MBB: University Athletic Association

[Hugenerd]

After non-conference play and the first few conference games, here is how I see the conference:

1. WashU
2. Rochester
3. NYU
4. Brandeis
5. Chicago
6. Emory
7. CWRU
8. Carnegie Mellon

Others thoughts?

[Hugenerd]

I have been really impressed with NYU recently.  The had two losses early in the season (first 5 games), that they probably should not have lost, but they have played really well lately.  First they beat Lebanon Valley, a team that has beat 13th ranked F&M, then they beat#8 Brandeis, and tonight they travel to Wesleyan (a team in the top half off the NESCAC) and absolutely put the route on them, winning by 21, which is Wesleyan's worst loss of the season (they have already played Williams and Amherst).  This could be the best NYU has been compared to the rest of the UAA in a long time, they could conceivably finish 2nd this year.  If they keep winning, they could even start picking up some Top 25 votes.

[deiscanton]

As for NYU, Carl Yaffe is NYU's top newcomer, but on a local front, I have been checking on the progress of Kyle Stockmal and his twin brother Cory Stockmal, both of whom play for NYU.   Both brothers played high school ball at Watertown (MA) High School under Brandeis Athletics Hall of Famer Steve Harrington.  Kyle Stockmal helped lead Watertown to a state championship last year.

(Harrington already declared that he would be in NYU's corner this year in the NYU vs Brandeis matches, but would otherwise be cheering on both teams.)

Kyle Stockmal has been getting a lot of minutes his first year at NYU, and I expect that he will develop into a terrific player for the Violets later on.  Kyle Stockmal scored 3 pts in his UAA debut on Saturday in 19 minutes of action.

[nescac1]

NYU does look good.  And the Stockmals were a great pick-up, I agree.  One minor quibble -- I think Wesleyan is too young and too porous defensively to be considered in the top half of the NESCAC at this point.  I'd say that NESCAC will more likely end up something like Williams, Midd, Amherst, Bowdoin, Colby as the top five with a sizable gap after that, Conn and Tufts last, and Wesleyan, Bates, and Trinity all about even somewhere in 6-7-8 range. 

[Hugenerd]

NYU does look good.  And the Stockmals were a great pick-up, I agree.  One minor quibble -- I think Wesleyan is too young and too porous defensively to be considered in the top half of the NESCAC at this point.  I'd say that NESCAC will more likely end up something like Williams, Midd, Amherst, Bowdoin, Colby as the top five with a sizable gap after that, Conn and Tufts last, and Wesleyan, Bates, and Trinity all about even somewhere in 6-7-8 range.  

You are likely right about the hierarchy of Wesleyan in the NESCAC, but NYU did give them their worst loss so far this season (on Wesleyan's court), and that includes games vs. Williams and at Amherst.

[nyp56]

as a longtime nyu fan and frequent reader (but new to posting) on this board, it is really nice to see nyu generating some discussion. i find it difficult to argue that nyu is near the top of the uaa this year, although this weekend's trip to chicago and wash will certainly shed more light on that situation. still, it should be noted that nyu's 2 early losses came without junior captain and all uaa honorable mention guard dj glavan. he played for the first time against brandeis and is still working his way back toward playing significant minutes, and his continued improvement could conceivably only help the violets down the stretch.

[magicman]

Rochester downs Geneseo St. 61-51 in the 1st round of the Wendy's Classic held in Rochester

Yellowjackets down by 10,  17-7 with 11:00 to go in the 1st half come back to grab 27-25 edge at the break. Rochester quickly up by 11 to start the 2nd and twice Blue Knights cut it to 4, the last time 46-42 at 8:39 before 13-4 Rochester spurt slams the door.

Blue Knights led by Brandon Simpson with 12 pts (6x17 fg) and 8 rebounds. Abe Miller added 7 pts and 10 boards. Mike Baker all around game of 8 pts, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

Rochester's Nate Novosel led all scorers with 14 pts on 7x14 from the field and had a double-double with 10 rebounds. Colin Cubit chipped in with 10 pts. John DiBartolomeo added 9 pts, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 7 steals. Rochester moves to 10-2 while Geneseo falls to 2-8. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Watching the Brandeis-WashU game tonight.  Went to overtime at 49-49; I might be persuaded to join the Rochester bandwagon after watching this fiasco.

[Hugenerd]

Im watching that game also.

Chicago beats NYU 65-58.

[Gregory Sager]

John Kinsella scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to lead Chicago over NYU tonight, 65-58. Steve Stefanou added a 16 and 14 double-double for the Maroons, while the Violets were paced by Andy Stein with 17 points, Omar Meziab with a dozen, and Carl Yaffe with 11.

[dblock]

tough loss for the violets.

[Gregory Sager]

OT final: Brandeis 58, Wash U 55

[Hugenerd]

As you mentioned Hoops Fan, I have been thoroughly unimpressed with WashU tonight.  Has anyone else tried having an athletic guard smother Wallis.  He has had some decent plays, but overall he has been canceled out by Hughes, forcing 8 turnovers on Wallis (10 points on 3-7 FG, most of which was in the first half).  I know they are missing a player, Caleb Knepper, but they looked very suspect on both offense and defense tonight.  The Brandeis guards got into the lane at will, if they would have made their layups they would have won in regulation.  On offense WashU was equally stagnant.  Kudos to Brandeis for playing a controlled game and limiting the posessions by taking 35 seconds every time they had the ball(which sometimes led to bad shots), but they did what they needed to do.  WashU didnt really exploit their size advantage in this one, which Brandeis has had trouble with in the past.

Brandeis wins: 58-55

[y_jack_lok]

WashU didnt really exploit their size advantage in this one, which Brandeis has had trouble with in the past. Brandeis wins: 58-55

Exactly. Zach Kelly with 2  points, a gimme layup at the end of the OT, Alex Toth with 2 points -- an 18 foot jumper. Spencer Gay got loose down low a number times and scored 13.

Those missed Brandeis layups, mentioned above, did cost them the game in regulation, but it was missed Wash U free throws (10-22) that cost the Bears the game.

This is definitely not as good a Wash U team as the past two years and they will graduate Kelly, Kelley, Smith, Thompson, and Wallis, so next season will be very interesting. But I'm not ready to give up on them this year.

[WUPHF]

As you mentioned Hoops Fan, I have been thoroughly unimpressed with WashU tonight.  Has anyone else tried having an athletic guard smother Wallis.  He has had some decent plays, but overall he has been canceled out by Hughes, forcing 8 turnovers on Wallis (10 points on 3-7 FG, most of which was in the first half).  I know they are missing a player, Caleb Knepper, but they looked very suspect on both offense and defense tonight.  The Brandeis guards got into the lane at will, if they would have made their layups they would have won in regulation.  On offense WashU was equally stagnant.  Kudos to Brandeis for playing a controlled game and limiting the posessions by taking 35 seconds every time they had the ball(which sometimes led to bad shots), but they did what they needed to do.  WashU didnt really exploit their size advantage in this one, which Brandeis has had trouble with in the past.

Brandeis wins: 58-55

It is important to know that Caleb Knepper has become absolutely essential to the Bears offense.  At least this is my opinion.  He is such an offensive threat from the perimeter that he takes loads of pressure off Thompson and Wallis.

I mean, you got to find a way to win with what you got, but the Bears got to have outside shooting.  And, they did not tonight.

The Bears had plenty of points inside, driving the lane, and doing what they needed to do inside.  I would not agree that Brandeis won the battle inside.  You said that Brandeis could have won in regulation with more control inside.  WashU would have won in regulation if they had shot the season average on free throws.

Wallis had a number of turnovers, but two were tipped out of bounds, and not called (I was right under the basket) for example, and several were just bad passes.  Wallis was defended well, but smothered, not really.

Maybe I should sleep on it and finish my thoughts tomorrow.