MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

Don't even get me started on missed free throws.........

Witt absolutely killed themselves at the line tonight!  I will say that as poorly as the Scots have been shooting from the field lately, their ft shooting has been fantastic!  I think Mike Breckenridge mentioned that they've been shooting over 80% from the line over their shooting slump.

And speaking of not making ft's.  What is up with Michael Cooper for Witt.  He didn't even draw rim on his first ft attempt of the night and then solidly bricked his 2nd attempt off the back iron.  And he never recovered finishing the night with a bagel going 0-4 from the stripe.  I can't figure out how a team that shoots as well as Witt shoots 36% from the charity stripe in any game...

[David Collinge]

Also, for those in attendance from Wooster....I was one of the participants for the halftime Around the World contest and did come out victorious. I guess something good came of the evening. 

I'm not sure what an "Around the World" contest is, but there are several possible interpretations that really make me wish I had been in attendance last night! Evidently, this is not your grandfather's Wittenberg!  Nevertheless, congratulations for the, uh, triumph, ghs!

I more or less expected the game to start the way it did, with Wittenberg fired up and playing well and Wooster ice cold.  I thought what this would lead to is a major shift in the balance of confidence, with Wooster playing tentatively and Witt taking chances and pouring it on, leading to a big win.  I couldn't have been more wrong, or more impressed, at the way Wooster responded to those opening ten minutes.  It seemed to me that, free throw shooting aside, Wooster won the game (as opposed to Witt losing it.)

It will be very interesting to see what transpires on Wednesday against Hiram, which by the way will have free video.  Will the Scots come out and dominate like they probably should, or will it be back to the just-good-enough-to-win team that played in the four games prior to last night?  Unfortunately for me, I'm going to be traveling that day and will miss the game.

[wally_wabash]

I'm not willing to say the conference race is over just yet. 

Me either. 

Yes, the Lil Giants have a chance to get one back on Wooster when the Scots travel to C'ville, but Wabash is going to have a hard time winning one in Deleware or Springfield, let alone both of them. 

Why can't Wabash win at OWU or Witt? 

[zander]

i agree... free throw shooting killed Witt. Also, in the first half they went cold for about 5 possessions.  I watched some of the around the world competition and it appeared to me one of the lady students from Witt had the best form but was hurrying her shot. I would take her in a rematch against you any day.

[David Collinge]

Maybe it's time to resurrect the link to the tiebreaker formula that was provided by our good friend imderekpoe a couple of years ago.  (I see "derek" lurking in here a lot, but he's stayed silent so far this season.  We miss your contributions, and hope things are going well for you. )

Official tiebreakers

For Wabash to catch Wooster, in essence, the LGs would have to win out, beating Wooster in the process, and have Wooster lose a second time to someone who finishes ahead of Denison in the final standings.  Any losses by Wabash would have to be countered by another Wooster loss.  Wooster already has two one-point conference victories, and Wabash is hot right now, so this scenario is certainly possible.  Eight games is a long stretch.

[bashbrother]

Over the years, I have read the NCAC B-Ball board, but rarely posted.   I have enjoyed the knowledge and level of overall content.

Thus, here is my first B-ball contribution.

In just looking at the NCAC standings this morning,  I found them being very similar to those that we typically see in Football. (except maybe the order)

Also,  In looking at conference stats, I was surprised to find that FT Shooting percentage was, at least for the Top 4 teams in the conference, what I believed to be low.

1. Wooster - 75.6%
2. Wabash - 74.9%
3. Witt -  66.7%
4. Allegheny - 68.9%

Later, in articles I found this morning, I read that on average, a NCAA college basketball player hits only 69% of his free throws.   In the NBA, this number increases to 75% (Shaq probably has skewed this average over time.).  

I also read that there is very little correlation nationally between free throw percentage and winning percentage.

Here is a nice article on the topic:

http://dberri.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/the-cost-of-throwing-away-free-throws/


WAF!

[NCAC4Life]

What leads you to believe these are the top four teams? You know something we don't?

[ScotsFan]

What leads you to believe these are the top four teams? You know something we don't?

Well, in terms of the current conference standings, they are the top 4 teams in the conference:

NCAC Standings

Allegheny has a 1/2 game lead over both OWU and Hiram.

[ScotsFan]

Yes, the Lil Giants have a chance to get one back on Wooster when the Scots travel to C'ville, but Wabash is going to have a hard time winning one in Deleware or Springfield, let alone both of them. 

Why can't Wabash win at OWU or Witt? 

Did you see the word can't in my post?  Never said that it coudn't happen.  Geez.  Touchy much?   

In my OPINION, judging by the fact that all 5 of Wabash's losses have been on the ROAD, I'm just not as positive as some wearing red and white glasses that Wabash will win one or both games when they make the trek to OWU and Witt.  Especially when one of those losses was to lowly Denison on the road.

Just because I hold that OPINION, does not make it fact as you seem to be alluding to Wally.

[David Collinge]

What leads you to believe these are the top four teams? You know something we don't?

Well, in terms of the current conference standings, they are the top 4 teams in the conference:

NCAC Standings

Allegheny has a 1/2 game lead over both OWU and Hiram.

Those standings are not up-to-date; Witt, 'Gheny, Hiram, and OWU are all tied for 3rd at 5-3.  Wooscotsfan has it right, as always.

[imderekpoe]

Maybe it's time to resurrect the link to the tiebreaker formula that was provided by our good friend imderekpoe a couple of years ago.  (I see "derek" lurking in here a lot, but he's stayed silent so far this season.  We miss your contributions, and hope things are going well for you. )

Still here, and everything's good down here in Columbus!

I made the trek over to Springfield with my father on Saturday.  I wasn't sure what to think after the cold start.  On one hand the Scots have a history of really bad starts and big comebacks, especially in big games.  On the other, I had some of the same feelings that David mentioned earlier - that the Scots would get down on themselves and would continue the cold shooting that we've seen the last few games.  Even after missing all their early 3's and after a timeout, they continued to shoot from outside.  I would have thought that Coach Moore would have had them try to power it inside, but apparently he knows a bit more about coaching the Scots than I do and they stuck to the game plan, which eventually worked out.

A couple of notes - Ian Franks seems to be just about unstoppable.  At the halfway mark of the season he has to be the odds-on favorite for POY.

I thought that the 3's that Hallowell made were big, but that his biggest contributions came on the defensive end where he held Cooper in check and was huge on the boards.  He really kept the Tigers from getting many 2nd chances which I think was a huge factor in this game.

In the JV game, Kaleb Reed suffered an injury and wasn't available for the main contest, and as a result Warnes saw a little more action.  I'm not sure there's a big impact here if Reed is out for a while, but I think he is a little better than Warnes on the defensive end and is a decent rebounder.

Wednesday's game should be huge for the Scots.  Coming off of the big win, they need to keep their heads in the game and play with the same intensity that we saw on Saturday. 

Final note:  Oberlin has been eliminated from the regular season NCAC championship race.

[ScotsFan]

First of all, welcome back to the fray derekpoe.  Glad to here all is well.  Don't make yourself such a stranger... 

What leads you to believe these are the top four teams? You know something we don't?

Well, in terms of the current conference standings, they are the top 4 teams in the conference:

NCAC Standings

Allegheny has a 1/2 game lead over both OWU and Hiram.

Those standings are not up-to-date; Witt, 'Gheny, Hiram, and OWU are all tied for 3rd at 5-3.  Wooscotsfan has it right, as always.

Doh!  I forgot that wsf posted the 'current' standings last night!   That's what I get for thinking the NCAC would have actual updated conference standings. 

Sorry NCAC4life.  Now I get what you were questioning bashbrother about! 

[bashbrother]

my apologies.....

FT percentages for the Top 6 teams in the NCAC

1. Wooster - 75.6%
2. Wabash - 74.9%
3. Witt -  66.7%
3. Allegheny - 68.9%
3. OWU - 67.7%
3. Hiram - 63.1%

[ScotsFan]

my apologies.....

FT percentages for the Top 6 teams in the NCAC

1. Wooster - 75.6%
2. Wabash - 74.9%
3. Witt -  66.7%
3. Allegheny - 68.9%
3. OWU - 67.7%
3. Hiram - 63.1%

Much better!   

[David Collinge]

The standings may not be up to date, but the all-important Player of the Week page is kept current using an atomic clock.  This week, the reigning POTW, Ian Franks, will tearfully pass the tiara and sceptre to OWU's Pat Pellerite.  Pellerite, who (mark my words) will be the NCAC Player of the Year before his career is over, snagged this week's award with double double-doubles in the Bishops' wins over Denison and Earlham.  OWU has now won five straight and are right back in the thick of the conference race.  Congratulations, Pat!