WBB: NESCAC

[NE Jeffs Fan]

Liked the even scoring of points with Meridith Doswell getting more into the mix.  The more options the Jeff's have while Robertson is down, the better for the long haul.  Amh63, I didn't see the knee brace, but that would say to me she could be lost for the season, but don't know that.

[Maine 1]

I thought Amherst played a nice game against Bowdoin.  It was a well played game by both teams, from start to finish.  Amherst did a better job in this game getting to the basket, when the 3s would not fall (they did not do this against Tufts).  It still looks like Tufts is the top team in the league.  A lot of big games coming up in the next two weeks, with Bowdoin ,Williams, Trinity, Wesleyan and Conn College all fighting for the three and four spots.  Today's Hamilton-Middlebury game is a big game for the number 7/8 spots. 

[amh63]

NE JEFFS Fan....I did not see the brace.  The announcers mentioned that during the game there was the lea ding scorer and rebounder sitting on the bench with a heavy knee brace.  Caught a shot or two of Meg in street clothes next to the coaches.  When she walked by in the handshake line, she did so in a limp like manner....therefore my speculation of a strain maybe durning pre game practice.  On Friday, she was dressed and had been walking smoothly with only a taped knee.
Several points wrt to use of FY players.  H. Peterson who scored a career best 30 points in a recent game, was missing shots last night.  Maine 1 earlier posted that A. Doswell, no. 23, in the Tufts game was missing the basket entirely.  In a following game, she scores a career best 24 points.  She had an off night last night on the offensive side, but still tied with her twin M. Doswell for leading scorer.  Also, it seems that both of Amherst's captains were on the bench last night for some time.  Soph C. Pritchard was sat down....had an off game and was sitting with Meg.  J. Renner  had the reign and played well down the stretch.

[Maine 1]

Looks like Colby or Middlebury need to win three games, otherwise Hamilton has probably wrapped up the 8th spot in the playoffs with their win today. Bates could still sneak in but would need to beat Hamilton and win at least one other game and hope that Hamilton doesn't win another.  Tough to see both Bates and Colby at the bottom of the league.  Colby seems to be in most games for a while, but then fades.  No inside game at all.  Not sure what the story is with Bates.

[nescacfan1]

Another interesting game for Williams vs Middlebury on Friday. Williams prevailed 60-55 but it was not pretty. MacDonald (19 points) and McCall (12) rescued a mediocre performance from much of the rest of the team. Cook was really off on her shooting but contributed 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Big games this weekend vs Bates and Tufts at home.

[nescacfan1]

DIII rankings are out:

#6 tufts
12 amherst
15 williams
22 bowdoin

[nescacfan1]

WBCA has it slightly differently, which may chap some Amherst fans:

Tufts 5
Williams 10
Amherst 11
Bowdoin 22

NESCAC is still the only conference with four ranked teams.   

[7express]

Interested to see Tufts game @ RIC tonight.   The Jumbos are the 3rd unbeaten NESCAC team to come into the Murray Center in Providence in the last 30 days following Bowdoin & Amherst.  Bowdoin lost by 11 & Amherst won by 9.  I think Tufts is probably the best of those 3 teams (sorry Amh), but right now RIC is playing a whole lot better today than they were the beginning of January when they played the Jeffs & Polar Bears.  I have Tufts winning as I think they are just a better team than the Anchorwomen are, but hopefully, as an LEC homer, who's conference desperately needs a marquee victory, the Jumbos are looking past RIC and looking ahead to Williams (who's game is more important to them anyways in the long run).

[Maine 1]

Agree that Tufts is the best team in the NESCAC.  However, I would not be surprised if they lose to Williams out at Williams.  And if Amherst gets Robertson back for the NESCAC playoffs, even though the game would be at Tufts (assuming Tufts does not lose two games in the league) I would not be surprised to see Amherst beat Tufts--primarily because of the coaching advantage

[amh63]

Don't want to get in a discussion with knowledgeable posters wrt to polls and best team in the region.  I will  however flatly state now that with Meg Robertson back' the Lady Jeff's will win the conference title where ever it is played.  This is based on the the play of the young Amherst team in recent games without one of its Captains.  Meg Robertson was an returning All- American.  With her, Amherst beat a Williams team easily at home and only lost by 2 at Williams without her.  She essentially did not play in the Tuft's game...getting injured 3 minutes into the game.
Mt post here is ...who won the game at RIC?

Never mind...saw that Tufts blew out RIC.  Now what were you saying about RIC 7 ? .  One must remember polls are done by people with insufficient  data about loses...having many teams to think about , etc.

[nescacfan1]

Williams has been without Katie Litman, their sophomore post, for the last 10 games, but word is she will return soon. Litman is a double double threat every game and their best defender. With Litman (if she is near form) I would rank Willams and Amherst even on a neutral court. If Amherst plays at home, they have the advantage. Tufts is still the team to beat this year.

[Roundball999]

Using Massey's purely statistical approach, win probabilities on a neutral court:

Tufts 52% over Amherst
Tufts 80% over Williams
Amherst 78% over Williams

Tufts becomes a 61% favorite over Amherst if Tufts is hosting; Amherst becomes 59% favorite if it is hosting.  These are both large home field advantages compared to most HFAs by Massey calculations.

Massey also predicted a 86% probably of a Tufts win over RIC with median score of 62-50.  Surprisingly accurate.

Throw the statistics out the window when the ball is tossed up, but interesting nonetheless.

[amh63]

Roundball.....thanks for the post.  Does provide another point to provide discussion.  Enjoyed the info.  Will not bore you or other posters with the pro and con of Massey and the statististical model approaches.  My simple   answer to using such models is weather predictions.  It has come a long way and now there are at least four different models that were used to predicit recent storms and maybe the recent weather for the Super Bowl.  Yes, I am also a skeptic of economic models and will admit to being skeptics of the top economists...including a Nobel Prize winner....all which I know and have been friends with over the years....from Amherst.

[Maine 1]

Lots of really good points and opinions.  Let's hope for a NESCAC final four of Amherst, Williams, Bowdoin and Tufts--clearly the top four teams in the conference, and this would make for a great Saturday afternoon of D3 women's basketball.

[amh63]

Amherst wins in LeFrak over a game Conn. College team 77-58.  The Camels came out smoking in taking a 9-0 ked and led the LJs by double digits.  Amherst ties the game when their shots start to hit , but the Camels led at the half 33-30.
It was a different story as M. Giddens starts to score inside and goes 10-10 in her shooting.  Peterson who was 1-7 from outside in the first half, hits her first two 3's in the second half and the game goes Amherst's way big.  Amherst turned up the defense, Amherst goes inside and gets fouled, and it was catch up the rest of the half.  Amherst dominated the boards...against a taller front court put on the floor by the Camels' coach.  Amherst players took advantage with their quickness and hustle.  Everyone on the Amherst squad got into the game....except for Meg Robertson.  According to the announcer, she maybe out for the season with an apparent ACL injury.  Meg was on the bench in street clothes and a taped knee...cheering her teammates on.