MBB: University Athletic Association

[nescac1]

UAA folks may not be familiar with this site, which covers D-III new england recruiting pretty well.  Article on Brandeis' recruiting class:

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/281/Brandeis-Putting-Together-AllStar-Recruiting-Class.php

One caveat: this site can sometimes engage in a little bit of hyperbole when projecting the impact of players.  Last year they made Yemga seem like the second coming.  Nonetheless, the regional top-100 kid they highlight will probably be at least a rotation guy as a frosh and a key player down the road. 

[deiscanton]

I was at Elms for last night's game before a packed crowd of 231 in a gym that looked to be right out of the Hoosiers movie, even though the Maguire Center opened in 1994, according to the Elms brochures.   Thanks to Mr. Coppens for giving me a ride to and from the game.  Unfortunately, the building had no public computers nearby for giving updates on the game, and with the working water fountains just outside the gym, I had to leave the court a few times during timeouts just to "wet my whistle."

Last night's game felt like a roller coaster ride with a lot of Maalox moments throughout.  I'm glad that Brandeis was able to pull this one out over a very athletic Elms squad.   I just hope that Brandeis is able to come in to the game Saturday at NYU ready to play at their best.

[hopefan]

I notice Danny O'Boyle did not play for Wash U yesterday  ??  -   Sick, hurt, other?   Backcourt is huring if he's gone after already losing Sean Wallis....

[Pat Coleman]

Sick, according to the game story.

[hopefan]

Thanks Pat  - 

[Hoop Dreams]

My wild guess as to how the UAA will look on Selection Sunday:

Wash U	11	3 (automatic NCAA bid)
Brandeis	10	4 (at-large NCAA bid)
Rochester	10	4 (at-large NCAA bid)
Chicago	8	6
CMU	5	9
Case	5	9
Emory	4	10
NYU	3	11

[ILive4This]

Hoop, while I value your opinion, I think it is a bit of a stretch to think that Wash U will win the auto bid. The are still finding themselves as a team, and have not had the dominating performances they usually have at home this year. However I concede a win is a win.

[Hugenerd]

Have you seen how Rochester has been destroying teams.  They have won all their games but one by double figures and are playing incredibly consistent. 

Like ILive4this said, WashU is still trying to figure out their identity (although they are definitely improving) but have struggled in some games this years and only beat 3-9 Babson by 2 points at home.  I think Brandeis has the same issue: consistency.  They have really been eeking out some of these wins versus lesser opponents and when it comes time for conference play, that isnt going to get it done, especially on the road. 

Every game on the road in the UAA is difficult because of the travel and only the teams that can play consistently will get double figure conference wins (only 2 teams, WashU and UC, did it last year and only one team, CMU, did it two years ago).  Because there are so many good teams this year, I think the conference champ may only have 10 wins, similar to two years ago.

[Marty Peretz]

I agree that Wash.U. is still finding its identity as a team (and I have said as much on this board a number of times), but looking at scores, especially this year, can be incredibly deceiving. It seems to me like D3 (particularly Wash.U's region) is wide open this year, with more parity than we've seen in a long time. A couple of instances of why scores can be so misleading...

Wash.U. only beat 3-9 Babson by 2 at home, as a previous poster pointed out. But one-time number 1 and defending national champ, Amherst, only beat Babson by 5 and put up just 60 points on the Beavers. Also, when Babson played Wash.U. their point guard went 10 for 13 including 5 for 6 on 3's, finishing with 32 in an epic performance. Those kinds of games happen.

Platteville CRUSHED 12th ranked Oshkosh tonight, yet Platteville lost by 11 to Wash.U. in what was just Wash.U's 2nd game without Wallis. Similarly in that game, a Wash.U. player (Tyler Nading) had a career night and finished with 31. If we were to only go with scores, Wash.U. would be 30 points better than Oshokosh and I'm quite certain that they're not.

Wash.U. barely got by Coe. If you had checked the box score, you'd realize that their leading scorer Nading was on the bench (in addition, of course, to Wallis) with an injury in that game.

Elms took Deis to overtime and Clark led Deis at the half.

Augustana has a few losses, so too does Stevens Points. Amherst has lost twice, so too has Wash.U. Wooster and VWU also eac have a pair of L's next to their name.

Conversely,  generally off-the-radar schools like Emerson have had terrific seasons. If you were to go only by scores, you could make the case that they are the best team in the country. After all they beat Babson by 13. Does that make them better than Amherst and Wash.U., two 2007 final four teams who both returned loads of talent? I highly doubt it. And yet again, a close look at that Emerson-Babson box score would have shown that in that November contest, an Emerson FRESHMAN hit 8 three's. Those things simply don't happen all that much and show why scores are so misleading.

Still, I'll grant you this: the UAA, like the rest of the country, is mighty difficult to predict, even more so if you are like me and haven't seen most of its teams play yet. But if I were to go by scores only, it'd be even more difficult. Consider that Case Western lost by just one to 9-3 and 2007 NCAA team Depauw, yet also was defeated by Earlham, a squad Wash.U. crushed by close to 30 while resting their starters for much of the contest. Depauw beat U of C by 14, yet U of C beat IWU by 15, a team Wash.U. beat by just 3. If Earlham beat Case by 5, are they 3 points better than Depauw, and 17 points better than U of C? Or is U of C 12 points better than Wash.U since it margin of defeat over IWU was that many more than Wash.U's? Sounding ridiculous yet? I hope so. Having not seen these teams, it's just too hard to say how things will turn out. One thing  I'm glad about: D3, it appears, has much more parity than I've ever before noticed and that's a good thing for all of us.

Lastly, I'd note that each game in the UAA this year will come down to match-ups, even more so than home court advantage or any other potentialyl decisive factor. For instance, I think Wash.U. will have a much better shot at beating Rochester than Brandeis. The Bears' slashing, attacking style has the potential to get Rochester's twin towers in foul trouble and Rochester is without an explosive point guard  who could exploit Wash.U's weakend run game. Brandeis, however, has a pair of terrific point guards who might give Wash.U. fits. But Rochester's more methodical style and plethora of weapons might wear down the Judges, since Deis (especially sans Deluca) strikes me as having a bit less depth.

It's going to be a great year in the UAA...

[Hugenerd]

I agree that Wash.U. is still finding its identity as a team (and I have said as much on this board a number of times), but looking at scores, especially this year, can be incredibly deceiving. It seems to me like D3 (particularly Wash.U's region) is wide open this year, with more parity than we've seen in a long time. A couple of instances of why scores can be so misleading...

Wash.U. only beat 3-9 Babson by 2 at home, as a previous poster pointed out. But one-time number 1 and defending national champ, Amherst, only beat Babson by 5 and put up just 60 points on the Beavers. Also, when Babson played Wash.U. their point guard went 10 for 13 including 5 for 6 on 3's, finishing with 32 in an epic performance. Those kinds of games happen.

Platteville CRUSHED 12th ranked Oshkosh tonight, yet Platteville lost by 11 to Wash.U. in what was just Wash.U's 2nd game without Wallis. Similarly in that game, a Wash.U. player (Tyler Nading) had a career night and finished with 31. If we were to only go with scores, Wash.U. would be 30 points better than Oshokosh and I'm quite certain that they're not.

Wash.U. barely got by Coe. If you had checked the box score, you'd realize that their leading scorer Nading was on the bench (in addition, of course, to Wallis) with an injury in that game.

Elms took Deis to overtime and Clark led Deis at the half.

Augustana has a few losses, so too does Stevens Points. Amherst has lost twice, so too has Wash.U. Wooster and VWU also eac have a pair of L's next to their name.

Conversely,  generally off-the-radar schools like Emerson have had terrific seasons. If you were to go only by scores, you could make the case that they are the best team in the country. After all they beat Babson by 13. Does that make them better than Amherst and Wash.U., two 2007 final four teams who both returned loads of talent? I highly doubt it. And yet again, a close look at that Emerson-Babson box score would have shown that in that November contest, an Emerson FRESHMAN hit 8 three's. Those things simply don't happen all that much and show why scores are so misleading.

Still, I'll grant you this: the UAA, like the rest of the country, is mighty difficult to predict, even more so if you are like me and haven't seen most of its teams play yet. But if I were to go by scores only, it'd be even more difficult. Consider that Case Western lost by just one to 9-3 and 2007 NCAA team Depauw, yet also was defeated by Earlham, a squad Wash.U. crushed by close to 30 while resting their starters for much of the contest. Depauw beat U of C by 14, yet U of C beat IWU by 15, a team Wash.U. beat by just 3. If Earlham beat Case by 5, are they 3 points better than Depauw, and 17 points better than U of C? Or is U of C 12 points better than Wash.U since it margin of defeat over IWU was that many more than Wash.U's? Sounding ridiculous yet? I hope so. Having not seen these teams, it's just too hard to say how things will turn out. One thing  I'm glad about: D3, it appears, has much more parity than I've ever before noticed and that's a good thing for all of us.

Lastly, I'd note that each game in the UAA this year will come down to match-ups, even more so than home court advantage or any other potentialyl decisive factor. For instance, I think Wash.U. will have a much better shot at beating Rochester than Brandeis. The Bears' slashing, attacking style has the potential to get Rochester's twin towers in foul trouble and Rochester is without an explosive point guard  who could exploit Wash.U's weakend run game. Brandeis, however, has a pair of terrific point guards who might give Wash.U. fits. But Rochester's more methodical style and plethora of weapons might wear down the Judges, since Deis (especially sans Deluca) strikes me as having a bit less depth.

It's going to be a great year in the UAA...

I did not make any of those number comparisons in my comment or play any of those number games you mentioned.  I merely said that this is an example of why WashU and Brandeis are not as inconsistent as Rochester.  Rochester is the only team that has beaten the teams it should have rather comfortably.  In my opinion, Amherst has also played inconsistently so far this year (for the month stretch from Dec. 6 to Jan 5 they didnt play as well as a top 3 team should play). 

Whether the close scores are a matter of inconsistent play or parity in DIII is more of a philosophical question. In my opinion, teams not being ready from the first whistle (aka inconsistent play) against these "lesser" opponents has as much to do with some of these close scores as does the skill level of the other teams (parity).  You could make the excuses of injuries, tests, or travel, but what it comes down to is playing consistent basketball every night.  This isnt always easy, but it appears as though some teams are able to do it better than others.

[theBroadcaster]

Just want to let everyone know that Brandeis' WBRS Sports will be at NYU this weekend to bring you both the Judges mens and womens games against NYU.  You can listen live online at www.wbrs.org or on the radio at 100.1FM if you're in Waltham.  We're going to have a couple alumni come back as special guests to broadcast the men's game.

[Hoop Dreams]

hugenerd - I hope you jump in on the UAA pick em board.

All other UAA followers - drop by and make your picks.  We've already got disagreement on all three opening weekend games.  The more people we have, the better!

[bouttime]

There has been alot of talk about the UAA this year with Rochester, Brandeis, and WashU being a big factor in the national picture. Even though they lost their UAA opener, look for CMU to sneak up on some teams as the UAA schedule progresses. They are 8-2 right now coming off a huge win at then #12 Captial and a win at Juniata. The Tartans host Averett tonight and Lycoming on Sunday. I would love to see a 10-2 Tartan squad with Brandeis coming into Skibo on January 18th. Mark your calendars, that is going to be a very good game.

[scottiedawg]

32-32 SUNY Brockport and Rochester at halftime.

[ILive4This]

This is a crazy good game, thanks for the update, I am not so sure that I would have tuned in had I not known it was such a close game. As we speak the teams are exchanging buckets in the second half with the yellowjackets down 2.