MBB: NESCAC

[ronk]

Matt,
  The audio is working now, but scratchy.

[Matt Letourneau]

Thanks Pat.

Catholic can't win at that pace!

[Pat Coleman]

I do feel like we're back in 2002 or so, with no video and an audio stream that is so low bandwidth that it's hard to follow.

[ronk]

The radio announcers r going to try 2 get the video working during the halftime break.

[gordonmann]

I'll post interim updates here...this IS old school.

[nescac1]

Yeah, the Eph fans are frustrated too, believe me.

Interesting half based on the game flow where fouls seems to play a role.  Catholic has to be VERY happy being only down 3 with Holmes out and Kearney (who seemed to dominate) sitting five minutes with two fouls.  Williams was up 7 and took Nate Robertson out (presumably to protect him, also with two fouls) and Catholic mounted a comeback to close the lead.  Big half for Limberiou for Catholic, 11 points including 3 threes and played the whole 20 minutes.  Kearney also had a huge half.  Williams as usual led by Mayer (13 points, 4 boards, 3 blocks) and Epley (11 points, 3 boards).  Williams I imagine will pay a lot of attention to Limberiou at the three point line in the second half. 

Amherst cruising as expected.  Midd trying to hang on, but looks good. 

[gordonmann]

Williams 41
Catholic 38 - Halftime

Williams shoots 6 for 17 from three. Kearney with 13 points and two awesome dunks (one off a behind the back pass from Fonville), but also has two fouls.

The teams were even until Kearney picked up his second foul with 7 minutes left. He grabbed a seat and Williams went to Mayer who scored six points. Maker t'd up near the end of the half.

[gordonmann]

Middlebury closes the game on a 9-3 run to beat Cortland State 67-63. Congrats to the Panthers.

[JustAFan]

Gutsy win by Middlebury 67-63 thanks to solid efforts by Kizel, Lynch and Jensen on the boards and the offensive front. Mid gets to the line 14 more times (an edge you often don't get in an upstate gym) and that is the difference.

[magicman]

Middlebury leads Cortland 65-63 with 14 seconds left. Middlebury has taken 2 timeouts trying to inbound the ball under the Cortland basket.  Cortland fouls with 12 seconds left. Lynch goes to the line for the Panthers. He hits the first one and Cortland calls a time out. Lynch hits the second one to make it a 2 possession game. Red Dragons in big trouble now. Herron misses a layup and Cortland fouls again with only 4 seconds left. Lynch misses both free throws and Cortland misses a last second 3 point attempt. Final score is 67-63 Middlebury

[Matt Letourneau]

They need Koenig and Limberiou to make up for Holmes.  Holmes is their floor general though...trying to beat an elite team without him is going to be really, really hard.  Kearney always has a huge impact defensively so I'm not surprised Williams went on a run when he sat.

[Pat Coleman]

http://www.teamline.cc/free_view?teamcode=0126&eventcode=6&status=PFF Video up.

[nescac1]

Midd and almost surely Amherst headed to Sweet 16, impressive, hopefully Williams can make it three NESCAC squads advancing but even without Holmes (what a bummer for him to get injured, presumably, in the tourney during his senior year) it clearly is not going to be easy.  Ephs have struggled to guard physical big guys all year and Kearney I'm guessing fits the bill. 

Video seems to be up!

[Matt Letourneau]

I'm only getting "this text will be replaced."  When and how does that happen?

[amh63]

There has to be a conspiracy.  Amherst has had video problems for most of the game until a few minutes to go.  Amherst is ahead at the half by 13....50 to 37.....due to a last second 3 by Plattsburg.  Early on it was a run away as Amherst dominates the boards and is running with Plattsburg in a run and gun game.  It was Amherst 44-22 when I left the game to look on in at Cortland and came back to see the video on at Amherst and the lead only 49-34 now..Willy Workman is foul hard....to the floor on a break away....makes one of 2 foul shots for a 16 point lead before a heave and shot by Plattsburg for the 13 point difference.  Announcers pointed out that Amherst was ahead by 26 points before the momentum swing in the game.  Plattsburg shoots started to hit.  Let down by Amherst on defense?  Left the Panther game when it was 12 seconds to go, Lynch at the foul line with one more foul shot and Middlebury up by 3.
Thought the tone of the game was set when Williamson makes a dunk , followed by a Toomey 3 and it was 5-0 with only a minute gone in the game.