Ok, back to business as we head into conference play. Thirteen teams, four of them simmed, made it through the non-conference schedule undefeated while twenty-one teams are looking for their first victory. Now it's time to beat up on your conference-mates and fight for post-season positioning. Good luck everyone.
Last Last Night
#10 Dickinson 60 #4 Wittenberg
Visiting Dickinson had a 6 point lead at the half which quickly was erased once play resumed. The two teams fought back and forth through to the end with neither team able to take control. Finally, the key stretch was just after the five minute mark when Wittenberg was able to go on an 8-0 run and would never trail again. Dickinson had a couple chances to tie at the end but couldn't make it happen and the home fans exited the arena happy. Wittenberg and darnoc finished the non-conference season undefeated with this win while Dickinson and mfnmyers fell a couple spots in the rankings after their second loss.
ALSO:
Trinity (TX) 72 Trinity (CT) 52
Wow, Trinity is terrible. They're not even in the same ballpark as Trinity right now. Ironic.
Also considered: #9 Hendrix pulled away from Newbury 69-55, #15 Fitchburg St made their free throws to finish a 86-83 victory over Stillman, #13 North Carolina Wesleyan survived a buzzer-beating 3ptr to win in OT against Penn St. Altoona 80-74, #16 Ursinus got past Medgar Evers 84-74, #14 Emory and Henry showed the value of the extra Henry by cruising past Emory 74-59, #24 Colorado got the road upset over #23 Amherst 59-56, and #19 Calvin downed Mary Washington 67-57.
Sim blowout watch: Grinnell held off the Fighting Scots of Wooster enough to cover 45-83.
GotN
#12 Oglethorpe (10-0)(getiguy) at #13 North Carolina Wesleyan (10-1)(nastynick60)
This season opener in the USA South is our only game tonight between ranked teams, and since there are currently six ranked teams in this conference I'm guessing it'll happen again. These two will be fighting it out with Piedmont for the west division so this is an early key battle. Oglethorpe will look to stay undefeated while NCWes is hoping their extra non-conference game will give them an edge. nastynick leads the series 9-6 and his team is favored by 1 at home.
Also considered: Trinity (the good one) at #3 Dallas, #4 Wittenberg at Earlham, Louisiana at #9 Hendrix, and #22 Rivier at S. Vermont
Sim blowout watch: Shenandoah is a 73 point road dog visiting #1 Piedmont and winless Texas Tyler is getting 72 points at home hosting #24 Colorado.
ITaLRbHAGotN
#15 Fitchburg St. (9-1)(letchkins) at UMass Dartmouth (6-4)(pureh21)
The winner of this cross-divisional game in the Little East conference will stake an early claim on conference bragging rights. Fitchburg St has the third best RPI after an impressive non-conference slate and looks to keep rolling. This is the first meeting between the two coaches and the visitors are favored by 8.