BB: MIAC: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[BigPoppa]

MAC grabs a share of its first MIAC title since 1950 with the sweep of Cord. With it, they get the #2 seed and "host" Hamline, while UST "hosts USJ. Should be a most interesting tourney...can anyone cool off UST?

St. Thpmas appears tp have righted the ship. Kudos to the coaching staff for getting a team that WAS spiraling out of control back on track just in time to do some damage on the national level.

[MIACLUV]

Congrats to Mac on the Co-MIAC title and wrapping up the #2 seed in the tournament. One can ask though, was the crown worth using the pitching they used to get it? With the conference tournament just a few days away, using Ingram to finish game 1, then rolling him back out there to start game 2. Neither of yesterdays starters are going to be fresh for friday one would think. Mac must be pretty confident they can get through Hamline with their #3.

[badgerwarhawk]

One can ask though, was the crown worth using the pitching they used to get it?

Couldn't one also ask if it was worth it to win two in region games to enhance your chances at the post season if you didn't win the conference's automatic bid? 

[whoyathrowin]

A change of scenery should help MAC if they face UST again this weekend, if you know what I mean.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Congrats to Mac on the Co-MIAC title and wrapping up the #2 seed in the tournament. One can ask though, was the crown worth using the pitching they used to get it? With the conference tournament just a few days away, using Ingram to finish game 1, then rolling him back out there to start game 2. Neither of yesterdays starters are going to be fresh for friday one would think. Mac must be pretty confident they can get through Hamline with their #3.

Wouldn't most MAC fans say YES! very loud?  How many chances do they get to win a conference title in baseball?

Congrats to MAC for shocking me and congrats to St. Thomas for putting it together after they beat the Gophers!  That was quite a run to tie MAC after the start they had this year.

What happened to St. Olaf?

[MIACLUV]

MIAC tourney Predictions:

Round 1
UST over STJ
Ham over MAC

Round 2
UST over Ham
MAC over StJ

Round 3
Ham over MAC

Round 4
UST over Ham (likely will need 2 games)

UST gets the autobid, but I think if MAC or Ham get to the finals they are in pretty fair shape in getting a C bid. Both have pretty good numbers in the NCAA's eyes despite getting jobbed in the most recent rankings

[BigPoppa]

MIAC tourney Predictions:

Round 1
UST over STJ
Ham over MAC

Round 2
UST over Ham
MAC over StJ

Round 3
Ham over MAC

Round 4
UST over Ham (likely will need 2 games)

UST gets the autobid, but I think if MAC or Ham get to the finals they are in pretty fair shape in getting a C bid. Both have pretty good numbers in the NCAA's eyes despite getting jobbed in the most recent rankings

There is virtually no chance of either HAM or MAC getting a Pool C bid if they did not appear in the latest Regional Ranking. I am almost certain that a team out of the final ranking has NEVER been awarded anything other than the Pool A auto-bid. They are both in a win or go home situation.

[MIACLUV]

Final ranking is on Sunday if I'm not mistaken

[BigPoppa]

Final ranking is on Sunday if I'm not mistaken

That ranking is not made public. (sorry, I was not clear on that) No team has ever missed the final PUBLISHED ranking and earned a Pool C. It is the committee's way of saying you are in a win-or-go-home spot.

MAC and HAMLINE are in serious trouble if they don't win it.

[MIACLUV]

As much as we all like to think that the myth of C bids are "NOT" regionally factored (St. Norberts 2009), I believe there will be a 2nd MIAC team that makes it. The NCAA doesn't exactly get excited to spend money on shipping teams all over the country because it is the right thing to do. Bethany losing to St. Scholastica last night pretty much shot thier C bid out the window and now they are looking to win 3 games today and tomorrow, 2 of which have to be over St. Scholatica. So I see it shaping up as so in that final ranking published or not.

1) UWSP - Wins WIAC tourney based on ridiculous format
2) UWW - C lock
3) CSS - UMAC tourney winner
4) UST - MIAC tourney winner (can't leapfrog CSS based on head to head)
5) Aurora / Conc Chi - NAC tourney champ (no C's here)
6) MAC / HAM - whoever makes the deep run to the finals

I could be way off, I just don't think the process is as demcratic as we all like to think.

[whoyathrowin]

Seems weird to me that MAC beats Concordia this year yet Concordia is ranked 6th regionally.

[OshDude]

The national committee can also reconsider the regional committee recommendations.

[BigPoppa]

I think someone gets shipped into the region instead of a second MIAC bid. (Laverne, a Mid-east team, Carthage, IWU, Buena Vista, etc)

[biggio34]

I think someone gets shipped into the region instead of a second MIAC bid. (Laverne, a Mid-east team, Carthage, IWU, Buena Vista, etc)

I agree, but I don't think IWU should be on your list of possible teams to get shipped.  They are hosting the Central regional, I think they will stay put.

[BigPoppa]

I think someone gets shipped into the region instead of a second MIAC bid. (Laverne, a Mid-east team, Carthage, IWU, Buena Vista, etc)

I agree, but I don't think IWU should be on your list of possible teams to get shipped.  They are hosting the Central regional, I think they will stay put.

True... completely forgot that they were hosting.