2010 Final Four

[diehardfan]

I just purchased my tickets to fly out from the basketball Siberia that is California, to Salem to watch this years Final Four.

Now this begs the very premature question... who am I going to see there? Who do we think is going it make it, given the NCAA tournament policy trends, and who is currently hot?

I love speculation. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Not knowing which regions are paired for the elite eight (not to mention it being rather early in the season!), I'm not going to make ANY attempt to answer your question!

But you WILL almost certainly see at least 3 very good teams (with this screwed-up system, there is not infrequently a team that barely (if even) belongs in the top 25, but MOST final four teams are pretty darn good (though, alas, they are NEVER the top four teams in d3).

[Hoops Fan]

It looks like my trip out to Salem may have to be put off for another year.  It seems my wife refuses to walk to work and thus we must purchase a new vehicle... there goes my basketball money.  I'm still headed up to see Grinnell and Lawrence this weekend, but it may be the extent of my road trips this year.

I would expect to see one of the following in the final four: Amherst, York or VA Wesleyan.  Hopefully with a 1-3 chance, I can get one right.

[hopefan]

I'm already lobbying a new found basketball buddy who also supports SLIAC hoops, as well as a couple of SLIAC coaches to take a road trip.  Leaving St Louis at three in the morning, no problem arriving Salem in time to check in, eat and hit the Civic Center for pregame festivities.  (ahhh, no problem if I'm driving and am not interfered with by any fine officers of the law).  A steady 75  will get you there.

[Ralph Turner]

A steady 75  will get you there.

1) Remember, drive in the right-hand lane.
2) Put the cruise control on 74.
3) Accelerate (to 78-82 MPH) to pass the slower traffic in the left-hand lane.
4) Resume cruise control in the right-hand lane.
5) Upon catching slower traffic, then repeat #3, #4, #3, #4, #3, #4, #3, #4.

At least it works in the south and southwest.

[Hoops Fan]

If you get too far East the speed limits all go down to 55 and 65, which totally makes it feel more exhilirating when you're still doing 80.

[Coach C]

Diehardfan -

Here are my guesses on your questions.

Given the NCAA's seeding tendencies, at least one team that has no business there will make the final four having beaten a series of overmatched opponents

At least one team now ranked in the top 5 will be there.

My guess is that the Ohio or Wisconsin conferences will also be represented.  I think that 2 of the 4 will be Pool C teams.

Just my 2 cents.

C

[iwumichigander]

I just purchased my tickets to fly out from the basketball Siberia that is California, to Salem to watch this years Final Four.

Now this begs the very premature question... who am I going to see there? Who do we think is going it make it, given the NCAA tournament policy trends, and who is currently hot?

I love speculation. 

You are going to see Men's Basketball and 7000 fans.  Four teams will make it. If a fifth team shows up -- they are either lost their way or still don't realize they lost. One team will most likely be a Cinderella long shot.  According to the U.S. Weather Service Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and California are "hot"!

P.S. - Start making cookies for the coaches on the West Coast as you just never know whom might be willing to give up their tickets for your fabulous cookies 

[Old School.... (Tom Doebler)]

You are going to see Men's Basketball and 7000 fans. 

Only if IWU makes it.  I hear they travel well.  Oh yeah, you're an IWU fan!  Of course you'd say that.   

Let's see if they can get out of their regional this year first!  Yeah, I'm a Point fan and I was looking forward to that much-anticipated IWU/Point clash, though the Trinity game was pretty awesome anyway.

April,

If our ONE WIAC rep makes it, I'll probably come out.  Vacation is already set, just depends who plays. 

[Pat Coleman]

It looks like my trip out to Salem may have to be put off for another year.  It seems my wife refuses to walk to work and thus we must purchase a new vehicle... there goes my basketball money.  I'm still headed up to see Grinnell and Lawrence this weekend, but it may be the extent of my road trips this year.

I'm already lobbying a new found basketball buddy who also supports SLIAC hoops, as well as a couple of SLIAC coaches to take a road trip. Leaving St Louis at three in the morning, no problem arriving Salem in time to check in, eat and hit the Civic Center for pregame festivities. (ahhh, no problem if I'm driving and am not interfered with by any fine officers of the law). A steady 75 will get you there.

Hoops Fan, note the geography.

Hopefan, do your SLIAC coaches know there is a separate reception and social for Division III coaches Friday night after the game? Page Moir, the Roanoke coach, hosts a get-together.

[hopefan]

hey, maybe I'll have to become an assistant coach for the weekend.....

[Coach C]

hopefan -

It's always a good time!  Free beer until it runs out and munchies.  Plus the humor of trying to figure out what the heck Coach Moir is saying.

C

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Coach C - don't forget everyone scratching their head as we watch some upset in the NCAA Division I tournament (of course last year, I think there was a few more upsets!).

And as some will remember, the view at the Roanoke Athletic Center is always nice (just watch out for Jared "the Hustler" Rosenbaum!).

[iwumichigander]

You are going to see Men's Basketball and 7000 fans. 

Only if IWU makes it.  I hear they travel well.  Oh yeah, you're an IWU fan!  Of course you'd say that.     Let's see if they can get out of their regional this year first!  Yeah, I'm a Point fan and I was looking forward to that much-anticipated IWU/Point clash, though the Trinity game was pretty awesome anyway.

OS - Wow, what a battle this year in the CCIW - we gotta get out of the CCIW before we think NCAA tourney.  IWU does travel extremely well.  Its really hard for a lot of D3 schools to understand how well until the Titan Nation invades their arena.  Plus, understand also traveling with IWU is a radio broadcast team and one or more sports reporter(s) from the local Pantagraph newspaper.  We are really fortunate for the local non-student fan support; and have had for many years.  We consider the fan base part of the program and a really great recruiting tool to have a visiting high school recruit come into the Shirk Center with 3000 fans in the house; or, to come on the road and see over half the house IWU. Yes, like you and many others, I too was looking forward to the IWU/Point match-up last year.   

[PointSpecial]

After Quandt was PACKED last year for the Sectional, I can't imagine what it would have been like if IWU had gotten past Hanover.  There were quite a few people who wanted tickets but couldn't get them (truly a sell-out) and people waited for hours for tickets but walked away empty handed.  After some of the schools (namely Trinity and Puget Sound) turned tickets back in, most got seats, but... if IWU had made the trip, there would have been the potential for unhappy fans.  I think that game could easily been played in front of 4000 (if only there was room!)