MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

Pat and co. have finished their bracket projections. They have DePauw in (and hosting a first round game), and Wittenberg out. Evidently they don't believe that OWU will be in the secret final ranking, which eliminates two vRROs (both wins) from Witt's resume. Wooster hosts a pod that includes Wheaton (Ill.). You'll see how it all pans out in about 5 1/2 hours; me, I gotta wait until I get home at about 6 tonight.

[kiltedbryan]

Wooster, Wittenberg and Ohio Wesleyan make the field. DePauw is out.

[kiltedbryan]

NCAC team pods:

@Wooster vs. St. Vincent
Geneseo St. vs. Dickinson

@Illinois Wesleyan vs. Webster
St. Norbert vs. Ohio Wesleyan

@Wash U vs. Wilmington
Calvin vs. Wittenberg

[fantastic50]

The bottom half of this region is brutal, with #3 IWU, #4 Wash. U and #5 St. Norbert.  In the top half (with Wooster), the only other ranked team is #24 Hope (which would probably fall out of a new poll after losing this weekend to rival Calvin).

My guess is that IWU will host the regional rounds.  If both Wooster and either St. Norbert or Wash. U. advance, then neither can host the regional, as they are more than 500 miles apart, so it could end up at Wheaton, Hope, or Calvin.

[kiltedbryan]

If Wooster and Wash U advance they're geographic problems too, I believe. Google maps gives 515 miles between campuses.

IWU/Hope are pretty clear geographic compromise options for second weekend hosting sites, I think.

[Mr. Ypsi]

If Wooster and Wash U advance they're geographic problems too, I believe. Google maps gives 515 miles between campuses.

IWU/Hope are pretty clear geographic compromise options for second weekend hosting sites, I think.

Which presumably means IWU, since assuming Hope's women (still undefeated) make it to the sectional, they have hosting priority the second weekend.

[fantastic50]

What would get really interesting is if Geneseo were to advance out of Wooster's pod.  They're too far away not only from St. Norbert and Wash U, but also from IWU and Wheaton.  If Hope is out as a hosting site, too, that could force the NCAA to fly Geneseo somewhere, unless Calvin or one of the other NCAC teams advances.

[kiltedbryan]

If Wooster and Wash U advance they're geographic problems too, I believe. Google maps gives 515 miles between campuses.

IWU/Hope are pretty clear geographic compromise options for second weekend hosting sites, I think.

Which presumably means IWU, since assuming Hope's women (still undefeated) make it to the sectional, they have hosting priority the second weekend.

Sure, or Rose-Hulman, or Wheaton, or Wittenberg...we all can't get too ahead of ourselves on who will win!

[sac]

What would get really interesting is if Geneseo were to advance out of Wooster's pod.  They're too far away not only from St. Norbert and Wash U, but also from IWU and Wheaton.  If Hope is out as a hosting site, too, that could force the NCAA to fly Geneseo somewhere, unless Calvin or one of the other NCAC teams advances.

They took a risk with that bracket whether it was realized or not.

[iwumichigander]

What would get really interesting is if Geneseo were to advance out of Wooster's pod.  They're too far away not only from St. Norbert and Wash U, but also from IWU and Wheaton.  If Hope is out as a hosting site, too, that could force the NCAA to fly Geneseo somewhere, unless Calvin or one of the other NCAC teams advances.

They took a risk with that bracket whether it was realized or not.

I agree; however, do you really see Geneseo getting by Wooster?

[kiltedbryan]

Pods with NCAC teams, adding current Massey Ratings:

@Wooster (6) vs. St. Vincent (100)
Geneseo St. (31) vs. Dickinson (41)

@Illinois Wesleyan (4) vs. Webster (168)
St. Norbert (5) vs. Ohio Wesleyan (35)

@Wash U (2) vs. Wilmington (18)
Calvin (17) vs. Wittenberg (32)

Really tough route for either Ohio Wesleyan or Wittenberg to advance to the second weekend. Probably will require beating back-to-back top twenty teams, with the second one likely to be a true road game.

Wilmington is a tough draw for Wash U - could give them a real challenge.

For Wooster, Massey suggests that comparable teams to St. Vincent would be Baldwin-Wallace (83rd) or Hanover (88th), both Wooster wins from this year. Obviously Geneseo or Dickinson would basically be equivalent to facing Witt or Ohio Wesleyan.

[pointlem]

If Wooster and Wash U advance they're geographic problems too, I believe. Google maps gives 515 miles between campuses.

IWU/Hope are pretty clear geographic compromise options for second weekend hosting sites, I think.

Which presumably means IWU, since assuming Hope's women (still undefeated) make it to the sectional, they have hosting priority the second weekend.

But if Hope and DePauw both win their regionals, they meet in the next game . . . and which of them would more likely host that?

[imderekpoe]

After 8 years at Hiram, Steve Fleming has resigned to run a family-owned business.

http://news.hiram.edu/?p=9528

[David Collinge]

Best wishes to Coach Fleming. He took Hiram from, really, a joke, to a solid mid-pack team with an "any given Sunday" chance every in every game. He made men's basketball relevant again in Hiram.

[Mr. Ypsi]

If Wooster and Wash U advance they're geographic problems too, I believe. Google maps gives 515 miles between campuses.

IWU/Hope are pretty clear geographic compromise options for second weekend hosting sites, I think.

Which presumably means IWU, since assuming Hope's women (still undefeated) make it to the sectional, they have hosting priority the second weekend.

But if Hope and DePauw both win their regionals, they meet in the next game . . . and which of them would more likely host that?

Good point, and I don't know the answer - Hope is still undefeated, while DePauw has a loss, but I'd guess DePauw is higher in both SoS and vRROs.

I've mostly lost interest in the women's tourney since IWU, despite the third highest SoS in D3 and a ridiculous 6-5 vRROs, got snubbed.  I guess 8 losses, when women have still to achieve anywhere near the parity of the men, and even 6 losses is almost the 'kiss of death', was just too much to overcome despite the overwhelming other criteria.