Great Lakes Region

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Transylvania is also very well positioned geographically because they can host teams like Randolph-Macon, Birmingham-Southern, and Great Lakes teams as far away as Hope (not sure the mileage and only using it as an example) within the 500 miles rule. That will make them very attractive for the committee in terms of trying to balance the bracket.

[Gregory Sager]

Yep. Transylvania, like Centre and Maryville, is a "bridge" school that helps to link widely divergent clusters of D3 schools in terms of tournament geography. Bridge schools such as Transy are among the necessary ingredients to make a good bracket, considering the financial limitations imposed upon the selection committee when constructing the bracket.

[KnightSlappy]

I was kind of thinking the same thing ScotsFan.

Of course, my question is if Witt is able to win the conference tournament or at least make the finals does that lock up possible hosting for a first round site?

I'd say Witt or Wooster would be in pretty good shape for hosting for the first weekend of the NCAA tournament if either of them bring home the tournament championship.

I have Witt as having the #20 tournament resume in the country, and Wooster as #28. Figuring the top 16 (ish) teams host, then either one has some work to do. Witt could potentially be one of the last few hosts, but I'm not as sure about Wooster.

[kiltedbryan]

I agree that Transy could have a good hosting position, both in rankings and geography. Wooster went there not that long ago--maybe '06?

My challenge in trying to suss out where the committee might send GL teams stems from these points:

1) Hope probably deserves (and could get?) a first round bye on the basis of national seeding. (Note: I'm not sure what's likely to be needed for geographical reasons)
2) Hope (and possibly Transy as well) also deserves (but may not get) an "easy" early draw. It doesn't seem like the Pool C NCAC team(s) would meet this definition, though they would make a good potential second-rounder.
3) The (possibly 3) NCAC teams shouldn't play each other in the first round per NCAA guidance, and so must go to different sites or at least different matchups at one site.
4) The region is likely to only get 2 Pool C bids, both from the NCAC, so there won't be that many teams to go around (unless there are major tournament upsets).

One unorthodox way that an NCAC team might host would be if Hope gets the bye and the NCAC team hosts a Thursday game with the winner to Hope on Saturday.

Otherwise, I'm thinking that if the NCAC draws three teams they might all go in different directions: I could see one in a "Hope pod", one in a "Transy pod", and one somewhere else altogether (e.g., OWU to a "Midwest" bracket or Wooster to an "East" bracket).

[sac]

Tied up at Thomas More just over 6 to play
http://www.thomasmore.edu/athletics/mbasketball/Live/xlive.htm

Bethany up 12 7 to go
http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/bethanywv.portal#

Wilmington has led JCU most of the way, up 9 with 16 to play
http://www.sidearmstats.com/jcu/mbball/scoreboard.aspx

Early 2nd a low scoring close one in Bexley.
http://webapps.capital.edu/athletics/mbb/xlive.htm

[sac]

Thomas More 75 St. Vincent 70......timeout with 2 seconds left down 5, come'on dude.

Bethany 82 Wash & Jeff 69......Bethany pulled away in the end, everytime I checked in it was a 1 or 2 possession game.


Saturday PAC Championship game 7:30 pm

Thomas More @ Bethany

[sac]

Crunchtime in Ohio.

tied up with 5 to go in Cleveland.
http://www.sidearmstats.com/jcu/mbball/scoreboard.aspx


Cap leads ONU by 8, a little over 9 to play.
http://webapps.capital.edu/athletics/mbb/xlive.htm

[sac]

Wilmington 79 John Carroll 74---JCU actually fought back from a big first half deficit.  The game was close right to the final minute before Wilmington put it away from the stripe.

[sac]

Capital 66 Ohio Northern 61--quite the fight right to the end.  ONU just refused to fold up their tent and go home.  I enjoyed watching that.


OAC Final Saturday

#5 Wilmington @ #2 Capital, 7:30pm

[ScotsFan]

Does last night's loss pretty much end any chance that the JCU gets a C?

kilted, good points you brought up about spreading out the NCAC if 3 teams make it in.  The thing is, what makes sense to us is an entirely different matter when it comes to what the NCAA does when seeding the D3 tournament?!   

[KnightSlappy]

Does last night's loss pretty much end any chance that the JCU gets a C?

kilted, good points you brought up about spreading out the NCAC if 3 teams make it in.  The thing is, what makes sense to us is an entirely different matter when it comes to what the NCAA does when seeding the D3 tournament?!   

Yep. JCU is done. No shot at a Pool C.

[sac]

It's going to be difficult to send the NCAC to two different locations with 3 teams without someone getting a tougher than expected game.  It would work better if an NCAC school was chosen as a host.  But I think Transylvania is going to get to host.

at Hope
CCIW Pool C
NCAC Pool C

Nathcon A
Hope

at Transylvania
OAC A
NCAC A

NCAC C
Transylvania

....and this is leaving out Bethany/Thomas More.  Both would be obvious choices to replace the NCAC C vs Transy.

Transylvania would certainly deserve an easier opponent than Witt or Woo.  I think there's a real chance one of the NCAC shools is going to get a really long road trip like to UW-Whitewater/CCIW A, western NY/PA or even Virginia.  I don't think the NCAC Champion hosting is out of the question either, I just think Transylvania's proximity would make it a little difficult on the committee to find teams if Witt and Transy both hosted next weekend.    Wooster/Transy would be a lot easier on the committee because they could pull teams from Western NY/PA etc. very easily.




The NCAC not hosting might be a first in quite awhile.  I personally can't remember a year the NCAC or OAC reps didn't get at least one school hosting.

[ScotsFan]

They could send one NCAC 'C' east or west.  OWU was sent east when they won the NCAC automatic a few years ago and Wooster has had to make the trek far west when they made the 499.75 mile trek to WashU a few years ago as well.  I could see the PrAC champ being sent to Transy and the second NCAC 'C' getting shipped east or west if it comes to that.  Of course, this is assuming Transy wins the HCAC.  If they lose, and either Witt or Woo wins the NCAC tournament, I don't see the Pios hosting.

[sac]

Wooster 89 OWU 80

KS had OWU the #13 Pool C team this week.  For OWU to make the tournament as a Pool C they really need to count on as few tournament upsets for the AQ's as possible.

[sac]

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/livestats/xlive.htm

At the moment I typed this Denison was ahead 24-6