MBB: NESCAC

[AmherstStudent05]

Oh well.  Amherst's fantastic season comes to an end following a 63-60 loss to a tough Benedictine squad.

This was not the prettiest basketball game you will ever see -- as can happen in Salem -- as both teams struggled mightily from the field (Amherst shot 35% from the field and 27.6% from three while Benedictine went for 37.5% and 25%, respectively).

The key stat was rebounding.  The Eagles crushed us on the glass -- outrebounding us by a whopping 50-30 (not a typo).  We were told ahead of time that the Eagles were an awesome rebounding team and that certainly came to pass.  I can't remember us every getting so soundly worked on the glass (although I do remember Rochester really hurt us in the last game I ever watched in LeFrak as a student back in 2005).

Even so we had our chances.  We had possession down 2 with about 15 seconds left.  You just knew that if Green got any kind of look at a 3 he was going to launch one, and sure enough he did but it didn't go down.  He also had a fair look at a three at the buzzer that would have tied it but that didn't fall either.  Oh well.

It was a classic Greeny game though as he almost singlehandedly kept us in it late in the second half when we were down 8 by hitting back to back 3s and seemingly also in the process of converting an old fashioned three point play (that was called a charge).  He led all scorers with 18 points.

We struggled with rebounding and shooting, but we hung tough and played some great D to stay in this game to the bitter end.  But congrats to Benedictine -- despite some evident early nerves -- they showed great poise and determination.  They are undefeated for a reason.

[AmherstStudent05]

Echoing JEFFAN's comments, this is the sad point in every season where we have to say goodbye to our seniors.

First, I want to recognize Ben Pollack.  While, relatively speaking, Amherst has been remarkably healthy over the last few seasons, the big exception was Big Ben who obviously caught a terrible break with injuries after his freshman year.  He showed so much promise as a freshman -- particularly in Salem where he had his best games of the season against Cabrini and North Central -- it is a shame that his career came to a premature close.

But most of all I have to recognize Connor Green.  What a career he has had.  He has made three trips to Salem (with one national title) and four trips to the NESCAC title game.  He has been a two-time all conference selection (our only one each of the past two years).  Perhaps most impressively, he finishes his Amherst career as our second all time leading scorer with an incredible 1757 points.

Perhaps naturally, my fondest memories of him involve our national championship season in 2013.  Heading in to that season we knew we had some special players leading our team -- we returned Toomey and Workman, our two best players from a team that went undefeated in the NESCAC.  The big question was could we muster any depth.  In light of the weak Class of 2015, it became clear that if we were going to get solid contributions from a wing off the bench, Green would have to be an instant impact freshman.  I think many freshmen -- even very good ones -- would be a bit intimidated potentially taking shots away from Toomey, Workman, Williamson, etc., but fortunately for that 2013 team Green turned out to be the most fearless freshman I have ever seen in the NESCAC (though some others, like Simonds and McCarthy haven't exactly been shrinking violets).  From the day he first stepped foot in LeFrak, Green never saw a three he was too afraid to attempt.

If memory serves, Green was actually our leading scorer through the early part of conference play before hitting a bit of a rookie wall.  Fortunately he came back in big fashion in the Final Four.  He had a massive And 1 against North Central at a time when points were at a massive premium for us.  And Green had 16 points in the Championship game.

Almost from the beginning, Green has been a more polarizing figure than most on this board.  That is understandable.  As even today showed, when he is on he can be an almost unstoppable offensive force -- hitting long range contested threes, driving to the hoop, posting people up, hitting the offensive glass -- but he can also take some wild shots at times as well.  Still, all in all, he has had an incredible career at Amherst (as his record and resume suggest), and he will be greatly missed.  Basketball was never dull with #24 on the court. 

[Old Guy]

Beautiful warm day in Salem! A few notes before the games begin shortly:
1. Mike Nogelo of Williams still holds the record for most points scored in a D3 National Championship Tournament: 177 in 1998 (6 games);
2. Most free throws made in one game: Williams 46 vs. Albertus Magnus, March 14, 2014;
3. Largest attendance Final Game in the past 16 years: Williams College National Championship 2003. 3,867;
4. Most perfect 40 minutes played: Williams College win over the hampster 2014 ....

Have to question #3. I went to the Final Four in 2013 in Atlanta (not Salem) with Young Guy and friend - Amherst winning it all against Mary Hardin-Baylor, 87-70) before over 7000 at Phillips Arena.  http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens-basketball/2013/04/07/amherst-wins-ncaa-division-national-title-men-basketball/x04XZnckYwCeDKhJ0n6lyL/story.html

I have a Williams distinctive Final Four memory, not a good one (please remember, I am kind of a Williams' fan - many friends: not a reflexive critic) at the only Salem Final Four I attended, in 2011 when both Williams and Middlebury were in the semi-finals - both losing by bucket to Wooster and St. Thomas respectively (St, Thomas winning the title in a blow-out the next day).

The distinction is "most condescending fans." Were you there, Jumpshot?

Williams had a great team They got out to a big lead in the first half, maintained it early in the second, before a furious Wooster comeback (and a missed bunny by frosh Rooke-Ley, I think it was he - at the buzzer). While way ahead, Williams' fans (mostly young alums, it seemed) trotted out the whole repertoire of snotty collective chants: principally WUSS-tah, WUSS-tah, WUSS-tah constantly, also "YOU CAN'T STOP US," and the old standard "SAFETY SCHOOL, SAFETY SCHOOL." There wasn't a neutral fan who wasn't rooting for Wooster in the second half.

I thought we had a great shot at a Midd-Wms final. Wasn't to be. Amazing season though.

[amh63]

Some comments wrt to the game tonight.
Hoops fan dropped by to say hello.  Lots of parents and friends...old friends and parents of coaches.  New connections made.  Riopel's parents and high school coach and others.  The old folks all agreed that at the end of the game...Conner Green was our man to take the shots
Matt Goldstein, Hoya73's son, was in attendance and a comment he made stood out...Amherst did Not play well...stats unknown at the time by the fans....But Amherst was in the game to the end!  Agreement by a number of the fans.  Watching live among knowledgable fans, one does not count rebounds, just aware of defensive stops and the chance to catch up and missed opportunities.
Oh yes, Walzy was sighted....sitting at the table with Matt and Toomey and others at a local eatery.  Believe Walzy's wife was there.
Some talk about next year's team....some consensus again that next year's team should be even better than this year...yes a little bravado here, but people in the know were serious.
Looking forward to another trip to Salem.

[toad22]

It was in fact Taylor Epley who missed that shot, though he was a little behind the rim, and right underneath it. Really not a complete bunny. I can remember the ball rolling slowly on the rim, threatening to drop in, and then not. Heartbreaking.

[jumpshot]

Well, the hamster had a good season that could have resulted in a national title had their teamwork fulfilled its potential as I pointed out back on January 8, 2016, on this board. Tonight's loss had several moments evidencing this flaw ----too much dribbling, forced shots by players wondering would they ever see the ball again, heroic three-point attempts (once when a two-point basket would have sufficed), substitutes more likely to share the ball put into the game in the last two minutes, not able to rely on teamwork on offense on nights when shooting poorly, etc.

Other posters, as well as the hamster coach and players in interviews, have pointed to this challenge of "harnessing talent" in the past two seasons. On the other hand, often talent will outperform process, so nothing is ever flawless. Hamster fans quite vocal in their disappointment here tonight which is entirely understandable for parents and alums with lots of emotional equity. It is difficult to get to Salem, and doing so is a significant accomplishment. At the end of the day, "the game is for the players" in any case.

By contrast, the other three teams here in Salem this year are disciplined, unselfish, hard-working, fast-paced units, each with one or more pronounced strengths. Benedictine and St. Thomas with excellent inside play and old-school rebounding, Christopher Newport with typically lightening quick guards who get to the hoop, pressure defense, and so forth.

NESCAC is a competitive league, which is a plus in preparing for Salem; fair to say the dominant style of play across the league is "a bit pretty", certainly compared to the better Midwest teams I watched here for decades, which can be a limitation on the national stage.

[grabtherim]

Blah, blah, blah.  Give credit where credit is due, and keep in mind that this is not coming from a Hixon or Jeffs fan; Let's be honest: Hundreds of teams and everyone in our league would have signed up to be exactly where Amherst was last night.  They lost to an undefeated team by 3 points in a national semi with two shots to send it to OT.  Our league acquitted itself well all season and into the post season.  Despite my strong feelings and leanings, this is one of those times you have to be a good sport and congratulate a rival on a great season.  That said, I hope Midd goes out and kicks the tar out of them next season and beyond. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I thought Amherst played very well.  Frankly, Amherst was not better than either Alma or OWU, but they played Benedctine tougher than both.  That's a credit to teamwork and preparation.

Salem changes the game for every team and most of the Amherst players hadn't experienced time on the floor before, but they performed very well.  I had to be the bad guy to ask about Green's second to last shot of the game, when he took the off-balanced three, down two.  But the reality is, they wouldn't have been in a position for that shot to matter without him stepping up in the second half.  The supporting cast just wasn't at the level to help him enough.  But throughout the game, especially with all the minutes the young guys got, I couldn't help but think this experience will be invaluable next year (and the year after).  Amherst is going to have to change a lot not having Green on the floor, but they've got a strong team coming back again.  I think the future's still pretty bright.

They exceeded pretty much everyone's expectations by getting this far.  It has to be an incredibly successful season.

[AmherstStudent05]

I thought Amherst played very well.  Frankly, Amherst was not better than either Alma or OWU, but they played Benedctine tougher than both.  That's a credit to teamwork and preparation.

Salem changes the game for every team and most of the Amherst players hadn't experienced time on the floor before, but they performed very well.  I had to be the bad guy to ask about Green's second to last shot of the game, when he took the off-balanced three, down two.  But the reality is, they wouldn't have been in a position for that shot to matter without him stepping up in the second half.  The supporting cast just wasn't at the level to help him enough.  But throughout the game, especially with all the minutes the young guys got, I couldn't help but think this experience will be invaluable next year (and the year after).  Amherst is going to have to change a lot not having Green on the floor, but they've got a strong team coming back again.  I think the future's still pretty bright.

They exceeded pretty much everyone's expectations by getting this far.  It has to be an incredibly successful season.

Not being a bad guy towards Green at all, Hoops Fan.  In fact, I thought your analysis of his play was spot on and very fair.  We all knew when he dribbled the ball up starting at our end of the court that he would launch up a three the first half chance he got.  It was rushed and it was off balance and I think all Amherst fans would have liked to see us take a few more seconds to see if we couldn't get a better look (I would have had no problem with Green taking that shot about 7 seconds later). But, as you say, we wouldn't have even been in a position to tie or take the lead without Green's heroic efforts earlier in the game and I really thought his buzzer beater had a chance.

I am not quite sure how I would characterize Amherst's performance last night.  Since this team in particular has shown so many different faces over the course of the season I am not sure what constitutes a "typical Amherst performance."  Still, if anyone watched Amherst for the first time last night I don't think they got a true sense of this year's team.  Yes, we played fantastically well on defense.  Also, while I would like to say we had an off rebounding night, I think we just ran in to a rebounding juggernaut.

Where we struggled uncharacteristically was on offense.  We just couldn't buy an outside shot for long portions of the game (additionally George and Conklin were not as productive as usual in the paint but I chalk that up mostly to solid Eagle defense).  It was just a pretty sloppy game -- particularly in the first half.  As I said last night, sometimes these things happen, particularly in Salem.  While this was my first time watching Benedictine I imagine they feel the exact same way -- that they did not show near what their offense is capable of.  While both defenses played tough, there were plenty of open looks and, as the announcers pointed out, the rims were most unkind to both teams.

It was an interesting year for the NESCAC.  We didn't have the one or two dominant teams that has been our trademark in years past.  In fact our regular season champion was different from our conference champion and a third team went the furthest in the Tournament.  So while our top end may not have been quite as strong as it has been in years past, we had plenty of depth.  I love that our regional's elite eight was an entirely NESCAC affair and I love that we went undefeated against Babson -- the best non NESCAC team in the northeast.

Certainly another good year for the NESCAC.  And, as I hope to post about soon, next year looks like it could be even more promising as we return plenty of talent. 

[P'bearfan]

Congrats to Amherst on another fine season.  Their consistently high level of play is a credit to both their players and to Coach Hixon and his staff.

[P'bearfan]

Watched Michigan fall to ND last night.  Overall DR played well: he was 3-5 from behind the arc.  He also grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 2 assists (though he had a couple of other fine passes that didn't result in buckets).

Michigan controlled the first half - they just dominated ND.  ND made some very good offensive adjustments at half time and tightened things up. A couple of things surprised me:

With 20 seconds left in the game and down by three Michigan brings up the ball and they weren't even looking to get the ball in DR's hands.  Instead Zac Irvin (who as 1-8 from behind the arc at that point) launched a rushed and very long trey that clanged off the iron.  I really couldn't understand that play at all.  How do you not set a screen for one of the best spot up long range shooters in the country?

Also, DR is a real team player - at times possibly too much of one.  Don't get wrong, I'm in awe of what he has accomplished this season.  However, to get to the next level, Michigan will need him to assert himself a little more. 

When he was a freshman at Williams I watched the webcast of their late December game against W&L.  Mike Mayer was just coming back from an injury and you could tell he was far from 100%.  That year W&L was an average team but they came out fighting and were leading Williams late into the second half.  That's when it happened.  DR just started hitting three's from what seemed like 3-5 feet behind the NBA line.  It was simultaneously inspiring and frightening (since Bowdoin had to face him just a few weeks later).

Knowing what his range is, there were several points in the game when I thought DR should / could have pulled up and nailed a deep three. Again it's hard to criticize a guy who has accomplished what he has but I think Michigan needs him to take that next step.

[toad22]

The landscape will change a lot next year. Some teams are losing a lot, while others lose very little. I'm sure that some of the best wonks in this board will do a complete analysis of each team. Off the top of my head, I would say the the three Maine teams will be hurt a lot by graduation. Wesleyan and Trinity as well. Amherst loses Connor Green, but everybody else is back, so they will likely be as good or better next year. Middlebury should remain strong, maybe stronger. Conn seems to always be a year away, so they will have to prove that they are good, the same for Hamilton. Tufts should be very good again if Pace can come back strong next year. Knees are tricky, so there is a big question mark there. Williams loses only the starting center, but they have three rising sophomores and a highly regarded incoming freshmen to replace him. It is my belief that for a team to be good, they need at least two exceptional players, and more normally three, plus three or four very strong support players. In the NESCAC, Amherst, Middlebury, and probably Tufts and Williams check those boxes for next year. Why is it always Amherst? Very frustrating for a Williams fan!

[toad22]

When he was a freshman at Williams I watched the webcast of their late December game against W&L.  Mike Mayer was just coming back from an injury and you could tell he was far from 100%.  That year W&L was an average team but they came out fighting and were leading Williams late into the second half.  That's when it happened.  DR just started hitting three's from what seemed like 3-5 feet behind the NBA line.  It was simultaneously inspiring and frightening (since Bowdoin had to face him just a few weeks later).

A classic Duncan story on that December road trip to Virginia concerns two new "specials" that Mike Maker put in during the trip. One play was for Taylor Epley, resulting in Epley getting a screen for a three point shot. The team ran through the set for Epley three times. Epley took the shot the first two times running the play, and passed to another player the third time, simulating the action if he was covered. The second play was for Duncan to run the same play on the other side of the court. The first two times through, Duncan turned down the shot, passing to the outlet man. Maker stopped the practice, and asked Duncan if he wanted a play designed for him to get an open three pointer. Duncan indicated that he liked it. Maker then strongly suggested that he shoot the ball! In the last game of the trip, against Hampton Sydney, it came down to the last minute, with Williams trailing by one. Maker called a time out, and called for the team to run the new play for Duncan. The play worked beautifully, Duncan ending open, about three feet behind the line. He took and made the shot, and Williams won.

Duncan deferred to the upperclassmen a lot. Maker frequently threatened to bench Duncan if he didn't shoot more. If Duncan had Connor Green's shooting aggressiveness as a freshman, he probably would have scored 22-25 points per game. But then, he wouldn't have been Duncan.

[Bucket]

Not sure it matters until what we see what the recruits do in college but Tommy Mobley from Exeter/formerly Newton North who will attend Amherst is ranked higher in New England than Serrate or Karpowicz or Seller

Yet Mobley didn't start for Exeter—was the 3rd guy off the bench—while Middlebury-bound Perry DeLorenzo started the entire season and was Exeter's second-leading scorer.

Impossible to figure this stuff out. As you stated—it won't matter until we see what these guys do in college.

[pg04]

Congrats to Amherst on a great season. I watched a lot or all of each of their tournament games and I was really impressed. Good luck next season!