MBB: NESCAC

hoopjunkie · January 07, 2008, 12:18:35 PM

Okeefe high ankle sprain may be back vs Wheaton . Nescac 1 I`m telling you these were tough teams . What do you know about the schools in the Willliams tourney were they really a combined 4-24 ??

Marty Peretz · January 07, 2008, 02:28:10 PM

I say the Jeffs will cover barely and win by around 24, 25. Great line though.

walzy31 · January 08, 2008, 02:05:12 PM

Thanks Marty. Nice double double for Thompson last night.

The last four seasons between the two schools Amherst is 9-0 and would be 6-2-1 against a 22 point spread.

nescac1 · January 08, 2008, 02:35:20 PM

Considering that:

(1) this is the worst Wesleyan team in recent memory
(2) Amherst will be motivated to play well after a recent stretch of less than dominating performances
(3) Amherst tends to really blow out bad teams due to its deep bench and
(4) Williams played, and shot, as poorly as they possibly could have, and still beat Wesleyan by 10 on the road, while this game is at Amherst, and
(5) Thomas, they of the 40 point loss to Bates, recently took Wesleyan to OT,

I'd say the spread is actually a little low. Amherst by 32.

Hoop junkie, I am not saying Williams has played a murderer's row, but they have beaten several very solid teams that I'd say are better than the two teams Tufts just lost to (Ursinus, Keene St., and a Springfield team that is far better than its record), and 12-0 is 12-0. Tufts is still very talented with 3-4 of the better players in the league, and can beat anyone on any given night, but it seems like, as with last year, they will also suffer some surprising losses.

ILive4This · January 08, 2008, 07:25:44 PM

As expected, Amherst is out to an early lead. Up 9 with 6 1/2 left in the first half. Wesleyan is on a bit of a run now though, as the lead has gone down from around the 15 range.

ILive4This · January 08, 2008, 07:42:56 PM

With 18 seconds left in the first half, Amherst's Walters has 15 pts and is shooting 100% from the floor (5-5) including 2-2 from behind the arc and is 3-3 from the charity stripe.

ILive4This · January 08, 2008, 08:44:50 PM

So it looks like Amherst really only needed three players on the court to beat wesleyan, as they had three players over 20 pts each, and the rest of the scoring spread out fairly evenly in the low single digits.

The Historian · January 08, 2008, 08:56:41 PM

85-63 - Amherst wins by 22.

Walzy, you are a superhero.

nescac1 · January 08, 2008, 09:40:57 PM

I was way off ... I bow to Walzy.

formerbant10 · January 08, 2008, 09:44:21 PM

Quote from: formerbant10 on December 27, 2007, 05:20:03 PM
He's Walzy, never underestimate his powers.

He knows his 'CAC hoops better than most.

JustAFan · January 08, 2008, 10:39:41 PM

Interesting stat from tonight's Amherst/Wesleyan game: Wesleyan attempted a total of 3 three point shots in the entire game, one in the first half and two in the second, with all 3 shots being taken by subs. Was the Amherst perimeter defense that good, or does Wesleyan just try to pound the ball down inside? Even though Amherst played 10 players in the first half, it also should be noted that it was only a 6 point game at the half (40-34), but the Jeffs obviously turned it up early and often in the second half.

daoustian · January 09, 2008, 01:35:58 AM

Alrighty, now that the practice game is out of the way for Amherst, let's start putting together a preview for Saturday for those of us who are driving in to attend the game.

nescac1 · January 09, 2008, 08:08:15 AM

A few facts to whet folks' appetite for Williams/Amherst:

Williams has not won a regular season game at Amherst since 1996 (which is also the first year I could find consistent information on the results). Williams has won two NESCAC tournament games against the 'herst on its homecourt during that period.

Since 1996, Williams' overall record vs. Amherst: 14-18. Amherst has the edge overall, but Williams has the edge in big games: 3-0 in NCAA tourney play, and 3-2 in NESCAC tourney games (including 3-0 in NESCAC title games).

Record on neutral courts: 1-1
Record at Williams (including post-season): Williams 10-5
Record at Amherst (including post-season): Amherst 12-3

The two teams have combined during that same time period for seven final four appearances (four Williams, three Amherst), two national titles, three national coach of the year awards, two national player of the year awards (Nogelo and Olson), one win at Div I Holy Cross, the D-3 record for consecutive home court wins, and all seven NESCAC tournament wins (Amherst 4, Williams 3) (the tourney started in 2001).

When you consider intensity of the rivalry (as intense as can be), eveness of the rivalry (even in every way), importance to fans (the biggest game of the year, every year), quality of play (among the highest in Div III), and regional and national impact (at least one of these schools in serious contention for national title every year except from 1999-2001), hard to imagine that any other basketball rivarly, other than Hope-Calvin, comes close over the same time period. (Calvin-Hope is very very close, draws more fans and is as intense, but those teams haven't been as consistent in terms of national contention and regional dominance during that time period ...).

frank uible · January 09, 2008, 10:55:34 AM

Thanks for the exposition. Now I know what I will be missing.

fpc85 · January 09, 2008, 11:27:33 AM

Quote from: nescac1 on January 09, 2008, 08:08:15 AM
A few facts to whet folks' appetite for Williams/Amherst:

Williams has not won a regular season game at Amherst since 1996 (which is also the first year I could find consistent information on the results). Williams has won two NESCAC tournament games against the 'herst on its homecourt during that period.

Since 1996, Williams' overall record vs. Amherst: 14-18. Amherst has the edge overall, but Williams has the edge in big games: 3-0 in NCAA tourney play, and 3-2 in NESCAC tourney games (including 3-0 in NESCAC title games).

Record on neutral courts: Amherst 2-1
Record at Williams (including post-season): Williams 10-5
Record at Amherst (including post-season): Amherst 11-3

The two teams have combined during that same time period for seven final four appearances (four Williams, three Amherst), two national titles, three national coach of the year awards, two national player of the year awards (Nogelo and Olson), one win at Div I Holy Cross, the D-3 record for consecutive home court wins, and all seven NESCAC tournament wins (Amherst 4, Williams 3) (the tourney started in 2001).

When you consider intensity of the rivalry (as intense as can be), eveness of the rivalry (even in every way), importance to fans (the biggest game of the year, every year), quality of play (among the highest in Div III), and regional and national impact (at least one of these schools in serious contention for national title every year except from 1999-2001), hard to imagine that any other basketball rivarly, other than Hope-Calvin, comes close over the same time period. (Calvin-Hope is very very close, draws more fans and is as intense, but those teams haven't been as consistent in terms of national contention and regional dominance during that time period ...).

Amherst has win 6 of the last 7 by an average of 14.5 points. It will be interesting to see if The NESCAC championship game (The Ephs only win since 04-05 season.) is more about Williams improving breaking the 3 year drought or them playing their best game by far since Crotty and Coffin suited up. I guess as a Jeff fan I should think Williams should win because they return all key players and the Jeffs don't have the class of '07. We shall see. My heart says the Jeff's will win.

Walzy what's the line ?