Here we are on a big NFC Divisional Playoff Gameday for my LA Rams - which looks to be at a cold and (very) snowy Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia today. But we had a very wild and momentous day in MIAC Women's Hoops play yesterday which shakes up my Power Rankings for today significantly and unexpectedly. So let's get to it.
1. Bethel
2. GAC
3. Concordia
4. (tie) Hamline & St. Scholastica
5. SMU
6. Macalester
7. (tie) CSB & St. Kate's
8. Augsburg
9. Carleton
10. St. Olaf
What a shocker it was indeed down in St. Peter last night that saw Bethel run roughshod over an undefeated and sixth-ranked GAC team as the Royals trademark defense stymied a usually-potent Gustie offensive attack. Coming down the stretch, GAC looked completely out of their element and incredibly frustrated at times and it was shocking to watch - even online. The question now becomes is how these two teams go forward after last night's clash. For the Royals, they can't get too comfortable as they have a vastly-improved St. Scholastica team coming down to Robertson Center on Wednesday night before they make the run down to St. Kate's next Saturday to take on St. Kate's.......Meanwhile for GAC, what an incredible letdown to what was initially looking like a possible storybook season and now they absolutely must find a way to put last night's shocking loss behind them and refocus. And that will not be easy at all for the Gusties this coming week as they first come up to the Twin Cities on Wednesday night to take on a very dangerous Hamline team and then follow that up with the dreaded road trip up to Moorhead to face Concordia at cavernous Memorial Auditorium - a venue that hasn't been kind to the Gusties the last couple of seasons.
Below these two teams is where things really get tricky. I decided to leave Concordia entrenched in the third spot as they took care of business this last week - even if it wasn't in totally convincing fashion - by first holding off a late CSB rally up in Moorhead last Wednesday night and then pulling off a second escape job down in Northfield - this time against Carleton - yesterday. The Cobbers get two home games this coming week; first against Macalester on Wednesday night but then get aforementioned GAC team on Saturday. For Concordia to salvage what has so far been an unpredictable roller coaster ride season, they've got to find a way to get dubs on both outings, IMHO........I have two teams sharing the fourth spot on this Sunday. First is Hamline which got relatively easy wins down at St. Olaf last Wednesday night and then yesterday at home vs St. Kate's. But the Pipers can ill-afford to rest on their latest laurels as this will be a very telling week for them. First, GAC will come rolling into venerable Hutton Arena on Wednesday night and you know the Gusties will be out for blood. Then next Saturday the Pipers must venture up to the frigid shores of Gitche Gumee to take on what looks to be a very good St. Scholastica team......So let's talk about those Saints who are also sharing the fourth spot in my Power Rankings on this Sunday. It wasn't that much of a surprise that they took care of Augsburg at home this last Wednesday night but the fact that St. Scholastica went down to St. Joe yesterday and basically ran the Bennies out of their own crib was an eye-opener. The aforementioned game with Hamline looms this Wednesday night before a trip down to the Cities to take on Bethel this coming Saturday. If the Saints can come away with at least a split this coming week, things could be shaping up very well for them in terms of the MIAC Playoff picture.
Who would have guessed that SMU would possibly be in the position that they are right now - particularly in new Head Coach Courtney Shelton's first season down in Winona? Yet here the Cardinals are in what was supposed to be strictly a rebuilding season and they're already turning heads as they've won four of their last five games. We can forgive the fact that SMU had to take it on the chin this last Wednesday night at home against GAC but they bounded up US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline yesterday and took care of business over at Macalester and looked pretty good in doing it, too. And mind you, this is a team that is littered with freshmen and sophomores right now and they probably shouldn't be doing this. But they are and this week appears to be a doable proposition as they host St. Olaf on Wednesday night and then go up to St. Joe next Saturday to take on a slumping CSB team......Macalester meanwhile came away with at least a split this last week, popping St. Kate's this last Wednesday night before dropping the tough home game against aforementioned SMU team yesterday. The Scots have to hope that they can come away with at least a split this coming week as they first must make the long trip up US Highway 10 and the BNSF Staples Sub mainline to Moorhead to face Concordia on Wednesday before coming back home and hosting Augsburg this next Saturday.
Falling and falling faster and harder than the obligatory anvil in the Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner cartoons are two teams who share the seventh spot in my Power Rankings on this Sunday. CSB is mired in a four-game losing streak right now and although they mustered a late comeback attempt this last Wednesday at Concordia they still lost by twelve and then followed that up yesterday by looking absolutely lost and bewildered at home against St. Scholastica in a game they trailed by as many as 24 (twenty-four!) points midway through the fourth period. What's so absolutely puzzling is that this team is loaded with talent and we know that they should be doing better and they're simply not right now and they've got to find some answers if they want to get back into this thing before it's too late. They absolutely MUST beat Augsburg this Wednesday down in the Twin Cities and then have to find a way to beat a very-improved SMU team at Claire Lynch this coming Saturday........Also in dire straits on this Sunday is St. Kate's as they've now lost four of their last five games and simply have not looked cohesive at all as of late; getting popped at home by Macalester this last Wednesday night before yesterday's blowout loss over at Hamline. The 'Cats best prospects this week appear to be coming away with at least a split and even that isn't guaranteed as they run down to Northfield on Wednesday night to take on Carleton and then host Bethel (gulp) this next Saturday.
So definitely a momentous week and weekend that shook up these Power Rankings this time around. As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts....
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