Hey guys thought that I would make a little come back haha but anyways I dont have time to read all the posts that I missed (20 pages worth) but I just wanted to say that I went to the Tufts games this weekend and then hung with them for a while after the game.  They were not happy that they didnt get a home game but from what I felt they will have their game faces on come tourney time and in the NESCAC playoffs it is a different game.  I was looking at the standings pretty crazy. Should be a very interesting playoffs.  Possibly an eight vs six finals.

Well that is good to hear about Tufts.  Tufts has nothing to hang their head about they had an emotional loss to Amherst and came out and played well against a good team.  I think that they are starting to be the team that everyone expected them to be at the begining of the season.  So I would look for them to play more like this and get on a roll.  There is a good chance that they could win out from here on.  The only team that I see on the schedule that I think they will get a run from in Bates.

any word on Tufts?

I was at the game last night and just as everyone has said it was an instant clasic.  At great game to watch but it was all to familiar of last year.  I wasnt overly impressed with Amherst but witht that being said I was very impressed with Olsen with out him I think that the Jeffs would be half the team that they are now.  A poor mans steve nash is right on the money.  His offense is incedible but the thing that stuck out at me was the way he pressures the ball on defense.

Now to Tufts they played great.  They looked like the Tufts of last year with that cofidence and played with a chip on their shoulder.  It was alot of fun to watch.  Everyone played really well.  They shot the ball well and played hard defense.  It just so happened that Olsen took over at the end of the game.  Tuft needs to go and get Trinity today.

Pat,

Amherst's schedule has been a point of emphasis on this board.  But I would love to see them as the number one team in the nation but that is only becuase I want to see Tufts nock them off on the 12th.  I agree with you that they should not knock teams for playing a harder schedule but that is becuase when I played for Tufts we always played a harder schedule than just about anyone in the NE.  I think that maybe you should hold off the rankings until the weekend after the 12th so you can be sure that Amherst deserves the spot but that is not posible.  Either way we will know alot more about this Amherst team after the weekend of the 12th than we know now.

I think that you may have ranked colby and Bowdoin a little high but that is pretty much right on

So do you want numbers or just people.  I think this is a good I idea.  Are you going to post it any where or just keep it here.  Maybe make a copy and send it to all the head coaches.  Ill help out by doing Tufts but it may take a while I have to find the record sheet but Ill see what I can do.

JeffRook,

I think that offensively amherst is not looking for too much production out of the center spot.  I mean most their points come from their guards.  I agree with the fact that the three of them combined put up some good numbers but I think that if you have one of the guys playing 25 to 30 minutes you get a little bit more consistancy on the defensive end.  Oshea is a big stong kid and he has the ability to stop people is size or bigger.  Hopkins I remember being a lot weeker than Oshea and easier to push around.  So I think having Oshea our there for defense helps them out.  But Im not really sure.  I could be way off.  Also what about goldsmith he is pretty good defensivly

Senator your right it was a bank shot rushed it a little.  But what a game and we just had a lot of personality conflict I think that year.  In the last two years I know I had felt much more part of a team than a buch of individuals.  Coffin did kick our ass that game and mine as well but I was only a lonely freshman trying to guard him.  On to the Amherst not having any bruisers debate.  What about Hopkins and O'shea (I think I got their names right) these guys are bruisers and are not looking to take a 3 point shot. 

Historian

Love the reading rainbow reference

Do we have to keep bring up such painfull memories

I thank Senator frost for calling Tufts the better team those two games.  They were some great games.  I think that those two teams were about as even as you can get.  I think that you can say the same thing for the Amherst Williams teams back during the Williams championship year.  You guys are really just splitting hairs right now.  I find it funny that, that year Amherst won the league and had the home playoff advantage then williams won the league playoff and untimately the NCAAs.  So in the year that Williams won the NCAAs they came in second to Amherst in the league standing.  (With Amhersts only loss that year in league play to Tufts)

But I just wanted to thow this out there, Tufts destroyed Amherst and lost by one to Williams that year.  So where would that place Tufts?  Also I was hurt for both games hahha. 

That was all from memory I may be off but I think Im right


Weitzen will score his 1000th point this year probably soon.  Im not sure to as how many he has but he has to be very close

whats up with the War Sasquach

Blacklord

I think that Tufts is having trouble against some good big men.  They are smaller this year than last and I think that they are playing a little different.  Instead of going right inside every posession they looking to drive to the basket and dish.  This isnt to say the Peirce doesnt have a good post game but I think that they have a little different philosphy this year and it took them a few games to get use to it.  But now going into break they are hitting on most cylinders and beat a team that I had not beaten my four years at Tufts.  Sheldon also does a great job of scheduling.  They play great competition though out the year.  I think this is really what got them to where they are now.  Every year Tufts plays the best teams in NE and each year I think the players benifit from it.   Another problem that Tufts has is that they are very inconnsistant.  A lot of times, I know I can speak only for the past couple of years but has been a trademark of our team, Tufts plays to the level of the competition.  Whether it is playing up to Amherst or down to Newbury.  But hopefully after a great win against PSC they will be able to elevate their play become the team that everyone thought they would be.

Nescac Hoops

All I meant by that was the top teams in the NESCAC can compete with most the teams in the patriot league.  Im not saying we are going to win every game I just think that the top teams in the NESCAC can compete with most the teams in the Patriot League.

Wow I just realized that this was pretty redundant

Nescac Hoops

You are right on the money in mentioning the Ivy league and I would also add the patriot league to that but it is when you get up the ACC or the Big East that D3 teams will never be able to compete with those teams.  Reilly is the coach of Bates and I think so far he is the most deserving.