FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Tom Thumb]

Tyler Joas from Prior Lake will be playing ball at UST next year.  Looks like a good recruit.   

https://twitter.com/tylerjoas/status/661579437687738370

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2526915/highlights/304705434/v2

[GoldandBlueBU]

Sounds like no Tusler this weekend per the SC Times article...hopefully nothing too serious, and he'll be ready for basketball.

[Tom Thumb]

Just read the St. Cloud Times article. I was shocked when I read this:

"Senior linebacker Landon Mathis missed time after tearing an ACL in the season opener, but has returned to the field and is playing through it."

Pretty nuts. Sounds like a tough kid. Hopefully it doesn't have any long term effects on the other ligaments and cartilage.

[hazzben]

Just posted this over on the WIAC board. With the first RR out there, here are teams highly ranked in the West or who are likely to win their auto bid who could be shipped out of the 'west' region and into the 'north' region:

500 mile radius from Whitewater

500 mile radius from UST

500 mile radius from SJU

500 mile radius from Oshkosh

500 mile radius from Platteville

500 mile radius from St. Scholastica

500 mile radius from St. Norbert

Keep in mind, that's 500 miles as the crow flies, not as the bus drives. SJU going to the North is the trickiest and has the least viable options, but it's not impossible. Any of the WI schools would be prime candidates, as are any of the 'North' teams from central Illinois northward and NW Indiana.

The WI schools open up tons of possibilities, it's feasible to bus a team to/from all of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and even Western PA

Also, for good measure, 500 mile radius from Mount Union. Easy to see why they keep getting shipped 'East.' Almost the entire region is drivable. And it alleviates the backlog of good teams in the 'North' and 'West.'

[hazzben]

Looking at this list and the RR. Assuming teams hold serve, I think we're heading towards Linfield as the 'West' #1, UST shipped out to be the 'North' #1 and Mount again shipped 'East.'

If UWW and Mount are kept in the same region, it would look like they'd need to keep Mount in the 'North.' Or be willing to fly UWW out to someone in the east or vice versa (contra how the money is supposed to saved). But if you keep Mount in the North, so that the purple powers have to go through each other before the semis, you also make it hard to distribute the likely #1 seeds equitably.

[art76]

Looking at this list and the RR. Assuming teams hold serve, I think we're heading towards Linfield as the 'West' #1, UST shipped out to be the 'North' #1 and Mount again shipped 'East.'

If UWW and Mount are kept in the same region, it would look like they'd need to keep Mount in the 'North.' Or be willing to fly UWW out to someone in the east or vice versa (contra how the money is supposed to saved). But if you keep Mount in the North, so that the purple powers have to go through each other before the semis, you also make it hard to distribute the likely #1 seeds equitably.

Hazz,

Help me understand your thinking, as the RR committee has posted

1. St. Thomas
2. Oshkosh
3. Linfield
4. Whitewater

How'd you get past Oshkosh? Why would the selection committee move Wesley out of their #1 spot in the RR in the East for UMU?

IMHO - the number 1 RRs are going to be the #1s in the four corners of the 32 team bracket, unless a whole lot of losing happens over these last two weeks.

[art76]

I find it interesting to note that looking at SOS scores as they stand right now puts the #1 RRs in each region in this order:

1. Hardin-Simmons   .561
2. Wesley   .536
3. St. Thomas   .528
4. Mount Union     .435

Setting brackets now would put potential semi-final games of Mount Union at Hardin-Simmons and St. Thomas travelling to Wesley.

But it ain't over 'til it's over and the bracket comes out Sunday night November 15th.

[jknezek]

I find it interesting to note that looking at SOS scores as they stand right now puts the #1 RRs in each region in this order:

1. Hardin-Simmons   .561
2. Wesley   .536
3. St. Thomas   .528
4. Mount Union     .435

Setting brackets now would put potential semi-final games of Mount Union at Hardin-Simmons and St. Thomas travelling to Wesley.

But it ain't over 'til it's over and the bracket comes out Sunday night November 15th.

You are either ignoring or forgetting that when deciding between undefeated teams they can look at last year's playoff performance. An undefeated UMU does not go on the road because their SOS stinks. Not to a team like H-SU who doesn't have a playoff pedigree recently. Whether I agree with using past performance or not, that is part of the criteria. I don't think H-SU gets one of the top 4 seeds anyway. Too many good teams in the West. Time will tell but the National Committee does not need to use the top 4 regional seeds as 1 seed corners and hasn't acted that way recently.

[AO]

I find it interesting to note that looking at SOS scores as they stand right now puts the #1 RRs in each region in this order:

1. Hardin-Simmons   .561
2. Wesley   .536
3. St. Thomas   .528
4. Mount Union     .435

Setting brackets now would put potential semi-final games of Mount Union at Hardin-Simmons and St. Thomas travelling to Wesley.

But it ain't over 'til it's over and the bracket comes out Sunday night November 15th.

You are either ignoring or forgetting that when deciding between undefeated teams they can look at last year's playoff performance. An undefeated UMU does not go on the road because their SOS stinks. Not to a team like H-SU who doesn't have a playoff pedigree recently. Whether I agree with using past performance or not, that is part of the criteria. I don't think H-SU gets one of the top 4 seeds anyway. Too many good teams in the West. Time will tell but the National Committee does not need to use the top 4 regional seeds as 1 seed corners and hasn't acted that way recently.

They can only go use the "previous year's playoff performance" if all other criteria are equal.  Such a wide disparity in SOS means all criteria are not equal.

[retagent]

Pardon this divergence, but all should know by now that I am a hockey fan, in general, and a Washington Capitals fan in particular. So a hometown boy makes good story should be forgiven.

A bright spot, in an already hopeful season for the Caps is St Cloud Cathedral and U of M grad Nate Schmidt. He has been scratched a few times, but is not only playing excellent hockey when in, but is becoming a REAL fan favorite. A good highlight which I'm sure all can find on You Tube, showing his offensive abilities, is his assist on Alexander Ovechkin's goal in a losing effort Tuesday. More than one analyst said he was the best player on the ice for the Caps that night.

[jknezek]

I find it interesting to note that looking at SOS scores as they stand right now puts the #1 RRs in each region in this order:

1. Hardin-Simmons   .561
2. Wesley   .536
3. St. Thomas   .528
4. Mount Union     .435

Setting brackets now would put potential semi-final games of Mount Union at Hardin-Simmons and St. Thomas travelling to Wesley.

But it ain't over 'til it's over and the bracket comes out Sunday night November 15th.

You are either ignoring or forgetting that when deciding between undefeated teams they can look at last year's playoff performance. An undefeated UMU does not go on the road because their SOS stinks. Not to a team like H-SU who doesn't have a playoff pedigree recently. Whether I agree with using past performance or not, that is part of the criteria. I don't think H-SU gets one of the top 4 seeds anyway. Too many good teams in the West. Time will tell but the National Committee does not need to use the top 4 regional seeds as 1 seed corners and hasn't acted that way recently.

They can only go use the "previous year's playoff performance" if all other criteria are equal.  Such a wide disparity in SOS means all criteria are not equal.

With only one non-conf game, UMU's SOS will end up pretty close to .500. The OAC went 5-5 non conf and UMU's opponent, Bethany is going to end up close to .500 as well. All that points to a .500 SOS for UMU when done, so I think you are overestimating the SOS disparity. As it stands now, it's bad. But it will improve.

[OzJohnnie]

Pardon this divergence, but all should know by now that I am a hockey fan, in general, and a Washington Capitals fan in particular. So a hometown boy makes good story should be forgiven.

A bright spot, in an already hopeful season for the Caps is St Cloud Cathedral and U of M grad Nate Schmidt. He has been scratched a few times, but is not only playing excellent hockey when in, but is becoming a REAL fan favorite. A good highlight which I'm sure all can find on You Tube, showing his offensive abilities, is his assist on Alexander Ovechkin's goal in a losing effort Tuesday. More than one analyst said he was the best player on the ice for the Caps that night.

It's always good to cheer for the hometown players.

[wally_wabash]

I find it interesting to note that looking at SOS scores as they stand right now puts the #1 RRs in each region in this order:

1. Hardin-Simmons   .561
2. Wesley   .536
3. St. Thomas   .528
4. Mount Union     .435

Setting brackets now would put potential semi-final games of Mount Union at Hardin-Simmons and St. Thomas travelling to Wesley.

But it ain't over 'til it's over and the bracket comes out Sunday night November 15th.

2014 semifinalists Mount Union, Wesley, and Linfield are all undefeated and if they stay undefeated I believe will be #1 seeds, regardless of what we think of their other criteria.  There is a zero percent chance that Mount Union travels anywhere for a semifinal game.  St. Thomas would be my other choice for a #1 seed. 

Linfield being a #1 seed is going to require some movement in those West rankings, but I expect Linfield to slide by Oshkosh before all is said and done here. 

If those are the top seeds, you would naturally pair Linfield @ Mount Union, St. Thomas @ Wesley, however it wouldn't shock me if they put the Mount Union and Wesley brackets on the same half because most of those teams in those two brackets could probably drive to one another, saving a flight regardless of who wins each region.  The St. Thomas and Linfield regional champions are likely going to have to fly around no matter what, so you may as well put them together.  I hope that doesn't happen if the seed order is in fact UMU, Wesley, St. Thomas, Linfield- but it's definitely a possibility. 

[BDB]

Pardon this divergence, but all should know by now that I am a hockey fan, in general, and a Washington Capitals fan in particular. So a hometown boy makes good story should be forgiven.

A bright spot, in an already hopeful season for the Caps is St Cloud Cathedral and U of M grad Nate Schmidt. He has been scratched a few times, but is not only playing excellent hockey when in, but is becoming a REAL fan favorite. A good highlight which I'm sure all can find on You Tube, showing his offensive abilities, is his assist on Alexander Ovechkin's goal in a losing effort Tuesday. More than one analyst said he was the best player on the ice for the Caps that night.

Highlight here:

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2015/11/03/can-nate-schmidt-and-alex-ovechkin-become-bffs-now-please/

[hazzben]

Art

I'd agree with much of what Wally said above. And the committee has shown a willingness to send Wesley 'South' in the past.

More than that, they've been very willing to grab multiple #1's from a single region in the past. I would definitely not assume that they'll build the brackets around whoever the Regional Rankings list as each regions #1. They'll be more concerned that the right 4 teams get the #1 slots.

In fact, they tend think much more nationally in the construction of the bracket than they did even 5-6 years ago. If that trend continues, it'd be highly likely they'd do everything they could to move some teams out of a stacked West region.

I also think Linfield has a good shot at leapfrogging UWO by the end. And even if the Regional Committee doesn't do it, the national committee can do it for them.

I just don't think there's any way they leave all these teams in the West and North. In fact, assuming Pool C bids continue shaping up like they appear they will, with WIAC and MIAC each getting a bid, then they'll have to move some teams out of the region. Remember, St. Scholastica and SNC aren't even ranked yet, but likely to get Pool A bids.