MBB: University Athletic Association

[WAS A PLAYER]

As Jack said as President in the great movie Mars Attacks

"Why can't we all just.................get along"

[Hugenerd]

Regional Rankings are out:

Rochester is 4th in the East, CMU is 2nd in the Great Lakes, WashU is 1st in the Midwest, and Brandeis is unranked in the Northeast (NYU also not ranked in the East).

[pabegg]

Regional Rankings are out:

Rochester is 4th in the East, CMU is 2nd in the Great Lakes, WashU is 1st in the Midwest, and Brandeis is unranked in the Northeast (NYU also not ranked in the East).

Based on my estimates of the rankings (see Pool C page), Brandeis should be 12th in the Northeast, behind the top 10 plus Williams, and NYU should be 7th in the East behind the top 5 plus St. John Fisher.

[Hugenerd]

Regional Rankings are out:

Rochester is 4th in the East, CMU is 2nd in the Great Lakes, WashU is 1st in the Midwest, and Brandeis is unranked in the Northeast (NYU also not ranked in the East).

Based on my estimates of the rankings (see Pool C page), Brandeis should be 12th in the Northeast, behind the top 10 plus Williams, and NYU should be 7th in the East behind the top 5 plus St. John Fisher.

Pabegg,

I like your analyses.  Both Brandeis and NYU seem to have a lot of work to do to get themselves in the Pool C picture.

[quaj]

Washington University point guard Sean Wallis is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, leading the UAA with a 3.15 assist-to-turnover ratio.

I feel that this is a fitting honor for a hard working talented player such as Wallis. He's up against many talented DI players including Davidson's Stephen Curry, UConn.'s AJ Price, and Wake Forest's Jeff Teague.

Fan voting is at http://www.cousyaward.com/
The other DIII guard is Grinnell's David Arseneault.

[theBroadcaster]

As a former WBRS Sports Director and now brandeis alum i just wanted to commend the current WBRS crew for making the trip with the Brandeis bball teams to Chicago and WashU this weekend to broadcast the games.  For an entirely student run station to be making the trip on their own, esp. in these economic times, really says a lot about their commitment to covering the teams and I want to make sure that their dedication doesn't go unnoticed.  Keep up the good work! I'm jealous i never got to make the trip myself

[Hugenerd]

Check out the article on our very own deiscanton:

http://www.cantoncitizenonline.com/020509/superfan.htm

[Hugenerd]

CMU up about 20 on Case with a little over 5 minutes to play.  Corey ORourke has really been that true point CMU needs tonight.  He has dished out 10 assists, has only taken 5 shots, and has also colleceted 6 boards so far.  Jack Anderson is also playing much better, he has scored 14 points on only 9 shots. Einwag has 17 points and Terrance Bouldin-Johnson has 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

NYU within 5 of WashU with 7.5 to go in the first.

Chicago is up big early on Brandeis, 17-4, 7 minutes into the game.

[deiscanton]

It looks like Chicago is going to knock Brandeis out of the NCAA picture.  As of this moment, Chicago has made 12 of 18 from 3 point range for the game.  Chicago is playing like they are 16-2 rather than 2-16. 

Honestly, I don't know if Brandeis will take an ECAC New England invite this season.  Personally, I would want to see Brandeis win another ECAC New England title, but the Brandeis men's basketball team may not want to go to the ECACs because (1) the Judges would have to pay their own way through the tournament and Brandeis as a university is really having financial troubles right now, and (2) the students may not feel up to going to support an ECAC tournament run.  A lot of students feel that the ECAC New England Tournament is a regional "NIT" or worse. 

It is the Brandeis team's decision as to whether or not to pack it up for the season at the conclusion of the NYU game or go to the ECACs.  If Brandeis decides not to go to the ECACs, then I respect the team's decision.

[Hugenerd]

Final: UC 90, BU 81

Yeah, it is hard to think of a scenario where Brandeis might get into the NCAA tourney now.  The most "likely" possibility (not that it is likely, but it appears they have no chance at a Pool C) is if WashU slipped for some reason and lost 3 or 4 of their last 6 (again, very very long shot).  For example, if the entire team caught a really bad case of the flu and they had to play with 4 players the rest of the regular season, this may be a possibility.

I understand your point about the ECACs.  I know that the none of the NESCAC schools will accept ECAC bids; however, it is always nice for the seniors to play a few more games without the pressure of the regular season (also nice to reach milestones, such as 1000 pts, etc.) or to get some younger guys some game experience.  It is also can help build some momentum going into the following season (CMU won ECAC South last year and they seemed to carry that run into this season).

[BUBeaverFan]

Good win for the Bears.  Brandeis will come into WashU hopping mad after losing at Chicago.  AT had 52 points in his first 8 games agains NYU and Brandeis, he has 70 +/- in the 3 so far this season. Tyler Nading and AT were a combined 15 of 16 from the field.

[Hugenerd]

I dont think Chmielowiec is feeling any ill effects of that injury he sustained earlier, he goes off tonight for 36 points on 18 shots.  Rochester wins to go 5-3 in the conference. There is now a 3 way tie for second with CMU, Brandeis, and Rochester all at 5-3.

[deiscanton]

Chicago's 17 of 26 from 3 pt. range ties a UAA record for most 3's made by a men's basketball team in a UAA game.

That record was also held by Chicago.  Chicago last made 17 3's in a UAA game when they played Rochester on January 21, 2007-- the Maroons hit 17 of 30 from 3 pt. range then.

Chicago's 65.9% 3 pt. FG% for the game does not come close to tying the record on 3pt. FG% by a UAA team in a UAA conference game.  Brandeis shot 86.7% from 3 pt. range-- hitting 13 of 15 from 3 pt. range-- in the game against Wash U that was played on February 23, 1997.

[y_jack_lok]

Tyler Nading and AT were a combined 15 of 16 from the field.

I was at the game but didn't realize they were nearly perfect from the field. Of course a lot of Nading's buckets were right underneath and unguarded because the Bears did such a good job of confusing the NYU defense. It was almost as if Nading was wearing an invisibility cloak.

WU started the 2nd half with a 9 point lead but quickly got to the high teens as Thompson hit three 3s in a relatively short span. Classic Wash U offense. Keep Thompson quiet in the first half then spring him in the 2nd. Exactly what they did to Hope in the semi-final game in Salem last year -- or was it Amherst in the championshp game. Doesn't matter, it's just exciting to watch.

[tommygun]

I watched the CMU-Case game on-line in its entirety tonight (it's nice to see more and more dIII teams, and UAA teams doing this, makes it easier to argue.)  CMU is very good.  Last Sunday O'Rourke took 3 shots (1-3, tonight 1-5) and Anderson took 7 (0-7 0-4 on three's as opposed to 5-9 3-5 on three's all made 3's in the first half when CMU took control.)  So, they were hardly gunning it up in either game.  Tonight they took more shots, Anderson and O'Rourke's willingness to pass is not the difference between tonight's game and last weekend's game.   They were clearly willing to pass in that game as well.

Case packed it in a zone in the first half, and the only difference between tonight and last Sunday is CMU was at home and shot the ball extremely well.  Over 50% from three for the game (and equally importantly a total of 9 as opposed to the 4 they usually make,) Anderson hit 3 3's in the first half and CMU I believe hit eight in the first half.  O'Rourke had 5 assists last Sunday and if CMU had shot the ball as well last Sunday they would have won and he probably would have approached the 11 assists he had tonight, if Case had to get out of their zone and he had been able use his dribble to draw help which he did tonight.  Case couldn't stay in the zone tonight and then CMU had their way with them for the most part.  They were able on 5 or 6 occassions to get the ball out of the net after a made Case basket and get a lay-up at the other end before Case got set.  Suffice it to say, they do a lot of things very well. 

If they shoot the ball as well as they did tonight they are an elite team.  However, I also believe tonight, based on their track record, is a statistical anomoly.  They will come back to earth and shoot around the 31% they have shot all year (especially on the road,) and it will cost them a game somewhere down the road, that's the problem with inconsistent shooting, you don't know when it will show up.  Tonight, like any game would be entirely different if Anderson, who is 29% for the year, was having a bad night shooting, like last Sunday, instead of a very good night, like tonight.  It would've been a much different game

My guess is Anderson's looks from three point range tonight were not very different from the looks last Sunday, tonight he felt good and they went in, last weekend he didn't and they didn't.  This happens.  However, CMU is very solid defensively and if they shoot well, a big if, they will be very hard to handle, because they are very solid at almost everything else. They are certainly capable of a nice tournament run.  As I have said all along, they are having a great year.

Enough of that, Brandeis and NYU are essentially done after tonight, (NYU has been done,) in terms of pool C.  By done I mean Brandeis has to win on Sunday, and of all the teams that have been disappointing this year, Brandeis certainly takes the cake.  Chicago shoots lights out tonight (17-26 to trump Brandeis's 10-20 from 3 pt. range,) and I don't know if that's Chicago's offense or Brandeis's defense but if you shoot that well you will beat almost anyone, this after putting up 12 points in the first half on Sunday, hard to explain, other than that's basketball.  What a difference a little home cooking and a few days of rest makes.  Rochester holds on for a big win, or they would also have been in big trouble.

So to sum up in terms of pool C which I really think is what everyone cares about.  CMU continues to be in great shape 3-3 should get them in.  Rochester hangs on and still probably needs 4-2, Brandeis is getting into the winout stage at this point.  Tonight's loss is really huge, while we all know that Chicago is certainly dangerous, especially at home, to the rest of the world it is just a loss to a 3-16 team.  I really think at this point even a loss to Wash and winning the last 5 might not be enough for Brandeis.

Finally all 4 home teams played much much better tonight than they did last Sunday, (except maybe Rochester who just played bettet,) against the very same opposition.  My only involvement in the league is that I used to watch my neighbor's kid with him who played for a UAA school. I used to go to the games with him, and he used to tell me all the time how hard the road Sunday games are.  Having watched the league for a long time I agree with that.  I think all four home teams will win Sunday and it will be just like last Sunday.