MBB: NESCAC

[ephoops]

It is quite strange to think about Middlebury hosting the NESCAC Championships this weekend but quite honestly, the last time I was up there I was very impressed with the atmosphere and school spirit in Panther country.  Love the block M and would love to catch a Hockey game there sometime.  I'm pumped to watch some high quality hoops on a 2" by 3" screen this weekend baby!!

Just for the heck of it while we wait one more day, if the NESCAC were the Big Ten...

Amherst - Michigan (Standard Excellence)

Bates - Indiana (Bates' gym just screams Hoosiers)

Bowdoin - Wisconsin (Way up there in the frozen tundras of WI and ME these schools produce quality sports teams and are quite prestigious in the classroom)

Colby - Iowa (Two schools that tend to stay in the middle of the pack in athletics)

Conn College - Penn State (Blue, thats about it)

Hamilton - Northwestern (Do we even belong in this conference?)

Middlebury - Minnesota (Amazing hockey programs, staggered hoop seasons)

Trinity - Illinois (always recruits great athletes, but can't always put a winning team on the court/field)

Tufts - Purdue (Gross jerseys yet great SID's and student journalists)

Wesleyan - Michigan State (The 3rd wheel)

Williams - Ohio State (One was founded on a farming community and one is actually represented by a cow!)

Of course this is over a span of many years and many different factors.  Clearly open for debate.

I like it...

One thought... I would flip the Williams / Amherst pairing.

Williams - Michigan :

If you turm the Michigan "M" upside down, you get a "W".  Also, when it comes to overall academic and athletic excellence, Williams clearly tops Amherst.   

[walzy31]

It is quite strange to think about Middlebury hosting the NESCAC Championships this weekend but quite honestly, the last time I was up there I was very impressed with the atmosphere and school spirit in Panther country.  Love the block M and would love to catch a Hockey game there sometime.  I'm pumped to watch some high quality hoops on a 2" by 3" screen this weekend baby!!

Just for the heck of it while we wait one more day, if the NESCAC were the Big Ten...

Amherst - Michigan (Standard Excellence)

Bates - Indiana (Bates' gym just screams Hoosiers)

Bowdoin - Wisconsin (Way up there in the frozen tundras of WI and ME these schools produce quality sports teams and are quite prestigious in the classroom)

Colby - Iowa (Two schools that tend to stay in the middle of the pack in athletics)

Conn College - Penn State (Blue, thats about it)

Hamilton - Northwestern (Do we even belong in this conference?)

Middlebury - Minnesota (Amazing hockey programs, staggered hoop seasons)

Trinity - Illinois (always recruits great athletes, but can't always put a winning team on the court/field)

Tufts - Purdue (Gross jerseys yet great SID's and student journalists)

Wesleyan - Michigan State (The 3rd wheel)

Williams - Ohio State (One was founded on a farming community and one is actually represented by a cow!)

Of course this is over a span of many years and many different factors.  Clearly open for debate.

Loved this. Initial reactions:
Especially liked the Iowa and Purdue comments. Conn College and Penn St was a stretch but the rest were great.

[daoustian]

It would have been sweet if Amherst's mascot was a Wolverine too.  But hey, those are the shakes. 

With the way the bubble is shaping up, the seniors on the losing end of Saturday's Amherst/Williams game will have 99.5% most likely played their last college basketball game -- despite other recent Amherst/Williams matchups in the NESCAC tourney, this may be the first year in a while where that is a true statement, since in the past at least one of the two teams (and sometimes both) were in a good spot to get an at-large bid regardless of the outcome of the tournament game.  Not this year.  It'll be like football, with a lot more on the line since the winning seniors will actually have another game to play for afterwards.  Should be ugly. 

[frank uible]

And a fortiori, both Ohio State and Williams are superior in the two manly sports, football and wrestling.

[old_hooper]

Yeah Frank, maybe a Williams wrestling grad will find a cure for cauliflower ears.

[walzy31]

Why is Bowdoin ranked in the Regional Rankings?

If they lose (even in the final) they will have 9 in region losses and will be 0-5 (or 1-5 if they make the finals) vs. ranked teams, and finished 5th in NESCAC in the regular season.  Obviously, if they win the tourney and pull the AQ they are in...but why are they ranked? 

I think MIT should be 10th.  Bowdoin's strength of schedule is based on losses not wins.

[eclinchy]

Tufts - Purdue (Gross jerseys yet great SID's and student journalists)

Aww, thanks.

[Hugenerd]

Why is Bowdoin ranked in the Regional Rankings?

If they lose (even in the final) they will have 9 in region losses and will be 0-5 (or 1-5 if they make the finals) vs. ranked teams, and finished 5th in NESCAC in the regular season.  Obviously, if they win the tourney and pull the AQ they are in...but why are they ranked? 

I think MIT should be 10th.  Bowdoin's strength of schedule is based on losses not wins.

Just to add to your comment, MIT has 6 region losses (1 of their losses was at Yale and the other was at MSOE).  They are 0-3 vs. ranked NE teams (2 to WPI, 1 to Salem State).

[CCsalive]

I'm not even a coach and I've been to a game
a day since Wednesday with two tomorrow(high school games). The Madness is amazing. I wish i could see the Panther den with so many predators (ephs and jeffs and purple cows and a Polar Bear).
My brother and parents once stumbled upon a Williams v Amherst game in 97-98 when my bro was visiting colleges. I know the Herst had jamal Wilson. I think it was at Williams and possibly an OT game, but I could be wrong.
I hope you guys all enjoy the double dip.   

[walzy31]

Midd rolls 76-46 in the NESCAC semifinal Game 1.
Amherst & Williams deadlocked at 31 at the half of Game 2.

[nescac1]

Weird first half in Williams - Amherst.  Williams had a gimmick defense with Dodson playing Meehan and giving him about 8 feet of room.  Meehan kept shooting, and bricked about five in a row that were wide open.  Then he nailed two very tough 3's with Dodson in his face.  Wheeler and Waller hit two three's each, average distance, about 24 feet.  Wheeler  you expect that from, Waller not so much.   Williams has been driving to the hoop very well and drawing lots of fouls and making some lay-ups and short jumpers, but they have missed a lot from 3 and only 50 percent from FT which is a problem.  Ephs doing a great job on the glass, but Amherst's long range bombing has kept it even.  Fun game, the teams look very, very even.   Whittington with a huge block but otherwise quiet.  

[nescac1]

Ephs in trouble, Ephs can not buy a shot, and Amherst's offense has looked strong this half. 

[lefrakenstein]

Ephs picking it up right now.

Really impressed with the defense on Baskauskas.

Waller, Meehan and Holmes are doing a great job of stepping up to the challenge.

[nescac1]

Looking tough for the ephs.  The defense was not at the intensity level it needed to be to compete on an off shooting night for the Ephs' perimeter marksmen -- Rubin and Snyder were both a little off, and in that situation, the Ephs just have to play better D.   The difference in the game, Amherst is nailing it's 3's, the Ephs are just not hitting.  Frustrating.  Waller very impressive for Amherst.  He will be all-conference by Junior year for sure ...

[BankShotCharlie]

Amherst ends careers.


I can't wait to hear nescac1's excuses for why Williams lost, oh wait he already let us know!

Since everything seems to have to do with luck for you, BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR BUDDY!