2017 NCAA Tournament

[Greek Tragedy]

They must really play a different brand of ball out East. I guess I'm used to some kind of discipline from Point. Babson is up 6 with less than 2 minutes to play and they're launching 3s 10 seconds into the shot clock! Makes me scratch my head for sure! LOL 

[Greek Tragedy]

91-85 Babson

[sac]

71-40 Babson the final 27 minutes and change.

[Mr. Ypsi]

71-40 Babson the final 27 minutes and change.

And that's only because the Blues made a late run.  At one point Babson had outscored Whitman by THIRTY-EIGHT points since being down by 25!

While Williams and Augie both have probabilities somewhere north of zero, I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and predict that Babson will take home 'The Big Doorstop'.

[Gregory Sager]

Babson's length really bothered Whitman around the basket in the second half. The Blues missed a ton of shots within five feet of the rim, and it's because Babson forced them to take tougher, higher angles off of the backboard or made them take off-balance shots on the drive in order to avoid getting the shot blocked. That, plus Whitman going ice-cold from downtown and the huge rebounding disparity in Babson's favor, was what flipped the game in favor of the Beavers down the stretch.

The Beavers showed why seniors make all the difference. Their discipline and composure, first when down by 25 late in the first half, and then when Whitman jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first six minutes of the second half, were tremendous. Younger teams, and teams that haven't gotten that deep into the tourney before, almost never withstand those sorts of runs. Babson did, and it's a tribute to the veteran savvy of Flannery & Co.

[Gregory Sager]

Augie leads at the half, 42-34. I strongly doubt that Augie can continue shooting at this torrid pace, but if the Doggies keep playing this kind of defense, it probably won't matter. The Ephs are only 11-31 (.355) from the field and 4-15 (.267) from downtown -- and they're not getting any second chances, either, as Augie controls the boards, 21-9, and has given up only three offensive rebounds to Williams. Ferguson and Martin each have two blocks for Augustana.

[Gregory Sager]

Still early in the second half, but this one has the vibe of a game that's going down to the wire.

[Gregory Sager]

Augie moves on to the championship game, 90-79. Big shooting night for AC, over 60% from the field and over 50% from beyond the arc. Orange was the man in this one.

Augustana vs. Babson will be a rematch of a semifinal game from two seasons ago. This time, I think Babson will get revenge and own the Big Doorstop for 2017.

Great season for Williams ... and, of course, for Whitman, too.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Augie moves on to the championship game, 90-79. Big shooting night for AC, over 60% from the field and over 50% from beyond the arc. Orange was the man in this one.

Augustana vs. Babson will be a rematch of a semifinal game from two seasons ago. This time, I think Babson will get revenge and own the Big Doorstop for 2017.

Great season for Williams ... and, of course, for Whitman, too.

No doubt the MVP, but Augie had FIVE players with 14+ points - definitely a TEAM win.  Williams was much too dependent on Aronowitz - he was outstanding, but five beats one even if the one is Michael Jordan!

[augie77]

This is Augustana's fourth trip to the championship game.  Unfortunately, they lost in 1981, 1993 and 2015.  Here's hoping this post will jinx them to the opposite result in 2017! 

[augie77]

Fwiw, they also finished third in 1975 and 1976.

[Greek Tragedy]

I'm still amazed that this Augie team is in the Championship game after losing to Point in the Final two years ago, returning everyone last year, but falling in the Elite 8 at home and then losing nearly everyone this year. What a great job by the coaching staff and players. Simply unbelievable, IMO.

[ronk]

Fwiw, they also finished third in 1975 and 1976.

It was worth a lot to Scranton who defeated Augie in the '76 semifinal on the way to its 1st national title.  Was there at the game.

[Greek Tragedy]

Fwiw, they also finished third in 1975 and 1976.

It was worth a lot to Scranton who defeated Augie in the '76 semifinal on the way to its 1st national title.  Was there at the game.

You're old. 

[augie77]

Ronk and I were both there (Albright College in Reading, Pa) in 1976.  He was smiling.  I was not.