MBB: NESCAC

[old_hooper]

Amherst falls to Springfield 70-64.  To many TO and to many lay ups for Springfield.  Defense will have to play better if this team wants to be in the thick of things at the end of year.  Followed live stats but looks like A Toomey missed a number of shots in the last couple minutes.  Have to question why big Pete does not get more shots.

[amh63]

Amherst LOSES to Springfield at Westfield State tonight.  Springfield out played Amherst to the end in a 70-64 win.  It was Springfield with a 5-point lead in the half......as Amherst was flat...made too many turnovers and allowed Springfield to dominate the backboards.
Springfield moved to a 19 point lead in the second half with about 13 minutes to go.  Springfield got more defensive boards than Amherst got in total.....therefore took more shots.  Amherst fought back to finally bring down the lead to five....and the game went back and forth until Amherst cut the lead to three with less than a minute to go. With 30 seconds to go and down three, Amh. took a time out.  Amherst Aaron T. drove and Willy W. took a three.....etc. but the shots did not go in.  Amherst continued to foul to get another chance.  Two foul shots with 4 second to go gave Springfield the win.  A comeback was not to be as the "hole was too deep" and Springfield was too good this night.   Hope Amherst learned something tonight....about not relying on the outside shots to win games for one.  Amherst is not ready to play back to back games it seems at this time of the season against tough opponents.
Anyway, Toomey, Workman and Kalema were the only players to reach double figures.....Kalema led with 22 points and shot well from outside.  Willy W. had another double-double with 12 points and 13 boards.  Toomey scored 14 points and was still perfect on the foul lane....going 5-5.
Allen Williamson still missing from the line-up....but Logan B. returned to the floor for a short period.

[frank uible]

The late Benny Friedman was more than a charater. He was Brandeis' last football coach, is a member of the Pro Football HOF and was arguably the first great forward passer.

[pick and roll]

Tough night for Nescac - surprising that both Williams and Amherst were beaten on the boards by Stevens and Springfield - expect a little more out of their big men. 

[madzillagd]

Williams lays a second half egg and loses 75-69 to Stevens.  Not really in a position to tell you what happened because the video feed cut out from the time the Ephs had a 10 point halftime lead 40-30 and didn't pick up until about 10 mins left and the game was tied.  Wohl was out for Williams which definitely had an impact with Stevens posting up Klemm underneath to start as well as an impact on the boards.  While Williams shot pretty well from 3 in the first half, the threw up brick after brick in the 2nd half and similar to Amh63 said about Kaasila, Williams should have fed the ball to Mayer repeatedly and they didn't.  Robertson had 9 assists but never really looked comfortable this game ending up with 5 turnovers. 

[toad22]

Stevens' intensity level was very high. Williams had a very hard time matching that level in the second half. Though the Ephs certainly missed Wohl, they can't put the blame on that for the loss. Maybe Stevens wanted the win more than Williams did, I don't know. In addition, Williams went completely cold for most of the second half. It was very difficult getting Mayer the ball in H2. They were double teaming for much of the time. Too many turnovers, and too many missed opportunities. With all that, there was still a good chance of pulling it out until about 15 seconds to go in the game. This should be a good learning opportunity. I like our team very much. I expect Williams to compete very hard for the NESCAC championship, and to participate in the NCAAs. I'm nearly certain that Stevens is an NCAA bound team. I really liked their effort. 

[quicksilver]

Rumors of Tufts to the UAA still circulating at the Mo. Tournament venue this weekend...don't shoot the messenger on the logistics of the move but talk of it just doesnt go away. Are they convinced that a cure for the 23 game football losing streak can be corrected more easily in the UAA where they would have more latitude to impose needed measures improve their Football program? Also the desire to compete in a venue with larger universities with advanced cirriculum and masters programs is still rumored to be their destination.
The 2 sports that don't fit this scheme are Lacrosse and Hockey....There are a number of New England Hockey Conferences that would welcome the Jumbos but not sure where they may find a Lacrosse home.

There are 3 possible hockey conferences for Tufts: ECAC West, ECAC Northeast, and ECAC East. The ECAC West would welcome Tufts but travel would be hard on Tufts -- it's currently a 5-team conference, with one team in suburban Phillie (Neumann), 3 in upstate NY (Hobart, Elmira, and Nazereth), and one in Westchester NY (Manhattanville), and, because of its small size, does not qualify for an AQ spot in the NCAAs. The ECAC East is a 10-team conference and might take on Tufts as the 11th member since the ECAC East and the NESCAC played an interlocking schedule until last year and there is some familiarity. But an 11-member conference with a home-and-home schedule is pushing it with the NCAA's 25-game cap on games. Its current members are Norwich, Babson, Castleton, Skidmore, New England College, University of New England, St Mike's, St. Anselm, UMass-Boston, and University of Southern Maine. Hardly a group of peer institutions but there is some history and travel would be easy. The third conference would be the 8-team ECAC Northeast, currently consisting of Curry, Wentworth Institute of Tech, Johnson and Wales, Nichols, Becker, Salve Regina, Western New England College, and Suffolk. Tufts actually used to be a member of this conference (it joined the NESCAC late in hockey, not playing a conference schedule until about 2001) and all the teams are located within a short drive of Boston. The ECAC Northeast would be a logical fit for Tufts but it would involve a definite downgrade of the Tufts hockey program (which may be ok for Tufts since it does not have an on-campus ice rink and therefore is less invested in its hockey program than the other 9 NESCACs with hockey programs, all of which have on-campus rinks, several of which are high-end facilities).

[pick and roll]

Posters on NEWMAC boards are puffing out their chests after beating Amherst and Wesleyan yesterday.  If MIT had not lost two of their top players they probably could make the stronger conference argument - not ready to concede that yet this early in the year.  Still really surprised about Amherst loss - would think Midd has moved up to top seed.

[Bucket]

What in the world is going on with Wesleyan? I know it's only December 3, but I'm stunned at how they have started the season--now 4-3 and getting handled by a mediocre (at best) Babson team. To put this loss into context, Babson squeaked past Colby (by 6), a team expected to go winless in the NESCAC this year, and got crushed by Tufts (by 25).

Any Wes posters able to offer insight on this horrendous start by the Cardinals?

[pick and roll]

Watched the Williams v Wesleyan game earlier this year and the Cardinals were the much smaller team - the guards weren't hitting from the outside and Callaghan had an off night - I think they miss Thomas who was a banger.

[amh63]

Madz.....give the credit to Old_Hopper.  I also had trouble with the Williams video and stats feed....thought it was because I am an Amherst follower.
The write-up by the Springfield SID, I believe, is posted on the Amherst's website.  The write-up did point out clearly, Amherst's generous give aways of the ball/possessions to Springfield via steals and rebounds.  Amherst had 7 steals but Springfield had 12!....and being out rebounded for the first time this season led to 15 points in the first half.
Amherst has not developed, IMO, a consistent inside offensive game at present.  It is interesting that both Williams and Amherst lost to teams that have front lines that on paper can not match up to them.  To date, Amherst seems to have trouble with teams having quick players and play a physical game.....teams like Wes.  There will be a number of weekends down the line that Amherst will have to deal with good teams in back-to-back games.  Oh yes, Springfield's best player last night had 20 points and 9 boards and is listed at 5'10". I read somewhere that to rebound well one has to have the desire.  Last night, the Springfield players wanted the ball more and played like it for the WHOLE game......My Sunday morning take of a game..as followed on a SLOW live stats feed.

Amherst area is covered with a heavy fog!..shroud-like...like in a old London Jack the Ripper movie in the coal fire days.  Amherst must be in morning for the duel lost of the MBB team and the men's hockey game to Trinity.

[jayhawk]

As far as Amherst, the tincture of time is needed. I think that this will be true of some other teams such as Tufts.  One first needs to realize that Amherst basically lost 3 starters,, their best shooter, an athletic forward, and a center who was fundamentally sound. My guess although I don't know is that Allen Williamson got hurt two games playing only a few minutes and has not played in two games since including against Springfield.. Allen is experienced and has a good offensive middle game and in close which was what was lacking last night and his athleticism is helpful on defense and boards. Last night, B Toomey, Workman, and Killian had off shooting nights - shooting somewhere around 30%. Kaasila had a solid rebounding night. It is possible that Peter Kaasila may score more in the future- he is a solid offensive threat but not a professional "scorer". So Amherst is a work in process and will be a better team as time goes on. Hopefully Allen Willliamson be able to return and there are other people on Amherst bench that will contribute and provide useful speed on offense and defense. Finally props to the development of David Kalema as he continues to grow and contribute.  Looking forward to all Nescac teams quality of play growing with time this season

[amh63]

Thanks Jayhawk!....I needed that.  Agreed and plus +K to you.

[grabtherim]

Midd down 1 at half to Johnson & Wales in Providence.  No Wolfin.  He is in street clothes on the bench. 

[Old Guy]

Middlebury down one, 40-39, at the half vs Johnson and Wales in RI. The Panthers had a ten point lead at one point. J&W quick and athletic. They have losses against Roanoke and Lynchburg but scored 86 and 90 in those losses. Kizel at the point. Eleven Midd players have seen action