NE Region General Questions

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Just because they haven't been posted here in a while.

1   Amherst   22-2   22-3
2   Williams   21-3   22-3
3   Babson   20-5   20-5
4   Eastern Connecticut   20-5   20-5
5   WPI   22-3   22-3
6   Springfield   18-6   19-6
7   Bowdoin   19-5   19-5
8   Albertus Magnus   23-1   23-2
9   Nichols   20-5   20-5
10   Rhode Island College   17-8   17-8
11   Middlebury   16-8   17-8

[GnacBballFan]

I'll continue to kick the preverbial dead horse. I don't understand how Springfield is ahead of albertus with 6 d3 losses compared to albertus 1. I'll even make a case that albertus' 3 point loss to division 1 central is better then anything Springfield has on their resume. Especially with the LEC having a down yr I don't understand. I understand d1 opponents aren't taken into consideration, but just the eye test and common sense I think everyone (including the voters in the d3 poll, as well as the voters in the posters poll) knows albertus should be higher then Springfield. I don't think it's fair to albertus(I'm a homer but if albertus had a few more losses I wouldn't be "whining" like this) that they have to win out after winning 96 percent of their d3 games. So if Springfield loses in it's final tourney game and albertus too, they will be ahead of them with 7 losses. Makes no sense to me I'm sorry. I know the criteria that determines everything I get that, but if it's gonna keep teams like albertus below Springfield I don't agree. Wpi, Williams, Amherst, babson, east conn ahead of albertus? Fine I can live with that. But Bowdoin after their recent stretch and Springfield? No I don't agree.

[WPI89]

GNAC

I agree with you and understand your frustration.  I have seen Magnus once in person (albeit without their best player) and Springfield on video twice - so I am hardly speaking with an expert eye.

Like you - I believe that based on the body of work this year - Magnus should be ranked ahead of Springfield for sure.  That being said - I would be careful with the eye test argument.  My eye test tells me, Magnus vs Springfield in a 7 game series goes to game 7 and the home team wins.

That is more of a compliment to Springfield than a knock on Magnus.  I think AM would have great games against anybody in the Northeast - including Amhurst, Williams, WPI etc........  As I stated about a month ago - I hope Magnus get Amherst or Williams in a round 2 game and stays away from WPI. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

By the way, the eye-test is usually subject to what color lenses someone is looking through

OK... I'll stop joking around

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

If Albertus loses again to a conference opponent, they don't deserve to get in.  The GNAC is not good enough this year.  Period.  They shouldn't have lost at all to begin with.  There's no other even borderline tournament worthy team in the conference.  J&W is ok, but not great.  If Albertus can't win their conference tournament, they probably are not as good right now as they have been at high points during the season.

There's just no good place to argue for a Pool C selection for a 1 loss team in a weak conference.  If you're that good, win the game.

(I know this post can come off harsh - I don't mean it to be that way - it's just reality with the way the tournament works).

St. Norbert is in the same boat in the Midwest.  I think they're a better team than Albertus and they could miss out the same way.

Win the games.

[NEHoopsFan99]

I have watched both Albertus Magnus and Springfield play and although Magnus on paper looks like a more solid team, I can't help but think Springfield is much better. Not only did Springfield have a strong out of conference showing they play in a conference that is elite and has come out with a win against every team except WPI (who believe me is just about as good as they were last year). I'm sorry but the GNAC does not even compare to the NEWMAC. Good news is that Magnus should have no winning the remaining easy match ups in their tourney.

[NEHoopsFan99]

Other good thing for Magnus is that Springfield will likely lose in the NEWMAC semis and I believe the extra loss will cause them to fall in the final rankings. They will be one of the last teams to make the tournament if they are fortunate enough to make the cut.

[AllStar]

What do you mean by "blocker"?

Only one team from each region is considered at any given time.  So a team that gets to the table, but is not good enough in comparison to others to get chosen, is 'blocking' all teams below them in the rankings from even getting considered.

This is dumb.  Sorry.

[NEHoopsFan99]

Yeah that doesn't make sense to me either.  I don't think the NCAA looks at things so narrowly

[Mr. Ypsi]

If Albertus loses again to a conference opponent, they don't deserve to get in.  The GNAC is not good enough this year.  Period.  They shouldn't have lost at all to begin with.  There's no other even borderline tournament worthy team in the conference.  J&W is ok, but not great.  If Albertus can't win their conference tournament, they probably are not as good right now as they have been at high points during the season.

There's just no good place to argue for a Pool C selection for a 1 loss team in a weak conference.  If you're that good, win the game.

(I know this post can come off harsh - I don't mean it to be that way - it's just reality with the way the tournament works).

St. Norbert is in the same boat in the Midwest.  I think they're a better team than Albertus and they could miss out the same way.

Win the games.

Agree on Albertus; disagree on SNC.  The MWC is hardly elite, but it is several slots above the GNAC.  Agree that with a loss Albertus is on the lower end of the bubble; IMO even with a loss SNC is still fairly safely in.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

If Albertus loses again to a conference opponent, they don't deserve to get in.  The GNAC is not good enough this year.  Period.  They shouldn't have lost at all to begin with.  There's no other even borderline tournament worthy team in the conference.  J&W is ok, but not great.  If Albertus can't win their conference tournament, they probably are not as good right now as they have been at high points during the season.

There's just no good place to argue for a Pool C selection for a 1 loss team in a weak conference.  If you're that good, win the game.

(I know this post can come off harsh - I don't mean it to be that way - it's just reality with the way the tournament works).

St. Norbert is in the same boat in the Midwest.  I think they're a better team than Albertus and they could miss out the same way.

Win the games.

Agree on Albertus; disagree on SNC.  The MWC is hardly elite, but it is several slots above the GNAC.  Agree that with a loss Albertus is on the lower end of the bubble; IMO even with a loss SNC is still fairly safely in.

They may have a better shot, but they're in the same scenario.  They're farther down the rankings than they probably deserve, mostly because of schedule - and a loss is going to make them scared all weekend.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

What do you mean by "blocker"?

Only one team from each region is considered at any given time.  So a team that gets to the table, but is not good enough in comparison to others to get chosen, is 'blocking' all teams below them in the rankings from even getting considered.

This is dumb.  Sorry.

This is how it is done in all sports and why there is such thing as regions. You aren't going to lose this aspect since it is a cornerstone of Division III that president's have embraced... and remember they are the ones that ultimately make the decisions.

[GnacBballFan]

If Albertus loses again to a conference opponent, they don't deserve to get in.  The GNAC is not good enough this year.  Period.  They shouldn't have lost at all to begin with.  There's no other even borderline tournament worthy team in the conference.  J&W is ok, but not great.  If Albertus can't win their conference tournament, they probably are not as good right now as they have been at high points during the season.

There's just no good place to argue for a Pool C selection for a 1 loss team in a weak conference.  If you're that good, win the game.

(I know this post can come off harsh - I don't mean it to be that way - it's just reality with the way the tournament works).

St. Norbert is in the same boat in the Midwest.  I think they're a better team than Albertus and they could miss out the same way.

Win the games.

Then why even play the regular season then, let's just skip to the gnac tourney

[NEHoopsFan99]

Well teams that don't schedule a rigorous out of conference schedule and are in a bad conference kinda might as well...

Like if you're in a conference like the GNAC what did you expect?

[GnacBballFan]

Id expect one bad night out of 26 wouldn't keep you from the tourney. No worries, if albertus wins Saturday we'll see what they do in tourney