MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Eco-manblue]

Hmmmmm... an observation on how the D3 round ball bounces in interesting ways...

OWU def. Calvin by 16 (85-71)

Calvin def. Hope by 24 (88 to 64)*

Hope def. OWU by 26 (87 to 61)

* Granted, this list is out of chronological sequence and OWU's victory over Calvin was the third game of the season, but none the less, it's intriguing.

[NCACfan22]

@all first off I agree about the Wooster stream today...video was absolutely horrible at times and made the stream unwatchable.

As an Oberlin fan, I was really pleased with how they looked today. They came out extremely flat and got behind 15-1 early...but then turned it around, and really IMO outplayed Wooster up until around the 7 minute mark in the second half (I believe it got as close as 55-50 there in the 2nd half). One question I have for Wooster fans...where has Xavier Brown much of the season? I see he's "still" averaging 13 points a game, but I would have expected him to be putting him much bigger numbers for Woo this season (who is such a deep team with Brown, Pannell, Lalonde, and Fanelly...really tough to stop all of them, maybe it's just a case that Brown is sharing scoring load with other stars)

When Ollie (Oberlin's big man) plays well and Oberlin shoots the ball decently from the outside (they are extremely guard-heavy) I really do think they are a Top 5-6 team in the NCAC. Obviously a big if there....but they already have wins over Depauw and Witt, and I could easily see them taking down Gheny and Hiram as well. Will be interesting to watch.

[woosterbooster]

@all first off I agree about the Wooster stream today...video was absolutely horrible at times and made the stream unwatchable.

As an Oberlin fan, I was really pleased with how they looked today. They came out extremely flat and got behind 15-1 early...but then turned it around, and really IMO outplayed Wooster up until around the 7 minute mark in the second half (I believe it got as close as 55-50 there in the 2nd half). One question I have for Wooster fans...where has Xavier Brown much of the season? I see he's "still" averaging 13 points a game, but I would have expected him to be putting him much bigger numbers for Woo this season (who is such a deep team with Brown, Pannell, Lalonde, and Fanelly...really tough to stop all of them, maybe it's just a case that Brown is sharing scoring load with other stars)

When Ollie (Oberlin's big man) plays well and Oberlin shoots the ball decently from the outside (they are extremely guard-heavy) I really do think they are a Top 5-6 team in the NCAC. Obviously a big if there....but they already have wins over Depauw and Witt, and I could easily see them taking down Gheny and Hiram as well. Will be interesting to watch.

I just don't understand the issues with Wooster's attempts at streaming.  Other schools occasionally have problems, but nearly all are getting better and better at it.  Wooster just seems to be getting worse.

The Scots did have a great start, and early on the game appeared as if it would be a rout.  Then Oberlin crept back in, and until the last minutes neither team could stop each other.  Oberlin had no post-up game, but mixed up making threes and driving to produce a nice offense.

XB had a slow start due to an ankle injury, which has kept his scoring average down.  Plus, as you mentioned, there are a lot of other weapons this season.  LaLonde is now showing the skills that he played with in high school.  The freshman Spencer Williams, although only putting up two points today, can put up points.  Plus an improved Fanelly, Pannell, etc.  I thought Wooster did a very nice job of sharing the ball today, with Williams himself leading the way with five assists.

LOTS of fouls called in today's game; 20 on Wooster and 28 on Oberlin.  Watching the video, it's very hard to determine if these are deserved or not.

[David Collinge]

A new college ranking is out; something called Niche has ranked the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the USA. In that top 100, ranging from #28 (Kenyon) to #99 (Allegheny), eight of the ten NCAC member institutions are listed. Wabash is not ranked, for some data reason that I was not interested in following up, but they get an overall "grade" of B+, which is the same "grade" as Denison at #73. Only Hiram (#165 of #190, eek) is wholly absent. NCAC pride!

https://colleges.niche.com/rankings/best-liberal-arts-colleges/

[David Collinge]

Around the NCAC today:
Wooster 91, Oberlin 71
Hiram 65, Wittenberg 59
DePauw 53, Kenyon 37
OWU 89, Allegheny 72
Wabash 66, Denison 62

Current standings:
1. OWU 6-0 (11-2)
2. Wooster 5-1 (11-2)
3. Wabash 4-2 (9-4)
4. DePauw 3-3 (10-3)
4. Allegheny 3-3 (6-7)
6. Denison 2-4 (8-5)
6. Hiram 2-4 (8-5)
6. Oberlin 2-4 (6-7)
6. Kenyon 2-4 (4-9)
10. Wittenberg 1-5 (3-10)

[ohiofan1954]

Wow, when Wabash goes on a run , they go on a run. 33 points with 13 minutes left in the game and finish with 66. Denison was looking good for a couple of minutes then boom.

[wally_wabash]

Wait a minute.  When Wally said it was five weeks until Wabash's first lacrosse game, I thought he was referring to the start of the season.  He meant the first match EVER?  A brand new program?  Wow.  Good luck to them!

Yes!  First varsity match ever for the Little Giants.  I had a lot of good friends who played a big part in getting the club team started in earnest in 1999 and when Wabash moved to the NCAC where lacrosse was actually a thing (did not and does not exist in the HCAC), it seemed like an obvious add for Wabash and while it took a little longer than I thought it would, I'm really excited that the day has come.  And I'm really excited especially for those guys back in 1999 who had never touched a lacrosse stick before, practiced without gloves for way too long, learned the game on the fly and laid the foundation for Wabash Lacrosse to become a reality.  And part of the reason why you add lacrosse is already evident- the roster has kids from nine different states which is as geographically diverse an athletic roster as I've seen at Wabash. 

Quick note on Wabash/Denison: The second half started like some recent second halves in Wabash games, with Wabash's opponent starting off on a run, but this time Wabash responded.  Denison goes up 40-33, Coach Brumett gets a timeout, Oetting and Aiton go bonkers for about five minutes and Wabash turns that deficit into a five point lead, and then they stretched it out from there.  The lead got out to 13 before Denison pulled it back a bit in the last 90 seconds.  My favorite part of this game might be that the Wabash found a way to win on the road on a day when Purvlicis got locked down (just one point for Daniel).  I hope that we don't see a repeat of a one point game from Purvlicis again this year, but it's nice to know that Wabash can find another way to win if the other side takes him away. 

Big one on Wednesday at Chadwick with OWU.  Would be fun for everybody to steal one from the Bishops. 

[woosterbooster]

I'll be rooting for Wabash against OWU for obvious selfish reasons.  But when the lacrosse season opens, I'll be rooting for them because I'm glad to see them enter the fray in a new sport.  Now, mind you, hoping that Wabash does well is treacherous ground for me, so someone please set up one of those circus nets to break my fall.

I enjoyed playing lacrosse as a novelty, a diversion, but never really loved it.  Too much running, not enough jump shots, and rules nearly equaling the purposeful anarchy of rugby.  My high school on Long Island was one of the few that didn't have a team even way back in the day.  Still, we had all the equipment, and played the game in gym class and intramurals while waiting for summer and baseball to arrive.

[Li'l Giant]

Yes!  First varsity match ever for the Little Giants.  I had a lot of good friends who played a big part in getting the club team started in earnest in 1999 and when Wabash moved to the NCAC where lacrosse was actually a thing (did not and does not exist in the HCAC), it seemed like an obvious add for Wabash and while it took a little longer than I thought it would, I'm really excited that the day has come.  And I'm really excited especially for those guys back in 1999 who had never touched a lacrosse stick before, practiced without gloves for way too long, learned the game on the fly and laid the foundation for Wabash Lacrosse to become a reality.  And part of the reason why you add lacrosse is already evident- the roster has kids from nine different states which is as geographically diverse an athletic roster as I've seen at Wabash. 

I was on that original club team and we always hoped it would turn into a varsity sport at some point. It's something we've wanted to see for a long time and I'm glad it's finally here. 

[wally_wabash]

There's your result.  Wabash picks off OWU 75-70 in C'ville. 

[kiltedbryan]

Big one on Wednesday at Chadwick with OWU.  Would be fun for everybody to steal one from the Bishops.

Ohio Wesleyan 70, Wabash 75

The rest of the conference thanks you kindly, LGs.   

[woosterbooster]

There's your result.  Wabash picks off OWU 75-70 in C'ville.

Tonight they are indeed Giant!  Still, they oughta be the "Cannonballs"!

[sac]

old and new Tigers going to OT
http://portal.stretchinternet.com/wit/portal.htm?eventId=158330&streamType=video

[ohiofan1954]

nice win Giants. Was looking at your lacrosse schedule. It is a tough task ahead for the first year, just ask the folks at Hiram and DePauw. Good mixture at the beginning though of similar teams I believe(might be wrong on that). If you were in the OAC you might have better prospects for this year as Otterbein is the only established team(6th year) and Mt. Union is the only other team with at least 3 years. Still in the NCAC you are in the best so although there may more lumps at the start it will be better for recruiting and within a few years be a much stronger program. Good luck this year.

[wally_wabash]

I'll do a quick substitute for David here just to put a bow on last night's results:

Around the NCAC yesterday:
Wooster 85, Hiram 60
Witt 65, DePauw 56 (OT)
Kenyon 72, Denison 69
Allegheny 62, Oberlin 59
Wabash 75, OWU 70

Current standings:
1- Ohio Wesleyan 11-3 (6-1)
2- Wooster 12-2 (6-1)
3- Wabash 10-4 (5-2)
4- Allegheny 7-7 (4-3)
5- DePauw 10-4 (3-4)
6- Kenyon 5-9 (3-4)
7- Denison 8-6 (2-5)
7- Hiram 8-6 (2-5)
7- Oberlin 6-8 (2-5)
7- Wittenberg 4-10 (2-5)