Trinity needs one more signature win to get in. If they get to NESCAC finals, I think they should go. I also think if Tufts wins out, then gets to finals, they deserve to go back as well. I just think if Tufts were to beat Trinity twice and Trin got a bid it would be very controversial. Trinity's overall record is much better, but if you look at their common NC opponents, their records are about the same.

Tufts vs. Springfield W         Trin vs. Springfield L
Tufts vs. Babson  L              Trin vs. Babson  W
Tufts vs. Clark  W                Trin vs. Clark  W
Tufts vs. Lasell W                Trin vs. Lasell W

Looking at who beat who in the NESCAC is pointless, because everyone is beating everyone this year in the league (sans Amherst). If Trinity can get by Tufts, I'd give them the nod obviously, but until they do so, I dont think they should assume anything.

daoustian, wasn't Jake's call. he wanted back in, trainer told the coach it was too serious an injury to risk, even though the next day it was proved that it wasnt that big a deal. if you want to call the tufts medical staff soft, be my guest, but dont classify JW as such. He is a great player and a great kid.

On the other hand, I'm sure the Jumbos would gladly invite either Bates or Midd to Medford to exact some revenge.

assuming amherst beats trinity next weekend, tufts controls its destiny for the number 2 seed. if tufts, trinity, and williams all finished with 3 losses, TU takes the tiebreakers. I think there is a significant difference this year between the 2 and 3 seed. I wouldnt want to face Middlebury or Bates, two teams who could be 6 seed, in the first round.

Not taking anything away from Colby or Bowdoin, but I just dont see them winning a playoff game on the road.

Congrats to Jake Weitzen for surpassing 1,000 points today in win over Wesleyan.

Tufts beat Wesleyan 94-69.

Absolutely nothing went right for the Jumbos against Bates. I dont think this game was a case of overlooking Bates or Tufts not coming to play, Tufts just couldnt do anything right and Bates made them pay. It was just one of those games, and anyone who has played sports has experienced this I am sure.

In this league its all about execution. IMO, Tufts is more talented than most of the teams in this league, but that doesnt mean anything. Sometimes the better team doesnt play up to its capability, and a lesser talented team plays above its capability. Bowdoin showed us this last night, as did Wesleyan. Thats why basketball is a great game, IMO. You dont see this in NESCAC football or baseball nearly as much, the parity just isnt there like it is in NESCAC hoops.

tufts over umass dartmouth 82-79.
okeefe 20, weitzen 15 and 10, gallant chipped in nicely with 8 off the bench.

closer than tufts would have liked im imagining, but a tough game to play considering it is sandwiched in between emotional nescac weekend and bates game saturday.

6 of next 7 games are on the road for the 'bos.

whoarewe, Tufts plays in Medford. Brandeis plays in Waltham.

As for this whole arrogant discussion, I don't like basketball players that don't have a little arrogance in them. Call it showy, call it cocky, whatever you want to call it, part of the pedigree to being a stud basketball player is playing with a little arrogance.

62-55 Williams...

Williams, Amherst, Middlebury 2-0 after first weekend.

Tufts beat Trinity today 102-85. Weitzen, Shepherd, O'keefe, Pierce, and Kumf were all in double figures im sure (although i havent seen a box score yet). Trinity's Kino Clarke was unreal today, but Trin couldnt defend Tufts at all.
Trinity coach was T'ed up in second half, which kind of took the air out of the ball for the Bants.

TU should be proud of the way the played this weekend. Although they came out 1-1, they made a statement to the league they are still for real. No one on this board gave them a chance friday, and many had them losing saturday to Trinity, who IMO, wasnt nearly as good as Tufts today.

Its going to take the Jumbos a few more games before they start to gel and get some fluidity in their half court offense. That's where missing Martin comes in huge. Teams had to double down on him which would free up outside shot opportunities and when they didnt Dan went to work. In a few weeks they'll be fine.

I'm not sure if Weitzen as a starter works best for the Jumbos. Everyone knows he can score, but adding minutes to his game might work against him. I think they might work better with him coming off the bench the way he has the last two years. Their overall rebounding and defense would be better with Kumf, Pierce, and Fitzgerald as starting frontcourt.

The way they have it now, neither Kumf nor Weitzen really works well as a four, which forces kumf to try and play big which could lead to him getting in foul trouble. When that happens I like Pat Sullivan, he gives solid minutes and plays within himself.

Their backcourt also hasnt had much consistency so far. Shepherd is key for them late in games but looks like he is forcing tempo sometimes, and O'Keefe will get better with time as he is recovering from a thumb injury.

Big test sunday for Tufts at Brandeis. It was a great game last year even though Tufts won without Martin (concussion i think). I cant wait for league action to start, I think the parity this year in the league is tighter than it has ever been, with teams like Wesleyan and Middlebury looking better than years past.

Happy Turkey day to all...

righty

Tufts wasnt really comfortable in their half court O until last few minutes of the game. Lasell really let the game get away from them, froze a little bit in the end once Tufts starting knocking down big shots. like EC said, Pierce was amazing last night. I dont think anyone, even Tufts players and coaches, expected that kind of a performance out of him in his first time wearing the uniform.

Tufts rebounding was also a suprise: outrebounded Lasell 46-26 and every player on Lasell was taller than Tufts. Just came down to toughness and experience, look for Dave Shepherd to take over games the way he did down the stretch last night. When the team needs a big steal, he gets it.

RIC will be a big test, Bob Walsh, former Providence College assistant coach, has done a good job with the anchormen. They are favored to win the Little East this year.

Amherst-Williams will match Eph offense with tough Amherst D that looked vulnerable last week at Hartford. Amherst O needs to step up to keep this one interesting.

(prediction: Wil 21-16)

Bowdoin-Colby in the "How much cooler was this game last year when we were good" matchup. Both teams can't score, Bowdoin frosh QB played well last week, so I'll give the Polars the CBB.

(prediction: Bow 7-0)

Wesleyan-Trinity could get ugly, Trinity playing possessed football the last month and Wesleyan got pushed around by Williams last week. Then again, who hasnt been pushed around by the Ephs...

(prediction: Trin 28-0)

Bates-Hamilton will be big for Conts, who could get 3 win season. Their D is only getting better.

(prediction: Ham 14-0)

Middlebury-Tufts will be great game to watch if you like defense. Both teams defenses are their strengths. When was the last time Tufts won in VT? Anyone know? I think its been a while.

(prediction: Tufts 6-2)...a Tufts win and Amherst loss would set up 3-way tie for 3rd in league, highest finish for Tufts in a while. They were 5-3 back in 03, but I think that left them in fourth.

Fells, what's the weather supposed to be like in vermont on Saturday?

Just jumping off what bant551 said, I am impressed by what Trinity has done after its loss to Williams. After the streak ended, I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought the rest of the league would smell blood against the bants. They've proven how good a football team they STILL are with the way they have won the last five weeks.

Their D has given up 3 points since the Williams game, thats unreal.

As for Amherst-Williams, is this game going to be on NESN? I know it has in some of the past years.