One of the problems Crookham has is: in order to qualify for NCAAs, he must win at least 1 more match. Otherwise he cannot merely MFF his way thru EIWAs. And the clock is ticking, 7 weeks until the conference qualifier.
Here are the criteria for an NCAA At-Large Bid -- and note, candidates must fulfill 2 of the 3 to be eligible:
- Top 30 Coaches' Rank (min 8 matches)
- Top 30 RPI (min 15 matches)
- Win % => .700
He's 5-0, He cannot get an RPI, and he needs 3 matches for a Coaches' Rank. And to be .700 or better, he must go at least 1-2 the rest of the way.
Also, his last 4 potential opponents are all ranked and past NQs likely to qualify again this year: Berginc, Phipps, Miller, and Chlebove. If his elbow is still seriously injured, there isn't a cheap win to be had in that group. He'd need to actually compete at EIWAs at least once (and EIWA quarters would likely be a much easier opponent anyway).