMU's mirage in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated.  One benefactor in all this just may be Augsburg which found a way to win at St. Kate's despite bringing only their B- game.  They do need to be more consistent.

You can never take any opponent in this conference lightly (do you hear me UST and GAC?) but it LOOKS as if things are shaping up nicely for this coming Saturday's showdown in St. Pete.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Augsburg vs St. Kate's 1-21-12

After doing color commentary with Tony Geer over at Bethel for their 1:00 P.M. game against Gustavus (which was a resounding 60-38 triumph for the Gusties), I hurried down Snelling and Summit Avenues (God HELP ME I HATE St. Paul streets; they were built by a drunken 19th-century drunken Irishman) to get over to St. Kate's for the 3:00 P.M. clash between Augsburg and the host Wildcats.  I got settled in at the Butler Center at the 8:26 mark with the Auggies clinging to a slim 16-12 lead. 

Neither team could make much of a statement in terms of either making a run or trying to even things up in the remaining minutes of the first half.  Auggie senior guard Lexi Thompson could have easily made ESPN's "Play Of The Day" with her unbelievable one-handed shot underneath the basket (she's always doing something unbelievable in games it seems like) at the 7:19 mark for a 20-14 Augsburg lead.  Augsburg did extend their lead to eight thanks to southpaw sophomore Abbey Luger's "3" from the left top with 3:43 left and willowy junior Brittany Dyshaw's two rebounds with a putback and a 25-17 Augsburg advantage that had St. Kate's Head Coach Gary Rufsvold steaming at his team's woeful rebounding in the subesequent time-out.  The Wildcats responded to Rufsvold's chewing out with a mini-run that cut the Auggie advantage to 25-21 with 1:27 left but had to settle for that four-point deficit going into the locker room at the half down 27-23. 

Freshman sensation Sarina Baker gave the home crowd some hope early on in the second half with a drive and finish at the 19:46 mark that got the Wildcats to within two at 27-25.  Strangely enough, the Wildcats would never get any closer.  Junior Brittany Zins helped make sure of that for the Auggies as she did her dirty work down low (does it better than anyone in the MIAC, IMHO) and then Thompson slithered inside like a cat going after a mouse as she scored and got fouled in the process.  The resulting freebie got Augsburg back up to 32-25. 

The frustrating thing (from both standpoints, I think) in the second half is that the Wildcats would make mini-runs that made it LOOK like they MIGHT creep right back into it (but couldn't) and the Auggies never really could QUITE put their opponents completely away.  Augsburg upped their advantage to 38-27 by the 11:58 mark after Zins scored inside (so what else is new?!) and it looked as if they were in control but the 'Cats would slowly scratch and claw away at that lead.  Junior Adele Simerson-Wallfred knocked down one freebie after getting fouled at the 7:12 mark and then Baker snared a steal and rumbled the other way for a lay-up.  An inside score from fellow freshman sensation Jule Muegge (just back into action after recovering from an ankle injury) narrowed the Auggie advantage to 40-35 by the 6:13 mark.  But Augsburg simply would not let St. Kate's complete a comeback.  Two free throws by Zins and a jumper from athletic sophomore Kendra Ware plus two more freebies by senior PG Serenae Levine gave the Auggies a 50-40 cushion with just :43 left that St. Kate's simply could not recover from.  The Auggies, who arguably only brought their "C+" or "B-" game with them on this day, were able to escape back to the other side of town with a 51-43 victory.  

Moorhead St. vs Concordia St. Paul 1-20-12

Took a rare Friday night off from tennis practice and working out as (1) it was my birthday and (2) the Dragons from Moorhead State were in the Cities to take on the Concordia St. Paul Golden Bears which is always a good NSIC match-up despite the fact that both teams uncharacteristically were experiencing losing seasons and both on the lower-end of the totem pole in the NSIC. 

In this game, it was the visiting Dragons that set the tone early and put the host Golden Bears behind the 8-ball from the get-go.  Sophomore forward Morgan Zabel started things off with a lay-up at the 18:45 mark and the red-clad Dragons extended that lead to 5-0 by the 17:41 mark after a free throw by lanky senior post Angie Jetvig and two more by junior guard Kaycee Charette.  Concordia St. Paul was simply colder than a rock from the perimeter early on and sophomore Haley Thomforde out of Eastview H.S. added to the Golden Bears woes when she made her presence known.  A "3" at the "15:54 mark and then a drive and finish at the 14:06 mark plus a rebound and putback at the 13:39 mark had Moorhead State up 12-5.  Freshman forward Anika Whiting temporarily stopped the bleeding for the Golden Bears at the 13:11 mark with a "3" from the right corner but another Moorhead State push fueled by tough work inside from strong sophomore forward Megan Strese and senior guard Brittany Mayclin upped the Dragon advantage to 23-10 by the 9:53 mark.  Concordia St. Paul looked like they might cut into that advantage when freshman Tierra Bender cut the lead down to 23-13 but Thomforde and Mayclin continued their assault from the perimeter and upped the lead to 30-18 by the 5:58 mark.  Coming down the stretch, Concordia St. Paul looked strangely out of synch; displaying no energy or intensity or willpower as the Moorhead State lead ballooned to 29-22 at the halftime break.  Even Concordia St. Paul Head Coach Paul Fessler, well-known for his outbursts of temper that have resulted in numerous technical fouls in the past, was curiously quiet on the bench in this one.

In the second half, not a lot changed.  Bender tried to get it going for the Bears as she nailed a "3" from the right top at the 18:52 mark but Strese quickly answered for the Dragons as they were dominant in the paint with a rebound and putback.  Junior guard Marisa Yernatich got in on the act in the paint area as well as she scored inside at the 17:31 mark.  Golden Bear sophomore sensation Rachel Hansen did nail a "3" at the 16:52 mark but again the Dragons would quickly respond.  Jetvig connected with a turnaround jumper at the 15:47 mark and then scored inside and was fouled and made the obligatory freebie at the 14:43 mark.  Another drive and finish by Jetvig at the 13:15 mark plus a drive and finish by Yernatich at the 12:39 mark helped the Dragons maintain a 20-point cushion.  Moorhead State would maintain this comfortable cushion until late in the game when the Golden Bears would make a tardy push that would close the gap some.  Senior forward Tori Lythjohan was the unexpected factor for the Bears in their late quest for an unexpected run.  She connected from behind the arc at the top at the 3:57 mark and again at the 2:44 mark.  Freshman Taylor Atkinson also unexpectedly contributed to this comeback attempt as well.  She finished in transition at the 3:17 mark and also got a lay-up and was fouled in the process.  Her free throw helped the Golden Bears slice the big Moorhead State advantage down to 74-63 by the 1:42 mark but it would not be nearly enough to come all the way back.  The Dragons would milk the clock and clutch free throw shooting by Thomforde would help Moorhead State win this one by a final count of 77-65. 

 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Macalester vs Gustavus Synopsis 1-14-12

Again, have to apologize for the delay in getting this one in so late.....

Was down in St. Peter on this Saturday afternoon to take in the contest between visiting Macalester and host Gustavus.  Along with the other early-goers, we were given an extra-special treat as we watched the GAC JV team take on an Alumni team made up of Bri Radtke, Julia Schultz, Erin Boese, Angie Peterson-Potts, Kirsten Prunty, and one other gal that I didn't know.  It was extra-special to watch because you always wondered what it might be like if you could mix a player or two from different eras to see what you might get.  Well, we found out as Peterson-Potts still has that beautiful jump shot of hers and Radtke is just as savvy as ever as they helped lead the Alumni to a 50-46 win over the young ones.  Extra sweet to watch them yam it up afterwards as well!

As for the main event, the always-dangerous Scots kept this one close in the first half.  Senior Jessica Rene drained a "3" from the right top at the 16:08 mark for a 7-6 Macalester lead but sophomore Julia Dysthie helped propel a mini-push by GAC with her "3" from the right corner and a 13-7 lead.  The Gusties pushed the lead to as much as 25-12 by the 6:42 mark when senior Molly Geske finished in transition and was fouled and got the freebie.  But the Scots battled right back.  Jessica Rene swished another one of her patented "3's" at the 6:20 mark and senior Maggie Wood connected with consecutive buckets.  Junior PG Kyana Jones snared a steal and finished with a lay-up and then Shannon Rene banged home a "3" from the top of the key at the 2:56 mark to cut the GAC lead to 27-24.  Sister Jessica nailed yet another "3" from the top of the key with 1:12 left and then senior post Holly Schiedermayer scored inside and got fouled in the process.  The obligatory free throw allowed Macalester to go into the locker room at half trailing only by one at 30-29. 

The second half, however, was all black and gold.  Geske started the GAC onslaught with a "3" from the top of the key at the 19:52 markand then sophomore Eli Benz showed her worth connecting with a jumper at the 19:06 mark and then also with a score inside where she was fouled in the process.  Junior post Abby Rothenbuehler knocked down a "3" at the 15:45 mark and the Gusties were on their way.  Wood was fabulous for the Scots on this afternoon but they simply didn't have the depth or firepower to keep up with the Gusties on this day.  Gustavus would win this one comfortably enough 71-44 as they get set to dive into a 3-game warfare the week of 1-16 with a home date against Concordia plus two very dangerous roadies:  at Hamline on Wednesday night and then at Bethel on Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Maple Grove vs Osseo Synopsis 1-13-12

I apologize for getting this one in late as I've arguable been operating with one hand tied behind my back with no home computer.  So bear with me!

Was at Osseo on this Friday night the 13th for the Northwest Suburban Conference's version of the "Civil War" - Maple Grove vs Osseo.  I've always liked this rivalry because it reminds me a lot of the UCLA - USC rivalry (ahem.....GO BRUINS!!!!) as a lot of people from one school know a lot of (and are friends with) people from the other school.  But it's war when they're on the court or field.

I got settled in the packed Osseo gym at the 14:40 mark with Maple Grove surprisingly up 4-0.  Osseo looked strangely out of synch on offense and simply couldn't get anything going (and couldn't get shots to drop, either) so Maple Grove was able to take some advantage of it - early on anyway.  As the Crimson upped the lead to 6-1, junior Kelly Olzenak drained a "3" from the left wing at the 12:34 mark that pushed the Maple Grove lead to a stunning 9-1 and started to make Osseo students (and parents) sweat a little.  Those initial fears were calmed by a somewhat unlikely source - senior post Olivia Antilla - as she single-handedly brought the Orioles back.  Consecutive baskets by the strongly built senior at the 12:18 and 11:58 marks and then again at the 9:07 and 8:45 marks cut the Maple Grove advantage to a shaky 11-9 score.  Maple Grove senior forward Emily Eckberg gave the Crimson a brief reprieve with the shot off the glass at the 7:47 mark but another Antilla score at the 4:33 mark and then a steal and lay-up the other way by Oriole senior (and future Minnesota Golden Gopher) Mikayla Bailey cut the Crimson advantage to a scant one point at 16-15.  Junior Janay Morton then gave the Orioles the lead for good at the 3:13 mark with her "3" from the top of the key to make the score 20-18 in favor of Osseo.  Then it was Phyllis Webb's turn to get into the act as she grabbed a rebound off of a missed free throw and scored and got fouled in the process.  Her ensuing freebie along with Antilla's long jumper before the buzzer at the top of the key enabled a surging Osseo team to take a 27-18 lead into the locker room at the break.

The Osseo onslaught picked up right where it left off when the second half began.  Morton swished "3's" at the 15:55 and 15:23 marks and then Bailey drained one of her own "3's" from the left corner at the 13:44 mark that pushed the Osseo lead to 40-24.  Junior Angie Davison was able to cut the lead the 42-30 at the 12:01 mark when she scored inside but she was already riding three fouls by this point and had to be very careful.  But the Orioles simply were not to be denied on this night which was also the Osseo Basketball Coaches For Cancer Night with each team wearing pink t-shirts on the bench and Osseo students clad in pink t-shirts as well (very nice to see).  Bailey scored in transition at the 10:39 mark that pushed the Osseo lead back up to 49-30.  At the 4:38 mark, sophomore Avo Porte scored inside for Osseo to make the score 63-33 that had Osseo students gleefully chanting, "Up by 30!".  Maple Grove would cut into that lead somewhat coming down the stretch but this is a young Crimson team still in the process of growing together and finding itself again - without the likes of Ellen Edison, Anna Gerdes, and Angie Davison's big sis Stephanie now at UNI.  Osseo would win this one convincingly 65-42 with the rematch coming over at Maple Grove in the not too distant future - and perhaps again in Section play as well, just like last year.

Monday, January 16, 2012

MIAC Power Rankings For Monday 1-16-12

Another interesting week and weekend in the MIAC has resulted in some re-shuffling in my lastest MIAC Power Rankings:

1.  UST
2.  GAC
3.  St. Olaf
4.  SMU
5.  Bethel
6.  Concordia
7.  Augsburg
8.  CSB
9.  Hamline
10.  Macalester
11. Carleton
12.  St. Kate's

UST needed Kelly Brandenburg's heroics with just five ticks left on the clock to lift them past the Corn up in Moorhead on Saturday - and to hang on to the top spot in the power rankings.  GAC, meanwhile, overcame a feisty challenge by always dangerous Macalester in the first half to cruise to an easy win in the second half.  St. Olaf, despite looking like (expletive deleted) on Wedensday night at Augsburg, took care of business at home against CSB so I'll let them hang on to the third spot.

It's really, really hard for me to do this but I simply have no choice but to shove SMU up to the fourth spot.  Why?  Well, simply because they've found ways to win games on the road that they really probably should have lost.  Can they hang on to this spot?  We'll see.  Meanwhile, Bethel, which was riding high coming into the first of the year is suddenly reeling after that disastrous three-game homestand and needed a scoring outburst from Taylor Sheley to overcome a 27-18 halftime deficit at Hamline.  With UST visiting the Robertson Center tonight and GAC likewise this next Saturday, the Royals somehow have to make a stand to avoid yet another January swoon.  Concordia blew a big chance to pull off a huge upset of UST at home and this young squad is going to have to find some consistency if they want to entertain thoughts of hosting a conference playoff game.  Ditto for Augsburg which has improved tremendously under new Head Coach Bill McKee.  They looked very good against St. Olaf this last Wednesday night but inexplicably let down against SMU at home on Saturday.  This week is a big chance for the Auggies to right the ship with a trip to Northfield tonight to take on Carleton and then home dates with CSB and St. Kate's on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.  Speaking of CSB, isn't it weird to see them on life-support this season?

Friday, January 13, 2012

St. Olaf vs Augsburg 1-11-12

After I left Hamline I was literally starving so I swung by McDonald's through the drive thru and hurried on over to Augsburg back on the MPLS side of town ( I HATE driving in STPAU) to catch what I could of the St. Olaf - Augsburg tilt.  I grabbed a bottle of God's nector (a.k.a. Pepsi) to go with my impromptu meal and got settled in around the 4:14 mark with the Auggies up by a score of 15-11. 

It became quite apparent that the Auggies were much sharper on this night and that the Oles, on the other hand, appeared to be going through the motions.  After two freebies by senior PG Serenae Levine at the 3:56 mark, athletic sophomore Kendra Ware pushed the lead to 19-11 at the 3:05 mark with her jumper from the left wing.  After a layup by freshman Sheridan Blanford that temporarily stopped the bleeding for the Oles, willowy junior forward Brittany Dyshaw cashed in on a lay-up for a 21-13 lead and padded that lead right before the half when freshman Abbey Luger made a steal and went in for a lay-up the other way that had to have had St. Olaf Head Coach Dave Stromme steaming in the locker room during the break.

The Auggies made a quick statement in their upset bid as the second half began.  Dyshaw snared a rebound and got a putback and was fouled in the process and, although she missed the obligatory free throw, she did push the Auggie lead to 25-13 at the 19:17 mark.  Levine then made a sweet move and finish on the ensuing possession for a 27-14 lead and senior guard Lexi Thompson did likewise at the 17:47 mark.  Levine then pushed the Auggie lead up to 15 with her shot off the glass at the 16:37 before St. Olaf finally started to get untracked.  After a free throw by freshman Nikki Frogner, junior guard Kirstee Rotty connected with a jumper along the baseline at the 14:11 mark and then Frogner made good on a lay-up at the 13:45 mark.  Sophomore post Elise Raney then connected on a shot off the glass at the 13:31 mark that suddenly brought St. Olaf to within six at 32-26 and it LOOKED as if the Oles just might ply their way back into this one.

Trouble was, though, they needed to get permission from the Auggie's Levine (who obviously would have responded with a resounding "NO!" verbally) and she promptly decided that she was going to do whatever she had to do to help her team win - even if it meant taking over the game - which she did.  She responded with back-to-back "3's" at the 13:06 and 12:31 marks that pushed the Auggie lead back up to double digits at 38-26.  St. Olaf sophomore Brittany Weber did her best to give her team another push; she nailed a "3" from the right top at the 11:07 mark and then scored inside and was fouled in the process which, along with the obligatory freebie, cut the Auggie lead back down to 40-32.  Another "3" by Weber cut the lead to seven at the 6:41 mark but Levine again responded from behind the arc at the left wing spot a bit later to bolster the home team.  Another long "2" from Levine at the 3:37 mark along with a baseline power move by junior Brittany Zins kept the Oles at bay but the deal-sealer came when Thompson caught an alle-oop pass off an inbounds play and scored and was fouled in the process that allowed her to cash in from the charity stripe.  Now down 53-41 the Oles had to foul to have any kind of hope and the Auggies knew it as they made several more trips to the charity stripe down the stretch.  The Oles did make some last-gap efforts; Rottee connected with a running jumper with :45.7 left and Weber connected with another "3" from the left corner that sandwiched a lay-up by junior PG Mackenzie Wolter  but Augsburg finished on this night, winning by a final score of 61-51.

It was a disappointed Ole squad and coaching staff afterward.  Stromme didn't really want to talk too much afterward (who could blame him?).  But Wolter was gracious enough to talk to me afterward.  She said that they simply weren't ready on this night and it showed.  They have a big test at home on Saturday against always-tough CSB and the guess here is that she'll have her teammates ready by Saturday afternoon.  

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Concordia vs Hamline 1-11-12

Was at Hamline's Hutton Arena for last night's 5:45 P.M. clash between the host Pipers and the visiting Cobbers from Concordia-Moorhead.  I'm not sure but it felt like the Cobbers brought down the latest cold wave with them so it felt good to be in (very) warm Hutton last night.

Things would be close early on in this game.  Hamline freshman sensation Jordan Sammons showed why she is likely the MIAC's FOY award-winner as she snared a rebound off of an errant Concordia shot and raced downcourt all the way; blazing past Concordia players for an easy lay-up and a quick 2-0 lead.  The Pipers held a 4-2 lead after senior power forward Stephanie Rice nailed a jumper from the left wing at the 17:21 mark but Concordia junior guard Emily Thesing gave the crowd a preview of things to come later on as she nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 17:04 mark for a 5-4 Cobber lead.  The lead would bob back and forth for a bit before the Cobbers went on their first mini-run starting at the 14:56 mark when freshman Alley Fisher drained a "3" from the top for a 10-8 Concordia lead.  Fisher did an encore performance at the 13:09 mark from the same spot that pushed Concordia's lead to 13-8.  The Cobbers were able to get their advantage to 16-10 by the 11:02 mark when lanky sophomore post Alexandra Lippert scored inside at the 11:02 mark but the Pipers came right back and were able to tie things at 16-all by the 8:57 mark.

Concordia began its second mini-run right afterwards as Thesing drained another "3" (still, just a preview of things to come later on) at the 7:56 mark and junior Tricia Sorenson did likewise from the left corner at the 7:07 mark.  Hamline three-point specialist junior, Stephanie Pilgrim, momentarily stopped the Cobber push with her own "3" from the right corner at the 6:02 mark but Concordia was able to build their biggest lead of the game (so far) at the 2:47 mark when Lippert snared a rebound and got a putback and was fouled in the process.  Her ensuing freebie put Concordia up 27-19 but again the Pipers responded just before the break.  Rice drained a "3" from the right wing at the 2:20 mark and then Sammons showed her all-around versatility by doing the same from the top of the key at the 1:45 mark.  Thesing drained yet another "3" from the left top with just :31 left but with :15 left Sammons again drained a "3" that trimmed the Concordia advantage to a scant two points at 30-28 going into the locker room at intermission and had the Pipers feeling good about themselves again.

But as Concordia Head Coach Jessica Rahman would explain to me afterward, she had to emphasize to her team at halftime that they needed to show that they wanted it more; that they needed to show that sense of urgency and that they were way too lethargic in the first half.  Her squad responded - big time.  After Sorenson hit two freebies at the 19:31 mark, Thesing drained ANOTHER "3" from the left top at the 18:48 mark.  After inside buckets by both sophomore Erika Jossart and senior reserve post Andrea Benjamin, Sorenson and senior Mary-Michael Vance both drained "3's and by the 15:08 mark Concordia suddenly had a 45-30 lead that, for all intents and purposes, was the difference maker in this contest.  But the Cobbers were far from finished in this one.  Freshman Katelyn Holland knocked down a pair of "3's" at both the 14:41 and 11:58 mark that gave the Cobbers their biggest lead at 53-35. 

Hamline, however, would ever so slowly began to try and creep back into this game.  Pilgrim, who arguably had an off-night, was able to drain "3's" at the 13:04 and 9:09 marks and freshman Rachel Usgaard had a key rebound and putback that cut the Concordia advantage to 57-44 by the 6:46 mark.  Rice connected with a jumper from the right top at the 5:01 mark and sophomore Je'Naya Brown knocked down a "3" from the left corner at the 3:55 mark that brought the Pipers to within ten at 59-49.  By this time, Hamline was also employing a full-court press that was giving the Cobbers some problems but the leftovers from last year's MIAC Championship winners knew how to respond.  Thesing drained a cold-blooded "3" from the top at the 3:00 mark that gave the Cobbers a 62-49 lead but Hamline would respond with one more push; thanks to the heroics of Sammons.  She scored at the 2:42 mark and then got a steal and layup with 1:30 left on the clock.  Another rare Concordia turnover saw Sammons race the other way for an uncontested lay-up that cut the Cobber advantage to a mere seven points at 62-55 but Concordia was already in the bonus by this time and knew the Pipers would have to foul to get the ball back.  The Cobbers would be able to ice this thing away from the charity stripe when it counted and would be able to make the long bus ride back to Moorhead for the team (and Rahman) a lot more enjoyable as they took home a 67-59 win.       

Monday, January 9, 2012

MIAC Power Rankings For Monday 1-9-12

Well, here we go.  Time for my first MIAC Power Rankings For the 2011-12 Season:
1.  UST
2.  GAC
3.  St. Olaf
4.  Bethel
5.  (tie)  CSB & Concordia
6.  Augsburg
7.  (tie)  SMU & Hamline
8.  Macalester
9.  (tie) Carleton & St. Kate's

I don't think there can be much of an argument against the first two spots.  After that, though, it gets a little tricky.  St. Olaf got through a bit of a rough stretch; losing to both UST and GAC but has rebounded nicely with a comfortable home win against Concordia and then picking up that huge roadie "W" at Bethel on Saturday.  The Oles hopes have also been bolstered by the return of Elise Raney off the IR as she had dislocated her knee this last fall but looks as healthy and strong as ever now.  Speaking of Bethel, they were looking VERY good at the first of the year; riding an 8-game win streak but the Royals have suddenly been brought back to earth; losing home games to both CSB and St. Olaf which proved to be a very costly week for Herbie's squad.  They have two "must win" games, IMHO, this week:  at home against SMU on Wednesday and then the little trek down Snelling Avenue at Hamline this coming Saturday, if they are to keep pace with the big names in front of them. 

CSB appeared to be on life-support a mere week ago but picked up that big win at Bethel and then held serve against Hamline at home on Saturday.  This is a very young squad but you can never count a Mike Durbin-coached squad completely out.  Like the Blazers, Concordia is also very young and has been going through its share of growing pains already this season.  Still, I have a feeling that the Corn are going to get better and better as the season progresses and will be a factor down the stretch.  I'm just not sold on SMU as they have a habit of faltering as the season progresses.  Hamline has a lot of exciting young talent on board but they've already lost Cassidy Vogt to injury and they've been wildly inconsistent this season.  Macalester has dug themselves into a canyon already and I don't think even Head Coach Ellen Thompson can get them out of this one.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

NDSCS vs Anoka-Ramsey 1-7-12

I headed over to Coon Rapids as soon as I got out of Bethel's Robertson Center to take in the 3:00 P.M. game between visiting NDSCS out of Wahpeton, North Dakota and host Anoka-Ramsey.  I arrived at ARCC with about 13:00 left in the first half but, like a total idiot, I managed to leave my notebook in my car which prevented me from taking notes about a fairly close first half (somewhat rare for Anoka-Ramsey which typically pulls away from most opponents midway in the first half).  The Rams did use a late push before the break to build a slightly more comfortable 43-28 lead. 

The visiting Wildcats actually made a push of their own as the second half began.  Sophomore post Dericka Griffis scored inside at the 19:42 mark and fellow sophomore Kari Bergstrom knocked down a jumper at the 18:59 mark.  Freshman guard Sierra Benning scored at the 18:39 mark and NDSCS had whittled the Anoka-Ramsey edge down to 43-34 before ARCC finally began to find their way again.  Freshman Maria Loughlin knocked down two freebies and then also drained a "3" from the right wing at the 17:32 mark that expanded the ARCC advantage to 48-36.  Powerful sophomoe post Tracy McGregor and athletic Tamarra Shorter helped build ARCC's lead to 52-36 before NDSCS freshman Katie Campbell stemmed the tide somewhat with a "3" at the 15:36 mark. 

But Anoka-Ramsey was simply too deep and too athletic to be denied at home on this day.  They built up a 24-point lead by the 8:43 mark behind Capreice Ogris' free-throw shooting and Loughlin's prowess from the outside.  Worse yet for NDSCS, sophomore Kaylin Sheets was temporarily knocked out of the game when she suffered an apparent bloody nose after absorbing an inadvertent shot and sophomore Michelle (Mimi) Reif never could get her outside shooting game going despite giving it her all on the defensive end.  Thus, a lot of the scoring opportunities for the Wildcats were reliant upon Campbell.  She did drain another "3" from the top at the 5:15 mark and Sheets eventually did get back into the game to add to her total from the charity stripe plus another drive and finish with 2:56 left.  Campbell also knocked down an almost impossible shot with the shot clock about to expire (and being defended closely in the process) at the 1:55 mark but Anoka-Ramsey would win this one comfortably enough by a score of 75-56.

MIAC Roundup For Saturday 1-7-12

Was at Bethel yesterday afternoon as a sideline color analyst for Community Hoops along with announcer Tony Geer and fellow commentator Larry McKenzie (Holy Angels Head Coach) to do the St. Olaf - Bethel tilt; a game that had huge implications AFA conference standings plus playoff jockeying/home court advantage later on down the road.  In this game, Bethel simply was as cold as ice from the perimeter and never really did get any rythm going offensively (the 25% FG shooting gives you an idea of how impotent the Royals truly were in this contest); and Taylor Sheley outside shooting prowess never was a huge factor in this game.  For St. Olaf on the other hand, they had a standout performance from sophomore post Elise Raney who was a huge factor for the Oles hopes on this day as she scored 12 points along with nine rebounds and, just as important, four blocks.  A key for the Oles was to get isolation on Raney down low that allowed her to do a lot of damage in the paint.  The Royals did have their chances in this game; St. Olaf did not do a great job of taking care of the rock but Bethel was unable to capitalize on a lot of these opportunities as they missed several short shots and "bunnies" that could have drastically changed the complexion of this game.  Still, this was a huge road win for the Oles that gets them into a third-place tie with the Royals; right behind both UST and GAC who are currently first and second, respectively.  Having Raney back in the rotation is huge for St. Olaf as she can be such a great weapon offensively and also bolsters the already solid front line of Erin Haglund, Nikki Frogner, Ashley Menzel, and (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue.

Elsewhere, UST stayed perfect in the conference with their 49-41 home win over Augsburg, GAC easily took care of business at home against St. Kate's 75-52, Concordia held on at home for a badly-needed win against visiting Carleton 56-47, ever-improving CSB beat Hamline at home in St. Joe 71-57, and SMU got the win on the road; dumping slumping Macalester 65-59.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

UST vs St. Kate's 1-4-12

Was at the Butler Center on this Wednesday evening to take in the neighborhood clash between host St. Kate's and powerhouse UST located just down the street aways.  In all honesty I knew this one had the potential for a blowout and in the end, that prophecy was realized. 

Still, the feisty Wildcats made a game of it early on.  Freshman Jenna Mistler got the home team on the board first at the 19:39 mark when she snuck inside for a score.  That was quickly answered by the MIAC's three-point shooting Queen, UST senior Ali Johnson, with her "3" from the right corner at the 18:48 mark.  But St. Kate's standout freshman Sarina Baker out of Minnehaha Academy drilled the first of her NBA-range "3's" a bit later to bolster the 'Cats.  UST did manage to build a small lead at 13-7 by the 13:55 mark but another one of those freshman phenoms from St. Kate's - this time Jule Muegge - drilled a "3" from the right wing at the 13:30 mark and the 'Cats pulled even at 15-all when Baker hit another long-range "3" at the 11:51 mark.

Predictably, however, this is exactly where UST made their initial big run to begin the rout.  Senior guard Carolyn Dienhart started the bloodshed at the 11:33 mark with a "3" and followed that up with another short-range jumper a bit later.  Sophomore sensation Taylor Young scored off the glass at the 10:13 mark to make it a 24-15 game in favor of the Tommies.  Perhaps just as important, UST was employing full- and half-court presses that were forcing the 'Cats into several mistakes that resulted in easy UST scores.  Senior post Sarah Smith (certainly still playing with a heavy heart) scored twice at the 7:23 and 6:39 marks and then the willowy-blonde three point Queen (Ali Johnson, of course) hit another one of her trademark "3's" at the 6:13 mark.  Baker countered with another "3" of her own at the 5:35 mark but by this time UST was already up 36-20.  Reserve freshman post Anna Smith out of Bloomington Jefferson also managed a couple of nice moves inside (as well as finishes) that helped give UST  a commanding 51-22 lead at the intermission.

Not much changed when the second half began as UST continued the artillery barrage.  Dienhart knocked down a jumper along the baseline at the 18:37 mark and Young finished in transition at the 17:13 mark.  Sophomore post Maggie Weiers scored inside at the 16:11 mark and Dienhart connected with a lay-up at the 15:30 mark for a 63-26 lead.  Even worse for the Wildcats, Mistler went down at the 15:11 mark with an injury that left her crying on the floor; she had rolled her right ankle that left her in considerable pain (I did that one time before meself and, believe me, it hurts like an MF'er).  With UST up by a 40-point cushion, Head Coach Ruth Sinn called off the dogs and put in her subs (who, by the way, aren't too shabby, either).  St. Kate's freshman Mary Neumann did give the home fans something to cheer about when she nailed a "3" at the 13:19 mark as did junior Adele Simerson-Wallfred when she scored on the ensuing possession.  But UST continued its assault as Anna Smith continued to show why she's UST's next young hope by doing more damage inside.  Freshman Laura Margarit also finished a Tommie transition at the 11:27 mark.  Freshmen Jen (Is There A "Dockter" In The House?) Dockter also got into the books with her lay-up at the 6:09 mark as did Hannah Hughes when she nailed a "3" from the left corner at the 4:21 mark.  Yet another freshman post for UST, Abbey Knisely, got her name in the box score as well with a rebound and putback with just 2:18 left that enabled UST to win by a final margin of 91-47.

Afterward, Sinn emphasized to me again the importance of consistency for her team (just as she did back in October when I visited one of her team's first practices).  I can agree with that as UST did have some blips last year that may have cost them in the long-run.  UST just has so much talent and depth this year that I think the bigger question is - Can they make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament that will get them - and the MIAC - back into the national spotlight?  I personally think this team is more than capable of it but I do wonder how they'll respond if they find themselves in a tight contest with someone late in the game.  I still want to see this team get tested to see how they'll respond.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

MIAC Roundup For Monday 1-2-12

Happy New Year everyone!  Needed to dust off the cobwebs from the X-mas and New Year's holiday break - and put behind the disappointing seasons of both UCLA and my Los Angeles Rams behind me - and get this thing going again. 

Was behind the mike at both the Concordia/Bethel and Augsburg/Hamline clashes last night to get the new year going.  At Bethel, Taylor Sheley hot start helped give the host Royals a quick 10-0 lead but the Cobbers came right back with a charge of their own and eventually grabbed a 20-14 lead.  But the Royals were able to even things up down the stretch of the first half and took a 32-31 lead into the locker room at the half.  The second half was pretty much all Bethel as Concordia was ice-cold from the perimeter.  Sheley, of course, led the way but perhaps even more importantly, she had a lot of help from teammates Kelly Swenson and Kristi Nye along they way.  The Cobbers did make a mini-charge to cut the deficit but never could get closer than ten points as Bethel claimed the 58-48 final margin.  With the win, Bethel improves to 8-1 overall (6-0 in the MIAC).

After leaving the Robertson Center, I hurried over to Hamline to catch their clash with Augsburg.  I got there around the 12:00 minute mark with a tight contest ensuing.  Hamline's Jordan Sammons, as usual, made some terrific plays at the most opportune times as did teammate Je'Neya Brown but the Pipers found themselves getting into some serious foul trouble midway through the second half and the visiting Auggies were on the cusp of taking control.  Still, the Pipers found ways to survive  in this contest and they would do so in the end.  Kara Poirer made 1-2 from the charity stripe with seconds remaining and Augsburg lost control of the ball on their last possession that allowed the host Pipers to claim a narrow 62-61 win.