MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

Total crap that Mount was left out and both Cap and Marietta are in.  Mount beat both in last two weeks and both lost in tourney. Cap lost to team that Mount beat, JCU. Obviously, not much to say when you lose the tourney final, however.  Just seems that the committee did not look at the last two weeks work. This is horse manure. Sorry.

Chronology is not one of the criteria (either primary or secondary), raiderpa. In the eyes of the committee, games played in November therefore matter just as much as do games played in late February. And postseaons tournaments aren't part of the criteria, either; conference tourney games are counted on an equal basis with regular-season games.

I agree with the NCAA here.  I think your conference tournament games should count the same as that Thanksgiving weekend game you played against Trine.   

I don't make the rules. I just recite 'em.

Oh trust me, I don't think any of us would ever lay claim to NCAA logic!   

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Of course the guidelines and rules created by the "NCAA" are actually created and approved upon by DIII membership ... not those in offices in Indianapolis.

But why let that get in the way of a good blame job.

Division III has a limited budget ... they have to create rules on who gets in and how they are bracket. The rules are similar to those all around the NCAA in most sports in the all three divisions. This isn't an NCAA thing. Membership makes these rules themselves. If they didn't like them, they would rewrite them and vote on them.

[Dr. Acula]

Alright everyone, Dave is here.  Enough joking around.  Everyone take your seats and we will now memorize the tables of which schools are greater than 500 miles apart. 

[Pat Coleman]

It's a fascinating topic, for sure!  But here's a form where you can check the NCAA standard for mileage:
https://web1.ncaa.org/TES/exec/miles

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Alright everyone, Dave is here.  Enough joking around.  Everyone take your seats and we will now memorize the tables of which schools are greater than 500 miles apart.

As Pat pointed out ... no need to memorize anything ... just educate oneself.

[fantastic50]

It's a fascinating topic, for sure!  But here's a form where you can check the NCAA standard for mileage:
https://web1.ncaa.org/TES/exec/miles

These mileage charts are interesting, in context of this year's brackets.  By the NCAA chart, Augustana is more than 500 miles from all of the other hosts in their bracket, notably including 501 to Wooster.  By Google maps, Augie to Wooster is only 495, making Wooster a potential centrally-located host for the sectionals, should both teams advance.  Perhaps the mileage charts need to be updated ... surely the committee wasn't allowed a likely extra flight for bracket balance?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It's a fascinating topic, for sure!  But here's a form where you can check the NCAA standard for mileage:
https://web1.ncaa.org/TES/exec/miles

These mileage charts are interesting, in context of this year's brackets.  By the NCAA chart, Augustana is more than 500 miles from all of the other hosts in their bracket, notably including 501 to Wooster.  By Google maps, Augie to Wooster is only 495, making Wooster a potential centrally-located host for the sectionals, should both teams advance.  Perhaps the mileage charts need to be updated ... surely the committee wasn't allowed a likely extra flight for bracket balance?

I believe the mileage charts take into consideration things like where a bus can actually travel (or international borders, for example) than other mapping systems consider.

And if you look around the bracket - including in the first round - it appears the national committee was granted a little bit of an allowance for balance.

BTW - I am told the bracketing software the committees use allow one to move their mouse over a school on the bracket and see all the other schools on the bracket that are within 500 miles of said school. There are also interns at the NCAA doing a lot of the work to determine where teams can go and such. This is looked at pretty in-depth to better understand it all and not leave any stone unturned - for the most part.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

BTW - the deadline was 5pm ET, Friday, February 15, 2019.

[MUC57]

BTW - the deadline was 5pm ET, Friday, February 15, 2019.

d-mac

Help me out here. Which deadline? I don't get out much! Thanks.     

[Gregory Sager]

I think that Dave was talking about the application deadline for hosting a pod -- Wittenberg didn't file an application this year -- and he just posted it on the wrong Great Lakes Region board.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I think that Dave was talking about the application deadline for hosting a pod -- Wittenberg didn't file an application this year -- and he just posted it on the wrong Great Lakes Region board.

Sorry - so many frickin balls in the air I just threw this one in the wrong pot.

[scottiedoug]

I am a Maryville fan.  What do I need to know about Marietta and playing there?

[Onward on, John Carroll]

I am a Maryville fan.  What do I need to know about Marietta and playing there?

Playing there is difficult, while nearly everyone packs 'em in when they are hosting a tourney game, Etta packs 'em in all season long.  It is a small-ish, high-school like fieldhouse-style gym that feels cramped and gets loud - very loud.  It will be a great atmosphere and it will favor the Pioneers heavily.

Marietta is also used to crowds and seems to have prepared well for their hosting duties.  They are clearing the gym between games (a split session) and they allowed for pre-sale tickets for their fans. Not sure if they will use reserved seating or not.  If not, it could be a pain for the visiting school but I know they typically reserve a small section and very few D3 schools travel well, period, let alone for a first round game on Friday.   My school, John Carroll, absolutely botched their hosting duties/obligations last year but it appears Marietta is avoiding many of the mistakes Carroll made.

As for the team, they are good - very good - but not as good as they have been in years past.  Etta is certainly get-able, even at home.

[scottiedoug]

Sounds like fun! Thanks! I wish I could be there.  If the shots fall, we are pretty good. Seven seniors with NCAA experience (if getting smoked by Nebraska Wesleyan on their way to the championship last year counts).

[kiltedbryan]

Capital survives, 78-76 in OT against UW-Platteville. Quite the game. Platteville had a 3-point attempts for the win in regulation and a 28-footer at the buzzer in OT, but neither fell.