MBB: NESCAC

walzy31 · February 03, 2006, 12:57:05 PM

Rufus is hundreds of posts behind on who the real identity of the posters are. There are some pretty funny exchanges at the very beginning of this season between Formerbant and nescac fans who didn't seem to like him very much.

I second that the tournament should not be in Lewiston (nor should it be at Colby or Bowdoin...but I don't think I will be sweating that out).

Amherst Williams tonight!!! I'm fired up. Mike Salerno's fired up. Steve Zieja's fired up.
Hopefully Coffin, Abba, and Crottchy make it back to the alma-matter to watch their squad lose again. That is what makes it REALLY sweet.

nescac1 · February 03, 2006, 01:18:48 PM

Tonight's game should be a good one. Amherst has been on a roll but the Eph crowd will be fired up. I think the Ephs have a solid shot at taking the Jeffs down a peg, and it will be fun being underdogs at home (first time in years). Against my realistic instincts, I'm going with Williams 78, Amherst 77, on a Rose 3 in the last minute ... whatever happens tonight, hopefully it won't take too much out of the Ephs against a Trinity squad which is rolling -- Ephs really need at least a split this weekend, two losses would likely knock them out of NCAA contention (barring a conference tourney win). I just hope Midd can at least make Trinity work a little tonight.

As for the Eph and 'Hurst alum contingents, Walzy, even in the case of a loss, the returning Ephs can at least think back to their many playoff victories over Amherst on the road to (or in) the final four and in NESCAC tourneys. Zieja, Walzy et al will, however, get a great view of the Ephs' NCAA championship banner -- the best view they are likely to ever have -- and of course fond memories of "being the better team" in each of their four (I believe) NCAA defeats.

Meanwhile, the Eph women look to make it 11 (!) in a row against the defectors ...

In the other big game this weekend, I am saying Bates 78, Tufts 70.

Go Ephs!

rufus · February 03, 2006, 01:47:40 PM

Walzy - being behind on hundreds of posts is not necessarily a bad thing, when you are trying to make a living. Formerbant struck me as an informed "former" player. Tell me, if the playoffs are in Lewiston, does that mean that you won't come up to support your team?

Red1 · February 03, 2006, 02:21:24 PM

Rufus And other Nescac fans on this board,

To show how hospitable we are up in Maine I'm willing to help with lodging. I can fit lots of people in my appartment, and it's free (for my guests, not me). If you're coming to Lewiston for a game just email me (address is in my profile) and I'll send you directions. As an added bonus we offer free saunas along with the games.

Cheers,
Red1,

p.s. I'm serious about the lodging thing. If you don't have a place to stay the first 2 to email me can stay with me for free (3-4 if you don't mind sharing rooms).

walzy31 · February 03, 2006, 05:26:17 PM

Rufus,

Yeh I'd come up to Maine for the weekend (if I had to) but the travel time would be a lot more comfortable if the tourny is in Hartford or Amherst.

Nescac1,

Prince Zieja will not be in attendence tonight. And will you really enjoy thinking back to those wins of the past as you lose tonight?
An-drew-Ol-son

mariner75 · February 03, 2006, 05:36:12 PM

You can watch tomorrow's Bates vs. Tufts game in Medford via www.jumbocast.com. You'll need Realplayer which you can download for free directly from the jumcocast site. Tipoff is 3pm.

gordonmann · February 03, 2006, 08:48:04 PM

Half: Amherst 43 Williams 29

You can listen on WAMH if you're so inclined.

Keep in mind this is the one that counts in the conference standings...

walzy31 · February 04, 2006, 12:20:26 AM

Amherst 83
Williams 55

Amherst wins by four touchdowns. Bedford MVP with 20 points and 5 board in 26 minutes. Adolphe nicest dunk. Olson (13, 4A, 0TO) three times better than Shalvoy (8, 4A, 5TO).
Shalvoy had as many turnovers as Amherst's whole team. Amherst used only one 30 second time out.

9-9 and then Amherst took lead for good. Bedford too much everywhere. Everyone played within themselves and played great defense. Fans were loud for both teams until Williams knew they had lost.

"Broke-Back-Moun-tain"
"You Need Crotty"
"Mike Sa-ler-no"

nescac1, was it public knowledge that Crotty, Abba, Coffin, Folan, and Bhat would all wear the exact same outfit to the game? Cute of them...khakis with a brown belt, and a light blue button down. They looked like a choir group just standing in the corner of the gyms by themselves.

Newton held to 9 points. Four players on Williams combined for all but 12 of their points.

Amherst bench production: 33 points
Williams bench attempt: 12 points

Four straight for Amherst. At least another four straight to come.

I wish Middlebury had pulled out the win tonight. Oh well...maybe Williams can help us tomorrow like they did tonight.

Red1 · February 04, 2006, 01:25:47 AM

Walzy,

Hmmm... Do I sense a little cockiness? Congratulations to Amherst on a great win over Williams. Just be careful not to get too far ahead of yourselves. Bates is coming to town next weekend, and a little cockiness and a touch of underestimation from the hometeam is all the Bobcats need to pull out some big wins in Amherst and Hartford. I'm no expert, but a dozen people have said to me throughout the year "the best defense will generally beat the best offense." Bates has statistically the best defense by a pretty good margin as well as the largest rebounding margin, again by quite a bit. I wouldn't count the Bobcats out just yet. Not by a long shot.

Cheers,
Red1

nescac1 · February 04, 2006, 10:17:44 AM

Well, an ugly, sloppy game for Williams. They needed to play their best game to have a shot against an Amherst team that clearly has a lot more talent, and they didn't. They needed to get the ball inside instead of settling for tough jumpers, and again, they didn't. Bummer. Amherst looked really, really tough last night. Olson and Bedford always kill the Ephs, but what makes them so tough is they bring 3-4 guys off the bench who would start on any other NESCAC team in Goldsmith, McLaughlin, Coulibaly, etc. There are no individual agendas it seems and they exploit the best match-up on the floor at any given time. Plus they are just so big, other than their point guard, pretty much any guy can post up and have a size and strength advantage over their opposing defender. Hopefully the Ephs can play better against a Trinity team that is only marginally less talented than the Jeffs. Pretty much a must-win for the Ephs if they hope to make the NCAA's.

Red, you're right that the Amherst fans are cocky. They've been cocky before and been disappointed by their team in big games (see, Rochester last year or any NCAA game against Williams) and I'm thinking their low class antics (the fans, not the players who play, I hate to say, a beautiful brand of basketball to watch) last night (like jumping around on Williams' court after the game) will come back to haunt them in future years when the talent differential is not what is right now -- Williams has a solid group of young players, they just need some time to mature, and a few more big guys to complement them.

Meanwhile, congrats to the Eph women for their 11th straight win over the Jeffs. Highlight of the game (besides two sick 3 point and 4 point plays from Eph guards) -- twin sisters guarding each other down the stretch. That will make a great d3hoops.com feature in a few years.

mrmike88 · February 04, 2006, 11:21:35 AM

Sorry about our technical difficulties with WAMH last night - it was the first game I've had to set up for and call (half of) in two months. I think we had everything figured out by the men's game at least. Our next game is the showdown next Friday with Bates...

With that said, watching a game in Chandler is a lot of fun. You guys have a great atmosphere brewing in there. Now if the so-called "cocky" Amherst students would show up at LeFrak every once in a while, we might get something going like that. It ALMOST makes me wish I had chosen Williams...

pinna44 · February 04, 2006, 11:42:26 AM

First post this year... transplant Batesie in Midwest. I have followed my team, the conference, and the region religiously since November. I think the individual components of the conference have done a nice job scheduling competitive out of conference/region games. Who was to know that teams like Springfield and Wheaton(MA) would be down a little this year... It was great seeing Bates play Trinity (TX) a legitimate national team. It would be great for NESCAC to find the Midwest. There's a lot of good basketball out here.

What a big 7-8 days coming up! I think Williams has a chance to beat Trinity today. The Jumbocast should display a hard-fought Bates win. That may get us ten votes nationally.

How good is Amherst? Apparently quite good. That drubbing last night tells me that Bates has their work cut out for them next weekend. 8-1 has a good ring to it... Past Bates teams would end 6-3... Anything better than that I will take.

Hopefully there will be some garnet in the crowd today. Go Bates!

Pinna

walzy31 · February 04, 2006, 12:23:57 PM

Red1,

Not so much cocky as relishing a rare drubbing of Williams in Chandler. I didn't say one word about Bates (or Tufts). Both of those games next weekend will be great games to watch. Now that the game is over I will move on to cheering for Amherst against Midd, Lasell, Bates and Tufts. Last night's game won't be brought up until the next Amherst Williams matchup (potentially a first round nescac game in lefrak but hopefully amherst doesnt end up with the 3 seed). Red, just know that after painful losses to williams in the past 4 years, beating them by 28 is very satisfying.

Nescac1,

Appreciate the compliments of the hoop team. I saw Williams play Clark and they played well and shot the lights out. In the two Amherst games I saw, they didn't get the same looks and didn't win the battle of the boards. Rose is a good player but disappeared for stretches of yesterday's game. The "A-Town Stomp" was a little over the top, but it was instigated by Williams setting the pregame scoreboard to the football score from the fall instead of 0-0. Both actions were disrespectful, but at least there was no physical damage or vandalism done to either school. No harm was done to the court or to anything other than egos. If there is another little big game this winter it will be interesting to see how the emotions play out off the court.

pinna44 · February 04, 2006, 02:07:49 PM

Should be a great one in Meffa. Tufts has played an impressive schedule. Respectable losses to Wittenberg and Williams and some solid wins out of conference. I don't think they are shaking in their boots with Bates coming in. Should be fun wire to wire.

formerbant10 · February 04, 2006, 02:49:23 PM

Check out the Trinity/Williams game on www.wrtcfm.com well it was supposed to be Broadcast, not sure if they're going to interupt the polka hour or not.

Should be a good game, Williams a little more tired after their game but sleeping at home. The Bants need this one, cuz I get the feeling Bates might go down at Tufts. And there's no way that Amherst is losing to Middlebury.

Walzy, better late then never for Rufus and yes the exchanges are entertaining. Keep up the good work on your posts....both compelling and gripping.

On a side note, the NESCAC has 4 teams doing well in the QOWI. I doubt we'd get all 4, but right now its Amherst, Tufts, Bates and then Trinity. That could all change next week though.