Top 25 discussion

[Ralph Turner]

It certainly is nice to have 3 ASC-West teams in the Top15.

Considering west Texas geography, they are tightly packed into this part of the world.  #11 Hardin-Simmons and #15 McMurry are on the north and south sides of the tracks in Abilene respectively, 4 miles apart, as per msn.mappoint.com shortest possible distance.  McMurry to Howard Payne is 78.4 miles, proverbially next door to us Texans.

McMurry visits HSU next Monday night, a 5:30 pm tip-off.  That should be a very good game and the opening salvo in what might be 3 or 4 meetings this year.  The men will follow.

One can argue that there is no better women's rivalry in the country.  1400 saw the opener at McMurry in 2005-06 and 2211 saw the return engagement at HSU.

[David Collinge]

Women's Top 25 News & Notes, Vol. VIII, Issue 111

It's July 17, 1941, and we're in Cleveland's Municipal Stadium among a crowd of more than 67,000.  It's the eighth inning, the bases are loaded, and Joltin' Joe DiMaggio is at the plate.  He's 0 for 2 with a walk.  The count is one ball, one strike, and the Yankee Clipper sends a hot shot to Lou Boudreau at short.  He flips to Ray Mack at second, who relays on to first for the inning-ending double play.  But all 67,000 of us know it was more than the inning that ended, it was the greatest streak in baseball history, DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, a streak that will probably never be bested.  Even though we're mostly Indians fans, we rise to our feet as one to salute DiMaggio, who has "glorified the horsehide sphere."

I wasn't there, but I now have an inkling of how those fans must have felt that warm evening by the Lake.  As I am not the first to note, the Bears of Washington University have fallen out of the D3Hoops.com Women's Top 25 poll for the first time in poll history, snapping an unbelieveable streak of 110 consecutive weeks.  Before moving on to the rest of my remarks, I pause to pay tribute to the Bears with my own personal standing ovation. 

*applauds*

Check back sometime in the middle of next season to see if Bowdoin (currently at 81 consecutive weeks in the top 25) or Scranton (78) can break this record.

Debutantes:
Although nearly a third of the top 25 turned over from the preseason poll, no teams qualify for this category this week (no first-timers in the top 10 or top 25, and no team receiving votes for the first time.)

High-Water Marks:
#14 Howard Payne and #18 Lake Forest each achieved their highest-ever ranking this week.  #6 UW-Stout, #9 Calvin, and #21 Bridgewater (Va.) tied their high-water marks in this week's poll.  Congratulations to all!

Streakers:

• #3 Southern Maine is in the top 10 for the 25th consecutive week (and 50th week overall;)
• #1 Bowdoin is in the top 10 for the 76th consecutive week, extending their record in this category;
• #7 DePauw recieved votes in the 100th consecutive poll;
• Wheaton (IL) is among the vote-getters for the 25th straight week; #10 Baldwin-Wallace for the 20th consecutive week; and Bates for the 10th week in a row; and
• #5 Scranton, #11 Hardin-Simmons, and Washington U. each received votes, extending their perfect records of 111 consecutive weeks.

Congratulations to all of these outstanding programs!

Milestones:

• #23 Wilmington is a member of the top 25 for the 50th time;
• #7 DePauw received votes for the 110th time; Pacific Lutheran for the 80th time; Wheaton (IL) for the 75th time; #17 Puget Sound for the 30th time; and Moravian for the 25th time.

Congratulations to these programs, and to all the players, coaches, administrators, and fans that make D3 women's hoops the great game that it is! 

[David Collinge]

Women's Top 25 News & Notes, Vol. VIII, Issue 112

#1 Bowdoin maintaind their hold on the top spot in a poll that saw relatively few shakeups.  Just one team dropped out of the top 10, and two out of the top 25.  Compared to the turmoil that continues to rage in the men's poll, the women represent a sea of calm and continuity.  This is the 18th time that the Polar Bears have been ranked #1, second only to Wash U.'s incredible record of 53 top rankings.

Debutantes:
Congratulations to #24 Illinois Wesleyan, who entered the top 25 for the first time ever.  Congratulations also to Norwich, first-time vote-getters in this week's poll.

High-Water Marks:
For the second consecutive week, #12 Howard Payne and #19 Bridgewater (Va.) achieved their highest-ever rankings, joined in this category by top 25 debutante #24 Illinois Wesleyan.  Congratulations to all!

Streakers:

• #1 Bowdoin extended their top 10 streak to a record 77 straight polls this week.
• #2 Hope is in the top 10 for the 10th consecutive week.
• Despite slipping out of the top 10, #15 Calvin received votes for the 20th week in a row.  Muhlenberg received votes for the 10th straight week.
• #4 Scranton, #9 Hardin-Simmons, and Washington U. each received votes this week, extending their perfect streaks to 112 consecutive polls.

Congratulations to all of these outstanding programs!

Milestones:

• #6 Southern Maine is a top 25 team for the 90th time this week.  #15 Calvin is in the top 25 for the 20th time.
• #10 UW-Stout attracted voting interest this week for the 50th time.  #12 Howard Payne and #23 Maryville (TN) received votes for the 25th time each.  For #21 Chicago, this is the 20th week of receiving votes; for #24 Illinois Wesleyan and Medialle, it is the 10th week to rate mention by the voters.

Congratulations to all of these great programs! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

David,

Thanks for congratulating the IWU women's team.  Considering what the men have done year-after-year, would I be correct in assuming that this is also the first time the women have ever ranked higher than the men?  (Or did the women get some votes during that disastrous 2001-02 year for the men?)

[You've got it on your spread sheet; I'd have to look it up! ]

[David Collinge]

David,

Thanks for congratulating the IWU women's team.  Considering what the men have done year-after-year, would I be correct in assuming that this is also the first time the women have ever ranked higher than the men?  (Or did the women get some votes during that disastrous 2001-02 year for the men?)

[You've got it on your spread sheet; I'd have to look it up! ]

Considering this is the first time the IWU women have been ranked, it follows that it is the first time that they have been ranked higher than the men.  (As you see, I am careful with how I define "ranked.") 

I suppose you mean to ask if the women have ever received more vote-points than the men.  In 2003-04, week 1, the women received six points while the men had no votes; that's the only time it has happened prior to this week (women 77, men 17).  Twice it has been close:  last week (women 63, men 69), and 2003-04 preseason (women 19, men 31).

[Ralph Turner]

...
One can argue that there is no better women's rivalry in the country.  1400 saw the opener at McMurry in 2005-06 and 2211 saw the return engagement at HSU.

Attendance at HSU on Monday night was 1728.

The return engagement is the Annual Abilene Kiwanis Benefit Game, so there maybe a packed house at McMurry (1800-2000.)

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thanks, David!

Yeah, I recall that Pat gets pretty bent-out-of-shape when someone talks about their team being 'ranked', say, 28th!  I try to remember to use the term in the more limited way, but obviously I sometimes forget and just use it to mean votes received!

[Pat Coleman]

Bates and Bowdoin will give McMurry/Hardin-Simmons a run for its money in women's basketball, but I'm not sure anyone else will.

[Ralph Turner]

I went to a couple of websites to check attendance at Women's games.

Bowdoin:

2006

2/26 at Bates 900
1/31 Bates at Bowdoin 1030
1/13 at Bates 700

2005

2/27 Bates at Bowdoin 1711 (NESCAC Championships)
2/1   at Bates   no attendance noted
1/12 Bates at Bowdoin 1724
11/30/2004 So. Maine at Bowdoin 1750

Hope (with the new DeVos Fieldhouse):

2006

2/24 Calvin vs Hope 1950
2/11 Calvin vs Hope 1905
1/14 Hope at Calvin 897

Those are all very respectable, regardless of NCAA Division.

I will take the "most fervent" intra-city rivalry appellation!

[Pat Coleman]

Hadn't noticed the Hope attendance surge but it makes sense -- that's a beautiful new arena they have there.

[David Collinge]

Hadn't noticed the Hope attendance surge but it makes sense -- that's a beautiful new arena they have there.

(I'm too lazy to look it up, but...)
I think Hope has never lost in DeVos.  That will also help attendance.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hadn't noticed the Hope attendance surge but it makes sense -- that's a beautiful new arena they have there.

(I'm too lazy to look it up, but...)
I think Hope has never lost in DeVos.  That will also help attendance.

David, I bet you know perfectly well from the posts!

Neither Hope team has ever (yet) lost at the DeVos!

[Though De Vos sure got HIS butt kicked in the election!]

[Rose Basketball]

I would keep an eye on Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

8-1.

http://www.rose-hulman.edu/sports/wbasket/0607wbb.htm

[Pat Coleman]

I would too, if Denison gets votes and RHIT beats someone worthy. I do recognize this is a high point for the RHIT WBB program but now that they're not in the SCAC they may not have a single game left on their schedule that could give them Top 25-type credibility.

[Rose Basketball]

I would too, if Denison gets votes and RHIT beats someone worthy. I do recognize this is a high point for the RHIT WBB program but now that they're not in the SCAC they may not have a single game left on their schedule that could give them Top 25-type credibility.

Fair enough. Well said, and great points.

Not saying they are a Top 25 team right now, just simply throwing Jon Prevo's club out there as "One to Watch".