MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wooscotsfan]

Congratulations to All American James Cooper who has now passed Bryan Nelson and become Wooster's all time #2 scorer.  

Cooper is at 1,966 points for his career and closing in on 2,000.  

[wooscotsfan]

Final:  Wooster 92  Earlham 65

Wooster was led by James Cooper with 29 points, Evan Will with 14 points and Marty Bidwell with 10 points.

Quakers were led by Nick Welsh with 23 points, Tristian Gregory with 16 and Justin Carter with 12.

Wooster shot 53% and outrebounded Earlham 46 to 23.

Wooster is now 22-3, 15-1 NCAC    Next game is NCAC tourney at home.

[jscwittfan]

Kenyon beats Wittenberg 64-51.  The Lords led by 10 at halftime and by as many as 21.

Stats Here

Things not looking good for the Tigers heading into the NCAC tourney.  I think Hiram has a legitimate chance to beat them in the first round (if that's who Witt draws - I think the long trip to Springfield would derail Allegheny), and OWU will beat them in the semis, if they get there.

[jpope2]

I didnt catch the scots game. Was wandering why Wickliffe did not play?

[Witt4ever]

Kenyon beats Wittenberg 64-51.  The Lords led by 10 at halftime and by as many as 21.

Stats Here

Things not looking good for the Tigers heading into the NCAC tourney.  I think Hiram has a legitimate chance to beat them in the first round (if that's who Witt draws - I think the long trip to Springfield would derail Allegheny), and OWU will beat them in the semis, if they get there.

At least, Witt has Paco Labrador!!!!

Watch the Allegheny/OWU game:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/allegheny-college-athletics

[imderekpoe]

I didnt catch the scots game. Was wandering why Wickliffe did not play?

Wickliffe was sick.  He was dressed, but didn't play.

[David Collinge]

I don't know what to say about the Kenyon/Witt game.  It was not close.  Kenyon played wonderfully, especially on defense.  The first ten minutes, the game was a terrific defensive struggle at both ends, with both teams having trouble even getting a decent look before the shot clock expired.  Eventually, though, Kenyon was able to open up a running game, and quickly got out to a double digit lead.  Things never got easier for the Tigers, who rarely had an open shot from inside 24 feet, and had to survive on putbacks.  Kenyon really got their inside game going, finding Knapke (16) and Yelvington (18) open time and again in the paint.  Plus the Lords got the half of the ages from Allen Bediako, who ripped down eight first-half rebounds like a man possessed.  At the half, the Lords held a 10-point edge, but everyone knew that Witt was more than capable of erasing that in a hurry.  Instead, the opposite happened.  Almost before I looked up, Kenyon had scored the first 11 points of the second half to open up a 21-point cushion.  Witt had two turnovers and five misses in their first six possessions, while Kenyon ripped off three three-pointers.  Although you can never count a Bill Brown-coached team out, even down 21 with 16:00 left, Kenyon had been so dominant that there was little doubt remaining as to the outcome. 

I then raced down to Granville to catch the second half of the Denison/Wabash game, and saw a Denison team that clearly wanted their season to continue.  Trailing by just six at the half, they hung close to a taller, faster, and just better Wabash squad for most of the half, eventually falling by just 11, 86-75.  Wabash looked like they didn't really want to be there, but they often look that way to me. 

If Kenyon and Wabash repeat their respective performances on Tuesday, it's the Lords who will be moving on.

In the meantime, the season comes to a close for Denison, without the use of the well-oiled coin, as Oberlin clinched the #8 seed and trip to Wooster by beating Hiram 76-73.  Hiram will be the #7 seed and Allegheny the #6; who they will play depends on the outcome of the OWU/Allegheny game in progress (OWU leads by 13 in the 2nd).  If OWU wins, they will be the #2 seed and draw the Pups, but if they lose, Witt gets the #2 and OWU have to face 'Gheny in a rematch.

[David Collinge]

OWU has finished off the Gators, 72-62.  Here's the final NCAC standings and seeds:

1. Wooster 15-1
2. (tie) Ohio Wesleyan 12-4 (#2 seed)
2. (tie) Wittenberg 12-4 (#3 seed)
4. Kenyon 11-5
5. Wabash 10-6
6. Allegheny 6-10
7. Hiram 5-11
8. Oberlin 4-12
9. Denison 3-13 (misses tournament)
10. Earlham 2-14 (misses tournament)

Tuesday's quarterfinals will be thus:
#8 Oberlin at #1 Wooster, 7:30 pm
#5 Wabash at #4 Kenyon, 6:00 pm
#6 Allegheny at #3 Wittenberg, 6:00 pm
#7 Hiram at #2 Ohio Wesleyan, 6:00 pm

Those games are 6:00 starts because they are all the first game of doubleheaders, as Kenyon (women's top seed), Witt (women's #3) and OWU (women's #2) are hosting quarterfinal games at 8:00 (vs. Earlham, Oberlin, and Hiram, respectively).  Three chances for fans to get out and support NCAC hoops in a rare Tuesday double-dip!  (The fourth women's quarterfinal pairs #5 Allegheny at #4 Denison at 7:30). 

[jscwittfan]

Three chances for fans to get out and support NCAC hoops in a rare Tuesday double-dip!

I'll be surprised if the total attendance for both Witt games combined is over 1,000...

[goscots]

We'll dispense with the sequential balloting and all that razzmatazz.  If you're interested in participating, post your seven-man first team and your seven-man second team, together with your selections for Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Coach of the Year, over in the Pick'ems room, with a deadline of, say, 3pm next Friday 2/29.  I'll compile the results, and figure out an honorable mention, and post the teams that afternoon.  Everyone who feels sufficiently well-informed to participate is welcome to do so.

Just to help everyone out - here are the freshman with big minutes this year. Sorry if the list doesn't post well. These numbers are for the entire season, not just conference play. It looks to be a 3 horse race. Haddox has the highest average, good FT and 3PT shooter. Wickliffe has the best % from the floor and is 2nd in rebounds. Smith is the worst shooter of the three but he has an unbelievable number of steals and leads in blocks and rebounds as well.

Overall, Oberlin and Hiram had the largest group of freshman who put in substantial quality minutes (4 each). Most eveyone else had 1 (Kenyon had 2 and Alleghany & OWU had none).

SCH  # Name                GP/GS     M/G   FG/FGT    FG% 3P/3PT  3FG%  FT/FTT    FT%   RB  RG/B  A  BLK STL  PTS  AVE.
KEN   Kodey Haddox....... 25-15  24.9    110-255   .431  50-128    .391   63-83   .759    51  2.0   29     0  10   333  13.3
WAB  Wesley Smith         25-25  30.6                  .423               .244              .619         5.6   27    19  60         11.2 
WOO Bryan Wickliffe....    24-21  21.1    102-178   .573      2-4    .500   59-85   .694   128  5.3   18     9  19   265  11.0
OBL   Ryan Magiera.......  25-19  27.3                  .416               .339              .650          3.3   12   12  17           8.7
KEN   J.T. Knight........     22-1   21.7     66-142    .465   24-72    .333   31-41   .756    58   2.6   25     5  34  187    8.5
DEN   Larry Farmer.......   25-12  25.2     76-157    .484   12-38    .316   29-45   .644  115  4.6   28    12  20   193    7.7
OBL   Gian Chiu..........     24-21  20.0                  .466               .000              .619         2.3   10   12   6             5.6
EAR   Mark Yost..........     25-9   19.6    42-102    .412    31-77   .403     4- 7   .571    14  0.6   12     1    8   119    4.8
HIR   Nick Russo.........     24-20  26.4                  .380               .322              .826         1.0   86    0   25           4.8

[David Collinge]

Thanks, goscots.  I would not be too quick to toss Nick Russo out of your three-horse race.  He led the conference in assists this season, with 62 (3.88 per game), and he'll end up among the league leaders in A/TO as well.  It's often hard to evaluate point guards using stats; Russo's stellar play at the point shows up primarily in Mike Staley's stats, as Russo's play has freed up Staley to become a much better scoring threat.  I will probably have Russo #2 on my list of frosh.

[David Collinge]

For those interested, I've posted my all-conference ballot on the pick'ems page.

[pennstghs]

rough loss for witt yesterday, but all in all it was irrelevant-i think it works out well though because i'd rather play allegheny than hiram personally

[David Collinge]

Congrats to Yelvington at Kenyon on his game last night.....Career high and terriffic stats.....been following him since his HS days....Great young Man

A little more on this...at Hiram last night, in another must-win game for Kenyon (as they all are at this point), Bryan poured in a career-best 34 points on 12-of-14 shooting (7/7 after the half) and a perfect 10/10 from the line.  He also had nine rebounds and three assists on the evening. 

Bryan went on to record 18 points and 6 boards yesterday against Wittenberg, helping the Lords secure fourth place and the home floor for their playoff game vs. Wabash Tuesday.  DadofBashWarrior will be pleased to learn that Bryan's huge week has resulted in his being named the NCAC Player of the Week.  Congratulations, Bryan!

[wooscotsfan]

Wooster needs to win the North Coast tourney this week if they want to increase their chances of hosting some games and making a run in the NCAA tournament.

Updated by D3Hoops through 2/24, the national stats for regional winning %, OWP and OOWP can be found here: http://www.d3hoops.com/salem/08/owp.htm

Wooster is currently sitting 12th on this list (sorted by regional win %) with a regional record of 15-2.  These are the stats the NCAA will utilize (in some weighted formula that they don't disclose) to pick Pool C teams, determine seeds and host sites in the national tournament.  There are other factors as well (e.g. travel costs) that determine host sites.

If Wooster picks up another loss this week, they will still make the NCAA tournament as a Pool C (at large) selection but they will fall further down the NCAA's national rankings.  This scenario will increase their likelihood of having to play road games in the NCAA tourney.