MBB: NESCAC

[D3HoopJunkie]

Are these power rankings? Just teams you think are good? Regardless, outside of Babson I think it's still a little early to talk about signature wins, but for that reason I think I have the Beavers at the top of NE. If I had to give 5 it would look like this:

1. Babson (9-0). 4-0 against the NESCAC, two wins being against Amherst and Tufts, and the other two still impressive in traveling to Maine twice to win on the road big at both Bates and Bowdoin. Salem St. is not looking strong right now but if Sean Bryan returns at some point during the year they are still favorites to win the MASCAC and that win will only get better. A chance to see their 5th NESCAC team of the year on 12/31 as they head to Hartford for Trinity's holiday tournament.

2. Middlebury (9-0). It's been dicey at times for Midd but 9-0 is 9-0 and there is certainly no denying the talent on this team, arguably the most explosive offense in New England, at least on paper. It's always a challenge gelling early on in the season when so many of your top offense weapons return, everyone wants more shots but there are never enough shots to go around. Luckily, Middlebury has one of the best coaches around in Jeff Brown and should only continue to improve. A potential stab at Springfield shortly after New Year's looks to be their biggest and maybe only non-conference test before they open league play at Amherst on January 10th.

3. Colby (9-0). A lot of questions will persist about this team heading into NESCAC play--ability to defend, how to win when they evidently have an off night, being able to handle having a bigger target on their back--but if you're Coach Strahorn you couldn't have asked for your first 9 games to go any better. 96.6 points per game on 49-42-71 splits is as good as it gets offensively, and Sam Jefferson looks every bit of an All-American right now.

4. Amherst (4-2). Not the start the Mammoths envisioned, a shock upset on the road at Westfield St. and a loss to a really good Babson team in a year where you would've liked their chances to make it to 2020 undefeated if only for the sheer amount of talent they returned. Grant Robinson has been a shell of himself to begin the year, 10.5 ppg on tough 29-32-80 splits, but hopefully for him things will be back to normal following his most recent 22 point performance against Emerson. A huge test on Tuesday as Springfield comes to town.

5. Springfield (7-0). A number of teams could claim this 5th spot but it goes to the Pride on behalf of their star senior duo Jake Ross and Heath Post, who are combining to score just a shade under 52 points a game, with Ross leading the nation at 30.9 a night. Outside of the two of them, there has not been a ton to write home about, yet to really impress against a somewhat weak non-conference schedule, but they do boast wins against Trinity, Williams, Keene St., and Endicott. The defense seems like an issue and their offense is obviously ridiculously top heavy but they continue to win and with the talent of that duo on the court they have a chance to win every game. We will learn a lot more about them when they visit LeFrak on Tuesday, and all fans around New England should be hoping they have a chance to match up with Springfield shortly after New Year's.

Respectfully, I think you might be overlooking my Albertus Magnus Falcons when referencing the Middlebury non conference schedule and lack of opponents before league play starts. We've had some really outstanding games against the Panthers these past 2 seasons. Losing in OT in 2017 and then at home by 10 a season ago. I know the Albertus players and Coach Oliver have this game circled on their calendars because of how well respected the Middlebury program is nationally and it would certainly go down as a HUGE resume victory being on the road against at the moment a top 5 nationally ranked team.

Again, just wanted to point that out. Middlebury is outstanding and I have always admired Coach Brown and the program since we first met in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament in what I think was year 2011. We were eliminated by the Panthers and still to this day one of the best post players I have ever seen at the D3 level in Ryan Sharry torched us in the paint and sent us home packing!

Apologies SpringSt7, after rereading your post I noticed you said "prior to opening league play on the 10th" and we face off with the Panthers on January 14th.

Either way, my statement still stands and again I look forward to this game! On January 14th. Good luck to all NESCAC schools and supporters this year!

[SpringSt7]

I watched all 40 minutes of AMC's thorough beat down of Williams last week so I'm definitely not overlooking the Falcons. Watching those guards matchup with Midd's will be appointment viewing.

[Colby Hoops]

Colby jumps into the top 25 at #19. While these polls are admittedly meaningless at this point of the season, it's a nice milestone for a Colby program that has endured a lot of mediocre years over the past two decades. Even the best seasons from the past 15-18 years ended with narrowly missing the NCAA tournament. I believe the best conference finish since the early 2000s is when Colby finished third in 2009-10. Kudos to Damien Strahorn (one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet) for embracing this style of play and finding the right players to execute it. The program is headed in a really good direction and with the new athletic facility set for next year (take a look at this https://www.gocolbymules.com/video/Colby_Athletics_Center if you haven't already-- it's impressive!) Colby should be able to keep the momentum going on the recruiting front.

While being ranked is old hat for Amherst, Williams and Midd, it still means something up in Waterville. Long way to go in the season and anything could happen, but just wanted to take a minute to recognize it.

[SpringSt7]

Amherst closes out the first half on a 17-8 run (13 of which were unanswered) to open up a 42-29 lead on Springfield. Much like Matt Karpowicz on Saturday, the Pride have no answer for Eric Sellew, who has 13 and 6, while Grant Robinson has 15 points on 6-7, looks like he might have finally arrived for his junior year.

[SpringSt7]

Jake Ross vs. Amherst.
The LJs are attacking with the ball relentlessly.  Ross and Post need some help against a team with this many weapons.  So far that ain't happening.
Not to be a nitpicker, SpringSt7, but I thought Grant Robinson arrived in a big way last year.  Tonight he's electric.

Correct---he was yet to arrive for his junior year. 10 ppg on 29-32-80 splits. After 22 points against Emerson and this first half so far, seems like he is back to his normal self.

[seamusoflannigan1934]

I'm shocked at the absence of the Bates Bobcats in the most recent top 25 poll. Besides one minor FLUKE at home against a solid Babson team, this Bates team has been nothing short of dominant. The backcourt of Gilpin and Spellman has created some of the most dynamic and explosive guard play I've ever seen at the Division 3 level. The passion and energy this team plays with on and off the court is truly inspiring, and I think the top 25 committee would be wise to just give the Bobcats a chance, because in my opinion the rest of the NESCAC is playing for 2nd place.

[SpringSt7]

A 17 point Amherst lead has now turned into a 2 point lead for Springfield with 7 minutes left. After their best offensive half of the season, the second half so far has been their worst.

[SpringSt7]

Amherst hangs on and beats Springfield 76-70, in a game that really all of a sudden felt like a must win for the Mammoths as the second half unfolded. 8 second half turnovers, most of which were completely unforced, and some really puzzling shot selection. Devonn Allen's 4-4 from behind the arc in the second half, each one bigger than the last, were absolutely huge and allowed them to pull away.

I'll leave the in-depth analysis to the more experienced LJ watchers but in the two games I've watched now they just seem like they haven't gelled yet, a weird thing to say about a team that returned just about all of its scoring. Robinson's struggles have probably caused other guys to try and do too much but it seems to be it should be he and Sellew (who has been terrific) taking the majority of the shots while Allen and Che space the floor. Day off the bench is terrific in the pick and roll and one of their better shot creators, but right now Day and Che are both averaging 9 shots a game, and Robinson and Sellew are averaging 11 and 12. Maybe there needs to be more of a disparity.

[jayhawk]

Good win for Amherst and I agree important
Will Phelan of Amherst has been perhaps second best all around guard so far till today but is out with injury. Hopefuly wil return
Garret Day and Devonn Allen very good today
Fru Che with some foul trouble not surprising considering how talented Jake Ross is


At least from my perspective good all around team support for scoring and players  by Amherst
Josh Chery is a tough player who played a little five today

[jumpshot]

Former Williams Eph Duncan Robinson puts on a show for the Miami Heat tonight scoring 34 points on 12 for 16 shooting including 10 of 14 three-pointers and 4 key assists with several in overtime, as the Heat beat Atlanta Hawks 135-121!

Check out the highlights when available soon ....

[Mr. Ypsi]

Former Williams Eph Duncan Robinson puts on a show for the Miami Heat tonight scoring 34 points on 12 for 16 shooting including 10 of 14 three-pointers and 4 key assists with several in overtime, as the Heat beat Atlanta Hawks 135-121!

Check out the highlights when available soon ....

Great for Duncan!   But I have to wonder if he could have made it to the NBA as an Eph.  It was his work ethic, of course, but also the Michigan strength coach (and Coach Beilein) that got him from the hugely talented but downright 'wispy' player I saw in Salem in 2014 to where he is today.

[JEFFFAN]

I was about to write-off this Amherst team as "nothing special" with about seven minutes left in the game last night, but they were very impressive down the stretch especially on the defensive end of the court.  The three point shooting is what will be highlighted but what mattered the most was the way that they shut down Springfield down the stretch.  I concur with the view that this team hasn't yet "found itself", in part because Grant Robinson is a shadow of what he was last season.  Does anyone know if it is injury related?  Extremely talented player who isn't playing at the same level as he did last season.

That kid from Springfield is terrific.  Sorry ... name escapes me right now ... but he is as good as I have seen at D3 in a long time.

No, Duncan Robinson is not going pro from Billsville.   He would not have gotten the necessary exposure, or gone through the right weight training, or frankly seen enough tough competition to justify a nod at the pro level.  Regardless, he is a terrific story - one of the best.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I was about to write-off this Amherst team as "nothing special" with about seven minutes left in the game last night, but they were very impressive down the stretch especially on the defensive end of the court.  The three point shooting is what will be highlighted but what mattered the most was the way that they shut down Springfield down the stretch.  I concur with the view that this team hasn't yet "found itself", in part because Grant Robinson is a shadow of what he was last season.  Does anyone know if it is injury related?  Extremely talented player who isn't playing at the same level as he did last season.

That kid from Springfield is terrific.  Sorry ... name escapes me right now ... but he is as good as I have seen at D3 in a long time.

No, Duncan Robinson is not going pro from Billsville.   He would not have gotten the necessary exposure, or gone through the right weight training, or frankly seen enough tough competition to justify a nod at the pro level.  Regardless, he is a terrific story - one of the best.

I mean, he would've gone pro if he'd wanted to, the real question is whether he could've thrived in Europe well enough or for long enough to get to an NBA level.  That certainly would've been more difficult than it was at Michigan.

[jumpshot]

Many readers have been amused for years by mammoth loyalists' obsession with Williams College and all forms of Eph continuous successes.

Latest example here of deconstructing and nuancing passively/aggressively  "one of the best" stories. No one suggested any single early element of the young man's accomplishments resulted in a professional outcome. We all know and acknowledge the whole integrated story.

Nice try ....

[amh63]

Good crowd in LeFrak for a "midweek" game.  Springfield's Ross showcased his talents and got his 31 points/game....plus he got 4 fouls called for his aggressive play.  Amherst at the end got scoring from a number of players...both inside and outside. 
Amherst's two losses in away games, IMO, can be attributed to several factors.  First, to the high number of TOs.  In last night's game, Amherst in the first half had only two turnovers.  In the second half, Amherst had at least 8 TOs during Springfield's surge to take the lead again. 
The second factor, IMO, was G. Robinson's play.  He was trying too hard...to live up to his reputation/expectation.  The Amherst WBB team has an all-American Sr. Guard that was having to date, a subpar season..especially in scoring points.  After a loss, the team is playing better.
Last night, Mr. Robinson appeared more relaxed....letting the game come to him and allowing teammates on the floor help in the scoring.
Ross got his points/RB/etc.  Amherst closed down Springfields' other scorers...especially from outside. 
Liked the way Toomey switched defenses...from a man-to-man to a zone to stop 3-pt. shots.
Tough games ahead, but Toomey is building THIS team his way....a team defensive approach.