Pick'ems:

Ursinus Ursinus and Ursinus 

Amherst

Quote from: eclinchy on March 20, 2008, 01:06:58 PM
Hey, at least it was even vaguely basketball-related.  That's more than the last page/page-and-a-half of posters can say.

Eclinchy, I agree. However, I have learned so much about Plattsburgh and Lake Champlain, I am booking my summer vacation there. 

Oops, I forgot my last comment ....

Quote from: diplomaniac1 on March 20, 2008, 11:40:31 AM

As a Centennial Conference fan, I hope Ursinus shows well. I wish the bears good luck.

Trust me Diplomaniac1, the Bears will represent us very well. Their game against Coast Guard was very physical, and that experience will go a long way. I am sure Amherst's loss to Bowdoin left a sour taste in their mouth, so they too will be focused. Which means, it will be a hell of a game 

TO:     Amherst Fans

At this point, I am looking at the consolation game for Ursinus on Saturday. The player's pedigree for Amherst is too overwhelming to think that Ursinus will be able to play with Amherst. Good luck in the Championship game.

Pick'ems:

Ursinus
Hope

Ursinus and Amherst played 3 common opponents - Williams, Middlebury and Trinity (Ct.). I am discounting Ursinus's game against Williams because it was their 1st game of the season, and frankly, not a good indicator of where they stand.

However, Amherst and Ursinus beat both Middlebury and Trinity. Looking at the stats (fg%, opp. fg%, 3 pointers, rebounds, and TO), no significant differences were noted. I predict that Friday's game will be a barn burner, maybe even overtime.

Reserved Seat, I appreciate your words of support. I am a Ursinus fan, not because of graduation, but because a family member attended the school and was recognized as a 1st team all Centennial player. At the age of 54, I deeply enjoy watching the "kids" learn and grow, and see them experience "the good and the bad times" that will become lasting memories for life after basketball. Coach Small is a phenominal person who relates so well with these kids and transcends his knowledge of the game to the kids. 

This year's team is really something special and I am sure you can say the same about the great F&M teams. Getting to the final four is something special.

My plan for Friday is to rent the movie "Hoosiers", watch it around noontime ... have my pregame meal afterwards    ... and then watch the videostream at 5:00 pm.  As for now, I am practicing my impersonation of Dennis Hooper (from Hoosiers) jumping on the bed yelling "we won, we won, we won" 

Quote from: fpc85 on March 18, 2008, 05:27:41 PM
the question i have is how ursinus lost to williams?

Well fpc85, the game against Williams was so early in the schedule and Coach Small's team tend to play early games as if they are exhibition games. Unlike Amherst losing in the tournament at the end of the season where one should be peaking, I would be more concerned about an end of season loss to an inferior team than an early season contest.

Greetings from Ursinus College and the Centennial Conference.

My congrats to Amherst for making it back to the Final Four to defend their National Championship.

An earlier posting from NESCAC1 on 3/16 commented about Ursinus's lack of size and that the Jeffs should have it easy to move on to the Championship Game. While Amherst's loss to Bowdoin College in the tournament was a shocker, how can a "smaller" Bowdoin team, compared to Ursinus pull off the upset. Granted, shooting 57% to Amherst's 45% was the key factor. Acording to NESCAC1's assessment of bigger men overwhelming the smaller team, why did that not happen against Bowdoin?Just a thought.

Good luck on Friday.

For another perspective about Amherst, go to the Northeast Region and select NESCAC MBB. The postings about the upcoming game with Ursinus (from Amherst fans and non-fans) is interesting reading. I appreciate fpc85's posting here to dispel any notion that Amherst's front court are only big men with no perimeter game. However, if one looks at Amherst's loss to Bowdoin College in their tournament and Bowdoin's roster of "small" players, one has to wonder how Amherst lost such a game. Granted, shooting only 45% to 57% for Bowdoin is the factor, but one would think why Amherst didn't kill Bowdoin with an inside game. Any perspective from the Jeff fans ?

Composure and Resilient.

These two words come to my mind when I think of the Ursinus season and the Sectional game against Coast Guard. Helfferich gym was rock in, and Coast Guard fans were in force and made themselves heard throughout the game.

The last 3 mins of the game and throughout overtime, everyone was standing. Ursinus had several surges in the game, but Coast Guard came back. Grant Johnson was shooting lights out in the first half for Coast Guard. Kinda reminded me of Dennis Stanton against F&M on 2/7/04 when he scored 55 pts. Fortunately, Coach Small made half-time adjustments and the team shut him down in the 2nd half.

When Coast Guard went ahead by 2 with 30+ secs left, the team did not panic. Certainly Remy Cousart was the hero that night, sinking 2 free throws with 17 secs left, and then making 2 critical baskets in overtime. Shema, Noooooonan, Hilton, and everyone else played well to support Shattuck. Team play gets you through the tough times. 

Now it is on to Salem and against the defending champs Amherst. D3hoops.com website has a poll on who will win. With 139 fans voting, Ursinus has a 10.8% chance of winning. Amherst and Hope are the prohibitive favorites to meet in the championship game.

In my opinion, the game against Amherst will be a classic duel between Amherst's front court players (in the paint style) versus Ursinus's back court players (shooting and driving style). I look forward to the game and see who imposes their style of game on the other. Obviously, Shema will be the key. The game against Coast Guard was a godsend to the team because Coast Guard played so physical. It showed that Ursinus can play against a physical team, and Shema did well. Amherst's basketball website has some good stats in its release about both teams  (https://cms.amherst.edu/athletics/teams/winter/basketball-m/articles/2007_08/0317_final_four)

I think the other factor is what I have read and heard (on audio) from D3hoops.com about Salem Civic Arena where the sight lines can be somewhat difficult for shooters.

Travelling  1 ½ hours to Ursinus is my max from South Jersey. I may consider going to Salem if McNickels is a good divorce lawyer and can represent me (Pro Bono). 
Old Ends, great work on the articles and postings for us to read. You are the "CNN correspondent" for DIVIII basketball 

Go Ursinus Go.

3/15 Pick'em:

Ursinus

Pick'ems:

Ursinus

Coast Guard - Rochester has a better lineup, but Coast Guard has won a couple of tough games as Old Ends indicated, so I go with Coast Guard for a mild upset.

Heh Pat Coleman:  is the Salem prize package mailed to me, or do I have to pick them up at the Call Window   

Tourney Pick ems:

Ursinus
Gettysburg

NCAA Pick ems:

Ursinus (the monkey will get his banana for the win)
Virginia Wesleyan (have you seen their mascot, that is one scary Marlin)
Gettysburg (what can I say Capkin, Capkin, and more Capkin)
Scranton (the historic Steamtown museum will chug along for the win)

Welcome to the new prognosticators. We welcome your insight, anaylsis, wit and your money 

Rumor has it that Old Ends will offer a free trip to Salem with final's ticket to the best overall record