WBB: NESCAC

[amh63]

Sorry posters......my comment here refer to the MBB choices.....my mistake!!!!
Reilly is the coach of Wes's men's BB team.
I find the selection of honors to be fair for the women's coaches and players.

[NH NESCAC Fan]

Looks like Babson is going to win their game...but for those that say they are a deep team, I'm not seeing that.  Nikki Wurdeman has scored 24 points, and the bench has scored 3.  Only one bench player has scored.  Wurdeman has been on the bench with foul trouble but is back in now with 5 to play as the lead has been cut to 10...it should be an interesting finish.

UNE is down 11 to Johns Hopkins with 6.5 to play...lending more creedence to the poster who was shocked they made it in at all.  (Sorry, I can't remember your name)

[NH NESCAC Fan]

23 seconds left UNE down 1 with the ball...giddyup

[sumfun]

With such a big lead for Amherst, Gromacki goes to his bench 9 minutes into first half.  We're looking at the future, and the future is deep with good players in their own right.  Starters will be well rested for Babson while Bridgewater stayed close enought that Babson starters played most of the game.

[amh63]

Amherst beats St. Joe's by 54.....84-30....with the bench playing well.  Hardy at the point, Rizzo, Holderness, Weatherly and the FY lady from Farmington Ct.(Momah is her name)...afraid to spell her name wrong here...finishing the game.  Concern that Bridget Crowley was not dressed and not on the bench.  Hope it is not an injury and if so, not serious.  Can use her energy and length in the games ahead.   Voight and Robertson were the top scorers for Amherst.

[amh63]

It is a little strange to have the WBB game be the "feature"game at 8PM. 
NH NESCAC Fan....Hope you saw Jasmine play last night.  Looked good playing the point.  Had a career 7 rebounds in her extended playing time...tough player.
Oh yes...did see the classmate with the jacket.  New jacket and bow tie to boot.  Came over to a group of OLD fans.  It was after the MIdd. game.  At the Fri. game, against Williams, I was talking with two of his team players....the 1964 MBB captains..looked around but did not see a person with "the jacket".  May be another time.

[NH NESCAC Fan]

I did, indeed, watch the game.  I thought Jasmine played very well.  She played with a great deal of confidence and energy.  It was nice to see her get some extended time.  I will be heading down to see the Babson game later today in the flesh.  I now have Jasmine's father, Greg, trying to pick you out at games I know you are attending.

[Maine 1]

Amherst fans-don't get so excited over a win against a 13-14 team that probably would not make the NESCAC playoffs.  Look for a good game tonight. I expect that the Amherst defense will swarm all-over the Babson guards.  It is unfortunate that Babson has to play Amherst this early. Looking at some of the other games last night, they are definitely a sweet 16 team. 

Hope to catch the second half of the game on-line

[NE Hoop Guy]

It is unfortunate that Babson has to play Amherst tonight, for both sides really.  The good news is no matter what happens tonight, I think most fair people realize that Babson is for sure a sweet 16 team, and at worst the 2nd best team in the Northeast as they have proved that consistently over three years now.  However, it has been known for many more than three years that the NCAA is an organization rifled with favoritism and cronyism at all levels.  Therefore the disrespect shown Babson, a new visitor to the NCAA elite, over the last three years is par for the course.  The unjust early round assignment this year, the lack of hosting with a perfect record last year, is what it is and cant be changed.  I am sure Babson will find the same challenges next year and beyond.  So we will just forever have to ponder how Emmanuel gets to go to RIC and Babson has to go to Amherst.  We will never figure out (save the coach's three years on the committee) how UNE gets an at large out of the CCC, and Colby a good team out of the NESCAC, with some senior who will never again get the chance, stays home.  The common denominator is the NCAA and their ethical shortcomings IMHO.

[Maine 1]

couple of observations with about 4 minutes left--if Babson could shoot the game would not be close, and Voight is playing great

[Roundball999]

couple of observations with about 4 minutes left--if Babson could shoot the game would not be close, and Voight is playing great

Frontcourt did a great job on the boards as expected, but 10 more turnovers than Amherst and only 4 points from the backcourt just isn't going to do it....

[amh63]

Babson played Amherst close for most of the game with their frontcourt dominating the offensive boards.  Amherst allowing Babson too many 2nd chances and 3rd chances in the first half.  Amherst led by 2 at the half and was lucky at that.  In the second half, Amherst started to only allow Babson one shot and started to cause turnovers.  Amherst starts to get 2nd chances and then had several 3-point shots go in....one by Meg Robertson and one by Voight that was the dagger.....bringing up the lead to 9 and then the wheels start to fall off for Babson.  Amherst led by Lem Atanga started to block shots and make steals.  It was a 13 point spread at the end of the game as Amherst ran out the clock.  Babson's front court all had double doubles.  The senior star had a terrible time at the foul lane going only 3-9.   Poor foul shooting by Babson kept Amherst in the game. 
A better writeup of the game will be posted by the SID on the Amherst website.

[sumfun]

Much closer game than the score indicated.  Huge win for Amherst against a team they knew were gunning for them.  Congrats to Babson on a fine season.  Let's go, Jeffs, and bring another trophy to the Northeast.

[NH NESCAC Fan]

Wow, what a game.  It is 1:10 a.m. and we just got home from the 2 hour drive.  Amh63's synopsis is very good.  That Babson frontcourt was/is excellent.  Unfortunately for Babson, that is all they had/have.  I think that Wurdeman's poor free throw % probably was a result of being tired.  Their big 3 played the entire game.

After watching the game I will definitely agree with the posters who say that Babson got hosed being seeded where they did.  This definitely did not play like a second round game, and was much closer than the final score indicated.  Maine1 your comment that if Babson could shoot the game wouldn't have been close makes as much sense as when my friend said to me at the start of the second half...If we can keep them from scoring there is no way we can lose this game.  Babson rode their frontcourt all year.  The guards aren't shooters.

In any event, it was a heck of a game.  It's unfortunate someone had to lose, and I felt badly for the Babson seniors when all was said and done.

[Maine 1]

Great to see three NESCAC teams moving on to the sweet 16.  Congratulations to both Bowdoin and Tufs, along with Amherst.  Tufts continues to win with defense.