MBB: Landmark Conference

[saratoga]

Dmac:

There were several comments from you back in June & August inferring the Royals would have a hard time recovering from their late hire.
To me, it came off more as wishful thinking as opposed to a historical view regarding the cost of late appointments.
Correct, never stated last place but did write, "they botched this from the beginning & its going to cost them dearly".
Regarding any comment by me disparaging your alma mater...that was wrong & I do apologize.
As for the polls...they are very much an inexact science & at times, it's hard to believe any real thought goes into them beyond last seasons final record.
Obviously, many pollsters may take their review of the data far more seriously than others, hence the head scratching placement of teams from top to bottom throughout the year.
Again, my apologies.
Happy New Year.

[San Juan]

Dmac I agree with Saratoga;reply #588 date June 4th 2015 3.51 pm you stated (it has been a big cluster from the get go and you also stated Scranton is in big trouble)your words.By the way Happy New Year all

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I have been critical of what has happened at Scranton and I think most would agree for good reason. I have not once stated otherwise nor argued I never was critical. It took well over a year to get a new coach fully in place, it took two coaching searches (that we know of), a demotion of an AD, hiring a new AD, etc., etc., etc. I have been critical of what has been going on and I have stated I think it will hurt Scranton in the long run. Considering the facts in front of me/us a year ago and throughout the last year, I think those are fair criticisms to be had. However, I never for ONCE said the team would be in last place or would sink to the bottom of the league. I simple stated that by their standards, Scranton could be hurting themselves and could be in big trouble.

By Scranton's standards which are already rather lofty. Making the NCAA tournament and losing in the first round last year wasn't up to Scranton standards and was stated clearly by posters on these boards. For many schools... just making the NCAA tournament is something to be celebrated. I talked to a coach this past week whose team is around .500 - he stated they were having a horrible season. I told him there are hundreds of schools who would die to have his record with their schedule. He agreed they were horrible by the standards they have put in place for themselves. So by me saying they may hurt themselves... I have been talking about the standards and expectations they have put in place. I am pretty sure I have been clear about this as well in the past.

I also followed up several times that I did not think this year would be horrific due to the talent on board, but was concerned about years moving forward with the real questions about who was coaching and how fast could they get into the recruiting. It is a fact that the later a coach is hired in the year, the more they are focused on getting the season squared away than they are on recruiting - especially trying to get recruits they lost in the interim.

Now, I have also stated that hiring Dave Martin is a terrific move and that along with Trevor Woodruff shows a major step in a positive direction. It doesn't mean things might not be a little lean for Scranton in the coming years, but as I said in the past and will say again ... that is to be determined. If everyone was able to predict the future correctly, what would be the point in it all?

I still feel Scranton on the whole poorly handled the coaching situation with the women's team. There are plenty of facts to back that up including the fact they had to reopen the search when things went badly sideways on them in late Spring. There hasn't been a single person I have talked to in this region (and more specifically, off these boards) who thinks Scranton helped themselves in anyway. How Scranton recovers is the key and again, I have stated that Dave Martin and Trevor Woodruff hires may have been the right mix. But just for a moment imagine if those decisions hadn't been the way Scranton had decided to head in...

As for pollsters, trust me when I say if Pat feels any of them are not taking the job seriously, he will at some point find new pollsters. It isn't as easy as you think. There are basically 25 different opinions - which is why the D3sports polls tend to be far more accurate than many coaches polls who use far less voters (WBCA has eight voters - one from each region). You may not understand where teams are slotted, but that is based on your opinion. I may not understand where they finished, but again it is based on my opinion (one I make public). Unless you can specifically point at voters who are taking this more seriously and those who are not, it is just a sweeping generalization to say pollsters take it more seriously than others and that the polls are a joke. I understand you apologized, but in that you also stated it is an inexact science - it is an inexact science and when we look towards computer-based polls which is supposed to be more exact, we even find problems with them (do we have to talk about the FBS system prior to the playoffs?). However, I would say this... it isn't that often a team is poorly underranked who goes on to the final four let alone win a championship. It happens once in awhile (like UMHB getting to the title game unranked), but for the most part the teams the voters think are the best in the country... are the ones vying for national championships. Nit picking ninth or tenth and the like... isn't worth it in the grand scheme of things.

[CardsFan]

Well if anyone thought some kind of a corner had been turned by the CUA defense in the past few games and they would carry that forward for the rest of the season, those thoughts came crashing back down to earth today. CUA conceded 87 points to USMMA in a game where for long stretches the defensive effort was farcical. CUA could never hold onto a lead for more than a few possessions. What was a poor defensive 1st half only got worse in the 2nd, allowing USMMA to shoot 60% in that half.Whenever CUA would grab a lead, they would then get beaten down the floor by USMMA after made baskets and concede easy layups. 

The Cardinals are now giving up a shade over 84 points per game in conference play, wasting excellent offensive showings in each game, both from individual players and the team collectively. Bryson Fonville is averaging 25 ppg in conference play and he may have to keep that up just for CUA to hang in games, a frightening prospect with Scranton (2x), Juniata (2x), Drew (2x), and Susquehanna still to come.

[ronk]

 At this point I have 5(Scr,Sus,CUA,Drew,Jun)  battling 4 4 playoff spots with MMA having the best chance of breaking into this group. For games involving these 5 and winning on another's court(+1) or losing on your home court or to a non-contender(-1):
Drew - +1, Scr,Sus - 0, CUA,Jun - -1.
Feature games this coming week: Scr-Drew(TU), Sus-Scr(TH), Drew-CUA(Sat)

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Well if anyone thought some kind of a corner had been turned by the CUA defense in the past few games and they would carry that forward for the rest of the season, those thoughts came crashing back down to earth today. CUA conceded 87 points to USMMA in a game where for long stretches the defensive effort was farcical. CUA could never hold onto a lead for more than a few possessions. What was a poor defensive 1st half only got worse in the 2nd, allowing USMMA to shoot 60% in that half.Whenever CUA would grab a lead, they would then get beaten down the floor by USMMA after made baskets and concede easy layups. 

The Cardinals are now giving up a shade over 84 points per game in conference play, wasting excellent offensive showings in each game, both from individual players and the team collectively. Bryson Fonville is averaging 25 ppg in conference play and he may have to keep that up just for CUA to hang in games, a frightening prospect with Scranton (2x), Juniata (2x), Drew (2x), and Susquehanna still to come.

This is really staggering, to be honest. When I looked back at the last 17 or more seasons of Catholic basketball, they have had two seasons above 70 ppg defensively and they have come in the last three or four seasons with this year being the worst by far. Not sure what to say because I have no idea what is or isn't going on... but defense has always been a CUA mainstay, but clearly this year it isn't. They aren't going to win the conference (and if they do) do much in the NCAA tournament giving up that many points. Disappointing for a team that had some high expectations this season.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Hoopsville returns to the air after the holidays with plenty to talk about. Dave McHugh talks with coaches whose teams made some statements over the holidays. They include Wartburg and Capital women's programs along with the No. 17 Susquehanna men's program. You will also hear from a few coaches at this year's D3hoops.com Classic.

Watch Hoopsville LIVE at 7pm ET: www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2015-16/jan3

Guests include (in order):
- Bob Amsberry, Wartburg women's coach
- Dixie Jeffers, Capital's women's coach
- Frank Marcinek, No. 17 Susquehanna's men's coach

D3hoops.com Classic Interviews:
- UW-Stout's Eddie Andrist
- Calvin's Kevin Vande Streek
- possibly more

You can tune into the podcast after the show airs here::
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hoopsville/id1059517087

And don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/d3hoopsville

[Swish3]

I'm a little late, but nice win for the Royals against CNU, Scranton fans...I was expecting a little more from #50, given his physical attributes, but I thought the team as a whole was pretty solid.  Maybe they'll meet again in the NCAA tournament, if both teams make it that far...

[NEPAFAN]

I'm a little late, but nice win for the Royals against CNU, Scranton fans...I was expecting a little more from #50, given his physical attributes, but I thought the team as a whole was pretty solid.  Maybe they'll meet again in the NCAA tournament, if both teams make it that far...

Enjoyed the venue (from the stream) as well as the production on the video.

[Swish3]

Thanks, FAN...you should come down and see a game in person!

[Pat Coleman]

It is a really nice arena at CNU. I was never in the old place, but I know it was a huge upgrade at the time. I haven't been in the building in a decade but what I remember in my head still stacks up as one of the top basketball facilities in D-III.

[Swish3]

The Freeman Center was definitely a huge upgrade over Ratcliffe Gymnasium, although CNU's home court advantage took a bit of a ding...it was tough to beat the Captains at Ratcliffe during the Woollum era.  I think the best crowd/atmosphere I've seen at the Freeman Center was the first year it opened...CNU was playing William Paterson and Horace Jenkins for the right to go to the final four.  You were there, right Pat? 

[NEPAFAN]

Yes , looking at the video stream you get the feeling it is first rate and appears larger than it probably is.  Newport News is a bit of a hike Swish, but thanks for the invite!

[NEPAFAN]

What a game b/w Drew and Scranton ....Drew was up 20-3 at one point and Scranton took a lead into half time on a 60 foot buzzer beater by Boken. I think they finished the first half on a 33-11 run. If you have an hour and half to kill go find this game on the Drew Athletic Website archive. Who needs Oklahoma-Kansas when you have Scranton-Drew?

Scranton guts it out by 6 or so after giving the lead back in the second half.

[CardsFan]

Really strange game in DC tonight. CUA makes 18 threes, scores 101 points, wins by 34 and yet no one on the Cardinal coaching staff seemed too pleased about the game. It may not seem like it from the box score, but the defense was really poor again. Time and again E-Town got inside for easy lay-ups. The thing that really hurt E-Town was that they turned it over 20 times, many of them unforced.

Coach Howes mixed it up a bit tonight, going to more full-court pressure and substituting a ton. Fonville played a total of 9 minutes. No injury, just no reason for him to play much tonight. I'm glad Howes tried something different tonight, even though the results were mixed. We'll have to wait and see if tonight was a one-off or if he sticks with the new plan. He used several timeouts tonight getting on the team for defensive lapses and even went to some of the players at the end of the bench to see if they could offer anything.

Gonna be a long season or two for E-Town.