MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Urban For Prez]

This conference tournament is shaping up to be as entertaining as any in recent memory.  I think even the most ardent fans have to admit that any of the top 4 teams have a shot at winning this year's tournament and securing the NCAC's automatic bid.  Yet, those 4 teams moving on to the weekend is certainly not guaranteed.

If the tournament started today, or--more relevantly--if the standings stay the same after this weekend, we would see OWU v. Wabash, DePauw v. Kenyon, and Wittenberg v. Denison.  Denison beat Wittenberg @ Wittenberg 63-60 on 2/1, Kenyon beat DePauw 75-67 last weekend, and Wabash beat OWU 77-66 on 2/12. 

Wooster has to be favorite, but it looks like we may be in for a fun week.

[ScotsFan]

Well, wouldn't you know that right after I criticize Wooster on their poor shooting percentage, they go out and shoot 53% keyed by post man Dan Fanelly's 7-9 effort... 

[imderekpoe]

Well, wouldn't you know that right after I criticize Wooster on their poor shooting percentage, they go out and shoot 53% keyed by post man Dan Fanelly's 7-9 effort... 

Did you watch any of that game? It almost looked like a shoot around! Its pretty easy to hit your shots when nobody's on defense.

[ScotsFan]

Well, wouldn't you know that right after I criticize Wooster on their poor shooting percentage, they go out and shoot 53% keyed by post man Dan Fanelly's 7-9 effort... 

Did you watch any of that game? It almost looked like a shoot around! Its pretty easy to hit your shots when nobody's on defense.

No. But I figured Allegheny's defense, or lack thereof, may have played a part in it.  But, with that said,  Wooster did only manage to shoot just 42% in their first meeting with Allegheny in Wooster.  I'll take what I can get at this point... 

[wooscotsfan]

Well, wouldn't you know that right after I criticize Wooster on their poor shooting percentage, they go out and shoot 53% keyed by post man Dan Fanelly's 7-9 effort... 

Did you watch any of that game? It almost looked like a shoot around! Its pretty easy to hit your shots when nobody's on defense.

imderekpoe -- very well described as a shoot around!

It was so obvious that the Gators were not playing defense, the Allegheny student announcers started making comments like "Wooster is too good of a team to leave their shooters wide open!"  and "Doug Thorpe hits another wide open three point shot."   

[David Collinge]

We've got a pretty exciting day on tap for tomorrow; every game has meaning, at least as of now (if Wittenberg beats Hiram, the Wooster/Oberlin game, which tips after the game in Hiram will have ended, would lose its import).

Denison at Allegheny, 3:00
DePauw at Ohio Wesleyan, 3:00
Wabash at Kenyon, 3:00
Wittenberg at Hiram, 4:00
Oberlin at Wooster, 7:30

[GoRed]

Seniors at Allegheny playing their last game take down the Big Red 76-72.  Gators hit 15 for outside the arc and hold on despite dismal free throw shooting down the stretch.  A nice final win for those seniors.

Denison now heads into the tournament on a down note with losses in their final two games of the regular season to the bottom teams in the conference.  They will need some inspiration to win their first round game regardless of who their opponent will be.  A week ago it looked like Coach Ghiloni would eke out the second winning season of his career.  Now the only way that is possible is if the Big Red win the tournament. 

[GoRed]

And Kenyon beats Wabash 75-64 to earn the 5th seed.  It appears the Lords will go to Greencastle and the Big Red will play in Springfield.

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  DePauw 64  Ohio Wesleyan 63     Impressive road win for DePauw and OWU may be on the bubble for the NCAA's

Final:  Wittenberg 86  Hiram 60

So, the NCAC seedings for the conference tourney should be:

1. Wooster
2. DePauw 13-5 (3-1 in head to head with Witt & OWU)
3. Wittenberg 13-5 (2-2 in head to head with OWU & DePauw)
4. Ohio Wesleyan 13-5 (1-3 in head to head with Witt & DePauw)
5. Kenyon 9-9
6. Denison 8-10
7. Wabash 7-11
8. Oberlin

Hiram and Allegheny are eliminated.

Quarterfinal games in the NCAC tourney should be:
Oberlin at Wooster
Wabash at DePauw
Denison at Wittenberg
Kenyon at Ohio Wesleyan

[David Collinge]

Wittenberg 86, Hiram 60

1. Wooster 15-2 (vs. Oberlin)
2. DePauw 13-5
2. Wittenberg 13-5
2. OWU 13-5
5. Kenyon 9-9
6. Denison 8-10
7. Wabash 7-11
8. Oberlin 4-13 (at Wooster)
8. Hiram 4-14
10. Allegheny 3-15

Even if Oberlin loses tonight, they hold the tiebreaker with Hiram by virtue of their "best win" (DePauw) being better than Hiram's (Denison).

[David Collinge]

But folks, here's your headline:

Women's basketball: Ohio Wesleyan 65, DePauw 64, Final.



Congratulations to the Bishops, handing the Tigers their first loss since we were in short pants.

[David Collinge]

DePauw (men's #2, women's #1) and OWU (men's #4, women's #2) will host quarterfinal doubleheaders on Tuesday. Game times will be announced tomorrow, but I anticipate 6pm women, 8pm men.

Wooster (men's #1), Wittenberg (men's #3), Denison (women's #3), and Kenyon (women's #4) will probably tip their quarterfinal games at 7:30 Tuesday.

[wooscotsfan]

At the Half:  Wooster 41  Oberlin 31

Kenny DeBoer with 12 points and Doug Thorpe with 9 led the scoring for Wooster in the first half.

[smedindy]

There's hope for Wabash after all! I have no doubt they can give the New Tigers a game, and after that...

Well, strange things HAVE happened! 

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  Wooster 82  Oberlin 53

Good balanced scoring for Wooster with Kenny DeBoer with 17, Dan Fanelly with 14, Doug Thorpe with 11, Xavier Brown with 11 and Evan Pannell with 10.

Wooster is now 22-3, 16-2 NCAC    Next up is Deja Vu!....Oberlin again on Tuesday at Timken in the conference tourney.

GO SCOTS!