MIAC Playoff Preview 2-23-26

As the number one-seed, Concordia hopes to be celebrating its first MIAC Championship Game victory since the 2010-11 season. 

 Well, here we are again when the most fun time of the year gets underway and the way this season has been for MIAC Women's Basketball, all I can say is buckle up and hold on to your hats.  This could get wild.  The teams that we thought would be here - for the most part anyway - are here but we've got to remember we had seven teams competing for just six playoff spots so sadly someone was going to get left out.  You've got at least three teams - possibly four - having high hopes of putting on their dancing shoes after this little shindig is all said and done.  I've honestly never seen a season like this in MIAC Women's Basketball before and I think one can reasonably make arguments for three or even possibly four teams finding a way to hold up the trophy next Saturday afternoon.  So let's break this little get-together down from the bottom up as I always do.  

6.  St. Scholastica - The Saints took a significant step upward this season; going 11-7 in conference play (and 16-9 overall) which was good enough to claim the sixth spot in the MIAC Playoffs as they held the tiebreaker over CSB.  Some may argue that St. Scholastica over-achieved this season and while one might be able to buy into that argument - at least up to a certain point anyway - this team is much better than what you think.  They're led be sophomore guard Ava Haus who just happens to be the leading scorer in the conference averaging 18.8 ppg and she's not afraid to battle down low with the "biggies" either.  Then you've got bespectacled fellow sophomore guard Evie Schmitz (13.7 ppg) as a backcourt mate.  Don't let her 5'6" frame fool you either.  She's one tough cookie for any opponent to guard and she just happens to lead the MIAC in three-point field goal percentage as well which makes her even more dangerous.  Junior forward Kloey Lind averages 13.6 ppg and eight rebounds a game and can use her 6'1" frame to swat away opponents shots.  Ryaan Speer is a tough freshman guard who's only going to get better with time and senior guard Jackie Johnson bring experience and leadership on the floor.  Head Coach Jason Schmitz can also get quality minutes from junior guard Gabby Voigt off the bench and fellow junior guard Jada Bierschbach can provide relief in the backcourt as well.  We know that the Saints can be deadly from behind the arc and to their credit, they're also solid from the charity stripe.  What was surprising to me was that St. Scholastica is actually second in the conference in team defensive rebounds with a 26.9 average.  Their assist/turnover ratio isn't terrible either as they're fourth in the conference in that department.  However, they're middle of the pack in actual turnover margin.  Ultimately, I think you have to believe that there's a ceiling with this team right now and I think it's because of the youth factor and I think that will inevitably catch up with them when they face Bethel at Robertson Center on Tuesday evening.  However, I also think that this team may very well be a force to be reckoned with next season and we're just getting a bit of a preview of that this time around.

Sure sign of trouble - I've already touched on the youth factor but unless they can get huge games off the bench from Voigt, Bierschbach, et al to compliment their starting five, taking down Bethel at Robertson Center this time of the year is likely going to be a bridge too far for this squad.

5.  Hamline - Some may see this as a bold statement but the Pipers are arguably the hottest team in the MIAC right now and I think what they've done over the last couple of weeks backs that argument up.  The funny thing of it all is that Hamline has been seeded higher in the MIAC Playoffs before, of course, but I think this particular team is better-equipped than those previous teams and has more potential this time around as well.  Their up-tempo style offensively is problematic for many opponents obviously but it's their pressure defense and trapping that can just wear on an opponent both physically and mentally when they really bring the heat.  As I've said before, it's a lot like trying to escape from Alcatraz when they come at you and there's a reason they're at the top of the pack in the MIAC in team defense.  But they have scorers, too.  Oh, do they ever!  Leading the way for Hamline is senior guard Camille Cummings (12.5 ppg) and when she gets into her groove from behind the arc, she can be absolutely lethal.  The problem for many opponents is that they have several other options as well - notably junior guard Lauren Cooper, senior combo guard/forward Sophie Stork as well as junior combo guard/forward Anna Rynkiewich.  Senior forward Marina LaFreniere is always a tough customer down low but what may make Head Coach Joshua Hersch's team so dangerous is that he's got a lot of good pieces coming off the bench that he can easily mix into the rotation and not miss a beat.  Sophomore guard Emma Lamppa has been brilliant at times off the bench and can slay you from downtown without a care in the world.  Slender sophomore guard Josie Schmidt can slither into the paint for a score or torch you from behind the arc depending on her mood.  Senior combo guard/forward Josie Wiebusch brings a ton of experience and leadership on the floor and junior forward Evelyn Wiltrout can provide rebounding on both ends of the floor.  So we know the Pipers are tops in the league in team defense and they're right up there in team offensive categories as well.  But the one area where the red flags come out is in the rebounding department where you see Hamline dead last in combined team rebounds.  Yikes.  Even worse, they're also dead last team defensive rebounds as well.  All this does give one a reason to pause for concern - and rightfully so as this could be the element that inevitably holds the Pipers back.  And, make no mistake about it, this Hamline team knows full and well that they have one path and one path only to the Promised Land and that's winning the whole ball of wax in this thing.  And they won't be able to rely on the magic of venerable Hutton Arena to strut their stuff this time around either.  They're going to have to do it in some different hostile environments.  That's just the reality of it all.  However, the way they've been playing as of late gives them that chance that they need.  As Rocco Lampone said to Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II, "Difficult.  Not impossible."

Sure sign of trouble - Given their propensity for the up-tempo style, the last thing that the Pipers want is to forced into a half-court game with a physical opponent and if the key players (Cummings, Cooper, Stork and Lamppa) can't knock down the requisite number of three-point bombs, Hamline's dreams could easily go up in smoke.

4.  SMU - Just a mere week ago, things looked oh so good for the Cardinals as they not only had a firm grip on the number-two spot but with a decent NPI ranking, they also had their eyes squarely set on putting on their dancing shoes come next Monday as well.  This team was one of the "feel good" stories of the MIAC this season with their youthful roster and a ton of promise.  But this last week happened and SMU got a (very) cold dose of reality as they not only lost tough road games to Hamline and GAC but also suffered on the injury front as well as sophomore forward Rylie Sternquist (concussion) is questionable for Tuesday night's game against Hamline and fellow sophomore guard Brianna Nusbaum (bruised tailbone) was arguably operating at 80-85% against GAC this last Saturday and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for both of them.  Fortunately for Head Coach Courtney Shelton and her staff, the Cardinals do have their leading scorer, freshman forward Ayla Olson (15.6 ppg) very healthy and ready to go and she put her team on her back this last Saturday at GAC.  Older sister junior forward Kali Olson is also a force down low and it's no surprise that she's second in the conference in rebounding at 9.2 rebounds per game.  Nusbaum had been averaging 15.0 ppg and Sternquist 13.0 ppg and again, it's easy to see how important both of those two are to the overall scoring punch for this team.  Senior point guard Lindsey Lettner (6.0 ppg) may not necessarily be what one would call a big scoring threat but her experience and leadership on the floor is invaluable.  Sophomore combo guard/forward Julia Koch is always a threat behind the arc and speedy freshman guard Hadley Sammons is also a very welcome presence off the bench for Shelton and her staff as is sophomore guard Emma Mann who can provide quality minutes coming off the pine.  In the rebounding department, there's only one team in the MIAC better than SMU (and I'll get to them later on) and they're tops in the conference in team offense.  And the Cardinals certainly aren't bad either in total team defense where they rank fourth in the conference.  Free throw shooting could be better but other than that - at least statistically anyway - it's tough to find a lot of issues when it comes to SMU.  But where one ultimately becomes reticent about the Cardinals is their depth or rather, the lack of it and this was going to be the case whether they were fully healthy or not.  I mean, I had hoped against hope that SMU wouldn't be facing any injury issues - particularly at this stage of the season - yet here they are dealing with just that and at the most inopportune time as well.  If they were all fully healthy and ready to go, absolutely I would give them a solid chance of taking this whole thing and even more so if they were operating from a second-seed position.  But the reality is that they're not so now it's going to likely take a 1969 New York Mets or a Ferragamo to Waddy-like miracle for them to do the unthinkable here.

Sure sign of trouble - If the injuries to both Sternquist and Nusbaum weren't enough, having the Olson duo getting into foul trouble would be the kiss of death for this team and their hopes.  

3.  Bethel - Ordinarily, I'd be very high on Bethel - particularly at this time of the year but this time around, even with the number-three seed in this thing, I'm not and it doesn't feel right not to be high on them.  Let's remember, the Royals played a very tough schedule this season; playing the likes of UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, UW-La Crosse, Coe, Illinois Wesleyan and Messiah - with mostly good results and that's one of the big reasons that their NPI is as strong as it is right now which basically makes the MIAC Playoffs a prelude to the NCAA Tournament for them.  But it's been somewhat of a different story after the first of the year with puzzling losses:  a ten-point loss at GAC, a shocking setback at St. Scholastica, getting ran out of town by SMU and the loss at home to Hamline earlier this month.  So yes, they're winning but now you're beginning to see chinks in the armor where you didn't necessarily expect to see them and it's a head-scratcher to say the least.  And it's not like Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer's squad is short on talent - just the opposite in fact.  You've got All-American fifth year senior forward Elly Schmitz who averages 14.3 ppg (and that's coming off the bench) and then you've got junior forward Emily Erickson who leads the Bethel scoring attack with her 17.7 ppg and has had some games this season where she seemed to be everywhere at times.  Lanky junior forward Cally Peterson is always a threat on either end of the floor as is senior combo guard/forward Rosalie Penke.  Then you have senior point guard Colette Duininck who does everything you would want a point guard to do and she's certainly one of the best on-ball defenders in the league and can make life a living hell for opponents with her defense.  And let's not forget about senior combo guard/forward Ali Born who adds length and is a solid rebounder and defender.  And Herbrechtsmeyer has got some very good pieces coming off the bench that he can easily insert and not miss a beat, too.  The real surprise as of late has been sophomore guard Alaina Bonacquista who has been getting quality minutes and is a real asset on both ends of the floor.  Sophomore guard Kenzie Lundeen is the likely heir apparent at the point guard spot and let's not forget about fifth-year senior guard Lexi Schermann who has a ton of experience and leadership and don't be surprised if she gets some minutes this week.  The one piece off the bench that's not there at the moment is junior guard Macey Littlefield and that's a huge loss for Bethel if she can't go this week.  We all know what Bethel's modus operandi is and that's their defense and pressure and trapping and when they come at you, it's like being ganged up on by those mean ol' raptors from the Jurassic Park movies and it's usually an unpleasant ending for their victims.  And it's no wonder that they're near the top in the conference in turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio as well.  You'll also see that the Royals are third in the conference in total offense so no problem there.  And they're also third in the conference in team FG percentage as well so no real problem there either.  And team free throw percentage?  No problem there either as they're third there as well.  But what's shocking to see is that Bethel is seventh in the conference in combined team rebounds and ninth in the conference in team defensive rebounds.  Then you throw in the fact that Bethel is sixth in the conference in team three-point FG percentage and eighth in the conference in three-point FGs made and you're like, "What the (expletive deleted), over?".  Look, we know that there's some other things that have held this team back somewhat; notably not having Schmitz at a full 100% and the aforementioned injury to Littlefield but man, for a team that's virtually a shoo-in for the Dance and with all the talent they have, I can't completely shut down the idea of them putting it all together to find a way to win it all but luck and good charm certainly don't seem to be on their side right now.  

Sure sign of trouble - While the Royals should find a way to hold serve at home on Tuesday evening, they'll have to find a way to shoot the lights out from there on out and we've seen this team vulnerable on the road more than once this season when their shots aren't falling. 

2.  GAC - After graduating three fifth-year seniors and three fourth-year seniors from a team that enjoyed a magic carpet ride to the Elite 8 in the Dance last season, many thought that this season's Gustie team would come crashing back to Earth in a resounding fashion.  And, to be sure, things started off rough with a season-opening loss to Wisconsin Lutheran and then GAC would proceed to lose four of their six games in the month of December.  But it was a much different story after the first of the year as the Gusties went 13-2 with the only blemishes coming against the team I'll be talking about next.  That's one heckuva coaching job by Head Coach Laurie Kelly and she certainly has my vote for COY this season.  Has it been perfect?  No, not by any stretch but I think what's really cool about this young team is that they've slowly been able to carve their very own identity for themselves in the process and I think it's a little unfair to compare this team with the teams of the last few seasons.  Two vastly different teams and situations.  But this young team is more than worthy of garnering attention all on their own.  Willowy junior guard Ella Peters leads the Gustie scoring attack with her 15.4 ppg average but she normally gets a lot of help along the way.  Fellow junior forward Whitley Ronn is solid on both ends of the floor and one shouldn't overlook slender junior forward Kendyl Queensland either who's deceptively quick.  But the real show-stealer on this team is sophomore point guard Anna Goodman who possesses some very serious swag.  She can be a total pest on the defensive end of the floor and an even bigger threat on the scoring end and her 18 points against SMU this last Saturday in the regular season finale is testament to that.  She's been gaining more confidence with each game this season and she's a matchup nightmare for every team in this conference.  And Kelly and her staff have their share of jewels coming off the bench as well.  Junior guard Peyton Stevermer can not only score but is also one of the more physical players in the backcourt in the MIAC as well.  And woe to any MIAC opponent that leaves junior guard Kaitlyn Schaefer all by her lonesome behind the arc as she has the ability to make you pay for that mistake in spades.  And when Kelly needs to get a little bigger and physical on the floor, all she has to do is call on the services of sophomore forwards Bella DeHaan and Bella Sutch and they usually deliver and then some.  The Gusties certainly don't have to worry about their defense too much as they're second in the conference so no real worries there.  While they're more or less middle-of-the-pack in team offense and team FG percentage, they're right up there in team three-point FG percentage and they're solid in assist/turnover ratio.  And you can't complain too much in the team rebounding department where they're fourth in the conference which isn't terrible and they're near the top in team offensive rebounds.  But what caught my eye is that the Gusties are seventh in the conference in team defensive rebounds but even more alarmingly is that they're eighth in team free throw percentage and that's not where you want to be this time of the year.  All that said, the youth factor notwithstanding, this squad definitely has the goods to do the unthinkable and win this whole thing.  What's more, they're not playing with house money either as they've got a solid NPI ranking at the moment and should they win their semifinal game Thursday night at home in Lund Arena, they can absolutely feel free to roll the dice and let it rip come this Saturday in the MIAC Championship Game where they can play with no fear with absolutely nothing to lose.  And if that doesn't make them the most dangerous team of all in this thing and the biggest threat to the next team I'll talk about, then I honestly don't know what the hell does. 

Sure sign of trouble - You can't really use the overall youth of this team as an excuse and I won't either.  They've come too far along.  Rather, the bigger worry I have is the overall physicality aspect where the Gusties have some room to grow here and that aspect could rear its ugly head if they indeed get to play the team I'll talk about next.   

1.  Concordia - Many, including yours truly, have been waiting for the Cobbers to finally emerge as a true contender for top honors in the MIAC and although they've had two teams flirt with that notion over the last few years, none of those teams were as deep and complete as this current Concordia team.  In many ways, this team reminds me of that great 1986-87 Iowa team (my alma mater) with BJ Armstrong, Roy Marble, Ed Horton, Gerry "Sir Jamalot" Wright, Brad Lohaus, et al and was deeper than most nuclear submarines that went 30-5 and SHOULD have won the whole ball of wax that season but I digress.  And while that dip into nostalgia might be, okay, a LITTLE unfair to this group, Head Coach Kim Wagers certainly has all the pieces in place to not only win this thing but to make a deep run in the Big Dance as well.  It really all starts with sophomore forward Maya Metcalf (16.2 ppg and 8.5 rebounds per game) and if she somehow doesn't win MIAC POY honors, then something is inherently wrong with the system here.  She's just that good and you certainly don't have to worry about the physicality aspect when it comes to her.  Senior guard Molly Musland is a bona fide threat from behind the arc and has no fear going up against bigger players when she has to.  Fellow senior guard Taya Jeffrey is arguably the glue that holds this team together and it's been awesome to see her transform from a seldom-used bench player to someone who got valuable minutes last season and now as someone who has blossomed into her full potential.  Senior point guard Taylor Safranski is as steady as they come and even though the stats would suggest that she doesn't score a bunch, she's one of the last players you'd want to leave behind the arc all by herself as she will make you pay dearly for that mistake.  Junior forward Genevieve Gruba sometimes seems to be the forgotten element in the overall Concordia attack but her 5'10" frame allows her to not only get into the paint for tough scores but also allows her to wreak havoc on the defensive and rebounding ends as well.  Then you've got to consider what Wagers and her staff have coming off the bench.  Freshman guard Kaitlyn Rohloff has already shown flashes of greatness and she's the likely heir apparent at the point guard spot but she's different as she can use flashy moves and score as well.  Then there's junior guard Alexa Snesrud who's as physical as they come and won't hesitate to mix it up in the paint with bigger players.  Fellow junior guard Olivia Hanson has already shown that she can be a big-time scoring threat and if that wasn't enough, you've also got players like sophomore guards Tatum Findley, Peyton Briedenbach and Brooklyn Christianson all ready to go if need be.  And if Wagers needs length in the frontcourt, she's set there as well as sophomore forward Kaia Gack and junior post Maci Wheeldon can both rebound as well as anyone in the MIAC.  Bottom line here:  This team is as loaded as they come.  But what's really cool about this team is that even though we've seen Metcalf steal the show on the scoring front several times this season, there have been others that have stepped up in other games.  In the season opener against UM-Morris, it was Wheeldon's 16 points leading the way.  Against UW-Stout and Carleton, Musland led the way 24 points both times.  Against Bethel in November, it was Jeffrey's 10 points that led the way and at GAC back on 1-31, it was Hanson's 16 points that led the way.  So while opponents may primarily put their focus on Metcalf, that doesn't mean others can't/won't step up.  And, in case you were wondering, there aren't many weak spots when it comes to Concordia.  Consider:  The Cobbers are second in the conference in total team offense and third in team defense not to mention second in margin of victory at 14.8.  Concordia is second in team FG percentage and tops in the conference in opponent FG percentage.  Need further proof?  The Cobbers are numero uno in team three-point percentage and second in opponent three-point percentage.  And Concordia is tops in combined team rebounds and team defensive rebounds.  And they're also tops in the conference in assist/turnover ratio as well.  In fact, the only thing that burns me when it comes to the Cobbers is that they're sixth in the conference in team free throw percentage and for a program that has had free throw shooting as one of its hallmark strengths, this should be upsetting.  However, I'm willing to give Concordia a pass on that for the time being.  But, make no mistake about it.  This is the team that, with everything they have at their disposal, should be the odds-on favorite to win the MIAC Championship Game - something that this program hasn't done since the 2010-11 season and that's a long dry spell.  And you know this team is more than capable of making a deep run in the Big Dance.  The big question is, are they really ready for the moment?  I think they are.  

Sure sign of trouble - It's arguably tough to find many scenarios where the Cobbers could falter in this thing although both GAC and Hamline both provide unique styles and matchups that could pose problems.  Free throw shooting could be a concern and that's the last thing you want to have rear its ugly head this time of year.

So there you have it.  Again, I have never seen a season in MIAC Women's Hoops like this one and it's just been so fun to watch.  And now we're getting into the REALLY fun part of it all.  As I said earlier, buckle up because this little party could be wild.  And while there's one team that's an obvious favorite, there's two or three others that could upset the whole apple cart.  As Michael Corleone said in The Godfather Part III, "Then no one is safe."  

Let's get this little party started, shall we?       

Sunday Update On The Bigger Picture - Simulated NCAA Tournament Field - 2-22-26

So wanted to give you an idea of what we might be looking at come Selection Monday on 3-2-26.  As you can tell, Concordia is in a solid spot right now as an overall number eleven seed and presumably in a very good spot to host a 1st/2nd round pod should they win the MIAC Championship Game next Saturday.  However, there are also a number of variables in play that could change all this.  First, keep in mind that the NCAA has the ubiquitous "500 Mile Rule" whereby any team that's within a 500-mile radius of a host school has to cover their own costs of transportation to the site event and as you can imagine, the NCAA Tournament Committee does their darndest for the first- and second-round pods.  But there are also situations where this isn't always possible either and, more often than not, schools out west or in Texas provide some logistical gymnastics for the committee.  As you can see, there are at least six teams within a 500-mile radius of the Fargo-Moorhead area - UW-La Crosse, Bethel, GAC, UW-River Falls, Wartburg and Bethany Lutheran - that could all easily fit into a pod hosted by Concordia.  Keep in mind though that there are three WIAC schools that are also prime candidates to host 1st/2nd round pods - UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater and UW-Platteville - where any of these six aforementioned teams could easily fit in.  It's entirely possible that the committee shoves Concordia to a Texas location or an Oregon location - even as a number-one seed in a pod - just for seeding integrity purposes.  And that's precisely why I worry about what the committee might decide to do with Concordia should the win the MIAC Championship Game this next Saturday.  And I'll just come out and say right now that it's certainly not fair at all to Concordia if they do their due diligence in winning the MIAC Championship Game and get shoved out west or down to Texas to protect their number-one pod seed.  

Aside from that, you'll see that both Bethel and GAC are currently in very good positions right now and if there's any doubt about the Gusties, I think those are effectively erased if they win their semifinal playoff game on Thursday night to advance to the MIAC Championship Game.  But it's a much different story for both SMU and Hamline right now and the only path those two teams have is to get the automatic bid by winning the MIAC Championship Game. 

So right now it appears that the WIAC will once again be a five-bid league with the MIAC getting three teams in while both the ARC and UMAC will be one-bid leagues.

As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts. 

 

MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 2-22-26

Congrats to the regular season champs - Concordia! 

 Hard to believe that another regular season has come to a close so here's my final MIAC Power Rankings for this season:

1.  Concordia

2.  GAC

3.  Hamline

4.  Bethel

5.  SMU

6.  St. Scholastica

7.  CSB

8.  St. Kate's

9.  Carleton

10.  (tie) St. Olaf, Augsburg & Macalester

The Cobbers finished out the regular season in style and the way you would expect the newly-crowned regular season champs to do as they easily raced past St. Olaf at home in cavernous Memorial Auditorium this last Wednesday night before running over to the frigid, snowy shores of Gitche Gumee and throwing St. Scholastica into said body of water yesterday with an easy twenty-point victory.  With the regular season crown theirs as well as the top seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs, Concordia can now get healed up, refueled, re-energized, refocused and ready for Thursday night's semifinal action........GAC put an exclamation mark on a fabulous run since the first of the year that - even with the win over Bethel - started quietly enough but they finished with a fury as they first took out St. Scholastica in a snow-delayed affair this last Thursday night before claiming a huge win in the monster game with SMU yesterday that gives them the number-two seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  The scary thing about the Gusties is that they may just be starting to play their best basketball of the season.  

Speaking of scary, I honestly don't know if there's a scarier team out there than the Pipers right now.  True, I've long had doubts about the Pipers in years past and they found ways to live up to some of the mediocre expectations that many had for them.  And there was every reason to think in late January after their ten-game win streak came to a halt that they might go into their annual February swoon.  Instead, Hamline went 5-1 in the month of February and picked up a lot of steam in the process and that was more than evident as a huge home win against SMU this last Wednesday night coupled with yesterday's romp down the road at Leonard Center against Macalester validates them being in the third spot in my Power Rankings on this Sunday.  True, they "only" got the fifth-seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs as a reward for their hard work but trust me when I tell you, this is the last team ANYONE wants to play right now........Bethel meanwhile is, well, Bethel and they did the work they needed to do this last week in racing past Augsburg this last Wednesday night over at Si Melby Hall and then pounding St. Kate's into submission on Senior Day at home in Butler Center yesterday.  But there's still some lingering doubts and reservations that I've been having about them over the last couple of weeks - especially after the loss to said Hamline team back on 2-11 and even with the third seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs at their disposal, the Royals are the one team that has the most question marks swirling about them.

Just a mere week ago, things were looking oh so good for the Cardinals as they not only had the inside track to the number-two seed in the MIAC Playoffs but a reasonably strong NPI ranking to go with it as well with visions of an NCAA Tournament dancing through their heads.  But the party preparations proved to be premature as this young team ran into basketball's version of Stalingrad this last week as they not only got beat but beat up as well at Hamline this last Wednesday night before yesterday's tough loss at GAC.  SMU still has the fourth seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs in their back pocket but this young team hit the roughest of spots at precisely the worst time and now you have to wonder how much they have left in the tank........You certainly can't accuse the Saints for a lack of effort in any way these last two weeks.  More than anything, I think reality caught up with them more than anything as their last three losses came against SMU, and then more recently this last week against GAC this last Thursday night and yesterday against Concordia.  Still, it's a big step forward for this St. Scholastica team that's done a lot this season and they've got the sixth-seed in the MIAC Playoffs to show for it.

Two teams that fell just short this season - CSB and St. Kate's.  The Bennies figured at the very least to be in the mix and they certainly had a path but the three-game skid in late January/early February proved to be a killer and losing a great piece in the starting lineup in Megan Morgan hurt too.  The Wildcats meanwhile just couldn't seem to find any traction at all this year.  They had their moments - a big upset win over SMU at home in early January and knocking off Hamline on 1-31 over at venerable Hutton Arena but they just couldn't find any consistency this year.

Things were tough this season for the two teams in Northfield - St. Olaf and Carleton. But the Oles have a young roster and should be better next season under Head Coach Megan Lueck.  And they ended the season on a good note with a home win over crosstown rival Carleton.  Speaking of the Knights, they mirror their crosstown rival with very young roster and with only two seniors graduating, it will be interesting to see who Head Coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen can bring in to the program in terms of recruits.

Augsburg is another team where youth is prevalent and it was arguably a struggle for Head Coach Mallie Doucette and her staff to find consistency.  But there's potential with these younger members and if the Auggies can develop some depth, they could return to their winning ways.  Despite their 3-21 overall record, Macalester proved to be a thorn in the side for many opponents this last season and with players like Mary Daley, Sydnee Smith and Kendall Bernbaum all slated to return for their senior seasons next year, the Scots will continue to be dangerous. 

Later on today, I'll have a look at the bigger picture and then tomorrow, I'll be providing my annual handicaps for the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  I'll say this much - I've never seen a season quite like this in the MIAC where you had seven - maybe even eight - teams competing for six spots in the MIAC Playoffs and if anything, it only shows how truly tough and competitive this conference really is and I'm glad I get the opportunity to talk about it.  

We're getting into the REALLY fun time of the year now.  Buckle up everyone.     

SMU vs GAC 2-21-26

It may have been Senior Day at GAC on this Saturday but that didn't stop sophomore point guard Anna Goodman from having a big day in leading the Gusties to a huge win and the number-two seed in the MIAC Playoffs as well.  

 Made a very good trip down US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline down to St. Peter on this sunny but cold Saturday for the regular season finale taking place at Gus Young Court in Lund Arena on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College and this game on this day was a huge one with visiting SMU taking on host GAC with MIAC Playoff seeding and NCAA Tournament implications galore.  The Cardinals had their six-game win streak snapped on Wednesday night in a very tough loss to Hamline and were needing a win today to have a chance to not only hold onto the number-two seed position but also keep their NCAA Tournament hopes above water as well.  The Gusties meanwhile were enjoying a five-game win streak coming into this contest that not only had them in position to steal the number-two see in the MIAC Playoffs with a victory but were also hoping to bolster their NPI ranking and stay very much in the NCAA Tournament conversation as well.  Today was also Senior Day at GAC and the Gusties lone senior, guard Bobbie Bruns, was honored before tip-off.

SMU would draw first blood in this contest at the 9:02 mark of the opening period when freshman forward Ayla Olson made a hard drive into the lane for a finish but the Gusties would be quick to respond.  Slender junior forward Ella Peters would bury a "3" from the left wing area at the 8:39 mark and two free throws by fellow junior sharpshooting guard Kaitlyn Schaefer after she was fouled at the 7:26 mark had GAC up 5-2.  But the Cardinals would be quick to retaliate with back-to-back three-point bombs.  Sophomore combo guard/forward Julia Koch would bang home a "3" from the left corner area at the 6:45 mark and then sophomore reserve guard Emma Mann would bury a "3" of her own from the right top area at the 5:52 mark that put SMU back out in front 8-5.  Right back came the Gusties, however, as junior forward Kendyl Queensland used a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up at the 5:29 mark that cut the deficit to one at 8-7 and a short time later, sophomore point guard Anna Goodman would connect on a lay-up with 4:57 left that pushed GAC back out in front by a 9-8 count.  The Cardinals would retake the lead on a pair of free throws by Ayla Olson after she was fouled with 4:34 left but SMU's lead would be short-lived as the Gusties took it right back on a three-point bomb by sophomore reserve guard Olivia Grothaus from the left corner area with 4:10 left.  After a foiled SMU possession, GAC would up its lead to 15-10 when junior forward Whitley Ronn buried a "3" from the left wing area with 3:53 left and two free throws by reserve junior guard Peyton Stevemer after she was fouled with 3:20 left had the Gusties up 17-10.  A tough score in the paint by sophomore reserve forward Bella DeHaan with 2:40 left maintained the seven-point edge at 19-12 and with 1:37 left, Stevemer capped this surprising 12-2 run that made it a 21-12 game.  But the Cardinals were able to shore up their defenses before this first period was over as freshman reserve guard Hadley Sammons would drill a "3" from the right top area with 1:15 left and with just :00.2 left, point guard Lindsey Lettner somehow got a desperate jumper from the left wing area to cooperate that at least had SMU closer down 21-17 that brought this wild and weird first period to a close.

Determined to make up for the rough patch they had to endure coming down the home stretch of the first period, the Cardinals set out to make a statement at the outset of the second period.  Ayla Olson would make a hard drive into the lane for a finish at the 9:34 mark that brought SMU back to within a single possession down 21-19 and moments later, Sammons would connect on a lay-up in transition at the 9:14 mark after a Gustie turnover that leveled the contest at 21 and GAC Head Coach Laurie Kelly; not at all liking the developments, called a thirty-second timeout to get her troops reorganized.  That short stoppage in play appeared to pay dividends as Peters would quickly respond with back-to-back scores.  The River Falls, WI native would first knock down a jumper along the right baseline at the 9:00 mark and less than a minute later she would snare an offensive rebound for a putback that had the Gusties back out in front by a 25-21 count.  This time, however, the Cardinals would quick to make amends as Ayla Olson would connect on a pretty reverse lay-up at the 7:48 mark that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" had the deficit down to a point at 25-24.  SMU would stay in that one-point range down 27-26 when sophomore guard Brianna Nusbaum connected on a lay-up at the 6:22 mark and at the 5:11 mark, the Cardinals would poke back out in front again at 28-27 on a pair of free throws by Lettner that now also had SMU in the bonus as well.  With 3:40 left, a lay-yup by Ayla Olson got the Cardinals lead to 30-28 but GAC would not let its opponent get any headway.  Peters would connect on a short jumper from the right side with 2:38 left that tied the game at 30-all and a short time later Peters would follow that up with a lay-up in transition with 2:13 left that pushed the Gusties back into the lead at 32-30.  SMU would get this contest knotted up again at 32 a piece when Koch made a hard drive for a finish with 1:22 left but GAC's Ronn would counter with a lay-up with 1:12 left that allowed the Gusties to take a slim 34-32 lead into the locker room at the halftime break in a game that had been a back-and-forth affair up to this point.

But this Cardinals team was short-handed on this day as they were without the services of sophomore forward Rylie Sternquist who suffered an apparent concussion during the Hamline game on Wednesday night and didn't travel with the team to St. Peter on this day.  To make matters worse, Nusbaum was arguably playing at about 80-85% on this day as she suffered a bruised tailbone in the Hamline game as well so to say that SMU was playing in conditions where their margin for error was quite slim would be an understatement to say the least.  And that worry for SMU Head Coach Courtney Shelton came to the forefront in the early stages of the third period when junior forward Kali Olson picked up her third foul of the afternoon and Shelton had no choice but to yank her to the pine for preservation purposes and go guard-heavy for a spell.  That opened the door somewhat for the Gusties to gradually expand their lead as Goodman would use a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up at the 7:53 mark to make it a 36-32 game and a lay-up by Ronn at the 7:09 mark maintained the four-point edge at 38-34.  Stevermer would cash in on a pair of freebies after getting fouled at the 6:37 mark and when Ronn followed suit after getting fouled at the 6:00 mark, the Cardinals' Shelton had little choice but to take a match to a thirty-second timeout after absorbing this 8-2 run by GAC that now had SMU down by eight at 42-34.  The Cardinals were able to take a bite out of this deficit on a routine score in the paint by Ayla Olson at the 5:43 mark but the Gusties would restore the eight-point lead at 44-36 when Stevermer made a tough drive along the left baseline for a finish with 4:50 left.  Things would deteriorate even more for SMU when Koch had to retreat to the bench after collecting her third foul on this day with 3:38 left and the Gusties were quick to pounce on this opportunity as Ronn would connect with a jumper from the right elbow area with 2:58 left that now gave GAC at ten-point cushion at 46-36.  It's easy to see how the Cardinals could have had their dam broken right there but instead they were able to make some quick repairs and get the deficit reduced a bit.  Sammons would make a hard drive for a finish with 2:26 left that had the deficit down to eight at 46-38 and despite Kali Olson retreating to the bench after picking up her fourth foul with 2:19 left, younger sis Ayla Olson would get a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled with 1:51 left that slimmed the deficit down to seven at 47-40.  With 1:18 left, Ayla Olson would strike again with a tough score in the paint that would keep SMU in that seven-point range down 49-42.  Koch would have to make a return trip to the bench after picking up her fourth foul of the day with 1:08 left but Ayla Olson would come to the rescue again by knocking down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with :51.1 left that kept the Cardinals in that seven-point range down 51-44 so despite so many things going against them in this third period, SMU found a way to be resourceful when they had to and were still very much in the thick of things as this one morphed into the fourth period.

The Gusties were anxious to open up some more space once the fourth period was underway and a short jumper from the left side by Peters at the 9:10 mark got GAC's lead to nine at 53-44 but they soon found the Cardinals to be uncooperative guests in their building.  Ayla Olson would strike again at the 8:47 mark with a drive into the lane for a finish that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" not only cut the deficit to six at 53-47 but now the Gusties' Kendyl Queensland had to retreat to the bench with her fourth foul of the day.  SMU would keep Ayla Olson as its focal point of offensive production and at the 7:55 mark she would get a pair of free throws to go down that drew the Cardinals closer down 53-49.  Then Koch; back in the game with those four fouls, would come through with a huge three-point bomb from the right top area that suddenly had SMU right back where they wanted to be; down just a single point at 53-52 and one had to figure that this was the Cardinals window of opportunity right here.  GAC's Laurie Kelly certainly had to be thinking in those same terms as she quickly saw her squad facing a danger point and she wasted little time in taking a match to a timeout as she needed to make some quick adjustments.  This stoppage in play proved to be exactly what this young Gustie team needed to get refocused again.  Grothaus would yank an offensive rebound for a putback at the 6:59 mark and then Goodman would uncork a three-point bomb from the right corner area a short time later at the 6:21 mark that stretched GAC's lead to six at 58-52.  The Cardinals were able to cut the deficit down to five at 58-53 when Ayla Olson got one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 5:56 mark but on the Gusties' subsequent possession, Goodman would again find her groove from behind the arc with a bomb from the left wing area at the 5:41 mark that upped GAC's lead to eight at 61-53 and now SMU's Shelton; who just a few moments ago had her squad in prime position down by just one, saw that window quickly closing and took a match to a timeout in hopes of finding some quick solutions.  But the Gusties would again get their lead to double digits at 63-53 when Goodman connected on a lay-up with 4:56 left before the Cardinals could start making inroads again.  Ayla Olson would snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:35 left and then Lettner would bury a "3" from the left corner area with 3:05 left that had SMU back to within striking distance again down 63-58.  But the Cardinals would never see themselves get back to within a single possession again as GAC always found answers when they had to.  Goodman would drop a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 2:43 left that not only grew the Gusties' lead to 65-58 but now SMU's Koch was done for the day as well after collecting her fifth and final foul plus GAC was now in the bonus as well.  Peters would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2:25 left to make it a 66-58 game and the Gusties would maintain this eight-point lead when sophomore reserve forward Bella Sutch connected on a lay-up with 1:42 left.  The Cardinals would attempt one last-ditch push as Ayla Olson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 1:27 left and would get two more to go down after getting fouled with :50.6 left that had the deficit down to five at 68-63.  GAC's Kelly would take a timeout at this point to draw up strategy to protect this five-point lead and, knowing the opponent would have to foul to preserve clock, Stevermer would get fouled with :45.6 left and she would knock down both free throw attempts to make it a 70-63 game.  SMU's Shelton would take a match to another timeout and with :31.3, the Cardinals would again cut the deficit down to five as Mann would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled.  Now it was GAC''s Kelly's turn to burn another timeout and the Cardinals would foul the Gusties' Goodman and she would respond with a pair of freebies with :29 left that made it a seven-point game again at 72-65.  SMU's Shelton would follow suit by using her last timeout in hopes of dialing up a miracle and with :18 left, the Cardinals got something in the form of that as Lettner would bang home a "3" from the left wing area that now had the deficit down to four at 72-68.  The Gusties' Kelly would then take her final timeout to set up strategy and with :16.3 left, Peters would get one free throw to go down that made it 73-68.  The Cardinals would launch one last desperate heave when freshman reserve guard Alexis Kube's three-point attempt went awry with :06.4 left and GAC would dribble this one out to not only preserve the crucial victory but perhaps just as important, snare the second-seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs as well.  

It took a little bit but was I was able to catch up with SMU's Shelton afterward and I had to ask her right away if she was able to advise on the status of the Cardinals' Sternquist for this next week - especially now with SMU relegated to the fourth seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs after this loss.  "We're hoping she'll be available and ready to go" she said.  But, as we all know, concussion protocol is nothing anyone wants to fool around with and it's safe to say that the Cardinals' athletic and training staff will not hesitate to err on the side of safety in this matter.  Probably just as important is the overall health of Nusbaum who again was not operating at a full 100% today with the bruised tailbone issue and really wasn't much of a factor in this game either which put another dent into SMU's chances on this day.  But as Shelton emphasized, you can only control what you can control and now they have to find a way to get this last week out of their collective systems and get refocused and ready for Hamline this coming Tuesday evening which will not be an easy chore regardless if the game is at Winona, in St Paul or on the moon.  Meanwhile, the mood was indeed festive on the GAC side as a party was held downstairs for the Gusties' Bruns on this Senior Day and Kelly was naturally relaxed and having fun catching up with some former Gustie greats when I caught up with her.  Again, you see this young team of hers taking a step in the right direction with every game.  And remember, we saw this team go through a very rough stage back in December when they lost four out of their six games that month.  What have they done after the first of year?  Well, they went 13-2 with the only two blemishes coming at the hands of league champ Concordia and for a coach that had to replace three fifth-year seniors and three fourth-year seniors, that's one helluva coaching job if you ask me.  The other thing too is that I also think that this current Gustie team is slowly carving its own identity and I think it's important that they do that so that there's no unfair comparisons made between this team and the teams of the last few years with the aforementioned senior group from 2025.  We saw this team rise to the occasion when it had to and they responded positively when they faced pressure situations in this game.  And all this has parlayed into not only the number two seed in the MIAC Playoffs but a very strong NPI ranking as well which should have them in very good shape for Selection Monday on 3-2.  

Again, I think it goes without saying that SMU had a very small margin for error on this day with the injury situation they're facing at the moment.  In order for them to have come out on top on this day, they were going to have to have a lot of things go right for them and it just didn't happen when it counted.  Despite the monster game from Ayla Olson on this day (which I'll have more on in a bit), GAC still owned a 34-29 edge on the boards.  The Cardinals did have the edge in points in the paint (thanks largely to Ayla Olson) at 30-26 and they also had a 12-7 edge in those all-important "second chance" points.  But GAC had the edge in points off of turnovers (17-11), fast break points (20-5) and bench points at 25-12 and that was just too much for SMU to overcome.  And the Cardinals' fortunes only worsened once Koch and Kali Olson got into foul trouble as well.  And SMU could have been a bit better from the charity stripe on this day as they finished going 18-23 for 78.3% and in a close game like this one was, that's leaving some critical points on the table.  Conversely for the Gusties, I was pleasantly surprised to see they were 22-26 for 84.6% which isn't bad at all.  

All I can do is heap praises on SMU's Ayla Olson's efforts on this day as she willingly put her team on her shoulders and easily led all scorers with her 32 points and she just missed out on a "double double" with her eight rebounds.  Don't be surprised if you see another big performance out of her this coming Tuesday night against Hamline.  Lettner, too, had to step up on this day as she finished with 10 points.  Balanced scoring meanwhile was crucial for the Gusties in this game and they certainly got it as Goodman led the way with her 18 points - something that you ordinarily wouldn't expect out of your point guard but Goodman is far from ordinary.  Then you had Stevermer coming off the bench and she poured in 14 points and both Peters and Ronn were right behind as they both finished with 13 points a piece.  When GAC can get this type of balanced scoring, they can win games and they won a big one on this day.  

Friday Update On The Bigger Picture - 2-20-26

 Wanted to provide a bit of an update on things going on with not only the MIAC Women's Basketball scene but the larger picture as well as we head into the final weekend of the regular season.

So, with GAC holding off a determined effort from St. Scholastica last night, we now have a three-way tie for second place in the MIAC between SMU, Bethel and GAC.  Just as important, it sets up tomorrow's (Saturday 2-21) clash between SMU and GAC down in St. Peter not only as a decider on second place in the conference and the number-two seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs but also as a de facto NCAA Tournament play-in game as well (which I'll show you in a moment).  I don't think I need to go into too much detail in emphasizing the importance of this particular game tomorrow.  The loser of this game will essentially have one path - and one path only - to the Big Dance and that will be via winning the whole ball of wax in the MIAC Playoffs and that's just going to be the reality of the situation.  When you look at the current standings in the MIAC right now, it's easy to see what an incredibly tough conference this truly is and it simply does not get the attention or respect it should.  My hope right now is that the MIAC can at least get three teams into the Dance and I don't think that's being unrealistic at all when you look at the NPI rankings.  But as you well know, we have to see how everything plays out first and after tomorrow's action, we'll at least have a clear idea of the seeding for the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  

So this pic gives you an idea of what things are looking like for teams that are currently on the "bubble" and it clearly demonstrates how important it is for each of these teams to win to maintain a reasonably strong NPI number.  I'll provide another update on things Sunday to see how things look after Saturday's action. 

 

SMU vs Hamline 2-18-26

Hamline brought the energy - as well as their pressure defense and trapping - that helped the Pipers bag a massive upset of SMU in Hutton Arena and throw the seeding for the upcoming MIAC Playoffs into disarray as well.

 Unlike last Saturday's trip over to the St Paul side of town to venerable Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University, the trip over on this snowy Wednesday evening was a royal PITA as I-694 was essentially a 10 mph bumper-to-bumper affair and Snelling Avenue wasn't much better.  Fortunately, I left my place early in anticipation of a slow trip and got myself settled into Hutton Arena for this huge late regular season clash between visiting SMU and host Hamline.  After the upset loss to CSB back in late January, the Cardinals had reeled off six straight wins including a big home win over St. Scholastica this last Saturday and were not only keeping a firm grip on second place in the MIAC standings but were very much in discussion for the upcoming NCAA Tournament with a decent NPI ranking.  The Pipers meanwhile bounced back nicely after the loss at Concordia back on February 7 as they pulled off a huge upset by knocking off Bethel at Robertson Center the previous Wednesday evening before last Saturday's big win at home over CSB that helped Hamline at least clinch a spot in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  So this game would have huge implications not only on the seeding for the MIAC Playoffs but also for things beyond that as well.

SMU would get off to a solid start in this one as freshman forward Ayla Olson knocked down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 9:04 mark of the opening period and she would follow that up with a pair of free throws after getting fouled in a transition opportunity at the 8:39 mark to put the Cardinals up 4-0.  The Pipers would cut the deficit to one when junior guard Lauren Cooper banged home a "3" from the left corner area at the 7:50 mark but SMU was able to get its lead to 6-3 on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Brianna Nusbaum after she was fouled at the 7:37 mark.  But a short time later, Hamline would get this game leveled at six a piece when junior forward Marina LaFreniere connected on a lay-up at the 7:21 mark that also drew a foul and allowed the former Blaine standout to cash in on the "and one".  And the Pipers would stay even at eight a piece when senior reserve combo guard/forward Josie Wiebusch muscled into the paint for a score at the 6:42 mark.  It was here where the Cardinals were able to launch a push.  Strong junior forward Kali Olson would first connect on a lay-up at the 6:27 mark that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" had SMU up 11-8.  Less than a minute later, younger sister Ayla Olson would make a hard drive for a finish at the 5:49 mark and when Nusbaum; the former Spring Lake Park standout, buried one of her trademark southpaw three-point bombs from the left corner area at the 5:06 mark, the Cardinals had their opponent doubled up with a 16-8 advantage and Hamline Head Coach Josh Hersch definitely did not like what was unfolding and he instinctively took a match to a thirty-second timeout to remedy the situation.  That short stoppage in play seemed to have the desired effect as the Pipers got things tightened up.  Sophomore reserve guard Josie Schmidt would come through with back-to-back scores - a drive along the right baseline and pretty finish with 4:02 left and then a short, turnaround jumper with 3:27 left - that narrowed the deficit to four at 16-12 and when senior combo guard/forward Sophie Stork muscled into the paint for a score with 3:00 left, Hamline was back to within a single possession down 16-14.  The Cardinals would up their lead to 18-14 when Kali Olson got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled with 2:10 left but then the Pipers closed out this first period with a 7-0 push thanks to their up-tempo style and the pressure and trapping defense.  LaFreniere would maneuver into the paint for one score with 1:40 left that cut the deficit back down to two again at 18-16 and when Cooper buried a "3" from the left corner area with 1:04 left, Hamline suddenly had grabbed its first lead of the evening at 19-18.  And the Pipers would extend that lead to 21-18 when Schmidt connected on a short jumper in the lane with just :04.5 left so for SMU Head Coach Courtney Shelton and her staff who likely wanted to land a knockout punch early on in this contest, that hope had now gone out the window and now the Cardinals found themselves having to adjust to the reality that they were going to be drawn into a fierce battle from a very good opponent.   

And the Cardinals prospects certainly did not brighten in any way once the second period was underway.  Hamline senior guard Camille Cummings would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 9:11 mark and when LaFreniere connected on a lay-up at the 8:24 mark, the Pipers would suddenly enjoying a six-point advantage at 24-18.  At the 7:40 mark, SMU's Nusbaum collected her second foul of the evening and Shelton was quick to yank her star shooter back to the pine for preservation purposes.  Despite this, the Cardinals were able to find solid footing again as Kali Olson was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 7:08 mark that also drew a foul in the process and her obligatory "and one" got the Cardinals back to within a single possession down 24-21.  A short time later at the 6:25 mark, Kali Olson would strike again with a routine score in the paint that had the deficit down to one at 24-23 and two free throws by strong sophomore forward Rylie Sternquist after she was fouled at the 5:46 mark pushed SMU back out in front again at 25-24.  One free throw by Ayla Olson after she was fouled with 4:33 left capped this welcome 8-0 run that made it a 26-24 ballgame but that lead was short-lived as Hamline's Cummings would drain one of her trademark three-point bombs from the left corner area with 4:04 left that had the Pipers back in front at 27-26.  Now it was the Cardinals turn to respond as one free throw by Kali Olson after she was fouled with 3:13 left leveled the contest again at 27 and now SMU was in the bonus as well.  And when Ayla Olson drained a "3" from the left corner area with 2:45 left, SMU had appeared to weather the worst of the storm with a 30-27 advantage.  Sternquist would give the Cardinals a 32-30 lead when she connected on a lay-up with 3:13 left and the former Big Lake standout would repeat the feat with 1:45 left that gave SMU a 34-32 lead.  With 1:20 left, the Cardinals got another boost when speedy freshman reserve guard Hadley Sammons snared a steal and raced the other way for a lay-up that got the lead to 36-32.  In the final minute, SMU was able to build on its lead from the charity stripe.  Ayla Olson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with :46.9 left as would Kali Olson after she was fouled with :38.8 left.  With just :02 left on the clock, Sternquist would follow suit after she was fouled by cashing in on one charity stripe attempt as the Cardinals now seemed to have momentum clearly on their side with a 39-33 advantage as both teams headed for their respective locker rooms for the halftime break.  

And two quick scores by SMU early on in the third period seemed to solidify the thought that this young team was getting into position to finally apply the proverbial knockout punch that they failed to deliver in the first period.  Sternquist would connect on a jumper from the left elbow area at the 9:26 mark.  Then Ayla Olson snared an offensive rebound of her own miss for putback at the 8:52 mark that made it a 43-33 game and at the 7:34 mark, Ayla Olson would snare another offensive rebound for a putback that maintained the ten-point edge at 45-35.  The Pipers would get the deficit cut to six when junior reserve forward Evelyn Wiltrout connected on a lay-up at the 6:51 mark and two free throws by Stork after she was fouled at the 6:11 mark but the Cardinals responded with consecutive scores that rebuilt the double-digit cushion.  Nusbaum would knock down a pair of free throws after she was fouled with 4:51 left and a short jumper in the lane by Kali Olson with 3:48 left seemed to restore order with SMU up 49-39.  Hamline would try and chip away again as LaFreniere connected on a lay-up with 3:17 left but again the Cardinals would calmly respond.  Kali Olson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2:43 left and when Sternquist banged home a "3" from the right corner area with 2:07 left, SMU was once again enjoying a ten-point cushion up 53-43.  But it was here were the first subtle shift of this contest came as the Pipers ended this third period with a 7-2 push.  Cooper would start this push with back-to-back scores - a drive into the lane for a finish with 1:49 left and then a lay-up with :44.6 left - that had the deficit down to six at 53-47.  SMU's Kali Olson would snare an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback with :27 left that got the lead to eight at 55-47 but when Hamline sophomore reserve guard Emma Lamppa buried a cold-hearted "3" from the left top area with just :00.3 left on the clock, the Pipers not only now saw the deficit cut to a much more manageable five points at 55-50 but the Cardinals now seemed a bit shell-shocked as well as that ten-point cushion they had only a short time ago had not only been cut in half but cut in half in what seemed like a heartbeat.  

Proving that this late third period push was no fluke, a quick 5-0 push by Hamline to start the fourth quarter is where this contest seemed to turn in their favor.  Wiltrout would connect on a lay-up at the 9:04 mark and when Stork banged home a "3" from the right top area at the 8:43 mark to tie the game at 55, venerable Hutton Arena was rocking and the Cardinals' Shelton wasted little time in taking a match to a timeout to get her squad calmed down.  But the Pipers were now employing their full-court pressure defense and trapping that was now beginning to take its toll on this young SMU team.  Lamppa would connect on a lay-up at the 7:58 mark to tie the contest again at 57-all and then at the 6:44 mark, Hamline would assume the lead at 59-57 when Schmidt connected on a lay-up.  The Cardinals would get this contest knotted again at the 6:26 mark when Kali Olson got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled and younger sis Ayla Olson would do the same after she was fouled at the 5:31 mark that kept things even-steven at 61.  SMU in fact would get its nose poked out in front one more time at 63-61 when Ayla Olson snared a steal and raced the other way for a lay-up with 4:22 left but it was here where the Pipers really started making life miserable for its opponent with that pressure defense and trapping not to mention a key 10-0 run as well.  Cummings would unleash a cold-blooded "3" from the right corner area with 4:11 left that put Hamline in front for good at 64-63 and would follow that up a bit later with two free throws after getting fouled with 3:55 left that made it 66-63.  A short time later with 3:36 left, Stork would bury a cold-hearted "3" from the left top area that suddenly made it 69-63 and making things even more dire for the Cardinals, Kali Olson would pick up her fourth foul with 2:35 left but by this point, SMU's Shelton had little choice but to roll the dice.  With 2:17 left, the Pipers' Cooper buried a jumper from the top of the key area just inside the arc that now made it a 71-63 game and while this wasn't exactly checkmate for the Cardinals just yet, it seemed pretty damn close to that.  To their credit, SMU got the deficit whittled down to four as Kali Olson muscled into the paint for a score with 1:58 left and with 1:32 left, Ayla Olson got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled in a transition opportunity after a steal that still made things a doable proposition down 71-67.  But Hamline would hold firm and after a thirty-second timeout called by the Pipers' Hersch to set up strategy, Wiebusch would connect on an important lay-up with 1:11 left to make it a six-point game at 73-67.  The Cardinals would again get the lead cut down to four at 73-69 when Kali Olson knocked down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with :46 left but there was no panic from Hamline.  With :27.6 left, Lamppa would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled that not only made it a 74-69 game but now the Pipers were in the bonus as well.  SMU's Shelton would then take a timeout in hopes of drawing up a miracle and with :15.7 left, the Cardinals did seem to get something of a miracle when senior point guard Lindsey Lettner had to heave up a prayer of a three-point bomb attempt from the right wing area with the shot clock winding down that found its mark and now down just a single possession at 74-72, there was still a sliver of hope left for the SMU contingent.  But that last wisp of hope would be quickly extinguished as Hamline's Lamppa would get fouled with :14.4 left and she would make good on both charity stripe attempts to make it a 76-72 ballgame.  The Cardinals' Shelton would take another timeout hoping there was still one more miracle in the well but when a Lettner three-point shot attempt missed its mark with :04.2 left, that was indeed checkmate as the Pipers' Stork would be fouled with :00.8 left and she would get one free throw out of it as Hamline pulled off a massive upset and sent MIAC Women's Basketball into chaos once again with a wild 77-72 victory.  

When I was finally able to catch up with a disappointed Shelton of SMU afterward, she could only shake her head in utter disappointment in reflecting on how this one got away from her team.  She inevitably had to point to her young team's inexperience in these types of situations but strictly in the big picture, this latest setback is, well, a major setback.  There's no question that Hamline's pressure defense and trapping took its toll on this young Cardinals team and she couldn't help but lament that her backcourt simply was unable to handle things when they had to bear the full brunt of the Pipers charge at them.  And now SMU has to quickly refocus as they have another huge outing coming up Saturday in St. Peter against GAC.  "We had to find a way to bounce back after the loss to 'Kate's', we had to find a way to bounce back after the loss to St. Ben's, and now we're going to have to find a way to bounce back after this one" she said.  And considering that both the Cardinals and the Gusties, who now have their respective NCAA Tournament chances hanging on a ledge as of this writing, you can bet that both teams will bring everything - including the kitchen sink - come Saturday at Lund Arena.  

The final box score on this one certainly doesn't paint a pretty picture at all for SMU but you have to pull back the layers on this one to really be able to get your arms around as to what went down and how it went down.  First things first though.......You'll see where the Cardinals did indeed own a big advantage on the boards by a 30-18 count and they also enjoyed a sizable advantage in those all-important "second chance" points at 17-5.  And SMU wasn't bad from the charity stripe at all on this night going 28-34 for 82.4% yet it could have been better (more on that in a moment).  But where you see things go to hell in a handbasket for the Cardinals is when you see that they coughed up the rock 22 times on this night and the fact that Hamline got 15 points off of those Cardinal boo-boos.  And as good as the Olson duo was on this night for SMU, the Cardinals still got outscored in the paint by a 36-28 count.  But here's where you have to start peeling back the layers on all this.  While SMU as a whole shot 20-44 from FG range for 45.5% which isn't "bad", you have to consider about how they shot at particular times.  In the fourth period for example, the Cardinals shot only 3-11 from FG range for 27.27%.  Ouch.  And things weren't much better from behind the arc in that fourth period alone for SMU where that heave-ho from Lettner was the only bomb that fell for the Cardinals.  But again when you start pulling back the layers on all this and see that other than two free throws from Nusbaum in the third period and the aforementioned three-point bomb from Lettner, SMU got no production whatsoever from its backcourt and had to rely solely on the Olson duo and Sternquist and that alone is playing Russian Roulette right there.  And speaking of Nusbaum being limited to just two charity stripe shots in the second half alone is astounding when you consider how good she really is and it shows you why Hamline's defense is top in the MIAC - all credit to them on that.  But I want to point out one other key sequence for SMU that I pondered a lot after this game - and that was coming down the stretch before the halftime break in the final minute that saw the Olson duo along with Sternquist with trips to the charity stripe where the Cardinals had been in the bonus - and each of them came away with one free throw a piece instead of two.  Some might be quick to say that I'm splitting hairs here and I certainly am not trying to lay any undue criticism on any one player, I'm just simply pointing out that had pairs of free throws been made by each, you're now looking at a nine-point lead at 42-33 going into the locker room and in a close game like this one was, those were three crucial points that SMU never got to see.  But again, one simply has to tip their cap to the Pipers on this night as they were simply too good when it counted.  When they come at you with that pressure defense and the trapping that they employ, it's akin to trying to escape from Alcatraz and as you can imagine for an opponent, the odds aren't looking good for you.  It just seems to energize them even more when they start getting points - especially three-point bombs - out of turnovers and this is why when you look at this team and what they've done over the last few weeks, you now have to look at this Hamline team as a legitimate title contender.

Balanced scoring was another key on this night for the Pipers and it was Cooper's 12 points leading the way but she did have plenty of help as both Stork and Cummings tallied 11 points on this night and Schmidt shined on this night as well as she was right behind with her 10 points.  But it was SMU's Olson duo that led all scorers on this night as both Kali and Ayla both poured in an amazing 25 points a piece and Kali had a "double double" with her 13 rebounds as well.  Sternquist would finish with 10 points on this night for the Cardinals.  

Simulated NCAA Tournament Field And Other Related Items - Sunday 2-15-26

 As we go into the last week of the regular season, I think it's time that we start taking a look at the bigger picture; i.e, the NCAA Tournament and how the MIAC is stacking up with the other conferences.  On X (formerly Twitter), I follow Scott Peterson (@scott_peterson4) who provides almost daily updates as to how things are looking.  

So, the first picture is a simulated Field of 64 teams that will likely make the NCAA Tournament if the pairings were announced today.  As you can see, there are four MIAC teams that would get in if things stood like this come Monday 3-2-26.  Concordia (assuming they win both the MIAC regular season title as well as the MIAC Championship Game) would be a number sixteen seed and would at least get to host a 1st/2nd round pod in Moorhead.  Bethel as a number 26 seed would presumably get shipped off to one of the WIAC hosts.  When it comes to SMU and GAC, my guess is that one of those two teams would get shoved to the pod in Moorhead that Concordia's hosting while the other gets shipped to a WIAC pod (and I'm just guessing that the Tournament Committee would likely place GAC up at Moorhead but that's just me).  Speaking of the WIAC, as of today anyway, the again appear to be a five-bid league with UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater and UW-Platteville all in excellent position to host 1st/2nd round pods.   

And you should have an idea of the At-Large tiers.  You'll see where both Concordia and Bethel are currently listed as "locks" for the NCAA Tournament should either of them falter in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  As of today, no MIAC teams are listed in the "Likely" field which makes things tricky for the next field - the "Bubble In" where both SMU and GAC are listed.  As of today, both SMU and GAC would get in but they would be sweating during the Selection Show.  Hamline quite obviously from this picture would have to do the impossible and win the MIAC Playoffs to get the automatic bid as they currently have no other path.  

Another interesting viewpoint is the Proximity Report which gives you an idea of who could go where for a 1st/2nd round pod that's within the NCAA's "500 Mile" rule where a school has to provide its own transportation for a team to a host site provided the site is at least within 500 miles.  If it's 500 miles or more, then the NCAA has to cover transportation costs and we've obviously have seen this happen before (see Whitman out of the NWC from last season).  And this obviously would affect any MIAC teams that would find themselves traveling.  Again, assuming Concordia wins the MIAC regular season title and the MIAC Championship Game, there presumably would be at least seven teams that would be within the 500-mile range of Moorhead that the NCAA Committee could send there.  However, keep in mind that the actual bracketing itself is never easy and, depending on how things turn out elsewhere, they could be forced to cover transportation costs (flight) for a team in Texas or out of either the NWC or SCIAC.  Conversely, if Concordia were to falter in the last week of the regular season or in the MIAC Playoffs, the only likely destination for the Cobbers - if you're talking in terms of that 500-mile Rule, would be at UW-Platteville (assuming they're still in a position to host) as both UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater are too far away so the NCAA would have a problem in that kind of a scenario.  

I'll be providing updates later on this week......