MBB: Northwest Conference

logshock101 · January 09, 2009, 03:47:50 AM

Quote from: TryMeTeam on January 08, 2009, 10:41:21 AM
Shock: Don't count the Lutes out quite yet. They have played some of the top teams in the conference, and have lost all three, but have been in all of them. Even without Dressler (I heard a five game suspension), they have played very well. They will be a force once he gets back.

Tryme: First off welcome to the board...I am certainly not counting out the lutes, but a 0-3 start in the NWC (all home games) is one heck of a hole to climb out of, im not saying they wont beat some teams, but their playoff hopes are sinking fast!

TryMeTeam · January 09, 2009, 06:07:43 AM

Rat:

Shoot! And I was hoping for a positive karma on my first outing.

Shock:

Yeah, as the old saying goes " You have to sweep at home and split on the road". But I see PLU challenging for a playoff spot.

Quite a battle in McMinnville! I read the play-by-play, and neither team led by more than 5 all night with 11 ties. 16-15 with 5 minutes to go in the first half, ridiculous! Sounds like a defensive battle! Two more teams to watch out for. These teams can play with anyone, better than their overall records indicate. They will upset some teams this year. Watch out WA teams!

Predictions:

Friday
LC beats GF by 16
Linfield takes down Whitman by 5
Willamette upsets Whitworth by 5
(Gotta go with the OR teams althouth not very confident).

Saturday
Whitworth wins big at Linfield by 20
Willamette beats Whitman by 8
LC beats Pac by 8
UPS beats GF big by 28
(WW and UPS just too good to go against them)

(509)Rat · January 09, 2009, 04:11:06 PM

Was going to go +K this go around for a thoughtful post, but picking Willamette over Whitworth deserves -K. Willamette's Mitchell has averaged 20 and 10 against less than stellar competition. Don't expect him to get the points or boards he normally gets when he has to face the best frontcourt in the conference. Linfield is going to have the same problem with Montgomery and Jurich, normally productive Wildcat big men will struggle...making nakamura, riley, gregg, sellereit, gebbers, etc. (this list doesn't really stop) that much more dangerous from outside. Whitworth in a close one at Willamette 81-72 (hey, nine points is a lot closer than 30) and 76-61 at Linfield.

TryMeTeam · January 09, 2009, 07:53:23 PM

Quote from: (509)Rat on January 09, 2009, 04:11:06 PM
...Willamette's Mitchell has averaged 20 and 10 against less than stellar competition. Don't expect him to get the points or boards he normally gets when he has to face the best frontcourt in the conference. Linfield is going to have the same problem with Montgomery and Jurich, normally productive Wildcat big men will struggle...making nakamura, riley, gregg, sellereit, gebbers, etc. (this list doesn't really stop) that much more dangerous from outside.

I wouldn't be surprised if you are right. Linfield's big men held Mitchell in check (8 points) and WW's bigs are probably (haven't seen them play) much better. The Linfield game should provide interesting results, and maybe the upset is there instead of Salem. I'll be at the WW-Linfield game, so we shall see.

A sweep by WW would be huge.

nwhoops1903 · January 10, 2009, 01:14:57 AM

Quote from: (509)Rat on January 09, 2009, 04:11:06 PM
...Willamette's Mitchell has averaged 20 and 10 against less than stellar competition. Don't expect him to get the points or boards he normally gets when he has to face the best frontcourt in the conference. Linfield is going to have the same problem with Montgomery and Jurich, normally productive Wildcat big men will struggle...making nakamura, riley, gregg, sellereit, gebbers, etc. (this list doesn't really stop) that much more dangerous from outside.

WW does hold Mitchell back. He gets 9 points on only 3-5 fg attempts. Despite the attempt to choke (4 missed free throws in final :48), WW gets a road win by 1 point, 69-68. WW showed something tonight with some amazing play in the final 7 minutes of the first half. Down 12 at 6:48 to take a 1 point lead at half. WU could not stop Pirates during that run. This team showed a determination that was end of year/playoff-esque. Now if I could just forget about the missed free throws....

Pio20 · January 10, 2009, 03:33:06 AM

Good win for the Pios tonight. Shot the lights out (over 60%) in the second half from all over the floor. Also shot a ton of free throws, which is always a good sign for an LC team as we know how fond they are of perimeter. Sounds like Willamette almost upset Whitworth. You never know in the NWC!

wucatwu · January 10, 2009, 03:54:08 PM

Quote from: nwhoops1903 on January 10, 2009, 01:14:57 AM
Quote from: (509)Rat on January 09, 2009, 04:11:06 PM
...Willamette's Mitchell has averaged 20 and 10 against less than stellar competition. Don't expect him to get the points or boards he normally gets when he has to face the best frontcourt in the conference. Linfield is going to have the same problem with Montgomery and Jurich, normally productive Wildcat big men will struggle...making nakamura, riley, gregg, sellereit, gebbers, etc. (this list doesn't really stop) that much more dangerous from outside.

WW does hold Mitchell back. He gets 9 points on only 3-5 fg attempts. Despite the attempt to choke (4 missed free throws in final :48), WW gets a road win by 1 point, 69-68. WW showed something tonight with some amazing play in the final 7 minutes of the first half. Down 12 at 6:48 to take a 1 point lead at half. WU could not stop Pirates during that run. This team showed a determination that was end of year/playoff-esque. Now if I could just forget about the missed free throws....

I'm not so sure how much of that was WW's doing. Mitchell was the unfortunate recipient of some questionable foul calls last night that kept him out of much of the game...

nwhoops1903 · January 10, 2009, 04:08:36 PM

Quote from: wucatwu on January 10, 2009, 03:54:08 PM
Quote from: nwhoops1903 on January 10, 2009, 01:14:57 AM
WW does hold Mitchell back. He gets 9 points on only 3-5 fg attempts. Despite the attempt to choke (4 missed free throws in final :48), WW gets a road win by 1 point, 69-68. WW showed something tonight with some amazing play in the final 7 minutes of the first half. Down 12 at 6:48 to take a 1 point lead at half. WU could not stop Pirates during that run. This team showed a determination that was end of year/playoff-esque. Now if I could just forget about the missed free throws....

I'm not so sure how much of that was WW's doing. Mitchell was the unfortunate recipient of some questionable foul calls last night that kept him out of much of the game...

Poor guy, can't get calls at home. 16 total minutes does kinda suck . After 2 early fouls he sat the last 16:20 of the half. Fouled out with 3 to go. Breaks my heart.

Pio20 · January 11, 2009, 03:44:17 AM

Another solid win for the Pios tonight...and another solid shooting performance. Whitworth "upset" by Linfield...as we all know anything can happen in conference!

nwhoops1903 · January 11, 2009, 04:37:24 AM

Quote from: Pio20 on January 11, 2009, 03:44:17 AM
Another solid win for the Pios tonight...and another solid shooting performance. Whitworth "upset" by Linfield...as we all know anything can happen in conference!

Yea well ain't that the truth. With 8 road games, I think if you finish better than 12-4 in conference, you win it this year.

LogShow · January 11, 2009, 04:49:04 PM

NWC standings after 2 weeks of conference play:

Puget Sound 4-0
Whitworth 3-1
Lewis & Clark 3-1
Willamette 3-1
Whitman 2-2
Linfield 2-2
PLU 0-3
Pacific 0-3
George Fox 0-4

TryMeTeam · January 12, 2009, 11:05:57 PM

The Lin-Wil trip for Whitworth has been tough for the last couple of years (Lin got them last year too), and it sounds like a bounce the other way could have meant a sweep. Congrats to Linfield for beating a top 20 team! Did someone call an OR upset last weekend, I can't remember.

This puts UPS is the early drivers seat although that would switch if WW gets them Friday night. That should be a great NWC game! Almost worth the drive over, well, no. Looking for league parity, I would have to go with WW on that one.

I mostly agree with Hoops, but I think the league champion will have 2 or 3 loses instead of 4. But 4 would not suprise.

Several other good and important games this weekend. Time for PLU to step up. I don't think Dressler will be back for these games, and going into the WW hut will be very tough with or without him.

The Pios have two tough ones, at Linfield and home against Willamette. They seem to be playing better since the trip to Tacoma, and they will need to to get by Wil and Lin.

Finally, how about Faidley last weekend! 42 and 30. Not bad. POY? I am glad Bridgeland doesn't have him for 3 more years.

Good luck to all of the teams!

(509)Rat · January 13, 2009, 01:40:15 AM

You called the wrong upset. If we were running a pick'em you would have been 0-2 on Whit games. Whitworth always seems to lose at least 1 game in the state of Oregon every year. Add to that a split with UPS (with each generally winning at home) and they are still sitting 1st or 2nd in conference. While Whitworth would much rather play UPS at home come tourney time, it won't be the end of the world if they don't. And, while money has always been the deciding factor come West coast tourney entries, this season has shown a lot of love for the NWC in the d3 poll. This could be the year two teams from our conference get in. Although they would likely be matched up in the first round or separated by a game with one getting a home game and the other on the road (w/ WIAC and SCIAC opponents I would guess). Anyways, lot of ball to be played...looking forward to the showdown in Spokane friday night.

TryMeTeam · January 13, 2009, 11:25:44 AM

Yeah, Rat, you right. I did mention that I might have the upset in McM instead of Salem, but that is not calling it. And that could be the last loss in OR. They only team left to stop the WW machine is the Pios, and they would have to play a perfect game to do that.

Two teams in the tournament would be great, but history is working against us and they would probably be matched up against each other. That would be a shame, because the NWC is a very good conference, and has been for the last several years. But as sages would say, you have to earn respect.

logshock101 · January 13, 2009, 11:29:59 AM

can anybody give me a recap on the WW-Lin game? Did WW not shoot the ball well or what was the deal? It looked like Linfields bigs had decent games...winning down at linfield is always a challenge. last year ups was up 14 at the half before going ice cold in the 2nd half and losing.