MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

[Mule Man]

The season is finally upon us as we kick things off for the Mules in the Wisconsin Dells next weekend. Traveling into NSIC country with the Mules will be the Lindenwood Lions. In the two day event, the MIAA foes will face off against Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth in the Friday and Saturday event. I am looking forward to the trip and seeing how this Mule team performs. I have been to both of the exhibition games, and like the a lot of what I have seen. Anyone else heading to the games? Figured we could compare notes about the teams as the week goes along.

[laker]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Staying at the Kalahari?

[Mule Man]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Staying at the Kalahari?

The Wilderness Resort.

[MrAugustana]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

The season is finally upon us as we kick things off for the Mules in the Wisconsin Dells next weekend. Traveling into NSIC country with the Mules will be the Lindenwood Lions. In the two day event, the MIAA foes will face off against Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth in the Friday and Saturday event. I am looking forward to the trip and seeing how this Mule team performs. I have been to both of the exhibition games, and like the a lot of what I have seen. Anyone else heading to the games? Figured we could compare notes about the teams as the week goes along.

Don't know much about Bemidji this year except that, for a while at least, they put up a decent fight against the Minnesota Golden Gophers a few days ago. Then again, with the way the Gophers have been the past few years, I don't know if that's saying much. (Just kidding, BSU fans...that was a jab at the Gophers, not you guys.)

Duluth just lost to D3 UW-River Falls in an exhibition game. Not sure what happened there though. Augie had a pretty tough game against one of the Wisconsin D3s three or four years ago, and several of those Wisconsin D3s are really good, so I don't know if this was a case of River Falls playing well or Duluth playing poorly.

I think most NSIC fans on here would agree that neither of the teams from our conference happen to be the cream of the crop...at least not for the past couple of years. I would expect Central Missouri to come away 2-0 on the weekend. Don't know much about Lindenwood, so I'm not sure about them.

EDIT: As Augieholic pointed out, the Vikes didn't lose to River Falls, just didn't have a great game against them. Thanks for clarifying, Augieholic.

[Randy]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

I know that last season doesn't matter but the "glass is more than half empty" in me feels the need to point out that the Mules were a bottom feeder in the MIAA last season finishing 12th out of 14, 3 games behind Lindenwood. My negative nature has me worried that my son might be correct when he says "Karleskint = Doucette". Doucette didn't have a losing MIAA record until his 3rd season and a losing overall record until his 5th. Karleskint accomplished both in only his 2nd season. Quite a fall from the 2014 National Championship. The 2014-15 Mules had an MIAA W/L% of 73.7% and 2015-16 team had 36.4%. That 37.3% drop is the largest single season drop since the 37.5% drop in 1991-92, the Jerry Hughes interim season. The Mules lost several recruits after Wooldridge left and Jerry redshirted the incoming freshmen.

Note: For those of you who don't know, Don Doucette coached Mass Lowell to a D2 National Championship and few years later coach the Mules into a consistent MIAA bottom feeder. Like Karleskint, Doucette took a previous coach's players to the NCAA tournament but Don never made the tournament again with the Mules.

[Randy]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Now that I have posted the negative facts, I hope this year's recruits work out better than several of last year's and the Mules return to being a top team in the MIAA. The coaches think the Mules will be a little better (9th), I'm hoping for better than that. Barring an injury to "you know who", the battle is for second place in the MIAA this season.

[Augieholic]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Augie lost to one of the Wisconsin D3s three or four years ago

Are you talking about Augustana College (IL) because Augustana University has not lost to a member of the prestigious WIAC in at least five seasons. At the beginning of the '14-15 campaign UWRF led Augustana University by double digits in the second half but the Vikings ended up winning by 12 in OT.

[MrAugustana]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Are you talking about Augustana College (IL) because Augustana University has not lost to a member of the prestigious WIAC in at least five seasons. At the beginning of the '14-15 campaign UWRF led Augustana University by double digits in the second half but the Vikings ended up winning by 12 in OT.

As always, your encyclopedic knowledge wins. That's the game I was thinking of.

[Toucanbird]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

The Wilderness Resort.

[MoHoops]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Pull up Randy . . . pull up.
It will take a little time to overcome the upperclass heavy lineup and missed recruiting year that Coach A left in his wake. I think Coach K will be just fine.
Should be a fun year.

[FightnMulz]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Now that I have posted the negative facts, I hope this year's recruits work out better several of last year's and the Mules return to being a top team in the MIAA. The coaches think the Mules will be a little better (9th), I'm hoping for better than that. Barring an injury to "you know who", the battle is for second place in the MIAA this season.

Team defense sucked last year, period. Through the first two exhibitions, the Mules have shown an 180 degree change in their effort on defense. Mules had a tough half shooting at Mizzou, but still only lost by 7. That was a very winnable game.

[Mule Man]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Pull up Randy . . . pull up.
It will take a little time to overcome the upperclass heavy lineup and missed recruiting year that Coach A left in his wake. I think Coach K will be just fine.
Should be a fun year.

I agree. This years team is a more cohesive unit. At Mizzou last week, I saw fire in Kyle Wolf that I have not seen in the last three years. He is going to give us nice leadership, and is set for a good season. Spencer is Spencer...tough worker that leaves it all on the court. Once we get DJ (at Christmas) we will have a guy that can penetrate and get his own shot. The PG position is much deeper this year too. With Rice, Locke and O'Neil we have three guys to turn to running the team. I expect a big season out of Kob, but he struggled at Ark and Miz. Have to keep in mind that he was playing against D1 talent in the post there. I want to see what he does this weekend. I like the hustle and energy that Q played with in exhibition too. I was not a huge fan last year, but he does things that others cannot on this team.

The coaching staff is trying to infuse younger talent into the program. Wilkenson will be a solid player for us. He has a long body and can play. The commitments of Emmert and Jones for next season will be very nice...beats bringing in juco guys every season.

I will be at the games this weekend and next so I look forward to the in region games to get things tipped off. Anything can happen, but we are tied with NW right now...0-0. Lets see how we play, and what progress we make between now and March to judge things completely.

[Mule Man]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Team defense sucked last year, period. Through the first two exhibitions, the Mules have shown an 180 degree change in their effort on defense. Mules had a tough half shooting at Mizzou, but still only lost by 7. That was a very winnable game.

I have seen some good defensive efforts the two preseason games this year. Of course athleticism ultimately won out in several cases...but we were defending better. Be good to judge against D2's this weekend.

[MoHoops]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

Toucanbird -- Any recommendations?

[FightnMulz]

Re: MIAA - NSIC Hoops - The Dells - JustAgame Fieldhouse

I agree. This years team is a more cohesive unit. At Mizzou last week, I saw fire in Kyle Wolf that I have not seen in the last three years. He is going to give us nice leadership, and is set for a good season. Spencer is Spencer...tough worker that leaves it all on the court. Once we get DJ (at Christmas) we will have a guy that can penetrate and get his own shot. The PG position is much deeper this year too. With Rice, Locke and O'Neil we have three guys to turn to running the team. I expect a big season out of Kob, but he struggled at Ark and Miz. Have to keep in mind that he was playing against D1 talent in the post there. I want to see what he does this weekend. I like the hustle and energy that Q played with in exhibition too. I was not a huge fan last year, but he does things that others cannot on this team.

The coaching staff is trying to infuse younger talent into the program. Wilkenson will be a solid player for us. He has a long body and can play. The commitments of Emmert and Jones for next season will be very nice...beats bringing in juco guys every season.

I will be at the games this weekend and next so I look forward to the in region games to get things tipped off. Anything can happen, but we are tied with NW right now...0-0. Lets see how we play, and what progress we make between now and March to judge things completely.

I was wondering where he was (DJ) during the two exhibitions.