Western Illinois, 2/23

[witness]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

It's just "doing it the old-fashioned way: earning it."

Personally I would rather have the easiest way to the finals. The way I look at it, you have the beat the teams that are put in front of you anyways but why not have an easier route to the finals and rest your starters so they are rested for the championship and possibly the big dance.

[goon]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

Well the way I see it there is usually an upset along the way so as long as we aren't the team getting upset so its tought to mark um down until the games are played. Sounded like a typical game that we won almost 20 didn't have a dog fight to win it. Good win guys.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

Old Times Alert: Mount St. Mary's and Central Connecticut State are playing on (some obscure DirecTV Sports Pack channel). They're both in the D-I Northeast Conference now.

Mount St. Mary's was the team we beat in the 1985 NCAA D-II National Semi-Final to get to the championship game. The year before, in 1984, we played in the D-II New England Regional, beat Central Connecticut in the opening game and lost to Sacred Heart in OT in the championship game.

We were at both of those games. Drove up from DC to the New England Regional, and drove all the way back to DC after the final game, so we could catch a plane home early the next morning.Still too painful to talk about the 1985 games!

[JackJD]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

40 mph to Watertown after the game -- glare ice most of the way. Three vehicles in the ditch. Well, just gave us more time to talk about the Jackrabbits basketball teams.

[filbert]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

Personally I would rather have the easiest way to the finals. The way I look at it, you have the beat the teams that are put in front of you anyways but why not have an easier route to the finals and rest your starters so they are rested for the championship and possibly the big dance.

Well, the "easy way" is to be the #1 seed. That way you get to play #8, #4, then #2. As a #2, you get #7, #3, then #1 (assuming of course the tournament goes chalk).

It's complicated this year by the fact that the #7 might very well be at the end of the year playing at worst the third best basketball in the league (and maybe better).

You never want to lose a game, but it's arguable that it might be to SDSU's "strategic" advantage in the tournament to lose to IUPUI Saturday night, pushing them to a #6 and into Oral Roberts' side of the bracket. (This is thinking similar to, in the last two minutes of the Super Bowl when you're actually ahead, letting the other team score the touchdown so you have time to get the winning score on offense--ask the Packers or the Patriots how well THAT works in practice . . .)

[HoboJack]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

You never want to lose a game, but it's arguable that it might be to SDSU's "strategic" advantage in the tournament to lose to IUPUI Saturday night, pushing them to a #6 and into Oral Roberts' side of the bracket. (This is thinking similar to, in the last two minutes of the Super Bowl when you're actually ahead, letting the other team score the touchdown so you have time to get the winning score on offense--ask the Packers or the Patriots how well THAT works in practice . . .)

Since the #6 seed is still on our side of the bracket (would play the #3 seed in the first round), I say we just beat them twice.

[filbert]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

Since the #6 seed is still on our side of the bracket (would play the #3 seed in the first round), I say we just beat them twice.

Yeah. Only difference is that we'll have a day of rest, and the #6 whoever it is won't.

But you have to beat whoever takes the court against you. (Great Nuggets Of Basketball Wisdom #63)

[bigticket1]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

Well, the "easy way" is to be the #1 seed. That way you get to play #8, #4, then #2. As a #2, you get #7, #3, then #1 (assuming of course the tournament goes chalk).

It's complicated this year by the fact that the #7 might very well be at the end of the year playing at worst the third best basketball in the league (and maybe better).

You never want to lose a game, but it's arguable that it might be to SDSU's "strategic" advantage in the tournament to lose to IUPUI Saturday night, pushing them to a #6 and into Oral Roberts' side of the bracket. (This is thinking similar to, in the last two minutes of the Super Bowl when you're actually ahead, letting the other team score the touchdown so you have time to get the winning score on offense--ask the Packers or the Patriots how well THAT works in practice . . .)

I realize IUPUI has Alex Young,who can go off at any time,but they are the 7th seed for a reason - because they don't have a whole lot after him. And as far as being a hot team,they are 5-5 in their last 10 conference games (5-8 in the last 13) compared to 8-2 for the Jacks and 9-1 for ORU. Playing them on Saturday may be good,as we will know what they like to run to get Young open.

[LakeJack]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

It is hard to argue that IUPUI isn't one of the hottest teams in the League. In their past 7 games - since Feb. 1 - they are 6-1, their only loss was in OT to ORU in Tulsa. They are playing good basketball right now.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask.../iupui-jaguars

[Southeast]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

This whole IUPUI hot streak adds quite a twist to the end of the season. A nice 20 point win on saturday would definitely help me sleep a little better as tournament weekend aproaches. Even getting to the final game will take 2 big wins.

I guess we can put on our red and green and root hard for USD and NDSU to win this weekend. That would at least make Oakland be ORU's second-round problem instead of ours. I don't see either of those games working out though. What the hell happened to NDSU? What a meltdown.

[filbert]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

This whole IUPUI hot streak adds quite a twist to the end of the season. A nice 20 point win on saturday would definitely help me sleep a little better as tournament weekend aproaches. Even getting to the final game will take 2 big wins.

I guess we can put on our red and green and root hard for USD and NDSU to win this weekend. That would at least make Oakland be ORU's second-round problem instead of ours. I don't see either of those games working out though. What the hell happened to NDSU? What a meltdown.

I think the main thing that happened to NDSU is that Alexander hit the freshman wall. He's going to be really good, but he's a freshman. Wolters has played 1024 minutes, Alexander has played 961, most on the Bison. That takes a toll.

[Nidaros]

Re: Western Illinois, 2/23

I think the main thing that happened to NDSU is that Alexander hit the freshman wall. He's going to be really good, but he's a freshman. Wolters has played 1024 minutes, Alexander has played 961, most on the Bison. That takes a toll.

Agree with the comments about Alexander, but Marshall Bjorkland the great defender is no were to be found either.