MBB: NESCAC

[names jaismith]

Midd and Williams do seem to be cruising toward NCAA bids, unless there is some bizarro upset in the league playoffs.  If they both make the final, they should be a lock.  After that, not so sure.  Wesleyan would seem to have the hot hand and a chance.  Trinity I'm afraid, is on Pool C life support.  Overall a terrible non league schedule, and they really needed to beat both Conn and Wesleyan.  They didn't.  They might still sneak in but they'd need to win four of the next six - at least - and make the league final.  Tufts' setbacks to Conn and Bates, even though both are dangerous on their home courts, are not helpful at all.  Admittedly they have a path with a but it will likely take five or six wins in the last seven - and they play four of the best NESCAC teams on the road.

[middhoops]

Colby Hoops makes great points.
When I look at the Williams roster, it resembles a D3 coach's wish list of players.  Most of this season however, playing against lesser competition the Ephs played lackadaisically early in games and used their raw talent later to win them.
When they played against their arch rival Amherst it still appeared that they were not playing as hard as the Mammoths.  Twice, one might argue.
Then against a strong Middlebury team, in the first half the Ephs got out-hustled and badly outrebounded.  In the second half Williams was arguably the better team.  Alas, too much deficit to make up.
So my completely unqualified opinion is that Williams IS an elite team.  An elite team that in late January has a whole ton of upside as they probably haven't come close this season to playing the best game they're capable of.
Losing Roughley is huge.  With Roughley's big frame (and full complement of fouls) to lean on Alex Soble/David Brennan for 30 minutes, Midd's domination of Williams in the paint may have been significantly diminished.
As for lacking a true All American...other than Alex Sobel do we have others in the conference over Nicky Johnson's height?  Karren, Spivy, Prowitt-Smith, Porter, Glatzer and Roughley dwarfs what any other NESCAC team can hope for from a talent/size/shooting standpoint.  Lacking a Sobel really makes the difference? 

The Ephs will find their stride.  Their talent and coaching will take them to the Sweet 16 and probably beyond.  Most programs would consider that "elite".

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Heading up to Vermont this weekend to take in two games at Middlebury.  Definitely the right time to do it; they seem to be playing their best basketball of the year!

[SpringSt7]

Drew Pasteur's Bubble Watch as of today looks as follows for the NESCAC

Middlebury - 99%
Williams - 96% (Currently the 3rd Pool C bid)
Tufts - 39% (C19)
Wesleyan - 37% (C20)
Trinity - 33% (C26)
Hamilton - 7% (C34)
Colby - 4% (C41)
Conn College - 3% (C49)

I am not a math guy but I believe that would be about a 50% chance of the NESCAC getting three teams in?

[ronk]

 There are 20 Pool C teams this year so that should mean Tufts(C19) and Wesleyan(C20) would be in also at this point.

[SpringSt7]

Tufts is the first team in the "Bubble Out" tier so I will amend my original post, I assumed that meant they were on the wrong side of the bubble when evidently it does not. A weird way to organize it but my bad nonetheless.

Anyone interested can check out the full list here:

http://www.fantastic50.net/d3h_men.html

[Old Guy]

Heading up to Vermont this weekend to take in two games at Middlebury.  Definitely the right time to do it; they seem to be playing their best basketball of the year!

How will Bucket, Midd Hoops, and I recognize you (perhaps they already know you!). Maybe you should wear a white coat and a pink carnation:
https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TDbKKynPq8oyYPRSK8_ILElVKC7ILyopVkjOTyxRSMxLUUhUKMjMy1ZITizKSyzJzM8DAAhLE1g&q=white+sports+coat+and+a+pink+carnation&oq=white+sports+coat+and+&aqs=chrome.1.0i355i512j46i512j69i57j46i512j0i512j0i22i30l5.10766j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[middhoops]

OG, I'm camped out in the Arizona desert but I'll reimburse you for buying Ryan a beer on me at Two Brothers.

[Hamilton4]

Huge weekend for the Continentals, should we hold serve by knocking off Trinity and Wesleyan on our home floor this weekend, it should boost us into the 20's for pool C. The conference should really take shape after this weekend. After top 10 victories against Middlebury and WPI our young team is really gaining confidence.

[middhoops]

Wesleyan defeated Mass-Dartmouth at home tonight 80-75. 
Stat of the night:  Nicky Johnson had 11 assists to 1 turnover.  Not bad.

[SpringSt7]

Nicky Johnson is averaging 8.3 assists per game at home, and 5.3 assists per game on the road. I think Nicky Johnson is fantastic and it is hard to play well on the road as is, but I think they are a little lenient at the scorer's table in Middletown.

[toad22]

Nicky Johnson is averaging 8.3 assists per game at home, and 5.3 assists per game on the road. I think Nicky Johnson is fantastic and it is hard to play well on the road as is, but I think they are a little lenient at the scorer's table in Middletown.

One thing I have learned in 20 years of traveling around the Northeast watching D3 basketball is that there is a huge difference in how assists are counted. All statistics where there is interpretation involved are not particularly good for rank ordering players. Assists are the toughest.

[names jaismith]

Huge weekend ahead for NESCAC hoops.  The playoff picture won't be settled but should be clearer.  Here's my best, and likely way off, guesses:

FRIDAY
Middlebury  79  Bates 60
Bowdoin 62  Conn 60
Trinity 67  Hamilton 61
Wesleyan 71  Amherst 63
Williams 78  Tufts 63

SATURDAY
Hamilton 66  Wesleyan 64
Middlebury 77 Tufts 69
Williams 82  Bates 61
Trinity 67  Amherst 63

SUNDAY
Colby 71  Conn 59

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Heading up to Vermont this weekend to take in two games at Middlebury.  Definitely the right time to do it; they seem to be playing their best basketball of the year!

How will Bucket, Midd Hoops, and I recognize you (perhaps they already know you!). Maybe you should wear a white coat and a pink carnation:
https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TDbKKynPq8oyYPRSK8_ILElVKC7ILyopVkjOTyxRSMxLUUhUKMjMy1ZITizKSyzJzM8DAAhLE1g&q=white+sports+coat+and+a+pink+carnation&oq=white+sports+coat+and+&aqs=chrome.1.0i355i512j46i512j69i57j46i512j0i512j0i22i30l5.10766j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Well, having lived away from Vermont for 25 years now, I'll probably be overdressed.  Maybe the HardyStrong sweatshirt?  I've got a seat on press row, but I may sit in the crowd, Friday.  My uncle is planning to come, at least for the first half.  He's worked in the library at Middlebury for 30 years, but says he hasn't been to a basketball game before.

[ephoops]

Well, having lived away from Vermont for 25 years now, I'll probably be overdressed.  Maybe the HardyStrong sweatshirt?  I've got a seat on press row, but I may sit in the crowd, Friday.  My uncle is planning to come, at least for the first half.  He's worked in the library at Middlebury for 30 years, but says he hasn't been to a basketball game before.

Does he at least go to the women's lacrosse games!?!?