WBB: NESCAC

[Maine 1]

No surprises in yesterday's first round (including Colby over Middlebury, which I did not think was a surprise).  Tufts and Bowdoin will be a close game next week, and I could see Bowdoin pulling the upset. I don't see any way that Colby beats Amherst.  Would love to see an Amherst/ Tufts rematch in the finals. Tufts,Amherst and Bowdoin should all make the NCAA tournament

[Pat Coleman]

ronk...whatever. Did he leave in the middle of the night!? . Not everything here on D3hoops is written in stone, imho.
Bottom line...coincide your point...do not care really.  Point I posted was when he left Hamilton to go to Amherst after a 20 win season at Hamilton.

We generally don't publish a story that isn't true, amh63.

[NE Jeffs Fan]

Though they didn't start off as sharp as some games, I thought that Amherst did what they needed to do to beat former coach, Brittany Gaetano and Colby.  Amherst coach did a good job using many players so that his starters have plenty of rest for another epic battle with Tufts today.  Today's game could go either way. 

I, too, think Bowdoin also deserves to make the tourney.  Hope NESCAC has 3 teams represented!

[amh63]

Some comments on the games I watched...and parts of the games I watched.
First time I watched the Bowdoin squad.  Seems the starters were really tight...emotionally tired?...as some were breathing hard at the end of the first period.  No real attempt to go inside and no effective outside game....five points in the first period.  In any case, Bowdoin should get to the post- season based on the latest regional rankings and the present high rankings of Amherst and Tufts.
Tufts also sat their big hitters as much as they could in order for the short turnaround period between games.  Expect they slept in their own beds last night.  North did return to the game in the second half.
Amherst made several moves in the first half that surprised me.  Renner was replaced early in the first period and the FY center from Syracruse...who missed many early games due to an injury..got a lot of time on the floor.  The return of a starter who missed the last few games into the lineup may have also been a reason for the slow Amherst start.
The key in the first half, imo, was the attempt by Amherst to go inside for points and hold their outside game.  Against Colby who has size, it was quite effective.  In the second half, Amherst started to take the outside shots...calibrating their offense?.
In any case, It should be a good game.  Key will be to stop Tufts outside game and winning the rebounds.

[amh63]

Back again.
Amherst beats Tufts this afternoon in LeFrak to win its second straight Nescac title in front of a large partisan crowd.
No. it was NOT a one point win.  The score was 41-37, Amherst.  Last season in Cousen, the score was 36-35, Amherst.
If one looked at the halftime score, and just the stats, the above Amherst win would seem improbable.  Amherst made NO 3-point shots, had more TOs, missed a ton of foul shots and scored only TEN points in the first half.
Tufts made 5 3-point shots, all by their leading scorer and had 15 TOs.  Amherst scored more points over Tufts TOs than vice versa.
The difference was better defense by Amherst in the 3rd period that led to a 21 point offensive outburst and holding Tufts to 6 pts.  It was 16-10, Tufts at halftime. Amherst won the rebounding battle.  Amherst scored more than Tufts inside.
Ali Doswell who missed two outside shots that did not hit the net in the first half and her foul shots too, sat for a long time.  In the second half, she was outstanding, playing mostly inside.  She was the game leading rebounder, her team assist's leader and team high scorer. 
Both teams did not sub much.  Amherst led by about 4-9 points in the 2nd half and slowed the game down in the last five minutes of the game.
With the win, Amherst may host the rest of the post season games in LeFrak..maybe up to the Final 4, if they continue to win.  Why do I point this out?  Amherst won 0ver 120 home games last year..beating UCONN's record.
Tufts stopped that home court record....winning by 1 pt last season.  Both teams went to the Final 4 last season.
With luck and solid play, the two teams may meet again in the Final 4.

[Maine 1]

watched most of the game.  Amherst really turned up the defense in the second half, which spurred the offense.  Ali Doswell took advantage of a mismatch down low, and Tufts could not find any consistent offense.  Amherst won't leave LaFrak until the final four.  Hopefully Tufts is in a different bracket.  Tufts needs to get more offense out of North.

[NE Jeffs Fan]

Looks like both Tufts and Amherst got good draws and if both continue to win wouldn't meet until the Final game.  Tufts may have a bit tougher pod, but would love to see Tufts vs Wash U.  Two great coaches, and I can't recall if they've matched up before.  There are a few teams, Bowdoin included, that could easily give Amherst a good game if the Purple and White (Lady Jeffs for us old timers) aren't on their game.

Let the fun begin!!!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Looks like both Tufts and Amherst got good draws and if both continue to win wouldn't meet until the Final game.  Tufts may have a bit tougher pod, but would love to see Tufts vs Wash U.  Two great coaches, and I can't recall if they've matched up before.  There are a few teams, Bowdoin included, that could easily give Amherst a good game if the Purple and White (Lady Jeffs for us old timers) aren't on their game.

Let the fun begin!!!

Tufts is absolutely the tougher draw and that is probably the right course of action by the committee. Amherst has some bumps, but the lower right is littered with good teams.

[amh63]

Dave...interesting word used in your discription of the lower right section..."littered"

NE Jeff Fan....Based on the Bowdoin vs. Amherst game and what I saw of Bowdoin vs Tufts in LeFrak, I do NOT see Bowdoin giving Amherst a battle in LeFrak.  Tufts is not a high scoring team.  Amherst can be.  Bowdoin does not match up well with Amherst, basically.

[NE Jeffs Fan]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Tufts has to fly to St. Louis, based on regional rankings etc I guess Wash U is ranked slightly higher.  Glad Amherst gets to host, and interesting chart on success of hosting teams getting to Final 4.  Amherst seems to be pretty successful when they host.  Looking forward to another weekend of great games.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Tufts has to fly to St. Louis, based on regional rankings etc I guess Wash U is ranked slightly higher.  Glad Amherst gets to host, and interesting chart on success of hosting teams getting to Final 4.  Amherst seems to be pretty successful when they host.  Looking forward to another weekend of great games.

WashU was the #1 in the Central; Tufts was #2 in the Northeast. Committee did discuss it and felt the criteria gave this to WashU. Was actually the second shortest conversation of the four host chats the committee had. You can probably guess which was the shortest. LOL

[7express]

WashU was the #1 in the Central; Tufts was #2 in the Northeast. Committee did discuss it and felt the criteria gave this to WashU. Was actually the second shortest conversation of the four host chats the committee had. You can probably guess which was the shortest. LOL

Obviously whether to send the bottom left teams to Ohio Northern, or Geneseo Dave, LOL

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

WashU was the #1 in the Central; Tufts was #2 in the Northeast. Committee did discuss it and felt the criteria gave this to WashU. Was actually the second shortest conversation of the four host chats the committee had. You can probably guess which was the shortest. LOL

Obviously whether to send the bottom left teams to Ohio Northern, or Geneseo Dave, LOL

That was indeed the longest conversation  - committee apparently discussed it for a half an hour and were pretty split on whether Geneseo or Ohio Northern deserved to host. They didn't realize the problem with the travel for Hope to Geneseo at the time. If they had know about it sooner, it would have meant thirty minutes of their lives they wouldn't have lost. LOL

[7express]

I actually thought St. Thomas might be the second shortest conversation.  There will be 3 flights regardless to whichever team hosted and St. Thomas clearly looked like the best team.  I would have ranked them time wise in order from shortest-longest it took to decide the hosts:
1) Amherst
2) St. Thomas
3) Ohio Northern
4) Wash U.

Goes to show how much I know (which is nothing), LOL.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It was the second shortest... here was the order from shortest to longest as it was told to me:

- Amherst (duh)
- St. Thomas (being undefeated eventually won out)
- WashU (comparing to Tufts was at least a bit of a conversation)
- Geneseo... eh ONU (as indicated, the longest chat)