2008 Woodie Awards
Viking b-ball men attempt to make it twice as nice
Andy York
Issue date: 2/25/05 Section: Sports
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The Lawrence University men's basketball team will to earn its second Midwest Conference basketball tournament title in a row this weekend as it hosts three other teams in the 2005 Midwest Conference Championships. The Vikings -- along with Ripon, Lake Forest and Carroll - will be competing not only for the win, but also for the MWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Last year the Vikings advanced all the way to the Elite Eight before being defeated by eventual National Champion UW-Stevens Point.
The Vikings ended their regular season with a bump in the road, just like last season. The Vikings lost to Carroll on the road 58-54. Neither team played particularly well in the first half, which ended deadlocked at 20. The second half belonged to Carroll from the start, and they would hang on despite Chris Braier's 17 points and 15 rebounds. Kyle MacGillis added 11 for the Vikes.
The Vikings will have a repeat of last season in the MWC tournament match-ups as well. Last season the Vikings lost their last regular season game at Lake Forest, and then had a first round match-up with the Foresters. This year it's Carroll, and a rematch with the Pioneers in the first round. The Vikings are the number one seed in the MWC tournament; Carroll advanced by squeaking past the Vikings last weekend.
The Vikings are led by a slew of players. All-American and MWC Player of the Year candidate Chris Braier is one of them. The junior leads LU with 14.6 points per game and 11.7 rebounds per game. He leads the MWC in rebounding. However, LU also has three other players in the double digits, with senior Jason Holinbeck averaging 13.3 points per game, Kyle MacGillis averaging 11.2, and Brendan Falls averaging 10.5 points per game. The Vikings have one of the deepest benches in the MWC as well, going 10 players deep at times.
The Vikings split the season series with the Pioneers, losing last week on the road, but winning at home in January, 80-72. LU has also split with Ripon this season. The Vikings lost 72-70 in overtime at Ripon, but avenged that defeat with an 81-69 victory at Alexander Gym. The Vikings played the Foresters only once, and easily defeated them on the road by a score of 70-51.
The Vikings ended their regular season with a bump in the road, just like last season. The Vikings lost to Carroll on the road 58-54. Neither team played particularly well in the first half, which ended deadlocked at 20. The second half belonged to Carroll from the start, and they would hang on despite Chris Braier's 17 points and 15 rebounds. Kyle MacGillis added 11 for the Vikes.
The Vikings will have a repeat of last season in the MWC tournament match-ups as well. Last season the Vikings lost their last regular season game at Lake Forest, and then had a first round match-up with the Foresters. This year it's Carroll, and a rematch with the Pioneers in the first round. The Vikings are the number one seed in the MWC tournament; Carroll advanced by squeaking past the Vikings last weekend.
The Vikings are led by a slew of players. All-American and MWC Player of the Year candidate Chris Braier is one of them. The junior leads LU with 14.6 points per game and 11.7 rebounds per game. He leads the MWC in rebounding. However, LU also has three other players in the double digits, with senior Jason Holinbeck averaging 13.3 points per game, Kyle MacGillis averaging 11.2, and Brendan Falls averaging 10.5 points per game. The Vikings have one of the deepest benches in the MWC as well, going 10 players deep at times.
The Vikings split the season series with the Pioneers, losing last week on the road, but winning at home in January, 80-72. LU has also split with Ripon this season. The Vikings lost 72-70 in overtime at Ripon, but avenged that defeat with an 81-69 victory at Alexander Gym. The Vikings played the Foresters only once, and easily defeated them on the road by a score of 70-51.