MBB: Northwest Conference

(509)Rat · February 25, 2014, 11:06:34 AM

Jurlina has settled down a lot. He seems to have cut down on the turnovers as of late. His understanding of game situations still needs work and it would be nice if he'd actually make some of the 3-pt shots he's taken lately. 4-17 in the last 5 games (2-15 if you take out one of those games). But overall he's improved a lot from game one to game 24.

With the lack of an inside presence on the offensive side of the ball, Whitworth is going to have to shoot much better from outside than they have for much of the season. They do have gaurds that can get to the rim, or in the case of Valle can actually play with their back to the basket. But when you can't rely on Farnsworth to give you 10-12 a night, you have to shoot better than 25% from 3 like they did last Friday.

blackhawks4 · February 26, 2014, 12:21:42 AM

Fitting that in the last nwc game of the season, Whitman plays their first game with their entire roster...just in time! Everybody's in the same boat. Gotta go undefeated from here on out. Let's do it.

As for All NWC honors, POTY is McConnell from WW, hands down. As dominant as a big can be, in college hoops, when the game is on the line, it's all about the guards. I'd want the ball in his hands.

Puget is scary. So consistent. Expect them to be in it the whole way. WW will handle LC. If I'm a gambling man, I'm taking WMN-2, and I'm doubling down on WW-5.

Keandre · February 27, 2014, 02:45:05 PM

Fun games tonight. I think we will see an upset in one of the games.

(509)Rat · February 27, 2014, 05:35:28 PM

blackhawks nailed POTY. Congrats to McConnell on a deserved award. McCargar is the other Pirate first-teamer with Farnsworth and Jurlina getting honorable mention nods. Logie wins coach of the year which was inevitable. I still can't believe GF didn't make the playoffs....Best offense in the league and you finish outside of the top 4

I think blackhawks is giving UPS too much credit. At home with a rowdy crowd, the team is apparently healthy, and the best d3 coach in the country. I think they'll end up winning by 8, with UPS keeping it close for 38-39 minutes. Then again, with as inconsistent as the Missionaries have been lately, I guess there is good reason to think it'll be a final possesion type game.

Whitworth will win comfortably. No way that they only get 6 FT's at home...to Lewis and Clark's 18 like last Friday. Guys in stripes wont let that happen in the Fieldhouse

. LC plays tough perimeter defense and gets after it on the glass. Otherwise they aren't particularly scary. Last Friday Whitworth somehow mirrored LC's 3pt% (shocking when you shoot 25%) and put up almost 20 more shots than the Pio's. I don't think they'll miss as many shots around the rim as they did in Portland. I also don't think the Pio's will have triple the # of trips to the FT line. Pirates by 10.

Keandre · February 27, 2014, 05:50:29 PM

Rat, do you think there is some type of psychological advantage for LC since they won the last game? Not saying the game will play out the same as far as how many trips they go to the line or how many 3's they shoot and hit, but just the fact that they beat them has to make WW worry a little bit. Especially since everyone has been saying they have gotten better as the year goes on.

Also, UPS is in a pretty good position as well, they are consistent with what they are doing and they are doing well as guys get more familiar with their motion offense. As opposed to WM, who is not playing as consistent as they have been and even though the team is all back, chemistry has to play a factor doesn't it?

(509)Rat · February 27, 2014, 06:25:43 PM

Maybe. I don't know. I never treated games differently from a mental standpoint. It's about gameday execution and I don't know why beating somebody the week before would really matter. If LC wins it won't be because they were extra confident. It will be because they had a good gameplan that they executed on top of Whitworth playing poorly and of course some dumb luck. Especially with the new defensive rules, there is only so much you can do in basketball to stop your opponent from scoring. Many times it comes down to wether your opponent happens to be shooting well. Or a ref misses a few calls. Or a ball bounces off the rim in just the right spot for you to get an easy put back. I mean, it takes skill to capitalize on many of those events and the better you are the higher probablity of success. But there is still an element of chance in basketball. Probably more so than in other sports.

I can't fathom any team going in to a game against Whitworth thinking to themselves, "well, we're gonna lose by 20. Might as well not play very good tonight." And since most of the league doesn't beat Whitworth regularly, from your psychological standpoint they should all have that mindset and Whitworth probably shouldn't ever lose. Everybody should play worse against Whitworth because they've been beaten down physically and emotionally by the Pirates. I'd venture to guess the opposite is true.

Whitman hasn't been consistent all year. How many times has UPS beat them so far this season?

Keandre · February 28, 2014, 01:28:32 AM

They beat them once, tonight, when it counted. Very happy for Lunt. Everyone on this board picked against UPS, I need Karma points for calling UPS over WM. Anyone give Lunt his due for beating best d3 coach, in a must win 2 out of last 3 years?

(509)Rat · February 28, 2014, 01:33:58 AM

The best coach in the country couldn't get his team over the hump against UPS.

UPS was in the position I thought Whitman would be in. Up by a few points late in the game and extending it with FTs in the final seconds. Loggers win a trip to Spokane where hopefully Whitworth can continue the tear they were on tonight. Another 20 point win would be nice

A Buc Forever · February 28, 2014, 01:45:49 AM

Great wins for the Bucs and UPS. I guess last Friday's loss got the Pirates' heads straight. UPS has to be tough to go into Walla Walla and get a win. Saturday night will be a good one.

At the beginning of the year, most of us thought WM had the best talent in the league. They took UWSP to the limit. Yet they lost a lot of games and never came up big when it counted. I know they had some injuries, etc., but the were healthy tonight and playing at home. What's up in Walla Walla?

blackhawks4 · February 28, 2014, 04:06:32 AM

Tough...tough...tough year to swallow in Walla Walla. Lose Eisenhardt for the first 15-20 games. He comes back and you have to restructure the offense--Experiment with 2 bigs 'cause Martin is having such a fantastic season. Scratch that. Duck goes down, Chircu goes down, Mournier goes Arctic cold for half the season. The line-up they started tonight had never started together this year. Season over.

UPS has been consistent all year. #1 on their team has turned into quite a player.

Everyone can go back to rooting for their own team now instead of rooting against...Side note: I really, really like McConell's game. Not a big stat guy, but just the best basketball player on the court.

BTW, just because you score a lot of points does not make you the best offensive team, George Fox. 3 of the top 7 all conference guys are from a school that doesn't make a 4 team playoff? Seriously? WW is the best offensive team in the conference. I could solely base it off shot selection, but I think they play out of some great sets that fit their personnel well.

I am looking forward to "celebrating" another sweet 16 elimination for Whitworth. Honestly gentlemen, whether you go out now or you go out in two weeks, doesn't it all feel the same?

I am also looking forward to at least 6 months of not having to read "anything can happen when you lace 'em up," followed by 15 exclamation points. One does the trick just fine.

Good day, gentlemen.

badgerwarhawk · February 28, 2014, 09:24:23 AM

Quote from: blackhawks4 on February 28, 2014, 04:06:32 AM.

I am looking forward to "celebrating" another sweet 16 elimination for Whitworth. Honestly gentlemen, whether you go out now or you go out in two weeks, doesn't it all feel the same?

I guess that depends on whether it is better to play and lose or not play at all. Would your seniors rather turn in their uniforms knowing their careers are over or continue practicing and win or lose play another game?

Keandre · February 28, 2014, 10:18:21 AM

Blackhawks4, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU LACE'EM UP@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Way to send them boys from WM off to Spring Sports UPS! WM was out coached. Great list of excuses as to why WM's season is over though blackhawks4. Just goes to show you and I quote ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU LACE'EM UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, end quote.

UPS will upset WW

Pinecone_Curtain · February 28, 2014, 11:22:54 AM

Quote from: blackhawks4 on February 09, 2014, 04:27:24 AM
Honestly, Pinecone, you're embarrassing yourself. Let Rat and A Buc Forver fight your battles for you.

Remember this much too please.

I'm the one weeks ago said that the Whits would win out (except against each other obviously). The rest of the board scoffed.

I'm the one who is on record telling you that Whitman wins the conference this year.--By the way, Whitman beats WW, and Whitman claims the crown (with a better record against the top of the conference).

I'm the one who told you that Whitman goes dancing when they win the conference tourney.

I'm the one who told you months ago that WMN will meet UWSP again.

Just wait...

Whitman needs to be healthy and they need time playing together. Ps. Sophomore stud Tochi Oti showed unbelievable maturity this weekend deferring to WMNs bigs and Mournier, but I'd love to see him find his way on a team with so much talent.

Yeah, I was embarrassing myself. Enjoy watching Whitworth in The Dance...again.

A Buc Forever · February 28, 2014, 11:36:34 AM

Forgive, Pinecone for gloating a bit. However, when you are from WW the old Mac Davis song isn't sung with it's a sense of irony, it's just the truth:

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
when you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror

'cos I get better looking each day
to know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man.
O Lord it's hard to be humble
but I'm doing the best that I can.

Keandre · February 28, 2014, 02:09:15 PM

With the way UPS has been playing as of late, does anyone think they have a good chance to knock off WW. After reading all the posts second half of the season, it seems that everyone has picked against them and they have shown that they can beat the "best offense in the league" GF, the "most talented team in the league" WM, and everyone said that LC would beat them and they beat LC twice. They are playing well and I think they can knock off WW if they keep holding teams to low shooting percentages.