Top 25 talk

[Jacketfan2011]

"and the other to Carnegie Mellon (yes, I am very aware CM just beat Rochester!)."

Minor point - CMU beat Wash U and Chicago this weekend, not UR.  UR beat CMU back in December.  What a league....

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks, fixed!  Nine-team leagues really test my schedule-reading-comprehesions skills, and I frequently fail the test. ...dc

Actually, I think it's the easiest league to follow.  Wednesday and Saturday games.  That's it with one team with a bye.  Some leagues have one game on one night, two games on another night and then all the teams (even ones that played earlier in the week) all on Saturday...CRAZY I SAY! lol

"Easiest league to follow"? How can it be the easiest league to follow when it's an odd-numbered league that by necessity has a bye every game night?

The UAA has eight teams. Everybody plays Friday night at 8 pm local time and Sunday afternoon at noon local time. Eight teams, four games, twice a week on the same days and at the same times.

The CCIW has eight teams. Everybody plays Wednesday night at 7:30 pm, and everybody plays Saturday night at 7:30 pm. Eight teams, four games, twice a week on the same days and at the same times. And, unlike the UAA, you don't even have to mess with two different time zones when you're looking at the league's master schedule. Tell me it can get any easier than that!

Interesting point with Chicago that I have been mulling over. But I am having trouble with their six overall loses with one being to Loras and the other to Carnegie Mellon (yes, I am very aware CM just beat Rochester!).

Loras is 15-5, a game out of first in the IIAC. The Duhawks are not a bad team by any stretch of the imagination. Carnegie Mellon is 13-5, and the Tartans not only beat Wash U on Sunday, they gut-stomped 'em by 31 points. Chicago lost to the Duhawks in the Loras gym and to the Tartans in Pittsburgh. No loss is a good loss, but I'm having trouble figuring why these two losses in particular are supposed to be so odious.

I don't think that the Maroons ought to vault directly into the Top 25, either, but I'll be surprised if they don't pick up some stray votes in tomorrow's poll.

[Jacketfan2011]

Having seen Chicago yesterday for the first time, they strike me as a team that nobody would look forward to playing in a one and done situation.  Everybody can shoot from pretty much anywhere and if the D is less than stellar I would imagine they could beat just about anybody.  Not much inside, but they seem to play to their strength.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

"and the other to Carnegie Mellon (yes, I am very aware CM just beat Rochester!)."

Minor point - CMU beat Wash U and Chicago this weekend, not UR.  UR beat CMU back in December.  What a league....

Thanks for the correction... it was a bit late and I simply switched the games in my head. I appreciate the help.

[ScotsFan]

I think Amherst moves up to #1, with UMD #2 . 

I would put Amherst #1 above UMD as well.  As you said IL4T, UMD has a tough stretch this week and if they can win all of their games this week, then maybe they should garner more consideration for that #1 spot.  I just feel that Amhert's overall schedule has been tougher than UMD's and even though Amherst has 2 losses overall, they only have one loss vs. DIII opponents.

As for the UAA, I think Rochester sits at 3, Wash U is at 4 and Brandeis at 7/8.

I really don't think WashU should stay in the top 5 after losing 2 games over the weekend and especially when one of those 2 losses was a 31 point drubbing at the hands of CMU.  I would also say that Rochester and Hope should also drop out of the top 5 with their losses.  Personally,  seeing as how  #'s 8-12 in the rankings finished the week unscathed, I feel they should be slotted just ahead of the 5 teams in the top 7 that took a loss over the week.  That's how I would vote anyways...

[Jacketfan2011]

Maybe I'm biased (OK I AM biased) but I can't see punishing UR too much for a 9 point loss to a decent team.   A game that was a 2-6 point game for about 38 minutes.  Unless you are going to reward them for an emotional win over the #1 team in a dogfight the previous game. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I just feel that Amhert's overall schedule has been tougher than UMD's and even though Amherst has 2 losses overall, they only have one loss vs. DIII opponents.

So... they do have two losses then. Remember, the Top 25 poll voters look at everything. They aren't the NCAA who would ignore the non-D3 loss. Also, that non-D3 loss should have been a win for Amherst. Florida Memorial is ranked 36th in the NAIA II... that is a team a #1 hopeful in D3 should be beating.

[David Collinge]

Thanks, fixed!  Nine-team leagues really test my schedule-reading-comprehesions skills, and I frequently fail the test. ...dc

Actually, I think it's the easiest league to follow.  Wednesday and Saturday games.  That's it with one team with a bye.  Some leagues have one game on one night, two games on another night and then all the teams (even ones that played earlier in the week) all on Saturday...CRAZY I SAY! lol

"Easiest league to follow"? How can it be the easiest league to follow when it's an odd-numbered league that by necessity has a bye every game night?
[...]
The CCIW has eight teams. Everybody plays Wednesday night at 7:30 pm, and everybody plays Saturday night at 7:30 pm. Eight teams, four games, twice a week on the same days and at the same times. And, unlike the UAA, you don't even have to mess with two different time zones when you're looking at the league's master schedule. Tell me it can get any easier than that!

Actually, Illinois Wesleyan's women have a disruptive tendency to play Tuesdays, which throws my rhythm off a bit.

It's the combination of the predictable Weds/Sat rotation and the byes that throw me off with the WIAC (as well as the MIAA and NCAC women, off the top of my head).  There's lots of Weds/Sat leagues (OAC, MIAA, NCAC, CCIW, WIAC, SCIAC, among others), and when going through the schedules I get hypnotized into thinking that the next two games for each team in these leagues are Weds and Sat.  I try to remind myself to watch out for those byes, but sometimes (like this week) they slip past me.

[ILive4This]

Brandeis only fell 7 spots after loosing to Chicago and Wash U at home. Rochester defeated wash U and lost to Chicago at home. Keeping consistent, they should fall less than 7 spots. Once again, Chicago is a giant killer right now, i think they should be ranked in the top 25 if not top 20 this week after wins AT UR and Deis.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Brandeis only fell 7 spots after loosing to Chicago and Wash U at home. Rochester defeated wash U and lost to Chicago at home. Keeping consistent, they should fall less than 7 spots. Once again, Chicago is a giant killer right now, i think they should be ranked in the top 25 if not top 20 this week after wins AT UR and Deis.

Apparently my math must be different.
You are saying that since Brandeis lost BOTH games at HOME against Chicago and Wash U and lost seven spots, the fact tha Rochester WON against Wash U at HOM and LOST to Chicago at HOME (1-1) they should also lose seven spots?? How in the world does that make sense?

[ScotsFan]

Dave, I think he was implying that they should fall less than the seven spots that Brandeis fell:

Brandeis only fell 7 spots after loosing to Chicago and Wash U at home. Rochester defeated wash U and lost to Chicago at home.  Keeping consistent, they should fall less than 7 spots.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

ScotsFan - thanks for that clear up. I some how missed the word "less" SEVERAL times while reading the post. Terribly sorry. May need to get the glasses prescription double-checked!

[Ralph Turner]

I just feel that Amhert's overall schedule has been tougher than UMD's and even though Amherst has 2 losses overall, they only have one loss vs. DIII opponents.

So... they do have two losses then. Remember, the Top 25 poll voters look at everything. They aren't the NCAA who would ignore the non-D3 loss. Also, that non-D3 loss should have been a win for Amherst. Florida Memorial is ranked 36th in the NAIA II... that is a team a #1 hopeful in D3 should be beating.

I agree, Dave.

#36 in the 151-member NAIA-2 is not even receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25, surveying the 380+ men's D3 programs.

Also, Rhodes Scholar's tabulations shows D3 holding a 116-88 advantage in games versus  NAIA-2 in 2007-08.

Most of us would consider Florida Memorial a bad loss for a Top 10 team.

[Hugenerd]

What are peoples thoughts on CMU?  They have 4 conference losses (two of those are to highly ranked Rochester and Brandeis), but they just beat WashU by 31 (previously ranked #1) and also handily beat Chicago, who beat Rochester yesterday.  Do think CMU gets some votes or are they writen off for winning a game against a WashU team that barely lost to Rochester two days before?

CMU also has a road win versus #6 ranked Capital earlier in the season (Capitals only home loss of the season).

[old_hooper]

Florida Memorial is not a bad team.  A week earlier, they took Concordia Irvine the #3 NAIA DI team to the wire in a game.  CUI is a very talented team this year with a couple All Americans on the team and the National runner up last year.  Perhaps Fl. Mem is not a consistent team but to stay with CUI and defeat Amherst would indicate that they do have talent.