MBB: Northwest Conference

LogShow · March 03, 2008, 09:10:56 PM

QuoteSo, NWhoops -- the SCIAC contingency hasn't changed the plan yet? I heard rumors that they were all going to pull strings and change the location of the game because they're upset about it. Oh wait, we've been there, done that and things rarely change.

The funny thing is that if it were Oxy that got the lucky draw the NCAA would have changed it 2 hours later (ie. last year). Great break for the NWC though. What is done is done...we just need to get these games under way

LogShow · March 03, 2008, 09:24:30 PM

Hoops, how much research have you done on Pomona and Oxy? I would think that you would rather see Pomona up there in the snowy eastside?

Pio20 · March 03, 2008, 09:35:40 PM

Quote from: bbaddict on March 03, 2008, 09:01:35 PM
Pio --that's because they don't play each other in basketball! Think about it.

oh you are talking about football. I get it now. I think if PP were to beat Oxy again, WW would have their hands full with a team that thinks they can be a cinderella team and beat anyone. Then again, going up against Oxy is no easier. WW beat PP 73-45 late in Novemeber, but we all know how much a team grows between early non-conference play and now.

LogShow · March 03, 2008, 09:53:50 PM

True true. WW delivered a whuppin to Pomona earlier in the year...but I would say both teams have improved and developed. Either way its tournament time and the games are starting soon!

nwhoops1903 · March 03, 2008, 10:05:55 PM

Quote from: LogShow on March 03, 2008, 09:24:30 PM
Hoops, how much research have you done on Pomona and Oxy? I would think that you would rather see Pomona up there in the snowy eastside?

To prepare for PP would be like Lloyd Christmas hooking up with Mary Swanson, "One in a million!, so you're saying I got a chance."

I would love to be wrong but Playing Oxy in Spokane feels so right. Can't stop the destiny. LOL

nwhoops1903 · March 03, 2008, 10:10:07 PM

Quote from: Pio20 on March 03, 2008, 09:35:40 PM
oh you are talking about football. I get it now. I think if PP were to beat Oxy again, WW would have their hands full with a team that thinks they can be a cinderella team and beat anyone. Then again, going up against Oxy is no easier. WW beat PP 73-45 late in Novemeber, but we all know how much a team grows between early non-conference play and now.

So has Whitworth. WW would be strongly favored today to win against every opponent they met in preseason.

nwhoops1903 · March 03, 2008, 10:12:47 PM

Quote from: LogShow on March 03, 2008, 09:53:50 PM
True true. WW delivered a whuppin to Pomona earlier in the year...but I would say both teams have improved and developed. Either way its tournament time and the games are starting soon!

Not for Whitworth! We have a first round bye. Dang that rolls off the tongue so nicely. I have said it about 5000 times today with the first 2500 in disbelief.

LogShow · March 03, 2008, 11:43:03 PM

This seems to be the top 5 days in NWhoops' life. Haha

Lucky dog!

NWCer · March 04, 2008, 01:51:51 AM

Congrats to Whitworth on the 1st round bye and 2nd round host, that's huge for our conference. Get a win and then do damage in the round of 16, the deeper they can go the better. I've never been to a Whitworth game, is a large crowd expected Pirate faithful?

bbaddict · March 04, 2008, 02:09:17 AM

Hey NWCer -- great post on the SCIAC site regarding transfers. Whitworth does usually have very large crowds, some of which includes half naked (male) students with painted chests. They're also very noisy! It's a field house so it holds a lot of fans!

I'm with you -- go Bucs -- make the NWC proud by winning against the SCIAC rep. and then go for it!

NWCer · March 04, 2008, 02:16:26 AM

I'm glad you let us know that it was male students with the naked painted chests. I may have had to make the trip to snowy eastern Washington if you didn't point that out.

Gregory Sager · March 04, 2008, 02:39:45 AM

Quote from: bbaddict on March 03, 2008, 02:18:58 PM
I actually think it would be better if the west Coast teams didn't have to knock each other out during the 1st and 2nd rounds. Look at the women's match-up. Every year two NWC women's teams end up in the same pod and one is out! This year, GFU & UPS were both ranked high regionally and look at them!

So, a little fairness in the men's contest is only right!

Besides, didn't Whitworth beat Richard Stockton in New York? That has to count for something!

No, it doesn't, because it wasn't a regional game.

I'm not disputing Whitworth's merits, because I'm sure that the Pirates are a good team and will represent their conference well in the tourney. But this is all about money. The D3 men's basketball tourney loses money every year, as do the tournaments in every D3 sport, so this is basically subsidized by the D1 basketball tournament. The D3 tourney is thus on a tight budget, which means saving airfares wherever possible. That's why Whitworth gets a bye and hosts a second-round game. The Pirates didn't earn it, because Whitworth wasn't even ranked in the last West Region ranking released to the public. While geography often works against the NWC, this time it worked in the NWC's favor.

And, yes, there is a rule in the D3 championship handbook about teams from the same conference being kept from playing each other in the first round. However, the handbook also states that this particular rule can be superseded for geographic reasons. Having Oxy and PP play each other in the first round means that the NCAA only has to pay PP's busfare from Claremont to L.A., rather than having to shell out the bucks to fly someone in or out of southern California.

nwhoops1903 · March 04, 2008, 04:02:41 AM

Quote from: LogShow on March 03, 2008, 11:43:03 PM
This seems to be the top 5 days in NWhoops' life. Haha Lucky dog!

Not quiet but I am happy for members of the WW team. I haven't seen a team come together like this at WW since I have been watching.

The place will be full and rocking and some males will be sans le shirt avec le paint. WW recently hung a giant banner from one side of the fieldhouse to the other. It really makes the place feel smaller and the court the center of the venue and the other plus is the place is noisier for the games. No capacity loss.

LogShow · March 04, 2008, 04:14:39 PM

Quote from: NWCer on March 04, 2008, 02:16:26 AM
I'm glad you let us know that it was male students with the naked painted chests. I may have had to make the trip to snowy eastern Washington if you didn't point that out.

Never too old for college girls right?

LogShow · March 04, 2008, 04:17:41 PM

The last Top 25 poll, besides the final one, was released today.

Even with their strong finish, WW couldn't break the Top 25 and only mustered 9 points. I am a bit suprised by this result...I would have thought they would be closer to breaking the Top 25. They have a chance to prove it in the tournament though, the final poll could look much differnent after everything is all said and done.