MBB: NESCAC

[Colby Hoops]

Bad, bad loss for Colby. The simple story is that Bates shot lights out from deep and Colby couldn't buy a bucket. But there was a lot not to like from Colby -- sloppy defense, careless turnovers and they definitely came out expecting to walk all over Bates. Bates played very well, and they confused Colby with a 1-3-1 in the halfcourt to start both halves. Mules did tie the game about 6 minutes into the second half and looked poised to take over, but then a few really bad turnovers for easy baskets and a wild stepback three from Coyne gave Bates a lead they wouldn't give back.

Hanna shot it really well, but he and Tucker both gave away the ball carelessly several times. Jefferson, Tyson and Dorion missed a lot of open looks they typically make. Had the Mules shot better they could have gotten away with some of the bad defense and turnovers, but they didn't really deserve that one given how they played.

[nescac1]

Conn is not good (although they do have two good players).  But what the big four did for Williams today is tough vs. the air: 25-34 from the field, 10-12 from 3, 14-15 from the line.  Made the game look easy - impressive.   Those three senior stars are REALLY going to be missed.  Especially based on how the Ephs struggled in extended garbage time today ... gotta enjoy this season!  13-0, not too shabby. 

Surprised by the Bates and Tufts road victories.  Two teams who had been really struggling beating two teams on a bit of a roll, seemingly.  Anything can happen in NESCAC! 

Not surprised that Wesleyan and Midd went down to the wire.  Another big game from Hutcherson.  He will be an all-American, and probably twice, in his career. 

[jumpshot]

I really like the way the EPHS are playing team defense this year ....makes all the difference, as well as rebounding, and getting turnovers under control.

Lots of opportunity for this year's backup players to take ownership for improving their own skills while contributing this season and working hard during the summer. Lots of upside and opportunity for those with the desire and discipline to do so, as all now get the team concepts on both offense and defense, as well as physical potential.

[nescac1]

After today four D3 teams remain undefeated.  Two are from Nescac, and a third, Occidental, has a Nescac transfer as its leading scorer.  The fourth, coached by a former Eph assistant.  Cra-zy.

[Old Guy]

80-77 Wes. Very exciting game at Middlebury. The difference? In a word: Hutcherson. Scored 36 of the Cardinals 80 points. All different kinds of shots: 6-11 from three/12-22 from the floor/6-6 on the foul line. He was tremendous.

The Cardinals had 20 foul shots (17-20); Middlebury 4, a 15 point differential in a 3 point game, a fact not lost on Midd partisans. It certainly appeared that the level of aggression was about equal. Jeff Brown was as "animated" as he ever gets.

Midd's backcourt, Farrell (23), Kornaker (14), and Bosco (11) led a balanced Midd attack. Matt Folger was contained (4 pts, 7 rebounds). Tough loss for Midd in front of a big crowd (though Midd's not is session till Monday). Well-played, hard fought game.

Glad to see the Bobcats get in the win column at Colby. Weather permitting, I'll get to Lewiston next weekend and see Midd-Bates in venerated Alumni Gym, the Fenway Park of D3 hoop venues.

[Mountain Man]

Matchups. Constantly stressing matchups. Weekend at Midd was EYE OPENING

Can you crystal clear see the Midd weakness now.... 

The one thing that Jack Daly gave them every night. Daly defending one on one with the lead scorer on the other team

Positions 1 to 3 Middlebury HAS NO ANSWER for a STRONG PHYSICAL SLASHING SCORER   NONE!!!!  ZERO !!!
Now add the fact they HAVE ONLY 3 BIGS who LIKE TO FOUL.  It was a BULLFIGHTING WEEKEND at MIDD = OLE' OLE' OLE'

Later in the Season =
Kyle Scadlock = Lick your chops. Let them worry about everyone else while YOU HAVE YOUR WAY anytime you want it
Kena Gilmour = KG. this is your 40 or 50 point game..

Scoreboard   These are Losses.  Kudos to Wesleyan. They made all the free throws needed to win at end
Ty Nichols 26
Jon Patron 31
Cam Wiley 17 pts 9 reb 6 ast (GW shot -took over in 2nd half)
Hutch 36

Scoreboard   These were close wins. ConnCollege made EVERY SHOT. Midd won by 12 but were challenged throughout
Lebossiere 36
Henderson - Endicott 26
Phillips - Hilbert 17, 4 reb, 9 asst 2 stl (7-18 & 6 TO's)
Meren- Skidmore 20, 7 reb 3 asst.

[Ubuntu]

Love looking at the numbers

Midd goes to the line 4 times??  They took 29 3's is why, foul count wasn't as lopsided  18-12  as the FT's (also probably a foul or two late were intentional as Mid was down)  Almost impossible to win when there's that big a difference in FT's.

How does Bates pull off the shocker?? Colby takes 35 3's and goes to the line only 8 times.  Hard to win.  Bates out rebounds Colby and turns it over only 10 times.  11-17 from behind the arc is great, but as said in earlier post... They were good looks.

How does Tufts get the upset(?).  Guard play.  Points, Tufts guards 50  Bowdoin 11, Team turnovers Tufts 9 Bowdoin 19.  Tufts is young too and will improve.

Williams 37 Defensive Rebounds on Holds Wesleyan to 27% shooting then blows out Conn College, only 11 Offensive Rebounds all Weekend?  3 against Conn College?  Priority on getting back and getting stops.

[Bucket]

Midd goes to the line 4 times??  They took 29 3's is why, foul count wasn't as lopsided  18-12  as the FT's (also probably a foul or two late were intentional as Mid was down)  Almost impossible to win when there's that big a difference in FT's.

If you were at the game or watched online, you wouldn't say that the 29 3s were the reason Midd shot only 4 free throws. (Though just looking at numbers, I can see why you would think so.)

Almost every other shot the Panthers took, were difficult, contested shots at the rim. Farrell converted many, often when receiving a good deal of body contact. Bosco, too. And McCord nearly had his head taken off on on attempt. ("Didn't see it," explained the ref.)

I'm not blaming Middlebury's loss on the officiating (I think Joe Reilly was just as upset as Jeff Brown for most of the game). As OldGuy explained, Austin Hutcherson's play was exhibit A, B, and C for why the Cards came out on top. At the same time, I don't think its accurate to imply that Midd didn't get to the line because they weren't aggressive enough.

A side note: Zach Baines was alluded to in another post, and while he's been gone so long it's silly to go down the "what if..." rabbit hole—and not fair to the current Panther players, either—though I will say it's not his scoring that is missed the most, but his defense. Kornaker-Farrell played really good D on Hutcherson, forcing him to take (and make) high-degree-of-difficulty shots and NBA-range 3s, but neither of Midd's stellar guards have the length of Baines. 

[amh63]

Only checked in on some conference games...mainly WBB ones....as Amherst's teams were not playing on Sat.  Amherst men's team meets Brandeis on Monday.  Good comments on CAC games to date.  On another board read that MIT lost a key starter yesterday in a game.  To date, it seems that one star player at MIT has been missing ...to course loads, I think, not unusual...and now another to a "serious" injury in a game yesterday. Hopefully NOT!  A key element in the games ahead for all Nescac teams, IMO, is summarized in one word...DEPTH.  Amherst has had injuries...hopefully minor...to date and younger players are being are being inserted.  Floor time by the younger players now will hopefully bring benefits later this season.

[Bucket]

Only checked in on some conference games...mainly WBB ones....as Amherst's teams were not playing on Sat.  Amherst men's team meets Brandeis on Monday.  Good comments on CAC games to date.  On another board read that MIT lost a key starter yesterday in a game.  To date, it seems that one star player at MIT has been missing ...to course loads, I think, not unusual...and now another to a "serious" injury in a game yesterday. Hopefully NOT!  A key element in the games ahead for all Nescac teams, IMO, is summarized in one word...DEPTH.  Amherst has had injuries...hopefully minor...to date and younger players are being are being inserted.  Floor time by the younger players now will hopefully bring benefits later this season.

Agreed about your comment on depth, especially considering the pace of play (save, Trinity) in the league.

[nescac1]

Hamilton escapes, barely.  Down two, Gilmour, who had a very quiet day, hits an unbelievably difficult leaning shot off the drive.  Trinity holds for the last shot but turns it over with an unforced palming violation, which did look like the right call.  Brutal.  Hamilton draws up a great play and Groll scores in the post to win with less than one second left.  Trinity went up 19-5 early in this one but Hamilton was able to crawl back in it ...

[Conts Fan]

Hamilton escapes, barely.  Down two, Gilmour, who had a very quiet day, hits an unbelievably difficult leaning shot off the drive.  Trinity holds for the last shot but turns it over with an unforced palming violation, which did look like the right call.  Brutal.  Hamilton draws up a great play and Groll scores in the post to win with less than one second left.  Trinity went up 19-5 early in this one but Hamilton was able to crawl back in it ...

Hamilton was playing so poorly they benched all five starters in the first half...it's always nice to escape with a win on day when you aren't playing well

[amh63]

Trinity "robbed" of a chance to win at Hamilton today in regulation.  Yes, Trinity with 9.6 seconds to go in the game and the game tied at 70 apiece had the ball in the front court.  Coming out of a time out, and with the confidence of playing Hamilton even and HFC instruction.....PG, Is called for a pawning violation!   Ball to Hamilton...and the Continentals scores 2 points with less than a sec. to go.
Thought Trinity's coaches would go crazy at the ref's call...in front of the Bantam's bench. 
Trinity had a lead for about 95 percent of the game and at halftime too!  2nd half was a foul fest filled with questionable calls by refs throughout.
In any case, Hamilton is not playing like a highly ranked team now, imho.

[nescac1]

It's a tough call, but I wouldn't say "robbed" because the call did appear correct.  The ballhandler just lost control of the ball. 

[bballjunkie15]

Trinity "robbed" of a chance to win at Hamilton today in regulation.  Yes, Trinity with 9.6 seconds to go in the game and the game tied at 70 apiece had the ball in the front court.  Coming out of a time out, and with the confidence of playing Hamilton even and HFC instruction.....PG, Is called for a pawning violation!   Ball to Hamilton...and the Continentals scores 2 points with less than a sec. to go.
Thought Trinity's coaches would go crazy at the ref's call...in front of the Bantam's bench. 
Trinity had a lead for about 95 percent of the game and at halftime too!  2nd half was a foul fest filled with questionable calls by refs throughout.
In any case, Hamilton is not playing like a highly ranked team now, imho.

Hamilton wins a game in which they did not play well against traditionally TOUGH trinity program. This is the 3rd game all year Hamilton played a team to single digits( winning all others by double digits) and is 37-5 in two years... you're right not a top 5 team....

If this was an Amherst program that had the same record and same stats in a two year period, something tells me there would be a different narrative and view from some on this board regarding the continentals...