MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

Any double digit win on the road is convincing to me! (Well, maybe not against Oberlin).

I guess you're just more optomistic or I'm more of a realist.  To me, given the tough stretch that Denison has been going through, if Wooster were to only beat Denison by 12, I would hardly be calling that a convincing win. And I'm sure that others in here would question why Wooster hadn't won by a larger margin.  

Also, ONU beat JCU by 12 last night on the road.  But they won in overtime.  ONU outscored JCU 19-7 in OT to pick up the 12 point win.  Again, its my opinion, but I surely wouldn't call that a "convincing" win even though it met smed's criteria of what a convincing win is in his mind.  The Polar Bears were convincing in OT, yes,  but that was just 5 of the 45 total minutes that were played.  It was a very good win for ONU, but it was anything but convincing.

Maybe if Denison were coming into that game with Wabash yesterday on a five game win streak and not a five game losing streak, I would say your description of it being a convincing win would have more clout.  The fact is, Desison is in a funk, and they haven't played anyone close during their losing streak.  I just don't see a 12 point win over a struggling team as anything special, wheter it was a road game or not,  that's all.

[Kramer]

One problem for Denison is that they lost their best ball handler this week.  The third junior that has left the team this year.  This one hurts because he clearly handled pressure defense better than the remaining guards.  I believe this was a big reason for the 26 turnovers.

[wooscotsfan]

Last year's Wooster - Westminster score was:  Woo 116  Westminster 79

Of course, that was a home game for Westminster.  So, any thoughts on the margin for today's game at Timken?

I will take the Scots to score 120 points or more and to beat the Titans by 40 points or more! 

GO SCOTS!!

[ScotsFan]

Sounds to me like there are bigger problems down in Granville than just how Hern and Hodgkinson are being utilized.  That's not a good sign for the Denison program when players are leaving the team in the middle of the season.

[David Collinge]

If we had never heard of Dan Russ, we'd be talking about what a solid front line Witt has with Dane Borchers and Kenny Brady.  ONU is deep (9 players averaging at least 13 minutes each) but not very big; they have a 6'8"/205 freshman center who plays 17 minutes, but averages just 2.4 rebounds.  Their starting post is listed at 6'6"/280  and they start 3 wings at 6'4"-6"5".  Their leading rebounder (7.2) is a 6'3"/200 wing.  Witt will still have a size advantage even if Russ sits out the game.

[wooscotsfan]

At the Half:  Wooster 70  Westminster 51

Wooster being led by James Cooper with 23 points (5 three pointers) and Tim Vandervaart with 12 points.

Wooster has made 11 three pointers and has shot over 70% from the floor.  Scots have dominated this game which is essentially over. 

GO SCOTS!!

[wooscotsfan]

Westminster forcing me to eat my words  as they nailed several long three pointers (25 to 28 feet per radio announcer) and cut the Wooster lead all the way down to 3 points.

Now 12:20 remaining   Wooster 89  Westminster 81

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  Wooster 133  Westminster 110

Wooster was led in scoring by Tom Port with 32 points, James Cooper with 28 points and Tim Vandervaart with 19 points.

Wooster made 12 three pointers in this game but Westminster made 18 three pointers to keep this game somewhat close.  Wooster shot 64% from the floor and 50% on three pointers to secure the win tonight.

Craig Hannon led the Titans with 31 points (8 three pointers) and Mark DeMonaco added 22 points.

Wooster is now 9-0.    Next up is Baldwin Wallace on 12/29 in the Mose Hole Classic opener.

GO SCOTS!!

[smedindy]

Overtime is a different beast. A 12-point reg win that wasn't padded by foul shots is fairly convincing, IMHO. Y'all are sounding like Mt. Union here. 

[WooMix]

I just can not believe that Wooster allowed these Westminster guys to score over a hundred.  Man, they gave me a scare when they pulled it to within three.  I was under the impression that Cooper was gonna have a monster second half but he still did us proud with his 28 point effort.  Kudos to Tom for the massive 32.  Nuff respect to Westminser's pair of Demonaco and Hannon for their 22 and 31 points respectively.  Overally, fair game by Westminster and below par effort by Wooster.  But then again, a win is a win.

THE SCOTS ROCK!!!

[MoneyBallSTL]

Just final...Wooster 133 and Westminster 110.  Another good win for the Scots against the "fun & gun" style! I hope the team has a safe and happy holidays and gets ready for another quality field in the Mose Hole. One sidenote however, 4 starters STILL in the game with 1:45 left and a 21-point swell.  As a fan, you just have to hope that strategy doesnt end up burning Coach Moore as it has become quite a tradition in recent years. Merry Christmas to all in Wooster!!!!

[GoBigRed]

At half-time of the Denison game i was actually thinking about the possibility of posting something positive and congratulatory, and it almost happened, but the same issues still exist, and as long as they do, Denison will continue to lose by 10+.

I agree, there was more energy and they hit some big shots, but the inexperience and system for winning will not work until maybe next year. DenisonFan is right, their #30 shot it A LOT, and didnt make that many, even a few of the ones he made were anything but in the flow of the offense. I thought he'd be disciplined at half-time for his selfishness, but he was just as trigger-happy in the second half.  I guess he shot it more than Hern and Hodgkinson combined, and to me thats inexcusable. Maybe Ive got the wrong idea, but do you guys think Witt's coach stresses getting the ball to Russ and Borchers, does Woo's coach stress getting Port involved, does OWU's coach stress getting their post player involved? Why dont these Denison coaches stress getting the ball to Hern and Hodgkinson. Dont you dance with the girl that brought you?

I say that because Ive watched these guys play for two years and have seen how good they are, and to see them be put on the back burner for some selfish freshman is disappointing. I contend that Denison goes as Hodgekinson and Hern go, so its not a surprise that as they are underacheiving, so is Denison. They're Denison's best chance at scoring, yet the perimeter players dont look inside all that much, and I dont know why.

The last thing I want to mention is that I was wondering where #23 was, he wasnt on the bench so I figured a family emergency or something. But by reading these posts am I to understand he quit? Like Kramer said, is that now the 3rd junior to outright quit? The third junior who wouldve been a big contributer, so I look at Ghiloni again on that regard. Why do impact players quit the team? From what Im watching, its because once you become an upperclassman, Ghiloni disregards you for the underclassman. He'll give you two years, and then he trades you in for a younger model.

I know I'm complaining a lot, but you just have to see the games to know what Im talking about. Inexperience is destroying this team's chances, it seems like its a repairable thing, but how many games wil l they have to lose before any repairs are made?

[blindwatchmaker]

Some thoughts on the Wooster game...

Came in mid way through the first half and Wooster was up something like 42 to 21 so I thought 'hey another blowout', but I have to say Westminster hung tough the start of the second half and cut the lead to 4 or 5 at one point mainly due to excellent 3 point shooting.  Wooster was playing good D at the perimeter but Westminster was taking and making NBA three's.  Wooster then took control with great passing and hussle. 

Port had a great dunk off a feed from Cooper in the second half which got the crowd into game.  And along those lines Brandon Johnson had an open look for a dunk but missed... yet hung on the rim...hence a foul which happened to be his 5th!  Might be hearing about that one for a bit. 

I have to say the officiating was terrible for the game.  I'm not sure the overall number of fouls but both teams had 10+ with over 10 minutes to play in the game.  They were calling little ticky tacky stuff and then letting muggings go on other times.  Really took away from the game. 

Overall a better game than expected as Westminster played hard and made the Scots earn it for awhile.

Bring on BW for the Mose Hole!

[woosterbooster]

What looked as if it would be a blowout at Timken gym became an interesting game.  Wooster came out shooting lights out to open up the big first half lead, but cooled off after the break and the gap quickly closed.

Just some random, tired thoughts:

Westminster is the only DIII "system" team that I've seen, except for Grinnell on tv last year.  I did listen to the Wooster vs Emory and Henry game earlier this season (I also saw Loyola Marymount live many years ago, but of course they're not DIII.)

It seems to me that Westminster is at least somewhat different in their philosophies, both offensively and defensively.

With the ball, they don't run. Part of this is surely because Wooster scored very often and also did an excellent job of getting back on defense.  Still, I can't remember Westminster making a single hoop in transition!  What they do do is to run their offensive set at a frantic pace, setting multiple perimeter picks in order to get a shooter some space for a three.  Quite a few of these picks do not quite have time for moss to grow on them, if you get my drift.  And, their shooters don't need much space at all, are very good, and will put up a shot at the first opportunity.

They also have some quick guards who can get to the basket if you play them tightly, which obviously you must.

They also hit the offensive boards very well.  I think part of their success in this area was due to the Wooster players being so much on the move they weren't always able to set themselves to box out.

Defensively, Westminster does press and trap, but this wasn't a strategy that was going to work well against this current Wooster team.  Too many good ballhandlers who are too good at seeing the court.

The officiating.  It continues to be incredibly poor.  In their defense, when a game is played at this pace, it's nearly an impossible game to call.  But you have to make the effort, and too often heavy contact on the perimeter or in transition was ignored.  If the officials would take charge of a contest early, maybe so much of this wouldn't go on.  It was the constant story of the Westminster guards hurtling into bodies enroute to the basket, and the Wooster players trying to block them out.  As it was, maybe one in four fouls was called.  When it gets to that point, how do you know which ones to call?

[waterboy]

It seemed the referees were continually trying to produce "make-up" calls.  When one person blew a call, the next would return the favor.  Case in point, when Bidwell was called for a technical when he "pushed' DeMonaco over (though DeMonaco practically ran into the Wooster first-year), another referee almost immediately called a moving screen on a Titan player.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to complain about officiating, but those guys didn't have a clue.

I think the last 13 minutes of the game took about 45 in reality.  I've never seen a half go so quickly to the bonus before.  In total, the teams racked up 49 total fouls.  Definitely a long night from where I was sitting.

I would also like to reiterate what Wooster Booster said about the different philosophy run by Westminster.  I saw the game in New Wilmington last year when Woo won 116-79, and this Titan team was much different.  They weren't as run-and-gun as they tried to be a year ago and they were much better shooters.  That high screen was deadly for DeMonaco and Hannon, and they ran it to perfection every single time down the floor.  Their big men were very good on the offensive glass as well, IMO.  Shooting-wise, Westminster set a season-high by canning 48.1 percent of their attempts, though it went down drastically over the last 13 minutes of the game.