MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[sludge]

'nova/sludge (and anyone else who cares) - a couple thoughts on individual players ...
... i hope these 2 teams make it a ritual to get together every year...that was a lot of fun...too bad the students weren't there to see it!

Thanks for all that, narch.  Snipes wasn't 100% healthy, and I think it affected his shot.  I've seen a very different Snipes.

It didn't seem like a typical game for Guilford's bench.  I've seen a very different Bench. 
Even so, there was some fine bench play, just not as much as I've seen before.

Methodist's Shuford looked remarkably strong and pretty quick to me:  more than a worthy opponent.  I haven't noticed Belkoski as being soft on D.  I think he just needs to watch his fouls.  Lehmann, Pittman and Bascom for Methodist just aren't worth fouling.  Incredible.  And you've got that Dragan who breathes fire all over the place.  Wow.

Solid, cagey, smart, tough and skilled are normal for Burge.  Strong works hard to improve his game, a great attitude.  Kimbrough is as tough and clutch as anybody I've ever seen.  I think at one point he split two defenders while crawling and keeping the ball alive, ending up in control (doubt it was a planned move  ).

The cool thing about Guilford is that when a part of the team is a bit low, other parts step up.  I've seen everyone on the team get off track at different times this year, but the team keeps on plugging away.
Reminds me of a certain team I've seen play near the sea.

[justafan02]

Is VWC really still Top 25 calibre?

Thanks.

You are kidding with this question right?  Top 10....not right now but to actually question if the Marlins are one of the top 25 teams in Division III is a dumb question.  They lost a game early on, played 7 games very well and lost another.  Are you expecting them to run off 28 wins in a row again?  

Mr. Turner, how much Eggnog have you been drinking this holiday season?

Are the Marlins a top 5 team?  Nope

Top 10 team?  Not right now.

Top 25.... Absolutely.... give me a break.

[Ralph Turner]

Is VWC really still Top 25 calibre?

Thanks.

You are kidding with this question right?  Top 10....not right now but to actually question if the Marlins are one of the top 25 teams in Division III is a dumb question.  They lost a game early on, played 7 games very well and lost another.  Are you expecting them to run off 28 wins in a row again?  

Mr. Turner, how much Eggnog have you been drinking this holiday season?

Are the Marlins a top 5 team?  Nope

Top 10 team?  Not right now.

Top 25.... Absolutely.... give me a break.

Thanks for the vote of confidence for the ASC-West.

#11 Mississippi College beat UMHB by 28!

VWC had to go to OT to beat a less-than-stellar HSU team with a 4-6 South Region record.

[David Collinge]

I anticipate VWC will be somewhere in the #6-#12 range in the new poll Wednesday, in the same general neighborhood as South Region foes Averett and Mississippi College.

[FISHTANKFAN]

 Just for information...Brandon Adair did not play in the VWC game tonight.  Perhaps that is why VWC didn"t play as well or win by a larger margin.  I don't know the reason he didn't play..but it may have been a huge factor.  Take that into consideration before you write the Marlins off this year, and the fact that every team gives the Marlins their  "A" game... The season isn't even half over and the Marlins record is better than last year at this point. ...I wouldn't count them out just yet. 

[Ralph Turner]

Fishtankfan, thanks!

[hasanova]

Just for information...Brandon Adair did not play in the VWC game tonight.  Perhaps that is why VWC didn"t play as well or win by a larger margin.  I don't know the reason he didn't play..but it may have been a huge factor.  Take that into consideration before you write the Marlins off this year, and the fact that every team gives the Marlins their  "A" game... The season isn't even half over and the Marlins record is better than last year at this point. ...I wouldn't count them out just yet. 

These are all good points.  Without knowing this information, however, I think a DIII observer as respected and experienced as Ralph was absolutely right to ask the question he did.  With two early season losses, I think VWC will probably fall out of the Top 10 in the next poll and may settle in somewhere in the 15-20 range.  Yes, I definitely think they are a Top 25 team, but without Adair in the lineup they are more like a Top 40 team.  Brandon is certainly a key component in the success of the Marlins, but not their only weapon.  And yes, every team will give VWC their best shot.  I know every ODAC team will and when I was at Methodist today their announcer must have hyped the upcoming game with "defending national champion" Virginia Wesleyan a dozen times.  VWC will absolutely get everyone's best game every time they suit up and that's a tribute to their success and well-deserved reputation.

   

[FISHTANKFAN]

 You are most welcome...This is a funny year in Division III.   Doesn't seem to be a lot of consistancy yet and a lot of teams  seem to have come together overnight to emerge as damn good ball teams.  I think it will be very difficult to predict the top 25 with any consistancy.  Already many teams thought to be top 25 have dropped out very quickly and others never considered are deserving.    Going to be an interesting year.....

[Ralph Turner]

You are most welcome...This is a funny year in Division III.   Doesn't seem to be a lot of consistancy yet and a lot of teams  seem to have come together overnight to emerge as damn good ball teams.  I think it will be very difficult to predict the top 25 with any consistancy.  Already many teams thought to be top 25 have dropped out very quickly and others never considered are deserving.    Going to be an interesting year.....

UMHB/VWC  game report  and box score

Adair is only FG 2-9.

Balenga goes 0-8 on FG vs UMHB!  I am not sure who was guarding him.

With VWC winning a tough one on the road against a challenging foe without Adair, you dodged a bullet!

IMHO, as long as you can limp along, squeaking by at half-strength, you can keep your position.

David is probably right; VWC remains in the Top 12 this week.

Thanks and Happy New Year.

[sludge]

... Take that into consideration before you write the Marlins off this year
...I wouldn't count them out just yet. 

Darn right! One thing is, you can't expect the absence of the D3 POY to be a trivial factor.  Also, if you hold your breath until the next time Ton-Ton goes 0-8 you'll die many times over.  Heck, when I've seen Ton-Ton play, I keep hoping he'll miss his shot, and I keep being disappointed.

Last year, you could have said, "yeah, VWC only beats this team by 2, that team by 3, that team in OT", but it was funny how it just kept going!

The wicked nasty Fish are not out of any equation.

[sludge]

ODAC had a heckuva day yesterday to finish the year.  They ran the table.  Wow!

VWC d. Hardin-Simmons, 67-61 OT
GC d. Methodist, 108-102 2OT
W&L d. Emory, 69-57
RMC d. UW-Platteville, 68-64
HSC d. New Jersey City, 120-113
LC d. Olivet, 80-76
RC d. Colorado College, 69-40

[hasanova]

ODAC had a heckuva day yesterday to finish the year.  They ran the table.  Wow!

VWC d. Hardin-Simmons, 67-61 OT
GC d. Methodist, 108-102 2OT
W&L d. Emory, 69-57
RMC d. UW-Platteville, 68-64
HSC d. New Jersey City, 120-113
LC d. Olivet, 80-76
RC d. Colorado College, 69-40

Thanks, sludge.  It's worth noting that HSC's game was also a double OT affair.  Glad to see Roanoke get back on the winning track.  I saw them play this year and I think they're a more dangerous team than their record would currently indicate.

[justafan02]

We will see how tough the Marlins really are in the next couple days.  They have a very strong Methodist team to play at Methodist and have to play a very worthy and proven national contender in Guilford on Sunday.

I trust that Macedo and company's practices will not be "fun" over the next few days.

[steelyglen]

ODAC pick'em...week 8

Tuesday Jan. 2
Guilford @  Averett

Wednesday Jan. 3
Va. Wesleyan @ Methodist
Southern Vairginia @ Lynchburg

Saturday Jan. 6
Bridgewater @ Hampden-Sydney
E. Mennonite @ Va. Wesleyan
Guilford @ Randolph-Macon
W&L @ Roanoke

Sunday Jan. 7
Bridgewater @ Lynchburg
Hampden-Sydney @ E. Mennonite
Emory & Henry @ Randolph-Macon
Guilford @ Va. Wesleyan

This schedule comes off of the ODAC page... I hope its correct!

[leroy]

One thing is, you can't expect the absence of the D3 POY to be a trivial factor. 

Anyone know why Adair didn't play against HSU?  Will he be back soon?