Last week of league play

[northernGNAChoopfan]

So, there are some interesting games this week in the GNAC, in terms of who's going to secure GNAC tournament positions, and what the seeding for that could be. Games will be played in Ellensburg, Nampa, Alaska, and Burnaby, and there's not really any sleeper games in there (okay, maybe WOU at CWU or NNU is a sleeper, but WOU could still disrupt some seeding for those teams with a surprise win). On paper, maybe the games in Fairbanks are a sleeper too, but I suspect SPU's new coaching staff and MSUB's new head coach (who traveled to AK already as an assistant with Durham) know enough to know how hard the Alaska road trip is and will do everything in their power to get their guys ready to not overlook Fairbanks and just think about UAA.

Seems like Anchorage has been trying to make a run for more consistency down the stretch and will be looking for revenge against both MSUB and SPU to close out the season and their home schedule. CWU has been pretty hard at home all season, and they will probably happily look to be the next team to knock off SMU in this final week of play. Anyways... Lots of potentially good games this week. Looking forward to seeing the Fairbanks games and following the results of the others! Open to any other perspectives on this week or implications from the Pac West and CCAA for this week...

[tsull]

WOU on the road, they'll get crushed. The program has hit rock bottom, no answers as to why half the team doesn't play or even dress down. Shhhhh, it's a secret, fans and alums shouldn't know anything about the athletic dept. Instead of getting in front of everything -- injuries, forfeitures, firings -- the athletic department makes it worse by not saying anything. It's hard to tell who cares anymore in Monmouth. I'm thinking they like the 200 fans per game because that keeps more people from wondering what's going on. CWU and NNU will bury the Wolves this week. I just hope they play the games and not forfeit them.

[Goods]

SPU at Anchorage is very interesting. And what CWU will we get when they take on SMU. Thank the Lord it's at home, but we played them very tough in Lacey at the beginning of the league schedule. Saturday's Billings at Anchorage will get my attention as well. And who knows about SMU at NNU.

For the women, SPU at Anchorage is very interesting on Thursday.

My CWU Wildcats need to just win to lock up that spot. CWU women already have it locked up. Thankfully both get the right to host games at home for next week's GNAC tournament. Hopefully we take advantage of everything home court advantage gives us.

[SGAstumpJ]

Long time no see. Sorry about that. As for the PacWest, here's where things stand:

On the men's side, Academy of Art is in first by itself with 2 games to go. They host Biola on Thursday while Point Loma (one game back in second) is at Dominican. Academy of Art hosts Point Loma on Saturday, which could be for the top seed in the conference tournament...which Point Loma is hosting. Meanwhile, Hawai'i Pacific, Biola, and Hawai'i Hilo are locked in to 3rd through 5th, but Azusa Pacific (the preseason favorite) needs either a win or a Dominican loss this week just to finish 6th. Sucks for me.

On the women's side, Azusa Pacific has not lost since November 21, and can run the table on Saturday with a win at 2nd-place Fresno Pacific. The Sunbirds are hoping to hold off Point Loma for 2nd and the bye to the semifinals. Dominican is in 4th, but has been slipping down the stretch and is on the bubble for the regional as we speak. Biola, Concordia, and UH-Hilo are duking things out this week for the last two spots in the tournament, again at Point Loma.

[tsull]

Long time no see. Sorry about that. As for the PacWest, here's where things stand:

On the men's side, Academy of Art is in first by itself with 2 games to go. They host Biola on Thursday while Point Loma (one game back in second) is at Dominican. Academy of Art hosts Point Loma on Saturday, which could be for the top seed in the conference tournament...which Point Loma is hosting. Meanwhile, Hawai'i Pacific, Biola, and Hawai'i Hilo are locked in to 3rd through 5th, but Azusa Pacific (the preseason favorite) needs either a win or a Dominican loss this week just to finish 6th. Sucks for me.

On the women's side, Azusa Pacific has not lost since November 21, and can run the table on Saturday with a win at 2nd-place Fresno Pacific. The Sunbirds are hoping to hold off Point Loma for 2nd and the bye to the semifinals. Dominican is in 4th, but has been slipping down the stretch and is on the bubble for the regional as we speak. Biola, Concordia, and UH-Hilo are duking things out this week for the last two spots in the tournament, again at Point Loma.

Good to have you back, Stump! Wow, your women's team has been good forever. Surprised APU men are down a little and that Point Loma has been knocked off their perch.

Anyone know about the CCAA? Guess I could look it up.

[SGAstumpJ]

I dabble some on public address at Cal Poly Pomona in between APU games and keeping stats for junior college games all over the LA area. The Bronco men are similarly having a down season, and will actually miss the CCAA tournament, first time in ages. Apparently, Dominguez Hills is actually in first on the men's side and all they have to do to clinch the top seed is beat 3rd-place Cal State LA on Thursday night. If they don't, that opens the door for San Bernardino, who are at Pomona at the same time.

[tsull]

I dabble some on public address at Cal Poly Pomona in between APU games and keeping stats for junior college games all over the LA area. The Bronco men are similarly having a down season, and will actually miss the CCAA tournament, first time in ages. Apparently, Dominguez Hills is actually in first on the men's side and all they have to do to clinch the top seed is beat 3rd-place Cal State LA on Thursday night. If they don't, that opens the door for San Bernardino, who are at Pomona at the same time.

Great report, thanks.

[D2Rover]

I've watched the CCAA women a little. Lots of good not great teams that all keep beating each other. San Marcos is pretty clearly the class of the conference at 17-4, very talented but a little inconsistent. LA beat APU and looked pretty good in the non-con tournament in Bellingham, but has dropped some bad ones and wasn't in the first round of Regional Rankings.

I'd say 95% chance the Women's Regional is at APU if they win out, with the only other possibility being that if Billings wins out it will likely include another win against WWU and give them the edge.

I think that top 4 (APU, MSUB, WWU, CSUSM) are a clear step ahead of everyone else, but I haven't watched Chico or Pomona at all.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Great reports - especially from the other leagues to fill in the gaps! Lots of implications for these games this week, which is always fun at the end of the season when there are still questions. Will be fun to see MSUB and SPU in Fairbanks. Drop the results and outcomes of the games in here as you have them!

[northernGNAChoopfan]

After tonight's results, I believe that Seattle Pacific will win out in a tie breaker with Anchorage as well as a potential tie with Western Washington and can therefore afford to lose on Saturday, in Fairbanks. Between Anchorage and Western Washington, it appears that Anchorage has the tie breaker with Western Washington, so I think Seattle Pacific will probably nab the 5th seed in the GNAC tournament, while Anchorage will grab the 6th spot (unless SPU loses and Anchorage beats MSUB???, then flip that around???. Phew.

• In Fairbanks, MSUB won 81-58 and it was never a close game. I thought MSUB looked a lot better than Saint Martins and are the clear top dog.
• In Anchorage, Seattle Pacific won a nail biter by one point: 65-64 Stats suggest UAA was not hot from behind the arc. Those teams that live and die there... Sigh.
• NNU beat Western Oregon, 81-62, and
• In Ellensburg, Central did indeed line up and take another bite out of Saint Martin's record with a win: 92-86...

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

CWU is defending home court well this year! Glad the tournament is in Ellensburg!

[Goods]

Absolutely thrilled with CWU's win. Huge win for the 'Cats.

On the flip side...........CWU women.........when you're 10th in the region, playing at home to a team that's been out of the playoff picture from pretty much the beginning, you need to get those wins. That loss to St Martin's women hurts!

[northernGNAChoopfan]

CWU is defending home court well this year! Glad the tournament is in Ellensburg!

Yeah. I've noticed that too... They will be a hard game for any other team at the tournament next week. It's a good year for them to host, and they're in a reasonable position to throw some kinks into the West Region tourney if they can use that home court advantage next week! But, first... don't be overlooking Western Oregon now! Will be interested to see how Anchorage does with Billings on Saturday. When I was checking conference games for tie breakers last night, Anchorage seems to have the most wins against those higher up than them of any other team I looked at, so they could be scary for teams next week too, although it's not a home court advantage for them...

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

CWU women had a decent lead and choked. That probably spoiled their chance at regionals unless they can win the GNAC tournament.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

Good win for CWU, 7 players double figures. SPU also wins and clinches. If UAA wins, they are in. If WWU loses, UAA is in. If WWU wins and UAA loses, it comes down to the team with the best record vs. GNAC teams with a .500 or better conference winning percentage.I didn't feel like trying to figure that out.