MBB: NESCAC

[middhoops]

Thanks for the heads up, PBF.  Great game.  Toomey needs to rally the troops.

[middhoops]

Call it a 'truism' but those 19-2 runs when you get in a slight hole always come in handy.  It's good to have Aaron Toomey on your team.  Tom Killian is the most under rated great player around.  (Yeah, I know what I said.)

[magicman]

Just finished watching the latest installment of the Middlebury Panther's "Road to Salem" video. Another fine job by all associated with the production.

I was especially happy that they chose my visit to Pepin to film some shots of the team in action against my Plattsburgh Cardinals. The guy filming the action must have known exactly where the only Plattsburgh contingent in the gym was sitting (other than the Cardinal Women's team) because the magicman and three of his buddies were captured for Panther Posterity right in the center of a number of frames. Total screen time was almost 20 seconds.

Not even middhoops and Vandy74 got walk on parts like we did.      Sorry....I meant "sit on parts" since we were seated in the bleachers for our brush with immortality.

[P'bearfan]

RIC came out on fire at the beginning of the 2nd half and opened up a 9 point lead.  Amherst has stormed back and now has a 12 point lead with less than 2 minutes to go.

[P'bearfan]

Amherst pulls away to beat RIC by 20 points - 80-60.  The Lord Jeff's looked very strong after the 5 minute mark in the 2nd half.

[amh63]

See some other posters covered the game for me.  Thanks, was not happy at half time...as RIC's patooning of players and higher energy caused TO's.  Except for Killian and Kalema, Amherst looked flat and was really out rebounded badly by the Anchormen.  Those splints must have helped RIC.  Toomey picked up 2 fouls and sat.  Conner Green still looked tired, even when he hit his first outside shot.  Tied at the half, saw Aaron walk off , head bowed and hoodie top covering his head.  Second half, Amherst down 9...Aaron took over the game as only he can; hitting his threes, passing, taking charges, etc.  Amherst starts to rebound and playing some defense.  George does not score a point but must have blocked or changed a half dozen shots....the RIC drives to the basket were contested well in the second half. 
Aaron scores 20 points in the second half and had 22 points in the game.  Killian is the top scorer with 26.  Kalema also had double figures in scoring.  Green had 9 points.  Hope he gets his mojo this weekend.....is that the correct word?  Best of all, Amherst wins the battle of the boards...not by much though.  Still too many TOs...both teams had 12.  Foul shooting needs improving.
A number of bench players get a few minutes of PT.
It will be another "Maine Time" trip this weekend.  Not as smooth as " Miller Time"

[ECSUalum]

Congrats to the LJs tonight beating the scrappy Anchormen!
Little disappointed that Amherst provided no coverage
However, watched a very exciting Albertus Magnus vs Johnson and Wales GNAC game, the AM Falcons prevailing 78-74 going to 17-1, 11-0 (GNAC)
make that 18-1 12-0 GNAC

[amh63]

ECSU....thanks for the encouragement.  As I stated in the first post...I was not a happy camper at the half....even when I expected Cpach Walsh to come up with something.  Even when the press was put on, I found the Amherst team on the floor a little sloppy under the pressure.  Take the win. 
Need to remind myself to catch Magicman on Hoopsville at 11 AM on Thursday...Did you know the Plattsburgh HBC's daughter on the Bowdoin WBB team.  A FY starter on the Polar  Bears.   The BB world in the NorthEast is getting smaller

ECSU...But they did.  I posted around 5:30 Pm wrt to the webcast via the Amherst site....also the ongoing failure by the Nescac  for making the link and therefore D3hoops not linking up.  D3 gets the info feed from our conference site.  Go figure. 
Did not make the announcement on other boards...sorry.  School is in session so you can expect all games...wbb and mbb will have video.  Not HD AND THE STUDENT ANNOUNCERS NEEDS TO STEP UP.

[ECSUalum]

amh63,

Thanks
I got caught up with the AM vs J&W game, and like an idiot, I forgot go to the LJ site, like I would normally do, when D3 doesn't show a link 
Some how did not see your post Oh well...

[lefrakenstein]

It's great to see Killian and Kalema really stepping up the last handful of games as Green has struggled a bit for whatever reason (perhaps related to the illness that caused him to sit out a game?)

As good as Amherst has been, I still don't think its had a stretch yet where the whole team has been firing on all cylinders. When Green was killing it early in the year, Kalema seemed to be struggling to adapt to the starting lineup. Now that Kalema is playing well, Green is slumping a bit. Hopefully they can find that extra gear as playoffs approach.

Also, I agree with what everyone has said about Killian. I thought he might respond well to being asked to score more this year, but I honestly didn't see him playing such great all-around basketball; including making a big leap as a rebounder and a defender.

Huge game in Bowdoin for the Jeffs this weekend. A win coupled with a Williams win over Midd would would all but sew up the top seed for the tourney. (Amherst would have to lose twice to cough up hosting rights). A loss would create the possibility of a Bowdoin/Williams/Amherst tie if no one knocks off one of that trio.

[lefrakenstein]

For those wondering how "The Road to Salem" producers would handle Middlebury's mid-season struggles, look no further than the recently released Part IV, perhaps the series' best episode yet:

http://vimeo.com/85316554

I have nothing to add beyond what has already been said here.  Another fine job.  It comes as no surprise that Russ has the knack for saying the right thing at the right time.  I'm also impressed that like me he cuts his own hair.  I've received endless compliments on the job I do.  That is what "I could tell." means, right?

In my opinion, the best so far in the series. Well done.

[Pat Coleman]

NESCAC schools could post those links on the NESCAC site. Everyone has a login. (Same way they access D3sports.com sites.)

[P'bearfan]

Huge game in Bowdoin for the Jeffs this weekend. A win coupled with a Williams win over Midd would would all but sew up the top seed for the tourney. (Amherst would have to lose twice to cough up hosting rights). A loss would create the possibility of a Bowdoin/Williams/Amherst tie if no one knocks off one of that trio.

It's going to be a big weekend in Brunswick!!  Back to back tough games against Trinity and Amherst will really test the P'bears.  My wife and daughter will be there to cheer on the team but I'll need to settle for the webcasts. 

These two games are the start of 5 critical conference games that will determine Bowdoin's tourney position.  Best of luck to the P'bears!!

[magicman]

Just in case there is anybody out there that's interested, the Plattsburgh State head coach, Tom Curle, will be on the marathon 12 hour Hoopsville show taking place today on the D3hoops website. 

Hoopsville, hosted by Dave McHugh will come on the air at 10:00 AM today and run for 12 straight hours until 10:00 PM tonight. Here's a link that should bring you to the correct website or you can get it off the front page of D3hoops: 

http://d3hoops.com/hoopsville/index

Coach Curle  is scheduled to be on the show at  approximately11:00 AM for an interview that will last around 15 to 20 minutes.

As an added attraction, your friendly neighborhood magicman, will also get to mutter into the microphone for a few minutes at the end of Coach Curle's interview. Hopefully for the benefit of the hoopsville listeners it will be for a very few minutes.

And don't forget this marathon broadcast by Dave McHugh is part of his Hoopsville Contribution Campaign to raise money to upgrade the program and make the D3 experience better for all of us. If you haven't already done so please consider making a contribution to help Dave (and ultimately all of us that have chosen to make D3hoops a part of our life) improve the overall quality of the only program out there that is devoted to Division 3 basketball. Remember you don't have to make a $100 or $250 contribution to be counted . In these tough economic times a $10 gift, done by just a small percentage of the people that enjoy this website would put Dave way over the top of his desired goal. So dig deep and give up a couple of drinks at the local watering hole this week and you won't even feel that contribution leave your pocket. I've noticed that there have been a number of posters from this board that have stepped up and made a contribution. To those of you that have considered it, but have yet to actually pull the trigger, please don't wait any longer. Help make Dave's 12 hour workday a fruitful one that will hopefully carry him over the top of his desired contribution campaign  Thanks for listening.            

[hoya73]

Biggest weekend of the year so far in the 'Cac.  Amherst and Trinity v. Colby and the PBears.  Williams and Middlebury.  Should shake out the conference standings quite a bit.
If the Jeffs can run the gamut, they will deserve a lot of credit.  I am not sure if prior schedules have ever resulted in 7 straight games on the road against conference foes (interrupted only by a home game against RIC).  Nothing is accomplished yet, but if this team, losing three starters and with a bulls-eye on its back, in a year that we all felt would be wide open, can pull it off, that would be impressive.

But the Mules and the PBears will have a lot to say about that.  Looking forward to it.