MBB: Northwest Conference

logshock101 · October 22, 2008, 08:52:48 PM

from what i've heard, sounds like the loggers had a good series of two-a-days. they went on a retreat in oregon, that got the guys away from campus during fall break for the first time in at least 5 years (smart thinking lunt). i guess a couple of freshmen showed that they might be capable of earning some significant pt this year. maybe that will light a fire under some returners

NWCer · October 23, 2008, 11:22:13 PM

http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/basketball_men/MBKBpoll.htm

I see the pre-season coaches predictions are out, and once again those Loggers are the favorites.

LogShow · October 24, 2008, 02:50:43 AM

Quote from: logshock101 on October 22, 2008, 08:52:48 PM
from what i've heard, sounds like the loggers had a good series of two-a-days. they went on a retreat in oregon, that got the guys away from campus during fall break for the first time in at least 5 years (smart thinking lunt). i guess a couple of freshmen showed that they might be capable of earning some significant pt this year. maybe that will light a fire under some returners

nice input logshock...keep it coming!

LogShow · October 24, 2008, 02:55:26 AM

Quote from: NWCer on October 23, 2008, 11:22:13 PM
http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/basketball_men/MBKBpoll.htm

I see the pre-season coaches predictions are out, and once again those Loggers are the favorites.

Yeah but...it hasn't faired to well for us the past few years...can we put it together?

By the way whats the deal with Whitman getting a first place vote!? Did anyone else find that slightly weird and amusing?

NWCer · October 24, 2008, 02:30:29 PM

Logshow,

I found it weird and amusing..... Bridgeland is a good coach and Whitman will be better, and in the upcoming years substantially better, but first place in 2008-2009, don't think so.

Seemed like that 3-6, Willamette, Pacific, LC, and Linfield was a close vote, maybe there will be another tight race.......

In that article it said that there is going to be a 4 team tourney now..... Is that news just to me?, was that known?

NWCer · October 24, 2008, 02:32:33 PM

http://www.nwcsports.com/landing/index

And a nice new website........

Pio20 · October 24, 2008, 08:27:20 PM

LC picked to finish fifth in the NWC. That should light a fire under them after a disappointing year last year. UPS and Whitworth got a lot of votes in the national poll. I wonder if the NWC expanded to the four team playoff because the race was so tight last year.

Pio20 · October 24, 2008, 10:48:21 PM

Check out the team pages on the new NWC site (click on the logos at the top). On the right hand side of the header is an "N" in a circle with a little arrow pointing NW. Perhaps a NWC secondary logo of sorts? Whatever it is I like it!

http://www.nwcsports.com/members/george_fox/info

LogShow · October 25, 2008, 04:36:02 AM

Quote from: Pio20 on October 24, 2008, 10:48:21 PM
Check out the team pages on the new NWC site (click on the logos at the top). On the right hand side of the header is an "N" in a circle with a little arrow pointing NW. Perhaps a NWC secondary logo of sorts? Whatever it is I like it!

http://www.nwcsports.com/members/george_fox/info

I like it! Looks like the NWC is doing bigger and better things, lol.

LogShow · October 25, 2008, 04:39:17 AM

Not sure why they went to a 4 team playoff...my guess would be that the coaches from the schools that tend to have less success want more teams in the NWC playoffs, so they feel like they have a better chance of making "playoffs" I don't really like it. First off we are never going to get 2 teams in, or maybe I should say the odds aren't good...Teams 3 and 4 are usually pretty good and it doesn't seem to reward the first place team at all for working hard during the year...anyone else have thoughts?

NWCer · October 25, 2008, 01:26:49 PM

Quote from: Pio20 on October 24, 2008, 10:48:21 PM
Check out the team pages on the new NWC site (click on the logos at the top). On the right hand side of the header is an "N" in a circle with a little arrow pointing NW. Perhaps a NWC secondary logo of sorts? Whatever it is I like it!

http://www.nwcsports.com/members/george_fox/info

Yeah I like that to Pio 20, didn't notice it until you pointed it out, a little compass there......

Logshow, maybe this is the year NWC gets two in... Only thing that will continue to make it tough is the balance that is going on in the league now, the league will probably beat each other up....

logshock101 · October 25, 2008, 02:24:49 PM

Whitman with a 1st place vote, gee wonder which coach that came from?!? I mean Bridgeland knows his stuff, but they honestly don't have the talent to get it done this year, or even the next couple. Whitworth has some big shoes to fill for Symes and Willemson (the UPS press killer), so it will be interesting to see what kind of guys Hayford brought in for this year. Probably a couple more juco transfers. It will be interesting to see if the loggers can handle the expectations this year. With a team full of experienced upperclassmen and some talented freshmen, will the be able to avoid the second half collapse in conference that plagued them the past 2 year. It will also be interesting to see how much Lunt grows as a coach. With 2 years experience, hopefully there will be less mistakes.

As far as the 4 team tourney goes, I'm totally against it. I think it is only beneficial the mediocre teams that don't actually have a chance to win the conference. This may lead to the rest of the country and the NCAA not getting the best that the NWC has to offer if the 4th place team puts together 2 good/lucky games and gets the automatic bid. Maybe if it was like DI where tournament worthy teams don't have to win their conference tournament to get into the "big dance", but thats not the case. There's not much of an advantage to taking 1st in conference anymore.

LogShow · October 25, 2008, 04:32:46 PM

Quote from: logshock101 on October 25, 2008, 02:24:49 PM
There's not much of an advantage to taking 1st in conference anymore.

I agree...hosting is a nice benefit, as demonstrated by WW's dismantling of UPS last year in the conference final. But the team that wins the conference deserves to have a better reward then just hosting 2 games. Why don't they just make it 7 teams and give the 1st place team a bye. That way the 1st team still has to win 2 games but atleast they are rewarded for finishing first place. Also that would let more teams into the NWC playoffs and I am sure that would appease the coaches that want to have a shot at the postseason.

Pio20 · October 27, 2008, 12:52:23 AM

Quote from: logshock101 on October 25, 2008, 02:24:49 PM
As far as the 4 team tourney goes, I'm totally against it. I think it is only beneficial the mediocre teams that don't actually have a chance to win the conference. This may lead to the rest of the country and the NCAA not getting the best that the NWC has to offer if the 4th place team puts together 2 good/lucky games and gets the automatic bid. Maybe if it was like DI where tournament worthy teams don't have to win their conference tournament to get into the "big dance", but thats not the case. There's not much of an advantage to taking 1st in conference anymore.

I agree but who is to say that a 4th place team can't get hot and go deep in the playoffs? If they can beat two better teams they could probably do well in the playoffs.

UPSoundLogs · October 27, 2008, 03:41:28 PM

Hello Everybody,

I decided to dust off the old keyboard for another hoops season in the NWC. I dont have too much to contribute this early on, I have heard some talk of a couple solid freshman for UPS but overall I dont have much insider info.

What i do know is that I strongly agree with the other Logger fans on this board, we have tons of talented returners hopefully this year they will grow a pair, do what is expected of them, and win the conference title. I know they're more than capable of it talent wise and with their best players being seniors this year hopefully the leadership is in place to take care of business. I've been expecting big things the last 2 years, but this year anything less than a NWC championship will be a real dissapointment....GO LOGGERS!!!

As with everyone else I'm interested to see what Bridgeland can put together over there in Walla Walla, I'm sure they will remain the wipping boys of the conference for a year or two, but after he has had a couple years to recruit im guessing the Missionairies will be pretty tough. It took him 2 years to pull UPS out of the gutter and in his 3rd year make them a champion, any guesses on how long it will take at Whitman? I'd say when his first batch of recruits are sophmores the rest of the league better start watching out.

I'm looking forward to a fun year!