MBB: Midwest Conference

[larry_u]

LU 74-62


Still in it to win it.

[jeffdc]

Wow, what a beating at GC...did anyone see the game?  Another really low scoring one.

Yep, I (and JeffP) was there. GC controlled the game play from the beginning. Haven't looked at the box score, but I suspect it will show lots of turnovers by GC. LFC seemed very rattled by the GC press. Solid 3 point game and nice underbasket work by GC didn't hurt, either. In the end, LFC just didn't have an effective counter to the GC game, which surprised me a bit.

Jeffp?

[lake forest]

Congrats to the Pioneers.  It looks like The System was clicking on Saturday like it was supposed to.  In looking at the stats it seems like everyone contributed and LFC could not play their typical slow down game.  The last week should be interesting...

[Greek Tragedy]

MC 82, IC 70

GC 100, LFC 65

LU 74, BC 62

CC 77, SNC 70

Grinnell 11-3:  @ KC, vs. IC
Carroll 10-4:  vs. RC, @ LU
Ripon 10-4:  @ CC, vs. BC
Lake Forest 8-6:  @ MC, vs. KC
Lawrence 8-6:  @ SNC, vs. CC
St. Norbert 8-7:  vs. LU

LU and LFC split.  Grinnell swept current #1, LFC split with Grinnell (I believe LFC would have the tie-breaker then)  If Carroll gets the #1 seed, the tie-breaker would between LFC and LU would ONLY COUNT if CC beats LU on the last day, since LFC is 1-0 against CC is 1-0 so far against LU, if CC and LU split, CC is not used since LFC would be 1-0 and LU would be 1-1 vs. CC.  Got that? 

LU and LFC both split with Riopn, if they get the #1 seed...of course, I don't know the tie-breakers for the #1 seed at this time for GC, CC and RC!  We'll know a lot more on Wednesday night!

If LFC, LU and SNC all tie at 9-7, they'd take the commulative records against those three teams...I'm too lazy to look right now!

Monmouth 7-8
Beloit 4-11
Illinois College 3-12
Knox 3-11

[Greek Tragedy]

QOWI top 200 to follow, through Saturday:

Rank   Points   In-region   Team   Region Win%   Overall
1   11.550   1   UW-Stevens Point   0.950 (19-1)   20-2
2   11.522   1   Amherst   0.957 (22-1)   23-1
3   11.050   1   Ramapo   0.850 (17-3)   18-5
4   10.889   1   Lake Erie   1.000 (18-0)   22-1
5   10.842   2   Worcester Polytech   0.895 (17-2)   19-2
6   10.789   3   Trinity (Conn.)   0.842 (16-3)   20-3
7   10.778   1   Washington U.   0.833 (15-3)   17-3
8   10.667   4   Salem State   0.905 (19-2)   19-2
9   10.591   2   Augustana   0.864 (19-3)   19-4
10   10.588   1   DePauw   0.882 (15-2)   18-4
11   10.478   2   Virginia Wesleyan   0.870 (20-3)   21-3
12   10.476   3   Aurora   0.905 (19-2)   21-2
13   10.455   5   Rhode Island College   0.864 (19-3)   19-3
14   10.450   1   Rochester   0.800 (16-4)   16-5
15   10.429   1   Johns Hopkins   0.905 (19-2)   20-3
16   10.412   2   Messiah   0.824 (14-3)   17-5
17   10.368   4   Chicago   0.789 (15-4)   17-4
18   10.364   2   St. Lawrence   0.773 (17-5)   18-5
19   10.350   6   Keene State   0.800 (16-4)   19-4
20   10.350   2   John Carroll   0.750 (15-5)   16-7
21   10.333   2   St. Thomas   0.875 (21-3)   21-3
22   10.316   3   Mississippi College   0.947 (18-1)   20-2
23   10.300   3   St. John's   0.900 (18-2)   18-5
24   10.286   3   Brockport State   0.810 (17-4)   18-4
25   10.286   3   Catholic   0.762 (16-5)   17-5
26   10.158   2   Richard Stockton   0.737 (14-5)   17-7
27   10.150   4   Whitworth   0.850 (17-3)   20-3
28   10.111   3   Ohio Northern   0.667 (12-6)   17-6
29   10.100   5   UW-Oshkosh   0.800 (16-4)   19-4
30   10.048   7   Brandeis   0.714 (15-6)   15-6
31   10.048   4   Hood   0.762 (16-5)   17-6
32   10.045   4   St. John Fisher   0.773 (17-5)   18-5
33   10.000   8   Bates   0.739 (17-6)   18-6
34   10.000   5   Hamilton   0.722 (13-5)   16-5
35   10.000   4   Wittenberg   0.833 (15-3)   20-3
36   9.957   3   Manhattanville   0.783 (18-5)   19-5
37   9.955   4   Stevens   0.818 (18-4)   19-4
38   9.947   6   Loras   0.789 (15-4)   17-6
39   9.941   5   Wooster   0.882 (15-2)   20-3
40   9.929   6   Hope   0.857 (12-2)   19-3
41   9.923   7   Occidental   0.769 (10-3)   15-5
42   9.900   4   Maryville (Tenn.)   0.850 (17-3)   17-5
43   9.889   5   Elmhurst   0.778 (14-4)   18-4
44   9.864   5   King's   0.727 (16-6)   16-7
45   9.857   6   Utica   0.810 (17-4)   18-4
46   9.850   7   New York University   0.750 (15-5)   16-5
47   9.850   5   Guilford   0.850 (17-3)   18-3
48   9.833   6   Averett   0.778 (14-4)   16-6
49   9.800   9   Husson   0.850 (17-3)   17-5
50   9.778   6   Bluffton   0.722 (13-5)   17-6
51   9.769   6   Lincoln   0.769 (10-3)   15-7
52   9.706   7   Wheaton (Ill.)   0.647 (11-6)   15-7
53   9.684   8   UW-La Crosse   0.684 (13-6)   15-7
54   9.667   9   Coe   0.714 (15-6)   17-6
55   9.619   7   Scranton   0.762 (16-5)   18-5
56   9.615   10   Redlands   0.769 (10-3)   14-6
57   9.609   7   Mary Hardin-Baylor   0.870 (20-3)   20-3
58   9.600   5   New Jersey City   0.700 (14-6)   16-7
59   9.600   8   Alvernia   0.900 (18-2)   19-4
60   9.600   8   Centre   0.733 (11-4)   17-4
61   9.545   10   Babson   0.636 (14-8)   15-8
62   9.522   11   Tufts   0.609 (14-9)   14-9
63   9.500   6   Rowan   0.722 (13-5)   18-5
64   9.500   7   Capital   0.682 (15-7)   15-7
65   9.458   9   York (Pa.)   0.667 (16-8)   16-8
66   9.429   12   Bridgewater State   0.714 (15-6)   15-6
67   9.400   10   Ursinus   0.750 (15-5)   16-7
68   9.389   11   Puget Sound   0.778 (14-4)   17-5
69   9.350   8   Grinnell   0.700 (14-6)   15-6
70   9.313   12   Lewis and Clark   0.750 (12-4)   16-6
71   9.250   13   Cal Lutheran   0.688 (11-5)   16-5
72   9.238   13   Elms   0.714 (15-6)   16-6
73   9.238   7   Rutgers-Newark   0.667 (14-7)   16-7
74   9.235   8   Plattsburgh State   0.706 (12-5)   15-7
75   9.235   9   Carthage   0.588 (10-7)   14-8
76   9.222   8   Baldwin-Wallace   0.667 (12-6)   15-8
77   9.222   9   Carnegie Mellon   0.611 (11-7)   12-8
78   9.200   14   Colby   0.650 (13-7)   14-10
79   9.176   9   Millsaps   0.706 (12-5)   14-8
80   9.150   11   Mary Washington   0.700 (14-6)   15-7
81   9.130   8   William Paterson   0.609 (14-9)   14-10
82   9.118   10   Westminster (Pa.)   0.824 (14-3)   16-7
83   9.100   10   Defiance   0.684 (13-6)   16-6

[systemfan86]

QOWI top 200 to follow, through Saturday:

Rank   Points   In-region   Team   Region Win%   Overall

7   10.778   1   Washington U.   0.833 (15-3)   17-3

9   10.591   2   Augustana   0.864 (19-3)   19-4

12   10.476   3   Aurora   0.905 (19-2)   21-2

17   10.368   4   Chicago   0.789 (15-4)   17-4

43   9.889   5   Elmhurst   0.778 (14-4)   18-4

50   9.778   6   Bluffton   0.722 (13-5)   17-6
52   9.706   7   Wheaton (Ill.)   0.647 (11-6)   15-7

69   9.350   8   Grinnell   0.700 (14-6)   15-6

75   9.235   9   Carthage   0.588 (10-7)   14-8

83   9.100   10   Defiance   0.684 (13-6)   16-6

You beat me to this OS...
GC moves up to 8th in the region. Still not a strong enough showing for a Pool C, but still pretty good. The next two games won't really help their QOWI much, so this is as high as they go in all liklihood.

BTW, Manchester dropped way down after two losses in a row. I can't help but wonder if their QOWI was miscalculated before. At this point it doesn't matter.

[Greek Tragedy]

QOWI top 200 to follow, through Saturday:

Rank   Points   In-region   Team   Region Win%   Overall

7   10.778   1   Washington U.   0.833 (15-3)   17-3
9   10.591   2   Augustana   0.864 (19-3)   19-4
12   10.476   3   Aurora   0.905 (19-2)   21-2
17   10.368   4   Chicago   0.789 (15-4)   17-4
43   9.889   5   Elmhurst   0.778 (14-4)   18-4
50   9.778   6   Bluffton   0.722 (13-5)   17-6
52   9.706   7   Wheaton (Ill.)   0.647 (11-6)   15-7
69   9.350   8   Grinnell   0.700 (14-6)   15-6
75   9.235   9   Carthage   0.588 (10-7)   14-8
83   9.100   10   Defiance   0.684 (13-6)   16-6

You beat me to this OS...
GC moves up to 8th in the region. Still not a strong enough showing for a Pool C, but still pretty good. The next two games won't really help their QOWI much, so this is as high as they go in all liklihood.

Actually, they very well could move up.  Washington U and Chicago play in a very balanced UAA conference, with Rochester and NYU just behind Washington U and Chicago.  Both those teams have to play Rochester in NY and though Rochester isn't in the Midwest Region, I believe those games will count as "in-region" games for Washington U and Chicago since they are conference games.  On top of that, Washington U and Chicago have to play each other, guaranteeing one of them at least another loss.  The only "problem" is that the UAA does NOT have a conference tourney, unless things have changed.

Also, as you probably know, Carthage, Elmhurst, Augustana and Wheaton are all members of the same conference, the CCIW.  So, they could knock each other off as well.  So, Grinnell actually has a good chance of moving up in the REGION, but that may still not help them enough when they have to go up against other regions.  I guess that means they might get to sit at the table a little sooner! 

[larry_u]

In the pickem league, its a 3-way tie at the standings with 8 games remaining.  It will come down just like the conference playoff race to the games on Saturday.  Good luck to all who are still in it to win it.

[The Roop]

In the pickem league, its a 3-way tie at the standings with 8 games remaining.  It will come down just like the conference playoff race to the games on Saturday.  Good luck to all who are still in it to win it.

Yeah and if gobucs would stop copying my picks I wouldn't have to go after the long shots to be different.

[gobucs]

In the pickem league, its a 3-way tie at the standings with 8 games remaining.  It will come down just like the conference playoff race to the games on Saturday.  Good luck to all who are still in it to win it.

Yeah and if gobucs would stop copying my picks I wouldn't have to go after the long shots to be different.

Now Roop, you know that GoBucs would never stoop to copying.  We would have the same record then wouldn't we?  LOL

[Gregory Sager]

Old school you summed up my point exactly. The MIAC plays 25 games.  The MWC plays 23.  If you take away  two non conference games to play conference games you also take away the chance for the second place team or the conference champion that gets knocked off in the conference tournament to get the possible two extra in region wins that could make them an at large bid.  With the scenario like it is now it makes every regular season conference game count that much more.  you don't necessarily need the two extra conference wins to get the at large.  if lawrence in years past would have gone 14-4 in conference, won the conference, lost in the conference tournament, and go 1-4 in non conference would they have still made the tournament at 15-9? with the loss in the conference tournament added. or do they have a better chance with more non conference games where they can schedule possibly better teams than the lower level teams in conference that they can beat and get a better shot at an at large?    just playing devil's advocate...you guys are the knowledgeable ones. 

Those two extra conference games would be in-region as well, so the point is moot in terms of of the number of regional games played. I understand your point about strategic scheduling --- using those two extra non-conference games to schedule a team likely to finish well within a weak conference -- and it's a good one, but given MWC history it's not a serious consideration for all but the upper strata of the league. Equity within the league with regard to scheduling should be the priority. And if everyone isn't playing everyone else twice per year in a full double round-robin, there's no equity.

[Gregory Sager]

I think it goes with the territory of being the small conference in a sea of quality conferences (WIAC, Iowa Conference, etc).

The IIAC isn't really considered to be a "quality conference" in D3 men's basketball. Like the MWC, the IIAC has never advanced a team beyond the Elite Eight, and over half the teams in the league this year have losing overall records.

[The Roop]

He left the CCIW out of the "sea of quality conferences" and you didn't let him have it ?? I'm surprised Mr. Sager LOL.

[Gregory Sager]

He left the CCIW out of the "sea of quality conferences" and you didn't let him have it ?? I'm surprised Mr. Sager LOL.

You have to know when and where to pick your battles, Roop. If I had put in a plug for the CCIW, it would've led to at least eight hours' worth of nasty banter in this room, culminating in a heartfelt plea from Scottie for Pat Coleman to get over his anti-MWC hatred and put another MWC story on the front page at least one more time before the pallbearers drop Scottie into the cold, cold ground.

[The Roop]

Beloit did their part to eliminate Monmouth by losing to Lawrence. But I declined Scotties invitation to weigh in on that one. Since I'm about to leave for work and won't have to deal with any protests for a least 8 hours, I would like to point out that if Monmouth had swept Beloit instead of splitting with them that they'd still be alive. Maybe Pat could do a story about winning the ones you're supposed to