MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Jameswys]

I think Alma might be playing one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in all of D3 this Winter

Agreed. I thought Olivet's looked tough with the defending DII national champ in December but I don't think the rest is as strong as what Alma has.

[Jameswys]

After I took another look at Olivet's schedule I have to rescind my previous comment. I think Olivet has the tougher schedule. They not only have the reigning D2 but the reigning D3 champ as well. I missed them the first time I looked. I'm not when a team played two of the three reigning champions in a season.

[sac]

The rest of Alma's schedule is stronger than Olivet's by a bit however. 

A few years ago I did a ratings formula for my blog, its been fairly accurate with the caveat that it relies on last years final massey rankings.  I usually go back at the end of the year an re-calculate for my own amusement.   So there can be some up and down.   Applying it to this year  I get:

On a scale of 100
Alma 99.1 to 95.5  (two tournaments with variable opponents)
Olivet  91.8


I consider anything above 80 pretty difficult.  Alma's schedule if they were to get WashU and River Falls in their tournaments is pretty insane.

These are both very very difficult schedules but I still think Alma's is slightly tougher on paper going in.  That might end up different at the end of 2019

[Jameswys]

Not being a basketball historian, does anyone know the last time a team faced two defending national champions in a regular season? Or is this a unique case?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Not being a basketball historian, does anyone know the last time a team faced two defending national champions in a regular season? Or is this a unique case?

Considering you have to play out of division to do it ... I'd call it pretty rare.

[sac]

(take two)

In 2015-16 Hope played defending D3 Champion Stevens Point and defending NAIA II Champion Cornerstone.  Other than that it will take some digging.

[HOPEful]

(take two)

In 2015-16 Hope played defending D3 Champion Stevens Point and defending NAIA II Champion Cornerstone.  Other than that it will take some digging.

They played both teams in 2014-15 too, the season UWSP and Cornerstone both went on to become champions. Hope actually beat Cornerstone that year. And promptly followed that great win up with a lackluster performance and loss to Aquinas the following day.

[sac]

The rest of Alma's schedule is stronger than Olivet's by a bit however. 

A few years ago I did a ratings formula for my blog, its been fairly accurate with the caveat that it relies on last years final massey rankings.  I usually go back at the end of the year an re-calculate for my own amusement.   So there can be some up and down.   Applying it to this year  I get:

On a scale of 100
Alma 99.1 to 95.5  (two tournaments with variable opponents)
Olivet  91.8


I consider anything above 80 pretty difficult.  Alma's schedule if they were to get WashU and River Falls in their tournaments is pretty insane.

These are both very very difficult schedules but I still think Alma's is slightly tougher on paper going in.  That might end up different at the end of 2019

Here's how the MIAA plugs in:

Alma 99.1-95.5
Olivet  91.8
Calvin  86.4
Hope  82.7-79.1
Albion 63.6-60.9
Trine 62.7
Adrian 59.1
Kzoo  52.7

I think the previous high I had was 89 for Alma a year or two ago.  Like I said anything above 80 is pretty difficult.  About 2/3's of Albion/Trine/Adrian/Kzoo schedules are actually pretty good, but they all have 2 or 3 bad opponents that really drag their rating down.  (for ex.  Albion could potentially play something called Ohio Midwestern)

[HOPEful]

...Albion could potentially play something called Ohio Midwestern...

I went to the google to try to find said something called Ohio Midwestern basketball and found it much more difficult that it should be.

[sac]

...Albion could potentially play something called Ohio Midwestern...

I went to the google to try to find said something called Ohio Midwestern basketball and found it much more difficult that it should be.

Tell me about it........

all I know is its in Sharonville, Oh.  North of Cincinnati

[AndOne]

Ohio Mid-Western College, founded 1972.
Formerly Temple Baptist College.
A National Christian College Athletic Association, and United States Collegiate Athletic Association school.
Joined the Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference of the USCAA in 2009, with an enrollment listed as being 200.
Most recent available information lists enrollment as being 11-50.
Appears to have closed or at least has stopped reporting data to any of the college reporting services.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ohio Mid-Western College, founded 1972.
Formerly Temple Baptist College.
A National Christian College Athletic Association, and United States Collegiate Athletic Association school.
Joined the Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference of the USCAA in 2009, with an enrollment listed as being 200.
Most recent available information lists enrollment as being 11-50.
Appears to have closed or at least has stopped reporting data to any of the college reporting services.

So Albion may be playing a school that may no longer exist?!  

Will they next schedule a football game against Calvin?

[sac]

Its the Bluffton Tournament that has Ohio Midwestern, the Beavers are scheduled to play them the first night
http://blufftonbeavers.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/schedule


Albion is playing Grove City the first night in Bluffton
http://www.gobrits.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/schedule

Perhaps Bluffton has the wrong school on the schedule?

[AndOne]

Yes, the Bluffton website is one of the places I looked at. There is really no current info on Ohio Mid-Western out there. At least not much that I can find. Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places?  But the thing that really makes you wonder is if you go to the Bluffton schedule, scroll down to the 12/28 and 12/29 games (the Bluffton McDonalds Tournament), and click on "preview" over on the right, you'll find the school logos for Grove City, Albion, and Bluffton, but not Ohio anything. Maybe Bluffton will be changing to a classic format? If not, it appears Ohio Mid-Western will materialize from space to participate. 

[Gregory Sager]

North Park got stuck playing Ohio Mid-Western in the Bluffton tourney one year. I'm not sure how that school keeps getting invited back for that tourney. The Ohio Mid-Western head coach must have incriminating photos of the Bluffton prez or AD, or something.