Quote: Originally Posted By xulapaul on 3/31/2010I can vouch for Hamline

Haha, thanks. I think you'd just as likely win the rematch. We have a very interesting matchup on paper, and I always enjoy playing against the best coaches in the World.

Next year for the Yellowjackets, all 12 will return...for this year, I think it's a 4 horse race - I include Hamline in that mix, though I agree Thomas is clearly #1 among the four.

I agree that Thomas, MBBC, Beloit, and Hamline are in a league of their own this season. Beloit beat me by something like 89 points this season. MBBC is likely to do the same tonight. Given the opportunity, Thomas and Hamline would most likely flog me like a rented mule as well.

That said, look out for John Carroll. Sure, the 0-16 record, 384 RPI, and 391 team rating don't look too good, but we all know how statistics lie.

Haha, goose, nice.

Take me out of that conversation after last night. I should know better than to ever say anything while WiS is listening. Lost a game to a great coach, but to a team who I probably shouldn't have.

I have no idea how I can beat some of these guys by 30 and then score 40 points and turn it over 19 times against a 3-2 slowdown. Yuck. Good gameplan against me, but it shows my major flaws. I take it back, put me in the tier after these guys.

goose, dude, you know darn well that we beat you by 90. Quit trying to pump yourself up like that.

that was an important point, xulapaul. it allowed us to cover the vegas line.

ike, i think the slowdown zone is the only option for a team overmatched in terms of speed and athleticism. i've seen my share of it, as well as some really ugly performances as a result.

Well, the second I said anything about being considered a top team, I crapped out. I have the talent, but did a poor job with this team. Oh well, I like the underdog role better anyway (not like it matters, Thomas is still beasting).

Beloit and MBB both lost CT semifinal matches last night, which opens the door to some other teams to sneak in and grab #1 seeds in the NT.

and then Beloit and MBB are somehow placed in the same bracket for the big dance. yikes.

Amazing - ogee and I have been in the same bracket for 5 straight seasons, and this is the 4th straight year we've played each other - i think we're even at 2-2.

Almost an upset free first round - only one seed lower than 11 won.

The beasts look even beastlier than normal- hard to imagine a Final 4 without Thomas and MBBC/Beloit.

So far the NT has been running according to the script: only one #1 seed has been knocked out (Haverford lost to my conference mates at Knox College) and all four #2s are still in. Any guesses for the next upset?

I'm guessing Ben Roethlisberger will be pretty upset tomorrow.

Congrats to thomas.

Congrats to Thomas on the National Championship, and to our 3-time defending PIT Champs over at St. Norberts.

Updated rankings through Season 43:

274 1 Maranatha Baptist Bible (MBBC)
256 2 SUNY Maritime
242 3 Beloit
241 4 E. Oregon
239 5 McMurry
239 6 Johns Hopkins
231 7 Thomas
230 8 Lasell College
224 9 Finlandia
222 10 Monmouth
218 11 Oberlin
214 12 Amherst
212 13 Calvin College
207 14 George Fox
206 15 Vassar
204 16 Hamline
203 17 N. Carolina Wesleyan
202 18 Moravian
201 19 Brandeis
200 20 Concordia, A
200 21 St. Norbert
199 22 St Mary's of Maryland
199 23 Adrian
195 24 Edgewood
190 25 Lake Forest

just missing the top 25:

189 26 Washington
185 27 Dallas
182 28 Wisconsin Superior
180 29 Texas, Dallas
180 30 Misericordia
179 31 New York U.
177 32 Knox College
177 33 W. Connecticut St
177 34 St. Mary's (MN)
175 35 Maine, Farmington
170 36 SUNY IT
165 37 Hobart and William Smith
164 38 Marywood
163 39 Wabash
162 40 N. Park
162 41 Umass, Boston
160 42 York (NY)
159 43 Anderson
158 44 Wilkes
156 45 Mississippi College (MC)
155 46 Keuka
155 47 Elms College
152 48 Newbury
151 49 Emerson
149 50 Catholic