BB: Top Teams in West Region

[Jack Parkman]

...and Linfield is 2,100 miles from Tyler TX and CTX is a 3 hr drive....

Absolutely correct.  The NCAA isn't going to spend money if they don't have to. 

My only question is this:  Would the NCAA be able to justify sending Concordia while leaving Linfield at home?  I ask this for one simple reason- Linfield has stayed #3 in the RR while Concordia has dropped one spot.  It might not seem like much but the 2 teams Concordia has beat are 13-26 (UMHB) and 20-21 (ETBU).  I understand 100% that the NCAA will do absolutely everything in their power to avoid flights, but leaving Linfield at home would be a shame.  No matter what, Linfield requires a flight so it really doesn't matter where they go.  Sending someone to Tyler from outside of the West would require a flight (I think) so it really ends up being a double-edged sword for the NCAA.  Save money or put a team in with less of a resume.  Of course it all goes out the window if Concordia wins the ASC Tourney.

[Jack Parkman]

Laughable Concordia is 4th in the region.

Not necessarily.  Here is the issue with Concordia, they have played a total of 3 games (with a 4th coming tomorrow) against regionally ranked teams, and they went 1-2.  I understand the frustration, but I think that is the biggest thing against them.

[Westside]

...and Linfield is 2,100 miles from Tyler TX and CTX is a 3 hr drive....

I think the NCAA is past that point of contention. Just last year they chose to bring in two non-West teams when everyone thought George Fox would make it and their campus is literally 15 minutes from Linfield. The same thing happened in 2011 when Linfield hosted, they were in the regional rankings and they didn't even make their own hosted regional, instead they flow in two non-West region teams. I just really don't think they are going to choose a team based solely on proximity.

For what it is worth, I think Concordia makes it and Linfield gets shipped to another regional.

Edit: looks like Jack and I are agreeing to disagree 

[Jack Parkman]

...and Linfield is 2,100 miles from Tyler TX and CTX is a 3 hr drive....

Edit: looks like Jack and I are agreeing to disagree 

Nope, I agree with that 100%.  I was just saying the NCAA would have a real hard time explaining themselves if Concordia doesn't win the ASC and they left Linfield at home.  I think Linfield ends up in Waverly or La Crosse.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Supposedly (by the insistence of various selection committee members) potential travel costs are not considered at all in the initial selection.   (The bean counters, of course, figure prominently in decisions on WHERE selected teams will lay.)  Human nature being what it is, I have trouble believing that 100%, but will accept that it is probably not consciously a factor, nor is it probably a point of discussion in selection decisions.

[CrashDavisD3]

I bet either Cal Lu or Linfield gets......Strange illogical things happen with Pool C. Neither should. Many years Pool C teams don't pass the smell test, while other 30 win teams stay home. Linfield has 30 wins and I bet they get in. Last year Chapman had 30 and they stayed home.

[CrashDavisD3]

Newest Regional Rankings are out.

West Region   

1   Pacific Lutheran   27-10-0 ( 0.730)   30-12-0 ( 0.714)
2   Texas-Tyler   29-9-0 ( 0.763)   30-10-0 ( 0.750)
3   Linfield   28-12-0 ( 0.700)   30-13-0 ( 0.698)
4   Cal Lutheran   32-12-0 ( 0.727)   32-12-0 ( 0.727)
5   Concordia (TX)   29-10-0 ( 0.744)   29-10-0 ( 0.744)
6   Whitworth   27-12-0 ( 0.692)   28-13-0 ( 0.683)

Interesting that CLU jumped ahead of Concordia.    Not knowing anything, I think that means they need to win the ASC tourney to have a chance to get in as their chance of being Pool C was just reduced.   

Will Pool C pick two NWC's and have a third in Pool A?   
If they do, I wouldn't think all 3 NWC's to be in the west.  I expect if they did, they would ship one to another region 

With Linfield and CLU at 3 & 4, I wonder if the committee would only take PLU and TT (if they come in second at ASC) as Pool C. 
And if TT wins ASC, they'll import a Pool C from another region. 


The final picks on the 10th should be very interesting.

Here is what we know for sure:
1. La Verne
2. Trinity
3. Whitworth

Those teams are all in.

Here is what is still up for grabs.

4. ASC Champ is in
5. PLU is in
6. If Concordia wins the ASC, that leaves this spot for UTT.  If UTT wins, this spot is open for Linfield, CLU or Concordia.  The way the NCAA hides the final rankings leaves them the option to put Concordia in so they don't have to spend on a flight.  I think Linfield might still get a shot, but in a different region.  This leaves CLU at home.

UTT should also be in ahead of Linfield but.......lets see what happens

[CrashDavisD3]

1. La Verne
2. Trinity
3. Whitworth
4. ASC Champ
5. PLU
6. UTT if not ASC Champ

Who is out
Linfield
Cal Lu
Concordia TX
All 30 win teams

Fair thing would be to have play in games for Pool C but travel costs wont let this happen. NCAA salaries take care of this.

http://www.universityherald.com/articles/10419/20140715/mark-emmert-salary-ncaa-president-gets-a-raise-made-1-7m-in-2012-2013-fiscal-year.htm

[Westside]

Crash - UTT is ahead of Linfield... on a side note, I am interested to hear your anti-Linfield reasoning. I feel like you've been ragging on them all season.

[108 Stitches]

Big game today in the ASC with CTX vs UTT. Cox will be going for CTX, not sure about UTT but whoever wins this will be in the drivers seat. CTX must win this game or they will be out of contention for the Regional IMO.

[BamColt]

Concordia should very much be in the hunt for an automatic bid.

[Jack Parkman]

Records against Regionally Ranked Opponents for the top 4 candidates for a POOL C from the West:

UT Tyler- 2-1 against Concordia
Concordia- 1-2 against UT Tyler
Cal Lu- 6-3 (2-0 vs Whitworth, 0-1 vs Wesleyan, 0-1 vs Linfield, 1-0 vs MIT, 3-1 vs Pomona)
Linfield- 6-5 (1-4 vs PLU, 1-0 vs Cal Lu, 1-0 vs Wesleyan, 3-1 vs Whitworth) *FIXED

Just facts, no opinion.

[Whatagame]

Records against Regionally Ranked Opponents for the top 4 candidates for a POOL C from the West:

UT Tyler- 2-1 against Concordia
Concordia- 1-2 against UT Tyler
Cal Lu- 6-3 (2-0 vs Whitworth, 0-1 vs Wesleyan, 0-1 vs Linfield, 1-0 vs MIT, 3-1 vs Pomona)
Linfield- 5-5 (1-4 vs PLU, 1-0 vs Cal Lu, 1-0 vs Wesleyan)

Just facts, no opinion.

Correction - Linfield is 6-5 (above games, plus 3-1 vs. Whitworth)

[BamColt]

Concordia split with Trinity. They were ranked 15th at the time of their win in Austin. Not sure if that would count.

[Westside]

Records against Regionally Ranked Opponents for the top 4 candidates for a POOL C from the West:

UT Tyler- 2-1 against Concordia
Concordia- 1-2 against UT Tyler
Cal Lu- 6-3 (2-0 vs Whitworth, 0-1 vs Wesleyan, 0-1 vs Linfield, 1-0 vs MIT, 3-1 vs Pomona)
Linfield- 5-5 (1-4 vs PLU, 1-0 vs Cal Lu, 1-0 vs Wesleyan)

Just facts, no opinion.

And PLU is 6-4.

Also, Pomona isn't ranked... so Cal Lu would be 3-2.