MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[GoRed]

With 13:18 left in the second half, Hiram hits a 3 to go up 42-20.  Ghiloni, sensing something is wrong, calls a timeout.

[David Collinge]

Kenyon, still playing without JT Knight, is trailing Oberlin by a dime midway through the second half, and their playoff lives are on the line.
UPDATE: Oberlin wins 66-55 (at Kenyon!), moving into a tie for 8th place with the Lords.

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  Wooster 85  Allegheny 72  

Wooster had too many turnovers (11) in the 2nd half but they still notched the win.  Scots were led in scoring by Ian Franks with 19 points (8 assists), Bryan Wickliffe with 19 points (14 boards), Nathan Balch with 17 points (7 boards) and Matt Fegan with 11 points.

Top scorers for the Gators were George Raftis with 20 points, Charlie Jaicks with 18 points and Craig Devinney with 10 points.

Scots shot 51% from the floor and won the rebounding battle by a 39 to 30 count.

Wooster is now 16-4, 11-0 NCAC    Next up is a tough road game at Wabash on Sunday afternoon.

GO SCOTS!

[David Collinge]

Other finals:

Hiram 71, Denison 62
Wabash 70, Earlham 42
Wittenberg 82, OWU 75

[pennstghs]

Wittenberg holds on to win 82   - 75   at Ohio Wesleyan.

This was a game of runs, as I tried to follow the video feed. The two "commentators" from OWU I don't think had their audio working, so I followed with a 3 second delay on Wittenberg's radio network.

Like I said after the first meeting, if OWU had any 3 point shooters, they'd be lethal. Generally speaking, missing 20+ 3 point shots in any game won't mean great results.

Big win for Wittenberg and overall team effort. Foul trouble on Josh McKee and Mark Snyder fouling out 9 minutes left in the game caused an already short handed Tiger squad to really buckle down.

Another big time game Saturday vs Hiram, who now with Wittenberg, Allegheny and Hiram are tied for 3rd in the conference.

[wooscotsfan]

All the 2/3 NCAC Final Results:

Wittenberg 82  Ohio Wesleyan 75
Wooster 85  Allegheny 72
Wabash 70  Earlham 42
Oberlin 66  Kenyon 55
Hiram 71  Denison 62

Current NCAC Standings with 2/3 Results:

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

[fantastic50]

First NCAA Regional Rankings released today.  Pleasant surprise at the top IMO  :

Great Lakes Region

1. Wooster 15-3 
2. Wilmington (Ohio) 13-4 
3. Hope 8-2
4. Calvin 8-2
5. Penn State-Behrend 13-3
6. Thomas More 14-5

Wow...that IS a pleasant surprise.  I suppose that the Scots would still be in the running for a Pool C berth if they were to fall in the NCAC Tournament.

[ScotsFan]

Wow...that IS a pleasant surprise.  I suppose that the Scots would still be in the running for a Pool C berth if they were to fall in the NCAC Tournament.

I think if the Scots win out in the regular season and lose in the conference tournament, they should be a pretty safe bet for a Pool C.  I wouldn't feel too comfortable if Wooster were to lose another regular season game, however, and then lose again in the conference tournament.  That would make for a loooooong wait for the selection show for the Scots.

[wally_wabash]

You guys kill me.  You really think that if Wooster winds up with something like a 20-5 regional record, a 15-1 league record, in the year of an expanded field, and knowing that Wooster is tops in the regional rankings and probably won't fall out unless they go in the tank (which is a different scenario than the one being presented), that they won't be in?  Come on. 

I meant to post a little something on the Wabash/Earlham game but was immediately distracted by new Lost once I got home last night.  That and there really isn't a whole lot to say about the game.  After seeing Wabash struggle two games in a row against a zone defense, Earlham defied all expectation and played strictly man to man.  Bold move (bolder yet that Earlham doesn't have the personnel to win any of those m2m matchups) and one that I don't think Wabash saw coming.  The LGs adjusted in about three possessions and the game was pretty much a boat race from there.  Wes Smith led Wabash with 22 points.  Ben Burkett scored 17 points (career high), and Brock scored 13 points for the LGs.  Earlham's AJ Sutherlin was the only Quaker in double figures with 23 points.  In one of the stranger things I've seen on a hoops floor, Sutherlin scored Earlham's first 19 points and had Ryan Taylor's midrange J not fallen at the buzzer, Sutherlin would have scored all of EC's first half points.  Good game from AJ, but he had exactly zero help from his teammates last night.  Wabash shot 54% to Earlham's 33%.  The major advantage came in the painted area where Wabash outscored Earlham...wait for it...46-12. 

Next up is a Super Sunday (can I say that withour fear of penalty from the NFL?) matchup at Chadwick vs. the GL Region #1 Wooster Scots.  This is a big game for Wabash as a win over Wooster essentially amounts to a win against all of the teams Wabash is battling for the #2 spot.  WAF!

[zander]

Congrats to Witt for posting their first road win against OWU for this senior class. These guys have been paying their dues and hopefully this is their year to get into the post season tourney--

[ScotsFan]

Well, the weather isn't looking too promissing for tomorrow's games at the moment in NCAC land.   

Looks like scheduling the Wooster/Wabash game on Super Bowl Sunday may have been a blessing in disguise! 

[David Collinge]

Well, the weather isn't looking too promissing for tomorrow's games at the moment in NCAC land.   

The Denison at Earlham game has already been pushed back to Sunday at 2pm.  Maybe I shouldn't bother with this, but here's the links as they stand now.  Each link can also be used to check on the status of the game:

Saturday:
Kenyon (2-9) at Allegheny (7-4), 1:15pm -- Live stats -- Game 1 of a DH, women vs. Wittenberg to follow
Oberlin (2-9) at OWU (6-5), 3pm -- Live stats
Hiram (7-4) at Wittenberg (7-4), 4pm7:30pm -- Live everything

Sunday:
Denison (4-7) at Earlham (1-10), 2pm -- Coverage? Link to EC's schedule page
Wooster (11-0) at Wabash (8-3), 2pm -- Live everything (Wabash) + live audio (Wooster)

[ScotsFan]

Witt has pushed their game back with Hiram to 7:30.

Allegheny has graciously given Kenyon and extra 2 hours to make the trek from Gambier to Meadville.     And knowing the roads down around Gambier as well as those leading in to Meadville, I'm sure they'll need every bit of those extra 2 hours. 

That game is slotted to start at 3 pm now.

Oberlin and OWU appear to be still on for their 3 pm start time.

[David Collinge]

I changed the Witt/Hiram gametime in the link above.  As for the Allegheny game, Kenyon's website says 3pm, but that's not mentioned on the NCAC site or the Allegheny site, which still says 1pm.  Furthermore, 'Gheny already has a 3pm game: the women play Wittenberg then.  Witt is already there (this is their Big Trip weekend, and Witt travels in the absence of Wabash), so I'm sure their game is a go no matter the conditions (they could, of course, swap the tip times of the two games).  I was notified by Wittenberg about the change in the men's game, and they didn't mention a change in their women's game time, and their website still says 3pm.  So I guess I'm looking for confirmation.  ScotsFan, did you see that 3pm men's tip time anywhere besides the Kenyon website?  Thanks.

[zander]

No let downs today Witt!  Hiram is tough on them. Come out ready to play!!!

upset special-  WAF-  Wabash over Wooster- and the Colts win the Super Bowl. Good day for Wabash fans