MBB: NESCAC

[amh63]

Seems that the Wes. Cardinals schedule is provided on their website.  Most of last year's roster should be returning.

[nescac1]

Williams' schedule is posted.  Not one of the tougher schedules the Ephs have played, outside, of course, of the NESCAC games and the non-conference Amherst and Wesleyan games.  Most interesting games are likely to be the out-of-region games vs. Stevens (a typically strong team from a typically solid league, I believe) and Luther (a midwest team I know little about), plus whoever they end up facing in title games of two tournaments (not clear who those teams might be).  The schedule has a lot of regional games vs. weak teams that are more typically seen on the Amherst/Midd schedules: Southern Vermont (x2), MCLA, Castleton, Curry, Lyndon State.  Springfield is really the only tough non-NESCAC regional game on the schedule:

http://athletics.williams.edu/sports/mbkb/2012-13/schedule

[madzillagd]

A couple gap fillers for you: 

Tip Off Classic -  Salem St. & Coast Guard are the other 2 teams

CLU Tourney - Northland

Just going off of last year's records they are most likely to face Salem St & CLU in the winner's bracket of those tourneys.

[toad22]

For some reason this was a very difficult year for scheduling at Williams. I understand that the Ephs were three games short of filling out their 24 games well into the spring. They were lucky to get to 24 games. 

[nescac1]

Thanks for the info Toad / Madzilla.  Yeah, I can't imagine the Ephs were psyched to play Southern Vermont twice.  They often play a game vs. RPI, another local rival, but that did not work out I guess, and also often play Keene State and/or WPI.  Salem State is a traditionally solid team so they should present a good test in the tip-off classic.  Don't know anything about CLU. 

Do folks have thoughts on who are expected to be the top New England teams this year?  MIT should be the overwhelming regional favorite, returning everyone of note from a Final Four team, plus adding a strong recruiting class.  Very experienced team led by mostly seniors, including several fifth-year seniors.  Then there is the NESCAC group of Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and maybe even Tufts.  Outside of that group though, I can't think of any obvious contenders. 

Typically, the LEC has a contender, but no one stands out from that confernece heading into the year.  RIC is usually strong, but they lose their top two players and don't return anyone who averaged more than 10 ppg, nor a single guy over 6'5.  Still, they frequently reload with transfers, etc., so you figure they will still be tough.  Western Conn loses its all-American, 30 ppg scorer, so unless there is some serious Ewing theory at work there, hard to see them improving.  Keene returns a lot of talent but seems to perpetually underachieve.  Eastern Conn had a great year last year but loses its star plus two other key players, so they should be a bit down. 

In terms of the other usual regional suspects, WPI loses its star big guy plus two of its three top perimeter guys.  WPI always is tough, but hard to see them as a serious contender given that.  Brandeis is coming off a down year and also loses two key players, including the leaders in ppg and assists.  Albertus Magnus will once again post a gaudy win-loss record vs. a very soft schedule, but especially after losing its do-everything all-American Askew, hard to see them as a serious contender.  Salem State also graduates a tremendous senior class.  Becker's had a nice run, but graduates both of its stars.  So basically, barring an big influx of talent somewhere like RIC, it appears that the overwhelming pre-season favorites in New England will be MIT and the top half of NESCAC ...

[amh63]

nescac1.....Wow, thanks for the early rundown of NE strong teams.   I agree that in some of the conferences that have public colleges, there are some teams in flux, so to speak, due to transfers and season dropouts.  Even Williams has a transfer coming in that is a surprise.  On the question of schedules, it is also strange to see Amherst's schedule with "TBD" on it....in the early tip-off tournament.
Did notice that there is no between semester traveling this year.  Usually the MBB team goes South for awhile.  Also, I see that the game times for many of the back to back weekend conference games start early.  Seems the WBB games follow the men's games this year.  This makes it harder for me to watch some games live this season. 

[Old Guy]

Ryan Sharry news:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2012/09/29/braintree-ryan-sharry-makes-pro-basketball-debut-luxembourg/IR8PhtywwYHNgGjE4PXupJ/story.html

[amh63]

The start of practice is a little more than a month away!  For other Div. 3 schools, a little earlier and for the Div. 1 schools....almost around the corner it seems.....based on more and more stories in the newsprint.  In this "quiet" period before rosters are posted, etc. I thought to raise a BB discussion topic for the posters on this board...all wiser and more knowledgeable than me.  I have been put dowm by Coach Hixon a number of times.
Anyway.....today in the Wash. Post, there was a local story about a HS player being recruited by the "new" HBC at GWU in D.C.  The coach, Mike Lonergan was the former coach at the U. of VT.  Before that he had won a National Div3 championship at Catholic U., his school, and had a brief stint as an assistant at Maryland. He is a local boy.
The guard is expected to play on a young and talented team next year.  One of the reason the player made his commitment was that Coach Lonergan likes to play three guards.
The topic for discussion here is.....does a Coach recruit talent to play a preferred style or does a Coach plays the style based on the talent he/she has on hand? 
Last season there was some discussion about the conference being a guard dominated one...considering the talent on hand.  There were many who thought to be a top team, one had to have a big man and a top guard and maybe three key players.  I remember that  near the end of the season, Amherst would have three guards on the floor..two pgs....Toomey and Kalema and one SG.  Based on size, not talent, Midd. seemed to have 3 guards on the floor against Amherst.  Same for Wes. and even Williams.  I do not know about Conn. or Trinity, two teams composed of guards and small forwards.  Tufts and Bowdoin both had starting teams with just 2 guards and several big front line players.  I always picture Bates with a strong guard offense.
What is the preferred style of play for the "CAC" coaches....for the schools that you follow, watch and root for. 

[nescac1]

Amh63, I think it comes down to the fact that if players are forward-sized (at least 6'4, ideally at least 6'5) and highly skilled and athletic basketball players, they are far less likely to slip through the cracks of higher-level recruiting than smaller, talented players.  Thus, a D-3 coach is more likely to have an extra 6'2 guy who can really play than an extra 6'5 guy who can really play on the roster.  If any of the schools you mentioned could have a prototypical 6'5-6'6 ball-handling and shooting wing to play at the three, I doubt they would hesitate to use that line-up.  But if it's a choice between a 6'5 interior player and a 6'2 guard who can drive and shoot, that is a very different story, and the trend across all basketball levels is to maximize the number of guys on your roster who can drive and shoot it. 

[madzillagd]

I think most coaches are recruiting for their system and make exceptions when it makes sense to them.  Given the choice, I think at the D3 level a coach is more likely to make a sacrifice in athletic ability for example if the kid is the right size/skills for his system.  In terms of playing styles, I don't think you want to make any drastic changes to your system for individual players but there's going to be subtle tweaks along the way.  Emphasizing a pick & roll versus a pick & pop based on whether the screener can shoot, etc.  Those are just the nuances of the game that good players understand and coaches have to allow for that type of freedom within their system.  I think long-term, you are going to have a much easier time maintaining a system that emphasizes guard play than the traditional 2 bigs.  It's going to be much easier to find wings and guards than it is to find great big men and because that type of system tends to be faster-paced with more shots, more kids want to play in it. 

This reminds me of my own high school experience back in the day.  My junior year we had a HC and an Assistant HC - basically the guy destined to take over the program when the HC retired in a few more years.   We ran a full court jump switch the entire game no matter what the score or game situation.  It was intense and it worked.  The school had only been doing it for a few years so it wasn't at the point where the Frosh & JV ran it yet.  Between my JR & SR year, the two coaches had a falling out because the Assistant wanted to stay with the system and start having all the teams run it and the HC wanted to switch back to his old set plays because of the personnel (only 3 seniors so system would be new to the other 10 players).  Assistant left and landed the HC job at another school a few years later.  The end result - we played .500 that year and missed the playoffs by game - I'm sure we would have made it in the system.  The Assistant, he installed his system at a school about 10 miles away and has since won 2 CA State Championships.  Amazing when you consider he's coaching at a public school and can't recruit players.  Needless to say I'm a big believer in having a system and sticking too it.

[ECSUalum]

Thanks for the info Toad / Madzilla.  Yeah, I can't imagine the Ephs were psyched to play Southern Vermont twice.  They often play a game vs. RPI, another local rival, but that did not work out I guess, and also often play Keene State and/or WPI.  Salem State is a traditionally solid team so they should present a good test in the tip-off classic.  Don't know anything about CLU. 

Do folks have thoughts on who are expected to be the top New England teams this year?  MIT should be the overwhelming regional favorite, returning everyone of note from a Final Four team, plus adding a strong recruiting class.  Very experienced team led by mostly seniors, including several fifth-year seniors.  Then there is the NESCAC group of Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and maybe even Tufts.  Outside of that group though, I can't think of any obvious contenders. 

Typically, the LEC has a contender, but no one stands out from that confernece heading into the year.  RIC is usually strong, but they lose their top two players and don't return anyone who averaged more than 10 ppg, nor a single guy over 6'5.  Still, they frequently reload with transfers, etc., so you figure they will still be tough.  Western Conn loses its all-American, 30 ppg scorer, so unless there is some serious Ewing theory at work there, hard to see them improving.  Keene returns a lot of talent but seems to perpetually underachieve.  Eastern Conn had a great year last year but loses its star plus two other key players, so they should be a bit down. 

In terms of the other usual regional suspects, WPI loses its star big guy plus two of its three top perimeter guys.  WPI always is tough, but hard to see them as a serious contender given that.  Brandeis is coming off a down year and also loses two key players, including the leaders in ppg and assists.  Albertus Magnus will once again post a gaudy win-loss record vs. a very soft schedule, but especially after losing its do-everything all-American Askew, hard to see them as a serious contender.  Salem State also graduates a tremendous senior class.  Becker's had a nice run, but graduates both of its stars.  So basically, barring an big influx of talent somewhere like RIC, it appears that the overwhelming pre-season favorites in New England will be MIT and the top half of NESCAC ...

nescac1,
Nice summary with your thoughts on the projections for the top teams in the 2012/13 basketball season, and I would tend to agree with you.
It seems the "CAC" tends to have a better view of thier teams recruiting success, more or less like a scholarship D-I school, than the rest of the New England based conference schools.  In other words, at least in the LEC, not very much is known, pre-season, with respect to the success the schools have had with their recruiting classes. Occasionally we hear via these threads if RIC. WConn, etc is getting a top flight transfer or a highly rated freshman big man, however, Nescac schools seem to track their upcoming classes much better on thier web sites, in general, and on this nescac thread in particular. The posters here do a great job informing of committments and transfers.

I think the lack of info on transfers and freshman coming into the LEC schools, for example, makes it a little more difficult to do predictions, however I do think Keene will redeem themselves this year as being under achievers, as I believe Ryan Martin, (a U of Maine transfer a couple of years ago), is going to shine together with DiMasco and Fazio.  I also think 6'-8" center Montel Walcott will mature into a very good player. With respect to RIC, Coach Walsh  is a master at recruiting and while we have not heard too much about who he is getting next year, based on his track record, he will be competitive. Coach Campbell (519-218), i think will also surprise.  I imagine 7express will elaborate more on WCSU.
I am hoping Coach Geitner, based on his sucessfull season last year, will have recruited some excellent players, however, as you stated, losing Nedwick, and Kohn will make his effort to back-fill  a bit more difficult.

Having said all this, I predict MIT, Middlebury, Williams, and Wesleyan will again be fighting in the Sweet 16/Elite 8, and certainly will have a great chance for a national championship.

Another exciting D-III basketball season awaits all of us!! Can't wait

[madzillagd]

More Robinson...

http://www.nhnotebook.com/2012/10/robinson-commits-to-williams.html#more

[P'bearfan]

FYI....Bowdoin has just released their schedule for this year:

http://athletics.bowdoin.edu/sports/mbkb/2012-13/schedule

[madzillagd]

Colby is going to be introducing their freshman one per day.  Here's the first, Chris Hudnut

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colby-College-Mens-Basketball/176002552474960

The text...

Chris Hudnut, 6'8" 255lbs, originally from Landon, MD comes to Colby College after spending a post-graduate year at Lawrenceville Prep in New Jersey.

Head Coach Damien Strahorn said of Hudnut, "I think Chris should have a chance to be an
impact player early on in his first year. He has a really good combination of size and skill. The PG year gave him additional time to continue to get stronger and develop his game." He continued, "He has good footwork around the basket, but can also step out and stretch the defense. Defensively he will give us a big body to protect the paint and help us correct our rebounding deficiencies."

[Colby Hoops]

Was just going to post the same link. Madzilla beat me to it. Going to be a lot of playing time available for freshman at Colby, so will be interesting to check these out.