MBB: NESCAC

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin will travel to Bangor this evening to take on the Eagles of Husson at 7 pm.

I haven't seen Husson play but the research I did was interesting.  Tjhe Eagles have a high octane offense that averages 88.6 ppg.  Overall they shoot the long ball well (37.9%) and are solid from the charity stripe (71.7%).  On the defensive end they allow 79.3 ppg but they  generate 7.5 steals per game (compared to Bowdoin's 5.5 steals per game).  The Eagles are solid on the glass as well grabbing 40.2 caroms per game.

Bowdoin and Husson have similar line ups.  Trevon Butler and Raheem Anderson carry the scoring load for the Eagles averaging 22.6 and 21.6 ppg respectively (similar to Bowdoin's 1-2 punch of Hausman and Simonds).  Bowdoin has slight height advantage but while Husson has no player over 6'-5" three of their forwards are 220 lbs or more so I expect a real battle under the boards.
Based on these stats, I'd expect a close game and would be worried about Husson getting out too far ahead of Bowdoin.  However, when you look at their common opponents the picture changes.

Bowdoin and Husson have played 5 common opponents: Maine Maritime; St Joe's; UMF; Bates; Colby.  In these games Bowdoin's margin of victory has generally been much larger.  Bowdoin defeated Maine Maritime by 30; Husson played the Mariners twice defeating them by 15 and then only 4.  Bowdoin and Husson both played St Joe's evenly (20 and 18 point margins of victory).  Bowdoin cruised past UMF by 47 while Husson won by a comfortable but significantly smaller margin of 23 points.  Bowdoin defeated Bates by 7 points while Husson lost both match ups against the Bobcats.  Most recently both Bowdoin and Husson defeated Colby in OT by 3 points (though Bowdoin lost to the White Mules by 5 points in December).

Not sure how much weight to give to these common match ups but Husson's two losses to Bates and their inability to really put away Maine Maritime and UMF give me some hope.  Hopefully the Polar Bears will keep up their defense and put together another two solid halves of basketball.

Looking forward to the webcast this evening.

GoUBears!!

[amh63]

Tuesday is here and some comments about CAC schools out of conference games tonight.
First, forgot that Wesleyan played on Monday and won.  Go CAC!
Thanks P'BearFan on the preview of Bowdoin's game with Husson.
The rest of the matchups tonight are primarily games with schools from the LEC that historically been a solid BB conference that has done well in the post- season.  This season, the LEC is very competative...within.
Amherst's opponent is RIC.  RIC's team is in a rebuilding mode this season under a relative new coach.  It's win-loss record is under .500.  Yet in its last game, RIC upset the LEC leader ECSU.
ECSU gave Amherst fits in LeFrak earlier.  Wesleyan, early in the season barely beat RIC in R.I.
I do not need to remind posters here, that the Cardinals seem to be surging presently.  They are ranked 23rd in the latest  D3hoops poll.
In short, Amherst better be ready tonight.  RIC has a number of quick young players.  Their win over ECSU was helped by a freshman center. 
I feel that the Nescac teams should win over their opponents tonight.  However, their opponents cannot, I repeat, cannot be overlooked. 

[P'bearfan]

http://athletics.husson.edu/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20160202000zcz

Looks like Husson was voted the top MBB program in Maine in the lastest coaches poll - could make for a tight game tonight.  Having said that I'm not sure how much weight to give this poll since Bowdoin defeated the number 2 team USM 81-55 back in December. Given that these teams all play in different conferences I would assume the coaches would give more weight to head-to-head match ups.

GoUBears!!

[P'bearfan]

http://athletics.husson.edu/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20160201zpt1xh

Looks like the match up between Hausman and Husson's Trevon Butler could be a good one.  Hopefully both players are "on" tonight as it could make for an entertaining game.

GoUBears!!

[AmherstStudent05]

Connor Green on fire against RIC.  Game is still ongoing, but with his 18 points, Connor just passed Jamal Wilson (1,550 points) as the third highest scorer in Amherst history.  The great Steve Zieja is next up with 1,708 career points and will be tough to catch.

Either way, Connor has put himself in some very elite company.  Congratulations, Connor and here is hoping there is still plenty more yet to come! 

[7express]

IF the LEC can manage a 3-2 record in these 5 games against the CAC (Conn College plays Western Connecticut tomorrow), that may as well be the Super Bowl for the LEC  this year.  Amh is right....the conference itself isn't bad.......................but that's because 6 of the 8 teams are terrible and when you had bad playing terrible, and mediocre playing average, chances are the games are going to be tight and exciting:

My predictions: Western beats Conn College, and one of Keene (over Middlebury) OR USM (over Colby) may win with the other 2 games (Tufts vs. one of the UMass schools forgot who, and Amherst vs. RIC) being complete blowouts by the CAC.

[JEFFFAN]

Not sure if Rhode Island College has a decent history in basketball - maybe someone can provide information on that - but tonight wasn't much of a game for this stage of the season.   Amherst did shoot well and it is nice to see Green pass into that company.   I was down on him earlier this season, but I was wrong - he is a gritty, hard worker, the grinder on this team.   He sometimes shoots a bit much but his toughness cannot be overlooked.

Also - you heard it here first - the seven foot freshman, Schneider, will put his mark on this team and the NESCAC before he is done.  Needs a little weight, but he plays tough and clearly wants to be out there.   Give him time.

[Old Guy]

Nice win for Midd at Keene State, 83-74 (tied at the half, 31-31). Matt St. Amour had 32 points in 26 minutes (foul trouble; 5-9 from three, 11-11 from line, 8-8 down the stretch). Zach Baines still out. Jake Brown had six assists, one turnover.

Big weekend with Colby and Bowdoin coming in. In the Mule-Polar Bear game last week, Hausman had 36 points and Hudnut 33. Coach Brown will have to come up with some wrinkles to contain them: Hausman is likely to see a lot of Jake Daly (as will Ryan Jann the night before); Hudnut will see a rotating group of Panther bigs and some double-teams. Should be fun!

[7express]

Not sure if Rhode Island College has a decent history in basketball - maybe someone can provide information on that - but tonight wasn't much of a game for this stage of the season.   Amherst did shoot well and it is nice to see Green pass into that company.   I was down on him earlier this season, but I was wrong - he is a gritty, hard worker, the grinder on this team.   He sometimes shoots a bit much but his toughness cannot be overlooked.

Also - you heard it here first - the seven foot freshman, Schneider, will put his mark on this team and the NESCAC before he is done.  Needs a little weight, but he plays tough and clearly wants to be out there.   Give him time.

Ever since Bob Walsh came aboard (2002-03) they've been one of the better programs not only in New England itself, but in the entire country.  Up until he went onto Maine at the end of the 13/14 season, I think those 11 years with him coaching they finished with 20+ wins 8 or 9 of the 11 years.  I think in 2013 or 2014 they just missed with 18 or 19, and in 2003 (his first year) they missed, but I think he got above 20 all other seasons he was there. 

So to answer the questions: yes, at least the last decade they have had a pretty good basketball history.

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin fell to Husson last night by a score of 72-93.

The Eagles deserve all the credit as they were better on both ends of the floor.  Husson shot 52.2% overall and grabbed 40 rebounds. 

The Polar Bears were playing without Matt Palecki (presumably still recovering from the turned ankle he suffered Saturday against Colby) and Jack Bors who was sick.  Unfortunately, Bowdoin shot poorly the entire night winding up with FG% of just 36.6%.   Early on the offense had good ball movement but shots just weren't falling.  The Polar Bears did keep it close until after the midpoint of the first half when Husson went on a run to open up a double digit lead.  Bowdoin never really threatened again.

At the start of the second half Neil Fuller score 6 quick points and it looked like this might be the spark Bowdoin needed but the Polar Bears couldn't generate any stops on the defensive end and they wound up trading baskets with Husson.  Before the mid-way pont of the second half, Coach Gilbride went deep into his bench and a number of players got substantial minutes which will pay off in the long run.

A couple of bright spots for Bowdoin:  Hausman finished with 28 points to lead all scorers; Hugh O'Neill started the game and finished with his first double double (14 points and 10 rebounds); Blake Gordon came off the bench was simply electric scoring 12 points including 2 treys.

Hopefully Bowdoin can use today and tomorrow to both prep and recuperate before traveling to Clinton NY on Friday to face Hamilton.

GoUBears!!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Husson's been up and down a bit this year, but they're going to be one team no one wants to see in the first round of the NCAAs.  That's a sucky match-up for most anybody.

[nescac1]

The LEC has really fallen on hard times.  It used to be (back in the 1990s) roughly on par with NESCAC, or at least close to that level, and certainly above the NEWMAC -- that is no longer the case.  RIC is not the same since Bob Walsh left, obviously.  UMass-Dartmouth used to be a perennial NCAA team, making several deep runs, but those days are long gone. Western Conn, Keene, and Plymouth State are all schools that have strong basketball traditions, but where the programs have been mired in mediocrity for a number of years now.  Wonder what has happened ... it's been a long time I think since any LEC team has made a deep tourney run, and now with RIC vastly diminished, no program looks like a threat to do so anytime soon.     

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The LEC has really fallen on hard times.  It used to be (back in the 1990s) roughly on par with NESCAC, or at least close to that level, and certainly above the NEWMAC -- that is no longer the case.  RIC is not the same since Bob Walsh left, obviously.  UMass-Dartmouth used to be a perennial NCAA team, making several deep runs, but those days are long gone. Western Conn, Keene, and Plymouth State are all schools that have strong basketball traditions, but where the programs have been mired in mediocrity for a number of years now.  Wonder what has happened ... it's been a long time I think since any LEC team has made a deep tourney run, and now with RIC vastly diminished, no program looks like a threat to do so anytime soon.     

I was just thinking that this year the GNAC might have passed them for #3 conference in New England.  The LEC is better top to bottom, but the GNAC has three really good teams at the top this year.  You can't say the same thing for the LEC.  EConn is good, but inconsistent.

[amh63]

Some loose end comments wrt to the games last night.
First....thanks 7express for the RIC background info.  Bob Walsh, the former RIC HC is a Hamilton alum like the HC at ECSU...two excellent coaches that I assume set up the Home and away series of games with HC Hixon.  Under Walsh, RIC went to the NCAA Tourny eight straight years...from '07 through '14.  RIC reached the sweet '16 in '10,'11 and the elite 8 in '07.
The games last night with the LEC schools were close for a period of time before the CAC teams won; Bowdoin being the exception.  Watched a bit of the Tufts game and Tufts pulled ahead and stayed ahead in the 2nd half.  The Midd win was in a game that was tied at the half as Old Guy pointed out. Watched much of the last part of the Midd game....since it started later...and Coach Brown did a masterful job, IMO, rotating his players and attacking the paint....to foul out Keene's 7 footer.  Was worried when Midd's center Matt Daley seemed to clearly "hurt" his foot.  STA outstanding play in the second half was almost countered by a fine player on Keene State who scored almost 30 points.
RIC came out with great intensity at the start of the game and was leading Amherst at the midpoint of the first half.  Amherst led by 10 at the half...35-25 with Capt.Green leading the way.  RIC rallied in the second half to within 10 points but Amherst surged ahead to stay...even as the bench players got minutes.
Several things caught my attention.  Amherst switched to a new offensive scheme in the 2nd half that helped the offense.  Conner Green and later JMac would move inside in the key area to take the pass from the PGs.  Green/JMAC would pass to an open player or attack the paint area via a short shot/ drive...even pass to George/Conklin.  Nice to see a new offensive set.
Crowd favorite Diego Magana is now 4-4 from three point range in 4 minutes of play.  The junior 6'5" guard has been hindered with injuries but does have a sweet outside shot.  He played a minute in the Williams game and went 1-1 from outside.  When he came into the game in last night, the student crowd shouted/ chanted his first name...and went wild when he took and made his first shot.  When he was open twice more and made his other two outside shoots, the Amherst bench also went crazy.  I think a legend is being created:).
JEFFFAN mentioned the freshman  Big Joe Schneider in his post.  Big Joe had his own fans in the Amherst section where parents/ family sit....opposite the Amherst bench...last night.  When Big Joe made a play..block/ rebound/ foul shot...mainly a foul shot, his older fans...grandparents?...would raise up paper sheets/placards that l believe spelled out...Go Joe!  Nice to have relatives in the stands from down the road .
OH yes, Green also had 9 RBs and a block....he Did altered other shots...in about 26 minutes.  He is overlooked for his defensive efforts down low against taller and at times bigger players.
Liked  the floor burn efforts by the Amherst players...led by Green's example.

[nescac1]

More NESCAC recruiting news:

At Beaver Country Day, head coach Juan Figueroa saw two of his seniors recently commit to high academic schools as Kyle Padmore will move on to Trinity College and Kent Ellerston to Emerson College following the season.

BCD is off to an 11-1 start on the season and has established themselves as one of the favorites in Class B in the process.

Padmore, a 6-foot-4 forward, has been a critical piece of that success. Strong and athletic with a continuously expanding skill set, he made a name for himself on the AAU circuit with Metro Boston and should be a valuable piece for Trinity head coach James Cosgrove for the next four years.

So far this year, Amherst, Williams, Bates and Trinity all seem to have very strong classes coming in.  A bit quieter for the rest of the league, but I'm sure more news is forthcoming.