MBB: University Athletic Association

[deiscanton]

Game 3 of the UAA/NESCAC Challenge is the second game of the day from the Louis Alexander Palestra in Rochester, NY--

Bowdoin at Rochester just tipped off.

[deiscanton]

Halftime of Game 3 of the UAA/NESCAC Challenge:

Rochester 44, Bowdoin 33

This is a must-win game for Rochester, as Colby is leading over Brandeis, 60-48, with 3:29 left in regulation.

Should the Colby result hold, NESCAC would jump to an early 2-0 lead over the UAA in the Challenge, with Rochester needing to defeat Bowdoin to get the UAA on the board.

Should Colby and Rochester win today, then Emory would have to defeat Bates later today to make the UAA/NESCAC Challenge all square at 2-2 going into Sunday's games.

Both the UAA and the NESCAC need 5 wins over the other league to win the inaugural Challenge-- if the UAA/NESCAC Challenge finishes Sunday at 4 wins a piece, the Challenge ends up as a draw.

[deiscanton]

Final from Waterville, Maine--

Colby 66, Brandeis 52

NESCAC takes a 2-0 lead in the UAA/NESCAC Challenge.

Rochester is leading over Bowdoin at halftime, 44-33.

The second game at Waterville, Maine between Emory and Bates will only be covered by live stats, as NSN did not make any arrangements to video stream any of the neutral games at the Colby pod.

That also means that the Brandeis vs Bates game tomorrow will only be covered by live stats as well. 

[deiscanton]

The UAA gets their first win in the UAA/NESCAC Challenge, as Rochester defeats Bowdoin, 83-67.

NESCAC maintains a 2-1 lead over the UAA with Emory and Bates finishing off Saturday's slate of UAA/NESCAC Challenge games.

Today is a must-win game for Emory so that both conferences can be all square heading into Sunday's slate of games at 2 wins a piece.

If Bates wins today in the finale, the NESCAC would take a commanding 3-1 lead heading into Sunday only needing to win 2 more games to win the challenge.  The UAA would have to then win 3 of the 4 Sunday games just to have the Challenge end in a draw.

[deiscanton]

At halftime, Emory leading Bates, 45-39.

If this result holds, the UAA and the NESCAC will have 2 wins a piece for Saturday's portion of the Challenge.

[deiscanton]

Emory defeated Bates, 86-52, in the second game of the day from Waterville, Maine to put the UAA all square with NESCAC.

After Saturday's action, the UAA and NESCAC are tied at 2 wins a piece in the inaugural UAA/NESCAC Challenge.

Entering Sunday, each league will need to win 3 out of the 4 remaining games to win the challenge.   Another 2-2 split on Sunday will mean a draw in the inaugural challenge.

At noon Eastern, Emory will play at Colby, and Bowdoin will play Carnegie Mellon in the Rochester pod.

At approx 2 PM Eastern, Middlebury will play at Rochester in the showcase game of the Challenge, and Brandeis will play Bates to conclude action in Waterville, Maine.

[deiscanton]

Carnegie Mellon v Bowdoin from Rochester, NY and Emory at Colby will be tipping off shortly.

Update on the Tartans-- Kevin Sax sustained an injury to his left knee in the loss vs Middlebury yesterday and will not be playing today.  Jonathan Milloway will be starting in Kevin Sax's place.

The UAA/NESCAC Challenge stands at 2 wins a piece for each league coming into today's action.

Either the UAA or the NESCAC needs to win 3 out of 4 today to win the challenge.  A 2-2 split would mean a draw.

[deiscanton]

Halftime scores of the noontime games in the UAA/NESCAC Challenge--

Carnegie Mellon 39, Bowdoin 37  Bowdoin was leading 29-12 with 9:31 to go in the first half.

Colby 34, Emory 31  Colby's largest lead of the half was 13-2 with 15:07 to go in the first half.

2 great games in this time window of the UAA/NESCAC Challenge-- If the UAA cannot go 2-0 in this time window, I would like a 1-1 split to make it 3-3 going into the last 2 games.

Colby is going to be very tough to beat at their new home in NESCAC games.  The new Whitmore/Mitchell Court up at Colby, which replaced Wadsworth Gym, is now in its second season.   If Colby wins today, I would like a few Top 25 voters to give me at least a deep dive on the Mules, if not Top 25 votes.  In my book, if Colby holds on and beats Emory today, there is a solid case for Colby to be Top 25, so I would need a deep dive to make a case as to what further evidence Colby would need to crack Top 25, if 3 wins vs UAA teams and an undefeated 8-0 record are not sufficient. Colby would have 1 road win over UChicago at the Ratner Center, plus home wins over Brandeis and Emory, if today's result holds. That makes a tough NESCAC team to beat this season.

Therefore, I am rooting for Emory to come from behind in the second half, and for Carnegie Mellon to keep on the attack vs Bowdoin.

[deiscanton]

There was a temporary game delay at Colby as a secondary set of lights went out early in the second half for a few minutes, which temporarily stopped play.  The game has resumed with Colby leading over Emory 39-36 with 18:01 left in regulation.

Bowdoin and Carnegie Mellon are tied at 41-41 with 17:39 left in regulation.

[deiscanton]

Final from Waterville, Maine--

Emory 80. Colby 66

UAA takes a 3-2 lead over NESCAC in the 2022 UAA/NESCAC Challenge, with Carnegie Mellon ready to get their first win in the Palestra in Rochester, NY since 2014.

Colby takes their first loss of the season.

Carnegie Mellon is about to guarantee the UAA at least a draw in the 2022 UAA/NESCAC Challenge with the Tartans leading over Bowdoin, 76-63, with 34 seconds left.

Final at the Palestra in Rochester, NY-- Carnegie Mellon 79, Bowdoin 66

The UAA now leads over NESCAC 4-2 in the 2022 UAA/NESCAC Challenge, and has clinched at least a draw.

Either a Rochester win over Middlebury or a Brandeis win over Bates in the 2 PM tipoff games will give the UAA the win over NESCAC for the weekend in the Men's Basketball Challenge.

[deiscanton]

It seems like Brandeis is a bit upset that they lost yesterday's game vs Colby early via a slow start.

Brandeis leading over Bates 24-8 with 10:51 left to go in the first half.

Meanwhile in Rochester, Rochester is leading over Middlebury, 9-2 with 16:49 left in the first half.

Don't ask me about the game on ESPN+ between Tufts and Harvard-- During my student days from 1987 to 1991, Brandeis played at Harvard every season, and that game counted on the W/L record and stats for Brandeis.

[deiscanton]

Halftime in Waterville, Maine--

The live stats scoreboard has Brandeis leading over Bates 34-29.

Brandeis's largest lead over Bates was 32-15 with 5:35 left to go in the first half.

In Rochester, the Yellowjackets lead 30-27 over Middlebury with 3:51 left to go in the first half.

2:41 PM Eastern update-- Halftime at Rochester-- Rochester 35, Middlebury 29

If halftime results hold up, the UAA will win the first annual UAA-NESCAC Challenge 6 games to 2, and will have swept the final 3 games in each pod after the NESCAC teams won the first game in both the Colby and Rochester pods on Saturday.

Both Middlebury and Bates will need to pull off come from behind wins in the second half to clinch a draw with the UAA on the weekend.  The UAA is assured of no worse than a draw.

[deiscanton]

Final from Waterville, ME-- Brandeis 68, Bates 58

UAA wins the 2022 UAA/NESCAC Challenge, 5 games to 2, with 1 game left to complete.

In the final game-- Rochester leading over Middlebury 70-67 with 25 seconds left.

3:49 PM Eastern update-- Final score from Rochester-- Rochester 72, Middlebury 70

UAA wins the 2022 UAA/NESCAC Challenge, 6 games to 2.

UAA swept the Sunday games, 4-0, over NESCAC to clinch the inaugural Men's Basketball Challenge.

[Greek Tragedy]

Apparently, not much of a challenge for the UAA. Again, shows the NESCAC is way overrated. KIDDING! LOL

[deiscanton]

Apparently, not much of a challenge for the UAA. Again, shows the NESCAC is way overrated. KIDDING! LOL

I am not going to brag too much-- Old Guy from Middlebury won't let me....  LOL.  BTW, Old Guy complains too much about the (lack of) endline space behind the baskets of the Palestra at Rochester, NY.   Old gyms have their quirks, and besides, the end walls of the Louis Alexander Palestra are padded.

Let Tufts have Tommy Eastman on the men's basketball coaching staff.  I don't mind. 

BTW, I do wish that next Sunday's NYU at Tufts women's basketball match was a doubleheader with the NYU men playing Tufts first at noon, and not just a single women's basketball game at 2 PM at Cousens Gym.  NYU men can use the "toughening up" in their non-conference schedule.