Scoring 100 points is a benchmark in college basketball. Do that, you win. Simple.

But for Division III Grinnell College, 100 points is anything but a benchmark. It’s a disappointment.

Grinnell (10-4, 5-2 Midwest Conference), a small liberal arts school in Grinnell, Iowa, scores like no other team in the history of college basketball. The Pioneers average a staggering 130.9 points. Last season, Grinnell averaged 124 points and took 94 shots per game, both all-time NCAA records.

This season, Grinnell’s lowest point total was 106 against Illinois College. Its highest output came in a 160-131 win versus Martin Luther College.

To run the Pioneers’ frantic system, as many as 18 players receive playing time every game, substituting in shifts similar to hockey.

‘It’s crazy stuff,’ junior co-captain Steve Wood said. ‘It’s completely different than any other basketball I have ever played. I love it.’

Coach David Arseneault took over the program 14 years ago and transformed Grinnell from a perennial loser to a record-breaking machine. Grinnell holds 37 NCAA records for scoring and 3-point shooting. And the Pioneers have won the conference championship twice since Arseneault installed his unique offense more than a decade ago.

‘I inherited a program with 25 straight losing seasons,’ Arseneault said. ‘I wanted to rejuvenate the kids’ spirits. In Division III, kids play because they love the sport, so why not let them have fun?’

Arseneault’s system emphasizes constant shooting and substitution. The Pioneers change a full set of five players every 45 seconds (or at the closest whistle). Wood, who leads Grinnell with 24.5 points a game, said a few of the top players will play a bit more, but nobody on Grinnell averages more than 20 minutes.

‘We won a game in triple overtime last week,’ Wood said, ‘and 12 or 13 guys can honestly say they helped us win that game.’

The Pioneers try to shoot the ball every 12 seconds, with most shots coming from the outside. Grinnell takes almost 70 3-pointers a game and has made 311 through 14 games this season. Arseneault said most coaches are so afraid of bad shots that they won’t allow players to let loose and have fun.

Arseneault’s system, though, emphasizes fun. After taking the job at Grinnell, he tried coaching traditional basketball for a couple years, and the team kept losing. He said he began experimenting with the more unconventional style to boost team morale.

‘It was kind of humorous to me,’ Arseneault said, ‘that we started to win.’

Arseneault said his system could work at higher levels than Division III, but most coaches would never try it.

Wood — who played for a successful high-school program in Peoria, Ill. — said the running style played at Grinnell would work in Division I but only with talented players who believe in the system.

Grinnell’s lack of focus on defense and rebounding deters most coaches. The Pioneers allow opponents to score 125 points a game, the highest in the NCAA. But they rely on their ability to stay fresh as an advantage.

Arseneault said Grinnell will continue to play its unique running style until it stops being fun.

‘If you lose a game, 139-138,’ Arseneault said, ‘it is a lot more fun than losing, 49-48. And the game should always be about having fun.’

NO. 19 INDIANA (+4.5) AT NO. 8 LOUISVILLE

SATURDAY, 1:00 P.M., CBS

Louisville, with Rick Pitino at the helm, is the class of Conference USA. Behind the play of Reece Gaines and Kentucky-transfer Marvin Stone, the Cardinals are on a 14-game win streak. Indiana plays for the first time after losing to Michigan State on Tuesday. Look for the home-court advantage of Freedom Hall to make the difference.

PICK: LOUISVILLE 77, INDIANA 70

NO. 13 ILLINOIS (PICK’EM) AT MICHIGAN STATE

SUNDAY, 1:00 P.M., CBS

Illinois is atop the Big Ten behind the play of quicksilver freshman point guard Dee Brown and senior forward Brian Cook.

The Spartans have been down this season but are tough to beat in East Lansing, as was proven with a home win over Indiana on Tuesday.

PICK: MICHIGAN STATE 69, ILLINOIS 67

GEORGETOWN (+7.5) AT NO. 11 NOTRE DAME

SATURDAY, NOON, WB

One week removed from a near upset of No. 2 Pittsburgh, Georgetown travels to South Bend, Ind., to play Chris Thomas and Notre Dame.

Georgetown relies heavily on center Michael Sweetney and will have trouble dealing with Notre Dame’s tremendous balance.

PICK: NOTRE DAME 83, GEORGETOWN 72

NO. 18 MARQUETTE (+2.5) AT CINCINNATI

SATURDAY, 4:00 P.M., ESPN

Marquette features one of the top players in the nation in Dwyane Wade and a veteran team that is trying to wrest the top spot in Conference USA from perennial-power Cincinnati.

After a preseason heart attack, Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins is back to his usual energy on the bench, and the Bearcats’ explosiveness provides them with an edge.

PICK: CINCINNATI 80, MARQUETTE 68

NO. 2 PITTSBURGH (-3.5) AT NO. 24 SYRACUSE

SATURDAY, 7:00 P.M., WB

The last time these teams met, Pittsburgh showed why it’s the No. 2 team in the nation with great defense and a huge game from guard Julius Page.

To win, Syracuse needs clutch scoring from centers Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil.

PICK: SYRACUSE 84, PITTSBURGH 80

Published on January 28, 2003 at 12:00 pm