WBB: American Southwest Conference

[dballa]

Well I looked it up on a map and they are around 450 miles from each other.  Just inside the distance to bus Wash U to them.  That's pretty much why they did it.  But how many fans do they actually expect to attend all 3 games up there at Luther?  I don't think they'll have even more than what we had for one game. 

Luther only avgs about 700 to 900 fans per game and at their last home playoff game they had less than 900 even though a typo says they had over 8,000.

I guess they don't want a big home court advantage for HPU and they don't want that extra money generated by over 4,000 fans.

[dballa]

I guess the best thing about it is Coach K will get to go back home to Iowa for a visit.  Hopefuly taking home a trip to the Final Four.  I hope he can get a lot of his family and friends to go to the game for some support and make some noise.

[Rick Akins]

Ok, I went to mappoint--390 miles --If they must sacrifice everything on the altar of cost--yes I understand the rules --why not St  Louis--easier to get to for  the flying teams(HPU and Puget Sound)--same bus for the other team, plus a lot closer for driving for HPU fans--obviously PS is too far to drive anyway! If can read the stats on Luther's website  Luther had 900+ for the first round game the other day. Then 8545 for the second--I presume a misprint for 800+.

Is it really one flight or are they afraid no "neutral" site??

[dballa]

It would be nice if the NCAA offered up some detailed explanations as to why they do things.  I'm sure the "neutral court" has a lot to do with it.  I'm guessing an attendance of 200 or less for the HPU/Puget Sound game rather than an attendance of 4,000 or more HPU fans plus a few Puget Sound followers.

I agree with you about Wash U hosting that would seem a little more fitting as well.  Nothing we can do about it now except for our ladies to go up there, play inspired basketball and take care of business.

[Rick Akins]

dballa:  I looked more closely at Luther's website, and I think we may be wrong about the attendance. With the story of the last two games,  pictures were included, and it looked really full to me and the story said as much.  On d3hoops it says their arena will hold 3000--and it looked like it from the pictures.

[sethhpu]

So any of the McM fans know what Puget Sound likes to run? How does HPU matchup agaisnt them?

[Ralph Turner]

It was actually 3 plane flights to HPU versus 2 plane flights to St Louis or Luther.

I really think that we did better by not playing on Wash U's home floor.  Coach K needs to hold a family reunion! 

We (McM) hit one of our streaks vs UPS and dug ourselves a hole  (16 points), again!

The reports by one of the posters were that UPS' tongues' were hanging until a media timeout at about 3 minutes, when we had cut it to 4 points on 2 occasions.

They only hit 37% of their shots, so I don't think that they can overwhelm HPU's defense.  I don't think that they can run with 40 minutes of Lady Jacket Basketball!

IMHO, I think that we (now for the proverbial "ASC-we"  ) need to push the pace, get deep into their bench and run away from them.  Tarra's athleticism gave them fits.  We spotted them 3-4 inches per player, just like McM does HPU.

I am really excited.   We can match up well with HPU's size and the athleticism that our guards play.

[Ralph Turner]

Dballa:

I know I say UMHB but if you have read MY POSTS I am a HUGE HPU fan.  Does Washington bus to LUTHER?   If so, then for 2 flights instead of 3 they lose that gate?    4,000+ attendance!!!!  IS THAT IT?  IS IT LESS THAN 500 MILES from St. Louis?  What is going on!!!   Ralph, or some other ncaa guru--help me please.  I had to go to my nephew's wedding in Arkansas and missed Saturday and I was SO excited about this weekend.  What HAPPENED???  I got 2 calls from the game and they said the atmosphere was amazing!!

WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN GEORGRAPHIC "REASONS" TO ME?

Other than 2 flights versus 3 , I cannot.

I will listen to Hoopsville tonight.

[Ralph Turner]

Friends, I made my best case for the ASC and our hosting a Sectional on the 2007 Women's Tourney board and why I thought the decisions were bad!

Good luck, Choctaws and Lady Jackets!

Go ASC!

[Rick Akins]

Ralph:

Thanks for the insights on UPS.  I was just disappointed earlier but I guess 2 flights always trumps 3.  Having now studied Luther's website and slideshow, Brownwood  in  general and our "palace" in particular cannot hold a candle to Luther's facilities and Decorah, Iowa.   The campus and area appear to be very beautiful and the facilities first rate.

My frustration was showing  from a purely basketball point of view (we "earned" a bid on our record) but I need to remember how the ncaa and its costs work.  I knew we had 2 flights anyway and foolishly thougth that was enough, but I guess 2 is always less than 3.  I am disappointed for our fans, however.

[Rick Akins]

Ralph:

i posted the last one from me before I saw that you gave our "ASC" hosting argument.  I will go read it!!

[Ralph Turner]

Go Lady Jackets!  Please listen to what Coach K has outlined for you!

Remember my "Wish #2"!

I want McMurry to be the only team that beat HPU!

[Rick Akins]

Ralph:  See my reply to your dissertation on the sectionals over there. You are amazing!!  I concur--my wish is that HPU's only loss this year will be to McMurry--your beloved L.I.B.!!

[sethhpu]

Maybe I have missed the answer to this question, but why was Luther picked over WashU? Geographically it seems St. Louis would be cheaper flights for both HPU and UPS, but maybe the NCAA knows something I don't???

[Pat Coleman]

Once you're committed to a flight it doesn't overly matter to the NCAA what market you're flying into. The next-highest seed got to host in this instance, I suspect.

They had Luther placed in the bracket like a 3 seed and Wash U in the spot that belonged to a 7, though I suspect the George Fox pod was put together geographically as well, and not assembled completely by seeding.