MBB: NEWMAC

Hugenerd · February 15, 2013, 09:07:53 AM

Don't believe I posted this previously, but MIT also picked up another commitment back around the holidays, 6'8" Tim Butala from Fairfield Prep:

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/2900/Early-Decision-Commitments.php

He looks like a pretty athletic big man from his junior year highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgCLuJ4tVGo

Hugenerd · February 16, 2013, 03:43:00 PM

Clark up 27-24 on WPI at the half. WPI took an early 15-8 lead, but a 19-6 run near the end of the half has put Clark ahead. WPI made a 3 at the buzzer to account for the halftime margin.

Hugenerd · February 16, 2013, 04:44:18 PM

After building their lead to 7 points with about 8 minutes to play, it felt like Clark didn't make a shot the rest of the game, missing a bunch of FTs and settling for bad shots (in reality, they scored only 6 points over the last 8 minutes). WPI will host next weekend's tourney, MIT will be the 2 seed, Springfield the 3, Clark the 4 and Babson 5. Babson plays at Clark on Saturday to see who plays WPI in the Semis. MIT/Springfield is set for next Saturday.

WPI89 · February 16, 2013, 06:18:50 PM

Whew...............back on track?

WPI89 · February 16, 2013, 06:51:09 PM

OK - so Saturday night - coached a 5th grade victory, watched a HS playoff loss, and just read about WPI winning the NEWMAC.

Starting my second Harpoon and feeling reflective. If any of the players or coaches are silly enough to actually ever read this running "blog", I just wanted to say congratulations. What a truly spectacular year. Exceeded even the wildest expectations anyone could have had. Watched a number of games on video - can't wait to see my first game of the year next weekend truly live.

Hoping for a nice long run - very best of luck boys!

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 17, 2013, 04:16:40 PM

FYI - WPI coach Chris Bartley will be on Hoopsville tonight. The show runs from 7-9 PM EST and Coach Bartley is scheduled to join us around 7:45 PM EST (though, we encourage you to watch the entire show). Below is the important information:

Show website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville or #hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com

Hope you get the chance to tune in, but if you miss it the archive will be available shortly after the show has gone off the air tonight.

WPI89 · February 17, 2013, 04:52:04 PM

Thanks Dave - I will be sure to listen in! Tell coach B - all Alumni are very proud of the effort this year.

Hugenerd · February 17, 2013, 07:55:42 PM

MIT up huge on Wheelock right now.

Tashman only 4 rebounds away from 1000 for his career with 15 minutes to play. MIT also closing in on a team single-game assists record (they are at 21, record is 30).

Hugenerd · February 17, 2013, 08:18:03 PM

MIT wins 76-34. MIT ends up 2 assists short of tying their single game assist record. Tashman finishes with 28 points and 19 rebounds.

Congrats to Tashman for becoming the first MIT player to reach the 1000 point and 1000 rebound plateau (thanks to Dave for the shout out during Hoopsville).

Also a big congrats to the other (active) senior on this season's roster, Mitch Kates. He is the only MIT player to ever reach 500 assists or reach 250 steals, which goes along nicely with his 1600+ career points.

Both are currently top 10 all-time scorers at MIT (Kates currently 4th, Tashman 10th), while leading the respective career lists in the stats named above.

Today marked an end to their regular-season careers, but I'm hoping they still have another strong run in them this postseason.

rlk · February 18, 2013, 09:20:50 AM

Quote from: Hugenerd on February 17, 2013, 08:18:03 PM
MIT wins 76-34. MIT ends up 2 assists short of tying their single game assist record. Tashman finishes with 28 points and 19 rebounds.

Congrats to Tashman for becoming the first MIT player to reach the 1000 point and 1000 rebound plateau (thanks to Dave for the shout out during Hoopsville).

Also a big congrats to the other (active) senior on this season's roster, Mitch Kates. He is the only MIT player to ever reach 500 assists or reach 250 steals, which goes along nicely with his 1600+ career points.

Both are currently top 10 all-time scorers at MIT (Kates currently 4th, Tashman 10th), while leading the respective career lists in the stats named above.

Today marked an end to their regular-season careers, but I'm hoping they still have another strong run in them this postseason.

Tash's 1000th rebound was off a missed layup by Kates (which conveniently bounced hard off the backboard right into his hands, if you get my drift, for his first career dunk). I didn't get as clean a shot of it as I hoped, but it's still very apparent what happened.

Photos at http://rlk.smugmug.com/Other/MIT-Wheelock-20130217/28058014_QCdPbG#!i=2370242528&k=xS54jfV

Wasn't the cleanest or most elegant game I've ever seen. MIT was a bit sloppy with the ball (Wheelock actually had more steals and fewer turnovers), but it was more of a fun game and a chance for some of the bench to get in on the act.

WPI89 · February 18, 2013, 09:32:21 AM

HOOPSVILLE

Great job Dave - sorry I couldn't be on live but just finished listening to the archive. +1 for the burger discussion at the end but back to even with the lame "engineer guaranteed victory".........

Question for all - any chance of getting 3 NEWMAC bids Best shot is if Springfield were to beat MIT and then WPI in the final. WPI should still be in and of course Springfield. Would MIT get in at 20-5? (I think yes)

MIT over WPI in final - they would both be in. Springfield out.
WPI over MIT in final - they would both be in. Springfield out
Springfield over WPI - could we get 3?
Clark/Babson win it over MIT - another chance at 3?

Hoping I don't have to sweat it if WPI should lose to Babson/Clark?

Hugenerd · February 18, 2013, 09:48:10 AM

Quote from: WPI89 on February 18, 2013, 09:32:21 AM
HOOPSVILLE

Great job Dave - sorry I couldn't be on live but just finished listening to the archive. +1 for the burger discussion at the end but back to even with the lame "engineer guaranteed victory".........

Question for all - any chance of getting 3 NEWMAC bids Best shot is if Springfield were to beat MIT and then WPI in the final. WPI should still be in and of course Springfield. Would MIT get in at 20-5? (I think yes)

MIT over WPI in final - they would both be in. Springfield out.
WPI over MIT in final - they would both be in. Springfield out
Springfield over WPI - could we get 3?
Clark/Babson win it over MIT - another chance at 3?

Hoping I don't have to sweat it if WPI should lose to Babson/Clark?

I think 3 is possible if Springfield wins it, or if MIT is in the final and loses to Babson/Clark.

Here is the the nightmare scenario in my opinion: Springfield beats MIT and then loses to WPI. Because of the 2-1 head-to-head lead, Springfield gets ranked ahead of MIT in the region despite 3 more losses (which I hope would not happen, given the disparity in winning percentage between the two teams, however, crazier things have happened...look at Wesleyan from last year). Then, you have an 8 loss Springfield team blocking anyone below them in the NE region rankings from getting considered for Pool C. In that scenario, the conference only gets one team in.

I think that if MIT takes care of business on Saturday, they are in good shape to get a Pool C. If they lose, I would prefer Springfield to win the tourney than to have the potential of them being ranked ahead of them in the region. WPI will get one of the first few Pool C spots, as would Amherst/Williams/Middlebury, so in that scenario MIT would be up for consideration with about 10 Pool C spots left, and I think they would get one.

Hugenerd · February 18, 2013, 12:39:17 PM

Congrats to Tashman for being named NEWMAC Player of the Week for the third time this year. Definitely had a memoral week, averaging 22.3 point and 16 boards a game in 3 games.

mass_d3fan · February 18, 2013, 04:19:11 PM

Quote from: Hugenerd on February 18, 2013, 12:39:17 PM
Congrats to Tashman for being named NEWMAC Player of the Week for the third time this year. Definitely had a memoral week, averaging 22.3 point and 16 boards a game in 3 games.

Yes, Great Week. He is the POY in my most humble opinion.

Hugenerd · February 18, 2013, 04:30:23 PM

Quote from: mass_d3fan on February 18, 2013, 04:19:11 PM
Quote from: Hugenerd on February 18, 2013, 12:39:17 PM
Congrats to Tashman for being named NEWMAC Player of the Week for the third time this year. Definitely had a memoral week, averaging 22.3 point and 16 boards a game in 3 games.

Yes, Great Week. He is the POY in my most humble opinion.

I agree. In conference only games, Tashman led the league in rebounding (by a pretty decent margin), led the league in FG%, was second in scoring, was third in FT%, was 7th in assists, and 5th in blocks. He and Kates both had great seasons, but Tashman really came on strong and played his best through the conference slate. I would expect Coach Anderson to nominate Tashman for MITs POY candidate, because, even though I know he values both of them equally on the team, Tashman's numbers give him a better chance of winning it.

The only other real candidate would be Berthiaume (who has averaged exactly 1 more ppg than Tashman in conference games this year), but I would take a guy that scores 17 ppg at 59.2% than someone who gives me 18 ppg at 41.7% any day. The only other categories that Berthiaume leads Tashman in are 3FG% (Tashman barely took any of them) and steals (1.5 vs. 0.8)...Tashman even averaged more assists than Berthiaume.

I hope the coaches vote in Tashman's favor this year. I really felt Kates deserved it last year, with the year MIT had and the numbers Kates put up, and it would be a shame if that repeated itself, especially with the historical precedent of how the coaches have voted for the POY from the top 2 teams in the past (last year it went to Berthiaume on the 3rd place team).