2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAD

[nw_ds]

On the other hand:

3rd place CMU loses to 3rd place CCC, Gordon in OT

1st place Brandeis needs OT to beat 7th place Liberty League, RPI.

I didn't watch the CMU game so won't comment on that but anyone who watched the Brandeis-RPI game last night could see the clear difference in quality between the two sides.

[Mr.Right]

I think this is the 1st time Trinity has been sent to New England in the NCAA's. Midd beat them in the 2007 Final in PK's and Amherst beat them in 2008 sectional in Jersey I think also in PK's. Other than that I cannot for the life of me remember any other Trinity side being sent to New England or playing a New England opponent

[lastguyoffthebench]

On the other hand:

3rd place CMU loses to 3rd place CCC, Gordon in OT

1st place Brandeis needs OT to beat 7th place Liberty League, RPI.

I didn't watch the CMU game so won't comment on that but anyone who watched the Brandeis-RPI game last night could see the clear difference in quality between the two sides.

I only caught the OT of the Brandeis / RPI game... and that looked fairly even.

[PaulNewman]

Some of the match-ups are really compelling.  Who would expect Brandeis to be playing Trinity, and bizarrely they already played once this season!  That game will have no impact on this one.  Brandeis is tournament tough.  Agree they play very good soccer but also have an edge and toughness.  Haverford and SLU should be great, and F&M vs Calvin is another odd pair which could go either way.  These unusual pairings are offset by an expected Loras-Wheaton classic showdown.

I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen Tufts vs Kenyon.  This is the kind of game I wish we could see as an early regular season match-up.  Most here will pick Tufts and Kenyon will NOT be favored.  An odd thing about Kenyon is that they were ranked #2 in the country about 90% of last season and top 5 90% of this season, and yet they seemed like the underdog every time they played OWU both years and I think that will be the case against Tufts.  Kenyon is 36-3-2 (I think) over the past two seasons.  Sort of strange to have a team ranked higher (substantially higher) for the large majority of two years still being doubted so much when they play a big team.  But this past weekend's results certainly did nothing to quell doubts and until a Kenyon or F&M fully breaks through the doubts will continue.

[NEsoccerfan]

I'm going to take a quick moment and have a laugh at the UAA - again.
Only 1 of 4 teams makes it to the round of 16.
I'm so glad that I stopped thinking "this could be the year they finally play to their high rankings", it improves my brackets!

Two shoot-out losses and a double OT loss?

And notice what they all have in common? They are losses!

Technically speaking the UAA teams are 4-1-2 in the tournament this year with the 1 loss being in double OT

Not entirely sure what his point is, but some might argue that having two shootout loses in the second round from the 4th and 5th place teams in the conference; one of them being your 5th place team on the road to the current number 1 overall ranked team, shows the quality of the UAA. I don't really get why people expect this conference to have 3 teams in the sweet 16 every year or else they take it as some sort of proof that the conference is overrated. Let's put the 4th and 5th place teams from whatever other conference you want to pick in the tournament and see how well they do.

I have to vehemently agree with you on this one. The UAA had 3/4 teams advance to the round of 32 - no small feat for one conference. 2/3 remaining teams lost in PKs (with one of those coming against the #1 ranked team). It is inaccurate and petty to "laugh at the conference" or to say that they "fell short of their high rankings". What high rankings? The UAA did not have any team in the top 15/20 consistently during the season besides Brandeis, who, in line with their rankings, is in the final 16.

Also, albeit, a much smaller point - 1/4 teams advancing to the final 16 is what is mathematically expected (4 teams with a 25% chance to advance to the final 16 = 1 team advancing).

So if none of the 4 bids fell short of expectations, what do the UAA dissenters suggest? That the conference receive less bids? I'm not sure how the committee could do that and still comport with their selection criteria. In the last published rankings, Brandeis was #1 in NE, WashU was #1 in the central region, CMU was #1 in the great lakes region. So, what should the committee do? Totally disregard their selection criteria and instill some sort of anti-UAA bias? I will concede that Chicago could have been left out in favor of one of the teams that got snubbed, but Chicago still had an impressive resume, andafter taking Kenyon to PKs I still believe they are a quality and tournament-worthy side.

I don't think anyone suggests or believes that the UAA has multiple teams that will run very deep in the tournament, but I think most people will agree that they do have 2-4 tournament quality teams every year, as I think they have proven this year again.

[Mr.Right]

Yea Brandeis was still in shock that RPI tied the game up with a minute to go and therefore did not look their best in OT. They looked demoralized and I thought they were going to cough up their season if the did not snap out of it fast. It is a complicated mindset when you just cough up a game you dominated in the 89th minute that is when RPI had their chance to find the winner but they had no sniffs at all. However, you are correct OT was fairly even and uneventful besides the goal. RPI needed to take advantage of that huge momentum switch after the goal but they did not

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

The last time Tufts conceded 3 goals in a game was 10/1/2011 vs Amherst... Impressive.

MSU was knocking on that door, but couldn't open it.

Tufts vs Kenyon will be a classic.

NJAC not looking so hot Last Guy

Of course not... look at the match-ups!  If MSU or Camden had Gordon as a Round of 32 game, they'd be in the Sweet 16.   This isn't a shot at F&M, but you know what I mean.  If Rutgers-Camden would have gotten Bowdoin or MIT, I think they'd have won.  If MSU had Chicago, they'd have probably won.   However, you can only beat who is put in front of you... On to next year!


I think F&M will be heading to the Elite 8.

I noticed you had Oneonta St as your Champion on one forum, but for the bracketology you selected Amherst.  Thoughts/Prediction on Haverford vs. SLU and potential match-up of Haverford vs Oneonta St?

I do think Oneonta is the best team in the country but I guess I fell to the pressure of the bracket and gave in with Amherst being a safe pick  I do think Oneonta St is the most dangerous team in the tournament. If Haverford and Oneonta St meet I think it will be the game of the tournament to watch. A potential championship game if the cards would have unfolded right. Amherst had an easier path to the final 4 than Oneonta so that's also why I penciled them in to the Final. Although my opinion changes after every game 

[Domino1195]

I saw all 6 games at OWU and Kenyon this weekend - the Mid Atlantic quadrant contains 4 teams that were at one time ranked #1 in the country this season.  Calvin may be the Rodney Dangerfield of this tournament, but if they get out of this weekend I would think they would have as good a chance as any for the title.

[Mr.Right]

And BC gets in the D1 tournament at 9-7-1 and UCLA at 10-8-1. Love how both these teams get rewarded for barely .500 seasons. Every year there is always 2-3

[Brother Flounder]

Some of the match-ups are really compelling.  Who would expect Brandeis to be playing Trinity, and bizarrely they already played once this season!  That game will have no impact on this one.  Brandeis is tournament tough.  Agree they play very good soccer but also have an edge and toughness.  Haverford and SLU should be great, and F&M vs Calvin is another odd pair which could go either way.  These unusual pairings are offset by an expected Loras-Wheaton classic showdown.

I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen Tufts vs Kenyon.  This is the kind of game I wish we could see as an early regular season match-up.  Most here will pick Tufts and Kenyon will NOT be favored.  An odd thing about Kenyon is that they were ranked #2 in the country about 90% of last season and top 5 90% of this season, and yet they seemed like the underdog every time they played OWU both years and I think that will be the case against Tufts.  Kenyon is 36-3-2 (I think) over the past two seasons.  Sort of strange to have a team ranked higher (substantially higher) for the large majority of two years still being doubted so much when they play a big team.  But this past weekend's results certainly did nothing to quell doubts and until a Kenyon or F&M fully breaks through the doubts will continue.

The game is at Kenyon and Kenyon is rated higher, so why wouldn't they be the favorite?    Plus, see the bracketology in this forum below:

Massey Ratings   51   AMHERST      HAVERFORD      LORAS      CALVIN      AMHERST      CALVIN      AMHERST
Flying Weasel   50   AMHERST      ONEONTA ST      LORAS      KENYON      AMHERST      LORAS      LORAS
RUMSU   50   BRANDEIS      HAVERFORD      LORAS      MSU      HAVERFORD      MSU      HAVERFORD
Consensus   49   AMHERST      HAVERFORD      LORAS      MSU      AMHERST      MSU      AMHERST
blooter442   49   AMHERST      ONEONTA ST      WHEATON      MSU      AMHERST      MSU      AMHERST
Golden_Fan   49   AMHERST      ONEONTA ST      WHEATON      MSU      ONEONTA ST      MSU      MSU
casualfan   48   BRANDEIS      HAVERFORD      WHEATON      KENYON      BRANDEIS      KENYON      KENYON
NJrexSoccer03   46   AMHERST      R-CAMDEN      LORAS      MSU      AMHERST      MSU      AMHERST
WarhawkFan   45   AMHERST      HAVERFORD      LORAS      KENYON      HAVERFORD      KENYON      HAVERFORD
HeroSports   44   AMHERST      HAVERFORD      LORAS      KENYON      HAVERFORD      KENYON      HAVERFORD
NERevs127   44   BRANDEIS      HAVERFORD      WHEATON      KENYON      HAVERFORD      KENYON      KENYON
Mr.Right   43   AMHERST      ONEONTA ST      LORAS      CHICAGO      ONEONTA ST      LORAS      LORAS
Letthekidsplay59   43   BRANDEIS      BOWDOIN      WASH (MO)      CHICAGO      BRANDEIS      CHICAGO      BRANDEIS
Shooter McGavin   42   LYCOMING      ONEONTA ST      LORAS      OWU      ONEONTA ST      LORAS      ONEONTA ST
D3 Scout   42   AMHERST      R-CAMDEN      U-WW      OWU      AMHERST      UW-W      AMHERST
dontshootthegoose   42   AMHERST      HAVERFORD      LORAS      F&M      AMHERST      F&M      AMHERST
wingtips2   42   STEVENS      SLU      WHEATON      KENYON      SLU      KENYON      KENYON
Mid-Atlantic Fan   41   AMHERST      HAVERFORD      WHEATON      MSU      AMHERST      MSU      AMHERST
NCAC New England   41   AMHERST      SLU      U-WW      KENYON      SLU      KENYON      KENYON
lastguyoffthebench   39   AMHERST      R-CAMDEN      WHEATON      MSU      AMHERST      MSU      AMHERST

[mjan]

The last time Tufts conceded 3 goals in a game was 10/1/2011 vs Amherst... Impressive.

MSU was knocking on that door, but couldn't open it.

Tufts vs Kenyon will be a classic.

NJAC not looking so hot Last Guy

Of course not... look at the match-ups!  If MSU or Camden had Gordon as a Round of 32 game, they'd be in the Sweet 16.   This isn't a shot at F&M, but you know what I mean.  If Rutgers-Camden would have gotten Bowdoin or MIT, I think they'd have won.  If MSU had Chicago, they'd have probably won.   However, you can only beat who is put in front of you... On to next year!


I think F&M will be heading to the Elite 8.

I noticed you had Oneonta St as your Champion on one forum, but for the bracketology you selected Amherst.  Thoughts/Prediction on Haverford vs. SLU and potential match-up of Haverford vs Oneonta St?

NJAC way overrated this year and MSU second year in a row choke.

[lastguyoffthebench]

I saw all 6 games at OWU and Kenyon this weekend - the Mid Atlantic quadrant contains 4 teams that were at one time ranked #1 in the country this season.  Calvin may be the Rodney Dangerfield of this tournament, but if they get out of this weekend I would think they would have as good a chance as any for the title.

"Rodney Dangerfield"  haaaa

[lastguyoffthebench]

If Haverford and Oneonta advance, that game will be an up-and-down battle.   

Predictions:
Amherst 2, Lycoming 0
Trinity 1, Brandeis 0
Haverford 2, SLU 1
Oneonta St 3, MIT 0
Loras 2, DePauw 1
Wheaton 3, St. Olaf 1
Tufts 1, Kenyon 1.  PKs
F&M 2, Calvin 1.

[wingtips2]

I'm going to take a quick moment and have a laugh at the UAA - again.
Only 1 of 4 teams makes it to the round of 16.
I'm so glad that I stopped thinking "this could be the year they finally play to their high rankings", it improves my brackets!

Two shoot-out losses and a double OT loss?

And notice what they all have in common? They are losses!

Technically speaking the UAA teams are 4-1-2 in the tournament this year with the 1 loss being in double OT

since you're being technical - I amended my post.

[Part_Bart]

Yea Brandeis was still in shock that RPI tied the game up with a minute to go and therefore did not look their best in OT. They looked demoralized and I thought they were going to cough up their season if the did not snap out of it fast. It is a complicated mindset when you just cough up a game you dominated in the 89th minute that is when RPI had their chance to find the winner but they had no sniffs at all. However, you are correct OT was fairly even and uneventful besides the goal. RPI needed to take advantage of that huge momentum switch after the goal but they did not

Having seen RPI play over the years, I find it uncanny how they are able to make games seem disjointed and messy. RPI are neither chippy nor super-physical, just disruptive.  Brandeis had the run of play (as did Stevens, as did many of the opponents over the past few years), yet RPI always seemed to get a foot in the way, or rush the shot just a bit, or force the odd error.  Its more than coincidence at this point -- RPI creates harried play, and its even more disruptive when you face it the first time or in tournament play.  Credit to Brandeis for getting through that first OT before their technical abilities finally overwhelmed RPI.