MBB: NESCAC

[amh63]

Pick and Roll.....if it wasn't for watching many live Stats recently, I would not know what you are talking about.  There are a number of Live Stats feeds being used today that actually show the efficiency ratings of the players as the game progresses.....at least the "feature" ones.
First, is there one official "efficiency" rating for BB to be used.  Guess, I could look it up somewhere.
Frank U....to answer your ?....yes.....at least for Amherst and Williams and maybe for most of the "CAC" schools.
In today's alarming trend of rising higher education costs, an college education, both at public and private colleges/universities, is subsidized.  The cost of educating an Amherst student today easily exceed 80K/year.  That 30% plus difference over the cost of tuition/room/board and travel is provided by Amherst's endowment.....even to non scholarship students.  This has been true for at least the past 50 years that I am aware of.

[Gabriel]

The Ursinus Bears have played two top 10 teams already this year in #3 Middlebury and #8 F&M----losing by 5 points to each in closely contested games.  In our opinion, the two teams are evenly matched with a slight edge to F&M.  F&M is better defensively and has better post players.  Middlebury has better shooters on the perimeter.   Both are good and the game would be a good one if they ever meet.  Not likely to happen any year until playoff time as F&M does not like to leave their home court nor play tough non conference teams.

[fanfromct]

Efficiency Rating is Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks -Turnovers - Missed FG's - Missed FT's.
For perspective, Ryan Sharry averaged 26 "value points" per game last year which was 0.86 per minute played. Will Hanley also had 26 per game, and 0.79 per minute played. Next among the players getting major minutes was Mayer (17/0.84 per min),  Toomey (17/0.56 per min), Orchowski (16/0.65), Workman (16/0.52),  Sullivan (16/0.52), Sha Brown (16/0.51).
In his senior year, Troy Whittington had 26 per game and 1.08 per minute played.

In European ball, they also add Fouls received, and subtract Fouls committed and Blocks received, with the theory that if blocking a shot is a good thing, then getting your shot blocked must be an equally bad thing. Same with fouls.

[frank uible]

Numerology?

[fanfromct]

Some people have too much time on their hands.

[pick and roll]

Nice job - fan - did you calculate the PER or is it listed somewhere?  I guess early in the year those numbers are impacted by the quality of your opponent - if you are playing some early season cupcakes the numbers are inflated.  Better wait to see what guys do in conference play.

[pick and roll]

Nescac1 - do you know where/if Whittington is playing this year?

[amh63]

Amherst wins at Emmanuel...84-58 tonight.  It was only by 8 at the half.  Six players for Amherst scored in double figures including all five starters.   Kalema  was the high scorer for Amherst.  Amherst dominated the boards against the much smaller Emmanuel players and had more blocks and steals.  Aaron T. missed a foul shot but made up for it with 6 boards.  Big Pete K. had six boards as did Workman.  Allen Williamson was back and started.  Noted missing on the floor was Logan B. and T. Killian.  The last few minutes had all reserves in.  Still not shooting well from outside and still too many turnovers.  Announcer noticed that Aaron had a wrap on his shooting hand....near his thumb?

[JustAFan]

Williams gets a tough win against  tough, mature and gritty Curry College team in yet another exhibit that there are a lot of talented teams outside of the NESCAC this year. The Ephs had to shoot lights out to earn the win (45% from behind the arc and 55% overall) and needed big offensive games from Epley, Klemm and Mayer to pull it out.  With the exception Weinheimer, not many minutes or contributions from the Williams bench. Senior Sedale Jones led Curry with 34 points.  Jones is a legit D1 ballplayer who broke Travis Best's Western Mass scoring records in 2006 when he was at Pittsfield HS, and from there he journeyed to Notre Dame Prep, then a year of D1 ball at UMass before landing at Curry.

Curry falls to a deceptive 3-4, with losses coming to Amherst (another 117-96 track meet at Amherst vs. the 97-93 comparative score vs. Williams), WPI (Curry lost by 7 on the road) and MIT (a 8 point loss in Cambridge) in addition to the Ephs.  They host Wesleyan on Saturday to complete their early season tour of the  Little 3.  Like Stevens, I expect to see Curry again come tournament time.  The Ephs took some criticism for their early season schedule but this was a tough, challenging game and, along with the Stevens game, a good tune-up for league play.

[7express]

Emmanuel and under.

Damn, 1.5 points away.  Another 1-2.

[walzy31]

12/4/12 Spread - 6pm Tip

Amherst -24.5 @ Emmanuel
OU: 154.5

Amherst 84 @ Emmanuel 58 (Amherst Covers +1.5)
OU: 154.5 (Under +12.5)

[walzy31]

Emmanuel and under.

Damn, 1.5 points away.  Another 1-2.

You're earning comps with the action though which is a decent trade off for essentially breaking even. Thanks for the action!

[amh63]

Several things that I noticed last night about the Amherst team that brought smiles to me.  First, Big Pete running the floor and finishing his run with an one hand dunk.  Williamson also gets a dunk off a loose ball and Conner Green also finishing his drive with an one hand flush...is that the correct word?.  There were more feeds into the lane to the big men and fewer need for outside shots...working on the inside game when the opportunities arose.
Near the end of the game, the FY center from SC entered the game....all 6'9" and growing? of him.  He ran the floor well.  He took an outside shot that missed......but when he went inside to battle for the ball and made a shot, the Amherst bench rose and cheered him.
A good sign in MHO that the team is becoming a team.  Last year, when Amherst fought to win close conference games, the bench players all cheered and rose in support of their teammates efforts.
Today in the local paper, there were two MBB articles....on the U Maryland team and the other on the Georgetown Hoyas.....two teams that are doing well in this young season.  The writers of the articles pointed out that the successes of the teams were strongly due to their improved defensive efforts.  In fact, the FY/younger players know that they do not get floor time without showing they can play team defense.
There will always be tough games ahead....against teams with quick and talented players.  Games where the offense is off, etc.  As pointed out in the articles....defensive effort will be needed as well as knowing that every possession is important in low scoring games.....defense gets a team into the post-season.  I know I am "preaching" to the choir here a bit....but had to let it out.

[Ashley Parker Angel]

Good to see Wesleyan come away with a solid W tonight at previously undefeated Westfield State (who has most recently defeated Springfield and Elms, both handily). It looks like the Birds are getting back to top form with Shasha looking healthy (23, 5, and 3) and big Glen Thomas back in the lineup (10 reebs). Some of the younger guys have undoubtedly gained a lot from extra gametime experience during Sha/Glen's physical setbacks – 11 points for Avery Robinson and another double double for freshman Rashid Epps (10 and 10 on 4-5 shooting). One more game this week (Curry) as the Cards look to head into break on a high note.

[nescac1]

Good to see Wesleyan healthy and hopefully playing to their potential.  Glad Avery Robinson is playing well ... increases, perhaps, the odds that his somewhat famous uncle shows up for a game?? And Epps with his crazy rebound rate is making a big to be the Dennis Rodman of NESCAC.

Williams absolutely dominated an overmatched Castleton State team tonight.  Castleton frankly played very little defense, but good to see the Ephs in rhythm.  Also nice to see some strong contributions from the bench.  Having their best games in an Eph uniform were:

(1) Matt McCreary ... an excellent, excellent all around games, 8 pts, 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals (both of the picking the pocket variety), he played great on both ends
(2) Ed Flynn ... the big guy finally got into a rhythm offensively, hitting three shots on nice finishes inside
(3) Luke Thoreson ... looked like a player.  Congrats on his first points as an Eph.  Had several very slick looking blow-bys to the basket, showed frosh jitters missing one lay-in but then hit a second before knocking down a three.  Also handled the ball confidently and displayed savvy passing. 
(4) Adam Harrell ... five points on a three and a very pretty finish inside

Ryan Kilcullen also played well, including two athletic blocks, and John Weinheimer (who along with Daniel Wohl gets my vote as most improved Eph), who scored with ease, hitting 5-5 from the field, including a great one-handed slam off a pass from Mayer.  Sean Hoffmann also had a monster dunk against the undersized Castleton squad.

I noticed that the Ephs didn't put any rebounders in for foul shots.  Is that only to conserve energy during a back-to-back game against a pressing team, or is this something they plan to do regularly?  Very odd. 

Finally, congrats to Coach Maker on his 100th win as Eph.  Pretty darn impressive considering it's just the start of his fifth season at the helm.