WBB: NESCAC

7express · December 08, 2013, 02:48:57 PM

How many of those other 3 does Bowdoin have the NESCAC game in Maine for?? If it's 2 of the 3, I think they'll take the conference crown.

nescacfan1 · December 08, 2013, 07:03:01 PM

I like Williams. The bruise sisters (Litman and Uwanaka platooning at center) combined for 15 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocks yesterday to lift the team to an 8-0 record. They altered many other shots and held Wesleyan to 22% shooting. The team is built to match up against tall, fast teams like Amherst, Tufts and Bowdoin and can defend well. They are holding opponents to 26% shooting so far. Although they are the youngest team Manning has coached, they may be ready this year.

amh63 · December 08, 2013, 08:36:51 PM

7Express....I will try to answer you, if I understand the question correctly. Bowdoin's success against the other CBB teams are non conference wins so to speak. The conference counting rematch will be later in the year..think the early wins were split between home and away games.....an important factor, imo.
With respect to Amherst...and as NESCAC1 has pointed out with the young Williams team, Amherst has a team with no seniors. They do return two starters and a strong ball handler...one of the first off the bench. The soph PG from Atlanta that can dribble through and around most defenses. One of the returnees is Meg Robertson, ROY, all conference F/C, and a pre-season All American. At a listed 6'2" player she is one of the tallest impact player in the conference now. Amherst has brought in a "relative large" group of FYs including a 6'3" player from Florida...listed on the roster as being an inch shorter. The tall FY is being brought along slowly as she came from a small HS environment. The other FYs include three talented players at 5'10" or taller. All are quick, active on the boards and can handle the ball and shot from outside. All need to get adjusted to the college game and PT on the floor. Coach G. is providing them time on the floor ...often starting 3 FY players with the two returning starters. The one getting the most time is a FY point guard by the name of Jamie Renner...a 5'8" 3-sport athlete...if you remember the last name...she is the younger sister of Jackie, a 3 year starter for Amherst..one that transferred to Amherst from a Div1 school. In any case, the younger Renner is, with every game, has become a scorer...both inside and outside. To date another front court soph player, Giddins, is having a break out year to date. The strongest returnee front court player other than Meg, has not played to date.. Jr..S. Holness from a private school near Danbury. She has an injury and I do not expect her to return until the Las Vegas games. Coach G knows what she brings...rebounds, energy, quickness off the bench and a solid backup for Meg. It was nice to see her and Robertson together battle the tall duo's of Colby, Babson and Williams last season successfully.....all of which have now graduated, I believe.
On the negative side, Amherst travels to Bates, Bowdoin and Colby this year for conference games....tough trips, However, Amherst's games with Wes. and Williams are at home. Still the Tufts game is away.
In short, I must point out that Bowdoin is not a shoo in for the title. Maine 1 might be correct that no team will go undefeated in conference regular play. However, the key is to host the conference tourn. If Amherst wins the right games, and gets to host the tournament again....they should be favorites to win the conf. title. Why?.., they are almost unbeatable at home and by then, Coach G. will have his young team ready for still another Final 4 run.
Long response to your question, I think?

7express · December 09, 2013, 12:58:52 AM

Tufts, Bowdoin & Colby are going to be tough road games for this Amherst team I think.

amh63 · December 09, 2013, 09:08:20 PM

Amherst goes to 7-0 with a win against Albertus Magnus, 81-55.....in an away game. Everyone on the Amherst Team played with the big news being the return of S. Holness. She came in for about 5-6 minutes in the second half. When she scored her first points, the whole bench stood up. She left with 3 points and key rebounds. Meg Robertson played well on defense and in rebounding. AMagus was game but had no height to counter Amherst. It seems that the starting line-up at all the positions were taller than their opposite player.....and were just as quick. It was close for about 10 minutes, when Amherst's outside shots did not drop but the game changed when the outside shots started to go in. When Amherst started to score inside in the second half, the lead went to as high as 30 for awhile, I believe.

amh63 · December 10, 2013, 11:25:11 AM

For what it's worth at this time of the year....Bowdoin has reached enough points to be considered to be ranked 26 in the latest D3hoops!

nescacfan1 · December 10, 2013, 01:15:21 PM

In the WBCA poll Amherst is ranked 4, Williams 5, Tufts 8 and Bowdoin 20. I'm not that experienced, but that seems like quite a compliment for NESCAC.

http://www.wbca.org/blog/index.cfm/2013/12/10/20132014-Week-4-DIII-Poll/

amh63 · December 12, 2013, 11:11:55 PM

In the only game played by a CAC team, Amherst beats a good Bridgewater State team in LeFrak. BSU was keeping it tight until their leading scorer was hurt in the second half and had to leave the game. Leave the particulars to the Amherst SID...other then it was a fast paced game and that Amherst seemed to me changed their offense in the second half. Amherst was hitting from the outside primarily in the first half. In the second half, the offense went inside to Meg Robertson much more and Amherst's was working their offense to get shots inside; a rotational pattern of ball movement. It also makes the defense work harder. Still too many TOs, imo. Exam period and the end of semester awaits. Amherst travels to the D3hoops Las Vegas event next.

nescacfan1 · December 14, 2013, 12:27:03 AM

I thought it might be fun to look at the teams Amherst and Williams have played in common, since we will have to wait several more weeks to see them play each other. They have played 3--Bridgewater State, Eastern Connecticut and Skidmore.

Bridgewater State: Amherst wins 86-73-- 13 point margin. starters played 149 mins, bench 51 mins
Williams wins 78-64-- 14 point margin. starters played 111 mins, bench 89 mins

Eastern Ct: Amherst wins 58-44-- 14 point margin. starters played 147 mins, bench 53 mins
Williams wins 67-48-- 19 point margin. starters played 130 mins, bench 70 mins

Skidmore College: Amherst wins 63-52-- 11 point margin. starters played 143 mins, bench 57 mins
Williams wins 55-34--21 point margin. starters played 131 mins, bench 69

So a couple of takeaways-- Williams beat the common opponents each time by a little more and Amherst plays their starters more. It will be exciting to watch them play each other. They look well matched.

amh63 · December 16, 2013, 07:29:09 PM

Week 4 of the D3hoops poll is out. Includes games thru Dec. 15.
Big news is that Bowdoin joins Amherst. Williams and Tufts in the Top 25. Amherst goes to 3, Tufts goes up one spot and Williams stays the same. Montclair State, the previous #3 drops down after their first loss.

nescacfan1 · December 17, 2013, 01:34:36 PM

WBCA poll out. Amherst now # 3, Williams 4, Tufts 7 and Bowdoin 19. NESCAC has four teams ranked, the most of any conference. In this poll no other conference has >2. In the DIII hoops poll the WIAC has 3 (UW Whitewater, Stevens Point and Oshkosh).

http://www.wbca.org/blog/index.cfm/2013/12/17/20132014-Week-5-DIII-Poll/

nescacfan1 · December 19, 2013, 11:07:31 PM

Williams v Babson

In a game dominated by extraordinarily tight officiating, it took Williams 30 minutes to figure out a winning strategy: drive to the basket and get fouled. Once they did that, they pulled away. True to form Williams held Babson to 23% shooting but unlike recent games they got killed on the O Boards. Not their best performance but they found a way to win.

nescacfan1 · December 20, 2013, 06:51:06 PM

Williams v Pottsdam State

Williams used a 21-2 second half run to pull away from the over-matched PS Bears. Stifling defense was once again the story as Williams limited the Bears to 28% shooting, while shooting 42%. Ellen Cook led all scorers with 20 points on 8 for 13 shooting. Kellie MacDonald contributed 11 points while Katie Litman scored 10 and snagged 10 rebounds, including 8 offensive boards.
The offense is explosive when they get out on the break but can sputter in the half court. The defense is consistently good. They seem tough minded but haven't been truly tested yet.

We'll see how good they are in 2014.

amh63 · December 21, 2013, 12:26:33 PM

nescacfan1......thanks for your coverage posts of Williams. Thought about taking a look myself, but seasonal visits by family did not allow me. Good to hear about Williams' defense stress.....a key element on Amherst's past and present teams.
Amherst's next game is in Las Vegas against Vassar. Vassar got ranking points due to their win over then #3 Monclair State. Interesting that Monclair's spot in the rankings was given to Amherst in the latest polls.

This second trip by Amherst to Nevada does give the team a strong opponent. The first trip out west had Amherst matched up with a WPI team.....located only about 15 miles East of Amherst in MA...WPI was over matched and lost by over 50 points, I recall. The Amherst vs Vassar game is on the 28th of Dec.

7express · December 28, 2013, 06:06:48 PM

Really looking forward to the Vassar/Amherst game in Las Vegas this evening. Probably Amherst's toughest test to date. Vassar this year has wins over New Paltz (they stink this year but last year were undefeated until mid January), Montclair (who was ranked #3) at the time, and NESCAC rival Wesleyan. Vassar averages 47.8 opponents ppg and in 6 games, the opponent has only gotten into the 50's 3 times and have held all 6 teams to less than 59 points.