MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Good news for Hiram! They beat Case 90-87. Aaron Stefanov led the Terriers with 31.

39-25 non-conference!

[smedindy]

One last game before the break: OWU bests Anderson (and the pesky HCAC) 87-71. Reuel Rogers had 17 points and 12 boards for the Bishops.

That puts the NCAC at 40-25 in the non-conference slate. Not too shabby.

[smedindy]

Plenty of games on tap this weekend! Let's look at Friday's:

Friday, December 28:

Ohio Wesleyan (8-1) vs. Pitt-Greensburg (3-7) @ Bluffton - The first thing I though was, "Hey, isn't the host school supposed to play the cupcake?" But Bluffton faces Wright State - Lake so, yeah, this is the 'tough' one. The Bishops shouldn't have much trouble against the Bobcats, who have only beaten Franciscan, Geneva and Waynesburg this year (no titans they).

Bethany (9-1) @ Wittenberg (7-2) - Wittenberg's annual Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic doesn't have a traditional cupcake. In fact, the Old Tigers didn't even draw the traditional 'weak' team, Hanover (not so weak, really), and instead are playing a pretty feisty Bethany squad. The Bison will probably run away with the PrAC (though St. Vincent may have something to say about it) and this tourney may be their best bet to up their SOS. The big question is if Witt is all the way back from their early December stumbles. The big win over Cincy Clermont was nice, but really, it wasn't much of a contest. This will be.

John Carroll (5-4) @ Wooster (8-2) - The Mose Hole Classic features the Scots facing two OAC squads, and avoiding the SOS killing Geneva squad. That's probably a wise move come tourney time. The Blue Streaks have been up-and-down, beating a good Birmingham Southern squad but also losing to Mt. Union and Penn St - Behrend. The Scots shook off their Transylvania loss against Mt. St. Joseph and will look to come out of the Holiday break firing against the OAC.

Hiram (5-4) vs. Hendrix (4-6) @ Las Vegas - The Terriers have recovered and now look to solidify their gains before the NCAC resumes play So why not go to Vegas, baby? They face a Warriors team that is trying to build a program that was a bottom feeder in the old SCAC. Hiram's style gives some teams fits, and Hendrix could be a victim to it.

Wabash (3-6) vs. Calvin (7-2) @ Elmhurst - Some schools with a young team play a pillowy soft schedule. Not Wabash. First Ilinois Wesleyan, then Rose-Hulman and now Calvin. Sure, the Knights may have had a couple of 'bum' years (for them) but Calvin's still not an easy game at all, and they've played well except when they've forayed towards the CCIW. The LG's will have had a long time to think about their defensive 'effort' against Franklin, so they could be raring to go.

[Pat Coleman]

Tell me more about Hiram's style of play? Will be calling their games this weekend.

[smedindy]

In the past they've been a bit madcap in trying to force the tempo up. It seems they haven't been as sloppy recently.

[wooscotsfan]

Probably the biggest note from tonight's game is that Claytor didn't start. I guess the coaching staff is sending a little bit of a message that Claytor needs to elevate his level of play. Claytor has not played as well this season, and hopefully this gets him going.

The other interesting takeaway from tonight is that Transylvania is starting to live up to its preseason ranking, as it disposed of #9 Franklin & Marshall 86-73. I think the loss to Transy will be seen as a lost opportunity to post a really good in region win more than a bad loss. Hopefully Wingard, who absence has been overlooked, will be back in time for the Mose Hole. He is Wooster's best freshman and someone who can provide instant offense. Throw in LaLonde, who will likely start playing in early January, and the Scots should be getting more offensive reinforcements in the next few weeks. The key will be to continue to play solid defense and get Claytor to play with more passion.

Kudos to Transy for beating both Wooster and Franklin & Marshall in their tourney before Christmas.

Alex LaLonde, a 6'5" guard, is now listed on Wooster's roster (he is still listed on Air Force's roster as well ) and as Seinfeld notes, he could be a signficant contributor for Wooster in January.  LaLonde averaged 19.5 ppg as a Senior at Wooster HS and was All-Ohio Special Mention.   Here is a link to his Wooster HS highlights including lots of three pointers (good shooter) plus a few dunks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38pzewrjU8

So, will Josh Claytor be back in the starting lineup this evening?

Should be an interesting game tonight as John Carroll is still running Coach Moran's press system with 11 players averaging more than 12 minutes/game for the Blue Streaks.  Hopefully, Wooster can handle the pressure and beat JCU tonight at Timken.

GO SCOTS!

[WooMix]

I'm watching my first Wooster game in a very long time. We've got to cut down on those turnovers if we are to make a run in the post-season. We have to do a better job of taking care of the ball. The score shouldn't be this close against this John Carroll team.

[seinfeld]

Back from watching another embarrassing performance by the referees in a game that John Carroll plays. I can only speak to the games against Wooster, but it absolutely remarkable the extent to which JCU gets away with pushing, grabbing and holding. They play that way the entire game, so the refs feel like they can't call it all the time. Instead, they almost never call it, allowing it to become the "normal" part of the flow of action. What they should be doing is calling it consistently right from the start, so as to send the signal that this type of play isn't going to be tolerated. If anyone who was at the game saw it differently than me, I'd be curious for their feedback. I don't think anyone would feel any differently. For the game, Wooster was whistled for three more fouls, which is absolutely remarkable if you watched the game in person. In a span of just under six minutes in the middle of the second half, the refs whistled Wooster for 7 fouls, grinding the game to a halt. Even though Wooster led the entire second half, and JCU was having to play extra physical to try and catch up, Wooster was whistled for 14 fouls, compared to 10 for John Carroll, in the second half.

Mays, who had a career night with 21 rebounds and five blocks, was getting hammered and pushed pretty consistently, yet made it to the foul line only five times.

Tomorrow's game with Marietta is huge. One of the bigger non-conference in-region games you are going to get. Looks like after a slow start to the season Marietta is playing more like the Sweet 16 team of two years ago than the one that underachieved last year. A win for the Scots and they will be in a real strong position in the region. A loss, and their margin for error outside of winning the NCAC will be very slim.

[woosterbooster]

Back from watching another embarrassing performance by the referees in a game that John Carroll plays. I can only speak to the games against Wooster, but it absolutely remarkable the extent to which JCU gets away with pushing, grabbing and holding. They play that way the entire game, so the refs feel like they can't call it all the time. Instead, they almost never call it, allowing it to become the "normal" part of the flow of action. What they should be doing is calling it consistently right from the start, so as to send the signal that this type of play isn't going to be tolerated. If anyone who was at the game saw it differently than me, I'd be curious for their feedback. I don't think anyone would feel any differently. For the game, Wooster was whistled for three more fouls, which is absolutely remarkable if you watched the game in person. In a span of just under six minutes in the middle of the second half, the refs whistled Wooster for 7 fouls, grinding the game to a halt. Even though Wooster led the entire second half, and JCU was having to play extra physical to try and catch up, Wooster was whistled for 14 fouls, compared to 10 for John Carroll, in the second half.

Mays, who had a career night with 21 rebounds and five blocks, was getting hammered and pushed pretty consistently, yet made it to the foul line only five times.

Amen.  Exactly what I've been saying for years, and exactly what I was going to post.  JCU is the dirtiest college team that I've ever seen play.  Their players and coach are an embarrassment to the sport.  And, as you said, it's the referees that enable all of this to happen.  They're absolutely gutless, and totally ruin the game by allowing this continual thuggery.  I told them so tonight, loudly, and will do so to my last breath.

I mean, what does that coach do?  Does he recruit dirty players?  Or does he recruit normally and then teach them to play dirty?  I'd really like to know.

[smedindy]

At least it's another win for the good guys against the OAC.

In other action:

OWU ripped Pitt-Greensburg 90-50.
Witt got past Bethany 65-58.
Hiram just beat Hendrix 62-54 out in Viva Las Vegas.
Calvin was beating Wabash 59-40 per a tweet I saw.
* FINAL, it's 83-56 Calvin.

But a 4-1 slate for the NCAC.  44-26 in the non-conference.

[wooscotsfan]

Back from watching another embarrassing performance by the referees in a game that John Carroll plays. I can only speak to the games against Wooster, but it absolutely remarkable the extent to which JCU gets away with pushing, grabbing and holding. They play that way the entire game, so the refs feel like they can't call it all the time. Instead, they almost never call it, allowing it to become the "normal" part of the flow of action. What they should be doing is calling it consistently right from the start, so as to send the signal that this type of play isn't going to be tolerated. If anyone who was at the game saw it differently than me, I'd be curious for their feedback. I don't think anyone would feel any differently. For the game, Wooster was whistled for three more fouls, which is absolutely remarkable if you watched the game in person. In a span of just under six minutes in the middle of the second half, the refs whistled Wooster for 7 fouls, grinding the game to a halt. Even though Wooster led the entire second half, and JCU was having to play extra physical to try and catch up, Wooster was whistled for 14 fouls, compared to 10 for John Carroll, in the second half.

Mays, who had a career night with 21 rebounds and five blocks, was getting hammered and pushed pretty consistently, yet made it to the foul line only five times.

Tomorrow's game with Marietta is huge. One of the bigger non-conference in-region games you are going to get. Looks like after a slow start to the season Marietta is playing more like the Sweet 16 team of two years ago than the one that underachieved last year. A win for the Scots and they will be in a real strong position in the region. A loss, and their margin for error outside of winning the NCAC will be very slim.

Well stated and very accurate!  Of course, Coach Mike Moran of JCU only knows one way to play the game so he has played what I describe as the "Hack Attack" for as long as I can remember....20+ years?  By the way, this system requires 10-11 player rotations so the fouls get spread out over more players when the refs do call the game properly.

The result is a helter skelter basketball game and it is made worse when Coach Moran has the audacity also to complain loudly to the refs on any borderline call....which he did multiple times last night.

Major kudos to Jake Mays on 21 rebounds last night - most in the last 24 seasons for the Scots.

Agree also with Seinfeld that tonight's Wooster - Marietta contest is a very important in region game.

GO SCOTS!

[woosterbooster]

JCU downed Geneva by 20.  Not the story.  What is, is that once again, unbelievably, JCU was called for fewer fouls than their opponent.  21 to 24.  I wasn't at this game (my vomit meter from watching JCU last night is still dangerously high), but noted from the stats that JCU had 15 steals.  My money says that they fouled 2-3 times on each of them.

[GoRed]

Catholic totally dismantles Denison 76-35.  The Big Red only managed to shoot 28% from the field and were 3 for 23 from beyond the arc. 

Looks like either there was too much revelling over the holidays or some shooting drills are in order!

[ScotsFan]

Well they do refer to Moran's subbing patterns as bing hockey style line changes so it shouldn't be a surprise to see their style of play being hockey-esque either...

[bufordscot]

Scots look good at the half.  The video is great however, where are the play by play guys?