What will the 4/18 division b poll look like?

[Brew26]

So, what are everyone's polls looking for this next wed? St. John's beat St. Thomas, but Westminster beat UVSC and Utah. Which one should be #1?
Montana beat UNC and is going to play Montana State today. This should put them easily in the top 10 again. And UNC beat Montana State earlier this week.
Dayton played their first ranked opponent and beat them.

Im sure I missed some games but here is a start.

[scooter]

I think that Westminster is going to grab hold of the #1 spot, followed by SJU at #2. STU probably drops to about 4 or 5 range.

This is probably what my top 5 would look like

1. Westminster
2. SJU
3. Dayton
4. STU
5. Harding

It gets real tricky after this though. Those Montana games have big implications

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Montana won by 20 yesterday over #19 Western Oregon, and then beat #7 UNC this morning 15-10. . .and now they play #10 Montana State less than 2 hours after they finished up with UNC. If they pull off the tri-fecta of wins over top-20 teams over a 2-day span. . .I think they need strong consideration to be back in the top-5.

My top 5 might look like this if Montana wins again this afternoon. . .

1. Westminster
2. St. John's
3. St. Thomas
4. Dayton
5. Montana

[scooter]

i agree, if they do happen to beat Montana State, they will be 1-1 with them on the season. And considering Hardings only loss to B division opponents this year is to St Thomas, I think that they should cling to that 5th spot

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

My only problem with Harding in the top-5 is that they haven't beat any top-10 opponents. The only one on their schedule beat them soundly.

Montana has lost too many games, but if you look at their quality wins it is far more impressive than Harding's wins over Calvin and Southwestern. Montana has wins now over Western Washington, Southern Oregon and Northern Colorado. . .not to mention their 21-goal win over #19 Western Oregon yesterday.

And with respect to Montana, they seem to be playing their best ball right now. . .which is why I give them the edge over Harding. . .assuming of course they beat MSU today - which is assuming quite a bit.

I think we'll see Harding and Montana at nationals. . .maybe they'll go head-to-head and answer this question on the field. . .

[scooter]

I understand completely, but that same argument can work for Dayton took, having really only beat Carnegie Mellon....but who knows, I'm not a voter. Of course, none of this banter means anything if Montana loses today

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

If Montana loses today to MSU it will really boost MSU's chances at an at-large bid. . .and Montana will likely find themselves needing to win the PNCLL tourney to get in. If Montana wins today, they may be in line for an at-large if they falter in the PNCLL tourney in 2 weeks.

Comparing teams in the B division can be brutally difficult in that so many teams still don't travel enough. . .

[vaflyer]

Westminster definitely deserves the number 1 spot for being undefeated in div B play and having the strongest victory over an A team

st. Johns should obviously follow

st. Thomas should drop beyond third when they have a loss and another obvious choice does not. Furthermore, the score was 0-5 at halftime vs. St. Johns. Its not the final score but it says something.

Scooter nailed it, and it looks like a fight between Harding and Montana for that #5 spot.

If you want a way to compare Dayton to another top 5 team, St. Johns also played Carnegie Mellon. Now compare the quarter by quarter scoring in each of those games...

[Brew26]

I made a mistake. UVSC and Westminster have not played yet, I was thinking about the UVSC and Utah game. Sorry. And it is kind of weird that the second place team beats the first place team and remains at second.

[scooter]

I made a mistake. UVSC and Westminster have not played yet, I was thinking about the UVSC and Utah game. Sorry. And it is kind of weird that the second place team beats the first place team and remains at second.

yeah, but westminster had such an incredible weekend, it seems almost impossible not to give them the #1 seed.

[Kyle Berggren]

Everyone's got their own poll... If I had UST in first & SJU in second it would obviously move SJU into 1st... If I didn't, I could have UST @ 2, SJU @ 3 & bump SJU into second in my poll.

What really interesting is comparing teams bodies of work. Some teams have played brutal schedules against lots of tough team, other's have played 2 or 3 games against teams with winning records! Anyway you chop it up, we've got 3 pretty elite teams (West, SJU, UST) & several more than capable teams fighting for the next few spots... WWU & Montana from the PNCLL, Dayton, Emory was in the mix, nearly every RMLC team, should be an interesting tournament. I'm not sure if any of these teams can beat the top 3 day in & day out, but from 4-12 or so is pretty tight (any given day).

Any word on the Montana vs. MSU game? That could solve the nubmer 4 or 5 team arguement right there... & I wonder how many spots UVSC is going to drop now that pollsters all should know about their loss to WWU.

[Brew26]

If you are going to include A games in the discussion

vaflyer
"Westminster definitely deserves the number 1 spot for being undefeated in div B play and having the strongest victory over an A team "
They also lost to UC Davis by 12 and unranked A team.

Both St. John's and Westminster should be at the top. I just dont think it should be Westminster outright. It will be most likely like the last poll with St. John's and St. Thomas with a few point difference.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Just posted at PNCLL.com. . .

Montana 17
Montana State 10

This is a pretty incredible result considering MSU beat Montana last month by a goal. . .

Montana looks to have some things figured out and they are again playing like the preseason #1 we expected.

Saturday: Montana 24, #19 Western Oregon 3
Sunday: Montana 15, #7 Northern Colorado 10
two hours later. . .Montana 17, #10 Montana State 10


I'd say the Grizzlies are ready for the tournament. . .

[Kyle Berggren]

Both St. John's and Westminster should be at the top. I just don't think it should be Westminster outright. It will be most likely like the last poll with St. John's and St. Thomas with a few point difference.

I'm glad you noticed the point totals, I don't know what to do yet in my poll. UST & SJU will probably rematch at the conference tournament & that isn't going to make the polls much easier.

UST ( 11 ) 629
SJU ( 8 ) 626
West. ( 6 ) 610

Dayton (1)

If Most voters had SJU as the 2, they'll be the number 1... If they had SJU as the 3, who knows... It does look like SJU will be the number 1, Dayton has at least 1 first place vote & could grab another if they were folks #2. The big question will be does SJU take all of the UST first place votes? They could be a definitive number 1 with 19 votes. At least we know the top 4 are getting a first round bye.

[scooter]

maybe, but if for some reason dayton blows the conference tourny, then who jumps into that 4 seed with the first round bye?