MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[kiltedbryan]

Otterbein thrashed Wittenberg, 78-64. So, I guess the last place team in the OAC beats one of the best teams in Ohio. Thats what is so frustrating, beating JCU and Wittenberg, and losing to ONU and Wilmington.

I generally am not too interested in weighing in on the debate about Reynolds and Otterbein, but I do think that saying Otterbein "thrashed" Wittenberg is too generous to Otterbein.  Yes, they did win at home by double-digits, and were in control of the game with a lead throughout the second half, but I don't think it was a "thrashing."  In fact, the major statistical difference in the box score comes from the free throw line, where Otterbein was 22-27 (an excellent percentage) to Wittenberg's 7-10.  It seems more like Wittenberg was done in by poor shooting (9-28 from 3pts) and having key players (like leading scorer Clayton Black & Michael Cooper) get into foul trouble, which caused Coach Bill Brown to go a bit deeper down the bench than normal.  It doesn't seem like Otterbein simply had its way with Witt all evening, as your use of "thrashing" implies.

[ste24vie]

First off, Otterbein beating Witt by 14 is indeed a thrashing.

Second, if Coach Reynolds is going to stay around, its not asking too much of him to do his job. Otterbein has too much talent to be in the basement.

GOOD COACHES CAN WIN WITH MARGINAL TALENT.

SURELY AN OAC AND D-III ICON CAN WIN WITH MARGINAL TALENT. After all, tweaking the few things I mentioned in an earlier post could bump the Cards to the middle of the pack or higher, especially with the conference parity this year.

[Gregory Sager]

Otterbein did not thrash Wittenberg. Look at the PBP, people. Otterbein led by nine points going into the final minute. The Tigers went into foul mode, which is standard operating procedure only in a game in which the trailing team realistically has a chance to win. The Cardinals hit seven of eight free throws in the final fifty seconds to pad the final margin out to fourteen points.

[kiltedbryan]

The OAC has more or less reached its conference season midpoint, with six of the ten squads having completed the 9-game first circuit through the schedule.  For the most part, OAC teams follow the same order of opponents for the second nine, simply switching the venue.  (For this reason, we'll all have to wait until the final week of the season for Marietta's potentially decisive road trips to Capital and John Carroll.)

An update on where we are now:

1t.  Marietta 7-2
1t.  Capital 7-2
3.   Mount Union 6-3
4t.  John Carroll 5-3
4t.  Heidelberg 5-3
6.   Baldwin-Wallace 3-5
7t.  Wilmington 3-6
7t.  Ohio Northern 3-6
9.   Otterbein 2-6
10. Muskingum 2-7

And in the +/- standings:

road win = +1
road loss or home win = 0
home loss = -1

Mount Union +3
Marietta +2
Capital +1
John Carroll +1
Heidelberg 0
Baldwin-Wallace -1
Wilmington -1
Otterbein -2
Ohio Northern -2
Muskingum -2

Mount Union could be well-positioned for a top four finish, especially if it can manage a home upset of JCU or Capital.

[kiltedbryan]

Also, if JCU entertains serious notions of winning the league this year, a win tomorrow at Heidelberg seems immensely important.  Indeed the entire next week looks critical to JCU's title hopes, as they go to the 'Berg tomorrow, then welcome Capital at home on Saturday (I'm sure they'd love to capture the season sweep) and then they hit the road again to attempt to put down the upstarts from Mount Union.  (That was a job well accomplished in their 90-65 "thrashing" of UMU the first time around.)  The Blue Streaks might need all three of those victories to stay in the title hunt and atone for the earlier losses to ONU and Otterbein.

[ste24vie]

 When a heavy underdog wins by 14, thats a thrashing in my book. A 25 pt margin is a total embarrassment.

[WAlum]

A lot of talk about the Otterbein situation but nothing is said about the Muskies program.  In the basement again.  Is there a lack the energy from the leadership?  Will it change?

[D-III Insider]

Did Reynolds try to recruit you back in the day kiltedbryan?

I agree Reynolds has never been the hardest working recruiter in Ohio and I did not realize he has had 4 straight losing seasons that all being said I still think he has earned every Cardinal fans respect with what he has done over the course of his career.  I will grant you that recruiting is the key to any program and the Otters may need to increase their efforts in that area but I will venture to say the next Cardinal head coach will not be able to attract players like Hempe, McKinney, Brown, Dennis, Laisure, and Gibbs.  Those are some HUGE names in the past twenty years of DIII hoops and they all played for Reynolds.   The fans of Otterbein basketball need to remember those years before they call for a change in Westerville.

I still think he has earned the right to go out on his terms and should not have to answer to anyone else. 

[kiltedbryan]

Did Reynolds try to recruit you back in the day kiltedbryan? 

No. My only significant personal athletic success in organized team sports was a brief high school career as a middle infielder who was solid but not flashy with the glove and who hit for a pretty good average.

[kiltedbryan]

Also, if JCU entertains serious notions of winning the league this year, a win tomorrow at Heidelberg seems immensely important.  Indeed the entire next week looks critical to JCU's title hopes, as they go to the 'Berg tomorrow, then welcome Capital at home on Saturday (I'm sure they'd love to capture the season sweep) and then they hit the road again to attempt to put down the upstarts from Mount Union.  (That was a job well accomplished in their 90-65 "thrashing" of UMU the first time around.)  The Blue Streaks might need all three of those victories to stay in the title hunt and atone for the earlier losses to ONU and Otterbein.

JCU follows my advice, winning on the road at Heidelberg 87-82.

Capital survives a sluggish first half at Denison, then rolls in the second half to an 81-58 victory over the Big Red in non-conference action.

Baldwin-Wallace, in action two days after its make-up game with UMU, drops its second of the week, falling at Otterbein 71-74 after losing to UMU by a 70-74 count on Monday.

Everyone in the OAC is now halfway through the conference slate.

[kiltedbryan]

OAC Standings at the halfway point:
(through games of 1/19)

1.  Capital 7-2
1.  Marietta 7-2
3.  Mount Union 6-3
3.  John Carroll 6-3
5.  Heidelberg 5-4
6.  Baldwin-Wallace 3-6
6.  Wilmington 3-6
6.  Ohio Northern 3-6
6.  Otterbein 3-6
10. Muskingum 2-7


And in the +/- standings:

road win = +1
road loss or home win = 0
home loss = -1

Mount Union +3
Marietta +2
John Carroll +2
Capital +1
Heidelberg -1
Baldwin-Wallace -1
Wilmington -1
Otterbein -2
Ohio Northern -2
Muskingum -2

[WAlum]

Midseason Awards:
Most Surprising Team Award - Marietta and Mount
Most disappointing Team Award - ONU and Otterbein
Coach of the Year:  Jon VanderWal, Marietta
Player of the Year: Chris Davis, Otterbein

[Gregory Sager]

When a heavy underdog wins by 14, thats a thrashing in my book.

Your book needs editing. No game that was competitive going into the final minute can be characterized as a "thrashing" in any way, shape, or form.

[D-III Insider]

What has happened to Muskingum?  When Jim Burson was in charge they were always competitive.  Even if they were not a top four OAC team they always competed hard .... especially in New Concord.  I am sure it cannot be easy to recruit in New Concord but is the cupboard really that bare in southeastern Ohio?

[ste24vie]

Gregory, lets just agree to disagree. Once the Cards increased their lead to double digits, it stayed there nearly the entire 2nd half. Only the one time did it get down to 9 and bounced back to 14. Witt's problem was letting Otterbein walk the ball down the floor and throw it in to Davis on the block. If you dont press the Cards, they should throw it to Davis every time down the floor. Its the full court pressure that drives them crazy cuz they have no legit press break.

Mount is definitely the most surprising team and Wilmington is the biggest dis appointment. Davis is a one man team for Otterbein and VanderWal has the Pioneers rolling.