MBB: Little East

[ECSUalum]

Warrior,

What about Tyler Hundley?  Will he be able to step up when Chris needs a rest? Otherwise it will have to be 6-5 Kohn, 6-4 Garrow, and 6-5 Levy with Nedwick and Ives as shooting and point guards respectively.  Did Coach Geitner not have any quality big guys interested in playing for the Warriors this year? 

It was interesting last year when Jamie and Nick played guard positions, and they had Garrow, Sawyer and Robitaille up front!!!!

[ECSUalum]

I just found this on RIC's Mens basketball web site when checking the 2010-11 roster for players graduating:

July 21, 2011
RIC'S WALSH TABBED AS ONE OF THE TOP 25 COACHES IN THE COUNTRY
Providence, RI—CollegeInsider.com has named Rhode Island College Head Men's Basketball Coach Bob Walsh as one of the top 25 coaches in the nation from the Div. II, III and NAIA ranks. He was one of only six Div. III coaches listed from this prestigious list.

Since taking the helm in 2005-06, Walsh has led the Anchormen to a 135-43 (.758) overall record and gone an amazing 81-18 (.819) in games against Little East Conference opposition. RIC has also logged a combined 23-8 record (.741) in the postseason under his tutelage. Rhode Island College has won four Little East Conference Regular Season Championships (2011, '10, '09, '07) and four Little East Tournament titles (2011, '10, '08, '07) during Walsh's tenure.

I believe Amherst's Dave Hixon and Williams' Mike Maker were also honored

PRETTY IMPRESSIVE!!!

[warrior]

I think it will be Hamilton Levy who backs up Chris. Tyler Hundley or Jamie could then take Ham's place at the 4 in those situations.  I too like the big guard line-up when Joe Ives needs a rest at point.  As far as recruiting a big man, there just aren't that many out there.  We were blessed to have two good ones for the past few years, but this year will be 'interesting' with only one!  Everyone will just have to be ready to play multiple positions. Regarding Coach Walsh, he actually was very close to leaving RiC.  He applied to a number of DI schools and was a finalist for pretty much every spot, but in the end, his lack of DI head coaching experience probably cost him.

[7express]

I'll be posting my predictions in about a week or so, so stay tuned for that so you can save them and laugh at me in February when they turn out horribly.

[ECSUalum]

I'll be posting my predictions in about a week or so, so stay tuned for that so you can save them and laugh at me in February when they turn out horribly.

express,
We all will be looking forward to your predictions, which are always well thought out and better than most!! Tough part is always how sucessfull the reload and of course hoping impact players stay heathy!!  I hope ECSU has reloaded as well as WCSU and RIC who always recruit well.

[7express]

Without further ado, I post 7express's LEC predictions.  Feel free to laugh at me in January, but give me somewhat of a break, the conference is so wide open it was tough to choose between Western, Eastern & RIC at the top, and equally tough to choose between So Maine & Boston for that final spot.  Easiest was Dartmouth at 5, not nearly as good as the top 4 (Keene state included) and clearly better then the bottom 3 (Boston, So Maine & Plymouth):

I see the conference braking down in 2 halves; the great teams which will consist of RIC, West Conn, Eastern & Keene state and the not so great teams which include Dartmouth, Boston, Plymouth state & Southern Maine. I doubt Keene state wins the conference and I doubt Dartmouth finishes last, but any other order between those teams in that group could be decided by a coin flip or drawing straws. Unlike the women's side where you kind of know what to expect (Plymouth state last, RIC/Southern Maine first, the Connecticut schools in the middle), the men's side is totally wide open. Conference records in parenthesis again. With that said:

1) Western Connecticut state (13-3). We have the reigning 2 time player of the year, reigning coach of the year and reigning freshmen of the year returning to school. There was talk DaQuan Brooks was going to look elsewhere to play, but thankfully he returned to school, He is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league, and even though he shoots too much he can just carry the team to victory's. Last season ended poorly (we were up 2 games going into February) before team infighting occured which lead to someone getting kicked off the team. After that, they looked like the just wanted the season to end because they played awful, but thanksfully they recieved one of the last pool C (at-large) bids and managed to win a game in the tournament. This team could be a sweet 16 team if they just run the offense through DaQuan.
1) Eastern Connecticut state (13-3). 4 of their top 5 scorers return from a team that won 21 games overall, 10 in conference, and made it to the finals of the ECAC tournament last season. They also missed getting to the NCAA's by 1 game; in the second game ofthe season series between state rivals Western and Eastern, Eastern held an 8 point lead with just under 8 minutes remaining, and lost the game. Had they held on and won that game, Eastern probably takes Western's spot in the NCAA tournament.
3) Rhode Island College (10-4). Even though they have the most graduating losses among the previous 2 teams, RIC has one of the brightest young coaches in the D-3 ranks in Bob Walsh, which has held RIC be a steady force in the LEC in his tenure in Providence, including an elite 8 trip in 2002, and a couple sweet 16 seasons, including last year, so matter how much scoring they lose, you can never count them out. Besides the coaching edge, RIC has owned Western & Eastern the last few years; RIC has won 11 of the 12 meetings against Western dating back to 2006, including 5 in a row at Western. RIC has won 14 of 15 against Eastern dating back to 04/05 including the championship last year.
4) Keene state (9-5). No seniors on last year's roster which had a difficult campaign to say the least. They did finish 17-11 overall and 8-6 on the season, but they were incredibly inconsistant to put it nicely: followed up a win @ Western Connecticut last January only to give up 106 points a few days later against a so-so Mass-Dartmouth team, managed to sweep Western Connecticut, but got swept by Dartmouth (though managed to beat them in the conference tournament though), and lost at home, to at the time, was a 2-14 WNEC team. Their season ended in heartbreak last year; against RIC in the LEC semifinals they were up 3 with 2.6 seconds left in overtime before the RIC center corralled a missed free throw, dribbled out past the arc, and nailed a 3 at the buzzer to force double OT where Keene went scoreless. This team has the talent to beat anyone in the conference, but they also play inconsistantly enough to lose to anyone in the conference.
5) Mass-Dartmouth (7-7). The best of the rest by far. They lose big time playmaker Brandon Stephens, but they have a good set of role players returning to Southwest Massachusetts. Last year they managed to beat RIC once, and as mentioned swept Keene state in the regular season.
6) Mass-Boston (5-9). Went into a tailspin at the end of last year. won 3 games after New Year's and none in February. Relatively young team, 3/5 of the lineup returns including the top 3 scorers.
7) Southern Maine (4-10). What a difference a year makes, or in this case 10 months! Going into their game last December 4 @ Western Connecticut, I was touting that as a possible championship game preview, and for good reason: both teams had 1 loss, Western Connecticut was in the top 25, and Southern Maine was receiving votes. They lost that game 88-71 and it went downhill from there, as they won only 5 games the remainder of the season. This year with a roster turnover (5 seniors left, including their 2 best players) things should be rocky up there in Maine. Beating RIC last year was the highlight of their post January break; they lost 9 straight and 10 of 11 to end the season after that January 11 win. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull off a win against a top team early as well, and they get started early; they have road games to Eastern & Western back to back weekends in December.
8) Plymouth state (2-14). There won't be anything good up here. Their going on their 3rd coach in the last 3 years as new hire last year, Damien Stramhorn went onto his alma mater Colby, and really I can't blame him. 5 of their top 6 scorers are gone, and the Panthers only bring back 22.8 ppg from last year. They also have to break in an entire new starting 5 as the starting 5 last year consisted of 5 seniors. if I was Stramhorn I probably would have done the same thing if I was in his shoes.

Player of the year:
DaQuan Brooks-Western Connecticut

All conference team:
DaQuan Brooks-Western Connecticut
Nick Nedwick-Eastern Connecticut
Paul Rose-UMass-Dartmouth
Mason Choice-RIC
Derek D'amours-Keene state

Playoffs:
Western beats Eastern in the finals, Eastern & RIC join Western in the NCAA's, Keene & Dartmouth get an ECAC bid.

[7express]

Also, is Eastern doing anything for midnight madness tomorrow??  I know Western isn't doing anything, I'm wondering if anyone else in the conference is doing anything.

[warrior]

7express - the predictions were fun to read and well thought out - thanks!  Regarding Midnight Madness - there was a pep rally last week, but nothing special is planned for tonight.  I think the first practice will actually be tomorrow in the a.m.  Here's to another great LEC season!

[ECSUalum]

express,

Just an outstanding job on above.  Are you a professional sports writer in disquise!!!???  Frankly, I got even more excited about the upcoming season after reading your article.  BTW is was a Mason Choice 3 point buzzer beater, (unfortunately I was watching the LEC live streaming video at the time), that shocked ECSU that first meeting.  Eastern actually controlled the game reasonably well, before they came up against the RIC full court press.  I think ECSU's difficulties with the full court press early last season was ID'ed early by Coach Walsh and that was the key to the Eastern meltdown, and the RIC victory. Fortunately, Coach Geitner corrected the problem soon after the RIC game.
Coach Walsh's ability to pick out opponent weaknesses, ( within a game, before a game or at specific times during the season), is one of his key talents, (besides his keen eye for recruiting players who end up playing like D-I talent).

I agree with your standings, and, as stated above, would differ only slightly based on how much impact player improve over previous seasons, quality of frosh recruits impacting team depth, and of course players health.  Of course Lady Luck,(of the Irish  ) always playes a factor, ie RICs two buzzerbeaters, but then again Coach Walsh and the players make their own luck.

I am really hoping the Warriors get to the Anchormen this year, but guys like Choice, Carter, Akinrola and Gray are so darn athletic that it will be another challenge.  WCSU lost some key rebounding and scoring with graduations, (Addy, Jerret), however, Coach Campbell is another one of those coaches at the level of Walsh who nows how to reload and pick out competitor weaknesses, and... they have Brooks!!!!

The ECSU/WCSU is always a classic contest, and it is almost as much fun listening on LEC TV due to the Westerns excellent play by play guy, (Bart Besterna?) than it is to see in person.

[high flyer 21]

against RIC in the LEC semifinals they [Keene State] were up 3 with 2.6 seconds left in overtime before the RIC center corralled a missed free throw, dribbled out past the arc, and nailed a 3 at the buzzer to force double OT where Keene went scoreless.

Not trying to bring up something in the past that can't be changed, but RIC's center, Mike Akinrola, who hit that game winning miracle 3 pointer to force overtime, traveled HORRIFICALLY before hoisting it up, I don't know how the refs could have possibly missed/allowed that and how the RIC commentators couldn't even acknowledge it, but that no-call is inexusable

watch it for yourself
"Rhode Island College buzzer beater in Little East semifinals" at the 40 second mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA_hXABReIs

[warrior]

Wow!  High Flyer, you are absolutely right!  It is quite obvious in the slow mo.  He lands first with his right, establishing that as his pivot foot, then lands with the left.  He then steps BACK with the right - a 'no-no' without dribbling! It's amazing, as you point out, that the commentators, watching the slow motion replay, ignored the obvious violation.  Oh well, it wasn't the first mistake refs ever made and won't be the last, but it must be hard to swallow for Keene fans watching that video!

[7express]

What's funny is this I'm the most excited I am for a start of a season, yet 3/4 of the team's I follow will probably have terrible years.  West Conn men will finish in the upper half of the LEC, but I can't see the women finishing higher then 4th, and even that's a stretch.  The local D-1 team that I follow when I'm not at Western games, Sacred Heart, probably won't have good year's either.  Men would be lucky to finish in the top 8 of a 12 team Northeast conference (only 8 of the 12 teams make the NEC tournament, but this year it's 8 of the 11 because Bryant University in it's final year of transistional eligibility, so it's ineligible for the conference tournament, however they can still win the conference regular season title).  SHU women I can't see higher then 3rd or 4th either.

That's what makes basketball great though; I've seen plenty of teams predicted to win the league finish in the bottom 3, and likewise I've seen plenty of teams picked last finish in the top 3, that's what makes the game so great.  Looking forward to a great season.

[wcsu91]

Congrats to DaQuan Brooks of Western CT State Univ. being selected a pre-season third team all american!! 

[ECSUalum]

Below see Inside RIC Athletics video with Coach Walsh discussing 2011/12 Rhode Island College BB key veterans and newcomers, ( Frosh, and transfers) and how he sees other LEC teams:

http://www.littleeast.tv/play/index.cfm?fuseaction=embstay&id=241829A11D

Also see RIC's 2011/12 roster

[warrior]

I listened to the video - Walsh as always was a great interview.  I especially enjoyed his description of Mason Choice because he reminds me so much of Jamie at Eastern. Jamie and Mason are both four year starters who can play all five positions and who have had great success on and off the court. (Jamie and Mason actually met as freshman at the NCAA leadership conference!) I sometimes wonder why Mason always comes out ahead of Jamie in the all-league voting despite Jamie's league leading rebound totals, but I must admit, Mason definitely has him in the stat that counts most - the wins column (7-0)!  Hopefully this will be Eastern's year to finally change that!  On another note - I'm surprised no one has mentioned the new DI transfers in the league.  Didn't Western get a former top DI recruit (Gibbs ? 6'6" athletic guard)? And I thought I heard something about Dartmouth picking up two DI transfers?  If that is the case, Westconn and Dartmouth would certainly have to move to the top of the preseason polls.  Does anyone have more information on this?