MBB: NESCAC

[The Historian]

RIC's top three scorers are all 6-0 or shorter.  Their two big men (both 6-9) don't impress me with their numbers.  I don't think they'll be able to handle Amherst's size.

21 sounds about right.

[nescac hoops]

as expected, rose is the POW. http://www.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?id=10294

i haven't seen RIC play, obviously. but i think beating iona isn't the win people think it was. iona was just talked about on espn as being the only d1 team that hasn't won a game all season. ill take amherst by a comfortable 15 points.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Is Amherst officially back at full strength and playing together?  I know they were working with a make-shift line-up for a while there.  Have they gotten everyone back and had time to rebuild the chemistry a bit?

Normally, I'd say with both teams hitting on all cylinders, Amherst should cruise by 15 or so, but the game is at the RIC gym, which is a bit of an odd place to play.  I'm still a little worried the Jeffs aren't totally focused on this one.

Amherst is certainly the superior squad, but there's just something that seems unsettling about this whole thing.

[MeOak21]

...As we've seen time and time again, comparing the outcomes from shared opponents has little, if any, predictive value...lately, at least...

RIC's top three scorers are all 6-0 or shorter.  Their two big men (both 6-9) don't impress me with their numbers.  I don't think they'll be able to handle Amherst's size.

21 sounds about right.

You are right; comparing outcomes from shared opponents doesn't typically count for much BUT it is also very common to overestimate/underestimate a teams' chances based on the height of a couple players- especially players who have proven their ability in a very competitive league for the last few years.

There appears to be holes in each of our arguments...

Just as a side note- I'd be pretty surprised to see RIC get blown out in this one, this game could basically seal the deal for a NCAA birth if they can pull it off.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hey Oak, have they fixed the lighting in the RIC gym in the last couple of years.  I probably haven't been there in five, but I seem to recall some really dim dingy lighting, which has been known to affect a visiting shooter or two throughout the years.

[MeOak21]

Hoops- We always talked about the weird lighting in the RIC gym but KSC/RIC games are always scheduled on Saturday afternoons.  I remember it being really bright because of the windows that were all around the gym.

I wasn't the most prolific scorer in the world so I don't think it affected my shot all that much but others did complain. It was always hot as hell in there though.

[The Historian]

I wouldn't worry about Amherst overlooking this game.  They're working on a perfect season and on extending a school record winning streak.  I know that the team is fired up about both things.

They'll come ready to play.

[mrmike88]

WAMH will have the RIC-Amherst game from Providence tomorrow night at 7:30.  Log on to http://wamh.amherst.edu/ for the game.  I've also heard word that RIC may be videocasting it online but I can't confirm that.

Hoops, Dan O'Shea is back in the lineup at center, but Adolphe is still gone.

[JeffRookie2]

Tufts is not the only common opponent of RIC and Amherst. They have also both played Springfield, with RIC winning by 8 and Amherst winning by 30+. I also dont think you can read too much into the Tufts game. There is just something about that team that gives Amherst fits.

[Pat Coleman]

No major surprise -- Amherst No. 1.

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

Will be a while before I can generate a front page story but thought you guys would like to know.

[whoarewebobcats]

to all the amherst people on the board--since you've seen the team so much, what would it take to beat them? I only saw them once and as I've said several times on here, they were the best team I've seen. But, having seen a much greater sample size, I assume some of you have seen off-moments. What is their weakness (or, at least, least-strong strength)?

[Dr E. Spengler]

kryptonite

[YoungSnukes]

congrats to amherst. they havent been ranked #1 since the '04 season which centered on a fine young nucleus yadadada.

bausko for POY

[BooBallsCasRay]

Young Snukes -

great insight.

Amherst will not lose a game this year. If they do, it will only be by choice, because they wont wanna miss out on another spring break

[JeffRookie2]

That's an unfortunate picture of Dan Wheeler that they chose for the front page.

It would take at least one, probably two dominate big men, a great performance on the boards, and an off-night shooting for the Jeffs for them to lose before they get to the final four.

Think of the teams that beat us the last couple of years: Wittenburg, Trinity, Occidental, Rochester. They all had dominate big men and cleaned up the boards. From there, you just hope Amherst doenst bring their A game, because on some nights they can shoot their way out of that.