MBB: NESCAC

[NothingButNESCAC]

As I was at the Bowdoin-Williams game shamelessly rooting for the Polar Bears, I want to pass on a little tidbit that I know this crowd should enjoy. So after Greenman shot 0-7 from three in the first half, he came out from the halftime break with nine minutes and must have put up 50 threes before the second half started. He was shooting pretty much right up until the second half buzzer sounded. Of course he hit his first three of the second half on a contested look.

Now I know he still only shot 3-8 from deep for the half, but it was fascinating to watch in person.

[Vandy74]

A solid performance all around from Middlebury tonight beating Wesleyan 97-60.  Everything Panther fans could have hoped for.  St. Amour lead all scorers with 20 to go with 6 boards, 6 assists and 2 steals.  Another double-double for Sinnickson with 19-11.  Jake Brown dished out 14 assists.  Most welcome of all was a solid 13 minutes from Matt Daley.  Basketball talent of note seen viewing the game from the bleachers included Ben Rudin, Joey Kizel, Jake Wolfin and Little Bucket.

[grabtherim]

The only predictable thing about this NESCAC season is that nothing can be predicted. Tufts by 27 in Lefrak, both the Jumbos and Trinity undefeated in league play, and the recent Big 3 becoming part of the pack. Every game is huge, no time to rest on your laurels or get too down. Very cool that a mid January Bantam/Jumbos game may well put the winner in the drivers seat to win the regular season title.

[Panthernation]

Basketball talent of note seen viewing the game from the bleachers included Ben Rudin, Joey Kizel, Jake Wolfin

Numbers 3, 2, and 1 in career assists in Middlebury history, respectively. Watching a career night from the guy who might pass them all.

[Bucket]

Basketball talent of note seen viewing the game from the bleachers included Ben Rudin, Joey Kizel, Jake Wolfin

Numbers 3, 2, and 1 in career assists in Middlebury history, respectively. Watching a career night from the guy who might pass them all.

I notice you edited out Little Bucket....

Future assist leader?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I'm not sure I would have picked a single NESCAC game correctly tonight - maybe Colby, but only just maybe.

[Old Guy]

A solid performance all around from Middlebury tonight beating Wesleyan 97-60.  Everything Panther fans could have hoped for.  St. Amour lead all scorers with 20 to go with 6 boards, 6 assists and 2 steals.  Another double-double for Sinnickson with 19-11.  Jake Brown dished out 14 assists.  Most welcome of all was a solid 13 minutes from Matt Daley.  Basketball talent of note seen viewing the game from the bleachers included Ben Rudin, Joey Kizel, Jake Wolfin and Little Bucket.

"Solid," Vandy? Really? Solid? How about "spectacular"? I've watched games in that gym for many decades and I'm not sure I've ever seen a half of basketball like tonight's exhibition (51 points in the first half) against a worthy team. Wes was not flat or bad - they were steamrolled.

[nescac1]

It really is a crazy year -- just when you think know the answer, NESCAC changes the question .  I don't think anyone would have pegged Amherst, Williams and Midd starting the year a combined 3-6 in the league!  Although I think a lot of folks were high on Colby, Trinity and Tufts pre-season -- most people had them somewhere in the top 5-6 ... just that all three had very poor starts to the season.  Now, they are the three teams to beat, although I still wouldn't sleep on Midd ... the Panthers are going to cruise for the next few weeks and could build some real momentum.

All that talk of NESCAC being a one-bid league is looking more and more likely as teams pile up the losses.  Clearly, a big-time transition year in the conference. 

One more comment on Williams: in both of their conference losses, the Ephs dug themselves into BIG holes, then visibly upped the intensity on both ends.  It's not easy to play at full throttle for 40 minutes, perhaps impossible.  But if the Ephs can come out of the gates, at least, with that sort of energy and focus, I really like their chances in most games. 

[WPI89]

Wow. What a Friday!

[Panthernation]

Basketball talent of note seen viewing the game from the bleachers included Ben Rudin, Joey Kizel, Jake Wolfin

Numbers 3, 2, and 1 in career assists in Middlebury history, respectively. Watching a career night from the guy who might pass them all.

I notice you edited out Little Bucket....

Future assist leader?

Oversight. LB rounds out the top 5.

[nescac1]

Fun fact: since 1994, the first year of eligibility, 1999 was the only year both Amherst and Williams missed the NCAA tourney.   Unless one of them wins the league, 2015 will almost surely be the second. 

[pinseeking1]

I haven't seen every NESCAC team play this year yet (still missing Amherst, Williams, Trinity and Conn College), but based on what I've seen, Tufts is the team to beat. I was particularly impressed by how effectively the Jumbos ran the "Four Corners" offense to close out Midd's attempted second half comeback last week. They robbed Midd of possessions by using up the shot clock and ended up with good shots or layups in most possessions in the last 6 minutes or so. (Reminds me of Dean Smith and the North Carolina Tarheels back in the day. If they got a lead in the second half, it was "game over" once they went to the Four Corners. It was also very dull to watch.)

Tonight, the Jumbos didn't need the Four Corners, but it seems like they have strength in many areas (inside play, guard play, defense, controlling the ball, etc.) Just a real pounding of the LJs. It's very possible that Midd was still feeling the effects of the flu last week, and I'm sure they'd love a rematch. It's too bad NESCAC doesn't go to the home and home scheduling system. I'd love to see teams get to play each other twice and get rid of the pansies on the schedules.

I wonder when was the last time that Amherst received so many spankings in their own gym in a single season?  Brandeis, Babson, and now Tufts.  It's been quite some time since anything like this has happened...

Can't wait to see the cream rise to the top (whoever that is) as the season progresses...

[Vandy74]

A solid performance all around from Middlebury tonight beating Wesleyan 97-60.  Everything Panther fans could have hoped for.  St. Amour lead all scorers with 20 to go with 6 boards, 6 assists and 2 steals.  Another double-double for Sinnickson with 19-11.  Jake Brown dished out 14 assists.  Most welcome of all was a solid 13 minutes from Matt Daley.  Basketball talent of note seen viewing the game from the bleachers included Ben Rudin, Joey Kizel, Jake Wolfin and Little Bucket.

"Solid," Vandy? Really? Solid? How about "spectacular"? I've watched games in that gym for many decades and I'm not sure I've ever seen a half of basketball like tonight's exhibition (51 points in the first half) against a worthy team. Wes was not flat or bad - they were steamrolled.

Agreed OG.  Wesleyan never had the demeanor of a team that was beaten.  Anyone just watching their offensive execution would have assumed they were still very much in the game.   Middlebury's performance tonight was SOLIDLY SPECTACULAR.

[ephoops]

I am not sure the last time a NESCAC team beat us (Amherst) by 27+ and right now I don't have the heart to look it up.

You don't have to look far. It was last season at the Final Four. Williams beat Amherst by 29 points.

[P'bearfan]

Williams down 20 in the second half, about midway through the half, they kind of woke up and started playing much better, got it all the way down to 3, but Bowdoin made free throws at the end to hold on.  Pieri, Hurley, and Hausman all played great for Bowdoin.  Oddly enough, Swords was a non-factor vs. the much smaller Ephs, but Bowdoin won with very good three point shooting, while Williams struggled from three other than in the one big run very late in the game.

Bowdoin played excellent defense on Daniel Wohl, who had a rough day overall.  Dan Aronowitz was stellar for Williams, but he didn't get enough help from teammates.  Williams shot wayyyyy too many threes overall ... I think they had, maybe, two layups the entire game -- the combo of Bowdoin's zone, the presence of Swords, and a very impatient, quick-trigger offense by Williams led to way too few easy looks.  Ephs didn't get the layups off of cuts that they thrive off, and the lane was too clogged for Wohl to perform his usual heroics.   Bowdoin, in contrast, moved the ball very well, and was very patient all game, and hit the open looks they got. 

For Williams, Darrias Sime and Ed Flynn did not play ... not sure what the story is.  Luke Thoreson and Lewis Hayes both gave a boost off the bench, playing well on both ends.  I'm not sure where Hayes has been all year, but he needs to play more -- he is big, strong, and a leaper, was a real force on the glass and on defense.  He and Sime give them a tremendously athletic duo off the bench. 

The Ephs really need Hayden back, just not enough scorers out there right now.  But in the meantime, they have to play a more patient style of basketball.  Williams always seems to struggle vs. Bowdoin, even in years when you would think they would win easily.  This was not one of these years, and I'm not sure if it was the long road trip, being surprised by Bowdoin's zone, or the hangover from the emotional and draining Amherst/Trinity weekend, but the Ephs didn't seem to be fully engaged until it was a bit too late to wage a comeback.  Good win for Bowdoin, who played good team ball.

nescac1 - good analysis and I agree with your observations.  I was very pleased with how well Bowdoin moved the ball.  They did that consistently and it paid dividends for them. 

The Ephs shot better in the second half and that helped them but I agree overall they relied too much on long range shots.  They just couldn't create much offense in the paint.  One other thing that surprised me is that they didn't pressure the Bowdoin shooters very much.  It was great to see the P'bears shoot better from behind the arc but I'm not sure we're going to get as many open looks again soon.