MBB: Northwest Conference

[nwhoops1903]

Whitworth holds off LC and wins 83-78.   Shooting cools in second half and WW will be at home Thursday vs Linfield.

Congrats Pirates on 20 wins!!  That's 4 straight 20 win season for Pirates.

[UPS4Life]

Loggers could move up as high as #2 in country as teams ranked 2-5 all dropped games this week

So we're ranked #2 in the West region, just behind undefeated St. Thomas.  If we do move up to #2 in the 25, win our conference tourney, and St. Thomas loses a game in theirs, could we be #1 in the nation?  I know these numbers don't really matter and I'm just speculating for fun, but you gotta admit it would be cool.  However, I think Stevens Point will remain ahead of us at least.

[Pugetsoundfan]

Pretty sweet win for the Logs, and I am pretty happy that somebody made a serious run (a very serious run) at them in a conference game.  Looking forward to Thursday!

If I had a vote, and were going to pick a Logger for conference player of the year, it would be Krauel.  He's been strong every game, all year, and to my mind was the glue of the team this year.  I think on most squads in the NWC, most d3 programs in the country he'd be a featured scorer.  Here he was just a great piece and in tough times (e.g. down 15 with 8 to go at Willamette with Foster in foul trouble, down at 1/2 to PLU) he was just a monster.  Obviously Foster was excellent most nights and Williams made it go.  But I think that through the year Krauel was  the most valuable guy on the floor for an undefeated conference champion. 

[logshock101]

Loggers could move up as high as #2 in country as teams ranked 2-5 all dropped games this week

So we're ranked #2 in the West region, just behind undefeated St. Thomas.  If we do move up to #2 in the 25, win our conference tourney, and St. Thomas loses a game in theirs, could we be #1 in the nation?  I know these numbers don't really matter and I'm just speculating for fun, but you gotta admit it would be cool.  However, I think Stevens Point will remain ahead of us at least.

im not sure how many more polls are going to come out, might only be one plus the final poll

[Mr. Ypsi]

Loggers could move up as high as #2 in country as teams ranked 2-5 all dropped games this week

So we're ranked #2 in the West region, just behind undefeated St. Thomas.  If we do move up to #2 in the 25, win our conference tourney, and St. Thomas loses a game in theirs, could we be #1 in the nation?  I know these numbers don't really matter and I'm just speculating for fun, but you gotta admit it would be cool.  However, I think Stevens Point will remain ahead of us at least.

im not sure how many more polls are going to come out, might only be one plus the final poll

There's this coming week, next week (after conference tourneys), plus the final. poll.

[OxyBob]

If I had a vote, and were going to pick a Logger for conference player of the year, it would be Krauel.  He's been strong every game, all year, and to my mind was the glue of the team this year. 

Love Krauel's game. Very difficult to stop him. Great all-around player.

OxyBob

[UPS4Life]

Loggers could move up as high as #2 in country as teams ranked 2-5 all dropped games this week

So we're ranked #2 in the West region, just behind undefeated St. Thomas.  If we do move up to #2 in the 25, win our conference tourney, and St. Thomas loses a game in theirs, could we be #1 in the nation?  I know these numbers don't really matter and I'm just speculating for fun, but you gotta admit it would be cool.  However, I think Stevens Point will remain ahead of us at least.

im not sure how many more polls are going to come out, might only be one plus the final poll

There's this coming week, next week (after conference tourneys), plus the final. poll.

Might have been referring to the regional which I mentioned along with the 25.

[Pio20]

I watched the live stats online of the WW-LC game today. Seemed like a game of runs. LC shot the lights out early to go up 21-7 then WW went on a 19-2 run of their own. The second half was back and forth for a while until WW made a late run to secure the win. LC goes into UPS on Thursday with nothing to lose. Nobody expects them to win against UPS. But man will it be tough to win that game.

[OxyBob]

Pretty sweet win for the Logs, and I am pretty happy that somebody made a serious run (a very serious run) at them in a conference game. 

I tuned in to the UPS video broadcast and "watched" the last few minutes of the UPS-WU game. They had a most unusual camera shot of what appeared to be cheering UPS parents and the Willamette webcast announcers but not of the game action. Just a suggestion, but perhaps UPS could try pointing the camera in the other direction towards the court next time.

OxyBob

[logshock101]

Pretty sweet win for the Logs, and I am pretty happy that somebody made a serious run (a very serious run) at them in a conference game. 

I tuned in to the UPS video broadcast and "watched" the last few minutes of the UPS-WU game. They had a most unusual camera shot of what appeared to be cheering UPS parents and the Willamette webcast announcers but not of the game action. Just a suggestion, but perhaps UPS could try pointing the camera in the other direction towards the court next time.

OxyBob

I think that the camera is acutally just one of those computer cameras that was on top of the broadcasters computer, it would be a little tough to follow the game by turning your computer back and forth

[Bearcat Press]

An email the Collegian just got from Willamette AD Mark Majeski.  I'd heard rumors, but hoped they weren't true: 

All:
It is with great appreciation, admiration and respect as well as regret that
I write to you announcing that Gordie James is leaving his position at men's
basketball coach. He will remain on staff through the remainder of the
Spring semester. I purposely avoided the word "retiring."  Gordie
emphatically declares he has many things to do yet in his life that will
keep him busy, including spending more time with his wife Peg, their three
children and eight grandchildren.

Gordie's influence extends beyond the gym, the classroom and the Willamette
campus. His name is synonymous with "basketball" in Salem and throughout
Oregon. His summer Pro Classic Hoop camp has helped over 15,000 young boys
and girls develop fundamental basketball skills as well as a game plan for
successful lives.

In his 22 years at Willamette, Gordie accomplished many things and none more
important than positively influencing the lives of hundreds of young men who
played for him. On the court under his leadership, the Bearcats reached the
pinnacle of team sports when Gordie led the 1992-93 basketball team to the
NAIA Division II title, our institution's only varsity team national
championship. Gordie was named national coach of they year in 1993 and has
been named Northwest Conference Coach of the Year four times. He is
Willamette basketball's all-time leader with 357 wins, and led the Bearcats
to six Northwest Conference titles.

Prior to Willamette, Gordie won 340 games as a high school head coach in
California and Oregon.

Details will be forthcoming about celebrating Gordie's time at Willamette in
the weeks ahead. In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts
and appreciation with Gordie as you see him. A search for a new basketball
coach will commence soon.

Sincerely,
________________________________
Mark Majeski
Director of Athletics
Willamette University
900 State Street
Salem, OR 97301
http://www.willamette.edu/athletics

[bbaddict]

"And congrats to Wil for their effort against UPS!  And, sorry to Wil fans, but shame on Wil for putting themselves in a postion of needing to beat UPS to get into the playoffs.  They are just too good of a team to be out of the playoffs, talent and experience wise.  I don't know if it is the players or coaches fault for missing the playoffs, but they should have been there.  I had them finishing 3rd in my preseason thinking. "

TryMeTeam -- I also thought Willamette would have a better finish, especially with their conference win streak at the beginning of the season.   Not sure what happened, but it was a tough season with 2 games being lost by 1 point (Whitworth & UPS) and 3 others by 6 points or less.  The NWC was pretty tough this year top to bottom & it's probably going to be even better next year.

Tough break for the Bearcats that Gordie James is leaving.  He's a great coach and will really be missed  So, BearCatPress, tell me that's it's just an ugly hoax???

BTW--I watched the Whitworth v L&C game on Sunday.  That game could've gone either way.  L&C's shooting cooled off, but it could've easily been the Pirates travelling to Portland instead of Linfield getting a break.

Logs, you won't like to hear me say this, but I think any of the three teams left could give UPS troubles.   Whitworth & L&C looked especially good against each other.  Haven't seen Linfield for a while but have heard some of their broadcasts.  It definitely isn't over yet!!   Could mean 2 NWC teams in the tourney.

[bbaddict]

I watched the live stats online of the WW-LC game today. Seemed like a game of runs. LC shot the lights out early to go up 21-7 then WW went on a 19-2 run of their own. The second half was back and forth for a while until WW made a late run to secure the win. LC goes into UPS on Thursday with nothing to lose. Nobody expects them to win against UPS. But man will it be tough to win that game.

I saw the L&C/Whitworth game live and I think that the Pios can win against UPS.  They just need to play the whole 40 minutes and not take dumb shots.   The problem is that if the win, they'll probably have to take another trip to Spokane and play Whitworth.    Not sure if Linfield can beat Whitworth at the fieldhouse.  Could happen, but it would surprise me.

[OxyBob]

I think that the camera is acutally just one of those computer cameras that was on top of the broadcasters computer, it would be a little tough to follow the game by turning your computer back and forth

I wish I'd known that. I'd have turned on Skype and then the fans in the stands could have watched me watching them watching the game.

OxyBob

[bbaddict]

I think that the camera is acutally just one of those computer cameras that was on top of the broadcasters computer, it would be a little tough to follow the game by turning your computer back and forth

I wish I'd known that. I'd have turned on Skype and then the fans in the stands could have watched me watching them watching the game.

OxyBob

Hey, I, for one, would've paid for that!!