MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I'd kind of like to see W&L in the ORV section because it would force the SID to figure if/when that has happened before. I know they had to dig for the last time W&L started 2-0 in ODAC play after the Guilford game. FYI... it was the late 80s.

We've got a whole archive to make that sort of thing easier.

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/men/archive

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ I think we'll see RMC get more votes than last week and maybe crack the top 25. VWU will likely also start to appear on some ballots, W&L probably not. Guilford started the season at #18 but only had a few points in the ORV group last week and will probably be off all ballots this week.

I should have included E&H with W&L as not likely to receive votes. Not because 5-0 isn't good enough, but because they don't have a history of being ranked or playing in the NCAA tourney, so probably not on any voter's radar yet, or if they are voters might want to see a couple more wins before including them.

[jknezek]

I'd kind of like to see W&L in the ORV section because it would force the SID to figure if/when that has happened before. I know they had to dig for the last time W&L started 2-0 in ODAC play after the Guilford game. FYI... it was the late 80s.

We've got a whole archive to make that sort of thing easier.

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/men/archive

Hmm... as a non-basketball guy I wouldn't have even thought to look. As a W&L guy, the answer is as I suspected. Never been ranked and doesn't appear on the spreadsheet. Maybe this season will break the duck...

[Pat Coleman]

D3hoops.com Top 25 trivia: A ballot was actually cast for W&L in the very first poll we ever did, the 1999-2000 preseason poll. And it was published that way. (On our first poll, it didn't occur to us that someone might make a mistake. We learned.) Turns out the person actually meant to vote for Franklin & Marshall. 

By the way, to the best of my knowledge, that person is still on the panel. There are only a couple, now that I no longer vote.

[jknezek]

D3hoops.com Top 25 trivia: A ballot was actually cast for W&L in the very first poll we ever did, the 1999-2000 preseason poll. And it was published that way. (On our first poll, it didn't occur to us that someone might make a mistake. We learned.) Turns out the person actually meant to vote for Franklin & Marshall. 

By the way, to the best of my knowledge, that person is still on the panel. There are only a couple, now that I no longer vote.

Yeah. Someone had to make a mistake on that one. I remember that winter sports season since it was my last as Sports Editor. The editors always took an emeritus position for the Spring seasons. That means I had the pleasure of sitting through a 9-16 Men's Basketball season and missed out on the 16-2, NCAA semifinal Men's Lacrosse team...

[CoachDT]

WOW...7-0 VWU only gets 4 votes in the top 25 poll.... I'm sure that will fire the Marlins up even more this week... Good luck to all ODAC teams this week

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

WOW...7-0 VWU only gets 4 votes in the top 25 poll.... I'm sure that will fire the Marlins up even more this week... Good luck to all ODAC teams this week

You want voters excited about beating up on an OPP% of 13-19 (.406) which includes wins over William Peace and Johnson and Wales (not the same team we have seen in the past). Also included, not-as-good Salisbury and middle of the road NC Wesleyan and Lynchburg?

I looked at VWC VWU. They fell in the same category of a lot of teams... need more information and see more results. With Averett (ODAC killer), Roanoke, CNU, and Mary Wash coming up this month... those questions will have better answers. I just wasn't pulling the trigger on the Marlins right now, nor any other ODAC team for that matter.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Side note - on my way to Greensboro this past weekend, I drove past Shenandoah as I do normally for the Roanoke Valley. The facility looks terrific from the outside. Lights were on, so you could see the dramatic look. A little boxy a building, but certainly impressive for how quick it was built and put into use.

I'll get a better look at it a week from today... well maybe. Not sure if my travels that day will take me via Winchester or not.

[noonhooper]

If you go through Winchester, Dave, stop at Chop Stick for some Thai food and the best Key Lime pie in the valley! (humble (pie?) opinion of someone who grew up in the area)

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

If you go through Winchester, Dave, stop at Chop Stick for some Thai food and the best Key Lime pie in the valley! (humble (pie?) opinion of someone who grew up in the area)

I would love to, but usually I am driving through pushing to the Roanoke Valley or home. I have a dear friend who lives a few hundred yards off my route and I haven't been able to find the time to stop and say hi. That said, I do want to see the new gymnasium (which I am told won't be in use for a few more weeks). If that happens, I will stop in at the Chop Stick. Thai food is something I do enjoy - if it isn't too spicy - and I am a sucker for a good Key Lime pie.

Thanks!

[Seatfiller]

Some good games tonight anyone got any predictions?

Roanoke at Randolph       7:00 PM   
William Peace at Washington and Lee       7:00 PM   
Methodist at Guilford       7:00 PM   
Averett at Virginia Wesleyan 7:30 PM   

[y_jack_lok]

Some good games tonight anyone got any predictions?

Roanoke at Randolph       7:00 PM   
William Peace at Washington and Lee       7:00 PM   
Methodist at Guilford       7:00 PM   
Averett at Virginia Wesleyan 7:30 PM

No predictions  but the most interesting game to me is Averett at VWU. Averett is 4-1 with all four wins against ODAC teams -- HSC, Guilford, Lynchburg, and EMU.

[jmill07]

WOW...7-0 VWU only gets 4 votes in the top 25 poll.... I'm sure that will fire the Marlins up even more this week... Good luck to all ODAC teams this week

You want voters excited about beating up on an OPP% of 13-19 (.406) which includes wins over William Peace and Johnson and Wales (not the same team we have seen in the past). Also included, not-as-good Salisbury and middle of the road NC Wesleyan and Lynchburg?

I looked at VWC VWU. They fell in the same category of a lot of teams... need more information and see more results. With Averett (ODAC killer), Roanoke, CNU, and Mary Wash coming up this month... those questions will have better answers. I just wasn't pulling the trigger on the Marlins right now, nor any other ODAC team for that matter.

Just a quick look at other currently ranked teams and wondering how "excited" pollsters were to vote them in.....No. 3 UW-Whitewater has won against teams with a combined 11-16 record, No. 4 Augustana's four wins are against teams with a combined 7-14 record, No. 5 Hanover has five wins against teams with a combined 9-17 record, No. 16 Skidmore has won against teams with a combined 11-22 record....so the ODAC's top teams aren't that different from the teams being ranked

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

WOW...7-0 VWU only gets 4 votes in the top 25 poll.... I'm sure that will fire the Marlins up even more this week... Good luck to all ODAC teams this week

You want voters excited about beating up on an OPP% of 13-19 (.406) which includes wins over William Peace and Johnson and Wales (not the same team we have seen in the past). Also included, not-as-good Salisbury and middle of the road NC Wesleyan and Lynchburg?

I looked at VWC VWU. They fell in the same category of a lot of teams... need more information and see more results. With Averett (ODAC killer), Roanoke, CNU, and Mary Wash coming up this month... those questions will have better answers. I just wasn't pulling the trigger on the Marlins right now, nor any other ODAC team for that matter.

Just a quick look at other currently ranked teams and wondering how "excited" pollsters were to vote them in.....No. 3 UW-Whitewater has won against teams with a combined 11-16 record, No. 4 Augustana's four wins are against teams with a combined 7-14 record, No. 5 Hanover has five wins against teams with a combined 9-17 record, No. 16 Skidmore has won against teams with a combined 11-22 record....so the ODAC's top teams aren't that different from the teams being ranked

You are forgetting some other details:
3 - UW-Whitewater, probably too high; I don't have them that high, but they are in my poll. Their potential coming back was pretty good, though they lost more than many realized.
4 - Augustana coming off a championship game appearance and basically the entire team returned. They also went two OTs against another Top 25 opponent (#18 Oshkosh at the time).
5 - Hanover, may be a bit high, but you are forgetting the teams they played and lost to (I don't leave out any non-D3s win or lose). They also have a win over a Top 25 opponent (Ohio Wesleyan) who was #16 at the time. Also, preseason first team AA.
16 - Skidmore, may have one of the best players in the country. Also, a team that has been pretty consistent in March the last few years. Have a big game against #2 Middlebury coming up.

In other words, there is more information that I am looking at and so are other voters. I just mentioned a few things that kept me from voting for VWU.

Furthermore, you are not taking into account that the ODAC has taken a step back in recent years and isn't as good on the national side as they have been in the past. The top of the conference is not as good for sure and VWU proved that last season. They then lost talent from last year's average team and haven't shown a lot to get excited about on the national scale right now.

Guilford was the team everyone was looking at nationally in the ODAC and they started 3-3. Randalph-Macon is on voter's radars and is getting points as of right now.

Again, VWU's schedule:
- William Peace
- Johnson and Wales (OT)
- Salisbury
- Apprentice School (Non-DIII)
- Lynchburg
- Greensboro
- NC Wesleyan

They have won, which is noted, but they have a lot to prove after last season's 19-9 affair (10-6 in conference) that ended in the ODAC semifinals.

I say it again - VWU fell in a category where I have a lot of teams off to good starts against average competition but nothing else to sway me. There are a LOT of teams in that category, which means I have a LOT of teams I am considering, but haven't done enough to put onto my, individual, Top 25 ballot (there are 25 of those ballots, btw). Heck, they were predicted to finish fourth in the ODAC by fellow coaches. We haven't really gotten into conference play, yet.

Beat Averett, I promise you voters will take note considering what Averett has done this season.

The kicker: I have considered Averett for my poll, but their victories over teams in the ODAC has only gone on to confuse me more... not make things more clear.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I'll be honest, the early polls (preseason and maybe week 1) are basically just who's bringing back guys from last year.  By week 2, there's a little bit of a resume, but not much.  VaWes is on my radar, for sure, but at this point, when so many teams are undefeated against weak competition, I do look at scoring margin.  Skidmore's good, proven, and really taking it to teams in ways they didn't even do last year.  I dropped Whitewater on my poll this week, simply because two of their best players aren't really playing.  With that situation up in the air, they're not as good as we thought pre-season.  I kept Augie at #2 because I watched the game against Oshkosh and they're playing well - maybe not February form just yet, but as good as anyone, for sure.

One of the things I've had to give myself permission to do as a voter is be wrong.  Early on, I felt a lot of pressure (from myself, mostly) to try and accurately predict the final poll with each successive one - I took losses or a string of them as failure.  I've changed my mind, for the most part - I try to just pick the teams I think are best at any given moment.  I'll give a little leeway for injuries, especially if we're sure the player will be back relatively soon, but I try to reward a team for what they've done so far and not play too much on potential.

It's not a science.  There are way too many deserving teams, even late in the year - you just make your best judgment and rely on the other 24 voters to balance you out.

You can always rest on the notion that everyone gets their chance to prove themselves on the floor.  Nothing depends on how I vote.

I was a little skeptical of the ODAC coming into the year, but the teams are proving themselves, even if the competition isn't superb just yet.