Atlantic Regional

[boatcapt]

Re: Atlantic Regional

I was a student at WLU (or WLSC then, I guess) when Crutchfield first took over.

So, needless to say, I've been following the team for a bit.

And this whole 'a big man will fix all of our woes' thing is almost like a spoiled joke at this point.

Not saying a big man would fix all our woes, but it would at least give us a possible counter on those 3 to 4 times a year when the other team has a gifted big that is hurting us. Having a Grossenbacher, Morrow or even a Kirkbride or Nick Brown to at least match some height with the opposite big would have given us somthing to try. When you're biggest player is 6'5", you are going to be vulnerable to losing unless you play a perfect game in all other areas. While perfection is a goal and WLU does hit that mark often, sometimes, like tonight and in the MEC tourney finals, you don't and you have no answer to the big that is tearing you up.

[IUP24]

Atlantic Regional

[Layton]

Re: Atlantic Regional

[boatcapt]

Re: Atlantic Regional

Exactly...Hard to find but not impossible. Not trying to find a big that can run like the wind, handle the ball, shoot 50% from 3, collect rebounds, block shots and play effective full court press. Just a guy who has enough size/height to hold up inside and play enough D to not be a liability in the press. More or less a defensive specialist. I wouldn't care if he couldn't shoot from further than 10 feet...think we have enough shooters to were having one guy on the court who didn't shoot 3's wouldn't be an issue.

[Layton]

Re: Atlantic Regional

Exactly...Hard to find but not impossible. Not trying to find a big that can run like the wind, handle the ball, shoot 50% from 3, collect rebounds, block shots and play effective full court press. Just a guy who has enough size/height to hold up inside and play enough D to not be a liability in the press. More or less a defensive specialist. I wouldn't care if he couldn't shoot from further than 10 feet...think we have enough shooters to were having one guy on the court who didn't shoot 3's wouldn't be an issue.

[boatcapt]

Re: Atlantic Regional

Like you said, we're not looking for unicorns. These guys are out there but you have to look for them. I think maybe we've gotten "stuck" looking for a specific set of skills that begins with, must be able to shoot the 3 and run. guys that can do that AND are 6'7" plus ARE rare. But if you look for 6'7" plus guys who can run but can't shoot a 3, the lens of possible players opens up much wider...still hard to find, but not impossible.

Heck, a good sales pitch to such a player could be, we are WLU and we will develop your outside game to go along with your inside one and that could get you a pro contract after you graduate. I'd be willing to bet that Ben could teach almost anyone to shoot the 3! Find it hard to believe no "shooting challenged" big would bite on such an offer.

Time to start recruting tomorrow at 8 AM. Find us a big "defensive specialist" that you can teach to shoot, Ben!!!!

[Scrub]

Re: Atlantic Regional

Haven't seen enough of him to know, but is it possible you guys are describing Greely? He has he size to bang. He's apparently not yet ready to run in the system, but is it possible he will be next year? [shrug]

[IUPalum]

Re: Atlantic Regional

West Liberty = young boys (that look old as heck)

Mercyhurst = 26 year olds (Patrick 'Ewing" Smith)

[IUPTrackMan]

Re: Atlantic Regional

On Sunday a PSAC coach told me that WL has 10 fully funded schlorships. Is that true and does anyone know how that stacks up against the other teams in the Regional?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Atlantic Regional

On Sunday a PSAC coach told me that WL has 10 fully funded schlorships. Is that true and does anyone know how that stacks up against the other teams in the Regional?

It's much like D2 football. There are rich teams and poor teams. And, a middle class.

In the PSAC West this year, IUP, Mercyhurst and Gannon were just about 'fully funded'. Slippery Rock actually was close, too. They typically aren't but they dropped more coin this past season.

The PSAC East schools tend to not reflect scholarships but apply money in other ways (i.e. West Chester football).

But, it's not a coincidence the same 10-12 teams are good in Atlantic Region basketball year in and year out and the same teams stink. Follow the money.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Atlantic Regional

West Liberty = young boys (that look old as heck)

Mercyhurst = 26 year olds (Patrick 'Ewing" Smith)

The good news for the rest of us is Massey and Patrick 'Ewing' Smith are gone after this season.

[Chuck Norris]

[Topper912]

Re: Atlantic Regional

Mercyhurst vs NW Missouri St in the Elite 8.

Winner of that game plays the winner of Nova SE vs St Anselm.

[schnautza]

Re: Atlantic Regional

2019 NCAA DIVISION II ELITE EIGHT
March 27, 28 & 30 at Ford Center, Evansville, Ind.

Wednesday, March 27 (Teams reseeded following regional championship games)
#4 Nova Southeastern (29-3) vs. #5 Saint Anselm (25-5), 12 p.m., CT
#1 Northwest Missouri State (35-0) vs. #8 Mercyhurst (26-7), 2:30 p.m., CT
#2 West Texas A&M (34-3) vs. #7 Southern Indiana (25-8), 6 p.m., CT
#3 Queens, N.C. (31-4) vs. #6 Point Loma (29-4), 8:30 p.m., CT

Thursday, March 28
#1-8 winner vs. #4-5 winner, 6 p.m., CT
#2-7 winner vs. #3-6 winner, 8:30 p.m., CT

Saturday, March 30 (National championship game, live on CBS)
Championship game 2 p.m., CT

[timbertopper]

Re: Atlantic Regional

The 2014 WLU team was leading the national championship game with 5 minutes to go when a Central Missouri kid who hadn't made 10 3-pointers all year hit back-to-back treys to totally flip the script.

West Liberty's best team was the 2011 group that won 33 straight before being upset in the Final 4 by a Chinese National Team player from BYU-Hawaii having an out-of-body experience. Hilltoppers averaged more than 111 ppg. and are still the only NCAA D2 team with more than 500 3FGs in a season but couldn't even get to the title game.

Winning a national championship is INCREDIBLY hard. That's what makes them so special.