Here we are on the eve of the big NFC Wildcard Playoff game between my Los Angeles Rams and our forever arch-rival Minnesota Vikings. No changes at the top two positions but some significant movement in the middle area so let's get to it:
1. GAC
2. Bethel
3. Concordia
4. CSB
5. Hamline
6. (tie) St. Scholastica & SMU
7. St. Kate's & Macalester
8. St. Olaf
9. Carleton
10. Augsburg
The Gusties routinely took care of business this last week as expected and even though it wasn't always pretty at times, it's the final result that counts as they finished off Macalester this last Wednesday night at Leonard Center and then sent St. Scholastica packing yesterday in an easy win down in St. Peter. But this coming week is going to be much more challenging for GAC as they travel to Winona to take on a surprisingly-rising SMU team which could be a very dangerous game for the Gusties and then they face Bethel in a big showdown in St. Peter this coming Saturday.......Speaking of the Royals, they survived a tough challenge up in St. Joe this last Wednesday night by holding off CSB and then got a seemingly routine victory over Macalester at home in Robertson Center yesterday. Bethel will get a relatively easy tune-up game on Wednesday night when Carleton pays a visit before they travel down US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline down to St. Peter for the big showdown with aforementioned GAC this coming Saturday.
In the first significant shift from last weekend, Concordia gets shoved from the fourth spot to the third spot by virtue of the Cobbers walloping St. Kate's up at cavernous Memorial Auditorium this last Wednesday night and then staving off a tough challenge down in Northfield yesterday from St. Olaf (and possibly the ghosts of the James-Younger Gang who robbed the First National Bank of Northfield back in 1876 in the process). And a big congratulations to senior forward Makayla Anderson in notching her 1,000th career point yesterday as well. So Concordia took a big step in the right direction this last week. Now the question becomes, can they continue to keep going in the right direction? They get CSB at home in Moorhead on Wednesday night and then make a return visit to Northfield this coming Saturday to face Carleton so I'm inclined to say yes........And speaking of the Bennies, it was obviously a week they'd probably rather just as soon forget as they dropped a tough home game to Bethel last Wednesday night and then faltered down the stretch yesterday in their loss at St. Kate's. It was costly for CSB simply because even though it's still just mid-January, you're potentially looking at dropping from a third-seed to a fourth-seed in terms of the MIAC Playoffs. They have a big game up in Moorhead this coming Wednesday night against aforementioned Concordia team and then get a much-improved St. Scholastica team at home in Claire Lynch this coming Saturday. In short, the Bennies know that they need to get down to business and time is of the essence.
Below these first four spots is where things really get messy as they always seem to this time of year with a handful of teams trying to jockey for position. Hamline gets the fifth spot in my Power Rankings today all to themselves as they easily took care of business this last week with a big win at Carleton last Wednesday night and then dispatching Augsburg yesterday over at venerable Hutton Arena. This next week could be very tricky for the Pipers, however, as they make the run down to Northfield to face an improving St. Olaf team and then get an unpredictable St. Kate's team at home this next Saturday.......But then you have two teams nipping on the Pipers heels: First, St. Scholastica which got a split this last week as expected - beating St. Olaf at home last Wednesday night and then getting taken to the woodshed down at GAC yesterday. This next week could be more of the same for the Saints as they get Augsburg at home on Wednesday night before going to CSB next Saturday. Then you have a fast-rising and hard-charging SMU team that's doing everything it can to try and turn heads as they came up to the Twin Cities this last Wednesday night and knocked off Augsburg and then got a big win at home yesterday against Carleton. Logic would suggest that the Cardinals will likely be looking at a 50-50 proposition this coming week as they host GAC on Wednesday night and then make a return trip up US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to the Cities to face Macalester this coming Saturday.
Then right below these two you have two more teams that are hanging in there for that coveted sixth spot. St. Kate's took it on the chin this last Wednesday night up in Moorhead against Concordia but held firm down the stretch yesterday against CSB to claim an exciting (and much-needed) victory. This coming week may be the most crucial of all for the Wildcats as they get Macalester making the quick run over to Butler Center on Wednesday night and then head up Snelling Avenue this coming Saturday to take on Hamline at Hutton Arena - a venue that hasn't been kind to St. Kate's over the years.......Macalester took their lumps this last week as expected - getting hammered down the stretch by GAC this last Wednesday night and then absorbing a similar pounding up at Bethel yesterday. And this week is just as crucial for the Scots and their hopes as they run over to Butler Center on Wednesday night to take on aforementioned St. Kate's team and then get that much-improved SMU team we were talking about just a bit ago at home this coming Saturday.
So there's a glance at how things look on this Sunday. As always, feel free to fire away with thoughts.
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