WBB: Northwest Conference

[BruinFan]

Handles, even though I believe Puget Sound could have held their own against many of the teams in the NCAA tournament, 9 losses is just too many to get an at-large bid.

Looking at teams that get selected, it becomes a long shot with anything more than say 5 or 6 losses. I will do some research on the at-large teams for this year and report back.

In addition, until the NCAA changes their practice, when the NWC has two teams in the tournament they get placed in the same regional making it impossible for both teams to make it to a sectional (sweet 16). I could get more excited about 2 teams getting in if I knew both had a chance to advance to the second weekend.

I believe the rest of the country is beginning to take notice and it will be great if NWC teams continue to go deep in the tournament.

[Handles]

BruinFan,

I guess I just look at it a bit different.  In mens DI the SEC is one of the toughest conferences in the nation and when you look at a team from that conference with more losses you have to consider how incredibly tough the conference is.

Why can our #4 and #6 teams beat Washington U. who cruised through their conference???  Then our #1, who was amazing this year, handled them pretty well!!  Six of Puget Sounds losses came to conference opponents, 2 of those to Fox.  One non league loss came from Ill. Weslyn who was ranked #2 in the nation at that point.  Stregth of schedule for Puget Sound was ranked #32 in the nation.  So I guess there is so much more to look at than just the 9 losses when we are talking about the Northwest Confernce level of play.

I definitely agree with you in regards to where two teams get placed.  I don't think that is fair at all.  One of the toughest conferences and their two teams always face each in a sectional?  I think all coference opponents should be separated but that comes down to money so we know where that goes

[80sshorts]

So where does the northwest conference in the 2008-09 season rank amongst all conferences?  I say somewhere below the WIAC and above the UAA, likely in the top 5

[sumfun]

Talking just women's bball, you're probably correct.  D3 in general the NESCAC rules as they have Williams, the perrenial Director's Cup winner, Middlebury and Amherst who are often in the top 5 in Director's Cup, not to mention Trinity who is the perrenial national squash champ which isn't even an NCAA sport.  Just thought I'd throw that out there to open discussion and horizons beyond bball.

[80sshorts]

Yeah I should've qualified that with just solely women's BB, although the NWC has fielded individually good FB teams in the last couple years.  And I know Bill Simmons is always giving the NESCAC love as he hopes for it to be the final stomping grounds for Holy Cross

[80sshorts]

http://highschoolsports.oregonlive.com/news/article/-4775665434655476885/unsung-newberg-senior-shows-fast-improvement/

Looks like the Bruins are reloading quickly and potently with the exit of Shielee, I have heard that this girl is farther along in skill development at this point in her career than Shielee was at her age, a sign that bodes well for George Fox

[roaringtwenties]

Looking forward to the next four years, as my daughter is coming from a long way to play basketball in the Northwest Conference.  (East of the Mississippi) We are not real familiar with the Northwest Conference, but they obviously had some great success this past season.

[NWCSportsFan]

roaringtwenties,

Welcome to the Northwest!

What school in the NWC is your daughter going to play for?

[roaringtwenties]

I have relatives in both Portland and Seattle.  We came out last august for a family vacation, and while there visited six schools in Oregon and Washington, four from the Northwest Conference.  After looking at schools pretty much all over the country, she fell in love with the school, and seemed to hit it off with the coach, who seemed to share a lot of the philosophies in which she approaches the game.  WHITWORTH!

[TheNextLevel]

Sage Indendi, the D3hoops.com Rookie of the Year, did not return to school at George Fox.  Where did she go?  I am assuming she transfered to a D1 School...

[B Hoops]

I continue to be disappointed with the respect the NWC receives from D3 Hoops
Polls. I think George Fox has done enough the last few years they should be ranked higher in the pre-season poll.

[Wydown Blvd.]

B Hoops, Why do you think the Bruins deserve to be ranked higher? They loss two key players in their leading scorer and center, while the other squads above them return most of their key players and finished the season in the elite 8 or higher. I think the ranking gives their coaching staff the benefit of the doubt (and has high expectations for that tall incoming freshman I have heard about) and it is easy to argue that they are actually overrated. But if you have more information about this years team do share what you can.

The teams above them:
WashU - lost 1 starter, didnt have a player average more than 10 points last year anyway, 2 final fours in 3 years
Hope - lost 2 starters, returns all american Snikkers, finished with back to back Elite 8's
Amherst - returns all starters from Final Four young squad (but is in the northeast which is some consider a weaker region...), on paper seems to be ranked properly

[B Hoops]

  Wydown--I think if you look back the last 5 years you will find George Fox's NCAA  D3 credentials as impressive if not more than those you have listed. Plus Fox ran the table last year with an undefeated season and with a majority of their roster who were Freshman. Fox at the very least should have been a top 3 pre-season pick!
   My point in this matter is simple: Since the NWC conference has joined Division 3 there have been numerous years and numerous instances Teams in the NWC have not received the respect they deserve for competing at a high D3 level. IMO Pollsters look at the NWC like D1 pollsters look at the WAC or PAC 10. I wonder at times if they think there are even athletics that occur in the West. I would love for someone to prove me wrong or to assist me in changing this opinion.

[Wydown Blvd.]

5 years has very little bearing to this years ranking. Even so, putting that into the consideration, their D3 credentials in the last 5 years are not more impressive than Hope's nor WashU's. (GFox does pretty easily one up Amherst on the five year history)

I know what GFox has done (I got the following from their website):
    * Two NCAA "Elite 8" appearances (2005, 2009)
    * NCAA "Sweet 16" appearances (2005, 2008, 2009)
    * Northwest Conference Championships (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009)
    * Winning seasons (2004-2009)
    * Top 25 national rankings (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009)

While the NWC may not be getting respect this year (similar to the WAC or Pac 10), Ill go with your metaphor, I think that this year, George Fox may be this years USC...lol. It lost Mark Sanchez and Brian Cushing. So although it may deserve respect, Pete Carroll cant make an NFL ready QB out of thin air and Gfox has a seemingly capable center but not the returning leading scorer. I don't know about years past, but GFox has not been disrespected in this years poll.

The metaphor doesn't extend too well but Amherst plays in the Big 10, WashU the SEC, and Hope is the Big 12 champion.

[northernstar]

It would appear to me that George Fox will still be a very good basketball team, but it will be difficult to overcome at the very least, the loss of two of your top three players, if not your top two players.  I haven't seen the tall freshman play, so I cannot comment on how she will fill that void.  Height doesn't always equate to skill in this sport. 

George Fox will still be a strong club, in spite of those losses, but I do agree that I think they have lost more than B Hoops may be aware.