MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[stillfamily]

Wednesday's games:
Bridgwater at Roanoke------RC
W&L at Emory & Henry---EH
Guilford at Hampden-Sydney----HSC
Lynchburg at Virginia Wesleyan----VW
Randolph-Macon at EMU-----EMU

Saturday's games:
Virginia Wesleyan at Bridgewater----BC
EMU at W&L-----EMU
Lynchburg at Emory & Henry----EH
Hampden Sydney at Randolph-Macon----RMC
Roanoke at Guilford---GC

BONUS (worth 4 points)...

Total Points  Sydney at Macon
124

[narch]

Bring it on!!  I want the RC and Moonpie for myself.  Tough to catch me by only picking one different pick than me..

yeah...i didn't realize what your picks were until after i submitted mine...i'm hoping that i'll get that game right AND the bonus to make ups some ground - you can have the rc and moonpie, though, because chances are it will turn out to be a twinkie and a dr. pepper anyway

[eagleslam]

FISHTANKFAN....

Just because a team is 3rd or 4th in their league does not mean they are worse than a 1st place team in another.  I do not claim to know as much nationally about D3 as others do, but I do believe this.  If D1 has power conferences, why can't D3?  We all know the 4th best team in the ACC is better than the first place team in some mid-major conference.  Sure, there are upsets, but in a one game situation, anything is possible. 

I think it is awful difficult for anyone to honestly and without bias say where VWC should be ranked.  How could you possibly know?  Have you seen these other teams play?  If you have, then you know what's going on, and your opinion is a lot more valid, and this post can be retracted.  Otherwise, not one of us has anything to compare to.

[hasanova]

Any injuries of note as we head into a full slate of important ODAC games tonight?

[jdubyadubya]

I suggest we all focus on finishing the regular season, move on to the tournament, and then see what happens after that. Let's forget polls and statistics for the time being and enjoy the rest of the season.

[algernon]

I suggest we all focus on finishing the regular season, move on to the tournament, and then see what happens after that. Let's forget polls and statistics for the time being and enjoy the rest of the season.

JWW .... What do you think are the chances that the Hornets will upset the Marlins at the Beach tonight?

[mybleedinghands]

I suggest we all focus on finishing the regular season, move on to the tournament, and then see what happens after that. Let's forget polls and statistics for the time being and enjoy the rest of the season.

JWW .... What do you think are the chances that the Hornets will upset the Marlins at the Beach tonight?

Im not JWW, but I think are chances of winning the game are reasonable if we play them the same way we did last time. But we have been one of the least predictable teams in terms of how we will play. For instance, took VWC and EMU to OT and nearly upset both of them, the the next game we get handled by Bridgewater. You just never know how well these guys will play until the game starts! I do know the seniors want to win this game really bad in hopes of making the tournament and because they have beaten every team in the ODac but VWC, so who knows!

[ODACfan1]

Going into the last week of the season I would like to point out a few things that should be interesting to watch:

1-Is Andy Albright going to break the all time ODAC record for steals?  This would be quite an accomplishment for the young man.  I will see him play for the first time on Saturday in Emory, but he seems to be very intelligent on the defensive side of the ball from what I hear.

2-Is VWC really that much better than eveyone in the ODAC?  Will anyone challenge them in these last 3 games, and if not will anyone challenge them in the tournament.  Im sure if someone else wins the tournament then the ODAC will get 2 teams in at least.  If that team is not Randolph Macon then the ODAC may get 3 in.

3-While 1-4 seems to be almost in order, who will be 5-8 seeds...only 1 game serarates E&H from EMU,Roanoke, and Bridgewater...who will be the team out of that bunch to win out and stake claim to that 5th seed.

4-Who is going to win player of the year?  Coach of the year?  Freshman of the year?  I know who I think should be coach of the year, but I am biased.

5-Finally, top to bottom what league in the country is as competitive night in and night out as the ODAC in the country? 

[eagleslam]

JWW...

Not that I wouldn't feel the same, but when your team has all but wrapped up the regular season title, has to play three teams a combined 15-30, with two of those at home, it's easy to sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the season


ODACfan1.....

1.  We need Scottie to give us a stat update.  How many more?

2.  I don't think VWC is THAT much better.  I know they will probably lose only 1 game, but this team is not as good as the 17-1 teams of H-SC and R-MC a few years ago.  The competition is better as well.  Teams will have to play very well to beat them, but they have not blown everyone out the gym, either.

3.  I think E&H, RC, EMU, and BC... in that order

4.  Probably best to answer that in a week.  Three key games left.

5.  Like I said, how do we know.  No one sees any other conferences in a night in and night out basis.  It's impossible to say the ODAC is as competitive in my opinion.  There is just no way to know.

[mybleedinghands]

1.  We need Scottie to give us a stat update.  How many more?

The record is 258 held he Ralph Baker of HSC. Andy came into the season wuth 200 steals. He currently has 53 this season giving him 253. So he needs 5 to tie and 6 to break it.

Remember, you can watch live stats for the VWC game tonight to follow his quest for ODAC glory.

Does anyone he think that an opposing team would let him have the game ball if he sets the record today or Saturday at E&H?? I mean, setting an ODAC career record such as steals is a pretty remarkable accomplishment!

[jdubyadubya]

What are the chances? This is, after all, the ODAC when on any given night the underdog can prevail. We've seen it happen time and time again. That's what makes this league so exciting. Of course, Lynchburg could win the game tonight. We'll have to wait and see who shows up. Looking forward to talking to you all tomorrow about it. Good luck all.

[justafan02]

I think LC's chances are not very good tonight at the beach.  True, they took VWC to OT earlier this year but the Marlins are playing the best basketball of the year so far right now.  Also, Balenga and Adair are doing all the scoring right now but tonight I think Fitch's shots will fall and Fantin will get his as well.

Here are some of my biased (I could say not biased but I would be lying) opinions.  VWC is that much better than everyone (right now), there isn't another team as athletic.  There are some teams with better basketball players, but we have an athletic advantage.

Macedo is hands down COY, he should have won it last year too!!  There could be some strong arguments for Palombo and Johnson.

POY is either Adair or Strong.

FOY I have no clue.

[hasanova]

While I think Palombo and Strong should get some consideration for COY & POY, respectively, I don't think either award will go to them due to the number of overall team losses (11).  Granted, Guilford unexpectedly lost players Atkinson (2005 FOY) and Lawhorn (2005 2nd Team) and several game losses were to NAIA and DI schools, but the Quakers have actually lost about 3-4 games more than I think they should have.  I do, however, still believe Ben is a strong candidate for ODAC First Team.   To me, his overall stats and Guilford's current ODAC standing warrant it.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Jimmy "The German" pick'em games for week 11

Wednesday's games:
Bridgwater at Roanoke
W&L at Emory & Henry
Guilford at Hampden-Sydney
Lynchburg at Virginia Wesleyan
Randolph-Macon at EMU

Saturday's games:
Virginia Wesleyan at Bridgewater
EMU at W&L
Lynchburg at Emory & Henry
Hampden Sydney at Randolph-Macon
Roanoke at Guilford

BONUS: 129

[tigerfanalso]

Fishtankfan:

The ODAC is down without question and not because VWC is going to win the regular season championship; that has absolutely nothing to do with it. The ODAC is down because it does not have the talented teams it did in years past. You say that you want the ODAC to gain respect on a national basis; the only way for that to happen is to have more than one team ranked. In 2003 the ODAC had two teams, RMC & HSC go to the sectional finals, held in Ashland. HSC won that sectional and went to the final four. Having two teams reach the sectional is representative of s strong conference; yes, the ODAC was much. much stronger in 2003 than it is now... on a national scale. The ODAC now has a bunch of average teams that beat each other up, minus VWC, but no team with much hope playing into the final four