MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[WAlum]

Wittenberg takes early command of the NCAC championship race with a big win over Wabash.  This is a great year for the NCAC with as much depth as we have seen in many years.

[David Collinge]

Now watch Hiram shock the Tigers this weekend and throw a monkey wrench into the works.

[Wabash2011]

Now watch Hiram shock the Tigers this weekend and throw a monkey wrench into the works.

Hiram is the most dangerous Jekyll and Hyde team in the conference, especially at home.

[smedindy]

This whole season has been a monkey wrench, hasn't it?

Carryin' the mail

Hello, Collinge!

[smedindy]

Let's preview!

Allegheny (0-7, 2-14) @ Denison (3-4, 6-10) - The Big Red played well in their two recent losses to DPU and Witt, and by all accounts should handle the Gators with ease. Of course, Denison has confounded its fans by playing down to the level of competition and not closing out teams they should beat. It's possible that Allegheny could sneak into Granville and knock off the Big Red. Possible.

Oberlin (1-6, 6-10) @ DePauw (5-2, 11-5) - The Yeomen are no automatic "W" for teams; you have to play ball. Playing ball is what the New Tigers are doing now, though. DPU should cruise by Oberlin, as it seems their penchant for letting weaker teams hang around has left them. But Oberlin is miles better than Earlham and you remember how close the Quakers came to a massive upset.

Wittenberg (7-0, 13-3) @ Hiram (3-4, 10-6) - Trap game for the Old Tigers? Witt pulls into Hiram flying high after demolishing Wabash, but they face a mad-cap bunch of Terriers that can discombobulate a team. Hiram's struggled on defense against teams with good post players, and their style can produce as much failure as success. Again, the key is if Witt can harness the game or if Hiram is allowed to make it a scramble.

Kenyon (2-5, 8-8) @ Wabash (5-2, 13-3) - Gut-check time for the Little Giants. They must win this game. For some reason, the Lords usually keep it very close against the LG's and in 2009 Kenyon swept Wabash in the series. The Little Giants needs to get their offense on track, and it has to start Saturday.

Ohio Wesleyan (5-2, 13-3) @ Wooster (4-3, 13-3) - Is this an elimination game? If Witt wins and OWU loses, then they're three games back halfway through the conference schedule. If Wooster loses and Witt, DPU and Wabash win, they're two games behind in the race to HOST a first-round tourney game. So, yeah, it's pretty huge. Can the Scots control Tim Brady? Can OWU force Wooster to a perimeter game? Will anyone not enter the gym through the main doors of the Scot Center? The answers to these questions and more on Saturday.

[wooscotsfan]

Let's preview!

Ohio Wesleyan (5-2, 13-3) @ Wooster (4-3, 13-3) - Is this an elimination game? If Witt wins and OWU loses, then they're three games back halfway through the conference schedule. If Wooster loses and Witt, DPU and Wabash win, they're two games behind in the race to HOST a first-round tourney game. So, yeah, it's pretty huge. Can the Scots control Tim Brady? Can OWU force Wooster to a perimeter game? Will anyone not enter the gym through the main doors of the Scot Center? The answers to these questions and more on Saturday.

Nice preview - this is really a "must win" game for Wooster tonight.  A 4th conference loss at this stage would clearly eliminate the Scots from the conference race (their chances are already low) especially since they still have road games to play later AT Witt and AT OWU.

IF Wooster doesn't win the NCAC race this season, they also need to minimize their remaining losses to have any chance of getting into the NCAA tourney with a Pool C at large bid.  A 4th in region loss this early would not be good.

Let's hope that the Wooster guards feed the ball into the post so Claytor and Mays can get some shots tonight.

GO SCOTS!

[smedindy]

The Yeomen simply don't like playing in Indiana. Another weekend trip to the Hoosier State, another thrashing. This time DPU lays a 69-37 throttling on Oberlin. Oberlin shot 11-52 from the floor and were out-rebounded 41-27.

Josh Merritt had 21 of the Yeomen's 37 points. Besides Merritt the rest of the bunch shot 5-37.

Barry Flynn led the New Tigers with 12 while Sean Haseley added 11 and Iannnnnn Rumppppppppppp had nine off the bench.

[smedindy]

I can hear the grousing from Granville all the way down here. Allegheny wins its first NCAC game of the year, beating the Big Red 64-62. Dimonde Hale's 23 and nine weren't enough to beat a balanced Gators attack.

Denison held a 62-61 lead with 1:20 left, but the Devone McLeod hit a lay-up and Hale turned the ball over. Denison had to foul four times in the last minute to get Allegheny in the bonus, and the Big Red weren't in the bonus themselves. The refs had the whistle's clamped off, I guess.

Denison did steal the ball down one with 28 seconds left. Larry Farmer tried a three with nine seconds left, missed but Hale grabbed the rebound. He turned it over with six seconds left and Hale had to foul Kyle Murphy with two ticks left. Murphy made the first, missed the second and the Big Red had one last chance, but Farmer's three was no good.

Neither team had a lead larger than six.

[smedindy]

Witt may not run away and hide. As I type this Hiram are leading the Old Tigers 48-30 with 11:22 left.

[sac]

Witt may not run away and hide. As I type this Hiram are leading the Old Tigers 48-30 with 11:22 left.

[smedindy]

Hold on Admiral, Witt's cut it to 13 with eight minutes left.

UPDATE - Witt's now carved it down to 56-47 with 3:11 and have the ball after a Hiram turnover.

[GoRed]

I can hear the grousing from Granville all the way down here.

Grousing?  Just because we gave Allegheny their first win at home?
We're still in contention for that pre-season number 6 spot!

[smedindy]

It was a trap after all! Hiram does everyone a huge favor and beats Wittenberg 65-51. The Old Tigers clank it up at a 16-57 rate for the game including 5-27 from beyond the arc.

Jamaal Watkins had 22 points to lead the way for the Terriers. DPU, Wabash, OWU and Wooster are singing the Hiram fight song as we speak!

Josh McKee had 15 to lead Witt, but he was just 3-12 from the floor (including 2-10 from three).

[woosterbooster]

The Hiram Fight Song, presented to you by Wooster Booster.  Complete with lyrics and pep band photo.  Click on the link right above the lyrics to actually listen to the tune.

http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/fightsong.html

Okay, that's the worst fight song I've ever heard.  Actually, it sounds like a horrible rendition of some D1 school's music.  If Hiram ever upgrades it, watch out, they might win a lot more ballgames.

[David Collinge]

That's "Our Director," one of the classics of the repertoire.