WBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

y_jack_lok · January 10, 2013, 04:48:57 PM

Quote from: Bammer on January 10, 2013, 03:37:29 PM
What has happened with RMC? Not the usual start from them.

From looking at box scores and playing time, it appears Coach LaHaye is relying on freshmen and sophomores to carry the load, which suggests to me that either the talent level of the juniors and seniors is not up to that of prior classes, or there might be health/injury issues. We have a men's team here in Saint Louis that is taking the same approach -- play freshmen and sophomores as much as possible, get them used to playing together, take some lumps this year with the expectation that it will pay dividends in the coming seasons.

Pat Coleman · January 11, 2013, 01:40:43 PM

When you have had as much success as LaHaye has, you can do that without fear of losing your job over a bad season. Interesting to see where it goes from there.

y_jack_lok · January 12, 2013, 05:15:51 PM

A check of the R-MC roster shows 1 senior, 3 juniors, 3 sophomores, and 5 freshmen. The three juniors and one freshman have the fewest minutes per game. Three freshmen and two sophomores have the most minutes per game. That leaves the middle minutes to the senior, a sophomore, and a freshman.

Watching today's game against Emory & Henry it's clear that R-MC doesn' have the inside game they were accustomed to having with Michelle Oroton, Molly Arial, and Taylor Wieczorek.

wmjofva · January 22, 2013, 10:32:39 AM

I like the fact that ALL the teams in the ODAC will play in the tournament this year but I really don't like the schedule. Teams should play each other two time- home and home and have fewer out of conference games.

If a team misses the top team, that's two losses they don't have on their record and it affects the seeding for the tournament plus we are not treated to the very good games during the regular season as the two top teams might not play each other now.

Pat Coleman · January 22, 2013, 10:43:36 AM

Having fewer out-of-conference games kind of dooms the ODAC to mediocrity. Teams won't get significantly better playing that much of an inbred schedule.

BH2OFan · January 22, 2013, 11:08:43 AM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on January 22, 2013, 10:43:36 AM
Having fewer out-of-conference games kind of dooms the ODAC to mediocrity. Teams won't get significantly better playing that much of an inbred schedule.

While I get wjmofva's point on a home and home schedule, that's 22 of 25 games now- Pat is right on. I am extremely pleased Bridgewater got some higher caliber teams on the schedule this year (Messiah, then ranked 8th now 5th, Catholic now 13th, perennial powers Marymount and Mary Washington)- it will help them the rest of the way.

wmjofva · January 22, 2013, 11:21:57 AM

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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Pat Coleman · January 22, 2013, 11:53:42 AM

Quote from: wmjofva on January 22, 2013, 11:21:57 AM
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.

I know in 2006 Bridgewater and Randolph-Macon both made the tournament, and both won games.

http://www.d3hoops.com/archives/women/2006/2006-bracket

But it's not easy to get two teams in the tournament when you have such a large conference schedule. With so many games against the same pool of teams, your strength of schedule is going to hover right around .500 and won't help teams get into the tournament.

wmjofva · January 22, 2013, 01:39:37 PM

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?

Pat Coleman · January 22, 2013, 09:01:15 PM

Beating the bottom of the USA South doesn't do anything.

Losing to Messiah, Ferrum and Mary Washington definitely helps the strength of schedule. Obviously, it doesn't help the record, and therefore likely doesn't help the regional ranking.

wmjofva · January 23, 2013, 12:09:03 PM

Thanks!

Pat Coleman · January 23, 2013, 12:22:27 PM

Of course, I should note that EMU playing those games helps everyone's SOS in the ODAC, because the opponents' opponents' record is part of the formula. Playing strong teams outside of the conference helps everyone.

hasanova · January 24, 2013, 09:17:52 AM

Quote from: wmjofva on January 22, 2013, 01:39:37 PM
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?

Guilford has a "U".

wmjofva · January 24, 2013, 11:03:29 AM

[/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?

?

BH2OFan · January 24, 2013, 11:13:29 AM

Quote from: wmjofva on January 24, 2013, 11:03:29 AM

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?

?
[/quote]

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