MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[oldfish]

Tigerfanalso-

I think you may be making things out to be worse than they actually are.  I especially have problems with the support that you use for your argument.  You say that the 2003 ODAC was "much, much" stronger than this year.  However, your only support is that two teams played their way into the sectional finals.  You also point out that the current ODAC is just a "bunch of average teams that beat each other up."

As far as NCAA results go.....we still have to wait and see.  If one ODAC team plays its way into the Championship game but the rest of the ODAC teams lose every out of conf game....does that mean the ODAC was strong or weak?

Using your logic, maybe 2003 was just an especially poor year in the ODAC with two good teams dominating the rest of the "poor" ODAC.  In actuality, I think that 2003 and this year are not so different.  Both years had two teams rise to the top.  There are four teams this year with better than .500 conf. records, just like 2003.  Also, there are more teams with .500 records or better this year than in 2003.  So maybe the ODAC is actually Stronger than in 2003?

Now do I really believe that the ODAC is stronger this year than in 2003...No.  But I do think that a little VWC bias comes into effect when discussing this topic because it doesn't have the HSC/RMC name recognition.

[tigerfanalso]

oldfish

Again, the fact that VWC is the best team this year has absolutely nothing to do with my opinion. The fact that TWO teams from the same conference reach the sectional final with one of those teams making it to the final four, speaks well for the conference and indicates to the national that the best team(s) in our conference can play with anybody. That is why conferences from  Wis. and Ohio are the "power" conferences in D3; because they always compete on a national basis. If the ODAC wants repect nationally, they must do the same. That's my opinion and it has nothing to do with VWC or any other school in the ODAC; no bias involved... I have no reason to be bias as I always pull for the ODAC representative come NCAA time

[oldfish]

Tigerfanalso-

Thats my point, you are saying that the ODAC is down this year becuse it didn't put two teams into sectional finals...but the NCAA tourney hasn't happened yet this year.  The only thing to look at right now would be out of conf record.

HEY STAT CRUNCHERS...any of you care to "crunch" the out of conference records of the ODAC teams the last couple of years.  How does this year stack up?

[FISHTANKFAN]

Eaglesam..You are correct, we do not know how competitive the ODAC is against other teams in other conferences, NO one does, but I took an educated guess by studying and looking at the records of the teams in Dlll in the top 25.  The people who vote on the Poll don't know either unless they see each conference play night after night.  They are also taking an educated guess and probably know much more than I do but it seems strange to me that VWC isn't a bit higher.  After all, logically, VWC beat RMC handily twice and yet RMC was ranked as high as 14th and only dropped out of the polls this week. In fact they still received votes this week.  VWC also beat HMC which was ranked until a few weeks ago also.  It isn't that easy to have a 17 game win streak and a 14-1 conference record no matter what conference it is.   I guess I will just wait and see the outcome of the rest of the games and the NCAA's.  MAYBE the ODAC is down this year but having 3 teams at one time or another in the last 10 weeks in the top 25 would seem to indicate otherwise.  Or Maybe  the other conferences are  just that much better.    We shall see.

[baselinejam]

W&L isn't broadcasting tonights game against E&H. Does anyone know of a site to go to listen to E&H hoops?

[baselinejam]

While I'm at it here are my picks:

Wednesday's games:

Roanoke
W&L
Hampden-Sydney
Virginia Wesleyan
Randolph-Macon

Saturday's games:

Virginia Wesleyan
W&L
Lynchburg
Randolph-Macon
Guilford

[tigerfanalso]

Oldfish

I am making an assumption that an ODAC team will not make it far into the NCAA's, much less two teams. That said, I hope I'm wrong. VWC is very good but I don't think they are good enough. I think the overall play in the ODAC makes them look better than they really are. VWC is very good and deep at the guard spots... very good underneath with Adair but I don't think they are deep enough under the basket to make a deep run into the tournament. If Adair gets into foul trouble they are going to have a very difficult time.  That's my opinion... I hope I'm wrong and I'll be the first to I'm admit I'm wrong if the results prove otherwise. Good luck to everyone this weekend... hope to see some of you guys in Roanoke

[seminoletiger]

Oldfish,

I hear where TFA is coming from and pretty much agree with him.  However, here is some info that might add a little support to your argument.  As of today's just-released regional rankings, the ODAC has two teams in the South Regional Rankings.  However, on TFA's side of the argument the 2003 ODAC pair only lost 7 games in region during the entire season and were ranked 2nd and 4th in the South...as opposed to today's rankings of 3rd and 6th.


NCAA Regional Rankings:  Feb 8, 2006.  (From NCAAsports.com)
South                                    Region     Overall
1. Mississippi College                17-1        19-1
2. Trinity (Texas)                       12-2        16-5
3. Virginia Wesleyan                 18-3        19-3
4. Fisk                                         9-2        14-7
5. Howard Payne                      15-3        16-3
6. Randolph-Macon                   14-5        17-5
7. Southwestern (Texas)          12-4        16-5
8. Maryville (Tennessee.)          13-5        17-5

By comparison:  Final weekly Rankings Feb. 22, 2003 (from d3hoops.com)

South

1. Maryville (Tenn.)                    15-0        20-5
2. Randolph-Macon                    18-3        22-4
3. Trinity (Texas)                        14-2        21-4
4. Hampden-Sydney                   20-4        24-4
5. Sul Ross State                        16-6        17-8
6. Texas Lutheran                      16-5        17-8

[FISHTANKFAN]

Thanks oldfish, your arguments are sound and I couldn't have said it better.  Tigerfan, there aren't many Dll schools in the" power" conferences", so logically because of this, Dlll will always have strong teams in these conferences.    How many games have you seen the Marlins play??? You seem to be quite sure of yourself in knowing just how good they are and how far they will go in the NCAA's.  But of course you always say " I hope I am wrong. " Well I for one hope you are wrong and that the Marlins go very deep in the playoffs.  You have written them off before the dance has even started.  Unlike you or Ralph Turner, I would give the Marlins or any team that goes to the NCAA"S from the ODAC my wholehearted support and encouragement. Your bias is not only showing, it obvious .

[3sdown]

Here are my picks...They are up at 6:47!

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

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

W&L isn't broadcasting tonights game against E&H.

Yes they are.

[hasanova]

Typically, when the Quakers play the Tigers, they can do nothing right and Hampden-Sydney can do no wrong - it's 29-11 Tigers about 2/3 of the way through the first half. 

[baselinejam]

W&L isn't broadcasting tonights game against E&H.

Yes they are.

Thanks

[mybleedinghands]

andy now has 3 steals so far in the game, its early in the second half, he may just tie or break the record tonight!

[mybleedinghands]

the W&L radio guy seemed to get excited about everything when we went to play them. W&L couldf have put up a three pointer from 30 feet and the shot could ahve come 10 feet short of the rim and the guy would get excited.