MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 2-5-17

Hard to believe that we're in the home stretch of the MIAC regular season but here we are with teams jockeying for playoff positioning and things are starting to become a bit more clear.  More importantly, there are changes in the power rankings after this last week as well.


1.  UST
2.  GAC
3.  Bethel
4.  (tie) CSB & St. Kate's
5.  SMU
6.  Augsburg
7.  Carleton
8.  Concordia
9.  (tie) Macalester & St. Olaf
10.  Hamline


The Tommies finally nudged GAC off the top of the mountain to keep that place all to itself by virtue of the thrilling and emotional victory Wednesday night down in St. Peter in a game that definitely lived up to all the hype.  UST also found a way to survive a tough challenge at home yesterday from a dangerous St. Kate's team but now must venture outside the MIAC today for a roadie down to Decorah, Iowa to face IIAC powerhouse Luther.  I think it goes without saying that this is an incredibly dangerous game for the Tommies and I'm sure Head Coach Ruth Sinn would have just as soon played this game back in December had Mother Nature decided not to interfere.  UST gets both Hamline and Carelton at home this week and while they can't take either of these teams lightly, it's still a damn sight better than what they went through this last week.  GAC rebounded from Wednesday night's heartbreaker against the Tommies and dropped an A-bomb on Hamline winning by a 106-63 count and got Head Coach Laurie Kelly her 300th career victory in the process.  The Gusties go to the west side of Northfield on Wednesday night to take on St. Olaf which should go according to plan but then have to make a trip to Claire Lynch next Saturday for a mid-afternoon date with a dangerous CSB team.  So while the Tommies and Gusties were summarily beating each other into oblivion on Wednesday night, Bethel had a relatively easy go of it on the east side of Northfield as they unceremoniously dumped Carleton but got a stern challenge from CSB yesterday at Robertson Center before holding on.  They could get a tough challenge on Wednesday night at home against a suddenly desperate SMU team before making the run over to Augsburg on Saturday.

I predicted a week ago that both CSB and St. Kate's could find themselves together again and, not surprisingly, here they are tied for the fourth spot again in my power rankings.  The Blazers easily disposed of St. Olaf at home on Wednesday night and played Bethel tough at Robertson Center yesterday before falling late.  CSB makes another trip down to the Cities on Wednesday night to play an unpredictable Augsburg team before hosting GAC on Saturday where they'll have to roll the dice and hope for the best.  The 'Cats meanwhile easily took care of business at home against Macalester and had UST on the ropes at times yesterday before losing a tough one.  This is a big week for St. Kate's coming up as they have two huge games at home this week - Wednesday night against an improving Concordia team and then Saturday against SMU.  And considering the fact that both the Blazers and the Wildcats have their eyes on that fourth playoff spot underscores the importance of this week from a St. Kate's perspective.  SMU was not as fortunate this last week and although they were able to beat Hamline on Wednesday night, they suffered a costly, costly loss to St. Olaf yesterday at home in Winona.  And considering the fact that the Cardinals travel to Bethel on Wednesday night and then to St. Kate's on Saturday, feathers could be flying again and SMU may have to fight tooth and nail just to lay claim to that sixth playoff spot.

A big week this last week for Augsburg as they went up to Moorhead and beat Concordia and then went down to Northfield yesterday where they knocked off Carleton to keep their ever-so slim playoff chances alive.  But the Auggies need help - a LOT of help - and though they have two home games this week, the opponents are CSB on Wednesday night and then Bethel on Saturday.  Ouch.  Meanwhile, if you thought you heard something akin to an armor suit being crashed against concrete yesterday, don't be alarmed.  That was just the sound of Carleton's playoff hopes taking a massive hit as the Knights predictably got bounced big-time by Bethel on Wednesday night and then inexplicably dropped a a 58-53 decision to said Augsburg team yesterday.  Carleton needed to come away with a split at the very least this last week and this next week all of a sudden looks like a mixed bag at best with Macalester coming to town on Wednesday night and then a run up to the Cities to play at - gulp - UST on Saturday.  Concordia got back on the right track yesterday and made up somewhat for Wednesday night's disappointing home loss to Augsburg with a victory at Macalester yesterday.  The Cobbers have had their share of problems this season but coming down the stretch, this is probably the last team you want to sleep on.  Another disastrous week for Macalester with losses to both St. Kate's on the road Wednesday night and then at home to said Concordia team yesterday.  St. Olaf scored a surprising victory on the road yesterday against SMU to break a four-game skid.  Hamline right now is the Dresden 1945 in MIAC women's hoops as the Pipers are on a nine-game slide and the prospects aren't any brighter this week as roadies at UST on Wednesday night and Concordia on Saturday loom ahead.

One other item, the regional rankings will be released on Wednesday this week and while it seems fairly certain that UST will be number one in the West Regional rankings, it will be interesting to see where both GAC and Bethel land.  Puget Sound out of the Northwest Conference is currently sitting at 20-1 overall and 12-0 in the NWC while Whitman is right behind at 19-2 overall and 10-2 in the NWC.  George Fox could possibly be a player in this scene as well but if I had to venture a guess, I would think that, at the very least, the Gusties will possibly be ranked second in the West Regional rankings and I wouldn't think any worse than third.