MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[Gregory Sager]

Don't be surprised to see Lakeland go down early, tough to beat a team three times in one season.

You know statistically, that's been proven untrue, right? I know it's fun to say, but when one team has won the first two games, they are actually more likely to win the third game.

This honestly has to do more with the two teams that play the game. If it were Calvin and Hope... yeah, tough to win a third game. But if it is the top and the bottom of a league? Isn't that hard.

That has nothing to do with it being the third game between two evenly-matched teams, though, and everything to do with the fact that they're evenly-matched to begin with. In other words, it's a truism that any time that those two teams play -- be it the first time, the second time, the third time, or the nineteenth time -- it will be a tough game to win.

This is the time of year when people start to trot out that hoary "tough to beat a team three times" cliche. It drives me nuts. As Bill said, there's no truth to it at all. If you're beaten a team twice already, you've pretty much established that you're better than they are ... and you're thus more likely to win a third time than to finally lose one. Doesn't mean that the lesser team never picks up a win on the third try, but it doesn't happen most of the time. It's a totally baseless and empty saying.

[FR_Sam]

The 2010 #1CUW v #8DU is an irrelevant argument, check the box score from that game.  When you lose an all-conference player to injury before halftime it's tough to win any game, much less a conference tournament game. 

So I checked the box score from that game (and I couldn't figure out exactly who was injured for CUW - maybe Newton-Kemp?), but I did notice that Dominican put up 65second half points. 

Kyle Barth got hurt. The main point was that the power has traditionally been in the South and the North teams had an easier path and better seeding in the tournament. This is really the first, maybe second, year the North has been stronger. So the seeding is what it is and lets see what the tournament brings.

[ExBBaller40]

My blog containing lots of information on the NAC as well as the WIAC and MWC http://diiihoopsblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/terrys-first-uber-blog.html

Combined about three blogs that I wanted to do into one. But I think it works...

Should be a fun weekend starting up the NAC tournament.

[ExBBaller40]

My live blog is up for Benedictine vs. Aurora. You can follow along here at http://diiihoopsblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/live-blog-benedictine-vs-aurora.html

[Just Bill]

Edgewood alum Ben Wisniewski made his professional basketball debut on Sunday for the Saigon Heat of the ASEAN Basketball League...

http://edgewoodcollegeeagles.blogspot.com/2013/02/alumni-update-wisniewski-makes.html

[Greek Tragedy]

Edgewood alum Ben Wisniewski made his professional basketball debut on Sunday for the Saigon Heat of the ASEAN Basketball League...

http://edgewoodcollegeeagles.blogspot.com/2013/02/alumni-update-wisniewski-makes.html

I'm torn. I was born in Saigon but also attended Lakeland College. We hated everything about our old Lake Michigan Conference rival!

[Captain_Joe08]

Nath-Con Semifinal Results

Lakeland 69
Concordia Wisconsin 68

Aurora 71
Dominican 67

[FR_Sam]

Great night of NathCon basketball.  Two tightly contested matchups that both went down to the wire. In the end the Division Champs prevailed. Looking forward to a high-powered offensive battle on Saturday. Hats off to Dominican and CUW for pushing the North/South champs to their limits tonight.

[Just Bill]

Despite the shaky seeding practices, I think it all worked out as it should. We've got the two best teams playing in the final.

[Captain_Joe08]

Aurora manhandles Lakeland 95-71 in the Conference Championship game. This game was over from the opening tip as Aurora scored the first ten points of the game. Lakeland managed to make it of a game in the second half but could not get within seven. Aurora shot 54% for the game (13-22 from three point land).

[FR_Sam]

For all the whining about the seeding, it seems like the #3 seed gave the eventual champs, Aurora, the best game of the tournament.  And no one game doesn't make a season, but that was the second time Dominican gave the Spartans a game in a little over a week.  Maybe the seeds weren't as far off as everyone wanted to believe...

[Captain_Joe08]

Aurora takes on St. Thomas (MN) in the first round. I feel this will be a high scoring game if Aurora plays well.

[FR_Sam]

Tough draw to have to go to nation's #1 team...best of luck to the Spartans.

[Gregory Sager]

Aurora takes on St. Thomas (MN) in the first round. I feel this will be a high scoring game if Aurora plays well.

The Spartans will have to play a lot better than merely "well" if they want to put a lot of points up on St. Thomas. Dunno if you've checked out UST's stats yet, but the Tommies only allowed 60.2 ppg this season.

[Captain_Joe08]

Aurora takes on St. Thomas (MN) in the first round. I feel this will be a high scoring game if Aurora plays well.

The Spartans will have to play a lot better than merely "well" if they want to put a lot of points up on St. Thomas. Dunno if you've checked out UST's stats yet, but the Tommies only allowed 60.2 ppg this season.

I'm aware of that. If Aurora has any chance of being close they need to play defense which hasn't been their strong suit all season.