Bumblin' B's

[Ralph Turner]

In the last three weeks, we have had some separation in Pool B (Women).

Chapman is on course to lock in a Pool B bid early.  They are 11-4 overall and 9-4 in-region.  In fact, Chapman is the only Independent that has an overall record over .500 (at this minute).  The Lady Panthers have 6 more in-region games.  If they go 5-1 in that stretch, they will have an in-region record of 14-5 (.737),  but probably lock in the Pool B bid with their season finale vs. UDallas on February 18th.

Among the other independents, I thought that UDallas (6-7 overall/4-6 in-region) had the best chance at a Pool B bid, but they have not won some crucial games in the first half of the season.  The Lady Crusaders have 11 in-region games remaining, of which the most important may be the final game at Chapman.  A 15-6 (.714) in-region record might pull a Pool B bid, if there is no separation in the Northern Athletics Confernece,

Thomas More has the best record in the Presidents' AC, which probably moves to Pool A next year.  The Saints are 10-2 overall, 7-2 in-region and 1-0 in conference play, and were the favorite tabbed in the pre-season poll.  Even going 9-2 in the last 11 in-region regular season games gives TMC an in-region record of 16-4 (.800).

Traditional power W&J was named 2nd.  They are 7-6/4-6/0-1 and must improve their in-region record in conference play.  Sweeping the remaining 11 PresAC in-region games will give Lady Presidents a 15-6 (.714) record.

The Lake Michigan Conference and the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference have merged into the Northern Athletics Conference.  That throws them into Pool B for the next 2 years.  There are six teams that are at the top at this time.

Benedictine is 8-3/7-3/5-1 and leads the NAthCon.  The Lady Eagles have a key win at Concordia-Wisconsin.

Concordia-Wisconsin is 7-3/5-2/5-1, and was picked to win the NAthCon.

Other NAthCon teams in contention for a Pool B bid at this early part of the season are Wisconsin Lutheran, Aurora, Lakeland and Edgewood.  It is my guess that the key to the distribution of Pool B bids depends on how much separation the top teams in the NAthCon achieve from the rest of the conference.  Attaining a 16-3 conference record may pull any of the NAthCon teams into serious Pool B contention.  I mention 16-3 in conference record, because each NAthCon contender has several in-region losses.  Anything less in-conference is risky for getting a Pool B bid.

I have "bold-fonted" the four that seem to be leading Pool B at this time.

(The Great South Athletic Conference has earned a Pool A bid.)

Corrections and other opinions are greatly appreciated.

[WLCALUM83]

I know it's early yet, but IMHO Concordia-WI will darn near have to win out: 

Concordia-WI--Slow start, but the Falcons have been on a roll of late.

Edgewood--Not that deep a bench, yet still hanging in there.

Lakeland--lost a lot to graduation. Offense has been inconsistent.

Benedictine--lost one of their guards to injury--depends on whether anyone steps it up.

Aurora--unexpected loss at Marian hurts them

Lakeland and Edgewood--(in terms of number of overall losses) appear to be on the thinnest ice at this point.

WLC-- depends on how consistent they remain on offense--they have to play both Edgewood and Concordia, WI on the road yet--

[WLCALUM83]

Lakeland women help their cause by knocking off Maranatha on the road tonight, 60-47.

[WLCALUM83]

Concordia-WI, Aurora and WLC all win--Benedictine and Edgewood both lose in NathCon action:

[WLCALUM83]

Concorida-WI, Aurora, and WLC each garner 1 more NathCon win today.

[Ralph Turner]

Pool B update:

Two weeks ago, I was ready to give Chapman a Pool B bid.  Conference play in the Pres AC and the NAthCon have permitted those conference leaders to build strong in-region records.  Teams are ranked by In-Region Percentage.


Team/Conference/Overall Record/In-Region Record/In-Region Percentage/In-Region games remaining

1)  Concordia WI/NAthCon/11-3/9-2/.818/ 9 + Conference Tourney
2)  Thomas More/Pres AC/13-3/11-3/.786/ 7 + Conference Tourney
3)  Westminster PA/Pres AC/12-4/11-4/.733/ 8 + Conference Tourney
4)  Aurora/NAthCon/10-5/10-4/.714/ 10 + Conference Tourney

5)  Chapman/Ind/14-5/11-5*/.688/ 4 + Possible conference tourney
6)  Lincoln/Ind/9-6/8-4/.667/ 6 (No Tourney confirmed)

  Wisconsin Lutheran/NAthCon/9-5/8-5/.616/ 11 + Conference Tourney

*Assuming Chapman won both games this weekend.

Corrections appreciated.

[WLCALUM83]

As far as remaining NathCon schedules for those "in-contention squads", WLC has 6 home games and 4 road games left in regular season. The other two have 5 home and 5 away, respectively. There still hasn't quite been enough separation between the leaders and the middle of the pack just yet. Concordia, WI can help its' cause big time if it just keeps on winning.

[WLCALUM83]

Concordia-WI women beat Lakeland, and Wisconsin Lutheran lost--now the Falcons have a 3-game lead in the NAthCon.

[Ralph Turner]

Pool B update--

The conference tourneys begin in about 2 weeks, and the conferences are deep into their seasons.  There are 4 Pool B bids.

I have sorted the teams by in-region record.

Team/Conference/ Overall/ In-Region/In-region %age/ In-region games remaining

1)  Concordia WI/ NATHC/ 16-3/ 13-2/ .867/ 5 games + tourney
2)  Thomas More/ PresAC/ 17-3/ 13-3/ .813/ 5 games + tourney
3)  Westminster/ PresAC/ 16-5/ 12-5/ .706/  4 games + tourney
4)  Chapman/  Ind/ 16-5/ 12-5/ .706/ 3 games + D-III Independents Tourney


5t)  Benedictine/ NATHC/ 14-6/ 13-6/ .684/  5 games + tourney
5t)  Aurora/ NATHC/ 13-7/ 13-6/.684/ 5 games + tourney


also  Lincoln/ Ind/ 12-8/ 9-5/ .643/ 4 games (No Tourney confirmed)

[WLCALUM83]

Remaining regular season In-Conference Schedules for NAthCon Pool B Contenders:

Aurora:    vs. Maranatha, vs. Edgewood, at Dominican, at Alverno, at Rockford.

Benedictine:    vs. Concordia-WI, at Lakeland, vs. WLC, at Maranatha, at Edgewood.

Concordia-WI:    at Benedictine, vs. WLC, at Maranatha, at Marian, vs. Dominican.


IMHO, On paper, Aurora has the easier schedule of the 3. Can't see Concordia-WI losing to WLC at home. All 3 teams need to be careful, though. Rockford won over the weekend (probably knocking WLC out of Pool B contention in the process,) and Dominican gave Edgewood a good run for its' money before losing. If the Spartans or Benedictine want the top seed for NAthCon's post-season tournament, they'll probably have to win out and get help. (In that event, however, unless other out-of-conference Pool B contenders stumble, the likelihood of any NAthCon women's team to get a bid to Nationals decreases some.) 

[Ralph Turner]

I think that the NAthCon gets one Pool B bid.

[WLCALUM83]

Concordia-WI knocked off Benedictine, IL on the road this evening.

[WLCALUM83]

Concordia-WI beat WLC by 10, clinching at least a tie for the NAthCon regular season title.

[Pat Coleman]

First published run of Quality of Wins Index for women this season, through Saturday's games.

Categories are: Overall rank in Division III in QOWI, QOWI, Rank within region, team name, regional win pct. (record), overall record.

Overall   Points   In-Region   Team   Region Win%   Overall
1   12.273   1   Bowdoin   0.955 (21-1)   23-1
2   12.045   1   Messiah   0.955 (21-1)   21-2
3   11.818   2   Fitchburg State   0.955 (21-1)   21-1
4   11.714   1   UW-Stout   0.857 (18-3)   19-5
5   11.684   3   Emmanuel   0.947 (18-1)   20-1
6   11.455   4   Southern Maine   0.955 (21-1)   21-1
7   11.286   1   New York University   0.905 (19-2)   19-2
8   11.286   2   Rochester   0.857 (18-3)   18-3
9   11.267   1   DePauw   0.867 (13-2)   20-2
10   11.250   3   Cortland State   0.950 (19-1)   20-1
11   11.182   1   Mary Washington   0.909 (20-2)   21-2
12   11.150   5   Williams   0.800 (16-4)   19-5
13   11.143   2   Scranton   0.905 (19-2)   21-2
14   11.000   1   Howard Payne   0.955 (21-1)   22-1
15   11.000   1   Luther   0.875 (14-2)   18-4
16   10.955   3   McDaniel   0.909 (20-2)   20-2
17   10.870   4   Gwynedd-Mercy   0.913 (21-2)   21-2
18   10.850   6   Maine Maritime   0.900 (18-2)   20-2
19   10.850   4   St. Lawrence   0.950 (19-1)   21-2
20   10.800   2   UW-Whitewater   0.750 (15-5)   17-6
21   10.800   2   Calvin   1.000 (15-0)   21-1
22   10.789   3   Chicago   0.789 (15-4)   17-4
23   10.778   4   Lake Forest   0.944 (17-1)   19-2
24   10.722   2   Simpson   0.778 (14-4)   18-5
25   10.650   5   Carroll   0.850 (17-3)   18-3
26   10.636   2   Kean   0.864 (19-3)   20-3
27   10.632   7   Brandeis   0.789 (15-4)   16-4
28   10.632   6   Illinois Wesleyan   0.895 (17-2)   19-3
29   10.619   3   Mount St. Mary   0.905 (19-2)   20-3
30   10.588   3   Puget Sound   0.882 (15-2)   19-4
31   10.500   3   Wilmington   0.800 (16-4)   19-4
32   10.450   4   Denison   0.850 (17-3)   19-4
33   10.389   7   Concordia (Wis.)   0.889 (16-2)   19-3
34   10.389   8   UW-Eau Claire   0.722 (13-5)   16-7
35   10.368   2   Oglethorpe   0.842 (16-3)   17-5
36   10.286   8   Norwich   0.905 (19-2)   20-2
37   10.273   9   Maine-Farmington   0.864 (19-3)   19-3
38   10.261   4   Gustavus Adolphus   0.870 (20-3)   20-3
39   10.227   10   Keene State   0.773 (17-5)   17-5
40   10.227   5   Capital   0.773 (17-5)   17-5
41   10.190   5   Oswego State   0.714 (15-6)   15-7
42   10.190   5   St. Benedict   0.905 (19-2)   19-4
43   10.182   3   McMurry   0.864 (19-3)   20-3
44   10.167   6   Chapman   0.722 (13-5)   18-5
45   10.150   4   Randolph-Macon   0.850 (17-3)   18-4
46   10.136   11   Tufts   0.682 (15-7)   16-7
47   10.091   4   William Paterson   0.864 (19-3)   20-4
48   10.091   6   Baldwin-Wallace   0.773 (17-5)   18-5
49   10.087   5   Albright   0.696 (16-7)   16-7
50   10.056   9   Millikin   0.833 (15-3)   18-4
51   10.056   10   Washington U.   0.778 (14-4)   16-5
52   10.053   6   Medaille   0.895 (17-2)   19-4
53   10.053   5   East Texas Baptist   0.842 (16-3)   20-4
54   10.000   7   Brockport State   0.750 (15-5)   17-5
55   10.000   6   Maryville (Tenn.)   0.867 (13-2)   18-3
56   9.955   12   Colby-Sawyer   0.818 (18-4)   18-4
57   9.955   6   Muhlenberg   0.818 (18-4)   19-4
58   9.950   11   UW-Stevens Point   0.700 (14-6)   16-6
59   9.905   7   Virginia Wesleyan   0.810 (17-4)   19-5
60   9.900   7   Manchester   0.800 (16-4)   16-6
61   9.895   8   Transylvania   0.737 (14-5)   16-7
62   9.875   12   Maryville (Mo.)   0.813 (13-3)   17-5
63   9.857   8   Hardin-Simmons   0.810 (17-4)   18-4
64   9.824   9   Hope   0.824 (14-3)   19-3
65   9.800   7   George Fox   0.719 (11-4)   15-6
66   9.789   13   Salve Regina   0.789 (15-4)   16-6
67   9.737   14   Mount Holyoke   0.684 (13-6)   16-7
68   9.737   8   RPI   0.684 (13-6)   14-8
69   9.700   10   Rose-Hulman   0.850 (17-3)   21-3
70   9.684   11   Thomas More   0.778 (14-4)   18-4
71   9.682   15   Worcester Polytech   0.727 (16-6)   16-6
72   9.667   9   Elmira   0.786 (11-3)   18-4
73   9.667   7   Dickinson   0.810 (17-4)   19-4
74   9.667   12   Ohio Northern   0.714 (15-6)   16-7
75   9.652   16   Bates   0.609 (14-9)   14-9
76   9.600   9   Ferrum   0.750 (15-5)   16-6
77   9.571   5   Stevens   0.857 (18-3)   19-4
78   9.556   10   Hendrix   0.833 (15-3)   18-4
79   9.556   13   Wheaton (Ill.)   0.722 (13-5)   15-6
80   9.526   13   Westminster (Pa.)   0.737 (14-5)   18-5
81   9.500   10   Hamilton   0.667 (12-6)   15-6
82   9.500   6   York (Pa.)   0.667 (16-8)   16-8
83   9.476   17   Suffolk   0.762 (16-5)   16-7
84   9.455   7   Baruch   0.727 (16-6)   18-7
85   9.450   18   Eastern Connecticut   0.600 (12-8)   13-10
86   9.412   14   Carthage   0.706 (12-5)   14-8
87   9.409   14   Penn State-Behrend   0.864 (19-3)   19-3
88   9.381   8   Marymount   0.750 (15-5)   15-8
89   9.375   8   La Verne   0.750 (12-4)   16-5
90   9.300   11   Trinity (Texas)   0.650 (13-7)   15-7
91   9.263   19   Mass-Boston   0.684 (13-6)   15-8
92   9.263   12   Eastern Mennonite   0.789 (15-4)   16-5
93   9.238   13   Bridgewater (Va.)   0.714 (15-6)   16-7
94   9.182   20   Wheaton (Mass.)   0.682 (15-7)   16-7
95   9.182   21   Endicott   0.682 (15-7)   15-7
96   9.167   14   Greensboro   0.778 (14-4)   16-6
97   9.158   15   Piedmont   0.737 (14-5)   15-6
98   9.095   8   King's   0.667 (14-7)   16-7
99   9.053   15   Lawrence   0.632 (12-7)   13-8
100   9.050   15   Wittenberg   0.600 (12-8)   13-9
101   9.045   16   Mary Hardin-Baylor   0.727 (16-6)   16-7
102   9.045   16   Allegheny   0.682 (15-7)   16-7
103   8.957   9   Carleton   0.696 (16-7)   16-7
104   8.952   11   Ithaca   0.619 (13-8)   13-9
105   8.952   9   Moravian   0.571 (12-9)   13-10
106   8.952   16   St. Norbert   0.667 (14-7)   14-7
107   8.947   22   Wesleyan   0.579 (11-8)   14-8
108   8.947   17   Washington and Jefferson   0.632 (12-7)   15-7
109   8.905   12   Union   0.571 (12-9)   12-10
110   8.905   10   Juniata   0.619 (13-8)   14-9
111   8.900   10   Concordia-Moorhead   0.650 (13-7)   15-8
112   8.875   11   Minnesota-Morris   0.875 (7-1)   12-10
113   8.867   12   Redlands   0.667 (10-5)   13-7
114   8.850   17   Shenandoah   0.600 (12-8)   13-8
115   8.842   9   Rutgers-Newark   0.737 (14-5)   15-7
116   8.826   11   Cabrini   0.696 (16-7)   16-7
117   8.810   17   Aurora   0.667 (14-7)   14-8
118   8.800   13   William Smith   0.550 (11-9)   11-10
119   8.778   10   Villa Julie   0.706 (12-5)   13-7
120   8.762   12   DeSales   0.667 (14-7)   16-7
121   8.750   13   Loras   0.650 (13-7)   14-9
122   8.737   18   Christopher Newport   0.684 (13-6)   15-7
123   8.727   23   Rhode Island College   0.636 (14-8)   14-9
124   8.727   11   Lehman   0.636 (14-8)   16-9
125   8.727   18   Benedictine   0.682 (15-7)   16-7
126   8.722   14   Keuka   0.667 (12-6)   13-7
127   8.706   13   Johns Hopkins   0.706 (12-5)   13-8
128   8.706   14   Linfield   0.588 (10-7)   13-9
129   8.700   19   UW-River Falls   0.550 (11-9)   14-10
130   8.684   12   Catholic   0.579 (11-8)   14-9
131   8.652   13   Richard Stockton   0.522 (12-11)   12-11
132   8.650   15   New Paltz State   0.700 (14-6)   14-8
133   8.619   24   Emerson   0.619 (13-8)   13-9
134   8.619   14   Montclair State   0.571 (12-9)   13-9
135   8.611   19   Texas-Tyler   0.667 (12-6)   15-8
136   8.611   15   Buena Vista   0.667 (12-6)   15-8
137   8.591   20   Edgewood   0.591 (13-9)   13-10
138   8.588   16   Whitman   0.529 (9-8)   11-12
139   8.565   14   Ursinus   0.609 (14-9)   14-9
140   8.556   17   Whitworth   0.556 (10-8)   13-10
141   8.550   15   SUNY-Farmingdale   0.700 (14-6)   15-6
142   8.545   21   Wisconsin Lutheran   0.545 (12-10)   13-10
143   8.533   18   Claremont-Mudd-Scripps   0.533 (8-7)   12-9
144   8.529   19   Lewis and Clark   0.647 (11-6)   15-8
145   8.500   16   Utica   0.682 (15-7)   16-7
146   8.500   15   Susquehanna   0.500 (10-10)   13-10
147   8.478   16   John Jay   0.652 (15-8)   17-8
148   8.476   25   Castleton State   0.667 (14-7)   15-7
149   8.455   26   Amherst   0.545 (12-10)   12-12
150   8.444   18   Anderson   0.611 (11-7)   15-8
151   8.409   27   Western Connecticut   0.545 (12-10)   13-10
152   8.409   17   Geneseo State   0.545 (12-10)   13-10
153   8.400   19   Otterbein   0.600 (12-8)   14-9
154   8.375   17   New Jersey   0.458 (11-13)   11-13
155   8.368   16   Elizabethtown   0.579 (11-8)   13-9
156   8.364   28   Salem State   0.545 (12-10)   12-10
157   8.357   22   Principia   0.714 (10-4)   16-5
158   8.350   18   Oneonta State   0.550 (11-9)   13-10
159   8.318   29   Western New England   0.545 (12-10)   12-10
160   8.316   20   Rhodes   0.632 (12-7)   14-8
161   8.304   30   Springfield   0.522 (12-11)   12-11
162   8.300   21   Austin   0.600 (12-8)   12-8
163   8.286   18   St. Mary's (Md.)   0.476 (10-11)   10-11
164   8.278   20   Olivet   0.611 (11-7)   11-10
165   8.261   17   Alvernia   0.609 (14-9)   14-9
166   8.227   23   Lakeland   0.591 (13-9)   13-9
167   8.222   24   UW-La Crosse   0.500 (9-9)   13-10
168   8.211   21   Albion   0.579 (11-8)   13-9
169   8.200   22   Kenyon   0.550 (11-9)   12-11
170   8.200   20   Pacific Lutheran   0.533 (8-7)   12-10
171   8.190   31   Worcester State   0.524 (11-10)   13-10
172   8.150   32   Bridgewater State   0.550 (11-9)   12-9
173   8.136   33   Clark   0.545 (12-10)   12-10
174   8.136   34   Husson   0.500 (11-11)   11-11
175   8.130   18   Neumann   0.696 (16-7)   16-7
176   8.111   25   Fontbonne   0.611 (11-7)   12-10
177   8.100   35   Trinity (Conn.)   0.550 (11-9)   12-11
178   8.100   19   Immaculata   0.650 (13-7)   13-9
179   8.095   19   Rochester Tech   0.571 (12-9)   13-10
180   8.091   21   St. Catherine's   0.591 (13-9)   14-9
181   8.087   22   Mississippi College   0.652 (15-8)   15-8
182   8.045   36   Nichols   0.591 (13-9)   13-9
183   8.000   19   Salisbury   0.579 (11-8)   13-10
184   8.000   23   Emory   0.444 (8-10)   8-13
185   8.000   23   Franklin   0.611 (11-7)   13-9
186   8.000   24   St. Mary's (Ind.)   0.526 (10-9)   10-10
187   8.000   22   St. Thomas   0.565 (13-10)   13-10
188   7.955   25   Mount Union   0.500 (11-11)   11-12
189   7.952   37   Babson   0.524 (11-10)   11-11
190   7.952   20   Frostburg State   0.619 (13-8)   15-8
191   7.947   21   Mt. St. Vincent   0.579 (11-8)   13-8
192   7.913   23   Wartburg   0.522 (12-11)   13-12
193   7.909   20   St. John Fisher   0.500 (11-11)   12-11
194   7.900   26   Marian   0.550 (11-9)   14-9
195   7.895   27   North Park   0.579 (11-8)   14-8
196   7.895   26   Defiance   0.526 (10-9)   13-10
197   7.889   28   Greenville   0.605 (11-7)   15-7
198   7.870   38   Middlebury   0.478 (11-12)   12-12
199   7.857   24   Southwestern   0.524 (11-10)   12-10
200   7.833   25   Washington and Lee   0.500 (9-9)   12-10

[Ralph Turner]

Pool B update--

The conference tourneys begin after this week, and the leaders are pulling away.  There are 4 Pool B bids.

I have sorted the teams by in-region record.

Team/Conference/ Overall/ In-Region/In-region %age/ QOWI/In-region games remaining

1)  Concordia WI/ NATHC/ 19-3/ 16-2/ .889/ 10.389/2 games + tourney
2)  Thomas More/ PresAC/ 18-4/ 15-4/ .789/ 9.684/2 games + tourney
3)  Westminster/ PresAC/ 18-5/ 14-5/ .737/ 9.526 /2 games + tourney
4)  Chapman/  Ind/ 18-5/ 13-5/ .722/ 10.167/2 games + D-III Independents Tourney


5t)  Benedictine/ NATHC/ 16-7/ 15-7/ .682/ 8.727 /2 games + tourney
5t)  Aurora/ NATHC/ 14-8/ 14-7/.667/.8.810 /2 games + tourney


also  Lincoln/ Ind/ 15-8/ 11-5/ .688/< 8.000 /2 games (No Tourney confirmed)