MBB: NESCAC

[Bucket]

Made some corrections to my late night post yesterday....guess I cannot read or type when the clock approach midnight.  I wanted to point out that Wes found a way to stop Tank Smith but posted "Vance" for V. Pace.  My apology to readers.
Hope to catch the Panthers vs Ephs game today.  Yes it is a "trap" game for Midd and I am sure Coach Brown will get his team up for the game.
grabtherim...am a bit confused wrt your last post...the one on today's Williams vs Middlebury game.  at 2PM.  Did you really mean to post that you prefer a win over Amherst in LeFrak in a non conference counting game than a conference game over the Panthers?
With respect to the "little three" game on Wednesday, I recall a video on the subject of a Williams vs Amherst match.  Coach Hixon commented in the video that he at times has to get his players up for games.  However, all he has to say to his players is the game ahead is the Williams game and they are "up" for the challenge.  Me, I will be UP .

Grab the rim is a Panther fan, which is why he'd rather have the Ephs beat Amherst than Midd.

[Old Guy]

Nothing like seeing Middlebury blue uniforms in Chandler for Williams to start draining threes. The Ephs getting well at the Panthers' expense. Williams outrebounding Middlebury!

[Bucket]

Midd down 2 at the half. Williams is shooting extremely well, but Moddlebury is keeping with them nicely.

You can say that again--55 percent from the field and 47 from three. On the bright side for Panther fans, its's only led to a 2-point advantage. If they maintain, Ephs will be tough to beat. If they cool off, advantage Panthers.

[Old Guy]

You could see the Bears tighten up in the last three minutes. That would have been a big win in that gym. McCarthy's shot was improbable indeed, a contested launch from 30'. Dawson just took over. Quite a game.

I feel like for anyone else it is improbable but how many times have we seen him hit that type of shot in that type of moment? Guy is a stone cold killer at the buzzer.

I guess I don't see enough Amherst games: that shot, an off-balance sidearm fling, was improbable for Larry Bird.

[Bucket]

Williams outrebounding Middlebury!

Bigger than Midd at all 5 spots, even with Midd going with a bigger lineup,  so not unexpected.

[nescac1]

The Ephs changed things up, starting Soto and Greenman, which seemed to give the team a boost.  Soto had an excellent half.  But yeah, the turnovers killed the Ephs -- 10-4 in favor of Midd, and most of Williams' turnovers led to easy opportunities for Midd.  With Midd's speed advantage in the open floor, you just can't afford to turn the ball over that much.  St. Amour has been excellent for Midd, hitting some high-degree-of-difficult shots, per his norm.  Very quick release.  Williams was strong for the most part in half-court defense, with 16 of Midd's 37 points coming off turnovers.  After a huge game vs. Hamilton, Scadlock struggled on offense (although a few of the calls on him I wasn't too sure about, he was definitely not playing as under control as he needs to for the Ephs to succeed). 
"

[nescac1]

Old Guy, as for the McCarthy shot, I knew it was good as soon as it was released.  He's made at least five extraordinarily difficult shots like that, in similar situations, over the course of his career.  It's uncanny.   

[nescac1]

Williams played its best half (and best overall game) of the season today.  Tremendous, tremendous, and desperately-needed performance.  Looks like an entirely different team from the last few games.  Williams, first and foremost, gave tremendous EFFORT and hustle all game but especially in the second-half.  Williams got to loose balls, crushed Middlebury off the glass (43-25, no one saw that coming!), and in the second half, did an absolutely fantastic job hustling back on defense --  I don't think Midd has a single easy transition bucket in the entire half.  Stellar team defense in that half by the Ephs, who forced Midd into extremely tough shots all game.  Only St. Amour was really able to do anything at all on offense for Midd, hitting two very deep threes to keep Midd in it before the rails fell off. 

Individually, the Ephs received a huge boost from Marcos Soto, who had a career game with 20 points including three triples.  He has really found his shooting form of late after a few weeks of struggles.  Soto and the other Eph bigs did a tremendous job on defense as well, limiting Midd's four big guys to 20 points, several of which came on put-backs of blocks, air balls or deflections.  James Heskett was on fire as well for the Ephs, with 18-7 in only 19 minutes. When Heskett is very involved in the offense, the Ephs are a much stronger squad.  Dan Aronowitz rebounded from a tough night vs. Hamilton with a quietly effectively 18-4-3, on only nine FG attempts.  Also key for the Ephs -- Greenman and Casey combined for 10 assists, around double their season average.  Greenman has been playing great after struggling for the first month or so of the season -- he seems to have rediscovered his mojo after coming back from a tough injury.  I think he will stay as a starter, as will Soto. 

All of the beautiful off-the-ball action for easy scores that has been totally absent in conference play was happening quite a bit tonight -- nearly every Eph score came close to the rim thanks to good player and ball movement, at the line, or via wide open, in-rhythm 3's.  I really hope this is a game the Ephs can build from because they are still in a  big hole in conference play and need to have two big weekends over the last two weekend of NESCAC play.  Great win for Williams, and good to see the team play hard, smart, efficient ball against a really good team.  An inspired effort which the team needs to duplicate in every remaining game! 

[Bucket]

Well done, Ephs.

It wasn't Midd's night, and you guys were fantastic on both ends of the court. It's not often Midd will be held to 66, and outside of St. Amour,  no Panther could get anything going. Credit the Eph D. Plus, so much of Midd's offense comes off of missed shots and turnovers, and the Ephs didn't miss or turn it over much (aside from a stretch in the first half).

Just gotta tip your hat and move on to the next game.

[jumpshot]

EPHS absolutely crush Mid by 24 with excellent shooting with balanced scoring, good rebounding, and defense. The Panthers clearly are dependent on their leading scorer, and with the natural affection for all the other players by Mid posters, viewers may have expected more than was evident today.

In any case, an outstanding win with character for the Ephs ....

[Bucket]

EPHS absolutely crush Mid by 24 with excellent shooting with balanced scoring, good rebounding, and defense. The Panthers clearly are dependent on their leading scorer, and with the natural affection for all the other players by Mid posters, viewers may have expected more than was evident today.

In any case, an outstanding win with character for the Ephs ....

Gotta credit your team for that. As nescac1 pointed out, the Ephs played terrific transition D, really limiting what Brown and Daly normally do. And I agree viewers probably expected more, but not because of what we have said, but because of what the other players have demonstrated over the course of the season. As I stated early, only Matt had it going today, but that's the first time that's happened all year (and hopefully last), and I credit Williams's game plan and superb execution--rather than any individual deficiencies as you (unfairly, in my mind)  imply.

[jumpshot]

Hi Bucket, (whom I respect as a friend despite our invisible relationship!)

You are like the Supreme Court ----you may not always be right, but you do have the last word!

[nescac1]

Williams has lost four straight vs Wesleyan.  Wesleyan had lost umpteen straight vs Midd.  Midd has lost six out of seven vs Williams.  It's really bizarre.  The R-P-S of NESCAC. 

[Old Guy]

Old Guy, as for the McCarthy shot, I knew it was good as soon as it was released.  He's made at least five extraordinarily difficult shots like that, in similar situations, over the course of his career.  It's uncanny.

Okay, I'll take your word on that.

I think I saw today's game two years ago at Williams.

I can imagine folks who haven't seen Midd wonder how they could have been 13-2 coming in, #15 nationally, 3-1 in the league. That's as poorly as we can play. Midd has been known as a tough, hard-nosed group. Just couldn't get untracked. Williams had it going, for sure. Still a lot of season left.

[OldCardinal]

Tufts has been the big surprise so far for me.  Perhaps most notable has been their depth.  We all know about Palleschi, Pace and Smith.  But they have gotten huge contributions out of other players, when needed.  This weekend they got 42 and 35 bench points.  On saturday, with Smith limited to 6 minutes (not sure why) and Palleschi out, Dayton steps up with 25 pts and 8 assists.  Engval has been unsung but very steady and good.  It's the deepest Jumbo team I've seen in a while.  They look for real to me.