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Division III Power Rankings: Dec. 12, 2016

12/12/2016, 4:30pm EST
By Josh Verlin

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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It’s been two weeks since our last Division III power rankings, which means it’s time to once again take a look around the region’s small-college scene and see who’s playing well, and who’s slipping.

The most surprising move this week was the decision to remove Franklin & Marshall from the rankings entirely, despite their being No. 3 last week; they’ve only gone 3-3 in their last six games, and that three-point OT win against Lancaster Bible to open the season no longer looks anywhere as impressive as it once did. With plenty of other programs playing better, we couldn’t justify leaving them ranked at the moment, but they’re certainly one of the teams right on the fringe (along with York, Ursinus and Centenary).

Here’s our current top 10, as well as the programs that are battling for a mention:

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Previous Rankings: Nov. 28 | Preseason |

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Others to Watch: Arcadia (3-4, 2-1 MAC Commonwealth), Bryn Athyn (4-4, 2-2 NEAC), Centenary (6-4, 3-1 CSAC), Delaware Valley (3-5, 0-0 MAC Freedom), Franklin & Marshall (5-3, 1-3 Centennial), Gettysburg (2-5, 2-2 Centennial), Immaculata (3-5, 2-1 CSAC), Lancaster Bible (2-4, 2-2 NEAC), Lebanon Valley (4-5, 2-2 MAC Commonwealth), Muhlenberg (5-3, 2-2 Centennial), Penn State-Abington (3-4, 2-1 NEAC), Penn State-Harrisburg (4-4, 1-3 Capital), Rosemont (3-4, 2-2 CSAC), Ursinus (5-3, 3-1 Centennial), Widener (5-4, 1-3 MAC Commonwealth), York (5-2, 2-1 Capital)

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10. Eastern Eagles (OTW)
Record: 5-2 (0-0 MAC Freedom)
Last Two Weeks: @ Goucher (W, 70-53), vs. Hamilton (W, 90-86), @ Rowan (W, 116-99), @ Ursinus (W, 81-65)
Star Watch: Shaquan Turk (Sr./SF) -- 19.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg

After starting off the season 0-2 against Cabrini and Neumann, Eastern has roared back with five straight wins to make its first ranking appearance of the season. As expected, Turk has been leading the way, hitting double figures in every game this season; his best outing of the last four was a 23-point outing against Rowan, going 8-for-8 from the floor including three 3-pointers. Junior wing Austin James, who averaged 6.9 ppg last year, has upped that to 12.7 ppg this time around. Next week, they’re headed down to head coach Eric McNelley’s home turf in South Florida for a pair of holiday games, including what will be a top-10 showdown with Susquehanna that could give the Eagles a nice boost out of the rankings.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Eastern Connecticut St. (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 19, 8 PM), vs. Susquehanna (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 20, 8 PM)

9. Gwynedd-Mercy Griffins (6)
Record: 5-2 (2-1 CSAC)
Last Two Weeks: @ Cairn (W, 83-56), vs. Neumann (L, 90-78), @ King’s College (W, 95-84), vs. Susquehanna (L, 80-74)
Star Watch: Arron Goodman (Sr./F) -- 17.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg

After starting off the year 4-0, Gwynedd-Mercy dropped two of its last three to fall several spots, though there’s really no shame in losing to either Neumann or Susquehanna, both ranked in the area’s top 3. Though sophomore guard Rip Engel (17.7 ppg) is leading the team in scoring, we’re going to mention Goodman this week because the 6-6 forward out of Council Rock North surpassed the 1,000-point mark with a 21-point, 10-rebound outing against Susquehanna. On the season, he’s averaging 17.4 ppg and 8.4 rpg, good for second on the team in both categories; Cedric Elleby (16.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg) is the third member of the Big Three for head coach John Baron. Won’t play another home game until Jan. 7.

Next Two Weeks: @ Gallaudet (Dec. 17, 2 PM), vs Manhattanville (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 20, 4 PM), vs. Goucher (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 21, 4 PM)

8. Cabrini Cavaliers (OTW)
Record: 5-2 (3-0 CSAC)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Rosemont (W, 88-75), @ Marywood (W, 73-61), vs. Immaculata (W, 97-74)
Star Watch: Tyheim Monroe (Jr./F) -- 22.0 ppg, 16.6 rpg

A three-game winning streak has Tim McDonald’s Cavaliers back in the rankings, as they’re also just one of two undefeated teams through three games of Colonial States Athletic Conference play. And they’re doing it behind the strength of their dominant big man. The top rebounder in the country, Monroe -- a 6-7 Olney grad who’s grown several inches since he arrived on campus -- put together three more monster double-doubles these last two weeks: 23 and 14 against Rosemont, 25 and 17 against Marywood, 25 and 18 against Immaculata. They’ve gotten a nice scoring punch off the bench from senior wing Ryan Charity, who’s averaging 12.3 ppg in a sixth man role. Won’t play a D-III opponent until Dec. 30, with only a game against Patriot League favorites Lehigh on the near horizon.

Next Two Weeks: @ Lehigh (Dec. 22, 7 PM)

7. DeSales Bulldogs (8)
Record: 5-3 (0-0 MAC Freedom)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Arcadia (W, 87-71), @ Catholic (L, 81-56), vs. PSU-Berks (W, 99-61), @ Muhlenberg (W, 82-72)
Star Watch: Brian Laird (Sr./G) -- 12.9 ppg, .458 3PT%

Despite playing all four games these past two weeks without leading scorer Joseph Lococo (16.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg), the Bulldogs still put together a nice 3-1 showing to slide up a spot in the rankings. Laird, a 5-11 guard out of Harrisburg’s Central Dauphin HS, stepped up big-time with a 27-point outing against Arcadia, shaking free for six triples on the evening; he also poured in 25 against Muhlenberg, knocking down seven 3s. Do-everything guard Kuity Slanger also had some impressive outings, going for 10 points and 12 assists against Muhlenberg plus 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists against PSU-Berks. Just one game in the next fortnight, against freshman sensation Khalil White (16.0 ppg) and PSU-Harrisburg.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Penn State-Harrisburg (Dec. 19, 7 PM)

6. Moravian Greyhounds (OTW)
Record: 7-2 (1-0 Landmark)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Del-Val (W, 101-94), vs. Elizabethtown (W, 76-63), @ Marywood (W, 84-51), @ Bridgewater (W, 94-92), vs. Eastern Mennonite (@ Bridgewater, L, 105-100)
Star Watch: Brandon McGuire (Sr./F) -- 21.6 ppg, 12.6 rpg

The loss to Eastern Mennonite ended what had been a seven-game winning streak for Moravian, which is enough to vault them right into the middle of the pack. Justin Potts’ second year at Moravian looks bound to be an improvement on his first (11-14), which by itself was a seven-win improvement from the year before. McGuire, who averaged 13 ppg during his senior year at Judge, is having his best-ever season no matter what level; he went off for 35 in the loss to Eastern Mennonite on 16-of-19 from the floor, and had a 25-point, 11-rebound outing in the win over Del-Val. The Greyhounds, which adopted a pressing, uptempo style that Potts brought with him from his time as an East Stroudsburg assistant, have forced opponents into 171 turnovers against just 96 assists.

Next Two Weeks: @ Lafayette (Dec. 19, 7 PM)

5. Dickinson Red Devils (7)
Record: 6-2 (3-1 Centennial)
Last Two Weeks:@ McDaniel (W, 52-42), @ Swarthmore (L, 72-65 OT), vs. Gettysburg (W, 47-42), vs. Wilkes (W, 68-59)
Star Watch: Elijah Wright (Soph./SG) -- 12.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg

What’s scariest about this Red Devils squad that keeps on rising up the rankings? There isn’t a senior on the entire roster, and six of the team’s top eight scorers are freshmen or sophomores. Dickinson’s only two losses have been to teams ranked in the national Top 25 by d3hoops.com: Christopher Newport and Swarthmore. And there isn’t one star; Wright is the team’s leading scorer, but anybody in their top six is capable of shouldering the burden on any given night. Freshman guard Bryce Allen (Hill School), who missed the team’s first four games, bounced back to average 8.8 ppg in his first four games of college action. They’ve got time to rest for finals for the majority of this month, but things get difficult from that point out, starting with a game against Stockton and continuing in the new year with matchups against Susquehanna, Hopkins and Ursinus looming.

Next Two Weeks: N/A; next game vs. Stockton (@ Catholic, Dec. 29, 7 PM)

4. Alvernia Crusaders (4)
Record: 5-2 (2-1 MAC Commonwealth)
Last Two Weeks: @ Hood (L, 76-73), vs. Lebanon Valley (W, 76-70), @ Messiah (W, 76-70)
Star Watch: Mike Miller (Jr./G) -- 12.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg

In a strange coincidence, the winner of all three of Alvernia’s games these last two weeks have had exactly 76 points; twice that was the Crusaders, and once it was an 8-1 Hood squad. We're always going to be able to mention star forward Marquis Marshall, who continues to lead the team at 22.7 ppg and 8.3 rpg, but this week we'll highlight Miller, son of head coach Mike Miller. The 6-2 guard out of Berks Catholic led the Crusaders with 17 points on just nine shots in the win over Messiah, adding 15 against Hood and 14 against Lebanon Valley. Another local product, Harriton's Alex Shippen, is averaging 13.9 ppg and 4.6 rpg.

Next Two Weeks: @ Lycoming (Dec. 13, 8 PM) vs. Buffalo State (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 19, 4 PM), vs. Goucher (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 20, 6 PM)

3. Susquehanna River Hawks (5)
Record: 7-1 (1-0 Landmark)
Last Two Weeks: @ Goucher (W, 68-62), vs. Trinity (@ King’s, W, 62-58), vs. Gwynedd-Mercy (@ King’s, W, 80-74)
Star Watch: Ryan Traub (Jr./C) -- 18.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg

Well, it’s pretty obvious now that we weren’t taking Susquhanna seriously enough at the beginning of the season, ranking them nine because of the graduation of leading scorer Josh Miller off last year’s 24-win team. They haven’t missed a beat, ripping off seven straight wins after a double-OT loss to Misericordia (8-1) to open up the season. While leading scorer Steven Weidlich (20.6 ppg) is living up to expectations, it’s the emergence of Traub that has made the biggest difference. The 6-7 post from Mt. Olive (N.J.) averaged 7.2 ppg and 3.2 rpg in a reserve role a year ago, and has stepped right into a starring one as a junior; he scored 20 against Goucher (on 9-9 shooting, in 15 minutes), then had 17 against Trinity and 18 against Gwynedd-Mercy.

Next Two Weeks: vs. LaGrange (@ Miami, Fl., Dec. 18), vs. Eastern (@ Miami, Fl, Dec. 20)

2. Swarthmore Garnet (2)
Record: 7-0 (4-0 Centennial)
Last Two Weeks: @ Muhlenberg (W, 81-49), vs. Dickinson (W, 72-65 OT), @ Ursinus (W, 75-67)
Star Watch: Cam Wiley (Soph./G) -- 16.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg

If there was any doubt about Swarthmore’s front-runner status in the Centennial Conference, that was erased this week. Combined with a rough stretch by F&M, Swat took care of business against three other contenders; Dickinson and Ursinus showed why they’ll both be threats come postseason, but Swarthmore is doing what it should be doing and winning the close ones. Wiley, a 6-0 Atlanta native, scored 18 and 16 in the first two games in his usual role as the team’s sixth man, then moved into the starting lineup against Ursinus and dropped 21 points, his new career-high. Most impressively, they’re out-rebounding opponents by an average of 18 boards/game, with Robbie Walsh (6.7 rpg) and Chris Bourne (6.4 rpg) leading the way.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Rowan (Dec. 17, 6 PM), vs. Roanoke/Averett (Dec. 18, 1 PM/3 PM)

1. Neumann Knights (1)
Record: 8-0 (3-0 CSAC)
Last Two Weeks: @ Clarks Summit (W, 107-67), @ Gwynedd-Mercy (W, 90-78), @ Delaware Valley (W, 105-77), vs. Catholic (W, 83-63)
Star Watch: James Butler (Sr./F) -- 19.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg

The Knights kept on rolling these past two weeks with four more impressive victories, including three on the road to start the year and then that 20-point win over a Catholic program that is currently 5-2 and not unaccustomed to being ranked in the top 25. Butler, a 6-3 forward out of now-defunct Roberts Vaux, went for 25 points and eight rebounds against Clarks Summit and then 26 and seven against Gwynedd-Mercy, then 19 and seven against Del-Val before a relatively quiet eight points, seven rebounds against Catholic. Jim Rullo’s squad is out-scoring opponents by an average of 24.5 ppg, winning the rebound battle by 7.4/game and are forcing 19.6 turnovers/contest as well.

Next Two Weeks: N/A; next game vs. Scranton (Dec. 30


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