MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[kiltedbryan]

Capital and B-W tied at 52-52, can't get the broadcaster to tell me how much time is left.

This would be a huge upset, but this one is far from over. I think still around 10 minutes left.

54 all with 13 minutes to go.  I'm listening to the broadcast, but not closely.  I'll update as the half goes along.

4:00- 67-64 Capital leads. Capital is missing a lot of free throws, though.  Just missed two that could've pushed the lead to 5.  Capital back at the line for a 1-1.

Elsewhere, Heidelberg has pushed the advantage to 11 over Wilmington (65-54) with about 5 minutes left.

2:30 left- Capital leads by 6, 71-65.  Going back to the foul line again. Makes 1 of 2, and B-W turns the ball over.  This is Capital's largest lead of the game. And they commit a shot clock violation after missing two three pointers badly.

1:03- B-W scores, 72-67.

:55- Timeout Capital.

[kiltedbryan]

All Saturday 1/26 Finals:

Capital 77
Baldwin-Wallace 71

Wilmington 72
Heidelberg 82

Ohio Northern 80
Marietta 56

John Carroll 73
Otterbein 98

Mount Union 60
Muskingum 72

[kiltedbryan]

John Carroll 73
Otterbein 98

This is as stunning as results come, even in the OAC.  Otterbein, who just a week ago was crushed by Capital by 29 in a game they were never in, rebounds in incredible fashion to keep John Carroll from moving into third place in the conference at 7-3.

It had seemed like last week Capital had driven home the nail in Otterbein's coffin of an OAC league season, holding the Cardinals to 29% shooting and worse, 19% on 5-27 shooting from three-point land.  Otterbein sat at 2-7 after the first trip through the league, and it didn't seem that the Cardinal was really going to offer much of any resistance the second time through the OAC.

Then you have what happened today at the Rike Center. What a difference a week makes!

Instead of shooting anywhere near 20% from 3 point land, Otterbein set a school-record with 18 made three pointers on 30 attempts, a remarkable 60%.

When Banazak, Wells, Ratai, Pollack and others stepped inside the line, they made 64% (33-51) of everything shot toward the basket.

In the first half, Otterbein barely missed at all: 20-27 from the floor, 7-10 on threes and 10-11 at the line, all of which combined to give the Cardinals a 57-26 lead at the half.  In the second half, JCU never got within 22.

Gameballs go to Adam Wells (27 pts on 6-10 3pt shooting) and Ross Banazak (22 pts on 4-6 3 pt shooting, and 6 assists).

For the game, Otterbein had 23 assists on 33 made baskets.  I could keep pointing out things from these box scores, but I think you just have to look at both of them to understand how dramatic the difference is between the Otterbein that took the floor on 1/19 and was pounded by Capital and the one that breezed past John Carroll today.

John Carroll-Otterbein Box Score.
Capital-Otterbein Box Score.

[kiltedbryan]

I feel like I'm kinda talking to myself in here, but one other note from the action today:

Thanks to the remarkable result I discussed above, the top of the league standings are now both clearer and muddier at the same time.

The clearer portion:
Capital sits alone in first by 2 games: 10-0.
Heidelberg sits alone in second place, also by 2 games, at 8-2.

The muddier portion:
Ohio Northern wins to move to 6-4.
John Carroll loses to move to 6-4.
Muskingum wins to move to 6-4.
Wilmington loses to move to 5-5.

So we have Capital two games in the clear, but now Heidelberg also 2 games clear of everyone else, while the competition over slots 3-4-5 has become a dead heat, with Wilmington a game back at 5-5.  Wilmington currently also has the "best win" of any of that group, with its earlier win over 'Berg.

Lots of fun still to be had in this league before it's decided.

[JK]

I feel like I'm kinda talking to myself in here,

I know, but I for one appreciate you taking the time to do it.  I don't post a lot because I am a FB guy, not a BB guy, but I try to follow it as best I can.  That's hard sometimes being 3 hours away in Lexington, KY., so I rely on the posts and insight from you and David and others who are able to actually see my Crusaders and others play in person.  You can only get so much from a box score...

And, it's much harder to convince my wife to give me time off from the 19 month old twice a week for a couple of hours over a 30 game season for basketball webcasts than it is once a week for a few hours over a 10-12 game season for a football game, especially since I played FB and not hoops. 

[kiltedbryan]

Thanks JK.  In the interest of keeping anyone who cares to drop by updated: we've got another full slate of matchups in the OAC tomorrow.

Muskingum at John Carroll   
The battle between two 6-4 teams in part of the logjam for third place. JCU had won 4 straight before being blind sided by Otterbein over the weekend.  One of those four wins was over Muskingum, who would clearly love to even up the season series here.  I think JCU is more motivated after getting shellacked by Ott, and with only 3 home games remaining, will need every home win they can get.   
      
Capital at Wilmington
Wilmington faces a tough task if they are going to avoid losing a third straight conference game.  After starting the season 8-1, including a 10 point win over Heidelberg, the Quakers have lived up to the pacifism implied by their nickname, putting up little resistance while being beaten 6 times in their last 8.  Capital, on the other hand, simply looks to keep on rollin'. They made the first meeting of these teams look like a mis-match...probably no reason at this point to think that much will change in this contest.

Baldwin-Wallace at Mount Union
I haven't seen either of these teams. Gauging by the records, I may not be missing much, even though B-W has played both Heidelberg and Capital close in their last two games.

Heidelberg at Ohio Northern
ONU reversed a three-game slide by beating mostly hapless Marietta. 'Berg is looking for its fourth straight win and a season sweep of the Bears. The previous meeting was 'Berg, 72-70 at home in Tiffin, so I wouldn't expect ONU to go down quietly, if at all.

Marietta at Otterbein
Otterbein hasn't won back-to-back games all year. This would be the time to do it. If Marietta can keep the Cardinals from shooting 70% in the first half, then I'd expect them to stay close in a game that could be winnable.

[kiltedbryan]

First updates of the night:

Wilmington is swarming over Capital early- it's 25-11 Wilmington leads, with about 4 minutes to go first half.

John Carroll 47, Muskingum 37 with 13:51 left in the second half.  JCU just got called for its 7 team foul of the second half, so Muskingum stands to get a lot of foul shots in the rest of the half.  Not really sure how bad (if any) foul trouble JCU might be in.

[kiltedbryan]

Halftime
Capital 20
Wilmington 31

Story of the game is 11 offensive rebounds for Wilmington in the first half.  Amazingly enough, Capital shot a higher percentage (around 40%) than Wilmington did.  If you're Cap, you've gotta count your blessings at the half and realize it could be much, much worse.

Final:
JCU 76
Musky 62

[kiltedbryan]

10:48 to go in the second half:

Capital         42
Wilmington  50

Capital has a 10-0 run.  First time it's been under 10 points in awhile.  Nate Stahl just hit a three pointer for his first points of the game.


Capital keeps edging closer...but can't quite get tied. It's been as close as 3 points.

3:47 to go

Capital         53
Wilmington  62

Quakers just hit a near-desperation 3 to avoid a shot clock violation to push the lead out to 9.

They 2 FTs for Cap with a bucket for Wilmington.

Quakers headed to the line. Both teams in the 1-1.  64-55 Wilmington, 2:50 to play.  Walker misses the FT, Cap rebound.  Capital needs points, and fast.  Miss...fast break the other way...lay up missed, but another offensive rebound for Wilmington, and they'll take a time out.

I don't know Wilmington enough to know who their best foul shooters are, but if they make them, they'll have this one on ice.

1:45 -  Harrison fouled by Kyser. It all comes down to FTs now.  Makes the first 65-55, and the second. The lead is 11, 66-55

1:25 - Missed 3 pt. by Ryan Wood. Rebound Wilmington and they run...

And there's the final nails in the coffin.  Wilmington throws down a slam on the breakaway, then gets a steal on the inbound and throws down another slam.  70-55, can't be more than a minute left.

Another miss for Capital, rebound Quakers.  FTs to be shot.

:45 seconds-  Both FTs are good. 72-55 Wilmington.


Final

Capital           55
Wilmington    72

[kiltedbryan]

Elsewhere in the OAC:

Baldwin-Wallace 81
Mount Union     72

Heidelberg         72
Ohio Northern   89

Marietta            96
Otterbein          95 (OT)

[kiltedbryan]

So, the top of the OAC now looks like this:

Capital            (10-1)   Capital shows fractures in the armor with an inability to score, rebound in loss.
Heidelberg        (8-3)  'Berg loss means Cap keeps the 2 game advantage.
Ohio Northern  (7-4)  ONU won the first head-to-head with JCU.
John Carroll      (7-4)  Even with that loss to Otterbein, JCU might be playing the best basketball in the OAC.  Who do they play next? Oh, that's right, Capital...
Wilmington      (6-5)  Quakers split the season series with 'Berg and Capital.
Muskingum      (6-5)   Muskies seem to match expectations...losing to better teams but always beating worse teams.

[ScotsFan]

Interesting that Ott goes out and spanks JCU over the weekend and how do they follow that up???

Predictably, they lose to lowly Marietta...

That's the OAC for ya?!

[sac]

That's the OAC for ya?!

But this is the first week that the OAC has behaved like the OAC we've come to know, love and be baffled by. 

[Pat Coleman]

Why did Wilmington have so few home games in January?

[kiltedbryan]

That's the OAC for ya?!

But this is the first week that the OAC has behaved like the OAC we've come to know, love and be baffled by. 

Yeah, I'm not really convinced that there is a truly "great" team in this league- even with Capital ascending to lofty (if short-lived) poll positions nationally.

That said, to catch Capital someone–probably a few someones- is/are going to have to beat Capital in Bexley. On paper, they don't have a single dangerous road game left, but all four home games could be dangerous.


Also, I have re-evaluated JCU a little bit.  Of the top 6 teams, they are currently the only one to have lost 2 OAC games at home, where they are 4-2.  JCU has only one road conference win, as well, and 5 of its last 7 will be on the road.