MBB: NESCAC

[walzy31]

That's a pretty solid list, Walzy.  I might find a place for Troy Whittington as well, but otherwise, no quarrels.  Salerno from Amherst could also lock guys down in the limited minutes he played.  From before your time in the 90s era Botti and Frew from Williams and Zalaski from Amherst also stand out in my mind.

Jah, I didn't want to be an Amherst homer on the list. Salerno created a 5-second count on a one-man, self-called, press in the '07 title game. Forever will be impressed by that. Va Wes had some quick guards to say the least.

I never saw Troy as a defensive machine. Offensively, he was too much, but defensively I put him right there with Coffin and Fitzsimmons.

[walzy31]

Friday February 1st NESCAC Spreads

Bates @ Amherst
Amherst -12.0
O/U: 143.0


Williams @ Colby
Williams -28.0
O/U: 150.5


Conn College @ Hamilton
Hamilton -9.5
O/U: 125.5


Middlebury @ Bowdoin
Middlebury -14.0
O/U: 136.5


Tufts @ Trinity
Tufts -16.5
O/U: 124.5

[walzy31]

2013 NESCAC Post-Season Awards (as determined by the unbiased voting process that occurs later in the season)

2013 NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year:
Thompson -115
Workman -105
The Field +800

2013 NESCAC Coach of The Year:

Brown +100
Maker +130
Sheldon +200
Gilbride +400
Reilly +500
Hixon +800
The Field: +1500

[nescac1]

Regarding coach of the year, I realize that Hixon is not terribly popular with his peers, but below Reilly, Sheldon, and Gilbride?  That's a long shot bet worth taking.  If Amherst wins its second title in a row, I just can't see the coaches denying Hixon in back-to-back years. 

Don't look now, but Wesleyan may finally be making its move.  Wesleyan has more of a physical presence up front with a fully healthy Glen Thomas and Epps in the starting lineup.  Beresford, who was seriously slumping, has finally regained his shooting touch over the past five games.  The emergence of frosh BJ Davis off the bench has also helped.  After four straight VERY tough road losses to the top four in NESCAC (all by single digits, including two that went down to the last shot), Wesleyan has now won four in a row, with three NESCAC games remaining in which they should be favored.  Cards could end up as a dangerous first round opponent in the NESCAC tourney, and have shown they can compete with anyone when they bring their A game.  One strange thing ... it appears that Wesleyan has six NESCAC road games this year.  How can that be?  I thought every team would have five and five?  Meanwhile, Bates has six home games.  Was the Bates-Wesleyan game moved?  I might have just missed that. 

[pick and roll]

Middlebury had three defensive players of the year on the court when Thompson (this year's winner) was a freshman along with Loche and Edwards.  I think their defensive field goal % led the nation.

[Panthernation]

Middlebury had three defensive players of the year on the court when Thompson (this year's winner) was a freshman along with Loche and Edwards.  I think their defensive field goal % led the nation.

Jamal Davis shouldn't be forgotten either. He was a taller, longer version of Jensen and was a shot blocker both in the paint and on the perimeter. He was one of the most underrated, if not one of the best, defensive players in the conference his senior year.

[lefrakenstein]

Friday February 1st NESCAC Spreads

Bates @ Amherst
Amherst -12.0
O/U: 143.0

Williams @ Colby
Williams -28.0
O/U: 150.5

Conn College @ Hamilton
Hamilton -9.5
O/U: 125.5

Middlebury @ Bowdoin
Middlebury -14.0
O/U: 136.5

Tufts @ Trinity
Tufts -16.5
O/U: 124.5

Amherst and the over; Colby and the under; Hamilton and the over; Bowdoin and the under; Trinity and the over.

[7express]

Friday February 1st NESCAC Spreads

Bates @ Amherst
Amherst -12.0
O/U: 143.0


Williams @ Colby
Williams -28.0
O/U: 150.5


Conn College @ Hamilton
Hamilton -9.5
O/U: 125.5


Middlebury @ Bowdoin
Middlebury -14.0
O/U: 136.5


Tufts @ Trinity
Tufts -16.5
O/U: 124.5

Amherst Under
Colby Under
Conn College Over
Bowdoin Over
Trinity Over

I think this is the week I finally lose points.

[7express]

Amh63,

I know your traveling today, but I sent you a PM if you ever get a chance to check tonight or tomorrow.

[Ashley Parker Angel]

Good to see some other Wesleyan commentary – thanks for filling in nescac1. Looks like the Cardinals handled Merchant Marine and Eastern Connecticut handily this week and their lineup does seem to be clicking. AND, In yesterday's game vs. ECSU Derick Beresford became the third 1,000 point scorer in Wesleyan's class of 2013. Quite a graduating class – looking forward to watching what they'll do to end the season and their college careers.

In regards to the 6 away, 4 home question – it seems like the addition of Hamilton to league play has prompted such scheduling. Wes was on the road against their travel partner, Conn, last weekend and they'll again be on the road at Hamilton this Sunday. Also, looks like two weekends ago Hamilton played at Middlebury on Friday night and then hosted Williams on Sunday. Not sure what the fix would be here so that all teams have a 5 away, 5 home schedule.

[grabtherim]

Friday February 1st NESCAC Spreads

Bates @ Amherst
Amherst -12.0
O/U: 143.0


Williams @ Colby
Williams -28.0
O/U: 150.5


Conn College @ Hamilton
Hamilton -9.5
O/U: 125.5


Middlebury @ Bowdoin
Middlebury -14.0
O/U: 136.5


Tufts @ Trinity
Tufts -16.5
O/U: 124.5

Give me all the dogs.  Walzy knows his stuff, but I think he is being too generous with the points this week..

[nescac1]

Thanks Ashley, that makes sense re: home and away.  I think it would be easy to have 5 home and 5 away games, but if they did so, they would have to break up some of the paired-game travel weekends, which is not going to happen because NESCAC has been moving to do everything possible to limit travel (both for expense and for time-away-from-studying reasons).  So I guess that each year, some teams will be at a slight disadvantage with more NESCAC road than home games, even though they play an even number of games.  Interesting. 

Agree with Panther nation that Jamal Davis was a great defender, he gave Troy Whittington more trouble than pretty much any other player (more than Locke, even, who was a better defender in terms of his overall impact on a game, but not as good of a one-on-one defender).  I'm sure I am forgetting a few guys from the 90's and early 00's (and I didn't watch much NESCAC hoops from 98-2002, so my knowledge is particularly off there) but my all-NESCAC defensive team for the last 20 years would go something like:

Andrew Locke, C
John Botti, F
Nolan Thompson, G/F
Jaris Cole, G
Adam Harper, G

as the first team,

Troy Whittingon, C (and I disagree with Walzy there, I thought he was a very dynamic presence, like Locke he could be beaten one-on-one by a certain type of player, but he affected the entire opposing team out of fear of bringing it into the lane only ot be swatted, but Cohen certainly has an argument here)
Willy Workman, F
Tim Edwards, G
Jim Frew, G
Aaron Westbrooks, F (notable omission from our discussion, two time DPOY I believe, nasty, physical defender)

Maybe a SLIGHT Williams bias in those groupings ... McLaughlin, Salerno, Cohen, Ray, Davis, Keith Zalaski, or Mizan Ayers could all slide in to the second team without any objection from me. 

[Charles]

Congrats to Southern Vermont for winning their first game against Wheelock. Does this mean that Williams' SOS gets stronger?

[WPI89]

Walzy - give me the 5 overs and Amherst to cover - going to leave the rest alone as the points seem perfect.

PS - I think I owe you 1 K right now.

[amh63]

WPI89...Walzy's math is ok.....one karma from me...because you are an ok guy with brevity ability...even for an engineer?!