MBB: NESCAC

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I know its not much (if any) consolation, but Framingham is looking to be the cream of the crop in the MASCAC.  They are playing the best ball right now.

[thunder32]

Formerbant

I dont know if we had low expectations, more along the line of interested to see how they would adjust with out Tyler.  Which they have done a great job thus far.  We all know they have scorers and could play I was just interested to see who would step up and fill the void left by tyler or if it would be a team effort.  It seems to me (I was just checking out the Trinity Box scores) that Russ Martin has really stepped up and put up some big numbers so far this year.  I dont know though I havent seen a game maybe Formerbant can tell me if I am right or if the number are misleading.

[toad22]

I was at the Framingham State game. It was a truly awful showing by the Ephs. Their shooting was just terrible. Framingham packed it in pretty tight with a zone. They just dared Williams to shoot from the outside, and Williams couldn't knock down wide open 3s. I have no answers. Framingham is not a good team -- there are no excuses possible. However, I do feel that the Ephs have much more talent than they have had since the Coffin/Crotty/Abba years, and they should be much better than they have shown to date. Only time will tell if they can get themselves together & play up to their potential.

[CCsalive]

CC freshmen Shavar Bernier is looking solid:

8/11 from 3 pt and averaging over 8pts/game

The Camels are 3-2 with losses to Rutgers-Newark by one point and Eastern CT by 3 pts...both games on the road.

[ballaholic4]

nescac1,

maybe it's just me, but I'm not really suprised the Nescac is having it's early season problems.

Look at the competetive teams from last year

Amherst (8-1) lost their best and go-to player in Bedford, and an underratted Casnocha who I think was just as valuable as Wheeler in his ability to stretch defenses and guard the best player on other teams...

Trinity (7-2) lost there 4-year go to guy, Rhoten could get you 19 and 8 in his sleep and made everyone else in his team look better (see Kino Clarke)

Tufts (6-3) lost a 6'9'' center with great touch that averaged 16 and 8 and took about 9 free throws a game and, as someone mentioned, held their defense down

Bates (6-3) didn't lose any key players, hence they're kicking ass

Bowdoin (5-4) lost petrie, another 16 and 8 guy who had been there go-to player for 3 years

Williams (5-4) lost the only player who kept them from playing like Grinell last year in Newton, again a 6-8 guy with skill means a lot in division 3

Anyone who thought these teams (except Bates) were going to be as good as they were last year at the begining of the season hadn't been paying attention for the few years.  All of these guys were major factors in their teams success over at least the last 3 years and many of these teams lack a player to step into their shoes.  I think Amherst, Bates, and Bowdoin retained the most and will have some success because of it. 
Again, my predictions for this years NESCAC:

Amherst 9-0 (re-loaded, 24-1)
Bates 7-2 (undeafted non-conference, finish at 22-2)
Bowdoin 6-3 (4 talented returning starters, 16-8)
Tufts 6-3 (Will struggle with identity and defense, 15-9)
Trinity 5-4 (Could be better, may fall apart 16-8)
Conn 5-4 (Lot of upside, always seem to be young, 14-10)
Will 3-6 (Need a solid post, defense 13-11)
Colby 3-6 (Cohen's solid but they need a go2 wing, 11-13)
Wes 1-8 (R. kelly's tp4 isn't gonna mean much, 7-17)
Mid 0-9 (I'll believe it when i see it, 5-19) 

[mrmike88]

Another voice from the north!

Ballaholic, I'm curious if you know something about Bowdoin that would make you that confident that the team will make The Leap this season.  4 returning starters, yes, but it would seem to me like the loss of that fifth one on last year's team is a pretty large hole to fill for the Polar Bears.  I feel like it was much liklier last year, but then again I've only seen Bowdoin play once in the last two years.

[ajsnc13]

Can anyone post about the Bates vs Colby game tonight?  Any critical analysis beyond obvious stats such as how many offense rebounds stockwell had and blocks cohen had would be appreciated.

[JeffRookie2]

Petrie was a great player. Someone was adamantly arguing last year that he was as good if not better than Bedford and Rhoten. I think thats going too far, but he was in my humble opinion one of the NESCACs top 5 last year.

I don't think too many people underestimated Trinity. Often times when a team loses one massive scorer their offense becomes more dangerous because it revolves around five guys rather than just one. I think the bantams might have been guilty of a little 'Tyler watching' as coach K would say. Remember what happened in the NESCAC semifinal against Tufts last year after Rhoten fouled out? Trinity hung right in there with Martin and Clarke doing most of the scoring. And now they have Taylor back for even greater depth.

[ajsnc13]

Colby lost to Bates by 13, but I did not get a chance to see the game.  I know everyone thinks Bates will be a good team and I agree, but I think Colby will be tough with Cohen, Farrell, and Gaudet...
As for Bowdoin, my other favorite team from Maine.  The loss of Petrie will hurt, he was a great player.  I think the four returning players will be solid though.  Fleigel and Hippert are good and Sargentson and Jackson are solid..I think Bradley will have a big year as he is right now and will be an all-league candidate...They should be in the middle of the pack, but every game will be a tough one...I see Bowdoin and Colby both being better than Williams, Wes, Middlebury...the other teams will be tough...but they should be good games...

[cruiser]

cohen had something like 23 points 6 rebounds 3 blocks before he got hurt with about 7 mins to go in the second half. the game was tied at the half and it was a 4 point game when cohen got hurt. after he was out, the wheels fell off of colby and the game quickly turned to bates.

[mrmike88]

Is Cohen's injury anything serious?

[walzy31]

Ballaholic4,

I love the format of your prediction post. I am going to use it and try and make it a little more accurate. Trinity will NOT finish behind Bowdoin. Wesleyan will win more than one league game.

Amherst 9-0
Trinity 8-1
Bates 7-2
Tufts 6-3
Wesleyan 4-5
Bowdoin 3-6
Conn 3-6 (or 2-7)
Williams 3-6 (or 2-7)
Colby 3-6 (or 2-7)
Mid 0-9


With only one of either Conn, Williams, or Colby going 2-7.

Just curious Ballaholic...who did you think Amherst was going to drop a non-league game to?

[eclinchy]

I could see you guys losing to Brandeis and/or RIC.  I'm obviously biased since I've seen both of them dismantle Tufts already, but I think they're both really solid teams.

Amherst 9-0
Bates 8-1
Tufts 7-2
Trinity 6-3
Bowdoin 4-5
Wesleyan 3-6
Williams 3-6
Colby 3-6
Conn. Coll. 2-7
Middlebury 0-9

You guys are rating Bates really low for a team that has two dominant seniors... I think 8-1 is a perfectly reasonable record to expect from them.  Trinity hasn't impressed me much yet -- I think Clarke is a decent player, but a 4-0 record doesn't mean much against the kind of competition they've faced.  Tufts is getting underrated a bit because they have two losses, despite the fact that they've lost to two solid teams.  But again, I'm biased.

[JeffRookie2]

I dont see anyone going undefeated in the league this year. Amherst has to play Bates and Tufts on the road the first weekend of NESCAC play, and Trinity always gives a tough game. I think the Jeffs will lose once, but probably still end up with the top seed for the tournament.

[CCsalive]

Is there a voice of reason out there? Now you guys are going to stir up the Williams crowd....
Amherst: 9-0
Bates:8-1
Tufts: 7-2
Trinity: 6-3
Conn:6-3
Colby: 5-4
Williams: 5-4
Wesleyan: 3-6
Bowdoin:2-7
Middlebury: 1-8