We fans gripe a lot about the things that we don't like about the bracket, but I wanted to start a board where we fans could mention some things that we thought were equitable and sensible, within the funding restraints and the regional emphasis of D3.
I appreciate the thought that was put into the Howard Payne Triad (LaVerne at Chapman and the winner to HPU) and the sending of McMurry out to George Fox. I thought that that gave some interesting matchups and split the potential McM and HPU match to the 3rd round. That also gave HPU the chance to host the Sectional, with the geographic pull of a victorious McM being a bus ride to Brownwood. ;)
Go McMurry! Go LIB! (Ladies In Basketball!)
I was wondering what LIB stood for whenever I saw that on the ASC boards. Now I finally found out.
I am thankful RMC gets to host the first two rounds so I can see the games. The Jackets have been amazing first year post-Silva. :)
Quote from: WLCALUM83 on February 26, 2007, 01:01:56 PM
I was wondering what LIB stood for whenever I saw that on the ASC boards. Now I finally found out.
Not exactly. Their NCAA-deposed nickname was Lady Indians. :)
Ralph: As an HPU fan, I had assumed L.I.B. was a disguise for Lady Indian Basketball--but I guess you cannot put that in print!! Also, an an HPU grad and fan--WOW!!! Yes, we all humbly thank the NCAA for the bye and ESPECIALLY for not having to play McMurry(and I feared HSU) 4 times in a four week period. I gave them grief in football over the Millsaps mappoint fiasco( I am also a UMHB fan) so I need to applaud when what we perceive as fairness and logic prevails--at least in this one area!!
Once again, the women's brackets seem to have separated the "top seeds".
I know that women's hoops in the country seem to have pockets of quality ball, but trying to "protect" the Top 8, as Pat Coleman surmised, is commendable.
Thanks for the home game for McMurry last night. In the last game that the seniors will play at Kimbrell Arena, Maigen Sawyer went over 1000 points for her three years at McMurry, and All-American Tarra Richardson went over 1000 rebounds and 300 blocks for her career. She passed 2000 career points last month and went over 200 career steals in the ASC Tourney. For the chance to do that in front of the home fans was gratifying.
I also want to thank the Women's Committee for working with Hoopsville. We D3fans appreciate the effort that is expended by the D3hoops.com crew on behalf of D3 women's (and men's) basketball. Having the selections announcement on Hoopsville was exciting.
You know that D3hoops is primary with this entity and not just an obligation to the membership.
Quote from: Ralph Turner on March 06, 2008, 05:40:59 PM
All-American Tarra Richardson went over 1000 rebounds and 300 blocks for her career. She passed 2000 career points last month and went over 200 career steals in the ASC Tourney.
Wow. now thats some really impressive career stats!
Quote from: Ralph Turner on March 06, 2008, 05:40:59 PM
Once again, the women's brackets seem to have separated the "top seeds".
I know that women's hoops in the country seem to have pockets of quality ball, but trying to "protect" the Top 8, as Pat Coleman surmised, is commendable.
Agreed, and while the men's seems better this year, the women's committee still does a better job.
My only quibble (and
fairly minor) is I wish they had put Hope and Howard Payne (excuse me, Ralph, 'Horrid Pain' ;D) in different sectionals. The potential for three undefeated teams in the Final Four would be a delight! Alas, one of them must fall in the Elite Eight (IF they make it that far, of course).
Depending on how they do...might have to start calling them "House of Payne" :D
Quote from: LogShow on March 06, 2008, 09:01:43 PM
Depending on how they do...might have to start calling them "House of Payne" :D
;) They have! :D
It's a good rivalry. The schools have been playing since the 1930's. In the 1930's, McMurry would drive down to Brownwood and play games on Friday and Saturday. The next year, Howard Payne would drive the 80 miles to Abilene and play a Friday and a Saturday game.
Howard Payne and McMurry would also play Trinity TX when the school was located in Waxahachie (Wahx" uh hatch' ee), just 30 miles south of Dallas. Drive 180 miles play a game, spend the night and play again before driving home.
Reviving an old message board...
The committee had three pairs of travel orphans and did a good job of distributing them.
In southern California, Chapman and Oxy.
In the northwest, GFU and L&C.
In the ASC, HPU and Louisiana College.
You needed four flights, regardless, because we did not have "geographic" byes to give.
Chapman (IND) hosts and will play Louisiana College (ASC).
The other game is George Fox (NWC) and Occidental (SCIAC).
The other orphans, Howard Payne (ASC) and Lewis and Clark (NWC) were sent to Coe (Iowa IAC).
HPU lost to Coe at the Holiday tourney at Concordia TX (CTX) in December. If the HPU Lady Jackets can beat a tough L&C team, then they can get the rematch.
Agree that the committee did a good job of splitting up the "orphans".
Wish they would have split up the @Hope pod: Hope, DePauw, Denison & Washington U. is a heck of a four-some that certainly could have been balanced out a bit better.
Yes--speaking as a Denison fan, thanks for nothing.
Thank you from Gallaudet University thank you! thank you! thank you!
I'd like to say thanks as a West Conn student and LEC fan.
East Conn deserved a spot in the tournament and they have a winnable first round opponent (Baruch). Even though West Conn didn't host, they sent us to a site thats within a drivable distance so I don't have to spend the night.
When I first saw this pod I thought Charlie Sheen was making the pods. ;) But there are reasons. I guess whoever comes out will be ready battle tested for the sweet 16!
Quote from: monsoon on February 28, 2011, 06:29:12 PM
Agree that the committee did a good job of splitting up the "orphans".
Wish they would have split up the @Hope pod: Hope, DePauw, Denison & Washington U. is a heck of a four-some that certainly could have been balanced out a bit better.
Quote from: Ralph Turner on February 28, 2011, 05:30:13 PM
HPU lost to Coe at the Holiday tourney at Concordia TX (CTX) in December. If the HPU Lady Jackets can beat a tough L&C team, then they can get the rematch.
Ralph,
Recently you posted about what you've seen from the NWC over the past few years in their battles with ASC teams. What are your thoughts on the L&C/HPU game on a neutral floor? L&C is a really physical team, but not very deep. From what you've said, HPU started slow and has come on strong. I think the same could be said for L&C. They lost to Chapman, which i don't think would happen if they played today. This is also L&Cs first trip to the tournament, whereas HPU clearly has experience. I just wonder how much tournament experience is still there from those teams that made the deep runs. Need your thoughts.
BlueZoneBruin
BlueZoneBruin:
Look at the HPU team page. They started the year very slow and picked up around mid-season, beating a few teams in the conference that they lost to earlier in the year. HPU will be a factor in the tourney this year. They will be physical. And the program knows how to win. Good luck to L&C.
I am not so sure that L&C would win a rematch with Chapman, although I haven't followed them much. Our team really has jelled this year and improved further than I thought they would, when you consider their size. Our coach knows how to sqeeze a lot of blood out of a turnip. I guess we will never know unless they meet in the playoffs.
I have the greatest respect for the NWC teams. We ASC teams do not match up well with the NWC teams.
We are not as tall or as big as the NWC teams. When McMurry and Howard Payne played the NWC teams in the 2007 playoffs, your defense was the best that we had seen.
2008 National POTY HPU's Meia Daniels only had 1 fastbreak basket when she played ((?GFU?) Puget Sound* in the 2007 playoffs.
HPU is almost a completely new team from the 2008 team. HPU lost ugly to Transylvania in 2009. LaCollege did not look good versus GFU last season.
I think that HPU is playing well. I think that they must make L&C run. We play a fast, physical game down here, but I think that NWC women are taller and stronger, just because of their physical dimensions (i.e., 2-3 inches taller with the associated proportional weight.)
HPU distributed bunches of minutes. Twelve players had double-digit minutes this season. I think that HPU needs to dominate the tempo, and hit the outside shots to win.
HPU stats (http://www.hpusports.com/custompages/Stats/WBB/2010-2011/teamcume.htm?path=wbball)
HPU Roster (http://www.hpusports.com/roster.aspx?path=wbball&)
*Thanks Gordon!
Thank You NCAA for making Regions that make no sense and then not sticking to them.
Good stuff as always, Ralph.
The NWC team that Howard Payne played in 2007 was Puget Sound.
Quote from: gordonmann on March 01, 2011, 02:29:52 PM
Good stuff as always, Ralph.
The NWC team that Howard Payne played in 2007 was Puget Sound.
True. That was back in the day (every year but this one) when the top NWC teams had to knock each other out in the second round. UPS was good that year, but had lost three times already to Fox. The next year, Fox came to Brownwood and took on undefeated #1 Hope, losing in a very close game.
It will be interesting to see how splitting the NWC teams this year will end up. It looks like Fox should be able to get through the Chapman pod. And depending on how well L&Cs shots are falling, could both make it to the Sweet 16? If so, that would bring up an interesting question: Who hosts?
My assumption in this case would be that GFU, UW-SP, L&C, and IWU emerge. UW-SP and IWU are within 500 miles, as are GFU and L&C (18ish miles). UW-SP is likely to be hosting the men's Sweet 16. Would the NCAA give IWU home court advantage through the whole tournament? It seems like this has come up every year, and for the past three Hope and IWU have fallen one game short. Would the NCAA let a lower seed (GFU) host in this case in order to preserve some semblance of fairness?
BlueZoneBruin:
I was happy to see the NW teams split. It is a good chance to show the strength of te conference.
Chapman played in Brownwood (I think it was the same year HPU went all the way). Their gym holds 5 or 6 thousand and was PACKED and LOUD. Their support from the community and school is great. Brownwood, an old military base town is located in a place that is hard to get to from anywhere, and a result athletic events are big time. We also played a football game there in a huge stadium. The home town factor will be in play.
Good luck!
If I was a fan of any team but Hope, Denison, DePauw, or Wash U. I would be saying 'Thank you for not sending me to Holland and the Pod of Death'.
Quote from: BlueZoneBruin on March 01, 2011, 03:45:11 PM
Quote from: gordonmann on March 01, 2011, 02:29:52 PM
Good stuff as always, Ralph.
The NWC team that Howard Payne played in 2007 was Puget Sound.
True. That was back in the day (every year but this one) when the top NWC teams had to knock each other out in the second round. UPS was good that year, but had lost three times already to Fox. The next year, Fox came to Brownwood and took on undefeated #1 Hope, losing in a very close game.
It will be interesting to see how splitting the NWC teams this year will end up. It looks like Fox should be able to get through the Chapman pod. And depending on how well L&Cs shots are falling, could both make it to the Sweet 16? If so, that would bring up an interesting question: Who hosts?
My assumption in this case would be that GFU, UW-SP, L&C, and IWU emerge. UW-SP and IWU are within 500 miles, as are GFU and L&C (18ish miles). UW-SP is likely to be hosting the men's Sweet 16. Would the NCAA give IWU home court advantage through the whole tournament? It seems like this has come up every year, and for the past three Hope and IWU have fallen one game short. Would the NCAA let a lower seed (GFU) host in this case in order to preserve some semblance of fairness?
I believe that St. Thomas is seeded ahead of Stevens Point for the men's side. If they would both meet in the Sweet 16 it would most likely be in St. Thomas new arena. This would open up for SP to host, but I would have to believe that the IWU women are still seeded ahead of SP.
Quote from: dahlby on March 01, 2011, 04:14:26 PM
Chapman played in Brownwood (I think it was the same year HPU went all the way). Their gym holds 5 or 6 thousand and was PACKED and LOUD. Their support from the community and school is great.
Thanks dahlby, you made my day.
The Brownwood crowds are loud and proud, and we have been known to lead the league in attendance. But, for the record, the Brownwood coliseum holds 2,961 (max) on the upper deck. We can squeeze in a few hundred more by putting some portable bleachers on the floor, but it only sounds like we have 5 or 6 thousand. :)
Scratch:
I assume that you are a HPU fan.
I predicted to some of my friends that either HPU or LA College would be in the final four. I think they both are under- rated, especially HPU, which came on stronger as the season progressed.
Good luck to your Ladies!