MBB: Little East

[wcsu91]

@ 7 Express
Absolutely!!! Will not miss it for anything.  I will look for you. I know you said in one of your previous posts you sit across from the Western bench by the concessions first row. I will come say hi.

[UMDCorsairKatz]

D3hoops all star game voting has been extended until tomorrow (Thursday) at 2pm. Please help get Brandon Stephens in and represent the LEC in a big way!

[7express]

@ 7 Express
Absolutely!!! Will not miss it for anything.  I will look for you. I know you said in one of your previous posts you sit across from the Western bench by the concessions first row. I will come say hi.

I'm worried my seat will get stolen tomorrow   I'm gonna try to get there around 5:45 and wait in line to try to grab it.  For these NCAA games (since I've never been to one before @ Western) do they assign seats, or do they give you a GA ticket and you sit where you want??

I know when I was at Hofstra, for the regular season game they gave you a regular ticket and you sat anywhere you wanted.  When we hosted a couple NIT games, they assigned seating and you could only sit in the seat your ticket said.  I wonder if this is the same deal here.

[7express]

Since one of my classes got cancelled tonight and in the other were just watching a movie I'm gonna go up to Willimantic for the Eastern/Regis game.  Brandeis/Keene game is probably better but since I have a test at 8:00 am tomorrow up in Danbury I don't want to get back too late.  Hopefully Eastern comes to play the ECAC after getting left out of the dance.  Not a lot of teams are still playing so they should be grateful that their one of the few that still is.  Carleton (in Minnesota), and Eastern Mennonite (in Virginia), probably the last 2 out of the tournament don't get an ECAC bid to fall back on, so their season is over, the Warriors should savor the opportunity to continue practicing and winning the ECAC (all games would be on their home court) would be a big boost to them next year in getting the NCAA bid next year because they should still have a good team together next year even losing Sawyer & Roveto.  Regis finished tied for 4th in the Commonwealth coast conference and lost at home to Salve Regina in the first round of the CCC tournament.  Its a game Eastern should win by 10-15 if they want to be there, if not who knows what will happen.  I'll go in between Eastern 68-61.

Other LEC team in the ECAC is Keene state who plays at home against 5th place UAA finisher Brandeis.  Brandeis got as high as #13 in the country, in their first game came from 18 down in the second half to beat UAA rival NYU on a buzzer beater then a couple days later winning a tough road games @ Bates, but it went downhill from there losing 7 of their next 9 to drop out of the rankings completely though they did finish #10 or #11 in the Northeast rankings though.  Much like Keene state their a young team, so both teams can gain a lot of expierence by playing on the weekend.  Not sure how much motivation Brandesi will have, as they've been to the NCAA's the previous 4 seasons and made it as far the elite 8 2 of those times including last season.  Keene hasn't been to the NCAA's ina  while, and much like Eastern they could use this to springboard to next season for their first bid.  Don't think Brandeis will have any motivation, especially going on the road.  KSC has a big second half to break open a close game at halftime.  KSC 78-56.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It'll be interesting to see if Regis shows up as well.  They don't have size, but they've got a couple fantastic guards.

[7express]

It'll be interesting to see if Regis shows up as well.  They don't have size, but they've got a couple fantastic guards.

55 did pretty well against Western when we went up to Regis in January.  Of course that was a no size-vs. no size matchup so take it for what its worse.

[wcsu91]

@7express I was there in 2005 the last time western wad in the dance and you paid for your ticket at the window and sat where ever you wanted. No assigned seats. Can't wait.

[warrior]

7express - your prediction was almost right on the money.  We beat Regis 66-58.  Nedwick had 21 and Kohn 18 and 12 rebounds. 

Keene lost in double OT!

The win was big - got us a possible two more home games!
Wish us luck on Saturday!

By the way, what did everyone think about the All-Conference selections?

[7express]

Yah I was there nice win.  Gives me something to fall back on Saturday in case Western men lose tomorrow and the women lose Friday, I can go back up to Willimantic on Saturday.  What was Ives doing on the bench sitting half of the second half??  He went at about the 12:00 minute mark and didn't come back in until around 1:15.  Does coach Geitner want to make Kohn/Garrow a PG next year??

Tough loss for Keene state.  Heard the score at halftime was like 47-39 or 49-37 Keene state.  They've had inconsistancies scoring this year and looks like they had a drought in the second half.  If KSCfan ever returns to this board and he was there last night, hopefully he could fill us in.

[7express]

Eastern (66-58 winner over Regis) will host Albertus Magnus, a 96-95 winner in double OT over Wentworth.  2 roads team who won will play the second game; MCLA knocked off CCC champion Anna Maria 80-76 and Brandeis defeated Keene 84-77.

For any Warrior fans, Ray Askew (#0) for AMC is a player.  2nd or 3rd in the nation in scoring and he dropped about 45 points against Western earlier this single-handidly keep them in the game which turned into a 103-99 loss.  They've got some athletes there, will be a fun matchup to watch.

[warrior]

7express - in answer to your question, the big guard line-up (Nedwick, Kohn, Garrow) with Kohn at the point gives Ives a break and gets Garrow some more minutes.  It also creates interesting match-up problems for teams like Western (and Regis) with a small guard, as we saw last weekend. I guess they went with it a little longer last night because the line-up was doing well.

I can't wait for the weekend! We could tie the all-time ECSU win record (21) with a win on Saturday and break it with a win on Sunday, but as you say 7express, Saturday will be a tough one!

Regarding the All-Conference team, I was very happy that Sawyer finally got some recognition.  He has played tough and steady for us for 4 years, often hurt, and is just a great, humble, kid. 

I notice that All-Conference seems very much linked to points per game,  without giving much weight to rebounding, even at the 3/4 spots. (Of the top 5 rebounders - Kohn, Joseph, Smith, Pulver and Wright - who are also 5 of the 6 top Double/Double guys, only Smith made second team.)  They did, on the other hand, find spots for Kohn and Wright on the All-Defensive team, so maybe they view rebounding as more of a defensive thing.  Joseph, however,  second to Kohn in both rebs and double/doubles, unfortunately came up empty.  I guess they just ran out of spots for him. 

Overall, I think the coaches came up with a very impressive group - all deserving of their honors.

[KSCfan]

7express-

Keene showed thier inexperiance last night.  They blew a couple of leads last night.  Keene was up 11 in the first half, 9 at half and the killer up 7 with 3 minutes to go.  keene just couldnt stop Brandeis, as Keene would fight and fight to get the lead, and then Brandeis would run right back at them.  I wish i could say the game was enjoyable, but it was one of those games that gave you indigestion.  It was that feeling that if we were up 30 the lead wasnt safe.  Game left real bad taste in the mouth.  The big guy for Brandeis killed Keene down low , Dascy i think his name is.  Keene did not do a great job defending him, and or boxing him out.  It was really all Brandeis in the last two mintues.  A three, then a stupid foul on Kriskus as he was shooting a three.  Then a put back from Kriskus to sink the ship.  Give Brandeis credit they hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the win.  Keene didnt score in the last 2 minutes.  Kind of hard to win a game that way.  The only bright spot really for the Owls was D'amours who had 37 and was really playing well for the owls.  The only other scorer for the owls was Martin with 12 and really that was a quiet 12.  Ollie Hunter had a tough game, played about half of the game with 3 points and 3 rebounds and the Brandeis bigs beat him up a little down low.  Maraino had a tough game shooting about 2-8 from the floor.  Really the whole team had a tough night as the offense was all D'amours, and they couldnt stop Brandeis down low.

I know that is a ramble of the game, and not really carefully planned out but it was a tough game to watch. 

That being said this team is going to be very very good next year I think.  They lose NOBODY.  They bring them all back for at least another year.  Keene at times this year has looked very good (Western right off the top of my head) and at times they have looked very bad.  I think that is a result of them being young.  They are talented but young.  Next year the whole team is back (unless something wierd happens like a transfer, or thrown out of school....both not likely)  I see D'amours, Hunter, and Martin stepping up thier game and really leading this owls team.  Who knows what is going to happen to Western with the internal problems and what not, RIC and Eastern will still be good but they will lose players as well.  I see the owls using this year as a springboard for a NCAA run next year.

Good luck to RIC and Western in the NCAA do the LEC proud, and good luck to Eastern in the rest of the ECAC's as well

[7express]

Hopefully the problems werejust this year.  Next year conference could be REAL strong at the top.

RIC loses Manson and Gray, but they bring back Choice and Akinrolla I believe. West Conn returns Brooks, just loses Phillips (comes of the bench anyways), Addy & Will Jarrett, Keene brings everyone back, not 1 senior on that team, Eastern loses Rovetto & Sawyer but their 2 best players Kohn & Nedwick return.  You could make a case for any of those 4 being picked preseason, next year.  Imo, Dartmouth (losing Stephens) and Plymouth state (all 5 starters gone) are the best chances of playoff teams this year missing the playoffs next year, but I'll slot Dartmouth 5th behind those top 4 because they won't be as bad as the bottom 3 will be.  I'll take Boston finishing 6th, Plymouth 7th and USM 8th next year.

[7express]

Lone LEC game of the night is the start of the NCAA tournament Salve Regina at Western Connecticut.

All eye's will be on Danbury as this game will be the first of the 3 opening round games to tip off (Mary Hardin Baylor vs. Texas-Dallas tips at 8 eastern, occidental @ Chapman tips at 10:30).  Hopefully the O'Neil center is packed with fans, students, alumni, faculty & staff.  I don't care if I lose my seat as long as there;s a good student showing, I mean what else is there to do in Danbury at 7:00 on a Thursday night??  Most college kids don't even go out until 9 or 10 anyways, and the game will be long over by then.  Salve's used to this spot, won the CCC as the 5th seed so they played every single one of their tournament games on the opponents floor and won all of them.  Salve has some size, but not as much to cause us problems.  if we trouble in the paint with Salve, unfortunatly (and I hate to say this) we'll get eaten for lunch by Middlebury, who has bigger bigs who are more athletic then Salve.  Every team starts at 0-0, and every team in the tournament is a good team so hopefully we leave the ego's in the locker room, or even better on University Blvd.  This is a team we should easily beat by 10-15 at least IF were playing as a team, if the individual play is still present all this talk about Western vs. Middlebury will be fornaught as it will be Salve playing Middlebury.

7expresses's prediction: Team play is back, and this is the best game the team plays since the eastern game January 25.  Western 82 Salve Regina 62.

[ECSUalum]

7express - in answer to your question, the big guard line-up (Nedwick, Kohn, Garrow) with Kohn at the point gives Ives a break and gets Garrow some more minutes.  It also creates interesting match-up problems for teams like Western (and Regis) with a small guard, as we saw last weekend. I guess they went with it a little longer last night because the line-up was doing well.

I really like above combo and hope Coach Geitner goes to it more often next year.  He used in last 7 or so minutes vs Western and did presnt some mismatches.  I was at the game last night and I really think next year will be the charm for the ECSU Warriors.  Jamie Kohn was huge last night and a tres by Nedwick with a couple left iced the game.  Comparing ECSU stats with NCAA stats as of 2-20-2011, Eastern Connecticut's major strengths are:

                                      ECSU                                   1-50 Leading NCAA
                                 ------------------------------------------------------------------
Scoring Defense ppg         65.3                                          54-63
FG% Defense                  .417                                        .346-.404  
3 pt D%                          .325                                        .264-.310  
Rebound Margin               6.0                                          10.7-5.1
Personal fouls/game           13.0                                        13.5-15.9  

Major weaknesses are:

3 pt %                             .306                                          .450-.373
FT %                                .658                                         .794-.729  
TOs/game                        13.9                                           9.4-12.4
Scoring Offense                  70.4                                          104-78