MBB: NESCAC

[NEhoops]

Bates - .615
Tufts/Williams - .603
Colby - .591
Amherst - .570
Bowdoin - .556
Hamilton - .549
Wesleyan - .532
Trinity - .531
Midd - .526
Conn - .525

I think the SOS numbers evened out once conference play got into full swing. At this point I don't think the SOS is a glaring negative to any NESCAC team. WPI is 8th in the region and at .528, its more a matter of how many games have you lost. Tufts/Williams/Colby all have great SOS numbers, but they also all have at least 8 losses. 

[lemonjello]

Apparently tonight's Amherst-Lasell game will be Coach Hixon's 1,000th, another impressive milestone (though I'm sure he's much prouder of his 700+ wins).

[jayhawk]

Congrats to Coach Hixon  !!!!

[jumpshot]

amHerst "holds" Lasell to 11 points in the first 11 minutes of a light scrimmage in taking a 13-point lead in front of only 18 people on one side of the small amHerst gym. Fluttering picture, sound from only one of two student broadcasters, lack of respect paid to National Anthem, etc., drives viewers to higher-quality games quickly ....

[nescacobserver]

Pretty ho-hum game for Amherst.  Just going through the motions, enough to get a W.   Hopefully they'll show more energy on Sunday against Middlebury.

[P'bearfan]

http://athletics.bowdoin.edu/sports/mbkb/2014-15/releases/20150211s0i9bl

Congrats to Bowdoin's Bo McFarland for being elected into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame.  A great honor that's well deserved!

[Bucket]

Big games this weekend, starting tonight.

But this story from the Stamford Advocate already has me excited about next year:

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/sports/article/The-complete-package-GFA-s-Baines-headed-to-6078314.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[P'bearfan]

Traveling from Atlanta to Brunswick to watch Bowdoin take on Bates tonight and Tufts tomorrow. Can't wait to see the P'bears in action.  Hopefully there will be a good crowd for both games.  The start time for tomorrow's game against Tufts has been moved up to 2pm because of expected snow on Saturday night.

GoUBears!!

[7express]

Traveling from Atlanta to Brunswick to watch Bowdoin take on Bates tonight and Tufts tomorrow. Can't wait to see the P'bears in action.  Hopefully there will be a good crowd for both games.  The start time for tomorrow's game against Tufts has been moved up to 2pm because of expected snow on Saturday night.

GoUBears!!

Safe travels P'bear fan, and enjoy the games this weekend!

[CatCountry2013]

Traveling from Atlanta to Brunswick to watch Bowdoin take on Bates tonight and Tufts tomorrow. Can't wait to see the P'bears in action.  Hopefully there will be a good crowd for both games.  The start time for tomorrow's game against Tufts has been moved up to 2pm because of expected snow on Saturday night.

GoUBears!!

Safe travels P'bear fan, and enjoy the games this weekend!

Have fun, P'Bear!  I hope you guys can fill up the gym!  Hoping for a classic tonight.

[polbear73]

Travel safely, P'bear. Looking forward to your first hand account of the games..

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin up at half48-33

[CatCountry2013]

Bowdoin thoroughly handled Bates in the first half, heading into the locker room up 15.  The Polar Bears shot 6 for 11 behind the arc and 19 for 34 overall.  Bates has more three pointers (7), but have taken 18 attempts since the Bears are playing fantastic defense inside.  Meanwhile, Hausman has 20 points already after a fantastic half where he went 9 for 11 with two three pointers.   He was seemingly unstoppable.  The Bobcats need to shut him down and try to establish an inside presence if they want to make it a close game.

[CatCountry2013]

Hausman with 44 points, tying him for the Bowdoin record for points in the game.  Every shot was dropping; what a performance. Overall, Bowdoin played outstanding basketball.  Hats off to the Polar Bears.  Hoping the 'Cats can rebound (figuratively and literally) for tomorrow's game at Colby.

[nescac1]

Hausman -- wow.  Anyone doubting he belongs on the first team now?  What a fun player to watch, just impossible to stop when he gets it going, which has been often. I have consistently underrated Bowdoin from the beginning of the season.  I won't underrate them again.  Hausman is just a force of nature right now. 

Williams barely beats Conn, holding on to win with a bunch of late free throws from Hayden Rooke-Ley when Conn was fouling intentionally.  Conn has some very nice young players, if they can stick together they will be a formidable team in a few years.  Particularly impressed by Pavlin and Tonhazy, who are a nice foundation to build around -- great inside-outside duo there.  Also have a promising point guard who was a mid-season transfer and some big guys who can bang and have nice touch.  But still learning how to defend as a unit. 

Readlly, this was just one of those games where Williams was bricking everything from three, wide open shots missing badly, and Conn was nailing jumpers from seemingly everywhere on the court.  When Williams worked the ball inside, Conn had no answer, and Kilcullen in particular had an incredible game, finishing beautiful feeds all game from Greenman, Wohl and others.  But Williams just could not buy a three point shot in the second half until Wohl (who was WAYYY off from deep all game) hit an absolutely clutch three-ball to extent a tenuous lead to four.  Despite struggling from deep, Wohl had his usual big game on both ends.  Greenman, despite also continuing to struggle from deep, played one of his best games of the year, playing feisty defense and controlling the flow of the game, no turnovers and it seemed like he had more than his five credited assists.  But Kilcullen gets the game ball tonight for his great inside play. 

Also of note -- Kevin App gets (I think) his first T of the season ... just glad that didn't cost Williams the victory (he did have reason to be upset, there were some ... cryptic calls in this one).