MBB: NESCAC

[amh70]

Amherst just didn't show up today. They looked lethargic and were out hustled at every turn.Congrats to Middlebury on a win when it would have been easy for them to cash it in for the season. Idon't see Amherst winning a game in the playoffs, they are very overrated this year.

[NEhoops]

No surprise by the effort the Panthers put forth today in their win against Amherst. Coach Brown and the seniors weren't going to have it any other way. On a side note, I find it curious how often Coach Brown calls timeouts after his team scores (not referencing ones that are typically called late in the game to setup defense/etc.), any Panther followers have insight on this coaching tactic. 

As for Amherst, not a good way to head into the tournament. They'll travel to Tufts next Saturday and will need to be a lot more focused against the Jumbos. The shot selection by everyone except Connor Green is very questionable, with lots of one on one play and they still seem to be lacking a player/point guard that can control the tempo and get everyone involved in the offense.

There is sure to be some shakeup to the regional rankings after Bates/Amherst/RIC/Springfield/Williams all lost this past week.

[nescac1]

This year in NESCAC summed up in one quote: "just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions!"

Almost every team has looked like world-beaters at times, total chumps at other times.  It's really hard to figure.  All I can think is that there are a lot of teams heavily relying on a lot of young players, stepping into big roles for the first time in their careers, and inconsistency is the natural consequence.  Also, the weaker teams got stronger and the traditional powers are all way down from their peak level.  Add that all together, and it is going be the most wide-open, unpredictable tourney in NESCAC history.  With Hudnut out, I feel pretty good about Trinity at home vs. Colby, but a Colby win would not be a total shock.  The other three games -- it's anybody's guess.  Williams went toe-to-toe with Bates once, at Bates, and while Bates deserves to be favored based on that performance, an Eph win is within the realm of plausibility if they can relocate the outside shooting touch that totally and cryptically abandoned them this weekend.  Bowdoin is playing really well, but Wesleyan looked like world-beaters this weekend, they have big guys to bang with Swords and a slew of shooters who can get hot on any given night.  Tufts hosting Amherst is basically a toss-up.  It's gonna be a fun weekend, for sure!

Meanwhile that loss is brutal for Amherst's Pool C chances. I imagine they drop anywhere from 2 to 4 spots in the regional rankings this week -- hard to see a fifth-place conference team being high on the selection committee's list.  They almost certainly need to beat Tufts, and probably need two wins, to get into the NCAA tourney.  I think Trinity and Bates, on the other hand, are well-positioned for Pool C's with at least one win in the tourney, but each need to win two to feel remotely safe.  Bowdoin and Amherst would both need a lot of help. 

[warriorcat]

If I am not mistaken Bowdoin holds the tiebreaker with Bates so they are the #2 seed.  Wesleyan beat Williams and that makes them the #6.  Therefore, it would be Bowdoin/Williams and Bates/Wesleyan. 

[nescac1]

Woops my bad! 

[warriorcat]

That's OK.  I believe that all of the teams were so up and down during the course of the season that home court will be a big factor.  Bowdoin and Wesleyan had a great final weekend so momentum is on their side.  What a great tournament it promises to be.  I give Trinity full credit for winning the league by two games but does anyone believe that they are the best team in the Conference?

[amh63]

Watched the fine win of Middlebury over Amherst on the road ...like Amherst.  Sat in a brewery pub in Deland Fla......watching the game on my smartphone...a first.  Wife and her sister and brother in law went shopping in antique stores and drinking craft beer...me, was intent on the game ...hoping for a comeback that never came for the LJs.  Congrats to the Panther seniors who played hard.  As I feared Matt Daley outplayed the front court of Amherst, and St. Amour and others hit the outside shots.
Amherst falls to 5 th place and goes on the road to face Tufts.  Maybe a positive sign since Amherst plays better on the road it seems..except today.
See some positive signs today in the lost...PGs can score from outside.  JMac was way off on his offensive game but did rebound, played defense and was again high in assists.  Conner Green is in a grove and many others are rebounding and moving well.
Amherst can win in Cousens  against a Tufts team with only a single big man up front.  Need to hold the Tufts ball handling guards from hitting the outside shots...and have some of the young players to Crank It....taken from the football website.
Will be watching the game on Sat..on the road and sober again . Congrats to Midd again!

[jumpshot]

Anyone else notice Coach Hixson's move with one minute remaining to walk down to the end of the bench and put his sports jacket back on?

Sort of Red Auerbach with a cigar in reverse ....

[warriorcat]

I saw that as well.  My thoughts were he wanted to get today's game over and begin turning his (and his team's) attention to the post season. 

[middhoops]

Connor Greene was a beast in Pepin Gym today.  Most of his 29 points came from well beyond the arc with a defender all over him. 
Middlebury played great team basketball against an LJ team that struggled to play together as an interdependent unit.  Freshman Jack Daly directed a number of fast breaks that culminated in easy baskets. 
Amherst had very few easy hoops and Greene's only easy looks were free throws.
Matt Daley, injured virtually all season, was dominant under the hoop.  It was a satisfying last game for Midd fans who, for the most part anyway, still don't know what went wrong once league season kicked off.
Best of luck to all the tourney teams.

[lumbercat]

Its a non sequitur as we enjoy the end of the NESCAC season while we experience record snow accumulations in the Boston area and throughout NESCAC land.
Hard to imagine that Mike Leonard's Bates Baseball Bobcats begin their season tomorrow in a 7 game swing in Southern California---- that was a well planned trip.

[P'bearfan]

Congrats to HBC Tim Gilbride, his staff and the Bowdoin players for a second place seed in the conference tournament.  A great accomplishment given all the ups and downs this season. 

Let's finish strong against Husson tomorrow night and then on to the NESCAC tournament!

GoUBears!!

[grabtherim]

If someone popped in a DVD of Midd's games against Wesleyan and Amherst from this season for any of us to watch without knowing anything else that happened this season, to man, we all would have say Midd's place among the Big 3 was secure.  Of course that's not the way the world works.  Before I pull a Mark McGuire and say I'm not here to talk about the past, my best wishes to some very fine young men who will be leaving Vermont this Spring.  What I saw from Midd yesterday was encouraging and not because it was a win.  It all came from a commitment to the defensive end which was the hallmark of the successful Midd teams from 2008-2013.  Team defense and individual play on that end of the floor ignite the offensive game and shake up the other team.  If the LJs had not made some NBA range 3s early in both halves, this one would have been much easier much earlier for the Panthers.  While Daly had more dunks than he probably had all season, he also played as well on the inside defensively as he has in his Midd career.  I simply cannot say enough about St. Amour.  I know first hand what it takes to recover from knee surgery.  At some point it is far more mental than physical to let yourself go.  To me he looks like he might be all the way back.  I expect him and Brown to not only be a great playing tandem, but more importantly they need to be the type of leaders on and off the court Midd had during their deep runs.  I think Midd is set up well with young guys who can mature and compete in our league big time.  Although he didn't see the floor yesterday, Tarantino can be a force in this league if he continues to work and improve.  It was my first time seeing the LJs this season and I have read some of the comments of their fans saying how flat they were yada yada yada.  I don't agree.  This year's LJ's are much more talented than Midd.  I think they simply ran into a good team who played their most motivated game of the year.  George is a fantastic.  Not sure why Hixon did not get him a few more minutes to rest.  At the end when the LJs could have made a run, he could barely make it up the court.  He was completely gassed.  The best and worst thing about Connor Greene is his shooter's mentality.  When he's on, watch out, but I'm afraid when he's not, it's John Starks for all you old timers who get the reference.  The guy I want to see a lot more of going forward is McCarthy.  He did not get to show much yesterday, but you can see that this kid can really play, gets the game.  Strange not to have Midd hosting or even playing a tournament game.  For now, I am pulling for Wesleyan being a big fan of Joe Reilly or anyone who plays Williams or Amherst.  There are certain things you cant turn off...     

[polbear73]

Trinity's Coach Cosgrove has to be the front runner for Coach of the Year honors but Coach Gilbride of Bowdoin has to be a consideration.

[WPI89]

When was the last time Amherst, Williams, Midd finished the NESCAC 4,7,8 (or worse)?  I would assume never?