WBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

I have a lot of respect for Tasha Merrill, and applaud her for her great career at the EC.  I had her on my second team last season.  However, when looking at conference-only stats (which is what I go by), apart from being fourth in scoring (tied with OWU's Pam Quigney), the only other places she registers among the conference leaders is free throw percentage (also 4th), 3 pointers made (t-12th), blocked shots (t-4th), and minutes played (2nd)--and I don't put a lot of weight on those latter three categories.  She didn't finish among the top 20 rebounders (although both Tracy Hill and Nikki Darrett did) or top 15 in FG% (where Hill was 5th).  Not that it's a litmus test, but every one of my second teamers except Quigney was in the conference's top 20 in both scoring and rebounding and was among the league leaders in at least one other key stat such as FG% or FT% (Quigney registered in six categories I look closely at.)  Tasha had another great year, but I think the players I selected had at least marginally better seasons.  Thanks for your comment.

[David Collinge]

One of those second-teamers, Allegheny's Emilie Simone, was honored today by becoming the final NCAC Player of the Week.  Emilie scored 30 points on 50% shooting and added 13 rebounds this week as the Gators clinched third place and the #3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.  For the season, Simone finished among the top 15 in the NCAC in scoring (10.8 ppg), rebounding (5.6 rpg), defensive rebounding (4.0 rpg), FG% (.443), and blocked shots (1.06 bpg).  Congratulations, Emilie!

[ECHOOPER]

Did you ever have the opportunity to see her play?  Stats do not always tell the story.  About the last month of the season she was facing double teams almost the whole game.  So the coaches have more respect for her.  So the coaches will probably have her higher than honorable mention.

[David Collinge]

Did you ever have the opportunity to see her play?  Stats do not always tell the story.  About the last month of the season she was facing double teams almost the whole game.  So the coaches have more respect for her.  So the coaches will probably have her higher than honorable mention.

Yes, I saw Earlham at Wooster on Saturday (I saw every team in the NCAC this season), and I was very impressed with Tasha's play, especially her defense on Kaitlin Krister.  I'm sorry you think I am disrespecting her by putting her on my HM squad.  As I said in the original post, I found it to be very difficult to sort out the top players, and I would not be displeased at all if the coaches give her a second-team billing.  She's very deserving of whatever honors come her way.

[David Collinge]

Quarterfinal scores:
#1 Denison 99, #8 Oberlin 47...Unlike the chaotic men's tournament, the women's quarterfinals went strictly according to Hoyle.  Only one game even figured to be competitive, and this wasn't it.  With three minutes gone and the visiting Yeowomen leading by one, Denison embarked on a 18-0 run that was followed shortly thereafter by an 18-2 run, at which point the 13th straight NCAC tournament victory for the Big Red was a foregone conclusion.  By the time the dust settled, DU's big contributors had all stepped up:  Carolyn Simpson had 23 points and 13 boards, Shaina Kaiser had 18 points with three treys, and Ellen O'Brien had five more assists and three more steals, and another turnover-free game.  Syrea Thomas led Oberlin with ten points.  Alyssa Clark had nine points and four rebounds, and ends her Oberlin career as the all-time leading rebounder with 746 boards, besting Dee Wells' 14-year-old standard by 27 caroms.  She also had 1,416 career points (13.7 ppg), just 277 points shy of the Oberlin record.  Congratulations, Alyssa!
#2 Kenyon 64, #7 Hiram 48...Hiram had no answer for Kathleen Williams, and as a result Kenyon gets the opportunity to answer Allegheny's season sweep.  Williams consistently worked into position in the post, got a feed from outside, and converted the hoop.  She was 9 of 15 on the evening for a career-high 23 points, with six of those buckets the conversion of assists from five of her teammates.  She also led all rebounders with nine, including four offensive caroms.  Overall, the Ladies shot at a 47% rate and recorded 15 assists on their 22 buckets.  Still, it was defense that brought the Ladies to the dance, however, and that defense held Hiram to just 32% shooting and forced 17 turnovers to secure the victory.  Hiram, which has no seniors on the roster, ends their season with a record of 7-19.
#3 Allegheny 62, #6 Wooster 45...This game was still tied with 10:00 remaining in the first half, but it wouldn't be for long, as the Gators had already embarked on what would be a 9-0 run that would lead to a 15-point halftime advantage.  After the half, Allegheny would slowly build on their lead and put the game out of reach by connecting on 13 of 14 second-half free throws.  Lauren Donahoe and Laura Magnelli led the balanced scoring effort with 14 apiece, and they also combined for 11 rebounds.  Senior Stephanie Wolf added 11 points (9 for 10 from the line), 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Wooster's Kym Wenz also had 14 points, giving her 483 for the season, the second-highest total in Wooster history.  Wooster's lone senior, Meredith Wilson, departs with 128 three-point baskets, three shy of Wooster's career record.
#4 Ohio Wesleyan 67, #5 Wittenberg 61...It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Wittenberg completely dominated the first half, hitting 63% of their shots including thee of four from the arc, while recording six steals and holding their hosts to just 32% shooting--and even that was only because of a four-for-seven performance from long range.  Trailing 40-23, OWU came out of the locker room and seized control with a 10-0 run that blossomed into a 25-4 spurt that gave the Bishops a lead they would not relinquish.  The roles were nearly reversed in the second half, with OWU connecting on 55% of their shots while holding Witt to just 23%.  Outscored 18-4 in the pain in the opening stanza, the Bishops pounded their guests inside by a 28-10 count in the second.  After surrendering the lead, Wittenberg righted the ship and stayed within five points until the final seconds, but the Tigers lacked the scoring punch needed to overtake OWU, and Tyler Cordell nailed two late free throws to seal the victory.  Cordell recorded 19 points, including six of six from the line, to lead four Bishops in double figures, and also contributed 4 assists and three steals.  Wittenberg was led by senior Rachel Dixon's 16, thirteen of which were before halftime, and the remainder on a three-ball that cut the OWU lead to just two with 1:05 remaining.  Wittenberg's only other senior, Katie Gardner, finished her career with two points and four rebounds. 

Semifinals Friday at Denison:
#2 Kenyon vs. #3 Allegheny, 6:00pm (Allegheny swept the season series, 51-47 and 58-52)
#1 Denison vs. #4 Ohio Wesleyan, 8:00pm (Denison swept the season series, 70-59 and 76-71)

Last year, we also had two semifinals in which one team had swept the other in the regular season, and in both cases the sweep-ee got their revenge on the sweep-er.  I'm just sayin'...

[David Collinge]

OWU 80, Denison 66...For the first time since 2004, when Carolyn Simpson, Ellen O'Brien & co. were just starting to think about maybe applying to Denison, the Big Red will not win the NCAC tournament.  A huge game by Tyler Cordell, who was a high school freshman in 2004, made sure of that.  Cordell had 18 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in leading her team to the championship game while snapping Denison's 16-game win streak.  The four-time defending champs started out hitting five of their first nine shots, opening up an early five-point lead, but OWU answered with a 9-2 run capped by a Kayle Gordon layup to grab the lead.  The Bishops expanded their advantage to seven with 7:04 left in the half, but Denison then scored eight straight to regain the lead.  That lead was short-lived, however (just 0:21, in fact), as a short jumper from Cordell put the visitors back in front to stay.  OWU ended the half on a 12-3 run to take an eight-point edge into the locker room.  Denison whittled the lead down to four in the first four minutes of the second half, only to see OWU embark on 9-0 run to take control of the game; the Big Red could get no closer than six the rest of the way.  Besides Cordell, OWU got big games from Pam Quigney (21 points including three treys) and Katie Hamilton, the team's lone senior who had 16 points (12 on free throws), nine rebounds, and three blocks.  Denison's Carolyn Simpson and Ellen O'Brien ended their stellar careers with excellent games; Simpson led DU with 16 points and nine rebounds, while O'Brien contributed nine points, seven assists, and (as usual) zero turnovers. 
Allegheny 47, Kenyon 45...Trailing 43-26 with less than 11:00 left in the game, Kenyon finally found those cans of spinach and exploded for a 19-0 run to grab an improbable two-point lead with 2:10 remaining.  Bloodied but unbowed, Allegheny answered with a Jill Gregory layup, then a Lauren Donahoe block, giving the Gators the ball with the score tied and the clock at 0:35.  After a timeout, 'Gheny was able to work the clock down to 0:08 before cashing in when Stephanie Wolf found Emilie Simone in the paint for a layup.  After a quick timeout, Kenyon set up Taylor Lenci, but her jumper missed as the clock expired, and the third-seeded Gators had survived.  Simone ended up as the Gators' leading scorer with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Wolf contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists.  Kenyon's Kathleen Williams led all scorers with 20, hitting eight of her 15 shots, and like all of her teammates will be back for another season next year.

Saturday's game:
#3 Allegheny vs. #4 Ohio Wesleyan, 7pm (at Denison)
These teams split their season series, with the Bishops winning at home on Jan. 10, 72-56 (both Stephanie Wolf and Hilary Collins were injured and missed this game), and Gators prevailing 59-51 two weeks ago in Meadville. 

[Pat Coleman]

Did not see that coming. I know OWU is always well-coached but Denison seemed to be firing on an extra cylinder of late.

[David Collinge]

Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan, NCAC Tournament Champions with a 73-65 victory over Allegheny tonight in Granville.  I have no details yet; when I get them, I'll post my recap, but it probably won't be until tomorrow.  In the meantime, Bishops fans, celebrate, and plan your trip to the NCAAs! 

Ohio Wesleyan 73, Allegheny 65...OWU, which never trailed, took control early, opening up a 10-point lead in the first 7:30, forcing an Allegheny timeout.  When play resumed, the Gators went on the attack, tying up the game with a 14-4 run over six minutes.  The teams then matched mini-runs as the momentum ebbed and flowed, and when the horn sounded, the Bishops held a two-point lead.  OWU scored the first six points of the second half, and extended their lead to a dozen when Hannah Coughlin stole the ball from Hilary Collins and got the ball to Tyler Cordell, who fed Pam Quigney for a layup with 11:27 remaining.  Thenceforward the two teams matched nearly shot for shot, and the final margin was as close as the Gators would get.  For the evening, OWU shot a robust 46% vs. 39% for Allegheny, and the Bishops outrebounded their foes by a 43-34 count.  However, OWU was only able to outscore the Gators by two points from the field, due in large part to Allegheny's superior three-point shooting (7 of 12).  The difference in the game was at the free throw line, where OWU made more tosses (14 of 19) than Allegheny attempted (8 of 12).  Cordell capped off a brilliant weekend with a 16-point, 7-assist evening, netting her the tournament MVP award.  Katie Hamilton scored 18, including hitting eight of nine free throws, and Pam Quigney added 15; both joined Cordell on the All-Tournament team.  Stephanie Wolf was Allegheny's lone representative on that team, honored after she tallied 18 points, 8 rebounds, and four assists.  Jill Gregory shared scoring honors with Wolf and Hamilton, hitting three treys on her way to 18 points.  The remainder of the All-Tournament team consisted of Kenyon's Kathleen Williams and Denison's Carolyn Simpson.

Allegheny finishes the season with a 16-12 mark and bids farewell to seniors Stephanie Wolf, Hilary Collins, and Jessica Morelli, a class that compiled a 64-44 record, 42-22 in conference play, and earned two trips to the NCAC tournament championship game. 

OWU improves to 17-11 and will return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002.  Although the Bishops will be considered something of a longshot in the NCAAs, coach Nan Carney-DeBord has experience guiding Cinderella to the ball.  In 2002, OWU entered the tournament with a 19-7 record and was a single point away from the sectional finals; and the previous year, an unranked 21-7 Bishops team soared through the bracket to a third-place national finish.  A warning to whoever the bracket places in OWU's path: overlook the Bishops at your peril!

[David Collinge]

It's never easy for the NCAC rep in the NCAA tournament.  The past two seasons, Denison had to face Hope and DePauw, both defending national champs at the time.  While OWU will not have to face Howard Payne, their task is no less difficult, as the Bishops will travel to Bloomington, IL to face unbeaten and top-ranked Illinois Wesleyan in the first round on Friday.  Good luck to the Bishops!

[David Collinge]

NCAC athletes among the final NCAA statistical leaders:

Scoring:  Kym Wenz, Wooster, 18.6 (36th)
Blocked Shots per game:  January Baker, Oberlin, 2.58 (22nd)
Free Throw %:  Pam Quigney, OWU, .901 (6th)
Three-point FG %:  Kayla Gordon, OWU, .445 (6th)
Assist/turnover ratio:  Ellen O'Brien, Denison, 4.37 (2nd)

[David Collinge]

Just as an example of how tough this is, the player I had penciled in as Player of the Year last week at this time I don't even have on the first team anymore, through no fault of her own.

That player, Shaina Kaiser of Denison, was today named the NCAC Player of the Year, so maybe I should have stuck with my first idea!    Kenyon first-year Morgan Korinek was selected as Newcomer of the Year, while Nan Carney-DeBord, coach of the tournament champion OWU squad, has been honored as the Coach of the Year for the seventh time in her 23 years in Delaware. 

Here's the All-NCAC teams, listed alphabetically:

First team:
Stephanie Boardman, Wittenberg
Shaina Kaiser, Denison
Ellen O'Brien, Denison
Pam Quigney, OWU
Carolyn Simpson, Denison
Kym Wenz, Wooster
Stephanie Wolf, Allegheny

Second team:
Alyssa Clark, Oberlin
Tyler Cordell, OWU
Carrie Dyer, Wittenberg
Kayla Gordon, OWU
Kaitlin Krister, Wooster
Tasha Merrill, Earlham
Kathleen Wiliams, Kenyon

Honorable mention:
Ashley Drum, Hiram
Jill Gregory, Allegheny
Katie Hamilton, OWU
Sarah Perrine, Denison
Emilie Simone, Allegheny

Congratulations to all of these tremendous scholar-athletes!

[David Collinge]

Illinois Wesleyan 80, Ohio Wesleyan 51...Well, this is what is liable to happen when you draw the undefeated, #1-ranked team for your first-round opponent.  The Bishops canned six treys in the first half, allowing them to stay in contact with the Titans, but the Titans used a 22-4 run to expand their 11-point halftime lead into an insurmountable 29-point bulge with 12:21 remaining in the game.  IWU made better than 62% of their second-half attempts, while holding OWU to just 26% shooting, including a 1-for15 performance from the arc.  The Bishops bow out with a 17-12 record, but graduate only Katie Hamilton, who led the Bishops in her final game with 15 points and two blocks.  .  The Bishops should return four starters, three of them all-conference honorees, and will be among the favorites in next season's NCAC race.  In the meantime, congratulations to Coach Carney-DeBord and her Bishops on a fine season!

[David Collinge]

Congratulations to Wooster's Kym Wenz for being named to the D3Hoops.com All-Great Lakes second team.  Kym is the only NCAC women's player so honored this year.  Way to go, Kym!

[Old Pro]

I understand that Earlham's President came out this week and said that he is considering a move to another conferemce and expects his teams to win at least half of their games. Everyone knows how tough the NCAC Conference is! However, in the case of Earlham WBB, two former coaches set the bar for them; Coach Butcher & Coach Rhu. Coach Butcher had double figure wins in four of her six seasons while coach Rhu had the best record in program history. However, the last five seasons have been tough to say the least; 19-107 & 9-68 in the NCAC? WOW! I guess my point is that the two coaches mentioned above seemed to be good recruiters! I realize that Earlham is a tough academic institution. Maybe they sould look at their recruiting plan as opposed to jumping to another conference first!

[David Collinge]

Despite significant graduation losses, Denison still rates a mention in the DIII News preseason Top 25 poll (PDF).  The Big Red, who do have the reigning NCAC Player of the Year to build around, are listed second in the (non-alphabetical) "Others to Watch" column.  Washington U. in St. Louis is the preseason #1, ahead of defending champion George Fox and #3 Hope.  Other Great Lakes teams in the rankings include DePauw (#7), Capital (#8), Calvin (#20), and Baldwin-Wallace (#22).  I'm not sure how useful such rankings are before practice has even begun, but it's always nice to get a little national cred no matter how iffy it may be.  Go Big Red!