MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[Ryan Stoppable]

Saturday
Concordia Wisconsin 120 (ARV) Aurora 110
Wisconsin Lutheran 82 Concordia Chicago 70
#2 Benedictine 88 Edgewood 54
Dominican 97 MSOE 90
Marian 106 Rockford 100 (OT)

Certainly not lacking on offense on this day...or, really, any other. as our conference had five teams in the top 50 nationally in scoring in the latest NCAA report. You'd also have to assume that loss will dent the Spartans' chances of picking up an at-large bid.

NACC Standings (one week to go)
1. #2 Benedictine 19-0 (24-0) (c)
2. Aurora 14-4 (18-5) (x)
3. Concordia Wisconsin 12-6 (14-9) (x)
4. Wisconsin Lutheran 9-9 (11-12) - 2/17 vs LC, 2-20 vs DU
4. MSOE 9-9 (12-11) - 2/17 vs MU, 2/20 vs RU
4. Lakeland 9-9 (13-10) - 2/17 @ WLC, 2/20 vs BU
---
4. Rockford 9-9 (13-10) - 2/17 @ AU, 2/20 @ MSOE
8. Marian 9-10 (12-12) - 2/17 @ MSOE
9. Concordia Chicago 4-14 (5-18) (e)
10. Edgewood 3-15 (3-20) (e)
10. Dominican 3-15 (5-18) (e)
(c) NACC regular season champions and No. 1 seed; (x) clinched NACC Tournament berth; (e) eliminated

I think I have the teams at 9-9 sorted in order of tiebreakers as it would currently stand, but don't quote me on that. This is going to be quite a wild finish to the regular season, that's for sure.

[Ryan Stoppable]

Wednesday
Aurora 112 Rockford 92
Marian 67 MSOE 62
Wisconsin Lutheran 77 Lakeland 74
Concordia Chicago 90 Dominican 85
Concordia Wisconsin 74 Edgewood 70

The Spartans clinch the No. 2 seed in the NACC Tourney and a first round bye with their win, putting Concordia Wisconsin at No. 3. Wisconsin Lutheran and Marian also clinched berths with their win; the Warriors can claim the No. 4 seed with a win over Dominican on Saturday (which would give them their first postseason home game since 2008 if I read it right) while the Sabres won their last three to get in.

That leaves one berth unaccounted for going into Saturday, which will likely go to the winner of the Rockford at MSOE game on Saturday; the Raiders won the first meeting 75-60 three weeks ago. In fact, the only way it won't is that if the Regents win, Lakeland could grab the spot if they upset Benedictine and Wisconsin Lutheran also wins. (So I'm not holding my breath, but strange things have been known to happen in college basketball. I'm just saying.)

[Greek Tragedy]

In the 1st year of the NACC (maybe 2nd, I'm going off memory), I believe Lakeland came into the conference tourney as the 6th seed and then proceeded to beat the top 3 seeds, all on the road, to claim the conference tourney championship...of course, that year the NACC didn't get an AQ. Go figure.

[Just Bill]

In the 1st year of the NACC (maybe 2nd, I'm going off memory), I believe Lakeland came into the conference tourney as the 6th seed and then proceeded to beat the top 3 seeds, all on the road, to claim the conference tourney championship...of course, that year the NACC didn't get an AQ. Go figure.

That was 2008, the second year of the league. This bracket omits it, but all three of those wins were in overtime. Probably the best conference tournament run that no one (or few) has ever heard of.

http://naccsports.org/sports/mbkb/2007-08/2008-nac-mbkb.pdf

[Ryan Stoppable]

In the 1st year of the NACC (maybe 2nd, I'm going off memory), I believe Lakeland came into the conference tourney as the 6th seed and then proceeded to beat the top 3 seeds, all on the road, to claim the conference tourney championship...of course, that year the NACC didn't get an AQ. Go figure.

And we haven't gone since then either. Now I'm sad.

Saturday
Concordia Wisconsin 127 Concordia Chicago 80
Wisconsin Lutheran 86 Dominican 79
Aurora 96 Edgewood 82
MSOE 80 Rockford 66
#2 Benedictine 100 Lakeland 76

It's the first perfect regular season in NACC men's basketball history! And the second team to run the table in conference play, after Concordia Wisconsin who went 16-0 back in the 2010-11 season.

Final NACC Standings
1. #2 Benedictine 20-0 (25-0)
2. Aurora 16-4 (20-5)
3. Concordia Wisconsin 14-6 (16-9)
4. Wisconsin Lutheran 11-9 (13-12)
5. Marian 10-10 (13-12)
6. MSOE 10-10 (13-12)
---
7. Lakeland 9-11 (13-12)
7. Rockford 9-11 (13-12)
9. Concordia Chicago 5-15 (6-19)
10. Dominican 3-17 (5-20)
10. Edgewood 3-17 (3-22)

So that gives us (6) MSOE at (3) Concordia Wisconsin and (5) Marian at (4) Wisconsin Lutheran in the first round of the NACC Tournament on Wednesday night. As noted previously, this will be the Warriors' first postseason home game in eight years.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Final public regional rankings are out: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2016/02/24/third-ncaa-regional-ranking/

[Ryan Stoppable]

NACC First Round
(5) Marian 71 (4) Wisconsin Lutheran 65
(6) MSOE 95 (3) Concordia Wisconsin 79

Has to be a disappointing way for the Falcons to end their season after reaching the NCAA Tournament last year. Semifinals are tonight, with (5) Marian at (1) #2 Benedictine as well as (6) MSOE at (2) Aurora.

[Ryan Stoppable]

NACC Semifinals
(1) #2 Benedictine 91 (5) Marian 82
(6) MSOE 100 (2) Aurora 96

I daresay Austin Stueck could not have picked a better time to set a new MSOE school record with 10 threes. He had 42 points in total, and the Raiders needed every one of them as they dealt a sharp blow to Aurora's chances of an at large bid. On the other end of the bracket, the Sabres kept the pressure on, getting with four points in the final minute, but were ultimately turned away like so many others before them.

So that leaves (6) MSOE at (1) #2 Benedictine in the NACC Tournament Final on Sunday. Both regular season meetings went to Eagles (obviously), 84-58 in Lisle on December 9 and 67-52 in Milwaukee on January 23, with Benedictine holding the Raiders below 35 percent shooting in both matchups.

Interestingly, just one page after Lakeland's 2008 conference tourney run was discussed, MSOE is trying to repeat the Muskies' feat of knocking off the top three seeds in order. But to finish the job, they'll have to come at the kings, and they best not miss...

[bbfan44]

MSOE playing well.  Looking forward to a good game on Sunday.

[Ryan Stoppable]

NACC Final
(1) #2 Benedictine 83 (6) MSOE 57

The Eagles shut down the Raiders offense for the third time in as many meetings this year to become the 2016 NACC Tournament Champions! Looking at the box score, neither team was able to get it going from long range, but Benedictine dominated inside (52 points in the paint) while holding MSOE to 30 percent from the floor. Michael Blaszczyk led the Eagles with 19 points, while Tahron Harvey had 17 points and 9 rebounds, and Luke Johnson had 15 and 13. For MSOE, Austin Stueck had a game-high 22 and 7 boards; he finishes a brilliant career with 1,987 points.

Benedictine is headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011, and they do so at 27-0, joining Lancaster Bible College as the first teams to enter the tourney undefeated in seven years, per the front page.

[bbfan44]

Congratulations to the Benedictine Eagles.  Quite a year, quite an accomplishment.  Good luck in the big dance.

[Captain_Joe08]

Projections done by the folks here on D3hoops has BU getting a first round awaiting the winner of the Hardin-Simmons/Texas Lutheran winner.

[Ryan Stoppable]

Projections done by the folks here on D3hoops has BU getting a first round awaiting the winner of the Hardin-Simmons/Texas Lutheran winner.

And that is in fact what happened!

Should they get past that second round matchup, it would most likely be #10 Ohio Wesleyan in the Sweet Sixteen. After that, possible Elite Eight opponents in a showdown for The Belt^TM would include pod hosts #8 St. Norbert and #12 John Carroll, #11 North Central, and the current The Belt^TM holders, #19 Alma.

And the best of luck to them.

[Just Bill]

Projections done by the folks here on D3hoops has BU getting a first round awaiting the winner of the Hardin-Simmons/Texas Lutheran winner.

And that is in fact what happened!

Should they get past that second round matchup, it would most likely be #10 Ohio Wesleyan in the Sweet Sixteen. After that, possible Elite Eight opponents in a showdown for The Belt^TM would include pod hosts #8 St. Norbert and #12 John Carroll, #11 North Central, and the current The Belt^TM holders, #19 Alma.

And the best of luck to them.

And there's no reason to think they wouldn't host the Sectional round as well. Whichever team comes out of the St. Norbert pod will be within the 500-mile bus limit. In the John Carroll pod all but St. Vincent are within 500 miles (and St. Vincent is the lowest seed in that group). So there shouldn't be any reason they won't host again.

[Ryan Stoppable]

The 2015-16 NACC individual awards: http://naccsports.org/sports/mbkb/2015-16/awards-season

Luke Johnson of Benedictine claimed NACC Player of the Year honors. The 6'9 center averaged 14.0 points per game on 56 percent shooting, leading the NACC at 11.1 rebounds per game. He was also a force on the defensive end, setting a new conference record with 82 blocks (3.0 per game) and counting going into the NCAA Tournament.

His teammate John Dodson was named NACC Defensive Player of the Year. Although lacking any gaudy individual numbers, he anchored the Eagles' efforts in holding opponents to a measly 37 percent from the field, and a 68.1 scoring average that is 6 points lower than any other NACC team. The NACC Freshman of the Year is Collin Kennedy of Wisconsin Lutheran. He was the conference's 4th leading scorer at 19.4 points per game, pairing that with 6.1 rebounds per game. And as you might except, Benedictine's Keith Bunkenburg was named Coach of the Year.

Joining Johnson and Kennedy among the ten members of the All-Conference first team are four-time honoree Austin Stueck of MSOE; second-time picks Michael Blaszcyck (BU), Josh Creed (Marian), Tyler Hall (Aurora), and Eric Kittel (Concordia Wisconsin); and newcomers Tahron Harvey (BU), Nick Kladis (AU) and Michael Murray (Rockford).