MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Also...

You know the "Club Trillion" but tonight Andrew Gilman hit the "Club Seven Trillion". 7 minutes, NO stats. NONE.

Also, Vaughn Spaulding got nothing and liked it...

[pennstghs]

Wally, I feel the same way about our loss to you guys at Chadwick and our home loss vs Allegheny, both games I feel Witt should have won!

Big showdown next Wednesday, you Wabash fans making the trip?

[wally_wabash]

From halfway through the first half to about 10:00 minutes left in the second half, Wittenberg was unstoppable or Earlham is just not good....as blunt as it sounds.

I'll bite...and this will probably be my final commentary on Earlham basketball ever unless for some reason Wabash plays them in non-league games down the road...

The Quakers are just that bad.  I can't recall seeing an Earlham team as bad as this one in the ten seasons I've been following NCAC hoops.  Most of the Quaker teams I've seen have had a few pretty decent players, but little depth behind the starting unit.  The Quaker squad I saw at Chadwick looked just lost (AJ Sutherlin excepted...he's a pretty solid player).  It sounds like it wasn't much different in Springfield last night. 

Wally, I feel the same way about our loss to you guys at Chadwick and our home loss vs Allegheny, both games I feel Witt should have won!

I see where you're coming from, but I think the two are a little different.  Games vs. Wabash or Allegheny or Witt are games against decent teams that you know going in you might lose.  Games against Denison, if you're serious about being at the top of the league, are games you can't lose.  Wabash did, and it just may cost them the #2 seed unless the LGs can make a little history next Wednesday. 

[GoRed]

Come to us, Wally.  Will it be 4 vs 5, 3 vs 6 or 2 vs 7? 

Chris is hitting 3's, Larry's tearing down the boards, new offensive sets are finally in and Dimonde is slashing to the hoop.  The bench has seen valuable playing time, the guards are protecting the ball better and Mike is back in the lineup.  That Denison team that anyone who aspires to be at the top of the conference is supposed to beat is getting ready for the playoffs.  A strong showing against the Gators this weekend will tell you if they're still going to be your doormat. 

[WooHoopsntrack01]

CONGRATS TO THE FIGHTING SCOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WHAT A WAY....LETS RUN THE TABLE FELLAS!!

[wally_wabash]

Come to us, Wally.  Will it be 4 vs 5, 3 vs 6 or 2 vs 7? 

Chris is hitting 3's, Larry's tearing down the boards, new offensive sets are finally in and Dimonde is slashing to the hoop.  The bench has seen valuable playing time, the guards are protecting the ball better and Mike is back in the lineup.  That Denison team that anyone who aspires to be at the top of the conference is supposed to beat is getting ready for the playoffs.  A strong showing against the Gators this weekend will tell you if they're still going to be your doormat. 

Denison isn't my doormat.  That distinction belongs to Earlham. 

I like where the Big Red are going, but let's not lose sight of the facts.  Denison is 6-16.  Four of those wins are on Earlham and Kenyon, who don't have four league wins between them.  One more is Oberlin.  Denison has won exactly one big game this year and that was over 2 months ago. 

Looking ahead to possible seeding, I think Wabash getting up to that #2 is important not so much because Denison is a particularly easy game for Wabash (it hasn't been over the last two seasons), but because the alternative is probably OWU and I'm not sure there's a worse matchup for Wabash than the Bishops (Wooster included). 

[old scot]

Congrats to the Woo Hoopsters on another NCAC Championship.

I don't really follow round ball that closely, except for reading the posts on this board. It seems to me the Scots won every close game this year despite their inability to put together a "complete game." Problems with turnovers, shooting, defense, and aggressiveness have seemed to be a problem throughout the season.

Hopefully they can put it all together and make a run during NCAA tournament. ( I think a pool C bid is an automatic if they don't win the NCAC tourney.)

[ScotsFan]

Congrats to the Woo Hoopsters on another NCAC Championship.

I don't really follow round ball that closely, except for reading the posts on this board. It seems to me the Scots won every close game this year despite their inability to put together a "complete game." Problems with turnovers, shooting, defense, and aggressiveness have seemed to be a problem throughout the season.

Hopefully they can put it all together and make a run during NCAA tournament. ( I think a pool C bid is an automatic if they don't win the NCAC tourney.)

They did lose some close games early in the year like vs. Albion, JCU and R-MC.  In all of those games, Wooster really struggled to execute down the stretch and it cost them with losses.  But I think they have definitely used those losses as growing experiences and really seem to have turned the corner on how to finish tight games down the stretch.

Also, you mention some of the problems that have been plaguing this Wooster team throughout the season.  Lately, some of these problems have been less noticeable, IMO.  Their shooting seems to be coming around, they have the top defense as far as points allowed per game in the conference and turnovers have been down overall lately as well (save for last night's 14 turnovers in the 2nd half in a game the Scots were up 22 at the half  ).

I just think, all in all, this team seems to have been righting itself really since that first Wittenberg game.  I definitely think this team is playing it's best basketball right now and the scary part is, I think they can even play better.  Will they remains to be seen.  And now with Hallowell's injury he sufferred last night, that could throw a wrench in things as well.  Hopefully, the injury isn't too serious and the Scots can continue this good run they've been on to finish the regular season on a strong note heading into the post-season!

[wally_wabash]

Breaking down the race for #2...

Allegheny (9-4):
Games remaining - @ Denison, Hiram, @ OWU
Outlook: For all the talk about whether this thing comes down to Witt or Wabash (guilty as charged), Allegheny actually has a better than average chance to get to 12 wins.  None of these games are gimmes, but all are quite winnable for Allegheny.  The Gators are 3-0 against their remaining opponents and if the Gators are to get that #2 seed they will need to get to 12 wins because....

Wabash (9-4):
Games remaining - Oberlin, @ Witt, Kenyon
Outlook: Wabash has two very probable wins, although they struggled mightily against Kenyon a couple of weeks ago.  It seems likely that Wabash gets to 11 wins and if that happens Wabash would win any tiebreak with an 11-win Allegheny team due to their h2h result.  The game in question is at Wittenberg where Wabash is 0-for-forever.  A win there gives Wabash 12 wins and h2h tiebreaks over the other two teams and a lock on the #2 seed. 

Witt (9-4):
Games remaining - @ Wooster, Wabash, @ Oberlin
Outlook: The Tigers easily have the toughest remaining schedule, however they may be catching a break with Wooster have already wrapped up the top seed and Hallowell being out and I would guess unlikely to play on Saturday (why push it....this game is relatively meaningless to Wooster if you choose to ignore the rivalry factor).  Should Witt beat Wooster and Wabash, they'll get to 12 wins and I think would be the #2 seed via tiebreak over Allegheny (if the Gators get to 12 wins).  If Witt beats Wooster and loses to Wabash, the point is moot because Wabash will get that #2 seed.  If the Tigers lose at Wooster and beat Wabash, the door swings wide open for Allegheny and also brings in the possibility of a three way tie at 11-5 that I'm not even going to try to decipher. 

And there you have it.  Saturday's Wooster/Witt game carries a lot of implication for these three teams.  It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. 

[ScotsFan]

...however they may be catching a break with Wooster have already wrapped up the top seed and Hallowell being out and I would guess unlikely to play on Saturday (why push it....this game is relatively meaningless to Wooster if you choose to ignore the rivalry factor). 

First of all, I don't think you can ignore the rivalry factor for Saturday's game between Witt and Woo.  This game might be meaningless from any other sort of perspective for the Scots, but this is still Witt and Wooster isn't going to just mail this game in because they've already wrapped up the top seed in the conference. 

Here are a couple of reasons why I feel this game still has plenty of significance:

There's a matter of trying to get to 5 in a row.  Neither team has ever won 5 in a row in over the other in the history of this rivalry and Wooster can do that with a win on Saturday.

And then there's the matter of Wooster trying to maintain their #1 ranking in the GL Region.  Wooster may have locked up the #1 seed for the conference tournament, but they still have plenty to play for when it comes to NCAA tournament implications.  Another loss could likely cost the Scots a chance at hosting a sectional, which they are very much alive for and will continue to be if they can win out. 

With that said, I'm with you wrt Hallowell.  Unless there's some exceptionally good news regarding his injury, I see no need to risk further injury by trying to make a go of it on Saturday no matter how much it may hurt not having him in the lineup. 

[WooMix]

My first post of the season! The way we (Woo) started the season had me worried but I am a believer now. Congrats to the Scots on winning the conference.

My senior year I passed on a date with a very beautiful girl who I had been chasing for weeks to go to Witt.  That game turned out to be the 3OT thriller that we won 102-95. History has a habit of repeating itself. I know I'm going to get into trouble but I'm once again passing on another date to catch us battle Witt this weekend. Meaningless game for Woo conference-wise somebody has said but I always love the Woo/Witt games. Should be exciting.

Go Scots!

[seinfeld]

The Tigers easily have the toughest remaining schedule, however they may be catching a break with Wooster have already wrapped up the top seed and Hallowell being out and I would guess unlikely to play on Saturday (why push it....this game is relatively meaningless to Wooster if you choose to ignore the rivalry factor).

Considering Wooster has not won a "true" road game in the NCAA Tournament since beating Ohio Northern in 1997, maintaining the top spot in the regional rankings is very important for their chances of going anywhere in the postseason. I think Wooster can afford one more loss (assuming that loss isn't in the first two rounds of the NCAC Tournament) and maintain either the No. 1 or 2 seed in the region, but anymore would mean travel, and that hasn't been very good to the Scots (although they have done OK in neutral court games).

[smedindy]

Hey, Woo fans, don't forget that the Belt ^TM is in play anytime you take the court. That should had a huge degree of significance to any game! 

[ScotsFan]

Hey, Woo fans, don't forget that the Belt ^TM is in play anytime you take the court. That should had a huge degree of significance to any game! 

Totally!!!    

Smeds just ended the argument right there!  The Scots are playing to defend The Belt ^TM.  End of discussion. 

[zander]

Are there any reports on how serious the injury to hallowell is?