MBB: Northwest Conference

UWBadgers · December 04, 2009, 10:31:47 AM

Oshkosh and UPS had a battle last Friday and I think both teams paid the price for that on Saturday. Oshkosh and UPS were two completely different teams on Saturday, especially UPS.

cubs · December 04, 2009, 01:23:59 PM

Quote from: UWBadgers on December 04, 2009, 10:31:47 AM
Oshkosh and UPS had a battle last Friday and I think both teams paid the price for that on Saturday. Oshkosh and UPS were two completely different teams on Saturday, especially UPS.

I couldn't agree more..... Neither team appeared to "have any legs" on Saturday. There seemed to be quite a few guys who looked a bit tired for both teams.

TryMeTeam · December 04, 2009, 02:08:26 PM

Quote from: cubs on December 04, 2009, 01:23:59 PM
Quote from: UWBadgers on December 04, 2009, 10:31:47 AM
Oshkosh and UPS had a battle last Friday and I think both teams paid the price for that on Saturday. Oshkosh and UPS were two completely different teams on Saturday, especially UPS.
I couldn't agree more..... Neither team appeared to "have any legs" on Saturday. There seemed to be quite a few guys who looked a bit tired for both teams.

Plenty of time to get that fixed before season starts. And for all my beating up on Lunt, his teams are in good shape. They will be ready to go Fri and Sat nights by the time league starts. But do they have the talent to win?

I saw Linfield play earlier this week and they did not look good. True, Wiser being out was a big hurt, but the team looked pretty thin. They were scrappy, though, and kept the game close to a sloppy Concordia team (lots of turnovers). Plenty of time for Linfield to gel, if they do. I am almost questioning our placing Linfield so high on our preseason picks. I just don't see them being good enough to beat the top teams right now.

GF may be better than the bottom 3, too. They beat a team (Menlo) that beat Pac U and trounced Will a couple of weeks ago, and did it with balanced scoring. I need to see them play.

PS fan:

I hear you. Whitman, UPS, Linfield and LC will all beat a ponderous team. But Whitworth will get some of that worked out by league, too.

No NWC teams in the current top 25 poll. Ouch. I wonder if LC would be there without the suspensions and a 4-1 record. Let's get it going , NWC!

nwhoops1903 · December 04, 2009, 08:46:41 PM

WW loses to Pomona Pitzer 54-55. WW played good enough to lose. Looked just like the Santa Cruz game. Had a chance to take charge with 3 minutes to go but missed some free throws, couple turnovers and gave up 2 back to back 3's when it mattered. Bucs need to get it together. Start making some 3's.

y_jack_lok · December 05, 2009, 12:29:53 AM

Quote from: nwhoops1903 on December 04, 2009, 08:46:41 PM
WW loses to Pomona Pitzer 54-55. WW played good enough to lose. Looked just like the Santa Cruz game. Had a chance to take charge with 3 minutes to go but missed some free throws, couple turnovers and gave up 2 back to back 3's when it mattered. Bucs need to get it together. Start making some 3's.

Does Whitworth usually play man-to-man defense like they did tonight? They came to this tournament 3-4 years ago and played zone against both DePauw and Wash U. DePauw had no clue how to penetrate the zone and consequently it was one of the most boring games I've ever seen. Wash U picked it apart the next night.

nwhoops1903 · December 05, 2009, 02:03:14 AM

Quote from: y_jack_lok on December 05, 2009, 12:29:53 AM
Does Whitworth usually play man-to-man defense like they did tonight? They came to this tournament 3-4 years ago and played zone against both DePauw and Wash U. DePauw had no clue how to penetrate the zone and consequently it was one of the most boring games I've ever seen. Wash U picked it apart the next night.

Yes, man to man is the general rule I would say. I do recall a team a few years back that WW did use a zone frequently, must have been personnel.

nwhoops1903 · December 05, 2009, 09:18:39 PM

Pirates play (shoot) much better and win..amazing!!! 72-69

Despite 49 fouls being called on both teams, yawn, Pirates shoot a respectable 8-18 from 3pt. Mckendree goes to the line 52 times!? and misses 20. Basically a crazy boxscore...Good job Bucs and travel home safe.

Gregory Sager · December 05, 2009, 10:08:17 PM

Quote from: nwhoops1903 on December 05, 2009, 09:18:39 PM
Pirates play (shoot) much better and win..amazing!!! 72-69

Despite 49 fouls being called on both teams, yawn, Pirates shoot a respectable 8-18 from 3pt. Mckendree goes to the line 52 times!? and misses 20. Basically a crazy boxscore...Good job Bucs and travel home safe.

That's a solid win over a good NAIA-1 team. It's a shame that it won't count in the eyes of the selection committee should Whitworth have to seek a Pool C bid on Selection Sunday. But I'm sure that the game will help both the confidence and the competence of the Pirates down the road.

nwhoops1903 · December 07, 2009, 01:10:37 AM

Anyone else out there thinking that this might be one of those years where we all beat up on each other in conference? Forget about rankings and win the conference. Hopefully I am wrong and WW will roll but I am wondering. Does any team look BETTER than expected at this early mark?

TryMeTeam · December 07, 2009, 11:37:46 AM

NWH:

I would say GF and Willamette, although they are not going to be contenders for the playoff spots, or are they?

Your point is well taken. LC might be, but there is not enough evidence there yet to make a call. And they don't play again until after Christmas.

Anyone know why Wiser did not play against Concordia or why their game against Corban was cancelled?

Sounds like Whitworth got a little lucky with McK missing 20 free throws and winning by 3. Are they missing the PG from last year a lot, was his name Nakamura?

PSfan · December 07, 2009, 10:20:08 PM

I am a bit skeptical about this young Loggers team, but I have to say that I think that they're considerably stronger than I (and many of us who have watched UPS basketball for years) expected. The W/L isn't good, but this team is set to grow--losing to Stevens Point, DII St. Martin's, a pretty good NAIA team in the opener, and to Eau Claire on the day after a brutal game against Oshkosh isn't so bad. I thought they'd be getting crushed at this point in the year, and they had a shot late against Point, Evergreen, and St. Martin's....

logshock101 · December 08, 2009, 07:04:35 PM

Quote from: nwhoops1903 on December 05, 2009, 02:03:14 AM
Quote from: y_jack_lok on December 05, 2009, 12:29:53 AM
Does Whitworth usually play man-to-man defense like they did tonight? They came to this tournament 3-4 years ago and played zone against both DePauw and Wash U. DePauw had no clue how to penetrate the zone and consequently it was one of the most boring games I've ever seen. Wash U picked it apart the next night.
Yes, man to man is the general rule I would say. I do recall a team a few years back that WW did use a zone frequently, must have been personnel.

Im my experience seeing WW play they zoned pretty often, and tried to trap usually 1-3-1 or 3-2, but that was against ups back when curtiss and mcvey were seniors

logshock101 · December 08, 2009, 07:08:52 PM

Quote from: PSfan on December 07, 2009, 10:20:08 PM
I am a bit skeptical about this young Loggers team, but I have to say that I think that they're considerably stronger than I (and many of us who have watched UPS basketball for years) expected. The W/L isn't good, but this team is set to grow--losing to Stevens Point, DII St. Martin's, a pretty good NAIA team in the opener, and to Eau Claire on the day after a brutal game against Oshkosh isn't so bad. I thought they'd be getting crushed at this point in the year, and they had a shot late against Point, Evergreen, and St. Martin's....

i think it goes to show that lunt can get a lot out of his guys, they have been pretty thin so far this season, that teamed without much experience lead to loosing games where they had a chance (IMO) in a system like UPS' when kids play hard and work together they can really disrupt what other (probably more talented teams) can do

PSfan · December 09, 2009, 12:47:01 AM

I agree with Logshock--and just watched hard to follow video of a good win at Northwest up in Kirkland. Once again the Logs were way down in the second half and managed to yank this one out, taking the lead with under 2 mins to go.
Through the grainy video, while I was doing other things, it looked like Levin went crazy for UPS, a much-needed
breakout for him. Lunt has done a great job of keeping the team playing hard when they've been way down (it might have been a 17 point deficit five minutes into the second half).

TryMeTeam · December 09, 2009, 10:16:03 AM

I am not ready to annoint Lunt as COY yet, but a very nice win against a good team. 11 down with just under 6 to play and UPS hits 5 3's in a row! Impressive! Gotta give the Loggers credit here. They can score a bunch quickly, but they can get down a bunch too. That is a concern.

It might be what PSF says about Lunt keeping his players in the game even when they are down, but it might be the players not wanting to lose after being such a successful team over the last several years. I think it is a result of the conditioning UPS goes through to be able to press for 40 minutes.

However, I can guarantee you it will be a different story when league starts and things really start to "matter". Even though the NWC looks down right now, it will be a mine field once league starts (and not just for UPS). The eventual top teams will not be out-conditioned by UPS and will be ready for their press.

Great win against NW, absolutely! Turned the corner and are ready to contend, jury still out.

Give props to GF and they lost to Corban!

Linfield about to get thumped tonight. I wonder if Wiser will play.