MBB: NESCAC

[Smitty Oom]

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"?

Greg, you may not agree that is hard to beat a team 3 times, but you have to concede it is nearly impossible to beat a team 4 times in one year!! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

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"?

Greg, you may not agree that is hard to beat a team 3 times, but you have to concede it is nearly impossible to beat a team 4 times in one year!! 

After three straight losses to Amherst (none particularly close), Williams drove them completely out of Salem - I witnessed that total destruction.

And as Greg has said, put a "good" between a and team, and that brainless cliche turns into almost a given.  Four in one season would still be no problem, EXCEPT that the loser of the first three MUST be a 'good' team if there is a fourth game!

[NEhoops]

Per nescac1 - (1st team) Gilmour, Robinson, Casey, Hutcherson, Farrell

(2nd team) Jefferson, Simonds, Heskett

I think the final two spots on the second team will come from the following group:

Savage - TUF top player
Bonner - WES #2 and a senior 
Jorden - TRI top player
Bosco or Folger - MID #2/#2A
Hoffmann or Grassey - HAM #2/#2A, and both are seniors
Che or Sellew - AMH #2/#2A

MID, HAM and AMH I feel deserve additional recognition, not sure if they will all get it. Keep in mind that nominations for the all-league teams takes place before the conference tournament finishes. It does seem like there is a large group of potential all conference players to pick from.

 

[NEhoops]

Regarding the WIL/MID debate, WIL was three spots ahead of the MID in the latest regional rankings and nothing drastic has taken place to change that.

Based on how things played out MID is in good shape for an at-large bid, ECSU could also get their named called, but I think Gordon is too far down the list to be considered.   

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Regarding the WIL/MID debate, WIL was three spots ahead of the MID in the latest regional rankings and nothing drastic has taken place to change that.

Based on how things played out MID is in good shape for an at-large bid, ECSU could also get their named called, but I think Gordon is too far down the list to be considered.

Williams is in better shape than Middlebury, for sure.  I think both get in without too much sweat.  ECSU is a tricky one.  I think they end up ahead of Gordon, and don't have the best resume.  A lot will depend on if the committee sets the mendoza line at .700 winning percentage or .667, as its been in the past.

[amh63]

Mr Ypsi.....I too was in Salem that year.  Williams had a much improved Mr. Robinson player that played a great offensive game.  Yes the player that many EPH followers continue to rave about and follow to this day.  However, if Amherst should reach the Final 4 again, there will be a much improved Mr. Robinson on the Lord Jeffs squad to hopefully play a great game.
Yes, Amherst is now called by another name.....but I remain with a majority of my classmates "old hat" so to speak .
I hope the NCAA will select both Middlebury and ECSU today.....and put both in another bracket.  Both teams deserve to be in and both are dangerous opponents, IMO.

[ECSUalum]

Mr Ypsi.....I too was in Salem that year.  Williams had a much improved Mr. Robinson player that played a great offensive game.  Yes the player that many EPH followers continue to rave about and follow to this day.  However, if Amherst should reach the Final 4 again, there will be a much improved Mr. Robinson on the Lord Jeffs squad to hopefully play a great game.
Yes, Amherst is now called by another name.....but I remain with a majority of my classmates "old hat" so to speak .
I hope the NCAA will select both Middlebury and ECSU today.....and put both in another bracket.  Both teams deserve to be in and both are dangerous opponents, IMO.

amh63
Thanks for the kind word re Eastern's Warriors, but I think a couple of other teams will go to "the show" before ECSU.  Best of luck to the Mammoth/Lord Jeffs  in the Tourney, they looked terrific when they came to Willimantic and beat the Warriors this year!!  Keene St looks to be more dangerous as they have won like 8 in a row and always seem to peak at this time of the year!  Especially with Ty Nichols on the court!

[granddaddyhoops]

Looks like NESCAC gets 4 teams in NCAAs....(AMH,HAM,WILL,MIDD).....surprised Amherst not hosting especially after winning tourney yesterday.

[nescac1]

Amherst is not hosting because they can't -- the women are hosting rounds 1 and 2.  Amherst men (who are clearly the top seed in that quarter) will host rounds 3 and 4, most likely, if they survive.

NESCAC teams have to be very pleased.  Williams and Hamilton both hosting pods, Amherst the de facto host even though they have to go on the road to Rochester (and that would be a challenging second-round road game), and Midd, while not hosting, has a manageable - albeit certainly very challenging - pod for sure.  Midd-Amherst looms as a potential very fun Sweet 16 matchup.  Williams and Hamilton could meet in the Elite 8, potentially, but there are a LOT of obstacles before that could occur (Williams would have to very likely beat Plattsburgh, who beat Midd earlier this year, and Whitman, which is top seed, before facing Hamilton).   

[Bucket]

Looks like NESCAC gets 4 teams in NCAAs....(AMH,HAM,WILL,MIDD).....surprised Amherst not hosting especially after winning tourney yesterday.

Amherst women are hosting first round, which prohibits the men from doing so. If Amherst wins a couple then they'll be back in LaFrak for the second weekend.

[Pat Coleman]

Looks like NESCAC gets 4 teams in NCAAs....(AMH,HAM,WILL,MIDD).....surprised Amherst not hosting especially after winning tourney yesterday.

Amherst women are hosting first round, which prohibits the men from doing so. If Amherst wins a couple then they'll be back in LaFrak for the second weekend.

And for future reference, granddaddyhoops, it's the other way around in even-numbered years.

[old_hooper]

Looking at the brackets, should Williams make it to the sweet 16 and Whitman makes it too, this looks like the Ephs worst nightmare.  Whit hounds you full court from tipoff to the end.  The ball handling has been noted all year as a weakness and if there was one team they would not want to matchup with is Whitman.  But this why they play the games.

[nescac1]

Lots of intriguing match-ups to look at down the line but Williams needs to get back on track and bring it in rounds 1 and, hopefully, 2. 

Husson, while certainly a big underdog, has been mostly competitive vs. NESCAC teams this year: lost by two to Trinity, won by two against Bates, lost by three against Colby, and then lost by a lot to Bowdoin.  Plattsburgh State (the favorite in the other game in the pod) lost to Wesleyan, but beat Middlebury.  And Patron is perhaps the best center in the country.  Williams the way it was playing in early January would, I believe, cruise through this pod.  But the Ephs need to find their mojo, particular from the three point and foul line, and rebuild some swagger and rhythm on offense to survive.  If they do so, and if Whitman emerges, they have a week to try to figure out an approach.  But that is a huge if. 

Midd-Nichols is certainly the most interesting of the NESCAC first-round games.  Two teams with very quick, aggressive guards who like to push the pace.  That will be a fun one to watch! 

[amh63]

The HC of Rochester was an assistant coach at Amherst....and a friend of HC Hixon.  There is an old football in the trophy case in the lobby of the old facility.  A game ball of an Amherst vs Rochester game.  Will check if Rochester has built its new facility yet.

[middhoops]

We watched Nichols at least 8 games this season.
Marcos Echevarria is a clutch looong distance shooter and effective point guard.
They have twin towers and good role players.  Most importantly, they win games they should win.
Midd has to show up to play effective perimeter D, rebound like demons and make good shots.  Looking at the teams' comparative numbers, we could expect a really high scoring game played at breakneck speed.
But that never seems to work out as planned.

On a totally different point....
Nobody wants to play a still improving Amherst team now.  The LJs talent and depth is so impressive that losing Sellew (while sad and painful) doesn't appear to effect them.  They can go a long way.

Williams must be serious in contemplating Plattsburgh. 
The Cards are very athletic, smart, well coached and aggressive as hell.  They'll send 3 guys to the offensive board when they feel it's time to strike.  And Jonathan Patron is a crafty, mature basketball player.  Forget his lack of height.  Kid can flat play.
Vandy74 and I were highly impressed with the intelligence of Ian Howard.  Howard is a complimentary player who makes good things happen.  Often.
A guard, he had 10 offensive boards against Middlebury.

Hamilton drew a good bracket.  I like their chances of playing for a while.

Good luck to all NESCAC teams next weekend.