MBB: Commonwealth Conference

[TheGrove]

THE ABSOLUTE WORST CALL was the technical called on Coach Frank Marcinek near the end of the game when Susquehanna was nearing in on a comeback. The referee called one for delay of game I presume after the timeout.

THAT's what that was about? It's hard to tell sometimes from where I sit. Give me a darn break.

BTW, I didn't mean to imply that all the bad calls benefitted Etown - I agree on the one on Okanak; I was amazed they let that one go by - but a lot of them did. Good to know someone agrees with me and I'm not just whining.

I didn't recognize any of those officials. Must be the scrub squad.

Between last night's game and the women's heartbreaker the night before, I wanted to tear my hair out.

[susquejamma]

THE ABSOLUTE WORST CALL was the technical called on Coach Frank Marcinek near the end of the game when Susquehanna was nearing in on a comeback. The referee called one for delay of game I presume after the timeout.

THAT's what that was about? It's hard to tell sometimes from where I sit. Give me a darn break.

I am not entirely sure, but that's what I presumed. The officials called it before Frank took off his jacket and gestured at the ref.

I just checked the boxscore and it said it was called on Cuff. I have no idea why though, because the T was called during the timeout. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

[TheGrove]

Just another thing to scratch one's head about in the game....

Any word on how long Robinson's out this time? The end of the season's looking like the usual dogfight for playoff positioning.

[Warren Thompson]

The end of the season's looking like the usual dogfight for playoff positioning.

A top-dog unexpectedly losing, E-town reviving, a Valley player hitting 9 of 11 three-point attempts to help take down a favored opponent ... it's just business as usual in the MAC.

[susquejamma]

Three-way tie for second place between Susquehanna, Widener and Juniata.

The Pride (sigh) really fell off the face of the MAC.

[luvdahoops]

Looks like Messiah will be the top seed, having a three-game lead with four to go.  While the Commonwealth's eight teams can all beat each other, the Falcons have three of their remaining four at home.  So let's say that Messiah will finish first.

Now the fun starts -- who is going to finish strong and grab the second, third, and fourth seeds?  LVC is just a game out of second/, I believe, so the Flying Dutchmen could take one of them, knocking someone else out in the process.

Any prognosticators out there?

[Coach C]

Well one would think given their remaining games that Widener can be 3-1 or at least 2-2.  But given the recent slide, I am not sure that this team is coming together. Tomorrow night's game at Albright is probably a loss, but who knows since the Lions have nearly no chance to go to the playoffs at this point.  Ditto Moravian plus it's a home game for the Pride(), so I call this one a Pride win.  Etown, well they have two real good wins recently but will struggle with Juniata and ultimately lose in Chester. 

It will come down to the last day, and I am virtually certian Widener can't beat Messiah in Grantham unless Carideo hits some threes on his own.

C

[susquejamma]

Well one would think given their remaining games that Widener can be 3-1 or at least 2-2.  But given the recent slide, I am not sure that this team is coming together. Tomorrow night's game at Albright is probably a loss, but who knows since the Lions have nearly no chance to go to the playoffs at this point.  Ditto Moravian plus it's a home game for the Pride(), so I call this one a Pride win.  Etown, well they have two real good wins recently but will struggle with Juniata and ultimately lose in Chester. 

It will come down to the last day, and I am virtually certian Widener can't beat Messiah in Grantham unless Carideo hits some threes on his own.

C

So you're saying it will be Messiah, Susquehanna, Leb Val and the JC in the playoffs?

[Coach C]

jamma -

that's my four.

C

[YoderFan]

LVC is actually 2 games behind the 2nd place teams right now.

Messiah                      9-1
Juniata                        6-4
Susquehanna             6-4
Widener                      6-4
LVC                             4-6

The rest are pretty much finished except for the chance to knock off a few potential playoff teams in the last 4 games... unless Etown stays hot and wins 4 in a row to possibly get in.... don't put it past Schlosser's boys to do that, although they will have to knock off Juniata, Widener, and Messiah to do it... that is not an easy road ahead.

As for games remaining.....
Messiah still has.... Susquehanna, @ Moravian, Etown, Widener
Juniata still has... @ Etown, LVC, Susquehanna, @ Albright
Susquehanna has... @ Messiah, Albright, @ Juniata, @LVC
Widener has... @ Albright, Etown, Moravian, @ Messiah
LVC has... Moravian, @ Juniata, Albright, Susquehanna

The way I see it... Messiah is already in no matter what. If they win tonight, I believe they clinch #1 seed. I could be wrong on that though.  Out of the other 4, I think Widener has the easiest remaining games. None of them are easy, but if you look at win/loss record. Susquehanna has the toughest remaining schedule and plays three out of the last 4 away.

My predictions for the playoff seeds...
1-  Messiah
2- Widener
3- Susquehanna
4- Juniata

Susquehanna's 2 last games are huge, not only for them but for the 2 teams they are playing (Juniata and LVC). Could be a dog fight for that last playoff spot if someone other than Curran and Bert_____ can start scoring (other than an occasional 30 pt. outburst) for LVC.

[Warren Thompson]

Could be a dog fight for that last playoff spot if someone other than Curran and Bert_____ can start scoring (other than an occasional 30 pt. outburst) for LVC.

"Bert _____"?    The LVC roster has neither a "Bert" nor an "Ernie" ....

Do you perhaps mean Bretschneider?

[luvdahoops]

Sorry for the wrong LVC record.  Being 4-6 instead of 5-5 is huge.  Anyway, I'll take a stab at it...

Juniata goes 2-2, ends up at 8-6.
Widener goes 2-2, ends up at 8-6.
Susquehanna goes 1-3, ends up at 7-7.
LVC goes 3-1, ends up at 7-7.

I have LVC winning at home vs. SU in the final game, giving those two teams a split in their series.  With the complicated timebreakers, I'm not sure who would make the playoffs and who would be at home.

[susquejamma]

I have LVC winning at home vs. SU in the final game, giving those two teams a split in their series.  With the complicated timebreakers, I'm not sure who would make the playoffs and who would be at home.

If Robinson is in the lineup for the Crusaders, LVC doesn't have a chance in Hell of beating them. LVC has one good player. Match the league's best defender, Bryan Majors, on Curran, and Susquehanna will easily defeat them.

The Daily Item reports that Shamokin Area's Frank Marcinek Jr., son of Susquehanna coach Frank, will be suiting up for the Crusaders next season.

[luvdahoops]

"If Robinson is in the lineup for the Crusaders, LVC doesn't have a chance in Hell of beating them. LVC has one good player. Match the league's best defender, Bryan Majors, on Curran, and Susquehanna will easily defeat them."  --Susquejamma.

Wow!  That's a strong statement.  There haven't been many, if any, road blowouts this season, yet you're saying that if LVC enters the game with a playoff berth on the line, and playing at home, then SU won't have a problem.  I know that Robinson has proven to be a difference-maker (duh.....), but still...

Aahhhh, I love February!

[YoderFan]

You mean Susquehanna is going to allow Marcinek to come back and coach again? I mean come on....

According to our faithful poster and friend... They have the 2 best overall players in the conference AND they have the best defender in the conference.
Yet they are 6-4 in the conference. Man.... their other 2 starters and the bench must be garbage. I hope this Marcinek Jr. kid can really play.

Right susquejamma?