MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[tigerfanalso]

There were only two schools represented in Fleet this past Wednesday night. For one to blame the other is a total waste of time. Whatever happened and the reasons behind it, should never happen again. It takes two to fight/argue and unless it is self defense, both are at fault. Both schools need to accept responsibility, both schools need to make sure it dosen't repeat, even if the consequence is the two schools never play each other again, or take an "agreed" upon leave of absence from one another. I was in the gym with my family and I was quite embrassed by the behavior of both schools (Teams & fans).I enjoyed how competitive the game was but all of the other crap it totally unacceptable and not enjoyable to witness.

That said, good luck to all this Saturday and into the ODAC tourney.

[Brian Hamilton]

I still place some of the blame on the refs for not stopping the jawing during the game.  The game started getting out of hand in the first half when Khobi Williamson got shoved and the officials took 3 minutes to issue a warning. 

[DeWayneCarter]

There were only two schools represented in Fleet this past Wednesday night. For one to blame the other is a total waste of time. Whatever happened and the reasons behind it, should never happen again. It takes two to fight/argue and unless it is self defense, both are at fault. Both schools need to accept responsibility, both schools need to make sure it dosen't repeat, even if the consequence is the two schools never play each other again, or take an "agreed" upon leave of absence from one another. I was in the gym with my family and I was quite embrassed by the behavior of both schools (Teams & fans).I enjoyed how competitive the game was but all of the other crap it totally unacceptable and not enjoyable to witness.

That said, good luck to all this Saturday and into the ODAC tourney.

Exactly. That game was one of the best I had seen in a long time at any level

[tigerfanalso]

Brian

I've already posted about the officials and how they allowed the game get out of control and I agree with you.
Another poster suggested that I stop complaining and stick to football. I doubt that person was in Fleet this past Wednesday night. Bottom line, everybody has an opinion but the ODAC needs to do better. The very best officiating crew should have been there Wednesday night and I doubt they were. Enough said.

[Tigerfan]

I'll chime in and agree that Wednesday was great ODAC basketball and theater.  Everyone got to holler at the horrible refs, and the Marlins did what the Marlins do (that is purposefully vague, so your interpretation depends upon your viewpoint).  There were things that each team did on the court that were very impressive.  I loved how the Fish attack a zone with laser precision always resulting in a good open shot.  I loved how the Tigers quickly attacked the press and trap, resulting in layups and at least one dunk.  The other team had a lot to do with the mistakes that were made.   For every move by one coach and team, there was an effective countermove by the other.  I wish the players would have treated each other and the game with respect at its conclusion; they deserved it.  I still left Fleet with a smile because I just saw something special.

TFA, Leon Hargrove is a good point guard, but at the end of the game Mike Murray was impressive, although a little lucky at times.  I was most impressed by his ability to beat his defender off the dribble.  Marlin guards have always been very quick and good defenders, so I thought that was remarkable.  We haven't had a point guard with Mike's skill set in a long, long time. 

[Pat Coleman]

I've just looked at the ODAC archives.  The 2000 Tiger team is the only one to finish undefeated in-conference over the past 21 years.  There have been three or four 1-loss teams, but there have also been at least 2 years during the past 21 when the #1 seed in the ODAC tournament had only a 13-5 record.

I wonder how that compares to the WIAC, UAA, NESCAC, and CCIW. 

It is nice to see the ODAC now included on a regular basis in discussions of the strongest 5 conferences in the country!  The ODAC started to get some attention in 2003, when the Tigers made it to the Final Four for the second time in 5 years, received more respect when the Marlins were in the National Championship game two consecutive years (2006-2007), and the ODAC really began to be recognized as one of the strongest five conferences across the country in 2010, when 3 ODAC teams were among the Elite Eight, with both Guilford and Randolph-Macon going to Salem for the Final Four.

It's been 40 years since anyone ran the table in the CCIW. NESCAC, happened this year (and since they only play 10 conference games, safe to say it's easier to do so there). Don't know when the last time was anyone ran the table in the UAA, but neither of Wash U's back to back national champion teams did so. The last WIAC team to run the table was Platteville in 1998 (went 30-0 and won the national title).

[Old Dude]

Obviously some of the folks posting on this board have never seen or heard the Cameron Crazies when an opposing player is about to shoot a free-throw. Talk about raw, there you have real raw.  Emotions run high when two highly competitive teams hit the court.  Both teams were very physical, as you would expect.  The refs could have called it tighter, but everyone would be complaining about how the refs controlled the tempo of the game.  I was sitting next to a HSC fan that was complaining about the calls just as I was.  Both of us thought our teams got the short end of the stick with foul calls, but you know what-the calls were pretty close (VWC 21- HSC 20).  To criticize the student athletes (who by the way are the same age as those fans in the stands taunting them) is quite unfair. Just as the players should not leave the court under any circumstance, the fans should not come onto the court under any circumstance.  If you don't think the HSC student athletes or any other student athlete doesn't give back to the fans what the fans have been dishing out to them during the entire game after a hard fought victory, you don't watch a lot of competitive sports.  I heard the taunt from the VWC fans (all 100 of them) when the HSC players were at the line, but I also heard and saw the taunt and gestures from the 2000+ HSC fans. DO fans get carried away? Yes.  But if a fan is going to harass an opposing player when their team is up by 10, they better be able to be on the receiving end when their team lose the game by 1.  I don't condone flipping off the crowd, and I am sure if that happened the responsible individual will be reprimanded appropriately. For all of the posters and tweeters that keep referring to the players of VWC as thugs, I guarantee you have never once seen these players at school, walking in the mall, or at home with their families – They are just like your student athletes, doing what yours are doing, getting an education and playing a game they love as hard and competitive as possible.  Maybe if you all stop calling VWC students and fans classless and respect VWC and other teams that visit HSC, we wouldn't need escorts to the bus.  Respect your competition even when you lose and stop pretending you are so much better than them.   

[Tigerfan]

So the purpose of the escort is to protect the Marlins and control the home fans?  Well, you learn something new everyday; I thought it was the other way around.   

[Old Dude]

Well sir if that is the only take away you got from my post you missed the point in more ways than one.  No need to reply, I'm done.......  See all of you loyal ODAC fans in Salem.

[Tigerfan]

Aw, don't get butt hurt.  When your first post contains a lecture on how Tigers ought to behave, you should expect a little pushback.  I was just playing with you.  Some of my best friends are Marlins, really.  I even like thugs from Winchester.

[algernon]

This is a record of the ODAC Champions for the past 20 years.  I've included regular season champs/co-champs, with their conference records, given our earlier discussion of how difficult it is to go undefeated within the ODAC. 

1993 - Regular season champion: Emory and Henry (16-2)
#4 Virginia Wesleyan defeated #3 Randolph-Macon 70-61

1994 - Regular season champion: Roanoke (17-1)
#1 Roanoke defeated #6 Emory and Henry 103-83

1995 - Regular season champion: Hampden-Sydney (17-1)
#1 Hampden-Sydney defeated #2 Roanoke 65-55

1996 - Regular season champion: Roanoke (14-4)
#1 Roanoke defeated #3 Bridgewater 74-72

1997 - Regular season champion: Roanoke (13-5)
#5 Hampden-Sydney defeated #7 Lynchburg 102-70

1998 - Regular season co-champions: Hampden-Sydney (13-5) and Randolph-Macon (13-5)
#1 Hampden-Sydney defeated #2 Randolph-Macon 52-51

1999 - Regular season champion: Hampden-Sydney (16-2)
#1 Hampden-Sydney defeated #2 Randolph-Macon 73-61

2000 - Regular season champion: Hampden-Sydney (18-0)
#2 Roanoke defeated #1 Hampden-Sydney 69-63

2001 - Regular season co-champions: Hampden-Sydney (14-4) and Roanoke (14-4)
#2 Hampden-Sydney #1 defeated Roanoke 90-83

2002 - Regular season champion: Randolph-Macon (16-2)
#3 Hampden-Sydney defeated #1 Randolph-Macon, 55-48

2003 - Regular season co-champions: Hampden-Sydney (17-1) and Randolph-Macon (17-1)
#1 Randolph-Macon defeated #2 Hampden-Sydney, 48-47

2004 - Regular season champion: Randolph-Macon (16-2)
#2 Hampden-Sydney defeated #4 Virginia Wesleyan, 75-69

2005 - Regular season co-champions: Randolph-Macon (13-5) and Virginia Wesleyan (13-5)
#2 Virginia Wesleyan defeated #1 Randolph-Macon, 71-57

2006 - Regular season champion: Virginia Wesleyan (17-1)
1# Virginia Wesleyan defeated #3 Randolph-Macon, 81-78 (ot)

2007 - Regular season champion: Virginia Wesleyan (17-1)
#5 Hampden-Sydney defeated #3 Roanoke, 77-62

2008 - Regular season champion: Guilford (16-2)
#1 Guilford defeated #2 Virginia Wesleyan, 91-80 (ot)

2009 - Regular season co-champions: Guilford (14-2) and Randolph-Macon (14-2)
#7 Virginia Wesleyan defeated #8 Washington and Lee, 66-62

2010 - Regular season co-champions: Eastern Mennonite (14-2) and Guilford (14-2)
#2 Guilford defeated #4 Randolph-Macon, 81-65

2011 - Regular season co-champions: Randolph-Macon (13-3) and Virginia Wesleyan (13-3)
#2 Randolph-Macon defeated #5 Randolph, 68-43

2012 - Regular season champion: Virginia Wesleyan (14-2)
#1 Virginia Wesleyan defeated #6 Randolph, 65-61

2013 - Regular season co-champions: Hampden-Sydney (14-2) and Virginia Wesleyan (14-2) ... pending today's game outcomes ...

[algernon]

My picks for today, and tournament seeding implications for each game:

Hampden-Sydney @ Emory and Henry, 2:00 PM - A Tiger win will give them a chance for the #1 seed.  For Emory and Henry to get the #10 seed, they need to defeat the Tigers, while Roanoke loses at EMU.  Otherwise they're #11.
      
Shenandoah @ Washington and Lee, 2:00 PM - Washington and Lee will be seeded anywhere from #7 to #9 with a win, depending upon what happens with the EMU and Bridgewater games.  With a loss, they're definitely the #9 seed.  Shenandoah is #12, regardless of what happens this afternoon.
      
Randolph @ Randolph-Macon, 2:00 PM - This is for the #3 seed.  Randolph will be #4 if they lose.  RMC will be #4, unless Guilford beats Bridgewater, in which case they'd be #5 ... and would host Shenandoah on Tuesday before playing Guilford on Friday. 
      
Lynchburg @ Virginia Wesleyan, 2:00 PM - VWC gets the #1 seed with a win, but the #2 seed with a loss (assuming an HSC win at E&H).  Lynchburg would get the #5 seed with a win, and would be #5 or #6 with a loss (depending on whether Guilford wins or loses).
      
Guilford @ Bridgewater, 2:00 PM - This is the hardest pick of the day, but Bridgewater has already been beaten at home by Virginia Wesleyan and Eastern Mennonite.  A Guilford win could still leave them seeded anywhere from #4 (both RMC and Lynchburg lose) to #6 (both RMC and Lynchburg win).  On the other hands, a Guilford loss leaves them seeded #6 in the ODACs, even if Lynchburg also loses.  With a win, Bridgewater will be seeded #7 or #8, depending on whether EMU wins or loses.  With a loss, they'll be seeded #8 or #9, depending on whether W&L wins or loses.
      
Roanoke @ Eastern Mennonite, 7:00 PM - An EMU win will give them the #7 seed in the tournament, since EMU wins tie-breakers with BC (2 wins) and W&L (1 win).  However, a loss would likely leave them no higher than #8 (assuming a W&L win over Shenandoah) and could leave them as low as #9 (if Bridgewater were also to defeat Guilford).  A Roanoke win will give them the #10 seed for sure, but the only way that Roanoke finishes as low as #11 is if they lose to EMU while Emory and Henry defeats the Tigers, so they probably are going to get the #10 seed, regardless of what happens in this game.

[hasanova]

That's a lot of work, algernon ... thanks and +1. 

[algernon]

You're welcome, hasa ....

By the way, I'm more of a Quaker fan this year than usual, given that we have a Quaker All-American on our bench   ...

[Seatfiller]

My picks for today:
Randolph at Randolph-Macon, Randolph in a nail bitter, but this could defintely go either way

SU @ Washington and Lee, W and L in a blow out

Lynchburg at VWC, VWC in a blow out

HSC vs. Emory and Henry, HSC in a blow out

Guilford at Bridgewater, Guilford in a close one

Roanoke vs EMU, EMU in a blow out,,,not that fun being a Maroon fan now a days