MBB: NESCAC

[Marty Peretz]

Dear Nescac (as in every team in the league),

Will one of you teams go out and play some decent competition already?

Sincerely,

The UAA, WIAC, CCIW and other conferences who go out anc challenge themselves in the off-season.

[La Verdad]

Hey La Verdad, given your user name, what is the scoop on Olson's injury?  DeLuca is out for the Amherst game which is a huge blow, if Olson is healthy I'd exepect Amherst to win, if Olson out, I'd say  Brandeis is the favorite playing at home. 
 

My sources tell me it is little more than a slight sprain; the boot and crutches are a result of the training staff being overcautious.  He should be good to go for this week's games.

[formerbant10]

Dear Nescac (as in every team in the league),

Will one of you teams go out and play some decent competition already?

Sincerely,

The UAA, WIAC, CCIW and other conferences who go out anc challenge themselves in the off-season.

Scheduling is a 2 way street and not as easy at it sounds.  But those other conferences have to get there out of conference games in early because of their double round robin conference schedule.  The 'CAC only plays each team once, so can spread their non-con's throughout the entire year.  But they can't travel very far, because they need those games to be in region so they count for the NCAA's.  And as I'm sure you know, the NE has many weak teams and not as many strong.


Nhoops,

Nice job of not airing his "dirty laundry."  Had you actually not wanted to take a cheap shot at him, you could've easily messaged me privately with a response. 

[nescac hoops]

FB,
Sorry I realize looking back at it that I did. I erased the post.

[formerbant10]

We all make mistakes from time to time.

[frank uible]

Speak for yourself, John - but not I.

[nescac1]

Thanks Verdad, with that info, and with Deluca out, I'd say Amherst is a 10 point favorite, even on the road.  With Deluca, I'd call it a pick em. 

Marty, as others have said, there just isn't the concentration of top flight teams in New England that you have in the west.  And if you look at the top NESCAC teams, they all have scheduled games against at least 1-2 of the other regional powerhouses: Brandeis, Keene State, RIC.   Look to Brandeis from your own conference ... other than Amherst and Tufts, their out of conference schedule isn't exactly impressive (Elms, Curry, Clark, Suffolk, Babson, Framingham, etc.).  I am sure if Williams and Amherst were within 100 miles of 25 solid OAC and CCIW schools, they too would load up with a more powerful slate.   

[NY hoopster]

Nescac 1;

I watched the Elms play Colby over the weekend) Colby111-109 in OT), and I was impressed. They are undersized, but have two lightning quick guards that can take anyone to the hoop, and the team can also shoot the 3 and run. I understand they have been in the NCAA's the last 3 years. They set up traps, hounded the ball, and were disciplined and well coached.

Colby over University of Maine, Farmington, 83-77.

[NY hoopster]

Correction on Colby v, Elms score-113-109.

[formerbant10]

Speak for yourself, John - but not I.

My mistake Frank

[Marty Peretz]

Points well taken, but look at Babson for an example of a team who really gets after it in the non-conference. They play at Wash.U. and at UChicago. More locally, they play Trinity, Amherst, Brandeis, Lasell (an up and coming program). And, rather than play weak teams from low-level conferences, they play weak teams from stronger conferences (Conn College, Bates) or strong teams from weak conferences (Emerson).

Obviously, Nescac schools only play each other once, but in the non-conference do you really have to schedule Westfield, Southern Vermont, Emmanuel, and Hunter?

[formerbant10]

I hear ya Marty, but seeing as though we are not the schedule makers...I don't see the use of worrying about it.

Bants were down 31-25 at the half, down 40-36 with 12:19 to go.

[eclinchy]

Jumbos jumped out to a huge lead over Keene at halftime.  41-29.  Holding on to a 55-51 advantage now, 10 minutes left.

[formerbant10]

Trin lost by 5.  Didn't shoot too well from the floor or the free throw line. 

[nescac hoops]

Hey La Verdad, given your user name, what is the scoop on Olson's injury?  DeLuca is out for the Amherst game which is a huge blow, if Olson is healthy I'd exepect Amherst to win, if Olson out, I'd say  Brandeis is the favorite playing at home. 

I think Brandeis is worse off against Amherst without Deluca than Amherst would be without Olson in this game. The Judges definitely need an inside presence against the Jeffs big man rotation that Deluca would certainly help with. Without him, all of the Judges big bodies appear to be frosh and sophomores. I think they will have a hard time with Hopkins, Jones, Walters. In this specific game, I think Deluca is more valuable to his team than Olson. That being said, given injuries to Amherst's other point guards, the Jeffs need somebody to play the point this weekend if Olson can't go or can't play is usual 35+ min. in a game of this magnitude.