WBB: NESCAC

[Red1]

Bates 65, Salem St. 60.  Hard fought win for the bobcats at Salem State.  I don't know much about them this year, but Salem State has tended to be one of the stronger teams in the region (and one of the few along with Bates, Bowdoin, and now Amherst and Tufts who have shown the potential to take down the always very strong Huskies of Southern Maine).  This win should give Bates some confidence as they head home to take on USM.

Cheers,
Red1

[Red1]

Watch Bates take on USM live in Alumni Gym on www.batescast.com at 5:30pm!!!

Enjoy.

Red1

[Red1]

USM 67-Bates57.  Not bad I guess considering the Huskies constant dominance in women's hoops.  Sorry about the webcast, I guess the Bates website was wrong.  I'm a little questioning of USMs 19-22 from the foul line while Bates only got 4 shots from the foul line (hitting 3).  That's a huge difference, far larger than normal, and more than the difference in the game.  Was Bates just handsy on defense or something?  How did such a huge discrepancy in foul shots occur?

Cheers,
Red1

[tothehole]

Williams 1-3
Common thread with previous seasons Sr Captain Mika Peterman. (See last 2 games of last year)
She has never seen a shot she doesn't like, and the defensive intensity of the current Charlie Weis football team (sorry ND).

Mika Peterman worst NESCAC first team player in the world. My sincere apology to Keith O.

[sumfun]

Lehman beats #3 DePauw by 10.  What does that say about Amherst that beat Lehman by 23.  Lehman has a preseason All-American and 3 junior college transfers.  Sounds like Amherst beat them with tough defense and a deep bench.  Very surprised about Williams as I thought they were coming together as a young team last year. 

[feces monkey]

What does that say about Amherst that beat Lehman by 23. 

What a nerve. Beating a team by 23 that bounced the No. 3 team in the country? Don't the Lady Jeffs realize they need to schedule more like Williams?

As if we needed to quantify the obvious, but just for posterity: Ephoops=Clown.

[tothehole]

 Chessie Jackson (Goleta, CA) scored 15 points for the Ephs against Union but did her defensive responsibility Michelle Rogers lay 38 pts on the Ephs?
Chessie Jackson (Goleta, CA) play some defense. For that matter, how about it ladies  you have given up 86, 91, 73, and 82 in your four losses, run some wind sprints. And Mika more assists less shooting your 45 of 123 is killing the team what are you trying to do score a 1000 pts, stop doing the best Stetson imitation and be a leader.  Defense ladies wins games, the stats will follow. RPI is coming to town and they can score points.

[Red1]

Bates 79 Husson 64.

A solid 15 point for the Bobcats over a team against whom they should earn a solid 15 point win.  I don't have any stats from the game but Bates safely improves to (3-1) and comes home to play Wentworth Tech on Thursday at 6pm.

Cheers,
Red1

[Red1]

Bates 75 Wentworth 49.  Bates cruised.  The bobcats couldn't buy a basket for the first 8 minutes, and it still didn't matter.  Once the shots started falling Bates ran away.   Wentworth tried to double and triple team Val Beckwith to keep her from scoring, but every time they did that they left Maggie Depoy open from outside and she was money from behind the arc tonight.

Bates' biggest problem right now looks to be their hands.  I found out why there was such a huge skew in foul shots taken between USM and Bates.  It's because Bates makes too many stupid fouls.  Most of them being or the reach in variety.  I'm a firm believer in the philosophy that it's only a foul if you get caught.  To put it in a way to illustrate tonights defensive side for Bates; If you're going to initiate contact at least try not to be obvious.

If Bates improves their defense and does a better job of moving their bodies, and not reaching with their arms (or at least do a better job of not getting caught the bobcats will be formidable in Nescac.

Chees,
Red1   

[nescac hoops]

Williams 1-3
Common thread with previous seasons Sr Captain Mika Peterman. (See last 2 games of last year)
She has never seen a shot she doesn't like, and the defensive intensity of the current Charlie Weis football team (sorry ND).
Mika Peterman worst NESCAC first team player in the world. My sincere apology to Keith O.

Tothehole,
While the ephs would certainly like to see her shoot the ball a little better, I think you are being rather harsh. I have not seen a game so I can't comment on her shot selection but she is the team's leading scorer and should be putting up 15 shots a game. She is shooting 38% from the field which isn't stellar but certainly not bad for women's basketball. It is hard to find a guard (not post player) who shoots a lot better as a team's leading scorer.

And Mika more assists less shooting

She is currently 6th in the league in assists with about 4 a game. She is second in scoring and not shooting the ball terribly. Neither of the top 3 scorers (guards) are in the top field goal % category. Again, Mika could certainly shoot the ball better but criticism is a little uncalled for...and inaccurate.

[tothehole]

Nescac hoops
See the Hamilton Guards last game that lit her up
Defense Mikia

[remsleep]

How good is Amherst?  My impression, which began last season, is that Coach Gromacki is a terrific tactition.   This year's team seems to have added a couple of talented first year players.   My sense is that they are a rising team.   Any thoughts?  Comparison to Bowdoin, Trinity?

[sumfun]

I thought Amherst was going to take a hit having lost 3 vital seniors.  That seems not to be the case at all.  The bench is 6 deep, all of which can come off with fresh legs and score as much or more than the starting 5.  He can change up the starting 5.  His freshman are some of the leading scorers, and yes, last year the Gromacki factor was huge.  Not only is he a student of the game with great tactics, but the kids believe in him.  With a young team, they will have their meltdown moments, but they will only get better.  You can probably continue this discussion on the NESCAC link on the Northeast Women's Basketball.  Can't wait for NESCAC games to start as I think Trinity, Bates, Bowdoin and Tufts will be real tests.  I can't figure out for the life of me what's happened to Williams.  When they beat Amherst last year, I thought they were ready to make a charge with strong young players of their own.

[Title9Fan]

I thought Amherst was going to take a hit having lost 3 vital seniors. 

One of Gromacki's (many) talents is recruitment.   Reiff et al were tough to loose but he knows what it takes to keep his pipeline full -- and strong.  His biggest challenge is finding the kind of athlete he wants who can also get into Amherst.   Seems to me he's on his way to proving he can do it.  (Although I still maintain that the 117-3 score he ran up in the pre-season doesn't help his image any.) Overall, however, he's so good that (as the kids would say)...he's "wicked good".

[tothehole]

 I can't figure out for the life of me what's happened to Williams.  When they beat Amherst last year, I thought they were ready to make a charge with strong young players of their own.
[/quote]
With the loss of 2 defensive minded players last year at the post and point Williams lost its "defensive soul". Watching their games last year it would be the post that paid for the defensive lapses of the shooting guard (Mika).  It will take a new leadership (ie the sophs) to get it turned around. Shea coming back and Jackson getting committed to defense first (some footwork work) will help but if Peterman doesn't change her game to defense first, and there is no reason to believe she will (look at the last 3 years) the team is destined to a sub 500 season. Other players can do it Coach Manning knows them. Will Coach have it to bench Mika when she plays matador defense and forgets help.  Coach Manning hasn't shown any inclination to do this but I feel if she doesn't bite the bullet the season will be lost. For Ephs sake Coach, hold Peterman accountable she'll need the experience in her next life, the real world for sure.