MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

I have to wonder about the interplay between the subdued officiating and the seven Wooster blocks (Will five, Melick and Johnson one apiece).  Could it be that the major difference between blocks Saturday and fouls in games past was the officiating?  That Will's technique wasn't actually that much better than in the past?  I wasn't there, so I can't know for sure, but on TV the interior defense didn't seem all that different to me, just un-whistled.  (This is not a knock on Will's great game Saturday, but rather a mild criticism of the sometimes overzealous officiating at other Timken games.)

The rebounding and the interior offense did seem to me to be much improved, however.

[woosterbooster]

I don't know what it is, but Wooster again seemed to tighten up offensively once it opened a lead in the second half.  Ugh.  Does it just seem like every time Wooster gets up 8-10 points on a good opponent we're unable to keep the pressure up and push it out to 12-15?  I felt like Woo started making bad offensive choices (awkward Cooper fade-away, Wickliffe shoots a 3?) moreso than Witt shutting Woo down on offense...but the opportunity was there around the 14 minute mark to push the advantage out into double digits, and Wooster suddenly lost its offense.

This does happen all too often.  Too often for me to believe that it's just due to the inevitable ebb and flow of the game.  Most of the time, and this was true to some extent in the Witt game, it's because Wooster gets conservative, too careful, and passes up too many open looks, especially on threes.  But sometimes it's something else, like Wickliffe taking two consecutive early outside shots.  I don't care if they both would have gone in, the Scots have better options than that (one of which would be to get the ball inside to Wickliffe himself).

Bidwell, Will, and even Johnson (who usually will take them when available) passed on some very good three-ball opportunities, choosing instead to fake the shot and try to drive.  I'd like to see the wide-open three go up there more often, as these guys can all shoot the ball very well.

I have to wonder about the interplay between the subdued officiating and the seven Wooster blocks (Will five, Melick and Johnson one apiece).  Could it be that the major difference between blocks Saturday and fouls in games past was the officiating?  That Will's technique wasn't actually that much better than in the past?  I wasn't there, so I can't know for sure, but on TV the interior defense didn't seem all that different to me, just un-whistled.  (This is not a knock on Will's great game Saturday, but rather a mild criticism of the sometimes overzealous officiating at other Timken games.)

Very likely true.  And, by the way, these refs all looked familiar to me, veterans of prior games at Timken, guys that I've very likely harpooned in the past.  I think they did a better job on Saturday, and my voicebox feels the better for it.

[ECHOOPER]

I don't know what it is, but Wooster again seemed to tighten up offensively once it opened a lead in the second half.  Ugh.  Does it just seem like every time Wooster gets up 8-10 points on a good opponent we're unable to keep the pressure up and push it out to 12-15?  I felt like Woo started making bad offensive choices (awkward Cooper fade-away, Wickliffe shoots a 3?) moreso than Witt shutting Woo down on offense...but the opportunity was there around the 14 minute mark to push the advantage out into double digits, and Wooster suddenly lost its offense.

This does happen all too often.  Too often for me to believe that it's just due to the inevitable ebb and flow of the game.  Most of the time, and this was true to some extent in the Witt game, it's because Wooster gets conservative, too careful, and passes up too many open looks, especially on threes.  But sometimes it's something else, like Wickliffe taking two consecutive early outside shots.  I don't care if they both would have gone in, the Scots have better options than that (one of which would be to get the ball inside to Wickliffe himself).

Bidwell, Will, and even Johnson (who usually will take them when available) passed on some very good three-ball opportunities, choosing instead to fake the shot and try to drive.  I'd like to see the wide-open three go up there more often, as these guys can all shoot the ball very well.

I have to wonder about the interplay between the subdued officiating and the seven Wooster blocks (Will five, Melick and Johnson one apiece).  Could it be that the major difference between blocks Saturday and fouls in games past was the officiating?  That Will's technique wasn't actually that much better than in the past?  I wasn't there, so I can't know for sure, but on TV the interior defense didn't seem all that different to me, just un-whistled.  (This is not a knock on Will's great game Saturday, but rather a mild criticism of the sometimes overzealous officiating at other Timken games.)

Very likely true.  And, by the way, these refs all looked familiar to me, veterans of prior games at Timken, guys that I've very likely harpooned in the past.  I think they did a better job on Saturday, and my voicebox feels the better for it.

I seemed that everytime Earlham played at Wooster they had the same officals.  So we had a joke that Wooster was employing their own officals to officate their games at Timken.  But with the NCAC scheduling them.  But it was something that we would always say.

[pennstghs]

Ok guys-I'm sure it's well past relativeness but anyways here are my thoughts on the game(s) Saturday --

The JV game was a well fought contest with Wooster jumping out big and Witt fighting back but it was too little too late.

GREAT atmosphere for the game throughout. The whiteout for Wooster seemed to work well and Wittenberg had an enthusiastic following. Although i must admit that I hate playing against Cooper because of his presence and challenge that he brings, I myself had to stand up and applaud when he was recognized for senior night, and it was a well-deserved standing ovation. Now as for the game.

The intensity both teams brought was once again as i said earlier in the week on another level. Witt and Wooster seemd to match each-other for what seemed like the entire game. One team would go on a little spurt and the other team would answer with a spurt. Essentially the game ended with Wooster going on their little spurt and with no time left that resulted in the 66-61 Wooster win. The officiating was very sparse and allowed the teams to play, which seemed to hurt Witt several times down low as some fouls may have  been called otherwise, i'm not complaining as this had little impact on the outcome. One call that may have been argued was a timeout late in the game called by Fulk? as he was falling out of bounds, which "is not allowed" based on the new rule changes by the NCAA this year.....but anyways.

I have some theorizing based on Witt shooting 8-12 from 3point range and missing 3's in the second half. Any observer of the game obviously could read into Witt's strategy to run the shot clock down and look for one shot. This was to keep the game at a slower pace and not allow Wooster to get into their run and gun preference. I thought this was interesting based on our discussions earlier about how boring this can be. But this attributed to some of the long 3's Witt took as Wooster played great defense thorughout the game forcing these shots and often times Witt was found frustrated that they couldn't get a higher-percentage shot off.

So it looks like Witt is going to once again have to settle some demons and fight the OWU/Wooster gauntlet up at Wooster for seemingly the 3rd year in a row i think. Witt has not played well either time against OWU as one play could have changed either outcome, and i fully believe that Witt can beat Wooster and vice versa anytime they play. Let's hope for a Witt/Wooster 3 to let the rubber match play out itself. Also OWU i think killed any at large hopes with their great showing against Earlham Saturday.......

[ScotsFan]

One call that may have been argued was a timeout late in the game called by Fulk? as he was falling out of bounds, which "is not allowed" based on the new rule changes by the NCAA this year.....but anyways.

Doesn't the rule state that a player cannot be airborne and falling out of bounds while calling a timeout?  Devin had at least one, if not both feet inbounds and on the ground while he was falling out of bounds.  He wasn't airborne and falling out of bounds.  In fact, here's a quote of the approved proposal from the rules committee from the NCAA:

Also approved was the rules committees' proposal that does not allow an airborne player falling out of bounds or into the backcourt to be granted a timeout.

So, I don't think that the refs missed the call by granting Fulk the timeout as he was not airborne while falling out of bounds.  Besides, I thought Fulk saved the ball anyways.  The ref had just granted him the timeout before Fulk made the pass.  I'll have to look at the replay to see for sure.  In any event, I think the correct call was made.

So it looks like Witt is going to once again have to settle some demons and fight the OWU/Wooster gauntlet up at Wooster for seemingly the 3rd year in a row i think.

This is actually the 4th year in a row that Wooster is hosting the NCAC Tournament.  In fact, Witt actually won the tournament 2 out of the last 3 years.  The Tigers beat Wooster 2 years in a row in the finals in '05 and '06.  They lost to OWU in the semis last year thank goodness or they may very well be working on a 3 year streak.   At least Wooster got the monkey off their back somewhat by finally beating Witt after losing 4 of their last 5 to the Tigers at Timken.  And it was nice to not have to hear the Witt fans chanting, 'Our House' after the game. 

[pennstghs]

i think we get the point by now that "he's from springfield" too......

[wally_wabash]

i think we get the point by now that "he's from springfield" too......

Amen to this.  Reason #139 why I'm glad James Cooper is graduating is that this stuff:

another vivid reminder to Coach Brown about the one that got away!   In case they forgot, the students helped remind them with the, "He's from Springfield" chant.

goes away.  This is easily the most overblown non-issue in the league over the last four years. 

[BigRedGrad]

Can anyone answer me a question??
Should the Big Red find a way to win tonight against Earlham. 
Both Denison and Oberlin have 3 conference wins............
Who gets the pleasure of getting crushed by the Scots in the first round??

[wally_wabash]

Who gets the pleasure of getting crushed by the Scots in the first round??

Oh c'mon BRG...that's not the right attitude.  Remember, whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.   

[smedindy]

I think it then depends on their worst losses - the records against Earlham, then Hiram, etc....

[imderekpoe]

Can anyone answer me a question??
Should the Big Red find a way to win tonight against Earlham. 
Both Denison and Oberlin have 3 conference wins............
Who gets the pleasure of getting crushed by the Scots in the first round??

My guess is that it comes down to a coin toss.  They have split their season matchups and would have both beaten Earlham twice and lost to everyone else...

[ScotsFan]

i think we get the point by now that "he's from springfield" too......

Amen to this.  Reason #139 why I'm glad James Cooper is graduating is that this stuff:

another vivid reminder to Coach Brown about the one that got away!   In case they forgot, the students helped remind them with the, "He's from Springfield" chant.

goes away.  This is easily the most overblown non-issue in the league over the last four years. 

The Witt students aren't exactly saints in this whole thing either with their 'ACT' chants down in Springfield...

[BigRedGrad]

If it is a coin toss I guess you want to win it just to play one more game.  Especially for the seniors.

If it based on the worst loss..........40 points to Wooster stands out.  

I am not saying "on any given Sunday" any team can win.  But in this case I would be willing to bet the ranch on the Scots.

Speaking of guys getting away how did Devin Fulk get away from Denison.  Maybe it is as simple as wanting to a little further from home.  Or in Devin's case there was NO WAY he wanted anything to do with the Big Red.  He is obviously a very good player and had to be on Ghiloni's radar.

[David Collinge]

If it based on the worst loss..........40 points to Wooster stands out. 

"Worst loss" (in this context) doesn't mean "suckiest loss," it means loss to the worst-placed team.  In a "worst-loss" tie-breaker, you take the tied teams and compare their records vs. the rest of the league, starting at the bottom.  In this case, as cmhscots points out, all that gets you is nausea.

[BigRedGrad]

Thanks DC.......obviously I need all the help I can get. :-)