WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

[hope1]

good  luck hope tonight

[Calvinhoops]

Does Hopes video EVER work!

[wwjjdd]

Hope plays St Thomas next.  With Whitewater and Simpson in the bracket, is it likely to be at Whitewater?

[Dutchfan]

Actually, I would put my money on Simpson hosting. They have three things going for them.

1. Cowles Fieldhouse seats 3,000 (according to D3Hoops.com)
2. They are 27-2.
3. Most importantly they are within the 500 mile range (482 miles) from Holland (according to Google Maps).

[pointlem]

Reflections on Hope's well-earned win before an energized crowd:
1.   With 17 turnovers and only 34% shooting, it wasn't Hope's prettiest win.  But good defense, good free throw shooting, and dominating (46-27) rebounding covers a lot of sins.
2.   After Friday night's shooting extravaganza, Brittany wasn't given many looks . . . but her presence helped open things up underneath.
3.   Liz Ellis is the engine that drives Hope's offense, which works best when it's in motion rather than letting the clock run down.
4.   St. Thomas wins the nail biter award. . . . with two victories after defending potentially game-winning possessions at their games' ends.
5.   Will Coach Ross offer Coach Morehouse tips, after playing St. Thomas twice?  (Do Hope and Calvin support one another in such situations?)
6.   A highlight:  Nate Snuggerud leading a student section antic.  Great to see the men players supporting the women players

The arguments for hosting the sectional rounds west of Lake Michigan:
1.   Geographical proximity of Simpson, St. Thomas, and Whitewater
2.   To avoid giving Hope the home court advantage for the whole tournament

The arguments for Hope hosting:
1.   They've earned top seed, and that generally counts for something.
2.   Hope would generate double the revenue.  This weekend's attendance totals:
          Hope = 3855
          Simpson = 1950
          Whitewater = 1535
          St. Thomas (unranked, average home attendance 302)
3.   Hope should not be punished for its hospitality in hosting the Final Four

[sac]

The arguments for Hope hosting:
1.   They've earned top seed, and that generally counts for something.
2.   Hope would generate double the revenue.  This weekend's attendance totals:
          Hope = 3855
          Simpson = 1950
          Whitewater = 1535
          St. Thomas (unranked, average home attendance 302)
3.   Hope should not be punished for its hospitality in hosting the Final Four

Hope won't host, the NCAA would have to pay to fly St. Thomas to Holland.  It's going to be at Simpson or Whitewater.  Simpson looks to be the highest seed.

[sac]

The biggest factor in Hope's win may have been Liz Ellis and her ability to break the press with hardly any trouble or help for most of the game.  That and just dominating the rebounding on both ends of the floor.  ONU's bigs didn't play as big as Hope's bigs.

Not the prettiest win, but it doesn't have to be when you wonder for most of the game if the other team will reach 40 or 50 points.

[pointlem]

To your points, Sac:  2000 more seats sold at Hope could more than pay for the difference between bus transportation (which isn't free) and group air fare.  Also, I'd think Hope's performance this weekend could add to the case for its being #1 seed.

Just hoping here . . . .

The arguments for Hope hosting:
1.   They've earned top seed, and that generally counts for something.
2.   Hope would generate double the revenue.  This weekend's attendance totals:
          Hope = 3855
          Simpson = 1950
          Whitewater = 1535
          St. Thomas (unranked, average home attendance 302)
3.   Hope should not be punished for its hospitality in hosting the Final Four

Hope won't host, the NCAA would have to pay to fly St. Thomas to Holland.  It's going to be at Simpson or Whitewater.  Simpson looks to be the highest seed.

[Dutchfan]

The arguments for Hope hosting:
1.   They've earned top seed, and that generally counts for something.
2.   Hope would generate double the revenue.  This weekend's attendance totals:
          Hope = 3855
          Simpson = 1950
          Whitewater = 1535
          St. Thomas (unranked, average home attendance 302)
3.   Hope should not be punished for its hospitality in hosting the Final Four

Hope won't host, the NCAA would have to pay to fly St. Thomas to Holland.  It's going to be at Simpson or Whitewater.  Simpson looks to be the highest seed.

The NCAA wouldn't have to pay for it. As I said yesterday, taking the shortest route (through Des Moines) it's 482 miles between Holland and Indianola, IA.

[Erm Schmigget]

Pointlem-  Your points are true and logical, but history shows that the NCAA DIII tournament committee isn't necessarily concerned about logic.  Say "airplane" of "flight" and they go skittering away like cockroaches in a Kitchen Nightmares episode.  They will keep the teams on the ground and forego the potential for higher gate revenue, every time. 

Fortunately for Hope's teams, their fans travel well.  I think the NCAA knows this, and maybe it will come into play in deciding whether to choose Simpson or Whitewater as host for next weekend--Whitewater would more likely bring out the greater number of Hope fans and their dollars.  Either facility would have been large enough to hold the number of fans that came to the games each night this past weekend.  Lodging is another story.  Indianola, IA, is close to Des Moines, and there are plenty of hotel options there.  I can't say the same for Whitewater.  A search for lodging there quickly turns into a list of local B&Bs.

A team's seeding is pretty far down the committee's list of considerations, but I'm selfishly hoping that it will help sway their discussion in favor of Whitewater hosting.  We have friends just west of Milwaukee, and we would welcome the extra incentive to drive around the lake.  Not much extra draw for us to go to Des Moines.   

[hope81]

Get your Whitewater reservations and tickets folks.  I'm sure the ticket office will have info forthcoming.

[oldknight]

The arguments for Hope hosting:
1.   They've earned top seed, and that generally counts for something.
2.   Hope would generate double the revenue.  This weekend's attendance totals:
          Hope = 3855
          Simpson = 1950
          Whitewater = 1535
          St. Thomas (unranked, average home attendance 302)
3.   Hope should not be punished for its hospitality in hosting the Final Four

Hope won't host, the NCAA would have to pay to fly St. Thomas to Holland.  It's going to be at Simpson or Whitewater.  Simpson looks to be the highest seed.

The biggest negative (from Hope's point of view) of Calvin's failure to advance, is the likelihood that this week's sectional would have stayed in West Michigan if the Lady Knights were still alive. Even if Hope played Calvin at VNA again, I would think that would be preferable to going to Simpson.

Good luck to the Hope women. The current version of Flying Dutch basketball may not seem to be quite as good as some of their other teams I thought were destined to make it to the Final Four and then failed, but my gut tells me this one will play for a championship on their home floor. There's something about this team that has the "it" you need to be a champion, and it starts at the point. I've seen Liz Ellis play since high school when she was one of the better prep guards in West Michigan. She has been a starter since her freshmen year, has tons of experience in big games, is a terrific one-on-one defender, and just makes good decisions that help her team win. Kust's emergence has been a surprise to me and--no doubt--a welcome one to Brian Morehouse. Unlike Ellis, she isn't the most elegant player on the floor but she has a high motor and just makes plays.

[northb]

Tempting as it might be to host all the way through, I would not want any success to be tainted by "You got home court advantage the whole way."  I would hope that Hope decision-makers would level the playing field a little.

[voice]

Fortunately for Hope's teams, their fans travel well.  I think the NCAA knows this, and maybe it will come into play in deciding whether to choose Simpson or Whitewater as host for next weekend--Whitewater would more likely bring out the greater number of Hope fans and their dollars.  Either facility would have been large enough to hold the number of fans that came to the games each night this past weekend.  Lodging is another story.  Indianola, IA, is close to Des Moines, and there are plenty of hotel options there.  I can't say the same for Whitewater.  A search for lodging there quickly turns into a list of local B&Bs.

While Whitewater is limited as far as lodging is concerned.  Just 15 minutes south is Janesville that has numerous hotels including the official team hotel (Holiday Inn Express and Convention Center).  Madison and Milwaukee are 45 minutes away.

[cmlundy]

My thoughts on traveling to whitewater is this. 

NCAA to Hope:  We can't let you stay home for the entire tournament so we will only make you travel to Whitewater.  Doesn't sound so intimidating.  Could had been worse traveling to Iowa.  I'll take it.