Horizon League Tournament

[UICJohn]

At the half, UIC and Wright State tied at 0. The wind is brutal and was in UICs face all first half. With the wind to their back in the second half should be to their favor.

Also, I wish someone would tell the guy doing play by play on the stream that college soccer doesn't have stoppage time. Must have mentioned stoppage time 10 times.

[Big D]

Pretty awesome ending to this game. In OT, Novak gets the ball in the box and a foul was called for something. Slobo kicked the penalty kick, WSU's keeper made a diving save, but the ball ricocheted off of the keeper back to Slobo and he kicked a second shot in. Talk about a swing of emotions...I thought it was over as soon as the penalty kick was announced, then a nice save, and then a second-chance putback.

WSU played us tough the first time, so I was slightly worried about playing them again. They did a good job considering it was an unexpected game for them. But UIC prevails and hopefully we can get one more tomorrow. 16 wins is pretty impressive.

[UICJohn]

I wasn't sure what the call at the end was either. However, on the replay they showed, looked like a handball to me and not much argument from WSU

[Big D]

No matter what happens today, I'm pretty sure the loser will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

UIC is 27 in RPI, UWM is 28. We lead the country in wins (tied with UMBC)...UWM is not far behind. Both teams are deserving of a spot, and I think both will end up in the tourney.

Here are up to date RPI numbers and projected bids:

link

It would be sweet to get a win today. UWM will be looking for payback from earlier this year. They have a nice offense...and will be a tough opponent.

[UICJohn]

I still always worry. When it comes to selecting teams I feel they always go with a name over smaller schools even with a decent RPI. I do agree both are very deserving though and it would be great because I don't know of ever remember multi bids for the league in soccer.

With the weather I wonder of they even play today though. Horrible weather. Not sure when brackets are announced though.

[longtime]

Field not playable at UIC due to storm. Game will be moved to Lakeside Field at Northwestern University and start at approximately 6 PM. Doubt there will be any webcast. Game needs to be completed today due to selection process for NCAA tournament.

[UICJohn]

Some crazy wind out there. Definitely interesting playing conditions.

[UICJohn]

Well...

UWM 2
UIC 0


I've seen some bracket predictions and most did have UIC and UWM both making it. Still, I'd obviously rather have won the tournament. Will wait and see for tomorrow.

[Big D]

Well...I was wrong. John, I should have known better.

Unreal that UIC didn't get an at-large bid. I guess we just didnt have any standout wins and a weak strength of schedule. Northwestern got an at large bid though with a 10-7-3 record and an RPI lower than ours.

Heartbreaking ending to this season...these guys deserved to play another day. Congrats on great regular season and most regular season wins ever w/ 15.

Ugh...

[UICJohn]

Indiana winning the Big 10 hurt us. They had a sub .500 record but got the automatic. Still, hard to snub a team that went undefeated in conference. However guess the big win just wasn't there. We beat Gonzaga who was ranked at the time but couldn't come up with any against UCSB or Michigan State.

I don't know their record or SOS but UAB was ranked right around us on every poll and was snubbed too.

[axaguy]

Good improvement for the season but same old Horizon League story....... Lost the conference championship game and missed the automatic tourney bid.......... Basketball, baseball and soccer programs need to be cognizant that we MUST capitalize on our one chance to advance to the big stages.... Good season's be damned if we can't win one game during the season... THE game. Milwaukee.....come on. I want UIC representing the conference each year!!!! Each sport !!!!!!!!! We should be the best.......

Baseball had a nice run a while ago and has slipped to mediocrity and needs to get back to dominance. Heck, Milwaukee doesn't even have a decent home field and we have great facilities with improvement coming.....

We were on a national stage in soccer a short while ago but, too, have slipped and just had a nice season but not a good/great one.

Basketball needs to play for the conference title each year in my book. Unacceptable if we aren't. It's the only way we'll get back to the tourney and should be regulars there....

Typically our conference, though a very nice one, doesn't gather support for multiple bids in any of the previously mentioned sports so we must use the only guaranteed avenue and that's as conference champs in all of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Big D]

I believe those associated with UIC are entitled to know what the selection committee was thinking when they chose Northwestern over UIC. Seriously. I truly want to know.

UIC RPI 30
Northwestern RPI 44

UIC SOS 119
Northwestern 26

UIC record 16-4-0
Northwestern record 10-7-3

UIC longest win streak 10
Northwestern longest win streak 7

UIC won 16 of last 18
Northwestern went 3-6-3 in last 12

UIC biggest wins: Gonzaga (RPI 38 and once ranked) and Milwaukee (RPI 22 and once ranked)

Northwestern biggest wins: Xavier (RPI 51), Butler (RPI 52), Michigan (RPI 50), and #13 Wisconsin in the B10 tourney (RPI 29). Outside of Wisconsin, none of these teams have great records.

www.nusports.com/sports/m-soccer/sched/nw-m-soccer-sched.html

I don't know much about soccer, but from my limited time watching, anybody can win on any given day. Weather, a lucky break, or one mental breakdown can mean an upset. I don't think most people realize how much of a feat it is to actually win 10 games in a row and 16 out of 18. We were a dominant team all year that found a way to win. And, it's very discouraging to me that this wasn't rewarded, and this average B10 team got in instead. I'm sorry, I may sound bitter, but dammit, are their wins that much more impressive than ours? They had a nice SOS, but they didn't do anything impressive. You're going to get a freak win or two against a decent team just because you play in the Big 10....again, one mental breakdown, one lucky break, etc.

Nothing ever seems to go UIC's way, and I'm pissed. What are you telling mid majors....have a stellar regular season....lead the country in wins, deal with all kinds of weather issues in your own tournament, and fall just short in the title game and go f@#! yourself...not good enough. What do we need to do? Next year we'll schedule all ranked teams and win some and lose some, and come selection time (because we simply can't seem to pull out a conference tourney championship), it won't be SOS this time...it'll be that "UIC didn't have enough wins". Instead the bid will go to Northwestern with a worse SOS and more wins. F you committee....F you.

UIC had a great regular season and should be congratulated. We have a ton returning next year and only 1 senior....we should be good again. But time will tell.