MIAC Power Rankings 2-4-13

As we head into the home stretch of the regular season, things are beginning to finally shake out - in some cases in a very unexpected way....

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

Give props to the Cobbers for enduring road games on back-to-back days - and getting over on both occasions.  As such, they're solidifying their spot at the top of the heap - at least for the time being anyway as CSB continues to nip on their heels.  The Blazers are arguably the hottest team in the conference right now as they've ripped off eight straight wins and logic would suggest they'll make it nine in a row tonight before the big showdown Wednesday night at home against Concordia where they'll have to roll the dice.  SMU, meanwhile, blew a golden opportunity to knock the top dog off of its perch when they lost at home to Concordia yesterday.  Still, at 17-4 overall (14-4 in conference play) they're still in good shape and the only daunting aspect left of the regular season schedule is a return trip to CSB and, you'd have to think that, in a worst-case scenario that they'd be no worse than a #3 seed come playoff time.  UST has at least stopped treading water and now appears to be afloat again but they've still got work ahead of them - a home date with CSB and a roadie down to St. Olaf are still in the offing for them.

The same cannot be said, however, for GAC as they've gone into a total free-fall rivaling the collapse of the Soviet Union and its east European satellite nations; losing five out of their last six games and six out of their last nine.  It's a downfall that, quite frankly, not even I could have ever envisioned happening.  Even more puzzling is the manner in which they're losing games as three of these losses have been by two points or less.  Now comes the $64,000 question:  Can the Gusties SOMEHOW turn this titanic-like season around and salvage something out of it?  (sigh).....I truly don't know....They've got talent certainly and those close game that they've lost would seem to suggest that they COULD anyway and it may also suggest that it may be a confidence factor more than anything.  At the same time, though, when I look at the road ahead for GAC, to say that it's going to be a hard row to hoe would be an understatement.  Road trips to both UST (yeah, yeah I know...We've been over that ad nauseum) and Concordia (gulp) remain and homes games with Macalester, St. Kate's and Carleton are no longer "sure" things.  In the end, I guess only the Gusties themselves can answer that question but I do not like how this is setting up at all for GAC.  Hamline is another team that is on a tear as they've suddenly won four straight and their schedule is a bit more favorable as they've got both St. Olaf and Concordia at home.  The Oles are still clinging to a life-line; they're likely pointing to that showdown at Hamline this coming Wednesday night.