MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Witt4ever]

witt/den boxscore:

http://www.denison.edu/athletics/mb/mb07/denm1202.html

[jscwittfan]

Had a chance to check out the Wabash-Oberlin game prior to calling the Witt women's game - I don't know if it was just me, but either Oberlin's defense looked TOUGH, or the Wabash offense just didn't have it today.  Wabash had real struggles down low - I don't know how many missed layups they had underneath.  However, Oberlin did not look like a team picked to finish 9th/10th in the conference.  Don't let the final score fool you - Oberlin dominated the game, and it was only a late run by Wabash that provided for the thrilling ending.

As for Witt/Denison . . . WHEW.  I knew Denison would play us tough since it was a home game, but 3OTs??  Witt needing 3 last-minute shots to extend the game in regulation and OTs 1 and 2?  Sounds like one of those classic games I would have loved to watch.

Cedarville for Witt on Tuesday, and then we can really start the hype!  (Reminder to all Witt fans - the first presale is Monday night, so I would suggest making a trip to Springfield if you want a chance to snag tickets!)

[David Collinge]

Pretty good stat line from Denison's senior wing Dan Izzo:  24 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists in 44 minutes.  He went to the free throw line 15 times, which suggests to me that he played aggressively, probably slashing to the hoop on offense and crashing the boards on defense.  He seems to be the spark that makes that team go, when they go.  Denison also got 16 points and 6 assists from reserve (today, at least) winger Brian Elder, who was 3 for 3 from the arc.

[goscots]

Definitely a slow start to the Wooster-Earlham game, but that was due to Earlham working for a shot and taking the clock under 10 seconds on many of their early possessions.  Earlham shot well early and Wooster didn't (even though the shot were good open looks) creating a 6 point lead for Earlham, 16-10. Wooster then runs off a 22-2 streak.

It wasn't a sloppy game (Wooster had only 4 TO's at the half), but it felt like the Mt. Union game with the Scots almost looking disinterested.

The second half was much better, good defense and shooting. Port breaks out with 19 points, 5 RB and 4 assists. Brandon Johnson also had a much better game than the one Tuesday (17 points, 3 assists and 2 steals).

With Oberlins win today maybe the Scots will prepare more diligently for their Wednesday match.

Another interesting note is that traditional MIAA powerhouses Hope and Calvin each went 0-2 this weekend in their CCIW/MIAA challenge with Wheaton and Carthage.

[goscots]

I should have also added the Scots freethrow shooting 5 games into the season is dramatically improved. The Scots were in the high 65-70% range most of last season but are over 85% after tonights game:

Fulk                          6-  6           1.000
Johnson                   5-  5           1.000
Will                          4-  4            1.000
Cooper                     7-  8           .875
Port                          7-  8           .875
Vandervaart           21-26           .808
Vanhorn                   4-  5           .800
Bidwell                     3-  4           .750

It's early but this is a great trend. Maybe the only drawback from this is that most are averaging only 1-2 FT's/game.

[pennstghs]

wow you work 5-11:30 and you miss a lot of things i guess. what a game it sounds like and if nothing else can go to show that no game comes easy for witt so far, which could benefit them and keep them competitive.

[petewitt54]

I was at the Witt/ Denison game tonight.  It was pretty disappointing to me that Witt 1) was down to Denison the entire game and 2) played flat for long stretches and would just flip a switch and play hard.  The offensive struggles concern me as well, but it seems when they really want, the guys can score at will.  Its as if Witt does just enough to hang on and win. 

Witt's defense looked ok today, as it did against Capital, but it didn't help that Denison was hitting everything they threw up.  They play so tough at home, but lay eggs on the road.  I also can't stand some of the borderline dirty things the Denison players do.  Borchers caught a blatant shove in the back while shooting a layup late in the game that could have taken him out.  This seems to be a trend, as my junior year, I was punched in the groin by a Denison player.  Coach Ghiloni said it was accidental. 

Two tough ones for the Tigers this week.  Cedarville and Wooster.  Get your perimeter defense ready boys. 

[woosterbooster]

[David Collinge]

Witt's defense looked ok today, as it did against Capital, but it didn't help that Denison was hitting everything they threw up. 

Pete, according to the box score, Denison shot under 39% (27-70).  As an eyewitness, how do you reconcile this with your statement?  Is it a case of DU hitting their jumpers but missing layups and putbacks?  I trust your judgment, so I'm curious what led to that impression.

Something tells me that it's a different Denison when Witt occupies the other bench.  Kind of like how it's a different Oberlin when they face Wabash, I suppose.  The Denison I saw earlier this season didn't play dirty, at least not so you'd notice.  But the Denison I saw would never have taken Witt to 3 OTs.  Maybe Witt really lights their fire.  A couple of seasons ago Denison beat Witt by 10 just a week after they lost to Hiram.  (Witt won the rematch by 38.)  That was the season DU went 13-12/10-6, so it could be attributed to their being somewhat better that year (Witt was 25-4/14-2), but in other years DU has often played Witt tougher than one would expect.  Three years ago, after Witt won the first game in Springfield 74-29, the rematch was tied with 3:15 left, before Witt scored 12 of the last 13 points (4 by Pete) to win by 11.  The year before that, 7th-seeded DU lost to 2nd-seeded Witt by 6 in the tourney, 3 days after Witt beat them by 24. 

I think we can count on a serious beat-down in Springfield on Jan. 27.

[petewitt54]

DC:  You nailed it.  Borchers and Hemenway did a fantastic job around the rim.  Altering shots, stopping drives and so forth.  Denison would try and take it to the basket and Dane and Jack would be waiting, causing some pretty wild layup attempts. 

15 feet and out was a different story.  I can remember on multiple occasions Denison post players hitting contested threes.  Izzo too hit some pretty tough jumpers.  And give Denison credit, they play hard.  If only they played like that against teams that aren't Witt and Wooster. 

And as far the dirty play thing, I'm hypersensitive, as I took an extra cheap shot from a Denison player and had Coach Ghiloni deny anything happened. 

[WooMix]

Lincoln 201, Ohio State-Marion 78

The above line does not look right at all.  Sometimes when Wooster thoroughly beats their opponents, I have the same feeling as I had when I saw the score above.  Coach Edwards famously said, "You play to win the game!  Hello!"  but what happens when you have won the game already and you continue to play as if its your last?  Where do we draw the line between sportsmanship and sheer selfishness?

I believe what Lincoln did was wrong.  They crossed the line and progressed beyond acceptability.  I lump their action together with that New York girl who scored 113 points and that West Virginia kid who ran for over 600 yards versus overly matched opponents in both instances.  Why do coaches still allow this to happen?  For records?  Ummm!

[woosterbooster]

WooMix -

I was about to completely agree with you, but now I've just found the boxscore:

http://www.lincoln.edu/athletics/mbasketball/osu-lin.htm

Nobody on Lincoln, including Sami Wylie, the guy who scored 69 points and made 23-44 threes, played more than 24 minutes!  Wylie played exactly that number, as did Dwight Dean, who scored 33 points off the bench!  Nine players played at least ten minutes, an additional seven players got in the game, and those guys alone totaled 43 minutes, or over a full player-game! 

The coach did indeed clear the bench.  While maybe he could have done it a little sooner and given the bench guys a few more minutes, after looking at the boxscore I don't feel quite the same way as I did last night, after only reading the article.  Once the players are on the court, I don't believe they should be held back, they're out there to play.  Apparently even Lincoln's reserves were a complete mismatch against whatever OSU-Marion put on the floor.  At some point, the weaker team just needs to realize they need to get better or schedule someone more their own speed.

[Mr. Ypsi]

WooBoo,

It's true he (eventually) cleared the bench, but full court press when leading by 100+??!!  Taking IMMEDIATE three's rather than working the shot clock a bit (one guy made a steal when they were up by over 100 and shot a 3 when there was NO defender between him and the basket)??!!

While it would be EVEN worse if he had left the starters in, it was a totally shameful bit of coaching.

To lessen the black-eye for d3 (home of STUDENT-athletes, where sportsmanship is still deemed an actual value, rather than a quaint relic), I wish the media reports had mentioned that this is Lincoln's final year in d3.  Perhaps they were preparing for the transition by practicing d2 'sportsmanship'?!

[TigerFan_1973]

2) played flat for long stretches and would just flip a switch and play hard.  The offensive struggles concern me as well, but it seems when they really want, the guys can score at will.  Its as if Witt does just enough to hang on and win. 

The Tigers have to get over this.  You might recall the same thing happening in Witt's final game (The D3 title game) last year.  Except then it didn't quite work out so well.  They have to get the killer instinct.  Playing good enough to win just won't cut it against outstanding teams.  Being tied three times "at the end of the game" and then winning by 15 in the last five minutes is pretty unusual.

They have two outstanding teams this week with Cedarville and then Wooster.  Back-to-back hard games will be good for Witt. 

Go Tigers!

TigerFan

[pennstghs]

yes i would agree, luckily for us if that is their current syndrom a dose of talented cedarville and wooster teams should help them remain competitive throughout an entire game. also with the first "real" home games of the season the crowds will be behind the tigers helping them. i say real beacuse against transylvania that was on our break and a lot of the students weren't back yet or in the process of returning. i see a good week coming....