MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Fifth and Putnam]

Early thoughts on the OAC this year:

1. Marietta has quickly announced themselves as the conference favorite early on despite not being the preseason pick by the coaches. Wins over Wittenberg and a road win over John Carroll today are big statements to the rest of the conference as well as the Great Lakes Region.

LOL You crack me up ... I'm not going to say Marietta isn't good, but let's pump the brakes on "announcing themselves at the conference favorite." Yeah, they weren't the pick of the coaches and we are only a month into the season and not even into the heart of conference play. Would you like me to remind you how many hot starts Marietta has had only to stumble in conference in January? I'm not predicting that. I'm just saying I figured you would have learned by now ... it's still a long season. )

The two big challengers (ONU and JCU were picked 1st and 3rd preseason) have really stumbled out of the gate. Mount Union has looked good but are still relatively young and unproven to this point. Will they be able to be consistent over the course of 18 games? Wilmington has been super impressive early in the season but were picked in the back half of the  league (9th out of 10). Marietta has won 4 straight OAC titles, has an experienced senior laden squad that has put numerous banners on the wall, and has had the most impressive win in the conference thus far (Wittenberg). Of course there is a long way to go, but even those without navy blue and white goggles on would have to argue that Marietta is the pick to this point from what we've seen.

I don't hide that I am a Pioneer alum and fan, but I'd also like to think I am fair in my evaluation of them and everyone else.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yes ... teams have stumbled out of the gate ... but we can point to numerous occasions where those who stumble early recover and win later or those who come out steaming stumble late.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount (8-1, 4-0) dispatched Wilm with relative ease 92-74.  Tommy Stenger is playing some really good ball.  He's always been a shooter, but his overall game has grown.  He's leading the team at 16.6 ppg thanks in large part to his 55% FG to go along with 49% 3 pt.  He dropped 30 on JCU and 22 on Wilm so he's heating up in OAC play.  It was also good to see coveted freshman Collen Gurley have his best shooting performance yesterday going 6-8 (including 4-6 from deep) for a career high 19 points.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

There is plenty to distract this time of the season. Finals, holidays, even weather. Staying focused on each practice and game is just a bit more challenging in December.

Sunday on Hoopsville, we chat about those distractions with teams that are helping shake up not only their conferences, but also the national landscape. However, how do they stay focused? Especially when expectations start to increase each game. Also, how do they take advantage of opponents possibly losing focus?

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. Sunday's episode can be seen live starting at 7pm ET right here: http://bit.ly/2rrdjgW

If you have questions about Division III basketball, feel free to send them and we will answer them on a the show. Email them to hoopsville@d3hoops.com or use any of the social media options below.

Guests Schedule (order subject to change):
- Jon VanderWal, No. 13 Marietta men's coach
- Alisa Kintner, Widener women's coach
- Marlon Sears, Montclair State men's coach
- Ryan Scott, Around the Nation Columnist ("Top 25 Double-Take")

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts instead, you can get access to them or subscribe one of the three following ways (click on the images when necessary):
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[Dr. Acula]

Mount survived a near slip up at home against 1-5 Berg on Saturday winning 87-85.  Gurley took the inbound and went coast to coast for the game winning and 1 layup with 0.4 seconds left.  Berg had snatched the 85-84 lead with a huge 3 just a few seconds earlier.  Prewitt was scorching for Berg.  He dropped 44 on the Raiders including 8-10 from 3.  That's a boatload for an OAC game.  Gurley lead Mount with 23 and has pushed his avg. to the cusp of double figures at 9.4 ppg.  You knew as a freshman it would be a learning curve, but he's growing up already.  Big OAC game with Cap is looming after the holidays.

[Fifth and Putnam]

Mount survived a near slip up at home against 1-5 Berg on Saturday winning 87-85.  Gurley took the inbound and went coast to coast for the game winning and 1 layup with 0.4 seconds left.  Berg had snatched the 85-84 lead with a huge 3 just a few seconds earlier.  Prewitt was scorching for Berg.  He dropped 44 on the Raiders including 8-10 from 3.  That's a boatload for an OAC game.  Gurley lead Mount with 23 and has pushed his avg. to the cusp of double figures at 9.4 ppg.  You knew as a freshman it would be a learning curve, but he's growing up already.  Big OAC game with Cap is looming after the holidays.

Capital and Mount have both been surprises to me this year in the league. I thought both would be improved, but I don't think I thought they would be THIS improved. The OAC race is going to be a lot of fun as we flip the calendar to 2019. You're right...Capital/Mount Union is going to be a big one.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount survived a near slip up at home against 1-5 Berg on Saturday winning 87-85.  Gurley took the inbound and went coast to coast for the game winning and 1 layup with 0.4 seconds left.  Berg had snatched the 85-84 lead with a huge 3 just a few seconds earlier.  Prewitt was scorching for Berg.  He dropped 44 on the Raiders including 8-10 from 3.  That's a boatload for an OAC game.  Gurley lead Mount with 23 and has pushed his avg. to the cusp of double figures at 9.4 ppg.  You knew as a freshman it would be a learning curve, but he's growing up already.  Big OAC game with Cap is looming after the holidays.

Capital and Mount have both been surprises to me this year in the league. I thought both would be improved, but I don't think I thought they would be THIS improved. The OAC race is going to be a lot of fun as we flip the calendar to 2019. You're right...Capital/Mount Union is going to be a big one.

I'm still not sure what to make of Mount yet.  They haven't played Etta or Cap yet so we'll see.  I am pleasantly surprised that they've taken care of business so far though.  I was hoping they'd overachieve compared to the coaches poll based on them having a very seasoned starting 5.  Those guys have played a lot of OAC minutes.  They're not going to get flustered.  I just wasn't sure about the scoring and that's where Stenger has been huge. 

[Fifth and Putnam]

Otterbein 81
John Carroll 79

The Cards pick up their first conference win of the year while the Streaks fall to 2-3 in OAC play.

One of the more head scratching results I've seen in a while. Otterbein's first regular season win AT JCU since 2002 (that was a special year). What in the world is going on in University Heights?

[Dr. Acula]

^^^ That cannot sit well.  There are bad losses and then there's that.  Troubling to say the least. 

[Dr. Acula]

Aside from being blown out by Etta and Cap, Ott was also just blown out by Musky Saturday.  Ouch. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

^^^ That cannot sit well.  There are bad losses and then there's that.  Troubling to say the least.

I always laugh at these "arrow" posts, because I have my settings so newer posts are at the top.

[Fifth and Putnam]

Conference play is finished for the 2018 portion of the schedule:

Marietta          5-0
Mount Union    5-0
Capital            5-0
Heidelberg       2-2
Wilmington      2-3
John Carroll     2-3
Baldwin Wallace 1-3
Muskingum      1-4
Otterbein         1-4
Ohio Northern  0-5

Some surprises on both ends of the spectrum. Should be a really fun 2019.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount coasted by Trine (105-66) and Adrian (76-52) in their Xmas Invitational to improve to 11-1.  Too bad they didn't play TMC as that would have been a much better test.  I watched both games.  Mount continues to play good team basketball.  They don't rely on any one guy to carry the load.  They just ride the hot hand.  Friga, Bower-Malone, Stenger, Gurley all had runs where they scored a slew in a short time.  The biggest positives were seeing Niamke back on the floor and the solid play from freshman big man Mario Caywood.  Caywood gave them 15 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast in a combined 25 min in the 2 games.  At 6-6, 245 he is a big strong kid already.  It'll be interesting to watch him develop.   

[Dr. Acula]

Cap dealt Mount their first OAC loss on Saturday.  Mount hung around, but never could completely close the gap ultimately losing 71-63 in Bexley.  Raiders just did not get great shooting from guys they need to get at least decent shooting from.

What the heck is going on in Ada BTW?  0-6 in OAC play?  The Bears haven't been great recently, but ONU is never this bad in any sport. 

[Dr. Acula]

Otterbein is so bad.  WTH is going on in Westerville?