2014 NCAA Tournament Dark Horse Predictions

[PaulNewman]

You guys are starting to ruin the threads.

[casualfan]

Just saw Logan is a transfer from Marquette and more awesome for me is their coach. Jimmy Banks was a great defender for the US national team that I saw in Italy in 1990. I always wondered where he and a few other players from that team ever went. I love gathering new info like this.

You're correct on Jimmy Banks' background but not with Logan. He actually went to Marquette University High School, who is a powerhouse in Wisconsin high school soccer. I believe Braden also went there. I'm sure they both had offers at larger schools but wanted to focus on academics as MSOE is one of the premier Engineering schools in the Midwest.

[PaulNewman]

Just saw Logan is a transfer from Marquette and more awesome for me is their coach. Jimmy Banks was a great defender for the US national team that I saw in Italy in 1990. I always wondered where he and a few other players from that team ever went. I love gathering new info like this.

You're correct on Jimmy Banks' background but not with Logan. He actually went to Marquette University High School, who is a powerhouse in Wisconsin high school soccer. I believe Braden also went there. I'm sure they both had offers at larger schools but wanted to focus on academics as MSOE is one of the premier Engineering schools in the Midwest.

How does it stack up with Rose-Hulman and that other one outside Detroit?

[Mr.Right]

My bad.  I think I will watch their game as Banks was one of my favorite players on that team. He was a very athletic back for that time period

[WarhawkFan]

CasualFan has the gist of it as far as MSOE goes.  The Andryk brothers are extremely dangerous.  If you can manage to keep them off the score sheet you've got a good shot at beating them, but that's easier said than done!  UWW (in a Loras inspired man-marking formation) managed to do so in their 1-0 win over MSOE but the Andryks still combined for 4/7 of MSOE's SOG.  Regardless of how MSOE does in this tournament, I can't wait to see what they can do with Braden as a Sophomore and Logan being a Senior next year!

So, in other words, and as argument against weighting SOS TOO heavily, MSOE would have been a worthy entry even without the AQ?

Are they worthy? As far as talent goes, I think yes.  However the regional committee snubbed them from all three rankings so without the AQ I don't believe they would have gotten in.

Just saw Logan is a transfer from Marquette and more awesome for me is their coach. Jimmy Banks was a great defender for the US national team that I saw in Italy in 1990. I always wondered where he and a few other players from that team ever went. I love gathering new info like this.

Random tidbits for you Mr. Right:  Speaking of coaches (and brothers)... MSOE Assistant Coach Rob Harrington coached both UWW Assistant Coach (Dan Montanye) and UWW Midfielder (Michael Montanye) at their club in high school (FC Milwaukee).

[wingtips2]

Should we be paying more attention to Morrisville and Thomas More?  Maybe Morrisville is the team in that quad that can take out the Falcons, or will they lose to King's?  And are we sure North Park beats Thomas More who only lost twice and only bad loss was 1-0 to Anderson (the other 2-1 to DePauw)?

Morrisville has an interesting roster with a bunch of internationals and more states represented than you would guess.

Thomas Moore has lost 5 straight first round games - don't see them primed for a run.

As for Morrisville, besides Rochester, they haven't played anybody remotely good - a complete unknown.

[Brother Flounder]

Tufts or Bowdoin......

[Off Pitch]

Tufts.  Even though they are the NESCAC AQ, Bowdoin is 2-3-3 in their last 8 games and has been shutout in 5 of those games.

[oldonionbag]

Agreed. If the Jumbos play to their potential (there it is again- POTENTIAL) I think they will reach at least the Sweet 16.

[D3MidAtlantic]

Early Exits: Husson, Fitchburg State, Westminster (MO), Neumann, Baruch and Heidelberg

Dark Horses: Christopher Newport--playing at home, can put up crooked numbers, and back line playing better down the stretch; Catholic--a stingy defense and clutch in PK shootouts makes them a tough out. IF they score more than a goal, they could surprise (lastguyoffthebench--I don't consider Muhlenberg to be a dark horse as champion of the Centennial--but agree they have (somehow) been under the radar).

Best First Round matches: Rochester v. Salisbury and Tufts v. Dickinson (I am admittedly not familiar with teams in the Central Quadrant, but based on posts, sounds like some compeititve action awaits!

[lastguyoffthebench]

I have the Mules going down vs Tufts, D3MidAtlantic.

I have Berry over Emory.   Berry only suffered a 1-0 defeat this year to them, but won in 2012 and 2013.

I think the Husson game will be the biggest landslide of this round 5-0, but Mr. Right has a feeling Husson can pull it out.   I just can't see it...  2nd biggest thrashing will probably be Wheaton MA 4-0 and Amherst 4-0.

Call me crazy, but one that seems highly under the radar is Hardin-Simmons over Trinity...  wouldn't shock me to see this one get to PKs.

[Mr.Right]

These teams along with some weak AQ's will be going home early: F&M, Brandeis,Chicago,Christopher Newport, Montclair St, Emory, OWU, Wheaton MA

My Sweet 16:

Atlantic- Oneonta v Salisbury and Bowdoin v Amherst

Central-  Wheaton v Wartburg and Loras v Trinity

North East- Messiah v RUN and Tufts v Muhlenberg

East- Kenyon v Calvin and Whitworth v Stevens


Biggest Upset:

St.Scholastica over Chicago 

Final 4:
Messiah, Oneonta, Calvin, Loras

The UAA and NEWMAC will struggle.
Besides Messiah any 3 of those Final 4 teams could miss out on the Sweet 16.
Toughest bracket I have ever filled out and I love to gamble so that should say something. I have never filled out a bracket and said to myself this team could be in the Final 4 and after thinking about it said they could be upset in the round of 32. So much parity...Love it

[lastguyoffthebench]

Oneonta St vs Rochester
Bowdoin vs SLU

Wheaton vs MSOE (also have CSS over Chicago)
Trinity vs Loras

Messiah vs RU-N
Tufts vs Muhlenberg

Kenyon vs OWU
Whitworth vs MSU


Oneonta St, Wheaton, Messiah, MSU


I agree, Mr. Right.... incredibly wide open this year.   

[Mr.Right]

Yes and I have some games that could be upsets and some that will NOT be upsets in the 1st round.

Possible but unlikely:

Husson over Brandeis
Nichols over Oneonta
Lynchburg over CNU
Thomas More over North Park
Berry over Emory
Heidelberg over Kenyon

Would bet my house on the favorite:

Wheaton MA v Daniel Webster
SLU v Purchase
Amherst v Fitchburg St
SUNY Cortland v Neumann
Muhlenberg v Baruch
OWU v Penn St Behrend

[wingtips2]

I've got Wartburg going to the Elite 8.  From what I've read and (albeit limited) seen, they have the style of a team that can grind out some results in the tourney.  As was said elsewhere, though, which team shows up will be the difference maker.

I see a Whitworth/Christopher Newport matchup in the round of 16.  Whitworth has been totally unmentioned by anybody on these boards while a team they beat away from home (Wheaton) is being quoted as a lock in the first few rounds.   
CN had a bad patch in mid/late October but they corrected themselves and avenged their three bad results in the conference tourney - a good sign for a team heading into the tourney.

Wartburg?  Still alive!
Whitworth vs. CNU?  Correct!!