GNAC Women's Hoop.

[Poppadoc]

Just heard that the Saints will be without their starting power forward tonight at DW. Shouldnt make must difference, provided Parker and Forbes
come ready to play. I would also like to see freshman Sara Long get some Q time. She could help them out during the playoffs allowing Andy to extend his rotation even further

[raining 3 s]

It's going to be another blowout!!

[Allen M. Karon]

Emmanuel has just tied the DIII Women's Basketball record for most regular-season conference games won in a row, excluding conference tournament play.

Final from Yawkey Center, Boston, MA--

Emmanuel 73, St. Joseph, CT 53

With this win, Emmanuel goes 12-0 in GNAC regular season play for the fifth year in a row, and ties the regular season conference wins streak (excluding conference tournament play) of 60 in a row, which is believed to be also held by the St. Thomas Tommies (MN) women's basketball team.

Including conference tournament play, Emmanuel has now won 72 GNAC games in a row.

FYI, although Wash U won 81 games in a row during the Alia Fischer/Tasha Rodgers years of 1997 through 2001, Wash U only won 39 regular season conference games in a row in the UAA during that period.

[Allen M. Karon]

Correction--

Since Emmanuel won their last 5 regular season games before the GNAC tournament in 1999-2000-- Emmanuel now has the active DIII record for most consecutive regular season conference victories in a row with 65 wins (excluding conference tournament play.)

GNAC tournament starts tonight with Pine Manor at Emmanuel, St. Joseph (CT) at WNEC, Albertus Magnus at Norwich, and Suffolk at Simmons.  All tip times are 7 PM Eastern.

Emmanuel is favored to advance to the semis tonight.  Depending on the halftime score, I may go across the street at halftime to catch the Suffolk/Simmons match-- but only if Emmanuel is comfortably putting away Pine Manor at that point.    An Emmanuel victory comes first.

[Allen M. Karon]

Should Emmanuel advance tonight, the Saints will host both semifinal games and the championship game at the Yawkey Center in Boston.  Both semifinal games would be on Friday evening, with the championship game on Saturday afternoon.

[Poppadoc]

I have a question for you Allen....

Why would the girls play at 5:30 instead of the late game. Its Friday night, its a big game (more inviting then the WNEC vs Norwich game)
You would think they would want a bigger crowd behind them, not that they need it, but the atmosphere in the gym will be better suited if they played the late game. Just a thought......

Also, who do you think the Saints opponent wil be for their 1st game in the NCAA? Where will the game be played?

[Allen M. Karon]

Poppadoc--

LET'S GET THESE GAMES OUT OF THE WAY, FIRST!!!  I DON'T WANT EMMANUEL IN THE BOARDROOM ON SUNDAY WAITING FOR A POOL C PICK THAT MAY NOT COME, JUST BECAUSE THEY GOT UPSET BY FORGETTING TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS!!!

1.)  Historically, Emmanuel likes to get their game out of the way first in the semifinals so that Coach Yosinoff can scout the second game afterwards without worrying about getting the team ready.  Obviously, if the opponent in the first game was Simmons, then the big crowd would have been guaranteed, and Emmanuel doesn't need any motivation to play Simmons after what happened last time, but all it means is that the crowd that does show up early will really have to be vocal and work the Saints to get them fired up.

All that will be forgotten if Suffolk manages to take an early double digit lead in Friday's game-- then the crowd will really be into it.

2.)  Should the Saints win GNAC-- a few potential opponents.  

A.)  If both Brandeis and Emmanuel win on Saturday, then it is possible that both could play each other in the first round on Wednesday.  If that is the case, then I don't mind where the game is-- I would love for it to be on Brandeis's home court, though, but either facility is fine with me.  If that match takes place, the winner could probably go to Bates for a second round match on Saturday-- If Bates plays a first round game, it would probably be against the North Atlantic champion-- which looks likely to be from the state of Maine.  (Maine Maritime or Maine-Farmington are the favorites to win that title.)

Of course, if Brandeis loses on Saturday, then I will have to sweat it out on Sunday to find out if Brandeis gets selected to the tournament.

Other potential first round opponents:  Endicott or Colby-Sawyer (Comm. Coast champion), Babson or Clark if either the Beavers or the Cougars win NEWMAC, Salem State or Fitchburg State (MASCAC).  Of course, S. Maine could probably host one of these opponents in the first round and Bowdoin another, with both meeting up against each other in the second round if they win.

If Salve Regina wins Comm. Coast, the Seahawks could be shipped out this time.

It is still too early to discuss drawing a bracket, though, because the automatic qualifiers won't be settled until Sunday afternoon at the latest.  I believe that 36 or 37 of the 39 AQ's will be decided on Saturday, with a few decided on Sunday.

[Allen M. Karon]

Update on the AQ schedule--

1.)  1 AQ was decided last night, 1 (or maybe 2) will be decided today, 29 AQs will definitely be decided on Saturday, and the final 7 AQs will be decided on Sunday.

[Poppadoc]

Allen~

I understand what your saying about getting the games out of the way and your right anything can happen. I just dont see it though....Yes, Suffolk can give the Saints a good run but I really dont think Andy is gong to let that happen (getting complacent)at this time of year. I look for another Emmanuel/Norwich matchup again on Saturday.

[Allen M. Karon]

Poppadoc--

It looks like Colby-Sawyer will be favored to win Comm. Coast on Saturday.  They have Gordon in the finals.  

[raining 3 s]

George the coach at Colby Sawyer does a good job....and has dominated that conference...

[Mike Davidson]

Allen
you hit the nail right on the head regarding the crowd at yesterdays games. The Emmanuel vs Suffolk game wsa a good game, however the crowd really was lethargic and mellow, obviously it would have been different if Simmons had reached the semi's . Suffolk game the saints all they could handle for a while. If the crowd is not active and vocal that works in the favor of Noriwch today in the Championship Game. Norwich and WNEC played a tremendous game, but since both schools had to travel so far, neither had a large following to get them going either. I hope the Championship game has a lot more festive atmosphere

[raining 3 s]

Another ...GNAC title for the Saints.....

[Allen M. Karon]

Congratulations, Saints.  I hope that Brandeis can get a Pool C selection tomorrow evening, and if they do (or even if they don't)-- it looks like Emmanuel will host a first round game on Wednesday.  

Check the announcements on the Hoopsville show live Sunday evening at approx. 10:30 PM Eastern.  The show starts at 8:30 PM Eastern Sunday.

http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville

[d-mac]

It is time to find out who is in... and who is out.
Whose bubble has been burst and who is wearing Cinderella's glass slippers.
It's Selection Sunday... and tonight there will be a special "Hoopsville" as the 2005 NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Brackets are announced... LIVE on our air!
The Road to Salem and Virginia Beach officially starts tonight!

It plans to be a huge night... as 50 womens and 48 mens teams are officially invited to the dance and a chance at a national title.

Some teams already know they are going (thanks to winning their conferences) and some think they are going, but there are always surprises.

So tonight, we will break it all down. Starting at 8:30 PM EST, we will take a look at who is definitely in, who might make it, who will be disappointed, and what match-ups you might want to look forward to seeing later in the week.

Then at 10:00 PM EST... we will broadcast LIVE the Women's Selection Show so you can find out when we do... the 50 teams on the Road to Virginia Beach.

That will be followed by the Men's Selection Show at 10:30 PM EST - when 48 teams find out what their Road to Salem will be like.

After those selections... we will go over it with a fine-tooth comb and find out who we think are the surprises!

And throughout the show, we will hear from different regions with live reports and talk to coaches that have made surprising moves into the tournament.

Of course, you can listen in thank to Goucher College.
We suggest you try and use the low-bandwith signal which will require you to have Real Player and selection the 28K version of the show.
At the same time, you can listen to the Broadcastmonsters.com version, using Windows Media Player (go to the "Hoopsville" page for more information).

And you can share your opinions and questions with us, live on the air.
email - hoopsville@d3hoops.com  
AOL IM - Hoopsville2000

And for more information... check out the "Hoopsville" website (www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville)!

Again... it all starts tonight at 8:30 PM EST.