Great Lakes Region

[KnightSlappy]

This list clearly demonstrates the importance of the regional system.   

I always feel like this shows that the NCAA is talking out of both sides of their mouth.

NCAA: Calvin and Hope: NATHCON, CCIW, WIAC, MWC are out of region for you. Stop scheduling them during the season.

NCAA: Calvin and Hope: NATHCON, CCIW, WIAC, MWC fits best for you 'geographically', so we'll nearly always put you with them come tournament time.

[sac]

Our Great Lakes region friends from Bethany bowed out of the tournament to St. Mary's, MD last night.  Looks like it got away from them early and they just never really recovered.   http://www.bethanywv.edu/statfiles/MBB11/betsmcm1.htm

Seeing Nick Wilcox held to 3 points is kind of amazing to me.  He looked to be a very solid, challenging player to defend when Bethany came up here to play Olivet in December.

I'd say the boxscore points out their lack of depth but I think each of their boxscores has looked like that one.  British Alexander with an iron man 40 minutes.

Looking at the brackets I thought maybe Bethany should have been hosting this game, seeing how it played out I doubt it would have made too much of a difference.

[smedindy]

With British Alexander and Brady Pacific, they certainly have contenders for the tournament All-Name team!

[kiltedbryan]

Disappointing result from Cabrini:

Ohio Wesleyan 60
Hobart 64


Great Lakes region teams start the tourney 0-2.   

[KnightSlappy]

We're still nearly a month away from the first set of Regional Rankings, but it's fun to hypothesize anyway. My crack at the "current" rankings along with regional record and results vs. possibly ranked teams.

1. Ohio Wesleyan (13-0, Capital, Wittenberg) -- no other option right now.

2. Wooster (12-2, Wittenberg, L-Adrian, L-Transylvania) -- They're "helped" if Adrian doesn't make the rankings at any point this year.

3. Calvin (9-0, Adrian) -- Calvin could be considered starting at #2 - the common opponent of Adrian helps them over Wooster - but their in-region weighted SOS is terrible right now. One could even justify dropping them further. Calvin is similarly hurt if Adrian doesn't crack the rankings to become at least "one ranked, always ranked".

4. Wittenberg (8-3, Capital, L-Wooster, L-Ohio Wesleyan) -- I would otherwise put Capital here (though it's close), but the head-to-head would likely give the advantage to Wittenberg.

5. Capital (11-2, L-Wittenberg, L-Ohio Wesleyan) -- The head-to-head and sketchy SOS number is enough to slide Capital below Wittenberg.

6. Thomas More (12-2, L-Transylvania) -- Could argue for Thomas More starting at #4, but they don't have a tough schedule and haven't beaten anyone noteworthy. Their head-to-head win over St. Vincent on Saturday puts them here instead of St. Vincent.

On the outside

Adrian (7-3, Wooster, L-Calvin) -- They'd have been as high as third a week ago, but a 1-3 start to conference play won't help. They'll need a strong showing from here on out - including perhaps a win over Calvin - to climb back in the race. Their SOS number still looks good.

Hope (6-3, Adrian, L-Wheaton (IL), L-North Central) -- Despite the 6-3 record, Hope is still very much alive in the region. They'll need a good MIAA showing (4-0 so far) and probably a win or two over Calvin, but they could very well be in the hunt at some point. Their schedule to date has been quite tough.

St. Vincent (9-3, L-Thomas More) -- St. Vincent was a borderline candidate anyway, but their head-to-head loss versus Thomas More will keep them down for a while.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

February 6th will be the first of three public rankings.

[KnightSlappy]

February 6th will be the first of three public rankings.

Has there been a handbook? I haven't stumbled across it yet.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I have asked and been told it is ready... but I have not found it either (for both men's and women's)... however, I do have a few emails/contacts out to find out where it might be. I will let you know when I learn more.

[Ralph Turner]

I have asked and been told it is ready... but I have not found it either (for both men's and women's)... however, I do have a few emails/contacts out to find out where it might be. I will let you know when I learn more.

Thanks!

[sac]

All 4 GL region conferences have match-ups with teams at the top of their respective standings this week.


Wednesday
Marietta @ Capital
Hope @ Calvin

Saturday
Wooster @ Ohio Wesleyan
Thomas More @ Bethany   *both in a 3-way tie

[Gregory Sager]

2. Wooster (12-2, Wittenberg, L-Adrian, L-Transylvania) -- They're "helped" if Adrian doesn't make the rankings at any point this year.

That's not necessarily true. The selection committee looks at both quantity and quality with regard to in-region record versus ranked opponents. If Wooster comes up short on the number of ranked teams it's played -- a problem that's happened to NCAC teams more than once -- that extra game against Adrian could be a boon, even though it was a loss.

[KnightSlappy]

2. Wooster (12-2, Wittenberg, L-Adrian, L-Transylvania) -- They're "helped" if Adrian doesn't make the rankings at any point this year.

That's not necessarily true. The selection committee looks at both quantity and quality with regard to in-region record versus ranked opponents. If Wooster comes up short on the number of ranked teams it's played -- a problem that's happened to NCAC teams more than once -- that extra game against Adrian could be a boon, even though it was a loss.

Ah, the old double-count the SOS trick!

[Gregory Sager]

Hey, I'm not saying that I agree with it or that it makes any sense. I just know that this is how the committee operates.

[KnightSlappy]

Hey, I'm not saying that I agree with it or that it makes any sense. I just know that this is how the committee operates.

Oh, I know. They do a lot of boneheaded things.

[sac]

2. Wooster (12-2, Wittenberg, L-Adrian, L-Transylvania) -- They're "helped" if Adrian doesn't make the rankings at any point this year.

That's not necessarily true. The selection committee looks at both quantity and quality with regard to in-region record versus ranked opponents. If Wooster comes up short on the number of ranked teams it's played -- a problem that's happened to NCAC teams more than once -- that extra game against Adrian could be a boon, even though it was a loss.

Transylvania might not be ranked either but I haven't really looked at the Midwest.  Before the next ranking they play Rose-Hulman again.