MBB: University Athletic Association

[WUPHF]

I had said before that the top half of the UAA rankings would look like this:

Washington University
Rochester
Emory
Chicago

But, one could easily argue that Rochester is the best team and that Chicago is the second or third best team.

Rochester is 9-0 with the easiest schedule of the four and seven of those games at home.  They will play only one more on the road before traveling to Carnegie Mellon and Case Western on January 20th and 22nd.

Rochester needed some last minute heroics to stave off the SUNY Geneseo upset bid.  Sam Borst-Smith and Mack Montague lead the league in points and field goals made and scored 24 and 21 respectively, but needed to take half of the team shots to get there.  Who will be able to slow those guys down?

An argument in favor of Rochester being the favorite is the fact that Washington University is the worst in three point field goals per game and among the worst in three point field goal defense.  The Bears front court could conceivably have career nights and still not be able to chase the Yellowjackets down.

Incidentally, Geneseo scored 18 three pointers and 9 of them were scored by one player.

[jaybird44]

I'll mention one other name and his positive progression from last season...David Schmelter and his free-throw shooting.  Last year he was around 65%, and he was a target of other teams as a means to get the ball back without paying a penalty.  That has changed this season, with David's higher arc of his free throws and more backspin.  His free-throw shooting is now around 80%...which, if it continues, will keep him in games longer and especially at the ends of games.

I agree with the other assessments of Hooks, Meyer, and Rucker.

[WUPHF]

I'll mention one other name and his positive progression from last season...David Schmelter and his free-throw shooting.  Last year he was around 65%, and he was a target of other teams as a means to get the ball back without paying a penalty.  That has changed this season, with David's higher arc of his free throws and more backspin.  His free-throw shooting is now around 80%...which, if it continues, will keep him in games longer and especially at the ends of games.

Very interesting...very easy to love this junior class.

Do you get much time to scout the away games?

I was looking ahead at Central and watched a few minutes of a few games.

They have a 6-6 wing who averages 25 points per game and shoots 58% from the field (46% from three point range).  He gets the shot off very quickly and scores from everywhere.  He was held to 10 points against Coe on the road, but if you factor out the Coe and Grinnell games, he is averaging 27 points per game.  I have to think that Clinton Hooks will draw the primary assignment.

Central has three players averaging in double figures and two averaging 9 points per game with a game against Grinnell elevating those statistics a bit. 

Washington University has a clear advantage in the post.

[jaybird44]

I try to do some advance watching of Wash-U's future opponents before they meet on one of our broadcasts, when I am not busy with other PBP assignments or preoccupied with family things.  Have not watched Central yet this season. 

The Bears have a tough stretch left to negotiate in non-conference play, before they travel to Chicago to start UAA play on Jan. 7.

[WUPHF]

I definitely understand...

I have not been able to follow the Women's Basketball team as much since our family expansion a few years ago, but I looked today and I may be following the wrong team.  The UAA is 51-8 with three undefeated teams and three one-loss teams.  Holy cow!

[WUPHF]

Washington University and Central College are tied at the half, 41-41.

The Bears held the lead for most of the half and pushed the lead to as high as 9 at times, but Central keeps finding an answer.  I would have thought for sure that the Bears would lead in both points in the paint and rebounding, and though the lead in rebounding, Central is scoring too easily around the basket.

Michael Bregman leads all scorers with 13 and all rebounders with 4.

[WUPHF]

This is a very good Central team...

[WUPHF]

As the announcer said, this game is unraveling for Washington University as Central leads 71-60.  The Dutch are playing better basketball.

[WUPHF]

Washington University is shooting better overall, but Central has 11 three pointers and is +9 on rebounds.  Central leads by 7.

[WUPHF]

Central College over Washington University, 84-80.

Washington University ties the game with one minute left thanks largely to the heroics of Jake Knupp, but the Bears could not close out the game.  A Kevin Kucera three pointer had the Bears down just two, 82-80 with five seconds left, but Central made free throws down the stretch.

Contentious ending off screen...

[WUPHF]

Looking a little closer at the Washington University loss to Central College.

Massey Ratings has Central as the No. 27 team with Washington University at No. 22.  Incidentally, Massey predicted a Central win by a four point margin.

Washington University played well overall with 6 players finishing in double figures.  Andrew Sanders had a good game, scoring 19 on 9-12 shooting along with 8 assists.  Michael Bregman and Clinton Hooks both scored 13 points.  Jake Knupp was ice cold from the field (1-7), but engineered 6 steals that keyed the late game rally.  Overall, the Bears shot 50% from the field to go with 24 assists.

The Bears had been outrebounding almost everybody (Eau Claire was +3), but got outrebounded by 14 today.  But, the statistic that surely made it a long, long bus ride home was free-throw shooting. 

The free-throws did not come free today as the Bears went 3-10 from the line including three missed front end chances on the one and one.  Yikes!  The season average (75% or so for the players who attempted a free throw today) would have covered the spread and more.

[hopefan]

Problems at NYU:

The New York University men's basketball game between the host Violets and Stevens Institute of Technology, scheduled for Saturday, December 10, at 1:00 pm has been postponed.

The scheduled match-up did not take place due a water leak emanating from above the court.

No make-up date has yet been announced.

NOTE: This Monday night's game between NYU and Brooklyn College will take place at the Violets' Brooklyn Athletic Facility, not at the Sportsplex on 68th Street and Lexington Ave. Tipoff is still set for 7:00 pm.

[WUPHF]

The UAA is 43-19 with just four games to go before the Christmas holiday. 

Here is a quick look at Massey along with the current records.

No. 10 Rochester (10-0)
No. 22 Chicago (6-1)
No. 31 Washington University (6-2)
No. 43 Emory (6-2)

No. 156 Case Western Reserve (3-4)
No. 194 NYU (5-2)
No. 224 Brandeis (3-4)
No. 247 Carnegie Mellon (4-4)

[WUPHF]

Free throws!

[iwumichigander]

Free throws!

it was a good thing we made ours because Coach Edwards made a terrific adjust meant gettingyiur guys out in our perimeter shooters in the second half. C. Another really good IWU WashU game.