MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wooscotsfan]

Here are links to articles on the NCAC tourney championship game:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/5161234

http://www.denisonbigred.com/sports/mbkb/2011-12/releases/20120225pjhf3w

http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2011-12/releases/20120225o4xfvn

[wooscotsfan]

Props to Warnsey for holding Larry Farmer, probably the hottest player in the conference at this point, to 4 points last night. Say what you'd like about that last in bounds play...but #24's hand in the rim had a lot to do with Farmer's missed bunny. Wooster posters have been surprisingly quiet as the Scots have gone about their business of winning. This Senior class has done what others haven't. They won the Tournament title all four years. The first to do so according to The Daily-Record. Now comes March Madness!

nuscottsfan - great point about Warnes' defense on Larry Farmer.   Senior Justin Warnes has been Wooster's defensive stopper the last couple of years and he will be missed next year.

IMO, best example of Warnes' contributions was the Elite 8 game last year against #1 Whitworth.   Warnes shadowed Michael Taylor, the All American and D3 Player of the Year, and forced him into only shooting 40% for the game.  On the season, Taylor shot 53% from the floor so 40% was a big drop from his normal production.  Oh, and Justin also threw down a huge dunk in that game that got the momentum shifting towards the Scots when they trailed in the first half. 

GO SCOTS!

[David Collinge]

Since nobody has said anything about the refs at the ncac game(always a good thing not to hear about them, usually means they did a great job) I am guessing they did a fine job there also.

I wasn't there, but Mike Breckenridge's perception on WQKT was that the refs were doing a lot of whistle-swallowing. There were only 26 fouls called, and Wooster was able to foul in the waning seconds (resulting in the inbounds play and the infamous "missed bunny") because they were only at 5 at the time.

[BigRedFan]

Congrats to the Big Red on a terrific season and all the thrills!!!

Congrats to our fans for supporting the team....that was awesome!!!

Here's to the NCAC going deep in the tournament!!!

Congrats also to Wooster....showing once again they know how to get it done when they need to!!!!

Very exciting year!!!

[imderekpoe]

Since nobody has said anything about the refs at the ncac game(always a good thing not to hear about them, usually means they did a great job) I am guessing they did a fine job there also.

I wasn't there, but Mike Breckenridge's perception on WQKT was that the refs were doing a lot of whistle-swallowing. There were only 26 fouls called, and Wooster was able to foul in the waning seconds (resulting in the inbounds play and the infamous "missed bunny") because they were only at 5 at the time.

I thought the officiating was worse than usual, and I'll leave it at that...

[fantastic50]

The HCAC title game between Transylvania and Rose-Hulman is going to OT.  An upset win by Rose (which is the #3 seed, but was only 11-7 in league play) could help the Wooster's chances of hosting next weekend (although it could also push OWU closer to the bubble's edge).

[ScotsFan]

Wittenberg is reporting attendance of 1048 (i.e. 1/3 full) for tonight's game. If that's accurate, that's a fantastic crowd for a neutral-site game a long way away from the campuses of the competitors.

And it was at least 50% Denison fans. It was great to see all the Denison students there supporting their team. Wooster gets tremendous community support, but has almost no student following.

This has always been disappointing to me that the Wooster students don't support the basketball team more than they have over the years.  Denison's large student contingent is a result of DU providing buses for them to make the trek from Granville to Springfield.  I'm wondering if the powers that be at Wooster even thought about offering buses for Wooster students or if they just figured there wouldn't be that much of an interest from the students so they didn't even offer them?

[wooscotsfan]

Rose Hulman upsets Transylvania this afternoon to win the automatic bid from the HCAC.

This might help Wooster get a hosting nod for the first round of the NCAA tourney.  Rose Hulman will be sent somewhere to play (Wooster pod?) and Transy is now less likely to host because they will be a Pool C.

There is also one less Pool C slot available with Transy clearly getting one at 22-3 so it may hurt OWU's chances a bit.

[wooscotsfan]

Here are 7 teams now in the NCAA tourney that may be Wooster opponents in the first/second round of the NCAA's:

Hope - MIAA (very likely to host 3 other teams in a pod)
Bethany - PRAC
Capital - OAC
Wittenberg - Pool C lock
Rose Hulman - HCAC
Transylvania - Pool C lock
Medaille - AMCC

In addition, Maryville (TN) likely will get the Pool B bid and OWU could get a Pool C bid.

Could Wooster host any 3 of these teams in a first/second round pod?    Let's hope so!

[ScotsFan]

Well, that HCAC title game certainly was a good result for Wooster.  wsf, I agree that I don't see how Transy could be considered for hosting as a C.  Also, I don't think Trany's resume compares very well to Wooster's.  The HCAC is not even close in terms of strength top to bottom in comparison to the NCAC.

[sac]

Well, that HCAC title game certainly was a good result for Wooster.  wsf, I agree that I don't see how Transy could be considered for hosting as a C.  Also, I don't think Trany's resume compares very well to Wooster's.  The HCAC is not even close in terms of strength top to bottom in comparison to the NCAC.

There are plenty of instances where Pool C teams have hosted.  Being a Pool C team won't be what keeps Transylvania from hosting.

Criteria(ie seed) and geography are always the two biggest factors.

[ScotsFan]

Here are 7 teams now in the NCAA tourney that may be Wooster opponents in the first/second round of the NCAA's:

Hope - MIAA (very likely to host 3 other teams in a pod)
Bethany - PRAC
Capital - OAC
Wittenberg - Pool C lock
Rose Hulman - HCAC
Transylvania - Pool C lock
Medaille - AMCC

In addition, Maryville (TN) likely will get the Pool B bid and OWU could get a Pool C bid.

Could Wooster host any 3 of these teams in a first/second round pod?    Let's hope so!

I think Hope is a lock to host and I could see Cap, RHIT and Witt being sent up to Holland.  That would leave Bethany, Transy and Medaille to come to Wooster.  This seems plausible to me... 

[KnightSlappy]

Well, that HCAC title game certainly was a good result for Wooster.  wsf, I agree that I don't see how Transy could be considered for hosting as a C.  Also, I don't think Trany's resume compares very well to Wooster's.  The HCAC is not even close in terms of strength top to bottom in comparison to the NCAC.

It's going to come down to geography. If either one hosts, they'll be one of the last couple of schools. FWIW, I have Transy as the #16 tournament team (theoretically the last hosting spot), and Wooster as the #18 team (with UW-River Falls, still playing, in between). And it's really close -- could be they both host, or could be neither hosts, or could be either one hosts over the other.

[ScotsFan]

There are plenty of instances where Pool C teams have hosted.  Being a Pool C team won't be what keeps Transylvania from hosting.

Criteria(ie seed) and geography are always the two biggest factors.

I'm not saying that Transy won't host solely because they are a C.  I just don't think they compare favorably to Wooster head to head.  Transy has one fewer regional loss, but none of their losses are to regionally ranked opponents.  Also, Transy has only one win over a regionally ranked opponent as far as I can tell.  Wooster, on the other hand, has one more regional loss than Transy, but 3 of their 4 losses are to regionally ranked teams.  Also, Wooster also has 3 wins over regionally ranked teams.  Also, Wooster will likely be ranked 2nd in the final GL regional ranking.  Meanwhile, Transy was already only 3rd in the last MW regional rankings and will likely drop in the final MW regional ranking.  To me, Wooster stacks up much better in a lot of areas than Transy does.

[GoRed]

Since nobody has said anything about the refs at the ncac game(always a good thing not to hear about them, usually means they did a great job) I am guessing they did a fine job there also.

I wasn't there, but Mike Breckenridge's perception on WQKT was that the refs were doing a lot of whistle-swallowing. There were only 26 fouls called, and Wooster was able to foul in the waning seconds (resulting in the inbounds play and the infamous "missed bunny") because they were only at 5 at the time.

I thought the officiating was worse than usual, and I'll leave it at that...

From the perspective that very few, very obvious fouls were whistled in the game, I agree - it was technically bad officiating.  But it seemed to be fairly unbiased whistle-swallowing and I think it worked to Denison's advantage for the most part.  If Mansfield and Garabedian weren't allowed to be as physical as they were with Claytor and Mays, I'm not sure the game would have been as close.  Yes, Farmer was hammered and so was Tiberi on the last shot, but if you're going to let rough play go, you have to let everything go.  In my view, the Big Red were tougher and outplayed Wooster, but just couldn't get a few shots to fall (any Woo fan comments in response will be ignored).

Congratulations to Wooster on a hard fought win.  Represent the NCAC well in the tournament.

Denison players,

That was one of the best finishes to a season I have ever seen.  In your late season run, you showed the talent we knew you had and that you could play with the best in Divison III.   

You just gave your fans and your school a tremendous thrill and it showed with the support they gave you at the game.  That is what Denison men's basketball needs to be and I hope this is just the start.  A heart-felt congratulations to every one of you, whatever your role on the team may have been.  And best of luck to the seniors in whatever you do.  You were quite a class and hopefully gave the program a new footing.  Juniors, sophs and frosh - keep it rolling.