MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[hasanova]

Hopefully, there will be some Quaker legends in Salem ... if I see Dave Odom or World B. Free, I'll see if I can get you an autograph!  lol  Enjoy the lacrosse in Baltimore.  Those Rotarians are a rockin' bunch, aren't they?!

[Brian Hamilton]

My one complaint about the format since they changed it from Sat, Sun, Mon a few years ago to Thur/Fri, Sat, Sun is that the early games on Thurs/Fri are hard to get to due to work.  It was much easier for me to get to a 7:00 championship game on Monday rather than a 1:00 first round game on Friday.  I know that I am not typical since I live within about 2 hours, but I do feel sorry for the teams that play in the first session on Friday.  Students still have classes and can't come.  Its hard to come up with a perfect solution though so we have to live with it. 

How about some predictions for Friday?  I've already posted mine for the entire tourney.  Anyone else care to jump in?

[ODACHOOPS]

1. Guilford in a landslide over W & L (Sorry W & L, had a great early start but the tourney is won in February and not in November)
2. Bridgewater over EMU but a very close fought game, could go either way, the loss of Oblightly really makes this a tight one.
3. RMC over VWC but I wouldn't be surprise at all if VWC pulls the upset.  Just like HSC has with Roanoke VWC has RMC's # in Salem and I think that mental advantages can be big in Salem.
4. HSC over Roanoke Turner King and the emergence of Ben Jesse (Freshman of the Year) will be too much for Roanoke.  Roanoke's season ends thanks to Hampden-Sydney for the 6 time in 7 years.

* The Civic Center will be rockin!!

[tigerfanalso]

My predictions are as follows:

Guilford over W&L (not even close)
EMU over Bridgewater
RMC over VWC
HSC over RC

Guilford over EMU
HSC over RMC (Pick from the heart, not the brain)

Guilford over HSC

If I was picking with my head, I'd have RMC vs. GC in the final with GC winning.

[HSCfan]

Alright Brian, here goes:

Quarterfinals:

Guilford 71, Washington and Lee 60
The Quakers will get the Generals' best shot early, but I think Sanborn's size and strength inside will be the difference in wearing down W&L. Henson is also prone to hitting big threes late in games when defenses are weary.

Eastern Mennonite 76, Bridgewater 75
I like a late bucket to win this one and I also feel like Bridgewater may be saying to themselves, "We have to beat these guys AGAIN without Oblitey??" The ol' "tough to beat a team three times in one year" mindset.

Randolph-Macon 80, Virginia Wesleyan 69
I think R-MC's win over VWC late in the year was just what the Yellow Jackets and Justin Short needed - the knowledge that "yes, we CAN beat these guys." I think the Jackets will be playing with added emotion for their coach and for their senior leader.

Hampden-Sydney 61, Roanoke 56
This one was tough for me to pick. These teams looked so even in both of their matchups (which is probably why Noke won the first by 5 and Tigers the second by 4). There might be something to that H-SC jinx for Page Moir. If this game is tight at the end, I feel as if the Maroons (with the weight of a No. 3 seed and their recent struggles against H-SC in the tourney) will be the one's that make pressured mistakes. I could easily be wrong, however.

Semifinals:

Guilford 88, Eastern Mennonite 74
The Royals are just too small to stick with Guilford, and in this up and down game, Bonner and Henson will have a field day.

Randolph-Macon 63, Hampden-Sydney 58
The Yellow Jackets (most notably Justin Short) will be playing as a team possessed on the defensive end and will come up with the necessary stops at the end to stop H-SC. Short moves one game closer to that elusive ODAC crown.

Finals:

Alright, I picked the predictable #1 vs. #2 match up, but can you blame me? These have been the two most consistent teams all year, so why go away from that fact now? Guilford winning at home against R-MC during the regular year got the Quakers an easier road to the final, but I think that loss to the Quakers instilled just the right amount of hunger into Randolph-Macon. I like the Yellow Jackets in overtime, almost a repeat of last year's game with GC and VWC.

Randolph-Macon 85, Guilford 80 (OT)

Why did I choose to add scores to my picks? I don't know. Now that I look at it, it's pretty ridiculous to do. But I'm just too excited for Friday! Good luck to all and here's to a competitive, entertaining and awesome weekend of ODAC hoops!

[2RMCFans]

HSCFan, we hope you're right with your predictions!  We think the Jackets are ready to avenge some past tournament losses... and as you say, are focused on playing their game their way.  They may want to win this title for Coach Rhoades and his family, for themselves, for whatever, but we feel this is THE weekend they just want to WIN most of all.

Congrats to all these fine student athletes who give us so much excitement and emotion.  Best of luck to all the teams and fans for great games and may all their travels be safe.

We'll be there... so, GO JACKETS!!! GO JACKETS!!!

[Jeremybozz]

Guilford over W&L
EMU over my beloved Eagles, 77-75.
RMC and Roanoke round out the 1st round winners

Guilford over EMU
RMC over Ronaoke

RMC beats Guilford 74-73.

[stillfamily]

My predictions are as follows:

Guilford over W&L (not even close)
EMU over Bridgewater  10 pt game
VWC over Macon    VWC to young and athletic to know how big this game is and get nervous
HSC over RC      If T. King plays well they win

EMU over GC    If EMU gets hot it's finals time... They lost to GC at home by 11 and couldn't make a shot..
HSC over VWC

EMU over HSC
This is the year that this could actually happen....

[emufan]

i like the way stillfamily thinks

Go EMU

[algernon]

I think it's pretty clear that the POY race has come down to Justin Short and Clay Henson, of which I believe that Short should and will win, however, this may be one of the toughest years in which to select first team, second team and honorable mention squads...here's my first (and probably much flawed) attempt at the first and second teams!

In the last few years, I know they have put six players on each team...

First Team
Justin Short, RMC (obvious)
Clay Henson, GC (a close second behind Short for POY)
Curtis Peery, RC (leading scorer and rebounder for a team that is now 3rd)
Turner King, HSC (would be a candidate for POY if it wasn't for the Tigers' record)
Dom Trawick, BC (great player; really sold me when he led his team to a win at W&L without Oblitey)
Tyler Sanborn, GC (he is 6-10 which is an advantage over everyone, but he is the real difference maker for the Quakers with a 15 and 12 average)

Second Team
Quinton McDuffie, VWC (hard to keep him off first team, but who is he going to replace?)
Rhett Bonner, GC (see McDuffie)
Jordan Brown, RMC (although his offensive numbers have fluxxed, his defensive numbers are great)
Mason Wooldridge, LC (hard for me to put a guy here from a 3-20 team, but his numbers are great even though he is LC's marked man)
George Johnson, EMU (the key to EMU's great season; big shot maker)
Derrick Woods-Morrow, Rand (a beast inside that is putting up great numbers against bigger players with better supporting casts)

A couple guys that I had a hard time leaving off second team: Stephen Fields (VWC), D.J. Hinson (EMU)

I like your choices, but I have a question:  do five players make each tier or do six?  If it's only five, which player do you leave off 1st team?  Then, assuming that player moves to the 2nd team, which two players do you relegate to 3rd team or honorable mention?

My 1st team, in alphabetical order:

Henson (GC), King (HSC), Peery (RoC), Sanborn (GC) and Short RMC).

My 2nd team, also in alphabetical order:

Bonner (GC), Brown (RMC), Johnson (EMU), Trawick (BC), Wooldridge (LC)

First Team:
Short (RMC)
Henson (GC)
King (HSC)
Peery (RC)
Sanborn (GC)
Woolridge (LC)

Second Team:
Johnson (EMU)
Bonner (GC)
Trawick (BC)
Hudson (EHC)
Brown (RMC)
Jessee (HSC)

POY: Justin Short (RMC)
FOY: Ben Jessee (HSC)
COY: Page Moir (RC)

[Jacketlawyer]

Alright Brian, here goes:

Quarterfinals:

Guilford 71, Washington and Lee 60
The Quakers will get the Generals' best shot early, but I think Sanborn's size and strength inside will be the difference in wearing down W&L. Henson is also prone to hitting big threes late in games when defenses are weary.

Eastern Mennonite 76, Bridgewater 75
I like a late bucket to win this one and I also feel like Bridgewater may be saying to themselves, "We have to beat these guys AGAIN without Oblitey??" The ol' "tough to beat a team three times in one year" mindset.

Randolph-Macon 80, Virginia Wesleyan 69
I think R-MC's win over VWC late in the year was just what the Yellow Jackets and Justin Short needed - the knowledge that "yes, we CAN beat these guys." I think the Jackets will be playing with added emotion for their coach and for their senior leader.

Hampden-Sydney 61, Roanoke 56
This one was tough for me to pick. These teams looked so even in both of their matchups (which is probably why Noke won the first by 5 and Tigers the second by 4). There might be something to that H-SC jinx for Page Moir. If this game is tight at the end, I feel as if the Maroons (with the weight of a No. 3 seed and their recent struggles against H-SC in the tourney) will be the one's that make pressured mistakes. I could easily be wrong, however.

Semifinals:

Guilford 88, Eastern Mennonite 74
The Royals are just too small to stick with Guilford, and in this up and down game, Bonner and Henson will have a field day.

Randolph-Macon 63, Hampden-Sydney 58
The Yellow Jackets (most notably Justin Short) will be playing as a team possessed on the defensive end and will come up with the necessary stops at the end to stop H-SC. Short moves one game closer to that elusive ODAC crown.

Finals:

Alright, I picked the predictable #1 vs. #2 match up, but can you blame me? These have been the two most consistent teams all year, so why go away from that fact now? Guilford winning at home against R-MC during the regular year got the Quakers an easier road to the final, but I think that loss to the Quakers instilled just the right amount of hunger into Randolph-Macon. I like the Yellow Jackets in overtime, almost a repeat of last year's game with GC and VWC.

Randolph-Macon 85, Guilford 80 (OT)

Why did I choose to add scores to my picks? I don't know. Now that I look at it, it's pretty ridiculous to do. But I'm just too excited for Friday! Good luck to all and here's to a competitive, entertaining and awesome weekend of ODAC hoops!

Better than an Oscar winning screenplay.  Hope it goes the way you see it! 8)

[rmc1982]

I do, too Jacketlawyer!!...and just so everyone knows...weather may be a problem travelling home on sunday...even here in Hampton Roads they are calling for rain into snow sunday with snow on monday, so travel from Roanoke could be treacherous after the final on sunday......travel safely,y'all...

[tigerfanalso]

Jacketlawyer

Looks like your Jackets and my Tigers MIGHT have a date up in Salem. How do you like your chances of 1) beating us in Salem and 2) beating us 3 times in the same year ? If they play, the Tigers will have nothing to lose and the reverse holds true for Macon. Could be interesting.  I'll make the ride from Richmond to see it. Don't be too nervous because I think Macon will win the game because of Short being a senior and because the team will want to win for Coach Rhoades. Both reasons enough to put it all on the line.
Good luck to all this weekend and safe travels to those going to Salem.

[rmc1982]

Jacketlawyer

Looks like your Jackets and my Tigers MIGHT have a date up in Salem. How do you like your chances of 1) beating us in Salem and 2) beating us 3 times in the same year ? If they play, the Tigers will have nothing to lose and the reverse holds true for Macon. Could be interesting.  I'll make the ride from Richmond to see it. Don't be too nervous because I think Macon will win the game because of Short being a senior and because the team will want to win for Coach Rhoades. Both reasons enough to put it all on the line.
Good luck to all this weekend and safe travels to those going to Salem.

IF we are fortunate enough to get by VWC on friday this matchup scares the daylights out of me-y'all had us in Fleet and by the grace of Justin Short we pulled it out-he misses one of those 3's and we go home a loser....and it might have been better if that had happened in the long run.....

[tigerfanalso]

RMC1982

You guys are just nervous nellies !!!!!!

VWC is not going to beat RMC, although I think it will be a competitive game. Just sit back, let Short & Coach Rhoades do what they do and enjoy the ride. I'm telling you, your PG is going to be the difference in this tourney.
He'll need help obviously, but he will be the difference.