MBB: University Athletic Association

[howardjp]

thanks, good to see the Judges survive the road.  Needed that after the WU trauma.  Looks like a wide open race!

[Rhodes Scholar]

Today's Results

Brandeis 89, Emory 81
Chicago 74, Rochester 65
CMU 86, Wash U 55
NYU 79, Case 67

UAA Standings

Chicago  5-2
Rochester  5-2
Wash U  5-2
Brandeis  4-3
CMU  3-4
Emory  3-4
NYU  3-4
Case  0-7

[Hoop Dreams]

Halfway through probably the best UAA season in history.  None of CMU, Emory or NYU will run the table, so 4 contenders for the conference title remain:

Washington U. (5-2) (4 H, 3 A)
Despite their stumbles last weekend, I still think the Bears have the best shot to go 6-1 the rest of the way and earn the Pool A bid.  They get their chance for revenge vs. Rochester and Carnegie Mellon this weekend.  I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears beat the Tartans by 20+ tomorrow night to avenge their blowout loss in Skibo.  They also get Brandeis and NYU at home before traveling to Chicago the last game of the season.  However, the Bears (particularly Troy Ruths) match up very well with the Maroons and dispatched Chicago rather handily in Ratner last season.

Chicago (5-2) (5 H, 2 A)
The surprise team of the UAA thus far has jumped out to a 5-2 start despite playing 5 of those 7 games on the road.  If the Maroons win out at home and pick up a victory at 0-7 Case, they will be looking at an 11-3 conference record.  That's much easier said than done, however, with the quality opponents that will be visiting Ratner.  It starts with Rochester tomorrow night.

Rochester (5-2) (2 H, 5 A)
The Yellow Jackets didn't sweep last weekend like I said they needed to do.  However, their hard-fought win over Washington, coupled with the Bears' subsequent loss to CMU, gives UR hope.  Rochester's next three games are brutal: @Chicago, @Wash, @Brandeis.  Win 2 of those 3, and the Yellow Jackets are in good shape.  Anything less, however, and Mike Neer's team is thinking about tiebreakers and Pool C bids.

Brandeis (4-3) (5 H, 2 A)
The Judges have a conference-leading 4 road victories but are hanging by a thread in 4th place.  Brandeis must beat Rochester at Auerbach Arena on Feb. 15 and win at either Chicago or Wash U the following weekend to have any hope of a conference title.

[Marty Peretz]

good post, Hoop Dreams. I tend to more or less agree, but don't count CMU out yet. I haven't seen them play, but from what I hear they are getting hot at the right time. I also don't think Chicago will perform as well as it has been during this second go-around in the UAA. Ratner isn't the toughest place to play, so even though they have home games left against the big 3, I don't think they'll win more than one. Rochester will win there Friday and Deis will likely beat them in two weeks. Wash.U. is a rivalry game and since the Bears boast so many Chicago products on their roster, that season finale might feel more like it was in St. Louis. The Maroons could quite conceivably go 0-3 in those games. I also think Emory is capable of beating UC when UC has to travel to ATL. Chicago will beat Case at on the road and has a very good shot to beat Carnegie Sunday. Somewhere along the way, they'll grab another and finish at a respectable 8-6.

The verdict is far from out on CMU. I think we'll know a lot more about them after this weekend. If they sweep this weekend, they still have a chance, but their remaining schedule is incredibly daunting. At Deis, at Wash.U., at Chicago. Even with a strong finish, I don't seem them finishing better than 8-6, though if they play like they did last weekend, 9-5 isn't altogether out of the picture.

Rochester will lose to Wash.U., but beat Chicago and remain in contention, particularly if CMU can steal one tomorrow night in St. Louis. Still, their schedule is brutal and they haven't played many tough road contests this season. Their loss to Emory is a huge black eye, especially because they lost at home to Chicago. A 2-0 weekend and they are your UAA favorites, an 0-2 weekend and they are done. If they split this weekend and Wash.U. split this weekend, this is a two way race. If Wash.U. takes care of business this weekend and ups their home court winning streak to 28 games with two more wins, it's the Bears title to lose.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

WOW... this page got quiet since last weekend!

[y_jack_lok]

Wash U looked tentative at the start of their rematch with CMU falling behind 22-12. Late in the first half Danny O'Boyle hit three 3 pointers in a row in the span of a minute and another just before halftime and Wash U led 36-30 at the half. CMU scored the first seven points of the second half and eventually moved out to a six point lead. Then O'Boyle hit three more 3 pointers in a row in less than 90 seconds midway through the half to put Wash U up 57-53 and they never trailed again.

[Rhodes Scholar]

I watched the Case @ NYU game last night. NYU led by two at the half and the game was close until the final minutes before NYU opened up some breathing room and won 64-54. Keith Jensen, Richie Polan, John Mish and Charlie Parker all played well for the Violets.

Case shot 23% in the second half and 1-14 from downtown for the game. It's not going to be easy for the Spartans to come up with a victory in the UAA this year. 

[Gregory Sager]

Chicago lost a one-point game last night that it should've won, and free throws were the reason. The Maroons only went 7-13 from the charity stripe in the second half, a particularly significant statistic inasmuch as it reflected a team failure with regard to the style of play that they employ. While Rochester has a more static, swing-the-ball halfcourt offense that revolves around the three-point shot and the entry pass to a strong inside player, Chicago has three players (Jake Pancratz, Nate Hainje, and Matt Corning) who are adept at putting the ball on the floor and driving to the rim. A team that uses a lot of penetration, however, is going to need to make its free throws in order to make the possessions count. While both teams shot the ball well in the second half, Chicago squandered several possessions by not getting its requisite points from the FT line, and that ended up doing in the Maroons.

Chicago generally did a good job of defending the low post against Rochester's very solid post players, Uche Ndubizu and Jonathan Onyiriuka, as neither one turned into a dominant force underneath the basket. However, Ndubizu wasn't so easily thwarted; when denied good position, he was able to slide into the lane and hit very effective eight-foot baby hooks. He's exactly what you want in a scoring center, in that he always has a good Plan B when the ball is in his hands with his back to the basket.

Chicago also did a pretty good job of covering the perimeter, but Robert Dominiak and Mike Chmielowiec were able to use their superior range to good effect for the Yellowjackets. When guarded closely at the arc, they simply took their shots from 22 feet out -- and hit them.

Still, Chicago should've won that game; although they never had a secure lead, the Maroons led throughout the last twelve minutes of the first half and the first fifteen minutes of the second half. The fact that a team of his that was shooting about 73% from the line for the season could've bungled a potential win by misfiring on almost half of its free throws must've just driven Mike McGrath nuts.

[BoomerIL]

Gregory Sager.....

Were you at the game last night?  Your report is right-on target!!!  I do agree that Chicago maybe should have won the game, but I also know that Rochester was in foul trouble with their key guy early in the first few minutes of the game.  Not making those free throws does drive a coach nuts I'm sure.  Look at the Pruitt kid the other night when Illinois played Indiana.

For some reason Rochester has been struggling the last few games.  I do know that while listening to the game, and then the post game interview with Rochester's coach, he said they changed from their normal game sets to give Chicago some different looks as compared to last week.  This may have confused the UR players, although I doubt it since all of these kids a pretty smart.  Just listening to the past few UR games, they just seem to be a little out of sync.  But, it also could be that the competition has gotten better.  Losing to Emory, have though games against Brandeis and Wash. U., and then losing again may have affected them.  Maybe they are getting tired.  My son is on UR's baseball team and their training and practices, plus the rigors of their academic schedules may be starting to take its toll.  The other kids from the other schools are going through the same. I'm sure.

Thanks for the analysis, it was good!

[Titan Q]

Chicago lost a one-point game last night that it should've won, and free throws were the reason. The Maroons only went 7-13 from the charity stripe in the second half, a particularly significant statistic inasmuch as it reflected a team failure with regard to the style of play that they employ. While Rochester has a more static, swing-the-ball halfcourt offense that revolves around the three-point shot and the entry pass to a strong inside player, Chicago has three players (Jake Pancratz, Nate Hainje, and Matt Corning) who are adept at putting the ball on the floor and driving to the rim. A team that uses a lot of penetration, however, is going to need to make its free throws in order to make the possessions count. While both teams shot the ball well in the second half, Chicago squandered several possessions by not getting its requisite points from the FT line, and that ended up doing in the Maroons.

Chicago generally did a good job of defending the low post against Rochester's very solid post players, Uche Ndubizu and Jonathan Onyiriuka, as neither one turned into a dominant force underneath the basket. However, Ndubizu wasn't so easily thwarted; when denied good position, he was able to slide into the lane and hit very effective eight-foot baby hooks. He's exactly what you want in a scoring center, in that he always has a good Plan B when the ball is in his hands with his back to the basket.

Chicago also did a pretty good job of covering the perimeter, but Robert Dominiak and Mike Chmielowiec were able to use their superior range to good effect for the Yellowjackets. When guarded closely at the arc, they simply took their shots from 22 feet out -- and hit them.

Still, Chicago should've won that game; although they never had a secure lead, the Maroons led throughout the last twelve minutes of the first half and the first fifteen minutes of the second half. The fact that a team of his that was shooting about 73% from the line for the season could've bungled a potential win by misfiring on almost half of its free throws must've just driven Mike McGrath nuts.

Greg, this Top 25 voter is curious how you think Rochester stacks up vs Augustana, Wheaton, and Elmhurst.  (I have seen Chicago.)

Thanks.

[Hoop Dreams]

A key stretch in last night's game was the final 3:30 of the first half.  Chicago had Rochester on the ropes, having gone on an 18-4 run to take a 28-17 lead.  Mike Neer called timeout, and considering UC had just won at the Palestra 5 days earlier, Rochester had to be wondering at that point if Chicago was simply the better team.  But the Maroons let off the gas somewhat, allowing the Yellowjackets to score the final 7 points of the half.  The score was 28-24 at intermission, which had to do wonders for Rochester's confidence.

That said, we're all singing a different tune about this game if Nate Hainje puts a little more on his 25-foot jumper at the buzzer.  Despite the final miss, Hainje put forth a terrific all-around effort last night.  Playing with a large bandage on his chin, Hainje took an inadvertent elbow to that area in the second half and was in some pain.  However, with Chicago down by 2, he took Jon Onyiriuka to the hoop with :11 remaining, converting a three-point play that could have been the game's defining moment.  Alas, it was not to be.

Greg, do you have any insight as to how Uche Ndubizu got so wide open under the basket for the winning shot with :03?  It appeared to be some sort of press defense breakdown, but it happened so fast I'm not exactly sure what transpired.  Credit the seniors Ndubizu for getting open and Jeffrey Juron for finding Uche under the basket.  Because of that play, it is Rochester, not Chicago, tied with Wash U atop the UAA.

[Hugenerd]

Because of that play, it is Rochester, not Chicago, tied with Wash U atop the UAA.

That play also makes Sundays game even more important than it already was.  If WU wins, they are alone in first and if UR wins, they are effectively 2 games up by going 2-0 against WU on the season (with 5 games to play).

[Bba11man]

Chicago was switching 5 on that last play---one player did not, a back screen was set at the top of the key and Uche went to the block and two people stayed with the screener leaving him wide open at the block. had it been done correctly for chicago, he would have been guarded by a guard in the post, not an ideal matchup but that's not the goal of the defense, the defense is to prevent any open looks which is exactly what it gave up.

[Titan Q]

Who is the Rochester play-by-play guy on WYSL?  I am listening to the Wash U/Rochester game now, and have listened to several Rochester games over the years, and I think he's very good.

[ur2004]

Probably JC DeLass - he is very good.  On the other hand, WYSL is coming in scratchy on my computer, so I'm listening to WashU's radio, and it's cyrstal-clear but god-awful.  Constantly comparing guys to Allen Iverson and Reggie Miller, misstating what half it is, how many fouls people have, saying it's an entertaining night game (when they're playing at noon), etc.  Just horrific, even if these guys are students (which I sincerely hope they are, to be sounding this ridiculous)...