2012 Division III NCAA Tournament

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Also, does everyone voting in this poll understand that Guilford is not actually in Virginia?

[ronk]

 Does that mean that they shouldn't be in the ODAC?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ever since they come up with these 6'11" guys that can PLAY, the rest of the conference probably has some doubts!

[Pat Coleman]

Chapman storms their own court after winning a game in which they were the favorites by double digits.  Is that three strikes or just two?

They lost to CMS by one point earlier in the season. Who would make them double digit favorites?

[dahlby]

What a shame for you to make a comment like that.
Chapman had around 2,000 in attendance. Included were several CMS supporters. It was a closer game than the score. Look at the stats...they speak for themself.

Both CMS and Chapman supporters stood and cheered the entire game. Excitement filled the air. Both teams played well and could have won.

Additionally, this was the first time CU had participated in the playoffs. CU students, players and coaches have weathered all the negative comments posted on this board for over 2 years. CU did well, and if the students choose to celebrate, go for it. Do you mock the D1students for storming the court.

I really feel that you were out of line for your comments regarding the CU campus.

I met the Oxy broadcast team, as well as the CMS guys. I am sorry that I could not listen to their  entire broadcast, although I did stand next to them for a while. They seemed like they really knew what they were doing.


This post is directed to Hoops Fan!

[Pat Coleman]

Actually, for what it's worth, there is a lot of mocking of D-I students who storm the court.

[dahlby]

Actually, if that is the worst thing they ever do, they will all turn out to be an asset to society. I have no problem with what they did, and would feel the same way had CMS won the game, which they very well could have. It was a natural ending to a very exciting D3 match-up!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Chapman storms their own court after winning a game in which they were the favorites by double digits.  Is that three strikes or just two?

They lost to CMS by one point earlier in the season. Who would make them double digit favorites?

That's my poor grammar.  I couldn't figure out exactly how to order the clauses.  I meant that they won by double digits.

I understand they're excited.  I listened to the entire second half.  I know the game was close, but it just screams "happy to be here."  D1 fans rush the court far too often.  If you win a championship (i'll even take a conference championship) or if you beat a top ranked team when you're a big underdog or if you come back from down 20 - those are good reasons, but there should be a limit.

I'm not upset that they celebrated.  Chapman has been looking for this moment for a while, but rushing the court was a step too far.

[Titan Q]

I understand they're excited.  I listened to the entire second half.  I know the game was close, but it just screams "happy to be here."  D1 fans rush the court far too often.  If you win a championship (i'll even take a conference championship) or if you beat a top ranked team when you're a big underdog or if you come back from down 20 - those are good reasons, but there should be a limit.

I'm not upset that they celebrated.  Chapman has been looking for this moment for a while, but rushing the court was a step too far.

I'm not a huge fan of storming the court (see below), so don't get me wrong here.  But I don't have any problem with Chapman being in "happy to be here" mode.  As far as the NCAA Division III tournament goes, they are not exactly Wash U or Wittenberg.  (How many total tournament wins do they have?  Has to be in single digits?)  If the Chapman fans have that "happy to be here" mentality going, I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Now, I will say that what I hate about storming the court is the impact it has on the opposing team.  Last Saturday night Carthage beat Illinois Wesleyan in a thrilling CCIW conference championship game that came down the final possession.  The Carthage students stormed the court and engulfed the team in a mob at center court.  Meanwhile IWU's entire team - which had just lost a heartbreaker and probably just wanted to get back in the locker room - is standing there near the scorer's table waiting to shake the hands of their opponets.  The Titans had to wait out the celebration for about 3 minutes before the Carthage players got out of the mob and came over.  I didn't fault the Carthage players, but I found the whole thing kind of unfortunate. 

I wouldn't be opposed if schools (or even the NCAA) adopted a "no storming the court" policy, and somehow enforced it.  All things considered, I just don't think the act supports the NCAA's sportsmanship philosophy (which they read before every tournament game).

[Ralph Turner]

I wouldn't be opposed if schools (or even the NCAA) adopted a "no storming the court" policy, and somehow enforced it.  All things considered, I just don't think the act supports the NCAA's sportsmanship philosophy (which they read before every tournament game).

Great post, especially about the "handshake aspect".  That must have been very awkward. +1!

[Just Bill]

Pat Forde's storming the court rules (it's from 2006): http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=2306416

I knew a high school principal who tried to control his students who were needlessly storming the court (it was like the 4th or 5th time in a season).  He'd walk out with a pad of detention slips and start handing them out to every student there.  That cleared the court fast.

[John Gleich]

I understand they're excited.  I listened to the entire second half.  I know the game was close, but it just screams "happy to be here."  D1 fans rush the court far too often.  If you win a championship (i'll even take a conference championship) or if you beat a top ranked team when you're a big underdog or if you come back from down 20 - those are good reasons, but there should be a limit.

I'm not upset that they celebrated.  Chapman has been looking for this moment for a while, but rushing the court was a step too far.

I'm not a huge fan of storming the court (see below), so don't get me wrong here.  But I don't have any problem with Chapman being in "happy to be here" mode.  As far as the NCAA Division III tournament goes, they are not exactly Wash U or Wittenberg.  (How many total tournament wins do they have?  Has to be in single digits?)  If the Chapman fans have that "happy to be here" mentality going, I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Now, I will say that what I hate about storming the court is the impact it has on the opposing team.  Last Saturday night Carthage beat Illinois Wesleyan in a thrilling CCIW conference championship game that came down the final possession.  The Carthage students stormed the court and engulfed the team in a mob at center court.  Meanwhile IWU's entire team - which had just lost a heartbreaker and probably just wanted to get back in the locker room - is standing there near the scorer's table waiting to shake the hands of their opponets.  The Titans had to wait out the celebration for about 3 minutes before the Carthage players got out of the mob and came over.  I didn't fault the Carthage players, but I found the whole thing kind of unfortunate. 

I wouldn't be opposed if schools (or even the NCAA) adopted a "no storming the court" policy, and somehow enforced it.  All things considered, I just don't think the act supports the NCAA's sportsmanship philosophy (which they read before every tournament game).

What do you feel about a team mobbing their teammate who just hit the game-winning shot?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I went to a UCONN-Syracuse game at the Carrier Dome when I was in college.  UConn was up 20 at the half and Syracuse came back to win by nearly that much.  It was almost impossible not to be carried onto the court with the swell of people.

That seemed like an appropriate moment.  I just don't know that I could justify storming the court for a first round game, especially when it wasn't an upset and there were not last second heroics.

[usee]

They could adopt the "Lebron rule" and just have all the players walk off the court at the buzzer.

[Pat Coleman]

Haven't been in the tournament in more than 20 years, don't have a conference title to play for, feeling of being snubbed from the dance in the past, beating a team you lost to earlier in the season to survive and advance.

I have no problem with the court being stormed there. When else has Chapman had the opportunity?