MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 2-11-18

Despite yesterday's results, no real shake-up among the top four teams but there are some definite rumblings in the middle portion.  So let's see how things shape up in my crystal ball on this sunny Sunday:


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


Unlike Wednesday night's escape job against Augsburg, the Tommies left nothing to chance down in Northfield yesterday and they hammered St. Olaf into oblivion as expected.  While it's unlikely that UST will face another near-scare this coming week like they did this last Wednesday against the Auggies, an always-difficult trip down U.S. Highway 61 and the CP Rail River Sub mainline to Winona to face SMU on Wednesday night followed by the regular season finale at home against second-place CSB on Saturday (which very well could be a preview of things to come) does not make life easy for the Tommies.  CSB meanwhile handled business routinely enough as expected; knocking off Carleton down in Northfield and then dumping the same Augsburg team in Claire Lynch yesterday that had UST all but beat this last Wednesday.  But the Blazers hardly have any time or room to do any celebrating just yet despite their current solid regional ranking as a hungry and confident GAC team comes to Claire Lynch on Wednesday night and, should the Blazers fall there, it's quite possible that the Gusties could catch them in not only the standings but the regional rankings as well although I do think CSB's margin for error is a bit bigger than GAC's right now.  And speaking of GAC, it was a very good week indeed as they easily handled Macalester on Wednesday night and then likely got the biggest win of this season so far with yesterday's 77-60 stomping of Bethel in Lund Arena.  That sets up the big clash with said CSB team on Wednesday night up in St. Joe.  Assuming they can get a win there and then make a run to the MIAC Championship Game, that SHOULD be more than enough to get them a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.  The Blazers I think are a lock should they make it to the MIAC Championship Game but would still have a decent chance even in a semifinal loss scenario.  The same cannot be said for Bethel now with yesterday's debacle down in St. Peter.  It will be interesting to see how the regional rankings shake out this next week but it seems almost a given that GAC will leapfrog Bethel after yesterday's game which leaves the Royals with no other option but to win the MIAC Championship Game.  Bethel does have it somewhat easier in the last week of the regular season with home games against both Macalester and Carleton in the offing.

Unlike last year when SMU was circling the drain at this point in the season, the Cardinals responded this last week with two huge road wins that more than likely gets them "locked" into the fifth playoff spot; beating Concordia up in Moorhead on Wednesday night in a tough one and then knocking off Macalester at Leonard Center yesterday.  They host UST on Wednesday night and then Hamline on Saturday to finish out the regular season and, assuming they can come away with a split which I think is the most likely scenario, they shouldn't have to compete with anyone else for that fifth spot.  The real battle now comes for that coveted sixth spot.  Oh, what COULD have been for Augsburg this last week.  They had UST on the ropes; up by four points with :08 left and managed to let it slip away in regulation and then lose in the extra session at Schoenecker Arena.  Ouch.  Never mind yesterday's pounding at the hands of CSB at Claire Lynch.  Now the Auggies are in for the fight for their very playoff lives and everything comes down to the showdown with St. Kate's as the 'Cats scratched and clawed their way to two wins against St. Olaf on Wednesday night and then Hamline yesterday.  But to complicate the situation even more is that Concordia; left for dead just a couple of weeks ago, has suddenly made a late push to keep their slim hopes alive for that sixth spot and a win down in Northfield yesterday against Carleton allowed them to finish this last week with a split and it's not out of the realm of possibility that they'll get wins this last week of the regular season as the Cobbers come back down U.S. Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to the Cities on Wednesday night to face Hamline and then finish at home against St. Olaf next Saturday.  They need some help but you have to admire how Head Coach Jessica Rahman has brought this young team together despite all the adversity they have faced this season.

Hang on.  This last week of the regular season is going to be fun and we haven't even got to the MIAC Playoffs yet.  Fire away with thoughts.