MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

Congrats to Mount soph Christian Parker on being named D3 national Player of the Week averaging 24 ppg and 10.3 rpg on 68% shooting. 

He started this week off strong going 13-18 from the floor putting up 27, 9 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk last night in the 94-71 W at BW.  Mount had it put to bed at half heading to the locker room up 56-30.  They shot over 70% from the floor in the 1st half and 60% for the game.  Painter had a great night with 18 pts on 6-8 shooting (4-5 from deep), 6 boards and a team high 5 dimes. 

The thing that gives this team juice is that they have multiple guys that can carry them scoring for stretches or even an entire game.  Parker has been so consistent, but Stanislawski, Painter, Poole, Newsom can all score in bunches too.  Like BillyRayJimBob said, this team is fun to watch.  They want to defend and push the pace.  Fuline recruits good players and then lets them play.  It's made Mount hoops appointment viewing for me. 

[Dr. Acula]

Etta and Mount both held serve Saturday to set up in all reality the last hurdle between Etta and the OAC crown this week in Alliance.  At 18-2, 13-0 the Pioneers are 2 games up on Mount and Berg (both 11-2).  JCU had the lead on Etta midway through the 2nd half Saturday, but I'm still convinced the only (slim) chance here is Mount and Berg both beating Etta to split and create a 3 way tie in which all 3 teams split with each other.  Based on how the Pios are playing right now I'd say odds are heavily in favor of the BanJo hosting the OAC tourney.  Fingers crossed though.

[rscl70]

It seems to me that the Raiders have been playing much better since the loss at Marietta. I may be living in fantasy land, but I think Mount wins tonight.

[Dr. Acula]

I agree they have been playing better since the 2nd half melt down in Marietta.  They certainly have a chance, but even with a win they're still a game back of Etta.  They'd need Berg to do their part too.  And even then I don't know what the tie breakers are when you have a way tie and everyone split. 

With Etta up to #2 and Mount at #10 my guess is there will be a large and vocal student section at the MAAC tonight.  Hopefully that gives the Raiders a little extra juice.  A win over the #2 team would certainly be a nice headline on an at-large resume if needed. 

[rscl70]

Fantasy land indeed.

Mount looks totally out classed and desperate.  I don't know what's worse, Mount's play or the quality of the video stream.

Here's hoping for a better second half.

[rscl70]

Fantasy land indeed.

Mount looks totally out classed and desperate.  I don't know what's worse, Mount's play or the quality of the video stream.

Here's hoping for a better second half.

Pios left no doubt!  Mount will see them again in the tournament; the result will be the same.

[Dr. Acula]

Woof.  That one was over early on in Alliance.  About the only positive was that they had a great turnout with 1200 in attendance.  Not much to say other than Etta had proven convincingly that they are a tier above Mount and the rest of the OAC this year.  Mount will win 20+ games and should finish 15-3 in conference which is nothing to take for granted in the OAC.   

[Dr. Acula]

Etta clinched the OAC regular season yesterday with their drubbing of Wilm.  Well deserved for this excellent Pios squad.

Mount got back on track with a 74-65 win at Cap.  Parker continues to make a case to be OAC POY as he was dominant with a career high 29 pts and 14 boards.  Poole put up his own double double (16 and 10).  The bad news is Stanislawski left the game 4 minutes in and didn't return.  It looked like he may have been hit in the face on a rebound?  It was hard to tell on the video stream.  Hopefully he is okay.

Ott beat Berg and is quietly 16-6, 10-5.  It's good to see the Cards back.  There's no reason that program should have ever been that bad.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

After several weeks of midday shows, we are back to our regularly scheduled time of 7:00 PM ET - and we are super-sizing the show tonight to make up for not being able to be on air Thursday AND the craziness that has happened in the last week!



Today is a day we celebrate those we love and for many of us that includes the student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and programs in Division III.

On Monday's Hoopsville, we super-size the show to cover everything that has happened in the last week while also trying to look ahead at conference tournaments which start soon. After all, we are just two weeks away from talking about who is in or out of the NCAA Tournaments.

Plus, we look at the latest Top 25 polls which will be released Monday evening and react to the men's poll which will clearly undergo some shakeup.

Guests included:

• Jenna Cosgrove, Rhode Island women's coach
• Jon VanderWal, No. 2 Marietta men's coach
• Lance Thornhill, Fontbonne men's coach
• James Wallace, LeTourneau men's coach
• Keri Carollo, No. 7 UW Whitewater women's coach
• Anthony Mason, Vassar women's coach
• Top 25 Double-Take Super Sized: Akiva Poppers, Bob Quillman, Mike Rejniak, Ryan Whitnable

Watch the show here: www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2021-22/feb14

[Dr. Acula]

^^^ Good interview w/ VanderWal.  Learned that Etta leads the nation in asst/TO ratio, fewest TO and TO/game.  Not turning it over and having a pair of guards that shoot around 90% from the line is a good way to win close games come tourney time.  Plus as VanderWal mentioned, he has starters who have played in sweet 16 and elite 8 games in their career.

The most impressive thing I learned though is that is Etta runs the table they'll be the first undefeated OAC champ since I believe Dave said the mid 80's.  That's incredible.

[sac]

^^^ Good interview w/ VanderWal.  Learned that Etta leads the nation in asst/TO ratio, fewest TO and TO/game.  Not turning it over and having a pair of guards that shoot around 90% from the line is a good way to win close games come tourney time.  Plus as VanderWal mentioned, he has starters who have played in sweet 16 and elite 8 games in their career.

The most impressive thing I learned though is that is Etta runs the table they'll be the first undefeated OAC champ since I believe Dave said the mid 80's.  That's incredible.

1986 Otterbein went 16-0, fun fact Wittenberg was still in the OAC then.

There's only been a handful of unbeatens in the OAC since 1960.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Week 2 Regional Rankings - which are ranked now: https://d3hoops.com/notables/2022/02/men-regional-rankings-first

[Dr. Acula]

I don't claim to understand how the regional rankings are determined, but I am curious how Mount is #4 behind both Wabash and CWRU.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I don't claim to understand how the regional rankings are determined, but I am curious how Mount is #4 behind both Wabash and CWRU.

Mount and Wabash have near identical WP and SOS.  Wabash beat Emory, which is a better regionally ranked win than UMU has.

Case doesn't quite have the same numbers, but they're 5-2 vRRO against 3-3 for UMU, plus they beat WashU.

It's definitely close, but UMU needed a better non conference schedule.

[Gregory Sager]

^^^ Good interview w/ VanderWal.  Learned that Etta leads the nation in asst/TO ratio, fewest TO and TO/game.  Not turning it over and having a pair of guards that shoot around 90% from the line is a good way to win close games come tourney time.  Plus as VanderWal mentioned, he has starters who have played in sweet 16 and elite 8 games in their career.

The most impressive thing I learned though is that is Etta runs the table they'll be the first undefeated OAC champ since I believe Dave said the mid 80's.  That's incredible.

1986 Otterbein went 16-0, fun fact Wittenberg was still in the OAC then.

... and Wittenberg went to the Elite Eight in '85 and the Final Four in '87, so the Tigers were a considerable challenge for Otterbein in '86.