MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Gregory Sager]

I also assume that OWU becomes the first NCAC team not named Wooster or Wittenberg to win an NCAA game in awhile--anyone know the last non-Woo/Witt NCAC team to win one?

Allegheny beat Bald Wally, 97-88, in the opening round of the 1998 tourney. That was the last time before this weekend that an NCAC team not named Wittenberg or Wooster won a game in the big dance.

Wabash won a first-round game over Aurora in that same tournament, but that was the year before Wabash joined the NCAC.

Listened to the game last night and had a buddy call me and say, "Could this be 1988 all over again?" It is way to early for that comparison...but, way to go Bishops! Keep it rolling...Keep Battling!!

I didn't see anyone in an OWU uni who looked even remotely like Scott Tedder or Lee Rowlinson when I saw the Bishops play this season, although I acknowledge that I saw them in November ... and November was a very long time ago in basketball terms. Nevertheless, all you can ask for at this point is to still have a shot at the Big Doorstop. OWU may not have any All-Americans this time around, a la Tedder and Rowlinson, but there are a lot of teams that have All-Americans that won't be suiting up in the Sweet Sixteen.

[bashbrother]

Congrats to this fine Bishops basketball team.   

[Pat Coleman]

You may have already done this, but in case you haven't, I encourage you all to register to win the Salem prize package.

http://www.d3hoops.com/salemgiveaway/

• Hotel accommodations for Thursday, Friday and Saturday in one of the Roanoke Valley's fine hotels, convenient to Roanoke Regional Airport and Valley View Mall, the largest shopping destination in Southwest Virginia.

• Two tickets to the Friday and Saturday sessions at the Salem Civic Center.

• Two tickets to the Thursday evening team banquet, including talks by all four coaches, a player from each team, the introduction of the starting lineup and the ever-popular highlight video.

• Two VIP hospitality passes, giving you sideline access before the game and access to the hospitality room.

• $400 toward your travel cost to get you to and around the Roanoke Valley.

[David Collinge]

From warm and sunny Texas, I want to send my best wishes for continued tournament success to Mike DeWitt and the OWU Battling Bishops.  Winning at Hope in a sold-out arena will be a tough challenge, but there's no reason to think that they aren't up to it.  Play well and hopefully I'll see you in Salem! 

[aueagle]

If you haven't.......go to the the Hope College Athletic page....great shot of the DeVos Arena...A D1 setting...awesome... I did some reading on Hope basketball and their history....great history & fans....Good Luck to the Bishops....

[kiltedbryan]

At the half:

OWU 31
Hope 36

Ohio Wesleyan was down as much as twelve in this first half and hasn't had the lead since it was 2-0, but the Bishops made a late run to cut the lead down to 5.  OWU is definitely still in striking range here.

[aueagle]

57-54....5 min left...Hope up...Bishops in foul trouble....yikes...

[aueagle]

71-63...Hope wins. Congrats to the Flying Dutchman...a class act from the MIAA.
Bishops had a great run but the first half, poor shooting from the foul line, not scoring for 2 min late in the game and fouls were too much to overcome. The OWU Sr's were great all year. Was that 3,000 plus at DeVos Fieldhouse? GO BISHOPS

[pbrooks3]

Congrats to Coach DeWitt and his Battling Bishops on an excellent post-season run.  Sounds like the good shooting touch they enjoyed in Danville last weekend didn't fully carry over to Holland tonight. OWU is a class representative of the NCAC. 

[scottiedawg]

Was that 3,000 plus at DeVos Fieldhouse?

It was 3500+.  It's a special atmosphere, and I'm thankful to be a part of it.  By the way, how surprising is it to Bishops fans that Dustin Redegeair only scored two points. 

[David Collinge]

Well, it was a great run, but all good things must perish.  I guess this is one of those rare years when we'll have to endure a Final Four with no NCAC representation.  Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan on a stirring end-of-season run, and especially to the six seniors--Brian Cafarella, Jesse Jean, Elliot Kaple, Ryan Rozak, Dustin Rudegeair, and Casey Teeters--who can be very proud of what they have accomplished as Bishops.

[sac]

Have to give a nice hand to Ohio Wesleyan tonight, they played tough and represented the NCAC very well.  Ultimately Hope was just a touch better on the defensive end, in a physical battle on both ends of the floor.

Congrats to the 6 Sr's David mentioned, they went down fighting in a pretty tough environment.  The NCAC has much to be proud about.

[hope1]

you have a nice team to bad we could have played during the regular seasson 

[Li'l Giant]

I'll take this point to jump out of hibernation (storing up posts for football season ) and congratulate OWU for their fantastic run.

[hoopdreams]

I was very impressed with OWU  last night. Classy, played hard, played clean. Curious how their conference matches up top to bottom with the MIAA?  As nice as it is to have some "breather" games now an then, I would much rather watch Hope play the OWU's, Albions, Elmhurst, etc.... all the time.  It's simply better basketball all the way around, and ultimately what makes everyone better.