MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Excellent overall analysis from Toad.  Midd and Amherst both face tough non-conference tests this week, so it will be interesting to see if (as I expect) both look much sharper, especially in terms of limiting careless turnovers.  Williams over the course of three games certainly improved in that department.  And of course Williams-Amherst will be a great battle this weekend.  Is Pollack expected back any time soon for the Jeffs?  He was very impressive as a first-year and early this season, and his absence definitely puts a lot more pressure on George. 

One guy who has been discussed a bit, but not a lot, here is Chris Hudnut.  The Colby sophomore center has really improved upon his impressive frosh year and is currently posting a stellar stat line for a young big guy: 18.3-7.3-2, shooting 50 percent from the field and 75 percent from the line, plus a block and a steal per game.  He has been on a nice roll of late.  I can't remember any single collection of talent at the center position (often a big weakness in NESCAC beyond 1-2 top guys) that can top what the league has going for it this year: Mayer, Swords, Hudnut, George, Sabety, Epps (who while undersized is definitely a very effective five), and there is even a fair amount of depth behind that group (Kilcullen, Pollack/Nabatoff, Midd's 3-4 capable big guys, the Delpeches).  Had Palleschi not been forced to give up hoops, the list would have been even more impressive.  There should be a lot of fun battles on the interior this year in league play.

On the other hand, NESCAC seems to feature very few traditional fours of note.  Lots of teams are playing with essentially undersized and/or perimeter-oriented wing players at both the 3 and the 4.  That could be the product of an increased emphasis by coaches on spacing / shooting, a lack of many talented players with the size, bulk, and interior scoring skills of more traditional fours, or a combination of both. 

[P'bearfan]

Really good NESCAC teams are likely to lose to non-NESCAC teams right at the beginning of the season, or just after the Christmas break. Since many teams practice right through exams, and/or take much shorter Christmas breaks, NESCACs are vulnerable to getting beaten right after Christmas, or very early in the new year (Amherst, Middlebury, etc).

This is a great point and one of my concerns with Bowdoin.  The team was able to get back to campus late Friday and hold a practice on Saturday.  I'm just concerned that there will be a lot of rust to shaek off in the first couple of games.  Hopefully they'll be in full stride by the time they meet up with Wesleyan (no pushover) and certainly Williams.

[middhoops]

PBfan, few people think that Bowdoin won't be undefeated going into the Williams game.  Bridgewater is having a bad year and the CT teams don't match up well with your guys.
Williams, especially if Mayer returns to form by then, is going to be a buzz saw for all NESCAC teams.  I'm intrigued as to how much the new John Swords can carry his team in big games.  His improvement has been vast and is still progressing.

[amh63]

Welcome back Toad.
Have been checking out some CAC team scores and other games from a "perspective viewpoint".
On Sat.  Wesleyan, Trinity and Conn College won.  To my surprise, Hamilton lost at home to SUNY-NewPaltz for the first time in 5 tries.  I was surprised because Hamilton gave Amherst a scare last season in Clinton...and the Continentals soph star M. Hart scored 27 points in the lost.  The key stats that stood out for me was the 18 TOs by Hamilton.  Could it be that SUNY-NP coach was a former assistant at Amherst (2007-2011). Speaking of coaches, ECSU's coach is a Hamilton graduate.....as is RIC's HBC.
Did anyone notice the beating of Washington College by VMI on Sat.?  Score was 138-54! Must be an error.  VMI is just down the street from W&L in Lexington....about the same distance as Conn. College is from the Coast Guard Academy in New London.  The Camels won over CGA  on Sat.   Meanwhile W&L won over Chicago of the UAA.  UChicago has had a strong program recently.
One last question, has anyone seen any scores on Tufts recently...men's team.

[nescac1]

No typo amh63.  That can happen when a D1 team plays a middling D3 program.

[amh63]

Thanks NESCAC 1.....thought about VMI being a higher level school but was too lazy to check.  Why would the two schools even set up such a contest?.....nothing to gain by both sides, imo.
One thing I am learning during this "break period" watching games....the wide range of teams' styles and the diversity of playing venues, etc.  Even caught a quarter of a game at NCC(ill) versus North Park...a CCIW match up.  Really like the nice seats at NCC for fans....I know, I'm old and like my comfort.  Still, schools in the LEC and elsewhere have seats with backs and nice places to play. 

[P'bearfan]

Williams, especially if Mayer returns to form by then, is going to be a buzz saw for all NESCAC teams.  I'm intrigued as to how much the new John Swords can carry his team in big games.  His improvement has been vast and is still progressing.

I agree - the Mayer / Swords matchup should be very intriguing.  Saw Mayer play for the first time against W&L.  I realize this wasn't his best game (or Williams) but what you could see is that he's mobile and skilled inside.  While Swords played well against Hudnut, my sense is that Mayer is at (or will be at) another level.  It will be important for Swords to stay out of foul trouble. He doesn't need to try to shut down Mayer - maybe just slow him down a bit.  Bowdoin needs Swords as an offensive option down low - force some double teams so that mid-range and perimeter shots open up.

The really interesting match up with will be Duncan Robinson.  Clearly you cannot leave the guy open.  My own preference would be to put a man on him full time and play hard deny defense to limit his touches.  Not sure this is what the P'bears will do but I'm assuming that some combination of Pieri / White / Fuller will take turns guarding him.

[y_jack_lok]

Meanwhile W&L won over Chicago of the UAA.

Actually, Chicago won that game: http://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/men/2013-14/box_scores/20140104_4vgk.xml

[amh63]

P'Bear....some interesting "coaching " thoughts.  To date, have watched Mayer when ever he is on the floor and yes, he is not his old self in the early games.  May have returned to form a little in the 2nd half of the HSC game.  I'm surprised Nescac 1 or other Williams leaning posters have not attacked me to date on my focus on Mayer.  Mr Mayer was an All-American player last season and like Aaron Toomey was a pre-season All-American pick for this season.  Both Amherst and Williams need both players to play well in order, imho, to return to Salem this season.  Whenever top teams meet, I for one wants both teams to have their best players on the floor playing well.  This will let me see where teams stand at the moment and possibly project better into the future.
I have noticed that Mr. Mayer is used presently by Coach Maker to go outside to set picks and then go inside.  Have not seen Mayer take an outside shot....which he is capable of doing.  His inside game is on layups, hooks and put backs, rarely short jump shots.  Given that, I would think Swords would be more valuable staying inside to block shots and get rebounds , etc.....vice going outside to guard Mayer.  Mayer is too quick for Swords in general.  Maybe a zone defense would be best overall or a box and one with the one covering Duncan R. 
Did see an overmatched North Park use a 2-3 zone against a tall NCC team on Sat. with success at times.  NCC has a returning all-amerian center ....that stands 6'5" and really only has an inside game.  Still the NCC center gets the ball in the middle and as players collapse on him, he passes out to open shooters.  Mayer is also a very good passer.

[middhoops]

PBfan, there is no team that has a good answer for Duncan Robinson.  That will probably be the case for four years.  His skill set is just crazy for a D3 player.

[amh63]

Y_jack_lok.....thanks.  My bad as they say and my bad eyes.  12 pt lost in the Windy City. 
Question to the board.....see that Johns Hopkins U mens and women's teams play several UAA schools recently. Have or is there a move for JHU moving into the UAA?  There was talk about Tufts in the UAA recently.

[Pat Coleman]

Thanks NESCAC 1.....thought about VMI being a higher level school but was too lazy to check.  Why would the two schools even set up such a contest?.....nothing to gain by both sides, imo.

VMI and W&L are not only in the same town, they practically share a campus.

[Pat Coleman]

Y_jack_lok.....thanks.  My bad as they say and my bad eyes.  12 pt lost in the Windy City. 
Question to the board.....see that Johns Hopkins U mens and women's teams play several UAA schools recently. Have or is there a move for JHU moving into the UAA?  There was talk about Tufts in the UAA recently.

Johns Hopkins was in the UAA and played a single round-robin in the league in basketball when D3hoops.com started. Maintaining both conference schedules was impossible, however.

[amh63]

Pat C....thanks for the info.    Yep.....once when I was  on the W&L campus and looked over to VMI, thought about taking a walk over......however my wife wanted to go to lunch and the thought went away.  Like military academies....even looked around the Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

[P'bearfan]

VMI and W&L are not only in the same town, they practically share a campus.

Yes and the irony is that as close as the campuses are geographically, they couldn't be further apart aesthetically.  W&L is a truly beautiful campus; VMI....well not so much