WBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[GoRed]

A great regular season for the Big Red.  Hopefully they can cap it off with an NCAC tournament to match and an automatic qualifier.  Shaina Kaiser is definitely a top candidate for Player of the Year.

Keep it going Big Red!

[David Collinge]

The final game of the regular season went to OWU by a 66-59 count over Wooster.

Here's the final standings:
1. Denison 14-0
2. Ohio Wesleyan 10-4
3. Allegheny 9-5
4. Kenyon 8-6
5. Wittenberg 7-7
6. Hiram 4-10
7. Oberlin 3-11
8. Wooster 1-13

[David Collinge]

The pre-season coaches' poll has been tabulated and released.  Defending tournament champion Denison sits atop the ranking, barely outpolling Ohio Wesleyan, with defending champion Wittenberg and Kenyon following closely behind.   

1. Denison (4) 58
2. OWU (2) 56
3. Wittenberg (1) 46
4. Kenyon (1) 45
5. Allegheny 32
6. Oberlin 20
7. Wooster 17
8. Hiram 14
(reminder that Earlham is now in the HCAC, and DePauw doesn't join us until next season.)

I haven't done any research yet for this season, and by the look of this poll, perhaps I should.  Because while OWU looks strong and Witt and Kenyon are always a threat, the Big Red looks like a juggernaut to me, and the top of this poll is much more tightly bunched than I expected.  I hope the coaches are right and that we have a well-played, hotly-contested conference race.  Good luck to all eight squads!

(emphasis added)

The coaches did a pretty good job with the pre-season poll.  They underestimated Allegheny and Hiram a bit, and overestimated Wittenberg and perhaps OWU (at least vis-a-vis Denison), but generally it was a pretty accurate look.  I didn't do a preseason prediction this year, but at the risk of sounding too self-congratulatory, I did see the Denison steamroller coming a little more clearly than the coaches did.

[David Collinge]

Tuesday Quarterfinals:

#8 Wooster at #1 Denison, 7:30pm -- video, live stats -- Big Red swept the season series, 73-61 at Wooster (1/15) and 61-46 at Granville (2/5)
#5 Wittenberg at #4 Kenyon, 7:30pm -- video, audio, live stats -- Tigers swept the season series, 74-65 at Gambier (1/15) and 61-51 at Springfield (2/4)
#6 Hiram at #3 Allegheny, 7:30pm -- live stats -- Gators swept the season series, 78-64 at Hiram (1/12) and 67-55 at Meadville (2/9)
#7 Oberlin at #2 OWU, ~8pm (follows men's game vs. Hiram) -- video, live stats -- Bishops swept the season series, 66-62 (OT) at Delaware (1/19) and 64-49 at Oberlin (2/16)

[David Collinge]

#1 Denison 75, #8 Wooster 40 ... Denison overcomes a sluggish first half and wipes out the Scots 47-18 after the break to advance to the semifinals.  Shaina Kaiser was just 3 of 12 shooting and still recorded a base-nine double-double (9 points, 9 rebounds).  DU controlled the glass and had a +10 advantage in turnovers.  Haley Dahlgard led all scorers with 16, while Serafina Nuzzo added 12 points and six assists.

#4 Kenyon 70, #5 Wittenberg 59 ... Kenyon avenged a season sweep at the paws of the Tigers thanks to a huge game from frosh sensation Maureen Hirt.  Hirt canned five treys en route to 29 points, and also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.  Katherine Hueter, Witt's lone senior, ends her career with a solid game, recording 12 points, eight boards, five assists, and three steals.

#3 Allegheny 86, #6 Hiram 72 ... The Gators dominated the glass, leading to a +7 shot advantage, and they made good on that advantage by shooting 45% on the evening, making wight more field goals than their guests.  Hiram stayed in the game from behind the arc, draining 11 three-balls, but Allegheny used a 14-3 run midway through the second half to break open the close game.  Jill Gregory, one of five 'Gheny seniors, had 19 points and a dozen rebounds.  Tiffany Shields poured in 28 in a losing effort for the Terriers.  

#2 OWU 67, #7 Oberlin 60 ... OWU survives another upset bid from the Yeowomen.  Trailing by 15 at the break, Oberlin cut the lead to 8, only to see the Bishops re-establish a 16-point edge with about 9:00 left.  Oberlin then scored the next 7 points, whittling the lead down to 4 with under 4:00 to go.  Twice the Yeo stole the ball and had a shot to get to within a single possession, but twice they misfired, and OWU was able to ice the game and advance to the semifinals.  Syrea Thomas ends her outstanding Oberlin career with 28 points, while Kayla Gordon extends her outstanding OWU career with 24.

So the quarterfinals go according to Hoyle, and the top four seeds will rendezvous in Granville on Friday!

#2 OWU vs. #3 Allegheny, 6pm -- season series split, OWU winning 92-86 at Delaware (1/5) and Allegheny winning 92-82 in Meadville (1/29)
#1 Denison vs. #4 Kenyon, 8pm -- Denison swept the season series, winning 72-69 in Granville (1/5) and 74-67 in Gambier (2/9)

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Final Regional Rankings before Selection Sunday: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/category/ncaa-stuff/regional-rankings/

[David Collinge]

Denison moves up to #3 in the regional ranking, passing Calvin.  

Here's Denison's NCAC Tournament website.  Tip times and links to video and live stats are included.

[GoRed]

I expect these to be two great semi-final games.  Allegheny and OWU split this year, each winning at home.  I think these two are pretty evenly matched and it will probably come down to shooting percentage in this one more than anything else.

Denison won both meetings with Kenyon, but by margins of only 3 and 7 points.  The crowd will undoubtedly be raucous, so home court advantage will hopefully allow the Big Red to prevail for a third time.  But as they say, it's awfully hard to beat a team three times in a season.  I'll be glued to both broadcasts. 

[David Collinge]

Without bothering to go back and look it up, my recollection (or impression) is that, no matter how dominant the league champ has been lately, they struggle in the tournament.  Considering that, and how tough Kenyon has played Denison this season (much tougher than anyone else in the league), and how well coached Kenyon is, especially on defense, I think this is a game with major upset potential.  I wish I could be there!

[seventiesraider]

Wow, back to back Semi's and final. That's a tough assignment for any squad

[GoRed]

At the half in the first game, it's Allegheny 45 OWU 31.  Three players in double figures for the Gators.

[GoRed]

Great game.  While it looked like Allegheny would control this one all the way, OWU battled back to within 1 point on hot 3 pt shooting.  The Gators hung on late, though, and pulled out a high scoring 90-84 win.

[David Collinge]

Denison wins the second semifinal, 80-72.  DU took an eight point lead into the locker room at halftime, then opened the second period on a 16-5 run that established a double-digit lead.  Although the Ladies rallied down the stretch, they were unable to get closer than seven.  Shaina Kaiser had 20 points, seven boards, five assists, and four steals for the victors.  Morgan Korinek contributed 16 points and 13 boards in a losing effort.  Kenyon put four starters in double figures, but got just seven points in 49 minutes from their bench.  Denison, by contrast, had seven players contribute at least seven points apiece, with the bench contributing 32 points and 70 minutes.  DU shot at least 50% in each half, ending up at 51% for the game, while KC languished at 39%, despite grabbing 18 offensive rebounds.  Kenyon won the battle of the boards 43-29 and had five more field goal attempts, but clanked 15 of their 17 three-point attempts.

Denison advances to face Allegheny in tomorrow's championship game, scheduled to tip at 7pm. 

[GoRed]

Both semi's were great games with comebacks being mounted in the second halves of both.  OWU got to within one point and it looked like Allegheny might fold.  They kept their cool, though, and pulled away.

Kenyon made a strong run too.  The gap was just too large to close - having to come back from 19 down - and Denison too consistent.  Looking forward to tonight's final!

[David Collinge]

Denison dominates the second half, and cruises to the the NCAC Tournament Championship tonight, with a final score of 72-54 over Allegheny.  Leading by just three at the half, DU came out of the locker room on fire, quickly extending the lead to 10 (17:06) then 19 (11:02) and eventually 23 (6:34) before settling for the 18-point victory.  DU shot 46%, held the Gators to 33%, and controlled the glass 44-34.  Shaina Kaiser, surely the MVP of the tournament as well as POY of the conference, stayed hot with a 20 point, eight rebound effort, while Serafina Nuzzo added nine points, seven boards, and seven assists.  Heidi Goeller poured in a game-high 23 and grabbed nine caroms in a losing effort.

Congratulations to Denison, NCAC regular season and tournament champions, perfect at 28-0, and now awaiting what will surely be a home regional at Livingston Gym next weekend.  Way to go, Big Red!