Well last week was interesting.
Harvard's close win over Dartmouth made sure that the Crimson were tops in the NCAA DI league at the moment. But everyone recognized that it was a close-run thing.
"The margins at the top of NIRA are tight, and we’ve had no relief in our schedule," said Harvard Head Coach Mel Denham, whose two-time NIRA champ Crimson side is now 4-0. The key for Harvard is to just work on getting better. "Our biggest area of growth this season has been learning to consistently execute under pressure. It’s been one top program after another, so this bye week is a much-needed chance to recharge and regenerate before we ramp back up for Sacred Heart, which will be another competitive test. There is no shortage of leadership on our team, but what’s carried us through this stretch has been the experience and leadership of Tiahna Padilla. Her composure, execution and consistency under pressure, and ability to make big plays in key moments have lifted the group. As we head towards SHU and then some lighter games before the postseason, we will continue to sharpen our execution and tactics while balancing rest with staying fresh."
Indeed. Idle this week Harvard gets to see who will fight for 2nd behind them. For the most part, Lindenwood will probably hold onto their 2nd spot as they are favored over 0-3 Queens and should hang on even if that game affects their strength of schedule score.
The game most are looking at is Army vs Sacred Hard. The teams are separated by 0.004 points in the Power Rankings (which take into account overall offense, defense, and strength of schedule in the context of wins and losses). Those two teams are almost certainly fighting for that final semifinal spot.
Meanwhile it's a top-of-the-table clash in DII with AIC vs Davenport. These teams are separates by 0.041 points, and will face off Saturday night.
