Category: Colby
A Mix of Rivalry Week and Marquee Matchups: 1/25 Weekend Preview
Amherst (11-6, 2-2) vs. Hamilton (12-5, 1-3), 3pm, Amherst, MA
Both of these teams really need a win to get back on track. Amherst followed up a nice road win against Bates by getting smacked in the mouth by Tufts, then proceeded to drop another game to Williams to complete the season sweep (albeit this was the non-conference tilt). Hamilton has plummeted towards the bottom of the standings with a dismal 1-3 conference record, and Kena Gilmour ‘20 is getting absolutely no help from the rest of his starters. The Bobcats did a great job limiting Gilmour to just fifteen points, but the rest of the starters combined to shoot 28%. What’s even more alarming for the Continentals is that they let the Bobcats splat eleven threes – the night prior, Amherst held the ‘Cats to just one triple. That combination of lackluster defense and inconsistent offensive production is, quite simply, not good enough to beat a team like Amherst. As long as Eric Sellew ‘20, Fru Che ‘21, and company are patient on offense and knock down their open looks, the Mammoths will have no problem getting by the Continentals.
Writer’s Pick: Amherst 83, Hamilton 70
Conn College (3-12, 0-3) vs. Trinity (11-6, 1-2), 3pm, New London, CT
Two words to describe Trinity’s performance against Wesleyan last weekend: not good. The Bantams shot just 33.3% from the field, including a head-scratching 10-30 from two. Conversely, Wesleyan got just about anything they wanted from inside the arc. The good news for the Trin faithful is that they essentially have a bye week against Conn, who just got absolutely obliterated 98-59 against the Cardinals. Although everything is falling apart for the Camels, the defense is especially a problem as they’ve now allowed at least 83 points in each of their three conference games. Trinity seems to have some offensive woes, but it would take an especially poor shooting day (think in the 20’s) for Trinity to drop this one. I’ve got Donald Jorden ‘21 tallying a double-double as Trinity rolls by double digits.
Writer’s Pick: Trinity 85, Conn 64
Bowdoin (5-10, 1-3) vs. #5 Colby (16-0, 4-0), 3pm, Brunswick, ME
Just like Trin and Conn, this inter-state bout looks like it won’t be very close. Colby has asserted themselves as the alpha dog in the NESCAC after their road victories against Middlebury and Williams. The most important stat from those two games is that they only turned the ball over a combined 19 times, signaling that this group feels no pressure in some of the more hostile environments in the conference. Sam Jefferson ‘20 has to be considered the MVP of the league by a considerable margin at this point, and it helps to have three alternate (and equally as talented) scoring options in Matt Hanna ‘21 (14.8 PPG, 4.1 AST/G), Alex Dorion ‘20 (14.1 PPG) and Noah Tyson ‘22 (12.4 PPG, 8.7 REB/G). What’s more, they annihilated Bowdoin by 46!!! earlier this season. In the second half alone against the Polar Bears, Colby exploded for 67 points and knocked down eleven threes. While it won’t be that much of a route this time around, expect the Mules to blow their rivals out of the water by at least twenty.
Writer’s Pick: Colby 92, Bowdoin 68
#12 Middlebury (16-2, 2-2) vs. Williams (9-8. 2-2), 3pm, Middlebury, VT
While Tufts and Bates could be viewed as the game of the week, I’m casting my vote for this particular matchup due to the unfamiliarity in the standings for both teams. Both Williams and Middlebury sit at .500 in conference play, and a loss would drop either team near that #8 seed cut-off for the conference tournament. Both these teams will almost certainly make the tournament when it’s all said and done, but the situation still presents an intriguing scenario. The Panthers had to have a quick turnaround after dropping a tough home matchup against the Mules, and they successfully did so by throttling the Polar Bears 93-71. Five Middlebury players hit double figures, led by Max Bosco ‘21 and Tommy Eastman ‘21. The defense is still a bit of a concern as the Polar Bears were able to hang around until the Panthers’ offense pulled away in the second half, but luckily for the Panthers, the Ephs isn’t known for their explosive offense. Williams likes to grind out games with a stout defense, and while it didn’t work against Colby, they held both Bowdoin and Amherst to 62 and 60 points, respectively. Jovan Jones ‘22 found his shooting touch with seventeen points, and Cole Prowitt-Smith ‘23 continued to impress with fourteen of his own. If this game was at Williams, I would consider looking into the upset; in the end, however, Middlebury was ranked as highly as number five in the national polls for a reason, and they are too talented drop this one at home.
Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 75, Williams 66
#23 Tufts (13-3, 3-0) vs. Bates (9-6, 2-1), 3pm, Medford, MA
I honestly have no idea what to expect from this one. Tufts continues to to keep pace with Colby as the last two remaining unbeaten teams in the ‘CAC, having just recently throttled Amherst by 18 in Medford. Everyone is contributing – all five starters hit double digits against the Mammoths, and the Jumbos got an additional 17 bench points to cushion the win. Right now, Luke Rogers ‘21 is the best big man in the league, having eclipsed twenty points in each of his last four games (three of those were double-doubles). The Bobcats’ best kept secret (although at this point I think the cat might be out of the bag) is freshman Omar Sarr ‘23. I’ve been raving about Sarr before conference play started, and the big man has become the best rim protector in the league. He’s averaging an absurd five blocks per game in conference play to go along with eleven points and eleven rebounds. He’s the most important player on the Bobcats, because without him, they lack a reliable shot blocker and rebound getter. Both teams have their fair share of shooters, but in the end I think Bates’ inconsistencies on the defensive end will allow Tufts to work inside and out well, pulling away late. The ‘Cats have won three in a row against the Jumbos, however, so a road victory wouldn’t surprise me in the least.
Writer’s Pick: Tufts 88, Bates 81
It’s Not Cold Up North: Stock Report 1/21
Stock Report 1/21
Stock up
Bates’ turnaround from last year
The Bobcats have gotten off to a very fine start in 2020 and sit at 3rd place in the NESCAC right now with a record of 2-1. What makes their 2-1 record more impressive is the fact that they’ve already played Wesleyan, Amherst, and Hamilton who have been some of the best teams in the league over the last several years. This is in stark contrast to last season when Bates finished 7-18 overall and just 3-7 in NESCAC play. One of the biggest catalysts behind the hot start in league play has been freshman Omar Sarr ’23. In conference play, Sarr is leading the NESCAC in both rebounds and blocks per game and he has really made his presence felt in the paint thus far. Fellow rookie Stephon Baxter ’23 has also been a huge addition to this year’s squad. The defensive spark that he brings off the bench is huge for Bates and allows Coach Furbush to mess around a bit with some of his defensive matchups. Baxter is also lightning quick and has displayed an impressive ability to create his own shot and make tough finishes. The addition of these two guys combined with elevated play from their loaded senior backcourt has made the Bobcats do a complete 180 this season and they now find themselves looking down at most of the league.
Sam Jefferson’s POY case
In non-conference play, Jefferson got off to one of the most incredible statistical starts to a season we’ve ever seen in the NESCAC. The question at that point was whether he could continue this elite level of play in their most crucial games against their most talented opponents. His numbers in their opening NESCAC weekend against Conn College and Trinity weren’t jaw dropping, but they also didn’t need him to perform as much because they handled those games with relative ease. This past weekend, however, Jefferson stepped up when it really mattered. On the road at Middlebury and Williams, Jefferson put up 55 points on 19-27 shooting, including 9-16 from 3-point land. These are star-caliber numbers and he delivered them against two of the very best teams in the league on the road in a pivotal weekend for the Mules. I’ve been hesitant to say too much about Jefferson until we got a chance to see him go up against stronger teams, but he this weekend he came through and then some. He has helped make Colby the team to beat right now, even beyond the NESCAC…
Colby’s national relevance
The Mules are now up to #5 in the nation with a 15-0 start to the season including 4-0 in NESCAC play. It feels like every week we’re waiting on them to have an off shooting night and have their lack of size haunt them, but every week they prove us wrong. Middlebury isn’t necessarily the biggest team in the league (although they aren’t small), but Williams is one of the biggest and Colby handled them just the same. The Mules have 4 players averaging double figures in scoring and they lead the NESCAC in field goal percentage (2nd in 3-point percentage), points, assists, steals, and blocks per game. Right now this is the best team with the best player in the best conference in America and it’s their spot to lose. Colby still has Bates, Bowdoin, Tufts, Hamilton, Amherst, and Wesleyan left on their NESCAC schedule so there’s a lot of basketball left to play, but at the moment it looks like the road to the NESCAC Championship runs through Waterville.
Stock down
Kena Gilmour star power
The reigning NESCAC Player of the Year had a rough weekend with the rest of the Continental squad, dropping games at Tufts and at Bates. Gilmour had 26 points on Friday against a nationally ranked Tufts team, but he shot just 9-22 so not exactly the most efficient night. On Saturday at Bates he was relatively nonexistent, except for a flurry of 3-pointers early in the second half. He really didn’t look very involved in the offense and the team simply couldn’t do it without him. He had a good weekend the weekend before and helped lead a furious comeback to steal a win against Williams, so hopefully this weekend was just a bump in the road. Hamilton has yet to prove that they can win when Gilmour doesn’t perform, so he’s going to have to be playing at a very high level to keep the Continentals in contention. This is a very different team than last year in Clinton.
Amherst’s consistency
This is somewhat a testament to the fact that the Mammoths are the class of the NESCAC year in and year out, but they haven’t really seemed to hit their stride yet in 2020. They started off very strong taking down previously undefeated Middlebury, then followed that up by losing to Williams at home the very next day. This past weekend they put together a nice win at Bates and turned around on Saturday to get crushed by Tufts. Eric Sellew ’20 suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of the game against Bates and didn’t play against Tufts so we’ll have to keep an eye on how long he’s out given that he has probably been the Mammoths’ most efficient player this year. Grant Robinson ’21 hasn’t been as dominant as he was last year and Fru Che ’21 has had some relatively quiet scoring nights as well. All that said, Amherst still isn’t in a terrible spot right now. They’re one of the 4 teams tied for 4th place at 2-2 in league play and they’re past the hardest part of the schedule so far. Their last 6 games are against Hamilton, Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Colby, Trinity, and Conn College so they have a very real chance of closing out the year 4-2 or 5-1 which would likely earn them a home game in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs. You can never count out the Purple and White.
A New Face at the Top: Power Rankings 1/16
NESCAC Basketball Power Rankings 1/16
(2) 1. #12 Colby (13-0, 2-0)
Last week: W 83-50 vs. Conn College, W 91-77 vs. Trinity
This week: @ Middlebury, @ Williams
I don’t care what the national polls say – at this point in the season, this is the best basketball team in the NESCAC. As a student at Bates, I’m not the most vehement supporter of the Mules, but it’s hard to ignore their impressive performance over the first thirteen games of the season. They’re the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, averaging a league-best 94.6 PPG. Another marker of dominance is the manner in which most of their contests were won; eleven of their thirteen wins have been by 14+ points. Some will point to their incredible three point percentage (41.9% with over 200 attempts already) as a reason why the Mules won’t keep up their first place standing, but with nearly 24 assists per game compared to just 14 turnovers, Colby is clearly taking care of the ball and finding open guys to knock down shots. They boast four of the top seventeen scorers in the conference, led by Sam Jefferson ‘20 (22.8 PPG). Noah Tyson ‘22 (13.8 PPG, 9 REB/G) opened some eyes as a freshman last season, and his quality of play has picked up against Colby’s first two conference games, tallying 16 points against Conn and 24 against Trinity. Rebounding may be a concern moving forward as the Mules tend to go with a smaller-than-average lineup, but this team is equipped with so many knockdown shooters that they can change a close game to a blowout in a blink of an eye.
(1) 2. #5 Middlebury (15-1, 1-1)
Last week: L 81-69 @ Amherst, W 77-76 @ Hamilton
This week: vs. Colby, vs. Bowdoin
Panthers’ faithful might be a bit irked to find their squad at number two in this edition of the power rankings, but there is plenty to be excited about going forward. After a disappointing showing in both the NESCAC and NCAA Tournament(s), I am certain Coach Brown and his squad are hungry to bounce back and make a deep postseason run. Thus far, their play has garnered them a top five ranking in the national polls, with their sole blemish coming recently against Amherst in their first conference game of the season. Jack Farrell ‘21 leads a deep group of players in which five average double figures and another three chip in at least 5.5 points per game. Farrell has reached double digits in all sixteen games, including a season-high 31 against Endicott. Tommy Eastman ‘21 had a monster game against Hamilton, going for 23 points and 12 boards. If he continues to play at that level alongside Farrell, Max Bosco ‘21 and company, the Panthers have more than enough offensive firepower to upend the Mules and stake claim as the best team in the conference.
(3) 3. Tufts (11-3, 1-0)
Last week: W 92-85 @ Wesleyan
This week: vs. Hamilton, vs. Amherst
It might be a surprise to see the Jumbos listed as high as number three on this list, but after a somewhat deflating 2018 regular season, Tufts has roared out to an impressive start. Few big men can match up with Luke Rogers ‘22, whose 15.7 PPG lead the Jumbos and his 12.7 REB/G lead all of the NESCAC. With Rogers garnering attention down low, it allows for veteran guards like Eric Savage ‘20 (14.8 PPG) and Brennan Morris ‘21 (11.7 PPG) to execute the offense at an efficient level, working inside and out to shuffle defenses around. In their opening win against Wesleyan, Rogers had another double-double (23 points to go along with 10 rebounds), and the Jumbos shot close to 55% from the field and sank 13 triples. If they can continue operating on offense in this manner while cleaning up the free throw percentage (converting only 15-24 against Wesleyan and 68% on the year), then this team will finish in the top four and garner some attention for an at-large bid when it comes time for NCAA Tournament selection.
(4) 4. #22 Amherst (10-4, 1-1)
Last week: W 81-69 vs. Middlebury, L 72-69 vs. Williams
This week: @ Bates, @ Tufts
Don’t get me wrong – knocking off what was an undefeated Middlebury team is something that should be valued and highlighted when analyzing a team’s overall body of work. As strong of a win as that is, however, Amherst finds themselves fourth in the power rankings due to their inconsistent play against conference foes. Their game against Wesleyan was considered a non-conference affair; however, I personally don’t consider the Cardinals as a strong opponent this season, and that loss certainly was something Amherst could have avoided heading into their conference slate. The big victory against the Panthers was followed by a loss to rival Williams, who at 7-7 is looking to be more of a bottom-half finisher in the 2019-2020 NESCAC season. Similarly to the University of Virginia, Amherst wins with its prolific defense, holding opponents to under 64 PPG. They’re 7-0 when holding opponents under 65 points, but Williams and Wesleyan were both able to get into the 70’s range. Eric Sellew ‘20 leads the team in scoring thus far in conference play, but the Mammoths need someone or two to step up from long range and bring some variety to an offense that doesn’t score a ton from deep.
(5) 5. Hamilton (11-3, 1-1)
Last week: W 79-78 vs. Williams, L 77-76 vs. Middlebury
This week: @ Tufts, @ Bates
It’s basically Kena Gilmour ‘20 vs. everybody when talking about the Continentals. The senior is tied with Jefferson of Colby as the conference’s leading scorer at 22.8 PPG, and no one other than the senior averages double figures (for the season) for Hamilton. It’s clear the offense revolves around him as evidenced by the sheer number of shots he throws up, but thus far the plan is somewhat working. The Continentals have split two conference games (each by a single point) with that one loss coming against Middlebury. Gilmour will most certainly need help around him as his supporting cast looks vastly different than the team that guided Hamilton to the Sweet Sixteen a year ago. Eric Anderson ‘22 seems the most likely candidate to become the Robin to Gilmour’s Batman, as the sophomore is putting in 14.5 PPG in their two conference matchups to date.
(9) 6. Bates (8-4, 1-0)
Last week: W 81-80 @ Wesleyan
This week: vs. Amherst, vs. Hamilton
It was an absolute rollercoaster of a performance, but the Bobcats managed to escape Middletown with a win over the Cardinals in their preliminary conference tilt. Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 went from allowing a four-point play with eleven seconds remaining to give the Cardinals the lead, to then scoring a heavily-contested, game-winning layup. An overall record of 8-4 at this point in the season is pretty solid, and that victory over Wesleyan was imperative if Bates wanted to make some noise in the ‘CAC this season. Greenhalgh joins the veteran Spellman ‘20 (15.5 PPG, 4.2 REB/G) as the two leading scorers, but there are a plethora of guys who can explode on any given night. with some major opportunities to pick up quality wins in the recent future. Stephon Baxter ‘23 is a name to watch for rookie of the year consideration; although his scoring average (8.9 PPG) doesn’t jump off the page, the point guard is a tenacious defender, takes smart shots and is hitting close to 45% of his three point attempts. Thomas Coyne ‘20 is always a threat from behind the arc, and the emergence of Omar Sarr ‘23 as a shotblocker and rebounder has helped a team lacking height tremendously. Given that their next four NESCAC games are Amherst, Hamilton, Tufts and Colby, the Bobcats have plenty of opportunities to snatch up wins against quality opponents.
(7) 7. Trinity (10-5, 1-1)
Last week: W 84-70 @ Bowdoin, L 91-77 @ Colby
This week: vs. Wesleyan
Aside from the Bobcats, the Bantams are a secondary selection as a dark horse to finish in the top five of the league standings. They boast one of the best rebounding squads in the league and four legit scorers. One name to watch is forward Donald Jorden ‘21 – the junior is shooting over 67% from the field, and given that he only averages 11.7 PPG, I’d advocate for a higher feature role for Jorden if he’s putting the ball in the basket that frequently. The Bantams were beating Colby by seven at intermission before the Mules exploded for 54 points in the second half, so this Trinity team does have what it takes to compete with the upper echelon of this league. Defensively, the Bantams will want to tighten up, and a date with Wesleyan will provide them that test.
(8) 8. Williams (7-7, 1-1)
Last week: L 79-78 @ Hamilton, W 72-69 @ Amherst
This week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby
This team experienced a ton of roster turnover from last year’s senior-laden team, but even with the emergence of fellow Nothing but NESCAC writer Max Karpowicz ‘20 as the team’s go-to scoring option, the Ephs struggled in their non-conference games heading into league play. The good news is that the level of play seems to have improved quite rapidly in their games against Hamilton and Amherst. Karpowicz’s (16.0 PPG, 9.1 REB/G) 21 point-performance paced the team in their hard-fought win over Amherst. The Ephs were also missing standout freshman Cole Prowitt-Smith ‘23 (13.3 PPG), validating the win as even more impressive given their offensive woes that plagued them early on. In no way is this ranking meant to indicate that the Ephs should panic, as there are plenty of opportunities in this league to rack up significant victories; moreover, I think this is the floor for Williams, and I expect them to move up given the talent they still possess.
(6) 9. Wesleyan (9-5, 0-2)
Last week: L 92-85 vs. Tufts, L 81-80 vs. Bates
This week: @ Trinity, vs. Conn College
The loss of Austin Hutcherson ‘21 to the University of Illinois was undoubtedly a huge blow to a Wesleyan squad that had high hopes for the 2019-2020 season. A 9-5 record is nothing to be ashamed about, but the Bates game presented an opportunity to bounce back from a close loss to Tufts. Instead, the loss at home was especially deflating given the manner in which it happened, and a non-conference loss to Johnson & Wales pushed their losing streak to three. They’ve struggled to score for the most part, averaging under 74 ppg and shooting just 41% from the field. Jordan James ‘21 and Antone Walker ‘21 form a nice scoring duo, but the Cardinals lack depth to continuously push the pace and put the ball in the basket for 60 minutes. Additionally, they’ve allowed 80+ points in each of their two conference games, something that needs to be corrected quickly. A matchup against Trinity might not allow them the chance to fix their flaws on the defensive side, but it could allow them the chance to fine tune their offense.
(10) 10. Bowdoin (5-8, 1-1)
Last week: L 84-70 vs. Trinity, W 87-70 vs. Conn College
This week: @ Williams, @ Middlebury
Apart from its past two games, the Bowdoin offense has been a disaster. They slot in ahead of only Conn in terms of points per game, and aside from David Reynolds ‘20, no one on this team is really playing up to the standard this team needs in order for them to be a serious contender for a top-eight finish. They lost to Trin by fourteen, right after getting absolutely pounded by rival Colby 108-62 (yikes). They did end their losing streak with a much-needed 17-point victory over Conn, scoring 87 points in the process. Reynolds carried the team with 29 points, and both Sam Grad ‘21 and Manav Randhawa ‘23 chipped in with fourteen points apiece. Maybe the offense has found some sort of groove these past two games, but it seems unlikely that they can compete with the likes of Middlebury or Williams this weekend.
(11) 11. Conn College (3-11, 0-2)
Last week: L 83-50 @ Colby, L 87-70 @ Bowdoin
This week: @ Wesleyan
This team wasn’t very good last year, and with the departure of David Labossiere ‘19, many around the league would agree that not much was expected from Conn this season. At this point, it seems likely that they will go winless in conference play for a third consecutive year. Everything seems to be a problem: the Camels are averaging 62.8 PPG while allowing close to 75 PPG while committing close to 18 turnovers per contest. That recipe will certainly not win you many basketball games, and in this case, the Camels have just three wins on their schedule to date. Dan Draffan ‘21 (12.4 PPG, 7.5 REB/G) and newcomer Ben McPherron ‘23 (11.6 PPG) lead the way, but both are inconsistent and McPherron only shoots an abysmal 34% from the floor. Maybe they can pull a miracle win in their remaining league games, but every league game forthcoming will be quite the challenge for these bottom-dwellers.
Interview With NESCAC Basketball Player of the Week Noah Tyson
We’re trying out a new segment for us at NbN in an effort to get onto a second platform. Each week we’re going to try to get a recorded interview with the NESCAC Player of the Week to get a better understanding of what the NESCAC athlete experience is like. Our very first interview is with Noah Tyson ’22 of Colby who had an outstanding week last week, averaging 20 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 64% from the floor and 47% from beyond the arc. His performance helped lead the Mules to a 2-0 opening weekend in NESCAC play and they now find themselves at the top of the standings.
NESCAC Saturday Tipoff: 1/11 Weekend Preview
Editor’s Note: Michael O’Hare is a junior at Hamilton and is a new writer for Nothing but NESCAC this year. A fun fact about Michael is that he is still evading capture by the FBI for helping Edward Snowden release thousands of classified government documents.
NESCAC Basketball Weekend Preview
Connecticut College (3-8) @ Bowdoin (4-6), 3pm, Brunswick, ME
The Connecticut College Camels tip off their NESCAC Schedule in Brunswick, Maine this weekend as the face off against the 4-6 Bowdoin Polar Bears. They have lost four in a row and are looking to get back on track against a Bowdoin squad that beat them 76-68 in New London last season. Though they battled hard in a 77-71 loss against Mitchell, Conn College’s pitiful 26.6% from beyond the arc has to improve it they want to challenge Bowdoin, who averages nearly ten more points per game. Conn College will look to Freshman swingman, Ben McPherron ’23 to continue his hot streak, as he is one of only three Camels averaging double figures. Meanwhile, the Bowdoin Polar Bears will rely heavily on Senior swingman, David Reynolds ’20, who is only one of three conference players averaging more than twenty points per game. Despite the Camels hopes of revenge, Bowdoin is going to pull it out at home.
Writer’s Pick: Bowdoin 71 – Connecticut 64
Williams (6-5) @ #15 Amherst (9-3), 3pm, Amherst, MA
The Williams College Ephs are traveling intrastate to Amherst, their Little Three Rival, to face off against the top 25 Mammoths. Last season, this would have been the game of the week as both teams were both NESCAC and D3 champion hopefuls. Williams won the battle 84-79 last season in Williamstown, but the Mamo’s won the war defeating the Continentals in Clinton, New York to win the NESCAC title. This season, Williams is on a different track and looking to stay above water as they are a mediocre 6-5 while Amherst holds a perfect 5-0 record at home. Amherst distributes the basketball very well and shoots an impeccable 41.5% from three. The Ephs will look for Senior Center Matt Karpowicz ’20 to score and hold the Mammoths at bay defensively, while I expect Amherst’s Junior swingman, Fru Che ’21, to continue churning out points. Expect scoring from these purple people eaters, but Mamos’s will roll.
Writer’s Pick: Amherst 84 – Williams 72
Trinity (9-4) @ #12 Colby (11-0), 3pm, Waterville, ME
I leaned towards making this game of the day as the Trinity College Bantams are a win shy of making this the first matchup of double digit winners, the Colby College Mules are a perfect 11-0. The Bantams have a solid test in front of them as the Mules are firing on all cylinders. 11-0, 6-0 at home, scoring nearly 100 points per game, and dishing the basketball like Greg Popovich’s San Antonio Spurs. These teams are on a collision course as Trinity has won their last five games by a margin of nearly 22 points per game. A win of this magnitude sure would make the long ride back to Hartford a whole lot sweeter. The Bantams’ Junior guard Colin Donovan ’21 needs to have big game if Trinity wants a chance to win, while Colby’s Senior guard, and POY hopeful, Sam Jefferson’s 25 points per game will certainly come out to play. Despite all that, the Mules will not fear the chicken, and Trinity will have a long ride home.
Writer’s Pick: Colby 89 – Trinity 79
Game of the Day
#3 Middlebury (13-0) @ Hamilton (10-2), 3pm, Clinton, NY
Some may say there was bias in making this the game of the day, but both squads have been at the top of the NESCAC and deep in the D3 tournament in the last few years. Furthermore, while Middlebury holds a top 5 seed, Hamilton has been as high as #22 this year and knocked off #17 Nichols last month. While the Panthers won the Rocking Chair Classic this fall, the Continentals look to pick up right where they left off last season with another strong NESCAC win. Both teams are nearly identical in three-point percentage, free throw percentage and rebounds per game, while Hamilton has a slight edge in points. When it comes down to brass taxes, Middlebury has not lost. The Continentals look to avenge their one point loss last season in Middlebury, Vermont and can rely on their Player of the Year, Senior guard Kena Gilmore ’20, who is averaging 23 points per game. On the other side of the ball, Middlebury’s Junior guard Jack Farrell ’21 is having a nice season of his own and will be essential to their game plan. That being said, I am going with my heart. Continentals edge Panthers in Clinton.
Writer’s Pick: Hamilton 86 – Middlebury 84
Sunday
Bates (7-4) @ Wesleyan (9-2), 3pm, Middletown, CT
The Bates Bobcats travel to Middletown, Connecticut to face off against the Wesleyan Cardinals this weekend. Brunch and basketball, a beautiful way to start your lazy Sunday. These two teams each have a lot to prove as they both underachieved last season, Wesleyan was a modest middle of the pack NESCAC foe while Bates posted a less than stellar 3-7 record in conference. Wesleyan is riding a six-game win streak and look to improve to 6-0 at home while the Bobcats are reaching for their 8th win of the season. Both squads post nearly identical offensive numbers, so expect this game to come down to a possession or two. I expect there to be a critical defensive hold in the waning moments of the game. That being said Bates looks to senior guard Jeff Spellman ’20, averaging 15 points per game, to lead the Bobcats in scoring while Wesleyan Junior guard Antone Walker ’21 will be a force on the other end. This is going to be a close one, but the Cardinals are flying high this Sunday.
Writer’s Pick: Wesleyan 68 – Bates 65
NESCAC Friday Tipoff: 1/10 Weekend Preview
NESCAC Basketball Weekend Preview
Trinity (9-4) @ Bowdoin (4-6), 7pm, Brunswick, ME
The Bantams, who are playing great basketball right now after a rocky start, get the pleasure this Friday of visiting a Bowdoin team that is clearly still feeling the graduation of stud Jack Simonds. The Polar Bears had more than a few stumbles in their non-conference games, with some brutal losses (Southern Maine, Colby by 46) along with some wins that were too close for comfort (ME-Farmington by 4, Framingham State by 9). With the conference slate being clean for everyone, though, Bowdoin still has a chance to turn it around. They will need guys not named David Reynolds (21 PPG in his last two games) and Sam Grad ’21 to step up if they want to make any splash in the conference this year, or it’s going to be a long season in Brunswick. Trinity, a team for whom offense has been a question mark in the past, has been scoring the ball at a rate we have not seen out of them in some time – albeit against some weaker teams. If you’re Coach Cosgrove, you have to be ecstatic about a starting lineup in which all five guys are currently averaging double figures. The Bantams have averaged 90 points per game over their last five games, all wins. Kyle Padmore ‘20, recently named NESCAC POTW, has looked like an all-conference player on both ends. As we all know, however, this conference is a different animal in the world of D3 basketball. Even Bowdoin will likely be a step up from some of the teams the Bantams have been blowing out lately. If Trinity can keep up the hot shooting while playing Coach Cosgrove’s tough brand of defense, they’re going to be a force in conference play. This team is on too much of a roll for a hiccup against the reeling Polar Bears.
Writer’s Pick: Trinity 83 – Bowdoin 65
Williams (6-5) @ Hamilton (10-2), 7pm, Clinton, NY
Last year this game would have been a lock for game of the week and maybe even game of the year, but this year it pins two teams struggling to figure out their identities against each other. Williams has not scored at anywhere near the rate they were last season and they also find themselves with the second fewest assists per game in the NESCAC. Guys like Cole Prowitt-Smith ’23, Alex Stoddard ’23, and Spencer Spivy ’22 have shown that they’re capable of having big games, but none of them have displayed any level of consistency whatsoever. Big man Matt Karpowicz ’20 is the only guy on this team who has played significant time over the past few years and he’s sure to have a big game, but he’s going to need some help. The good news for Eph fans is that Hamilton is having a similar problem. Kena Gilmour ’20 is a stud, but it’s unclear who else is going to step up to fill the void left by all the players they graduated from last year. That said, the Continentals still average the second most points per game in the league (90.3) so it’s not all bad. This has the potential to be a pretty sloppy game given that these two teams are among the top 3 in turnovers and each of them have a slew of players that haven’t quite proven themselves yet. I expect this to be pretty evenly matched most of the way, but I don’t see the Continentals losing at home to an Eph squad that has been struggling as of late.
Writer’s Pick: Hamilton 77 – Williams 69
Connecticut College (3-8) @ #12 Colby (11-0), 7pm, Waterville, ME
If you’re the Conn College Camels, this is a very exciting point in the season. Everyone in the NESCAC is even in conference play, and you have an opportunity in front of you to put your past struggles behind and turn things around. The bad news for Conn is that they are starting off their conference slate with a Colby Mules team that is gaining attention nationwide for their offensive firepower, currently earning them the #12 spot in the country (only Middlebury is ranked higher among NESCAC teams). Not only is Colby 11-0, but they have also hit triple digits in six of those games. Sam Jefferson ’20 stands out right away with his absurd numbers – 24.5 PPG, 63% shooting from the field, and an unconscious 53% from deep. After Jefferson, guys like Matt Hanna ’21, Noah Tyson ’22, and Wallace Tucker ’21 have been scoring the ball at a high clip as well. The Mules will need to continue to take open threes and hit them in NESCAC play given that they have almost no size. Coach Strahorn has been running with a lineup of 7-8 guys, none of whom are over 6’4. This might work against some of the lowly Maine schools they have been playing, but it’s going to be a much bigger issue come NESCAC play. The one caveat to Colby’s success so far is their weak non-conference schedule. Conn, yes Conn, may very well be the best team they have faced so far. Conn should look to get 6’7 Dan Draffan and 7-footer Ryan Omslaer ’22 as many touches as possible to expose Colby’s lack of height. Defensively, the obvious emphasis needs to be on closing out perimeter shooters because Colby has plenty of them. I want to believe that Conn will make more of an impact in the NESCAC this year, but they just have not shown enough promise so far in their 3-8 season for me to feel good about their chances this weekend. The Mules have enough offense to roll at home.
Writer’s Pick: Colby 89 – Conn 68
Tufts (10-2) @ Wesleyan (9-2), 7pm, Middletown, CT
This is a very important matchup for both of these teams. The Jumbos have started off the year very strong and Wesleyan is coming off of a statement win at home against Amherst. This Cardinal defense has looked outstanding, allowing the second fewest points per game of anyone while forcing a league-leading 9 steals per game. Jordan James ’21 is putting together another fantastic year so far, but he’ll go up against Luke Rogers ’21 who will certainly be the most talented big man he’s faced this season. That matchup will definitely be one to focus on. An interesting difference between these two teams is that Tufts has shot the ball very well so far as a whole, while Wesleyan is actually shooting a very low percentage, particularly from behind the 3-point line. This has worked so far for the Cardinals given that they play such good defense, but if the shots are falling for the Jumbos it’s tough to know who will respond for Wesleyan. Tufts has some very talented, athletic guards and we still haven’t really gotten a good read on the Cardinals’ young backcourt so it’ll be intriguing to see how they fare against one another. Tufts won this meeting last year in Medford behind a strong defensive effort and a hot shooting performance and at this point it’s hard to envision a different result this year.
Writer’s Pick: Tufts 78 – Wesleyan 74
Game of the Day
#3 Middlebury (13-0) @ #15 Amherst (9-3), 7pm, Amherst, MA
The surefire game of the week this week is taking place in western Mass tonight. These two perennial powers have played tough schedules so far and have looked very strong throughout. The Panthers’ combination of Jack Farrell ’21, Max Bosco ’21, and Matt Folger ’20 is one of the best scoring trios in the nation and they have showed no signs of slowing down. They have also benefitted greatly from the strong play of second-year center Alex Sobel ’22 who has stepped in to replace Eric McCord. He’ll have his work cut out for him when he goes up against this Mammoth team that is loaded with size. Middlebury’s offense looks incredibly hard to stop, but if anyone is going to do it then it’ll be the team with the league’s best defense. It’s hard to know exactly what to make of Amherst because most of their starters have played limited minutes so far. We know that Eric Sellew ’20, Fru Che ’21, and Grant Robinson ’21 are three of the best players in the conference, but first year Head Coach Aaron Toomey is still trying to figure out what is going to work to get these guys all involved. Robinson in particular hasn’t exactly looked like the same player from last season and there is speculation that he has been dealing with minor injuries in the early part of this season. Again, this is speculation, but something isn’t the same so far for the Mammoths. They’re also coming off a tough loss against Little Three rival Wesleyan, so it’ll be interesting to see which direction they go in their very difficult games this weekend. It’s difficult to open conference play with the best team in the league and I think that’s going to be quite a challenge for Amherst. This also may not be the last time these two teams square off this year…
Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 81 – Amherst 72
That Time of the Year: Mid Season NESCAC Power Rankings
Mid Season Power Rankings
It’s finally time for NESCAC basketball. The only thing that makes the New England winters bearable is packing the gym to watch our beloved basketball teams battle it out for a chance to get to the NCAA Tournament. We’ve been a bit behind on our basketball coverage so far with some writer turnover, but it looks like we’re back on track so it’s time to give everyone the first power ranking of the season. As we all know, NESCAC teams traditionally beat up on non-conference opponents, so it isn’t until conference play when we really get to learn a lot about where everyone stands. I mean when you’ve got 9 teams above .500 that’s pretty ridiculous. NESCAC teams are a combined 91-36 so far and I haven’t done my research, but I have a hard time believing any conference out there is doing better. Anyways, let’s get down to it:
1. #3 Middlebury (13-0)
Friday: at Amherst
Saturday: at Hamilton
Not much of a surprise here. The Panthers have played one of the more challenging schedules in the league to this point and they still have yet to lose. Wins over Endicott, Stevens, and Springfield standout in particular as these are teams who have spent time in the national rankings recently. Coach Brown has built this team under the classic model – they’ve got the prototypical, crafty center in Alex Sobel ’22, the reliable wing in Matt Folger ’20, the star guard in Jack Farrell ’21, and a rotation of versatile scorers who, if left unchecked, will shoot you out of the gym. This is an incredibly well disciplined team that commits the fewest fouls per game of any team in the NESCAC and turns the ball over less than anyone besides Amherst. What is especially interesting is that Middlebury has potentially the most difficult matchups in the opening conference weekend, so we’re about to learn a lot about this team. Coming home with road wins in western Mass and upstate New York is a pretty good way to earn your no. 3 national ranking.
2. #12 Colby (11-0)
Friday: vs. Conn College
Saturday: vs. Trinity
Without a doubt the biggest story of the year so far is whatever is happening in Waterville. I don’t know what they’re putting in the water up there, but the Mules have been playing out of their freaking minds. Colby is home to 2 of the league’s top 5 scorers (Sam Jefferson ’20 and Matt Hanna ’21), while Noah Tyson ’22 also cracks the top 5 in rebounding. These guys lead the conference in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and total scoring, so you better be ready for a shootout whenever the Mules are in town. The only reason I’m at all skeptical is because they’ve only played 3 teams so far with winning records and none of these 3 (Gordon, New England College, ME-Farmington) are known for being basketball powerhouses. With that being said, there’s a reason they’re one of the only two undefeated teams left so this is their spot to lose. Things are looking pretty bright right now for the NESCAC’s northernmost school.
3. Tufts (10-2)
Friday: at Wesleyan
The Jumbos are off to a very nice start to the season with their only two losses coming against WPI and Babson, both of whom are in the nation’s top 25. Eric Savage ’20 is doing a terrific job leading this team as captain and lone senior, putting up 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. Luke Rogers ’21 has also had a fantastic start to the season, leading the NESCAC with 12.5 rebounds per game, while also chipping in 14.4 points per game as well. Like Middlebury, Tufts has the right formula for success – an outstanding center surrounded by guards (of varying sizes) who can all shoot the ball well and defend at a high level. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them crack the top 25 in the near future. They have a tough matchup tomorrow on the road against a hot Wesleyan team, so if they come away with a win that’ll really make some noise.
4. #15 Amherst (9-3)
Friday: vs. Middlebury
Saturday: vs. Williams
The team formerly known as the Lord Jeffs probably would’ve found themselves a spot higher in these rankings if not for their setback on Tuesday at Wesleyan. Fortunately for them, their game with the Cardinals was technically non-conference and these rankings don’t actually mean anything so it looks like they’re in the clear. If anything this loss should light a fire under Amherst because they’ve got a very tough weekend ahead against Williams and Middlebury. Eric Sellew ’20 is quietly one of the most efficient players in the conference, averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field in just 22 minutes per game. Interim Head Coach Aaron Toomey has played a lot of guys so far and hasn’t overworked his starters at all, so I’d look for them to see more minutes this weekend now that the games really start to matter. I wouldn’t be surprised to wake up Sunday morning to find the Mammoths at 2-0.
5. Hamilton (10-2)
Friday: vs. Williams
Saturday: vs. Middlebury
Hamilton is a team that has been pretty hard to read so far. We know they have the star power in Kena Gilmour ’20, the reigning NESCAC Player of the Year, but they still haven’t seemed to figure out who else is going to step up. No one besides Gilmour has had a 20-point game this season and he’s also the only starter to be averaging double figures in scoring. They need a more consistent secondary scoring option to have any success in NESCAC play. The Continentals also have a few solid wins under their belt, but also have a 21-point loss to a SUNY Purchase squad that isn’t anything to write home about. They have a chance this weekend send a message and prove that they belong, but if Gilmour is the only one who shows up then we may not see the Conts this high on the list next week.
6. Wesleyan (9-2)
Friday: vs. Tufts
Sunday: vs. Bates
I’ll be the first to say that the Cardinals’ win over Amherst this week was very impressive, but I’m still not entirely sold. They’ve been blown out twice this year at the hands of Williams and Eastern Connecticut, neither of whom have had particularly hot starts to the year. They’ve done a solid job so far at replacing their top 3 guys from last season and junior guard Antone Walker ’21 showed that he has the clutch gene, hitting two free throws with just 5 seconds left to take down the 15th-ranked Mammoths. Jordan James ’21 continues to be one of the most effective big men in the league, recording 13.5 points and 8 rebounds per game on 63% shooting. With the momentum they have right now, I think Wesleyan could easily take 2 this weekend and prove that the Austin Hutcherson era has officially come and gone.
7. Trinity (9-4)
Friday: at Bowdoin
Saturday: at Colby
The Bantams are probably the most frustrating team to cover because every year they’re remarkably inconsistent. Just when you’re ready to write them off they pull a huge win out of nowhere to make you think twice. All 5 of Trinity’s starters are averaging double figures in scoring, so it’s clear that they share the ball and have many ways to hurt you. Donald Jorden, Jr. ’21 is one of just two players in the league to be averaging a double double and he looks to be putting together an all-NESCAC effort so far. The biggest apparent flaw right now is that the Bantams are 0-4 in games decided by 10 points or less, so they’ve really struggled with the game on the line. This is a serious problem because there really aren’t any bad teams in the NESCAC (besides Conn) so the chances are good that they’ll be playing a good number of close games. If they can’t win a fair share of those games then it’s not going to be a fun season in Hartford.
8. Williams (6-5)
Friday: at Hamilton
Saturday: at Amherst
One of the biggest surprises this year has been the struggles of the Williams College Ephs. I guess it’s not that surprising when you remember that they lost 6 seniors, 3 of which were starters and 2 of which were all-NESCAC honorees. That said, they’re still loaded with talent and a closer look shows you that they’re realistically a few bounces away from being 7-3 or 8-2. Cole Prowitt-Smith ’23 has emerged as the early frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, but he gets a bit out of control at times and has shown some immaturity down the stretch in a few of their games. Matt Karpowicz ’20 is easily the best big man in the league and has had an excellent season so far, but he can’t do it all himself. The Ephs are still the Ephs and I think they’ll hit their stride eventually, but the question is how long will that take?
9. Bates (7-4)
Sunday: at Wesleyan
The Bobcats have pretty much beaten all the bad teams and lost to all the good teams that they’ve played so far, so I guess you could call them average. Ah, the NESCAC, where the 9th best team is 7-4 and considered “average.” Jeff Spellman ’20 is having another solid year but has shot a fairly low percentage and often looks like he’s trying to do too much by himself. Omar Sarr ’23 has improved every game and at times looks like an awfully good big man, but he hasn’t played a ton of minutes and gets into foul trouble a good amount. The backcourt duo of Kody Greenhalgh ’20 and Tom Coyne ’20 can hang 20 on you on any given night, but those games have been few and far between this year. The fun thing about Bates is that they have such an unbelievable home court advantage it makes for some surprising wins. Unfortunately they have to travel to Middletown on Sunday for their lone contest of the weekend, so expectations are a bit lower.
10. Bowdoin (4-6)
Friday: vs. Trinity
Saturday: vs. Conn College
I didn’t expect the Polar Bears to be particularly good this year, but they’ve actually been quite bad so far. Zavier Rucker ’21, David Reynolds ’20, and Sam Grad ’20 are the only players that seem capable of scoring and they pretty much have to play the entire game since Bowdoin has less depth than LeBron’s early Cavs teams. The problem is that Bowdoin also doesn’t have LeBron on their team, so they haven’t won very many games. The good news is they have the easiest opening weekend schedule, so it’s an opportunity to forget their non-conference struggles and get on track for the most important part of the season. I don’t know exactly how you’re supposed to respond after a 46-point loss, but I guess we’ll find out tomorrow when the Bantams come to town. Thankfully for the Polar Bears, Conn College has a basketball team…
11. Conn College (3-8)
Friday: at Colby
Saturday: at Bowdoin
The Camels are never very good and this year looks like the same old story. They graduated their best player from last year in David Labossiere and they don’t have a particularly strong senior class following him. Their best hope is the recent hire of their new head coach, Tim Sweeney, who came from Hobart where he had some very successful seasons. Dan Draffan ’21 is the team’s best player putting up 13 points and 8 rebounds per game and freshman Ben McPherron ’23 looks promising so far, but they’ve got a very long way to go. It would be very surprising to see this team win a game in conference play.
Shooters Shoot: Colby Men’s Basketball Preview 2019-2020
Colby College Mules
2018-2019 Record: 17-8 (5-5 NESCAC), lost in quarterfinals of NESCAC Tournament
2019-2020 Projected Record: 20-4 (6-4 NESCAC)
Key Losses: G Ronan Schwarz
Projected Starting Lineup:
G: Wallace Tucker ’21 (11.3 PPG, 3.2 REB/G, 2.5 AST/G, 40.3% 3PT)
Tucker isn’t a big guy, but his presence on the court is certainly felt. His impressive ball-handling ability and shooting efficiency make him a perfect member of this Colby backcourt. He also rebounds surprisingly well given his size, but with the Mules’ lack of big guys and his impressive athleticism it actually does make sense. With all of the scoring options that Colby has it would be nice to see an increase in Tucker’s assist numbers, but there isn’t much else to ask from him because he is definitely a role player on this team. If he continues to take high percentage shots, minimize turnovers, and play solid defense then that’s just about all Coach Strahorn will need him to do.
G: Matt Hanna ’21 (14.7 PPG, 4.4 REB/G, 2.6 AST/G, 40.8% 3PT)
Matt Hanna is one of the most entertaining players to watch in the NESCAC. This guy plays with his heart on his sleeve and leaves everything out on the court. It’s also clear that he thinks very highly of himself, as evidenced by his transfer to Louisville in 2018 where he planned to walk on for his sophomore season. Fortunately for the Mules he decided to transfer back to Colby after a short week in Kentucky to continue his run in the NESCAC. Hanna is an exceptional shooter and pure scorer and he’ll look to continue his upward trend for the third straight year. Like Wallace Tucker, Hanna is not even 6 feet tall, so he’ll have to rely on his larger frame to successfully defend the bigger guys that he goes up against. This guy is a true leader for the Mules and opposing teams should be on notice all year long.
G: Noah Tyson ’22 (10.9 PPG, 8.2 REB/G, 2.6 AST/G, 37.1% 3PT)
Last year’s NESCAC Rookie of the Year has picked up right where he left off at the conclusion of the 2018-2019 season. Tyson isn’t a huge guard, but he’s a monster on the boards and actually finished top-10 in the league in rebounding last year. This is crucial for the Mules because they don’t start a single player over 6’5” and only have one on their roster. Tyson has excellent court vision and shoots the ball well – to be honest it’s hard to know where he can improve aside from his scoring totals, which are already pretty good. The bar is high for the former Vermont Mr. Basketball, so we’ll have to wait to find out how much better this guy can get.
G: Will King ’23 (DNP)
It’s never easy to know what to say about a freshman, but King is off to a tremendous start to his rookie campaign in Waterville. He brings a bit more size to the starting lineup and is already averaging 6 (!) assists per game through 11 contests. It’s essential to know your role as a freshman and it seems as though King is doing exactly that. He is shooting a high percentage, but only shoots when he knows it’s right. He has identified that this team is loaded with scorers and he clearly has a knack for finding the open guy. King is also a crafty finisher and can spread the floor, so he will be very dangerous once he starts to find his rhythm offensively. It’s still early, but this guy looks to be quite a find for Coach Strahorn.
G: Sam Jefferson ’20 (18.2 PPG, 4.1 REB/G, 1.8 AST/G, 42.5% 3PT)
Jefferson has been the best player on this team for a few years now, but he’s off to one of the hottest starts in recent NESCAC history. 11 games into the season Jefferson is averaging 24.7 points per game, while shooting a jaw dropping 63.3% from the floor and 52.9% from 3-point land. Might as well throw in the fact that he’s also shooting 90% from the charity stripe. This is absolutely ridiculous efficiency. It’ll be hard (impossible?) to sustain these numbers, but it’s clear that Jefferson is one of the best scorers in the league and should be taken very seriously. He’s the biggest player in this starting lineup and will need to provide more than the 3 rebounds per game that he’s currently chipping in once NESCAC play starts, but realistically he’s on track to secure another spot on the all-NESCAC team and possibly even an all-American team if the Mules stay hot.
Everything Else:
To be honest if I had written this preview at the very beginning of the season I absolutely would not have envisioned the Mules getting off to the start that they have. They had a successful year last year but this is not what anyone could have expected. At #12 in the country, Colby has already reached the highest national ranking in program history and they don’t seem to be slowing down. This team led the league in 3-point percentage and assists last year (and so far this year) and they score A LOT. This team employs 4/5 guards on the court at a time and their game plan is to run the floor and shoot you out of the gym. The fact that they don’t really have any big men means that this is essentially the only style that they can play, but they’re executing it to a T.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for the drastic improvement by the Mules is the fact that they have so much experience in their lineup. They only start one senior, but 7 of the 8 guys that they play in their regular rotation have played countless minutes and have spent years developing relationships with each other. Senior guards Alex Dorion ’20 and Ty Williams ’20 are two important pieces of the puzzle, as they know the system that Coach Strahorn has in place and they can be subbed in and out for the starters without the team skipping a beat. One of the most important players on the team is 5th year senior Dean Weiner ’20 who – aside from having a name straight out of a school-themed adult film – is the only big man on the roster and has a wealth of experience playing in the NESCAC. The Mules love to run up and down the court, but they’ll need an experienced big man to matchup with some of the best centers in the league such as Matt Karpowicz and Luke Rogers. That seems to be an area where Colby is most likely to get hurt, so Weiner will certainly have his work cut out for him.
There’s no question that this run-and-gun style offense is incredibly fun to watch, but it seems like the Mules’ lack of size could potentially hurt them once they start playing tougher, bigger teams. It also feels like there will come a game when the shots just aren’t falling and it’s hard to know what the recipe is in that instance, but right now we’re still just waiting for that to happen. Colby was a streaky team last year so the challenge this season is finding a bit more consistency. An 11-0 start looks great, but they have played an exceptionally easy schedule so far so it’s tough to know exactly where they stand. They have a stretch at the end of January and into February where they have 6 consecutive road games, 5 of which are NESCAC affairs. If they can get through that part of the season without more than a loss or two, this could be the year for the Colby Mules.
The Official Nothing But NESCAC Football Postseason Awards
Now that we have such an interesting season of individual performances in the books, we thought it would be interesting to have two sets of eyes (Haven and Matt) tackle this year’s edition of postseason awards. With no clear and obvious offensive and defensive players of the year, we did our best to present what we felt were the best candidates for the biggest individual awards the league has to offer.
Matt’s note: I would prefer you not click this link, but if you are interested in seeing how our preseason picks did, here are my predictions from September: https://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=7618
Offensive Player of the Year:
Haven’s Pick: WR Frank Roche (Tufts)
Midway through this season, another Frank essentially had this award in the bag- Frank Stola from Williams. Teams started to figure out Stola after that point, though, and his production dipped dramatically. The opposite happened to Roche, a Tufts graduate student from nearby Arlington, MA who has remained with the team since 2015 despite lots of trouble with injuries. Anyone involved with sports has heard the old cliche: it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. While Roche did not exceed 100 receiving yards in any of his first four games, he never had fewer than 50 and he had a long catch of at least 35 yards in each game to go along with two touchdowns. His numbers after that point were simply unbelievable. He finished the season with at least 6 catches and 100 yards in each of his final five games. This included an absurd eight touchdowns over his final three games. In addition to being a frequent endzone visitor, Roche was also extremely dangerous after the catch. He had games this season where he averaged 37, 30, 27, and 23 yards per catch. Tufts realized over the course of the season that they were not going to be led to glory by their run game, so they began to air it out with QB Jacob Carroll and often liked to go long to Roche or OJ Armstrong. Roche’s phenomenal play during the second half of the season helped Tufts develop a lethal passing attack despite remaining a middle of the pack team. He led the NESCAC in receiving yards, yards per catch, and was second in touchdowns. What makes his stats more impressive is that he did not even lead his team in receptions- that honor went to Armstrong. Roche made himself known as a standout receiver when his senior class has been synonymous with names like Koby Schofer and James O’Regan. Next year’s league will also feature a strong group of receivers- Stola will be back, along with Trinity’s Jon Girard and Wesleyan’s Matthew Simco. Nobody produced down the stretch this season like Roche, though. In a year down on running back talent and with no real standout single QB like we have had in past years, Roche separated himself from the competition by stepping up his game down the stretch and being a dangerous big play/scoring threat on a mediocre team. He made the most of his fifth year and is our pick for OPOY.
Matt’s Pick: QB Bobby Maimaron (Williams)
Like Haven mentioned, there were not a lot of standout options for this award this year after Stola’s 2nd half. I picked Maimaron for a few reasons–the 20:2 TD:INT ratio is just ridiculous, and it is actually just the 10th season ever in which a NESCAC QB threw for 20+ TDs (Only the 3rd non Middlebury Air Raid season as well). He was 4th in the league in rushing yards, while orchestrating the devastating RPO that allowed the Ephs to run for 240 yards a game. The completion percentage (47.8%) and passing yards per game (162.9) are the obvious knocks, and while I’m not arguing that he’s Joe Burrow, those stats were largely affected by throwaways and the fact that they were a run first offense whose top receiver was double and triple teamed for the last month of the season. He was just 9th in the league in attempts, but despite the completion percentage, ranked 3rd in yards per attempt (8.0) and 2nd in yards per completion (16.7). And among the top teams in the league, who else would you pick?
Honorable Mentions: Frank Stola (Williams), Alex Maldjian (Middlebury), Will Jernigan (Middlebury), Ashton Scott (Wesleyan)
Haven’s Pick: LB Joe Gowetski (Bowdoin)
The fact that Bowdoin went 0-9 should not take away from the fact that Gowetski, a senior from Needham, MA, was all over the field every Saturday. While individual performances always look better with team success, guys like Gowetski and Polar Bears RB Nate Richam were standout players on bad units and were likely gameplanned for extensively. That makes their numbers even more impressive. What made Gowetski great this year was his knack for being around the ball. He was second in the NESCAC with 84 total tackles, first in tackles for loss with 21, and tied for third on the sacks list with 5.5. This is in addition to a forced fumble and fumble recovery. I agree with Matt that there was no clear standout defensive player this season like an Andrew Yamin last year, and I think Middlebury, Williams, and Wesleyan’s standout guys all deserve recognition for their contributions to their team’s success. However, I have a soft spot for guys who go into every game knowing their chances of winning are slim to none and still perform. Gowetski’s stats showed that he was constantly around the ball and probably affected countless plays that did not show up in the stat line. His individual efforts on a team where he did not get much help earn him Co-DPOY in his senior season.
Matt’s Pick: LB Jack Pistorius (Middlebury)
The DPOY race was much like the OPOY race–LB Joe Kelly of Amherst raced out to an early lead through the first half of the season, but injuries down the stretch cost him and opened this award to a ton of different guys. There are so many different options–Williams and Trinity had the two best defenses in the league, but none of their individual numbers stand out, while guys at Middlebury and Wesleyan ran up the numbers and finished with the two best records in the league. Ultimately I chose Pistorius, not just because of his terrific numbers–72 tackles (4th), 5.5 sacks (4th), and 11.5 TFL (10th)–but because of his performances in their biggest games of the season:
Williams: 7 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 0.5 TFL
Trinity: 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Amherst: 13 tackles, 2 TFL
Wesleyan: 10 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFL
In their biggest games of their 9-0 championship season, the majority of which we expected them to finally lose, it was Pistorius who rose to the challenge and led their defense and their team to the 4 wins that defined their season.
Honorable Mentions: LB Pete Huggins (Middlebury), LB Luke Apuzzi (Williams), CB Ben Thaw (Wesleyan)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: RB Alex Maldjian (Middlebury)
Any NESCAC football fan that followed Middlebury’s success this season had to see this one coming. Not only was Maldjian the best rookie running back, he was also the best running back period by most accounts. A freshman out of Rumson, New Jersey, Maldjian led the conference in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns. His ball security was impressive as well as he only lost one fumble all season. Maldijan was simply unparallelled as a NESCAC running back. He was the only player to register triple digit yards per game and the only player to record double digit rush touchdowns with ten in eight and a half games. Combine this with Middlebury quarterback Will Jernigan’s 511 rush yards and 8 touchdowns, and it makes sense why Midd gave us the first 9-0 season in league history. When the pass game faltered or the defense was gassed, the Panthers continually relied on Maldjian to gain tough yards, run clock and give the D some rest. Coach Bob Ritter clearly had a lot of faith in Maldjian from day 1, as he got 21 carries in his first college game against a league-best Williams defense. Maldjian did not need much time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game after that. He totaled 361 scores and two touchdowns in his next three games, two of which were against Trinity and Amherst. It became clear early in the season that Maldjian was going to be a force to be reckoned with in the next few seasons. His impact was even felt when he was off the field. On October 12 vs. Colby, Maldjian was injured in the first half and did not return, only registering five carries. This ended up being Middlebury’s closest game, a 27-26 win in which they were bailed out by multiple Mule missed kicks and frankly were outplayed. If he had played this whole game, there’s a decent chance we could be talking about a thousand yard rusher here. Maldjian would return next Saturday and put the Panther offense on his back. He was at his best when Midd became the team everyone wanted to take down. Over his last four games, Maldjian averaged a whopping 28.5 carries per game and totaled 471 yards with 7 touchdowns. Most NESCAC backs would be happy with 7 touchdowns over an entire season, but this kid did it in four games as a freshman. This level of production was more than enough to earn him OROY. With Maldjian in the backfield for the next three years, Middlebury fans should feel great about their team’s chances for another ring.
Honorable Mention: RB Joel Nicholas (Williams)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: S Drew Michalek (Williams)
A two man race for this award between Michalek and DL Nick Helbig, Wesleyan, ultimately goes to the Eph, who helped anchor their league best defense with 3 INTs and a fumble recovery, while also racking up an impressive 44 tackles from the secondary. The Williams defense did not force a ton of turnovers, but when they did, Michalek was often right in the thick of things–his team leading 5th pass break up on the 3rd play of the game against Amherst fell into fellow S Ben Anthony’s hands for a pick 6 in their 31-9 season finale win.
Honorable Mention: DL Nick Heptig (Wesleyan)
Coach of the Year: Bob Ritter (Middlebury)
It wasn’t just that Middlebury completed the first 9-0 season in NESCAC history. Or the fact that no one had Middlebury in their championship picture at the start of the season. It was the way they did it. Wins against Williams, Trinity, and Amherst in 3 of the first 4 weeks of the season put them firmly in the driver’s seat, but also painted a huge target on their backs. They played their best game of the season in a 45-21 blowout of Wesleyan in what proved to be the de facto conference championship game, and then showed their championship mettle in nailbiters down the stretch, winning 3 of their final 5 games by one possession or less. And on top of all of that, it was how they did it–reinventing themselves as a power run team after years of shattering passing records behind some of the most prolific arms in league history. Despite the lack of big arm, and even losing key OL to graduation, Ritter guided QB Will Jernigan’s development into the best big game QB in the league, and RB Alex Maldjian burst onto the scene as the best RB in the league in his first season of football. Returning most of their top offensive weapons, as well as their top 7 tacklers, Ritter should have a great chance to repeat next year.
Honorable Mentions: Dan DiCenzo (Wesleyan), David Murray (Hamilton)
Special teams Co-POY:
K Sam Thoreen (Hamilton)
(10/10 FGs, longest made FG of the season, 23/25 XPs, 2nd highest scoring kicker, 6th highest scoring player)
K Mason Von Jess (Wesleyan)
(8/12 FGs, 31/32 XPs, top scoring kicker, 4th highest scoring player)