WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I disagree on one school hosting the semifinals.  I get what your saying about making it feel more like a tournament atmosphere, but most schools have already had that type of atmosphere at least once, possibly more, with in season 'tournaments' in November and December to replicate how the ncaa tournmament will feel.  The only thing this format rewards is for the #1 seed.  Trine had terrific years in both WBB and MBB to earn the #2 seed, but their 'reward' is to play at the #1 seed's gym at 5:30, not their own.  Other than parents and family there will be few if any other 'fans' of Trine there for an early Friday night game, but it's rewarding Calvin (assuming they beat Adrian, which is pretty much a lock) the easy travel to Hope for family and fans who won't have to miss work/school.  I guarantee there will be more Hope fans at the Trine/Calvin game than of both those schools combined...easily.

The #2 seed gets the advantage of a bye.  The #1 seed gets the advantage of a bye and hosting.  I for one have no problem with that.

It is also worth mentioning the potential that a #3 or lower seeded team has to do significant travel on both Friday and Saturday (heck a #5 or #6 team could have to travel Wed & Fri & Sat).  Imagine Alma playing at Adrian on Friday, and then at Trine on Saturday - sure you could stay somewhere between them I guess, but of course you don;t knpow where your Sat game is until after the Fri results. 

[TUAngola]

Of the top 4 seeds only #2 doesn't get a home game this week.  Calvin will do less traveling in 2 games than Trine does in 1 game leading up to Saturday.  #3 doesn't have to face an opponent on their floor until Saturday (as does #2).  #2 & #3 seeds are on more equal footing than what a #1 & #2 should be when they tied for the regular season championship.  There should be a seperation between #2 and #3 in advantages in the post season regardless of the tuneup quarterfinal game.  That is why you play the regular season.  I've looked at all the other conference tournaments on the D3 hoops website.  The overwhelming majority of the tournaments follows the highest seeded winner.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

The #3 seed has to play an additional game - sure it's on their own floor but they also have the risk of losing that game, injury, fatigue, etc.  Certainly the bye that #2 gets is worth something - especially at the end of a long season 

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Of the top 4 seeds only #2 doesn't get a home game this week.  Calvin will do less traveling in 2 games than Trine does in 1 game leading up to Saturday.  #3 doesn't have to face an opponent on their floor until Saturday (as does #2).  #2 & #3 seeds are on more equal footing than what a #1 & #2 should be when they tied for the regular season championship.  There should be a seperation between #2 and #3 in advantages in the post season regardless of the tuneup quarterfinal game.  That is why you play the regular season. I've looked at all the other conference tournaments on the D3 hoops website.  The overwhelming majority of the tournaments follows the highest seeded winner.

This piqued my curiosity, so I went through the full list of conferences and tournaments.

44 conferences have a tournament.  Looking at the semi-finals and how each conference does it, 18 of them are at a single site (40%), 26 of them are at separate sites (60%).  Of those 26 that use separate sites, 19 of them have 1 or 2 days off between games (certainly helps with travel, etc.) 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Of the top 4 seeds only #2 doesn't get a home game this week.  Calvin will do less traveling in 2 games than Trine does in 1 game leading up to Saturday.  #3 doesn't have to face an opponent on their floor until Saturday (as does #2).  #2 & #3 seeds are on more equal footing than what a #1 & #2 should be when they tied for the regular season championship.  There should be a seperation between #2 and #3 in advantages in the post season regardless of the tuneup quarterfinal game.  That is why you play the regular season. I've looked at all the other conference tournaments on the D3 hoops website.  The overwhelming majority of the tournaments follows the highest seeded winner.

This piqued my curiosity, so I went through the full list of conferences and tournaments.

44 conferences have a tournament.  Looking at the semi-finals and how each conference does it, 18 of them are at a single site (40%), 26 of them are at separate sites (60%).  Of those 26 that use separate sites, 19 of them have 1 or 2 days off between games (certainly helps with travel, etc.)

You also have to look at geography - a decent number of east coast conferences never have more than 2 or 2.5 hours max (and often an hour or less) between schools.  Doesn't make a ton of sense to do single site in those instances.

[HOPEful]

I will also admit that my opinion is skewed in part by all the times the Hope and Trine have been co-champions and the 1 and 2 seeds have been determined by second half of conference schedule. The right to host the semis for both teams just feels like a huge reward for a co-champion while giving the other co-champion very little. I feel like this season, Trine has more than earned the right to host the semis. Hope gains little to nothing hosting the Trine v. Calvin game and would probably prefer the winner didn't have the ability to watch their game from the stands.

[Dutchfan]

I will also admit that my opinion is skewed in part by all the times the Hope and Trine have been co-champions and the 1 and 2 seeds have been determined by second half of conference schedule. The right to host the semis for both teams just feels like a huge reward for a co-champion while giving the other co-champion very little. I feel like this season, Trine has more than earned the right to host the semis. Hope gains little to nothing hosting the Trine v. Calvin game and would probably prefer the winner didn't have the ability to watch their game from the stands.

Would it be better for Trine or Calvin to have to travel to Holland after an evening game the night before or to play an earlier game and go to a hotel earlier and get a good night's sleep without additional travel time added in? A lot of travel can be taxing in and of itself.

As too watching from the stands? I feel these teams know each other well enough by now that there isn't any real advantage to be gained from watching the second game from the stands.

[HOPEful]

I will also admit that my opinion is skewed in part by all the times the Hope and Trine have been co-champions and the 1 and 2 seeds have been determined by second half of conference schedule. The right to host the semis for both teams just feels like a huge reward for a co-champion while giving the other co-champion very little. I feel like this season, Trine has more than earned the right to host the semis. Hope gains little to nothing hosting the Trine v. Calvin game and would probably prefer the winner didn't have the ability to watch their game from the stands.

Would it be better for Trine or Calvin to have to travel to Holland after an evening game the night before or to play an earlier game and go to a hotel earlier and get a good night's sleep without additional travel time added in? A lot of travel can be taxing in and of itself.

As too watching from the stands? I feel these teams know each other well enough by now that there isn't any real advantage to be gained from watching the second game from the stands.

The stands part is probably fair.

The travel part. Yes, I would much much rather have a home game the night before, sleep in my own bed, and take a bus to wherever the next morning. 100%.

[HOPEful]

Just now noticed that Ohio Northern lost to Muskingum this past weekend. That's a bad loss for them that you'd think would would drop them below Baldwin Wallace and Hope in the regional rankings. Baldwin Wallace lost to John Carroll last week, so Hope could be as high as 1 in the regional rankings when they're released tomorrow.

[scottiedawg]

Just now noticed that Ohio Northern lost to Muskingum this past weekend. That's a bad loss for them that you'd think would would drop them below Baldwin Wallace and Hope in the regional rankings. Baldwin Wallace lost to John Carroll last week, so Hope could be as high as 1 in the regional rankings when they're released tomorrow.

I'm inclined to agree. I do think there's a scenario where Hope remains behind both of them as Hope's SOS dropped quite a bit this past week.

Ohio Northern (840 / 565 / 4-2)
Baldwin Wallace (840 / 571 / 4-2)
Hope (917 / 524 / 4-1)

When it comes to hosting 1st weekend, any losses by these teams should improve Hope's chances:
Chicago
WashU
Wisc-Whitewater
Loras

[HOPEful]

When it comes to hosting 1st weekend, any losses by these teams should improve Hope's chances:
Chicago
WashU
Wisc-Whitewater
Loras

I've got a good feeling about Chicago or WashU losing on Saturday

[scottiedawg]

When it comes to hosting 1st weekend, any losses by these teams should improve Hope's chances:
Chicago
WashU
Wisc-Whitewater
Loras

I've got a good feeling about Chicago or WashU losing on Saturday

ahahaha, I didn't realize.   

[HOPEful]

When it comes to hosting 1st weekend, any losses by these teams should improve Hope's chances:
Chicago
WashU
Wisc-Whitewater
Loras

I've got a good feeling about Chicago or WashU losing on Saturday

ahahaha, I didn't realize.   

Looming Loras v Wartburg and Whitewater v. Stout matchups both feel like toss-ups.

Most importantly, Hope needs to take care of business against Albion and Calvin/Trine.

[scottiedawg]

Both Stout and Whitewater should have stiff semifinals games as well.

Conference tourneys mean most top teams face the best opponent they've faced in weeks.

[Dutchfan]

New regional rankings are out.

In spite of the fact that Hope is 22-2, Ohio Northern (20-4) and Baldwin Wallace (20-4) are still both ranked above Hope. Both teams do have slightly better S.O.S. than Hope, so I accepted them being ranked higher last week. But both lost last week and now have a two-game worse record than Hope.