Was watching Colby Conn and Bowdoin Wesleyan.   Tale of two teams. 

Colby played poorly but gutted out against an inspiring effort by Conn.  Colby shot poorly (Dorion 0-6 from behind arc) but played buts off.  Colby wanted it, they just looked really tight.  It was a 1 possession game for most of the last 4 minutes.  Colby does better as the free-shooting underdog. 


Bowdoin rolled over, 90 points and allowing Wesleyan 54  percent from the floor in a must win!  Hate to be critical but... Wesleyan had two guys really just had there way against a low effort level.  Hutcherson and Bonner were pretty unbelievable.

Has Tufts clinched win or lose? I am assuming head to head is first tie breaker?

Watched Colby Williams.  Not a Williams fan but I find them so interesting.  They don't go for Offensive Rebounds they just sprint back on D and make the other team run 1/2 court offense.  They sort of just strangle the other team.  Colby had it to 7 late with the ball.  But just seemed every basket was difficult.  Even with Casey shooting it poorly they still beat up Colby. 30 defensive Reb for Williams only 6 off Rebounds.

The biggest game for the mules may be the Williams Bowdoin game.  If Bowdoin wins Colby may be in trouble for getting in.  I think (not going on a giant limb here) Williams wins easy.  Bowdoin has 2 excellent players but has too many non-shooters on the floor at a time to score against Williams. 

Colby might have been laying low last night thinking this is the game they need v Midd.

Thanks for all the great insight to the tourney.   I am not sure what is meant by Pool C? 

Seems like a really good team is not getting in if only 3 get in and if there's an upset 2 great teams.

Williams with less reason to win getting beat by a scrappy determined (fill in the blank) could happen.  Especially if it is a defensive minded Trinity.

Lot of regular season left to play.

Coach Cosgrove can be a little overboard, but I have not seen him cross the line.  He was animated today but not out of line with what had to be a disappointing performance.  I watched after previous post said he's getting to be a little to aggressive.

Colby's great weekend might have put a fork in Bates over the weekend.  Bates play has been admirable but probably going to be left out in the cold

I think it's panic button time in Brunswick.  literally no production from any guards besides Rucker and giving up 86 points in a must win game against Amherst (or at least a must compete game) are bad signs.

Question for everybody/anybody  Will the NESCAC get 3,  4 or 5 in the NCAA's this year.

All of the NESCAC games are great basketball.  I have long said that the NESCAC really belongs in D2 not D3.  Sort or as the D1 Version of the Ivies.

Bates Tufts game intrigues me.  A big game today and they could be in great shape to make tournament.  Which a month ago would have been thought as a reach.

They really play the right way inside out, play hard, had a rough go in the beginning and stayed strong. Playing without Coyne may have made other guys better.  Played the good teams tough let's see how they do in a middle of the pack team at home.

IF 5 NESCAC get in, then really (to me) who's out of the tourney becomes interesting.  As it would seem anyone who wins 1 tournament game is the in the Dance. 

NESCAC followers, Is that about right?

Williams shoots 14-20 from behind the arc  vs Tufts, this can only be done if the looks are fantastic and the team can shoot. 

Good Weekend for Trinity, 32 assists in 2 games with a defense that makes you play 1 v 1
Bowdoin only had 6 assists, and Colby shot 9-28 from inside the 3 point line

Middlebury with a mind boggling 26 offensive rebounds AND LOSES.  Tufts can shoot....

Conn College is officially playing for next year, played 15 guys in each game this weekend

What 3 don't get in?  Conn College and then it's kind of a dog fight.  Thoughts anyone?

Love looking at the numbers

Midd goes to the line 4 times??  They took 29 3's is why, foul count wasn't as lopsided  18-12  as the FT's (also probably a foul or two late were intentional as Mid was down)  Almost impossible to win when there's that big a difference in FT's.

How does Bates pull off the shocker?? Colby takes 35 3's and goes to the line only 8 times.  Hard to win.  Bates out rebounds Colby and turns it over only 10 times.  11-17 from behind the arc is great, but as said in earlier post... They were good looks.

How does Tufts get the upset(?).  Guard play.  Points, Tufts guards 50  Bowdoin 11, Team turnovers Tufts 9 Bowdoin 19.  Tufts is young too and will improve.

Williams 37 Defensive Rebounds on Holds Wesleyan to 27% shooting then blows out Conn College, only 11 Offensive Rebounds all Weekend?  3 against Conn College?  Priority on getting back and getting stops.

Look forward to seeing Amherst play Emerson today haven't watched them yet.  I don't know if they have the 3 best players but that post makes me want to watch them.   Saw Bates play UNE, just watched the 2nd half and they looked pretty good.  Jury is still out though since UNE plays such a frenetic way.

Keene State v Middlebury should be a good one as well

Watched Colby and Bowdoin.  Colby looked great for most of the game, shooters, decent bigs, play hard.  After watching alot of NESCAC last year they look like a top 8 team.  Bowdoin 2 great players who seemingly have to hit tough shots all the time for them to compete.

Is there a way to watch the games after they've played?  Would love to see the Endicott Middlebury game.

Babson pounds Bowdoin today.   Beavers up by nearly 40 before they called off the dogs.  Bowdoin's relies heavily on two guys for all the scoring (Simmonds and Reynolds).  Could be trouble ahead for the Polar Bears.

This should be scrimmage day.  IF a NESCAC school could get a game it would almost have to be today or tomorrow?  Anyone know of any NESCAC teams that played anyone?

ROY
Looking at Highlights Grant Robinson is real deal
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/2019303/5721de1d90eead5d90e7626e

I'll take the very small leap, he's going to have a great career.

Checking out some of the other Rookies on that list there looks to be some very good guards coming into the league

Just google there name, hit videos and voila.

The reality of hoop though it's about your best players not your role players. 
As new to the NESCAC, are the stars in the league generally stars from the get go (fresh) ?  Was St. Amour a 4 year starter?  Curious 

Wondering..

In D1 there are generally pre-season polls, does the NESCAC have such a thing?

I look at pre-season polls a little differently,

Accepting they are educated guesses, it's more of an impression of the state of  a program.    Teams can always play well in March, get hot, get lucky etc.  Teams can't luck or get hot there way into a ranking.  It's earned over a period of time, thus having more value than some might see.

If one were to rank the preseason NESCAC teams you would be looking at who's new, who graduated, and how strong is the program.  I would call it opinion more than guesswork.

Any takers on preseason NESCAC rankings?  I don't really know the NESCAC well enough to try yet (but I am enjoying the "rants and musings" of this blog!)

Thanks for all the great info.  I've listened to people discuss the NESCAC and how it is so much better than most d3 schools since they can offer an education with benefits that outweigh even a scholarship.   Is it actually fair that they are in d3?  Where else would they be?  It's interesting that many d3 schools "play" d1 schools as openers, but no NESCAC schools?  Just trying to get a view of the landscape.

I'm aware that the NESCAC starts later than the other d3 leagues, and clearly it hasn't hurt there chances late in the season.  Are the kids working out now?  Do they get to practice just without coaches?
And can coaches/interested people watch the workouts?  Is that how you know the good new players etc?

New to D3 help me out.   Compare the top of the GNAC to the middle of the NESCAC.  Are they comparable?  I am posting this also on the GNAC part, just trying to get my bearings.