MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[hsctigers2002]

I'm going with a Macon win today. I predicted they would win the title before the tournament started, so I'm sticking with it. i think they match up really well with the WildCats. They can each go toe-for-toe at the three point line, but Randolph really lacks post defense and Macon has a few guys that can go down in the paint and score. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yellow Jackets pound the ball inside a lot.

[Seatfiller]

Anyone have any complaints about Nunley getting Coach of the Year now? He just outcoached the top team in the conference...

Exactly

[algernon]

I thought that was what you were doing Hasa.  I obviously did not mean my remarks as any type of slight to Guilford.  HSC just matches up better with them and VWC than they do with EMU and Macon.  There was also the whole psychological thing considering HSC beat both GC and VWC and lost to both EMU and Macon during the regular season.  It's going to be a long offseason.  It's been less than 48 hours and I am already going through withdrawal.  Good luck to the ODAC teams still playing (or hoping to still be playing). 

There might be a reason that you would have preferred to play HSC in the 1st round, so I made no assumptions about whether you were being serious or not.  Since I couldn't understand why you would have preferred to play Hampden-Sydney in the 1st round, I asked the question.

Given the Tigers' record this year against Guilford and Virginia Wesleyan (2-1) vs. their pre-tournament record against EMU and Randolph-Macon (0-3), I think they would have had better prospects of reaching the championship game had they come into the tournament on the other side of the bracket as the #5 seed.  Frankly, EMU was probably the last team many Tiger fans wanted to face in the quarterfinals.

But next year, next year ..... I have high hopes the Tigers will finish as the #1 or #2 seed next year, and it's always better to play a quarterfinal against a lower seeded team .... even with the possibility of an upset.

[algernon]

WPI has lost to M.I.T. and should pick up another Pool C bid, leaving one less available for E.M.U.

The Royals are one of the best teams in the country, without any doubt, and their losses to Randolph and Washington and Lee, mid-season, in addition to their 3 losses to Randolph-Macon, may be enough to keep them out of the tournament.  That would be a real shame.

[DeWayneCarter]

North Carolina Wesleyan beats Ferrum by 4 in OT of the USA South Championship game...... not looking too good for EMU right now as Randolph trails RMC by 5 with 7:34 left in the 1st half

[algernon]

N.C. Wesleyan has defeated Ferrum to become the A.Q. from the USA South.  Now Ferrum must wait to see whether they'll get a Pool C bid.  It's likely, but not certain, that Ferrum would get the bid before E.M.U. would.

It'll be better for E.M.U. if R.M.C. gets the A.Q. and isn't also looking for a Pool C bid.

[DeWayneCarter]

Little known fact.... Randolph's Chris Battaglia played for VWC his freshman year in 2006-2007, the year VWC went to the finals and lost to Amherst

[hsctigers2002]

R-MC is quite impressive today. Their size and athleticism is really bothering Randolph - especially on the defensive end. This is one of the best defensive teams I've ever seen in the ODAC.

[rmc1982]

Jackets up 35-20  half-My fave player because of his nature of being a team player and defensive specialist,Jordan Brown, has 13 in the 1st half for the Jackets.The defensive pressure is forcing the WildCats into many more turnovers than they want(16 pts off of for us) and they're only shooting 40%....we got 'em where we want 'em.....GO JACKETS!!

[algernon]

This is how I see Eastern Mennonite relative to the national competition for Pool C bids ....

The following teams seem pretty much a lock for Pool C:
Atlantic Region
1 Ramapo 19-4 20-6 (NJAC)  
East Region
1 Oswego State 23-4 23-4 (SUNYAC):
Great Lakes
3 Penn State-Behrend 23-3 23-4 (AMCC)
Midwest Region
1 Concordia (Wis.) 21-3 23-4 (NATH)
Northeast Region
1 Williams 23-2 25-2 (NESCAC)
3 WPI 22-4 22-5 (NEWMAC)
4 Becker 23-4 23-4 (NECC)
5 Amherst 21-3 22-3 (NESCAC)
South Region
1 Virginia Wesleyan 21-4 23-4 (ODAC)  

These are the teams with whom E.M.U. is competing for one of the remaining 9 Pool C bids:
Atlantic Region
3 Kean 17-6 18-8 (NJAC)
4 St. Joseph's (L.I.) 20-6 22-6 (SKY)
East Region
2 Ithaca 19-6 20-6  (E8)
Great Lakes
5 Thiel 17-4 20-7 (PrAC)
6 Wabash 19-6 20-6 (NCAC)  
Middle Atlantic Region
4 Gwynedd-Mercy 20-5 21-6 (CSAC)  
5 Keystone 21-6 21-6 (CSAC)  
Northeast Region
6 Western Connecticut State 20-5 21-5 (LEC)
South Region
3 Texas-Dallas 20-5 21-5 (ASC)  
4 Ferrum 20-5 23-5 (USAC)
5 Eastern Mennonite 16-5 22-5 (ODAC)
8 Emory 19-5 20-5 (UAA): Emory finished the season with a big win over Rochester
West Region
5 Carleton 18-6 18-8 (MIAC)  
6 UW-River Falls 18-6 20-7 (WIAC)

This is assuming that Randolph-Macon will win the ODAC's AQ within the next half hour.

[hsctigers2002]

Unless the South Region rankings change, and if it's like every other NCAA sport, UT-Dallas and Ferrum would be taken before EMU. Kean, Ithaca, St. Joes, and Gwynedd Mercy likely would too giving their higher regional ranking.

[FISHTANKFAN]

 Coach Macedo and the Marlins came in 6th in the ODAC in 2008-2009.  Then I guess, according to your theory, he had to "outcoach" 4 other coaches to win the ODAC.   Get real.  Randolph won yeasterday because the Marlins field goal percentage was lower than Randolph's.  It wasn't a question of being "outcoached."  Their were no strategy errors on Macedo's part.  Macedo has  the best overall record in the ODAC for the 11 years he has been a head coach, (238-80), has NEVER had a losing season and to come in first in the regular season with such a young team is quite an accomplishment.   Did he deserve COY.  Yes, nothing against Coach Nunley.  He is a fine coach, as are other coaches in the ODAC, but Macedo has proven himself to be one of the best.  His program was voted of the the 5 best of the decade, 2001-2010. 

[stillfamily]

National Committee has the final vote, which doesn't necessarily have to go along with Regional Rankings. Last year RMC had a better seed in the tournament than both GC and EMU, and I believe they were lower in the Regional Rankings. My gut says EMU is in based off of 22 wins and #11 in Country. They lost to RMC 3 times, RMC will be ranked 5 or 6 in nation after today's win over Randolph and an ODAC crown.  

[stillfamily]

Coach Macedo and the Marlins came in 6th in the ODAC in 2008-2009.  Then I guess, according to your theory, he had to "outcoach" 4 other coaches to win the ODAC.   Get real.  Randolph won yeasterday because the Marlins field goal percentage was lower than Randolph's.  It wasn't a question of being "outcoached."  Their were no strategy errors on Macedo's part.  Macedo has  the best overall record in the ODAC for the 11 years he has been a head coach, (238-80), has NEVER had a losing season and to come in first in the regular season with such a young team is quite an accomplishment.   Did he deserve COY.  Yes, nothing against Coach Nunley.  He is a fine coach, as are other coaches in the ODAC, but Macedo has proven himself to be one of the best.  His program was voted of the the 5 best of the decade, 2001-2010. 

Fishtankfan- You are exactly right. Macedo is far and beyond a better coach, more experienced coach, and in no way shape or form was out coached yesterday.

[stillfamily]

I'm not taking anything away from Nunley, he does a fine job. But, the out coaching comment is a bit out of reality.