MBB: NESCAC

P'bearfan · February 27, 2016, 10:21:58 AM

QuoteQuote from: NothingButNESCAC on Yesterday at 11:21:14 am
Only because things are so quiet, here is the link to the Middlebury-Trinity preview. Hopefully it gets some conversation going. Quotes from both coaches are in there too.
http://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=3413

Second preview will be up tomorrow morning.

Terrific preview, very thorough, by Joe MacDonald, Midd '16, co-captain of the baseball team.

Agreed. Very good preview of this match up. Must have been tough not to pick his Panthers especially given how closely he's followed them. Hopefully it will be a close game.

JEFFFAN · February 27, 2016, 11:56:56 AM

http://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=3421

polbear73 · February 27, 2016, 02:14:44 PM

Quote from: JEFFFAN on February 27, 2016, 11:56:56 AM
http://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=3421

A superbly researched and written preview as well. We're going to miss Joe and Adam next year!

middhoops · February 27, 2016, 02:42:45 PM

Middlebury, and especially senior big man Matt Daley, looking like they don't want the season to end in a sloppy first half at Trinity.
The rest of the game should be a barn burner.

jumpshot · February 27, 2016, 02:45:26 PM

Midd's game to lose as the Panthers are up by 9 at the half versus a cold shooting, discombobulated Trinity team. Few NESCAC schools put forth as a consistently hard-working effort in all sports as does Middlebury. Have always believed that Panther Pride is real ....

warriorcat · February 27, 2016, 03:45:29 PM

Middlebury one win away from punching their ticket after their win against Trinity this afternoon.

jumpshot · February 27, 2016, 03:49:43 PM

Midd earns a gritty upset win over top-seeded Trinity at Trinity 70-58 by retaining their poise in spite of steals and turnovers, as the Bantams continue unraveling in the second half. Looked to me as though Trinity was out-coached and not playing as freely as the Panthers.

grabtherim · February 27, 2016, 03:49:51 PM

Biggest win for Midd since the Sweet !6 victory over Ithaca in 2013. Withstood runs when they came. Great win.

NEhoops · February 27, 2016, 04:03:05 PM

Great win for Midd. Trinity not able to protect its home court for the second year in a row. Do the Panthers have a chance at an at large? They definitely need Eastern CT to win the LEC tournament.

warriorcat · February 27, 2016, 06:03:40 PM

Good game in the second semi final

Amherst holds on to win by three.

Midd/ Amherst tomorrow.

middhoops · February 27, 2016, 06:16:33 PM

Shoot me if I'm biased but I thought Bruce Bosley of NSN did an outstanding job of announcing both games today. Good idea for the NESCAC to put the games on NSN. Can't beat the price. Or the quality.

amh63 · February 27, 2016, 06:39:12 PM

Middhoops.....agree on the announcer. He must be the one that covers the games in Vermont!

Caught the last 12 min.of the second game. Surprised that Trinity-Midd was the first. Happy but not too surprised wrt to the Midd win. Stats look like the game at first glance was won on the foul line. Lots of fouls in the game.
In the Amherst win, my take is on a day that Conner Green was off and Pace of Trinity was having a terrific offensive day, the Amherst depth won out. Six Amherst players were in double figures for the day. Both George and Conklin were in double figures and counter the Tufts front court.
Good win! Big game on Sunday. Expect Amherst to play hard for the title...and to get the chance to host a post season regional tournament. Note...if the Amherst WBB team upsets Tufts in the title game...they could be the team to host a post season Tourny in LeFrak.

Old Guy · February 27, 2016, 09:30:54 PM

Quote from: middhoops on February 27, 2016, 06:16:33 PM
Shoot me if I'm biased but I thought Bruce Bosley of NSN did an outstanding job of announcing both games today. Good idea for the NESCAC to put the games on NSN. Can't beat the price. Or the quality.

Bruce Bosley was/is excellent. Can't say the same for the camera person (also the person responsible for the score on the screen, rarely correct). We couldn't see the near half of the court at all, missed seeing altogether about a third of the shots in the first half. Frustrating. Not the case for the Amherst/Tufts game.

But why quibble. The Panthers turned the ball over 22 times - and still beat the top team in NESCAC. How many saw this coming at the holiday break (I know, I'm a broken record)? I, a fan for decades, had consigned them to bottom half. Shame on me. But it has been so satisfying to see this team come together in the second half, the way they have meshed their various talents, and played hard as a group, a real team, with great leadership, in the backcourt especially. My older son lives in Amherst and is friends with Amherst coaches (baseball mostly, but basketball too), one of whom (a hoop coach) told him how much respect he has for how hard Midd plays, night after night. Amherst is deep and talented but let's hope there's a little magic left this weekend for our guys. I suspect Amherst is not expecting the Panthers to fold when they see an Amherst jersey and will be highly motivated to put up another banner in LaFrak. Jeff Brown got any shot at Coach of the Year? Is there anyone who's done a better job?

I couldn't get to the game (I have two new knees and they told me they would not tolerate eight hours in the car), so I invited other Panther partisans to watch the game with me on the big screen tv. That's a miracle, watching NESCAC ball games on tv. Young Guy came by, Old Lady too watched (I'm glad she does not read this listserv; she would not appreciate the sobriquet) and seven others. I served steamed hot dogs at the half! A very good time was had by all - and we got a subtle shout-out from Bruce Bosley, who referred to the "fans on Cider Mill Road" in reference to a goaltending non-call in the first half. That was us. We're on our own tomorrow. Bucket is there in Hartford with Young Bucket, keeping the faith.

These Midd players continue to exceed expectations. I try not to go outside in winter - it's cold (I know whereof I speak, I grew up in Maine!) and they have made for a very pleasurable hoop season for me. I'm grateful.

Good luck tomorrow, boys, against the vaunted Lord Jeffs (sorry, not Jeffs anymore, but Hamsters).

iwumichigander · February 27, 2016, 09:49:52 PM

Old Guy - maybe Young Guy or Amh63 will print your post to pass along to Old Lady

JEFFFAN · February 27, 2016, 10:02:16 PM

Kudos to Ripeil (sp?) for a great performance off the bench including a clutch three at the end. Give credit to Hixon for keeping an ice cold Green on the bench. And a special note of applause to David George for a terrific switch-out at the end to keep a red hot Pace from even trying a three. NcCarthy got picked on a good play by Tufts but George switched to Pace - who had a super game - and wouldn't let him even jack up a three. Very heady play by George who was demonstrably happy after the game ended.