MBB: NESCAC

[booyakasha]

http://www.nsnsports.net/colleges/colby/

There you go amh63. Click the link on the right after opening up that page

[amh63]

Thanks all....do not think it is the storm since I got all the other games.
Booyakasha....thanks to you for going the extra step .
Going to check in on the 1 pm game during lunch.

[P'bearfan]

Tough loss for Bowdoin last night especially after a great first half.  I had hoped to travel up for the game but a business trip and a few flurries on the East Coast thwarted my plans.

Amherst played pretty well in the first half last night (except for the turnovers) but Bowdoin played much better.  Amherst came out of the locker room after intermission and ramped up the intensity which was impressive.  Bowdoin's intensity had lessened just a bit which wasn't too surprising.  However, as Amherst starting making their run(s) Bowdoin went cold.  Part of this was increased defensive intensity from Amherst but part was the fact that the Polar Bears weren't moving the ball around the way they were in the first half.  Really left me scratching my head.

In the second half Amherst was also more aggressive on the boards - this coincided with most of the Polar Bears forgetting to box out their man.  A bad combination as Bowdoin cannot win on the glass if Palecki and Fuller are the only ones consistently slamming their back sides into opponents.

Today's game with Trinity is likely to be a real battle.  Not sure what Bowdoin needs to do to win this one besides the obvious - move the ball to get better quality shots; box out your man.  I suspect Coach Gilbride will stick with the same line up but it's interesting to think if this is the game where he tries rotations that put 3 forwards on the floor at all times.  The downside is that that strategy probably won't give Bowdoin the offense they need.

Anyway here's hoping the players bounce back and come out aggressive against Trinity.  I think there will be several long ice baths after this one.

GoUBears!!

[jumpshot]

Duncan Robinson leads Michigan over Nebraska today by scoring 21 points on a variety of shots, including a two-handed baseline dunk, while rebounding, passing, and defending well. Could have had even more if his teammates shared the ball throughout the game, not just episodically. He is really playing well himself ---and making his teammates better along the way.

[middhoops]

Great game at Colby as the Mules hold a tentative lead over Amherst midway through the 2nd half.  Worth a watch.

.....then later....

Great character win by a scrappy Colby squad.
Looking forward to the expert analysis.

[booyakasha]

About damn time Colby's senior laden team finishes off a Nescac matchup. Hopefully this win is a catalyst to playing to their full potential down the home stretch.

[booyakasha]

Won't get much analysis from me, but I'm sure you'll hear from the Amh faithful about the call on Green for pushing off. Hard to tell from the webcast how bad the push off was.

[Bucket]

Won't get much analysis from me, but I'm sure you'll hear from the Amh faithful about the call on Green for pushing off. Hard to tell from the webcast how bad the push off was.

Yeah, impossible to tell watching the stream.

[AmherstStudent05]

Another sloppy game for Amherst.  This time we can't survive and we fall for our second consecutive trip to Waterville.

I don't recall every seeing a game with more whistles. Amherst (and Colby to a lesser extent) probably deserved most of them although I don't think the bald ref was particularly helpful either as he seemed a little whistle happy (with some inadvertent whistles as well).

This being a Colby game I can't access the stats, but it felt like we repeatedly sent Colby to the charity stripe at the end of the game.  I don't know how many field goals Colby hit in the final few minutes but it couldn't have been many (I remember one from Hudnut).  We needed to make them hit field goals but we just kept fouling.

Hudnut was superb in the first half but, understandably, appeared to lose some steam in the second.

The play of the game occurred late after Hudnut missed both free throws with Amherst down 1.  Green hit a ridiculous basket but it was called off for a charge.  I am obviously biased but it seemed to be a totally bogus call -- both objectively and in context of how the game was being called -- but I would be curious for another point of view.

McCarthy's struggles continue -- even his free throw shooting is off -- and Racy had an uncharacteristically poor shooting night.

Congrats to Colby but this was not a good loss at all.  Time to rally.

[jumpshot]

Among the vulnerabilities of players who come into NESCAC are having to grow into a higher level of competition for young athletes ----and a diminution of intensity and interest as seniors, especially since many spend an extra year in prep school so are a bit older. During the in-between years, sometimes slumps occur.

All these elements are apparent in this year's moose team. With their talent the call just referenced shouldn't have even been a factor.

Congratulations to Colby who keep their poise and had just enough to get a good win at home with their leaders healthy.

[AmherstStudent05]

Won't get much analysis from me, but I'm sure you'll hear from the Amh faithful about the call on Green for pushing off. Hard to tell from the webcast how bad the push off was.

Yeah, impossible to tell watching the stream.

Just goes to show. I thought maybe they got him for lowering the shoulder a bit (a kind of call that, in fairness the refs had been making before during the game although I didn't think Green was guilty there).  I didn't see any kind of push off -- and I don't think anyone had been getting that call all game-- but Bucket is right that these things can be hard to see on a webcast where there is no replay.

Oh well. It was a tough call but we still had plenty of chances to win (or lose) without it. 

[nescac1]

I watched much of the second half.  A few random thoughts.

Love Gallego on Colby.  He was the hero today coming in off the bench for Westman who fouled out early.  He also played great off the bench vs. Williams, gave them a real spark on both ends.  He is tiny, hasn't played much in his career, but shows unbelievable grit and poise and busts his a** out there every single play.  He'd certainly be picked last in a rec league of everyone on the floor today, yet he was the key player for Colby.  A senior who has obviously worked hard to get where he is, the epitome of NESCAC hoops. 

Ryan Jann is really smooth, really tough, great shooter, much-improved off the bounce.  He needs to be on an all-NESCAC team this year. 

It's crazy that Colby only has one win in NESCAC.  Just bad, bad luck with injuries.  Hudnut is a shadow of himself right now but just having him out there makes a big difference.  He really gutted it out today.  What a great senior class. 

For Amherst, interesting that Berman played in place of Dawson for most of the second half.  Berman played very well I thought, did a good job getting other guys involved.  It's amazing that he can get to the rim nearly every time with fakes and jukes even though he almost never shoots threes, and is probably the guy on Amherst you want to shoot them -- guys can't help but to jump out at him.  Another old-school kind of player. 

Riopel is going to be a stud for Amherst.  He's not all the way there yet, but next year, as a starter, he is going to be a contender for all-league.  One of the most talented wing players in NESCAC, he has the whole package -- uber athletic, smooth, good shooter, great finisher inside.  I'm not sure that McCarthy is better than him -- McCarthy is better on defense for sure, but Riopel has a lot more upside on offense.  Having those two and Racy back next year will keep Amherst in contention once again. 

Surprised that Conklin was taken out late in the game by Amherst.  He is a handful down low and was playing very well.

Anything can happen in NESCAC clearly, once again this season. 

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin falls to Trinity:  66-85.

Not much to say about this one - Trinity demonstrated why they are the best defensive team in the conference.  They contested every pass and were rarely out of position on defense.  They also shot 60% from behind the arc which is ridiculous.

Very few bright spots for Bowdoin in this game.  Neil Fuller recorded his first double double by finishing the game with 10 points and 12 rebounds.  Before the game, I don't think anyone would have predicted that one Bowdoin player would grab the same number of rebounds as Ajayi and Ogundeko combined. 

Hopefully, Bowdoin can re-group this week before they host Colby next Saturday.

GoUBears!!

[nescacobserver]

My sources at the game say it definitely wasn't an offensive foul.  Didn't push off with his arm, refs should have let it go. But doesn't really matter.  Amherst didn't play well and Colby wanted it more. But the refs in Waterville are always homers.

[amh63]

The Colby win was won on the foul line.  Colby's big center was the key in the first half and contributed in the second half.  Racy did not seem to want to take the three in the late minutes of the game.  Give the credit to Colby's defense here. 
JMac has not played well for awhile...no lift even in his drive in the game today.  Green sat down in the first half and in the second half.  He did hustle and rebounded hard. 
Yes the whistles impacted the game and the smaller referee mentioned earlier seemed to drive Hixon crazy....and others on the bench. 
It was a physical game...both sides participated.  I felt that the random whistles when three or more players battled for the ball caused Amherst players to be less aggressive.
Yes the call on Green as he fell on the floor and made a three is just one of those calls that begged for replay video . Yes, I am a dreamer.  It will not do any good if the CAC and D3 doesn't improve the quality of the people in the zebra stripped shirts.  Take that back in part. I heard that a zebra stripe is unique...each one is different.  Guess, I'm digressing a bit . 
Amherst has tough games ahead....need to get the top seed position so that the Tourny is in LeFrak.
For the Tourny....does anyone know how the refs for the games are selected?  Out of the region?...maybe.