MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

Tough crowd...   but that is their entertainment, I guess.

And we all know how entertaining Ada can be... 

What's the main source of entertainment up there?  Watching the snow drift in the winter time?   

[ScotsFan]

Nice win for the Scots last night.  I wasn't in attendance, but caught the replay once again.

The first 10 minutes of the game looked as if it was UST deja vu.    Wooster was not executing offensively and being sloppy with the ball and at the same time they were being lazy once again on the defensive end not fighting through screens and allowing ONU a LOT of open looks.  Consequently, the Scots dug themselves a hole of as many as 11 points.  This forced Moore to call a timeout in which he was as animated as I've seen him in a while.  They didn't show the whole timeout on TV, but what I saw was Moore trying to implore his kids into making a better effort. 

Well, whatever he said in that huddle seemed to work as after Wooster trailed 27-17, they proceeded to end the half on a n 18-2 run to go into the locker room up 6.  And they continued to push the lead out from there leading by as many as 13 on a couple of occasions.  But give ONU credit.  They didn't go away and kept chipping away at the Wooster lead.  I have to say I was real impressed with that Bradshaw kid.  In the first half, not so much.  But in the 2nd half, he almost single handedly kept ONU in this game.

Things aren't getting any easier for the Scots as they will be taking on #2 JCU on Sunday after a short holiday break.  It would be nice to see them come back from Cleveland with a W!!!

[goscots]

Franks was Wooster's best player last year. In fact, when he was running the point, he was one of the best guards in the region. His struggles at the off-guard spot is not a surprise. Here are some numbers I wrote about last year that showed the difference in his play when he was the point guard vs. the off-guard.

I realize you are trying to make a larger point but in my opinion the best player on the Scots last year was Marty Bidwell. For certain he did not have the shooting skill than Ian has but what Marty did have was heart and leadership. Even though he is the only starter who was lost to graduation it is a big hole to fill. Brandon Johnson, being the only player left from the Final Four team, needs to fill that role.

[ScotsFan]

Franks was Wooster's best player last year. In fact, when he was running the point, he was one of the best guards in the region. His struggles at the off-guard spot is not a surprise. Here are some numbers I wrote about last year that showed the difference in his play when he was the point guard vs. the off-guard.

I realize you are trying to make a larger point but in my opinion the best player on the Scots last year was Marty Bidwell. For certain he did not have the shooting skill than Ian has but what Marty did have was heart and leadership. Even though he is the only starter who was lost to graduation it is a big hole to fill. Brandon Johnson, being the only player left from the Final Four team, needs to fill that role.

From a talent-wise perspective, Franks was the best player.  But, as you pointed out goscots, Marty's leadership is what set him apart from the rest of the team.  And that leadership is  proving harder to replace than I originally thought it would be.  I was hoping that Brandon would be able to fill that leadership role and he very well might do that as the season progresses but so far, I think that lack of a true leader is one of the things that is hurting this team.

[ScotsFan]

Not to shed more bad light on Woo's season opening loss to Albion, but the Britons just lost last night to Heide who went 0-2 and the Al Van Wie Tournament last weekend... 

I know that whole schpeel about comparitve scores and all.  Just sayin' that loss is one that is looking worse by the day... 

[David Collinge]

Looks like Hiram didn't get the memo about the new-found dominance of the NCAC over the OAC.  Tonight they're really laying an egg at Mt. Union.  It's been a real trial to listen to it on the MUC radio feed, made bearable only by the laughable way the announcer has decided to pronounce "Eniola."  Anyway, MUC was already ahead by 19 by halftime, and Hiram hasn't shown much life in the second.  Hiram got badly outshot (47% to 35%) and outrebounded (44-32), although Babajide Whatsizname did contribute 17 boards and 10 points.  Final score: Mt. Union 75, Hiram 60.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[fantastic50]

Consequently, the Scots dug themselves a hole of as many as 11 points.  This forced Moore to call a timeout in which he was as animated as I've seen him in a while.  They didn't show the whole timeout on TV, but what I saw was Moore trying to implore his kids into making a better effort. 

I was sitting right behind the scorer's table, not far from the Wooster bench.  The time-out was called three minutes into the game, and I think that Wooster was down seven points at the time.  This is only my second season following the Scots, but I've never seen Coach Moore that upset with his team.  With a relatively small crowd in attendance, you could hear what was said, no matter where in Timken you were sitting.  At the end of that "speech," a big roar went up from the crowd.  The team definitely responded, and immediately turned up the defensive intensity.

[ScotsFan]

I was sitting right behind the scorer's table, not far from the Wooster bench.  The time-out was called three minutes into the game, and I think that Wooster was down seven points at the time.  This is only my second season following the Scots, but I've never seen Coach Moore that upset with his team.  With a relatively small crowd in attendance, you could hear what was said, no matter where in Timken you were sitting.  At the end of that "speech," a big roar went up from the crowd.  The team definitely responded, and immediately turned up the defensive intensity.

For as mild mannered as Coach Moore is, he has been known to get quite animated in the huddle during timeouts.  It doesn't happen all that often but usually the whole crowd notices when it happens! 

One thing I know is that the players definitely needed a swift kick in the pants at that point in the game and they definitely responded.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Be safe and don't eat too much!    

[David Collinge]

Earlham kicks off a busy holiday weekend by dropping a nailbiter to The University of the South, 87-81 (OT), at Rhodes College in Memphis.  It's always a little difficult to recreate action from the terrible Sidearm Stats version of Live Stats, but it appears that Sewanee's Lewis Affronti hit a three-pointer (excuse me, he "dialed up a three from long distance" ) in the waning seconds of regulation to force OT.  (It's also possible that the OT was forced by two free throws by EC's Shane Heidt with 0:01 left; that the sequence is not clear is one of my many complaints about this awful program.)  Sewanee jumped out to a quick six-point lead in the OT.  Earlham closed to within one on a trey (er, "a rainmaker from downtown") from Justin Barger midway through the period, but those were the last Quaker points as Barger and teammate Dustin Rusk misfired on three treys and two free throws while the Tigers were connecting on five of six free throws.  Earlham drops to 1-4 and will face the host Lynx tomorrow.

[Pat Coleman]

It's always sketchy using dial-up.

[David Collinge]

...especially from long distance!

Now, about that busy holiday weekend:
> Allegheny is hosting their National City Tournament; they play Montclair St. tomorrow and either Case Western Reserve or Wilmington on Sunday
> Denison plays at Mt. St. Joseph on Sunday
> Earlham, as noted above, plays at Rhodes tomorrow
> Hiram is idle
> Kenyon travels to Kalamazoo tomorrow
> Oberlin plays at Westminster Sunday
> Ohio Wesleyan is at Albion tomorrow
> Wabash is playing at DePauw's Mike Rokicki Community Versus Cancer Challenge, where they'll face Franklin tomorrow and either Washington & Jefferson or their genial hosts Sunday
> Wittenberg is idle
> Wooster takes on #2 John Carroll at JCU's DeCarlo Varsity Center on Sunday

I'm too lazy to post links. 

[David Collinge]

Some scores:
Kenyon 80, Kalamazoo 74...Matt Croci says Kenyon can't win as a two-man team. Well, maybe not always, but it can happen, like today.  JT Knight goes for 33, including eight treys (of 11 chances), Dave Knapke contributes 23 points, and the two combine for 17 rebounds (8 and 9, respectively).  Jay Findley (13) and Anthony Chun (11) break into double figures as well.

Albion 62, Ohio Welseyan 52...OWU's disappointing start to the season continues at Kresge Gym, graveyard of NCAC teams.  Tim Brady had 14 to lead OWU's balanced (11 scorers) but ultimately feeble (35%, just 2 of 20 from the arc) attack. 

Earlham 87, Rhodes 79...AJ Sutherlin with 32 points & 15 rebounds. 

Allegheny 95, Montclair St. 68...Gators led 52-15 at one point of the first half, and coasted from there.  Double-double (21 & 12) from Big George in just 25 minutes; three others in double figures.

Wabash 95, Franklin 84...see below.

[wally_wabash]

I'm following livestats from Virginia tonight...Wabash has gone bonkers since your last update, David.  Currently the LGs are leading Franklin 77-60 with 8 minutes left in the game.  Seems balance is the name of the game for Wabash tonight.  Scoring so far for Wabash:
Ben Burkett - 12 points
Wes Smith - 11
Chase Haltom - 10
Nick Curosh - 10
Aaron Zinnerman - 8
Brian Shelbourne - 8 (make it 10 for Brian)

In my dreams, Wabash gets this kind of balance more than three times this year.  

And it's final from Greencastle:

Franklin 84
Wabash 95

Wabash was up by as many as 21 in the second half and never really threatened by Franklin in the final 20 minutes.  Final tallies on the aforementioned balanced scoring:
Wes Smith - 15 points (Wes also added 6 steals)
Ben Burkett - 14 points
Chase Haltom - 13 points
Aaron Brock, Nick Curosh, and Brian Shelbourne - 10 points

Wabash shot 69.1% from the field and unless you're playing Grinnell, there's pretty much no way to shoot 70% and lose.  I'm guessing this sets up a Sunday game agaisnt DePauw tomorrow afternoon.  WAF!

[David Collinge]

DePauw beat W&J, 76-68, setting up the first game of what will be a home-and-home with Wabash for tomorrow (the other at C'ville on 12/11).  In Meadville, Wilmington dumped CWRU 75-64 and will face the host Gators tomorrow.

So here's the Sunday slate:
Wilmington at Allegheny 3pm (Live? Stats?)
Denison at Mt. St. Joseph 3pm (Live Stats)
Oberlin at Westminster 3pm (Live Stats and Live Audio)
Wooster at John Carroll 3pm (Live Stats and Live Audio)
Wabash at DePauw 4pm (Live Stats and Live Audio)

[wooscotsfan]

Wooster faces #2 John Carroll in Cleveland this afternoon.  Here is some background info on JCU:

John Carroll is 3-0 on the season having won the Scranton tourney in Pennsylvania last weekend.  JCU is still running the 10+ player rotation with the full court press ("hack attack" ) for much of the game.  Oh that's right, Mike Moran is still their coach.

Blue Streaks with their press have forced 70 turnovers from 3 opponents (23 turnovers/game) while committing 55 turnovers themselves.  Wooster will need to take good care of the ball or this game could get ugly.

JCU is hitting lots of three pointers (43 of 81 for 53%) through 3 games.  The average is 14 three pointers made per game!  With all these three pointers,  John Carroll is also averaging 102 points per game.

JCU has 5 players that have made 6 or more three pointers each through 3 games.  So, Wooster will need to cover all 5 of these shooters (Michael Hartnett, Chris Zajac, Joey Meyer, Corey Shontz, Rudy Kirbus).

JCU's top 4 scorers are:

Corey Shontz, 6'1" sophomore
17.0 pts/game,  56% FG,  57% on three pointers,  5.0 assist/game

Rudy Kirbus, 6'4" senior
15.0 pts/game,  40% FG,  35% on three pointers,  

Matt Crozier, 6'7" sophomore
15.0 pts/game,  46% FG,  10.3 rebounds/game

Joey Meyer, 5'11" sophomore
9.7 pts/game,  59% FG,  70% on three pointers (7 of 10)

JCU is also outrebounding their opponents (+4.6 per game) so Wooster will need to hit the boards.

I am not expecting to Wooster to win this tough road game but it should be an interesting matchup.

Let's hope that we have plenty of Wooster fans in attendance.  It's only about 25 minutes from my house so I will be there!

GO SCOTS!