MBB: NESCAC

[pick and roll]

I am a relative rookie - can someone explain these karma points - how they are earned and not earned?

[Old Guy]

Yes quarters and semis in Salem - you think they will time it so schools do not have to go back "home" in between Salem and Atlanta?

Will be a streeeeeeeeeeetched out tourney this year - be fun to have "your" team involved for a while.  Assuming the 8 would be regionalized so that at best we could get only 2 from the northeast to Salem?

NESCAC faculty will not happy if their team advances to that point - the team will definitely come back home for classes. When NESCAC was established, all post-season play was prohibited, then teams were allowed to play in a tournament that began and ended within one week of the end of the regular season (the ECAC Tourney), then just the winner, one team, of the post-season league tournament could advance to the NCAAs, to now - whoever is selected. In field hockey this year, four teams made it to the NCAA tournament: Tufts won it all and they were a quarterfinal loser in the NESCAC tourney. It could be argued that the four best teams in the country were all from the NESCAC.

It will probably be argued that the NESCAC reservations about post-season play is snobbery, but it's not. It reminds players and the rest of us that these kids are students - they're in school and that's taken seriously. There's no "one and done" here.

A reference earlier on this site was made to Middlebury's "recent NCAA tournament woes." Being "upset" in the third round (2012) is not exactly humiliating. The Final Four the year before (to the eventual champs) also not that shabby. All teams in the NCAA tourney are good - a regular season win against any is notable (some more than others, to be sure).

Midd has baseball players, starters, on the hoop team. A long run in the NCAAs will have an impact on that team. 

[walzy31]

I am a relative rookie - can someone explain these karma points - how they are earned and not earned?

Registered users can add or deduct one karma point from each unique user at their discretion once per 24 hours. These actions are entirely subjective and based on the quality/humor/intensity of the post.

You can also venture to bet on my make believe spreads where you can objectively win or lose Karma points.

[walzy31]

Wednesday January 23, 2013

Amherst Vs. Williams
Amherst -4.0
O/U: 151.0

[pjunito]

There WILL still be two byes, but that might not be an advantage this year, as they will go at least two full weeks between the end of their season and their first game.

Teams with strong coaches will have a huge advantage... Give some of these coaches with less talent a week to gameplan and you might see some very interesting games and upsets in my opinion.

[madzillagd]

I am a relative rookie - can someone explain these karma points - how they are earned and not earned?

Registered users can add or deduct one karma point from each unique user at their discretion once per 24 hours. These actions are entirely subjective and based on the quality/humor/intensity of the post.

You can also venture to bet on my make believe spreads where you can objectively win or lose Karma points.

Based on some sort of minimum volume of posts or something correct? I'm not able to do this yet so I'm assuming I haven't hit the mark.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I am a relative rookie - can someone explain these karma points - how they are earned and not earned?

Registered users can add or deduct one karma point from each unique user at their discretion once per 24 hours. These actions are entirely subjective and based on the quality/humor/intensity of the post.

You can also venture to bet on my make believe spreads where you can objectively win or lose Karma points.

Based on some sort of minimum volume of posts or something correct? I'm not able to do this yet so I'm assuming I haven't hit the mark.

You're gettin' awfully close - 200 posts is the cut-off.

There WILL still be two byes, but that might not be an advantage this year, as they will go at least two full weeks between the end of their season and their first game.

Teams with strong coaches will have a huge advantage... Give some of these coaches with less talent a week to gameplan and you might see some very interesting games and upsets in my opinion.

I personally think that 'rust' will be a greater factor than extra game-planning time.  Though if a 'bye' team has nagging injuries, there IS more time to fully heal.

And the 'bye' teams will never have less talent than their second-round foes.  Theoretically, they are the top two overall seeds, though geography (i.e., $) may cause an otherwise #3 or #4 team to have the bye - e.g., if Whitworth has no team to play less than a plane ride away, the NCAA bean-counters may give them a bye if they are close to top 2.

[madzillagd]

1 week before game vs 2 weeks before game... not an advantage there at all in my opinion.  Much rather be guaranteed a W and not risk injuries than to have to battle it out for the 2nd round. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

1 week before game vs 2 weeks before game... not an advantage there at all in my opinion.  Much rather be guaranteed a W and not risk injuries than to have to battle it out for the 2nd round.

A team good enough for a bye would generally have a 'laugher' in the first game anyway.  This way the 2nd round team you face has a week; in the usual schedule, they probably had a much tougher game the day before than you did (or, for the teams who actually do get byes, than you didn't!).

[Pat Coleman]

On Thursday rather than the day before you. But often those schools that play Thursday do better than expected on Saturday -- a classic Rest vs. Rust conundrum.

[Mr. Ypsi]

On Thursday rather than the day before you. But often those schools that play Thursday do better than expected on Saturday -- a classic Rest vs. Rust conundrum.

Yeah, I shoulda been more clear.  The teams good enough for byes but who don't get them, will generally play a much easier team the day before than their opponent does.  As you note, those who DO gets byes don't do as well as expected on Saturdays.  While it will be way too small a sample to call it a test, my suspicion is that the two teams getting byes this year are not really receiving a favor from the committee.

[Pat Coleman]

Dave and I have talked about that and we definitely agree. Imagine being Middlebury and winning the NESCAC and getting a bye. You play the NESCAC quarters and get a week off. Then you play the NESCAC semis and finals, take 13 days off and play again. That's four games in four weeks.

Now ... imagine Middlebury running the table from here, but getting knocked off in the NESCAC quarterfinals. They could very well still get a bye with one regional loss. Now they have two bye weeks before they play again.

[7express]

Wednesday January 23, 2013

Amherst Vs. Williams
Amherst -4.0
O/U: 151.0

Amherst and Under.

[amh63]

Watched a little of the Bowdoin and Colby games last night and it's nice to see the teams win against out-of conference opponents.  The Polar Bear game against Babson was of particular interest since it was against a team that beat Amherst.  Two areas in the contest caught my attention.  First, Swords, Bowdoin's 7 footer started and he impacted the players from Babson...since they have no front court player to counter.  It seems that the Bears two tall centers scored points...not many rebounds though.  Matt Mathias, the junior guard that torched Amherst went back to his low point output (Matt did score well against Trinity...after the Amherst game), go figure?
Babson did not shoot well...even at home...from the outside...a factor that contributed to their win against Amherst early in the season.
Shifted to the RIC game in RI for a bit.....Amherst will play them next week in a road game.  They gave Amherst a tough time in LeFrak last season...playing a physical in your face type game.  Though it was close against Western Conn.....RIC won and is in the driver's seat for the LEC title and a post season spot.  RIC is not a tall team, but a deep team as they rotate at least 10 players.
Enough said.....big contest tonight....Amherst's website has a nice writeup for both games to "market" the game....expect a good turnout since classes are starting and the students are back!

[WPI89]

Wednesday January 23, 2013

Amherst Vs. Williams
Amherst -4.0
O/U: 151.0

Amherst/Under