Top 25 talk

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

So I guess the WIAC does benefit in one area by beating each other to a pulp and only getting one bid.  Their lone entry is usually pretty good and produces quite a nice post-season record for the conference.

[Pat Coleman]

They've only made the Final Four once. The MIAC is indeed 10-9 in the postseason since the pool system came into play, but take out Gustavus Adolphus' 5-1 sprint to Salem in 2003 and you're left with something far more mediocre.

Hamline made it to the Final Four in 1977. And St. Thomas got there in 1994. Both teams finished fourth.

Both predate the pools system and the D3hoops.com Top 25.

[Greek Tragedy]

If the season were to end today, I believe that Point would be the 3rd seed and La Crosse the 4th (because Point swept them).

And then we'd play Platteville again...oh, the joy.

[Greek Tragedy]

So I guess the WIAC does benefit in one area by beating each other to a pulp and only getting one bid.  Their lone entry is usually pretty good and produces quite a nice post-season record for the conference.

West
1 Occidental 11-1 18-2 (Tied with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in SCIAC)
2 Wisconsin-Stout 15-4 18-5 (WIAC)
3 Puget Sound 13-2 18-4 (Tied with Willamette in NWC)
4 Wartburg 16-3 18-4 (Leads IIAC)
5 Wisconsin-La Crosse 16-5 18-5 (WIAC)
6 St. Thomas (Minn.) 17-5 19-5 (Leads MIAC)
7 Wisconsin-Whitewater 13-5 17-5 (Leads WIAC)
8 Carleton 15-4 18-5 (MIAC)

Despite the loss to "unranked" Stevens Point AT HOME, Stout actually moved up a spot in the regional rankings.  They play at La Crosse this weekend, so another loss wouldn't be too damaging...though I think they'll pull out the win.  If they win the conference finale and fall in the conference tourney, I'm confident they should get a Pool C bid.

Occidental and Wartburg went down last night, so Stout could almost afford to lose Saturday and in the conference tourney and be in good shape, IMO.

[John Gleich]

I seriously think that Stout and La Crosse are playing for an at-large bid.  Here's the shakedown for the matchup on Saturday... if La Crosse beats Stout (and Stevens Point beats Superior) then Point becomes the 2 seed, La Cross the 3rd, and Stout the 4th.  If Stout beats LaX, and Whitewater loses to Eau Claire, then Stout and Whitewater share the conference title, Stout gets the 1 seed, WW #2, Point #3, and Oshkosh gains the #4 seed (because they split with the top 2... LaX lost both to Oshkosh).

Personally, I'm rooting for La Crosse.  This would give Point the #2 seed and a matchup against River Falls, and, given a win, a second round home game.

[Gregory Sager]

Both predate the pools system and the D3hoops.com Top 25.

True, but the Bilk didn't specify which poll he was talking about in his original question. There were other (definitely inferior) polls that predated the D3hoops.com Top 25, e.g., the NABC poll.

[sac]

[ There were other (definitely inferior) polls that predated the D3hoops.com Top 25, e.g., the NABC poll.

Where is Barry Robinson these days.

[Pat Coleman]

Both predate the pools system and the D3hoops.com Top 25.

True, but the Bilk didn't specify which poll he was talking about in his original question. There were other (definitely inferior) polls that predated the D3hoops.com Top 25, e.g., the NABC poll.

Since those polls are dead, I am pretty sure that that was not the topic of discussion.

Don't forget Basketball America. I remember at the beginning of the 2001-02 season they GRACIOUSLY offered to let us merge with their poll. I told them we weren't interested.

[Knightstalker]

Pat, before you took over the site wasn't there a poll on it?  Or was that just the NABC poll?

[Pat Coleman]

We ran the NABC poll on the site until starting our own, yes. I don't know if the Centennial Conference ran the NABC poll on the site before 12/1/97.

[David Collinge]

[ There were other (definitely inferior) polls that predated the D3hoops.com Top 25, e.g., the NABC poll.

Where is Barry Robinson these days.

Barry's old Columbus Multimedia poll may be dead and gone, but we still have a rogue ranking coming out of the Great Lakes: smedindy's Power Ranking Amalgamation. 

So is Smeds the new Barry? 

[smedindy]

I may be a rouge, but I'm no Barry...

[David Collinge]

I may be a rouge, but I'm no Barry...

Senator, I knew Barry Robinson.  I worked with Barry Robinson.  Barry Robinson was a friend of mine.  Senator, you're no Barry Robinson!

Wait a minute...wasn't he talking to a guy from Indiana, too? 

[Gregory Sager]

Since those polls are dead, I am pretty sure that that was not the topic of discussion.

You know me. I don't like to assume anything. Besides, we've talked about other polls on this site before. No reason why the Bilk couldn't have been thinking of any and every D3 poll that's come around the bend ... whoever the heck the Bilk happens to be. 

Didn't the AP do a D3 poll for awhile, too? I'm trying to remember what poll it was that had Augustana #1 in the nation back in '82 when North Park beat them with the Mike Gordon buzzer-beater from halfcourt, as discussed on CCIW Chat last weekend. Prikkel would probably remember what poll that was. He's much better with 1982 stuff than he is with 2006 stuff. 

I miss Barry. Not just because of his poll, but because he was a nationally-oriented D3 fan who also took a passionate interest in a team (Ohio Wesleyan) that doesn't get a lot of play in the NCAC room. Their one remaining advocate, Bishopsfan, is pretty sporadic.

[woosterbooster]

I'm looking to find out if there are any teams who are good bets to make the tournament field that have already completed their regular season schedules (not their league tournaments).  I've found only two so far, Virginia Wesleyan and Randolph Macon.

Anyone know of any others?

Thanks, Jack