By Tim McCaffrey
Before this week’s McCaffrey’s Musings begins, I would like to send all the positive energy in the world to any and all that have suffered in any way from the senseless attack on Ukraine. It should help us all to realize that other’s suffering is not too far removed from our very own.
In today’s column, we will have the rankings in a moment, but first, we begin with the developing situation at Bloomfield College, a school on the brink of existing.
Lead Story
Before I began to write this feature, I only knew Bloomfield College from the people who worked in its Department of Athletics. I have long admired the culture that has been created by Sheila Wooten, a Bloomfield graduate herself, who has been in command as Athletic Director since 1999. The school has an identity that is unique and should be cherished.
Whether it is the dulcet tones of Gladstone Harris, the wonderful PA Announcer turned Sports Information Director, or the kind voice of Denise Wilburn, the long-time Athletics Secretary, BC has always brought a smile to my face. Without the Bears, the CACC would be losing one of the region’s most accomplished men’s basketball programs of the past two decades. Moreover, it is imperative to recognize how many low income students and people of color Bloomfield serves. The college’s student population is over 85% people of color and nearly 3/4 of the population have a median household income of less than $32,000.
In an interview with Inside Higher Ed, Bloomfield President Marcheta P. Evans said, “Bloomfield College is a special place. We are the only four-year higher education institution in New Jersey that is a predominantly Black institution, Hispanic-serving institution and minority-serving institution.”
Bloomfield College is Tied for 27th in the nation, according to the US News & World Report’s list of the best Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Mobility. Life is about opportunity and a world without Bloomfield would be another lost opportunity to give a helping hand to those who have been forsaken by a social system out of whack from the very beginning. One of those who are champions of the school is longtime men’s hoop coach, Gerald Holmes.
“Bloomfield College provides an opportunity for an affordable education for many lower income and/or first-generation college students of color,” said Holmes, a winner of seven CACC Tournaments. “It provides them with upward socioeconomic mobility and an opportunity to see, interact, and network with many faculty and staff members who look like them.”
The school is looking for a donor with deep pockets or a school seeking a dance partner, but perhaps calling a local politician would help also. Whatever the case, there are always excuses for helping the underserved communities and it would be a colossal disappointment to lose a NJ institution like Bloomfield.
TMAC’S Women’s Seeds
1) Southern New Hampshire (21-5) LOCK: Should not only be a lock on the top spot, but a lock to host the regional.
2) Chestnut Hill (23-5) LOCK: With every team losing below from 3-8, congrats to CHC, you WILL be dancing!!!
3) Pace (21-6) LOCK: You can make a case for Pace a slot above or below, but the committee should prepare the bracket with four non-league affairs. A win over SNHU in the bank is plenty for the #3!
4) Le Moyne: (16-6) NEAR LOCK: The Dolphins cancelled games mean the record isn’t quite where other teams are, but with four wins over the region’s Top 10, an affair with a CACC program is imminent with one more win.
5) USciences (20-4): NEAR LOCK: The Devils win the boxes with Jefferson, and after the season-series split, this is where the school belongs.They have lost to four teams that are a combined 85-24, but the school has only two wins against the top 10. With a top 3 RPI and PI the metrics say #5!
6) Jefferson (21-7): The Rams are big fans of Bloomsburg and Lincoln (PA) who have maintained their Regional Rankings in the Atlantic at #8 and #10 respectively. Good Wins, Bad Losses, but they are good enough to play in the NCAAs. The problem with the six-line is you can’t be a lock because if there are upsets in the three leagues this slot would be occupied!
7) Bentley (16-8): There is simply nobody else deserving of this line.
8) Daemen (16-4)/ECC TOURNAMENT WINNER: For simplicity's sake, since we’re trying to tell you at this point what the bracket will look like, The ECC champion will, barring upsets in other leagues, hold the final spot. The conference will be a one-bid league no matter what!
Overall Thoughts:
Stonehill (14-8) has to at least get to #7 in order to dance. The Skyhawks need a win at #3 Pace and probably one more in the Semi-Finals. If they can couple that with a Bentley loss in the quarters to Franklin Piece that would be a best-case scenario. Stonehill and the Falcons are really close in the numbers, adjacent in RPI and every little detail is important, but winning is the ultimate deodorant!
Notice how our match ups are all non-conference games. It is a very nice bracket!
Speaking of nice, the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) did a fantastic job with the rankings this week. They sorted out the teams in a way that made sense and could be explained. Unlike most years, it shouldn’t be hard to stay away from teams playing a third or even fourth time in the first round of the NCAAs. Credit where it’s due to Karen Haag, chair of the WBB RAC in the East Region for getting it right. I’m hopeful the committee will be on point again this week.
Men’s Top Eight
1) Bentley (19-4) LOCK: The Falcons will be hosting the 2022 Men’s Basketball East Regional!
2) Franklin Pierce (16-9) LOCK: With sweeps over #1 & #3, the Ravens will get more!
3) Saint Anselm (16-9) LOCK: RPI is much higher than Dominican. Will be playing 12th game vs. Regionally-ranked competition Monday @ New Haven.
4) Dominican (19-6): LOCK: There will probably be two-sets of Chargers dancing, but one is for sure!
5) Pace (18-8): NEAR LOCK: They have a must-win to secure a bid. A loss to Stonehill Monday could be devastating! What a swing one game could be!
6) New Haven (17-7) NEAR LOCK: Pace loss Monday + UNH win over Saint A’s could vault this Chargers up a line or two!
7) St. Thomas Aquinas (24-4): Winning out to the NCAAs could mean a higher seed, but a loss would mean the #8 would be the best that the Spartans could achieve.
8) Daemen (19-8): With losses by SNHU and Adelphi to end both of their seasons, the Wildcats need to win the ECC, or have Dominican and a team in the Top Eight win the CACC and NE 10 Tourneys respectively.
Outside at the Moment (but in the Top 10)
Adelphi (17-10) and Southern New Hampshire (13-11) both lost in the Northeast 10 First Round and I don’t see either having a path for an at-large, unless Daemen loses to a team not named STAC in the ECCs. And even that could be iffy! Stonehill on the other hand has a slim chance. If Domincan wins the CACC and Stonehill were to get to the NE 10 Finals with wins at Pace and potentially Franklin Pierce, you can make a case. Will it be enough? The numbers will tell us that if it plays out that way! So it turns out the team outside the top eight with the best chance is actually #11. Go Figure!!
Sad News…..
It was a punch in the gut to learn of the passing of former Le Moyne Director of Athletics Matt Bassett (left). One of the nicest people I have ever come across, Bassett was never short with a smile or positivity. He was able to merge faith and athletics together with his brain child “Inside the L” at Le Moyne. His vision culminated in Bassett being invited to the Vatican for the first-ever Global Conference of Sport and Faith: "Sport at the Service of Humanity.”
Bassett is survived by his wife, Tracy, the love of his life and his best friend whom he met at Green Mountain College, and their two children. He will never be forgotten by any who were privileged enough to be around him for even a moment. As unique as he was genuine, Bassett will be missed by most anyone who came to know him. He was 62.
Class
When it comes to how to do things right, Stonehill College is always an example. The school held a moment of silence for Bassett before its first-round Northeast 10 Tournament game against Le Moyne.
Next Time
We’re almost done! Stay tuned for updates throughout the week as every game matters! The Dude Abides!
McCaffrey’s Musings is authored by Tim McCaffrey who has covered D2 basketball since 2003. He has broadcast hundreds of Division II Games and is honored to have been a voice of numerous men's and women's regionals. If you would like to reach out he responds to all e-mails tpmccaffrey@gmail.com