Top 25 discussion

[wonder_woman]

Yes David- The metaphor was being carried forward.

[BachDog]

And I apologize to GMC fans that were offended by my rather all-emcompassing statement about the fans. A few bad apples ruin the whole bunch...How's that for a metaphor?

[bbald eagle]

Three of the 10 voters for the WBCA/ESPN/USAToday poll are coaching in the Scranton sectional - James Scheible (University of Rochester), Mike Strong (University of Scranton), Stefanie Pemper (Bowdoin College). 

[BachDog]

Interesting........How do you see this weekend going down bbald?

I have NYU to the final four (actually way tougher than it sounds), then I think Rochester will beat Bowdoin (no one thinks so, but I like Rochester; at their best they can shoot threes, steal the ball, and hustle), and that Scranton will beat Mary Washington. Then, I like Scranton over Rochester.

I also think Howard Payne gets upset too...Wash U. will make it to the Final Four. I don't know, should be exciting!

[bbald eagle]

Bachdog -

I am pulling for Mary Washington in Scranton. I don't know enough about the other teams there though to predict what will happen. I would just be guessing. It seems like four strong teams. Scranton doesn't seem to lose at home so I guess that is in their favor. But Rochester beat them once already in Rcohester, didn't they? All four teams are probably capable of winning that sectional. We'll see who does.

Howard Payne probably has a monkey on its back since Pat C picked them to win it all.  Added pressure.

Good luck to everybody!

[BachDog]

BBald, Rochester beat Scranton at the beginning of the season (might have been one of the the first games in their opening tournament), in my opinion Rochester peaked a little early in the season, but I've seen them play incredible basketball as well...Home court advantage is an obviously huge obstacle to overcome...

Don't know a ton about Howard Payne, but I hear they have a serious team.

   GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!!!

[GAVA]

I would like RMC's chances of taking out NYU much better if the Jackets leading scorer wasn't out of the tourney on medical leave. But they still found a way to win the first two rounds. What a great, great job Coach LaHaye has done with an unranked team during a rebuilding year post - Silva where they were picked preseason to finish 3rd in their conference.
To return again this year to the Sweet 16 with a whole new team is amazing.

[Dark Knight]

Massey predicted that the lower-ranked team (by d3hoops.com) would win in four of last weekend's games:

Cortland St. over #20 Medaille 64-59  -- actual score 72-67
#21 Brandeis over #13 Emmanuel 62-59 -- actual score 66-71
Carroll over #24 IL Wesleyan 67-61 -- actual score 86-59
Simpson over #23 Wheaton IL 62-59 -- actual score 81-58

Looks like 3-1 for the computer in that round...

[Dark Knight]

Massey's Sweet 16 predictions:

#1 Bowdoin over #19 Rochester, 62-53
#10 Mary Washington over #3 Scranton, 62-58
#9 DePauw over #13 Emmanuel, 72-60
#7 Calvin over #8 Southern Maine, 69-59
#2 Howard Payne over Puget Sound, 62-48
#25 Luther over #11 Washington U, 56-55
Kean over Randolph-Macon, 75-72
#6 NYU over Simpson, 79-67

These predictions are based on last week's Massey ratings, i.e. the same games as used in the d3hoops.com week 13 poll.

[papabear]

In response to BachDog's incredulous post. You think Rochester is going to beat Bowdoin because they can  shoot the three, steal the ball, and hustle. Clearly you ahve not seen a Bowdoin basketball game. They are one of the best coached teams in the nation, have a tremendous defense and Loonin can shoot the three, as can Flaherty, Noucas, and Anelauskas. They are extremely scrappy with Kaubris and Cummings and they have one of the best players in the nation in Flaherty, 24 and 26 points to go with 20 rebounds in the opening two rounds. The number one team in the nation gets to travel over 400 miles and will not come back to Brunswick without two wins. I just don't see the logic in your claim BachDog.

[DPU3619]

Ah, yes.  The pre-hatch chicken count.  Interesting strategy.  Classy and unbiased, too.

I especially like this part:

The number one team in the nation gets to travel over 400 miles and will not come back to Brunswick without two wins.

Can Rochester win?  Sure.  Will they?  I won't say yes.  But I won't say no, either. 

Probably need to shoot well and make Bowdoin not.  The latter should be a bit easier than the former, it seems.  A few transition baskets off the average 20 turnovers that Rochester forces would be helpful.

Unrelated:  I was a little surprised to see that Massey picked DePauw over Emmanuel.  I'm not upset by it, though.

[BachDog]

Papa, you're right, I haven't seen a Bowdoin game. You may be right, perhaps they'll win hands down. All I am doing is trying to pick an upset (there have been a few) and in my mind Bowdoin has everything to lose...Not that all these teams have everything to lose, but I like Rochester. That's all...Sorry to be incredulous 

In response to BachDog's incredulous post. You think Rochester is going to beat Bowdoin because they can  shoot the three, steal the ball, and hustle. Clearly you ahve not seen a Bowdoin basketball game. They are one of the best coached teams in the nation, have a tremendous defense and Loonin can shoot the three, as can Flaherty, Noucas, and Anelauskas. They are extremely scrappy with Kaubris and Cummings and they have one of the best players in the nation in Flaherty, 24 and 26 points to go with 20 rebounds in the opening two rounds. The number one team in the nation gets to travel over 400 miles and will not come back to Brunswick without two wins. I just don't see the logic in your claim BachDog.

[gobombers15]

Papa, logic very rarely has anything to do when it comes to March Madness. If games flowed logically, where would the fun be? Everyone would pick almost every game correctly.

[BachDog]

Following logically, there shouldn't even be a tournament. Bowdoin should take the title right now, they have the best record. Thank god for illogical things like tournaments to spice things up and throw a wrench in the logic mill!!

By the way bombers, you should go to the NYU game this Friday, unless logic takes over and you already know who'll win...If you know, let me in on the secret!!!

[gobombers15]

Following logically, there shouldn't even be a tournament. Bowdoin should take the title right now, they have the best record. Thank god for illogical things like tournaments to spice things up and throw a wrench in the logic mill!!

By the way bombers, you should go to the NYU game this Friday, unless logic takes over and you already know who'll win...If you know, let me in on the secret!!!

If I were still living in NY, I would think about it. Unfortunately, I'm down in New Orleans for law school. However, as a native Rochesterian, I must be honest and say that I would probably go to the men's sectional at St. John Fisher. That said, I probably would have gone last weekend to see Ithaca play at NYU.