Off the Block

Tag: USC

  • Deeper look at NCAA Tourney selection criteria after conference championships

    UC Santa Barbara has not only crashed the Final Four, it has changed the landscape the entire equation into deciding the NCAA Tournament.

    With the No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara defeating No. 1 USC to win the MPSF Tournament and receive the conference’s automatic bid, it took away a spot in the NCAA Tournament from another team.

    While USC will now without a doubt receive the lone at-large bid to the tournament, it may seem like UC Santa Barbara conference tournament success means it should be higher than a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, a closer look at the NCAA selection committee criteria says otherwise.
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  • Gauchos crash the party, win MPSF title to receive automatic bid to Final Four

    The Gauchos have upset all the way to crashing the Final Four party.

    The No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara as it defeated No. 1 USC 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18, 16-14 on Saturday to win the MPSF championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
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  • Men’s volleyball bracketology

    With Ohio State and Penn State winning its conference championships earlier today, Off Block is releasing its most updated projections of the NCAA Tournament bracket heading into the MPSF title match between USC and UC Santa Barbara.

    The men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament is comprised of four teams. Automatic bids are awarded to the winners of the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference tournaments, and the NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Committee chooses one team for an at-large bid.
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  • Conference championship men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    After four months of conference matches, it comes down to tonight to determine who gets the three automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.

    The EIVA, MIVA and MPSF championship matches will be play tonight with the winners advance to the Final Four next week. While all the No. 1 seeds remain in the three tournaments, several teams are looking to crash the Final Four, including Loyola and UC Santa Barbara.

    Check out the conference tournament championship matches to follow tonight.
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  • Men’s volleyball bracketology: conference championship matches implications

    It’s the weekend of selection Sunday and it remains unclear on who will be the men’s volleyball teams in the Final Four.

    The EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference championships matches on Saturday will make the four-team field for the NCAA Tournament clearer entering selection Sunday. However with the winner of these conference title matches receiving automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, there are still numerous scenarios that could effect this year’s bracket.

    Check out the potential implications each conference tournament could have on the bracket if either team wins.
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  • Men’s volleyball bracketology

    With the conference tournament semifinals now complete and selection Sunday three days away, Off Block is releasing its most updated projections of the NCAA Tournament bracket.

    The men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament is comprised of four teams. Automatic bids are awarded to the winners of the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference tournaments, and the NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Committee chooses one team for an at-large bid.
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  • AVCA releases 2011 men’s volleyball All-American teams

    The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced its men’s volleyball Division I-II All-American teams on Thursday.

    USC led all teams with three All-American selections — two First-Team All-Americans and a Second-Team All-American.

    The Trojans became the first team in 16 years to be ranked No. 1 from the preseason through the end of the regular season. All six of its starters also received all-conference accolades last week.

    Along with USC, Penn State and BYU had three All-American selections. The Nittany Lions and Cougars both had a First-Team All-American and two Second-Team All-Americans.

    UC Santa Barbara, Stanford and UC Irvine all had two players named All-Americans.

    A voting committee comprised of nine men’s volleyball coaches selected the All-American teams. The committee included Penn State coach Mark Pavlik, George Mason coach Fred Chao, Loyola coach Shane Davis, USC coach Bill Ferguson, Lewis coach Dan Friend, Stanford coach John Kotsy, UC Santa Barbara coach UC Santa Barbara, St. Francis coach Mike Rumbaugh and Ball State coach Joel Walton.

    Check out the players who received All-American honors this year.
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  • Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    From coast to coast the men’s volleyball conference tournaments are in full swing tonight.

    Penn State on the East Coast looks to move one win closer to clinching its 13th consecutive EIVA title and a spot in the Final Four. In addition, the two Cinderellas of the West Coast, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara, play with a chance to advance to the MPSF Tournament championship match.

    The winners of these semifinals matches tonight will play in their conference tournament championship match Saturday.

    Check out the conference tournament matches to follow tonight.
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  • Winners announced for EIVA, MIVA, MPSF Reporters of the Year

    The Daily Trojan reporter Sean McCormick, The Daily Collegian reporter Joe McIntyre and The Ball State Daily News reporter Andrew Mishler were selected as the Off the Block Men’s Volleyball Conference Reporters of the Year.

    The Off the Block Men’s Volleyball Conference Reporters of the Year recognizes the best college newspaper reporters in the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF.
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  • Men’s volleyball bracketology

    With conference tournaments underway and the men’s volleyball Final Four weeks away, Off the Block will continue its weekly projected NCAA Tournament bracket.

    The men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament is comprised of four teams. Automatic bids are awarded to the winners of the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference tournaments, and the NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Committee chooses one team for an at-large bid.
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