MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Jeremybozz]

I have a feeling EMU will be trying to prove something Wed night against BC but with that being said, will prob be close game

Can they have the same officials as the first meeting so the game can go 2 and a half hours and I can get my moneys worth?
Making it a free throw shooting contest is risky but at least EMU is not on the fast break as much if they are going to the line all the time.
94 free throws combined in the 1st meeting(48 by BC.) lol

[therock]

EMU has basically wrapped up the #1 seed. If my math is correct and since EMU beat Guilford, wouldn't EMU have to go 0-2 and Guilford win both remaining games for the Quakers to finish with the top seed?

[algernon]

EMU has basically wrapped up the #1 seed. If my math is correct and since EMU beat Guilford, wouldn't EMU have to go 0-2 and Guilford win both remaining games for the Quakers to finish with the top seed?

Your math isn't correct, Scottie.  The Royals and Quakers are currently tied ... both have 12-2 conference records.  If Guilford defeats both Randolph and Emory & Henry (a highly probable set of happenings), then EMU has to defeat both Bridgewater and Washington & Lee to retain the #1 seed for the tournament.

[algernon]

New top 25 is posted. I disagree with it.

I disagree too.  As I stated earlier today, it makes sense for EMU to be at least as highly ranked as Guilford, if not higher.  #12 EMU defeated #4 Guilford by 27 points.  The Royals have lost only 2 ODAC games and have played a conference schedule just as tough as Guilford's.  It's clear to me that Guilford's higher rank has a lot to do with Guilford's reputation, given the quality Quaker play over the past 3 years.  EMU is still an unknown quantity for national pollsters.

I'm not saying the Quakers don't deserve to be about where they are .... I had them at #7 .... but only that the Royals, with only 2 DIII losses .... and big wins over #4 Guilford, #10 VWC, and #16 RMC, certainly deserve to be ranked above Whitworth and Middlebury.  

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next poll, now that EMU has beaten VWC twice .... and by 20 points in tonight's game.  As noted at http://www.d3hoops.com , "Eastern Mennonite has outscored its last three opponents – two which are ranked – by a 107 points combined."

I want to see Guilford and EMU on opposite sides of the NCAA Tournament bracket.  I think both teams are very capable of getting back to Salem.

[emufan]

Wow, another great performance from EMU and I hoped they learned something tonight.  --How to win without needing to shoot the 3-ball. -- EMU did have two players go down with injury, their only Senior, Austin Twine and a freshman.  Twine seems serious.

While reading some posts, especially from Guilford fans, it appears that not everyone is a believer of EMU.  I can understand that.  I have seen EMU play four or five times this year and the first time I came away amazed but skeptical because I didn't think they could keep up the pace of play and their shooting percentage, however, after each time I watch them, I gain a little more confidence that this is the real deal.  EMU Mens Basketball is freakin 19-3 and undefeated against ranked opponents this year.  Long time posters, really think about that. EMU Mens Basketball has arrived. 

Great work Coach Dean, staff and players!

[sludge]

I agree, EMU has arrived.  //

And they sure don't have any problem maintaining a fast pace of play.

I'm fine with it.  I didn't like pulling for VWC anyway.

[BbSpecial]

The Royals ARE unknown to the rest of DIII Nation and don't seem to get the votes they have earned. Dismantling 3 teams in the top 5 should say something. Well, you just have to keep tooting you own horn and show 'em, I guess.

Austin Twine took a nasty spill and his leg bent in a way the legs don't bend. He was taken to the hospital and word is that his x-rays "are normal". There was symptomatic indication that it was his ACL, but only an MRI will tell. I pray for his speedy recovery so he can dress for his Senior Night, Saturday night. (and the Royals need his on court leadership!)

[Llamaguy]

I have to agree that EMU has been working on a back-up game plan for the off shooting night. In the 1st half they lost a 9 pt lead midway through as they went "o-fer" from 3. In the 2nd half they hit a few 3's got a double digit working margin, then Kirby went to a high post spread and either ran backdoor plays or posted up Eli Crawford and sealed the game with 10 minutes to go. EMU was clearly the better team on a night where 3's weren't falling, their point guard went down in the first 4 minutes of the game, and Phillips + their starting center were limilted due to foul trouble. EMU is deep and getting deeper as these freshman practice daily with the Juniors/ Senior on this team. They have a chance to go far if they learn to play wisely.

ps. I believe there were 76 fouls called in the game tonight. If it is remotely the same crew, it could be a foul fest again Wednesday night in Park View. 

[algernon]

Probable tournament seeding:

#1 EMU (unless they lose another game to Bridgewater or lose to W&L -- and both games are at home)
#2 Guilford
#3 VWC - unless (a) they get their 5th loss when they play HSC AND (b) Randolph-Macon finishes with 4 losses by defeating HSC, because the Marlins are going to win the tie-breaker with RMC on points if both teams finish tied)
#4 RMC
#5 HSC/W&L/BC - HSC needs a win against either VWC or RMC to finish with 8 wins, which will probably get them the 5th seed, since they win a tie-breaker against W&L, which still must play EMU, and given the fact that Bridgewater has only 6 wins, with games left against EMU and Lynchburg.  However, the #5 seed could certainly go to either W&L or Bridgewater.  If we get to a tie-breaker:  HSC beat W&L, W&L & BC split, and BC beat HSC.  Both BC and HSC beat EMU, which will help if it gets to a point tie-breaker.  Lots up in the air yet for #5, #6, and #7.
#6 HSC/W&L/BC
#7 HSC/W&L/BC
#8 Winner of the LC/Randolph game, almost certainly.
#9 Loser of the LC/Randolph game, or possibly Roanoke.
#10 Roanoke, or possibly the loser of the LC/Randolph game.
#11 Emory & Henry

[therock]

EMU has basically wrapped up the #1 seed. If my math is correct and since EMU beat Guilford, wouldn't EMU have to go 0-2 and Guilford win both remaining games for the Quakers to finish with the top seed?

Your math isn't correct, Scottie.  The Royals and Quakers are currently tied ... both have 12-2 conference records.  If Guilford defeats both Randolph and Emory & Henry (a highly probable set of happenings), then EMU has to defeat both Bridgewater and Washington & Lee to retain the #1 seed for the tournament.

Corrected you there.

[therock]

Probable tournament seeding:
#8 Winner of the LC/Randolph game, almost certainly.
#9 Loser of the LC/Randolph game, or possibly Roanoke.
#10 Roanoke, or possibly the loser of the LC/Randolph game.

Roanoke has to win their last two games (at W&L, at E&H) and Randolph lose their last two for Roanoke to be seeded higher than Randolph given Randolph winning the head-to-head match up. If Randolph wins one game they are guaranteed no lower than 9th.

Not sure what would be the tiebreaker for LC/Roanoke if they both end up with 4 wins.

[yj424]

Aaaaahh. VW lost again?  I am wondering if any VW fans made the trek to Harrisonburg? Did the classless VW fans who came over to the Randolph Macon side last Saturday, only to antagonize us, make the trip? I'm sure there are a few(very few) resectable folks rooting for vw. But overall vw fans have no class. I'm sure your president(and i use that term loosely) is quite proud. If you are being leaded by a punk, what else shoud we expect?

[Pat Coleman]

The Royals ARE unknown to the rest of DIII Nation and don't seem to get the votes they have earned. Dismantling 3 teams in the top 5 should say something. Well, you just have to keep tooting you own horn and show 'em, I guess.

Being consistent enough to beat Bridgewater OR Hampden-Sydney on the road would be helpful. They'll need to beat teams better than those to get very far in the tournament.

[algernon]

The Royals ARE unknown to the rest of DIII Nation and don't seem to get the votes they have earned. Dismantling 3 teams in the top 5 should say something. Well, you just have to keep tooting you own horn and show 'em, I guess.

Being consistent enough to beat Bridgewater OR Hampden-Sydney on the road would be helpful. They'll need to beat teams better than those to get very far in the tournament.

It's true that EMU will have to beat the teams they "should" beat to get very far in the NCAA tournament.

However, one could also say that:

• #1 Washington U. will have to beat teams better than Transylvania to get very far in the tournament.
• #3 St. Thomas will have to beat teams better than Gustavus Adolphus to get very far ...
• #5 UW-Stevens Point will have to beat teams better than UW-Stout to get very far ...
• #6 Middlebury will have to beat teams better than Colby-Sawyer to get very far ...
• #7 Whitworth will have to beat teams better than Pomona-Pitzer to get very far ...
• #9 UW-Whitewater will have to beat teams better than UW-Stout and UW-River Falls to get very far ...
• #10 M.I.T. will have to beat teams better than Wheaton (Mass.) to get very far ...

Teams sometimes slip up and lose to teams that they "should" beat.  However, any team that's going to make it very far in the tournament will have to keep from slipping up, as all of the above-named teams have done.

[Pat Coleman]

Yes. I noticed that you didn't have two teams to name for a lot of those teams you named.

And by the way, nobody you named there has no NCAA Tournament experience on their roster.