MBB: NESCAC

CCsalive · February 18, 2009, 04:26:18 PM

Pat,

The goal is to provoke conversation...not smother it!

Colby HAS to win. Not too long ago people were grouping them as part of the top four who were clearly better than the bottom six. True?

cruiser · February 18, 2009, 05:40:14 PM

i dont know if colby has left that group. colby has some great talent and could beat anyone in conference, but i guess you could say that about most teams in the nescac

NY Hoopster · February 18, 2009, 06:26:58 PM

CCsalive and Cruiser;

Thanks for giving me a chance to talk about what a great season Colby has had and to congratulate the team. They are clearly in the top 4 in the league because they are tied for 3rd in Conference play. Also, please take a look at the regional rankings. Colby has played 4 of those teams, and beat 3 (the Elms victory was last year). They also beat Amherst and RIC. Colby's season has been a great one to watch because Dick Whitmore earned his 600th win, and because of some great performances by Colby's players. Adam Choice scored his 1000th career point(as a Junior), and there has been inspired play by the corps of guards (including a little showtime), and Mike Russell in the paint. Both Adam Choice (twice), and Artie Cutrone have been NESCAC players of the week. Colby is hosting the first round of the playoffs or the first time since 2001.

The big difference from last year has been the defense. Perimeter shots are now challenged that once were unopposed, and there is a lot of pure athletisim on that floor. Justin Sherman, Mike Russell and Nick Planeta have been tough and unafraid to mix it up. On offense, the guards continually get to the hoop with penetration that breaks down the defense. Russell and Choice have been tough to stop when they get the ball down low. It has been a fairly balance offense for a team that lacks a traditional big man.

The only team that they don't match up well against is Middlebury. The combination of Smith and Locke down low pose big problems. Locke stops some of the penetration shots, and some of the Russell follow -up shots after some of his many offensive rebounds. Smith is a beast to guard and got Choice into foul trouble in that game. All of the other opponents should result in closely fought and pretty even matchups. Williams shouldn't count on Colby shooting as poorly as they did in the conference game, should the teams face each other again

A shout out to Nescac 1; You are the Oracle of Delphi of the board. I always enjoy the reasoned and informed analysis.

The

toad22 · February 18, 2009, 08:32:23 PM

I think Colby is the real deal this year and has a very good chance of winning the NESCACs. Choice is my pick for being the best player in the league (as opposed to the POY). He is impossible to guard by any defender in the league. In addition, Colby has as host of other good players, so the might just be the ones to pull an upset at Middlebury. They certainly have the talent.

frank uible · February 18, 2009, 09:06:05 PM

Does very good chance mean that you will take Colby and give me the field on an even-up bet?

CCsalive · February 19, 2009, 09:33:31 AM

Great chatter on Colby. Conn had every reason to go to Colby last Friday all fired up and ready to pull an upset, but they were then held to 47 points by Colby. That is great defense...regardless of what you think of CC.

I'd be happy to see Colby advance through the league tournament, but hasn't Bowdoin beaten them this year?

NY Hoopster- Cheers to Colby...much deserved, BUT is it a MUST WIN or not?
Sounds to me like it is.

massd3fan · February 19, 2009, 10:56:14 AM

---I also think d3hoops rankings more accurately reflect where WPI should be in the region: behind at least four other teams.---

I agree somewhat with this. I dont believe WPI is #1 in the Northeast , but i do not agree they should be behind "at least" 4 other teams. I would say ...

1. Elms 21-1 (20-1)
2. Middlebury 21-3 (19-2)
3. UMass-Dartmouth 20-3 (18-3)
4. WPI 18-4 (18-3)
5. Rhode Island College 19-4 (19-4)
6. Amherst 19-5 (17-5)
7. Bridgewater State 17-5 (16-3)
8. Salem State 18-5 (17-5)
9. New England 20-3 (19-3)
10. Lasell, Colby-Sawyer, Colby, etc... cases can be made for many teams I'm sure.

I have seen WPI a few times this year and will give them all the credit in the world for their achievements so far. To be honest though, the only team that really attacked thier weakness (in the games I got to) was Salem State. Dylan Holmes just ate them up (24pts/12 rbs). They should cruise through the remainder of their season, but I feel when it comes to for the NCAAs the odds are good they will face a team with much better understanding how to execute low post offense. If the opposition does not attack them there, they are going to very tough to beat!

Old Guy · February 19, 2009, 11:01:24 AM

"I'd be happy to see Colby advance through the league tournament, but hasn't Bowdoin beaten them this year?" (CCsalive)

The Maine teams play twice (the second game counts as league play). They split: each team is 1-1 overall against the others, the State Series then a three-way tie. Colby, however, is 2-0 in league play, avenging two early season non-league losses to Bates and Bowdoin. Bates beat Bowdoin by 3 in Lewiston in their league game (after losing at Bowdoin in OT earlier). Pretty even. Colby-Bowdoin could be a fun game, a toss-up.

danilogallinariisaballer · February 19, 2009, 11:54:16 AM

I'm not sure Colby-Bowdoin is a toss-up, maybe on a neutral floor. Colby has to be the clear favorite at home. That gym is going to be very loud.

CCsalive · February 19, 2009, 11:58:28 AM

Sounds like the sentiment out of Colby is that they've had a nice year and they've entered into "icing on the cake" territory. Where I'm from this is called "in the tank" and I can guarantee that this is a program that will never win anything. Old Guy says their first round game is a toss-up. NY Hoopster is ecstatic about a 600-win milestone and Adam Choice's "game." The bottom line is that they HAVE TO DEFEAT BOWDOIN to justify their successful season. That's the reality when you're close to getting over the hump.

Conn had to beat Wesleyan. It doesn't matter that it was for the #8 seed. We HAD to win. If we didn't I would be KILLING my own team.

This idea that any of seven teams can win the tournament is total bogus. Three teams have a shot: Williams, Middlebury, Amherst. Any other Champion would be a total shock and anyone that says otherwise is living in a fantasy land far more stimulating than "Camel-lot."
Williams-MUST WIN v Bates....I don't even know the Bates coach's Name!
Amherst is staining their tighty-whities because Trinity is showing signs of life. This is a MUST WIN game for Amherst. PLEASE tell me otherwise! PLEASE tell me how athletic Trinity is and how they manage to play Amherst tough. PLEASE try to validate some moral lesson other than WIN or your nice little piece of D-III history is permanently in the story books! Or, maybe I'm wrong...maybe there's a another Baskauskus brother on the way!

formerbant10 · February 19, 2009, 12:11:21 PM

Trinity is very athletic, they also have very good size. They can put lineups on the floor where 6'4" is the smallest.
Trinity and Amherst have had some great games over the past decade. Doesn't matter what the records are, it's always going to be a dogfight. I would doubt either team is staining their tighty-whities though, it's not like they are facing LeBron.

Not sure if Colby has to be a clear favorite at home----they did lose to Trinity on a Friday night in their gym.

BornBalla · February 19, 2009, 01:19:30 PM

I think that Trinity is a real threat! They do have size and talent. Their problem has been their inexperience from coaching and players but are good. They play hard nosed def & do have some guys who can score the ball. Would not surprise me if they made a run in NESCAC tourney. I think they'll be playing with a "nothin to lose" disposition.

danilogallinariisaballer · February 19, 2009, 01:30:35 PM

Quote from: CCsalive on February 19, 2009, 11:58:28 AM
Sounds like the sentiment out of Colby is that they've had a nice year and they've entered into "icing on the cake" territory. Where I'm from this is called "in the tank" and I can guarantee that this is a program that will never win anything. Old Guy says their first round game is a toss-up. NY Hoopster is ecstatic about a 600-win milestone and Adam Choice's "game." The bottom line is that they HAVE TO DEFEAT BOWDOIN to justify their successful season. That's the reality when you're close to getting over the hump.

CCsalive,

I enjoy reading your posts, especially the ones where you talk-up Conn's chances of beating Middlebury (which are less than 0). I can never tell if you are serious or not, which makes them more enjoyable. As for this supposed "sentiment" out of Colby, you are generalizing from a few comments. I can tell you that anything less than the NCAA's will be a disappointment to the players, given their overall talent level this year. So yes, as for the Bowdoin game, it is safe to say they have to beat Bowdoin to justify a successful season.

I'm also not really sure why you are guarenteeing that Colby will never win anything. What are you basing that on? Is Conn going to win anything, a team that is averaged less than 2 conference wins per year in the last 7 years. I'm also not sure how NY Hoopster's comments about Whitmore's 600 win milestone fit into this conversation. I'm sure NY Hoopster was just recognizing a great accomplishment, as only a small handlful of coaches win 600 games.

fpc85 · February 19, 2009, 01:59:16 PM

Few Amherst posters....nice change of pace...

CCsalive · February 19, 2009, 01:59:58 PM

Danilo,
I am prone to "open mouth and insert foot" disease. In trying to ruffle feathers I can sometimes write stupid things. That said, I'm thankful to churn-up some hard-line honest opinions from fans of NESCAC teams outside of Western Mass.
Thank you for admitting that Colby has to beat Bowdoin. As for Colby as a program, I meant no disrespect. Nor did I mean to dis Trinity. I only meant to disrespect Amherst, great frontrunners that they have proven to be. We'll here from them after (and only if) they win on Saturday. This type of calculus makes them successful in life, but second to Williams in my book, which is titled, "Conn College and The Great NCAA Final Four team of 1999." I recommend the book or a trip to NewLo to view the banner. In the category of What have you done for me lately, CC is thankful to be back above .500 after the fall-out that comes when your coach leaves for Div-1 and your former Women's College reverts back into its shell that is a $150 million endowment. Somehow, Coach Satran gets players who can beat Tufts (Boston mecca).