MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[algernon]

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.

It's also true that none of the teams I've named can brag of a 4-0 record against Top 20 teams.

[Pat Coleman]

My next post would be taking us back around in the circle again, so I'll pass. Those losses were still front and center on the voters' minds this week. They ALSO count. Being consistent is important.

[Mr. Ypsi]

My next post would be taking us back around in the circle again, so I'll pass. Those losses were still front and center on the voters' minds this week. They ALSO count. Being consistent is important.

That's why I commented on the Posters' Poll thread that ranking EMU was probably the hardest call of all - no one else has annihilated TWO then-#1 teams this season (but also lost three games they shouldn't have).  And that was BEFORE they destroyed Va Wes tonight!

[algernon]

My next post would be taking us back around in the circle again, so I'll pass. Those losses were still front and center on the voters' minds this week. They ALSO count. Being consistent is important.

That's why I commented on the Posters' Poll thread that ranking EMU was probably the hardest call of all - no one else has annihilated TWO then-#1 teams this season (but also lost three games they shouldn't have).  And that was BEFORE they destroyed Va Wes tonight!

Makes sense that EMU would be a hard call.  Your point is well-taken.

[2RMCFans]

Here's what we really liked about last night's game in Ashland:

"only" 21 turnovers!  (Let's get that number under 20, guys.)

The 4 men in double figures (Braxton, Brown, Jones & Desgain) combined for 61 of the total 84 points.  2 of them came off the bench (Jones & Desgain).  These 4 also contributed 10 assists.  Eric Pugh's 7 boards and 5 assists rounded out the night.

While all 5 of those guys above played very well, #33 Jordan Brown was phenomenal:  14 points; 4 assists; 3 steals and we could have sworn we saw him pull down more than 1 rebound.  He was really "on" last night and when he's on... look out!

GO JACKETS!!! 

[stillfamily]

Pat Coleman. U may not be able to say they lost to two unranked teams but there is only 1 team in the nation you can say beat the number 1 #5 & #1 again by over 20pts. Everyone has slipped up but nobody has punished teams like EMU has.

[PA Royals Fan]

I recognize my bias as an EMU alum and former SID, but the idea that the two NCAA D3 losses EMU has as a reason to not rank them as high seems weird to me.  They are both on the road, both to teams that know them well.  The NAIA loss was avenged by a 89-68 win against the same team.  To me it seems like they are not getting props because they are not a tradition-rich team.  To go this far in the season and lose once by 6 on the road to your traditional cross county rival and then have one bad game on the road in a tough conference like ODAC, is something not too many teams at any level can say at this time of the year. 

Here is a link to the H'burg TV report, they make it sound like Twine is done for the year.  http://www.whsv.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4546874&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

[bigrips77]

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?

What are you... 12?  And save the "class" talk because all fans are guilty of losing their cool from time to time...  Am I condoning actions by a few bad apples?  Not in the least.  I was at that game you speak of - great basketball game between two solid programs, and yes there were some people who definitely acted a fool.  You can't pin that on the group as a whole though.

Then again - I find it interesting you bring this up after the Marlins lose big on the road at EMU, the same place you got stomped a month ago.  Kick 'em when they're down?  Now that's "classy."

[Llamaguy]

I wouldn't sweat the ranking too much. Fact is, EMU wins out, wins a couple of games in the ODAC Tourney and they will be sitting pretty in the NCAA Tourney. If they have everyone come back in 2010-2011 they will be ranked in the Top 10 preseason as all those pollsters will have forgotten BC & HSC in 2010. 

Sad to here about Austin Twine, I saw him coming back in from the hospital on crutches after the game and hoped it would only be a couple of game injury. It will affect the team for sure but more minutes for the best "6th man" in D-3, Eli Crawford, won't be devastating. Hoping for a miraculus recovery for Twine's sake.

[bigrips77]

As for EMU, another great win by the Royals last night.  Really sorry to hear about Twine getting injured.  If it's as serious as people have said, that could be devastating to EMU even though they've gone 4-0 against the best in the conference.  He doesn't light up a scoreboard every night but brings plenty of intangibles to the game for the Royals.  To paraphrase a line from Kirby Dean's preseason ODAC interview, Twine is the glue that holds that team together.  Here's hoping they don't fall flat this week and in the quarterfinal round of the tournament... would hate to see the Royals not make the dance.

As for the Marlins, that puts them 2-4 against the three other ranked teams in the conference.  Good news if you're VWC is that, as of now, you don't have a 'bad' loss in your arsenal.  You took care of business in the games you were 'supposed' to win.  That said, I think we're starting to see how key a loss Quantrell Simmons was to their lineup in terms of post play.

I think Guilford is into the NCAA tournament, provided they take care of business this week.  Tough win at W&L last night - I've got a feeling the Gennies are going to be the dark horse in the ODAC tournament again.

R-MC with another solid victory at home over Lynchburg, setting up pt.2 with H-SC Wednesday night.  Tigers have a chance to play NCAA spoiler for both R-MC and VWC this week as the Marlins go to Fleet on Saturday.  A loss by either team to H-SC means they would have to make it to the ODAC final to make it in.  Should the Marlins and Jackets beat the Tigers, I think they would get bids as long as they make it to at least the ODAC semis.

[hasanova]

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.

I think EMU's a little underranked as well, but there are a lot of factors that enter into that.  If they win them all this week, it'll happen.

Also, the 107 point spread in the last three games is actually 97, but impressive nonetheless.

[scottiedoug]

As a fan of Maryville (TN), which hardly ever gets any national love even though it consistently wins a lot of games, I offer to EMU fans the same advice some of us give people who whine about Maryville's national "disrespect."

Win some games in the NCAA!!!  That is the best way to overcome identity blues.

[algernon]

I wouldn't sweat the ranking too much. Fact is, EMU wins out, wins a couple of games in the ODAC Tourney and they will be sitting pretty in the NCAA Tourney.

Yes, that's true.  If the Royals win out and just get to the ODAC Championship game, then I think that they will likely have an opportunity to host two NCAA games in Harrisonburg.

I'm basing this on NCAA Rankings, which are the starting point for making decisions about tournament pairings and the makeup of the bracket (along with the all-important issue of geography).  This is the Regional Ranking from last Wednesday, before EMU's BIG victory over Guilford ....

South Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Guilford                 19-1                 19-1
2. Virginia Wesleyan 16-2                  18-2
3. Texas-Dallas          16-3                 17-4
4. Eastern Mennonite 12-2                16-3
5. Austin                     16-5                16-5
6. Mary Hardin-Baylor 15-5                15-6
7. Randolph-Macon     10-4                16-4
8. Maryville (Tenn.)     12-3                17-4

Based on games through Sunday, February 14, the next ranking (tomorrow) may look something like this ....

South Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Guilford                  20-2                 20-2
2. Eastern Mennonite 14-2                18-3
3. Texas-Dallas           17-3                 18-4
4. Virginia Wesleyan   18-3                  20-3
5. Austin                     18-5                18-5
6. Mary Hardin-Baylor 17-5                17-6
7. Randolph-Macon     13-4                19-4
8. Maryville (Tenn.)     14-3                19-4

[Jacketlawyer]

Should the Marlins and Jackets beat the Tigers, I think they would get bids as long as they make it to at least the ODAC semis.

HA!  That's the scenario that remains to be seen.  I think we can take care of business against the Tigers at Crenshaw, but I'm not so sure about a 3rd time against Hampden-Sydney.  As a few of the old-timer posters will tell you, this match-up makes me nervous every time, let alone a 3rd time in a single season.

We also have to get the "lose-in-the-first-round" monkey off our back this year.  But I want to finish the regular season strong. 

Go JACKETS!

[rmc1982]

Should the Marlins and Jackets beat the Tigers, I think they would get bids as long as they make it to at least the ODAC semis.

HA!  That's the scenario that remains to be seen.  I think we can take care of business against the Tigers at Crenshaw, but I'm not so sure about a 3rd time against Hampden-Sydney.  As a few of the old-timer posters will tell you, this match-up makes me nervous every time, let alone a 3rd time in a single season.

We also have to get the "lose-in-the-first-round" monkey off our back this year.  But I want to finish the regular season strong.  

Go JACKETS!  (quote/ I agree Jacketlawyer!We need to win in Crenshaw tomorrow night ,but i really don't want to play the Tigers, who ALWAYS seem to play well in Salem, in the tournament. In my opinion they should be one of the favorites to at least make it into the semis and cause trouble for whomever they play.They always seem to stay in almost every game right 'till the end, and logic will tell you that if you stay in most games until the end, sooner or later the ball will bounce your way.I guarantee you if you asked the coaches which team they'd rather NOT play at this stage it would be H-SC
......they're just plain DANGEROUS!