University Athletic Association

[deiscanton]

Hello again, atnwriter.

I may be up and kicking, but my home computer needs to be replaced right now, so I am stuck having to go in to other locations to get my Internet access.  I don't know when it will be replaced.  My home computer is 8 years old, so my modem is too old now to do a dial-up connection properly. 

Yes, the Pats lost last Sunday-- Hillary Clinton crushed Barack Obama in Massachusetts-- my hometown gave 62% of the town vote in the Democratic Primary to Hillary Clinton-- on Tuesday, the Brandeis women lost last night, and now Suffolk just beat Emmanuel today!  Oh boy.....

These regional OWP and OOWP calculations may produce a more accurate strength of schedule, but it will take a lot longer to do the math on these-- as opposed to the less accurate QoWI.  I am hoping that pabegg will do a women's version for the national predictions.

[nobody]

Where do I find the regional rankings?

[y_jack_lok]

For the regional rankings you can go to this link:

http://www.d3hoops.com/dailydose/2008/02/13/regional-rankings/

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Posted this also on the men's UAA board. I am curious how many people are interested in the UAA having a conference tournament to determine the AQ?

The UAA is the only conference remaining that doesn't have a touranment. However, this season has certainly shown that a tournament may be one of the more exciting ways of ending a season in this conference. I had a few ideas, but not sure what anyone thought.

Idea #1 - Rotate the sites through the schools each year, so everyone gets the chance to host. Have all 8 teams qualify and place it at the final weekend of the season - a Friday, Saturday, Sunday tourney. You can either have the men's and women's at the same place, but I rather like the idea that the men's tournament is at one school, the women's tournament at a school somewhere else in the country.

Idea #2 - Same as above, but only the top 4 teams travel. This way you could also host both the men's and the women's tournament.

Idea #3 - Still the top 4, but the #1 seed is the host. I like this idea for the top 4 and awarding the #1 seed. However, the disadvantage is that it requires a lot of last minute planning - especially in a season like this year where that regular season champion may not be decided until the final game.

Idea #4 - This is, of course, the simple one. No Tournament!

Just curious!

[nobody]

While a UAA tourney would be fun, I don't see it happening.  We all know that academics are the #1 priority at these schools, so a tourney would mean additional missed class time.  These players already miss 3 (at some schools 4) Fridays of classes, and some Thursdays too, for the regular season games.  With some of the schools on quarters, it would be tough to justify more missed classes to the faculty.  Further, since they already play home and homes, these schools already spend a great deal of money on travel.  It's not cheap to travel to, and stay overnight in, cities like NYC, Chicago, and Boston.  The budgets are already large for D3 standards, so again I don't see administrations agreeing with the concept.

The next 2 weeks will be fun...Rochester has the best remaining schedule, however Chicago has all 3 games at home.  How many bids will the women in the UAA get??  I'm going with 3.

[deiscanton]

When the Ivy League decides to scrap its one-game tiebreaker playoff for a full-fledged conference tournament, maybe then I can consider the UAA having a league tournament.  Otherwise, why bother with the extra games?  It is not like the SCAC can bring a sizeable number of fans from all of its schools to travel to their conference tournament anyway-- I don't know about the American Southwest Conference and how many fans from all of its schools travel to their conference tournament.

Also keep in mind that most conferences use their conference tournaments to raise money for their league budgets.  The UAA cannot charge admission to their conference tournaments in any sport at present.

As for nobody's predictions as to the bids-- it wouldn't surprise me if all 4 of the schools presently tied for the lead get bids to the NCAAs at the end of the season.  However, while Wash U seems to have an advantage at the moment to get the AQ with the next 2 games at home, Chicago needs to win at least 2 of 3 to get a chance for a Pool C invite.   (1 of 3 would mean that Chicago finishes under .700 in regional winning percentage, and Chicago has the lowest regional winning percentage of the four UAA schools with .750 right now)  Brandeis has the highest in-region winning percentage of the four schools at the moment, so Brandeis can go 1-2 and still get a Pool C invite to the NCAAs-- maybe they still get one if the worst happens and 'Deis goes 0-3, but I don't want 'Deis going 0-3 at this time....

Strength of schedule is very strong for all 4 UAA schools, so it would probably go down to regional winning percentage.

[ILive4This]

So I find the fact that Brandeis Women are ahead of Souther Maine in the regional rankings interesting given the loss totals. Especially when on the men's side, Brandeis ranks behind a similar team in a similar situation. Then again I guess Brandeis Women never lost to USM. Sorry, just ranting trying to create discussion.

[Pat Coleman]

When the Ivy League decides to scrap its one-game tiebreaker playoff for a full-fledged conference tournament, maybe then I can consider the UAA having a league tournament.

It's the NESCAC that pretends it's the Ivy League, not the UAA.

[ILive4This]

Yes but the UAA has long been considered the IVY league of Division 3, and basketball wise has some large similarities.

Side note, is the live stats from Wash U not working for anyone else?

[pabegg]

Side note, is the live stats from Wash U not working for anyone else?

It's down, according the the WashU athletics page.
Bears 37-27

[ILive4This]

I think at the half its 47-38 bears

The audio is working, although the coverage is not the best I have heard. High scoring matchup, with fairly little defense, both teams shooting very well above average from what I can tell.

There is also some sort of halftime table-tennis thing going on which is very odd to listen to.

[ILive4This]

Ok this is nuts, the kid just commented that before WASH lost to the Judges earlier this season they were coming off a win at the #8 NYU "JASPERS". Come on now, if you are doing the broadcast, you should know they are the violets, or possibly the bobcats, the JASPERS are from Manhattan College a D1 MAAC conference team.

[pabegg]

Chicago 36-29 at the half (their live stats are working)

[ILive4This]

52-38 Wash U, as the Bears are the only ones to have scored yet this half

[pabegg]

Rochester 92-71 over Case is final

Chicago 64-58 with 6 plus to go.