MBB: NEWMAC

[Hugenerd]

Hugenerd,

   Time to crank it up is getting closer.  Congrats to MIT on #15 and WPI will hopefully be in there soon too.  Good Preseason showing for the NEWMAC.

From what little I have picked up on WPI, I guess they had a very good trip to Montreal last week with two blowout wins.

Yeah, its good to see some NEWMAC representation.  This is MITs first ever preseason ranking.

[Hugenerd]

MITs roster is now posted:

http://www.mitathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/2010-11/roster

MIT has real good size (and talent), like last year, with Noel Hollingsworth (6'9") and Will Tashman (6'8") starting on the front line and with two guys in the 6'4"-6'5" starting on the wings, with Mitch Kates (6'1") starting at the point.  MIT gets two former impact players back, with Jamie Karraker, who started two years ago and missed last year with injury, and Daniel McCue, who started 3 years ago and missed the last two years with injury, back on this years squad.  They also have a deep class of eight freshman, who will fill in some of the voids that last years team had (for example, Will Dickson gives them a solid big man to backup Hollingsworth, Donegan and Watkins are solid guys at the 3 or 4, Davis and Thompson give them some athleticism at the 2 or 3, and Attanasio, Dunaway, and Baysinger provide solid options at the 1-2).

[Hugenerd]

MIT scrimmaged Wheelock tonight, winning both haves pretty convincingly.  MIT had the clear size advantage at pretty much every position, and shot well in the 2nd half, which gave Wheelock a lot of problems.  MIT also had a surprisingly large contribution from the freshman.  They appear to have a deep, talented class this year, as they did in last year's freshman class.  Overall, MIT won 95 - 58 (38 - 26, 57 - 32).

[Hugenerd]

Noel Hollingsworth named 1st team preseason All-American

Jeff Robinson named 2nd team preseason All-American

[Hugenerd]

MIT Season Preview

[FISHERMAN]

Russel Braithwaite (Babson) DPOY. Mark it down. Rumor has it he locked down Avery Bradey (Boston Celtics) in high School.

[mass_d3fan]

WPI Preview:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20101111/NEWS/11110867


Clark Preview:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20101111/NEWS/11110862


Fisherman - Rumor has it?  Well, the fact is (unless it has changed for this year) the NEWMAC does not give out a DPOY.  Seems to me we heard this hype from you on him back in March.  You were pushing him as the POY back then.  Admirable loyalty, but not based on any facts that even begin to put him in the conversation with Hollingsworth, Robinson, Vayda, Kates, Cavalieri & Coppola.  These have to be the primary candiates for the POY.

[Hugenerd]

Russel Braithwaite (Babson) DPOY. Mark it down. Rumor has it he locked down Avery Bradey (Boston Celtics) in high School.

First of all, the NEWMAC doesnt name a Defensive POY (I know see mass_d3 beat me to the post). Secondly, didnt we already have this conversation last year?  I saw him play last season and he looks like a great athlete, but dont get carried away.  

[mass_d3fan]

Hugenerd,

    Since it is the start of a new season, lets take a shot at the NEWMAC final standings.

MIT
WPI
Springfield
Wheaton
Clark
Babson
Coast Guard

[Hugenerd]

Those look pretty good.  Tough to judge some of these young teams.

[mass_d3fan]

Clark over Fitchburg St - 84-71
Coast Guard loses to Merchant Marine - 83-72
Springfield loses to Castleton St - 72 - 59

For Springfield, No Coburn in box score, so I assume this is the game he was required to sit out due to the fight in the NEWMAC semi-final game in February.

[Hugenerd]

Big night for Vayda (Clark), 26 points (on 9-19 shooting), 15 boards, and 3 steals.  After scoring 15 points all of last season (1.0 ppg), Travis Curley started off his junior season pretty well also with 23.

[WPI89]

Big game for WPI tonight to get it all going.  Beat Salem State - stay relevant - likely sneak into the top 25 next week, etc.........

Salem State is a tough place to play.  This isn't the run and gun 100+ point teams from a few years back, but it will be a real test.  Hope the freshmen are ready to contribute.

[Hugenerd]

MIT coasted to a 91-61 win tonight.  Noel Hollingsworth led all scorers with 18 points in just 21 minutes.

WPI finished the game strong to blow out Salem State.  WPI led by only 2 at half time and trailed early in the 2nd half, but had a big run to blow it open late.  Jeff Robinson had 24 points, although it took 20 shots to get it.  Fernando Perez had 19 points.

Wheaton blew a 14 point halftime lead to lose by 4 to Emerson.  Coppola played well, but the team stunk in the 2nd half.

Babson started the season strong with a double digit win over Curry. DPOY candidate Russell Braithwaite locked down the bench with 11 minutes played, 4 points, 0 steals, and 2 turnovers.  If only Avery Bradley played for Curry,  I am sure he would have played more in order to shut him down, but Babson just didnt need that out of him tonight.

[mass_d3fan]

WPI wins at Salem St with 4 players going for double digits:

Robinson - 24 pts on 8 for 20, 5 assts, 4 rbs
Perez - 19 pts on 8 for 12, 5 rbs
Carr - 12 pts on 6 for 8, 7 rbs
Etten - 12 pts on 3 for 9, 3 rbs

Babson also won with 4 guys scoring over 10.

Palazini - 22 pts on 6 for 12, 5 rbs
Noonan - 19 pts on 8 for 10, 10 rbs
McDermott -13 pts on 3 for 11, 3 assts, 4 stls
Ziola - 13 pts on 3 for 8

Wheaton just did not have enough outside of these 3.

Degnan - 11 pts on 2 for 7, 4 rbs 
Coppola -20 pts on 6-10,  3 rbs 
Johnson  13 pts on 4- for 7, 3  rbs 

MIT's box score looks really good!

Even though they did not shoot well from the FT line, they still made more (28) than Emanuel attempted (23).  They also shot 50% from the field for the game.  What happened to Jimmy Burke? Injury?