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Voyageurs"},{"term":"Michael Faulds"},{"term":"Michael Lysko"},{"term":"Mike Sirant"},{"term":"NBL"},{"term":"Navel-gazing"},{"term":"Old Crows"},{"term":"Olympics"},{"term":"Pacific Nations Cup"},{"term":"Pan Game"},{"term":"Paul Hamilton"},{"term":"Paul James"},{"term":"Promotion"},{"term":"Rob Saunders"},{"term":"Ross Bekkering"},{"term":"Rémi Aboussouan"},{"term":"SIC"},{"term":"Seattle Seahawks"},{"term":"Sebastien Levesque"},{"term":"Sidney Halter Award"},{"term":"Swimming Canada"},{"term":"TV"},{"term":"TV issues"},{"term":"Terry Danyluk"},{"term":"The Nuge"},{"term":"Timberwolves"},{"term":"Tonner Jackson"},{"term":"UBC Golden Hawks"},{"term":"Universiade"},{"term":"University of Toronto"},{"term":"Vancouver Whitecaps"},{"term":"Vanier Cup expansion"},{"term":"What we learned this week"},{"term":"Wilfrid Laurier University"},{"term":"William Houston"},{"term":"Wrestling"},{"term":"alcohol"},{"term":"beer"},{"term":"betting"},{"term":"broadcasts"},{"term":"dave johnson"},{"term":"do not adjust your set"},{"term":"funding"},{"term":"host berths"},{"term":"international basketball"},{"term":"interviews"},{"term":"journalism"},{"term":"mud fights"},{"term":"schedules"},{"term":"technical difficulties"},{"term":"ted goveia"},{"term":"tiering"},{"term":"tragedy"},{"term":"trinity western"},{"term":"trivia"},{"term":"university sport"},{"term":"Étienne Légaré"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The CIS Blog"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"News and notes on U SPORTS - even if we refuse to change our name"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/-\/Basketball?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/search\/label\/Basketball"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/-\/Basketball\/-\/Basketball?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=26\u0026max-results=25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Scott Hastie"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08081415078301065374"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"909"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-4832164359520733889"},"published":{"$t":"2019-03-03T12:29:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-03-03T12:59:44.429-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMU Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Stingers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Tigers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bracketology: Say Elo to Carleton at No. 1 over Calgary? Probably, and for the sake of scheduling, go Dalhousie Tigers"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The case for Calgary centres on an unblemished ramble through an entire conference season; the case for Carleton is almost everything else.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe latter is what matters more, and it might have been the iceberg that yours truly was ignoring during this whole exercise. Historically, overall record does not have the heaviest sway with the Final 8 seeding committee. So, Carleton's good, and thorough, almost-in-doubt-but-never-really-close 20-point win in the Wilson Cup, the Ravens are force-feeding some crow. Whether Carleton really wants to go in as the No. 1 seed — \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bracketology-how-will-carleton-avoid-no.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewhile there is no cause-and-effect, they have done better as a 2 or a 3\u003C\/a\u003E — is another story.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt feels like the last two decades of university basketball were summed up in one basket in the fourth quarter. Down 18 in the fourth quarter, Ryerson gets a little careless with the inbound pass. Carleton's \u003Cb\u003EMunis Tutu\u003C\/b\u003E steals and bats the ball back into court to create the extra possession. A ball screen, two dribble drives and a tight block-to-block bounce pass later, \u003Cb\u003EMitch Jackson\u003C\/b\u003E lays it in.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏀 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E MBKB 🏀\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDefence ➡️\u0026nbsp;offence as the steal from Munis Tutu on the inbound play makes its way around to Mitch Jackson for the finish inside!\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreONE?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WeAreONE\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QuestForTheCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#QuestForTheCup\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WilsonCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WilsonCup\u003C\/a\u003E 🏆 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IQcc8v8QpC\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/IQcc8v8QpC\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— OUA (@OUAsport) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OUAsport\/status\/1102036690242338816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EMarch 3, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E The invaluable U Sports Hoops site that Martin Timmerman compiles includes five rankings: the contentious Elo Rating that the university sport's branding office has embraced, Ratings Percentage Index, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/rankings-srs.php?Gender=MBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESimple Ranking System (through games on Feb. 23)\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/pppinfo.php?Gender=MBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\u0026amp;Sort=PPPDiff\u0026amp;Category=University\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EPoints Per Possession Differential\u003C\/a\u003E and last week's \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/rankings-top10.php?Gender=MBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETop 10 coaches' poll\u003C\/a\u003E. (There is a longer explanation on the five at the bottom.) \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is how the 11 teams in tournament consideration — \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/mbb2018\/cisatlarge.php\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAlberta, Laurier, New Brunswick and Ottawa are listed as candidates for the at-large berth\u003C\/a\u003E — are rated at this writing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 13px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003EElo Rating\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPPPDiff\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ESRS\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ERPI\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ETop 10\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUBC\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUBC\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUBC\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESMU\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUBC\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESMU\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESMU\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESMU\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUBC\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EDal\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EDal\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESMU\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EDal\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EDal\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurier*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurier*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurier*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurier*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUNB*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EDal\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUNB*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUNB*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUNB*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUNB*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurier*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E*not qualified\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe only ranking Calgary tops is the RPI, the system that greater mathematical minds most disdain.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EWhether the seeding committee takes each ranking on face value or looks at other factors is up to them. (As an aside, on a societal level, it is appalling how much we increasingly seem to conditioned to take everything at face value, with a case in point being the nothing-burger that is a semantic argument between the prime minister's office and a former attorney general, with smart people siding with the latter because the media tells them that is a way to feel woke.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor instance, Elo Rating has issues with \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/fivethirtyeight.com\/features\/introducing-nfl-elo-ratings\/?fbclid=IwAR20xaQNHu3JUILdLHOAYAXmfrBBETLcdnK6zpQiIFFAx3BWqiJLckl4wPA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eproperly accounting for margin of victory when favourites win, as FiveThirtyEight explained in 2014\u003C\/a\u003E. In our case, Carleton's \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/mbb2018\/eloreport.php?Gender=MBB\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E52.1-point gain in Elo points for defeating Ryerson by 20 was much larger than the Rams' minus-25.2 penalty\u003C\/a\u003E. But Calgary's upgrade and UBC's downgrade, 15.6 points in either direction, was the same after \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/show-game-report.php?Gender=MBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\u0026amp;Gameid=M20190302CGYUBC\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECalgary won by 15 points in the Canada West championship game\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe largest considerations for the seeding committee are probably whether they will want to avoid the possibility of intra-conference semifinals such as Carleton-Ryerson or UBC-Calgary. It has been known to come into play. The promoter might prefer grouping Dalhousie and Saint Mary's for the evening quarterfinals on Friday but it's not up to them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo here's a bracket that assumes a Saint Mary's win in the AUS championship game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton (OUA champion). \u003C\/b\u003EAre they still good? Yes.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (Canada West champion).\u003C\/b\u003E There were tweets about\u003Cb\u003E David Kapinga \u003C\/b\u003Ebeing shaken up on Saturday. He still played 37 minutes.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson (OUA No. 2). \u003C\/b\u003EThe Rams might be having an almost Raptors-esque pattern down the stretch. Two losses in the league, then do what needed to be done to qualify — beat Ottawa, win at Laurier — and then have a troubling outcome.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's (AUS champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Is there a case for them at No. 3? Only if one makes too much out of Ryerson looking human.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC (Canada West No. 2)\u003C\/b\u003E. The first quarterfinal on Friday is at 12 noon Atlantic, or 8 a.m. Pacific, so the T-Birds should not be in that one.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EConcordia (RSEQ champion). \u003C\/b\u003EThank you, Acadia Rule. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStill wincing from the combined 33.6 per cent effective shooting the Stingers and UQAM combined for in the first half on Saturday. Did they leave a gym door open?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDalhousie (host).\u003C\/b\u003E Again, a 7-8 flip with the host and wild card. The Tigers are No. 7 in Canada, and holding off UNB in the AUS semifinal when the Varsity Reds had their season on the line seems impressive.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAlberta (wild card). \u003C\/b\u003ETop team in four of the nine categories used in the at-large selection, and tied for first in a fifth.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOmen alert: Alberta faced Carleton in the 2008 quarterfinal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003EIf Dalhousie wins against Saint Mary's, by rule the Tigers must be in the top 6. Those who have been through the corn maze that is this clusterfudge of rules on top of rules probably has, \"Results of regional playoffs must be respected\" and \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/usports.ca\/uploads\/hq\/Playing_Regs\/2018-2019\/180613_PlayingRegs_Basketball_%28M%29.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ea conference champion seeded 6 cannot be flipped to 7th\u003C\/a\u003E\" memorized. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat should create this seeding:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECarleton\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECalgary\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERyerson\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUBC\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDalhousie (AUS champion)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EConcordia\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESaint Mary's (AUS rep)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAlberta (wild card)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003ENoon tipoff for Concordia-Ryerson on Friday. Given the state of Canada's transportation infrastructure and the location of the Halifax airport, take a late flight on Thursday out of Montreal or Toronto. The 6 a.m. flight on Friday is too risky. For disclosure's sake, the five ratings:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EElo Rating.\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/fivethirtyeight.com\/features\/introducing-nfl-elo-ratings\/?fbclid=IwAR20xaQNHu3JUILdLHOAYAXmfrBBETLcdnK6zpQiIFFAx3BWqiJLckl4wPA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFiveThirtyEight probably has the best explainer on Elo and its strengths and flaws\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPoint per possession differential. \u003C\/b\u003EI used the \"most games\" option since it seems like a bigger sample than league games only. And bigger is better, correct?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERatings Percentage Index (RPI).\u003C\/b\u003E That wonderful ranking system that does not include home and away performance, or margin of victory.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESimple Rating System (SRS). \u003C\/b\u003EFor games through Feb. 23; SRS was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/blog\/index4837.html?p=37\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edeveloped in-house at Sports-Reference.com and utilizes point differential and strength of schedule\u003C\/a\u003E. In the women's game, the RSEQ was a strength-of-schedule monster thanks to Laval and everyone basically riding Laval's coattails. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETop 10 ranking.\u003C\/b\u003E From the last national poll released Feb. 26, which was taken before the conference championship games and AUS Final 6.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/4832164359520733889\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/03\/bracketology-say-elo-to-carleton-at-no.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4832164359520733889"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4832164359520733889"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/03\/bracketology-say-elo-to-carleton-at-no.html","title":"Bracketology: Say Elo to Carleton at No. 1 over Calgary? Probably, and for the sake of scheduling, go Dalhousie Tigers"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-2441732102194419743"},"published":{"$t":"2019-03-03T10:35:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-03-03T13:37:21.470-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Axewomen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bronze Baby Bracketology, Proved Me Wrong Kids edition: McMaster, Saskatchewan go in as conference champs"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Haley McDonald of Acadia had a conference-record 51 points, and that has some competition for Saturday's most impressive stat.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESomeone, somewhere, is none too surprised by how the last 24-ish hours have played out; that is the perk of a perpetually underexposed and underappreciated strata of basketball. Put another way: I \u003Ci\u003Ewant\u003C\/i\u003E to be wrong about which teams are in which slots; the real goal is just that people understand the regionally and politically compromised process that is nationals seeding. (On a related note, please stop making sense about just seeding everyone 1 through 8 based on quality, or SRS.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELong story short, there was a weekend of the mild upset in the Maritimes, as McDonald turned it up to 11 — hey, Saturday was the 35th anniversary of the release of \u003Ci\u003EThis Is Spinal Tap\u003C\/i\u003E — to advance Acadia to an AUS final against Memorial, which was under .500 during conference play.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EGAME RECAP: McDonald breaks AUS record with 51 points as Axewomen edge Panthers to advance to AUS finals🏀🏆\u003Cbr \/\u003E👇👇👇\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/A9IJC0lues\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/A9IJC0lues\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3g0dKsRBcM\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/3g0dKsRBcM\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— AUS_SUA (@AUS_SUA) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AUS_SUA\/status\/1101980681352167427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EMarch 2, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf it seemed odd that Ottawa had ascended to a No. 1 ranking ahead of the Laval team that it lost to twice in the fall, then McMaster has validated that skepticism by winning the Critelli Cup with a 79-75 win against the host Gee-Gees. Taking nothing away from the feat of McDonald and how her teammates facilitated it, the Marauders played a perfect game on Ottawa's floor. \u003Cb\u003ESarah Gates \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EHilary Hanaka \u003C\/b\u003Eeach hooped at least 20 and were charged with zero turnovers, \u003Ci\u003Ecombined\u003C\/i\u003E, geek out on that.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏀 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E WBKB 🏀\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat championship feeling!\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreONE?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WeAreONE\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QuestForTheCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#QuestForTheCup\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CritelliCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#CritelliCup\u003C\/a\u003E 🏆 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/INfPFAA7Ie\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/INfPFAA7Ie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— OUA (@OUAsport) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OUAsport\/status\/1101977929783918593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EMarch 2, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ERather than just do the usual back-of-an-envelope bracketing, I made a chart.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt can never be over-reiterated that every Canadian university hoops cultist owes Martin Timmerman bottomless thanks for \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/pppinfo.php?Gender=WBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\u0026amp;Sort=PPPDiff\u0026amp;Category=University\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EU Sports Hoops\u003C\/a\u003E, which is basketball brain candy. It has made all of information-rich with knowing the true performance of teams. So before taking a half-educated guess on how the Final 8 will be seeded after the Memorial-Acadia championship game, it might be best to show where the qualified teams, AUS finalists and \"one short\" at-large candidates stack up in the five rankings Timmerman tabulates. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose are, as you know.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EElo Rating.\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/fivethirtyeight.com\/features\/introducing-nfl-elo-ratings\/?fbclid=IwAR20xaQNHu3JUILdLHOAYAXmfrBBETLcdnK6zpQiIFFAx3BWqiJLckl4wPA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFiveThirtyEight probably has the best explainer on Elo and its strengths and flaws\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPoint per possession differential. \u003C\/b\u003EI used the \"most games\" option since it seems like a bigger sample than league games only. And bigger is better, correct?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERatings Percentage Index (RPI).\u003C\/b\u003E That ranking system that does not include home and away performance, or margin of victory.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESimple Rating System (SRS). \u003C\/b\u003EFor games through Feb. 23; SRS was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/blog\/index4837.html?p=37\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edeveloped in-house at Sports-Reference.com and utilizes point differential and strength of schedule\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETop 10 ranking.\u003C\/b\u003E From the last national poll released Feb. 26, which was taken before the conference championship games and AUS Final 6.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EHere is how the teams rank, top to bottom, in each category. At-large candidates have a star (*) beside them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 13px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003EElo Rating\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPPPDiff\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ESRS\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ERPI\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ETop 10\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECape Breton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne of my \"so this is the hill you choose to die on, really, well not really\" hobby-horses it would be good for the game if OUA and the RSEQ had inter-conference regular-season games. There is no political will and making that happen.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, playing Quebec teams is a factor in SRS. Ahead of the auto-berth games and the Critelli Cup, Ottawa had a strength-of-schedule factor of 2.18 while McMaster was minus-0.86. That difference stems somewhat from non-conference scheduling: Ottawa had five games with the RSEQ and McMaster had one (against McGill, on a neutral floor in Toronto). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo one suspects Mac's dramatic win won't budge at least one ranking as much as perhaps it should. However, the tournament is still seeded by humans. Here's that back-of-the-envelope bracket, at long last.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (RSEQ champion). \u003C\/b\u003EHard to deny a team that has beaten everyone. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan (Canada West champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Grade out well across the board in the analytics, have the reputation of showing well at nationals.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (OUA champion).\u003C\/b\u003E The Acadia rule is your friend, Marauders.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (OUA No. 2)\u003C\/b\u003E. Lose a conference final at home and this happens.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (Canada West No. 2).\u003C\/b\u003E d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAcadia (AUS champion).\u003C\/b\u003E They have \u003Cb\u003EHaley McDonald\u003C\/b\u003E, so they beat Memorial. Or not.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EConcordia wild card).\u003C\/b\u003E There is no mortal lock for the wild card. The Calgary Dinos are above the the Stingers in most of the criteria. That is not what matters. First off, parse how the rule is written:\u003Cblockquote\u003EAll teams will be considered for the at-large berth and ranked in each category. If any team is the only team to lead two, three or four of these categories following the conclusion of conference playoffs, it will be awarded the at-large berth. If no team leads more categories than all other teams, the berth will be awarded to the tied team who has the highest winning percentage vs. the Top 12 teams in the final RPI.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe four categories, with their leaders:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWinning percentage in all games: \u003C\/b\u003ECape Breton, .828\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERPI for non-conference and league games (not playoffs):\u003C\/b\u003E UPEI\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayoff advancement, how many wins away from automatic qualifier:\u003C\/b\u003E Calgary, Concordia, Carleton, Lakehead, Lethbridge, Memorial\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESRS rating for non-conference and league games (not playoffs):\u003C\/b\u003E Concordia, 21.72\u003C\/li\u003EConcordia is first in a category and tied in another. By rule, that (groan) points to the Stingers getting the berth. And that's only after really re-reading how the rules are written. It's not so clear that the most deserving team will be rewarded. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe reason the Stingers grade out highest in SRS is the Laval factor — i.e., four league games with Laval, and four league games against everyone else who had four league games with Laval. Their SoS (strength of schedule) factor is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/rankings-srs.php?Gender=WBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E8.07, which is by far the lowest in the five-team RSEQ, but also far higher than anyone in the rest of Canada, with Acadia a distant sixth nationally at 2.88\u003C\/a\u003E So, yes, Concordia should get the wild card.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhether this is fair is another discussion. The \"Winning percentage against teams in Top 12 of RPI\" tiebreaker appears to be out of play. Carleton went 4-6 and Calgary went 3-6, while Concordia was 2-6. The Stingers' quality wins were at Carleton on the first night of the Ravens' home tournament, when Carleton was breaking in four new starters, and against UPEI at home. There's a good possibility that Concordia is a fine team trying to break the surly bonds of a shallow league with a Gallic juggernaut or two. That seems to be the lot of every Stingers team, so good on them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson (host). \u003C\/b\u003EEasily flip to 7 if it's not Concordia in the wild card.. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/2441732102194419743\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology-proved-me.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2441732102194419743"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2441732102194419743"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology-proved-me.html","title":"Bronze Baby Bracketology, Proved Me Wrong Kids edition: McMaster, Saskatchewan go in as conference champs"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8842288002608078439"},"published":{"$t":"2019-02-24T22:11:00.004-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-02-25T14:07:37.899-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badgers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bracketology: Calgary all but secures No. 1; UBC qualifies, Alberta in line for a wild card"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Now Alberta is cheering for chalk.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESometimes the big picture that seems so self-evident is too fuzzy and vague to become focal, so the small thinking becomes the big picture. In the long run, where the aim is to have more Canadian university basketball teams become a viable alternative for talents that might otherwise end up at a D-1 low major or some slack D-2 diploma mill, it probably is good that Laurier, with a .760 win percentage in all OUA games, is going to host, Ryerson, which has played .917 ball, in a play-in game this week.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Rams need someone to take up the cause of them being hosed about as much as Bradley Cooper does. The Laurier Golden Hawks getting a decent crowd out for its first home semifinal game would do more to spread word-of-mouth about the strength of university basketball than it does at Ryerson, where they would be playing in front of the converted. So there is that, if you can ignore the Rams having the better record which also includes beating Laurier by 45 points in November.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EFirst OUA Semifinal home game for M🏀 since 1976? We better make sure the AC is packed Wednesday night Laurier‼️🗣 Visit \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jhps0emLaW\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/jhps0emLaW\u003C\/a\u003E to get your 🎟 now \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreHAWKS?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WeAreHAWKS\u003C\/a\u003E💜💛 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QuestForTheCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#QuestForTheCup\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/MakingHistory?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#MakingHistory\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GOU4xx1Hzs\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/GOU4xx1Hzs\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Laurier Golden Hawks (@WLUAthletics) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WLUAthletics\/status\/1099807188154023937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 24, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EDon\u0026#39;t forget because of the clueless \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OUAsport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@OUAsport\u003C\/a\u003E playoff format, Ryerson now has to travel to a gym where they won by 45 points earlier this season. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mgUejXD6RA\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/mgUejXD6RA\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026mdash; Mitch Robson (@_mitchrobson) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_mitchrobson\/status\/1100108542059503616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 25, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, that segues into into the contrast between the formats of the country's two largest leagues. Canada West's unbalanced, undivided setup has contributed to the best of all possible outcomes. Calgary is undefeated in the conference and has the best case to be the No. 1 seed in two weeks' time. The series that Alberta and UBC, with the Thunderbirds ultimately prevailing in Game 3 on Sunday night played was competitive and taut and like sealed the emotional and empirical arguments for Canada West getting the wild card, if the form holds this week.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlberta are ahead of both Laurier and the Brock Badgers in the all-important \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/mbb2018\/cisatlarge.php\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eselection criteria for an at-large berth\u003C\/a\u003E. So really, no sugarcoating, those OUA semis on Wednesday are surely do-or-done games for the two OUA West schools. It might be a jump to conclusions to call that a creation of the two-division format. It is more likely that the OUA's growing parity has worked against having an obvious third Final 8 team.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are some changes since that \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bracketology-how-will-carleton-avoid-no.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Efirst attempt two weeks ago\u003C\/a\u003E. Calgary, on paper, deserves the top seed, while Quebec once again seems to be an enigma. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (Canada West champion). \u003C\/b\u003EThey deserve it. The 2018 Dinos might have well been this decade's 2008 Brock Badgers, who swooped to wins the nationals where vanquishing Carleton in the semis was the realest final. But that does not come into play for seeding.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🦖🏀🗒\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELars Schlueter, everybody.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoDinos?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#GoDinos\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WinTheWest?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WinTheWest\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ChampSZN?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#ChampSZN\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERECAP ⬇ \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PkMbiZyz9X\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/PkMbiZyz9X\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UCalgary Dinos Men's Basketball 🏀 (@DinosMBB) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DinosMBB\/status\/1099192391817457665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 23, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003ENow, where to put Calgary as a Canada West runner-up would be awfully interesting. They can render that moot by smoking UBC.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton (OUA champion).\u003C\/b\u003E The chance that the Wilson Cup could just be a prologue to a national semifinals showdown is rather anticlimactic. But hey, Carleton and Ryerson are probably incapable of playing a boring game.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson (OUA assigned). \u003C\/b\u003EThe only basis for projecting Carleton at No. 2 and Ryerson at No. 3 is that the Ravens rarely lose two in a row against anyone. Not sure about what is the more impressive \u003Cb\u003ETanor Ngom\u003C\/b\u003E stat against Ottawa — that the 7-foot-2 centre got his 22 points on only 10 shots, or that Ottawa had only 25 two-point attempts.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/mbb2018\/eloreport.php?Gender=MBB\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EELO Rating\u003C\/a\u003E is, by imperial edict, the indicator, than Ryerson is much closer to the top two than it is to UBC. Now, if UBC upsets Calgary this week in the Canada West final, then the seeding call gets really interesting.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC (Canada West assigned). \u003C\/b\u003EFirst things first: the Thunderbirds' X factor was shutting down\u003Cb\u003E Brody Clarke\u003C\/b\u003E, who was held to 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.canadawest.org\/sports\/mbkb\/2018-19p\/boxscores\/20190224_y6g2.xml?view=boxscore\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EUBC won 84-78\u003C\/a\u003E to nab an auto-berth on Sunday. Some words are being eaten, rest assured, after seeing the Thunderbirds take two on Alberta's floor to punch their ticket.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's (AUS champion).\u003C\/b\u003E No longer undefeated in the league, but that defeat in a game that didn't affect the standings could have been the scare they needed ... hey, how about UNB's \u003Cb\u003EChris Spurrell \u003C\/b\u003Ewith a land-in-the-bench last-second game-winner to get his team the other AUS Final 6 bye?\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe Game Winner felt around the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AUS_SUA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@AUS_SUA\u003C\/a\u003E by Chris Spurrell, securing 2nd place and the Playoff Bye for the Reds next weekend in Halifax at the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ScotiabankCtr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@ScotiabankCtr\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lgxyN3dT63\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/lgxyN3dT63\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UNB Reds Basketball (@UNB_Basketball) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UNB_Basketball\/status\/1099741461111820288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 24, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe schedule is set for the 2019 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SubwayAtlantic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@SubwayAtlantic\u003C\/a\u003E AUS Men's Basketball Championships🏀🏆\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EQF#1: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/StFXAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@StFXAthletics\u003C\/a\u003E vs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gocapersgo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@gocapersgo\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EQF#2: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MUNathletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@MUNathletics\u003C\/a\u003E vs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DalTigers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@DalTigers\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESF#1: QF#1 winner vs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SMUHuskies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@SMUHuskies\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ESF#2: QF#2 winner vs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UNBAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@UNBAthletics\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E👉Schedule: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZfpURlh8Qr\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/ZfpURlh8Qr\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IjVbbPZ70N\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/IjVbbPZ70N\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— AUS_SUA (@AUS_SUA) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AUS_SUA\/status\/1099498137327190016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 24, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcGill (RSEQ champion). \u003C\/b\u003ESomeone from Montreal likely hands here. First-place Concordia had home-court advantage wrapped early, so maybe it does not matter that they have lost their most recent outings to semifinal opponent Bishop's (70-68, albeit at Lennoxville), second-place McGill (70-59) and third-place UQAM (81-79). But at the same time, the Stingers have have double-digit conference wins four years in a row and every time it's been McGill that came out of the Q.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHey, I'm a Minnesota Vikings and a Toronto Raptors fan. I also get sick of people who believe the past dictates the future, always.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAlberta (wild card).\u003C\/b\u003E The Golden Bears grade out higher than Laurier in four of the five criteria for the at-large berth, which means they should get it. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDalhousie (host). \u003C\/b\u003EWrote this one in with the same pen I use to complete \u003Ci\u003EThe New York Times\u003C\/i\u003E Sunday crossword, at least as far as you know.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003EBy the way, about seven years ago Ken Shields told someone that if Phil Scrubb \"doesn't play for the national team, there should be an investigation.\" Today:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EAn absolute force at both ends of the court, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PhilScrubb23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@PhilScrubb23\u003C\/a\u003E earns \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ToyotaCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@ToyotaCanada\u003C\/a\u003E Drive of the Game honours in Canada's 🇨🇦 big win over Venezuela 🇻🇪. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreTeamCanada?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WeAreTeamCanada\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/FIBAWC?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#FIBAWC\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ThisIsMyHouse?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#ThisIsMyHouse\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4lS6esvNbG\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/4lS6esvNbG\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanBball\/status\/1099807228683415552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 24, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8842288002608078439\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bracketology-calgary-all-but-secures-no.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8842288002608078439"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8842288002608078439"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bracketology-calgary-all-but-secures-no.html","title":"Bracketology: Calgary all but secures No. 1; UBC qualifies, Alberta in line for a wild card"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-7715444128499980429"},"published":{"$t":"2018-02-24T13:38:00.005-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-02-24T13:38:55.637-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"playoff formats"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Men's basketball: OUA East dominated OUA West again"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWith all the talk about the OUA East\/West Division alignment in basketball, here's a look at how all teams have fared in a few metrics. It's sorted by Rating Percentage Index (RPI) but I've also included Simple Rating System (SRS) and Points Per Possession (PPP). \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KMRS2lNdY4\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/KMRS2lNdY4\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Denis Beausoleil (@DenisBeausoleil) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DenisBeausoleil\/status\/967084496615915520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 23, 2018\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E WBKB | It won't be long before the Critelli Cup 🏆 quarterfinals hit the court, but will today's games follow a similar script to Round 1 or will there be some plot twists on the hardwood? Visit \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dy5BkCU2gT\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/dy5BkCU2gT\u003C\/a\u003E for more! \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QuestForTheCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#QuestForTheCup\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E👉 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Y6xeETMutN\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/Y6xeETMutN\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/gg8hq1pa6l\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/gg8hq1pa6l\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— OUA (@OUAsport) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OUAsport\/status\/967448913086205953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 24, 2018\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E MBKB | Three 100+ point outputs highlighted the first round 🏀 action, but will offense be the name of the game in the Wilson Cup 🏆\u0026nbsp;quarterfinals? The top teams are set to do battle in the next round of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QuestForTheCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#QuestForTheCup\u003C\/a\u003E!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E👉 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6z9Tau9m36\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/6z9Tau9m36\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/28pWVQvXjT\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/28pWVQvXjT\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— OUA (@OUAsport) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OUAsport\/status\/966715393355276288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 22, 2018\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E men's basketball playoffs continue today with the Quarterfinals. Here's a look at each of the 4 matchups. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IWC7C21Xor\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/IWC7C21Xor\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Denis Beausoleil (@DenisBeausoleil) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DenisBeausoleil\/status\/967464469067542528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EFebruary 24, 2018\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E There used to be a political chant,\u003Ci\u003E The West Wants In\u003C\/i\u003E. In OUA basketball, the chant, emanating from somewhere in the vicinity of the Niagara Escarpment, is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EThe West Wants An Easier Road To Nationals\u003C\/i\u003E. The OUA heard it, which was inevitable, but unfortunately, they chose to apply it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe men's basketball regular-season standings were revealing enough about how the conference tilts eastward. The East teams have two all-but-assured losses against Carleton and one fewer regular-season game than West teams, who get the free spaces on the bingo card in the form of the Algoma Thunderbirds. Regardless, the East's fourth-placed Laurentian had 16 wins, while the West's second-placed Western had 15.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EThe above tables that \u003Cb\u003EDenis Beausoleil\u003C\/b\u003E (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DenisBeausoleil\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E@DenisBeausoleil\u003C\/a\u003E) generated make the imbalance, and the injustice that only two teams from a division can reach the league semifinals and get consideration for the Final 8's wild-card berth, all the more glaringly self-evident. The post-season matchups are playing out in a way that would make \u003Cb\u003EGary Bettman\u003C\/b\u003E proud.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the quarter-finals on this Saturday, the quantitatively No. 5 team, Laurentian, gets the abandon-all-hope trip to No. 1 Carleton. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003ENo. 6\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;squad, Western, will host Windsor.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELast week, Queen's, which graded out eighth in Beausoleil's crunching of Simple Ranking System, had to face Ryerson in a prelim. Windsor, who was 10th-best, hosted Waterloo. Incidentally, Waterloo's 13th-best SRS was lower than the 12th-best of Nipissing, which was the first one out of the playoff tree in OUA East.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003EAll of that could have been forecast from the moment last spring when OUA announced it was reverting to a stricter East\/West format, resetting the clock to 2013 and '14 when Ryerson was a Top 5 team but had its route to nationals closed by Ottawa and Carleton. It was like a wet blanket and a cinder block to the face, all at once, to see a league that is trending positively in so many ways by university sports standards — national team and G-league opportunities for Carleton and Ryerson; schools actually bidding to host national championships, unlike football — act\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eagainst\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eits interests.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are a dozen changes in governance, funding and administration —\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ecough, scholarships\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;— that would go farther toward creating competitive balance in the major university team sports. Those can be saved for another day. The crux of it comes down to equality of opportunity.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith full realization this is a reiteration of playoff format posts past, the ideal way to accommodate the influx of basketball talent available to OUA — overflow of players left over others heed the siren song of America's shamateurism-industrial complex with all its tax-evading excesses — is to have the loosest, independent-of-geography structure \u003Ci\u003Epossible\u003C\/i\u003E. Space the floor. There is no way to anticipate which school will decide it's actually worth basketball-ing right, so why put an arbitrary barrier in place? Schools don't control their location.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne can read a little about the values of a sports league by how it decides a champion. It's telling that the NBA, for instance, might go to the ultimate athletic meritocracy of a 1-through-16 format.\u0026nbsp; The NHL prefers having its best teams eliminate each other early in the playoffs, as a concession to the fact it loses viewership to the spring weather during the conference and Stanley Cup finals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAgain, it was disheartening that OUA took a step back after a few years of the progressive, yet flawed, \"RPI-offs.\" The next step should have been going to Simple Ranking System (SRS), which is more meritocratic. It was one reason for this diehard to withdraw a little from this underrated and misunderstood corner of Hoopdom for this season.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/7715444128499980429\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2018\/02\/mens-basketball-oua-east-dominated-oua.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7715444128499980429"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7715444128499980429"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2018\/02\/mens-basketball-oua-east-dominated-oua.html","title":"Men's basketball: OUA East dominated OUA West again"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3071352765105213157"},"published":{"$t":"2017-11-01T18:57:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-11-02T15:34:08.597-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"In For A Dozen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lakers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"In For A Dozen: Anyone But Carleton, still CIS (Completely Inaccurate Stats), the Curse of Beyoncé, and atheism in The Simpsons"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ci\u003E#NotStickingToSports ... but you came here for the university sports, so the sports gets higher billing in the program. Happy Indictment Week, y'alls.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERavens, Ravens go away? Not any time soon. \u003C\/b\u003EFifteen years and 13 championships ago, Carleton was an entry point to care about Canadian university basketball. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow its unshakable hoops hegemony is a turn-off. It's not them, it's more me and the tendency to get bored if one knows the ending in advance. Ultimately, it stems from a frustration that university basketball could and should have a much larger platform. It's a great Canadian achievement that there are more and more teams every year that play at a D-1 low to mid-major level on a fraction of those teams' budgets. And no one, certainly not anyone making programming decisions at a major broadcast network, realizes this since all the general public sees of the game is Carleton cutting down the nets again on a Sunday afternoon in March.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWrote a new feature: How do you beat a Canadian basketball team that (almost) never loses? \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2FzD7FXn66\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/2FzD7FXn66\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Nick Faris (@nickmfaris) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nickmfaris\/status\/925019030234296320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 30, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E It is unhealthy, though, to resent excellence, and hating on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ecan'tstopwon'tstop \u003C\/i\u003ECarleton\u0026nbsp;means ignoring how they set the bar from every hard-driving coach in every corner of the country, from\u003Cb\u003E Roy Rana\u003C\/b\u003E at Ryerson and\u003Cb\u003E James Derouin\u003C\/b\u003E at Ottawa at downtown universities in metropolitan cities to coaches at nascent programs such as\u003Cb\u003E Chris Cheng \u003C\/b\u003Eat Nipissing in North Bay. The players who stay home to develop continue to attain greater heights.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EAccording to everyone's biggest \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Raptors905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@Raptors905\u003C\/a\u003E insider \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BlakeMurphyODC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@BlakeMurphyODC\u003C\/a\u003E: Aaron Best and Kaza Kajami-Keane have made the final 905 roster \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BIG?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#BIG\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uoCCzATjhX\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/uoCCzATjhX\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Jordan Henry (@Jor_Henry) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jor_Henry\/status\/925206279517171712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 31, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EThe frustration is of a macro nature since 13 titles in 15 years belonging to one team amounts to having a broken game at the institutional level. It comes down to two things. One is that until such time that there are scholarships, it will still be Carleton and Ryerson (due to several factors extrinsic to actual basketball playing) atop the summit. The second is that basketball is a growth sport in Canada in both high-performance athletes and, how rare is this in 2017, spectator interest, and very little work has been done to for universities to take advantage of their unique positioning to offer live basketball.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's important not to have sacred cows, or pigskins. Taking the three main men's university team sports one by one:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBasketball: \u003C\/b\u003Ebooming at all levels and virtually all parts of Canada. And relatively little competition for the live sports dollar from professional teams in the same town, unlike men's hockey. The overhead is less than the padded-up collision sports, hockey and football.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFootball:\u003C\/b\u003E it is worth pondering whether good money is being plunked down on a laggard horse. The cities that will host the Vanier Cup and Grey Cup, coincidentally, each had an OUA playoff game take place last weekend. McMaster in Hamilton had\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/fball\/2017-18\/postseason\/boxscores\/20171028_csc5.xml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ean announced crowd of 500 people\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and Ottawa \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/fball\/2017-18\/postseason\/boxscores\/20171028_alnj.xml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edrew only 976\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHockey:\u003C\/b\u003E niche appeal out the wazoo, often a better watch in person than major junior, but a very, very low ceiling as a spectator sport. There is just so much hockey in Canada. It is a valuable asset to major junior hockey due to the scholarship packages, but the unintended consequence is that the talent is unevenly spread, so who's really getting the benefit?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is a hard slant there, but one of those things is not like the other. It will never be too late to try to emphasize basketball at 16 to 24 schools and let the rest be in a mixed university\/college league.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn case anyone is wondering, I'm not imagining that there was a time when the Final 8 was wide-open. Eight teams combined to share the 16 men's championships between the end of Victoria's run (1980-86) and the start of the Carleton era (2003-infinity).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E For the lack of records. \u003C\/b\u003EWhatever the national body for university sports calls itself, the long-running joke about CIS standing for Completely Inaccurate Statistics stands. Take last Saturday, when McMaster running back\u003Cb\u003E Jordan Lyons \u003C\/b\u003Erushed for 319 yards during an OUA playoff game, but did not actually score a touchdown.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt would have been good to have a way of verifying whether that had ever occurred with any of the other 18 players who have rambled and scrambled for 300-plus yards in a single game. But unless you have an incredible memory, it was impossible. When U-KNOW-WHO redid its website in September — after the start of the fall season, natch — it also terminated its entire archive. This, despite \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/usports.ca\/en\/news\/2017\/09\/3679716956\/the-new-and-improved-usports-ca\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewhat was promised in the press release\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe new website features a broad statistics platform that is both up-to-date and flexible enough to allow for technical upgrades as well as accommodate changes at the 56 schools and\/or four conferences. The main challenge in the development of the new USPORTS.ca was capturing statistics from the schools and conferences from different sources while ensuring a consistent display of the data for every single sport.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EBroad statistical platform that doesn't include anything as dated as March 2017. Fixed that for ya. Throw in the seizure-inducing display when one loads the site on a desktop platform and yeah, it works out to over-promising and under-delivering. I do not have statistics to back that up. They were all on the old website.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHaving access to that is very helpful to the people who want to help raise the profile of university sports, because having the hard numbers helps illustrate the stories that put sportspeople into proper perspective. This isn't hard to grasp.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWelcome to SportsLit:\u003C\/b\u003E Brief interlude to self-promote the new SportsLit podcast that good friend Neil Acharya and I launched last week. It's a labour of love, but it's about a publishing genre near and dear to us, books on sports. Sportsnet Central anchor Ken Reid was our first guest and according to the feedback, we totally undersold having such a big get.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"und\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SportsLitPod?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@SportsLitPod\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNKenReid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@SNKenReid\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/n8sager?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@n8sager\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dennismaruk21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@dennismaruk21\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ecwpress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@ecwpress\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3qAUUr7izV\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/3qAUUr7izV\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Neil Acharya (@Neil_Acharya) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Neil_Acharya\/status\/923396519289638913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 26, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003ESportslit Podcast now available on Google Play.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/R7JRyI2ub0\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/R7JRyI2ub0\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— SportsLit (@SportsLitPod) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SportsLitPod\/status\/923750099028729857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EKen Reid talks book on one-time 60-goal scorer Dennis Maruk - SportsLit (Episode No.1), now on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SoundCloud?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#SoundCloud\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/np?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#np\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/M7MgL92lkx\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/M7MgL92lkx\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nhl?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#nhl\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— SportsLit (@SportsLitPod) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SportsLitPod\/status\/923982230741045248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETrying to tell us something? \u003C\/b\u003EWords, at last check, still matter. A best practice is to give U-KNOW-WHO a pass on a small semantic faux pas and focus on the bigger problems. But Laval is a No. 1 seed in Quebec, not in the the Top 10 poll. Unless there's a Final 8 coming to football, as has been discussed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EU SPORTS 🏈 Top 10: Reigning Vanier Cup champs enter playoffs as No. 1 seed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mOrtpj5HHM\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/mOrtpj5HHM\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Ez0NJCtZCj\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/Ez0NJCtZCj\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\/status\/925393503500189697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 31, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPurple Hex.\u003C\/b\u003E Guelph with a healthy and clear-of-head \u003Cb\u003EJames Roberts \u003C\/b\u003Emight pose a larger obstacle to Western than any potential Yates Cup or Uteck Bowl counterpart. A 2½-hour lightning delay put both teams in uncharted territory eight weeks ago when Western needed to score on Guelph late in the fourth quarter and in overtime to claim a 41-34 overtime win.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EScarfone says what teams are thinking. No one happy to be playing Gryphons \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@WesternMustangs\u003C\/a\u003E get task. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ldnont?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#ldnont\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/oua?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#oua\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IdNhI4g3Ve\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/IdNhI4g3Ve\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Morris Dalla Costa (@MoDaCoatLFPress) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoDaCoatLFPress\/status\/925528696479473664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ENovember 1, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EThat is not much to take to the bank, of course. And 8-0 teams never lose in the first playoff game, \u003Ci\u003Esigned, \u003C\/i\u003Ethe 1999 Mustangs, 2002 Manitoba Bisons, 2007 Ottawa Gee-Gees and 2008 Queen's Golden Gaels.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster might be too callow on offence to advance any farther. Laurier had issues with finishing drives in the regular-season game against the Mustangs. Got to play it out, though.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E“We’re going through any situation that could come up in the game,\" says \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MichaelFaulds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@MichaelFaulds\u003C\/a\u003E prior to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E semi-final. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5FvqIKh4JV\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/5FvqIKh4JV\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/D2GlnmkDEl\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/D2GlnmkDEl\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Laurier Football (@LaurierFootball) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LaurierFootball\/status\/925356986992078848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 31, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EEveryone gets the same championship.\u003C\/b\u003E As hard as it is to believe, there are coaches who don't like the format for their sport's national championship.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EHalloween Poll: What's the scariest thing in U SPORTS men's hockey?\u003C\/div\u003E— Victor Findlay (@Finder_24) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Finder_24\/status\/925381595040747520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 31, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EThe legacy of former CEO\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EPierre Lafontaine\u003C\/b\u003E, who made the push to have uniform eight-team championships in all team sports except football, just keeps on giving. And, of course, men's basketball coaches want 12 or 16 or 23 teams to get a tournament ticket. Far be it to suggest passively-aggressively to focus on competitive balance, and the formatting issues will take care of themselves. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESwing with the times.\u003C\/b\u003E The Canadian first point of reference after Game 5 of the World Series when \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/HOU\/HOU201710290.shtml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHouston won 13-12 against Los Angeles in 10 innings\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;was, of course, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/PHI\/PHI199310200.shtml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe 15-14 game that the Toronto Blue Jays won during the 1993 series\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESimilar scorelines, wild deviations in win probability, and fun to watch. No one could deny that. But they are dissimilar in one respect. The Blue Jays scored 15 runs that night without hitting a home run. They had power, leading the American League in slugging percentage on the way to being second in runs, but they weren't all-or-nothing, ranking only sixth in a 14-team league in homers. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOnly seven of the 29 runs that October night at the old Vet in south Philly came through home runs (all four by the Phillies' \u003Cb\u003ELenny Dykstra\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EDarren Daulton\u003C\/b\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn contrast, on Sunday, more than half the runs, 14 out of 25, came through the game's seven home runs. That seems illustrative of the unintended consequences of analytics winning out; now every hitter is going up swinging hard with an elevated launch angle and the result is a sameness. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe '93 Series was the last one played entirely in multi-purpose stadia with artificial turf, and the game of the four-division era that melded power and speed was already ebbing. Those Phillies, in fact, actually had 91 plate appearances end in one of the Three True Outcomes (home run, walk of strikeout), which tops the Dodgers' 85 and Astros' 77 through the same number of games.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is a place to do a nostalgia wallow, but there's only the game as it exists in the present at the end of the day. As exciting and as riveting as Game 5 was, it actually lost 2 million U.S. viewers along the way. That shows there is a balls-in-play problem, or a lack thereof.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECurse of Beyoncé ... or Kardashian Curse. Either way. \u003C\/b\u003EWith tongue in cheek, the only downside of the World Series was the Red State-Blue State, Divided America angle in a contest between a Texas team and a Southern California team was barely\u0026nbsp; touched, let alone beaten into the ground. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn actuality, that's refreshing, although it might betray our growing terror that what used to be \"we're more like than we care to admit\" polarization is metastisizing\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.craigcalcaterra.com\/blog\/the-constitution-is-not-optional\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Einto a full-blown Constitutional crisis\u003C\/a\u003E. If it takes he columnist trope of attributing characteristics of a city's populace to a team of millionaire athletes and euthanizes it like Maggie at the end of \u003Ci\u003EMillion Dollar Baby\u003C\/i\u003E, so be it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom the fatalist perspective, though, had the Astros lost is would have been directly attributable to not differentiating itself from the SoCal celebrity culture. Whilst googling “houston astros agony,” one of the first links that popped up was about the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/2017\/10\/24\/is-beyonce-singing-national-anthem-world-series-houston-astros-heal-hurricane-harvey\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eorganization's swing-and-a-miss at getting singer-songwriter\u003C\/a\u003E and Independent Woman\u003Cb\u003E Beyoncé\u003C\/b\u003E to sing the U.S. Anthem or grace them with an appearance during games 3, 4 or 5.\u003Cb\u003E Beyoncé\u003C\/b\u003E is from Houston, although you probably assumed she was made in a test tub in a recording studio.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHouston threw away the narrative like\u003Cb\u003E Rougned Odor \u003C\/b\u003Emaking a double-play relay throw to first in a playoff game. Not that they were missing elements for a lazy narrative — the owner of the NFL team said horrifyingly racist things! \u003Cb\u003EYuli Gurriel\u003C\/b\u003E made a racist gesture! But you can't out-celebrity the place where it's an industry.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFortunately, the Astros winning lets everyone can attach themselves to a franchise winning its first World Series, which really only happens about twice per decade. The bad with the good is that there was no justice in Gurriel winning after MLB demurred from suspending him during the Series. That is a shame.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWorld Series Game 7 set us up for a moment of redemption. It just never came. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ACPBbmlP9C\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/ACPBbmlP9C\u003C\/a\u003E via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SBNation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@sbnation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Eddie Huang (@MrEddieHuang) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MrEddieHuang\/status\/926069103785156608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ENovember 2, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EA healthy scratch, indeed. \u003C\/b\u003EMy personal fan interaction with the NHL is pretty straightforward. When it wants to be interesting again — which would involve not shorting the Canadian market by two or three teams, having a goals per game rate north of 6.5 and finishing the playoffs around May 25 — it might get more than a casual follow. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnyway, did everyone notice how quickly scoring, after the first few games, fell right back toward last season's floor of 5.49\/game? Or how the Ottawa Senators are having swaths of empty seats since their owner, \u003Cb\u003EEugene Melnyk\u003C\/b\u003E, would rather charge $30 for parking than t\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/news\/local-news\/2016-oc-transpo-budget\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eake a deal from the city that would give ticket-holders free transit to games\u003C\/a\u003E at the distant suburban arena? That is some fall-of-Rome stuff, where greed supersedes the artfulness of the athleticism.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETrollhouse. \u003C\/b\u003EA favourite slice of doggerel comes via \u003Cb\u003ECraig Calcaterra\u003C\/b\u003E, the NBC Sports baseball writer who somehow finds time to write on his personal blog while being a life partner who is raising children. It was not remotely related to baseball. Along an Ohio highway that Craig regularly uses, there's an abandoned house with the message \"O.D.O.T. Sucks\" spray-painted on it, as in the Ohio Department of Transportation. Craig found out the owner is still paying the property taxes and must return regularly to touch up the taunt with some fresh paint. All this effort, to troll bureaucracy.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EI smile because we live in a world where powerful forces always seem to win, conformity always seems to reign and anything old, small, unique or just plain weird seems to get plowed over, literally or figuratively. (\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.craigcalcaterra.com\/blog\/odot-sucks\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECraigCalcaterra.com\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/blockquote\u003EOld, small, unique or just plain weird ... those are also the reasons why people like the CFL and university sports. Or am I projecting?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUnceded land ... about that. \u003C\/b\u003EThe real legacy of the late great\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EGord Downie\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the challenge he made to talk-left, govern-right Prime Minister \u003Cb\u003EJustin Trudeau\u003C\/b\u003E about indigenous issues during that final concert in Kingston in August 2016. That was covered well by the media after Downie's death on Oct. 17, but how many people that you Facebook-know or Twitter-know worked into their posts (me included)?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\"We're in good hands, folks, real good hands. He cares about the people way up North, that we were trained our entire lives to ignore, trained our entire lives to hear not a word of what's going on up there … And what's going on up there ain't good. It's maybe worse than it's ever been ... (but) we're going to get it fixed and we got the guy to do it, to start, to help.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EPrime Minister Trudeau's got me, his work with First Nations. He's got everybody. He's going to take us where we need to go,\" he said. \"It's going to take us 100 years to figure out what the hell went on up there, but it isn't cool and everybody knows that. It's really, really bad, but we're going to figure it out, you're going to figure it out.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003EIt's embarrassing to realize, this deep into life, how at a loss I am for acquiring tools to make that difference. Where does one start from the vantage point of a working-class existence in a major city?\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is nice and all that any public event includes a mention of being on \"unceded land\" as a weird sort of \"thanks for taking it all in stride\" there-there. But how can land actually be given back ... well, apparently one schoolteacher in Ontario just decided to do it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EOne woman's plan to give back: 'The land needs to be returned to Indigenous peoples' \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NR0ldZCdJV\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/NR0ldZCdJV\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBCUnreserved?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@CBCUnreserved\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/canada150?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#canada150\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— CBC Radio (@cbcradio) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cbcradio\/status\/922236129495142401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 22, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBe it Christian, Jew or miscellaneous. \u003C\/b\u003EIf you go to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/frinkiac.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFrinkiac\u003C\/a\u003E, the search engine that contains screenshots of every episode of\u003Ci\u003E The Simpsons\u003C\/i\u003E, do you know how many matches there are for atheist? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EOne.\u003C\/i\u003E The long-running animated series has commented on nearly every segment of society and has countless episodes that both critique and exalt religion, but in 621 episodes, atheism (\"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.atheists.org\/activism\/resources\/about-atheism\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ea lack of belief in Gods\u003C\/a\u003E\") has been mentioned once — and it was an episode where the plot involved Ned Flanders making religious films, in a parody of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EThe Passion Of The Christ\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cimg height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/frinkiac.com\/meme\/S16E08\/588631.jpg?b64lines=IE5lZCwgeW91ciBmaWxtIHdhcyBhCiBtYXN0ZXJwaWVjZS4gSXQgdHVybmVkIG1lCiBmcm9tIGFuIGF0aGVpc3QgdG8gYQogaHVycmF5LXRoZWlzdCE=\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/2016\/04\/160422-atheism-agnostic-secular-nones-rising-religion\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENearly one-quarter of the U.S. population (according to the Pew Research Center) are religiously unaffiliated \"nones,\" and that segment is rising\u003C\/a\u003E. It's just wild it's gone unacknowledged on a series that has free reign to poke fun or probe into nearly anything.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI am an atheist, but don't make a point of broadcasting it. It was and is a personal decision, not a decision made for other people. Perhaps it is better \u003Ci\u003EThe Simpsons \u003C\/i\u003Ehas left atheists alone, since well, atheist is like TV writer code for the coldly rational, emotionally represesed, short-tempered, too-smart-for-their-own-good person who can never be happy. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_fictional_atheists_and_agnostics\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eroll call for fictional atheists and agnostics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;— Dr. Cox in\u003Ci\u003E Scrubs\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EEmily Deschanel\u003C\/b\u003E's character in Bones, Piper in \u003Ci\u003EOrange Is The New Black\u003C\/i\u003E, the \u003Cb\u003EJoel McHale\u003C\/b\u003E and\u003Cb\u003E Gillian Jacobs \u003C\/b\u003Echaracters in \u003Ci\u003ECommunity \u003C\/i\u003E— is a misanthrope's row.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EColdly rational? That's usually what I aim for, actually. Emotionally repressed? That is a bit harsh. Short-tempered? Now that you mention it ...\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3071352765105213157\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/11\/in-for-dozen-anyone-but-carleton-still.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3071352765105213157"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3071352765105213157"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/11\/in-for-dozen-anyone-but-carleton-still.html","title":"In For A Dozen: Anyone But Carleton, still CIS (Completely Inaccurate Stats), the Curse of Beyoncé, and atheism in The Simpsons"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5919498891823123902"},"published":{"$t":"2017-09-27T18:19:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-11-05T15:26:22.144-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"In For A Dozen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Pan Game"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"recruiting"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Roy Rana"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMU Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"In For A Dozen: Loïc Kayembe, heat warnings, a pox on Panda Game profanity and a kickoff-reduction rule"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ci\u003EStuff that really should presented in podcast form, but let's not kid ourselves: you don't have time to listen! Instead it gets presented in written word format. How Web 2.0! In For A Dozen will be a weekly middle-of-the-week ritual that strives to put university sports in the context of a world where one can no longer Stick To Sports.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIt really beggars processing that Ottawa defensive end Loïc Kayembe is dead and his teammates are carrying on by trying to prepare for the Panda Game, which will be in front of a crowd that dwarfs their usual audience by a factor of 10.\u003C\/b\u003E One day the 24-year-old Kayembe was playing a football game. The next day the Congolese-born Montrealer was gone, leaving a void in dozens of lives. There's no predicting or extrapolating how the Gee-Gees will respond once they return to competition.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EJoin us before 12:50pm at TD Place on Saturday. We will be honouring Loic with a moment of silence prior to the start of the game. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/LK49?src=hash\"\u003E#LK49\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— uOttawa Gee-Gees (@uOttawaGeeGees) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/uOttawaGeeGees\/status\/913063438729056256\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EA GoFundMe to help pay for Kayembe's memorial service reached its goal inside of a day.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EClick here to support In Memory of Loic Mukendi Kayembe organized by Stephanie Asenso \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hECtsD5A7z\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/hECtsD5A7z\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Mr.Ranger17 (@FrankSpanti17) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FrankSpanti17\/status\/912489060433883137\"\u003ESeptember 26, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHindsight is 20\/20, but it feels like 37 C.\u003C\/b\u003E It was stinking-hot in Ontario during the last two football Saturdays, with temperatures ranging above 30 C and high humidity, which was exacerbated by the sun's warming effect on rubber-pelleted FieldTurf playing surfaces.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENo doubt every team took every precaution to make sure players were hydrated and had some shade on the sidelines. One does wonder — and please don't read this as finger-pointing — how humid it has to be before teams move game times away from the hottest time of day.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELogistically, could there be some edict from on high to push a game times to late afternoon? It's one variable that can be controlled.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThe Panda Game is going to have a higher attendance than some teams will play in front of all season, again.\u003C\/b\u003E Both Carleton and Ottawa sold out their ticket allotments three days in advance.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EOver 22k tickets have been sold for the Panda Game. Ottawa \u0026amp; Carleton have sold out their allotment. Only place to get tickets is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TD_Place\"\u003E@TD_Place\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E— AJ Jakubec (@AJonSports) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AJonSports\/status\/913071923885731842\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EOf course, what will be different is the sensitive situation with a death in the Gee-Gees football family. It's probably not going to stop Carleton supporters chanting, \"Fuck you Ottawa U\" and \"what the fuck's a Gee-Gee?\" \u003Ci\u003Ead nauseam\u003C\/i\u003E at the uOttawa team and students, with Gee-Gees supporters riposting in (un)kind with F-bombs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI have never been able to get on board with that being cute or endearing, which is how it seems to be portrayed by the schools and the Ottawa media. This isn't about political correctness; it's just about preferring creativity and originality to tacky, trite tribalism:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ethat's the best you can come up with?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe chants are going to happen, but it will seem tone-deaf, please excuse the wet-blanketing. At least Ottawa is the home team so it gets the north side of TD Place where the player benches are, while Carleton will get the south side. That could defuse any tension.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBasketball update: Tanor Ngom from Senegal, who comes advertised as a 7-foot-2 post player with NBA potential, is headed to Ryerson. That ... that seems like a good get. \u003C\/b\u003ENgom has\u0026nbsp; shown enough promise to represent Africa in the Basketball Without Borders event, and it probably doesn't require much exposition to explain that having him pick Ryerson over a D1 high-major down south speaks to the reputation of the OUA's Big Two.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RyersonRamsMBB\"\u003E@RyersonRamsMBB\u003C\/a\u003E bring in 7 recruits including 7'2\" Tanor Ngom, projected future NBA'er from Senegal 🇸🇳 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/weRrams?src=hash\"\u003E#weRrams\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E📝: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uhhYIYbewD\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/uhhYIYbewD\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KzsLBVje82\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/KzsLBVje82\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Ryerson Rams (@ryersonrams) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ryersonrams\/status\/913104786127556610\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RyersonRamsMBB\"\u003E@RyersonRamsMBB\u003C\/a\u003E add 7-foot-2 Tanor Ngom from Dakar, Senegal for the upcoming season. RU began recruiting him after camp in Senegal in May.\u003C\/div\u003E— Ben Waldman (@BenjWaldman) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BenjWaldman\/status\/913109466387816453\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENo prospect has ever missed a shot on YouTube, but here is Ngom in competition. It's hard to glean much about his offensive game, since it's mostly finishing uncontested dunks against much smaller players. But he picks up a point guard on a switch!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/TVeJxrAHS1U\/0.jpg\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TVeJxrAHS1U?feature=player_embedded\" width=\"480\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith the state-sponsored hostility toward Black, Muslim and Hispanic populations in the U.S., the time is now to advertise that Canada is a good place to study and play sports. It won't happen, though.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIf you care about university hockey, take some vicarious pride in San Jose Sharks wing Joel Ward, who said he might bring the protest movement against inequality to the NHL, being an Atlantic University Sport alumnus.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;That's not the reason why Ward is considering speaking out, but his four seasons with the UPEI Panthers was obviously a different environment than most NHL players get in their early 20s.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EJoel Ward not ruling out taking a knee during the national anthem. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0aVvhq9dxS\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/0aVvhq9dxS\u003C\/a\u003E (via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GackleReport\"\u003E@GackleReport\u003C\/a\u003E) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3bWcB6lDQc\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/3bWcB6lDQc\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Ian McLaren (@iancmclaren) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iancmclaren\/status\/912811439362072576\"\u003ESeptember 26, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003ECould kneel for both the Canadian and American anthems. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zl9IpjuNtO\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/zl9IpjuNtO\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Patrick O'Sullivan (@realPOSULLIVAN) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realPOSULLIVAN\/status\/913158806187716609\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003ETo those who call taking a knee symbolism, what do you think standing for the anthem is? Symbolism is important and should be chosen carefully.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOne digression from sticking to sports: Never underestimate America's ability to have a sports scandal conventionally come up when everyone should be mad about something else.\u003C\/b\u003E The FBI dragnet into corruption in college basketball, which has already taken down \u003Cb\u003ERick Pitino\u003C\/b\u003E at Louisville and is likely to ensnare further high-major D1 coaches, defys downplaying. When the FBI is looking into bribery and kickbacks, it goes well beyond \"what's always happened.\" And if it brings an end to the Shamateur Sports Industrial Complex in the States, so much the better.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt the same time, this taking up time in the conversation when the real scandal is having a president who, at worst, is willing to build a political base on white supremacy, and attained the office after an election that involved serious interference from a Hostile Foreign Power who shall remain nameless. What should really be the outrage that prompts a great reckoning?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E(Whether HFP's interference swung the outcome last November cannot be established, but the likelihood of one candidate winning Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin all by 1 per cent is extremely low. Also, it's been shown HFP tries to interfere with everyone's national elections.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIt's no coincidence that Trump picked a fight with NFL players and Russian trolls used it as an opportunity to seed division on social media\u003C\/div\u003E— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JYSexton\/status\/913166719383990272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe Russians got exactly what they paid for, and it doesn't matter if he passes a single bill as long as he keeps the wound bleeding.\u003C\/div\u003E— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JYSexton\/status\/913167350748368898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThat awkward moment when the Russian government forgets to turn off location services on their disinformation network Twitter accounts. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SqV2eArN7g\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/SqV2eArN7g\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Vets Against Trump (@commondefense) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/commondefense\/status\/913119245835304960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPoint being, is the biggest thing happening really a bunch of coaches being glorified bagmen?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETen years ago, the American media seemed to be a lot more interested in pushing people's buttons over\u003Cb\u003E Barry Bonds \u003C\/b\u003Ebreaking the home run record with a chemical boost than President \u003Cb\u003EGeorge W. Bush \u003C\/b\u003Einvading Iraq on false pretenses. And the early 1920s might be more remembered for the Chicago \"Black Sox\" dumping a World Series than the Teapot Dome scandal, and so on and so on.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECall this 6B. It's high-larious to see MLB's water-bearers make Mark McGwire the go-to guy for a testimonial about baseball's new crop of sluggers.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;It definitely reads like an attempt to rehabilitate the Great American Home Run Chase of\u0026nbsp; 1998, when McGwire and\u003Cb\u003E Sammy Sosa\u003C\/b\u003E, both goosed on steroids, shattered Roger Maris' seasonal standard. It's also funny since Bonds \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ca.sports.yahoo.com\/news\/giancarlo-stanton-credits-barry-bonds-helping-monster-season-045929233.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eactually coached \u003Cb\u003EGiancarlo Stanton \u003C\/b\u003Efor a season in Miami\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-video\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EEven Mark McGwire is in awe of what Aaron Judge is doing \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Yankees?src=hash\"\u003E#Yankees\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Padres?src=hash\"\u003E#Padres\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Athletics?src=hash\"\u003E#Athletics\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZXtfAxpQKa\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/ZXtfAxpQKa\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— MLB Network Radio (@MLBNetworkRadio) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLBNetworkRadio\/status\/913159783036923904\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcGwire gets that, because white privilege, and Bonds never will. One can see the not-so-subtle attempt to convince people that the 70 homers McGwire hit in '98 is the real record. Either every stat from the 1993-2003 ArenaBall era is valid, or all are invalid.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBack to our bailiwick; contact to the head is a \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003Etopic du semaine\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cb\u003E after video circulated of some of the shots Concordia's skill players took from Laval defenders last Sunday. \u003C\/b\u003EThe one hit on a Stingers receiver would have been a targeting foul in the NCAA and resulted in ejection for the offending defender.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EDear \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RSEQ1\"\u003E@RSEQ1\u003C\/a\u003E officials. Protect your players from head-to-head hits. Signed, Logic. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qPAEjydn1t\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/qPAEjydn1t\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Jim Mullin (@Jim_Mullin) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jim_Mullin\/status\/912772343830683648\"\u003ESeptember 26, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EPeople have received one-game suspensions for far, far less. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESpeaking of Concordia ... Shrine Bowl week!\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIt's not often that Georges Laraque is not the biggest man in the room. Stinger Maurice Simba joins him to promote the 2017 Shrine Bowl. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QnTvQMQudo\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/QnTvQMQudo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Concordia Stingers (@The_Stingers) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/The_Stingers\/status\/913053605191700480\"\u003ESeptember 27, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EKickoffs are on the endangered special teams play list. \u003C\/b\u003EOn The Athletic, there is a non-paywalled piece by\u003Cb\u003E Nicole Auerbach \u003C\/b\u003Edetailing how the Ivy League's experimental kickoff rule has reduced brain injuries among players. Brain injuries happen more often on kickoffs than on scrimmage plays due to the speed with which players collide.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Ivies moved the kickoff spot up to the 40-yard line, reducing the number of returnable kicks.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EFollowing up on my kickoffs story last week -- What the Ivy League found in 2016 when it moved kickoffs up 5 yards: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/go2P4PyjP8\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/go2P4PyjP8\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NicoleAuerbach\/status\/912654529002434560\"\u003ESeptember 26, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EMea culpa; I've long beefed about U Sports placing kickoffs on the 45-yard line instead of the 35, as in the CFL, without giving enough space to player safety. Too often, it contributes to a snowball effect for the straggler teams; returner gets downed shy of the 20, offence goes short run-incomplete pass for a two-and-out, and the defence is right back out trying to defend a short field. But that's a small thing compared to making football safer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat said, the kickoff cannot be eliminated entirely, since coaches still need the option of trying to recover a short kickoff. This is a topic perhaps better expanded upon at a later date, but here's a modest proposal:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EKickoff to start each half;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EKickoff after the first touchdown of the second and fourth quarters, if it comes before the 10-minute mark (10:00 to play). \u003C\/b\u003EThis allows for a chance to flip field position shortly after changing ends and a chance to recover a short kickoff. It can also be woven into the mid-quarter media timeout. Granted, it's an arbitrary cut-off point, but you want any rule to be easy enough for competitors and officials to remember.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EKickoff after any score after the three-minute warning of each half. \u003C\/b\u003EThat's the CFL and national rule in U Sports. There could be a waiver on it if the lead is 25 or more points. Twenty-five seems like a good number since most coaches would concede defeat by that point.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPossession begins at the 35 after a field goal and on the 25 after a touchdown in all other scenarios (this is negotiable).\u003C\/b\u003E Do more coaches try for the first down\/touchdown if it helps them on the other side of the ball?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EThe Laurier-Waterloo game (as it were) had 13 kickoffs. With my suggestion, there would have been \u003Ci\u003Ethree.\u003C\/i\u003E (Start of each half, and after a Laurier touchdown with 27 seconds left in the second quarter).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/fball\/2017-18\/boxscores\/20170916_txyg.xml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EOn Sept. 16, when Waterloo won that 45-43 scorefest against Carleton, the game had 17 kickoffs\u003C\/a\u003E. This rule would have cut it to eight (start of each half, two after touchdowns early in the second and fourth quarters, four after scores in the last three minutes).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose are cherry-picked convenience samples, granted, but there's probably a minimum 50-per-cent reduction of the most dangerous play in the game.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAhead of No. 4 Western at No. 5 Laurier on Saturday, the key stat to fixate upon is probably the touchdown-to-interception ratios of the purple powerhouses' passers.\u003C\/b\u003E It is 8-to-7 for the Mustangs' \u003Cb\u003EChris Merchant\u003C\/b\u003E and change-up quarterback \u003Cb\u003EStevenson Bone\u003C\/b\u003E, compared to the 10-to-3 for the Golden Hawks'\u003Cb\u003E Michael Knevel \u003C\/b\u003Eand backup \u003Cb\u003ETristan Arndt\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIn terms of story and setting in Canada West, UBC needs to defeat on Calgary on Friday. \u003C\/b\u003EThat's not to say it will happen, since the Dinos offence is the Golden State Warriors on fake grass in its capacity to go to another option when one is nullified. If Calgary wins, it's pretty much wrapped up home-field advantage straight through the Hardy and Mitchell Bowl playoffs. The Thunderbirds would wrest away the first-place tiebreaker if they win, although they would also have to win out to get top spot.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPoint being, the compact on-campus confines of Thunderbird Stadium \u0026gt;\u0026nbsp; utilitarian McMahon Stadium. That's all. Both Calgary's\u003Cb\u003E Adam Sinagra \u003C\/b\u003Eand UBC's \u003Cb\u003EMichael O'Connor \u003C\/b\u003Ehave run hot and cold, and whoever makes the fewest damaging mistakes will probably get the W.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHandicapping the Hec Crighton.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;At this writing, Saint Mary's dual threat\u003Cb\u003E Kaleb Scott \u003C\/b\u003Eis akin to Louisville's\u003Cb\u003E Lamar Jackson\u003C\/b\u003E down south in 2016: the eye-popping yardage totals, the wow factor, the drawback of playing for a team that doesn't have a big national profile, relatively speaking. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's hard to ignore Scott, and AUS has not had a Hec winner since\u003Cb\u003E Erik Glavic \u003C\/b\u003Ein 2007. An Atlantic conference player also won in 1997, '87 and '77, incidentally.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESticking with strained similes, Laurier is like Penn State — do you pump the passer's tires or the rusher's? \u003Cb\u003EKnevel \u003C\/b\u003Ehas an adjusted net yards average of 9.89 and his floor is likely a 2,500-yard regular season, presuming good health. But\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003ELevondre Gordon \u003C\/b\u003Eis also a beast. Western's \u003Cb\u003EAlex Taylor\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;will have the career achievement case.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe big four's quarterbacks — \u003Cb\u003ESam Caron\u003C\/b\u003E of Montréal, \u003Cb\u003EHugo Richard\u003C\/b\u003E of Laval, O'Connor of UBC and Sinagra of Calgary — are not really standing out in any way.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5919498891823123902\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/09\/in-for-dozen-loic-kayembe-heat-warnings.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5919498891823123902"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5919498891823123902"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/09\/in-for-dozen-loic-kayembe-heat-warnings.html","title":"In For A Dozen: Loïc Kayembe, heat warnings, a pox on Panda Game profanity and a kickoff-reduction rule"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/TVeJxrAHS1U\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-1407434420898233380"},"published":{"$t":"2017-06-22T13:18:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-06-22T13:19:20.460-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Canada West"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"playoff formats"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: Canada West changes playoff format (good), keeps RPI (bad)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Canada West has changed its playoff format to give tournament teams more rest before travelling to a Final 8. \u003Ci\u003EThat's good.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe RPI-offs are continuing, but with a tweak to the formula. \u003Ci\u003EThat's bad.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut instead of a one-game play-in for the Final 8, the semifinals will be best-of-three. \u003Ci\u003EThat's good. \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut the RPI is still in use. \u003Ci\u003EThat's bad.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EBB: The 2017-18 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanadaWest\"\u003E@CanadaWest\u003C\/a\u003E basketball schedule is here, and so are changes to the RPI formula and playoff format \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4PkkbmFCdf\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/4PkkbmFCdf\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3ftaCEtgtk\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/3ftaCEtgtk\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Canada West (@CanadaWest) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanadaWest\/status\/877919235254566912\"\u003EJune 22, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E Canada West certainly had some imperative to change after UBC went splat in the quarter-finals against Manitoba and the conference subsequently went 0-6 at the women's and men's nationals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ETo briefly summarize, the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/6\/2\/06lxpbe55lmxhk\/Updated_Canada_West_Playoff_Structures.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eplayoff format got a little better and less demanding on the student-athletes\u003C\/a\u003E. As far as how those playoffs will get seeded is concerned, \u0026nbsp;unfortunately the RPI dog was not driven out to the country to live with a caring family. The positive change first, though!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUnder the old format, the first two rounds of the playoffs were best-of-three, with a one-game semifinal\/play-in to nationals before the conference final\/seeding game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEssentially, the best-of-three portion has been pushed from the first two tiers of playoffs to the middle two, the quarters and semis. That eliminates an event \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/canadawest.org\/sports\/mbkb\/2016-17\/postseason\/boxscores\/20170303_si8n.xml?view=boxscore\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Esuch as Manitoba's upset of Calgary in the Canada West semifinal\u003C\/a\u003E, which in the long run, hurt the conference's chances of a Final 8 medal since its best team (well, second-best) got the death sentence of playing Carleton in the 2 vs. 7 quarter-final.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E(Wait. How did Carleton get seeded No. 2? Oh right.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe regular season ends Feb. 3, leaving four full weekends to complete the playoffs prior to nationals. Fatigue definitely takes a toll on teams late in the season and the old format meant a team could play five peak-intensity games in two weeks. Instead, the automatic bids will be decided two weeks out, before a championship game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the other hand, RPI, a metric that was created to compare teams from different conferences — you could look it up — rather than ones \u003Ci\u003Efrom the same league\u003C\/i\u003E, remains in use. Only now it has some tweaks!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ENew RPI formula\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe formula used in 2016-17 was as follows:\u003Cbr \/\u003ERPI = 25% team winning percentage (WP) x 1.2 away win + 0.8 home win, 50% opponents' average winning percentage (OWP), and 25% opponents' opponent’s average winning percentage (OOWP).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe formula that will be used in 2017-18, with changes in \u003Cb\u003Ebold\u003C\/b\u003E, is as follows:\u003Cbr \/\u003ERPI = \u003Cb\u003E35% team winning percentage\u003C\/b\u003E (WP) x \u003Cb\u003E1.1 away win\u003C\/b\u003E + \u003Cb\u003E0.9 home win\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003E40% opponents' average winning percentage (OWP)\u003C\/b\u003E, and 25% opponents' opponent’s average winning percentage (OOWP).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThree easy words: \u003Ci\u003ESimple\u003C\/i\u003E. \u003Ci\u003ERanking\u003C\/i\u003E. \u003Ci\u003ESystem\u003C\/i\u003E. It even has Simple in the title, so you know it's gotta be good.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBeing empathetic here, one can see how the logic might have worked there. Giving greater weight to winning percentage makes it more unlikely that UBC will go 20-0 in the conference and end up as the fourth seed. The initial home\/road split might have given too much credit for winning on an opponent's floor since, after all, it is hard to beat the same team twice in a row and everyone is playing two-game series each week.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOverall, Canada West's minor changes tops \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-oua-reverting-to-two.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EOUA's backwards step to a two-division format\u003C\/a\u003E. That isn't saying a lot, though.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/1407434420898233380\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/06\/basketball-canada-west-changes-playoff.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1407434420898233380"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1407434420898233380"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/06\/basketball-canada-west-changes-playoff.html","title":"Basketball: Canada West changes playoff format (good), keeps RPI (bad)"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-377457070264516301"},"published":{"$t":"2017-03-13T13:52:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-03-13T13:52:36.443-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RPI"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: OUA reverting to two-division format — reports"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Ontario University Athletics is throwing out the RPI baby with the bathwater.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's unofficial, of course, but an informed source has corroborated the CUSN reports from the Final 8 about another realignment being in store for basketball. What was old three years ago is new again. The conference is going back to East and West divisions with cross-over semifinals\u0026nbsp;— but no single-site Final Four.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the one hand, admitting there were unintended consequences to the 'RPI-offs' and going back to the tried-and-true is understandable. At the same time, it's not hard to read some OUA politics into a decision that would put Carleton, Ottawa and Ryerson in the same division with no mechanism for all three to be in the final four with a chance to go to nationals (as long as there's only one at-large berth, the seeding committee is probably not going to have the stones to pick a Top 5 team which was a quarter-finalist; just ask UBC. But more on that in a bit).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EAlso, OUA basketball will be returning to two divisions instead of four, as it was in 2013-14 and prev.. Not all coaches support the change\u003C\/div\u003E— Adam Jenkins (@adamkjenkins) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adamkjenkins\/status\/841075203782270976\"\u003EMarch 12, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E1. I've spoken to two coaches in the OUA to clarify the division restructuring. Pending official confirmation, they appear to be: (1\/2) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/R0tZ7BmY38\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/R0tZ7BmY38\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Adam Jenkins (@adamkjenkins) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adamkjenkins\/status\/841119209069277184\"\u003EMarch 13, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EThe switch to RPI-offs, regardless of the execution, was supposed to address that imbalance. It was also flexible since it allowed for the possibility, however theoretical, that four schools in Toronto and westward could be the class of the conference. Reverting to two divisions exhumes the inequity that occurred in both 2013 and '14, when Ryerson's men's team was a tournament-worthy team but was left out after losing to Ottawa in the East semifinal.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EIt's easy to get that there would be frustration among coaches that the RPI eliminated late-season scoreboard-watching. The RPI basically rewards a team for showing up.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis season also ended with only easterly teams going to each Final 8 (both Carleton teams, the Ryerson men and Queen's women).\u0026nbsp;Four of the five teams that missed the men's playoffs also come under the OUA West umbrella. Three of the five left-outs from the women's playoffs are also westerly teams.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom that, one can divine which end of the conference was pushing for a change. The mantra is probably something like, \u003Ci\u003Ethis means it will be decided on the floor; no more computers deciding things, Nerd\u003C\/i\u003E. Except it will be made more difficult for some teams to do, depending on geography, which puts the lie to that premise. Plus uneven divisions means a 75 per cent chance of a playoff appearance in one division and 66.7% in the other, as opposed to everyone getting the same 70.6.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt seems like an easy way out to just double down on the simpler but also flawed system. It is expedient to go with what one knows; indeed, most of us will do that when presented with any decision. The aim of any scheduling \/ playoff framework ought to be to give the conference the best chance of having its \u003Ci\u003Ecrème de la crème\u003C\/i\u003E, provided they don't get knocked out of the playoffs early (just ask UBC again), go to the national tournament.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003EAnother change is the the Wilson Cup and Critelli Cup would be stand-alone games. Those cross-over semifinals would all be held in the gym of the higher-seeded team. If that's a cost-effectiveness thing, so be it, especially since the OUA had a media partner for the men's event when it was created in 2010-11 and no longer does.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndulge a bit of self-aggrandizing; adopting \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/blog\/2015\/03\/srs-calculation-details\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESimple Rating System\u003C\/a\u003E would solve a lot of the OUA's ills, so-called. A format that factors for strength of schedule and point spread would do a lot more to keep teams engaged and motivated during the blowout games where the ultimate won-lost outcome is a foregone conclusion, That would serve the greater good.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso see: \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/basketball-oua-standings-with-srs-not.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EOUA standings with SRS, not RPI\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/377457070264516301\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-oua-reverting-to-two.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/377457070264516301"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/377457070264516301"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-oua-reverting-to-two.html","title":"Basketball: OUA reverting to two-division format — reports"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-7607790612452382942"},"published":{"$t":"2017-03-06T01:54:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-03-06T02:49:43.516-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badgers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Redmen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: Ryerson, Carleton, McGill 1-2-3 for men's Final 8, Calgary gets wild card"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"It is human nature to think there ought to be a way to solve something irksome without thinking of the practicalities of said way. That seems to be the subtext for the suggestion there was some great injustice with decision to award the at-large berth to Canada West bronze medallist Calgary instead of OUA bronze medallist Brock (\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/the-road-to-halifax-stops-at-carleton_5.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eas predicted\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EOFFICIAL: M🏀: The 2017 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ArcelorMittal_D\"\u003E@ArcelorMittal_D\u003C\/a\u003E Final 8 field is rounded out with the University of Calgary Dinos! Full seeding below. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CHAMPSZN?src=hash\"\u003E#CHAMPSZN\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7fzyqaog6E\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/7fzyqaog6E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\/status\/838588714372771840\"\u003EMarch 6, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E The spur for doing this has always been to try to be a rational actor and give people an idea of how the Final 8 seeding rules work. Whether those rules are righteous or wrongheaded or whether the system goes too far in trying to quantify signature wins \u003Ci\u003Eis a parallel conversation\u003C\/i\u003E. Everyone agreed to play by these rules. You can say have play-in games, a Final 10, a Final 12, a Final 16 and say \"what would the NCAA do?!\" Given all the challenges U Sports faces both internally and externally, it might be better to play the pragmatist and appreciate that we still get to see eight teams spread out over nearly 6,000 kilometres still convene in Halifax for a national championship.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI say all of that, believe you me, knowing it is not for nothing the \u003Cb\u003ELouis CK\u003C\/b\u003E clip open in another Chrome tab just got to the \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/C-Y17YG63B4?t=1m37s\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eyou need to go once in a while, 'uh, I'm kind of an asshole'\u003C\/a\u003E \" part. The above paragraph probably comes off that way to a few people, but I am okay with that reaction.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EEnd rant. These fellows said it better anyway:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIf you disapprove of the criteria and think of a better, cost-effective one that all conferences will approve of, that's fine. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CHAMPSZN?src=hash\"\u003E#CHAMPSZN\u003C\/a\u003E 4\/\u003C\/div\u003E— Lucas Meyer (@meyer_lucas) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/meyer_lucas\/status\/838593377536876544\"\u003EMarch 6, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NaitSAYger\"\u003E@NaitSAYger\u003C\/a\u003E That and the whining that went along with the Final10 when it actually did happen. There's a reason they went back to a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/final8?src=hash\"\u003E#final8\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— John Edwards (@Anorak_CA) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Anorak_CA\/status\/838626007770939392\"\u003EMarch 6, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Anorak_CA\"\u003E@Anorak_CA\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NaitSAYger\"\u003E@NaitSAYger\u003C\/a\u003E Wasted games and a marathon week in the Final 10. Stick with 8.\u003C\/div\u003E— Jim Mullin (@Jim_Mullin) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jim_Mullin\/status\/838631196586233857\"\u003EMarch 6, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jor_Henry\"\u003E@Jor_Henry\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrianSwane\"\u003E@BrianSwane\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NaitSAYger\"\u003E@NaitSAYger\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dougmclean15\"\u003E@dougmclean15\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Basketball_Hour\"\u003E@Basketball_Hour\u003C\/a\u003E I've been at a couple of \"Final 10\" tourneys. A marathon with wasted games\u003C\/div\u003E— Jim Mullin (@Jim_Mullin) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jim_Mullin\/status\/838656206457614340\"\u003EMarch 6, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E Until such time that the gauntlet is picked up, here is what we have on tap at the arena forever known as the Halifax Metro Centre on Thursday:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENo. 2 Carleton vs. No. 7 Calgary, 11 a.m. ET.\u003C\/b\u003E The \"never con a con artist\" principle probably transfers over to any attempt to practise dollar-store sports psychology from a distance on a Dave Smart team. However, losing the No. 1 seed to Ryerson granted Carleton with two things it wanted. They tip off six hours earlier than Ryerson on Thursday and would be in the early semifinal on Saturday. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe loss also helps Carleton snap to attention. In 2006, '07, '11, '14 and '16, they didn't win the OUA banner but went on to capture the W.P. McGee Trophy.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENo. 3 McGill vs. No. 6 Manitoba, 1 p.m. ET. \u003C\/b\u003EMcGill us an .800 team (21-5) which won its conference without really seeing a formidable team in the playoffs and Alberta is a .700 team (24-10) that can de described similarly. That is why the Redmen rate the No. 3 seed. That and the need to avoid a same-conference matchup.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENo. 1 Ryerson vs. No. 8 Saint Mary's, 5 p.m. ET. \u003C\/b\u003ECalgary and Carleton have the highest combined scoring averages in any first-round matchup, but the potential for a 5-on-5 40-minute game of H-O-R-S-E probably resides in the day's third game. Ryerson is fourth at 86.2 points and Saint Mary's is fifth at 84.3.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETen years ago, also in Halifax, Saint Mary's was the No. 8 seed and upended Concordia in the quarter-final. No doubt SMU's history as a low seed -- they were No. 7 when they won in 1999 -- will form a convenient if dated narrative.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn that vein, both Thursday evening sessions the last two years have involved an overtime game where the higher seed was on the ropes in the last half-minute of regulation time. \u003Ci\u003ECould it happen again?!\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENo. 4 Alberta vs. No. 5 Dalhousie, 7 p.m. ET.\u003C\/b\u003E The Tigers have got away with some slow starts but probably cannot afford one against Alberta. The Golden Bears are too imposing.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBack to Brockgate for a second ... it is understandable why people expected the Badgers to get the wild card. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOntario has had at least three teams in the tournament for five years in a row and 13 of the last 14. On reflection, one can see how that would have conditioned expectations that Brock was in line for a tournament ticket when it earned the OUA bronze medal by defeating Ottawa, who's been going to the Final 8 on the regular. \u003Ci\u003EWe defeated you, so don't we become you now?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt the same time, even if Ottawa had earned the OUA bronze, Calgary probably still gets picked.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/7607790612452382942\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-ryerson-carleton-mcgill-1-2.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7607790612452382942"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7607790612452382942"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-ryerson-carleton-mcgill-1-2.html","title":"Basketball: Ryerson, Carleton, McGill 1-2-3 for men's Final 8, Calgary gets wild card"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3584433882527148963"},"published":{"$t":"2017-03-06T00:43:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-03-06T00:43:28.469-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Martlets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: Carleton No. 1 in women's championship, Regina dinged for conference championship loss"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The recency factor is strong with the seeding for the Bronze Baby. Carleton and Saskatchewan, the winners of the two big conferences, are seeded 1-2 whilst the automatic qualifiers from their conferences, third-seeded Queen's and fifth-seeded Regina, are not potential semifinal opponents.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBy the way, whoever in the U Sports office did up the graphic might have wanted to display the teams in a way that illustrated the bracket. For a second it looked like Saskatchewan was playing Cape Breton.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EW🏀: The 2017 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ArcelorMittal_D\"\u003E@ArcelorMittal_D\u003C\/a\u003E Final 8 wildcard berth has been awarded to the Laval Rouge et Or. Full seeding in the graphic!\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CHAMPSZN?src=hash\"\u003E#CHAMPSZN\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wepZd9qIwq\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/wepZd9qIwq\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\/status\/838532059610112000\"\u003EMarch 5, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECredit\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;Mitchell Blair\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;for intuiting that splitting up the eastern Ontario and the Saskatchewan teams would win the day!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jim_Mullin\"\u003E@Jim_Mullin\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\"\u003E@USPORTSca\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NaitSAYger\"\u003E@NaitSAYger\u003C\/a\u003E IMHO: Have to seed it so Regina is on one half of draw and Sask on second half. Potential final rematch\u003C\/div\u003E— Mitchell Blair (@scruffyregina) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/scruffyregina\/status\/838462724547829760\"\u003EMarch 5, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThat leaves us with the following itinerary for Thursday:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENo. 3 Queen's vs. No. 6 Cape Breton, 3 p.m. ET\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENo. 2 Saskatchewan vs. No.. 7 Laval, 5 p.m. ET\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENo. 4 McGill vs. No. 5 Regina, 9 p.m. ET\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENo. 1 Carleton vs. No. 8 Victoria, 11 p.m. ET\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the post-mortem for the whole exercise, Saskatchewan was probably underestimated. Perhaps next time they will be estimated. The Huskies and Cougars, in fact, have the same 18-2 overall record since the third weekend of November. Carleton is 22-2 and Queen's is 20-3 over that span.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESportsnet 360 will carry the final at 4 p.m. on Sunday.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3584433882527148963\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-carleton-no-1-in-womens.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3584433882527148963"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3584433882527148963"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/03\/basketball-carleton-no-1-in-womens.html","title":"Basketball: Carleton No. 1 in women's championship, Regina dinged for conference championship loss"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5738005740747320245"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-26T15:25:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-26T15:25:25.250-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bronze Baby Bracketlogy: Putting the wild card before the horse edition"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Essentially, 10 teams extant in OUA and Canada West, plus Laval and long, long shot McGill are in the at-large berth conversation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOne need not be\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/f\/c\/wvm5mk7ehti25e\/160810_PlayingRegs_Basketball_-W-_FINAL.PDF\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ereminded of Article 4.2.3\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- remember the two weeks we spent at U Sports Playing Regulations Fantasy Camp? -- and knows the four elements that make up the selection criteria for an at-large berth.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAfter Saturday's games, here's how those 10 teams stack up in each category, sorted by average rank. The third criteria is how many wins a team was short of qualifying, and of course we don't know that yet:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 12px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EW-L\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ERPI\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EWSh\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ESRS\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EAvg. Rank\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E2.33\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMcMaster\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E2.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E3.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EQueen's\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E5.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWinnipeg\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWindsor\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMcGill\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8.33\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003En\/a\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8.67\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis shows who the eventual third-place team in OUA has to hope like hell doesn't end up third in Canada West and vice-versa. And they have to hope Laval doesn't faceplant in the RSEQ Final 4. The Rouge et Or will go in stress-tested; they lost an overtime game against McGill in their reg-season finale and needed a \u003Cb\u003EClaudia Emond\u003C\/b\u003E triple with 2.2 seconds left to defeat UQAM in their penultimate game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EBelatedly (busy week), here's the working bracket:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (RSEQ champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Pro tip: Play all four quarters the way they played the fourth in that last-second win against UQAM last Friday. In the long run, being stress-tested by a couple one-possession games before the playoffs is good for a team's foul.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (Canada West champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Beat Winnipeg already, now do so on \u0026nbsp;a neutral floor.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton (OUA champion).\u003C\/b\u003E They have not lost in a long, long time and will have the motivation to win the program's first OUA women's title.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's (OUA auto-bid). \u003C\/b\u003EHandled Windsor by double digits on the road in the regular season and they're very tough at home.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAlberta (Canada West auto-bid).\u003C\/b\u003E Won on the Huskies floor in the regular season and eminently capable of replicating that effort. Judging from the StarPhoenix, the subtext for Saskatchewan \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/thestarphoenix.com\/sports\/local-sports\/u-of-s-huskies\/hoop-huskies-to-once-again-host-canada-west-final-four\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ebeing this far is that they have overachieved in a post-peak period\u003C\/a\u003E. From that, I'll extrapolate that Alberta doesn't a have a \"mental out.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENew Brunswick (AUS champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Sentimental favourite on the basis of a strong Twitter game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter five- and seven-point defeats against Saint Mary's in the regular season, the third time could be the charm next Sunday.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWBB: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UNB_Basketball\"\u003E@UNB_Basketball\u003C\/a\u003E is headed to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SUBWAYCanada\"\u003E@SUBWAYCanada\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AUS_SUA\"\u003E@AUS_SUA\u003C\/a\u003E Championship, next weekend, in Halifax. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IamVRed?src=hash\"\u003E#IamVRed\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CQ2ev3SB22\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/CQ2ev3SB22\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UNB Varsity Reds (@VarsityReds) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/VarsityReds\/status\/835885114005549057\"\u003EFebruary 26, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003ESaint Mary's has finished strongly to get first place in the AUS regular season.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (at large).\u003C\/b\u003E All along, I've been treating that 26-point loss McMaster had at Carleton on Dec. 3 as sacrosanct. It was also almost three months ago.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EVictoria (host).\u003C\/b\u003E Could be very competitive against Laval.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5738005740747320245\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/bronze-baby-bracketlogy-putting-wild.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5738005740747320245"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5738005740747320245"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/bronze-baby-bracketlogy-putting-wild.html","title":"Bronze Baby Bracketlogy: Putting the wild card before the horse edition"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8193680122509464753"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-21T13:47:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-21T13:47:44.327-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RPI"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: OUA standings with SRS, not RPI"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Analogously, Ontario University Athletics men's basketball has been like an Olympic event where it is \u003Ci\u003Ea priori \u003C\/i\u003Ethat one nation will always get the gold, two others will vie \u0026nbsp;for silver and bronze and everyone else is just hopeful of a personal best.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton crushed it; Ryerson and Ottawa are 2-A and 2-B. It is not the best jumping-off point for showing the limitations of the RPI-offs and advocating for another computation, Simple Ranking System, which layers a team's margin of victory over its strength of its schedule.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E(\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/blog\/index9e6d.html?p=37\u0026amp;cpage=1\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThe best primer on SRS was furnished more than a decade ago on pro-football-reference.com\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E... every team's rating is their average point margin, adjusted up or down depending on the strength of their opponents. Thus an average team would have a rating of zero. Suppose a team plays a schedule that is, overall, exactly average. Then the sum of the terms in parentheses would be zero and the team's rating would be its average point margin. If a team played a tougher-than-average schedule, the sum of the terms in parentheses would be positive and so a team's rating would be bigger than its average point margin. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EIt would be easy to find the Colts' rating if we knew all their opponents' ratings. But we can't figure those out until we've figured out their opponents' ratings, and we can't figure those out until. . ., you get the idea. Everyone's rating essentially depends on everyone else's rating.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThis is pertinent to university hoops for a couple of off-the-top-of-one's-head reasons. The SRS uses point differential rather just the W's and L's. That makes sense in a conference with so much disparity in student populations and resources dedicated to basketball. Plus it can create incentive for a team to \"compete like the game is tied,\" which is probably better for personal and physical development. Putting that another way: SRS addresses the imbalance mentioned off the top; if you play Carleton or another power toe-to-toe for three quarters; there's actually a tangible reward and not just a moral victory. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn Saturday night, Carleton defeated Toronto 100-36. Since RPI does not use margin of victory and uses strength of schedule, adding Carleton to their schedule \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/mbkb\/2015-16\/releases\/20151130fl1yaa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elifted the Varsity Blues (11-8) into fifth place in the final standings\u003C\/a\u003E. The only box to check off for U of T on Saturday was to taking the court, essentially.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the other side of the nation's capital, Ryerson defeated Ottawa to finish ahead them in victories, but it had no effect on the standings. The Rams winning on the Gee-Gees' floor is \u003Ci\u003Esymbolically\u003C\/i\u003E huge since they have had issues winning in the nation's capital over the years. Those are glitches to fix.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is the playoff field for the men's standings, by RPI:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECarleton .638\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOttawa .600\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERyerson .594\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBrock .563\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EToronto .519\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENipissing .515\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaurentian .512\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWindsor .481\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster .479\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaurier .470\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EQueen's .469\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELakehead .452\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003EIn contrast, Simple Ranking System -- admittedly one without a cap on margin of victory to cut down on the impact of blowouts -- evaluates the performance a bit differently. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECarleton 32.5\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERyerson 19.3\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOttawa 15.8\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBrock 4.9\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaurentian 0.7\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster -0.7\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EToronto -1.4\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENipissing -2.5\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u0026nbsp;Windsor -4.6\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EQueen's -5.4\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELakehead -5.4\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWestern -5.9\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003EYou see what happened here, besides Julie taking credit for the Big Salad?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson \u003C\/b\u003Eand\u003Cb\u003E Ottawa \u003C\/b\u003Etrade places in second and third. The reality is that it might not matter since their play-in game for nationals, the OUA semifinal, is on a neutral floor. Theoretically, though, there's an influence on their first playoff opponent which could make a big difference.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaurentian \u003C\/b\u003E(seventh seed) and \u003Cb\u003EToronto\u003C\/b\u003E (fifth seed) trade places. One cherry-picked compare-and-contrast is that while Toronto's score against Carleton resembled the blood-pressure count of a very unhealthy person. The Voyageurs were at least competitive the first time they played the Ravens, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/mbkb\/2016-17\/boxscores\/20161126_1d0d.xml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elosing 88-71 at home on Nov. 26 and even 'winning' a quarter\u003C\/a\u003E. The margin went from 17 points to 47 in the rematch, which was clearly all the doing of \u003Cb\u003EJoe Rocca\u003C\/b\u003E. All of it, all Rocca. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/mbkb\/2016-17\/players\/joeroccaoq3v?view=gamelog\u0026amp;pos=sh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ELook at his stat lines\u003C\/a\u003E. Please?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster \u003C\/b\u003Egoes from ninth place to sixth, which would earn a home playoff game.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaurier\u003C\/b\u003E, which had a 9-11 record in the conference but lost by 20 or more points five times, finished with a minus-8.2 SRS, in 15th place.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EThe women's league, which is more balanced at the top end, would seem to have got the upper crust more or less right, apart from the fact that 18-1 Queen's is the No. 1 seed ahead of also 18-1 Carleton, which won the teams' head-to-head matchup. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/wbkb\/2015-16\/releases\/20151130g3ijjw\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThe top nine teams by win percentage are also the top nine in RPI\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003EQueen's .612\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECarleton .601\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster .592\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWindsor .568\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERyerson .550\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOttawa .540\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaurier .532\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBrock .482\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELakehead .481\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EToronto .477\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWestern .472\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYork .450\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHow do they rank by SRS?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster 19.3\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWindsor 16.0\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EQueen's 15.7\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECarleton 14.6\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERyerson 9.7\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaurier 4.9\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOttawa 4.5\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELakehead 2.8\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBrock -2.9\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EToronto -3.8\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWestern -4.6\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWaterloo -7.7\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWow. So three and four swap with one and two, respectively. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster, which had the best raw point differential, finishes first. Their blowout road loss against Carleton and last-second loss to Queen's only slightly detracted from the overall body of work, so the coaches are right after all to rank them No. 2.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYes, Virginia, Queen's is freaky clutch against tough competition. Their raw point differential (17.0 points) was lower than that of Carleton (17.2), but they had higher-quality opponents.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELakehead goes from a down-and-back flight to play Brock to getting the game at home and saving a ton of cash.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWaterloo makes the playoffs. Whether they would stand a chance against Ryerson is immaterial; they still got deprived status that could help with recruiting.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EFor all the impugning of RPI, it gets teams into the right range, but doesn't sort them neatly.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo borrow a \u003Cb\u003EBill James\u003C\/b\u003E analogy, it is akin to how it would be impossible to tell the difference between a batter with a coveted .300 average and one with a decent .275 average -- a difference of one hit every 40 at-bats -- if there were no statistics kept.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe larger point is that as a sport conference, the task is to send the best representative(s) to the national tournament. There is no perfect system and the best team is not always going to win in a \"best of one\" format. Adding machinations that could trigger a conference's two best teams being seeded first and fourth (talking about Canada West) defeats that purpose, though.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA two-division format also works against sending the best teams. That's a step back; it probably hurt the exposure of the OUA when Ryerson got roadblocked by Ottawa in 2013 and '14, which led to there being a final four without the host school.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESwitching to SRS would be more of a way to go.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8193680122509464753\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/basketball-oua-standings-with-srs-not.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8193680122509464753"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8193680122509464753"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/basketball-oua-standings-with-srs-not.html","title":"Basketball: OUA standings with SRS, not RPI"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3297072656712606370"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-15T13:07:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-15T13:07:47.703-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Hooray for random results (and offensive rebounding) ... Bronze Baby Bracketology, 3 weeks out"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Last weekend's results, namely Carleton earning an eight-point victory on Queen's court, hastens re-extrapolating. Carleton has run the table in league play since that inexplicable road defeat against Algoma in November. Somehow, the one-loss teams in Ontario are respectively Nos. 4 and 5 in the coaches' poll while the Marauders remain No. 2, even though they were defeated soundly by one team and lost at home to the other. Is there strategic voting happening? Quite possibly. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Canada West, No. 9 Saskatchewan is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.canadawest.org\/sports\/wbkb\/2016-17\/standings\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Etop seed for the RPI-offs\u003C\/a\u003E, with the 2-3-4 slots filled by Regina (ranked No. 3 nationally), Winnipeg (No. 7) and unranked Alberta. Based on the consensus of the cognoscenti, then, the conference's two best teams are on course to play for an auto-bid. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ERather than be capricious and arbitary -- see, \u003Cb\u003EStephen Miller\u003C\/b\u003E is not the only one who can use bigly words to betray that he's easily threatened -- we'll go strictly by the poll for seeding this one.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (RSEQ champion).\u003C\/b\u003E They have scored 90 points twice in conference play. Their male brethren have hit 80 once.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (Canada West champion).\u003C\/b\u003E They have defeated Winnipeg on its floor, so the Cougars would seem eminently capable of doing so on a neutral floor.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (OUA champion).\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;If they are as good as the poll says they are, then the Marauders should be able to win out, upend Carleton in the play-in semifinal and then win the Critelli Cup to get the top spot out of Ontario.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-lEiDuSctHaw\/WKSVzdh0NlI\/AAAAAAAADOc\/YsR2iWX_-pk1_d-wTm37GTSgJWBcEOv1gCLcB\/s1600\/feb15.oua.wbb.rpi.projn.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"582\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-lEiDuSctHaw\/WKSVzdh0NlI\/AAAAAAAADOc\/YsR2iWX_-pk1_d-wTm37GTSgJWBcEOv1gCLcB\/s640\/feb15.oua.wbb.rpi.projn.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's (OUA finalist).\u003C\/b\u003E The first-in-RPI Gaels will have benefit of home-court advantage throughout the Critelli Cup playoffs. Carleton was full value for its 60-52 win last Friday, but the Ravens made 8-of-18 treys against the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/wbkb\/2016-17\/teams?sort=\u0026amp;r=0\u0026amp;pos=def\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ebest three-point defending team in OUA\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the Gaels were 2-of-10 from deep against the 14th-ranked three-point defending team. That 18-point gap was the game story.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is likely no chance of a rematch between Carleton and Queen's until the Critelli Cup or the Final 8. Queen's is in line to get either Ryerson and Windsor in the semifinal.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan (Canada West finalist). \u003C\/b\u003EYes, there would be poetic (in)justice if the teams who were each first in RPI go head-to-head at nationals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf Alberta gets knocked out in the quarter-finals, then there's a potential Winnipeg-Saskatchewan play-in Canada West semifinal. Winnipeg has already defeated Saskatchewan twice.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's (AUS champion). \u003C\/b\u003ERemember they defeated Carleton and played close scores against the other members of the Ontario triad shortly after Christmas.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton (at large).\u003C\/b\u003E Have a higher spot in the polls than Winnipeg and one fewer loss in conference play. The Wesmen are 5-1 against the other teams included in this exercise and the Ravens are 5-2. That also comes into play. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EVictoria (host).\u003C\/b\u003E Their seeding ain't changing, barring a miracle run.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3297072656712606370\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/hooray-for-random-results-and-offensive.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3297072656712606370"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3297072656712606370"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/hooray-for-random-results-and-offensive.html","title":"Hooray for random results (and offensive rebounding) ... Bronze Baby Bracketology, 3 weeks out"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-lEiDuSctHaw\/WKSVzdh0NlI\/AAAAAAAADOc\/YsR2iWX_-pk1_d-wTm37GTSgJWBcEOv1gCLcB\/s72-c\/feb15.oua.wbb.rpi.projn.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5753559217546873336"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-08T13:21:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-15T13:08:24.911-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Capers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Now, if Laval loses ... Bronze Baby Bracketology, 4 weeks out"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Fun one to do this week, with a Top 5 tilt in eastern Ontario and the split series in Canada West last weekend (Winnipeg at Regina and Saskatchewan at Alberta).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe debate over the at-large berth ... the large conferences each seem to have a fairly definitive Big 3 (Queen's, Carleton, McMaster in Ontario and Regina, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan) in Canada West. The at-large likely goes to one of the third-place teams. Of course, if Laval gets upset in the RSEQ final, both are SOL.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval Rouge et Or (RSEQ champion):\u003C\/b\u003E While Final 8 \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/f\/c\/wvm5mk7ehti25e\/160810_PlayingRegs_Basketball_-W-_FINAL.PDF\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E[s]eeding is defined as reflecting current strength of the 8 teams\u003C\/a\u003E,\" the reality might be that Laval just has to win six more games against familiar competition to secure top spot. Winning two of three against the OUA's upper crust during conference play (and the defeat against Carleton was by a four-point margin on Oct. 1) might assuage doubts that they're just running roughshod against a small conference. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEach of \u003Cb\u003EGuillaume Giroux\u003C\/b\u003E's group's losses were in one-off road games where they had rust to play off. The point here is that while who is the best team going into nationals is always subjective, Laval at this point has the body of work, albeit inside the bubble of a five-team conference (and a 6-1 record against Upper Canada).\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/queensgaels\"\u003E@queensgaels\u003C\/a\u003E pull out the late win vs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ryersonrams\"\u003E@ryersonrams\u003C\/a\u003E last week to hold onto the #1 spot in the WBB Power Rankings. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WsmcnjI6XP\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/WsmcnjI6XP\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— CUSN (@CUSNetwork) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CUSNetwork\/status\/829373931580772352\"\u003EFebruary 8, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's Golden Gaels (OUA champion):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;This is based on the work done to this point, not on what might happen early evening when Carleton and Queen's meet in the biggest basketball game in the 8½-season history of the ARC.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne could be withering about this week's top 10, with McMaster ranked No. 2 and Queen's No. 3 in spite of their road win on Mac's court. Is \"well that wasn't supposed to happen\" the basis for every decision now?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina Cougars (Canada West champion):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Projected final RPI for Canada West, if the higher-ranked teams all win out on a final weekend:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-DOl-4tCgQCk\/WJtZpAzwv4I\/AAAAAAAADN0\/uy9ZcpDRE7MjVIW_j1pBjTKhNqhGc2EiQCLcB\/s1600\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-DOl-4tCgQCk\/WJtZpAzwv4I\/AAAAAAAADN0\/uy9ZcpDRE7MjVIW_j1pBjTKhNqhGc2EiQCLcB\/s640\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWinnipeg makes the long trip for two games at Victoria. A split there, assuming the chalk picks win everywhere else, vaults Alberta over Winnipeg:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-DpAexIfhRfk\/WJtawVxdEOI\/AAAAAAAADN8\/EQ_-v08iRU4B25t-ZokwsxdZ9b_5QKI3QCLcB\/s1600\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.wpg.uvic.split.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-DpAexIfhRfk\/WJtawVxdEOI\/AAAAAAAADN8\/EQ_-v08iRU4B25t-ZokwsxdZ9b_5QKI3QCLcB\/s640\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.wpg.uvic.split.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHence the sinking feeling \/ sneaking suspicion that Winnipeg might be the best team but the system might not work out in their favour. Hey, just like the Electoral College, it's only a problem after it screws you over! The Wesmen have won 3-of-4 against the Cougars and Huskies although their defeat had the largest margin of any of those games, as they took an 83-67 defeat last Friday.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan Huskies (Canada West runner-up):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Inside track on hosting Canada West final four, yadda-yadda-yadda, I mentioned the bisque. They could potentially get Alberta in a play-in game and they beat the Pandas on the road last week.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton Ravens (OUA runner-up):\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003EFor grins, I kicked out some RPI jams. It turns out there is a mathematical possibility that Queen's could win Friday, drop its last two against Ottawa and York and still end up first.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton gets the nod over McMaster as the second OUA team since they won 77-51 on Dec. 3.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECape Breton Capers (AUS champion):\u003C\/b\u003E I pumped their tires and then they got pumped by Acadia (96-75 and 78-69). One phenomena that seems peculiar to AUS is that the teams in fifth, sixth or seventh have a lot more fire in the belly around early February, so seeing first-place teams get knocked off isn't stunning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe downside of parity can come at seeding time, so sliding the AUS champion below the runners-up from Ontario and the West is justifiable. Maybe the conference is in a post-\u003Cb\u003EJustine Colley \u003C\/b\u003Etranquil period.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWinnipeg Wesmen\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;(at-large berth):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Blog favourite \u003Cb\u003EAntoinette Miller\u003C\/b\u003E outscored Regina standout \u003Cb\u003EKyanna Giles\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.canadawest.org\/sports\/wbkb\/2016-17\/boxscores\/20170204_y2rb.xml?view=box2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E19-2 in the second half last Saturday\u003C\/a\u003E, when the Wesmen rallied to gain a split of their series. That's called taking ownership.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWinnipeg winning Canada West is plausible. Selfishly, though, this bracket has the alma maters of the entire 2003-04 \u003Ci\u003EPortage la Prairie Daily Graphic\u003C\/i\u003E sports department going head-to-head.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EVictoria Vikes (host):\u003C\/b\u003E Close out the regular season against a likely tournament team, which could help with being a tough out come March 9.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5753559217546873336\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/now-if-laval-loses-bronze-baby.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5753559217546873336"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5753559217546873336"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/now-if-laval-loses-bronze-baby.html","title":"Now, if Laval loses ... Bronze Baby Bracketology, 4 weeks out"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-DOl-4tCgQCk\/WJtZpAzwv4I\/AAAAAAAADN0\/uy9ZcpDRE7MjVIW_j1pBjTKhNqhGc2EiQCLcB\/s72-c\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8686340900864735363"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-01T12:21:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-15T13:08:35.554-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Capers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"McMaster Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vikes"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wesmen"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Canada West's top four head-to-head this weekend: Bronze Baby Bracketology, 5 weeks out"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The women's hoops hierarchy in Canada West will be clearer after this weekend, since resurgent Winnipeg is hosting No. 2-ranked Regina for a two-game series. Defending national champion Saskatchewan has Alberta in for a double-dip.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt first glance, Laval stands a goodly chance of sailing through the RSEQ and getting the No. 1 seed, as it tries to end a record 0-for-17 history at nationals. Ontario, which has three weeks left in its regular season and Canada West, which has two to go, each have about a half-dozen teams capable of going to nationals. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose advancing get to begin March break in Victoria, on Vancouver Island. It's a hard-knock life.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003ETournament passes now on sale for the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\"\u003E@USPORTSca\u003C\/a\u003E Final 8. Get 25% off until Feb. 15 @ \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PtiNZEA1S4\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/PtiNZEA1S4\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/vikesnationunite?src=hash\"\u003E#vikesnationunite\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aCebLTLGt4\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/aCebLTLGt4\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UVic Vikes (@uvicvikes) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/uvicvikes\/status\/826820388759875584\"\u003EFebruary 1, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe framing of the bracket depends on how far Victoria (eighth in RPI in Canada West, sixth with an 11-5 conference record) goes in the playoffs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Vikes are 1-6 against teams ahead of them in RPI, although they did stretch UBC to double overtime in overtime. The tournament host finishes off the regular season at Fraser Valley and home to Winnipeg.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAgain, it's very early.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval Rouge et Or (RSEQ champion): \u003C\/b\u003EHey, research! Laval has more national tournament appearances (17) than any team which has never won. There is your narrative for nationals.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina Cougars (Canada West champion):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;I ran through essentially \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/wbb2016\/cw-rpi-scenario.php?Gender=WBB\u0026amp;Season=2016-17\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eall of the realistic scenarios\u003C\/a\u003E to see if there is any chance of Saskatchewan not finishing first. Basically, the Huskies can hang on to it even if they get swept by Alberta; they just have to TCB at UNBC on the final weekend. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlmost all the scenarios project Saskatchewan first, Regina second, Winnipeg third and Alberta fourth. The U of R has the coaches' poll seal of approval.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's Golden Gaels (OUA champion):\u003C\/b\u003E Default pick since \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/wbkb\/2015-16\/releases\/20151130g3ijjw\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe Gaels are in first\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in OUA RPI and could hold on to it even if they have a split weekend against Carleton and Ottawa on the Feb. 10-11 weekend. That conference is very much up for grabs. Carleton has their powerful post, \u003Cb\u003EHeather Lindsay\u003C\/b\u003E, but Queen's has five interior players 6-foot or taller that coach \u003Cb\u003EDave Wilson\u003C\/b\u003E uses in rotation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Gaels lead OUA in offensive rebounding and steals, and also attempt more free throws than anyone else. Those extra possessions make a difference at the end of games.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan Huskies (Canada West runner-up):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;defending champions have an inside track on hosting the Canada West Final Four. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECape Breton Capers (AUS champion):\u003C\/b\u003E Only two conference losses by a combined 10 points.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWinnipeg Wesmen\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;(at-large berth):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Remember, they won twice on Saskatchewan's floor earlier in the season. This weekend will be a gauge of whether they are for real.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton Ravens (OUA runner-up): \u003C\/b\u003EMcMaster and Carleton, respectively, are 2-3 in the OUA RPI. Carleton defeated McMaster 77-51 at home when they played on the first weekend on December, just before the exam break. Home court and timing have some ineffable effect, though. It should be closer if they end up playing again on a neutral floor on the first weekend of March.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EVictoria Vikes (host): \u003C\/b\u003ENo. 1 seed against the host team in the late quarter-final on the west coach? \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/cisfinal8-why-ubc-ryerson-was-perfectly.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThose can be a lulu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8686340900864735363\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/canada-wests-top-four-head-to-head-this.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8686340900864735363"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8686340900864735363"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/canada-wests-top-four-head-to-head-this.html","title":"Canada West's top four head-to-head this weekend: Bronze Baby Bracketology, 5 weeks out"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-7791891882659424931"},"published":{"$t":"2017-01-30T18:21:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-15T13:08:50.530-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badgers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Road To Halifax Stops At Carleton: Men's Basketball Bracketology 2017, five weeks out"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Live it, learn it, love it: following university hoops means \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/q\/5\/wcloe5wq5t4d4z\/160810_PlayingRegs_Basketball_-M-_FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eknowing the seeding criteria for the Final 8\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver the next six weeks, the goal will be to keep up on the chalk picks for the men's basketball nationals, which are March 9-12 at the arena formerly known as the Halifax Metro Centre. Carleton, of course, is 7-of-8 at winning nationals held in the East Coast, with the only loss coming in their first trip in 2001, when they lost in the quarter-final against McMaster by the margin of a buzzer shot after a disputed out-of-bounds call.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is a lot of basketball to be played before it becomes evident, once again, that the field is playing for U Sports silver and bronze medals. Out west, did you see what UBC did on the weekend?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EFast-break ➡️ \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JordanJWhyte\"\u003E@JordanJWhyte\u003C\/a\u003E dunk\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UBC\"\u003E@UBC\u003C\/a\u003E 26 - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BUBobcats\"\u003E@BUBobcats\u003C\/a\u003E 15 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoBirdsGo?src=hash\"\u003E#GoBirdsGo\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cXTCmf4VuW\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/cXTCmf4VuW\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ubctbirds\/status\/825181775890575364\"\u003EJanuary 28, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe early challenges with seeding appear to be:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ewho ends up as the 2 seed, the OUA runner-up or Canada West champion? That also determines the matchups for Canada West's other representative and the OUA third-place team, assuming it receives the wild card berth. The rules will dictate that RSEQ's winner will be the 6 seed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ehow high to seed Dalhousie if the Tigers go in through the front door as AUS champion. Their win against Ryerson was on the road (good for the Tigers), but it was on the first weekend of October (bad for the Tigers).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt this writing (Jan. 30), here's a back-of-the-Starbucks napkin cogitation:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton (OUA representative):\u003C\/b\u003E Easy pick. Interestingly, since OUA adopted the single-site Final Four in 2010-11, the Ravens have never hosted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC (Canada West champion):\u003C\/b\u003E 127 points?! The estimable Howard Tsumura, on his final weekend at The Province, summed up just how in the azure hell the T-Birds did that against Brandon last Friday. Hint: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/theprovince.com\/sports\/university\/when-it-comes-to-15-1-ubc-thunderbirds-mens-basketball-team-the-numbers-dont-lie\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethey took 78 shots and sealed Brandon off from the O-boards\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (OUA rep):\u003C\/b\u003E The Gee-Gees could conceivably finish second in RPI even if they lose against Carleton and Ryerson to finish with a 16-3 conference record, while the Rams finish 17-2. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose points could come from having two games with the Ravens, plus two games with two other teams which each had two games with the Ravens. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/01\/basketball-oua-rpiproblems-return-is.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThat was what I was trying to say late last week\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDalhousie (AUS champion): \u003C\/b\u003EThe Tigers are a combined 1-4 against Saint Mary's and UNB and 18-3 against the rest of U Sports. The team with the best pace-setting point guard has a huge edge in single-elimination tournaments and well, Dal has \u003Cb\u003ERitchie Kanza Mata\u003C\/b\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary \/ Alberta (Canada West rep):\u003C\/b\u003E Too soon to say, and Saskatchewan is also in the mix.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWith 5 assists in tonight's game, 5th-yr \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DalTigers\"\u003E@DalTigers\u003C\/a\u003E guard Ritchie Kanza Mata set a new AUS record for career assists \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rZwQsTYSOh\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/rZwQsTYSOh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— AUS_SUA (@AUS_SUA) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AUS_SUA\/status\/820762610060722180\"\u003EJanuary 15, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcGill (RSEQ champion):\u003C\/b\u003E The Redmen are the default pick to come out of Quebec due to defense; they haven't let anyone break 80 all season, including NCAA teams in exhibitions. Concordia is intriguing; 1-2 against McGill and held its own against mid-level OUA competition in October.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBrock (at large):\u003C\/b\u003E Consider this the spoils of Brock defeating Ryerson last Friday, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/mbkb\/2016-17\/boxscores\/20170127_v90f.xml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eprevailing 74-65 in front of 3,000-plus in St. Catharines\u003C\/a\u003E, not a statement of who's better. Most of the RPI scenarios point to the Badgers nestling into the No. 4 spot in the OUA bracket. The team which has to play Carleton on Friday could end up being fresher for a bronze-medal game against the vanquished from a Ryerson-Ottawa semifinal.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERyerson was just off in that game (7-for-37 on triples as they played from behind), and that happens. Their Carleton\/Ottawa trip on Feb. 17-18 could be really good preparation for the postseason.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's (host):\u003C\/b\u003E The half of the bracket with Dal also gets the other AUS team for the evening draw on the first night of the tournament.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EPlease feel free to disagree. There will be several more tries to get this right. Here's the seeding criteria:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-YdUviLYxjBI\/WI_LUpR2RhI\/AAAAAAAADNg\/xTp62UdnTcwTuWE2iEmxaXlCoIb5juQewCLcB\/s1600\/usports.mbb.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-YdUviLYxjBI\/WI_LUpR2RhI\/AAAAAAAADNg\/xTp62UdnTcwTuWE2iEmxaXlCoIb5juQewCLcB\/s640\/usports.mbb.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/7791891882659424931\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/01\/the-road-to-halifax-stops-at-carleton.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7791891882659424931"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7791891882659424931"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/01\/the-road-to-halifax-stops-at-carleton.html","title":"The Road To Halifax Stops At Carleton: Men's Basketball Bracketology 2017, five weeks out"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-YdUviLYxjBI\/WI_LUpR2RhI\/AAAAAAAADNg\/xTp62UdnTcwTuWE2iEmxaXlCoIb5juQewCLcB\/s72-c\/usports.mbb.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-1908071801538241030"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-10T12:11:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-10T16:44:16.752-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"NCAA in Canada"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Redmen"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Wichita State's Gregg Marshall plays American Idiot, indirectly raises point about Canada's basketball infrastructure"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"With the way people are on the Internet, the merest attempt to add some context to Wichita State coach \u003Cb\u003EGregg Marshall \u003C\/b\u003Elosing his mind at McGill is going to be read as a defence of the indefensible.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is no excuse for charging at a game official. It is also little bit telling that Marshall, when presented an opportunity to do so \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.kansas.com\/sports\/college\/wichita-state\/article94747032.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Esince a beat writer was present \u003C\/a\u003Eand \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-sports\/story\/_\/id\/17261081\/wichita-state-shockers-head-coach-gregg-marshall-ejected-shouting-charging-towards-referees-exhibition-game-mcgill-university-montreal\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EESPN's Andy Katz followed up with him\u003C\/a\u003E, never thought to apologize to McGill for his antics. That is American Idiot behaviour -- the classic 'if you don't get your way, overreact by a factor of 10.' It probably won't result in any disciplinary action from the Wichita State athletic department, since it was only an exhibition game in Canada. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(Updates: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/mens-college-basketball\/story\/_\/id\/17265138\/wichita-state-shockers-suspend-coach-gregg-marshall-one-game-ref-tirade\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EMarshall will not coach in Wichita State's last game of the tour\u003C\/a\u003E, big woop. The statement doesn't address dragging McGill into this nonsense, but the state school issued a \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.kwch.com\/content\/sports\/Wichita-State-issues-an-apology-to-McGill-Marshalls-tirade-spills-off-the-court-389763061.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Everbal apology\u003C\/a\u003E\" to McGill. Typical.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(I also understand this has been shared around on a Wichita State fan board by Marshall apologists. It's not about you guys, and your coach is lucky he didn't end up being booked for assault.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere are a couple videos, the one shot by a fan at Love Competition Hall and another from the McGill Sports Network webcast.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/8Mfsw28G3as\/0.jpg\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8Mfsw28G3as?feature=player_embedded\" width=\"320\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is worth noting that the fan made note of, \"Brutal calls all game.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/eeoUitsdq98\/0.jpg\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eeoUitsdq98?feature=player_embedded\" width=\"320\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is the thing: people who are around Canadian university basketball have long said, sotto voce, that the quality of officiating has not kept up with the ever-increasing level of play. That ties back not to the integrity and the skills of the officials, but the support they receive.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor any Wichita State fans who have come by, this is not an exoneration of Gregg Marshall. He wears it, fully completely. He is very lucky that he was restrained by his staff and players, because there was potential there for assault. His spouse \u003Cb\u003ELynn Marshall\u003C\/b\u003E's \"apologizing to Montreal by stimulating the economy\" comment, while no doubt meant to defuse tension, is very condescending. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is being written solely from the perspective of a Canadian, as it pertains to our game. Using\u0026nbsp;it to excuse Gregg Marshall is pathetic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith that out of the way, the concern about reffing in CIS was given voice six months ago when\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EWayne Kondro\u003C\/b\u003E wrote a detailed piece for the website that outlined \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.cis-sic.ca\/sports\/cis_news\/2015-16\/releases\/officiatingcanada\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehow basketball officiating in Canada probably has fallen behind since it is still largely dependent on a culture of volunteerism\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI cannot say definitively whether that came to a head at McGill's Love Competition Hall on Tuesday. I was not there, and there is no neutral account of events. The \u003Ci\u003EWichita Eagle\u003C\/i\u003E described it as \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.kansas.com\/sports\/college\/wichita-state\/article94747032.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eno-blood, no-foul game\u003C\/a\u003E,\" As of last check, the\u003Ci\u003E Montreal Gazette\u003C\/i\u003E hasn't even posted a link. That's all we have.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe do know it was \"steaming hot\" inside the gym. We also know the identity\u003Cb\u003E Dave DeAveiro\u003C\/b\u003E has cultivated over seven seasons at McGill is built around defending and being physical.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGiven that \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.kansas.com\/sports\/college\/wichita-state\/article94378282.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWSU didn't scout the [Carleton] Ravens\u003C\/a\u003E,\" it's fair to wonder what Marshall did to prepare his team for McGill. He probably did very little, and it is a complete and utter coaching fail to send athletes into any competition unprepared. Also, if you have ever attended one of these August games, you should know that to the Canadian teams, it's little brother vs. big brother. Deadspin is foolish for their take that it was \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/deadspin.com\/wichita-state-basketball-coach-gregg-marshall-flips-the-1785085882\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ea meaningless game that was supposed to be played at half-speed and produce zero headlines\u003C\/a\u003E.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the first and third counts, sure. But the reason the D-1 teams visit is to get a hard push before the official start of practice. All of the teams that have come up through the years -- Baylor, Cincinnati, Illinois-Chicago, Syracuse, Villanova, Wisconsin, to name a few who have done the Ottawa-Montreal loop -- respected that they would be in a for a game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Redmen no doubt came ready to test themselves against Division 1 mid-major. Perhaps Wichita State, coming from the NCAA where there's less latitude for physical play than there is under FIBA standards, was taken aback. That's their fault.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's one thing if the officials give some leeway to play hard, but it roils coaches and players when they believe there's inconsistency from one possession to the next. That's in keeping with what people have long believed prevails in CIS. You would have had to be there on Tuesday to know if that applied.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat might come back to a lack of support to properly pay officials and subsidizing continuing education. As Kondro pointed out, the telecoms that are profiting from the rise in basketball's popularity aren't doing a damn thing to help give the \"\u003Cb\u003ENash \u003C\/b\u003Egeneration\" and the \"\u003Cb\u003EWiggins\u003C\/b\u003E generation\" and the \"\u003Cb\u003EKia Nurse\u003C\/b\u003E generation\" the officiating they deserve.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn university ball, if CIS vs. NCAA teams is something we all want, there is an onus to make sure the gatekeepers, the officials, have all the training they need to keep a situation from escalating. There's no guarantee that would prevent something like this from happening again. It's reasonable to say, without faulting the officials, without faulting McGill, that Gregg Marshall's grotesque behaviour exposed gaps in Canada's basketball infrastructure.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat Marshall did was abject and inexcusable. Throwing in the hot gym and a hotly contested game, and I can sort of see why Marshall lost his mind. I fully assume this will be laughed off as a one-off incident, the hotheaded NCAA coach acting like a fish out of water. It is that, and if you want to see it as such, go right ahead.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis would not happen in a regular CIS game, where the coaches and officials see each other almost every weekend. Point being, that is a thin thread to hold on to, and CIS and Canada Basketball got an unfriendly reminder of it this week.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/1908071801538241030\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/08\/wichita-states-gregg-marshall-plays.html#comment-form","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1908071801538241030"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1908071801538241030"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/08\/wichita-states-gregg-marshall-plays.html","title":"Wichita State's Gregg Marshall plays American Idiot, indirectly raises point about Canada's basketball infrastructure"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/8Mfsw28G3as\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-4908937121374243128"},"published":{"$t":"2016-06-13T19:02:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-06-13T19:14:28.397-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RPI"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"OUA basketball RPI-offs will now make Every Game Count! "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Two out of three is not bad, as a shooting percentage or regarding changes to Ontario University Athletics' RPI-offs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;The end of last season pointed up three issues with the format. The Ryerson Rams ended up with the No. 1 seed for the Wilson Cup men's playoffs since a loss to the Guelph Gryphons did not factor into the RPI. The Gryphons, at 9-10, did not make the playoffs since they were fourth in the OUA Central whilst Laurier (9-11), Laurentian (6-13) and Toronto (5-14) got inside the velvet rope. That was not right.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo its credit, OUA is rectifying that for 2016-17, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/canhoopsca.wordpress.com\/2016\/06\/13\/oua-tweaks-playoff-seeding-announces-16-17-schedule\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eas CANhoops related\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAll games count in crunching the RPI;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe top 12 teams in RPI, regardless of division, make the playoffs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EThat is at it should be. Critics of RPI, of course, hold that the reliance on strength of schedule means it rewards teams more for losses to strong opponents than it does for winning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's a good idea to have it in OUA when the West division plays 20 games and everyone else plays 19. However, it can favour the teams that are in a division with one or two of the usual suspects (Carleton, Ottawa and the Rams). It can also affect an team from the West that has one-fifth of its schedule against expansion Algoma and rebuilding Waterloo. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA third tweak would have been to half-weight divisional games. Maybe next year, eh. Two changes is a good start.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/mbkb\/2016-17\/schedule\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emen's\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/wbkb\/2016-17\/schedule\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewomen's\u003C\/a\u003E schedules are online. Of note, Final 8 host Dalhousie will be in the GTA on the first weekend of October for some non-conf. action.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/4908937121374243128\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/06\/oua-basketball-rpi-offs-will-now-make.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4908937121374243128"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4908937121374243128"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/06\/oua-basketball-rpi-offs-will-now-make.html","title":"OUA basketball RPI-offs will now make Every Game Count! "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3811975541272891753"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-21T02:15:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-21T08:34:50.143-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"#2016Final8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#CISFinal8: Rob Smart gets his title, notes assist from Dave Smart: 'As much as he drives me crazy, Dave knows how to win basketball games'"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"VANCOUVER — Rob Smart declared that he is a one-time CIS championship-winning coach. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"He's back, he's back, there's a lot of family time for me, he's back right away,\" Smart coolly stated when asked about his uncle Dave Smart, who took a sabbatical from the sidelines this season.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere was speculation, of course, in August when Dave Smart availed himself of his right as an employee to have a personal leave. The 16-year head coach, who's also an assistant to Jay Triano with the senior men's national team, averred at the time that a break was essential to keeping roots in Ottawa with his spouse, Emily and two young sons, Theo and Gabriel.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt might also read like it was opportunity for Rob Smart to get his due by being the coach of record, for a season. Smart juggled the expanded role while he and his wife were having their third son, and while teaching in Carleton's Sprott School of Business.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Rob's been fantastic this year,\" said Gavin Resch, the graduating guard who scored 18 points on Sunday against Calgary, making 6-of-12 triples. \"The change of pace, it was good, because it made it feel like we could all stand to make adjustments, It was a really fun year. He's got a million things going on. He's a professor, his third child was born this year. It's just fantastic for him.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt would only be confirmation bias to suggest the change of messenger unlocked something for the Ravens as they went on to another CIS title, the sixth in a row and 12th in 14 seasons.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"It's tough to compare the two because they do things similar,\" said fourth-year guard Connor Wood, who was named tournament MVP after scoring 22 points on Sunday. \"I really like the way Rob coaches. He really leads and really got us focused\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Rob will joke around a little more,\" Wood related.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton did a good job of, to quote from \u003Ci\u003ELetterkenny\u003C\/i\u003E, taking 20 per cent of the normal preseason expectations. There is no such thing as a no-pressure situation in that program, with the way the bar has been set and with the way that observers, even those who support the Ravens 100 per cent, look for any slivers of evidence that they are slipping from the perch.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere's just the outcome, that with the better-known Smart stepping away, there was a slightly different vibe, but the same result. Dave Smart stayed behind the scenes until the midway portion of the regular season, when Carleton lost thrice in a four-week span, with an 18-point loss at Ryerson sandwiched between both ends of a sweep by Ottawa. Against Ryerson and in the second Ottawa game, there were a lot desultory threes, instead of confidently flicked ones facilitated by a ball screen.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Dave's really involved, he's involved with the mental side a lot,\" Rob Smart, 37, said. \"He's helped our coaches with the mental side a lot. I got to be honest, I'm first-year, about halfway through I realized, 'I don't know how to win games, my team's playing differently. I really need to sit down with him.'\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"As much as he drives me crazy, Dave knows how to win basketball games. As a first-year coach, his advice is unbelievably valuable.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"In the Ottawa games [both losses], our team looked mentally different,\" Smart added. \"He just helped us with details, \u0026nbsp;little things that he's learned through hard losses, most of which I played in.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResch and \u003Cb\u003EGuillaume Boucard\u003C\/b\u003E, the fifth-years, are graduating. From the sound of it, Dave Smart will be refreshed when Carleton readies for 2016-17, with Wood and Kaza Kajami-Keane being the final-year players.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3811975541272891753\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/cisfinal8-rob-smarts-title-comes-with.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3811975541272891753"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3811975541272891753"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/cisfinal8-rob-smarts-title-comes-with.html","title":"#CISFinal8: Rob Smart gets his title, notes assist from Dave Smart: 'As much as he drives me crazy, Dave knows how to win basketball games'"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-7264962730110971898"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-13T01:30:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-13T19:03:18.616-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"OUA Wilson Cup: Ryerson likely No. 1 seed after beating Carleton, but Final 8 carries a different energy from the MAC"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"TORONTO — \u003Cb\u003EAaron Best\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EKadeem Green\u003C\/b\u003E and all of OUA coach of the year\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;Patrick Tatham\u003C\/b\u003E's Ryerson Rams now have to find their peak on the other side of the Rockies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAn OUA Wilson Cup triumph, especially when it is a school's first, won in front of a raucous home crowd and in the last home game for Rams such as Best (21 points on 53.8% eFG) and Green (eight rebounds, six blocks and countless altered shots) must be savored. Especially when it also involves surmounting a 13-point halftime deficit against No. 1-ranked Carleton Ravens for a 73-68 victory. Feeding off the crowd that smelled blood once Ryerson started creating a Ravens parade into the penalty by using their quickness to get inside and go 20-for-24 from the free-throw line just in the second half, Ryerson got the job done.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"It's big. It's big for the university,\" said Best, while he had the OUA championship banner draped across his shoulders. \"It's big for all of us\u0026nbsp;— all the alumni, all the players who played here. It's a testament to the work everyone put into it. What a way to end it. It's a testament to how far the university has come.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"I think we have about 24 hours — probably less — and then we have to focus in for the next three games. The next three games are going to be even harder.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Rams will get the No. 1 seed, which Tatham believes might entail facing the host UBC Thunderbirds on Thursday night. An energy team won't have the adrenaline shot it gets on the reg at the Coca-Cola Court. The neutral floor at nationals is something completely different. It's probably also not lost on anyone, one night after Ottawa seemingly showed how daunting it is to defeat well-prepared, no-quit Carleton three times in a season, Ryerson might face the prospect if there is a rematch on Championship Sunday on March 20. Ottawa beat Carleton by two on the road and by six in an arena game. The Rams' 18-point and five-point wins were each at home.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne has to love Ryerson's chances. Although, they can often operate at a deficit on the offensive glass. They were behind 0-16 in second-chance points at halftime Saturday, and won. Any great shooting team is vulnerable if it's a touch off.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStill, playing in the country's best conference, the Rams are 16-1 since Jan. 13 with an average point differential of 17.65. The 96-92 loss to also-ran Guelph on Feb. 17, where veteran forward\u003Cb\u003E Juwon Grannum\u003C\/b\u003E was injured, also came when they were in a hectic stretch of playing four games in seven days due to having a game with city rival U of T moved to the Sunday afternoon of NBA All-Star Weekend.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe other side of the coin, though, is that past-two-months record includes being 11-0 at home, with that neutral floor game against U of T and a 4-1 small sample on the road. That included the Guelph game and a two-point win against improved Queen's. (Of course, Queen's also nearly eliminated Ottawa.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Final 8, with neutral floors and sometimes quiet crowds is a different beast. Also, at long last, it is OUA facing a three-hour time change after Canada West dealt with it for 30-plus years.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Once you get there and practise hard once, it just becomes another gym and you try to makes things routine if you can,\" said Carleton coach \u003Cb\u003ERob Smart\u003C\/b\u003E, who would know since the Ravens are going to their 15th in 16 seasons.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESaturday's game was Ryerson's to win and, Carleton being Carleton, the Rams had to win someone else's style of fight. They pulled it off with aplomb, tightening up defensively and going directly at the Ravens on the offensive end.\u003Cb\u003E Connor Wood\u003C\/b\u003E, encumbered by foul trouble, had 20 points in 27 minutes. His only second-half score was a step-back three with 80 seconds left that restored a one-possession game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"This victory, it's a stepping stone,\" Green said. \"In order to win a championship, we're probably going to have to face Carleton.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"It all comes down to being solid,\" Green added. \"Coming together each end of the floor and trusting the system.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Rams' resident rim protector pretty much won the weekend. Green had 11 blocked shots across two games, even though his main counterpart on Saturday was the 7-foot post, \u003Cb\u003ECam Smythe\u003C\/b\u003E. Green has become more consistent thanks to the rapport he enjoys with Tatham, also a power forward.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Last year I didn't really play with as much as confidence,\" Green said. \"In the summer when I watched tape I realized I wasn't playing my game. Patrick's helped me since he's a player's coach who played my position so he relates to me very well.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003EThe 31-year-old Tatham will have \u003Cb\u003ERoy Rana\u003C\/b\u003E, the program architect who took a sabbatical after a hectic 2014-15 spent organizing the Final 8, \u0026nbsp;as a fresh set of eyes for the championship.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"It's so surreal — I never expected it would happen this year,\" Tatham related. \"I knew we were on the up and up. I was way too nervous at the start of the year to think that we would make it to the OUA championship game and be the champions. I am so grateful, and so thankful, and in so many ways.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003ERyerson was balanced in the win, with \u003Cb\u003EAdika Peter-McNeilly\u003C\/b\u003E putting up a 16-8-5 in the triple-double. Six-foot-eight sixth man \u003Cb\u003EJean-Victor Mukama \u003C\/b\u003Ewas more oriented toward disrupting Carleton's rhythm with his length, but shook free of that to score 11 points on just five shots, including a three-pointer as part of a 15-5 run after recess.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen the scoreline changes that abruptly in the second half, observers often presume there was high-level strategic adjustment. Truthfully, there are so many of those going on in every game for all four quarters. Down a baker's dozen at home, Tatham only had to remind the Rams what they could have.,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"There was one speech and one speech only — 'we have got to rebound the ball; if we give them second shots they are going to bury us,' \" he said. \" I told the guys when we come back up here at the end of the game, you'll either hear 'nice try' and 'you're No. 1.' I think that really resonated and they went out and kicked ass in the second half.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"I put it solely on Kadeem and Aaron\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;it's your last game here on this court, ever. Go out as winners. It\u0026nbsp;was beautiful to watch.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat is the territorial imperative talking. Ryerson now has new territory to conquer.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/7264962730110971898\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-ryerson-likely-no-1-seed.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7264962730110971898"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7264962730110971898"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-ryerson-likely-no-1-seed.html","title":"OUA Wilson Cup: Ryerson likely No. 1 seed after beating Carleton, but Final 8 carries a different energy from the MAC"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-4423386163116875401"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-12T18:45:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-12T20:05:51.585-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"OUA Wilson Cup bronze: Ottawa 90, Windsor 77, Gees firm up wild-card case: 'I don't think there's any doubt who should go'"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"TORONTO — With \u003Cb\u003ECaleb Agada \u003C\/b\u003Etaking over with a LeBron-like line to help\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EMichael L'Africain \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003Einto the groove of\u0026nbsp;a share-the-ball system, Ottawa completed their CIS Final 8 wild-card application by defeating the Windsor Lancers 90-77 in Saturday's OUA bronze-medal game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAgada, the best two-way player in CIS, had 23 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and an 8-to-3 assist\/turnover ratio, with 83.3 per cent eFG. The fourth-year wing also helped limit Windsor's fine fifth-year guard \u003Cb\u003EAlex Campbell \u003C\/b\u003Eto a muted 24 points (on 58.8% eFG), only eight of which came in the first 28 minutes. Overall, fewer than 24 hours after losing control of their destiny with that desultory defeat against No. 1-ranked Carleton, the No. 2-ranked Gee-Gees were locked in, albeit against a team they had already beaten by 30-plus points in November. The fancystats included a 58.2% eFG and 18-to-11 assist\/turnover ratio. Ten Gee-Gees scored.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Realistically, with this win, I don't think that leaves any doubt on who should go,\" said Gee-Gees coach James Derouin, whose team is 29-5. \"The at-large was going to go the bronze [winner] from this tournament from the start. You had number one [Carleton] beat number two [Ottawa] in the semifinal, now one and three [Ryerson] are playing in the final. That was the way it should have panned out. The one, two and three have got to go. I'm confident that will be the case.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe gameflow was much like the Windsor-Ryerson semifinal. L'Africain, who made only 3-of-28 from the floor across the two games, stepped up with an assist in transition and some strong takes to get to the free-throw line during a 9-0 run that opened an 11-point mid-third quarter lead. Windsor had some pushback, but after frosh backup point guard \u003Cb\u003ECalvin Epistola \u003C\/b\u003Ecanned a buzzer three off an Agada assist to end the third, Ottawa had a secure grip on the game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin: 0px;\"\u003EOttawa's stretch-four,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EMatt Plunkett \u003C\/b\u003E(16 points on 66.7% eFG), had three triples during a first half-finishing 18-7 Gee-Gees surge. Plunkett had another three-ball to buckle Windsor down the stretch. Ottawa got a little from everyone, including \u003Cb\u003EBrody Maracle\u003C\/b\u003E inside (12 points in 19) and L'Africain (11 points, six rebounds, 3\/2 assist turnover, two steals). The urgency was back.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\"Last night would change anybody,\" Plunkett said. \"Our season was on the line. We knew if we lost we might not get this wild card – and we still might not, but we would put ourselves in the best possible situation if we won today. We went out with a 'win or go home' attitude\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"That bitter taste [after losing to the Ravens] is still in my mouth today,\" Plunkett added. \"I won't lose that until we win nationals.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWindsor, which interim coach \u003Cb\u003ERyan Steer \u003C\/b\u003Egot to within a game of a Final 8 spot with a seven-man rotation and seven rookies on the roster, rated leaving the floor with heads held high. Rookie 6-foot-5 guard \u003Cb\u003EIsiah Osborne\u003C\/b\u003E (20 points, 54.5% eFG) battled with a clearly injured left hand. Third-year southpaw guard \u003Cb\u003EMike Rocca \u003C\/b\u003E(17 points, eight rebounds, four assists, 51.9% eFG) was the Lancers' lifeline with four first-half triples. Rocca only scored three points after the break. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"He's just a wild player, and I mean that in the positive way, who's capable of getting hot and capable of getting cold,\" Derouin said of the 5-foot-10 Rocca. \"He hit tough contested shots. We just continued to play good defence.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECampbell's all-Canadian-worthy postseason bears highlighting. The Brampton, Ont., native averaged 27.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. Holding him to fewer than 25 was a win.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"The game plan was for me to guard Alex Campbell and do what I am capable of,\" Agada lauded. \"He still had 24. He's a great player.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf they get the at-large berth on Sunday, Ottawa will be in the Final 8 for the fourth consecutive season. McGill beating Laval for the RSEQ title would takes another Top 10 team out the wild-card consideration.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThompson Rivers' Top-2 Canada West finish should create space for the wild card to draw into the 4 vs. 5 quarter-final.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/4423386163116875401\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-ottawa-90-windsor-77-in.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4423386163116875401"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4423386163116875401"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-ottawa-90-windsor-77-in.html","title":"OUA Wilson Cup bronze: Ottawa 90, Windsor 77, Gees firm up wild-card case: 'I don't think there's any doubt who should go'"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3863860821628205246"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-11T22:01:00.005-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-11T23:10:26.278-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"OUA Wilson Cup: Ravens-Rams for CIS Final 8 No. 1 seed; Ryerson 96, Windsor 77 "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"TORONTO — The takeaway was \u003Cb\u003EAaron Best \u003C\/b\u003Ebeing a takeover artist. And Ryerson might soon take over the province and country.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne would have anticipated a sizable spread on Friday for the home-court Ryerson Rams, who indeed had an 96-77 win against the game Windsor Lancers in the second OUA Wilson Cup semifinal. That made Ryerson, with Thompson Rivers knocking off CIS Final 8 host UBC 72-69 in the first Canada West semifinal out in Calgary, the fifth team into the nationals. It also sets up a Carleton Ravens-Rams Saturday night fight for the No. 1 seed. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFirst things first: Ryerson, with post defender nonpareil Kareem Green doing work with 12 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots, has shown that loss in Guelph was an anomaly. On to Carleton.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We want to make history,\" said Best, who had his own 18-point, 11-rebound double-double with a 59.1 per cent eFG. \"We have to go in tomorrow with the same defensive intensity and do something big for our school.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"By no means is tomorrow a pushover game,\" added Best, whose Rams defeated Carleton 79-61 on Jan. 22, seven weeks ago. \"Carleton is not going to take a night off. They're going to come for us, especially after what happened during the season. Definitely, tomorrow, we have to come with the same focus \u0026nbsp;if we want to win again.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EIt was a good night for the sixth man. The actual super-utility player,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EJean-Victor Mukama\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;went\u0026nbsp;off for a game-high 23 on a flawless 5-of-5 night on triples. The figurative sixth man was a story, too.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EFive seasons ago, there was about as demand to see the Rams as there was for a Full House reboot. Now they have a full house every night at the second-floor court, which has become a scale model of what you see south of the border. Or, if you need a CIS analog, a small, everyone-knows-everybody eastern school such as Acadia, Cape Breton, St. Francis Xavier or Bishop's back in the '90s during the peak\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EEddie Pomykala\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;era. Except this isn't in a town of 5,000, it's in the downtown of a city of some 5 million people, where it's so easy to be detached. It's such a diamond in the rough for the city of Toronto.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EAll that is missing is a banner.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We've had the OUA Final Four here – twice – in the past and both times we did not play in it,\" OUA coach of the year\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;Patrick Tatham\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003Enoted, referring to the '13 and '14 OUA finals. \"This year we've got it on our home court, where we are undefeated since 2014. We're going for it. We want to be the first team to bring a banner to Ryerson.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We've played one game against Carleton this year and we beat 'em pretty badly. So we know there's some sort of revenge in their blood for tomorrow. We're going to continue doing what we're doing, shoot the ball well, transition, play defence.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EAnyway, about the way Best and the Rams put away Windsor, which will regroup for a bronze-medal game against Ottawa that is a de facto play-in for the Final 8 wild card. The Lancers hung around for 25 minutes until 'Best mode' was invoked. The fifth-year southpaw shooting guard who is one of the holdovers from program architect \u003Cb\u003ERoy Rana\u003C\/b\u003E's first Final 8 team in 2012, willed and skilled his way to three baskets to spur a quarter-capping\u0026nbsp;18-4 run.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EThat surge including Best getting a putback to clean up after\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EManny Diressa\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;had a hard-luck driving layup try. A Best steal and a driving layup got the lead to nine. Minutes later, Best dunked to bring the house down, and it became evident that the Lancers' caffeine crash was coming quickly.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"Our crowd is amazing – they give us that boost that we need to keep our energy up,\" Best said. \"When the other team goes on a run, they get us back in the game. They are like a sixth man on the floor for us.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"Once we started to win games here, word started to spread. They stick by us. They stick by us.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003ERyerson has a shot at an OUA double, with the women's basketball Rams advancing to the Critelli Cup final after downing Windsor 79-62 to make the W-Final 8.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EWhat it all means ....\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFor the Ryersons — \u003C\/b\u003EPlay Carleton in the Wilson Cup. They won the first matchup by 18 points.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFor the Windsors — \u003C\/b\u003EFace Ottawa in the bronze-medal game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThat Guelph game was a purposeful loss\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EIf Ryerson cuts down the nets in nine days' time, it will be a footnote that it contrived to loss to a non-playoff team, Guelph.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"For our guys, they really get up when they play teams that have a ranked number beside their name,\" Tatham said. \"If it's Carleton with a number one, they get fired up. If it is Brock with a five, our guys are fired up. For Guelph, they were not fired up. They didn't take it seriously enough. They learned that the hard way. We needed the loss before playoffs because we had not loss since November, really. We needed that to shake us up and get us back to what we do well.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003EI mean, they have guys\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe game exhibited how Ryerson boasts two unique X factors rarely seen in CIS, presently. Green was a trump card as a post defender, which would be essential if they have to play Calgary next weekend.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Kadeem is a luxury for us,\" Tatham said. In this league, 6-8, 6-9, long, lean, can protect the rim and can step out and shoot. Without him here, it's a different game. We hope we can keep him around for the next four games.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMukama's PER, presumably, was off the charts. His 23 came on eight shots from the floor. The 6-foot-8 guard, when he was starting, sometimes evinced a tendency to rush things, which would lead to turnovers. He had only one on Friday\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"JV brings so much to the table – he can play the one, he can play the two, he can play the three, he can play the four,\" Tatham said. \"His shooting ability, at 6-8, is unheard of. He is a secret weapon for us.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWindsor has another shot\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EFor whatever it is worth (likely not much), Ottawa beat Windsor by 34 points at home in the regular-season game on the last weekend of the first half.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EThe Lancers had an 11-win streak snapped Friday. Hitting 14 threes made it interesting, but it just seems to be Ryerson's time.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIn case you were wondering — \u003C\/b\u003EThose two Final Four weekends that Ryerson hosted were both in the main venue of the MAC, where it also lost the national semifinal in March 2015 before copping a bronze medal.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe rink is being used for a blind hockey tournament, so it wasn't available. Let's be honest, for a lot of universities, it makes dollars-and-sense to have an arena to tap into the lucrative ice rental market. Because, Canada.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso, because Canada. \u003Ci\u003EIf only\u003C\/i\u003E CIS could have ridden the coattails of the NBA all-star weekend and had the Final 8 at Ryerson again.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe bid process to host a championship is a labyrinth written by lawyers. So it's not clear when the 2016 bid opened. However, the Raptors were given the all-star game on Sept. 30, 2013. About three weeks later, Oct. 18, 2013, Ryerson got the '15 nationals. If only someone had thought to ask, \"Could you take it two years in a row?\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESome times it's best to act unilaterally. It would not go over well, but given that Carleton once hosted five times in seven seasons, the precedent has been set.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3863860821628205246\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-ravens-rams-for-cis.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3863860821628205246"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3863860821628205246"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-ravens-rams-for-cis.html","title":"OUA Wilson Cup: Ravens-Rams for CIS Final 8 No. 1 seed; Ryerson 96, Windsor 77 "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-2701646495472027511"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-11T19:02:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-11T20:45:23.116-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"OUA Wilson Cup: Carleton 82, Ottawa 74; Ravens qualify for CIS Final 8"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"TORONTO — Carleton played it cool, and Ottawa stayed cold until it was far too late.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAthletically and star power-wise, the Ravens are not in a league with their legendary iterations, but had a characteristically composed championship weekend performance on the Coca-Cola Court with fourth-year shooting guard \u003Cb\u003EConnor Wood\u003C\/b\u003E scoring 18 points (57.7 per cent eFG) and contributing timely late-fourth assists in their 82-74 win against the Gee-Gees in the early-bird OUA Wilson Cup semifinal. That makes Carleton, under interim head coach\u003Cb\u003E Rob Smart\u003C\/b\u003E, the third team in for the CIS Final 8. Meantime, the 'tough to beat a Top 5 team thrice in a row' seems like a ketchup answer for the Gee-Gees, who are flirting with being the best team not at nationals. The crux of it was that fifth-year Michael L'Africain's newfound score-first aggressiveness was turned against him, as the OUA MVP finished 1-for-18 shooting with just five points. Ottawa, which had\u003Cb\u003E Caleb Agada \u003C\/b\u003Ehoop\u0026nbsp;22 (47.6% eFG) with seven rebounds and a game-high five steals across 29 minutes, is mired in a shooting slump that it must correct in Saturday's bronze-medal game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton never trailed after a 16-0 quarter-bridging first-half run, when Ottawa missed 10 consecutive shots in a portent of a frustrating failure-to-launch evening. Carleton was the first team in the penalty in each quarter, but took a 10-point halftime lead out to 20 and never let Ottawa within single digits until a couple \u003Ci\u003Ewhatthehell\u003C\/i\u003E window-dressing threes in the final 30 seconds.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat it all means ...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFor the Carletons — \u003C\/b\u003EThe Ravens won the day with balanced strength and will play at nationals for the 14th consecutive season, having last missed out in 2002, when there was no at-large berth and the current coaching Smart was a fourth-year guard. A Carleton-Ryerson game on Saturday will essentially be for the No. 1 seed. That is, if anyone wants it, since this is the season when the 'No. 1 with a bullet' cliché is apt.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We definitely know that Ryerson smacked us,\" Wood said, alluding to Carleton's blowout defeat against Ryerson in mid-January in the same venue. We weren't happy with that game. And Windsor, we know they would put up a battle – they always do. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"The improvement has just been building up for the whole year,\" added Wood, who was one of three Ravens starters that finished with four fouls. \"We have just been getting better, and better, each day.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton is an odd amalgam of part. There are the complementary scorers from the Scrubbs era such as Wood and Gavin Resch (16 points on 72.2% eFG Friday) that are adapting to tougher checks. Point guard Kaza Keane and 7-foot centre Cam Smythe (12 points, six rebounds in 22 min.) are learning on the fly. Smart gave eight players at least 18 or more minutes on Friday, with OUA all-rookie pick Stanley Mayambo among those bringing energy.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"It's a totally new group,\" Smart said. \"It feels pretty good to see them beat Ottawa. At this stage of the game they are all good teams. It's good for confidence. From here on, it's nothing but top teams.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"If you've seen us play for the last 10 years, we have our main guys that are featured prominently,\" Smart added. \"This year, we have a very balanced team. It is a mind shift in how you coach the game.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"Even though we have two transfers that we are trying to work in, and a bunch of first-year and second-year players, we have to accept that we need them. A lot of them, it's the attitude that they bring to us. They keep coming.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFor the Ottawas — \u003C\/b\u003EThe Gees' shot at the No. 1 seed is out the window. For the second year in a row, it will have to qualify for nationals by winning the OUA bronze game and receiving the at-large berth. They had a bad 40.1% eFG on Friday (35.3% \u0026nbsp;from two, 29.7% from three). L'Africain, the last-shot savior last week against Queen's, had one of his poorest games. Nathan McCarthy (14 points on 6-of-10) came out strongly, but Carleton denied him looks at the game unspooled.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"It resets next weekend, anyway.\" Gee-Gees coach James Derouin said. \"We have to start play better\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We started out great,\" Derouin added. \"They made a run and there were missed opportunities. We really fell back. We stopped moving our feet; stopped competing. Then third quarter we gave up a 10-0 run right out of the gate.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"The air went out of the balloon. The crowd got quiet on a neutral floor, and that threw off our energy.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EA lesson in hubris — \u003C\/b\u003EOttawa checked off bucket-list items in January and early February with a win in the Ravens' Nest and their first Capital Hoops Classic conquest since the first in 2007, nine seasons ago. The latter came while Agada was scratched due to the high ankle sprain he sustained in the last minute of the first running of the city rivalry.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We came in with our heads and our egos a little too big and they just took advantage of it,\" said Agada, who kept making plays that teased at an Ottawa comeback. \"We went up early and let our egos get big again. We know we can beat them; they know they can beat us. It's 50\/50. It's whoever can work the hardest over 40 minutes, or however long the game is.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"We got comfortable and they saw we were vulnerable, and they took advantage,\" Agada added.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EL'Africain looks to bounce back\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe Ravens did a job on L'Africain, evoking how they suppressed another fifth-year player-of-the-year honouree, Johnny Berhanemeskel, in the 2015 national final. The Ravens started the game with 6-foot-5 forward Guillaume Boucard on L'Africain, and just inveigled him to take shots.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"Credit their defence,\" Derouin said. \"They started Guillaume on him. Michael's been more aggressive scoring over the last three months and they were more keyed on that. They hard-edged him and locked him in and had two guys on him at all times. He didn't know how to take himself out of that mindset, because he knows he has to score. How do you do that and not force shots? He never got out of that funk. We'll have to do video and show him there are guys open. He's been such a great scorer lately, that now guys are open. And he has to see that. \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"Mike's a kid that is as hard on himself as anybody. He's our captain and our fifth-year guy and I expect him to bounce back.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EThe assists-to-turnovers were a wash, 13-to-15 for Carleton and 14-to-17 for Ottawa.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"He is a hell of a player and has had a hell of a season,\" Smart said of L'Africain. \"I did not think that was to happen. We had talked about making him a high-volume scorer, making him take a lot of shots. You watch enough tape, you realize some will go again. And some will go in if we play them again.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERandom variance, thy name might be Ottawa — \u003C\/b\u003EAn uneducated guesstimate is that the outcome was 60\/40 Ottawa beating itself. There was always this hint that a run might be coming, but Ottawa never got the back-to-back big buckets that made it happen. The stuck window was jimmied a bit with 3½ minutes left when fifth-year tri-captain \u003Cb\u003EVikas Gill \u003C\/b\u003E(10 points on five shots in 13 minutes) tripled. Seconds later, Carleton got a run-out; a Wood touch pass created a layup for a 13-point lead.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"A gambler's logic would say that we are due tomorrow,\" Derouin said in a bit of gallows humour. \"Who knows, maybe we will shoot 75 per cent from the floor.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003EThis 'amalgam' of which you speak\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003E— \u003C\/b\u003EOttawa was the deeper team in January, but to borrow an aphorism of a former editor of this little site, teenagers age. Smart used all 12 players. Mayambo, a Fredericton High School product just like former Ravens marksman \u003Cb\u003EElliot Thompson\u003C\/b\u003E, didn't blanch at being put into the breach as a true frosh. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm;\"\u003E\"He works his butt off,\" Smart said. \"It's great to just to see him get in there and be 'fundamental' as we all it and play defence. It's fun to see him do that.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton can never be called an underdog, but from a neutral perspective, it's fun to see it fighting through with fewer weapons. \u003Ci\u003EThat's why they play the games.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd Ottawa has to play better, or it might have only one more game.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/2701646495472027511\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-carleton-83-ottawa-71.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2701646495472027511"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2701646495472027511"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/oua-wilson-cup-carleton-83-ottawa-71.html","title":"OUA Wilson Cup: Carleton 82, Ottawa 74; Ravens qualify for CIS Final 8"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5835909379066687395"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-09T16:20:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-09T16:28:59.826-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Critelli Cup"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Griffins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Martlets"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ottawa Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Pandas"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMU Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Varsity Reds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bronze Baby Bracketology: McGill on top, with a deep dive down the wild-card rabbit hole"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"(Ibid., see \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology-marlets.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elast week's draft of the presumptive draw for next week in Freddy Beach\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe outcome that you should root for, if you're not imbued with Gee-Gee garnet or Ram blue, is for Ottawa to win the Wilson Cup on Ryerson's floor whilst the women's basketball Ryersonians do a turnabout is fair play deal to the Ottawans in the inaugural Critelli Cup final four. Otherwise, why did we do all this? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOh, and good luck to everyone who has sweat equity in these championships. It's not bias to say you're rooting for a particular outcome, because you like a convoluted storyline that will confuse the non-followers. \u003Ci\u003EJournalism!\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe W-Final 8 picture probably has not changed terribly much, apart from fifth-year forward\u003Cb\u003E Megan Cook g\u003C\/b\u003Eoing Megatron in the Grant MacEwan Griffins' Canada West quarter-final sweep of Victoria. Leading a team to its first playoff series victory in your final home games as a fifth-year, that is a great senior moment. It needs to be acknowledged like a \u003Cb\u003EMartin Prince\u003C\/b\u003E-polished geode.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESaint Mary's is in, and the other five qualifiers will be determined Friday night, between the Quebec final and a pair of semifinals. There is not much reason to change from last week.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcGill Martlets (RSEQ champion) — \u003C\/b\u003EIf they win, they are the top seed by virtue of a one-loss regular season. Likely the at-large berth in a championship-game upset scenario, since \u003Cb\u003ERyan Thorne\u003C\/b\u003E's team would be 21-3 overall. No other faint-hope wild-card hopeful will have fewer than five losses.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan Huskies (Canada West champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe U of S has home floor. What could go wrong?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's Huskies (AUS champion)*\u0026nbsp;—\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ci\u003EThe Chronicle-Herald\u003C\/i\u003E union-busting made for sparse coverage of the AUS championships. Thankfully, one of the finest reporters around, \u003Cb\u003EKristen Lipscombe\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;— Laurier hockey alumna! \u003Ci\u003EHerald\u003C\/i\u003E alumna! Kingstonian!\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;was there to capture how SMU \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.metronews.ca\/news\/halifax\/2016\/03\/06\/saint-mary-s-huskies-win-fourth-straight-aus-women-s-basketball-.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehas had its fill of being a conference dynasty\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson Rams (OUA champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003ESince it is Windsor-Ryerson on Friday in a go-to-nats game for \u003Cb\u003ECarly Clarke\u003C\/b\u003E's Rams and \u003Cb\u003EChantal Vallée\u003C\/b\u003E's still-breathing five-time champion Lancers, it's behooving to back up 3½ months to their regular-season matchup.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWindsor took a 95-79 win that Wednesday night after the Rams maintained the three-quarter lead, before the Lancers had a 31-11 fourth. In hindsight, a fade is in tune with travelling down Hwy. 401 for a midweek game. Ryerson should have more rest and less travel this time around. The same cannot be said of Windsor going to Ottawa on back-to-back weekends.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAny two of the four, in either order, could likely emerge from OUA.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina Cougars (Canada West runner-up)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EShould get by MacEwan to seal their spot.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAlberta Pandas (at large, Canada West bronze medal)\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003ETime to deep dive into the selection\u0026nbsp;criteria for the at-large berth, since those on the conference call will need at least three beers and their conversation hats. It could very well come down to \"the tied team who has the highest winning percentage vs. the Top 12 teams in the final RPI.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe best primer is to put the two Edmonton teams that are underdogs in Canada West Final Four (one more so than the other) and all four extent OUA teams into a table. The records reflect that each bronze-medal game winner will, of course, have a 1-1 weekend. The RPI is the overall RPI, and the SRS is the current one.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 14px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 5px; margin: 5px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPW\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPL\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ERPI\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EShort\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ESRS\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E22\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E0.604\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E16.55\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMacEwan\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E20\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.558\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E7.44\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMcMaster\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E20\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.584\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E16.74\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E25\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.583\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8.78\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E25\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.579\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E15.21\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWindsor\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E20\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.571\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E9.55\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOf course, only the bronze-medal game winners will be in consideration. There is an Alberta advantage going into the weekend. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa Gee-Gees (OUA runner-up)\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003EThe table underlines the urgency for Ottawa to beat Mac,\u0026nbsp;not that the Marauders have any less urgency. The grey team in from the city of 670,000 merely has a better wild-card case than the grey team from the city of 700,000. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is hard to imagine the gritty Gees letting a berth go through their grasp at home, though.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUNB Varsity Reds\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe V-Reds might not be long for the championship side, but one has to say something nice. Kudos to coach \u003Cb\u003EJeff Speedy \u003C\/b\u003Efor having a roster that is 50 per cent drawn from the province and 75% from Atlantic Canada. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGuilty as charged for harping on this when the budgetary ax has arced over women's hockey teams down east, but local and regional matters when talking about playing opportunities in CIS. Athletes are talented people, and need reasons to keep them in the region.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is an apples\/oranges comparison, of course, to contrast that with UNB men's hockey, which\u0026nbsp;20.8% New Brunswickans, and 33.3% from Atlantic Canada. That said,\u0026nbsp;UNB coach\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EGardiner MacDougall \u003C\/b\u003Ecannot be begrudged how hard he was worked to build a national recruiting network. It's just about introducing that perspective.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E(Editor's note, W-Final 8 is the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/u\/w\/idbtw8m8fmkhfs\/Basketball_-W-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Epreferred nomenclature in the regulations\u003C\/a\u003E. Paraphrasing Michael Scott after he hit Meredith Palmer with his car: \"You should have to have a 'W' in front of everything so that people know it's women's sports, but that's where we are in America.\" Or maybe the 'W' indicates the unique strength of women. This will be discussed at the Diversity Day seminar.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(* Already determined.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5835909379066687395\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5835909379066687395"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5835909379066687395"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology.html","title":"Bronze Baby Bracketology: McGill on top, with a deep dive down the wild-card rabbit hole"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5400997307116197975"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-09T09:43:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-09T12:11:34.773-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Issues"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Citadins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gaiters"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Martlets"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ottawa Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Redmen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RSEQ"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Stingers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wishful Thinking Wednesday"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Wishful Thinking Wednesday: OUA, RSEQ need basketball interlock to better grow the game"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Hockey rivals should meet five times in a season, not basketball teams.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOnly within the circular logic of university athletics does this make an iota of sense: when the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec men's semifinals take place \u0026nbsp;Friday, host McGill and Laval will be playing or the fifth time, and so too will the Concordia Stingers and the Université du Québec à Montréal Citadins. Meantime, none the three Montreal teams \u0026nbsp;that are within a 2-3½-hour drive of a handful of gyms across the provincial border have faced an Ontario University Athletics opponent since November. Ironically, the exception to the rule is the most geographically distant team. Laval defeated Ottawa on Dec. 28.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe point of mentioning this is that there is a definitely a gap in development in university basketball since OUA and RSEQ don't cross over for regular-season play. With each conference at an odd number with 17 and five teams, creating one-game slack weeks in every team's schedule, would that there was the desire and political will to resurrect it. It would mean, especially for the 10 men's and women's teams in Quebec, meeting, adapting and learning from so many more opponents. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EGenerally, the only time there are cross-overs or \u0026nbsp;Ontario\/Quebec leagues is out of need, either to save money or due to a lack of sufficient teams to make a league. That applies in men's hockey with Trois-Rivières, which will likely win the Queen's Cup as Ontario champion this weekend, being in the league along with Concordia and McGill. Only three Quebec schools ice men's teams. It also goes the other way with Carleton and Ottawa having their women's hockey teams in what amounts to a Montreal-area RSEQ league.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe same notion applied in the 1990s when the OUA East had an interlock with Quebec, which had a couple national championships during the decade with TV's \u003Cb\u003EJohn Dore\u003C\/b\u003E guiding Concordia to the 1990 national title and \u003Cb\u003EEddie Pomykala\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;taking Bishop's to the summit in '98. Before romanticizing that era, it's important to remember that interlock was a shotgun marriage.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe OUA East and West had some issues at the time. For a few seasons, the East played a 20-game schedule \u0026nbsp;— a home-and-home with the other six teams, and a home-and-home with the four-team Q. The OUA West had a 12-game January\/February regular season, before everyone held their own playoffs to determine three qualifiers for the Final 8. Eventually, OUA West came around, probably not coincidentally after McMaster lost the '98 final to Bishop's.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe good unintended consequence helped Quebec. The interlock ended in 2001-02, since the two OUA divisions had resolved their differences, and certain schools in Southern Ontario could abide visiting Concordia or McGill but not so much going to rural Quebec (Bishop's) and very French Quebec (Laval).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe obvious flip rejoinder to that: is going to Laval that much more onerous than trekking to Thunder Bay to play Lakehead?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince the interlock ended, the closest a Q men's team has come to the national title was Concordia reaching the final of the 2005 CIS Final 10, losing 68-48 to Carleton in \u003Cb\u003EMichael Smart\u003C\/b\u003E's final game for the Ravens. The conference is a collective 0-10 in the quarter-final since then, and it's not necessarily all due to low seeding. Concordia was the No. 1 seed in '07 abd No. 3 seed in '12.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGranted, development is hard to quantify, but a development problem has already been identified. It is on CIS to see what can be done to foment change for the greater good.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's important not to read a cause-and-effect here. But it's fair to surmise that having five teams whale on each other from November until early March foments intense competition at the RSEQ Final Four, but it's probably not helping Quebec's cause at the \u0026nbsp;men's Final 8. The Q teams\u003Ci\u003E can \u003C\/i\u003Eplay, notwithstanding that decade-long absence from Semifinal Saturday. Bishop's extended Ottawa to overtime in the quarter-final last season. It would have been easier to see that coming if observers in Ontario had the Gaiters come this way some time after the calendar changed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPerception is reality, and everyone would have a clearer picture about \u0026nbsp;(a) the Q being underrated and (b) what it takes to be a top team if there was that interlock.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMen's hockey is a perfect example of the benefit from having Quebec schools as associate members of OUA. Carleton, which hosts Guelph on Saturday in a play-in game for the CIS University Cup, has been able to get better from playing against McGill and Trois-Rivières, who have long set the bar for the division. It is hard to imagine that Carleton coach \u003Cb\u003EMarty Johnston\u003C\/b\u003E hankers for the easier path to the University Cup his team would have in a weaker, Ontario-only league.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHaving the interlock would serve the ideal for CIS of having national championships where anyone can truly win the day. That is always going to be daunting in a country which is geographically vast and historically disinterested in supporting its own university sport. (Why no, I'm not filling out a NCAA Tournament bracket and don't ask me to join your pool.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUltimately, as the power conference, OUA owes it to its neighbour to remember that they had that mutually beneficial partnership in the 1990s. It came together by accident, almost, but it was great and rates a chance to come back. Players and coaches would benefit.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETwenty-two is the most awkward even number of teams to schedule. It is not that hard, though, to imagine grafting Quebec on to a four-division OUA.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 12px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 5px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003EWest\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ECentral\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EEast\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EQuebec\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlgoma\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EBrock\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EBishop's\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EGuelph\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurentian\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWaterloo\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaurier\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ENipissing\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval \u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWestern\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMcMaster\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMcGill\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWindsor\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EQueen's\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EUQAM\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EToronto\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EYork\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(Laurier and Lakehead are interchangeable. Lakehead in a five-team division is probably more cost-effective.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn this bit of blue-sky thinking, one could draft a 20-game schedule where everyone has divisional home-and-homes and plays 10-12 other teams. If OUA uses a RPI \u003Ci\u003Ewhere every game counts\u003C\/i\u003E, an unbalanced schedule does not pose a problem for playoff seeding. Also, each OUA team is getting new opponents. A few teams would have two more opponents that visit every season, which helps with building familiarity and rivalries.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAdding Quebec to the schedule would help develop the rivalries among OUA schools? \u003Ci\u003EYeah, that's right.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose are just the potential ancillary benefits. The primary one is that the smallest conference in the country is more prepared for nationals, which can only help Canadian university basketball.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003ECome playoff time, Quebec could have its own championship while OUA could proceed apace with the Critelli Cup and Wilson Cup. What is one more grandfathered-in exception in CIS, any way?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWishful thinking — \u003Ci\u003EI know.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5400997307116197975\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/wishful-thinking-wednesday-oua-rseq.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5400997307116197975"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5400997307116197975"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/wishful-thinking-wednesday-oua-rseq.html","title":"Wishful Thinking Wednesday: OUA, RSEQ need basketball interlock to better grow the game"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});