MBB: MAC Freedom League

[chairman]

Big night for Braswell. DeSales locks up a home game in the first round. DelVal gives up 45 in the second half to King's. King's takes a half game lead for second. Del Val will likely need to win out. Neither Eastern nor Manhattanville is particularly easy gym to play in.

[hoopzwiz]

DSUSID
any thoughts on the game, sounds like it was a good one down there?

[BJ - DSU SID]

DSUSID
any thoughts on the game, sounds like it was a good one down there?

I always have thoughts.

You are right it was a good one in that Misericordia came to play despite the crazy schedule with the snow and the uncertainty of when the game was going to be played.

The box score really doesn't lie, Darnell Braswell was that good.  He could not be stopped and hit big shot after big shot after big shot.  Oh and he also dominated the glass (14 rebounds).  DSU's role players struggled to shoot a little which is a complete reversal of DSU's last game when the role players picked up Braswell who was limited with foul trouble.  I guess tonight was Braswell's way of saying thank you to his teammates for picking him up vs. Delaware Valley last Saturday.

He is certainly a pleasure to watch play every night.

[chairman]

Roses are red, snow is white.
Del Val is STILL coming, don't take them light.
Not much Aggie support here, except for Kate.
Who are you? Uncle Sam needs a date.
Amazingly enough, Del Val is still alive.
With a few more wins, they'll surely arrive.
So don't make your playoff plans just yet.
Stitzel's Aggies could be your best bet.
Uncle Sam sees one thing clear as a summer day.
Del Val is the team nobody wants to play.


You may be right, but they gave up 45 points in the second half to a King's team that is not exactly prolific. Can you comment? Rhyming is fine, but don't feel like you have to.

The matrix is a little crossed up with half the league playing three games next week.

[BJ - DSU SID]

Speaking of the matrix.

Here is the updated version

http://athletics.desales.edu/custompages/gen/2009-10/MHoopsMatrix.pdf

[jumpball]

granted, with the weather and all, the kings game was a tough road assignment for delval - but that team still has the best big man in white and the most explosive scorer in jones.  really surprised that they have 7 losses already - they're better than that.  i can't see how they get in the playoffs now, too many variables all have to go their way.
eastern has a favorable schedule; they should be in barring a total collapse, and they're too good for that, kings still needs a win i think, and have shown that they can kick your butt or roll over on any given night; impossible to predict which squad shows up.  if i am reading the matrix correctly they can fear getting caught now only by wilkes since they hold advantages over delval and 'ville.   ...and wilkes plays a very tough schedule starting at delval on senior day and then the top 3 teams as they stand now - that's a tall order....i think those 2 games last night did a lot to clarify the picture. 

[gordonmann]

BJ:

Did I see your former college roomie giving props to your matrix on Alvernia's site or did my eyes deceive me?

Edit:  Nevermind.  I forgot Alvernia is on the other side of the MAC pond now.

Uncle Sam:

Hilarious (if not proven accurate).  Hope you'll follow football in the fall.  I could run your poetry during the Del Val football broadcasts.

[BJ - DSU SID]

Gordon,

My college roomie actually came up with the matrix design a few years back during his PAC days.  I took his shell, tweaked it a bit and have since implemented it for the Freedom Hoops seasons the past few years.  Updating it after each set of games is much easier and less time consuming than sitting at my desk during the final two weeks of the season looking up who beat who just to see where a team stands in a tiebreaker situation.

So I can't take credit for the original design just the work put into updating it each week and recreating each year.

[Coach K]

Can anyone out there confirm that Braswell had 41 today vs. Kings?

[BJ - DSU SID]

Can anyone out there confirm that Braswell had 41 today vs. Kings?

Confirmed.

My story will be up shortly...

[hoopzwiz]

Is it reasonable to think that if Darnell Braswell played for any other team in the league, they'd probably win the title? Definately true with the top 4 or 5 teams. He's the difference.

[chairman]

Wiz-

I think that's a pretty accurate statement if you are doing a straight addition. I'm not sure if you said Braswell to another team in exchange for their best player that it is quite as big of guarantee, but I still think he is clearly the dominant presence in the league this year.

Crazy finish at the St. Davids Athletic and Convocation Center today. Eastern let a 7 point lead disappear in the final 40 seconds, but they won on a free throw with one second to play. Too wild to believe.

By my calculations, Manhattanville can make the playoffs if Misericordia loses on Tuesday and the Valiants win their last three. Del Val needs FDU and Wilkes to beat Eastern and to win out. They cannot win a tie-breaker with King's or Misericordia. I cannot figure out Wilkes' options. DeSales is the top seed. 

I'd be interested to hear the run-down from Madison today.

[hoopzwiz]

Cant help with the events in Madison.
Good point about swapping players.

[Coach K]

Ouch, I make a comment about Braswell having 41, and I get 3 negative Karma points chucked at me! Must be some angry Kings fans? That is an impressive effort from the accounts I read from DSU's site and the timesleader out of WB. Obivously a great effort by the Monarch's as well to stay in the game like that for 3 OT's!

[BJ - DSU SID]

Ouch, I make a comment about Braswell having 41, and I get 3 negative Karma points chucked at me! Must be some angry Kings fans? That is an impressive effort from the accounts I read from DSU's site and the timesleader out of WB. Obivously a great effort by the Monarch's as well to stay in the game like that for 3 OT's!

Don't understand the negative karma points.

I haven't read the Times Leader story yet but I'll head there now and check it out.  Certainly both teams yesterday made numerous amazing plays in what was an amazing game.  It was a joy to be able to watch that game yesterday.