Top 25 ballot breakdown: Week 1
First D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll of the 2023-24 regular season will be out later today...here's how my ballot looked!
It’s that time again! Today marks the release of the first D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll of the regular season. I am one of the 25 voters, and each week that we have a poll, I’ll make sure to post a breakdown of my ballot. As a reminder, this is the perspective from one voter and the way I am seeing things. My way of voting and methodology is likely to be different from other voters, so don’t take anything here as being the thought process of the entire voting panel. I may be wrong on some teams. I may be right on others. But ultimately, it’s just fun to take a look each week at the top contenders in the country and where they may stack up when compared to the rest of the country’s strongest teams.
So here we go…
Top 25 breakdown
#1 NYU–The Violets looked every bit like the team I expected them to be when I put them #1 in the preseason poll. NYU’s win over Johns Hopkins on the opening weekend continues to improve in value, as JHU has put in some quality performances since that point. NYU also has an 80-54 win over a quality Colorado College team, and beat MIT, a NEWMAC contender, 88-55. Sure, Whittier kept it very close last week, but I’ll just chalk that up to the timing of the game (the day before Thanksgiving) because NYU looked very convincing in yesterday’s 96-54 over Ramapo.
#2 Transylvania–Transy is a close second for me, as the Pioneers have been strong in all three games up to this point. That said, Wisconsin Lutheran nearly upset them on their home court yesterday in the championship game of the Pat Deacon Classic, as WLC had several chances to tie the game or take the lead down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Ultimately, Transy did what experienced teams do; they didn’t panic, took care of the ball, and made free throws down the stretch. It gave the Pioneers a 54-48 win, moving them to 3-0.
#3 Christopher Newport–The Captains have tested themselves against quality competition, specifically Elizabethtown and Emory, and prevailed in both contests. At 7-0, we’ve had several chances to see CNU in action, and we’ve witnessed consistent performances, especially on the defensive end. A 57-47 win over Emory and an 81-68 win over Elizabethtown really boosts CNU’s resume at this point in the year.
#4 Scranton–The Lady Royals are 4-0 and haven’t given me a reason not to keep them at #4. TCNJ is really the only team that has contended with Scranton for four quarters this season, and I look forward to tonight’s matchup against a 5-1 Stevens team. It’ll give us a better indication of where Scranton stacks up, but overall, this is a team poised for a strong season with solid chemistry and cohesiveness that will serve them well as the winter progresses.
#5 Whitewater–I expect the Warhawks to jump up a little higher on several people’s ballots as compared to the preseason poll. This is a 6-0 team that has shown no signs of slowing down, and I’ve seen improvement from Whitewater over these first few weeks. Concordia-Moorhead nearly upset the Warhawks in their season opener, but Whitewater came away with the win, and last week, went to Illinois Wesleyan and came out on top, 82-80. Aleah Grundahl is currently averaging 21.8 points per game, and Kacie Carollo has been, as expected, a key force in the backcourt. North Dakota State transfer Katie Hildebrandt has stepped in and provided quality depth in the post, and overall, this is a team that plays really well together. Whitewater hosts Chicago on Saturday in what should be a pretty impactful matchup for both teams’ resumes.
#6 Gustavus Adolphus–The Gusties have only played three games, but really impressed me in the 76-58 win over UW-Stout on Nov. 15. If you’re playing that well this early in the year against a strong WIAC contender, you’re doing something right. Wins over St. Olaf and UW-La Crosse have followed. The depth on this roster is pretty notable; four players are currently averaging double figures in points. That will continue to serve the Gusties well moving into MIAC play.
#7 Tufts–Tufts took a tough loss to a good Rhode Island College team in the season-opener, and it was the margin of victory for RIC, 18 points, that really made me rethink how high I should put Tufts. But five straight wins have followed, and for the most part, the Jumbos have looked pretty convincing. Matchup against St. John Fisher and Roger Williams were won handily, and it seems Tufts has begun finding its footing. Time will tell, especially with an impending matchup against NYU on Dec, 9, but for now, I’m keeping Tufts at #7, which still ends up being a drop of four spots from where the Jumbos were in my preseason ballot.
#8 Wartburg–In the midwest, Wartburg is 5-0 and while I don’t think the Knights have a signature win to their credit yet, an opportunity is coming against Loras on Wednesday. That contest will be a must-see showdown, and should tell us plenty about both Wartburg and Loras. For now, Wartburg has only played one team with a winning record, North Central (IL), who is 3-2. That said, UW-Eau Claire, even in a sort of rebuilding year, is a tough opponent, and Wartburg edged past the Blugolds, 62-59, on Saturday. I still have some question marks on Wartburg, but this is a solid team with an experienced rotation that I expect will continue gaining as conference play really gets underway.
#9 Trinity (CT)–The Bantams’ first loss came yesterday at Smith, as the Pioneers of Smith erased Trinity’s 10-point lead and stole the victory away, creating just a little more chaos in this whole Top 25 conversation. Ultimately, we knew it’d be a tough battle, and losing to good teams is part of non-conference play. Watching the game yesterday, it’s still very evident that Trinity is a national contender, and three of the four wins have come against teams who currently hold a record of 3-1 or better. The exception is Albertus Magnus, who is 3-2, and holds wins over NJCU and UNE. Trinity has tested itself early in this season, and found ways to win. A small drop in this ballot for the Bantams, but they are right there.
#10 Hardin-Simmons–The Cowgirls are quickly separating themselves here in the Lone Star State, though Trinity (TX) is not far behind. We had a chance to see those two teams battle it out on Saturday at HSU, and it was HSU who won, 92-88, in overtime. This is a team that includes fifth-year standouts in Paris Kiser and Parris Parmer, along with Colorado College fifth-year point guard Anna Fanelli. The experience level seems to be paying dividends and they run a high-powered offense that very few teams in the ASC will be able to stop. The win over Trinity really elevates HSU’s rank in my opinion, and from an eye test perspective, this is a team that belongs in the Top 10.
#11 Rhode Island College–RIC just missed my Top 10, but improves from my preseason rank of #12. I get that a lot of people may feel this is a little too low for the Anchorwomen…they may be right. The 5-0 record is notable, as are wins over Tufts, Williams, and Babson, balancing the eye test with the data and numbers, RIC didn’t come out ahead of my current Top 10. The Williams game came down to a last-second shot attempt for Williams, and Babson nearly beat RIC yesterday. This is a really tough one, especially because of the Tufts win, but I’m going to wait to see how RIC looks on Wednesday against Trinity (CT) before moving them any higher.
#12 Emory–The Eagles are flying high after a big win at Washington & Lee on Saturday that saw Claire Brock score 39 points, connecting early and often from beyond the arc. Emory wasn’t ranked in the preseason, but they should be ranked this week. They hold a 5-1 record, with the only loss coming in a game at CNU in which Brock did not play. And it was a 10-point loss, which is also worth mentioning, rather than a 20 or 25-point loss. In terms of wins, Saturday’s victory at W&L significantly improved my rank of Emory, as winning on the road in November against a team as strong in the post as W&L speaks volumes. The 65-53 win over Berry is also a solid result, as I do think Berry could end up turning a corner soon and contend in the SAA.
#13 Smith–The win over Trinity, if I’m being honest, kept Smith right here in the Top 15. Because what preceded yesterday’s win was a 70-65 loss to Mass-Dartmouth. Yes, it was on the road. And yes, UMD is 5-0. But resume-wise, UMD isn’t a Top 25 caliber team at this time, and Smith had not played anyone of note up to that point. I had considered moving Smith down to the #18-#20 range after the UMD loss, but the Pioneers’ performance against a talented Trinity team was impressive, and of significant value to the resume. Maybe UMD is better than I thought, or maybe Smith just had a challenging day on the road. One loss early in the season can have a noticeable impact on a team’s national standing, but then again, a big win can have the same effect.
#14 Millikin–I’ve said it before…I’ll say it again. Elyce Knudsen and Bailey Coffman might have the best inside-outside combo of anybody in the CCIW, or even in Region 8. Knudsen is averaging 26.5 points, Coffman is at 18.2 currently, and both have put up some really strong early-season performances. But Sophie Darden has also stepped up, as has Matayia Tellis. Millikin is 6-0 and rolling into conference play. They certainly pass the eye test and are in rhythm right now.
#15 Loras–The Duhawks are off to a 4-0 start, and while the offense has taken a little bit of time to gain traction, defensively, Loras has been fantastic. In the ARC opener last week, Loras held a 4-1 Coe team to just 36 points in a 51-36 win on the road. Excited for Wednesday’s matchup, as Loras hosts Wartburg. As mentioned above, this should tell us a lot more about where both of these teams are at.
#16 Trinity (TX)–The Tigers are 4-1, with their only loss coming, as previously mentioned, to Hardin-Simmons this past Saturday. And Trinity didn’t play poorly in that one. In fact, I’ve felt that the Tigers have upped their level of play since watching them come from behind to beat Mary Hardin-Baylor in the season-opener. Trinity may have less returning experience on this year’s roster as compared to past years, but the talent is there. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Trinity so far.
#17 Amherst–With the whole roster back, Amherst is off to a 4-0 start, and certainly in the NESCAC title discussion along with Tufts and Trinity. While I’m not sure if the Mammoths are quite at the level of those two teams right now, the Nov. 21 win over Albertus Magnus, 64-57, was a convincing result that led me to not only keep Amherst in my Top 25, but move the Mammoths up three spots from my preseason ballot. Intriguing matchup on tap against New Jersey City tonight.
#18 Baldwin Wallace–Baldwin Wallace is the only OAC team I have ranked, and it is in large part due to the Yellowjackets’ first two wins of the season over Gettysburg and Rochester. While I didn’t vote for either this week, those are Top 50 teams and tough matchups, especially since they came on consecutive days at the Rochester tournament (meaning the Rochester win was a true road win). Losing to Trine, 62-60, hurts, but it was such a 50/50 game that BW really competed well in. Overall, BW was tested early and showed some real strength that will come into play as the OAC schedule tips off soon.
#19 Elizabethtown–The Blue Jays are off to a 4-1 start with the only loss coming at Christopher Newport just over a week ago. This is a team that has several playmakers and is balanced offensively, with five players averaging 9.0 or more points per game. The 64-56 win over Dickinson is the season opener is a quality result as well, and when you factor in actually watching this team play, it’s evident they are a Top 20 team. The chemistry is there for this squad with so many returners.
#20 Hope–The Flying Dutch took a disappointing road loss to a Wisconsin Lutheran team that only continues to get better and better, and prior to that, opened the season 4-0. The 80-73 win over Illinois Wesleyan is a huge result for me, considering the fact that IWU is just a couple spots further down on this ballot. While I did have questions about Hope in the preseason, and there have been some inconsistencies, this is a group that has clearly come together and is multi-dimensional. That certainly helps when evaluating a team, as the Flying Dutch have quality depth to go along with it; nine different players are averaging 15.6 minutes per game right now.
#21 UW-Stout–A 4-1 team, UW-Stout has begun the season strong, outside of a 76-58 loss at Gustavus Adolphus. Again, that was a road game against my current #6 team. So that’s not a loss you can really fault the Blue Devils for. Their best win came against Puget Sound on a neutral court, 72-59, which will likely be an RRO win when it’s all said and done. Eye-test-wise, Stout has one of the best backcourts in the WIAC from what I’ve seen so far. Sydney Brennan has stepped up as a 3-point sharpshooter for the Blue Devils, currently 11-of-24 from beyond the arc, and averaging 17.5 points per game. Raegan Sorensen is just behind her, at 17.2 points per game. Then you have Anna Mutch and Sam Schaffer both consistently contributing. Without a ton of depth in the post, Stout’s guard play is going to be extremely critical as WIAC play rolls around.
#22 Illinois Wesleyan–The Titans have two losses, but those losses have come against UW-Whitewater, in an 82-80 game, and Hope, in an 80-73 game. Then you have wins over Puget Sound and WashU, and honestly, in all four of those results, IWU has looked really strong. Lauren Huber is such a versatile player on both ends of the floor, and Ava Bardic, after transferring in from the D2 level, has immediately made a significant impact. Mallory Powers, Kate Palmer, and Caite Knutson are all contributing in big ways as well, and looking a little bit past the record itself, this team plays with pace, communicates well, and certainly passes the eye test. The matchup at Wheaton on Dec. 9 is going to be the real test, as Wheaton is another CCIW title contender.
#23 Chicago–While I feel like I should’ve had Chicago higher, considering this is a team off to a 6-0 start, I am keeping the Maroons low for one more week, until I can see the matchup against UW-Whitewater. No doubt Chicago is a great team, but all these teams in the Top 25 fit that title. Still a few question marks for me. The seniors have really led the way so far, with Sophia North averaging 14.8 points per game. Both Ellie Gross and Kate Gross have been impactful as well, and Marissa Powe is an outstanding rebounder.
#24 DeSales–It is tough to know what to make of DeSales. Muhlenberg upset the Bulldogs in their season opener, 44-41, and DeSales has since beaten St. Elizabeth, Susquehanna, and Moravian. Not the best quality of opponent to make a Top 25 assessment off of, but as usual, DeSales’ defense has been very effective and they have won by sizable margins. As the season goes on, I’ll have a better grasp of where the Bulldogs are at, but for now, I’m keeping them lower in my ballot.
#25 Whitman–This final spot could have gone to several teams, but Whitman hasn’t really struggled at any point, and though the Blues are 4-0, just two of those wins have come against D-III opponents (and Sul Ross State, one of those two) is a program in transition to D2. The other two wins have come against Evergreen State and Northwest (WA), both of which are winless NAIA programs. I have a feeling getting to see Whitman play Pacific on Friday will give me a much better grasp of whether I should move Whitman up or not, but they do pass the eye test for me, led by standout Korin Baker, who is averaging 17.5 points per game.
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