MBB: NESCAC

[JeffRookie2]

littlejeff08, it there also something to be said for Hixon making the sort of substitutions that fit the game? Coach has a lot of pieces, who are all talented but bring different things to the table, would it not make sense to sub for situations? for example I saw the team play against a scrappy Springfield College team earlier in the year. Coach put in Goldsmith at the five (a player who really is a 2/3) and it changed the game around. I think Hixon uses his pieces the way he sees fit and it has worked. I doubt substitution patterns is the reason they lost to Trinity, Occidental, or any losses in the last couple years.

Whoa... Goldsmith a 2/3? that guy is definitely a 4/5. He might have the biggest body on the team.

[JeffRookie2]

This is obviously biased, because I am from texas, but I think people will soon see that Rick Barnes is one of the top coaches in D1. He has recruited very very well, already has one final four under his belt and has a very talented team this year that could get him there again. I know they have had some disappointing loses, (that blowout to duke, and the ou game), but if they can pull it together come tourny time I still think they could live up to the preseason expectations.

As for coach hixon's rotation, i dont think it has been that inconsistent. There have been a lot of blowout games in which he has gone deep to the bench to get some freshman some pt, but I think for the most part the only change in the 8 man rotation has been a swap between Hopkins and Goldsmith, which I think is a wise move. Hopkins is decidely better at scoring in the low post, but Goldsmith does a better job of providing the rebounding and interior defense that the team occasionally sorely needs... wish he could shoot free throws though.

[JeffRookie2]

Upon further research, Goldsmith is indeed the biggest body on the team at 220 (Hopkins is listed at 215) and is 6' 7" to hopkins' 6'9".

[walzy31]

Jeff Rookie,

Haha I mentioned as many D1 coaches as I could without spending more than 20 seconds on it. There are tons more. I didn't mention Larry Izzo or Snyder either and the list goes on. Yes, I will say Rick Barnes belongs on the list. Any coach who's team is top 4 in the ACC, big east, big ten, or big 12 has my vote as a good coach.

Trinity 78 Tufts 81 (wishful thinking--could be flip flopped)
Amherst 63 Bates 55 (Ray and Stockwell combine for 36 - bedford drops 21 wheeler 15)

Saturday's predicitions will depend on Friday's results.

[blacklordjeff]

I guarantee you that Goldsmith's primary position was not the 4 or 5 in High School.  The NESCAC often converts natural 3s into fours. Because he's 220 doesn't mean that he's a four.  If size a position made, Ben Wallace wouldn't be one of the best centers in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. 

Also, if someone is decidely better at scoring the post, using your language not mines, wouldn't that suggest that he wasn't a natural four.  He's doing a great job at that position, but I'd bet that if you asked him he'd be comfortable at the 2.

[mrmike88]

Hi Everyone,

WAMH will have both Amherst games this weekend.  Friday night at 6:55, Amherst takes on Bates.  Saturday afternoon at 2:55, the Jeffs battle the Jumbos of Tufts.  Log on to http://wamh.amherst.edu/ to listen live!

And may it be a great final weekend of NESCAC play,
MrMike

[nescac1]

News story re: Crotty --

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2006/02/10/reaching_into_reserve/

Amherst fans can call him any name they want, but the man has now held his own agains the Globetrotters, outplayed his counterpart at Holy Cross, and practiced with the Celtics.  Pretty cool. 

Nice feature on NESCAC on d3hoops front-page.  They size up the teams pretty well.  I'm still shocked Bates gave up over 90 to Tufts -- I know Tufts can score, but I thought Bates could keep them in the 70's. 

This weekend's games are enormously tough to predict.   I'll go with:

Amherst 75, Bates 72
Amherst 78, Tufts 77
Trinity 72, Tufts 70
Bates 69, Trinity 62
Williams 76, Colby 69
Williams 68, Bowdoin 66

In the games that matter most.   I am pretty confident Amherst won't lose twice at home.  Other than that, I think anything is possible and any of these games can easily go the other way.  For Williams' sake, I'm pulling for Amherst to win both games, Trinity to take out Bates, and Tufts to knock off Trinity -- if that happens, the Ephs can, if they manage to difficult road sweep, secure the second seed in the conference tourney, which would be incredible.  Any sort of home game in the first round would pretty much exceed pre-season expectations. 

[ajsnc13]

Amherst 78, Bates 69
Amherst 80, Tufts 71
Trinity 73, Tufts 69
Trinity 77, Bates 76
Colby 63, Williams 60
Bowdoin 68, Williams 65
Bowdoin 73, Middlebury 62

How about those predictions? If these results were accurate, the tourney would go through Trinity, Amherst the 2 seed, Bates the 3, and Bowdoin the 4...

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

How about those predictions? If these results were accurate, the tourney would go through Trinity, Amherst the 2 seed, Bates the 3, and Bowdoin the 4...

One can only dream... literally.

[ajsnc13]

One can only dream? Amherst and Trinity should win both games this weekend...it'll be difficult for Colby to defeat Williams but not impossible...and Bowdoin will defeat Williams...I guess we'll have to wait and see...

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Is bowdoin at home this weekend?  It could happen, I guess, but its still a long-shot.

[ajsnc13]

Bowdoin, Colby, Amherst, and Trinity are at home

[walzy31]

Really enjoy seeing NESCAC in the national spotlight. A little too much Zak Ray photo exposure, but that will just play out like a curse. (Wasn't Rhoten on the front page right before a trip to Williamstown where the result wasn't there?). I like a lot of the predcitions people made.

I will take

Amherst by 8 against Bates tonight and 18 tomorrow against a Tufts team that does not match up well with Amherst at all.
However, Tufts does stand a chance against Trinity. I will take Tufts by 4. Saturday Trinity will beat Bates in an incredibly exciting game.

Nescac1,

Hey it's great that Crotchy is doing well. Good for him. What are the rest of the choir boys up to? What I am saying is that #4 isn't playing basketball any more so I don't think his life status is called for on this forum...but then again, for hoops fans in Williamstown it has become clear that you have to constantly be thinking about the past. Obama in the white house 2008. Williams in the NCAA tourny 2008.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I thought Crotty was working for the Celtics?  Isn't that close enough?  I heard he gets to work out as a scout teamer occasionally as well.

[fpc85]

Jeffs-47
bates -25

bedford- 14
wheeler-13