MBB: Northwest Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Whitworth 82, UPS 80. 0:51 and UPS steals the ball...jump ball arrow to Whitworth.

[Greek Tragedy]

UPS makes 1 of 2 FTs with 5 seconds left...84 all to OT.  UPS had a 7 point lead at the half (I think) and Whitworth blew a late lead.

[Greek Tragedy]

Only took Whitworth 4+ minutes to score their first points of OT.  UPS up 8 with 40 seconds to go in OT.

[(509)Rat]

UPS shoots the lights out against Whitworth once again...over 50% from beyond the arc (I think it was around 52-53%, and just before regulation ended they were shooting over 60%).  Foster was under 30% from three point range on the season and went 6-7.  Whitworth's defense is to blame...I like their philosophy, just pack it in and make people beat you from beyond the arc, slow the game down and let your highly efficient offense do its thing.  But you'd think against a UPS team that has done that to you plenty of times some adjustments would be made.  Oh well, Whitworth should still make the conference tourney, and I don't think UPS will shoot like this for a third straight time against the Pirates, but I've been wrong a lot lately (and that's even assuminng that the Pirates can beat a dang good LC team if that matchup ends up happening first).  Whitworth has left themselves without any room for error and has to win out to eve think about getting a single home-game in the tourney.  And am I correct in thinking that UPS and LC still have to play each other one more time?  and if so, when?

[David Collinge]

And am I correct in thinking that UPS and LC still have to play each other one more time?  and if so, when?

http://www.d3hoops.com/school_info.php?school=Puget%20Sound&team=mens

There's all sorts of useful and interesting information all over D3Hoops.com! 

[(509)Rat]

Thanks, Collinge...I was trying to just get the answer without having to do any extra work.  That link was very nice of you though.  You could have just said "Yes" but I wouldn't want you to have to go to all that trouble.  I'm sure that posting the link was much less work than those three letters.  Anyways, UPS lost to Whitman tonight, Whitworth beat PLU...I would post the scores and their records but that nifty link Collenge used tells you everything you need to know.  As a Whitworth fan I will now be rooting for UPS next week.  If they beat LC (here's a hint, shoot like you do against the Pirates and this one wont be close) then Whitworth can gain sole possesion of first place in the conference as long as they take care of Whitman and Willamette again.  So untill next week is over...GO LOGGERS!

[David Collinge]

Wow...touchy.    I just thought maybe you didn't know there were easily-accessible schedules on this site.  So sue me.

[nwhoops1903]

After watching the UPS win Friday and my man J Jones play his worst game in two years, I thought dang, "Those Loggers just have our number".  A great shooting night, a effective crowd and 5 fouls on the non injured B Williams (with 3 minutes to go) doomed the Pirates.  I think Foster just went to PTY status in my book.  Incredible shooting by this guy and every one that went in was a no doubter. Why doesn't he throw more of those 3's in any other conf. games?

All that being said....

The Logs lose to Whitman, and I again start to think WW is a better team but then back to point A, they have beat us twice.  I give up, but I do believe that homecourt is worth a minimum of 6 pts and all 3 top teams are within 5 points of each other, maybe 3 on a neutral court.

Go UPS (gulp) on Friday vs LC and hopefully a tired WW team (60 percent FT % this last weekend) can get by in Walla Walla and shut down a potential spoiler in Willamette.

LC holds their destiny in their own hands, can they win out?

I love college basketball!!  Where's my defibrilator?

[Greek Tragedy]

Thanks, Collinge...I was trying to just get the answer without having to do any extra work.  That link was very nice of you though.  You could have just said "Yes" but I wouldn't want you to have to go to all that trouble. 

Wow...touchy.    I just thought maybe you didn't know there were easily-accessible schedules on this site.  So sue me.

Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.  Show a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

Sometimes you gain a lot more respect when you do your own "homework"...and there are a lot of posters that don't know of all the useful links on this site, but sometimes even I get lazy. 

[UPSoundLogs]

The Loggers really showed their youth this weekend .  Just like I've been saying all year long, they play to the level of the game.  On Friday against WW they played the best game I've seen them play all year long...and then on Saturday against Whitman they played the worst I've seen them play all year long.  If they ever gain some consistency they will be a very tough team.  They have tremendous talent, but they just need to use it all the time instead of on and off. 

Fridays game was highly entertaining with a great crowd.  As has already been stated, Jason Foster played a great game and looked like a POTY!  BWilliams was probably the best player for WW, although he may be the cheapest player in the NWC you can't deny his effectivness...until he fouled out(that lost them the game by the way).  I wasn't that impressed with Symes, although this was the only time ive seen him play in person, I thought he would have had more of an impact in such a big game.  He had a couple nice blocks and pull up jumpers, but in my opinion he was just OK. 

On Saturday it was all Whitman, I have to give them a lot of credit.  For a team that is on the bottom of the league they came into Tacoma and played with a lot of confidence.  Great performances by Warner, Hazel, Faidley(9 threes I think!!!) and Born.  If Born was on a team with a winning record he would be a serious candidate for POTY. 

[(509)Rat]

Faidley did hit 9 threes...guess how many he shot?  10!  He shot 90% from thee point land...I guess the UPS fans felt saturday how us Pirates felt friday night.  Oh well, its still anyone's conference especially this year...home court through the tourney would be nice but with these 3 teams it isn't a necesity.  They have all been capable of winning and losing big games at both home and on the road.  Is Whitworth the only team in the NWC that does an internet broadcast?  and if Collinge was wondering I will check this out on my own but...does anyone know if LC does a live stat tracker like some of the other NWC teams?

[Pat Coleman]

UPS does -- I listened to it Friday night because Whitworth's was full.

[(509)Rat]

Thanks Pat, I'll have to try and get that and the whitworth one up and running this tuesday.

[Greek Tragedy]

UPS does -- I listened to it Friday night because Whitworth's was full.

As did I.  And the live stat tracker.

[bearcatsfan3]

A.  I've asked this before, but can someone explain how WW cannot beat UPS, WU cannot beat WW, yet seemingly can beat UPS every year in Salem...I guess it comes down matchup issues, and some teams just match better against others...

B.  What a big loss by the Loggers Saturday, especially after having all the momentum from the Whitworth sweep...big letdown

C.  WU has one chance to make this season mean something...By beating the Pirates on Friday...sure it won't knock Whitworth out of the NWC tourney, but it could cost them home court, and it could cost them a national tourney bid....either of which should be enough motivation to go at your rival on the last weekend of an underwhelming season

D. To answer the question from last week about next year, WU brings back 4 out of 5 starters in Nugent, Mansfield, Smith and McClary...in addition, Cantrell, Costantino are back from the bench... they need to find a point guard who can play either off the bench or start, and then some depth for the bench, but bringing back 6 players who all played major minutes can't hurt...then again, if those players don't improve, you're looking at the same team that just went 10-12, or whatever they finish...

E. I would lean towards WU being vastly improved, as you look at their home record of 8-2, and realize they were in close games at LC, Pac, and Linfield, and you could argue that its a young team simply learning how difficult it is to play in the NWC night in and night out...us long time 'Cat fans can only hope this season of noncontention is an aberration...