WBB: Little East

[7express]

Schedule tonight:

Mount Ida @ Boston
Salve @ RIC
Westfield @ East Conn
Mount St. Mary @ Western
Southern Maine @ Salem state

I'll post predictions in a bit.

[7express]

Mount Ida 59 @ Boston 60.  Could be close, I'll go with the home team
Salve 58 @ RIC 63.  Going with the home team again
Westfield 62 @ Eastern 73.  I saw Westfield Friday night against Regis didn't look bad; saw Eastern @ Manhattanville blow a 6 point halftime lead last week.  I think Eastern pulls away at the end.
Southern Maine 72 @ Salem state 60.  Who know's what to expect from them.   They beat a top 15 team in Bowdoin, but then lose to St. Joseph's and get crushed by Eastern.  They SHOULD win this game, but then again they should have beaten St. Joseph's...
Mount St. Mary 62 @ Western Connecticut 58.  MSM lead division 3 in scoring defense last year with 42.6 OPPG; 2009-10 they gave up 44.0 oppg, 2008-09 was 50.0 OPPG, 2007-08 47.0 OPPG.  So far this year their only giving up 50.4 ppg, have held their last 3 opponents to 37, 38 and 46 points.   Last year MSM only gave up 60 or more points in 4 of their 29 games, and in 2 of those 4 games it was either 60 or 61 (including a 63-60 win over West Conn in January).  Their highest opponent's total is 62.  Western meanwhile has not been held below 60 this season (a 60-58 win over Oneonta is our lowest total), and have gotten 80+ in 4 of our 7 games this year.  I'm gonna say this time and again, 60 will be our magic number; get to 60 have a great chance to win, get 59 or fewer and have a great chance to lose, this will be all apparant in this game.  If we can force turnovers that can go for easy fast break opportunities than we have a great chance in this, if MSM takes care of the ball I don't think we'll do much against the MSM defense.  What could be the difference: in last year's meeting (63-60 MSM win), both teams shot pretty much the same (both shot 50% in the first half, and West Conn finished 41.4% for the game while MSM finished 42.4% for the game), however Western had 18 turnovers to 15 for MSM, and the Knights outrebounded us 39-33 including 16 to 10 on the offensive glass.  This year we don't have a true point guard, so that TO number could be even higher, and this year our team is significantly shorter then last year so the rebounding numbers (especially the MSM offensive rebounds) could be higher.  Those can be the difference.  However, as I said, the only person on thios current squad that has suffered a home defeat was Stephanie Slonski way back on February 10, 2009, so that could be the biggest difference.  I think this will end this year whether it be with USM, MSM or RIC because all those 3 are better then we are.  Hopefully I'm wrong, but I just can't see it happening.

[7express]

Mount Ida over Boston 62-43.   Boston was down 34-10 at the half and made 4 field goals in the half; tough to win games like that.  Not even Western could win a game down 34-10 at the half with 4 made FG's.
RIC 61-52 over Salve.  Neither team shot the ball well; 36.5% for RIC, 34.4% for Salve, and combined for 60 turnovers, HOWEVER RIC converted 31 Salve turnovers for 24 points while Salve converted 29 RIC turnovers for only 12 points.
Eastern 67-42 over Westfield state.  Jessica Bladgett & Piper Chapman combined for 33 points
Southern Maine 74-60 over Salem state.  Damn, I was a USM miss away from nailing the exact score.  Huskies starters scored 67 of the team's 74 points, lead by Haley Jordan (25) and Courtney Cochran (29).  Courtney will have a field day on Saturday against us.
MSM 60-58 over West Conn.  Once again, I was a mde MSM basket from the exact score.  Adding the 2 point differential I had between RIC's projected and actual total I didn't have a bad day.  Jen Mocanu lead the Knight's with 29 points (20 in the first half), including the buzzer beater for the win.  Amanda Horvers had 12 for the Knight's all in the second half.  As expected, the game was close throughout; MSM's largest lead was 9, WCSU's only 4, and unlike what I thought, we actually outrebounded the Knight's 40-32 (13 to 10 on the offensive end).  Based largely on Carly Murphy and Caroline Brasa, who eached had 14 points we outscored the Knight bench 32 to 9, and those 2 were the real reasons we were actually still in the game.   Also, as expected, both teams were pretty close in all categories with the exception of 1 which was the deciding factor: WCSU was 22-56 from the floor, MSM was 24-60 (39.3% to 40.0%).  MSM was 3-18 from behind the arc (18.8%) compared to 6-18 from Western (33.3%).  Western was 8-10 (80%) from the free throw line, MSM 9-11 (81.8%).  The stat which decided the game like I thought it would: turnovers!!  MSM had only 13, we had 21, including with 5.1 seconds left inbounding underneath our own basket when we threw it away which allowed MSM to run down the court and hit the game winning shot, which really shouldn't have counted because it was still in Mocanu's hand with 0:00 on the clock, but that's what happens in division 3 with no replay availible, you have 3 zebra's making a judgemental call when there's (probably) no referee looking at both the clock AND the ball in the shooter's hand.  I doubt we would have won in OT anyways because we had used a lot of energy coming back from 56-47 down with 5:00 minutes to play, but we should have been givin the chance.  MSM won the points off turnovers department 29-12 (27-12 if we don't include Mocanu's last shot).   Even though MSM gave us a lot of good lucks and did a horrible job of boxing out, they made the defensive plays when they had to: after a missed Horvers 3 with 26 seconds left that would have given them a 3 point lead, they stripped the ball from Carly Murphy as she was driving the lane with 11 seconds to play.  After the inbounds, Stephanie Slonski missed a jumper, got her own rebounded, but MSM forced a jump ball, and after a couple Western timeouts, MSM forced the out of bounds which gave them the ball back for the gamr winner.  Losing games like this can have an impact for some time, but after Saturday were off until January 1, Saturday is a conference game, and winning that game is more important than winning this game since those games count.

[7express]

Saturday schedule:
RIC @ Eastern
Southern Maine @ Western
Keene @ Boston
Plymouth @ Dartmouth

I'll post predictions tomorrow.

[AllStar]

Amherst over Eastern Connecticut, 66-45 tonight.  Strangely, that is the exact same score as when KSC played Amherst.

Saturday's conference games
Keene State (5-1, 1-0 LEC) at UMass-Boston (2-5, 0-1 LEC)

Rhode Island College (5-2, 1-0 LEC) at Eastern Connecticut (4-3, 1-0 LEC)

Plymouth State (2-6, 0-1 LEC) at UMass-Dartmouth (5-3, 0-1 LEC)

Southern Maine (5-3, 0-1 LEC) at Western Connecticut (7-1, 1-0 LEC)

I'd say RIC/ECSU and USM/WCSU are the most intriguing games of the day.  I'd go with KSC and UMD over UMB and PSU, respectively, in the other games. 

[AllStar]

Sorry, 7express, I did not realize that you had already posted the schedule. 

[7express]

My Saturday predictions.  After going 4-1 Tuesday, and nailing 2 scores correctly and coming within 2 points of getting another 3 scores correct, I'm due for a 1-3 or 0-4 day.

RIC 76 @ Eastern 72.  Will probably be their 2nd or 3rd toughest game in the LEC (only road games @ So Maine, @ Western and @ Keene) will be tougher than this.  I'm not quite sure Eastern is as good as the 18 point win against So Maine showed.  In either case, Eastern will have to get a 3rd option behind Piper Chapman & Jess Blodgett.
Plymouth 52 @ Dartmouth 55.  Most likely the 2 worst teams in the conference.  Go with the home team
Keene 67 @ Boston 58.  Boston played Western tough for the first half last week, before they fell apart in the second.  Expect the same here.
Southern Maine 63 @ Western 62.  I'm already writing in Courtnry Cochran for 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, and Haley Jordan for 13+ points and 8+ rebounds, it's Renee Nichols and Erin McNamera we'll have to shut down, and even then it may not be enough.  Western hasn't lost 2 straight at home since February 10 2007 when Keene completed a 72-57 win, 4 days after RIC scored a 48-44 win; USM hasn't lost 2 straight LEC games since January 13 and 17 2009.  On the 13, USM lost  RIC 82-74, on the 17th USM lost to Western 61-44.  This is the second in our big test week, we failed the first test against MSM Tuesday, we have a chance to redeem ourselves here.  Even though we have a better record, USM is a better team, and unfortunately, I think we lose this at the end.

[AllStar]

Saturday, 12/10 Results
Rhode Island College (6-2, 2-0) romps past Eastern Connecticut (4-4, 1-1), 78-52

UMass-Dartmouth (6-3, 1-1) sails past Plymouth State (2-7, 0-2), 73-56

Southern Maine (6-3, 1-1) nips Western Connecticut (7-2, 1-1), 77-76 in OT

Keene State (6-1, 2-0) drops UMass-Boston (2-6, 0-2), 65-51

[7express]

I'm going to start a conference rant, so if you don't want to read it, go down to the second set of stars (**********).

**************

I know the LEC lost some great players last year: Karli Spera, Kaylie DeMillio, Melissa Teel, Heather Lee, Jessica Moriarty, but having seen 4 of the 8 teams so far (Western, Eastern, Boston & So Maine) it'll be a complete miracle if RIC loses anymore then 2 conference games this year, because every other team at the top has some major flaws, that if, which exploited will be a serious blow to those teams.  I haven't seen RIC yet (but plan on seeing them January 4 down @ Stevens) and haven't seen Keene and probably won't see them until Western plays them January 10, so I'm not including those 2 teams.
Southern Maine looks to be the second best behind RIC but they have absolutely no bench.  Sure Gary Fiefield uses a lot of players at least 5, and can run to 10, but none of them score; Jordan Grant had all 9 of So Maine's bench points today, and 5 came on the free throw line.  Also, if Courtney Cochran gets in foul trouble early they can be at a serious disadvantage.  Renee Nichols and Erin McNamera are 2 guards that don't shoot nearly enough as they should.  They could have a nice inside-outside game, but unfortunately, Nicole Garland is the only guard that isn't afraid to shoot.  I have a hard time seeing them stay in the game if Cochran goes out with foul trouble because that's their entire offense.
Eastern was the next pick after Southern Maine.  Jess Blodgett and Piper Chapman are both in the top 10 in scoring, nobody else on the team is even close.  Until they get a consistant 3rd option, they'll be a notch below, because you can't expect both of them to go for 25+ a game.
Western was next (well after Keene, but I can't mention Keene however).  This team just shoots way to many 3's because that's our entire offense.  It would be nice if we attacked the basket, but we can't because our 5 would rather shoot from the top of the circle then shoot inside the paint.  I know were #1 in the conference in 3 point field goal percentage, but I'm sorry shooting 34(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) times from 3 isn't going to get it done once we get to conference play when teams know we don't attack the basket and can just sit all 5 on the perimeter and make us beat them from inside.  Good defense can only get you so far, you actually have to put the ball in the basket once in a while.

*****************************
Dartmouth 73-56 over Plymouth state
Keen 65-51 over Boston
RIC destroys Eastern 78-52.  That team is really, really good.  As I said in the last paragraph I can only see them losing at most 2 games (@ So Maine then either @ Western/@ Keene/home vs. USM/home vs. Keene).
USM in overtime over Western 77-76.  That's 2 losses this week by a combined 3 points.  Courtney Cochran as expected and as predicted here absolutely killed us, was one of the single reasons why we lost: 13 rebounds, 13-19 shooting for 34 points.  Stephanie Slonski had tied the game late in the second half on an and 1, missed the free throw which forced overtime, so if she completes the 3 point play we would've won the game we actually had no business winning.  I have to severely question the clock management at the end.  After a Cochran basket gave her her last and final 34 points and a 77-73 lead with 14 seconds to play, Carly Murphy gets fouled with 2.5 seconds, and converts the basket to make it 77-75.  She made the free throw, even though she was trying to miss (which is what happens often anyways, when you want them to miss they don't, when you want them to make it they don't), and USM somehow dribbled out the rest of the 2.5 for the 1 point win.  Mini rant here: Why let them dribble it out, even though we have less then 5% chance of winning even with USM missing both free throws because we have to go the length of the court in 2 seconds, at least have that channce, don't just give up.  After the Slonski miss and a couple other missed possessions, USM was inboudning underneath the West Conn basket with 3.4 left in regulation, and McNamera was able to hit the side of the rim on her half court heave, we would've gotten at least a simular look.  Normally I don't like long breaks, but this 22 day stretch between games (we don't play again until January 1) could actually serve us well; we won't have to practice for a while (probably until after Christmas), so the players can finish up finals, go home for a while, be with the friends and family, and get their minds off basketball for a couple weeks, and come back to school after Christmas refreshed and refocused.

2 games on Tuesday, and then that's the end of action until after Christmas; Dartmouth hosts J&W, and Boston travels to Westfield state.   Keene & RIC are tied atop the conference at 2-0, Boston & Plymouth are in the cellar at 0-2; Western, Eastern, Dartmouth and Southern Maine are each 1-1.  Conference play resumes Saturday, January 7, so the standings will remain unchanged until then since every game between now and then is a non conference game.

[7express]

2 games on the schedule tonight which end the first semester:

Johnson & Wales @ Dartmouth
Boston @ Westfield state.

I like J&W 53 @ Dartmouth 66.  Dartmouth is a surprising 6-3 so far this year, they'll end the first semester with a win, their off until January 4
I'll take Boston 50 @ Westfield 63.  Boston is off until January 4 after this game. 
Both game are availible on live stats this evening.  The conference is off until the 28th when Keene opens up down in New Orleans at the Big Easy challenge against Plattsburgh state

[7express]

J&W leads 22-21 at halftime.  Colleen Moriarty has a game high 10 points on 4-9 shooting.  J&W has a balanced scoring attack so far; 2 have 6 points, 1 has 4.

Live stats seems to have been frozen on the Dartmouth J&W game; with 1:59 to go Dartmouth leads 61-43 so looks like they won.  Moriarty finished with 25 points.
Westfield leads Boston 33-18 at halftime.  Boston scored the first 7 games of the game; got outscored 33-11 the final 18 minutes.  Got it to within 23-16 with 7:06 to play, but got outscored 10-2 the rest of the half.  Kirsten Morrison for the Beacons has a game high 9 points.
Westfield wins 54-37.  Westfield ran out to 24 point 2nd half lead and put it on cruise control from there.  The Owls were never seriously threatened at all in the second half.  That ends the first semester of games, the LEC resumes play on December 28 when Keene takes on Plattsburgh state down in New Orleans; LEC conference play resumes January 7.

[AllStar]

J&W leads 22-21 at halftime.  Colleen Moriarty has a game high 10 points on 4-9 shooting.  J&W has a balanced scoring attack so far; 2 have 6 points, 1 has 4.

Live stats seems to have been frozen on the Dartmouth J&W game; with 1:59 to go Dartmouth leads 61-43 so looks like they won.  Moriarty finished with 25 points.
Westfield leads Boston 33-18 at halftime.  Boston scored the first 7 games of the game; got outscored 33-11 the final 18 minutes.  Got it to within 23-16 with 7:06 to play, but got outscored 10-2 the rest of the half.  Kirsten Morrison for the Beacons has a game high 9 points.
Westfield wins 54-37.  Westfield ran out to 24 point 2nd half lead and put it on cruise control from there.  The Owls were never seriously threatened at all in the second half.  That ends the first semester of games, the LEC resumes play on December 28 when Keene takes on Plattsburgh state down in New Orleans; LEC conference play resumes January 7.

Not to be overly critical or picky, but KSC actually plays No. 21 Mary Washington (7-0) on December 28 in New Orleans (12:00 pm).  That will be a very interesting game for the Owls.

KSC does play Plattsburgh State (2-4) - but on December 30 at 12:00 pm in New Orleans.

[7express]

Not to be overly critical or picky, but KSC actually plays No. 21 Mary Washington (7-0) on December 28 in New Orleans (12:00 pm).  That will be a very interesting game for the Owls.

KSC does play Plattsburgh State (2-4) - but on December 30 at 12:00 pm in New Orleans.

Whoops, my fault.  I was looking at the Dec 30th game against Plattsburgh thinking it was Dec 28.  Thanks for the correction.

Here are the standings heading into the holiday break. 
1) Keene state 6-1, 2-0
1) RIC 6-2, 2-0
3) Western Connecticut 7-2, 1-1
3) UMass-Dartmouth 7-3, 1-1
3) Southern Maine 6-3, 1-1
3) Eastern Connecticut 4-4, 1-1
7) Plymouth state 2-7, 0-2
7) UMass-Boston 2-7, 0-2

Upcoming schedule:
Wednesday, Dec 28:
Mary Washington vs. Keene state (in New Orleans) 12:00

Friday, Dec 30:
Plattsburgh state vs. Keene state (in New Orleans) 12:00
MCLA @ Southern Maine 3:00

Saturday, Dec 31:
Babson/UW-Oshkosh @ Southern Maine 3:00

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

[MVP]

Slight correction, Southern Maine Invitational

Friday, December 30th Babson V UW-Stout @ 4:00
                               MCLA V USM @ 6:00

Saturday, December 31st- Consolation game @1:00
                                         Winners play @ 3:00

[7express]

LEC back in action after a 2 week holiday recess with 1 game:

Keene state 62 vs. Mary Washington 74 (in New Orleans)
Game for Keene state to put their hat in the race that their a competitor for the regular season title.  The Owl's are 6-1, but they haven't played the toughest schedule to date yet.  They lost by 21 to #1 ranked Amherst, and even though 5 of their other 6 opponents are at or above .500, none of the others are ranked or receiving votes at the time being.  Mary Washington is ranked #20 at 8-0, and has won 7 of their 8 games by double figures.  Could be a nice win for the Owls to have in their back pocket at seasons end, and a nice win for the conference.