Top 25 talk

[hplc2222]

Not sure if it is proper for a broadcaster to chastise a fan. But i'll take it with a grain of salt.

As far as Stevenson goes, the voters had them at 45 last vote, the last on the list, if they win today they go to 12-3, probably move up 7-10 spots.

Wshington U is not losing to NYU today. NYU been on the road in motels for days, having just played in Chicago Friday and lost that in a pitiful offensive performance, I watched much of that game until it became such a poorly played game it became unwatychable

Like I said I probably shouild not have dropped Washintgton U, but I prefer teams like Whitewater and St Thomas , they are money teams if you will, as in they exhibit more mental tuffness I feel.

Thats all, just one fans opinion.

I did look at who teams play and who they lost to, especialy home court loses

here are some example

Colorado College 10-3 lost at Northern Colorado 96-57 blown out, lost at Babson 93-90, and just this week Lost at Scheiner  9-7 - 71-58

St Mary Md. 11-4 - despite the tuff losses against hard teams - cabrini, mary washington, and wesley, they also lost at home to desales 9-7,  80-70

Texas-Dallas 12-1 was ranked at 35 last vote, lost at trinity 9-7, 63-58

[Gregory Sager]

Wshington U is not losing to NYU today. NYU been on the road in motels for days, having just played in Chicago Friday and lost that in a pitiful offensive performance, I watched much of that game until it became such a poorly played game it became unwatychable

It wasn't unwatchable at all. I was at the NYU @ UC game. It was actually a well-played game in which the defenses dominated.

Just because the defenses are stronger than the offenses doesn't make a game either poorly-played or unwatchable.

[hplc2222]

I watched the game on the computer, and you make take that as defense,.. i dont,..... i saw it as poorly played
nyu COULDNT GET OFF A SHOT, NEITHER HAD A RUN IN THE GAME, NOR DID ANYTHING

any team can have a hiccup, like that

that was the first nyu game i saw all season

i just am, used to watching a team like stockton that has dominating periords in games

50 points?

and then after probably leaving thursday morning for chicago at 6am,  losing friday night in chicago, expecxt then to living in motels, go into st louis and beat washington university the 7th ranked team in the nation?

are you serious?

[Gregory Sager]

You're apparently one of those fans who believes that basketball is all about offense, and nothing but offense. Fine. To each his own.

In the spirit of neighborliness, let me introduce you to the Grinnell Pioneers. All the offense you could ever wish for, and then some.

(By the way, you're operating under a misconception regarding UAA teams. They don't "live in motels," and they don't take buses across the country. They fly to UAA games in distant cities; in fact, they're the only teams in D3 that regularly fly as part of their regular-season schedule. Two or three weekends per season, depending upon the team, they fly to a UAA city on a Friday for a road game, then either bus to the travel partner (Chicago/Washington, Case Western Reserve/Carnegie Mellon, NYU/Brandeis, Emory/Rochester) or fly in the case of the Emory/Rochester tandem, play a game Sunday, and then fly home that day.)

[hplc2222]

actualy i'm not, stockton goes on those runs because of steals, rebounds on both sides of the court, and plowing the lane,... yes they hit jumpers too, they have hot hands, but the runs are off the defensive play,... they probaly been on a 15-0 rrun in every game they played tghis season

understand?

you are saying that nyu took a plan to chicago friday morning, took a plan back to washington square nyc friday night, took a plane to chicago sunday morning, and played today?

is that what you are saying?

maybe they did, i dont know, but i find that highly doubtful

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Broadcaster chastising a fan? Not quite... just asking questions and stating my opinion.

Wash U by the way would be considered by many to be a money team... they won back-to-back titles not that long ago.

And just because teams play really good defense and don't put up a ton of points doesn't mean they aren't good nor is the game good. You have watched one particular style of basketball and have liked it for a long time, clearly. However, there are many styles of basketball out there and that makes each team a very different beast.

As for SMC comparison you gave... yes, they lost to DeSales at home... but one game doesn't make a season (as we have noted to your Stockton examples). Also, DeSales has won more games in the Mid-Atlantic region, and one of the ten winningest programs in the country, this century. That is understanding who the opponents are... DeSales may not be having a terrific season, but they are a very well coached team and they happened to have taken an 11 hour drive to SMC in a snow storm - it is usually about four hours. I think they proved more than SMC disproved.

And your Stevenson example seems to ignore the fact they beat Messiah. Voters don't tend to move teams in that scenario up just 7-10 spots. You are also not considering teams at the bottom of the Top 25 and in between who didn't have good weeks like Wheaton (Ill.).

Back to your UAA argument... the schedule for NYU and all UAA teams has been the same for a very, very long time. These teams are not unfamiliar with a travel day on Thursday (probably later than you think - not a morning flight), play on Friday, travel on Saturday and then play on Sunday. The UAA has shown to have the tightest bonds within teams and between the men's and women's programs simply because of this fact. And the schedule is what proves if you are a good team or not. There is a reason the conference is so highly regarded, the teams prove themselves in the tournaments, and NYU used to be one of those teams along with nearly every other team in the conference that has proven themselves. The schedule is what it is and an NYU upset over Wash U would not even come close to being the biggest surprise in that conference.

[sac]

you are saying that nyu took a plan to chicago friday morning, took a plan back to washington square nyc friday night, took a plane to chicago sunday morning, and played today?

is that what you are saying?

maybe they did, i dont know, but i find that highly doubtful

NYU flew into Chicago Friday, played Univ. of Chicago, drove to St. Louis on Saturday where Washington University is located and will play this afternoon and fly home.

NYU's travel partner Brandeis, flew to St. Louis  Friday and did the same, drove to Chicago Saturday and played Chicago this afternoon.

Both the men's and women's teams travel together.

[hplc2222]

one game doesnt make or break a season - tell that to stockton haters who dropped them from 23 back to 36 because of the 1 point loss at montclair

or another way can can word it is messiah lost to stevenson

my only point about nyu was that no way they were doing that and winning the game in st louis today,... especialy after scoring only 50 in chicago on friday night

it is like a prediction

a fan prediction

by the way,...... i caught a few minutes of your broadcasts here and there on hoopsville,.... they are informative and appreciated

but what you are doing would like stephen a smith or skip bayless responsing to what a fan might write on an areticle on espn.com

not sure it is professional to do it

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The only crazy travel schedule by UAA standards is when travel partners have to go to Rochester and Emory. That requires flying to either Rochester, NY or Atlanta, GA... playing on Friday... flying to the other city on Saturday... playing Sunday... and then flying home (though, some schools like NYU, Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon, and Case Western Reserve can drive to Rochester... but if they play Emory first on that schedule they are only driving home .

[sac]

The only crazy travel schedule by UAA standards is when travel partners have to go to Rochester and Emory. That requires flying to either Rochester, NY or Atlanta, GA... playing on Friday... flying to the other city on Saturday... playing Sunday... and then flying home (though, some schools like NYU, Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon, and Case Western Reserve can drive to Rochester... but if they play Emory first on that schedule they are only driving home .

I would actually think the flying on Saturday would be preferable to a bus trip between Chicago and St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cleveland  or Boston and New York.  Those aren't long but its still a bus.

[hplc2222]

can i ask a stupid question, .... is that rochester ny or rochester minnesoata? sorry i dont know,.... i am not an expert by an means on D3 basketball

I am learning

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

one game doesnt make or break a season - tell that to stockton haters who dropped them from 23 back to 36 because of the 1 point loss at montclair

It made a decision for voters on one week... not a season. And voters were probably buying in to Stockton and saw them lose and decided to sell. Same happened to SMC... I have probably had them rated the highest most of the season even after their loss to DeSales... though, I will change that thinking this week.

or another way can can word it is messiah lost to stevenson

Sure... in double-overtime... on the road... against a team who has lost just a single game at home this season... is at the top of the conference with Messiah... etc., etc., etc.

But honestly... a team had to lose that game and since I saw it in person... I can tell you neither team lost the game. Someone just had to win.

my only point about nyu was that no way they were doing that and winning the game in st louis today,... especialy after scoring only 50 in chicago on friday night

it is like a prediction

a fan prediction

But... it has happened... it will happen in this league... just because they put up 50 against Chicago doesn't mean they can't put up more against Wash U... and they did: 65.

That all said, I never buy into NYU until they get into the meat of the UAA schedule and especially play this particular travel weekend. I got burned by NYU as a voter in the past.

by the way,...... i caught a few minutes of your broadcasts here and there on hoopsville,.... they are informative and appreciated

but what you are doing would like stephen a smith or skip bayless responsing to what a fan might write on an areticle on espn.com

not sure it is professional to do it

I am also a fan... and I don't hide the fact I am a fan or the host of the show. I have also covered Division III athletics and especially basketball for 15 years (19 if you count my college days)... and I am not chastising you... but pointing out my opinions and questioning yours to better understand your point of view and to maybe help you understand the landscape better. I had and have people do the same for me all of the time - it has made me a better broadcaster and understand the Division III world.

And it is Rochester, NY.

[hplc2222]

thats fine, i get it,........ just the Top 25 list was very easy this week, not agonizing like other weeks,....

i u nderstand you need an outlet,.... i of all people understand that

its just that stockton lost 2 games by 3 points , both on the road, where the game was tied of they had the lead in the final seconds, and sitting at 13-2, and getting no respect, when they should be 15-0, is hasrd for a fan to swallow.

you can read what i what today under njac in the atlantic division thread on that

Suny Purchase is the front runner right now for the top seed in the atlantic region

Stockton's defense is so good though, they could make  a lot of these national teams have problems in games

From an outsider looking in, it may look like Stockiton is doing it on offense, but that is far from the truth

their games are all won on defense

then running on defense, by defense, by the use of defense,

understand?

this is a Top 25 team, im sorry, but thats the truth

[hplc2222]

lol, by the way, stevenson is up 43-22 bearing the end of the first half,... they got this game,...
it doesnt matter , they might beat messiah in the conference tourney for the automatic or not,... both teams are in the NCAA i guess

the conference tourney champions and one of the 19 at large bids

but,  has there been a year in recent history where so many teams have extremely good records at this point in the season?

we are looking at a dozen or more teams possibly running the table for 3 or less losses

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yeah... probably every year... but it never happens. We are starting to turn the corner on the second round of conference games (for most conferences) and thus the grind of the conference schedule takes its toll. Teams who may have gotten their toughest opponents at home still have to face them on the road... teams who may not do well on the road will trip teams up at home... injuries and classes take their toll, etc., etc., etc. On the men's side the last six weeks of the season are usually full of upsets and strange outcomes... and we aren't even talking about the conference tournaments, yet.