MBB: Landmark Conference

[NEPAFAN]

Yep - for MMA it is a very easy thing to do... and ironically will finish their basketball schedule with the item they didn't like the most and partly why they are leaving the conference... back-to-back weekend games at their furthest opponent: Goucher and Catholic. Can't make this stuff up.

Didn't they think about that before the joined the conference? Any rumblings on replacing them or is the conference going to stand pat for awhile?

Yes, agree. If you were going to add  I would think it would be in the South Central PA area for ease of travel. York? Messiah ( no thanks in soccer).

I was surprised that they went to 9 2 years ago; maybe MMA told them they wanted to leave so they invited E-town in the interim; 8 is ideal and more compact for travel with E-town in the middle.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yep - for MMA it is a very easy thing to do... and ironically will finish their basketball schedule with the item they didn't like the most and partly why they are leaving the conference... back-to-back weekend games at their furthest opponent: Goucher and Catholic. Can't make this stuff up.

Didn't they think about that before the joined the conference? Any rumblings on replacing them or is the conference going to stand pat for awhile?

I was surprised that they went to 9 2 years ago; maybe MMA told them they wanted to leave so they invited E-town in the interim; 8 is ideal and more compact for travel with E-town in the middle.

The conference may have had gut feelings about MMA leaving eventually, but they did not indicate that when Etown was brought in. Etown's addition was not a preemptive strike as it where... it actually helps sports other than basketball with AQs. MMA did know the travel schedule, but wanted so badly to change conferences and such that they thought the grass was greener. Not the case. They are headed back to the Skyline as a result.

As for growth, the conference will remain pat from what I have been told and understood for the foreseeable future. That doesn't mean there might not be something down the road, but any rumors about growth can be ignored for now as they don't plan to shake things up for awhile.

[NEPAFAN]

Scranton vs Cabrini pushed back to Feb 15th due to storm..

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Drew at Goucher still on as scheduled for today. Men at 3; Women at 5.

[ronk]

 Goucher beats Drew today, helping the Royals

My personal standings for playoff contention:

Susquehanna - +2
Catholic        -  +1
Juniata              - 0
Drew               - -1
Scranton        - -1
MMA              - -2

Big games this week:

Drew-Scr       Wed
Sus-Catholic  Wed
Jun-Drew       Sat

Projected final standings

Sus              13-3
Catholic        12-4
Juniata          11-5
Drew             10-6
Scr                10-6
MMA               9-7

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Not a great flowing game between Drew and Goucher... probably didn't help we started 45 minutes late due to the fact there were no refs on site. (I believe that the assigner was told of the change to Monday... on Saturday... but in the craziness of the storm it is very likely it slipped through the crack. One of the refs actually slide into the game a few minutes into action - it was very nicely done). The teams just couldn't get into the flow and at least one, if not two of the refs had trouble as well. Just wasn't a great game... but it is what it is sometimes.

Goucher is learning to close out games - something they couldn't do against Scranton you might remember. They also played with a smaller lineup, Chris Outing didn't even suit up, playing to match up with Drew and their now smaller lineup as well (injuries).

Drew and Goucher are going to make things interesting the rest of the season. To what level is to be determined. But it was nice to get a game in this "weekend."

[NEPAFAN]

Not a great flowing game between Drew and Goucher... probably didn't help we started 45 minutes late due to the fact there were no refs on site. (I believe that the assigner was told of the change to Monday... on Saturday... but in the craziness of the storm it is very likely it slipped through the crack. One of the refs actually slide into the game a few minutes into action - it was very nicely done). The teams just couldn't get into the flow and at least one, if not two of the refs had trouble as well. Just wasn't a great game... but it is what it is sometimes.

Goucher is learning to close out games - something they couldn't do against Scranton you might remember. They also played with a smaller lineup, Chris Outing didn't even suit up, playing to match up with Drew and their now smaller lineup as well (injuries).

Drew and Goucher are going to make things interesting the rest of the season. To what level is to be determined. But it was nice to get a game in this "weekend."

Thanks for the recap forgot about the business man's special today...

[CardsFan]

Goucher beats Drew today, helping the Royals

My personal standings for playoff contention:

Susquehanna - +2
Catholic        -  +1
Juniata              - 0
Drew               - -1
Scranton        - -1
MMA              - -2

Big games this week:

Drew-Scr       Wed
Sus-Catholic  Wed
Jun-Drew       Sat

Projected final standings

Sus              13-3
Catholic        12-4
Juniata          11-5
Drew             10-6
Scr                10-6
MMA               9-7

If Cards finish 12-4 that means they'll only drop 1 of their final 8, which will include either a home win over Susquehanna or a season sweep of Scranton. Cards have 6 of their final 8 at home, which is great since they haven't lost at home yet. Very tough end to the season with their final 3 games being Juniata, Scranton, and MMA.

[ronk]

Goucher beats Drew today, helping the Royals

My personal standings for playoff contention:

Susquehanna - +2
Catholic        -  +1
Juniata              - 0
Drew               - -1
Scranton        - -1
MMA              - -2

Big games this week:

Drew-Scr       Wed
Sus-Catholic  Wed
Jun-Drew       Sat

Projected final standings

Sus              13-3
Catholic        12-4
Juniata          11-5
Drew             10-6
Scr                10-6
MMA               9-7

If Cards finish 12-4 that means they'll only drop 1 of their final 8, which will include either a home win over Susquehanna or a season sweep of Scranton. Cards have 6 of their final 8 at home, which is great since they haven't lost at home yet. Very tough end to the season with their final 3 games being Juniata, Scranton, and MMA.

The projections have each contender winning on their home court, therefore CUA beating both Susquehanna and Scranton and losing only @ Drew.

[saratoga]

Ok...
who's predicting the 4 teams in?

Use whatever formula you like, but all we need to know is who you think makes it & when the dust settles, we'll see where we're at.

1. Susquehanna (the most consistent team all year but...they have a long track record of fading before the finish line).

2. Catholic (the most talented starting 5. Just not enough interest in playing D up to this point).

3. Juniata (why not? Decent starting 5, had a great start to the season, good coach...can they win on the road)?

4. Scranton ( no logical reason for this choice. They've under-performed pretty much all year against decent teams. Team seems to lack leadership & passion. Perhaps talent alone & some wishful thinking might get it done).

[ronk]

Ok...
who's predicting the 4 teams in?

Use whatever formula you like, but all we need to know is who you think makes it & when the dust settles, we'll see where we're at.

1. Susquehanna (the most consistent team all year but...they have a long track record of fading before the finish line).

2. Catholic (the most talented starting 5. Just not enough interest in playing D up to this point).

3. Juniata (why not? Decent starting 5, had a great start to the season, good coach...can they win on the road)?

4. Scranton ( no logical reason for this choice. They've under-performed pretty much all year against decent teams. Team seems to lack leadership & passion. Perhaps talent alone & some wishful thinking might get it done).

That's the order I see if the Royals hold serve by defeating Drew tomorrow.

[CardsFan]

1. Susquehanna: (personally I don't think there's too much doubt they are the class of the league. Been blowing teams out consistently in league play. They're a two-point road loss from being undefeated. Maybe they drop another game or two with 5 of their final 8 on the road, but I'd be stunned if they don't finish 1st.)

2. Juniata: (if Catholic loses tomorrow and even if Scranton wins tomorrow they have a two-game lead for 2nd place. Best defensive team in the conference. They will have to close it out with a bunch of road games, but if they keep defending it shouldn't be a problem. I can't put Catholic in front of them with Juniata decidedly the better team in their head-to-head match-up.)

3. Catholic: (I don't have huge faith in my Cards here. 6 of their final 8 at home is a big boost. It's almost impossible to determine which version of this team will show up defensively. Any talk of Susquehanna having a history of falling off can be seen and raised by Catholic's numerous late season meltdowns. Their final 3 games vs. Juniata, Scranton, and MMA will make or break their season.)

4. Scranton: (only behind Catholic based on head-to-head. The Royals have the best player in the league and for all their faults are a pretty good defensive team. Road games at Susquehanna and Catholic are obviously huge. If they can steal one of those then they should be in good shape.)

I can see Juniata, Catholic, and Scranton finishing in any order between 2nd and 4th. Drew could sneak back into the conversation but I think their ceiling is just a level below the other contenders.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Drew is in trouble based on injuries. Drew is going to be a factor because they are well coached and a good team. Depends which one can overcome the other.

[NEPAFAN]

I don't disagree with anyone's playoff predictions. Can the Royals come out of the shoot with a little passion and intensity? Too Much To Ask?

[ronk]

 Goucher beats Juniata today, helping the Royals; Royals hang on to beat Drew; Catholic hot vs Sus; MMA beats #27 Trinity who is 5-0 in the highly-rated NESCAC but 0-2 vs Landmark teams. How about that, Dave McHugh?

My personal standings for playoff contention:

Susquehanna - +2
Catholic        -  +1
Juniata              - 1
Drew               - -1
Scranton        - -1
MMA              - -2

Big games this week:

Jun-Drew       Sat

Projected final standings

Sus              13-3
Catholic        12-4
Juniata          10-6
Drew             10-6
Scr                10-6
MMA               9-7