MBB: Great Northeast Athletic Conference

[D3HoopJunkie]

Question Dave, I know the D3 tournament doesn't do say a 16 vs 1 match up in the first round numbers wise. I understand certainly the top teams tend to get a better opening pod draw but let's say for some crazy reason the Falcons slip up and do actually get a Pool C bid? Would they in return be likely placed in one of those "easier" opening pods? And by "easier" I mean easier for the higher seed or Pool A qualifier? Because I have to think any top team who would draw AMC in the opening round would be pretty nervous knowing that there not playing the typical sacrificial lamb if you will.

I especially hate using the word "easier" in this context especially the way this season has gone by. There Is nothing easy in D3 basketball this season. So many good teams the parity across the country is outstanding.

I only thought of this because in our first apperance of the Coach Oliver era in the NCAA tourney at William Patterson we were supposed to be there punching bag that year in the opening game before we pulled off arguably one of the biggest upsets and one of the best endings in the tournaments recent history and perhaps long history as well. That game still gives me goosebumps!!

[lildave678]

I guess it would depend on how the field is broken up once it's selected. If we did happen to get a Pool C bid we'd obviously be one of the last teams "selected." If it's based solely on that then we'd face a similar situation of being the "4 seed" in the pod like we were against/at Willy P and Alvernia. If the "selection" and the "placement" of the teams don't directly correlate (which I imagine they don't, due to geography, flights, any upsets in Pool A, etc) then I think we'd be the middle game like when we went to Middlebury and to Purchase.

I'm typing this over happy hour so I could be way off lol

[falcons2010]

I wouldnt want to risk it. I think Albertus deserves an opportunity to play next weekend; but if they lose one of the next two games, then they won't in my opinion. I think Albertus will look to run and try to play this game in the high 80's vs St. Joes. If that is the case Albertus wins by double digits. If they play in the 60s, then much closer game.

As of the saints; they have talent so I wouldn't be surprised if they are leading at the half. But, I think JWU is too experienced and athletic; therefore they win by 8 or so.

[falcons2010]

#1 Nichols loses on last second shot to # 8 UNE on last second 3 with 2 seconds left.. Watch the video

http://www.nicholsathletics.com/news/2015/2/24/MBB_0224155503.aspx

Three things:

1. UNE only has one highlight
2. The fans are into it
3. Not sure why they play the prom music over the highlights

[lildave678]

Oh absolutely F2010, I certainly wouldn't want to risk it either. Every year it's the same thing and we just have to control our own destiny.

And yeah that student section for Nichols was great. Imagine if we still had that in our gym. It would be insanely loud!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

First off, sorry for the delay... had to oversee a basketball double-header video production tonight... it is a busy time of year.

Question Dave, I know the D3 tournament doesn't do say a 16 vs 1 match up in the first round numbers wise. I understand certainly the top teams tend to get a better opening pod draw but let's say for some crazy reason the Falcons slip up and do actually get a Pool C bid? Would they in return be likely placed in one of those "easier" opening pods? And by "easier" I mean easier for the higher seed or Pool A qualifier? Because I have to think any top team who would draw AMC in the opening round would be pretty nervous knowing that there not playing the typical sacrificial lamb if you will.

The committees try and put together as traditional a bracket as possible. They will want to have high-ranked teams play lower ranked ones and the middle ranked teams play each other on the opposite side of a bracket. It is only fair to do a bracket in that manner. However, so many factors can change that up including geography which keeps the perfect matchups from traveling to the right site(s). Ultimately, the host team is a high-ranked team and will get the "easier" (I agree, not the right word to use, but allows people to understand the anology) game while the other game will feature closer ranked teams.

This isn't a perfect example, but AMC versus WPI last year was a middle-ranked game while Hartwick vs Purchase would have been considered the home vs easy game. A better example would have been DeSales vs Randolph-Macon was the easy v hard game (with a big upset by DeSales) while Mary Washington v Springfield would have been the middle ranked teams. It isn't perfect, though, because in Virginia Wesleyan, while the Marlins were playing Johns Hopkins (who isn't in unless they upset Dickinson in the conference title game), Wesley and Alvernia are playing and honestly they shouldn't have seen each other in the first round. Hopkins also proved to be a test.

Again... not perfect, but that is the goal at least when they start bracketing and before geography and money play their role in everything. So back to your question, I think AMC as a Pool C is still a middle-ranked team and wouldn't necessarily draw a Babson, Stockton (which they won't for other reasons), Patterson, Hopkins, Randolph-Macon, etc. game... they would draw a Catholic, Bates, Amherst, E Conn, Baruch, Brooklyn- type teams (not sure who and I am just throwing names around). They could even get a team that is a surprise AQ from a lower conference if the committee feels it is the right match-up in the first round. They would then probably get one of the top ranked teams in the second round.

By the way, just because a team is a Pool A doesn't mean they are a high-seed either. The committee will determine that by rankings and criteria. We have had at or below .500 teams as AQs because they came out of nowhere.

I especially hate using the word "easier" in this context especially the way this season has gone by. There Is nothing easy in D3 basketball this season. So many good teams the parity across the country is outstanding.

Especially this year... there really isn't going to be an "easy" game this year at any point. I also think a number of good teams are going to be left out of the tournament this year. It is just a deep, deep season.

I only thought of this because in our first apperance of the Coach Oliver era in the NCAA tourney at William Patterson we were supposed to be there punching bag that year in the opening game before we pulled off arguably one of the biggest upsets and one of the best endings in the tournaments recent history and perhaps long history as well. That game still gives me goosebumps!!

Nothing against AMC's upset of William Paterson, but it won't come close to the upset by St. Mary's of Guilford in 2009. Or maybe even the upset of Goucher over Lebanon Valley in 1995. There are probably some others I can point to, but it is late. Yes, it was a big win and a big upset, but those other two were ultimate shockers.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Dave, thanks for the great information as usual!

Plus K!

[falcons2010]

Dunk Haven Tonight!

LilDave; the nest use to be like that; when our teams were 13-13.

Imagine if the same student body was there now: It would be the hottest ticket in New Haven!

[lildave678]

Think the current students take this for granted. This senior class has won the GNAC every year they've been here. As much as we like to think so, this team isn't gonna be dominant forever. Heck, Williams is gonna go from the National runner up to not even making the tournament.

[D3HoopJunkie]

Let's go Falcons!!!!! DUNK HAVEN!!!!

This should be an excellent matchup. As a Falcon fan obviously I am taking the Falcons. I think this will be a fairly close game but in the end a late second half surge will carry the Falcons into the GNAC Finals against my other semi-final pick of Johnson and Wales (not a real shocker there). My final score prediction is AMC 84 St. Joes 71. In the other semi I will take JWU 89 Saints 68.

Us having to play St. Joes as opposed to JWU playing Emmanuel is far more beneficial to the Falcons in terms of preparing for the conference championship.  I am a firm believer in the saying "if you want to be the best you have to beat the best" and with all do respect to Emmanuel, St. Joes is without doubt the superior team and provides more of a challenge which again will only benefit the Falcons going forward.

[lildave678]

I hope the Falcons are hitting their stride! THAT'S THE 2ND HALF I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!! How many times this season did I say, "we won by 25, but they outscored us by 2 in the second half?" A dominating 2nd half that closed the door minutes into the 2nd frame. A 30 point win and 81 points while going 2-16 from 3. That's outstanding. Hope the other Falcons fans who had a chance to actually watch the game can give some more insight. Bring on JWU!

[GnacBballFan]

Was at the game tonight, think i might have had the pleasure to meet junkie while there. Junkie, is your son a Bills fan?

On to the game. Crowd was ok, but no student section really. Sad, this team would have been unreal with the old student crowds. Anyhow, albertus totally turned it up defensively. Simonds is excellent, but Sledge and Sanders were hrrassing him all game, and in the second half tired legs showed this. lbertus ws just too good for st joes. they held them to 3 points to start the second half, for 10 or 12 mins. impressive. This team three point wise is not the same without jennings obv. Sanders played excellent today. ITs a give or take without jennings. the three point shot goes, but also not that many bad shots taken. IT is what it is. Saturday should be fun, JWU beat Rhode Island College, who is currently ranked high on the regional rankings. its a shame that the gnat is so bad, bc these two teams are top 5 in new england. JWU coming off an ecac tourney win last yr. Of course I'm going falcons, but JWU is certainly capable of pulling it off. 1 pm tip, can't wait!

[Saint-Paul]

Final Score  JWU  77  -  Emmanuel  43

    Complete blowout, this was only a game for the first 11 minutes of the first half.  From the 9 minute mark it was all JWU.  The Saints found out very quickly that this was not Anna Maria they were playing.  The JWU defense and transition game was clicking on all cylinders.  They were moving the ball around with ease and many players were sharing in the offense.  Garrick had 28 and Greenaway had 12,  and 11 Wildcats got into the scoring column.  The Saints big man was limited to 6 points but it was not entirely his fault.  The Emmanuel guards were freezing him out of the game, jacking up perimeter shots without even looking to enter the ball to the low post.  Not sure why that was allowed to happen?  Saints looked sloppy again with 22 turnovers and only 9 assists.
Well, I guess half a game plan is better than no game plan at all.  The Saints opened the game with a tight 3 - 2 zone with all 5 defenders below the arc, did not full court press, did not pick up JWU man to man.  It was such a noticeable change from the last time the Saints played the Wildcats that even the JWU announcers were laughing about it.  One of the announcers said " well this is the first time in 6 years that Coach Jackson hasn't tried to press the Wildcats,  wonder what made him change his game plan? "   Unfortunately,  at the offensive end of the court it was the same old Saints,  not running plays through,  poor shot selection,  quick shots one pass over half court, no low post touches,  non shooters jacking up threes, guards racing down court and attacking the rim 1 on 3.  The Saints offense was completely out of sync and they allowed the Wildcats defense to dictate the tempo of the game.  Controlling tempo is even more important in a playoff game and the Saints made no attempt to do that.  The Saints played so bad in this game that it made them look like they didn't belong in the conference semi finals.  It really detracted from their upset win over Anna Maria.  Too bad they could not take advantage of the momentum that they brought into this game with their surprise win over the 3 rd place team.  Saints finish the season at 10 - 16, with only one upset win in the entire year.

[D3HoopJunkie]

GNACBballFan,

Sorry to say you didn't have the pleasure of sitting with me. No Bills fans here. 

Pure dominance by the Falcons in every aspect of the game. Defense was superb and as we all know if Coach Oliver can get these young men to buy into playing defense we are as tough a team there is in the country.

The Falcons came out hot, played great D in the opening minutes and then stopped for about a 10 minute span until an Oliver timeout and a few substitutions ratcheted the pressure back on to the Monks. That little time frame where we had this defensive  lapse is concerning but we also have to keep in mind that Big Vic wasn't in the game for 90% of the first half including that stretch and Lemar dealt with some foul trouble too which limited his physicality.

The game Saturday should be a great one. It's extremely tough to beat a team as good as JWU is 3 times in one season but being at home at the Nest were these Falcons soar  higher than anyone I think will be the biggest factor in this game. I know other posters like LilDave and Falcon2010 have said that the student section isn't like it used to be and I will agree with them on that but the overall crowd in general I thought was fantastic last night. Saturday is really going to be rocking and I am certain JWU is going to bring their fans. They always travel well!

If the Falcons turn in a defensive effort like they did last night against St. Joes I think we can punch our own ticket to the madness!!!!

[D3HoopJunkie]

D-Mac,

Will D3Hoops be sending out a broadcast team like last year and the year before? I forget who the play by play guy was last year but he was joined by the Head Coach of Suffolk. Will take Frank Rossi if you got him! That guy is outstanding! His call at Willy P was unbelievable and he was also at Purchase last season in the opening weekend POD if I recall as well.

I love my Falcons but the SID and Athletic Department have got to do something about the video feed for the games. I don't need a play by play guy; I know that's a lot more involved. All you have to do is provide a quality video stream with a student or volunteer who is competent enough to rotate the thing from end to end and place the view on the score board at timeouts and other long whistles. THAT'S IT!!!!  This team is on the national scene now.......get your S**T together and buy a new camera (they are not that expensive anymore) and do something for these players, coaches and fans!! I think they have earned it!!