NW v. WL

[NWHoops]

Is nwmsu arguably the most dominant d2 team of last 20 years?

See what happens this week and maybe. Won it in 17, lost our D2 POY right before Regionals in18 and lost first round, won it in 19, and we were probably favorites to win it last year. If COVID doesn't hit and we won it last year then I think the case could be made.

Edit: also lost to the eventual national champion in the Regional finals in 14 and 16. Combined deficit in those 2 losses- 3 points.

[boatcapt]

Is nwmsu arguably the most dominant d2 team of last 20 years?

As with most of those debates, depends on how you define dominant. Ky Wesleyan was pretty dominant at the beginning of the 20 year period.

[Scrub]

OT: I hope the production value of the broadcast is better than the women's D2 tourney. I popped in to watch the second half of Charleston's women's Elite 8 game. The on-screen scoreboard operator is about 3 minutes behind. There are audio issues that make the announcers periodically sound like Darth Vader. Oh, and the this may be one of the worst officiated games I've seen in a while as well. Just hoping our marquee men's matchup on Wednesday night gets better treatment from the officiating crew and the broadcast technology crew.

But, in truth, these women from UC and Drury deserve better as well. (cf. The issues with the D1 women's weight room). C'mon NCAA, get it together. It's been a tough year for everyone, but we need this right now more than ever.

[NWHoops]

As with most of those debates, depends on how you define dominant. Ky Wesleyan was pretty dominant at the beginning of the 20 year period.

Yeah, in a 6 year timeframe they won it all 2x and were runner-up 4x.

I see WL has been a runner-up once in the last decade but no national championships. I know they have been in a number of Elite 8's. Besides the fact that all teams at this point are really good, any common theme to their losses at this stage?

[boatcapt]

Yeah, in a 6 year timeframe they won it all 2x and were runner-up 4x.

I see WL has been a runner-up once in the last decade but no national championships. I know they have been in a number of Elite 8's. Besides the fact that all teams at this point are really good, any common theme to their losses at this stage?

WLU's kryptonite has always been an active dominant big man. They can't beat them and never recruit even one player to counter that threat.

[Scrub]

Yeah, in a 6 year timeframe they won it all 2x and were runner-up 4x.

I see WL has been a runner-up once in the last decade but no national championships. I know they have been in a number of Elite 8's. Besides the fact that all teams at this point are really good, any common theme to their losses at this stage?

The best shot WLU had at winning it all was the year they were undefeated heading into the semis in 2011. What took them down that day was running into a special player having an otherworldly day. That was the year WLU was defeated by BYU-Hawaii and Taiwanese National Team player Jet Chang just put on a Superman cape for BYU that day and could do no wrong. And we see that happen in this tournament (cf. Jason Preston having the day of his life in OU's defeat of UVA.). If I recall, Chang was pretty good but not otherworldly in the final against Bellarmine.

The semi WLU lost to Lincoln Memorial during Seger Bonifant's senior year (2016) is regularly cited on basketball sites as one of the best all-around basketball games ever played. But again, some unbelievable shot-making by the Railsplitters down the stretch sealed the deal.

So if I had to take a guess, I'd say a) bad match-ups sometimes did WLU in (as is true in every tournament) and b) fantastic opponents' performances sometimes did WLU in. Maybe we're due to be the team that has one of those once-in-a-lifetime days tomorrow night! Never know!

[Scrub]

WLU's kryptonite has always been an active dominant big man. They can't beat them and never recruit even one player to counter that threat.

Marcus Ernst and Patrick Cartier fit that description . . . and Marlon Moore was up to the challenge so far this year in the Atlantic. And Ryan Hawkins isn't that kind of big man (he's more of a WLU-style positionless "big"). So, that particular kryptonite might not apply this year.

[Scrub]

Is nwmsu arguably the most dominant d2 team of last 20 years?

Another entry into the debate is Winona. If not for the craziest 45 seconds in basketball history, Winona would have won 3 in a row in the mid-2000s. Winona fans probably still can't stomach hearing the name Anthony Atkinson.

[Layton]

[NWFanatic]

[NWFanatic]

Safe travels to Indiana today, NWFanatic. Make sure to wear something obnoxious in the stands, so we can pick you out in the crowd-pan shots while we watch at home! Got any green & white striped overalls (a fashion statement that seems to be in vogue in stands at the D1 tourney)? : )

Thanks Scrub-got in town 7:30pm- or beer30 to be exact

[Scrub]

If you've got a lovely wife who's willing to yell at the refs, then I'd say you did well for yourself!

[NWFanatic]

yep. wvsu was part of a 3 game losing streak where guys were doing too much on their own. Looking back, it may have been a blessing because it got players to buy in to the brand that is wlu ball.

That Feb fairmont game was very high level basketball. Wlu averaged 1.59 points per possession while fairmont was over 1.3 if i recall correctly. That was the wlu A game in action.

[NWFanatic]

If you've got a lovely wife who's willing to yell at the refs, then I'd say you did well for yourself!

[NWFanatic]

Meaningless "statoid"...WLU is 4-1 in Elite 8 games.

meaningless factoid too NW is 6-2