The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(05-07-2018 02:29 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(05-07-2018 12:41 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(05-07-2018 12:13 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(05-07-2018 11:49 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(05-07-2018 10:23 AM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Middle Tennessee was a 1 seed in the NIT
Western Kentucky made the NIT semifinals
ODU was one of the final teams out of the NIT
Marshall, the fourth-best team and a team that ODU swept, won a game in the NCAA, the fourth year that a CUSA team won in the tournament — which the CAA *has* never done.

I think you can make a pretty decent case that the top four of CUSA this past season was better than the CAA's top four at any point in its history.

The CAA had three teams in the NCAA tournament one year (ODU, VCU & GMU) and another year had two in the NCAA and two in the NIT. Most seasons you would be correct, but the CAA had as good or better teams some years.

But, that assumes mid majors are held to the same standards as they were previously.

2010/2011:

Ken Pom
GMU 24 (8 seed)
ODU 48 (9 seed)
VCU 53 (11 seed)

RPI
GMU 28
ODU 29
VCU 53

2017/2018

Ken Pom
MTSU 45 (no bid)
WKY 47 (no bid)
ODU 64 (no bid)

RPI
MTSU 33
WKY 45
ODU 77


ODU was a 9 seed in 2011 with the same credentials as MTSU just had. (I realize we won the tourney, but a 9 seed in 2011 equals no bid in 2018).

ODU had wins OOC against Clemson (5 seed), Xavier (6 Seed) and Richmond (12 Seed) as well as Dayton and Cleveland State (NIT). They also had 3 conference wins against VCU and GMU and were a total of 11-5 against the top 100.

MTSU played 3 NCAA teams OOC (Auburn, USC, and Miami) and lost all 3. Further, they were 0-2 in conference against Marshall, the only team to make the NCAAs. They went 4-6 against the top 100.

MTSU had a good team last season, but their resume simply doesn't compare to ODU's in 2011.

But but KenPom...

Blaine's teams rarely ran up the score and he often toyed around with lineups in the middle of the season ending with some narrower than expected wins against teams like Towson and usually a bad loss or two. But, his teams almost always showed up and played well against strong competition outside of the Patriot Center. He was never really a KenPom kind of coach.