MBB: NEWMAC

[toooldtoplay]

I noticed that minutes per game are down throughout the league.  Either the teams are deeper, there are more 20+ point games or coaches are making a concerted effort to keep the stars healthy.  There are definitely more injuries when fatigue is a factor.

[Hugenerd]

Wheaton picks up their first win.

[FISHERMAN]

[I would post how many deflections Babson's Braithwaite has had this season......but I can't count that high. ]

Hmmmmmmm

A. you do realize that like your previous assessment that Braithwaite would earn an honor that does not exist - There is no such thing as a count of deflections.

B. You open yourself to the most obvious of hits -> So you can count to 3?

Sorry guys, but I had to.  Son, perhaps you would do better to tell us who has shut down rather than trying over & over to invent some category you can claim he is the best at.

Anyway, Congrats to Matt Cavalieri on his Player of the week selection.  Very deserving!

WPI lines up against Harvard tomorrow night.  Defintely going to be a difficult matchup all over the court, but its a chance to get some real hard work in for the Engineers.

Condescending and incorrect, such a pleasant combo. All teams keep track of deflections. But anyway, lets try to lighten up fellas, I'm just supporting a young man with an obviously tongue and cheek comment.  And there might not be an official DPOY award, but he's the best defender in the league.

[jabnike23]

Tough second half leads to Springfield losing to Williams 83-60.  Springfield led at half 35-34, and had it tied with 14:00 to go at 42-42.  Williams hit a few 3's and went on a 12-0 run which led to the gap.  Really tough game as far as referees.  Williams shot 23 free throws (22 of which they hit), compared to Springfield's 0-1 free throw in the second half.  IMO Amherst > Williams this year.  Springfield looks to bounce back against another NESCAC (Conn College) Tuesday night.

[Hugenerd]

[I would post how many deflections Babson's Braithwaite has had this season......but I can't count that high. ]

Hmmmmmmm

A. you do realize that like your previous assessment that Braithwaite would earn an honor that does not exist - There is no such thing as a count of deflections.

B. You open yourself to the most obvious of hits -> So you can count to 3?

Sorry guys, but I had to.  Son, perhaps you would do better to tell us who has shut down rather than trying over & over to invent some category you can claim he is the best at.

Anyway, Congrats to Matt Cavalieri on his Player of the week selection.  Very deserving!

WPI lines up against Harvard tomorrow night.  Defintely going to be a difficult matchup all over the court, but its a chance to get some real hard work in for the Engineers.

Condescending and incorrect, such a pleasant combo. All teams keep track of deflections. But anyway, lets try to lighten up fellas, I'm just supporting a young man with an obviously tongue and cheek comment.  And there might not be an official DPOY award, but he's the best defender in the league.

It is just not clear what you are basing this comment on.  He is a good athlete, but he is barely averaging over a steal a game, .2 bpg, and under 5 boards a game.  He is not even top 5 on his own team in minutes played per game, so if his own coach is playing 5 guys more than him, its hard to believe he is the player of the year for Babson to this point in any category, let alone the entire conference.

[mass_d3fan]

[Condescending and incorrect, such a pleasant combo. All teams keep track of deflections. But anyway, lets try to lighten up fellas, I'm just supporting a young man with an obviously tongue and cheek comment.  And there might not be an official DPOY award, but he's the best defender in the league.]

Condesending would have been the appropriate response, sorry your did not understand my tongue-in-cheek reply though.

[All teams keep track of deflections.] - Care to tell us who besides yourself believes that.  Teams use the computer stats generated at the scorers table.  I have seen games where rebounds, steals, blocks, even missed shots are not properly recorded.  Overall I think the guys operating the computers at the games do a great job, but they do miss things sometimes.  I guarantee you all teams do not have some work study kid in the crowd counting 'deflections' - good try though.

As far as Braithwright being the best defender in the league... Well, I ask you again - Who has he shutdown?  Can you tell us any player that he has shutout or held seriously under their scoring average?  Rather than making up stories, stats and awards, perhaps you can provide us with some actual evidence.  Do that and your opinions may taken more seriously.

[mass_d3fan]

WPI defeated Fitchburg State 78-63 behind Jeff Robinson's 18 & Jerome Stewart's 17.  Not an overly impressive win against a weak team, but in looking at the stat sheet, only Robinson & Nadeau play 20 or more minutes. 10 other players logged 10 or more minutes.

MIT beats Lesley 82-61.  Looks like Tashman had some foul trouble, but Hollinsworth plays 31 minutes off the bench going for 22 & 8.  Karraker burns the nets for 24 - all from beyond the arc (8-16).

Springfield got rocked by #2 Williams, 83-60.  Cavalieri plays 29 minutes posting 22 points/5 rebs and Coburn puts up 13 & 5 in 30 minutes.

Clark losses a close one to local rival Nichols, 63-61.  Vayda goes for another double-double with 19 and 13 in 31 minutes.  Mitch Renshaw contributed 10 points and 5 boards.

Wheaton wins the Park Lodge Tournament at Regis College defeating the hosts 73-50.  Coppola put up 20 points and Anthony Weeks added 11.  6'10" Mike Hall played 30 minutes and grabbed 11 boards.

[Hugenerd]

WPI defeated Fitchburg State 78-63 behind Jeff Robinson's 18 & Jerome Stewart's 17.  Not an overly impressive win against a weak team, but in looking at the stat sheet, only Robinson & Nadeau play 20 or more minutes. 10 other players logged 10 or more minutes.

MIT beats Lesley 82-61.  Looks like Tashman had some foul trouble, but Hollinsworth plays 31 minutes off the bench going for 22 & 8.  Karraker burns the nets for 24 - all from beyond the arc (8-16).

Springfield got rocked by #2 Williams, 83-60.  Cavalieri plays 29 minutes posting 22 points/5 rebs and Coburn puts up 13 & 5 in 30 minutes.

Clark losses a close one to local rival Nichols, 63-61.  Vayda goes for another double-double with 19 and 13 in 31 minutes.  Mitch Renshaw contributed 10 points and 5 boards.

Wheaton wins the Park Lodge Tournament at Regis College defeating the hosts 73-50.  Coppola put up 20 points and Anthony Weeks added 11.  6'10" Mike Hall played 30 minutes and grabbed 11 boards.

I was at the MIT game, Dan McCue made a huge difference with his defense in the second half.  He played most of his minutes in the final 13 minutes of the game, when MIT was +20 in scoring during that time.

[mass_d3fan]

Nerd,

  Would you say Hollinsworth is fully back at this point ?

[Hugenerd]

Nerd,

  Would you say Hollinsworth is fully back at this point ?

No, but I fully expect that he will be by the Harvard game, as they now have 3 weeks off.  He was noticeably grimacing and hobling around at certain points of the game today, but still did his work.  I am sure the coaching staff would have liked to play him a bit less, but Tashman got in foul trouble and they usually play at least Hollingsworth or Tashman, as both of their backups are freshman.

[leelowlang]

LEC First Semester All-Conference Team
Just one basketball junkie's opinion...

Player of the Semester:
Mitchell Kates - 6'1", So., G, MIT - 14.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 50% FG, 33% 3FG, 75% FT, 2.6 spg

Coach of the Semester:
Larry Anderson - MIT

Newcomer of the Semester:
Kevin Sowers - 6'1", Fr., G, Coast Guard - 15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 46% FG, 79% FT, 1.4 spg

First Team:
Matt Cavalieri 6'6", Sr., F, Springfield - 18.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 41% FG, 33% 3FG, 76% FT
Mitchell Kates - 6'1", So., G, MIT - 14.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 50% FG, 33% 3FG, 75% FT, 2.6 spg
Jeffrey Robinson - 6'3", Sr., G, WPI - 13.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 45% FG, 44% 3FG, 95% FT
Kevin Sowers - 6'1", Fr., G, Coast Guard - 15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 46% FG, 79% FT, 1.4 spg
Brian Vayda - 6'5", Jr., F, Clark - 18.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 49% FG, 41% 3FG, 77% FT, 1.5 spg

Second Team:
Matt Carr - 6'7", Jr., C, WPI -
Anthony Coppola - 6'1", Sr., G, Wheaton - 18.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 44% FG, 33% 3FG, 84% FT, 2.4 spg
Ryan Coburn - 6'8", So., F/C, Springfield - 13.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 50% FG, 67% FT, 3.3 bpg
Noel Hollingsworth - 6'9", Jr., F, MIT - 15.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 49% FG, 42% 3FG, 80% FT, 1.1 bpg
Will Tashman - 6'8", So., F, MIT - 12.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 47% FG, 79% FT, 1.3 spg

[leelowlang]

Matt Carr - 6'7", Jr., C, WPI - 9.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 71% FG, 67% FT, 1.9 bpg, 1.6 spg

[Hugenerd]

The players you picked look good.  I think Hollingsworth will get on the first team by the end of the season.  If you look at his stats while he was playing hurt and then after his two week hiatus, he has been performing at his All-American level since returning.

I like your pick of Kates for POY.  He may not put up the stats of some other players (still very good stats), but he is involved with everything MIT does, and as important as anyone to their success.

[WPI89]

WPI and MIT improved their spots in the top 25.  Nerd was correct as usual (that the Harvard loss had seemingly no effect on WPI).

Didn't check - but I assume MIT is done till after break now as well?

I will be at the WPI - WestConn game as it is right by my house in CT on Dec 28th.  Will be a tough test - especially with all the rust.

[Hugenerd]

WPI and MIT improved their spots in the top 25.  Nerd was correct as usual (that the Harvard loss had seemingly no effect on WPI).

Didn't check - but I assume MIT is done till after break now as well?

I will be at the WPI - WestConn game as it is right by my house in CT on Dec 28th.  Will be a tough test - especially with all the rust.

MIT plays Harvard next, on the 31st.