Selection Monday Fallout - The MIAC Gets Hosed Again. Should We Be Surprised?

 Undoubtedly you've had an opportunity now to review the DIII NCAA Tournament brackets that were released earlier this afternoon.......I had held out a sliver of hope that somehow, someway, Augsburg might be able to slip through the cracks and into the Dance but, just like 2019 and 2020, there simply weren't any cracks to sneak through.  In retrospect, I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised when I take a look at the bigger picture.  Again, what really hurt the Auggies chances in this thing was the way they stumbled out of the gate back in November with losses to Bethany Lutheran, Chicago and then at UW-River Falls that likely killed their chances right then and there on the at-large front.  Their only avenue into this thing was to win the MIAC Championship Game and they simply weren't able to get the job done yesterday.  You wonder sometimes had they been able to get a win over a Bethany Lutheran or a Chicago early on if that might have upped their chances.  We'll never know now, of course, but when you have only three chances to play out of conference opponents because of the ridiculous round robin schedule that the MIAC has, you'd better make the most of your chances.  

GAC meanwhile is kind of a good news/bad news proposition.  The Gusties were safely in with the AQ so no issue there.  The problem isn't so much that they got shipped down to the Simpson pod at Indianola, IA as I expected that they would.  I just didn't expect them to get PAIRED UP against Simpson from the get-go.  Not necessarily a death sentence by any means and I wouldn't put it past this Gustie team to pull off a huge upset against one of the top teams in the nation.  

You look around the neighborhood and you'll see that the WIAC got three teams in (UW-Eau with the AQ, UW-Whitewater and UW-Oshkosh (b'gosh) while the ARC got in both said Simpson team (AQ) and Wartburg with the at-large.  Wartburg is a good example to look at.  They got to play a handful of out of conference games that gave them ample opportunity to strengthen their SOS and Regional Ranking capability while Augsburg did not.  UW-Whitewater is another example.  They had several out of conference games (against very good opponents, too) that again assured them of a strong SOS and Regional Ranking capability.  UW-Oshkosh also had several out of conference games with ample opportunities to build a strong SOS and Regional Ranking capability.  Had it not been for their win yesterday, GAC would have been left on the outside looking in.  

With that said, the MIAC has to do SOMETHING to change this, wouldn't you agree?  I'm sure you're familiar with the old saying about how insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, right?  Well, that seems to describe the MIAC right now and this predicament isn't going to change unless action is taken to remedy this problem.  I don't feel that the conference does a good enough job in marketing the women's basketball scene to begin with but that can be dealt with later.  In the meantime, it's going to be up to MIAC Commissioner Dan McKane, the ADs of the conference and the coaches to come up with a solution to this problem.  I do have some ideas that I'll be happy to share later on.

In the meantime, I want to raise a glass to toast the Gusties of Gustavus Adolphus for winning their very first MIAC Championship Game yesterday and wishing them the best of luck in the Big Dance.  GO GUSTIES!!!!! 

Will have more on their upcoming first round game versus Simpson later on this week.   

MIAC Championship Game - GAC vs Augsburg

 Polished off a good Sunday breakfast/brunch of steak, eggs and hash browns to get me fueled up for the MIAC Championship Game on this Sunday afternoon.  Made the relatively quick run over to Si Melby Hall on the campus of Augsburg University for this title bout between visiting GAC which had cruised past Bethel on Friday night against host Augsburg which came from thirteen down against Hamline to win in dramatic fashion on Friday night as well.  These two teams had split during the regular season with the Auggies winning at Si Melby Hall back in early December and the Gusties returning the favor at Lund Arena three weeks ago.  This game had so many different storylines revolving around it as well as this would be the first ever meeting between these two teams in the MIAC Playoffs with both teams seeking their first-ever MIAC Championship Game title but also the Pupil (Laurie Kelly of GAC) facing her old coach and mentor (Ted Riverso of Augsburg).  Then you had the stories behind these two teams and how each had to overcome an identity crisis and/or a plethora of injuries and defections to reach this point.  It didn't take long for Si Melby Hall to start filling up and both teams had their student sections on hand so this was obviously going to be one rowdy, crazy affair.

The Gusties certainly got off to the kind of start they wanted in this one; bolting out to a 5-0 lead on the strength of a three-point bomb by freshman point guard and former Maple Grove standout Kylie Baranick at the 9:15 mark of the opening period and a pretty lay-up in transition by slender sophomore guard Emma Kniefel at the 8:39 mark.  Augsburg would come right back, however, and get the contest leveled at five as a score in the paint by senior forward Jen Masello at the 8:02 mark and a three-point bomb by slender junior forward Jaley Coplin at the 6:23 mark had the Auggie student section rocking.  In what would kind of set the tone for this day, GAC would not be fazed and calmly stepped on the gas pedal.  Freshman reserve forward Morgan Kelly would come right back on the Gusties' ensuing possession with a score in the paint at the 6:11 mark and a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve forward Izzy (Izzy Izzy, you're making me dizzy) Quick at the 5:49 mark had GAC up by four at 9-5 and a drive and finish by Kniefel with 4:54 left maintained that four-point edge at 11-7.  Less than a minute later, Kniefel; the former Medford standout, would strike again with 4:02 left to make it a 13-7 game.  The Auggies quickly narrowed the gap as sophomore reserve sensation forward Anja Smith got a three-point play the old-fashioned way on a drive and finish that drew a foul along with the ensuing "and one" with 3:38 left.  Then it would be Masello knocking down a jumper from the right elbow area off the glass with 3:07 left that had the Auggies down by only one at 13-12.  Smith would keep Augsburg in that one-point range with her jumper from the right elbow area with 1:17 left but the Gusties would make another bid to establish more breathing room.  Baranick would bury a "3" from the right wing area with :58 left and two free throws by Morgan Kelly after she was fouled with :39.9 left gave GAC a 20-14 lead but the Auggies would close back to within a single possession when senior point guard Selena Lor drained a "3" from the left top area with just :02.6 left that cut the Gustie lead to 20-17.  

The Augsburg student section came alive again at the 9:47 mark of the second period when senior reserve forward Kevin Boysen made a pretty drive along the right baseline for a finish that again closed the gap to just one point at 20-19.  But just like before, the Gusties responded quickly.  Senior forward Grace Benz would make a hard drive for a finish at the 9:20 mark and a short shot off the glass by Kniefel at the 7:47 mark gave GAC some more breathing room again up 24-19.  And Kniefel would come up big again for the Gusties as she drilled a heartbreaking three-point bomb from the left corner at the 6:24 mark to expand the GAC lead to 27-21.  So now it was the Auggies turn to close the gap again as a short, turnaround jumper in the lane off the glass by Smith at the 5:59 mark and a three-point bomb by junior guard Grace Eastman from the right wing area at the 5:25 mark had the gap closed to a scant point again down 27-26.  Just like before, the Gusties wasted little time in responding in widening the gap again.  Quick would connect on a lay-up at the 5:10 mark and then Baranick would make a quick dart drive and finish that also drew a foul and although she couldn't cash in on the obligatory "and one", GAC re-established a five-point advantage at 31-26.  Augsburg's Smith tried to bring her team right back with a spectacular drive along the left baseline for a finish with 3:07 left that brought the Auggies back to within a single possession down 31-28.  The Gusties weren't having any of it, however, as junior guard Anna Sanders connected on a short, turnaround jumper with 2:42 left and freshman forward/post Rachel Kawiecki would do likewise with 1:51 left to make it a 35-28 game.  With 1:04 left, Benz would knock down a short jumper off the glass with 1:04 left that gave GAC its largest lead at 37-28.  More importantly, the Gusties were able to keep Augsburg off the scorer's book for the last minute and took this nine-point edge into the locker room at the half.  A check of the first half box score indicates that GAC played a relatively "clean" first half as they enjoyed a 22-18 advantage on the boards and shot reasonably well from FG range going 16-35 for 45.7%.  Three-point shooting, on the other hand, wasn't much to write home about as the Gusties 3-11 for 27.3%.  But this aspect didn't bother GAC nearly as much as it did Augsburg as the Auggies were 12-31 from FG range for 38.7% and 3-19 from downtown for 15.8% and for a team that relies heavily on its three-point shooting prowess, this had to be a concern for Riverso and his staff.

Those worries that Riverso may have had and the Augsburg faithful in general were probably eased somewhat when the Auggies came out of the gate in the third period and launched an 8-0 run that once again had them right on the brink.  Coplin would unleash another one of her trademark dagger three-point bombs - this one from the left corner at the 9:41 mark and two Eastman free throws at the 9:03 mark after she was fouled had the deficit down to four at 37-33.  Then Masello, who was held in check for the second period, broke out of her slump with a tough score in the paint that drew a foul and the Darien, IL native cashed in on the obligatory "and one" that again brought Augsburg back to a single point down 37-36.  Making things worse for the Gusties is that Benz had collected her third foul of the afternoon and had to come out and GAC's Laurie Kelly wasted little time in calling a halt to the action to get her team calmed down.  It took a bit and some work but the Gusties were able to establish some more breathing room.  Sanders would connect with a jumper along the left baseline at the 7:33 mark and at the 6:36 mark Sanders would strike from downtown with a three-point bomb from the right top area to make it a 42-38 game and Baranick would add a free throw after getting fouled with 4:52 left to make it a 43-38 game.  Complicating things for the Auggies is that Masello was forced to retreat to the bench with her third foul during this GAC push but Coplin would come to the rescue for her squad with another three-point bomb - this one from the right top area with 4:42 left that had Augsburg right back in the thick of things down 43-41.  Now the Gusties had to go back to work.  Kawiecki would get a score in the paint with 4:28 left and one free throw by Quick after she was fouled with 3:52 left got the lead out to five again at 46-41.  Augsburg's Smith would get fouled with 3:32 left and her two free throws again had the Auggies right there down 46-43 and making things even more encouraging from an Augsburg standpoint was that they were now in the bonus as well.  But this didn't seem to faze the Gusties down the stretch of this third period.  Kniefel would make one of her quick trademark drives into the lane for a finish with 2:32 left and a Kawiecki lay-up with 1:55 left made it 50-43.  Morgan Kelly would add a lay-up of her own with 1:15 left and although Augsburg's Smith would drain a "3" from the left top area with :56 left, that would be offset as Benz would snare an offensive rebound for a putback with :21.2 left as GAC took a 54-47 lead into the fourth period.  

You had to figure that the one person to try and step up and save the Auggies on this day would be Smith and her short, turnaround jumper off the glass at the 9:39 mark of the fourth period got the Augsburg faithful hoping again but those hopes took at major hit a short time later at the 9:28 mark when Masello collected her fourth foul of the afternoon and Riverso was not going to take any chances with one of his top players and she was quickly yanked back to the bench for preservation purposes.  That opened a door for the Gusties to widen their lead again and they did just that as scores in the paint - one by Quick at the 7:53 mark and another one by Kawiecki at the 7:25 mark - pushed GAC's lead to 58-49.  But any euphoria on the Gustie side was likely tempered significantly when Benz was sent to the bench for the rest of the day after collecting her fifth foul at the 6:17 mark.  By this time, facing a nine-point deficit, Augsburg's Riverso decided to roll the dice and send Masello back into action again.  But it may have been a decision that Riverso would come to regret as Masello would be whistled for her fifth and final foul of the afternoon.  Still the Auggies would make another bid to try and get even again.  Smith would uncork a "3" from the top of the key with 4:31 left that cut the deficit to six at 58-52 and with 4:03 left, Smith would connect on a short, turnaround jumper that had the deficit down to five at 59-54.  Speedy sophomore guard Kalena Myers would get fouled with 3:22 left and she would get one free throw to go down as would Smith when she was fouled with 2:57 left that now had Augsburg back to within a single possession down 59-56 and you had to figure that this would be where the Auggies were going to have to make their move if they were going to repeat the miraculous comeback of Friday night.  But when the Auggies needed a big three-pointer to fall or a spectacular finish by Smith, it just wasn't there down the stretch.  That allowed GAC to put the finishing touches on this improbable run to the MIAC Championship.  Sophomore reserve guard Syd Hauger would knock down a pair of freebies after getting fouled with 2:25 left and a daring drive into the lane and finish by Sanders with 1:36 left pushed the Gustie lead to 63-56.  Kawiecki would add a pair of free throws for insurance herself after getting fouled with :26.4 left and finally, after multiple years of frustration and heartbreak, the Gustavus Adolphus Gusties claimed their first-ever MIAC Championship Game title with a 65-56 victory.

In the jubilation that follwed on the GAC side afterward, I had to congratulate Laurie Kelly on this win and right off the bat, I told her that what impressed me most about her team on this day was that every time that Augsburg threatened or got close, this team never flinched.  It stayed calm, determined and they played to their strengths to fend off a very good Augsburg team.  Now, consider for a second:  This is a team that lost two of its top players before October practice even began (Paige Richert and Caitlin Rorman) that figured to play big roles this season.  Then, three days into practice, sophomore guard Riley Queensland went down with an ACL injury.  Then you had other players fighting through other injuries and maladies and then another defection right after the first of the year (Maddy Rice).  This was a team that got beat at home by Bethel in January and then the real low point came early this month when they dropped a 67-64 decision to SMU in Winona.  I was probably not the only one who left the Gusties for dead after that debacle but what nobody knew is that the Gusties did NOT give up on themselves.  Instead, they showed resolve and quickly turned things around; winning their last nine games (including today's) by double-digits save for this one today.  And now they're going to put on their dancing shoes and head for the Big Show - the NCAA Tournament.  And they just may be crazy enough to throw caution to the wind and make a big run in the Dance.  Don't put it past this group.  Even Kelly told me afterward that "If someone would have told me back in December that we'd be 22-4 and dancing at this point, I'd have said 'You're smoking crack' ".  Well, it's definitely real.

I also managed a moment with a disappointed Riverso on the Augsburg side and it was admittedly hard to get a lot out of him but one item I did bring up was the rebounding front where the Gusties had a 42-36 advantage; maybe not as big as I initially thought but still.  "It's just a small piece" he replied.  He also sounded fatalistic on the Auggies chances for the NCAA Tournament stating that "If they didn't take us in 2019 or 2020, they're not going to take us now."  I can understand the disappointment and frustration on his end, don't think I don't.  I'm still trying to hold some hope that the Auggies might somehow get in even though realistically I know that those chances are quite slim.  But I do know that they definitely belong.

When I look at the final box score, I was surprised by a couple of things.  First, the fact that GAC suffered only 13 turnovers on this day and Augsburg was guilty of only 11 so not bad on either side on this particular front.  Also, that trademark pressure defense by the Auggies netted only six steals on this day and they didn't really have that big of an advantage on points off of turnovers either at 13-11.  What I do see is that GAC had a whopping 36-20 edge in points in the paint and a 13-5 edge in those all-important "second chance" points.  That's big.  Now, the Auggies did have a 31-16 edge in bench points but considering that Augsburg was 20-62 from FG range for 32.3% and 7-37 from downtown for 18.9%, that didn't mean much.  And that three-point shooting figure for a team that relies heavily on its three-point shooting was a killer - plain, pure and simple.  Then you have the free throw shooting aspect where Augsburg was 9-15 for 60%.  That's simply not good enough in a close game.  I can't completely absolve GAC of transgressions on this front as the Gusties were 9-18 for 50% but they got away with it this time around.  

Balanced scoring was key for the Gusties on this day and Kniefel paced the Gusties with her 13 points and Baranick had a solid day finishing with 11 points while Kawiecki made her presence felt down low as she tallied 10 points.  No surprise who led Augsburg and was also easily the leading scorer on this day.  It was Smith who poured in 29 points.   

A Look Ahead At Today's MIAC Championship Game And A Peek At Selection Monday

 In just a little over three hours from when I type this, the MIAC Championship Game between GAC and Augsburg over at Si Melby Hall will tip-off with the winner taking the AQ for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.  This game today is unique in many different ways and has a few storylines revolving around it.  First, it's the first ever playoff meeting between these two programs and both are seeking their first-ever MIAC Championship Game title.  This will be the Gusties sixth trip to this venture and logic would hold that one of these times, they're going to finally win it.  I'm wagering that today they'll finally do it.  But, they're going to be facing an incredibly athletic Augsburg team that can not only get up and down the floor but can make life a living hell with their pressure defense.  They know how to come after you in their own special way.  In an odd kind of way, they're kind of like that cat with nine lives but after they had that miraculous comeback against Hamline on Friday night, you wonder how many lives this team has left.  

Then you have another interesting angle to look at with this game - the Pupil (GAC Head Coach Laurie Kelly) taking on her former coach and mentor (Augsburg Head Coach Ted Riverso).  Kelly (then Laurie Trow) starred at UST back in the early 90s when Riverso coached there so that aspect obviously adds a lot of attention to this game today.  Both have tremendous admiration and respect for one another and how these two have seemingly resurrected their programs and brought them to this point is quite impressive.  You look at the rosters of these two squads and both have an interesting mix of youngsters and experienced seniors; especially on the Augsburg side who have been in this game before.  Still, I look at what GAC has done over these last two and a half weeks and how they've not only won games but have been winning by double-digits in the process.  Hammering that point home even further is how they absolutely dismantled a very good Bethel team by thirty-four points on Friday night.  This GAC team seems like it's on a mission and I think it's going to be awfully tough to deny them on this day.

With that said, now it's finally time to take a look at the bigger picture; nee, the NCAA Tournament.  The conventional train of thought - particularly going into this week anyway - was that the MIAC was going to be strictly a one-bid league with only the winner of the MIAC Championship Game getting in with the AQ status.  Considering how GAC was inexplicably dropped from the Regional Rankings this last Wednesday and replaced by Northwestern from the UMAC only seemed to substantiate that idea.  However, some things happened on Friday night over on the UMAC side that may have drastically changed this line of thinking.  Both Northwestern and Bethany Lutheran suffered upsets to North Central and UM-Morris, respectively.  It's safe to say that the UMAC was likely only going to be a one-bid league anyway so with both Northwestern and Bethany Lutheran falling on Friday night, it's entirely conceivable that both will be left out of the last round of Regional Rankings come Monday.  In essence, the winner of North Central - UM-Morris with everyone else left out in the cold and that could possibly allow the loser of the MIAC Championship Game today to perhaps find new life tomorrow.  Not a guarantee, of course, but a possibility nonetheless.  We'll see.

So let's take a look at some of the other neighboring conferences to see how things are shaping up there:

ARC - Simpson defeated Wartburg yesterday afternoon and Wartburg does appear to be in good shape for a bid.  Somewhat surprisingly, Loras now appears to be on the outside looking in.  

WIAC - UW-Eau Claire upset UW-Whitewater on Friday night to claim the AQ for the WIAC but UW-Whitewater appears to be in excellent shape for a bid and the guess here is that UW-Oshkosh (b'gosh) will get in as well.

NACC - Wisconsin Lutheran will face off with St. Norbert this afternoon as well and it's hard to say if the loser will get in or not.

Midwest Conference - This looks to be a one-bid league with champion Ripon getting in with the AQ.

So this is just what I'm seeing right now this A.M.  We'll just have to see how things shake out.  In the meantime, get your butt over to Si Melby Hall for the 2:00 P.M. tip off this afternoon.  Be there or be square.  Out.  

MIAC Playoff Semifinal Game - Hamline vs Augsburg 2-25-22

 Got out of work when I needed to on Friday afternoon to be able to get home and get my stuff and make the run over to Si Melby Hall on the campus of Augsburg University on this Friday evening to take in this highly-anticipated MIAC Playoff Semifinal Game between visiting Hamline and host Augsburg.  The Pipers were a bit up-and-down during the home stretch of the regular season but seemingly found themselves again as they took it to CSB on Wednesday night at Hutton Arena to advance to their first-ever semifinal game in the MIAC Playoffs and also getting their nineteenth victory of the season as well; their most ever there, too.  The Auggies meanwhile had taken care of business on their end despite some bumps down the stretch and hammered St. Olaf in their Quarterfinal Game on Wednesday night to make their third semifinal appearance in the MIAC Playoffs.  Si Melby Hall would be rocking on this night with both schools student sections whooping it up and somehow, you just knew that fireworks were going to go off on this night.  Needless to say, I think everybody got their money's worth.

Both teams love to get up and down the court and light up the scoreboard and this game lived up to its hype in every sense.  Augsburg would strike first in this contest at the 9:00 mark of the opening period when slender junior forward Jaley Coplin would bury a cold-hearted three-point bomb from the right corner but it didn't take long for the Pipers to get this game leveled as senior guard Gabby Robinson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 8:16 mark and a jumper from the right elbow area by sophomore forward sensation Lydia Lecher at the 8:05 mark had this game knotted at three a piece.  The Auggies then appeared to have the upper hand as two free throws by senior forward Jen Masello at the 7:51 mark after she was fouled and a Masello lay-up at the 7:28 mark gave the home team a 7-3 advantage.  Right back came Hamline behind Lecher as she would first maneuver into the paint for a score at the 7:16 mark and then connect with a lay-up at the 6:31 mark that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" pushed the Pipers ahead for the first time on this night by an 8-7 count.  Now it was time for Augsburg to respond - this time behind sophomore reserve sensation Anja Smith - as she would first connect with a tough jumper along the left baseline at the 6:08 mark and then make a pretty drive for a finish at the 5:24 mark that now had the Auggies ahead 11-8.  Predictably, Hamline responded.  Lecher would make a tough drive and finish of her own at the 5:08 mark and then a score in the paint by junior forward Tess Hauer with 4:36 left put the Pipers back out in front 12-11.  Both teams would trade one-point leads with both sides trying to slay with three-point bombs:  One by Hamline sophomore reserve guard Larisa O'Neil with 2:43 left and one by Augsburg sophomore guard Kalena Myers with 2:29 left.  With the Auggies clinging to a 16-15 advantage, they appeared to get some more breathing room thanks to senior point guard Selena Lor as she would bury a "3" from the right wing area with 1:59 left that gave Augsburg a 19-15 advantage.  But the Pipers showed they had no intentions of going anywhere anytime soon as junior guard Chan'el Anderson-Manning sprang into action as her speedy and crafty moves allowed her to get to the charity stripe twice in the last two minutes of play; dropping pairs of free throws with 1:43 left and with :34.6 left as this game was deadlocked at 19 going into the second period.

Both teams would trade scores in the early moments of the second period and although the Auggies' Lor was able to put her team back in front 23-21 when she sneaked into the lane for a finish at the 8:32 mark, Hamline was able to grab control for the first time in this conference.  And who better to lead this Piper attack than Lecher as she buried back-to-back heart-breaking three-point bombs - one from the left wing area at the 7:59 mark and the other from the top of the key at the 7:11 mark - that had Hamline up 27-23.  The Pipers would be able to maintain this four-point edge as Lecher would strike again at the 6:41 mark with a jumper in the lane to make it 29-25 and with 3:44 left, Anderson-Manning would connect with a jumper from the left baseline - off the glass no less - to make it a 31-27 game.  Augsburg would finally make it a one-point game when Lor drained a "3" from the left corner with 2:15 left but the Pipers were not finished yet.  Hauer would connect with a short, turnaround jumper off the glass with 1:50 left and Anderson-Manning would make a daring drive into traffic for a finish with 1:11 left that had Hamline up 35-30.  Then, with just :17.5 left before intermission, Hauer would connect with a lay-up to stretch the Piper lead to 37-30 as both teams would soon retreat to their respective locker rooms for the halftime break.  Given the spirited play by the Pipers and a raucous Hamline student section as well, there was indeed some concern on the Augsburg front.  A quick check of the first half box score indicates that both teams shot reasonably well enough from FG range but Hamline was on fire from behind the arc; going 6-7 for 85.7%.  Another number that was pointing toward the Pipers was on the rebounding front where Hamline had a 19-14 advantage.  

If things appeared a bit dicey for the Auggies by the halftime break, that feeling was amplified even more once the third period got underway as Hamline was able to increase its lead to double-digits.  Hauer would start things off with a tough score in the paint at the 9:48 mark and although Augsburg's Lor would come back with some heroics on a three-point bomb from the left corner at the 9:29 mark, the Auggies would stumble on the offensive end that helped open up things for the Pipers.  Hamline's Hauer would strike again at the 9:11 mark with a jumper from the free throw line area to make it 41-33 and then Anderson-Manning would unleash a "3" from the left top area at the 8:17 mark to make it a 44-33 game and Augsburg Head Coach Ted Riverso found the time was ripe to take a match to a timeout to try and get his team settled down.  Still, the Pipers would gain their biggest advantage on this night when Lecher would connect with a lay-up at the 6:30 mark to make it a 46-33 game before the Auggies finally stopped tripping over themselves and found some semblance of offense again.  A much-needed three-point bomb from Coplin - this one coming from the top of the key at the 5:11 mark - and another "3" by Lor with 4:33 left had the deficit slimmed down to seven at 46-39.  Masello; who had been held in check as of late in this contest, finally got a score in the paint with 3:47 left to keep Augsburg in that seven-point range down 48-41 and a burst of speed and drive for a finish by Smith with 2:27 left drew the Auggies closer down 48-43 before Hamline could step on the gas again.  Anderson-Manning would drain a "3" from the left corner with 2:16 left and O'Neil would get a triple of her own with a bomb from the right wing area with 1:27 left as the Pipers had quickly re-established their double-digit advantage up 54-43.  Augsburg would manage to get back into single-digit range again before this third period was over, however, as sophomore reserve guard Katie Manecke knocked down one free throw after getting fouled with 1:11 left and then Masello, who had been frustrated for most of the third period, unleashed an unlikely three-point bomb from the top of the key with just :00.1 before the third quarter buzzer sounded that narrowed the deficit to eight points at 55-47.  Still, from an Augsburg standpoint anyway, there was a lot of work left to do against a Piper team that had been shooting the lights out for a good chunk of this game.

Whether Masello's unlikely three-point bomb right before the end of the third period had any effect on her Augsburg teammates is uncertain but the Auggies certainly did seem to play with a renewed sense or urgency that wasn't there earlier once this fourth period got going.  Smith would start things off with a short jumper in transition at the 9:40 mark that cut the deficit to six at 55-49.  Hamline's Lecher would come to the rescue of her team with a three-point bomb from the left top area at the 9:02 mark but the opportunities that the Pipers were getting earlier were now being taken away as Augsburg would now start turning up the hear with their defense that allowed opportunities on the other end for themselves.  Masello would connect with a lay-up at the 8:40 mark and a Smith lay-up at the 8:13 mark now had the deficit down to five at 58-53.  Then Myers would come up with some heroics of her own with a drive and finish that now had the Auggies back to within a single possession down 58-55.  Hamline Head Coach Alex Focke would call a thirty-second timeout at the 7:15 mark and that short stoppage in play seemed to benefit the Pipers as they would at least secure some more breathing space.  Hauer would connect with a lay-up at the 5:44 mark and then it would be the former Tri-City United standout Robinson, taking center stage as she unleashed a three-point bomb from the right wing area at the 5:10 mark to push the Hamline lead back to eight at 63-55.  It didn't take long for the Auggies to pick away at this new deficit, however, as junior reserve guard Samaiya Buchanan sneaked into the paint for one score with 4:51 left and a Masello lay-up with 4:20 left had the deficit cut in half at four points trailing 63-59.  Hamline's Hauer would try and come to the rescue of her team as she would get fouled with 3:01 left and her two free throws again gave the Pipers a bit more breathing room up 65-59.  By this time, however, momentum was clearly on Augsburg's side and that point was driven home when Smith unleashed a dagger "3" from the top of the key with 2:46 left that suddenly drew the Auggies back to within a single-possession down 65-62 and then on the Pipers' subsequent possession, Myers would snare a steal and dash the other way for a lay-up that now had the deficit cut to a scant point at 65-64 with a ton of time left.  Hamline tried desperately to keep control of things and got the ball to one of their best playmakers; Lecher, who would get fouled with 2:01 left and the former Concordia Academy standout got both free throws to go down to make it a three-point game at 67-64 and Hauer would do the same after she was fouled with 1:35 left to make it 69-66 but with 1:20 left, the unthinkable happened for that raucous Hamline student section that made the trip over to Si Melby Hall as the Auggies' Myers would drain a cold-blooded "3" from the left wing area that finally had this game tied at 69 a piece.  Augsburg's Riverso would quickly call timeout to set up strategy and although Hamline would regain the lead one last time when speedy junior reserve guard Alyssa Williamson made a quick dart into the lane for a finish with :59 left, the Auggies would take it away for good on their subsequent possession when Smith delivered a dagger "3" from the top of the key with :43.3 left to propel Augsburg back into the lead for the first time since the early part of the second period at 72-71.  The Pipers' Focke would then take a timeout to get things set up on their end and with :35.2 left, senior guard Sophie Findell would get fouled and she would get the front-end attempt to go down to get the game tied at 72.  The back-end attempt was errant but Hamline was able to get the rebound and set up another offensive possession.  This would set up what could have been some insurance at the very least for the Pipers as Anderson-Manning, trying to make a tough drive and finish, would get fouled with :18.1 left on the clock with the shot clock winding down as well.  Anderson-Manning had been solid from the charity stripe all game long but on this particular occasion, both free throw attempts missed their mark and Augsburg's Smith was their with her long reach for the rebound.  She got down the court and, from my view anyway, it looked as if there was some miscommunication on the Hamline defensive end as it seemed like the Red Sea parted with a clear lane for Smith to take it to the hole which she did with :07 left with a lay-up that drew a foul that had Si Melby Hall in a frenzy.  Smith would make good on the obligatory "and one" and the Auggies' Riverso would call a timeout to get defensive strategy set up.  One last chance for Hamline to try and force overtime but a three-point shot attempt by the normally-reliable O'Neil was short and Augsburg came away with a miraculous 75-72 victory to advance to the MIAC Championship Game on Sunday.  

Considering that the Augsburg men were getting ready to play Macalester in the nightcap at Si Melby Hall on this Friday evening, the place could have been considered something of a nuthouse after the successful comeback bid by the Auggies.  I was, however, able to catch up with Augsburg's Riverso down in the lower level afterward and asked him what he told his team when things weren't looking good.  "Just stay with it.....Just stay with it" and they did exactly that.  I also asked him about (Anja) Smith and what a terrific talent she is.  "She's a special player" Riverso said and I think you've got to at least consider Smith for MIAC POY honors.  I also mentioned to Riverso; now that the Auggies have made it to their third MIAC Championship Game, if this is a real opportunity to wipe away some of the frustrations of past years.  Riverso seemed to poo-poo the notion that there were any frustrations involved as he pointed out those were some very good teams he had and they just fell short.  Riverso said that this team does indeed deserve a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament but also pointed out that it's once again likely that the MIAC may very well be a one-bid league with only the AQ going; thus making the MIAC Championship Game that more important.  But I'm hopeful that this Augsburg team will somehow get in regardless of what happens on Sunday and they've certainly got the talent and mojo to snare their first-ever MIAC Championship Game title.  Meanwhile, on the Hamline side, a gut-wrenching and heartbreaking defeat and the thoughts of what might have been.  Still, there were many Hamline parents around in the lobby who broke out in applause when Focke and his staff finally came out of the locker room which was good to see as they're very appreciative of what Focke has done for this Hamline program.  When I finally had a chance to speak with Focke, I had to ask him what he thought were the main reasons this one got away from his squad.  in what was a pause with a smile and a bit of a laugh, he said, "Too many turnovers when they (Augsburg) turned up the pressure defense."  Still, I noted that he's taken this team and program to heights it hasn't seen before and am guessing that they'll get another crack at this not far down the road.  

So right away when I look at the final box score on this one, the first thing I look at is turnovers and there was Hamline suffering 20 turnovers; with many of them coming in that critical fourth period when the Auggies turned up the heat with their pressure defense.  To be sure, Hamline did have a substantial edge on the rebounding front with by a 37-24 count which, in many instances, would be good enough to get the win.  But there were also other things working against the Pipers as well.  Augsburg held a 34-30 advantage in points in the paint but more importantly, those turnovers that Hamline had were very costly as the Auggies held a sizable 27-12 edge in points off of turnovers.  Augsburg also had a sizable 24-8 edge in bench points and although Hamline shot reasonably well in this game, the one area where I circled right away was from the charity stripe where the Pipers were 12-17 for 70.6%.  While that's not necessarily a death sentence in itself but in a close game, that's huge.  What's cruelly ironic is that the Auggies were only 6-11 from the free throw line for 54.5% and got away with it.  Riverso and his staff have to know that they can't make a living doing that.  

It was indeed a balanced scoring effort for the Auggies on this Friday night; topped by a spectacular performance by Smith who led the way with 21 points while Masello was able to overcome a struggle in the third period and was right behind with 19 points and just missed out on a "double-double" with nine rebounds.  Lor was money on this night too; particularly from behind the arc as she tallied 14 points and Myers finished with 12 points.  And speaking of spectacular performances, you have to talk about Hamline's Lecher who tried to will her team to victory on this night as her 24 points led all scorers.  Hauer was solid as well with her 16 points and Anderson-Manning was right behind with 15 points.       
 

MIAC Playoff Quarterfinal Game - Carleton vs Bethel 2-23-22

 Made the run over to Robertson Center on this clear, cold February Wednesday evening to take in one of the four Quarterfinal Playoff games happening on this night - this one between visiting Carleton and host Bethel.  These games were originally slated to take place on Tuesday night but Mother Nature had vastly different ideas with the latest snowstorm to hit a good portion of Minnesota on Tuesday so things got shoved to Wednesday night.  In any event, the Knights were arguably the hottest and trendiest team in the MIAC coming into these MIAC Playoffs; having won seven of their eight last regular season games; the lone blemish coming in the regular season finale against this same Bethel team in this same venue.  And Carleton withstood a tough challenge from Macalester on Saturday in their Play-In game to advance to this Quarterfinal round.  The Royals meanwhile were entering these Playoffs on an eight-game win streak of their own which they had been doing very quietly and systematically with defense taking center stage but now another stern challenge awaited with this Carleton team that they had managed to fend off in a tough 67-63 finish in that regular season finale.   

True to form, Knights Head Coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen had her squad in their trademark 2-3 matchup zone defense and that tactic appeared to pay some dividends in the early moments of the opening period.  Senior point guard Jill Yanai would sneak through for a lay-up at the 8:54 mark and a Yanai score in the paint at the 7:30 mark had Carleton up 4-2.  At the 6:32 mark, Yanai; the Glendale, CA native, would strike again with a dart into the lane for a finish that gave the Knights a 6-4 edge.  It was here, however, where things suddenly started going sour for Carleton as the Royals turned up the heat with their trademark defense and left the visiting Knights stifled.  A "3" from the right top area at the 5:53 mark by freshman forward Hayden Glander helped spark a key 11-0 Bethel run.  Fifth-year senior forward Makenna Pearson would follow that up with a lay-up at the 5:20 mark and then slender junior reserve guard Kat Brown-Erdal slithered into the paint for a score with 3:13 left that had the Royals up 11-6.  Then freshman guard and former Becker standout Courtney Nuest; like a thief in the night, snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up with 2:26 left to push the Bethel lead to 13-6.  Glander would bookend this key run with two free throws after she was fouled with 1:24 left before the Knights finally ended their scoring drought on an offensive rebound and putback by sophomore forward Jasmine Choi (which was somewhat fascinating to watch as she was practically on her knees when she launched the putback) with :57 left.  Still, the Knights would open up some more separation before the first period was in the books as Pearson would bang home a "3" from the left top area with :49 left and Nuest would connect on a lay-up with :27 left as Bethel took a 20-10 lead into the second period.

Carleton would make a bid to pull closer once the second period got underway.  Junior guard Aiana Whitfield would connect with a lay-up at the 9:31 mark and would follow that up with one free throw at the 8:12 mark after she was fouled that had the Knights back in single-digit range again down 22-13.  But that glimmer of hope quickly faded as Bethel launched another major offensive in the form of an 8-2 push.  Brown-Erdal would get fouled at the 8:01 mark and the former Jordan standout would get both charity stripe attempts to go down and a score in the paint by Glander at the 7:12 mark had the Royals up 26-13.  Glander would repeat her previous effort at the 6:38 mark as she muscled into the paint for another score and then Brown-Erdal would connect with a sleek lay-up in transition at the 6:15 mark that now had Bethel up 30-15 and the Knights' Metcalf-Filzen had seen enough to know that she had to take a match to a timeout to get her troops reorganized.  Carleton's Choi would end this latest scoring drought as she connected on a lay-up at the 6:01 mark but the Knights were going to need a lot more to keep pace and they simply weren't getting it as Bethel continued to widen the gap with an 11-2 blitz to close out this second period.  Senior reserve forward Megan Boegel would start off this latest run with a lay-up at the 5:51 mark and then Brown-Erdal would get bakd-to-back scores - a lay-up in transition at the 5:27 mark and a lay-up with 3:03 left - that had the Royals up 36-17.  Pearson would then knock down a short jumper in the lane with 2:21 left and sophomore guard Anna Garfield would connect on a short, turnaround jumper in the lane with 1:14 left to stretch Bethel's lead to 40-19.  Brown-Erdal would also add one free throw after getting fouled with :11.1 left as the Royals took a hefty 41-19 lead into the locker room at the half.  

Bethel's Nuest started the scoring in the third period with a (seemingly) routine lay-up in transition at the 7:40 mark but the Knights showed a renewed sense of fight and resolve coming out of the locker room despite the sizable deficit.  Choi would knock down a short jumper in the lane at the 7:23 mark and would add one free throw after getting fouled at the 6:54 mark as well.  Freshman reserve post Bella Thomas would connect with a tough jumper along the left baseline just inside the arc at the 5:12 mark and a steal and lay-up the other way by sophomore reserve guard Isabelle Henry had the deficit down to seventeen at 43-26.  Thomas would add two more scores for Carleton as well - a score in the paint with 3:46 left and a short jumper off the glass with 3:00 left - that got the deficit down to fifteen at 45-30.  The Royals' Boegel would try and restore some order to this contest with her offensive rebound for a putback with 2:38 left and then Brown-Erdal would restore Bethel's safety net as she would connect on another sleek lay-up in transition with 2:19 left that also drew a foul and Brown-Erdal would get the obligatory "and one" to go down as well to make it a 50-30 ballgame once again.  But Royals Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer may have been a bit concerned as his squad seemed to stagnate on the offensive end during this third period and Carleton as a Yanai lay-up with 1:29 left and a score in the paint by sophomore guard Emma Henry with just :04.5 left in this third period allowed the Knights to creep back to within nineteen down 53-34 as the game morphed into the fourth period.  

And a partisan Bethel crowd inside Robertson Center had to be a bit concerned as well as the Knights continued to make inroads on this sizable Bethel cushion with an 8-2 push to start this fourth period.  Choi would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled at the 9:34 mark and a Yanai score in the paint at the 8:44 mark had the deficit down to fifteen at 53-38.  Choi would get fouled again at the 8:22 mark and two more free throws by the former Osseo standout now had that deficit slimmed down to thirteen at 53-40.  Isabelle Henry would also get fouled at the 7:39 mark and her two free throws kept Carleton in that thirteen-point range down 55-42 and provided some gleam of hope for the Northfield gang.  But the Knights would take a bit of a hit shortly thereafter as Whitfield collected her fourth foul of the evening at the 7:09 mark and that little hit seemed to spark Bethel as they were able to catch their collective breaths and get some semblance of offense going again.  Brown-Erdal would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 6:46 mark and Glander would drain a huge "3" from the right wing area at the 5:00 mark to get the lead to fifteen at 59-44 which seemed to have order restored again at Robertson Center.  But this tricky Carleton team refused to break out the white flag as they would embark on one more bid to try and get this one close again.  Thomas would connect with a jumper along the right baseline with 4:44 left and two free throws by Whitfield after she was fouled with 3:14 left and two more by Yanai with 2:36 left seemed to give the Knights another spark.  Bethel's Glander would try to add some insurance on this one with her score in the paint with 1:59 left to make it a 67-50 game but Carleton still refused to fold.  Emma Henry would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 1:50 left and Whitfield would add a pair after she was fouled with 1:37 left to get the deficit down to fourteen at 67-53.  A bit later, Whitfield would strike again with a steal and lay-up the other way with 1:10 left that now had the deficit down to twelve at 67-55.  The Knights' Metcalf-Filzen would then call a timeout to try and find some more magic in a short timespan and, to their credit, Carleton would get the deficit down to ten when Choi connected with a lay-up in transition with :58.9 left that now had the deficit down to ten at 67-57.  That's where the Royals would put their foot down and say "No more" as Boegel would connect with a lay-up with :38.9 left and Brown-Erdal would knock down a pair of free throws for insurance after she was fouled with :25.7 left.  Carleton's Isabelle Henry would connect on a pretty reverse lay-up with :05 left but the Knights ran out of time as Bethel would advance to the MIAC Playoff Semifinals with a 71-59 victory.

This was only the second time I was able to catch Carleton this season and, despite the loss, they definitely did seem like a team that had improved dramatically since they got ran out of Si Melby Hall by Augsburg back in early December.  You watch this Carleton team play and it's interesting to see how this group works.  It's almost like their mantra; nee, their modus operandi, is try and beat you by the "Death by 1,000 paper cuts" approach.  They play very smart and their 2-3 zone defense can be problematic for opponents to say the least and there's a reason why they won eight out of their last ten games.  If there's anyone who can get the most out of their team, it's Metcalf-Filzen and she has enough MIAC Championship Game trophies from the early- and mid-2000s to prove it.  At the same time, as good as this Carleton team was down the stretch, there are some inherent limitations with this current group.  It was clear that Bethel was the bigger and more physical team on this night and the Knights really don't have what you would call a true "lights out" shooter.  Back in the day when you had players like a Linnea Engel, an Angie Grabowski, a Renee Willette, a Megan Vig, a Kristi Colbenson or a Karissa Kramer, you had a group that could beat you from the perimeter or beat you into a pulp down low.  That's not the case right now but I think Carleton and Metcalf-Filzen have this program back on the upward trend again.  Just to emphasize my point here, the Knights were 0-14 from three-point land on this night and ultimately that proved to be costly for them.  To their credit, the Knights were 19-22 from the charity stripe for 86.4% compared to Bethel's 12-18 for 66.7%.  But you look further and you see where the Royals had a huge advantage in points in the paint by a 50-34 margin along with a 22-16 advantage in points off of turnovers and a 27-19 advantage in bench points and it becomes easier to see how and why Bethel was able to prevail despite the comeback bid(s) by Carleton.

It was a relatively balanced scoring attack by Bethel on this night as Brown-Erdal's 17 points led all scorers on this night and both Glander and Nuest chipped in with 14 points.  Carleton was relatively balanced as well as Choi's 15 points paced the Knights while Yanai tallied 12 points and Thomas finished with 10 points.

Second Regional Rankings Released

 The second Regional Rankings were released yesterday afternoon with some adjustments and changes to Region 9 (West Region) that left me perplexed to say the least and need to be discussed.

1	Simpson	23-1	15-0
2	UW-Whitewater	23-3	12-2
3	UW-Eau Claire	20-7	9-5
4	UW-Oshkosh	19-6	7-4
5	Wartburg	20-4	13-3
6	Loras	19-7	12-4
7	Bethany Lutheran	19-7	13-1
8	Northwestern (Minn.)	19-4	13-1
9	Augsburg	20-5	19-2

Keep in mind, there were games last night (Wednesday) and games tonight (Thursday) that will obviously change things up even more between now and Selection Monday.  The first thing I noticed is that Wartburg slipped down a notch from fourth to fifth which is a little odd as they didn't lose and took care of business.  Replacing them in the fourth spot was UW-Oshkosh which jumped from fourth to seventh early yesterday afternoon; probably on the coattails of their win over UW-La Crosse on Monday night.  The guess here is they'll slip again after getting beat by UW-Whitewater last night.  

Loras lost a heartbreaker in double overtime this last Saturday to Wartburg which is likely why the Duhawks slipped down to the sixth spot this week and it's ironic that these two teams are going head-to-head again tonight down in Waverly in the ARC semifinals as I prepare this.  Bethany Lutheran slipped a notch as well after their overtime loss at Northwestern last Friday evening which in itself is no big surprise and you'd almost have to think that these two teams will be seeing each other again one more time in the UMAC Playoffs.  

Now, it's not so much that I have a problem with Northwestern getting into the Regional Rankings itself; after all, they did earn that said overtime victory against that Bethany Lutheran team we were just talking about.  Rather, my problem stems from the committee simply inserting Northwestern into the eighth spot while completely discarding GAC after the Gusties held the eighth spot last week.  True, the Eagles have that win over a regionally ranked opponent but so does GAC after they took ninth-ranked Augsburg to the woodshed earlier this month.  So the question that has to be asked here is why is GAC being punished for winning and doing what they have to do while Augsburg is left unharmed in the ninth spot?  To me, this just doesn't make much sense and I do not understand the committee's rationale here.  If you lose, that's one thing.  But the Gusties didn't and I really don't get this.  

Feel free to fire away with thoughts.....   

MIAC Playoff Preview - A Review Of The Top 4 Seeds and Quarterfinal Games & Beyond

 Well, we got through yesterday's MIAC Playoff Play-In games and fittingly, there were a couple of surprises that I obviously didn't get right.  But the unpredictable has been more or less the norm in the MIAC this season so with that said, it's now time to look at the top four seeds in these MIAC Playoffs and how they might fare going forward:

4.  Hamline - Throughout most of January, being able to consider Hamline as a new entrant to the upper echelon of MIAC Women's Basketball was kind of a trendy thing but their style of play and their cast of extremely talented and athletic players pretty much backed all of the talk up.  And they've finished the regular season with an 18-6 overall record and 16-5 in the conference; the best they've ever done up to this point and that's certainly nothing to scoff at.  It's just that as this season has progressed, they've shown more and more chinks in their armor as losses to both Carleton and GAC along with narrow escapes at both Concordia and Macalester would suggest.  So now comes the really tough part - getting through the gauntlet which is the MIAC Playoffs where Hamline hasn't had much in the way of success.  But they do have some weapons which can change all that.  They're led by sophomore sensation Lydia Lecher (13.2 ppg) and senior point guard Gabby Robinson helps keep the ship steady in the backcourt.  Junior Tess Hauer has been a pleasant surprise for Head Coach Alex Focke and his staff and what make things even better down low is that Focke can also rely on senior Sarah Loken and her experience down low as well.  Speedy junior guard Chan'el Anderson-Manning is probably one of the toughest players to try and guard in this conference, too.  Another thing that caught my surprise is that Hamline has definitely done much better in the rebounding department than they have in previous years so that's a plus.  On the minus side, however, they're on the lower end of the totem pole when it comes to free throw shooting (62.7%) and that's something that could come back to bite them big-time in a close game.

Outlook - The Pipers host an up-and-down CSB team on Tuesday night that they swept during the regular season and they should get through that one without too many issues.  Assuming they do, they'll most likely face Augsburg over at Si Melby Hall; a team that swept them during the regular season.  Touche.  

3.  Bethel - We already know that the Royals stumbled out of the gate about as badly as one could possibly imagine; at one point they sported a lowly 1-5 record by early December before they were finally able to get the ship turned around.  Even then, there were still multiple injuries that Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer and his staff had to work with and around just to keep their hopes afloat.  Since that time, however, Bethel went 17-2 and got their important pieces healthy again; albeit slowly.  In an odd kind of way, this gave the younger players on the team a valuable chance to get more playing time and experience and this has payed huge dividends up to this point.  And one of those newcomers that has flourished for Bethel this season is freshman forward Hayden Glander who leads the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and can be deadly from behind the arc as well.  Fifth-year senior Makenna Pearson isn't far behind (12.7 ppg) and another newcomer that has been able to shine is freshman guard and former Becker standout Courtney Nuest (10.7 ppg) and she's been bringing the heat on defense as well.  And anyone who has watched this Bethel team play over the years knows that the Royals live by their defense.  They can gang up on you like those mean raptors from the Jurassic Park movies and when they do, it's over.  Somewhat surprisingly, this isn't a team that rebounds as well as you think they would but they do so many other things well that that may not mean too much.  One item that could be an issue for this team, as it is for Hamline anyway, is free throw shooting where the Royals are at 64.4%.  

Outlook - The Royals have a much-anticipated rematch with easily the most dangerous team in the conference - Carleton - on Tuesday night at Robertson Center.  It's not entirely out of the question that the Knights could pull off a massive upset although I think Bethel will find a way to hold serve.  But here's the thing:  While the Royals have seemingly been able to address all of the internal issues they faced early on in the season, they arguably have the toughest road to a MIAC title as a victory here would send them down to St. Peter to face the hottest team in the conference right now in GAC. 

2.  GAC - So it's time to talk about these Gusties.  A mere 2 1/2 weeks ago, I pretty much thought that these Gusties were toast after the debacle in Winona where they lost to SMU and looked so disheveled and disorganized that I just didn't think there was any way that this squad; that has been ravaged by injuries and defections, could possibly recover from this.  Once again, I was wrong.  They not only recovered but made their remaining opponents pay in spades for that loss; winning each of those last six games by double-digits and looking quite impressive while doing it as well.  In a sense, GAC's story this season mirrors that of Bethel's in many ways as Head Coach Laurie Kelly and her staff have had to rely on a lot of youngsters to step up to the plate and they've done just that.  The Gusties rely heavily on sophomore guard Emma Kniefel (11.2 ppg) but there's other youngsters who have had to grow up quickly.  The one that's caught my eye is former Maple Grove standout Kylie Baranick who survived the "baptism by fire" so to speak and is now feeling quite comfortable at the point guard spot.  And I'd probably be amiss not to mention fellow freshman Rachel Kawiecki who has had to anchor down the post spot and is ably backed up by fellow freshman Morgan Kelly off the bench.  Sophomore reserves Syd Hauger and Izzy (Izzy Izzy, you're making me dizzy) Quick provide quality minutes off the bench.  Then there's junior guard Anna Sanders; the leading scorer on this team (12.2 ppg) who, in years past, has had to hide her light under a bushel but no more.  She can make you pay behind the three-point line and can show her versatility with the drive and dribble aspect as well with a tough finish in the paint.  And you'd better not forget about senior Grace Benz either as she quietly does the dirty work down low.  Not long ago I said that this seemed to be a team with an identity crisis.  But I think they've effectively fixed that problem and any others they may have had.  In short, there's a lot to really, really like about this team.  I know I do anyway.  

Outlook - The Gusties will host Concordia; a team they thumped up in Moorhead a week and a half ago, on Tuesday night at Lund Arena and I think there's little doubt they'll take care of the Cobbers again.  That would more than likely bring Bethel to town on Thursday night; a team they split with during the regular season.  We know that Bethel is a much, much better team than they were during the early part of the season but then again, so are the Gusties and I think that GAC has enough weapons and enough firepower to not only win this but also to - hold your breath - FINALLY get over the hump and win the MIAC Championship Game as well.

1.  Augsburg - The Auggies stumbled out of the gate slowly this season; dropping their first three non-conference games and, in doing so, made me think that this was going to be a return to the bad old days of Augsburg basketball with a long and arduous season ahead of them.  But somehow, someway, this Auggie team suddenly and quickly turned things around and "found itself" as they proceeded to go on a tear; winning their next 13 games; several times in very convincing fashion and it was easy to buy in to what they were doing.  They finally got tripped up down at Northfield against Carleton and, while disappointing for the Augsburg faithful, certainly wasn't the end of the world.  But then came the disaster in St. Peter where the Auggies got taken to the woodshed by a suddenly-rising GAC team 67-50 that arguably could have been worse than it was.  True, Augsburg recovered from that to win their last four regular season games to garner a 19-5 overall record and 19-2 in MIAC play; good enough to win their first-ever MIAC regular season title.  So obviously there IS a lot to crow about in Auggieland right now and you know that there's nothing more that Head Coach Ted Riverso and his staff would like to do than to finally slay the playoff demons and win the program's first-ever MIAC Championship Game as well.  Certainly, they have the tools to do it.  Dynamic sophomore Anja Smith (16.6 ppg) is just that - incredibly dynamic and there's times when I've seen her simply take over games.  Seniors Jen Masello (14.1 ppg) and Selena Lor (9.3 ppg) are the steady rocks on this team while junior Jaley Coplin (10.6 ppg) can and will slay you from downtown.  And speedy sophomore guard Kalena Myers (9.7 ppg) can play defense and steal more passes than a chaperone at a debutante ball.  Much like Hamline, this is a team that absolutely loves to get up and down the floor and when they do, they can be unstoppable.  Conversely, where I do have my concerns is where teams manage to slow them down and force them to play a more physical, slower-paced half-court game.  And when you can neutralize Masello just enough and force them to rely on their perimeter game, that's when they seem to be most vulnerable.  A couple of other things that have to be a cause for concern:  Rebounding is not a strength for this team and their 65.5% shooting from the charity stripe is another red flag.  

Outlook - Augsburg will host St. Olaf on Tuesday night in the Quarterfinal round; a team that they swept during the regular season.  So the smart money should be on the Auggies as it should be when, presumably anyway, Hamline comes to Si Melby Hall on Thursday night.  I'm not saying that Augsburg can't finally get over the hump here and win their first MIAC Championship Game - absolutely they can.  But here's the question you have to ask yourself:  Do you trust 'em enough to minimize those weaknesses I pointed out?  It's not an easy question to answer.   

Well, there you have it.  A different look for the MIAC Playoffs this year for sure but the ultimate goal is always the same - win that MIAC Championship Game and get that AQ for the Big Dance.  As the song goes, "Let's get it started!".    

MIAC Playoff Preview - Saturday's Play-In Games

 The MIAC Playoffs for the 2021-22 season are in an expanded format this year with all 12 teams competing this time around due to COVID-impacted schedules throughout the regular season.  With the expanded format, I'll be doing things a little differently this time around so first, we'll start with tomorrow's "play-in" games involving eight teams for the right to advance into Tuesday night's Quarterfinal round.  So, here we go with a look at tomorrow's (Saturday's) games:

1.  St. Olaf at SMU - I give the Cardinals the big edge in this one because (1) they're playing at home in Winona and (2) because SMU has the MIAC's top scorer in senior guard Brooklyn Paulson who averages 18.0 a clip.  It helps the Cardinals' cause when Paulson gets some help along the way and both junior guard Ashley Streveler and freshman guard Izzy Goettelman are capable of doing just that.  St. Olaf has a big weapon in junior forward Rachel Kelly (14.7 ppg) and senior guard K'Lynn Lewis isn't far behind (13.5 ppg).  But the Oles two road wins this season came against Macalester and St. Scholastica and I give the clear edge to SMU to advance in the Quarterfinal round to visit top-seeded Augsburg.

2.  St. Scholastica at CSB - I don't think there's too much question here that the Bennies are the clear favorites here as well they should be.  They're led by sophomore point guard Carla Meyer (14.7 ppg).  Given the prevalence of youth on this team with only one senior (Madi Doran), this has been an up-and-down year to be sure but it's difficult to see the Bennies being tripped up here.  It's been a learning process for new MIAC member St. Scholastica but they do have a great scorer in sophomore guard Miranda Broberg (14.6 ppg).  In any event, a clear edge for CSB to move into the Quarterfinal Round to visit fourth-seeded Hamline.

3.  Macalester at Carleton - If you would have told me back in January that the Knights might possibly be the spoiler of this whole party, I probably would have tried to find a way to have you put in an institution.  Yet, lo and behold, Carleton came out of nowhere and won seven of their last eight games.  They're led by sophomore Jasmine Choi (15.0 ppg) and senior Jill Yanai (11.7 ppg) and junior Aiana Whitfield (11.4 ppg) aren't far behind.  This is definitely the team to keep your eye on and although winning the whole thing might be a bridge too far in reality, they may be laying the foundation for much better things to come.  It has been a rough year for Macalester but the Scots always do find a way to put up a good fight.  They're led by senior Celine Sabbagh (14.6 ppg) and junior Solana Cushing (10.0 ppg) can terrorize behind the arc when she's on.  That said, I just don't see a path forward for Macalester in this one as Carleton has the clear edge to advance to the Quarterfinal round to visit third-seeded Bethel.

4.  St. Kate's at Concordia - This just may be the most intriguing game of all on Saturday and it's fitting that it's in the 3:00 P.M. slot as I predict a lot of fireworks in this one.  And I think it will be the Wildcats providing most of the fireworks in this tilt IF they play the way they're capable of playing.  Keep in mind, this is a squad that was mired in a seven-game losing streak from mid-January through early February.  This is a team that swept SMU and split with Carleton as well so take that for what it's worth.  The Wildcats are led by senior forward Sam Orth (11.1 ppg) and she's a rebounding machine at times; as tough as they come.  Junior forward Bree Glynn has also started coming on as well (8.3 ppg).  I've been perplexed at how Concordia has been just an utter disappointment this season considering the talent they have and what they had coming back from last year when things looked incredibly promising.  The Cobbers are led by junior Emily Beseman (12.2 ppg) and senior Mary Sem can pack a scoring punch as well (11.8 ppg).  I haven't seen the Cobbers play since early January but, for whatever reason, they haven't been able to put it together and because of that, I'm giving the edge to St. Kate's to come away with a win in Moorhead and advance into the Quarterfinal round to play at GAC. 

Will be watching games online tomorrow and will have an insight on the top four seeds and their prospects tomorrow night as well.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it?  Feel free to fire away with thoughts. 

      

MIAC Power Rankings For Friday 2-18-22

 So here's my final Power Rankings of this 2021-22 regular season on the eve of the MIAC Playoffs.  And yes, having my Los Angeles Rams hoist the Lombardi Trophy - FINALLY - after all these years, was truly awesome.

1.  GAC

2.  Augsburg

3.  Bethel

4.  Hamline

5.  Carleton

6.  CSB

7.  SMU

8.  St. Olaf

9.  St. Kate's

10.  Concordia

11.  Macalester

12.  St. Scholastica

Okay, so on my last Power Rankings of this regular season, I felt compelled to make a change at the top spot and I don't ever recall ever having to do that before but this time around, I felt like I had no choice but to put GAC into the top spot.  Why?  Simply because the "eye test" told me that GAC is currently playing the best ball of anyone right now and, more importantly, they're showing it on both ends of the floor and that's why I put them in the top spot.  If you told me a mere two weeks ago that I'd be doing this after the debacle in Winona against SMU, I'd have probably scoffed in much the same manner if someone had told me back in November that my LA Rams would be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.  But, I digress.  And look, this isn't a knock on the Auggies either as they took care of business this last week in convincing fashion.  But over the course of these last two weeks, things changed and that's why GAC is in my top spot.

If anyone would have an argument with this, it should be Bethel as they've been the steadiest team of all riding an eight-game win streak.  The only area I'd have room to push back is that the Royals took their lumps early on in the season when they had a lot of their top players out with injuries and other maladies that caused them to stumble.  Either way, they're in a pretty good spot.  Hamline meanwhile has stumbled as of late and although they got a convincing win at Macalester on Wednesday night, they got exposed in glaring fashion in the home loss to GAC on Monday night.  

Carleton has easily turned into the most dangerous team in the conference and was riding an impressive seven-game win streak before finally being stopped by Bethel in a humdinger over at Robertson Center on Wednesday night.  All I can say is that this Carleton team is probably the LAST team fellow conference members will want to play in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  CSB has been so up-and-down this season that it's really been hard to get a feel for them.  You just never know what to expect from this group.  SMU got some attention after that home win over GAC but they haven't been steady or consistent enough - yet anyway - to be a legitimate threat to the upper echelon of the conference.  But crazier things have happened in the MIAC Playoffs before.  There hasn't been a lot to cheer about over on the west side of Northfield this season but the Oles did get a nice win on Wednesday night over new member St. Scholastica.

It's been something of a rough season for St. Kate's but they've still had their moments and they looked very good in their win over SMU Wednesday night.  The question is, can they do this on the road?  So while that question can be debated, there's little debate that the biggest disappointment this season has been Concordia.  This is a team that had virtually everybody back and ready to make that proverbial next step after some promising episodes in a truncated season last year.  For whatever reason, that never happened and the Cobbers ended the regular season in a total tailspin; losing seven straight.  Macalester had a few good moments this season but not nearly enough as the Scots rode out the regular season in a Chicago Cubs-like swoon; losing nine straight.  Not a lot was expected from St. Scholastica this season and they certainly didn't disappoint but they didn't roll over either as they got MIAC wins over St. Kate's, Macalester and Concordia.  

So there you have it for the regular season.  Fire away with thoughts.....

SMU vs St. Kate's 2-16-22

 Made the trip over to the St. Paul side of town on this Wednesday evening to Butler Center on the campus of St. Catherine's University to take in the regular season finale between visiting SMU and host St. Kate's.  Both teams were coming off absolute heartbreaking defeats on Monday night.  The Cardinals lost on an improbable buzzer-beater at Carleton while the Wildcats checked into Heartbreak Hotel as well; suffering a tough, two-point loss up at CSB.  So with both teams hoping to not only rebound from those disappointments but also go into the upcoming expanded MIAC Playoffs with a bit of a head of steam made this an intriguing contest.  It was also Senior Night at St. Kate's as seniors Brooke Torvik, Katie Benjamin, Sam Orth and Mackenzie Kurczek were honored in the pre-game ceremony.  

And given that Kurczek had suffered a knee injury earlier in the season, St. Kate's Head Coach Don Mulhern wanted to get her out on the court in one of the starting positions and the Cardinals gamely stood down on the tip so that the ball could be tipped to Kurczek who in turn gamely held the ball for a five-second violation to even the table.  How much of an emotional effect that had on the Wildcats is uncertain but, at the beginning anyway, they struggled mightily on the offensive end.  SMU would grab an early 4-0 lead as sophomore guard Macey Petron would snare a steal and dash the other way for a lay-up at the 7:09 mark and then speedy freshman guard Izzy Goettelman would make a quick dart into traffic and get a finish off the glass at the 6:25 mark for the aforementioned score.  Making matters even more worrisome for St. Kate's was that Torvik had to hobble off to the sideline too after Petron's steal with an apparent ankle injury and it was uncertain at the time whether she'd be able to return.  The 'Cats finally broke their extended drought at the 5:40 mark when junior forward Bree Glynn snared an offensive rebound for a putback in transition and sophomore reserve guard Karis Zezza would get this game leveled at four a piece when she snuck into the paint for a score with 4:40 left.  Still, the Cardinals would hold the upper hand as freshman reserve guard Maggie Newhouse knocked down a pair of free throws with 3:38 left after getting fouled and senior guard Brooklyn Paulson would follow suit after she was fouled with 3:03 left that had SMU up 8-6.  The Wildcats, however, would usurp the advantage before this opening period was over as Orth would snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 2:47 left to get the game tied and with just :00.1 left on the clock, Glynn wowed the Butler Center crowd with a jumper from the left wing area to put St. Kate's up 10-8 in this - so far anyway - low scoring affair that you didn't exactly need an abacus to keep track of things.

Despite the fact that SMU had lost its grip on its slim lead and despite the fact that the MIAC's leading scorer - Paulson - hadn't been able to get into a groove yet, the Cardinals still appeared to be right in the thick of things at the end of the first period but once the second period got going, things began to slowly but surely unravel for SMU as the Wildcats tightened their grip.  Freshman reserve forward Greta Schimnowski would connect with a lay-up at the 9:05 mark and while the Cardinals continued to misfire, St. Kate's Schimnowski would get another chance to strike which she did - from behind the arc at the right wing area at the 6:16 mark that stretched the lead to seven at 15-8.  SMU's Paulson would finally find her touch from three-point land on the Cardinals' ensuing possession with a bomb from the right corner at the 6:00 mark but right back came St. Kate's as Glynn would slither into the paint for a score to make it 17-11.  SMU's Paulson would come right back with a jumper from the top of the key; just inside the arc at the 5:27 mark that had the gap narrowed to four points at 17-13 with the Cardinals still in striking distance.  It was at this juncture, however, where things really fell apart for SMU.  The Wildcats sophomore reserve forward Sarah Lavell would first connect with a lay-up with 4:51 left and then Orth would connect with a lay-up after a Cardinal turnover with 4:28 left that got the St. Kate's lead to eight at 21-13.  SMU Head Coach David Foley was visibly frustrated on a variety of fronts but nothing caught his angst more than when the Wildcats' Torvik and the Cardinals' Paulson were involved in an inadvertent collision at the mid-court area that sent both players to the floor with no foul called.  Foley expressed his displeasure with the officials a bit too vociferously and was promptly slapped with a technical foul with 3:43 left.  St. Kate's Benjamin would get her two obligatory charity stripe attempts to go down that now gave the 'Cats a double-digit cushion at 23-13.  With 2:16 left, Orth would bury a "3" from the right wing area that upped the lead to 26-13 and the Cardinals' Foley had seen more than enough to know that a full timeout was warranted in order to try and stop the bleeding from this key 9-0 run that really changed the complexion of this ballgame.  SMU's Goettelman would finally break the Cardinals drought when she got one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 1:43 left but things would get even worse for the Winona gang before the halftime break.  The Wildcats' Lavell would connect with a short shot off the glass with 1:25 left and a pretty drive into the lane and hook shot finish by Glynn with :52 left made it 30-14.  To top it all off, Lavell would connect with a lay-up in transition with just :00.1 that also drew a foul and although the former Centennial standout could get the obligatory free throw to go down, St. Kate's took a 32-14 lead into the locker room at the half while SMU looked utterly dazed as they were clearly the victim of Murphy's Law in this second period.  

Ordinarily, you'd have thought that things would have improved for the Cardinals once the third period got underway but they didn't as St. Kate's continued with its onslaught.  Orth would bury her second trey on this night - this one coming from the right wing area at the 8:48 mark that sparked a 12-2 run.  Glynn would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 8:00 mark and then Schimnowski would bang home a "3' from the top of the key at the 7:21 mark to make it 40-16.  Glynn would snare a steal and race the other way for a lay-up at the 6:32 mark and a bit later, Lavell would connect on a lay-up that ballooned the Wildcat lead to 44-16 and SMU's Foley had no choice to take a match to a timeout as the rout was underway.  To their credit, the Cardinals were able to make a few dents into this sizable deficit.  Paulson would knock down a jumper from the free throw line at the 5:44 mark and would also drain a "3" from the right wing area with 4:51 left as well.  Newhouse would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 4:20 left and Petron would drill a "3" from the left corner with 3:33 left that had the deficit reduced to twenty-one at 46-25.  Freshman reserve guard Graysin Hartjes would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2:12 left and freshman reserve forward Kylie Lacey would connect with a jumper along the left baseline with :33 left but again, all SMU could do at this point was make some dents in an already sizable deficit and that point was driven home even more when the Wildcats' Schimnowski buried a dagger "3" from the right top area with :19 left as St. Kate's took a hefty 49-28 lead going into the fourth period.

Not much changed once the fourth period got going either.  Back-to-back scores by the Wildcats - an offensive rebound and putback by Lavell at the 9:20 mark and a score in the paint by Torvik at the 8:52 mark - left little doubt about how things were going to turn out with a 53-28 lead by St. Kate's.  The Cardinals did show some more proficiency on offense; albeit too late as Goettelman would make a drive for a finish at the 7:52 mark and freshman reserve forward Alyssa Coleman would get into the paint for a score at the 7:23 mark.  Coleman would also connect with a lay-up as well at the 6:17 mark and Goettelman would bang home a "3" from the right wing area with 4:07 left.  Freshman reserve guard Carissa Miller would also drain a "3" from the right wing area with 2:13 left but down twenty at 60-40, it was all about trying to make things look a bit more respectable now for SMU as this night belonged to the Wildcats who wanted to send their seniors out on their home court in style.  Freshman reserve guard Marissa Fronk would get into the books for St. Kate's as she would connect with a jumper along the left baseline that drew a foul in the process along with the ensuing "and one" with 1:45 left.  The best moment of this one was when Mulhern inserted Kurczek with :29.3 left to give her one last hurrah at Butler Center as the Wildcats ended the regular season on a very high note with a convincing 63-42 victory.

In retrospect, I think the thing that I took away from this game was that St. Kate's brought the energy tonight and Mulhern was in full agreement when I got to speak with him briefly afterward.  To me anyway, that was the most obvious aspect of it.  SMU on the other hand looked lethargic and out of sorts and had absolutely no response when the Wildcats went on that key second period run that changed the course of this game for good.  The Cardinals' Foley admitted as much afterward when I caught up with him as well.  In a sense, I can understand that, when you have a long day of classes and studying (and all the other things that student-athletes have to do) and then get on the bus, perhaps a bit tired and drained, for a long roadie up to the Cities and feel absolutely out of sorts on the court and get boatraced in the process, well it can be a humbling experience.  God knows I've had that happen to me on the tennis court before.  At the same time, if you're SMU, this is where you can't have excuses anymore and have got to be ready to go as the MIAC Playoffs start Saturday and it's all about survival now.  So there's that.  As you can imagine, the final box score was brutal for SMU as I'm sure the bus ride back down US Highway 61 and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City River Sub mainline was as well.  Just some numbers to consider here - going 14-48 from FG range for 29.2% from FG range and 5-24 from downtown for 20.8% not to mention getting outscored in the paint by a 38-12 count.  Eeeek.  Those 19 turnovers and getting out-rebounded by a 32-26 count didn't help things either.  The only red flag I could see for St. Kate's in this one was going 4-8 from the charity stripe for a straight 50%.  That's something that should be better and I know I pick on free throw shooting a lot but you'd be surprised how those bad numbers from that area alone can come back to bite you.   

It may have been Senior Night at St. Kate's but it was the junior, Glynn, who led the way with her 14 points.  Lavell was another pleasant surprise for Mulhern and his staff as she collected 12 points while Schimnowski was right behind with 11 points and Orth tallied 10 points in her final game at Butler Center in what was a very balanced attack for the Wildcats.  It was something of an "off" night for SMU's Paulson who had "only" 14 points but she was easily the leading scorer for the Cardinals on this night and she didn't get much help until it was too late.