BB: Just Some Guy's West Region Rankings

[BigPoppa]

I thought the NATHcon was still a Pool B this year. It really changes things if they are a Pool A.

[Ralph Turner]

I thought the NATHcon was still a Pool B this year. It really changes things if they are a Pool A.

They are for 2007 and 2008.  Sorry for the confusion. 

[Spence]

Spence-

One factor in the Central Region has to be the CCIW. If Carthage wins the CCIW (which I think they will) and Augustana finishes with a great record, you have to assume that both get in (Not counting the 31-10 Augie teams left out last year). Mix in the IIAC winner (Wartburg), SLIAC winner (Webtser?) and the NATHcon winner(Pool B... most likely Aurora) and possibly Washington U  (UAA  team with a great record and based in St. Louis in the Central Region), and that leaves one spot open in the Central Region for a team like Millsaps to be pushed north into the Central Region.

The restructuring of conferences (NIAC and LMC becoming the NATHcon)certainly changes things in BOTH the Central and the Midwest. More teams added into the Central region by leaving the Midwest region. It should make for a great run for the bids in early May.

Right now I don't see a Nathcon team being good enough to get a Pool B. The best record right now belongs to Concordia IL at 12-6-1 with two wins over Juniata, one over Mount Union and a split of Edgewood "highlighting" their resume. The Concordias h ave played bottom rung teams to tkae the early lead...almost everyone else has a mediocre record and is bunched up in the conference.

Of course Edgewood beat Washington. Washington hasn't proven a lot either (went 1-3 against not Case Western in Florida) but unless they're just not good at all should end up with no more than 10 losses. So that would probably get them in.

Even if the CCIW gets two, which there's still a LONG ways to go in that, if the Nathcon doesn't get anyone, they're still one short. And you mentioned that the Midwest would be shortened as well as they wouldn't have the LMC autobid. It's down to Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Midwest Conf. The WIAC will almost surely get two. St. Scholastica will probably be there. They're still one short (unless Minny gets two).

So this is basically what I'm seeing:
West -- Chapman, George Fox, TLU, SCIACica. East Bay played Chapman pretty well but still only took 1 and at 14-10, I think they have work to do. Even if you count East Bay, they're one short if a Texas team doesn't win the SCAC.

Central -- Washington (I suppose), CCIW, Iowa, St. Louey, Augustana (for the sake of illustration. They're going to be one short unless someone in the Nathcon steps on the gas in a hurry. They could very well be two short.

Midwest -- WIAC I and II, Minnesota, St. Scholastica, Midwest. They're one short unless a second Minnesota team emerges or the WIAC gets 3.

South -- Salisbury, York, ODAC, Dixie, good chance of a Dixie II, possibly Millsaps, Rhodes, Huntingdon, or Maryville. They could be over by 2 if all of them get in, maybe 3 if someone upsets in the ODAC and Va. Wesleyan gets in.

Huntingdon or Maryville would present some interesting challenges the committee hasn't really dealt with before.


On another topic, we may have gotten a glimpse of our answer re: Chapman and Yacko. In the 3-game set at CSU-EB, Yacko relieved in all three games; Luzar started Game 3.

[CUAfan]

I do have a side question though.  According to Concordia's schedule they played 4 games against Houston Baptist, however, according to Houston Baptist's schedule they played 6 games.  I would assume that one of the schedules is wrong, and I can't imagine Baptist making up 2 extra games out of thin air.  Is it just an oversite on Concordia's schedule or did the games not count for some reason.

Concordia plays several "junior varsity" games against (mostly) junior colleges during the course of the season, with most coming early on. Those games count for the juco but not for us. Each weekend against HBU, there were three games played. Two were "varsity" for CUA and one was "JV", so only two counted for us but all three counted for HBU.

And no, I don't know why we don't count them and HBU does, I just know that's why there's a discrepancy.

[Ralph Turner]

I do have a side question though.  According to Concordia's schedule they played 4 games against Houston Baptist, however, according to Houston Baptist's schedule they played 6 games.  I would assume that one of the schedules is wrong, and I can't imagine Baptist making up 2 extra games out of thin air.  Is it just an oversite on Concordia's schedule or did the games not count for some reason.

Concordia plays several "junior varsity" games against (mostly) junior colleges during the course of the season, with most coming early on. Those games count for the juco but not for us. Each weekend against HBU, there were three games played. Two were "varsity" for CUA and one was "JV", so only two counted for us but all three counted for HBU.

And no, I don't know why we don't count them and HBU does, I just know that's why there's a discrepancy.

NAIA versus NCAA is my first thought.

[Pat Coleman]

I know that in 2005 Carthage was the #1 seed in the Central region and had to drive to Mississippi College to play the regional. What type of reward is an 18-hour bus ride for a #1 seed?

This is more than 500 miles. Should be a flight by NCAA rules.

[Spence]

Did King's fly to Terre Haute last year? That's over 500 miles as well. I'm not implying they didn't, just asking.

Correction/redux to a previous post. I read yesterday night that Pac Lu swept George Fox, so they would be in the driver's seat in the northwest for the bid out west. It's IMO too early to tell if GFU would get a Pool C...a lot probably depends on how they do when they go south later this month.

Wasn't a significant part of the reason why Washington U. hosted last year because of the distance from Millsaps to there vs. other possible host sites? With IWU not being in the field, I was thinking that was a significant consideration.

[BigPoppa]

I know that in 2005 Carthage was the #1 seed in the Central region and had to drive to Mississippi College to play the regional. What type of reward is an 18-hour bus ride for a #1 seed?

This is more than 500 miles. Should be a flight by NCAA rules.

I have no idea why, but they took a bus for the trip.

[Spence]

Maybe Augie pocketed the difference? JUST KIDDING.

[Ralph Turner]

Maybe Augie pocketed the difference? JUST KIDDING.

Or they took the money to the Casinos in Vicksburg! 

[Spence]

Much better casinos in Tunica and Biloxi though, right?

I'll probably be finding out first hand about the Biloxi ones in the next couple months lol.

[Ralph Turner]

Much better casinos in Tunica and Biloxi though, right?

I'll probably be finding out first hand about the Biloxi ones in the next couple months lol.

Yeah, but you can slip over to Vicksburg from Jackson, during a rain-delay! 

[Spence]

Touche.

First thing to open back up in Biloxi other than Keesler after jimmycane Katrina was the Beau Rivage.

[Just_Some_Guy]

With George Fox splitting with Linfield last night, they give some more breathing room to Pac Lutheran. Does the NWC still not have a tournament and just send their regular season champion? If Pac Lutheran wins the NWC, and GFU doesn't lose much more do they have a legitimate shot an at-large bid?

Do any of the ASC teams have a chance at an at-large bid if they don't win teh conference tournament?

How's the SCIAC work? tournament? Any chance for a bid for a team that doesn't win the tournament?

[Ralph Turner]

With George Fox splitting with Linfield last night, they give some more breathing room to Pac Lutheran. Does the NWC still not have a tournament and just send their regular season champion? If Pac Lutheran wins the NWC, and GFU doesn't lose much more do they have a legitimate shot an at-large bid?

Do any of the ASC teams have a chance at an at-large bid if they don't win teh conference tournament?

How's the SCIAC work? tournament? Any chance for a bid for a team that doesn't win the tournament?

I don't think that either conference has a tourney.  If that is the case, then GFU needs to sweep the CSU-East Bay series and win 2 out of 3 from Chapman for their best chance at a Pool C bid, (IMHO).

When you are going for an at-large bid, you are competing with so many other really good teams, and a few great teams that were upset in their conference tourneys.

I count an in-region record of 16-5 for GFU with 13 West Region games to play as of this morning.  Winning 12 of 13 gives them a 28-6 West Region record.

Thanks for bringing up that question.