2011 Tournament Team Profiles

[diehardfan]

Holy ketchup and mustard on unicorns Scott, that's LONG!!!! Thanks.

[ILive4This]

Wow never in my wildest dreams did I think so many of you would help me achieve my goal. Thank you very much, and an extra thanks to DHF for his future document compiling.

[diehardfan]

First off, I am female.

Secondly, I am a HOFer, people do what I say. 8) JUST KIDDING!!! I think the people who are doing it are just doing it to be nice cause they like me. 

Thanks for the idea!

[TeeDub]

Weaknesses: None that I care to reveal

Defending Amir Mazarei   

(just givin' you crud Bob...good report...go Oxy!)

[Gray Fox]

Weaknesses: None that I care to reveal

Defending Amir Mazarei   

(just givin' you crud Bob...good report...go Oxy!)

OB,
You shouldn't have even revealed their strengths.    Let opposing teams sweat in preparation.  But then again, maybe you put in some misdirection.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Weaknesses: None that I care to reveal

Defending Amir Mazarei   

(just givin' you crud Bob...good report...go Oxy!)

OB,
You shouldn't have even revealed their strengths.    Let opposing teams sweat in preparation.  But then again, maybe you put in some misdirection.

It is hours (or less) until tipoff - if the coaches don't have better scouting reports than they'll get here, their team is in deep doo-doo!

I think posters can feel safe in giving candid assessments to fellow fans!

[Gray Fox]

Weaknesses: None that I care to reveal

Defending Amir Mazarei   

(just givin' you crud Bob...good report...go Oxy!)

OB,
You shouldn't have even revealed their strengths.    Let opposing teams sweat in preparation.  But then again, maybe you put in some misdirection.

It is hours (or less) until tipoff - if the coaches don't have better scouting reports than they'll get here, their team is in deep doo-doo!

I think posters can feel safe in giving candid assessments to fellow fans!

I was thinking of the road to Salem.

[Knightstalker]

Ramapo College Roadrunners,

The mascot looks more like Woody Woodpecker than a roadrunner.

Key players are:
Antoine Pryor
Amhad Moseby

Two to watch:
Tim Wesley
Omar Alston

Wesley and Alston played the best games I have seen them have against NJCU in the NJAC championship game.  If Wesley keeps his head in the game he is a very good defender and good shooter.
Alston is a surprisingly accurate shooter from downtown, his 3's are what killed NJCU in the end.  You can't leave him alone outside they will get him the ball and he will hurt you.

Strengths:
Very athletic and extremely well conditioned.  They move the ball well and have an excellent press that they are not afraid to use.  They have several 6'5"-6" players and they quite often put a lot of length on the floor.  Ramapo has a deep bench and Coach McBreen will use his bench.

Coach McBreen is a strength, he is one of the best game day coaches in the NJAC.  He makes adjustments on the fly and recognizes matchups he can take advantage of during the game.  They are excellent at making half-time adjustments.

They are a veteran team.

Weakness:

Ramapo can be taken advantage of inside, Alston is big but can be a little slow sometimes and plays too soft sometimes in my opinion. 
Tim Wesley is a hot/cold player, when he puts it all together he has all-american talent but too often his head is not in the game.

If they get frustrated they tend to start turning the ball over because they start trying to force things.

Overall I believe the Roadrunners are as good as any team in their bracket and could make it to the final four.  It appears that they peaked against NJCU in the NJAC championship game.

The split the season series with Lincoln, lost to NJCU twice in the regular season but won in overtime against them in the NJAC championship game.  They have played a tough schedule as usual and are a tested team.

[Spencer Beaty]

On behalf of MC, Maryville College fighting scots, i give you the starting five but also the important 6

Bobby Golden 6' 10" (Probably GSAC player of the year)
Andrew Shumate 6' 7" (can step outside and shoot the J)
Quinn "Q" Bradley 6' 4" (the defensive stopper)
Alex Bowers 6' 3" (the slasher and mr intangable)
Bo Mason 6' 1" (the shooter)

OFF THE BENCH
Bradley Blair 6' 9" (Probably the runner up player of the year)
_________________________________________________________
After that it starts to decline slightly but these are three other players that see substantial minutes
Jeremy Holliday 6' 7" (tough player)
Jared Laverdiere 5' 11" (quickness and smarts)
Brady Neal 6' 3" (good shooter and a good country boy)

Also you cannot overlook the experience of the coach Randy Lambert.  Winning the conference finals gave coach Lambert 500 wins.  He has had over 20 wins in all but one of his seasons.  Maryville has made many straight appereances in the NCAA tourney.  A very balanced team but will not run anyone out of the gym.  They wont outflash anybody but be prepared for a good run by the real MC (Maryville) in the tournament.

[diehardfan]

Thanks KS, haven't even had a chance to post in your room yet!

This is cool, thanks guys!

[hasanova]

Guilford College Quakers, Greensboro, NC  21-4, 15-3 ODAC (2nd of 10 teams)

Starters in all 25 games:  Ben Strong, 6'11" Jr C; Jordan Snipes, 6'4" Sr Shooting Guard, Eric Belkowski, 6'3" Jr F; Thomas Burge, 6'1" Sr G; Caleb Kimbrough, 5'9" Jr PG

Key reserves:  Tyler Sanborn, 6'10" Fr C; Justin Strickland, 6'0" Fr G; Clay Henson, 6'1" Fr G; George Neville, 6'3" So F; Ray Edmond, 6'1" Jr G; Barry Wells, 6'6" So F.

Other reserves:  Sherrick Warren, 6'0" Fr G; Adam Gilbert, 6'0" Fr G; Tres Hendrix, 5'10" Fr G; Arthur Hamilton, 6'0" Fr G; Mat Stanley, 6'1" So G.

A "strong" season for Guilford, who began with an exhibition win at DI Elon, then won ten straight before losing soundly 75-55 at DIII defending champ VWC.  Included in the  streak were road wins over playoff teams HSC & Averett plus a win over cross-town rival & USASAC co-champ Greensboro.  A 72-68 road loss to ODAC foe Roanoke & a nail-biter 72-69 home loss to VWC put the Quakers at 14-3, then they closed with 7 straight wins to finish the regular season at 21-3, 15-3 ODAC.  Second in the ODAC & 15 league wins are school records.  The E&H and W&L road wins were 1-point squeakers decided when the Wasps & Generals both missed key FTs with seconds or split seconds to go, but most were sound wins.  Unfortunately, however, the Quakers had a terrible 1st half against #7 seed Bridgewater (VA) in the ODAC quarterfinals, trailing 45-21 at the half.  GC pulled to within 6 a couple of times in the 2nd, but had to foul & lost 88-78.  From there, a serious case of jitters until an NCAA Pool C bid on Sunday night.

The Quakers are clearly anchored by ODAC POY Ben Strong, who led the ODAC in points (23.6), rebounds (11.1) and blocked shots (2.44).  Snipes, also All-ODAC 1st team, was 2nd in scoring in the ODAC (18).   When they're both "on", the Quakers are tough.  These two led the team in scoring in 24 of 25 games, with only Kimbrough getting 20 in the BC loss.  Belkowski's also been a solid performer (8+) and once hit 6 for 6 threes - he plays with heart & soul.  Burge is a solid complement & Kimbrough is a very capable PG.  Kimbrough & Strong, btw, were HS teammates & have played together since middle school.  Sometimes Caleb's passes to Ben prove how well they know each other.  

Strickland was a 2000+ point HS performer & was recruited for DI.  Henson is a good player still learning the college game & can shoot threes.  Sanborn will spell Strong about 10-12 minutes a game & would probably start on many DIII teams - Strong's just that good.  Edmonds & Neville are solid defenders who can also score & come off the bench when the starters need a rest or the team needs a spark.  Expect the starters to get 22-28 minutes each.

The team improved dramatically in FTs this year.  Strong is especially solid for a big man.  Defensively, the team gets lots of blocks & almost always wins the boards, but can give up points in a hurry if an opponent is hot behind the arc.  Turnovers are a problem at times.  All in all, though, a very solid club.  

Expect an up-tempo style from the Quakers - probably over 80 points.  A hundred is not out of the question.  Strong will get a lot of touches & Snipes will drive inside or pull up for a three.  If Belkowski hits a few threes, it leaves the inside open for Strong & he's a DI center on a DIII team.  One game this year he was 14 of 15 from the floor, but he can be double- or triple-teamed.  If Strong's surrounded & Snipes is cold, then it could be trouble for GC.

Guilford's been ranked between 17th & 25th in the d3hoops.com poll the second half of the season & I believe they deserve it based on their record, close loss to VWC, wins over HSC/Greensboro/Averett and success in tough ODAC play.

[Rhodes Scholar]

York (NY) Cardinals

Conference: CUNYAC
Overall Record: 18-10
Conference Record: 10-3
Coach: Ronald St. John (19th year)
NCAA Opponent: Ramapo (at Ramapo)

York defeated Staten Island on a 40-foot buzzer beater by Teron Simpson to win the conference tournament and receive a Pool A bid.

Starters:
G Michael Salamanca
G Aaron Wilson
C Dennis Echols
F Jeffrey Boone
F Jonathan Christian

Key Reserves:
G Teron Simpson
C Andre Vincent

Best Wins: Christopher Newport, William Paterson, St. Joseph's (LI)
Best Losses: Wittenberg, Rutgers-Newark (both were competitive defeats)
Worst Losses: John Jay, New York City Tech

Salamanca is a saavy point guard, who is strong and can distribute the ball. Wilson is a very good outside shooter. Echols can score inside and is a good rebounder. Boone is a solid all-around player. Christian can score inside and hit a medium range jumper. Simpson is a very good long-range shooter. Vincent is physical and sets a good screen.

York lost at Ramapo, 81-62 on January 15. The Cardinals are a decided underdog against the Roadrunners. Ramapo has an edge in size, speed, athleticism and depth. York's best chance is to keep the game close and hope that Ramapo falters down the stretch.

[The Roop]

Carroll 16-8, 12-4 MWC. Regular season runner up. MWC Tournament Champion.

Nathan Drury MWC Player of the year.

Carroll favors an up tempo game and when they are on they are on. Very athletic team and can totally stroke it from the outside. They have put up some ridiculous shooting percentages this year. Excellent guard play with good quickness.

Down side. Not as much physical presence as they had last year and can struggle in a half court game. Inability to score the "needed" basket has hurt them at times this year.

Oooopps, I forgot to mention that they are smart enough to play a half court game when the shots aren't falling. They will eventually figure it out, just like Augustana did.

[David Collinge]

The College of Wooster Fighting Scots (25-3)

Key wins: vs. Georgetown, KY (26-3, ranked #3 in NAIA-I) 80-73; at Walsh, OH (24-5, ranked #7 in NAIA-II) 85-68; vs. Cedarville, OH (21-6, ranked #13 in NAIA-II) 104-95; at Wittenberg (22-5, ranked #17) 68-65; vs. Calvin (18-9) 98-82
Losses: vs. Ohio Northern (19-7) 91-84; at Cal Baptist (20-9, ranked #19 in NAIA-I) 94-89; vs. Wittenberg 74-71

Starters:
F Tom Port (6'5"/215, 5-yr sr.)—NCAC Player of the Year and 4-time all-conference honoree (1st team last three seasons).  Per game: 16.7 pts., 6.5 reb., 3.3 ast.  Very athletic, can drive and rebound, and is also deadly from long range (45.7% three-point shooter).  Generally guards the center.  An outstanding all-around player, solid candidate for All-America, one of the best players in Wooster's 100+ year history.  Fourth team D3Hoops.com All-American last year.
SG James Cooper (6'0"/170, jr.)—NCAC Player of the Year in 2005-06; D3Hoops.com preseason 1st team All-American and NCAC all-conference 1st team 2006-07.  Per game: 18.4 pts., 2.3 reb., 2.4 ast.  Specialties are pull-up jumper and three-ball, both of which he hits with high accuracy (53.2% FG%, 45.0% 3PFG%).  Has improved his defense this season, but is still mostly a shooter.
PG Brandon Johnson (6'2"/165, so.)—2nd team all-NCAC this season.  Per game: 10.8 pts., 2.8 reb., 3.7 ast., 1.9 stl.  A/TO ratio of 2.0.  Runs the offense, and is adept at finding the lane to drive to the hoop.  Solid point defender with very quick hands.
F Evan Will (6'6"/245, jr.)—Became starter when 2-year starter Tim Vandervaart was injured; either could start in NCAAs.  Per game—6.7 pts., 5.3 reb.  Post player with good defensive skills and improving on offense; is at least a threat from outside (39.1%).  One of several floor-burn specialists on the team.
F Andy Van Horn (6'3"/175, sr.)—Defensive specialist, generally assigned to opponent's top scoring threat.  Used to hit the long ball at 45-50% clip, but focus on defense has eroded offensive stats—now shoots 30% from arc. 

Key reserves:
F/C Tim Vandervaart (6'6"/210, sr.)—2nd team all-NCAC, recovering from broken wrist suffered 1/20.  Per game: 13.4 pts., 8.2 reb.  Almost always smaller than the man guarding him, still hits at 62.1% clip with great spin move.
G/F Devin Fulk (6'1"/185, jr.)—Top 3-point shooter on team, hitting an even 50%.  Per game: 9.6 pts., 2.9 reb.
F Marty Bidwell (6'4"/185, so.)—Like Van Horn, a lock-down defensive specialist.  Another floor-burn type of player.

Wooster plays an up-tempo game, scoring 89.4 ppg (#6 in D3) on 52.0% shooting (#3), winning by an average margin of 18.9 pts (#2).  Scots hit 41.7% from the arc (#6) and 76.6% from the line (#12), and average 18.6 assists/game (#8), recording one assist for every 1.77 made baskets.  This is a very solid offensive team.  Defense suffers from the up-tempo offensive style, as the Scots allow opponents to shoot 43.4% overall and 34.5% from the arc, but this has improved drastically down the stretch.  Although undersized, Wooster outrebounds its opponents by 7.1 per game (#16).

The Scots are coached by Steve Moore, who has an overall record of 550-171, including a record of 463-106 in his 20 seasons at Wooster.  Under his tutelage, the Scots have won at least 20 games each of the last 11 seasons, reaching the NCAC tournament title game in each campaign, winning 7.  This will be Wooster's 12th NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 13 years.

Wooster plays its home games in 3400-seat Timken Gymnasium and typically draws a good and fairly boisterous crowd.  The Scots have been a fixture in the D3Hoops.com top 10, but have just one trip to the Final Four to show for it (finishing 3rd in 2003). 

[Greek Tragedy]

Occidental College Tigers
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference AQ
Overall record 19-5, Conference record 12-2
Head Coach: Brian Newhall, 19th season

Key wins: Williams, Wisconsin Lutheran

I don't think it's a good thing when Wisconsin Lutheran is considered a key win, though it would be a lot worse if you were Aurora (tourney 1st and 2nd round host) to have them listed as a key loss!