MBB: Conference of New England

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It's like wearing shoes the same color as your out-of-bounds lines to keep the refs from calling a foot on the line too often.

[gordon]

whoa, whoa......whoa.... easy there hoops fan.  The first joke was good, stop while your ahead.


AMC used to be straight nasty, not really the case anymore (0-16). Granted I need to see GC beat CSC one more time for that change to happen, but I don't think that would be too large of a feat for the GC guys.

So, are you saying that Gordon will be straight up nasty if they meet CSC in the Semi's and win, or that CSC will from now on assume AMC role of losing many games.

Solid deductions....

anyway the year that amc went to ncaa sweet sixteen, guess who beat them by 20 pts.  Oh yeah, get on up you crazy fighting scotts...and by the way anybody remember a kid hayes murray.  That kid was good at bball, and a really good runner.  One time I raced him in a sprint and he won, and then Gordon got a banner, but they didn't want to hang the banner cause that was stupid, so they gave him a trophy and it's in like one of those twenty trophy cases when you walk in the bennet center.  Hayes Holla

[24/7/365]

Um no, that's not what I was saying.  Rather, basketball teams and basketball programs tend to go round and round.  Teams, like AMC, have great runs for a few years, but then recruiting goes down, a coach leaves, blah blah blah, and they end up 0-16.  CSC, while not near an 0-16 record, may not be the powerhouse they once were.  Now, that's not saying they will lose tonight, tomorrow or saturday, if they get there, but there are new teams stepping up, GC being one of them.  I like GC this year, and in the years to come.  But, we're in the current year, so lets stay focused on that.

Anyone else find it wierd that all 4 games are in centralized areas.  RWU and SRU are in RI, however many miles away.  It's RI, you're only like 5 blocks from each corner.  And then the other two games are at EC and GC, only 10 minutes driving distance.  Just interesting is all.  In light of this, I think we should play the 2nd rounds tonight.  Tell me that as fans you wouldn't want to see that.  Sign me up.

[broke_ya_ankles]

RWU loses???

Gordon by 1???

[GC Oldtimer]

GC, 77 NC, 76 Wow...how does this team stay so close to GC?  Nichols lead by 10 at the half.  This was almost another one of those "where have we seen this before?" games.

[dwebbs]

Nichols led by 14 with under 10 left.

[jps920]

Colby Sawyer wins

[24/7/365]

EC rolls, I forget the score but EC had it all the way.

CSC handles SRU as well.

RWU is a freakn' joke and deserves to be voted out of the conference, WIT won too.

I am going to refrain from talking about GC until tomorrow.  I have no energy left and my emotions are at an all time high.

[threeball23]

Wow, GC by 1...A W is a W but that is to close for comfort.  I'll be interested see to hear from some fans at the game.  Sets up a good Semi with CSC (i think...?).  Beating CSC 3 times in a season is a tall order for any team, but I think GC can pull it off.  I'd like to see the EC/GC rubber match on sat!

[threeball23]

Checked the GC website...GC was down 5 with 26 sec left.  Herr hit a three and was fouled, bringing the scots w/ in 1.  Marstaller stole the inbounds pass and scored with 5 tics left to give GC the win...The pit must have been rockin.

[broke_ya_ankles]

in the EC win matty george went for 30

[dwebbs]

Nichols actually got the inbounds pass in. I think it was Vogz that knocked it out, and Marstaller made a lay up with 12 seconds left and running. NC missed a shot and there was a loose ball. It turned out a jump ball with GC getting the pos. with .7 seconds left.

[Maq Diesel]

WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAOOOW!  I can't believe what I just saw.  Do you believe in miracles, YESSSSSSSSS.  Bird steals the ball underneath to DJ and he lays it in...oh my this place is going crazy.  Those are some calls from some of the greatest sports moments ever, but for me in my life, this was the greatest sporting event I have ever seen live, no, ifs ands or buts about it.  I have spent the last few hours talking about this game and watching the tape with Mike Herr and some friends and it still has yet to sink in for real, but here is a pretty good account of what happened during a college classic.

Nichols played a hell of a game and GC absolutely did not deserve the win they absolutely stole (pun intended) from the Bison's.  The game went back and forth during much of the first half, but about 6 minuets before halftime, Nichols began to pull away and at the break Nichols led the Scots by a score of 37-27.  At that point I was having serious doubts about our fate and was just thinking we came all this way and won all these games and we are down 10 at the half.

The two teams came out for the second half and GC cut the lead quickly to single digets, but Nichols came right back and the lead stayed constant in the 8-12 range with both teams trading baskets back and forth.  Nichols made a mini run and with 8:50 to go they had a 14 point lead.

Gordon then got down to business and went on a 5 minuet blitz, they hit lay-ups and three pointer got some good stops on the defensive end, including 4 or 5 huge blocks by Herr and Marstaller.  Mike Herr ended the run with a little over 3 minuets left by drilling a three from the wing, which put GC up 61-60.

Nichols came right back and got the lead back to 6 and the teams traded baskets until GC earned a couple trips to the line and had cut the lead to a couple, then Vallee fouled out and in came LaTorra.  LoTorra earned a trip to the strip and nailed both shots and putting Nichols up by 4.  After a basket by GC, LaTorra came down the other end and hit a HUGE 3,  GC went down the court scored and then Nichols answered back with a lay-up, to put the lead at 5 with 24 seconds to play.  At this point the game, in my mind, was over.   Nichols had been money from the line and Gordon was gassed from the come back and I thought they were going to come up short because they spent it all on the come back.  But boy was I wrong.

Gordon calmly ran down the court and ran a play for Mike Herr, he ran off a double screen and drilled a three pointer while getting absolutely pounded by a Nichols' defender.  Herr sank the free throw with 17 second making the score 76-75 Nichols.

Nichols in bounded the ball with 17 second left and Vogelzang poked the ball out of Casey Butler's hands right to John Marstaller who quickly banked the ball in putting Gordon up 77-76.  Nichols quickly in bounded the ball with 9.8 ticks left,  and brought it down the court the drove to the bucket and got off a descent back shot that came up just short, players hit the floor fighting for the rebound and the reffs called it a jump ball with the possession arrow in GC direction.  With 0.7 sec left Gordon got the ball in and the rest is History.

As for the numbers Nichols was lead by Lewis with 16, Butler had 15 and 9, Sturdahl 13 and Vallee had 12.  GC had four players in double figures and was led by Kaufman with 24, Marstaller with 18 and 10, Herr with 15 and Logan with 10.  Check the box score for the rest, this has been long enough.  We are working of getting some footage of the game on the web so if we do I will post again.

Lastly GC fans were amazing, they were into the game the whole way even when things looked bleak, tonight the PIT showed they are the best fans around, and there are no challengers.

[Maq Diesel]

sorry about grammar and spelling it is 3:00 in the morning and I am a little tired and forgot to spell check.

[roy_williams]

words can't describe tonight's Gordon game. tapes are being forwarded to ESPN and college game day gym gems. honestly, i wouldn't be surprised if it makes it. this game was epic.

it started off with all the makings of a monumental upset. you had Nichols playing confident and much the role of David, while Goliath was playing tight. Gordon was forcing the action, playing average defense, and Nichols was fired up. being down 10 at half wasn't even the worst, as things were ugliest with 9:37 left and GC down 14. GC went on a 15-2 run (fueled by a block party on defense) to take a 1 pt lead, but Nichols got it back and the game was tied at 71 with just over a minute. Latorra hit a three for Nichols, Kaufman tried to answer, missed, and Gordon tried to play D, gave up two, and was down by 5 with :26 left. Inexplicably, a Nichols defender ran at a Mike Herr three from the corner, completely wiping out Mike. An easy call for any referee. The ball sailed high into the air (it was weird you saw Mike get cleaned and heard the whistle and still had time to find the ball as it just seemed to hang in air sailing high and falling) then came down bang-swish, and like someone just turned on a switch it sent the PIT into the biggest frenzy i have ever seen. Herr hit the foul shot, a 4pt play ala Jason Williams v Indiana in 2001. 18 or so seconds left and Nichols inbounded. two things struck me about this play. first of all, basically only one Nichols player was on his side of half court, trying to take the inbound. second, Aaron Vogelzang didn't foul right away. He went for the steal, reaching around and popping the ball out to Marstaller who was retreating from guarding the inbounder. Marstaller grabbed it, and drove it straight to the rack, banking in a line drive runner. 77-76 Gordon. Nichols then inbounded, didn't call timeout (not sure if they had any) and pulled up for an 8 footer and the win, front rimmed it, and there was a mad scrabble for the rebound on the floor under the hoop. eventually a tie up was called. Gordon had the arrow and inbounded to Logan with .7 left and the clock hit zero before Nichols could foul.

If this locks up an at-large, they more than earned it. either way, all of us are just happy to play another game and keep the CCC championship dream alive.

also, a legend like Hayes Murray never dies. Please be cognizant.