MBB: NESCAC

[daoustian]

Even if you think the team isn't motivated by d3boards.com, it's clear that some of the fans are.  Whether that motivates fan conduct at future games remains to be seen -- if it makes for some rowdy atmospheres to raise the intensity level at 'CAC games, that could be fun for all (though it's all fun and games until someone yells "box out" apparently).  In any case, I was impressed with several things from the past 27 or so hours:

- Workman's savvy in putting up the quick second free throw -- catching people off guard a bit definitely helped.

- The Middlebury fans booing the Hixon box out.  Whether you think it was gamemanship or bad sportsmanship, we can all agree that it was impressive that a large number of Midd fans figured out where they stood on the issue in less than 3 seconds.  Sharp crowd. 

- Whoever hacked the Amherst Sports Information list serve this afternoon to send out the anti Hixon bad sportsmanship rant, necessitating a follow-up email from Amherst SI saying that "the email did not originate from [their] office."  Not necessarily the classiest move, but certainly an impressive one. 

Looking forward to the tourney.

[lumbercat]

I'm late on my comments about the Middlebury-Amherst game last night.

At the risk of sounding corny this is why I love the NESCAC. 2 fine schools competing with true "student athletes" who happen to be fine basketball players competing for the league title. I watched in the airport in Atlanta on business and lost the feed when I got on the plane (stewardess made me turn off my my Ipad--felt like a terrorist)-- wish I could have seen it but caught up late last night when I got home....just agreat game......was rooting hard for the Snow Panthers but my respect goes to the Purple. A total credit to the NESACAC and what the whole thing stands for!

Glad Bates does not match up with Middlebury...those guys will be crapping thunder on Saturday...maybe the Garnet Bobcats can hang with the Purple and Gold.

Bowdoin may upset Tufts as Bates did last year.

A credit to Colby to make the dance but hope Strahorn doesn't attribute the unexpected success to his constant working of the Zebras.

[Panthernation]

You called a good game on the web last night. I hope Sha drops 40 on you and you extend a Pepin losing streak.

Workman's intentional miss video is on Deadspin and has 28,595 views in 11 hours.
http://deadspin.com/amherst-lord-jeffs/
Maybe someone should have told Wolfin to...box out

I have an issue with Midd fans having anything to discuss other than an amazingly well-played basketball last night. Personal attacks on people whom I respect are only going to ignite a competitive loyalty in me that is not willing to reason with anyone supporting the other side.

Thanks, we broadcast on the radio so there is a decent chance you were listening to the NSN guy.

We tweeted the Deadspin link this morning; so great to get that kind of exposure.

And you do remember that "jumpshot" is a Williams fan right? Just in case it was that comment which inspired the anti-Middlebury sentiment.

It's disappointing that you can't reason with someone supporting another side of an argument, whether personal or impersonal.

[mainehoops]

wow.  that youtube speaks for itself.  speaking objectively, a little bit suspect...

at the same time it definitely contradicts everything I've ever heard about Hixon as a coach.  I'm sure a good amount of posters on this board who have seen him coach, been coached by him, or have even just met him personally were surprised by that.  myself included...  though I've never heard anyone question his reputation. 

seems like a coach caught up in the moment, and probably also frustrated by a few calls that didn't go his way. 

hoping this doesn't give Amherst any additional motivation this weekend against the young Mules.

in fairness, I think its safe to say Hixon is as stand up a guy as there is coaching in this league.  i disagree with the "box out" yell from a COACH, but its also cool in a way.  definitely adds some fuel to what's already become a great rivalry and will make for an exciting rematch should that happen. 

unless the Mules take care of business first! 

[frank uible]

De minimis non curat lex.

[Panthernation]

Ergo, de clamans non lex necesse est. Sed de clamans dicem ut magna scīremus.

[Panthernation]

That Willy Workman put-back made Sportscenter. Pretty cool.

[madzillagd]

The selective windows to compare team achievements has been entertaining: "What Brown and Maker have done in five years compared to Hixon in terms of Final Fours." I'm actually laughing. Nice endpoint selectiveness. The last two years have been fairly one-sided. Do Maker or Brown have any rings? Broadening out to 10 or 20 or 30 years is interesting too: four final fours, two elite 8s, and two national championship games while winning four NESCAC titles and a National Championship...all in the past 10 years. 700th win next season (that is, unless he gets fired for the most unsportsmanlike thing in the history of college basketball...yelling "box out" during triple overtime of a road game).

I'm not sure you can call it a selective window for Maker when it's the only window he has.  He's only in his 5th year so it's tough to go back and give him a 10 year window to compare to Hixon.  But in 4+ years he's been to the Final Four twice, been to a Championship game but doesn't have that ring yet.  However, he is headed towards being the Winningest Active Coach in college basketball at any level.  He's currently sitting at .820 winning %.  The NCAA requires a minimum of 5 years so when he hits the books this year he will have the best winning % in college basketball most likely.  Hard to do better than #1. 

[lefrakenstein]

The selective windows to compare team achievements has been entertaining: "What Brown and Maker have done in five years compared to Hixon in terms of Final Fours." I'm actually laughing. Nice endpoint selectiveness. The last two years have been fairly one-sided. Do Maker or Brown have any rings? Broadening out to 10 or 20 or 30 years is interesting too: four final fours, two elite 8s, and two national championship games while winning four NESCAC titles and a National Championship...all in the past 10 years. 700th win next season (that is, unless he gets fired for the most unsportsmanlike thing in the history of college basketball...yelling "box out" during triple overtime of a road game).

I'm not sure you can call it a selective window for Maker when it's the only window he has.  He's only in his 5th year so it's tough to go back and give him a 10 year window to compare to Hixon.  But in 4+ years he's been to the Final Four twice, been to a Championship game but doesn't have that ring yet.  However, he is headed towards being the Winningest Active Coach in college basketball at any level.  He's currently sitting at .820 winning %.  The NCAA requires a minimum of 5 years so when he hits the books this year he will have the best winning % in college basketball most likely.  Hard to do better than #1.

He also took over a powerhouse program. Hixon built his from scratch.

[frank uible]

Not quite a powerhouse - in the four seasons immediately preceding Maker's arrival Williams men's basketball had an aggregate record of 66-37.

[grabtherim]

Alright, I'm done being nice on the chat pages.

It's funny to me that we are talking about respect and dignity. I used to like Middlebury basketball (up until about midnight last night) and what they have accomplished over the past six years. Going forward I will group them with Williams as basketball teams I love to root against (just like soccer).

I cannot wait until Amherst rolls through either the Ephs or Panthers for a 5th or 4th straight time in ten days.

The selective windows to compare team achievements has been entertaining: "What Brown and Maker have done in five years compared to Hixon in terms of Final Fours." I'm actually laughing. Nice endpoint selectiveness. The last two years have been fairly one-sided. Do Maker or Brown have any rings? Broadening out to 10 or 20 or 30 years is interesting too: four final fours, two elite 8s, and two national championship games while winning four NESCAC titles and a National Championship...all in the past 10 years. 700th win next season (that is, unless he gets fired for the most unsportsmanlike thing in the history of college basketball...yelling "box out" during triple overtime of a road game).

Thanks for giving our squad some more motivation that they didn't already need. Amherst has the best team in the conference and one of the best coaches in the history of division three basketball.

And I cannot WAIT to see Jensen shoot free throws in Lefrak in two weekends. I really can't. There will be at least one Amherst fan yelling Box Out each time he is shooting. Heck, I might do it for every shooter on Middlebury since I would rather play Williams and apparently fans can do this and it is completely fine.

What else other than sports can be a bonding experience when good, a commiserating experience when bad, and always has the potential to be polarizing no matter what. Gotta love it.

I hardly slept last night given that you are no longer "Mr. Nice Guy".  Wow, if not liking Midd anymore, rooting against them and yelling when a kid goes to the line doesnt accomplish your goals is your next threat to hold you breath until you turn blue?  You played ball, I played ball, did you ever use crowd noise as an excuse?  For me, of course not.  No one ever stated that Hixon affected anything, the players on both sides decided the game.  What has been stated and it seems went over your level of comprehension is the fact that a coach, not a fan, player or anyone else in the gym did it.  Was it against any rule? No.  Did it have any affect on the game? Once again, NO.  Was it bush league and bad sportsmanship? Yes. Case closed. 

If you think it was proper, please lay out your argument for it.  I could care less about the history lesson and analysis you have engaged in with other posters about records.  To me this issue is a one trick pony which had no impact on the last game between the teams and will have no impact on the next one if they meet again.  It is simply a question of character.  PLEASE enlighten us on what Hixon's motivation was via yelling box out on the 1st of 2 shots when there was no one to box out other than the folks at the scoring table?  Respecting former coaches is great. Most of us are lucky enough to do it for decades after we play.  Still, part of that process over those decades is to recognize that they are human too, and make mistakes.  It makes much more sense to learn from them versus blindly defending them and threatening to act childish.   

[frank uible]

Happy Valentine's Day, one and all!

[lefrakenstein]

Not quite a powerhouse - in the four seasons immediately preceding Maker's arrival Williams men's basketball had an aggregate record of 66-37.

When Maker took over Williams had reached the final four two years prior and he had Whittington, wang, geoghegan, Schultz and Snyder on the team.

No amherst coach prior to hixon had a winning percentage above .600 and his immediate predecessor had under a .550 winning percentage over the span of almost three decades.

Maker had a lot more to work with. Since that insane stockpile of talent has gradually graduated, Hixon has started handing it to Maker. 4 wins in a row.

[nescac1]

**** just got real on the NESCAC board, yo.

Listen, I will support anything that results in more creative taunting than Amherst/Williams/Midd students yelling "safety school*" back and forth (or in the immortal words of Dick Farley, "J. Crew yelling at LL Bean").  So if Hixon ignited the long-dormant powder keg of latent intra-NESCAC hostility, we all owe him our gratitude. 

*For the record, Amherst was, of course, my safety school. 

[frank uible]

lefrak: Please check your records. Williams did not go to the Final Four in any of the four seasons immediately preceding Maker's arrival (20004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08). In 2004-05 Williams' record was 16-9; in 2005-06, 17-8; in 2006-07, 16-12; in 2007-08, 17-8. Irrespective of the quality of Hixon's inheritance, in my view Maker did not inherit a powerhouse program.