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

Back in the 70s in our first year in Div 1 there was only a top 20 didn't go to top 25 till about mid 80s. But in that first year we had a 22 game winning streak going into the finals of the ECAC Tournament finals. We hit #21 in voting in the old UPI poll. Then immediately loss in the finals and fell further. In my memory I always thought we hit #19 and were ranked. But too many people have told me it was#21. So we were just outside the rankings. Had it been a top 25 poll then yes we would have ranked.

It is my understanding that the old UPI poll is the predecessor to the modern coaches poll.

I agree with you guys but am still going to hype the living mess out of it. I know JJ doesn't like the hype but it helps the overall mission of the athletic department.

I actually think we might be a top 25 team, albeit close; certainly if Douglass is a contributor. We are so deep and have so many different guys that can hurt you. We have a very good frontcourt and backcourt, so we typically have an advantage either outside or inside vs. most teams. If we need a spark, we have guys on the bench that bring energy.

The only real weakness is interior scoring, which we've done pretty well at. This team really defends though. I think we can compete well with teams 15-25.

If Arledge gets down low-- where he belongs -- our interior scoring improves. Him taking 3s on a team with Freeman, Bacote, Mosley is ridiculous, though he's made a couple this year.

The answer to the ranking question is no. We've never spent a day in any top-xx list.

(12-02-2014 09:44 AM)The Flagship Wrote:  

(12-02-2014 09:16 AM)ODU-FAN Wrote:  I have been following ODU for 40 years; it's hard to believe it's been that long. I don't recall ODU ever being ranked. We have come VERY close SEVERAL times but it seems whenever we got really close we would lose. Of course when you are as old as I am your memory starts to go.

35 years for me, and while I don't recall being in either the Top 20 (70's and 80's) or the Top 25 polls. However, I know I read in our media guide that we got in the Top 25 once. Just can't remember when. Now I have found a lot of errors in the media guide over the years, but that would be a complete screw-up if it wasn't true.

Edit: OK, I found it. We were ranked #25 in the AP in 1986 with a 15-5 record. This was Gattison's senior year when we were a #8 seed and beat West Virginia in the 1st round of the NCAAT before getting pounded by #1 seed Duke with Johnny Dawkins.

February 12, 1986 with a 15-5 record we were ranked #25 in the AP poll with 24 votes.

I stand corrected.

(12-02-2014 10:12 AM)TheDancinMonarch Wrote:  February 12, 1986 with a 15-5 record we were ranked #25 in the AP poll with 24 votes.

Was that the year of the ODU-UAB brawl?

(12-02-2014 10:17 AM)jumpshooter Wrote:  I stand corrected.

Please have a seat. Wasn't trying to "correct" anyone but it took some time to transfer the info from the press guide to the screen. I type slowly. Very slowly.

(12-02-2014 10:08 AM)jumpshooter Wrote:  If Arledge gets down low-- where he belongs -- our interior scoring improves. Him taking 3s on a team with Freeman, Bacote, Mosley is ridiculous, though he's made a couple this year.

The answer to the ranking question is no. We've never spent a day in any top-xx list.

2012-13 GMU 19.4 3.3-6.7 .488 0.3-0.8 .414

So a guy who shoots 41.4% from three should not shoot them, presumable just because he is tall? His last full season he shot better than any of our players shot last year. But of course he should refrain from shooting wide open threes so that defenders can sag off of him and clog up the paint because tall guys should never take jumpshots.

(12-02-2014 09:53 AM)ODU True Blue Wrote:  Back in the 70s in our first year in Div 1 there was only a top 20 didn't go to top 25 till about mid 80s. But in that first year we had a 22 game winning streak going into the finals of the ECAC Tournament finals. We hit #21 in voting in the old UPI poll. Then immediately loss in the finals and fell further. In my memory I always thought we hit #19 and were ranked. But too many people have told me it was#21. So we were just outside the rankings. Had it been a top 25 poll then yes we would have ranked.

It is my understanding that the old UPI poll is the predecessor to the modern coaches poll.

This is true...we followed the Georgetown win during the week by losing to unranked Syracuse the next weekend. Syracuse entered the poll the next week at #12.

(12-02-2014 10:28 AM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(12-02-2014 10:08 AM)jumpshooter Wrote:  If Arledge gets down low-- where he belongs -- our interior scoring improves. Him taking 3s on a team with Freeman, Bacote, Mosley is ridiculous, though he's made a couple this year.

The answer to the ranking question is no. We've never spent a day in any top-xx list.

2012-13 GMU 19.4 3.3-6.7 .488 0.3-0.8 .414

So a guy who shoots 41.4% from three should not shoot them, presumable just because he is tall? His last full season he shot better than any of our players shot last year. But of course he should refrain from shooting wide open threes so that defenders can sag off of him and clog up the paint because tall guys should never take jumpshots.

yeah, I'm with you. His three ball that banked in vs. VCU was a lifesaver. We were starting to fold, and that gave us back the cushion that we desperately needed.

IMO, he's more valuable to us closer to the basket, especially with the guards we have who can shoot. I believe Jones would go along with that as well

(12-02-2014 10:48 AM)jumpshooter Wrote:  IMO, he's more valuable to us closer to the basket, especially with the guards we have who can shoot. I believe Jones would go along with that as well

Then why does Jones have in playing on the perimeter? Why does he trail and get setup for the top of the key jumper? He is very valuable in the high screen because he can shoot and his defender has to think twice about making a hard hedge on Freeman, who has benefited from his presence by easily getting those one step pull ups off the high screen whenever he wants them. It is not as simple as "he is big, get him in the post." His ability to knock down an open jumper changes how defenses can defend us. Of course we need him to be effective in the post as well, but that has nothing to do with him shooting open jumpers. It's not like he is just wandering out to the top of the key on his own. The offense is designed for him to be out there.

Yeah, and remember Arledge (or another big) opens up Ross on the block as well as others on the perimeter. Was it Taylor that feed Ross for the easy dunk?

In addition to the #25 ranking, the other times we were in, or near, a poll:

Dec. 13, 1993 (5-0) #28 USA Today (42 votes) (5-0)
#29 Associated Press (58 votes)

Dec. 6, 1993 (4-0) #30 USA Today (34 votes)
(4-0) #39 Associated Press (23 votes)

Feb. 12, 1986 (15-5) #25 in Associated Press (24 votes) Feb. 17,
1986 (16-6) #28 in Sporting News
Feb. 18, 1986 (16-6) #26 in Associated Press (17 votes)



Check page 37: http://www.odusports.com/fls/31100/pdfs/...M_ID=31100

I believe Aldridge will need to spend at least some of his time under the bucket to give us some size there. Yes, he can step out and hit an occasional three but that isn't what is really needed. As the season progresses I think we will see him under there more often.
My recollection of one of ODU's biggest wins was under Paul Webb when we knocked off DePaul and were way behind at halftime by like 20 points. This big win over DePaul made University of Virginia the number #1 team in the country. I can't remember the year but it was like 1980 or 81. UVA owes us for that one.

ODU received votes during Paul Webb's tenure as head Basketball coach but I'm not positive if we ever made it into the top 20.

In Paul Webb's ten seasons as the Monarchs head coach, Webb's teams advanced to post season play nine times. That includes four NCAA tournaments and five National Invitation Tournaments. His first ODU edition of 1975-76 advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four. In all, Webb's teams had nine winning seasons, including school record winning seasons of 25-4 in 1976-77 (ODU's first Division I season) and 25-5 in 1979-80 which was ODU's first NCAA Division I tournament appearance. ODU defeated Georgetown, 80-58 for the ECAC South Championship. ODU won a then State record 22 straight games and Webb was named ECAC Upstate-Southern Division Coach-of-the-Year.

In 1978-79, the Monarchs advanced to the National Invitation Tournaments quarter-finals and compiled a 23-7 record. That season, the Monarchs went to Clemson and beat the Tigers in double-overtime.

In 1980, the Monarchs continued their "Giant Killing" ways with a 76-74 overtime victory against the Soviet Union National team and later that season, the Monarchs defeated their-ranked Syracuse in Scope, 68-67. On January 10, 1981, Webb's Monarchs stunned the basketball world handing number one ranked DePaul their first loss in the Horizon, 63-62.

I could not find any place that went back 35 years for rankings on the internet for the 80's.

http://articles.philly.com/1995-03-18/sp...a-overtime


Don't forget this one!

(12-02-2014 12:28 PM)monarchist Wrote:  http://articles.philly.com/1995-03-18/sp...a-overtime


Don't forget this one!

SWEET............... a Big Blue Ka Boom Bam Bam!

(12-02-2014 10:25 AM)Stanger Wrote:  

(12-02-2014 10:12 AM)TheDancinMonarch Wrote:  February 12, 1986 with a 15-5 record we were ranked #25 in the AP poll with 24 votes.

Was that the year of the ODU-UAB brawl?

Yes. That was the first Monarch game I ever attended -- as a newcomer to town and the beneficiary of a co-worker who couldn't use his season tickets that evening.

Obviously a memorable game.