More changes in store for today's power rankings after another unpredictable week in the MIAC:
1. UST
2. SMU
3. GAC
4. Concordia
5. CSB
6. Bethel
7. St. Olaf
8. Augsburg
9. St. Kate's
10. Macalester
11. Carleton
12. Hamline
I think it was likely only a matter of time before the Tommies regained the king of the mountain status and I had to give it to them based on SMU's shocking home loss on Wednesday night to Augsburg. But again, the margin is razor-thin between these two at the moment and you can't dismiss the possibility of the Cardinals regaining the top spot. Both squads in fact got tougher challenges than expected yesterday as UST held off St. Kate's at home while SMU escaped the east side of Northfield with a 65-59 win over Carleton. And things don't get any easier for the Tommies as they head down U.S. Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's "Omaha Route" mainline to St. Peter this Wednesday night to take on a red-hot GAC squad while the Cardinals host said Wildcats squad on Wednesday and then make the trip to St. Joe on Saturday to take on CSB.
Speaking of those red-hot Gusties, the Black and Gold recorded a great week in knocking off Bethel in Arden Hills and then rolling at home against Macalester yesterday. While I did not see the game with the Scots, GAC may have played one of the best games they played all season long when they beat the Royals last Wednesday night. But now comes the big challenge: At home on Wednesday night to UST - a team they haven't beaten since 2010 - and then on the road to Moorhead to play Concordia on Saturday. As good as they were this last week, the Gusties could take a big hit this coming week. The opportunity is there for them. Now they have to make the most of it. I gave GAC a razor-thin edge over Concordia but the Cobbers I'm sure aren't paying too much attention or are bothered by it much. They've quietly and efficiently run off a five-game win streak and have a chance to extend it to six when they travel to Carleton on Wednesday night before Saturday's showdown in the friendly confines of Memorial Auditorium against GAC.
CSB looked to be rolling right along with a nice little four-game win streak and I had them in the third spot last Sunday but yesterday's stunning 55-50 loss to Bethel is a head-scratcher and I had no choice but to bump them down to the fifth spot in my power rankings today. On paper anyway, the Blazers should recover on Wednesday night as they travel to Macalester but then a big home date at Claire Lynch against SMU is in the offing for Saturday. Speaking of the Royals, I've left them for dead before and it seems like when I do they respond with an unexpected victory over one of the top teams. The thing is, those big road wins they've recorded mean little in terms of the big picture. They've GOT to find a way to get some consistency as both St. Olaf and Augsburg are nipping at their heels. The Royals are on the road this next week - at St. Olaf Wednesday night and then at Macalester on Saturday and they absolutely have to take care of business this week to get a stronger foothold on that sixth spot.
St. Olaf came away with a split this last week and they're still very much in play for that sixth spot and with two home dates this week - Bethel on Wednesday night and then crosstown rival Carleton on Saturday they have a big chance - maybe their last chance - to make a move. Augsburg got that big road win at SMU on Wednesday night but then followed it up with blowing another golden opportunity (again) at home against Concordia yesterday. On paper, they've got two winnable games this week - at home versus Hamline on Wednesday night and then at St. Kate's on Saturday. Simply put, the Auggies margin for error is nil. St. Kate's is a stretch at this point but when you go back and look at their schedule it's easy to think about what might have been with some of those games they lost and the fact that they had UST on the ropes in Schoenecker Arena yesterday shows that they are not a team you can take lightly. They just haven't been able to get the consistency needed that would take them a few notches further up.
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