2011 Final Four

[thx4playing]

Streaming video for all four games this weekend in Salem:
http://all-access.cstv.com/cstv/player/player.html?code=cs

Go to the CSTV.com link above, click on men's basketball on the bottom of the page, then click on the image to enter (or vice versa).  Look on the right column for the game.  It's free, but you have to register...

The catch is you need to be a PC user with Internet Explorer 6 or 7.  Mac users are out of luck.

Most of the D-I March madness games can also be watched on the same player for free, now that CSTV is owned by CBS.

[David Collinge]

Here is a link to Wooster's Final Four website.  Safe travels to all of you who are heading to Salem. 

[Greek Tragedy]

Good luck to all the teams this year at Salem, especially Washington U. in the semis.  My wish is for them to win and then lose in the final, for historical reasons. 

[David Collinge]

While doing a bit of clean-up this morning, I ran across my copy of Street & Smith's College Basketball 2006-07 Yearbook.  In their pre-season rankings, they had Wooster #1, Va. Wesleyan #3, and Amherst #6.  Wash. U. was neither ranked in their top 10 nor listed in their 36 "Possible Breakthroughs."

Here's what Chuck Mistovich of Basketball Times had to say about the three ranked semifinalists:

1. Wooster
Four starters and 11 lettermen return for Coach Steve Moore's team, which is the winningest program (171-26) for all Dicision III schools during the current decade.  Returning All-Americans James Cooper (19.2 points per game) and Tom Port (15.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) are two huge reasons the Fighting Scots are No. 1.  Tim Vandervaart (14.9, 8.7) and four other key players each scored more than 200 points last season, so the Ohio team has all of the pieces of the puzzle to go all the way.  Moore says he wants his club to be more physical this year.

3. Virginia Wesleyan
The Marlins open the new season with a 28-game winning streak, which carried Coach Dave Macedo's club to the national title last year.  Everything is in place for another championship run, with 10 of the top 11 scorers returning.  All-American Brandon Adair (18.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) leads the way, with help from 6-1 TonTon Balenga (12.5 ppg) and 6-5 Tyler Fantin (10.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg).

6. Amherst
Three starters and 10 lettermen are back from a 28-4 club, so everything is looking solid for the Jeffs.  Coach David Hixon will build his program around 6-5 Dan Wheeler (14.5 ppf, 4.4 rpg), 6-0 Andrew Olson (9.4 ppg, 5.6 apg) and 6-7 Dan O'Shea (5.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg).

VWC's Adair and Wooster's Cooper were on the pre-season All-America first team; VWC's Balenga and Wooster's Port were on the second team, and Amherst's Wheeler was given honorable mention.

[pabegg]

While doing a bit of clean-up this morning, I ran across my copy of Street & Smith's College Basketball 2006-07 Yearbook.  In their pre-season rankings, they had Wooster #1, Va. Wesleyan #3, and Amherst #6.  Wash. U. was neither ranked in their top 10 nor listed in their 36 "Possible Breakthroughs."

Don't forget that the D3Hoops poll had Virginia Wesleyan, Wooster, and Amherst as #1, #2, and #3 for the preseason poll (and week).

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

While doing a bit of clean-up this morning, I ran across my copy of Street & Smith's College Basketball 2006-07 Yearbook.  In their pre-season rankings, they had Wooster #1, Va. Wesleyan #3, and Amherst #6.  Wash. U. was neither ranked in their top 10 nor listed in their 36 "Possible Breakthroughs."

Don't forget that the D3Hoops poll had Virginia Wesleyan, Wooster, and Amherst as #1, #2, and #3 for the preseason poll (and week).

And WashU got three points, behind 59 other teams, including Cortland State, a squad that went 10-16 this year.

[Marty Peretz]

I don't want to toot my horn too much, but I just wanted to let ya'll know that I picked all four final 4 teams correctly, moving my rank in the d3 bracket challenege up approximately 600 places in the process. How many people also picked all four?

As for the games...DO NOT COUNT WASH U OUT...I'd dare say they play with more poise than anyone in the tourney and they have three weapons who are all very difficult to stop. If they can stay out of foul trouble, they might be the toughest out in the tourney. Go Bears.

[Gregory Sager]

While doing a bit of clean-up this morning, I ran across my copy of Street & Smith's College Basketball 2006-07 Yearbook.  In their pre-season rankings, they had Wooster #1, Va. Wesleyan #3, and Amherst #6.  Wash. U. was neither ranked in their top 10 nor listed in their 36 "Possible Breakthroughs."

Don't forget that the D3Hoops poll had Virginia Wesleyan, Wooster, and Amherst as #1, #2, and #3 for the preseason poll (and week).

And WashU got three votes, behind 59 other teams, including Cortland State, a squad that went 10-16 this year.

Not three votes ... three points. They all came from the same pollster; Q had the Bears #23 on his preseason ballot. Nobody else thought to give a nod to Wash U.

[John Gleich]

As for the games...DO NOT COUNT WASH U OUT...

I don't think anyone is counted out.  As has been said quite often this season, there isn't a runaway team, there are simply a lot of teams playing at a about the same level.  I don't recall it being discussed as much last season, but I think it was much the same... there was not a runaway team.  And look at the results:

National Semi-finals:

Va W. over IWU 71-68
Witt over Amh 64-60

3rd place game

IWU over Amh 71-68
Va W over Witt 59-56

That's a total of 13 points in 4 games.  I haven't looked at other seasons, but if that isn't a record for a single season's series of games in Salem, then it would greatly surprise me.

And that was the year after the largest margin of victory in Finals history, when UWSP dispensed with Rochester 73-49.

This year is going to be one like last year, I think... four close, tightly fought games.

[Ralph Turner]

The scoreboard operator is not too crisp with the scoring changes.

I also miss the clock.

We need to the technology to catch up with the expectations...game clock, shot clock, etc.

[Greek Tragedy]

Congrats to Amherst, way to get the Final Four monkey off your back.

[hopefan]

Wash U dictating the pace in the 2nd game  -  up 28-25 at half

[Greek Tragedy]

Virginia Wes pulls it out. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I don't want to toot my horn too much, but I just wanted to let ya'll know that I picked all four final 4 teams correctly, moving my rank in the d3 bracket challenege up approximately 600 places in the process. How many people also picked all four?

I was considering those four, but I went out on a limb for my submitted bracket and lost.  I did get the entire Wooster Region correct.  That's something to hold onto for next year.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The scoreboard operator is not too crisp with the scoring changes.

I also miss the clock.

We need to the technology to catch up with the expectations...game clock, shot clock, etc.

Ralph, from what I heard from people at the table, the scoreboard operator was more concerned about getting the clock right instead of getting distracted getting an extra point on the board.

The teams, fans, and everyone I think understood it was a two point lead and if they want to make sure they start the clock at the right time, etc... then I can understand a delay getting the point on the board. It didn't make a difference in the long run anyway, because the scoreboard is NOT official anyway!

They did a good job with new technology... I wouldn't be surprised if we see even more changes at the score table in the future.