MBB: University Athletic Association

[WUPHF]

Washington University gets the win over Illinois Wesleyan 67-57 to take the 2012 Lopata Classic.  Alan Aboona was named tournament MVP.  The Bears led at the half 37-29 despite the fact that IWU won the battle of the boards and Klimek only had two points.

[Ethelred the Unready]

Rochester beat Hobart 73-64 to win the 47th Annual Wendy's College Classic (formerly the Chase).  U of R's John DiBartolomeo named tournament MVP after averaging 27 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists

[jaybird44]

Dr. Evil needs to take away his mojo.

[WUPHF]

Not related to basketball, but glimpse at how the UAA schools rank in the latest Director's Cup standings.  Emory ranks third after strong finishes in volleyball and women's soccer (runner-up) among other sports.

03) Emory
10) Washington University
13) Carnegie Mellon
20) Rochester
30) Brandeis
41) Chicago
44) NYU
65) Case Western Reserve

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/Dec6DIIIrelease.pdf

[WUPHF]

Finals week(s) in the UAA with only a few non-conference games left in the season for each team.  The UAA currently ranks second among conferences in Division III according to Massey.  A look at where each team stands:

No. 6 Rochester (10-0)
No. 8 Washington University (9-1)
No. 46 New York (6-1)
No. 54 Brandeis (8-2)
No. 55 Emory (7-2)
No. 97 Case Western (5-3)
No. 146 Chicago (4-4)
No. 198 Carnegie Mellon (1-7)

[Ralph Turner]

Oberlin to Maranatha Baptist.

Checkmate.

I was going to counter the Macalester-Coast Guard move with Concordia Moorhead and Rust College, but Oberlin-Marantha Baptist...game over.

Or Bard to Sul Ross State.  (Sorry for the late post.)

[WUPHF]

Or Bard to Sul Ross State.  (Sorry for the late post.)
[/quote]

No need to apologize.  This is my excuse to add Emerson and Caltech.  Incidentally, I think we have the priority list of invitees for the next D3hoops.com Classic.

[WUPHF]

One last look at the Massey Ratings with only four non-conference games to be played and conference action starting this weekend.

No. 3 Rochester (10-0)
No. 5 Washington University (9-1)
No. 40 Emory (8-2)
No. 42 Brandeis (9-1)
No. 54 New York (8-1)
No. 121 Case Western (6-4)
No. 143 Chicago (5-5)
No. 212 Carnegie Mellon (2-7)

Rochester hosts Emory and Brandeis hosts NYU on Saturday.

[jaybird44]

Wash-U plays at MacMurray tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon at 3:00.  Yours truly and Wash-U SID Chris Mitchell will have an audio broadcast of the game, that will begin at 2:30 with the Bears Den Pre-Game Show.  We are having an extended pre-game show to include a general preview of the UAA men's and women's races.

Go to bearsports.wustl.edu and click on the "Bear Sports Network" link on the right side of the frontpage.  From there, select our live broadcast.

Should be an interesting game.  Wash-U is #9 and 9-1, and Mac is 4-5 but its losses have come against teams with .500 or better records:  Sewanee (5-2), Wartburg (5-5), Westminster (8-2), McKendree (6-4), and Augustana (10-1).  Mac only trailed Augie by 3 at halftime before losing by 12, and the Highlanders have four players that average in double-figure scoring.  Wash-U has 3 players in double-figures, and one at 9.9 ppg.

This game could unfold in similar fashion to the Wash-U women's game with Southwestern this past Saturday; a hard-fought battle all the way through.  Hope you get a chance to join us!

[WUPHF]

Halftime at the Ratner Center, my first ever visit.  WUSTL started the game 9-0 but now trails Chicago 32-27 at the half.

[WUPHF]

Chicago does everything right in the upset.  Very few positives for Washington University in the game.

Rochester over Emory with both schools Chicago and Washington next week.

[Titan Q]

Chicago does everything right in the upset.  Very few positives for Washington University in the game.

Rochester over Emory with both schools Chicago and Washington next week.

Mike McGrath did a great job on the Xs and Os in the win today.  In an effort to stop Wash U's deadly high-low game (and resulting easy layups from Chris Klimek), Chicago bottled up the paint and gave the Bears forwards wide-open 15-foot jumpshots.  Nick Burt clanked a bunch of them, as did Klimek, Robert Burnett, and Matt Palucki.  Chicago gave up very few good looks on the blocks.

Chicago also did a tremendous job rebounding the basketball.  The Maroons out-rebounded the nations best rebounding team by 6.  I think IWU is the only other team all season to have more boards than Wash U.  It makes a big difference when you prevent the Bears from getting multiple looks at the basket.

Chris Klimek looked completely out of it.  Things weren't going his way and he just didn't seem to show any fight at all.  There was one possession where he wanted a foul call and didn't get it.  With the Maroons hustling the ball the other way, Klimek was just sort of jogging and barking at an official.  It was strange...he's a good player.

Impressive performance by the Maroons.  I've seen Wash U play several times this year (including 4 times in person) and this was by far the worst the Bears have looked.  Other UAA teams are going to study this tape and try exactly what Mike McGrath did today.

[jaybird44]

I think the trouble inside for Wash-U actually began against MacMurray.  The Highlanders predominantly played zone defense to sag in on the Wash-U bigs, and it was tough at the beginning to get the usual business done in the paint.  That also led to several early turnovers, and the Bears trailed at one point 16-10 before a 20-2 run gave them control of the game.

McGrath must have added his own touches to that, and kudos to him for doing so.  Wash-U doesn't have proflific 3-point shooters this season, but the guards are capable of making enough treys to keep opposing teams honest.  Evidently that didn't happen this afternoon. 

The Bears were also poor free-throw shooters at 5-for-11.  That, plus their neutralized efforts in the paint (both teams had 22 points in the paint, and Wash-U only had a 10-9 advantage in 2nd chance points) led to their undoing today.

Now, Wash-U faces a very tough road trip next weekend...at Emory Friday, and at Rochester Sunday.  Rochester topped Emory 89-80, and Emory will be formidable.  Wash-U beat Emory on the road last season 92-83, but lost at Rochester 94-84.  The Bears will need to at least split those games to avoid starting 0-3 in the UAA.

[Ethelred the Unready]

I think the trouble inside for Wash-U actually began against MacMurray.  The Highlanders predominantly played zone defense to sag in on the Wash-U bigs, and it was tough at the beginning to get the usual business done in the paint.  That also led to several early turnovers, and the Bears trailed at one point 16-10 before a 20-2 run gave them control of the game.

McGrath must have added his own touches to that, and kudos to him for doing so.  Wash-U doesn't have proflific 3-point shooters this season, but the guards are capable of making enough treys to keep opposing teams honest.  Evidently that didn't happen this afternoon. 

The Bears were also poor free-throw shooters at 5-for-11.  That, plus their neutralized efforts in the paint (both teams had 22 points in the paint, and Wash-U only had a 10-9 advantage in 2nd chance points) led to their undoing today.

Now, Wash-U faces a very tough road trip next weekend...at Emory Friday, and at Rochester Sunday.  Rochester topped Emory 89-80, and Emory will be formidable.  Wash-U beat Emory on the road last season 92-83, but lost at Rochester 94-84.  The Bears will need to split those games to avoid starting 0-3 in the UAA.

Just read that Rochester's win over Emory was their 30th consecutive win at home and 17th straight UAA win at the Palestra.  No question, UAA road trips are killers.

[jaybird44]

Wash-U is 2-1 at Emory in the last 3 seasons, and 1-2 at Rochester.

A sweep is not out of the question, but the Bears may have to play their best basketball of the season to achieve it.