MBB: NESCAC

[Bucket]

Same UMFK team lost to Pine Manor earlier this week. Pine Manor hadn't played a men's basketball game before this November.

I'm not sure what your point is, Pat. I'm sure the players at Pine Manor have all played before, and I'm sure it wasn't the coaches' first rodeo. But I can't speak  about them with any authority because I haven't seen them play. I have seen MFK play, however, and they were a good basketball team. Perhaps  your experience watching them play or your in-depth knowledge of their players and what they have done at their previous stops would lead you to a different conclusion.

[Bucket]

Thanks for the research on UMFK, Old Guy. Very interesting and thought provoking. I wonder if those international players were expecting something different or if this was the version of "America" that they wanted to experience? In any case, I hope they're enjoying it. They had a good win against a strong team, even without the crazy travel circumstances. I think I'm a Bengals fan now, too...

I wondered the exact same team when their soccer team came to Middlebury a few years ago--every player from the Caribbean, South America, or Europe.

[grabtherim]

Please dont criticize Pat's comments. He knows all until confronted with his own words after which you like me will begrudgingly get the childish response "my bad". Clearly the teams game against Pine Manor is irrelevent, unless you want to use it in a snarkish way.  By the way NJIT had not played a Big 10 team before their game in Ann Arbor. Ask the Wolverines how relevant that was. 

[pinseeking1]

Here's something a little strange: I clicked on two random box scores for Pine Manor (Emerson and Pratt). Against Emerson, PM shot 3 for 25 (12%) on threes, and against Pratt they went 21 for 45 (47%). Seems like a high-scoring, sometimes erratic team that's probably fun to watch.

By the way, when PM beat UMFK, they shot 55% from the field and 56% (10 for 18) on threes, so they can't be that bad...

Yes, I guess I've got nothing better to do on a snowy Sunday morning... ha ha!

[amh63]

Frustrating is the best word that describes watching the Amherst team this season, live, on a big screen or small one.  First...Trinity is a solid athletic and deep team that played great defense against Amherst and earned the win..on the floor!
Trinity's bigs gave the Jeffs problem in the first half...but Amherst held Starks down.  In the second half, the smaller quicker Bantam guards started to score on the foul line and from outside.  My quick take is that Amherst played Trinity up front but was totally out played in the back court.
TMac seems to have " hit a wall" in his play.  Used to help guard the big center of Trinity, he was on the floor for 31 minutes and did not score!  Distracted by the calls against him, his offensive game has disappeared...travel calls, missed short shots and long shots.  Late in the game on a break away, he was given the ball by Dawson...tried a under the hoop layup....a miss followed by sitting on the bench.
Reid did start and was solid but went to the bench after miss guarding Starks...allowing a 3-point shot.  saw Coach Hixon talk to him forcefully. Inconsistent play with this team.
Rio, who brought energy..and mistakes..to the team, was not able to play..injury.  Racy, also could not hit his shots!  The best foul shooter, he misses his two shots on a technical foul call on TRINITY.
Stats does show the blow out by the Bantams...3-point shots made....thee  by Amherst and 8 by Trinity!  Poor foul shooting continues by Amherst.
Seems that Amherst cannot stop smaller quicker guards.  Both Tufts and Trinity guards killed Amherst with their outside shooting and foul shooting.  Meanwhile Amherst compatible shooting went out the window.
Some bright spots...Conklin's improvement...confidence?...and Natbatoff's surprising outside shooting. Will need their efforts in the continued absence from Big Ben.
Realize that Hamilton is a hard place to play...but...with the return of  HRL,  it was a surprising loss for the Ephs.  See that Bowdoin's Hurley carried the day for the Polar Bears.
This maybe the season when veteran players maybe the key to success...home court is overrated for the Amherst men's team....yes frustrating.

[jumpshot]

amH63 ---

Take a deep breath, relax ---the game is for the players, not you! Hyper-critical remarks regarding individual players, or coaches, considered poor form....

The sun still rose today (although perhaps not in the D.C. area) ---my own support to your school unaffected by athletic results. Other attributes more relevant ....

[Pat Coleman]

Same UMFK team lost to Pine Manor earlier this week. Pine Manor hadn't played a men's basketball game before this November.

And yet they will play at NJIT, the team that upset Michigan in Ann Arbor.

What a tangled web!

[Pat Coleman]

Same UMFK team lost to Pine Manor earlier this week. Pine Manor hadn't played a men's basketball game before this November.

I'm not sure what your point is, Pat. I'm sure the players at Pine Manor have all played before, and I'm sure it wasn't the coaches' first rodeo. But I can't speak  about them with any authority because I haven't seen them play. I have seen MFK play, however, and they were a good basketball team. Perhaps  your experience watching them play or your in-depth knowledge of their players and what they have done at their previous stops would lead you to a different conclusion.

I'm saying that they have to be incredibly inconsistent to both beat Middlebury and lose to a first-year team in the same week. Pine Manor is a brand-new program, in case I didn't make it clear.

[Vandy74]

Thanks for the research on UMFK, Old Guy. Very interesting and thought provoking. I wonder if those international players were expecting something different or if this was the version of "America" that they wanted to experience? In any case, I hope they're enjoying it. They had a good win against a strong team, even without the crazy travel circumstances. I think I'm a Bengals fan now, too...

Six American players, 7 international ones.  Only one of the latter from Canada.  Of the former, two from Maine, four from California.  Three of those last played at Canada College.  One of the "Californians" is Qaadir Ali.  The schedule, the willingness to travel and the melting pot roster would indicate that basketball is some kind of priority for these student athletes.  (I'm just having fun here so please don't read any more into this than that)  What I am reminded of is the link supplied some time back to a game Ryan Sharry played  for his European League squad.  Related links were fun and among other things I was able to check out where the European members of the team had played before turning pro.   As I recall the rosters of the entire league were available, not just the squad Ryan plays on.  A significant number of these players had gone to college here in the US but the names of the schools most had attended would be even less meaningful to you than MFK.  (I expect I was not alone in assuming they were Maine's answer to Castleton or Lyndon State.)  There are colleges in this country that are specifically targeted by foreign players wanting to improve their game to the point of being professional caliber in their own.  Like MFK, these teams' rosters were littered with foreign players.  And, like MFK, fans of the likes of Virginia and Vanderbilt as well as Middlebury, Amherst and Bates are not apt to know much, if anything, about them.  Just a curious observation not meant as anything more than that.

[grabtherim]

Same UMFK team lost to Pine Manor earlier this week. Pine Manor hadn't played a men's basketball game before this November.

I'm saying that they have to be incredibly inconsistent to both beat Middlebury and lose to a first-year team in the same week. Pine Manor is a brand-new program, in case I didn't make it clear.

As far from "clear" as I can imagine.  What, if anything, do any of us know about Pine Manor above and beyond them being a first year team or for that matter the same can be said about the ME team Midd played.  All we have is a one game viewing of one of them which I'm guessing you did not see.  So from that a declaration that: "they have to be incredibly inconsistent".  I think Pine Manor (1st year team) are playing at or near .500.  Geez,  "a first year team", they should lose every game they play. Teams are not robots who hold form based on generalizations like yours.  More often than not they have peaks and valleys and as a player or coach you hope to get hot at the right time or play to the level you establish in the long run.  That's reality.  Comments made based on one fact seem ridiculous to me.     

[Pat Coleman]

Yes, but your one fact, their record, is pretty misleading too, right? 1-7 vs. Division III opponents makes it a little more telling.

[grabtherim]

Yes, but your one fact, their record, is pretty misleading too, right? 1-7 vs. Division III opponents makes it a little more telling.

OK, "my bad" I have no idea who those teams are. Did they play HS squads?

[NothingButNESCAC]

Another thing about Keegan Pieri's injury is that it leaves John Swords as the ONLY remaining starter for Bowdoin from last season's tournament team. Incredible to think about how reliant that team was on its starting five for most of last year and yet Bowdoin is still right there. The loss of Pieri is going to be very hard to overcome but the one thing about this Bowdoin team is their great resilience. Going to be spilling a lot more of virtual ink on Bowdoin after their game Tuesday.

[Red1]

Hi Everyone,

I enjoy reading everyone's posts, but don't generally post myself.  However, someone requested a highlight reel from the Bates/Tufts game this weekend (including Billy Selmon's massive jam), and here it is:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxbDG2ZCeys

Somehow it doesn't seem quite as massive on this reel as it did live in Alumni Gym.  Enjoy.

[MENESCACFAN]

Thanks Red1

And agreed on the Selmon dunk.  When in the live moment, it looked more spectacular than it actually is on tape.  Aaahhhh the cold reality of video.  Still some nice plays on that reel.