Touche, my friends, Touche!

I stand corrected- it is Centre College indeed

Transy will represent the HCAC at Center College in Danville, KY. I can't help but think the Pioneers were dissapointed when they saw they didn't have the opportunity to host. However, Transy must be pleased with the site of competition even though they didn't host. Transy is 3-1 under Lane at Center College. The Pioneers have already beaten Center on their home court (which the NCAA will have a difficult time justifying) and are getting great play from its upperclassman. Guilford will be a very difficult game as it looks like they have a strong inside presence-happy to see its not as "strong"  as last year as Ben Strong- NCAA Player of the Year -has graduated from last year's team

Transylvania University-Lexington, KY
Rank in last d3hoops poll: unranked
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (Regular Season and Tournament Champions)
22-5 Overal Record, 13-3 HCAC
Head Coach: Brian Lane 8th Season

Key Wins
Bridgewater St (N) (MASCAC Champions), @ Center College (SCAC Champions), Maryville TN (GSAC Champions), Thomas More (PAC champions).

Record Against NCAA Tournament Teams: 4-0 (see above)

Starters
15 Aaron Cash G SR 5-11 190
5 Tim Tierney G JR 5-11 170
22 Matthew Parton G JR 5-10 165
33 Joey Verax F SR 6-5 215
40 Blake McCowan F JR 6-5 230

Key Reserves
3 Scott Bauman G SO 5-8 170
20 Chris Owens G/F FR 6-3 170
30 Brock Jones F SR 6-4 205
44 Matt Wise F SO 6-5 205
10 Drew Kring G SO 5-11 165

Other Notes
Appeared in NCAA Tournament 3 out of last 4 years
Elite 8 in 2005

Congrats to the Pioneers of Transy. Regular season and Conference Champs of the HCAC...now lets move on.

Darryl,

d3hoops projections would send conference winner Transy to the Centre College bracket. Do the Pioneers not have a case to host?
Resume
21-5 Overall
18-3 in the Midwest
Key DIII wins: Bridgewater St (N) (MASCAC Champions), @ Center College (in finals of SCAC Champ), Maryville TN (GSAC Champions), Thomas More (PAC champions).

Key DII Losses: @Bluffton (2), @ Hanover (2), @ Franklin (12), neutral Wisconson Superior (17).

They will have wins over 4 conference tournament champions- 3 of which won regular season titles. No home losses.

Not bad....

GrizzFan, bars are always open in Lexington, if not Gillespie would have never taken the KY Job I hate to say I told you so....but I told you so. On paper, the Defiance Franklin game is a total mismatch. And before I hear "Franklin only lost by 3", let me  remind you Defiance led by double digits- on the road- on multiple occasions. It wasn't until a late desperation charge that Franklin closed the gap. Congrats to Fraklin on a split conference championship. Praither does a great job of getting the most out of his players.

Congrats to the Pioneers for bring the Tourney back to Lexington! Should be a great 2 days of action and probably the most wide open tourney in recent memory. Good luck to all!

Might be wishful thinking for my pioneers, but I think if Transy beats Anderson today-the HCAC will be at Transy. On paper, the Franklin vs. Defiance game is a total mismatch.

Predictions
Transy 72 Anderson 67
Franklin 64 Defiance 77

Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
American Southwest Conference:  Top 4 from each division.  East #1 hosts.  Total = 8 teams
Capital Athletic Conference: Total = 6 teams
Centennial Conference: Total = 5 teams
City University of New York Athletic Conference
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin: Total = 4 teams, #1 hosts.
Commonwealth Coast Conference
Empire 8 =Top 4 teams, #1 seed hosts
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference: Total- 6 teams, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5, winners go to #1 on Fri/ Sat
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Liberty League = Top 4 teams, #1 seed hosts
Little East Conference
MAC Commonwealth Conference
MAC Freedom Conference
Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association: All eight conference teams are in the tournament. Highest seeds host first round games on Wednesday night ... Semifinals on Friday and championship on Saturday at the highest surviving seed.
Midwest Conference: Top 4 teams at #1 seed on Friday and Saturday
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference = 6 teams, all games at higher seeds
New England Small College Athletic Conference = 8 teams, semifinals/finals at site of highest seed to survive quarterfinals
New England Women's and Men's Athletics Conference = All 7 teams qualify, top seed receives a bye
New Jersey Athletic Conference
North Atlantic Conference
North Coast Athletic Conference: Top 8 (of 10) teams qualify; semifinals/finals at site of highest seed to survive quarterfinals
North Eastern Athletic Conference
Northern Athletics Conference
Northwest Conference:  Top 4 teams - #4 at #1, #3 at #2 on 02/26; winners at highest remaining seed on 02/28
Ohio Athletic Conference: Top 8 (of 10) teams qualify; semifinals/finals at site of highest seed to survive quarterfinals
Old Dominion Athletic Conference: Total = 11 teams, #6-#11 at higher seed Tuesday; rest of tournament at "neutral" host: Salem Civic Center
Pennsylvania Athletic Conference
President's Athletic Conference
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference= 4 teams, #1 hosts.
Skyline Conference
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference =  top 8 teams of 12; 4 top in the east and 4 top in the west; 1E & 4W; 2E & 3W; 3E & 2W; 4E & 1W; full tournament held in Conway AR home of Hendrix College
State University of New York Athletic Conference= Top 8 teams, All games at higher seed, semifinals/finals at highest remaining seed.
University Athletic Association:  No tourney.  Only Wash U, the regular season winner.
USA South Athletic Conference
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference  = 6 teams, all games at higher seeds

Darryl,

Now that Transy has gone to Franklin and folded up like a cheap lawn chair....Do they need to win the conference to get an NCAA birth or can they still get an at large. If no conference championship-what do you expect they will need to do to get an at large (if possible)?  I see they are 4th in the Midwest Regional Ranking- but not sure how all of this shakes out or the process in selecting for the "Dance"

There is a better chance of Carrie Underwood "poking" me on facebook than the Belt spending the offseason in Cincy. Although it would go rather nice with Ocho Cinco's grill. 

Unfortunately, I did get to listen to parts of the game. I was outside chasing siding off of my house most of the night. Ugly game in Franklin (for the pioneers) apparently. I spoke with a good friend that went to the game this morning. He said the Pioneers couldn't guard the weave. While he said the officiating was not good - he said TU just wasn't good enough to win the game last night. As for the Verax tech, notsure what happened-hard to understand on radio. I do know he fouled out with 15 + minutes in the 2nd half. When he went to the bench....the rest was history.

Tomorrow nights contest should be a good one. I hope Franklin has live video so I can watch the game rather than watching live stats,however it will be very difficult to watch on my dial up internet connection....

Darryl,

If I am looking at this correctly, if TU wins tomorrow- they would have a 1 game lead over Franklin and the tie break. That would mean unless they lose 2 of their last 3-the HCAC tourney would be at TU? Also, what effect do you see the Wittenburg (canceled due to weather) having on the Pioneers chances of at large bids or even hosting the NCAA tourney...assuming they should win out

I just spoke with sources close to the Transy program and Tim Tierney is going to wear The Belt for warmups tomorrow night against Franklin!
Be sure to tune in to the Uk vs. Florida game tonight....Tierney is going to be the honorary "Y" in Kentucky at halftime to showcase The Belt.

The Pioneers have retained the Belt another week! However, I am feeling alot of pressure being the official spokesperson from Transylvania. Hopefully, TU will keep winning and we will have visitors for the Conferency Tourney. It was an electric enviroment in 2005 when TU made the Elite 8 run. 
For those wishing for a sneak peak from "Vampire Land," I invite you to go youtube and seach "let it bain." There is a short clip from the semifinals of Heartland Tourney. Unfortunately, the video only shows a short clip of a miracle come from behind win as Marc "Bain" hit 4 consecutive 3's (from deep). I was at the game and student section had a handful of umbrellas they put up.

Enjoy!

Alright Alright....Your call for a Transylvanian has been answered. You will all be glad to know the Championship Belt is secured in a vault beneatht the Beck Center Floor. Upon receiving The Belt, we first displayed at the entrance of the Arena. After numerous attempts of theft, we dedided it would be best to have it put in a safe place.

I assure you all, The Belt is safe and is in good hands.
Hopefully, it will stay in Lexington....