Atlantic Region Men's Basketball '25-'26

[Scrub]

The MEC & PSAC are really gonna need either Union or Fayetteville to win the historically unpredictable CIAA tourney.

[Ship69]

Well, I guess we can compare polls all day. That's why they exist. I still prefer the eye test. And, of course, having no life I tend to watch a lot of basketball.

It's my opinion this is a 4-team race (as of today). Granted, a lot usually happens in February which can drastically alter things (injuries, slumps, locker room blow-ups, etc.)

I see this today as being Gannon, WL, Fairmont State and California.

Cal is as healthy now as its going to get but the Vulcans best stay healthy. Danny has some roster limitations this season, depth-wise.

I find Fairmont State and Cal intriguing -- not just because they have head-to-head (home) wins against WL and Gannon -- but because they have coaches who know how to effectively play against the system. Both coaches have seen it and coached against it for a very, very long time.

While anything can happen on a given day, I don't as of yet see any other team as a legit Regional contender.

IUP has no chance against an up-tempo, trapping team. They lose before the game even starts. Joe can't coach against it any longer. That said, they'd have a really good shot against any team in the field not named Gannon or WL.

West Chester is too sporadic and I think would get tired out. They play more like most CIAA teams (rough and physical). Millersville and ESU are solid teams but having some consistency issues. Virginia Union does have the win against WL but it was early (and in VA). I wouldn't like them in a rematch on the road or on a neutral court.

West Chester certainly is a puzzling team. They really laid an egg against Ship on Saturday, falling behind 19 points at halftime and generally looking out of sync. To their credit, they rallied back and made it a game in the second half (aided by an officiating crew that allowed mayhem for much of the half), but that's the second straight season in which a Ship team with a much worse record has ambushed them at Heiges. Although they have good size along the front line, West Chester's starting guards are not especially big, and Ruben Rodriguez, their leading scorer, was out of sorts most of the game. What really surprised me is that Ship, ranked 13th in the conference in rebounding going into the game, outrebounded West Chester, which came into the game ranked first in the conference an third nationally in rebounding margin. Their forwards did not dominate the game in any way. Guess i saw them on an off day, but frankly they did not look like a 17-5 team to me. They have a good team, but I didn't see anything special.

With all the PSAC East teams now having at least 6-7 losses now and with more divisional and league tourney play to come, there's a good chance the division could get shut out of regionals or perhaps sneak in one team. Truth be told, nobody in the division looks to be a team that could make much noise in the NCAAs this season.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

West Chester certainly is a puzzling team. They really laid an egg against Ship on Saturday, falling behind 19 points at halftime and generally looking out of sync. To their credit, they rallied back and made it a game in the second half (aided by an officiating crew that allowed mayhem for much of the half), but that's the second straight season in which a Ship team with a much worse record has ambushed them at Heiges. Although they have good size along the front line, West Chester's starting guards are not especially big, and Ruben Rodriguez, their leading scorer, was out of sorts most of the game. What really surprised me is that Ship, ranked 13th in the conference in rebounding going into the game, outrebounded West Chester, which came into the game ranked first in the conference an third nationally in rebounding margin. Their forwards did not dominate the game in any way. Guess i saw them on an off day, but frankly they did not look like a 17-5 team to me. They have a good team, but I didn't see anything special.

With all the PSAC East teams now having at least 6-7 losses now and with more divisional and league tourney play to come, there's a good chance the division could get shut out of regionals or perhaps sneak in one team. Truth be told, nobody in the division looks to be a team that could make much noise in the NCAAs this season.

As they say, just get in and see what happens. Pray for a good matchup (and that somebody else does you a favor).

Gannon will be extremely difficult to beat in Erie. They are so physical along with their size and speed.

I'd give WL, Fairmont and Cal a chance. The others will be slaughtered.

I'd give IUP a shot to beat anybody aside from Gannon and WL. Joe's method of playing them gets them destroyed before the ball even tips off.

[IUPalum]

Not sure where Massey is this week, but a few interesting shake-ups in Inkblot's Performance Indicator rankings:

1. Gannon
2. Fairmont
3. West Liberty
4. VUU
5. IUP
6. Cal
7. Fayetteville
8. WCU
9. Millersville
10. Charleston

That's not what Inkblot has posted on Patreon! Not sure where you got this.

[Scrub]

That's not what Inkblot has posted on Patreon! Not sure where you got this.

Got it from his Patreon site: https://inkblotsports.com/d2stats/2526/mbb/at.html

I always look at the far column indicating PI Rank. Some prefer the RPI Rank, but historically the Performance Indicators ranking has been really close to spot on for picking the tourney field. So it's that far column that I always pay most attention to

[Scrub]

I'd give IUP a shot to beat anybody aside from Gannon and WL. Joe's method of playing them gets them destroyed before the ball even tips off.

Don't sleep on Fayetteville. Under Devin Hoehn, they are now a "system team." Which means as many as 3 "system teams" might make this field therefore increasing the chances IUP matches up with one.

[IUPalum]

Got it from his Patreon site: https://inkblotsports.com/d2stats/2526/mbb/at.html

I always look at the far column indicating PI Rank. Some prefer the RPI Rank, but historically the Performance Indicators ranking has been really close to spot on for picking the tourney field. So it's that far column that I always pay most attention to

This is what he has posted as the ranking/tourney match ups...
1) Gannon
2) WL
3) IUP
4) Fairmont
5) Cal
6) VUU
7) Fayettville
8) West Chester

Vastly different

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Massey Ratings / Men's Atlantic Region

TOP 10

3. Gannon
8. West Liberty
21. Fairmont State
39. IUP
49. California
60. Virginia Union
80. Charleston
84. West Chester
85. Millersville
86. East Stroudsburg


NEXT TWO

87. Fayetteville State
113. Shepherd

[Scrub]

This is what he has posted as the ranking/tourney match ups...
1) Gannon
2) WL
3) IUP
4) Fairmont
5) Cal
6) VUU
7) Fayettville
8) West Chester

Vastly different

You're right. I just saw that today--his "bracketology" guesses for the full bracket.

I find it interesting that his bracketology guesses are different than his pure PI numbers would indicate (but he's probably accounting for committee bias, name recognition, history, and all the other stuff that tends to play into the actual bracket).

But I do like the PI numbers simply for their accuracy in predicting the field (less so for their ability to predict a committee's idiosyncrasies)

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This is what he has posted as the ranking/tourney match ups...
1) Gannon
2) WL
3) IUP
4) Fairmont
5) Cal
6) VUU
7) Fayettville
8) West Chester

Vastly different

That would make for an interesting Round 1

Fairmont vs Cal would be like watching twins play. They are built the same and play the same.

IUP vs VU would be a war -- and likely first to 50

Fayetteville vs WL would obviously have a lot of build up

The snoozer would be WCU playing in Erie against Gannon. That would be a 30 burger.

[Inkblot]

Got it from his Patreon site: https://inkblotsports.com/d2stats/2526/mbb/at.html

I always look at the far column indicating PI Rank. Some prefer the RPI Rank, but historically the Performance Indicators ranking has been really close to spot on for picking the tourney field. So it's that far column that I always pay most attention to

I wouldn't say that PI is any more useful than RPI. KPI is also being used this year, so there are three metrics to take into account.

[Scrub]

I wouldn't say that PI is any more useful than RPI. KPI is also being used this year, so there are three metrics to take into account.

Fair enough. But I can only keep so much information in my feeble mind, so I have tended to pick one metric and follow its ups and downs for the season. Keeps me engaged without driving me bonkers. My preferred metric lately has been the PI number, so that's the one I've been tracking.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

As always, this is nothing more than something for us dorks to yap about. These are not official regional rankings or anything. Massey uses 10 categories to rate the teams.

Massey Men's Ratings through games played 2/16:



3. Gannon
7. West Liberty
21. Fairmont State
34. IUP
40. California
60. Virginia Union
73. Charleston
82. West Chester
-------------------------------------------
85. East Stroudsburg
86. Millersville
89. Fayetteville State
101. Shepherd
110. Glenville State

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Below are the 10 teams in the first official Men's Regional Rankings. I've included their records as of this morning.

Of note, the first release is not by seed. It is simply alphabetically.

California (18-6)
Charleston (16-8)
East Stroudsburg (19-7)
Fairmont State (21-4)
Fayetteville State (19-6)
Gannon (23-2)
IUP (19-4)
Virginia Union (24-3)
West Chester (19-6)
West Liberty (22-3)

[IUPalum]

Below are the 10 teams in the first official Men's Regional Rankings. I've included their records as of this morning.

Of note, the first release is not by seed. It is simply alphabetically.

California (18-6)
Charleston (16-8)
East Stroudsburg (19-7)
Fairmont State (21-4)
Fayetteville State (19-6)
Gannon (23-2)
IUP (19-4)
Virginia Union (24-3)
West Chester (19-6)
West Liberty (22-3)

How the heck is ESU in that top 10 list? They have lost all their toughest games.