MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[woo84]

Wooster does not have a go to guy like the last three years. Last year we could count on Hallowell, the previous two, Ian Franks. I see Xavier Brown inheriting this role but he is mistake-prone. Nevertheless, I like our chances in the tourney. We are hard to beat at home. I think tomorrow vs. Oberlin is a win(I hope), then we get the winner of Witt and DePauw. I hope we get DePauw to avenge this recent loss, because I know we are capable of playing better than what we showed. The team that scares me is Ohio Wesleyan. However, first things first-beat Oberlin, then get some revenge and show people why we are! GO SCOTS!

[ohiofan1954]

The talk about tournament bye's has me remembering the past. I'm 58 so if you are not close to my age and don't remember the d1 tournament before 1975 you may not know this. How many remember when there were only 24 teams in the d1 tournament? At least two teams in each regional were put in the reional semi's every year without a first round game. Oh conferences such as the MAC and Independents(they existed then) had to play round one. Power conferences such as the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and others like the pac 8(there were only 8 then) never had to play a first round game.  Add to this that your league was always in the same regional back in those days. If you were in a weak region you might always have a easy trip to the final four. Can anyone say UCLA? Is it any wonder that one team was able to dominate all those years? After reflecting on this I am starting to change my mind about preferring the OAC system. Bring on the NCAC tournament tonight.

[ScotsFan]

After reflecting on this I am starting to change my mind about preferring the OAC system. Bring on the NCAC tournament tonight.

I am in favor of byes because I just don't feel like the reward of home court is enough for the team that won the regular season title.  Under the current system, a team can get hot for a 3 game stretch and wash away what the regular season champ accomplished over the entire season.  That's why I don't have a problem with seeing lower seeded teams have to play one or two more games to truly earn their auto bid if they can make a run in the conference tourney...

[smedindy]

Well, the obvious answer is to get rid of the conference tourney! That's what I advocate.

[ScotsFan]

Well, the obvious answer is to get rid of the conference tourney! That's what I advocate.

I agree, but that's not going to happen so rewarding the team that won the regular season title for a conference tournament seems to me like the next best thing...

[smedindy]

Sorry, no time to preview. I think we all know the scenarios: Win or Else!

I think Wooster handles Oberlin with some ease unless Fox and the boys shoot lights out.

Which Denison shows up? That's the big question. Playing back to back games against an opponent is tough, but they were pasted at OWU earlier.

Which Wabash team (or conversely which Kenyon squad) hits the floor. Two games, two locations, two very different results.

DPU beat Witt twice by a total of 10 points. It's hard to beat a team a third time when they're matched pretty closely.

Intrigues all around!

[smedindy]

Wabash proves ALWAYS means ALWAYS as the LGs storm back to cut it to three late after trailing by double digits most of the second half. Kenyon holds off Wabash 77-72.

Witt escapes DPU 63-62 as the New Tigers' last shot is well defended by the Old Tigers and Witt corrals the rebound.

[wooscotsfan]

At the Half:  Wooster 32  Oberlin 25

Posting from South Carolina where I watched the online video of the first half.  Wooster is being led by Doug Thorpe with 14 points.

Oberlin is staying in the game with a slow down tempo and back door cuts.  Geoff Simpson is leading the Yeomen with 18 points.

[wooscotsfan]

10 minutes remaining:  Wooster 53  Oberlin 31

Wooster started the second half on a 21-3 run and this game is essentially over.  Friday semi-final game will be Woo vs. Witt for the third time.

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  Wooster 74  Oberlin 47 

Wooster was led tonight by Doug Thorpe with 18 points, Xavier Brown with 13 and Josh Claytor with 9.

Oberlin was led by Geoff Simpson with 27 points and no one else had more than 5 points.

Scots won the rebounding battle 32 to 20 and had only 9 turnovers vs. 20 for the Yeomen.

Wooster is now 22-4.    Next game is the NCAC tournament semi-final on Friday night vs. Witt.

GO SCOTS!

[kiltedbryan]

Denison 56
OWU 77

Kenyon vs. OWU in the first semifinal on Friday.

[02 Warhawk]

Denison 56
OWU 77

Kenyon vs. OWU in the first semifinal on Friday.

what happened to Rogers? He only played 4 minutes in before getting pulled for the entire game.

[GoRed]

The result from Delaware was not unexpected given the effort the Big Red expended in coming up short on their own home court just a few days before. The end to another up and down year for Denison.  After losing last year's senior class, there wasn't much chance we would have improved on 2012's performance.  The addition of some good three point shooters into the rotation held out some promise, but a mid-season meltdown by the Big Red led them to another single-digit win season. 

So we say goodbye to Dimonde Hale, who ended his career Tuesday night with 1,726 points and 702 rebounds in his four years at Denison.  Despite being double and triple teamed most of his career, he became the 11th most prolific scorer in NCAC history and is now 4th on the Big Red all-time list.  He was one of the most dedicated players Denison has ever seen, spending hours and hours in the gym after his freshman year to correct an awkward free throw stroke by switching hands and perfecting a new form.  How many players would do this?  He helped lead his team to the NCAC championship game last year and carried the team on his back for most of this year. 

Best of luck to Dimonde and also to fellow senior Jon Akpapunam, a solid player whose athleticism, speed and shooting touch often provided a needed spark for the Big Red over the last two years.  Congratulations to both on their four year careers on the floor at Livingston!   

   

[seinfeld]

Some random thoughts/notes on Wooster:

-- Wooster and Wittenberg, at least while Steve Moore has been the coach, have never faced each other in the NCAC Tournament other than in the title game.
-- In the Steve Moore era, Wooster has only swept Wittenberg in three games in one season – the 1994-95 season. Wittenberg has only done it once as well, in 2001-02.
-- While you'd expect a little better shooting numbers at home vs. away, the spread for Doug Thorpe is rather large. At home he is shooting 50% from the field and 46.9% from three-point range. On the road he is shooting just 40.7% from the floor and 38.6%. He is also averaging over three points per game more at home vs. away (15 ppg vs. 11.8 ppg).
-- Xavier Brown averaged 22.5 ppg, shooting 53% from the floor and 60% from three-point range in two games against Witt last year. This year, he is averaging just 8 ppg, shooting 32% from the field in two against Witt. On the positive side, Brown has significantly cut down on his turnovers. In the first 13 games, he committed 41 turnovers. In the last 13 games, just 25.

[ohiofan1954]

well capital probably will not be a first or second round opponent now. They were beaten tonight by Mt. Union.  Mt. outplayed and outcoached them, a well deserved win.