We took a week break from the NCR D1 rankings so there's a ton of data to go through for this week.
The multiple results for some of those teams is interesting because so many of the games are close. As a result we're making big shifts based on tight results. Aquinas beats Indiana Tech by three points? Yup, let's make a move. Michigan is within three of UCLA? Make a move.
Kutztown beats Wheeling by a point? Yes Kutztown moves up a spot and Wheeling drops seven. Most of that is because other teams have done something to move up.
All of that is to say that almost every ranking here is very tenuous. St. Bonaventure's performance against Walsh was good, and they move up, but remember all of those one-point wins. A little bad luck and we might have them at #8. Southern Nazarene has done just about everything asked of them, but they haven't played a lot of highranked NCR D1 teams.
So their top 10 spot is, e feel, justified, but not super-secure. And they won't play anyone in those rankings until UCLA October 31, so we're going to have to read between the lines with them.
Marian moves up to #6 after a good result against Indiana, their first win against a ranked opponent. Next week's game against Indiana Tech is important in securing that spot.
And speaking of coming up, here are the key matchups next week:
Belmont Abbey vs Kutztown
Wheeling vs Walsh
Drury vs Aquinas
Indiana Tech vs Marian
Brown vs UCLA
Southern Nazarene vs Air Force
We'll find out a lot after that.
Maybe.
