Now that we know how they are handling regionals...it's time to start speculation.
Midwest regionals will only include GLVC and GLIAC with 6 teams playing (GMAC is bumped to Atlantic to balance things out), and the top two seeds get a first round bye. Each league still gets an auto-bid, and teams are required to have played 11 games minimum, which at this point includes all except GVSU and Wayne State who have played 9 to date.
Here's who I see with potential of making the 6-team field, ignoring upsets for auto-bids:
GLVC teams: Appear to be 4 teams in contention, with honorable mention to McKendree (6-5), who I think is likely out of the bubble now, barring an auto-bid or a season sweep.
Truman State 12-1. The Bulldogs appear to be the team to beat right now as their only loss has been on the road at Maryville, which was avenged in a very lopsided win. Truman has critical games remaining against each of the other top 4 GLVC teams.
Home games remaining: Rockhurst, Southwest Baptist, Lindenwood, UMSL, McKendree
Road games remaining: Ill-Springfield, Quincy, Southern Indiana, William Jewell
Southern Indiana 9-3. Has lost to Rockhurst, Indianapolis, and Truman, but has played almost exclusively on the road so far. Just lost a preseason All-American (Little) but still winning. Of the top teams I'm listing here, USI appears to have one of the most favorable remaining schedules with almost all of the tough games at home.
Home games remaining: Quincy, Drury, Truman, Ill-Springfield, Lindenwood, UMSL, Lewis
Road games remaining: Missouri S&T, Maryville, McKendree
Missouri-St Louis 12-4. Losses to Truman, Lindenwood, then a hot streak and recent losses to Rockhurst and Drury with a win over SBU sandwiched in-between. Clearly a tough team but they've hit some recent hiccups. They've got a very challenging road schedule left to show us what they're made of.
Home games remaining: Missouri S&T, Maryville
Road games remaining: Lindenwood, McKendree, Southern Indiana, Truman
Southwest Baptist 11-5. Early losses to UMSL, USI, and most recently three straight losses to Lindenwood, UMSL, and McKendree have put SBU on the bubble. SBU desperately looking to end the skid to keep postseason chances alive.
Home games remaining: Lewis, Ill-Springfield
Road games remaining: McKendree, UIndy, Quincy, Truman
GLIAC teams: Admittedly, I don't know much about them. If any GLIAC forum members care to add comments, that would be great. I get the impression that there isn't a dominant team right now in the GLIAC based on head-to-head results - the league looks to be fairly balanced. Everyone is beating each other up. I think this works in the GLVC's favor. Honorable mention to Ashland (7-5), who I think is on the bubble.
Michigan Tech 8-3. Lost to Purdue Northwest, and a swept by Ferris State.
Home games remaining: Northern Michigan, GVSU (2x)
Road games remaining: Davenport (2x), UW-Parkside (2x)
Wayne State 6-3. Lost to LSSU, and swept by Northwood.
Home games remaining: SVSU (2x), Ferris St (2x)
Road games remaining: GVSU, UW-Parkside (2x), Ashland
UW-Parkside 7-4. Losses to Northern Michigan, Ferris State, GVSU, and Ashland. Most remaining games are at home against tough teams.
Home games remaining: Wayne State (2x), Purdue Northwest, Michigan Tech (2x)
Road games remaining: LSSU (2x)
Ferris State 6-7. Interestingly, Ferris ranks higher than all other GLIAC teams in the performance indicators, but currently has a losing record. They played some extra non-conference games, taking two losses from a tough undefeated Mercyhurst team, so that really puts their record at 6-5 in conference play. Losses to UW-Parkside, Northern Michigan, LSSU, and GVSU, but they also split with all but one of those teams. Opponent's average records are 63%, highest in the region. I think they will need to win out to make up for their 7 losses.
Home games remaining: Purdue Northwest (2x)
Road games remaining: SVSU (2x), LSSU, Wayne State (2x)
Grand Valley State 5-4. Losses to Ashland, UW-Parkside, and Ferris State. Since they've only played 9 games, it's hard to get a good read on them.
Home games remaining: Wayne State, Northern Michigan (2x)
Road games remaining: Davenport, Michigan Tech (2x), Northwood (2x)
Midwest regionals will only include GLVC and GLIAC with 6 teams playing (GMAC is bumped to Atlantic to balance things out), and the top two seeds get a first round bye. Each league still gets an auto-bid, and teams are required to have played 11 games minimum, which at this point includes all except GVSU and Wayne State who have played 9 to date.
Here's who I see with potential of making the 6-team field, ignoring upsets for auto-bids:
GLVC teams: Appear to be 4 teams in contention, with honorable mention to McKendree (6-5), who I think is likely out of the bubble now, barring an auto-bid or a season sweep.
Truman State 12-1. The Bulldogs appear to be the team to beat right now as their only loss has been on the road at Maryville, which was avenged in a very lopsided win. Truman has critical games remaining against each of the other top 4 GLVC teams.
Home games remaining: Rockhurst, Southwest Baptist, Lindenwood, UMSL, McKendree
Road games remaining: Ill-Springfield, Quincy, Southern Indiana, William Jewell
Southern Indiana 9-3. Has lost to Rockhurst, Indianapolis, and Truman, but has played almost exclusively on the road so far. Just lost a preseason All-American (Little) but still winning. Of the top teams I'm listing here, USI appears to have one of the most favorable remaining schedules with almost all of the tough games at home.
Home games remaining: Quincy, Drury, Truman, Ill-Springfield, Lindenwood, UMSL, Lewis
Road games remaining: Missouri S&T, Maryville, McKendree
Missouri-St Louis 12-4. Losses to Truman, Lindenwood, then a hot streak and recent losses to Rockhurst and Drury with a win over SBU sandwiched in-between. Clearly a tough team but they've hit some recent hiccups. They've got a very challenging road schedule left to show us what they're made of.
Home games remaining: Missouri S&T, Maryville
Road games remaining: Lindenwood, McKendree, Southern Indiana, Truman
Southwest Baptist 11-5. Early losses to UMSL, USI, and most recently three straight losses to Lindenwood, UMSL, and McKendree have put SBU on the bubble. SBU desperately looking to end the skid to keep postseason chances alive.
Home games remaining: Lewis, Ill-Springfield
Road games remaining: McKendree, UIndy, Quincy, Truman
GLIAC teams: Admittedly, I don't know much about them. If any GLIAC forum members care to add comments, that would be great. I get the impression that there isn't a dominant team right now in the GLIAC based on head-to-head results - the league looks to be fairly balanced. Everyone is beating each other up. I think this works in the GLVC's favor. Honorable mention to Ashland (7-5), who I think is on the bubble.
Michigan Tech 8-3. Lost to Purdue Northwest, and a swept by Ferris State.
Home games remaining: Northern Michigan, GVSU (2x)
Road games remaining: Davenport (2x), UW-Parkside (2x)
Wayne State 6-3. Lost to LSSU, and swept by Northwood.
Home games remaining: SVSU (2x), Ferris St (2x)
Road games remaining: GVSU, UW-Parkside (2x), Ashland
UW-Parkside 7-4. Losses to Northern Michigan, Ferris State, GVSU, and Ashland. Most remaining games are at home against tough teams.
Home games remaining: Wayne State (2x), Purdue Northwest, Michigan Tech (2x)
Road games remaining: LSSU (2x)
Ferris State 6-7. Interestingly, Ferris ranks higher than all other GLIAC teams in the performance indicators, but currently has a losing record. They played some extra non-conference games, taking two losses from a tough undefeated Mercyhurst team, so that really puts their record at 6-5 in conference play. Losses to UW-Parkside, Northern Michigan, LSSU, and GVSU, but they also split with all but one of those teams. Opponent's average records are 63%, highest in the region. I think they will need to win out to make up for their 7 losses.
Home games remaining: Purdue Northwest (2x)
Road games remaining: SVSU (2x), LSSU, Wayne State (2x)
Grand Valley State 5-4. Losses to Ashland, UW-Parkside, and Ferris State. Since they've only played 9 games, it's hard to get a good read on them.
Home games remaining: Wayne State, Northern Michigan (2x)
Road games remaining: Davenport, Michigan Tech (2x), Northwood (2x)
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