Quote from: mwunder on October 23, 2025, 11:50:42 AM

Quote from: Gregory Sager on October 23, 2025, 11:34:07 AMCoaches' poll is out:

1. Carthage (8)	64
2. Illinois Wesleyan (1)	57
3. Elmhurst	41
4. Wheaton	37
5. North Park	35
6. Augustana	33
7. North Central	31
8. Millikin	16
9. Carroll	10

In the D3hoops.com preseason poll, Carthage was picked #8 and Illinois Wesleyan was picked #16.

https://www.d3hoops.com/top25/men/2025-26/preseason

I prefer being the hunter, not the hunted.  Still think we're too small for this ranking, but I look forward to seeing the athleticism, length (long is different than big), and maturity that this year's team will hopefully bring to the floor.

The thing with Carthage last year was that, despite not being that 'big', all the guys crash the boards well.  It's like a team where the taller players are more wings or guards than centers or power forwards.  More an NBA/D1 team style than a traditional D3, if you know what I mean.  It creates mismatches on offense and, as long as there isn't a monstrous big on the other team, they can cover it up on D.

Nesbitt has a number, so, with him back, that's a lot of talent on that team.  They listed the freshman, but only by weight, which is hilarious when you find out one of the guys listed is 6'7" and listed at 176 pounds.  I'll let you figure out who.

Carthage was down 31 points at one point and got it within one.  St. Norbert shot 77% from the field including 78% from 3 in the first half.  They were hitting everything.  Honestly, I thought Carthage could come back because there was no way that SNU could keep shooting like that.  Of course, Carthage did, but 31 is too big a hill and a couple of breaks would have made a difference.  Great season and glad to see Carthage back in the dance.  Next year could be really good too.  Steve and the men should be proud of this season, but realize there is unfinished business.

Quote from: GusD on March 07, 2025, 12:09:25 AMI think the major problem system teams usually face is that they seem to give up monumental numbers of open layups. Unless they shoot an astronomical percentage on their threes, the gimme layups on the other end often quickly overtake the number of points scored on threes by the system team. System teams always shoot quickly. It's part of the system doctrine. This means possible offensive rebounders are seldom yet on scene under the basket. When the shot is launched a defender takes off. The defender who rebounds then fires a deep pass to the flyer who has an uncontested layup or dunk.

I remember the game I saw at Carthage in 2006 that Grinnell would press, but even when Carthage beat the press, they kept trying to double team the guard with the ball.  Well, someone's open and it turned into a lot of open layups.  And, in the end, a so-so Carthage team (10-15 that year) beat Grinnell 135-125.

I think Arsenault Jr is tweeking his dad's system.  I haven't seen a game with him at coach, but the scores do seem lower.

Quote from: blue_jays on March 06, 2025, 11:46:05 AM

Quote from: bopol on March 05, 2025, 09:07:16 PMThe trouble with the system is that it doesn't work against good teams.  They won't panic, they have players that can bring it up the court in pressure and can make good passes and find the layup.  Hence, Grinnell will be competitive in their conference and against weaker competition, but can't get over the top.  It's a path to take a bad team to above average - a load of 17-8 seasons...but it won't make a Top 25 team.

I guess the coach is slowing it down a bit...this ain't the Grinnell you've seen in the past.

I remember a 2009 Grinnell game versus Wheaton. The Thunder won 130-109 and set a school single-game record with an 80% field goal percentage (52 of 65). Tim McCrary scored 32 points on 13-of-15 shooting, Kent Raymond scored 31 points on 10-for-13 shooting, and even the offensively-challenged Jake Carwell scored a career-high 25 points on 12-for-14 shooting.

Yeah, sometimes the best part of the "System" games is the opposing box score. Like having a role player suddenly has 30 points on 15 for 16 shooting.

The trouble with the system is that it doesn't work against good teams.  They won't panic, they have players that can bring it up the court in pressure and can make good passes and find the layup.  Hence, Grinnell will be competitive in their conference and against weaker competition, but can't get over the top.  It's a path to take a bad team to above average - a load of 17-8 seasons...but it won't make a Top 25 team.

I guess the coach is slowing it down a bit...this ain't the Grinnell you've seen in the past.

Quote from: HoopsDad34 on March 03, 2025, 11:14:12 AM

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on March 01, 2025, 10:50:26 PMMary Washington wins the most undeserving AQ. Gosh I hate the C2C.

Why the hate for the C2C? UMW beat a good Salisbury team (16-10 and Top 100 in Massey) and then a very strong CNU (#13 in Massey after the loss) to win their championship. UMW has a Top 20 SOS and lost to RM (#4) by 4 and Hampden (#8) by 5. Fly Eagles Fly!   

Probably that 13-14 record and making the tournament with it.

Yep, looks like it.

And Cal Lutheran really blew that game.

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on March 02, 2025, 05:10:26 PMhttps://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/men/2024-25/boxscores/20241130_z933.xml?view=boxscore

They actually just played each other this year and it wasn't as crazy as you may think.

I'd say 101 3PAs is pretty crazy. 

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on March 01, 2025, 08:21:42 AMBoth Grinnell and Greenville are in their conference finals. One or both could make the NCAAs today.

Monmouth, the #1 seed in the MWC was upset by Lake Forest. Spalding, who tied Greenville atop the SLIAC was upset by Webster. Could this be the year for the System teams???

Since Grinell and Greenville both made the tournament, can we just make them play each other for the hilarity? I figure we'd end up with a score of 212-208.

Quote from: y_jack_lok on March 02, 2025, 09:17:51 AM

Quote from: Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) on February 27, 2025, 11:00:24 AMI've talked to Merkel, not about him moving to D1, but about D3 coaches doing it in general, and he said, "the only benefit is the money," referencing all the other headaches that come with contemporary D1 basketball.  So, I suspect, so long as he and his family are happy and comfortable in Ashland, he'll probably stick around.

I'm sure that quote "the only benefit is the money" is true for Coach Merkle. But other former D3 coaches now in D1 might thrive on the perceived negatives of coaching at that level. I think of former RMC coach Mike Rhoades, now at Penn State. He must have a kind of personal ambition that allows him to deal with the pressure of being a D1 coach, especially in the Big 10. It seems he very intentionally charted a post-RMC path (assistant at VCU, head coach at Rice, head coach at VCU) to get to where he is now.

I'd say that a person that knows themselves well enough to know where they will be happy is a lucky person.

Congrats to IWU for winning the CCIW tournament.  Awesome D yesterday.

Trinity TX losing to St Thomas wouldn't be a bad loss, but there is so little room for error, I do think you're right - they would drop below Va. Wesleyan.

Potential Bubble Busters Left:

* St Norbert: Wisconsin Lutheran is in, so a St. Norbert win would bust a bubble.
* CMS: Cal Lutheran is in, so a CMS win would bust a bubble.
* Trinity: St Thomas (TX) is in and I don't think Trinity can take a loss, so that would bust another's bubble.
* Johns Hopkins: Franklin and Marshall is in, so..

Those watching the games tomorrow:
#35 Chicago
#37 Gettysburg
#38 Gustavus Aldophus
#40 Va. Wesleyan

Trinity of Texas is #39.  Been an interesting year.

Looks like Guilford just played their way into the tournament.  Could ODAC really get 5 bids?

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on March 01, 2025, 05:00:45 AMI wonder if there will ever be a time when conferences start to rethink who gets their Pool A bid. It looks like everyone who has a conference tournament awards the winner the AQ instead of the regular season winner. There's always a few every year and it seems like more this year.

I still think there would be value in the conference tournament for some conferences even if the winner doesn't get the AQ. Winning 2 or 3 games still would boost the NPI numbers etc. I've always felt a team that grinds through 12-16 games throughout the year is more deserving of a bid than a team that gets hot for 3 games.

This has been a discussion among 1-bid conferences in D1 forever.  Nothing has changed.  I doubt it will change in D3, though I agree with your point.