MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

Anybody want to make the argument for a full double round-robin regardless of the inclusion of DePauw into the NCAC schedule (i.e., an eighteen-game NCAC slate)? Just curious.

That would be my preference.  I'd be ok with Wabash losing one of their early season tournaments (that are usually at least partially filled with NAIAs) for two more league games.  That's an easier sell for me than it would be for Wooster who hosts two of these tournaments every year and puts together a quality D-III field almost every time.  The Van Wie and Mose Hole weekends aren't going anywhere anytime soon, I'm sure.  

[imderekpoe]

That's an easier sell for me than it would be for Wooster who hosts two of these tournaments every year and puts together a quality D-III field almost every time.  The Van Wie and Mose Hole weekends aren't going anywhere anytime soon, I'm sure. 

Actually, I've heard that those tournaments are getting harder to fill every year.  I would not be surprised to see changes coming to one (or both) of them in the future.

[smedindy]

This will definitely help the NCAC. I can see that the runner up will be competitive for a "C" every year, if every one doesn't start beating each other up.

Two 'Bash - DPU hoop games each year is pretty sweet as well!

And there's always a chance of a meeting in the NCAC tourney - that could spread the special madness to Ohio! (Not to say 'Bash or DPU won't ever host, but...)

[Gregory Sager]

... meaning, I take it, a single round-robin that's two games short of a double round-robin. In other words, sixteen-game slates consisting of two games apiece against seven of the other nine NCAC teams, and single games against the other two, right? A simple substitution of DePauw for Earlham and a return to the status quo?

Yes, that is what I mean, although I'd describe it as "status quo ante," since there is a different schedule in place for the 2010-11 season.  For the women, thanks to Wabash, it will be a full (double-)round-robin, with two of the long weekend trips each year: Hiram and 'Gheny to Witt and DePauw (tough weekend!) and vice-versa.  Still this would be a 16-game conference schedule as DPU's inclusion returns the NCAC to a 9-team league for the distaff hoopsters.

It's no skin off of my nose what the NCAC does, of course, but I'm a big advocate of double round-robins. If you're a fan of Team A, and Team A loses out on the title by one game to Team B because Team A had to play third-place Team C twice and Team B only had to play Team C once, you have a built-in excuse to complain about the unfairness of an unbalanced league sked. A double round-robin -- or a single round-robin, if you're a NESCAC fan -- removes the fairness issue from the fray.

Of course, you could argue that a single round-robin has an element of unfairness, too, because there's no home-and-home, which means that one team has to play a tough competitor in that tough competitor's gym without getting a return visit, while another team only has to face the tough competitor at home. I've raised that complaint myself on the NESCAC board, but that's another story.

[WooHoopsntrack01]

Was just looking at all of Depauw's sports and WOW!  This is a major upgrade from Earlham who was just pretty much awful in everything in all honesty.  The Tigers will undoubtedly force a shakeup in EVERY sport on both the Men's and the Women's side, in particular basketball, track, xc, football, and baseball.  Very exciting. 

Any thoughts on how this will affect recruiting?  DePauw recruits on a more national base given their old Conference having at least 5 players last season from outside IN.  Most NCAC schools don't have this as the core of their rosters are from the neighboring cities give or take 200 miles.   

As for hoops (since this is a hoops board), this could really have an effect on Gheny, OWU, and Kenyon competing again for a while for an NCAC title.  Woo, DePauw, and Witt (IN THAT ORDER) are now the favorites ten fold.  I could see OWU possibly sneaking back up there, but for the most part this looks to be the top 3 with a big gap between 3-4-10 once again.

[smedindy]

Was just looking at all of Depauw's sports and WOW!  This is a major upgrade from Earlham who was just pretty much awful in everything in all honesty.  The Tigers will undoubtedly force a shakeup in EVERY sport on both the Men's and the Women's side, in particular basketball, track, xc, football, and baseball.  Very exciting. 

Any thoughts on how this will affect recruiting?  DePauw recruits on a more national base given their old Conference having at least 5 players last season from outside IN.  Most NCAC schools don't have this as the core of their rosters are from the neighboring cities give or take 200 miles.   

As for hoops (since this is a hoops board), this could really have an effect on Gheny, OWU, and Kenyon competing again for a while for an NCAC title.  Woo, DePauw, and Witt (IN THAT ORDER) are now the favorites ten fold.  I could see OWU possibly sneaking back up there, but for the most part this looks to be the top 3 with a big gap between 3-4-10 once again.

Forgetting about Wabash, who split with DPU last year and went 18-8 after starting 5-5?

[wooscotsfan]

Wooster has posted their 2010-2011 schedule on their website and as IMDEREKPOE predicted (k+), changes have been made to both of Wooster's home tournaments for the coming season.

The Al Van Wie Rotary Classic is listed as a one day tournament with Wooster only playing Bethany College (PAC team) in the second game on November 20th.  The opening game is scheduled with two nonD3 schools, Miami-Middletown and Northwestern, OH (NAIA), as the matchup.

The Mose Hole Kiwanis Classic is a two day tournament but there is no scheduled championship game.  Both days are prescheduled so Wooster will host John Carroll on December 28th and then host another OAC team, Wilmington College on December 29th.  Spalding University out of Kentucky is the 4th team so John Carroll and Wilmington will not play each other at the Mose Hole.

Wooster will play two tournaments on the road with the first at Carnegie Mellon where Wooster will face another OAC team, Ohio Northern, in the opening game on November 27th.  Susquehanna plays CMU in the second game and there will be consolation/championship games on November 28th.

In early January, Wooster will play in the Bahama House Florida Classic against William Carey (NAIA team) on the first day and against Baruch College (D3 team) on the second day.

The two other nonconference opponents are Cincinnati Christian (NAIA team) in a home opener on November  17th and a December 20th road game at Anderson University (HCAC - D3) in Indiana.

Here is a link to the full schedule on Wooster's website:
http://www.wooster.edu/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Mens-Basketball/2010-11-Schedule

[seinfeld]

Scrounging around the web I came across another guard recruit for Wooster -- Jack Counahan from North Allegheny (Pa.). This makes two players from western Pa., which is a much different recruiting pattern for Wooster, which gets just about every player from Ohio.

Participated in this recruiting showcase along with Jimmy Orie, who is also coming to Wooster:

http://www.hoopmountainpa.com/National_Recruiting_Showcases_Evaluations.php

http://www.northallegheny.org/athletics/NA%20Sports%20Network/10collegelist.html

[Just Bill]

So why did you never try basketball before now?

I'd never tell you not to try basktball at Wabash, but I'd say if you were all-state in tennis and lacrosse why not stick with those? (Wabash has tennis, but not lacrosse.) I'd go that route rather than try to pick up something brand new.

[Hugenerd]

Allegheny just hired former MIT SID James Kramer.  Kramer was in the private sector for a year but it appears he couldnt stay away from the college game!

[David Collinge]

OWU sophomore wing Greg White has been featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" section for leading the USA to the championship of the U21 World Deaf Basketball Championship.  White appeared in 11 games last season as a Bishops' rookie, recording 11 points and 15 rebounds in 59 minutes of action.  In the WDBC, White appears to have been unstoppable, averaging 15.1 points and 7.5 boards per game.  Congratulations, Greg!

(Tip o' the cap to OWU's Facebook page for bringing this to the attention of a longtime SI-boycotter).

[sac]

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/from-never-to-walking-brock-mealer-will-lead-michigan-football-team-onto-field-saturday/

[seinfeld]

Sac,

Thanks for the heads up on this. Under the "I thought he graduated" category, Tim Vandervaart -- yes, the Tim Vandervaart that was an all-region basketball player as a senior in 2006-07 -- helped lead the Wooster soccer team to a win yesterday.

http://www.wooster.edu/Athletics/Athletics-News/2010/September/Mens-Soccer-Recap-Otterbein

[David Collinge]

Thanks, sac, that's a great story.  Although it makes me want to go set fire to an insurance company somewhere.

[David Collinge]

Dustin Rudegeair is the new Director of Facilities and Summer Camps at OWU.  Welcome back, Dustin!