http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basket...asontype/2

Latest rankings have the Dukes receiving 0 votes this week. With a watered down CAA, its going to be hard for them to crack the top 25 the rest of the year.

Just win and don't worry about rankings

(01-12-2015 02:43 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  Just win and don't worry about rankings

Great advice if I was a player and had to maintain a mental toughness throughout the season...but I'm not.

Rankings give fans something to talk about, give our program the opportunity to be showcased nationally, and is something to be proud about when it's obtained.

Since this is a message board where we discuss such topics, I think I'll continue to "worry" about the rankings and the potential impact it has on the season.

Back to the topic...being ranked in the top 25 has a lot of influence when discussing seeding in the NCAA tournament, especially to mid-major programs that are not constantly in the spotlight. On paper, we should be favored to win every game and while winning out is improbably, its definitely possible. Finishing the season with only 2-3 losses would definitely allow us to knock on the door of the top 25 but once you're out of the rankings this late in the season, it will be hard to sneak back in.

(01-12-2015 02:41 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basket...asontype/2

Latest rankings have the Dukes receiving 0 votes this week. With a watered down CAA, its going to be hard for them to crack the top 25 the rest of the year.

I'd think they'd probably be top 25 if they win out in regular season....

(01-12-2015 03:47 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  

(01-12-2015 02:43 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  Just win and don't worry about rankings

Great advice if I was a player and had to maintain a mental toughness throughout the season...but I'm not.

Rankings give fans something to talk about, give our program the opportunity to be showcased nationally, and is something to be proud about when it's obtained.

Since this is a message board where we discuss such topics, I think I'll continue to "worry" about the rankings and the potential impact it has on the season.

Back to the topic...being ranked in the top 25 has a lot of influence when discussing seeding in the NCAA tournament, especially to mid-major programs that are not constantly in the spotlight. On paper, we should be favored to win every game and while winning out is improbably, its definitely possible. Finishing the season with only 2-3 losses would definitely allow us to knock on the door of the top 25 but once you're out of the rankings this late in the season, it will be hard to sneak back in.

That's fine and all but then you may as well prepare yourself to 'worry' about something for the remainder of the regular season. If JMU is getting ZERO votes at this point it is hard for the to see them cracking the top25 all season given there are no marquee games left on the schedule.

But they should be fine as long as they keep grinding away. Go thru the CAA regular season with one loss and should be fine for getting an at-large bid if they lose in the conference championship game --- which I doubt they will.

(01-12-2015 03:56 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(01-12-2015 03:47 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  

(01-12-2015 02:43 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  Just win and don't worry about rankings

Great advice if I was a player and had to maintain a mental toughness throughout the season...but I'm not.

Rankings give fans something to talk about, give our program the opportunity to be showcased nationally, and is something to be proud about when it's obtained.

Since this is a message board where we discuss such topics, I think I'll continue to "worry" about the rankings and the potential impact it has on the season.

Back to the topic...being ranked in the top 25 has a lot of influence when discussing seeding in the NCAA tournament, especially to mid-major programs that are not constantly in the spotlight. On paper, we should be favored to win every game and while winning out is improbably, its definitely possible. Finishing the season with only 2-3 losses would definitely allow us to knock on the door of the top 25 but once you're out of the rankings this late in the season, it will be hard to sneak back in.

That's fine and all but then you may as well prepare yourself to 'worry' about something for the remainder of the regular season. If JMU is getting ZERO votes at this point it is hard for the to see them cracking the top25 all season given there are no marquee games left on the schedule.

But they should be fine as long as they keep grinding away. Go thru the CAA regular season with one loss and should be fine for getting an at-large bid if they lose in the conference championship game --- which I doubt they will.

I agree with you. Glad we were able to have this discussion

Be Happy Dolly - we're #29 in the RPI. :-)

According to the RPI, we have 5 quality wins; UCLA, Pittsburg, American, Hampton, and Ohio. Pittsburg just beat UNC by 15, and also have wins against Michigan, and Ohio State. UCLA has beaten USC and they have just started the Pac 12 conference games. American has a quality win against Gonzaga. Hampton has a good win against Auburn. Ohio University has won a lot of games against weak competition.

Pittsburg and UCLA have many quality games left on their schedule. It will help if they can beat some more top competition. I hope American, Hampton, Ohio, Richmond and St Bonaventure all have good years since we have wins over these quality programs.

The strength of the Colonial RPI is 11th which is a lot better than the men's RPI 19th.

I am very happy with our position. Kenny plays a strong out of conference schedule and it will pay off in the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully, we can avoid playing a top 10 team on their home court.

FYI - This post was more about the bias the voters have towards mid-major programs than the idea that we don't deserve to be in the Top 25. I don't disagree with any of the comments above.

I think the team has played well this year, but if I was voting for top 25 with my head and not my heart I likely would not pick JMU in the top 25.

We lost soundly on a neutral court to UMD. We lost to Vandy who is receiving no votes. We've not beaten anyone that is receiving any votes. We've likely beat top 50 and Maybe even top 40 teams.

No bias in our case in my opinion.

Still believe if we win out in regular we'll be in the top 25.

CAA competition will not make us better.

(01-12-2015 09:16 PM)Dukeman Wrote:  CAA competition will not make us better.

TRUTH!


Wait..... Realtime RPI 1/12/15:
CAA - 11
MAC - 16
CUSA - 17
Slumbelt - 19

Wish we played in one of those better options to help the ladies improve.

(01-12-2015 07:03 PM)HMK Wrote:  According to the RPI, we have 5 quality wins; UCLA, Pittsburg, American, Hampton, and Ohio. Pittsburg just beat UNC by 15, and also have wins against Michigan, and Ohio State. UCLA has beaten USC and they have just started the Pac 12 conference games. American has a quality win against Gonzaga. Hampton has a good win against Auburn. Ohio University has won a lot of games against weak competition.

Pittsburg and UCLA have many quality games left on their schedule. It will help if they can beat some more top competition. I hope American, Hampton, Ohio, Richmond and St Bonaventure all have good years since we have wins over these quality programs.

The strength of the Colonial RPI is 11th which is a lot better than the men's RPI 19th.

I am very happy with our position. Kenny plays a strong out of conference schedule and it will pay off in the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully, we can avoid playing a top 10 team on their home court.

Lots of good info here. And lots of reasons to be optimistic about our RPI in March.

JMU will not make the NCAA Tournament without winning the CAA Tournament.

(01-13-2015 10:19 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  JMU will not make the NCAA Tournament without winning the CAA Tournament.

So let me get this straight.....you actually believe JMU could run the table in the CAA regular season and lose in the CAA conference title game and not make the NCAA field.

Serioulsy I don't like the CAA either but that is kind of a ridiculous stance to take.

I don't see that scenario happening in any universe where JMU wins the regular season CAA with 0 or 1 loss & losses in the conference title game.

And JMU women's basketball under Kenny Brooks does actually have a little respect.

(01-13-2015 10:31 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(01-13-2015 10:19 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  JMU will not make the NCAA Tournament without winning the CAA Tournament.

So let me get this straight.....you actually believe JMU could run the table in the CAA regular season and lose in the CAA conference title game and not make the NCAA field.

Serioulsy I don't like the CAA either but that is kind of a ridiculous stance to take.

I don't see that scenario happening in any universe where JMU wins the regular season CAA with 0 or 1 loss & losses in the conference title game.

And JMU women's basketball under Kenny Brooks does actually have a little respect.

I do. I do not expect this to happen as I believe the Lady Dukes will lose a game or two in the CAA but ultimately win the conference tournament.

Women's sports are more P5 dominated than men's are. JMU is already on the outside looking in now by not receiving votes despite a stalwart OOC schedule this season. A non conference tourny winner JMU will likely get the same amount of consideration as the 7th place B1G or ACC team will. Now, if it's a weak bubble, maybe JMU gets in, I have my doubts. I really don't believe a 26-4 (or whatever) JMU team gets in without being the conference tourny winner.

Additionally, JMU is already 29th in RPI and this number will not increase in CAA play as the Dukes will play eight more sub 200 RPI teams. Fortunately, Elon, Hofstra and Drexel are all in the 70s currently in RPI, so maybe running the table against those teams would elevate the Dukes.

Also remember that the 2012 Lady Dukes had an RPI of 35 and got snubbed by the committee.

JMU MBB & JMU WBB are very different animals. CAA RPI of 19 vs. 11. JMU WBB is just starting to scratch the surface of national success & perception. I don't think a 2015 35 RPI team gets snubbed.

(01-13-2015 11:02 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  Additionally, JMU is already 29th in RPI and this number will not increase in CAA play as the Dukes will play eight more sub 200 RPI teams. Fortunately, Elon, Hofstra and Drexel are all in the 70s currently in RPI, so maybe running the table against those teams would elevate the Dukes.

Also remember that the 2012 Lady Dukes had an RPI of 35 and got snubbed by the committee.

Additionally remember that in 2012 the Lady Dukes did not WIN the CAA regular season title (had 3 regular season CAA losses) & got destroyed in the CAA semis 50-34. That probably had a little something to do with the 'snub' by the NCAAs......0-2 against CAA 1st place UD and 1-2 against Drexel.

The margin for error is slim in CAA women's hoops -- if you don't finish 1/2 in the regular season AND make it to the conference title game you really don't have any reason to feel 'snubbed' regardless of RPI.

Not surprisingly, we're still number 2 in the new mid major poll. Another CAA team has made appearance as well, with Hofstra receiving votes.