WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

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foul-

I follow non-central region teams.  More so through looking at stats and listening on the radio (not actually seeing them play live unless vs. UWEC at Zorn).  But I think I have a pretty good grasp of the recent history of D3.  I will try to list some contenders from the regions.

Central
I would say Wheaton and Wash U are the top 2.  Millikin started the season well but has now fallen flat on their face.  However, I wouldn't count this team out just yet.  A couple of their players are out with injuries??? and one of their better players from last year is just returning after tearing her ACL.

Maryville has a good record and has defeated Wash U earlier this year, but they come from a weak conference and I don't expect much from them in the post season.

Carroll has beaten UWO and Point but lost to EC.  A solid team, but I wasn't too impressed with them at Zorn.  Lawrence has also emerged in the MWC, however they have some tough games left.

In the UAA, there is Chicago.  I just don't think they will survive the rest of the UAA schedule.

My top central teams:
1. Wheaton
2. Wash U
3. Point
4. UWO
5. Carroll

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West

This region is up for grabs.  My preseason favorite, St. Bens started out well but has lost a couple lately.  I have watched a few of their home games via video stream on the internet.  They have a good post (Hiekenen) and a good 3-point shooter (Noreen) but thats about it besides a couple decent roll players.  I think that Point, UWO or Stout would be able to handle them.  Gustavus and Concordia are other atop the MIAC.  I wasn't too impressed with Gustavus at EC's Thanksgiving touney, but they seem to be playing better now.

Leading the IIAC is Simpson.  Other threats are Buena Vista and Luther.  I was really impressed with Luther at EC's thanksgiving tourney.  They destroyed Gustavus and EC played a great game to beat them.  After starting the season on a roll, their play has dipped a bit.  BV has been atop the conference the last few years.  Don't know much about Simpson.  Usually IIAC teams win 1 or 2 in the tourney and thats about it.

IMO, the NWC is the best west region conference.  I would watch out for Pacific Lutheran.  I saw them play 3 years ago when EC played them in the NCAA tourney, and they almost beat EC.  I like their coach.

A couple California teams will make the tourney, but I don't expect them to do much, eventhough EC dropped a couple out there during the Holidays.

Top West teams:
1. Pacific Lutheran
2. Simpson
3. St. Benedict
4. Puget Sound
5. Buena Vista/Luther

I will give my opinion on other regions later.

[badgerwarhawk]

Stout blows a golden opportunity by losing to Whitewater. Can't wait to see the stats; sounds like WW dominated the boards.

It's a crazy year.

WHITEWATER[/color] won the battle of the boards 51-45 but more importantly 23 of those were on the offensive side of the floor.   So WHITEWATER[/color] took 14 more shots than the Blue Devil though neither team shot that well.   Stout had their chances down the stretch as WHITEWATER[/color] only made 7 of 16 free throw attempts in the final 2:38.  But WHITEWATER[/color] got enough stops and held on.  Stout took the first game by 22 points so this was huge turnaround.  Coach Thomas was noticeably frustrated. 

It was a nice win against a good program and her mentor for coach Carollo.   

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My top Great Lakes teams:
1. Depauw-only loss at Wash U
2. Hope-always up there year in year out.  Good coaching staff
3. Baldwin Wallace
4. Calvin-Hope's archrival

South teams:
McMurry
Randolph Macon
Trinity
Hardin Simmons

I'll just group all the east coast region teams into one. 

Brandeis
NYU
Southern Maine
Bowdoin
Rochester
Scranton

The UAA teams are the strength of the east coast regions.  There are a lot of teams in these regions with good records, but most are pretenders on the national scene.  The quality (depth) isn't the same that is found in the central, west and great lakes regions.  However, the teams listed above are good and I would expect to see probably 2 of them make the Final Four,  not because I think that 2 listed above are in the top four nationally, but since the east coast is isolated you will find teams out there grouped together, thus creating a weaker bracket.  Someone has got to come out of that certain bracket(s) to make the Final Four.  For example, look at Point's mens team last year.  In the Final Four they played York and Rochester, who they both destroyed.  These teams weren't anywhere near the top 4 in the country, but were put in weaker (east coast) brackets.

I'm not saying that the east coast teams (besides UAA) don't have a chance.  Its just that throughout the past decade or so I have not seen much from these teams when they play against the rest on the country.  In fact, the last team from the 4 east coast regions (non-UAA) to win the national championship was Elizabethtown in 1989.


So there is my rundown as of now.  I have followed the central region the most and have kept a pretty good eye on the West.  The other regions, especially the east regions, I know very little of.

[foul_language]

How do the schools mentioned in the various conferences as contenders match up in size? Does it matter? Which is more likely to contend: a larger school (# of students) or a school with a deeper tradition of basketball with a smaller student population? Is there any reliable indicator or pattern?

I tend to feel bad for the smaller schools competing against the bigger schools...until the little ones whip the snot out of the opponent. Then I have to wonder about dynamics--what got those players to the school. Without $ incentive, how do you get a player to choose a particular school? Do recruiters bring along a college catalog and dazzle prospects with  a dazzling display of majors and minors?

[uofs]

buf out of the east who do you consider the pretenders?I hope you are not refering to Scranton because they are there every year.

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uofs-

Your correct, Scranton does consitantly make it to the sweet 16 (and beyond).  They are definately a good team, but I think the eastern UAA teams and probably Southern Maine are better.  But again, I don't know a whole lot about most east coast teams.

What are your thoughts?

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foul-

From what I have seen, the WIAC teams are more physical then the east coast conferences.  In fact as a conference, I would list WIAC as the most physical.  UAA would probably come next.

School enrollment doesn't really matter.  Generally, players are recruited to come to the school.  If recruiting was not permitted, then a larger enrollment would have an advantage (like in high school).  I have rarely seen a player, who wasn't recruited make significant contributions to a team.  One exception is Joe Werner on UWL's men's team.

[uofs]

Buf just click on sites Middle Atlantic Women click on Scranton and scroll through the web and you will be more impressed with them then any of the teams you mentioned.Scranton accomplished alot more then NYU and Brandeis put together.

[billys]

Downtown, or voft- I see O'Keefe didn't play against UWRF and Eggers was only listed at like 10 minutes. Does anyone know what's up with them. La Crosse has got them on Wednesday and those two killed them a few weeks ago in La Crosse.

Just curious.

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billys-

In the boxscore on the UWO website, the summary said that both O'Keef and Eggers were dealing with illnesses.  I don't know how severe they are.  I am guessing the flu???

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uofs-

Scranton does have some impressive wins over a couple of good non-conference teams (Simpson, Baldwin Wallace).  In my analysis of the east coast, the teams I listed are teams to watch out for in March.  The "pretenders" I was refering to are other east coast teams (that I didn't list) with good records that I think aren't teams that can go deep into the tourney.  However, with that being said, if I were to pick Scranton vs. lets say NYU or Brandeis, I would probably go with the UAA team.  I just believe that teams from top conferences who play tough games week in and week out are better prepared come March.

[Mr. Downtown]

Early reports right now out of Oshkosh is that both O'Keef and Eggers are extremely sick, and are very questionable for the game tomorrow against La Crosse..

Stay tuned

[Voice of the Titans]

Yeah, they were pretty sick tonight. UWL did the right thing by running and gunning, along with rotating as many fresh legs as they could. Didn't work as UWO pulled it out. Hopefully some rest will get them healthy before the stout trip. I had to chuckle a little to hear many hacking coughs during the national anthem from the UWO side. Can be devastating when an illness runs through a team. But a few technicolor coughs during break time for O'Keef and Eggers kept them well enough to play. Huge games by Tyriver and Knapp. A good win for a team dealing with quite the bug.

[badgerwarhawk]

A bad loss, 57-54, in Platteville for the WARHAWKS[/color].  After beating them by 29 at home and starting a five game Pioneer skid  this game was a winnable road contest.   Exactly the kind of game the HAWKS[/color] need to win to take the next step.   The game was close throughout before Platteville built a 10 point lead.  WHITEWATER[/color] rallied but a costly turnover in the closing minute and a couple clutch free throws by Platteville doomed the comeback attempt.