MBB: NESCAC

[polbear73]

A miscommunication with the officials has delayed the So. Maine at Bowdoin game today until approximately 4pm. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yep... computer allows me to keep track of stats and tweet

Time for a new nickname ...Dave 'Multi-Task' McHugh.

Being a TV sports and news producer has had many benefits... you should see me behind-the-scenes on Hoopsville

Just got back from the Goucher game.  Amherst had another character building game...and another win...in OT.  Different game and this one was a nail bitter in the last 30 sec. of regulation.
First...saw the Man of Hoopsville staring into this computer.  Game was video cast...available within 4 hours of the start...7:30.  Saw a bunch of Amherst fans from all over.  Ben Pollack's parents were down and also D. George's parents.  Even met the parents of Bowdoin's PG Mathais again.
Amherst seemed have the game under control....ahead by 6-7 points at halftime and had a double digit lead for most of the 2nd half.  Then Goucher players started to hit baskets...outside 3's and inside 3's...shot with a foul.
Do not want to talk about the refs again but it seems that the league that have both Drew and Goucher should look to upgrade their people in the stripped shirts.  Smiled when I heard complaints from Alums older than me...a old friend of mine from Baltimore..Class of '62.
Anyway, Amherst's lead that was as high as 16 became a deficit of 3 with 5 seconds to go.  Johnny Mac came down and tied the game with a 3 point shot.  In OT, the lead went up to 7 and the game could have been higher if foul shooting improves.
Even my wife found the game interesting....a first!  In any case, Amherst has another big road game on Tuesday...ECSU.....a highly ranked team that is playing well.

  Nice for you that Goucher was more competitive than predicted. I've always been of the school that under 10 seconds with a 3-pt lead that you foul and rebound the miss/inbound the made FT(s) rather than defend/allow the 3-pt tying attempt.

From what I was told... it was brought up in conversation on the Goucher bench. I don't have any information as to why it wasn't tried. I am pretty sure Bill Fenlon at DePauw would have fouled in that situation.

I was just amazed Goucher came from 16 back to take the lead. I didn't really think they could be in the game let alone come back. It was just thrilling to see a decent crowd and see a quality game at the Decker SRC. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin leading So Me 36-31 at the half.

So Me started strong with some very good shooting from behind the arc. There were mutilple lead changes throughout most of the half until Bowdoin went on a 7-0 run with just a few minutes left.

Two surprising stats in the first half:
1) Bowdoin shooting 60% from downtown thanks mainly to Palecki and Hurley
2) So Me and Bowdoin are almost even on the boards (16-17)

[amh63]

Took the day off....so to speak....to watch some CAC teams....Conn College and Bowdoin...two teams that have gone under the radar for me.  Some observations...maybe bias...in many ways.
Conn College has a deep bench with 18 players..dressed?...and the HBC subs players in and out as if to find the hot shooter and/or the best combo for the game.  Broke the game open in the last 10 minutes of the game for a win.  The USCG team playing on its home floor made a game of it for awhile, but does not have the talent and size to compete against a CAC team.
Strange thing happen with the start of the Bowdoin vs Southern Maine game.  Scheduled for a 3PM start...to follow the WBB game...it was rescheduled for 4:30PM online...but started at 4:20!  Reason for the delay...according to the announcer, the refs were not available!  Seems someone did not inform the refs of the correct start time. 
The game went back and forth in the first half with USOM taking an early lead and making three point shots.  The P'Bears came back and has the lead at the half.   Hurley was off from outside and Swords was....Swords.  Had 7-8 points with majority from the foul line.  No domination on offense or defense from Swords.  Bowdoin does switch from man to man to a zone.  Zone not too effective, imo.  Swords likes to set up on the left side and when the ball goes into him and he gets double teamed, the ball goes out to a shooter in the corner....very effective play if the shots go in.  Otherwise, I do not see any improvement in the Bowdoin team from last season.  Swords at times remain unengaged in the game, imo.  Southern Maine has driven inside and made baskets.  Swords is often slow down the court. 
Seniors Hurley and Swords both "sporting" nice beards.
At the Goucher game, in a chat with the parents of former Bowdoin guard Mathias...we spoke a little wrt to the Bowdoin team.  The mother mentioned Swords....I responded that I have been waiting over three years to see if he would put the effort to become a dominant player in the conference.  I mentioned Hurley and we both seem to agreed that others on the team need to step up IF Bowdoin is to challenge for the title.
Smiled when I saw Swords talking to a ref...after a foul call on Southern Maine...and the players lining up for the foul shots. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

FYI - tonight on Hoopsville you will see my interview with Dave Hixon I conducted after the game at Goucher. Show starts at 7pm ET at www.d3hoopsville.com or www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2014-15/jan4.

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin started the 2nd half with an 8-0 run and beat So Me 76-61.

Overall not the prettiest game by the P'bears but also not too bad for the first game after the break and considering the injury to Fuller.

Coach Gilbride is still tinkering with the rotation which is a challenge.  He has had few if any games this season with all 5 starters 100% healthy. 

A few challenges for the P'bears based on today's game:
- The 3 pt shooting was streaky at best. This has been an issue all season and they need to get some more consistency
- the defensive intensity and rebounding weren't quite where they should be.  These are the areas where they miss Fuller the most.  While Bowdoin won the rebounding battle there wasn't enough boxing out and So Me got more second chance opportunities than they should have.

Bowdoin takes on Bridgewater State on Tuesday before starting conference play next weekend.

[lemonjello]

Nice job with the Hixon interview Dave.  Interesting nugget: Aaron Toomey coming back to help out with coaching following the ECU game.  I'm assuming this is the result of his injury sustained overseas, but Toomey's misfortune could be Amherst's gain.  They could certainly use some help developing their young PG's.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It is certainly because of his injury.

And thank you.

[amh63]

"d-mac" ....want to second lemojello's praise of your interview. Ran the interview again today to confirm points raised by Coach Hixon. 
Interesting to hear that the AD at Goucher is an Amherst alum.  The trip was also a team building experience....with A Butler vs. NOVA game in the mix...practice at NOVA.  The most interesting news nugget....other than Aaron returning as an assistant coach...was that a trip to Italy is planned for the Summer.
Guess the pressure was on Coach Hixon after the Baseball team went to Japan and the Soccer team went to Europe.
Other "gems"....Williams will be tough because of the three seniors...senior leadership; the league is " crunched" together this year and conference wins maybe hard.  Toad's post on the state of affairs of the conference confirmed.
Oh yes, Coach Hixon stated that his team is getting better every day! 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The Goucher AD has been a mentor of mine since I started at Goucher a long time ago (he has been at the school a year longer then my time). I always gave him updates on the Lord Jeffs (and Ephs) when I saw him - usually after a Salem weekend. Good man. It was nice to see his alma mater in his gym. He is also a successful head coach. Lead Guilford College in the 80's earning their highest ever ranking (6th) and a coach of the year honor. He then was AD at Washington College before Goucher.

He also was the Mossman Cup winner at Amherst for those who know what that means. (He played football and lacrosse at Amherst.)

[Corazon]

I enjoyed your post, amh63. You're as intelligent about basketball as you are about soccer.

[jayhawk]

AmherstBball has planning an overseas trip for several years now

[nescac1]

Congrats to Daniel Wohl on scoring his 1000th career point in the game vs. Endicott.  Wohl has been a real warrior for the last three years, fighting through a series of injuries and illness to always make an impact in big games, and being overshadowed on the offensive end by the likes of Mayer, Epley, and Robinson.  He has always done the dirty work -- snagging a tough rebound, guarding the opponent's best player regardless of position, but this year he has really improved his offensive game to become a consistent force as the number one option. 

He is putting up all-American numbers right now: 19-8-2, shooting 54/44/74, plus 1.7 combined steals plus blocks while still being the best defensive player on the team.  Along with a few other guys, he will certainly be in the conversation for NESCAC POY if he stays healthy.  He is playing out of position at the four, yet consistently snags key rebounds and battles bigger guys to a standstill in the paint.  With Hayden Rooke-Ley fighting an injury, the Ephs will need him to continue to play huge, even though he will surely be the primary focus of every opposing defense.  He should rise pretty far up the Eph all-time scoring leader chart, which is remarkable considering how few shot attempts he got in his first three seasons.   

Brutally tough weekend coming up for Williams, playing Trinity (who has been red hot and seems to be playing to its ability level) and Amherst (who is bound to figure things out sooner rather than later) back-to-back.  Both of those teams have substantial size and strength advantages over Williams, so the Ephs, to win, will need to really share the ball on offense and create with spacing and motion, and hit plenty of threes, while focusing on limiting the damage on the other end inside the paint as much as possible. 

I saw that Midd is STILL not in the Top 25.  Ridiculous, what do they have to do??

[middhoops]

"I saw that Midd is STILL not in the Top 25.  Ridiculous, what do they have to do??"

Beat teams with numbers next to their names. 
Plattsburgh is a very solid team who is far better than their record, but even though a win in upstate NY this afternoon would be a very big win; it's not going to give the Panthers a rating advantage over good teams in conferences that are having better overall seasons.

nescac1, I think if a week from now Midd is undefeated, you have an unarguable point.

magicman will post his preview of the game on the SUNYAC board.

[jumpshot]

Middlebury has provided little evidence thus far of deserving consideration of ranking, as their games thus far are little more than scrimmages.

The Panthers' 8 wins have come against teams with a combined record of 26 wins and 45 losses, a 36% winning percentage, with only one team with an above .500 record (in part by winning against Hampshire 111-33, with other games against weak competition).

Whoever set up this schedule for Middlebury has set a new standard for ease held by amHerst for many years.

Who cares? Each to his own. Non-conference games end Thursday with league play starting this weekend ....