2011 Final Four

[Titan Q]

Teams that have made it to the Final Four in the Salem Era (1995-96 to 2010-11)
Williams 6 (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011) - NESCAC
Amherst 4 (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008) - NESCAC
Illinois Wesleyan 4 (1996, 1997, 2001, 2006) - CCIW
Franklin & Marshall 3 (1996, 2000, 2009) - Centennial
Hope 3 (1996, 1998, 2008) - MIAA
UW-Stevens Point 3 (2004, 2005, 2010) - WIAC
Washington U. 3 (2007, 2008, 2009) - UAA
Wooster 3 (2003, 2007, 2011) - NCAC
Calvin 2 (2000, 2005) - MIAA
Guilford 2 (2009, 2010) - ODAC
Hampden-Sydney 2 (1999, 2003) - ODAC
Rochester 2 (2002, 2005) - UAA
UW-Platteville 2 (1998, 1999) - WIAC
Virginia Wesleyan 2 (2006, 2006) - ODAC
William Paterson 2 (1999, 2001) - NJAC
Alvernia 1 (1997) - MACF
Carthage 1 (2002) - CCIW
Catholic 1 (2001) - LAND
Connecticut College 1 (1999) - NESCAC
Elizabethtown 1 (2002) - MACC
Gustavus Adolphus 1 (2003) - MIAC
John Carroll 1 (2004) - OAC
Middlebury 1 (2011) - NESCAC
Nebraska Wesleyan 1 (1997) - ind
Ohio Northern 1 (2001) - OAC
Otterbein 1 (2002) - OAC
Randolph-Macon (2010) - ODAC
Richard Stockton 1 (2009) - NJAC
Rowan 1 (1996) - NJAC
Salem St 1 (2000) - MASCAC
St. Thomas 1 (2011) - MIAC
Ursinus 1 (2008) - Centennial
UW-Eau Claire 1 (2000) - WIAC
Wilkes 1 (1997) - MACF
Wittenberg 1 (2006) - NCAC
York (Pa) 1 (2005) – CAC

[nescac1]

Final Four preview, from a Williams perspective, with tons of relevant links:

http://www.ephblog.com/2011/03/17/final-four-mega-preview/

[nwhoops1903]

Great comeback and win by Wooster.  Good luck to Scots in Final.

[Ralph Turner]

Great comeback and win by Wooster.  Good luck to Scots in Final.

There are appeared to be a strong contingent of Wooster fans who had made the 370 mile trip to Salem.  They certainly were waving the gold towels.

Was it enough to be considered an element in the Wooster comeback?

[Ralph Turner]

Looking at the map, St Thomas is the campus with the 3rd farthest west latitude of any school appearing in the Final Four in the D3hoops.com era.

Going west to east...

1) Nebraska Wesleyan -- Lincoln, NE
2) Gustavus Adolphus -- St Peter, MN
3) St Thomas -- St Paul, MN

[Greek Tragedy]

Sounds like two of the most exciting semi final games played.  I would imagine that would be the closest combined semi final scores of all time.  What were the crowds like?  It was posted Williams and Wooster were bringing big crowds, how about St. Thomas and Middlebury?   Good luck to St. Thomas today.  

[Gregory Sager]

Looking at the map, St Thomas is the campus with the 3rd farthest west latitude of any school appearing in the Final Four in the D3hoops.com era.

Going west to east...

1) Nebraska Wesleyan -- Lincoln, NE
2) Gustavus Adolphus -- St Peter, MN
3) St Thomas -- St Paul, MN

It will be very hard for D3 to have a Final Four participant that's further west than Stanislaus State, which finished fourth in 1982 (and is now a D2 school). Only UC-Santa Cruz and a handful of NWC schools are further west than Turlock, CA, which is where Stanislaus State is located.

[Gregory Sager]

Sounds like two of the most exciting semi final games played.  I would imagine that would be the closest combined semi final scores of all time.  What were the crowds like?  It was posted Williams and Wooster were bringing big crowds, how about St. Thomas and Middlebury?   Good luck to St. Thomas today.  

Two teams from the heartland in the national championship game! I'm all for that!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

17-2 run for St. Thomas brings them from 6 down to 9 up.  Great game so far.  No real weak spots on either side.

I think it will come down to how well Wooster can survive the press in the second half.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Went from 11-2 Wooster to 30-16 St. Thomas real fast.  Seven minutes to go in the first half.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

St. Thomas is 6-9 from deep so far.  Just laying into Wooster now.  The press is frustrating Wooster.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

43-27 - St. Thomas up 16 at the half.  Everytime Wooster breaks the press they throw the ball away.  There're going to have to be some big time adjustments at the half for Wooster to get back in this.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

43-27 - St. Thomas up 16 at the half.  Everytime Wooster breaks the press they throw the ball away.  There're going to have to be some big time adjustments at the half for Wooster to get back in this.

43-26 - Franks' buzzer beating shot ruled a 2 after video replay.  Rough call.

[Gregory Sager]

Looked to me like his toe was on the line.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Looked to me like his toe was on the line.

Yeah, its almost like it slid onto the line as he was jumping.  It's the right call, but such a rough spot for Wooster.  This is just one more thing that hasn't been going well for them.