MBB: NEWMAC

[WPI89]

WPI game is at Assumption?  Anybody know why?

[FanJacket]

It looks like the Mass state championships are scheduled @ WPI during the week and weekend.

[WPI89]

Thanks - that's what I figured but couldn't find it anywhere.  Kind of sucks - WPI 15-0 at Harrington this year!

[Pat Coleman]

There's a robotics competition being held at WPI this weekend, which is why they didn't file to host on campus.

[nescac1]

Displaced in favor of a robotics competition?  That is truly awesome ... one for the only in D-3 files ...

[Pat Coleman]

Yeah, no doubt.

I suspect if they had known the NCAA format was going to change, they might not have thrown their names in to host this. Since it would have conflicted with a sectional they would have been unlikely to host, I'm sure the facility seemed available.

[mass_d3fan]

As far as not being able to play in Harrington, I suppose that is not surprising since I do not know of anyone who thought WPI would be in this position back in November or even earlier when WPI probably need to decide about hosting the robotics competetion.


WPI89

As far as packing people into Harrington goes, it appears the high school kids do  better job of it than the Engineers - This story from the Telegram on the high school tournaments :

http://www.telegram.com/article/20130304/NEWS/103049839/1009/SPORTS

It says that the crowd was 2,880.  This game was won on a buzzer beater 3ptr by Ken Harrington, possibly WPI's Matt Harrington's younger brother or cousin.

I think it might be time to put that fun label of "Team of Destiny" on this year's Engineers.  Not sure if that means a ride to Salem, VA, but these guys just find a way to win games.  I wasn't there as other commitments had me watching the Babson women over the weekend, but from the box score it is obvious that Coppola, Longwell & Kolb shot the ball extremely well.  Obviously Purchase did not handle the ball well as they got crushed 25 to 9 on pts off turnovers.  WPI89 can probably chime in on the defensive effort inside from Wesoloski & crew. 

The Babson women really struggled with Tufts on Saturday, so now WPI is the only NEWMAC basketball team still playing. 

[rlk]

Hopefully WPI makes it at least to Salem -- it would be great to see Engineers again in the top ranks of the tournament, even if they're the wrong Engineers :-)

If they do, I strongly encourage every WPI alum or other fan to pony up for the trip.  It was a tremendous experience last year, even if we did get knocked out by Whitewater, and you never know when or if there will ever be an opportunity to see your team on such a big stage.

[WPI89]

Wow - my roommate senior year was part of a team that built a solar powered car that won some 2000 mile race across Australia and I know the robot thing has grown in popularity......but it is kind of a shame.

Oh well - most students are not back next Saturday anyway and the crowd last Saturday was pedestrian (let me say - those students that were there, were enthusiastic - just not many of them there).

RLK - we would have to get by this weekend and then likely at Amherst to get to Salem.  Was just talking this morning about going up to Amherst if we are there - not sure yet about Salem.

MASSD3 - Looked like an amazing atmosphere for the HS game - can't believe Harrington fits that many.  We used to be filled like that - once a year for the Clark game in the 80's. 

I will say that the Purchase bigs did not exactly "go after it" for 40 minutes, although both are better than adequate offensive players and #44 was as good an offensive post player as we will see.  Kolb, Mastascusa, Wesolowski, and even Karalis did enough pushing around, boxing out , and utilizing fouls in good situations to neutralize for the most part.  Many of Purchase's offensive rebounds were in sequence (ie - miss, rebound, miss, rebound......I swear they had one possession with 5 offensive rebounds and still did not score) - so not as damaging as a miss and a put back all night long.

Pat - one more win and maybe a theme article next week about being shoved out of 15-0 Harrington for a robotics competition! (you are going to have to fill space for 6 days)?

[WPI89]

PS - I didn't mean "even Karalis" like that was a surprise - just that he was giving up 5" and 8" respectively!

[BBallers]

Hopefully WPI makes it at least to Salem -- it would be great to see Engineers again in the top ranks of the tournament, even if they're the wrong Engineers :-)

If they do, I strongly encourage every WPI alum or other fan to pony up for the trip.  It was a tremendous experience last year, even if we did get knocked out by Whitewater, and you never know when or if there will ever be an opportunity to see your team on such a big stage.

Agree about wrong Engineers  but best of luck to WPI.  Keep winning and make NEWMAC proud!  I know Randolph-Macon has a good history, but I believe WPI will handle the nationally unranked (by D3 Hoops) team that was the ninth seeded team from the South Region and who has 9 losses.  From what I have seen of WPI (2 games), they have a lot of scoring options and play good defense with good chemistry.  I hope their consistent play continues and I also hope their student fans are as active as they are at home games because it provides a great atmosphere and helps motivate the team.  The St. Mary's team had similar vociferous fans.  Best of luck and please post about the game.  Not looking ahead, but the potential game against Amherst will be one for the ages.

[rlk]

Agree about wrong Engineers  but best of luck to WPI.  Keep winning and make NEWMAC proud!  I know Randolph-Macon has a good history, but I believe WPI will handle the nationally unranked (by D3 Hoops) team that was the ninth seeded team from the South Region and who has 9 losses.  From what I have seen of WPI (2 games), they have a lot of scoring options and play good defense with good chemistry.  I hope their consistent play continues and I also hope their student fans are as active as they are at home games because it provides a great atmosphere and helps motivate the team.  The St. Mary's team had similar vociferous fans.  Best of luck and please post about the game.  Not looking ahead, but the potential game against Amherst will be one for the ages.

They are, they are, they are, they are, the wrong Engineers
They can't, they can't, they can't, they can't demolish 40 beers
So stay, so stay, so stay, so stay at home along with them
For we don't give a d**n if any old man don't give a d**n about them!

Seriously, good luck to WPI at Randolph-Macon!  Somebody has to cut those NESCAC lads down to size and show the rest of hoopdom that we mean business.

[amh63]

Rik.......nice energy!   Where does the the cheer/song originate?

[rlk]

Rik.......nice energy!   Where does the the cheer/song originate?

The Engineers' Drinking Song was first sung at MIT, but many engineering schools (and combat engineer units) have also adopted it.  That's just the refrain...many of the verses are not family-friendly.  MIT and (I think) WPI sing it to The Son of a Gambolier; most everyone else seems to use the Battle Hymn of the Republic as the melody.

Somehow, year after year WPI seems to be the one team that gives us fits on the court.  Even last year, they were the only team that beat us during the regular season (and in the Cage, to boot).  For once, I'm going to be rooting for WPI to give other people fits.

It's a bit of a tradition, by the way, to come up with new verses for particular reasons.  I came up with some basketball-oriented ones, but they never seem to have taken root.

[WPI89]

We had always called it Godiva's hymn.  There are hundreds of verses, many written, many sang one night and long forgotten.

In my day most of the verses were about doing bad things to guys from Clark (Clarkies)........................