Section 2AAAA Championship Game - Eden Prairie vs Minnetonka 3-8-24

 Made the trek down to the southwest side of town on this pleasant-enough early March Friday evening to Minnetonka High School - a venue that I haven't been to in eons - to take in this heavyweight Section 2AAAA Championship Game between second-seeded Eden Prairie and top-seeded and host Minnetonka.  The Eagles had cruised past Waconia and Chaska enroute to this championship bout while the Skippers got a bye in the first round and then unceremoniously dumped Prior Lake last Saturday to earn the right to host this contest.  Both teams are very well-coached - Eden Prairie in the hands of Ellen Wiese and Minnetonka under the tutelage of Brian Cosgriff and both teams feature vastly different styles with different types of athletes that help achieve their ends.  The fact that the Minnetonka Gymnasium was packed on this night - with both schools bringing their rowdy student sections for this classic, you knew you were walking into a good one and getting your money's worth.  

With both student sections giving their best, both Eden Prairie and Minnetonka spent the first two minutes of this first half trying to shake off the early game jitters that included easy missed shots and a bevy of turnovers and mistakes.  Finally, at the 16:36 mark, the Eagles would draw first blood when slender junior guard Tori Schlagel used her 5'9" frame to snare an offensive rebound for a putback but the actual recovery process from these early game jitters easily went to the Skippers as they reeled off a 9-0 run to give them the upper hand.  Do-it-all junior sensation guard Aaliyah Crump would make a quick dart into the lane and knock down a short jumper at the 16:22 mark to tie the contest and then sophomore guard Lanelle Wright would connect with a jumper from the left wing area at the 15:21 mark to push 'Tonka out in front by a 4-2 count and that lead would expand to 6-2 when Crump made another daring drive into the lane full of traffic to get a pretty little floater to go down at the 13:54 mark.  Senior guard Grace Hamdorf would punctuate this early Skipper run with a three-point bomb from the left corner at the 13:08 mark that grew the lead to 9-2 before Eden Prairie finally stopped some of the bleeding on one free throw by junior combo guard/forward Ella Hardwick after she was fouled at the 12:46 mark.  But the Skippers would get their lead to 11-3 when Wright would make a quick dart into the lane for a finish at the 11:55 mark to make it an eight-point game at 11-3 before the Eagles could even find some reasonable traction on the offensive end.  Schlagel would connect with a very tough lay-up at the 11:10 mark and would follow that up a bit later at the 10:34 mark with two free throws after getting fouled that made the deficit much more-manageable down 11-7.  But Minnetonka would get more breathing space when senior reserve guard Sydney Cummings buried a "3" from the left corner at the 10:10 mark to make it a 14-7 game and given how Eden Prairie had been struggling over the last few minutes with misses on easy lay-ups and "bunnies", a seven-point deficit seemed larger than what it really was.  

The Eagles would attempt to make inroads again with 8:17 left in this first half when strong junior forward Rae Ehrman banged home a "3" from the left corner that again had Eden Prairie right back to within striking distance down 14-10 but the Skippers had vastly different ideas when it came to letting its opponent close the gap and Minnetonka - specifically senior guard Tori McKinney- went to work.  The future Minnesota Golden Gopher would first drain a "3" from the top of the key with 5:21 left to re-establish the seven point advantage at 17-10 and less than a minute later with 4:10 left, Tori McKinney would connect with a jumper from the left side to up the 'Tonka lead to 19-10.  A minute after that with 3:10 left, Tori McKinney would strike again by using her 6'1" frame to snare an offensive rebound for a putback that now had the Skippers up 21-10 and Eden Prairie definitely appeared to be in a lot of trouble at this point.  To the Eagles credit, they didn't fold up shop as Hardwick would connect with a lay-up with 2:48 left and then Schlagel would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 1:55 left that closed the gap to eight points at 22-14.  With just :28 left, sophomore reserve guard Jazmyn Hooks would sneak into the paint for a score that cut the deficit down to six at 22-16 and certainly seemed to have Eden Prairie in much better position.  Still, with :01 left on the clock, the Skippers would get the last laugh of this wild and weird first half as Wright would make a daring drive into traffic for a finish that allowed Minnetonka to take a 24-16 lead into the locker room at the half and in a game where defense seemed to take center stage, this eight-point deficit that the Eagles were facing seemed a lot larger than what it was and as both teams headed to their locker rooms, I couldn't help but say to myself, "How many lay-ups and 'bunnies' can Eden Prairie miss in one half?" 

The beginning of the second half mirrored that of the first half in that it took over three minutes before the cobwebs got dusted off of a basket as Eden Prairie's shooting woes continued and the Skippers weren't faring a heckuva lot better.  Finally, Minnetonka broke the ice when the athletic Crump snared a steal and raced the other way for an easy lay-up at the 14:41 mark that now had the 'Tonka student section in a frenzy with a ten-point 26-16 advantage.  The Eagles would launch their first comeback bid as junior guard Camryn Dennin banged home a "3" from the left top area at the 14:23 mark to get Eden Prairie back to within single digit range again down 26-19 but that was effectively wiped away when the Skippers' Crump would bury a "3" of her own from the left top area at the 12:34 mark to re-establish the ten-point cushion at 29-19 and down by ten in this defensive slugfest with shooting woes galore, it seemed as if Eden Prairie might've reached the point of no return.

Undaunted, the Eagles would give it another go as Hooks would slither into the paint for her second score of the evening at the 11:36 mark that got the deficit down to eight and a jumper from the free throw line area by Hardwick at the 11:01 mark narrowed the gap even more at 29-23.  Minnetonka would increase its safety net back to nine when Tori McKinney drained a "3" from the right top area at the 10:36 mark to make it 32-23 but Eden Prairie would not be deterred this time around.  Junior guard Vanessa Jordan would get a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled at the 9:20 mark and then the Eagles hunkered down on defense to give themselves more opportunities.  Hooks would again slither into the paint for a tough score with 7:19 left that suddenly had the deficit down to five at 32-27.  With 6:44 left, Hooks would come up big again for this Eden Prairie team as she used her strong 5'8" frame to muscle into the paint again to score that suddenly had the Eagles back to within a single possession down 32-29 and with the Eden Prairie student section and fans going wild, the Skippers were the beneficiary of a much-needed stoppage in play with a media timeout.  But even this opportunity for everyone to catch their collective breaths didn't faze the Eagles as Schlagel would show her worth by burying a cold-hearted "3" from the right top area with 6:03 left that finally had this contest leveled again at 32 a piece.  Minnetonka would poke its nose out in front again when Tori McKinney got a three-point play the old-fashioned way with a drive and finish with 5:41 left that also drew a foul along with the obligatory "and one" to make it 35-32 Skippers but Eden Prairie wasted little time in getting this game knotted up again.  Schlagel would drop a pair of freebies after getting fouled with 5:24 left and Hardwick would get one to go down after getting fouled with 3:05 left that not only tied the game at 35 but now the Eagles were in the bonus as well.  This cat-and-mouse game would continue as 'Tonka's Wright would knock down a short jumper in the lane with 2:31 left but the Eagles would respond with a Hardwick score in the paint with 2:08 left that had things even-steven again at 37.  You could feel the tension building building coming down the home stretch as each side sought to gain whatever little advantage they could find.  With 1:48 left, the Skippers' Wright would get fouled and she would get both free throws to go down to put Minnetonka back out in front again 39-37.  Eden Prairie would have a golden opportunity slip through its hands when the Eagles' Dennin got fouled with 1:37 left but the young junior was unable to get the free throw attempt to cooperate but the Skippers would inadvertently leave the door open on the other end when they committed a costly turnover.  With 1:19 left, Eden Prairie's Wiese would call a timeout to set up strategy and the Eagles again let an opportunity slip through their hands as Minnetonka was able to force a loose ball from Hardwick and a mad scramble ensued for the rock with 1:04 left.  No foul was called and eventually Eden Prairie would get this game tied once more when Hardwick was fouled with :15.6 and she would calmly step to the line and get both free throw attempts to go down to make it 39-all.  Minnetonka's Cosgriff would call a timeout in hopes of setting up a potential game-winning play but, as it turned out, he didn't have to.  On the Skippers subsequent possession, the controversy of the evening would take place when Tori McKinney; in the process of bringing the ball upcourt, was fouled by Eden Prairie's Schlagel who tried to reach in - perhaps a bit too hard - in an attempt to wrest the ball loose with :10.6 left.  But much to the consternation of the Eagles' Wiese and the Eden Prairie contingent, the officials slapped Schlagel with an intentional foul that not only awarded Minnetonka with two free throws but also possession of the ball afterward.  As it turned out, McKinney would get both free throw attempts to go down and when the Skippers assumed possession of the ball, Wright would be fouled with :06.4 left and a chance to make it a two-possession game which would have effectively extinguished any hopes that Eden Prairie had.  But Wright would be unable to get the free throw attempt to go down and that left one final chance for the Eagles as Hooks would get the rebound and Wiese would call one last timeout in hopes of drawing up some magic.  Schlagel would inbounds the ball and get it to Hardwick who stormed upcourt.  But when Hardwick neared the free throw line area on the Eden Prairie side of the court, she attempted to pass the ball and, in the process, was called for traveling with a tenth of a second left on the clock.  That effectively killed off the last wisp of hope the Eagles had as Minnetonka punched its ticket to the Barn with a thrilling 41-39 victory.  

When I finally caught up with Minnetonka's Cosgriff afterward; who was basking in the excitement of this win, I mentioned to him that every possession in this game seemed to be a battle in itself and he was quick to concur; pointing out that the two regular season contests were like this.  But he had a lot of praise for Eden Praire.  "They shoot the ball....They're tough defensively.....They're going to be very physical with you and we couldn't seem to hit a shot in the second half so we're very fortunate to come out of this, no doubt."  When I pointed out that this Minnetonka team has had its shares of highs and lows during the regular season, Cosgriff pointed out that "We always say that the season is a marathon....There's going to be some times during the marathon where you're feeling really good and some times when you're feeling really bad and you have to keep persevering and understanding that it's not a sprint.  It's a marathon......And state championship games aren't won in January or February but they're won in March and now we get to go."  I couldn't help but point out to him of all the previous successes he's had on the big stage before and Cosgriff; with a bit of a cheshire cat grin on his face replied, "I've been there a couple of times."  

Undoubtedly, Eden Prairie can only look back on this game and think, "What if?".  You can be sure that the controversial call with :10.6 left on Schlagel will go down in infamy in Eagles lore.  Here's my feeling on it:  If an intentional foul with its subsequent ramifications is going to be called, I would certainly hope that it's called in a situation where something egregious happens that warrants a call like that being made.  In this particular instance, while one could say that Schlagel was perhaps a bit overzealous in trying to reach in and wrest the ball loose (and I wouldn't have any argument with that), it's really tough for me to wrap my arms around with the idea of an intentional foul like this being called in that particular situation with the amount of time that was left on the clock.  I would much rather see the game being determined by the players on the floor.  Alas, I don't get to make those kinds of decisions and in the end, it is what it is.  And before we pin the blame on the officials for anything, let's be clear here as well:  Eden Prairie certainly had a big hand in their own demise on this night with a TON of missed lay-ups, bunnies and other mistakes that wound up costing them in the end - let's just be fair here.  So you can't just point to one thing on this night when you look back at it.  

A bit of a surprise when you look back on the scoring on this night and you see that it was the one-two punch of Tori McKinney and Wright pacing the way for the Skippers with their 15 and 11 points, respectively.  But not so much of a surprise that the one-two punch for Eden Prairie was the Schlagel-Hardwick duo as they finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively.    

A Double Gut-Punch - Cobbers And Gusties Check Into Heartbreak Hotel

 It took me a little while to get my feelings and emotions settled down after watching the first round fiascos suffered by both Concordia and GAC on this Friday night in the NCAA Tournament.  There were high hopes to be had - particularly for the Gusties - on this night and, in the end, things just didn't work out very well.  I've watched enough NCAA Tournament basketball with both UCLA and the alma mater (Iowa) to know that weird things can happen in the NCAA Tournament and I guess tonight was definitely no exception.  

First, for Concordia, you could tell early on that they were having a very hard time dealing with the length and the pressure defense that Illinois Wesleyan employed tonight and when the Titans started launching three-point artillery, the Cobbers got deeper and deeper in a hole.  Trailing 44-27 at the halftime break, things didn't get much better for Concordia until the fourth period got underway where the Cobbers - to their credit - reeled off a 13-2 run that eventually got them back into single-digit range twice in that fourth period.  The problem was that they were in just too deep of a hole to get completely out of it.  Consider:  Illinois Wesleyan outrebounded Concordia on this night by a 41-34 count and if that wasn't bad enough, the Cobbers were guilty of 20 turnovers on this night - a by-product of that pressure defense that the Titans employed.  Yeah, just - OUCH.  And it was a rough night for the Cobbers from downtown as they shot 3-18 for 16.7%.  Those three things right there are just absolute killers.  And still, Concordia managed to make a run at them in that fourth period and you wonder had they just been able to get a few more of those three-point attempts to go down how that at least might've changed the complexion of things.  Alas, it was simply not to be and the Cobbers close out a very good season for them.  

But the real shocker on this night took place over at Kolf Sports Center on the campus of UW-Oshkosh where GAC fell in a double-overtime heartbreaker to a red-hot Trine team that may be peaking at just the right time.  And let's remember too - this is the same Trine team that knocked off Hope in the MIAA Championship Game a mere week ago so while this one may not necessarily be a fluke, it has to hurt uncommonly bad for GAC Head Coach Laurie Kelly, her staff and players who had such high hopes coming into this season - and rightfully so.  Now, trying to follow two games at once (see above) isn't an easy thing but the Gusties seemed to have the upper hand early on in this contest with a lead.  But that lead was quickly shrunk by Trine as the Thunder controlled things in the second period to own a 27-21 lead at the halftime break.  Trine would grow its lead to as many as nine points in the third period but a furious rally by the Gusties closed the gap to a mere four points at 37-33 by the end of the third period.  The Gusties would get things leveled at 48 a piece with under a minute left and had a chance to win it in regulation but off to the first OT we went.  The first OT was pretty much a stand-off with neither time gaining a decisive edge but again the Gusties had a late opportunity to win it and once again, they were unable to get a big shot to go down.  I was personally afraid that after those two opportunities were lost, that might cost GAC and sure enough, Trine did just enough down the stretch in that second overtime to prevail in a thriller.  And hey - give credit to the Thunder and especially junior guard Sidney Wagner who hails from Warsaw, IN who, time and time again, came up with some huge plays on both sides of the floor.  Still, this may be one of the toughest defeats yet for the GAC program that seemingly had everything going for it and seemed primed to make a big run.  But the big shocker was when I looked at the box score on this one.  I myself will probably need a couple of Tylenol PM to get some sleep tonight after looking at it.  Here's why:  While the Gusties did own the boards on this night by a 44-33 count, they were also guilty of 24 turnovers on this night.  TWENTY-FOUR!!!  When was the last time you saw ANY Gustie team cough the rock up that much?  And I don't care how many overtimes you play.  Oh, and then throw in the fact that GAC was 2-19, yep, you read that right - 2-19 - from downtown for a frigid 10.5%.  That alone just made me go EEEEK!  But here's another stat line that caught my eye and if you remember, I brought this up after the MIAC Championship Game win over Concordia last weekend where GAC's charity stripe shooting was not that strong.  And guess what folks?  The Gusties were 8-12 from the line for 66.7% and in a game that's so close as this one, you cannot tell me for a second that that did not make a difference.  In a game like this, that makes all the difference in the world.  You have to make free throws and in a close game like this and you don't make them?  Well, we saw what happened.  Look - I'm not trying to pile on ANYONE here.  I would never do that.  I hurt as badly for this team as anyone (as I do the Cobbers) on this night.  But man, those numbers don't lie.  And that I think is what makes this night as difficult for anyone who cares about MIAC Women's Basketball as I do.  

I still have a lot to digest on this night - and in the coming days as well - about how such a promising time for MIAC Women's Basketball and an opportunity to shine on the big stage - went up in flames.  I feel so badly for both coaching staffs and players on both teams.  You know they're both harboring a lot of heartache on this night.  Sadly, that's one of the realities of the NCAA Tournament as I've had the privilege of covering it up close before.  Those tears and sobs you hear in the post-game press conferences are real and if that doesn't get you inside, then you're simply not human.  I think first we need to get this night out of our system before we can even begin to think what lies ahead next season with a revised 18-game conference schedule.  For now, let's appreciate what a great season that both GAC and Concordia gave us and that both made it to the Dance.   

Looking Ahead To Friday Evenings 1st Round Match-Ups For Both GAC And Concordia

 Here we are; on the eve of yet another NCAA Tournament and for the first time in six years, the MIAC has two teams putting on their dancing shoes for the big show - GAC with the AQ and Concordia with the at-large.  It's an exciting time for both teams as both seek to extend their seasons and hopefully do some damage in the process.  So let's take a look at both of these games for Friday evening:

1.  GAC vs Trine - The Trine Thunder hail from the MIAA out of Angola, IN; about halfway between South Bend, IN and Toledo, OH on US Highway 20 and the former New York Central Chicago - New York mainline.  The Thunder shocked everyone by upending top-seeded and heavily favored Hope in the MIAA Championship Game to earn the conference's AQ into the Dance.  Trine fashioned a 21-7 overall record and 12-4 in a very tough conference and they are no slouch.  The Thunder rely heavily on senior point guard Sidney Wagner (Jr. guard) for scoring production (15.4 ppg) and she was solid in that MIAA Championship Game win over Hope this last Saturday night.  Fellow junior guard Sierra Hinds pitches in with 9.4 ppg.  Save for freshman post Abby Sanner (6'2"), this isn't what you what call a "big" team by any stretch.  You take a peek at the MIAA stats and you'll see Trine trending toward the bottom half in rebounds at 36.6 rebounds (total) per game.  To me anyway, this looks like a favorable matchup for GAC as they not only have the size but also the athleticism to give them a good chance to prevail.  However, let's also remember that when you play on a neutral floor with a target on your back in a one-and-done situation, that does change up the dynamics.  Yet, given the Gusties' experience in these situations, I like their chances getting through the first round without too much fuss or trouble.

2.  Concordia vs Illinois Wesleyan - The Titans; out of the CCIW and located down in Bloomington, IL; come into this NCAA Tournament in much the same fashion as the Cobbers - with a 22-5 overall record and 14-2 conference record and an at-large bid after falling to Carroll in the CCIW Championship Game this last weekend.  One of the first things I noticed right off the bat when taking a closer look at this Illinois Wesleyan team is that they've definitely got some scorers on that team.  They're led by junior guard Lauren Huber (16.0 ppg) but she gets a lot of help.  Sophomore guard Ava Bardic (13.9 ppg), junior guard Mallory Powers (12.7 ppg) junior guard Kate Palmer (11.3 ppg) and senior forward Caite Knutson (10.5 ppg) all chip in as you can see.  So, unlike the Gusties, the Cobbers won't be able to put their focus on just one person.  They're going to have to play team defense in this contest and get it done on that end of the floor.  You look at the conference stats and you'll see the Titans right up there in total team offense and they're fourth in total team defense which certainly isn't bad.  However, in combined team rebounds, Illinois Wesleyan is in seventh place of nine teams averaging 38.3 rebounds per game.  Another surprising stat for the Titans - they're also seventh in the CCIW when it comes to free throw percentage at 0.677 and this could be an area that plays into the hands of the Cobbers as we know that free throw shooting is one of the hallmark strengths of that team.  This looks to be one of the more intriguing first round matchups of the entire NCAA Tournament and quite possibly the most evenly-matched.  The lack of NCAA Tournament experience works against Concordia, of course, but the Cobbers have the tools to prevail if they play up to their capability.  IMHO, Head Coach Kim Wagers and her staff have nothing to lose here and they and the team have to adopt the mindset of throwing caution to the wind and leaving it all out there on the floor.  They've come this far so this is where you've gotta do it.  

So that's how I see things in a nutshell for both GAC and Concordia tomorrow evening.  The Gusties will tip-off against Trine at approximately 5:00 P.M. (Central time) while the Cobbers will tip-off against Illinois Wesleyan at approximately 5:15 P.M. (Central time) and you know I'll be tuning into both games.  With that said - GO GUSTIES AND ROLL COBBS!!!!!!! 

Selection Monday Celebration! Raise Your Glasses To GAC & Concordia!

 It sure seems like it's been a long time since the MIAC was able to get two teams into the Big Dance but this afternoon - after six long years - it finally happened as both GAC with the conference AQ and Concordia with the at-large bid will now put on their dancing shoes and head into the Big Dance on Friday evening.  I have to confess I was sweating it out a big coming down the stretch; particularly when the Wartburg pod was announced but was relieved and incredibly happy for Head Coach Kim Wagers, her staff and her team for being able to enjoy the moment and celebrate in it after getting unceremoniously hosed last season.  And, as you can imagine, it was indeed quite the celebration and fun to watch!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYs1CcvTJ0E

So GAC, with the AQ, heads off to the UW-Oshkosh (b'gosh) pod to face off against surprise MIAA Championship Game winner Trine which upset Hope on Saturday evening.  I look at this draw that the Gusties have and their side of the entire bracket as well and I have to tell you, if the Gusties play like they did Saturday against Concordia, there's NO one on that side of their draw that will be able to beat them.  I'm that confident in the Gusties' ability to make a deep run here.  And maybe it's saying a lot but with the experience they have and the fact that they can say, "Been there, done that", this may be their best chance to make it to the REALLY Promised Land; aka the Final Four.  They are that good.  True, GAC will wear a bigger target on their back this time around but that's one of the costs that are associated with being a top-tier team that they are.  I think it would be so incredibly cool if Head Coach Laurie Kelly and her staff and her team get to to what they've set out to do when practice got underway back on October 15.

Meanwhile, I had figured that the Cobbers - if they got in - would get shipped down to the Wartburg pod back in my home state of Iowa in Waverly (just 60 miles west of my hometown of Edgewood) and that's one of the few times I've ever got this thing right in all the years I've watched the Selection Show unfold.  😅 .  The Cobbers will face Illinois Wesleyan out of the CCIW and the Titans have a similar 22-5 record to Concordia's 20-5 mark.  Like Concordia, Illinois Wesleyan lost in their conference championship game to Carroll so, on paper anyway, this appears to be an evenly-matched game.  It'll be important for the Cobbers to shake off Saturday's dismal showing down in St. Peter and rekindle that confidence they had coming down the home stretch of the regular season that had them playing their best basketball of the season that included a win over GAC in Moorhead back on 2-7.  Like the Gusties' opponent (Trine), I don't know a lot about Illinois Wesleyan either save for tidbits that I've seen on both Facebook and Twitter but I'll definitely be taking closer looks at both of these teams and you can be danged sure that both Laurie Kelly and her staff at GAC and Kim Wagers and her staff at Concordia are well into the process of dissecting game film of their upcoming opponents.  

And, if you're wondering about the last Regional Rankings that came out, there were no changes from a week ago.  So what you saw last week is what you got today.  Now, the big surprise for me was Loras out of the ARC getting hosed by the Committee.  We knew that by virtue of Trine's win over Hope on Saturday night, one of those at-large bids got gobbled up by the Flying Dutch.  But I'm still puzzled as to how both Ohio Wesleyan (NCAC) and Willamette (NWC) got in over the Duhawks.  I could almost live with the Battling Bishops getting in but how in God's name the Bearcats; who got popped by eventual NWC Championship Game-winner Puget Sound by twenty - on their home floor in a conference quarterfinal game no less - got in over Loras.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay up late enough last night to watch the preview show on D3Hoops.com (I have to get up EARLY in the AM for work unfortunately) to get in on the explanation but you can bet there's a lot of disappointed people in Dubuque this evening and I can't say as I blame them.

For now though, let's celebrate this moment for both GAC and Concordia and MIAC Women's Basketball.  Raise your glasses in a toast!  Go Gusties and Roll Cobbs!!!!  I'll have more on these upcoming games for them before Friday's contests so stay tuned!    

Looking Ahead To Selection Monday 2-25-24

 So now with the MIAC Championship Game in the books as well as other conference tournaments in our area (Region 9), it's now time to start peering into the bigger picture and scheme of things with Selection Monday coming up tomorrow (Monday 2-26) afternoon at 1:30 P.M.  So let's take a glance at things:

MIAC - The Gusties get the dominant win yesterday over Concordia to get the automatic bid to the Dance.  The best guess here is that GAC will have to take its show on the road when the pairings get announced Monday afternoon and if I were a betting man, I'd be surprised if they didn't get shipped off to a WIAC venue (again) as they did last year.  Of course, the big question now swirls around Concordia's hopes of getting in.  Given that Wartburg held off Loras yesterday in the ARC Championship Game down in Waverly, IA and given that the Duhawks were behind the Cobbers in the last release of the Regional Rankings, I have to believe that there's at least a path there for Concordia.  I can't guarantee that obviously but I THINK there's reason for hope here.  And should the Cobbers get in, I would venture that they'd get shipped down to Waverly where Wartburg seems to be in a good spot to host a pod there.

WIAC - This will be a three-bid league again by virtue of UW-Stout coming into the WIAC Playoffs as the third seed where the Blue Devils proceeded to run roughshod over UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater and then UW-Oshkosh in the WIAC Championship Game on Friday evening.  You can bet that both the Warhawks and the Titans will receive bids as well and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they both get to host.  It will be interesting to see where UW-Stout gets placed tomorrow afternoon.  They could get placed at the Wartburg pod but given the fact that UW-Oshkosh got sent out to Ada, OH last year at the Ohio Northern pod, it wouldn't surprise me if the Blue Devils have a Michigan/Indiana/Ohio landing point come Monday afternoon.  

ARC - As mentioned earlier, the Knights get the conference's automatic bid by virtue of their win over Loras yesterday and I think one would have to surmise that Wartburg will ultimately wind up hosting a first/second-round pod.  The tricky part here obviously is Loras as the Duhawks were in the seventh spot in the last round of the Region 9 rankings.  Loras does have a win over Elizabethtown (Region 5) right before the Christmas holiday but were swept by Wartburg during the regular season.  Not that I would necessarily have a problem with the Duhawks getting in BUT I would have an issue with them getting in ahead of Concordia - especially when you consider that Loras was the beneficiary of an extremely controversial call with :00 left in regulation in their conference semifinal game versus Coe on Thursday night (and if I'm Coe Head Coach Kayla Waskow, I'd still be fuming over how this one ended and I hope she marched right over to ARC headquarters right there in downtown Cedar Rapids to vent her frustrations) that kept their season alive.  So it's an extremely dicey situation when it comes to Loras.

UMAC - UM-Morris shocked everyone by going up to the shores of Gitche Gumee yesterday and knocking off heavily-favored host UW-Superior to snare the conference's automatic bid and ending a great season for the Yellowjackets.  Where the Cougars wind up getting placed tomorrow afternoon is anyone's guess but I'll bet that they'll be headed to Waverly.  

MWC - Ripon defeated Knox yesterday to claim the conference's automatic bid to the Dance and they'll be a one-bid league.

The only other intangibles I can think of off the top of my head at the moment were over in the MIAA where we saw Trine pull off a huge upset of host and heavily-favored Hope last night in the MIAA Championship Game so obviously the Thunder burst somebody's bubble with that win.  The NWC is another puzzle entirely as regular season champ Willamette meekly bowed out to eventual NWC Championship Game-champ Puget Sound as the Loggers get that conference's automatic bid and whether the NWC gets another team in is anyone's guess at the moment.  

So make sure you get tuned into the NCAA Selection Show tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 P.M. which will be available on D3Hoops.com and we'll see how everything unfolds.  

MIAC Championship Game - Concordia vs GAC 2-24-24

 Made a good trip on this sunny Saturday down US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline down to St. Peter and Lund Arena on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College for the MIAC Championship Game featuring two teams that know each other very well - visiting and second-seeded Concordia and host and number-one seed GAC.  The Cobbers fended off a scrappy St. Kate's team on Thursday night up in Moorhead to advance and the Gusties summarily dispatched CSB at this venue on Thursday night as well to set up a rematch of last year's clash that many anticipated.  I arrived early enough which allowed me to get a good lunch at the world-famous Gustavus cafeteria before meandering back over to nearby Lund Arena to get settled into the press box area.  

One thing that Concordia obviously was hoping to do on this day was to get off to a good start to provide some solid footing in an otherwise hostile environment.  But the Gusties had vastly different ideas and an early 12-3 blitz set the tone for this contest.  Senior guard Emma (not evil) Kniefel would start things off by burying a laser-like "3" from the right top area at the 9:32 mark of this opening period and a lay-up by junior point guard Kylie Baranick at the 8:59 mark had GAC up 5-0.  The Cobbers appeared to finally assert themselves a bit later at the 8:37 mark when junior guard Carlee Sieben drained a "3" from the left top area but Concordia would soon find themselves in an early hole.  Senior forward Izzy (Izzy Izzy, you're making me dizzy) Quick would make a great athletic move to snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 8:15 mark and then Kniefel would find her touch again from behind the arc with a bomb from the left top area at the 6:14 mark to make it a 10-3 ballgame and then senior guard Syd Hauger would use a burst of speed to connect with a lay-up at the 5:51 mark that grew the lead to 12-3 and Concordia Head Coach Kim Wagers knew that she had to take a match to a timeout to get her squad calmed down and refocused.  The Cobbers would get a bit of a lift when strong junior forward Makyala Anderson muscled into the paint for a score at the 5:29 mark but GAC would soon get their lead to double digits as reserve junior forward Morgan Kelly would connect with a lay-up at the 5:07 mark and then Kniefel would unleash more terror from behind the arc with her third bomb of this first period - this one coming from the top of the key with 3:26 left to make it a 17-6 game.  Concordia was able to momentarily get back into single digit-range again as Anderson would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 2:46 left and two more by freshman reserve forward Genevieve Gruba with 2:23 left after she was fouled trimmed the deficit down to nine at 19-10 but the Gusties would soon show that this opening period was no fluke as Hauger would again use a burst of speed to waltz in for an easy lay-up with :25 left that had GAC up 21-10.  

The Cobbers hoped to get out to a much better start and get back to within striking distance again once the second period got underway and one free throw by senior guard Emily Beseman after she was fouled at the 8:10 mark at least got the deficit down to ten at 21-11 but then GAC would unleash another quick burst.  Freshman reserve guard Emily Bowron would bang home a "3" from the right wing area at the 7:55 mark and then Quick would connect with a short jumper off the glass at the 7:27 mark to grow the lead to 26-11 and Concordia's Wagers would again be clamoring for a timeout as she saw this one quickly slipping away.  The Cobbers would get a bit of a reprieve when Anderson connected with a lay-up at the 6:42 mark but then the Gusties unleashed another quick burst thanks to Morgan Kelly.  The hometown St. Peter product would connect with a lay-up at the 5:43 mark and then would unleash a three-point bomb from the left corner as the shot clock expired with 4:01 left that grew GAC's lead to 31-13.  Concordia; already looking out of sorts, had to battle back quickly as Beseman finally got a jumper from near the free throw line to go down with 3:42 left and freshman reserve guard Alexa Snesrud would connect with a lay-up with 3:17 left but these scores seemed like trying to patch a sinking boat as the Gusties would finish up this second period on a 6-2 run.  Strong junior forward Rachel Kawiecki would come through with back-to-back scores as she would first knock down a jumper from the right wing area off of an inbounds pass with 2:41 left and would follow that up a bit later with a hard drive into the lane for a finish with 1:38 left.  Then Hauger would finish off this second period with a lay-up with :38.6 left to get the lead to twenty at 39-19 and as both teams headed off to their respective locker rooms, Concordia looked dazed, disheveled and beat up and down twenty, they looked like they were past the point of no return.  

An 8-0 run by GAC out of the gate in the third period put the Cobbers further into the abyss.  Kawiecki would start things off with back-to-back scores as she would connect on a lay-up at the 9:20 mark and would follow that up with a jumper from near the free throw line area at the 8:36 mark that expanded the Gustie lead to 43-19.  Then Baranick would get a three-point play the old-fashioned way with a tough lay-up that drew a foul along with the ensuing "and one" by the former Maple Grove standout at the 7:53 mark.  Then Morgan Kelly would knock down a jumper at the 6:55 mark that bloated the GAC lead to 48-19.  The Cobbers finally found some semblance of offense as Anderson would muscle into the paint for one score at the 6:21 mark and Gruba would connect with a lay-up at the 5:29 mark but without a substantial run, Concordia was only making small dents in this cushion and the Gusties showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon either.  Kniefel would connect with a lay-up in transition with 4:48 left and then Bowron; the former Rochester Lourdes standout, buried her second trey of this afternoon with a bomb from the right top area with 3:41 left that now had GAC up thirty at 53-23.  The Cobbers did respond with a couple of three-point bombs of their own - one by sophomore reserve guard Molly Musland from the right corner with 3:19 left and another by diminutive senior reserve guard Maddie Guler from the left corner with 2:36 left added some points on the Concordia side but at this juncture, not nearly enough to get them back into the thick of things.  To her credit, Guler would bang home her second trey of this period with a bomb from the left wing area with :40.3 left but the Gusties would punctuate this third period as Baranick would race from coast-to-coast for a lay-up with just :00.5 left on the clock as GAC carried an insurmountable 58-32 lead into the fourth period.

And, lest there be any doubt, the Gusties would put the finishing touches on this rout once the fourth period got underway.  Kniefel would get back-to-back scores - a hard drive with a short, turnaround jumper at the 8:30 mark and a jumper from the free throw line area at the 8:03 mark - that would re-establish the thirty-point lead at 62-32.  Kawiecki would connect with a short shot off the glass with 4:56 left that made it a 64-34 ballgame.  Meanwhile, Concordia's shooting woes would continue and would not abate until Anderson was sent to the charity stripe with 2:45 left as the Bismarck, ND native would get two freebies to go down.  With a large lead at hand, GAC Head Coach Laurie Kelly yanked her main chain gang off the floor and got several of her reserves in for mop-up duty.  The Cobbers meanwhile would get one score down the stretch as Guler sneaked into the paint for a finish with 1:51 left and then Gustie freshman reserve forward Whitley Ronn would knock down a jumper from the right wing area with 1;22 left.  With :21.7 left, Concordia's Anderson; doing what she's done best all season, snared an offensive rebound for a putback but this issue had long since been determined and GAC would claim its third MIAC Championship Game title in as many years with a convincing 66-38 drubbing of a very good Concordia Cobber team.  

After the postgame ceremonies had concluded with the Gusties cutting down the nets and accepting the trophy from MIAC Associate Commissioner B. J. Pickard who was in the press box with me during the game, I was first able to catch up with GAC Assistant Coach Dan Wolfe who exclaimed, "That's us!  That's us!"  Indeed it was as it was just an absolute dominant display by the Gusties on this day with their defense as they simply smothered Concordia and had them out of their comfort zone from the get-go.  I was able to spend a bit of time with a jubilant Laurie Kelly of GAC who offered her thoughts on this latest conquest and what lies ahead.  I mentioned to her that the Gusties defense in this contest could best be described as suffocating.  "We've been playing really good basketball coming into the tournament (MIAC Playoffs).....We're just in a good place....They've been on the floor a lot together over the last few years and they really know each other.  The success of our team has always been the balance and distribution and that we play team basketball and it was really on display today.....In front of our home crowd and now to win three in a row and no other Gustie team has ever done this......We're going to enjoy this moment and you don't want to take it for granted; what we've earned and how hard they worked to get here.....This is the start of what our goals and aspirations are."  I asked Kelly as well about what now lies ahead between now and Monday afternoon when the NCAA Tournament pairings are announced and how it seems that this team is now poised to do some serious damage in the Dance.  "We have so much responsibility representing our amazing conference in the MIAC and we're going forward to represent what our league is about and we feel a responsibility with that......We're going to sit there on Monday afternoon with the feeling that you know your name is coming up; there's a feeling of relief in that......We can't control the the things we can't control so we're gonna take the hand we're dealt as we've done all year long and we're going to hopefully have a couple of good games back-to-back coming up."

As you can imagine, it was a much more somber atmosphere on the Concordia side afterward as they saw their MIAC Championship Game title hopes - and possibly an NCAA Tournament berth - go up in flames - again - in this same venue.  I mentioned to Concordia's Wagers afterward that it seemed like they ran into the perfect storm on this day and no matter what they did, things seemed to go from bad to worse.  "Yeah.....They're just extremely physical and they guard really well so credit to them.....We're normally averaging 74 points a game but they did a great job defensively....We missed a ton of lay-ups and felt like we got 'sped up' again (as they did up to a certain point against St. Kate's on Thursday night back up in Moorhead) where we're not executing and we're rushing stuff and not shooting a great percentage so they (GAC) did a really good job and some of that we didn't get any stops.....We didn't get any transition buckets and that's our 'MO' so certainly a frustrating day today......But our kids played hard and being back in the conference championship is always exciting and it was good to be back and I think we learned a lot about ourselves and hopefully.....Maybe we're not done."  I mentioned to Wagers that I'm keeping my fingers crossed for their NCAA Tournament hopes as well to which Wagers responded, "I hope I get one more week with them."

I suppose it's not the best analogy in the world but watching this game on this day made me feel like I was watching the MIAC Women's Basketball version of the 1975 NFC Championship Game that my Los Angeles Rams participated in and got absolutely obliterated by the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 37-7 - at the LA Coliseum no less (and to this day I STILL cannot get that damn game off of my "hard drive").  It was just total domination by the Gusties from start to finish and given the fact that the Cobbers held a double-digit lead at the half in this same venue back in early January before losing and then got revenge on GAC earlier this month at home in Moorhead, and given how they had looked coming down the stretch of the regular season, I really felt that they had an opportunity today.  But GAC shut the door on them early and proceeded with the beat down.  What the Gusties did defensively on this day made even the simple things extremely hard for Concordia.  You look at the box score on this game and you see this reflected as the Cobbers shot a paltry 12-53 from FG range for 22.6% and things weren't any better from downtown either as - except for a few brief flashes - the Cobbers wound up going 4-18 for 22.2%.  Contrast that with GAC going 28-53 for 52.8% from FG range and 6-16 from behind the arc for 37.5% and that gives you a pretty good idea of what it was like on this day.  Then throw in GAC's whopping advantage in points in the paint by a 36-14 count along with a 17-4 advantage in points off of turnovers and it hammers home the earlier point even more.  The only red flag that had to have caught the attention of Laurie Kelly and her staff afterward was that the Gusties were 4-10 from the charity stripe on this day and that is a figure that MUST be better as they delve into NCAA Tournament play this next Friday evening.  

And, to expand on Laurie Kelly's point about balance and distribution of her team, it was again on display on this day as we saw Kniefel's points lead the way (and all scorers as well) but she had a lot of help as Kawiecki would tally 12 points and Morgan Kelly would finish with 10 points.  And Quick was an absolute monster on the glass on this day with her 10 rebounds.  And the freshman, Bowron, finished with only six points but both scores came on three-point daggers and it's easy to see that Laurie Kelly has a real gem in this youngster.  On the Concordia side, it was Anderson leading the way again with her 12 points but unfortunately for the Cobbers, she didn't get a lot of help on this day as the only other Cobber with a reasonably solid day on the scoring front was Guler with her eight points.

Looking Ahead To Today's MIAC Championship Game - And What's Going On Elsewhere

 Well, it's here!  The culmination of another MIAC season with today's MIAC Championship Game that features the rematch that pretty much everybody (including yours truly) had wanted and anticipated - Concordia vs GAC - takes place at 3:00 P.M. down in St. Peter today and you know that I'll definitely be there.  

The difference this time around for me is that, when I walk into this one and look at all the of stats and records and storylines with this matchup, it's incredibly difficult for me to say how I think this one will go.  Of all the MIAC Championship Games I've covered over the years, I've never been so torn as to whom I think will emerge victorious in this game today.  The reason for that is that I think you can make solid arguments either way.  We know that, for the Gusties anyway, they not only have the homecourt advantage, they also have the "Been there - done that" mental advantage that's always so huge in a situation like this.  And yeah, they've been playing pretty solid basketball as of late too.  And, to the best of my knowledge anyway, they're healthy.  And that's always big.  Are they a little more vulnerable with a bigger target on their back this time around?  Maybe, but I can't answer that question accurately.  Only they can.  Meanwhile, you look at Concordia and although St. Kate's did a much better job on Thursday night of slowing down a very potent Cobber offensive attack, Concordia stood firm and still found a way to get the job done without too much fuss or argument.  I stated in my MIAC Playoff Preview that I felt that last year's Cobber team was in the process of finding its way around in trying to assert itself as one of the top teams in the conference.  This year's version is a stronger and much more confident team.  Let's remember that right after the first of the year, Concordia had the Gusties down double digits at the halftime break and it took a big rally by the Gusties to prevail on that night.  And the Cobbers would inevitably get their revenge earlier this month up in Moorhead.  So they have that going for them.  Plus, I think you have to factor in that Concordia will be coming into this game with a much higher sense of urgency with regard to its NCAA Tournament hopes as the Gusties are a virtual "lock".  Now, that in and of itself doesn't necessarily dictate how this contest will go but it will be one of those intangible factors nonetheless.  Bottom line here:  Don't be square, BE there because this has the makings of being a classic.

Elsewhere, we saw UW-Stout run roughshod over UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater and then WIAC regular season champ UW-Oshkosh just last night to claim their first WIAC Championship Game title in seventeen years and the conference's automatic bid to the Dance that goes with it.  It was such an impressive performance by this Blue Devils team and they may be peaking at just the right time.  You can bet now that, once again, the WIAC will be a three-bid league with these three teams all receiving invites to the Big Dance.

Over in the UMAC, top-seeded UW-Superior faces second-seeded UM-Morris at home along the shores of Gitche Gumee and you have to think that the Yellowjackets will prevail at home to get the conference's automatic bid.  What UW-Superior Head Coach (and former standout player) Emily Carpenter has done in bringing this team along in just her second year at the top spot is nothing less than amazing and it's a great story.

Now, where the key for the MIAC (and specifically Concordia) lies today is in the ARC Championship Game down in Waverly, IA where top-seeded Wartburg hosts second-seeded Loras.  Logic would suggest that the Knights will prevail at home over the Duhawks and because we already know that the Cobbers were ranked higher than Loras in the last set of Regional Rankings, a Wartburg victory would all but ensure that the ARC remains a one-bid league.  That, in turn, MAY provide a path for Concordia should they come up short today down in St. Peter.  I can't guarantee that but that seems to be the train of thought from what I've been gathering over the last few days.  Again, we'll see.  You can bet that Head Coach Kim Wagers and her staff would much prefer to do it the old-fashioned way with the automatic bid.

As to who/whom hosts or goes where?  Well, we'll just have to see how that unfolds.  Naturally, it would be great for the MIAC if GAC could host a 1st/2nd Round pod at their facility but many thought that that would happen last year and they got shipped off to UW-Whitewater.  At this juncture, regardless of what happens in St. Peter today, I'm guessing that the Gusties will likely wind up taking their show on the road and if Concordia either prevails today or gets in with an at-large bid, it'll be the same scenario.

Again, get your behind over to Lund Arena at GAC today.  It should be a fun one for sure!