WBB: NESCAC

[feces monkey]

As for a deep run in the NCAAs for the Judges this year-- I hope that is possible-- but that is not top priority on my mind right now.

I shudder to think what is top priority on your mind. Wasn't that the basis for much of the Saw movie franchise?

Speaking of horror shows, is it too late to get another rant from Senator Frost about the evils of female basketball coaches? It's certainly film noir, but entertaining nonetheless.

Can't wait to see the end of the cut-throat Amherst non-conference schedule. Let's see, we've got Lehman, Clark and...wait for it...Bridgewater State! Phew, it looks like the Lady Jeffs statistical victory for widest victory margin is safely in the books.

"Amherst Women's Basketball: We'll play the terrible teams no one else wants to."

(Too long for a T-shirt?)

[Wydown Blvd.]

"Amherst Women's Basketball: We'll play the terrible teams no one else wants to."

(Too long for a T-shirt?)

+1

[BBstudent]

Quote from: feces monkey on Yesterday at 11:50:14 pm
"Amherst Women's Basketball: We'll play the terrible teams no one else wants to."

It seems almost too simple to need repeating, but here goes. In commenting on the schedules one should keep in mind that most of the student athletes graduate within four years. This leads to constant turnover which results in programs that may have been good one year not being as good another year. So, for example, Lehman last year had an All-American and did fairly well while this year they are probably not as strong.
In addition to guaranteed turnover every four years a certain number of girls stop playing during their careers which also leading to variation in the strength of programs from year to year. How can the Amherst coach know the strength of each schools recruiting class or which players may drop out, get injured or burn out?
Second, in order to keep every year from being a completely new adventure in scheduling, programs agree to multi-year home and home games which over time will average out player turnover. And that doesn't even take into consideration that coaches may schedule games against certain programs irrespective of the basketball benefits.
Finally, schools like Baruch, Emmanuel, Keene and Western CT State all have good records with their loss to Amherst usually being their first loss. If you look at the schedules of all those teams would you have been able to predict their won-loss record before the season started?
Things that look very clear in hindsight sometimes were not quite so clear looking forward. Just try to predict just for those four teams which games they will win for the rest of the year. Or predict where Amherst will end up in February or (I hope) in March.
So, while I will give you credit for a pithy one liner ("we'll play the terrible...") it makes me think somewhat less of your ability as a basketball analyst.

[sumfun]

Feces....nice try, but looking at NESCAC website and clicking on schedule of each team,  many of the same teams that Amherst plays are played by the other NESCAC teams.  This schedule is a big improvement over two years ago.  I agree with BB, teams change from year to year.  Also Amherst isn't traveling during break for some reason so they don't have a chance to play teams outside of Northeast.  I think Gromacki will have them ready for league and tourney time.

[senatorfrost]

  Men coaches are definitely better than almost all women's coaches but they are not better than women NESCAC coaches in Maine. Those mainers are three times better than any man. There are many reasons for this. One reason is Maine Women's NESCAC teams have the best fans. They are a really super knowledgeable bunch, far more sophisticated and smarter than stupid Amherst fans.
  The only state where the fans come close to Maine is West Virginia. Some would insist they're  too close, but that's the way it is in Maine and W.Va..
One day women coaches outside of Maine will be as good as men coaches. Men coaches will never be as good as women NESCAC coaches in Maine, and fans of Women's NESCAC basketball in Maine will always be better than all other fans. Their brillance is wicked awesome as well as amazing.

[feces monkey]

In commenting on the schedules one should keep in mind that most of the student athletes graduate within four years. This leads to constant turnover which results in programs that may have been good one year not being as good another year. So, for example, Lehman last year had an All-American and did fairly well while this year they are probably not as strong.
In addition to guaranteed turnover every four years a certain number of girls stop playing during their careers which also leading to variation in the strength of programs from year to year. How can the Amherst coach know the strength of each schools recruiting class or which players may drop out, get injured or burn out?

Simple solution: trade in Lehman, Clark, and Baruch for Southern Maine, Salem State, and Brandeis. That way Gromacki doesn't have to worry about "the strength of each schools recruiting class or which players may drop out, get injured or burn out." Or would this dig too deep into the Amherst philosophy of playing teams with an "All-American [that] did fairly well, while this year they are probably not as strong?"

One day women coaches outside of Maine will be as good as men coaches. Men coaches will never be as good as women NESCAC coaches in Maine, and fans of Women's NESCAC basketball in Maine will always be better than all other fans. Their brillance is wicked awesome as well as amazing.

(nodding)

[sumfun]

Nice upset by Trinity of Thomas More yesterday.  Way to go.  I saw Thomas More play a while back and they had a big, athletic center.  If she's still there, then Trinity must have done a nice job neutralizing her. Watch out NESCAC, if Trinity thinks it can upset a ranked team they will be gunning for Bowdoin, Tufts and Amherst.  Can't wait for NESCAC games to start!!!!

[Laserty]

Crazy game yesterday with Amehrst at Wesleyan. Amherst mojo was interrupted by a 45 minute long fire alarm in the middle of the first half. Still won by nearly 30...

[sumfun]

Easy game today for Amherst at Williams.  On paper, it looked like it should be that way, but nothing like Amherst vs Williams to level the playing field.  With Bowdoin losing today, Amherst is the only unbeaten team in the NESCAC.  Still think Tufts and Bowdoin will be tough games for Amherst.

[amh63]

Really surprised about the Bowdin lost yesterday.  Quick glance at the stats. shows that they lost the battle of the boards.
With regards to the Williams/Amherst game, the score did not show Amherst dominance.  In the second half, Amherst finished the game with 4 subs, including two first year players!
Interesting side note.  The leading scorer for Williams was a first year player, Grace Rehnquist, from MA.  I believe she is the daughter of an Amherst graduate....Jim Rehnquist '77 who was a great BB player for Amherst and held the scoring record up until the mid 90's.
I believe, Amherst will be ready for their Maine trips after facing a full house of Williams fans.

[amh63]

I have noticed that C. Long is back in the lineup and getting some playing time.  However, in the last several games the name of a starter has been missing.  She is not even listed as a possible player.  Is this due to an injury? 
I will check on the LS tonight to see if she is back. (Kim F)
If I do not hear from any poster on the matter, I hope to check on the matter when I am up at Amherst this weekend...to watch the Wes. and Conn. games live.
If any posters are planning to attend the games at Amherst, look me up.  I am the grey haired old man in the purple sweater yelling at the officials.  I can offer to buy you a soft drink. 

[BBstudent]

With respect to Kim F of Amherst being out of the lineup, she is letting an injury heal and will be out for awhile - She originally hurt her foot in the Emmanuel College game going for a loose ball but has been playing through it.
One comes back from injury so another has to go out - universal karma

[amh63]

Thanks BBstudent!  Universal karma?...nice touch but in my opinion, somewhat limiting viewpoint.  Like...one giveth and one taketh away.

[sumfun]

Let the fun begin.  Williams upsets Tufts.  The Nescac season is underway.  Certainly that won't be the only surprise of the season.

[nescac1]

If the is some way to get this clip from Williams, this would make, I imagine, for a good buzzer-beater feature, sounds like a cool and unusual play:

With the game knotted at 57 points apiece, Williams junior Chessie Jackson and first-year Claire Baecher teamed up for a perfect give and go play on the final offensive possession of the game to defeat the 11th-ranked Tufts Jumbos (12-2, 0-1 in the NESCAC), 59-57.

Baecher ended up in a trap in the corner, but using her 6'3" frame, she managed to pass the ball to Jackson on the left wing.  Jackson found her teammate running along the baseline for a back door pass.  Baacher finished with a reverse lay up with 0.7 seconds left on the clock for the winning basket.  Williams (12-4, 1-0) halted Tufts 12-game win streak, and tallied its first conference win and first victory over a ranked opponent this season.