MBB: NESCAC

[grabtherim]

C'mon Jeff's, stop running for the exits--so you lost a couple....... I respect your history but you guys are not going to win em all every year--that's not realistic.....I can't wait to hear all the left wingers trashing the Jeff's because they lost 2.

Amherst and Williams have one thing in common- their fans are front runners in Football and Basketball....should either program, Football or Basketball, experience adversity, the Purple, arrogant clan sells out.....guaranteed......Williams and Amherst are the consummate front runners.....win or you stink.

League play hasnt even started yet.  Imagine if this trend continues.  One can only hope. 

[WPI89]

Hoops fan....I think it is a combo of scheduling....the Nescac rotation of home and away games on an annual basis....and some scheduling of away games ...learning experience for a young team.  The conference does play back to back conference games on weekends...fri and sat.
Lumbercat...interesting viewpoint....but you can do better.  Speaking for myself, have not jumped the ship.  Recovering from a cold...maybe grumpy..ok.  Had not shaved for several days...was thinking that I would shave when Amherst wins a game.  Since it will be a new year when Amherst plays a game...thought better of it...shaved this morning.  Taking a more stoic outlook on sports.
Interesting incident occurred on the floor near the end of the game.  Technical fouls called on both jMac and Flannery.  Seems Amherst's Freshman was guarding Babson's offensive star...returning NE POY.  Flannery held to 9 points...had been averaging around 24 pts/ game.  Expect future battles in the years ahead....maybe again this year even.

63 - Flannery is a hard nosed but very clean player - as evidenced by his less than 2 fouls per game average.  Good for your frosh to show some fiest toward the end of the game - but I can virtually assure you - Flannery was in no way frustrated by his 9 points and walking out of Lefrak with a 20 point win.  Wish we had some Babson posters on this or NEWMAC boards - they area fun team to root for - fairly similar hard nosed D and patient O to WPI - they may actually have a bit more talent than our squad - time will tell.

[toad22]

It is really hard for a team to replace great back courts and great guards. Aaron Toomey was the best  NESCAC player in a very long time. Kelema and Killian were also excellent. To lose those three guys, the only three who really handled the ball much last year, was a mighty loss. I'm sure they will get better as the season rolls on, but it isn't surprising that they are struggling a bit.

[amh63]

WPI89..nice to read your thoughts on Babson.  They are a very solid team.  Guard the scoring stars and the others will kill you....Dean, Mack and their fine short ball handler...the one that shoots over 40plus from outside.  Twice Dawson did  not bother to cover him close and got burned.
The Babson website wrote a flattering preview of the game.  Stated that the last time that they beat Amherst in LeFrak was several years back. Amherst then went on to win 24 games in a row...and a National Title.   Babson does have big bodies....out rebounded Amherst, as well as out shot the Jeffs.  Expect that several of Amherst stronger front court players will return and counter a replay if the Jeffs meet WPI/Babson in the post season. 

[middhoops]

amh63, I watched the game two years ago when a not so good Babson team (nothing like this one) shot the lights out in LeFrak to beat Amherst by 8 points or so.  Frankly, Babson didn't look good doing it, but the shots, no matter who hoisted them from distance, all fell through the net.
Two years later, Amherst isn't quite as good (yet) and Babson is a well oiled machine.  The means were very different but the end result was the same.
Must say, I am surprised you don't remember that game.  As I remember they lost a game a few days earlier to another local team.  Then they didn't lose again for more than a year, I think.

[Vandy74]

amh63, I watched the game two years ago when a not so good Babson team (nothing like this one) shot the lights out in LeFrak to beat Amherst by 8 points or so.  Frankly, Babson didn't look good doing it, but the shots, no matter who hoisted them from distance, all fell through the net.
Two years later, Amherst isn't quite as good (yet) and Babson is a well oiled machine.  The means were very different but the end result was the same.
Must say, I am surprised you don't remember that game.  As I remember they lost a game a few days earlier to another local team.  Then they didn't lose again for more than a year, I think.

Actually they beat Emmanuel handily in the game before losing to Babson but had lost the game prior to that to Springfield in the finals of the Westfield State tournament.   You're right.  They ran the table from there.

[amh63]

Middhoops...I'm older than you...even Old Guy.  Do not have the brain agility and memory recall living in the clean air of the Green mountain state.  I tend to repress bad memories too. . Remember the time several years back that Aaron was hurt and Kalema was put in as the PG.  Not good, but a fast learner.  There is a video of last year's win over Babson at Babson.  Killian scored  29, Toomey and Green both scored in the 20's.  Last night, there was no one stepping up on the offensive side.  The younger players were frustrated keeping up, getting boxed out and loosing the board battles.  George played a better game against Babson...he only had 4 blocks vice the 7 blocks he had last year.  Still he was frustrated offensively...taking a dunk too far out.  Seems all the front court players were making their offensive moves a step or two too far out.  Babson was packing the box inside..smart players.
I feel the young players will only get stronger and learn from the game.  Hixon was noted for taking more timeouts than he normally does in a game.  Amherst players as well as all CAC players are smart.  Learn, improve or sit..a little harsh here .  I got a cold.  Wife is steering clear of me a little.

[NEhoops]

One could make the argument, more confidently now, that Babson is the best team in the region. Not such a "bad loss" in the grand scheme of things. Suprised to see that Flannery was held to 9 points and Babson was still very successful, credit to their defense for sure. Amherst has to figure some things out though, two losses by 20 points at home shows that it's more than just inexperience

[middhoops]

NEhoops, Bates beat Babson at Babson.  The Bobcats remain undefeated.

[lumbercat]

Bowdoin visiting Maine Farmington tonight who list 2 their  biggest guys at 6'4"-
Would think Bowdoin would work heavily in the paint with that side advantage and involve the big guy on most every possession- he will probably have 25 or 30 tonight. Like soot in fish in a barrel.

[lumbercat]

Sorry- typo in last post....".like shooting fish in a barrel" tonight for the the big Polar Bear.

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin leading UMF 36-14 at the half.  Bowdoin is moving the ball very well and shooting better overall than they have in several games.  I don't have stats but the P'bears offense has been varied - good mix of 3's, mid range 2's and some scoring from down low.

Palecki is playing tonight which has helped quite a bit.   Additionally HBC Gilbride has done a great job of adjusting the lineups.  At one point Bowdoin had 2 FY's, 1 sophomore, 1 junior and 1 senior on the floor.  It was an effective mix even though the FY's and sophomore don't have a lot of combined playing time.

[7express]

amh63, I watched the game two years ago when a not so good Babson team (nothing like this one) shot the lights out in LeFrak to beat Amherst by 8 points or so.  Frankly, Babson didn't look good doing it, but the shots, no matter who hoisted them from distance, all fell through the net.
Two years later, Amherst isn't quite as good (yet) and Babson is a well oiled machine.  The means were very different but the end result was the same.
Must say, I am surprised you don't remember that game.  As I remember they lost a game a few days earlier to another local team.  Then they didn't lose again for more than a year, I think.

They lost to I think Springfield as well that year.  Not sure what took place before the other though.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

NEhoops, Bates beat Babson at Babson.  The Bobcats remain undefeated.

I imagine, if they're still undefeated Sunday night, they might be the highest ranked NESCAC team this week, maybe.  Williams could still sneak in there, I guess, but the Bobcats are looking good, comparatively.

[magicman]

Sorry- typo in last post....".like shooting fish in a barrel" tonight for the the big Polar Bear.

lumbercat,

If you make a typo in one of your posts all you need to do is hit the modify button in the upper right hand side of your post and the post can  now be corrected. Then hit the save button on the bottom right next to the preview button and you're all set. Much easier than doing another post and admitting you made an error. If you make the correction before 2 minutes has gone by, then the post looks normal. If you make the correction after 2 minutes has gone by, then the post will have a short statement at the bottom that will say..."last edit today at 8:46 by magicman" like it does at the bottom of my post.