Posted by duece_duece on 2/9/2016 2:32:00 PM (view original):
DII is loaded this season, I have 8 losses so far with a team that I'd usually have high hopes for, I agree Lander has to be the favorite but overall the NT is looking like it's going to be about as unpredictable as last year. The Heartland is a bloodbath with 11 teams beating up on each other, realistically I think we'll end up with 9 or 10 in unless IW can somehow get that 14th or 15th win to become eligible then we'd be looking at a possible 11 teams playing in the NT, never seen or heard of that happening.

We actually put 11 from the CACC into the NT last season in D2 Rupp.  Darnoc, coaching Bloomfield, ended up running the table, finishing 35-0.  That was one heckuva tough conference and we look almost as stacked again this season.

I mortgaged the future at Parkside to try to get title number 5 this season.  I'll lose 7 players and although the 5 returnees look to be pretty decent, we won't be a player on the national scene for a couple of seasons after this one.  Of course, it's just my luck that this season D2 is as top heavy as ever.  Probably should have planned ahead, well, a LOT better than I have.

Let's get this party started. Was looking through the matchups for some PB teams, very surprised to see Coker as a 15 seed! Dangerous........

So the #9 seed I'm playing has the #17 RPI. And I'm playing in the 8v9 game. #earlyexit #waittilnextyear

see you next round emy.

Posted by hackerhog on 2/19/2016 4:07:00 AM (view original):
see you next round emy.

Bold proclamation! Bentley is no joke.

Also interesting......there is a glut of coaches in the top 10 in NT wins. Davefilby (#5 all time) at 66 wins down to emy at #10 (59 wins). A lot of those coaches in that glut are still alive (myself, boclaird, hacker, emy). Could see a shake-up in the NT wins list!

Posted by getbedarded on 2/19/2016 2:02:00 PM (view original):

Posted by hackerhog on 2/19/2016 4:07:00 AM (view original):
see you next round emy.

Bold proclamation! Bentley is no joke.

Also interesting......there is a glut of coaches in the top 10 in NT wins. Davefilby (#5 all time) at 66 wins down to emy at #10 (59 wins). A lot of those coaches in that glut are still alive (myself, boclaird, hacker, emy). Could see a shake-up in the NT wins list!

I've never seen a team like Bentley. As a team, they've taken only 11 FG3A all season. They have not made one. My team on the other hand shoots nothing but 3's. Classic contrast in styles.

Posted by hackerhog on 2/19/2016 3:17:00 PM (view original):

Posted by getbedarded on 2/19/2016 2:02:00 PM (view original):

Posted by hackerhog on 2/19/2016 4:07:00 AM (view original):
see you next round emy.

Bold proclamation! Bentley is no joke.

Also interesting......there is a glut of coaches in the top 10 in NT wins. Davefilby (#5 all time) at 66 wins down to emy at #10 (59 wins). A lot of those coaches in that glut are still alive (myself, boclaird, hacker, emy). Could see a shake-up in the NT wins list!

I've never seen a team like Bentley. As a team, they've taken only 11 FG3A all season. They have not made one. My team on the other hand shoots nothing but 3's. Classic contrast in styles.

I hate playing teams like Bentley. I realize that it's all in how each coach wants to run their own teams, but eleven threes for a whole season is so far from reality that it would take a telescope looking through binoculars held up to a magnifying glass to even see what looks like a pinpoint. A team like that should be SO easy to play against but the way the game and engine work, it's a very viable strategy with the right players.

As for you and I meeting again Hacker, ****, I've got to get past an 8th ranked, 30-0 team in the second frickin' round. Certainly could have drawn an easy opponent for my next game.

Oh well, got to play whoever is in front of you and at this point there aren't any easy games left anyway, so I might as well quit crying like a little girl with a skinned knee and try to get down to business.

Yeah, bentley basically wore us out in the 2nd half - I know we're not an amazing team this season (super young, only 3 upperclassmen), but it's always a unique challenge facing a squad like that

Posted by getbedarded on 2/19/2016 2:02:00 PM (view original):

Posted by hackerhog on 2/19/2016 4:07:00 AM (view original):
see you next round emy.

Bold proclamation! Bentley is no joke.

Also interesting......there is a glut of coaches in the top 10 in NT wins. Davefilby (#5 all time) at 66 wins down to emy at #10 (59 wins). A lot of those coaches in that glut are still alive (myself, boclaird, hacker, emy). Could see a shake-up in the NT wins list!

We're solidly #4 at 86 wins...but catching mduncan at #3 will have to wait until the next few seasons.

His style > my style

well looking at St Cloud St... I should've went minus versus Bentley. I didn't go minus because I thought it would pile up fouls. St Cloud St team to beat right now.

when all is said and done... pretty solid Elite 8. Can't find anything to complain about the 8 teams still playing. All solid.

Posted by hackerhog on 2/21/2016 2:58:00 AM (view original):
when all is said and done... pretty solid Elite 8. Can't find anything to complain about the 8 teams still playing. All solid.

Three 1 seeds, three 2 seeds, a 3 seed and an undefeated 8 seed. Pretty tough group! Somebody is going to have to earn it!

Here were my Elite 8 picks......
Super early final 4 picks - Lander, Dominican, N. Florida, Wisconsin Parkside
Elite 8 - Pfieffer, NM Highlands, West Georgia, Concord

5 out of 8 - not too shabby, I guess. Some thoughts on the matchups.......

East
I said that it was impossible to assess #8 St. Cloud St. due to them being undefeated while playing nobody - well apparently they're extremely good, not really struggling through their first 3 NT games. Amazing guard play from them in particular.

#2. North Florida needed a game winning shot with 1 second left to beat Felician in the Sweet 16 (in a all-time DII Iba classic game). A very strong N. Florida squad (who could have been a #1 seed easily) goes up against this so-far unstoppable St. Cloud Squad.
Midwest

Midwest
No surprises here. #1 Lander has mostly toyed with Wingate, Anderson, and E. Stroudburg on their way to the Elite 8. They shoot lights out from 3, but have a penetrating point guard that will punish you if you cheat on their 3-pointers too much.

#2 Concord hopes to beat a slightly more talented Lander team by completely running them out of the gym. Will be curious to see if Lander slows down their offense, which could backfire and negate their talent advantage. Concord skirted by St. Ed's in the Sweet 16, with the Hilltoppers making a ridiculous 12-0 run with 2 minutes left to almost provide a shocking upset. If Lander tries to run with them, Concord could put up 90 easily. This will be a very interesting matchup.

South
#1 Dominican has beaten very good Grand Canyon and AASU squads by 10 a piece on their way to the Elite 8. They've been battling with Lander all season for a #1 ranking and RPI, and currently sit at #2 RPI and #1 ranking. This team really has 2 main scorers, but gets every rebound, and the team plays swarming team defense. Teams have shown they can hang tight with Dominican, but they are hard to beat.

#3 S. Indiana surprises me a bit - considering UWP won all three games against them, I thought that Parkside would be the much more likely team to make an elite 8 run. It took them OT to beat NW Nazarene in the 2nd round, and it took a horrific St. Mary's FT shooting effort to get their surprising Sweet 16 bid, but here they are....and in the words of Kevin Garnett..."AAANNYYYTHING IS POSSSIBBBULLLLLL!" S. Indiana doesn't play very good defense, but they're a very efficient offensive team that can win by trading buckets endlessly.


West
#1 CSULA - I guess I just wasnt a believer in a undefeated California squad with no seniors - that was dumb on my part. While they haven't played a tough schedule at all, they've won every game they played, and their 19 point victory over a very game Bellarmine squad was a head-turner. 2nd round opponent USC Upstate played them the closest, so they might have exposed a weakness or two in this undefeated squad. Make no mistake - no matter what CSULA does this season, they are a HUGE favorite to win it all next season.

#2 Pfieffer - The CVAC representatives have fought through possibly the toughest DII bracket with a mix of decisive victories and squeakers. Their 97-88 win over Bowie St in the Sweet 16, with all 5 starters scoring in double figures was very impressive. They have one position of weakness IMO, but are otherwise as solid of a team as any in DII Iba.




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