MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

Here it comes...
The Hiram at OWU games (men's/women's doubleheader) scheduled for tonight have been postponed until tomorrow.  Also the entire slate of OAC women's quarterfinals have been put off a day.  As I said yesterday, stay tuned...

Also...
The doubleheader at Kenyon, which is still on (I'd guess that both Wabash and Earlham got into town yesterday), will have free live streaming video.  Click here for details and access.  The men's game is scheduled to tip at 6, with the women's game to follow.

[wally_wabash]

Also...
The doubleheader at Kenyon, which is still on (I'd guess that both Wabash and Earlham got into town yesterday), will have free live streaming video.  Click here for details and access.  The men's game is scheduled to tip at 6, with the women's game to follow.

Jackpot.  While we're in the calm before the storm, this is a good time to mention that every NCAC school should be streaming games.  We have the technology...

Looking forward to watching the LGs in action tonight! 

[NCAC_alum55]

Also...
The doubleheader at Kenyon, which is still on (I'd guess that both Wabash and Earlham got into town yesterday), will have free live streaming video.  Click here for details and access.  The men's game is scheduled to tip at 6, with the women's game to follow.

Good to know... In my opinion , this is the most interesting quaterfinal matchup. If their first two meetings this season are any indication, should be a close (and physical) game either way. Will be interesting to see how Kenyon comes out tonight- would think they would still be riding high from Saturday's win. I think tonight's game will come down to guard play.

When Kenyon's guards play well- they are tough... and unfortunately for Wabash, they have been shooting the ball very well the last four or five games. Wabash, as a program, has much more experience in these tourney situations- will be interesting to see how the Lords react.

Let the fun begin...

[wally_wabash]

Wow...plenty of good seats still available at Kenyon.  Yikes.  This looks like a winter break game. 

BTW...is anybody getting audio with the video stream or is it video only?

A pair of three's for Wabash induces a Kenyon timeout.  Wabash is up 15-8 early on here.

A quick reload of the page and the audio is on...great news because I was tired of keeping score by myself.  5:30 to go and Wabash leads by 9.  The score eludes me at the moment.  Bediako just picked up his third foul...bad news for Kenyon.

Haltom hits one from Cleveland and Wabash goes up 44-32.  Wabash is shooting extremely well here.  I think the last game between these two was played in the 50s. 

Halftime...Wabash leads 46-36. 

Sweet scoreboard at Tomsich.  This has been an entertaining game to watch so far. 

BTW, the last Wabash/Kenyon game was 58-49.  This game is much less of a meat grinder than that last game was. 

Hot start for the Lords in the second half.  Wabash leads just 50-47 with under 16:00 to go. 

Good answer after a Wabash timeout.  Wabash has built the lead back to nine points at 56-47.  Make it 58-47 after Brock scores in the paint.  He's got a foul shot coming as well after a Kenyon timeout.  The free throw would push the Wabash lead back to 12 to match the largest lead of the game.  And it is good.  59-47 for Wabash. 

Wabash is on a 13-0 run since Kenyon cut it to three points.  Timeout Kenyon with 10:11 to go.  The score is 63-47. 

2:25 to go and Wabash leads by 10, 79-69.  Free throws will be critical for the Little Giants down the stretch here as Kenyon has started to heat up again.

1:28 to play...Wabash will have the inbound after this timeout.  Free throws, gentlemen...free throws. 

A pair of Wesley Smith free throws puts Wabash up by 13 with about a minute to go and this one is just about over.

And it's all over.  Wabash wins...forgive me if I missed the final score.  Brock had 21 to lead Wabash.  Wes Smith had a double-double with something in the area of 13 and 12.  All around good game for Wabash against a team that came into the tournament on a hot streak. 

86-73 was the final score. 

[kiltedbryan]

12:41 left in the first half:

Oberlin 7
Wooster 19

Wooster comes out hot (7-10 FGs), and so far are cruising in Timken.

[kiltedbryan]

Finals in the NCAC tonight:

#6 Allegheny 65
#3 Wittenberg 63

(Notably, Witt's website is saying that this is the first time Wittenberg has ever lost in the NCAC quarterfinals.)


#5 Wabash 86
#4 Kenyon 73

OWU/Hiram postponed until tomorrow.

[kiltedbryan]

7:00 first half

Oberlin 16
Wooster 32

Wooster already has 9 players with points in the book on very balanced scoring. Woo is shooting about 75%, while Oberlin is shooting about 30%.

[kiltedbryan]

Live Stats for Wooster has frozen and didn't update at the end of the half.

At the half:

Oberlin 32
Wooster 51

Very smooth overall half on offense for Wooster, who was shooting around 70% for most of the half (though ended lower, I think.)  Oberlin shot very well to end the half (8-10).

Wooster has gotten a number of points at the line and also holds about a 2-1 rebounding edge.

[wally_wabash]

Finals in the NCAC tonight:

#6 Allegheny 65
#3 Wittenberg 63

Oh my.  Our Witt fans expressed concern, but I wasn't really buying it.  I guess that concern was well founded.  How fired up are OWU and Hiram right now?  The road to the finals just got a little easier. 

Some official stats from the Wabash game...Wabash shot 53% for the game compared to 44% for Kenyon.  Wabash outrebounds Kenyon 37-26.  Wabash also wins the turnover battle 9-11 (I'd not be surprised if that 9 turnovers is a season low for the LGs).  Really it was a pretty clean game in this regard. 

Individually, Wabash got 21 points from Aaron Brock in just 24 minutes.  Zimmer had 18, Simkus 17, and Smith 13 to round out Wabash's double figure scorers.  Kenyon got 27 from Kodey Haddox and 21 more from Yelvington.  Smith led Wabash rebounders with 13 and Zimmer just missed a double double with 9 rebounds.  Yelvington led Kenyon with 8 rebounds. 

It's going to take this kind of game this weekend to get by Wooster.  But we know that Wabash has the potential.  Should be a great game at Timken this weekend! 

[kiltedbryan]

James Cooper has 26 points tonight and is 2 points shy of hitting 2,000 points in his career.

Wooster has a 30 or so point cushion, and it seems clear at this point that Coop will stay in until he finishes off the honor.

Wooster is working toward Cooper getting a shot...he passes off, then an offensive rebound...Cooper works to get a 3- and it's in and out.  Rebound Evan Will with the putback.

All the other Wooster starters are now out of this one.

Isolation with Cooper at the top of the key.  He drives, and misses.  Offensive rebound. Cooper drives and misses, again!  Another offensive rebound, and now he draws a foul and will go to the line.

1999 is good...and 2,000 is good.  Standing Ovation for James Cooper!!   

James Cooper has joined Scots legend Tom Dinger as the only Scots to reach the 2,000 point plateau.

[kiltedbryan]

Finals in the NCAC tonight:

#6 Allegheny 65
#3 Wittenberg 63

Oh my.  Our Witt fans expressed concern, but I wasn't really buying it.  I guess that concern was well founded.  How fired up are OWU and Hiram right now?  The road to the finals just got a little easier. 

Some official stats from the Wabash game...Wabash shot 53% for the game compared to 44% for Kenyon.  Wabash outrebounds Kenyon 37-26.  Wabash also wins the turnover battle 9-11 (I'd not be surprised if that 9 turnovers is a season low for the LGs).  Really it was a pretty clean game in this regard. 

Individually, Wabash got 21 points from Aaron Brock in just 24 minutes.  Zimmer had 18, Simkus 17, and Smith 13 to round out Wabash's double figure scorers.  Kenyon got 27 from Kodey Haddox and 21 more from Yelvington.  Smith led Wabash rebounders with 13 and Zimmer just missed a double double with 9 rebounds.  Yelvington led Kenyon with 8 rebounds. 

It's going to take this kind of game this weekend to get by Wooster.  But we know that Wabash has the potential.  Should be a great game at Timken this weekend! 

Witt game story: http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/07-08gamestories/ncac1.html

Allegheny game story: http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/8063/menbb_entry

[wally_wabash]

One more statistical note from Wabash/Kenyon...Wes Smith had three steals in the game to give him 63 for the season.  That ties the Wabash single season record held by Mike Lustina '95.

[kiltedbryan]

The parts of the Kenyon/Wabash game I saw with the live video made it clear that Wabash was the better team tonight. Nice, complete win for the LGs tonight.

What's with Wabash showing up for some games and disappearing for others?  (re. 'Bash/OWU a few weeks ago compared to tonight, etc...)

[kiltedbryan]

Final from Wooster:

Oberlin 71
Wooster 104

With the win, Wooster will host the NCAC semifinals and finals this weekend.

James Cooper scores 28 points exactly, reaching the 2,000 point plateau for his career.  Other Scots in double figures were Marty Bidwell with 14 and Robert Melick with 12. Very balanced scoring below that; 12 Scots scored on the evening. Wickliffe contributes 8 pts and 9 boards.

Omari Hall had 22 on 10-13 shooting for the Yeomen.

Wooster advances to face Wabash in Friday's semifinal.

[jscwittfan]

Finals in the NCAC tonight:

#6 Allegheny 65
#3 Wittenberg 63

(Notably, Witt's website is saying that this is the first time Wittenberg has ever lost in the NCAC quarterfinals.)

Wow.  I thought the long trip for Allegheny would be too much for them to overcome.  I guess the Witt players thought that too, and that, plus a good performance from the Gators, bit them.   

Let's hear all those people who wanted the tourney cut to 4 teams share their opinion now...