MBB: Little East

AllStar · December 08, 2011, 07:55:39 PM

27-24 RIC over WPI at the half. Engineers trimmed a 13 point deficit to 3.

7express · December 09, 2011, 12:05:19 AM

RIC over WPI 57-47. Assuming they can beat Eastern Saturday, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them in the top 25 come next week. Hell, even if they lose to Eastern, I'd have no problem putting them in the top 25.
Dartmouth 66-56 over Curry
Western 78-73 against Framingham. I wish in games like these (and against Boston) if they could just play the whole game. They had an 8 point lead with I think 1:04 left; Brooks got trapped in a corner turned the ball over, missed a couple free throws, and than a foul on the defensive end, and you look up just like that and the lead's only 3 points when it was 8 a couple seconds ago.
Boston 78-57 over Lesley
Plymouth gets the W over Lyndon state 86-55.

Round 2 of conference play starts Saturday:
RIC @ Eastern
Southern Maine @ Western
Keene @ Boston
Plymouth @ Dartmouth. I'll post predictions tomorrow.

ECSUalum · December 09, 2011, 10:46:37 AM

Gosh, I hope ECSU can pull at least one out vs RIC this year, I can't remember last time we had a W vs coach Walsh and the Anchormen, (2007 maybe?). They certainly have had our number over the last 3 or so yrs with 2 or 3 games with the winning margin being 1 or 2 points. It will again be a low scoring game, and I hope now with Salzillo as an outside shooting threat, that it changes the compextion of the game tomorrow. Minimize Choice and Akinrola offensively and we have a shot. If Eastern or Western or Keene cannot get them at least once, then Amherst is the only other team that will prevent them from running the regular season schedule. The usual trend where they play weaker first half is not happening this year so far. I watched the game vs WPI last night and when Choice and Akinrola are on, they are extremely difficult to beat. RIC's composure is extraordinary in tight games which makes them even more dangerous.

littleeastguy · December 09, 2011, 11:10:19 AM

I have to agree. Now I am a bit of a homer, a 2010 RIC grad, but a fan now of all D3, great and honest basketball. But I was there for the 3 sweet sixteens and the Elite 8 years but this is the best all around team. I think the real key is Carter. Gray on those teams was a great scorer but not a great playmaker or defender due to his size. Carter his bigger, stronger and a better passer. Not to mention I believe a better a leader.
They have held the otehr team to under 55 in 7 of the 9 games, Walsh has always been a defense guy but this is a greta team so far on that end. And they will get better now that Roberts, a real energy guy and good on the boards, is back.
As far as tough games go they have do have 7 left at my count:

Dec. 10 at Eastern Connecticut State Univ.
Jan. 14 at Keene State College
Jan. 24 at Western Connecticut State Univ.
Jan. 28 Eastern Connecticut State Univ.
Jan. 31 at Amherst College
Feb. 14 Western Connecticut State Univ.
Feb. 18 Keene State College

At worst I would say 21-3 going into the LEC Tourney, but that is baring injury, grades and all of that. The most interesting game to me is the Amherst game. RIC really had them for a while in the second half of that Sweet 16 game last year. The young guard for the Jeffs hit some huge shots to pull it out.

LECFAN32 · December 09, 2011, 12:25:51 PM

I think it's too early to crown an all out favorite on the mens side..RIC has some nice wins thus far..but I'd say tis anchormen team is more steady then explosive..less likely to have a down game n lose to a team they shouldn't..however more likely to just flat out get beaten..with their bench being more potential then production at the moment outside of roberts... between western... Keene..and eastern (even as a former colonial player I can say I love the way that group of veterans play togethor)..n even southern maine who looks to be a confident team that will win some games this year ..along w. Dartmouth once they pull it togethor, this makes for a very deep and talented league n alot of things can happen.

AllStar · December 09, 2011, 12:52:27 PM

Quote from: LECFAN32 on December 09, 2011, 12:25:51 PM
I think it's too early to crown an all out favorite on the mens side..RIC has some nice wins thus far..but I'd say tis anchormen team is more steady then explosive..less likely to have a down game n lose to a team they shouldn't..however more likely to just flat out get beaten..with their bench being more potential then production at the moment outside of roberts... between western... Keene..and eastern (even as a former colonial player I can say I love the way that group of veterans play togethor)..n even southern maine who looks to be a confident team that will win some games this year ..along w. Dartmouth once they pull it togethor, this makes for a very deep and talented league n alot of things can happen.

Very good post.

littleeastguy · December 09, 2011, 02:43:16 PM

I agree its far from over, 3 loses in conference by RIC and they very well could be second behind an eastern, western or keene. But I also would have to say RIC is very close to all out favorite. They have history winning regular season titles four of the last 5 and finishing second by one game the year they did not win. And a great coach and very talented team.
Saying someone is an all oput favorite doesn't mean they cannot be beat, but sometimes there are favorites and I think any fan of the Little East has to say, if they are being honest, that RIC is the favorite. Like I said that doesn't mean they will win the league, its just saying they are the favorite.

7express · December 09, 2011, 03:51:19 PM

I really can't see RIC losing any of the games to Keene. Granted the Owls can put up some points on the scoreboard, but they also let the opponents put a lot of points on the scoreboard as well. I'm 100 times more confident in RIC getting a couple late game stops on defense in those 2 games than I am in the Owls making key defensive stops.

I think they split with Western (win at home, lose on the road), split with Dartmouth (win at home, lose on the road) and lose to Amherst.

7express · December 09, 2011, 04:42:48 PM

Also, Saturday predictions:

RIC 74 @ Eastern 68. RIC has a bit of a first half hangover from the WPI game Thursday, possibly even trails at halftime, but I think they turn it on in the second
USM 65 @ West Conn 72. I thought USM would be awful this year, but haven't played that bad. West Conn has the better team, but we seem to play down to our level of competition. This probably ends up closer than it should be.
Keene 83 @ Boston 58. How did Eastern & Boston start off with 2 home games, while USM & RIC started with 2 road games??
Plymouth 67 @ Dartmouth 81. Dartmouth losing by 30+ to Keene last weekend was discouraging. Plymouth is coming off 2 straight wins, 1 against an ORV team in Tufts.

warrior · December 09, 2011, 04:47:59 PM

As for me, RIC is still the favorite until someone beats them! Kohn, Nedwick and Levy have come close, but have never come out on top in six tries. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon that will change! All you non-RIC fans, wish us luck!

wcsu91 · December 09, 2011, 05:21:50 PM

Some of the posts on this board about RIC remind me of watching NFL shows on ESPN with people riding the bandwagon on teams. Cant believe the amount of posts already crowning RIC with the LEC title, undefeated season, etc. People we are one game into conference play and some of you are giving them the title already. It is like the Buffalo Bills from earlier this year. They win 4 straight games and the analysts are saying they are going to the superbowl. There is more depth in this conference this year than there has been in the last 12 years. West Conn will be getting a couple of players back come January including the LEC rookie of the year(Gates) not to mention the have the best player the LEC has ever seen in Brooks who will have over 2000 points when all is said and done. Eastern is going to be tough defensively and Keane can score points in bunches. It will come down to Western and RIC and maybe Eastern. Looks look at crowning the Championship when maybe there are 3 games left not 13 PLEASE.

7express · December 09, 2011, 05:49:04 PM

WCSU, hear anything on Bentil, Gates or Payton returning for the second semester??

I saw Gates in street clothes at the AMC game, but haven't seen him since.

littleeastguy · December 09, 2011, 06:18:13 PM

Comparing this years RIC team to the Bills is crazy. The Bills have sucked for a decade, well RIC has been the best team in the league over the last 5 years. The Bills came out of the dark, RIC was teh preseason poll winner. No one is giving them the title just saying they are the favorite, how are they not the favorite.
Then Brooks as the best player ever in the LEC, no. That is bandwagon, what about history. He is good but he is a scorer. The best player ever should be a great leader, all around player and most of all a winner.
Before you talk best in the LEC he should atleast be the best at West Conn. Osborne a aplayer that plaed on both ends and had a well rounded game, or if you graduated in 91 what about Murphy could score and played AMAZING D.
What abour Kathan or Hicks at Keene? Or so many others...
I would even love to get an honest answer from every coach in the league to: Pick one LEC current player for your team? I wonder if that would even be Brooks?

LECFAN32 · December 09, 2011, 07:06:55 PM

agree with littleeastguy on brooks and I have played with him on many occasions and have spoken to people who have knowledge of the situation, he is a scorer and a high volume one at that but has had issues over the years as far as chemistry and being coachable..

a player that campbell tended to talk about in regards to the best hes had was william shephard who was the best player on elite 8 team in the late 80's for the multiple ways he affected the game positively.. going forward you had brice assie as well as greg cole and kevin mathews (who is comparable to brooks) who all had size and abilities to play at higher levels..however some of these guys didnt put up gaudy stats due to the distributed scoring that for a long time was a signiture of their play.. thats not even mentioning some of the elite players that keene has had in the late 90's, all americans, as well as their 2004 elite 8 squad and then the players that ric has had over coach walshes time including bobby bailey who from experience I would say was almost unguardable at the division 3 level..almost impossible to proclaim a best player in LEC history with some of these great players.

payton and bentil to my knowledge have a very small chance to be back while gates should be eligible but is considering taking the redshirt year considering western has played more games in the first semester then usual

ECSUalum · December 09, 2011, 07:42:58 PM

Quote from: wcsu91 on December 09, 2011, 05:21:50 PM
Some of the posts on this board about RIC remind me of watching NFL shows on ESPN with people riding the bandwagon on teams. Cant believe the amount of posts already crowning RIC with the LEC title, undefeated season, etc. People we are one game into conference play and some of you are giving them the title already. It is like the Buffalo Bills from earlier this year. They win 4 straight games and the analysts are saying they are going to the superbowl. There is more depth in this conference this year than there has been in the last 12 years. West Conn will be getting a couple of players back come January including the LEC rookie of the year(Gates) not to mention the have the best player the LEC has ever seen in Brooks who will have over 2000 points when all is said and done. Eastern is going to be tough defensively and Keane can score points in bunches. It will come down to Western and RIC and maybe Eastern. Looks look at crowning the Championship when maybe there are 3 games left not 13 PLEASE.

Well wcsu91 did not see you rant when the LEC pre season predictions were published, predicting them to win the LEC!! We have seen the Anchormen in 9 games so far so we do have some 2011/2012 season history so far. They just beat a nationally ranked WPI, which to me goes a way to showing their quality. They have the history in the LEC and NCAAs and as well, has, one of the best coaches in D-III basketball. My post did mentioned that WCSU, ECSU and Keene have a shot at defeating RIC this year and that Amherst, in my opinion, would be favored to keep them from an undefeated season. Brooks is certainly the real deal, but if he is off or "cranky" any given night, Western is beatable as has already been seen last year. BTW Coach Campbell ranks up there in terms of best coaches if not nationally, certainly in the NorthEast
You are correct maybe we should be posting these comments farther into the conference schedule, but I have to tell you, coming from an avid Warrior fan in ALL sports, RIC looks very DANGEROUS this year!! Come Monday they will certainly be ranked in the top 25 as they were just off the rankings last week, unless, as I think 7express stated earlier, maybe if they lose to Eastern, but I think it would have to be a Warrior blowout to prevent them from a D3 poll ranking next week. If not next week, sooner rather than later.
frankly speaking, ECSU really has to prove themselves this year and give both RIC and Western a loss, if they want to be taken seriously in the LEC and regionally. Hopefully Coach Walsh's "LUCK of the IRISH" will run out this year vs the Warriors.

How about NCAA vs ECAC this year!!