MBB: NESCAC

names jaismith · February 14, 2022, 12:39:03 PM

A couple things before the new and improved NESCAC tournament begins. First, with all due respect to Stevens, the ROY is clearly Nicky Johnson. He makes every other guy on the floor better, is an excellent defender, and an under rated scorer. When he's out there, Wesleyan is even more than the sum of their already formidable parts. Second, Tim Sweeney should be getting serious consideration for COY. I know, COY usually goes to the coach of the championship team or at least a team near the top, but what other NESCAC coach had to lift a program that was so far down with a roster that, except for two role players, is filled entirely with players who had never experienced even one college season?

nescac1 · February 14, 2022, 01:02:29 PM

I think Johnson is awesome (I've been high on him since very early in the season) and a worthy ROY contender. He'd be my choice any of the past few NESCAC seasons and the improved play in recent weeks from him and Jordan James is why Wesleyan is currently the top team in the league and in my view severely underrated nationally (they should be a top-12 sort of team at this point). But he has SO much more talent around him than Stevens, who gets a huge amount of defensive attention from opposing defenses and almost never gets a breather out there. Unlike Stevens, Johnson isn't drawing the best perimeter defender every game, and Johnson can stay fresh since Wes has probably the best back-up PG in the league. Stevens might well be NATIONAL ROY, at least he certainly has to be in the running.

Statistically, Johnson is at 10/3/4 plus 1.5 spg on 52/41/73 splits. Stevens is at 18/6/1.5 on 41/40/79 splits. Not a huge gap, but the stats favor Stevens because he carries a much bigger scoring burden. Stevens' shooting numbers look just OK overall until you consider that he's taking a lot of very difficult, closely contested shots that he has to set up entirely on his own, no one is helping off of him ever. I do think Johnson is in the running if he has a really big NESCAC tourney and Midd flames out early, but passing Stevens would take a lot. Maybe there are co-ROYs as both are certainly very worthy.

Clearly Sweeney has done a heck of a coaching job, no doubt, I don't think anyone had Conn pegged for 4 wins this year especially with its top fifth-year guys opting not to return and McPherron quitting hoops. The league has been full of great coaching jobs this year. I think if you looking at "who did the most to elevate the talent on hand" that would still, to me, be Jeff Brown since Midd was in the same position as Conn, basically, with just one guy who had ever played meaningful minutes on the entire roster, and starting three frosh. Ultimately, with so many good candidates this seems like the sort of year that the coaches just give it to whomever wins the league tourney -- at least if it's Wesleyan, Tufts, Williams, Midd or Conn. Reilly is a really solid coach and elevated a below-average NESCAC team last season to the best in the league in one season. App (if Williams wins the league tourney) will have done it with a very young roster and despite two major COVID-related interruptions in the season, which have really messed up nearly the entire regular season after Dec 15 for the Ephs. Midd and Conn, already discussed. Brandon Linton in his first year has overcome a lot of player injuries / absences and gotten his team to buy in and dramatically improve their level over the course of the season. I also think Bowdoin's coach, while the team is just not good enough to be in this conversation, has done an impressive job to even pull out two league wins with the talent on hand.

names jaismith · February 14, 2022, 01:19:21 PM

Jeff Brown is an excellent coach. However, he had the benefit not being weighed down by history ......and if you know you are only going to have one experienced guy to build around, who wouldn't pick Sobel? He's one of the best, maybe the best, at his position in the entire league. That's why I'd give the edge to coach Sweeney, since he had to start completely from scratch.

nescac1 · February 14, 2022, 01:20:40 PM

Certainly a fair argument ... we need more commentary on Conn on the boards, so welcome!

SpringSt7 · February 14, 2022, 09:23:38 PM

I think if it's based strictly on the regular season and focused on conference play, Sweeney is a pretty safe pick. Again, Brown has done a great job but he's still replacing Middlebury graduates with Middlebury recruits, if that makes sense. Sweeney lost whatever minimal momentum he was building and had to turn over close to an entire roster, guys who didn't get to learn from the Jack Farrells and the Matt Folgers of the world to be competitive in the NESCAC. They lost like 35 league games in a row and just went 4-5! 4 wins is a lot! Even if they won 2 he could've been in COY contention.

With that being said, the only argument against Sam Stevens being ROY is that he's been the clear and overwhelming pick since about mid December and everyone is trying to be contrarian. Best freshman year since Duncan, if not better, when you really boil it down.

Painter66 · February 15, 2022, 12:04:37 AM

Sam Stevens is the best freshman I have seen in a long while at Middlebury, maybe ever. He is so good that even the coaches and other players defer to his sometimes bad shots. The fact is, and the league knows this, Midd needs him to score, rebound, and control the game in the clutch. Not many freshman get that job, and he has done a great job. Lately, the shots are getting tougher, even though Osher, Brennan, and Sobel continue to excel. I know I am biased, as a I played for Midd and have sent my family there, but he is deserving of at least the FOY award. In the big spots, he carries this over-acheiving team.

JEFFFAN · February 15, 2022, 09:01:23 AM

Has the schedule for the NESCAC playoffs been established?

midrangepullup · February 15, 2022, 09:05:44 AM

Yes.

2022 NESCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, February 18 - First Round (at Higher Seeds)
No. 11 Bowdoin at No. 6 Conn. College – 7 p.m.
No. 10 Bates at No. 7 Trinity – 7 p.m.
No. 9 Colby at No. 8 Hamilton – 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals (at Higher Seeds)
Saturday, February 19
No. 5 Amherst at No. 4 Williams – 2 p.m.
Sunday, February 20
Winner of No. 8 Hamilton/No. 9 Colby at No. 1 Wesleyan – 2 p.m.
Winner of No. 7 Trinity/No. 10 Bates at No. 2 Tufts – 2 p.m.
Winner of No. 6 Conn. College/No. 11 Bowdoin at No. 3 Middlebury – 2 p.m.

Semifinals – Saturday, February 26 (at Highest Remaining Seed)
2 p.m. | 4:30 p.m.
Highest Remaining Seed vs. Lowest Remaining Seed
Remaining Quarterfinal Winners

Championship – Sunday, February 27
Semifinal Winners - 12 p.m.

maineman · February 15, 2022, 01:06:06 PM

Anyone want to predict the winners of the first four games? Make Bold your choice for the winners. If there is enough interest we can do it again on Saturday evening. If you care to or think you need to you can explain your choices.

2022 NESCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, February 18 - First Round (at Higher Seeds)
No. 11 Bowdoin at No. 6 Conn. College – 7 p.m.
No. 10 Bates at No. 7 Trinity – 7 p.m.
No. 9 Colby at No. 8 Hamilton – 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals (at Higher Seeds)
Saturday, February 19
No. 5 Amherst at No. 4 Williams – 2 p.m.

maineman · February 15, 2022, 01:15:47 PM

Okay, I'll go.

2022 NESCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, 2022 NESCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, February 18 - First Round (at Higher Seeds)
No. 11 Bowdoin at No. 6 Conn. College – 7 p.m.
No. 10 Bates at No. 7 Trinity 7 p.m.
No. 9 Colby at No. 8 Hamilton – 7

Quarterfinals (at Higher Seeds)
Saturday, February 19
No. 5 Amherst at No. 4 Williams – 2 p.m.

midrangepullup · February 15, 2022, 01:19:10 PM

Quote from: maineman on February 15, 2022, 01:06:06 PM
Anyone want to predict the winners of the first four games? Make Bold your choice for the winners. If there is enough interest we can do it again on Saturday evening. If you care to or think you need to you can explain your choices.

2022 NESCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, February 18 - First Round (at Higher Seeds)
No. 11 Bowdoin at No. 6 Conn. College – 7 p.m.
No. 10 Bates at No. 7 Trinity – 7 p.m.
No. 9 Colby at No. 8 Hamilton – 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals (at Higher Seeds)
Saturday, February 19
No. 5 Amherst at No. 4 Williams – 2 p.m.

I think Conn, Trinity, Colby, and Williams win.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 15, 2022, 03:45:52 PM

Week 2 Regional Rankings - which are ranked now: https://d3hoops.com/notables/2022/02/men-regional-rankings-first

Colby Hoops · February 15, 2022, 04:02:43 PM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 15, 2022, 03:45:52 PM
Week 2 Regional Rankings - which are ranked now: https://d3hoops.com/notables/2022/02/men-regional-rankings-first

Tufts ahead of Midd, which seems to indicate that the Panthers have quite a bit of work to do in the Nescac tourney if they are to make the NCAAs.

nescac1 · February 15, 2022, 05:06:53 PM

Wow, they are really emphasizing SOS this year. Lots of teams with mediocre W-L records in the rankings. I assumed Tufts would have been behind Midd, Midd has a much better record and does have three wins v ranked foes which is certainly respectable. Both have work to do but if they meet in NESCAC semis that might effectively be a Pool C in-or-out game. Wesleyan is safely in and will almost surely host to the Final Four if it wins out (that win over WPI is big). Williams is likely in but needs a win v Amherst to feel safe.

names jaismith · February 15, 2022, 05:42:04 PM

For me, Amherst is the mystery team of the league. Tons of athleticism and great, experienced guards, maybe the best duo in a league full of good backcourt players. Lots of length and depth, too. They have the ability to rise up, but an alarming tendency to underwhelm at times. They could beat any team in the league or flame out in a hurry.