bbaddict,  fyi, the LC WW Sunday game came about as every year one team does not have a travel partner.  This year it is LC.  So since WW and WM do not have two games over the weekend that the single travelling team has to play both of them on the road, it made sense to give the travelling team at least a breather between the back to back games since the second home team did not have a Friday night game.  This year is appears to be a fairly important rest break.    It is great that three of the last four games still have playoff implications, altho after tonight, the LC-Whitworth picture will be pretty clear.

Quote from: bbaddict on February 21, 2009, 03:26:29 PM

Quote from: LogShow on February 21, 2009, 01:13:28 PM

Quote from: bbaddict on February 21, 2009, 04:05:51 AM
(Of course, the prize is another game at UPS . . . hmmm.)

You wouldn't want that reward?

Oh, I'll take it!   It's just funny that the reward for winning over UPS is another game with UPS.   We also really need the Boxers to come through and beat Linfield.

And BearcatPress, who cares about anything but Conference?  That's all that matters when it comes down to it.  Coach James usually schedules a pretty tough non-conference schedule to get his guys ready, so there are losses at the beginning of the season -- just about every year.  I'm pretty sure that if you talk to the coaches, they consider a winning conference season, a winning season.

So, Whitworth and Whitman will be seeing a lot of Sunday games next year, since we all know that's an option?  I never did figure out why teams combine those two locations in one weekend.   It's like playing PLU and Lewis & Clark on the same weekend.   They're not even close to each other, travel wise.  That's just a bad road trip.

NWHOOPS1903, I think that if LC sweeps next weekend on the eastern WA swing, they would end up #2 in the conference as both LC and WW would have 5 losses with LC sweeping WW. But we all know how unlikely that would be, especially with LC finishing the season without Josh Kollasch.   LC needs a win or Willamette needs a loss to get LC into the playoffs.  But to the victor goes a probable trip to Tacoma.  Yea!

Pio20 I have been reading your posts all year now, and you tend to speak about the Pios in ways that makes it sound like you know a lot about the team when you really know very little.  Please don't continue to be the voice of the Pios when you do not have valid inside information.   Go Pios, and Good Luck Josh!

Logshow, PLU may be only 3.5 players deep, but with 3 players who are  all conference players, they have to be considered legitimate league title contenders.    Brandeberry may just be back from the IR, but his numbers in the box score are pretty impressive.   The PLU-UPS matchup on Tuesday looks to be a very interesting game.    The only problem I see is that after Heidenreich, PLU drops off in the ball handling dept pretty heavily.  As for LC, I am not sure if you take the top two defenders and rebounders from any team in the conference, that they could win against the top half of this conference on any given night.  Tough hole to dig out of.   Their D2 transfer who hurt his knee against Pacific is the real deal, and they missed him as much as Rivera.    Whitworth kind of dug a little hole themselves with that loss at Linfield, and don't count Linfield out yet, either.
Interesting first week, huh?   Linfield, PLU and UPS all 2-0!!!!!

Logshow, I think LC got UPS two in a row at the end of last year.   By the way, I see UPS-Warner Pac is scheduled for Monday Night.

Just wanted to make an observation to you all about this weekends elite eight.
It speaks well of Whitworth and the Northwest Conference when the teams that beat our representatives at the NCAAs go on and do well.  You may have not noticed but Wash U didn't have too difficult of a time getting by Stevens Pt to get to the Final Point.  I think it says volumes about Whitworth, LC, UPS and the overall strength of our league.

And as for next year, I like LC and UPS, but do not count out Pacific and Whitworth.  I guarantee you that there will be additions to both squads that will make them both top level teams, and then Willamette and PLU will be very dangerous. That only leaves Fox, Whitman and Linfield as true non contenders.
I guess it doesn't take a lot of brains to put everyone in the mix.

Hey ratboy, let it rest.  You have probably aggravated enough people for now.

By the way, John Wooden always said the best coach is the coach with the best players.   But what does he know?

Who can tell me which teams in the last 15 years in the conference have the most NAIA and NCAA national tourney appearances?   

Just to give all you Oxy fans some hope, four or five years ago, Lewis and Clark drew Mississippi College at Clinton in the second round, I think, and MC was undefeated at home, ranked top 5.  The Pioneers went in and beat MC to advance to the Elite Eight (or maybe they had to beat one of the Wisconsins next to get to the round of 8).  So don't fold your tents quite yet, unless, of course, you feel that the SCIAC isn't quite as strong as the best of the NWC.

(509)rat, I have to agree with bigfella, LC got what they wanted out of their offense, they just couldn't make a shot or a free throw.   Not to take anything away from Hayford.  He did a great job this year and it looks like they got a great draw in St Louis, but Gaillard did a lot more with a lot less, I think.  Good Luck Bucs!