MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Jacketlawyer]

Randolph-Macon's 2006-2007 roster is up.  Looks like this squad will be smaller than last year's.  Only 8 players from last season return to play, and we have four freshmen. 

[baselinejam]

Randolph-Macon's 2006-2007 roster is up.  Looks like this squad will be smaller than last year's.  Only 8 players from last season return to play, and we have four freshmen. 

Statistically, Lynchburg clearly lost the most points and rebounds. R-M is right there with EMU & B'water with the % they lost offensively as well as the rebounds and points they return from last year's squad. Losing 8 players must be huge. Good coach and a good core; but they'll have a tough row to hoe in the ODAC this year. Is it enough to make jacket fans uneasy?

[Jacketlawyer]

Randolph-Macon's 2006-2007 roster is up.  Looks like this squad will be smaller than last year's.  Only 8 players from last season return to play, and we have four freshmen. 

Statistically, Lynchburg clearly lost the most points and rebounds. R-M is right there with EMU & B'water with the % they lost offensively as well as the rebounds and points they return from last year's squad. Losing 8 players must be huge. Good coach and a good core; but they'll have a tough row to hoe in the ODAC this year. Is it enough to make jacket fans uneasy?

Yup.

But X-factor freshmen, and a decent returning core of players make it hard to tell.  We'll soon see.

[Jacketlawyer]

D3hoops.com just released their preseason Top 25.

Congrats to VWC (No. 1), R-MC (No. 15) and H-SC (No. 21).

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

Mystified by R-M's ranking, though not complaining about it.  More interested in how they determine the rankings. . .

[hasanova]

Steelyglen - I'm not sure if you're reading the football boards, but Eastern Guilford HS burned to the ground yesterday.  No one was hurt, but it's a logistical nightmare.  I know how familiar you are with the area and thought you might like to know.

[hasanova]

FYI - Former Guilford star and later Celtics player and Head Coach, M. L. Carr, was interviewed on NPR immediately after Red Auerbach's funeral this week.  I heard it on my drive home.  It really came through what respect he had from his players and others in the basketball community and beyond.

[algernon]

Randolph-Macon's 2006-2007 roster is up.  Looks like this squad will be smaller than last year's.  Only 8 players from last season return to play, and we have four freshmen. 

I have little doubt that RMC will finish among the top 4 in the ODAC.  However, they appear to have a lack of depth on the inside .... only 4 players on the squad are 6'5" or taller and listed as a Forward or Center:

  Player             Year     Ht.      Wt.
   Jeremy Dixon    Jr.     6-5    210    
   Phil Hawley       Sr.    6-8    225    
   Boris Varela      So.    6-7    205    
   Mchael Acutt     Fr.     6-8     220

How good will Dixon, Varela, and Acutt be?

[Jacketlawyer]

Randolph-Macon's 2006-2007 roster is up.  Looks like this squad will be smaller than last year's.  Only 8 players from last season return to play, and we have four freshmen. 

I have little doubt that RMC will finish among the top 4 in the ODAC.  However, they appear to have a lack of depth on the inside .... only 4 players on the squad are 6'5" or taller and listed as a Forward or Center:

  Player             Year     Ht.      Wt.
   Jeremy Dixon    Jr.     6-5    210    
   Phil Hawley       Sr.    6-8    225    
   Boris Varela      So.    6-7    205    
   Mchael Acutt     Fr.     6-8     220

How good will Dixon, Varela, and Acutt be?

Acutt is the X-factor, and I'm guessing he looks to be Wansley's heir-apparent.  I remember Dixon and Varela being solid contributors last year, but there can be no question they both have to step up this season.  I would think having a 12 man squad this year, as opposed to a 19 man squad last year, would be easier to handle for the coach and afford the players more PT.  Still, there are a lot of questions to be answered. . .

[algernon]

2006-07 ODAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

   1.   Virginia Wesleyan   98
   2.   Hampden-Sydney   89
   3.   Randolph-Macon   81
   4.   Guilford   70
   5.   Emory & Henry   52
         Roanoke   52
   7.   Eastern Mennonite   35
   8.   Bridgewater   32
   9.   Washington & Lee   28
   10.   Lynchburg   13

And Virginia Wesleyan (no surprise!) is the national Preseason #1:  http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

[Jacketlawyer]

2006-07 ODAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

   1.   Virginia Wesleyan   98
   2.   Hampden-Sydney   89
   3.   Randolph-Macon   81
   4.   Guilford   70
   5.   Emory & Henry   52
         Roanoke   52
   7.   Eastern Mennonite   35
   8.   Bridgewater   32
   9.   Washington & Lee   28
   10.   Lynchburg   13

And Virginia Wesleyan (no surprise!) is the national Preseason #1:  http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

That looks a little bit more realistic to me, but I can't wait for the season to start!! 

I am somewhat surprised to see the 'Noke that low, though.

[baselinejam]

The only good thing about my Gennies being 9th inthat ODAC poll is that it should put a chip on my teams collective shoulder. You saw it here 1st -W&L won't be 9th (& 10th is reserved for Lynchburg).

[jeloesel]

The ODAC has not posted the results of the coaches' poll on its site, but I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of Algernon's post.  As long-time readers may recall, I think these preseason polls are good entertainment, but not good indicators of how the teams will finish.  By Christmas time, we'll have a better sense of how the freshmen will contribute, if the transfers live up to their hype, which of the returning players are stepping up, and how the team chemistry develops. 

However, I'm curious who among the ODAC coaches did not rank VWC first.  At least one coach didn't.  And, which coach or coaches didn't rank Lynchburg in 10th place.  I would have thought those rankings were no-brainers.

[algernon]

However, I'm curious who among the ODAC coaches did not rank VWC first.  At least one coach didn't.  And, which coach or coaches didn't rank Lynchburg in 10th place.  I would have thought those rankings were no-brainers.

The poll results were in a press release I received from the ODAC's Sports Information Director, J. J. Nekoloff.  I'm surprised that they have not yet been posted.

The press release indicates that the only 1st place vote that didn't go to the Marlins went to the Tigers.  I'm also curious about who ranked the Tigers first.  Whoever it was ranked the Marlins third, given that they received 98 points instead of 99 points.

It's very curious that Lynchburg wasn't ranked last by all the coaches.  And I'm surprised that the Generals would be ranked 9th, as I think they will finish between 5th and 8th. 

As you say, Jim, we will have a clearer sense of relative strength by mid-January and all of this is just entertainment.

[GC1080]

Went to the GD-Ferrum scrimmage the other night and Guilford looks to be very strong this year. When the starters and top players scrimmaged in the first half Guilford blew them out 54-27. The rest of the halves were close but the starters did not play anymore. They have 2 freshman coming off the bench that look pretty solid.

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

Poll looks pretty good, and it seems to align well with the national poll.  One thing I like to look at is how close the points are.  Only a 9 point spread between 1 and 2, looks to be too close for the defending national champion.  Just my thoughts. Its hard to repeat as it is, again just my thoughts.  (Believe me I think they deserve it.)