MEC Tourney 2021

[boatcapt]

So the MEC published it's Tourney process for 2021. First, fans will be permitted to attend! MEC will permit 15% capacity at WesBanco Arena for all games! As far as process, the top 5 teams from MEC North and South will makeup the 10 team tourney field. Each division will play in it's own bracket with the two North and South Champions doing battle for the MEC Tourney crown. The 4 v 5 game in each division will play their game on-campus March 1 with the remaining 8 teams convening in Wheeling to start play on March 5. Championship game is Sunday March 7.

As it stands right now, the tourney field will be:

MEC North
1. Fairmont
2. WLU
3. AB
4. NDC
5. Frostburg

MEC South:
1. UC
2. Glenville
3. WVS
4. Concord
5. D&E

[Scrub]

Tough draw for the Toppers. It looks like #2 in the North (if they, in fact, stay in that slot) would have to get through South #3 & South #1 to earn a trip to the championship. At the current standings, that would pit WLU against WVSU & Charleston in back-to-back games. Yikes.

This, once again, makes next week's date with FSU an absolute must-win.

[Columbuseer]

Tough draw for the Toppers. It looks like #2 in the North (if they, in fact, stay in that slot) would have to get through South #3 & South #1 to earn a trip to the championship. At the current standings, that would pit WLU against WVSU & Charleston in back-to-back games. Yikes.

This, once again, makes next week's date with FSU an absolute must-win.

I still hold out hope that Fairmont or Charleston will lose again and we will win out to secure at least a tie for the regular season crown and get the #1 seed in North. NDC and GSU and WVSU can be tough match ups for teams when they are "on".

[boatcapt]

Tough draw for the Toppers. It looks like #2 in the North (if they, in fact, stay in that slot) would have to get through South #3 & South #1 to earn a trip to the championship. At the current standings, that would pit WLU against WVSU & Charleston in back-to-back games. Yikes.

This, once again, makes next week's date with FSU an absolute must-win.

Each division constitutes it's own bracket and the winner of each bracket meets in the finals. IF the seeding remains the same, The "play-in" MEC North game would be Frostburg at NDC. North First Round (quarter final) game at Banco would be Fairmont v winner of NDC/Frostburg and WLU v AB. Winners would meet in the MEC North "final" (Semi final) for a seat in the Finals v the winner of the MEC South.

[Scrub]

Each division constitutes it's own bracket and the winner of each bracket meets in the finals. IF the seeding remains the same, The "play-in" MEC North game would be Frostburg at NDC. North First Round (quarter final) game at Banco would be Fairmont v winner of NDC/Frostburg and WLU v AB. Winners would meet in the MEC North "final" (Semi final) for a seat in the Finals v the winner of the MEC South.

Not according to the bracket on the MEC website. N1 & N3 are in a bracket with S2 & winner S4/S5. And then vice versa on the other side.

Here's the link: https://mountaineast.org/documents/2..._1.pdf?id=2977

[boatcapt]

So with Glenville STILL in Covid protocalls, will they be permitted to partisipate in the MEC Tourney? I note that they are currently 7-2 and have moved their game vs Fairmont which was supposed to be last night at 7:30 to 1:30 today. No mention of what they are going to do with the game vs Concord that was supposed to tip tomorrow at 4:30 AT Concord.

Beyond the MEC Tourney, the magic number some have sited as making a team eligible for the NCAA Tourney is 11 games played. IF (and at this point I'd say it is about a 40% chance) Glenville does not play today or tomorrow, then bows out in it's first game in the MEC Tourney, that would give them 10 games played on the season. Are they at risk of being excluded from the NCAA Tourney because they didn't meet the 11 game threshold?

[Scrub]

That seems like a very reasonable possibility. And naturally no one is wishing illness on any team, but I'd bet that Fairmont and KWC fans wouldn't mind too terribly if Glenville falls short of 11 games played. Glenville is still getting credit (in polls and regional rankings) for a really hot start. But with their quarantine issues, they've never gotten a chance to prove whether they are a legit team or reveal whether it was a fluky hot start.

[boatcapt]

That seems like a very reasonable possibility. And naturally no one is wishing illness on any team, but I'd bet that Fairmont and KWC fans wouldn't mind too terribly if Glenville falls short of 11 games played. Glenville is still getting credit (in polls and regional rankings) for a really hot start. But with their quarantine issues, they've never gotten a chance to prove whether they are a legit team or reveal whether it was a fluky hot start.

I asked once were this 11 game figure came from and to point me to the link...no one was able to do so.

In past seasons, NCAA has seemed to make up the selection rules based on what they wanted to happen. In this shortened Covid season, I would imagine that they will be even more inclined to "put their thumb on the selection scale" to get the outcome that they preceve to be fair. Obviously not of this will be made public...got to keep the facade of fairness and equity!

[Scrub]

I asked once were this 11 game figure came from and to point me to the link...no one was able to do so.

In past seasons, NCAA has seemed to make up the selection rules based on what they wanted to happen. In this shortened Covid season, I would imagine that they will be even more inclined to "put their thumb on the selection scale" to get the outcome that they preceve to be fair. Obviously not of this will be made public...got to keep the facade of fairness and equity!

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources...etition-relief

See the first paragraph under the heading "Championships" on this page that offers the NCAA's pre-season announcement. It's right there.

[boatcapt]

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources...etition-relief

See the first paragraph under the heading "Championships" on this page that offers the NCAA's pre-season announcement. It's right there.

Thanks...I'd never seen it actually written from the NCAA.

[Scrub]

And for what it's worth, I had no idea that in a typical year there's a 15-game minimum. I guess it never crossed my mind that anyone would play less than a full regular season in a normal year. But apparently they have a typical cut-off of 15 that was simply lowered to 11 for this year.

[boatcapt]

And as with seemingly anything in the NCAA, you can always appeal! If they don't play again this year, I would imagine they would appeal saying that they intended to play the prescribed number of games but outside health factors interfeared and the players shouldn't be punished.

[crixus]

I wouldn't be surprised if Alderson Broaddus wins a game. I wish I could attend this tournament, but work has finally picked up after a very long lapse due to the pandemic. I went to the final WVIAC tournament in Charleston and had a great time. Hopefully I'll be able to make it to the MEC tournament next year.

[crixus]

First Round: Wheeling 97 Alderson Broaddus 91

AB didn't win, but they put up a good fight. Not bad for their first MEC tournament.

Congrats to Wheeling.

[boatcapt]

So the main field is set for the MEC Tourney:

MEC North Champ WLU plays 4S Concord at 2:00 PM Friday
MEC South Champ Charleston plays 5N Wheeling at 5:00 PM Friday
2N Fairmont plays 3S WV State at 8:00 PM Friday
2S Glenville plays 3N Notre Dame at 11:00 AM Friday

So how will it play out Friday? Are we antisipating calk or will there be upsets?