MBB: NEWMAC

[hugenerd]

Also, since Coast Guard won, one first round match up is set.  Springfield and Wheaton will meet in the 4 v 5 matchup and the winner will play WPI.  There are a couple of scenarios on the other side of the bracket.  MIT and CGA will be the 2 and 3 seeds (order not decided yet) and will play either Babson or Clark in the first round.  First round home games will be played at MIT, CGA and the Springfield/Wheaton site is yet to be decided.

[sixer]

newmacnewcomer,

Exactly what changes do you suggest they make?  You can make all the tactical changes, line-up changes, play changes in the world....but if the guys on the court aren't motivated then those changes are useless. 

Hoops Fan, where are you?  I think I remember awhile ago you predicted a 20-3 final record for WPI.  Right on.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hey, even the losers get lucky sometime.

[sixer]

How can you call WPI losers at 20-3?? 

Overrated?  Perhaps. 
But losers? No way.

Hoopsfan, you got what you wanted, they dropped out of the top 25, so why do you have to keep ragging on them?  I think you like to see them stuggle, that's a poor attitude

CONGRATS to WPI seniors for pulling themselves back up on Senior night.

Probably gonna lose a "karma-point" for this one....whatever

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I was referring to myself, for having predicted the correct record.





..you probably think this song is about you...

[newmacnewcommer]

Hoops Fan,

I knew exactly what you meant.

Sixer,
I think there is plenty of motivation by the players. I never said there wasn't .
I think line-up changes are appropriate> Last night is a good example, some people might be surprised by Steele's game, I'm not. The difference is last night he got to play,
he got off to a good start and Bartley left him in. Normally, it's one mistake and come sit on the bench. There is a big difference between playing 31 min and 15-20. And thats how Bartley plays most of the seniors. He doesn't take advantage of their experience and heart. Those are the guys that went 7-18 and 1-11 as freshman and turned the program around in 1 year. Now he plays them like freshman. Are some of the sophs better BB players  Yes but they lack experience.

[sixer]

well that's a little embarassing, my apologies, Hoopsfan.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

No problem; I've had my share of embarassing misreads over the years.

New rankings are out, somehow WPI stayed in the #2 slot.  I guess this new committee is only looking as record and QOWI, not about what the teams did over the past week.

[hugenerd]

Where did Westfield State come from?  Also, I know NE is the biggest region, but there are only 3 teams ranked in the entire NCAAs (men's DIII to be specific) with 7 in region losses and all 3 are ranked in the NE (Williams, RIC and Westfield).  I wonder why a team like CGA isnt getting a look after beating the #2 ranked WPI team by 12 on the road, other than losing to Babson twice they havent had a bad loss in the last 23 games.  MIT might also deserve a look, their only "bad" loss has come to a surging Springfield team.  In my opinion the NEWMAC deserves two teams in the NE rankings, they may not be the strongest conference overall, but all the teams are competitive and the top 5 or 6 teams could play with anyone on a given night.

[qbsfinest]

Coast Guard isnt gettin a look for the simple fact that u just stated. they lost to babson twice. Babson is not a good team. they play hard and have a  strong defensive presence but for god's sakes they can't score. they are not good at all. And like i been tellin all u guys, WPI is very overrated and would not be surprised if they did not win their conference tournament. So CGA beating them and losing twice to Babson makes them like the rest of the teams in the NEWMAC-AVERAGE!!!!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

QOWI is a big factor.  Westfield beat Salem this week and their number is pretty good, plus the committee seems to think it needs a rep from all the "major" conferences in the region, which means NESCAC, NEWMAC, LEC, CCC and MASCAC.

In their defense, Westfield has been playing pretty well this year.

[hugenerd]

NEWMAC's final standings are not only symmetric, but between every spot there is exactly a one game difference.  If that isnt clear, here is what I mean:

WPI 9-3
MIT 8-4
CGA 7-5
Wheaton 6-6
Springfield 5-7
Clark 4-8
Babson 3-9

Conference tourney is now set:

First Round:

WPI (1): bye
MIT (2) : hosts Babson (7) (season series 2-0 MIT)
CGA (3): hosts Clark (6) (season series 1-1)
Wheaton (4) : hosts Springfield (5) (season series 1-1)

Interesting Matchups:
Clark just beat CGA at CGA
Wheaton and Springfield have split previous games, each blowing the other out at home

Second Round:

WPI plays Wheaton/Springfield winner
MIT/Babson winner plays CGA/Clark winner

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It should be a fun time.

[sixer]

I'm thinking a Wheaton win tomorrow night based on momentum (Springfield has dropped 2 in a row) and home court advantage....but anything could happen

plus, as a WPI fan I'd rather face Springfield in the second round, we have a bad history with Wheaton

[newmacnewcommer]

Sixer,

I would much rather play Wheaton, it always very difficult to beat the same team 3 times
in 1 season and that would be the case with Springfield.