MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ziggy]

I'm surprised to see Albion still ahead of Calvin in this week's top 25.  I can't really find a justification for it other than the distance in the polls between the two last week.  Calvin obviously benefited from the win by jumping 6 spots to #13 but Albion only fell 3 spots to #11.  Albion really hasn't been hurt in the polls by their loses.  Since February 1, they are only 3-3 and went just 1-3 against Calvin and Hope this season.  #11 seems a bit high.

[KnightSlappy]

I think the fact that Calvin is 2-0 vs. Albion is enough to put Albion behind Calvin even if only by one spot.

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I didnt realize but apparently Olivet College is still very active in DIII wrestling, despite being dropped from the MIAA many years ago.  They just won the team competition at the Midwest Regional.  Maybe they should wrestle the Knights on Wednesday instead of playing Basketball.

http://www.ncaasports.com/wrestling/mens/recaps/d3_midwest/2006

[sac]

Calvin has simply won the games they needed to win. 
I have tremendous respect for Hope, and their team, however, they wouldn't be stuck @ 5 in the region if they had played and beaten more highly rated teams.   The other option is just playing the MIAA in region,  and winning the MIAA, but they didn't even do that with all their talent.

.......they wouldn't be stuck if a last second shot didn't go in either.  

Thats the razor thin line that exists when you use mathmatical formulas to try and pick the "best" teams and not your eyes.

.......and by the way I don't think anyone can put Hope down for their pre-conference schedule, Wheaton, Carthage  didn't live up to expectations and really neither did Elmhurst.  John Carroll was a tournament team a year ago and probably would be right up there if Brandon Mimes their stud forward had played this year.   Whats Hope QOWI if these teams live up to their expectations.

Calvin can hang their hat all they want on those two D2 games in Colorado , but Regis is 11-14 and Colorado Christian is 9-16. Alma beat a D2 this year too.

[ziggy]

Calvin can hang their hat all they want on those two D2 games in Colorado , but Regis is 11-14 and Colorado Christian is 9-16. Alma beat a D2 this year too.

No one is hanging their hats on those games.  As a fan, those games mean nothing more to me than a nice trip home for Calvin's most prolific 3 point shooter, nothing more.  I think Calvin and Hope both did a fine job with preseason schedules.  Calvin got some good early experiece for their younger players but playing Ferris State, Cornerstone, and Aquinas.  Hope played some good names and took care of business.

[sac]

#11. Albion really hasn't been hurt in the polls by their loses. Since February 1, they are only 3-3 and went just 1-3 against Calvin and Hope this season. #11 seems a bit high.

This is the 3rd time they've lost when there was massive carnage in the top 25.  But honestly despite their 3 late season losses this is still a very good team.  Any team that plays D like Albion is capable of beating anyone and can compete with anyone.

I didnt realize but apparently Olivet College is still very active in DIII wrestling, despite being dropped from the MIAA many years ago. They just won the team competition at the Midwest Regional. Maybe they should wrestle the Knights on Wednesday instead of playing Basketball.

http://www.ncaasports.com/wrestling/mens/recaps/d3_midwest/2006

My High School up the road of Olivet was a 3 time State Champion in Wrestling in my years there and have won several more since.  Just about every High School in the area of Olivet is excellent in Wrestling......I imagine they benefit greatly from this.

Mason, Eaton Rapids, Jackson County Western, Jackson Northwest, Charlotte,  Lakewood, Springport,  are all excellent high school programs.  Though sadly my alma mater's is slipping.

[AndersDY]

No one else has taken note yet, but we are now a page longer than the NCAC board!

We have to widen that gap. Anybody got some baseless rumors to get the posts flying? Maybe Turner, VandeStreek, and VanWieren have a secret pact going to all announce their retirement after the MIAA tourney? Or maybe how VandeStreek is going to take a cue from Hope and start accepting D1 transfers. He's starting with Amadou Ba: after seeing how well the big guy can handle himself against the undersized white guys he'll see in MIAA competition, KVS figures he can bring in the next Brandon Crawford. 

I didnt realize but apparently Olivet College is still very active in DIII wrestling, despite being dropped from the MIAA many years ago.  They just won the team competition at the Midwest Regional.  Maybe they should wrestle the Knights on Wednesday instead of playing Basketball.

Some might argue that the MIAA officials are already allowing take-downs and head-locks on certain nights, so why not send out the wrestling team?

[sac]

Ba might be especially usefull at Kalamazoo or Albion . 

[ziggy]

Or maybe how VandeStreek is going to take a cue from Hope and start accepting D1 transfers. He's starting with Amadou Ba

Amadou does have another year of eligibility but he is returning to his native Mauritania after graduating this spring.  He really would look good in Maroon and Gold.  Amadou what I can, Amadou what I want.

[KnightSlappy]

Ba50

[AndersDY]

Actually surprised that everyone recognized Ba right away. The followup question of course is, how often would the MIAA refs have called that a foul on Saturday?

[Pat Coleman]

Question for Pat Coleman, SAC, David Collinge, Greg Sager, etc...

How can Hope, ranked 5th in the Feb 15 NCAA regional rankings with a 14-2 regional record, still have that same 14-2 regional record today (Feb 19) after picking up 2 wins last week? I know the game against TriState yesterday (Feb 18) "doesn't count" in the eyes of the NCAA, but the win last Wednesday against Alma (Feb 15) should have counted, which would now make them 15-2.

What am I missing?

***********
(to see the rankings)

http://www.d3hoops.com/dailydose/

A hah ... apparently Lakeland is a regional game and we didn't register it as such.

However, if that's true, it appears the Midwest rankings are wrong. Perhaps the Great Lakes knows something the Midwest doesn't.

This is not the case -- I checked Lakeland-to-Hope with the official software and it is 229. If there continues to be a discrepancy in this week's rankings I will bring it to the NCAA's attention.

[ziggy]

Depends, there was call against Bear DeVries this year against Trinity that he did not touch the guy (seriously, not a biased opinion) and they called him for using the body.  Worst call I've ever seen.  Other times guys get completely mauled and it doesnt get called.

[walawala]

I have to say that i'm a little dissapointed in the top 25.  As mentioned earlier, it is hard to make a case for Albion being ahead of Calvin.  It is also easy to dismiss Calvin when looking at the record alone.  The fact that early in the season they played some d2 games and NAIA teams with a growing young team seems to have marred there image in the eyes of the voters.  It doesn't matter because the only ranking that matters is the regional rankings before the selection, which Calvin should be at least second, and if they win out...you could make a good case for first.

[big_yellow_hat]

Don't get me wrong I enjoy looking at the top 25 rankings and I am sure a decent amount of work goes into creating them, but how much weight do the D3hoops.com rankings really have?  They aren't part of the NCAA selection process.

Maybe some of the D3 hoops big dogs could comment on this topic.  Do you know if the selection committee personnel like to frequent D3hoops or is the website considered an organization with no authority and legitimacy in the eyes of the NCAA.