MBB: Commonwealth Conference

[YoderFan]

I love Jared Yoder.

[Pat Coleman]

Messiah's in pretty good shape if they lose.

[mac11fan]

SU 31 Juniata 24 at half

[gordonmann]

Messiah loses 91-84 in 2 OT to Widener for what maybe Championship week's biggest upset so far.

Messiah is probably in, popping someone else's bubble somewhere.

Widener had lost 6 of 7 entering that game.

[YoderFan]

What a game. Will comment more in the morning

[YoderFan]

91-84 in double overtime. It has been said that basketball is a game of runs and so it was last night in Grantham. The game opened back and forth with Henninger and Thomas going blow for blow. Both players had BIG first halfs with Henninger posting 17 at the break and Thomas dropping 14. Messiah took a 7 point lead into half-time. Widener sat in a zone all of the first half and halfway through the second to limit Jared Yoder's touches. They collapsed on him everytime he touched the ball to force a kickout. That led to Messiah shooting 18 threes in the first half and connecting on 7 of them.

The beginning of the second half saw Messiah continuing their shooting barage. Boyd got hot and knocked down a few threes to bring Widener out of the zone and give Messiah a 13+ point lead half way through the second half. Messiah held a 6 point lead with a minute remaining...

This is where Messiah's youth came out. With a minute left Widener created/was given three straight turnovers from Messiah's young guards. A poor long pass was intercepted then Messiah failed to spread out the zone press and turned the ball over 2 more times leading to Widner baskets. Somehow is was a three point game with 10 seconds left. Essien Ford hit a HUGE, contested three off of a down screen to tie the game and MEssiah was unable to score.

Yoder fouls out in the first overtime. Widener looks like it has the game won. Up 4 with less than a minute. Scrum on the floor that Messiah somehow comes up with and finds an open Henninger in the corner for 3. Widerner guard hits 1 of 2 from the line. Henninger misses a three but Daryl Brown comes up with the ball and penetrates with 7 seconds remaining, misses a contested lay-up with about 4 on the clock and follows his own miss with a tough left handed tip in. Widener misses a long shot at the buzzer.

Widener came out and dominated the second overtime. Ford and Thomas came to play. Also Neyer (spelling) Miller had a big game for the Pride.

Widener travels to Juniata for the MAC playoff championship and automatic bid on the line. Hopefully Messiah is a Pool C recipient. With the season they had, they deserve a bid. Anytime a team goes 13-1 in any conference (excet maybe the PAC), they deserve some consideration.

Anyone else at the game to touch on anything I missed? What happened at the Juniata / Susquehanna game?

[TheGrove]

I think Juniata is just a sneaky-good team. Everyone remembers the years that they sucked, and don't pay attention to the fact that they're a good team now.They're pretty big, too.

It seemed to me that Susquehanna just never got in a groove last night. I don't have the energy for a recap, but you can read the local coverage here: http://www.dailyitem.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/SPORTS02/702220335.

Juniata has itself a very good home atmosphere. It's a close, hot, LOUD gym. Just one question - since when do eagles have hands and hairy legs?  (If you've seen their mascot, you know what I mean)

[mac11fan]

Congrats Widener

Any Predictions for next Season?

[chizwiz]

Messiah does not deserve to make it into the tourney.  Weak schedule and loss to very average team in Widener.

[luvdahoops]

Messiah does not deserve to make it into the tourney.  Weak schedule and loss to very average team in Widener.

Someone at Eastern University sounds just a teensy bit jealous.  We'll see how it all plays out...

Congratulations to Widener -- the Pride won two road games this week at a couple of tough places to play well!

[chizwiz]

Messiah does not deserve to make it into the tourney.  Weak schedule and loss to very average team in Widener.

Someone at Eastern University sounds just a teensy bit jealous.  We'll see how it all plays out...

Congratulations to Widener -- the Pride won two road games this week at a couple of tough places to play well!

Jealousy is there because my team doesn't ever get in, but I'm trying to look at it objectively.  Messiah hasn't beaten anybody great, just good teams, IMHO:  Richard Stockton, Widener, Juniata, and Susquehanna.  They lost close games to the following good-not-great teams: Mary Washington, Cal Lutheran, Hood, Juniata, and Widener.  They lost one close game to a very good team in Centre, but it was out of region, I believe.  Additionally, Messiah couldn't win when it counted this week.

I just think that there are better teams in the wings that won't get in.

[bziadie]

For those who may be interested in watching the game but are unable to attend, King's will be videostreaming an on-campus broadcast of the game live on the internet.

The game will videostreamed live on the internet by KCTV LIVE at http://my.kings.edu.  The NCAA's official championship Web site - www.ncaasports.com - shall also provide a link to the event.

If you go to the King's link above, click on KCTV LIVE on the lower right hand side of the page, click on the KCTV LIVE link. 

[diehardfan]

Hey guys, we're collecting previews for each team in the tourney on one of the multiregional boards. If I get them by Friday I may even be able to stick them in one document for people to peruse. A fun little tourney resource of sorts. Would someone here be willing to do one for Messiah and Widener? I saw them both two years ago back when I lived in the "area", but that's a REALLY long time in the life of a college program, so any attempt I'd make at a preview would be really dumb! Please? Thanks!

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=5147.0

[diehardfan]

Well, we've got Messiah (thanks!) but we're still missing Widener! Please? Someone?

[Pat Coleman]

BTW, just a reminder that D3hoops.com is broadcasting the Catholic regional and Johns Hopkins regional for NCAASports.com.

http://www.d3hoops.com/audio/