MBB: MAC Freedom League

[BJ - DSU SID]

Great ending to what was an outstanding college basketball game tonight in Billera Hall vs. Widener.

DeSales wins by 5 in double overtime after forcing the 2nd OT with a buzzer beater by Braswell that was an identical replica of the Valpo play in 1998 vs. Ole Miss in the NCAA first round.  I'll get video footage of it soon and post again.

But for now you can read it about here - http://athletics.desales.edu/news/2010/1/4/MBB_0105103541.aspx

Back to conference play this weekend...looking forward to it.

[BJ - DSU SID]

Here is the video of the shot last night.

Posted on my YouTube page (which I just created today).

Also on the D3hoops buzzer beater page.

I hope to have a better/different angle of the shot later today via my local TV station.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8IQHsDei5k

[lefty2]

Is there a Freedom playoff matrix yet?

[BJ - DSU SID]

Is there a Freedom playoff matrix yet?

In good time my friend...in good time.

With conference play re-starting this week...I'd anticipate me getting to that very soon.

[chizwiz]

Watched DeSales/Widener yesterday.  Interesting game.  2.5 seconds left and a charge call on Braswell.  Not sure of the last time I saw a charge called at this time in a game.  Could have gone either way and don't fault the ref for making it.  I actually felt it was a charge, but I am more defensively-minded if I had to choose one side.  Then Widener allows a 3/4 court pass and another quick pass to a somewhat open Braswell.  I know defense is usually supposed to be a little soft (i.e. no fouls), but no one seemed to think it might be a good idea to keep the ball out of Braswell's hands, so he puts a great 3-pointer up and ties the game to go into OT.  And then Widener decides not to try to penetrate during the whole OT, or should I say both OT's.

Moving on, I was talking with a friend about the Top 25 that started the year and how it looked like DeSales (among quite a few teams) was wayyyyy over rated.  Anybody have a say on why the Top 25 was so off this year?

[chairman]

That's close. I tried scrubbing through the video to see if the release is before the buzzer. It seems like one of those videos that in the NFL would have gone the way it was called on the court. Did the Widener coach appeal to the officials at all?

[Pat Coleman]

Chizwiz -- I think a lot of the usual suspects lost a lot from last year, so it was a little difficult to count on them. Meanwhile, a few teams had nice runs in the playoffs last year and returned their key players. DeSales would be in that latter category.

[BJ - DSU SID]

Chiz - The charge call (although I hated it) was absolutely the right call.  The official (I'll leave his name out of it) that made it is in my mind the best official we've had in our gym in the last 10 years.  He is an excellent official.  Seeing it live, I disagreed.  On tape it was a charge...great defensive play.  Really tough call and I give major credit to the official for making the tough call and getting it right.

Chair - Off in time...no question about it.  It looked off in time LIVE and again on tape for me.  There was absolutely no objection by anyone in the gym, including the Widener brass.

As for why no one was on Braswell.  I don't think you can fault Widener there...we executed that play to absolute perfection.  It's the only way the play works and Braswell has to knock down the shot, which he did.  Perfect pass, perfect catch and pass, perfect footwork and release by Braswell.  A lot of things had to happen and they all did.

In regards to the Top 25 Chiz.  I don't think you can fault the voters.  I'll speak for DeSales. We went to the Elite 8 last year, and only lost one starter, returned 4 starters and have an All-American on our team.  Why wouldn't they vote us top 10 to start the year.  You have to look at the pre-season poll as a "How did they finish last year" and "who do they have coming back this year" poll.  With those two things taken into account, I don't see an argument against us being ranked where we were.  We earned that pre-season ranking and we are earning our receiving votes status currently, having lost 4 games.

[chairman]

I think it is definitely closer than that. From the looks of it, he barely beats the red light, which is the end of play, but when I pause the video as the horn starts to go, the ball is unreleased. It is that close. Had DeSales not had the red LED over the baskets, I don't think it counts-- NCAA rules stipulate that the horn is the end of play in such situations (Although I'm not sure the officials on the court would have split it differently). So it might actually have to be retitled as an LED- Beater as opposed to a buzzer beater.

A great play. I have no idea how Widener could let Braswell catch the ball in that situation.

It just seems like if you are up three with very little time remaining, you would pay special attention to defending people outside the three point arc, and even more specialer attention to All-Americans outside the three point arc. I realize that "nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" and all that, but it looks like there was a fairly significant stoppage of play prior to inbounding of the ball. I'm not sure I foul intentionally, but it seems like there needed to be some strategy to avoid giving a player with a history of hitting big shots a chance to tie the game.

[BJ - DSU SID]

I think it is definitely closer than that. From the looks of it, he barely beats the red light, which is the end of play, but when I pause the video as the horn starts to go, the ball is unreleased. It is that close. Had DeSales not had the red LED over the baskets, I don't think it counts-- NCAA rules stipulate that the horn is the end of play in such situations (Although I'm not sure the officials on the court would have split it differently). So it might actually have to be retitled as an LED- Beater as opposed to a buzzer beater.

A great play. I have no idea how Widener could let Braswell catch the ball in that situation.

It just seems like if you are up three with very little time remaining, you would pay special attention to defending people outside the three point arc, and even more specialer attention to All-Americans outside the three point arc. I realize that "nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" and all that, but it looks like there was a fairly significant stoppage of play prior to inbounding of the ball. I'm not sure I foul intentionally, but it seems like there needed to be some strategy to avoid giving a player with a history of hitting big shots a chance to tie the game.

We DON'T have LED lights on our backboards...and when I pause it at the buzzer the ball is mid-way to the hoop.

Maybe their is a time delay on your computer and maybe your computer has LED lights on it.

And maybe you need more sleep,

You coming Saturday?  We'll go over the film in my office if so and arm wrestle to see who is right,

[chairman]

There is a light that turns on- on the shot clock- when the clock hits zero. I think ball is in hand at the start of the horn. I'll be curious to see the frame by frame. Was kinda hoping this would expand to a Zapruder film type thing, but it is turning into a two-way conversation.    We will resume on Saturday.

[ColonelJohn4Life]

The only way one of you wins the argument is to post a frame-grab with the ball either in-hand and lights on, OR out-of-hand, and lights off.  THAT would be something to see.

[chairman]

I saw the second posted video, and I think the sound on the first video was slightly off. On the newscast video on Youtube the shot not only beats the red light on the shot clock, but it also beats the horn. Apologies.

Nice win by the Eagles last night at Wilkes.

[Uncle Sam]

America's Program. 

[jumpball]

I haven't seen reels in the box scores for eastern for a while now - is he hurt?  out for a while?  he is an outstanding player and they'll need him down the stretch.  to be without him AND tucker from last season really changes that squad, although they're still a good team.  whats up with them?