March 2nd Regional Rankings

[TigerAlum]

Reading comments about how a possible 11 loss team would deserve an at large bid over a 5 loss team when both conferences are very competitive and evenly matched just seems absolutely crazy to me.

I think FHSU gets overlooked because it's not always a smooth offensive game and it's scrappy but defensively they are a top team in the nation - if you don't believe go check out scoring defense for the year on NCAA webpage.

[NWFanatic]

NWMSU & UCO both made the semis in MIAA

[Augieholic]

Regional #8 Oklahoma Baptist lost in the GAC quarterfinals yesterday while Regional #6 SEOSU won. Lots of potential anarchy if the GAC does what it does best and cannabilizes itself in the conference tourney

[Moorhead123]

Reading comments about how a possible 11 loss team would deserve an at large bid over a 5 loss team when both conferences are very competitive and evenly matched just seems absolutely crazy to me.

I think FHSU gets overlooked because it's not always a smooth offensive game and it's scrappy but defensively they are a top team in the nation - if you don't believe go check out scoring defense for the year on NCAA webpage.

You would likely be correct if your assumptions on the conferences being equal are correct. If the power rankings between the conferences are not equal and the nsic is substantially higher than you may be incorrect. There are also considerations related to strength of non conference schedule. Same reason big ten gets 9 teams in ncaa and other conference may only get 2. My belief, which I may be incorrect, is that nsic power ranking this year was much higher than miaa (I could be wrong). It also looks like FHSU played an easy non conference schedule. They had Colorado School of Minds on the schedule, but it got postponed. Therefore, FHSU likely has a weaker strength of schedule which is a criteria for ncaa selection. Ultimately you may be correct that 11 losses versus 5 losses is too much to overcome. But likely possible that 3-4 loss difference may have given nod to team with lesser record, but tougher schedule. Not sure how the committee weighs those differences.

[Moorhead123]

Regional #8 Oklahoma Baptist lost in the GAC quarterfinals yesterday while Regional #6 SEOSU won. Lots of potential anarchy if the GAC does what it does best and cannabilizes itself in the conference tourney

Seems that SE Oklahoma getting pretty close to being a lock for regional? That loss could be real trouble for Oklahoma Baptist.

[TigerAlum]

You would likely be correct if your assumptions on the conferences being equal are correct. If the power rankings between the conferences are not equal and the nsic is substantially higher than you may be incorrect. There are also considerations related to strength of non conference schedule. Same reason big ten gets 9 teams in ncaa and other conference may only get 2. My belief, which I may be incorrect, is that nsic power ranking this year was much higher than miaa (I could be wrong). It also looks like FHSU played an easy non conference schedule. They had Colorado School of Minds on the schedule, but it got postponed. Therefore, FHSU likely has a weaker strength of schedule which is a criteria for ncaa selection. Ultimately you may be correct that 11 losses versus 5 losses is too much to overcome. But likely possible that 3-4 loss difference may have given nod to team with lesser record, but tougher schedule. Not sure how the committee weighs those differences.

Even if you say the NSIC is better it's not massively better so much so that an 11 loss team would get in before a 5 loss team.
I understand the strength of schedule, different parameters...what I don't understand is how you see an 11 loss NSIC should be getting an at large bid over a 5 loss team from the MIAA....you obviously have the auto and are in so it really doesn't matter....played well in the tournament, congrats on the tournament championship.

?????

[Alfred33]

You would likely be correct if your assumptions on the conferences being equal are correct. If the power rankings between the conferences are not equal and the nsic is substantially higher than you may be incorrect. There are also considerations related to strength of non conference schedule. Same reason big ten gets 9 teams in ncaa and other conference may only get 2. My belief, which I may be incorrect, is that nsic power ranking this year was much higher than miaa (I could be wrong). It also looks like FHSU played an easy non conference schedule. They had Colorado School of Minds on the schedule, but it got postponed. Therefore, FHSU likely has a weaker strength of schedule which is a criteria for ncaa selection. Ultimately you may be correct that 11 losses versus 5 losses is too much to overcome. But likely possible that 3-4 loss difference may have given nod to team with lesser record, but tougher schedule. Not sure how the committee weighs those differences.

I can promise that the difference between the NSIC and the MIAA is not the same as the Big 10 and the MAC. ;) I'm just messing with you, but we are probably the best two conferences in D2 that we are talking about. None of it matters now... Moorhead did what it had to do. If SE Oklahoma doesn't win their tournament, I think UCO and NW are safe, but it's going to really put some stress on teams like FHSU and Washburn to win our tournament. Washburn probably needs to either way. I'm not sure SEO is a lock, because if they don't win, there will be an AQ from the GAC, and if Washburn or FHSU would win there would be an AQ from the MIAA, which leaves only two spots... I don't think SEO can leapfrog UCO or NW with the same number of losses and a weaker SOS. I could be wrong though... it's happened before.

[Augieholic]

The general consensu to me is that there are six locks: Augie, UIU, UMD, Moorhead, NWMO, and UCO. SEOSU is likely in if there is only one surprise winner between the GAC and MIAA Tourneys. If both tourneys produce upset winners then the Savage Storm will part and make way for the madness.

[Inkblot]

The general consensu to me is that there are six locks: Augie, UIU, UMD, Moorhead, NWMO, and UCO. SEOSU is likely in if there is only one surprise winner between the GAC and MIAA Tourneys. If both tourneys produce upset winners then the Savage Storm will part and make way for the madness.

In the scenario where the GAC has a surprise winner and the MIAA doesn't, I'd say it depends on how SEOSU bows out and what FHSU does. For example if SEOSU loses in the semis to Henderson State and FHSU beats NWMSU before losing to UCO in the finals, I'd think FHSU would be in and SEOSU would be out.

[Augieholic]

In the scenario where the GAC has a surprise winner and the MIAA doesn't, I'd say it depends on how SEOSU bows out and what FHSU does. For example if SEOSU loses in the semis to Henderson State and FHSU beats NWMSU before losing to UCO in the finals, I'd think FHSU would be in and SEOSU would be out.

Good point. FHSU is going to gain far more in SOS this weekend than SEOSU.

[vikingfaithful]

I can promise that the difference between the NSIC and the MIAA is not the same as the Big 10 and the MAC. ;) I'm just messing with you, but we are probably the best two conferences in D2 that we are talking about. None of it matters now... Moorhead did what it had to do. If SE Oklahoma doesn't win their tournament, I think UCO and NW are safe, but it's going to really put some stress on teams like FHSU and Washburn to win our tournament. Washburn probably needs to either way. I'm not sure SEO is a lock, because if they don't win, there will be an AQ from the GAC, and if Washburn or FHSU would win there would be an AQ from the MIAA, which leaves only two spots... I don't think SEO can leapfrog UCO or NW with the same number of losses and a weaker SOS. I could be wrong though... it's happened before.

NSIC people don't think with an air of superiority toward the MIAA, more a sense of being fortunate. Because of a mostly insular scheduling the regional people only have a small sample of November games to work with, one thing for certain the best teams will win.

[NWFanatic]

[Moorhead123]

NSIC people don't think with an air of superiority toward the MIAA, more a sense of being fortunate. Because of a mostly insular scheduling the regional people only have a small sample of November games to work with, one thing for certain the best teams will win.

Agreed

[Alfred33]

NSIC people don't think with an air of superiority toward the MIAA, more a sense of being fortunate. Because of a mostly insular scheduling the regional people only have a small sample of November games to work with, one thing for certain the best teams will win.

I don't feel like anyone is looking down their noses at us... my comment was in jest and directed at his point of using the Big 10 as an example. It's all good... I'm not even trying to dispute that the NSIC isn't better. I don't really care...both are really good conferences, the NSIC did very well in the tournament season and that is reflected and the reason that going into the tournaments they had the top 3 teams in the region. It's also the reason why Northern was 10th with 12 losses vs ESU with 8. It's why the SOS's look the way the do... the NSIC is benefiting from the early season victories, but 123 is acting like that somehow was thrown out the window and they would have gotten screwed if a 5 win FHSU team got in ahead of them had they not won the tournament. I know they don't go past 10, but Moorhead was probably 11th or 12th in the region instead of 15th or16th because of how well the NSIC did against the other conferences... It was already taken into account I guess is the point. Moorhead wasn't getting in without winning the tournament. Period. If that had happened, even if they are one of the best teams in the region, they would have been a 12 loss team, sitting at home, that still didn't get screwed. They did what they needed to do and now they have as good a chance as anybody to go win it all.

[Moorhead123]

I don't feel like anyone is looking down their noses at us... my comment was in jest and directed at his point of using the Big 10 as an example. It's all good... I'm not even trying to dispute that the NSIC isn't better. I don't really care...both are really good conferences, the NSIC did very well in the tournament season and that is reflected and the reason that going into the tournaments they had the top 3 teams in the region. It's also the reason why Northern was 10th with 12 losses vs ESU with 8. It's why the SOS's look the way the do... the NSIC is benefiting from the early season victories, but 123 is acting like that somehow was thrown out the window and they would have gotten screwed if a 5 win FHSU team got in ahead of them had they not won the tournament. I know they don't go past 10, but Moorhead was probably 11th or 12th in the region instead of 15th or16th because of how well the NSIC did against the other conferences... It was already taken into account I guess is the point. Moorhead wasn't getting in without winning the tournament. Period. If that had happened, even if they are one of the best teams in the region, they would have been a 12 loss team, sitting at home, that still didn't get screwed. They did what they needed to do and now they have as good a chance as anybody to go win it all.

If northern had a chance to make regional without wining the nsic conference tournament then I believe Moorhead did too. If both ultimately needed to win the conference tournament to go then so be it.