UMHB #4 and #33 from prior games who both played a lot in the secondary all year---as well as last year too---are not on the 2 deep or the listed roster. I believe that is Wilson (#4) and Jackson (#33) unless I am mistaken. I do not know if that means suspension but it surely looks unusual to me. I could be wrong, but I believe #33 was suspended for one of the earlier playoff games.

I believe that was the UWW home game in the semifinal in 2013 that UMHB lost 16-15 when Silvio Diaz of UMHB was suspended. That was quite impressive to me to suspend anyone, much less an AA,  for that particular game against that opponent.

Saintsfan,

I am not sure why my comment  about travel needed to be taken with a "grain of salt."

I was just telling someone who asked about team  travel what I knew.

From my personal experience, the teams travel directly on charter flights, not commercial.

When UMHB flew to UMU in 2012  for that  semifinal game, they flew a charter flight out of  the Killeen/Fort Hood airport(20-25 minutes from  Belton), and landed at the Akron/Canton airport. A similar direct charter flight from Killeen  to Madison was done in 2007 when UMHB went to UWW for that semifinal.

I think all "flights" that the NCAA pays for are such charters, so the busing from airports is therefore  pretty minimal.

I cannot wait until tomorrow!!

Ex-Jacket:

You can also listen to the game with Dallas Huston by going to hpusports.com and clicking on "Listen Live." It's not the Washington U. video, but he can make you feel as if you are there sometimes!

Also, Washington University has a very nice tournament page with a lot of information including those live stat/video links.

Go Lady Jackets!! Good luck in less than 2 hours!

Ralph, et al.

I have been VERY quiet and in fact non existent this year as far as posting is concerned. I am of course thrilled my Lady Jackets made such an amazing run to win the conference tourney and make the NCAA tournament. With your well documented discussions of so many conference games skewing our OWP and OOWP and the well known travel restrictions, WE NEED TO BE TWO CONFERENCES! There has to be a way to get that done.

That is the only way to get our fair share of teams in. I have no doubt that the top five could all do well in the tourney (UTD, MCM and HSU plus HPU and MC). The UAA and the WIAC are obviously great conferences, but 4 of 8 and 3 of 9 in while we have 2 of 15 is unfortunate. The 4 for the UAA seems especially generous. The ASC has a final four team and a national champion in the the last 3 years so we should have some street cred even if that does not translate to NCAA rules cred. The only realistic solution I see given the rules and the travel problems is 2 conferences.  Ralph, I think you recently gave some scenarios to make it work.  That should be pursued.

In Texas we have virtually zero margin for error, and losing to almost any one and especially lesser teams will do you in. I have no doubt that the loss to Southwestern by HSU a couple of years ago in NOVEMBER kept them out.

We have all worn out our complaints about the unfairness of the system to the geographically isolated and also to our 15 team conference.
 
We need 2 conferences!!

hwbb:

I agree 100%.  The real championship was now obviously last Saturday night (3/15/08) in Brownwood, Texas.  Of course, I am thrilled that our HPU girls "finished it" in such an outstanding way in Holland.  Of course, selfishly I wanted us to be national champs--and we are!!--but I also want the best team to win with no flukes and no questions.  I don't think there were many, if any, questions in Holland about that.  See my post on the top 25 multi region board for my take on the sectional.  No doubt, that was the game of the year!

As far as Holland and Hope, my wife and I loved it!  Considering the incredible disappointment of the weekend before, I felt everyone was more than gracious to us overall.  I love your town, too.  Downtown was amazing and the snow was nice too. We got there Thursday for the banquet, which was very nicely done I might add, and  all the snow was fun for us.  Maybe not quite so neat for many of the locals we talked to who seemed about ready for spring!  Also not so great for our president emeritus and  6 other alums whose plane  was diverted to Green Bay and who then drove 500+ miles across the upper peninsula to get to Holland at midnight Friday and missed the first game.  They were all there for the finals though!

Thanks again.  DeVos was a stunning venue and Hope College, Holland, Michigan, and yes, even the NCAA, made  the Final Four as special as it should be.

golfniz1

I think Mr. Ypsi means that Hope is ALMOST  as good as HPU, so they might be 1A (i.e., better than #2) in the d3 poll, not 1A as in UConn, Baylor,Tennessee, etc.  Our Jackets are #1, however!!!

Mr. Ypsi:

As an HPU alum, trustee and most of all fan, who saw 21 of our 33 games this year and virtually every game since 2008 began, including all of the tournament, there is no question  in my mind that Hope is definitely #2 if not #1A as you said.  Our team did earn this championship and I cannot tell you how thrilled we all are!!

IMHO, Hope was superior to the other 3 teams I saw this weekend. If I had a vote, I would absolutely vote Hope #2. We did not back into this championship, we took it, but it did take a performance of a lifetime from the D3 player of the year to stop Hope even on our court.  Hope did bank in 2 3 pointers in the first half and Jordyn Boles then made 5 more in the second, so Hope did some pretty incredible things that night too. But Meia Daniels and our team found a way to "Finish It" just as they did every game this year.

What an amazing and incredible season from an amazing  and incredible group of players and coaches.  What they have done for our school cannot even be put into words.

Everyone--don't forget.  The times on the D3 hoops scoreboard are ET--the game is actually in ET but all of us in Texas are of course in CT.  HPU's game is at 6:30 Friday CT (second game) and HOPEFULLY 5 Saturday CT.

I do not have time to say much since I am going to Holland Michigan later in the week!!  One comment about the HPU foul shots in the Hope game. I am afraid to read what the Hope fans have said, but remember 4 of the 18 were in the last 25 seconds when Hope had to foul. Also, remember 8 (including 2 of those last four) were by a person who had the best individual performance I have ever seen and who LITERALLY could not and would not be stopped Saturday night.

In the first half neither team had many fouls at all, and in the second half Boles made 5 3's so no fouls on those. Hope may have had a few bad calls but they are a very physical team, IMHO, and should expect more fouls. Hope was a great team, and I am sure on a neutral floor it might take another amazing performance from Meia to beat them; however, I just had a little bit of the feeling from Hope on both days really that --"we are Hope"--things should always go our way.  I guess when you are undefeated this year, have the players and coaches they do, and were the 2006 national champs, it would be hard not to have that attitude.  I really thought our whole team (and I understand it is easier with 95% of the fans on your side) handled the excruciating pressure of that game incredibly well, especially at the end. Hope had a couple of turnovers at the end  that hurt them.

Enought of that!! I am so proud of our team!  What an amazing weekend!  If we play our game, I am confident we can play with anyone up there and can win it all.  I do not care if we were at home---that game with Hope was as pressure packed as any  could be and we handled it well. On to Holland!!

Don't worry about it, B.J.  Bad timing on my part to try to talk to you then. I guess I was too psyched or maybe nervous before the game to find you, plus I knew you were busy then too.

I am glad you enjoyed your time in Texas, except for the game of course.  I thanked Norman this morning for taking care of you for me! Of course, I am thrilled how our HPU girls played, especially in the second half.

Today will be amazing and exciting!! I agree with your analysis, berley--and especially your plea--don't let this come down to some goofy call by an official.

As far as my take on the game--Hope will need to play better offensively, but maybe some of their struggles
last night had to do with playing the #1 defense (by points allowed) in D3.  I thought Hope's defense was also outstanding, especially in the halfcourt.  GFU had real trouble getting a lot of good looks.

As far as my HPU Lady Jackets, handling the pressure defense of Hope, and not just in the back court but even in the half court, along with strong rebounding against all those big girls Hope has, will be huge.  Also, it will be nice to have a nice shooting %--2's, 3's and FT's!!

Everyone wore those shorts, Ralph--and yes they were short.  My recollection of the floor is also St. Louis and it was already I believe 10 years old when we got it in 1964.  No wonder it was more than worn out by 2007!

My correspondence with the DeSales SID on here to try to get him some golf in at Brownwood CC  (which I believe I succeeded in!!) tells me they are coming in Wednesday also.  His tee time is Thursday morning.  Are all 3 teams flying direct to Brownwood?  I  did not even know that was possible!

I am pretty sure HPU flew DFW to Minneapolis last year and bussed 2-3 hours to Decorah, IA to play at Luther.

By the way, have the game times been set and how about that ticket info?  Does anyone know yet?

David Collinge:

I will get you a ticket, although I doubt there will be a problem.  I will check on it tomorrow.  Email me and I will tell you how we can meet to get it to you, or I will be sure it is there for you.  I am impressed you are coming!  We will get you in the game!!

My mistake, dballa--sounds even better!