WBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Bammer]

Friday picking W&L, VWC, Bridgewater, Randolph Macon
Saturday picking Lynchburg, W&L, EMU, upset with Guilford over VWC and Randolph Macon

The Generals have 2 games that will tell more about them.  If they split, they will be in OK shape but a sweep would really send a message.

GO GENERALS

[eaglejacket1421]

This Generals team has exceeded expectations as per the preseason poll.  Herman has been such a force.  She is such a smart player and has made great progress on not picking up silly fouls.  She has the chance to be the best true center in the ODAC this year.

Slow down Bammer! :-D  Give Herman her due, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm going to have to vote for either Molly Ariail or Lindsey Riesbeck for that honor. In Molly's case, she's got pure size and strength on her side as well as the fact that she's nearly averaging double-doubles at 16.4 ppg and 8.2 boards per contest. Throw in 15 blocks and 15 steals, and you have your best true center winner. True center is a player that likes to hang around the paint and literally OWN it - Molly does that. True centers also get to the free throw line on a consistent basis (it's part of the game, watch Tyler Hansborough). Molly has been to the line 81 times...  Linsdsey is more of a 4, but still puts together a great case because of her finesse down low.

Nothing at all against Herman, her numbers are also impressive: 10.4 ppg, 6.9 boards. But she's only seen the charity stripe 12 times, and has only racked up 3 blocks. She's a solid ODAC center and might find herself with some All-ODAC honors at the end of the year (2nd team or honorable mention), but I can't find an legitimate argument for her to be a better true center just because W&L is hot right now and defeated Randolph Macon.  Due respect to the Generals and Herman, I wish them luck on the rest of their season, but I just can't give her my vote for best True Center.

[hoopstermom]

Hollins       38     Bridgewater (Va.)       80      Final
Not a surprise      
      
Emory and Henry    60    Virginia Wesleyan    57    Final    
I would not have picked this one if someone had guaranteed me
         
Roanoke    71    Washington and Lee    68    Final    
Of course when I pick W&L they lose, at home no less
      
Guilford    64    Randolph-Macon    84    Final    
I got one right    
      
Randolph    61    Lynchburg    74
Closer than I expected

Will be interesting tomorrow as E&H faces RMC in Ashland.  Big win for the Wasps tonight.  Makes me wonder if something is up with VWC though.  But E&H will be revved after this win and should be another good one v RMC tomorrow

W&L v Bridgewater should be tight too.   W&L will need to win keep in the mix, but I agree with calyxx, Willi is tough at home

EMU v Roanoke - if Roanoke picks up another win here which I think they will at home, they're showing what they're made of after dropping two unexpectedly last week.

[whitecaylxx]

What an exciting win for the Bridgewater Eagles at home - 70 - 69.  W & L had the game in hand - but you should never count Jean Willi out - especially on her home court.  Great win for the Eagles.

[whitecaylxx]

P.S.  Good job Hoopstermom for picking Roanoke over EMU - it wasn't even close!

[dukeofargyle]

Eaglejacket,
In reviewing the ODAC championships of the past 15 years, it's apparent that the ODAC has clear and perennial favorites in women's basketball: Roanoke, RMC and Bridgewater, all of which have contended against each other for most of the ODAC titles during this period.

Frankly, I would love to see some of the more unsung colleges play in the title match. I don't necessarily think it will be the very young W&L this year, although it could happen- but to have a VW, Lynchburg, Randolph, Emory & Henry or an EMU in the last game battling for the conference title occasionally would be tremendous.

So, you may also want to slow down also in your eager offerings of all of the RMC's post players well-known & impressive stats, because I think it's a safe bet that Bammer did not intend to insult anyone, particularly your favorite RMC gals. IMO, a fan who is as new to the ODAC as is Bammer can be pardoned for enthusiastic posts about some of the W&L players who are responsible for what is turning out to be a real exciting season for the Generals.

Out of the Generals 4 conference losses, 3 were won by the opposing team by one shot only, at the last second. So were 2 of W&L's wins: RMC and EMU were won by a one-shot point spread. Hey - win or lose - this makes for great basketball.

[Bammer]

Never did I mean to disrespect Macon or their players.  That would be like saying that Carolina with their mighty roster might lose an ACC game (just kidding).  It was a very sobering weekend with 2 Generals loses, close but still loses.  The freshmen showed signs of being freshmen.  It is great to see the Generals being in the games and winnning their fair share.  Here's hoping that the second time through the conference is even better.

[hoopstermom]

I think its tremendous that there is no much parity this year among the ODAC teams. It is great that in recent years VWC and now W&L, EMU and others are flexing their muscles.  It only bodes well for our conference over all.  Of course I'll have my favorite teams, but 30 years removed from  playing, the intensity of wanting the always winners to lose has been tempered.  I now eagerly and zealously root for all ODAC teams whenever they are playing outside the conference and only hope for a good game whenever two play each other, meaning no injuries and earnest play that is not dampened by poor refereeing or sloppy play.

Let the games continue.

[whitecaylxx]

There has been a lot of discussion about the increasing parity of talent in the ODAC.  I don't think Washington and Lee is going to be able to use SAT scores anymore as an excuse for not being able to recruit good talent.  They obviously have reloaded this year.  I also think the days of Randolph Macon being above the fray are over.  They have not been head and shoulders above the rest this year.  The one worrisome thing, however, is that none of the ODAC teams are ranked.  Are we getting stronger - or weaker??

[Ralph Turner]

There has been a lot of discussion about the increasing parity of talent in the ODAC.  I don't think Washington and Lee is going to be able to use SAT scores anymore as an excuse for not being able to recruit good talent.  They obviously have reloaded this year.  I also think the days of Randolph Macon being above the fray are over.  They have not been head and shoulders above the rest this year.  The one worrisome thing, however, is that none of the ODAC teams are ranked.  Are we getting stronger - or weaker??

I think that the ODAC is falling back into the pack.

Please remember that the women have 400 teams competing in basketball.  The Top 25 lists only 1/16th of the eligible teams.  When "power conferences" such as the UAA and the WIAC gobble up 2-3 bids each, that leaves only about 20 slots for 380 teams or 1/19th! 

[eaglejacket1421]

I highly doubt anyone's intentions on this board are to disrespect teams, players, coaches, or even d3hoops posters - the intentions are (at least I believe so) to discuss, debate, and argue certain points regarding play in the ODAC. Trust me when I say I absolutely welcome the arguments for another True Center other than Molly Ariail - that is what this forum is here for. In my general opinion (despite what some would consider "favoritism"), Molly Ariail has to be the selection based on the numbers. While I also realize that stats aren't everything in basketball - sometimes intangibles are much more valuable- in this case Molly's numbers are tough to ignore. Place that with the intangibles that she possesses, I can not see a very talented Herman as a replacement for True Center.

As far as the recent upsets and exciting wins are concerned, hoopstermom said it best: "its tremendous that there is no much parity this year among the ODAC teams." I think ALL basketball fans can attribute to that. Who wants to watch VWC pound opponents into submission? It's just not entertaining.

I do welcome the parity, but I also am worried about the strength of the ODAC overall. Not having a single team in the Top 25 or receiving votes, despite the percentage or fraction of likelihood that it would happen, cannot help the ODAC overall. And parity doesn't necessarily mean that the conference is weaker - look at our neighbors in the CAC. They have three ranked teams in Marymount, Mary Washington, and York. They also have parity, but the parity is welcomed more because it allows the conference to be represented full fold on the national scale as well as opens up more doors for at large bids into the NCAA tournament. It is this reason why I am with whitecaylxx on seeing the need to raise the question - are we getting weaker or stronger?  -- I think inconsistency is the true achilles heel  here. When teams like VWC, or even the beloved W&L can knock off "the big dogs" and then turn around and lose games that in all reality shouldn't be lost - it's almost easier to call it parity when in reality it might actually be inconsistency??

[hoopstermom]

IMHO I think the ODAC IS getting stronger.  Bridgewater only got in one post ODAC tourney game last year, but Macon went 3 games deep in 06-07, 4 games deep in 05-06, and was NCAA runner up in 04-05, EMU went 2 games deep in 03-04.  I'd say that was pretty darn good for a five year period.

Relatively though, all teams in DIII have improved in play as well which leads to the ODAC accomplishments being overshadowed.  Players are quicker, faster, taller, more athletic overall.    I'm not sure I would say we have "fallen back into the pack"  - I would categorize ODAC play as having worked it's way up to the middle of the pack with a few recent surges into the higher end of the pack.  THAT's progress.

I think it can only continue to get better.

[dukeofargyle]

Relatively though, all teams in DIII have improved in play as well which leads to the ODAC accomplishments being overshadowed.  Players are quicker, faster, taller, more athletic overall.   

Hoopstermom,
This is more true than you may realize. I have been reading a number of articles recently that state just exactly what you said above.

A few years back, a well known eastern college's AD in D/1 once told me:  "It isn't the same as it was 10 years ago. There is just not that much difference anymore between the quality of athletes & talent in D/I and D/III...", though I still feel that size is will be a factor here.

For some college athletes, the choice may be for the type/quality of college experience they wish, and not necessarily only for scholarship money. Many kids don't realize 'til it is too late that a D/I or D/II athletic scholarship is a full-time job during college. Thus, there are often a number of athletic transfers across college divisions after freshman year.

[Bammer]

I know that my daughter had D1 and D2 interest.  After a lot of thought, she decided that she preferred D3 instead.  In my opinion for her she made the right decision.  She wanted to go to college mainly for an education and was not willing to invest the time required for a D1,D2 athlete.  She wants to study 1 semester in the Far East and knew that was not an option unless she played D3 ball.  It has all worked out better than she dreamed.  She gets a lot of minutes, contributes to the team and loves the academics and has time to study.

[bballmom4]

I agree 100%.  Having had a daughter who was recruited for D1 and went to a D1 school, she made the "travel team", but only saw minimal (and I mean minimal) amount of playing time for not only her freshmen year, but also her sophmore year.  It is a full time job, you are their's and you have very little to no time to yourself.  That is why my daughter now decided to go D3 as she would actually play. She saw her sister work as hard as everyone else (and even the ones who didn't make the "travel team" still worked hard just waiting for a spot to open) and get very  little playing time.  She decided that she wanted to go to school and do well in her studies, as well as practice hard and perform equally as well on the Court.  D1 is not for everyone!  But, again, to each their own.  But I do believe D3 works just as hard as D1.