MBB: NEWMAC

[mass_d3fan]

First off, I want to congratulate WPI for winning the NEWMAC tournament and Ryan Kolb for being named Tournament MVP.  I was not in the area and had to watch online. Very dicey weekend for the Engineers, but like most of the season they found a way to win.

Congratulations also to Marco Coppola & Ryan Kolb for being selected as 2nd-team All-Conference, Aaron Davis for the Rookie of the Year and Coach Bartley for the COY.

Kudos to Will Tashman for the Player of the Year, Mitchell Kates, Bryan Vayda, Alex Berthiaume, and John Wickey for join Tashman as 1st team All-Conference players. HN - Wickey was a frosh last year and did not make any All-Conference team, that said I have no issue with him on 1st team & Copolla on 2nd team.

Congratulations also to MIT & Springfield for making the NCAAs. I believe it is a frst for the NEWMAC to have 3 teams in the dance.

I was reading some of the posts about how far WPI can go Sweet 16 match up with Amherst, etc.  While I understand the natural tendency to think about these things, I think we had better focus a lot more on their first round opponent.  I took a quick look at both team's stats and national standing in some of the key categories.  Purchase has a very big front line and their top 3 scorers are about equal in shot attempts with 2 of those bigs and a shooting guard accounting for 50% of their 72 ppg.  They also rebound very well as a team nearly 42 boards/game and are 24th in the country in rebound margin with +6.8.  WPI grabs 34 boards/game and sits 210th in margin with a -0.1.

Purchase is 3rd in the nation in defensive FG PCT and 30th in defensive 3pt FG PCT (WPI is 70th & 6th respectively).  Just taking a cursory look at it, it would appear this game will primarily be the WPI perimeter game Vs the Purchase inside game.  WPI will need to continue to generate turnovers (they are 10th in the nation in turnover margin) and shoot a high PCT.  At the free throw line it is kind of a wash with the Engineers also hold a relatively big margin in PCT (73.% Vs 66%), but Purchase gets 6 more attempts per game.

[mass_d3fan]

WPI89

   If the past is any indication, here are the attendance numbers for the last two times the Engineers hosted.

2008-09
    1st Round - 1100
    2nd Round - 1100

2010-11
    1st Round - 1500
    2nd Round - 1100

Now, we also have to factor in that this year there is only one other team at this site Vs in the past there were three other teams for that 1st round.  to compare, the attendance for the NEWMAC title game last weekend was 1800.  Another thing is many students may be expecting to come back from break to see the team hosting in the 2nd round next week.

[Hugenerd]

HN - Wickey was a frosh last year and did not make any All-Conference team, that said I have no issue with him on 1st team & Copolla on 2nd team.

Thanks for the correction, I don't know why I thought he was, may have been confused with his two early year Player of the Week awards.

[Hugenerd]

2013 NEWMAC Men's Basketball Academic All-Conference Team
Kenny Ross 2014 Babson
Adam Farina 2015 Babson
D.J. Bailey Gr. Clark
Nicholas DaPrato 2014 Clark
John Karas 2013 Clark
Andrew Musler 2014 Clark
Reed Powell Gr. Clark
Oliver Samples 2014 Clark
Brian Vayda Gr. Clark
Andrew Acker 2015 MIT
James Burke 2013 MIT
Noel Hollingsworth 2013 MIT
Jamie Karraker 2013 MIT
Mitchell Kates 2013 MIT
Nicholas Prus 2015 MIT
Matt Redfield 2015 MIT
Reinier Strobos 2015 MIT
Nicholas Sienkiewicz 2015 Springfield
Joe Wesoloski 2013 WPI

[WPI89]

WPI89

   If the past is any indication, here are the attendance numbers for the last two times the Engineers hosted.

2008-09
    1st Round - 1100
    2nd Round - 1100

2010-11
    1st Round - 1500
    2nd Round - 1100

Now, we also have to factor in that this year there is only one other team at this site Vs in the past there were three other teams for that 1st round.  to compare, the attendance for the NEWMAC title game last weekend was 1800.  Another thing is many students may be expecting to come back from break to see the team hosting in the 2nd round next week.

1800 has got to be close to capacity for Harrington, no?

[mass_d3fan]

WPI89

   If the past is any indication, here are the attendance numbers for the last two times the Engineers hosted.

2008-09
    1st Round - 1100
    2nd Round - 1100

2010-11
    1st Round - 1500
    2nd Round - 1100

Now, we also have to factor in that this year there is only one other team at this site Vs in the past there were three other teams for that 1st round.  to compare, the attendance for the NEWMAC title game last weekend was 1800.  Another thing is many students may be expecting to come back from break to see the team hosting in the 2nd round next week.

1800 has got to be close to capacity for Harrington, no?

If you check the D3Hoops.com team page for WPI, it lists the capacity for Harrington at 3000.  Remember they do not use those bleachers behind the team benches so I am figuring its rare to get 3000 in there.

[WPI89]

Hard to imagine - I did not see many empty seats with the 1800 there last weekend (at least on video).

Massd3 - you going Saturday?  I will be down at the Boynton at about 4:00 - would certainly enjoy buying you a beer.

[Pat Coleman]

As a heads-up for those who don't already know, the Bracket Challenge is out! Our friends at d3photography.com manage our official picks contests:

http://d3photography.com/bracket_challenge/

Playing for pride, which means student-athletes and department personnel can participate.

[WPI89]

Pat

My understanding is that Emmert is looking into the improper distribution of Karma points - be careful!

[amh63]

WPI89......Nice!....better than my post on the contest....which I did not see/read the last line.

[BBallers]

As a heads-up for those who don't already know, the Bracket Challenge is out! Our friends at d3photography.com manage our official picks contests:

http://d3photography.com/bracket_challenge/

Playing for pride, which means student-athletes and department personnel can participate.

I've made my selections with Williams, Amherst, Middlebury and MIT in the final 4, but wouldn't be surprised if WPI and Springfield made it also.  Purely objective analysis without any bias.     I won't say who I chose to win, but I think it would be an easy guess.

The first game for underdog MIT in an away game against the 11th ranked St. Mary's will definitely be difficult.  If MIT wins a couple games, they could easily get a rematch against RIC.  I'm happy MIT is in the tournament.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

WPI89

   If the past is any indication, here are the attendance numbers for the last two times the Engineers hosted.

2008-09
    1st Round - 1100
    2nd Round - 1100

2010-11
    1st Round - 1500
    2nd Round - 1100

Now, we also have to factor in that this year there is only one other team at this site Vs in the past there were three other teams for that 1st round.  to compare, the attendance for the NEWMAC title game last weekend was 1800.  Another thing is many students may be expecting to come back from break to see the team hosting in the 2nd round next week.

1800 has got to be close to capacity for Harrington, no?

If you check the D3Hoops.com team page for WPI, it lists the capacity for Harrington at 3000.  Remember they do not use those bleachers behind the team benches so I am figuring its rare to get 3000 in there.

I was at Cabrini last year.  Purchase brought about 50 people.  WPI may be slightly easier for them to get to, but I wouldn't expect a huge visiting crowd.

[mass_d3fan]

Hoops Fan

I realize it was a year ago, but what was your impression of the bigs from Purchase & their style of play?  I'm not certain who much different their team was last year.  The 7"1" center would have been freshman.


WPI89

Thanks you for the invite.  I greatly appreciate it, but my wife is aBabson grad and I am on the hook to attend the Babson games this weekend in Medford at Tufts.  I'll be following the NEWMAC mens teams as best I can from the game as we are assuming Babson will win their opening game.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hoops Fan

I realize it was a year ago, but what was your impression of the bigs from Purchase & their style of play?  I'm not certain who much different their team was last year.  The 7"1" center would have been freshman.

I'd have to compare rosters.  I know they graduated quite a bit, if I recall - they had a senior guard who was the star of the team and pretty much kept them in the game when their discipline was lacking.

Ok, so in looking back it was actually two years ago I saw them at Cabrini - I guess the seasons run together.  I doubt my roster advice will be of much help with two years difference.  It appears they didn't have a single freshman or sophomore on the 2011 squad, so it's all new faces.

[7express]

Hoops Fan

I realize it was a year ago, but what was your impression of the bigs from Purchase & their style of play?  I'm not certain who much different their team was last year.  The 7"1" center would have been freshman.

I'd have to compare rosters.  I know they graduated quite a bit, if I recall - they had a senior guard who was the star of the team and pretty much kept them in the game when their discipline was lacking.

Ok, so in looking back it was actually two years ago I saw them at Cabrini - I guess the seasons run together.  I doubt my roster advice will be of much help with two years difference.  It appears they didn't have a single freshman or sophomore on the 2011 squad, so it's all new faces.

I think Charney their coach gets a lot of JUCO's.  From what I remember looking at their roster when I went to their game vs. William Paterson last season they had a ton of juniors and seniors but almost none underclassmen.  I think that team Hoops Fan is talking about from 2011 had about 7 or 8 seniors, IIRC.