The Undefeated and the Winless

[Ralph Turner]

People were using a service last year that ran chains of wins to show that lowly X was actually better than national champ Y, but I can't find the source.  Now that CatTech has a win and UCLA has a loss, does such a chain exist?

We need Bard to win!    Hurry, Raptors!  WIN!!!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Bard HAS a win (over Anna Maria), and AM has beaten a couple of schools.  I played with it a bit, but couldn't ever find a chain that progresses up to even half-way decent schools.

There MUST exist some chain (however convoluted) that 'proves' that CalTech is the best team in SoCal!

[Ralph Turner]

Bard HAS a win (over Anna Maria), and AM has beaten a couple of schools.  I played with it a bit, but couldn't ever find a chain that progresses up to even half-way decent schools.

There MUST exist some chain (however convoluted) that 'proves' that CalTech is the best team in SoCal!

My bad!  I see what you mean.  I found a thread thru St Joseph's VT that gets to Skidmore and the Liberty League.  Maybe that becomes the link.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ralph,  probably the key is to find a link to one of the teams that beat UT-Dallas after they beat d1 UT-Arlington - UTA had 4 wins at the time (though I don't know if they were all d1 wins), so there must be some path up the food chain!

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph,  probably the key is to find a link to one of the teams that beat UT-Dallas after they beat d1 UT-Arlington - UTA had 4 wins at the time (though I don't know if they were all d1 wins), so there must be some path up the food chain!

UT-Arlington has a win over North Texas, UC-Riverside (one of last year's casualties), Central Arkansas and UT-Pan American.  You might have something there.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ralph, I tried working down from Hardin-Simmons and your McMurry, but couldn't reach any promising leads towards the NE (you guys need to host some 'snowbird tourneys!).

I tried again from Anna Maria, but I deadended with a closed circle of about nine teams who had beaten no one but each other.  This chain may have to await someone upsetting somebody else later in the season.

[St. Joseph DID beat Skidmore.  Alas, Skidmore has beaten no one but Lyndon St., which has beaten no one but Hesser, which appears to be a multi-campus for-profit school with NO athletics website!] 

For now, at least, I stand defeated.

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph, I tried working down from Hardin-Simmons and your McMurry, but couldn't reach any promising leads towards the NE (you guys need to host some 'snowbird tourneys!).

I tried again from Anna Maria, but I deadended with a closed circle of about nine teams who had beaten no one but each other.  This chain may have to await someone upsetting somebody else later in the season.

[St. Joseph DID beat Skidmore.  Alas, Skidmore has beaten no one but Lyndon St., which has beaten no one but Hesser, which appears to be a multi-campus for-profit school with NO athletics website!] 

For now, at least, I stand defeated.

McMurry did defeat Immaculata and lose to Rowan!  Maybe thru the PennAC or the NJAC?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Via E. Texas Baptist over Sul Ross, etc., I did make it up to the SLIAC, CCIW, and NathCon, but the problem seems to be at the bottom.  I just couldn't find any way to break out of the Bard, Anna Maria, Newbury, Lyndon St., Mass Col, Johnson St., etc., 'beat each other, but can't beat anyone else' problem.

[Ralph Turner]

We need to Liberty League to cooperate!

[hugenerd]

Via E. Texas Baptist over Sul Ross, etc., I did make it up to the SLIAC, CCIW, and NathCon, but the problem seems to be at the bottom.  I just couldn't find any way to break out of the Bard, Anna Maria, Newbury, Lyndon St., Mass Col, Johnson St., etc., 'beat each other, but can't beat anyone else' problem.

I found a chain to a top 5 team in DIII (ONU) but im sick of doing this after half an hour so I will just post what I have and maybe someone else can get to UCLA:

CalTech -> Bard -> Anna Maria -> Newbury -> Mass. College -> Johnson State -> Green Mountain -> Paul Smith -> Suny Canton -> Niagara CCC -> Cayuga -> Suny Cobleskill -> Hudson Valley CC -> Erie CC ->> Prince George's CC -> Baltimore City CC -> Potomac State College -> WVU Tech -> Myers -> Heidelberg -> Penn State Altoona -> Lincoln -> Bluffton -> CMU - Capital -> ONU

[Mr. Ypsi]

Good job!  I didn't even think to check Green Mountain 'cause they've been a staple on the 'winless' board ever since it started!

Someone among those last few should be able to take us to a win over Hardin-Simmons or McMurry, which puts us over UT-Dallas, which puts us over d1 UT-Arlington.  I'll pursue it tomorrow if no one beats me to it.

[Ralph Turner]

Got it to UT-Arlington!  Thanks Hugenerd!

(Takes one to know one!!!  8) )

CalTech -> Bard -> Anna Maria -> Newbury -> Mass. College -> Johnson State -> Green Mountain -> Paul Smith -> Suny Canton -> Niagara CCC -> Cayuga -> Suny Cobleskill -> Hudson Valley CC -> Erie CC ->> Prince George's CC -> Baltimore City CC -> Potomac State College -> WVU Tech -> Myers -> Heidelberg ->

-> Otterbein -> Maryville TN -> Emory -> Sewanee -> DePauw -> UDallas -> Southwestern -> Hardin-Simmons -> UTDallas -> UT-Arlington!

Corrections appreciated!

[Gregory Sager]

The most impressive thing about that chain isn't the fact that it culminates with Caltech. It's that it includes nine two-year colleges filling the links between Paul Smith's and WVU Tech.

[hopefan]

Hate to interrupt "the chain gang", but I must post the latest WAD3 (winless against D3) list  -  the winless list was posted earlier

Our list had stood at 11, and with Saturday results, two came off, including one of our old favorites.

Yes, Maine Prsque Isle scores a stunning upset - over Maine Maritime - to drop off the list.  They had carrised a no 2 WAD3 rating in - beating Maritime was really impressive, as they had lost to the mariners in December by 21.   Maybe a couple of Maine Tech transfers bolstered their attack!!!!  Also dropping off was no 11 Whitman, who snuck by Linfield 90-88.

So we have 9 wad3 teams left  -  the new ratings:

9) Laverne  1-10  We had them off the list for a day when a wrong score was reported, but they gained new longevity by actually losing to La Sierra.  Caltech doesn't come till Jan 24

8) Lincoln Christian  1-5  Almost scored a big upset in the SLIAC over Webster, losing by 2.   Principia comes up on Jan 18 in a huge game for both.

7) Emmanuel   1-7   Winnable game vs Dan Webster tomorrow night

6) Crown 1-7  Crushed by Bethany Lutheran on Saturday

5) Minnesota Morris  2-9  Got another non NCAA win vs North Central Minn on Friday, could be competitive vs Martin Luther on Saturday

4) Huntingdon  1-11  Next good shot at win is two weeks out vs Sewanee

3) Colorado College  1-13 Seems like only real shot for a D3 win is against Santa Cruz on Jan 20

2)  Alma  1-11  Alma is a clear step below  the other MIAA teams, but they play Kalamazoo and Albion this week, both of whom are down badly this year too.

1)  Green Mountain 1-8  Lost to Centenary by 11  -  a number of weak schools on schedule, but Green Mountain likely weaker.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Big weekend.  UMPI beat Maine Maritime, NYU goes down to Mellon, St Lawrence lost to Brockport, Guilford dropped one to VA Wesleyan, Fontbonne beat Blackburn, UPS lost to Pacific, Concordia-Morehead beat Hamline, and of course, Caltech beat Bard.
Here's where we stand now:


Undefeated ( 3 )
Amherst (11-0)
Bates (10-0)
Whitworth (13-0)


Undefeated vs d3 ( 5 )
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (8-3, losses to NAIA's Westmont, Concordia-California and Point Loma Nazarene)
Lake Erie (10-1, loss to d2 Findlay)
Mississippi College (11-1, loss to NCCAA Wesley College of Mississippi)
Redlands (7-3, losses to NAIA's Biola and Hope International and d2 Cal State-LA)
UW-Stevens Point (12-1, loss to d2 Northern Michigan)


Winless vs d3 ( 9 )
Alma (1-11, win over NCCAA Grace Bible)
Colorado College (1-14, win over ACCA Life Pacific)
*Crown (1-7, win over NCCAA Trinity Bible)
Emmanuel (1-7, win over NAIA Northwood)
*Green Mountain (1-8, win over NAIA Paul Smith's)
Huntingdon (1-12, win over NCCAA Atlanta Christian)
La Verne (1-10, win over ACCA Life Pacific)
*Lincoln Christian (1-5, win over NCCAA Great Lakes Christian)
*Minnesota-Morris (2-9, win over d2 Minnesota-Crookston and over NCCAA North Central (MN))


Winless ( 5 )
Albertus Magnus (0-8)
Eastern Nazarene (0-9)
*Penn State-Berks (0-10)
Principia (0-7)
Thomas More (0-13)


*Signifies a provisional school