2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAD

[Shooter McGavin]

These averages I have to say seem pretty meaningless.  The Mid-Atlantic average is dragged down by Tufts of all teams.

What other sectional had all 4 teams ranked #1 at some point in the season?

Aren't all rankings "meaningless" which is why we play the game....

[Brother Flounder]

These averages I have to say seem pretty meaningless.  The Mid-Atlantic average is dragged down by Tufts of all teams.

What other sectional had all 4 teams ranked #1 at some point in the season?

Aren't all rankings "meaningless" which is why we play the game....

haha... They were last year.....

[Shooter McGavin]

These averages I have to say seem pretty meaningless.  The Mid-Atlantic average is dragged down by Tufts of all teams.

What other sectional had all 4 teams ranked #1 at some point in the season?

Also I just put these out so we could have perspective without clicking back and forth between the website rankings and the forums. Thought people might be interested in it. Sorry to bore you with my meaningless numbers NCAC.

[PaulNewman]

These averages I have to say seem pretty meaningless.  The Mid-Atlantic average is dragged down by Tufts of all teams.

What other sectional had all 4 teams ranked #1 at some point in the season?

Also I just put these out so we could have perspective without clicking back and forth between the website rankings and the forums. Thought people might be interested in it. Sorry to bore you with my meaningless numbers NCAC.

Shooter, you misunderstood.  It was/is interesting.  Just don't think it is any basis for determining which sectional is the "best" or toughest as some seemed to suggest following your posting of that data.

[Shooter McGavin]

These averages I have to say seem pretty meaningless.  The Mid-Atlantic average is dragged down by Tufts of all teams.

What other sectional had all 4 teams ranked #1 at some point in the season?

Also I just put these out so we could have perspective without clicking back and forth between the website rankings and the forums. Thought people might be interested in it. Sorry to bore you with my meaningless numbers NCAC.

Shooter, you misunderstood.  It was/is interesting.  Just don't think it is any basis for determining which sectional is the "best" or toughest as some seemed to suggest following your posting of that data.

All good NCAC and I think it can provide some basis but not concrete by any means. It would be a good starting point in a debate but it won't be the main point you fall back on. At this point every section is tough and any of the 16 could win it.

[Shooter McGavin]

My picks for best chance to win the championship:

1. Oneonta St.
2. Haverford
3. Loras
4. Wheaton
5. Amherst
6. Trinity
7. Brandeis
8. Lycoming
9. Kenyon
10. Tufts
11. F&M
12. Calvin
13. SLU
14. MIT
15. DePauw
16. St. Olaf

Now keep in mind this doesn't mean that I think say Lycoming is better than say Kenyon or Calvin...it just means that I think this is the order for best chance of getting to and winning the final and since I personally believe that the Northeast has the best teams I listed it that way because whoever comes out of that pod is probably going to the final.

So Oneonta St and Haverford winner needs to win one game to go to the final assuming they advance. Loras and Wheaton have cake walks so they are next up. Then the whole northeast sectional listed in order IMO of whose best to advance from that pod. After that the Mid-Atlantic pod comes into play as all 4 teams have a tough task in the sweet 16 and elite 8. Then the rest of the east pod followed by the central pod cinderella teams. All opinion and feel and some crazy logic is all  

[Mr.Right]

WOW..How the mighty have fallen. Just catching the 1st Round of the D1 NCAA's and this is the 1st time I have seen UCONN this year. They barely look like a shell of how good they used to be in the 2000's. I cannot believe how far this program has dropped off...Certainly a couple D3 teams would have their number. maybe switching conferences hurt them in Soccer?

[NJrexSoccer03]

WOW..How the mighty have fallen. Just catching the 1st Round of the D1 NCAA's and this is the 1st time I have seen UCONN this year. They barely look like a shell of how good they used to be in the 2000's. I cannot believe how far this program has dropped off...Certainly a couple D3 teams would have their number. maybe switching conferences hurt them in Soccer?

I just started watching. Last time I watched UCONN was probably 1998 vs. Princeton. Princeton got crushed if I remember correctly. I was in high school then so its been a while! Looks like its 1-1. My feed keeps going in and out. Darn work WiFi!

[Mr.Right]

Yea good game but UCONN used to be a national power with all those Jamaicans and other talent. Looks like they have a bunch of guys from Senegal but they do not look nearly as athletic, skilled or big as the Jamaicans of the 2000's.

[Mr.Right]

Fast Food predictions since I  have not seen Trinity TX, Lycoming, Kenyon, St.Olaf, Wheaton, Calvin or F&M

Tufts at Kenyon                        1-0   Tufts. I am not seeing a lot of goals in this game. I have not seen Kenyon so have no idea how they play but I know of a couple of the players with ties to New England. 11am Friday morning game is ridiculous. Kenyon should not be FORCED to host this game at that time. There will be no home field advantage at that time. I can promise you coaches and players are pissed at that.

Calvin v F&M                             1-0   Calvin. From the sound of it Calvin is a big, physical athletic team. Usually those teams survive rather well in November.

Lycoming at Amherst               0-1    Amherst.  I know you Lycoming supporters are springing for an upset here but I am not seeing it on Amherst home field. Lycoming will need to be very disciplined and try to score early. I would go at the frosh on the back line and keep the ball on the ground. You will not win a war in the air v Amherst.

Trinity TX v Brandeis                1-0    Brandeis. I have a hunch this is Brandeis year to get back to the Final 4. One game at a time though. They are one of the hottest teams in the country right now and have played on this grass field enough to be comfortable. If they work as hard as they did last weekend they will win this rematch as long as the GK plays well and the backs do not play any short square balls that can be picked off. I hate that and I saw Brandeis do that a couple times against Thomas and RPI.

Wheaton v St.Olaf                    2-0    Wheaton. I have seen neither team but I remember Wheaton from last year and they should be able to beat St. Olaf. However if Otterbein can make a D3 Final 4 than so can St. Olaf. Also, to top MSU they have 8 assistants and 53 players. Let's hope they play futbol and not football.

Loras v DePauw                       3-0    Loras.   This is your blow out special as I watched DePauw and Wash U and frankly was not impressed with either side but DePauw does not look like they are a team that scores a lot of goals and to me their GK looks average at BEST. All the makings of a blow out as Loras is another team playing its best as they are one of the hottest teams in the country.

SLU at Haverford                     2-0   SLU.      Mind you if I was predicting this game in early October I would have said Haverford 3-1 because SLU was in a serious funk and Haverford was playing some free flowing attacking futbol. I think Haverford has already hit their high note this season and drops this contest. SLU seems to be clicking but honestly they had a "free-ride" sectional for a team with 3 or 4 blemishes. Scranton, UMASS Boston and Sage being sent up to Canton you would have thought SLU was 17-1-0.

Oneonta st v MIT                     0-0 PK's MIT.       Upset special. MIT plays 10 deep all game and have 2 SOG but they frustrate Oneonta

[Saint of Old]

Intelligent analysis.

All these teams can now smell a National Championship.

2 more wins and they will be able to taste it.....


Ahhhhh, smell that whif!!!!

[Flying Weasel]

Wheaton v St.Olaf                    2-0    Wheaton. I have seen neither team but I remember Wheaton from last year and they should be able to beat St. Olaf. However if Otterbein can make a D3 Final 4 than so can St. Olaf. Also, to top MSU they have 8 assistants and 53 players. Let's hope they play futbol and not football.

Yeah, but does St. Olaf have a player with a 50-yard throw that allows any throw-in on the offensive side of the midfield stripe to turn into service into the box?  Thanks to the unfortunte weather/field conditions and that throw-in, we all missed out on the highly anticipated Messiah/Trinity duel in the 2002 final.  Of course, it allowed the debate of best D-III program to rage a few more years, so it was good for the message boards, I guess.

[Saint of Old]

I will tell you this.

One more championship for 3 of those schools in the sweet 16 right now and they make the list of Elite programs along with

OWU/Wheaton/Messiah.

Criteria:

1. Consistent dancers
2. More than one Championship.


Time will tell.

[Shooter McGavin]

Fast Food predictions since I  have not seen Trinity TX, Lycoming, Kenyon, St.Olaf, Wheaton, Calvin or F&M

Tufts at Kenyon                        1-0   Tufts. I am not seeing a lot of goals in this game. I have not seen Kenyon so have no idea how they play but I know of a couple of the players with ties to New England. 11am Friday morning game is ridiculous. Kenyon should not be FORCED to host this game at that time. There will be no home field advantage at that time. I can promise you coaches and players are pissed at that.

Calvin v F&M                             1-0   Calvin. From the sound of it Calvin is a big, physical athletic team. Usually those teams survive rather well in November.

Lycoming at Amherst               0-1    Amherst.  I know you Lycoming supporters are springing for an upset here but I am not seeing it on Amherst home field. Lycoming will need to be very disciplined and try to score early. I would go at the frosh on the back line and keep the ball on the ground. You will not win a war in the air v Amherst.

Trinity TX v Brandeis                1-0    Brandeis. I have a hunch this is Brandeis year to get back to the Final 4. One game at a time though. They are one of the hottest teams in the country right now and have played on this grass field enough to be comfortable. If they work as hard as they did last weekend they will win this rematch as long as the GK plays well and the backs do not play any short square balls that can be picked off. I hate that and I saw Brandeis do that a couple times against Thomas and RPI.

Wheaton v St.Olaf                    2-0    Wheaton. I have seen neither team but I remember Wheaton from last year and they should be able to beat St. Olaf. However if Otterbein can make a D3 Final 4 than so can St. Olaf. Also, to top MSU they have 8 assistants and 53 players. Let's hope they play futbol and not football.

Loras v DePauw                       3-0    Loras.   This is your blow out special as I watched DePauw and Wash U and frankly was not impressed with either side but DePauw does not look like they are a team that scores a lot of goals and to me their GK looks average at BEST. All the makings of a blow out as Loras is another team playing its best as they are one of the hottest teams in the country.

SLU at Haverford                     2-0   SLU.      Mind you if I was predicting this game in early October I would have said Haverford 3-1 because SLU was in a serious funk and Haverford was playing some free flowing attacking futbol. I think Haverford has already hit their high note this season and drops this contest. SLU seems to be clicking but honestly they had a "free-ride" sectional for a team with 3 or 4 blemishes. Scranton, UMASS Boston and Sage being sent up to Canton you would have thought SLU was 17-1-0.

Oneonta st v MIT                     0-0 PK's MIT.       Upset special. MIT plays 10 deep all game and have 2 SOG but they frustrate Oneonta

Don't disagree with your assessment. If I were to add my own opinion to your analysis I would think that there will be more than 1 goal scored between Calvin and F&M. Maybe a 2-1 win for Calvin if you have them winning. The other game would be Wheaton and St. Olaf. Wheaton can score in bunches but from what I have seen of them this year they give up garbage goals. 3-1 could be a good scoreline if you want that 2 goal advantage.

[Shooter McGavin]

Mr. Right's Fast Food Predictions-Shooter McGavin Style

Tufts at Kenyon                        1-0   Tufts. I am not seeing a lot of goals in this game either Mr. Right. Tufts is determined to get back to the final 4 and I think they get a good start with an early goal and ride it out for the win.

Calvin v F&M                             2-1   F&M. I was a little unsure about F&M after their bad close to the season but they have been clicking in the tournament and I look for that to continue. Calvin is finally going to have a big test and I don't think they will respond.

Lycoming at Amherst              1-1 PK's    Lycoming.  Amherst on their home field is a tough task for the other 3 grouped in this sectional and Mr. Right is 100% correct in saying that you will not win a war in the air v Amherst. So I think Lycoming makes the proper adjustments and gives up a set piece goal but responds with a goal of their own late to send it to OT. And just like in 2013 a top tier team chokes as they are not accustom to this situation. Lycoming sneaks by in Pk's...barely, as Amherst slips up too early once again. 

Trinity TX v Brandeis                2-0    Brandeis. They are one of the hottest teams in the country right now as Mr. Right mentioned and they dominated the game vs Trinity earlier this year for 70 of the 90 minutes. But Trinity pounced with 2 goals during that 20 minute span and the game was over. Revenge is a cruel thing as Brandeis comes out with a chip on their shoulder and takes care of business after a slow start in the opening rounds of the tournament. The jet lag and weather get's to Trinity's head and they go down a man with a red card due to a mental error as Brandeis rides out the 2-0 lead.

Wheaton v St.Olaf                    4-2    Wheaton. A high scoring affair as Wheaton's offense is as dynamic as they come but they go into the break tied at 2 with a stingy St. Olaf team. Unfortunately the wheels finally fall off and Wheaton ends Cinderella's dream.

Loras v DePauw                       2-1    Loras.   Loras comes out with 2 quick goals in the first 15 minutes and continues to attack with vengeance. DePauw scores late but it's not enough and Loras advances to the Elite 8.

SLU at Haverford                     2-1   SLU.      Haverford should win but they overlook a very strong SLU team and get tossed around at home. SLU scores early in both halves and advances to meet Oneonta St.

Oneonta st v MIT                     3-1  Oneonta St.      This was Mr. Right's upset pick but I am not buying it. Oneonta St has been my pick all year and that's not going to change now. Oneonta rolls past MIT and is set on getting to Kansas City. This may be the best team in the country right now.