Virginia Wesleyan's losing streak didn't involve any conference games, but if the Marlins slip up, there are plenty of teams in the ODAC ready to step up. Guilford athletics photo by Zachary Morgan

Even just a little more than a third of the way through the grueling 16-game round robin within the Old Dominion Athletic Conference men’s basketball season, the current leaders caution not to get caught up in early-season success. This is more than standard-issue coachspeak — this is years of experience speaking when coaches and players alike echo the sentiments of Hampden-Sydney senior forward Harrison George, himself a veteran of three years of ODAC wars.

“All of us are beating up on each other,” George said. “Any day any team can beat you. It's just stacked from top to bottom.”

With nine games remaining in the ODAC regular season, plenty could change in terms of positioning. In the here and now, though, recent results indicate that a Virginia Wesleyan (11-4, 7-0) squad that has seemingly righted itself after a non-conference skid in December will face its biggest challenges from a Guilford (14-2, 6-1) team three years removed from a Final Four appearance, a Hampden-Sydney (14-2, 6-1) squad eager for its first NCAA Tournament invite since 2007, and a Randolph (13-2, 5-2) lineup looking to build upon surprise ODAC Tournament title game berths the past two campaigns.

Although former No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan is still formidable with All-American D.J. Woodmore, we will take a look at why Guilford, Hampden-Sydney, and Randolph are not only great stories now — but also could factor prominently into the NCAA Division III brackets come March.

Guilford: Rediscovering success

Tom Palombo makes it all sound so elementary, a paradigm shift every program from coast to coast would copy if it meant winning nine straight games like Guilford has after Wednesday night's 69-65 victory over the same Randolph team that eliminated it from last year's ODAC Tournament.

“(Our players) enjoy coming to practice,” the coach, in his 10th year at Guilford, observed. “We're not a flashy kind of a team, we're more a blue-collar, grind-it-out team ... a dive-on-the-floor, get-loose-balls kind of team. Those are the things that are coming together for us.”

Although the Quakers, the ODAC's lone ranked team at No. 22 in the latest D3hoops.com poll, are averaging 76.2 points per game, they have held all but five opponents below 65 points — and that includes the 63-49 loss at Virginia Wesleyan on Dec. 8 that keeps them a game out of first place.

Since going 30-3 and reaching the 2010 Final Four, Guilford endured consecutive disappointing seasons (16-10 in 2010-11, 17-9 last year) capped by unceremonious quarterfinal exits from the ODAC Tournament courtesy of Randolph. Even Palombo did not see the signs of a paradigm shift within his program early on, but it truly began on the bus ride back from Virginia Wesleyan with a conversation between his two players who appeared in the national semifinals as freshmen: Josh Pittman and Travis Tracy.

“We had a sour taste,” Pittman said. “Our seniors sat down and started saying, 'We're going to start bring it every day in practice.' ”

When Guilford's bus pulled onto its Greensboro, N.C., campus after that Final Four trip, Palombo pulled Pittman aside and offered a most surprising speech. Over the next three seasons, the coach would look to his then-promising freshman to become the Quakers' leader. A heavy burden to shoulder for a not-quite sophomore, but Pittman willingly embraced his coach's call, both then and now.

“I like being a leader more than a follower,” Pittman said. “I try to do the best for our team in any way.”

Pittman (16.1 points per game, 5.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 42.4 3FG%) runs the show, providing an overall example for the Quakers' youngsters including sophomore wing Matt McCarthy (12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 41.3 3FG%) and freshman center Zeb Richardson (11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds).

Despite their recent prosperity, no one at Guilford dares to compare this year's squad to the one that came two wins away from a national championship three years ago. At least not yet. Not with more than half of the ODAC schedule left.

However, if the Quakers' success since losing to Virginia Wesleyan is indicative of anything, it is that they are closer to that Final Four squad than its the teams that missed the last two NCAA Tournaments.

“We feel like there's a high ceiling for us,” Palombo said. “We don't know where that is, but we're pretty sure we're nowhere near it.”

Hampden-Sydney: Frontcourt has Tigers thinking big

Mike Murray is part of a freshman class that could help Hampden-Sydney get back into the NCAA Tournament. Hampden-Sydney athletics photo

Since winning the 2007 ODAC Tournament, the Tigers have been chasing an elusive NCAA Tournament invitation. In Dee Vick's fifth season as Hampden-Sydney's bench boss, he believes his charges are as close as they have been since he came on board prior to the 2008-09 campaign. Wednesday's 70-60 triumph over a capable Randolph-Macon squad is just the latest proof.

“It's our first full recruiting class,” Vick said. “We have some good experience and some good leadership. That's really been a big part of our success (this year), having that continuity. Guys are passing things down to our younger players and they have done a nice job of that this year.”

One of Vick's best examples comes in the form of 6-5 senior forward Harrison George (14.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 61.7 FG%), who arrived at Hampden-Sydney a polished offensive prospect in need of defensive refinement and a daily challenge in practice. Two recruiting coups delivered 6-7 center Khobi Williamson (12.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 63.9 FG%) and 6-7 sophomore forward Cam Anderson (9.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 63.5 FG%), not only giving the Tigers one of the most formidable frontcourts in the ODAC but also a test every day in practice for George.

“It's definitely a huge change,” the senior said. “When I was here as a freshman, usually the only person I had a challenge with was Turner King. Since then coach has done a great job with recruiting.

“Guarding (Anderson and Williamson) is probably tougher than anything I've done (on the court). We've also pushed each other to be the best we can be every day.”

Although Vick scored on the recruiting trail in securing his frontcourt, he picked up a a couple of big victories from what he calls the “757 peninsula” area of Virginia to lure freshman point guard Mike Murray (6.9 points, 4.1 assists, 45.3 FG%, 41.9 3FG%) and versatile sophomore Leon Hargrove (5.0 points). Those two, from a part of the state where Virginia Wesleyan and Christopher Newport each call home, provide Hampden-Sydney with the inside-outside balance that could serve it well not only in the ODAC — but perhaps also in ending its NCAA drought.

“It would mean everything to get there,” George said. “We feel this is our best chance to go. That's what I'm looking at it as.”

Colton Hunt's fantastic production has made Randolph into an ODAC and NCAA Tournament contender. Randolph athletics file photo

Randolph: Is the third time a charm?

In just their sixth season, the WildCats are experiencing unprecedented success around every turn. Disregard their back-to-back losses to conference frontrunners Virginia Wesleyan and Guilford. After making their first ODAC tournament title game appearance and winning 18 contests in 2010-11, they overcame a sub-.500 record entering the conference tourney to come up within a couple of possessions of upending a Virginia Wesleyan team that reached the Elite 8 and earning an automatic NCAA invite.

This time, Randolph is intent on controlling its postseason plans, whether it comes to winning the ODAC Tournament or earning an at-large berth.

“We've gotten there, but we haven't won anything,” said senior guard Colton Hunt, a D3hoops.com preseason honorable mention All-American. “We're not satisfied.”

Although admittedly an uncomfortable leader at first, Hunt (26.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 2.8 assists, 51.5 FG%, 40.4 3FG%, 84.8 FT%) has emerged as the face of Randolph's surge into the spotlight since becoming sixth-year coach Clay Nunley's go-to guy. Hunt has helped acclimate the eight freshmen who have seen the court while winning 13 straight games before a 72-66 setback against Virginia Wesleyan last Saturday, inspiring a sense of optimism that the WildCats could play their first-ever NCAA Tournament contest in a couple of months.

“He's one of those kids that the first thing about him is he's a tremendous, tremendous competitor,” Nunley said. “He's supremely confident: not in a bad way, in his abilities and his team's abilities to get the job done.

“Every year you can see the development. He works at it; he cares about it. From his first year to his second year, he progressed in his ability to shoot the basketball. From his second year to his third year, he's progressed in his ability to handle the basketball. From his third year to his fourth year, it's been his leadership.”

For now, Hunt's ability to help a youthful team push past back-to-back setbacks after starting the season 13-0 so that this season ultimately offers the Wildcats a season that ends on a national stage.

Will the third time prove a charm? If Hunt has anything to say about it …

“I think it would mean a lot not only for me, someone who has been very close to that threshold,” the senior said, “but also for be such a young program and in such a tough league.”

Tufts women keeping things in perspective

Kate Barnosky leads Tufts in assists and is second on the team in scoring. Tufts athletics photo

These could be considered heady times for any program, even one like Tufts that has advanced to four of the past five Division III NCAA Tournaments, reached the Elite Eight in Final Four in 2008, and earned its way into the Sweet 16 last winter. Indeed, the Jumbos enter this weekend's games against Wesleyan and Connecticut College having already earned their highest ranking (sixth) and best-ever start to a season (16-0).

All well and good, although no one at Tufts is quite celebrating. Not considering that the Jumbos, for all of their recent success, are still chasing their first NESCAC championship.

“We're excited with how the season started,” graduate forward Kate Barnosky said. “All that being said, we're probably not as excited as you would expect teams to be with be undefeated records. We know the competition is going to get tougher with the NESCAC schedule coming up and in the nonconference with Rhode Island College and Emmanuel College.”

Added coach Carla Berube: “I appreciate the poll and the record. I think the record is because we're working really hard and getting better. That's a goal day in and day out.

“It's still very early in the season to us, it feels like, and a lot more work needs to be done. It's nice to get the recognitions we are getting and it's a testament to my players' hard work and chemistry. We have a lot of experienced players that went to the Sweet 16 last year. It's a good atmosphere around here. We're excited about this season and where it can go.”

Beyond earning 15 straight double-digit victories and outscoring opponents by 18.0 points per game (62.4-44.4), Tufts plays a fundamentally sound brand of ball with a number of talented, yet versatile, players upon which Berube defends. Only Hannah Foley (11.8 points, 3.9 rebounds) average in double digits, while Barnosky (9.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists) is among the many players who can play multiple positions, having come to Tufts as a guard and being switched to forward before returning to the backcourt this winter.

“Offensively we don't have a star,” Berube said. “We have a lot of players who can score. We're not quite sure where the points are coming from every game, but we know they're coming from somewhere.

“It's nice because it gives us some freedom. We have a lot of scorers and we can score on the perimeter and in the paint. In recruiting, I'd love to find a 20- or 25-point (per game) scorer, but right now we have a lot of players who und their roles and are unselfish with making the extra pass.”

There is a collective focus at Tufts that transcends national rankings and the best start in school history. Everyone is looking toward capturing that first-ever conference crown, which has only been won by Bowdoin (eight times) and Amherst (four) since its inception in 2001 although the Jumbos have reached the title game in 2007, 2008, and 2012.

“It's one of our very main goals: To win the NESCAC and make the NCAA Tournament are the top-two goals, along with doing some damage (in the NCAA's),” Berube said. “That NESCAC championship is definitely something that we're really striving for. That's the big goal of the year.”