MBB: NEWMAC

[Greek Tragedy]

Watching Houston in the TBT this summer really revealed his lack of footspeed.  That's something you can work on and improve, for sure, so I'm looking to see how he moves when the season gets going.  I think he'd have a much better chance against Adams if he can get to where he wants to be a step or two faster.  It's definitely something he'll have to improve if he wants to play professionally.

I didn't realize he could play in that with eligibility still available to him.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Watching Houston in the TBT this summer really revealed his lack of footspeed.  That's something you can work on and improve, for sure, so I'm looking to see how he moves when the season gets going.  I think he'd have a much better chance against Adams if he can get to where he wants to be a step or two faster.  It's definitely something he'll have to improve if he wants to play professionally.

I didn't realize he could play in that with eligibility still available to him.

As long as the team didn't pay him, he's good. I assume the d3 guys are covering their own expenses for that tourney.

[SpringSt7]

Watching Houston in the TBT this summer really revealed his lack of footspeed.  That's something you can work on and improve, for sure, so I'm looking to see how he moves when the season gets going.  I think he'd have a much better chance against Adams if he can get to where he wants to be a step or two faster.  It's definitely something he'll have to improve if he wants to play professionally.

Wouldn't it be fair to assume that Adams has more room to improve than Houston does? He is younger by a few years and just only completed his first season of college basketball. Whatever areas Houston improves in physically, it should stand to reason that Adams do the same in some form or another.

[WPI89]

WPI midnight game tonight against a very capable Worcester State team - interesting early test.  Let the fun begin!

[BaboNation]

WPI midnight game tonight against a very capable Worcester State team - interesting early test.  Let the fun begin!

I'll be watching.  The Clarkson grad xfer, Swedberg should provide a good frontcourt presence, experience, and production on both ends.  It will be interesting to see how he's used down the road (alongside Adams or a backup for he and Lowther).

I'm guessing the starting lineup will be something like:

Adams
Lowther
Marelli
Lufkin
Callahan

but it wouldn't surprise me to see one of the FYs start (Newman?).  Whoever fits the tenacious defender G mold will get minutes for sure, even if it's as a 6th man.

[WPI89]

Yikes. Babo I did not stay up. Love a report if you did. I really think Worcester State will be good this year, but didn't expect this close. Glad to get the win and move on.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Swedberg didn't play at all. Not sure if there's an injury. WPI looked rusty. They had trouble getting the ball in the paint and keeping Worcester out of it. It didn't seem like any individual dropped the ball, but collectively they were not ready to play together. That being said, the threes were falling and they have two all Americans, so they survived. Callahan was excellent and Worcester State was amazing. On opening night, a W is a W. You can't be too upset.

[BaboNation]

Wow.  Too bad this was a midnight game 1 because this one was really good.

Worcester State was not intimidated at all and fought back all night.  They've got enough frontcourt size and mobility, and enough overall team quickness to be disruptive defensively.  Looking ahead I think they'll give Emerson fits.

Adams was the best player on the floor.  The last 2 possessions made his case for AA.  Down 70-69 Lowther found Adams out of a double-team for an easy layup;  then, after a WS turnover Adams snuck away for a 50-foot inbound pass for a breakaway layup (how did WS not have someone long?).

The top 3 players for WPI (Adams, Lowther, and Callahan) were the go-to guys, though Lowther had some tough times getting open looks.  Few teams will be able to keep WPI off the low block like this.

Beyond the top 3 I think WPI will still be searching for steady contributions.  Sevilla surprised me to be starting.  Coach Bartley tried out 5-6 different combos in the 1st half before coming back to the starters he trusted down the stretch.  If there are issues beyond the top-3 it may not affect the team until the tournament.

[nescac1]

Worcester State definitely looked like a very solid team.  They will be fighting with Westfield State for the MASCAC crown this year.  Sam Dion is absolutely legit at guard, Rubenskas and Bjorn are a burly, veteran interior duo who will look at a lot better against most teams than they did dealing with Adams and Lowther, and they've benefited from some added talent transferring in from Nichols, in particular, big wing Aaron Nkrumah who is a solid athlete and excellent two-way player.  As a Williams fan, I'm not delighted that they got this confidence-booster (even with a loss) as they will be a tough opponent in the Ephs' opening game in one week; the Ephs can't afford too much time to work the rust off in that one or there could be an upset. 

WPI looked like a top 25 team but not like a top 10 team.  Adams played to his all-American billing and was excellent.  While not Lowther's best game he is still a star player.  And I agree that Aidan Callahan looked really good - very smooth and crafty, perhaps a third star in the making.  The question is depth and perimeter quickness.  Lufkin and Sevilla hit some key open shots and Sevilla is your prototypical WPI guard, a real scrapper on both ends, but they don't seem as disruptive on the perimeter on either end as they were last year.  Worcester penetrated a little too easily at times and burned WPI in transition.   WPI's bench also struggled to contribute at all (although missing the top big man off the bench surely played a factor).  The good news for WPI is that its schedule is ridiculously easy this year.  NEWMAC seems a bit down, overall, from last year, after the top two teams, given all the guys Babson, MIT and Clark lost.  And St. Joseph (CT) is the only high-caliber non-conference game remaining (although Maine Farmington might be pesky).  I think WPI is going to have another gaudy record this year, Adams an Lowther are just too good, but how far they ultimately go will depend on developing their depth behind the big three.  Plenty of time to do so ...

Oh, and the scene was awesome in Worcester.  Huge band, packed house, fans of both teams super-pumped.  What a great tradition, hope they do it every year!

[warriorcat]

WPI and Worcester State wanted to do Midnight Madness last year but Covid considerations forced them to move it to an evening game.  Worcester actually did this a couple of times with Clark (another in town opponent).  It produced the same energetic atmosphere at both schools with WSU winning the last two games.  Clark chose not to play Worcester after 2020. WPI and WSU quickly agreed to start their seasons this way.  Hopefully, they will continue at WSU next year.

[WPI89]

Thanks for all the reports/details folks - I feel like Scott Hanson on Redzone - are you ready for "5 months of non-stop action"?  Should be a fun season, look forward to communicating via the various boards all year.

[BaboNation]

Babson opens with a 76-65 victory on the road at Lasell.  While this is not one of the top teams they'll play by any means you take any win you can get, especially with 8 of 11 out of conference on the road.
And it should be said that Lasell took Babson down to the last minute last year on Babson's home floor when Babson had more seniors and grad xfers on the roster.

I don't want to make too much of the first game, but the first half was hard to watch.  Bad shooting.  Unforced turnovers.  Too little motion on offense.  Too slow closing out on shooters.  Collectively Babson shot 3-16 from players not named Amado and Kirkpatrick, and 1-10 from the arc, leading to a 5 point halftime deficit.

The second half was better, especially defensively, but the supporting cast is going to need to provide more production.

Amado was the difference.  He finished with 25/15 and could have had a lot more if the team wasn't shooting 5/30 from the arc, since his game is slashing through the lane and scoring in the paint.  Babson started 2 FY (Lauder and O'Toole) and brought another FY (Woolhouse - who I think shows a lot of potential) off the bench in the 2nd half.  The grad xfer Cibull seemed to be rushing his shot (1 of 8) but again, it's game 1, last year's grad xfer started slow too, and Cibull did distribute the ball well.  He averaged 10 ppg last year so he should contribute.

It's going to take time for the FYs and sophomores to develop.  Hopefully the vets can continue to keep them in games til that happens.

EJ Day filled it up for Lasell (29) and got to the rim often with his speed and shiftiness.

I also caught the MIT blowout loss on Tuesday at home.  They started 3 FY and a sophomore.  Suffice to say I won't feel compelled to watch them again until they become competitive again.  Sad to see, particularly when they have an assistant coach who was a star for the program just a few years ago.

[BaboNation]

Babson wins its home opener over Salve Regina, 80-72.

Where would this team be without Nate Amado (29/7)?  I'll answer my own question - in the middle of the pack.
Despite forcing some shots early, Amado kept them going every time they needed a boost,often through double teams.  Kirkpatrick also had a good game (13 pts. 9 assists), and O'Toole looks like the FY that is most ready to contribute right away.  He had 12 points despite getting himself into 1st half foul trouble (4).  He's a little too handsy on defense, but in the early going seems to be pretty good keeping his ground down low.
Someone needs to be a consistent outside threat to open up the inside game for Amado.  There have been too many uncontested ugly 3's in the first two games.

I like that the 2 Babson bigs (Mason and Woolhouse) seem to be rotating for each other.  I hope as the season progresses we'll see one of these guys establishing an offensive presence down low.

For SR, Mikey Spencer (34, after 28 in last year's game) was a force.  He has a nice stroke on the perimeter and took everyone Babson threw at him off the dribble.  Thankfully he's graduating, so we won't have to face him next year when SR joins the NEWMAC.

There are several Babson roster guys who didn't play in this one or have missed both games.  Most notably Horan, Lauder (started game 1), and Cross.  I saw someone on the sideline with a walking brace.

Looking ahead to Game 3 @ St. Joseph's I'd like to see the defense sag inside except on O'Neill.  STJ's game is in the paint through Martin and Babson's roster does not have the team speed to get spread out and chase against that kind of quickness.

[BaboNation]

ST. Joe's CT breaks open a 52-52 game and takes Babson to the woodshed on a 25-4 run to close the game, winning 77-56.

Same as it ever was.  Too much speed and quickness for STJ causing havoc on both ends.  Babson's offense simply couldn't penetrate the paint (other than Amado, often on double teams).  Even with size advantages no one could post up low or take a man off the dribble.  Or put back an offensive rebound for that matter.   Too green a team right now.
On defense, picking up high meant chasing a Blue Jay to the basket.

It ended something like 40-14 points in the paint.  You can't win that way.

Everyone on Babson other than Amado (20/10) had rough nights.  Mason (12/4) had a decent stat line, but even fouling out with just 2 points I think FY Timmy O'Toole shows the better 2-way game.

And in the 2nd half even Amado took some ill-advised drives into double and triple teams, but as I looked at the floor there weren't exactly better options.

As much as I respect coach Brennan I didn't like the defensive sets spread out like they were.  As I expected, O'Neill (23/6, 4/8 from 3) can kill you from deep, but STJ is not a team built to beat you from the perimeter.  You (Babson) are a slow team.  Why not sag inside against a very average 3-pt team that wants to take you inside?  They played right into Jaecee Martin's (13 points, 6 assists) hands. 

Having seen STJ against Babson (and others) for 3 years now I don't think this is #13 in the country.  A team with a strong point guard, a low post presence (or two), and floor balance will hang with them capably.  Jaecee Martin stirs the drink.  Same as it ever was.

[WPI89]

Bad night for the NEWMAC. Looking like a down year?