2011 Final Four

[sac]

The Final Four in D3 this year was very competitive and lived up to it's billing.  This next set of games is like an afterthought and is about as interesting as "watching grass grow."  The D3 national championship has already been decided and don't understand why Washington U has to play these next two games.

Its this kind of talk that is the precise reason the games are played.

Here's a reference point
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woDd5erJtbQ

[Mr. Ypsi]

The Final Four in D3 this year was very competitive and lived up to it's billing.  This next set of games is like an afterthought and is about as interesting as "watching grass grow."  The D3 national championship has already been decided and don't understand why Washington U has to play these next two games.

While I've railed against the bracket of death as strongly as anyone (and even opined that the Elmhurst regional could almost have been a final four), this post is way over the top.

Any of the final four teams is capable of pulling off two wins.  Wash U is certainly the favorite (and I think several other teams from the bracket of death would also have been favored), but the weekend is NOT a foregone conclusion.  (Though two blowouts by Wash U would NOT surprise me - nor would two or more close games.)

[Ralph Turner]

The Final Four in D3 this year was very competitive and lived up to it's billing.  This next set of games is like an afterthought and is about as interesting as "watching grass grow."  The D3 national championship has already been decided and don't understand why Washington U has to play these next two games.

Its this kind of talk that is the precise reason the games are played.

Here's a reference point
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woDd5erJtbQ

Reference point?

I was thinking of this one.   

[Mr. Ypsi]

The Final Four in D3 this year was very competitive and lived up to it's billing.  This next set of games is like an afterthought and is about as interesting as "watching grass grow."  The D3 national championship has already been decided and don't understand why Washington U has to play these next two games.

Its this kind of talk that is the precise reason the games are played.

Here's a reference point
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woDd5erJtbQ

Reference point?

I was thinking of this one.   

Good pick, Ralph.  That and Villanova over Georgetown are my two persistent examples of "never assume"!  I would say that Wash U is approximately the same favorite as Phi Slamma Jamma and the Hoyas.  Will lightning strike THREE times?

I'm still not certain I would vote NCState ot 'nova even into the top ten, much less #1.  So, if Wash U falls, will I vote the winner #1 on my PP ballot?  Richard Stockton, probably.  Guilford or F&M, stay tuned!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Only now did it seep through my thick skull - Salem is where the ODAC has their conference tourney.  So, just like RMC or HSC, Guilford is the "home" team.

IMO, Wash U is still the heavy favorite, with Dickie Stockton #2, but who knows?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The Final Four in D3 this year was very competitive and lived up to it's billing.  This next set of games is like an afterthought and is about as interesting as "watching grass grow."  The D3 national championship has already been decided and don't understand why Washington U has to play these next two games.

Hmm... I believe Ill. Wesleyan was in this exact same position in 2006... but last time I checked they didn't win a national title that year... Virginia Wesleyan did. Same could be said about the Final Four in 2001 when Catholic won. PurpleReign... you might want to do a bit more research and have a better understanding of Division III Basketball before posting a comment like this. Wash U is certainly the favorite, but let's play the games first and then find out if they are a deserving champion.

[Titan Q]

Hmm... I believe Ill. Wesleyan was in this exact same position in 2006... 

Not really, Dave.  In 2006, IWU finished 9-5 in the CCIW (they were the #4 seed in the CCIW tournament).  They entered Salem ranked #11.  The loss to Virginia Wesleyan wasn't an upset based on the poll...

2006
#7 Virginia Wesleyan beat #11 Illinois Wesleyan
#3 Wittenberg beat #4 Amherst

#11 Illinois Wesleyan beat # 4 Amherst
#7 Virginia Wesleyan beat #3 Wittenberg


IWU went through a nasty bracket to get to Salem, but not quite what Wash U has just made it through...

vs #17 Carroll (neutral)
@ #15 UW-Whitewater
@ #1 Lawrence
vs #14 Puget Sound (neutral)

Wash U's current road...

vs #20 Lawrence (neutral)
vs #8 UW-Whitewater (neutral)
@ #3 Wheaton
vs #1 St. Thomas (neutral)

And this Wash U team ran away with the UAA (13-1) and finished the regular season 23-2.

While I have been clear in stating that I think anything can happen in Salem, and that people should not assume Wash U is going to run away with this, the Bears are certainly a big favorite...much bigger than IWU was in 2006, or whoever was the favorite in 2001 when Catholic won...

2001
#14 Catholic beat #3 Ohio Northern
#11 William Paterson beat #17 Illinois Wesleyan

#17 Illinois Wesleyan beat #3 Ohio Northern
#14 Catholic beat #11 William Paterson

[WAS A PLAYER]

I hope everyone realizes that the statement by PurpleReign is not a belief of  Wash U fans. We know all to well that anything can happen in Salem. Go Bears!

[Pat Coleman]

No, it's a statement of a St. Thomas fan.

[BUBeaverFan]

If you listen to the Hoopsville Broadcast from Sunday night, Coach Edwards makes it clear that all four teams in Salem are quality deserving teams and that Wash U will have their work cut out for them.    They pointed out on the broadcast that both Virginia Wesleyan and Amherst lost their chance to repeat in the championship game. No team is a lock.  Go Bears!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Titan - I was simply saying that after the road IWU traveled and in the manner they won, I think many people felt they were the favorite to win. Not based on rankings. It is just a reminder that while one team is playing well and seems to be a favorite, it might be the team overshadowed that comes out victorious.

[Titan Q]

Titan - I was simply saying that after the road IWU traveled and in the manner they won, I think many people felt they were the favorite to win. Not based on rankings. It is just a reminder that while one team is playing well and seems to be a favorite, it might be the team overshadowed that comes out victorious.

Completely agree.

[Greek Tragedy]

I think all of us who have railed on the Bracket of Death hope that Washington U goes in and blows out their potential two opponents to prove the strength of that bracket they were in.  In a way, that's how I feel.  There probably isn't going to be a change anytime soon, so we'll just have to live with it. 

I remember something Pat had wrote about swapping some of the brackets so in the 2nd weekend, the Bracket of Death would've been split up and it wouldn't have mattered much since flights would be required anyway.  Hopefully the NCAA realizes this and splits things up a little more next year.

[hope1]

that is  pretty good that wash u has 2 teams in the final 4 this week it would be hard to be there fans to decide who goes to whitch game this week  holland or salem 

[Greek Tragedy]

Point had that in 2004...too bad Salem and Virginia Beach weren't closer...oh yeah, the women's Pointer hockey team was in the Final Four the same weekend as well.