Bears @ Bulldogs, 1.25.2011

[DUBulldog]

Easily the worst officiating I have seen all season. Both ways. It's god awful. Absolutely embarrassing. It's a joke, it looks like they picked up a few Y-League refs to come over and call it.

You got that right. An article in the Des Moines Register this morning said the reason for so many Tuesday night games this season is that the MVC can get better officials on Tuesday nights. After what I saw tonight, I could only laugh about that. In fact, I fired off an e-mail to Doug Elgin to tell him my thoughts.

Absolutely brutal, both ways. Of course, with Gerry Pollard as one of the officials, what else would you expect?

[TNMSUFAN]

Nice game Bulldogs!

We haven't played well up there recently and I was just glad to win regardless of the margin. Road wins are tough and margin of victory doesn't really matter.

[Kip Dynamite]

My last comments tonight, but I didnt want to sign off without giving some props to the Bulldogs. Your shooting was fantastic, especially Wedel. That young man is a 3 point machine! Don't know how he usually shoots it but he was unstoppable tonight no matter who we had guarding him. Anyway, nice game for sure.

[DUBulldog]

Nice game Bulldogs!

We haven't played well up there recently and I was just glad to win regardless of the margin. Road wins are tough and margin of victory doesn't really matter.

That was, by far, the best Drake has played since conference season started....maybe all season. Bulldogs just had no answer for MSU inside, as weakside help was non-existent at times. For the first time all year, I think the Bulldogs' youth caught up with them, as opposed to horrible coaching and playing.

Physically, it was men against boys. One team starts 4 seniors and a junior, the other 1 senior, 3 sophomores and a freshman.

[DUBulldog]

My last comments tonight, but I didnt want to sign off without giving some props to the Bulldogs. Your shooting was fantastic, especially Wedel. That young man is a 3 point machine! Don't know how he usually shoots it but he was unstoppable tonight no matter who we had guarding him. Anyway, nice game for sure.

Wedel is an excellent shooter when he can get an open look. Unfortunately, Drake has had a hard time getting him open looks in the offense. But, that might be changing, as this was his 2nd 20+ point game in the last 3, after his move to point guard due to multiple injuries.

[Snaggletooth]

Not a very good coaching job by Phelps in the last minute. Why would you allow MSU to run the clock down when your down 4 - the clock is your worst enemy and you need as many possession as possible. Maybe he should go watch Indiana State game films on coaching. The one thing I was impressed about Indy State - Lansing is probably the best X's and O's coach in the league.

[DUBulldog]

Not a very good coaching job by Phelps in the last minute. Why would you allow MSU to run the clock down when your down 4 - the clock is your worst enemy and you need as many possession as possible.

Believe me, you're not the only one asking that question. Unfortunately, that's his usual way of doing things.

I can't count the number of games this season where the Bulldogs were down 10-12 with 5 or so minutes to go, and he did nothing to try to force turnovers or to prolong the game.

[Bluejay09Bear06]

or is MSU starting to wear down a little?

Not a chance. As conference play grinds on, games always get closer. No surprises, everyone has everyone figured out. The Creighton game was the OPPOSITE of wearing down - MSU came out flat, got buried by 15 points in the second half, then gradually chipped away at the deficit to take the W at the end. Same with Drake, MSU was behind almost all game until the last 10 minutes or so.

For the record, UNI played 6 conference games last year within 3 points, and I don't recall anyone worrying about their depth. And so far Wichita State has played 3 games within 3 points in regulation, just one more than MSU (at least a majority of MSU's close games have been wins, unlike Wichita), and Wichita State literally brags about their depth. I can understand why you would wish that, though.

The bigger problem the conference may need to start worrying about is that Drake looks like it's getting ready to go on its annual 5- to 6-game hot stretch. Fortunately, MSU may have extinguished that match by walking out the Knapp Center with a W tonight. You're welcome, rest of the Valley.

[valleychamp]

That is the nature of conference games, and specifically conference road games. They are all very tough. Everybody knows everybody very well. Its tough to win night in and night out.

It doesn't matter by how many points, you just gotta find a way to win.

[DieHardMSUFan]

So MSU has won by 1 point, 1 point, and 3 points in its last 3 games, 1 of them against a Thursday nighter. Is it luck? Is it just a good team willing their way to victory, or is MSU starting to wear down a little?

At last check, that spells W...W...W. Don't think at the end of the year that calculate your margin of victory in anything. Tired, lucky, will, fluke....I don't care...it is 3 Ws!

On the game....my gosh was that like watching last year all over again when game after game we got 3s rained in on us. Drake had to shoot like that to have any chance in the game, and they did. Kudos to the 'Dogs for a valiant effort and a big scare for us fans.