CSB vs Bethel 1-30-13

Made the trek over to Bethel's Robertson Center on this very cold Wednesday evening to take in the clash between host Bethel and visiting St. Ben's.  The Blazers, who have been on a roll as of late and fighting tooth and nail with SMU for second place in the conference appeared to be the prohibitive favorite in this game but, as they would find out (almost the hard way), you have to come prepared each night in the MIAC.

The Royals, just as they had in the road game at Macalester, came out with a lot of energy in this game and were primed to go and it showed early on.  Freshman guard Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz's "3" from the top of the key drew first blood at the 19:31 mark.  CSB, on the other hand, was struggling mightily on offense and was whistled for several traveling violations as the Blazers simply were unable to find any rythm at all.  After freebies by freshman Mattie Lueck and senior Whitney Canton that tied things at 3-all, the Royals proceeded to go on a 7-0 run; highlighted by senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski's jumper from the right baseline and a lay-up in transition as well along with yet another "3" by "Bam Bam" that made it 10-3 Bethl by the 14:21 mark and had CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin calling a 30-second timeout to try and find a way to put the fire out.

The Blazers would not be able to find those proverbial water buckets right away but even as the Royals kept something of a cushion they were unable to capitalize on several opportunities for fast break baskets as Bethel inexplicably blew THREE easy transition lay-ups in the span of four minutes.  The Blazers finally got their first field goal of the game when Mattie Lueck did get a lay-up in transition and athletic junior Tish Alexander helped pull the Blazers closer with a lay-up at the 11:14 mark and two freebies from the charity stripe at the 10:42 mark that made it a 16-10 game in favor of Bethel.  After Canton connected with a pretty shot off the glass at the 7:45 mark and a tough jumper by sophomore Emily Lueck as the shot clock expired at the 6:50 mark that cut the Royal lead down to 18-14, Bethel was able to make good on a mini 5-0 run that was highlighted by another "Bam Bam" "3" from the right wing (her favorite spot) that increased the Royal lead to 23-14.  But again, Bethel failed to consolidate the advantage they had as missed opportunites let the door open for the Blazers to creep closer.  After two free throws by Canton at the 5:58 mark, junior guard Brianna Barrett was able to manuever inside for a score and got fouled in the process at the 4:23 mark and the ensuing freebie cut the Bethel lead down to 23-19.  Just a little more than a minute later at the 3:17 mark, Barrett again got inside in the paint for a finish that cut the Royal lead down to a scant two points.  Bethel would twice get the lead back up to four points in the waning moments but a "3" by sophomore reserve guard Jessica Fischer from the right top area with 1:44 left made it a one point game before freshman reserve post Megan Brodeur was able to score inside that gave the Royals the 29-26 lead they took into the locker room at the half.

Bethel looked to gain the upper hand again as the second half got underway as junior guard Katelyn Vavra banged home a "3" from the top of the key at the 19:34 mark.  Then, after senior reserve forward Hannah Hylla's long "2" from the right baseline and a score inside by Canton at the 18:08 mark got the Blazers to within two again, the Royals went to work as freshman phenom post Rachel Parupsky was able to connect with a tough turnaround jumper off the glass at the 17:40 mark and then used that same smooth surface again at the 16:19 mark for a 36-30 Bethel lead.  Reserve junior guard Micaella Petrich would make it a 38-31 game with her jumper at the 15:43 mark.

The Blazers, however, seem to flourish when things look grim on the road and they responded.  First, Mattie Lueck got a lay-up in transition at the 15:00 minute mark and then it was Alexander as she was the recipient of an incredibly beautiful (and incredibly well-placed) bounce pass by Canton in the paint for a lay-up at the 14:31 mark.  CSB finally got even when Barrett made good on a drive and finish along the left baseline and was fouled in the process that, along with the obligatory freebie, made it 38-all.  Then the Blazers finally took their first lead of the game when Canton connected with a lay-up in transition at the 13:23 mark as CSB was making life uncomfortable for the Royal as they upped their defensive intensity and got into the passing lanes that really took Bethel out of their offensive rythm as the Blazers seemed ready to take control.  At the 12:00 mark, sophomore reserve forward Elena Koch knocked down a long "2" from the right corner and then it was Barrett with another lay-up in transition at the 9:55 mark.  Canton topped off this 15-0 Blazer run with a turnaround jumper off the glass with 9:55 left for a 46-38 Blazer lead.  By this point, it seemed as if CSB was firmly in control of this thing and was ready to cruise the rest of the way.

Or were they?  Apparently someone forgot to tell this young Bethel Royal team that they were supposed to just simply fold up their tent and go home for the night as the Royals battled back in improbable fashion.  After Mattie Lueck was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 8:10 left that maintained that eight point advantage at 50-42 for CSB, Bethel once again went to work.  Two scores by Parupsky at the 7:49 and 7:02 marks plus a huge steal by Petrich who literally came out of nowhere to snare an errant Blazer pass and go the other way for a lay-up at the 6:44 mark suddenly made it a 50-48 game.  Two charity stripe shots by Parupsky with 5:30 left once again tied the issue at 50 a piece.  CSB was able to grab another four point lead in an effort to try and put the Royals away for good on scores by Alexander and Barrett but, once again, the Royals refused to go quietly into the night.  Freshman reserve guard Hannah Niewald connected with a jumper in the lane with 4:37 left to cut the Blazer lead back down to two points and then it was Vavra who made the home crowd explode with her tough "3" from the left corner with 2:58 left that gave Bethel the lead back at 55-54.  From this point, it would be fair to say that controlled chaos reigned as Alexander gave the Blazers the lead back with her own jumper in the lane to make it 56-55.  However, Parupsky gave Bethel the lead AGAIN with her score inside with 2:17 left to make it a 57-56 game. 

But, just as they had this last Saturday at Gustavus, the Blazers seemingly willed their way to ultimate victory when they appeared to be in dire straits.  Barrett calmly knocked down a huge "3" at the 2:03 mark and then it was Alexander making perhaps the play of the game as she snared the ball away from Parupsky on the Royals ensuing possession to go the other way for a lay-up attempt.  Though Alexander missed the lay-up, senior Morgan Dale was right there for the offensive rebound and putback that made it a two possession game at 61-57.  Then, with 1:20 left, Barrett snuck inside again for a score and got fouled in the process.  Her obligatory freebie missed the mark but it was now a 63-57 game and Bethel now had to resort to desperation as the Blazers blanketed the perimeter that thwarted any hopes the Royals may have had.  Alexander and Fisher made good on late free throws in the final seconds and CSB staved off defeat again by a final score of 67-57; as the Royals were heartbroken in defeat.  But credit this CSB squad.  They're tough.  They're hot.  And they're lucky.  They've got everything going for them right now and they're playing like they can't beat and if they keep this up they may very well wind up winning this incredibly crazy conference.       

MIAC Power Rankings 1-28-13

(yawn) Just another wild, crazy week in the MIAC.  So, what else is new?  Anyway, here's how things stack up in this Monday morning's MIAC Power Rankings:

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

The sure and steady Cobbers have suddenly vaulted their way to the top of the rankings by scoring huge wins this last week including the big upset of UST this last Monday night.  While things look favorable for them this week, they do have big road contests looming in the distance at both SMU and CSB.  Speaking of those two, they now find themselves embroiled in a battle for second place (in both rankings AND conference standings) as the Cardinals claimed two road wins at Hamline and St. Kate's that sandwiched the huge win at home vs UST while CSB claimed three wins this last week; highlighted by the thriller in St. Peter against GAC......

Meanwhile, suddenly slumping UST has seen its dreams of easily repeating as MIAC champions go up in flames as they've inexplicably lost four out of their last six.  I don't want to say that the Tommies are suddenly circling the drain but it must feel like it right about now.  Another team that may want to strongly consider breaking out the panic button is GAC as they've now lost three out of their last four games; including heartbreakers at home to both Concordia and CSB just this last Saturday.  Things don't get any easier for the Gusties as they have to travel to Winona on Wednesday night to go up against SMU and then come up to the Cities on Saturday for another tricky contest at Hamline.  Speaking of the Pipers, they've suddenly got on the right track despite dropping a tough game to SMU last week Monday night by getting a big road win at Augsburg and then pulling off the unthinkable by knocking off UST in the Tommies own crib on Saturday.  St. Olaf, which appeared to be on life support just a mere week ago has suddenly righted the ship as well by getting three big wins this last week including the big one at home against GAC last Wednesday night.  IF, if they can stay healthy and get point production from their guards (Mackenzie Wolter, Lauren Gutierrez, and Kim Cerjan) they could be very, very dangerous once the conference playoffs roll around.        

SMU vs St. Kate's Synopsis 1-26-13

After helping out with the webcast of Bethel's convincing 71-49 win over Carleton in their 1 P.M. clash, I hustled down Snelling and Summit Avenues and eventually over to St. Kate's Butler Center to take in the 3 P.M. tilt between visiting St. Mary's and host St. Kate's.  After making good time over there I got inside and settled in at the 6:42 mark of the 1st half with the host 'Cats holding a surprising 15-11 lead. 

St. Kate's upped that lead to 17-11; shocking everyone inside Butler Center including yours truly as sophomore forward Sarah Mong connected with a jumper in the lane with 5:37 left.  However, the Cardinals would not be fazed by this impressive start by the 'Cats.  Although SMU was arguably struggling somewhat early on with the 2-3 zone that St. Kate's was throwing at them and their perimeter shooting reflected that (an icy 23.68% in the first half), they would find a way to make a run and take the momentum away from the 'Cats by the halftime break.  With 4:42 left, freshman guard Bridget Pethke knocked down a "3" from the left corner.  Then it was sophomore Sara Schoenthaler who cut St. Kate's lead down to a scant point with her lay-up in transition with 4:20 left.  Then it was senior post Jamie Stefely, whose offensive rebound and putback with 3:17 left gave SMU a lead they would never relinquish at 18-17.  But the Cards were far from finished as SMU got points from more than just one contributor.  Speedy sophomore guard Octavia Brown was able to slither inside for a score with 2:47 left and then after senior forward Brittany Begrowicz' free throws with 2:14 left it was junior forward Courtney Euerle displaying her athleticism with a steal and lay-up the other way with 1:54 left for a 24-17 SMU lead.  Mong would get two late scores for the 'Cats but this 14-4 run by the Cardinals pretty much sucked the air out of St. Kate's and gave all the momentum to this fast-rising SMU team going into the locker room at the halftime break up 25-21.

SMU would waste no time once the second half got underway to put considerable distance between themselves and their (way too gracious sometimes with turnovers) host.  Senior Jessica Thone would get things started getting to the charity stripe to knock down two freebies at the 18:40 mark and then it was Thone again with a jumper near the free throw line off the glass that upped the Cardinal lead to 29-21.  Sophomore forward Mary Neumann tried to stem the Cardinal tide with her jumper at the 16:59 mark but then it was Thone and Stefely who ran rampant through that 2-3 zone that St. Kate's was still employing as SMU effectively spread that zone out just far enough that allowed gaping holes down the middle for the Cardinals to exploit.  Stefely snared an offensive rebound and got a putback  at the 16:43 mark and then it was Thone with a strong drive inside into the paint with a lay-up down the middle at the 15:54 mark.  Then Stefely used her 6'1" frame to score inside at the 15:21 mark and then Stefely finished off a lay-up in transition just seconds later off of a Begrowicz rebound on the other end that prompted St. Kate's Head Coach Sean Pinkerton to call a quick 30-second timeout to try and put out the fires this 14-2 SMU run caused. 

Unfortunately for the 'Cats, the impromptu timeout had little effect as the Cardinals kept on flying.  Euerle was able to make a backcourt steal of an errant Wildcat pass that she converted into an easy lay-up at the 14:16 mark as SMU embarked on another major run of 10-2 that made it a 49-25 ballgame before St. Kate's freshman guard Shauna Horsch got a rare opportunity - that she made good on - to put down three freebies after getting fouled on a shot attempt behind the arc.  After Thone connected with a long jumper just inside the three-point line from the left corner with 9:51 left, the 'Cats did try and make some stabs at the Cardinal cushion.  Junior forward Madison Pertler scored on a lay-up with 9:33 left and then it was Horsch draining a "3" from the right corner with 8:04 left but the Cardinals were still up 53-35 and nothing was going to stop SMU coming down the stretch.   Points in the paint by Begrowicz at the 5:23 and 4:53 marks and then a drive and finish by the senior from Des Plaines, Illinois with 3:51 left made it a 59-36 ballgame.  SMU Head Coach Mandy Pearson then began putting in her subs but even they weren't content to not get in on the fun as junior reserve guard Darcey Rice banged home a "3" from the top with 3:07 left and then freshman forward Natalie Larson was able to manuever inside for a score with 2:46 left.  With just 1:12 left junior reserve guard Kaitlyn Keefe knocked down a jumper and then with :32.6 freshman guard Makenzie Garibay connected with a lay-up.  A missed St. Kate's shot with just :22.7 left got stuck in between the the rim and glass which pretty much summed up the day for the home team as SMU would waltz back down the River with a 68-40 win.  This victory, coupled with CSB's narrow win in St. Peter against GAC suddenly has the Cardinals tied with the Blazers for second place in the conference; both just one game behind (now) league-leading Concordia.

St. Olaf vs St. Kate's 1-23-13

Made the trek over to the St. Paul side of town on this cold January night to take in the St. Olaf - St. Kate's game from the Butler Center.  St. Olaf, fresh off of its big home victory over Gustavus on Monday night was looking to regain some much-needed momentum for a late season playoff push while the host 'Cats were also coming off a win - 84-82 over Macalester for their first conference win of the season.

St. Kate's started off in a 2-3 zone "D" in hopes of neutralizing the Ole "bigs" - senior Erin Haglund, junior Elise Raney and sophomore Nikki Frogner but those hopes were quickly dashed.  After two Haglund freebies to start things off at the 18:44 mark, freshman point guard Lauren Gutierrez made it 4-0 Oles with her jumper from the right wing at the 18:12 mark.  Strong sophomore forward Sarina Baker tried to keep the 'Cats in things early on with her "3" from the left wing at the 17:47 mark but the Oles responded with a 14-1 run as St. Olaf dominated in the paint.  Easy inside scores by the aforementioned "bigs" plus a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve guard Maddie Ehrich and another "3" by Gutierrez from the right wing at the 1:06 mark highlighted the run. 

Baker momentarily put a halt to the St. Olaf charge when she connected with a jumper near the top of the key at the 10:25 mark but perimeter shooting was pretty much all the 'Cats could do against a much bigger St. Olaf team that continued to have its way in the paint.  After Raney canned two free throws after being fouled at the 10:02 mark, she snared an offensive rebound a minute later for a putback for a 22-6 St. Olaf lead.  Freshman guard Shauna Horsch got some more points on the board for St. Kate's with her "3" from the left corner with 8:48 left but those points were far too few to stem the Ole avalanche.  Senior guard Mackenzie Wolter was able to connect with a jumper from the right top with 8:33 left and then it was Raney again connecting with a shot off the glass at the 8:00 mark.  Then it was another member of Head Coach Dave Stromme's "Colorado Connection"; the mad bomber from Colorado Springs, freshman Kim Cerjan who lit up things in the Butler Center with "3's" at the 6:26 and 5:58 marks that ballooned the Ole lead to 34-11.  Consecutive inside scores by Frogner at the 4:53 and 4:28 marks made it 38-13 St. Olaf before junior guard Kristen Lee was able to cut into the Ole advantage with her "3" from the top of the key with 4:03 left.  But easy inside scores by Ehrich, Cerjan and senior reserve forward Ashley Menzel got the Oles a 44-16 advantage before Lee was able to connect with one more "3" before the halftime break for the 'Cats.  Clearly St. Kate's Head Coach Sean Pinkerton had to find a way to get something going down low and get his team more active on the boards.

To their credit, the 'Cats most definitely did come out re-energized and refocused as the second half began.  More importantly, they showed a willingness to get more active on the boards despite the size disadvantage they faced.  Baker was able to score inside at the 17:38 mark and then it was freshman Cynthia Cowan who drained a "3" from the right wing at the 16:46 mark.  Then diminutive sophomore reserve guard Amanda Padilla was able to manuever inside with a drive and finish at the 15:21 mark.  Still, they could not thwart the size factor that St. Olaf had and the Oles continued to use that to their advantage; even when Raney picked up her 3rd foul early in the second half.  Yet another inside score by Frogner at the 16:02 mark plus two freebies by the former Providence Academy standout made it a 52-26 game.  "3's" by the Front Range crew of Cerjan and Gutierrez made it a 60-30 Ole advantage by the 11:47 mark. 

Pinkerton, by this point, was willing to do anything to help re-energize his team and after a somewhat controversial "no-call" Pinkerton took off his jacket after voicing his displeasure with the game officials and the 'Cats responded with a 7-0 run highlighted by a "3" by Horsch at the 10:17 mark that had Stromme call for a timeout to get his squad back on an even keel again.  The 'Cats were still fighting, scratching and clawing for everything they could get, however.  Horsch made a steal near mid-court and raced the other way for a lay-up with 9:14 left and Cowan was able to knock freebies down at the 8:42 and 8:16 marks but they never could get close enough to make the Oles sweat.  Frogner scored inside again with 7:18 left and then Menzel was able to knock down a jumper from near the top with 6:29 left.  Even as the foul advantage had St. Kate's in the double bonus by the 3:22 mark the Oles were still comfortably ahead as both Raney and Frogner continued their dominance in the paint.  Stromme inserted his reserves with just a little over two minutes left and that allowed Mackenzie Wolter's younger sister, Afton, to drain a "3" with 2:00 left for a 76-49 advantage.  Lee connected with a jumper for the 'Cats with 1:32 left and then Neumann drained one more "3" for the home team with :55 lead but the Oles were able to get out of the Twin Cities and back to Northfield on this bitterly cold night with an important 78-56 road win to keep their playoff hopes very much alive for the moment.  Now they just have to find a way to stay healthy as this MIAC conference race gets crazier by the minute. 

MIAC Power Rankings 1-21-13

Let's see how things look as of this A.M.  Not surprisingly, a few changes are in the offing......

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

Tommies remain in the top spot after convincing victories but this upcoming week will be a huge test as they have roadies at Concordia (tonight 1-21) and then down the River in Winona on Wednesday night.  The Cobbers, meanwhile, got their act together by claiming not only a road win at Bethel but going into St. Peter and pulling off the upset against the Gusties.  A heartbreaker for sure for GAC but they should presumably take care of business this week before another showdown at home with suddenly surging CSB next Saturday.  The Blazers just continue to impress me with strong showings on the road this last week and they should also roll before the showdown with GAC next Saturday.  As such, I've got a three-way logjam in the second spot for the moment.  SMU got a huge scare on Saturday at Augsburg and had to go into an extra session to stave off defeat.  This week will be a huge opportunity for the Cardinals as they have favorable road trips at Hamline and St. Kate's that sandwich the big home game Wednesday night with UST.  I think that, when you take a look at the top five teams in this conference, it just shows you how incredibly strong the MIAC truly is this year.

Bethel vs Macalester 1-19-13

Was over at the Leonard Center earlier this afternoon to take in this interesting match-up between visiting Bethel making their way down Snelling Avenue to host Macalester.  Both teams have been struggling this season and, even though this wasn't the premier game in the conference today this didn't take away from the fact that both teams and programs have a lot of pride and have not packed it in by any stretch.

I could tell that Bethel, for whatever reason, just seemed to have a lot of energy and intensity during the warm-ups and this translated positively for the Royals in the opening minutes as Macalester struggled mightily in their half-court offense.  While Bethel was not exactly lighting it up early on either, they did bolt out to a 4-0 lead as fellow seniors Kelly Swenson and Kristi Nye-Studanski lead the way.  Macalester took it's first - and only lead of the day after junior post Veronika Jakubovie scored inside at the 14:54 mark and fellow junior guard Carmen Whitehead's "3" from the left wing at the 14:13 mark for a 5-4 advantage.  But Bethel seized control from that point.  Freshman post Rachel Parupsky scored inside at the 10:41 mark just as the shot clock was about to expire.  Then it was junior guard Katelyn Vavra's turn to steal the spotlight as she knocked down "3's" at the 10:15 and 8:11 marks that suddenly upped the Bethel lead to 15-7 before the Scots temporarily slowed them down as junior guard Emma Leyden knocked down a "3" from the right wing with 7:52 mark.  But right back came the Bethel seniors; Nye-Studanski and Swenson to put more hurt on the home team.  Nye-Studanski knocked down one shot from the charity stripe after being fouled and then it was Swenson, the athletic senior from Dawson banging home a "3" from the left wing with 6:13 left that had Macalester Head Coach Ellen Thompson calling for a timeout down 19-10.

But the Royals were not going to let up on the gas pedal just yet.  After a Jakubovie turnaround hook shot with 5:25 left cut the Bethel lead to 20-12, it was the ever-improving Parupsky that got the lead back up to double digits with two free throws with 4:36 left and then a score inside with 3:56 left that made it a 24-12 ballgame.  Then it was Vavra again with just 1:22 left making a sweet drive along the left baseline and finishing off the glass for a 26-13 Bethel lead.  Macalester cut the lead back down to ten at the half with a drive and finish from senior point guard Kyanna Jones plus a free throw be Leyden with just :07 left but Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer had to be pleased with what he saw in the first half up 26-16.  Now the question would become for this young team, could they finish in the second half?

Early on in the second half, that answer appeared to be an emphatic "yes".  Nye-Studanski started off the second half with a running lay-up at the 18:37 mark.  Macalester did briefly cut the Royal lead back down to single digits when Jakubovie scored inside at the 16:45 mark and Jones used her speed to drive inside and finish at the 16:17 mark.  However, Bethel freshman guard Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz would make the Scots aware of her newfound three-point prowess as she drained one from the right wing at the 15:47 mark (and got one before at the 17:35 mark as well).  Sophomore reserve post Lindy Parker grabbed an offensive rebound and got a putback at the 13:56 mark and then it was freshman reserve guard Hannah Niewald getting her name in the books by connecting with a jumper in the lane at the 12:35 mark.  Then it was Parupsky doing the same with 11:55 left that bulged the Royal lead to 40-24 and capped a 9-2 run. 

Macalester, by this time, had upped their defensive pressure and it finally began paying some dividends for them.  They also finally found some rythm offensively and started to make a dent in the Bethel lead.  After Jakubovie scored inside at the 11:28 mark it was the sweet shooting freshman from Sparta, Wisconsin Erin Murray who finally got untracked as she connected with a jumper from the left corner at the 10:59 mark and then manuevered inside for a score at the 9:12 mark that cut the Bethel lead down to ten at 40-30.  Freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst was able to score inside with 8:36 left and then it was Murray again knocking down a trey from the left top that cut the Bethel lead down to single digits once again at 42-35 and gave the Scots reason for hope.  But this young Bethel team was not going to be denied on this day.  Schultz got a lay-up in transition with 6:24 left and freebies by both Swenson and Parupsky got the lead back up to double digits at 48-37 with 4:28 left.  The Scots would make one more push, however, that got the deficit down to single digits one more time.  Leyden scored on a lay-up in transition with 3:49 left and then Purfeerst scored inside and was fouled in the process and, with the obligatory charity stripe shot, cut the Bethel lead down to 50-42.  Both Purfeerst and Leyden put a brief scare into the Royals with scores that cut the Bethel lead down to six at 52-46 with just 1:03 left but Bethel refused to hit the panic button.  Vavra knocked down two critical free throws with just :28.2 left after being fouled and the freshman Niewald got one freebie as well with thirteen ticks left on the clock as the Royals scored a cherished road win by a final score of 55-48.

CSB vs Hamline 1-16-13

Was over at venerable Hutton Arena (THE birthplace of intercollegiate basketball) on this Wednesday night to take in this important clash between visiting Saint Ben's and host Hamline.  Both teams were coming off huge upset wins from this last Saturday as Hamline knocked off Concordia up in Moorhead (despite having its bus careen off an icy I-94 on Friday night) while the Blazers upset UST at home in St. Joe.  It would be interesting to see which team could sustain the momentum they were trying to build with those wins over the weekend.

Both teams showed early on what great perimeter shooters they have as Hamline senior guard Steph Pilgrim drained one of her patented "3's" from the right wing at the 19:12 mark to draw first blood but right back came Blazer sophomore guard Jessica Fischer doing her thing from behind the arc from the right corner that tied the issue at the 18:54 mark.  After senior forward Cassidy Vogt's "3" from the left corner got Hamline up 6-5 at the 17:07 mark and two freebies by junior guard Je'Naya Brown at the 16:30 mark made it 8-5, CSB battled right back.  Junior guard Brianna Barrett made a sweet reverse lay-up at the 15:36 mark and then it was freshman guard Mattie Lueck knocking down two freebies from the charity stripe and then getting a move inside to score at the 13:03 mark that enabled CSB to grab an 11-10 lead.  Senior guard Whitney Canton helped the Blazers maintain that lead at the 9:23 mark when she knocked down free throws for a 16-14 Blazer advantage.

Hamline, however, would gain the advantage coming down the stretch.  Pilgrim showed at the 8:32 mark that she's more than just a three-point shooter as she got inside for an offensive rebound and got a putback that tied things up again at 16-all.  After Mattie Lueck scored inside with 8:13 left that briefly had the Blazers up again at 18-16, senior point guard Kara Poirier drained a "3" from the right top with 7:32 left that got Hamline back on top at 19-18 that was the beginning of a 9-1 run that saw Brown connecting with a tough jumper off the glass with 6:30 left and also scoring off a jumper from the right corner with 3:00 left that got the Pipers a 25-19 lead.  Slowly but surely, CSB engineered a comeback move of their own that tightened things right before the break.  After Canton's two free throws with 2:21 left, sophomore Emily Lueck manuevered inside for a score with 1:16 left and then a "3" from the right corner with just :31 left got the Blazers to within two at 28-26 and it stayed at a two point margin going into the locker room at halftime with Hamline up 29-27.

Blazer senior Jamie Wollin's lay-up at the 19:01 mark of the second half tied things up once again at 29-all but it looked as if Hamline was going to seize control of this contest as they went on a 8-2 run over the next three minutes highlighted by Poirier's "3" at the 18:45 mark and a sweet move and lay-up by Pilgrim at the 15:57 mark that capped the run.  Sophomore sensation Jordan Sammons, while having a relatively quiet night from a scoring standpoint, was making up for it by wreaking havoc on defense and causing all sorts of problems for the Blazers with her quickness and ability to get into the passing lanes to snare steals.  Her aggressiveness, however, began to catch up with her by the 14:59 mark when she picked up her 3rd foul that forced Head Coach Kerri Stockwell's hand to make a line-up change that inadvertently gave the Blazers new life.  And it would be the Lueck Sisters who would play a big role in the Blazers comeback.

After a tough lay-up by Poirier off the glass at the 13:21 mark that had Hamline up 39-36, the Lueck sisters went to work.  Mattie scored on a lay-up at the 12:40 mark that got the Blazers to within one at 39-38 and CSB tooks its first lead since early in the 1st half at 40-39 when Mattie knocked down two shots from the charity stripe after being fouled.  After scores by both Brown and Vogt had Hamline back up at 43-40, it was then Emily's turn to shine.  Her "3" from the right wing with 9:58 left tied it at 43-all and then another "3" from the left corner with 9:11 left gave the Blazers the lead for good at 46-43.  A lay-up by Emily with 8:47 left had the Blazers up by five at 48-43 that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game.  Hamline tried to respond; Brown was able to get inside for a score with 7:16 left and two freebies by Sammons before that enabled the Pipers to close to within one at 50-49 but "3's" by Wollin with 6:23 left and Barrett's from the right corner with 5:45 left effectively extinguished the Piper's hopes on this night as they now found themselves down 56-49 and CSB with all the momentum.  Another "3" by Barrett had CSB up 61-53 with 4:15 left plus charity stripe shots in the waning moments by Canton and Wollin let CSB escape Hutton Arena with a big 64-55 road win that has the Blazers in the thick of things in the MIAC race.     

MIAC Power Ranksings 1-14-13

Just getting into mid-January and already we're getting a glimpse of how incredibly crazy this conference can be at times.  Saturday's events obviously shake things up some but I've a feeling this may only be the beginning.

First, before I go too far here I want to offer my sincerest apologies to the Gustavus program for the remark that I made last week.  It was off-color and highly inappropriate and, contrary to what I was trying to convey.  I don't deny that I get a little carried away sometimes with what I say and how I try to say it and I guess this was one of those times.  It should have been done differently.  Lesson learned.  That said, it doesn't change the situation because, in the final analysis, no matter how you twist it or turn it or slice it and dice it, it is what it is and the numbers don't lie.

Moving right along, let's take a look at how things are on this Monday morning....

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

So, who'd have thunk it?  CSB pulled off the upset of the weekend (maybe of the year) by knocking off big bad UST at home in St. Joe.  Realistically, I think this young Blazer team is probably a year away from seriously contending for the title but Saturday's stunning upset I think gives us the first glimpse of what this team is capable of.  I'll keep UST at the top spot for now by virtue of the 65-43 shellacking they handed the #2 team in the rankings, GAC, at Schoenecker West.....I mean, I mean, Lund Arena, this last Wednesday night.  Now, however, UST finds their lofty spot atop the hill suddenly slippery and they'd better be careful because there's a host of challengers more than happy and ready to replace them.  GAC, as expected, rebounded from Wednesday night's defeat by cruising to an easy win over at St. Kate's on Saturday.  At the moment, they would appear to be the heir apparent to take over the top spot should UST stumble again as they're tied with the Tommies in the actual standings for first place.  SMU took care of business at home over the last couple of outings as expected but, in the other stunner this last weekend Hamline, despite having their bus careen off an icy I-94 on Friday night, got into Moorhead on Saturday and shocked the Cobbers in OT.  This Hamline team may very well be the most dangerous team in the conference right now and when they're hot, look out.  As a result, the Birds move up to #3 while the Corn slides down to #5.

Elsewhere, can ANYONE out there please explain what the deal is with St. Olaf???  Yes, they did win on Saturday but they had to pull off a late run to stave off defeat AT HOME against Augsburg.  Just not very impressive, IMHO, of a team with the kind of talent that they have.  At this juncture, it's difficult for me to envision the Oles overtaking Hamline for that sixth spot UNLESS the Pipers get riddled again with red crosses like they did last year with the injury bug (hmm...a lot like my fantasy football team every year).  I give the Scots the 9th spot for now as I haven't seen Carleton play yet.  Bethel, despite Saturday's loss in Winona, appears to be getting incrementally better with each outing as they picked up their first conference win this last Wednesday night against St. Kate's.

Gustavus vs St. Kate's 1-12-13

Was over at the Butler Center on this Saturday afternoon to take in this tilt between Gustavus and host St. Kate's.  The Gusties, coming off that tough home loss to league-leading UST on Wednesday night would be looking to rebound and reassert themselves while the cellar-dweller 'Cats were just hoping to find some consistent play on both sides of the ball and to fight for an entire 40 minutes.  For the St. Kate's contingent, today was something of a special day as former Wildcat standouts, Rachel Hakanson (Berglund), Ashley Linsmeier (Busch), Erin Aukes (Petrich), Jenna Tanner (Martin), and others were in attendance to root on their alma mater. 

It didn't take long at all for the black-clad Gusties to make an early statement as they raced out to an 11-0 lead.  Senior forward Abby Rothenbuehler easily scored inside at the 19:38 mark and then fellow senior forward/guard Kelsey Florian got a lay-up in transition after a St. Kate's turnover.  Then it was senior point guard Steph Comer draining a "3" from the right corner at the 17:46 mark.  And then it was freshman post Karina Schroeder (easily making a case for freshman of the year) getting a score inside at the 16:33 mark and then connecting with a lay-up in transition just a few seconds later at the 16:14 that prompted St. Kate's Head Coach Sean Pinkerton to call a timeout to get his squad re-organized.  Lanky sophomore forward Sarah Mong finally got the 'Cats on the board at the 16:02 mark but the Gusties extended their lead to as much as 15-2 by the 15:21 mark before St. Kate's was able to mount a push to make things interesting.  Junior guard Kristen Lee connected with a "3" from the right top at the 14:57 mark and then freshman transfer Shauna Horsch did the same at the 14:16 mark that got the 'Cats to within ten.  Sophomore forward Mary Neumann also banged home a "3" from the left corner at the 13:01 mark and then it was Lee making an incredibly tough jumper with Gusties all over her from the top of the key at the 11:13 mark.  Sophomore forward Sarina Baker's score inside at the 10:31 mark cut Gustavus' lead down to 23-17 and gave the home team reason for hope - at least temporarily anyway. 

Trouble was, the Gusties wanted to wash the bad taste out of their mouths from Wednesday night and the 'Cats never could get any closer as Gustavus made their move to open up the lead again.  Diminutive reserve point guard Shelly Blashko proved once again that she's not afraid at all to mix it up in the land of the giants as she manuevered inside for a finish at the 10:01 mark and then it was Schroeder who really began to tear up St. Kate's in the paint as she scored inside on consecutive possessions at the 7:45 and and 7:16 marks that upped the lead back to fourteen at 31-17.  Charity stripe points from junior sharpshooter Julia Dysthie and Florian got the lead to 34-17 with 5:37 left and then it was Rothenbuehler snaring an offensive rebound and getting a putback at the 5:19 mark.  After withstanding two scores by the 'Cats freshman Cynthia Cowan and Baker, junior Britta Rinke was able to get inside with 3:41 left for a score and then it was Florian connecting from behind the arc in the left corner area with 2:00 left that got the lead to twenty at 41-21 and the Gusties were able to keep that safe range going into the locker room at the half up 45-26.

The Gusties would not repeat that little gap in the second half that they allowed in the first half when the 'Cats creeped to within single digits as Gustavus kept attacking with a variety of players.  Dysthie showed that she's more than just a perimeter shooter as she scored inside to open up the second half at the 19:27 mark and then it was Schroeder knocking down a short jumper and getting fouled in the process that, along with the obligatory free throw got the lead to 51-28 by the 16:33 mark.  Then it was Blashko; seemingly coming out of nowhere to to snare a steal near mid-court and streak the other way for a lay-up at the 15:46 mark for a 53-28 Gustie lead.  Up 57-33, Blashko then connected on a jumper in transition to make it a 59-33 game by the 11:14 mark.  Florian then got a lay-up in transition with 10:40 left and then it was #24 again doing damage inside just before the midway point to give the Gusties their largest lead at 63-33.

Despite the game pretty much being out of range for the Wildcats by this point, they nonetheless kept fighting and clawing for anything they could get.  Neumann banged home a "3" from the right wing with 8:55 left and then Cowan scored inside with 7:58 left.  Neumann got inside again for a score with 6:27 left and another "3" from the sophomore from Duluth got the 'Cats a bit closer but would not do anything in terms of changing the inevitable outcome.  Sophomore guard Amanda Padilla enjoyed a moment of glory when she hit a "3" from the right wing and got fouled in the process with 3:53 left.  But by this time Gustavus was already up 71-48 and with a little over two minutes left, Head Coach Laurie Kelly put in her reserves and the Gusties coasted to an easy 76-57 victory.  That win, coupled with CSB's stunning upset of league-leading UST this afternoon, shoved the Gusties back into a first-place tie with the Tommies - and suddenly put the big picture in the MIAC in flux.

Moorhead State vs Concordia St. Paul 1-11-13

Was over at the Gangelhoff Center on this rainy, wet Friday evening to take in this important NSIC clash between visiting Moorhead State and host Concordia St. Paul.  The Golden Bears, coming off of huge road wins at #19 Wayne State and at #5 Augustana now looked to protect home court as they stood at 5-2 in a packed South Division while the Dragons were also looking to keep up with the pack in the Northern Division; still very much in the thick of things.  Given the records and the rosters of both teams along with the coaching this appeared to be a great match-up and I would not be disappointed.

Things would be tight between these two teams in the opening minutes but beginning at the 16:55 mark the Dragons would begin a push to get their nose out in front as senior guard Kaycee Charette was able to knock down a "3" from the left top area for a 7-4 Moorhead State lead.  That lead would increase to 11-6 when junior power forward Megan Strese was able to hit a jumper at the 15:37 mark and then get a drive inside with a finish by the 14:23 mark as the host Golden Bears were struggling mightily from the perimeter.  Concordia St. Paul, however, does have players who can do a lot of damage in the paint and they would use that to inch their way back into things.  Sophomore forward Anika Whiting, enroute to a fabulous night, was able to get inside for a score at the 12:56 mark and then it was senior reserve guard Mandy Poke who knocked down two freebies at the 11:26 mark and then grabbed an offensive rebound and got a putback with 10:33 left that pulled the Golden Bears to within one at 13-12.  Then it was junior guard Carissa Wolyniec who got the Golden Bears back out in fron at 15-13t with her "3" from the left wing at the 9:57 mark and another inside score by Whiting with 8:58 left upped that lead to 17-13.

Now it was the Dragons turn to respond and get things tight again.  After senior guard Marisa Yernatich's two freebies with 7:47 left, it was Strese hitting a jumper from the left wing that knotted things up at 17.  Moorhead State would then reclaim the lead at 19-17 when freshman forward/post Savanna Handevidt knocked down two free throws with 6:42 left.  The Golden Bears would tie things up at 19 when quick freshman reserve guard Jasmine Haynes made a drive and finish inside on the ensuing possession but Moorhead State would hold a slight advantage coming down the home stretch of the first half.  Handevidt got the Dragons a 23-19 lead with her short jumper at the 5:17 mark but that advantage quickly evaporated when Whiting drained a "3" from the top with 4:23 left.  After a Strese score inside with 3:57 left, it was the Golden Bears Wolyniec who tied the issue again at 25 when she hit a "3" with 3:40 left.  Moorhead State would gain that advantage once again when junior reserve forward Megan Zabel hit a jumper with 2:11 left and then Strese's jumper along the baseline with :52 left.  Zabel would give Moorhead State its 31-27 halftime lead when she made two freebies with just :12.5 left after being fouled. 

Concordia St. Paul tried to answer quickly as the second half began to assert itself but, at least in the first few minutes anyway, it seemed like whenever the Golden Bears were primed to take control Moorhead State always had an answer.  After a score inside by Whiting on the Golden Bears initial possession at the 19:49 mark and Wolyniec doing the same  on the next possession at the 19:27 mark that tied things up once again at 31 a piece, Yernatich put the Dragons back up at 34-31 with her "3" at the 19:17 mark and a freebie with Strese at the 17:44 mark upped that lead to 35-31.  Right back came Concordia St. Paul as Whiting was able to score inside and got fouled in the process by Charette and the obligatory freebie got the home team back to within one at 35-34.  Then it was Whiting putting the Golden Bears back on top briefly at 36-35 with yet another score inside at the 16:58 mark.  Oh, but right back came the Dragons as Yernatich drained a "3" at the 16:48 mark and then it was Strese doing more damage inside as she scored off of an inbounds pass at the 15:29 mark for a 40-36 Moorhead State lead.  Clearly, the Golden Bears were going to have to exert that extra ounce of energy if they wanted to keep their winning streak alive.  They just had to dig down deep.

With 15:08 left on the clock, Concordia St. Paul finally began to do that proverbial digging; exerting that extra ounce of energy and passion that allowed them to seize control of this game.  And, what made this fun to watch was that the Golden Bears were not relying on just one player to do it all; they were getting contribution from a variety of players.  Poke started the decisive 14-4 run when she made a quick drive and finish inside and got fouled in the process that allowed her to knock down the freebie.  Then it was sophomore reserve guard Kayla Hulsebus knocking down a "3" from the left corner at the 14:35 mark that gave the Golden Bears the lead at 42-40.  The Dragons would tie things up twice at 42-all and 44-all but Concordia St. Paul got the lead for good at the 12:37 mark when Whiting, who was beginning to dominate down low, scored off the glass and got fouled in the process .  Then Whiting AGAIN at the 12:25 mark with an offensive rebound and putback and being sent to the charity stripe once again; this time knocking it down.  Two more freebies by Whiting at the 11:22 mark and a score inside by reserve sophomore forward Amanda Barton had Moorhead State Head Coach Karla Nelson calling a much-needed (and probably belated) timeout to calm her squad down as they now trailed 53-44.

Moorhead State tried desperately to regain momentum coming out of the timeout as Zabel was able to connect with a drive and finish inside that got her fouled and sent to the charity stripe where she knocked down the freebie at the 10:25 mark.  Handevidt knocked down a short jumper at the 9:41 mark that momentarily halted the Golden Bear Express but Concordia St. Paul had no intentions of letting this one get away.  Wolyniec drained a "3" from the left top with 8:56 left and then it was Poke with one of her patented quick drives and a finish inside with 7:09 left that helped maintain the lead at five at 58-53.  Still, the Dragons would get agonizingly close the rest of the way.  After a strong drive along the baseline and finish by Whiting at the 6:25 mark that kept the margin at five at 60-55, Strese made two free throws after being fouled with 6:12 left.  Some of the air went out of Concordia St. Paul's balloon as well when Hulsebus went down hard around the 5:41 mark and inadvertently banged her head against the floor that stopped action.  After things resumed, Zabel also did work from the charity stripe getting two freebies with 5:29 left that got the Dragons to within one and they were able to stay in that one possession game mode until Haynes was able to connect with a running hook in the lane with 3:09 left that upped the Golden Bear lead to 67-62.

But the Dragons would make still one more last gasp attempt.  Charette connected with a jumper just inside the arc from the right corner at the 2:11 mark that cut the Golden Bear lead down to 67-65.  After junior Rachel Hansen's drive and finish with 1:57 left that upped the Concordia St. Paul lead back up to 69-65 Strese was able to get inside once more with 1:42 left that cut the Golden Bear lead back down to a one possession game.  The critical moment came around the 1:11 mark when Wolyniec swished a "3" from the left wing for a 72-67 Concordia St. Paul lead.  Wolyniec caught the pass from Hansen who, it appeared anyway, to have traveled just before she threw the ball that had the Moorhead State fans and parents screaming for a traveling call; not to mention the Dragon bench up in arms that really sealed their fate.  That lead was upped to seven with just 16.6 left before Yernatich knocked down one more "3" for the Dragons that proved to be too little, too late with just :09.7 left.  Even more of a downer (other than the loss itself) was Yernatich's injury as the final buzzer went off for a 76-70 Concordia St. Paul victory.  Just before the buzzer went off, Yernatich was fighting for an offensive rebound and, in the process anyway, got accidentally konked on the forehead by an inadvertent Concordia St. Paul elbow that caused a large gash on her forehead and sent her to the hospital emergency room for stitches.

So definitely a good win for the Golden Bears as they remain right in the mix in the South Division and they keep that win streak going.  Head Coach Paul Fessler commented afterward that he felt his team played much, much better offensively in the second half and it showed with the game-changing run they had.  Northern State visits the Gangelhoff and they are also in the mix in the North Division so, presumably anyway, the Golden Bears will have their hands full again tomorrow as well.

Centennial vs Osseo 1-10-13

Made the trek over to Osseo HS on this rainy/somewhat icy night to take in the much-anticipated Northwest Surburban Conference clash between giant-killer Centennial and host Osseo.  Centennial, fresh off its huge upset of unbeaten #1-ranked Hopkins on Tuesday night was facing an Osseo team looking to gain some much-needed momentum - and consistency - in this up and down season for them so far.  On this night, they would find both. 

It was the visiting Cougars who grabbed the early 2-0 lead in this one as willowy senior forward Paige Waytashek grabbed the opening tip and raced in for an uncontested lay-up at the 17:55 mark and held a 4-2 lead after the 17:22 mark.  But Osseo would be quick to respond and they took advantage of several missed Centennial shots.  Junior forward Ayo Porte was able to snare an offensive rebound and get a putback to tie things up at 4-all by the 16:49 mark and then it was junior guard Madi Malone who connected with a jumper from the right top area to give the Orioles a 6-4 lead by the 16:22 mark.  Osseo would then go on a 6-1 mini-run that upped their lead to 12-5 by the 14:15 mark with seniors Janay Morton and Phillis Webb leading the way.  Centennial momentarily halted the Oriole assault when junior reserve guard Jasmin Bretoi connected with a "3" from the left corner at the 13:32 mark but Osseo would come right back and get the lead to eight at 22-14 with 6:19 left as the Orioles were hitting from the perimeter and Webb was doing considerable damage with her ability to be able to drive and finish inside.

But Centennial would show flashes on this night as to why they're one of the elite programs in the metro area and why they should be considered one of the top challengers to Hopkins come March.  Bretoi would connect again from behind the arc; this one from the right corner with 5:16 left and then it was time for Centennial's Morris Sisters to get in on the act as junior Destinee hit a running jumper with 4:41 left and then banged home a "3" from the top of the key with 4:05 left to tie things up at 22-all.  Then it was Destinee's sister Daizjah hitting a jumper from the right baseline with 2:02 left and suddenly Centennial had regained the lead at 24-22.  Osseo, which found itself struggling in finding its rythm would find a way to right the ship before halftime however.  After Morton knocked down two freebies to tie things up at 24-all with !:52 left, Centennial would take one more brief lead with 1:28 left as Waytashek was able to connect on a jumper in transition but with under a minute left it would again be Morton and Webb who would give the Orioles the advantage as Morton hit a jumper off the glass with :35 left and then it was Webb who used her amazing athleticism and quickness to snare a steal and get a lay-up the other way as the Orioles took a slim 28-26 lead into the locker room at the half.

The late first half run by Centennial would be as good as it would get for the Cougars on this night, however, as Osseo came out with a vengeance in the second half and quickly set the tone.  First, it was Webb with a lay-up in transition at the 17:40 mark.  Then it was Malone swishing a "3" from the left corner at the 16:56 mark.  Then it was Morton who connected with a lay-up in transition and was fouled in the process and got the obligatory freebie from the charity stripe.  Finally, it was Porte who capped this stunning 10-0 run by muscling her way inside to finish at the 16:06 mark that had the Cougars reeling and prompted Head Coach Greg Amundson to call a timeout to try and stop the bleeding.  But the Orioles were far from finished in making their statement on this night.  Senior forward Belinda Barfknecht was able to get a tough shot off the glass to go in at the 15:08 mark that upped the Osseo lead to 40-26 and then scores by by Morton and Webb ballooned the Osseo lead to 47-28 by the 12:48 mark.

Centennial tried to cut into the lead but they simply looked out of whack in the second half to sustain anything significant.  Junior post Jill Conrad was able to score inside at the 11:55 mark and then it was the Morris Sisters again with their usual flair as Destinee hit a "3" from the left wing at the 9:24 mark and then Daizjah was able to knock down a free throw after being fouled with 8:49 left.  Waytashek was able to score off the glass with 8:16 left and also got a rebound and putback with 6:51 left that cut the Osseo lead down to 55-41 but she was never able to find that magical touch that allowed her to reign terror from behind the arc as she did on Tuesday night against Hopkins and was rendered virtually ineffective after she picked up her 4th foul by the 4:58 mark.  Morton and Webb, however, never let go of the choke-hold they had on the Cougars as Morton banged home a "3" from the left top area with 6:24 left and then it was Webb with a steal and lay-up with 4:44 left and then a steal off a Centennial pass in the backcourt that allowed her to score inside with 4:00 left that got the Oriole lead back up to 62-44.  Osseo would cruise the rest of the way to a somewhat surprising 67-47 knockout punch of Centennial on this night.  Osseo Head Coach John Rieser said it was important for them to get into transition and they definitely did that on this night.  He also stressed to his team at the half when things were still tight that this was an opportunity for them and they had to come out and grab it (which they obviously did).  Rieser, however, pooh-poohed the notion that parity had perhaps settled in on the Class 4AAAA field as he still feels that Hoplins is by far and away the best out there although he noted that there are up and coming challengers and his goal is to get Osseo to be one of those teams.  Centennial's Amundson was reluctant to use the word "letdown" on this loss but admitted that the team had really put all its marbles on the game with Hopkins on Tuesday night and just didn't have much on the platter on this night and that they have to get back to work.

Gustavus vs Macalester 1-7-13

Made the trek over to Macalester's Leonard Center on this night to take in this important MIAC clash between visiting Gustavus and host Macalester.  The Scots, who have historically been something of a pain in the side for the Gusties (at least at home anyway) were looking to make it three years in a row that they have downed the Gusties at home while GAC would be looking to keep its conference record unblemished.

It was the black-clad Gusties who got off to the hot start in this one.  After a jumper by senior point guard Kyanna Jones that had Macalester up 2-0 at the start, the Gusties went on a 12-2 run as they lit up the Scots from the perimeter and in the paint.  Senior guard/forward Kelsey Florian knocked down a "3" from the left wing at the 18:28 mark and after a bucket by surprising freshman post Karina Schroeder at the 17:52 mark, lanky senior forward Abby Rothenbuehler connected with a jumper from the right wing at the 17:20 mark.  Then it was senior guard Steph Comer who has made tremendous strides in her career at GAC; banging home a "3" from the right wing at the 15:59 mark.  Rothenbuehler capped the run at the 15:31 mark with a lay-up in transition before Jones finally stopped the bleeding for Macalester with a long "2" from the left corner at the 14:24 mark that cut the Gustie lead to 12-6.

Macalester, however, would make things interesting before the half as they tried to plant the seeds of doubt into the Gusties.  After junior Britta Rinke's score inside at the 12:27 mark put the Gusties up 16-6, the Scots responded with a run of their own that got them close.  Junior guard Carmen Whitehead knocked down a "3" from the left wing at the 12:12 mark and was also able to knock down a pair of free throws at the 11:12 mark to cut the Gustie lead down to 16-11.  Then it was the freshman from Sparta, Wisconsin, Erin Murray, whose jumper in transition at the 10:47 mark got the Scots to within 16-13 before the Gusties were able to right the ship again somewhat.  Rothenbuehler's score inside at the 10:36 mark and a sweet move and lay-up by diminutive junior reserve guard Shelly Blashko with 9:45 left sandwiched a Scot score by junior post Veronika Jakubovie.  Another Comer "3"; this one from the left top area at the 8:35 mark plus a pair of freebies by Schroeder with 7:05 left had the Gusties up by double digits again at 27-17.  Coming down the stretch, junior guard Julia Dysthie, who is one of the most dangerous players in the MIAC, connected with a jumper with 6:01 left and then made a great steal and got a lay-up the other way with 3:10 left that put the Gusties up 31-22.  Macalester would make on last foray before the half, however, Jones made good on a drive and finish with 2:15 left and after Dysthie connected with a jumper off the glass with :51 left for the Gusties, it was junior guard Taylor Pike who helped the Scots make another stab into the Gustie advantage with her "3" from the left wing with just :31 left that had Macalester trailing at the half 33-27.  After a 1st half that saw the Gusties shoot a very good 56% from the field and a blistering 75% from three-point land, it was arguably something of a glass half-full proposition for Gustavus.

The Gusties sought to fill that glass as the second half got underway but it was never easy.  After both teams traded buckets in the first few minutes of the second half, the Gusties were able to push the lead back up to double digits again beginning at the 18:12 mark when Rothenbuehler was able to score off of an inbounds pass then Dysthie got the Gusties a 41-31 lead with two free throws at the 17:55 mark.  After a score by Schroeder at the 16:54 mark that had Gustavus up 43-31, Macalester sophomore reserve forward Annie Drabot put a scare into the Gusties again as she connected with a "3" from the right wing at the 16:14 mark.  But, unlike last year, every time the Scots tried to make stabs at the Gustie lead, the Gusties responded like seasoned veterans.  Rothenbuehler scored off of another inbounds pass at the 15:49 mark and then the Gusties got three scores in a row from the versatile Florian  - at the 15:58 mark (inside), 13:51 mark (jumper from the top), and at the 13:20 mark (lay-up in transition) that enabled Gustavus to get some breathing room at 51-36. 

Another positive sign for the Gusties so far this year is that they are getting scoring from a multitude of players.  Blaschko showed how dangerous she can be from behind the arc with her "3" from the left wing at the 12:21 mark and then Rinke, who has made that big stride in her junior year, connected with a jumper at the 11:58 mark that put the Gusties up by twenty at 58-38 and prompted Macalester Head Coach Ellen Thompson to call a timeout to try and stem the tide.  The Scots would try and respond as best they could; a score inside by Jakubovie with 10:45 left and a lay-up by Jones some thirty seconds later plus a "3" by Drabot with 9:04 left and another score by Pike off the glass with 8:16 left is a good indication of how scrappy this Macalester team truly is - they never give up without a fight.  But they simply don't have the same firepower as Gustavus does and the Gusties responded each time in calm fashion.  A jumper by Rinke in the lane with 5:44 left kept the lead at fifteen at 64-49 and two freebies by Florian upped the lead to 66-49 a bit later.  Gustavus showed great ball control and clock management down the stretch; never allowing Macalester to get to within single digits again as the Gusties claimed a big road win by a final of 66-56; thus setting up the big showdown (once again) with UST on Wednesday night at home in St. Peter.     

MIAC Power Rankings 1-7-13

Well, here we are; the first Monday in January 2013 and it's time once again for my weekly MIAC Power Rankings:

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

At this early point in the season, it's difficult to deviate from the actual standings too much.  No surprise to who's still at the top.  But how about GAC sporting a 7-0 conference record so far and 8-2 overall?  I have to admit that even I could not have forseen that one.  Whether GAC can continue on this unexpected run I don't know but I think you have to give first year Head Coach Laurie Kelly a LOT of credit for bringing this squad to where they are right now.  That said, Gusties have two big games coming up this week - tonight at Macalester and then Wednesday night at home against UST.  Gusties found out last year the hard way that they'd better not take Scots for granted in Leonard Center.  And GAC has been UST's little b***h the last few seasons.  Concordia, meanwhile, is still solid; still rolling right along as expected.  SMU, despite taking a hit last Wednesday night at GAC remains in the thick of things.  I give them an edge over CSB at this point anyway.  Hamline is in the sixth spot in my rankings because I can't justify putting St. Olaf over them at this juncture.  I do, however, give the Oles the benefit of the doubt as I have them in the seventh spot as they found a way to overcome a very sluggish start at Bethel on Saturday.  But, as I've said before, their margin for error is practically non-existent at this point and blowing a 27 point second half lead at Concordia last week burned up another one of their lifelines.       

Gogebic vs Anoka-Ramsey Synopsis 1-5-13

After doing the color commentary of the Bethel vs St. Olaf 1:00 P.M. game in which the Oles emerged victorious, I hustled my butt over to Coon Rapids to catch what I could of the 3:00 P.M. game between host Anoka-Ramsey and Gogebic Community College located in Ironwood, Michigan.  I got there and got settled in at the 5:08 mark of this first half as Anoka-Ramsey was up 26-19.  Not surprisingly, Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt was in full form as well as he made his displeasure felt after an Anoka-Ramsey defensive lapse.

The Golden Rams have a way of responding when Mt. DeWitt erupts (they'd better anyway!) and today was no exception as Anoka-Ramsey made that inevitable push before the halftime break.  First, it was sophomore guard Tacita Gonzalez, who has made gigantic strides since November, snaring a steal and bolting the other way for a lay-up a the 4:55 mark.  After two free throws by fellow sophomore Kelli Schramm at the 2:49 mark, diminutive freshman guard Kendra Norman, who is not fazed by seemingly anything, drained a "3" from the right corner at the 2:26 mark that got the Golden Rams up by double-digits for good at 33-21.  Freshman forward/post Nicole Howard manuevered inside with 1:12 left to finish for a 35-23 Anoka-Ramsey lead but Gogebic sophomore Jesse Mackey was able to knock down two freebies after being fouled with :39.4 left that kept things relatively close at halftime 35-25.

But Anoka-Ramsey was out to make amends for its recent visit to Ironwood which resulted in a bad loss and certainly made for a LONG trip back from the Upper Peninsula.  And the Golden Rams shut the door early on their opponents in emphatic fashion to make a statement.  Howard scored inside on the Golden Rams opening possession of the second half at the 19:43 mark and then it was the willowy blonde freshman Nicole Schaub out of Park Center H.S. swishing home a pretty "3" from the right top at the 18:58 mark that prompted Gogebic Head Coach Stephanie Mackey to call a quick timeout to try and stem the tide.  Unfortunately for them, it didn't.  Gonzalez proceeded to go on a tear as she used her quickness to snare another steal and go the other way for a lay-up at the 18:33 mark and then hit a "3" from the right wing at the 17:40 mark.  Howard scored inside again at the 16:59 mark before Gogebic sophomore Jeanna Aijala connected with a jumper at the 16:18 mark and freshman Bry Stengard got a lay-up after a steal at the 15:26 mark.  But Howard was able to knock down a turnaround jumper in the lane at the 14:51 mark for a 51-29 Anoka-Ramsey lead and this 16-4 run in the opening minutes pretty much set the pace for the rest of the game.

Anoka-Ramsey was able to dominate in the paint and on the perimeter for the rest of the game.  Schramm used her lanky frame to get a rebound and putback at the 13:20 mark and Gonzalez showed her versatility by scoring inside at the 12:58 mark.  Freshman guard Tasha Ambrose banged home a "3" from the right wing at the 11:01 mark and, after yet another Schramm score inside near the halfway mark, Ambrose put the Golden Rams up by 30+ with another "3"; this one from the right top area and was fouled in the process that allowed her to knock down the obligatory freebie for a 67-35 lead and there was no looking back.  Stengard and Mackey would do their utmost to try and give their team some hope but there was nothing they could do on a consisten basis to thwart the Golden Ram avalanche.  Up 74-48 with 6:18 left, Howard showed that she's more than just an inside threat as she knocked down a "3" from the left wing and then it was Schramm doing her thing inside with 5:14 left.  Schaub showed that she's not afraid to get inside and mix it up either as she was able to snare a rebound and get a putback with 4:13 left.  Gogebic would make some stabs here and there in the final few minutes; a "3" be freshman Heather Selin with 3:14 left was the lone highlight for the visitors but Anoka-Ramsey registered a resounding 95-61 win on this day that, presumably anyway, has the Golden Rams on the right track for the rest of the season for the MCC Conference - and another possible trip to Nationals as well.

United Tribes vs Anoka-Ramsey 1-4-13

Was up in Coon Rapids on this Friday evening to catch this match-up between host Anoka-Ramsey and visiting United Tribes Technical College out of Bismarck, North Dakota.  The United Tribes roster, which consists of some native American players, has such exotic names like Jaimee White Bear, Sam Two Strike, Bobbi Three Legs, and Tai Pretty On Top.  On this night, however, the United Tribes team only brought down six players which I thought was a bit odd considering that they list ten players on their roster. 

In any event, the United Tribes squad managed to keep things close - in the first few minutes anyway.  After Anoka-Ramsey sophomore forward Kelli Schramm snared the opening tip-off for an easy lay-up at the 19:56 mark and willowy freshman Nicole Schaub's "3" from the top at the 19:19 mark, the United Tribes team answered as freshman Lacy Leaf connected with a "3" from the right wing at the 18:12 mark and then Leaf sank two freebies after being fouled at the 17:45 mark; caused in part by a Golden Ram defensive lapse that quickly caught the ire of Head Coach David DeWitt as he admonished the guilty parties.  That got their attention and from that point on, there was no looking back.  Sophomore guard Tacita Gonzalez scored on a lay-up at the 17:35 mark and then it was freshman forward/post Nicole Howard who scored on consecutive possessions; snaring a rebound and getting a putback at the 15:49 mark and then connecting with a "3" from the right corner at the 15:33 mark.  Anoka-Ramsey was now not only getting points, they turned up the heat on their trademark defensive pressure which causes so many problems for opponents and this night was no exception.

Leaf, who seemingly did everything for United Tribes in the first half, could not alone stem the Anoka-Ramsey tide as the Golden Ram lead began to bulge.  After a Schramm score inside at the 14:20 mark, it was now freshman Tasha Ambrose's turn to steal the spotlight as she picked off an errant United Tribes pass like a thief in the night and went the other way for an easy lay-up at the 13:55 mark and then swished home a "3" from the top of the key on the ensuing possession.  Leaf (a.k.a. Ms. Do Everything) was able to score on a lay-up in transition at the 12:40 mark that cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 22-9 but the Golden Rams were just getting warmed up.  Schaub, the freshman from Park Center, showed her versatility as she made a sweet move along the baseline for a finish at the 12:26 mark and then connected with one of her patented "3's" at the 10:46 mark; this one from the left wing that upped the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 29-9.  The Golden Rams would up their margin to 31-13 by the 8:41 mark before two scores by sophomore forward/post Shanaye Packineau briefly gave United Tribes some hope with scores at the 9:23, 8:41, and 8:04 marks.  But again, Anoka-Ramsey would not let off with the choke-hold.  Sophomore guard Cami Bauer banged home a "3" from the top of the key with 7:49 left and then it was Gonzalez' turn to shine as she did the honors from behind the arc from the right wing spot with 6:24 left that upped Anoka-Ramsey's lead to 40-18 and then sophomore from Fridley who has whipped herself into shape since the beginning of the season snared a steal and went the other way for an easy lay-up with 5:58 left.  The United Tribes turnovers and subsequent steals by the Golden Rams were coming with ever-increasing frequency and, by the halftime break, Anoka-Ramsey was cruising with a commanding 54-22 lead. 

Anoka-Ramsey picked up right where they left off before the halftime break.  Schaub started things off by hitting a jumper along the left baseline at the 19:51 mark which was the start of a 32-3 run by the Golden Rams that lasted over ten minutes and showed the potential that this Anoka-Ramsey team has.  Leaf briefly halted the carnage with two freebies at the 8:49 mark but this Anoka-Ramsey team doesn't seem to know (or care) of how big a lead they have on the scoreboard.  They just want more.  Bauer connected with a "3" with 7:39 left and then it was Ambrose doing likewise from the right top with 7:07 left as Anoka-Ramsey inched closer to the century mark with a 92-31 lead.  The encouraging thing for the United Tribes squad was that they never quit working or hustling.  Aside from Leaf (and perhaps Packineau) they simply don't have the abundant talent that Anoka-Ramsey possesses.  Leaf especially has potential at the next level.  Packineau hit one more "3" from the left top with 5:04 left and then Leaf scored inside with 3:51 left and then sophomore Kiri Schumacher banged home a "3" from the left corner with 2:04 left.  Anoka-Ramsey got the easy "W" on this night, winning 98-39 but perhaps more importantly, they got some much-needed momentum for their game tomorrow against Gogebic which beat Anoka-Ramsey recently at Gogebic and from my conversations with some of the Anoka-Ramsey players afterward, they definitely have revenge on their mind.   

Macalester vs Hamline 1-2-13

Was over at Hamline's Hutton Arena on this second day of 2013 to catch this in-town tilt between two teams that have MIAC playoff hopes - visiting Macalester and host Hamline.  With the way the Pipers ended 2012 on something of a down note with their loss at Northwestern, I was interested to see if this team could bounce back and get it going again.

To be sure, the Pipers got off to a quick, hot start as both sophomore sensation Jordan Sammons and senior forward Cassidy Vogt propelled Hamline to an early 5-0 lead by the 18:56 mark.  Macalester would respond, though, as junior post Veronika Jakubovie, who transferred over to Macalester from Hamline no less, scored six consecutive points for the Scots that helped Macalester build an 8-5 lead by the 14:44 mark.  The Pipers would battle right back to make things tight again and grabbed a 12-10 lead on senior sharpshooting guard Steph Pilgrim's "3" from the right top at the 12:02 mark.

But the Pipers seemingly have a nasty habit of falling into some of their old habits that bring them down such as launching up reckless "3's" and not working the ball around enough on offense like they should and, sure enough, it happened again and Ellen Thompson's squad took advantage with some sharp shooting of their own.  Senior point guard Kyanna Jones banged home a "3" from the top of the key at the 11:33 mark and after a relatively dry stretch by both teams, it was sophomore forward Annie Drabot who stepped into the spotlight as she nailed a "3" from the right corner at the 7:01 mark and then showed her defensive prowess a bit later with 5:23 left as she snared a steal and got a quick shot off the glass to up the Scot lead to 19-12.  Macalester would maintain that 5-7 point advantage thanks to a "3" by frreshman Erin Murray with 2:25 left but Hamline would chip away at the Macalester advantage.  Senior point guard Kara Poirier cashed in with a lay-up with 2:15 left and then it was sophomore reserve forward Rachel Usgaard who nailed an unlikely "3" from the right corner with 1:45 left.  Jakubovie would get a rebound and putback with :57 left but then Sammons connected on a jumper with :42 left to cut the Scot lead down to 30-26 at the halftime break.

The Pipers knew they had to get their act together to avoid a repeat of last year and, as Head Coach Kerri Stockwell confided afterward, they had to move the ball better offensively and the Pipers did just that.  A score inside by Jakubovie at the 18:22 mark upped Macalester's lead to 32-26 but Hamline wasted no time in turning things around.  Pilgrim connected with a short jumper at the 17:59 mark and then it was quick, shifty junior guard JeNaya Brown doing the same at the 16:22 mark that cut the Scot lead down to 32-30.  Sammons' lay-up in transition at the 15:15 mark tied the issue at 32 and then it was a turnaround jumper at the 14:51 mark by Pilgrim that not only gave the Pipers the lead for good at 34-32 but also prompted Thompson to call a quick timeout to try and stem the tide after this 8-2 run by the Pipers.

The Pipers, however, refused to let their foot off the gas pedal and kept their beat going.  Pilgrim connected on a pretty turnaround lay-up in transition at the 13:59 mark and then it was Usgaard again working her magic as she muscled inside for a score at the 13:32 mark.  A bit later, Usgaard wowed the Hutton Arena crowd by blocking a Macalester shot that allowed Pilgrim to get into position on the ensuing possession to knock down a jumper at the 12:05 mark.  The Pipers upped their lead to double digits when senior reserve guard Danielle Daniels grabbed an offensive rebound and got a putback at the 10:51 mark for a 46-36 lead.  The Scots, however, tried to get some momentum back behind the blonde sharpshooter from Sparta, Wisconsin - Murray - as she connected with consecutive "3's" at the 9:18 and 8:36 marks that cut the Hamline lead down to 46-42 but the Pipers calmly responded with another run as Sammons scored inside at the 8:25 mark and then it was Vogt connecting with a jumper just outside of the lane with 7:44 left.  Sammons then made an acrobatic one-handed jumper in lane with 5:55 left that once again got the lead to double digits at 52-42 and then it was a "3" by the free-wheeling Vogt with 5:07 left that capped a decisive 9-0 run and ended any hopes Macalester may have had about stealing a big road win.  Sammons scored on a lay-up in transition with 3:04 left and another score inside with 2:38 left and then it was a Poirier "3" from the right corner with 1:57 left that enabled the Scots to cruise to a 70-52 win.

Nebraska Wesleyan vs St. Kate's 12-29-12

Definitely apologize for not getting this one in sooner.....


Was over at the Butler Center on this Saturday afternoon to catch this intriguing non-conference clash between visiting Nebraska Wesleyan and host St. Kate's.  On this day, I had the privilege of sitting with former St. Kate's head coach Gary Rufsvold who explained to me that he had scheduled this game in order to give the 'Cats some more game experience before delving back into MIAC play after the first of the year.

With both teams struggling mightily coming into this game (both teams with only one win), conventional wisdom would have suggested that this would be a relatively easy game for St. Kate's but the visiting Prairie Wolves had vastly different ideas.  Both teams looked  very much out of synch in the opening minutes as neither side could get anything going.  Finally, freshman forward Mary Neumann got the 'Cats on the board at the 16:55 mark with her score inside and two free throws at the 16:28 mark by Neumann put St. Kate's up at 4-2.  But from then on, St. Kate's would be doing the chasing.  Senior guard Janelle Baal finally got Nebraska Wesleyan untracked from the perimeter as she drained a "3" from the right corner at the 15:04 mark.  After freshman reserve guard Courtney Cook banged home a long "2" from the top at the 14:19 mark, junior reserve guard Emily Leines then connected from behind the arc in the right corner at the 13:35 mark for a 10-6 Northwestern lead.  At the 13:07 mark, it was freshman Felicia TeKolskte who banged home a "3" from the left wing to up the Prairie Wolves lead to 13-6.

It was the freshman, Neumann who managed to keep the 'Cats within strking distance as she connected with a "3" from the top of the key at the 11:44 mark and also hit a jumper at the 9:28 mark but Nebraska Wesleyan was able to keep St. Kate's at bay until the closing minutes.  Senior guard Denae Martin banged home a "3" from the right corner at the 8:12 mark  that upped the Prairie Wolves lead to 21-11 and after sophomore Sara Mong tried to bring the 'Cats back by connecting with a jumper at the 7:49 mark and scoring on a lay-up at the 5:36 mark, it was senior guard Mallory Shanahan's INT of an errant St. Kate's pass and a lay-up the other way that upped the Prairie Wolves lead back to nine at 26-17 at the 4:50 mark.  St. Kate's did make something of a run late in the first half to close the gap somewhat.  Junior guard Kristen Lee connected with a "3" from the left wing at the 3:55 mark and after withstanding a TeKolskte lay-up at the 2:39 mark, it was freshman Cynthia Cowan who made a splash as she banged home a "3" at the 2:13 mark and then also scored on a lay-up with 1:09 left and then one more score with just :04 left that brought St. Kate's to within five at 32-27 at the halftime break.  While they had battled back nicely to cut the deficit, it was still something of a glass half-full proposition for the 'Cats as they struggled with turnovers and rebounding that allowed their opponents to take advantage. 

Early on in the second half, it looked as if the 'Cats may have made the necessary adjustments to get them back into this game.  Mong connected with a lay-up at the 19:49 mark and then Neumann was able to score off an inbounds pass at the 19:01 mark that cut Nebraska Wesleyan's lead down to 34-31.  But the Prairie Wolves were not going to let that long drive from Lincoln faze them as they quickly responded.  First, Shanahan scored a lay-up in transition at the 18:19 mark and then it was the freshman TeKolskte with a hard drive and finish at the 17:04 mark and then int was Leines who connected with another "3"; this one from the right corner that quickly upped the lead back to ten points at 41-31 by the 16:11 mark and St. Kate's Head Coach Sean Pinkerton quickly called a timeout to try and stem the tide.  Unfortunately for the 'Cats, things did not get much better.  After sophomore guard Jenna Mistler tried to get something going for the home team with her lay-up at the 13:18 mark, Shanahan was able to keep the beat going for the Prairie Wolves as she connected with a "3" from the right wing at the 12:22 mark and then it was Shanahan again at the 11:44 mark as she scored inside.  Then it was Leines' turn as she scored on a sweet reverse lay-up in transition at the 11:05 mark that bulged the Nebraska Wesleyan lead to 48-33 and prompted Pinkerton to call another timeout to admonish his team.  Even worse for St. Kate's, the turnover problem was rearing its ugly head again and when I mentioned to Rufsvold that the 'Cats don't do a good job in taking care of the rock, he replied, "I know.  I coached 'em."

The 'Cats would respond somewhat in the latter stages of the second half.  Neumann connected with a "3" from the left corner at the 10:08 mark.  Lee connected with two freebies after being fouled at the 4:21 mark and then it was the junior from Dawson again at the 2:18 mark as she made a nice drive and finish that cut the Nebraska Wesleyan lead down to ten at 52-42.  But any faint hope the 'Cats may have had were officially extinguished with 1:09 left as Baal was left open behind the arc from the left wing and she stuck the final dagger into the home team that would make the long drive back to Lincoln a bit more manageable as the Prairie Wolves took a 55-45 win.  Afterwards, a downcast Pinkerton told me that his team has a lot of work ahead of it in order to get better.  Certainly the addition of freshman Shauna Horst who transferred into St. Kate's during the break will be a boost.  In the final analysis, the 'Cats have GOT to take better care of the rock if they're going to make some dents in the second half of the season.