MBB: NESCAC

[formerbant10]

Baskauskis - (rearrange some letters) buckits

...and add a 't'


Nice try and extra props for the school spirit.

Don't forget about the 'c' either Hoops

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Baskauskis - (rearrange some letters) buckits

...and add a 't'


Nice try and extra props for the school spirit.

Don't forget about the 'c' either Hoops

Touche



that has a t and a c in it (although I can't figure out how to type the accent into this box).

[walzy31]

touché
ok...i may have been a little too ambitious on Baskauskis' handle, but i do know how to put accents marks up

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

é  There.  I cheated, but it still works.

[d3basketball34]

I like Amherst' chances tonight.  I looked over the first game that Tufts played w/ Witt and all the talk that Witt "ate up Tufts."  Baloney I say.  Both their big men were out of action w/ foul trouble.  Their sole true forward did them in w/ 24 pts (I believe) and a majority of them at the line.  The score may have been out of wack but hell Tufts shot 29% for the game!  Their 3's were non-existent.  In the games that Witt had trouble with (Wabash and Wooster) both teams played an up-temp game that Witt doesn't want to get into.

Get their big men in foul trouble and bomb away w/ the 3's.  Nokie, Wheels, Bedford, Olson & bench should have no trouble finding their open shots.  Get up on these guys fast, make Witt play catch-up and run run run!

[nescachoopsfan]

yea i agree with d3basketball34, their main scorer was their small forward, who will probably be matched up with bedford.  two strong talented guards.  should be a great matchup.  tufts shot awfuly, and keep in mind the nescac doesnt have the same amount of practice that witt or any other team in the country which could have lead to the poor shooting. 

also rumor has it olsons shot was on sportscenters top 10 plays, anyone have any concrete evidence?
what time is the amherst game, and is the finals tomorrow?

[formerbant10]

I'm not sure  why Witt's small forward would be matched up with Bedford.  I bet Casnocha takes him on D with Wheeler and O'Shea/Goldsmith handling the beef down low. 

Bedford will not guard Witt's top offensive perimeter player.  Not when they have players like Casnocha and McLaughlin to do that.

And I wouldn't fault the lack of practice time for the poor shooting.  NESCAC players are in the gym everyday as soon as they arrive on campus just like the rest of the country.  They're playing pick up (or should be) right away and should be in shape by the time practice comes around.

It was more likely 1st game jitters/good Witt team/playing on the road that had to do with the poor shooting.  It also just could've been an off night.

[walzy31]

Andrew Olson's shot WAS on ESPN yesterday...but I cannot truthfully say that it was part of the top 10. Van Pelt and the other announcer were hyping the top 10 march madness buzzer beaters of all time and as they were talking about it, the JumboCast clip came on with the original audio. It played from when Olson had the ball passed to him from Goldsmith. The funny part was that as it was playing, the announcers were saying "Creighton Florida in the 1998 tourny..." and then they stopped and said "that wasn't creighton florida...that looked like a high school gym." Haha so Olson got on SportsCenter but at LeFrak's expense.

BIG BIG game tonight
I'll take Amherst by 5 although they are probably 2-3 point dogs.
Not one "analyst" here in Salem did not take Ill-Wesleyan to win it all.

[nescachoopsfan]

formerbant yea i agree that guys are shooting and in shape and whatever, and maybe it was an off night, but offesnive execution is definetly not where it could be with 2 more weeks of practice.  you dont really learn how to counter any types of cheats a defense might come with to stop a play and just timing and everything is off.  a well timed play could lead to an open shot or a contested shot.  and im sure as you know that could lead to a bucket or a brick.  im not saying that with 2 weeks of practice tufts would have won, but i am saying shooting such a bad percentage could be since they are at a slight disadvantage.

[formerbant10]

nescac,

I see your point on the timing issue with shots being contested and uncontested. 

I disagree with the cheating defense point though.  If anyone knows your team's offense it's the rest of the players in practice.  Those are the guys that (or should) take away what the starters are most comfortable doing and make them react to what a defense who knows whats coming is going to do. 

Teammates know each other's tendencies better than opponents do and shold be able to cheat and take away options of plays.  That is why the toughest matchup for Tyler Rhoten is often Mike Hoar.  Those 2 battled each day for the past 3 years, and Hoar is the only one I've ever seen do a good job stopping (not slowing, but stopping) Rhoten from doing what he wants.

I do think that Tufts would've done much better against Witt had the game been later in the year.  They were playing at a great level in the last few weeks and could've played with nearly every team in the country.  It's too bad it was the 1st game of the year.  Maybe they'll try to schedule each other again next season.

[nescachoopsfan]

yea i agree definetly but that is what i am saying, with not as much practice, the teamates dont have as much practice adjusting to defensive cheats.  while i guess after 2 weeks of practice teamates should know the plays and be able to make the offensive player uncomfortable there isnt as much practice against that if you had the same amount of practices as the rest of the country.
btw what happened with rhotens brother this year?

[drt]

I believe Witt was one of the top teams nationally in field goal defence.  Maybe that had a bit to do with Tuft's shooting performance......

[ephoops]

Watching game on the net.  AmHerst is playing very tight, particularly Bedford and Wheeler.  Got to be the worst half by far played by AMH this year.  11 TO's in the first half.  They also used up 4 of 6 time outs in the first half.

Witt is totally controling the tempo.  They are lucky to be down by 2 points, 25-23.

AMH needs to pick up the pace in the second half.  I don't see AMH winning the game if they score in the 60's.  If thet can put up 40+ points in the second half, they should be in good shape.

[ephoops]

It's raining 3's for AMH in the second half.  AMH up 6 with 5:00 left --- 59-53.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It looks like this one will be close.