WBB: NESCAC

[sumfun]

No surprise about new Amherst players improving in defensive area so quickly.  It is what G.P. Gromacki values and teaches so well.  Lem also is looking strong as her usual scoring threat, but improving on defense. 

[amh63]

Amherst hosted a matinee game at home against Lehman.  It was Amherst 88-Lehman 33.  Every active Amherst player played and scored.  It was Amherst's overall defense that led the way, causing turnovers, blocks, steals.  Amherst controlled the boards, surprisingly against the large front court of Lehmann.  Amherst wanted to establish the inside game and that happened.  The outside shots were not going in for Amherst in the first half.....but it was not needed as Atanga and FY player Meg Robinson carried the scoring load from inside.  When the outside shots started to go in the second half, the lead slowly went over 40 and into the 50's, even when wholesale subs came in.  The boxscore will show three centers/forwards leading the way with pg Finucane also in double figures.
It was a good game for Amherst, allowing the bench and FY players to get playing time and contributing on both sides of the game....without incurring any injuries.  Hoping that the other two players recovering from injuries will be playing soon.

[amh63]

This weeks polls are out.  Changes to notice is the rapid rise of Williams and Bowdoin dropping out of the top 25.  Amherst remains #1, though I did not notice if they garnered more or less points this week.  Amherst has an game tonight and on paper the game with Emmanuel at home will be a challenge.  Emmanuel has a big team.

[sumfun]

Emmanual was a wake up call last year and the same this year.  The difference being that when Amherst poured it on in the 2nd half they quickly put the game out of reach this year.  Congrats to freshman, Megan Robertson on a great night.  NESCAC teams were probably so glad to see Daignault and Leyman depart, but they may have met their worse nightmare with McCormick and Robertson.

[amh63]

Amherst beats Emmanuel at home tonight 84-60.  It was a struggle all the way for the first 30+ minutes.  It was 31-30 at the half with Amherst ahead.  Amherst went up by 6 after the half, but Emmanuel came storming back to tie it.  It was nick and tuck in the first ten minutes of the 2nd half and Emmanuel went ahead 54-50 well into the 2nd half.  Putting most of the starters back with only Meg Robertson up front, Amherst shut down Emmauel's effective inside game and soon it was a ten point lead by Amherst.  With steals and preventing the pass inside, the lead grew.  Emmanuel started taking the outside shots and missed.  Amherst started hitting a few 3's (that was not falling in the 1st half) and started to make the xtra pass for layups and the lead was up to 20 with 3-4 minutes to go in the game.  Amherst made its foul shots and the game ended with a 24 point margin.  Amherst only shot 31% in the first half and was out rebounded by Emmanuel.  Amherst also missed about 5 layups as Emmanuel's physical play bothered Amherst.  Meg Robertson who missed several layups, pushed out of position, etc. in the first half adjusted and was the star of the game in the 2nd half.  Atanga and Finucane also put on a clinic with steals, rebounds fast break plays and brilliant passes in the second half.  Boxscore will tell the story when it comes out.
Emmanuel really bothered and pushed Amherst.....Amherst needed this game and the fact that most of the seniors were in until the last minute illustrates the level of play of Emmanuel's young team.

[Maine 1]

I watched the Colby-UNE game .  UNE was able to take the ball inside against Colby, and get Colby's post player in foul trouble.  UNE controlled the game from beginning to end.  If Emmanuell has size, they could give Colby trouble on Saturday  Looks like Maine basektball will be quite competitive this year, as UNE looks strong, USM appears to be much better, and Colby, Bates and Bowdoin are all strong

[amh63]

Amherst plays a young ECSU team tonight in Williamatic, CT.  Eastern's coach in a video after ECSU's last game considers it a major challenge for her young team....but holds out hope for a win.  On-line webcast at 7 PM.  ECSU gave Amherst a run last year in Amherst....and like most out of conference teams, they are several weeks ahead in practices and games....more time for the teams to mesh, learn, etc.

[ECSUalum]

I am afraid the Amherst @ ECSU game will be a blow-out.  Good experience for a bunch of newcomers to see a team which may be the best D-III womens basketball team in 10 yrs.  Ever wonder what a team like Amherst's would do in upper D-II or ever mid D-I competition?  Upper echelon D-I teams a la UConn would be a stretch though.

[amh63]

Amherst beats Eastern Conn. by 21 in Ct.  Based on the boxscore and the recap, now on the Amherst website, the game was closer than the final score.  Amherst kept many of its starters in the game and the low-scoring starter, J. Renner, had a sort of "breakout" scoring night to keep the young ECSU players from pulling the upset.  I caught only a few minutes of the game as I was watching a close Amherst vs. Babson MBB on-line.  Both teams will learn from this game and improve going forward.

[7express]

I am afraid the Amherst @ ECSU game will be a blow-out.  Good experience for a bunch of newcomers to see a team which may be the best D-III womens basketball team in 10 yrs.  Ever wonder what a team like Amherst's would do in upper D-II or ever mid D-I competition?  Upper echelon D-I teams a la UConn would be a stretch though.

I'd like to see tham against St. Francis College of New York.  Coming into this year they had won 8 games the 3 years and had gone 4-50 in NEC games that same time period, and the NEC is one of the lowest rated leagues in D-1.  I have no doubt Amherst could beat that team.

[ECSUalum]

What do you think express, is there a 10-15% overlap between D-III to D-II and D-II to D-I with respect to team competitiveness in college basketball?  It seems that the overlap might be getting larger over the last 5 or so years, where students would rather go to an excellent smaller Liberal Arts university , get a high caliber/quality education and at the same time be one of the stars on the team.  This is opposed to being a number at a large university, ie 20-or 30k students, and sitting or coming of the bench for at least a year or so.  I think these days everyone wants to be in the limelight. If you look at the NESCAC in particular, it seems there are quite a few students/athletes that fit the above category. I also see the trend in college baseball, soccer and LAX.  What's the college hoops overlap in your/others opinion?

[Maine 1]

I think when you look at the top of D3 ( the top NESCAC schools, some of the other strong leagues), there is a very high degree of overlap between the qualify of the top players at those schools, and Dii and lower DI is fairly high. It would interesting to see an Amherst play teams like Lehigh, Holy Cross, etc. to see how they would do.

[Roundball999]

Some of the better liberal arts schools, Amherst is one, seem to compete for the same recruits as the D1 Ivies.  Why not, the quality of education is similar, no athletic scholarships are on the table, and the cost of attendence is similar.  These girls have a strong academic inclination and some, while capable of playing at lower D1 level like the Ivies or Patriot League, might prefer the less intrusive athletic demands of a good D3 program.

[amh63]

OK ECSUalum....interesting question you put on the board.  Staying with WBB....since it becomes more murky if the question is put to MBB, I will point out some facts with respect to Amherst and one can figure out the overlap.  On the present team there are four "scholarship" players out of 13.  Jackie Renner, SR., transferred in her sophmore year from U. Of New Hampshire; Jasmine Hardy,JR., transferred in last year from Un. of New Haven(Div.2); Atanga McCormick, Sr, had a offer from the Air Force Academy but it was withdrawn later...due to a medical condition, I understand; Julia Weatherly, SOPH., transferred in this year from a Div.1 team in N.J. (her father is a Colby graduate).  All are or had to sit on the bench for awhile to adjust to the stye of play, better players in front, etc.  Another FY player, Savannah Holness, was put up by her CT prep school for McDonald All-American.  Meg Robertson, a FY player has broken into the  starting rotation in the front court.  She is from a bigger prep school....Andover.  Do not know her offers or if she was ever interested.  She is indeed a talent.  Last year, a senior from Guilford, Ct. was selected All American for the second time and also won the POY for all of Div.3.  I'm sure she could play in Div.1.

[jumpshot]

ECSU alum--

Amherst's practice is widely known of taking numerous transfers, post-graduates, international athletes (hockey,soccer), more "tips" for fewer teams, etc., in order to boost athletic standing. More power to the school since it is free to choose whatever it does in any domain.