MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Thanks.  Go Ephs!  Should be a great (hopefully two great) games for the Ephs, as I don't foresee any blow-outs at this Final Four ...

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thanks.  Go Ephs!  Should be a great (hopefully two great) games for the Ephs, as I don't foresee any blow-outs at this Final Four ...

I'm guessing (based on precedent) that someone will lose a game by double digits (though I have no clue who it would be).  But it appears to be the best FF since 2006, when, even with a 3rd place game, EVERY game was decided by 3 points or fewer!

Generally, there is always a 'dog' due to regional pairings with uneven regional strengths (and last year it could be argued that there were THREE 'dogs', as ANYONE from the 'Bracket of Death' sectional probably would have easily won the title).  This year there are two recent titlists, and two teams that have been ranked #1 this year, have played FFs in Salem, and are 'virtual' home teams - nary a canine in the group!

[Pat Coleman]

Even double digits doesn't mean it's necessarily a blowout, either. Picture a four- or five-point game in which a team hits five or six free throws down the stretch.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Even double digits doesn't mean it's necessarily a blowout, either. Picture a four- or five-point game in which a team hits five or six free throws down the stretch.

True.  Final margins are sometimes misleading.

OK, I'll go one step bolder.  Someone (and no idea who) will have a double-digit margin against them most of the second half.

Oh, OK - I'll stick my neck (part way) out!  Either Williams (least tested and facing Sanborn and Henson) OR RMC (which has lost too many games in the second half of the season) will get 'blown out' on Friday.  And now to waffle - a Williams/RMC final would not shock me!  It looks like an excellent FF.

[eph partisan]

Any Williams fans able to provide that info too?  I'll post a bit of a preview of Point when I'm able.

I'll give it a shot, PointSpecial.

The key to the Williams offense is complex in construction, but ultimately simple: Unless you are Blake Schultz, you only take shots inside 10 feet or from behind the three point line. Due to the incredible number of very, very good shooters on the team, this is an incredibly effective strategy.

Take a look at the individual numbers for the top seven Ephs, along with a comment on the way they play:

Schultz: 52.6 percent overall, 52.2 percent from three (Will shoot from anywhere because he has a turn-around fade away jumper in the midrange)
Wang: 55.8 overall, 50.8 from three  (Layups, threes, short jumpers in the paint)
Whittington: 70.7 percent overall (Dunks, layups, a lefty hook)
Rubin: 47.2 overall, 46.7 from three (Threes and the occasional layup off a cut - and he has the best form on the team)
Geoghegan: 52 percent overall (Always around the rim)
Dodson: 41.7 overall, 41 percent from three (Almost exclusively threes with the occasional play in the lane - and he is a better shooter than the numbers suggest)
Robertson: 49 percent overall, 30.4 percent from three (Layups, almost exclusively - he is the only Eph perimeter player that plays more than 10 minutes who doesn't knock down almost every open look, but he creates for others far more than he shoots - see his eight assists against Brandeis)

At any given time, they have a minimum of two very dangerous perimeter players and one very good post on the floor. This is why you haven't seen a let down game from them: even if one one or two of their top three can't get it going, everyone in their rotation except Robertson knows how to score and can.

If you take a look at the season's statistics, all seven of these guys have gone over 15 points in a game.

Because of the way in which the Eph offense is created, you need to be able to stop all three of the big three at once - a very challenging proposition, because to stop Wang and Schultz, you need to overplay them at the three point line and have a big constantly in help mode, which keeps Whittington available. The effectiveness of these three - particularly Wang, who is a creator as well as a scorer - really affects the way everyone else on Williams plays.

They can also do it at almost any pace; the team likes to run, but it doesn't have to to be effective, and its defensive style makes it such that they don't reall

You are correct that the SoS is somewhat of a problem, and it seems likely that had the Ephs played Macon's schedule, for example, they would probably have a worse record. But, since the team has learned to play defense (93.2 defensive efficiency isn't too shabby, regardless of schedule, given the type of offensive game these guys play), they have been good against literally everyone they have played. Brandeis is a very good team, and that 14 point margin was no mistake; the Ephs held the Judgs to 26.7 percent second half shooting! They also know how to stay calm under pressure, even without the season-long day-in and day-out battles. They were down by 9 against Brandeis in the first half - their largest deficit since the Macon game, I believe, but I am not positive - and they just continued to play their game, eventually forcing the Judges to concede.

In short, I think that the SoS issue is overplayed, and Maker is a truly exceptional coach. He has this team loving to play, and the schpiel he gives every game about chemistry and whatnot isn't BS - he truly plays that to his team, and it has worked. The Ephs will be ready to play tomorrow.

[nescac1]

Outstanding analysis from Eph Partisan.  You really do have to pick your poison with the Ephs' system, either they get lots good looks from three or they get lots of advantageous one-on-one situation in the post plus drives to the basket for layups from the two stars (as well as the occasional alley oop or backdoor layup).  In the Ephs' one loss vs. RMC , nearly the entire team was VERY off from outside (partially due to great defense, but partially just a bad day ... Middlebury plays the best defense the Ephs' have faced all year, and Williams shot better from three in those two games), but hopefully that will not happen this weekend ... the Ephs also struggled with turnovers in that game, but they've since worked on ball security quite a bit it seems like.  I also worry about defensive rebounding, Guilford seems like a heck of a rebounding team, and while Williams' stats there are also solid, they are a bit deceptive and I would not consider rebounding to be an area of tremendous strength for Williams.  If the Ephs' big man combo (maybe even trio if Emerson plays a bit) can come close to matching Sanborn's productivity (especially on the boards) and if the Ephs can nail around forty percent or more from three, I like their chances.  Two big ifs, of course.

Pretty much every link you could ever want to read about Williams v. Guilford is here:

http://www.ephblog.com/2010/03/19/final-four-preview-liveblog/

Good luck Ephs!

[magicman]

Williams open up a 9 point lead over Guilford at 30-21 with 5:55 to play in the 1st half. The Quakers come roaring back outscoring the Ephs 22-5 to take the lead 43-35 at the break.

[magicman]

Williams up 65-61 with 7:07 left to play.

[Bucket]

Keep the updates coming!

Go Ephs!

[magicman]

Keep the updates coming!

Go Ephs!

Here you go.

Williams up 70-68 with 5:42 to go. Big Joe just fouled out and Whittington has 4 fouls on him.

Tyler Sanborn just picked up his 4th foul. Williams went up 72-68 but Guilford just scored and was fouled. Now 72-71 Williams.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Keep the updates coming!

Go Ephs!

Here you go.

Williams up 70-68 with 5:42 to go. Big Joe just fouled out and Whittington has 4 fouls on him

Who have they got to keep Sanborn from going crazy if Troy gets his 5th?

[magicman]

Guilford up 73-72 but Rubin just hit a 3 to make it 75-73. 3:43 left to play. Guilford just got fouled and is going to the line for a 1and 1. 3:43 left to play. Time out.

[magicman]

Keep the updates coming!

Go Ephs!

Here you go.

Williams up 70-68 with 5:42 to go. Big Joe just fouled out and Whittington has 4 fouls on him

Who have they got to keep Sanborn from going crazy if Troy gets his 5th?

Nobody?

[magicman]

Schultz hits a 3 to make it 78-75 Ephs, but Wang fouls Bonner on a made layup and 1 now tied 78-78.

[nescac1]

Williams up 15 if refs were objective