Top 25 discussion

[Pat Coleman]

Who has Cortland beaten of national significance? We're wide awake on them, believe me.

I think 10-8 DeSales is Cortland's best win. Not overwhelmed.

[JMW1973]

How about 14-4 Oneonta or 12-5 Oswego? Are they not of national significance?

[JMW1973]

In non-conference games, how about a win over 12-6 Elmira College?

[jagluski]

Looks like someone didn't read the very good rant posted last week on worrying about polls.

If Brockport is really that good(just wait until they win their conference, make the tournament, and get hammered at NYU in my opinion), they'll have a chance to prove it in the tournament.  If they get there, everyone's equal and they'll have a chance to prove everyone wrong on the court.

[sunny]

I think people don't realize just how many very good teams are out there on the national level.  Go through each conference (and the independents) and find every zero to five loss team in the nation.  Look at their wins and losses and their opponents' wins and losses.  Then, be honest with yourself, and decide if Cortland is being overlooked.

Consider the following teams - all of whom received somes votes, but fewer than 20, in the latest poll.

Muhlenberg - 16-2 with both losses on the road (both against teams they beat at home), including an OT loss.

Puget Sound - 15-3 ... 13-2 against Division III schools ... one loss was on the road early in the season which was avenged over the weekend ... other loss to nationally-ranked Pacific Lutheran by 8 ... beat George Fox, who is still getting more votes than them, handily.

Oglethorpe - 16-3 ... 16-2 against Division III ... losses were to #5 DePauw and at Trinity TX (which just dropped out of the top 25 this week) ... beat 15-5 Hendrix by 15 ... opened season with wins over regionally-strong Bridgewater and Emory.

Eastern Connecticut - 15-3 ... two losses to the No. 1 team in the nation ... other loss was to the current No. 6 in the nation.

Otterbein - 15-4 ... two losses are at Baldwin-Wallace (No. 8 ) and at Capital (No. 20) ... beat Capital in the rematch over the weekend ... beat No. 23 Wilmington ... beat 16-3 Washington & Jefferson.

Trinity (TX) - 14-4 ... four losses by a grand total of 15 points (including an OT game) ... unbeaten at home ... beat Oglethorpe by 11 ... beat 13-5 Wesleyan, 15-5 Hendrix, 14-4 Johns Hopkins, 14-5 Illinois Wesleyan.

Chicago - 14-4 ... all four losses to teams now ranked.

Maryville (MO) - 14-4 ... 9-1 against Division III ... beat #6 Wash U by seven points.

Richard Stockton - 14-3 ... beat 15-4 Catholic.

Catholic - 15-4 ... unbeaten at home ... two of their losses came at No. 4 Mary Washington and at 14-3 Richard Stockton ... only team to beat No. 2 Scranton ... beat 12-5 Dickinson .. 7-1 in conference.

Illinois Wesleyan 14-5 ... two losses are to #5 DePauw and at Trinity TX (which just dropped out of the top 25 this week) ... beat No. 10 Wheaton IL ... beat 14-5 UW-Stevens Point by 17.

[bearswatcher]

I agree...

Look at the UAA, with 5 teams that have hit the top 25 and few out of conference losses, those teams are beating or losing to top 25 (or then top 25 rated) weekly once con play starts, throw in a smattering of top 25 (or top 25 then) wins in the out of conference game, ie Bates and DePauw and tell us how Cortland and others stack up.......just look at how badly most AQ's get beat in the 1st or 2nd round of the tourny every year.

[Ralph Turner]

More of the same...

AT #17 HSU 63, #9 McMurry 54.  Attendance -- 2,211 fans at the Mabee Complex on the HSU campus.

Congratulations to the Cowgirls.  See you in the Tourney.

http://hsuathletics.collegesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2005-2006/hsuw18.html#GAME.BOX

[Pat Coleman]

How about 14-4 Oneonta or 12-5 Oswego? Are they not of national significance?

No.

In non-conference games, how about a win over 12-6 Elmira College?

Elmira is ranked #129 in Division III women's basketball in the Massey Ratings. Even if they are off by 80 spots it doesn't mean much.

Massey has Cortland at 53. Seems fair to me.

[jagluski]

Sunny, great post.

[bbald eagle]

#4 Mary Washington over Catholic 63-61.

After Catholic's Kristen Linderoth made a layup to tie the score at 61 with 4.3 seconds remaining, UMW's Kaitie Clarkin saw Debbie Bruen take a midcourt pass from Jessica Schifflett, who had entered the game solely for the inbounds throw, and toss her a perfect lob over a defender. In those 4.3 seconds, Clarkin took the pass from Bruen and dribbled twice, and shot a floating right-handed layup that went through the net as the final horn sounded, giving the Eagles their 19th win without a loss.

http://athletics.umw.edu/wbindex.htm

[fortheloveofbball]

Hmmmm I was wondering why Division III doesn't look at the tournament in March as Division I.  The UAA is a very strong conference and should have at least 5 schools participating in the tournament.  Some of these schools only losses have come in this extremely strong conference.  Wouldn't it be nice if the tournament officials could see putting the 5 teams that are in and that have breached the top 25 this year.

[Ralph Turner]

loveofbball,  all of the D3 Championships follow the same format for determining and allocating conference automatic bids and at-large bids.

http://www.ncaa.org/library/handbooks/basketball/2006/2006_d3_w_basketball_handbook.pdf

There is a good chance that the UAA will get 3 bids this year.

[eaglemaniac]

University of Mary Washington ranked #1 in the latest Massey ratings. They remain #4 in the  D3Hoops poll. Keep it up Eagles!

[jagluski]

Hmmmm I was wondering why Division III doesn't look at the tournament in March as Division I.  The UAA is a very strong conference and should have at least 5 schools participating in the tournament.  Some of these schools only losses have come in this extremely strong conference.  Wouldn't it be nice if the tournament officials could see putting the 5 teams that are in and that have breached the top 25 this year.

Those of you who frequent this board know that I'm a Wash U fan/alum and a big UAA defender.  That said, I don't care how strong the UAA is, if a team isn't at/over .500 in their conference, they probably shouldn't be in the tournament.  At this rate, I would expect 3 from the UAA and no more than 4.  Keep in mind that Rochester, NYU, Brandeis, and Wash U still have to lose at least another 5 games between the 4 of them(NYU and Brandeis play each of the other two plus each other).

[Pat Coleman]

University of Mary Washington ranked #1 in the latest Massey ratings. They remain #4 in the  D3Hoops poll. Keep it up Eagles!

Not in the true Massey Ratings. The ones you're looking at are the dumbed-down ones he had to create for the BCS.

In the true Massey Ratings, the ones that had Millikin #1 during the season last year and are the better predictors, Mary Washington is 12th.

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cbw&sub=III&mid=1