MBB: NESCAC

[middhoops]

Tufts falls to Brandeis in a close game at the Babson tournament, shooting 29% and 11% with the twin towers only combining for only 18 and 10.
Ferris was 1-6, continuing a surprising season start. 
This team needs perimeter help at both ends of the floor.

In all fairness, however, NO ONE else in the NESCAC has played  as difficult a schedule as the Jumbos to begin the season. 

[jumbo_hoops]

Been reading this board for a few years now and decided to join in the conversation. Definitely agree that Tufts needs work on their perimeter. Foul trouble and a small injury in the first half were huge disadvantages for the Jumbos today. Although, I must add that overall, their game this year is looking quite different from previous seasons. With Palleschi back in the game, the "twin towers" as I have seen them called here- Palleschi and Sabety, are a dangerous duo, as long as the perimeter allows them to be so... All Tufts games so far have been nail-bitters and I look forward to see what they will do next.

[amh63]

MIDDHOOPS.....true wrt to Tufts'...tough..schedule.  Had to say that!  However, outside shots were hard to find for the Jumbos.  Ferris has no confidence in his outside shot...really flat shot. Doesn't seem to have the lift for that shot.  Tufts was behind at the half and in the second half by double digits.  Tufts'' perimeter defenders are too slow for a man to man defense.  Going to a zone helped the comeback.  Another change at guard also helped.  Brandeis had a freshman come off the bench and go 4-4 from outside.  Tufts to their credit were very good at the foul line.
Was watching the game to " scout" both teams.  Will be watching the Babson team again in the Title game.
Amherst plays both Babson and Brandeis at LeFrak in the middle of the week...on Tues and Thurs. Last year around this time, Amherst played Emerson, Brandeis and Babson in away games.  Defining games with injuries to Pollack and Killian.

[P'bearfan]

Not a lot going right for the P'bears at the moment.  They played tough against Colby yesterday and were effective in limiting Hudnutt. However, the combination of some cold shooting for stretches in the second half and the loss of Palecki and Fuller from the line up was too much despite a great effort from the team.

Hopefully Bowdoin can get back on track with the remaining two games before the break.

[amh63]

Saw the halftime score between Trinity vs Norwich...23-8!  Went to the website to confirm it.  Halftime, the Cadets ' announcer was chatting with the AD, I believe.  They talked about Norwich women's hockey beating Amherst in a close game.  Yes, ice hockey is strong at Norwich.  The conversation went to women's Rugby losing to Penn State in the Nationals in Florida. ( guess, Bowdoin is not the only varsity team in N.E.).  Where am I going? 
How can a MBB team even in D3 ONLY score 8 points?  MIddlebury fans sometime wish for a return to the days of football games with Norwich". Now I understand why the Panthers does NOT schedule a MBB game with Norwich...an old rival in other sports, it seems.  Coach Brown is too smart. 
Trinity beats Norwich by 30 plus, I think. 
Can any Vermonters provide info on why Norwich even bothers to have a MBB team...a team that is only capable of scoring 8 points in a half at home.  Speaking of Grinnell's approach to MBB wrt to no defense, this must be one with no offense!   A little harsh here, since I do not know all the facts...but gee whiz and other such statements.  I believe a team of old posters on this board could score more than 8 points.

[middhoops]

Amh63, this is a topic you need to take up with Vandy74. 
Harsh?  Maybe......

[Vandy74]

How can a MBB team even in D3 ONLY score 8 points?  MIddlebury fans sometime wish for a return to the days of football games with Norwich". Now I understand why the Panthers does NOT schedule a MBB game with Norwich...an old rival in other sports, it seems.  Coach Brown is too smart. 
Trinity beats Norwich by 30 plus, I think. 
Can any Vermonters provide info on why Norwich even bothers to have a MBB team...a team that is only capable of scoring 8 points in a half at home.  Speaking of Grinnell's approach to MBB wrt to no defense, this must be one with no offense!   A little harsh here, since I do not know all the facts...but gee whiz and other such statements.  I believe a team of old posters on this board could score more than 8 points.

Norwich MBB has seen better days amh63 but you are being a little harsh.  As recently as the 2010-11 season the Cadets were 16-11 and 11-7 in the GNAC.  The 2005-06 squad was 21-8 and lasted into the 2nd round of the NCAA tourney.  Middlebury doesn't play Norwich because Norwich wants it that way.  Old Guy.  Flashback two years ago at a Panther baseball game we discussed this.  You said you had brought up the subject with some Norwich power-that-be, AD maybe, or HC?  Whatever, I believe you quoted him as saying "Can't find a date."  We have covered this thread previously on the board regarding Middlebury's schedule.   Now that the program is top shelf rather than bottom of the barrel there are teams like Norwich who don't want to lose regularly to a team they seldom had to worry about.  Norwich beat the Panthers as recently as the 2006-07 season.  The following year they lost 84-49.  The two teams only met the next season because they were both in the same tournament with MC besting the Cadets 59-41.  Since then they haven't been able to find a date.  Funny how that was never a problem when they expected to win the game.

Now as for how a team only scores 8 points in a half the fact that they shot 12% from the floor had something to do with it.  Such things happen.  It's an aberration but it does occur from time to time.  Trinity wasn't much better shooting 29% and scoring just 23.  Only Alex Conaway hit more then one shot from the floor.  It was either a great defensive battle or flat out ugly basketball played on both sides.  Old Guy might want to just be the coach but put Middhoops, Bucket, Grabtherim, Middfan (doesn't post often enough), and myself on the floor and 8+ is a piece of cake.   Especially if I do what I do best and just stay out of the way.

[amh63]

Thanks MIDDHOOPS and Vandy74 for some history wrt Norwich vs MIddlebury.  Before my time on this board. Plus K to both of you.  I am posting on an IPad which has a sort of memory that capitalize MIDDHOOPS handle...not treating him special.
Actually, I did check the box score, the head coach and the team roster.  Seems the 23 year HBC is rebuilding the team....my deduction when there are 10 freshmen on the team!  There is a 6'11" FY player from the Netherlands.
Once had a  friend that was a Norwich grad, an army veteran and a lawyer.  Claimed he worked on the procurement side in the CIA.  Grew up in CT.  Lost track of him awhile back.

[Vandy74]

Once had a  friend that was a Norwich grad, an army veteran and a lawyer.  Claimed he worked on the procurement side in the CIA.  Grew up in CT.  Lost track of him awhile back.

I'm not sure if I ever mentioned this before.  Apologies if I'm repeating myself here.  Norwich University has a somewhat quasi tie to the NESCAC, and for that matter the Little Three as well.  In 1825, six years after it's founding, the campus relocated to Middletown CN in an effort to provide better naval training to it's cadets.  Four years later, in 1829, the State of Connecticut declined to grant the school a charter so it returned to Norwich VT.  In 1831 the abandoned Middletown campus became Wesleyan University.

[middhoops]

Norwich is proud to claim more alumni officers who have reached the rank of General than any institution other than West Point.
At hockey games, for decades, the chant from spirited students at the always good Norwich team is, "West Point rejects!  West Point re....."
This is similar to the Amherst fans, who when Middlebury on rare occasions beats them at Pepin, chant, "Safety School!  Safety Schoo......"
Why do I think one is funnier than the other?  Must be a goose and gander thang.

[Old Guy]

"How can a MBB team even in D3 ONLY score 8 points?  MIddlebury fans sometime wish for a return to the days of football games with Norwich". Now I understand why the Panthers does NOT schedule a MBB game with Norwich...an old rival in other sports, it seems.  Coach Brown is too smart." amh63

I'm pretty sure the fact that Norwich is not on Midd's schedule is not our decision. We should play them. They're going through hard times now (I don't know the story). We seem to play most everyone in the state, including St. Joseph's of Rutland, Castleton, Lyndon State, Johnson State (Lyndon Johnson!) this year, and get some criticism for strength of schedule.

It's not easy for Middlebury to put together a full complement of games. Opponents are reluctant to come this distance (in winter) so the Boston-Hartford axis schools can find games closer to home and spare that expense; other schools are committed to a league schedule and have dropped us (Colby-Sawyer); still others (UVM, St. Michael's, Dartmouth) who we used to play are reluctant for obvious reasons to play down a division. For a while, not that long ago, there was an early tournament in Burlington with the four Vermont Colleges (UVM, St. Mike's, Midd, Norwich). For decades, we played Norwich twice, home and home. They had a longtime coach, Ed Hockenberry, who was very well respected and always put a good team on the floor.

When we played them in my day, their coach was early Celtics' bruiser, burly Bob Brannum, and it was a real rivalry (though they usually won). The State Series was a big deal and we played UVM, St. Mike's (they were terrific), and Norwich twice. In my senior year, we player UVM three times (once in a Christmas tourney). For a time we played Williams twice as they are relatively nearby. I'm not sure why some of the upstate NY schools have dropped us (Union, St. Lawrence).

Norwich's decline is unfortunate from our perspective, I believe. Hopefully, they will return to competitive respectability, and we will play them again.

[amh63]

Thanks again to you'll from the state of Vermont!  Love such history.  On the football board, a Dartmouth alum even pointed out that the former "Indians" played its first football game against Amherst.
Old Guy's comments wrt to former regional tournaments brought up sad memories.  There is no longer a Big Five Tourny in Philadephia.  For years, there was an attempt to have the Div1 powers hold a Tourny in D.C.....games between Maryland, GWU, American, and Georgetown.  My view was that George Thompson at Georgetown refused to even put Maryland on its schedule.  Sad.  Took my sons downtown to see local teams play each other.  After one game at a NBA game with court side tickets, never took my kids again.  The profanity heard from the pros was not a learning experience. I digress...again.
MIDDHOOPS' remarks reminded me of the chants between fans at an Amherst vs Williams game in LeFrak....Backup school!...Backup school!.  Lately, such chants are gone in games between Midd, Williams, and others.  The level of play on the floor requires more respect from the fans in the stands.

[middhoops]

" Lately, such chants are gone in games between Midd, Williams, and others.  The level of play on the floor requires more respect from the fans in the stands."
No, they're not.

[middhoops]

Tavon Sledge (+k just for the name) of Albertus Magnus is around 5-9.  Check out the in-bounds play they run for him.  He's a D1 transfer and a rather spectacular athlete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTifVH7IfD4

[amh63]

Middhoops.....sad to hear.  Hey, did you catch the game between SVT vs UVM?  Did I get that correct?   I'm posting now on my laptop....no all caps.  Trolling the internet for BB action...hey