MBB: University Athletic Association

[Ethelred the Unready]

I admit that I do not know much about NYU.  I was considering putting them with CMU and Rochester in the second tier of the UAA when I made that post (the first tier being Wash, Chicago and Brandeis), but I didnt really hear of them doing much to improve.  CMU's main loss, I would say, is not just Kozak but Greg Gonzalez, who was first team all-UAA and was an all-great lakes performer as well (he is know playing in Germany). With that said, I still think they have a lot of talent and they have a very large and talented freshman class, as well as experienced returning players in Ryan Einwag (two time 2nd-team all UAA and Outstanding Player of ECAC South Tourney last year), Jack Anderson, Elliot Curtis, Terrance Bouldin-Johnson, Rob Pearson, Shane Rife, and Jon Wollebon.  They return 3 starters: Einwag, Bouldin-Johnson, and Anderson, as well as 5 other players who played 24 games or more last season: Curtis, Rife, Pearson, Wollebon, and Matthew Pettit.  I think CMU has the opportunity to be better than last year's 6-8 in the UAA(they were 19-9 overall). Rochester is obviously a question mark because of all their losses, but Chicago and WashU also had significant losses to graduation, so it will be interesting to see how the season will progress.

It will be interesting to see what they do without the size and athletic ability of last years bigs.  Some freshmen with size but not sure if they are ready for the riggors of UAA ball.  Solid point and SG return.  I imagine Coach Neer has had similar situations over the past 33 years so I'll wager there is a plan.

[Marty Peretz]

DBlock,
Thompson and Nading can't drive the Bears? Tyler averaged 15 points a game last season and had the highest field goal percentage on the team. When Wallis initially went down, it was Nading who rose to the challenge. He tallied 31 points and almost finished with a triple double in a crucial win against Plattville. Additionally, it was Thompson who shouldered the load at the point prior to Kelly's maturation. The fact is that when Wallis first went down, Troy underwent one of the roughest patches of his career. It wasn't until Nading and Thompson (and Kelly) got the Bears back on track that Troy's numbers picked back up. A tremendous player no doubt, but Ruths relied on his guards quite a bit. I see this Wash.U. team as getting off to a hot start, taking some tough losses in UAA play when things get more physical, and then making a deep run into the tournament, if not all the way. The loss of Ruths will hurt, but to say that they'll lose to Chicago is ludicrous. On what basis is that statement being made? They're without Hainje, so what makes them different from WU?

[dblock]

DBlock,
Thompson and Nading can't drive the Bears? Tyler averaged 15 points a game last season and had the highest field goal percentage on the team. When Wallis initially went down, it was Nading who rose to the challenge. He tallied 31 points and almost finished with a triple double in a crucial win against Plattville. Additionally, it was Thompson who shouldered the load at the point prior to Kelly's maturation. The fact is that when Wallis first went down, Troy underwent one of the roughest patches of his career. It wasn't until Nading and Thompson (and Kelly) got the Bears back on track that Troy's numbers picked back up. A tremendous player no doubt, but Ruths relied on his guards quite a bit. I see this Wash.U. team as getting off to a hot start, taking some tough losses in UAA play when things get more physical, and then making a deep run into the tournament, if not all the way. The loss of Ruths will hurt, but to say that they'll lose to Chicago is ludicrous. On what basis is that statement being made? They're without Hainje, so what makes them different from WU?

Marty,

I made my statement based upon watching Wash play over the last 3 years as an opponent. Ruths was the key to stopping that offense, Gameplanning against Wash was all about limiting Ruths. Nading is a good player, but he is not an offensive juggernaut, neither is AT. I'm not disrespecting them; I just personally believe that Wash will definitely suffer from not having Troy on the block. There will be considerably less open knock down shots for everyone on Wash, and Troy was simply a presence. Anytime a team loses a player as good as Ruths, they will suffer. You are completely entitled to believing that AT, Nading and Sean can carry Wash, I just do not think that will happen. Wash is a good team, but they will not live up to their Number 1 ranking. I don't think saying that Wash losing to Chicago is ludicrous, saying Wash will lose to Emory may be ludicrous, but Chicago? No that's just looking at the matchup of the two teams and deciding that a less than 100% Wallis is going to stop Pancratz from running Chicago all over Wash. And I make that statement after speaking to one of Sean's summer league teammates who said that he looks good, but is nowhere as good as he was preinjury, he still can shoot the lights out, but his quickness and lateral movement have definitely been harmed by his injury. That along with my belief that Corning is underrated as hell, leads me to think that Chicago will be better than Wash. I love that you support your squad to the fullest, but you are being incredibly naive if you don't think that Wash will take a few steps back. Hell, I might be wrong, I thought Wash was going to be really affected by Sean getting hurt, and I told him this when he got hurt, he told me they'd be ok, and they won the whole thing. So once again, I see Wash being good, but not nearly as good, and not Championship Defending good.

[woowashu]

I think that Wash U will have to change their style a bit to compensate for the loss of Troy.  So, until we see how they change things up, I don't think we can pass judgment on their season.

But as for me, I'll be planning on a trip up north come Final 4 time

[hopefan]

up north?  Salem Virginia, not Salem Mass     go Bears

[woowashu]

from my neck of the woods Salem, VA is just as North as Salem, MA.  Wouldn't want to be in Salem, MA today though.  All of the crazies come out on Halloween!

[WAS A PLAYER]

dblock, As the years pass I think it is tougher and tougher to predict the UAA. I'm not sure I agree with your comment about Chicago being the most fundamentally sound team in the league. Did you watch the Championship game. It was a clinic. Nobody came to double Ruths because they were afraid of the periimeter play and Thompson still got them for 19. I think  they will be fine offensively. I actually feel defense is the strength of Wash U and the absence of Ruths will be felt there. Also, I believe Chicago is the team that lost the POY so they must have more to replace than Wash U.

[Marty Peretz]

Here's the thing about Troy Ruths: he was at his best when it mattered most. I do believe that D3 titles are won by big men, so DBlock is right that it will be difficult for Wash.U. to repeat. They play in an incredibly difficult region and one bounce the wrong way could send the team home in March. That said, I think Wash.U. will be equally good and probably better in the regular season than they have been in recent years. Tyler will have more room to slash and create his own shot, as will AT and Cam Smith. Additionally, the Bears are deeper than in years past. Spencer Gay will be a huge surprise this year, mark my words. Guys who got less time because of Ruths will also step up (Jon Wolff and a healthy Zach Kelly come to mind). This will be an exciting team to watch, one with more athletes and more basketball savvy than Wash.U. has seen in a long time. They will come out of the gate more prepared than usual and will not truly feel Ruths loss until the post-season. Even then I believe they can make a run and possibly repeat. I should note that this all hinges on Sean's return. If he comes back 100 percent, WUSTL will be a joy to watch.

[y_jack_lok]

One other aspect to Wash U's depth this year is Ross Kelly. Seems to me he has been a bit overlooked/under-recognized as an important part of this year's Wash U team given how he stepped up last year when he eventually became Wallis's replacment. And he did an outstanding job guarding Amherst's Andrew Olson in the championship game last March.

[hopefan]

Marty - I'm very optimistic regarding the return of Sean Wallis  -  the day I went in to get my Final Four tickets, I headed down to the gym to wish Coach Edwards good luck. There on the floor doing wind sprints and shooting jump shots under the head trainer's watchful eye was Sean Wallis - out ofshape from 4 months off, yes, but straight line running and doing a little jumping was doing fine.  If progress continued from that point in time, he'll be ready to go.

As for Ross Kelly, I wonder if at times Sean will move to 2, Aaron to 3 Tyler and Cam the 'big' men-  Yjak is right, Ross played so well in the final four last year, It's hard to imagine he won't find significant time this year....

I have liked Wolff too - a terrific leaper and rebounder, and though Gay got limited time last year, he came to Wash U with great High School credentials  ...  as for Zack Kelly, unless injury has been the problem, he's been a disappointment thus far....also Kaleb Knepper CONTRIBUTED in critical times last year.

How about the frosh from Florida - Jake Seymor-  I heard he's a good one - wonder if he made the varsity?

[Hugenerd]

Carnegie Mellon beat D2 Indiana University of PA this past weekend in exhibition play:

http://www.cmu.edu/athletics/intercollegiate-sports/mens-teams/basketball/news/2009/iup.html

[Frederic Weis]

So I know that Rochester graduated 5 seniors, but everyone seems to be totally writing them off as not even being better than the lower part of the middle of the pack this year.  Do we know anything about any new Freshman/Transfers they have as if any of them are really solid, they could step right up this year.

[Ethelred the Unready]

So I know that Rochester graduated 5 seniors, but everyone seems to be totally writing them off as not even being better than the lower part of the middle of the pack this year.  Do we know anything about any new Freshman/Transfers they have as if any of them are really solid, they could step right up this year.

One transfer - a guard from Elon.  Good solid freshman class with some size.  Kaplan and Chmielowiec are the only seniors and only 3 juniors (transfer plus two with not much PT), 5 sophs and 5 freshman so they will be young.  On the plus side, the returning players spent a year playing against the seniors before they left.  First scrimmage, against LeMoyne, is tomorrow so they'll get to see how the parts fit.

[Hugenerd]

Rochester's biggest plus going into this season is that their coach is Mike Neer.  He always seems to get it done regardless of how experienced his players are.

I still feel like their ceiling will be 3rd or 4th in the conference.  That said, since there were 4 NCAA teams last year, that doesnt mean they cant be good, but I dont think they will be better than the teams at the top of the UAA.

[Titan Q]

Wash U 91
Missouri-St Louis 90 (2 OT)

http://bearsports.wustl.edu/releases/mbk11-8-08.html


I took in the Wash U/UMSL game this evening in St. Louis...great college basketball game to watch.

First I should note that UMSL is not a very good D2 team.  They finished 10-17 last year, and 5-14 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (one of the top D2 leagues).  They do not have a lot of size for a D2 team and they just don't have many "pure basketball players."  What they are is incredibly athletic though.  The Tritons would be a D3 Top 25 team - probably in the neighborhood of #15.  It's hard to even project how they compare to top D3 teams though because they are just not set up at all like a D3 team.

Wash U started:

G Sean Wallis (Sr), 6-2/185
G Aaron Thompson (Jr), 6-4/190
F Tyler Nading (Sr), 6-7/200
F Cameron Smith (Jr), 6-5/185
C Zach Kelly (Jr), 6-7/235

UMSL started:

G Jeremy Brown, 6-1
G Nathan Whittaker, 6-3
F Jason Black (Sr), 6-4
F Tim Green (Sr), 6-5
F Alex Jackson (Sr), 6-6

As you can see, this was not one of these exhibitions where the D3 team is giving up size at every position - Wash U was actually bigger at several spots.  UMSL also did not really have any good back-to-the-basket threats.  The "big guys" were slasher types.

The Bears controlled regulation, almost the whole way.  In the first half it was the Aaron Thompson show.  The 6-4 junior looks poised to have a monster season, scoring 19 in the 1st and 35 for the game.  Wash U did a great job of getting him great looks, and UMSL somehow kept losing the best shooter in the building, and Thompson went nuts.  His 35 could have been 45 easily...he rimmed out a bunch of 3's.

As is so often the case in these exhibitions, the lower division team, on the road, got jobbed by the officials.  Wash U fought a terrible whistle the entire game, but with 2:44 left, one young official did his best to actually just hand the game to the home team.  Coach Edwards was T'd up on one of the biggest B.S. T's I have ever seen.  That play helped UMSL get it to OT.

Looked like Wash U was in trouble in the first OT, down 6, but Thompson and Tyler Nading hit consecutive 3's to tie it.

UMSL led by 1 in double OT when Tyler Nading rebounded a Thompson 3 miss and put it back with :11 to play.  The Tritons missed about 3 shots around the basket in the final 5 seconds.

Aaron Thompson was outstanding on the night.  Tyler Nading was quiet for a longtime, but came alive in the OT's...18 pts and 6 rebounds.  Sean Wallis definitely looked like a guy trying to get his feet back under him.  He finished with 10 assists, but turned it over 6 times, went just 2-9 from the field, and missed the front end of a one-and-one with :15 left in regulation and the game tied.  He'll be fine.

Overall, I came away impressed with Wash U.