Great to see RMC and EMU in NCAA's.  Too bad NCAA can't spend the money to seed the teams better.  I think EMC got the better seed.  They play #20 Chris Newport and if they win they play #16 Ferrum.  How is that better?   RMC would play #6 FDU at home if they win first game.  Playing those teams with (RMC & EM) rating should be in the sweet 16 type game but the Div III doesn't have the money to pay the travel to seed better.  I remember a few years ago, I think RMC played #4 team in the country the first game.

RMC has had many 20 win seasons and has won the ODAC tournament often.  Good coaches, good system of playing and good support from the college.  Good players help.  Tale of two colleges.  Bridgewater gave them a very good game in tournament  96-91.  Coach Jean Willi always finds a way it seems at tournament time. 

Heather Cantrell 5'9" freshmen was named rookie of year for ODAC, last year at this time RMC was looking at her to join them, she chose to go to Bridgewater.  She is local girl from Broadway.  She started, played very well and was name ROY, she will have great career at Bridgewater.  If she had chosen RMC, I don't think she would have started until her Jr year but would have gotten quality time as a freshman but not as much as she did at Bridgewater.  Mistake...no...  but she may never play a NCAA tournament game in her four years.  Bridgewater is now taking Xmas trips like RMC does and the mins and stats may be enough.

If I had a 6'2" hs senior center who was getting interest from Div I lower level schools and could afford it, RMC would be an excellent school to look at.  There will be playing time for the next four years for another Molly A or Taylor W or Michelle Orton

Quote from: BH2OFan on January 19, 2014, 08:57:47 AM

Pretty sure that's on EVERY recruiting radar every year

Go to Randolph Macon web site; click on women sports, basketball, tradition, then roster from past years..go to 2005-2006;  6-2; 6-3; 6-3; 6-5 AND REISHBECK listed 5-10, became 5-11 later.  That's the team we watched when the decision was made to go to RM.  I thought my child at 5-10 with long arms that helped her to play about 6; 6-1 would play guard or small forward.

Molly A at 6-2 came in with her, and Molly was told they weren't sure they would have room for her on a 12-man team, but the 6-3; 6-5 Jrs to be( 2006-2007) didn't come back and Molly made history.

This RM team has a chance to be special!  The early season wins vs Christopher Newport, Mary Washington & Marymount (all out of conference wins will help Ncaa rating.  I think their fans will see a number of 100=+ games and with all that firepower is a fun team to watch.

Too bad they can't trade a couple of small forwards for one 6'2" rebounding , active, defensive minded center.  I know  I would be reallly looking for that in next years recruits. 

The game at Bridgewater highlighted to me, where they need to focus.  99 vs 81 (18 pts).  The first thing out of Bridgewater's coach in post game news interview was " A positive was we scored 81"  That's the mind set of everyone coming off one of these games.  If the score was same 18 but 56-38 or last nights 115-92 be 56-33, the other team would be walking out not looking forward to playing them again.

It's a mind set.  Score...slap the floor, get low, move the feet and say 'I'm going to work twice as hard now that they have the ball, so MY MAN doesn't score!!

Some nights the ball just doesn't drop, but defense will save you on those nights!  I play offense with my hands and mind, defense with my feet and heart.

Quote from: hoopstermom on January 05, 2014, 03:08:39 PM
I played on the floor at Crenshaw in the late 70's and early 80's, and the teams I was on had their fair share of ankle and knee injuries.  Of note; however, is that the entire gym was renovated, including a new floor installed following the end of the basketball season in 2005. The last official game to be played on the old floor was R-MC women against George Fox that propelled them into the final four of the championship that year.  I've played some alumni games on that new floor, but to be honest, really couldn't tell if it is 'softer or harder' than before. 

wmjofva says:
I love to watch the 'back to the hive' alumni games with the women.  Be in 70's,80's,90's or 2000 players they are all  basketball fundamentally sound.  Speaks so well of the program of Lehay and RM.

The new floor( 2005 if that is when the floor was redone) the issue.  My knowledge of this is because 2006-2007 season my child as a freshman, was playing pick up etc as much as she had done in hs; when we had the first preseaon game, I was stunned to see her limbing up and down the floor with what appeared to be shinsplints.  The team had taken xrays and when they were looked at, they were stunned to see she had been playing on fractured legs (both) for about 10 days.  Coach Lehay said she had never a a player play thu that kind of pain.

I was called and was asked to 'help' get her off the floor, as she was refusing to stop, as she had played thru the pain and their treatments were helping.  That's when the floor issues were reviewed with me.  We got her in the boot and after a period of time, she was able to play.  That summer we did extra work and the school helped with shoes , etc. RM staff and coaches were very good in their treatment of the matter in the course of her 4 yr career.

Lindsay Reisbeck and Marta Merkel were two outstanding players during this time, who played on only  one good leg.  I hate to think how many points Lindsay would have scored if she had played healthy.


You will note after all home games, how many players come out with ice bags on their legs and  knees.

Randolph Macon basketball floor is legal, but it's in the top part of being very hard.  This has always been an issue for the women who play on that floor.  I understand the men love it, but it's hard on the feet, legs, ect of women it appears.   I think that floor has caused more losses in the past 10 years than any ODAC foe.

Knee issues, stress fractures, ect are very common for the women.  I think another player on this team hasn't played this year due to stress fracture and may face surgery to correct the issue. 

A team leading late in a game often slows the play down to limit the number of remaining possessions. The fewer the possessions, the fewer opportunities your opponent has to catch up. All else being equal, it's harder to come back from a 10-point deficit in five possessions than it is in 10, for example. Additionally, the trailing team is often forced to commit fouls to prevent its opponent from draining too much time off the clock. Therefore, a strong foul-shooting team may use the slow-down tactic a bit sooner than a team that shoots free throws poorly.

This can also be done at end of first half or the beginning of the 2nd half.  Coach Willi had done everything she could to slow down the offense of RM with four timeouts in the first half.  With RM leading 39-26 (13 pt lead) with 3:24 she called the 4th time out.  If RM players learn how to control tempo, they could work the clock and make the teams spend a lot of energy on defense, increase or maintain the 13 pt lead till half time.  They however keep firing away from long range and at 2:07 Bridgewater had cut the lead to 7 pts.

It's going to be hard for teams to 'out shoot' this team and if the enforcement of rules regarding physical play continue it will only help this team.  This Bridgewater game was 'normal' but I understand the first couple of games at Ashland there were a lot of fouls called. 

http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-women/d3

Regional ranking as of 2/13/2013

EMU 81- RMC 70; enjoyed the game last night.  Game went back and forth and at 4:24; RMC had cut it to 61-68.

Big difference was EMU converted wide open putbacks or layups and RMC made shots over the EMU defenders.  Wouldn't want to get into a game of 'horse' with RMC.

EMU pressed the whole game, yet the fouls were 15-18 for RMC and 20-31 for EMU.  Helps to play at home.

One needs to look at the other conferences when your checking your chances.  USA Athletic South has three teams in ranking... Maryville 10-1 (16-2); Ferrum 10-1 (16-2) and Chris Newport 9-2 (16-2).

Chris Newport doesn't play Maryville or Ferrum again and Maryville and Ferrum play Feb 6th.  So you have three teams ranked and will end season with solid records & that's just one other conference.  They beat ODAC teams like a drum this year!

Throw in upsets at conference tournaments and these teams will take the 'at large'.

I'm not going to pretend I understand any of it, but over at Masseyratings.com Guilford (with a U ) is rated 97th with a strength of schedule of 267th, EMU 101st with SOS 187. It's a one bid league IMHO
[/quote]

Only the conference tournament winner is for sure, but the ODAC HAS gotten two teams to the dance.  RM in 2004-2005 was Nalt finalist, played for NCAA Div 111 title. They have been ranked thru the seasons often.

Both Guilford and EMU are having great season's.  Let's hope things work out that the conference gets two teams.   **I think the regional ranking will come 3rd week of Feb

[/quote]Guilford has a "U". 
[/quote]

Thanks!

Guilford would seem to have the stronger position for end of year regional ranking.  If they finish the year with no more ODAC losses but are upset in the tournament, they would have the best chance for an at-large in the NCAA, then??

Thanks! 

I can go to school on this:

Gilford is 7-1; 14-3; EMU is 7-1; 11-5; If Gilford beats Mary Washington (6-2) and MW is ranked at end of year, I see where that helps 'strength of schedule'; but how does beating the bottom of USA conference do anything, anymore than beating bottom of ODAC?

If EMU loses to Messiah, Ferrum & Mary Washington, who end up top of their conferences and rated, does that help EMU's strength of schedule?

In the last 10 years, how many ODAC teams per year went to the NCAA's?  Only the tournament winner I suspect.

However when it is pointed out how few games one would have outside the conference, I have to agree   Having a strong team, I would want to test them.  However one could play three top 50 teams in the three openings.  It's a waste of time for both teams to play overmatched game.

What dooms the ODAC to mediocrity is the talent in the league.  Skilled players, well coached, playing each other will sharpen both teams...be it ODAC vs ODAC or ODAC vs out of conference.








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