Top 25 talk

[nescac1]

I think St. Thomas would clearly be number one.  And yeah, it's pretty amazing they are doing this well with 4/5 top guys originally being D3 recruits.  It's becoming increasingly clear, whether it's those guys, Duncan Robinson, Matt Hart, Austin Hutcherson, (a guy at one of the Illinois schools who did well as a transfer last year, I'm forgetting who), etc., there are loads of D3 players who can be very effective Division 1 contributors, once they get into D1 weight training and practice regimens.  If I was a low to mid-major D1 coach looking to get guys who are proven commodities, I'd definitely let it be known that I'm interested in offering scholarships to elite D3 underclassmen ..

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

For two programs this week, the number 25 is probably considered lucky. For many, it represents the bottom of a Top 25 ranking, but for those in the 25th slot ... it means they are ranked.

St. John Fisher hasn't been ranked since "Desperate Housewives," "Boston Legal," "The Shield," and "Fear Factor" where some of the most popular shows on television. The top movie was "Coach Carter." However, Coach Melissa Kuberka has gotten her Cardinals squad back into the rankings after a terrific start to the 2021-22 season. We talk to her about the team's success and how the rest of the season could shape up.

For DeSales, there were signs they were going to be good during the COVID season. Not all teams are able to duplicate that short-season success, but the Bulldogs are off to an undefeated start. Coach Scott Coval discusses just how good the team is and why we haven't seen the unit at it's very best. Plus, one can still break a backboard in today's game? DeSales found out it is possible.

Plus, Yeshiva is getting plenty of attention now that they have been ranked #1 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll the last few weeks. But do you really know the Macabees and their program? We talk to Gary Belsky who wrote an expose on the program for ESPN. It's a must read and a must listen to segment.

And UW-Eau Claire Athletics have big plans for future Blugolds and DIII championships. Introducing the $70 million Sonnetag Center. AD Dan Schumacher discusses the significant way UWEC could shift championships and even regional recruiting by 2024.

You can watch the show LIVE (or on demand) here: https://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2021-22/dec9

Guests List:
- #25 St. John Fisher women's coach Melissa Kuberka
- #25 DeSales men's coach Scott Coval
- ESPN Writer Gary Belsky
- UW-Eau Claire Director of Athletics Dan Schumacher

Hoopsville broadcasts from the NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline.

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[Darryl Nester]

Did anyone just add up the total points? That would give us an answer.

Adds up to 8121, but with 25 voters, it should be 8125 ... so that doesn't quite clear it up.

[PoppersMacsLive]

Thanks.

Very briefly, I prioritize the eye test, take into account team mentality as justified by performance against both strong and weak competition (good teams should be blowing out bad teams and should not be getting blown out by good teams), and am guided along by results.

To quote the article and explain further: "They remain to me a borderline Top 10 team, and my methodology uses results as a secondary consideration, which is why I only dropped them one spot, whereas partially why the panel dropped La Crosse down by 5." Because I am only guided along by results/use results as a secondary consideration, I don't completely ignore results, but I'm more focused on what I see on the court regardless of result. I believed that UW-La Crosse was borderline Top 10 entering the week and despite both losses, left the week feeling the same way I did about them as I had beforehand. Ultimately, they lost a couple games, so I dropped them a spot. Some others have methodologies which prioritize (at least somewhat) results--not to say that this is wrong, different people have different methodologies. At the end of the day, such a voter might suggest that, even if they believe that UW-La Crosse is better than, let's say, #13, by the fact that they failed to win either home game, even against tough opponents, they will put them at #13, ie. punish the team for losing by dropping them several spots (which, again, is reasonable).

Here's my breakdown of the Week 2 Top 25:
https://www.macslive.com/post/d3hoops-top-25-week-2-breakdown-analysis-and-opinions

Again, good stuff. And thanks for including the W/L records. Would you be willing to add a brief description of your methodology? Or is it proprietary? I ask because you mention one aspect of it in your comments re #13 (your #10) UW- La Crosse.

I really enjoy reading what you write. Keep up the great work!

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ Thanks.

[SpringSt7]

What's the reasoning behind the 4 week break in January for Yeshiva and Skyline play not starting until the end of the month?

[deiscanton]

What's the reasoning behind the 4 week break in January for Yeshiva and Skyline play not starting until the end of the month?

Yeshiva has actually played about half of their 16 game conference schedule in the fall semester already-- Yeshiva is 7-0 in the Skyline heading into January finals and the January break.   According to the academic schedule for Yeshiva, they have classes all through the month of December with the last day of classes for the fall semester being Tuesday, January 4, 2022.   I believe that their finals are in January and then they go on break with the second semester starting on Monday, January 24, 2022.  Yeshiva operates on the Hebrew luni-solar calendar (months marked according to the lunar cycle with an extra month added every few years to catch up , in which there is an extra month being added this year due to the relatively early High Holidays and Hanukkah (relatively early according to our solar calendar.)  Therefore, this year on the Hebrew calendar has 2 months of Adar-- Purim is not celebrated in the first month of Adar, but is delayed 30 days to the second month of Adar.  This will ensure that Passover is celebrated in its proper season,  in the Spring-- after the vernal equinox.

Yeshiva is having classes throughout the entire month of December, because the fall semester really did not get going academically until the beginning of October this year-- after the High Holidays and the major holidays of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah.  The month of Tishrei-- where all of these holidays occurred, took place in September this year.   Today is the 6th of Tevet on the Hebrew calendar-- Hanukkah ended earlier this week.  On Tuesday, Yeshiva will observe the public fast of the 10th of Tevet, which takes place from dawn to nightfall (No classes will take place on the fast day.)  The January break is not mandated religiously (The New Year for Trees-- Tu B'Shevat falls on MLK's birthday this year) but since Yeshiva is having classes all through the month of December, it makes sense to have the winter break in January.

So, on January 26, 2022, the second half of Skyline conference play will begin for Yeshiva, and the rest of the Skyline Conference teams, which have only played about 1 to 3 games of league play so far, will catch up during Yeshiva's January break.

On the men's side, the Skyline conference is split into the North and South divisions, in which each men's team only has to play the teams in their own division twice (home and away), and the other teams once before conference tournament play.  There are 12 teams on the men's side, with each division having 6 teams each.   On the women's side, which only has 11 teams (Mariitme does not have a women's basketball program in the conference), each team plays the other teams home and away for a total of 20 conference games.  The Yeshiva women will have played 10 conference games before the January break, and the other 10 games after the break.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I've talked to Eliot Steinmetz several times on air and off air about their one-month break ...

They don't have to take the entire break off technically. They could come back earlier in January and I think they have in some occasions, but there is also a cost and approval side of things to consider. So while there is an element of the Jewish holidays and how the calendar is built by the university academically, they could return early like a lot of colleges do ... they just can't always afford the costs that are involved and other factors.

[WUPHF]

The cost of keeping students over winter break is not something I have thought much about.  What would those costs be?

[Titan Q]

On 4/22/21, WashU senior Justin Hardy was diagnosed w/ Stage 4 stomach cancer. On 11/27/21, he had 28 pts & 11 reb.

His incredible and inspiring story is here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRMVYfraa88

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The cost of keeping students over winter break is not something I have thought much about.  What would those costs be?

All dependent on how each individual institution does things, but one example that is probably universal: meals.

Let's say the athletic department decides to use the school's cafeterias and other eating locations ... they have to pay for the meals (x3) for each of their students, student assistants, and whomever else they have on campus that would be utilizing those locations.

And, again, depending on each institutions, there could be the costs associated with being in the dorms for additional time and that list of costs could run long.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The cost of keeping students over winter break is not something I have thought much about.  What would those costs be?

All dependent on how each individual institution does things, but one example that is probably universal: meals.

Let's say the athletic department decides to use the school's cafeterias and other eating locations ... they have to pay for the meals (x3) for each of their students, student assistants, and whomever else they have on campus that would be utilizing those locations.

And, again, depending on each institutions, there could be the costs associated with being in the dorms for additional time and that list of costs could run long.

Some schools have empty dorm policies, too - students literally can't be in them, athlete or not.  I know of several schools that have to pay for hotel rooms if they bring kids back during the break.  I know Swarthmore's cafeteria is closed entirely - the kids are generally on their own for meals when they come back early.

[WUPHF]

I would say that college and universities are more than ever keeping dorms open over winter break, though I do believe there are still schools that close.  I think those are increasingly rare.

It was more common for dorms to close for good in my day.

Meals are often an issue.  One more question though: can a school feed student-athletes for an extended period without running afoul of the regulations?  Before it looks like an athletics related board scholarship?  I figured student-athletes were own their own.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I would say that college and universities are more than ever keeping dorms open over winter break, though I do believe there are still schools that close.  I think those are increasingly rare.

It was more common for dorms to close for good in my day.

Meals are often an issue.  One more question though: can a school feed student-athletes for an extended period without running afoul of the regulations?  Before it looks like an athletics related board scholarship?  I figured student-athletes were own their own.

Well, they can do snacks now, but I think meals on non gamedays are still out.

[CNU85]

CNU has many dorms that have 12 month terms. My daughter was in one for 2 years. You don't have to leave. However, the dining facilities close when classes are out for breaks. Students are on their own, which isn't a big deal. Her dorm for those 2 years was over a Panera, Moe's, a local place called Schooners, and a bunch of other places were nearby. Makes things convenient for CNU to be able to charge more for room & board and still save costs by closing dining halls. 

Now if we could only solve the C2C and have an FRC - For Real Conference.