Category: Wesleyan

Never a Dull Moment: Weekend Preview 1/25-26

Friday

Trinity (13-5, 2-2) @ #8 Williams (15-2, 4-1)

Williams had gone completely undefeated until last weekend when they lost their first two games in a row to Amherst and Middlebury. Before this it seemed pretty clear that Williams was the favorite in the CAC and one of the favorite seeds nationally, but at this point we may need to reevaluate. In their game against Midd the Ephs shot a measly 10% from 3-point range. Could this possibly explain what seems to be an out of place loss? Maybe, maybe not, though. The Amherst loss was probably an even bigger blow to Williams, they were leading at half and had all the opportunity in the world to take that game but they couldn’t pull it out. This next game needs to be a turning point for Williams if they still wish to fulfill their lofty goal of a national championship. Trinity, on the other hand, are feeling good right now. They went up to snowy Maine and took both games from Colby and Bowdoin, much improving their NESCAC record. They also were able to sweep their latest 2 mid-week games, putting them up to a 4 game win streak. This would be a huge opportunity for the Bantams to shake up the conference. The only question is whether or not the Bantams have the grit to hold of big bad Williams.

Score Prediction: Williams 81 – Trinity 72

#25 Wesleyan (14-4, 4-1) @ Bates (5-12, 2-3)

The Cardinals are on a roll at the moment as they have won their last 6 games. To make that even more impressive, within those 6 wins they faced 4 NESCAC teams and 3 nationally ranked teams. All of these feats have pushed them into a national ranking of their own. Jordan Bonner and Austin Hutcherson continue to thrive as the core of the Wesleyan team with terrific support from Antone Walker and others. As of now I would consider Wesleyan a member of the top 4 elite in the NESCAC along with Williams, Hamilton and Amherst. The fact that they have taken down two of those three already shows their talent. Bates has been a surprise team as of late. Looking at their preseason record I was not expecting much from the Bobcats but they have held their own in conference thus far. Big wins over Tufts and Colby have lifted them every so slightly out of the cellar of the NESCAC. Despite their success against these low to mid tier teams, I just don’t think they have what it takes to take down a team like Wesleyan, especially not right now.

Score Prediction: Wesleyan 82 – Bates 69

Connecticut College (6-11, 0-5) @ Tufts (8-10, 2-3)

Justin Kouyoumdjian will have to bring his A-game for the Jumbos to make a turn around this weekend

Tufts is a confusing team, to say the least. One game they will take down a Middlebury squad who have received national votes and then the next game they will lose to a bottom-tier team like Bates. It’s fairly evident that consistency is an issue for this squad, but at the same time they are talented enough to hang with most teams. Luke Rogers has been a solid big man for the Jumbos, nearly putting up a double-double a game. Beyond him no names and numbers really stand out on the stat sheet and that is their issue. Tufts has a lot of solid role players but not enough star players. If everyone happens to get hot then they are extremely dangerous but on your average game they are not anything to write home about. If anyone was going to hand Conn their first win of the year, it could be this Tufts team. While Tuft’s biggest issue is inconsistency, Conn’s biggest issue is their consistency: they are constantly losing. David Labossiere and Dan Draffan have been holding down the for for the Camels but there is only so much these guys can do. It’s clear that these guys are good NESCAC basketball players, they just need more of those to support them. I’m going to take a risk here though and say that Conn is going to roll into Medford and pick up their first conference win. I mean you can’t lose every game, right?

Score Prediction: Conn 81 – Tufts 80

Colby (12-5, 1-3) @ #19 Amherst (13-2, 2-1)

The Mammoths find themselves back in the national rankings this week after taking down formerly undefeated Williams in a non-conference matchup. After the last 2 intense matchups that Amherst has had, there will probably be a sense of relief for them being able to stay home and face a slightly less dangerous squad. Amherst has only lost 1 home game this season and it was against a very good Babson team. The thing I like most about this Amherst team is that they receive contributions from everyone on the roster. They have 8 guys that have clocked in for every game and nobody has played less than 7 games this year. When everyone gets a chance to be involved, it is much harder for the defense to develop a game plan and that has showed in Amherst’s success. Colby has been fairly frustrating to watch as a team this year. The big win over Tufts to start the season was extremely uplifting and gave that team a lot of hope but since then it seems as if everything has gone wrong. Losing tight games to Trinity and Bowdoin as well as a loss to Bates really hurts the Mules’ slim chances of making playoffs. With a very talented lineup that includes Sam Jefferson, Matt Hanna, Wallace Tucker and Noah Tyson one would expect that the Mules can compete game in and game out. While they have been competing they just haven’t been finishing. Maybe this weekend can change that, but I doubt it.

Score Prediction: Amherst 92 – Colby 81

Saturday

Bowdoin (11-5, 2-2) @ #19 Amherst (13-2, 2-1)

After facing Colby on Friday the Mammoths with play host to another Maine team in Bowdoin. So far this year it seems as if Bowdoin has taken the “gimme” wins in the NESCAC of Bates and Colby, although they were barely able to hang onto their win against the Mules. I actually think that Bowdoin has a really strong starting 5, or at least core 3, and am surprised that they weren’t able to find success against teams like Tufts and Trinity. Those wins could have been huge for the Polar Bears but they couldn’t pull them out and now they need to look in harder places to find wins, harder places like Amherst, Mass. As I just talked about Amherst in the last paragraph you know how I feel about their team. They are solid and well balanced and can compete with anyone in the NESCAC. I don’t see them losing this game either but I think Bowdoin might give them a little scare that they weren’t expecting.

Score Prediction: Amherst 88 – Bowdoin 83

#25 Wesleyan (14-4, 4-1) @ Tufts (8-10, 2-3)

It’ll be a big weekend for Antone Walker and the Cardinals who are riding a 6-game win streak

Wesleyan drew the short straw this week, having to trek all the way up to Maine on Friday and then all the way to Massachusetts on Saturday. I hope that bus is comfy because those boys will be spending around 8 hours on it over a short 2 day period. Although the travel may pose some problems for the Cardinals, their opponents are less of a problem. Tufts’ loss to Bates put their abilities more into perspective. They are not the team they once were and are now struggling to maintain a middle-of-the-pack status in the conference. While Tufts has been falling behind Wesleyan has been catching up to the top of the conference at a rapid rate. Purely based on momentum this should be Wesleyan’s game.

Score Prediction: Wesleyan 86 – Tufts 71

Connecticut College (6-11, 0-5) @ Bates (5-12, 2-3)

Despite their decent NESCAC record, I don’t remember the last time that Bates was favored in a conference matchup. For Bobcat fans, today is your lucky day. Bates has proved that they are a gritty team who can play up to the level of their opponents, even against much stronger opponents. Conn has had many opportunities to surprise us and pull off an upset but they have never seized it and there’s just not too much to say about them. Bates, on the other hand, has the opportunity to sneak up the conference standing by taking a fairly easy game from one of the only teams that they may have an edge on. I wouldn’t expect this to be a quality basketball game as far as NESCAC basketball goes, but a win will be huge for either team that walks away victorious.

Score Prediction: Bates 74 – Conn 68

Colby (12-5, 1-3) @ #6 Hamilton (15-1, 2-1)

Michael Grassey will have to help lead the way for the Continentals

Hamilton has a pretty simple weekend ahead of them, two home games against two Maine teams that, on paper, they are far superior than. The Continentals have the most consistent starting 5 of anyone in the conference. All 5 of their starters have started every single game that they’ve had this season. That makes it clear that Hamilton has a strong gameplan that they are confident in and clearly they have been executing it well. Colby, much like Wesleyan, have a tough travel schedule this weekend as well as a tough schedule of opponents. When looking at all outside conditions it looks like Hamilton has a huge advantage well before the jump. When looking at all on-court factors, Hamilton wins big again. If Colby wins this game it will be through pure grit and lights out 3-point shooting. If Hamilton wins, it will be because they should.

Score Prediction: Hamilton 91 – Colby 80

Trinity (13-5, 2-2) @ Middlebury (14-5, 3-2)

Our final game of the weekend comes from Middlebury and Trinity. Midd id coming off of a lot of rest time for this game and they also have home court advantage. Trinity will have faced an elite Williams team in Massachusetts and then have to go to Vermont and have to face a ready-to-go Panthers squad. Midd should go into this game with heaps of confidence as the last time that they played a game was taking down formerly undefeated Williams last weekend. Although Trinity has a 4-game win streak heading into the weekend, it is more likely than not that that streak will be broken before they even reach Vermont.

Score Prediction: Midd 82 – Trinity 75

Changing of the Guard: Power Rankings 1/24

Power Rankings 1/24

As the title of this week’s Power Rankings suggests, Williams has been ousted from the top spot, something they’ve held for quite some time. If I’m being completely honest, any of the top four teams in this week’s edition of the power rankings has a legitimate case to be ranked number one, and that’s what makes this league so exciting. The chaos from top to bottom surrounding the league’s potential seeding makes every game a must-watch, and with some incredibly important conference games set to take place this weekend, hopefully we’ll get a more clear picture of where teams stand. Or, maybe it’ll be even more chaotic. There’s only one way to find out.

(2) 1. #25 Wesleyan (14-4, 4-1)

Last Week: W 78-70 @ Conn College

This Week: @ Bates, @ Tufts

After going back-and-forth, I’ve decided to stick with the hot hand that is Wesleyan. Since falling to Williams in their conference opener, the Cardinals have rattled off six consecutive wins. Their 4-1 mark in conference play is very impressive and because their conference schedule was front-loaded with teams such as Williams, Hamilton and Middlebury, the Cardinals have one of the league’s easiest remaining schedules. Wesleyan has cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with; the question that remains, however, is can they beat the teams they’re supposed to beat? The first “test” came Saturday in New London, where the Cardinals staved off a frantic Camels comeback to secure a 78-70 victory. Everything was fine and dandy in the first half as Wesleyan jumped out to a 47-29 lead; the second half was a completely different story, as the Camels went on a 12-0 run to open things up and eventually cut the lead to five with a minute remaining before Wesleyan ended their hopes with some clutch free throw shooting. Austin Hutcherson ‘21 struggled from the field, but Jordan Bonner ‘19 carried the Cardinals with 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds, his 9th double-double of the year. Up next for the Cardinals is a feisty Bates squad before heading down to Medford to take on the Jumbos.

(4) 2. #19 Amherst (14-2, 2-1)

Last Week: postponed @ Hamilton

This Week: vs. Colby, vs. Bowdoin

*From the Nothing But NESCAC Community, our thoughts and prayers go out to Coach Hixon and his family regarding the passing of his mother this past week.

Amherst has quietly been lurking in the background amongst the perennial conference front-runners, but made their presence known with a marquee victory over bitter rival Williams. The Mammoths clawed their way back from an eleven point deficit in the second half, taking the lead with three minutes remaining on a Fru Che ‘21 three pointer. Che ended up scoring the game-winning shot with eight seconds to play to cap an emotional week for the Mammoths, who were without Coach Hixon for the first time in nearly 42 years. Amherst’s defense has been superb in conference play (59 ppg) and held Williams to just 35.8% from the field. This is a deep squad that consists of 11 players averaging 10 min/game or more, and their only conference loss was on the road at Wesleyan on a shot with seconds left. A convincing non-conference victory over a ranked Eastern Connecticut squad will have the team’s confidence sky high as they look to continue their winning ways with home games against Colby and Bowdoin this upcoming weekend.

(1) 3. #8 Williams (16-2, 4-1)

What’s wrong with Williams’ big 3? The trio will need to fix their offensive woes

Last Week: L 80-66 vs. Middlebury

This Week: vs. Trinity

The warning signs were there in their win against Bates, but many people shrugged off the Ephs’ sluggish performance. Their offensive woes continued in their non-conference loss to rival Amherst, but even more painful was a second consecutive loss at home to Middlebury. Some might say dropping Williams to #3 might be harsh, but their coaching staff and players will be the first to tell you they expect better execution than what’s been presented the past few games. This is a team that was averaging well over 85 ppg, but in their last three games against NESCAC opponents has mustered up 75, 62, and 66 points. In their loss to Middlebury, Williams shot an abysmal 2-20 from beyond the arc; Bobby Casey ‘19 was just 1-7 from three, and Kyle Scadlock ‘19 (13.8 ppg) was a non-factor, scoring three points. James Heskett, a normally deadly three point shooter, was a combined 3-24 from downtown in their most recent games against Bates, Amherst and Middlebury. Williams is still talented enough to win if one of the three has an off night, but they need more consistent production from their trio of stars in order to right the ship and fix their offensive woes. Next on tap are the Bantams, who’s defensive statistics are in the top half of all NESCAC teams.

(3) 4. #6 Hamilton (15-1, 2-1)

Last Week: postponed vs. Amherst

This Week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby

Hamilton was supposed to play Amherst on Saturday, but extreme weather conditions postponed the game to a later date. With no non-conference games during the week, Hamilton will have gone ten days without a game when they welcome Bowdoin to campus on Friday. Kena Gilmour ‘20 continues to dazzle for the Continentals, leading the ‘CAC with 20.4 ppg. Like the three teams ranked ahead of them, Hamilton still controls their own destiny in regards to seizing the regular season championship. However, their final two games are absolutely brutal, with road trips to Middlebury and Williams back-to-back and the rescheduled home meeting with Amherst penciled in somewhere near the back portion of the schedule. But before we look too far ahead, Gilmour and co. must take care of business against Bowdoin and Colby – two teams that have no trouble shooting the rock – in order to keep pace with the rest of the league.

(5) 5. Middlebury (14-5, 3-2)

Last Week: W 80-66 @ Williams

This Week: vs. Trinity

I guess the Panthers read my stock report last week, because their defense came to play this past weekend against Williams. Middlebury did everything right: they only turned the ball over eight times (and forced thirteen turnovers of their own), shot 46% from the field while holding the Ephs to just 36.2% (including 10% from three) and converted 86.7% of their free throw attempts. Jack Farrell ‘21, Max Bosco ‘21 and Matt Folger ‘20 continued to set the nets ablaze, accounting for 59 points. Their next stretch of games is an opportunity for the Panthers to separate themselves from the likes of Bowdoin, Trinity, Bates, etc. and secure (at worst) the 5th seed for the conference championship. Middlebury can build off their phenomenal defensive performance when they face Trinity on Sunday, the worst offensive team in the NESCAC.

(6) 6. Trinity (13-5, 2-2)

Last Week: Non-conference

This Week: @ Williams, @ Middlebury

The Bantams were off from NESCAC play this past weekend, where they stomped St. Joseph’s (L.I.) by a score of 92-38. Connor Merinder ‘19 led the way with 21 points and shot 5-6 from beyond the arc, and Trinity shot a season-high 61.8% from the field. The fun will be short-lived, however, because Coach Cosgrove and his squad have two conference games on the road this week that will really test their defensive prowess. First up is a Friday matchup with Williams, a team that is struggling on the offensive end but given their plethora of talent, can erupt at any moment. After a day off, the Bantams will have another go against a top five team, this time against Middlebury. It’s a matchup of contrasting styles, as Middlebury likes to bomb away from deep and can score at will, while the Bantams prefer to grind down their opponents on the defensive end. This game in particular is crucial for the Bantams in order to prove they belong in the discussion for a top six seed come tourney time.

(8) 7. Bowdoin (11-5, 2-2)

Last Week: W 72-69 @ Colby

This Week: @ Hamilton, @ Amherst

The Polar Bears avenged their non-conference loss to Colby earlier in the year with a 72-69 victory up in Waterville. David Reynolds ‘20 was once again the go-to-guy for Bowdoin, as the junior finished with 24 points and 8 rebounds. Jack Simonds ‘19 also had a nice game, tallying 18 points, and big man Hugh O’Neil ‘19 hit the go-ahead shot with 38 seconds remaining. It was a big win for the Polar Bears, who improved to .500 in conference play and into a tie with Trinity and half a game behind Middlebury in the conference standings. Road trips with Hamilton and Amherst certainly doesn’t bode well on paper, but if the duo of Reynolds and Simonds continues to put up lofty scoring numbers, they just might have a chance to spring an upset or two away from home.

(10) 8. Bates (5-12, 2-3)

Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 puts his athleticism on full display, driving to the hole for a layup

Last Week: W 76-65 vs. Tufts

This Week: vs. Wesleyan, vs. Conn

After two close contests against Williams and Midd, the Bobcats finally picked up a conference win on their own floor against the Jumbos by a score of 76-65. Nick Lynch ‘19 scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half and juniors Jeff Spellman ‘20 (16 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 (14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals) were extremely active on both sides of the court.  The return of Tom Coyne ‘20 has been monumental for the Bobcats, and the sniper from long range turned in another impressive performance with 18 off the bench. The defense has played significantly better since allowing 100 to Middlebury, forcing 17 turnovers against Tufts and holding them to just 34.8% from the field. This team is peaking at the right time, and welcomes both the best team in the conference and the worst team to Alumni Gym this weekend. Saturday’s tilt with Conn is an absolute must win if the Bobcats want to secure a spot in the conference tournament, but they most certainly have a chance to knock off the Cardinals. It’s going to be an extremely exciting weekend for Bobcat fans.

(7) 9. Tufts (8-10, 2-3)

Last Week: L 76-65 @ Bates

This Week: vs. Conn, vs. Wesleyan

If the Jumbos defeated Bates, they more than likely would have solidified a place in the conference tournament barring a collapse down the stretch. Instead, they’re on the outside looking in. Luke Rogers ‘21 (18 points, 10 rebounds) was the only bright spot for a team that struggled to shoot the ball on Saturday, and the big man will be a thorn for opposing teams in the years to come. The starting five combined to shoot a paltry 3-18 from three, and as a team the Jumbos struggled mightily from the charity stripe (52.6%). They have the inverse schedule of Bates this weekend, with Conn first up to visit Medford on Friday followed by Wesleyan. Similar to the Bobcats, the Jumbos cannot afford to trip up against a Conn squad that did show some fight against Wesleyan, as a loss would all but doom their hopes of making the postseason dance.

(9) 10. Colby (13-5, 1-3)

Last Week: L 72-69 vs. Bowdoin

This Week: @ Amherst, @ Hamilton

The game between Bowdoin and Colby presented huge ramifications regarding the playoff picture, and the loss pushes the Mules towards the bottom of the league’s standings. Four of Colby’s starters (led by Sam Jefferson ‘20) finished with double digits in the scoring department, but they got very little production from their bench. The shiny overall record Colby experienced to the 2018-2019 season was inflated by a weak non-conference schedule, and it’s beginning to show. With just one win in conference play to date and remaining games against all of the league’s top five teams (starting with road games against Amherst and Hamilton this weekend), all of this doesn’t bode well for Colby’s playoff chances.

(11) 11. Conn College (6-11, 0-5)

David Labossiere has been one of the few bright spots for the Camels this season

Last Week: L 78-70 vs. Wesleyan

This Week: @ Tufts, @ Bates

The Camels are once again struggling in conference play, but I’ll give them credit for fighting back against Wesleyan this past weekend. The Cardinals came out and punched Conn in the mouth, taking an 18 point lead into the half. David Labossiere ‘19 and Dan Draffan ‘21 willed their team back in the second half, and the two leading scorers finally received some additional help on the offensive end from Phil Leotsakos ‘19, who finished with a career-high 16 points. Although this performance wasn’t enough to produce a win, the Camels should feel more confident about their chances against Tufts and Bates, two teams who aren’t as strong as Wesleyan. Road games in the ‘CAC are tough to win, and Conn hasn’t won a league road game since the 2016-2017 season; but if the Camels replicate their performance against Wesleyan (most importantly having a third solid scoring option), then they might just shock the NESCAC with a win this weekend.

Even the Mighty Fall: Stock Report 1/23

Stock Report 1/23

Stock up

Potential end-of-season drama

Right when it was starting to look like no one would beat Williams, they lost. Then, they lost again. Now the best record in the NESCAC belongs to none other than the Hamilton Continentals, while Wesleyan shares the top spot in the conference standings with the Ephs (although Williams does hold the head-to-head tiebreaker). Additionally, the Amherst vs. Hamilton game that was supposed to happen this past weekend was postponed due to the snowstorm. That game will surely have playoff seeding implications given that these two teams are at the top of the conference, and the fact that it’s being rescheduled later in the season will add even more excitement to what was already going be a very exciting finish to the year. Everyone in the league except for Conn has picked up a conference win, and everyone except for Colby and Conn have two, so it’s exciting to see a little bit of parity between the teams (especially coming on the heels of football season). We’re looking at yet another terrific year for NESCAC basketball.

Bates’ playoff chances

It’s no secret that non-conference play was a disaster for the Bobcats, but they’ve looked like a completely different team in the New Year. The win at Colby was a promising way to start, and then Bates put up two valiant efforts against some of the league’s best teams in Williams and Middlebury but came away empty-handed. Beating Tufts for the 3rd straight year (and 4th time in 5 years) was nothing short of a statement win. The Jumbos haven’t had the best season ever, but they’ve already recorded wins over Middlebury and Bowdoin – two of the teams that defeated Bates. Tom Coyne ’20 has been a huge part of the turn around as he returned from a shoulder injury with a very hot hand. The junior put up 18 points off the bench on 6-12 shooting including 3-7 from downtown against the Jumbos, his third consecutive 17+ point game. The first half on Saturday was all about Nick Lynch ’19 as he scored 20 of his game-high 22 points thanks to a barrage of midrange jump shots. Kody Greenhalgh ’20 also turned in a very fine effort, posting 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. The Bobcats may have started the season on a sour note, but they’re playing well when it counts so don’t count them out of the postseason just yet.

Middlebury as a title contender

Max Bosco is playing his way out of contention for our 6th Man of the Year award

Definitely the best way to secure a spot in the “stock up” column is to take down the top team in the league, and the Panthers did just that on Saturday with a convincing 80-66 win over Williams. Jack Farrell ’21 led the way with 24 points on a very efficient 9-14 from the field, and he also dished out 5 assists. An important thing to note for Middlebury is that Coach Brown recently decided to insert Max Bosco ’21 into the starting lineup in place of Griffin Kornaker ’21, and it has paid dividends. Bosco put up 21 points in his first game as a starter, and then put forth an 18-point, 6-rebound effort in the win against Williams. This is the type of spark the Panthers were looking for as they’re now looking like one of the scarier teams in the conference. The loss to Tufts hurts but other than that Middlebury has a nice looking resume and adding a win over Williams certainly doesn’t look too shabby either. They’ve got Trinity, Bowdoin, and Colby in the near future, so it’s a good time for the Panthers to snag a few more wins before they have to finish the year with two of the very best – Hamilton and Amherst.

Stock down

Colby in close games

The Mules have been off to a great start, but something that stands out as a real area where they have struggled is playing close games. Colby has shown an inability to win close games, especially when it counts. They’re 3-5 this year in games decided by 10 points or less and 1-3 in one possession games. These aren’t great numbers from a team who wants to be making an impression on the rest of the league. It’s especially frustrating when two of those close losses came to Bates and Bowdoin in conference play, both teams that the Mules defeated in their non-conference matchups. Winning close games more often than not comes from a combination of coaching and player maturity. Coach Strahorn is doing an excellent job so we know that isn’t the issue; the reason they have struggled so much down the stretch is that Colby only has one senior on their roster and he isn’t one of the guys who would be handling the ball at the end of a close game. They’ve got talent on their team, but the guys are young – they need these experiences in tight matchups to continue learning for the future. This will serve them very well in one, two, three years from now when they’ve got a team full of players who have been there time and time again. For now they’ll have to try and claw (hoof?) their way in it with what they’ve got.

Note: I wrote this before Colby’s 101-98 victory over Husson on Tuesday, so it looks like they’re already starting to turn things around.

Williams’ depth

Mickey Babek will have to step up if Williams is going to make a run

There’s no way the Ephs weren’t falling in the “stock down” column after suffering their first two losses of their year to Amherst and Middlebury, respectively. They’re fortunate that the Amherst game was technically a non-conference affair and that they get another crack at the Mammoths at the end of the year. Either way, Williams isn’t all high and mighty like they were before. In the loss to Amherst they had 16 points off the bench and against Middlebury it was a mere 3. Literally only 3 points. This is not characteristic of a team that wants to compete in the NESCAC even, let alone on a national scale. They need more production from guys off the bench like Mickey Babek ’20, Marcus Soto ’19, and Marc Taylor ’21, each of whom have the capability of hitting shots and playing a bigger role. As I like to say, no reason to panic for the Ephs. They’re still very much in the driver’s seat and with Trinity, Colby, and Bowdoin on the horizon they’ve got a very nice chance to stay on top.

The Mighty Can Fall: 1/18 Weekend Preview

NESCAC Basketball Weekend Preview

Tufts (8-9, 2-2) @ Bates (4-12, 1-3)

The Jumbos come into this weekend’s contest feeling good after a solid win over a very good Middlebury team. They were able to come from behind and take down the Panthers with help from Luke Rogers (16 pts, 9 reb) and lots of help off the bench from Carson Cohen (15/6/4). Coming up to Maine to face the Bobcats more than likely won’t intimidate this Tufts squad. While Bates’ record holds a lot to be desired, when you look closer at their last 2 games you can see that they’ve been putting up a fight against some very talented teams. They took #3 Williams down to the wire and got handed an impressive 7-point loss and against Midd they were also able to stay within single digits. Despite all this I’m still not convinced that the Bobcats have turned a corner.

Score Prediction: Tufts 89 – Bates 77

Middlebury (13-5, 2-2) @ #3 Williams (15-0, 4-0)

Folger has quietly been having a very solid year

Middlebury will have a tough task ahead of them, heading down to Williamstown and attempting to take down elite but recently defeated Williams team. Midd’s season has been a roller coaster thus far, going up and down with wins and losses. They split their two NESCAC contests last weekend against Bates and Tufts and then they split their midweek games too. The most consistency that the Panthers have seen is from Jack Farrell and Matt Folger. These two have near identical numbers on the season, Farrell is averaging 15.9 /5.1/ 4.4 while Folger is averaging 15.6/9.2/1.1. Whether or not these two can handle this Williams squad is yet to be determined. Williams has kept rolling all season but had a peculiar loss in the biggest trap game of all time against Amherst this past Wednesday. They breezed through their first 15 games of the season, but lost to Amherst in a bizarre non-conference matchup this week by one point, having the worst shooting performance that we will likely ever see from them. Praising Williams is just beating a dead horse at this point, we all know that they’re elite and could win every game until the last rounds of NCAAs. Now that somebody has finally beaten them there will be a lot more to talk about.

Score Prediction: #3 Williams 86 – Midd 63

Wesleyan (11-4, 3-1) @ Connecticut College (6-10, 0-4)

To understand how Wesleyan is playing right now you just have to look at the last three games they’ve played. Game #1: Win over (then) #24 Midd. Game #2: Win over #7 Hamilton. Game #3: Win over (then) #24 Amherst. After taking down three straight ranked opponents, I don’t think the Cardinals are going to be scared to face Conn. Part of the reason for Wesleyan’s success of late has been due to Austin Hutcherson. In the first two of those three games Hutcherson went off, dropping 36 and 32 points respectively. If Hutcherson can turn it on again this weekend there won’t be a Camel who can stop him. Conn has really been thrown into the fire in terms of NESCAC play. Their first 6 games are against the 6 best NESCAC teams. It is going to be a tough task for Conn to pull out a win over any of the first 6 NESCAC teams they play and an 0-6 record going into game 7 is a tough look. There have any been 4 games but it seems as if this year may already be over for Conn.

Score Prediction: Wesleyan 89 – Conn 69

Bowdoin (9-5, 1-2) @ Colby (12-4, 1-2)

Sam Jefferson will have to continue to lead the way for the Mules

The battle for the frozen tundra occurs this weekend in Waterville as Colby hosts Bowdoin. This has all the makings of an interesting game. To start it off, both teams are 1-2 in league. Bowdoin’s win came over Bates, who Colby lost to. Colby’s win came over Tufts, who Bowdoin lost to. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot to separate these two on paper. Both teams have a solid core of starters with some quality bench players that can come on and make an impact. In their preseason meeting Colby was able to take down Bowdoin 83-70. While this may seem like a solid indicator of how this game may turn out, that is not necessarily true. When Colby faced Bates in the preseason they were able to beat them easily, but in conference they couldn’t get the job done. All in all, this game has all the makings of a classic.

Score Prediction: Colby 92 – Bowdoin 88

It’s Always a Mystery: Power Rankings 1/17

Power Rankings 1/17

We’re now in the thick of things as each team has played 3 or 4 NESCAC games, and there is absolutely no more clarity in the rankings than we had last week. This conference is tough, and everybody just seems to be beating everybody. Even Williams is no longer unbeaten (continue reading to find out more). The Ephs still remain the league’s top team and they stand alone now that Hamilton has taken a conference defeat. Next week will give us some more marquee matchups and maybe next week the rankings will somehow be easier to write. Probably not, and that’s what makes it fun. For now let’s see where everyone falls in the mid-January rankings:

(1) 1. #3 Williams (15-1, 4-0)

Last week: W 85-61 @ Tufts, W 75-69 @ Bates

This week: vs. Middlebury

It wasn’t pretty at times, but Williams is still every bit deserving of their top spot in the rankings. After an impressive team effort in a blowout victory on Friday, the Ephs faced a bit more adversity in their matchup with Bates in Lewiston. The Bobcats led by as many as 14 in the first half and it remained close right up until the very end. The Ephs looked visibly uncomfortable against Bates’ 1-3-1 zone, uncharacteristically turning the ball over on several occasions. It took some hot shooting by Bobby Casey ’19 and a few critical plays by Kyle Scadlock ’19 to secure the victory for Williams. The ability to win games in which they aren’t playing their best has really set this Eph team apart through the first half of the season, and it was very much on display against the Bobcats. Williams actually took their first loss of the season on Thursday night in a non-conference matchup with Amherst, so maybe things aren’t as pretty as they seem in Williamstown. A huge matchup looms on Saturday when the Middlebury College Panthers come to town to try and hand Williams their second consecutive loss so stay tuned for the result this weekend in Western Mass.

(4) 2. Wesleyan (11-4, 3-1)

Last week: W 73-69 vs. Hamilton, W 62-60 vs. Amherst

This week: @ Conn College

Austin Hutcherson is slowly becoming “the man” in Middletown

It’s no secret why the Cardinals worked their way up to the 2 spot in this week’s rankings. After knocking off no. 6 nationally ranked Hamilton for the first time, Wesleyan turned around and gave Amherst their first conference loss of the year – just their second over all. This weekend was the Austin Hutcherson show: against Hamilton on Friday the sophomore dropped 32 points on 9-19 shooting, including 9-10 from the free throw line. He absolutely took over the game, scoring 24 points in the last 20 minutes and scored 12 in a row at the very end, sealing the win for the Cardinals. The very next day Hutcherson took an inbounds pass with 11 seconds to go in a tie game, drove the length of the court, and banked in a game-winner with 3 seconds remaining to defeat the Mammoths. Wesleyan made a statement this weekend that not only can they compete with anyone, but they have the star power to do some real damage in this league. Conn College won’t do much to get in the way of this machine, so look for the Cardinals to put another one in the win column this weekend.

(2) 3. #7 Hamilton (15-1, 2-1)

Last week: L 73-69 @ Wesleyan, W 91-46 @ Conn College

This week: vs. Amherst

They had to lose eventually and I suppose eventually for the Continentals was last Friday in Middletown. Wesleyan was the better team that night, carried by Austin Hutcherson and Jordan Bonner. Hutcherson won the star battle with his 32 points, as Kena Gilmour ’20 scored only 15 points, while grabbing 2 rebounds and dishing out 2 assists. Obviously he can’t put up insane numbers every single night, but no one besides Gilmour and Michael Grassey ’19 (20 points) could get into double figures and the rest of the team was very cold shooting the ball the entire game. The good thing was that Hamilton bounced back on Saturday and demolished Conn College by a score of 91-46. This is a powerful way to respond after suffering your first loss of the season, so my guess is that the Continentals aren’t going anywhere. They’ve got another huge chance to prove themselves when they host an Amherst team this weekend who is also looking to rebound after a loss. I’m sure we’ll be in for an exciting matchup from New York.

(3) 4. Amherst (13-2, 2-1)

Last week: W 88-60 @ Conn College, L 62-60 @ Wesleyan

This week: @ Hamilton

The Mammoths are in the exact same position as the Continentals coming out of the weekend. They were off to a tremendous start, lost a tough game to Wesleyan, and now have to come back and play another tough team who’s in the same spot. Grant Robinson ’21 continues to impress, posting 18 points on Friday and 21 on Saturday while nearly draining a three-pointer for the win in the final seconds of the Wesleyan game. The only apparent problem for the Mammoths is that Robinson isn’t getting a lot of help right now. He’s averaging 15.1 points per game (19.3 in conference play) and his teammates haven’t been able to support him as much as Coach Hixon would like. In the loss at Wesleyan, Robinson had 21 and there actually were double-digit efforts from Fru Che ’21 and Eric Sellew ’20 who had 13 and 11, respectively. The problem was that is took them both at least 14 shots to get there, so not very efficient. I’ll say the same for Amherst as I said for Hamilton – they have nothing to worry about and they’re still in a comfortable position, but this should serve as a wake up call. This Saturday is a big one.

(5) 5. Middlebury (13-5, 2-2)

Last week: W 100-93 @ Bates, L 86-84 @ Tufts

This week: @ Williams

Max Bosco has been playing really well as of late, and even worked his way into the starting lineup in their mid-week game

What a tough way to end the weekend for the Panthers who really hoped to go 2-0 against the likes of Bates and Tufts. It took a bit of late-game magic for the Jumbos who picked up a huge win at home. Again, no reason to panic yet in Vermont – Tufts is a good team and it’s still very early. In the game against Bates the Panthers were forced to deal with the same 1-3-1 zone that stifled Williams at times, but they shot the Bobcats out of the gym. The game was relatively close the whole way, but Middlebury led pretty much start to finish. It really felt like every time Bates would get the game a little bit closer they’d hit another big shot to keep the Bobcats at bay. Max Bosco had a huge weekend, dropping 28 on Bates and 17 on Tufts, while shooting 50% from the field. He has a very crafty nature and can beat you in a variety of ways – one of which is taking it hard to the basket and often getting fouled. In fact, he got to the line quite a bit over the weekend hitting 14 of his 17 free throws, good for 82%. Midd will take a trip down to western matchup for an enormous matchup at Williams on Saturday so keep your eyes on the score from that one.

(9) 6. Trinity (12-5, 2-2)

Last week: W 66-56 vs. Bowdoin, W 62-60 vs. Colby

This week: non-conference

I have to admit; I was a little down on Trinity early in the year and even after their close game with Hamilton, but this weekend they definitely proved something. Colby and Bowdoin aren’t traditionally the top teams in the NESCAC, but they’re having very good seasons and had played well recently. Winning close games in this conference is no small task, and the Bantams won two of them in a single weekend. Kyle Padmore ’20 led the charge on Friday, netting 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting, grabbing 7 rebounds, and even blocking 4 shots. The hero on Saturday was freshman Anthony Kelley ’22 who caught the inbounds pass and took the ball coast to coast, laying it in with 3.5 seconds on the clock to win the game for the Bantams. That basked accounted for 2 of just 4 points for Kelley on the afternoon, but they were certainly the biggest. Donald Jorden, Jr. ’21 has slowly been making a name for himself as he posted 26 points and 19 rebounds on the weekend, continuing to play really good basketball all season. Trinity is idle this weekend as far as conference play goes, but they’ve got big games coming in the near future with Williams, Middlebury, and Wesleyan, so there’s no question that they have some preparing to do.

(8) 7. Tufts (8-9, 2-2)

Last week: L 85-61 vs. Williams, W 86-84 vs. Middlebury

This week: @ Bates

The loss against Williams was tough, but I’d say this was a fairly successful weekend for the Jumbos. They had 5 guys score between 14 and 17 points against Middlebury, but it was Brennan Morris ’21 who stole the show, hitting a fade away baseline jumper with just a few seconds left to win it. Those were 2 of Morris’ team-high 17 points in the contest, but it was a true team effort in the win. Eric Savage ’20 and Luke Rogers ’21 turned in really the only significant performances in the big loss against Williams. Savage scored 16 points and handed out 6 assists while Rogers recorded a double double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Tufts has been a bit of a wild card thus far, struggling at times in non-conference play but picking up a couple of impressive wins in Bowdoin and Middlebury when conference play started. They sit at 2-2 and they’ll travel to Lewiston on Saturday to take on a streaky Bates squad. A win puts them at 3-2 and in a great spot in the standings, but the Bobcats have won 3 of the last 4 meetings between the two teams so it’s certainly not a matchup to take lightly.

(6) 8. Bowdoin (9-5, 1-2)

Last week: L 66-56 @ Trinity

This week: @ Colby

The loss to Trinity is a bummer for the Polar Bears who surely had their hopes a little higher for this one. The Bantams played terrific defense, holding Bowdoin to just 34.4% from the field on the day. Moving forward they’re going to need more from their stars, David Reynolds ’20 and Jack Simonds ’19. These guys combined for 14 points and 9 rebounds, and that’s not going to win you a tough conference game on the road. Zavier Rucker ’21 had the best game scoring 14 points of his own, but really no one stepped up for the Polar Bears and they drop to 1-2 in conference play. It seems like if Simonds and Reynolds don’t play well then they lose, because no one else has stepped up this season in the scoring column aside from Rucker at times. They’ve got an important game on Saturday with Colby in what is essentially a must-win game if Bowdoin wants to stay in the race to potentially host a first round NESCAC tournament game. Colby won their first meeting 83-70 when they faced off in a non-conference CBB game, so some adjustments are going to be necessary if the Polar Bears want to have a chance this weekend.

(7) 9. Colby (12-4, 1-2)

Last week: L 62-60 @ Trinity

This week: vs. Bowdoin

It seems that many teams are in the same spot heading into their 4th/5thconference games because Colby could use a bounce back. They started conference play well by defeating Tufts, but they’ve dropped games to Bates and now Trinity since then, so things seem a bit shakier. Alex Dorion ’20 put together a notable effort off the bench, dropping 17 points that included 4 of his 6 3-point attempts. I’ve obviously pointed it out enough at this point, but the NESCAC is a star-driven league and Sam Jefferson ’20, Matt Hanna ’21, and Noah Tyson ’22 weren’t their usual selves against the Bantams. These guys have led the team in scoring and rebounding all year and they couldn’t really produce against a tough Trinity defense. The Bowdoin game this weekend will be very telling because the Mules have already defeated them once so they certainly know what it takes. They beat Bates in their first meeting but lost in the conference matchup so Colby really can’t afford to let this happen again. At this point only time will tell.

(11) 10. Bates (4-12, 1-3)

Last week: L 100-93 vs. Middlebury, L 75-69 vs. Williams

This week: vs. Tufts

Tom Coyne has had the hot had off the bench recently

Bates lost two games this weekend, but it definitely wasn’t all negatives in the two games. The Bobcats introduced a new 1-3-1 zone that they used on Middlebury and Williams and it gave us a few different results. Middlebury shot the ball incredibly well – in fact they shot a higher percentage from behind the three-point line than they did in front of it. The zone was a sneaky look, but the Panthers simply shot too well to lose this game. Nick Lynch ’19 had one of the quieter 25-point games I’ve ever seen, but along with 11 rebounds he had himself a pretty nice looking double double. On Saturday the defensive ploy worked a bit better, confusing the Ephs and giving the Bobcats a number of fast break layups. Tom Coyne ’20 had himself a huge game off the bench, lighting it up from the perimeter to the tune of 24 points on 8-13 shooting including 7-11 from 3-point land. Towards the end of the game it was Coyne’s hot hand that kept Bates within striking distance where they ultimately got stuck. There’s no doubt that the Bobcats have struggled this year, but they have showed some positive signs and they have a winnable game against Tufts on Saturday. This could be an exciting mid-January matchup from Alumni Gym.

(10) 11. Conn College (6-10, 0-4)

Last week: L 88-60 vs. Amherst, L 91-46 vs. Hamilton

This week: vs. Wesleyan

It seems like more of the same in New London as the Camels took two drubbings at home at the hands of Amherst and Hamilton. For a number of years now they just haven’t been on the same level as the rest of the NESCAC. David Labossiere ’19 and Dan Draffan ’21 have been putting together some very strong seasons, but neither of them could get anything to fall over the weekend. I will give them the fact that these games were against Amherst and Hamilton who are currently right near the top of the standings, but Conn struggled nonetheless. Their next game is against a hot Wesleyan squad that just knocked off the same two teams that they just lost to. The expectation is low at this point for the Camels but maybe that’s a good thing. Spoiler is a fun position to be in sometimes so maybe they can make something happen.

Still No Clarity: Men’s Basketball Stock Report 1/15

Freshman Andrew Kelley’s (‘22) game winner against Colby boosted Trinity’s chances of securing a playoff berth.

Stock Up

Austin Hutcherson’s ‘21 MVP Campaign

Hutcherson displayed flashes of his full potential during an impressive freshman season, but I don’t think many people would have pegged the 6’6’’ guard to be at the forefront of the MVP conversation. He’s averaging 24.0 ppg in conference play thus far, sporting a ridiculous 46.7% clip from beyond the arc. His offensive game doesn’t strictly revolve around the three ball, however, as he averages more than three trips to the free throw line a game and converts 88% of his freebees. Hutcherson single-handedly willed Wesleyan to huge conference victories against Middlebury and Hamilton, exploding for a combined 78 points; and although the sophomore struggled against Amherst’s stifling defense, he still managed to sink the game-winning shot with 3 seconds left. He’s put the Cardinals in prime position to snag a top seed come conference tourney time, and it’s hard to ignore the multitude of offensive skills Hutcherson brings to the hardwood day in and out. All aboard the Austin Hutcherson hype train.

Late Game Heroics

What a weekend in the ‘CAC. NESCAC fans were blessed with not one, not two, but three game-winning shots during Saturday and Sunday’s slate of games. The first one concerned Wesleyan and Amherst, where Austin Hutcherson sank a shot off the glass with three seconds remaining to give the Cardinals a 62-60 win over the Mammoths and cement their place as the number two team in league play. Then, in what most certainly is one of the bigger upsets we’ve encountered this season, Brennan Morris (‘21) of Tufts drilled a baseline jumper with seven seconds to play, shocking the Middlebury Panthers en route to an 86-84 victory. Last, but certainly not least, Trinity’s Anthony Kelley (‘22) took an inbounds pass with less than four seconds left and converted a layup as the buzzer sounded, finishing off Colby 62-60. It was an exhilarating week of basketball in one of the country’s premier D3 conferences, and here’s to hoping the madness continues.

Stock Down

Hamilton’s FT% on the Road

When I wrote the team preview for Hamilton, I alluded to their struggles from the free throw line in the 2017-2018 season and how that number would have to improve if the Continentals wanted to challenge for the NESCAC Championship (and beyond). Well, it’s safe to say they must’ve not read the preview, because the numbers are still bad. In particular, the Continentals are sporting an abysmal 55% clip from the charity stripe when playing on the road. Up until this weekend, Hamilton had the talent and scoring capabilities to overcome their poor numbers at the line, but it finally caught up to them this weekend at Wesleyan. The Continentals converted just 53.8% of their free throws (7/13), while the Cardinals sunk 22 of their 23 free throws. In a game where neither team shot particularly well, it was free throws that ultimately decided the outcome. Considering Hamilton has two huge road games remaining against Middlebury and Williams, they might want to consider setting some practice time aside for free throw shooting.

Middlebury’s Defense

Thomas Coyne ‘20 nails one of fifteen threes for the Bobcats against a porous Middlebury D.

The Panthers had rather pedestrian numbers on defense throughout the non-conference slate, but they’re giving up an additional 10 ppg in conference play. Allowing 93 points to Bates (who averages less than 75 ppg) and 86 to Tufts is not the recipe to success. Through four conference games, the Panthers are allowing opposing teams to shoot 49.1% from the field, including 40.9% from downtown. They’re not forcing a ton of turnovers, and based on their assists allowed/game, opposing NESCAC teams are moving the ball with ease against Midd’s D. They have such an explosive offense that can keep them in any contest, but the defensive side of the ball needs more attention if the Panthers want to right the ship.

The First Real Challenge: Hamilton vs. Wesleyan Game of the Week Preview

Game of the week preview: Wesleyan vs. Hamilton

Overview: The undefeated Hamilton College Continentals will travel to Middletown, CT, this Friday to face off with the 9-4 Wesleyan Cardinals. Hamilton comes into this game ranked sixth in the country, while the Cardinals are outside looking in. The Cardinals are 1-1 in conference play with a win against a tough Middlebury team, but a big loss against the undefeated Williams College Ephs. Like I said in my preview a month ago, Wesleyan is big, tough, and athletic. Losing a guy like Jordan Sears was a heavy blow for the Cardinals, but Wesleyan still maintains its strong defensive identity. Allowing on average 68.5 points per game, Wesleyan ranks fourth in the NESCAC. Wesleyan’s field goal percentage has plagued them thus far. The Cardinals have one of the worst shooting percentages in the league at 43.9%. Wesleyan is led offensively by sophomore superstar Austin Hutcherson. Hutcherson has followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign with a stellar sophomore season so far. His 20.1 points per game ranks third in the league, while trailing Hamilton’s Kena Gilmour who averages 20.6 points per game. The matchup between Hutcherson and Gilmour will be fun to watch.

Hamilton needs to look out for Jordan Bonner on Friday night.

Both players seem to score at will in a variety of methods whether it be in transition or in a half-court set. These guys bring length to the guard position: Hutcherson stands about 6’ 6”, and Gilmour is 6’ 4”. Gilmour’s game is well-rounded because he not only scores well, but he’s tough on opposing ball handlers and rebounds well. Senior Michael Grassey of Hamilton will be another tough matchup for the Cardinals. Grassey is one of the best rebounders on the squad average around seven boards per game. He plays a Draymond Green style of play with strength inside, but also shooting to stretch the floor.

Don’t be surprised if Coach Riley puts Jordan James on him. James is having a breakout season as well. The long 6’ 7” forward will contest every shot, and is strong on the boards. He has the athleticism to run the floor with Hutcherson to dish to. This game will be Wesleyan’s third tough challenge in as many weeks. Starting off the season against Williams, Middlebury, and Hamilton is a daunting start of the season. The team can’t be so unhappy with the results so far, but picking up a win against Hamilton would be huge. Hamilton barely squeaked past Trinity, who doesn’t have nearly the team Wesleyan does. Like last year, this matchup is sure to be a thriller.

We expect to see some athletic and high-flying plays in this game.

X-Factors: This one’s pretty easy. How could I not pick Hutcherson and Gilmour? Hutcherson affects the game in so many ways. Coming in as a freshman and making the incredible impact he did right away, you come to realize the quality of player he is. It doesn’t appear that he gets rattled over the moment. Even though he’s one of the most electrifying players coming down the court in transition, I like his maturity in the half-court offense even more. He’s a smart player who knows how to run an efficient offense.

Kena Gilmour ’20

To cap it off, Hutcherson is a ninety percent free throw shooter. With the game on the line, you trust Hutcherson with the ball. You can’t say that about many college players especially underclassmen. Kena Gilmour has made his case to be regarded as one of the best players in the country. He statistics tell the whole story with his prolific scoring and steals. He’s very similar to Hutcherson in that he’s a young guard whom you trust to run the offense efficiently. I’m excited to see the plans Coach Reilly and Coach Stockwell devise to stop the opponent’s superstar guards.

Austin Hutcherson ’21

Final Thoughts:

This game is Hamilton’s biggest test so far in the season, while it’s one of the final really tough opponents Wesleyan will face for a while. Hutcherson has picked up some of the slack that Krill’s graduation left, but I’m not entirely sure that’ll be enough to dethrone Hamilton. Hamilton is playing great basketball right now, and I’m not sure that Wesleyan has played to their potential yet. My heart will always be with Wesleyan, but for this game, Hamilton is too good to pick against.

Prediction: Hamilton 84 Wesleyan 79

Waist deep in NESCAC play: Power Rankings 1/9

Now we’re really in the thick of things. While it is still totally unclear what the pecking order is for the bottom eight teams in the NESCAC, there has been lots learned after the first weekend of games and here is our best guess (yes, a total guess) at where the rest of the teams fall after Williams and Hamilton, because, yes, they are really just that good.

1. #2 Williams (12-0, 2-0)

Last Week: 68-54 W vs. Wesleyan, 95-69 W vs. Conn College

This Week: @ Tufts, @ Bates

The only thing I am surprised by from Williams’ games last weekend is that they didn’t score more points against Wesleyan. They saw uncharacteristically poor performances from their stars Kyle Scadlock and Bobby Casey as the duo shot a combined 6-25 on the night. As we know, shooting at a 24% clip just won’t cut it for the Ephs…if they’re going to win a national championship. They still managed to knock off a good Wesleyan team despite a terrible shooting performance. Having said that, in the future, they might not fare so well on such nights as the Cardinals shot just 27.9% as a team, which is undeniably horrible. Was it the defense or just an off night for Wesleyan? Hard to tell, but the Ephs still came out clean in the opening weekend and will own this spot until a team knocks them down.

2. #5 Hamilton (13-0, 1-0)

Last Week: 72-70 W vs. Trinity

This Week: @ Wesleyan, @ Conn

Hamilton is barely holding on the the #2 spot in these rankings as I do not like their ugly game against Trinity. Trinity, a squad with lots of roster turnover in more of a rebuilding mode, should not have given the highly touted Continentals such a run for their money. This first conference game was incredibly even and came after an off night for Hamilton, giving me even more doubts as there wasn’t a clear reason why they were met by an equal competitor in the Bantams. Trinity got hot in the game and shot well, but that happens from time to time and shouldn’t be a source of failure for a Hamilton team with their eyes on making a deep run in the NCAA tournament. They’re still #5 in the country and undefeated, so that’s worth something, but I’m not sure they’ll be here for the long haul. 

3. Amherst (11-1, 1-0)

Last Week: 84-55 W vs. Trinity

This Week: vs. Williams

I like what I’m seeing from this Amherst team. I didn’t have high expectations for them this season but Grant Robinson is doing a great job of leading a young team. Robinson scored 19 in their lone conference game and with him, Fru Che, and Eric Sellew, they have a talented core and are off to a hot start.

4. Wesleyan (11-3, 2-2)

Last Week: 54-68 L @ Williams, 80-77 W @ Middlebury

This Week: @ Conn, @ Wesleyan

I won’t fault Wesleyan for their loss to Williams—it was inevitable and not nearly as ugly as it could’ve been for how poorly the Cardinals played. They are a deep, big, and athletic team, and showed that they are capable of explosive games like in their contest against the Panthers. Austin Hutcherson put up a whopping 36 points on 12-22 shooting while Jordan Bonner posted a double-double to lead his team with ten boards. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Cards knock off Amherst or Hamilton in the near future.  

Hutcherson and the Cards are a dangerous group.

5. Middlebury (10-4, 1-1)

Last Week: 92-80 W vs. Conn, 77-80 L vs. Wesleyan

This Week: @ Bates, @ Tufts

I’m genuinely surprised by the Midd loss to Wesleyan. I’m not a very biased writer, but Midd always finds ways to win, especially at home. I’d like to chalk this one up to the student body not being at the game because of winter break, but that isn’t entirely fair to the efforts of the Wesleyan team. Midd got beat on defense and not one player had more than six boards on the night. Max Bosco has been great off the bench so far and bolsters a balanced lineup along with Jack Farrell, and Griffin Kornaker that spreads the ball out well but they just couldn’t quite get it done against Wesleyan and for the first time in a while find themselves outside the top four.

6. Bowdoin (8-4, 1-1)

Last Week: 72-57 W vs. Conn College, 79-87 L vs. Tufts

This Week: @ Trinity

This remains a team that performs below its potential. Jack Simonds, David Reynolds, Hugh O’Neil, and Jack Bors are a force to be reckoned with, however, they lost to a Tufts team that lost in turn to a young Colby Mules team. This is a team that has top four potential but need to be more consistent. In the loss against Tufts, O’Neil and Bors scored just 6 combined points (Bors had 0) and they allowed four Jumbos to score more than 14 points. Defense may be an issue going forward, but they can sure score.

The Polar Bears need some consistency from Hugh O’Neil.

7.  Colby (10-3, 1-1)

Last Week: 103-93 W vs. Tufts, 71-81 L vs. Bates

This Week: @ Trinity

It was a pretty bizarre opening weekend for the Mules, taking down a perennial power in Tufts and losing to one of the worst teams in the league in Bates. They had already beaten Bates and an inter-Maine game will never be a rollover contest, but seriously? Bates? If the Mules are really here to challenge top teams, they need to have a consistent approach to games and score more near the rim. They really lived and died by the three last weekend and it came back to bite them. Having said that, when they are hot, they are hot, so they could represent a trap game for many top teams. 

8. Tufts (6-8 1-1)

Last Week: 93-103 L @ Colby, 87-79 W @ Bowdoin

This Week: vs. Williams, vs. Midd

Like many teams, it was a mixed opening weekend for the Jumbos who find themselves below a team that they beat. They have a poor non-conference record which isn’t helping their ranking and a team that is not particularly deep. They will be out-talented by the top teams despite some scoring ability from all of their starters. Luke Rogers hauled in 16 boards against Bowdoin, but other than him, they really lack a rebounding presence at all and if he can get well-guarded, the Jumbos might be seriously deficient on defense.  

9. Trinity (9-5, 0-2)

Last Week: 55-84 L @ Amherst, 70-72 L @ Hamilton

This Week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby

I’m terming Trinity’s opening weekend as mixed as Tufts because they nearly knocked off an impressive Hamilton team, losing 72-70. Nick Seretta and Donald Jorden made a statement in this game, combining for 39 points and shooting 17-23 as a pair. Jorden added 11 boards and led his team to a halftime lead against the #5 team in the nation. Kyle Padmore had a quiet night, shooting just 1-5 for just two point on the night and as one of the veteran presences on this team, he will have to have a bigger impact going forward.

10. Bates (3-10, 1-1)

Last Week: 70-99 L @ Bowdoin, 81-71 W @ Colby

This Week: vs. Midd, vs. Williams

I don’t really expect much from this Bates team, but their win against Maine rival Colby had to feel good in their opening weekend after losing to Bowdoin the night before. Granted their performance against Colby might just be the ceiling for how well they can play. They shot 65% from deep (11-17) while the Mules who were hot against Tufts show just 29% from deep. In other words, it required the perfect storm for Bates to overcome Colby.

11. Conn College (4-8, 0-2)

Last Week: 80-92 L @ Middlebury, 69-95 L @ Williams

This Week: vs. Amherst, vs. Hamilton

As one of just two winless teams after the first weekend, it would’ve been hard to not put Conn at the bottom of the barrel. Dan Draffan and David Labossiere are the only two weapons that the Camels have and Labossiere is significantly more dangerous than Draffan. The duo could get hot and give some weaker teams a run for their money, but as seen in their 26 point loss to Williams, they will just get flat out beat by the top teams in the league. I don’t think they will go winless in NESCAC lay if that is any consolation. 

Off to the Races: Men’s Basketball Stock Report 1/8

Now that one weekend of conference games is in the books, we can see how exciting this season is truly going to be. There is really no apparent hierarchy and every team displayed some sort of weakness that can be exploited as we move forward in the season. This weekend was really a microcosm of what NESCAC basketball looks like on a regular basis. We had a few blowouts, a few tight games, a few defensive battles, and a good number of shootouts. There was seemingly no discernable pattern of who’s beating who, and that’s exactly the way we like it. Every weekend is an interesting one, nearly impossible for us to predict. With that being said, let’s take a look at the best and worst performers of the first weekend to see where everybody stands:

Stock Up

Williams dominance

It was about as successful as it could have gone this weekend for the Ephs as they took care of Wesleyan and Conn College at home. The Wesleyan game especially passes the eye test because they were able to prove that they could win a defensive battle. We know that Williams can score, but the fact that they led a low-scoring game pretty much the entire way against the talented Cardinals shows that they can win in any fashion. Bobby Casey ’19 led the way against Conn College, posting a game-high 24 points and 8 assists in a rout of the Camels. The Ephs were playing as well as anyone in the preseason, but they’ve brought their dominance into NESCAC play and that is a scary sight for teams around the league.

Jack Simonds as a leader

Everything was falling for Jack Simonds this weekend, but we’ll find out if he is really here to stay

The top performer of the weekend was undoubtedly Jack Simonds. The senior put up an astonishing 55 points on 22-33 from the field and grabbed 15 rebounds combined in the matchups with Bates and Tufts. It felt like Simonds couldn’t miss all weekend and he certainly threw his name back into the conversation for NESCAC player of the year with his efforts. After a breakout sophomore year, Simonds had a bit of a down season in his junior campaign and Bowdoin struggled at times without his leadership. He has come into conference play firing on all cylinders after torching Bates and putting up a valiant effort in a loss versus Tufts. Bowdoin comes out of the weekend right in the thick of things at 1-1, but things are looking bright if Jack Simonds can keep putting out performances like these.

Stock Down

Hamilton dominance

This is not meant to take anything away from a win to start off NESCAC play for the Continentals, but the Bantams tested them on Sunday. It took a carrying violation against Trinity and then a basket with 0.8 seconds left for Hamilton to sneak out the win. The Bantams were embarrassed by Amherst in Western Mass on Friday so morale was low when they rolled into New York for their Sunday matchup. Hamilton couldn’t capitalize, and Trinity hung around for much too long in this one. Kena Gilmour ’20 was not himself at all, putting up 15 points and snatching only 4 rebounds, but fortunately Michael Grassey ’19 picked up the slack and was able to do just enough to secure the win. The Continentals are doing just fine, but being ranked #6 in the country is a very impressive feat. It’ll take a much less sloppy effort if they want to compete with the other top teams in the league moving forward. 

Clarity in the middle

Austin Hutcherson ’21 is identifying himself as the top option so far for the Cardinals

It’s never easy to identify the best teams this early in the season, but there are 6 teams that finished the weekend 1-1, and it wasn’t exactly the 6 that we may have thought. After looking really bad to start the season, Bates snagged a win at Colby and even Conn College battled tough with Middlebury until the very end. Tufts started off slow losing to Colby on Friday, but turned around and took care of Bowdoin on Saturday. Wesleyan looked very impressive at times too, but here they are at 1-1 with the rest of them. Trinity and Conn each went 0-2 on the weekend, but the way they played we can tell there won’t be a winless team in the NESCAC this year. All we can do now is wait another week to get a bigger sample size and start making some better assessments. I wouldn’t be surprised to see quite a few 2-2 teams at the end of the second weekend…

Hope for Connecticut

I will admit that Wesleyan had a solid weekend and doesn’t have much to feel bad about at the moment, but Conn and Trinity aren’t doing them any favors in the early going. The state of Connecticut as a whole went 1-5 this weekend and only one of those losses was by fewer than 12 points. I’m not saying I expect to see these three schools at the top of the standings, but they certainly haven’t helped make a name for themselves so far. There’s never an easy game in this conference, so there’s no time to relax for any of the schools down in the NESCAC’s warmest state. Another weekend like this and we might have to start looking forward to the spring season when the southern schools get to have their moment.

New Year, New Pecking Order: Holiday Power Rankings

2019 Preseason Holiday Power Rankings

1.) #2 Williams (9-0)

This Williams team looks nearly unstoppable. They have three players averaging over 14 points per game and three averaging over five boards per game, dominating each of their nine opponents thus far. Bobby Casey has been lights out from deep, draining 47.7% of his threes, Scadlock has been electric from the floor, shooting over 60% from the field, and James Heskett has been doing his thing for the Ephs, following up his All-American season with some more balanced numbers among a more talented supporting cast with the return of Scadlock. Matt Karpowicz and Michael Kempton have been doing well all around as a big man unit, averaging a combined 14 PPG and over ten boards, equalling a dual double-double. No NESCAC team can match the size and big-game experience of this Eph team with the Continentals as the only real threat on their road to a second straight NESCAC championship.

Casey and the Ephs are not going to be a fun opponent this season.

2.) #5 Hamilton (9-0)

I’ve been a big fan of this unit that Coach Stockwell has developed for quite some time. They were set on a course for predestined greatness in this 2018-2019 season long ago when the group of Peter Hoffmann, Tim Doyle, Andrew Groll, and Michael Grassey joined forces in the 2015-2016 season. Those four along with the most athletic player in the lineup, junior Kena Gilmour, make up this team that could bring the Continentals their first major men’s sports championship in who knows how long. Gilmour and Grassey are doing most of the scoring in the perfect 9-0 start to the season, averaging 19.7 and 15.2 PPG, respectively. They are a balanced team and Gilmour, Grassey, and Groll all haul in over five boards per game. Their trusty point guard, Doyle, dishes out passes to the rest of the shooters and is the glue that keeps the gears turning and rounds out the deadly group that is, top to bottom, without any glaring weaknesses. 

Gilmour’s Continentals are the biggest threat to the Ephs in 2019.

3.) Amherst (7-1)

This is a bit of a surprise for me as I figured that after losing some studs, the Mammoths would enter more of a rebuilding year. Their only loss so far was to the 2017 national champion Babson Beavers and they received votes in the last D3 Hoops rankings. Their big man, Joe Schneider, is their only senior, boding well for the future of this historically dominant program. Grant Robinson is leading the way on the scoring front with 15.8 PPG with Eric Sellew putting in 9.6 PPG, and sixth man-to-be and deep threat off the bench, Garrett Day, dropping 9.3 PPG in just 17.3 minutes per game. Five Mammoths average over four rebounds per game and while Robinson is the closest they have to a superstar, they are a deep team with many possible contributors and several wild card players who entered into new roles at the start of this season.  

4.) #24 Middlebury (8-2)

This is an unusual year for the Panthers as they are without a true leader on the court like they have had the past few years. Matt Folger is the most talented player on the floor for Midd and has been off to a hot start, putting up 16.0 PPG, shooting over 50% from the field and over 47% from deep which is going to need to be sustainable for the Panthers to have a shot to compete with Bobby Casey and the Ephs. My biggest concern for the Panthers this season was at the guard position as they lost Jack Daly and had a big scoring, passing, and rebounding hole to fill. Jack Farrell, Max Bosco, and Griffin Kornaker have all contributed surprisingly well so far this year, making up the next wave of elite Panther guards. Farrell is averaging 15.8 PPG, 4.9 REB/G, and 4.3 A/G while Bosco is scoring 13.8 PPG in 21 minutes per game off the bench. Kornaker is more of a distributor, averaging 4 A/G and spreads the floor well between Folger, Hilal Dahleh, and Eric McCord down low. While Folger hauls in boards in his own right, raking in 9.5 per game to nearly total an average of a double-double for himself. McCord and freshman forward Alex Sobel are the defensive specialists, grabbing 10.8 and 5.4 REB/G, respectively. The guards are going to need to continue to play lights out for the Panthers with Folger leading the way for Midd to compete in the postseason. Their early season conference match ups should provide a good indication of how this rather unpredictable teams competes against better competition. 

5.) Wesleyan (7-3)

Contrary to Andrew’s (unsurprisingly) favorable preview for the Cardinals entering this season, this team has proven to be human in the early going despite their notable athleticism. They played a non-conference game against Williams and lost by 15—not such a bad result considering the prowess of the second-ranked Eph team. It actually was a poorly played game by the Cardinals, boding even better for their future games against the NESCAC’s top foes as they shot just 25% from beyond the arc. They also hauled in just 28 boards which was likely the main issue—allowing Williams to dominate on defense. Jordan Bonner, Austin Hutcherson, and Antone Walker are the big time scorers for this Wesleyan team, all averaging at least 14 PPG and represent a dangerous trio of shooters. This young team may be a bit inconsistent at times with Bonner as the only senior on the roster, but they should have a shot in some games that they are not favored in due to their athleticism and potential to score. 

6.) Colby (8-2)

This young Mule team is coming out of nowhere to intimidate the other NESCAC competition in the 2018-2019 preseason. While I didn’t really expect them to compete without any seniors on the roster, they are quietly putting together wins with five players averaging double digit point in the early going. Matt Hanna (14.1 PPG, 5.7 REB/G, 3.5 A/G), Sam Jefferson (16.6 PPG, 4.0 REB/G, 40.3% 3-PT), Wallace Tucker (11.1 PPG, 3.7 REB/G, 2.0 A/G), Noah Tyson (11.8 PPG, 8.6 REB/G, 2.6 A/G), and Ronan Schwarz (11.9 PPG, 4.9 REB/G, 58.2% FG) round out a well-balanced, and deep starting five for the Mules. While it’s hard to determine the quality of their opponents, they knocked off Bowdoin pretty easily 83-70 and Bates 86-69. 

7.) Trinity (7-3)

Trinity is a team much like Colby in that they lack a superstar or one player really performing above the rest of the team. Four of five starters (Kyle Padmore, Donald Jorden, Christian Porydzy, and Nick Seretta) average 10 PPG while Connor Merinder adds 8.3 PPG. Jordan and Merinder each haul in 8.1 and 6.4 REB/G, respectively and are the best rim defenders on the team. They lost to pretty badly 84-67 to 16th ranked Nichols but lost by less than five points in their other two hiccups thus far. This team still has a lot to figure out after losing key players last season, much like Middlebury and Amherst, but they seem to have a deep enough lineup so far to be dangerous and a match for many NESCAC foes. 

8.) Bowdoin (6-3)

Despite a below average 6-3 record entering the break, including a loss to rival Colby College, the Polar Bears are boasting a modest four game win streak after staring the season just 2-3. While it often takes some time for younger teams to get going, I didn’t expect to see this from the rather experienced Bowdoin team. Jack Simonds, Jack Bors, Hugh O’Neil, and David Reynolds who represent a similar level of experience to the Hamilton team. In fact, I’d even go to say that similar to Hamilton, this is the year of hope and destiny for the Bowdoin team too. If there was ever a year for them to make a run at the whole thing, this is it. Now I’m by no means saying they’re as talented as Hamilton or Williams, but David Reynolds and Jack Simonds both have POY potential, making a run at the league’s scoring title, and Hugh O’Neil has DPOY potential, bringing down rebounds with the best of them for his entire career. They fall all the way down here to eighth on these first power rankings of the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them get hot and make a run and host a first round playoff game. 

Simonds, Bors, and O’Neil represent a NESCAC ‘Big 3’ that could challenge any team on any day.

9.) Tufts (4-5)

Nobody lost more key players than Tufts did at the end of 2018. They lost starters Thomas Lapham, Everett Dayton, and, most importantly, Vinny Pace, leaving them with just Miles Bowser and team leader Eric Savage remaining. Savage, however, is the only Jumbo left in the starting lineup from last season as Bowser is no longer on the roster. Tyler Aronson and Carson Cohen are two of the new starters and are freshmen looking to make a quick impact at the college level. Both highly decorated high school players, Aronson and Cohen should improve as the season goes along but likely, as seen in their early record, will be overmatched by against some better teams and will experience up-and-down shooting nights. Rounding out the starting five are sophomores Justin Kouyoumdjian (that is a mouth full), Brennan Morris, and Luke Rogers. Savage has been a bit banged up thus far, leaving room for Cohen to make an early impact, but expect Cohen to come off the bench in games that Savage plays in. Arguably their best game of the season was in a loss to #7 MIT that went to OT early in the season. While the Jumbos might be the last ‘good’ team in these power rankings, they still have the talent to knock off any team on any day, speaking to the depth of the NESCAC. 

10.) Conn College (3-5)

And then there were two. Conn and Bates seem to be far below the rest of the NESCAC competition thus far. I hope they prove me wrong, but each program is in different places and will struggle for different reasons throughout the spring. For Conn, they have their star player, David Labossiere, leading the way but they lack a solid supporting cast to propel them into the fire of the NESCAC competition. Dan Draffan is another great player for the Camels, but Jack Zimmerman, Phil Leotsakos, and Ryan Omslaer need to step up their game for Conn to work to sneak into the playoffs. With that said, however, Labossiere could make a run for the NESCAC scoring title and could take over any game as he is shooting 40% from deep and averaging nearly 20 PPG so far. Draffan scores over 16 PPG and hauls in nearly 10 boards per game and if they can figure out how to score, this team could upset better NESCAC teams on their off nights. 

11.) Bates (2-7)

Bates had an underwhelming but not abysmal 2017-2018 season, but lost one of their starters in Guards Shawn Strickland. They went into the holiday break with five straight losses, two to NESCAC teams (Colby and Bowdoin) which I think clearly makes them the worst team in Maine so far. They shoot from beyond the arc at just 27.8%, make under 60% of their free throws, and only have two players in Jeff Spellman and Nick Lynch scoring in the double digits per game. Lynch and Spellman are also the only Bobcats averaging over six boards per game and it looks as if, unless there is going to be a dramatic shift in the new year, this may be a long season for Bates. Tom Coyne should return after the break in time for NESCAC play, and while it’s been rough so far, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Bates make the playoffs and slowly climb up the rankings into the top eight.