MBB: Midwest Conference

[wc2viking]

OK, just checked the live stats from the SNC-CC game.  SNC wins 69-59 which means that Lawrence is the official MIDWEST CONFERENCE CHAMPION!

Congrats, and here's to a long postseason run!

[larry_u]

We Are the Champions my friend....we'll keep on fighting till the end...

The road to the NCAA Tournament goes through ALEX!!!!

Gosh its fun to type that again...

[The Roop]

Well, my life-long dream to meet the infamous "Roop" was dashed to pieces.   

I prefer notorious.

[wc2viking]

Well, contrary to my previous prognostication, SNC and Grinnell both won yesterday.  The 4 MWC tournament qualifiers seem set: LU, CC, SNC have qualified officially, and Grinnell will clinch a spot with one more win.  Since they play MC, KC at home and then IC on the road, that looks like a pretty safe bet.  LU will obviously be the 1 seed, and the 2, 3, and 4 seeds are still to be decided.

As an LU fan, I hope the team can turn up the intensity a little in their final regular season games.  They've looked a little off to me in their last 3-4 games.  It's also important for them to win out so they can possibly host the first round of the NCAA tournament or get a Pool C bid should they falter in the MWC tourney.

[Titan Q]

CARROLL MISSES A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE UP IN THE MIDWEST RANKINGS.

Had Carroll won, who do you think they would have moved in front of? 

Based on results from the past week and overall criteria (in-region winning %, OWP/OOWP, etc), I don't think they were going to pass IWU, Chicago, or Wheaton.

[The Roop]

Lots of nice theories there wc2viking. However you should refer them to my favorite physicist, Lisa Randall, at Harvard.

LU can host some tournament games but they need to clean up their act. They got a little sloppy vs. an undermanned Beloit team. The "meaningless" game @Carroll will tell volumes as to the strength of the MWC this year. LU is in the dance, win or lose in the conference tournament. If there is an upset then we will get two.

[Greek Tragedy]

Had Carroll won, who do you think they would have moved in front of? 

Based on results from the past week and overall criteria (in-region winning %, OWP/OOWP, etc), I don't think they were going to pass IWU, Chicago, or Wheaton.

True, I think I actually meant in the overall scheme of things...not specifically the Midwest Regional, though I said that.  The main reason I posted the whole Regional Rankings is that we can't just look at what happens in this regional, but all 8 of them. 

[wc2viking]

LU can host some tournament games but they need to clean up their act. They got a little sloppy vs. an undermanned Beloit team. The "meaningless" game @Carroll will tell volumes as to the strength of the MWC this year. LU is in the dance, win or lose in the conference tournament. If there is an upset then we will get two.

Yeah, I can't figure Carroll out.  They might have just played out of their minds in their game against LU.  Hopefully, LU will be out for revenge when they play next Saturday.

[Titan Q]

Had Carroll won, who do you think they would have moved in front of? 

Based on results from the past week and overall criteria (in-region winning %, OWP/OOWP, etc), I don't think they were going to pass IWU, Chicago, or Wheaton.

True, I think I actually meant in the overall scheme of things...not specifically the Midwest Regional, though I said that.  The main reason I posted the whole Regional Rankings is that we can't just look at what happens in this regional, but all 8 of them. 

Gotcha...and agree.  Pool C is definitely something we have to look at nationally to get the true picture.

Thanks for posting the updates - this helps.

[Amos Lawrence]

I for one am not worried at all by the way LU has been playing recently.  After losing a close one to Carroll, they have responded with a 37 pt. win over monmouth,  they put up 84 pts. on a Lake Forest squad that is allowing a league low 64 pts., went to Ripon and won in a game that is always a toss up regardless of how either team is performing on the season, and just rolled Beloit by 24. 

Their defense will have to be in top shape come tourny time because they are going to run into some very solid teams, but I feel their offense is still more dangerous than any other recent LU team.

[Greek Tragedy]

Updated with help from Ralph Turner.

Here are Wednesday's regional rankings (I left everything "As Is", so if there was a change in conference leaders, the Pool A and Pool C teams are from Wednesday's release).   This should give posters & lurkers an overall look on how other teams faired and if it helped or hurt their team.

BOLD is conference leader (Pool A)
RED is Pool C Contender
BLUE is Pool B contender...may need some help on those!

Atlantic Region
1. Richard Stockton 15-5 15-4 (NJAC): LOST at Rutgers-Camden 87-74, def. New Jersey 83-72.
2. William Paterson 16-4 16-4 (NJAC): LOST to Montclair State 69-61, won at New Jersey City 61-53.
3. Farmingdale State 16-4 15-3 (SKY):  Won at New York City Tech 104-59, def. Bard 105-66, def. Mount St. Mary 92-60.
4. York (N.Y.) 17-7 15-6 (CUNYAC) (tied with Brooklyn):  def. Ramapo 72-66, def. Lehman 59-54 (REGULAR SEASON COMPLETE)
5. St. Joseph's (L.I.) 16-5 15-5 (SKY):  Won at Mount St. Vincent 112-108, won at SUNY-Purchase 74-59.

East Region
1. Rochester 17-3 16-3 (UAA):  LOST at Brandeis 68-64, LOST at NYU 92-85 2OT.
2. Plattsburgh State 19-2 16-0 (SUNYAC):  def. New Paltz State 87-68, def. Oneonta State 83-59.
3. Brockport State 16-6 13-4 (SUNYAC):  Def. Buffalo State 89-73, def. Fredonia State 86-69.
4. Stevens 19-3 17-2 (Empire 8 ):  Def. Hunter 69-55, LOST at Utica 65-59.
5. Nazareth 15-5 15-5 (Empire 8 ):  Won at Alfred 88-73, LOST to Utica 85-77, def. Harwick 90-61.

Great Lakes
1. Capital 18-3 17-3 (OAC):  Won at Mount Union 80-68, def. Ohio Northern 83-75.
2. Wooster 18-3 11-2 (NCAC):  Won at Denison 82-64, def. Wittenberg 66-61.
3. Hope 17-3 10-2 (MIAA):  Won at Adrian 70-48, def. Alma 92-43.
4. Ohio Wesleyan 14-6 13-4 (NCAC): Won at Wittenberg 72-69, LOST at Earlhman 79-73.
5. Heidelberg 16-5 14-4 (OAC):  Won at John Carroll 82-74, LOST to Otterbein 81-66
6. Penn State-Behrend 17-4 15-3 (AMCC) (tied with Lake Erie):  Def. Medaille 71-61, def. La Roche 69-61.

Middle Atlantic Region
1. Ursinus 19-2 16-1 (Centennial):  Won at Franklin and Marshall 77-60, won at Dickinson 88-62.
2. Gettysburg 17-3 15-2 (Centennial):  Won at Johns Hopkins 67-56, def. Swarthmore 69-55.
3. Widener 17-4 14-3 (MAC Commonwealth):  Def. Lebanon Valley 58-44, won at Messiah 75-62.
4. Messiah 15-6 14-5 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Albright and Lycoming):  LOST at Lycoming 75-53, LOST to Widener 75-62.
5. DeSales 17-4 14-3 (MAC Freedom) (tied with Manhattanville):  Won at Delaware Valley 78-63, def. FDU-Florham 75-47.
6. Albright 14-5 14-4 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Messiah and Lycoming):  LOST at Elizabethtown 79-75, LOST to Lycoming 75-73.
7. York (Pa.) 16-6 16-5 (CAC):  Def. Wesley 84-77.
8. Moravian 17-5 16-5 (LAND) (Pool B):  Won at Goucher 78-71, LOST at Catholic 85-79.

Midwest Region
1. Augustana 17-4 16-4 (CCIW): LOST at Wheaton (IL) 73-60, won at Millikin 59-56.
2. Washington U. 16-4 13-3 (UAA):  Won at Case Western Reserve 71-68, won at Emory 78-71 in OT.
3. Lawrence 16-2 14-2 (MWC):  Won at Ripon 87-83, def. Beloit 72-48.
4. Wheaton (Ill.) 16-5 12-5 (CCIW):  Def. Augustana 73-60, LOST to Illinois Wesleyan 61-59.
5. Chicago 13-7 12-7 (UAA):  Won at Emory 87-73, won at Case Western Reserve 84-56.
6. Illinois Wesleyan 13-8 12-6 (CCIW):  Def. Millikin 95-52, won at Wheaton (IL) 61-59.
7. Carroll 14-5 13-5 (MWC):  LOST at St. Norbert 69-59.
8. Webster 15-5 13-5 (SLIAC):  Def. Greenville 82-64, won at MacMurray 83-72.

Northeast Region
1. Amherst 21-2 21-1 (NESCAC):  Def. Trinity (Conn.) 69-58. 
2. Mass-Dartmouth 20-1 20-1 (LEC) (Tied with Rhode Island College):  LOST to Rhode Island College 79-72, won at Eastern Connecticut 80-76.
3. Bowdoin 18-4 18-4 (NESCAC):  Def. Tufts 71-66, LOST to Bates 65-62.
4. Trinity (Conn.) 18-5 16-4 (NESCAC):  LOST at Amherst 69-58.
5. Middlebury 17-5 16-4 (NESCAC):  Def. Wesleyan 75-71, LOST to Connecticut College 93-86.
6. Brandeis 16-4 15-4 (UAA):  Def. Rochester 68-64, def. Carnegie Mellon 84-81.
7. Worcester Tech 16-5 15-4 (NEWMAC):  Def. Springfield 70-68, Def. MIT 81-46.
8. Rhode Island College 16-5 16-5 (LEC) (Tied with Mass-Dartmouth):  Won at Mass-Dortmouth 79-72, def. Southern Maine 79-72.
9. Emerson 18-3 17-3 (GNAC):  Won at Mount Ida 88-70, won at Rivier 72-70 OT
10. Bates 15-6 14-5 (NESCAC):  LOST at Colby 68-65, won at Bowdoin 65-62.

South Region
1. Centre 20-1 15-1 (SCAC):  Won at DePauw 69-66.
2. Mary Hardin-Baylor 18-3 16-2 (ASC):  Won at Howard Payne 71-68, won at Sul Ross State 78-58.
3. Guilford 16-4 15-4 (ODAC):  Won at Hampden-Sydney 78-71, def. Bridgewater (Va.) 77-69.  Def.  Eastern Mennonite, 100-93.
4. Maryville (Tenn.) 20-2 14-2 (GSAC):  Won at Huntingdon 69-61.
5. Virginia Wesleyan 17-5 16-4 (ODAC):  Won at Eastern Mennonite 78-68.  Won at Randolph-Macon 69-66. 
6. DePauw 18-4 14-3 (SCAC):  LOST to Centre 69-66.
7. Millsaps 19-3 14-2(SCAC):  Won at Southwestern 80-71.  Won at Trinity (TX) 77-68.
8. Randolph-Macon 17-4 12-4 (ODAC):  Won at Bridgewater (Va.) 72-64, LOST to Virginia Wesleyan 69-66.

West Region
1. Occidental 18-3 11-1 (SCIAC):  Won at Redlands 83-80 OT, LOST at Ponoma-Pitzer 62-47
2. St. Thomas 19-3 17-2 (MIAC):  Def. Augsburg 72-60.
3. UW-Platteville 17-4 15-3 (WIAC) (tied with Whitewater):  LOST to Whitewater 70-66, LOST to Superior 70-59.
4. UW-Whitewater 18-3 16-3 (WIAC) (tied with Platteville):  Won at Platteville 70-66, LOST at Stevens Point 76-47.
5. Cal Lutheran 17-3 13-3 (SCIAC):  Def. Caltech 91-48, def. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 53-50.
6. UW-Stevens Point 17-4 15-4 (WIAC):  Won at Eau Claire 89-68, def. Whitewater 76-47.
7. Buena Vista 18-4 14-2 (IIAC):  Def. Simpson 103-65.
8. Loras 17-5 14-3 (IIAC):  Def. Luther 61-43.

[matblake]

It must be approaching tournament time as matblake is on our board again. Tell us about the Heartland Conferences chances in the upcoming post season mat.

Roop, must be another matblake running around.  I'm mainly a CCIW/North Region football guy.  I'm mainly a sporadic lurker during BB season.  However, when someone brings up Mavis Beacon......

[larry_u]

Last 8 games of the regular season up for picking on pickem board...standings/results will be updated after tonight's GC/MC game.

[LU_nut]

Notorious R.O.O.P.:  You do live an interesting life.  I am convinced you are some sort of secret agent with a number of different aliases.   The whole car thing on 41 was obviously just something to create an alibi while you did something truly notorious.

congrats to LU and to Joel D.   You have to give JoJo credit for 1) inserting the 3 guard offense 2)  putting the ball in Kadisons hands and going to a more up-temp offense and 3) getting a lot more out of some bench players like Dekker and DeMatthew.

I view game at Carroll as a tough one and one that is important.  I want to see LU host several games in the tourney.   They need to keep pushing up the regional rankings.     While the D3 rankings are not relevant, look for them to be in the top 20 come tomorrow.  I think 4/6 teams immediately above them fell.  With Augie losing, they should move to 2nd in the regional rankings and have as high a rating as anyone in the West Occidental lost and the WIAC continues to beat up on each other.

I think the midwest/west this year is more wide open then ever in the NCAA.  No real dominant teams in the CCIW or the WIAC.  As usual, a bunch of good teams in both, but no 04-05 Stevens Point or 06 Ill Wes. teams that I can tell in any way.   Beating those conferences best really calls for playing in the unique and wonderful confines of Alex.   

Keep it going Vikes......take no games off.

LU_ Nut

[LU_nut]

PS:  in the poll for the conference MVP, I think one name is left off:  Andy Hurley.   I do not have the time to calculate it, but he probably leads the league over the past two years in double doubles.  He has consistently been among the leaders in Rebounds, has developed into a strong shot blocker and passer and scores over 12 a game.  In the recent Carroll loss, he scored 22 with 18 rebounds.   I am not sure I would rate him above Kroeger, but I am confident the coaches will put him on the first team and he might get a lot of support for POY.    I do have some fear that he and Kroeger might split some of the POY votes, opening the door for Ladwig, a very good player also.

Just my view:  Nut