MBB: American Southwest Conference

[crufootball]

To start I have to admit I don't follow basketball that much so I am honestly asking this question without thinking I know the answer to this question.

How is UT-Dallas ranked so much higher than UMHB in the final regional rankings and poll when UMHB just beat them by 10 and only lost by 4 at the beginning of the season?

[Pat Coleman]

There was a significant difference in strength of schedule and I suspect UTD's two wins against Austin College (a regionally ranked opponent) helped boost them. The entire schedule is taken into account, not just the head-to-head split. Point differential is definitely not a factor.

[Pat Coleman]

Sorry, yes. But that still boosts the SOS and results against regionally ranked teams, having two extra games on the resume.

[Ralph Turner]

U.T.-Dallas split with Austin College.

UTD and UMHB split on the season as well.

As for results versus regionally ranked teams, UTD went 1-1 versus UMHB and AC.  (4 results)

UMHB went 1-1 versus UTD and 0-1 versus UW-Lacrosse. (3 results)

UTD had a better in-region record 22-4 vs 22-5.

Among common in-region opponents (basically ASC conference play), UTD went 18-2, UMHB went 17-4.  Adding the tournament, UTD goes to 20-3; UMHB goes to 20-4.

[Ralph Turner]

Final Score in the first round,  Wheaton IL 73 UMHB 58.

[Twright17]

My question is, why cant UT-D get a little credit for their accomplishments over the last few years? I know teams in the West have a more storied history but it is the guys at UT-D that are not only competing in the tournament but winning as well. I think UT-D is doing a great job putting the ASC on the map even though support from the conference seems nonexistent. UT-D run last year was marked with more comments about the opposing team instead of support for them. As far as I know only one other team the in men's ASC conference history has went as far them. Now they are embarking again on a similar journey yet no one on this board has said anything about it. UT-D may not have the flash that other teams have, nor the prestige but they are presently building a legacy for not only UT-D basketball but also for ASC basketball that hopefully people in the future will come to appreciate.
So i ask the question again, how is it UT-D has won the most games over the past two years, went further in the NCAA tournament, been nationally ranked, and now hosted and won a second round NCAA tournament game but people still don't give them the respect they deserve?

[cp1123]

Not sure why you think that the conference does not support UTD or why you think they aren't getting their due.  If you are referring to crufootball, he admits that he is not familiar with basketball and his question is not an illogical one: UMHB just beat UTD so why aren't they ranked higher?  That question isn't that absurd. 
Obviously, as Pat and Ralph explained, the body of work proved UTD  is the better team, as does this week's games.  Most would agree that over the span of the last 5 years UTD has been the best in the league. 

[Ralph Turner]

Twright17,

If you are counting the posting activity on these message boards as a proxy for team support by the conference, then I don't think that that is a fair evaluation.

If you analyze the number of posts that we have had this season on these conference boards, the ASC is way down.  Nobody posts anymore, from virtually any school.  The women's boards are silent after 3-5 years of vigorous banter among the west Texas fans.  The UMHB and LaCollege fans have not jumped aboard, yet.

As for team support by UTD fans, we had more vocal, if not more numerous, fan support from McMurry at the UTD game in December.  As a "commuter college" UTD has the challenge of getting support from its local students.  Those discussions have been had on the CCIW and other boards.

I am happy for UTD.  I think that UTD's personnel and style of play are the most capable of beating UWSP in the conference, especially the teams that were present at the end of the season.  I strongly believe that if they had Brandon Green and Jimmy Witten.  

You are right about UTD. Only the 2000 McMurry amd 2009 UTD teams have made the Elite 8.

Good luck and represent the conference well.


Please bring your friends to the message boards for all sports that Pat Coleman's sites provide.   

[dsc]

My thanks to UTD...for representing the ASC very well.  Proud of you!  Good luck in the future!

Sweet 16 is great!


HSU Cowboy fan...

[pistol pete 22]

Congrats to UT-Tyler ex Anthony Reese who left for Brazil this week to play professionally

[Gray Fox]

This was in the Dallas Morning News sports letters to the editor on March 21.

Real scholar-athletes

We want to extend our gratitude for your recent article covering the UT-Dallas Comets basketball team advancing to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 for the second year.

I admit we are better known for chess and debate, but we are very proud of this year's starting five and the excellent sixth man, who have maintained a GPA of 3.55. They are studying accounting, finance and engineering while meeting the demands of intercollegiate sports. They are mostly scholarship students who, with an average SAT score of 1,350, were awarded academic, not athletic scholarships (Division III does not allow financial support based on athletic ability). Five out of the six are academic all-conference players, and one was named an NCAA academic All-American.

These players were not expecting their performance to enhance their professional prospects and the university administration was not counting on balancing the budget with the television revenue. These young men played for the love of the game.

We will never appear above the fold on the sports page but appreciate your mention. We are Division III – Chicago, MIT, Cal Tech, Emory, Carnegie Mellon, Amherst, Rochester and 442 other NCAA colleges and universities that represent the truest ideals of intercollegiate sports and the scholar-athlete. A university is simply a reflection of its students and its students a reflection of their university. Today our university shines brightly from all these young men have achieved. We thank them so much.

— J. Michael Coleman, Ph.D.
Dean of Undergraduate Education
University of Texas at Dallas

Thank you, Dr. Coleman.

[Ralph Turner]

Congratulations to Centenary on joining the American Southwest Conference

Video links to comments by Dr Rowe, AD Tillich and Commissioner Carlton at the bottom of the article.

[JACKET84]

They really need to split this conference into 2 divisions, an East and West.  It's gotten too big.

[Pat Coleman]

It is in two divisions already.

[THE U - TD]

Just wanted to get the ASC topic rolling again.

This should be an interesting year for UT - Dallas. They have 2 starters returning strong from season ending injuries to play in their final seasons (Greene and Witten), who were both starters during the Comets 2009 Elite 8 run when they lost in a heartbreaker in OT to Guilford.  Also returning are players who had very important roles last season in Curtis Davis and Chris Barnes and will probably be taking over starting roles this season. They also have several players coming off the bench that know the offense and system well and should play a big role in the team this year. The Comets have a great returning core after losing 3 starters (Fleming, Eppink, Rodgers) from the 2010 Sweet 16 team. 

A big question this season will be how well a new point guard can step in and take over the offense.  There seems to be a good class of freshman as well as several transfers that will be able to contribute to the team this season.  Coach Butterfield is a great coach and knows how to recruit players that fit well into the system.  With such a large recruiting class UTD is hoping to solve the problem that came back to haunt them in the last two postseasons.  Depth.

UTD will be looking to host the tournament again this season and has a good chance to do so.  With the recruiting class that has come in, UTD looks like they may continue to be a force in the ASC for several years.

Potential Problem:
I am hearing of a scheduling situation that could cause problems.  Don't forget UTD couldn't host the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2009 because of scheduling problems in the gym, so it wouldn't be the first time.