ODACcess: Making a Splash in the Fish Tank (Randolph @ #15 Virginia Wesleyan)

Posted on January 13, 2014 by odaccess

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The sports world abounds with clichés. Often, these are used to impart narrative meaning to game performances, even if to do so requires forcing a square peg into a round hole. This is not one of those times.

As we noted in our last entry, the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins, carrying a number #15 national ranking and high preseason expectations, had a rough go of it in their loss at Bridgewater. Thus, the cliché goes, Coach Dave Macedo’s crew would be due for a bounce-back game against Randolph College. To say that the Marlins merely “bounced back” would be an understatement. The blowout we thought we would see in Bridgewater manifested itself in the Batten Center.

The Marlins team that showed up against the WildCats looked nothing like the bewildered and outhustled bunch that had lost three days before. First and foremost, they shot the three-ball with incredible precision throughout the first half. Against the Eagles, they managed only seven threes all game. The Marlins matched that mark in the first fourteen minutes, and didn’t stop there. By the end of the half, Wesleyan had made 12 threes in 20 attempts, which nearly equaled their number of attempts in their prior game. Even without sharpshooter Sedric Nady, and with another middling effort from star DJ Woodmore (8 point, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), Cameron Owens and Khory Moore more than equaled their offensive production, combining for 33 points.

Meanwhile, the Randolph offense struggled mightily. Some of this can be attributed to the loss of ODACcess favorite Zach Desgain, missing his third consecutive game after an injury early in Randolph’s loss to Staten Island. However, it’s unlikely that his 10.9 points per game could have made the difference. For over 12 minutes in the first half, the WildCats failed to score from the field, by which point, the Marlins had moved out to a 40-8 lead, and it was all over but the shouting.

But we’d be remiss not to mention the defensive effort of the Marlins. Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall would be proud: they played angry. After seeing the team “come out flat” in Bridgewater, Coach Macedo seemingly emphasized quickness on defense, and the team clearly took to it. They ran a full court press for most of the game, even after extending the game was far out of reach. By doing so, they managed a +9 turnover differential, including a shot clock violation. Every inbound pass seemed to take ages, and the Randolph offense never managed to get into a rhythm. One fan commented that this speed is a Macedo trademark, and it seems to be working: in his years at Virginia Wesleyan, he now has 300 wins to only 96 losses, and a national title to boot.

The importance of this team to its community of fans cannot be understated, and Coach Macedo clearly has a role in that. He was very emphatic about wanting to teach his players to “be Marlins,” and the number of former players who were in attendance speaks to the commitment they have to their alma mater. The fans we spoke to were incredibly committed to following their team. One fan expressed a belief that others thought Marlins fans were “mean,” but nothing in our experience in the Fish Tank would suggest that.

The second half was more competitive, but Virginia Wesleyan’s first half dominance had made it little more than a formality. Still, Coach Nunley had to take a modicum of solace from his bunch’s performance in the second half. While they still didn’t match up to the torrent of threes VWC unleashed in the first, they put up a respectable 31 points, shooting 45.5% from the field. More encouragingly, they forced played much better defense, and cleaned up the defensive boards. They were, however, still susceptible to the Marlins’ thievery, which I’m sure will be a talking point this week in Lynchburg.

—

Final: #15 Va. Wesleyan Marlins 75 (10-3, 3-1 ODAC), Randolph WildCats 65 (8-5, 2-2)
Player of the Game: Cameron Owens (Va. Wesleyan) (19 points, 5 three-pointers, and 7 rebounds)
Relive the game from our seats: check out our @ODACcess livetweets on Storify
Mileage Tracker: 861 miles
Next Stop: Emory and Henry at Guilford, January 15

Hoopsville: We need your help

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Dave McHugh

Hoopsville Logo To be honest, this is hard for me to do. I am not great at asking for help, but enough people have come to me wondering why I don’t do just that. And here we are: Hoopsville Fundraising Campaign.

Hoopsville is a passion of mine. It started off as simply a “why not?” and turned into so much more. I have those at D3hoops.com, coaches, administrators, fans, and of course the viewers (both die-hard and occasional) to thank for that. I never imagined back in November 2000 that in January 2014 the show would be such a part of my life and a part of the Division III landscape. I am still humbled by coaches and others who say how important the show (along with D3hoops.com and D3sports.com as a network) is to basketball and Division III. I am humbled when the Vice President for Division III at the NCAA always takes the time to respond to my questions and eagerly agrees to sit-down for an interview (we have now done several “State of Division III” interviews over the years). But more importantly, I am humbled by the support I received from so many people including my wife and children who know Daddy has to be in his office and work on his show and eagerly watch the show from just ten feet above my head.

So it is hard to say I need help.

Hoopsville deserves to be so much better and the viewers who watch the show deserve my best effort. I have huge plans, but have no ability to make those plans happen without help. We would love to take the show on the road more often during the season to places we have never traveled and to places and events that deserve to have a spotlight shined on them. There are computer, technology, and equipment upgrades we must do to keep Hoopsville not only progressing forward, but on the air. And if we want to travel, there are expenses in doubling-up our equipment and gear and with traveling in general.

Over the years we have gotten generous contributions from D3hoops.com and the National Association of Basketball Coaches that are more than financial. We have stretched these contributions as far as we could even bank some to keep in reserve if needed. Both entities continue to support the show and we are more than humbled by their generosity of whatever kind. But the time has come to see if those who say people want to help the show are actually right.

We have started a crowdfunding effort for the show. We have a lofty goal I think can be reached, but it is not an all-or-nothing campaign. We plan to use the money along with other contributions to buy a new production computer, replace aging equipment, upgrade technological needs, look for a better streaming partner for the viewers, have the ability to travel on occasion with the show (outside of the final fours and championships), and improve the overall experience of Hoopsville. Not all of these changes will take place by the end of the season, but we can implement many of them. It will depend on whether we meet our goal or even exceed it (nothing wrong with that).

Hoopsville is a regular sight in Salem.

There are perks for those of you who contribute. They include:
– Contribute at least $10 and we will recognize you on our special contributors’ page on our website (www.d3hoopsville.com).
– Contribute at least $25 and we will recognize you on our contributors’ page and publicly thank you on a future Hoopsville show.
– The first 15 to contribute at least $50: we will recognize you on our contributors’ page, publicly thank you on a future show, and send you a Hoopsville t-shirt by the end of the basketball season.
– The first 15 to contribute at least $100: we will recognize you on our contributors’ page, publicly thank you on a future show, send you a Hoopsville t-shirt, and I will wear your school’s shirt on the show while also interviewing the men’s or women’s coach of your choosing.
– The first 10 to contribute at least $250: we will recognize you on our contributors’ page, publicly thank you on a future show, send you a Hoopsville t-shirt, I will wear your school’s shirt on the show while also interviewing the men’s or women’s coach of your choosing, and give you the chance to appear on Hoopsville to talk about your team and why you love Division III basketball.

The campaign runs through Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, but this isn’t just something we will talk about. Coming up on Thursday, Jan. 30 we will do a super-sized show — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET — to celebrate Division III basketball. It will be the perfect way to gear up for the last month of the regular season and start looking ahead to the NCAA tournaments. We will have guests on from around the country and schools we may not normally talk with. We will hear from those who care passionately about Division III basketball and those who may have moved up in their careers, but have strong roots in Division III. It is a daunting show to pull off, but because we are asking something from you it is only fitting we give you something like this show in return.

So pass on this fundraising effort and let us know how much this show means to you. We certainly understand if you cannot contribute financially, but if you are able to spread the word to others that could be just as rewarding. If you have something you think you can donate to the show (there are many ideas and ways), then let us know as well.

And as we kick off this four-week campaign I want to make sure I say thank you. Just the support this show as received from the NCAA offices to conference offices to head coach and athletics offices to the fans and viewers who tune in has gotten us – and me – to this point. We have been on the air since 2000 and for 11 seasons (unofficially) and with your help I suspect we will be on the air for a long time to come.

For more on the fundraising campaign, click here: http://igg.me/at/Hoopsville/x/6029509.

Sincerely,
Dave McHugh
Creator and Host, Hoopsville

ODACcess: Beware Bridgewater (#15 Virginia Wesleyan @ Bridgewater (Va.))

Posted on January 10, 2014 by odaccess

BRIDGEWATER, Va. — We would like to begin this recap with an apology.

As the official car of ODACcess (a beat-up ‘04 Grand Am, RIP Pontiac) weaved in and out of innumerable Mack trucks on Interstate 81 en route to Bridgewater College on Wednesday evening, your hosts came to two seemingly logical assumptions about the game to come.

First, we’d see a blowout. The 15^th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan Marlins (9-2, 2-0 ODAC entering the night) boasted the second-best scorer in the conference in D.J. Woodmore, a sniper averaging almost 24 points-per-game with a three-point percentage over 50%. Their only two losses had come at the hands of #14 Christopher Newport and #17 Mary Washington, and both of those strong squads needed overtime to do it. The hometown Eagles (6-4, 1-1), meanwhile, averaged 18 fewer points-per-game than the visitors and lacked a premier scoring threat. This one would be over by halftime.

Second, we’d be nearly alone in the bleachers. People will come see a midweek game, on a cold early January evening, during the students’ winter break, against a vastly superior team? Hah! We’ll be able to count the crowd on one hand.

Wrong and wrong. Nostra culpa, Bridgewater players and fans. We misjudged you. It won’t happen again.

—

In a thrilling game from start to finish, an electrified, rowdy, and creative crowd propelled Bridgewater over Virginia Wesleyan, 78-65.

From the outset, the gameplan drawn up by Eagles coach Don Burgess was clear: push the pace, push the pace, push the pace. Their first three defensive rebounds were like carbon copies of each other: Tavis Stapleton pulls down a board, he outlets to a teammate streaking down the floor, and that teammate outruns whichever Wesleyan defender managed to get anywhere close to being in position before coasting in for an easy layup. Rinse and repeat.

Even from a set position, Bridgewater wasted no time. After noticing their NASCAR-like early pace, we randomly selected five offensive possessions to chart their tempo. In each, an Eagle shot with more than 20 seconds left on the shot clock, and they averaged just 12 seconds from start to shot. The team’s obscenely uptempo pace has apparently seeped into their fans’ subconscious: on one atypical possession, as Bridgewater set up its offense from the point with only 16 seconds to shoot, one yelled, “Do something with it!” (They would score before the clock reached single digits.)

The Eagles’ plan worked–they built a double-digit lead in the first 10 minutes, going up 22-11–but their speed advantage wouldn’t last forever. The Marlins countered with a full-court press, which succeeded in considerably slowing down the Eagles and disrupting their offensive flow, even if it failed to produce many turnovers. The visitors capitalized with an 8-2 run to pull within five. But the home side solved the press soon after, with a few tightly-whipped passes beating defenders in the backcourt and leading to easy buckets on the other end. They scored 11 of 16 points in the latter stages of the half to take an eight-point advantage, 37-29, into the locker room.

—

At halftime, we turned to two of the more boisterous Bridgewater fans seated near us to get a sense of just how well they thought their boys had handled the opening 20 minutes. First, though, we wanted to get a sense of why they, like the hundreds upon hundreds of others in attendance, had braved the cold to see the game. One of the gentlemen smiled. “Well, the coach is my son.”

Oh.

Well then, we asked the elder Mr. Burgess, does your son’s team always play so quickly? He smiled again. “Not always this fast, but when they run the floor this well, they’ve got a chance to beat anybody.”

That might be a stretch, but one thing is certain: running the floor well can have the effect of hyping up the crowd. And hyped they were. Oh, and did we mention they were creative? In between heckling the refs for every close call that didn’t go their way (and some that weren’t so close to going their way) and generally hooting, hollering, and cheering on their team’s offense, the student section found time to hurl some inspired taunts at Marlin shooters.

They warmed up with a melodic “Sed-ric! Sed-ric!” chant as Sedric Nady prepared to shoot free-throws. Their next target, senior forward Colby Heard, was greeted with a pithy “Why do you have shinguards!?” call. By the second half they were on fire, poking fun at Trent Batson’s hairline and, in perhaps their strongest effort given the stakes, filled Nininger Hall with a chorus of “Over-rated!” when Woodmore bricked one of several ill-fated three-point attempts he took that night.

—

Bridgewater led throughout the second, but despite a healthy margin on paper for most of the half, it felt like the favored Marlins could take control at any minute. They hung around, never letting the deficit extend beyond 13 and slowly chipping away until Heard posted eight straight Wesleyan points, backing up two old-school three-point plays with another couple of free-throws, to pull Wesleyan within five with six minutes to play.

Then the Eagles woke back up. Ed Reddick countered with an and-one of his own before Stapleton and Ronnie Thomas drilled from outside the arc to push the lead back to 14. VWC’s Khory Moore cut it to 10 at the 1:36 mark.

But any thoughts of a late comeback were quashed with a pair of free throws and an emphatic one-handed transition dunk by Aaron Adams, who picked Moore’s pocket and–appropriately, given one proud father’s halftime wisdom–ran the floor himself for the house-shaking slam. “That was a MAN’S dunk!” Mr. Burgess’s companion gleefully bellowed to us, as the crowd young and old came to its feet in unison.

—

Woodmore would finish with 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting, but five of those points came in garbage time. Tomorrow, we’ll trek to Virginia Beach to see if he and the Marlins can bounce back against Randolph College (and whether head coach Dave Macedo can earn his 300th career win). It will be our longest drive of this season so far, so we’ll need plenty of conversation topics to pass the time. We’ll hold off on prognosticating, though. Bridgewater taught us that lesson with a compelling performance on the court and deafening roars in the stands.

—

Final: Bridgewater (Va.) Eagles 78 (7-4, 2-1 ODAC), #15 Va. Wesleyan Marlins 65 (9-3, 2-1)
Player of the Game: Tavis Stapleton (Bridgewater) (19 points on 11 shots; 13 rebounds)
Relive the game from our seats: check out our @ODACcess livetweets on Storify
Mileage Tracker: 527 miles
Next Stop: Randolph College at Virginia Wesleyan, January 11

Dave’s Top 25 ballot: Week 5

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Dave McHugh

Well the holidays are over and the second part of the basketball season is starting. All of that combined makes this Top 225 ballot and the next few the most interesting. First off, voters end up learning a bit more about the teams when we have a couple weeks of games to consider over the holiday break. Secondly, when conference schedules really ramp up those teams that looked good in the first two months plus will either continue to excel or show their true flaws. This can be very rewarding to Top 25 voters when teams they think are good prove they are or very demoralizing when a voter has to feel like they have to blow their ballot up and start over (which happens to me at least twice a year).

This week’s ballot was full of questions and second-guessing for me. The bounty of games since the last vote helped me understand some teams better while at the same time revealed a major “hole” in the middle of by ballot. I have teams sitting in the 10-15 slot that I just don’t feel should be there, but someone has to occupy those ballot positions. Furthermore, I always find it hard to move teams up when they have lost a game, but this is the type of week where a loss can be easily outweighed by three or four wins or by what other teams are doing around them on my ballot. At least three teams moved up despite losing a game while another didn’t move at all. At the same time, some teams who lost a game feel further down than others and one team that didn’t lose any games still slide down.

Before we get to this week’s ballot, here is a look at what my Top 25 looked like for Week 4 which was posted on December 16:

1 – UW-Stevens Point
2 – Illinois Wesleyan
3 – Williams
4 – Cabrini
5 – Wooster
6 – Amherst
7 – St. Thomas
8 – WPI
9 – Calvin
10 – UW-Whitewater
11 – St. Mary’s
12 – Middlebury
13 – Wittenberg
14 – Wheaton (Ill.)
15 – Augustana
16 – Guilford
17 – Wash U.
18 – Virginia Wesleyan
19 – Wesley
20 – St. Norbert
21 – Eastern Connecticut St.
22 – Whitworth
23 – Stevenson
24 – Christopher Newport
25 – UW-Stout

Now to this week’s ballot:

1 – UW-Stevens Point (Unchanged)
Having now seen the Pointers in person, I am more convinced they are the number one team in the country. They have had battles against UW-Whitewater, St. Thomas, Whitworth, Whitman, North Central and UW-La Crosse in six of the last seven games and found a way to win. Even when Tillema isn’t playing well, Haas is. They have incredible role players that can step out when needed and they don’t panic (heck, Coach Semling stands during most games with his hands in his pockets even if the team is trailing late). This team kind of reminds me of the back-to-back championship teams who were lead by Jason Kalsow and Nick Bennett and that should give everyone pause.

2 – Illinois Wesleyan (Unchanged)
The Titans continue to win. They have a lunch pail mentality and blew through some teams during the holidays. This Titan squad looks better than last year’s team that nearly went undefeated in the CCIW.

3 – Cabrini (Up 1)
The Cavaliers just keep winning and they have one of the best players in the country in Aaron Walton-Moss who is playing the entire season this year. The Mid-Atlantic is also talking about the fact Cabrini may have once again brought in a key player during the semester break which could make a difference in the last three months (remember Walton-Moss’ impact two years ago?). The Cavaliers now enter a part of the season where they may not lose another game before entering the NCAA tournament. They do have a game to make-up, we hope, with Wesley which could be the only real challenge they see along with two games against Keystone.

4 – Wooster (Up 1)
I am not sure why Wooster decided to go to Arizona and play two NAIA schools, but they did and came out of the trip 1-1. I struggle to gauge a team that loses to an NAIA team because no matter how much research I do (and maybe waste) on NAIA teams, I don’t really trust what I am reading or understanding. Did the loss by two to Arizona Christian who is 13-1 show Wooster is that good? Or is Arizona Christian overrated? Ask ten people you will probably get ten different points of view. I moved Wooster up one spot because Arizona Christian is 13-1 after all and the Scots where playing them on the second of back-to-back days. Wooster looks good this season, but with two games against Wittenberg looming and a conference that includes Ohio Wesleyan looking to knock the Scots off… their season is really only beginning.

5 – WPI (Up 3)
The Engineers continue to win despite not having their best player the entire season, but I am nervous with them this high in my poll. The win after the break against cross-town rival Becker was a good way to get back into things, but their next five games are against the top of the NEWMAC (Springfield, MIT, Babson, Emerson, and Clark. I think the Engineers are going to be just as good as last year, if not better, but they have to get through these next five as unscathed as possible. Win all of them and my concern with them being this high will ease.

6 – Williams (Down 3)
Not the start I was looking for from the Ephs coming out of their holiday break. They won all of the games during the break, but they didn’t show me they are in sync. Only beating Washington College (3-7) by eight, Washington & Lee (4-7) by two and Hampden-Sydney (7-4) by two is not what I expect from a Top 5 or a Top 10 team. However, they didn’t lose so I didn’t slide them down too far. However, I now wonder if the Ephs are bit overrated.

7 – St. Thomas (Unchanged)
The Tommies only played one game in the last few weeks and it was against UW-Stevens Point… a game they lost by 13. Considering how well UWSP is playing and that at the time it was the second closest game the Pointers had played actually tells me more about St. Thomas. This is a group that has been playing very well for a number of years including knocking on the door of a championship game last season. St. Thomas may have lost a number of key guys from that squad, but they continue to find talent and play good basketball night in and night out. St. Thomas may surprise some people come the end of the season.

8 – UW-Whitewater (Up 2)
The Warhawks are up two spots thanks to their loss to UW-Stevens Point not looking too shabby and the fact they went 5-0 during the break though none of the teams jumps out on paper – Warhawks did dominate most of the games. UW-Whitewater is going to be a handful this season and after watching three WIAC schools in Vegas I am now very comfortable considering them a Top 10 team.

9 – Amherst (Down 3)
How do you read into a loss to Nova Southeastern which is a Division II school especially when the score is 105-101. Knocking the Lord Jeffs down three spots is hard when they are playing a higher division opponent, but the move down isn’t really about the Lord Jeffs as it is about the teams ahead and around them. I moved Williams down who I think is even or slightly better than Amherst and the teams around them I think have proven they are playing better basketball. Also, where was the defense for Amherst against Nova Southeastern? I still think Amherst is a Top 10 team, but I expected a better result against a 3-9 opponent.

10 – St. Mary’s (Md.) (Up 1)
Talk about a rough first half of the season. The Seahawks played some very difficult opponents and loss more than I expected, but they also showed they are going to be a tough team to beat. I think so voters knocked them too hard for their loss to Mary Washington, though the loss to DeSales is inexcusable. They recovered with a win in conference against a tough Marymount squad. I moved them up, though, based more on those who fell around them.

11 – Wittenberg (Up 2)
The Tigers just can’t be beat right now. They are steal rolling through opponents which you would expect considering their opponents’ records are not that great. However, I have said before that these are the kind of results voters are looking for when you play sub-par teams. Wittenberg looks good so far this season and will give Wooster a run for their money, but first they will have to deal with a resurgent Ohio Wesleyan squad.

12 – Augustana (Up 3)
I am worried I am buying in a little too much with the Vikings. 11-1 is a terrific start to the year and their wins over two WIAC schools was very good. Then they beat Carthage who is always tough. I like how Augustana is playing and making sure to finish games, but I will really get better answers when they face Illinois Wesleyan this week.

13 – Wash U. (Up 4)
I haven’t been that convinced about Wash U. this season, but they continue to win except for Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage. During the break they even beat Wheaton (Ill.) showing me they came back ready for the rest of the season. Of course, the UAA schedule lays ahead with a test against Chicago this week. Are the Bears for real? I don’t feel comfortable with the Bears this far up my poll, but this is also right in the area where I have teams far higher than I would like… because someone has to fill in these spots.

14 – Calvin (Down 5)
What is going on in Grand Rapids, Michigan? I know it has been brutally cold and very snowy, but to lose to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and by 16 just doesn’t add. I am not saying CMS isn’t a good team and yes the Knights were on the road, but if you are a Top 10 team… or even a Top 25 team… that is a game you must win. It was even a tight game against Redlands two days beforehand. Let’s see how the team responds against Alma as they enter conference action.

15 – St. Norbert (Up 5)
Honestly, St. Norbert is too high in my poll right now… but again, someone has to fill this spot on the ballot. The team hasn’t really played and beaten anyone of note except they played Whitewater and lost. Their conference isn’t going to really challenge them (except a team I am not going to mention), so I am going to have to be careful not to move St. Norbert up the poll in the coming weeks just because they are winning.

16 – Wesley (Up 3)
I would have moved the Wolverines further up the poll if they had a) played and beaten Cabrini (game was postponed) and b) I felt comfortable doing so. Wesley is having a surprisingly good season after losing one of the best players in program history… but that may be the reason they are playing so well. However, with a couple of games postponed and entering a tough CAC schedule… I want to see more from Wesley before I even feel comfortable saying they are a Top 16 team.

17 – Christopher Newport (Up 7)
The Captains make a major move up the polls thanks in part to who else entered my poll and how Christopher Newport’s opponents have panned out. The Captains have one loss to Emory and while John Krikorian says they need to still work on a number of things, they have beaten Randolph-Macon and Virginia Wesleyan while playing very well in their first ever games in the CAC. They do have Wesley looming thisd week, but at least their first battle with the Wolvernies this season will be in Newport News.

18 – Oglethorpe (Unranked)
I can’t keep ignoring the Stormy Petrels. While they haven’t beaten any big names most of the season, a hard fought victory over an underrated Stevenson squad certainly eliminated any excuses I had to keep them out of my poll. Now they enter conference play with the travel and two-games-a-weekend schedule. What I can say with certainty is that Oglethorpe has changed the complexion of the SAA. Most eyes have been on last year’s champion Centre and a resurgent Birmingham-Southern. Should those two teams continue to play well along with Oglethorpe… the SAA could have three teams in the NCAA tournament since all will be picked as Pool B selections.

19 – Whitworth (Up 3)
Here is another team that lost, but moved up. Of course the loss for Whitworth came against the number one team in the country in a game that was nip and tuck for the first 34 minutes. If the Pirates had been better managing fouls and their key players understood the officiating better, Whitworth would have been the first to push Stevens Point the full 40 and not their NWC brethren Whitman. Whitworth does suffer from a short bench especially in the paint, but I like what Coach Logie has going there and their game against UW-Platteville was masterful. The NWC is going to change the complexion of the West Region this year and in years to come just as the women have already done.

20 – Mary Washington (Unranked)
Admittedly, I have been very leery of any good start from the Eagles this century. They just never live up to the hype, expectations and start. However, Mary Washington doesn’t look like they are going away. Certainly I would love to have held out another week to see how they do this week in the CAC (Salisbury and Wesley followed by Christopher Newport), but when you beat two teams ranked at the time in the Top 10 (overall poll) you can’t keep ignoring one of the best starts in program history. Again, the CAC has turned into a surprising battle this year thanks to the play of Mary Washington and others. I look forward to see how this all plays out in the coming weeks.

21 – Stevenson (Up 2)
Another team with a loss who moves up… but they lost to Oglethorpe who I know have ranked ahead of them. I quietly inserted the Mustangs into my poll after they beat Alvernia to start MAC Commonwealth play. I see a lot of the Mustangs and think they are far better than advertised. However, I am not the only one starting to notice their play. They did blow a 20-point lead to Widener the other night before eventually winning the game 105-100… but it was the fact they scored 100+ plus in two of the last three games that made me take note. If Stevenson can win away from their own gym, the MAC Commonwealth and Mid-Atlantic Region are in for a major change.

22 – Virginia Wesleyan (Down 4)
Yeah, I know I am being harsh with the Marlins by moving them down four spots with a 2-1 record during the break. I am also very aware I moved other teams like Stevenson up despite losses. In fact, I am so aware of these facts that I nearly wore through an entire eraser because I was constantly moving Virginia Wesleyan and others around. The short answer is this: the Marlins are victims of other teams entering the poll and other teams shifting. Mary Washington beat VWC and moved into my poll this week – I can’t keep VWC head of UMW. Christpher Newport beat VWC and moved up, but I couldn’t find a spot higher up for Mary Washington. The Marlins are a good team, maybe surprisingly good considering how much they lost from last year. Are they better than 22nd in the country? Maybe… I would be hard pressed to argue against that line of thinking. However, there are a lot of teams in this area of my poll that can move around and I would have different answers depending on what decisions I make. For now… the Marlins are down to 22nd.

23 – Messiah (Unranked)
I told a Messiah supporter the other day I probably wasn’t going to put the Falcons on my ballot until they got through at least part of the next five games… and then they beat Guilford by ten (it wasn’t that close) on the road in North Carolina. This is the best start in program history and they have won some good games so far. The real test and the reason I wanted to wait is because they play Lycoming (home), Alvernia (home), Stevenson (away) and Widener (away) in four of the next five games. That is going to be a tough stretch, so I would lying if I told you I am nervous to put Messiah in my poll this week – but they are undefeated with a team that a few years ago everyone knew was too young.

24 – Middlebury (Down 12)
Even as I write this I worry I have treated the Panthers too harshly. Like many teams they only lost one game during the break. However, they go a month between games in which they barely beat Skidmore and then lose by 7 to Salve Regina (not a bad team, mind you) and I stated last month I was already fearful Middlebury was a bit too much smoke and mirrors. The loss to Salve Regina gives me more pause that I have been overrating this team despite watching them in two games at the beginning of the season. I still think they battle for the NESCAC, but I don’t think they have the pieces to win the conference.

25 – Wheaton (Ill.) (Down 11)
Another team where the reaction is I treated them too harshly. But, let’s be real… Wheaton has lost four games this season and while they are almost all against Top 25 teams… they are starting to prove they can’t win the big games. Of their wins, none are to Top 25 teams and their losses, albeit close, indicate they can’t close games out. Sure, there is something to be said that they are playing tough opponents, but to be honest they are losing to their tough opponents and beating the easy ones. That alone doesn’t qualify as a Top 25 team in many books. For now, Wheaton stays in my Top 25… but there are a number of teams on my pad for consideration that I will drop Wheaton for in a second.

Dropped out:
Guilford (Ranked 16)
I know it is their first losses of the season, but you can’t lose three in a row and expect to stay ranked. Virginia Wesleyan went through nearly this exact same scenario last season at this time. Guilford may right the ship and head into ODAC play as one of the better teams in the conference, but when you lose at on a neutral court twice and at home… I just can’t keep the Quakers in my Top 25.

Eastern Connecticut State (Ranked 21)
The Warriors traveled to Orlando and lost to both CCIW teams they faced: North Central and Carthage. Certainly, those are tough opponents and Eastern Connecticut lost by a total of four points, but with so many teams deserving a place on my ballot I have to make decisions some place. There isn’t much room to fall when you started 21st on my ballot. I will keep my eye on the Warriors especially in conference play.

UW-Stout (Ranked 25)
Another team that makes the trip to Florida and comes away with two losses. However, this squad losses by 12 to a Milikin team and by 22 to Plattsburgh State! Despite responding with a win against UW-Eau Claire, those losses are not what a Top 25 caliber team should be doing.

Teams I am consider:
I can’t get every team I want into my Top 25 and I won’t tell you this list every week, but with a break for the holidays and starting into conference play, here are the teams I have my eye on and thought about adding to my ballot:

– Babson
– Birmingham-Southern
– Brockport State
– Dickinson
– Marietta
– MIT
– Ohio Wesleyan
– Richard Stockton
– Springfield
– St. Vincent
– SUNY Purchase
– William Paterson

Dave’s Top 25 ballot: Week 3

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Dave McHugh

First and foremost, I apologize for not getting my ballot out last week. I got sidetracked with other items, though clearly it was not missed as no one called me out on it! So before we get any further, here is a look at my Week 2 ballot:

1 – Amherst
2 – UW-Stevens Point
3 – Illinois Wesleyan
4 – Williams
5 – Cabrini
6 – St. Mary’s
7 – UW-Whitewater
8 – Wooster
9 – Calvin
10 – Wheaton (Ill.)
11 – St. Thomas
12 – Middlebury
13 – WPI
14 – Wittenberg
15 – Hobart
16 – Wash U.
17 – Mary Hardin-Baylor
18 – Augustana
19 – Virginia Wesleyan
20 – Wesley
21 – Guilford
22 – Whitworth
23 – New Jersey City
24 – Catholic
25 – Stevenson

Now let’s look at Week 3… and there were plenty of questions to answer this week – namely who would be by new number one team. However, I also wondered if I already have teams too high in my poll and others too low. And I considered making significant changes to some of the positions of teams even if that meant jumping over a team who had a solid victory or two during the week. I ended up staying more conservative as I have been doing so far this year and didn’t make a ton of major changes… however, when I start thinking like this it usually means I am heading towards a complete overhaul soon – let’s just hope I can get to 2014 before I do that or it could mean several overhauls this season!

1 – UW-Stevens Point – UP 1
The Pointers are playing pretty good basketball and benefit from Amherst losing. I did consider making a drastic move with my #1 spot, but again decided to move UWSP up as they are undefeated and have wins over Edgewood and UW-Eau Claire. However, I am very well aware that they have a game with UW-Whitewater this week… so they may be in this spot for a very short period of time.

2 – Illinois Wesleyan – UP 1
The Titans continue to get the job done, despite the loss to Loras. IWU had an impressive win over Wash U. considering they have been banged up and had ten days off. They now have a week off before playing at Chicago who would love to knock the Titans off.

3 – Williams – UP 1
I am nervous with the Ephs this high especially after their early season loss to Southern Vermont (who has only one blemish since against a weaker schedule). It isn’t that I think Williams isn’t a good team… I just wonder if the NESCAC is really that strong at the top this season. Something I consider with other teams in my ballot. The Ephs are now off for several weeks, so I won’t be able to settle my uneasiness for awhile.

4 – Cabrini – UP 1
I actually thought about making a major move with the Cavaliers as at least one other voter did (as I write this), but I decided I needed to remain a bit low-key. Number-four is pretty impressive for this team who has been impressive on the floor. Having Aaron Walton-Moss on the floor all season is going to make a major difference for this team who easily handled their conference opponents this week. One key for voters with Cabrini this season will be how do they do in conference; not a win-loss thing, but a domination thing. If the Cavaliers dominate their weak conference, that will tell more then just going undefeated.

5 – Wooster – UP 3
I did make a big move with the Scots and moved them ahead of some teams because Wooster is clearly playing very good basketball. Wooster has failed to live up to expectations often, but the start to this season is worth noting. They have beat four teams who have been or are in the Top 25 or getting votes. In other words, they are beating good competition. They have another tough game against Wabash this week which will tell us plenty more before they head to Arizona for a few puff games.

6 – St. Mary’s (Md.) – Unchanged

7 – Amherst – DOWN 6
Did I expect the Lord Jeffs to go undefeated this season? No. I expected them to lose in conference to Williams, Middlebury or even Wesleyan or Tufts… but Emerson in the beginning of the season? And by 11? That isn’t what a number one team should be doing. That loss could haunt the Lord Jeffs with the voters for awhile.

8 – UW-Whitewater – DOWN 1

9 – St. Thomas – UP 2

10 – WPI – UP 3
Maybe the concern of losing their best player to season ending ankle surgery was premature. The Engineers have pretty much rolled through their opponents since losing to Castleton State (though, they had a tight game against Tufts). Granted, they should win those four games against a combined record of 6-26, but they also won by an average of 22+ points. WPI could be more dangerous without their best player.

11 – Calvin – DOWN 2
I thought about demoting Calvin even further considering they lost to Carthage and now have two blemishes on their record early, but Carthage is a good team after all. I am worried Calvin may not live up to expectations they set from last year and early losses could hurt them in what looks like a weak MIAA this season. However, I still think Calvin could be a team making waves in March.

12 – Middlebury – Unchanged
Here is another team in the NESCAC I am leary about where I have placed them. I know their losses are not bad ones (since I watched both of them), but I am not really sure they are a Top 12 team. I am going to continue to watch the Panthers though, I have to wait a month before I see them in action again.

13 – Wittenberg – UP 1

14 – Wheaton (Ill.) – DOWN 4
The Thunder are not winning the big game consistently early in this season. They beat Wittenberg but then loss to Loras and have followed up with losses to Wooster and Calvin. While those last two are not bad losses on paper, the fact Wheaton loss by 27 to Calvin is rather telling. If that had been close, Wheaton wouldn’t have fallen as far.

15 – Virginia Wesleyan – UP 4
I am clearly late to the party with the Marlins. The team is always well coached and always in the conversation, but I just felt they loss too much this season and until last week I didn’t even have them in my Top 25. However, in two weeks they have moved to #15 thanks to starting 7-0 and having a solid win against Lynchburg this week. If the Marlins can avoid that rough patch they had last season, they once again could be the class of the ODAC.

16 – Augustana – UP 2

17 – Wash U. – DOWN 1

18 – Guilford – UP 3

19 – UW-Stout – Unranked
The Blue Devils are off to a 7-1 start with their only blemish coming in the first game to non-D3 Mount Mercy and they beat UW-Whitewater this week as well. This could be the “other” WIAC program looking to be playing in March.

20 – Wesley – Unchanged

21 – Mary Hardin-Baylor – DOWN 4
I have been leary of how the Crusaders would do this season and their two losses so far (out of five games) is giving me pause: Southwestern (3-3) and Sol Ross State (3-1). I realize the Crusaders lost a good part of last year’s team, but they returned a good portion as well. Playing 22 games in conference could hurt UMHB this season and I think they need to start rolling through ASC play starting now or they are going to be in big trouble.

22 – Whitworth – Unchanged

23 – Eastern Connecticut – Unranked
I debated around five or so teams for this other open spot on my Top 25 ballot this week and they all had valid reasons. I finally decided on Eastern Connecticut because they are 7-1 with a win over Catholic and a loss to SUNY Purchase (who I am still debating what their start actually means). They have also dominated the other five of the other six opponents on their schedule and notched a good win against Rhode Island College.

24 – Catholic – Unchanged

25 – Stevenson – Unchanged

Dropped Out:

Hobart – 15th last week
I probably had them ranked too high to begin with, but I also knew the capabilities with this team under Coach Mike Neer. However, they dropped two games and didn’t look good doing it. I also ended up getting a text message from someone I always get tid-bits from in the East Region who simply said the Statesmen where not a Top 25 team. Let’s see how the team recovers and gets through the holiday break and reevaluate them in 2014.

New Jersey City – 23rd last week
They looked good early and have looked bad in their three straight losses, especially two in conference. There has been a lot of buzz about this squad, but they clearly have not figured out that every game is an important one. I will be cautious before jumping on the bandwagon again.