MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[baselinejam]

LC is the sleeper team this year. W&L will be too. How do you expect teams NOT to overlook them next year?? Coaches can tell their players all they want to not overlook them, but you know that if your VWC and you are playing W&L on a Wednesday, for example, and then Macon on the following Saturday that you will be overlooking W&L. I mean, they still won't be good, but a sleeper team at least at the beginning of the year.

Nice to see someone besides me mention the Generals

[DeWayneCarter]

Apparently VWC is living in the past so much so that the new schedule is still not on the website. I'm not looking forward to watching replays of all of last season's games. 

[nescac1]

Williams will continue its recent tradition of high-profile ODAC match-ups this coming season.  The Ephs fared well against VWU twice in the tourney, but lost in the regular season to RMC, over the past four years.  All three games were highly competitive and brought out the best in both teams.  This Williams team has the potential to be at least as good as the 2010 team that lost in the national title game, as the Ephs return two potential all-Americans in Michael Mayer and Taylor Epley (combined for 49 points on 17-28 shooting vs. VWU), plus another potentially elite player in Daniel Wohl, return a fourth key player who missed all of last seasoan with an injury, and have a strong incoming class.  Williams will almost surely play Washington & Lee in the title game of its December home tourney (each team plays a weak opponent in the opening round) and then just after the New Year plays at Hampden Sydney.  Will be a great chance to see how the top tier of New England matches up vs. the top tier of the Mid-Atlantic.  Mayer, who is a lock to be the first team pre-season all-American center, vs. Williamson should be a particularly fun match-up.  I'll be curious to hear more about the pre-season prognostications for W&L and HSC as the season approaches.  The assessment of Mike Murray is particularly worrisome, as the Ephs have struggled in the past to guard particularly quick PG's. 

[MaroonDad17]

Getting ramped up for basketball season!

Wondering if anyone has observations available from the open gyms that are going on at each campus?

Trying to piece the scheduling together for the Maroons has been fun (gives me something to do as waiting for the high school season to get underway with my other son as I'm watching soccer matches I guess.). From what I can see the ODAC is not a home and home league? I'm assuming this is due to number of games played? Also, is there a particular formula used for determining who plays each team 2x versus once? I assume stronger teams play each other home and home, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Final question, typically when the D3 schools play D1 schools in "scrimmages" are these traditional scrimmages like in HS, or are they games, but they don't count for SOS reasons? Typically open to the public?

Thx in advance.

[Pat Coleman]

Those are exhibition games -- scrimmages are different animals.

[tigerfanalso]

MaroonDad

The exhibition games played against D1/D2 schools are games but are not recorded as win/loss.
They are attended just like any other game. Have no clue how the ODAC schedule is put together but I bet Hasa can tell you. Not sure about the "open gyms" that you refer to but I assume that includes the team playing pickup games with no coaches, etc. I'm not sure what knowledge one could gain from type of sessions. Good luck to your team. 

[MaroonDad17]

Thank Pat for explanation of exhibition versus scrimmages. Pretty sure its a true scrimmage against Winthrop.

Tigerfan,

Teams are doing drills I would assume, even without coaches. I'd think you could see things like who looks to be in shape, how the frosh are looking, any observed weaknesses a player seems to have improved in.

I probably couldn't tell how good (or bad) a team is based off of watching them workout, but I'd be willing to bet you can get some "info". especially if you are someone who observes the program year over year. Just my thoughts anyway.

Yet another question-
Do all of the ODAC teams broadcast games over web? Looks like Roanoke does all home games, and may be able to catch some away, but I'd doubt they do all games.

[Pat Coleman]

I would think it's unusual for a D3 team to truly scrimmage a D1 team. This is an exhibition game:
http://winthropeagles.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=801

That means it's played 40 minutes like a game, lineups, fans, PA, etc. It's generally like a game except the result doesn't count on your record. And even then, in some limited cases it might count on the D-I team's record.

A scrimmage is often played to a closed gym or little publicity (in fact, it's against D-III rules to publicize a scrimmage). They are often played in three or more 20-minute halves, depending on the number of players, and the coaches may agree beforehand that they'll play their starters in one, second string in another and projects/JV players in another one.

I don't see what the D-I team would get out of a true scrimmage with a D-III team. It would be too much of a mismatch in skill for the D-I team to do what it needs to do to get ready for the season.

[MaroonDad17]

pat,

Thanks. Shoulda come back and corrected after I saw the announcement. My kid said it was described to them as a "scrimmage" initially. I asked was it a game (now I know the vernacular to be exhibition when it is the D3 vs D1), and he wasn't sure. Had to razz him a bit when I saw the announcement come through his weekend.

In any event great opportunity for the kids to play in what hopefully should be a pretty good environment. It being played during their homecoming weekend, I hope that they should get relatively good attendance. Especially that it tips off the Winthrop season as well.

[DeWayneCarter]

I would think it's unusual for a D3 team to truly scrimmage a D1 team. This is an exhibition game:
http://winthropeagles.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=801

That means it's played 40 minutes like a game, lineups, fans, PA, etc. It's generally like a game except the result doesn't count on your record. And even then, in some limited cases it might count on the D-I team's record.

A scrimmage is often played to a closed gym or little publicity (in fact, it's against D-III rules to publicize a scrimmage). They are often played in three or more 20-minute halves, depending on the number of players, and the coaches may agree beforehand that they'll play their starters in one, second string in another and projects/JV players in another one.

I don't see what the D-I team would get out of a true scrimmage with a D-III team. It would be too much of a mismatch in skill for the D-I team to do what it needs to do to get ready for the season.

They def. happen. My freshman year at VWC we scrimmaged Hampton and the next year Norfolk State, whooped up pretty good on NSU too!

[Pat Coleman]

But since then, the rules have relaxed to allow D-III schools to play D-I schools as exhibitions rather than having to play Marathon Oil or Athletes in Action or the Afghanistan National Team, so this isn't as common.

[hasanova]

But since then, the rules have relaxed to allow D-III schools to play D-I schools as exhibitions rather than having to play Marathon Oil or Athletes in Action or the Afghanistan National Team, so this isn't as common.

About four years ago, Guilford started the season at DI Davidson.  We had a DIII Final Four team (Sanborn/Henson/Bonner/Pittman era), but lost to the Wildcats something like 103-84.  It counted as a game in Davidson's regular season record, but did not count in Guilford's.

[Pat Coleman]

Right. As I said the other day, that happens sometimes. Depends on the game date.

It's generally like a game except the result doesn't count on your record. And even then, in some limited cases it might count on the D-I team's record.

[HSCDad]

H-SC has some new assistant coaches as announced last week. Kyle Dobyns joins H-SC from Charleston Southern University.  He previously served at East Tennessee State.  Kyle has a Masters in Sports Management.  Yorel Hawkins played Div I ball at Fairfield University plus played two years in Europe. He has been working with HS's and AAU teams in the Raleigh area since his return from Europe. A former H-SC player from the 2007 ODAC championship team, Mike Edwards (2nd team All-ODAC his Sr. year in 2007) will serve as a volunteer assistant.  Looks like a continuing strong building program at H-SC with these fine men to assist Dee and Tyler.

[algernon]

Fletcher Lumpkin will return this year for a 5th year, giving the Tigers even more power under the basket!  We thought last year was his last, but he was redshirted in his Freshman year and has decided to return to play another year of basketball.