MBB: NESCAC

[MiddWatcher]

Agree with unspoken premise. Williams = no real significant wins ( give them Wesleyan, Tufts, Colby, Trinity, for sure ) But - lost head to head with Middlebury, 3 losses to Amherst, lost to Hamilton ( whom Middlebury beat ) and a "bad loss" to Bowdoin.  We NESCAC followers know that that is not really a loss to a bad team ( they are good : ), but that is the way Committee's work.   ( been on many of them ).  Middlebury's out of conference losses were all " ok " losses .... Keene State, Plattsburgh, Swarthmore all probably going to the dance.  ( Speaking of Keene State, how about Ty Nichols yesterday   Phenomenal. Will say he is the best D3 player in New England, and maybe beyond that. )  So, good question about Williams. Tend to agree with the poster.

[Colby Hoops]

Agree with unspoken premise. Williams = no real significant wins ( give them Wesleyan, Tufts, Colby, Trinity, for sure ) But - lost head to head with Middlebury, 3 losses to Amherst, lost to Hamilton ( whom Middlebury beat ) and a "bad loss" to Bowdoin.  We NESCAC followers know that that is not really a loss to a bad team ( they are good : ), but that is the way Committee's work.   ( been on many of them ).  Middlebury's out of conference losses were all " ok " losses .... Keene State, Plattsburgh, Swarthmore all probably going to the dance.  ( Speaking of Keene State, how about Ty Nichols yesterday   Phenomenal. Will say he is the best D3 player in New England, and maybe beyond that. )  So, good question about Williams. Tend to agree with the poster.

Kind of glosses over Midd's two "bad losses" to Tufts.

[nescac1]

Williams has three more wins vs D3 opponents and the teams have nearly identical SOS.  Ephs also have more wins vs regionally ranked opponents (Colby, Wesleyan x2, Oneonta, Yeshiva, Montclair).  So by the NCAA criteria, Williams clearly has the stronger resume.  You can critique the criteria, but it is what it is.  It doesn't matter much because both are going to get in the tourney and both will be 2/3 seeds in pods meaning they will play neutral court games in round 1.  Book it!

[cacfan11]

Hopefully your right

[MiddWatcher]

"Williams has three more wins vs D3 opponents and the teams have nearly identical SOS.  Ephs also have more wins vs regionally ranked opponents (Colby, Wesleyan x2, Oneonta, Yeshiva, Montclair).  So by the NCAA criteria, Williams clearly has the stronger resume.  You can critique the criteria, but it is what it is.  It doesn't matter much because both are going to get in the tourney and both will be 2/3 seeds in pods meaning they will play neutral court games in round 1.  Book it!"


Skidmore and Morrisville State ( both Middlebury wins out of conference ) just punched NCAA tickets. Tufts was in Top Eight of conference, qualified for conference tourney, Bowdoin did not.  Williams and Middlebury both beat Albertus Magnus.  So, maybe not totally as disparate. Tufts was no upset; Middlebury did not pressure their guards; Trinity did two weeks ago ( to the tune of a 20 point win ) as did Hamilton yesterday once Hamilton went to the bench and got #4 and #12 on the court. They blew up Tufts guard-orientation. Middlebury has no one to blame but themselves for the soft approach in the backcourt, IMO.  And, yes, hopefully, nescac1 is correct on the tournament picks. He usually is.  But Middlebury has to do something about how they are guarding in the backcourt if they are going to go anywhere.

[JEFFFAN]

Have to admit that this title is as satisfying as any so far for the Jeffs.   The reason is simple - they came in with low expectations and the team improved immensely over the course of the season.  Whether it was inevitable maturity or coaching or a combination therein, this team just improved game in and game out.   I did post earlier in January that I wasn't sure how far they would go but that I loved the defense and thought that it would keep them in games throughout the season.   However, they also won some high scoring games at the end.   A thoroughly enjoyable season and absolutely one of the best coaching jobs ever by Hixon ... and perhaps Toomey?

[Old Ezra]

Duncan is back up with the Heat.

[AllStar]

[JEFFFAN]

Post tourney my all league:

Gilmour (POY), Robinson, Casey, Hutcherson, Farrell

Jefferson, Simonds, Heskett, Bonner, Folger (Che, Savage, Scadlock also warrant consideration)

DPOY: Che (Schneider and Padmore runner-up)

ROY: Allen just edging out Tyson with his huge play this weekend. 

COY: Hixon

Although losing the three big guys will hurt, Amherst is gonna be scary the next two years.  McCarthy healthy added to Robinson, Sellew, Allen, Che, Day, Phelan nucleus is pretty tough.

Nescac1 is better than the rest of us at NESCAC reporting - seriously - but I do question why Amherst wouldn't get another player on the second team after winning the title?  My guess is that it would be highly unusual for the team winning the title to only have one player on the top two all star teams.  My guess is that Che makes second team.

[Bucket]

Post tourney my all league:

Gilmour (POY), Robinson, Casey, Hutcherson, Farrell

Jefferson, Simonds, Heskett, Bonner, Folger (Che, Savage, Scadlock also warrant consideration)

DPOY: Che (Schneider and Padmore runner-up)

ROY: Allen just edging out Tyson with his huge play this weekend. 

COY: Hixon

Although losing the three big guys will hurt, Amherst is gonna be scary the next two years.  McCarthy healthy added to Robinson, Sellew, Allen, Che, Day, Phelan nucleus is pretty tough.

Nescac1 is better than the rest of us at NESCAC reporting - seriously - but I do question why Amherst wouldn't get another player on the second team after winning the title?  My guess is that it would be highly unusual for the team winning the title to only have one player on the top two all star teams.  My guess is that Che makes second team.

Thought the exact same thing. My all conference would be nescac1's, though substituting Che for Bonner.

[nescac1]

I almost went with Che, and he is certainly worthy if selected.  But I also think the other five dudes are rock solid.  Tough call. 

[Colby Hoops]

It feels like just last week where Sellew was the one that everyone was suggesting for second team. Seems like an overreaction to Amherst's win to have Che in -- his numbers don't really stack up to the others being considered, which obviously doesn't account for his stellar defense. I'd have Robinson first team, Hixon COY and Che DPOY, which seems like fair recognition for Amherst's great season.

[JEFFFAN]

It feels like just last week where Sellew was the one that everyone was suggesting for second team. Seems like an overreaction to Amherst's win to have Che in -- his numbers don't really stack up to the others being considered, which obviously doesn't account for his stellar defense. I'd have Robinson first team, Hixon COY and Che DPOY, which seems like fair recognition for Amherst's great season.

That would be a very, very good result recognizing regular season and playoff results!

[daoustian]

Don't know when the last time Amherst beat Ephs 3 times in a year.

Technically 2013-14 but they played 4 times that year and maybe you trade the first three wins away in exchange for not losing in the Final Four. The last time they beat Williams at least 3 times in a season with no losses was 2012-13 en route to the national championship, and also 2000-2001. AFAIK Amherst hasn't beaten Williams 4 times in a season.

Williams beat Amherst 3 times in both 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 but those too were 4-matchup years with Amherst winning a regular season tilt each January.  The last time Williams swept Amherst was 2009-10 (2 regular season games, no postseason matchup).

[Gregory Sager]

Don't know when the last time Amherst beat Ephs 3 times in a year.

Technically 2013-14 but they played 4 times that year and maybe you trade the first three wins away in exchange for not losing in the Final Four.

"Maybe"?