MBB: Northwest Conference

[TryMeTeam]

LC is the second best team, but they are a distant second.  I would like to say they will give WW a battle, but I just don't see that happening, especially on the second night of the road trip.  

You can spout off all you want about the WW offensive skills, but it is the defense that makes this team special.  You take any good 3 point shooter, move him back 2 feet to get open or make him run his guts out to get free, and you don't have a good 3 point shooter any more.  LC lives and dies by the 3, and if they can't get those open 3's, they have nothing else in their favor.  Add to that Hollins being out for the season, and you have a recipe for blowout.

With Gaillard retiring at the end of this season, winning one for the "ole guy" might come into play, but I doubt it.  

I do agree with A Buc about LC being the only team with a chance to beat WW, but it is a slim one at best.  UPS and Whitman just don't have the horses to put enough pressure on WW, GF and PLU are not deep enough, and Linf is just getting by the weaker teams and has to face a team that blew them out at home.

The league is definitely way down this year, and WW is way up.  I hope this doesn't hurt WW in the playoffs.  It would be nice for the NWC to get some "earned" respect with a long run in the playoffs.

[(509)Rat]

I'm not spouting off about offensive skills. I'm just saying your post about LC's D, slowing down Whitworth is bogus. They didn't slow anyone down. And read through my earlier posts. I wrote about this team's defensive talents well before you mentioned it.

A bad NWC will hurt a little. But they have been getting some good halves from different teams so they know what it's like to be in a game (temporarily). They've also put more milage on their "bus" (it's really a plane) than most teams, so they should be prepared for the travel (although maybe they host 3rd/4th round sectional??). Ripon, CC, Carthage, and CMS were good opponents. So their SOS isn't terrible.

I think the NWC has respect, but the NCAA never has enough $$ to give it to them (ie hosting later rounds of the tourney).

[(509)Rat]

Final

104-71

[A Buc Forever]

Final

104-71

It wasn't that close.

[nwhoops1903]

Final

104-71

It wasn't that close.

It was never close 

[Keandre]

I agree that UPS plays with spirit in spurts and they continue to get better at playing the entire game hungry. I still think there is a lot of basketball left and they can be top 3. Big fella is starting to understand his role and will be a different player when they play against WW at home. LC will have trouble at UPS this weekend, I see them not hitting the 3 ball like they have been the last few games. If they are not hitting the 3, I love UPS chances. I am sure Lunt will have them ready to push them 2-3ft further from the 3pt line and make them hit contested shots. UPS lost 4 straight close games down the stretch, I think thay are starting to see what it takes to play the entire 40 so right now, I do see them as a top 3 team once they figure it out and if they sweep this weekend, I think they will build off that and get 2 on the road at Pac and WU putting them at 6-4 and right in the mix of things.

[A Buc Forever]

How is Whitman beating other teams?  The last three games they have played against WW haven't even been contests.  I have not watched them play other teams, but the schemes they come up with against WW are kind of ridiculous.  Last year's 1-3-1 zone worked the best.  Last night was ridiculous.  At one point I stopped the live feed and looked at the court.  Felix was at the high post.  One player was in the left corner and another on the left wing and another on the right wing.  The point had the ball at the top, shading to the right.  The man guarding Felix was denying him the ball 17 feet from the bucket.  The guy guarding the right wing was face-guarding his guy.  The point guard basically had a two car driveway sized lane to the bucket to play one on one with.  I guess that's why WW shot 60%.

I hear Pacific uses a 2-3 zone.  If they use that against WW, Arby's will be giving out sandwiches again.

Note:  Arby's has a deal that if WW breaks their 3-point record they give free sandwiches to everyone in the stands.  They've given out free sandwiches once this year already.

[TryMeTeam]

Easy Rat.  Not trying to stir things up too much.    The Pirate lovers on this rag have been praising WW's offense all season long.   I am sure those of us who are not Pirate supporters would agree with that.  And I was not directing anything at you.  The You of "You can..." is plural in this case. 

I think you might have misread my post.  I wasn't implying that LC's D was all that good, I was saying WW's was.  I was very impressed, more with their D than their O, is all I was trying to say, and their D was what won the game for them.   LC played 4 guards and a forward against WW, and with WW's size and defensive ability, they didn't have a chance, and probably won't in Spokane.

[(509)Rat]

Buc,

Did you see the Whitman post come out on Felix, and then watch as the 260 pound center drive right past him for an easy bucket? Maybe it happened more than one but seeing Felix take someone off the dribble in the second half (all I was able to catch) made me just about fall out of my chair. Pretty sure I pissed myself a little from laughing. I have no idea what Whitman was doing, although the pressure worked against Whitworth's bench. I'm guessing it can be effective against some of the less disciplined teams in the conference???

Trymeteam,

You are right about Whitworth's defense being the difference this year compared to years past. But you said "stopping the Whitworth offense was not the problem" for LC. But it was the problem, just like scoring against the Whitworth defense was the problem. When the game is never a contest, all aspects or it are the problem.

And I'm curious what you and the other Pirate fans think, but I still think Mike Taylor is the best gaurd Whitworth has had. All around, size, speed, ball handling, shooting ability, his rebounding, etc. I've been very impressed...just wondering if anyone is starting to come around and agree as the season has progressed lol

[A Buc Forever]

 

Buc,

Did you see the Whitman post come out on Felix, and then watch as the 260 pound center drive right past him for an easy bucket? Maybe it happened more than one but seeing Felix take someone off the dribble in the second half (all I was able to catch) made me just about fall out of my chair. Pretty sure I pissed myself a little from laughing. I have no idea what Whitman was doing, although the pressure worked against Whitworth's bench. I'm guessing it can be effective against some of the less disciplined teams in the conference???

And I'm curious what you and the other Pirate fans think, but I still think Mike Taylor is the best gaurd Whitworth has had. All around, size, speed, ball handling, shooting ability, his rebounding, etc. I've been very impressed...just wondering if anyone is starting to come around and agree as the season has progressed lol

Felix is surprising light on his feet.  He has got around people and knocked post entry passes away several times over the last few games. Moves his feet very well on defense.   He does not have Nate's explosiveness, but he is playing well enough that WW is not missing Nate as much as I thought they would.  In fact, I think he has a better touch around the hoop than Nate did. Fun to see a guy step up like this. 

Mike Taylor is an incredible player, but it is hard to compare individual players from different years. What matters is how big of a mark the team makes. This team looks like it might leave quite a legacy. 

[Bearcat Press]

I'm guessing it can be effective against some of the less disciplined teams in the conference???

I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about.

[nwhoops1903]

Weekend schedule:

#3 Pirates wrap up 1st half vs Pacific at home tonight.  They should win by 20+ since it is a home game.  Shutting down on 2 guys is something WW can do and so Pac's only real chance is getting SIGNIFICANT contributions from someone(s) other than LA and CB.   2-5 might be PAC's record but that could be 5-2 second half.  This team's big game is Sat night at WHIT.  They really need to avoid getting swept in E Wash this weekend. 

PLU at LIN  Someone will leave this game 3-4 and be tied for fourth at the half way point.  The winner at 4-3 will be the team that everyone will be trying to climb over to avoid WW round 1.

GF at UPS  Both 2-4 in conf.  This would be huge for GF to win on the road and get to 3-4 (4th place, 1st half).

WIL at LC  If WIL wins this, even they could believe they might make the conf. tourney.  A loss will relegade them to 2nd half spoiler.  LC probably has to win all home games to hold the #2 spot.

WHIT 3-4 (tied for 4th) off

Saturday:

#3 WW off

LC at UPS            UPS

GF at LINF            GF

PLU at WIL           PLU

PAC at WHIT         PAC in OT

[TryMeTeam]

NWH:

Good Job!  With all the prognosticating (whew!) I do on this rag, I appreciate good analysis when I see it. 

However, you predicted Sat games, what about Fri.

Heres mine:

WW over PacU - A no-brainer
Linf over PLU - Linf fresh off two OT wins on the road, should be inspired at home.
GF over UPS - Not too sure about this one, so OR over WA
LC over Wil - I get to see this one, Linf just a little too far to go.  LC is too good for Wil.

Sat
LC over UPS - If they lose both Fri and Sat, Kea will be put out of Kea's misery. 
Linf over GF - Linf get the sweep and back in the playoff race
Wil over PLU - PLU down after a loss to Linf, upset time for Wil
Whit over Pac - Pac gets destroyed on Fri and wilts down the stretch against Whitm

[Keandre]

TryMeTeam-Linfield did not win 2 games in OT on the road, one was at Pacific the other was at home against UPS. I see UPS taking both games this weekend. Had a chance to see LC play PLU, LC does not handle pressure that well and plus they have a short bench, they can wear PJ and Kelly down. I don't see LC getting hot at UPS from the 3pt line.

Now, lets play some hoops! I love this part of the week!

[Keandre]

By the way, I like the name Dre better than Kea, what do you guys think lol?