Sunday #2s both win.

[MainefanSC]

Stanford v Notre Dame tomorrow. I'm going to be rooting for Stanford BIG time in this one. This is a game you don't want to miss. Stanford doesn't shrink or disappear in crunch time.

Iowa comes in winners of 13 of their last 14 against Baylor tomorrow. Look for Iowa to play with a "no fear" approach.

Hear Hear!!!!!!!

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Notre Dame will have an advantage next year as well with a Regional being in Fort Wayne Indiana.

And they could easily be a 2 seed next season with losses to graduation so it will be the same story, different teams.

 

[huskyd]

So happy to see Oregon win this one. I lived in Portland for a number of years and loved the people and the city. Sabrina is worth the price of admission; no one close to her in the wcb game. Because she's 22, Ionescu can join the professional ranks next year as well as haul in a bucket load of cash from sponsors like NIKE (headquarters in Seattle). No need for her to hang around. She can complete her degree (if she hasn't already) whenever she likes. And fans will still get to see her play. I'm also glad not to have to watch Vic's antics next weekend. Really Sick of Vic.
By the way, did we ever find out why AEH was dismissed by Geno last season?

 

[StlRon]

So happy to see Oregon win this one. I lived in Portland for a number of years and loved the people and the city. Sabrina is worth the price of admission; no one close to her in the wcb game. Because she's 22, Ionescu can join the professional ranks next year as well as haul in a bucket load of cash from sponsors like NIKE (headquarters in the Seattle). No need for her to hang around. She can complete her degree (if she hasn't already) whenever she likes. And fans will still get to see her play. I'm also glad not to have to watch Vic's antics next weekend. Really Sick of Vic.
By the way, did we ever find out why AEH was dismissed by Geno last season?

Sabrina is worth the price of admission; no one close to her in the wcb game.

I'll give you that Sabrina is miles ahead of others in getting triple doubles, however, lots of players in WBB today have the same, if not better shot-making, on-court savvy and talent. That's actually why there's more parity in WCBB lately.

 

[jonson]

Absolutely they'd prefer those neutral matchups. The top 6-7 are incredibly even this year, so homecourt advantage (10k+ crowds) is a huge factor, especially late in the season. The home crowd easily may have been the difference in both games today. I personally have no problem with the home atmosphere in regionals since it brings strong crowds and excitement to the games.

My big complaint is that I wish the locations didn't consistently favor schools that don't have much competition in their region. Ex. UCONN has played in front of home crowds 7 of the last 8 years regionals (almost always in Bridgeport or Albany) and the West Regional is positioned exclusively in the northwest for 5 straight years which favors Oregon in the same manner.

I agree that neutral sites would be ideal, but it's also true that the sites don't happen by accident. As far as the West Coast is concerned, the only venues likely to draw well for the regionals are in the Northwest: Seattle, Portland, Spokane. I suppose the San Fran area might be worth a (very long) shot, but Southern Cal is absolutely hopeless in this regard. And since the NCAA can only select sites from those that apply, and those that apply presumably do so because they think they can make some dollars, it's likely that things will remain the same until WBB expands its fan base considerably. And I suspect that the relatively small size of New England/the mid-Atlantic States will always mean that UCONN fans will fill most of the seats, even if they aren't located in Bridgeport or Albany.

 

[Blueballer]

ALL 4 of the lower seeds won today. 2 in Women's and 2 in Men's Tourneys.

 

[GoDawgs4]

Do you really think it mattered though? I really think Oregon beats us in a neutral court.

Today they were the better team, they outplayed us and I give them all credit in the world. However, there was no doubt that the crowd helped them. I said there was a good chance they win else where as well.

However, had Oregon been #1 and State #2 and the game would have been played in Birmingham that would have been just as wrong as today was.

I just think that WCB has grown to the point that local crowds would be bigger all over the country. Not just in certain areas.

 

[GoDawgs4]

Notre Dame will have an advantage next year as well with a Regional being in Fort Wayne Indiana.

IMO, Notre Dame should not be in that Regional or any other school in close proximity. Like I said JMO, I think the overall stature of WBB has grown enough. Similar to the Men years ago preventing a team from playing on its own campus.

The first round games, I do think they need to stay like they are with the top Sixteen teams hosting. But after that they need to move to true neutral courts from now on.

 

[bramos]

So happy to see Oregon win this one. I lived in Portland for a number of years and loved the people and the city. Sabrina is worth the price of admission; no one close to her in the wcb game. Because she's 22, Ionescu can join the professional ranks next year as well as haul in a bucket load of cash from sponsors like NIKE (headquarters in Seattle). No need for her to hang around. She can complete her degree (if she hasn't already) whenever she likes. And fans will still get to see her play. I'm also glad not to have to watch Vic's antics next weekend. Really Sick of Vic.
By the way, did we ever find out why AEH was dismissed by Geno last season?

Beaverton. NIKE HQs is in Beaverton, OR

 

[sharris952]

If you want to complain about court neutrality, you might as well start at the first two rounds which are all on home courts (except the committee decided to reward SC this year, when in all previous years if the home court was unavailable then the lowest of the other seeds was awarded it.) By the regional, unless you are UKy you get a true neutral court. The fact they pay attention to geographies is to prevent empty houses - the women's game just does not have enough fanatics to move people around the country.

MsSt was 'lucky' to be given a #1 seed, their reward was filling the western regional opening. If the had gotten a two seed they almost certainly have been the #2 in one of the other regions.

Bottom line - you have to win the games against the teams and in the locations they are assigned. And the best way to control location is to schedule and win against a strong OOC.

Well for SC, they had to go west three straight years, one of which they won a National Championship in Dallas with Miss St. having a much closer fanbase than theirs. You have to win the games at this time of year no matter what the circumstances.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Why even have a game in Portland if no nearby team is allowed to be there? That makes no sense.

Oregon St. had to beat Baylor in Dallas for their one and only Final 4 appearance. That was an extremely pro Baylor crowd, and not fair to OSU, but they got it done anyway.

There is one Regional site West of the Mississippi each year. Most teams from the West get shipped somewhere else. For whatever team not from here that has to come out this way too bad, but I really have a hard time mustering much sympathy.

 

[Plebe]

Well for SC, they had to go west three straight years, one of which they won a National Championship in Dallas with Miss St. having a much closer fanbase than theirs. You have to win the games at this time of year no matter what the circumstances.

Three straight years? I don't think so. I think it was 3 out of a 4-year stretch.

 

[willtalk]

Today they were the better team, they outplayed us and I give them all credit in the world. However, there was no doubt that the crowd helped them. I said there was a good chance they win else where as well.

However, had Oregon been #1 and State #2 and the game would have been played in Birmingham that would have been just as wrong as today was.

I just think that WCB has grown to the point that local crowds would be bigger all over the country. Not just in certain areas.

You understand that the regional sites are picked years ahead of the season. No one even knows which teams will even be highly ranked enough to get to the regionals. Once the sites are picked the committee just has to do the best they can. Last season ND was sent to Spokane Washington for their regional and they won it all. Miss St was sent to the Kansas City regional 620 miles and a 10 hour drive., instead of Lexington Ky. Past a certain distance you are forced to fly and so it has little impact on fan support or travel time.

Regional sites are picked from bids by host teams. The host team has to commit themselves financially. That is why their are few places willing to make that commitment until more people want to go see the games. That is also why they send the top rated team to each regional to insure that the host does not lose a lot of money. It is all well and good to say that attendance should not be a factor when you are not the host team taking the loss. No one would even bid if they were not assured that the committee would do what it could to mitigate any financial losses. Teams are not going to go by what you think. They have to deal with the reality of the situation. If more believed like you do then there would be more host cities bidding. They can only pick from where they receive bids and the ones that bid come from areas that have a history of filling the seats enough to pay the costs.

 

[MSUFan2003]

The sites are what they are. I really don't think it makes that much of a difference.

 

[huskeynut]

IMO, Notre Dame should not be in that Regional or any other school in close proximity. Like I said JMO, I think the overall stature of WBB has grown enough. Similar to the Men years ago preventing a team from playing on its own campus.

The first round games, I do think they need to stay like they are with the top Sixteen teams hosting. But after that they need to move to true neutral courts from now on.

Then maybe you would like Debbie Antonelli's concept. First two rounds are played as it is now. Then the Sweet 16 to the finals move to Las Vegas.

How many fannies do you really think would be in the seats?

 

[MSGRET]

What would the attendance been in the Four Regionals if local teams had not been sent to them? You would have had attendance of less then 3000 in all of them. I guess the only solution is to have all the Regionals in Vegas or sites that have a Huge WBB Fan base.

I'll go with the Regionals in Vegas, that way I can take Metro to the game and back home afterwards.

 

[bballnut90]

I agree that neutral sites would be ideal, but it's also true that the sites don't happen by accident. As far as the West Coast is concerned, the only venues likely to draw well for the regionals are in the Northwest: Seattle, Portland, Spokane. I suppose the San Fran area might be worth a (very long) shot, but Southern Cal is absolutely hopeless in this regard. And since the NCAA can only select sites from those that apply, and those that apply presumably do so because they think they can make some dollars, it's likely that things will remain the same until WBB expands its fan base considerably. And I suspect that the relatively small size of New England/the mid-Atlantic States will always mean that UCONN fans will fill most of the seats, even if they aren't located in Bridgeport or Albany.

Agree 100%. I understand why they do it and i think it good for the sport even if it isnt fair. You commonly see home court advantage based on attendance in most women's sports (ex. Volleyball, softball).

I'd be happier if they switched to how college volleyball handles it, where the #1 seeds get to host regionals. Youd get better crowds and it would reward the #1s with home court advantage instead

 

[UcMiami]

Notre Dame will have an advantage next year as well with a Regional being in Fort Wayne Indiana.

Only if they are the top #1 seed or if their is no other mid-western #1. Louisville would have been in Chicago this year if they won the ACC and ND would have ended up in one of the other regions.

 

[NEforceUConn]

For those of you favoring neutral court sites i will be at the Iowa Baylor game tomorrow night in Greensboro, along with maybe 4,000 other fans. Its a shame that normally both Iowa and Baylor play in front of maybe 10,000 for any home game and they will be playing for a trip to the final four in front of 4,000?

 

[GoDawgs4]

My only point was why have a #1 seed travel across the country while a #2 seed gets a leisurely 90 minute drive on the Interstate.

I would feel the same if Oregon had been a 1 seed , State a 2 seed and the Regional final was in Birmingham. How is that fair to Oregon? It is not.

The point being if they are going to play them in Portland or Albany then they might as well play them in Eugene and Storrs if they are going to allow those teams to be in that same Regional. If crowd support is that important then play all the Regionals on campus at only those schools that are Grandfathered in.

I already said Oregon would have beaten State today anywhere based on the way they played. The question being would they have played that well without 95% of the crowd behind in a different venue?

No sour grapes from me about Oregon’s play today. They absolutely beat us.

 

[enigmatic]

If were gonna talk about #2's then yes I want Stanford and Iowa to come out victorious too. The Cardinal already have the experience of beating ND in regional play so they're very capable of doing it again. In Iowa's case, they have absolutely nothing to lose. Will it be their turn to again deny Baylor a trip to the FF. I say it's certainly well possible.

 

[jonson]

[QUOTE="GoDawgs4, post: 3107161, member: 8051 No sour grapes from me about Oregon’s play today.[/QUOTE]

I hope so. But given the very long history here of Mississippi State fans explaining away the two losses to Oregon and arguing that things surely would have been different if--fill in the blank--yours seems to me just another set of posts about how all of us should recognize that Oregon really is the inferior team.

Sometimes a loss is just a loss and sometimes the better team is the one that wins.

 

[UConnNick]

What would the attendance been in the Four Regionals if local teams had not been sent to them? You would have had attendance of less then 3000 in all of them. I guess the only solution is to have all the Regionals in Vegas or sites that have a Huge WBB Fan base.

Oh no, not Vegas again. The Debbie Antonelli Vegas Memorial Final 16!

 

[Carnac]

[QUOTE="MSGRET, post: 3106969, member: 8506"]I'll go with the Regionals in Vegas, that way I can take Metro to the game and back home afterwards.[/QUOTE]

Me too. I'm in Vegas this weekend visiting my granddaughter, Id love it!!

 

[GoDawgs4]

[QUOTE="GoDawgs4, post: 3107161, member: 8051 No sour grapes from me about Oregon’s play today.

I hope so. But given the very long history here of Mississippi State fans explaining away the two losses to Oregon and arguing that things surely would have been different if--fill in the blank--yours seems to me just another set of posts about how all of us should recognize that Oregon really is the inferior team.

Sometimes a loss is just a loss and sometimes the better team is the one that wins.[/QUOTE]


and it will forever more be a loss for us. Actually, quite honestly after losing 4 starters two years ago and then 4 more starters last year, it was amazing that we made it to the Elite Eight. I am very proud of our Ladies.

Now Schaefer will be replacing four more starters. That is 12 in three years yet we have some talent coming along so next year we will drop off some but not a lot.

The job Coach Schaefer and his staff did this year is nothing less than fantastic. Most of us thought we would be fortunate to make in to the Tournament but getting this far did not seem likely before the season started.

Also I never said Oregon was an inferior team. Quite the contrary they are an excellent team. My conversation was about logistics.