MBB: NESCAC

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 11, 2015, 02:35:10 PM

This year... no one is in good shape to be honest.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · February 11, 2015, 02:36:04 PM

Quote from: 7express on February 11, 2015, 02:34:38 PM
I think Amherst is in good shape regardless of whether they win the NESCAC tourney or not.

Assuming they win out through the semis. These last couple games are going to be huge for postseason places across the league.

WPI89 · February 11, 2015, 03:02:50 PM

If things stay similar in the RR at the end - we better see some pool C from you guys or it is going to be a very thin representation from the Northeast indeed!

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · February 11, 2015, 03:08:41 PM

Quote from: WPI89 on February 11, 2015, 03:02:50 PM
If things stay similar in the RR at the end - we better see some pool C from you guys or it is going to be a very thin representation from the Northeast indeed!

It'll change a lot by the end of the season. Those NESCAC teams have to play each other. It'll knock them down a bit.

NothingButNESCAC · February 11, 2015, 03:13:52 PM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 11, 2015, 02:35:10 PM
This year... no one is in good shape to be honest.

So then is nobody from the Northeast going to get a Pool C bid? I know there is a big difference between your Top 25 and the Regional Rankings but you seem to be dismissing them out of hand with that comment. Also, why is Albertus Magnus always ranked so low in the NCAA rankings?

And Hoops Fan, it is likely that some of the teams ranked will meet in the NESCAC tournament but this weekend Bowdoin-Bates is the only match-up of the five teams (Bates, Amherst, Trinity, Williams, and Bowdoin). They can certainly lose a lot of games this weekend but it won't be because they play each other.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 11, 2015, 03:17:24 PM

I mean across the board in the country a lot of teams are losing... it makes for being on the bubble a dangerous thing. We may see a lot of at-large locks lose the AQ this season meaning it will be tough to get at-large bids for a lot of teams. I think there will be at-large bids from the Northeast, but if you look at the Central there is a strong argument that every team on those rankings will be in the NCAA tournament.

As for AMC... they will move up... as long as they keep winning. They are really suffering for a low SOS along with the fact the ended up with just one out-of-conference game of significance and it is a loss.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · February 11, 2015, 03:18:57 PM

Quote from: NothingButNESCAC on February 11, 2015, 03:13:52 PM
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 11, 2015, 02:35:10 PM
This year... no one is in good shape to be honest.

So then is nobody from the Northeast going to get a Pool C bid? I know there is a big difference between your Top 25 and the Regional Rankings but you seem to be dismissing them out of hand with that comment. Also, why is Albertus Magnus always ranked so low in the NCAA rankings?

And Hoops Fan, it is likely that some of the teams ranked will meet in the NESCAC tournament but this weekend Bowdoin-Bates is the only match-up of the five teams (Bates, Amherst, Trinity, Williams, and Bowdoin). They can certainly lose a lot of games this weekend but it won't be because they play each other.

Albertus has a .469 SOS number. Bates has .615. Much of the NESCAC is in high 5/low 6 area - very impressive numbers.

And those NESCAC teams will mostly pick up additional losses in the conference tournament as well.

middhoops · February 11, 2015, 03:28:58 PM

Is there another NESCAC player that spends more time on the floor, following drives, dives and collisions than Matt St. Amour?
Not watching all other teams as much as Midd, I can't think of one, offhand. But I'm sure there are other candidates.

nescac1 · February 11, 2015, 04:17:14 PM

Amherst looks in pretty good shape based on these rankings ... they've played the entire top six already, going 3-2, plus numbers 9 and 11, going 2-1. I have to think that either Bates or Amherst is almost surely in if they win out in the regular season and at least make the NESCAC semis. Trinity should have a pretty good shot as well if they win out and make the NESCAC finals (Trinity, if they just miss, will be shaking their heads at three really poor losses to lesser teams). Even Bowdoin has a chance, again, would likely require them to win out and make the NESCAC finals. Williams also has to be shaking its head, if a few of those down-to-the-last possession games vs. WPI, Trinity, Bates, Amherst (second game), Hamilton had gone differently, they'd be in the conversation right now.

Albertus better win its league or they could be in trouble ...

middhoops · February 11, 2015, 06:11:07 PM

nescac1, Albertus looks pretty good - - as we've become accustomed to.
If you think they will struggle in the tournament this time around; why? With only two losses on the season (IF someone beats them), you don't think they're a lock for a Pool C bid?

P'bearfan · February 11, 2015, 08:31:56 PM

QuoteIs there another NESCAC player that spends more time on the floor, following drives, dives and collisions than Matt St. Amour?
Not watching all other teams as much as Midd, I can't think of one, offhand. But I'm sure there are other candidates.

I think you just described both Matt Palecki and Neil Fuller from Bowdoin. Look up "old school" and you'll see their pictures.

nescac1 · February 11, 2015, 08:56:38 PM

I think Albertus is for real and will do well in the tourney. All I meant is that given their regional ranking, if they pick up another loss to a team in their conference, they might miss the tourney entirely. I doubt it happens, in any event. I think Albertus has as good a chance once in the tourney as any other New England team in this totally unpredictable year.

AmherstStudent05 · February 12, 2015, 04:09:31 AM

Just got a chance to look at the first set of Regional Rankings. Can't say as I have any idea how they are calculated. I would have thought Babson was a lock for the top spot. Also, I am not surprised that AMC was docked a bit, but I was shocked to see how low they were ranked to start off here.

Obviously, I can't complain with where Amherst is ranked. But my Jeffs still have a lot to prove and a lot of business yet to take care of.

I know these rankings are still preliminary, but one thing I always like looking at is the number of other regionally ranked teams in the Northeast that Amherst has played. As nescac1 pointed out, Amherst has played everyone currently in the top 6 (save for itself) and two other teams as well. 4 of those games are out of conference (though the Williams game is not really discretionary in any meaningful sense).

Again, I know Amherst may not play the world's toughest schedule (and I don't think I would want them too), but I give Coach Hixon credit as year after year he seems to ensure that we match up with the top teams in our region. I should think that that can only be a good thing when sorting out the regional rankings.

amh63 · February 12, 2015, 06:54:46 AM

See that the D3 no.1 team loss last night..in conference.....no more unbeaten team. Caught the Keene vs ECSU game last night..the Warriors pulled it out. ECSU beat Keene in NH badly.....expected a closer game at home....down 12 at the half and pulled a nail biter game led by several freshmen that stepped up. Seems that in conference battles are going around the country with surprising results.
With that said....Amherst has a game against Lasell in LeFrak tonight. Must not look ahead to Sunday's game.
Hope to catch it on the road to warmer climates

Go Jeffs!

middhoops · February 12, 2015, 08:15:26 AM

We have an on-going discussion of SOS. Here is one viewpoint.

Geography means a lot in scheduling OOC games. Most schools don't want to spend any more travel money than they need to.

Slightly off point as an example, but let me try:
Middlebury is almost ready to use their new indoor track.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tehJg8dvUnE)

I compete in masters track & field on a national level and have seen my share of nice track facilities. This facility is the best within hundreds of miles. However, when I remarked to the head track coach that this would be great for the local economy, he cut me off. "Middhoops, the NESCAC isn't likely to use our new facility for championship meets. We are too far for teams to travel comfortably without an overnight stay. (track meets last several hours when you have many teams). We will host a few meets for local teams."
The new field house is a great recruiting tool as it's used by a least a dozen teams for various purposes. But it's too far from Boston, Hartford, Maine, etc. to be used for its primary purpose because Vermont is (insert laughing face here) too remote.

D3 basketball teams in Oregon have no choice but to travel great distances. How many D3 teams are within 3 hours of Amherst, MA? More than 100? I think there are four D3 teams in Oregon and two more in Washington. And they're still long trips by our local standard.

Any D3 team in Wisconsin has a nearly impossible time finding relatively easy competition unless they care to visit our region. By the time we see them play in the tournament, those young men are truly battle tested. Same for CCIW teams.
Northeast teams do not need to spend money to fill their OOC schedules. It's a blessing and a curse. And it's not going to change much any time soon.