You knew it was coming, didn't you?
To be quite honest, I thought narrowing down the top 10 was the easiest part. In my personal opinion, I thought the top 10 was rather clear cut. You might be able to argue the overall order, but generally speaking, I feel these are the 10 best players in the NSIC...
10. Kevin Levandoski - SR - SG - St. Cloud State
2013-14 Stats - 10.5 PPG 73-185 39.5% FG 20-63 31.7% 3FG 65-89 73% FT 63 REB 2.9 RPG 73 A 40 TO 11 BLK 51 STL 22 G 18 GS 29.9 MPG
This one might seem slightly controversial. However, if we're talking from a pure defensive and hustle standpoint, I highly doubt there is a better defensive guard in the league. While Levandoski isn't the prototypical point/shooting guard in terms of shooting ability, what he does provide is an excellent floor game that is almost unmatched and a defensive presence on the wing that provides quite a challenge for many. As weird as it might sound, St. Cloud State might have the best point guard/shooting guard duo in the league with Levandoski and Poydras. Unfortunately, it might be a long year for the Huskies just for the fact that they're going to rely completely on their guards to carry the team this year, and that's not necessarily a recipe for success. However, when I see guys that play the game the right way...guys that play with effort and hustle, I feel they should be rewarded for it. I suppose we could give Levandoski the "Kellen Taylor/Ross DeMasi Award for glue guy that holds the team together." Like I said, this is probably my most controversial entry in the top 10, but I don't think there's much arguing for my next listing.
9. Brett Ervin - SR - C - Minnesota-Duluth
2012-13 Stats - 16.2 PPG 157-312 50.3% FG 27-58 46.6% 3FG 81-111 73.0% FT 119 REB 4.6 RPG 60 A 48 TO 9 BLK 8 STL 26 G 25 GS 31.5 MPG
Honestly, Brett Ervin might be the most offensively dynamic center in the NSIC. He is a matchup nightmare for everyone. There is no doubt that Ervin can essentially score at will in the low post, on the outside, and creates for everyone since 60 assists for a center is just insane. Granted, these numbers are from two seasons ago since Ervin missed all of 2013-2014 due to injury. However, all signs point to him being right after his monster exhibition game against D1 Notre Dame. Didn't really have a good game against Minnesota, but then again, I wouldn't have expected him to have a good game against Elliason. In the NSIC North, I think Ervin is going to easily be the most unstoppable player in the low post. I don't see a single center in the North that could possibly match up with him defensively. Bachand is probably the toughest competition Ervin is going to see and even I don't think Bachand is going to be able to stop him. Ervin might struggle against the NSIC South post players, but considering he'll only see them once this season, it'll not be something he'll lose sleep over.
8. Reece Zoelle - SR - SG/SF - Minnesota-Duluth
2013-14 Stats - 16.1 PPG 168-364 46.2% FG 47-115 40.9% 3FG 53-66 80.3% FT 168 REB 6.2 RPG 44 A 49 TO 5 BLK 20 STL 27 G 26 GS 34.2 MPG
Zoelle is a beast. That is all. Well, okay, there's more to it. How crazy is it that I think UMD has two top 10 players in the league this year? It just goes to show the progress that Matt Bowen might be making at UMD...although it takes more than two to tango in a tough NSIC. Either way, Zoelle is a nightmare just for the fact that he's a sniper for a shooting guard that can rebound like crazy. The guy is a guard and was the team's top rebounder last season. On top of that, you can get A LOT of minutes out of him with very little drop-off. Zoelle is really one of those guys that year in and year out, has developed into one of the best players in the NSIC. He wasn't a freshman phenom or a sophomore stud, but what he was is a guy that has dramatically improved year-in and year-out of his four year college career and now that he is in his senior year and with the return of Ervin, I expect this guy to absolutely rake in the NSIC North.
7. Terez VanPelt - SR - PG - Concordia-St. Paul
2013-14 Stats - 18.1 PPG 146-339 43.1% FG 29-74 39% 3FG 168-201 83.6% FT 87 REB 3.2 RPG 82 A 64 TO 1 BLK 25 STL 27 G 27 GS 35.7 MPG
Terez VanPelt ever since coming into the NSIC has been one of it's most prolific scorers. He was the league's third leading scorer in 2012-2013 (only behind Cameron McCaffrey and Clayton Vette), and second in the league in scoring last year (only behind Brock Lutes). VanPelt is an athletic freak that is downright unguardable. It's such a shame that he wasted three years of his collegiate career under Kelly Boe because under the right tutelage, this guy probably would be an All-American. It'll be interesting to see what sort of player he will become under Joey James in his first year as Concordia's head coach. While VanPelt lost a good chunk of his supporting staff from last year, he has to feel extremely relieved that he gets his battery mate Clay Olstad in the backcourt back this year. Watching VanPelt and Olstad in the same backcourt together gave teams nightmares to defend. I think the one thing that keeps VanPelt from being one of the best players in the league is his lackadaisical defense and his tendency to get complacent at points in the game. VanPelt is a guy that is at his best when he's on the attack constantly. If him and Olstad can get on the same page this year, they will be upsetting some teams in the NSIC South this year.
6. Daniel Jansen - JR - C - Augustana
2013-14 Stats - 17.3 PPG 177-361 49.0% FG 35-84 41.7% 3FG 130-193 67.4% FT 173 REB 5.8 RPG 39 A 44 TO 15 BLK 26 STL
Jansen is in my personal opinion one of the two best centers in the league. I think there's only one guy that is physically more dominant than him in the low post and I think just about everyone and their mother knows who I'm talking about. Jansen is just a downright beast in almost all facets of the game. He can score inside, he can knock down the three ball effectively, and he dramatically improved his free throw percentage from his freshman year...although I still wouldn't quite put 67.4% as "great", it's still a lot better than the 49.7% he shot as a freshman. My one beef with Jansen's overall game is he tends to get out of sync at times. He'll have his outstanding games and then come back and lay an absolute dud. Consistency has always been a bit of a problem for Jansen, but the fact remains he's still one of the best centers the league has to offer, especially on the offensive end. I think from an offensive standpoint, he has the ability to go toe-to-toe with Brett Ervin who I argued was the best offensive center in the league...I think with how similar the two are, what separates Ervin from Jansen is his ability to shoot free throws. I don't think Jansen does enough on the glass either. Although, I do think Jansen is a more fundamentally sound center, so that's why I give Jansen the nod and why I consider him a little better than Ervin.
5. Riley Bambenek - SO - SG - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 14.3 PPG 171-372 46.0% FG 54-128 42.2% 3FG 88-116 75.9% FT 117 REB 3.4 RPG 78 A 54 TO 6 BLK 32 STL 34 G 34 GS 29.5 MPG
Here's some food for thought. Riley Bambenek is the first freshman to lead Winona State in scoring since Zach Malvik did it in 2003-2004. Yeah...I think we all know what sort of player Malvik developed into in his time at Winona State. While there are many behind him that have better stats, I don't think any of them are as all-around fundamentally sound as Bambenek. I've never seen a freshman play all facets of the game extremely well. Running the offense, shooting, passing, straight up defense, press defense, execution...Bambenek was the complete package in his freshman year. Now that he's a year older, I think he's going to be even tougher to stop. I feel the one area Bambenek needed to improve on was his free throw shooting because someone that's as good of a shooter as he is should be shooting 80%+ from the free throw line. The one area where I feel he might lack compared to other guards is strength, but Bambenek is more of a lean, hustle player that relies on his overall athleticism more so than his strength. Is it a bit of a stretch to call Bambenek a top 5 player in the NSIC? Considering what he did in his freshman year and that he is going to have more of a leadership role his sophomore year, I don't think it's a stretch at all.
4. Brock Lutes - SR - PG/SG - Bemidji State
2013-14 Stats - 21.3 PPG 207-413 50.1% FG 61-159 38.4% 3FG 99-116 85.3% FT 97 REB 3.6 RPG 61 A 71 TO 6 BLK 25 STL 27 G 26 GS 34.9 MPG
In his first year in the NSIC, Lutes was a Community College transfer phenom. Here's some food for thought, this guy led the NSIC in scoring with Zach Noreen, Jake Schalow, and Maxie Rosenbloom, all of which scored in double digits per game. He doesn't have Noreen, Schalow, and Rosenbloom to support him there anymore, so I'm wondering if Lutes is going to be averaging 30+ points per game a season? Nevertheless, Lutes is an athletic scoring freak. 50% for a guard that took 413 shots...that's unreal...and almost unfair. From a physical strength standpoint, Lutes' athleticism is almost unmatched...you'd think if there weren't two other guards in the NSIC that are even better. To be honest, I'm not sure what to expect of Lutes this year since he doesn't have the same supporting staff around him and someone to take off the scoring load to take the pressure off him. Although, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
3. Assem Marei - SR - C - Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 16.3 PPG 206-349 59.0% FG 0-0 0% 3FG 111-200 FT 55.5% FT 261 REB 8.2 RPG 39 A 63 TO 53 BLK 22 STL 32 G 32 GS 23.6 MPG
Let's face it, Marei's athleticism in the low post is downright freakish. He's almost downright unstoppable. It seems like when Marei catches it in the low block, the only person that can stop Marei is Marei...which does happen...it's part of the reason why he only averages 23 minutes a game. Marei's only real weakness is he plays so aggressive on the low block that he picks up pretty cheap offensive fouls and has a knack for committing frustration fouls on the defensive end as well. However, like I said, from a pure, physical standpoint, no one can match up with Marei. The only player that was capable in the last two years was Clayton Vette from Winona State and he is LONG gone (and even then, Vette was not a good defensive player). If Marei can play with his head in the game and shoot better from the free throw line, he's going to frustrate a lot of teams this year.
2. Casey Schilling - JR - PG - Augustana
2013-14 Stats - 18.0 PPG 170-347 49.0% FG 45-111 40.5% 3FG 154-201 76.6% FT 253 REB 8.4 RPG 88 A 64 TO 37 BLK 53 STL 30 G 30 GS 32.4 MPG
It's scary to think Schilling is probably the second best guard in the league with these sort of numbers. They are just freakish, especially his rebounding numbers. 8.4 RPG is just insane for a point guard/shooting guard. You can almost write in stone that Schilling (barring injury) is going to be a 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-Region, and maybe even an All-American. The guy is just that good and I only expect him to get better with him getting a few big weapons back. Could he lead Augie to that illustrious NSIC Conference title? It's certainly possible, but I don't think there's much arguing the #1 guy on this list.
1. Zach Monaghan - SR - PG - Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 15.4 PPG 169-360 46.9% FG 68-166 41.0% 3FG 132-191 69.1% FT 99 REB 2.8 RPG 282 A 79 TO 6 BLK 64 STL 35 G 35 GS 33.1 MPG
How insane is this? Monaghan averaged 8.1 APG and had a 3.5/1 A/TO ratio. On top of that, the guy was a prolific scorer on a team full of scorers...on a team that had five guys average double figure scoring. Monaghan's athletic ability is just insane. His passing ability is just insane. The guy is the ultimate creator and there's a reason why he led the NSIC's best team to a #1 seed in the regional and are predicted to host the regional yet again. With a point guard like Monaghan and a center like Marei, how is this team going to be stopped? I suppose the only thing is the large amount of question marks that need to be answered after MSU lost so much supporting staff. However, when you've got an elite point guard and an elite center, I'm sure MSU will find a way to make it work. Monaghan was an All-American last year and I fully expect him to get the same honors, if not greater honors this year.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Adam's Top 30 Returning NSIC Players of 2014-2015 (20-11)
So we are officially down to the top 20. It seemed like picking 20-11 was a lot easier than picking 30-21...although there are some I'm kinda second-guessing.
There's a ton of talent in this league and I wouldn't be shocked if anyone in this portion of the list goes off and somehow breaks into the NSIC 1st Team by the season is said and done. With no further ado, here is your top 20...
20. Charlie Ward - SR - SG - Sioux Falls
2013-14 Stats - 13.6 PPG 109-252 43.3% FG 27-86 31.4% 3FG 123-159 77.4% FT 137 REB 5.1 RPG 43 A 54 TO 1 BLK 24 STL 27 G 27 GS 26.6 MPG
Charlie Ward puts up some rather sick numbers. With numbers like his, I would've imagined he'd be an all-conference contender. However, I do question his leadership. He does tend to turn the ball over quite a bit and he generally doesn't seem like the best floor leader for this squad. Despite that, I have to admit he's immensely talented. He led Sioux Falls to a much improved season last year. Will it continue in 2014-2015? It'll be interesting to see with so much returning talent in the NSIC...but I do believe he will be one of the best players in the league.
19. Tyler Vaughn - JR - SG/SF - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 11.3 PPG 114-251 45.4% FG 64-157 40.8% 3FG 37-49 75.5% FT 94 REB 3.2 RPG 36 A 27 TO 0 BLK 29 STL 29 GP 27 GS 27.7 MPG
Vaughn is what I like to call a cold-blooded shooter. He has his off games, but when he's hot, he can absolutely rake. The one thing I saw from Vaughn this past season is he seemed to elevate his offensive game a bit and became more of an all-around scorer. He used to be just a three-point specialist for the Dragons, but he's evolved into someone that is more likely to create a shot. I think him and Grant Lang are pretty similar players, although I do think Vaughn is slightly better since it seems like he can create a shot a little better than Lang. An area where Vaughn isn't quite the best (and this is a problem with the Dragons all-around) is that they are not the best of defensive clubs all-around and Vaughn is no exception. I did feel he improved his defense quite a bit from the year before, but I'd still all him a rather average guard when it comes to defense. Still, no doubt about it. He has an absolutely lethal offensive game and watch out if he hits an early three, because he's going to give defenses a lot of headaches if he can get into the rhythm of the game early on.
18. Shaun Condon - SR - PG - Southwest Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 11.0 PPG 109-239 45.6% FG 49-112 43.8% 3FG 75-96 78.1% FT 79 REB 2.5 RPG 50 A 54 TO 1 BLK 18 STL 31 G 0 GS 24.1 MPG
Impressively, Condon is the only Mustang that averaged double-figures that returns to a lineup that is going through a HUGE turnover in talent. While Condon had his role on a very solid SMSU squad, he's likely going to be thrust into that "man" role, which will be interesting to see since he wasn't a starter for SMSU last year. The Mustangs are going "complete overhaul" on their starting lineup from a year ago as they had a ton of players graduate. What can I say about Condon? He's an all-around solid player. He handles the point well, he plays solid fundamental defense, and he shoots the ball well. The one downgrade I have of him is I'm not sure how well he'll be able to run the offense...or at the very least in comparison to Vinard Birch. Considering the sort of team they have this year, they're going to need Condon to be a "scorer" and I'm not exactly sure he can fill that role. Still, he's a player I'm going to keep my eye on because I think if there is a player in this list that could take some people by surprise, it's Condon.
17. Zach Romashko - SR - PF - Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 7.3 PPG 89-204 43.6% FG 39-100 39.0% 3FG 37-51 72.5% FT 102 REB 2.9 RPG 28 A 14 TO 1 BLK 12 STL 35 G 3 GS 17.8 MPG
Romashko is an interesting case. I really didn't know where to put him. At first, I had him in the upper 20s, but that felt like a disservice. I feel like he would be one of the better players in the league if he actually played on anyone else's roster other than MSU. He's a very fundamentally sound power forward that can put in some solid minutes at the 5 position as well to spell Assem Marei, if need be. Romashko is not one of those guys who is going to light up the stat sheet, but he is one of those guys who is going to make his presence felt in the game. While guys like Marei and Monaghan are lighting up the scoresheet, Romashko is one of those guys that is going to do all the little things that are going to help your team win. The most impressive part of Romashko's game is that he is a big man that takes VERY good care of the basketball. 14 turnovers in 35 games is astounding for a big man and he's going to play solid defense. His ability to stretch defenses with his ability to shoot the three is a huge asset to guys like Monaghan that can attack the basket. Again, the reason why I don't have Romashko higher is that he's not a guy who is going to take over offensively if either Monaghan or Marei have an off-game. However, to say he's not a valuable asset to a national championship caliber team would be a disservice.
16. Mark Blacklock - JR - SF/PF - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 10.1 PPG 114-220 51.8% FG 24-72 33.3% 3FG 40-58 69% FT 134 REB 4.6 RPG 43 A 26 TO 12 BLK 26 STL 29 G 27 GS 23.1 MPG
Honestly, I think a midseason bout with mono truly kept Blacklock from putting up possible all-conference numbers. Much like Romashko, Blacklock is a fundamentally sound, great all-around player. He shoots well, he creates shots on the inside, he's probably WSU's best rebounder on the team at the moment, and he's one of the more potent defenders. What makes Blacklock so dynamic is his athletic ability to stretch the floor. From what I can tell, Blacklock is going to be one of the best small forward/power forward hybrids in the league and he's going to cause mismatch problems. My one complaint about Blacklock is I feel he tries to take too many outside shots. While he's an okay three-point shooter, I feel WSU has other weapons that are better equipped to shoot them. What they don't have is a player that can score on the inside like Blacklock. If Blacklock can find a way to play tough inside the paint, he's going to be a solid contributor for the Warriors.
15. Seth Bachand - SR - PF/C - Northern State
2013-14 Stats - 11.9 PPG 123-208 59.1% FG 0-2 0% 3FG 98-147 66.7% FT 174 REB 6.0 RPG 25 A 51 TO 37 BLK 14 STL 29 G 29 GS 20.5 MPG
To be honest, I had quite a debate with myself between Bachand and Blacklock for this spot. Both are essentially undersized forwards that can do the most damage inside. There a little different whereas Bachand is more of an inside post presence, Blacklock is more of a hybrid forward that moves along the wing. This was a tough one, but I ultimately went with Bachand considering he's handling a majority of NSU's inside presence. While an undersized forward, Bachand just manages to outfight you in the low post and shoot for an insane percentage. I consider that just a little more valuable than a hybrid forward, but not by much. Make no mistake, Bachand is not going to pull you out from the low post and knock down a three. He just isn't. However, there's just no way you're going to stop him from scoring on the inside. His knack for getting shots up against bigger defenders is just astounding. I suppose the biggest question is, will Bachand be able to carry the load for the Wolves this season? I think he'll have a strong season...even if NSU has a down season as a team. They'll be relying on Bachand a lot and I'm sure he'll deliver.
14. Jordan Poydras - JR - PG - St. Cloud State
2013-14 Stats - 15.7 PPG 140-340 41.2% FG 49-141 34.8% 3FG 111-142 78.2% FT 87 REB 3.1 RPG 99 A 50 TO 1 BLK 41 STL 28 G 27 GS 31.0 MPG
If we're talking about raw talent, I think Jordan Poydras is one of the best guards in the NSIC. That's quite a statement to make considering how many great guards there are in the NSIC. He's dynamic in every sense of the word. He can shoot, he can attack the basket, he can draw fouls, and get to the free throw line (and convert when he's there). I hate to say it but there's really only one thing holding Poydras back...his offensive discipline. I really don't know why he feels like he needs to jack up threes with reckless abandon. With the sort of lineup SCSU has, you'd think he'd use the gift God gave him and continue to go on the attack because he's harder than hell to guard. If Poydras matured from his sophomore year and coach Reimer can put a leash on him in regards to his three point shooting, I think he's going to give a lot of teams nightmares. If he resorts to the same old, Poydras being Poydras, he's going to give his own team nightmares. He plays a crucial role in the Huskies offense. While the Huskies are known for recruiting "scoring" point guards (see: David Dreas, Taylor Witt), he needs to learn to reign it in a bit. Honestly, I think Poydras is a fun player to watch when he plays with his head in the game and if SCSU does give MSU-Moorhead a run for their money in the NSIC North, it'll be because of this guy and one other guy in their backcourt I shall mention later.
13. Cole Olstad - JR - SG - Concordia-St. Paul
2012-13 Stats - 15.1 PPG 138-297 46.5% FG 51-124 41.1% 3FG 65-81 80.2% FT 131 REB 5.0 RPG 52 A 44 TO 15 BLK 35 STL 26 G 26 GS 34.1 MPG
After a season ending injury derailed his season last year after six games, Cole Olstad is back and ready to dominate the NSIC in that hybrid guard position. Olstad is an absolute nightmare to guard. He's tall, he's athletic, he shoots the ball like crazy, and he's a matchup nightmare. Of all the Golden Bear players, I feel like Olstad is one of the more underrated players and I'm sure his presence would've greatly helped the Golden Bears from being 8-19 a year ago. However, now that he's back, he's an interesting case. Can he come back and be the same player he was before his season ending injury a year ago? It'll be interesting to see if he can be the same player, but so far early signs point to he's back and as good as he ever was. I think with some new leadership at CU, Olstad will truly get a chance to shine and be the surprise star player of the team that not many saw coming considering who one of his counterparts is (you will see him later in this list).
12. Josh Weeber - SO - PF/C - Upper Iowa
2013-14 Stats - 12.7 PPG 129-283 45.6% FG 59-145 40.7% 3FG 65-79 82.3% FT 89 REB 3.0 RPG 9 A 17 TO 5 BLK 16 STL 30 G 29 GS 22.8 MPG
If you think about it, can you imagine if this guy played 25-30 minutes a game like in a normal system? This guy would rake the NSIC statistics. I thought Weeber was the second most impressive freshman in the NSIC and really the only guy that challenged Riley Bambenek for NSIC Freshman Of The Year. Weeber is a matchup nightmare. He's a 6'5" PF that can score inside and outside...and don't dare foul him because he also shoots an ungodly percentage from the free throw line as well. He might be reminiscent to a Aaron Busack type player...except a better outside shooter and free throw shooter. He's an undersized center that can score in a variety of ways. With the graduation of Joey Woods, I fully expect Weeber to carry a majority of Upper Iowa's scoring load. There's very few weaknesses in Weeber's game, which I think makes him one of the more dynamic players in the league.
11. Jordan Riewer - SR - PG/SG - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 10.3 PPG 66-142 46.5% FG 35-80 43.8% 3FG 60-64 93.8% FT 64 REB 2.9 RPG 72 A 31 TO 3 BLK 20 STL 22 G 19 GS 25.3 MPG
To be frank, I think Jordan Riewer aka. Justin Bieber (a nickname I gave him after his freshman year hair-do"n't") has had a rough go with injuries. Last year, he was the floor leader of an unbelievably good Dragons squad before a late season injury again ended his season, much like the year before. If Riewer could just stay healthy, this guy would be arguably one of the best point guards in the league (I'd say only Monaghan, Lutes, and Schilling would have something to say about that). The guy's command of the offense is fantastic, he's probably the Dragons best defender, and the guy is just a nightmare to guard due to his ability to attack the basket and shoot the three. While Riewer's PPG numbers don't seem all that great, his ability to command the offense is what makes him a damn close vote for top 10 player in the NSIC. He came really close, but I didn't quite think he was there with the best of them. Still, if this guy can stay healthy, he's going to possibly lead the Dragons to some post-season play...possibly.
Stay tuned for the top 10 folks. We'll see if there are any surprises.
There's a ton of talent in this league and I wouldn't be shocked if anyone in this portion of the list goes off and somehow breaks into the NSIC 1st Team by the season is said and done. With no further ado, here is your top 20...
20. Charlie Ward - SR - SG - Sioux Falls
2013-14 Stats - 13.6 PPG 109-252 43.3% FG 27-86 31.4% 3FG 123-159 77.4% FT 137 REB 5.1 RPG 43 A 54 TO 1 BLK 24 STL 27 G 27 GS 26.6 MPG
Charlie Ward puts up some rather sick numbers. With numbers like his, I would've imagined he'd be an all-conference contender. However, I do question his leadership. He does tend to turn the ball over quite a bit and he generally doesn't seem like the best floor leader for this squad. Despite that, I have to admit he's immensely talented. He led Sioux Falls to a much improved season last year. Will it continue in 2014-2015? It'll be interesting to see with so much returning talent in the NSIC...but I do believe he will be one of the best players in the league.
19. Tyler Vaughn - JR - SG/SF - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 11.3 PPG 114-251 45.4% FG 64-157 40.8% 3FG 37-49 75.5% FT 94 REB 3.2 RPG 36 A 27 TO 0 BLK 29 STL 29 GP 27 GS 27.7 MPG
Vaughn is what I like to call a cold-blooded shooter. He has his off games, but when he's hot, he can absolutely rake. The one thing I saw from Vaughn this past season is he seemed to elevate his offensive game a bit and became more of an all-around scorer. He used to be just a three-point specialist for the Dragons, but he's evolved into someone that is more likely to create a shot. I think him and Grant Lang are pretty similar players, although I do think Vaughn is slightly better since it seems like he can create a shot a little better than Lang. An area where Vaughn isn't quite the best (and this is a problem with the Dragons all-around) is that they are not the best of defensive clubs all-around and Vaughn is no exception. I did feel he improved his defense quite a bit from the year before, but I'd still all him a rather average guard when it comes to defense. Still, no doubt about it. He has an absolutely lethal offensive game and watch out if he hits an early three, because he's going to give defenses a lot of headaches if he can get into the rhythm of the game early on.
18. Shaun Condon - SR - PG - Southwest Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 11.0 PPG 109-239 45.6% FG 49-112 43.8% 3FG 75-96 78.1% FT 79 REB 2.5 RPG 50 A 54 TO 1 BLK 18 STL 31 G 0 GS 24.1 MPG
Impressively, Condon is the only Mustang that averaged double-figures that returns to a lineup that is going through a HUGE turnover in talent. While Condon had his role on a very solid SMSU squad, he's likely going to be thrust into that "man" role, which will be interesting to see since he wasn't a starter for SMSU last year. The Mustangs are going "complete overhaul" on their starting lineup from a year ago as they had a ton of players graduate. What can I say about Condon? He's an all-around solid player. He handles the point well, he plays solid fundamental defense, and he shoots the ball well. The one downgrade I have of him is I'm not sure how well he'll be able to run the offense...or at the very least in comparison to Vinard Birch. Considering the sort of team they have this year, they're going to need Condon to be a "scorer" and I'm not exactly sure he can fill that role. Still, he's a player I'm going to keep my eye on because I think if there is a player in this list that could take some people by surprise, it's Condon.
17. Zach Romashko - SR - PF - Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 7.3 PPG 89-204 43.6% FG 39-100 39.0% 3FG 37-51 72.5% FT 102 REB 2.9 RPG 28 A 14 TO 1 BLK 12 STL 35 G 3 GS 17.8 MPG
Romashko is an interesting case. I really didn't know where to put him. At first, I had him in the upper 20s, but that felt like a disservice. I feel like he would be one of the better players in the league if he actually played on anyone else's roster other than MSU. He's a very fundamentally sound power forward that can put in some solid minutes at the 5 position as well to spell Assem Marei, if need be. Romashko is not one of those guys who is going to light up the stat sheet, but he is one of those guys who is going to make his presence felt in the game. While guys like Marei and Monaghan are lighting up the scoresheet, Romashko is one of those guys that is going to do all the little things that are going to help your team win. The most impressive part of Romashko's game is that he is a big man that takes VERY good care of the basketball. 14 turnovers in 35 games is astounding for a big man and he's going to play solid defense. His ability to stretch defenses with his ability to shoot the three is a huge asset to guys like Monaghan that can attack the basket. Again, the reason why I don't have Romashko higher is that he's not a guy who is going to take over offensively if either Monaghan or Marei have an off-game. However, to say he's not a valuable asset to a national championship caliber team would be a disservice.
16. Mark Blacklock - JR - SF/PF - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 10.1 PPG 114-220 51.8% FG 24-72 33.3% 3FG 40-58 69% FT 134 REB 4.6 RPG 43 A 26 TO 12 BLK 26 STL 29 G 27 GS 23.1 MPG
Honestly, I think a midseason bout with mono truly kept Blacklock from putting up possible all-conference numbers. Much like Romashko, Blacklock is a fundamentally sound, great all-around player. He shoots well, he creates shots on the inside, he's probably WSU's best rebounder on the team at the moment, and he's one of the more potent defenders. What makes Blacklock so dynamic is his athletic ability to stretch the floor. From what I can tell, Blacklock is going to be one of the best small forward/power forward hybrids in the league and he's going to cause mismatch problems. My one complaint about Blacklock is I feel he tries to take too many outside shots. While he's an okay three-point shooter, I feel WSU has other weapons that are better equipped to shoot them. What they don't have is a player that can score on the inside like Blacklock. If Blacklock can find a way to play tough inside the paint, he's going to be a solid contributor for the Warriors.
15. Seth Bachand - SR - PF/C - Northern State
2013-14 Stats - 11.9 PPG 123-208 59.1% FG 0-2 0% 3FG 98-147 66.7% FT 174 REB 6.0 RPG 25 A 51 TO 37 BLK 14 STL 29 G 29 GS 20.5 MPG
To be honest, I had quite a debate with myself between Bachand and Blacklock for this spot. Both are essentially undersized forwards that can do the most damage inside. There a little different whereas Bachand is more of an inside post presence, Blacklock is more of a hybrid forward that moves along the wing. This was a tough one, but I ultimately went with Bachand considering he's handling a majority of NSU's inside presence. While an undersized forward, Bachand just manages to outfight you in the low post and shoot for an insane percentage. I consider that just a little more valuable than a hybrid forward, but not by much. Make no mistake, Bachand is not going to pull you out from the low post and knock down a three. He just isn't. However, there's just no way you're going to stop him from scoring on the inside. His knack for getting shots up against bigger defenders is just astounding. I suppose the biggest question is, will Bachand be able to carry the load for the Wolves this season? I think he'll have a strong season...even if NSU has a down season as a team. They'll be relying on Bachand a lot and I'm sure he'll deliver.
14. Jordan Poydras - JR - PG - St. Cloud State
2013-14 Stats - 15.7 PPG 140-340 41.2% FG 49-141 34.8% 3FG 111-142 78.2% FT 87 REB 3.1 RPG 99 A 50 TO 1 BLK 41 STL 28 G 27 GS 31.0 MPG
If we're talking about raw talent, I think Jordan Poydras is one of the best guards in the NSIC. That's quite a statement to make considering how many great guards there are in the NSIC. He's dynamic in every sense of the word. He can shoot, he can attack the basket, he can draw fouls, and get to the free throw line (and convert when he's there). I hate to say it but there's really only one thing holding Poydras back...his offensive discipline. I really don't know why he feels like he needs to jack up threes with reckless abandon. With the sort of lineup SCSU has, you'd think he'd use the gift God gave him and continue to go on the attack because he's harder than hell to guard. If Poydras matured from his sophomore year and coach Reimer can put a leash on him in regards to his three point shooting, I think he's going to give a lot of teams nightmares. If he resorts to the same old, Poydras being Poydras, he's going to give his own team nightmares. He plays a crucial role in the Huskies offense. While the Huskies are known for recruiting "scoring" point guards (see: David Dreas, Taylor Witt), he needs to learn to reign it in a bit. Honestly, I think Poydras is a fun player to watch when he plays with his head in the game and if SCSU does give MSU-Moorhead a run for their money in the NSIC North, it'll be because of this guy and one other guy in their backcourt I shall mention later.
13. Cole Olstad - JR - SG - Concordia-St. Paul
2012-13 Stats - 15.1 PPG 138-297 46.5% FG 51-124 41.1% 3FG 65-81 80.2% FT 131 REB 5.0 RPG 52 A 44 TO 15 BLK 35 STL 26 G 26 GS 34.1 MPG
After a season ending injury derailed his season last year after six games, Cole Olstad is back and ready to dominate the NSIC in that hybrid guard position. Olstad is an absolute nightmare to guard. He's tall, he's athletic, he shoots the ball like crazy, and he's a matchup nightmare. Of all the Golden Bear players, I feel like Olstad is one of the more underrated players and I'm sure his presence would've greatly helped the Golden Bears from being 8-19 a year ago. However, now that he's back, he's an interesting case. Can he come back and be the same player he was before his season ending injury a year ago? It'll be interesting to see if he can be the same player, but so far early signs point to he's back and as good as he ever was. I think with some new leadership at CU, Olstad will truly get a chance to shine and be the surprise star player of the team that not many saw coming considering who one of his counterparts is (you will see him later in this list).
12. Josh Weeber - SO - PF/C - Upper Iowa
2013-14 Stats - 12.7 PPG 129-283 45.6% FG 59-145 40.7% 3FG 65-79 82.3% FT 89 REB 3.0 RPG 9 A 17 TO 5 BLK 16 STL 30 G 29 GS 22.8 MPG
If you think about it, can you imagine if this guy played 25-30 minutes a game like in a normal system? This guy would rake the NSIC statistics. I thought Weeber was the second most impressive freshman in the NSIC and really the only guy that challenged Riley Bambenek for NSIC Freshman Of The Year. Weeber is a matchup nightmare. He's a 6'5" PF that can score inside and outside...and don't dare foul him because he also shoots an ungodly percentage from the free throw line as well. He might be reminiscent to a Aaron Busack type player...except a better outside shooter and free throw shooter. He's an undersized center that can score in a variety of ways. With the graduation of Joey Woods, I fully expect Weeber to carry a majority of Upper Iowa's scoring load. There's very few weaknesses in Weeber's game, which I think makes him one of the more dynamic players in the league.
11. Jordan Riewer - SR - PG/SG - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 10.3 PPG 66-142 46.5% FG 35-80 43.8% 3FG 60-64 93.8% FT 64 REB 2.9 RPG 72 A 31 TO 3 BLK 20 STL 22 G 19 GS 25.3 MPG
To be frank, I think Jordan Riewer aka. Justin Bieber (a nickname I gave him after his freshman year hair-do"n't") has had a rough go with injuries. Last year, he was the floor leader of an unbelievably good Dragons squad before a late season injury again ended his season, much like the year before. If Riewer could just stay healthy, this guy would be arguably one of the best point guards in the league (I'd say only Monaghan, Lutes, and Schilling would have something to say about that). The guy's command of the offense is fantastic, he's probably the Dragons best defender, and the guy is just a nightmare to guard due to his ability to attack the basket and shoot the three. While Riewer's PPG numbers don't seem all that great, his ability to command the offense is what makes him a damn close vote for top 10 player in the NSIC. He came really close, but I didn't quite think he was there with the best of them. Still, if this guy can stay healthy, he's going to possibly lead the Dragons to some post-season play...possibly.
Stay tuned for the top 10 folks. We'll see if there are any surprises.
Adam's Top 30 Returning NSIC Players of 2014-2015 (30-21)
After a down year for the NSIC, I had to consider the youth of the league and figure that with all the talent it is bringing back, the NSIC is going to come back in top form.
I figured I'd compile a list of who the top returning players are going to be in 2014-2015. I tell you what, it was tough just narrowing this list down to 30. There are THAT many good returning players. Still, putting them all in one blog would be pretty daunting, so this will be the first of a three part series.
With that being said, let's not delay any longer. Here are the list of my Top 30 players in the league (feel free to disagree and share who you think deserves more respect and who is overrated).
30. Chris Mason - SR - SF/PF - Mary
2013-14 Stats - 10.3 PPG 90-228 39.5% FG 42-108 38.9% 3FG 65-90 72.2% FT 135 REB 4.8 RPG 29 A 41 TO 3 BLK 21 STL 28 G 18 GS 23.3 MPG
Chris Mason officially made the list due to a few guys transferring. He gets one of the "odd man in" positions. To be completely honest, I'm having a hard time trying to find places for these guard/forward hybrid type players. For the most part, it seems like most of my list consists of point guards, shooting guards, and centers. There aren't many forwards quite like Mason on it which might create some value in him. Overall, Mason is a pretty solid. I wouldn't quite call him the best shooter in the world, especially considered to almost everyone ahead of him on this list, but he's just an overall solid player. There really isn't much that distinguishes him from most on this list. Considering he's going to probably carry a good bulk of Mary's scoring due to the graduation of Marc Musungayi, it'll be interesting to see how much he developed in the off-season.
29. Josh Mongan - SO - PG - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 5.2 PPG 50-112 44.6% FG 30-72 41.7% 3FG 47-49 95.9% FT 56 REB 1.6 RPG 76 A 35 TO 3 BLK 19 STL 34 G 10 GS 19.8 MPG
Mongan gets one of the the "odd man in" positions due to the transfer of Malik Wood and Travon Mitchell. It'll be interesting to see what Mongan's role will be this year. He became the starting point guard for Winona State toward the end of last year when Taylor Cameron was dealing with injuries. Overall, Mongan is a pretty good floor general and the sort of guy you like to have at point guard. He takes care of the basketball with an over 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, he shoots the ball extremely well during the few times he takes care of the ball. He's the sort of guy where you want the ball in his hands during late game situations when you have the lead, because his free throw percentage was redonkulous (quoting a former KQAL broadcaster I used to work with). He plays solid defense and is a solidly built. However, there are a few small problems with Mongan that might keep him from climbing up this list. He's going to be fighting for playing time against the likes of Isaiah Gray (who you will see farther down this list, as well as new transfer guard Tim Wagner (who you will see on another list). He's also not the sort of point guard who is going to carry an offense when the team is having an off-shooting night. Still, if I were a fan of another team that had Mongan, I'd be ecstatic to have him as a point guard. He fits the mold of exactly what you want in a point guard.
28. Derrick Redd Jr. - JR - SG - Minnesota-Crookston
2013-14 Stats - 10.2 PPG 102-207 49.3% FG 12-26 46.2% 3FG 59-77 76.6% FT 65 REB 2.4 RPG 28 A 53 TO 5 BLK 23 STL 27 G 16 GS 24.8 MPG
I suppose some of you are probably thinking, "this is the official 'give UMC one spot by default' spot." Well, to be honest, I do think Derrick Redd is a pretty good ballplayer. He's an athletic guard that does have a knack for being a scorer...and with UMC losing it's two top scorers, you can take it to the bank that Redd will more than likely be UMC's leading scorer this year. While the guy does have impressive shooting numbers, there is one stat that is just flat out ugly to look at and is a big reason why UMC only won four games last year. His turnover ratio. 53 turnovers is not a good stat to have at all, ESPECIALLY in basketball. NSIC teams do a great job of converting off turnovers and Redd's inability to create for other teammates while turning over the rock can be more of a hindrance than an asset. Still, I expect him to put up some gaudy numbers this year...even though I also still expect his turnover numbers to be gaudy as well...
27. Jordan Stotts - JR - C - Sioux Falls
2013-14 Stats - 9.6 PPG 85-196 43.4% FG 33-89 37.1% 3FG 57-74 77% FT 156 REB 5.8 RPG 13 A 53 TO 20 STL 27 G 26 GS 24.0 MPG
Jordan Stotts is someone I can actually see some vast improvement out of going from his sophomore year to junior year. For starters, any time you can have a big step out and shoot a three, it opens up the rest of the game for your guards to attack the basket. If you have a big that's afraid to step out on the perimeter and guard, Stotts was a guy that could burn you in that regard. The biggest downfall to Stotts is that he isn't a "hefty" post player so it seemed like he could be forced off the block by bigger post players. He's still a decent rebounder for a big guy, so as long as he hit the weight room this summer, he might be able to become a pretty strong player down in the low post. There isn't an abundance of talent at center in the NSIC, so this is a spot where he can succeed depending on match ups.
26. Isiah Gray - SO - PG/SG - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 8.2 PPG 91-197 46.2% FG 11-24 45.8% 11-24 3FG 77-104 74.0% FT 79 REB 2.4 RPG 38 A 48 TO 3 BLK 21 STL 33 G 0 GS 16.8 MPG
The funny thing about Isiah Gray is he might be the best returning bench player in the NSIC that is more than likely still going to come off the bench for Winona State (mostly due to their insane depth at guard). He averaged nearly a point every two minutes, which is actually even a higher rate than the team's leading scorer Riley Bambenek (who you can bet on will be seen on this list). Gray shoots at an insane clip for a guard and for such a small player, I've seen very few that score in the variety of ways Gray can. Gray's biggest setback though is the reason why he doesn't play more or start. His defense was lacking last season, although it did appear to be getting slightly better toward the end of the year. He struggles against bigger guards and is a liability on pick plays. Still, he is a guy that I could see make some huge strides this year. I'm not sure if he or Mongan will be WSU's starting point guard this year, but whoever it is, they compliment each other's games perfectly.
25. Ethan Guske - SO - SG - Augustana
2013-14 Stats - 7.3 PPG 71-181 39.2% FG 54-142% 3FG 22-28 78.6% FT 51 REB 1.7 RPG 27 A 29 TO 0 BLK 16 STL 30 G 22.6 MPG
With all the weapons Augie has on their roster, very few were as deadly from three-point range as Ethan Guske. While guys like Schilling were able to create with drives and Jansen overpowering in the low block, dishes and kick outs to Guske for open looks were common place. When a freshman leads your team in three-point field goal attempts, you know he's a confident shooter and I expect that confidence to grow even more going into his sophomore season. With a large majority of Vikings team returning in 2014, I expect Guske will only continue to improve within Augie's system with familiar faces giving him the rock. My only real gripe against Guske is that he's not the type that's going to draw many fouls and get to the line very often. When 142 of 181 of your FG attempts are threes, it does bring forth the thought that he isn't the type who's going to create his own shot and will be relying on his teammates to draw doubles to get him open.
24. Mitch Weg - SO - PF - SW Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 6.0 PPG 71-118 60.2% FG 0-0 0% 3FG 44-59 74.6% FT 204 REB 6.6 RPG 24 A 30 TO 11 BLK 27 STL 31 G 18 GS 24.5 MPG
While Mitch Weg's numbers might not seem overwhelming, there is one thing to keep in mind. He put up these numbers with four seniors ahead of him on the roster. With SMSU going into an overhaul this season, you can bet Weg is going to step into the "star" role at SMSU and it's a position they will so desperately need him to produce in. Weg is an incredibly physical player in the low block, who looks for high percentage shots and will try to dominate on the glass. I thought Weg had a very impressive freshman campaign. My only real concern is I'm curious as to how he'll fare without a ton of senior leadership around him, especially when he won't have his battery mate Nick Smith down low anymore. Foul trouble could end up being a concern with extended minutes, so he might need to learn to "tone it down" a bit in the low block if he expects to see a lot of playing time this year.
23. Matt Brazendale - SO - SG - Augustana
2013-14 Stats - 7.7 PPG 57-145 39.3% FG 19-50 38.0% 3FG 36-53 67.9% FT 30 REB 1.4 RPG 31 A 41 TO 0 BLK 9 STL 22 G 10 GS 19.0 MPG
Matt Brazendale showed flashes of being one of the best young guards in the NSIC last year. If an early-to-mid-season injury didn't slow him down, I felt he could've competed with Riley Bambenek for NSIC Freshman Of The Year last year. While #24 seems kinda low for someone I'm so high on, it might be a little difficult for Brazendale to prove himself on such a deep and talented Augustana roster. However, I do feel he could make a big impact on the Vikings this year with his ability to attack the basket and shoot from three. Considering he attempted 50 free throws in just 22 games, he does have a knack for getting to the free throw line as well. If he can improve his free throw percentage this year, I have no doubts that Brazendale will average double figure scoring for the Vikings this season.
22. Urbane Bingham - SR - C - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 10.8 PPG 109-231 47.2% FG 21-54 38.9% 3FG 62-85 72.9% FT 103 REB 3.7 RPG 21 A 49 TO 14 BLK 11 STL 28 G 13 GS 17.5 MPG
Urbane was a newcomer to the NSIC last season and from the center position, left a pretty good impression for a much improved MSU-Moorhead program that finished 21-8 and came close to making the NCAA Tournament. I expect Bingham to be a big centerpiece (literally) for the Dragons again this year since the Dragons will be the leading contender for the NSIC North Division. However, if the Dragons are going to contend, they're going to need more consistency out of their senior center. Bingham has an immense amount of offensive talent, but while Bingham showed flashes in games last year, he was rather inconsistent and had many moments where he'd make mistakes or commit foolish fouls...also at times apparently loosing his temper on the floor. While emotions can be good for a player, Bingham let his emotions get the best of him at times, causing extended foul trouble and troubling mistakes, hence the 49 turnovers...nearly two a game. Bingham is going to need to clean that up considering some of the competition he's going to face this year in the center position.
21. Grant Lang - SR - SG - Upper Iowa
2013-14 Stats - 12.1 PPG 124-279 44.4% FG 73-166 44.0% 3FG 43-49 87.8% FT 80 REB 2.7 RPG 32 A 28 TO 4 BLK 32 STL 30 G 24 GS 25.1 MPG
Grant was without a doubt one of the sharpest shooters in the league last year. He's a deadly three-point shooter and I fully expect him to be one of the Peacocks leading scorers on a very well coached squad that should fare fairly well in the NSIC South Division. From what I can tell, Lang is an outstanding floor leader. He doesn't make many mistakes and his ability to shoot from the outside and his innate free throw shooting ability will keep the Peacocks in a lot of games in the 2014-2015 season. The one downgrade I have of Lang is I am unsure of his ability to create his own shot. Having Joey Woods as his point guard was an enormous asset because not only could he create his own shot, but he opened up guys like Lang out on the wing. Without Woods, there might be a lot more pressure on Lang to step up and be a guard who can create his own shot. Can he pull it off? We'll see, but I just barely have him outside my top 20 returning players in the NSIC this season.
I figured I'd compile a list of who the top returning players are going to be in 2014-2015. I tell you what, it was tough just narrowing this list down to 30. There are THAT many good returning players. Still, putting them all in one blog would be pretty daunting, so this will be the first of a three part series.
With that being said, let's not delay any longer. Here are the list of my Top 30 players in the league (feel free to disagree and share who you think deserves more respect and who is overrated).
30. Chris Mason - SR - SF/PF - Mary
2013-14 Stats - 10.3 PPG 90-228 39.5% FG 42-108 38.9% 3FG 65-90 72.2% FT 135 REB 4.8 RPG 29 A 41 TO 3 BLK 21 STL 28 G 18 GS 23.3 MPG
Chris Mason officially made the list due to a few guys transferring. He gets one of the "odd man in" positions. To be completely honest, I'm having a hard time trying to find places for these guard/forward hybrid type players. For the most part, it seems like most of my list consists of point guards, shooting guards, and centers. There aren't many forwards quite like Mason on it which might create some value in him. Overall, Mason is a pretty solid. I wouldn't quite call him the best shooter in the world, especially considered to almost everyone ahead of him on this list, but he's just an overall solid player. There really isn't much that distinguishes him from most on this list. Considering he's going to probably carry a good bulk of Mary's scoring due to the graduation of Marc Musungayi, it'll be interesting to see how much he developed in the off-season.
29. Josh Mongan - SO - PG - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 5.2 PPG 50-112 44.6% FG 30-72 41.7% 3FG 47-49 95.9% FT 56 REB 1.6 RPG 76 A 35 TO 3 BLK 19 STL 34 G 10 GS 19.8 MPG
Mongan gets one of the the "odd man in" positions due to the transfer of Malik Wood and Travon Mitchell. It'll be interesting to see what Mongan's role will be this year. He became the starting point guard for Winona State toward the end of last year when Taylor Cameron was dealing with injuries. Overall, Mongan is a pretty good floor general and the sort of guy you like to have at point guard. He takes care of the basketball with an over 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, he shoots the ball extremely well during the few times he takes care of the ball. He's the sort of guy where you want the ball in his hands during late game situations when you have the lead, because his free throw percentage was redonkulous (quoting a former KQAL broadcaster I used to work with). He plays solid defense and is a solidly built. However, there are a few small problems with Mongan that might keep him from climbing up this list. He's going to be fighting for playing time against the likes of Isaiah Gray (who you will see farther down this list, as well as new transfer guard Tim Wagner (who you will see on another list). He's also not the sort of point guard who is going to carry an offense when the team is having an off-shooting night. Still, if I were a fan of another team that had Mongan, I'd be ecstatic to have him as a point guard. He fits the mold of exactly what you want in a point guard.
28. Derrick Redd Jr. - JR - SG - Minnesota-Crookston
2013-14 Stats - 10.2 PPG 102-207 49.3% FG 12-26 46.2% 3FG 59-77 76.6% FT 65 REB 2.4 RPG 28 A 53 TO 5 BLK 23 STL 27 G 16 GS 24.8 MPG
I suppose some of you are probably thinking, "this is the official 'give UMC one spot by default' spot." Well, to be honest, I do think Derrick Redd is a pretty good ballplayer. He's an athletic guard that does have a knack for being a scorer...and with UMC losing it's two top scorers, you can take it to the bank that Redd will more than likely be UMC's leading scorer this year. While the guy does have impressive shooting numbers, there is one stat that is just flat out ugly to look at and is a big reason why UMC only won four games last year. His turnover ratio. 53 turnovers is not a good stat to have at all, ESPECIALLY in basketball. NSIC teams do a great job of converting off turnovers and Redd's inability to create for other teammates while turning over the rock can be more of a hindrance than an asset. Still, I expect him to put up some gaudy numbers this year...even though I also still expect his turnover numbers to be gaudy as well...
27. Jordan Stotts - JR - C - Sioux Falls
2013-14 Stats - 9.6 PPG 85-196 43.4% FG 33-89 37.1% 3FG 57-74 77% FT 156 REB 5.8 RPG 13 A 53 TO 20 STL 27 G 26 GS 24.0 MPG
Jordan Stotts is someone I can actually see some vast improvement out of going from his sophomore year to junior year. For starters, any time you can have a big step out and shoot a three, it opens up the rest of the game for your guards to attack the basket. If you have a big that's afraid to step out on the perimeter and guard, Stotts was a guy that could burn you in that regard. The biggest downfall to Stotts is that he isn't a "hefty" post player so it seemed like he could be forced off the block by bigger post players. He's still a decent rebounder for a big guy, so as long as he hit the weight room this summer, he might be able to become a pretty strong player down in the low post. There isn't an abundance of talent at center in the NSIC, so this is a spot where he can succeed depending on match ups.
26. Isiah Gray - SO - PG/SG - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 8.2 PPG 91-197 46.2% FG 11-24 45.8% 11-24 3FG 77-104 74.0% FT 79 REB 2.4 RPG 38 A 48 TO 3 BLK 21 STL 33 G 0 GS 16.8 MPG
The funny thing about Isiah Gray is he might be the best returning bench player in the NSIC that is more than likely still going to come off the bench for Winona State (mostly due to their insane depth at guard). He averaged nearly a point every two minutes, which is actually even a higher rate than the team's leading scorer Riley Bambenek (who you can bet on will be seen on this list). Gray shoots at an insane clip for a guard and for such a small player, I've seen very few that score in the variety of ways Gray can. Gray's biggest setback though is the reason why he doesn't play more or start. His defense was lacking last season, although it did appear to be getting slightly better toward the end of the year. He struggles against bigger guards and is a liability on pick plays. Still, he is a guy that I could see make some huge strides this year. I'm not sure if he or Mongan will be WSU's starting point guard this year, but whoever it is, they compliment each other's games perfectly.
25. Ethan Guske - SO - SG - Augustana
2013-14 Stats - 7.3 PPG 71-181 39.2% FG 54-142% 3FG 22-28 78.6% FT 51 REB 1.7 RPG 27 A 29 TO 0 BLK 16 STL 30 G 22.6 MPG
With all the weapons Augie has on their roster, very few were as deadly from three-point range as Ethan Guske. While guys like Schilling were able to create with drives and Jansen overpowering in the low block, dishes and kick outs to Guske for open looks were common place. When a freshman leads your team in three-point field goal attempts, you know he's a confident shooter and I expect that confidence to grow even more going into his sophomore season. With a large majority of Vikings team returning in 2014, I expect Guske will only continue to improve within Augie's system with familiar faces giving him the rock. My only real gripe against Guske is that he's not the type that's going to draw many fouls and get to the line very often. When 142 of 181 of your FG attempts are threes, it does bring forth the thought that he isn't the type who's going to create his own shot and will be relying on his teammates to draw doubles to get him open.
24. Mitch Weg - SO - PF - SW Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 6.0 PPG 71-118 60.2% FG 0-0 0% 3FG 44-59 74.6% FT 204 REB 6.6 RPG 24 A 30 TO 11 BLK 27 STL 31 G 18 GS 24.5 MPG
While Mitch Weg's numbers might not seem overwhelming, there is one thing to keep in mind. He put up these numbers with four seniors ahead of him on the roster. With SMSU going into an overhaul this season, you can bet Weg is going to step into the "star" role at SMSU and it's a position they will so desperately need him to produce in. Weg is an incredibly physical player in the low block, who looks for high percentage shots and will try to dominate on the glass. I thought Weg had a very impressive freshman campaign. My only real concern is I'm curious as to how he'll fare without a ton of senior leadership around him, especially when he won't have his battery mate Nick Smith down low anymore. Foul trouble could end up being a concern with extended minutes, so he might need to learn to "tone it down" a bit in the low block if he expects to see a lot of playing time this year.
23. Matt Brazendale - SO - SG - Augustana
2013-14 Stats - 7.7 PPG 57-145 39.3% FG 19-50 38.0% 3FG 36-53 67.9% FT 30 REB 1.4 RPG 31 A 41 TO 0 BLK 9 STL 22 G 10 GS 19.0 MPG
Matt Brazendale showed flashes of being one of the best young guards in the NSIC last year. If an early-to-mid-season injury didn't slow him down, I felt he could've competed with Riley Bambenek for NSIC Freshman Of The Year last year. While #24 seems kinda low for someone I'm so high on, it might be a little difficult for Brazendale to prove himself on such a deep and talented Augustana roster. However, I do feel he could make a big impact on the Vikings this year with his ability to attack the basket and shoot from three. Considering he attempted 50 free throws in just 22 games, he does have a knack for getting to the free throw line as well. If he can improve his free throw percentage this year, I have no doubts that Brazendale will average double figure scoring for the Vikings this season.
22. Urbane Bingham - SR - C - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 10.8 PPG 109-231 47.2% FG 21-54 38.9% 3FG 62-85 72.9% FT 103 REB 3.7 RPG 21 A 49 TO 14 BLK 11 STL 28 G 13 GS 17.5 MPG
Urbane was a newcomer to the NSIC last season and from the center position, left a pretty good impression for a much improved MSU-Moorhead program that finished 21-8 and came close to making the NCAA Tournament. I expect Bingham to be a big centerpiece (literally) for the Dragons again this year since the Dragons will be the leading contender for the NSIC North Division. However, if the Dragons are going to contend, they're going to need more consistency out of their senior center. Bingham has an immense amount of offensive talent, but while Bingham showed flashes in games last year, he was rather inconsistent and had many moments where he'd make mistakes or commit foolish fouls...also at times apparently loosing his temper on the floor. While emotions can be good for a player, Bingham let his emotions get the best of him at times, causing extended foul trouble and troubling mistakes, hence the 49 turnovers...nearly two a game. Bingham is going to need to clean that up considering some of the competition he's going to face this year in the center position.
21. Grant Lang - SR - SG - Upper Iowa
2013-14 Stats - 12.1 PPG 124-279 44.4% FG 73-166 44.0% 3FG 43-49 87.8% FT 80 REB 2.7 RPG 32 A 28 TO 4 BLK 32 STL 30 G 24 GS 25.1 MPG
Grant was without a doubt one of the sharpest shooters in the league last year. He's a deadly three-point shooter and I fully expect him to be one of the Peacocks leading scorers on a very well coached squad that should fare fairly well in the NSIC South Division. From what I can tell, Lang is an outstanding floor leader. He doesn't make many mistakes and his ability to shoot from the outside and his innate free throw shooting ability will keep the Peacocks in a lot of games in the 2014-2015 season. The one downgrade I have of Lang is I am unsure of his ability to create his own shot. Having Joey Woods as his point guard was an enormous asset because not only could he create his own shot, but he opened up guys like Lang out on the wing. Without Woods, there might be a lot more pressure on Lang to step up and be a guard who can create his own shot. Can he pull it off? We'll see, but I just barely have him outside my top 20 returning players in the NSIC this season.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Celebratory Off-Hiatus Off-Season NSIC Thoughts
Great news, the NSIC Hoops Blog is now off hiatus. Unfortunately, I had to take some time off to finish my collegiate studies. However, now that I'm back, we're in the swing of the off-season and I can honestly say this has been one of the most dramatic off-seasons that I can remember in NSIC. Most of the drama seems to revolve around my alma matter, Winona State. However, that isn't to say other teams have had some interesting developments. Since we are in the middle of this off-season, I have 10 thoughts before the fall semester starts and NSIC Hoops starts getting into the swing of things.
1. How will Winona State respond after losing assistant coaches Tom Brown and Chris Gove?
It's no secret that Brown and Gove were the heart and soul of Winona State's recruiting. Brown was recently hired as the West Texas A&M head coach and Gove left with him to be his top assistant. To see Brown and Gove not on the WSU sideline will be an odd sight, since both coaches were with WSU for 16 seasons. These were the guys that could attract the local stars like David Zellmann, Zach Malvik, and most recently Riley Bambenek. That's not all they could recruit. Bringing in Curtrell Robinson was probably the best thing to ever happen to Winona State, since his presence also resulted in bringing in the likes of Jonte Flowers and Quincy Henderson. I think just about every Winona State fan, no, every NSIC fan knows what happened after that. Two national championship banners and an NCAA Division II consecutive winning streak record banner speak for themselves. Not only were they great recruiters, but they were great Xs and Os coaches. What could WSU's answer to their departure be? At least that question can be definitively answered with my next point.
2. Will WSU hiring Zach Malvik as the assistant coach alleviate the losses of Brown and Gove?
There is no doubt that WSU head coach Mike Leaf wanted to bring in a familiar face to the program and one that has at least some history in coaching. That resulted in bringing in St. Mary's assistant coach and former WSU point guard Zach Malvik to be his go-to man on the sidelines. Remember how I asked who will bring in the local stars? Well, figures that shortly after Malvik was named the assistant coach, WSU brings in Nebraska transfer and former Gale-Ettrick-Trembleau star Tim Wagner, signs La Crescent's all-time leading scorer Zack Melbostad, and also signs a Tunesian JUCO center Mohamed Ali Ben Ammar. It is interesting to see WSU sign their second foreign player in two seasons since Malvik highly recommended WSU signing Australian guard Corey Jeffs the previous year. With Malvik being from Holmen, WI and playing semi-pro ball in Australia, he has built a variety of connections that I believe will make him a solid recruiter, especially for local players. The Ali Ben Ammar signing is an interesting one since WSU rarely ever goes for JUCO players. Still, I have to wonder if the Ali Ben Ammar signing can alleviate the big shoes he's filling, shoes that I will get around to talking about that later. Still, on the coaching front, it wasn't like WSU was the only team going through some coaching drama.
3. Was St. Cloud State hiring Matt Reimer as their new head coach the right answer?
Kevin Schlagel was the glue that held SCSU together. He was a head coach for 17 years and an assistant for 18 years prior to that with the program. However, in those 17 years as the Huskies' head coach, he had one man at his side. Reimer. It didn't shock me in the least that Reimer was named SCSU's head coach this off-season and I believe it to be the right answer. The only question remains is whether or not he can turn SCSU back into conference title contenders. They've certainly been contenders in the NSIC North Division, co-championing the title last year and winning it outright the year before. Still, they haven't been able to win the overall NSIC title since joining the league back in 2008. They've certainly come close on a few occasions, but still no conference titles. I think what Reimer can do is take what Schlagel built and modify it a bit to turn SCSU into a perennial powerhouse that will be in conference championship hunts year in and year out. If they can't win the whole conference, they'll at least be able to contend for the NSIC North, which is the most important since the better the seed in the North, the more likely they won't have to play the NSIC South's best until the most important game, the NSIC Conference Championship Game. We shall see what sort of wild ride Reimer has in store for us. Still, Reimer wasn't the only head coaching splash made in this off-season.
4. Can new Minnesota-Crookston head coach Dan Weisse bring the Golden Eagles out of the proverbial NSIC cellar?
Let's face it, UMC has not been competitive at all in the NSIC. Year in and year out, they are constantly on the bottom of the NSIC standings and are often fortunate to get one win a year in the conference. In fact, the last time UMC didn't finish dead last in the conference was all the way back in 2003 when Minnesota-Morris won that illustrious title (I might be overreaching a bit with the sarcasm on this one). I've been saying since becoming an NSIC sports analyst back in 2005 that the Golden Eagles should move down to Division III because they just aren't competitive on this level. They don't have the facilities or recruiting advantages to keep them competitive with the likes of Minnesota State, Winona State, Augustana, SW Minnesota State, St. Cloud State, or even MSU-Moorhead, their closest rival. Still, I guess the one thing I can say is that might not be an excuse. Upper Iowa is similar in their school size and recruiting disadvantages, yet they've managed to be a pretty competitive team the last two seasons. They made the NCAA Division II Central Region tournament two years ago and still managed a 13-9 conference mark last year despite losing their head coach. The question remains, can Weisse make UMC competitive? My answer is...not immediately, if at all. Weisse did do some pretty good things as an assistant at MSU-Moorhead with Chad Walthall. Perhaps bringing in a guy who is familiar with the local athletes might help bring some more talented players to UM-Crookston. However, if that does happen, I doubt it will be immediately. While at Upper Iowa, it took current Wayne State head coach Brian Dolan to bring in some talented players to Upper Iowa to make them a really good team. The same goes for Minnesota-Duluth coach Matt Bowen when he was with Bemidji State. He led them to a conference title in 2012 (albeit, by default with WSU facing NCAA sanctions that season). Could Weisse do the same thing with UMC? It's possible, but I'd still be willing to bet UMC will be NSIC cellar dwellers for the next five years. Still, UMC isn't the only perennial cellar dweller that has a new coach...
5. Can Concordia-St. Paul make the jump to NSIC elite with the hiring of Joey James?
Is it surprising to see CSP fire Kelly Boe? Not in the least! I said for years that Concordia-St. Paul is the most underachieving team in the NSIC. You'd think with them being stationed in Twin Cities, they'd have ENORMOUS recruiting advantages over everyone in the NSIC, INCLUDING Minnesota State. However, I do believe their lack of facilities as well as poor coaching has kept them from being a great team. To be completely honest, I'm not even sure how Boe held the job for so long. CSP underachieved year in and year out with the tremendous amount of talent that they had. It was a team that didn't seem to be well coached under Boe. Whether it was a lack of coaching or a lack of discipline, something wasn't meshing and they were in desperate need for a change. It just so happens that timing worked out pretty well for them. With Dave Boots retiring at South Dakota, James was in prime position to find a new coaching job. Concordia-St. Paul is a pretty good stepping stone for James with it being a Division II college in a metropolitan midwest city. Boots achieved a mild amount of success in the Central Region when his South Dakota Coyotes were in Division II, so with Boots' tutelage, I'm sure James should be able to make the transition somewhat easily. Can I say for certain CSP will be contenders shortly upon James' arrival? I doubt it with the amount of talent at the likes of Winona State, Minnesota State, MSU-Moorhead, and Augustana, but I don't doubt he can get CSP back in the thick of things within the next three or four years. I think I've talked enough about coaches, so how about the players? There is quite a bit to discuss there, especially when it comes to the transfer front.
6. Does former WSU center Skyler O'Laughlin's transfer to UW-Whitewater remove their chances of contending for an NSIC title?
The drama of the off-season didn't just end with the Winona State coaches. O'Laughlin was a staple of WSU's team this past year before his broken ankle during the Feb. 8 game against Wayne State derailed his season. Losing O'Laughlin certainly hurt, especially considering the youth and inexperience of WSU's post-play. After his injury, WSU had to rely on redshirt freshman Kyle Bauman, a sophomore transfer Nick Arenz, and a senior walk-on in Kyle Melcher. It seemed like this put an awful lot of pressure on Bauman, who habitually got into foul trouble post-O'Laughlin injury, Arenz who doesn't play like a true center, and Melcher who hadn't played competitive basketball since high school. It was no surprise that the center position went from a strength to a weakness with O'Laughlin's injury. However, the question remains, does his departure hurt WSU's chances to win the NSIC? My answer to that question would be yes and no. The reason why I'm answering that question so indecisively is due to the circumstances surrounding O'Laughlin's injury. His injury was gruesome and quite serious. While I wouldn't put it on the same level as Louisville guard Kevin Ware's compound fracture, the chances of him coming back and playing at the same level as he was before the injury is difficult to predict. I've seen an awful lot of injuries in the NSIC on the level of O'Laughlin's and let's just say when those guys came back, they weren't the same player. It probably would have been wishful thinking to think he could come back and be an immediate impact. While I don't think Ben Ammar can replace O'Laughlin's size and defensive presence, I do think he gives quite a bit of athleticism to the post position that could make WSU a lethal run-and-gun team. However, I don't think WSU's transfers will be able to hold a candle to the transfers they'll be going up against in my next point.
7. Does Minnesota State's new crop of Division I transfers make them the top contenders for the NSIC title yet again?
Trust me when I say no team hits up the Division I "waiver wire" like MSU head coach Matt Margenthaler during the off-season. This year, he is bringing in a 6'8" Davidson center Joe Aase from Austin, MN and a 6'4" Samford guard Connor Miller from Stanley, WI. Aase will have three years of eligibility and Miller will have one. MSU is pretty infamous for bringing in impact Division I transfers. To name a few, Zach Monaghan from South Dakota State, Jarvis Williams from UW-Green Bay, Jefferson Mason from Northern Colorado, and Travis Nelson from Wyoming. It's almost needless to say just how much of an impact those transfers had on the program. It seems like Margenthaler rarely misses on a D1 transfer. Still, the biggest question remains. Can these transfers fill the hole left by the players MSU is losing this year? MSU is losing its sharpshooting guard in Tanner Adler, the epitome of hustle in Connor O'Brien, it's fundamentally well-rounded star in Gage Wooten, as well as Alex Hanks, one of their contributors off the bench. It will be interesting to see because unlike a rebuilding team, MSU still has it's stars intact. They are bringing back first team all-NSIC players in Zach Monaghan and Assem Marei, both of which will be contenders for NSIC Player of the Year. It seems like what MSU needs are supporting role players that can pick up some of the scoring when opposing teams double and triple team their two stars. I'm sure MSU is hopeful that these transfers to can step in and fill in the holes being left behind, and I do say they will still be the top contenders for the NSIC. Although, I'm sure this next team is praying that the holes left by injuries can be filled in a hurry.
8. What gives with all the injuries at SCSU lately and can they recover from this injury plague that they are currently on?
It's no secret that the Huskies have been bitten by the injury bug the last four seasons. Between Kevin Levandoski, Theo Rothstein, Tim Bergstrasser, and Jesse Fisher, this team just can't catch a break with their star players getting hurt. Now, SCSU loses another important piece with 6'6" forward Seth Mortag for the 2014-2015 season due to a torn ACL. This could not have come at a worse time for SCSU, as they are already losing Matt Craggs, Damarius Cruz, and Chris Larson, all of which were big-time impact players for the 2013-2014 NSIC North Division co-champs. We also can't forget Levandoski is returning from injury and it is hard to say if he will be able to play at the same level. It's getting to the point where you can expect a star player on SCSU's squad to suffer a season ending injury that cripples their chances of winning a conference title or playing in the regional tournament. I would normally question the methods of SCSU's training staff, but looking at all these injuries, they appear to be fluke injuries that could happen to anyone. I almost feel compelled to give Reimer a lucky rabbit's foot to stick in his sock during games and practices just so they actually have some good luck for once on the injury front. I can assure you no team has been as unlucky as they've been when it comes to injuries. I do believe they have to get out of it at some point. The fact that they've had four straight seasons with a star player going down with a serious injury has me believing that it has to end some time, and for SCSU's sake, hopefully it's sooner rather than later.
9. I'm forgetting someone...oh right, Augustana...
If SCSU is the unluckiest team in the injury department, I can almost assure you that Augustana comes in a very close second. Between injuries, transfers, and program departures, the Vikings haven't been able to catch a break the last two years. Last year, it appeared we were going to have an NSIC All-Freshman showdown between WSU's Bambenek and Augie's Matt Brazendale...until Brazendale went down with an injury. Granted, he came back, but he wasn't quite able to get back to 100% before the end of the season. Or how about Brennan Olson's sudden departure? Or Zach Huisken's? Or Evan Pierce's injury? I've been saying for the last two years that Augie has a very young, talented team and they are very close to putting it all together. I thought they were going to be the top contenders for the conference championship right along with MSU this past season. Unfortunately, that didn't quite play out that way for them. Still, they have two very talented players in Casey Schilling and Daniel Jansen who I'd argue are right up there with MSU's Monaghan and Marei for best scoring duo in the NSIC. It's almost unfathomable at just how young this team is, with only one senior and three juniors with the rest of the roster being freshman or sophomores. With sensational sophomores Brazendale and Ethan Guske in the backcourt, I can foresee Augie being a tough team to beat in the conference this next year...barring any fluke injuries or departures. Finally...
10. Will the NSIC return to being the best conference in the region?
There is no doubt that the NSIC has been the toughest conference in the Central Region for many years. In the past nine seasons, an NSIC team has hosted the regional tournament eight times and participated seven Elite Eights.
2014 - Central Missouri (Elite Eight), Minnesota State (Host)
2013 - Winona State (Elite Eight), Minnesota State (Host)
2012 - Metro State (Elite Eight), Metro State (Host)
2011 - Minnesota State (Elite Eight), Minnesota State (Host)
2010 - St. Cloud State (Elite Eight), Minnesota State (Host)
2009 - SW Minnesota State (Elite Eight), SW Minnesota State (Host)
2008 - Winona State (Elite Eight), Winona State (Host)
2007 - Winona State (Elite Eight), Winona State (Host)
2006 - Winona State (Elite Eight, Winona State (Host)
Last year, the NSIC didn't seem to represent the region very well. The NSIC only had two teams make the regional tournament and neither of them made it past the semi-final. With Central Missouri going through a bit of a coaching change and NW Missouri State losing some of its most talented players, this might be the year the NSIC jumps back into the fray. I thought in particular that the NSIC was kind of a young league last year and didn't quite have the seasoned veterans that could match up with the MIAA. I won't say the NSIC WILL make that jump, but I believe they will get back to having three or four teams in the regional tournament.
With that being said, I'm looking forward to the rest of this off-season and putting together my conference preview later on this summer.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Best Games of the Week (2/18-2/25/13)
Thursday, Feb. 21
Arkansas-Monticello (12-8) @ #10 Arkansas Tech (13-8)
Monticello was able to beat Arkansas Tech earlier in the year 56-49. However, the Wonder Boys are currently on a four-game win streak and are 8-1 at home. This could be a big game to help Tech get back into regional running.
Friday, Feb. 22
#9 Upper Iowa (16-9) @ #4 Augustana (16-6)
This will be a "something has to give game" game. The Peacocks are 10-2 on the road this season with wins at Winona State, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State to boot, while Augustana is 12-1 on their home court.
#1 Winona State (22-5) @ #15 Wayne State (14-10)
The Wildcats have been a relatively tough team on their home court with a 9-4 home mark. While I'm sure WSU is the heavy favorite, the fact that WSU has Augie the next night could make this a trap game for WSU.
Saturday, Feb. 23
#14 Pittsburg State (12-7) @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
While the Gorillas are riding high off a huge road win at Northeastern State, they can't overlook Central Oklahoma, who's won four straight and haven't lost in the month of February yet.
#12 Harding (15-7) @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-8)
The Bison need a win in the worst way, especially on the road. They are 4-5 away from Searcy this season while Monticello is 10-3 at home. This will be a difficult game for Harding to win.
#9 Upper Iowa (16-9) @ #15 Wayne State (14-10)
Considering the opponents both have faced the night before, this could be a must-win game for both teams if they want to get back into the regional running. I'd say it's probably a bigger must-win for Upper Iowa, who's chances of making the regional are much stronger than Wayne's.
#3 St. Cloud State (17-5) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
While this is far from the toughest game the Huskies have played all year, it could be one of the toughest road games considering the Beavers are 7-2 in Bemidji. Both teams are playing some pretty good ball at the moment.
#1 Winona State (22-5) @ #4 Augustana (16-6)
This is definitely the biggest game of the week. There is a lot on the line in this game as WSU is fighting for the #1 spot in the region while Augustana is trying to get a better NSIC and NCAA tourney seed.
#11 SW Minnesota State (15-11) @ #2 Minnesota State (18-4)
Earlier in the year, Minnesota State needed a frantic comeback to beat the Mustangs in Marshall. The Mustangs on the other hand need this win to try and improve their regional chances. They can no longer use their #1 SOS as an excuse, they need a win in the worst way.
#6 Fort Hays State (13-6) @ #8 Washburn (13-6)
While I called the WSU/AU game the biggest game of the week, I'd call this the 2nd biggest game of the week. Both teams are fighting to get in the regional, both teams are fighting for MIAA tournament seeding, and it might all come down to what happens in this game. Fort Hays squeaked out a one-point win last time they played.
Arkansas-Monticello (12-8) @ #10 Arkansas Tech (13-8)
Monticello was able to beat Arkansas Tech earlier in the year 56-49. However, the Wonder Boys are currently on a four-game win streak and are 8-1 at home. This could be a big game to help Tech get back into regional running.
Friday, Feb. 22
#9 Upper Iowa (16-9) @ #4 Augustana (16-6)
This will be a "something has to give game" game. The Peacocks are 10-2 on the road this season with wins at Winona State, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State to boot, while Augustana is 12-1 on their home court.
#1 Winona State (22-5) @ #15 Wayne State (14-10)
The Wildcats have been a relatively tough team on their home court with a 9-4 home mark. While I'm sure WSU is the heavy favorite, the fact that WSU has Augie the next night could make this a trap game for WSU.
Saturday, Feb. 23
#14 Pittsburg State (12-7) @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
While the Gorillas are riding high off a huge road win at Northeastern State, they can't overlook Central Oklahoma, who's won four straight and haven't lost in the month of February yet.
#12 Harding (15-7) @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-8)
The Bison need a win in the worst way, especially on the road. They are 4-5 away from Searcy this season while Monticello is 10-3 at home. This will be a difficult game for Harding to win.
#9 Upper Iowa (16-9) @ #15 Wayne State (14-10)
Considering the opponents both have faced the night before, this could be a must-win game for both teams if they want to get back into the regional running. I'd say it's probably a bigger must-win for Upper Iowa, who's chances of making the regional are much stronger than Wayne's.
#3 St. Cloud State (17-5) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
While this is far from the toughest game the Huskies have played all year, it could be one of the toughest road games considering the Beavers are 7-2 in Bemidji. Both teams are playing some pretty good ball at the moment.
#1 Winona State (22-5) @ #4 Augustana (16-6)
This is definitely the biggest game of the week. There is a lot on the line in this game as WSU is fighting for the #1 spot in the region while Augustana is trying to get a better NSIC and NCAA tourney seed.
#11 SW Minnesota State (15-11) @ #2 Minnesota State (18-4)
Earlier in the year, Minnesota State needed a frantic comeback to beat the Mustangs in Marshall. The Mustangs on the other hand need this win to try and improve their regional chances. They can no longer use their #1 SOS as an excuse, they need a win in the worst way.
#6 Fort Hays State (13-6) @ #8 Washburn (13-6)
While I called the WSU/AU game the biggest game of the week, I'd call this the 2nd biggest game of the week. Both teams are fighting to get in the regional, both teams are fighting for MIAA tournament seeding, and it might all come down to what happens in this game. Fort Hays squeaked out a one-point win last time they played.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Adam Stanek's Central Region Power Rankings (2/17/13)
Top Ten
1. Winona State - 22-5 (22-5 D2)
LW - 2 (+1)
Massey - 5
Wilson - 5
SOS - 2
Record vs. .500+ - 13-4
Quality Wins - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. Grand Canyon-N (17-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Northern State (13-10), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10) @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. Wayne State (14-10), vs. Bemidji State (12-11), @ Ferris State (13-9), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (13-8), vs. CSU-Dominguez Hills-N (13-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Metro State (21-0), @ Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), @ St. Cloud State (17-5)
Bad Losses - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
LW - L vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14) 89-74, W vs. #2 Minnesota State (18-4) 75-64
TW - 2/22 @ #15 Wayne State (14-10), 2/23 @ #4 Augustana (16-6)
Analysis - This was pretty much a coin-flip decision. I did consider letting Minnesota State keep the #1 spot due to that horrible loss to Concordia-St. Paul for WSU, although another reason why MSU even had #1 over WSU was due to having the head-to-head...which is out of the picture now that the two teams split. After that, it all comes down to resume...which WSU was just a little bit better. Speaking of resumes, WSU has a golden opportunity to pad it with tough road games at Wayne State and Augustana this week.
2. Minnesota State - 20-4 (18-4 D2)
LW - 1 (-1)
Massey - 8
Wilson - 6
SOS - 16
Record vs. .500+ - 10-4
Quality Wins - vs. Winona State (22-5), @ St. Cloud State (17-5), @ Augustana (16-6), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Northern State (13-10), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10), @ Wayne State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (14-10), vs. San Francisco State-N (13-9)
Notable Losses - @ Winona State (22-5), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - W @ #9 Upper Iowa (16-9) 67-54, L @ #1 Winona State (22-5) 65-54
TW - 2/22 vs. Sioux Falls (7-13), 2/23 vs. #11 SW Minnesota State (15-11)
Analysis - For the first time since I've been doing the power rankings, the Mavericks have fallen out of the #1 spot. Of course the biggest reason why is that loss to Winona State. However, the Mavericks still must be feeling fortunate. They aren't out of #1 by much and due to the challenging weekend WSU has ahead of it, MSU still has an opportunity to reclaim that #1 spot. They still need to take care of business though because SW Minnesota State has a knack for challenging MSU and Sioux Falls might not exactly be a gimme either.
3. St. Cloud State - 19-5 (17-5 D2)
LW - 4 (+1)
Massey - 13
Wilson - 14
SOS - 31
Record vs. .500+ - 8-4
Quality Wins - @ Florida Southern (18-3), vs. Winona State (22-5) @ Northern State (13-10), vs. Northern State (13-10),@ SW Minnesota State (15-11), @ Wayne State (14-10), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Augustana (16-6), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9) @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (9-13)
LW - W vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10) 75-67, W vs. Northern State (13-10) 78-62
TW - 2/22 @ UM-Crookston (0-20), 2/23 @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Analysis - I'm not sure what it is about the Huskies, but they sure know how to overcome adversity. A couple weeks ago, they lost Tim Bergstrasser to a knee injury and pulled out a major upset over Winona State. This week, it appears they lost Theo Rothstein to a knee injury and they came out and shelled Northern State in order to win the NSIC North Division. In comparison to a lot of the teams in the top 10 this week, they have a relatively easy finish to their regular season with road games at UM-Crookston and Bemidji State. Of course, the BSU game won't be a walk in the park but I'm sure they'll take it over going somewhere like MSU, WSU, or Augie.
4. Augustana - 18-6 (16-6 D2)
LW - 3 (-1)
Massey - 18
Wilson - 16
SOS - 33
Record vs. .500+ - 7-5
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (18-4), vs. St. Cloud State (17-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), @ Northern State (13-10), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. Wayne State (14-10)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), @ Wayne State (14-10), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - @ Sioux Falls (7-13)
LW - L @ Sioux Falls (7-13) 70-58, W @ #12 SW Minnesota State (15-11) 92-82
TW - 2/22 vs. #9 Upper Iowa (16-9), 2/23 vs. #1 Winona State (22-5)
Analysis - It was a bit of a bizarre week for Augie, much like it was for a lot of teams in the NSIC. They got stunned against Sioux Falls, a road game you can hardly call a road game...and then came out and played a great game against SW Minnesota State. However, Augie will face their most challenging home stand of the season when Winona State and Upper Iowa come to Sioux Falls. I'm sure Vikings fans are glad it's at home considering their 12-1 home mark.
5. Central Missouri - 17-6 (14-6 D2)
LW - 6 (+1)
Massey - 40
Wilson - 31
SOS - 100
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa-N (16-9), vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. Lindenwood (12-7), vs. Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith-N (13-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Dixie State-N (17-4), vs. SW Minnesota State-N (15-11), @ Lindenwood (12-7), @ Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (8-12)
LW - W vs. Lindenwood (12-7) 87-72, W vs. Lincoln (3-20) 93-61
TW - 2/23 @ SW Baptist (8-15)
Analysis - There's no place like Warrensburg for the Mules. After their 1-3 road stand, they had an impressive 2-0 home stand to bounce back from that rough two week stretch. To add compliment to their recovery, they only play one game this week against a mediocre SW Baptist team. I'm getting the impression that this is the week Central Missouri separates itself from the MIAA pack.
6. Fort Hays State - 17-6 (13-6 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 39
Wilson - 35
SOS - 111
Record vs. .500+ - 4-6
Quality Wins - vs. Central Missouri (14-6), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (17-4), @ Northeastern State (15-7), vs. Washburn (13-6), @ Pittsburg State (12-7), @ Lindenwood (12-7), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9)
Bad Losses - None
LW - W @ NW Missouri State (13-8) 64-60, W @ Nebraska-Kearney (6-13) 82-70
TW - 2/23 @ #8 Washburn (13-6)
Analysis - I'm sure this one might be a head-scratcher for some people. Mostly because they made the jump from 18th to 6th. Trust me, I too am wondering what happened outside of winning twice. Last week, their ratings were kinda dismal and this week I check back they are solid. I'll believe this week's was a little more accurate considering their resume. Nevertheless, it'll be an interesting week for the Tigers since they need to travel to Washburn this week. If they can get a win in that game, they'll have a solid chance at winning the MIAA.
7. Northeastern State - 17-7 (15-7 D2)
LW - 8 (+1)
Massey - 52
Wilson - 38
SOS - 121
Record vs. .500+ - 7-5
Quality Wins - vs. Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Washburn (13-6), vs. Arkansas Tech (13-8), @ NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-7), @ Central Missouri (14-6), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), @ Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Lindenwood (12-7)
Bad Losses - @ SW Baptist (8-15), vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-13)
LW - W vs. Missouri Southern (8-12) 77-73, L @ #14 Pittsburg State (12-7) 89-59
TW - 2/23 @ Emporia State (9-11)
Analysis - Okay, I take back what I said about Fort Hays State being head-scratching. The Riverhawks performance this week was head-scratching. They had an AWFUL week, squeaking out an OT home win over Missouri Southern and then getting bombshelled by Pittsburg State. If I were a NE State fan, I would not be feeling very good about my team's late season performance. If they play like this at Emporia State this week, they will lose, especially considering how tough Emporia State is at home.
8. Washburn - 16-6 (13-6 D2)
LW - 9 (+1)
Massey - 42
Wilson - 44
SOS - 87
Record vs. .500+ - 4-4
Quality Wins - vs. St. Mary's (15-6), @ Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Lindenwood (12-7), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (17-4), @ Northeastern State (15-7), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Western (8-12), vs. Truman State (6-12)
LW - W @ Missouri Western (8-12) 56-52, L @ #13 NW Missouri State (13-8) 63-61
TW - 2/21 vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-13), 2/23 vs. #6 Fort Hays State (13-6)
Analysis - Good news for the Ichabods is they avenged that bad loss they had at home to Missouri Western. Although the bad news is they couldn't get a sweep of NW Missouri State even though they had their chances. I'm sure Washburn fans must be looking forward to this week though considering the Saturday matchup the Ichabods have. That Fort Hays State game could be the game that throws Washburn right back into the MIAA championship hunt.
9. Upper Iowa - 17-9 (16-9 D2)
LW - 6 (-3)
Massey - 37
Wilson - 29
SOS - 17
Record vs. .500+ - 6-8
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), @ St. Cloud State (17-5), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10), vs. Wayne State (14-10), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Winona State (21-4), vs. Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Central Missouri-N (14-6), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. Northern State (13-10), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11)
Bad Losses - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
LW - L vs. #2 Minnesota State (18-4) 67-54, L vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14) 69-67
TW - 2/22 @ #4 Augustana (16-6), 2/23 @ #15 Wayne State (14-10)
Analysis - It's a sink-or-swim stretch for the Peacocks. As expected, Minnesota State came back at them to avenge a home loss to handle Upper Iowa on their own home court. However, to make matters worse, the Peacocks couldn't finish off a Concordia-St. Paul team that's been an absolute buzz saw of late. Considering the circumstances, that might've been a must-win game, because the Peacocks face one of their most challenging road trips yet with trips to Wayne and Augie to close out the year.
10. Arkansas Tech - 14-8 (13-8 D2)
LW - 15 (+5)
Massey - 54
Wilson - 38
SOS - 36
Record vs. .500+ - 7-7
Quality Wins - @ Midwestern State (15-6), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. Missouri-St. Louis-N (13-8), vs. Ouachita Baptist (11-9), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-10), vs. SE Oklahoma State (12-10), @ NW Oklahoma State (12-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-7), @ Drury (17-4), @ Northeastern State (15-7), @ Ouachita Baptist (11-9), @ Southern Nazarene (10-10), @ SE Oklahoma State (12-10), @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-8)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Southern (8-12)
LW - W vs. Ouachita Baptist (11-9) 52-50, W @ Henderson State (9-10) 70-68
TW - 2/21 vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12-8), 2/23 @ Southern Arkansas (5-13)
Analysis - Anyone surprised? I'm sure some people might've guessed Harding or SW Minnesota State or Pittsburg State, but no. I decided to go with Arkansas Tech. They're on quite a roll, winning four straight games. They've taken over the GAC conference lead due to a four game losing streak by Harding as well. We'll see if the Wonder Boys can keep me wondering about their regional chances. They have a tough home game against Arkansas-Monticello before hitting the road to play a weak Southern Arkansas team.
Honorable Mention
11. SW Minnesota State - 15-12 (15-11 D2)
LW - 11 (-)
Massey - 44
Wilson - 38
SOS - 1
Record vs. .500+ - 8-10
Quality Wins - vs. Grand Canyon-N (17-5), vs. Central Missouri-N (14-6), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), @ Northern State (13-10), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10), @ Wayne State (14-10), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (13-8)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), vs. Winona State (22-5), @ Augustana (16-6), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. St. Cloud State (17-5), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. Michigan Tech (16-7), @ Bemidji State (12-11), vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills-N (13-11)
Bad Losses - @ Sioux Falls (6-12)
LW - W vs. #15 Wayne State (14-10) 87-69, L vs. #4 Augustana (16-6) 92-82
TW - 2/22 @ Concordia-St. Paul (8-14), 2/23 @ #2 Minnesota State (18-4)
Analysis - The Mustangs just cannot seem to pull together a complete weekend. They had a magnificent home performance against a red-hot Wayne State team and then they cannot pull out an almost necessary home win against Augustana. It just keeps feeling like SMSU let's golden opportunity after golden opportunity slip right through their fingers. This week will be a very trying one for SMSU. They're playing a blazing Concordia-St. Paul team and a very tough Minnesota State team on the road this week. If SMSU isn't careful, they could be facing an 0-2 week ahead of them.
12. Harding - 17-7 (15-7 D2)
LW - 5 (-7)
Massey - 77
Wilson - 37
SOS - 139
Record vs. .500+ - 10-3
Quality Wins - vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. NW Missouri State-N (13-8), vs. Arkansas Tech (13-8), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. Ouachita Baptist (11-9), vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12-8), @ Southern Nazarene (10-9), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-10), @ Christian Brothers (13-7), vs. Christian Brothers (11-7)
Notable Losses - @ SE Oklahoma State (12-10), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9), Ouachita Baptist (11-9)
Bad Losses - @ East Central (6-11), @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11), vs. St. Edward's-N (12-13), vs. Henderson State (9-10)
LW - L vs. Henderson State (9-10) 70-68, L @ Ouachita Baptist (11-9) 60-56
TW - 2/21 vs. Southern Arkansas (5-13), 2/23 @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-8)
Analysis - I don't think "meltdown" even begins to describe the position the Bison are in right now. Just two weeks ago, this team had a three game lead over Arkansas Tech for the GAC lead. Now they're trailing by a game with a challenging two weeks ahead of them. At least Harding might be able to snap their four game losing streak with a home game against Southern Arkansas. However, they face road challenges at Arkansas-Monticello and Arkansas Tech after that. These are dreaded times for a Bison fan.
13. NW Missouri State - 16-8 (13-8 D2)
LW - 12 (-1)
Massey - 69
Wilson - 53
SOS - 78
Record vs. .500+ - 7-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Washburn (13-6), vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11), @ Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Lindenwood (12-7), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Fort Hays State (13-6), vs. Harding-N (15-7), @ Washburn (13-6), @ Central Missouri (14-6), @ Fort Hays State (13-6)
Bad Losses - vs. St. Edward's-N (12-13), @ Missouri Western (8-12), vs. Lincoln (3-20)
LW - L vs. #6 Fort Hays State (13-6) 64-60, W vs. #8 Washburn (13-6) 63-61
TW - 2/20 vs. Missouri Western (8-12)
Analysis - NWMSU's chances at winning the MIAA aren't very likely at this point. They really needed a home win against Fort Hays State in order to keep within distance but they're now two games back with only three to play. HOWEVER, the Bearcats I'm sure are thrilled about their late season schedule. They have three games, two of which at home, that are against sub-.500 teams. I know you can't overlook anyone in the MIAA, but if they can finish regular season MIAA play at 16-8, their regional chances should be at least decent. They might need a few MIAA tourney wins though to help.
14. Pittsburg State - 15-7 (12-7 D2)
LW - 13 (-1)
Massey - 67
Wilson - 52
SOS - 95
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - vs. Dixie State-N (17-4), vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (13-9), vs. Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Lindenwood (12-7), vs. Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Newman (17-4), @ Central Missouri (14-6), @ Northeastern State (15-7), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8), @ Washburn (13-6)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (6-12), vs. SW Baptist (8-15)
LW - W vs. #7 Northeastern State (15-7) 89-59
TW - 2/20 @ Emporia State (9-11), 2/23 @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Analysis - Wow, can someone ask if the Gorillas came out angry this week? After a humiliating home loss to SW Baptist, they punched a very good Northeastern State team right in the mouth with a 30 point fist. Was perhaps that SW Baptist game the start of the PSU's run? It's hard to say since it's just one game. However, it was almost as flawless of a game as you could get. It'll be an interesting pair of road games for the Gorillas this week. We'll see if they can keep that intensity up on the road.
15. Wayne State - 16-10 (14-10 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 55
Wilson - 66
SOS - 52
Record vs. .500+ - 4-8
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (16-6), @ Northern State (13-10), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10), @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), @ Augustana (16-6), vs. St. Cloud State (17-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (9-13), @ Concordia-St. Paul (8-14)
LW - L @ #11 SW Minnesota State (15-11) 87-69, W @ Sioux Falls (7-13) 77-57
TW - 2/22 vs. #1 Winona State (22-5), 2/23 vs. #9 Upper Iowa (16-7)
Analysis - I think inconsistent would be a pretty good way to describe Wayne State's performance last week. An 18 point loss at SMSU followed up by a 20 point win against Sioux Falls is bizarre to say the least. Especially when the results flip flopped on the Augie side of things. It'll be interesting to see if the Wildcats can keep in the hunt though. They have two very tough home games against Winona State and Upper Iowa this week. This will either be the week that breaks the Wildcats or puts them into contention for a regional spot.
1. Winona State - 22-5 (22-5 D2)
LW - 2 (+1)
Massey - 5
Wilson - 5
SOS - 2
Record vs. .500+ - 13-4
Quality Wins - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. Grand Canyon-N (17-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Northern State (13-10), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10) @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. Wayne State (14-10), vs. Bemidji State (12-11), @ Ferris State (13-9), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (13-8), vs. CSU-Dominguez Hills-N (13-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Metro State (21-0), @ Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), @ St. Cloud State (17-5)
Bad Losses - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
LW - L vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14) 89-74, W vs. #2 Minnesota State (18-4) 75-64
TW - 2/22 @ #15 Wayne State (14-10), 2/23 @ #4 Augustana (16-6)
Analysis - This was pretty much a coin-flip decision. I did consider letting Minnesota State keep the #1 spot due to that horrible loss to Concordia-St. Paul for WSU, although another reason why MSU even had #1 over WSU was due to having the head-to-head...which is out of the picture now that the two teams split. After that, it all comes down to resume...which WSU was just a little bit better. Speaking of resumes, WSU has a golden opportunity to pad it with tough road games at Wayne State and Augustana this week.
2. Minnesota State - 20-4 (18-4 D2)
LW - 1 (-1)
Massey - 8
Wilson - 6
SOS - 16
Record vs. .500+ - 10-4
Quality Wins - vs. Winona State (22-5), @ St. Cloud State (17-5), @ Augustana (16-6), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Northern State (13-10), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10), @ Wayne State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (14-10), vs. San Francisco State-N (13-9)
Notable Losses - @ Winona State (22-5), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - W @ #9 Upper Iowa (16-9) 67-54, L @ #1 Winona State (22-5) 65-54
TW - 2/22 vs. Sioux Falls (7-13), 2/23 vs. #11 SW Minnesota State (15-11)
Analysis - For the first time since I've been doing the power rankings, the Mavericks have fallen out of the #1 spot. Of course the biggest reason why is that loss to Winona State. However, the Mavericks still must be feeling fortunate. They aren't out of #1 by much and due to the challenging weekend WSU has ahead of it, MSU still has an opportunity to reclaim that #1 spot. They still need to take care of business though because SW Minnesota State has a knack for challenging MSU and Sioux Falls might not exactly be a gimme either.
3. St. Cloud State - 19-5 (17-5 D2)
LW - 4 (+1)
Massey - 13
Wilson - 14
SOS - 31
Record vs. .500+ - 8-4
Quality Wins - @ Florida Southern (18-3), vs. Winona State (22-5) @ Northern State (13-10), vs. Northern State (13-10),@ SW Minnesota State (15-11), @ Wayne State (14-10), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Augustana (16-6), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9) @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (9-13)
LW - W vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10) 75-67, W vs. Northern State (13-10) 78-62
TW - 2/22 @ UM-Crookston (0-20), 2/23 @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Analysis - I'm not sure what it is about the Huskies, but they sure know how to overcome adversity. A couple weeks ago, they lost Tim Bergstrasser to a knee injury and pulled out a major upset over Winona State. This week, it appears they lost Theo Rothstein to a knee injury and they came out and shelled Northern State in order to win the NSIC North Division. In comparison to a lot of the teams in the top 10 this week, they have a relatively easy finish to their regular season with road games at UM-Crookston and Bemidji State. Of course, the BSU game won't be a walk in the park but I'm sure they'll take it over going somewhere like MSU, WSU, or Augie.
4. Augustana - 18-6 (16-6 D2)
LW - 3 (-1)
Massey - 18
Wilson - 16
SOS - 33
Record vs. .500+ - 7-5
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (18-4), vs. St. Cloud State (17-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), @ Northern State (13-10), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. Wayne State (14-10)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), @ Wayne State (14-10), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - @ Sioux Falls (7-13)
LW - L @ Sioux Falls (7-13) 70-58, W @ #12 SW Minnesota State (15-11) 92-82
TW - 2/22 vs. #9 Upper Iowa (16-9), 2/23 vs. #1 Winona State (22-5)
Analysis - It was a bit of a bizarre week for Augie, much like it was for a lot of teams in the NSIC. They got stunned against Sioux Falls, a road game you can hardly call a road game...and then came out and played a great game against SW Minnesota State. However, Augie will face their most challenging home stand of the season when Winona State and Upper Iowa come to Sioux Falls. I'm sure Vikings fans are glad it's at home considering their 12-1 home mark.
5. Central Missouri - 17-6 (14-6 D2)
LW - 6 (+1)
Massey - 40
Wilson - 31
SOS - 100
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa-N (16-9), vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. Lindenwood (12-7), vs. Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith-N (13-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Dixie State-N (17-4), vs. SW Minnesota State-N (15-11), @ Lindenwood (12-7), @ Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (8-12)
LW - W vs. Lindenwood (12-7) 87-72, W vs. Lincoln (3-20) 93-61
TW - 2/23 @ SW Baptist (8-15)
Analysis - There's no place like Warrensburg for the Mules. After their 1-3 road stand, they had an impressive 2-0 home stand to bounce back from that rough two week stretch. To add compliment to their recovery, they only play one game this week against a mediocre SW Baptist team. I'm getting the impression that this is the week Central Missouri separates itself from the MIAA pack.
6. Fort Hays State - 17-6 (13-6 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 39
Wilson - 35
SOS - 111
Record vs. .500+ - 4-6
Quality Wins - vs. Central Missouri (14-6), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (17-4), @ Northeastern State (15-7), vs. Washburn (13-6), @ Pittsburg State (12-7), @ Lindenwood (12-7), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9)
Bad Losses - None
LW - W @ NW Missouri State (13-8) 64-60, W @ Nebraska-Kearney (6-13) 82-70
TW - 2/23 @ #8 Washburn (13-6)
Analysis - I'm sure this one might be a head-scratcher for some people. Mostly because they made the jump from 18th to 6th. Trust me, I too am wondering what happened outside of winning twice. Last week, their ratings were kinda dismal and this week I check back they are solid. I'll believe this week's was a little more accurate considering their resume. Nevertheless, it'll be an interesting week for the Tigers since they need to travel to Washburn this week. If they can get a win in that game, they'll have a solid chance at winning the MIAA.
7. Northeastern State - 17-7 (15-7 D2)
LW - 8 (+1)
Massey - 52
Wilson - 38
SOS - 121
Record vs. .500+ - 7-5
Quality Wins - vs. Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Washburn (13-6), vs. Arkansas Tech (13-8), @ NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-7), @ Central Missouri (14-6), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), @ Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Lindenwood (12-7)
Bad Losses - @ SW Baptist (8-15), vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-13)
LW - W vs. Missouri Southern (8-12) 77-73, L @ #14 Pittsburg State (12-7) 89-59
TW - 2/23 @ Emporia State (9-11)
Analysis - Okay, I take back what I said about Fort Hays State being head-scratching. The Riverhawks performance this week was head-scratching. They had an AWFUL week, squeaking out an OT home win over Missouri Southern and then getting bombshelled by Pittsburg State. If I were a NE State fan, I would not be feeling very good about my team's late season performance. If they play like this at Emporia State this week, they will lose, especially considering how tough Emporia State is at home.
8. Washburn - 16-6 (13-6 D2)
LW - 9 (+1)
Massey - 42
Wilson - 44
SOS - 87
Record vs. .500+ - 4-4
Quality Wins - vs. St. Mary's (15-6), @ Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Lindenwood (12-7), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (17-4), @ Northeastern State (15-7), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Western (8-12), vs. Truman State (6-12)
LW - W @ Missouri Western (8-12) 56-52, L @ #13 NW Missouri State (13-8) 63-61
TW - 2/21 vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-13), 2/23 vs. #6 Fort Hays State (13-6)
Analysis - Good news for the Ichabods is they avenged that bad loss they had at home to Missouri Western. Although the bad news is they couldn't get a sweep of NW Missouri State even though they had their chances. I'm sure Washburn fans must be looking forward to this week though considering the Saturday matchup the Ichabods have. That Fort Hays State game could be the game that throws Washburn right back into the MIAA championship hunt.
9. Upper Iowa - 17-9 (16-9 D2)
LW - 6 (-3)
Massey - 37
Wilson - 29
SOS - 17
Record vs. .500+ - 6-8
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), @ St. Cloud State (17-5), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-10), vs. Wayne State (14-10), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Winona State (21-4), vs. Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Central Missouri-N (14-6), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. Northern State (13-10), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11)
Bad Losses - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
LW - L vs. #2 Minnesota State (18-4) 67-54, L vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14) 69-67
TW - 2/22 @ #4 Augustana (16-6), 2/23 @ #15 Wayne State (14-10)
Analysis - It's a sink-or-swim stretch for the Peacocks. As expected, Minnesota State came back at them to avenge a home loss to handle Upper Iowa on their own home court. However, to make matters worse, the Peacocks couldn't finish off a Concordia-St. Paul team that's been an absolute buzz saw of late. Considering the circumstances, that might've been a must-win game, because the Peacocks face one of their most challenging road trips yet with trips to Wayne and Augie to close out the year.
10. Arkansas Tech - 14-8 (13-8 D2)
LW - 15 (+5)
Massey - 54
Wilson - 38
SOS - 36
Record vs. .500+ - 7-7
Quality Wins - @ Midwestern State (15-6), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. Missouri-St. Louis-N (13-8), vs. Ouachita Baptist (11-9), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-10), vs. SE Oklahoma State (12-10), @ NW Oklahoma State (12-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-7), @ Drury (17-4), @ Northeastern State (15-7), @ Ouachita Baptist (11-9), @ Southern Nazarene (10-10), @ SE Oklahoma State (12-10), @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-8)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Southern (8-12)
LW - W vs. Ouachita Baptist (11-9) 52-50, W @ Henderson State (9-10) 70-68
TW - 2/21 vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12-8), 2/23 @ Southern Arkansas (5-13)
Analysis - Anyone surprised? I'm sure some people might've guessed Harding or SW Minnesota State or Pittsburg State, but no. I decided to go with Arkansas Tech. They're on quite a roll, winning four straight games. They've taken over the GAC conference lead due to a four game losing streak by Harding as well. We'll see if the Wonder Boys can keep me wondering about their regional chances. They have a tough home game against Arkansas-Monticello before hitting the road to play a weak Southern Arkansas team.
Honorable Mention
11. SW Minnesota State - 15-12 (15-11 D2)
LW - 11 (-)
Massey - 44
Wilson - 38
SOS - 1
Record vs. .500+ - 8-10
Quality Wins - vs. Grand Canyon-N (17-5), vs. Central Missouri-N (14-6), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), @ Northern State (13-10), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10), @ Wayne State (14-10), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (13-8)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), vs. Winona State (22-5), @ Augustana (16-6), vs. Augustana (16-6), vs. St. Cloud State (17-5), @ NW Missouri State (13-8), vs. Michigan Tech (16-7), @ Bemidji State (12-11), vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills-N (13-11)
Bad Losses - @ Sioux Falls (6-12)
LW - W vs. #15 Wayne State (14-10) 87-69, L vs. #4 Augustana (16-6) 92-82
TW - 2/22 @ Concordia-St. Paul (8-14), 2/23 @ #2 Minnesota State (18-4)
Analysis - The Mustangs just cannot seem to pull together a complete weekend. They had a magnificent home performance against a red-hot Wayne State team and then they cannot pull out an almost necessary home win against Augustana. It just keeps feeling like SMSU let's golden opportunity after golden opportunity slip right through their fingers. This week will be a very trying one for SMSU. They're playing a blazing Concordia-St. Paul team and a very tough Minnesota State team on the road this week. If SMSU isn't careful, they could be facing an 0-2 week ahead of them.
12. Harding - 17-7 (15-7 D2)
LW - 5 (-7)
Massey - 77
Wilson - 37
SOS - 139
Record vs. .500+ - 10-3
Quality Wins - vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. NW Missouri State-N (13-8), vs. Arkansas Tech (13-8), vs. NW Oklahoma State (12-9), vs. Ouachita Baptist (11-9), vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12-8), @ Southern Nazarene (10-9), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-10), @ Christian Brothers (13-7), vs. Christian Brothers (11-7)
Notable Losses - @ SE Oklahoma State (12-10), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9), Ouachita Baptist (11-9)
Bad Losses - @ East Central (6-11), @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11), vs. St. Edward's-N (12-13), vs. Henderson State (9-10)
LW - L vs. Henderson State (9-10) 70-68, L @ Ouachita Baptist (11-9) 60-56
TW - 2/21 vs. Southern Arkansas (5-13), 2/23 @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-8)
Analysis - I don't think "meltdown" even begins to describe the position the Bison are in right now. Just two weeks ago, this team had a three game lead over Arkansas Tech for the GAC lead. Now they're trailing by a game with a challenging two weeks ahead of them. At least Harding might be able to snap their four game losing streak with a home game against Southern Arkansas. However, they face road challenges at Arkansas-Monticello and Arkansas Tech after that. These are dreaded times for a Bison fan.
13. NW Missouri State - 16-8 (13-8 D2)
LW - 12 (-1)
Massey - 69
Wilson - 53
SOS - 78
Record vs. .500+ - 7-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa (16-9), vs. Washburn (13-6), vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11), @ Pittsburg State (12-7), vs. Lindenwood (12-7), @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Fort Hays State (13-6), vs. Harding-N (15-7), @ Washburn (13-6), @ Central Missouri (14-6), @ Fort Hays State (13-6)
Bad Losses - vs. St. Edward's-N (12-13), @ Missouri Western (8-12), vs. Lincoln (3-20)
LW - L vs. #6 Fort Hays State (13-6) 64-60, W vs. #8 Washburn (13-6) 63-61
TW - 2/20 vs. Missouri Western (8-12)
Analysis - NWMSU's chances at winning the MIAA aren't very likely at this point. They really needed a home win against Fort Hays State in order to keep within distance but they're now two games back with only three to play. HOWEVER, the Bearcats I'm sure are thrilled about their late season schedule. They have three games, two of which at home, that are against sub-.500 teams. I know you can't overlook anyone in the MIAA, but if they can finish regular season MIAA play at 16-8, their regional chances should be at least decent. They might need a few MIAA tourney wins though to help.
14. Pittsburg State - 15-7 (12-7 D2)
LW - 13 (-1)
Massey - 67
Wilson - 52
SOS - 95
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - vs. Dixie State-N (17-4), vs. Northeastern State (15-7), vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (13-9), vs. Fort Hays State (13-6), @ Lindenwood (12-7), vs. Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Newman (17-4), @ Central Missouri (14-6), @ Northeastern State (15-7), vs. NW Missouri State (13-8), @ Washburn (13-6)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (6-12), vs. SW Baptist (8-15)
LW - W vs. #7 Northeastern State (15-7) 89-59
TW - 2/20 @ Emporia State (9-11), 2/23 @ Central Oklahoma (10-9)
Analysis - Wow, can someone ask if the Gorillas came out angry this week? After a humiliating home loss to SW Baptist, they punched a very good Northeastern State team right in the mouth with a 30 point fist. Was perhaps that SW Baptist game the start of the PSU's run? It's hard to say since it's just one game. However, it was almost as flawless of a game as you could get. It'll be an interesting pair of road games for the Gorillas this week. We'll see if they can keep that intensity up on the road.
15. Wayne State - 16-10 (14-10 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 55
Wilson - 66
SOS - 52
Record vs. .500+ - 4-8
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (16-6), @ Northern State (13-10), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-10), @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (18-4), vs. Minnesota State (18-4), @ Winona State (22-5), @ Augustana (16-6), vs. St. Cloud State (17-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-9), @ SW Minnesota State (15-11), vs. SW Minnesota State (15-11)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (9-13), @ Concordia-St. Paul (8-14)
LW - L @ #11 SW Minnesota State (15-11) 87-69, W @ Sioux Falls (7-13) 77-57
TW - 2/22 vs. #1 Winona State (22-5), 2/23 vs. #9 Upper Iowa (16-7)
Analysis - I think inconsistent would be a pretty good way to describe Wayne State's performance last week. An 18 point loss at SMSU followed up by a 20 point win against Sioux Falls is bizarre to say the least. Especially when the results flip flopped on the Augie side of things. It'll be interesting to see if the Wildcats can keep in the hunt though. They have two very tough home games against Winona State and Upper Iowa this week. This will either be the week that breaks the Wildcats or puts them into contention for a regional spot.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Adam Stanek's Central Region Power Rankings (2/10/13)
Top Ten
1. Minnesota State - 19-3 (17-3 D2)
LW - 1 (-)
Massey - 6
Wilson - 5
SOS - 28
Record vs. .500+ - 9-3
Quality Wins - vs. Winona State (21-4), @ St. Cloud State (15-5), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. Northern State (13-8), @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Wayne State (13-9), vs. Wayne State (13-9), vs. San Francisco State-N (13-7)
Notable Losses - vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L vs. Bemidji State (12-11) 82-74, 2/9 - W vs. UM-Crookston (0-18) 93-55
TW - 2/15 - @ #6 Upper Iowa (16-7), 2/16 - @ #2 Winona State (21-4)
Analysis - While by my criteria that it's a notable loss, in hindsight it's a bad loss for the Mavericks. With WSU playing at St. Cloud, they had a golden opportunity to stretch their #1 seed lead. Now it's in more danger than ever. With road games against Upper Iowa and Winona State this week, the Mavericks, for the first time I started doing these Power Rankings, are in danger of dropping out of the #1 spot.
2. Winona State - 21-4 (21-4 D2)
LW - 2 (-)
Massey - 5
Wilson - 4
SOS - 2
Record vs. .500+ - 12-4
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Grand Canyon-N (15-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Northern State (13-8), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8) @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (13-9), vs. Bemidji State (12-11), @ Ferris State (11-9), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (11-8), vs. CSU-Dominguez Hills-N (11-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Metro State (19-0), @ Minnesota State (17-3), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), @ St. Cloud State (15-5)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L @ #5 St. Cloud State (15-5) 79-78, 2/9 - W @ UM-Duluth (4-17) 89-73
TW - 2/15 - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14), 2/16 - vs. #1 Minnesota State (17-3)
Analysis - Much like MSU, Winona State had a golden opportunity to steal the #1 spot this week with a win at St. Cloud State. Unfortunately, a 14-2 run by the Huskies to open up the 2nd half and strong play by SCSU prevented WSU from catching up and getting a win in St. Cloud. Still, the Warriors with a little luck still have a good chance to get the #1 spot. They'll be hosting the #1 team this week in what is one of the most #1 vs. #2 matchups we've seen in quite some time within the region.
3. Augustana - 17-5 (15-5 D2)
LW - 4 (+1)
Massey - 17
Wilson - 16
SOS - 39
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (17-3), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), @ Northern State (13-8), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (13-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ Wayne State (13-9), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L @ #15 MSU-Moorhead (12-8) 79-62, 2/9 - W @ #8 Northern State (13-8) 72-62
TW - 2/15 - @ Sioux Falls (6-12), 2/16 - @ #11 SW Minnesota State (14-10)
Analysis - Considering the Vikings had two tough road games this week, a split didn't hurt them this week, in fact, it actually helped. It was surprising to see how much the Dragons dominated the Vikings last Friday. However, they battled back and played a strong game at Northern State, who was in a must win game in their own right. Still, this four game road stand is far from over, and with USF playing well and a tough game at SW Minnesota State, another split could be dangerous for the Vikings going into the last week of the season.
4. St. Cloud State - 17-5 (15-5 D2)
LW - 5 (+1)
Massey - 14
Wilson - 20
SOS - 38
Record vs. .500+ - 6-4
Quality Wins - @ Florida Southern (17-2), vs. Winona State (21-4) @ Northern State (13-8), @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), @ Wayne State (13-9), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7) @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (7-13)
LW - 2/8 - W vs. #2 Winona State (21-4) 79-78, 2/9 - L vs. #10 Upper Iowa (16-7) 71-70
TW - 2/15 - vs. #16 MSU-Moorhead (12-8), 2/16 - vs. #10 Northern State (13-8)
Analysis - What a helter-skelter week for SCSU. They came out and played a terrific game against Winona State. I even said to Husky at the game that the one thing that scares me about the Huskies was their guard speed, which they used to their advantage against WSU. They also played a great first half against Upper Iowa, looking like they were going to cruise to an impressive 2-0 week. That didn't happen as Upper Iowa punched the Huskies in the mouth in the 2nd half, and stole another impressive road win on a game-winning shot. Still, SCSU played better than they did the week before and will need to keep it up this week. Home games against desperate MSU-Moorhead and Northern State teams looms.
5. Harding - 17-5 (15-5 D2)
LW - 3 (-2)
Massey - 49
Wilson - 25
SOS - 142
Record vs. .500+ - 10-3
Quality Wins - vs. Northeastern State (14-6), vs. NW Missouri State-N (12-7), vs. Arkansas Tech (11-8), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. Ouachita Baptist (10-8), vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12-7), @ Southern Nazarene (10-9), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-9), @ Christian Brothers (11-7), vs. Christian Brothers (11-7)
Notable Losses - @ SE Oklahoma State (11-9), vs. St. Edward's-N (12-11), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9)
Bad Losses - @ East Central (6-11), @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11)
LW - 2/7 - L @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9) 80-61, 2/9 - L @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11) 71-60
TW - 2/14 - vs. Henderson State (8-10), 2/16 - @ Ouachita Baptist (10-8)
Analysis - Reality might be starting to sink in for the Bison. They just aren't that good of a road team. While they post a 12-0 record at home, they are 4-4 on the road and 1-1 in neutral site games. A 1-2 road stand the past two weeks doesn't bode well for Harding. They luckily do get a home game this week, but a road game at Ouachita Baptist has to be concerning to a team that's having a hard time winning away from Searcy.
6. Upper Iowa - 17-7 (16-7 D2)
TW - 2/15 - vs. #1 Minnesota State (17-3), 2/16 - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
Analysis - That's just how close the region is. A week where if you win twice can propel you up four spots. Upper Iowa escaped Duluth with a one point win which could've easily been a horrible loss for the Peacocks. They then backed it up with a statement win against St. Cloud State on yet another game-winning shot. I find it impressive that the Peacocks have road wins against three of the top four teams in the league and will have an opportunity for all four in a few weeks. Still, this week is an important one for Upper Iowa. It's their last home weekend of the year until conference tourney time and they've got a big Friday night game against MSU.
7. Central Missouri - 15-6 (12-6 D2)
TW - 2/13 - vs. #14 Lindenwood (11-6), 2/16 - vs. Lincoln (3-19)
Analysis - My, how things have turned south for the Mules in a hurry. Two weeks ago, UCM was riding high and had a two game lead on everyone in the MIAA. Now, three straight losses has Central Missouri in a tie for first place with Fort Hays State and with 7 teams within a game of each other for first place in the MIAA, up for grabs is an understatement. Fortunately for the Mules though, they get two home games this week, and with a 10-0 home mark, home sweet home has never sounded sweeter.
8. Northeastern State - 16-6 (14-6 D2)
LW - 7 (-1)
Massey - 45
Wilson - 37
SOS - 120
Record vs. .500+ - 7-4
Quality Wins - vs. Pittsburg State (11-7), vs. Washburn (12-5), vs. Arkansas Tech (11-8), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. Fort Hays State (11-6), @ Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-5), @ Central Missouri (12-6), @ NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Lindenwood (11-6)
Bad Losses - @ SW Baptist (8-13), vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-12)
LW - 2/7 - L vs. Lindenwood (10-6) 78-66, 2/9 - W vs. Truman State (5-12) 72-56
TW - 2/13 - vs. Missouri Southern (8-10), 2/16 - @ #13 Pittsburg State (11-7)
Analysis - It was pretty close between Central Missouri and Northeastern State for the #7 spot, but due to UCM's SOS and head-to-head win over Northeastern, I gave them the edge. Considering the way things are going, the Riverhawks should feel a little relieved with a split. I'm sure they wish they had played better with a home game against Lindenwood, but it's not like Lindenwood isn't a hot team at the moment. However, these next two weeks are crucial for Northeastern. They have two tough road games in the final two weeks and they might need to win one of them to have any shot at a MIAA title.
9. Washburn - 15-5 (12-5 D2)
LW - 11 (+2)
Massey - 42
Wilson - 39
SOS - 99
Record vs. .500+ - 4-3
Quality Wins - vs. St. Mary's (13-6), @ Fort Hays State (1-6), @ Lindenwood (11-6), vs. NW Missouri State (12-7)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (15-4), @ Northeastern State (14-6), @ Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Western (8-11), vs. Truman State (5-12)
LW - 2/6 - L vs. Missouri Western (7-11) 79-74, 2/9 - W vs. #9 NW Missouri State (12-7) 80-67
TW - 2/13 - @ Missouri Western (7-11), 2/16 - @ #12 NW Missouri State (12-7)
Analysis - Before I get someone telling me, "hey, wait a minute", no that's not a mistake. Washburn plays the same teams this week as they played last week. Although, I'm sure the Ichabods are going to be hoping for a different result in the Missouri Western game. It's head scratching that they lost that game. Apparently they took that frustration out on NW Missouri State. The game itself wasn't nearly as close as the 80-67 final score. Washburn dominated the Bearcats from start to finish. While I'm sure Washburn will gladly accept rematches, I'm sure they'd rather not play them on the road.
10. Northern State - 17-8 (13-8 D2)
LW - 8 (-2)
Massey - 43
Wilson - 48
SOS - 56
Record vs. .500+ - 6-8
Quality Wins - @ Upper Iowa (16-7), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Bemidji State (12-11), vs. Bemidji State (12-11), vs. CSU-Dominguez Hills (11-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Grand Canyon-N (15-5), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (11-8), vs. Wayne State (13-9)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L vs. Wayne State (13-9) 70-67, 2/9 - L vs. #4 Augustana (15-5) 72-62
TW - 2/15 - @ UM-Duluth (4-17), 2/16 - @ #4 St. Cloud State (15-5)
Analysis - The Wolves can't be happy with the way they are playing right now. They've lost three of their last four and have played far from their best basketball in those four games. On top of that, they really should've beat Wayne State on Friday night, letting the Wildcats come back from a big deficit to get the win. Needless to say, the Wolves regional chances suffered a minor blow with this two game sweep. Fortunately for them, they have an opportunity ahead of them. Three of their final four games are against very winnable opponents and the one tough game they have left on the docket is a golden opportunity for them to extract some revenge on the Huskies.
Honorable Mention
11. SW Minnesota State - 14-11 (14-10 D2)
LW - 12 (+1)
Massey - 40
Wilson - 44
SOS - 1
Record vs. .500+ - 8-9
Quality Wins - vs. Grand Canyon-N (15-5), vs. Central Missouri-N (12-6), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), @ Northern State (13-8), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Wayne State (13-9), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (11-8)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), vs. Winona State (21-4), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), @ NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Michigan Tech (15-6), @ Bemidji State (12-11), vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills-N (11-11)
Bad Losses - @ Sioux Falls (4-12)
LW - 2/8 - W vs. U-Mary (2-18) 77-64, 2/9 - W vs. Minot State (7-13) 78-68
TW - 2/15 - vs. #17 Wayne State (13-9), 2/16 - vs. #3 Augustana (15-5)
Analysis - I'm sure the Mustangs must be feeling pretty good to FINALLY have a soft spot in their best schedule in the nation to get a few wins. They must also be feeling good because no one is running away from them in the Regional standings. They are looking a big week in the eye though. Home games against Wayne State and Augustana are a golden opportunity. They have the opportunity to get two big quality victories and climb up the Regional ranks. If all goes well, they might be back in the top 10 this week. I bet that's something Mustangs fans never would've thought two weeks ago.
12. NW Missouri State - 15-7 (12-7 D2)
LW - 9 (-3)
Massey - 68
Wilson - 58
SOS - 85
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Northeastern State (14-6), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), @ Pittsburg State (11-7), vs. Lindenwood (11-6), @ Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Harding-N (15-5), @ Washburn (12-5), @ Central Missouri (12-6), @ Fort Hays State (11-6), vs. St. Edward's-N (12-11)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Western (8-11), vs. Lincoln (3-19)
LW - 2/6 - L @ Fort Hays State (11-6) 59-58, 2/9 - L @ #11 Washburn (12-5) 80-67
TW - 2/13 - vs. #18 Fort Hays State (11-6), 2/16 - vs. #9 Washburn (12-5)
Analysis - It's almost hard to believe that the Bearcats have played 3 one-point games this year. Unfortunately for them, they ended up on the losing end of one last week at Fort Hays State. I bet they wish they could say the same thing about the Washburn game though. They were never really in that game. Fortunately, they get rematches this week on their home court. They've been pretty solid on their home court this year, but with the way they are playing, I'm not the most optimistic about them coming away with two wins this week. A split? Maybe...
13. Pittsburg State - 14-7 (11-7 D2)
LW - 12 (-1)
Massey - 82
Wilson - 64
SOS - 95
Record vs. .500+ - 5-5
Quality Wins - vs. Dixie State-N (15-4), vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (11-9), vs. Fort Hays State (11-6), @ Lindenwood (11-6), vs. Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Newman (15-4), @ Central Missouri (12-6), @ Northeastern State (14-6), vs. NW Missouri State (12-7), @ Washburn (12-5)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (6-10), vs. SW Baptist (8-13)
LW - 2/7 - W vs. Truman State (5-12) 79-75, 2/9 - L vs. SW Baptist (8-13) 81-75
TW - 2/16 - vs. #8 Northeastern State (14-6)
Analysis - What a horrific week for the Gorillas. They escaped with a home win against Truman State and then managed to lose a bad one at home against Southwest Baptist. They had a huge lead in that one and let it slip away. It comes at a horrible time as well. The one thing I will say though is I wouldn't be looking forward to this game if I were Northeastern State because Pittsburg has a whole week to prepare for them and you know they'll still have a sour taste in their mouths after that loss.
14. Lindenwood - 15-6 (11-6 D2)
LW - 14 (-)
Massey - 52
Wilson - 73
SOS - 150
Record vs. .500+ - 4-4
Quality Wins - @ Northeastern State (14-6), vs. Central Missouri (12-6) @ Maryville (17-6), vs. Fort Hays State (11-6)
Notable Losses - @ NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Pittsburg State (11-7), vs. Washburn (12-5), vs. Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Bad Losses - @ Quincy (8-10), @ Emporia State (8-10)
LW - 2/7 - W @ Northeastern State (14-6) 78-66, 2/9 - L @ Emporia State (8-10) 61-52
TW - 2/13 @ #7 Central Missouri (12-6), 2/16 - vs. SW Baptist (8-13)
Analysis - I did wonder a little bit about how the Lions would fare with their schedule. Starting last week, six of their final seven games are on the road. When they went into Northeastern and beat them as badly as they did, I was honestly stunned. I thought perhaps this team isn't only hot, they are hot enough to beat even the best of the MIAA on the road...and then they lost at Emporia State. I can't be too critical of them because Emporia State is a tough home team, but at the same time, that's one of the road games they HAVE to win. They have a much tougher road test this week when they have to play in Warrensburg. I guess if there's anything fortunate about that game, they don't play a single team with a winning record after that.
15. Arkansas Tech - 12-8 (11-8 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 89
Wilson - 56
SOS - 35
Record vs. .500+ - 6-7
Quality Wins - @ Midwestern State (14-5), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. Missouri-St. Louis-N (12-7), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-9), vs. SE Oklahoma State (11-9), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-5), @ Drury (15-4), @ Northeastern State (14-6), @ Ouachita Baptist (10-8), @ Southern Nazarene (10-9), @ SE Oklahoma State (11-9), @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-7)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Southern (8-10)
LW - 2/7 - W @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11) 60-57, 2/9 - W @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9) 60-51
TW - 2/14 - vs. Ouachita Baptist (10-8), 2/16 - @ Henderson State (8-10)
Anaylsis - I think the best way to describe the Wonder Boys at this point is they are revitalized. They just got two big road wins and top that off with two Harding losses, they are now only a game back of Harding in the GAC. They also have a home meeting with Harding in a few weeks so I'm sure Arkansas Tech is looking forward to it. Although, they shouldn't look too far forward. They play in an anybody beats anybody league, and overlooking Ouachita or Henderson could be dangerous.
16. MSU-Moorhead - 16-8 (12-8 D2)
LW - 15 (-1)
Massey - 50
Wilson - 61
SOS - 65
Record vs. .500+ - 3-8
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), @ Northern State (13-8), vs. Northern State (13-8), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (13-9) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - W vs. #4 Augustana (15-5) 79-62, 2/9 - L vs. Wayne State (13-9) 73-70
TW - 2/15 - @ #4 St. Cloud State (15-5), 2/16 - @ UM-Duluth (4-17)
Analysis - I think we can finally safely say it...MSU-Moorhead FINALLY beat a high quality opponent. Since their SCSU win, it's been practically impossible for them to get a big win. In fact, it looked like they were on their way to getting two this week...until they blew a big lead against Wayne State. It's been the story of the Dragons year. They just don't fare well against quality competition. They do have an opportunity to try and improve upon that and get a sweep of St. Cloud...it's a win they desperately need if they want to get back into the regional running.
17. Wayne State - 15-9 (13-9 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 77
Wilson - 67
SOS - 64
Record vs. .500+ - 4-6
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (15-5), @ Northern State (13-8), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (17-3), vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-7)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (7-13), @ Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
LW - 2/8 - W @ #8 Northern State (13-8) 70-67, 2/9 - W @ #15 MSU-Moorhead (12-8) 73-70
TW - 2/15 - @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), 2/16 - @ Sioux Falls (6-12)
Analysis - The Wildcats run last week was downright magical. They were down double digits at Northern State and came back to win. They were down by 20 to MSU-Moorhead and came back to win. It's hard to believe that a Wayne State team of this caliber was able to do that on the road back-to-back nights against two pretty good teams. My biggest question is, can they keep it up? They've got two more tough road games this week at SW Minnesota State and a Sioux Falls team that's starting to play some pretty good basketball.
18. Fort Hays State - 15-6 (11-6 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 55
Wilson - 51
SOS - 118
Record vs. .500+ - 2-6
Quality Wins - vs. Central Missouri (12-6), vs. NW Missouri State (12-7)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (15-4), @ Northeastern State (14-6), vs. Washburn (12-5), @ Pittsburg State (11-7), @ Lindenwood (11-6), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/6 - W vs. #9 NW Missouri State (12-7) 59-58, 2/9 - W vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-12) 94-68
TW - 2/13 - @ #12 NW Missouri State (12-7), 2/16 - @ Nebraska-Kearney (6-12)
Analysis - It's almost unfathomable that the team I have rated 18th in the Region is in a position to win the MIAA. Although, they have two pretty tough road games to worry about in the next three weeks. One of them being a rematch against NW Missouri State, in which they escaped with a one-point win at home. I'm sure the Bearcats will be licking their chops for this game. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, because Fort Hays State doesn't have a real strong SOS and I'm wondering if some of these tough road games coming up will be too much for them.
1. Minnesota State - 19-3 (17-3 D2)
LW - 1 (-)
Massey - 6
Wilson - 5
SOS - 28
Record vs. .500+ - 9-3
Quality Wins - vs. Winona State (21-4), @ St. Cloud State (15-5), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. Northern State (13-8), @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Wayne State (13-9), vs. Wayne State (13-9), vs. San Francisco State-N (13-7)
Notable Losses - vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L vs. Bemidji State (12-11) 82-74, 2/9 - W vs. UM-Crookston (0-18) 93-55
TW - 2/15 - @ #6 Upper Iowa (16-7), 2/16 - @ #2 Winona State (21-4)
Analysis - While by my criteria that it's a notable loss, in hindsight it's a bad loss for the Mavericks. With WSU playing at St. Cloud, they had a golden opportunity to stretch their #1 seed lead. Now it's in more danger than ever. With road games against Upper Iowa and Winona State this week, the Mavericks, for the first time I started doing these Power Rankings, are in danger of dropping out of the #1 spot.
2. Winona State - 21-4 (21-4 D2)
LW - 2 (-)
Massey - 5
Wilson - 4
SOS - 2
Record vs. .500+ - 12-4
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Grand Canyon-N (15-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Northern State (13-8), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8) @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (13-9), vs. Bemidji State (12-11), @ Ferris State (11-9), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (11-8), vs. CSU-Dominguez Hills-N (11-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Metro State (19-0), @ Minnesota State (17-3), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), @ St. Cloud State (15-5)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L @ #5 St. Cloud State (15-5) 79-78, 2/9 - W @ UM-Duluth (4-17) 89-73
TW - 2/15 - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14), 2/16 - vs. #1 Minnesota State (17-3)
Analysis - Much like MSU, Winona State had a golden opportunity to steal the #1 spot this week with a win at St. Cloud State. Unfortunately, a 14-2 run by the Huskies to open up the 2nd half and strong play by SCSU prevented WSU from catching up and getting a win in St. Cloud. Still, the Warriors with a little luck still have a good chance to get the #1 spot. They'll be hosting the #1 team this week in what is one of the most #1 vs. #2 matchups we've seen in quite some time within the region.
3. Augustana - 17-5 (15-5 D2)
LW - 4 (+1)
Massey - 17
Wilson - 16
SOS - 39
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (17-3), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), @ Northern State (13-8), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (13-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ Wayne State (13-9), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L @ #15 MSU-Moorhead (12-8) 79-62, 2/9 - W @ #8 Northern State (13-8) 72-62
TW - 2/15 - @ Sioux Falls (6-12), 2/16 - @ #11 SW Minnesota State (14-10)
Analysis - Considering the Vikings had two tough road games this week, a split didn't hurt them this week, in fact, it actually helped. It was surprising to see how much the Dragons dominated the Vikings last Friday. However, they battled back and played a strong game at Northern State, who was in a must win game in their own right. Still, this four game road stand is far from over, and with USF playing well and a tough game at SW Minnesota State, another split could be dangerous for the Vikings going into the last week of the season.
4. St. Cloud State - 17-5 (15-5 D2)
LW - 5 (+1)
Massey - 14
Wilson - 20
SOS - 38
Record vs. .500+ - 6-4
Quality Wins - @ Florida Southern (17-2), vs. Winona State (21-4) @ Northern State (13-8), @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), @ Wayne State (13-9), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7) @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (7-13)
LW - 2/8 - W vs. #2 Winona State (21-4) 79-78, 2/9 - L vs. #10 Upper Iowa (16-7) 71-70
TW - 2/15 - vs. #16 MSU-Moorhead (12-8), 2/16 - vs. #10 Northern State (13-8)
Analysis - What a helter-skelter week for SCSU. They came out and played a terrific game against Winona State. I even said to Husky at the game that the one thing that scares me about the Huskies was their guard speed, which they used to their advantage against WSU. They also played a great first half against Upper Iowa, looking like they were going to cruise to an impressive 2-0 week. That didn't happen as Upper Iowa punched the Huskies in the mouth in the 2nd half, and stole another impressive road win on a game-winning shot. Still, SCSU played better than they did the week before and will need to keep it up this week. Home games against desperate MSU-Moorhead and Northern State teams looms.
5. Harding - 17-5 (15-5 D2)
LW - 3 (-2)
Massey - 49
Wilson - 25
SOS - 142
Record vs. .500+ - 10-3
Quality Wins - vs. Northeastern State (14-6), vs. NW Missouri State-N (12-7), vs. Arkansas Tech (11-8), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. Ouachita Baptist (10-8), vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12-7), @ Southern Nazarene (10-9), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-9), @ Christian Brothers (11-7), vs. Christian Brothers (11-7)
Notable Losses - @ SE Oklahoma State (11-9), vs. St. Edward's-N (12-11), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9)
Bad Losses - @ East Central (6-11), @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11)
LW - 2/7 - L @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9) 80-61, 2/9 - L @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11) 71-60
TW - 2/14 - vs. Henderson State (8-10), 2/16 - @ Ouachita Baptist (10-8)
Analysis - Reality might be starting to sink in for the Bison. They just aren't that good of a road team. While they post a 12-0 record at home, they are 4-4 on the road and 1-1 in neutral site games. A 1-2 road stand the past two weeks doesn't bode well for Harding. They luckily do get a home game this week, but a road game at Ouachita Baptist has to be concerning to a team that's having a hard time winning away from Searcy.
6. Upper Iowa - 17-7 (16-7 D2)
LW - 10 (+4)
Massey - 26
Wilson - 24
M-SOS - 24
Record vs. .500+ - 6-7
Quality Wins - @ Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ St.
Cloud State (15-5), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8), vs. Wayne State (13-9), vs.
Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - vs. Winona State (21-4), vs. Central Missouri-N (12-6),
vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Northern State (13-8), @ NW Missouri State
(12-7), @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), @ SW Minnesota State (14-10)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - W @ UM-Duluth (4-17) 70-69, 2/9 - W @ #5 St. Cloud State (15-5) 71-70TW - 2/15 - vs. #1 Minnesota State (17-3), 2/16 - vs. Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
Analysis - That's just how close the region is. A week where if you win twice can propel you up four spots. Upper Iowa escaped Duluth with a one point win which could've easily been a horrible loss for the Peacocks. They then backed it up with a statement win against St. Cloud State on yet another game-winning shot. I find it impressive that the Peacocks have road wins against three of the top four teams in the league and will have an opportunity for all four in a few weeks. Still, this week is an important one for Upper Iowa. It's their last home weekend of the year until conference tourney time and they've got a big Friday night game against MSU.
7. Central Missouri - 15-6 (12-6 D2)
LW - 6 (-1)
Massey - 37
Wilson - 39
SOS - 81
Record vs. .500+ - 5-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa-N (16-7), vs. Northeastern State (14-6),
vs. NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Pittsburg State (11-7), vs.
Arkansas-Fort Smith-N (11-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Dixie State-N (15-4), vs. SW Minnesota State-N
(14-10), @ Lindenwood (11-6), @ Fort Hays State (11-6), @ Central
Oklahoma (9-9)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (8-10)
LW - 2/7 - L @ Central Oklahoma (9-9) 69-67, 2/9 - L @ Missouri Southern (8-10) 93-81TW - 2/13 - vs. #14 Lindenwood (11-6), 2/16 - vs. Lincoln (3-19)
Analysis - My, how things have turned south for the Mules in a hurry. Two weeks ago, UCM was riding high and had a two game lead on everyone in the MIAA. Now, three straight losses has Central Missouri in a tie for first place with Fort Hays State and with 7 teams within a game of each other for first place in the MIAA, up for grabs is an understatement. Fortunately for the Mules though, they get two home games this week, and with a 10-0 home mark, home sweet home has never sounded sweeter.
8. Northeastern State - 16-6 (14-6 D2)
LW - 7 (-1)
Massey - 45
Wilson - 37
SOS - 120
Record vs. .500+ - 7-4
Quality Wins - vs. Pittsburg State (11-7), vs. Washburn (12-5), vs. Arkansas Tech (11-8), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. Fort Hays State (11-6), @ Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-5), @ Central Missouri (12-6), @ NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Lindenwood (11-6)
Bad Losses - @ SW Baptist (8-13), vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-12)
LW - 2/7 - L vs. Lindenwood (10-6) 78-66, 2/9 - W vs. Truman State (5-12) 72-56
TW - 2/13 - vs. Missouri Southern (8-10), 2/16 - @ #13 Pittsburg State (11-7)
Analysis - It was pretty close between Central Missouri and Northeastern State for the #7 spot, but due to UCM's SOS and head-to-head win over Northeastern, I gave them the edge. Considering the way things are going, the Riverhawks should feel a little relieved with a split. I'm sure they wish they had played better with a home game against Lindenwood, but it's not like Lindenwood isn't a hot team at the moment. However, these next two weeks are crucial for Northeastern. They have two tough road games in the final two weeks and they might need to win one of them to have any shot at a MIAA title.
9. Washburn - 15-5 (12-5 D2)
LW - 11 (+2)
Massey - 42
Wilson - 39
SOS - 99
Record vs. .500+ - 4-3
Quality Wins - vs. St. Mary's (13-6), @ Fort Hays State (1-6), @ Lindenwood (11-6), vs. NW Missouri State (12-7)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (15-4), @ Northeastern State (14-6), @ Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Western (8-11), vs. Truman State (5-12)
LW - 2/6 - L vs. Missouri Western (7-11) 79-74, 2/9 - W vs. #9 NW Missouri State (12-7) 80-67
TW - 2/13 - @ Missouri Western (7-11), 2/16 - @ #12 NW Missouri State (12-7)
Analysis - Before I get someone telling me, "hey, wait a minute", no that's not a mistake. Washburn plays the same teams this week as they played last week. Although, I'm sure the Ichabods are going to be hoping for a different result in the Missouri Western game. It's head scratching that they lost that game. Apparently they took that frustration out on NW Missouri State. The game itself wasn't nearly as close as the 80-67 final score. Washburn dominated the Bearcats from start to finish. While I'm sure Washburn will gladly accept rematches, I'm sure they'd rather not play them on the road.
10. Northern State - 17-8 (13-8 D2)
LW - 8 (-2)
Massey - 43
Wilson - 48
SOS - 56
Record vs. .500+ - 6-8
Quality Wins - @ Upper Iowa (16-7), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8), vs. MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Bemidji State (12-11), vs. Bemidji State (12-11), vs. CSU-Dominguez Hills (11-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. Grand Canyon-N (15-5), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (11-8), vs. Wayne State (13-9)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - L vs. Wayne State (13-9) 70-67, 2/9 - L vs. #4 Augustana (15-5) 72-62
TW - 2/15 - @ UM-Duluth (4-17), 2/16 - @ #4 St. Cloud State (15-5)
Analysis - The Wolves can't be happy with the way they are playing right now. They've lost three of their last four and have played far from their best basketball in those four games. On top of that, they really should've beat Wayne State on Friday night, letting the Wildcats come back from a big deficit to get the win. Needless to say, the Wolves regional chances suffered a minor blow with this two game sweep. Fortunately for them, they have an opportunity ahead of them. Three of their final four games are against very winnable opponents and the one tough game they have left on the docket is a golden opportunity for them to extract some revenge on the Huskies.
Honorable Mention
11. SW Minnesota State - 14-11 (14-10 D2)
LW - 12 (+1)
Massey - 40
Wilson - 44
SOS - 1
Record vs. .500+ - 8-9
Quality Wins - vs. Grand Canyon-N (15-5), vs. Central Missouri-N (12-6), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), @ Northern State (13-8), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Wayne State (13-9), vs. UNC-Pembroke-N (11-8)
Notable Losses - vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), vs. Winona State (21-4), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), @ NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Michigan Tech (15-6), @ Bemidji State (12-11), vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills-N (11-11)
Bad Losses - @ Sioux Falls (4-12)
LW - 2/8 - W vs. U-Mary (2-18) 77-64, 2/9 - W vs. Minot State (7-13) 78-68
TW - 2/15 - vs. #17 Wayne State (13-9), 2/16 - vs. #3 Augustana (15-5)
Analysis - I'm sure the Mustangs must be feeling pretty good to FINALLY have a soft spot in their best schedule in the nation to get a few wins. They must also be feeling good because no one is running away from them in the Regional standings. They are looking a big week in the eye though. Home games against Wayne State and Augustana are a golden opportunity. They have the opportunity to get two big quality victories and climb up the Regional ranks. If all goes well, they might be back in the top 10 this week. I bet that's something Mustangs fans never would've thought two weeks ago.
12. NW Missouri State - 15-7 (12-7 D2)
LW - 9 (-3)
Massey - 68
Wilson - 58
SOS - 85
Record vs. .500+ - 6-5
Quality Wins - vs. Upper Iowa (16-7), vs. Northeastern State (14-6), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), @ Pittsburg State (11-7), vs. Lindenwood (11-6), @ Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Harding-N (15-5), @ Washburn (12-5), @ Central Missouri (12-6), @ Fort Hays State (11-6), vs. St. Edward's-N (12-11)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Western (8-11), vs. Lincoln (3-19)
LW - 2/6 - L @ Fort Hays State (11-6) 59-58, 2/9 - L @ #11 Washburn (12-5) 80-67
TW - 2/13 - vs. #18 Fort Hays State (11-6), 2/16 - vs. #9 Washburn (12-5)
Analysis - It's almost hard to believe that the Bearcats have played 3 one-point games this year. Unfortunately for them, they ended up on the losing end of one last week at Fort Hays State. I bet they wish they could say the same thing about the Washburn game though. They were never really in that game. Fortunately, they get rematches this week on their home court. They've been pretty solid on their home court this year, but with the way they are playing, I'm not the most optimistic about them coming away with two wins this week. A split? Maybe...
13. Pittsburg State - 14-7 (11-7 D2)
LW - 12 (-1)
Massey - 82
Wilson - 64
SOS - 95
Record vs. .500+ - 5-5
Quality Wins - vs. Dixie State-N (15-4), vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (11-9), vs. Fort Hays State (11-6), @ Lindenwood (11-6), vs. Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Notable Losses - vs. Newman (15-4), @ Central Missouri (12-6), @ Northeastern State (14-6), vs. NW Missouri State (12-7), @ Washburn (12-5)
Bad Losses - @ Missouri Southern (6-10), vs. SW Baptist (8-13)
LW - 2/7 - W vs. Truman State (5-12) 79-75, 2/9 - L vs. SW Baptist (8-13) 81-75
TW - 2/16 - vs. #8 Northeastern State (14-6)
Analysis - What a horrific week for the Gorillas. They escaped with a home win against Truman State and then managed to lose a bad one at home against Southwest Baptist. They had a huge lead in that one and let it slip away. It comes at a horrible time as well. The one thing I will say though is I wouldn't be looking forward to this game if I were Northeastern State because Pittsburg has a whole week to prepare for them and you know they'll still have a sour taste in their mouths after that loss.
14. Lindenwood - 15-6 (11-6 D2)
LW - 14 (-)
Massey - 52
Wilson - 73
SOS - 150
Record vs. .500+ - 4-4
Quality Wins - @ Northeastern State (14-6), vs. Central Missouri (12-6) @ Maryville (17-6), vs. Fort Hays State (11-6)
Notable Losses - @ NW Missouri State (12-7), vs. Pittsburg State (11-7), vs. Washburn (12-5), vs. Central Oklahoma (9-9)
Bad Losses - @ Quincy (8-10), @ Emporia State (8-10)
LW - 2/7 - W @ Northeastern State (14-6) 78-66, 2/9 - L @ Emporia State (8-10) 61-52
TW - 2/13 @ #7 Central Missouri (12-6), 2/16 - vs. SW Baptist (8-13)
Analysis - I did wonder a little bit about how the Lions would fare with their schedule. Starting last week, six of their final seven games are on the road. When they went into Northeastern and beat them as badly as they did, I was honestly stunned. I thought perhaps this team isn't only hot, they are hot enough to beat even the best of the MIAA on the road...and then they lost at Emporia State. I can't be too critical of them because Emporia State is a tough home team, but at the same time, that's one of the road games they HAVE to win. They have a much tougher road test this week when they have to play in Warrensburg. I guess if there's anything fortunate about that game, they don't play a single team with a winning record after that.
15. Arkansas Tech - 12-8 (11-8 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 89
Wilson - 56
SOS - 35
Record vs. .500+ - 6-7
Quality Wins - @ Midwestern State (14-5), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9), vs. Missouri-St. Louis-N (12-7), vs. Southern Nazarene (10-9), vs. SE Oklahoma State (11-9), @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9)
Notable Losses - @ Harding (15-5), @ Drury (15-4), @ Northeastern State (14-6), @ Ouachita Baptist (10-8), @ Southern Nazarene (10-9), @ SE Oklahoma State (11-9), @ Arkansas-Monticello (12-7)
Bad Losses - vs. Missouri Southern (8-10)
LW - 2/7 - W @ SW Oklahoma State (9-11) 60-57, 2/9 - W @ NW Oklahoma State (10-9) 60-51
TW - 2/14 - vs. Ouachita Baptist (10-8), 2/16 - @ Henderson State (8-10)
Anaylsis - I think the best way to describe the Wonder Boys at this point is they are revitalized. They just got two big road wins and top that off with two Harding losses, they are now only a game back of Harding in the GAC. They also have a home meeting with Harding in a few weeks so I'm sure Arkansas Tech is looking forward to it. Although, they shouldn't look too far forward. They play in an anybody beats anybody league, and overlooking Ouachita or Henderson could be dangerous.
16. MSU-Moorhead - 16-8 (12-8 D2)
LW - 15 (-1)
Massey - 50
Wilson - 61
SOS - 65
Record vs. .500+ - 3-8
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (15-5), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), vs. Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ Upper Iowa (16-7), @ Northern State (13-8), vs. Northern State (13-8), vs. SW Minnesota State (14-10), vs. Wayne State (13-9) @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/8 - W vs. #4 Augustana (15-5) 79-62, 2/9 - L vs. Wayne State (13-9) 73-70
TW - 2/15 - @ #4 St. Cloud State (15-5), 2/16 - @ UM-Duluth (4-17)
Analysis - I think we can finally safely say it...MSU-Moorhead FINALLY beat a high quality opponent. Since their SCSU win, it's been practically impossible for them to get a big win. In fact, it looked like they were on their way to getting two this week...until they blew a big lead against Wayne State. It's been the story of the Dragons year. They just don't fare well against quality competition. They do have an opportunity to try and improve upon that and get a sweep of St. Cloud...it's a win they desperately need if they want to get back into the regional running.
17. Wayne State - 15-9 (13-9 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 77
Wilson - 67
SOS - 64
Record vs. .500+ - 4-6
Quality Wins - vs. Augustana (15-5), @ Northern State (13-8), @ MSU-Moorhead (12-8), @ Bemidji State (12-11)
Notable Losses - @ Minnesota State (17-3), vs. Minnesota State (17-3), @ Winona State (21-4), @ Augustana (15-5), vs. St. Cloud State (15-5), @ Upper Iowa (16-7)
Bad Losses - vs. Minot State (7-13), @ Concordia-St. Paul (6-14)
LW - 2/8 - W @ #8 Northern State (13-8) 70-67, 2/9 - W @ #15 MSU-Moorhead (12-8) 73-70
TW - 2/15 - @ SW Minnesota State (14-10), 2/16 - @ Sioux Falls (6-12)
Analysis - The Wildcats run last week was downright magical. They were down double digits at Northern State and came back to win. They were down by 20 to MSU-Moorhead and came back to win. It's hard to believe that a Wayne State team of this caliber was able to do that on the road back-to-back nights against two pretty good teams. My biggest question is, can they keep it up? They've got two more tough road games this week at SW Minnesota State and a Sioux Falls team that's starting to play some pretty good basketball.
18. Fort Hays State - 15-6 (11-6 D2)
LW - NR
Massey - 55
Wilson - 51
SOS - 118
Record vs. .500+ - 2-6
Quality Wins - vs. Central Missouri (12-6), vs. NW Missouri State (12-7)
Notable Losses - @ Newman (15-4), @ Northeastern State (14-6), vs. Washburn (12-5), @ Pittsburg State (11-7), @ Lindenwood (11-6), vs. NW Oklahoma State (10-9)
Bad Losses - None
LW - 2/6 - W vs. #9 NW Missouri State (12-7) 59-58, 2/9 - W vs. Nebraska-Kearney (6-12) 94-68
TW - 2/13 - @ #12 NW Missouri State (12-7), 2/16 - @ Nebraska-Kearney (6-12)
Analysis - It's almost unfathomable that the team I have rated 18th in the Region is in a position to win the MIAA. Although, they have two pretty tough road games to worry about in the next three weeks. One of them being a rematch against NW Missouri State, in which they escaped with a one-point win at home. I'm sure the Bearcats will be licking their chops for this game. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, because Fort Hays State doesn't have a real strong SOS and I'm wondering if some of these tough road games coming up will be too much for them.
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