2012 Division III NCAA Tournament

[Titan Q]

Score for the so-called "Power Conferences":

UAA -- Washington, Brandeis, and Rochester have all made the Sweet Sixteen
NESCAC -- Amherst is the only one left of the original 4 NCAA entries
ODAC -- No one left, with VA Wesleyan and Guilford both eliminated
WIAC -- No one left, with Whitewater and Stevens Point both eliminated
CCIW -- Wheaton is still in, with Augustana eliminated

Overall, 16 of 59 teams are still in.  That's 27%.

Of teams from the "power conferences," 5 of the original 14 teams are still in.  That's 36% ... so maybe one could argue that the Pool C bids to these conferences were not misplaced, that they deserved the 1-3 Pool C bids that each received.

I guess that the only conference other than the UAA to have more than 1 team among the Sweet Sixteen is the Centennial Conference (Ursinus and Gettysburg).

But what makes a "power conference" is not necessarily the strength at the top, but rather the depth of the league.  Looking at the 2008 CCIW finish, for example...

Augustana: 11-3
Illinois Wesleyan 9-5
Wheaton 9-5
Elmhurst 8-6
Carthage 7-7
North Park 6-9 8
North Central 4-10
Millikin 2-12

Consider:

* Pool A team Augustana lost to 5th place Carthage and 6th place North Park.  (And Augustana is a legitimate Top 15 type team.)

* Pool C Wheaton - heading to the Sweet 16 - was swept by 7th place North Central and lost three games to Illinois Wesleyan (including the conference tournament semifinal)

* Elmhurst beat #1-ranked Hope on a neutral court

* 7th place North Central lost in overtime at Cal Lutheran - regarded as a very serious Pool C candidate.


I think you could make similar points about the WIAC, the UAA, NESCAC, and whoever the "power conferences" are.

Those of us who follow the CCIW have been pretty clear all season long that our league didn't have a real national powerhouse this year, but as always, the CCIW was one of the strongest conferences in Division III due to its balance and depth.  Illinois Wesleyan has been to Salem three times now as an at-large team - 1996, 2001, and 2006.  "Power conferences" are power conferences because of how strong teams 2 through 6 or so are.  Not because of the strength of the top.  I certainly don't think the top teams in the CCIW, WIAC, UAA, and NESCAC are better than the best in the NCAC or MIAA (many years, they are not as good actually), but leagues like the latter two are weighed down by some marginal and/or poor teams.

(Edited by GS, because Bob gave one too many losses to my alma mater and I am a compulsive nitpicker. )

[HopeConvert]

Looking at the matchups for the sectionals, it appears to me that WashU has the clearest path to Salem. Hope will have to face a hot OWU team, and perhaps a Wheaton team that features one of the tourney's best players and will be primed for revenge. Perhaps another Amherst/Brandeis matchup out east (that's the toughest bracket left, clearly), and a pretty good set-up for Rochester in their sectional. 3 UAA teams in the Final Four, maybe? Not unthinkable.

[Hugenerd]

The sectional hosts have been selected:

http://www.ncaa.com/uploadedFiles/Sports/Basketball_(M)/BR-08D3MBB.pdf

It looks like Plattsburgh state got the nod over Amherst, along with Ursinus, Hope and WashU.

[sac]

Isn't that 2 years in a row for Plattsburgh?

[fcnews]

For families, fans and students traveling to STL next weekend. There are two hotels at Hampton and Interstate 44, Red Roof and a nice Holiday Inn. Both are priced with in mosts budgets. Holiday Inn would be my first choice. These are five minutes from campus. The Drury Inn at Union Station is a more upscaled choice. Fifteen minutes tops and in the heart of the entertainment area. Just thought I'd toss it out. Safe travels.

[old ends]

The UAA and the Centennial Conference have the only multiple teams left in the Championship. That will change as Ursinus and Gettysburg meet in the next round. If the UAA wins out it could look like another league playoff. Good luck to all.

[fpc85]

Any suggestions for reasonably priced hotels in the plattsburgh area.

[Cards7580]

Microtel on Rte 3   get the corporate rate and tell them you are coming there for Basketball games

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Funny, in the years when I've paid closer attention, I've never been as high in the bracket challenge as I am right now.

I don't expect to stay there, but it makes me feel good about picking the first weekend.

[Cards7580]

"...
Isn't that 2 years in a row for Plattsburgh?  ..."

2 years in a row for what ?

3 years in a row as SUNYAC champions with the Automatic bid to the NCAA.
1st time since 1976 to be into the Sweet 16.

[Hugenerd]

The UAA and the Centennial Conference have the only multiple teams left in the Championship. That will change as Ursinus and Gettysburg meet in the next round. If the UAA wins out it could look like another league playoff. Good luck to all.

Who needs a conference tournament when you have the NCAAs?   

[baseballguy]

Hey yellowjacket2011 and knightstalker nice jokes about the Coast Guard BUT, when your yacht is in distress or a group of illegals show up on your ocean front property or an oil spill occurs near your mansion and all the wildlife are dying on your front lawn or a boat brings in another shipment of cocaine from Colombia and your 16 year old sister becomes a crack head, who are you going to call?
Let's hope your wise cracking brain is smart enough to call the Coast Guard!

[algernon]

I think you could make similar points about the WIAC, the UAA, NESCAC, and whoever the "power conferences" are.

Those of us who follow the CCIW have been pretty clear all season long that our league didn't have a real national powerhouse this year, but as always, the CCIW was one of the strongest conferences in Division III due to its balance and depth.  Illinois Wesleyan has been to Salem three times now as an at-large team - 1996, 2001, and 2006.  "Power conferences" are power conferences because of how strong teams 2 through 6 or so are.  Not because of the strength of the top.  I certainly don't think the top teams in the CCIW, WIAC, UAA, and NESCAC are better than the best in the NCAC or MIAA (many years, they are not as good actually), but leagues like the latter two are weighed down by some marginal and/or poor teams.

You have referred to the CCIW, WIAC, UAA, and NESCAC as power conferences, but failed to include the ODAC in your discussion, even though I had included the ODAC in my "scoring" after they were  included in a Posting Up poll question.

The ODAC would seem to meet any definition of "power conference," including the definition based upon depth within the conference.  Hampden-Sydney went to Salem four years ago as a Pool C bid and Virginia Wesleyan went to the national championship game last year as a Pool C bid.  #8 Guilford lost to the ODAC's #3 team and #5 team this year.  #21 Virginia Wesleyan lost to the ODAC's #4 and #7 teams this year.  In the ODAC, there was great depth from #1 through #7, and each of these teams had winning out-of-conference records (generally 5-2 or 6-1 against non-conference opponents for each of the top 7 ODAC teams).  Given that the ODAC's been to the Final Four in 4 of the last 9 years .... and certainly has had great depth through the top 6 or 7 teams, it seems reasonable to include the ODAC in any specific referencing of possible power conferences .....

[Pat Coleman]

Seems like a pretty defensive defense of something most of us take for granted: Yes, the ODAC is a power conference. Breathe deeply.

[magicman]

Quote from: fpc85 on Yesterday at 03:18:08 pm
any suggestions for reasonably priced hotels in the plattsburgh area?


Ticket info. Plattsburgh State College Center 518-564-2000

Places to stay in Plattsburgh.

Best Western on Rt 3 518-561-7750 5 mins. from gym
Holiday Inn on Rt 3 518-561-5000        "                 "
Comfort Inn on Rt 3 518-562-2730        "                 "
Econo Lodge on Rt 3 518-561-1500        "                "
Microtel Inn & Suites on Rt 3 518-324-3800  "          "
Day's Inn on Rt 3 518-561-0403                  "           "

Fine Dining in Plattsburgh.

Anthony's Restaurant & Bistro Rt 3 518-561-6420
Butcher Block Restaurant Rt 3 518-563-0920
These are 2 of Plattsburgh's Finest. Reservation will probably be required so call ahead.

Other fine establishments are
Arnie's Restaurant downtown Plattsburgh Fine Italian Restaurant since 1951 518-563-3003
Irises Cafe & Wine Bar downtown Plattsburgh 518-566-7000

And of course we have most of the chains. Pizza Hut, Applebys, Ground Round, Friendly's, Lum's, Ninety Nine, and a host of others.

Weather report for the coming weekend was lower to mid 40's and rain.