Sim blowout watch: Boy, that escalated quickly... I mean, that really got out of hand fast.  George Fox became our first official blowout victim of the season, almost getting doubled up by #24 Texas Lutheran 67-131.  Brick killed a guy.  Did you throw a trident?  Not to be outdone, E. Mennonite went one step further and did get doubled up in becoming our second official blowout victim to #19 Ozarks 52-115.  Two victims in one night!  Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident.  Brick, I've been meaning to talk to you about that.

Pseudochamp: You're so wise...like a miniature buddha, covered in hair.  As for the crazy blowouts last night...I'm not even mad, that's amazing.

darnoc, you know I don't speak Spanish.

+1000

We have a new #1 team as the voters decided they were more impressed with Piedmont's undefeated record.  Also, there are just 38 undefeated teams left although I feel like being over .500 is a bit overrated.

Last Night
#15 W. New England 47   #1 Piedmont 67
Quick bit of advice for the coaching staff at W. New England: when you review the game tape on this one, just fast-forward through the first twelve minutes or so.  It's best to just move on.  New number one Piedmont held the visitors scoreless for the first twelve plus minutes of the first half and opened up a 16-0 lead before a 3ptr finally went in for W. New England.  I'm guessing the home fans gave a sarcastic cheer when it fell.  WNE never recovered and ended up shooting just 30% from the floor as Piedmont cruised to an easy home win.  Piedmont and bunkerbuster moved up to the top of the rankings with the victory while WNE and rednu slip down eight spots.

Also considered: #4 Millsaps got a clutch last second shot to force overtime where they outlasted #25 Colorado 77-74, #12 Whittier sank a couple free throws with two seconds left to pull out a big road win over Christopher Newport 63-61, #24 Concordia had a huge second half to get past #16 Wittenberg 94-81, #7 Ursinus handled Ohio Wesleyan 65-49, and #18 Dickinson notched double figures in a win over Hardin-Simmons 106-94.

Sim blowout watch: York (NY) covered the spread against #20 New York U. 61-92 in the battle of Yorks.  York York York.

GotN
#8 Rivier (5-0)(jack_duck) at #1 Piedmont (5-0)(bunkerbuster)
I try not to pick the same team twice in a row for the GotN but it's not my fault bunkerbuster has put together a really good schedule.  Freshly crowned as the #1 team in the land, Piedmont plays host to the also-undefeated Rivier Raiders.  This is the first meeting between these coaches and the home team is favored by 4.

Also considered: #10 Dallas at #21 Palm Beach Atlantic, #12 Whittier at #24 Concordia, Penn St. Altoona at #17 Hendrix, and #22 Webster at North Carolina Wesleyan

Sim blowout watch: SUNY Farmingdale is getting 36 points at they host #2 Johnson and Wales while California Santa Cruz is a 30 point home dog against #20 New York U.

Yeah, the start was brutal and losing my 14 ppg senior center to an injury and seeing his health drop to 59 didn't help cheer me up as the game went on. It wouldn't have mattered other than cosmetically because Piedmont was on a whole different level from us, but it certainly wasn't a development I needed for trying to get my team seeded well in the postseason. Especially since I decided to redshirt a junior since he was still blue in Rebounding and LP and was blocked behind two players from a starting position this year and I greedily wanted him at 90+ in both categories starting for two seasons instead of one.

Just started reading the posts, thanks and great job on the recaps and predictions. Was sad to see my team was only predicted to win 11 games this season, luckily predictions are just that and nothing more. Started off 5-1 and looking to keep on winning. Nice work everyone

Piedmont keeps rolling atop the rankings and we now have 27 undefeated teams and 22 winless teams.  There are also 79 teams with a 2-4 record, but it's obvious who everyone's favorite of those is.  Go Struggling Fighting Scots!

Last Night
#12 Rivier 60   #1 Piedmont 76
The Piedmont express keeps on truckin' with another win over a ranked opponent.  The home team slowly expanded the lead in the first half, winning by 13 going into the break, and then maintained that lead throughout the second half.  Piedmont players launched an impressive 31 3ptrs, making 10 of them in an attempt to bomb away on Rivier's zone defense.  Piedmont and bunkerbuster had four players in double digits, stayed perfect on the season, and defended their #1 ranking.  Rivier and jack_duck suffer their first loss of the season and slip just outside the top ten.

Also considered: #14 Palm Beach Atlantic got a solid home victory over #18 Dallas 64-57, as did #19 Concordia against #24 Whittier 85-77, #20 Penn St. Altoona handled Hendrix 58-48, and #15 Webster won on the road at North Carolina Wesleyan 91-73.  Gorloks.

Sim blowout watch: SUNY Farmingdale just barely covered against #2 Johnson and Wales 71-101 while California Santa Cruz had a much easier time with New York U. falling by the score of 63-73.

GotN
#2 Johnson and Wales (6-0)(spasticity) at #1 Piedmont (6-0)(bunkerbuster)
Seriously?  Three nights in a row?  I can't help it, it's the top two ranked teams and they're both undefeated, I can't pass this up.  This could very well be the game of the non-conference season.  Both teams are undefeated, highly ranked, picked to be #1 seeds by bullman, and picked as Final Four teams by rednu.  It's the unstoppable force hosting the immovable spider monkeys and the odds-makers have it as an even pick.  Game on.

Also considered: #11 Dickinson at #6 Emory, #12 Rivier at Willamette, #21 Colorado at Christopher Newport, and #24 Whittier at Suffolk

Sim blowout watch: Westfield State is a 56 point home dog as they host #23 Texas Lutheran and Colby-Sawyer is getting 55 points on the road against #16 Emmanuel.

Were one of them. I think pseudochamp was kidding about the popularity thing.

Posted by goldenboy00 on 8/28/2013 10:15:00 AM (view original):
Just started reading the posts, thanks and great job on the recaps and predictions. Was sad to see my team was only predicted to win 11 games this season, luckily predictions are just that and nothing more. Started off 5-1 and looking to keep on winning. Nice work everyone

I would not pay much attention to those predictions. I heard that guy doesn't know anything about basketball.

Piedmont expands its lead in the GReat Northeast after winning its third straight conference game last nIght. What? What do you mean the league hasn't approved the trade of Piedmont for Albetus Magnus with the USA South????

Piedmont stays on top of the rankings and 23 teams stay undefeated, while 18 teams stay winless.  Congrats?

Last Night
#5 Johnson and Wales 84   #1 Piedmont 94
The first half of this one certainly lived up to the billing, it was an exciting back-and-forth battle with the teams tied at 43 going into the break.  The second half was more of the same as the teams traded baskets until Piedmont went on a run of 8 unanswered points around the five minute mark to take a 7 point lead.  That small opening was all the #1 team needed as they stayed in front the rest of the way, making free throws to extend the winning margin to 10.  Piedmont and bunkerbuster had four players in double digits and continued their reign of terror atop the rankings.  Johnson and Wales and spasticity suffered their first loss of the season but only slipped down three spots in the rankings.

Also considered: #6 Emory handled Dickinson 73-59, Willamette couldn't make the free throws in regulation to seal the deal but they held on in OT to upend Rivier 71-68, #23 Christopher Newport got a big home win over Colorado 78-64, and #20 Suffolk did the same against Whittier 82-74.

Sim blowout watch: #22 Texas Lutheran claimed another blowout victim as Westfield St. failed to cover 48-115 but Colby-Sawyer was able to prevent another two-victim night by covering against #19 Emmanuel 47-71.

GotN
#7 Ursinus (6-1)(barjaz) at #6 Emory (7-0)(phalla)
Holy crap, it's not Piedmont!  Although, I certainly could've picked Piedmont again since they are one of the five games tonight between ranked opponents but I'm going with this matchup of rankings neighbors.  Ursinus only has the one loss to undefeated Susquehanna while Emory has a perfect record.  barjaz has won both previous meetings between these two and the odd-makers have this one as an even pick.

Also considered: #1 Piedmont at #8 S. Vermont, #3 Millsaps at #19 Emmanuel, #22 Texas Lutheran at #5 Johnson and Wales, and #23 Christopher Newport at #15 Concordia

Sim blowout watch: Not a lot of big spreads out there tonight so just one candidate.  Cornell is a 34 point home dog hosting #4 Susquehanna.

I think once we hit 8 winless teams, you should add in the winless watch, and highlight which team is most likely to get their first win.

In speaking for his part, I think he has anough work already.

We all apreciate it