Really Big Wins, No Big Rin(g)s: Trinity’s Season in Review

The efforts of Jaquann Starks '16 and Eg Ogundeko '17 weren't enough to get Trinity by high-scoring Johnson & Wales in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Plattsburgh St. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
The efforts of Jaquann Starks ’16 and Eg Ogundeko ’17 weren’t enough to get Trinity by high-scoring Johnson & Wales in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Plattsburgh St. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

The Buffalo Bills of the early 1990’s. The 1990’s Atlanta Braves (except for 1995). University of Michigan basketball in 1992 and 1993. And, worst of all, the 2007 Patriots.

All dynastic-type franchises and programs. None of them champions. It takes a certain level of talent to be the best team and win more games than anyone else throughout the course of a season. It takes something else, some undefinable, to be a champion.

As great as Trinity basketball has been over the course of the past two seasons – a 42-15 record (.737), 18-2 (.900) conference record, defenses rated near the top of the NESCAC and all of Division-III, an Elite Eight run a year ago and another NCAA trip this season – they have not been able to win a NESCAC title despite the Semis and Finals being played in Hartford. After once again clinching home court advantage through the NESCAC playoffs, the Semifinal exit for the Bantams was a disappointing one.

Let’s not forget, though, about the accomplishments that this team achieved. The Bantams graduated a few critical pieces, as most good teams do. Hart Gliedman ’15, a tenacious perimeter defender. George Papadeas ’15, a paint-clogging center at 6’8″. And a couple of important forwards in Steve Spirou ’15 and Alex Conaway ’15. The backcourt went through a further transition, as Andrew Hurd ’16 became the PG1 and Jaquann Starks ’16, an All-NESCAC player last year, had to morph himself into a traditional two-guard. There was a question of what kind of offensive production Trinity would get out of the post. Last year center Ed Ogundeko ’17 was the team’s third-leading scorer, but he shot an ugly 46.3 percent from the floor – not very good for a guy that doesn’t shoot from outside the paint. And lastly, there was the question of how the team would respond from a disappointing loss in the NESCAC Semis followed by a deep NCAA run.

All things considered, Trinity had a successful year, once again claiming the No. 1 seed by being the best team during the NESCAC regular season. There’s no doubt, though, that the Bantams will look back on this season and feel that there was some unfinished business.

Highlight Moment: 76-75 Win against Williams in the NESCAC Season Opener

The first game of the conference schedule always carries a lot of weight, but that is particularly true for a team like Trinity, trying to prove that it is not a fluke. The upstart Ephs had the advantage down the stretch, but it was the cool nerves of the experienced Bantams that made the difference. Trinity was down 70-68 with just moments to play, but then scored six points off of steals – two from Shay Ajayi ’16 and one from Starks – to stay in the fight. Finally, it was a contested, banked-in runner from Starks with six seconds left and followed by a steal from Starks himself that iced the game.

Team MVP: F Shay Ajayi

Shay Ajayi '16 is nasty. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Shay Ajayi ’16 is nasty. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

This is an easy one, as Ajayi not only gets our vote for Team MVP, but he already took home NESCAC POY honors. Ajayi’s game is so well-rounded that it’s hard to find a weakness. He is a menace defensively because of his length, and his ability to score inside, outside and attacking the rim is unmatched in the NESCAC. His stat line speaks for itself: 13.9 ppg on 48.3/32.1/78.0% shooting, 7.3 rpg, 1.6 spg and 1.0 bpg.

Biggest Surprise: The Loss of Hart Gliedman Didn’t Hurt Too Badly

People close to the program might read that and think I’m crazy. I don’t know how important Gliedman was as a leader and a presence off the floor, and believe me, as a former scrappy all-defense guard myself back in high school and today on the intramural circuit, I respect the man’s game. I only say this because American University transfer Langdon Neal ’17 became a vicious perimeter defender this season. Every time I watched Trinity, Neal was the player that caught my eye, constantly pressuring the ball handler and disrupting passing lanes. Need proof of his defensive capabilities? How about 1.0 steals per game in just 14.1 minutes per game. Ajayi lead the Bantams with 1.6 steals per game, but of course was also on the floor for almost 25 minutes per game. Neal comes in at 14th in the league in steals per game, and played by far the fewest minutes of anyone ranked that high. Tim Ahn ’19 (17.0 mpg) and Josh Britten ’16 (19.5 mpg) were the only guys above Neal that played less than 20 minutes per contest. I’d love to see what Neal does in an expanded role next season, and if he breaks into the starting five he could be a sneaky play for DPOY.

Most Interesting Stat: Shay Ajayi lead the Bantams with 24.9 mpg

That might not sound like a spectacular stat, but get this. Ajayi’s 24.9 mpg ranks 33rd in the NESCAC. Every other team besides Bates (one, Mike Boornazian ’16) and Conn College (two, Tyler Rowe ’19 and Zuri Pavlin ’17) had at least three players average more minutes than Ajayi. The entire Colby starting five averaged more minutes than Ajayi. Obviously, the advantage for the Bantams was that they were always fresh. It’s interesting though. What could Head Coach James Cosgrove be giving up by leaving Ajayi (or Starks, or Ogundeko, etc.) on the bench for 15 minutes and going to the eighth, ninth or 10th guy in the rotation? The Bantams’ core players were forced into more usage in the playoffs. Against Middlebury, Ajayi played 24 minutes, Starks 25, Ogundeko 26 and Hurd 29. Against Johnson & Wales, the totals were Ajayi 22, Starks 22, Hurd 27 and Ogundeko 31. Is it possible that they were worn down towards the end of the game, and that lead to those losses? We’ll never know for sure, and Cosgrove basically employed the same strategy last season, when the Bantams lost in the NESCAC Semis but did make it to the Elite Eight (Starks lead with 28.6 mpg, Ajayi was second with 25.2 mpg and no one else topped 22.1 mpg). It’s proven to be an effective strategy during the regular season, but perhaps it has contributed to a few disappointing postseason showings.

 

NCAA First Round Preview: Trinity vs. #12 Johnson and Wales

Andrew Hurd '16 cruises for an easy two with his luscious hair. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Andrew Hurd ’16 cruises for an easy two with his luscious hair. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

Predicting the match up between two teams that are such polar opposites and that haven’t played each other before sure leaves room for speculation. Trinity is set to square off against #12 Johnson and Wales (26-2, 17-1) tonight at SUNY Plattsburgh. The NCAA committee selected the Bantams as an at-large team into the tournament as they amassed a 19-7 (9-1) record, earning the #1 seed in the NESCAC tournament, before being upset by Middlebury 70-58 in last weekend’s semifinals. Johnson and Wales of Rhode Island ensured their own trip to the dance as they won the Great Northwestern Athletic Conference playoffs and regular season in convincing fashion, finishing 26-2. Johnson and Wales’ Quarry Greenaway ’16 was the GNAC Player of the Year, finishing fourth in the country with 26.1 ppg, while guards Tom Garrick ’16, Anthony Jernigan ’17, and Robert Lewis ’16 also received All-GNAC honors. While the GNAC is not a strong conference, only sending one team to the NCAA tournament, the extensive honors for the Wildcats speaks to their depth and are an explanation for how they are still carrying a 21-game winning streak into Friday’s game, begging the question: Do the Bantams stand a chance?

In Trinity’s last game against Middlebury, they only shot 32.8 percent compared to 43.9 percent on the season from the field. This discrepancy could be a result of a good Panthers defense, but Trinity’s leading scorer, Shay Ajayi ’16, also the NESCAC Player of the Year, had only 11 points. While the Bantams like to spread the playing time around with 11 players averaging over 10 minutes per game, Ajayi is going to have to put up some big numbers against the explosive Johnson and Wales team.

The JWU weak schedule still leaves room for questions despite their gaudy record. Though D3Hoops.com has them ranked 14th, the Wildcats were actually four spots below Trinity in the final public regional rankings that came out before the final weekend of conference tournament games, and judging by Trinity’s positioning on the bracket in the pseudo-No. 2 slot for their pod, the NCAA committee still feels like Trinity is the stronger team. JWU had an atrocious .473 SOS as of the final public regional rankings. For comparison, Trinity’s SOS was .565. However, the two teams did play three teams in common in Elms, Anna Maria and Eastern Connecticut State. They each blew out both Elms and Anna Maria but Trinity lost the Eastern Connecticut 57-49 while Johnson and Wales won 72-59. These games were both early in the season and the 23-point margin of victory against this mutual opponent gives the Wildcats some more credibility. On top of all of that, the Wildcats are averaging 90.6 ppg and shooting a scorching 49.6 percent from the field, both statistics which Trinity can’t ignore.

Trinity X-Factor: Controlling the Ball

It was tough to pick a player here as the Bantams are going to have to do a lot of things right to keep pace with the high-scoring Johnson and Wales team. Instead I chose possession of the ball because JWU ranks in the top-20 in the nation for both scoring offense, scoring defense, and steals. So the Wildcats score the ball, don’t let their opponents score, and take the ball away when their opponents could score. On top of that Johnson and Wales’ Anthony Jernigan leads the nation with 3.8 steals per game. In other words, the Wildcats like to keep the ball and are good at scoring when they have it. To keep pace with them, the Bantams are going to need to limit their turnovers and not rush to shoot. Trinity typically plays tight, low-scoring affairs, averaging a score of 77.5 to 67.3. PG Andrew Hurd ’16 is going to have a tough task of holding the ball and managing the offense as Trinity is going to need to control the ball to keep it out of the hands of the sharp shooting Wildcats.

Johnson and Wales X-Factor: G Quarry Greenaway

This is definitely the obvious choice as Greenaway is the clear leader of the Wildcat team, averaging 26.1 ppg and 9.3 rebounds, earning GNAC Player of the Year honors. However, I chose him not for his shooting ability – he is going to score and there is nothing Trinity can do to stop him. The big question for Johnson and Wales is how will their defense fare against a consistent and deep Trinity team who’s good at shooting the ball and diversifying the points scored throughout the team. Greenaway’s rebounding ability will be put to the test against NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year Ed Ogundeko ’17 who is a big 6’6’’ and takes down 10.6 boards per contest.

Three Questions

1. Will Trinity center and NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year Ed Ogundeko play more than his average 22.3 minutes per game?

This is one aspect of the Trinity game that Coach James Cosgrove must have had on his mind: How can they keep Ogundeko in the game to grab all the rebounds to take the ball out of Johnson and Wales’ hands? It’s simple: four media timeouts that are a minute long each, evenly dispersed in both halves, to go along with the four timeouts that each team begins play with. This should give the big man enough rest time to stay in the game for around 30 minutes, hopefully adding a few more rebounds and a few more shots to the Bantam’s effort.

2. Is Johnson and Wales really that good?

This team has won a lot of games. It is hard to get to 26 wins (as many games as Trinity played all year) without having some talent. Their conference is bad but it looks like they are made up of a few talented players who know how to score at a high percentage rate. At the same time it is Division-III basketball, and no team is unbeatable. The bottom line is, this team certainly earned their ranking and their selection to the tournament, but upsets happen.

3. Which is better — Trinity’s defense or Johnson and Wales’ offense?

This game is going to be a high-scoring affair. Trinity scores 77.5 points per game while Johnson and Wales scores 90.6. The only way that Trinity can stand a chance is if they find a way to limit the Wildcats’ shooting and control the paint on defense. Trinity’s defense has been good all year and they need to keep the Wildcat shooting percentage close to their opponents’ season average of 38.5 percent. They can’t let the higher seed get too many offensive rebounds, as with a nearly 50 percent shooting accuracy, if Johnson and Wales misses once, it isn’t likely to happen again on the same possession. 

Everything Else

Offense is certainly the strength of Johnson and Wales. Scoring over 90 points a game is impressive in college basketball, regardless of which level. That is a lot of points in only 40 minutes of play. Since Trinity is a defensive-minded team, they are going to need to find a way to limit the Wildcats’ top scorer Greenaway (26.2 ppg) and Tom Garrick, a 6’5’’ guard, who gets his with 22.4 ppg. Heart and hustle is the only way that the lower-ranked Bantams pull off this upset. Johnson and Wales is used to winning by over 26 points per game and isn’t accustomed to playing teams closely or teams that claw and fight until their last breath. Trinity has their intensity as a major advantage and probably the most important card up their sleeve in facing the foreign team from Rhode Island. Its going to take everything the Bantams have to avoid Johnson and Wales’ 22nd straight win.

Prediction: Johnson and Wales 84 over Trinity 73

Eye on Saturday

If Trinity manages to pull off the upset, then they will play the winner of #23 Plattsburgh State and Fitchburg State. Plattsburgh received an at-large bid while Fitchburg State had to win the MASCAC playoffs to get a bid to the tournament. It looks like Plattsburgh is a pretty clear favorite as they had a harder schedule, play in a better conference, and are ranked. At 18-9 Fitchburg likely wouldn’t have made the tournament without their conference championship win so I’m going to assume that the higher ranked team is going to take the win here. Regardless, I watched the 23rd ranked Cardinals get walked all over by Middlebury earlier this year, leading me to believe that they aren’t unbeatable by any means. The key in that game, though, was that one of Plattsburgh’s top players, guard Edward Correa ’16, didn’t play. Trinity played the Cardinals earlier this year and narrowly lost 81-73, but in that game Plattsburgh’s top scorer, Kyle Richardson ’16, didn’t play, and sixth man Jonathan Patron ’19 (14.2 ppg) was limited to 10 minutes. It will be a tall task for Trinity to get through this weekend to the Sweet 16.

NESCAC Semifinal Preview: #4 Middlebury at #1 Trinity

Shay Ajayi '16 is playing the best basketball of his Trinity career, and the Bantams are looking to win their second NESCAC title. (Courtesy of David B. Newman/Trinity Athletics)
Shay Ajayi ’16 is playing the best basketball of his Trinity career, and the Bantams are looking to win their second NESCAC title. (Courtesy of David B. Newman/Trinity Athletics)

The Trinity Bantams have had a lot of recent success against Middlebury. For what it’s worth the Bants outlasted Middlebury 90-85 a season ago. More relevant, of course, was the 97-86 beatdown that Trinity slapped on the Panthers two weekends ago. I know it was only an 11-point victory, but I do think the word “beatdown” is appropriate. Firstly, 97 points is a ridiculously high number. Secondly, Trinity lead by 18 with just over six minutes to go, and only a barrage of three-pointers from backup guard Bryan Jones ’17 kept it from being embarrassing for Middlebury. So that does not bode well for the Panthers.

Here’s why that doesn’t matter, though. Firstly, Adisa Majors ’18 has been very good all season long, but let’s be honest, just two weeks ago he was still somewhat of a novelty, with only four double digit scoring performances all season. Then he put up 18 against Amherst on 7-8 shooting and 15 at Trinity, and after another 18 in just 19 minutes against Wesleyan in the NESCAC Quarters, Majors has officially become someone you game plan against. Secondly, Matt Daley ’16 is healthy(-ish). Yes, Daley only played five minutes against Wesleyan, but that doesn’t mean he can’t put up a double-double on Saturday. The theme for Panthers Head Coach Jeff Brown all season has been to ride whatever is working on a given day, which is why all 12 active Panthers were in the game in the first half against Wesleyan. Bottom line, it just wasn’t working for Daley, but it very well might be this weekend, and the Majors-Daley combo has a lot of potential. Thirdly, and lastly, while all of the remaining teams have plenty of motivation in their search for a NESCAC crown, Middlebury has a little extra something on the line. Without a sweep this weekend, the Panthers will be playing golf come Monday (as the saying goes – believe me, no one’s playing golf in Middlebury, VT on Monday). The other three teams are locks to be playing NCAA games. Will that make a difference? I don’t know, but there’s no danger of Middlebury looking past this weekend.

Last time they played – Trinity 97 – Middlebury 86, Feb. 13 at Trinity

After seven minutes, Middlebury was up by three, 14-11. That was nice. Then Trinity took the lead. Then it was 10 at halftime. Then it was quickly 15. And Middlebury chipped back a little bit. But then it was 18 after a Langdon Neal ’17 jumper. Trinity shot the lights out, going 34-61 (55.7 percent) from the field, 8-18 (44.4 percent) from deep and 21-27 (77.8 percent) at the line.

“I just think we did well making shots. We were comfortable shooting the ball, we did a good job getting the ball inside to our big guys, and they did a good job taking the ball to the basket.” – Trinity head coach James Cosgrove

Middlebury just couldn’t get stops. Trinity didn’t let Matt St. Amour ’17 get many looks from three (just 0-2), something they have to replicate on Saturday. Jaquann Starks ’16 couldn’t miss (6-10 FG, 4-6 3PT). And Trinity shared the ball exceptionally well with 22 assists, up from their 16.5 average. The Bantams played a complete game, and Middlebury just could not hang.

Middlebury X-factor: F Zach Baines ’19 

Zach Baines '19 electrified the Middlebury crowd last Saturday with high-flying blocks and his pregame dunks. (Courtesy of Michael Borenstein/Middlebury Campus)
Zach Baines ’19 electrified the Middlebury crowd last Saturday with high-flying blocks and pregame dunks. (Courtesy of Michael Borenstein/Middlebury Campus)

You think you’ve arrived, kid? Think again. Shay Ajayi ’16 and Ed Ogundeko ’16 probably form the best frontcourt combo in the NESCAC. “They’re two of the hardest workers I’ve ever coached, and they keep coming every day to get better,” said Trinity coach James Cosgrove. For Middlebury, their frontcourt is constantly in flux. Daley, Connor Huff ’16, Majors, Nick Tarantino ’18, Eric McCord ’19 and Baines have all started there. One thing that I feel fairly confident in, though, is that Baines will get a lot of minutes and they will be at the four. Which means – have you been following along? – he will have to defend Ajayi. In case you forgot, Ajayi is a senior, averaging 14.1 ppg, with NCAA Elite Eight experience. That is a tall order for Baines. He gives up an inch or two to Ajayi, but makes up for that with his length. I believe that he’s the only big man Middlebury has that can guard Ajayi at the perimeter, but he lacks the size (read: weight) to stop Ajayi when he gets around the rim. He will need help from Majors, Huff and Daley, but Baines is going to be a key in slowing down Ajayi and putting a hand in his face.

Trinity X-factor: PG Andrew Hurd ’16

Hurd leads the NESCAC with a 3.5 A/TO ratio, which is sixth in all of Division-III as of Thursday. On the flip side, Middlebury is the best in the NESCAC at forcing turnovers with 15.1 takeaways per game. Last time they played, Hurd has six assists and no turnovers. So that’s it, just do what you do, Drew. These backcourts are so evenly matched – St. Amour, Jake Brown ’17 and Jack Daly ’18 vs. Hurd, Starks and Rick Naylor ’16. You basically have a classic “true” point guard, a high volume shooter and defender/occasional scorer on both sides of the balance sheet. That’s why a pristine game from Hurd could be the difference, elevating Trinity’s backcourt and supporting a frontcourt that already has the advantage.

Three Questions

1. Can you shut down Matt St. Amour twice in one season?

My instincts say “no”, but I’ve been wrong once or twice before. St. Amour gets a lot of his threes in transition, not from traditional set plays. The Panthers, as we know, like to run, and sometimes St. Amour gets lost in transition. Now, if you shoot the ball like Trinity did last time, there aren’t many opportunities to run for the other team. So, in reality, offense, and offensive rebounding, is the best defense for the Bantams in this game. Put the ball in the hoop, stop transition looks, and St. Amour will be relegated to a free throw shooter like he was in the last meeting between these two teams.

2. How does Trinity Coach James Cosgrove exploit the frontcourt advantage?

The Bantams will work the ball through Ogundeko often, but backing him up against Matt Daley (6’8″) or Majors (210 pounds) isn’t likely to be the best strategy. I think the obvious answer is to pull out the four man with Ajayi, which isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel. Whenever the Panthers have two true bigs in the game – not Baines, who’s a stretch four – Trinity has to take advantage. Therefore, I don’t think Middlebury will play with two bigs very often, but the combos of Daley-Majors, Majors-Huff and some McCord sprinkled in will definitely occur.

3. Will any of the Middlebury bench players get hot in the first half?

Last meeting, it was Jones in the second half who got hot, but as mentioned, every one gets a shot in the first half on this Panthers team. Maybe it will be Jones (who’s dealing with sickness this week), maybe it will be Hilal Dahleh ’19 and his sweet lefty stroke, maybe Liam Naughton ’17 could drain a couple of quick threes, but someone is going to need to sneak a few buckets while the Bantams aren’t looking. Middlebury has had one consistent scorer all year, and even though we think that Majors can be counted on, that still only leaves two guys who can put the ball in the hoop more than twice a game. That makes defensive assignments pretty easy. Someone else needs to take some pressure off the Middlebury duo of St. Amour and Majors. And don’t let Trinity get up at half. With that defense (38.2 field goal percentage against; second in Division-III), good luck coming back. The only teams to trail Trinity at half and come back to win were the somewhat anomalous Eastern Connecticut (down by six), No. 16 Susquehanna (down by one) and No. 21 Plattsburgh St. (down by two) back in December and early January. So basically unless you’re a ranked team down by one or two points or from Eastern Connecticut you aren’t coming back on this team.

What to Expect

Expect Trinity to go back to Ajayi as much as possible. Jack Daly and Jake Brown should keep Starks in check for the most part, but Ajayi is a match up nightmare.

“I think for us, defensively, the matchup with Ajayi is really a challenging one,” Panthers coach Jeff Brown said. “In the past he played quite a bit of perimeter. The last couple of seasons he played a lot of the three-spot. So he’s one of those inside-outside forwards who’s extremely athletic, and with some of our post players it’s a tough cover.”

Coach Brown wants to switch more on the perimeter, something that Colby did well in the first half of last week’s Quarterfinal when they held Trinity to 19 points, and throw some different looks at the Bantams. I think we see a good deal of 3-2 zone to limit Trinity’s looks from three. I’ve yet to mention Eric Gendron ’18, but his 44.1 three point percentage ranks fifth in the NESCAC. You can’t let him get hot, either. “[Gendron’s one that really kind of concerns me off of the bench,” Coach Brown said. Middlebury needs to force stops to create transition buckets.

On the other end, if the Panthers can’t get going in transition, they’re in for a long afternoon. Trinity is obviously very tough and physical in the half court defensively, and I don’t think Middlebury can play that way for 40 minutes. Majors has the size to do it, but even that is outweighed (literally and figuratively) by the presence of Ogundeko. Look for St. Amour to try to get going early and give Middlebury a lead with a couple of threes. Baseline screens and hand offs for Number 11 will be a common sight.

“He’s dynamite shooting the ball.” – Trinity head coach James Cosgrove on Middlebury guard Matt St. Amour

As far as the NESCAC goes, Middlebury ranks first in offensive turnovers (i.e. fewest turnovers) and Trinity ties for fourth. On the flip side, Middlebury has forced the most turnovers per game (15.1) and Trinity has forced the fourth most turnovers per game. Something has to give. In a game of this intensity, with these stakes, I think the defense wins out. Not that it will be sloppy – these point guards are too good for that – but I envision a lot of fast-paced basketball which tends to result in some silly turnovers. Therefore, ball control is key. Don’t make mistakes with the ball. For Trinity, the key is to beat up on the Middlebury bigs. For Middlebury, the key is similar. Use Trinity’s aggressiveness against them. Middlebury’s not a very good free throw shooting team, but St. Amour (who takes 5.4 free throws per game, third in the NESCAC) is great from the stripe (81.5 percent), and forcing the Trinity forwards into foul trouble will change the game.

Additionally, Trinity has home court working heavily in their favor. They should have some boisterous crowds this weekend, unlike last when most of the students were gone because there was no class on Monday and Tuesday of that week. The Bantams have been tough to topple at home, going 11-1, that one loss coming against Amherst, and Trinity coach James Cosgrove is aware of the benefit of playing at home.

“It’s always nice to be playing at home. I think we feel real comfortable here. We’ve done some nice things here over the last couple of years.” – Trinity head coach James Cosgrove

Furthermore, the first time the Panthers step onto the court in Hartford will be an hour or so before game time. As a team, they chose not to take advantage of an early morning shoot around time slot. Whether that decision will pay off or not remains to be seen. Of course, Middlebury was on the Oostings hardwood two weeks ago, but they might want to forget about that.

In case you missed it over the last two-plus years, I’m a big Middlebury fan, and my co-editor, Adam Lamont, is a big Bowdoin guy. We’re both students, and we’re not afraid to let you know when we have a rooting interest. Despite all that, I can’t pick the Panthers in this game. Forgive me, guys, but you made me look foolish two weeks ago when I gave you the nod to win at least one against Amherst and/or Trinity. I won’t be fooled again. I hope I’m wrong, but Trinity just looks too good. They’re 12 for their last 14. One of those was against Amherst (the other was against 11-14 Merchant Marine – one of those mysteries where you chalk it up to being a full moon, Friday the 13th and everyone on the team taking part in a mirror-smashing party while walking under a step ladder … okay it wasn’t actually Friday the 13th). Point being, I just think Trinity will win. Prove me wrong, boys. I want to keep watching Middlebury basketball for a few more weeks.

Prediction: Trinity 76 – Middlebury 70

One More Time, with Feeling: Weekend Preview 2/12

Middlebury is in a position to host the NESCAC tournament is they can sweep the weekend, and Jake Brown '17 plans to lead them there. (Photo Courtesy of Will Costello/Middlebury Athletics)
Middlebury is in a position to host the NESCAC tournament if they can sweep the weekend, and Jake Brown ’17 plans to lead them there. (Photo Courtesy of Will Costello/Middlebury Athletics)

With the final weekend of NESCAC basketball upon us, 10 games remain and the bottom five teams are fighting for the final two playoff spots. There is more on the table than clinching playoffs this weekend; for the six teams that have already clinched, these games will determine the tournament host and final seedings. Trinity currently stands as the favorite to host the NESCAC tournament, but a Bantam loss this weekend would open up the floor for Amherst to snag home court advantage.

Middlebury faces off against Amherst and then Trinity, and two wins will propel them to the top of the ‘CAC and set the stage for a chilling Vermont NESCAC tournament. The Panthers still have some questions about their legitimacy as a top tier team, and this will be their biggest test against the big guns. The Panthers have had a great season and could easily be undefeated in NESCAC games considering their losses were by one and two points respectively. On the other hand, many of their wins have gone down to the wire. The turnaround for the Panthers this season has been an impressive one. Middlebury was arguably the best team in the NESCAC from 2009-2014, battling against Williams and Amherst in games that rank as the best in NESCAC history.

Then suddenly, last season, despite entering NESCAC play 9-0 overall, the Panthers stumbled to a 4-6 NESCAC regular season and missed the playoffs by virtue of tie-breakers. The talent on the Panthers was clear given their home evisceration of both Wesleyan and Amherst. However, entering this season expectations were lowered given the loss of the two leading scorers from last season, Dylan Sinnickson ’15 and Hunter Merryman ’15.

We had Middlebury last in our Power Rankings at the beginning of January given their lackluster beginning of the season, but they have been a different team in NESCAC play. However, the weekend tandem of Amherst and Trinity has left many a quality team in a serious hurting. The Panthers can end up hosting the NESCAC tournament or heading on the road in the first round depending on how things play out this weekend.

Three to Watch

1. Guard Jaquann Starks ’16 (Trinity)

The senior has seen his role squeezed this season because of the growth of teammates Ed Ogundeko ’17 and Shay Ajayi ’16. Starks is averaging just 11.6 ppg, far below the 14.1 PPG he had last year. His shooting percentages have also dropped below 40 percent both from the field and three point line. With all the space taken up in the paint by his big men, Starks has done most of damage from beyond the arc. I think we see a vintage Jaquann Starks game before the season is over, even if it doesn’t come this weekend. I am also intrigued to see how Trinity matches up defensively when they play Middlebury. Will Starks guard the quicker Jake Brown ’17 or will he be tasked with slowing down Midd’s leading scorer, Matt St. Amour ’17? I would put Starks on Brown and Andrew Hurd ’16 on St. Amour. Also, this…

2. Guard Cole Teal ’18 (Williams)

The loss of Mike Greenman ’17 has forced Teal to become the starting point guard. His skill set isn’t quite right for the role, which is why Bobby Casey ’19 handles that role down the stretch. What Teal is doing exceptionally well is shoot the ball from deep. In NESCAC games Teal is shooting 50.9 percent from three while making 3.4 threes per game, the highest amount in the league. Eighty percent of his points come from beyond the three point line, a somewhat scary amount that can make him one dimensional. Last weekend Teal shot 13 shots from the field and 12 of them were threes. Teams need to start keying on Teal for the shooter he is.

3. Center Joseph Kuo ’17 (Wesleyan)

You won’t find a more herky-jerky player in the NESCAC than Kuo. His game is one of the uglier ones around, but no one can deny the relative effectiveness of it. Kuo is a constant, sometimes under-appreciated part of this Wesleyan team. His numbers, 11.4 ppg and 7.2 rpg, scream important contributor but not focal point. Kuo’s best game of the season came when he played Tom Palleschi ’17 to a standstill (Kuo had 20 points, Palleschi 19 in the game), and the Cardinals escaped with the overtime victory. He has been quiet but efficient in the four games since then. For Wesleyan to get a home court game, Kuo will have to slow down Chris Hudnut ’16 in the paint. One positive for Kuo is that the emergence of Nathan Krill ’18 means Kuo can play aggressively without worry of foul trouble.

Game of the Week: Middlebury at Amherst, Friday 7 PM

Both of Middlebury’s games this weekend will impact the top of the standings, but they have to get through this one for Saturday’s matchup to hold as much meaning. A Middlebury win and Trinity victory over Hamilton would make Saturday’s game a winner-takes-all for the No. 1 seed. If Amherst wins tonight, then Middlebury will be playing just to secure a home game in the first round on Saturday. Last season’s win over Amherst was the highlight to a disappointing campaign for the Panthers, but there was a sense that the Purple and White were coasting through that game while Middlebury was desperate for a win. That won’t be the case this year, as both teams know what’s at stake.

The guard battle will be a fun one to watch, as both teams can and will employ two point guards at times. I would expect Jack Daly ’18 to be tasked with shutting down Jayde Dawson ’18, but Johnny McCarthy ’18 provides enough of a scoring threat that Middlebury Coach Jeff Brown might chose to task Daly with McCarthy. Down low, David George ’17 will be critical in slowing down Matt Daley ’16. If George isn’t at his best, or Middlebury can get him into foul trouble, Daley could have 15 points easily. The advantage for Middlebury in this game will be their pace. The two teams that play at the highest tempo, aside from the Panthers, are Tufts and Colby, each of who have beaten Amherst this season. On the flip side, in the halfcourt Amherst has to have the advantage. Brown and Daly aren’t great scoring threats, which means McCarthy can focus on shutting down Matt St. Amour. That means a lot of responsibility could fall on frosh Zach Baines ’19 and Hilal Dahleh ’19 as well as forward Connor Huff ’16. In most of their losses, St. Amour has been made ineffective one way or another – 5-19 shooting at Hamilton, 5-16 at Endicott, 3-11 at RPI. Therein lies the key for Coach Dave Hixon.

When there’s so few games in a conference schedule, one game that goes from an L to a W can significantly change our perception of a given team. Were Middlebury 5-3 right now, I think Amherst would be the heavy favorite, especially at LeFrak Gym. That being said, the reality is that Middlebury is 6-2, hungry to prove that they belong, and in a position to bring the NESCAC tournament back to Vermont. I don’t know if they will have enough fire power to pull off the weekend sweep, but I do think they have enough magic for a victory tonight.

Prediction: Middlebury 81 – Amherst 75

Two More Games to Watch

Conn. College at Colby, Friday, 7 PM

This isn’t quite a win-and-you’re-in game, but it’s darn near close. Conn. solidifies their place with a victory, while Colby would move to 3-6, and three wins might be enough to get in. The entire Mule lineup is healthy, at least for right now, and I’ve long said that that is a dangerous thing for opposing teams. This is probably the last weekend of basketball in the lives of the Mules’ starting five, unless they can win this game. Look for Tyler Rowe ’19 to have a big game for Conn (who’s going to stop him?), but for Colby to outscore their opponent.

Prediction: Colby 86 – Conn 76

Bates at Williams, Sunday, 3 PM

The final regular season NESCAC game. It could end up being a total nonfactor, depending on how things work out on Friday and Saturday, including the possibility of a Williams upset of Tufts, but it is possible that either team could be playing for a playoff spot. It’s more likely that Bates is in that position, but 2-0 weekends from Colby, Bowdoin and Hamilton would put those teams at 4-6 and Williams would be 4-5 going into Sunday, meaning a win would be necessary. The chances are slim, but the possible drama is exciting. If it does end up being an important game, I am going with the team that needs the win, plain and simple.

2016 NbN Preseason All-NESCAC Basketball Teams

Is it any surprise that Lucas Hausman '16 is our choice to repeat as POY? No? Well, sorry to disappoint. He's just too good. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
Is it any surprise that Lucas Hausman ’16 is our choice to repeat as POY? No? Well, sorry to disappoint. He’s just too good. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

We came to the realization this fall that no matter much we may disagree, and no matter how smart we think we are, and no matter how witty our editorial commentary may be, our end-of-year All-NESCAC decisions aren’t going to be quite as weighty as the official All-NESCAC teams. That’s why we decided to put together an extensive awards list in lieu of the usual All-League format for the football season.

BUT! We remain the one and only place to find the picks for preseason All-League honors. Now you might say, “The season is halfway over. All you have to do is look at the top scorers and project them as All-League studs.” Oh, how wrong you are. NESCAC play is an entirely different beast, and those leaderboards are going to look a good bit different come March. Don’t believe us? Wait and see. These are our predictions for the guys who will win All-NESCAC honors.

First Team

Guard Lucas Hausman ’16 – Bowdoin

This one’s a no-brainer. He was an All-American a year ago, and he’s only gotten better. Despite the target on his back, he’s scored more points per game in fewer minutes and is shooting just as efficiently as a year ago. He was the top scorer in NESCAC games in 2015, and we expect that trend to continue. Hausman scores in unique ways. He’s not a phenomenal long-range shooter and he’s not very tall. What he is able to do is shoot off the dribble and finish in all kinds of traffic. There’s always a place for a guy that can put the ball in the hoop.

Guard BJ Davis ’16 – Wesleyan

What was an equal opportunity, three point guard team a season ago has turned in to the BJ Davis show. Recall for a moment that no Cardinal scored more than 11.9 ppg last season, and it was basically a six-man rotation. This year injuries to Jack Mackey ’16 and Joe Edmonds ’16 have made them ineffective (though Edmonds has shot the ball well percentage-wise), and the Cards have had to reshape their identity as the season has progressed. Through it all, Davis has been a scoring machine. He can shoot from anywhere and go by almost anyone. He has risen to another level.

Guard Connor Green ’16 – Amherst

I hemmed and hawed over this pick for awhile, because Green has a lot of questions around him. Being the primary scorer hasn’t seemed to suit the swingman over the past two seasons. His best work was done as a sophomore when he averaged 17.9 ppg and shot 44 percent. Before all of you in LJ country pick up your pitch forks, though, recognize that I’m still picking Green to be a First-Teamer. As the best player on the best team (so we think), Green is going to be worthy of some accolades. He’s still a matchup nightmare, and a great rebounder for his position. Johnny McCarthy ’18 might be ready to challenge Green for the title of top Jeff by the end of the season, and the wealth of talent around Green might cut into his numbers a little bit, but I believe his talent will shine through this season.

Center Tom Palleschi ’17 – Tufts

What a boon for Tufts to get this guy back after a heart condition kept him out of the 2013-14 campaign. Palleschi’s light feet allow him to slip right by lumbering big men and just get buckets. The Jumbos don’t have much in the way of size around Palleschi since Hunter Sabety – as we all know – departed, so his play is that much more impressive and important. He’s no slouch on defense either. Palleschi is at or near the top of the charts in every rebounding category and in blocked shots. The one other stat in which he leads the league disqualifications, i.e. foul outs. That won’t stop him from putting up big, First Team numbers, but it might stop Tufts from going deep in the NESCAC tournament.

Center Chris Hudnut ’16 – Colby

This pick is a bit speculative, as he joins Davis as the two guys who didn’t make All-NESCAC teams last season, and right now his numbers are not First Team worthy, and it’s hard for big guys to get All-League recognition. Last year five guards were First Teamers. However, I have faith that his best is yet to come. Hudnut can be an offensive juggernaut at times (see: 38 vs. Curry on Nov. 21 and 21 vs. Bowdoin on Nov. 5). However, he has disappeared against good frontcourts, too (see: four points on 1-6 shooting against Bates on Nov. 5). There are half a dozen front courts in the NESCAC (and that’s a lot, considering there are only 11 teams) with the ability to shut down Hudnut. Can he turn up the intensity in those games, or will he fail to realize his potential?

Second Team

Guard Jaquann Starks ’16 – Trinity

The hometown hero was a First Teamer last season because of the way he lead Trinity to the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC tournament, so this might be seen as a knock on Starks, but more than anything it’s a testament to how his supporting cast has elevated its game. The offense always ran more smoothly last season when the slender Andrew Hurd ’16 handled the basketball, and he’s really taken over signal-caller duties full-time this year, starting most games and averaging 5.2 apg. Perhaps Starks is still adjusting to the different role, because his percentages are down, but he’s still an elite player and adds intensity on the defensive side as the face of Trinity’s ferocious defense. Opponents are shooting just 35.4 percent from the field against the Bantams. That’s not from three-point land. That’s from the field. In case you were wondering, yes, that number was tops in the D-III nation as of Jan. 4.

Guard Johnny McCarthy ’18 – Amherst

McCarthy was the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year. In 2015-16, he will make his first of three appearances to come on the All-NESCAC list. He’s an iron horse, playing over 30.0 mpg, something that might not cause the coaches to vote for him, but it should, and in addition to scoring and rebounding possesses the unique skill of being able to steal the basketball. Steals are something that are often a result of luck – a tip from one player turns into a steal from another – but McCarthy is a legit threat to pick pockets and passing lanes alike.

Guard Dan Aronowitz ’17 – Williams

As good as this Williams team can be, they don’t have the senior leadership that characterized the last two editions of the Ephs – from Mike Mayer ’14 and Taylor Epley ’14 to Dan Wohl ’15 and Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15, there has been a put-the-team-on-your-back senior tandem the last two seasons. Despite the difficulty of emerging from a no-pressure, third- or fourth-option role into indisputable superstar, Aronowitz is better than ever. He’s shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from three while scoring 17.5 ppg. Oh yeah, he’s got 7.5 boards per game, too. Aronowtiz’s situation reminds me of Green a year ago, who was a junior leading a team devoid of impact seniors. He doesn’t have Green’s track record, but he could match the LJ’s 2014-15 stat line.

Guard Mike Boornazian ’16 – Bates

The Delpeche brothers are maybe the most fun duo to watch just because of their size and backstory as twins, but Bates will go only as far as Boornazian can take them. He has played second fiddle to Graham Safford ’15 the last few seasons, putting up solid numbers but deferring in the big moment. No more. The Bobcats are Boornazian’s team, and his current mark of 15.6 ppg could go up in conference play. He’ll tack on his fair share of rebounds and dimes as well, but this is one player whose intangibles and passion are noticeable.

Forward Jeff Racy ’16 – Amherst

Perhaps the biggest stretch of anyone chosen for these two teams, Racy has elevated his game to be Amherst’s second-highest scorer – more than McCarthy, more than big man David George ’17, more than D-I transfers Eric Conklin ’17 and Jayde Dawson ’18. Even though defenses know exactly what’s coming, they can’t stop it. Racy takes 8.7 shots per game and 7.2 of them are three pointers, which he is hitting at a 54.4 percent clip. Because he stands 6’5″, his range pulls an opposing swingman out of the paint, where guys like George, Green and Dawson do some of their best work. Racy’s ability to score in bunches will propel him to his first All-NESCAC honors.

Awards Predictions:

Player of the Year: Lucas Hausman

Hausman will repeat. There’s no reason to think that his play will drop during conference play.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jaquann Starks

This is always tough to predict. The past few years it was made much easier by the 7’0″ presence of John Swords ’15, but now there are a bevy of players who could deserve the honor, including some guys – i.e. Jake Brown ’17, David George – who aren’t even on our All-NESCAC roster. However, the honors are likely to go to someone who makes either the First or Second team, so we’re going with Starks, the front man for the league’s best defense.

Rookie of the Year: Kyle Scadlock ’19

Contributor Rory Ziomek just highlighted the best diaper dandies so far this season, which narrows down the field somewhat. The ROY battle is really a two-horse race between Scadlock and Bowdoin’s Jack Simonds ’19. Simonds is scoring at a better clip right now, but Scadlock adds the rebounding factor, and whomever wins the award will be more than worthy.

Coach of the Year: Damien Strahorn, Colby

This is basically like picking the team with the lowest expectations that will make a run for the NESCAC title. Strahorn benefits from having a five-man starting lineup of all seniors, but he’s done well to get those kids to this point. Now if he can just teach them to play defense, this will be a lock.

Bantams Want to Remain Elite: Trinity Season Preview

Andrew Hurd '16 with the ball in the Sweet Sixteen Game vs. Bates. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Andrew Hurd ’16 with the ball in the Sweet Sixteen Game vs. Bates. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

At the end of the 2014-15 regular season, Trinity stood at 19-5 and atop of the NESCAC with a 9-1 conference record. After beating Colby in a close NESCAC Quarterfinal matchup, the Bantams fell to Wesleyan by 3 points in the semifinals. Trinity posted a good enough record and strength of schedule to be granted an NCAA Tournament at-large bid by the NCAA selection committee, and Coach Cosgrove and the boys went dancing. They grooved their way to the Elite 8 beating Colby-Sawyer, Salisbury, and Bates — only to hear the music fade in a heart wrenching overtime loss to Babson. The NCAA March Madness run was Trinity’s best since 1999 when they lost to Connecticut College in the Elite 8. Their lone Final Four run came over a decade ago, and the 2015-2016 Bantams have plans to top that ’95 Final Four banner hanging in Oosting Gymnasium this year.

In the off-season, Head coach James Cosgrove was awarded NESCAC Coach of the Year, while assistant coach Tyler Simms took an assistant job with Brown basketball, and three new assistant coaches have hopped on in Sean Flynn, Ed Quick, and Alex Conaway ’15. Despite the Bantams losing some size after graduating six seniors, they return their most talented players and acquired some up and coming talent to help replace those losses. Trinity came into the season ranked as the 12th best team in the nation, but dropped to 18th in the most recent “D3hoops.com” rankings.

“We recognize it as a good and a bad thing […] based on the fact that every team wants to play their best against us and beat us […] This group is very different from last years group, and we have to actually accomplish something and not be complacent with what we accomplished last year. […] the vets know what’s expected by leading with positivity, as well as addressing things that people have to improve upon for us to have the successful year that we look forward to.”

-Ed Ogundeko ’17

2014-2015 Record:

23-7 overall; 9-1 NESCAC (1st); Lost to Wesleyan in NESCAC Tournament semifinals; Lost to Babson in NCAA Elite 8.

Head Coach: James Cosgrove, 6th season, 71-59 (.546)

Returning Starters: Two

G Jaquann Starks ’16 (14.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 43.6% 3PT)
F  Shay Ajayi ’16 (10.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 spg)

At this point, Coach Cosgrove seems set on his starting lineup, which will feature four proven seniors along with experienced junior center Ed Ogundeko ’17, who started the first 10 games last season. Andrew Hurd will be running the point; he was effective down the stretch getting starter minutes and proved he can distribute and handle the ball with ease. With Hurd at point guard this year and Starks holding down shooting guard, it will allow Cosgrove to get the most out of his starting five. It is tough to win with just five guys though; Chris Turnbull ’17 will serve as a spark plug off the bench.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Guard Andrew Hurd ’16 (5.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 2.6 A/TO)

Andrew Hurd transferred to Trinity as a junior last season. While only starting 5 games last year, he did a good job handling the ball and got a lot of minutes off the bench (21.2 MPG). So far this year Hurd has been hot on 6-12 shooting and posting a 6.7 (20/3) Assist to Turnover ratio which is what you need out of your point guard. His quickness should add some spunk as he had 42 steals in his 2015-16 campaign.

G Jaquann Starks ’16 (14.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 43.6% 3PT)

Jaquann Starks, a 2015 NESCAC First Teamer, will certainly be a key for the Bantams this year. No doubt about it—he can shoot the lights out, which is a big reason to why he is leading the team with 58 points this season. With Starks moving to shooting guard he is able to get more quality shooting looks, and it should prove beneficial for the Bantams down the stretch.

G Rick Naylor ’16 (5.4 PPG, 36.3% 3FG, 1.6 APG)

Rick Naylor played in every game last year and started 5 games, averaging 5.4 points per game. He was second on the team in 3-pointers shooting 36.3%. With Naylor starting at small forward and Starks at shooting guard, look for the Bantams to be a threat from 3-point land. Naylor is a strong 6’3 body at small forward and should play a much more prominent role this year.

F  Shay Ajayi ’16 (10.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 spg)

Shay Ajayi’s senior leadership is seen on and off the court, and the Bantams will benefit from him staying consistent as the year progresses. He got off to a hot start this year posting a double-double in the first two games. His season totals for points sit at 9.8 PPG, third on the team. He is a body that is wasted on the bench, and his lengthy, athletic 6’6 physique makes him a staple down low. He is averaging 10.o RPG, and the Bantams need him to continue that production given the loss of other big men to graduation.

F/C Ed Ogundeko ’17 (9.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.4 BPG)

Ed Ogundeko is Trinity’s big boy standing at 6’6, 235 pounds with a powerful build. He has a lot of potential and will play a large role for the Bantams this year. Ogundeko is doing a good job supplying the team with buckets, as he is second on the team with 14.3 PPG in the first four games. Being solely a center this year is working out for the Bantams and Ogundeko, who is averaging a double-double so far.

Breakout Player: Chris Turnbull ’17

Bantam Junior Chris Turnbull, a small forward from New Jersey, has waited his turn. He is a threat from beyond the arc, and his 6’4 long build tailors him as a good defender and rebounder. He only averaged 14 minutes per game as a sophomore, but in his first game this year he spent 28 minutes on the hardwood compiling 9 points and 8 rebounds while showing some confidence attacking the basket. If Turnbull’s 3-point game heats up, he will be a big time help for the Bantams. If you flashback to exactly one year ago, Turnbull caught fire and dropped 17 points on Springfield, going 3-4 from distance helping Trinity to an 81-76 win.

Everything Else

Losing a couple key big men from last year in Alex Conaway ’15 and George Papadeas ’15 will certainly put pressure on Ajayi and Ogondeko. Expect a lot from the two 6’6″ bash brothers this year, as they have combined for a total of 5 double-doubles in their 1st four games back. There is a 3rd (little) bash brother in 6’5 freshman Connor Merinder who will get his minutes down low. Conaway’s presence on the bench as an assistant coach will help keep the big men in line.  The return of Starks is going to be vital for this team. His ability to shoot the ball matches that of championship caliber scorers, and when Starks gets hot there is no stopping him. Hurd will take on a more prominent role as the point guard, which will allow for Starks to be a pure shooter off the ball.

Chris Turnbull ’17 and Eric Gendron ’18 have come into their own this year, and will be key players off the bench with Gendron averaging 7.5 ppg so far. Langdon Neal ’17 transferred from American University this year and has seen 13.3 mpg while averaging 4.0 ppg. Coach Cosgrove feels he is still adjusting to Trinity’s playing style, so look for him to gain presence as the season continues. Freshmen Erick Santana ’19 and Paul Colson ’19 have done well with their time on the court and Coach Cosgrove will keep them warm on the bench. With Trinity hanging on to their three top scorers from last year in Ajayi, Ogundeko, and Starks, they could match or even surpass last year’s great performance.

Last Man Standing: Trinity Basketball Season Wrap-up

The Bantams hosted the first round of the NCAA Tournament, won both games and advanced to the Sweet 16, where they beat Bates. (Courtesy of Bantam Sports)
The Bantams hosted the first round of the NCAA Tournament, won both games and advanced to the Sweet 16, where they beat Bates. (Courtesy of Bantam Sports)

Season Record: 23-7 (9-1, Lost NESCAC Semifinal to Wesleyan, lost NCAA Elite Eight to #4 Babson)

It was the year of the “others” this season in the NESCAC, the “others” being anyone but the triumvirate of Amherst, Williams and Middlebury. While the Caesarian Amherst went through a rocky season but ultimately made it back to the NESCAC Championship game and made some noise in the NCAA Tournament, the Pompeian Williams and Crassī Middlebury (sorry for the Ancient Roman indulgences) fell well short of their own hopes and dreams. Therefore, the time was ripe for someone else to approach the throne, and this year no one did that better than a pair of Connecticut teams. While Wesleyan got the best of Trinity in the NESCAC Tournament and ultimately won the title, Trinity posted the best NESCAC record, earning the right to host the NESCAC Tournament, and forged through the NCAA field all the way to an overtime game in the Elite Eight.

The Bantams fought the perception all year long that they were an all-defense, no-offense squad, exploding for 80 or 90 points a few times. Jaquann Starks ’16 was a constant threat, and on any given night someone was bound to emerge and join Starks in the scoring binge – Rick Naylor ’16, Shay Ajayi ’16, Ed Ogundeko ’17, George Papadeas ’15, Alex Conaway ’15 or anyone else was liable to have a double-digit scoring night at any time. Meanwhile, the Bantams’ vaunted defense continued, allowing a league-best 62.7 points per game. In their three NCAA Tournament wins, Trinity allowed less than its average, permitting 55, 47 and 62 points over those three games.

High point: NCAA Sweet 16 win over Bates, 79-62, March 13

Losing in the NESCAC Semifinal had to be a big let down for the tournament favorites, but this mid-round matchup with the Bobcats served as a de facto championship as the Wesleyan Cardinals watched from home. Trinity dominated for the final 26 minutes of this ball game, putting to rest any doubts about the best team in the NESCAC over the course of the entire season. Yes, it would be nice to have that piece of NESCAC hardware in the trophy room in Hartford, but the excitement of the Bantams’ NCAA run can’t be matched.

MVP: PG Jaquann Starks ’16

Starks won't take anybody by surprise next season. He's one of the NESCAC's best point guards. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Starks won’t take anybody by surprise next season. He’s one of the NESCAC’s best point guards. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

Trinity was one of those teams that really played team basketball. As I mentioned already, everyone on their roster could contribute offensively, and defense is by definition dependent on five guys playing well together. And yet, Starks rose above the rest, especially with his NCAA Tournament performances. Starks scored 80 points over those four games, looking more confident offensively than ever before, and improved as the tournament went on. As Trinity fans know, Starks is really a combo guard, and often Andrew Hurd ’16 will take over more of a point guard role, but especially in the Bantams’ last two games they were able to just give the ball to Starks and let him attack the basket. As you might have noticed, we snubbed the Hartford native for our NbN All-NESCAC Team. Have no worries, Mr. Starks, you will be on the shortlist of All-NESCAC Preseason candidates next season.

Player to Watch in 2015-16: G Rick Naylor ’16

Rick Naylor '16 (30) is known for his three-point shooting, but he can play some defense as well. (Courtesy of D3Photography.com)
Rick Naylor ’16 (30) is known for his three-point shooting, but he can play some defense as well. (Courtesy of D3Photography.com)

Naylor played a lot of minutes this season (19.8 per game) and had some solid performances, including a stretch of four games out of five in double digits in late January and early February, but his role should expand next season with the graduation of defensive whiz Hart Gliedman ’15. This is just a hunch, but Naylor is my pick to slide into the starting lineup, instead of Hurd. The strategy of bringing Hurd off the bench as the sixth man, moving Starks to the two-guard and giving either another guard or forward a rest worked so well for Trinity this year that Coach James Cosgrove shouldn’t toy with that formula. Naylor is a dead-red shooter who hit 36.3 percent of his three point attempts this season and shot more threes than anyone on the Bantams’ squad not named Starks. I think that Naylor’s scoring numbers (5.4 per game this season) could easily double in 2015-16.

NCAA Sweet 16 Preview: Bates College vs. Trinity College

Game Information: Bates (21-6) vs. Trinity (22-6)

Friday, March 13, 5:30 PM

Staake Gymnasium, Babson Park, MA

Live Stats  Video

In other words, there is work to be done.

It’s not unheard of for two NESCAC teams to be meeting this late into the NCAA Tournament. As a matter of fact, it happened just one year ago when Amherst and Williams duked it out in the national semifinals. What is unusual, though, is to see Bates and Trinity, two schools not known for their basketball pedigree, still alive and starting to believe that a National Championship isn’t that far-fetched of an idea.

Let’s take a moment and think about where these two teams came from. You might have heard already, but Bates College is playing in its first-ever NCAA D-III Tournament, which has brought Bates alums out of the woodwork to support the current team.

“I’ve heard from players from the 1950s right up to last season. You win a few games and people become very aware of your basketball program.” – Bates Coach Jon Furbush to the Portland Press Herald,

Also, consider this: Bates was 1-9 in the NESCAC last year, the worst record in the league. Now, just over a year later, they are one win away from being the last NESCAC team standing. And when they look back on this season, there will be plenty of highlights from their NCAA Tournament run to remember. Bates’ players hope to add a few more before it is all said and done.

On the other side, Trinity had some experience with NCAA Tourney basketball before the season began. The only problem was that none of that experience came from the players. Head Coach James Cosgrove led Adelphi University to the D-II Tournament four times and Endicott to the D-III Tournament once as head coach. Assistant Coach Tyler Simms played on back-to-back NCAA Tournament teams at Trinity in 2007 and 2008, but never advanced past the first round. Now, the Bantams’ players have almost as much NCAA Tournament experience as their coaching staff.

Last time they met: Jan. 16 at Trinity. Trinity 66 – Bates 59

From 1-5, including #21 Alex Conaway '15, Trinity can defend with the best of them. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
From 1-5, including #21 Alex Conaway ’15, Trinity can defend with the best of them. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

In a game that started a miniature two-game skid for the Bobcats that seems to have been the turning point for Bates, Trinity dominated the first half and held on for a six-point lead at home. It was an off shooting night for Bates’ two top scorers, Graham Safford ’15 and Mike Boornazian ’16 (6-21, 28.6 percent, combined). Meanwhile, Trinity spread the wealth, per usual, with three players in double figures, and played its patented shutdown defense.

“Trinity has proven all season long what a great defensive team they are and against us was no exception. They did a good job scouting us and identifying some of our tendencies, but we also didn’t shoot the ball anywhere near the level we’re capable of.” – Mike Boornazian

The game was incredibly evenly-matched statistically. The only differences came in the rebounding and free throw shooting departments, both of which Trinity dominated. The Bants outrebounded Bates 42-32, and hit 20-26 free throws, compared to 11-14 for the Bobcats.

A last bit of Trinity-Bates history to nibble on. Trinity leads the all-time series 31-13, dating back to 1947. The last Bobcat victory came in February 2013.

Storylines to Watch

1. Have student fan bus, will travel

Alumni Gym in Lewiston, ME gets pretty crazy sometimes for men’s basketball games. The Staake Gymnasium is going to feel a lot like Alumni on Friday night. The tiny Babson home court (650 seats, 1,000 capacity) will provide the ideal setting for the scores (dare I say, hundreds?) of Bobcats fans who will be traveling down via a school-organized fan bus. The bus seats 55 students, and the College sold an additional 50 for students who wanted to organize their own transportation. Trinity, meanwhile, goes on spring break starting on Friday, and many students have already taken off to enjoy better weather elsewhere.

Adding to the Bobcats’ home court advantage, potentially, is that Bates has already won two games at Staake, to open the season, at the Babson Invitational, including a three-point victory over the host Beavers.

“It’ll definitely be nice to get back on the court that got us off to a 2-0 start earlier this year. We all really liked the atmosphere that the gym provided, and we have a lot of Bates supporters in the area, as well as people who will be making the trip down.  It’s going to be a fun time and always nice knowing we have Bobcat Country supporting us.” – Mike Boornazian

Trinity center Georgios Papadeas ’15 doesn’t see Babson Park as presenting a home court advantage for Bates.

“I don’t believe playing in Babson gives Bates an advantage. They didn’t win against us at that court so I believe that those two wins are irrelevant to Friday’s game.” – Georgios Papadeas

2. Frontcourt physicality

There were 42 fouls committed the last time these two squads competed, 25 by Bates. Max Eaton ’17 even earned four in just 13 minutes! Bates alone has committed 40 fouls in their two NCAA Tournament games. Both Delpeche brothers fouled out late against St. Vincent in the first round. For Trinity, they’ve faced some foul trouble in the Tournament but have managed to keep everybody on the floor. The personal foul numbers will be important to monitor in this one, though, as both teams feature tough front courts.

“I think both teams are very talented in that department.  Trinity has an impressive front court, but I also think Malc and Marc [Delpeche] have consistently proven that they are two of the best big men in the conference. It’s going to be a great battle.” – Mike Boornazian

Statistically, both teams are similar in blocks per game (Trinity, 3.9; Bates, 3.3) and rebounds per game (Trinity 39.0; Bates, 38.4), but the Bantams had a significant margin in rebounding margin (7.3, compared to 4.9 for Bates). Nevertheless, Trinity recognizes the dangerousness of the Bates big men.

“The twins are a dynamic combo. I respect their toughness. From our part we will try to be physical and block them out. They are long and athletic and extremely dangerous. We can’t let them get going.” – Georgios Papadeas

Forward Mike Newton ’15 has a more aesthetic view of what makes the Delpeche duo so formidable.

“The best part is that  they aren’t scared to bang on anyone.” – Mike Newton

When you get this look from Marcus Delpeche '17, you know that you're in trouble. (Courtesy of Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)
When you get this look from Marcus Delpeche ’17, you know that you’re in trouble. (Courtesy of Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

That kind of protection at the rim allows Billy Selmon ’15 to pressure ball handlers on the perimeter and changes the offensive attack.

3. The efficiency of Bates’ guards

Even though Safford was an NbN All-NESCAC First Teamer and both he and Boornazian are 1,000 point scorers, no one would mistake the pair for a couple of Luke Westmans. Of NESCAC players that attempted at least 12.5 field goals per game (Safford has attempted exactly 12.56 FG per game, Boornazian approximately 12.7), Safford was the only player under 40 percent from the field, and Boornazian ranks fourth out of sixth. They’re both great players and among my first choices if I need to take a shot to win the game, but I think their below average shooting percentages will be particularly hurtful in this game where I don’t anticipate the Delpeches, Newton and Eaton grabbing many O boards.

4. The Trinity offense with Andrew Hurd ’16 on the court

Jaquann Starks '15 is comfortable with the ball in his hands, but Trinity's O runs smoother with Starks at the two-guard. (Courtesy of Hartford Courant/Peter Casolino).
Jaquann Starks ’16 is comfortable with the ball in his hands, but Trinity’s O runs smoother with Starks at the two-guard. (Courtesy of Hartford Courant/Peter Casolino).

Point guard Jaquann Starks ’16 gets all the press, but the Trinity offense is actually better when Hurd handles the ball and Starks shifts to the two-guard. I wish I had the advanced statistics to back up that claim, but keep an eye on this backcourt combination tonight and see for yourself. Starks isn’t much of a distributor and is probably Trinity’s best three point shooter. Hurd also brings some underestimated pesky defense to the floor with him, and can frustrate the opposing team’s point man. He gives up quite a bit of size and strength to Safford, though, so Hurd may be better suited to keep Selmon from making an impact on offense.  For Selmon’s part, he will be blanketing Starks all day, which means that the pressure is on Hurd to make an impact offensively.

5. Late game execution

Bates is looking for a shot at redemption against Trinity. (Courtesy of Portland Press Herald/Gabe Souza)
The Bobcats are looking for a shot at redemption against Trinity. (Courtesy of Portland Press Herald/Gabe Souza)

I would be shocked if this game turned into a blowout. Therefore, it will come down to which team executes better in crunch time, and who makes their free throws. Neither team was fantastic hitting free throws this season, but Trinity held a slight edge. When it comes to closing out ball games, the general perception is that Bates has the advantage because of the heroics of Safford and Boornazian. Sometimes nerves get in the way when players are unsure of what to do as the seconds tick away. That doesn’t happen with Safford.

“It’s amazing. There are times when I want to make a call in the game, and he’s bringing the ball up and before I even say it, he calls it. … He’s absolutely another coach on the floor. … I think what he does from a sheer leadership standpoint is the reason why we’re successful.” – Bates Head Coach John Furbush to the Sun Journal.

However, of the Bantams’ 22 wins, 10 have come by six points or less. And I don’t think that is because Trinity isn’t dominant. I think it’s because they enjoy playing in close games. When the going gets tough, the defense gets tougher, and teams have a brutal time getting buckets. Additionally, if Bates wants to put its best free throw shooting team on the floor, they’d have to take off a lot of the starters. Safford, is the only starter for Bates that shot over 80 percent from the stripe. Meanwhile, Trinity can put Starks (89.5 percent), Hurd (88.9 percent), Chris Turnbull ’17 (85.7 percent), Papadeas (78.1 percent) and Rick Naylor ’16 (77.8 percent) or Shay Ajayi ’16 (71.3 percent) on the court and not give up too much defensively.

Trinity X-Factor: Ed Ogundeko ’17

It had to be a big guy, right? Ogundeko was playing like a grown man down the stretch this season, putting up huge rebounding numbers and a couple of nice offensive performances despite not playing much more than 20 minutes per game. In the NCAA Tournament Ogundeko has played 24 minutes total. Coach Cosgrove has basically relied on his starting five plus Hurd to win ball games. But, in a matchup where both front lines go deep and I could foresee a flurry of fouls on either side, I think the time is ripe for Ogundeko to step back up. I don’t need big scoring out of him, I just need him to stop whichever Delpeche is feeling it at the time.

Bates X-Factor: Adam Philpott ’15

For Bates, it’s no secret that the starting five does most of the heavy lifting, but Philpott does a lot of the little things that make a team go. He can do a little bit of everything offensively, and fits right in with Coach Jon Furbush’s feisty defense. Boornazian called Philpott the best sixth man in the NESCAC. He’ll have to play like it to best the Bantams on Friday.

“For me embracing the role of sixth man with the talent that we have was very easy. … [Graham Safford’s and Mike Boornazian’s] ability to beat their defender and get into the lane creates a lot of open opportunities for me on the perimeter and it’s my job to knock them down.” – Adam Philpott

Prediction:

Before we go any further, let me say a big congratulations to both teams for making this unexpected run to the Sweet 16. That being said, I don’t think either squad would be content with calling it quits now. Both squads believe that they can win a national title for the first time in school history. And these have to be two of the toughest, grittiest teams in all of Division-III, which should make for some must-watch TV.

How is this one going to play out? Expect it to be back-and-forth all day. If Bates can grab some offensive rebounds that will lead to some easy buckets and make up for some of the guards’ missed jumpers. I don’t expect Trinity to shoot much better, though. This one could be ugly.

Don’t expect the crowd noise to get into the Bantams’ heads too much.

“As athletes though we have trained to focus on the game and block  all other factors that don’t contribute to the game.” – Georgios Papadeas

I really don’t think, even down the stretch, that 100-plus screaming Bobcats fans will change the outcome of this game. Whether the crowd is cheering for or against you, there are bound to be jitters when you’re in a single possession game as the clock ticks down.

All right, enough preamble. I’ve gone back and forth on this game all day, so let me just make a pick and stick to it. I’m going with the Bantams, partly because they’ve beaten Bates before, partly because they’ve given up just 51.0 points per contest in the NCAA Tournament. Partly because, as Sean Meekins reported, Bates basketball wears seat belts on the bus. I jest, of course. Everyone should wear seat belts all the time.

So there it is. We’ve picked against Bates twice now, and gotten it wrong both times. We’ve also picked in favor of Trinity, and gotten it right both times. Something’s gotta give.

Final Line: Trinity 59 – Bates 52

Survive and Advance Is the Name of the Game: Stock Report 3/9

Though it doesn’t get the publicity that the D-I tournament does, the D-III hoops tourney is even more chaotic and wide-open than what is commonly called March Madness. The first two rounds of the tournament are played on back-to-back days. Keeping track of all the action is borderline impossible, but somehow the miracle workers at D3Hoops.com do it.

Luckily for us, we only worry about one conference, though with four NESCAC teams in the tournament it was still a little crazy. Wesleyan lost in the first round to Skidmore while Amherst fell in the second round to St. John Fisher. However, Bates and Trinity both won their Regionals and now will face against each other at Babson at 5:30 PM on Friday.

Stock Up

Shooting Guard Mike Boornazian ’16 (Bates)

Well let’s see, Boornazian averaged 20.0 PPG, helped Bates advance to the Sweet 16, and scored his 1,000 career point. Not a bad weekend. Friday night Boornazian played second banana as Graham Safford ’15 controlled the proceedings with 30 points and 10 assists. On Saturday against Stockton, Safford struggled a bit, and it was Boornazian who carried the load. He finished the game with 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He scored 14 of his points in the first half before going cold for most of the second half. Boornazian did a good job of adjusting and handed out all three of his assists during the second half, including one very pretty layoff that led to an easy Adam Philpott ’15 layup. Combined with a big game from Malcolm Delpeche ’17 (17 points and 10 rebounds), Boornazian helped the Bobcats overcome a subpar game from Safford and advance. Guard play becomes magnified in the tournament, and Bates should feel confident knowing they have both Safford and Boornazian.

Trinity Defense

They call the NCAAs the Big Dance, and the Bantams made sure to dance with the one that got them there: their defensive effort. The Bantams had started clamping down already before their loss to Wesleyan in the NESCAC semifinals (the score was 55-52 after all), but something tells me that Coach Jim Cosgrove was able to really get the message through to his players because of that loss. Things looked bad for Trinity early as their first round opponent, Colby-Sawyer, came out firing and held a 24-8 lead with 10:27 left in the first half. Then Trinity regrouped during a 20-second timeout and allowed only SIX points for the rest of the half. After scoring 24 points in 9:33, it took Colby-Sawyer exactly 26 minutes to score their next 24 points. At that point the score was 53-48 in the Bantams’ favor, and the Bantams hung on for the victory. Then Trinity played even better defense on Saturday holding Salisbury to 47 points on 29.5 percent shooting.

Shay Ajayi '16 tallied 22 points and 12 boards in the Bantams' two victories this weekend. (Courtesy of Trinity Sports Information/NESCAC.com)
Shay Ajayi ’16 tallied 22 points and 12 boards in the Bantams’ two victories this weekend. (Courtesy of Trinity Sports Information/NESCAC.com)

Point Guard Andrew Hurd ’16 (Trinity)

Though he comes off the bench, Hurd was crucial for Trinity this weekend. Hurd, a transfer from Central Connecticut State this fall, has become a more integral part of Trinity’s success as the season has gone along. When he is in the game, he takes over the primary ball-handling duties and allows Jaquann Starks ’16 to work off the ball. Unlike Starks, Hurd looks to pass when he gets into the lane, and his two assists in the final minutes were the difference for Trinity against Colby-Sawyer. Though he is only 5’10” and 160 lbs (he looks like he weighs even less if that is possible), Hurd is a very good defender. He seems to have an innate sense of knowing what the opposing ball-handler is going to do. He combines that with great lateral movement and quick hands to get a lot of steals. He had seven alone this weekend. Hurd adds another wrinkle to Trinity that makes them tougher on both ends of the floor.

NESCAC Overall

I think this weekend demonstrated just how good of a league the NESCAC is. Williams, Amherst and Middlebury are all known and respected nationwide as great programs because of their success, and some people wrote off the NESCAC as simply not being very good this year because those teams weren’t on top. So for the league to go 5-2 this weekend and send two teams to the Sweet 16 is very impressive. Bates and Trinity are certainly not associated with basketball, even though Trinity has won in the not so distant past. Over the past three seasons, seven different teams from the NESCAC have made it into the tournament. That number could very well jump up even further next season if Colby or Tufts delivers on the promise we saw this season. But first, we have one final NESCAC match-up to dissect and predict.

Stock Down

Momentum

Wesleyan was unquestionably the hottest team entering the tournament while Amherst was also playing well entering this weekend. However, it was Bates and Trinity, the two teams that struggled down the stretch, that ended up advancing. Now you might be saying, ‘What do you mean Trinity struggled down the stretch? They went 9-1 in the NESCAC and barely lost in the semifinals to Wesleyan?’ Well, Trinity had won five of their last six games by single digits (the other game was against Conn College) before losing to Wesleyan. Obviously the Bantams’ style means they play close games, but this was still a concerning trend. The time off seemed to help Bates a lot in terms of regaining their mojo while the loss for Trinity helped them to refocus. Obviously, Wesleyan winning the NESCAC tournament is the biggest accomplishment of any team this season unless the winner of Bates-Trinity ends up going to the Final Four. I just want to point out that counting out teams because they haven’t been playing well lately can make you look stupid. That is what Bates did to me as I picked against them twice.

Point Guards Jayde Dawson ’18 and Reid Berman ’17 (Amherst)

As good as Reid Berman '17 was on Friday, he struggled on Saturday and sat out for much of the second half with foul trouble. (Courtesy of Amherst Sports Information/NESCAC.com)
As good as Reid Berman ’17 was on Friday, he struggled on Saturday and sat out for much of the second half with foul trouble. (Courtesy of Amherst Sports Information/NESCAC.com)

If you have read us all season, you know how much we have focused on the point guard situation for Amherst since the graduation of Aaron Toomey ’14. First, we do need to acknowledge that Berman played a fantastic game on Friday finishing with a career high 28 points. Unfortunately on Saturday neither point guard had a very good game which was just part of the reason why Amherst lost. The Jeffs ran into a St. John Fisher team that shot the ball lights out from deep (22-23 from the line too), and they couldn’t keep up because their offense was too disjointed. Dawson and Berman combined for 13 points, five assists, and six turnovers.

Bowdoin

Of course Bowdoin didn’t play this weekend, but it must have hurt the Polar Bears to watch Bates advance to the Sweet 16 and not just because Bates and Bowdoin are such bitter rivals. After all, it was only a few weeks ago that Bowdoin demolished Bates 98-70 in Brunswick in a game that showed just how good the Polar Bears were. However, they missed out on the tournament by a couple of spots and ended up at home this weekend. The Polar Bears still might have had to win the NESCAC tournament just to make it into the Dance though. Bowdoin will not enjoy watching Bates take on Trinity, a team they lost to by one point.

 

NCAA Second Round Preview: Salisbury University vs. Trinity College

Game Information: Trinity (21-6) vs. Salisbury (21-7)

Saturday, March 7, 7:00 PM

Oosting’s Gymnasium at Trinity College, Hartford, CT

Live Stats  Video

What an amazing first round of NCAA Tourney games all across the country. It was only day one and we already know that there will be a new team cutting down the nets as Wisconsin-Whitewater lost on a three-pointer at the buzzer. Three NESCAC teams moved on to the Round of 32 as Wesleyan was the only team to fall last night. Trinity was able to muscle past a tough Colby-Sawyer team who was up 24-8 at one point. The Bantams survived thanks to gritty performances by senior center George Papadeas ’15 (Athens, Greece) and Alex Conaway ’15 (New Haven, CT). They move on to play a Salisbury team that beat Eastern Connecticut 66-54 in the evening’s first matchup. Salisbury rode the back of junior big man Wyatt Smith (Abingdon, MD) who put up a game high 37 points and brought down nine boards. These two teams have never met before and will square off tonight at 7:00 PM in Hartford, CT.

 

The Trinity crowd is ready to cheer on the Bantams for one last time at Oostings Gym. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
The Trinity crowd is ready to cheer on the Bantams for one last time at Oosting’s Gym. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics) For more photos of the game, Trinity has a full gallery here.

How Did They Advance?

Trinity

Trinity had a terrible first half yet somehow managed to head into the locker room on a 15-6 run that cut the Colby-Sawyer lead to 30-23. Colby-Sawyer’s leading scorer and NAC Player of the Year Peter Donato ’16 (Portland, ME) scored 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds. He was helped out by Wol Majong ’16 (Manchester, NH) who had 11 points, but the rest of the Chargers didn’t contribute much. The Bantams opened up the second half with a flurry of baskets from Conaway, Papadeas, Shay Ajayi ’16 (Brooklyn, NY) and Jaquann Starks ’16 (Hartford, CT) and looked like a different team. Papadeas was all over the place with hustle play after hustle play, and a big dunk from Conaway got a once depleted fan section back in business.

Andrew Hurd ’16 came off the bench and provided major quality minutes for the Bants, moving Starks off the ball. Hurd finished with a very solid stat line of eight points, four steals and five assists. Four Bants finished with double digits (Conaway, Ajayi, Papadeas, Starks). Trinity had an uncharacteristically bad night from the free throw line going 15-23 (65.2 percent) but managed to hit some big ones late in the game to ice it.

Salisbury

This part of tonight’s preview could be completed in two words (Wyatt Smith) but let’s try and stretch this out a bit. Smith put up 37 and nine on 16-20 shooting. Guard Gordon Jeter ’17 (Easton, MD) helped put up his share of buckets tallying 14 points and nine rebounds, but past those two, the Sea Gulls got little to nothing from anyone else. Eastern Connecticut had two players put up 10 apiece but struggled from an offensive standpoint. The Warriors shot a dismal 31.7 percent from the field (19-60) and allowed Smith to have a field day in the paint.

Smith came into the game averaging a little over 12 points per game, one of only two Salisbury players averaging double digits. But Smith was a man among boys tonight against the Warriors. Anytime he touched the ball in the paint, he was going to get his and Eastern Connecticut didn’t have anyone to put up a fight against him.

Players to Watch

Trinity

C, George Papadeas, Senior, 6’8″ 228 lbs.: Ed Ogundeko ’17 (Brooklyn, NY) had an off night and was battling a foot injury all week. That didn’t matter last night because the Greek big man willed the team to victory. Papadeas is a high motor player and a very strong post presence. With Ogundeko banged up, Papadeas will have to play like he did in the second half for a full 40 minutes on Saturday night if the Bantams want to move on to the Sweet 16. As a fan though, it will be very fun to see him battle it out against Smith in the post all night.

F, Shay Ajayi, Junior, 6’6″ 203 lbs. Ajayi will cause issues for Salisbury simply because of his height. Smith is Salisbury’s sole talented big man and he will be occupied with Papadeas and Ogundeko all night so Ajayi will be able to get open and get to the basket if he so desires. Along with Ajayi, Conaway should play a pivotal role in this game as he is also a 6’6″ swingman and will be a problem for whichever Sea Gull he guards.

Salisbury

C, Wyatt Smith, Junior, 6’5″ 215 lbs. Smith’s back has to be hurting from carrying Salisbury on Friday, and if I were a betting man, I would lay the house on Salisbury feeding the Washington, DC native his share of the ball again on Saturday. Smith will no doubt be a force in the paint, but he will meet a more formidable pair of opponents in Papadeas and Ogundeko. Smith has very soft hands and great touch for a big man so he has a repertoire of moves to bring out against the Bantams.

G, Gordon Jeter, Sophmore, 6’5″ 175 lbs. Jeter needs to have a big game to help Smith out in leading the Sea Gulls on offense. The sophomore from Maryland’s Eastern Shore will cause issues for Trinity as he is a 6’5″ guard who can shoot the ball and drive the lane to create fouls. Jeter is averaging 8.2 points a game but will need to put up a lot more than that to see Salisbury get to the Sweet 16.

Prediction

This game has only two distinct scenarios that I possibly see happening. Salisbury beat a Eastern Connecticut team that struggled mightily and had its flaws, but it did so thanks to two players. Wyatt Smith is a beast; that is not up for discussion. He will score a lot of points on Saturday night. But will anyone else for the Sea Gulls? I feel like Trinity will come out firing on all cylinders now that they have that first win under their belt in front of their home crowd. Home court definitely played into their win on Friday as the team helped get the place going in the second half. If Trinity struggles to get things going on offense however, and allows Salisbury to stay in the game, anything can happen. That being said, I just don’t see how a Salisbury team with only two players averaging double figures can outperform a Bantams team that has so many scoring options. All things considered…

Trinity 68 – Salisbury 57