MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[rebeltiger]

Anyone know anything about any of the teams VWC, GC, and HSC will be playing?  I checked out Hood's website and it looks like their top 2 players are a 6 foot guard and a 6'8 forward.  I also note that it appears the program is only 4 years old!  I remember that Hood was a women's college, but suprised the program is so young. 

I guess there's hope for RMWC (or whatever they are going to call it) developing a legitimate men's program.

[tigerphil]

Rebel

The new name will be Randolph College, and it will be a few years before they can have an actual program, and I honestly don't think it will be a legitimate program any time in the near future if their present sports program is any indication of what the men's programs will be like.

[hasanova]

Anyone know anything about any of the teams VWC, GC, and HSC will be playing?  I checked out Hood's website and it looks like their top 2 players are a 6 foot guard and a 6'8 forward.  I also note that it appears the program is only 4 years old!  I remember that Hood was a women's college, but suprised the program is so young. 

I guess there's hope for RMWC (or whatever they are going to call it) developing a legitimate men's program.

First, RMWC is going to call itself Randolph College in a few more months.  Second, I do know a little about Averett and Manhattanville:

Averett, in Danville, VA, is another school that used to be all women, but has been playing men's hoops for over 20 years.  They were co-champs with Greensboro College at 9-3 in the USA South Conference and then won two in the conference tournament (they got the 1st round bye) to take the AQ.  This is their second straight 20+ win season and they snapped VWC's winning streak in Danville earlier in the season.  The Cougars were ranked as high as 11th in the d3hoops.com poll, but lost their first game to Guilford (by 5) in Danville and then went on a little mid-season slide while a couple of guys were hurt.  I believe they also defeated HSC this year, so they're certainly capable of winning at VWC.  I think it'll be hard for them to beat the Marlins twice in one season, however, so I'm giving the edge to VWC on Friday.

Manhattanville was co-champs at 13-3 in the Skyline Conference (metro NYC area) and won their conference tournament to get the AQ.  The Valiants were 23-5 overall, but their schedule looks a little weak to me from a national standpoint.  I think their game is dominated by guards, but they do have a 6'6" player and a 6'8" player on their roster.  This is their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1979, so there appears to be some buzz on their website.  The game's at a neutral site and it's just a hunch, but I would favor GC by a few points even though d3hoops.com has MC at #61 (.569) and GC at #62 (.566) in their RPI exercise.

[rebeltiger]

Phil-
Thanks for the knowledge.  I'm not going to complain too much if they aren't competitive for a while, with how competive the league has gotten.  

I remember a time when almost all the discussion on the board was centered around HSC and RMC....now look at the board and the league.  VWC and Guilford coming up large, Roanoke with its resurgence, Bridgewater still dangerous, E&H bringing some excitement and W&L improving.  EMU and Lynchburg have shown some real bright spots over the past couple of years and are much improved programs than they were a few years ago.

There was discussion a while back about HSC and RMC slipping a bit.  I think that's true to an extent, but I also think that the overall strength of the league has improved over the last few years.  Makes HSC's run to the title all the more impressive.  Any of our historians (Jim Loesel, Steely, where are you?) remember when such a low seed won the tourney?  I burned out too many brain cells to remember back very far, but my memory is telling me it's been a while since it wasn't one of the top 3.

[algernon]

hasa .... I agree that VWC and Guilford have the edge in their games.  I also think that HSC will have an edge over Hood, given the roll that they're on.

Having said this, I wouldn't be surprised to see any of these games go the other way.  There are clearly no games that couldn't go either way.

[algernon]

HSC was seeded #5 in 1997 when they won the tournament.  However, they were only seeded #5 with a 11-7 record because there were FOUR teams that were tied for 2nd, including HSC, and HSC ended up with the 5th seed.  The regular season champion that year had a record of only 12-6.

[rebeltiger]

Hasa-
Thanks for the info.  I read the bracket wrong earlier.  I did see Averett early this year at HSC and they beat the Tigers before Kaase got hurt.  They were very impressive...very fast and athletic.  I am sure VWC is going to be loaded for bear, but I bet they would've prefered a little bit easier first round foe.  Being defending champs, I would've thought the committee would've showed them some love and not put them up against a team that already beat them this year.

Reading around the site, it appears several folks are high on your Quakers.  I gotta believe a team that hasn't seen Strong is going to have a hard time dealing with him.

I'm glad they got the bid and I hope they take advantage of it.  While I obviously hope it's my Tigers, if they can't keep the run going, I hope VWC of GC makes a deep run.

[rebeltiger]

HSC was seeded #5 in 1997 when they won the tournament.  However, they were only seeded #5 with a 11-7 record because there were FOUR teams that were tied for 2nd, including HSC, and HSC ended up with the 5th seed.  The regular season champion that year had a record of only 12-6.

Thanks...your memory is certainly a lot better than mine.

[hasanova]

hasa .... I agree that VWC and Guilford have the edge in their games.  I also think that HSC will have an edge over Hood, given the roll that they're on.

Having said this, I wouldn't be surprised to see any of these games go the other way.  There are clearly no games that couldn't go either way.

I agree.  I don't know too much about Hood, but think the Tigers are definitely playing well right now.

[Pat Coleman]

Yes, we'll do the broadcast from Johns Hopkins.

[hasanova]

Hasa-
Thanks for the info.  I read the bracket wrong earlier.  I did see Averett early this year at HSC and they beat the Tigers before Kaase got hurt.  They were very impressive...very fast and athletic.  I am sure VWC is going to be loaded for bear, but I bet they would've prefered a little bit easier first round foe.  Being defending champs, I would've thought the committee would've showed them some love and not put them up against a team that already beat them this year.

Reading around the site, it appears several folks are high on your Quakers.  I gotta believe a team that hasn't seen Strong is going to have a hard time dealing with him.

I'm glad they got the bid and I hope they take advantage of it.  While I obviously hope it's my Tigers, if they can't keep the run going, I hope VWC of GC makes a deep run.

rebeltiger - Thanks.  I saw GC play about 10 or 11 times this year and certainly know they are a better team than they showed in the first half versus BC.  Kudos to the Eagles, however, as they played a triangle and two and effectively took Strong out of his normal game.  On a day the Quakers badly need Snipes to have a big game, he got 2 points and fouled out.  As the old adage goes, it's tough to beat the same team three times in one year.    I think the Quakers will have a good week of practice and make amends for their bad showing in their one and done ODAC tournament.  Good luck to the Tigers versus Hood.  Anything can happen, of course, but if things go as I think they will, HSC will be facing the Marlins again on their home floor at 7 pm Saturday night!

[hasanova]

Hasa-
Thanks for the info.  I read the bracket wrong earlier.  I did see Averett early this year at HSC and they beat the Tigers before Kaase got hurt.  They were very impressive...very fast and athletic.  I am sure VWC is going to be loaded for bear, but I bet they would've prefered a little bit easier first round foe.  Being defending champs, I would've thought the committee would've showed them some love and not put them up against a team that already beat them this year.

Reading around the site, it appears several folks are high on your Quakers.  I gotta believe a team that hasn't seen Strong is going to have a hard time dealing with him.

I'm glad they got the bid and I hope they take advantage of it.  While I obviously hope it's my Tigers, if they can't keep the run going, I hope VWC of GC makes a deep run.

I think the Marlins would've gotten an "easier" first round opponent if they hadn't faltered in the ODAC semifinals.  It's a mixed reward - VWC got their home floor, but I think they have a tough bracket.

[allsky7]

Anyone know anything about any of the teams VWC, GC, and HSC will be playing?  I checked out Hood's website and it looks like their top 2 players are a 6 foot guard and a 6'8 forward.  I also note that it appears the program is only 4 years old!  I remember that Hood was a women's college, but suprised the program is so young. 

I guess there's hope for RMWC (or whatever they are going to call it) developing a legitimate men's program.

First, RMWC is going to call itself Randolph College in a few more months.  Second, I do know a little about Averett and Manhattanville:

Averett, in Danville, VA, is another school that used to be all women, but has been playing men's hoops for over 20 years.  They were co-champs with Greensboro College at 9-3 in the USA South Conference and then won two in the conference tournament (they got the 1st round bye) to take the AQ.  This is their second straight 20+ win season and they snapped VWC's winning streak in Danville earlier in the season.  The Cougars were ranked as high as 11th in the d3hoops.com poll, but lost their first game to Guilford (by 5) in Danville and then went on a little mid-season slide while a couple of guys were hurt.  I believe they also defeated HSC this year, so they're certainly capable of winning at VWC.  I think it'll be hard for them to beat the Marlins twice in one season, however, so I'm giving the edge to VWC on Friday.

Manhattanville was co-champs at 13-3 in the Skyline Conference (metro NYC area) and won their conference tournament to get the AQ.  The Valiants were 23-5 overall, but their schedule looks a little weak to me from a national standpoint.  I think their game is dominated by guards, but they do have a 6'6" player and a 6'8" player on their roster.  This is their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1979, so there appears to be some buzz on their website.  The game's at a neutral site and it's just a hunch, but I would favor GC by a few points even though d3hoops.com has MC at #61 (.569) and GC at #62 (.566) in their RPI exercise.

     R-MWC officially won't become Randolph College until July 1st but they have already changed their web site and voice mails on campus. I agree that I doubt very seriously that they will be a threat any time soon in men's athletics.

[hasanova]

Rebel

The new name will be Randolph College, and it will be a few years before they can have an actual program, and I honestly don't think it will be a legitimate program any time in the near future if their present sports program is any indication of what the men's programs will be like.

Let's just say when the women's teams at most of the ODAC's coed schools play the Wildcats, it's often lopsided.  There are some exceptions, of course, but women's basketball is a good example.  If you examine the scores, even the middle teams in the ODAC standings will regularly beat RMWC by 25 or more.  I've said this before, but they don't seem athletically well-suited to the ODAC unless they make a stronger commitment to intercollegiate sports.  Adding men's sports, in my opinion, will only exacerbate the divide, at least in the short run.

[baselinejam]

Anyone know anything about any of the teams VWC, GC, and HSC will be playing?  I checked out Hood's website and it looks like their top 2 players are a 6 foot guard and a 6'8 forward.  I also note that it appears the program is only 4 years old!  I remember that Hood was a women's college, but suprised the program is so young. 

Hood played in W&L's New Year's Tourney. They lost a close one to Emory(who then lost to the Generals). They seemed undersized vs Emory but hung with them.