Boy, this board has been awfully quiet this year, and I apologize for my part in that. More chatter about who might get to the NCAAs than discussion of players or games. Not what I'm used to!

Anyway, I can't not say something about the great job Lynchburg's Coach Pyzik has been doing this year, even if no one else has noticed enough to comment. With today's win over Bridgewater she has tied the all-time record for wins at LC, has advanced to the ODAC semifinals for the first time in 23 years, and has recorded the program's first ever win at Salem Center. And she has done it in only her third season at LC, with most of the minutes being played by freshmen and sophomores. Remember, she got the job the August before her first season, too late to do any recruiting, making this accomplishment even more impressive. She has this young team playing with heart and determination, despite the ups and downs of so young a team. She is definitely building a winner, and with only one senior graduating and two All-ODAC sophomores, the future looks bright for Hornet fans.

Today's win was not a fluke. The Hornets took an early lead, the Eagles fought back, and then the game momentum went back and forth until LC finally put it away with clutch FTs at the end. Bridgewater led by as many as 6 and LC never led by more than 9 before winning 51-47. Neither team shot well but the Eagles were colder, shooting only 29% from the field, including a very atypical 3-13 performance and only 8 pts by Jessica Mullen. At one point the commentator said "It's not Lynchburg, the Eagles are just missing their shots" but I disagree. Both teams were playing defense with intensity, and it showed.
In the end LC's better play in the paint, a 15 pt, 12 rebound performance by All-ODAC First Teamer Shannon Allen, a near double-double (9pts, 9 rebounds) by freshman Chaney Forbush, balanced effort from the rest of the team and those final FTs made the difference.

Congratulations to Coach Pyzik and the Hornets. Win or lose this weekend against EMU, they have already made history.

Let me also extend my congratulations to Jessica Mullen on her Player of the Year honors and a great career with the Eagles.

Gordonmann,
Take a look at Ristorante Renato (www.rrenato.com). It's a few blocks from campus, very romantic, great food. No big screen TVs or raucus sprts fans. Might do the trick for you. 

QuoteBrookland: my heartlfelt congratulations. CUA women finally get a championship, beating Juniata in the one that counts most. Congrats.

Thanks, I am very happy for them as well. It was a thrill when the CUA men won it all a few years back, but they got almost no notice in the DC area press, with its emphasis on the local D1 schools. I hope the women do well and get some notice somewhere besides our insular world of D3.
Go Cardinals!

Personally I hope this discussion is rendered moot by a UMW appearance in the Final Four... 
"My" conference is the ODAC but I am rooting for the Eagles to go all the way. It's not that I disrespect "our" team, Guilford.  I'd be thrilled to see them do the same.  But, I have seen so many of the UMW ladies play in high school and AAU that they almost feel like a home team to me...
I have great respect for Coach Applebury and her style of play. No "stars", no prima donnas, everybody plays defense, everybody hustles, and the whole is usually greater than the sum of the parts. To excel in her system is a real accomplishment.
Good luck Eagles!!

Congratulations to the Guilford Quakers on their ODAC Championship, and good luck in the NCAA Tournament!
A very disappointing game for the Marlins. Starters were 3-32 (9.4%) from the field; overall the team was just 18% from the field. Not to take anything away from the Quakers, but that was more than tough defense. Even when open, they couldn't seem to buy a basket. Their determined defense and energetic bench kept it from being worse, but I have to wonder if their emotional win yesterday left them a bit drained.
Guilford played hard and well and had numerous hustle plays that put the game away. They will represent the ODAC well.

Another outstanding game sends Guilford to the final in overtime. A bit rougher-around-the-edges than the first game - more fouls, more mistakes - but excellent efforts and persistence by both squads and an unbelievable clutch 3 from EMU's Stephanie Reinheimer that went through with 0.1 seconds on the clock to send it into OT. What a good day to be an ODAC fan!

And awesome it was! All I can say is, "WOW!" A great game by both teams.
At the beginning of the season I predicted that lack of depth would hurt W&L, and indeed it did. But that squad almost proved me wrong in a big way. A great display of heart, hustle and smarts. In the end the relentlessness of VWC won out, but a tremendous example of what's best about the ODAC from both squads. It was so fitting that it came down to a blocked shot at the buzzer. Truly two teams that deserve the title "Winners."
Congratulationsto the Marlins and good luck in the final!
Hats off to the Gennies and their outgoing seniors for an unforgettable finish!

Congratulations to this year's winners:
ODAC Player of the Year: Gabby Oglesby, So., Forward, Guilford
ODAC Coach of the Year: Stephany Dunmyer, Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Sarah Seipp, Fr., Guard, Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Becca Bolton, Sr., Forward, Washington and Lee

And all of the rest of the All Conference selections!
Looking forward to a great Tournament! Good luck to all, but especially my Hornets at 1:00 today!

78RMC,
A good question but at this point it's moot. I think a better question is what they will do next year with 12 teams. And I suspect the answer may be different if they also go to a two-division format.
I am hoping for the two-division format if for no other reason than that without it our teams will have 22 in-conference games and only 3 out of conference games. With those numbers it is less likley that any ODAC team will play enough games against quality non-ODAC opponents to get much consideration for national rankings.

Bammer,
I agree on both counts. I think the ODAC is becoming more competitive, with strong coaching almost across the board, with these talented newer coaches joining the veterans. The other aspect of coaching, of course, is recruiting the right players. Coach Phillips has added numbers of quality players, and Coach Pyzik, in her first recruiting class, has added this year's starting point guard as well as a strong candidate for POY at the 4 position. I think both teams will be even stronger next year (if Coach Pyzik's great recruiting continues). I also think we may see a bit more "changing of the guard" next season. With RMC losing 4 starters and W&L losing 3 starters (two all-conference) to graduation, it is hard to see how either team will challenge for the top spot next year. Roanoke may also be challenged to resume its past glories by next season. On the other hand, with Guilford and EMU losing very little, it doesn't look like they will be one-time-wonders. 
With apologies to all those fans of the traditional ODAC powers, I think this is great. It made for a much more interesting season this year than "which of the usual powers will win it?" And l think that will continue in Salem.
I honestly don't know who to pick as the eventual champion. Let the games begin!

Bammer,
Agreed! Personally I am happy that my Hornets will not be part of that heartbreak. I know that most of the chatter on this board is about the teams in the top half of the standings, but Coach Pyzik has done a really good job this year bringing her team along, and their play has improved steadily since mid-season. Their win over Roanoke last night was not a fluke; they started the game with a huge run and never looked back. Roanoke never managed to cut the lead to single digits. Add that to their solid win (admittedly an upset) of EMU, and very respectable play against some of the conference leaders, and we fans have some reason to hope.
I think this tournament could hold some surprises, and LC is not the only candidate to pull them off. I am really looking forward to a competitive tournament. My only prediction: no cakewalks!

By the way, a belated thanks for both references. Good stuff!!
Speaking of CUA jumping ship, they seem to be playing better ball since moving North. I imagine the move helped their recruiting. They've always been a bit of an odd match with any of the local conferences, and a glance at their roster tells why. Of 18 current players, NONE from DC, MD or VA. Only 4 from south of the Mason Dixon line, and 11 from NY, NJ and PA (other Landmark Conference school states). It makes me wonder if they get more fans at their away games... 

Hey, where did everybody go? No posts in almost a month? Is the CAC that boring this season?!

For any eagle-eyed observers who noted the differences in ODAC rankings quoted for Shannon Allan by me and Hoopstermom, please note that I was quoting totals while she was quoting per game stats, so we are both correct as of today's numbers. I also note that Ms. Seipp is eighth in scoring and second in steals in the ODAC. Top twenty in some other stats.
OK, we're up to 3 impressive contenders! Any other suggestions? We need some more traffic on this board!

Only one true upset this weekend, LC over EMU. And what a game it was!
Unlike most upsets, where the favored team is flat and the winning team is hot, I did not see "flatness" in EMC. LC came out strong, EMU battled back and led by 4 at the half. Second half was hard fought with great defense and clutch offense from both sides. Lots of hustle, lots of good ball movement. It came down to the final possession and the Hornets pulled it out. A great game to watch!
Both teams shot very well (LC 54%, EMU 49%) and the stats were remarkably close. Identical numbers for rebounds (31) and TOs (20), very close for most other stats. Not many fouls for such a hard-fought game: 11 for EMU, 9 for LC, but that includes 3 deliberate fouls by EMU at the end.
For EMU, some great efforts by Yoders (25 pts) and Ygarza (18 pts) inside and Rheinheimer from the arc (6 of 9 from 3pt range for her 18 pts). LC scoring was more balanced (Allan 26, Kelley 12, Crump 11, Greenlief 9, three players with 6). Biggest statistical differences were in assists (LC 23, EMU 17) and blocks (LC 7, EMU 0).
By the way, LC's Shannon Allan is looking like the leading contender for ODAC Rookie of the Year. Against EMU she had 25 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks. With seconds left in the game, she hit both ends of the 1-and-1 that put the Hornets up by 3 and then blocked the final EMU 3-pt attempt at the other end. At the moment, she is near the top of the ODAC in multiple categories (9th in points, 5th in rebounds, 2nd in blocks, 7th in steals).
Does anyone else have a candidate for ROY?