MBB: Northwest Conference

Bearcat Press · January 11, 2014, 09:49:14 PM

After last night's 78-70 victory over Linfield, Willamette men's basketball is 7-2 against the Wildcats under head coach Kip Ioane. The Bearcats are 11-48 against all other NWC opponents during that time span.

blackhawks4 · January 12, 2014, 01:58:41 PM

A lot of parity in the NWC this year. Whitman has 5-6 guards who would start on any team in the conference. They win this conference with or without Eisenhardt. If/when he comes back expect a game or two of rust as the team adapts to him on the court. Once they get firing on all cylinders this team can be dangerous on a national level.

A Buc Forever · January 13, 2014, 01:31:09 AM

No doubt Whitman has the tools to compete against the best. Look what they did with UWSP. However, they don't show up every night. That might be due to their system or a lack of focus. If they are going to win the conference they have to beat the Pacifics as well as the Whitworths.

The games have been closer than I like but a 4-0 start is great. Go Bucs!!!

Keandre · January 13, 2014, 04:27:52 PM

I love watching Duckworth play for WM, I know Mounier and Big Ben get most of the credit but he is a winner and the team does not have the success they have with out him running the show. Saying that WM has 5-6 guards that would start anywhere else may be right but I think that they are recruited to a system that fits them, not sure they all could start for teams that have slower paces. I have seen plenty of guards who can go all out like the Whitman guards but not get the PT at other schools just cause the style is to uncomfortable for some coaches.

purplecat · January 18, 2014, 01:42:55 AM

Just finished watching the linfield Whitman game, L infield is very young,and not really sure what to think. But a few more years with some good recruits I think we will be on the right path.Whitman did not impress me either, they are a much better team than linfield! but not a world beater either. One thing I did like was the way both coaches carried themselves on the side lines. Really feel linfield is heading in the right direction! just need to be patient....easily said.

blackhawks4 · January 18, 2014, 11:08:36 PM

Purplecat, one thing I DIDN'T like is how both coaches carried themselves on the sideline. You ask me, I think Bridgeland is lookin' soft out there

.

And I can tell you what to think about Linfield: They are very, very bad. They've only beat Caltech and Portland Bible all year.

A Buc Forever, regarding Whitman, I don't know that "they don't show up every night" is quite accurate. Pacific is certainly no gimme this year, and dropping one to them on the road isn't a terrible loss. Watch for this Whitman team to get stronger as the year goes on (still waiting for Eisenhardt...)

Moving on, unless Lewis & Clark missed their bus to Willamette tonight, WW, Whitman, & LC will be knotted atop the NWC standings.

Whitworth comes to Whitman January 21. This will be interesting. Any thoughts?

A Buc Forever · January 19, 2014, 03:27:23 PM

Quote from: blackhawks4 on January 18, 2014, 11:08:36 PM
Purplecat, one thing I DIDN'T like is how both coaches carried themselves on the sideline. You ask me, I think Bridgeland is lookin' soft out there .

And I can tell you what to think about Linfield: They are very, very bad. They've only beat Caltech and Portland Bible all year.

A Buc Forever, regarding Whitman, I don't know that "they don't show up every night" is quite accurate. Pacific is certainly no gimme this year, and dropping one to them on the road isn't a terrible loss. Watch for this Whitman team to get stronger as the year goes on (still waiting for Eisenhardt...)

Moving on, unless Lewis & Clark missed their bus to Willamette tonight, WW, Whitman, & LC will be knotted atop the NWC standings.

Whitworth comes to Whitman January 21. This will be interesting. Any thoughts?

I think right now Whitman is the team to beat. However, I do think they are more up and down than a great team should be. The losses to Pacific and old Westbury are good examples. Last year the losses to PLU, LC, and GF kept them from winning the conference. Bad losses the year before cost them home court advantage in the playoffs.

It's great they have some huge wins the last few years. They have ruined more than one WW streak, beaten a #1 in the nation, almost beat another but, winning championships means beating who you should beat.

Speaking of beating who you should beat, WW's loss to GF was bad. Hopefully this will be their only bad league loss.

blackhawks4 · January 20, 2014, 02:38:56 PM

GF is more talented than you think. They'll compete with every one in the conference outside of Whitman. The reason they'll never compete against Whitman is that they're trying to let their horses outrun thoroughbreds. If you want a shot at beating Whitman, 1) limit your turnovers, 2) make them defend you 30 seconds, 3) go under the on balls, 4) Helpside defense--take note of how Willamette and Pacific played them. But DON'T go out there and try to beat them at their own game. I said it before, Whitman has 5-6 guards that start on any team in the conference.

Whitworth / Whitman will be interesting...

A Buc Forever, I'll give you that Whitman's style of play creates a more volatile. But also don't discount that Bridgeland's system has produced consistent winning teams, to the tune of 22-4, 23-5, etc. Whitman, by the way, is a different team this year. You're seeing less gambling on defense which results in less easy layups, they're shooting a high 3 point field goal percentage with less NBA 3's going up, no more lining up taking charges--they're challenging shots at the rim, and more ball reversals on offense than ever before.

And let's not forget about Lewis & Clark...

On a side note, the George Fox broadcasters were phenomenal. Called a good game, pretty knowledgeable, and as close to impartial as you can expect a home team broadcast team to be. Nice work over there.

formercat · January 21, 2014, 12:33:39 AM

After seeing Whitman and Whitworth this weekend when they came to Linfield I feel fairly comfortable in saying no team in the conference is all that dominant. Whitman probably has the best overall talent. No surprise that Whitworth lost to GF given how much Whitworth has to rely on its guards and GF has some good guards themselves. Would not surprise me if Whitworth dropped the next two games against Whitman and L&C, but then again no one team is head and shoulders above the rest of the conference. I can think of several teams that finished 2nd or 3rd in previous years that I could say would dominate the conference if they were in it this year. Seems like talent overall is down, but maybe that is just me. This I can say, there are very few quality bigs left and what are the chances that you see two good bigs on the same team anymore? Maybe Martin and Eisenhardt (when he returns) for Whitman?

TryMeTeam · January 21, 2014, 11:30:06 AM

BH4:

I watched the GF/Whitman game and the announcers did do a good job. They also mentioned several times how much the injuries were affecting GF. It appears Atkins got hurt in the Whitworth game.

It was an early game, so the late games were available to check out. LC vs Will, pleeeease! Whitworth vs Linfield, knew the outcome of that one! So I made the trip to Forest Grove, and got a good game vs PLU.

Former:

PLU has a young big, 6-6 Bryce Miller. Very active inside for a big and had some nice moves. But on the other hand, PU has no big to bang with him. Probably made him look better than against other teams. He is only averaging 10 a game. But only a soph, so....

Whitman looks like a good game with Whitworth, but LC hasn't won in Spokane since

? 2014 would be a great time to start, but tough trip (Whitman used to be an easy game, but not anymore), tougher place to play, and still a tough team. Hard to like LC for that one. I still see (hoping) for a split this weekend for them.

Keandre · January 21, 2014, 01:50:54 PM

Besides losing two close contests in Eastern Washington, UPS is having a solid start. Nothing special but they play hard. They beat LC at home for their only conference loss. They will be the quiet horse this year as no one is really talking about them. Also, a few of their losses have come down to last second shots and reall close outcomes. Those types of games make teams better in the long run. Chaledinas is playing very well, Barber is starting to find his stroke, and Holden as well as Nelson have been solid all year. They have some size, speed, athletes, and shooters that will help them compete for a top spot in the conference. Anyone else have thoughts on UPS?

blackhawks4 · January 21, 2014, 08:28:47 PM

Formercat-- I agree.

TryMeTeam: Speaking of injuries, let's not forget about the All Region, player of the year, d1 transfer, senior, 6'10 fellow that Whitman is missing.

Keandre: What's a quiet horse? But you're right, we've kind of glanced over UPS, despite the fact that they've taken Whitman to OT and beaten LC.

LC has to be happy with a split this week. They win both on the road and they are the legitimate frontrunner in the NWC. No questions asked.

Whitman needs to at least split with LC & WW. They drop two at home and they're loooking at a 3rd place finish. If they win both it will be their conference to lose.

WW needs a split, but would sure like to get 2, stealing one in Sherwood. Tip off is coming...

blackhawks4 · January 22, 2014, 01:11:42 AM

Well, WW positions themself as the team to beat. McConnell and McCarger were fantastic. Whitworth shot a blistering percentage from the floor tonight, and not because they were hot, but because they had good clean looks at the basket all night.

Attention turns to Lewis & Clark. Big road trip for them.

UPS creeps back into the picture. We'll get a chance to see if they're ready to compete for the NWC crown this weekend. If they get two W's (over Fox and Pacific), they're in the hunt.

A Buc Forever · January 22, 2014, 11:30:41 AM

A great win for WW!!!

Now onto the next hurdle--LC.

Keandre · January 22, 2014, 07:31:13 PM

Quiet horse means a horse that is quietly creeping from behind, you can also use quiet dog, quiet any animal, I just thought horse was better at the time cause I took my family horseback riding last weekend.

As always, LC will live and die by the 3, I see them losing a few just for that reason.

Can someone tell me whats going on with PLU, they have size, they have shooters, they have some good guard play but they are not winning any games.

Big weekend for the NWC, anything can happen when you lace'em up.