Wow the Argus did a story that previews something, maybe someone there is reading the Forum. Here are some highlights:
http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Fridayarticle4.shtml
NCC races still up in the air
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
published: 2/27/2004
Playoff scenarios remain confusing
One thing in the race for the North Central Conference regular-season championships is sure.
If South Dakota State's men and women win out, they will each earn at least a share of the titles.
Beyond that, the playoff picture gets as confusing as a foreign language film without subtitles.
The league office isn't even going to try and calculate possible postseason scenarios until after tonight's docket of games.
"There are too many ifs, ands or buts to try and figure anything out right now," said John Martin, the NCC's media relations director.
The NCC's regular season champion gets to host the NCC Tournament semifinals and finals.
SDSU's men, with a win tonight over second-place Nebraska-Omaha, would quash any question marks. A Jackrabbit victory gives Scott Nagy his fifth NCC title in nine years as head coach.
"The USD game (on Saturday) is so far off the charts for us as far as what we're thinking about," said Nagy, whose team lost to UNO 107-104 in overtime on Jan. 10 in Brookings. "The game (at Omaha) is everything. That's the championship game."
An SDSU loss tonight would cause considerable chaos.
League tiebreakers go this way:
• If two teams are tied, head-to-head results are used first.
• If the teams split, then the team with the best record against the third-place club is declared champion.
• If there is also a tie for third, the first-place tie is broken by figuring the best combined record against the teams tied for third. Ties are settled from first place on down the standings.
• If none of those systems work, a coin flip determines which school hosts the NCC Tournament.
That last anomaly occurred last year in the women's race. SDSU and the University of South Dakota tied for the NCC title, and North Dakota and North Dakota State tied for third.
Because the Jacks and Coyotes had identical composite records against the third-place squads, and neither had lost to any other league team, a coin toss placed the NCC Tournament in Brookings.
This year, the Jackrabbit women are knotted atop the circuit with NDSU at 9-3. The teams split their meetings.
USD and UND are tied for third at 8-4. Saturday's game in Vermillion between the Jacks and Coyotes could determine the league champ. . . .
Should SDSU win both titles outright, Frost Arena would host day-night doubleheaders for the NCC Tournament semifinals.
NCC Commissioner Mike Marcil said no school has hosted both events since the postseason tournament was revived in 2001.
"We're ready to have it at one site if that should happen," he said.
Go State!
http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Fridayarticle4.shtml
NCC races still up in the air
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
published: 2/27/2004
Playoff scenarios remain confusing
One thing in the race for the North Central Conference regular-season championships is sure.
If South Dakota State's men and women win out, they will each earn at least a share of the titles.
Beyond that, the playoff picture gets as confusing as a foreign language film without subtitles.
The league office isn't even going to try and calculate possible postseason scenarios until after tonight's docket of games.
"There are too many ifs, ands or buts to try and figure anything out right now," said John Martin, the NCC's media relations director.
The NCC's regular season champion gets to host the NCC Tournament semifinals and finals.
SDSU's men, with a win tonight over second-place Nebraska-Omaha, would quash any question marks. A Jackrabbit victory gives Scott Nagy his fifth NCC title in nine years as head coach.
"The USD game (on Saturday) is so far off the charts for us as far as what we're thinking about," said Nagy, whose team lost to UNO 107-104 in overtime on Jan. 10 in Brookings. "The game (at Omaha) is everything. That's the championship game."
An SDSU loss tonight would cause considerable chaos.
League tiebreakers go this way:
• If two teams are tied, head-to-head results are used first.
• If the teams split, then the team with the best record against the third-place club is declared champion.
• If there is also a tie for third, the first-place tie is broken by figuring the best combined record against the teams tied for third. Ties are settled from first place on down the standings.
• If none of those systems work, a coin flip determines which school hosts the NCC Tournament.
That last anomaly occurred last year in the women's race. SDSU and the University of South Dakota tied for the NCC title, and North Dakota and North Dakota State tied for third.
Because the Jacks and Coyotes had identical composite records against the third-place squads, and neither had lost to any other league team, a coin toss placed the NCC Tournament in Brookings.
This year, the Jackrabbit women are knotted atop the circuit with NDSU at 9-3. The teams split their meetings.
USD and UND are tied for third at 8-4. Saturday's game in Vermillion between the Jacks and Coyotes could determine the league champ. . . .
Should SDSU win both titles outright, Frost Arena would host day-night doubleheaders for the NCC Tournament semifinals.
NCC Commissioner Mike Marcil said no school has hosted both events since the postseason tournament was revived in 2001.
"We're ready to have it at one site if that should happen," he said.
Go State!
Comment