Bumblin' B's

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

From what I understand from Coach Silva... they will NOT be hosting. They just don't have the specs.

[pabegg]

I wonder how they would accomodate them if they should host but can't. Would the committee go out of their way to send them to the weakest host or would they have to take their chances with a random draw?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

From what I remember in the past... the weakest host, most likely. They don't tend to punish them by sending them to a tough opponent.

Now... they also might be considered the "home" team. This rarely happens, but the very first experience I had the NCAA tournament came in 1996... when the Goucher women's program made the tournament after losing in the CAC semifinals. They were one of three CAC teams in the NCAA tourney that year and got the chance to host fellow CACer Salisbury in the first-round only because SAL forgot to complete their NCAA hosting paperwork. SAL was considered the higher seed and thus the "home" team - in other words SAL wore thier home whites and Goucher wore their road blues at the Goucher Sports and Recreation Center.

Not sure how that may play forward to now and Elms' situation... but it might be interesting!

[Pat Coleman]

Elms could still be the highest seed in its regional but have to go elsewhere.

Unfortunately that might mean going somewhere like Amherst. They wouldn't give the fourth-best team a hosting slot just because Elms can't. They would go to the second-best candidate next.

[oldchap]

Susquehanna, Maryville TN, Chapman, and Becker are essentially tied at the moment.

In your opinion, does Chapman have their fate in their own hands or is it it pretty much up to how the other teams will fare? What I mean by this is that Chapman has 2 more DIII games left to play, in the post-season independent tournament. Will it be enough for them to win both in order to get in as a Pool B bid? What are the different scenarios? Would a win (or loss) against NAIA 1 Vanguard in any way influence the NCAA committee?

One more question: in your opinion, why are Susquehanna or Scranton in front of Chapman, when Chapman garners votes in the Top 25 poll and is ranked much higher in the Massey Ratings? (BTW, I read the handbook and I know that NCAA doesn't use these measures to make decisions on who goes to the tournament. However, it is hard to understand how a better Statistical system such as Massey - compared to OWP/OOWP - cannot predict which team can make Pool B, amongst a few contenders. Even Elms in this system is lower than Chapman.)

[Pat Coleman]

I think Chapman plays so many non-D3 teams as to make Massey useless in comparison to the NCAA's system, which relies solely on in-region competition.

[Ralph Turner]

Susquehanna, Maryville TN, Chapman, and Becker are essentially tied at the moment.

In your opinion, does Chapman have their fate in their own hands or is it it pretty much up to how the other teams will fare? I think that Chapman's fate was determined by their loss to UDallas.

What I mean by this is that Chapman has 2 more DIII games left to play, in the post-season independent tournament. Will it be enough for them to win both in order to get in as a Pool B bid? As Patrick Abegg has said, a loss hurts much much more than a win helps.

What are the different scenarios? Would a win (or loss) against NAIA 1 Vanguard in any way influence the NCAA committee?

The NCAA is trying to encourage play amongst its own members.  They are sponsoring the championship and they write the rules.

One more question: in your opinion, why are Susquehanna or Scranton in front of Chapman, when Chapman garners votes in the Top 25 poll and is ranked much higher in the Massey Ratings? (BTW, I read the handbook and I know that NCAA doesn't use these measures to make decisions on who goes to the tournament. However, it is hard to understand how a better Statistical system such as Massey - compared to OWP/OOWP - cannot predict which team can make Pool B, amongst a few contenders. Even Elms in this system is lower than Chapman.)  D3hoops.com Top 25 is a measure of the Top 25 teams in the country in D-III.   Massey is gauging the performance of the D3 teams against the other teams in the country in all classifications. 

At the beginning of the season and as one who follows the Bumblin' B's, I thought that Chapman could not lose to anyone that they should not lose to.   We saw the 18 games that counted in the eyes of the committee.  These were the key games.  A win over Whitworth might have offset one of the losses at 15-3, (W/L record versus a regionally ranked team.) UDallas is only 7-17 this season, and they may surprise some folks in the NEAC tourney.  However, Chapman's 15-3 in-region is just not good enough, due to the weakness of many of their wins.

As we see the season, Chapman has one "good" loss to Whitworth and two bad losses, to Whitman and to UDallas.  It is that simple.  IMHO, 17-1 in-region gets a Pool B bid; 16-2 might get a Pool B bid; 15-3 doesn't.

[pabegg]

Susquehanna, Maryville TN, Chapman, and Becker are essentially tied at the moment.

In your opinion, does Chapman have their fate in their own hands or is it it pretty much up to how the other teams will fare? What I mean by this is that Chapman has 2 more DIII games left to play, in the post-season independent tournament. Will it be enough for them to win both in order to get in as a Pool B bid? What are the different scenarios? Would a win (or loss) against NAIA 1 Vanguard in any way influence the NCAA committee?

One more question: in your opinion, why are Susquehanna or Scranton in front of Chapman, when Chapman garners votes in the Top 25 poll and is ranked much higher in the Massey Ratings? (BTW, I read the handbook and I know that NCAA doesn't use these measures to make decisions on who goes to the tournament. However, it is hard to understand how a better Statistical system such as Massey - compared to OWP/OOWP - cannot predict which team can make Pool B, amongst a few contenders. Even Elms in this system is lower than Chapman.)

Except for Elms, it's hard to say anything for sure about Pool B. The remaining competitors are just that indistinct. Plus, we've been fooled in the past by the committee.

I don't think that Chapman can afford another D3 loss, but even winning those last two isn't enough to guaranteed a bid. Only Scranton can guarantee a second bid by winning out.

Massey includes five wins that aren't factored into the D3 rankings, so that's one factor. Chapman's D3 schedule has been so awful (OWP rank is 398 of 401) that they just don't get much credit for winning those games.

[ronk]

Susquehanna, Maryville TN, Chapman, and Becker are essentially tied at the moment.

If one assumes that Scranton beats Susquehanna in the Landmark tournament, then one of the others would likely get in.

If Susquehanna wins out, they're in and Scranton would fall into the race for the third bid.

Becker is the wild card, as they could beat Elms in the NECC tournament and jump way up.

Elms, by the way, is in. The only question is whether they'll be in a position to host the first weekend.

I thought Elms didnt have the facility to host, or am I mistaken?  I think the coach was on Hoopsville a week or two ago and said they would not have the oppurtunity to host because their gym seats less than 1000.  He didnt make it sound like they were looking for alternate venues either.

  1000 seat requirement is for sectional games, not 1st or 2nd round. Mary Washington has hosted recently(women) with a gym less than 1000. They may have been accommodated to the extent of clearing the gym between games, if I remember right. Not a desirable situation, but if Elms really wants to play at home, they should apply to host.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

ronk - Coach Silva has stated on Hoopsvile they aren't going to be hosting. He stated that they are under 1000 capacity and in a conversation with his AD, he is sure they are not going to get that right.

Quote: "We can't host an NCAA game."

To listen to him talk about it - click here - http://www.d3hoops.com/audio/09/hoopsville/silva020109.mp3

Yes... the NCAA has made exceptions, but since Elms' gym can only hold about 500 and the Univ. of Mary Washington can hold 750... UMW already had the "chance"... where Elms is only halfway there. That is just too few to try and host, I suspect.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

ronk - Coach Silva has stated on Hoopsvile they aren't going to be hosting. He stated that they are under 1000 capacity and in a conversation with his AD, he is sure they are not going to get that right.

Quote: "We can't host an NCAA game."

Did you happen to ask about whether they were planning to host from a different local venue?  They've got plenty of options there in Springfield.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

He said, "unless a local school wants to let us use their gym..." which we both jokingly thought might not happen. However, that is certainly an option I am sure Elms could look into, but Coach Silva sounded more like he was preparing to hit the road.

[ronk]

ronk - Coach Silva has stated on Hoopsvile they aren't going to be hosting. He stated that they are under 1000 capacity and in a conversation with his AD, he is sure they are not going to get that right.

Quote: "We can't host an NCAA game."

To listen to him talk about it - click here - http://www.d3hoops.com/audio/09/hoopsville/silva020109.mp3

Dmac,
   I heard the show but there was no indication that Coach Silva was aware that he could host for the initial rounds with less than 1000 seats. So, if he wants to avoid a trip similar to the one he made to Gettysburg last year with few of his fans traveling, he only has a couple of days to apply.

Yes... the NCAA has made exceptions, but since Elms' gym can only hold about 500 and the Univ. of Mary Washington can hold 750... UMW already had the "chance"... where Elms is only halfway there. That is just too few to try and host, I suspect.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

ronk - I took, "I have spoken to my Athletic Director" as he knows what his limitations are and the ability to host a tournament game. I personally think the 500 seat capacity is going to knock them out, anyway.

And back to the Mary Washington point, they probably had a year or two where they could have hosted and had to make concessions (they added more seats temporarily for the weekend) and had to convince the NCAA hosting was a good option. I believe the NCAA finally gave them the opportunity to host when they finally couldn't provide a reason to not let them host.

[Pat Coleman]

If Elms got a first-round bye they could conceivably host that second-round single game in their gym.