MBB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Darryl Nester]

The preseason picks were posted yesterday.  Here they are, along with the polls and final standings from the past two seasons:

	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08
Team	Place / points (#1 votes)	Pick / Finish (record)	Pick / Finish (record)
Transylvania	1 / 70 (4)	4 / 1 (13-3)	3 / 2 (10-6)
Defiance	2 / 59 (2)	1 / 3 (12-4)	2 / 1 (13-3)
Anderson	3 / 56 (3)	2 / 5 (7-9)	7 / 2 (10-6)
Hanover	4 / 52	5 / 6 (6-10)	4 / 5 (9-7)
Franklin	5 / 48	3 / 2 (13-3)	1 / 2 (10-6)
Manchester	6 / 43	9 / 6 (6-10)	8 / 9 (2-14)
RHIT	7 / 34	6 / 8 (4-12)	9 / 6 (8-8)
Bluffton	8 / 26	8 / 4 (9-7)	5 / 7 (7-9)
MSJ	9 / 17	7 / 9 (2-14)	6 / 8 (3-13)

(edited to make the table easier to read)

[Darryl Nester]

Six HCAC teams have already played a game, going a collective 4-2.  Bluffton and MSJ open tonight, while Franklin's first game is tomorrow.

As the conference's self-appointed poster of marginally useful statistics, here is a summary of rosters (as currently posted by each school):

School	FY+SO+JR+SR	= Total
AU	5 + 4 + 2 + 3	= 14
BU	4 + 6 + 3 + 4	= 17
DC	8 + 5 + 0 + 6	= 19
FC	6 + 7 + 1 + 0	= 14
HC	13 + 3 + 2 + 1	= 19
MC	1 + 3 + 5 + 3	= 12
MSJ	8 + 4 + 5 + 4	= 21
RHIT	7 + 6 + 1 + 2	= 16
TU	12 + 7 + 3 + 3	= 25

[zander]

not much talk on this league?

[Darryl Nester]

not much talk on this league?

It's still early in the season, and historically, this board starts out pretty slow, and then progresses to ... well, slightly less slow.

Last year, the chatter picked up in early December, when the first conference games started.  Perhaps that will happen again this year.

[BUBeaverFan]

The HCAC Football board is pretty active, but as Darryl noted the HCAC Men's basketball board is pretty slow as compared to some others.  It would seem that the HCAC has not had a team or teams of ongoing national stature that some of the other conferences have had.  The MIAA, CCIW, North Coast, UAA, OAC and others seem to have a couple of teams that get some national attention year in year out and that certainly helps spark interest among their fans and foes. It would be great to think that the HCAC could produce a team or two each year that could make a significant run for or actually compete for a national title.  The midwest and great lake regions are a meat grinder when tourney time comes around and the HCAC hasn't quite gotten over the hump in recent years.  There have certainly been some good teams win the league but they have come up a little short in the national tourney.  Maybe the 2009-10 season will be the year the HCAC Champion makes their mark!  

[zander]

The HCAC Football board is pretty active, but as Darryl noted the HCAC Men's basketball board is pretty slow as compared to some others.  It would seem that the HCAC has not had a team or teams of ongoing national stature that some of the other conferences have had.  The MIAA, CCIW, North Coast, UAA, OAC and others seem to have a couple of teams that get some national attention year in year out and that certainly helps spark interest among their fans and foes. It would be great to think that the HCAC could produce a team or two each year that could make a significant run for or actually compete for a national title.  The midwest and great lake regions are a meat grinder when tourney time comes around and the HCAC hasn't quite gotten over the hump in recent years.  There have certainly been some good teams win the league but they have come up a little short in the national tourney.  Maybe the 2009-10 season will be the year the HCAC Champion makes their mark!  

[zander]

not sure what i did there. but being jv i guess i will figure this out eventually. Thanks for getting back to me... I look forward to following the HCAC this year. Little surprised Earlham got Franklin... just going on past years. Either Earlham has a good Freshman class or Franklin is down this year.

[Darryl Nester]

... Little surprised Earlham got Franklin... just going on past years. Either Earlham has a good Freshman class or Franklin is down this year.

That result surprised me, too -- especially after Earlham opened with a loss to Manchester.  It's probably too early to judge what that means; last year, Franklin had an early loss to a weak Trine team, but improved very quickly.

[dc_has_been]

The HCAC has started fairly well so far in nonconference action going 16-10.  Not saying they've played the strongest nonconference schedule other than Transy, but still a good way to start.  I was a little suprised about as well about Franklin's loss to Earlham but it happens, especially early in the season. 
I'm liking the way DC has started so far.  They have one more game to tune up before they start conference action at Anderson. 

[Buzz]

Defiance College scored a big win against Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday night to move to 4-0. The Jackets are playing without injured PG Mike Floyd (10th in nation with 6.8 asst/gm last season) but have gotten great play from freshmen Logan Wolfrum and Brandon Campbell in his spot.

A couple of other notes from DC --- The 4-0 start is the program's best since opening 7-0 in the 1973-1974 season...And senior forward Nick Sales scored 22 points against OWU to move to 994 for his career. Sales is looking to become DC's 43rd member of the 1,000-point club and its third player to accomplish the feat in the last three seasons after CJ Johnson in 2007-08 and Anthony Pettaway in 2008-09.

DC opens the HCAC slate on Dec. 2 at Anderson in what should be a very hotly contested game with the Ravens.

[Jackets Backer]

Defiance College scored a big win against Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday night to move to 4-0. The Jackets are playing without injured PG Mike Floyd (10th in nation with 6.8 asst/gm last season) but have gotten great play from freshmen Logan Wolfrum and Brandon Campbell in his spot.

A couple of other notes from DC --- The 4-0 start is the program's best since opening 7-0 in the 1973-1974 season...And senior forward Nick Sales scored 22 points against OWU to move to 994 for his career. Sales is looking to become DC's 43rd member of the 1,000-point club and its third player to accomplish the feat in the last three seasons after CJ Johnson in 2007-08 and Anthony Pettaway in 2008-09.

DC opens the HCAC slate on Dec. 2 at Anderson in what should be a very hotly contested game with the Ravens.

Jackets sport tons of depth and they have over a handful of guys (Wolfrum, Sales, Armstrong, Brown, Tietje twins and Floyd once he comes back) that could lead them in scoring on any given night. Plus their playing without  the guy (Mike Floyd) that really makes them go.

The rookie point guard tandem of Logan Wolfrum and Brandon Campbell has been great thus far. Once Floyd's back it'll be interesting to see Floyd and Wolfrum on the court together.

[wc4252]

Big win for AU last night beating #17 UW Platteville at Bo Ryan Court in Wisconsin.  Hopefully a big pre-conf win can carry over to the conference season this year.  Looks like the team is not very deep but the top 6 or 7 can provide pretty balanced scoring.  Should be an interesting conference season this year.

[Titan Q]

I posted this on the CCIW board and thought some here might be interested...

---------
The video has emerged.  Here is Sean Johnson's near-halfcourt buzzer beater yesterday vs Manchester...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPGoocOsc_4

[zander]

conference games start tonight. who will be the winners?

[dc_has_been]

Anderson out scores Defiance 52-26 in the second half! Wow, looked promising for DC in the first.