MBB: NESCAC

SpringSt7 · December 28, 2021, 02:05:26 PM

Didn't see this posted anywhere else, but Amherst's game today was canceled. No clue which side has positives, something to keep an eye on. They play Wesleyan and Williams in the next 2 weeks.

toad22 · December 28, 2021, 03:09:40 PM

I'm not sure why the Williams website hasn't announced this, but Williams is out of the W&L tournament. They quickly picked up @Suny IT on Wednesday at 5PM and @Utica at 2PM on Thursday. The game at Yeshiva on Sunday is still on, I believe. There are no fans allowed at Suny IT, but fans are welcome at Utica and Yeshiva.

nescac1 · December 28, 2021, 03:33:21 PM

Good last minute pick-ups for Williams. That's a pretty tough week for the Ephs ... three road games and two fairly long road trips in five days, SUNY-IT is 7-3 with one loss to D1 Colgate and Utica is 5-1 including a win over Hamilton, culminating in the big Yeshiva game. Quite a test for the Ephs!

thebear · December 28, 2021, 07:46:37 PM

Utica is 130 miles from Williamstown, Manhattan is 157, not exactly what you would call long road trips in D-III.

I do commend Williams for picking these two teams up, they will face a very good Utica team [Massey #88] and a SUNYIT team with a lot of size and a excellent player in Josh Gregory who is averaging 23 ppg and 9 rpg.

Speaking of road trips, on 1/7 and 1/8, Plattsburgh has to travel 452 miles to Fredonia, then drive 55 miles to Buffalo after the game at 11 PM. On Saturday play women's and men's games in Buffalo, then bus back to Plattsburgh 410 miles leaving around 7 PM. 917 mile road trip.

Colby Hoops · December 29, 2021, 08:58:41 AM

A few other cancellations this week in addition to the Williams and Amherst ones:

Colby at Salem State cancelled on 12/29
Conn at St Peters on 12/28 cancelled and 12/29 at Medgar Evers postponed
Hamilton tournament games on 12/29 and 12/30 in NJ cancelled

ephoops · December 29, 2021, 12:58:37 PM

Quote from: toad22 on December 28, 2021, 03:09:40 PM
I'm not sure why the Williams website hasn't announced this, but Williams is out of the W&L tournament. They quickly picked up @Suny IT on Wednesday at 5PM and @Utica at 2PM on Thursday. The game at Yeshiva on Sunday is still on, I believe. There are no fans allowed at Suny IT, but fans are welcome at Utica and Yeshiva.

Very nice pivot by Williams to pick up games with SUNT IT and Utica after the cancellation of the W&L tournament.

Yeshiva is scheduled to play #4 Illinois Wesleyan tomorrow night at Yeshiva. According to the Yeshiva website, that game is still on (although given how fast Omicron is spreading in Manhattan, anything can happen.). IWU's game at Mt. Saint Vincent in Riverdale, NY (just north of the Bronx for you non-New Yorkers) scheduled for later today was cancelled.

Credit Yeshiva for scheduling IWU and Williams in back-to-back games over the Holidays.

Colby Hoops · December 29, 2021, 03:53:20 PM

Quote from: Colby Hoops on December 29, 2021, 08:58:41 AM
A few other cancellations this week in addition to the Williams and Amherst ones:

Colby at Salem State cancelled on 12/29
Conn at St Peters on 12/28 cancelled and 12/29 at Medgar Evers postponed
Hamilton tournament games on 12/29 and 12/30 in NJ cancelled

Add Colby at Endicott on 12/30, Conn at York on 12/30, both games for Bates in the tournament at Springfield this weekend and Trinity vs FDU-Florham on 1/2 to the list of postponements/cancellations.

Anyone have any idea what the policy will be for league games impacted by COVID? Assuming they'll just try to reschedule, but it's going to be tricky if there is a number of these games impacted.

ephoops · December 29, 2021, 03:56:49 PM

Williams website is now listing the SUNY IT game as postponed.

I assume that it's COVID issues in the SUNY IT program and not Williams because the Utica game is listed as on for tomorrow.

toad22 · December 29, 2021, 04:49:10 PM

Quote from: ephoops on December 29, 2021, 03:56:49 PM
Williams website is now listing the SUNY IT game as postponed.

I assume that it's COVID issues in the SUNY IT program and not Williams because the Utica game is listed as on for tomorrow.

Williams' team was gathering at the bus when they got the word. Very frustrating. Tomowwow's game seems to be on and should be a good test.

nescac1 · December 29, 2021, 08:00:42 PM

A few Nescac player notes: Luke Rogers finally back for Tufts, putting up 18 and 10 in 24 minutes in a win. Tufts however was missing Carson Cohen and Jay Dieterle. Dieterle has been out for awhile. If Tufts can ever get fully healthy they certainly could go on a run in league play.

Wesleyan's Antone Walker has not played since getting hurt late in the Williams game. Nicky Johnson has been great in his stead but if he is seriously hurt (as appears to be the case?) it's certainly a significant loss for the Cards. Wesleyan just keeps on rolling in all events.

Greek Tragedy · December 29, 2021, 11:47:31 PM

Quote from: toad22 on December 29, 2021, 04:49:10 PM
Quote from: ephoops on December 29, 2021, 03:56:49 PM
Williams website is now listing the SUNY IT game as postponed.

I assume that it's COVID issues in the SUNY IT program and not Williams because the Utica game is listed as on for tomorrow.

Williams' team was gathering at the bus when they got the word. Very frustrating. Tomowwow's game seems to be on and should be a good test.

SUNYIT still has their game vs Alfred St posted on their website as well.

nescac1 · December 30, 2021, 11:07:30 AM

Williams website notes that Utica game postponed. Bummer.

Definitely worried about the start of league play in only one week with so many teams cancelling games right now. With every Nescac school having spectator limits and stringent testing plus booster requirements, it really should be fairly safe but if the schools freak out about anyone on teams getting infected, there is simply no way to prevent that until this wave crests in maybe a month. Sigh.

Colby Hoops · December 30, 2021, 11:39:13 AM

Quote from: nescac1 on December 30, 2021, 11:07:30 AM
Williams website notes that Utica game postponed. Bummer.

Definitely worried about the start of league play in only one week with so many teams cancelling games right now. With every Nescac school having spectator limits and stringent testing plus booster requirements, it really should be fairly safe but if the schools freak out about anyone on teams getting infected, there is simply no way to prevent that until this wave crests in maybe a month. Sigh.

Yeah, fingers crossed that the cancellations don't pile up to a point of derailing the season. So many awesome games in the next week too, including Williams/Yeshiva on Sunday (which maybe seems in jeopardy?) plus we finally get to see Amherst against real competition with Babson, Wesleyan, Midd and Williams all in an 8-day span. Seems like we won't know until day of if games are a go.

deiscanton · December 30, 2021, 01:51:43 PM

Brandeis Athletics tweeted at 1:29 PM Eastern Thursday, December 30, 2021, that Monday's January 3, 2022 Bates road game at Brandeis has been postponed to a future date to be determined due to positive COVID-19 test results detected among both the Bates and Brandeis men's basketball teams.

jumpshot · December 30, 2021, 04:27:33 PM

In my opinion, NESCAC presidents likely to postpone or cancel athletics soon to avoid possible risk of a few infections resulting in contagion of their campus. Academicians generally uncomfortable with operating dislocations, demands on faculty and staff, and incremental costs experienced in recent past.Trustees value avoidance of criticism, not heroism .... current spikes in cases occurring in an environment of confusion and impaired logistics at national, state, and local level. Ultimate solution is for pathogens to run their course ....