MBB: NESCAC

[Mr. Ypsi]

Gordanmann.....Nice!  Much better than the one in today's WSJ for the Harvard vs Yale hockey game on the 17th in NYC.  What is this with hockey fans?

In Detroit, the octopus lobby doesn't much like hockey either.   (Even though the tradition no longer makes sense; for quite a while now it has taken more than 8 wins to get the Stanley Cup.  Sometimes tradition is just traditional! )

[gordonmann]

Hey look, two funny NESCAC related things in the same day!

http://deadspin.com/mass-email-from-wesleyan-athletic-department-brings-utt-1488639094

[nescac1]

Some highlights from this season of future Eph Cole Teal ... hopefully his injury won't keep him out long.  Looks like a guy who can make some exciting plays:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JipxT0UmOb8

[NCF]

Hey look, two funny NESCAC related things in the same day!

http://deadspin.com/mass-email-from-wesleyan-athletic-department-brings-utt-1488639094

Too funny!

[Bucket]

More on Nick Tarantino, top recruit heading to Midd...

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/29071/bbns-tarantino-commits-to-middlebury?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[nescac1]

None of the NESCAC recruits to date sound like a potential Robinson/George/Sabety impact-type guy, although the two Indiana recruits for the Ephs both look like future-starter types, and Tarantino sounds like another talented big guy for Midd to add to its deep stable of tall players.  I note that Joey Kizel's little brother Ben is a senior in high school ... I wonder if he is headed Midd's way as well?  I believe he is a bit smaller than Joey, and not quite as accomplished at the high school level, so I'm not sure that he has the same type of impact potential, but the bloodlines are certainly a plus! 

Full list of NESCAC recruits to date (gleaned from here, www.d3bballrecruits.com, and newenglandrecruitingreport.com).  Primarily composed of perimeter players so far:

Amherst -- Johnny McCarthy, G/F
Bates -- Shawn Strickland, PG, Justin Zukowski, G
Colby -- Tony Karalekas, G/F, Pat Dicket, G
Conn College -- Aaron Swenson, PG
Middlebury -- Nick Tarantino, F, Jack Gale, F
Tufts -- Everett Dayton, PG
Wesleyan -- Nathan Krill, F
Williams -- Adam Kroot, G/F, Cole Teal, G

[amh63]

See the Board is starting to shake off the Holidays a little.  Been watching the No. 1 ranked UW-SP team vs. Whitman game in Las Vegas...since some posters think they are the favorites for this year's Title.  Number one is trailing for the first time at the half.  Only led by a few with 9 seconds in the 1st, after trailing the entire half.  Whitman hits a three at the.buzzer.
Nescac 1.....will not be able to go to Lexington, Va.to check out the Ephs live.  Got to check out the museums with the family members in town.  Maybe online.
Did figure out that Amherst's next game in Florida is with Div. 2 Nova Southeastern.  Not sure it will be webcasted.

[Bucket]

I wish the Ephs well in my hometown this weekend. I'm expecting that my parents—affectionately known as Mama and Papa Bucket—will be at the Warner Center (where I have logged many hours on the hardwood) to welcome Coach Maker and his team.

Nescac1: if you are at the game, take the opportunity to poke your head in the "old" gym (Doremus Gymnasium), directly across the lobby from the Warner Center. Imagine Bates' cozy confines, though without the bleachers or stage. My all-time favorite place to play pickup. Note of Trivia about Doremus: In 1956, Kentucky Senator Alben Barkley, formerly Vice President of the US under Harry Truman, was giving a speech at W&L's Mock Convention when he dropped dead of a heart attack. The only media on hand to record the national news was the college radio station and a freshman reporter, who would later be known as Papa Bucket. Dad's reporting was broadcast around the world that day.

[dahlby]

UWSP played Whitworth, not Whitman. It was a close game for the first half....but.... UWSP is a very good team.
Happy Holidays to all Wisc. posters. I have great memories of traveling thru Wisc as a child when my Dad would stop at
at your famous taverns and I would get a hamburger that to date was/is never as good!

[middhoops]

So far this season I've had a chance to watch most of the UW (Wisconsin) D3 teams play.  As nearly as I can tell: they're ALL good.  Wisconsin seems to produce a lot of smart, tough, skilled basketball players who have a knack for finding the open man.  Except Stevens Point, I don't see a team there that approaches Williams talent (when healthy), but that's a brutal schedule they play.

[amh63]

Seems that UW-SP plays Whitman today!  Confused with the names and schedule dates as usual.
Went to the UMASS game on TV and saw a barnburner game..went into OT.

[nescac1]

Good to see the Ephs pick up a solid win after the long layoff.  Williams was never really threatened although Washington was very feisty on defense and was scorching hot from deep, hitting many deep threes (including a few to close the margin a bit late).  For Williams Rooke-Ley had a huge game making aggressive plays at the rim and also hitting from deep.  He is fearless going to the rim.  Weinhemer was key as well igniting the team with exciting plays on both ends, highlighted by a great steal and breakaway dunk. Finally, Robinson had another great game with three monstrous blocks and three triples.  He continues to be very unselfish but if he starts looking more aggressively for his shot will post big numbers (translation -- shoot more !). Great to see Mayer back although he is still getting back into hoops shape clearly.  Williams did show a bit of rust with some careless turnovers, the offense was a bit choppier than it was before the break, but this is a good ball handling team and I expect they will clean that up.  The Ephs continue to need work on defending the three which in my view is the biggest weakness right now.  Sometimes they seem to lose guys on the perimeter.  Washington hit some tough shots but also had a few too many clean looks.  Should be correctable over time.  Tomorrow should be a tough road test vs a solid W&L team.

Congrats to Michael Mayer on joining Taylor Epley in the 1000 point club. 

[John Gleich]

Seems that UW-SP plays Whitman today!  Confused with the names and schedule dates as usual.
Went to the UMASS game on TV and saw a barnburner game..went into OT.

Point and Whitman decided that 40 minutes wasn't enough as well... Stevens Point pulls it out 87-77 in OT in a game that saw Trevor Hass tie the Stevens Point school record of 40... and he didn't score in the last 9:48 (including overtime). Tillema sat nearly the entire second half with 4 fouls and still managed to score 25... including 17 in the last 7:30 (including OT).

Strange ending... After Whitman jumped to a 4 point lead in OT, the teams traded buckets and Whitman was still up 4 with 2:00 left. Point got a stop, score, stop, score, and stop, and after Tillema scored on the other end (SP taking a 2 point lead), Whitman coach Eric Bridges absolutely exploded and got two quick T's. Tillema drained 3/4 Ft's and that was pretty much it when SP got another stop and score.

Before the two T's, it was a 6-0 run when they were down 4. With the T's, it was a 9-0 run.

[amh63]

JGleich...thanks for the critical recap.  Did not get around to catch the game.  Just wanted to point out a little somewhat convoluted wish of mine...having Amherst meet UW-SP meet for the Title in Salem.
The coach of the Pointers' title wins in '04, '05 is now the HBC at UW-Madison ...as you know.  Amherst's President now was quite a fan of the BB team of the Div 1 school when she was the President of the Flagship school.   Would not be surprised to have her in Salem if our schools meet.

[Pat Coleman]

The coach of the Pointers' title wins in '04, '05 is now the HBC at UW-Madison ...as you know.  Amherst's President now was quite a fan of the BB team of the Div 1 school when she was the President of the Flagship school.   Would not be surprised to have her in Salem if our schools meet.

Jack Bennett has retired, actually. It's a different former WIAC coach who is the head coach at UW-Madison: Bo Ryan, who coached UW-Platteville to four Division III national titles before leaving for UW-Milwaukee after winning the 1999 championship.