Liberty League Power Rankings (Week 4)
1. Hobart : (13-3 Overall & 8-1 in League, Movement: - ) 2-0 this weekend in the north country, Best Win: @ Ithaca by 10 , Worst Lose: @ Union by 5. 1/2 half thru the league & average margin of W by 13.3 PPG, clearly a cut above the rest.
2. Ithaca : (12-4 Overall & 7-2 in League, Movement: - ) 2-0 this weekend @ home, Best Win: RIT by 16 , Worst lose: @ Clarkson by 13.Have won 4 of their last 5 and probably kicking themselves for dropping one against Clarkson.This Friday they get another shot @ the Statesmen & it should be a good one!
3. RIT : (8-8 Overall & 6-3 in League, Movement: +2 ) 2-0 this weekend in the north country, Best Win: @ Union by 3 Worst Lose: Skidmore by 1 in OT. The Tigers have sneaked up to the 3 spot, looking at their results with a workman type manner beating the teams they should, and doing it in a different way then years past with a much slower pace.
4. Union : (9-6 Overall & 5-4 in League, Movement: - ) 2-1 this week, Best Win: Hobart by 5 & Worst Lose: @ Bard by 2. The Dutchman have won 5 of their last 6 & have a testing schedule ahead of them next weekend. (Skidmore & Ithaca Both Home)
5. Vassar : (5-11 Overall & 4-5 in League, Movement: +1 ) 1-1 this weekend on the road, Best Win: @ Bard by 7 & Worst Lose: SLU by 1. If the Brewers are going to make a run the time is now, next 3 games will be against the bottom half of the league going 3-0 will go a long way to making the conference tournament.
6. Bard : (6-10 Overall & 4-5 in League, Movement: +3 ) 2-1 this week @ home. Best Win: Union by 2 Worst Lose: @ RPI by 5. I mentioned last week how poorly Bard has been shooting, taking a snap shot of their last 3 games: Union (W) 47% , Skidmore (W) 33% , Vassar (L) 39% . its not perfect but its an improvement.
7. Skidmore : (9-6 Overall & 5-4 in League, Movement: -5 ) 0-2 this weekend on the road. Best Win: Union by 11 in OT Worse Lose: @ Vassar by 8. The spiral continues with no end in sight, taking a snapshot of their last 3 games they can’t score like they have been (67.6 PPG) & having trouble getting stops (78.6 PPG). shuffling down 5 spots is a lot, but i think i was perhaps giving them the benefit of the doubt the past few weeks that they could turn this around (which they very well may with the talent they have) and ranking them higher than i should.
8. RPI : (8-8 Overall & 3-6 in League, Movement: -1 ) 0-2 this weekend on the road. Best Win: Bard by 5 Worse Lose: @ Skidmore by 20. This is quite a skid for the Engineers 1-7 in their last 8. I don’t see it getting much better until their start scoring more 70+ points a night or holding teams down in the 50’s.
9. Clarkson : (6-10 Overall & 2-7 in League, Movement: -1 ) 0-2 this weekend @ home: Best Win: Ithaca by 13 Worst Lose: RPI by 11. The Golden Knights aren’t dead yet! I give them a sliver of hope here in the 2nd half 8 wins (6 more) in conference might get you that 6th spot in the tourney.
10. St. Lawrence : (3-13 Overall & 1-8 in League, Movement: - ) 0-2 this weekend @ Home, Best Win: @ Vassar by 1 Worst Lose: @ Clarkson by 28. I don’t foresee the Saints pulling out of this, It appears it will be small , moral victories from this point further and hoping that guys continue to develop and improve for next year.
Halfway thru league play I thought it would be a good time to do Best/Worst look. I feel confident with the top 2 & the bottom 2, 3 thru 8 I think anything can happen in the next 4 weekends.