Midweek Blog 1: 'Tis the season...

…And no I don't mean the holidays, Christmastime or anything like that. No, I mean it's time for conference play to start up. All across the nation, teams will be facing off against their conference foes as they begin their push for a conference title.

1 Big Thing

I always found this a weird time in the college basketball schedule when I played. 

First off, we would have just come off about three or four non-conference games and then we'd get thrown right into conference play.

That isn't so bad, but then we would play only three or four conference games before being right back into non-conference games come winter break.

That sandwiching of these conference games always seemed funny to me. Firstly, they didn't seem like conference games, having just come off of the non-conference schedule and secondly, we were still figuring out who we were as a team. As in, our chemistry, our roles, our offensives and defensive systems. 

For that reason, the teams that I was a part of were never that good in those games -- combined 4-6: 1-2 in both 08-09, 09-10 and 2-2 in 10-11 (Freshman year really doesn't matter. I didn't play and I didn't pay attention too much. Sorry, Bunks.)

In two of those years -- 08-09 and 10-11 -- we would take the NAC South division title. But in both instances, those championships were threatened by those loses we took early.

Granted, every other team had to endure the same thing but still. Conference championships could be determined by what would happen during those games.

This is why, when I looked at the schedule for the conferences for the blog, I found it difficult to find intriguing match ups. One, because most of these match ups aren't that great anyway. Two, because even if the match ups are intriguing, the two teams in them won't be nearly the teams that they will be come end of January or February. (Don't worry, I still found some that will be discussed later)

But why not fix this? Why not make it more like DI, where they don't start conference play until January? Here's my solution:

Push back the beginning of the NCAA tournament one week. That gives conferences an extra week to finish up conference play, meaning that they can push those three or four games in December to after Christmas break, much like how DI teams do.

This pushing back the tournament isn't a terrible idea either, especially if the NCAA wants to host all of their men's basketball championship games at Final Four sites on occasion like this year. The DIII tournament is stretched out very badly this year because of that fact. This would compress the tournament a bit if that ever happens again.

This will also give teams a full slate of non-conference games to test themselves before ever playing a conference game, when the stakes are little bit higher.

I understand there may be some NCAA rule or something from the institutions that prohibits this from happening. 

But why not? Makes sense to me.

2 Small Things

- Can Whitewater survive without Chris Davis?

The answer seems to be a resounding yes after the No. 3-ranked Warhawks came back on the road in a hostile environment at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill., to down what will probably be one of the best teams in the CCIW in No. 7-ranked Illinois Wesleyan 71-65.

Now, of course it will still be tough to replace last season's National Player of the Year, but those key returners, such as Luke Knoble, Quardell Young, Eric Bryson and Cody Odegaard, have all stepped up in his absence already this season, taking on the scoring load.

They also seemed to have found a gem in freshman forward Darnell Harris, who dropped in 32 points for the Warhawks against the Titans, including connecting on 6-of-8 from deep as well.

If they can continue the balanced scoring and playing sound defense like they did last year, they should be just fine.

- WIll Grinnell be hurt Jack Taylor's 138-point game?

There was plenty of feedback from Taylor's 138 point barrage last Tuesday night. 

And most of that wasn't of the good kind. A lot of people were upset that coach David Arsenault continued the onslaught and continued feeding Taylor well after the Pioneers were in control against Faith Baptist Bible College.

Even a week later, people are still talking and discussing the record. And now even more so that the Pioneers head into their MWC schedule, where the system is most familiar to everyone.

I feel like their may be more bad that comes out of it for Grinnell as far as teams giving them their best shot when the come up against them, wanting to prove that The System is flawed.

3 Performances of the Weekend

Cody Veleke, Marian

Veleke led the Sabres to a non-conference win over Ripon College by pouring in 21 points and grabbing five rebounds. Veleke will have to be Marian's go-to big man if they are to contend in the NAC.

Ryan DePouw, Lawrence 

DePouw scored 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists to lead the Vikings to a MWC-opening win over Illinois College. DePouw also went 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

Tyler Tillema, UW-Stevens Point

Tillema poured in 22 points and collected six rebounds to lead the Pointers to an 80-68 win over Buena Vista (Iowa). Tillema also dished out four assists in the win.

4 Power Teams in Two Words

WIAC

1. UW-Whitewater (4-0, 0-0 WIAC) Words: still excellent
2. UW-La Crosse (5-0, 0-0 WIAC) Words: still climbing
3. UW-Stevens Point (4-0, 0-0 WIAC) Words: still Point
4. UW-Platteville (5-1, 0-0 WIAC) Words: still working

MWC

1. Carroll (4-1, 1-0 MWC) Words: very balanced

2. Grinnell (4-1, 1-0 MWC) Words: The System

3. St. Norbert (2-1, 1-0 MWC) Words: tough, gritty

4. Ripon (2-2, 1-0 MWC) Words: surprise team?

NAC

1. Lakeland (3-0, 1-0 NAC) Words: scoring barrage
2. Aurora (2-3, 1-0 NAC) Words: experienced, deep
3. Benedictine (2-3, 1-0 NAC) Words: finding identity
4. Concordia-Wisconsin (1-2, 1-0 NAC) Words: long, versatile

5 Worth the Price of Admission

(all games Saturday, unless noted (for future reference))

1. WIAC, UW-La Crosse at UW-Eau Claire, 3 p.m.  Price I would pay: $7

This is a nice early season match up against two WIAC teams that are trying to make some noise outside of Whitewater and Point. La Crosse has gotten off to a 5-0 start behind Lucas Morrisey and Jeff Heiden, both of whom are averaging over double figures

Eau Claire has had a more of a shaky start, going 3-2 with close loses to Goshen (Ind.) and Hamline (Minn.). They did just pick up a solid win over Loras on Monday and are led by guard Jordan Petersen, who is fourth in the WIAC with 15.8 points a game.

This is a chance for both teams to get a WIAC win under their belt and a step up on each other in position.

2. NAC, Aurora at Edgewood, 4:15 p.m. Price I would pay: $6

This matchup should be a good one against cross division competitors. Aurora played a tough non-conference schedule that included Augustana (Ill.) and North Central (Ill.) from the CCIW and Whitewater that should prepare them for conference. They will be coming off a 80-54 win over Wisconsin Lutheran on Tuesday.

Edgewood meanwhile has had a rough go in the non-conference schedule, going 1-3. But they were picked second in the North division this year, even though they lost to Lakeland 79-65 on Tuesday.

This could end up being for a seed in the NAC tournament the end of February when we look back on it if both teams finish what they were picked to at the beginning of the year.

3. WIAC, UW-Platteville at UW-River Falls, 3 p.m. Price I would pay: $4

One team that is looking to be on the way up and another appears to be coming from the top back down to the middle.

Platteville is looking to be that team on the upswing and they played as such in the non-conference part of their schedule, going 5-1.

River Falls could be coming back towards the middle after two seasons at the top of the WIAC. The struggled a bit in their non-conference games, going 3-2.

Both teams are still gunning for making the WIAC tournament this year and this game could be important as to who gets home court in the first round.

4. NAC, Lakeland at Benedictine, 4:15 p.m. Price I would pay: $3

Ah yes, my first semi-entry about the good ole Alma Mater. They should be in for a good one with Lakeland coming into town.

The Muskies appear to be the class of the NAC this season, starting out 3-0 and 1-0 in conference with a win over Edgewood on Tuesday.

The Eagles had a rough go in the non-conference, going 1-3 in two tournaments. They did, however, beat Concordia-Chicago 51-47 on the road Tuesday, a good confidence booster going into the game.

The reason this one is worth it is that the Eagles were picked second in the South this year and also knocked off Concordia-Wisconsin at home last year when they weren't expected to early in the season. The Eagles will be looking to do that once again.

5. MWC, RIpon at Grinnell, 3 p.m. Price I would play: $2

This will be each teams second Midwest game of the week. Ripon took down a solid Lawrence team behind a 27-point outburst from Taylor Koth, who eclipsed 1,000 points on his career.

The System in Grinnell dispatched another opponent in Knox on Wednesday by the tune of 113-76.

Better teams, including those in the MWC, are able to beat The System and take down the Pioneers. This could be a big step for Ripon if they are to do that in Grinnell's home gym. Could be a big statement game for the Redhawks.