MBB: NESCAC

[AmherstStudent05]

You can't make this stuff up. I was following the game on the Tarmac through live stats. I "see" Jeff Racy hit a big three to put us up one late.  Just as I am quietly celebrating to myself I learn that MSA hits a layup to put Midd up 1 with a minute to go. The very next thing I hear is from my friendly flight attendant.  We are leaving the gate and I must shut off my blackberry immediately (by the way, can my blackberry really bring down a modern jetliner?). For a split second I thought about causing a scene so I could keep us at the gate for another few minutes, but I quickly thought better of it and dutifully -- but unhappily -- complied.

Four and a half hours later, literally the second I heard the wheels hit the JFK runway, I turn my phone back on only to discover the bad news.

Obviously congratulations are due to Midd on their improbable run to the 2016 NCAA Tournament.  Going through the defending champions, the top seed, and then Amherst, no one can question the fact that this year's Midd team surely had to sing for its supper.

For Amherst, I want to start by commending Coach Hixon and company for leading us to a fifth straight NESCAC title game -- a laudable achievement to be sure.  But a second close loss in the title game definitely hurts -- no getting around it.  Also, while I have no doubt that we will be a Pool C pick this year, as a general matter one prefers not to leave one's fate in the hands of others.  Pool A is obviously the preferred route into the Big Dance, but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Oh well.

Since I didn't see the game I don't have too much to add. I know before the game I questioned whether anyone on Midd other than MSA could hit a three against Amherst. In looking at the box score I see that, in fact, no one did, yet the Panthers still crossed the 80 point threshold on us. Just goes to show what I know (although I do think that this could still be an Achilles heel for Midd going forward).  Also, I see that Amherst committed significantly more fouls than Midd while also being significantly outrebounded.   Obviously not a winning combination.  Finally, our free throw shooting continues to be inexplicably bad (although, today, Midd wasn't that much better).  This has plagued us for a while now and I still don't get it.  For many of our players I think I would rather see them take a contested deep three than an uncontested shot from the charity stripe.

However, there were also a lot of positives to take from this weekend.  Lots of players contributed to a balanced scoring effort and we seemed to shoot the ball well overall.

I am looking forward to seeing what Selection Monday brings tomorrow, and, of course, I am looking forward to seeing Amherst compete in another NCAA Tournament.  I am hoping we will be tough to beat!

[AmherstStudent05]

Here is my take at the all conference awards.

First Team

Hausman
MSA
Aronowitz
Ajayi
Green

Second Team

Palleschi
Pace
Davis
Hudnut
Ogundeko

PoY: Hausman
DPoY: Ajayi (as always, I have a particularly bad feel for who should win this award, but Ajayi seems reasonable)
RoY: Simonds (who I think also deserves the last spot on the second team in the absence of the "Duncan" precedent)
CoY: Jeff Brown.

[P'bearfan]

*Jeff Brown has to be coach of the year, right? Two weeks after Midd drops regular-season contests to Amherst and Trinity, Coach Brown devises near-perfect game plans for the rematches; totally different games, not to mention outcomes. On the year (regular season and tournament), Middlebury beat all eight tourney teams (and one, Wesleyan, twice), while then capturing the NESCAC title.

Gotta agree.  There late season turn around has been simply remarkable.  Given Wesleyan's similar performance last year I wonder if this is the start of a trend.

Congrats to the Panthers.

[amh63]

Interesting projection of NCAA teams and pods by the D3hoops guys. Of course the real selection is today staring at 12:30pm.
Anyway, the teaser projection has Tufts and Amherst hosting pods.  It seems that the men has priority and moved the women teams elsewhere.  Trinity and Middlebury are at other pods.  However, if all the Nescac schools advance...why not ....Middlebury and Amherst could meet again....and Trinity and Tufts could have a rematch too.
In any case, if the real brackets are similar, there maybe two CAC teams again in the Final 4! Happy thoughts for now.

[grabtherim]

Nice synopsis by Bucket. Little Bucket has been right there for every big win since Rudin helped kick start Midd to be known for more than hockey during the winter months.
It's pretty impressive to get 4 teams to the dance. Let's hope it happens. Can someone in the know chime in if post season awards are voted before or after the NESCAC Tournament. If after, I think Brown is a lock for CoY. If before I would say the same for Cosgrove. I know our league does not have such an award, but if they did, Majors and Daly from Midd would be right up there for most improved. A championship is won by a team, but both were huge factors in Midds late season surge.

[AmherstStudent05]

Nice synopsis by Bucket. Little Bucket has been right there for every big win since Rudin helped kick start Midd to be known for more than hockey during the winter months.
It's pretty impressive to get 4 teams to the dance. Let's hope it happens. Can someone in the know chime in if post season awards are voted before or after the NESCAC Tournament. If after, I think Brown is a lock for CoY. If before I would say the same for Cosgrove. I know our league does not have such an award, but if they did, Majors and Daly from Midd would be right up there for most improved. A championship is won by a team, but both were huge factors in Midds late season surge.

This question comes up every year and I am not sure we have ever got a satisfactory explanation.  What I have been told is that "nominations" (to be honest I don't really know what this means) are made prior to the Tournament, but the actual voting takes place after the Tournament has been completed. 

While last year may have been a bit of an outlier (with Wesleyan getting no All-NESCAC recognition despite their improbable Championship run), I think it is pretty clear that the NESCAC Tournament does impact voting.  For instance, I remember in 2007 Coach Paulsen won CoY honors.  To me that award only made sense in light of the fact that Williams knocked off Amherst in the Championship game (still perhaps the most frustrating loss I can remember!). 

[middhoops]

Shortly ahead of the bracket announcement, I'm hoping (as in really, really hoping) not to see Amherst again anytime soon.  No team wants to see Amherst next time out, for sure.

Jumping on the Jeff Brown band wagon.  He showed remarkable patience early in the season with a young team.  3 first year players and three sophs were all big contributors who improved more than those most enthusiastic of us could have hoped.  November and December were filled with disappointing performances.
Starting with the season opening road win against Wesleyan, it was all new.
Congrats to the entire Middlebury coaching staff for a job very well done.

[WPI89]

Amherst has a lot of NEWMAC in its future, I hope!

[JEFFFAN]

Four NESCAC teams make it. Middlebury moved out of region.

[amh63]

Just looked at the brackets...missed the show...the part I was interested in.
Middhoops...your wish is granted.....Middlebury on the other side.  Expect to see the Panthers at Salem.
WPI.....congrats to your team in the post season.  Yes, Amherst will see some Newmac teams.  First up maybe WPI in LeFrak! . Get to see your recruit...Racy in person even if you make the trip.
Other thoughts later...got to go shopping now....yes again .p

[Bucket]

Couple of interesting factoids about Middlebury's 1st-round opponent, Salisbury:

*Of the Gulls' six losses this year, five were in overtime—including a one-point OT loss in their conference championship game against the top-seed, Christopher Newport. That's eye-opening, to be sure.

*One common opponent between the two: Southern Vermont. Salisbury eeked out a one-point win in November, while Midd won by 18 in January. That said, I'd put no stock whatsoever in a November result—for obvious reasons!

[Vandy74]

Couple of interesting factoids about Middlebury's 1st-round opponent, Salisbury:

*Of the Gulls' six losses this year, five were in overtime—including a one-point OT loss in their conference championship game against the top-seed, Christopher Newport. That's eye-opening, to be sure.

*One common opponent between the two: Southern Vermont. Salisbury eeked out a one-point win in November, while Midd won by 18 in January. That said, I'd put no stock whatsoever in a November result—for obvious reasons!

Bucket....The two schools have met in NCAA tournament play 5 times in men and women's lacrosse.  The Panther women lost to the Seagulls in the 2012 and 2013 semifinals.  The men beat Salisbury in the 2000 championship game and lost the same in 2003 and 2005, both by a single goal.  It's time for another MIDD W.

[Bucket]

Couple of interesting factoids about Middlebury's 1st-round opponent, Salisbury:

*Of the Gulls' six losses this year, five were in overtime—including a one-point OT loss in their conference championship game against the top-seed, Christopher Newport. That's eye-opening, to be sure.

*One common opponent between the two: Southern Vermont. Salisbury eeked out a one-point win in November, while Midd won by 18 in January. That said, I'd put no stock whatsoever in a November result—for obvious reasons!

Bucket....The two schools have met in NCAA tournament play 5 times in men and women's lacrosse.  The Panther women lost to the Seagulls in the 2012 and 2013 semifinals.  The men beat Salisbury in the 2000 championship game and lost the same in 2003 and 2005, both by a single goal.  It's time for another MIDD W.

Oh, I'm well aware of Salisbury's lacrosse history. An old coaching friend of mine played lax at Salisbury, and he never fails to remind me of their success.

[Vandy74]

Couple of interesting factoids about Middlebury's 1st-round opponent, Salisbury:

*Of the Gulls' six losses this year, five were in overtime—including a one-point OT loss in their conference championship game against the top-seed, Christopher Newport. That's eye-opening, to be sure.

*One common opponent between the two: Southern Vermont. Salisbury eeked out a one-point win in November, while Midd won by 18 in January. That said, I'd put no stock whatsoever in a November result—for obvious reasons!

Bucket....The two schools have met in NCAA tournament play 5 times in men and women's lacrosse.  The Panther women lost to the Seagulls in the 2012 and 2013 semifinals.  The men beat Salisbury in the 2000 championship game and lost the same in 2003 and 2005, both by a single goal.  It's time for another MIDD W.

Oh, I'm well aware of Salisbury's lacrosse history. An old coaching friend of mine played lax at Salisbury, and he never fails to remind me of their success.

I didn't think I was telling you anything you didn't already know Bucket.  Btw, when I spotted Little Bucket in attendance during Middlebury's pregame warm up I knew it was an omen that the Hamster's goose was cooked.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

*One common opponent between the two: Southern Vermont. Salisbury eeked out a one-point win in November, while Midd won by 18 in January. That said, I'd put no stock whatsoever in a November result—for obvious reasons!

A couple of little notes here - that Midd game was either the first or second for Southern Vermont after they lost their senior PG for the year.  Probably not the best example of their play.  Also, Salisbury eeked out that win because their scorer made a mistake in the book and gave them two points they didn't actually score.

My take: Salisbury is a much better team than Middlebury, but Middlebury is playing exceptionally well right now; if they keep up momentum it'll be a close game that could break either way.