Central Region Talk

[simple as a $3 bill]

Locks for Central Region:
Northwest Missouri
Northern State
Central Oklahoma
Southern Nazarene
MSU-Moorhead
Minnesota-Duluth

Bubble:
Emporia State
Fort Hays State
Southeastern Oklahoma State

If Fort Hays or Emporia State make the MIAA Championship Game, they will probably lock up a spot

Anyone else would have to win the MIAA or GAC tournament to get a spot.

Don't underestimate Marg's and his ability to pull s rabbit out of the hat. :) Maybe he still has more pictures of committee members.

[Moorhead123]

I was wondering last night if Bemidji beat MSUM but lost in the championship could they still get an at-large 8th-seed. They probably would've had too many blowout losses to be seriously considered. But I like their team (if not their 'resume') more than USF.

Bemidgi had a couple bad early losses early in season to csp and scsu, but I believe that was when Sutherland was injured. Otherwise, their resume looks pretty good. Especially in difficult nsic this season.

[Otis Day]

I am wholeheartedly expecting the Coo to not get in, but USF does have the head to head win over Bemidji when comparing the two.

[Inkblot]

USF is basically tied in RPI with FHSU and Southeastern; slightly behind in PI, but unless they get auto bids both those teams have another loss ahead. If the numbers are close enough on Selection Sunday, I could easily see USF's wins over NSU and SNU being the deciding factor.

[Moorhead123]

I am wholeheartedly expecting the Coo to not get in, but USF does have the head to head win over Bemidji when comparing the two.

Yes, maybe that head to head win for coo is deciding factor when it comes down to selection Sunday, but I believe the vast majority of nsic coaches would rather play usf than Bemidji if they had a choice between the two teams. No disrespect intended to usf, but I think Bemidji really found something the second half of the this season. Sutherland and kone really turned it up a notch imo.

[Augieholic]

Updated rankings for the Women:

CENTRAL
Rank	School	Overall DII Record	In-Region Record
1	Nebraska-Kearney	25-3	25-3
2	Minnesota Duluth	25-3	25-3
3	Central Missouri	22-3	22-3
4	Minnesota State Mankato	23-3	23-3
5	Augustana (South Dakota)	22-4	22-4
6	Pittsburg State	20-6	20-6
7	Missouri Southern State	23-6	21-6
8	Missouri Western	22-6	21-6
9	Southern Nazarene	24-4	24-4
10	Fort Hays State	17-11	17-10

Anything to get Augie out of a first round matchup with Mankato would be fantastic.

[Augieholic]

And the latest update for the Men makes Inkblot look unfortunately prophetic:

CENTRAL
Ranking	School	Overall DII Record	In-Region Record
1	Northwest Mo. St.	25-2	23-2
2	Northern St.	23-5	23-4
3	Southern Nazarene	25-3	25-3
4	Central Okla.	20-4	19-4
5	MSU Moorhead	23-6	21-6
6	Minn. Duluth	22-8	21-8
7	Emporia St.	20-7	20-7
8	Sioux Falls	18-11	18-11
9	Bemidji St.	17-10	17-10
10	Fort Hays St.	17-8	17-8

[LukeMcConnell1]

Regionalization needs to die a torturous, painful death. It's just appalling how ridiculous the whole idea is. I'm biased, but SNU being 9 is a complete joke. Make it a true national tournament and they'd be in contention for a top 4 seed in a region. Instead, you've got 13 of top 23 in Massey ratings in the Central region.

[Thunder]

Southern Nazarene will have a very good case to be #2 if they win the GAC. However, I hope they remain at #3 simply to avoid any first round rematches. If we are stuck in regions the least the NCAA can do is to try to avoid 2 teams playing for a fourth time this season in the first round of the tournament.

[Inkblot]

If the season ended today, I'm pretty confident MSU Moorhead would be #3.

[Augieholic]

Southern Nazarene will have a very good case to be #2 if they win the GAC. However, I hope they remain at #3 simply to avoid any first round rematches. If we are stuck in regions the least the NCAA can do is to try to avoid 2 teams playing for a fourth time this season in the first round of the tournament.

Last year they did some manual jostling to avoid first round rematches between UMD and Moorhead as well as Washburn and NWMo. Remember how hard we all laughed at Moorhead being the #6 seed?!?!?! I would expect this year to be no different.

[Devin Albertson]

If the season ended today, I'm pretty confident MSU Moorhead would be #3.

So, I’m guessing you prediction would be
1. NW Missouri
2. Northern State
3. MSU Moorhead
4. Southern Nazarene
5. Central Oklahoma
6. Minnesota-Duluth
7. Emporia State
8. Sioux Falls

[LukeMcConnell1]

Southern Nazarene will have a very good case to be #2 if they win the GAC. However, I hope they remain at #3 simply to avoid any first round rematches. If we are stuck in regions the least the NCAA can do is to try to avoid 2 teams playing for a fourth time this season in the first round of the tournament.

I'd just prefer to avoid NWMO til regional final. Happened in 2019 where SNU was the 5-seed and it was a darn travesty that game was a 2nd round game instead of the regional final.

[Devin Albertson]

I'd just prefer to avoid NWMO til regional final. Happened in 2019 where SNU was the 5-seed and it was a darn travesty that game was a 2nd round game instead of the regional final.

2019 was an interesting tournament. NW beat the 8, 5 and 6 seeds in the regional and in the Elite Eight tournament.

[Thunder]

Last year they did some manual jostling to avoid first round rematches between UMD and Moorhead as well as Washburn and NWMo. Remember how hard we all laughed at Moorhead being the #6 seed?!?!?! I would expect this year to be no different.

Yeah, it seems they have done a decent job of avoiding those games in recent years. With 2-7 not having that much of a difference this year they should be able to do it again. The Central Region tournament should have some very high level basketball.