WBB: NESCAC

[sumfun]

I have a hard time believing that Amherst didn't broadcast the Emmanuel - King's game.  I thought if you got to host you had to broadcast.  It's the best of the early games and i don't see a link to it?

[sumfun]

Take that back.....found a link on Emmanuel's website

[7express]

Amherst beat York 79-55.  York hung tough there for a while, Amherst was only up 8 at the under 4 media timeout before Lem Atonga make a couple baskets at the end of the half to bump the lead to 14.  Second half for the most part York didn't have an answer, and the Amherst defense gave York nothing easy.  They'll be playing Emmanuel who was an 11 point winner over King's in the 1st game.

[amh63]

Thanks 7Express.  There were fans checking on the Amherst team in Lancaster.  Still, it is nice to get a first hand writeup.

[Maine 1]

Another great game from Voight last night for Amherst.  They are a much better team wtih her starting, and there front six right now is very strong.  I don't see Emmanuel giving them any trouble tonight. 

Very tough loss for Tufts.  They could not make a shot for a while, and then had to do an inbounds pass over becuase the scorer forgot to start the clock, leading to a steal with 20 seconds left. 

[7express]

No stats or video from Amherst??  Dissapointing, but I agree with Maine1, Amherst should win fairly easily.

[Roundball999]

No stats or video from Amherst??  Dissapointing, but I agree with Maine1, Amherst should win fairly easily.

Video here:  https://www.amherst.edu/athletics/jeffcast/jeffcast2

[7express]

Nevermind, I found it on the Amherst website.

[amh07]

Thoughts on the George Fox and Amherst match-up?

[gordonmann]

Blue Zone Bruin asked my thoughts on the Amherst/GFU game since I've seen both teams live a couple times now. That doesn't make me an expert on either team but here are my thoughts.

I think the Amherst/George Fox game is a toss up. I told the George Fox broadcasters last night that I'd make GFU a slight favorite. I picked Amherst in the preview column. So clearly I'm torn.

Amherst has to take away Keisha Gordon's ability to drive, much like UMW did last night. Kim Fiorentino is an excellent defender who contained Division III all-time great Chelsie Schweers last year. Jackie Renner is essentially a 6-foot-1 point guard who plays wing. She's quick and long enough to take away some of the open three-point looks that GFU generated last night.

Amherst has more scoring threats than George Fox with Stedman, Robertson, Atanga McCormick and now Voight. But, like the rest of Division III, they don't have an obvious matchup for Hannah Munger. I asked Bowdoin's coach if the NESCAC had a similar player and she couldn't think of one at the time. Amherst took care of Babson who has a great front court, but George Fox has better guards/wings than the Beavers.

Amherst may try to do what Bowdoin did in the sectional semifinal. Bowdoin played its forward away from the rim to draw Munger away from the basket. Bowdoin got some open looks, but they didn't fall. Plus Bowdoin starts four guards and doesn't have the depth at forward that Amherst does. Hannah's also a physical player so fouls could be an issue with the wrong referee crew. The other George Fox forwards may be solid, but they aren't the unique threat that Munger is.

Keisha Gordon is a great player and will likely be an All-American for us again. She shot great last night, but even beyond that, her passes from the wing to Munger in the post were outstanding. I suspect she gets to defend Caroline Stedman which will be a fun battle of All-Americans.

I've seen a handful of very tall Division 3 women's players (6-foot-5 and taller). They almost always lack coordination, touch or strength. Hannah Munger lacks none of those. She has some of the nicest low post moves I've seen at this level. She has great hands, is a good passer and knows what she wants to do when she gets the ball.  It was a little like throwing a tape in the VCR and watching a Hakeem Olajuwon highlight reel. Defensively she anticipates shots nicely on the defensive end. She gets caught out of position occasionally on the glass, but usually because she's focused on boxing out her opponent.

I'm trying to think of another player like Hannah that I've seen in the 13 years I've covered Division III women's basketball and it's hard to come up with one. Mary Washington had a great center in Liz Hickey (who was incidentally at Friday's game). Liz was quicker but also a little shorter. The only other player I can think of is Cortland State center Kate Smith who was a Division I transfer and a selection to our All-Decade team. I didn't see the top centers (Ronda Jo Miller, Gallaudet and Alia Fischer of Wash U) since they are before my time.

[amh63]

Nice comments Gordonmann.....First though, congratulations to Amherst and their seniors who led the team to its 4th Final Four!
Gordon, you should have looked at the video feed of the Amherst game.  Jackie Renner decided to become a scorer last night....since Emmanual left her open.  She even hit a 3-point shot and drove the lanes.  Voight continues to do well and hit two 3's...so her outside shot is coming along.  Lem hit 4-5 from outside.  Kim and Caroline do not have to hit the outside shot for Amherst to win.  Meg, continues to play the post well with another double double. 
All in all, plus experience in tough games and Final 4 pressure. 

[NH NESCAC Fan]

If you concede that Munger will get her 20 and 10, then the key, I think, to Amherst winning the game is stopping Keisha Gordon and the guards from being factors offensively.  As Gordon pointed out, the other two front line players are not really offensive threats...at least it appears that way from looking at the stats.  (I've never seen them play)  Lem and Meghan did a much better job in the second half of containing the Babson frontcourt than they did in the first, and while none of those ladies are 6'5", all three were very talented. Hopefully they bring that knowledge with them.  Both these teams have the ability to get hot.  GF clearly was very hot last night.

It should prove to be a very good game.

[msdiver98]

Congratulations to the Amherst women and best of luck in the Final 4!   Babson game was by far the best of the past two weekends -- too bad it was a second round matchup and not an Elite 8.

[gordonmann]

Amh63:

I saw Jackie's father at the D3hoops classic in Las Vegas this December. I joked with him and Coach Gromacki that I'd see them in Michigan. Understandably they both demurred given the long road ahead at that point. Congratulations on getting back to the Final Four and establishing the program as the standard bearers for excellence.

[7express]

Thoughts on the George Fox and Amherst match-up?

Never seen George Fox play this year, but they put up a good showing on one of the nations toughest defenses...on their home court...in a game about 2,600 miles away from campus on the opposite coast.  Granted the game will still be pretty far away (anyone know if GF is on spring break this week??  I can't see GF going all the way back to Washington, only to fly back east a couple days later) but I'd make Amherst a 2.5 point favorite.  They have the expierence (4th straight final 4) and frankly don't lose (this senior class only has 5 total losses their 4 years on the Amherst campus; 3 coming their freshmen year).