MBB: NESCAC

[jumpshot]

The Catholic-Williams game contained everything good about top level D3 basketball (except for the unfortunate key injuries to Catholic). Prior to and following the competition, both coaches paid genuine respect to each other's program ---as did the Williams players to Catholic in the media interviews. The Cardinals and Ephs would make an excellent basketball rivalry if the schools were closer to each other. I was in Salem the year Catholic won the championship with Mahoney's outstanding shooting and skilled, hardnose play by others on that fine Catholic team. The atmosphere in Williamstown on Saturday was electric as usual. Starting with the stirring singing of the National Anthem by a female Williams student (twice, first at the men's game, then again before the women's game), it was an experience not to be missed. Congratulations to the outstanding Catholic players ---we all will enjoy more to come from those returning next year.

[LarryBasketball33]

Hard not to appreeciate a league which puts 3 teams in the Sweet 16.  The Middlebury win was all about guts and players stepping up when the moment called for it. That has been this team's MO for years now.  Jensen played his best game as a Panther yesterday.  7/7 from the line and had the biggest rebound of the season for Midd late.  Lynch was bottled up for much of the game, so what does he do late? Hit the winnning basket.  Wolfin proves once again that Senior leadership is all about leading.  He goes O-fer shooting in the 1st half, but Midd still has a 9 pt half time lead.  Cortland who is a fine team, turns it around and goes up 7 with 6 or so to play. At this point many players with that bad shooting ringing in their head would run away from the ball.  In one of the key moments of the game, he drains a 3 late in a possession, then ten seconds later picks a Cortland guards pocket and makes a hard semi breakaway layup.  Midd is now down 2 and it becomes a one possession game the rest of the way until the very end.  Thompson hit some big shots and played good D on a kid who can score as well as anyone Midd saw all season.  Kizel did what he seems to do every night, find a way to get his when it looks like he cant.  He has a knack for the big shot or creating chicken salad out of chicken you know what.  No one knows what next week or beyond holds for any of these teams.  Hey, I would like to see another trip to Salem and beyond, but this team has given Panther fans everything you can ask for: the willingness to let it all hangout no matter the circumstances and see where it takes you.       

[nescac1]

I can't remember when it was posted, but didn't someone note that at some point in the season Massey had NESCAC as something like the 11th-ranked league in D-3?  What a joke!  Three teams in the Sweet 16 is pretty damn impressive, and had Tufts gelled sooner in the year and avoided a few tough early-season losses, I am convinced that the Jumbos could have also done some serious damage in the tourney.  I was also skeptical of Massey's assessment of the Panthers' chances, which turned out to overly pessimistic.

A few other notes from yesterday:

-- no one has mentioned Nate Robertson's effort yet, but he was awesome yesterday ... 10 points, 12 assists (I think that must be a career high, he was finding wide-open shooters seemingly all game), 4 boards, and once again hit a big three at a crucial juncture late in the second half, something he has done in each of the last three Williams wins.  While his overall shooting percentage from 3 remains low, he has been hitting at a better pace of late (including 2-3 in the tourney) and I would not leave him wide open at a big moment. 

-- the interview with Epley was great, Gordon, thanks for posting and more importantly thanks for asking atypical / non-generic post-game questions!

-- I know the Ephs aren't about this, but I'll post it anyway: in individual achievement watch, Taylor Epley now has 997 career points.  James Klemm has 991.  Two Ephs could go over 1000 in the same game!  Michael Mayer has 913, so, alas, probably not three .  If both Mayer and Epley stay healthy for their senior year, both are locks to graduate as two of the top ten all-time Eph scorers.  James Klemm has 242 career threes, nine short of Chris Rose's all-time Eph record.  Particularly impressive considering that Klemm barely played as a frosh.  The Ephs will need to win a few more to give him a chance to break it!  Nate Robertson has 422 career assists, putting him fourth on the Ephs' all-time list.

-- Looking ahead to Virginia Wesleyan, Astorga, Teasley, and Woodmore were as good of a wing trio as the Ephs saw two years ago, and given that they all have two years additional experience, I can't imagine that will change.  The last time the teams met, Troy Whittington absolutely dominated the interior, and I imagine Mayer and Epley will have to do the same for the Ephs to put out a victory, as VWU's starting forwards are undersized (6'6 185 and 6'5 195, although their sixth man is a beefier 6'6 225) and they play no one over 6'6, but they certainly will have a quickness advantage. 

[frank uible]

Today's question: is Bromo-Seltzer derived from bromidic?

[grabtherim]

Today's question: is Bromo-Seltzer derived from bromidic?

And this has what to do with basketball?  Back to the real world, 3 NESCAC teams moving on is great.  The league will only get tougher next year with Tufts and others challenging what has been the top 3. I hope Amherst, Williams and Midd all make it to Salem.

[amh63]

Justafan.....thank you for the early scouting report.   The "CAC" teams have had experience with the fine ODAC teams.  Amherst won their title against VWU in '07 is just an example.  I believe Williams played in a RMC tourney several years ago and W & L has visited Amherst.  I believe both conferences respect the level of play found in each.
When RMC comes up to play in LeFrak next weekend, I'm sure the LJ's will be aware of the points you have raised.  Amherst has met fine defensive teams this season both in the conference and out of the conference in RIC.  Last nights opponents had very quick  players that like to shoot outside and inside.  By this time of the season, teams have met all levels of talented players and team defenses, etc. and the fact that Amherst is still competing is self evident to most that they can play with the best.
Enough said on that.  Writeup of the game on the Amherst website provides accurate and more objective recap of the game.  Still hoping that a video highlight of the game will be available of Kalema's dunk.
Vandy74....news article today stated that there were space objects near by causing trouble!  Think there is an connection?  Better than finding out that all three sites had bad equipment or did not pay its bills.

[nescac1]

"Space objects" interfering with New England hoops webcasts, the week after MIT is eliminated ... coincidence, I think not ... did anyone track Hugenerd's whereabouts this weekend? 

[remsleep]

"Space objects" interfering with New England hoops webcasts, the week after MIT is eliminated ... coincidence, I think not ... did anyone track Hugenerd's whereabouts this weekend?

FBI is on it...surrounding rural area out in Western PA somewhere....seems to be a supernatural cardinal and gray light emanating from a heretofore undiscovered cave

[gordonmann]

NESCAC1:

Thanks for watching the interview. NESCAC students are almost uniformly great interviews.

[middhoops]

If not previously linked, this shows the Massey rating of "NE Smalls" as the 14th rated conference, primarily due to the 24th ranked strength of schedule.

http://masseyratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2013&sub=11620&c=1

[Old Guy]

Larrybasketbal33 summarized well the Middlebury effort yesterday. A very impressive road win. I and all other Midd fans did not feel hopeful when Cortland went up by eight with six minutes left. They had momentum and we were headed the other way. You never can count out this group. With this crew, how often can you say "gutsy win"?

Cortland State is a very good team. Winter is quicksilver. I was watching the game with Nolan Thompson's high school coaches who had come from Cleveland for the game (I taught at Nolan's school before coming to Midd years ago) - and one of them observed Winter might be the last guy chosen in a game of pick-up, based on his slight size and general appearance. But he can really play. Bucket thinks he's like Toomey - I find him quicker but less of an outside threat (based on one game!). He is very clever going to the hoop and finishes with either hand or finds a shooter on the arc. He missed the front end of a 1-1 and had a drive roll off the rim in crunch time, and he was especially discouraged after the game.

McMahon (6'6") was much better than advertized. He hit some baseline jumpers and was effective on the blocks with his back to the basket (24 pts on 11-15 shooting, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks): he runs the floor and blocks shots without fouling. My coach friends though Cortland "very well-coached."

Kizel! He hit some very tough shots and kept us in the game when we were down. Jensen was the difference. Terrific game. 7-7 from the line.

Cortland State has a nice gym. Lively crowd, even though the school is on spring break.

These "media timeouts (four each half) really do affect strategy. Cortland has a short bench, only played 7 players - didn't have to worry about fatigue. Middlebury could call two time-outs in the last seconds when they had trouble in-bounding the ball because they had plenty of TOs left.

Someone asked about the officiating. Middlebury was 17-21 from the line, Cortland a mere 4-7. I thought Midd was getting the raw end of the calls, in the first half especially - but I often feel that way (I was asked recently to explain the difference between a charge and a block and I said it all depends on whether or not Middlebury has the ball). Interesting that there wasn't much of a discrepancy between total fouls - Midd was charged with 14, Cortland 17. So the difference in free throws probably had to do with the strategy and conduct of the game - more 2-shot shooting fouls for Middlebury in this one while Cortland played more of a perimeter shooting game.

I think Midd deserves a home game. Two years ago (as well as yesterday) we qualified to host, but then had to travel to Rochester to play the hosts in a mostly empty gym. Middbuey has basketball fever (we're newer to this dance than the Ephs and Jeffs) and will sell out the place and present a great atmosphere for small college hoops.

[Old Guy]

Sorry, my fact-checker quit: first paragraph - Middlebury was down 7 with about 9 minutes to play.

[amh63]

Nice recap Old Guy!  Awaiting the other Panthers.  Us people on-line never saw any part of the game.
When does the NCAA announce the sites for this week?  All conference teams should get it unless it is decided on money reasons.....to far to go without a flight....VCU to Williams.  RMC to Amherst should be shorter than to Assumption/WPI.
Bucket....where is a good place for Beer and Burgers?  There is one in Salem downtown, I think...memory thing.....maybe more next door in the city?
Got to think positive here and not get ahead of myself.  RMC has a 7 footer on its team and a guy "broader" than Big Pete at 6'7" and 260.  Nescac1 stated that RMC cannot shoot 3's and it was their long distance shooters that beat WPI.  If all teams advance to Salem....only one beer for you Nescac 1!

[nescac1]

amh63 -- RMC hit a grand total of four threes (out of 12 attempts) vs. WPI.  For the season,  RMC his only 116 threes, and a paltry 31 percent from three.  Williams, by way of comparison, hit exactly twice as many (232) at a much higher percentage (39 percent).  RMC if they beat you will do with depth, balance, great hard-nosed defense, and physical play, not with the long ball.   I'd say that warrants at least two beers!  But first things first, all three teams need to take care of business ...

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

For the record, I'm not aware of Catholic having problems with their video feed...all year. (Just sayin').

I still can't even get the live stats to work.  I'm reliant on the Catholic website which only updates every so often.

Well... they did have problems like no broadcasters and sometimes no video due to lack for crew for about half the year... but feel free to think it was all good at CUA