Congrats to Trinity and Wesleyan.  Wesleyan dodged a bullet yesterday - both teams excellent but Emory missed so many wide open threes and shots right at the rim. 

Wesleyan Trinity Part III should be a classic.

I like Trinity in a close one because of depth and defense.  Let's say Trinity 73 Wesleyan 66, not decided until final minute.  No need for a scouting report for either side!

No one covered themselves in glory at the end of that one.  Redlands players: immature and unsportsmanlike.  However, I have been to many, many NESCAC games and seen a segment, and sometimes a healthy segment, of the supposedly intellectual elite in the student sections take it right up to and sometimes over the line, too.  So even though I wasn't there I am betting that the Tufts cheers were not limited to "Please Go, Jumbos."  It's a sad commentary on everyone that this stuff happens and leaves a bad taste instead of focusing on a great game.

No one is beating NYU this year.  I coached d3 women's hoops for over 20 years, and NYU is the most balanced and deepest team I've ever seen. No disrespect to Scranton or anyone else. NYU is on another level.

Tomorrow's final
Trinity 75
Wesleyan 69

Hard to say.....Bates improved this year and has some promising players.  I would not make a change yet......Amherst?  I am sure alums and fans are disappointed with a drop off after being a perennial power....plus the eye test did't paint a picture of a team that consistently played to the level of talent on the roster.  I never want to see a good person lose his job, but it's fair to say that given Amherst's academic prestige and massive financial aid resources, the team should have been better over the past few seasons.

Semis
Wesleyan 76
Hamilton 68

Trinity 73 
Tufts 68

First Round Playoff Predictions
Amherst 65 @ Wesleyan 88  Wesleyan in a breeze wire to wire
Williams 63 @ Tufts 79  Williams close at half but Tufts responds
Conn 65 @ Hamilton 70 Conn upset bit thwarted by a big game from Morgan
Colby 64 @ Trinity 84 Colby defenseless against Trinity

 

Final Regular Season Weekend
Friday
Wesleyan 77 @ Bowdoin 60
Williams 58 @ Hamilton 74
Trinity 76 @ Colby 67
Midd 67 @ Amherst 64
Bates 63 @ Conn 66

Saturday
Trinity 82 @ Bowdoin 63
Midd 66 @ Hamilton 84
Wesleyan 88 @ Colby 73
Williams 64 @ Amherst 59

Sunday
Bates 70 @ Tufts 81

Friday
Colby 67 Williams 77
Hamilton 63 Conn 61
Bowdoin 64 Midd 77
Amherst 63 Tufts 79
Trinity 77 Bates 64

Saturday
Amherst 59 Conn 70
Bowdoin 64 Williams 76
Hamilton 68 Tufts 79
Colby 84 Midd 77
Wesleyan 85 Bates 63

What the heck happened to Bowdoin this year?  Were like 9-3 and played two good UAA teams tough.  Then lost at Harvard by only 6.  Does this mean Harvard would not make the NESCAC tournament this year?

I was at that Conn Trinity game.  The clock operator was a second slow.  It shouldn't have counted.  And no, I never went to Conn, Trinity or any other NESCAC school....I was just there to see a college game

Why in the world would Hamilton ever consider leaving the NESCAC for the Liberty League, other than to save money - and Hamilton has plenty of that.  It would be like trading in your Benz for a Honda.  As far as basketball goes, no comparison between the two. The LL has some above average teams but they are usually the definition of a one bid league.

Predictions for this weekend
Friday
Conn 55 @ Trinity 69
Bates 61 @ Williams 74
Amherst 67 @ Colby 77
Hamilton 75 @ Bowdoin 68
Tufts 63 @ Wesleyan 60

Saturday
Tufts 59 @ Trinity 62
Amherst 75 @ Bowdoin 73
Conn 54 @ Wesleyan 78
Hamilton 77 @ Colby 70
Bates 71 @ Middlebury 78

Predictions for January 25
Wesleyan 62 @ Trinity 71 -- a close one until the final minute
Midd 66 @ Williams 76 --looking for a Williams bounce-back vs an average Midd squad
Amherst 65 @ Hamilton 78 -- Hamilton solidifying its position as a contender
Bowdoin 73 @ Colby 80 -- Bowdoin not living up to early promise
Conn 56 @ Tufts 76 -- Conn has frustrated Tufts in recent years but not this time

Week 2 Predictions
Friday
Conn 68 @ Midd 73
Bates 68 @ Bowdoin 79
Tufts 58 @ Williams 62
Trinity 75 @ Amherst 62
Wesleyan 70 @ Hamilton 71

Saturday
Wesleyan 76 @ Amherst 63
Trinity 72 @ Hamilton 59
Tufts 71 @ Midd 64
Conn 58 @ Williams 74
Colby 75 @ Bates 79

Lots of uncertainty after the top 3........

I think Williams, while not as elite as in past years, is really well coached and a tough opponent. I just like the fact that Wesleyan and Trinity are home for these games and home court in NESCAC play can mean a lot.