MBB: Midwest Conference

[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.

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! 

Perhaps OS, but strictly speaking it would have to be those teams moving back behind GC rather than them moving ahead. GC has two conference/in-region games left against teams with sub .500 records - one of them sub.333 - so they can only pick up 9 and 10 points for those games and their QOWI isn't going to move up much. They could get a small boost from the MWC tournament games, but if they win those games, then no one will be looking at their QOWI because they'll have the Pool A bid.

[Early]

Is cost the reason for only playing some teams once.

For example Ripon only plays Grinnel once this year, so they don't have the cost of travel.

[systemfan86]

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?

BTW, what set Conger off that resulted in him getting run? There's a decent chance that GC and LFC could face each other in the first game of the MWC tournament in Grinnell a couple weeks from now.

[jeffdc]

BTW, what set Conger off that resulted in him getting run? There's a decent chance that GC and LFC could face each other in the first game of the MWC tournament in Grinnell a couple weeks from now.
[/quote]

I didn't catch the entire exchange, but I know that #13 was called on a foul and began cursing up a storm (I could easily hear him from across the court). This went on for 1-2 minutes. Then Conger came off the bench and seemed to be arguing with the ref. He made some sort of move, the ref pulled back, and the T was called. I must say, I wasn't very impressed with #13's behavior. If he had been a GC player, he would have been benched.

JeffP, you have any better info?

[scottie]

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 

I'm sure Pat would jump at the chance to profile Monmouth as a team that shot itself in the foot.  I'll be happy to give him a quote if he needs one...although he probably wouldn't be able to print it.      

[Dolph Stanley]

. I must say, I wasn't very impressed with #13's behavior. If he had been a GC player, he would have been benched.

At least for 45 seconds until it was his turn in the rotation again   

Sorry, four wins in a season makes the kinder gentler Dolph a little edgy.

[systemfan86]

BTW, what set Conger off that resulted in him getting run? There's a decent chance that GC and LFC could face each other in the first game of the MWC tournament in Grinnell a couple weeks from now.

I didn't catch the entire exchange, but I know that #13 was called on a foul and began cursing up a storm (I could easily hear him from across the court). This went on for 1-2 minutes. Then Conger came off the bench and seemed to be arguing with the ref. He made some sort of move, the ref pulled back, and the T was called. I must say, I wasn't very impressed with #13's behavior. If he had been a GC player, he would have been benched.

JeffP, you have any better info?

According to the play-by-play, the score was 73-39 with 11 minutes left when it happened; maybe he just wanted out at that point. 

[Greek Tragedy]

Is cost the reason for only playing some teams once.

For example Ripon only plays Grinnel once this year, so they don't have the cost of travel.

I haven't looked over the past years, but I wouldn't think so.  I assume there is some kind of rotating system where eventually everyone plays everyone twice, even if it takes 10 years to do so! lol 

Perhaps OS, but strictly speaking it would have to be those teams moving back behind GC rather than them moving ahead.

Right, and if those teams from the same conferences are beating up on each other, they are bound to drop below Grinnell with the Pioneers moving up based on those teams losing, rather than Grinnell winning, IMO. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Perhaps OS, but strictly speaking it would have to be those teams moving back behind GC rather than them moving ahead.

Right, and if those teams from the same conferences are beating up on each other, they are bound to drop below Grinnell with the Pioneers moving up based on those teams losing, rather than Grinnell winning, IMO.

I still think GC is going to have to win and get the A bid.  I just don't see them getting high enough for a C.  Elmhurst and Wheaton play each other this week and then at least one of them has to lose again in the CCIW tournament.  Grinnell might be able to sneak ahead of one of them.  WashU and Chicago also have three more UAA games, at least two of them will be challenging.  Bluffton is going to get beat; that conference is just too competitive.

If GC were a pool C candidate they'll probably be at 18-7, which is decent for the Midwest, but might not make a good case against contenders from other regions.  They better just win out.

[RiponRed34]

The way the schedule looks and with the tie-breakers all pretty much going Grinnell's way, it seems as though (new) Darby will be hosting the conference tourney.  I have a question to ask the System Nation.  What team are you least/most concerned to face?  Who matches up the best/worst in your opinion?  All this pool C talk doesn't sound very confident.

[jeffdc]

The way the schedule looks and with the tie-breakers all pretty much going Grinnell's way, it seems as though (new) Darby will be hosting the conference tourney.  I have a question to ask the System Nation.  What team are you least/most concerned to face?  Who matches up the best/worst in your opinion?  All this pool C talk doesn't sound very confident.

I may be overly optimistic, but I'm not sure I understand the Pool C talk, either. GC has been playing exceptionally well for the past 2 mos. If I was going to worry about any teams, it would have to be either Carroll or Lawrence. CC is always strong and despite the last matchup, on any given night I think they could truly tax GC. LU, despite having a tough season, is a great team and I believe could really give GC a run for its money.

System Nation. I like the sound of that...

[The Roop]

Don't award the MWC hosting rights to Grinnell just yet, although I did put my vacation request in today so I can be there that weekend. Ripon-Carroll on Wednesday is huge. The winner is in while the loser could be facing a must win situation the last game of the season to even make the tournament.

LU has the toughest row to hoe but they are playing more like the LU of last year these days. Lake Forest has a favorable schedule but you never know if Scottie is gonna whip up a mojo and cause them to lose @Monmouth. Which would likely cut the Foresters down because there could be a 10-6 that doesn't make it this year.

St. Norbert and Beloit are the spoilers right now. Neither will be going anywhere but both have seniors that will want to win their final game.

Not that I claim to be a member of the "System Nation". Rather the "System Nation" was accepted into the New Roop Order as of last season, per my visit. I hereby proclaim that we hope nothing changes and we have a bye, I mean rematch, with Lake Forest in the semi finals. The winner of the other semi will have taken a beating so it's Pool A all the way for Americas 2nd Team. With Roopachinnos flowing in the street afterwards.

[systemfan86]

Perhaps OS, but strictly speaking it would have to be those teams moving back behind GC rather than them moving ahead.

Right, and if those teams from the same conferences are beating up on each other, they are bound to drop below Grinnell with the Pioneers moving up based on those teams losing, rather than Grinnell winning, IMO.

I still think GC is going to have to win and get the A bid.  I just don't see them getting high enough for a C.  Elmhurst and Wheaton play each other this week and then at least one of them has to lose again in the CCIW tournament.  Grinnell might be able to sneak ahead of one of them.  WashU and Chicago also have three more UAA games, at least two of them will be challenging.  Bluffton is going to get beat; that conference is just too competitive.

If GC were a pool C candidate they'll probably be at 18-7, which is decent for the Midwest, but might not make a good case against contenders from other regions.  They better just win out.

Let me state that I don't think GC has the numbers to be a Pool C. Titan Q posted the Pool C bids from last year and GCs number is not close. Their only hope is the championship and the Pool A bid. The fact that they will end up so high in the region is likely an indication that the region is relatively week compared to other regions this year.

At this point, I would guess that LFC has a better chance of being the 4 seed, so I'm hoping/guessing that Larry is on the outside looking in. If that's the case, both Ripon and Carroll give me pause. Carroll has the better ability to match GCs pace, and Ripon's height advantage concerns me. If we assume that they are playing back-to-back nights, I'd have to say Carroll worries me just a touch more.   

[Greek Tragedy]

Systemfan86,

I think what jeffdc was getting at is that he doesn't think Grinnell will need the Pool C bid, rather, they'll win the conference tourney and receive the Pool A bid.  I don't think he was implying anything about Grinnell's Pool C chances at all.  Re-read his post.   At least that's what I got out of it.

What team are you least/most concerned to face?  Who matches up the best/worst in your opinion?  All this pool C talk doesn't sound very confident.

The good problem for Grinnell is that no one matches up well against Grinnell!

[titan2000]

BTW, what set Conger off that resulted in him getting run? There's a decent chance that GC and LFC could face each other in the first game of the MWC tournament in Grinnell a couple weeks from now.

I didn't catch the entire exchange, but I know that #13 was called on a foul and began cursing up a storm (I could easily hear him from across the court). This went on for 1-2 minutes. Then Conger came off the bench and seemed to be arguing with the ref. He made some sort of move, the ref pulled back, and the T was called. I must say, I wasn't very impressed with #13's behavior. If he had been a GC player, he would have been benched.

JeffP, you have any better info?
[/quote]

Jeffdc:

I must say--for you to comment on behavior after I watched the Arsenault crying parade twice live and once on Penn Atlantic this year, I think that is throwing stones in a glass house.  The combined whining of Coach A. and Davey is nearly worthy of a T every game.  Again, just my opinion.  But I'm sure all the non GC folks have my back on that one.

T2K