WBB: NESCAC

[feces monkey]

Maybe raising the tuition a few grand could get the new place built!!

Unfortunately, instead of revamping Alumni, the Bates money men (women?) would probably use any leftover cash to expand the hockey arena. This would allow them to...um...bolster that club hockey team. I don't want to make too much fun of the rink, as I know Red is still a little sore after Johnny Weir beat him out for the Olympic figure skating team.

I actually like Alumni, and would rank it as my second favorite gym, behind Tufts' barn. I love that place. Colby, Conn., Midd, Williams, Bowdoin and Trinity's courts all seem so antiseptic to me. LeFrak is slightly bizarre, but not bad. I haven't seen Wesleyan's new one, but from the pictures it looks to be of the sterile variety. I'm dating myself, but the worst "NESCAC" court I've ever seen was Hamilton's. Not sure if they still play on the tartan surface on the infield of their indoor track, but that was awful. And there was usually one blown ACL per game.

Methinks if Williams had beat Bowdoin, Carolina would not have been lamenting that the tourney wasn't played on a neutral floor. While some DIII tournaments are played on neutral courts (the ODAC for one), I think it is logical for a team who wins the regular season to get some kind of benefit. Plus, per conference rules, schools aren't allowed to claim "regular season champion," so it's only right they should get a leg up.

And yes, Carolina, I know it's only your opinion. But it's still wrong. Maybe if your girl, Maggie Miller, hit a couple of more shots, you could paint your face purple and gold in Chandler. Or was it the officials who robbed the Ephs?

[bballsneaks]

well said, feces. well said.

[carolina]

Feces

I could care less who won the game.I still think a neutral floor is best and an opinion can not be wrong. You can disagree with it but it is only wrong if you diseagree with it. As far as Maggie hitting a few more shots...if any of her teammates hit more shots they would of been better off but that still doesnot change the fact that there was a big discrepency in the fouls. 33 to 6 is ridiculous for any game. However, I was very impressed  that Bowdoin connected on 30 of those. You do not see that too often. Alot of games are won and loss on the foul line and it is very obvious that winning by ten and scoring thirty of your 70 points from the foul line made quite the difference. I am not blaming the refs totally but it sure was a big discrepency!!!!!!!

[Red1]

Wow, it's been quite a while since you've been to Hamilton, Feces.  I grew up in Clinton, and frequented the field house/basketball gym on the hill, but while the location is the same, the basketball team is not playing on the same surface.  Hamilton purchased a removable hardwood floor back before I moved to Maine.  I think it was the summer of '98, but it could have been '97.  Same field house, new floor.  No torn ACL on a game by game basis.  The wood floor is elevated 3 inches from the real floor (the one you remember), so there are 2-4 sprained ankles per game now instead.

I've never been in so much pain as when I was denied a spot on the olympic team.  I'll get to keep trying however as Underhill is not expected to change with the long-term plan.  The first stage involves building some new dorms, the second expanding the campus accross Campus Ave, and reorienting it, and the third is new dining a facilites, and student spaces which will be right next to Alumni.  What I don't know is whether they'll expand Alumni while their building right there anyway.  I suspect they might.  I also don't know if any of this will ever actually happen it's just in the planning stage (and has been for 2.5 years now).

I understand how Carolina feels.  I felt the same way when Bates lossed the sectional host to USM last year because Alumni was too small.  I was especially hurt when Bates lost in overtime because I thought Bates had earned the right to host, and would have won at home.  I, too, insisted that neutral courts would be better.  I got over it, however, very quickly because I knew that the NCAA made the correct decision.  Alumni really is too small for a sectional.  The game was over, I moved on to the next season.  Perhaps Carolina will get over Williams not hosting soon when he realizes that the correct team, the team that earned the right, is hosting.  Then we can move on to next weeks games.

Predictions for the tournament:

1 Bates d. 8 Colby by 40
2 Bowdoin d. 7. Tufts by 35
3 Wesleyan d. 6. Trinity by 20
4 Williams d. 5. Amherst by 12

1 Bates d. 4 Williams by 3 (It's in alumni now and Bates is hungry for revenge.  This game will be different than the last)

2 Bowdoin d 3 Wesleyan by 7 (Their Bowdoin, need I explain further?)

1 Bates d. 2 Bowdoin by 3 in ot (This may just be wishful thinking, but these two teams have made the final 3 times in a row, and they've played close a three times in Brunswick.  I think that being in Alumni is just enough to swing that close game in Bates favor)

[feces monkey]

Red, I will confess that Clinton is not on my shortlist of travel destinations, thus my dated comments. I much prefer Oneonta...

Bates could use the upgrade, but I think it will always be hurt by the lack of organization on campus. The dorms, facilities and administrative buildings seem so haphazardly located. Life in the big city, I suppose.

As much as I like to tease Carolina about it, Bowdoin would have been much better served to play the semifinals in Chandler. While the players wouldn't be able to sleep at home like they will with Lewiston, not having Bates (Bowdoin's biggest threat) in their own gym would be pivotal.

I agree with all of Red's first round predictions, although I think the margins in all game will be less, most by half. I agree on both semifinal predicitions and, as much as I would like to disagree, that finals score sounds about right. That would put three NESCACs in and if Wesleyan beats Bowdoin -- which is certainly well within the realm of possibility considering the last result -- I think they could get four. I just hope Bowdoin, Bates or Williams gets a crack at Brandeis -- home or on the road --to debunk that myth.

In regards to officiating, I wasn't at the Williams-Bowdoin game so I can't comment with authority on the officiating, but the "blaming-the-refs" argument is tedious, and mildly insulting to the opposition. Officiating is different from game-to-game and it's the responsibility of the teams to adjust.

An example comes to mind from the Bates-Bowdoin series. It was the NCAA tourney in, I want to say, '98, and Bates had owned Bowdoin in the regular season behind an unbelievable player (MacCrave? MacCord? Something like that). She could steal the ball from anybody and was fast as the wind. In the NCAA game, the officials are calling it really tight, and the player gets a couple of quick reach-in fouls and is pretty much hampered the whole game. Bowdoin wins. Bates just never adjusted. Sometimes it's convenient to blame officials, but there is no rule that the fouls have to be even. You have to adapt.

[carolina]

Feces
I can take the teasing. However, for the last time I am not blaming the refs!!!!!! I am simply saying the game would have been more exciting had they not tried to control the games themselves. Some officials are on power trips and try to control every aspect of the game. Just let the players decide the game. Never did I say the fouls had to be even but if you are going to call it one way for one team then call it the same way for the other team. All I ask is for consistency. On the other hand you are right, teams need to adjust but they should not have to play against the officials too, playing Bowdoin is tough enough without adding the stripes in the equation. I am not saying Williams would have won because anyone who watches their games knows that their foul shooting can be skeptical at times. I am just looking for consistency among all officials. If you want to call it tight do it both ways. If you want to let them play do it both ways. Thats all

[D3Cast]

Here's the webcast schedule for schools in the D3Cast network today:

NESCAC women's quarterfinals:
Colby @ Bates, 2 p.m. on BatesCast audio & video

Enjoy!

Steve Clay
D3Cast
http://www.d3cast.com

P.S. Look for D3Cast's announcement about the NESCAC men's and women's basketball championship weekend (semis and finals) on Monday...

[walzy31]

Bowdoin 52 Tufts 41
Bates 65 Colby 44
Williams 55 Amherst 39

those results are final so far. closer than predicted.

[Red1]

Feces,

You were right, I got a little carried away with the scores.  (okay a lot carried away).  The teams were right and the margin of victory was approximately half of what I'd predicted just as you said.  I tip my cap on that one. 

The Bates/Colby matchup was extremely frightening as Meg Coffin got tackled, yes tackled, 3 times under the basket.  Colby really didn't have an answer for her.  Bate took a 4 pt. lead to half time very upset with their small lead.  The response:  shift it into high gear.  The bobcats did just that and pulled away from the white Mules to the tune of the afore mentioned score.

[carlweathers]

Tackled?  That seems like a bit of an exaggeration.

The Bates/Colby matchup was extremely frightening as Meg Coffin got tackled, yes tackled, 3 times under the basket. 

[D3Cast]

D3Cast to Webcast NESCAC Basketball Championships

MARBLEHEAD, MA — The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and D3Cast (http://www.d3cast.com) of Marblehead, MA, announced today that all three games of the semi-finals and finals of both the 2006 NESCAC Men's and Women's Basketball tournaments will be webcast on D3Cast on February 25-26, 2006. Live video and audio are planned for all webcasts.

"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to bring these two high-profile championships to an eager live audience," said D3Cast president Steve Clay. "We recognize that in the past three years, one national champion, four national Final Four teams, and eight sectional finalists have participated in these two tournaments, and we're proud to be a part of that legacy.

"In the past three years of the two NESCAC tournaments themselves," said Clay, "six games in the semis or the finals have been decided by four points or less, and we expect that our audience will be treated to some exciting games this year, as well."

The schedule:

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
2 p.m.: Men: Bates at Amherst
2 p.m.: Women: Williams at Bates
4 p.m.: Men: Tufts vs. Trinity (@Amherst)
4 p.m.: Women: Wesleyan vs. Bowdoin (@Bates)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
12 p.m.: Men: Championship (@Amherst)
12 p.m.: Women: Championship (@Bates)

For more info, contact sbc@d3cast.com.

[feces monkey]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/02/21/clean_water_activists_take_aim_at_androscoggin/

Above is a feel good story from today's Globe for all of those heading to Lewiston this weekend. Rumor has it the conference office is toying with the idea of selling t-shirts with the following slogan:

"My team made the NESCAC women's hoops tourney, but I'll I got were these lousy skin lesions and an irritable bowel."

[Red1]

As long as you don't actually go into the 'Scog or drink directly from it you'll be fine.  If you do either of those two things I suggest you find the nearest hospital, directions can be provided.

There's nothing better than Nescac championships in Lewiston.  You get to watch 3 basketball games and get 1 or 2 free saunas besides (depending on if you stay for the finals or not).

[walzy31]

For Senatorfrost,

Bates +3.5 Vs. Williams
Bowdoin -6.5  Vs. Wesleyan


Bates to win NESCAC championship outright 3:1
Bowdoin to win NESCAC championship outright  even money
Williams to win NESCAC championship outright  3:1
Wesleyan to win NESCAC championship outright  18:1

[senatorfrost]

Thank you Walzy. I know people like Bowdoin. I missed a mumber of games this year and have only seen Amherst and Williams. (I saw Wesleyan for a few minutes once at Wesleyan)  Anyway Bates has the home edge and with 3-1  I like them for 3 units

#1 Bates to win NESCAC-3 units

#2- Parlay =Bates over Ephs with Bates to win NESCAC-2 units