MBB: NESCAC

[ContinentalDomer]

Amherst likes to bang and muscle their opponents.  It's what the LJs do.  They grind with their length and size.  It's no surprise they commit fouls.  Mostly, Hamilton does not try to hammer teams physically, and they're usually smart about avoiding fouls when they have a lead.

Without a doubt, Amherst missed Sellew for awhile.  Eric is an excellent player, and he's very physical.  His third foul was an easy call.  Further, he does tend to pick up his share of fouls; he's tied for 4th in PFs during conference play behind Lynch, Rogers, and McCord and he's committed 3 or more fouls in 10 of 12 games v NESCAC opponents. 

Devonn Allen, who's a very nice player and will only get better, also tends to commit fouls.  Last night, he fouled out for the second time this season.  He's had four other games with 4 fouls.

Then again, sometimes a foul is just a foul.

Interesting Amherst took 8 foul shots and Hamilton took I think 21 or 23 foul shots. A few of those fouls on Amherst was because at the end of the game they tried to catch up by fouling.  Home court advantage?
Perhaps biggest foul difficulty with at the Eric Sellew picked up two quick fouls in the first half and had reduced minutes
Then in the beginning of second half he was almost immediately calle for a third foul and went to the bench

Reduced minutes for Sellew is a challange for Amherst in terms of both scoring and rebounding and moving the ball though boht Joe Schneieider and CJ Bachman played well.

The NESCAC playoffs will be interesting this weekend

[jayhawk]

I did not say Amherst lost because of fouls, home team often the benefit of doubt in calls
I was at Williams game last and Hamilton had some foul trouble

Amherst had a chance to win - no excuses

If Sellew was able to have more court time that could have made a difference but it did not happen
Agree about offensive foul that he committed

[Colby Hoops]

Thought it was a poorly reffed game. Didn't think it favored one team or another.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Interesting Amherst took 8 foul shots and Hamilton took I think 21 or 23 foul shots. A few of those fouls on Amherst was because at the end of the game they tried to catch up by fouling.  Home court advantage?
Perhaps biggest foul difficulty with at the Eric Sellew picked up two quick fouls in the first half and had reduced minutes
Then in the beginning of second half he was almost immediately calle for a third foul and went to the bench

Reduced minutes for Sellew is a challange for Amherst in terms of both scoring and rebounding and moving the ball though boht Joe Schneieider and CJ Bachman played well.

The NESCAC playoffs will be interesting this weekend

I watched about 40% of the game - it appeared to me that Hamilton was much more intent on driving to the rim than was Am_erst, thus more likely to get foul calls.

[amh63]

The Amherst vs Hamilton game is over guys.  I would love a rematch on a neutral court...with a better announcer and hopefully a different crew of refs....ones that work at postseason games.
However, after reading some Hamilton followers' posts, I am annoyed.  I suggest that those posters go back to last season's game at Amherst.  Amherst blew out Hamilton in LeFrak.  Look at the low number of foul shots taken by both teams.  Many of the same players playing key roles.
Your posted descriptions of the style of play of Amherst players IMO reveal your ignorance... period!

[Conts Fan]

The Amherst vs Hamilton game is over guys.  I would love a rematch on a neutral court...with a better announcer and hopefully a different crew of refs....ones that work at postseason games.
However, after reading some Hamilton followers' posts, I am annoyed.  I suggest that those posters go back to last season's game at Amherst.  Amherst blew out Hamilton in LeFrak.  Look at the low number of foul shots taken by both teams.  Many of the same players playing key roles.
Your posted descriptions of the style of play of Amherst players IMO reveal your ignorance period!

I'm not sure what last season's game has to do with anything...and Hixon gets his team more favorable calls from the refs than any team this side of Duke. These teams may meet again and Amherst may well win, but that won't reveal anything about the officiating in last night's game.

[jayhawk]

move on

[MiddWatcher]

Glad to move on ! Yes, it was a good game. Maybe they will meet again in Middlebury next weekend. Kudos to Amherst for playing 5 really good halves of basketball - on the road - and 5 games in 9 days. Not easy. And congrats to Coach Stockwell ( a superb coach ) and his very fine team. So, how about Tufts at Middlebury on Saturday?  First time around, a month ago, Tufts outplayed Midd. Shot well from the perimeter and played enough defense to give Midd its worst shooting day of the whole season ( 36% ). Ironic, because Tufts' 45% FG% Against is the worst in NESCAC.  On that day, Midd was cavalier with the ball, lots of poor shots ( when better ones could have been found ) and did not get out to perimeter shooters. Had a chance to watch the video of it last night and the lack of reach from the shorter Middlebury guards afforded Tufts shooters a lot of good looks. Since then, Midd has definitely stepped up their defense and one would hope ( if one is rooting for Middlebury ) that they will pick up the ball at halfcourt - not at their own foulline extended. That was not good. Never is.
That was also last game before Bosco became a starter.  It has paid dividends, but note also that Bosco is 6 for his last 31 shooting threes. He has been getting fouled a lot and his small frame is taking a pounding. A week off has no doubt been a good thing for him. Also, two weeks after Tufts, Midd held Colby to 20% on threes ( lowest of their season ), and forced Jefferson into 9 misses from three. ( season high for him ). In that game, the coaching staff mixed in the longer reach on shot affects that Dahleh, Leighton and DeLorenzo provide. All of them have given up less than 25% makes on perimeter shots .... while a couple of the others are way up around 50% on opponents' shooting.  The ability to get to a shooter with an active and high hand is significant.  Frankly, I thought the Midd-Colby game was the Middlebury staff's best coaching effort of the whole season. It will be interesting to see how it plays out on Saturday. Leighton and DeLo combined for 18 points in 16 minutes vs. Amherst, but they do not play much.  Tufts is no pushover. Lots of good players, good shooters. I would think that Midd would need to cross-screen the bigs and play some high-low. Midd did get 27 offensive rebounds last time. Tufts achilles heel for a long time: defensive rebounding and interior defense. We won't bother with the refs ! But they had better be in shape .... Midd and Tufts both want to run, run, run.  Enjoy the weekend. We will : )

[Conts Fan]

Is there anywhere online where you can watch archived games from this season? I know the NESCAC app on Apple TV has a few, but most of the games seem to disappear as soon as the game concludes.

[Mountain Man]

Middlebury - Colby game   Folger guarded Jefferson

Middlebury-Tufts game = Farrell's worst game of season   Very soft disinterested Panther defense.  First NESCAC road 2nd game of back to back. Tufts can only win by shooting lights out. Tufts can only shoots lights out at HOME.
Payback games are TOUGH.    Middlebury by double digits

Hamilton-Colby  Grassey, Gilmour, Hoffman, Groll, Doyle all playing well to end season. Denloye off bench shot over 50% in NESCAC games. Gilmour & Hoffman scored but it was Denloye & Doyle combining for 20 points & 10 assists that was the KEY
Payback games are TOUGH.    Hamilton by high single digits to low double digits

Williams-Trinity  Coach App has a week to regroup. Trinity won that Wesleyan game due to BIG change in rotation. Trinity is no FLUKE after that adjustment. However,  I expect a BIG effort from Scadlock. Williams by double digits

Wesleyan-Amherst   I think we started to see Amherst schedule CATCH up with them at Hamilton (whistle bad both ways) 4 games in 8 days against Wesleyan, Williams, Middlebury, & Hamilton. 2nd half was physically & mentally challenging for Amherst = Cracks.

Degree of difficulty, supporting cast. Hutch as sophomore is BEST in this league. Hutch has more RANGE then Gilmour & the POINT GUARD responsibility. Playing off ball benefits Gilmour. Ball always in Hutch's hands usually trying to single handedly will his team to victory. Other teams know it, force him out further so he just hits HUGE 27 footers at the end of game.
Hutch opened my EYES all season. OMG!!! what a year.

Game 1:  62-60 Cards   Game 2:  61-60 Mammoths  Game 3: Hutch for the BUZZER BEATER.   Cards win 

[jayhawk]

Any team has the ability to win this weekend
Lots of fun to see basketball played at a high level and to observe the game plan and match-ups that coaches utilize this weekend

New article in D3 Hoops on Amherst team
https://www.d3hoops.com/columns/features/2018-19/amherst-piling-up-wins

[Mountain Man]

I like the Mules. I called out something brewing in Waterville after Colby put up 103 points against Tufts.

Playoff time = peel back the onion on Amherst, Hamilton & Wesleyan road wins

Amherst:  Allen fouls out Day has to play 30 minutes, Mammoths shoot 2-17 from 3. Foul problems throughout. Wallace Tucker posts career high 24 points by driving past tired foul plagued Amherst guards 2nd half.

Hamilton: Hoffman plays 18 minutes & fouls out. His man Jefferson goes for 29  Hamilton defense flatfooted all game = 18 Colby assists

Wesleyan: Hutch 2-11 first half 5 points. Card team defense abysmal first half. Mules 13 assists & 12-22 from 3 in first half.

I look for the experienced Hamilton starting 5 to open up a can on the Mules. Especially after watching the film from Game 1.

Hamilton is my favorite to win the NESCAC tournament
 

[booyakasha]

The Amherst vs Hamilton game is over guys.  I would love a rematch on a neutral court...with a better announcer and hopefully a different crew of refs....ones that work at postseason games.
However, after reading some Hamilton followers' posts, I am annoyed.  I suggest that those posters go back to last season's game at Amherst.  Amherst blew out Hamilton in LeFrak.  Look at the low number of foul shots taken by both teams.  Many of the same players playing key roles.
Your posted descriptions of the style of play of Amherst players IMO reveal your ignorance period!

What is an ignorance period?

[Bucket]

The Amherst vs Hamilton game is over guys.  I would love a rematch on a neutral court...with a better announcer and hopefully a different crew of refs....ones that work at postseason games.
However, after reading some Hamilton followers' posts, I am annoyed.  I suggest that those posters go back to last season's game at Amherst.  Amherst blew out Hamilton in LeFrak.  Look at the low number of foul shots taken by both teams.  Many of the same players playing key roles.
Your posted descriptions of the style of play of Amherst players IMO reveal your ignorance period!

What is an ignorance period?

Factoid that may only be interesting to me: The top three teams in the NESCAC tournament all lost to their first-round opponents this year.

[Conts Fan]

Factoid that may only be interesting to me: The top three teams in the NESCAC tournament all lost to their first-round opponents this year.

A fact that should keep those teams from taking their first round opponents lightly