Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 22, 1991 TAG: 9102220124
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In the men's semifinals, top-seeded Randolph-Macon (23-2) plays upstart and No. 5 seed Virginia Wesleyan (12-13) at 6:30 p.m., to be followed by No. 2 Emory & Henry (23-3) against No. 3 Hampden-Sydney (21-4) at 8:30 p.m.
The women will play in an afternoon session with top-seeded Roanoke (24-1) going against Virginia Wesleyan (13-13) at 1 p.m. and Bridgewater (19-7) and Lynchburg (16-8) playing at 3 p.m.
With three of the four men's semifinalists having more than 20 victories, the ODAC could wind up with three teams in the NCAA Tournament.
The ODAC Tournament champion is guaranteed a spot in the Division III field, as is the Dixie Conference champion. Washington (Mo.) University (17-8) already has locked up a bid. At least one and up to three more teams out of the South region can get at-large bids, depending on what power-rating the NCAA gives it.
There are eight regions from which 40 teams will be selected to participate in the NCAA Division III playoffs. No less than four teams will be selected from each region, but each can also send no more than six.
Randolph-Macon, ranked eighth nationally and No. 1 in the South Region, appears guaranteed a bid even if it fails to defend its ODAC title.
The same can't be said for Emory & Henry, 16th nationally and fourth in the region, and Hampden-Sydney, which is sixth in the South, especially if only four teams come from the region.
"I certainly think three teams out of the ODAC deserve a bid, but I don't think it will happen," said Hampden-Sydney coach Tony Shaver. "I think this [semifinal] game will have a huge bearing on the at-large bid."
Dixie Conference regular-season champion Christopher Newport (21-4) was undefeated in the league and is favored to win the tournament. Should the Captains, ranked 15th nationally and second in the region, lose they still will be a strong candidate for an at-large bid, as are Maryville (Tenn.) College (21-3), ranked 20th nationally and third in the region, and Shenandoah, which is 21-4 and fifth in the region.
"For us, right now there are two ways [to get into the NCAA Tournament]," Shaver said. "One way is to get an at-large. But that wouldn't be in our hands and that's not what we're here for. The one thing we can control is to win the tournament and get the automatic bid."
Emory & Henry coach Bob Johnson said his Wasps have the same idea.
"You never know what the selection committee will think," said Johnson, whose team lost last year's title game by one point. "The NCAAs aren't what we're concerned with right now. We've lost this thing twice by one point. All we're thinking about [is winning the ODAC tournament]. Honestly - I like our chances."
The Roanoke women, No. 8 in the nation and No. 1 in the South Region, are all but assured of getting their second-straight NCAA bid regardless of what happens in the ODAC tournament. But the right to be host to an NCAA game could be lost if the Lady Maroons don't win the title.
Bridgewater is on the bubble. The ODAC is still fighting for respect in women's basketball, and the odds of two teams getting a bid are slim. Last year, the Eagles finished 20-5 and won the ODAC tournament but were snubbed by the NCAA selection committee. However, the fact that the national committee overruled the South regional committee and improved Bridgewater's final regional ranking from sixth to fifth could bode well should the Eagles defend their league title.
by CNB