MBB: NESCAC

[jayhawk]

forgot Amherst up by 2 with something like 25 or 30 seconds left and had ball, but turned ball over.

games like this keep the players humble

Be curious to see how Nescac schedule plays out

[AmherstStudent05]

Was able to catch the whole game online.  Very tough overtime loss for the Jeffs to the D2 NSU Sharks.  As has been said, the main story of the game was the fact that Amherst committed a staggering 25 turnovers during the game.  Most of those were due to the press, but several were just careless -- including one inexplicable (but correctly called) inbounding violation.

Pressing Amherst is an interesting call.  NSU pressed the Jeffs all game and Amherst never really figured it out.  However, by pressing so much, NSU consistently lost track of Toomey and Green, the two guys you absolutely have to account for at all times if you are playing Amherst.

Other than the press/turnovers, I thought the game aptly displayed Amherst at its best and worst.  On the plus side, Toomey and Green are absolute sharks (apologies for the pun).  Either one of them can carry a team offensively.  Green finished the game with 42 points (40 in regulation) on 56% shooting and Toomey had 28 points on 50% shooting.

On the flip side, Toomey and Green (as well as Killian, Kalema, and George) better keep eating their Wheaties this year as Amherst went 45 minutes without a single point from the bench.  Also, some more idiosyncratic weaknesses popped up again tonight for Amherst.  For instance, while I love all that #22 brings to the table, he is going to give me a heart attack with his long ball inbounds passes at crunch time.  I think that is a very low percentage play.  Also, for some odd reason, there have been multiple times this year where #11 has allowed an uncontested rebound to bounce off of his hands at crunch time.

Finally, while I would never dare to criticize Coach, I was surprised that he didn't sub out Toomey with 15 seconds left to go in overtime when we were down 4.  Toomey ended up fouling out and so we were really shorthanded.

Just to recap, after trailing most of the second half, we were up two with the ball with 30 seconds to play. Unfortunately, we turned the ball over on the inbounds pass and then fouled an NSU player who calmly hit both free throws.  Toomey's last second 3 was just short and so we went to overtime when I thought we had the game won in regulation.  Oh well.

Anyway, glad January is here so we can finally get to conference play!

[amh63]

Trying to put things in perspective..... went to the online box and looked at the Nova players.  It is ironic that the leading scorer for Nova was Brian Cahill...a 6'4" playmaker.  He is from a small private school in Arlington, Va......my neighborhood.  The junior player was stated by his coach to be his best playmaker and was happy to have him back for the Amherst game....was out for several games, including a 4 point lost recently to the No. 3 ranked Div 2 team.  Cahill scored 31 points before fouling out.  Played around 30 minutes in the game.  Seems the Coach will schedule the toughest teams available...into his shark den.  He had scheduled both the Div 2 and Div3 Title winners from last season.  He lost one close game and won one close game tonight.  He refers to his team as "little".....but IMO knows that he has talent and uses his players strengths.  His team lost the battle of the boards, but won with TOs via steals via a pressing defense.  Likes to play five guards...but had several 6'6-7" players in the game for awhile. 
It was a game that the Amherst players will learn from....better judgements and prize the ball.
Jayhawk....you hit the nail on the head....it was a game to humble the Amherst players a bit.
Box and story now on the Amherst website.  Defense maybe lacking....but when Nova is hitting at the % in the box, it is hard to win, even when Amherst caused 19 turnovers. 

[John Gleich]

Interestingly, Amherst was a 3 point underdog in this game according to Massey, even though their overall rating (in all of college basketball) was 515, to 555 for Nova SE.  The score was tons higher than Massey's prediction... Massey had it 79-76 in Nova SE's favor. 105-102 is 52 more points... and yes it went to OT, but that's a much higher pace.

And three of Nova SE's losses were to West Liberty, Florida Southern, and Drury, the #1, #4, and #16 rated teams in D-II, and one of their wins was against D-I Florida International.

[AmherstStudent05]

Maybe I am misreading the box score, but it seems to me that not only did no one from Amherst's bench score, no Amherst bench player even attempted a single shot.  Honestly, the way Green and Toomey were stroking it, that was almost certainly for the best.  Just not sure how often something like that happens.  Particularly in a 45 minute game.

I for one put little faith in Massey.  I think it had Middlebury as the 40th ranked team entering the NCAA Tourney last year.  That always struck me as ...... way off.

[grabtherim]

Watched Amherst vs Nova.  Obviously way too many turnovers, but Nova is a solid D2 team.  This loss means little, but lack of bench scoring or even meaningful minutes deserves watching as the LJs move into the conference games. Middlebury back to the court today.  Curious if Sinnickson and Daley are back in the rotation.  Preview and links to stats and video here:
   http://salveregina.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2013-14/releases/201312311u9ri6

[amh63]

Thanks Grabtherim...for the link.  Hope to catch the game online.  Know the tough New Englanders can handle the storm that is arriving...but wii the game be canceled?   Concerned about the Amherst team trip back.  Maybe...if gyms can be found....workouts in Florida are better than waiting at airports .  Posters be careful, you'All hear.

[middhoops]

amn63, it's below zero and snowing hard where I am.  That's rare.
Weather weenies like Vandy74 and my own sissy self will not be driving to RI today but our hats are off to the hardcore fans who will.
Salve Regina's only losses were to a good D1 team and an off game at RIC.  They are very tough.
Panther fans are anxiously waiting to see who is in uniform and who is healthy today.

This evening the Ephs play at Hampden Sydney in what should prove to be a very interesting game.  I'll be watching to see if Michael Mayer returns to form and how physically ready Daniel Wohl looks.  Epley, Rooke-Ley and Robinson are enough to over power most teams.  Probably not tonight, however.   
How coach Maker utilizes his bench in the next few games will be interesting.  It's possible that this could be the "year of the bench" in the NESCAC.  (nescac1 is thinking, "He wishes!")

[magicman]

Here's a quote that the Nova Southeastern coach had about their game against Amherst:

"I love Aaron Toomey and Conner Green," stated Coach Gary Tuell. "We won't face two guys on the same team who shoot like that the rest of the year. In my ten years here I don't think we've played a team with two guys on the same team who can shoot like that. They are tough competitors and special players. We could have played some man against them and maybe done a better job controlling them, but we wanted to work on some zone defenses that we want to use in conference play. Green and Toomey helped us a lot by playing so well. What our guys will learn from this game is invaluable. To be able to come away with a win is even better."
 

Here a link to the complete write up that was on the Nova Southeastern website about the win over Amherst:

http://nsusharks.com/news/2014/1/1/MBB_0101140948.aspx?path=mbball

[Panthernation]

Two new posts before today's 4pm tip-off:

Winter check-in (burning questions on Middlebury and the NESCAC): http://sites.middlebury.edu/panthernation/2014/01/02/winter-check-in/
Salve Regina preview: http://sites.middlebury.edu/panthernation/2014/01/02/previewing-salve-regina/

[creakyknees]

The Amherst/Nova Southeastern was an exciting game to watch on the Nova website - what with multiple lead changes, incedible long range shooting, a few dunks sprinkled in, and lots of turnovers by both teams.  Up two points with 30 seconds to play in regulation, and with Amherst coming out of a timeout, I would have bet the ball would find its way into the hands of the reigning DIII player of the year and a lifetime 90% free throw shooter.  Still, always a great experience to play up a Division, even if only for one game.               

[Panthernation]

Middlebury vs. Salve Regina delayed to 5:15 pm

[middhoops]

Middlebury vs. Salve Regina delayed to 5:15 pm

Thanks for the update PN. 
Great assessment piece on your blog.

[P'bearfan]

Middlebury vs. Salve Regina delayed to 5:15 pm

Appreciate the update.  I was about ready to give up on the video feed.

[madzillagd]

Says 5:30 on the scoreboard now so I'm assuming they pushed it back 15 more minutes.