The BG women beat Michigan (again) last night by 10 to make the Elite 8 in the WNIT.

They will host Rutgers next Monday night!

I would love to think that another great WNIT run by a women's program in the MAC might get us a second NCAA bid someday, but we know the reality.

Anyway, way to go Falcons!!!

Rutgers isnt a cake walk. They used to be on par with Baylor, UConn, Notre Dame before. Might have fallen as of recently, but expect a battle.

Go Lady Falcons!

Good job knocking off those weasels !!! - TWICE
Go falcons !!!

BG didn't have impressive OOC wins. Falcons had a great record, but for the MAC it's always going to require at least one signature OOC win.

BG's OOC record:
W- Michigan (20-14, 8-8 B1G) Decent team, but no wow factor
W- Iona (26-6, 18-2) Pretty good win, but unfortunately not a well known program that also got thumped by Duke
W- Niagara (10-20, 8-12) Weak team
W- Butler (15-16, 10-8 ) Nothing to impress
L- Marist (27-7,18-2) Iona's MAAC co-champ. So that shows BG has parity w/ these teams. Marist got thumped by Iowa
W- Zero State (17-18, 5-11) Good for BG, not gonna impress anyone else
W- Monmouth (8-25, 6-14) Weak team, and 4th from MAAC.
W- Milwaukee (8-22, 4-12) Weak team
W- UMass (4-27, 1-15) Last place team in A10
L- Purdue (22-9, 11-5) Ranked team, yes. But BG lost.
W- St. Francis (PA) (15-17, 11-7)

That's just not a stellar record to make up for the early conf tourney exit: losses against the two best teams. One signature win (Purdue?) might have been enough.

As for scheduling, maybe not so many MAAC teams, and instead better Horizon league teams. Would love to see traditional series w/ W. Kentucky and Dayton, and ND on the schedule.

Rutgers is 25-9, with 5 of those losses being to UConn and Louisville, so this will be a great challenge, I read that BG is expecting a near sellout ( I think the Stroh seats around 4200). Hope BG can bring home another title for the MAC.

BG lost 55-50, had chances at the end, but Rutgers played some great D and hit their free throws when they needed to. Great game and fantastic atmosphere. Rutgers is a young, tough and athletic team, and obviously some of their early-season losses were due to the youth factor. Both teams I saw tonight belonged in the NCAA tourney without question. Even with the loss, BG can't hang their heads. They had a great season, only the second team in school and MAC history to win 30 games in a season, and they return a lot of talent next year. One of these days, at least in women's hoops, the MAC will get the respect it has earned and deserves. Fun year and hats off to BG and the conference.

(03-31-2014 08:48 PM)bg816 Wrote:  BG lost 55-50, had chances at the end, but Rutgers played some great D and hit their free throws when they needed to. Great game and fantastic atmosphere. Rutgers is a young, tough and athletic team, and obviously some of their early-season losses were due to the youth factor. Both teams I saw tonight belonged in the NCAA tourney without question. Even with the loss, BG can't hang their heads. They had a great season, only the second team in school and MAC history to win 30 games in a season, and they return a lot of talent next year. One of these days, at least in women's hoops, the MAC will get the respect it has earned and deserves. Fun year and hats off to BG and the conference.

The MAC has the respect they earned. A pretty good mid major league that can't hang with the big girls.

(03-31-2014 10:01 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  The MAC has the respect they earned. A pretty good mid major league that can't hang with the big girls.

BG "hung with" Vandy and Oklahoma State to get the Sweet 16 in 2007. This past season, BG easily handled the "big girls" of Michigan (twice) and Ohio State. BG "hung with" a talented Rutgers team tonight. Toledo "hung with" several "big girls" when they won the WNIT.

Is it that the 2014 BG team didn't deserve an NCAA bid? How about the 2011 Rocket team? You're in the minority if you think they didn't.

(03-31-2014 10:01 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(03-31-2014 08:48 PM)bg816 Wrote:  BG lost 55-50, had chances at the end, but Rutgers played some great D and hit their free throws when they needed to. Great game and fantastic atmosphere. Rutgers is a young, tough and athletic team, and obviously some of their early-season losses were due to the youth factor. Both teams I saw tonight belonged in the NCAA tourney without question. Even with the loss, BG can't hang their heads. They had a great season, only the second team in school and MAC history to win 30 games in a season, and they return a lot of talent next year. One of these days, at least in women's hoops, the MAC will get the respect it has earned and deserves. Fun year and hats off to BG and the conference.

The MAC has the respect they earned. A pretty good mid major league that can't hang with the big girls.

True. But this is one sport where the MAC is poised to move forward. What's it take to get that last push, and be consistently top tier?

It will take schools dedicating the resources to their women's basketball program. Recruiting is probably the biggest area that needs to improve. Coaches need to be aggressive in their recruiting. It is time to convince "blue chip" prospects to take a chance and come to a program where they can leave a legacy. The NCAA changing scholarship limits back to 13 from 15 would certainly help. Jennifer Roos, the Bowling Green coach, mentioned this just lately in one of her press conferences.

(03-31-2014 10:56 PM)bg816 Wrote:  

(03-31-2014 10:01 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  The MAC has the respect they earned. A pretty good mid major league that can't hang with the big girls.

BG "hung with" Vandy and Oklahoma State to get the Sweet 16 in 2007. This past season, BG easily handled the "big girls" of Michigan (twice) and Ohio State. BG "hung with" a talented Rutgers team tonight. Toledo "hung with" several "big girls" when they won the WNIT.

Is it that the 2014 BG team didn't deserve an NCAA bid? How about the 2011 Rocket team? You're in the minority if you think they didn't.

You said "the MAC". Not UT or BG or CMU winning occasionally against UM or OSU. Huge difference.