MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

But almost every team in the tournament fits that description.  There aren't a lot of bad teams in the tournament. 

It's true that Witt shouldn't lose their first game, but the reality is that Wooster shouldn't lose theirs either.  Wooster being more likely to lose in the first round has as much or more to do with whether or not Wooster can make three pointers as it does with who they are playing. 

[woosterbooster]

DC- Any more info on Wansley? How will Port, Vandervaart, or Will match up?

I've never seen him in person, but by reputation he's big and athletic and can pretty much do it all: shoot, create, dish, rebound. Like someone with James Cooper's offensive skills, Brandon Crawford's size, and Brandon Miller's athletic ability.

He's a first team preseason All-American, whereas Tori Davis, at the same position, was 4th team.

There's a picture of Wansley on the RMC roster page.  He looks big, strong, athletic, and as if he can do it all.

However, his stats indicate that he's a different type of player, one with more of an all-around game than Tori Davis. I don't doubt that he can muscle and score inside, but he also shoots the three, regularly and well (25-61).  I see him as more of a Tom Port type, maybe leaning a little more towards an inside game than Port, and maybe a little better at putting it on the floor.  I'd guess that it would be Port guarding him when Tom is in the game.

[Pat Coleman]

DC- Any more info on Wansley?  How will Port, Vandervaart, or Will match up?

I've never seen him in person, but by reputation he's big and athletic and can pretty much do it all: shoot, create, dish, rebound.  Like someone with James Cooper's offensive skills, Brandon Crawford's size, and Brandon Miller's athletic ability.

He's a first team preseason All-American, whereas Tori Davis, at the same position, was 4th team.

He can also step outside and take the three.

Davis and Wansley will be on a very similar All-American team, I think, come season's end.

[woosterbooster]

I'm embarrassed to post this, due to the result.  Obviously, it makes me seriously wonder about the program I'm using.  But here it is, the simmed result of Lake Erie at Wittenberg:

Lake Erie 71, Wittenberg 68

After overtaking Wittenberg early, Lake Erie led throughout the contest, twice extending their lead to 11.  A furious last minute comeback gave the Tigers brief hope, but the clock ran out with Witt unable to throw up a final long three-pointer to tie.

Fouls and turnovers haunted Witt all night long.  Lake Erie made 20-26 shots from the line while the Tigers were only 8-14.  Witt also, uncharastically for them but harried by Lake Erie's defense, coughed the ball up 19 times.

Witt outrebounded Lake Erie 40-29.  Neither team could throw it in the ocean from three-point land, Lake Erie going 1-10, Witt 2-10.

Wittenberg was led by Dan Russ with 22.  Dane Borchers added 13 with 16 rebounds.

See the boxscore here:

http://arkski.com/~jwood/2006NCAAbasketball/Lake%20Erie-Wittenberg.jpg

[sac]

Your stat based sim doesn't take into consideration HOW those stats were obtained.........ie  AMCC conference games.  Perhaps?

[woosterbooster]

Your stat based sim doesn't take into consideration HOW those stats were obtained.........ie AMCC conference games. Perhaps?

It does.  SOS is a factor, and Witt had a serious edge.  Home court advantage is also factored in.  I see the result as just a fluke, something that's probably more of a possibility when just dealing with numbers than when the actual players get on the court.  I honestly would like to see the real Witt go deep into the tournament.

Now to test out Wooster and Randolph-Macon.

[pennstghs]

yes that simulation better be a joke and no witt will not be looking ahead past any tournament team ever after they've experienced two tough losses to jcu that past 2 years. saturday night should be a barnburner if witt advances past friday. i am interested on seeing the first game on the dock for the evening.

I will remain with this point that i think Witt matches up well with Baldwin  Wallace because we not only have one guy to match up with Tori Davis, but two and we've seen big guys go off on wooster before (russ, borchers), so the key matchup will be how big of an advantage their guards have on ours, but if witt plays the defense they did saturday against wooster, we should be ok.

i know everyone thinks otherwise but maybe wooster's poor shooting night and loss had every much to do with the exceptional defense of witt-come on give the top defensive % team the credit it deserves

[David Collinge]

i know everyone thinks otherwise but maybe wooster's poor shooting night and loss had every much to do with the exceptional defense of witt-come on give the top defensive % team the credit it deserves

Not everyone; I'm sure Witt's defense had a lot to do with Wooster's poor shooting.  I give great credit to Witt's defense; so did Coach Moore in the post-game interview.

[pennstghs]

i wasnt referring to you DC-you always seem to see eye to eye

after some research witt and lake erie have two common opponents

Lake erie lost to capital by 13 where witt beat capital easily

lake erie beat kenyon by 23 and need i say more here

[smedindy]

Of course, as someone who has done simulations in the past, and have seen actual games, you know ANYTHING can happen, and if you run it 100 times, Witt may win 97 of those, just not that one.

And comparing scores in never healthy, as Wooster whapped Wabash at Wabash by what seemed like 53,129 and what did Wabash to to Witt at Wabash???

[Li'l Giant]

Wooster whapped Wabash at Wabash by what seemed like 53,129

I stopped listening when they were up by 53,129... 

[David Collinge]

Wooster whapped Wabash at Wabash by what seemed like 53,129

I stopped listening when they were up by 53,129... 

Then I guess you didn't miss anything; evidently they played even the rest of the way. 

[Gregory Sager]

I'm embarrassed to post this, due to the result.  Obviously, it makes me seriously wonder about the program I'm using.  But here it is, the simmed result of Lake Erie at Wittenberg:

Lake Erie 71, Wittenberg 68

What I want to know is ... who won when you simmed Lake Erie against the Wittenberg JV?

(Sorry, DC. I couldn't resist.  )

[woosterbooster]

I'm embarrassed to post this, due to the result.  Obviously, it makes me seriously wonder about the program I'm using.  But here it is, the simmed result of Lake Erie at Wittenberg:

Lake Erie 71, Wittenberg 68

What I want to know is ... who won when you simmed Lake Erie against the Wittenberg JV?

(Sorry, DC. I couldn't resist.  )

DC, as usual, was right on.  The Wittenberg JV had no trouble vanquishing Lake Erie.  Now when I matched the Lake Erie JV against...

I'm up against it now.  I'd had visions of simming the whole tournament, but late in the second half Wooster is in big trouble against Randolph-Macon.  If they, too, go down in the first round, my enthusiasm for this project may come to a screeching (Is there any other kind?) halt.

[WoosterFAN]

I woke up this AM to the replay of the late night Sportscenter with 'Top Plays' and I was pleased to see the final second and the hear the radio call of the DEPAUW (Sister's alma mater) victory over CENTRE!! It even made Mike & Mike in the Morning as what is great about sports feature and why they look forward to March Madness.  The intimated that BIG TEN, ACC, BIG EAST tourneys are not a compeling as the small schools trying to be true cinderella.  I could not agree more.

Now if there was a way we could parlay this into more national coverage for Division III sports!!  Any news on if Division III Final Four will be televised?