MBB: Northwest Conference

[(509)Rat]

I watched the last two CMS games. They don't really "wow" you by anything that they do, but then you look at the scoreboard and they're winning comfortably. They got guys who can shoot, they don't beat themselves when they are playing well (which is often as of late), and they do a good job of staying in front of guys defensively. I mean look at their last two games. They got outrebounded and didn't force a ton of turnovers, but they were very efficient on offense, made a high % of their FG attempts and won comfortably.

Whitworth will be the best team they've played since Platteville, but if Scarlett and Lynds are both hitting 50% of their 3's like they did against PP they'll win for the second year in a row. Will be interesting to see if/how Whitworth plays them differently this go around.

[CMSfan]

They don't really "wow" you by anything that they do, but then you look at the scoreboard and they're winning comfortably.

Yep, that's CMS. Tough, disciplined, and not easily flustered. They have a way of wearing teams down and going on a couple runs to get a lead that they don't relinquish. SCIAC isn't the strongest conference, obviously, but Oxy, Pomona, and Chapman were all formidable this year and the CMS winning streak is impressive.

While they've got a tough draw, at least they have familiar opponents in a familiar venue. If they somehow make it through the first weekend it'll be a heckuva way to get to their first Sweet 16 (at least I think it would be their first).

[Hoopfan555]

It's a tough draw for whoever makes it out of walla walla because they may face St. John's who is another top ten team. Three of the top ten teams in that group of 8 plus CMS who is much better than their record w an all American guard in Scarlett. Those are the top games in tournament, should be in sweet 16 but so be it

[A Buc Forever]

Why did CMS get beat by some SCIAC teams early and then run over those same teams later?  Was someone hurt, change of line-up, young team, etc?

[Hoopfan555]

Scarlett was hurt early in the season didn't play. He is good. High basketball iq guard who creates and scores. When they got him back it changed their team

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Scarlett was hurt early in the season didn't play. He is good. High basketball iq guard who creates and scores. When they got him back it changed their team

They had a series of injuries this year.  They've only been mostly healthy since Christmas and only fully healthy the last two weeks or so.  The team you'll see this weekend is much more like the team that beat Whitworth last year (I think a little better) than the team they've been most of this season.

If you recall, Whitman had a little trouble with Occidental earlier this year; CMS is loads better than that team right now.

[(509)Rat]

This is the CMS team everyone expected coming into the season. d3 pollsters had them ranked 15th in the preseason poll, but when Scarlett didn't suit up and they dropped a bunch of games they quickly fell off the face of the earth. I think the Stags match up better with Whitworth than they do Whitman and even if they beat Whitworth comfortably that they have a very small chance of beating the Blues in Walla Walla. Probably more than most years, matchups are going to be an important part of who ends up advancing throughout this tournament IMO

You now have the d3hoops #1 and #2 in the same pod with CMS, winner of that pod potentially gets a weekend date with St. John's, WashU and Plateville. I don't think Whitworth is the second best team in the country (even if they had Lester), but I understand when you see a recent split with the team you believe to be #1 that polls may reflect that. Should be fun, Whitman should still make it out of Walla Walla and head to the Midwest for rounds 3 and 4, should be a lot of good games in early rounds...I'm excited

[OxyBob]

Why did CMS get beat by some SCIAC teams early and then run over those same teams later? 

Claremont only lost its first conference game to Redlands and then won the other 15, plus two conference tournament games.

They got guys who can shoot, they don't beat themselves when they are playing well (which is often as of late), and they do a good job of staying in front of guys defensively.

You can always tell when Claremont is playing its game. You can't get the ball into the block, you can't get an open shot from the wing or the short corners, you can't drive the baseline, you can't get to the elbows. You end up passing the ball around the perimeter and flinging something at the basket.

OxyBob

[blackhawks4]

When you roll around on the ground long enough to get play stopped, lay there for another couple of minutes and then need help to hop off the court and into the locker room...you don't check back in 2 minutes later. I was ok with the taunting of opposing fans or whatever the old guys got upset about but this is where I start losing respect for a player.

Look familiar Rat? Got anything to say now?

[blackhawks4]

Thankful he's okay. Pulling for WW. And hate to see somebody go down like that.

Claremont really good

[(509)Rat]

When you roll around on the ground long enough to get play stopped, lay there for another couple of minutes and then need help to hop off the court and into the locker room...you don't check back in 2 minutes later. I was ok with the taunting of opposing fans or whatever the old guys got upset about but this is where I start losing respect for a player.

Look familiar Rat? Got anything to say now?

Head injury v knee injury where player couldn't walk off the court?

CMS is shooting over 60% from 3 and still losing. If they can't keep it up Whitworth will win by 10-15

[(509)Rat]

If we're done comparing apples and oranges...though I'm sure I could think of a loan origination analogy so it makes sense to you

Whitworth up 38-36 at the half. CMS shooting 66.7% from 3. CMS doing a very good job of staying between their man and the basket on D. Whitworth hasn't had many good looks or easy points around the rim. Definitely a better matchup for the Stags than Whitman will be if they can beat the Pirates. I think Howell and Butler and Hewitt would all have more success getting past their defenders, the Stags don't look like the most athletic team we've seen this year.

[blackhawks4]

Refs just botched that call! Gave WW a 5 pt swing!

You had a bump at the foul line. WW player decided to play on and shoot a layup. Claremont therefore plays on a fouls shooter. Refs call intentional and technical on logie.

Net result 4 free throws and ball for Pirates?! Vs 2  fts for Claremont.

I thought Claremont would be tougher match up for WMN but they don't rebound and get RATTLED by pressure

Scarlett...so good

[(509)Rat]

Hernandez is having his way with CMS defenders, scary to think what Howell would do to them

[(509)Rat]

Deja vu

It took a horrible game from roach and CMS shooting 55% from 3, but the Stags are gonna win again for the right to get beat by Whitman

Scarlett shoots the ball so dang well