MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

I think these bad losses and close wins are all starting to catch up with the Brits.  It's still a loss to a weak opponent.  Even though the NCAA might not recognize it, the psyche on Albion's team can't be too good at the moment.  They still have games at Hope and at Calvin.  I say they will be lucky to split given the way Albion has been playing since their 1st meeting with Hope.  I wonder what excuse the Albion supporters are using for this loss?  They can't use the 1st game of the year excuse that they used for using to UM-Dearborn.  This does stink that this bad loss will basically not even show up in the eyes of the selection comittee though?!

[sac]

The NCAA released its first round pairing today.

Games played at Calvin College

Wooster vs Albion 6pm

Bluffton vs Calvin 8 pm.



I can see the pages of rants now 

[smedindy]

Back to the matters at hand.

Denison beats Oberlin just 74-65.

Kenyon solidifies 8th with a 72-63 win over Hiram. Formato leads the way with 30. Just think if he played for a top team.

[Pat Coleman]

Got out of that trip to Williamsburg I see. 

That and $39 each way on Southwest Airlines makes this trip possible.

[pennstghs]

overall decent effort by witt last night after fighitng off some road woes. i am not too concerned as wooster had troubles at earlham earlier this year as well. something about that place gives us trouble.

one question for anyone at the game-why did the fan get ejected late in the second half? i was listening and no one knew why just that he said something he shouldn't have.

get ready for saturday guys-a packed gym with "excited" students(excited cuz we've had some fun earlier in the day) lol.

[DenisonFan]

GO BIG RED!!!  Back to .500 at 10-10.  After starting 2-8 they have gone 8-2. 
But OH LOOK....how many guys did he play???  EIGHT  and what happened..they won!!

It is just too bad Ghiloni and company could not have figured it out before the start of the season.  I am not going ot say we beat Witt, Woo, or Akron.  But the others were certainly games we should have been in.

And look.........the upperclassman..........major minutes and victory.  Wasn't I saying this way back when???

Hodgkinson had another monster game with 29 and 14.  But I think the guy who has really picked up his game is Dan Izzo.  The guy is doing it on both ends.   Leave him in the game.

He goes from playing 18 minutes to 30+.   LEAVE HIM IN COACH!!!!  Let him play.

Last night was another game where it proved the freshman are not consistant enough to play long periods.   

I have said all season, Denison has 8 guys who can play.  After that it drops off considerably.   

The only negative I can say about last night is the Big Red gave up way too many points in the second half.  They hold Oberlin to 19 in the first half and give up 46 in the second.  If they play D like that against anyone else in the conference they will get beat. 

Other than that..........GREAT WIN!!!

Makes Saturday's game at Wabash very interesting.

[imderekpoe]

Unofficial updated GL Region QOWI after last night's games:

CMU: 11.077  (unchanged from Monday)
Witt:  11.067 (up from 10.643 with an 11-pt win over Earlham and wins by Kenyon and Denison)
BW:   10.444 (down from 10.647 with a 9-pt win over Heidelberg and a loss by Muskingum)
Woo:  10.438 (up from 10.200 with a 10-pt win over 'Gheny and wins by Kenyon and Denison)
Hope: 10.167 (down from 10.182 with a 10-pt win over Olivet)
Albion: 10.000 (no change with the non-regional loss to Tri-State)
Lake Erie: 9.500 (I didn't calculate theirs earlier)

Note that even if the Scots win on Saturday, by my calculations their rating will still be below Witt's (10.750 - 10.706).

[ScotsFan]

GO BIG RED!!!  Back to .500 at 10-10.  After starting 2-8 they have gone 8-2. 
But OH LOOK....how many guys did he play???  EIGHT  and what happened..they won!!

Enough with this rotation thing already!  Denison beat who last night?  Oh yeah, it was Oberlin !!!  And it was a lot closer than I would have guessed!  Especially after reading your post about how great the vaunted 8 man rotation works at Denison.  If it works so great, shouldn't the Big Red be beating lowly Oberlin by more than 9?!  After all, Oberlin's entire bench only consists of 8 players total.  Maybe Denison was just trying to play fair by only going 8 deep themselves.  Or maybe if those 8 had played better, Ghiloni might have been able to get some more players some PT in garbage time which most teams get when they are playing Oberlin!

[DarkSide-D]

While I am a fan of basketball, and the Scots, I am new to the basketball rules and lingo.  What is the "QOWI" stand for?

[imderekpoe]

Quality of Wins Index, which was previously called the SOSI and is used by the NCAA to determine rankings and is the primary consideration for Pool 'C' bids to the tourney.  You should be able to find the D III Basketball Handbook on the NCAA site which gives all the details on this and the whole tournament setup.  There's also a link to it (I think) in a post in the Multi-Regional Topics/2005-06 Mens Basketball Tourney board.  If you can't find it I can e-mail it to you.

[earlhamalum]

For any ref in the NCAC that may come to this board to read... YOU GUYS ALL SUCK!

It is a shame that refs play such a large part in the game of basketball game.  I can honestly say I wasn't at the game, but I have talked to a few students that I keep in touch with that was.  First of 5 fouls with 18 minutes to go is pathetic.  I know the way Brandon Miller plays D, he is quick and long, not overpowering.  No disrespect to Nelson or Travis Swab... but those guys could get away with MURDER, and they might get A (1) foul called on them. 
I have showed game film from past games (NCAC) to one of the head officials around the Indianapolis area,(IHSAA) and he was amazed, about some of the calls they make and didn't make.  He really liked the one with a 6'5 white guy got fouled... and while in the BONUS.... they put a 6'0 black guy to the Free-Throw line.  That is elementary.(granted video and being there is two different things)  I'm not saying High School refs are the greatest, but hands down the NCAC is horrible.  They are all EGO-tical Pricks that holds grudges and Favorites Period.  On the 5th foul.. can you say ALL BALL! 
I give EC credit for hang'n in there even with Brandon MIller on the bench for the whole 2nd half... they had it tied at 44-44... at that point they were out manned and out Ref'ed.... Thanks guys for taking a good game away from kids that deserve more than that...  If two teams give 100% why can't those Zebra over-weight old worthless people with whistles can't too?  Thank god I wasn't there I might of been with that Fan that got kicked out!

Sorry had to get that off my chess... or finger-tips... I feel better now!

[CentralOH]

But OH LOOK....how many guys did he play???  EIGHT  and what happened..they won!!

It is just too bad Ghiloni and company could not have figured it out before the start of the season.  I am not going ot say we beat Witt, Woo, or Akron.  But the others were certainly games we should have been in.

So in your distorted world, do you believe that Coach Ghiloni sacrificed those early games just to give the end of his bench some experience?  That is absurd.  The much more logical explanation is that the upperclassmen and starters were not doing what they were asked to do.  You are a broken record and you don't make any more sense in February than you did in December.

Hodgkinson has been better as the season has gone on - and I'm not talking about his numbers.  He'll never be a great defender, but his effort on that end of the floor has improved tremendously.

Izzo's play has improved too - again, largely because his effort has improved.  He's committed to defending and getting on the boards.  The offense that he provides is a bonus.  His scoring last night came from a number of backdoor cuts and moves to the basket.

Hern continues to be an enigma.  I'm not sure I've ever seen someone with his ability care so little about defending - and he's supposed to be providing senior leadership!  The second half last night was embarrassing.  He might be the easiest guy to screen in the country.

The bottom line is you have to beat the teams you're supposed to beat, so it was good to see the Big Red pick up another win and get back to .500.  This team and program, like many others, continues to be a work in progress.

[earlhamalum]

No I totally agree with DenisonFan...........................................................................................................
..................................................................................you play eight you win...........................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
.....okay you guys can all laugh now... I'm only kidding! 

[DenisonFan]

Central:
No I am not saying Ghiloni threw games just to play people.  What I am saying is that he and his staff should have made this evaluation in pre-season.  He should have known they are not a deep team.   He obviously watches them in practice EVERY DAY.  Is it not the job of the coach and his 20 assistant coaches to determine who can and can not play at this level.   

I will agree with you about Hern.  He is sooooooooo talented and yet it seems his head is not in the game.  When he wants to play he can bring it.

As far as senior leadership.  There is NONE.  Never has been.  Hern is captain by default.  Just because he is a senior that makes him captain?  Both Hodgkinson and Izzo have as much Denison basketball experience as Hern.  Why didn't he make all three captains.  God only knows.

Yes, the Big Red have to defend better.  And yes, Hodgkinson will not ever be Bill Russel on D but you MUST have someone who can put the ball in the basket.  It looks like he does that pretty darn well.

Izzo has picked up his game.  That is why I want him at 30+ a game. 

And yes, Denison is a work in progress.  But at least I think they are going in the right direction.

By the way Central...........It's just my opinion OK.

[WoosterBNel]

They are all EGO-tical Pricks that holds grudges and Favorites Period.  On the 5th foul.. can you say ALL BALL! 
I give EC credit for hang'n in there even with Brandon MIller on the bench for the whole 2nd half... they had it tied at 44-44... at that point they were out manned and out Ref'ed.... Thanks guys for taking a good game away from kids that deserve more than that...  If two teams give 100% why can't those Zebra over-weight old worthless people with whistles can't too? Thank god I wasn't there I might of been with that Fan that got kicked out!

I really hate it when fans complain about reffing of a game first of all, second of all I despise fans who complain about refs who WERE NOT EVEN AT THE GAME. Don't worry about the refs so much please. Witt can let Brandon Miller call his own  fouls and still beat them 99 out of 98 times. Lets get to the business at hand Witt v Woo. In Vegas Witt is coming off at a 4.5 point favorite. What do you guys think