MBB: NESCAC

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

http://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2015-16/week4

Just finished looking at the D3hoops Top 25 poll for the first time since the pre-season poll was released.  Can anyone explain how Babson which has lost to 4 NESCAC teams, including Bowdoin, has 6 votes while Bowdoin has 0 votes?  That just doesn't make any sense to me.

In two words: Joey Flannery.  One or more (they got six points, not votes; that could be a single voter who thinks they are 20th) voters are still in love with the potential of a team which just might have the national POY on its roster.

If only it was so easy to figure out exactly what 25 different people are thinking. 25 people from around the country, three in each region, plus Pat. Glad you guys figured out exactly what is going on in the minds of voters. Keeps me from having to think for myself.

Of course, I am not voting for Babson. I am also not voting as of yet for Bowdoin, Colby, Wesleyan, or Tufts right now. There are just too many teams to try and shoehorn into the Top 25. I could probably rattle off at least 50 teams, if not 70, that could have an argument to be on the Top 25. It is an incredible year with plenty of teams playing very good basketball countered by not many, or no, dominating teams anywhere in the country.

On the flip side, there are plenty of teams that based on records look good (NYU), but when you start digging into teams they aren't as good as advertised. I think a lot of voters are trying to do their homework as best as possible... some they find are hits, some they find are misses, in both cases they continue to search for who are the best 25 teams in the country while dealing with the fact that no week passes without results that make you question the entire thing.

By the way, when a team like Amherst loses to Rhoades, it causes voters to not only question Amherst... but many of the teams associated with them. There is no such thing as a vacuum.

Are you voting for Mt Union?

I hate it when people correct spelling, but for some reason I cringe when I see Rhoades in place of Rhodes. Maybe because my sister attended. Anyhow, FYI

The Rhodes misspelling was a typo... my bad. I know better.

And you can see who I am voting for whenever you want here: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2016/01/06/daves-top-25-ballot-week-4/ - I post them (nearly) every week.

[amh63]

This board just moves along with all sorts of topics.  Will add my off topic comment along with others as I prepare to watch The Game tonight! . To bad the WBB game is at the same time.  Strange scheduling this weekend in the CAC.  Amherst has only one game and Williams plays on Sunday again....realizing it is the unique " travel" situation for Williams.
Nice posts on the Games Nescac1.  Believe the Midd-Wes game maybe tighter.
Dave'd-mac'....everyone makes spelling mistakes here . I always do along with English; therefore all the corrections to my posts.  I did not take Latin or Greek....have the classic secondary training of the majority of the posters here..like Frank U.
John Gleich...nice point and yes, the " mascot" is an unofficial one.  That topic, is in my opinion an internal Amherst one, and the particulars as posted by non Amherst alums contain the misinformation that has been around.
When Amherst was in Memphis, the team got to practice at the Un. Of Memphis facilities.

[AmherstStudent05]

Here's a shot at handicapping this weekend's games.  Really, really tough to do -- I'm no Walzy!  That Colby/Bates/Bowdoin/Tufts group of games, in particular -- no combination of results there would surprise me. 

Friday: 

Williams +7 at Amherst
Middlebury +6 at Wesleyan
Hamilton +3 at Conn College
Bowdoin +3 at Tufts
Colby pick em at Bates


Saturday:

Colby +2 at Tufts
Hamilton +8 at Wesleyan
Middlebury -2 at Conn College
Bowdoin +2 at Bates

Sunday:

Williams +4 at Trinity

Great stuff, nescac1!  Although we sure do miss walzy.

For tonight's games I like all the home favorites except that I am partial to Colby over Bates.  Can't wait to get the NESCAC season started!

[toad22]

Does anybody think that any team will emerge from league play without a loss? I doubt it, but Amherst and Colby would seem to me to be the most likely.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I would venture a guess that NO teams in ANY conference emerge without a loss. I know there are chances in conferences like the NEAC, NACC, and others... but with parity the way it is these days... I just don't see perfect records being a reality this year.

[WPI89]

Based on your weekly poll rankings Dave - I would have thought you would think Babson is a lock to go 14-0 in the NEWMAC? 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Absolutely not. I know how tough the NEWMAC has been and never thought they would go unscathed. If you noticed this last week, I indicated I didn't think Elmhurst could get through the CCIW without one or two losses themselves.

[amh63]

WPI......you are at the top of your "game"!! . Hope your post did not lose some love for The Engineers

[WPI89]

Thanks Amh63 - not at all.

Just laying low.  This crop of Crimson engineers are a tough watch.  But to borrow a baseball analogy - the batters keep muttering to themselves after grounding out to 2nd base 3 times in a row.  Hard to brag about the boys - but all they do is win.

Now back to your regularly scheduled NESCAC chatter - good luck to all teams really getting into it this weekend.  My NESCAC rooting interest for the next 2 months is Tufts and Bates to win as much as possible!

[P'bearfan]

Does anybody think that any team will emerge from league play without a loss? I doubt it, but Amherst and Colby would seem to me to be the most likely.

Before their loss at Rhodes I would have said Amherst has a good chance.  I'm not sure how to "price that loss into the equation" but I still think they have the best chance given their depth.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I would venture a guess that NO teams in ANY conference emerge without a loss. I know there are chances in conferences like the NEAC, NACC, and others... but with parity the way it is these days... I just don't see perfect records being a reality this year.

If anyone does go unbeaten, I'd go with Whitworth or Benedictine.

[middhoops]

First half score of Tufts over Bowdoin, 56-20 ??

[jumpshot]

Williams fortunate to be down only 5 points at amHerst considering 7 turnovers and only 2 three-pointers by the Ephs. The moose has stronger, bulkier, more physical players limiting Ephs perimeter game, although at the expense of 10 fouls. The moose has talent and four or more long-range, experienced players who also can get to the rim. Should be the moose's year deep in the national tournament if their teamwork continues to improve and they stay healthy.

[nescac1]

Wow, Tufts. 

Very well-contested if not terribly pretty first half in Amherst.  Jeffs up by five at the half on the strength of a strong transition game -- Amherst has scored many points off of Williams turnovers including back-to-back threes by Racy, who has been Amherst's best player.  Green has had his usual assortment of spectacular and head-scratching plays.  Conklin and McCarthy have been strong on both ends for the Jeffs.  For Williams, Kyle Scadlock has been the best guy on the court, but the bad news is that he suffered what looked like a painful arm or shoulder injury at the end of the half -- hopefully a stinger and not something more serious.  The Jeffs have defended Aronowitz very well, collapsing on him in the pain and giving him zero clean looks at the basket.  Ed Flynn had one of his best halves as an Eph, playing very well on both ends. 

For the Ephs to come back, they will have to do a better job taking care of the ball, hit a few more threes, and get back in transition (but at the very least, don't let Racy get wide open looks, that is absolutely the worst shot to give up).  The Eph half-court D could really not play any better than they did, really stymied Amherst.  Amherst's D was VERY aggressive, getting lots of steals and blocks, but also lots of fouls.  The Ephs were definitely discombobulated at times by Amherst jumping passing lanes. The Ephs need to take advantage a bit better of the overplays by Amherst with hard cuts to the basket.  Ephs also passed up a few too many close-in shots due to intimidation by the Amherst shot-blockers.  But rather a close in attempt and taking it up strong than kicking back out with 8 on the shot clock. 

Williams' frosh have played very well under the circumstances, but Aronowitz will need to find a way to wiggle free and score more this half.  The Ephs have no answer to Conklin when he gets the ball close to the rim and I expect Amherst to get him the rock more. 

[nescac1]

Jeffs pull away for a comfortable 12 point win.

I feel like the Ephs played well for the most part but for the free throw shooting, which was abysmal.  The Ephs were 9-18 from the line and missed several front end of 1-and-1s, and in the second half every time they had a chance to close the gap to something manageable, they seemed to miss a crucial free throw or two.  For the Ephs, Ed Flynn had the game of his life, with 16 points on 7-7 field goals off several beautiful inside moves and some gorgeous pick and rolls.  Although the Amherst centers did a lot of damage, that was mostly when Flynn was on the bench with foul trouble, when Amherst smartly exploited the interior.  Bobby Casey also had a great game off the bench for Williams, finishing with 11 points and 3 assists including a pair of threes.  Kyle Scadlock had a quiet second half and continues to be a bit up-and-down from half to half, but still showed his potential and played well considering it was his first Amherst game and in hostile territory.  Amherst's McCarthy, as expected, did a great job on Aronowitz with help from a lot of guys collapsing on the interior, but Aronowitz still finished with a respectable 9-9-4 line.  He got it going in the second half finally, but it was too little too late. 

Amherst has a lot of long shooters with very deep range and they seemed to hit a three point bomb every time Williams started to threaten, many of those shots were not easy.  As I kind of anticipated Eric Conklin killed the Ephs on the inside -- he is the type of physical post with very solid moves and great touch that the Ephs just don't have an answer for at this point with so much youth on the interior.  Amherst shot the ball from deep much better all game than Williams. The Ephs are still learning how to find, and hit, open looks from the perimeter which isn't easy to begin with over Amherst's long, athletic perimeter defenders.