Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

[Toucanbird]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

As for the GAC Teams in this, what I can say is Southern Nazarene will not get a very easy first round draw. They will play a very dangerous Ouachita Baptist team that went on to win the GAC Championship last year and they are playing at the same venue this year (aka. they are playing at a venue they play well at). If they get by Ouachita, they'll probably have to play East Central, which isn't a very easy draw in its own right, but they are coming off a big win.

As for the other two GAC teams, I found out last week that their top point guard was playing with the flu and their top player was playing on a bad ankle. At this point in the year, I'm sure that's nothing but excuses, but if Arkansas Tech can get those guys healthy by tomorrow's game, I like their chances. UAM just won pretty comfortably against Harding (a result I very much expected), so we'll see how things go. I will say if Arkansas Tech beats Southern Arkansas tomorrow, I think they will get in. I don't think a potential semi-final loss to UAM will hurt them at this point but a quarterfinal loss to Southern Arkansas could very well hurt them. The one plus I do see in the Tech/SAU matchup is that the Wonder Boys match up pretty well against SAU and the last time they played, Arkansas Tech won by 24. Still, we were a lot healthier at that point when we played as well.

To be completely honest, I really don't see the field changing much if at all at this point unless we do get a surprise winner. I think if either ATU, UAM, or ECU as well as NWMSU winning the MIAA, I think this is going to be our field. Obviously seeding is in play and I'm sure right now, teams are probably playing to get out of the 4/5/8 seeds right now.

[NWHoops]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

You and Augieholic and I seem to be on the same page there. Scary. Ultimately I don't know if it will make that much of a difference (especially since the Bearcats have already game prepped to play and beat us once this year), but who knows? We are a slightly different/better team now than we were the first time we played them, in my opinion, so maybe that improvement without more than 24 hours notice would be enough to catch them off guard.

Or maybe Pitts goes for 45 because he's so mad about last year and the Bearcats win by 20.

This is not an attack on you but I always find the "we're a better/different team now" argument silly. I recognize Augustana lost quite a bit and were integrating new guys but every team is different and better once they reach the regional. I highly doubt any team that makes it to the regional is getting worse from the beginning of the season.

[CatFan88]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

Teams in the eye of Hurricane Pitts know who they're going to face, while the Bearcats face the uncertainty of who will win AND playing two consecutive games for the first time since they win the MIAA Tourney this weekend. Whereas NSIC teams will be doing it for the 10th or 11th time in the last 5 months.

So what?

What team has been to the Sweet 16 past 2 years? Any NSIC team? It wasn't consecutive games that beat NW in 2015 or 2016. MSU-Moorhead was team to beat in 2015, Augie last year. NW was on par with both and better team won. NW is different animal this year and neither MSU-Moorhead or Augie are as good as previous. I doubt any NSIC team this year is as good as Augie last year. NW got better.

[Augieholic]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

So what?

What team has been to the Sweet 16 past 2 years? Any NSIC team? It wasn't consecutive games that beat NW in 2015 or 2016. MSU-Moorhead was team to beat in 2015, Augie last year. NW was on par with both and better team won. NW is different animal this year and neither MSU-Moorhead or Augie are as good as previous. I doubt any NSIC team this year is as good as Augie last year. NW got better.

So what? Let's dance.

Also it's feels a little weird that I have to say this, but it's three straight Sweet 16s. Otherwise I think your analysis is truly spectacular.

[CatFan88]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

So what? Let's dance.

Also it's feels a little weird that I have to say this, but it's three straight Sweet 16s. Otherwise I think your analysis is truly spectacular.

I know what NW has done. Your argument about some BS NSIC advantage over other regional teams playing back to back games, not mine. Continue dancing...

[Toucanbird]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

So what?

What team has been to the Sweet 16 past 2 years? Any NSIC team? It wasn't consecutive games that beat NW in 2015 or 2016. MSU-Moorhead was team to beat in 2015, Augie last year. NW was on par with both and better team won. NW is different animal this year and neither MSU-Moorhead or Augie are as good as previous. I doubt any NSIC team this year is as good as Augie last year. NW got better.

I would be remarkably surprised if anyone other than NWMSU wins the regional.

[CatFan88]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

I would be remarkably surprised if anyone other than NWMSU wins the regional.

Me too.

[colt45]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

This is not an attack on you but I always find the "we're a better/different team now" argument silly. I recognize Augustana lost quite a bit and were integrating new guys but every team is different and better once they reach the regional. I highly doubt any team that makes it to the regional is getting worse from the beginning of the season.

It is a fair assessment that every team is better now than they were in November...but by how much I think differs. NW was returning pretty much their whole core and knew exactly who they were back in November. Augie, on the other hand, was replacing well over 5,000 career points and at that point had no idea that Busack was a difference maker.

Not trying to say Augie should beat NW. I think we are all in agreeance that anyone other than NW going to the elite 8 would be a shocker, BUT I do think it is a fair assessment to say that Augie has improved much more from where they were in November than how much NW has improved, mainly because Augie had a lot further to go.

If you think every team has improved the exact same amount over the season...that is an argument that I would find "silly."

[NWHoops]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

It is a fair assessment that every team is better now than they were in November...but by how much I think differs. NW was returning pretty much their whole core and knew exactly who they were back in November. Augie, on the other hand, was replacing well over 5,000 career points and at that point had no idea that Busack was a difference maker.

Not trying to say Augie should beat NW. I think we are all in agreeance that anyone other than NW going to the elite 8 would be a shocker, BUT I do think it is a fair assessment to say that Augie has improved much more from where they were in November than how much NW has improved, mainly because Augie had a lot further to go.

If you think every team has improved the exact same amount over the season...that is an argument that I would find "silly."

Where did I say that every team improves the same?

[NSU4LIFE]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

So what? Let's dance.

Also it's feels a little weird that I have to say this, but it's three straight Sweet 16s. Otherwise I think your analysis is truly spectacular.

I got the reference and you have my support, Augie doesnt...but you in general right now, haha

[MrAugustana]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

This is not an attack on you but I always find the "we're a better/different team now" argument silly. I recognize Augustana lost quite a bit and were integrating new guys but every team is different and better once they reach the regional. I highly doubt any team that makes it to the regional is getting worse from the beginning of the season.

Where did I say that every team improves the same?

If that wasn't the implicit point you were making, then I don't think I understood your first post about it.

As far as my stance on it goes, colt45 read my mind and, as always, articulated it better than I would have.

But since I'm me, I'll try anyway. :)

Northwest Missouri State may have greased the wheels and tightened some screws along the way, but the Vikings were adding entirely new parts and trying to make sure they even worked with the old ones. The fact that they are a nearly well-oiled machine at this point is more surprising to me (and probably others) than the fact that the Bearcats are a well-oiled machine. To me, that shows the Vikes are a better team than they were at the beginning of the season to a greater degree than the Bearcats are a better team than they were at the beginning of the season.

[MisterWizard]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

Bearcats squeak past Lincoln, the #9 seed in what everyone says is a weak MIAA.

If I were a Northwest fan, I wouldn't be as confident as the other Bearcat posters have been on here.

I'd say this regional is up for grabs if Lincoln can hang with the #1 seed.

[CatFan88]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

Bearcats squeak past Lincoln, the #9 seed in what everyone says is a weak MIAA.

If I were a Northwest fan, I wouldn't be as confident as the other Bearcat posters have been on here.

I'd say this regional is up for grabs if Lincoln can hang with the #1 seed.

March Madness!!! NW can't shoot FT's. It's their Achilles heel and has been all season. No secret.

[NSU4LIFE]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

March Madness!!! NW can't shoot FT's. It's their Achilles heel and has been all season. No secret.

So they are Memphis of 06-07??

[MoHoops]

Re: Men's Central Region Rankings (3/1)

Bearcats squeak past Lincoln, the #9 seed in what everyone says is a weak MIAA.

If I were a Northwest fan, I wouldn't be as confident as the other Bearcat posters have been on here.

I'd say this regional is up for grabs if Lincoln can hang with the #1 seed.

MIAA doesn't look weak to me -- bunched up, but not weak.