Atlantic Region Men's Basketball '25-'26

[boatcapt]

Every November it drives me insane to hear people say "It's November ... that loss doesn't matter."


Nov 15

Charleston - 89
Millersville - 84

Think that one mattered?


We can over-complicate this stuff to the moon but sometimes a head-to-head can be the deciding factor (I know ... it's a foreign concept, boring and very unscientific).

I am curious if the No. 7-seed Edinboro ladies -- owners of a whopping 13 losses -- have the most losses ever in the Atlantic to get a spot. I clearly get the PSAC West was the premier women's division in the Atlantic and the Scots played a really tough schedule. But, man, I can never recall a team with that many losses making the field.

Yep...Same thing with the VUU/WLU early season game. WLU wins that game, they are probably stringing new nets at the ARSC in preparation for the Regional Tourney. Instead, we get the opportunity to play them again in Erie.

Rule 1. Bad wins count more than good losses.
Rule 2. Early season games count just as much as late season games.
Rule 3. You can't "win" a spot into the NCAA Tourney early in the year, but you can "LOSE" a spot.

[Scrub]

I am curious if the No. 7-seed Edinboro ladies -- owners of a whopping 13 losses -- have the most losses ever in the Atlantic to get a spot. I clearly get the PSAC West was the premier women's division in the Atlantic and the Scots played a really tough schedule. But, man, I can never recall a team with that many losses making the field.

I was thinking something similar as I watched the men's selection show. Seeing teams in other regions making the field with 12- and 13-loss seasons had me thinking about how a 12th or 13th loss in the Atlantic puts you in about 15th place in the regional standings.

Nobody was talking about Slippery Rock, Seton Hill, or Glenville (our 12- & 13-loss teams) making the field unless they had a magical run this weekend.

But as you say, it came true on the women's side. Interesting development.

[bballfan03]

The same Cal team that has losses to Concord, Edinboro, Clarion and was blown out by Slippery Rock 10 days ago?

Cal's a sporadic team -- much like most of the teams in the field.

When Cal is engaged, they are very good. But, they've had some real head-scratchers this year. Gannon also failed to put that game away about 20 times yesterday.

Edinboro and Clarion both had hot streaks surrounding those wins. Slippery Rock played better once Herster and Dame were out. Too much street ball and ISO.

I'm still questioning what Bazzoli was trying to do yesterday. He had them so slowed down to start the game - fed into Danny's game plan defensively. They never really tried to run-n-gun like normal. They did same thing against IUP Saturday first half and then 2nd half played their game and pulled away.

[IUPalum]

Edinboro and Clarion both had hot streaks surrounding those wins. Slippery Rock played better once Herster and Dame were out. Too much street ball and ISO.

I'm still questioning what Bazzoli was trying to do yesterday. He had them so slowed down to start the game - fed into Danny's game plan defensively. They never really tried to run-n-gun like normal. They did same thing against IUP Saturday first half and then 2nd half played their game and pulled away.

For someone that acts like they know basketball, it astounds me that you can't figure out what happened in that first half against IUP. This is now your second post about it. Go back and watch and see what happened.

[bballfan03]

For someone that acts like they know basketball, it astounds me that you can't figure out what happened in that first half against IUP. This is now your second post about it. Go back and watch and see what happened.

I know what happened - i dont know why Gannon changed their whole style to allow it to happen. Gannons MO is contest jumpers and concede easy layups/blow bys. They were leaving jumpers wide open.

[IUPalum]

I know what happened - i dont know why Gannon changed their whole style to allow it to happen. Gannons MO is contest jumpers and concede easy layups/blow bys. They were leaving jumpers wide open.

You obviously don't know what happened. Good luck this weekend.

[bballfan03]

You obviously don't know what happened. Good luck this weekend.

So what am I missing?

Gannon strayed from their style against IUP and kept the game close until they started their style and pulled away.

They did the same thing against Cal, but for the whole game and they let Cal stay close til they won.

So what was the reason for gannon to not play their normal game?

[Ship69]

They were using that lob to Lucas to inbound for awhile there at the start and then Gannon started doubling it.

Keep in mind Lucas is a nice player to have against that pressure. He's one of the best overall athletes in the league and he's a legit 6'7".

Cal is the only team in the league Gannon can't physically bully. Danny has also played against that press for a very long time.

The zebra crew was also calling a lot of the grabbing and holding that comes with that press, which made it less effective yesterday. If they are getting away with that stuff, you have little chance to win.

If you watch how Cal breaks it, the first two passes are lightning quick. IUP does the complete opposite. Not only is the first pass slow but the second pass is even slower. Danny typically gets right through. Joe either gets trapped or barely makes it through.

I agree that they got the ball moving really well once they got it in. I was just surprised it took so long for Gannon to react to the constant tossing to Lucas. Cal did some impressive passing near the hoop. One thing Cal did do well with the Lucas throw was generally keep the ball out of the corner. I'm amazed how many teams I see toss the ball in against a press and immediately get themselves double-teamed in the corner. That was a no-no even when I was a benchwarmer in ninth-grade basketball 60-some years ago.

[bballfan03]

I agree that they got the ball moving really well once they got it in. I was just surprised it took so long for Gannon to react to the constant tossing to Lucas. Cal did some impressive passing near the hoop. One thing Cal did do well with the Lucas throw was generally keep the ball out of the corner. I'm amazed how many teams I see toss the ball in against a press and immediately get themselves double-teamed in the corner. That was a no-no even when I was a benchwarmer in ninth-grade basketball 60-some years ago.

100%! Every time a team does it i hear my HS coach yelling "dont pick the ball up in the corner!!"

Now, the one thing ive noticed is gannon doesn't usually start with guarding the "middle" guy and they get beat quick when a team can manage to get it out of the corner. Its one thing to trap in the corner when the only pass option is a blind heave into the front court. Its another when the inbounder is left wide open in the middle. Thats how edinboro kept it close in the first meeting - at least 4 times the corner guy just blindly tossed it back to the middle and the inbounder was wide open. Gannon finally adjusted and double teamed the corner and marked the inbounder and that changed the dynamics of the game.

I do have a question about Coach Lombardi for the IUP folk... is he actually "notorious" for calling the late TOs when hes getting blown out? He called 2 last minute (game was over barring a miracle). Some Seton Hill fans near us kept showing their disgust and they were telling anyone that listened "he always does this! This is why people cant stand him.. games over and he acts like hes strategically coaching a tie game with 5 seconds left." I remember once before he did similiar, but it was after his reserves were already in and I figured he was coaching possible "next year guys" on what just happened. Last time we played IUP, only TO he called was to get his reserves in. So I was wondering if this is a "thing" or these Seton Hill people just wanted to gripe. (I could care less why if it is a thing.. gannon games usually take 2+ hours anyways so another 2 mins doesn't affect me haha)

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Massey predictions:


Fairmont State by 3 over IUP

Gannon and WL both by 10+

Cal by 5 over Fayetteville State

[Chuck Norris]

100%! Every time a team does it i hear my HS coach yelling "dont pick the ball up in the corner!!"

Now, the one thing ive noticed is gannon doesn't usually start with guarding the "middle" guy and they get beat quick when a team can manage to get it out of the corner. Its one thing to trap in the corner when the only pass option is a blind heave into the front court. Its another when the inbounder is left wide open in the middle. Thats how edinboro kept it close in the first meeting - at least 4 times the corner guy just blindly tossed it back to the middle and the inbounder was wide open. Gannon finally adjusted and double teamed the corner and marked the inbounder and that changed the dynamics of the game.

I do have a question about Coach Lombardi for the IUP folk... is he actually "notorious" for calling the late TOs when hes getting blown out? He called 2 last minute (game was over barring a miracle). Some Seton Hill fans near us kept showing their disgust and they were telling anyone that listened "he always does this! This is why people cant stand him.. games over and he acts like hes strategically coaching a tie game with 5 seconds left." I remember once before he did similiar, but it was after his reserves were already in and I figured he was coaching possible "next year guys" on what just happened. Last time we played IUP, only TO he called was to get his reserves in. So I was wondering if this is a "thing" or these Seton Hill people just wanted to gripe. (I could care less why if it is a thing.. gannon games usually take 2+ hours anyways so another 2 mins doesn't affect me haha)

I don’t pay nearly close enough attention when IUP is down big late to know if this is something he always does. I’m just genuinely curious what experience seeing Joe’s teams losing handily would Seton Hill fans have, lol?

[gman16506]

I don’t pay nearly close enough attention when IUP is down big late to know if this is something he always does. I’m just genuinely curious what experience seeing Joe’s teams losing handily would Seton Hill fans have, lol?

Now that is a classic retort !

[bballfan03]

I don’t pay nearly close enough attention when IUP is down big late to know if this is something he always does. I’m just genuinely curious what experience seeing Joe’s teams losing handily would Seton Hill fans have, lol?

Right???!!

[bballfan03]

I don’t pay nearly close enough attention when IUP is down big late to know if this is something he always does. I’m just genuinely curious what experience seeing Joe’s teams losing handily would Seton Hill fans have, lol?

Well maybe for Seton Hill they meant IUP has won it and he calls TOs.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Here's your Men's Regional, per Massey predictions:


Round 1

Fairmont State - 78
IUP - 75

West Liberty - 83
Virginia Union - 73

Gannon - 87
Charleston - 75

Cal - 85
Fayetteville State - 80


Round 2

West Liberty - 89
Fairmont State - 85

Gannon - 87
Cal - 77


Round 3

Gannon - 95
West Liberty - 89