MBB: NEWMAC

[WPI89]

Crap. Turned on game and Tufts went nuts!  14 points in like 90 seconds. I am not watching for a while.

[WPI89]

Solid win!  Maybe even Dave will think they deserve to be in the top 25 now. Yes that was a dig Dave.

[amh63]

WPI89......two posters on the CAC board picked your engineers!  Peeked in a little and WPI had a lead.
Have faith my friend...Believe and Dave will follow .  Suggest you delete the first post.  Liked the band.  Whats with the two fans in white suits?  Last lower section area. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Solid win!  Maybe even Dave will think they deserve to be in the top 25 now. Yes that was a dig Dave.

Good win... but you are also assuming I think Tufts is a team to mark as being note-worthy. I mean Tufts has been 13-12 the last two seasons. Honestly, there is nothing about WPI's out-of-conference schedule that impresses me. They have taken hits in the past for their scheduling, and they did a nice job the last year or two... but this year's schedule isn't much... Eastern Connecticut, maybe... Staten Island, okay... Bates, interesting... rest of it not worth discussing. Their SOS isn't going to be worth talking about - or it will be in how it's going to hurt them - this season.

But thanks for reading my blog.

[WPI89]

Tough grader Dave. WPIs defense is top 10 good. They have to survive night in and night out by winning every loose ball. Which they do. Not sure yet if the D will be enough to get them over the first or second round bounce. But I am thrilled to pondering the question again this year.

Eastern was preseason top 20 (15?). Staten Island is very good, I was at that game. They hung 97 on Colby the night before. Westfield State got so young so fast - they seemed like a good sos game but maybe not.  Hosting Tufts and going to Bates can't hurt. Not to mention 4 games against Babson and MIT.

PS. I Always read your blog. Keep on keeping on.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Just so I don't forget... I didn't mention in-conference because we all know what that is... but I would argue the NEWMAC is a bit down this year. MIT is not as good as they have been in the past and neither is Springfield from what I have seen. I am not sure I would hang on the idea MIT is going to be up to the standards they have been in the past - but they may prove me wrong (though, I am trusting a friend who has no ties who has seen them in person - in a loss to Eastern Nazarene).

As for tough grading, at this point I have to be... I can't tell you how many times I have bought into teams who are undefeated and have no significant wins in my mind. NYU is a prime example who always seems to get love this time of year when they start undefeated against a weak schedule and have one significant win (depending on how you look at it). I have also been burned by WPI in the past. You have seen how high I rank WPI in the past and they never live up to the expectation - so maybe I have gotten a bit gun shy as a result. But, I would also say I just can't buy in to what I don't believe.

Yes, E. Connecticut was a preseason Top 25 team - but TEN teams are no longer on the poll. MANY teams fell and didn't live up to those rankings. I am not sure I would hang my hat on that fact.

Sure, Staten Island is a very good team and I have said so accordingly, so I do give credit where credit is deserved.

But that's all I've got at this point. Bates may not even end up being that good in reality. I just want to see WPI schedule a few more challenging teams so I can buy in sooner.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Nearly three weeks into the college basketball season and there is plenty to talk about. Conference action is also starting for many programs while others are still getting up to speed in their out-of-conference schedules. On the women's side, not a lot of upsets; on the men's side, no one seems safe to an unforeseen loss. Tonight on Hoopsville, Dave talks to several teams who are still working off last season's success and battling expectations this season and others who may quietly change the conversation in their regions.

Hoopsville hits the air at 7PM ET - www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2015-16/dec3

Guests include:
- Mike Miller, Messiah women's coach
- Nancy Fahey, No. 11 Washington Univ. women's coach
- Stephen Brennan, No. 11 Babson men's coach
- Mike DeWitt, No. 6 Ohio Wesleyan's men's coach

Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/d3hoopsville
SoundCloud (podcast): www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville

AND our podcast as been approved for iTunes!!! You should be able to find it... but here is a link, just in case: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hoopsville/id1059517087

[WPI89]

Wow. U G L Y. but win and move on.....

[WPI89]

Yuck with as capital a Y as possible.

[WPI89]

Was always taught the importance of the last 4 minutes of the half and the first 4 minutes of the half. You'd be amazed how may 40 minute games are decided in those 8 minutes. Rather than the more popular last 4 minutes of the game.

Well I always felt that way about the last game before break and the first game after break. I think they can influence an entire season more than a normal 2 game stretch.

Misfion half accomplished. Great to see contributions far and wide. See you in 20 days at Bates!

Good luck on your exams boys.

[amh63]

WPI89.....always believed that preparation was needed vice luck....at least in technical subjects .  Same goes in sports in general.  However I am seeing more truth In the expression " speed Kills" in sports. 
Remember, sadly, my last formal math class at MIT...a refresher course suggested by my advisor since I had been out of school for several years.  It was a"B" level grad course, meaning it had mostly undergrads in it.  Anyway, first exam of 50 problems...grade depended in part on right answer and how fast you finished...completed.   Then the grade was adjusted...bell curve type...with the class.
Only class where one could finish 45/50 correctly and get a B since the undergrad dominated class finished the 50 questions faster!  Yes, SPEED kills! .  I digress.
Anyway...nice comment to your team.

[WPI89]

AMH63 - amazing that you bring that story up today!  I have a sophomore daughter at Northwestern and she was telling me about a timed test that she is taking today!!!!!  We were talking strategies just last night on the phone.  I had never heard of a test curved on "time of finish" before last night and now here I go - twice in 12 hours!  May not be the right strategy, but we decided it best to just get them all right and let time take care of itself.  +1 to you if for nothing other than the crazy ironic timing of your story.

Good luck to your boys in going 2-0 against the killer B's this week.  A bit conflicted but I have to root NEWMAC - maybe I will root for Racy to have 40 and Babson to win in OT?

[y_jack_lok]

I usually post on the ODAC board (South Region) or the SLIAC board (Central Region), but I caught tonight's Babson/Amherst game online and I just want to compliment Babson's announcer -- one of the best I have heard.

[middhoops]

I'd like to agree with y_jack_lok about the telecast of the Babson/Amherst game.  Acceptable homerism aside, that was network quality play by play and commentary.  Kudos.
Babson ran out of gas at the end of double overtime, but showed that they are a great team, playing even or ahead of a powerhouse Amherst squad for 50 minutes.
First time I've watched Babson this season.  I can't imagine how they could have lost to other teams.

[WPI89]

Nice start to "2016". Talk about staying on script. Can be so frustrating to watch at times, but I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to watch as a fan of the opponent!  Any win at a NESCAC school is a good win by me!