MBB: NESCAC

[Colby Hoops]

Hate to inject computer ratings stuff here, but check out what the Massey computer thinks of Colby's chance of going undefeated.

https://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=1659&s=309912

Never take the rivalry games for granted, and I know Amherst is down AND they have to travel, but don't overlook them.  I'll say 23-1 for Colby, they drop one from the quartet of @ Bates, @ Tufts, Amherst, or Hamilton.

Agree with 7express. I'd be pretty surprised if Colby runs the regular season table. I'd think the handicappers in Las Vegas would have Tufts as a favorite at home next weekend. Beating Bates twice won't be easy (we saw this weekend that Colby struggled a bit to beat a weak Bowdoin team for the second time), and Amherst/Hamilton are more than capable of beating Colby, even in Waterville.

I think Bates will have a hard time beating Colby at home in Waterville. If the game were in Alumni Gym in Lewiston, that might be another matter.

The box score of Bates-Tufts had a couple interesting elements. Note that Omar Sarr had zero points and only three rebounds in 15 minutes — and five fouls! Bates essentially played Tufts even in Medford without the big guy. The main reason had to be the 28 points from frosh guard Stephon Baxter —5'10"/170 (if that) from Worcester, Mass. / Marianapolis School (Conn.). At the Bates-Hamilton game that I attended, I was told that he's going to be good, not ready yet: he was the third or fourth player off the bench. With Baxter and Sarr to build around, Bates's future could be bright.

By the way, Colby hoops, have the Colby fans received the message and started coming to games — it's been lonely in that gym (with reason) for a few years?

OG -- game on Friday is in Alumni Gym. I'm sure it will be a raucous crowd! The non-league game in a couple of weeks is in Waterville.

Not sure on the Waterville crowds. Students are still in Jan Plan, with a very high percentage of students traveling abroad or doing an internship, and hockey has always been the bigger draw. Always hard to tell on the webcast anyway, as most people sit on the side below the camera, where there aren't big poles that can block the view. I know a big crew of alumni will be going up to the Hamilton/Amherst game to celebrate the last year of Wadsworth Gymnasium, and I'm guessing the students will come out for those games too.

[Old Guy]

[/quote]

OG -- game on Friday is in Alumni Gym. I'm sure it will be a raucous crowd! The non-league game in a couple of weeks is in Waterville.

Not sure on the Waterville crowds. Students are still in Jan Plan, with a very high percentage of students traveling abroad or doing an internship, and hockey has always been the bigger draw. Always hard to tell on the webcast anyway, as most people sit on the side below the camera, where there aren't big poles that can block the view. I know a big crew of alumni will be going up to the Hamilton/Amherst game to celebrate the last year of Wadsworth Gymnasium, and I'm guessing the students will come out for those games too.
[/quote]

Thanks for the correction! I'd love to get to that Bates-Colby game in Alumni Gym, if I could get a seat. The fire marshals will be out for that one. Middlebury has been drawing nice crowds for a number of years now, but not a lot of students (maybe 20% of attendees). Middlebury, and other NESCAC schools, are places of such great diversity of backgrounds and interests that students by and large do their own thing. That's okay.

[jumpshot]

Duncan Robinson literally leads the Miami Heat to a 113-92 win over the Orlando Magic by playing the most minutes (33), scoring the most points (21), and hitting on 6 of 9 three-point shots.

Quite remarkable how consistently good Duncan has become as a regular starter for most of the season ....

[MiddWatcher]

Great  entertainment tonight in Henniker, NH. Put the Tufts @ NEC game on the web if you are surfing around : )))  34 - 27 NEC at half. They are so much fun to watch. Forced 10 turnovers in first 5 minutes; 17 forced at halftime - against a very good Tufts team, who, as has been remarked upon before, has a bit of trouble vs. full court pressure.  NEC is just special.  A throwback to pressing teams of the past. Really fun.  Tufts, meanwhile, is playing a match up with the Big Man in the middle just centerfielding ..... no man coverage at all. 8 blocks in the post already by the two Tufts big guys. ( alternating, not on the court at same time ).   Anyway, hope some of you will catch second half.  NEC will not try and " hang on " - they are pedal to the metal all the way.

[middhoops]

NEC with 16 steals against Tufts.
I thought the Pilgrims were tough at Midd.  Tufts must not have scouted that game.  Tonight NEC played even more aggressively.  I love watching that team.

[SpringSt7]

NEC holds on to knock Tufts off 59-56. Brennan Morris had a great look to tie it with under 10 seconds left but it went around and out. Thanks MiddWatcher for the suggestion! It was a fascinating game. Anytime you play a team like NEC you're going to see some whacky box scores---I'm sure we all remember the statistical anomalies from Williams win over Whitman in last year's Sweet 16. I'm sure if you told either coach that NEC was going to score 59 points that they would have thought it was a 20+ point Tufts win...NEC is 9th in the country averaging 90.6 points per game.

These mid week games, especially in the thick of conference play, are always tricky, especially on the road. Credit to Tufts for having the guts to schedule it, I wouldn't want to have 1 or 2 days to prepare for a team like that. Hopefully it doesn't come back to bite them when it comes time to hand out Pool C bids. 

[Colby Hoops]

NEC with 16 steals against Tufts.
I thought the Pilgrims were tough at Midd.  Tufts must not have scouted that game.  Tonight NEC played even more aggressively.  I love watching that team.

They are a fun team to watch, but their results are kind of wild. Beating WPI and Tufts, nearly beating Midd on the road, but also losing to Mitchell and getting blown out by Eastern Nazarene. Hard to know what kind of performance they'll give you from game to game, but if you catch them on a good night, watch out.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

NEC with 16 steals against Tufts.
I thought the Pilgrims were tough at Midd.  Tufts must not have scouted that game.  Tonight NEC played even more aggressively.  I love watching that team.

They are a fun team to watch, but their results are kind of wild. Beating WPI and Tufts, nearly beating Midd on the road, but also losing to Mitchell and getting blown out by Eastern Nazarene. Hard to know what kind of performance they'll give you from game to game, but if you catch them on a good night, watch out.

You just have to be ready for the speed and defense.  If you've got a solid plan to take care of the ball and the guards with the ability to carry it out, they aren't a huge test.  NEC likes to dictate pace; if they get to, they're very tough.

[booyakasha]

NEC with 16 steals against Tufts.
I thought the Pilgrims were tough at Midd.  Tufts must not have scouted that game.  Tonight NEC played even more aggressively.  I love watching that team.

They are a fun team to watch, but their results are kind of wild. Beating WPI and Tufts, nearly beating Midd on the road, but also losing to Mitchell and getting blown out by Eastern Nazarene. Hard to know what kind of performance they'll give you from game to game, but if you catch them on a good night, watch out.

You just have to be ready for the speed and defense.  If you've got a solid plan to take care of the ball and the guards with the ability to carry it out, they aren't a huge test.  NEC likes to dictate pace; if they get to, they're very tough.

Case in point: Colby 103, NEC 67, not much of a test.

The Colby@Tufts match up has been circled on my calendar for awhile. Pretty crazy that it wasn't until 1/28 that the two schools have played a common opponent. Goes to show how many programs there are in the New England region.

[Cards Fan]

Here's how Massey gives Wesleyan's chances to win the remainder of their games:

at Amherst - 28%
at Hamilton - 45%
vs Williams - 63%
vs Middlebury - 48%
at Colby - 15%
at Bowdoin - 81%

Amherst seems a bit low, even for a road game. Strange to think that Wesleyan has won 7 straight against the Jeffs. Middlebury seems a bit high in my opinion as well, seems that Middlebury is a much better team.

[SpringSt7]

Here's how Massey gives Wesleyan's chances to win the remainder of their games:

at Amherst - 28%
at Hamilton - 45%
vs Williams - 63%
vs Middlebury - 48%
at Colby - 15%
at Bowdoin - 81%

Amherst seems a bit low, even for a road game. Strange to think that Wesleyan has won 7 straight against the Jeffs. Middlebury seems a bit high in my opinion as well, seems that Middlebury is a much better team.

Sorry to interrupt, but didn't Amherst beat Wesleyan twice last year?

[toad22]

Here's how Massey gives Wesleyan's chances to win the remainder of their games:

at Amherst - 28%
at Hamilton - 45%
vs Williams - 63%
vs Middlebury - 48%
at Colby - 15%
at Bowdoin - 81%

Amherst seems a bit low, even for a road game. Strange to think that Wesleyan has won 7 straight against the Jeffs. Middlebury seems a bit high in my opinion as well, seems that Middlebury is a much better team.

It is clear that Williams gets no respect when they are big underdogs to a team that they beat by 25 points earlier in the season. I guess that is what you get when you are 9-9.

[Cards Fan]

Here's how Massey gives Wesleyan's chances to win the remainder of their games:

at Amherst - 28%
at Hamilton - 45%
vs Williams - 63%
vs Middlebury - 48%
at Colby - 15%
at Bowdoin - 81%

Amherst seems a bit low, even for a road game. Strange to think that Wesleyan has won 7 straight against the Jeffs. Middlebury seems a bit high in my opinion as well, seems that Middlebury is a much better team.

Sorry to interrupt, but didn't Amherst beat Wesleyan twice last year?

I misread the 61-60 game as in Wesleyan's favor, and completely forgot the postseason. My point is completely invalid. 

[Colby Hoops]

No Grant Robinson tonight for Amherst. Stating the obvious, Amherst needs him and Sellew back if they're going to make a push.

[jumpshot]

The former lord jeffs win yet another scrimmage tonight at home 95-67 by crushing Salem State, now with a record of 2-17. How much fun can it be, even without lj's important players participating? Oh, I know, Salem State was without its star player out for the season after the first five games....Is there a minimum out-of-conference strength of schedule required for eligibility for post-season play?