MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Following up on Toad's comment, Williams really could not have picked a more central location to showcase its roster in front of families than Mount Union.  Many of the Ephs' top players are from Ohio -- Aronowitz, Heskett, Scadlock, plus Vince Brookins, a frosh who has seen limited time so far but will surely play more in the future.  Toss in Teal and Kroot from Indiana and Casey from Pennsylvania, that's the bulk of the rotation who are an easy drive to Mount Union.  Hopefully guys won't feel added pressure from playing in front of a hometown crowd -- Hope will be more than enough challenge on its own!  Hope has certainly played (if you count their exhibition game) the strongest schedule in D3 hoops this year -- an exhibition vs. Indiana, four strong WIAC teams, John Carroll, and also a top-ranked NAIA team.  And they've acquitted themselves very well against such strong competition.   

Hope is a veteran squad (3 of top 4 guys are seniors, the other is a junior) led by Harrison Blackledge, who boasts an insanely efficient stat line of 23/7/2 plus 2 spg in only 28 mpg, shooting 64/54/75.  He is strong, with excellent post moves and a very good finisher.   I imagine that Scadlock and Heskett will be assigned to guard him -- both big, athletic guys who are capable of strong defense, but as young players they will really need to step up their level of play to keep Blackledge in check.  Whoever guards Blackledge will need help on the inside from the Ephs' other big guys.  Dante Hawkins' is Hope's other top guy, a very quick guard putting up an impressive 15-5-5 stat line, and Cole Teal will likely be assigned to try to slow him down. 

[Titan Q]

#18-Illinois Wesleyan (8-2, 1-2 CCIW) vs Middlebury (7-1, 0-0 NESCAC), 5:30pm ET/4:30pm CT, at College of Staten Island...

#18-Illinois Wesleyan (8-2, 1-2 CCIW)
G – Brady Rose, 6-3 Jr.  13.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.2 apg
G – Colin Bonnett, 6-4 So.  9.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.2 apg
G – Andy Stempel, 6-4 Sr.  12.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.2 apg
F – Jaylen Beasley, 6-6 Jr.  6.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg
F – Trevor Seibring, 6-8 Jr.  13.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg

F – Alec Bausch, 6-6 Sr.  9.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg
G – Nick Coleman, 6-1 So.  6.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.6 apg
G – Austin Amann, 6-3 Sr.  3.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg
F – Tyler Burdine, 6-9 Jr.  2.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg

Middlebury (7-1, 0-0 NESCAC)
G – Jake Brown, 5-11 Sr.  10.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 7.4 apg
G - Matt St. Amour, 6-3 Sr.  18.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.0 apg
G – Jack Daly, 6-3 Jr.  10.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.1 apg
F – Zach Baines, 6-5 So.  13.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg
F – Adisa Majors, 6-5 Jr.  12.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg

F - Nick Tarantino, 6-7 Jr.  5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg
F - Eric McCord, 6-7 So.  5.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
F - Matt Folger, 6-8 Fr.  5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg
G - Bryan Jones, 6-1 Sr.  4.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Recent articles – http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/stronger-coleman-finding-role-with-iwu/article_d1d31e08-758f-5405-a24b-3672902d50c7.html

                        http://www.wjbc.com/2016/12/28/beasley-roses-long-history-as-teammates-sparks-iwu-basketball/

Video - http://www.csidolphins.com/sports/2015/8/13/GEN_0813151351.aspx

Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/csi/mbball/

WJBC Radio - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wjbc/

Massey – #9-IWU 76  #32-Middlebury 71  http://www.masseyratings.com/rate.php?s=cb2017&sub=11620

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

This IWU/Midd game will be one of the true cross-regional indicators this year.  I'm looking forward to it.

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin kicked off the second part of it's season with a win over Anna Maria, 69-59.

The game alternated between being much closer than the score suggested and not as close.  There was no video yesterday, only live stats, so it is hard to learn too much from this one.  Overall it seems that Bowdoin's defense was a bit more consistent yesterday but the offense sputtered at points.

The P'bears had three players in double figures:  Simonds (15); O'Neill (13); Reynolds (13) though Simmonds only had 10 points until the 90 seconds or so remaining in the game.

Surprisingly Bowdoin was even with Anna Maria on the glass - I thought the P'bears would have had an edge here (though since I've never seen AM play that was more a gut feel).

In the first half Bowdoin was red hot from behind the arc hitting 57+% of it's shots.  The Polar Bears cooled off in the second half and finished shooting a respectable 33.3%.

One key for Bowdoin this season will be moving the ball effectively on offense to find a good shot.  They seemed to do this yesterday finishing with 17 assists (lead by Tim Ahn who had 7).  Another encouraging sign is that 7 different players recorded at least 1 assist. 

Glad to get the first game after the break (and a victory) under our belt.  Bowdoin will travel to St. Joseph's (ME) on Friday for its next match up.

GoUBears!!

[toad22]

In advance of the IWU vs Middlebury game Thursday at College of Staten Island, I'm trying to think of NESCAC vs CCIW matchups in the last 20 completed seasons (since 1996-97).  I can think of 4 off the top of my head...

* Amherst 52 North Central 44 - March 23, 2013 (at Salem, VA)

* North Central 77 Middlebury 65 - March 22, 2013 (at Salem, VA)

* IWU 71 Tufts 62 - November 30, 2012 (at Wash U)

* IWU 70 Hamilton 55 - December 7, 2008 (at Wash U)

* IWU 71 Amherst 68 - March 18, 2006 (at Salem, VA)


What other CCIW/NESCAC matchups can you think of?

I'm sitting around waiting for the Hope/Williams game, thinking about other meetings between the leagues. I just remembered a North Park/Williams game, at Salem State, over the Christmas break, in the 2010-2011 season. Williams won that one pretty easily, 85-54.

[magicman]

Just brought up the video and watching the players warm up for the IWU-Midd game. Looks like someone didn't do their homework. They have the team names superimposed on the screen. The Illinois Wesleyan Titans and the Middlebury College Eagles. Maybe the Panthers will use that as ammunition...if they know about it.

[nescac1]

Very well-played, very even first half between Williams and Hope.  Hope's two stars have been excellent despite each picking up two fouls.  Hawkins is the quickest guard we've played this year, he is often a one-man fast break and the Ephs need to be cognizant of his speed in the open floor.  Williams other than one ill-advised switch-off has done a solid job on Blackledge but he's made a bunch of tough shots.   

Everyone on Williams is really playing well, Heskett and Aronowitz in particular have been excellent.  Hope plays a VERY aggressive man-to-man defense which has caused a whole bunch of Williams turnovers but which Williams has also exploited for a slew of effective back-door cuts.  They've done a good job collapsing on Aronowitz who has had to make some difficult shots.  Hope sets really hard screens to get guys open for clean looks.

For the Ephs to hold on, they will need to do a better job avoiding turnovers and get back hard when Hawkins turns on the jets.  They are moving the ball beautifully on offense when they don't turn it over so hopefully they will keep that up.  This is a well-played game between two top-20 caliber teams. 

[magicman]

Middlebury fights back from a double digit deficit to trail by 1 at the half against IWU... 43-42

[Old Guy]

Middlebury fights back from a double digit deficit to trail by 1 at the half against IWU... 43-42

Midd is without Baines (don't know why) - that hurts. Folger getting his minutes.

[nescac1]

Ephs down one.  Hanging in despite the fact that they keep turning the ball over via predictable perimeter passes and the fact that they are ICE cold from three, missing wide open attempts.  Ephs saved by very strong interior play and excellent defense.  Williams has been GREAT on Hawkins on the second half.  Caught a break when Blackledge picked up his fourth foul on a silly play.  He is unstoppable close to the rim. 

[Bucket]

Yep, Panthers close on 17-6 run and would have the lead were it not for sub-par free throw shooting (11-16).

Adisa Majors leads all scorers with 12 on a perfect 6-6 from the field. St. Amour has 10, doing most of his damage at the free throw line.

Some nice play from Matt Folger and Nick Tarantino—they're playing a combined greater role with the absence of Zack Baines.

Middlebury—behind Brown, Daly, and Jones—get up the floor so fast and really taking it to the Titans the last 10 minutes of the half, which is how Midd got back in the game.

Ill Wes so fundamentally sound; really enjoyable to watch.

[nescac1]

Going to OT.  Williams doing all it can to give the game away.  Despite the Hope star fouling out on a great charge drawn by Teal, Williams has allowed Hope to stick around by throwing them the ball over and over leading to transition layups.  Williams also missing 3/4 free throws in the last 40 seconds -- making one more would have been determinative.  Very frustrating.  Hopefully the Ephs can play with more precision in OT. 

[nescac1]

Awesome, awesome team win for the Ephs.  Williams plays MUCH better in OT than they did in the second half, hitting clutch free throws and big-time threes and locking down Hope on D.  Hope got some absolutely ridiculous deep contested threes from Chad Carlson, kid was just on fire in the second half and OT, but Williams didn't let it phase them.  Just a tremendous character-building win, one of the two best (at a minimum) of the App era so far.

Things to work on: not telegraphing passes around the perimeter (even maybe doing a fake here or there to get defenders off balance, Hope was anticipating pass after pass in the second half) and also cutting HARD to the ball on passes vs. an aggressive team like Hope.  Williams did exploit that aggression a lot with backdoor cuts, especially in the first half, but far too often Hope was able to get steals and then layups.  Once Blackledge fouled out, Hope's entire offense was basically crazy Carlson threes and points in transition.  If the Ephs can clean that up, they can be really dynamic, because Williams can shoot much better from deep than they did today and nearly all the offense came on layups and free throws after driving into the teeth of the D.

Otherwise, a fantastic win. The Ephs' half-court defense was tremendous, consistently forcing Hope into difficult shots and forcing plenty of turnovers themselves.  And on the other end Hope could not deal with Ephs' size advantage on the interior, especially with both their bigs battling foul trouble all game. 

Individually, it was great to see the three stars of the game all be Ohio players -- Heskett, Scadlock and Aronowitz were all fantastic on both ends of the floor, making big play after big play.  They really stepped up in their home state! 

[magicman]

Big shot by Jack Daley with 1.6 seconds left to play to make the winning basket for Middlebury as they defeat Illinois Wesleyan 77-75. Exciting game to watch.

2 big wins for the 'CAC today with Williams beating Hope. Two "Others Receiving Votes" teams defeating #15 and #17.

[Bucket]

Middlebury knocks off Illinois Wesleyan, 77-75, capping off a great night for the NESCAC with a pair of victories over higher-ranked teams from the midwest.

Such a character win tonight for the Panthers. Midd trailed early against a solid, strong, physical and skilled Titan team, trimming a 12-point deficit to a point just before the half. Midd then jumped on Ill Wes, building a 13-point lead, before a Titan burst trimmed it to 4, and there the game teetered for about 9 minutes, never more than six and never fewer than 2 points separating the teams. Until the final minute, when Illinois Wesleyan converted a pair of Panther misses sandwiched around a turnover to even the game. Midd holds for a final shot, and Jack Daly, who had a big second half, drains a pull-up jumper at the free throw line with :01 remaining for the winning points.

Matt St. Amour led all scorers with 23. Jack Daly with 16 and 7 assists. Adisa Majors w/ 14.On defense, the three-headed monster of Brown-St. Amour-Daly were swarming and had 9 steals (3 a piece).

Some intangible growth moments as well, as Tarantino and Folger did a solid job of filling in for the absent Baines (and his 14 pts 7 rb per game). Folger was outmuscled a couple of times at the rim by the stronger Titan front line, but when he is able to physically hold his own on the blocks, he'll be dangerous. He already has a very nice mid-range to the arc game.

And in addition to the game-winner, Jack Daly did a really good job of running the offense and pushing the tempo with Jake Brown sidelined for a stretch with what looked like a charley horse.

I was impressed with Illinois Wesleyan. They moved so well without the ball and passed with precision, always seeming to find an open cutter or spot up shooter. Tough break for the Titan center, fouling out on a double technical assessed to him and Daly, right after he picked up his fourth as he fouled Daly going to the hoop. Obviously have no idea what was said or done to warrant the double Ts, but the officials had made a big show of warning the two players specifically a few minutes prior, so they were certainly on notice.