MBB: NEWMAC

[mass_d3fan]

NEWMACKJACK

There are plenty of very, very good teams to play in the NE Region.  It is the biggest region by # of teams and you can find great competition here.  Not really sure what MITs overall strategies are when it comes to scheduling.  It's obvious they have a great team and are not scheduling like they are a great team.  While Salem St & Tufts are good teams, MIT should really have no major issue with them.  I would like to see MIT add in games vs RIC, West. Conn, etc.  Who would not love to see MIT/Amherst, MIT/Middlebury or MIT/Williams?  I wish WPI had also picked up a game against one of those upper tier NESCAC teams.  Springfield decided to take on 2 of them inside a week!!!!

[mass_d3fan]

Here is a link to an article in the Worcester Telegram today on WPI's Matt Carr

http://www.telegram.com/article/20111207/COLUMN11/112079894/1009/sports

[WPI89]

Thanks Mass

What are everyone thoughts on the MIT and WPI games tomorrow?  I don't see Salem giving MIT too much trouble - would likely be good for MIT if it was competitive into the 2nd half.

WPI at RIC is close to pick em' if you ask me?  Our D3 "RPI" makes WPI basically a 4 point favorite which I guess is about right.

Fun test for both and would go a huge way toward giving WPI some wiggle room the rest of the way.

Predictions:

MIT 90  Salem State  71
WPI 73  RIC 72

[Hugenerd]

Hughnerd......Thanks for the "data input".  Amherst, about 7-8 years ago, also had a Brown transfer that played well his first year at Brown.  However, with his talent and size he never was a consistent contributor to the Amherst team.  Chemistry, desire, etc.....who really knows.  Of course, you know that at MIT, a talented player who plays well one year, may not go out for the team in another year...due to school demands.  MIT should feel lucky that their starters have decided to play for multi years and that the transfers have meshed well in school and on the team.
Tooldtoplay.....My reference to stronger conferences.....refer to conferences like the Big East and mid-level div1 BB schools.  To use a football analogy...somewhat out of date......the Ivy schools are in the IAA whereas BC is IA.  Schools like the Patriot League with scholarship players are this year not only being pushed by the Ivy schools but beaten by them. To clear the air on any ill feelings, I am a dues paying graduate of MIT....two graduate degrees from MIT and a yearly donor to the Alumni Fund.

No ill feelings at all.  About the MIT players and academics, though, I don't know when you were last around the program, but I was a grad assistant 6 years ago and was close to the program since that time until I defended my thesis earlier this year, and I never saw anyone leave the program because of the academics. There clearly have been players that have left, but the vast majority of the time that occurs because players dont truly love the game and would rather do other things. As you know. MIT does not make concessions in admissions for its athletes, and therefore the players that are accepted are well equipped to handle the academic rigors. However, not everyone that has come to play in the past has loved the game, and since basketball is a large time commitment, they decide to do other things. The more recent group of guys are really dedicated to the game and the program, in addition to being very talented, which has translated into unprecedented success at MIT. I know that Coach Anderson and the rest of his staff continue to go after these kinds of players, which will only grow the program going forward.

[NEWMACJACK]

I think MIT and WPI roll to easy victories....go NEWMAC

[7express]

MIT 89 Salem state 71
WPI 70 RIC 74....but that's more of a homer pick than anything else.

[mass_d3fan]

Hate to say this, but I think RIC wins it 68-60. Akinrola/Carr will effectively be a wash and I think the difference will be the experience for RIC over the younger Engineers.  For most of them, this will be their first taste of a top opponent on the road.  Win or lose, it will be a learning experience for the whole team that should only help as the season moves on.

[toooldtoplay]

Hughnerd......Thanks for the "data input".  Amherst, about 7-8 years ago, also had a Brown transfer that played well his first year at Brown.  However, with his talent and size he never was a consistent contributor to the Amherst team.  Chemistry, desire, etc.....who really knows.  Of course, you know that at MIT, a talented player who plays well one year, may not go out for the team in another year...due to school demands.  MIT should feel lucky that their starters have decided to play for multi years and that the transfers have meshed well in school and on the team.
Tooldtoplay.....My reference to stronger conferences.....refer to conferences like the Big East and mid-level div1 BB schools.  To use a football analogy...somewhat out of date......the Ivy schools are in the IAA whereas BC is IA.  Schools like the Patriot League with scholarship players are this year not only being pushed by the Ivy schools but beaten by them. To clear the air on any ill feelings, I am a dues paying graduate of MIT....two graduate degrees from MIT and a yearly donor to the Alumni Fund.

Ivy league Princeton just knocked off Big East Rutgers by 2 tonight, something that they used to routinely do. They have played every year for nearly a century. Great rivalry. Never take an instate opponent lightly. New coach at Rutgers finding out its just not that easy.

[amh63]

Tooldtoplay.....I must bow to a more knowledgeable poster.
It is interesting to note that Harvard plays UConn tonight on ESPN around 7 PM, I believe. To provide complete disclosure here, my wife is an UConn grad. and my older brother is a multi-degree Harvard grad.  Should never have opened the can of worms about the Harvard vs. MIT game that started Hugenerd to post on the NESCAC board.....though he is most welcome to continue.
I will be watching the Amherst vs. Babson game.

[ECSUalum]

Connecticut 67 Harvard 53

[Hugenerd]

MIT had a relatively comfortable win against Salem State this evening, leading by double-figures the final 28 minutes of the game, a lead which got to as high as 28 points, with the final margin of 78-66.  For the second game in a row, MIT was led by Jamie Karraker, who had 28 points behind 7-16 shooting from 3.  Noel Hollingsworth had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 steals. Will Tashman had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, in addition to 6 assists. Mitch Kates was key in guiding the offense, as usual, with 8 assists to go along with 14 points and 6 boards.

MIT improves to 10-0 and will travel to Tufts this Saturday for their second-to-last game of the non-conference slate.

Not a good night for the rest of the NEWMAC, unfortunately.

[mass_d3fan]

Very poor showing for WPI at RIC tonight.  Akinrola dominated Carr inside and RIC's defense harassed Coppola into a 4 for 16 evening.  Lone bright spots for the Engineers were David Brown who led them with 13 pts, Domenick Mastascusa had 9 and Chad LaBove played very well inside in relief of Carr.

RIC held the engineers to 34% from the field. RIC will certainly be up in the Top 25 next week.  Not sure how far WPI will fall.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The Cave strikes again.  I've never been in a gym with a better home court advantage.  The place was so dark, even in the middle of the afternoon.  It's also got strange dimensions (the space itself, not the court).

It obviously doesn't explain everything, but it is a distinct advantage for RIC and they definitely feed off it as a team.

[toooldtoplay]

Salem State ran into a buzz saw in MIT. That is the best first half of basketball they have played in the last few years. I thought Salem State played great and still was down 15 at the half. They hit their shots, pressured the ball and battled hard. MIT was just executing like a machine. It is the first game the starters were asked to play hard minutes (all played 35+) and it showed middle of the second half with a defensive letdown and some sloppy play.

Next up is very good Tufts team on Saturday with a different style. They also beat Salem State by 12. Great matchup.

[Hugenerd]

MIT pulls it out. Wasnt pretty, and MIT shot poorly and Tashman was in foul trouble, but Hollingsworth showed why he is an AA and Mitch Kates also showed why he is the leader of the team.