As I sat watching the Gustavus women play Wednesday evening at Saint Mary's, SMU Athletic Director Nikki Fennern briefly joined this crippled Gustie alum in the bleachers. Our idle chatter was soon interrupted by the announcer happily informing us of the men's score at Gus Young Court - Saint Mary's 36, Gustavus 31 with two minutes remaining in the first half.
My response - "Wow, that's embarrassing." - was a little too unfiltered basketball her liking, but I didn't apologize. It would have been an ugly, unexpected and disheartening loss that embarrassed this alumnus. I didn't expect her to enjoy my honesty, but it would also be hard to disagree with it too vehemently. Still, basketball seemed to ponder the battle briefly before realizing it was an argument she couldn't win.
Consider the following, while noting my Gusties came back to win 66-59:
* Gustavus has made the MIAC playoffs every year since the 1999-00 season, when it was still just a four-team affair. The Gusties tied for fourth, but lost the tiebreaker.
* The last time SMU finished with a winning record was the 1984-85 season. To the best of my research ability, it has never made the league's postseason tournament.
* The Gusties are 210-73 (.742) in the last 10 years and have not had a losing season.
* SMU is 63-182 (.257) over the same stretch without a single winning season to its credit.
* If you combined the two school's winning percentage, it equals .999. So what? That means they've had the exact opposite record over the last 10 years - a Gustie win has meant an SMU loss and vice versa. Interesting, no?
* GAC has qualified for the national tournament six times since the 1997-98 season, though its last appearance came in 2005.
* After 15 minutes of searching both the MIAC and SMU web sites, I'm coming up empty for the Cards. It's possible I'm missing something, but they certainly haven't gone dancing in the last 20 years. I'd ask former SMU great and current Rochester resident Doug Luebbe for confirmation, but I'm stuck on the couch for the foreseeable future.
* SMU's crew of thirteen cheerleaders was intimidating the Gustie women with a cheer that went "Defense, become the offense." How do you keep a straight face while chanting that 10 straight times? And I'm not sure how three of them were even allowed to cheer after forgetting their pom poms. Did the Wisconsin courts really just declare cheerleading a contact sport? Let's just move on...
So what's my point here? Everyone who follows MIAC basketball knows the Gusties should beat the Cardinals. Had the Cards won, I bet SMU SID Donny Nadeau would have used a headline that included the word "upset." Heck, I'd expect it, but would the SMU AD take issue with that, too? It's essentially the same point I was making, but from the opposite perspective.
More to the point - finally, right? - is how that conversation got me thinking about the bigger picture. What are the expectations for each program in the league? How many actually expected SMU to compete with the Gusties, given both school's tradition (or lack thereof) and the disparity in coaching experience?
For those among you first stumbling onto this site, I'm going to draw comparisons between the 11 MIAC schools and their Big Ten counterparts based on expectations, talent and style of play. Hopefully it helps give you a better understanding of how many view the small college basketball scene in Minnesota. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: There are more "good" teams in the Big 10 than the MIAC this year, so a couple of my choices might be a stretch. Deal with it.
MIAC school - Big 10 school
Current league standings listed in parenthesis
St. Thomas (1st) - Michigan State (1st)
Arguably the most consistent and well-coached teams in both leagues. Each relies on hard-nosed rebounding and a tenacious defense to spark an offense that isn't always efficient in half court sets, though that hasn't been a big issue this season. Even if the talent isn't always readily apparent, they remain tough to beat.
Bethel (2nd) - Michigan (7th)
Stacked with talent, a strong brand name and a unique style of play - an aversion to defense and a love of the longball, basically - both of these programs should have seen much more success in the last few years than they actually have. They have a recognizable group of alumni, but have yet to really live up to their vast potential. The battle cry of "Wait 'til next year!" has to be getting a little stale in Ann Arbor and Arden Hills.
Augsburg (3rd) - Minnesota (4th)
Experienced guards and a freshman post leading a team that struggled a year ago? It's been the recipe for success for both of these teams thus far, but you also get the feeling that fans are holding their breath after recent struggles. A wait-and-see approach would be wise before freeing your March travel schedule.
Carleton (3rd) - Purdue (3rd)
Disappointing home losses - to Saint John's and Duke, respectively - marred otherwise strong starts for both schools, but each has rebounded nicely to be in contention for postseason success. The Knights are led by do-it-all senior Zach "Goose" Johnson, while the Boilermakers have more balance. Both currently sit in third place, yet they might be the biggest threat to the current leaders.
Gustavus Adolphus (3rd) - Wisconsin (8th)
The systems have a proven track record of success, but it's an old-school approach that some have a hard time enjoying - both playing and watching. Coaches Mark Hanson and Bo Ryan are typically able to squeeze every last ounce of talent out of their rosters. The sum of the parts is always more impressive than the individuals, though that train of thought is being challenged for both teams this year.
Saint John's (6th) - Ohio State (6th)
Each school relies almost exclusively on youngsters. SJU's top three scorers are sophomores, while the Buckeyes are led by two sophomores and a freshman. That reliance has led to some shaky performances, but the future for each program appears bright. Will each coach stick around long enough to enjoy it? Jim Smith is in his 45th season and Thad Motta may look at a "bigger" opportunity after this year - Arizona or Georgia, perhaps?
St. Olaf (7th) - Penn State (4th)
These two don't fit together at all, but these are the last two left after my other decisions were made. Olaf is led in scoring by two freshman in Bobby Fong (14.8)and Alfred Jaryan (7.9). The Nittany Lions are paced by a pair of seniors. The Oles haven't won or lost more than three games in a row all year, which should be expected when relying so heavily on youngsters. PSU has posted two separate 5-game winning streaks already.
Concordia (8th) - Illinois (2nd)
The Cobbers and Fighting Illini both rely on their strong inside game to set the tone. Concordia sophomore John Fraase is the only MIAC player currently averaging a double-double (15.5, 10.9) and classmate Darrin Olmscheid provides a solid partner in crime. However, Illinois has benefited from equally solid guard play thus far to claim the title of the biggest surprise in the Big 10 - pending Thursday's showdown at The Barn, anyway.
Hamline (8th) - Iowa (10th)
Up-and-down programs who have come under fire from their supporters. Is either one on the right track? The Pipers have had injury problems and shuffled their lineup all season, while Iowa's top freshman - Minnesota's own, Anthony Tucker - has been suspended for an ugly alcohol-related incident. Can either regroup for the stretch run or will things continue to crumble?
Saint Mary's (8th) - Indiana (11th)
Some interesting, talented players on both sides, but not enough to challenge quality clubs on a consistent basis. Both have struggled mightily in recent years with head cases and defections, but each fanbase remains cautiously optimistic with the addition of new coaches. How long will the honeymoons last?
Macalester (11th) - Northwestern (8th)
Each school is hamstrung by elite academic requirements, but the Scots have fallen on hard times while the Wildcats are thriving. Mac coach Curt Kietzer worked his recruiting magic to lead the Scots to their best season in 20 years...in 2003-04. There is a very real chance that Mac doesn't win a game this season. Where did things go wrong?
I've already spent too many hours on this project to figure out how to make some square pegs fit into the round holes. What suggestions would people have for me? I'm curious to see what people agree with or how they'd change things - and why.
While I wait for feedback, I'll just pop another pain pill and relax until the Gophers start. The surgery went well, but my foot is killing me right now.
Brett Boese
http://minnesnowtamusings.blogspot.com/
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