Great Lakes Region

[Ralph Turner]

Here's my Great Lakes regional RPI rankings (including this year's new home/neutral/road strength of schedule weighting as laid out in the NCAA handbook).

http://tomaroonandgold.blogspot.com/2011/01/peek-at-great-lakes-regional-rankings.html

It's easier for me to format the tables on the blog than it is using the forum table code here.

Spoiler: Olivet is #1.

You have corrected that pixel yellow-ization glitch in the software that we saw earlier around Calvin's name.

[sac]

Its going to be tough competition to host NCAA games from the Great Lakes Region, this looks like the strongest this region has been in at least the last couple years.

[KnightSlappy]

Its going to be tough competition to host NCAA games from the Great Lakes Region, this looks like the strongest this region has been in at least the last couple years.

Agreed. If you average the RPI (all D3 vs. D3 games) of the teams in each region, the GL comes out second behind only the West.

Not a perfect way to do it, but A way.

[kiltedbryan]

Its going to be tough competition to host NCAA games from the Great Lakes Region, this looks like the strongest this region has been in at least the last couple years.

I was already thinking about some upcoming games (ie. Wooster-Wabash, Marietta-John Carroll) as games that could be extremely important for gaining that #1 GL regional ranking and thus potential hosting rights.

With a stronger region, we may also see more teams overall in the tournament from the GL, or we may be able to see two different hosts in the GL who can geographically host teams from other regions. 

For example, a "northern" GL team, such as Hope/Calvin/Wooster/JCU could host a fairly "traditional" GL pod (with Hope/Calvin far enough west to draw a West Region team or two, and Wooster/JCU far enough east to draw from NY/Pennsylvania).

But Marietta or Wabash could host a very non-traditional GL pod because of their geography.  500 miles from Marietta would allow it to host almost anyone from Virginia/North Carolina/Maryland/Tennessee/Kentucky, and even a few from South Carolina.  500 miles from Wabash allows it to host most anyone from Wisconsin/Iowa/Missouri/Tennessee/Kentucky.

It's not that hard to see possibilities out there where one GL team would host an all-GL pod while another would host a pod with almost entirely out-of-region teams, if the GL teams are seen as strong enough at selection time.

[sac]

No doubt Marietta's biggest tests come next week when they host both Capital and John Carroll on back to back game nights.

Marietta could have a stranglehold on the OAC if they win both of those.

[ScotsFan]

No doubt Marietta's biggest tests come next week when they host both Capital and John Carroll on back to back game nights.

Marietta could have a stranglehold on the OAC if they win both of those.

I think we will find out if Marietta is for real after next week...

[KnightSlappy]

I know many have their own games tonight, but if not, you can watch streaming video of Calvin-Hope online: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/calvin.portal#

[kiltedbryan]

I know last year--I think it was sac--kept track of some of the upcoming key GL regional contests, which was very helpful for tracking developments and stimulating discussion across the region. 

Based on how conference standings look at this point, here's the upcoming NCAC and OAC games to watch:

1/8: #1 Wooster at #7 Wabash
1/12: Capital at Marietta
1/15: JCU at Marietta
1/19: Wabash at Wittenberg
1/22: Capital at JCU
1/22: Wittenberg at Wooster

[sac]

I know many have their own games tonight, but if not, you can watch streaming video of Calvin-Hope online: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/calvin.portal#

I've been meaning to get that started again, I just haven't had the time to do it.  Maybe this weekend.

[KnightSlappy]

Inserting some MIAA games:

1/8: #1 Wooster at #7 Wabash
1/12: Capital at Marietta
1/12: Olivet at Calvin
1/15: JCU at Marietta
1/15: Hope at Olivet
1/19: # 7 Wabash at Wittenberg
1/22: Capital at JCU
1/22: Wittenberg at # 1 Wooster
1/22: Hope at Albion
1/26: Albion at Calvin
1/29: Hope at Calvin

[kiltedbryan]

Rectifying the omission of Marietta's current ranking...

1/8
#1 Wooster at #7 Wabash
1/12
Capital at #24Marietta
Olivet at Calvin
1/15
JCU at #24 Marietta
Hope at Olivet
1/19
# 7 Wabash at Wittenberg
1/22
Capital at JCU
Wittenberg at # 1 Wooster
Hope at Albion
1/26
Albion at Calvin
1/29
Hope at Calvin

EDIT: Removed the HCAC games, per sac's reminder, below.

[sac]

The HCAC is in the Midwest Region, but good effort.

[kiltedbryan]

The HCAC is in the Midwest Region, but good effort.

This is definitely not the first time that I've screwed up classifying the HCAC.

[David Collinge]

We do have the Prexy AC, as well as half of the AMCC, but I don't have the time (or inclination) this morning to add their games.

[sac]

The HCAC is in the Midwest Region, but good effort.

This is definitely not the first time that I've screwed up classifying the HCAC.

Well they are part of the women's half of the Great Lakes, which ya know, makes perfect sense.