MBB: Northwest Conference

[Pat Coleman]

All of that information is in the FAQ ... which is so frequently asked I have a link to it at the bottom of all of my posts.

So you are changing your tune. Fine. Just don't give me a hard time about it.

[Pat Coleman]

I am not saying, BTW, that Occidental IS the best team in the West. I am trying to enlighten you on your original question:

Very, very confused as to how Occidental is #1??

[blackhawks4]

not a good start by loggers, they'll be back...your radio guy is really good

[Pat Coleman]

Oof, you're not kidding about a not-good start, down 46-24 at the half.

[blackhawks4]

lol...same thing i told bearcats...doesn't mean much, still control their own fate, need to split tomorrow.  sounds like ww's crowd was awesome

[bbaddict]

Not sure why anyone thinks that the NWC championship is already decided.   UPS & Willamette face each other next Friday & someone has to lose.  That means that one of those teams will have 3 losses, just like Whitworth.   Seems like the whole thing could get shaken up in the last few games!   We all know that any team can win on any night in the NWC --  it's been that way for years!!  No one should take George Fox, Linfield or Whitman for granted, or for that matter, PLU -- ask Whitworth!!  It just promises to get more interesting!!

By the way, I was looking at the box score for the UPS/Whitworth game & there was a lot more going on there than the crowd.  Like the shooting percentages!!  Whitworth WOW!  UPS Not SO WOW - which surprises me, because I've seen them play & they shoot well.  So maybe it was an "off night" or maybe it was good defense?  Hmmm.  Anyone see the game?

Willamette was awesome tonight against Pacific.   I think Olinger had a perfect night for 3's & they were really playing great team basketball!!  Their student crowd even showed up for the first half!!  Amazing!

[NWC bball fan]

With all this talk about Willamette and UPS, people need to start considering Whitworth as the team to beat in the NWC.  Yes Whitwoth has 3 losses compared to the 2 losses by the other schools, but that was early.  Whitwoth lost their first regular season game to George Fox, at Fox after being up 22 in the second half and losing Tucker early in the game to a concussion.  Credit that loss to early season flunders and a great comeback by Fox. 

Whitworth did play Oxy.  In fact they led by 5 with under a minute to go.  Whitworth played bad and had Oxy barried.  The refs blew the game with an intentional foul on Whitworth, up 5 with less than a mintue to go.  That proved to be the deciding factor.  Anyways, just a bad loss.  But let me tell you, Oxy is not that good!!!  Period!!!

Whitworth was up 5 in the last 1:30 or so against UPS, at UPS.  Some costly mistakes and a great end of the game by Delong beat Whitworth.  However, there was a very questionable no-call at the buzzer!!  Possibly a charge, but I have heard from people who have seen the film that it looked like Whitworth's point guard got fouled.  That game should have been deciced with free throws with no time on the clock.  Oh well.  Whitworth simply did not get up for the following night's game at PLU.  That is a credit to PLU, who played a great game, and a discredit to Whitworth for not getting up for the game and taking their opponet for granted.  Unfortunately, had Whitworth beat PLU that night, they would be leading the NWC.

Whiworth had completely blown out Willamette.  Last night Whitwoth was up on UPS by 30 when the coach cleared the bench with 3:30 to go.  The game was a blow out from the start.  UPS's press created some turnover, and also a ton of layups and open looks.  Whitworth's defense was all over the place and UPS did not make an adjustment the whole night, they simply got outplayed and out coached.  People keep talking about poor shooting against Whitworth both times by Willamette, how about some good, in the shooters face defense?  Same thing against UPS.  Chase Curtis had his first two 3's tipped.  McVey got his first two jump up in the air and muscle it at the basket shots, slammed back at the floor.  Yes Whitworth had a great crowd, but their play on the court was much better.  UPS had great crowds at their place, and Whitworth was a no call away from a win on the road.

As for an earlier post about how much more talented UPS's players are than Whitworths.....  I think we saw who the player of the year is again for the 7th game in a row.  Lance Pecht!  He is near the top is most categories.  Including first in scoring and 3 pt percentage.  Not bad for a big guy.  He is near the top is field goal percentage, free throw percentage, reboounds, and is on the list in many other categories.  Plus he shows up in big games!  Bryan Willams didn't look to bad last night either.  Neither did the rest of the Pirates!!!  And how about Coach of the Year.....Jim Hayford has out coached Willamette and UPS on both occasions.  He has his team playing the best ball in the conference hands down. 

Now I know this post is very Whitworth orientated, but it is about time.  I have been reading about UPS and Willamette long enough.  However good comments and posts, but lets not forget about the team from Spokane.  I am not wanting to put down any of the other teams, but would like to point out the success of Whitworth.  It is shaping up to be a great finish and I wish good luck to all of the teams!!  Go Bucs!!

[Pat Coleman]

If they're that good, it shouldn't come down to one official's call. There was a phrase in this conference a few years ago, "Leave no doubt" -- do that and a couple points won't be the deal-breaker.

[blackhawks4]

oh my god bearcatsfan...where do these guys come from??? At least I only have to put up with em for 2 weeks and then they'll be done just like whitworth.  good win ww, ill admit you got a chance, i think whoever has home court advantage in the nwc tourney has a HUGE advantage.  loggers NEED to bounce back tonight (whitman is always a tough place for ups to play and their talented and big).  but i really don't see wu or linfield gettin ups at home.

[SpooH SreggoL]

Wow, NWC bandwagon fan, ooops . . . I mean bball fan . . . sounds like whitworth is ONLY three excuses away from a perfect season! 

[pineconefan]

It was a huge game for Whitworth last night.  The Pirates played the same trapping zone that gave Willamette so much trouble and it looked like UPS was never able to adjust the game.  The 0-13 from three in the first half wasn't that much of a fluke.  The only open looks were from the corner and almost all the shots were rushed.

The Pirates are obviously the hottest NWC team right now, but they can't consider the win over UPS as the end of the road.  They have three key games left and have to keep it going.  However, if the Rats to win the final three against PLU, Whitman, and Pacific (combined NWC record of 11-28), then the worst the Pirates will do is host the First Round game in the NWC tournament.  So not only do UPS and Willamette have to win tonight against Whitman and Linfield, but the loser of their game next Friday looks like it could drop from a first to third seed.

BH, I know you like to back the boys you played with (Curtiss, McVey), but I think the most naturally talented player on that team is A. Williams.  Once the UPS team becomes "his" next season, I think he'll be a dominating player in the NWC for three seasons. 

[bbaddict]

Oh yes Blackhawks fan -- we really believe what you have to say.  I believe it's what you call "pulling a himjay?"  I'm referring to your statement that 'UPS is still going to go 15-1 just like I've said all year."   So -- UPS wasn't quite able to shut down Brian Wiliams or Lance Pecht last night.  I also watched UPS play the Bearcats at Salem & even though they had 3 more free throw attempts, UPS's 8.3% on 3's and 41.9% FG didn't cut it -- they lost by 9 points!  Really thought it would be closer than that since UPS is so great!!

Actually the top three teams are pretty matched.  Just depends on the night.  It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.  But UPS did lose at Whitworth & they will see trouble at Whitman -- everyone else does!   It ain't over yet!!

Don't count the Bucs or the Bearcats out - it may be UPS that drops to third -- guess we'll know more by next Friday!!  The real fact is that only one team -- UPS or WU can win next Friday and Whitworth has already played both of them twice.   One of those two teams will have 3 in the loss column, just like Whitworth.  And there's always the "spoilers" -- it's basketball -- sometimes the "bad" team wins!!

And Whitworth has a healthy George again.

[formercat]

I see that McVey only took 5 shots but shot 10 free throws. Did whitworth use the foul him anytime he gets near the basket stratagy? Linfield played over there last year they did that to me, works pretty well, its hard to get a rhythm going.

[blackhawks4]

loggers bouce back...win at whitman...Sorry at the beginning i said 15-1, i guess it's only 14-2 and another conference championship...looks like we'll have to wait 'til saturday to pull out the scissors though huh...

[bbaddict]

No -- they actually have to win the playoff series before you start celebrating & they have to get past Whitworth & Willamette to do that.  We'll just see!  There's no automatic NWC champ anymore -- it's back to the good ol' days of playoff stuff.  YAY!