WBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[WLCALUM83]

I don't suppose that has anything to do with the faster pace of play that I've seen Quicker tempo=more possessions. It's a good thing though. Too match up with teams in stronger conferences the NAC is going to have to get stronger.

Couldn't agree with you more on that one. Witness the 19 pt. loss Concordia-Chicago took against ranked McMurry of Texas, and WLC's losing by some 35 points or so to WIAC power UW-Stevens Point. Not a bash-knock, just meant to indicate a yard-stick to go by. Still too early to tell, given NathCon's status whether any NathCon women's teams will see post-season play beyond the conference tournament. (Someone may have to win out and hope. Concordia-WI per chance???). 

Another factor to figure in--look at a team like Edgewood--only 8 or 9 players available per game, as compared to Concordia-WI or Marian or even WLC which uses 8 players but has 12 available. How handy is the extra depth going to be down the stretch?   

[WLCALUM83]

1/15-17/07 NathCon projections:

1-15:  (Non-conference)  Maranatha over Moody (and the win will feel like a gallon of water to a thirsty man whose been on a long walk thru a desert.)

1-16:  Lakeland over Maranatha:  (If the Muskies' Boehm has an off game inside, the Crusaders have a better chance.) 

1-17:  WLC over Alverno:  (Be careful, Warriors, don't take this team lightly, you need to keep pace with Concordia, WI).

          Aurora over Concordia-Chicago;

          Marian over Benedictine (home game for Sabers, want to get back on track after CUW blew them out).

          Rockford over Dominican:  (Regents have a bit more punch offensively.)

          Concordia-WI over Edgewood:  (Falcons' roll continues--).
           

[WLCALUM83]

1/15/07 Final:  Maranatha 81, Moody Bible 62. (MBBC's entire squad got some valuable playing time.)


(BTW, this just in--thought I'd mention CU-Chicago's Atoi Sinclair reached the 1,000 point mark for her playing career!).      8) 8) 8)

                       

[libero]

Congrats to Atoi. . .

Continuing in that vein - one of Moody's players scored 40 of her teams 42 points against Maranatha last night.

[WLCALUM83]

Final just in per Maranatha's web site: 

Lakeland 60, Maranatha 47. (And apparently it was much closer than that for most of the game.)


(Now watch, the Crusaders will take out their frustrations on their home floor against WLC.)   

[WLCALUM83]

Final just in:

WLC 84  Alverno 48  Warriors now 7-1 in conference. 

[WLCALUM83]

1/17 Finals: 

Concordia-WI 69, Edgewood 50. (Falcons created a ton of TO's:  Edgewood Coach Nyles didn't sub until less than 2 minutes left in first half--per CUW broadcast.)  CUW now 8-1 in-conference.

Aurora 72, Concordia-Chicago 66. (CUC's broadcasters indicated that Aurora apparently broke it open in 2nd, and the Cougars were able to whittle away after that, but couldn't come all the way back.)

Marian 66, Benedictine 62.  (Eagles out-rebounded 47-35--as indicated on Marian's box score.)

Rockford 50, Dominican 45. (per box score from Rockford College website--the Stars got off to a slow start and didn't recover.)

[WLCALUM83]

1/20/07 NathCon Projections:

Concordia-Chicago over Alverno:  (Cougars have size advantage.)

Concordia-WI over Dominican:  (Falcon good roll continues.)

Benedictine over Edgewood:  (Too close to call.)

Marian over Lakeland:  (Another one that could go either way.)

Aurora over Rockford:  (Spartans remain in the reg season title hunt).

WLC over Maranatha:  Two "X" factors--will WLC remember how a comparatively undermanned Maranatha team kept it close on the road last year before the Warriors pulled away--the other is--how hungry are the Crusaders? If the Warriors let their recent success go to their heads, this could be interesting. Again, they need to be careful.

[WLCALUM83]

1/20/07 Finals:

Concordia-Chicago 73, Alverno 49.

(Caught this one live. How to beat Alverno--take care of the basketball, and if you've got enough tall personnel who can shoot, feed it into them repeatedly and crash the boards. The Cougars were able to get to the line often and Sinclair had a field day inside--particularly in the first half. One thing I will say for the Inferno, they may be relatively small but they do have quick hands. They were able to run the floor some after several steals in the first half, they just weren't able to convert much. Also, teams are collapsing on Ambrial Miller so her penetration isn't coming as easy as it did last year in the LMC play-in playoff game vs. Maranatha. She's been earning more of her points from the free-throw line than anywhere else. The loss of Leah Colon hurts--she was beginning to hit more of her 3's of late.  The Cougars opened up to a 39-16 halftime lead, and were not seriously threatened after that.)

Lakeland 78, Marian 69, OT. (Per box score off Muskie website:  Lakeland outshot Marian all around in the OT.)

Aurora 71, Rockford College 38. (Indication from Regents' box score:  Rockford shot 13% in first half and held to 3 field goals and 8 points during that stretch!) 

Benedictine 69, Edgewood 59. (Per Edgewood box score, Benedictine had 3 times as many points off turnovers as Edgewood and twice as many points in the paint.)

Concordia, WI 88, Dominican 53. (Per Dominican box score, Falcons outplayed Stars all-around).

[WLCALUM83]

Final:  WLC 85, Maranatha 78. (Whew!)

This one was tied at 69, but the Warriors' Dillon hit some shots and the Warriors came up with some defensive stops and held on.

(This poster hopes that at least WLC's got a spot in the top 6 before they get the Crusaders in the regular season finale at home:  Both squads shot the lights out in the first half, and the Crusaders hung tough, got a ton of steals and made things interesting. 'Natha's got nothing to be ashamed of.) 

WLC improves to 8-1 in-conference!

[WLCALUM83]

1/23/07 NathCon Projections:

Concordia-WI over Aurora:  (Falcons are at home-have opportunity for breathing room).

Concordia-Chicago over Rockford:  (Regents will give more of a battle than Inferno, but the Cougars have a bit too much strength inside.)

Benedictine over Dominican:

Edgewood over Lakeland:  (Too close to call, depends on how Eagles' coach utilizes her bench--and how well Muskies are shooting).

Maranatha over Alverno:  (Another close one, Colon being out will hurt the Inferno, though both teams are hungry, I give Crusaders the nod because of their slight height advantage. Alverno could win if the Crusaders shoot poorly throughout the game. Also depends on who creates the most turnovers and gets the most points off them.)

Marian over WLC:      (Sabers have been giving Warriors fits the last few times they've played each other. I know WLC wants this one bad after the Sabers knocked them out of the playoffs last season, but--I just have a feeling (a fear WLC may come out flat one game and never recover???).  I hope I'm wrong.

[WLCALUM83]

1/23/07 Finals:  Concordia, WI 71, Aurora 54.  (Falcons got off to an 11-1 lead and Spartans generally never got back in it.

                          Edgewood up on Lakeland 64-50 with 0:25 remaining:  (Eagles, 4 players in double figures scoring wise, Eagles also outshot and out-rebounded Muskies in this game).

                         WLC 60, Marian 52:  Warriors keep pace with Falcons. (Late first-half/early second half scoring run and improved second-half shooting in general got WLC the win--per stats off Marian's site).

                         Maranatha 69, Alverno 55. (Wonder how much of a game Goff had inside). (14-0 run did Inferno in--per MBBC press release).

                         (Libero--at least your Crusaders went .500 on the evening.) 

                         And in the mild upset of the evening:

                         Rockford College 41, Concordia-Chicago 39:    (Per Rockford box score, Cougars had a terrible night shooting--  Morgan Love hit a jumper with 8 seconds to play to give the Regents the win--costly loss for the Cougars if they want to qualify for the conference tournament).

[WLCALUM83]

1/25/07 Projections:

Marian over Alverno:

WLC over Dominican:  (Hope the Warriors have a stronger game on offense in this one than they reportedly did against Marian earlier tonight.) (Again, they need to be careful here.)

Aurora over Lakeland:  (Home game for the Spartans--they couldn't slow down Falcons' winning ways).

Edgewood over Maranatha:  (Eagles stay in post-season contention).

[libero]

Maranatha defeated Alverno last night - Amber Lang was 9 for 9 from the floor!
She had 24 points including 5 for 5 from beyond the arc. The only blemish on the night - she was 1-2 from the line. The Inferno should have started fouling her as soon as she caught the ball.

[WLCALUM83]

Maranatha defeated Alverno last night - Amber Lang was 9 for 9 from the floor!
She had 24 points including 5 for 5 from beyond the arc. The only blemish on the night - she was 1-2 from the line. The Inferno should have started fouling her as soon as she caught the ball.

They tried that last year in the LMC play-in playoff game--it didn't work--she was almost perfect from the line that game.--BTW--were you able to see the "near miss" against WLC?? (Was that incredible shooting in the first half or what???) Had WLC shot too much worse, the Crusaders would have had that one as well.