MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks, Mr Ypsi!

[petewitt54]

JSC and Tigerup,

You guys are definitely new to the NCAC if you're even commenting on the refs.  The rest of these guys stopped talking about them a long time ago, because its usually a given that they are bad.  Just don't even worry about them. 

Witt played some excellent defense.  Holding Port, Vandervaart, and Cooper to 13, 11, and 6 respectively is a great job.  They got beat on the boards.  Giving up 12 offensive rebound was key.  Also, those two late turnovers KILLED Witt.  Hill and Denbow both should have pulled the ball out in those situations.  I don't care if Borchers dropped it or not, run the clock out.  But, you can't fault them for being aggressive. 

Hell of a play by Port, burying the three from the corner.  Big shot.  Give Wooster credit for beating Witt in a low(er) scoring affair.  Wooster does such a great job of getting the ball up the floor. 

Can't wait to see what happens in February.  It'll be another classic Witt/Woo game for sure.  I'll be sick to my stomach, as usual.

[wooscotsfan]

Reviewing the Woo-Witt final boxscore:

-Both teams made the same number of field goals (22)
-Both teams made the same number of free throws (16)
-Wooster shot a lower % but had more shot attempts than Witt
-Wooster's extra shots came from winning the boards by 7 and 3 less TO's
-Wooster made 8 three pointers; Witt made 5 (hence the 3 point margin)

Unfortunately for Witt, they may drop a couple of spots in the D3Hoops poll just because several other top 15 teams are still undefeated.  But #3 Ohio Northern lost today on their home floor by 17 points to B-W (an ugly loss) so they should drop below Wittenberg.

For the first time in recent memory, Wooster will hold on to the #1 spot in the poll after a Witt game.  

GO SCOTS!

[tigerup07]

I looked at the results of most of the top 10 and yeah, witt will probably drop... not a fun thing when you only lose by 3 points to the number one team...

[pennstghs]

ok guys i know you've been waiting for my opinions on the game so here they are

- first off what more can u ask for in a game between the top 2 teams in the conference-no offense- everything was included in that game-runs by both teams-big time shots-horrible NCAC refs lol i think all witt fans can agree-and another close game between the teams.

- i think witt and wooster had some big time guys step up-gregg hill, hemingway and borchers for witt played tremendous-hemingway was huge when we need him to be. brandon johnson had a good game for the scots and of course unfortunately port had to hit another big shot against us after doing little to nothing during the course of the game. great atmosphere all around for the game too, although its kinda crappy that you get kicked out of ur seat by stupid football players who think they "desrve" the front row when u were the first student there.........

one more thing-wooster fans-"**** on witt" come on why do u have to end the game on a sour note after a hard fought game between the two teams-talk about us being classy???

[Li'l Giant]

goscots, how many times have you ever seen a sign in an Ohio business establishment that counts the number of days until the UMichigan game?

Or another sign to this effect...

My 2 favorite teams are Alabama (or Auburn) and whoever is playing Auburn (or Alabama)?

Those things are very common all over the state of Alabama.

I'll take a quick opportunity to pimp my second-favorite rivalry: Texas vs. Texas A&M. It's not just about sports. It's about culture. They are two vastly different schoos with different cultures and they represent different constituencies of the state. It's much more than a football game.

If anyone is interested in a good read about the rivalry from an off-the-field prespective I'd recommend this book.

[imderekpoe]

Just back from Witt!  

This game was all that we've come to expect the last few years.  Close, hard-fought, tense, and down to the last play.  I thought that both teams played excellent defense.  Witt did a nice job of controlling the pace of the game and forcing Wooster to slow things down.  The Scots led nearly the whole game, but to Witt's credit they fought back and took the lead and had a chance to all but ice the game.  However, good defensive pressure by Wooster forced a couple turnovers and Wooster was finally able to hit the big shots when they needed them.  

I thought the difference in the game was on the boards.  Wooster had six different players with at least four rebounds.  Witt had Borchers.  The Scots had 9 more second-chance points, including the big 3 by Port near the end.

Should be another good one in February!

Go Scots!

[wooscotsfan]

One other footnote given today's NCAC results....

Wooster at 3-0 is the only remaining undefeated team in the conference race.

[David Collinge]

Just a few brief reactions before I head to bed after a very long day.

For the first time in recent memory, Wooster will hold on to the #1 spot in the poll after a Witt game.

Not just recent memory, but ever.  First time in the brief history of the D3Hoops.com Top 25 poll that the team ranked #1 coming into this game won the game.

It was a great game, good defensive struggle, another stomach twisting nail biter.  How Hemenway's 3-ball stayed out of the hoop I'll never know.  Port's three was not going to be a putback, he got the offensive rebound while headed right to left along the baseline; his momentum was carrying him away from the hoop, and he was stumbling over a downed Witt player to boot.  To take the ball to the corner, then turn and drain it was amazing, and needless to say a huge shot.

Yes the officiating was terrible.  I think it's a big reason why the Witt bigs were able to be so effective down low.  In the first half alone, the men guarding Borchers drew a collective 9 fouls (2 apiece from Port, Vandervaart--the second evidently with his nose, and Bidwell, and 3 on Will) while Borchers was called for none.  Early in the game, they had Borchers pretty well neutralized.  The last 30 minutes of the game the Wooster post defenders had to sag off their man to avoid the whistle, and that gave both Borchers and Hemenway room to operate.  But what can you say?  Refs are a necessary evil, you just have to take what they give you and play on.  (The refs in the women's game, another thriller in a day of thrillers, won by Witt, were even worse than in the men's games.)

Vandervaart's bloody nose kept him out of much of the first half, and Port's quick 3rd and 4th fouls kept him out of a lot of the 2nd half, and yet Wooster was still able to pull out the win on Witt's turf--I think that's mighty impressive.

I thought Johnson's game on offense and Bidwell's game on defense were particularly impressive.  At the other end, Borchers had another good game, and Hemenway and Hill were big, especially Hill hitting some big, deep threes late.

It was good to meet jscwittfan and tigerup07, and I had a nice long conversation with the Witt SID, Ryan Maurer, as well.  Good folks all.  I apologize to 1973, who said he'd try to meet up with us at halftime.  I was so wrapped up in the game that I forgot all about it and didn't even go out at halftime--sorry. 

And I apologize for the '**** on Witt cheer,'  I probably like it less than you do.  Although if there were an expletive (stronger than 'poo') that rhymed with 'Woo,' I suppose we'd have heard that too.  Classless, but not unexpected.   

Yes, Calvin/Hope is far and away the best D3 hoops rivalry.  Heck, tonight's game at Witt wasn't even a sellout, although I guess the all-reserved-seating ticket policy might have had something to do with that.  It was nearly full; attendance listed at 2920.

How about Allegheny?  Who'd have thought that the biggest news in the conference on a Witt/Woo day would come from the OWU/'Gheny game?  Big boost for Witt and Woo to have OWU pick up that loss. 

Pete--too bad you couldn't come, but we did see your honorary red folding chair, with plaque and all.  You'll be proud to know that it was occupied all night by end-of-the-bench players for Wooster.   

I would expect Witt to stay right about where they are in the next poll, probably ONU will drop below them.

That's enough for tonight.   

[bufordscot]

Alright, we know the final score. My opinion, the ref's were pretty bad. Missing calls against Wooster and making up calls against Witt.

19 Fouls called on each team...Witt shoots one more free throw.  You may not have liked the officiating but from North Georgia it appears pretty fair.

[Witt4ever]

Alright, we know the final score. My opinion, the ref's were pretty bad. Missing calls against Wooster and making up calls against Witt.

19 Fouls called on each team...Witt shoots one more free throw.  You may not have liked the officiating but from North Georgia it appears pretty fair.

Wooster was shooting the one and one at the 9:34 mark while Wooster being only "called" with 3 fouls at the same time period.  Fair? I guess it only depends on your perspective. 

-------

[Witt4ever]

Also, as talked about before, where is  the modify button to change a person's post. It does not show for me.

Only buttons I have are delete and quote.

w4e

[David Collinge]

I think 'modify' only appears after some minimum number of posts.

[wooscotsfan]

Wooster Daily Record story on the game: http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/1158602

Includes Port's comments about his three point shot.

GO SCOTS!

[woosterbooster]

Tim Vandervaart received a bloody nose and was issued a foul for doing so.  Both Brandon Johnson and Marty Bidwell took shots to the face, in the eye.  No fouls were called on Wittenberg, as this sort of behaviour is apparently condoned on their court.

At the other end, whenever Vandervaart, Port, or Bidwell offered the slightest bit of resistance with their bodies to the incessent backing in of Borchers or Hemenway they drew a whistle.  Vandervaart and Port spent long stretches of the game on the bench because of this ridiculous home cooking which extended even into the J.V. game.

You wonder why Wooster fans and other teams hate Wittenberg?  It's because they play borderline dirty basketball, the officials allow them to get away with it, and their fans turn a blind eye.  Wooster won a basketball game, I should be happy, but even the next day my feelings are only about the whole lousy experience of watching that game in Springfield.

And there's also this.  Charging $8 as a separate admission for the women's game, which was essentially part of the tripleheader, is bull****.  I dare anyone to find another DIII school that has the nerve to ask for that much money to a women's game at all.

Congrats to the Wooster team for once again fighting through all the garbage that is Wittenberg and Springfield.  I only hope that they didn't walk out of the gym with the same bitter taste that I did.