MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

I suppose that most if not all of you already know this, but it's worth pointing out that Geno Ford is no stranger to Ohio D3 hoops.  He was the head coach at Muskingum College for two years before moving to Kent State, and is the son of Muskie legend Gene Ford, the current head man in New Concord.  I have no doubt that Gene and Geno are good friends with Steve Moore and Doug Cline, paving the way for this big-hearted gesture on Geno's (and KSU's) part.

Does anyone know if there will be any radio or video streaming coverage of this game, for those of us who can't be in attendance?

[fantastic50]

Wooster typically offers streaming video of their home football & men's basketball games, and they're covered by a local radio station that offers streaming audio.  However, I'm not sure whether any NCAA rules would forbid that, with this being an exhibition game involving a D-I opponent.

[ScotsFan]

It looked like KSU offerred live stats for their game with ONU.  That would be better than nothing eh?

WQKT and WKVX are going to be covering HS playoff action on Saturday evening.  So, unless Kent State's college radio station is going to broadcast it, I would guess your only hope would be following the live stats.

[David Collinge]

I wasn't really expecting video, which I suppose depends on Clear Picture (or whatever the cable outfit is called) broadcasting the game.  Radio would have been nice, but I forgot about WQKT's obsession with high-school sporting events, even non-local ones.    Oh well.

I'm sure it's for the best, anyway.  I wouldn't want anyone who is interested in this game to have an excuse to stay home and not make the $6 contribution to the Corey John Cline Fund.  I'd go myself, but I can't find room in my schedule for the 4,382-mile round trip.

[David Collinge]

Schedule musings:

Wooster's not the only squad with a big-time exhibition game coming up.  Kenyon will unofficially kick off their season a week from Friday with an exhibition game at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.  And Hiram opens their season for real with a regular-season game at Youngstown State on the 15th.

Wooster's schedule, as we all know, looks to be a real meat-grinder, but Steve Moore is not the only aggressive scheduler in the league.  Have a look at Ohio Wesleyan's first eight games.  They open the season at Illinois Wesleyan's tournament, where they will face top-ranked Washington U.  A victory in that game would likely bring a meeting with the host Titans, who fell one place short of the top 25 in the preseason poll.  The Bishops then travel to Defiance (18-9 last year) and Albion (15-11) before hosting ninth-ranked Wooster on Dec. 2.  Next up is a trip to Allegheny; you might recall that the Gators beat OWU twice in the final week of last season.  The Bishops return home for Capital (26-5), take their semester exams, then go to to Marietta's tournament where they'll run into Final Four participant and preseason #3 Guilford.  It's not out of the question that OWU could be 2-7 or 3-6 at the end of the calendar year and still be a pretty good ballclub.  If they win at least 6 of these first nine games (the ninth would be against either Marietta or Grove City), they'll be a serious force to reckon with in 2010.

Opening day in D3 is Nov. 15, and six of our ten squads will be playing:
Denison hosts Marietta, part of a men/women double-dip (the women face Trine)
Earlham travels to Manchester, the first of four meetings with future HCAC foes
Hiram, as mentioned above, tests their mettle at Youngstown St.
Kenyon plays host to Muskingum
Oberlin greets Mt. Aloysius
Wooster travels to Albion for the first time since their memorable 2005 NCAA tournament matchup

[David Collinge]

Media Day is no more, a victim of budget cuts, but the coaches still were polled as to their thoughts on the conference race, and that poll was released today.  The results:

1.  Wooster (9)...99
2.  Ohio Wesleyan...79
3.  Wabash...78
4.  Wittenberg (1)...74
5.  Hiram...65
6.  Allegheny...50
7.  Kenyon...42
8.  Denison...31
9.  Earlham...21
10. Oberlin...11

[smedindy]

I bet Moore didn't vote himself #1, but the question is did Cavaco vote his team 9th instead of 10th?? 

[Gregory Sager]

I bet Moore didn't vote himself #1, but the question is did Cavaco vote his team 9th instead of 10th?? 

Do NCAC coaches rank all ten teams in the preseason poll -- in other words, do they slot their own teams as well -- or do they just rank the other nine?

[David Collinge]

Do NCAC coaches rank all ten teams in the preseason poll -- in other words, do they slot their own teams as well -- or do they just rank the other nine?

They vote for all ten, their own teams included.

[David Collinge]

Breaking news:  A Wooster player is named to the D3hoops.com preseason All-America team.  See if you can guess who?

[wooscotsfan]

Wooster has posted their Season Outlook on the COW website and here is the link:
http://www.wooster.edu/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Mens-Basketball/2009-10-Season-Outlook

The outlook notes that Wooster could very well play 3 teams in the Top 5 nationally in the D3Hoops Preseason Poll - #1 Washington University, #2 John Carroll and #4 St. Thomas.  Wooster could also play at #19 Randolph-Macon in a December tourney as well.   Splitting these 4 tough games would be a good result especially since the JCU and RMC matchups are very tough road games.

Good luck to Wooster in the exhibition game tonight vs. D1 Kent State!

GO SCOTS!

[David Collinge]

I wasn't really expecting video, which I suppose depends on Clear Picture (or whatever the cable outfit is called) broadcasting the game.

During today's broadcast (i.e., webcast) of the Wooster football game, the announcers have said repeatedly that tonight's Kent St. game will be aired "next weekend."  I presume that means that Wooster locals who subscribe to Clear Picture will be able to see it then--although it is to be hoped that they will go watch it live this evening--but that it won't be rebroadcast via Wooster.edu/Teamline.

Please forgive the netiquette breach of quoting myself.

-----------------------
EDIT: It now seems that the game will receive an audio broadcast from the Wooster student radio station WCWS "Woo 91", which will be streamed on the internet.  Hooray!

[David Collinge]

Anybody know why Ian Franks is not playing tonight (at least, not so far, about 12 minutes in)?
EDIT: The Woo91 commentators say he has a twisted ankle and is sitting out.  Scots are doing pretty well considering that neither Franks nor Johnson is available.

Wooster has new home uniforms, which for a change are white rather than the old gold they've been wearing for some time now.  You can see them in this short video, courtesy of Woo 91.  Video link.

[kiltedbryan]

Game report indicates that the Scots led early, but were overtaken late in the first half and then Kent went on to a 17-point victory.  The Wooster write up indicates that over $5,000 was raised for the Corey Cline Fund, including a $1,000 gift from the three officials of the game.

It looks like freshmen Jake Mays, Josh Claytor and Justin Warnes all received significant time.  Mays led all Wooster scorers with 12 and Claytor had a team-high 8 boards.  Nice early contributions from these three, who are all slotted ahead of Reed, Evans and Maybeny on the current depth chart, it would seem

[David Collinge]

It looks like freshmen Jake Mays, Josh Claytor and Justin Warnes all received significant time. 

Warnes is a sophomore.  The Woo91 commentators were speculating (or perhaps they knew) that he was a JV last year--I can't remember, and don't have my JV roster from last season out here.  I bet wooscotsfan or imderekpoe can answer this for certain.