MBB: Northwest Conference

A Buc Forever · February 06, 2013, 10:52:08 AM

The Pirates shot themselves in the foot last night and Whitman remains the thorn in Whitworth''s side.

Bearcat Press · February 06, 2013, 03:05:36 PM

Hate that this happened against Willamette, but glad I was there to see it nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6DkEddIPts

playball · February 06, 2013, 04:30:59 PM

Quote from: Bearcat Press on February 06, 2013, 03:05:36 PM
Hate that this happened against Willamette, but glad I was there to see it nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6DkEddIPts

OUCH!! What a play!!

What did the WW kid do to get the T at the end of regulation?!? Unwhitworth like to do something like that. Was Greg Adrian one of the officials?

(509)Rat · February 06, 2013, 07:52:52 PM

Farnsworth slammed the ball down after his 5th foul. Castle said the T was warranted, but most of the other 20 fouls in the second half and OT were not, supposedly.

(509)Rat · February 06, 2013, 10:31:19 PM

Whitworth is at #2 in the first regional rankings. Behind St. Thomas and in front of the WIAC (SP, WW, Stout).

A Buc Forever · February 06, 2013, 10:36:21 PM

Great article:
http://seattletimes.com/html/take2/2020288050_taketwo04.html

Pinecone_Curtain · February 07, 2013, 02:37:45 AM

Quote from: (509)Rat on February 06, 2013, 07:52:52 PM
Farnsworth slammed the ball down after his 5th foul. Castle said the T was warranted, but most of the other 20 fouls in the second half and OT were not, supposedly.

Valle got taken down with no foul called late in the game, and then they went down and called an under the back on Farnsworth going for a rebound. You read that right. He had inside position for a rebound and then got called for under the back I guess. Not sure what else it could have been. Just a crazy, crazy call. That was Farnsworth's fourth foul and I think that really frustrated him. He argued into the timeout. Playball, you've never been called for under the back right?!?! Not to harp on that one call, but that one to me was the most egregious in a series of terrible calls. Anyway, Farnsworth got called for a fifth (tough to tell on the video from afar if it was a good or bad call) but he slammed the ball and it went halfway to the ceiling. The Farnsworth T was the best call they made all night. He absolutely deserved it. The other fouls? Not so much.

But it wasn't just fouls they missed, they missed a lot of kicks, travels, etc. I mean, you don't get calls on the road, but this was ridiculous. I know, I know, Whitworth has nothing to complain about, etc. Whatever. Last time the Missionaries ruined our perfect regular season we got to the Elite 8. I'd gladly take a return trip to the E8 or further. Hopefully the Bucs can still host a couple rounds.

About the Seattle Times article, you'd never know it was a rivalry game looking at the Missionary crowd last night. Personally I always thought of UPS and Linfield more as rivals because they were good at sports when I was at WW, but I guess times have changed. Bridgeland has certainly brought a new attitude (and I mean that in every sense of the word) to the Missionaries. Plus with all the money they're starting to pour into athletics, the teams down in Walla Walla are starting to get much better. I think they just ended Whitworth's 100+ dual match win streak a few weeks ago in men's swimming.

playball · February 08, 2013, 10:31:55 AM

Boxing out too aggressively maybe? It would either be that or maybe undercutting? I have no idea what happened since I wasn't there (obviously) but these are the only explanations I can come up with for that call. With as BS as the officials sounded from here on the boards, I'm happy that Whitworth feels the pinch of being homered! Up by 4 with <1minute left and he picks up a shooting foul for a fifth AND a technical? It doesn't matter how bad the refs were at that point, WW were in a position to win. No real excuse for that kind of sabotage!

(509)Rat · February 08, 2013, 04:12:15 PM

I would think he'd have to have undercut the Whitman player after he left his feet...? But I couldn't see whatever it was the ref did. Whitworth definitely got homered, but they still should have won. Hopefully it stings, and a few guys learn to take care of the ball and not go full retard in the last minute of the game. There is a reason Whitman has lost 4 games in this conference. They aren't nearly as scary as last year's team. I don't like to think about what that says about this year's Whitworth team...

Wade went off, which was one of the lone bright spots. He hit big shots from outside at the end of the game. His second half was probably some of the best basketball he's played this year (from games I've been able to watch).

Depending on what happens in the WIAC, it will be interesting to see what happens to Whitworth's regional ranking. Do you put a 4 loss WIAC team ahead of a 2 loss Whitworth team that lost recently and plays an inferior schedule? I don't think so, and the nice thing is that it doesn't really matter as they'll still be the high seed for a couple rounds.

Keandre · February 08, 2013, 05:16:04 PM

Here are my picks,
All the washington teams win and Linfield gets Pacific at home.

A Buc Forever · February 08, 2013, 05:26:57 PM

Quote from: playball on February 08, 2013, 10:31:55 AM
I'm happy that Whitworth feels the pinch of being homered!

Don't worry, Whitworth plays plenty of games in the Willamette Valley. They have more than felt the pinch of being homered.

Bearcat Press · February 09, 2013, 01:20:37 AM

Willamette gets hammered by PLU at home, despite the best efforts of a vintage Cone crowd to find something - anything - to get excited about. Really, hats off to the students: they were yelling and cheering like it was a close game even when the Bearcats were down 20. On the court though, WU got outplayed, outhustled, and outcoached. Badly.

This season has gone from vaguely promising to extremely ugly very quickly. The gut-punch loss to Pacific a couple of weeks ago looks like a turning point in the season, and it's been followed by four straight losses (three of which were never even close). Yuck.

(509)Rat · February 09, 2013, 10:30:40 AM

UPS beat LC
Whitman beat Fox
Pacific beat Linfield

3. Fox (8-5)
4. LC (7-6)
5. Pacific (7-6)
6. PLU (6-8)

Fox still has to play Whitworth. Which means UPS is going to have the opportunity to ruin somebody's season. UPS is playing good basketball. They can beat Fox and Pacific, and they get em both the last weekend of the season. Fox could be fighting for a playoff spot...

A Buc Forever · February 10, 2013, 08:39:22 PM

I guess the loss at Whitman didn't wake the Pirates up. They need to know they are not the type of team that can cruise. They got to where they are by playing hard. H Hopefully they wake up enough not to drop two in the Willamette Valley next week.

Looks like George Fox has the inside track for the #3 slot and the Pacific v LC game will pretty much decide #4. Should be a great conference tournament.

(509)Rat · February 14, 2013, 11:52:33 AM

Hopefully someone tells them that these losses are costing them potential tournament home games. Whitworth down to 4th in the West. If they win out they should jump to #3 since one of the WIAC teams has to lose...

Last week were the type of results I expected this year from Whitworth, but I always had assumed it would be a talent issue. However, those two losses weren't about talent. Whitworth is still better than everyone else in the conference. They lost because they were lazy and made stupid plays. The perimeter D didn't exist. They had too many unforced TO's. Oh, and that technical foul.

Hopefully Whitworth learned that they aren't quite as good as they thought they were. Play like that in the tourney and you will...(gulp)...lose to a SCIAC team...