Top 25 talk

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It's pretty simple.  They only had a 2-0 record when the most recent poll was out.  They play in the notoriously weak East Region.  While their team last year had a good record, they still lost three games to SUNYAC teams, played a schedule weaker than 300 other schools and didn't get a win over a good team all year.  In the NCAA tournament they barely beat a mediocre-at-best Salem State team (by one), schooled St John Fisher (a team with an equally suspect schedule) and then got smoked by Rochester.

While the record looks good and they have to be considered a favorite in the region, none of those things give them Top 25 credentials.

Oh yeah, and they graduated seven guys off last year's squad.

[Coach C]

retired -

2-0 doesnt get much attention this time of year.  Let's see how things look on Sunday.

C

[smedindy]

We heard a lot last year about Potsdam being the shiznit as well...and that schooling by Rochester I think makes a lot of people look at them with suspicion.

[Mr. Ypsi]

You guys are being mighty hard on the WIAC -- and prematurely so, IMHO. Why is everyone in such a rush to judgment already? I'm looking at my office calendar right now and, unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, today's date appears to be December 2. Some of you sound as though you're already prepared to hand out NCAA bids. 

(Though with NP's early success, just MAYBE the CCIW is the top-to-bottom #1 conference THIS year!  LONG way to go on that!)

I have no idea what you're talking about, Chuck. NPU has had no early success this season. The Vikings have been badly beaten by a Benedictine team that looks as though it may be facing a down year; they lost to CURF for the first time in four decades, and in the crackerbox to boot; they lost big to a wretched St. Norbert team; and they've won a pair of one-point home contests over a couple of teams that any CCIW squad should've turned into grease spots.

If you're arguing that NPU's performance to date is proof of the CCIW's relative prowess, then you're subverting your own argument. The Park has all sorts of excuses -- youth, injuries -- but the bottom line is that they are floundering.

Greg,

Well of course I'm ready to hand out NCAA bids - all the CCIW teams, plus CalTech, Maine Maritime, ...!

As for NP, while I understand why YOU are disappointed (and I am too, a bit, but I will be picking them for last in the CCIW) - they have shown me ENOUGH in the pre-conference season that I don't think there is ANY other conference in the country (except MAYBE the WIAC) where I would pick them for dead last.  (There are some conferences where I would even pick them for first, but I'd prefer not to name them!)

For your sake (especially) as well as the CCIW's, I'm really rooting for NP to get back in the 'mix' soon.  As a Titan, I'm NOT wishing for you to totally recoup your 'glory years'  , but definitely not an automatic 8th place pick!

[cardinalpride]

You guys are being mighty hard on the WIAC -- and prematurely so, IMHO. Why is everyone in such a rush to judgment already? I'm looking at my office calendar right now and, unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, today's date appears to be December 2. Some of you sound as though you're already prepared to hand out NCAA bids. 

(Though with NP's early success, just MAYBE the CCIW is the top-to-bottom #1 conference THIS year!  LONG way to go on that!)

I have no idea what you're talking about, Chuck. NPU has had no early success this season. The Vikings have been badly beaten by a Benedictine team that looks as though it may be facing a down year; they lost to CURF for the first time in four decades, and in the crackerbox to boot; they lost big to a wretched St. Norbert team; and they've won a pair of one-point home contests over a couple of teams that any CCIW squad should've turned into grease spots.

If you're arguing that NPU's performance to date is proof of the CCIW's relative prowess, then you're subverting your own argument. The Park has all sorts of excuses -- youth, injuries -- but the bottom line is that they are floundering.

Greg,

Well of course I'm ready to hand out NCAA bids - all the CCIW teams, plus CalTech, Maine Maritime, ...!

As for NP, while I understand why YOU are disappointed (and I am too, a bit), I will be picking them for last in the CCIW - they have shown me ENOUGH in the pre-conference season that I don't think there is ANY other conference in the country (except MAYBE the WIAC) where I would pick them for dead last.  (There are some conferences where I would even pick them for first, but I'd prefer not to name them!)

For your sake (especially) as well as the CCIW's, I'm really rooting for NP to get back in the 'mix' soon.  As a Titan, I'm NOT wishing for you to totally recoup you 'glory years'  , but definitely not an automatic 8th place pick!

NP may not finish last in the WIAC.  Has anyone seen UW-EC lately! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

cp,

Good point!  OK, I don't think NP would finish last in ANY conference except the CCIW!

[Gregory Sager]

You haven't seen NPU play, Chuck. I have. Trust me, they are somewhere south of competent at the moment. I do not want to ponder whether or not they are worse than UWEC, or Wilmington (or whoever is going to inhabit the OAC basement this season), etc. All I am saying is that you cannot gauge the strength of the CCIW by NPU, because the Vikings are not guaranteed to hold up their end of the bargain if the league was to play a full eight-game challenge against another league.

Getting back to the Top 25, I'm going to see three of those teams tomorrow -- Illinois Wesleyan, Elmhurst, and Hanover. I've seen Elmhurst once already, and this season's IW team is of course essentially the same edition that Scott Trost has trotted out for the past two years, but this'll be my first look at a Hanover team in I don't know how long. It'll be a fun day of basketball tomorrow.

[Ralph Turner]

Chuck, I too have seen NPU play, at least the UW-W scrimmage.  They are not that bad.  We can stink it up down here in the ASC sometimes.  NPU would probably would finish in the mid-pack of both divisions just because the road trip to Foster and Kedzie would rank up there with the Louisiana College/Mississippi College  or the Sul Ross State/Howard Payne trip!

I feel for Gregory.  Those 5 (and I counted all five of them)  NCAA banners on the NPU gym certainly look good.  He just happens to play inthe best top-to-bottom conference in the country.

[Gregory Sager]

Boy, I hate it when somebody takes the other side in an argument and compliments my alma mater in the same breath. What's a guy to do? 

[Greek Tragedy]

I've seen Eau Claire play and they are not very good...and I saw them win (vs. LMC power Concordia)!  EC got spanked by Stout by 37 at home.  They scored just 35 points.  Ouch.

[unbearable]

Smedindy,

Were you at Amherst for the sectionals last year?  Potsdam didn't get schooled by Rochester.  It was a 2 point game with 5 minutes to go.  Free throws at the end stretched it to the final margin, as sometimes happens when you desparately try to lengthen the game.  By the way, Rochester (from that notoriously weak East Region) did advance to the national championship game. 

Potsdam vs. St. John Fisher was a schooling. Had the starters not been pulled in the middle of the second half, it could have been a 35-40 point win, instead of 24.

I think the (unwritten) point that retired12 was making was a preseason top 10 for Fisher and others receiving votes status for Potsdam seems incongruous, regardless of graduation losses.

Salem had a pretty dominant center, who was honorable mention All-American.  Sometimes big guys can carry a team in D3.  I'm sure the name Metzalaars might ring a bell.

[Greek Tragedy]

Though Smedindy said they got schooled by Rochester, it was Hoops Fan that first pointed out that Potsdam got smoked by them.  So maybe you should also direct your frustrations to Hoops Fan! 

[Ralph Turner]

Boy, I hate it when somebody takes the other side in an argument and compliments my alma mater in the same breath. What's a guy to do? 

Perhaps we can talk to the Chicago Transit Authority to make the southern terminus of the Brown Line extend to Pineville, LA.  There is no "el" in Pineville, LA.

No-el, No-el, No-el, No-el...'tis the season.

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  #2 Wooster 83  Earlham 81 OT

Wooster doesn't play their best game and they escape from Richmond, IN with a close road win in overtime.  LaRon Henry of Earlham hit a shot at the buzzer in regulation to send the game into overtime.  Kyle Witucky, Wooster's senior point guard, hits the game winner at the buzzer in OT.

Wooster was led in scoring by Tim Vandervaart, James Cooper and Kyle Witucky today.  Wooster is now 6-0 and will play Oberlin next at home on
12/7.

GO SCOTS!!

[wooscotsfan]

#1 Illinois Wesleyan 71  U. of Chicago 67

Titans also have a close road win today as they knock off Chicago.  Game was tied 28-28 at the half.