MBB: University Athletic Association

[deiscanton]

Emory currently has tiebreaker advantage for AQ based on head to head among co-leaders:

Emory is 2-1 v. Wash U and Brandeis.

Brandeis is 1-1 v. Emory and Wash U.

Wash U is 1-2 vs Brandeis and Emory.

[WUPHF]

UChicago couldn't have had more go wrong in that loss last week. But when you turn around and play the same team 1 week later? It can easily go the other way. Basketball is about matchups, not records.

I guess I could get on board with the idea that for most years, there is no such thing as a huge upset in league play.

No individual result will surprise me this season but two or three results on the same day...

[WUPHF]

I was hoping that Jack Nolan would be the Athlete of the Week this week.

Nolan had slightly better overall numbers than Cole Schmitz and had completely locked down Romin Williams on Sunday.  Nolan scored 30 points while holding Williams to just two made field goals in 33 minutes of play.  Easily one of the 10 best college games he has ever played.

But Schmitz is having a great season and was a big part of both wins, so I guess you gotta go with the wins.

[WUPHF]

It is hard to believe but there are only two Fridays left in league play.

Carnegie Mellon at Chicago
Maroons over the Tartans, 83-76

Case Western Reserve at Washington University
Bears over the Spartans, 80-67

NYU at Emory
Eagles over the Violets, 91-70

Brandeis at Rochester
Yellowjackets over the Judges, 63-59

Just a few random thoughts...

Freshman Cole Frilling leads all players in points per game in conference play, scoring over 18 points per game, shooting 55% from the field along with 47% and 83%.  Frilling is running away with the newcomer of the year award.

Case Western Reserve is 4-5 in conference play, but they are on a three-game winning streak.

[D3RetiredHooper]

Basically a must win tonight for Rochester. Need another quality win on their resume for Pool C considerations.

[deiscanton]

Basically a must win tonight for Rochester. Need another quality win on their resume for Pool C considerations.

As a Brandeis fan, I am not secure about the Pool C chances for my team at this stage either.  This road weekend also involves a 2 to 2 1/2 hour flight to Atlanta tomorrow from western NY for a tough Sunday match at Emory.  I would love for Rochester to be knocked out tonight by my team even if it means losing Rochester's regional ranking next week.  I wil be listening to JC DeLass live on my Fire tablet tonight.

At this stage, I believe that Wash U has the best Pool C resume of the regionally ranked UAA teams, followed by Emory.

PS-- Brandeis wins UAA if Judges go 5-0 starting tonight.  Won't be easy.

[deiscanton]

Lawrence Sabir is back in action for Brandeis -- coming off the bench for his first UAA appearance of the season. 

[deiscanton]

Key players for Brandeis in foul trouble with 2 fouls in the half, forcing an all hands on deck situation with all 12 Brandeis players seeing minutes.

[deiscanton]

Halftime of early games--

Rochester 33, Brandeis 29

Emory 50, NYU 34

[deiscanton]

Rochester seems like they will survive with 6 minutes to go.  Big 16 pt lead over Brandeis, which will force Brandeis into a must win either on Sunday or next Friday.

Chandler Jones has fouled out.

Rochester still has to win out to get a Pool C bid, but Rochester can win the next three games before the final home game vs Emory.

Brandeis needs to win Sunday to stay alive in the UAA title hunt.

[WUPHF]

Case Western Reserve leads Washington University at the half, 43-39.

The Bears got out to a double digit lead before the Spartans came roaring back.

Monty Khela is back too.

[deiscanton]

The other halftime score in the Midwest is:

Carnegie Mellon 44, Chicago 29

[deiscanton]

Final scores from the early games --

Emory 99, NYU 81

Rochester 80, Brandeis 65

[deiscanton]

Final scores from the Midwest games--

Wash U 77, CWRU 71

Emory and Wash U tied for first at 8-2 in UAA.

Emory has tiebreaker advantage for AQ based on 2-0 head to head vs Wash U.

Carnegie Mellon 84, Chicago 73.

[WUPHF]

Talk about a nail biter...

Washington University destroyed Case Western Reserve in Cleveland and it looked like it would be more of that tonight before the Spartans turned it around. This was a game until the final minute when Nolan nailed a three-pointer from the corner with 0:40 to give the Bears a 75-71 lead.

The good: a win.

The bad: far too many turnovers relative to the quality of the play in league play and that continued tonight.  16 turnovers tonight with a few that were inexcusable. 

The ugly: injury issues continue.
__________

Just looking at the Carnegie Mellon at Chicago box score.  No Jordan Baum for Chicago.  Hard to imagine that they win that game without him.  Trent Suddeth went off for 18 points and 14 rebounds.