Some more reshuffling to do this morning after what went down this last week:
1. Augsburg
2. Hamline
3. Bethel
4. GAC
5. CSB
6. Carleton
7. Concordia
8. St. Olaf
9. SMU
10. Macalester
11. St. Kate's
12. St. Scholastica
The Auggies recovered from their only blemish in the conference this last week; beating both St. Kate's this last Wednesday night and then dismissing St. Olaf yesterday over at Si Melby Hall as expected. Now a much bigger test looms for Augsburg as they must travel down US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline down to St. Peter to take on GAC tomorrow (Monday) night. Though I give the edge to the Auggies, this will again be a big test for them not to mention a measuring stick of where they're really at right now. The remainder of this week looks a bit more manageable as both SMU (Wednesday 2-9) and CSB (Saturday 2-12) pay visits to Si Melby Hall. A solid week for Hamline as well as they slide up into the number two spot after last Wednesday's rout of St. Scholastica and yesterday's narrow escape up in Moorhead against Concordia. This coming week looks doable for the Pipers as they'll host CSB in venerable Hutton Arena tomorrow (Monday) night before a trip down to Northfield to face an always-tricky Carleton team and then hosting St. Kate's next Saturday.
Bethel, too, has recovered nicely after the debacle over at Si Melby Hall in late January; reeling off two solid wins this last week at Robertson Center - beating CSB this last Wednesday night and then yesterday's rout of SMU. This next week is something of a mixed bag for the Royals as they must make the arduous trip up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to Moorhead to face Concordia; always a tough proposition. Assuming they can get past that, a trip up to the Twin Ports to face St. Scholastica on Wednesday night before hosting Macalester next Saturday.....So, if you like roller coaster rides (you know, the ones where you go REALLY up, and then REALLY down), you probably could easily connect with this GAC team that may have played one of its worst games of the season over in Winona this last Wednesday night when they got upended by SMU. Now, to be sure, the Gusties responded nicely yesterday with a resounding 95-45 win over St. Kate's at Lund Arena but, in my mind anyway, it's not enough to prevent their slide down into the fourth spot in my Power Rankings today. That game with SMU was a game they needed to have and I just don't think there's much in the way of lifelines left for the Gusties if you're talking about beyond the MIAC Playoffs. And here's the thing: Tomorrow night's home game against Augsburg is about as close to a "must win" deal for the Gusties as there is. They need that signature win and the game on Monday night is about the only one left on the schedule right now anyway for that. And then, they've got to make trips up to both Moorhead to face Concordia on Wednesday night and then up to the Twin Ports next Saturday to face St. Scholastica..
CSB had to settle for another split this last week - getting bounced at Bethel last Wednesday night before recovering to snare a good home win against Macalester yesterday. This next week though looks like another rough patch for the Bennies as they'll come down to the Cities to face Hamline at venerable Hutton Arena tomorrow night before a home game with St. Olaf on Wednesday night. Then next Saturday; another trip down to the Cities to face Augsburg. Ouch......Meanwhile, a good week for the Carleton Knights this last week as they took care of Macalester in West Gymnasium this last Wednesday night before yesterdays big road win on the shores of Gitche Gumee against St. Scholastica. And a big opportunity awaits the Knights this next week as they'll come up to the Cities to play at St. Kate's tomorrow night before hosting Hamline on Wednesday night and then crosstown rival St. Olaf next Saturday. Assuming they can get two out of three out of this deal, Carleton may very well be the last team you'll want to face in the upcoming expanded MIAC Playoffs......It was a costly, costly week for the Cobbers as they had to absorb two losses that arguably could have been prevented: at St. Olaf this last Wednesday night and then a heartbreaker to Hamline in cavernous Memorial Auditorium yesterday. It's games like these that have prevented the Cobbers from taking that next proverbial step that we all thought they were ready to take this season. And it's a good news/bad news proposition for Concordia this next week. The good news? They have home games both tomorrow night and Wednesday night. The bad news? The guests are Bethel (Monday night) and GAC (Wednesday night) followed by an extraordinarily long roadie down to Winona to face SMU next Saturday.
We're edging closer to the MIAC Playoffs which I'll have thoughts on soon. Fire away with thoughts....
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