MBB: University Athletic Association

[Gregory Sager]

I think it had a low-odds chance of going in. It might've hit the front of the rim at enough of an acute angle to spin over the front and in, or to bounce on the front a time or two and then drop in. More than likely it would've hit too straight on and would've caromed right back out into the lane, but all there needs to be is the slightest of chances for the shot to go in for goaltending to be the correct call. Kudos to the officials for getting it right.

Buzzer beater goal tending costs Chicago a chance at the overtime.

Washington University wins 70-68.

That has to be even more heartbreaking then when the Maroons got North Parked...

Of course. This was a league game, and the NPU game wasn't.

[WUPHF]

The first weekend of UAA conference action is in the books with the following results:

Rochester over Emory, 84-54
Brandeis over NYU, 80-69
Washington University over Chicago, 70-68
Carnegie Mellon over Case Western Reserve, 78-61

__________

Washington University vs. Chicago was an intriguing game throughout.  The teams played evenly through the first ten minutes of the second half and were tied 51-51 when back to back jumpers by Washington University pushed the lead to four.  At that point, Waller Perez responded with five straight points and looked as though he may take over the game...  The Bears responded with big shots from Highsmith, Knupp and Hooks.

Perez did everything for the Maroons for most of the final 10 minutes, scoring 12 of his 16 during this stretch.  Noah Karras was the only other Maroon to score from the floor during this stretch, sinking two big shots, including the game tying three pointer.

The Bears shot below the average (42%), but shot better from three point range, going 10-23 (43%). 

Clinton Hooks and Jake Knupp scored 9 of those 10.  Hooks had been shooting significantly below his average from a season ago and Knupp had been passing up the three, so this is very encouraging.

I think the entire program breathed a sigh of relief when David Schmelter knocked down those first two free throws.  The Bears went 6-7 from the line today.  Kucera knocked down two key free throws at :26 to push the lead to three.

19 assists today compared to 7 two seasons ago.

[WUPHF]

Of course. This was a league game, and the NPU game wasn't.

Washington University is a big time rival.

NPU is not.

But, that was just a comment made in the moments just after the bizarre finish.  Not exactly hard hitting analysis.  Not really something that needed to be addressed or corrected.

[WUPHF]

The UAA has published a nice on Coach Edwards and Coach Neer: http://uaasports.info/sports/general/2016-17/neeredwards

[WUPHF]

Just a few hours from Chicago vs. Rochester and Washington University vs. Emory as the UAA moves to the Friday-Sunday schedule.  Huge, huge, huge games in both cases.

Massey favor Rochester of course with a 70% chance of a 76-70 win.  This is an intriguing match-up though with two senior guards for Rochester and two senior forwards for Chicago all playing like first-team all UAA players.

Washington University is favored as well with a 60% chance of a 72-70 win. 

Both games will tip simultaneously at 8:00 EST: http://d3hoops.com/scoreboard/men/2016-17/UAA

[WUPHF]

Chicago leads Rochester at the half, 45-39.

Zack Ayers has three fouls while Mack Montague has two.  Ayers is the leading rebounder for Rochester.  The Maroons have a 21-11 advantage on the boards.

[Gregory Sager]

The Yellowjackets were killing the Maroons early with slips off of the screen roll, but they've gone away from that and have resorted to a bit too much chucking of 25-foot fades and contested treys. Meanwhile, Blaine Crawford is carving up the Rochester interior -- and with Ayers in foul trouble, the 'jackets don't really have an answer for him. Rochester is going to need Ayers to stay away from picking up his fourth foul early when the two teams return to the floor.

[WUPHF]

Washington University leads Emory, 64-50 with 4:54 left in the game, but the Eagles seem to be ready to make a run.

[Gregory Sager]

Sam Borst-Smith is doing a pretty fair Steph Curry imitation tonight. Still, Chicago is up, 64-59, halfway thru the second half.

[WUPHF]

Emory is making that run.

66-60 with 1:19.

Emory ball.

[Gregory Sager]

Borst-Smith has 32 and is 7-for-7 from downtown -- and I don't mean downtown Rochester. He's shooting them from downtown Utica.

Chicago's lead has been cut to 71-70 with six and a half to go.

[WUPHF]

Washington University holds on to defeat Emory, 71-63.

Emory battled back from a 19 point deficit, but could not get closer than 6.  The Bears shot just 54% (12-22) from the free throw line and missed a host of opportunities late in the game, but continued to play good defense.  The Bears were finally able to get a free throw and then two more to push the game out of reach.

[Gregory Sager]

Rochester now up, 82-80, with 1:50 left.

[Gregory Sager]

Rochester 88
Chicago 82

With 32 seconds left, the 'jackets up by two, and the shot clock winding down, Borst-Smith drove the lane. Tyler Howard got there first and was outside of the charge circle, but the baseline ref flipped a coin and it came up in favor of Ro-cha-cha. The 'jackets then proceeded to knock down five FTs to close it out. Bad call or not, though, Chicago did nothing to slow down Borst-Smith, who practically carried his team to the win with 38 points. Montague had 14 and Ayers had a dozen for the victors, while Chicago wasted a good effort from Blaine Crawford tonight (18 and 8). He was joined in double figures by Howard and Karras, who had 16 apiece.

[jaybird44]

Very good win on the road for Wash-U, free-throw shooting troubles late aside.  Limiting Emory to 32% overall shooting and 27% from 3-point range, on its home floor, is an outstanding defensive effort.  Bears got 18 points from 12 Emory turnovers, a nice ratio of 1.5 points per opponent turnover.  A 36-7 edge in bench points is always nice, too.

Jake Knupp, one of the Wash-U reserves, had 15 points/7 rebounds/4 assists.  Another reserve, the steady Matt Highsmith, added 13 points on 6-12 shooting.

Very very important early-UAA slate game on Sunday at the Palestra...it will be fun to see who gets the upper hand as Wash-U takes a happy flight tonight to Rochester.