MBB: Little East

[ECSUalum]

Agree, Baines will be a superstar for the Panthers.  I was extremely impressed with Jake Brown's defensive, ball handling and assist skills, and St Amour is just deadly from three, with or without someone guarding him!! Good luck to Middlebury for the rest of the season!!

[AllStar]

ECSUalum, yes we did! 
Best Saturday breakfast that Vandy74 and I have had in a long time.
Great beer selection, knowledgeable staff and great atmosphere in the old post office building.
Very nice campus you got there.  We were impressed.
Midd coaches recruit wherever they can.  From what I've heard, two of next year's recruits are from the northeast and one from a long way off.
Trying to recruit against Amherst and Williams is beyond difficult.  Rural Vermont isn't every kid's cup of tea.  Zach Baines from Stamford CT is our best recruit in the last couple of years.  He will be a star for us.

You guys seem to be doing a fine job of it from what I can tell!  A very good team.

[amh63]

Middhoops....your followers are awaiting your comments on the CAC board!  Did you see Bucket at ECSU? 

[7express]

5-1 for me after Middlebury, USM, Roger Williams & Keene won, and falling flat for the second day in a row on the "upset special."  Brings my total to 15-4 and the LEC total to 14-6.

Tuesday schedule:

Dean (off) @ Western Connecticut.  Non d-3 team, so no line but Colonials should win by 15+ easily.  I think Dean has lost all 3 or 4 of their games this year.  Shouldn't be a problem for the Colonials 89-62.
Wheelock (+6.5) @ Boston.  Wheelock has finished with a combined 18 wins the last 4 years, but is 2-1 so far in the early going.  Boston 78-69
Springfield (+10.5) @ Keene.  Owls had a nice weekend in New York, while the Pride is coming off a loss to Bridgewater State over the weekend.  Last year Owls won by 9 in Springfield.
Conn College (+9) @ Eastern.  Conn College is improving going from 7-16, 0-10 in 2015 to 12-12, 3-7 in 2016, but not enough to knock off the Warriors in Willi, though the Camels won by 13 in New London last year.  Eastern 79-71
USM (+7.5) @ Bates.  Bates is coming off a 1-1 season opening weekend tournament at WPI beating Salve and losing by 1 to DeSales.  Last year the Bobcats were a disappointing 10-14 coming off an NCAA bid in 2015, but have the Delpeche twins Marcus & Malcom returning who should prove to be too much for the Huskies, or at least hopefully as I have Malcom on my Regular season fantasy league team, and had to use him for this game vs. USM since the Bobcats have the rest of the week off.  Huskies won by 14 at home last year, but on the road should be difficult to match that, Bates 75-65
Bridgewater (+5) @ RIC.  Bears opened their season with a loss to MIT before rebounding to beat Becker & Springfield, while the Anchormen got blown away last time out against Roger Williams after opening the season with 2 close wins.  Bears won by 6  last season.  RIC 73-67
Plymouth (-7) @ Castleton.  Panthers have gotten 2 nothing wins in their first 2 games, and they should make it 3 in a row.  Spartans were 9-17 and lost by 17 in the matchup last season.  Plymouth 76-67

[ECSUalum]

Eastern loses to Conn College 83-81 in OT, AT HOME, in a game that, again, they shot a dismal % from 3 pt range together with 66% from the free throw line.   If it wasn't for Hugh Lindo, CC would have blown them away.  The ECSU, (other the HL) offense is just looking completely out of synch, and ECSU has  a number of players that are, (IMHO), liabilities when on the floor.  Overall defense is OK except they are giving up too many 3 pointers at critical points in the game.  Overall it is painful and frustrating to watch this team right now!!!    Credit to Conn College for hanging around and making some key 3 pointers when they had to!!

[AllStar]

Tuesday results:

Western Connecticut won their home opener 84-68 over Dean College.  The Colonials trailed by as many as 12 in the 1st half and 39-37 at halftime, but used a big second half to win.  Jauch Green scored 12 of his 13 points in the 2nd half, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.  Rashard Rodriguez led the Colonials with 17 points.  Tre'Von Perry had 12 rebounds, and WCSU dominated the glass 57-41.  Aziz Gilliam led Dean with 18 points.  The Colonials host 3-2 Pine Manor on Saturday.

UMass-Boston pummeled Wheelock 96-65.  This was an easy win for the Beacons over a lousy NECC team.  Sam Freeman had 19 points and 11 rebounds for UMB, while Dan Powers also had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.  UMass-Boston outrebounded the Wildcats 50-28 in the blowout.  Anthony Williams had 22 for Wheelock, and Devin Brown added 20, but nobody else scored more than 5.  The Wildcats trailed by as many as 34.  The Beacons host their annual Harbor Invitational Friday and Saturday.  UMass-Boston will take on Vermont Tech on Friday at 4:00.  Wheelock hosts Suffolk a week from tonight.

Keene State mashed Springfield 107-84.  Matt Ozzella had a great game for the Owls, scoring 31 points (10-of-14 FG, 5-7 from three) and grabbing 12 rebounds.  Ty Nichols and and Deonte Vinson each had 17 for KSC, who shot 59.7% and led 60-33 at halftime.  They pushed the advantage to 83-49 with 11:22 to go.  Springfield hit several threes and chipped into the deficit, but never seriously threatened.  Andy McNulty led the Pride with 22 points.  Freshman Jake Ross added 17 points and 11 rebounds.  The Owls host Trinity (CT) next Wednesday.  Springfield hosts struggling New Paltz next Tuesday.

Connecticut College clipped Eastern Connecticut 83-81 in overtime.  Tarchee Brown hit three free throws with five seconds left in regulation to send the back-and-forth affair to overtime tied at 69.  Conn College did not trail in the overtime until Carlos Gonzalez made a layup with 39 seconds left.  The Camels retook the lead with two free throws, but Brown canned two for ECSU on the next possession for an 81-80 lead with 17 seconds left.  Zuri Pavlin then hit a clutch three to give Connecticut College an 83-81 lead with nine seconds left, and ECSU didn't get a shot off thereafter (at least according to the box score).  Hugh Lindo had a monster 22 point, 18 rebound game for the Warriors.  Tarchee Brown had 21, mostly from the free throw line.  A balanced Conn College team was led by Tyler Rowe's 17 points.  Daniel Janel and Isaiah Robinson each had 16.  The hero Pavlin only had five until his clutch three at the end of overtime, but he did have 12 rebounds.  Eastern has a third straight game against a NESCAC opponent next, as they take on Williams on Saturday in Schenectady, NY.  Connecticut College is at Roger Williams on Sunday.

Both of the Delpeche brothers had a double-double as Bates handled Southern Maine 81-71.  The Bobcats led 41-30 at halftime and used a 19-11 run in the first five minutes of the 2nd half to widen the lead to 19 (60-41).  The Huskies made a late run at it, getting the deficit to single-digits, but never seriously threatened as Bates made plays down the stretch to stave off USM.  Marcus Delpeche had 29 points and 12 rebounds for Bates, and his brother Malcolm had 19 points and 11 boards.  Zach Leal had 22 points (8-of-17 FG) to lead Southern Maine.  The Huskies were outrebounded 48-32.  Southern Maine hosts rival St. Joseph's (ME) for the Costello Cup on Sunday.  Bates will travel to Biddeford and play University of New England on Monday.

Bridgewater State gave Rhode Island College a second straight defeat, 71-65.  The Bears trailed by 17 in the 1st half, but used a 42-25 2nd half to overcome a 40-29 halftime deficit.  The Bears had a huge free throw advantage, making 21-of-27.  RIC only had 5 attempts, making 4.  Fawaz Mass led Bridgewater with 22 points, while Rocky DeAndrade had 15.  Domonique Bull and Jimmy Fritzson each had 15 to lead RIC, but nobody else was in double-figures.  The Anchormen have a home game on Sunday against Brandeis, who has only played one game, beating Suffolk 87-78.  Bridgewater State hosts UMass-Dartmouth next Thursday (12/1).

Castleton won a slow-paced battle with Plymouth State, 52-50.  The Spartans led 30-21 at halftime and 43-28 with 11:28 to go in the game, but only managed nine points the rest of the way, somehow escaping with a win.  Plymouth trailed 52-50 with 11 seconds left, but turned the ball over on their last possession.  Chad Copeland had 18 points for Castleton.  Edmund Fitzgerald added 11.  Jack Preston led Plymouth with 16 points off the bench.  Curtis Arsenault had 10 (4-11 FG).  Interestingly, when Castleton played LEC team Keene State last year, they played a deliberate slow-down style, using up the entire shot clock every possession.  They lost that game 55-43.  I do not know if that is how this game was played, but it was an observation nonetheless.  The Panthers are back in action on Monday at Colby-Sawyer.  Castleton travels to Bennington to play Southern Vermont on Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving to any readers/posters on this board!

[7express]

Happy Thanksgiving Alum, AllStar, and everyone else on this board!

[ECSUalum]

Happy Thanksgiving Alum, AllStar, and everyone else on this board!

Right back at you 7 and everyone!!

[7express]

Boston beats Vermont Tech 76-50 yesterday brings the conference to 18-10 and me to 18-7.  Onto Saturday:

Williams (-4.5) vs. Eastern.  Eastern has had trouble in the early going, and don't see it changing here.  Williams 69-62
Pine Manor (+6) @ Western.  The series is split 1-1 the last 2 years which Western holding a slight 197-194 aggregate score, so as a bonus I will throw in an over/under for this matchup as well, and that is 181.5.  I'll take Western 87-80 with defense deciding to show up today only having 167 combined points.
Daniel Webster (+10) @ UMass-Boston.  I don't think the Beacons should have much trouble in their Thanksgiving tournament.  Boston 85-71

[7express]

Eastern blows a halftime lead to lose to Williams, Western outscored Pine Manor to win a shootout (with the over 181.5 just clearing in a 94-90 final) , Daniel Webster beats Boston, oops.  19-12 conference, 20-8 me.  Onto Sunday:

Eastern (-21) vs. Cobleskill (@ Union).  Eastern was leading by 5 at halftime to Williams before blowing it in the 2nd half while Cobleskill lost to the host Dutchmen by 11.  Eastern should go home with a 1-1 split, but not by 21.  Eastern 73-56.
Brandeis (-4.5) @ RIC.  Brandeis won by 27 last year at home, should be a lot closer this year, and I'll take RIC to win, 67-64
St. Joseph's (ME) (+16.5) @ USM.  The annual Thanksgiving weekend matchup for the Costello Cup.  Monks won by 5 this year, but the oddsmakers have this a big spread in favor of USM.  I don't see it, as this rivalry will come down to the final 5 minutes with USM winning 78-71

[middhoops]

ECSU takes a game off from the NESCAC. 
Poor SUNY-Cobleskill gets pounded by fifty (50).
Very happy my guys didn't play the Warriors today.
We lost anyway, but not by 50.

[7express]

RIC, Eastern & USM make it a clean sweep for the conference.  Eastern was a squash (50!!), USM didn't beat a very good team but it was a rivalry game, while Brandeis had only played 1 game, but that's definitely the best win of the 3, and the fact they won by as much as they did (16) says a lot.  22-12 conference, 23-8 me.  1 game on Monday:

Plymouth State (+2) @ Colby-Sawyer.  They didn't play last year and the last meeting was in Plymouth opening the 14-15 season where the Chargers won by 27 points.  This is the Chargers home opener as they opened the season with a loss @ Norwich and than a 1-1 split @ Westfield state: Losing to Ramapo, and beating Mt. Ida.  Chargers 76-71.

[7express]

Plymouth loses to Colby-Sawyer in Monday's lone game.  Even though I picked it correctly, that is not a very good result and the fact Plymouth gave up 90 makes it that much worse.  22-13 conference, 24-8 me.  Now onto 5 games Friday, with all 5 games taking place on the road:

Dartmouth (-2.5) @ Brandeis.  Last year the Corsairs lost by 1 on the home floor.  The Corsairs only put 3 scorers in double figures last year lead by Rezendes's 26, but they seem to have more scoring options this year, but I'll still take the Judges 76-74.
Boston (+11) @ MIT.  2 years ago they suffered the first loss of the season in the championship game of their Thanksgiving tournament and then the next game won @ MIT.  This year their first loss was in the championship game of the Thanksgiving tournament and the next game is @ MIT.  De-ja-vu??  Nope.  MIT 74-65
Western (-16) @ New Rochelle.  This is the first year New Rochelle has had a men's team but they've held their own in losses to Harrisburg & Geneseo before beating fellow newbie St. Elizabeth.  Colonials will be too much for them but lots of points which means UNR stays in the game for most of it.  Western 93-85.
RIC (+8.5) @ Salem.  RIC actually opened last season with a 27 point win over Salem before dropping 11 in a row and 13 of their next 14 to derail the 2016 season.  Salem 81-69
USM (+10.5) @ Bowdoin.  Polar Bears won by 26 last year and Jack Simonds only scored 8 points.  This year Simonds is averaging over 25 points per game.  Even taking out Lucas Hausman's (graduation) 20 points from last season's meetings this looks like a bigger Polar Bear victory than 11 points.  Bowdoin 83-62.

[whyDiii]

Plymouth loses to Colby-Sawyer in Monday's lone game.  Even though I picked it correctly, that is not a very good result and the fact Plymouth gave up 90 makes it that much worse.  22-13 conference, 24-8 me.  Now onto 5 games Friday, with all 5 games taking place on the road:

Dartmouth (-2.5) @ Brandeis.  Last year the Corsairs lost by 1 on the home floor.  The Corsairs only put 3 scorers in double figures last year lead by Rezendes's 26, but they seem to have more scoring options this year, but I'll still take the Judges 76-74.
Boston (+11) @ MIT.  2 years ago they suffered the first loss of the season in the championship game of their Thanksgiving tournament and then the next game won @ MIT.  This year their first loss was in the championship game of the Thanksgiving tournament and the next game is @ MIT.  De-ja-vu??  Nope.  MIT 74-65
Western (-16) @ New Rochelle.  This is the first year New Rochelle has had a men's team but they've held their own in losses to Harrisburg & Geneseo before beating fellow newbie St. Elizabeth.  Colonials will be too much for them but lots of points which means UNR stays in the game for most of it.  Western 93-85.
RIC (+8.5) @ Salem.  RIC actually opened last season with a 27 point win over Salem before dropping 11 in a row and 13 of their next 14 to derail the 2016 season.  Salem 81-69
USM (+10.5) @ Bowdoin.  Polar Bears won by 26 last year and Jack Simonds only scored 8 points.  This year Simonds is averaging over 25 points per game.  Even taking out Lucas Hausman's (graduation) 20 points from last season's meetings this looks like a bigger Polar Bear victory than 11 points.  Bowdoin 83-62.

Jomard(if healthy)-left last game with finger injury- looks to lead a young Mit team against Umass Boston-- MiT should be able to handle them comfortably as long as someone like Dan Powers doesnt get hot for UMBoston

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Coach Baptiste sitting on 599 victories right now.