MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[HSCDad]

Nice comments Algernon.  Hope the team sees.  They are deep.  Cam Anderson made some interesting comments at his interview after today's game.  The H-SC players remember well the 100 points VWC scored against them last year plus the two other two point games.  The tip in at Salem last year was a heartbreaker.  They are very hungry for a victory on Wednesday and they have the arsenal - this is the year!!

[HSCDad]

H-SC should move up in the polls this week from 17th - Whitworth, Cathloic, Ramapo, Calvin, Wooster, and UW-Stevens Point, all teams above them last week, had a loss last week.  The 21-2 should put them in good position.  Glad to see the "return to yesteryear".

[algernon]

Wooster and Stevens Point's losses were before the last poll, but I do see Hampden-Sydney moving up above Whitworth, which lost twice, Ramapo, Catholic, and Calvin to at least #13.  Based on their 19-point win over RMC and their nearly 50-point win over Bridgewater (a team that actually does have a winning record), they might possibly slide up to #11 or #12.

[2RMCFans]

Congrats to all the winners yesterday.  R-MC's "not-so-average" team played like they played in the weeks leading up to the H-SC game.  EMU was not able to contain Andre Simon the way the Tigers did.  The Jackets scored almost as many points in the 1st half (46) as they did in the entire game against H-SC on Wed. (49)

Still looks to us as though there are quite a few contenders for the ODAC crown this year but as we know anything can happen in the ODAC.

GO JACKETS!!!

[algernon]

This is my projection for the 2nd NCAA South Regional Ranking, which is due out Wednesday.  I've included games thru today.  I doubt that the NCAA will include more than 8 teams in their ranking. 

Regional and overall records and SoS:

1.  Hampden-Sydney  (ODAC)      19-2        21-2     .519
2.  Mary Hardin-Baylor  (ASC)      20-3        20-3     .538
3.  Concordia (Texas) (ASC)         16-4         18-5     .544
4.  Emory (UAA)                         15-6         15-6       .567
5.  Virginia Wesleyan  (ODAC)       14-5         17-6     .530
6.  Christopher Newport  (USAC)  14-5         15-5     .535
7.  Centre (SAA)                          10-3         16-4       .512
8.  Randolph (ODAC)                  13-4         19-4       .495
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9.  Lynchburg (ODAC)               14-5         18-5       .485

Big-time game on Wednesday between the Tigers and Marlins!  I think the Marlins need the win to rise above Emory in the South Region ranking, which would give them a shot at a Pool C.  I think a Tiger win means they will finish the season at least 24-3, assuming they get past the Quarterfinals in the ODACs, and will guarantee them at least 2 home games in the NCAA tournament.

Randolph and Lynchburg also play on Wdnesday evening.  The loser of this game will have to win the ODAC championship to get into the NCAAs.  On the other hand, the winner might still have a shot at a Pool C bid ...... but will be left hoping that MH-B or Concordia-Texas takes the ASC AQ, that CNU wins the USAC AQ, and that Emory loses both to Rochester (East Region #1) and another team before their season is over. Centre will probably get the Pool B bid for the NCAAs and will thereby will be "pulled off the table".  If Randolph wins and then gets a win over RMC on Saturday and another impressive win in the semis, they could finish 23-5 with an unimpressive but higher SoS than they have now.  Similarly, if Lynchburg beats Randolph (19-4) and then gets a win over VWC (17-6) on Saturday and another solid victory in the semis, their SoS will certainly be higher than it is now and they will finish 22-6 ... giving them an outside shot at a Pool C. 

My sense is that the ODAC will very possibly get 2 Pool Cs.  Hampden-Sydney is essentially in already.  If the Tigers win the tournament, it's very possible that VWC, LC, or Randolph could get a second bid, if they win out until the championship game.  On the other hand, if the Tigers fail to win the tournament, the ODAC champion will get a bid, the Tigers will certainly get a Pool C, and a team like VWC, LC, or Randolph could get another Pool C if they win out until the championship game, especially if they were to defeat the Tigers along the way. 

[jdubyadubya]

My picks for Wednesday's games and commentary

Randolph in a squeaker
RMC big!
VWC in OT!!
EMU close!
W&L big!
Guilford big!

Onward ODAC soldiers....

[hasanova]

70-62 VWC wins at Guilford for the first time since the 06-07 season

VWC is athletic and quick.  Guilford came back from an early hole to within two at 42-40 and within three again a little later, but couldn't get over the hump.  Poor FT shooting also didn't do the Quakers any favors.  The Marlins deserved the win.  Hopefully, the Quakes can rebound (no pun intended) versus E&H and BC.

[jdubyadubya]

Hasa - that's a good pun

[hasanova]

Hasa - that's a good pun

Thanks, jww.  I put "no pun intended" because I didn't realize it would be a pun until after I typed "rebound."  Oh well, that's the way the ball bounces.

[tigerfanalso]

Hasa

How does HSC match up with VWC ?

[HSCDad]

  H-SC now 11th in country - only 5 votes from top 10!!

[algernon]

Last year, the Tigers were 19-8 and three of their eight losses were to the Marlins!

After losing by 20 points at home in January, the Tigers went to the Beach and lost by 2 points.  Then they lost in the ODAC semifinals to the Marlins by 2 points.

Vaughn graduated last year and the Marlins lost their top four reserve players.  At this point, while still a very solid team with four very fine players ... Astorga, Woodmore, Teasley, and Ford ... they don't have the depth that the Tigers have.  Trent Batson seems to have taken Vaughn's position and Colby Heard is a solid player off the bench, but the Marlins are really only about 8 players deep.  Perhaps that's enough, but I think they're going to find that the Tigers's depth is going to be an issue.

[marlinpg10]

I think wednesdays game between the marlins and the tigers will be a battle... The Marlins have been so up and down this year but when they are up they can look like the #1 team in the country as they were ranked earlier in the year. Its going to depend on which marlin team shows up... The matchup to watch will be astorga for the marlins and george for the tigers. I believe whichever one of these 2 has a better game that team wins! Astorga has a nack for stepping up in big games and george has been pretty consistent all year. Hopefully the marlins can frustrate him like they did the first game last year and have him arguing with his teammates and coaches. I really believe the marlins are as deep as the tigers. There starting 5 is pretty solid but i think heard will get more of the mins then batson to matchup with williamson. Coming of the bench for the marlins is crew who is a fifth year senior and brings defense and leadership. Nady who is one of the best freshmen in the ODAC and definitely should be considered for FOY. Owens who like astorga can stretch the floor and shoot the 3 from the 4 spot and heard who has been playing very well for the marlins of late and can really score it down low. I think the marlins have the advantage at the guard position with ford,woodmore and teasley but i think the tigers have the advantage down low with williamson and george.. Should be an interesting game and see what adjustments the coaches make. First game last year hsc tried to run with the marlins and vwc showed thats not the way to beat them. What adjustments will coach vick and macedo make. Should be a great game and an even better atmosphere. I definitely will be making the trip for this one

[marlinpg10]

on to post season talk... Who are the front runners for player of the year as well as freshmen of the year and the all ODAC teams... I think the player of the year will be unanimous with Colton Hunt winning that. FOY will be interesting, names that come to mind are Sedric Nady (VWC), Zeb Richardson (GC) and mike murray (HSC). Any other names that should be considered? Coach of the year will either go to Dee Vick of HSC or Clay Nunley of Randolph. My all-odac Teams looks like this:
First Team
Colton Hunt(Randolph)POY
Harrison George(HSC)
Josh Pittman (GC)
Chris Astorga(VWC)
DJ Woodmore(VWC)
Khobi Williamson (HSC)

Second Team
Kwasi Amponsah (roanoke)
Manny Hernandez (LC)
Andrew Thorne(EMU)
RJ Sims (EMU)
Chris Teasley (VWC)
Austin Chilemi (LC)

And since Colton Hunt won Scholar athlete of the year last year i would assume the same this year!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Since teams can have only 5 on the floor at a time, any explanation for all-ODAC teams having 6?

Or do in-conference games play 6-on-6?!