Classic matchup tonight between the #1 and #2 Wooden DIII dynasties: MBBC vs. Beloit.

As we near the end of the first "new engine" season in Wooden DIII, it appears to me that the Big Four conferences are as strong as ever.  Three of the Final Four spots have been won by Big Four conference teams, and overall the national tournament was dominated by the NAC, MIAA, Upstate and Midwest.  This may not hold in the long term, but I don't see epoch changing difference coming as a result of the new engine. 

The cream always rises

Congrats to Gene and Elms for winning the championship!

Thanks Paul.  I don't know how I got by your squad.

By my recollection (admittedly faulty) no team employing a zone defense has won the national championship in some time.  Gene's Elm squad ran a very effective zone this season, and I wonder if we should take any lessons from this.  Does it have much to do with the new engine?

Zone is tough.  I feel like I won despite it not because of it.

Agree with gene, winning with zone is challenging.  So that makes it all the more impressive, eh gene?

Great point and great season.

I think I've seen a few people talk about M2M being the best defense with the new engine. Don't know why this is or anything. Just remember seeing in some CCs some coaches mention switching from FCP to M2M.

Wish I could provide something more in depth, but that's all I got.

Thanks, wronoj!  BTW the conference affiliations are a bit off, at least for some of the first few schools.  Beloit should be Midwest, Thomas should be North Atlantic, and Finlandia should be Michigan.  Those are the ones I noticed.

South Maine is in the Little East.

Calvin should also be in the Michigan. Other than that, great job as always.

yeah, there's a spreadsheet formula issue, and it'll get corrected eventually. I am stubbornly refusing to go fix it by hand, even though i have a conference mate lost to my error...