MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[billy the kid]

OAC preseason coaches polls have been announced. JCU clear favorite. Cap tied for 3rd?? I dont see it. They graduated nearly their entire team. Wilmington is the second place pick. Three nice seniors, if B Rogers is healthy. Lack of depth. ONU looks good as always. I got them second. 'Etta maybe the leader of the middle of the pack. OC could be back as a worthy opponent, dont really see them 8th. The Mount was hit hard by graduation as was Muskingum.

So here goes.........

1. JCU.....easy choice
2. ONU...close call here with Wilmington
3. Wilmington...Now is the time for the Quakes
4. Marietta...Can the young guys keep progressing?
5. OC.....Lost no one to graduation. OAC leading scorer back.
6. Baldwin Wallace...Can they replace Bene?
7. Capital...How fast can the Crusaders rebuild?
8. Heidelberg...still building
9. Mt Union....Hit hard by graduation
10. Muskingum....looking to rebuild.

LETS GET SOME CHATTER GOING HERE..........

[ScotsFan]

Is it me, or does the OAC seem a little down as a whole?  JCU appears to clearly be the best team in the conference and I don't really see anyone that could rise up and challenge them.  Northern and Wilmington are solid teams that I too would slot in behind JCU.  But beyond that, the usual depth we see from the OAC just doesn't appear to be there.

Of course, these are just the opinions of an outside observer.  But I do try to follow at least the upper tiered teams from the OAC because they'll usually ending up crossing paths with Wooster somewhere along the postseason trail.

[billy the kid]

I think you can look at last years graduating seniors and think the incoming freshman can never take their place. But, that not really the case. The remaining starters and the improving subs from last year take their place and last years freshman are now a year older and many more are ready to contribute. All this solidifies the great competiton year in and year out of the OAC.

THE NAMES AND FACES CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT THE COMPETITION IS PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS THE SAME.

[OC_SID]

Any John Carroll fans making the trip to Olivet for Sunday's game?

If you can't make it, I will have livestats. You can get the link on the scoreboard page off D3hoops.com.

[ScotsFan]

I think you can look at last years graduating seniors and think the incoming freshman can never take their place. But, that not really the case. The remaining starters and the improving subs from last year take their place and last years freshman are now a year older and many more are ready to contribute. All this solidifies the great competiton year in and year out of the OAC.

THE NAMES AND FACES CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT THE COMPETITION IS PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS THE SAME.

This is true, but I'm just speaking from the perspective that the OAC doesn't appear to be nearly as deep as in years past.  Usually, you could always count on at least the top 4 teams (JCU, ONU, Cap and B-W) slugging it out for the conference and a couple of middle tier teams throwing a wrench in things every now and again.  But this year, JCU seems to be head and shoulders above the rest.  Cap lost a lot of talent and you don't just replace that talent with bench players and freshmen and expect to be at the level they have been at for the past couple of years.  ONU appears to be solid and should pose a threat to contend with JCU.  And Wilmington, while appearing to be ready to challenge for the OAC, has never been consistent enough, IMO, to get over the hump.  Who knows.  Maybe this is their year to get it done, but I just don't see it.  B-W seems to have fallen off significantly and I really don't know too much about the rest of the league to base an opinion but I don't really see any teams that I haven't covered as being conference contenders.

The main point of my OP on this subject was not to say that the OAC won't have good teams.  I just think the number of those good teams is down a bit from what we are used to seeing from the OAC.

[albertjackson]

You are correct Scots Fan.... the OAC is as down as it's ever been. While JCU was good last year they should not have gone through the conference like they did with so many young players. JCU reminds me of the deep Otterbein teams in early 2000's. Your also correct B-W has fallen of the map! I hear Sheldon got some solid freshmen and Scott Voiers from COW transfered. Not sure how much he'll help - likes to shoot a lot and suspect defender. Kyle Brown going to have to carry the load. Noticed Louis Tumblin is not on roster?? Not sure what happened there but Louis would have been a big part of the YellowJacket team this year as a senior. I saw B-W 3-4x times last year and they were horrific!!!! For what it's worth.... here's my pre-season picks.
1. Easy JCU
2. ONU new coach new system?? Always talent in ADA
3. Wilmington B. Rogers is tough, different style of play
4. Marietta have been building & last yrs freshmen are more like jrs. after last yr.
5. Capital - Damon Goodwin will have them ready to compete
6. B-W cant bE worst than last yr. especially considering da conference drop off & lighter nonconf. schedule
7. Otterbein - Reynolds best coach in league
8. Muskingum - 2nd hardest job in conference (#1 Etta)
9. Mt. Union - it's been 6 yrs of losing in Alliance that wont change anytime soon
10. Heidelberg - How they did as well as they did last yr is mind boggling -kudos to Coach Gholson for the job he did w lil talent.

Here's to another year of OAC basketball!!! 

[billy the kid]

Wow.....Is B Rogers  hurt? He didnt show up at all in the box score....If so, I want a mulligan on my picks. Without Rogers, move Wilmington down in the middle.

[Dr. Acula]

Despite a win in the home opener, it looks like it's going to be a long year in Alliance.  If they continue their recent pattern the Raiders are due for a single digit win total this year.  Then next year, a safe return to double digits (but still below .500, obviously).  Even with the OAC possibly being down a little this year I also doubt that they will snap their streak of finishing 6-12 or worse in the OAC (currently at 4 straight seasons).  Clearly my expectations are low, so I hope some young guys step up and serve me a plate of crow.  I will happily eat it if it means some young talent is emerging to help out Pellerite.

[albertjackson]

How down is the OAC? Well for a conference that use to win the majority of it's nonconference games including it's cellar dwellers they went 1-6 tonight. Thomas More beats Otterbein by 14??!! Guess that Nat. Title is long gone. Marietta who is suppose to be up and coming lost by 28 albeit to an always solid Nazareth. Muskie loses to Mt. ST. Joe's! Has the Heartland become better than the OAC? Been beating them last couple yrs. Berg loses to tough St. Thomas squad - but by 37?? Hiram beats B-W?? Polars Bears lose to McMurray?? This is not a good sign for the OAC! When was the last time Hiram beat an OAC team much less B-W?? Will B-W and Otterbein be as bad as they were last year?? Looks like it's up to JCU to carry the OAC torch. When Ott., B-W, and ONU are losing the OAC is not what it was just a couple yrs. ago. I thought league was down last yr!! This yr. may be even worse!! Looking forward to catching early JCU vs B-W matchup Dec. 5th. though I dont think it will be much of a game.

[Gregory Sager]

Polars Bears lose to McMurray??

It's McMurry, the Texas school that's always good, not MacMurray, the Illinois school that's never good. And the Polar Bears lost in overtime. No shame in that loss.

[ScotsFan]

When was the last time Hiram beat an OAC team much less B-W??

This isn't your same old Hiram either.  They swept Witt last season in NCAC play.  They finished 3rd in the NCAC last year and they returned 3 starters and 9 letterwinners from last year's squad. 

[Ralph Turner]

Polars Bears lose to McMurray??

It's McMurry, the Texas school that's always good, not MacMurray, the Illinois school that's never good. And the Polar Bears lost in overtime. No shame in that loss.

Thanks for the props, Gregory!    +1!

The ASC is a big 15-team conference that basically has a "play-in" game for the bid.  The conference has an 8-team tourney (four from each division)  for one bid.  That UT-Dallas that lost in OT to Guilford in 2009 Elite 8 was the survivor in the conference.  McMurry beat UT-Dallas in the regular season last year.

The top half of the ASC is comparable to the top half in the second tier of conferences, just beyond the UAA/CCIW/WIAC/OAC/whoever group.

ONU saw an athletic team that went 12 deep into the bench, with a lot of pressing and uptempo play.

[Toph]

When was the last time Hiram beat an OAC team much less B-W??

This isn't your same old Hiram either.  They swept Witt last season in NCAC play.  They finished 3rd in the NCAC last year and they returned 3 starters and 9 letterwinners from last year's squad. 

No disrespect to Hiram intended...it isn't the BW of old.  They look like quite a mess.

[inthecrease]

is sam king playing this year for the raiders? he is on the roster but i havent seen him in any boxscore yet?

[Dr. Acula]

is sam king playing this year for the raiders? he is on the roster but i havent seen him in any boxscore yet?

I was wondering the same thing.  He hasn't even set foot on the floor yet.  I wonder if he's banged up?