MBB: NESCAC

[royhobbs9]

I'm a NESCAC guy through and through.   And I'm rooting for Amherst to repeat.  However, don't sleep on Richard Stockton.  Aggressive pressing team that goes very deep.  Could give Amherst fits if they bring their "A" game.  If hot, they can be very dangerous... Don't say I didn't warn you...

[La Verdad]

Anybody think Mid has a shot at Rochester in the 1st round?  Mid has good size up front, maybe enough to handle the two monsters that play down low for Rochester?

I'm a NESCAC guy through and through.   And I'm rooting for Amherst to repeat.  However, don't sleep on Richard Stockton.  Aggressive pressing team that goes very deep.  Could give Amherst fits if they bring their "A" game.  If hot, they can be very dangerous... Don't say I didn't warn you...

Can you say more about Richard Stockton?  Are they perhaps similar in style and personnel to Stevens (Tech?) from last year?  Amherst usually doesn't have much trouble beating zone presses, but full court man pressure has certainly been a problem at times. 

It may be late, but congrats to Bowdoin on taking down the Jeffs.  The last 6 or 7 minutes were a lot of fun to watch.  Major props to Amherst for clawing their way back in.  They showed to fire and passion that had been missing for most of the year.

[eclinchy]

Anyone have thoughts on how this weekend affected the race for Wednesday's awards?

Did Martin seal his first-team selection?  Did Hippert sneak on to the first team?  Did Hasiuk or Taylor break into the second team?  Where are Sargeantson and Westbrooks in the DPOY race?  Any love for Gilbride or Ogrodnik for COY?

Grappling with some tough questions here.

[mrmike88]

Looking at the bracket, I was concerned about the fact that Amherst, should they win their first game, would have to possibly travel to Plattsburgh for the regional.  However, it looks like the NCAA anticipates the sweet sixteen returning to the valley.  By rule, Amherst's men and women cannot both host the regional, and Amherst men would have precedence if both were to advance that far and both were to earn that right.  Amherst's women's team has been placed in a bracket with midwestern and western teams, and would likely be the one team to have to fly to their regional should they make it that far.  This would pave the way for the men's team to play their regional at home, provided of course they win their first game...

[Pat Coleman]

Looking at the bracket, I was concerned about the fact that Amherst, should they win their first game, would have to possibly travel to Plattsburgh for the regional.  However, it looks like the NCAA anticipates the sweet sixteen returning to the valley.  By rule, Amherst's men and women cannot both host the regional, and Amherst men would have precedence if both were to advance that far and both were to earn that right.

No -- the women have precedence for the second weekend. The men have precedence for the first.

In odd numbered years, the reverse is true.

You are right about the Amherst women, however -- they are unlikely to host because of geography.

[mrmike88]

My bad, Pat - that makes their regional positioning even stranger, to me at least.

[backinmyday]

In response to the earlier message from eclinchy...I would have to say without a doubt Martin should be on the first team.  He did so many little things in all 3 tournament games that go under the radar, including holding Stone and Smith to 8 and 3 points.  Holding Aaron Smith to 3 points is very impressive.   Westbrooks defense was incredible the entire tournament, between Mosley, Rudin, and yesterday on Jackson, Westbrooks again put on a clinic for defense. Hippert had a very impressive tournament certainly, and even yesterday facing the Trinity Defense, was really the only player with perhaps the execption of a few Fliegel jump shots that scored.  It'll be interesting to see who gets what award come Wednesday

[backboard]

Besides Curry, there is still one more CCC team playing thanks to the ECAC's:

#8 UNE will travel to #1 Emerson (24-4) 7:00 p.m.

The rest of the tournament looks like this:
#7 Western Connecticut (14-11) at #2 Emmanuel (17-10), 7:00 p.m.
#6 Johnson & Wales (15-11) at #3 Newbury (18-9), 7:00 p.m.
#5 Husson (17-10) at #4 Fitchburg State (16-9), 8:00 p.m.

[feces monkey]

We could start Walzy, Nescac Hoops, Eclinchy, NYHoopster and Old Guy, with BooBalls off the bench and make the finals of the ECACs. Why is that tourney still in existence?

According to their website, Curry has a 6-10 dude averaging 18 and 10. And he's also taken 62 threes this season. Sargeantson will have his hands full.

[fpc85]

We could start Walzy, Nescac Hoops, Eclinchy, NYHoopster and Old Guy, with BooBalls off the bench and make the finals of the ECACs. Why is that tourney still in existence?

According to their website, Curry has a 6-10 dude averaging 18 and 10. And he's also taken 62 threes this season. Sargeantson will have his hands full.

if you need a post player who likes to bang and has a decent jumper; count me in.

[BooBallsCasRay]

i am a wily veteran who sees the court well and prefers a good bounce pass or a bank shot to an alley-oop any day..count me in

[senatorfrost]

 I guess I'll have to try out and prove myself on the court. That's the way it should be. I'll tell you this if I'm open almost anywhere, and no one is too close, I'm money! Hope team has skilled pick setters.

On a more mundane topic, I likes Trinity a lot. Westbrooks is as good as anyone I've ever seen. (in NESCAC i.e.) I've only seen Dartmouth in one game on Jumbo Cast. It was hard to tell who, if anyone, on Tufts was going all out on defense. Dartmouth pg is super quick.
Nice to see Middlebury made it.
   I like to root for NESCAC teams but I'd just as soon see Trinity get beat. I'll root for them only if Amherst gets elminated.

[eclinchy]

We could start Walzy, Nescac Hoops, Eclinchy, NYHoopster and Old Guy, with BooBalls off the bench and make the finals of the ECACs.

I'm 6'5, FYI.  Maybe I could get some minutes in the post... I'm a pretty decent interior defender.

Hmm... last-minute picks for awards...

First Team
Andrew Olson, Amherst
Russ Martin, Trinity
Charles Stone, Conn. College
Andrew Hippert, Bowdoin
Jon Pierce, Tufts

Second Team
Fletcher Walters, Amherst
Bryan Wholey, Bates
Adam Choice, Colby
Brian Baskauskas, Amherst
Chris Shalvoy, Williams

Snubs in no particular order include Taylor, Rudin, Smith, Harris, Geoghegan, Jones, Fliegel, Sargeantson, Weitzen, Young, Ellis, etc, etc, etc.  Hard to exclude all the Midd guys, but I feel like the Panthers are a unique team in that it's hard to pinpoint one "best" player.  Smith might sneak in though.

ROY: Brian Ellis, Bates
COY: Stan Ogrodnik, Trinity
DPOY: Aaron Westbrooks, Trinity

COY and DPOY are both incredibly close races... I feel like Trinity made a major push with their performances this weekend though.  Hixon could still win COY and Sargeantson could still win DPOY.  Should be interesting.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm kind of a rebounding type. But after losing 50 pounds, maybe I won't be banging in the post as much.

[hoopjunkie]

Eclinchy
- Hard to believe you showing no love to Jake Weitzen after all he has meant to the Tufts program & you being a Tufts guy . I compare it to Stockwell & Ray at Bates last year when Bates didnt go anywhere but the were still first or second team .
I know Tufts went nowwhere this year but they were in pretty much all their games .