Given Wayne's excellent job of playing out some possible scenarios for the
remainder of the regular season, it appears likely Maine stands a good
chance for making the NC$$ playoffs.   I think Maine will peak, and Shawn,
as indicated in the BDN article today (Tue.), will motivate them to the
necessary degree.
 
I started to consider possible Regional brackets using the teams I think
will be selected from the East.  BU, BC, New Hampshire, Niagra (if
invited), and whoever is the EZAC winner (and lone rep of that conference)
are locks, IMHO, for Albany.  I doubt the committee would send any of these
people West.  Only one slot left, and usually a team from the other side
gets sent over (E to W and vice versa).   The above scenario presumes not
having five from HE.
 
Despite the EZAC's "float your money" ticket plan in Albany selling 2001
Last Four tickets linked to regional 2000 seats, a sea of no-shows this
year is not the NC$$'s preference.  Putting bodies in the18,000 seats at
the East regional this year will be critical.
 
The only thing that keeps Maine in the east, I surmise, would be to win the
post-season HE tournament.  Otherwise, Maine's the odd team out, provided
they get in.  Despite rabid fans, we don't have enough to justify filling
seats in place of the larger HE teams, and I don't think New Hampshire will
be sent west after last year's performance, and very likely having the
higher seeding over Maine this season.
 
Therefore, my prediction ==
 
Maine does not win HE post-season championship (BC plays New Hampshire, but
I won't predict a winner).  Maine has sufficient PWR in the season at the
time of the selection show to be chosen the fourth and final HE rep into
the Round of 12, and gets sent west.
 
The selection committee will do the best it can with this year's brackets
and PWR rankings to struggle with seedings into this year's Last Four, and
avoid a repeat of last year's 75 % of Last Four from HE.
 
I'm a realist ... you have to be honest that Maine is, at this point, not
as good as last year's squad.    If Shawn finds the right combination of
tricks, as he intimated in the BDN article today, they could very well
succeed, but against perhaps better opposition.
 
GO MAINE !!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dan Doucette
 
Maine - National Champions 1993 and 1999 -
first in the new Millennium ?
 
Bill Gates should be sentenced to using a Macintosh
for the rest of his natural life.