WBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[thrunt01]

1/21/12 guesses:

CUW/Rockford:       CUW
MBBC/Benedictine:  Benedictine in a tight one (if the IL Eagles have an off day shooting). How well can the Crusaders take care of the ball?
Lakeland/Aurora:      Lakeland
WLC/Dominican:       Dominican (Stars can pile up the points from time to time)
Marian/CUC:            Marian  (more consistent of late)
Alverno/MSOE:         MSOE in a tight one (Kontowski vs. Cayo should be interesting if they're matched up against each other).

I'll take CUW, MBBC, LC, WLC, Marian and MSOE in wins this weekend. I'm not sure if that Alverno/MSOE game will really be all that close.

[WLCALUM83]

1/24/12 guesses:

WLC over Marian in a tight one (a Saber win wouldn't be a total shock--if Albert has a hot night shooting--Marian darn near beat the Warriors earlier this season)
CUW over Edgewood
Lakeland over Alverno
Dominican over MSOE
Benedictine over Aurora
CUC over Rockford    (Regents can take this if Curry has a monster scoring game and Ricketts gets in big foul trouble)


       

[WLCALUM83]

My take on 1/24 results:

Another clutch shot for CUW's Hendrickson in regulation to send that one to OT (she hit a buzzer-beater vs. Rockford in the playoffs last year) - and the Falcons prevail on the road.

Per Dominican stats. MSOE had a big rebounding edge on the Stars-- second straight home loss after leading at half-time for them--

CUC got power from a (somewhat) unexpected source off the bench, (their top scorer on the night got all her points on 4 threes)- balanced scoring elsewhere

(that smile you're seeing is from thrunt01 after the Muskie win--)

[WLCALUM83]

1/28/12 guesses:

CUW over CUC
MSOE over Lakeland (Muskies can take this if Cayo gets in foul trouble and the Raider shooters aren't hitting)

Dominican over Edgewood (somethin's gotta give; both squads have struggled offensively of late-teams have come back late on the Stars their last couple of games)

WLC over Aurora (its' the Warrior Winterfest and maybe #21 will reach the 1,000 pt mark  )

Rockford over Maranatha in a tight one (when the Crusaders cooled off from outside against Edgewood, it cost them)

Benedictine over Alverno (if Walsh & Co bring the shooting eye, they can take this in a tight one)

[thrunt01]

Is CUW v CUC a big rivalry in this conference? Also, some bottom of the conference teams going at it today, possible preview of some NAC challenge games.

[WLCALUM83]

I'd say CUW/CUC is a big rivalry-- those squads go at it along with 2 other "Concordia's" in a "Concordia Invitational Tournament every year--

[WLCALUM83]

In the North, it could be a real dogfight (4 teams in contention for 2 spots).  Caught part of Rockford/MBBC last night and found out the Regents had only 6 players available for that game. If the Crusaders do not get in, methinks the toughest loss (to this point) would have to be earlier this week against Edgewood at home. They get Marian on the road next (and the Sabers will be out to avenge an earlier loss).

In the South, CUC and Benedictine appear to be in good shape at the moment for the last 2 spots. (IL Eagles:  If Goede and Walsh both score big the better their chances-) CUC's offense -- how many players step it up (they've won a couple even when Ricketts has been slowed down a bit).

[WLCALUM83]

2/1/12 guesses:

Dominican over CUC
CUW over Alverno
MSOE over Benedictine
Aurora over Rockford      (Regents' bench more depleted than usual of late)

Game of the day:   Lakeland over WLC   (I still remember the 4-OT  game at the REX in '08)  --Muskies have been piling up the points of late.

[thrunt01]

2/1/12 guesses:

Dominican over CUC
CUW over Alverno
MSOE over Benedictine
Aurora over Rockford      (Regents' bench more depleted than usual of late)

Game of the day:   Lakeland over WLC   (I still remember the 4-OT  game at the REX in '08)  --Muskies have been piling up the points of late.

What is it in the water in the Southern part of the state? Despite their domination in Football and basketball UWW fans are always nervous about their team losing and it appears to be the same here, I think you've picked against WLC when they play anyone who is half way decent. I'm not saying LC can't do it or being critical just making an observation   . I just know that if any of my teams ever had the record or reputation of UWW or this WLC team I'd be much more brash and confident  , but that's just me and probably because my teams (at least at the D3 level) haven't been good of late. LC v WLC aside I agree w/ the rest of your picks by the way.

[WLCALUM83]

2/4/12 guesses:

WLC over MSOE:   (if the Warriors get the fast break going repeatedly--)
Lakeland over Benedictine:  (Muskie momentum continues)
Dominican over Marian
Edgewood over Aurora
Maranatha over CUC     (toughest call of the day-this could go either way with both squads still in playoff hunt)
Rockford over Alverno   

[WLCALUM83]

2/7/12 guesses:

Dominican over Rockford (how much do the Regents have left in the tank?)
Edgewood over Marian (WI Eagles need a win--big time)
Benedictine over CUC (barring a hot Rockford run, the 2 most likely South Division playoff teams meet here)
MSOE over Aurora

Game of the day:  CUW keeps the pressure on WLC by beating Lakeland on the road.

[WLCALUM83]

Remaining schedules for NAthCon North teams in contention:

Lakeland:  CUW, @ Maranatha, Marian, @ Edgewood
Marian:     @ Edgewood, @ Lakeland, Alverno
Edgewood:   Marian, @ Alverno, WLC, Lakeland
Maranatha:  Lakeland, CUW, Alverno, @ WLC

(Crusaders' best shot is to finish tied with either Marian or Lakeland, -- they would lose out on a tie-breaker with Edgewood, since the WI Eagle squad won both meetings). They need for Marian to lose at least one more game and Edgewood to lose at least 2;)

[thrunt01]

2/7/12 guesses:

Dominican over Rockford (how much do the Regents have left in the tank?)
Edgewood over Marian (WI Eagles need a win--big time)
Benedictine over CUC (barring a hot Rockford run, the 2 most likely South Division playoff teams meet here)
MSOE over Aurora

Game of the day:  CUW keeps the pressure on WLC by beating Lakeland on the road.

Good slate of games tonight for sure. Both the LC v CUW and EC v Marian games have big implications.

[WLCALUM83]

With tonight's results:

NAthCon South:  One more Rockford loss eliminates the Regents

NAthCon North:  Two wins by Lakeland or 2 Edgewood losses and the Muskies are in.
                       Maranatha needs to win out and have Edgewood lose out
                       Marian also needs some help to get in.

[WLCALUM83]

2/9/12 guesses:

Lakeland over Maranatha  (Muskies avenge an earlier loss)

Edgewood over Alverno (if Henderson's matched up on Kontowski, that will be interesting, the former gave Marian fits defensively the other night).

WLC @ CUW:  Somethin's gotta give here--big time, (CUW's going to want to come out firing at home after the near miss at Lakeland the other night. WLC, however, can clinch the top spot outright with a win tonight--having beaten the Falcons in an earlier game.)  Going with CUW, (Falcons need it more, and I've got a feeling it'll show in their play.)