WBB: NESCAC

[senatorfrost]

  Bowdoin is a very good team. What impressed me most was the fact that the coach was the FIRST one to show me that they saw more than the super obvious things when she watched the films or when Amherst was scouted in person.
    I'm not going to say what I saw because in spite of the fact that people say the coaches see everything and that you can't tell them anything they don't know, I can assure you most coaches miss this about Amherst.
  It's not a big thing but tonight there is a very good chance it made the difference between winning and losing since the game was so close. What do some of these coaches do when they watch film? Come to conclusions like 'gee Daigneault does come up with rebounds. Make sure you box her out' etc.
   I have never complained about the refs before. I've seen some bad calls from close up but never so many against one team. I never even try to make a call unless I am right on top of it so to speak. Tonight, well my guess is that one of the refs applied to Amherst a while back and was not accepted. Tonight they got their revenge. This went on for a good part of the game until the last seven minutes or so. Hopefully Tufts rejected this ref also and will feel the wrath at a later date.
  It only takes a few calls.

[remsleep]

Actually, not surprised that Bowdoin took down Amherst, only surprised that it wasn't a bit more comfortable.  Bowdoin is hitting their stride when it counts ( though I was shocked that they lost to Tufts)
Having seen the team I root for get scalded by both Bowdoin and Amherst, it was clear to me that Bowdoin has more "baskeball players" than does Amherst.    Both teams will probably win  the rest of their games.....makes for a very interesting NESCAC tournament, and depending on the pairings, likely we will see these two in the final.     

[feces monkey]

I have never complained about the refs before. I've seen some bad calls from close up but never so many against one team. I never even try to make a call unless I am right on top of it so to speak. Tonight, well my guess is that one of the refs applied to Amherst a while back and was not accepted. Tonight they got their revenge. This went on for a good part of the game until the last seven minutes or so.

The weakest of weak sauce.

You claim to have never complained about officiating, yet there is no one who complains about officating like you. You're that guy in third row, standing up and yelling during the block/charge calls in women's games. And always in Amherst's favor. There's nothing wrong with being a homer -- it makes you as close to a Williams grad as you'll get -- just don't bore us with your "objectivity."

Moving on to the season at hand. A mid-to-late season ranking:

1. Amherst -- yeah, the Bowdoin loss doesn't look good, especially at home, but the Lady Jerks are the team.
2. Tufts -- the elephants are my pick to win it all, despite not matching up well with Amherst.
3. Bowdoin -- they are what we thought they were.
4. Williams -- what does it take to get fired from that school?
5. Wesleyan -- can we trade them for Hamilton yet?
6. Trinity -- I'm enchanted by the fact there is another contender. Still a year (at least) away.
7. Bates -- a case of the best and worst coaching. Does that make sense?
8. Colby -- shouldn't they be better by now?

[senatorfrost]

  Monkey:
   I have to admit I'm glad to see you back. Your sly personal attacks have been missed. I remember last year when people from other conferences posted you were quick to let them know that they were inferior to you. I have no idea why you feel the need to  be like that but you do.
  I have seen two games in the past eight years which I thought were unfair as far as the refs were concerned. (I go to most of the men's games and about half of the women's.) Usually over the course of a game bad calls tend to equal out. I consider myself to be very objective and I might add that I have never voiced a complaint during a game. When I say 'voiced' I mean loud enough for a person sitting in front of me to hear every word.
   As a long time fan you should know every once in a great while a team has to suffer through a game like that. As far as Williams is concerned I think Pat Manning is having a tough year. Why would I want to post and make matters a little worse for her? It wouldn't give me any pleasure.
 
 
   

[sumfun]

I think Bowdoin is in the driver's seat as they have the easiest schedule remaining.  Having said that there are always surprises in the NESCAC. 

The officiating in the NESCAC isn't any better than most high schools.  Most times the games are called much too tight, particularly by the female officials.  I don't think they know what a "post move" with a drop step is when they see it.  It's almost always a travel.

[sumfun]

As usual it comes down to the last weekend to determine the #1 Seed for the NESCAC tourney.  Got to see Tufts game on Saturday.  Amherst must have made some adjustments after Bowdoin loss as Amherst shut down Tufts big scorers.  #52 fouled out and was held to 7 points and 4 Rbs for Tufts.  The Freshman point guard for Amherst totally took Collen Hart out of her game.  Daignault for Amherst had a big game, as did Leyman as she had to guard #52 for Tufts.

[sumfun]

Such a quiet board from year's past....any comments on matchups for the NESCAC first round and beyond?!!!!

[senatorfrost]

  The only thing I can think of is that Amherst should have the home court. Mind you I actually think that on a neutral floor Bowdoin probably has the better team but the game was at Amherst and that's a big help. See my crybaby post a ways back but remember sometimes the crybabies are right.

[sumfun]

For the NESCAC's Bowdoin will have the home court, and we all know how hard it is to beat the Polar Bears at home.  Actually in the first weekend, all the higher seeds should be alert to upsets.  Colby has come close to knocking off Amherst.  Williams....one never knows which team will show up, but if the good one does and Bowdoin is cold....one never can tell.  Bates/Trinity is a toss up.  Tufts should win as they only have to shut down two players.

[sumfun]

Wow, this is a quiet board compared to last year!?  Big weekend in Brunswick....any predictions?

[feces monkey]

Prediction: the officials will once again hand the NESCAC title to Bowdoin.

According to the luminaries on this board, since 2001 we've all suffered through the following:

Record of the Bowdoin women's team when the officials have blatantly handed the Polar Bears the game: 224-0

Record of the Bowdoin women's team when there has been fair officiating: 0-35

Frosty's slow-twitch intellectual synapses actually make me pine for the days when all we had to worry about was the Mary Washington crew conjuring up striped phantoms on this board. I suppose with a whack-job liberal in the White House we were due for a Pioneer Valley nutter to finally feel adequate.

[sumfun]

I totally agree on all points.  Don't the refs for conference finals get picked by the league...not the school or usual assigner.  Not to turn this into a political board, but the market certainly has loved the performance of the "whack-job" in the white house.  See occassionally you'll find a conservative in the pioneer valley.  Notice that the market liked December....outgoing pres was a lame duck and incoming hadn't done anything to muck it up further....the markets were allowed  to work.

[Pat Coleman]

Hi, guys -- there's a whole board devoted to politics. It's off-limits here on the rest of the boards.

[bbald eagle]

make me pine for the days when all we had to worry about was the Mary Washington crew conjuring up striped phantoms on this board.

ahh, the pre-Scranton days! 

[sumfun]

If I see that Amherst repeats as champs, I'll be amazed.  It certainly will be a testiment to Gromacki and the freshmen and sophomores that are driving that team.

The last three meetings between Tufts and Amherst have been decided by 2, 6, and 6 points.  Those games could have gone either way.  If Amherst can beat Tufts one more time, they will have had a much more physical game.  I suspect Bowdoin will have a much easier game with Trinity and be fresher should Amherst and Bowdoin meet in the finals.

The last two games between Amherst and Bowdoin have been decided by 1 point in the NCAA, and 2 points in their only match up this year.  Previous to that Bowdoin won by 11 at home last year and lost by 24 in NESCAC semi-final.

Should be a fun weekend to be in Brunswick.