WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[buf]

Point wins, 46-42.  Point missed a shot up 2 with 20sec left but they got the rebound and ended up making 2 free throws for a 4-point lead

[JMM]

SP was the better team tonight. They did not faulter despite the awesome start by EC. Fact is EC has not been shooting well the last several games, it hurt them after the early lead. BUT UWSP played an outstanding defensive game. Heidi and Witt were kept at bay. (Witt was wound pretty tight most of the game and didn't loosen up until late in the second half.) EC fell short by a hair in coming back that said, they openned the door for SP at the start of the second half and again 2/3 the way through the second half.

This was a heck of a basketball game by both teams who each really wanted to win. It was absolutley intense. Seemd like the halfs went by in seconds, not minutes. Both coaches did outstanding jobs. Once they got their balance back, SP was able to really shut down EC offense (the same for EC shuting down SP). We wait and see how the WIAC comes out in the NCAA. If EC and WW get in along with SP, any of these teams can go very deep - very deep.

[stoutguy]

Got to make my 2nd trip to Berg gym this week as I worked the EC/Point game.  What a fun day that turned out to be.  Saw both championship games and was treated so well by the Pointer staff.  You guys run a first class operation.  Both games were great games to watch.  The scores were both in the 40's but no lack of intensity, emotion, and drama.

Note to both head coaches from a radio guy standpoint: After the game, while the Pointers are cutting down the nets (it takes awhile), Shirley is making herself available to her radio guys and beat writers so they can do their jobs.  Class act.  Tonja, after a tough loss, has to manage her way through the packed crowd (still watching the ceremonies) up 6 bleachers (not an easy task with a skirt on) to our packed in space to do our postgame interview.  Again, class act.  It was a great day to be a part of WIAC basketball.  Thank you, Clear Channel boss.  You are my hero.

[Just Bill]

D3Hoops Bracket Projections are up: http://www.d3hoops.com/women-final-four/09/projected.htm

They've got UWEC hosting a "pod" while Point goes to Wash U. and UWW goes to Illinois Wes.  Tough break for UWSP if that's how it goes down, having won both league titles and beating UWEC 3 of 4 times.

BRACKET 6
1 Illinois Wesleyan
2 Washington U.
3 UW-Stevens Point
4 UW-Whitewater
5 Concordia (Wis.)
6 Ohio Wesleyan
7 Maryville (Mo.)
8 Ripon
We couldn't split the three WIAC teams over three brackets like we wanted. We also couldn't give IWU the bye we wanted.

BRACKET 8
1 George Fox *
2 UW-Eau Claire
3 St. Benedict
4 Simpson
5 Concordia-Moorhead
6 Occidental *
7 Chapman *
BYE
Bye goes here, mostly for geography, though it's not like George Fox isn't worthy. Concordia vs. UW-EC, Simpson vs. St. Ben's.

[buf]

A few thoughts on the projections:

That would be a tough break for Point.  However, I think that you may be able to switch Wash U and Point, so that Point could host.  Wash U and IWU are fairly close together.  I don't think the NCAA has ever had 2 hosts (of a pod) that close together. 

Bracket 6 is top heavy.  The top 4 would all be heavy favorites in the 1st round.  Bracket 8 is more streamlined.

Moorhead gets in over Norberts???  I don't see the reasoning for this.  Norbert's has a much better regional record and has a better SOS.

As a UWEC fan, I do enjoy these predictions.  I thought that EC would have a good shot at hosting if they defeated Point yesterday, but not if they lost.  Heck, when they lost, I was just hoping for NCAA to send EC out West, preferably St. Ben's, thus avoiding Point.  If EC got to host, that would be great.

Remember, these are just predictions.  The WORD gets set in stone tomorrow morning.  We will be able to find out more tonight when they tell us whos in for the women.

[buf]

The projections listed EC as the 5th (out of 20) Pool C in the tourney.  UWW was the 7th in.  Basically, they are saying that both teams are locks by a long ways.

[Usuallywrong24]

A few thoughts on the projections:

That would be a tough break for Point.  However, I think that you may be able to switch Wash U and Point, so that Point could host.  Wash U and IWU are fairly close together.  I don't think the NCAA has ever had 2 hosts (of a pod) that close together. 

Bracket 6 is top heavy.  The top 4 would all be heavy favorites in the 1st round.  Bracket 8 is more streamlined.

Moorhead gets in over Norberts???  I don't see the reasoning for this.  Norbert's has a much better regional record and has a better SOS.

As a UWEC fan, I do enjoy these predictions.  I thought that EC would have a good shot at hosting if they defeated Point yesterday, but not if they lost.  Heck, when they lost, I was just hoping for NCAA to send EC out West, preferably St. Ben's, thus avoiding Point.  If EC got to host, that would be great.

Remember, these are just predictions.  The WORD gets set in stone tomorrow morning.  We will be able to find out more tonight when they tell us whos in for the women.

They have switched their predictions.  Point to host. 

[Pat Coleman]

Yeah, sorry I didn't catch it sooner but about a half-hour after they went up I went back with something resembling fresh eyes and that didn't make any sense.

[buf]

Yeah, sorry I didn't catch it sooner but about a half-hour after they went up I went back with something resembling fresh eyes and that didn't make any sense.

Can you switch those back!  I liked them better before 

Now I am back to hoping St. Bens hosts and EC goes there.

[buf]

We will be able to find out more tonight when they tell us whos in for the women.

Check that!  Now they are saying everything (teams and brackets) happens Monday.

[Just Bill]

Yep, the women's committee opted about two weeks ago to do everything in a Monday webcast, which they haven't done in a few years.

(Don't tell the teams that are watching, but it's not a live broadcast. You can fast forward to your region anytime you want.)

[bgbacker]

Stoutguy ..
Thanks for the comments on the coaches from SP and EC. It's true, it shows a lot of class to remember the guys who cover your team in the media when you're in the middle of a celebration ... or the aftermath of a tough loss.

I think most coaches (and broadcasters) realize that they're not doing it for the media...they're doing it for their fans who aren't at the game. To me, it always adds a punctuation mark on a good post-game to have a few brief comments from the coach.

By the way, Stoutguy, you and Jason did a great job on the broadcast. Your boss at Clear Channel had better appreciate it!

[buf]

The brackets have been announced:

Winners: Point, UWW

Losers: EC

Point has got about as "cake" of a pod as you can get in this part of the country.

UWW has a bit of a tough game first round (although they hammered them last year in the tourney), but I think that they should be slight favorites to get through that pod.

EC has got an absolute horrible draw. 


1st round games:

EC vs Depauw at IWU
UWW vs. Simpson at St. Bens
Point at home vs Maryville

[buf]

Another situation where they could have switched UWW and UWEC.

[Usuallywrong24]

EC got a really really tough draw.  I would assume that the NCAA didn't want to send WW to IWU again like last year.  Its unfair to EC.