MBB: NESCAC

[middhoops]

Williams College executed an absolute offensive and defensive clinic against amherst on the big stage in an epic performance for the ages---a tribute to the Ephs' players, Coach Mike Maker, and his staff. One of the best demonstrations of unselfish teamwork, skill, and intelligence for an entire 40 minutes I have seen in D3. The ljs surprisingly had no answer on either ends of the court. Check out the post-game Williams interview for a sense of who these young men are.

The final will be a challenge.

Agreed.  Williams is facing a very tough challenge.

Whitewater played very aggressive D against us (MIT) 2 years ago in the semi and completely took us out of our shooting rhythm.  Jamie Karraker, who was a deadly three point shooter, was zeroed out altogether, and they kept our other top players (Mitch Kates, Will Tashman, Noel Hollingsworth) bottled up.  They actually have three of their starters back from 2 years ago (Alex Merg, Quardell Young, and Eric Bryson), and one of their starters against us (Cody Odegaard) is now one of their top subs.  They don't have Chris Davis, who was national POY, but KJ Evans looks to be deadly enough himself.

All three games this bunch has played in Salem have featured killer second half runs.  We were up by 2 and then down by 10 or so before we knew it.  Cabrini was up by 18 with 14 minutes to go, and UWW came all the way back with time to spare, and against Illinois Wesleyan they had a 10-0 run in the second half also. I haven't seen Williams play, but they're going to have to keep the pedal to the metal for 40 minutes.

Williams is on an offensive roll based on creating 2 on 1 scenarios and it's worked against zones and man alike.  UWW has less than a day to plan how to deal with it.  The Ephs are not an impressive athletic team but damn, can they play smart basketball!  Mayer and Robinson are going to be very tough match ups for the Warhawks.
That being said, UWW has the same kind of athletic and quickness advantage over Williams that Amherst did.  Watch KJ Evans and Michael Mayer early.  If Evans can get to the rim and get fouls; big advantage UWW.  If Mayer gets easy entry passes, big advantage Williams.
The pivotal player in this game can't be guessed now.  Aw crap, I'll do it, anyway.
Duncan Robinson must be held in check by the Warhawks from the opening whistle or they are going to suffer.  My guys (Middlebury) kept him from getting the ball in two games this year.  We built big first half leads over the EEEEFs and lost by 3, twice.  Holding Robinson in check allowed Epley to bury us.
If Williams' zone is effective, long night for UWW.  Evans makes his way to the hoop early and often, Warhawks win.

[middhoops]

Just a thought about the Robinson goes crazy against Amherst thing.
James Jensen, Midd's best defender kept the ball away from DR in two games this year.  Channeling his inner Nolan Thompson, Jensen made it look relatively easy although most certainly it wasn't.  In the end, other Ephs took up the slack, most especially Daniel Wohl's defense on Joey Kizel at the end of the games.
Jensen's graduation has the added bad news of losing two of the best, most supportive parents that ever held a group of supporters together.  Jim and Liz Jensen will be very sorely missed.  Vandy74 and I appreciate them greatly.

[rlk]

Williams College executed an absolute offensive and defensive clinic against amherst on the big stage in an epic performance for the ages---a tribute to the Ephs' players, Coach Mike Maker, and his staff. One of the best demonstrations of unselfish teamwork, skill, and intelligence for an entire 40 minutes I have seen in D3. The ljs surprisingly had no answer on either ends of the court. Check out the post-game Williams interview for a sense of who these young men are.

The final will be a challenge.

Agreed.  Williams is facing a very tough challenge.

Whitewater played very aggressive D against us (MIT) 2 years ago in the semi and completely took us out of our shooting rhythm.  Jamie Karraker, who was a deadly three point shooter, was zeroed out altogether, and they kept our other top players (Mitch Kates, Will Tashman, Noel Hollingsworth) bottled up.  They actually have three of their starters back from 2 years ago (Alex Merg, Quardell Young, and Eric Bryson), and one of their starters against us (Cody Odegaard) is now one of their top subs.  They don't have Chris Davis, who was national POY, but KJ Evans looks to be deadly enough himself.

All three games this bunch has played in Salem have featured killer second half runs.  We were up by 2 and then down by 10 or so before we knew it.  Cabrini was up by 18 with 14 minutes to go, and UWW came all the way back with time to spare, and against Illinois Wesleyan they had a 10-0 run in the second half also. I haven't seen Williams play, but they're going to have to keep the pedal to the metal for 40 minutes.

Williams is on an offensive roll based on creating 2 on 1 scenarios and it's worked against zones and man alike.  UWW has less than a day to plan how to deal with it.  The Ephs are not an impressive athletic team but damn, can they play smart basketball!  Mayer and Robinson are going to be very tough match ups for the Warhawks.

Again, don't underestimate Whitewater.  They have a core that has played together for at least 3 years now, and they're used to facing tough teams.  We had a balanced offense that could score from anywhere, one of the best point guards in D3 who was a scoring threat from anywhere in addition to his pg skills, and four starters averaging double figures (Billy Bender averaged "only" 9.8 ppg).  Their second half run on us was not pleasant.

They really looked dead against Cabrini in the final for the first 2/3 of the game.  Cabrini had an incredibly quick lineup that was able to shut Davis down the entire first half and the first 6 minutes of the second.  But then they just blew Cabrini off the court.  And again, I want to emphasize that 4 of their current top players were there in 2012.

[middhoops]

rlk, apologies if I seem to discount UWW in any way.  I watched them play a dozen or more times this year.  Great team.  Their win over IWU was no upset.
I may be proved wrong.  Often am.
The Ephs are just executing offensively now on a level that is hard to replicate or disrupt.  If it's not disrupted, they will win.  Too hard to outscore them.
However, as I mentioned, if Evans and friends can get to the rim and draw some fouls, Whitewater and Williams will engage in an epic shoot-out.
These are two great teams. 

[nescac1]

Congrats to national player of the year Aaron Toomey and rookie of the year Duncan Robinson.  Both richly deserved.  Thanks to the D3hoops crew for taking a fresh look at Duncan.  Of course far bigger things at stake today.  Let's bring home the Walnut and Bronze.  Go Ephs!

[rlk]

rlk, apologies if I seem to discount UWW in any way.  I watched them play a dozen or more times this year.  Great team.  Their win over IWU was no upset.
I may be proved wrong.  Often am.
The Ephs are just executing offensively now on a level that is hard to replicate or disrupt.  If it's not disrupted, they will win.  Too hard to outscore them.
However, as I mentioned, if Evans and friends can get to the rim and draw some fouls, Whitewater and Williams will engage in an epic shoot-out.
These are two great teams.

My own opinion -- based mostly on somewhat older knowledge, admittedly -- is that it isn't going to come down to any 1-1 battles, but rather 40 minute execution and avoiding lapses and, as you say, disruption.

MIT had a very potent offense in 2011-2012.  Mitch Kates could take over any given game and do whatever was needed -- score, pass, rebound, defend.  Will Tashman and Noel Hollingsworth presented impossible matchups, and if you tried doubling one of them, either the other would be free or Kates would drive and either score or dish off.  Jamie Karraker was streakier, as 3-point specialists tend to be, but he was dangerous also.

Aside from Chris Davis, I don't remember Whitewater having any individually-impossible matchups, and had it come down to that, I think we'd have pulled it out.  But that isn't what UWW did -- they managed instead to completely disrupt our offense.  Yes, Davis dropped 30 on us, and without that, we'd have won, but the reason he could do that is because the rest of them were able to disrupt our team flow.

[lordofthejeffs]

Congrats to Toomey/Robinson on today's awards.  And more importantly, congrats to the Lord Jeff seniors on their remarkable careers.

In terms of the gratefulfred conspiracy theories, agreed that anyone calling Robinson overrated may be a troll.  HOWEVER, tornado aside, McCreary is still a skeleton. Thx.

[grabtherim]

WWW looks very quick inside. Aggressive too

[middhoops]

Pat and Dave are doing a superb job of announcing.

[middhoops]

Ephs down 4 at the half but may have momentum on their side.  Adjusting to the speed and quality man up defense of UWW late in the first half, the Ephs are beginning to gather themselves. 
So far, UWW have done an awesome job of keeping Williams from going on an extended run.

2nd half will be.....oh, well. ......pretty good.

[GnacBballFan]

Love that this game is on cable tv right now. Watching Duncan Robinson, he's so good I forgot he's a freshman

[grabtherim]

KJ Evans is a huge talent. Gets his own rebounds after mad effort. Great game. If the Ephs can keep him off the glass they win. No easy task.

[GnacBballFan]

Wow that was nba range by Bryson on that 3, Mayer making huge plays defensively down the final stretch.

[GnacBballFan]

Here goes nothing, 18 seconds left, Maker drawing something up. Does he go to Mayer again?

[middhoops]

Perfectly even matched game.  Warhawks win by hitting a key trey near the end and holding on.
No shame to the Ephs who played a great game.