MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

Did anybody get a chance to check out the live video from Wabash's game Tuesday night vs. RHIT?  I'm just curious as to how the production quality is.  Obviously, I'll be in attendance this evening (and the tweetstream is coming with me), but I was just curious as to how Wabash's maiden voyage into hoops broadcasting looks to the casual observer. 

Big game tonight...let's go Wabash! 

[smedindy]

Earlham (3-4, 1-0) at Denison (1-6, 1-0), 3pm -- Live Stats -- The weekend's lone conference game, and lo and behold, it's a battle for a share of first place!

Words I never thought would be uttered in that order....

[David Collinge]

Oberlin continues to be the scourge of the dregs of the MIAA, dropping Alma 75-66 tonight.  All kidding aside, Oberlin has looked pretty sharp the last two games, and even though it's not come against the strongest opposition, hey--this is Oberlin, if you can discount a win of theirs by discrediting the opponent, that's a step forward from where they've been for many years.  Unfortunately, whatever momentum the Yeo has gained is sure to dissipate between now and their next game...which is not until Dec. 30 at Anderson.

[David Collinge]

Wabash smoked DePauw tonight, 72-50.  I presume that Wally is already too drunk to post about the game. 

[wally_wabash]

I'm actually preoccupied at a holiday soirée with friends and colleagues this evening...I promise a game report in due time though.  I will say that it is a fine night to be a Wabash man. Very proud of the team for taking care of business tonight.

[smedindy]

Well, alrighty then! Forward momentum for the LGs!

[David Collinge]

If anyone wants me to go into detail on anything let me know.......

I promise a game report in due time though.

Promises, promises...

[pennstghs]

David, you requested me not to go into detail haha.

Wittenberg has a tough game today as well at Anderson. Anderson has looked impressive in traveling to Wisconsin and winning easily and smoked Bluffton at Bluffton this week, which is not an easy place to play. Witt will have their hands full.

[David Collinge]

Well, if you guys aren't going to give detailed accounts of the teams you follow, then I'll just stop giving eight-paragraph assessments of 3-second sequences in non-conference Hiram games...

...wait, that didn't come out the way I wanted...

[pennstghs]

David, from now on you'll get a full biased Wittenberg wrap up!

[sac]

David, you requested me not to go into detail haha.

Wittenberg has a tough game today as well at Anderson. Anderson has looked impressive in traveling to Wisconsin and winning easily and smoked Bluffton at Bluffton this week, which is not an easy place to play. Witt will have their hands full.

I'll give you that winning at Platteville is a good example of Anderson's prowess, but winning by 3 is not 'winning easily'........also Bluffton is 0-8 this year and has lost every game but 1 by double-digits.

I simply couldn't let this go unchallenged.

[wally_wabash]

If anyone wants me to go into detail on anything let me know.......

I promise a game report in due time though.

Promises, promises...

As promised... 

Wabash finally put together two full halves of good basketball, and the result is about what I would have expected from this veteran team.  The key going forward, obviously, is to put together games like this on a consistent basis...this group can't afford any more games like the one in Granville last weekend.  They are just too good for that. 

Wabash started the game strong last night.  Wes Smith opened the scoring with a three point play and then Chase Haltom hit a three pointer to put Wabash up by six and there was no looking back.  Wabash ran an efficient offense and really made it hard for DePauw to get many good shots of their own.  Most everything DePauw had to settle for were very difficult and well defended shots.  Credit to the Wabash D for making life miserable for the Tigers last night.  It's hard to find too much wrong with a 22 point win over your arch rival, but Wabash did miss an alarming number of shots right around the rim.  Finishing plays like that are going to be critical in the conference season (and especially next weekend at Wooster). 

Wabash was led in scoring by Wes Smith and Chase Haltom, each with 16 points.  Haltom's 13 first half points were critical in helping Wabash build their lead.  Wabash really is a completely different animal on offense when Chase is making a decent percentage of his shots.  Hopefully this DePauw game will get him going for the rest of the season.  Wabash's top rebounder yesterday was point guard Brian Shelbourne with 9.  I would also be remiss if I didn't mention Aaron Zinnerman who played some great basketball off the bench for Wabash.  The sophomore scored 12 points in 17 very active and effective minutes.  I've been quite impressed with AZ's improvement from a year ago in the two games that I've seen this season. 

As mentioned, Wabash next travels to Wooster for a Sunday afternoon tilt next weekend.  This is a monster game for Wabash, IMO.  As if all games against Wooster aren't huge, if you lose to Denison as Wabash did, you've pretty much lost a full game on the other contenders...which makes those h2h's doubly important if you expect to get those games back.  Good luck on finals this week, gentlemen...and good luck on Sunday! 

[David Collinge]

...if you lose to Denison as Wabash did...  

...you're probably from Indiana.
Denison 78, Earlham 69...DU put five players in double figures, led by Dimonde Hale's 18 and Larry Farmer's double-double (10 & 12).  AJ Sutherlin had 31 points, including six treys, but as he's no Kym Wenz, it wasn't enough to pull the Q's to a W.

Elsewhere, Anderson has beaten Wittenberg "easily," 86-69.

[David Collinge]

I thought the Wooster fans here might like to see this post in the Top 25 thread:

What's up with Wooster? I haven't been following them but was told this was their year to make a real run. I was really looking forward to the Wooster-Wash.U game but with 3 L's in the early going,  a WUSTL victory would seem to virtually be a foregone conclusion. Anyone have a scoop?

[smedindy]

It must rankle DPU to have Haltom play well against them, since Cloverdale is in their back yard, so to speak. Much like DPU stealing, er, recruiting the good C'ville baseball players.