MBB: NESCAC

[stlawus]

If you don't want to your opponent to throw an alley oop at the end of the game down 40, play better defense.  This isn't elementary basketball, it's college basketball in what is ostensibly one of the toughest league's in the country and a rival game to boot. 

[toad22]

If you don't want to your opponent to throw an alley oop at the end of the game down 40, play better defense.  This isn't elementary basketball, it's college basketball in what is ostensibly one of the toughest league's in the country and a rival game to boot.

I guess that is correct. I wish we had defended that play better. That doesn't absolve the coach of terrible judgement in calling the play to begin with. Except as an attempt by the coach to try to humiliate the players, nothing could be gained by it. The game was effectively over.

[Sabrina76]

I guess the world has changed since I played. As a point guard I made the passes that I thought I could make, that the defense gave me. I really didn't know the coaches now call every play, particularly late in a game in a rout. I wouldn't have known that the coach subbed a player specifically for an alley-oop play to embarrass the other team. I guess it was fortunate for him that the defense allowed it.

[Cards Fan]

Maybe it is just me but is anyone taken back a bit by the magnitude of the beatdown last night?   Sort of seems like piling on to me ...

The last person in the world I would expect to let up in a blowout would be Joe Reilly coaching in Chandler Gymnasium.

How about up 40 with less than 5 minutes left, subbing Jordan James back in to run an alley-oop play for him. Very bush league.

You don't have that stuff happen in games that you don't go down 40 in. Play embarrassing basketball, get embarrassed.

[nescac1]

Without getting into what Wesleyan did or didn't do, what Nescac team would not play as you call it "embarrassing basketball" down half its rotation with the rest unable to play 5 v 5 and barely able to practice at all for several weeks, and several who did play just recovered from COVID, vs an opponent at full strength?  Credit to the Williams guys who showed up and tried knowing they were nowhere close to game condition.  I mean, at full strength, Williams beat this team and not by accident.  You think Williams couldn't crush Wesleyan just as badly if it was down, say, Peek, Dezonie, James, DeLollo and Walker, and Johnson was at maybe 60 percent?  Just not fair to say a shell of a team (I mean a fourth-string guy was out there who's played barely a minute in his career due to injuries) "embarrassed" themselves. 

[Cards Fan]

Without getting into what Wesleyan did or didn't do, what Nescac team would not play as you call it "embarrassing basketball" down half its rotation with the rest unable to play 5 v 5 and barely able to practice at all for several weeks, and several who did play just recovered from COVID, vs an opponent at full strength?  Credit to the Williams guys who showed up and tried knowing they were nowhere close to game condition.  I mean, at full strength, Williams beat this team and not by accident.  You think Williams couldn't crush Wesleyan just as badly if it was down, say, Peek, Dezonie, James, DeLollo and Walker, and Johnson was at maybe 60 percent?  Just not fair to say a shell of a team (I mean a fourth-string guy was out there who's played barely a minute in his career due to injuries) "embarrassed" themselves.

Emphasis is less on Williams playing bad and more on posters acting as if Joe Reilly called timeout, said "let's make sure these kids feel terrible about themselves" and then put in his best guys to run up the score. I'm sure Williams will bounce back just fine.

[nescac1]

On another note, speaking of missing guys, Colby seems pretty decimated right now ... down Tyson, King and Basich for the last few games (or more).  That's brutal. 

[SpringSt7]

Putting Jordan James back in the game with 5 minutes left is pretty lame but I also don't think that was a set play Wesleyan ran for an alley oop, I think that was just a pick and roll and a good pass. Embarassing seems like a harsh choice of words. Reilly could've emptied the bench earlier and gotten his end of the bench guys more minutes but I also don't begrudge any coach in this COVID affected season for wanting to keep his guys in the best shape possible, especially considering Wesleyan has had some guys in and out of the rotation as well. If Williams is up 30 on Tufts this weekend I would hope App does his best to get Karren, Spivy, etc, as close to a full compliment of minutes as possible.

Going back to the coach of the year debate---I think any of App, Reilly, or Brown are incredibly deserving. It doesn't feel like it now but please remember that Williams received 1 Top 25 vote and Wesleyan received 0 in the preseason poll. While Middlebury's success has been unexpected, so too has Williams and Wesleyan's, both teams were expected to be somewhere in the glob that was the 3-7 range in the NESCAC standings, with Colby, Middlebury, and Trinity. Knowing the league, it will probably go to whoever wins the league, but I would push back on the idea that it should be a Jeff Brown runaway.

[Colby Hoops]

On another note, speaking of missing guys, Colby seems pretty decimated right now ... down Tyson, King and Basich for the last few games (or more).  That's brutal.

Frustrating season continues. They were playing fairly well before Tyson went down, and they've played hard in the two games since he's been out, but just very short handed. Silver lining is that some of the younger players have been playing better with larger opportunities, including Lucas Green last night.

[midrangepullup]

Seeding for the tournament is going to be incredibly interesting, don't think anyone has really locked up their spot except for probably Wesleyan.

[warriorcat]

https://www.addisonindependent.com/2022/01/20/karl-lindholm-who-is-art-pepin-to-me/

Thank you for the nice tribute to Art Pepin, the namesake for the renovated basketball facility at Middlebury.  I was a friend and fraternity brother of his son, Tom, in the 70's.  I had the pleasure of being with Art and his family during their visits for Middlebury football games and parties afterwards.  I even had the pleasure of staying at their home in Tampa during an infamous Spring Break trip on year.  He was a man filled with life and your description of him was spot on

Art Pepin had a big personality, was affable in the extreme: a raconteur; a crooner — he loved to sing and recite whole poems from memory (Frost's "Birches," for example). He said he was in the "business of making friends."

Art Pepin was great at his business.

I had the great pleasure to return to Middlebury in 2012 to see my son (Eastern Connecticut '13) play in Pepin. While it was still unmistakingly Memorial Fieldhouse, the improved court and the seating area made for a great venue. 

[SpringSt7]

My favorite gym in the NESCAC, bar none. Something about the way there is absolutely no wasted space makes it such a great atmosphere when it's packed.

[Old Guy]

https://www.addisonindependent.com/2022/01/20/karl-lindholm-who-is-art-pepin-to-me/

Thank you for the nice tribute to Art Pepin, the namesake for the renovated basketball facility at Middlebury.  I was a friend and fraternity brother of his son, Tom, in the 70's.  I had the pleasure of being with Art and his family during their visits for Middlebury football games and parties afterwards.  I even had the pleasure of staying at their home in Tampa during an infamous Spring Break trip on year.  He was a man filled with life and your description of him was spot on

Art Pepin had a big personality, was affable in the extreme: a raconteur; a crooner — he loved to sing and recite whole poems from memory (Frost's "Birches," for example). He said he was in the "business of making friends."

Art Pepin was great at his business.

I had the great pleasure to return to Middlebury in 2012 to see my son (Eastern Connecticut '13) play in Pepin. While it was still unmistakingly Memorial Fieldhouse, the improved court and the seating area made for a great venue.

Warriorcat, next time you come to Pepin, Bucket and I and other partisans will take you to Two Brothers in town for a meal and a beverage before or after the the game!

[warriorcat]

Thank you for the offer.  I am not sure that when I might take you up on this but hopefully sooner rather than later.

[jumpshot]

Ephs down by 14 at the half at Tufts due to 10 turnovers, lots of second-chance points, poor defense, etc. May still be recovering energy and timing...undoubtedly a tiring and erratic season for all teams.