MBB: Great Northeast Athletic Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Let's remember... long trips could be a staple of playing in the NCAA tournament. If AMC can't make a long trip to beat St. Joe's... how can we expect for them to do the same say on the second weekend (or first) of the tournament against far better competition?

[GnacBballFan]

That me a good point dave, but it's also a team albertus handled easily with no Eian Davis a few weeks ago. Albertus record stands for itself, first loss in d3 this yr. St joes shot about 60 percent from three, while albertus didn't hit their threes. It happens. Williams lost to southern Vermont but is still in top 10. Albertus is one of the better teams in the nation, wins over purchase, New Jersey city, a close loss to D 1 central, and dominating in 14 of their 16 wins says just that. If everyone wants to think they are a different team now based off of their first loss against d 3 opponents so be it. We will see, it's gonna be a fun February. If coach Oliver gets on hoopsville again though, it be a great question to ask him

[pjunito]

Let's remember... long trips could be a staple of playing in the NCAA tournament. If AMC can't make a long trip to beat St. Joe's... how can we expect for them to do the same say on the second weekend (or first) of the tournament against far better competition?

Dave, I am not sure how you can correlate a road trip in the middle of conference play to one in the post season? I don't think anyone on these boards were making an excuse for Albertus losing (especially not the travel). On Thursday, 7 made a point that he remembers good Western teams having trouble with the travel to play USM and Albertus might feel some of the effects of that same travel from Soutern CT to Maine. However, that should be no excuse to getting dominated in every aspect of the game.

As I mentioned earlier, this Albertus team is the most talented Albertus has had under Oliver. Can they make the adjustments and get to playing a good brand of basketball before the GNAC tournament and beyond.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Albertus only drops three spots in the new top 25 after their first D3 loss this season. Currently ranked 19th in the country.

Interesting game tomorrow night for the Falcons. Curious to see how they bounce back against an Anna Maria team who certainly is having a down year. As we all know, this has never been the easiest gym for Albertus to play in but overall I think we are a far superior team and should bounce back nicely with a W.

I think the time off from Saturday till today essentially has been key for the Falcons. You could just tell by the way they played Saturday that they were just worn out and tired. After 2 grueling games against a Top 25 team followed by there toughest conference game of the season to date with JWU and then a long road trip to Maine against a well coached and seasoned team in St Joes, this rest was certianly needed.

Oliver is such a good coach, and I'm sure he realized that they needed some rest and I would think he gave them an off day of practice.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Due to the anticipated snowstorm for tomorrow the Albertus game vs Anna Maria has been moved to Thursday with a 6PM start time.

Kind of assumed this was going to happen. Is anybody planning on traveling to the game to see it live??

[pjunito]

Hey Junkie,

I won't be at the game, but Anna Maria has some good feeds last year. So, I will be watching it on the computer.

I think they beat Anna Maria, Anna Maria lost a lot from last year's team.

The top 25 means nothing now for Albertus. It is all about the regional ranking now.. The St. Joe lost really hurts and if I am correct, the Purchase game is not considered.

Rankings come out tomorrow.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Hey PJ,

I agree the top 25 means nothing now. I was just pointing out the fact they moved down. And I beleive you are correct about the Purchase game because they are not a regional opponenent. No doubt the St. Joe's loss hurts mightily but I still believe that they are a Top 5 team in the region. Your thoughts?

My top 5 in the NE Region are as follows. And I took a quick look at SOS and W/L in Conference and against Regional opponents:

1. Amherst
2. WPI
3. Williams
4. Albertus
5. Eastern CT

Again thats just my quick take with a brief glance at some numbers.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Purchase game is a regional game since it is 55 miles from each other's campuses. Thus they will count as a regional game in the eyes of the NCAA... but of course all games count as long as you play 70% of your schedule in region (17 games)...

[D3HoopJunkie]

Great news Dave, as always thanks for the insight!

[D3HoopJunkie]

Actually Dave do you care to expand on that a bit more. Am I the only one who finds it odd that there (purchase) is in the Atlantic region and yet for us (albertus) it will count as a regional game? Believe me, I am not complaining as any Albertus fan will tell you that is a huge victory when it comes to regional ranking for the Falcons. Just trying to learn a bit more about the system here and how that all works. I'm not too proud to say that I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to the entire Division III landscape abd how it all works. Call me a homer I guess!

Thanks

[7express]

Junkie a game is a region game if it counts one of these 3 criteria:

1) The schools are located 200 miles from each other using this website: https://web1.ncaa.org/TES/exec/miles
2) The schools are in the same geographic region as noted on the D3 page (i.e. Northeast, East, Atlantic, Middle Atlantic, South, Great Lakes, West & Midwest)
3) The schools are located in the same administration region as definined by the NCAA.  Those a bit more complicated and those administration regions are really weird (i.e Catholic in DC is in the same admin region as Maine-Presque Isle a school located about 1,000 miles north of it), but more of those admin regions is availaible on the FAQ link I think.
Also ALL conference games count as in-region, so that's how NYU & Brandeis games against Emory & Wash U count.
Also, it doesn't matter where the games played.  If Albertus & Western played in Berlin, Germany, the game would be still be in region because they are in the same geographic & admin region and less than 200 miles.

So, since Purchase & Albertus are less than 200 miles, that counts as in region. 
If Albertus ever schedule Maine-Presque Isle, that will also count as "in region."  The schools are more than 200 miles apart, but they are in the same geographgic region.
Maine-Presque Isle & Catholic are in different geographic regions, more than 200 miles, but because they are in the same admin regions, that game will also count as in region.
Now a game with Oswego would be out of region: more than 200 miles (322.4), different admin regions & different geographic regions.

Hope that helped a little junkie.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Wow!! Outstanding 7, thank you very much for the info. That certainly helps me out more than a little. Much appreciated.

And I must say Albertus vs Western playing overseas in Berlin Germany sounds pretty good to me LOL. Maybe we should get Coach Oliver and Coach Campbell on the board and propose the game to them LOL. Even though we aren't fortunate enough to get them to play each other anymore in the state let alone Berlin, what a shame. Watching Brooks and Askew and Oliver and Campbell go at it the last couple years was truely amazing and such a great in state rivalry. Its too bad its all over with.

Again thanks for the info.

[pjunito]

I own a Maine Presque-Isle t-shirt.

Has nothing to do with the GNAC or this board.. But, I wanted to let everyone know.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Very good PJ, I think how you came across one is the better question??  I have a UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs T-Shirt that I hold near and dear inspired from the movie Pulp Fiction.

[7express]

How did you guys a UMPI & UCSC t-shirt??  And the better question is.....where do I get one, lol??