Central Regional Talk

[Randy]

In addition, the head-to-head games we are talking were the first two games with a new head coach and 800 miles from home. But let's go ahead and take a couple games from November as more important than what the Wolves have put together in March. SMH.

I haven't bothered to read the selection criteria this year but I know in the past (and I doubt it's changed) winning a conference tournament is not listed. The wins and the opponents played matter but not the tournament championship. Head-to-head has always been listed as a tiebreaker but when the games were played was not. It doesn't matter if it's November or March.

The spreadsheet posted by schnautza shows that Northern has the better record, PI & regional record. The GAC school have the better OW%, OOW%, ranked record and RPI. My guess is the committee didn't think Northern had separated themselves from the GAC schools and used the tiebreaker.

[Alfred33]

On the other hand, he was hacked and shoved and beat up a ton more than Hawkins who drew at least two fouls from defenders on his backside.

I will agree with this... I was frustrated that for about 3-4 minutes mid to late second half the officials completely changed the way they had called the game for the 30+ minutes prior. It seemed like 5 or 6 trips in a row were interrupted with touch fouls in an otherwise "let em play" game. Lambert got a couple of ticky tack fouls that were ridiculous compared to what had been going on, and I remember Welty picked up a cheap one getting through a screen during that same stretch... I think we had another one in there too (maybe a reach that didn't alter the dribble?)... it was just like, what? That's not to say that none of those could have been whistled or called fouls, but it was a complete abandonment of the way they had called the rest of the game... both coaches were unhappy with their palms to the air.

[Moorhead123]

[NWFanatic]

[Randy]

I wasn't there so my only guess is that it has to do with a flagrant foul he picked up in the game. Who knows?

Martin's F1 foul for the elbow was against Rogers on Sat night.

[MisterWizard]

I wasn't there so my only guess is that it has to do with a flagrant foul he picked up in the game. Who knows?

[MisterWizard]

Is this the same Cam Martin who massacred my Mavs last year in Mankato for 49 points in an OT win? I suppose I should have been booing him for beating my team, but my jaw had dropped so far because of his total domination prevented me from doing so. Mister Wizard can vouch for me on this.

The more knowledgeable fans can see through their bias and recognize (and appreciate) talent. Everyone in the arena should have been applauding the five players named to the all-tourney team, just as Southern fans were doing for Bernard, Hawkins, and Hudgins.

[#WolvesNation]

In addition, the head-to-head games we are talking were the first two games with a new head coach and 800 miles from home. But let's go ahead and take a couple games from November as more important than what the Wolves have put together in March. SMH.

[Brandon]

I get the reaction of both fan bases: Martin does not get called for as many fouls as he deserves (I wonder if he's the second coming of Mahatma Gandhi, because for all the violence that occurs around him he's apparently rarely guilty of it himself). He probably also gets fouled more than opponents get whistled.

I don't get booing him on the all-tournament team, though, unless there's more to the story. That just seems petty, especially after the Bearcats won the game.

I wasn't there so my only guess is that it has to do with a flagrant foul he picked up in the game. Who knows?

[Alfred33]

Speaking of that. It's hilarious to read NW fans complain about Cam Martin not being called for fouls only to follow that up and read Southern fans complaining that he gets fouled on every possession. Southern fans are pretty peeved about the crowd booing Martin on the all-tournament selection.

I had already left the arena, so I didn't see/hear any of that... obviously, booing his selection was silly, but I doubt there would be anyone that would say he didn't deserve to be on the all tournament team, or the all-conference team, or feel like him being in the running for the CPOY was unjustified. He's a great player. MoSo has become Northwest's biggest basketball rival and has repeatedly given us good games and/or knocked us off our perch over the last several years... he's the biggest (literally and figuratively) star on that team. He's the villain representing the dark side....He's a BIG deal, and he gives us fits. We don't match up well with him, and he knows it and bullies us around the court. Right or wrong, booing him could also be a taken as a sign of respect in the fact that Bearcat fans care enough about him to even do it. He's a stud, and dealing with him 4 times in a month is brutal... go Northern!

I say that in jest... if we would lose, personally, I'd want to see MoSo win it all... I just don't want to have to play them again.

[laker]

I get the reaction of both fan bases: Martin does not get called for as many fouls as he deserves (I wonder if he's the second coming of Mahatma Gandhi, because for all the violence that occurs around him he's apparently rarely guilty of it himself). He probably also gets fouled more than opponents get whistled.

I don't get booing him on the all-tournament team, though, unless there's more to the story. That just seems petty, especially after the Bearcats won the game.

Classic line. I applaud you for it.

[#WolvesNation]

With how closely Northern, Southern Nazarene, and SE Oklahoma were in metrics by the RPI, performance indicator, SOS, etc. it is crazy to me that Northern didn't get the 2 seed. The fact the committee would use a "tie breaker" of a head to head match up 30 games ago (when Mason Stark was coming off the bench), as opposed to a regular season Conference Champion AND Conference Tourney champ in which Northern had little trouble after the always-close rivalry matchup vs. Augie.

I get that the NSIC was down as a whole this year, but if there is no way a conference tournament can help a team move up seeding, then what is the point? If Southern Nazarene and SE Oklahoma met in the Championship of the conference tourney, I could have lived with getting the 4 seed. Since neither of them even made it, it's a pretty big blunder by the committee, IMO.

That being said, if you want to win the Region and go to the National tourney, going to have to beat all the teams at some point anyways. Looking like it will be Northern vs. the MIAA if they want to go to the National tourney (Mo Southern, then NW Missouri, then Rogers St).

[GrifFan]

Speaking of that. It's hilarious to read NW fans complain about Cam Martin not being called for fouls only to follow that up and read Southern fans complaining that he gets fouled on every possession. Southern fans are pretty peeved about the crowd booing Martin on the all-tournament selection.

I get the reaction of both fan bases: Martin does not get called for as many fouls as he deserves (I wonder if he's the second coming of Mahatma Gandhi, because for all the violence that occurs around him he's apparently rarely guilty of it himself). He probably also gets fouled more than opponents get whistled.

I don't get booing him on the all-tournament team, though, unless there's more to the story. That just seems petty, especially after the Bearcats won the game.

[NWHoops]

The other bad part of this seeding (that plays no part in the committees decision) is that Southern and NSU will have the most visiting fans of any of the other teams and are now playing in same Saturday session as NW so good luck with getting a seat or even a ticket to the first round.

[NWFanatic]

RS vs SEO opens at noon
S Naz vs Hend to follow
NW vs OB 6:00 pm
NS vs MS to follow