MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[hasanova]

I guess the triptophan (sp?) worked its magic on the gurus in WEEK 2 as we were a collective 50-48...ouch!

Close steely, but I think it's tryptophan - but then I may also be too sleepy to spell correctly!   

[algernon]

Congratulations to VWC on a fine win streak - and to AU for breaking it.  Averett's a good team.  I saw them last year versus Guilford in Greensboro - and the Quakers have to go to Danville in a month or so!   Here's a story about the VWC game on Averett's website:

http://web.averett.edu/athletics/display_story.php?id=754

Averett appears to be an extremely good team.  Their record is now 4-0 and they've broken the nationally ranked #1 VWC Marlins' 29-game win streak and handed the #29 HSC Tigers (3-1) and the Washington & Lee Generals (3-1) their only losses of the season.  If Averett was an ODAC team, they'd have a nice hold on 1st place, with the first round against the Marlins and the Tigers out of the way.

In the newly released d3hoops Top 25, HSC has dropped from #21 to #29 this past week, as a result of the loss to Averett.  VWC's ranking has not changed, because the voting was done before the loss to Averett.  If the voting were done today, I expect that Averett would move into the Top 25 -- somewhere between #10 and #20 -- and that the Tigers might move up into the very bottom part of the Top 25 with them.  Virginia Wesleyan would drop to somewhere around #10.

Check out the story at http://www.d3hoops.com

[Rikki_Tikki_Tavi]

Wow what a great win for the Cougars! Congrats to VWC tho on a fine win streak, better it be broken now than in March!!

[PA Royals Fan]

EMU defeats Ferrum.  Here is a link to the article  http://www.emu.edu/athletics/news/?id=1294 and the box score http://www.emu.edu/athletics/basketball-m/2006_2007/emumbb04.htm

[hasanova]

OK ODAC fans, what sort of record will win the conference regular season this year?  Personally, I don't see another 17-1 as VWC had last year.  I believe the Marlins are vulnerable and some other teams are already strong or have improved.  My guess is 15-3 tops.

[stillfamily]

EMU had a huge win on the road... a very athletic Ferrum team, but not very disciplined....Tough test for EMU this weekend as they face Greensboro!!!!!

Tuesday, November 28     
Randolph-Macon at Christopher Newport------CNU
   
Wednesday, November 29       
Greensboro at Guilford---Guilford     
Salisbury University at Virginia Wesleyan----VWC   
Lynchburg College at Averett University----Averett       
   
Thursday, November 30     
UVA-Wise at Emory & Henry---EH   
     
Saturday, December 2     
Valley Forge at Bridgewater   --BC
Eastern Mennonite vs. Greensboro--EMU   
Hampden-Sydney at Emory & Henry---EH   
Lynchburg at Guilford---GC
Washington & Lee at Randolph-Macon--RMC   
Roanoke at Virginia Wesleyan  ---VWC 
       
Sunday, December 3     
Greensboro at Bridgewater   --Greensboro
Eastern Mennonite vs. Valley Forge---EMU
Roanoke at Randolph-Macon   ---RMC
Washington & Lee at Virginia Wesleyan---VWC

[Brian Hamilton]

Tuesday, November 28     
Randolph-Macon at Christopher Newport
   
Wednesday, November 29     
Greensboro at Guilford   
Salisbury University at Virginia Wesleyan   
Lynchburg College at Averett University       
   
Thursday, November 30   
UVA-Wise at Emory & Henry   
   
Saturday, December 2   
Valley Forge at Bridgewater   
Eastern Mennonite vs. Greensboro   
Hampden-Sydney at Emory & Henry   
Lynchburg at Guilford
Washington & Lee at Randolph-Macon   
Roanoke at Virginia Wesleyan   
       
Sunday, December 3   
Greensboro at Bridgewater   
Eastern Mennonite vs. Valley Forge
Roanoke at Randolph-Macon   
W&L at VWC

[jdubyadubya]

Ouch and double ouch! The VWC - Averett game was the most painful thing I've ever listened to. The Marlins got so close but when your gun fouls out with 3 points that pretty much tells the story. Talk about being a marked man - they were all over Adair. Balenga got tested last night and it sounded like he lost his cool when he gestured to the 'Blue Crew" who were chanting "over-rated." While I feel sorry for Coach Macedo he now has this behind him-- the inevitability of losing one soon. I agree with the other posters that this is going to be one of the most interesting seasons we have seen in a long time.

[hasanova]

Ouch and double ouch! The VWC - Averett game was the most painful thing I've ever listened to. The Marlins got so close but when your gun fouls out with 3 points that pretty much tells the story. Talk about being a marked man - they were all over Adair. Balenga got tested last night and it sounded like he lost his cool when he gestured to the 'Blue Crew" who were chanting "over-rated." While I feel sorry for Coach Macedo he now has this behind him-- the inevitability of losing one soon. I agree with the other posters that this is going to be one of the most interesting seasons we have seen in a long time.

jww- VWC, for better or worse, will be everyone's "big" game this year.  Sometimes a loss such as this can be used as a teaching and motivational tool and I'm sure Macedo will do that.  Is Balenga's action what prompted the late Technical foul mentioned in the game story? 

[jdubyadubya]

hasanova - it was a bench foul and a real bonehead move at that point because it put the game out of reach after the made free throws.

[hasanova]

hasanova - it was a bench foul and a real bonehead move at that point because it put the game out of reach after the made free throws.

Reading between the lines, that's what I gathered from perusing the game story and the scoring sequence.  As you well know, part of the chemistry for great teams and great players is being able to handle that sort of adversity in unfriendly environments.   These college guys are, after all, only 18-22 and sometimes their emotions get the best of them.  Even "professionals" don't always handle it with aplomb - ask Michael Vick.   I'm absolutely sure Coach Macedo will address this subject privately with the attention it deserves.  If other teams and their fans see they can be rattled, rest assured they'll try it too.  VWC is a very good team, but Averett is a very hostile environment and they are a good team.  That, as you also well know, is a very volatile combination.  Peace

[Jacketlawyer]

I was wondering if anyone had scouted CNU for tonight's game against R-M.  I know the Captains are 2-2, with one of their losses being a narrow one to VWC.  Say, one point, I believe.

And yes, I know it's early in the season!!  But would someone care to, uh, speculate??

[Rikki_Tikki_Tavi]

FYI if you cant make it to the CNU/RMC game tonight, go to http://athletics.cnu.edu and they have a link up for live stats and the internet broadcast.

[Jacketlawyer]

FYI if you cant make it to the CNU/RMC game tonight, go to http://athletics.cnu.edu and they have a link up for live stats and the internet broadcast.

You are the MAN.  Thanks for that link!!

[Rikki_Tikki_Tavi]

Ill give you a little insight into the Captains. They have a solid group of six players and are a little thin on the bench.

PG: Barton, a sophomore, runs the team, and had back to back double-doubles this past weekend. He can shoot from the outside or create scoring opportunities off the dribble and he's not afraid to catch the defense sleeping and drive coast to coast. He's averaging 20 points, shooting 50% from the field, 46% from long range and 86% from the line.

SG: Selden, a senior, and the heart of the team. He sank three FTs in the championship of the USA South tournament last year to force OT. Averaging 15, shooting 40% from the floor, 50% from downtown and 93% from the line.

SF: Riley, a senior, vocal and emotional player. Averaging 7 ppg and 6 rpg. He's better on the blocks than he is from outside 12 feet. More of a banger, rough and tough SF.

PF: Lewis, another senior. Quiet player, can score at will when he wants too. Tends to shoot alot of 5-10 foot fade-aways. But when he's on, he's usually unstoppable. Averaging 17 ppg and 7 rpg. Shooting 56% from the field and 86% from the line.

C: Blasingame, finished in the top 10 in blocks/game last year. He knows how to rebound, he know's how to score and he know's how to create scoring opportunities for the rest of the team. At 6-8, he can plug some holes and force the opposing player to change his shot.

Off the bench. The main man is Theo Baker, a frosh, g/f. Averaging 12 pp, shooting 49% from the field and is a threat to score from the outside. A very exciting young player to watch. Also, Ron Spears has some potential as does Justin Kraut. Both can come in and give some good minutes.