WBB: Northwest Conference

[arforbes]

Chemguy,  you are starting to sound a little bit like Swiss, rimshot and I did in the middle of the season.  IE. GFU will turn it around and get back to the level they were playing early in the season.  Maybe for you it will happen.  However, I think that PLU has shown that they really do play with a consistency that no other NWC has been able to match this year.  They have had poor offensive games, but the D has risen to pull them out.  UPS, although dangerous, has not had the overall consistency of PLU and will not pull off the "upset" on Saturday.  I am assuming both win on Friday, as it would take an extemely poor performance across both O and D for them to loose, even if the CAL schools both played over their heads.  And as rimshot would say, that is a little wood on the fire.

[ghr]

I love the way Pat Coleman thinks in his Bracket Breakdown on the front page today. But for now the focus is Chapman for the Lutes.

Chapman is ranked nationally in four categories and the Lutes are ranked in 9 of the ten categories. The Lutes also have four individuals that are ranked and Chapman has one.However,stats seem to go out the window this time of year when you are in the one and done part of the season. I look for a much more mature team in Chapman than they were in the first game. I believe they only play one senior so you know that their young players are going to be  much better now. Plu has one goal left on their preseason list and they start working towards that on Friday agianst Chapman.

[hoopstermom]

I suspect, though, that Randolph-Macon will be an even greater challenge this year than last.  They're big, they'll probably get to play at home again (a true yellow-jacket nest), and they have one of the best point guards in D3 (Megan Silva).  One of my big regrets this year is not seeing the Bruins get another shot at them.  We had them on the ropes last year but let the crowd get back in the game which took us out of it.  If PLU or UPS can knock them off it won't hurt my feelings.

RMC won't host sectionals this year. I thought I saw Pat say it rotates to the West this year, so the "hive" won't be a factor for a NWC/Texas team if RMC gets that far.  It will be a tough test for RMC for sure.  I was at the games Trinity/Fox vs RMC games last year and they were very tough for the Jackets even on their home court.  George Fox was a classy team (so were the fans), not to mention VERY tough. Sounds like PLU and UPS are in that same category.   If RMC gets knocked out, I will be rooting for PLU or UPS all the way.  Good luck.

[swiss]

RMC won't host sectionals this year. I thought I saw Pat say it rotates to the West this year, so the "hive" won't be a factor for a NWC/Texas team if RMC gets that far. 

Well... That would be good for the NWC if that is the case.  Does anybody know if the sectional was ever held at a NWC school?  Parkland... you're the historian... what can you tell us?  I know that it hasn't been in the last six years.  Has it ever been on the west coast?  It seems like the best the NCAA can manage is to "rotate" the sectionals to the midwest (ie. TX, WI, or KY).  Admittedly, any of those would be better than playing on the east coast, but they can hardly be viewed as an advantage to the NWC.  Having lived in Texas, I can't imagine the fan base there being any more friendly to west coast teams than Ashland.  I'm assuming that it will primarily be money that determines  location, as opposed to fairness or even facility.  But... if Tacoma should host the sectional, I'll definitely make the drive north.

[parklandpride]

Yes - In 2000. PLU and Fox tied for the NWC Title at 14-2. That year, the NWC got in 4 teams (along with Whitworth and Linfield). Fox hosted and defeated Linfield in the 1st round, the same as PLU did to Whitworth. If i remember, it was a Wed night game. I believe the NWC was still more like the NCIC and we were still independant status.

Then on Sat night, PLU went to St. Thomas (MIAC) while Cal Lutheran went to Fox. PLU lost and Fox won setting up the Bruins for a trip to the Sweet 16.

This is the only time the NWC has hosted a Sweet 16 regional. St. Thomas beat Fox at Wheeler by 12 at the hands of All American Katie Peterson.

Sounds like they have committed the winner of the West Regional to hosting the next round. Here is a question...what if Cal Lu wins? Will the NCAA then shift where the region is hosted?

[swiss]

Yes - In 2000. ... This is the only time the NWC has hosted a Sweet 16 regional. St. Thomas beat Fox at Wheeler by 12 at the hands of All American Katie Peterson.

The NWC archive says that game was played in Abilene.  Which is it PP?  Your memory or the archive?  Don't let me down.

[Pat Coleman]

I don't think it's an absolute LOCK that the game will be on the west coast, but since none of the four teams surviving will be within driving distance of any of the others, they can hold it anywhere and the cost is similar. Therefore I would expect a rotation to the west coast.

[Ralph Turner]

The 2000 Sectional was hosted by Hardin-Simmons in Abilene TX.

The Sweet 16 was cross-town rivals McMurry and Hardin-Simmons playing Big Game #4 before an SRO crowd of 2500 fans after George Fox had lost to St Thomas, 76-64.

http://www.d3hoops.com/danbury/00/round3.htm#hsu

[parklandpride]

Wow...i am losing it. I remember St. Thomas coming to GFU and winning pretty big. Maybe it was in '99. I am starting to lose my memory. Probably wasnt even a Sweet 16.

Looks like retirement might be my best option.

[swiss]

Parkland:  No retirement!  You can't.  Even at your worst you are better than the rest of us... well... me, anyway.

[arforbes]

OK, you know how bad my memory is.  The game at Wheeler was 2001, I believe the year GFU was temporarily ranked #1, and St. Thomas upset us at home in Lacey's last year.  Not only upset us, but spanked us a little.  That was a 2nd round game.   Swiss can check my accuracy in the archives.

[swiss]

OK, you know how bad my memory is.  The game at Wheeler was 2001, I believe the year GFU was temporarily ranked #1, and St. Thomas upset us at home in Lacey's last year.  Not only upset us, but spanked us a little.  That was a 2nd round game.   Swiss can check my accuracy in the archives.

Your looking good, arforbes.  Keep up the good work.  Take off your warmup... I'm sending you in for Parkland. 

[Loggerville]

Good luck to the Loggers tonight....always hard to beat a team three times in a single season.  Too bad both these teams can't advance, as I think they would be favorites in some of the other brackets.  Anyone know if PLU is streaming this one on the web? 

[chemguy]

Looks like the PLU/UPS game will be web cast tonight. There is a link on both the UPS and PLU web pages.

I think it's going to be a much closer game than any of the previous 3 meetings. The loggers are becoming more diverse with their scoring, (10 of 11 players scored last night, with 3 in double figues). Defensively they had some trouble with the Cal Lutheran center, (30 points), but did a great job closing down the rest of the team. The two freshmen players, (Allison & Karen), had a great game, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively.

PLU didn't have much of a challenge with Chapman, beating them almost from the opening tip off.  They played well, but not inspired, which often happens when you don't have a challenge. 

Bottom line, UPS on an upswing, PLU will need to get back into high gear.  I see a 3 point game, UPS wins, with a balance scoring attack.  We'll see in a few hours.

[Loggerville]

Good luck to the Lutes (god that hurts!) in the next round.  keep the NWC flag flying.  Great season by a young Logger team, and bug congrats to the Sr. on an impressive four-year run.