MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

That 35 point loss was an unharmonic convergence of Wooster playing at their absolute best and Wabash pretending they were Oberlin for about 10 minutes.

[billy_pilgrim]

OK, a whole lot on the plate.

My last response to the women's v. men's team discussion, though I remind everyone that I was much more interested in hearing how Lawrence North would fare against these teams.

#1. Back in my first year of college, when I attended Penn State, I attended a fare number of D-1 women's games. Mostly, it was to stare at Kelly Mazzante, who Earlhamalum knows personally (but I'll let him share that story at the appropriate time). You see, if you follow Rene Portland and her fanatical ways, you know her stance on lesbians on her squad. So, I figured maybe I'd have a shot with Kelly.

Anyway, Kelly was at least a 2-time (maybe 3-time) All-American guard who ended up as the leading scorer in Big Ten basketball (which is a whole other argument for another time that included Bob Knight's thoughts on women's basketball). But, I would cheer for Kelly and the Lady Lions and they were good. However, in that entire time, I never thought that Mazzante, the leading scorer in the nation, would never get a shot up against a more physical, quicker and stronger male defender.

#2. A few years later, I saw this played out on the open gym floors of Schuckman Court at Earlham. Former Indiana Miss Basketball April McDivitt, of Connersville, was preparing to try out for the New York Liberty. McDivitt played three years as a starter at Tennessee before having a falling out with Coach Summitt and transferring to Long Beach State. So, McDivitt would play against some of the Earlham guys, and other former Richmond players, who were still in the area. Often, McDivitt was matched up against Tyler Stewart, the senior guard for the Quakers. She held her own handling the ball against him, but was never able to penetrate or get good shots off with him guarding her. Now, I agree that Tyler is one of the more underrated perimeter defenders in the NCAC, but this was the former starting point guard at perennial power Tennessee. Conversely, Stewart, who averages about 5 points a game this year, was able to post up McDivitt at will and score whenever he chose. That was the clearest indication to me that D-3 men would destroy D-1 women.

#3. Six daughters............don't joke like that. My fiancee, who played volleyball in high school, has four sisters. Smeds, you're not the first to pull that joke with me, but each time I heart it I get a little more nervous. Luckily, my future wife hates women's basketball. However, she's been a member of the Dawg Pound at Butler for four years and regularly watches the best program in the Horizon League led by Coach Lickliter.

#4. Earlham can play with everyone on its schedule. That's the bad thing. I guess I wouldn't be too concerned if Earlham slipped to 5th and played at Wabash. The Quakers have proven that they matcu up well with Wabash. But, if things don't pick up, they could slip to 6th and a road game at OWU would certainly be a whole lot tougher.

#5. Sounds great about Coach Moore and senior day at Wooster. Sometimes people have to give up playing for various reasons. But, if you stick around and graduate, your contributions most certainly should be noted.

#6. Earlham is honoring its seniors tomorrow. I'm not sure why. They close at home against Oberlin next Saturday. But, Miller, Stewart, Lickliter and Jewett (who is facing a Tom Port-like decision) are being honored. Those guys are four of my favorite Quakers ever...and four of my good friends. I hope they can find some focus and go down fighting.

[DenisonFan]

WooMix:
I could not agree more.  Do you want to be part of a championship team or not.
25 years from now and he tells his kids he played on a kick-ass team that won it all.
No one will ask how much he played.  The rings are the same for everyone.

I think Denison has some ego issues.  If the players are not willing to park them at the door you are going to have problems.  You can only play with one ball at a time.

I said early on that I thought Wooster offense was a Rolex watch and nothing they have done will change my opinion.  Very well coached and everyone knows their roles and accepts them.  You don't win 20 + games a year for the last decade because you just happen to get lucky.  One year maybe, 10, I don't think so.

[smedindy]

Now Billy, you're not going to stand in the way if one of your six pack o' daughters wants to play hoops, are you? 

[Li'l Giant]

My brother has two teenage daughters and is a short trip from crazy. I can't imagine a "six pack". Yikes.

[David Collinge]

I just want to clarify Joe Agler's status, which some readers may find unclear from the earlier posts.  Joe is an undergraduate assistant for the Scots.  He was a varsity letterwinner each of the past two seasons; in fact, he was the starting off-guard at the beginning of the season last year.  His playing time dwindled, and by the end of the season he was the last player off the bench.  Joe plans to pursue a career in coaching, and opted this year to serve as a student assistant rather than see the occasional garbage-time action.

I think it's great that he's being recognized as part of Senior Day.  I have to wonder why (or if) the same honor is not being accorded to senior Jeff Clapacs, who (according to the media guide) is also serving as an undergraduate assistant.  Jeff played for two seasons but was mostly on the JV squad and never earned a varsity letter.  Still, he is and has been part of the "team" and has contributed to the success the program has enjoyed.  I hope Jeff also receives some sort of recognition; it don't cost nuthin'! 

[David Collinge]

Updated (thru games of Thursday 2/9) QoWIs for GL teams (source: Pat Coleman, QoWI Board, Multi-Region Topics):

1 (7 overall) Carnegie Mellon    11.000    13-2 (regional record)
2 (13) Wittenberg    10.765    15-2
3 (18) Wooster    10.556    17-1
4 (21) Hope    10.500    12-2
5 (23) Baldwin-Wallace    10.400    18-2
6 (29) Calvin    10.111    8-1
7 (45) Albion    9.727    9-2
8 (48) Lake Erie    9.706    14-3
9 (74) Wilmington    9.273    16-6
10 (75) Bethany    9.250    16-4
11 (78) Muskingum    9.158    13-6
12 (92) Ohio Northern    9.000    12-5

[goscots]

DC

Jeff Clapacs is a junior.

[David Collinge]

DC

Jeff Clapacs is a junior.

I see.  Well, then, the media guide is incorrect.  Thanks for the correction.

[goscots]

DC - Looked in the media guide and your correct in that it is an error - at least from an athletic eligibility perspective. Maybe Jeff has taken accelerated classes and is a senior academically.

Tommorrows game with Wabash is an important one because I believe is locks up the NCAC tournament hosting if the Scots win, ( I believe the first tie breaker is head to head which gives it to Wooster).  Wabash is a good, deep team. They can put several players into the game with no drop off in competitiveness. I'm sure the Scots are not looking past them.

As the regular season draws to an end I have been thinking about the league honors. Looking on the NCAC site I see that they have put 18 players on the list in each of the last two seasons (6 - 1st,  5 - 2nd,  and 7 - HM). Right now I have 15 players on my list and the Scots games against Wabash and OWU should help me fill out a couple more.

[earlhamalum]

Those guys are four of my favorite Quakers ever...and four of my good friends. I hope they can find some focus and go down fighting.

WoW I hate to object to that, but I believe I am going to!  It's okay BP I understand you thought it would of sounded funny to type... Those guys are four of my 2-6 favorite Quakers ever.   I think Grad. School is getting to your head >

The sad thing Billy is the fact that this Earlham team is Below .500  With that talent and experience they should be a few games above .500.  Let's hope they can make a late season run to make the season worth wild.

[David Collinge]

Regional #3-ranked Carnegie Mellon (owners of the highest QoWI in the region) lost at home tonight to NYU.  That counts as an in-region game for the Tartans, so they'll get just 6 QoWI points for this loss (and only that many because NYU has a regional winning percentage of >.667).  This might help Wooster retain the regional #1 ranking next Wednesday.

[sac]

Was there a doubt DC?

If anything Carnegie-Mellon possibly just blew a golden opportunity to host a game or two in the dance.

[billy_pilgrim]

Looked in the media guide and your correct in that it is an error - at least from an athletic eligibility perspective. Maybe Jeff has taken accelerated classes and is a senior academically

I had read that many schools, at least at the D-1 level, were becoming more regular in listing true academic standing rather than athletic standing. I remember reading in the Indy Star that this had caused some confusion for some fans. Purdue's football team had started doing such and Purdue's beat writer (Michael Pointer) wrote briefly about this. Of course, I'd be shocked to find that any of Purdue's football players would ever reach upperclass standards academically 

[goscots]

CMU had 11.000 for 15 in region games. Assuming  no other changes, a 6 point game drops them to 10.688, with a potential 12 point game tommorrow (10.705).

If Wooster wins at home against Wabash they get 12 points, which would raise them to 10.632 (again assuming no other changes).

If it plays out that way, I would assume Wooster would stay in 1st.