MBB: NESCAC

[fpc85]

eclinchy;

Thought I'd help you fill the gaps and help stifle the yawns from the Amherst crowd.

I thought early in the season that this might be the year for Middlebury, and fellow posters disagreed because of the strength of the league this year. Then Andrew Harris got injured, and things looked bleak for Middlebury. But Ashton Coughlan got a lot of playing time as a result, and from the one game I saw him play vs. Colby, he was almost impossible  to cover. Now that Harris is back, and has had time to recondition, Middlebury to my mind looks even better than they looked at the beginning of the season.

Middlebury has the size with Smith and Walsh to fight off Amherst's post players. Rudin is a great unselfish point guard who always keeps the offense moving. Edwards is a very good all around player who is not going to allow Amherst or any other team to shoot perimeter shots over him. And Harris and Coughlin supply dangerous firepower. I think that Middlebury is in the best position to knock off Amherst, of any team in the league. I think they will get past Williams without a lot of difficulty.

i am not bored...good to see midd fans speaking up....hopefully your team will get an opportunity to prove you right. williams and the winner of trin/conn are tough teams to beat. in additon, colby gave the jeffs fits as did bates..so there are no guarantees.  i seem to think the teams that played the jeffs close had their chance and they failed but who thought wiliams would shoot lights out and win the tourney last year.

[FormerPolarBear]

Predictions

Amherst 72- Colby 58

Trinity 62- Conn 59

Bowdoin 64- Bates 57

Williams 78- Middlebury- 73

[NY Hoopster]

fpc85

I'm actually a Colby fan, so my opinion regarding Middlebury is unbiased. So, I'm of course not amused by Former Polar Bear's prediction, especially since it more than doubles the points by which Colby lost to Amherst last time (6). I was not impressed with the Jeff's inside game in the last contest. It is based on size, not quickness. With Mike Russell up to speed, and Adam Choice coming off a big weekend, I think the Jeffs will have their hands full down low. The Jeffs also had great difficulty handling Colby's guards, so I don't see a big difference in this matchup. A six-point spread means that the game will probably go to whichever team has the hotter shooting hand, unless the Amherst bigs bring a different game than they brought last time.

[hoopjunkie]

I am looking forward to the Williams - Middlebury game tomorrow - they really are very similar in terms of personnel . Middlebury has been much more consistant this year & Shalvoy & Rose have both had tough years . They both have 2 of the best centers in the conference &  very good wings.
I think  Middlebury has a slight advantage in terms of shooters & Williams has nicers uniforms . Middlebury 75- Williams 69   Unless Rose breaks out of his season long slump . Go Panthers

[fpc85]

fpc85

I'm actually a Colby fan, so my opinion regarding Middlebury is unbiased. So, I'm of course not amused by Former Polar Bear's prediction, especially since it more than doubles the points by which Colby lost to Amherst last time (6). I was not impressed with the Jeff's inside game in the last contest. It is based on size, not quickness. With Mike Russell up to speed, and Adam Choice coming off a big weekend, I think the Jeffs will have their hands full down low. The Jeffs also had great difficulty handling Colby's guards, so I don't see a big difference in this matchup. A six-point spread means that the game will probably go to whichever team has the hotter shooting hand, unless the Amherst bigs bring a different game than they brought last time.

All the bigs for the jeffs were below season avgs. i don't think that will occur again. also, the mules don't usually shoot that well (80%!!). if they shoot their season avg. colby could be in trouble.

[La Verdad]

fpc85

I'm actually a Colby fan, so my opinion regarding Middlebury is unbiased. So, I'm of course not amused by Former Polar Bear's prediction, especially since it more than doubles the points by which Colby lost to Amherst last time (6). I was not impressed with the Jeff's inside game in the last contest. It is based on size, not quickness. With Mike Russell up to speed, and Adam Choice coming off a big weekend, I think the Jeffs will have their hands full down low. The Jeffs also had great difficulty handling Colby's guards, so I don't see a big difference in this matchup. A six-point spread means that the game will probably go to whichever team has the hotter shooting hand, unless the Amherst bigs bring a different game than they brought last time.

Thank goodness this game is at Amherst.  The Jeffs would really have to play out of their minds to beat Colby on the road.

[NY Hoopster]

fpc85

The shooting percentages in the last Colby/Amherst game were as follow;
Colby; overall; .458
          from 3; .600

Amherst; overall; .511
               from 3; .464

LaVerdad;

I think someone on this board has already done the home vs. away analysis for Nescac, and as I recall, the home advantage is = to 5 points. That would have made the last Colby/Amherst matchup a 1pt win for Amherst if played in Waterville, statistically speaking. Your sarcasm, however, is duly noted.

[fpc85]

fpc85

The shooting percentages in the last Colby/Amherst game were as follow;
Colby; overall; .458
          from 3; .600

Amherst; overall; .511
               from 3; .464

LaVerdad;

I think someone on this board has already done the home vs. away analysis for Nescac, and as I recall, the home advantage is = to 5 points. That would have made the last Colby/Amherst matchup a 1pt win for Amherst if played in Waterville, statistically speaking. Your sarcasm, however, is duly noted.

nyh,
I was talking about cutrone and guadet. they shot 78% from arc. nonetheless the colby team 3pt% for the year is 41%. as i said before the mules will be in trouble if the shoot their avg.
lastly, choice now has a chance to state his case for conf. honors against the best frontline in the nescac.
nyh will you be at the game?

[BooBallsCasRay]

1) Kevin Hopkins can kill two stones with one bird.
2) Kevin Hopkins is the reason Waldo is hiding.
3) Kevin Hopkins can divide by zero.
4) Kevin Hopkins can eat just one Lay's potato chip.
5) Everybody loves Raymond. Except Kevin Hopkins.

[NY Hoopster]

fpc85

I will be at the game .

Adam Choice has already stated his case, as Nescac player of the week, #3 scorer in the league, and in the top 10 players in several other categories. His defensive skills were on display against Pierce last week (held to 12), and throughout the season, during which no big man wrecked havoc on the Mules thanks primarily to Choice's defense, rebounding, blocking shots, etc. As I have said before on this board, you would need a very solid reason to keep the number 3 scorer out of the top 10 guys, and there simply isn't any such reason; unless being a sophomore is a reason. And, what does he have to prove against Amherst? He had a double-double last time out. I'm going to stop at this point since I'm just being repetitive of my prior posts.

[CCsalive]

Way too much Colby chatter...perhaps some guys are looking for a post-season All Crazy nomination?
Where is formerBant? I want a piece of him.

Who wins a tournament of the bottom four teams?
#1 Williams
#2 Bates
#3 Conn
#4 Colby

It would be a tight semi-final match-up b/w Bates and CC, but the home court could be the deciding factor.
Williams vs Colby? Championship?

[fpc85]

fpc85

I will be at the game .

Adam Choice has already stated his case, as Nescac player of the week, #3 scorer in the league, and in the top 10 players in several other categories. His defensive skills were on display against Pierce last week (held to 12), and throughout the season, during which no big man wrecked havoc on the Mules thanks primarily to Choice's defense, rebounding, blocking shots, etc. As I have said before on this board, you would need a very solid reason to keep the number 3 scorer out of the top 10 guys, and there simply isn't any such reason; unless being a sophomore is a reason. And, what does he have to prove against Amherst? He had a double-double last time out. I'm going to stop at this point since I'm just being repetitive of my prior posts.

Choice is a very good player....sophs have been known to have to wait....would you take choice over the jeff bigs?

[La Verdad]

Your sarcasm, however, is duly noted.

Yeah sorry, just seems a little strange to call the #1 v. #8 game a toss up. 
Choice certainly puts up great numbers; I'm excited to see how he does the second time around.

[FormerPolarBear]

CC, I would take Conn College to win a tourney between the bottom four teams (assuming all games are being played on a neutral court). I think they were the most consistent of those teams and I think Bates overacheieved this year.  They are not as good as their record may indicate.

[ILive4This]

I really do not like the term overachieved. I may be a bit hypocritical as I do agree with the term Underachieve. To say bates did better than expected is one thing, however I think if you win games, you played well and won games end of story. You can certainly beat expectations, and perhaps they did that, but to say they overachieved, I think is perhaps unfair to the Bates team. A second win in a row against Bowdoin, will be a surprise, but I would not put it past them, however, I feel like this Bates squad with a win over the polar bears will be 1 and done, where as Bowdoin has a decent shot if they get through their maine rival (pun intended), to make it to the final.