Top 25 talk

[smedindy]

But SOS is a valid measure, much more so than the wacky QOWI. If you have two 20 win teams, and one beats up on the shrimps and minnows of the world (I'm looking at YOU, NESCAC) and one plays a tough schedule, who IS more likely the better team???

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I agree to a point, but all you really know is that one team didn't have to work as hard to win 20 games; it really doesn't tell you who is better.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hey did you guys know (I'm sure Pat did) that the d3hoops.com Top 25 poll is now the official "coach's poll" for division III; it's even on the NCAASports website.

Nice recognition; I don't think it was there last year.

[Greek Tragedy]

Yeah, I noticed that this week.  I just posted that on the Pool  C board, I think! 

[smedindy]

Hoops Fan - of course not - that's why you have a power rating factor as well as a SOS. The power ratings say how well you played. It's all a puzzle, and each piece fits in with the other.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

There are no numbers to tell me which team is better.  I'll give you that numbers can tell me which team should be better, but it proves nothing.  Although I do love stats and numbers (not to knock your profession.)  I just hate getting caught up in using computer rankings and such to argue over the merits of various squads. (Again, you don't rely totally on numbers, so I'm not trashing you here, just those people, you know who they are.)

[fisheralum03]

does anyone know when the regional rankings will be announced/posted? is it today. I thought it was (THE FIRST OFFICIAL ONES)

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It is today; we're waiting on the Pool C board with baited breath.  It seems like the best place to discuss them here.

[smedindy]

Hoops Fan - if you don't have some statistical measures, there is no way to address the strengths or weaknesses of any team, and to see how good one team is relative to another. And even then, due to styles of play, injuries, etc. it's not a guarantee.

And because it's athletics, things do happen. Hiram could beat Wooster. Nazareth did beat St. John Fisher. You play that game another 10 times and St. John Fisher beats then 9 out of 10, at least. Same with Curry over Trinity. And this year, the most unlikely result in all of college hoops was Marshall beating West Virginia

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I appreciate the numbers, I do.  A lot of my opinions come from a lot of numbers, because I don't travel to all these games.  I just hate when people spout off some statistic as proof one team is better than another.

Unless its a score (and sometimes not even then), all those numbers are are indicators, not proof.  That was my only point.

Now, we pay attention to QOWI, etc because that has some bearing on how teams get selected, but no one is going to argue that it proves anything.

Numbers give us evidence, not fact, at least when it comes to basketball.  That's all I'm saying.

[Pat Coleman]

Pat,

Yes, I'm the stat prof.  And a 4% difference in standing (among 395 teams) would mean the difference between first and 16th (which is FAR more than the difference being discussed)!  I've often had reason to think I should have thought before I posted - perhaps you should realize that you should have that epiphany as well.

The 4% difference in strength of schedule, 11th to 28th, is 17 spots. Your example is 15 spots. Do please inform me as to what I am missing.

I wasn't talking about difference in standing at any point. I was talking about your blowing up a molehill of strength of schedule into a mountain of difference.

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  #1 Wooster 129  Hiram  67

Wooster got some revenge tonight because Hiram was the team that undercut Tom Port on a dunk when he broke his wrist.  

Wooster made 22 three pointers in this game and had 7 players in double figures points including Devin Fulk with 21, Andy Van Horn at 16, Kyle Witucky at 15 (5 three's), Tom Port with 15, Tim Vandervaart with 13, Marty Bidwell with 12 and Brandon Johnson with 10.

Wooster shot 57% from the floor and 50% on three pointers.

Wooster is now 21-1, 13-0 NCAC.   

GO SCOTS!!   

[hugenerd]

If the score on the scoreboard is correct, Wheaton beat WPI tonight.  Looks like WPI couldnt pull out their Nth 5 point or less win in a row.

[titanfan]

If the score on the scoreboard is correct, Wheaton beat WPI tonight.  Looks like WPI couldnt pull out their Nth 5 point or less win in a row.

Boy, I've been avoiding putting WPI into my posters poll all year because I don't think they're anywhere near as good as their record.  I finally succumbed to "peer pressure" and their 19-1 record and put them in at 25 this week.  I guess I picked the wrong week!

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  #6 Wittenberg 66  Ohio Wesleyan 54

Wittenberg gets a nice road win.  Tigers were led by Daniel Russ with 24 points, Kenny Brady with 13 points and Greg Hill chipped in 12 points.