MBB: NESCAC

[grabtherim]

TheHerst2and4....Thanks for the opinion!.....even though your last qualifying sentence sounds like it was written by a Lawyer!

Lawyer like indeed.  Continuing on that track: Supreme Court Justice Stewart in a 1964 opinion could not come up with a definition for pornography, but he famously added: "but I know it when I see it".  I cannot define the game of basketball, but I know when I don't see it, and what I watched this past Saturday from RPI was not basketball.  It was a joke.  Guys in and out with no thought to how anyone was performing, taking the 1st open shot no matter how bad it may have been again without thought to look for the best shot, and to me a coach who has no interest in player development. 

[pick and roll]

Frank - I guess not many NESCAC teams want to pack up take the bus for a trip out to Iowa to play Grinnell.  I love how Wikipedia says the system allows Grinnell to play all their players in the spirit of D III scholar athletes; and then they go out and have a kid score 138 points and crush a vastly inferior team by 75 points - true sportsmanship in action indeed.

[frank uible]

Complain, complain - both when it is perceived that RPI executes the System (or a facsimile) poorly and also when Grinnell executes it well.

[nescac1]

New poll today, Midd stays at number 2, leap-frogged (deservedly, thanks to a series of very impressive wins over ranked opponents) by North Central.  Williams and Amherst each move up three spots, ahead of Virginia Wesleyan, which plummeted from the number 1 spot thanks to THREE straight losses to unranked opponents. 

Right now, the New England ranking based on the D-3 poll, which I think is pretty dead-on, goes like this: Middlebury, WPI, Albertus Magnus, Williams, Amherst, MIT, RIC.   I don't think any New England team has, realistically, a chance at an at-large bid to the tourney outside of that group. 

[grabtherim]

New poll today, Midd stays at number 2, leap-frogged (deservedly, thanks to a series of very impressive wins over ranked opponents) by North Central.  Williams and Amherst each move up three spots, ahead of Virginia Wesleyan, which plummeted from the number 1 spot thanks to THREE straight losses to unranked opponents. 

Right now, the New England ranking based on the D-3 poll, which I think is pretty dead-on, goes like this: Middlebury, WPI, Albertus Magnus, Williams, Amherst, MIT, RIC.   I don't think any New England team has, realistically, a chance at an at-large bid to the tourney outside of that group.

You may end up being correct, but that's a pretty bold statement before league games begin. 

[nescac1]

Grabtherim, I feel pretty confident.  Now of course, any team could grab an AQ.  But most teams in New England, other than those listed and one MASCAC team, already have at least two and generally three or more losses, with at least one more guaranteed if they don't earn an AQ.  And more losses are almost certain to come for any outside of that group.  And once you are at 5 plus losses, getting into the tourney as an at-large becomes pretty dicey.  The LEC, one of the top New England conferences, is virtually guaranteed to be a one-big league this year, barring a great run by RIC culiminating in a conference tourney defeat.  Some NESCAC contenders like Tufts and Wesleyan have already piled up too many losses as well.  For NEWMAC, it's MIT, WPI, and everyone else.

[Old Guy]

Grabtherim makes a good point when he asks what talented recruit wants to go to a "system" when his minutes will be so constrained. I would ask those more familiar with Grinnell's success: they have had some talented players, no? How do they recruit them?

I watched Castleton (VT) play this way last year and they had the player-of-the-year in their conference. He just played more. There's a way to get your best players significant minutes, double shifts. Not a great player myself, I probably would have liked the system (I was slow, but could shoot).

I'm in Maine and will catch the Bates-Midd game. If Lynch gets in foul trouble guarding Bogdanovich, and all of Bates guards light it up, it could be interesting. Midd can play good perimeter defense, though: put Nolan on the guy with the hot hand.

I'm concerned about Tufts on Saturday. Coming out of there with a win will be good indeed.

Exciting weekend - NESCAC play.

[WPI89]

New poll today, Midd stays at number 2, leap-frogged (deservedly, thanks to a series of very impressive wins over ranked opponents) by North Central.  Williams and Amherst each move up three spots, ahead of Virginia Wesleyan, which plummeted from the number 1 spot thanks to THREE straight losses to unranked opponents. 

Right now, the New England ranking based on the D-3 poll, which I think is pretty dead-on, goes like this: Middlebury, WPI, Albertus Magnus, Williams, Amherst, MIT, RIC.   I don't think any New England team has, realistically, a chance at an at-large bid to the tourney outside of that group.

You may end up being correct, but that's a pretty bold statement before league games begin.

Things always have a way of surprising but I think this is an accurate statement as well.  I looked up a few possibles - take Babson for example - if they go 10-2 in the NEWMAC (very unlikely) and beat Bowdoin (their only non-league game left) - and then say they win one and lose one in the NEWMAC tourney - remember they can't win it - they would be 20-8 with wins over Amherst, Bowdoin, WPI, and MIT...............does that get them in?  Maybe - but that is what we are talking about to find an exception.

[madzillagd]

Speaking of Bowdoin, right now they only have 2 losses so they have to still be in the conversation although I don't think they'll end above the other 3 NESCAC teams mentioned. But, they have a chance on paper at the moment.

[amh63]

The next several weekends of conference play will see who are the contenders for post season play for All new england conferences, IMO.  Amherst is in midst of a "long" run of games on the road with the toughest being at Middletown CT.  Wesleyan has been a puzzle to me based on a review of the games played to date. 
Madz....agreed that Bowdoin on paper appears to be a challenger to the three ranked "CAC" teams....especially with their size in the front court.  Watched several Bowdoin games on the web and was not impressed.  The Polar Bear's front court has not been dominant in games....having two 6'10" plus players...to date.  Bowdoin is led by their guards and their experienced guards do not compare with the guard play of Amherst, Midd., Williams and Wes.  Not last season and so far from what I have observed....this season.  Tufts is the team that needs watching, imo.  Planning to see the Amherst vs. Tufts game in LeFrak this season before going further South.  Will return to catch some conference tournament/post-season tourn. games later if all goes well.
Old Guy....nice that you will be the "roving reporter" for this board.  Do need wise eyes on Bates and Tufts.

[madzillagd]

Here's the Home/Away breakdown of league games:

Amherst (9-2)
Home:  Bowdoin, Colby, Trinity, Bates, Tufts
Away: Wesleyan, Conn College, Hamilton, Williams, Midd

Bates (5-7)
Home:  Midd, Williams, Conn College, Wesleyan, Tufts
Away: Colby, Bowdoin, Amherst, Trinity, Hamilton

Bowdoin (6-2)
Home:  Hamilton, Tufts, Bates, Midd, Williams
Away: Amherst, Trinity, Colby, Wesleyan, Conn College

Colby (3-7)
Home:  Hamilton, Bates, Tufts, Bowdoin, Williams, Midd
Away:  Trinity, Amherst, Conn College, Wesleyan

Conn College (5-6)
Home:  Trinity, Amherst, Wesleyan, Colby, Bowdoin
Away:  Midd, Williams, Bates, Tufts, Hamilton

Hamilton (7-5)
Home:  Amherst, Trinity, Williams, Conn College, Wesleyan
Away: Bowdoin, Colby, Midd, Tufts, Bates

Middlebury (9-0)
Home: Conn College, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Trinity, Amherst
Away: Bates, Tufts, Williams, Bowdoin, Colby

Trinity (5-7)
Home:  Colby, Bowdoin, Tufts, Bates
Away:  Conn College, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Amherst, Midd, Williams

Tufts (6-5)
Home:  Williams, Midd, Wesleyan, Conn College, Hamilton
Away:  Bowdoin, Colby, Bates, Trinity, Amherst

Wesleyan (6-5)
Home:  Amherst, Trinity, Bowdoin, Colby
Away: Williams, Midd, Tufts, Bates, Conn College, Hamilton

Williams (10-1)
Home:  Wesleyan, Conn College, Midd, Amherst, Trinity
Away: Tufts, Bates, Hamilton, Colby, Bowdoin

Of the top 3 Williams has the most favorable schedule because they've got Wes, Midd & Amherst at home.  This weekend is probably their toughest trip of the season with Tufts/Bates in the first week of league play coming back from CA. Midd has Wes & Amherst at home which should benefit them as well.  Amherst has the toughest of the 3 with Williams, Midd & Wes all on the road - with the Williams/Midd being a back to back. 

[Panthernation]

Middlebury opening weekend preview: http://blogs.middlebury.edu/panthernation/2013/01/03/nescac-opening-weekend/

[amh63]

Will we see a FULL slate of "CAC" predictions/projections today .....from Walzy?

[7express]

I hope so, even though I'm terrible.  Planning on going up to the Amherst/Wes double header tonight, like to get those picks in before I leave.

[Bucket]

Following Midd-Bates on webcast, Panthers by 1 at half, 26-25.

Seesaw affair. Panthers open an early 5-pt lead, then Bates frosh Boornazian scores ten straight to put the 'Cats up 5. Panthers go on a mini-run, regain lead, and it goes back and forth until the halftime buzzer.

Seems to be an evenly played game so far...a battle of the guards, Kizell and Boornazian each with 10 a piece.

Both teams shooting around 40 percent. Even fouls. Bobcats w/ twice as many turnovers, but also twice as many boards.

One half to play.