Top 25 talk

[mactitan]

Very interesting post, Scottiedawg.  I, too, was wondering about IWU's ranking after losing two games - even though they were to Wash U and a pretty good NAIA school. 

One thing that amazes me about this list is that 6 of the top 10 teams are from two conferences, and a fourth CCIW team isn't too far out.  How is this possible?  Is it legit, or is there some midwest bias in the voting?

[scottiedawg]

One thing that amazes me about this list is that 6 of the top 10 teams are from two conferences, and a fourth CCIW team isn't too far out.  How is this possible?  Is it legit, or is there some midwest bias in the voting?

The WIAC and the CCIW are just very strong this year.  Top to bottom, the CCIW is probably the strongest conference in the nation.  It isn't out of character for one of the power conferences to have three teams in the top 10.  Last year, Brandeis, Rochester, and WashU of the UAA were all ranked very highly for most of the season.  I do think it is harder for teams from the South and way out West to get recognition, just because they either play late because of the time zone change, or because of the lack of news.  I for one know very little about Trinity TX, Texas Dallas, MHB, Millsaps, Hardin Simmons, etc. 

[Ralph Turner]

Key games in the Southwest include UWW coming to the UMHB tourney after Christmas where they will play LeTourneau from the ASC-East.

Mississippi College has as fine an assemblage of talent as one will see in the D3.  Fortunately, they have the season to come together in time for the ASC tourney.

UT-Dallas is my other pick for the ASC-East.  They easily handled a Guilford team 64-48 over Thanksgiving!

The ASC-West is still up for grabs.  McMurry and HSU look to be the leaders, but it is still too early to check for a front runner.  If one or the other goes 18-3 in region by late February, then they should be cracking the regional rankings.

Trinity TX looks solid again as they were in 2005.  #25 is a good place for them now.

[Greek Tragedy]

Good work you guys.  Much appreciated!

[ScotsFan]

One thing that amazes me about this list is that 6 of the top 10 teams are from two conferences, and a fourth CCIW team isn't too far out.  How is this possible?  Is it legit, or is there some midwest bias in the voting?

I wouldn't call it bias.  I agree with scottie about the CCIW and the WIAC.  Both conferences are always at or near the top as far as quality and depth goes and this year both conferences seem even stronger and deeper than ever.  Combine that with the fact that the traditional powers from the GL Region like Witt, Wooster, Hope, Calvin, etc are all nowhere to be found on the poll opening up more spots for the CCIW and WIAC.

[John Gleich]

One thing that amazes me about this list is that 6 of the top 10 teams are from two conferences, and a fourth CCIW team isn't too far out.  How is this possible?  Is it legit, or is there some midwest bias in the voting?

Well, the WIAC and CCIW have both one the most and second most number of NCAA championships and are accepted to be the top two conferences in the country.  This year, especially, they are very deep and by-and-large have senior-laden teams.  They also have had good runs as underclassmen (in most cases), so their high rankings make sense

[sac]

The midwest is good, but it isn't that good.  I'm usually one that beats the "midwest is best" (the broader region not the d3 region) drum.  This cup of kool-aid tastes funny.

[Pat Coleman]

I agree, but until we know a little more it's a lot easier to believe Elmhurst is good than Ithaca, you know?

[sac]

I agree, but until we know a little more it's a lot easier to believe Elmhurst is good than Ithaca, you know?

Oh the reasoning makes perfect sense given the landscape.  No one knows what any of the Northeast schools really have, the Great Lakes appear down etc.

I certainly don't think anyone should be chastised for keeping, say, Amherst out of the top 10 to start the season given their losses to graduation.

I just look at the poll and don't feel real comfortable with it.  It will sort itself out.

[magicman]

Speaking of Ithaca, they just improved to 7-0(barely!) squeaking by Oneonta St. on the road 79-77 in OT. Oneonta player scored a layup at the buzzer of regulation to tie the game at 71 and was fouled, but missed the free throw that would have won it. Oneonta scores the 1st 6 points in overtime, but Ithaca closes with an 8-0 run to remain undefeated. Real test for Ithaca will come this Saturday when they take on St. Lawrence on the road. The Saints are 4-1 with a wins over Middlebury, Plattsburgh State, and Potsdam State. Only blemish a tough 6 pt. loss to Ursinus to open their season back on Nov. 21st. Ithaca coming off a 10 day layoff heading into the Oneonta game almost got caught looking ahead to that matchup with the Saints.

[Darryl Nester]

Scottiedawg, I'm not trying to steal your karma, but I needed a distraction from grading this week, so I thought I would try to write a program to automate the process of posting "How they fared".
Here is how things have gone since the last poll (I've got information for all 51 teams receiving votes, but it's probably not worth going any further than #35 or so).  If you spot any inaccuracies in this list, please point them out so I can fix my program.  Also feel free to make any suggestions to improve readability.

#1 Washington U. (7-0): 12/13 vs. Fontbonne
#2 Wheaton (Ill.) (7-0): def. Webster, 78-59; 12/13 vs. Wartburg
#3 UW-Platteville (8-0): def. UW-Eau Claire, 83-54; 12/13 at UW-River Falls
#4 St. Thomas (7-0): def. Augsburg, 86-58; def. St. Mary's (Minn.), 102-64
#5 UW-Whitewater (6-1): 12/13 at UW-Superior
#6 UW-Stevens Point (6-1): def. #31 UW-La Crosse, 82-69; 12/13 at #7 Elmhurst
#7 Elmhurst (6-0): 12/13 vs. #6 UW-Stevens Point
#8 Amherst (7-0): def. Emmanuel, 63-61
#9 Augustana (5-2): def. Cornell, 76-54; 12/13 vs. Knox
#10 Capital (6-1): LOST at Wilmington, 53-82; 12/13 vs. John Carroll
#11 Buena Vista (6-1): 12/13 vs. Grand View
#12 Ursinus (5-1): IDLE
#13 Carnegie Mellon (7-0): IDLE
#14 St. Mary's (Md.) (7-0): 12/13 at Baruch
#15 Gettysburg (4-1): 12/13 at T#48 Widener
#16 Elms (8-0): 12/14 at #19 Worcester Polytech
#17 Illinois Wesleyan (4-2): IDLE
#18 Centre (5-1): IDLE
#19 Worcester Polytech (8-1): def. Mass-Boston, 84-52; 12/14 vs. #16 Elms
#20 Whitworth (6-1): IDLE
#21 Puget Sound (5-2): IDLE
#22 Ithaca (7-0): def. Oneonta State, 79-77 OT; 12/13 at St. Lawrence
#23 Richard Stockton (8-1): 12/13 at Brooklyn
#24 Mass-Dartmouth (6-1): def. Johnson and Wales, 99-77; 12/13 vs. Southern Maine
#25 Trinity (Texas) (6-1): IDLE
T#26 North Carolina Wesleyan (8-1): 12/13 at Virginia Wesleyan
T#26 Rhode Island College (5-2): def. Springfield, 68-60; 12/13 vs. Keene State
#28 Texas-Dallas (8-0): def. S'western Assemblies, 79-53
#29 Salem State (7-2): LOST at Springfield, 68-69; def. Mass-Boston, 85-67
#30 Lawrence (5-2): IDLE
#31 UW-La Crosse (4-3): LOST at #6 UW-Stevens Point, 69-82; 12/13 at UW-Eau Claire
#32 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (6-1): 12/13 at La Sierra
#33 Transylvania (4-1): IDLE
#34 DeSales (7-0): def. Centenary, 82-80; 12/13 vs. Elizabethtown
T#35 Bowdoin (7-2): def. Maine Maritime, 74-50; LOST at Colby-Sawyer, 57-63
T#35 Loras (5-2): 12/13 at North Park

[David Collinge]

Scottiedawg, I'm not trying to steal your karma, but I needed a distraction from grading this week, so I thought I would try to write a program to automate the process of posting "How they fared".

Where were you when I needed you?!?

[sac]

Scottiedawg, I'm not trying to steal your karma, but I needed a distraction from grading this week, so I thought I would try to write a program to automate the process of posting "How they fared".

Where were you when I needed you?!?

Maybe he'd been trying to get ahold of MemphisDave. 

[magicman]

Scottiedawg, I'm not trying to steal your karma, but I needed a distraction from grading this week, so I thought I would try to write a program to automate the process of posting "How they fared".
Here is how things have gone since the last poll (I've got information for all 51 teams receiving votes, but it's probably not worth going any further than #35 or so).  If you spot any inaccuracies in this list, please point them out so I can fix my program.  Also feel free to make any suggestions to improve readability.

If you've got 50 teams, it would be nice to see how they fared.(If it's not to much work)
Any team that's getting votes at this early point of the season has the possibility of moving into the Top 25, if they get on a roll. I can think of two teams that aren't even mentioned that I feel might crack the poll before the end of the season. It's so much easier to have the entire week's scores for all those teams on 1 page. A number of posters will help give updates and check for errors. Just a thought.(Or wish)    

[Darryl Nester]

Scottiedawg, I'm not trying to steal your karma, but I needed a distraction from grading this week, so I thought I would try to write a program to automate the process of posting "How they fared".

Where were you when I needed you?!?

David, you always made it seem so effortless ...
Please accept +k as penance for taking you for granted...

If you've got 50 teams, it would be nice to see how they fared.(If it's not to much work)

It's no additional work (for me ... the computer program does the work).  Once all the games are finished this weekend, I'll re-run my program and post the whole list.