North Central and the NCAA Regional Rankings: Week 3 Edition

I'm a day late on this again. But given that the calculations for the regional rankings were compiled after Sunday's games, then not even posted until yesterday, I think I can be forgiven the delay.

We're taking one final look at the regional rankings in Division III basketball and where North Central ranks both in the men's and women's sports. I also want to look at how the CCIW stands with these.

It's important to bear in mind though that since the rankings only go through Sunday, games have happened since then that may change some things. Click here to read the Week 2 rankings post.

Women's Basketball

Record: 14-11 overall, 8-8 CCIW (T-5th)
Central Region: Unranked (out of 9 teams)

I recapped their season yesterday, and even though they aren't playing this weekend, to end the year with three straight wins, including a pair on the road against CCIW Tournament teams, has to count for something. At the time the stats were compiled, North Central was 12-10 against D-III opponents, with a .572 strength of schedule and a 2-5 mark against other regionally ranked opponents (the two wins coming versus Piedmont and at Illinois Wesleyan). If their record wasn't enough to knock them out, the 2-5 mark will, though that record now reads 3-5 after the Augie win, and the strength of schedule should come up a little bit as well.

As we look at the rest of the CCIW, Wheaton was ranked fourth and Illinois Wesleyan fifth, and that was before the CCIW Regular Season Championship Game they played on Tuesday. If anything, Wheaton may jump to third place, and the Titans will probably drop a little bit in the final ranking. Augustana came in ranked ninth in the Central, and their loss to North Central might knock them out of the rankings. They have a tough spot as the #4 seed and likely sacrificial lamb to Wheaton. If that ends up happening, the Vikings are probably not coming to the table on Monday. Elmhurst, sitting in third place, might move up that ninth spot since they were in the Week 1 rankings. The way I look at it, I think both Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan are in if they make the title game. If the Titans fall to Elmhurst, I doubt they get in. Wheaton should be in regardless. Elmhurst and Augie are too far down the list, and will likely need to win out to get an invitation.

Men's Basketball

Record: 15-10 overall, 9-7 CCIW (T-4th)
Central Region: Unranked (out of 8 teams)

The Cardinals needed one of three things to go right on Tuesday; they got two. It gives North Central the #4 seed and keeps them alive in the NCAA Tournament conversation, but they're not in the regional ranking picture. Ten losses is just too many. Detroit Jock City has the Cardinals 13th in the Central region, with way too low of a strength of schedule and RPI to be in the running for an at large spot. They're 3-4 against regionally ranked opposition, which isn't great, but it's not bad either. I can't complain about disrespect. It means one thing: if North Central wants to make the NCAA Tournament, they have to win the CCIW Tournament.

The rest of the conference could have some problems though. Augie held firm in fifth as of Sunday, but that was before they got the crap kicked out of them at Illinois Wesleyan on Tuesday. That will drop them maybe a spot or two. Carthage probably jumps them, and Illinois Wesleyan, who was in eighth last week, has fallen out of the rankings. Yet for some reason, some Titans fans are still arguing as though, especially with the win over Augie, they have a chance at an at large spot. While the conference tournament field is not a criteria for selection, and the Titans have good peripheral stats such as records against regionally ranked foes (6-2 according to DJC) have them thinking that they are on an extreme bubble. I just don't see it. If Carthage wins the CCIW Tournament, we could see an Augie make it if they win, or North Park since they have a better regionally ranked opponent record. If Carthage at least makes the title game, they could probably sneak in too. But I think at most, this is a two bid league this year, and even that is up for debate. We'll see what happens this weekend.