Central Region Talk

[NWHoops]

I'm just looking at Inkblot numbers as they currently stand and the NSIC teams have the edge due to a pretty good non conference season as a whole by the conference. SE Ok St probably has the best chance of taking another at large bid. If one of a few MIAA teams get hot (MOSO, Ft Hays, Lincoln) they could perhaps make it 4 MIAA teams as well. If teams keep playing at current levels I would expect USF, SMSU, UMD, and Wayne to all have a better chance at getting in than those 3 MIAA schools. My inclusion of Mankato was more in regards to them always seeming to get an invite if they are close. They have struggled lately, but if they reel off a bunch of wins they could also have a good argument to get in.

Of course if NSU, Moorhead, ESU, or SNU really stumble down the stretch they could fall out as well. But I would agree, there seem to be 6 teams that can plan on playing in March.

Gotcha. A lot will depend on the h2h matchups of those teams competing for the last couple spots also.

[MrMustang]

seems very early with lots of moving parts.

regardless Mustangs will need to sweep this weekend to stay in the mix - which won't be easy. I hear Bemidji is pretty good

[LukeMcConnell1]

Southeastern OSU is being buoyed by its non-conference schedule, but they still only won against Wayne. The most likely (and only, IMO) scenario where the GAC gets two teams in is if SNU continues to play well and the Southern Arkansas does as well and wins the league tournament. I guess you could throw Southeastern into that role as well, but I just don't see that happening with how they've played this year. They've been healthy so I don't see a sudden jump in play coming for them.

Meanwhile if SNU ever gets fully healthy, not sure what the ceiling is.

[Moorhead123]

Southeastern OSU is being buoyed by its non-conference schedule, but they still only won against Wayne. The most likely (and only, IMO) scenario where the GAC gets two teams in is if SNU continues to play well and the Southern Arkansas does as well and wins the league tournament. I guess you could throw Southeastern into that role as well, but I just don't see that happening with how they've played this year. They've been healthy so I don't see a sudden jump in play coming for them.

Meanwhile if SNU ever gets fully healthy, not sure what the ceiling is.

No guaranty snu wins the conference tournament…so two out of gac is very possible and maybe even likely.

[Inkblot]

No guaranty snu wins the conference tournament…so two out of gac is very possible and maybe even likely.

SNU could very well find themselves in the same awkward situation as SEOSU last year where they seemed to be in good position and got forced out by bid thieves.

[Stanger86]

seems very early with lots of moving parts.

regardless Mustangs will need to sweep this weekend to stay in the mix - which won't be easy. I hear Bemidji is pretty good

I keep flashing back to 2006-07 season. We were right on the fringe and had good resume wins, but some key losses to good but not great teams (WSC, MSUM, Augie) had us on the outside looking in on selection day.

[Moorhead123]

SNU could very well find themselves in the same awkward situation as SEOSU last year where they seemed to be in good position and got forced out by bid thieves.

Good point

[Thunder]

Inkblot will have his work cut out for him this week in coming up with the central region bracketology. Many of the top 10 suffered losses this weekend and the bubble for the region is becoming quite crowded.

[Inkblot]

Inkblot will have his work cut out for him this week in coming up with the central region bracketology. Many of the top 10 suffered losses this weekend and the bubble for the region is becoming quite crowded.

Every week I somehow convince myself that the regional pictures are about to become clearer.

[NWFanatic]

MSSU upset UCO to give them their 2nd loss but they still have a 1/2 game lead on NW as they’ve played 1 more MIAA game to date

[mosofan1]

MSSU upset UCO in Edmond to give them their 2nd loss but they still have a 1/2 lead on NW as they’ve played 1 more MIAA game to date

Yesterday's upset was in Joplin, but it gave us the season sweep over the Bronchos. We are one of those bubble teams and have a lot of work to do to get in. But two wins over UCO will look good on the resume.

[Moorhead123]

As usual it’s looking like the competition at the central regional will be similar (or maybe better than) the competition at the elite 8

[NWFanatic]

Yesterday's upset was in Joplin, but it gave us the season sweep over the Bronchos. We are one of those bubble teams and have a lot of work to do to get in. But two wins over UCO will look good on the resume.

My bad-I thought the game was in OK…still a huge win

[Thunder]

If I were to have a vote in the current central region rankings, it would look like this:

1. UCO
2. NWMSU
3. NSU
4. Moorhead
5. Southern Nazarene
6. Emporia St
7. USF
8. SE OK St
9. Duluth
10. MOSO

Northern is playing well right now, but even if they run the table and win 9 more in a row (a VERY tall task), I don’t think they will host the regional without help. UCO & NWMSU would both probably need to lose a couple games for the Wolves to leapfrog both of them.

[NSU4LIFE]

If I were to have a vote in the current central region rankings, it would look like this:

1. UCO
2. NWMSU
3. NSU
4. Moorhead
5. Southern Nazarene
6. Emporia St
7. USF
8. SE OK St
9. Duluth
10. MOSO

Northern is playing well right now, but even if they run the table and win 9 more in a row (a VERY tall task), I don’t think they will host the regional without help. UCO & NWMSU would both probably need to lose a couple games for the Wolves to leapfrog both of them.

I haven't even looked but I would guess we are back on the "not able to host due to state B's cycle". But, I could be wrong.