University Athletic Association

[deiscanton]

That 76-69 score was the final of the men's game.

Chicago survives on the women's side, 58-57.   Case was up 4 with about 11 minutes left, and Case had the ball with a chance for the win, but the shot did not go off in time-- and it missed anyway.

Chicago did not play their best today, but they survive to set up the showdown next week.

Rochester women had their biggest halftime deficit of the season today, and Rochester trailed NYU by 11 pts in the second half, but the Yellowjackets rallied for a 60-59 victory to keep their Pool C hopes alive.

What is at stake next week:

Wash U win over Chicago-- Wash U wins the UAA title-- automatic bid.

Chicago win over Wash U--  Chicago and Wash U share the UAA title and a coin flip will determine the automatic bid.

Rochester plays Emory next Saturday-- Rochester needs a win on Saturday to make their Pool C chances more likely.

In other games-- Brandeis plays NYU on Saturday.

NYU has declared for the ECAC Metro tournament, and an NYU win may make it more likely for the Violets to start play for an ECAC title on March 3.  An NYU loss may mean the end of the season.

Brandeis decided not to file for ECAC New England consideration, so the Brandeis women most likely may be playing their final game of the season on Saturday, and the Judges would like to end their season with a victory against NYU if next week is the final game.

Case also plays Carnegie Mellon on Saturday-- this will be the final game of the season for those teams.

[deiscanton]

question, did Brandeis lose alot of players from last years team?  

they were a strong group last year

Key losses to graduation from last season:  Cassidy Dadaos, Lauren Orlando, and Amanda Wells.

Lauren Goyette also graduated from last year's team, but she sat out last season with an injury.  Goyette was not a big enough player to be medically red-shirted to come back and play this season.

Cassidy Dadaos and Lauren Orlando were really strong inside front court players.-- Kasey Gieschen and Amber Strodthoff were picked to replace that front court.

Gieschen and Strodthoff played off the bench last season-- they start this season.  They are good, but they can't shoot as well inside as Dadaos and Orlando.  They do pick up their points, however-- and they have improved over last season, but Gieschen and Strodthoff had big shoes to fill.

Lauren Rashford-- never really was the type of player this year that she was last year before her torn ACL injury.  She had a big game at Wash U this season, but Rashford scored a lot more last season.  Rashford was actually one of the 5 regular Brandeis starters before her injury last season.

Diana Cincotta-- I really don't have too many complaints about her play.

Injuries were a factor for sophomores Brighid Courtney and Kelly Ethier.  Brighid Courtney did improve her game, and would have been counted on a lot in UAA play, but Courtney got injured at the end of the non-conference season.  Ethier would have been counted on for scoring as well if she didn't get injured early.

Morgan Kendrew-- Great game all around this season from her-- about what I wanted from her as a sophomore.

Rookie class-- Had a hard time adjusting to the college game early.  Some good defending and rebounding, but never developed a knack for scoring.  I wanted at least 2 of those rookies to score about 100 points each this season each to relieve the burden on Jessica Chapin.

Because of these factors, Jessica Chapin is counted on to do a lot more this season, and she has done an excellent job-- well deserving of UAA Player of the Year if she wins it.  Chapin is easily the best player on this year's Brandeis team.

Key factor:  None of the top 5 scorers for Brandeis are shooting over 40% on the season.

[WUPHF]

The UAA game of the week is undoubtedly Washington University-Chicago in the Windy City.  A win for Washington University gives them the UAA title.  And, with the big loss tonight by No. 2 Carthage to Elmhurst College, a win tomorrow would give the 3rd place Bears a better in-region record and should be enough to move them to No. 2.

A Chicago win means an automatic bid.  A loss would drop the Maroons to 19-6 and may drop them in to the 5th place in the final regional rankings, depending on how the WIAC Conference Tournament plays out.  Does a 19-6 Chicago make the tournament?

Central Region Record, (Overall Record)
1. Illinois Wesleyan 21-1 (24-1)
2. Carthage 19-2 (22-3)
3. Washington U. 19-2 (22-2)
4. Chicago 19-5 (19-5)
5. UW-Whitewater 18-5 (19-6)
6. St. Norbert 20-3 (20-3)

Chicago has only dropped one game at home to then No. 1 Illinois Weslyan.  Of course, the last time the two teams plays, the Bears dismantled the Maroon offense and scored more points in the first half then Chicago scored in the entire game.  It was hard to watch.  My prediction: Washington University 59, Chicago 52.

[deiscanton]

WUH---

I just wanted to clarify the situation regarding the UAA automatic bid

1.)  If Wash U defeats Chicago today--  Wash U wins UAA title and gets automatic bid.

2.)  If Chicago defeats Wash U today--  Chicago and Wash U are UAA Co-Champions, and a coin flip will determine the automatic bid.

A coin flip doesn't mean a loss for the automatic bid for Wash U because Wash U could still win the coin flip, but Wash U is 0-1 lifetime on coin flips for the UAA bid.

A coin flip will be necessary this time because Chicago and Wash U would have split the head-to-head 1-1, would had split the season series with Rochester by winning at home and losing at Rochester, and would have swept all other UAA teams.   Therefore, no other tiebreaker will settle the situation.  (Wash U and Chicago would each have gone 5-2 on the road in the UAA, which is the last tiebreaker before the coin flip.)

The last time a coin flip determined the automatic bid for the UAA was in the 2000-2001 season, when Wash U and NYU went 14-1 in the UAA, with the only loss being to each other and both losses occuring when Wash U and NYU were the road teams in those matchups.

That time, NYU won the coin flip over Wash U to get the UAA automatic bid-- Wash U went on to win their 4th straight national championship as a Pool C team.  The field was a 50 team field, with only 7 Pool C's available  (If I am wrong about the number of Pool C's for that season, please correct me.)

The 2 final scores in that 2000-2001 season that led to the coin flip:

Rankings were the D3Hoops.com poll rankings at the time of the game.

1.)  Sunday, January 21, 2001--- #1 Wash U def #2 NYU, 72-37 at Wash U Field House-- St Louis, Mo.
2.)  Friday, February 2, 2001-- Dari Magyar's "Miracle in Manhattan" 3 point shot at the buzzer led #4 NYU to the 65-64 victory over #1 Wash U at Coles Sports Center in New York City.

Wash U came into the 2000-2001 tournament ranked #1 on the D3Hoops.com poll and #2 on the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA Coaches poll.

NYU came into the 2000-2001 tournament ranked #1 on the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA coaches poll and #2 on the D3Hoops.com poll.

[WUPHF]

I just wanted to clarify the situation regarding the UAA automatic bid

Yes, looking at my post, I mistakenly suggested that Chicago would get the automatic bid with a win.  I knew that was wrong, but only because of your previous posts.  My mistake.

I am committed to proof-reading all future posts.

[WUPHF]

Getting ready for the big game, and reading the Chicago Maroon and noticed an interesting point-counterpoint addressing the question: Would a UAA tournament build suspense or simply undermine the regular season?  The editorial even references D3hoops.com and Gordon Mann.

http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2010/2/25/would-a-uaa-tournament-build-suspense-or-simply-undermine-the-regular-season

A few minutes until tip-off.

[WUPHF]

Chicago with the hot start, but the Bears worked their way back in.  Tied at the half: 33-33.  Very entertaining game.  Wish I was there.

[WUPHF]

Congratulations Washington University on a big win over Chicago, taking yet another UAA title.

[WUPHF]

Chicago moves to 19-6 with the loss today, while UW-Whitewater moves to 18-6, dropping a close one to UW-Stevens Point.  It seems likely that Chicago will hold on to the fourth spot in the regional rankings and should join Washington University in the NCAA tournament.  Anyone disagree?

Brandeis with the statement win over NYU, 90-65.  Case Western with the win over Carnegie Mellon and Rochester bolsters their Pool C credentials with a five point win at Emory.

[sumfun]

Chicago, Rochester and Wash U make it.  Chicago has to go through Ill Wesleyan, but Wash U has to travel to Kentucky to play at Thomas More (probably because men are hosting at home), then they have to play George Fox (rematch of last year's championship) to make it back to Final Four. 

[deiscanton]

Congratulations to Jessica Chapin of Brandeis on being named UAA Player of the Year today. 

This is a well deserved honor for a very special basketball player.   I just wish that Brandeis could have been successful enough this season to go to NCAAs, but that was not in the cards, alas.

Also, congrats to Brandeis's Morgan Kendrew and Amber Strodthoff on earning Honorable Mention All Association honors.

[WUPHF]

Adding to the UAA accolades, Coach Fahey and staff were named Coaching Staff of the Year, while the Bears led the way in overall nominations to the first and second team with four: Jaimie McFarlin, Zoë Unruh, Alex Hoover, Janice Evans.  Kathryn Berger was an honorable mention.

Good luck ladies in Tennesee!

For a complete list: http://bearsports.wustl.edu/womensbball/09-10%20WBKB_All-Assoc.pdf

[sumfun]

I think Thomas More is in Kentucky right across the river from Cincinnati.....so good luck in Kentucky.

[WUPHF]

Good luck ladies playing a Tennesee team...in Kentucky.
_____

Edit: who needs luck when you have a Phi Beta Kappa superstar like Zoë Unruh who can score 31 points on 8-12 shooting from three point range?

Washington University rolled over Maryville (Tenn) 81-67 to advance to play Thomas More who beat our next-door neighbors, Fontbonne University.

These wins have been the standard for the Bears all season, with the exception of a close win to DePauw, followed by a close early season loss to Illinois Weslyan on the road and a road loss to Rochester.  I have to admit that I am a little surprised that the Bears did not feature more prominently in the post-season D3Hoops breakdown.  I look forward to the Bears proving the prognosticators wrong.
_____

Chicago fell to Simpson 66-53 and Rochester advanced to round two with a win over Cortland State  66-47.

[scottiedoug]

Congratulations to WashU.  Maryville made them work and the Scots are young.  Maybe next year it will be different!