MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[DeWayneCarter]

No disrespect to R-MC, but I personally do not think they're #1 material....yes, they're playing very well and beat VA Wesleyan three times, which is not easy, but I don't think the ODAC was as tough as it usually is.  If Silverthorn and/or Hamilton are off against a good opponent, I don't think they have enough talent down low to compensate for that....also, carrying that long winning streak into the tournament would make me a little nervous.  Obviously, no team is going to throw a game to get that loss out of the way, but there's a lot of pressure that comes with a streak like that and a team that's suppose to win.  Just my two cents....good luck, Jackets! 

Sorry to bust your trolling bubble but those dudes are legit. That winning streak they are carrying to the tournament is what makes them #1 material. You just don't go undefeated thru the ODAC lol having two GOOD 6'7" big men have more of an impact on a game than Silverthorn's lil 6 points. It will be a huge upset if they lose to anyone before they face VWC in a possible elite 8 matchup. If VWC were to win that game, that would be an upset too. These guys are just good man

[Swish3]

I definitely wouldn't associate the word "GOOD" w/Holmes....he's big, but that's about it.  We'll see what happens....

[y_jack_lok]

While I don't agree with which Marlins were picked, usually 3 players from each team are chosen for all tourney, as was the case last year when 3 HSC players joined 3 marlins.  I agree the game was a dogfight but I think the refs called a good game overall..

Who chooses the all-tournament team?

Each coach picks their All-Tourney team members in every single ODAC sport.

I thought that was how it worked. So why should any of us question a coach for giving a kid a little recognition, even if his stats aren't the greatest.

Not the point.  Sure, each coach in the tournament will submit their representatives, doesn't mean that the committee should select them.  I'm sure each of the coaches in the tourney submitted 3 names, but you didn't see a EHC or HSC player on the all tourney team.  Just like a EMU woman made this year's team, even though not even in the final.  So, why would you pick the third VWC player submitted over the third RMC player?  Especially when that player goes 2-13, and the RMC player goes 10-10 from the FT line and helps to actually win the game.

My question was "Who chooses the all-tournament team?" so I took the response from hscathletics to mean that the submissions by the coaches were in fact the team and that there is no committee. From what I'm reading, it appears that only the two teams that make the title game get players on the all-tourney team. But I will defer to more knowledgeable folks on this. We have a bigger tournament ahead of us now.

[y_jack_lok]

No disrespect to R-MC, but I personally do not think they're #1 material....yes, they're playing very well and beat VA Wesleyan three times, which is not easy, but I don't think the ODAC was as tough as it usually is.  If Silverthorn and/or Hamilton are off against a good opponent, I don't think they have enough talent down low to compensate for that....also, carrying that long winning streak into the tournament would make me a little nervous.  Obviously, no team is going to throw a game to get that loss out of the way, but there's a lot of pressure that comes with a streak like that and a team that's suppose to win.  Just my two cents....good luck, Jackets! 

Sorry to bust your trolling bubble but those dudes are legit. That winning streak they are carrying to the tournament is what makes them #1 material. You just don't go undefeated thru the ODAC lol having two GOOD 6'7" big men have more of an impact on a game than Silverthorn's lil 6 points. It will be a huge upset if they lose to anyone before they face VWC in a possible elite 8 matchup. If VWC were to win that game, that would be an upset too. These guys are just good man

I think it's hard to know who the #1 team is at this point, but I think R-MC earned the bye -- which I don't actually see as all that big an advantage. I think that top to bottom the following conferences are deeper this season than the ODAC -- CCIW, UAA. and WIAC. I'm actually kind of scared for the Jackets on the 7th, especially if they play Catholic. I think hosting comes with some additional pressure. Catholic will have played a game two days before and not be as rusty as the Jackets.

[tigerfanalso]

How can anyone question RMC's abilities ? Doesn't matter if the odac is down top to bottom, still not easy to run the table AND beat VWC three times. That is just flat getting the job done. I did not see one odac game all season, but unless the odac is really down from last season, running the table is a significant feat and anyone the knows me knows I have a hard time giving RMC a compliment. I am pulling for both RMC and VWC to represent odac well. I think both teams will.

[hscathletics]

While I don't agree with which Marlins were picked, usually 3 players from each team are chosen for all tourney, as was the case last year when 3 HSC players joined 3 marlins.  I agree the game was a dogfight but I think the refs called a good game overall..

Who chooses the all-tournament team?

Each coach picks their All-Tourney team members in every single ODAC sport.

I thought that was how it worked. So why should any of us question a coach for giving a kid a little recognition, even if his stats aren't the greatest.

Not the point.  Sure, each coach in the tournament will submit their representatives, doesn't mean that the committee should select them.  I'm sure each of the coaches in the tourney submitted 3 names, but you didn't see a EHC or HSC player on the all tourney team.  Just like a EMU woman made this year's team, even though not even in the final.  So, why would you pick the third VWC player submitted over the third RMC player?  Especially when that player goes 2-13, and the RMC player goes 10-10 from the FT line and helps to actually win the game.

There is no committee that picks them. The names the coaches submit are what gets put on the All-Tournament team. Not like the ODAC Commissioner is sitting there picking all the names and trying to figure out a way to stick it Randolph-Macon.

I'm not 100% sure on the process for basketball since it's apparently different than other sports, but off the top of my head in every other sport head-to-head sport, only the teams that make it to the semis get to nominate anyone for All-Tournament team.

I have no idea why there were three VWC players though. I don't see a list of previous All-Tournament picks anywhere to see if there is any previous precedent for the losing team getting three, all I have is knowledge of last year and what I saw the ODAC tweet yesterday. I do know that the losing team has gotten MVP at least once before - when LC's Otis Tucker III must have bonkers in the tournament in 1997.

There is no set guideline in the ODAC manual like there is for other sports, which doesn't seem very ODAC like to me. Normally they have this stuff outlined so it's a concrete standard in the manual.

[CMR]

I definitely wouldn't associate the word "GOOD" w/Holmes....he's big, but that's about it.  We'll see what happens....

No one said GREAT or OUTSTANDING, but he certainly is GOOD.  And, I'd said he adds solid minutes when needed, he will get a block, layup, and the occasional 3.  In less then 17 minutes per game, he's averaging almost 9 PPG, almost 7 RPG, and 42 blocks.  He's playing less than a half and those are solid numbers.  That's GOOD.  Any DIII coach would take that any day.

[2RMCFans]

We were in Salem & wondered why 3 Marlins & 2 Jackets on the all-Conf team, but we'd rather be under-appreciated than over-appreciated any day.  We saw the Marlins up close in more than one game and they are a seriously physical team.  So fast & aggressive.  Like CMR, but not Donho, it looked to us (sitting at mid-court just above the announcer's table) like there was way too much holding & reaching in going on by the men in gray but our guys also got physical in getting loose.  Fortunately, even with blood spilled & men diving for the floor, no one was seriously hurt.

This R-MC team has more depth & experience than any other current ODAC team with arguably 2 POY's... if they had played on a different team this year (Hassell & Badger). 

It's odd that someone is coming here today taking potshots at R-MC-- even calling out individual players.  Anyone who doesn't appreciate the role that Holmes plays hasn't watched him develop over the past 4 years. With a bad limp he put up 4 of his 11 points in overtime.  This is the "closest" team we've seen in the past 20 years.  They've got each other's backs & they're unselfish.  Maybe they will run up against "some much bigger school's much better team" which will take nothing away from the program records they've broken this year.   

We saw the 1st half of the Marlins/Quakers semi & Hasa is right--- their young big men are going to be a real threat & the outside shooters can be deadly.  Not sure when they went off the rails in the 2nd half, but they really played "up" in that first half.   Randolph & EMU both played R-MC tough on Thurs. & Sat.  Those 3 games over 4 days were definitely good practice for the NCAA's.  Call the ODAC a "weaker" conference if you will, but there's not a single team that didn't give R-MC its best shot.

It's almost funny to think of this Jackets team as getting rusty by Sat. but it's true that anything can happen.  We suspect they will be rested & ready.

Congrats to the Marlins & good luck from here on out.   Hoping we do meet up again! 

GO JACKETS!!!!

[CMR]

While I don't agree with which Marlins were picked, usually 3 players from each team are chosen for all tourney, as was the case last year when 3 HSC players joined 3 marlins.  I agree the game was a dogfight but I think the refs called a good game overall..

Who chooses the all-tournament team?

Each coach picks their All-Tourney team members in every single ODAC sport.

I thought that was how it worked. So why should any of us question a coach for giving a kid a little recognition, even if his stats aren't the greatest.

Not the point.  Sure, each coach in the tournament will submit their representatives, doesn't mean that the committee should select them.  I'm sure each of the coaches in the tourney submitted 3 names, but you didn't see a EHC or HSC player on the all tourney team.  Just like a EMU woman made this year's team, even though not even in the final.  So, why would you pick the third VWC player submitted over the third RMC player?  Especially when that player goes 2-13, and the RMC player goes 10-10 from the FT line and helps to actually win the game.

There is no committee that picks them. The names the coaches submit are what gets put on the All-Tournament team. Not like the ODAC Commissioner is sitting there picking all the names and trying to figure out a way to stick it Randolph-Macon.

I'm not 100% sure on the process for basketball since it's apparently different than other sports, but off the top of my head in every other sport head-to-head sport, only the teams that make it to the semis get to nominate anyone for All-Tournament team.

I have no idea why there were three VWC players though. I don't see a list of previous All-Tournament picks anywhere to see if there is any previous precedent for the losing team getting three, all I have is knowledge of last year and what I saw the ODAC tweet yesterday. I do know that the losing team has gotten MVP at least once before - when LC's Otis Tucker III must have bonkers in the tournament in 1997.

There is no set guideline in the ODAC manual like there is for other sports, which doesn't seem very ODAC like to me. Normally they have this stuff outlined so it's a concrete standard in the manual.

Obviously, none of us know, so it would be nice if the ODAC would tell us.  I, too, tried to find previous All-Tourney on the website, not to be found.  But, to say that whomever the coaches pick gets on the team, doesn't sound right.  Suppose both coaches pick three players (assuming only the final two teams submit names), what happens then when there are only 5 slots?  So, something smells wrong, and it especially smells when VWC get three players.

[algernon]

How can anyone question RMC's abilities ? Doesn't matter if the odac is down top to bottom, still not easy to run the table AND beat VWC three times. That is just flat getting the job done. I did not see one odac game all season, but unless the odac is really down from last season, running the table is a significant feat and anyone the knows me knows I have a hard time giving RMC a compliment. I am pulling for both RMC and VWC to represent odac well. I think both teams will.

Not sure why some feel the ODAC is down, top to bottom.  FWIW, these are the out-of-conference records for the ODAC against other DIII teams:

RMC           7-2
VWC          7-1
Guilford      7-2
EMU           5-2
Lynchburg  7-2
HSC            7-1
W&L           3-6
Randolph    4-3
B'water       4-4
Roanoke     5-4
E&H            0-6
Shendh       1-8

Total ODAC record against non-conference DIII teams:  57-41 (58% Win PCT).   8 of the 12 teams had a winning record against non-conference DIII teams.  Not too shabby.

[CMR]

Just figured out the All-tourney issue, Coach Davis nominated the VWC player because at 2-13, he was probably the third best player that RMC had on the floor.

[2RMCFans]

^ We get it CMR but Coach Davis would be the first to say "so what?" on this issue.  That young man himself felt that at 2-13 he played poorly in the Final (see RTD news article interview) and let his team down.  Who cares, really?   He is a very fine basketball player that some here thought was deserving of POY as a Soph!  As for our 3rd all tourney player:  better to be underestimated than overestimated!  Our whole team consists of winners who don't need a plaque to tell them how good they are-- both on & off the court.

Algernon, you make a very good point that there's nothing particularly weak about the ODAC this year.  We totally agree w/you.  There appear to be some posters & programs who like to take cheap shots at ODAC schools like R-MC, VWC, H-SC, Guilford, Randolph, EMU etc.  They have no idea what they're missing & who among us would trade what we have for what they have? 

GO MARLINS... GO JACKETS!!! 

[CMR]

2Fans, you're just too polite.  Once, just once, talk some trash!   

[y_jack_lok]

Let me address a couple of things, since some of my comments seem to have caused problems for some of you. First, I apologize if anyone has taken offense at anything I have said because no offense was meant. I am an R-MC alum and fan and as such am also a fan of the ODAC.

I said: "I think that top to bottom the following conferences are deeper this season than the ODAC -- CCIW, UAA, and WIAC." I did not say the ODAC is a weaker conference. There are 42 conferences in D3 and I think the ODAC is one of the five strongest this season. Living in Saint Louis I get to see Wash U (from the UAA) play occasionally. Wash U was 11-0 (and ranked #1) going into conference play and went 9-5 in conference. They split their games with Emory (a team that beat both Guilford and Virginia Wesleyan early in the season). Trust me when I say that Wash U is a very good team. If they win their first round NCAA tournament game they will face Augustana (the other team that got a first round bye in the tournament). Augustana plays in the CCIW and I have watched them online a number of times this season. I saw, in person, Illinois Wesleyan (also from the CCIW) lose to Wash U in December and have seen IWU online several other times. IWU is also in the tournament. I don't think they are as good as R-MC, but I stand by my statement that top to bottom the CCIW is a stronger conference this season than the ODAC. No team ran the table in either the UAA or CCIW. I haven't seen any of the WIAC teams play, but over the years they have had a lot of success in the NCAAs with several national championships in the past 10 years.

I really don't want to create an argument and I have not done the research to come up with the records of the teams in the conferences I mentioned against non-conference opponents, but I'm pretty sure they would stack up favorably with the ODAC.

To Swish3 regarding Akeem Holmes, you are just flat out wrong. He is one very good basketball player and would be starting and playing a ton of minutes for most of the teams in the conferences I mentioned above as well as for most other teams in the ODAC.

[marlinpg10]

As a former ODAC player and coach and being Courtside for the game yesterday I thought it was officiated well. They let both teams play physical. There was a lot of grabbing and bumping on both ends of the floor and refs didn't call it unless it gave someone an advantage. This is RMC/VWC. It is a dogfight and physical game every time. RMC going undefeated in the ODAC is special. The 2 final 4 teams I played on never went undefeated in the ODAC. I really hope both teams can take care of business and games are in Ashland next weekend so I can make the trip. Go Marlins and Jackets