Friday Night Preview – NESCAC Men’s Basketball
#24 Amherst (11-1, 1-0) @ Connecticut College (5-8, 0-2)
Amherst rolls into this game with a shiny new top-25 ranking next to their name. Conn on the other hand, has been struggling as of late. This game seems as if it should be fairly predictable, with not much of a chance for success for Conn. While the Mammoths have no trouble scoring, averaging just over 86 PPG, it is really their defense that sets them apart. They have not allowed an opponent to score more than 71 points against them in any one game. For Amherst defense really has been their best offense. Conn enters this weekend having lost 3 of their last 4 games. In their defense, they were up against #3 Williams and formerly ranked Midd, making it a tough overall weekend for the Camels. This weekend may look to be one in the same as they are faced with yet another top 25 opponent. If there’s one thing that Conn has going for them right now, it is strength of schedule.
Score Prediction: #24 Amherst 88 – Conn 67
#3 Williams (13-0, 2-0) @ Tufts (7-8, 1-1)
The Ephs have continued to absolutely steamroll everyone that stands between them and perfection. They easily took down Conn and Wesleyan last weekend and I doubt a trip to Medford brings any anxiety to these guys. 4 out of their 5 starters are averaging over 10 PPG and they are holding their opponents to less than 60 PPG. There has been no evidence to convince me that any NESCAC team can take down Williams let alone Tufts. Last weekend the Jumbos went up to Maine and split games against Colby and Bowdoin. While the Jumbos feature 5 players on their roster who are averaging double digits every game, it seems to be their defense that consistently is inconsistent. Tufts can try their hardest to defend home court but in all reality they have next to no chance of taking down Williams.
Score Prediction: #3 Williams 92 – Tufts 78
Middlebury (11-4, 1-1) @ Bates (4-10, 1-1)
While this contest features two teams that are .500 in-conference, not all .500 teams are created equal. Middlebury’s recent loss to Wesleyan was just enough to kick them out of the top 25 while Bates stole a league game from a Colby team that is nothing if not inconsistent. Middlebury has a strong core of starters and their record does not do their talent a justice. They are clearly a high level team in this conference along with the likes of Hamilton and Amherst. This weekend will be an opportunity for the Panthers to right the ship and get themselves back on course to compete for a NESCAC title or a NCAA bid. Bates on the other hand might want to keep celebrating that rivalry win last week for as long as they can. The Bobcats simply are not as talented as the rest of the NESCAC and their win over Colby was an absolute prayer. Before that game the Bobcats were on a 8 game losing streak and this game against Midd might just be a catalyst to start another one.
Score Prediction: Midd 86 – Bates 69
Bowdoin (8-4, 1-1) @ Trinity (9-5, 0-2)
While Bowdoin’s record looks decent, their strength of schedule is not. They have had a fairly soft schedule to start the season and it showed in their game against Tufts where they just weren’t able to keep up. The trio of Hugh O’Neil ‘19, David Reynolds ‘20 and Jack Simonds ‘19 have been holding down the fort for the Polar Bears but they just can’t seem to figure out which other two players complement these guys best and that is where their struggles have come. The Bantams were thrown into the fire last weekend having to face two talented teams in #6 Hamilton and #24 Amherst. Up until these two games the Bantams looked like a quality team, having won 6 of their last 7. Trinity is a highly defensive team who can win a ball game while still scoring less than 70 points. I expect Trinity to turn it around on their home turf this weekend and hold back the Polar Bears in what is sure to be a defensive battle.
Score Prediction: Trinity 68 – Bowdoin 59