The big boys aren't the big boys this year
by jrdjr84 (2019-02-28 15:54:36)
Post Reply Return to Arlotta Stadium

I know Towson has a quality, highly competitive program, but their win over Loyola yesterday adds to a trend early this season: the big dogs aren't the big dogs this year. With ALL of the ACC teams having been upset by what on paper look like "lesser" programs from High Point to Richmond, getting into the tournament could be a mad scramble. A team like ND really can't afford any more upset losses, because you can't count on wins in conference giving a boost compared to someone else's wins in the SoCon, Colonial, Big East, etc.

The high school game continues to grow
by tf86  (2019-03-27 12:33:02)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Whereas the growth at the D1 college level has slowed compared to the first half of this decade. IIRC, there were at least 10 new programs between 2010 and 2015 inclusive in Division 1. Since then, there have been four new Division 1 programs -- and that number includes two new programs this year.

The end result is greater parity at the D1 level. That trend is likely to continue as well, given that there are only two new Division 1 programs on tap in the foreseeable future.
I think the big dogs are still pretty big
by ccndbound  (2019-03-01 13:25:09)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Towson was a final 4 team 2 years ago, so they aren't a good reference point regarding a trend. They were ranked #7 in the country.

While I still think "big dog" programs like Denver, Duke, Loyola, Yale,
and Maryland will still be near the top at the end of the season, the gap between them and the "lesser" teams has shrunk. You're correct that ND needs to take care of business against the Michigan and Marquette, which is no guarantee. They have little room for error - if they get thru March with a winning record, I'll be very impressed.