MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Really happy for Bowdoin.  Wow, New England got a TON of love with Springfield, WPI, Babson (FOUR from NEWMAC, crazy), Eastern Conn and Bowdoin all making it in.  Don't know much about Richard Stockton but I'm sure P'Bearfan will do some research.

Amherst gets a first round bye, Plattsburgh could be an interesting game in the third round but I see the Jeffs cruising into a likely Elite 8 showdown with Cabrini, who they handled pretty easily last year. 

Williams hosts Mitchell in the first round -- I know zero about them.  Second round could be a pretty fun game featuring arguably the two best first-years in the country, Duncan Robinson and Joey Flannery of Babson.  SUNY Purchase has a gaudy record and is in Williams' half of that quartile, but I know nothing about them, either.

One thing is almost for certain -- if Williams can make it to the Elite 8, they will face a familiar opponent, as Wesley, Virignia Wesleyan, Randolph Macon, and Springfield are all teams Williams has played within the past few years.  It seems like Virginia Wesleyan, in particular, is always in the Ephs' portion of the draw.

Great to see three NESCAC teams in, great to see Williams and Amherst split up, all-in-all, I think NESCAC fans have to happy with how this turned out. 

[AncientSonOfHixon]

Huzzah to P'Bears! (Great news re: NESCAC respect.)

Now I'm begging you, Bowdoin: Win that first game and then take Cabrini out of the tournament! (And lookee here, Nes1 is already giving Cabrini the game.) I don't want to see my Jeffs have to face Aaron Walton-Moss ever again. Ever.

[nescac1]

I'll be pulling for Bowdoin, for sure, as well.  But Cabrini is going to be a very tough out for anyone if AWM is healthy (he has had some injury issues late in the year, but seems to have recovered).  Still, it's the tourney, and anything can happen in one game!  Bowdoin has to first worry about what looks to be a tough first round opponent. 

Looking quickly at Williams' draw, one thing is for certain -- much like last year, when Michael Mayer faced a murderer's row of elite D3 centers, he and the other interior players are going to have to bring their A Game if the Ephs want to go far.  Quick research shows that Mitchell's top two guys are forwards who combine to average over 43 points and 23 boards per game.  Purchase State features Joel Neri, who makes John Swords look small at 7'2, 275!  Purchase is absolutely enormous as a team, with a starting lineup around Neri that goes 6'7, 6'6, 6'3, and 6'3.  That is nearly NBA-size! Would be curious to hear from folks who have seen either of those teams play. 

Albertus Magnus has a 6'8 beast in the middle who has had a really big year at both ends.  Babson has a big, strong and very tough frontcourt group.  They played Amherst pretty tough, if I recall.  Looking at the lower half of the bracket, Wesley's star is 6'10 David Langan, who is much improved over last season, and Springfield's PF and C ate Williams for lunch (with Mayer out with an injury) when they played the Ephs earlier this year.  Should be interesting. 

[AmherstStudent05]

Congratulations to Bowdoin!  Can't say as I expected that at all.

Great to see the respect given to the NESCAC and the Polar Bears though by the Committee.

I have to say though, my first thought when I heard that news went to Middlebury.  Counterfactuals probably aren't terribly helpful at this stage of the game, but, looking back, I can't help but think that folks (myself included) wrote Midd off way too soon from Pool C contention.  I know that there are a ton of variables and it is really impossible to know, but I have to think that had Midd hung on against Williams on Saturday (or if they beat Amherst to close the regular season) they would have been much stronger Pool C contenders that most of us thought.  Too bad to.  While I think it is clear that this Midd team would have been a real longshot for Salem in light of their consistency problems, I am sure that no one would have wanted to draw the Panthers early on in this tournament.

Again, I think these results also raise questions about the best way to schedule out of conference games.  Where is the simulator when you need it?  How would Midd fared had they played Bowdoin's OOC schedule?  How would the Polar Bears have done with Midd's? Oh well.

nescac1, I agree that this draw reflects a lot of (well deserved) respect from the Committee for the Northeast and NESCAC.  However, I know that Amherst will definitely not be looking past RIC (or York, should it come to it).  The Anchormen always play us tough, and they were giving us real fits for the first 30 minutes of our game back in January before we turned on the accelerator while they ran out of gas.  Should be a great matchup.  All I know about Mitchell is that they too were swept by Southern Vermont this year.

Best of luck to all the NESCAC teams! (Especially Amherst).

[madzillagd]

Looking at the lower half of the bracket, Wesley's star is 6'10 David Langan, who is much improved over last season, and Springfield's PF and C ate Williams for lunch (with Mayer out with an injury) when they played the Ephs earlier this year.  Should be interesting.

I've watched good portions of at least 6 or 7 Wesley games this year just to watch Langan.  He is very much like Mayer in how he scores in the low post - spin moves, scoop shots, half hooks.  He's a fun guy to watch if are a fan of old school post players.

[grabtherim]

Nice to see 3 schools from the league going to the dance.  Very happy for Bowdoin.  I watched their game versus Trinity.  It was one of the best I saw this season, and would have been a tough way to end a fine year. 
Hopefully others took note of the excellent job done by the announcer of the Semi games on Saturday.  He told the story without becoming part of it.  I have heard student announcers since I was a student and while the enthusiasm is great, too often the inside jokes, endless backslapping and complete dis-regard for people listening is a bit much.  It seems to me the that the schools are not monitoring these calls and could care less.  Maybe if they would if they had a Communications major, and took some pride in the quality of a broadcast.  I doubt Bob Costas ever sounded like the juvenile stuff we are forced to listen to when he called games for the Orange.
Given that my NESCAC team is on the outside looking in after a nice five year run, with some mixed emotions I say: 
          Best of luck to all the NESCAC teams! (Especially Bowdoin).

Best of luck to all the NESCAC teams! (Especially Amherst).

[toad22]

I am very happy with Williams' draw. There isn't a team in their quadrant that really scares me. Mitchell is a dangerous first opponent, but nothing like last year's opponent Wesley. They were truly scary -- especially Paul Reynolds, I think the best player Williams faced last year, including Aaron Toomey, the national POY.

[gordonmann]

I've done Cabrini's video broadcasts for a couple weeks now. Walton-Moss appears to be fully recovered. Plus look at the numbers that Vinny Walls is posting.  All of that said, I expect some really good games and am looking forward to seeing a NESCAC team down here.

[madzillagd]

Been following Cabrini a bit this year and it may sound funny to say but for me, it's not AWM that beats you, it's everybody else.  He's going to get his points no matter what because he's just so quick.  Whether it's 25 or 40 it doesn't really matter that much imo, it's the 20 you give up to the other guys mostly behind the arc that is what makes them dangerous.  A Cabrini-Almerst matchup would be a fun one to see because I think with George in the paint, if Amherst stayed home on the shooters I really think they match up well with Cabrini. 

[nescac1]

A few notes on teams in NESCAC brackets.  The two SUNYAC teams in Amherst's bracket each recently lost their respective leading scorers (and in Brockport's case, the all-time leading scorer for the program) to season-ending injuries.  So on paper they look like two of the better teams in that quarter of the draw, but they might end up struggling a bit to find offense.  I think Scranton may be a real sleeper in that bracket.  They have won 14 straight games, play in a solid league, and can light it up from deep, with three starters who are elite shooters.  They beat Randolph Macon earlier in the year. 

Bowdoin is obviously playing a good team, and I'm sure will be at a major quickness disadvantage, but John Swords could be in for a monster game ... Stockton's starting five goes 5'9, 5'11, 6'0, 6'2, 6'4, and the sixth man (who plays starter minutes) is 6'2.  Wow.  I imagine they will send waves of defenders to try to swipe the ball from Swords before he can make any moves towards the basket, but if he gets the ball in the air close to the rim, how can they possibly stop him?  At the very least, I like the odds on Bowdoin's winning the opening tip. 

[grabtherim]

Have to give Nescac1 some credit as S. VT ended up with 16 wins but fell short on his "guaranty" of going to the NCAAs. Lost in the 1st round of their conference tournament. There's always next year.

[middhoops]

I'm rooting for the PBs.  They deserve to be there and I hope they make the most of it.
As a native Vermonter who played against a previous generation of his family, I'm especially pulling for Grant White.

Gotta like Williams draw in the tourney.

So, anyone can to give us odds on Amherst, Williams, Wash U, IWU, UWSP, Wooster and Cabrini?
nescac1 told me that Amherst and UWSP could be co-faves and I agree with him.  However, a healthy Eph squad is a team no one wants to see.  Call me a hopeless homer but I think the chances of the NESCAC bringing home two in a row are at least 40%.

What say you, magicman?

[toad22]

Have to give Nescac1 some credit as S. VT ended up with 16 wins but fell short on his "guaranty" of going to the NCAAs. Lost in the 1st round of their conference tournament. There's always next year.

I believe that SVC did beat Mitchell twice. A very good year for SVC.

[ECSUalum]

Really happy for Bowdoin.  Wow, New England got a TON of love with Springfield, WPI, Babson (FOUR from NEWMAC, crazy), Eastern Conn and Bowdoin all making it in.  Don't know much about Richard Stockton but I'm sure P'Bearfan will do some research.

Richard Stockton, (NJAC, the New Jersey State University Conference), beat SUNY Plattsburgh 78-74 early in the season.  Plattsburgh only other losses were to SUNYAC teams 2 to Brockport 1 to Geneseo St and 1 to Oswego St all by between 2 and 8 point

http://stocktonathletics.com/documents/2013/11/17/mb-stats1314.HTM?id=1823

[lefrakenstein]

Congrats to Bowdoin! Hope they make some noise! (In particular, knocking off Cabrini would be appreciated)

Williams must be pumped. They're the top-ranked team in their quarter. Would people say they got an easier draw than Amherst?

Question: Assuming Amherst and Cabrini both advance, who would host? Cabrini is higher ranked in the d3hoops poll, but Amherst got the bye.

EDIT: Looking over the massey ratings, feeling a lot of jealousy toward Williams' draw. The highest ranked team in their quartile is Wesley at 13. Williams is ranked 15th. Mary Washington is ranked 19th and Randolph-Macon is ranked 24th.

In Amherst's quartile Brockport is 7th, Plattsburgh is 11th, Cabrini is 16th, Richard Stockton is 25th and Amherst is 9th. Definitely a tougher road for the Jeffs, at least according to those metrics. Hopefully the Jeffs will at least get to be at home.