MBB: Liberty League

[with age came?]

Buck after yesterday's butt kicking of Clarkson by ST Law I would have agreed with you.  But as HOT as the Larries were yesterday they turned 5 for 30 COLD AS ICE from 3 point land today. Think they maybe got complacent just like Hamilton did last year when Clarkson knocked off St Law in the first round thinking that the tougher opponent ( Hamilton ) had gotten knocked off.  Yesterday they were absolutely fabulous and today they have to hope the tournament committee thinks they are deserving. I think they are and will be rewarded with an at large. Time will tell.

[magicman]

I posted this on the East Region fan Poll board as well.

It looks like the East Region will have 7 bids to the NCAA tournament and are as follows:

1   Brockport St.  Pool A  SUNYAC automatic bid
2   RPI   Pool A Liberty League  automatic bid
3   Medaille  Pool A   Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference  automatic bid
4   RIT/Nazareth winner Pool A  Empire 8 automatic bid
5   SUNYIT/Wells winner  Pool A  North Eastern Athletic Conference automatic bid
6   Ithaca  Pool C  at large bid
7   St Lawrence  Pool C  at large bid

I think Hamilton is going to lose out because of all the upsets today to teams that would have been Pool A bids but have now been relegated to Pool C.( Like Ithaca)
After all the teams that should have been Pool A bids take the Pool C bids instead
that doesn't leave enough Pool C bids left for the East Region to get 3 Pool C's. There are simply too many good teams on the bubble. With 8 regions and only 18 Pool C at large bids there is no way that the East will get 3 of them. St Lawrence could even possibly get knocked out of the picture. The 1 good thing the Saints have going for them is that they will remain #2 in the final Regional rankings that come out later today(Sunday) but will not be seen by the public. No way Hamilton can leap over the Saints as they lost in the LL semifinals and the Saints own 2 head to head wins over them.  So for sure 6 teams but I think the Saints get in to give us the 7 bids. At least it's better than the 4 we had last year.
   

[magicman]

It is now several hours after I posted my list of NCAA bids and D3Hoops has just come out with their NCAA projections. Here's the link:

http://www.d3hoops.com/salem/09/projected.htm

As I expected the 7 East Region teams I listed are in and Hamilton gets left on the table. D3Hoops projects a 4 team pod with host Ithaca as a #1 seed facing the winner of the SUNYIT/Wells game. The other game will pit Amherst against Brandeis.

St. Lawrence will host another 4 team pod and face Brockport St. UM-Dartmouth will take on the NAZ/RIT winner.(Which they show as RIT. Pat must have a crystal ball)

RPI is an 8 seed and will travel to #1 seed Richard Stockton.

Medaille is also a #8 seed and will travel to the Cleveland Ohio region and face the #1 seed John Carroll.

The coveted 1st round bye has went to Middlebury.

Remember these are only D3Hoops projections and not the actual selections but they will be very close to the NCAA's picks. However, the placement of the teams could differ considerably.

Middlebury losing to Amherst could have an impact on the bye, with it  possibly going to Ithaca.

[Pat Coleman]

St. Lawrence will host another 4 team pod and face Brockport St. UM-Dartmouth will take on the NAZ/RIT winner.(Which they show as RIT. Pat must have a crystal ball)

We crystal-ball the projections every year, Magicman.

[UCAAHoops21]

Congrats to RPI for beating both Hamilton and SLU back to back.  RPI 2-1 on the year vs. SLU.

Anyone at the games that can provide any insight?

with all the upsets hamilton is out-  LL to get 2 teams RPI & SLU

[larry_u]

Can someone post your NCAA team's profiles in here:

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=6299.0

[FLYZ5]

Was anyone at the Stockton/RPI game? with age?  UCAAHoops?   What happened? Lack of balance/depth, 22 turnovers/20 fouls, a bad night or all of the above?  Seems like they hung tough the first half.  Sure they got dumped sooner than they hoped but at least they danced.
Maybe the RPI coach can share the inside scoop since it looks like SLU will be playing Stockton on Fri.

CONGRATULATIONS to St. Lawrence (22-6) for making the Sweet 16 and representing the LL.  4 players in double digits each night.  Their M.O. all year.  Such a balanced, cohesive, well coached, centric team.  KEY FACTORS once you step off that small stage.
Sounds like Stockton is very similar to SLU with 5 players & the coach receiving post season honors.
Best of luck Saints!!

[manofgor24]

I am confused because I thought someone was on here a month or so back saying  that SLU was a top 25 team...  I cant remeber his name but I think he got banned for being awesome and funny...  Any help remembering because it would seem to me that he was right on about SLU and all you geeks on here got offended...

Man

[Pat Coleman]

For beating Brooklyn and SUNYIT, suddenly St. Lawrence is a Top 25 team? Not sure what's different for St. Lawrence now than last Sunday except they've played two more teams they were supposed to beat ... and at home at that.

He got banned for making crude remarks, not for claiming St. Lawrence is a Top 25 team. Beating two more unranked teams at home, though, is not any more indication of Top 25 caliber.

[manofgor24]

You are right making the sweet 16 is easy and beating those teams was a walk in the park...  Someone should take your computer away

[Pat Coleman]

I just don't know that beating No. 97 Brooklyn College and No. 157 SUNYIT elevates someone into the Top 25.

I'm sure St. Lawrence is probably better than the 84th-best team in the country that Massey thinks it is, but not Top 25.

[FisherDynasty]

I think SLU is a top 25 team between 18-25.  Due to their early season losses and prior year records, I dont necessarily think the should be ranked though.  typically it takes a past season success (in the rankings or close) then followed up with another good year to break into the top 25 from the east region.  I do think SLU is a bit underrated though and has a shot at a final 4.  They already beat middleberry the top ranked team in their bracket.

[Pat Coleman]

They certainly have a shot at the Final Four, considering they'd only have to beat one ranked team to get there.

[FisherDynasty]

exactly, pat i know they create the brackets based on region but how could the committee put all the top ranked teams into one bracket.  Its pretty unbelievable. 

[Pat Coleman]

Sigh ... tell me about it.