MBB: NESCAC

[Bucket]

As a fan of Middlebury, I am happy for Jeff Brown, but puzzled as to why Hixon did not win COY, especially given Amherst's two wins over the Panthers.  Who votes for this and the other NESCAC awards?

I, too, am very happy for Jeff, though I was also a bit surprised.

One factor that I haven't seen mentioned could be that the coaches were very impressed by what Jeff has done a year after the graduation of Andrew Locke (as well as Jamal Davis and Ryan Wholey). Granted, Amherst lost Connor Meehan, but as good as Connor was, he wasn't a game-changer the way Locke was.
Just thinking out loud....

[jayhawk]

I am definitely confused by Jeff Brown being voted coach of the year. Wesleyan or Amherst coach makes sense. Coach Hixon did a fantastic job juggling his bench and his team. He did a tremendous job coaching David Kalema  and bringing him along and harnessing the talents of  Allen Willamson to go with his starters. Amherst beat everyone head to head and Middlebury twice. Middlebury does have the player of the year.
I will say that I thought Jeff Brown does a great job and was very classy at Amherst.

[frank uible]

walzy: Your correspondent's writings may have been influenced by his baroque education.

[amh63]

Boy oh boy!.....I posted my comments on the conference list of BB honors on the WBB board.  Got some interesting comments.....best one was "Who's Reilly?"
I will repeat them somewhat here....with modifications/expansions in areas
My choice of COY has been posted earlier.  If only the coaches vote for the particular honors, then for the COY selection appears somewhat political and petty...IMO.  There must be an basic criteria to follow....I can understand selecting Reilly for the honor over my preference. The Wes. coach did a major turn around of his team this year....going from 9th place to 3rd and beating/scaring the pre-season picks for the top three spots.
I find it interesting that the 2nd team of players does not have any guards.  Guess positions of a BB team is not a criteria.  Guess the 2nd team should not scrimmage the first team.
Does anyone know who actually votes for the conf. teams and individual honors?

[JustAFan]

I'd be curious the last time Williams did not have a player receive some kind of all-league honors.  It highlights one of the big weaknesses of this year's team--the lack of a go to player and team leader. The Ephs have a lot to prove next year, both individually as players (and coaches) and as a team. It won't be easy as the league once again should have a lot of competitive depth.

Look for Amherst to make a big move in the winter Directors Cup standings if their men's and women's basketball teams go deep in the tournament.

[trixiep]

The coaches vote for the all-conference teams and individual awards.

[Pat Coleman]

No, they can't, because that requires four games on Friday. The only reason Amherst is able to host both this weekend is because the men's hosting is just one game total.

Forgive me if someone has already addressed this issue, but why can't one school host 4 games on a Friday? Games would have to be started too early on a school day? Are the rules posted anywhere publicly?

Well, the handbook says a school can't host two four-team pods/sectionals at the same time. Besides four game times to consider, there are extra locker rooms, practice and shootaround time. And why would the women play at 1 and 3 on a weekday? That would be even worse than usual for fans.

[OchoLoko41]

Congrats to Shasha Brown and Mike Callaghan for there All NESCAC first and second team selections respectively.  With the two of them returning, along with the vast majority of the Wesleyan team (although the loss of Mendell a 2 year captain and 4 year starter will be missed) Wesleyan clearly looks to be one of the teams to beat next year.

I like seemingly everyone else on this board am a little puzzled by the choice of Brown as COY.  If voters were basing their choice purely on record, you would think that an Amherst squad that went undefeated after losing Meehan (admittedly not as big a loss as Locke, but no slouch in his own right) would get the vote, or they would vote for Reilly after the tremendous turnaround Wesleyan experienced.

The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection. 

This is not to take away from the Panther's season, those fellas had a great regular season and I wish them all the best in the tourney

[grabtherim]

Congrats to Shasha Brown and Mike Callaghan for there All NESCAC first and second team selections respectively.  With the two of them returning, along with the vast majority of the Wesleyan team (although the loss of Mendell a 2 year captain and 4 year starter will be missed) Wesleyan clearly looks to be one of the teams to beat next year.

I like seemingly everyone else on this board am a little puzzled by the choice of Brown as COY.  If voters were basing their choice purely on record, you would think that an Amherst squad that went undefeated after losing Meehan (admittedly not as big a loss as Locke, but no slouch in his own right) would get the vote, or they would vote for Reilly after the tremendous turnaround Wesleyan experienced.

The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection. 

This is not to take away from the Panther's season, those fellas had a great regular season and I wish them all the best in the tourney

Walzy - another early candidate for 2012 All Crazy or at the least honorable mention for seeing the world through Wesleyan tinted glasses.  On Jeff Brown winning COY, this from OchoLoko41: "The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection." 

[jayhawk]

Nice article on Coach Hixon :http://www.eagletribune.com/sports/x1511860893/A-legend-in-the-making

[Old Guy]

Walzy - another early candidate for 2012 All Crazy or at the least honorable mention for seeing the world through Wesleyan tinted glasses.  On Jeff Brown winning COY, this from OchoLoko41: "The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection."

I'm surprised, though it's not "crazy." The Panthers' three losses in 2011-12 are by five points total. His team lost those two last seconds games at Amherst in a hostile gym with a lot of class and guts (the comebacks). Doesn't that come back to the coach?

[grabtherim]

Walzy - another early candidate for 2012 All Crazy or at the least honorable mention for seeing the world through Wesleyan tinted glasses.  On Jeff Brown winning COY, this from OchoLoko41: "The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection."

I'm surprised, though it's not "crazy." The Panthers' three losses in 2011-12 are by five points total. His team lost those two last seconds games at Amherst in a hostile gym with a lot of class and guts (the comebacks). Doesn't that come back to the coach?

Hey Old Guy.  Love your take on all things Midd and otherwise. Not "crazy" that Brown won, may be a bit surprising,  It's crazy how our friend from Wesleyan explains the pick.  Brown is a class act and an excellent coach, and I see and agree with your points.  Despite that, I think Hixon should have won this season with Brown and Reilly a very close second. 

[OchoLoko41]

Walzy - another early candidate for 2012 All Crazy or at the least honorable mention for seeing the world through Wesleyan tinted glasses.  On Jeff Brown winning COY, this from OchoLoko41: "The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection."

I'm surprised, though it's not "crazy." The Panthers' three losses in 2011-12 are by five points total. His team lost those two last seconds games at Amherst in a hostile gym with a lot of class and guts (the comebacks). Doesn't that come back to the coach?

How is this looking at the situation through Wesleyan tinted glasses?

Fact: Amherst went undefeated throughout the NESCAC regular season and playoffs, beating Mid twice, despite loosing one of its key contributers (Meehan).

Fact: Wesleyan had the best single season turnaround in NESCAC history, going from missing the playoffs last year to becoming the #3 seed and advancing to the semi finals.

Seeing as Amherst has a better record than Middlebury, with a comparable talent level in their players, and Middlebury did not have the "feel good story" factor in their favor (aka a historical turnaround) what other explanation can we have for Brown winning besides voters valuing record as their first priority, and distain of Hixon as their second?

[trixiep]

The head coaches vote.  Who knows why a majority of them voted for Brown?  On paper, Hixon and Reilly look like the obvious picks, but there's no question in my mind that the Coaches are the folks who deserve to choose the post season awards.

[grabtherim]

Walzy - another early candidate for 2012 All Crazy or at the least honorable mention for seeing the world through Wesleyan tinted glasses.  On Jeff Brown winning COY, this from OchoLoko41: "The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Middlebury's success over Wesleyan, coupled with Hixon made Brown an easy selection."

I'm surprised, though it's not "crazy." The Panthers' three losses in 2011-12 are by five points total. His team lost those two last seconds games at Amherst in a hostile gym with a lot of class and guts (the comebacks). Doesn't that come back to the coach?

How is this looking at the situation through Wesleyan tinted glasses?

Fact: Amherst went undefeated throughout the NESCAC regular season and playoffs, beating Mid twice, despite loosing one of its key contributers (Meehan).

Fact: Wesleyan had the best single season turnaround in NESCAC history, going from missing the playoffs last year to becoming the #3 seed and advancing to the semi finals.

Seeing as Amherst has a better record than Middlebury, with a comparable talent level in their players, and Middlebury did not have the "feel good story" factor in their favor (aka a historical turnaround) what other explanation can we have for Brown winning besides voters valuing record as their first priority, and distain of Hixon as their second?

Fact: You need to switch to decaf.  Read and comprehend. 
Fact: I clearly stated Hixon deserved to win, and Brown and Reilly deserved to finish a close 2nd.
Fact: I simply find your statement crazy that the major issue Jeff Brown was named COY other than a bent against Hixon, was Middlebury's wins over Wesleyan. 
Once again, I'll state it again so you can comprehend it.  Hixon should have been COY, and what is crazy and puts your Wesleyan colored glasses on is overstating the value of wins over Wesleyan.  By the way, can someone amplify on if and why there is a bent against Hixon, apparently from his peers?  From what I see, the guy can recruit and coach.  Does he rub some the wrong way?