MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

I know it's way early, but it will be intriguing to see the race for the title and:

The race for 3rd and 4th seed.

The race for 6th seed.

The race for the final spots in the tourney.

To me, I think it's a wide open tourney, and even the 8th seed will have a chance at an upset. In the past, that wasn't plausible. But this year, there is hope.

[David Collinge]

If memory serves, wasn't Mr. Pfouts the recipient of a lot of flack for a particularly hard foul on a Wooster player a couple of years ago that caused said player to miss time? Does that still linger at Wooster?

Inquiring minds.

Pfouts, now a senior, fouled Tom Port on a breakaway dunk, with the result that Port broke his wrist and missed significant playing time.  There was a great deal of outrage by Wooster fans at the time, which was Jan. 2006 when Pfouts was a frosh.  Pfouts has gone on to make himself quite unpopular with fans and (at least some) players on numerous NCAC teams since then.  I've seen Hiram play three times this year, and my observation is that, now that he's being counted on as a team leader (he's second in scoring, rebounding, and minutes on the team) and can't afford to be in foul trouble, he's toned down his play quite a bit.  In the games I've seen (vs. Wittenberg, Wabash, and OWU), he's played hard and aggressively, but not over the line like he has at times in the past.  Nevertheless, Wooster fans have long memories, and it will be quite interesting to see what their reaction to Pfouts will be.  (It adds some intrigue that Port, now a COW assistant coach, will be back on the bench.)

The way Hiram has been playing this season, which is as if they have something to prove, I expect that a hostile reaction by Wooster fans might even feed their fire.  It should be a very interesting evening.

[David Collinge]

This week's NCAC Player of the Week is Oberlin's two-sport star, Mike Loll.  Loll, a second team all-NCAC wide receiver, recorded 36 points and 19 rebounds in Oberlin's wins over Case and Denison this week.  Congratulations, Mike!

[David Collinge]

It appears that, despite some dodgy weather in northeast Ohio, all scheduled games are on for tonight.  The Denison at Kenyon backyard rivalry game can be viewed online at Kenyon.edu.  Hiram at Wooster will also be videocast from Wooster.edu.  Other games have their usual assortment of audiocasts and live stats. 

[Li'l Giant]

It also appears that Charlie Brown's teacher has kidnapped Brent Harris and is calling the game for Wabash. Or maybe he sounds like the Swedish Chef. I can't be sure. And there appears to be some sort of Mexican radio station bleeding in. How odd.

Does OWU have live stats?

[wooscotsfan]

At the Half:  Wooster 37  Hiram 23

Wooster is being led by Ian Franks with 10 points, Marty Bidwell with 7 points, Bryan Wickliffe also with 7 points and Nathan Balch with 5 points.

Hiram is being led by Glenn Campbell with 5 points, Jason Hebeisen with 4 points and several players have 3 each.

The score was 29-23 and the Scots finished the half on a 8-0 run to widen the lead to 14 points.  Wooster shot 49% in the half compared to only 26% for Hiram.  The Terriers attempted 15 three pointers and only made 3 of them.

[Li'l Giant]

Hiram is being led by Glenn Campbell with 5 points

 

[David Collinge]

Does OWU have live stats?

I'm not aware that they do.  From time to time they'll do videocasts, but I'm not sure if tonight is one of their nights or not. 

The announcers on Wooster's CPI videocast (not affiliated with the College, I hasten to add) are laughably bad.  Someone should explain to them that it's a simple matter to corral an assistant coach for the visiting team to ask how to pronounce player names.  I think the only Hiram name they're getting right is "Roberts."  And they even made a "Glenn Campbell" joke.    EDIT: Great minds think alike, I see. 

The difference (to my eyes) between this game and Hiram's games vs. Witt, Wabash, and OWU is that Wooster is doing a much, much better job on defense and rebounding than those other W's did, and it's giving Hiram fits.  Ian Franks is doing to them precisely what Wes Smith did for ten minutes (i.e., being unguardable on offense and unstoppable on the boards), which makes me think that Steve Moore has a tape from that game.

[David Collinge]

Kenyon leads Denison 36-33 at the half.  Denison made their first six field goal attempts, three of them threes, in building up an early 7 point lead, but made only 7 of their last 22 attempts.  Kenyon also made 14 field goals, but at a much more steady pace.  JT Knight (KC) and Pat Sullivan (DU) lead the scoring with 9 apiece.

[David Collinge]

The CPI announcer has now begun yelling at the refs for perceived bad non-calls.  I think Wooster Booster has seized the microphone and is doing the play-by-play. 

[Gregory Sager]

It also appears that Charlie Brown's teacher has kidnapped Brent Harris and is calling the game for Wabash. Or maybe he sounds like the Swedish Chef. I can't be sure. And there appears to be some sort of Mexican radio station bleeding in.

I feel a hot wind on my shoulder ...

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  Wooster 79  Hiram  63

Wooster got an important NCAC win tonight and they were led by Ian Franks' terrific double double (21 pts, 11 boards), Marty Bidwell with 14 points, Nathan Balch with 10 points and Bryan Wickliffe with 9 points.

Hiram was led tonight by Chris Roberts with 14 points and Ian Pfouts with 12 points.  Wooster won this game shooting 45% from the floor and using their good defense to hold the Terriers to only 34%.  Hiram won the boards 45-43 and had 19 offensive boards.

Coach Moore on the post game show noted that Ian Franks was not feeling 100% tonight so that make his performance even more amazing.  Moore also commended Marty Bidwell for his defense on Hiram's Chris Roberts who only made 3 of 14 shots.

This was Wooster's 22nd straight win over Hiram.   Wooster improves to 9-5, 4-1 NCAC.  Hiram falls to 9-5, 4-1 NCAC.

Big game on Saturday as Wooster hosts Wittenberg (also 4-1) and Coach Moore goes for his 500th win.

GO SCOTS!

[David Collinge]

Kenyon got a challenge but holds off Denison, 76-67.  Bryan Yelvington had 20, while JT Knight had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. 

[wooscotsfan]

January 14th NCAC Final Scores:

Wittenberg 91  Earlham 58
Kenyon 76  Denison 67
Wooster 79  Hiram 63
Ohio Wesleyan 80  Wabash 64
Allegheny 81 Oberlin 59

[wooscotsfan]

Current NCAC Standings thru 1/14 games:

1.  Wooster 4-1, 9-5
1.  Hiram 4-1, 9-5
1.  Wittenberg 4-1, 7-6
4.  Kenyon 3-2, 9-5
4.  Ohio Wesleyan 3-2, 7-6
4.  Allegheny 3-2, 7-7
7.  Wabash 2-3, 7-6
8.  Oberlin 1-4, 4-9
8.  Earlham 1-4, 1-13
10. Denison 0-5, 3-11