MBB: NESCAC

[CCsalive]

CC rolls over Wesleyan. The Camels are 12-2.
Stone had 10 assists...have Crotty or Olsen had a double-digit assist night this year?
Kareem Tatum=All-Time NESCAC...#1 team in the nation, only nescac final 4 appearance outside of Western Mass...it was less than 10 years ago!
Don't forget Hamilton's Mike Schantz...National Player of the Year (won the Jostens the year after Nogelo)

[fpc85]

the bates-amherst game won a physical game between 2 very competitive teams. amherst staked an early lead but bates hung around all game. the bigs for the jeffs took control early but the bobcats scrapped back with big shots by several players (esp. wholey)...that kid is a player..scored his 1000th point....the officials weren't great...esp. the tech on hixon with 3minutes to go in a tied game. that usually doesn't happen. i hope he got his money's worth. the game still came down to players making plays.
bates looked better than did on the nescac tourney last year. i am glad we escaped with a win. 

[ne-ball]

thanks nescac
i saw mickens play in a tourney at BB&N in cambridge and wasn't impressed
he could knock down open looks but seemed to get shut down quick
he didn't seem very athletic
i also saw a point guard named ian goldberg who plays for poly prep in new york at that tournament who looked good and was being recruited by williams. he needs to get stronger and he's young (17 year old senior) but he's quick, has good court sense, good handle and can shoot it.  it didnt work out with him and paulsen for some reason. i think he could have been real good for williams. very good defender with great passion for the game.

[nescac hoops]

Stone had 10 assists...have Crotty or Olsen had a double-digit assist night this year?
gelo)

for crotty, yes! many times, including in the national championship game, though the defense didn't quite compare to that of the the wesleyan cardinals

[FormerPolarBear]

Tough game for Bowdoin against a very good Middlebury team.  Bowdoin did look a little tired from the big win the night before but Middlebury also outplayed them.  The most impressive player for Middlebury was their 6'10 freshman.  He contested many shots and had at least 5 blocks.  Hauser and Defeo did not play as well as they did the night before.   Sargenson had a good game, but was in foul trouble in the first half.  Rudin was impressive for Middlebury.  Darian Reid-Sturgis who has been in and out of the line-up all year helped Bowdoin keep the game close with his hustle and athletic plays.  The final score did not indicate how close the game was, but Middlebury definitely deserved to win.  Bowdoin should not be too disappointed, a split with Williams and Middlebury is not the end of the world, especially without Hippert.  Bowdoin will build off of the Williams win and will be in contention for the NESCAC title.

[PolarBear]

Long time reader, first time poster here.  I've enjoyed and been impressed by the commentary here for a long time.  Passion is a great thing.

Growing up in Maine, there are a handful of players we all knew of.  Hancock was one of them, as was Cindy Blodgett on the women's side.  Then going to Bowdoin, I saw him several times.  In spite of our respective records any year, Bowdoin/Colby was always a heated rivalry - a game worth going to, even up to the frozen tundra known as Waterville. 

The guy was unstoppable - much more than a "gunner."  Big, strong, and a pure shooter with range who also liked to penetrate, create contact, and draw fouls, as evidenced by his 800 foul shots.  Colby was loaded at the time, with a couple other eventual All Americans, but Bowdoin often played them tough.  Winning National POY was played up big in the Maine papers.

In my 7-8 years of going to Bowdoin games pre- and post-graduating, he was the best I saw in NESCAC.  (As an aside, I do recall seeing Rick Boyages when I was younger - solid point guard.  Hancock's brother was also a guard for Bowdoin after Boyages.)  I heard that the Celts invited Hancock to training camp and then he played on travel teams in US and Europe.  For years, his team won the Maine Hoop It Up 3-3 tournament and I think went to the national finals once.  A couple of years ago, a buddy in Portland told me that Hancock was still playing and tearing it up in and around Portland.  The guy can just play ball. 

Just some feedback from a native Mainer.   Glad to see the increased chatter about Bowdoin.  Anytime the Bears beat Williams it's notable.

[newkidontheblock]

Long time reader, first time poster as well. Thoroughly enjoy reading this board, you all have great DIII knowledge and I echo PolarBear, it is great to see passion for DIII sports. I have a general question; it seems that with Amherst not playing up to their potential, the NESCAC really is wide open. Most would have placed them as the favorite at the beginning of the season, do most still feel this way? While they are 13-2, teams have definitely shed light on their weaknesses and it seems like it is anybody's game at this point. What other teams are true contenders for a NESCAC title and what puts them in such a good position?

[fpc85]

Long time reader, first time poster as well. Thoroughly enjoy reading this board, you all have great DIII knowledge and I echo PolarBear, it is great to see passion for DIII sports. I have a general question; it seems that with Amherst not playing up to their potential, the NESCAC really is wide open. Most would have placed them as the favorite at the beginning of the season, do most still feel this way? While they are 13-2, teams have definitely shed light on their weaknesses and it seems like it is anybody's game at this point. What other teams are true contenders for a NESCAC title and what puts them in such a good position?

I tend to agree. the jeffs escaped with a hard fought win and will have to improve to ensure they have a chance when the play the rest of the conf. right now any team can beat them.  the jumbos and the bobcats fell short but who knows about the other teams.

[eclinchy]

I tend to agree. the jeffs escaped with a hard fought win and will have to improve to ensure they have a chance when the play the rest of the conf. right now any team can beat them.  the jumbos and the bobcats fell short but who knows about the other teams.

Unbelievable.

[fpc85]

I tend to agree. the jeffs escaped with a hard fought win and will have to improve to ensure they have a chance when the play the rest of the conf. right now any team can beat them.  the jumbos and the bobcats fell short but who knows about the other teams.

Unbelievable.

why? everything i said was true

[Mr. Ypsi]

I tend to agree. the jeffs escaped with a hard fought win and will have to improve to ensure they have a chance when the play the rest of the conf. right now any team can beat them.  the jumbos and the bobcats fell short but who knows about the other teams.

Unbelievable.

why? everything i said was true

Must improve to "have a chance"??!!  I assume that was the reason for 'unbelievable'.

[fpc85]

I tend to agree. the jeffs escaped with a hard fought win and will have to improve to ensure they have a chance when the play the rest of the conf. right now any team can beat them.  the jumbos and the bobcats fell short but who knows about the other teams.

Unbelievable.

why? everything i said was true

Must improve to "have a chance"??!!  I assume that was the reason for 'unbelievable'.

hmm..didn't mean that way but i understand how reads. but the league is very competitive and nothing is a given. bates played them as well as any team i have seen.so far it appears their experience appears to be the difference for the jeffs in most games this year.

[fpc85]

i keep losing karma points. that hurts. -3 i feel like i am at lambeau. congrats giants!

[senatorfrost]

 I picked Amherst for second in NESCAC. I assumed Steve Wheeler would make significant contributions. I had heard about him from a couple of Amherst fans and they seemed positive so I went along.
  So far it hasn't happened and so I have to agree with what FPC85 said. Tufts played a little defense here and there which was probably part of a great strategy that I couldn't quite grasp.
Bates on the other hand showed up a few weaknesses that I would guess Elms, Brandeis and Lasell showed up also. These were home games and it's a safe bet that improvement will be needed in order to win at Middlebury. Bates Colby and Bowdoin have played each other some tight ones so far and Middlebury went to Maine and blasted Bowdoin. They beat Colby also but that was their first real outing without Harris. (Johnson State is not real competition)
   Now FPC85 and I are at a distinct disadvantage here. First of all we see a lot more Amherst games than those who root for other schools. We're stuck with the reality. If we didn't SEE the games we would be free to say whatever we wanted to, whatever popped into our head.
  Also we don't have the advantage of listening to a coaching staff that keeps building Amherst up as a Titan so as to serve as a ready made excuse. Amherst does shoot fouls pretty good. They were 18-18 v Bates. Imagine if they had gone 16-18. (88.88%)

[Mr. Ypsi]

i keep losing karma points. that hurts. -3 i feel like i am at lambeau. congrats giants!

By the 4th quarter it was -4, but I haven't got the heart to do it to you!