MBB: NESCAC

P'bearfan · January 31, 2015, 03:07:48 PM

Anyone else having an issue with the Amherst video feed? Mine is very herby jerky

P'bearfan · January 31, 2015, 03:41:21 PM

At the half Bowdoin trails Amherst 32-35.

Early on it looked like shooting practice from behind the arc for the LJ's - especially Connor Green. In contrast Bowdoin was very effective in slashing through the lane and scoring from inside - especially Hausman.

The key has been defensive adjustments. Amherst made an adjustments about half way through the period and shut down Bowdoin's penetration. This allowed the LJ's to open up an 11 point lead. Bowdoin finally shifted to what the announcers are calling a diamond and 1 with Hurley smothering Connor Green. That was a very effective change and the LJ's went ice cold and didn't score except from the FT line.

Will be interesting to see what adjustments each HBC makes in the second half. Don't have any stats but Bowdoin looks reasonably fresh so far. We'll see how they hold up in the 2nd.

P'bearfan · January 31, 2015, 03:43:11 PM

Amherst fans - no live stats?! Am I just missing them?

AmherstStudent05 · January 31, 2015, 03:47:48 PM

There are live stats. You have to go through the Amherst website though.

Amherst looked to be in total control, building up a 13 point lead, but Bowdoin held us scoreless for the last 6 and a half minutes.

Green and Johnny Mac have basically been our only offense so far. That is a great combo but we will probably need someone else to step up. Should be a great second half.

Also, looks like a great game at Tufts.

P'bearfan · January 31, 2015, 03:55:53 PM

Awful start for Bowdoin in the second half as Amherst opens up a 13 point lead behind very hot shooting by Connor Green. Bowdoin also needs to find some offense.

P'bearfan · January 31, 2015, 04:12:13 PM

With 9:10 to go Amherst leads Bowdoin: 62-48 and looks to be in control. Hopefully Bowdoin can make a run.

hoop master · January 31, 2015, 04:27:57 PM

Tufts lose a surprising one at home against Weslyan. Maybe not so surprising as Jumbos shot 39 percent and out rebounded 42-28. Sabety was out again and with big Weslyan line up, only so much big Tom can do, though scored 20. With his 4 fouls late in game Jumbos , had no other answer today to help out on the boards and second shots in crunch time. Jumbos were up 6 at half and but gave up 50 points in second half. A big disappointment in effort and a lose that may haunt them down the road. Jumbos have so much talent but their inconsistantcy, from earlier in the year reappeared and is frustrating for fans.

P'bearfan · January 31, 2015, 04:39:11 PM

Bowdoin loses 66-81.

While I wasn't surprised by Amherst great shooting, especially from downtown, I wasn't prepared for their stout defense. Really impressive job.

Hopefully the P'bears can regroup after a tough road trip.

warriorcat · January 31, 2015, 04:53:56 PM

Bates comes from behind Conn College to win going away. Great weekend for the Bobcats. I believe their 4-2 NESCAC record puts them alone in 2nd place.

AmherstStudent05 · January 31, 2015, 04:59:49 PM

Huge weekend for the Jeffs! We really needed a 2-0 weekend to keep us in the mix and that is exactly what we got.

Player of the weekend was obviously Connor Green. His cumulative stats this weekend: 52 points on 19-28 shooting from the field (12-19 from 3) and 2-3 from the line in just 50 total minutes. Pretty good for two days' work.

Also, Johnny Mac has rebounded from his recent "slump" in a big way. This kid really can do it all: rebound, block shots, d up, jump passing lanes, shoot from distance and drive to the hoop. Will be nice having him around for three more years.

pinseeking1 · January 31, 2015, 05:14:28 PM

Big win for Bates today against Conn College. Pretty sloppy play by both teams and cold shooting by Bates kept the score close until the final 6 minutes. Then, for no apparent reason, the Bobcats moved their game to a new level and cruised to the win.

For most of the game, it appeared that either team might win, which is exactly what happened last night versus Wesleyan. I'm afraid that this pattern of waiting until late in the game to get into high gear won't work against stronger competition.

In any case, the Bobcats pulled off two good wins this weekend and it's nice to see them get back into NESCAC contention.

polbear73 · January 31, 2015, 05:28:05 PM

Very impressive performance by Amherst today. Perhaps this is what Coach Hixon meant with his "I'd hate to play us in February" quote. So, he was off by a day!

Old Guy · January 31, 2015, 05:44:00 PM

Quote from: jumpshot on January 30, 2015, 09:14:49 PM
As I and others pointed out, Mid's exceptionally soft schedule may well be catching up with them....

Perhaps a fair observation: at the risk of repeating myself, I hope people don't think this SOS is Middlebury's intent. Midd plays the best schedule it can put together. League obligations, and distance (expense), are reasons schools won't schedule us, or have dropped us.

The Maine schools have each other (a real State Series) and better in-state competition; other NESCAC schools in the Boston area or the Hartford/Springfield/New Haven/Western Mass axis, have many more competitive possibilities, Hamilton has numerous upstate NY schools to schedule.

Last year, Midd scheduled four very tough teams in Nov/Dec tourneys, which had more weeks of preseason preparation, and we were criticized for that.

From Middlebury's perspective, it's not that hard to address this scheduling problem, though I have no idea if other schools view the limitation of league games as the hardship Middlebury does. Is there another conference of eleven teams, more or less, that play only one game against one another?

It seems reasonable to me to expand league contests. If a full home and home schedule (20 league games) is excessive, how about a division of teams, as in baseball, into East-West divisions of five (or six) teams, with one game against all NESCAC teams and another game (home and home) against teams in the division, amounting to a four to five game expansion of league contests, hardly radical. Tournament would be as now: the top eight teams (overall record).

This change would certainly be of an immediate scheduling benefit to Middlebury, and I suspect a welcome change to other teams (coaches and players anyway), and it strikes me, not a horrendous expense to schools, nor competitive overemphasis. NESCAC teams in baseball play two-day triple-headers (though, I realize, on one site). This change may result in fewer (one-sided) wins for the Panthers, but I know of no one here who would not welcome it.

I don't mean to start this discussion again. It's just that I am defensive about comments about Midd's schedule, even when they may not suggest competitive intent.

I drove to Williams last night with Young Guy in bad weather - long night. Williams was very impressive. Hard to believe that team we saw, so tough and confident, lost to Hamilton. Hard to believe they lost to anyone! I hope we don't find out the hard way, as we face the Continentals at home tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing Lin: two years ago as a frosh he was clever, but very slender, a leaf in the wind. I suspect he's grown up a lot.

Hudnut's extended absence would be devastating to Colby - Sabety's less so to the Jumbo's (Palleschi remains) but still very tough. Looks this weekend like the cream amy be rising.

amh63 · January 31, 2015, 05:49:46 PM

Nothing more to add to the game in LeFrak. Just some loose end comments.
Guess the Polar Bears did not get the memo from P'Bearfan...stop Connor Green from getting hot was the first point...in truth when Conner feels it, there is nothing much you can do, especially when Reid Berman is feeding him the ball.
Green scores 32 points and had 12 rebounds while keeping out of foul trouble. Even had a 4 point play...fouled when he made a 3-pt shot.
Nice touch by Coach Hixon to let Levine, his only senior start...both halves...10 plus minutes on the floor...scores, rebounded and had a block. Solid front court player.
Good defense on Hurley...prevented him from getting started
Rio, got in and scores from outside and in a rebound put back. Lost of energy from him.

Mr. Ypsi · January 31, 2015, 05:56:56 PM

Quote from: Old Guy on January 31, 2015, 05:44:00 PM
Quote from: jumpshot on January 30, 2015, 09:14:49 PM
As I and others pointed out, Mid's exceptionally soft schedule may well be catching up with them....

Perhaps a fair observation: at the risk of repeating myself, I hope people don't think this SOS is Middlebury's intent. Midd plays the best schedule it can put together. League obligations, and distance (expense), are reasons schools won't schedule us, or have dropped us.

The Maine schools have each other (a real State Series) and better in-state competition; other NESCAC schools in the Boston area or the Hartford/Springfield/New Haven/Western Mass axis, have many more competitive possibilities, Hamilton has numerous upstate NY schools to schedule.

Last year, Midd scheduled four very tough teams in Nov/Dec tourneys, which had more weeks of preseason preparation, and we were criticized for that.

From Middlebury's perspective, it's not that hard to address this scheduling problem, though I have no idea if other schools view the limitation of league games as the hardship Middlebury does. Is there another conference of eleven teams, more or less, that play only one game against one another?

It seems reasonable to me to expand league contests. If a full home and home schedule (20 league games) is excessive, how about a division of teams, as in baseball, into East-West divisions of five (or six) teams, with one game against all NESCAC teams and another game (home and home) against teams in the division, amounting to a four to five game expansion of league contests, hardly radical. Tournament would be as now: the top eight teams (overall record).

This change would certainly be of an immediate scheduling benefit to Middlebury, and I suspect a welcome change to other teams (coaches and players anyway), and it strikes me, not a horrendous expense to schools, nor competitive overemphasis. NESCAC teams in baseball play two-day triple-headers (though, I realize, on one site). This change may result in fewer (one-sided) wins for the Panthers, but I know of no one here who would not welcome it.

I don't mean to start this discussion again. It's just that I am defensive about comments about Midd's schedule, even when they may not suggest competitive intent.

I drove to Williams last night with Young Guy in bad weather - long night. Williams was very impressive. Hard to believe that team we saw, so tough and confident, lost to Hamilton. Hard to believe they lost to anyone! I hope we don't find out the hard way, as we face the Continentals at home tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing Lin: two years ago as a frosh he was clever, but very slender, a leaf in the wind. I suspect he's grown up a lot.

Hudnut's extended absence would be devastating to Colby - Sabety's less so to the Jumbo's (Palleschi remains) but still very tough. Looks this weekend like the cream amy be rising.

To the best of my knowledge, NESCAC is the ONLY conference (regardless of size) which plays a single round-robin, something national posters have complained about for years. MOST years it gives the NESCAC a big advantage in SOS, as they can cherry-pick nearby opponents who are likely to have very good records but are NOT very good teams. Some schools elsewhere in the country play that same game but a) don't have as many non-con games to do it in, and b) don't have as rich a selection of opponents within reasonable distance.