Central Region Thoughts

[Try II]

Curious on everyone's thoughts in the region. Lots of good teams, not sure if there are truly great teams on either side of the aisle, aside from the Washburn men. Not sure on the top women's teams, if we can call them truly great, that is.

Looks like these teams are in the hunt for at large/could win conference tournament on the women's side:
Pitt State, CSP, Mankato, Missouri Western, UNK, SWMN, Hays, SNU, Harding, NWMO, MSSU, SEOSU, OBU, Northern State

Same for the men's:
Washburn, SWMN, CSP, Winona, Mankato, Duluth, Hays, SNU, Minot, Sioux Falls, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Missouri Western, Henderson State, OBU (both), Rogers St.

Cream's definitely rising to the top as we move toward halfway point of conference play. Here's who I'd guess at this point for auto bids:
GAC men: SNU
GAC women: Harding
MIAA men: Washburn
MIAA women: Pitt State
NSIC men: SWMN
NSIC women: Mankato

Would love your thoughts. Could have a Kansas two-step for regional tournament if Pitt State women keep it up.

MIAA men is way, way down thanks to portal, graduation and coaching losses. Should be a 2-bd league. Women's side is better with Pitt and Hays at the top with Washburn and Western sleepers.

[Stanger86]

And once Moorhead is healthy , they could easily win every game the rest of the way.

This is a very good point. That's exactly the kind of team that can be very dangerous from late February into March.

[MrMustang]

Curious on everyone's thoughts in the region. Lots of good teams, not sure if there are truly great teams on either side of the aisle, aside from the Washburn men. Not sure on the top women's teams, if we can call them truly great, that is.

Looks like these teams are in the hunt for at large/could win conference tournament on the women's side:
Pitt State, CSP, Mankato, Missouri Western, UNK, SWMN, Hays, SNU, Harding, NWMO, MSSU, SEOSU, OBU, Northern State

Same for the men's:
Washburn, SWMN, CSP, Winona, Mankato, Duluth, Hays, SNU, Minot, Sioux Falls, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Missouri Western, Henderson State, OBU (both), Rogers St.

Cream's definitely rising to the top as we move toward halfway point of conference play. Here's who I'd guess at this point for auto bids:
GAC men: SNU
GAC women: Harding
MIAA men: Washburn
MIAA women: Pitt State
NSIC men: SWMN
NSIC women: Mankato

Would love your thoughts. Could have a Kansas two-step for regional tournament if Pitt State women keep it up.

Pretty happy with the Mustang men so far. We're solid.

Mankato, Concordia, and Minot are also very good. Concordia can really shoot. They play with such reckless abandon.

Haven't seen St. Cloud yet but obviously much improved.

Duluth in the mix. So is Winona

And once Moorhead is healthy , they could easily win every game the rest of the way.

[MrMustang]

Sounds like a 7 seed to me.

thats funny

[MrMustang]

Quick take on the women’s side:

If the Mav women win their next two (at Northern and at Concordia) they likely win out. They’ll be tough to beat in the NSIC tourney as well. What that does for them? Who knows. But 26-2 entering NSIC tournament would be favorable. However, LOTS of ball to play. Just offering a take.

I agree that Mankato is in the driver's seat and I would call them a great team. Maybe not quite as good as last year's title team, but definitely a team that could repeat as national champs,

Concordia and SMSU and Northern in the mix for sure. Haven't seen St. Cloud yet, but I presume there as well

[Inkblot]

On the men's side, it's looking likely we'll see at least five NSIC teams in the regional... a feat that hasn't been achieved by anyone in the current GAC-MIAA-NSIC setup. (The MIAA women did it in 2019.)

[TigerAlum]

The RPI looks better for MSU this year. The NSIC just ranked out horribly on the metrics they use last year.

How I'd classify the women's side:
National Championship contenders - Pitt, Minnesota State
Also National contender but hasn't really proven it - Fort Hays
Good Enough to win games at regional - Mo West, UNK
Pre-season regional contender but could miss it entirely - Harding
Solid but not enough good wins to be sure - CSP, SMSU

Would make the tournament in 3 or 4 other regions but not here - NWMSU, MoSo, SNU, maybe a few others.

GAC could definitely produce bid-stealer, but they probably steal it from Harding. I don't see an outsider winning the MIAA or NSIC.

Really hope Pitt hosts, but I think 4 straight road games at Western, Northwest, Kearney, Hays, deals a loss somewhere. Hays and UNK are the only other MIAA teams I see potentially winning out from here, but they appear to be behind the Minnesota State/Concordia winner.

Absolutely nothing against the Pitt women but they have only had 2 games against teams not in the bottom half to bottom third of the MIAA. As was said they have a tough stretch ahead. They are a good team just haven't played much in conference.

[D2Rover]

Harding keeps this pace up, they'll be in regardless. I think they're fairly safe at this point, even though their SOS doesn't blow you away. Lots of games to be played, obviously.

NWMO, MoSo and SNU all have ridiculous schedules. That helps em a lot. (BIAS ALERT) If SNU takes care of business where it should and goes 3-1 or 4-0 against their top remaining games of OBU, Harding and SEOSU, they'll be in the conversation. Idk if NWMO or MoSo can get enough wins.

If Harding drops one before the conference tournament, I think might need to win the tournament. If they get there clean they deserve to be in, but deserving GAC teams have missed tournaments before. Their best non-con result is beating a 10-7 Adams State team.

SNU at least has the Angelo State win and tougher losses.

Southwest Minnesota State has some tricky road games left, the GAC teams will definitely be hoping they drop a couple. If Fort Hays can go 1-2 against Pitt/UNK and take care of the rest, I think they're still safe.

[LukeMcConnell1]

Pre-season regional contender but could miss it entirely - Harding

Would make the tournament in 3 or 4 other regions but not here - NWMSU, MoSo, SNU, maybe a few others.

GAC could definitely produce bid-stealer, but they probably steal it from Harding.

Harding keeps this pace up, they'll be in regardless. I think they're fairly safe at this point, even though their SOS doesn't blow you away. Lots of games to be played, obviously.

NWMO, MoSo and SNU all have ridiculous schedules. That helps em a lot. (BIAS ALERT) If SNU takes care of business where it should and goes 3-1 or 4-0 against their top remaining games of OBU, Harding and SEOSU, they'll be in the conversation. Idk if NWMO or MoSo can get enough wins.

[D2Rover]

The RPI looks better for MSU this year. The NSIC just ranked out horribly on the metrics they use last year.

How I'd classify the women's side:
National Championship contenders - Pitt, Minnesota State
Also National contender but hasn't really proven it - Fort Hays
Good Enough to win games at regional - Mo West, UNK
Pre-season regional contender but could miss it entirely - Harding
Solid but not enough good wins to be sure - CSP, SMSU

Would make the tournament in 3 or 4 other regions but not here - NWMSU, MoSo, SNU, maybe a few others.

GAC could definitely produce bid-stealer, but they probably steal it from Harding. I don't see an outsider winning the MIAA or NSIC.

Really hope Pitt hosts, but I think 4 straight road games at Western, Northwest, Kearney, Hays, deals a loss somewhere. Hays and UNK are the only other MIAA teams I see potentially winning out from here, but they appear to be behind the Minnesota State/Concordia winner.

[Purple Mav Man]

Sounds like a 7 seed to me.

Fool me once, shame on…
Shame on you
But fool me…you can’t get fooled again

[Augieholic]

Quick take on the women’s side:

If the Mav women win their next two (at Northern and at Concordia) they likely win out. They’ll be tough to beat in the NSIC tourney as well. What that does for them? Who knows. But 26-2 entering NSIC tournament would be favorable. However, LOTS of ball to play. Just offering a take.

Sounds like a 7 seed to me.

[Stanger86]

Quick take on the women’s side:

If the Mav women win their next two (at Northern and at Concordia) they likely win out. They’ll be tough to beat in the NSIC tourney as well. What that does for them? Who knows. But 26-2 entering NSIC tournament would be favorable. However, LOTS of ball to play. Just offering a take.

They're doing it again...lose two of your first six games followed by a ridiculous run.

[Purple Mav Man]

Quick take on the women’s side:

If the Mav women win their next two (at Northern and at Concordia) they likely win out. They’ll be tough to beat in the NSIC tourney as well. What that does for them? Who knows. But 26-2 entering NSIC tournament would be favorable. However, LOTS of ball to play. Just offering a take.

[LukeMcConnell1]

Curious on everyone's thoughts in the region. Lots of good teams, not sure if there are truly great teams on either side of the aisle, aside from the Washburn men. Not sure on the top women's teams, if we can call them truly great, that is.

Looks like these teams are in the hunt for at large/could win conference tournament on the women's side:
Pitt State, CSP, Mankato, Missouri Western, UNK, SWMN, Hays, SNU, Harding, NWMO, MSSU, SEOSU, OBU, Northern State

Same for the men's:
Washburn, SWMN, CSP, Winona, Mankato, Duluth, Hays, SNU, Minot, Sioux Falls, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Missouri Western, Henderson State, OBU (both), Rogers St.

Cream's definitely rising to the top as we move toward halfway point of conference play. Here's who I'd guess at this point for auto bids:
GAC men: SNU
GAC women: Harding
MIAA men: Washburn
MIAA women: Pitt State
NSIC men: SWMN
NSIC women: Mankato

Would love your thoughts. Could have a Kansas two-step for regional tournament if Pitt State women keep it up.