MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[pennstghs]

hey guys sorry its been a while my computer has been down so i had to wait till i was back at school to share my inquisitive thoughts.

witt has a bit of a slump in the shcedule with oberlin and earlham and i believe hiram in the next 3 games, but then we get into the juicy games. i requested off february 4th so im pumped for that.

witt could move up to number 1 but it will not be long term because illinois wesleyans conference schedule is slightly tougher coming up than witt's so that should prop them back up to number one.

[DenisonFan]

CentralOh,

Yes I was there.  Why Ghiloni insists on starting Koecheler.  He does not score, he does not rebound.  Chojknacki ate him up.  With Koecheler on the floor it is like playing 5 on 4.  I have no idea who he could put in his place but it is obvious Koecheler needs to come off the bench. 

Then we go to a 2-3 zone and their perimeter shooting killed us.  When the other team is draining 3's you don't sit back in a zone.

OWU had the inside outside thing going and Ghiloni sits everyone down and the game is over at halftime.

OWU looked very good. 

[wally_wabash]

If/when Ghiloni leaves his post as head coach at Denison, are you planning on applying for the gig?  Seems like you've got all the answers.

God forbid that you might actually embrace the idea that maybe, just maybe, Denison got beat by a better team.  I know...that's hard to digest.  Take your time...chew on it for a while.  I don't want hysteria here (am I too late?). 

Just FYI:  Through 13 games in the '05'-'06 season Denison is 4-9, 0-4 in NCAC.  Through the same point last year Denison was 5-8, 2-3 in NCAC.  Quite notable is that the NCAC schedule last year was much more favorable for Denison than it is this year (Denison hadn't played Wabash at this point last year, had played more home games, etc.).  So really, Denison isn't far off the course that they were on last year, and last year turned out ok for the Big Red. 

[jimmychitwood15]

I agree with DC, I think Witt is the best team in the country. More quality wins and their only loss was at Wooster on a last second shot. Even though Wooster beat Witt, their home loss to BW hurts them more than their win over Witt at home. As for IWU, I see them going to #3.

witt4ever- I do not remember Mark Caraway, whats his story?

I do like Witt's front line of Russ, Borchers, and Brady...maybe the best in the country. As for Howard and this Caraway guy I'm not quite sold yet.

[DenisonFan]

Wally,

I never said Denison was better than OWU.  In fact they are not.  Last year Denison won the game with 5 guys in double figures.  This year we have 2.

This year we are too inconsistant. You still have to put the ball in the basket to win.   
I do think that Denison needs to pick up the D.  Teams are always shooting it over 50% on us.  That will kill you every time.

Yes, we will win our share.  But we are not a deep team.  Some day these freshmen will be good.  But so far you don't know who is going to show up. 

And no, I am not in line to replace the coach.  All I am doing is giving my humble opinion.  Which, the last time I checked is what this is all about.

I am a Denison fan, period.

[smedindy]

For any Wabash fan curious, Franklin's big gun, Nick Kane, did play against Hanover. So the injury he suffered was relatively minor, yet painful as you saw at Chadwick in December.

[smedindy]

Surprised to see Denison get jacked up like that after two good wins. The road can be a cruel mistress, but I think Denison can right itself against Elvis Francois and the Yeomen.

Wabash will face a big road test against OWU (after these two weekend home games) so they'll have to be ready. It looks like the Bishops are going to be tough at home, as always.

[Blue Russian]

Just a question.

At the risk of looking too far ahead in the NCAC tourney.....if two teams are tied for first place in the conference, what are the tiebreaker rules for deciding who will host the tournament finals?

[wally_wabash]

Humble isn't the first descriptor that comes to mind when I think about your opinions. 

Consistency isn't a new problem for Denison.  How does a team lose at home to Hiram and then in the very next game knock off Wittenberg?  Denison did exactly that last season.  It defies explanation.  Sometimes, that's just the way basketball goes. 

By your own admission, Denison is young and lacks serious depth.  Those underclassmen aren't ever going to get any better  unless they play.  Unfortunately in college basketball, it's hard to win with a bunch of younger players unless you have the Fab Five which Denison clearly does not.  Young teams will lose.  Probably more than they win...that's the way it works.  Take your lumps, worry less about wins and losses and more about improvement and you might just prevent yourself from getting worked up into a major thrombo.  And the senseless shots at the coach can also stop since the biggest obstacle Denison seems to have is with the roster and not with game management. 

[bishopsfan]

Amen to that Wally!!

[Titan Q]

I posted this on the Top 25 board...looks like there has been some poll chatter here too.  The #1 candidates...


Illinois Wesleyan (10-1)
* Loss: vs North Central (10-0), 70-74
* Wins vs D3's .500+:
- @ Wabash (8-3), 79-67
- @ Chicago (7-4), 71-67
- @ Wash U (8-3), 83-56
- vs #24 Hanover (8-4), 72-61
- (n) #8 Puget Sound (9-2), 104-87

Wittenberg (11-1)
* Loss: @ #3 Wooster (10-1), 83-86
* Wins vs D3's .500+:
-  (n) Tufts (8-2), 69-65
- @ #18 Rochester (7-2), 52-50
- @ Transylvania (10-2), 62-51
- vs #22 Ohio Northern (8-3), 65-54
 
Wooster (10-1)
* Loss: vs #12 Baldwin-Wallace, 108-113 (2OT)
* Wins vs D3's .500+
- vs #10 UW-Stout (11-2), 90-82
- vs #2 Wittenberg (11-1), 86-83
 
Amherst (8-1)
* Loss: @ Occidental (9-1), 68-73
* Wins vs D3's .500+:
- (n) Westfield St (8-5), 102-77
- (n) Pomona-Pitzer (5-4), 61-42

Albion (10-1)
* Loss: vs Michigan-Dearborn (NAIA 2, 4-8), 77-88
* Wins vs D3's .500+:
- (n) Juanita (6-6), 78-59
- (n) #12 Baldwin-Wallace (11-1), 75-72
- vs #16 Elmhurst (8-4), 74-66
- @ Adrian (6-6), 75-58

Hope (12-0)
* Loss: n/a
* Wins vs D3's .500+:
- vs #16 Elmhurst (8-4), 70-53
- vs Lakeland (9-4), 54-46
- vs John Carroll (8-4), 89-77

Lawrence (8-0)
* Loss: n/a
* Wins vs D3's .500+
- vs UW-Oshkosh (8-4), 82-75 (OT)
- @ Milwaukee Engineering (8-4), 74-53
 

[earlhamalum]

Waterboy- not sure if you're still around, but i plan on making it to the Earlham/Allegheny game on Saturday.  Looking forward to seeing two NCAC game going at it.  Hopefully Earlham can get the Terriers tomorrow night and go 2-0 this weekend in the NCAC. 

What do you think about the Match up? or anyone else for that matter.

*that and i wanted to write and be a part of a certain page # of this post

[billy_pilgrim]

The all-important double weekend is here for Earlham and Wabash. In the end last season, it was an overtime loss in Meadville that derailed the Quakers' hopes of hosting.

Now, here's what I've been wondering while looking ahead to this weekend. Earlham plays host to Hiram on Friday night, before hosting the Gators on Saturday afternoon. Over the past few years, Earlham has always played Allegheny on the Friday.

I'm not sure whether this change will be advantageous or not. On one hand, the better of the two visiting teams will have to travel, get into Richmond late, and surely be somewhat worn down. Conversely, it always seems as though teams prepare more for the opening game, and rightfully so, of double weekends.

Don't confuse this, I certainly don't think that Earlham is guaranteed to win both games, or even one of the games. They haven't had back-to-back wins since the openers in Philly. I just think it's interesting that the Quakers and Little Giants have switched roles in terms of hosting the far-Easterners this season.

[earlhamalum]

Billy_Pilgram-
not trying to cramp your style, but Earlham is 3-1 in game 2 of the Hiram/Allegheny double-header in the last 4 years no matter what order.  I'd put the Gators in the 2nd game, because they have played better in the 2nd game. 

P.S. i'd take my chance of playing poorly against Hiram and still think i could pull out the win.

P.S.S. Correction Earlham Played Allegheny on a saturday last year

[woosterbooster]

I'm disappointed in the continued detrimental remarks by so many people on this forum towards DenisonFan.

If he believes that Coach Ghiloni isn't utilizing players to Denison's best advantage, that's his opinion.  Disagree with it if you want, but he certainly has a right to it, and I can see no better place to express it than on a basketball forum.

I've occasionally made similar remarks regarding a couple of Wooster's players, pointing out what I consider to be their weaknesses.  Statements of that nature carry no personal rancor.  I've even mentioned once or twice that I've disagreed with a couple of Coach Moore's strategical/tactical moves, despite the fact that I consider him one of the best basketball coaches I've seen, at any level.

I don't believe that what I've posted, or what DenisonFan has posted, should be construed as "trashing" or "taking shots" at anyone.  He's not been personal in his remarks, and is an obviously passionate fan of the Denison program.  I believe he should be cut a little slack.

Jack