Connecticut College – Page 13 – Nothing But NESCAC

All-NESCAC Team

The 2014-15 NESCAC men’s basketball season was marked by parity and unpredictability. But through it all, a few players played exceptionally well all season long. As Wesleyan showed in their title run, the five best individual players do not always make up the best team (not a dig at Wesleyan, who is filled with talented and hard-nosed basketball players), but I think any team in Division-III would be hard-pressed to compete with this NESCAC All-Star squad.

NbN Player of the Year: G Lucas Hausman ’16

Lucas Hausman '16 rose above the rest down the stretch this season. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/CIPhotography.com) — Lucas Hausman ’16 rose above the rest down the stretch this season. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/CIPhotography.com)

NbN Defensive Player of the Year: C John Swords ’15

John Swords '15 had this kind of height advantage in every game he played this season. It's tough to beat a team when you can't get a clean look inside the paint. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/CIPhotography.com) — John Swords ’15 had this kind of height advantage in every game he played this season. It’s tough to beat a team when you can’t get a clean look inside the paint. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/CIPhotography.com)

NbN Rookie of the Year: G Johnny McCarthy ’18

Johnny McCarthy '18 showed that he has the tools to be a complete player in the NESCAC, scoring 10.7 PPG, shooting 35.5 percent from deep, snagging 6.7 RPG, dishing out 2.4 APG and swiping 1.8 SPG. (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics) — Johnny McCarthy ’18 showed that he has the tools to be a complete player in the NESCAC, scoring 10.7 PPG, shooting 35.5 percent from deep, snagging 6.7 RPG, dishing out 2.4 APG and swiping 1.8 SPG. (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

NbN Coach of the Year: Joe Reilly, Wesleyan

Coach Joe Reilly out-coached his competitors on the way to earning Wesleyan University's first-ever NESCAC Championship. (Courtesy of NESCAC.com) — Coach Joe Reilly out-coached his competitors on the way to earning Wesleyan University’s first-ever NESCAC Championship. (Courtesy of NESCAC.com)

NbN First Team All-NESCAC

Graham Safford '15 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics) — Graham Safford ’15 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

G Graham Safford ’15

Safford gets the nod over some other deserving point guards for his durability and leadership of a Bates team that will be playing in the NCAA Tournament. It’s the age old debate – should Most Valuable Player (or All-Conference) awards go to the best overall player or the best player on the best team? In this case, Safford does get a little benefit of the doubt for his team’s success, but no one else played close to the minutes that Safford played, and the senior leader kept up the intensity on both ends of the court all season long, leading the Bobcats to the second-most wins in school history (20 in 2005-06 under, you guessed it, Wesleyan head coach Joe Reilly) and the second NCAA Tournament in school history (Bates played in the 1961 NCAA Men’s College Division Tournament, now Division-II).

Lucas Hausman '16 (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics) — Lucas Hausman ’16 (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

G Lucas Hausman ’16

Hausman went from solid upstart to our NESCAC Player of the Year in a short period of time. While winning three straight NESCAC Player of the Week awards, the first time that feat has been accomplished in NESCAC history, Hausman averaged 27.8 points per game while shooting 57.3 percent (63-110) from the field and maintaining near perfection from the charity stripe (83.3 percent, 30-36). Hausman has a unique ability to draw contact in the lane and finish shots off balance. Hausman finished the season as the scoring champion by a wide margin in conference games, and did it while shooting nearly 50 percent overall, helping carry a squad that suffered some critical injuries all the way to the Pool C bubble. Unfortunately, Bowdoin missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Fortunately, though, the NESCAC has one more year to enjoy watching Hausman play. Or unfortunately, if you’re an opposing coach.

Dan Wohl '15 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics) — Dan Wohl ’15 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

F Dan Wohl ’15

Wohl was the POY favorite before Hausman caught fire, but nonetheless the senior put up a great campaign. Wohl was the fourth-leading scorer on the NCAA runner-up squad a year ago, but took on a lot more responsibility this season and responded incredibly well. As a case study of Wohl’s versatility – Wohl had a tough day from the field in the Ephs’ Quarterfinal loss to Bowdoin, yet the senior racked up 10 boards and seven assists against just a single turnover. Wohl also rebounded the ball extremely well and presented one of the toughest defensive challenges for opposing players in the league. His athleticism and length allowed Wohl to shutdown opposing team’s 2-4’s. For example, Wohl shut down Second-Teamer Dylan Sinnickson ’15 in Williams’ matchup with the Panthers to the tune of a 3-11 FG performance and 0-4 from deep. It may be even tougher for Williams to replace this year’s class of Wohl, Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 and Ryan Kilcullen ’15 than last year’s, if that’s even imaginable.

Connor Green (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

F Connor Green ’16

Green came into the NESCAC’s final weekend as possibly hotter than Hausman, but hit a serious road block against Bowdoin and Wesleyan. Give those teams credit for forcing Green into tough shots and long threes, attempts that at other times Green seemed to hit as easily as lay ups. When you talk about guys that can score in different ways, Green is tops on the list. He handles the ball like a point guard, though he stands 6′ 4″, and his 200+ lbs. frame means that he can bully most defenders and is unaffected by contact inside. Not to mention his 48.2 three-point percentage in NESCAC games. Green is already comfortably a part of Amherst’s 1,000 point club, and if he stays healthy could find himself as the second-highest scorer in Amherst history by the time his career ends.

John Swords '15 (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics) — John Swords ’15 (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

C John Swords ’15

Swords was the only member of the 2014 All-NESCAC First Team to return to the league this season, and his play warrants another nomination to the All-NESCAC team. We were concerned by the health of Swords’ knees when the season began, and even though he was less than 100 percent all season long, Swords played more than 30 minutes per game and discouraged teams from entering the paint all year. Swords grabbed 9.8 rebounds and tossed 2.1 blocks per game while putting up productive, if unspectacular numbers from the field. Swords scored “only” 12.9 points per game, but he did do it on 69.0 percent shooting, the fourth-highest mark in the NCAA as of March 1 among qualified players.

NbN Second Team All-NESCAC

Joseph Lin (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

G Joseph Lin ’15

If we were giving out the award, Lin would easily be the NESCAC’s Most Improved Player. Despite a late season injury that cut his campaign short, Lin was among the best distributors in the league on a team that we didn’t expect would have a ton of great shooters. Lin was in the top-ten nationally in assists per game, slightly ahead of Safford and Middlebury’s Jake Brown ’17, while also shooting for a better percentage from the field than either player.

Luke Westman '16 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics) — Luke Westman ’16 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

G Luke Westman ’16

Two point guards make our All-NESCAC Second Team, but there should be no complaining as Westman was equally as impressive as Lin. Westman’s 73.2 percent from the field is basically unheard of from a guard, even though he just barely missed the cut to qualify for NCAA statistics (five made field goals per game). Westman is one of the most athletic guards in the NESCAC. He will return next year to lead inarguably the most talented class of rising seniors in the league.

Dylan Sinnickson (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

F Dylan Sinnickson ’15

Sinnickson looked like a lock for All-NESCAC First Team consideration for much of the season, but his scoring took a major hit in conference games. Nonetheless his ability to grab rebounds (10.5 per game) was a difference-maker for a Middlebury team that lacked any consistency from its big men. Remember the name, because Sinnickson has one more year of NCAA eligibility, and there’s a better than 50-50 chance that the athletic swingman will be on the court for another NCAA college next season.

Tom Palleschi '17 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics) — Tom Palleschi ’17 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)

F Tom Palleschi ’17

Palleschi was a wild card coming into this season after missing all of 2013-14, but the reclassified sophomore didn’t miss a beat and improved on his statistics from his freshman year campaign, averaging 12.0 PPG and 6.1 RPG. Most impressively, once Hunter Sabety ’17 went down with a knee injury, Palleschi stepped up his game and became Tufts’ most important player, scoring double figures in seven of nine contests counting forward from the first game without Sabety. What’s more, Palleschi was a force defensively, rejecting 2.4 shots per game, 0.3 more than the seven-footer Swords. If anyone can challenge Green for most-diversified offensive game, it’s Palleschi, who can play with his back to the basket or face up from 15 feet away.

Zuri Pavlin '17 (Courtesy of Conn. College Athletics) — Zuri Pavlin ’17 (Courtesy of Conn. College Athletics)

F Zuri Pavlin ’17

Amidst a disappointing season for the Camels, Pavlin shined once again, surpassing the Conn. College single-season rebounding record that he set last year as a freshman and leading the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game. Pavlin doesn’t have amazing height (6′ 5″) or strength, but he has an incredible knack for using his body to get rebounds. Watch out next year, as one more year under the belts of Pavlin and front court mate Isaiah Robinson ’18, a bruiser in his own right, could make for a fearsome front line.

Camels Can’t Get Over the Hump: Conn College Season Wrap-Up

Lee Messier '18 was one of several freshmen to play heavy minutes this season. (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics) — Lee Messier ’18 was one of several freshmen to play heavy minutes this season. (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics)

Season Record: 7-16 (0-10), missed NESCAC Tournament

The Camels finished up the season with a 7-16 overall record and 0-10 in conference play. It was a rough season to say the least. After starting out strong, the team went into a landslide starting against Bowdoin on January 9. They had some extremely close battles, including a nail biter against Williams on February 13, which they lost 83-81. However, the team is holding their heads high and Head Coach Tom Satran summed up the story of the season nicely after the loss to Williams. “Our team is really improving despite our record. We all feel terrible we couldn’t finish them off tonight but we are getting better every time out.” Freshmen like Lee Messier ’18, Isaiah Robinson ’18 and Alex Tonhazy ’18 came in and made immediate impacts which adds to the team’s talent base. The team is young and inexperienced in such a tough division, but they finished the season on a strong note and the young players believe that the losses will be a learning experience for what hopefully becomes a powerhouse team in the future. Every contributor will return next season for the Camels.

High Point: Winter Break Trip

The Camels practicing in the famous Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke.

On the Winter Break trip to North Carolina, the team practiced at Duke University in Cameron Indoor Stadium. On the trip, the team went 1-1 with a loss to Methodist 76-59 and a huge win against William Peace 88-69, in which Messier dropped 17 points and Zuri Pavlin ’17 recorded a double-double. Freshman Justin Holmes ’18 said that “the team was able to bond over the trip and [he] could feel the team’s chemistry improve on and off the court when [they] returned to school.” A win over Coast Guard right after the team got back from the trip brought the Camels record to 7-4, but that would be their last win all season.

MVP: Power Forward Zuri Pavlin ’17

Pavlin, only in his second year, had another remarkable season pulling down rebounds. As a freshman, he recorded 249 rebounds, setting a single season school mark in 2014. This season, he broke his record from last season with 265 boards. He now finds himself in the nation’s top five in rebounding, averaging 11.5 RPG. That mark was also the highest in the NESCAC. He was close to setting another school rebounding record on February 7 against Trinity where he had 21 rebounds, only one short of the record set in 1995. Although he is listed at only 6’5″, Pavlin is tough to handle on the interior given his strength. He has also made improvements on the rest of his game and shot 51 percent from the field and lead the team in scoring with 13.7 PPG.

Player to watch: Guard Lee Messier ’18

Freshman guard Lee Messier made his mark in the NESCAC in his first season with the Camels. Messier, who appeared on our early season Freshman Update, averaged 12.7 points per game. Unfortunately, Messier injured himself after 17 games, missing the majority of conference play. Messier shot 39.4 percent from the field and an impressive 35.4 percent from three-point range, knocking down 40 triples. Having him around to provide spacing in the middle for Pavlin and company will be huge for Conn constructing an effective offense. He is one of nine freshmen on the roster whom Coach Satran must be thrilled to have for three more years.

The Race Gets Tighter: Fantasy Report 2/11

Zuri Pavlin '17 was unstoppable on the boards this weekend, grabbing 29 rebounds. (Courtesy of Conn. College Athletics/Anika Goodhue Photography) — Zuri Pavlin ’17 was unstoppable on the boards this weekend, grabbing 29 rebounds. (Courtesy of Conn. College Athletics/Anika Goodhue Photography)

With Bowdoin thrashing my very own Panthers last weekend, my only chance to earn any bragging rights this winter over Adam is if I can thoroughly annihilate him in fantasy basketball. I had been cultivating a nice lead in the points, assists and rate categories, but as of last week blocks, steals and three pointers made seemed to be slipping out of reasonable grasp. With that in mind, and the loss to injury of two of my skilled big men, Hunter Sabety ’17 and Chris Hudnut ’16, I was forced to make some roster decisions. I would have loved to add sharpshooter Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15, but Adam had waiver priority and beat me to the punch, but I was satisfied to add Connor Green ’16 and Matt Daley ’16. I didn’t end up playing Daley this weekend, but I’m hoping for a big week from him in the final weekend coming up. Adam was forced to sit his best rebounds/blocks contributor, John Swords ’15, who had only one game, which gave me some hope that I could close the gap in those categories. Here’s how our lineups shook out:

	Lord of the ‘CAC (Adam)	Lin and Tonic (Joe)
Position	Player	Player
Guard	G. Safford	J. Starks
Guard	D. Wohl	L. Westman
Guard	H. Rooke-Ley	C. Green
Forward	A. Santos	E. Ogundeko
Forward	D. Sinnickson	D. George
Forward	Mar. Delpeche	H. Merryman
Forward	S. Ajayi	Z. Pavlin
Bench	J. Brown	J. Lin
Bench	J. McCarthy	M. Daley
Bench	J. Swords	L. Hausman

I rolled out a lineup with a little bit less scoring potential than usual. Of course, Lucas Hausman ’16 only had one game, but I also kept Joseph Lin ’15 on the bench who is among the league’s best at scoring. However, I felt good about the matchups I had. Two of my guards this week are very good rebounders, and I was hoping for a big week from beyond the arch from Jaquann Starks ’15, Green and Hunter Merryman ’15. Zuri Pavlin ’17 stepped up huge for me with 21 rebounds against Trinity. My strategy worked on the boards, but it was a cold week for my squad from deep, aside from Green who netted 10 of my 15 three pointers:

Category	Lord of the ‘CAC	Lin and Tonic
Points	235	178
Assists	26	18
Rebounds	100	116
Steals	7	13
Blocks	6	9
FT%	87.7% (64/73)	66.1% (37-56)
FG%	46.2% (73/158)	42.3% (63-149)
3PT Made	27	15

While I took over the advantage this week, the percentage gaps shrunk considerably, which makes me nervous. It will be tough to hang onto the slim margins I’ve created, but it’s always better to be ahead in a tight race than behind. Here are the composite standings:

Category	Lord of the ‘CAC	Lin and Tonic	Leader
Points	829	899	Joe
Assists	125	144	Joe
Rebounds	418	419	Joe
Steals	69	62	Adam
Blocks	65	48	Adam
FT%	74.0% (194/262)	75.1% (266/354)	Joe
FG%	45.6% (288/631)	47.5% (318/670)	Joe
3PT Made	78	40	Adam

Overall Score: Joe 5-3

Just Another Crazy Weekend: Stock Report 1/26

It was another wild weekend in NESCAC basketball, with all of the action going down on Saturday afternoon/evening. The amount of chaos so far in the conference is unquantifiable, but comparing the current NESCAC standings to our preseason composite power ranks gives you a good idea. Things might still shake out and end up a little bit closer to what we imagined at the beginning of the season, but right now the only teams we appeared to be really close on are Conn. College and Wesleyan, whom we ranked sixth but is sitting in a tie for fifth at the moment.

This weekend might have been the craziest yet. We had underdogs pulling off big wins at home in Clinton and Lewiston (that’s if we’re buying into Tufts. Are we ready to do that?), a classic CBB game with Bowdoin and Colby, and Middlebury losing to an United States College Athletic Association school (did anyone even know that the USCAA was a thing?). What do we make of all the madness? As always, some players’ stock rose while others fell.

Stock Up

1. Bryan Hurley ’15 and Lucas Hausman ’16

The two Bowdoin backcourt mates combined for 47 points, nine boards, seven assists and three steals to help the Polar Bears edge Colby by three points on Saturday, 68-65. With the crushing news that Keegan Pieri ’15 has probably played his last basketball game for Bowdoin due to his second concussion of the year (see below), this was a major statement game for the Polar Bears.

Bowdoin senior forward Keegan Pieri sustained another concussion last night against UMPI. He had another concussion earlier in the year.

— Nothing But NESCAC (@CACSportsBlog) January 22, 2015

Boy, did Hurley and Hausman respond in a big way. We’ve talked quite a bit in this space about how Hurley hasn’t been quite the same player as he was pre-ACL injury, and Saturday was not a classic Hurley performance, but it was undoubtedly his best game of the season as he went 7-16 from the field, 4-9 from three and 5-6 from the line for 23 points. He’s now had four straight games shooting over 40 percent from the field and six straight with multiple made treys. Suffice to say he looks much more comfortable these days.

As for Hausman, he might have a case for Most Improved Player in the NESCAC this season, and he’s among the league leaders in scoring. With him and Hurley firing on all cylinders, Bowdoin might have the best offensive backcourt in the NESCAC. But it remains to be seen whether the duo can keep up this level of performance for the rest of the season.

2. Joseph Lin ’15

I guess it’s time to start believing in Lin, who’s averaging 19.6 PPG and 9.8 APG in conference games. Lin had his worst shooting night of the NESCAC season against Williams (4-12, 11 points), but he stilled handed out nine assists in 37 minutes. He is the key cog for Hamilton, and it must have been huge for the team’s confidence to knock off the Ephs for Hamilton’s first conference win of the season. Now I must acknowledge that the three minutes that Lin did not play just so happened to be the last three of the game on Saturday and he exited with Hamilton down by three, so others probably deserve more credit for the upset win in particular, but Lin has been spectacular overall in big games and I think we can expect that to continue for the senior.

3. Trinity Offense

Now let’s take this with a grain of salt. The Trinity offense is still no Middlebury or Williams, but maybe they’ve caught on to something – shoot more threes. The Bantams went 8-18 from deep in their victory over Amherst, and are shooting 37.7 percent from three in conference games but have taken the fewest number of attempts. Chucking up shots from long range doesn’t really fit with this team’s personality. They’d much rather be physical in all facets of the game, but maybe that’s what the Bantams need to do to get the offense rolling. Hart Gliedman ’15 is a perfect example of this. He is a defense-first guard, a tough defender who gets a lot of steals and only scores 4.3 points per game. But he is shooting 47.4 percent from deep on the season. He hasn’t been a great three-point shooter in the past so maybe that percentage is an aberration, but for all we know he spent his entire summer jacking up treys like Jimmer Fredette and this could be for real.

Stock Down

1. NCAA Dreams for Non-Champions

If any of the top half of the league can win out in the regular season, that team will have a very good shot at making the tournament with an at-large bid based on the wins they would have to earn from here on out. Bowdoin made it last year at 19-5 and 6-4 in conference. But with the parity in the NESCAC the chances of Bowdoin or Trinity ending up 9-1 or for Middlebury going 8-2 are slim. Williams just had a terrible loss against Hamilton and has two other bad losses against teams hovering around .500. With eight losses already, Tufts would be a long shot if they lost in the NESCAC tournament, and the same can be said for Colby with seven losses. Bates is 12-4 and all of those losses came against winning teams, but with the rumors swirling that Graham Safford ’15 is less than 100 percent right now the Bobcats will be hard-pressed to remain contenders. Safford hasn’t been shooting particularly well since 2015 began and was already rested for one game two weeks ago. What Bates does have in their favor though is that two of their losses came against out-of-region teams, so they won’t hurt the Bobcats as much when the selection committee convenes. The Middlebury loss to Maine-Fort Kent was not pretty, but Fort Kent isn’t a D-III school so the same logic applies. The Panthers should be rooting hard for Tufts to keep winning to boost their strength of schedule. Wesleyan still has an outside chance, but the loss to Curry will be crushing for them. Amherst has just five losses, but some of them came in dominating fashion, which leads one to believe that the Lord Jeffs have flaws that will prevent them from going on a run and remaining unbeaten from now until tournament time. The NESCAC might be a one-bid team this year, something that has been talked about quite a bit this season but is becoming ever more realistic.

2. Conn. College Camels

Not to kick a team while its down, but the blowout loss to Wesleyan probably ends the Camels’ chances of sneaking into the playoffs. There was a glimmer of hope after Conn. played Middlebury tough last weekend, but that glimmer has been extinguished. Conn. is a young team with a lot of work to do. They’ve let teams run away with games too often this season, losing by double figures five times this season. The Camels need to learn how to play a complete game and sustain runs from their opponents.

3. PG Tarik Smith ’17 (Tufts)

Smith has been featured in this section for three straight weeks now, but for the first time his stock has fallen. Since being removed from the starting lineup Smith had elevated his game in NESCAC play and turned into a leader for the Jumbos. But then he goes and has his worst game in over two weeks, 10 points on 3-9 shooting and six turnovers as Tufts fell for the first time in conference. I think what this says is that Tufts needs Smith to be a scorer off of the bench if they are going to beat the good teams in the NESCAC. Hopefully Smith can go back to the player he had been in the previous four games when he shot nearly 70 percent from the field and averaged 17 PPG and return to the Stock Up section next week.

Power Rankings 1/21

Currently at seven in our ranks, Williams can move up starting tonight with a non-conference matchup at Amherst. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

The results this past week have brought forth much change in this edition of the power rankings. Teams we once thought were falling have started to find a groove, and teams that once looked great are beginning to slip. While only two or three games separate this weeks rankings from last’s, the conference action this week sent the league into upheaval.

1. Middlebury (12-2, 2-2) Last week: 3

At the start of the conference season Middlebury was expected to be at the top and a couple months in they have done enough to regain the top spot. Right now they are on a four-game winning streak during which Dylan Sinnickson ’16 has averaged 16.0 points per game and the team as a whole has averaged 89.0 points. But what has been underrated so far has been Middlebury’s defense. Opponents are averaging 62.2 points per game, but they also get more chances against the fast-paced Panthers. NCAA.com D-III hoops statistics were last updated on Monday, but at that time Middlebury’s opponents’ field goal percentage was tops in the nation and the Panthers had the 11th-best scoring margin in D-III. The grind for the Panthers comes at the end of the season, and as we know that a lot can change in a week in the NESCAC. As of right now, Middlebury has found a groove that looks sustainable

2. Amherst (11-4, 2-2) Last week: 4

The Lord Jeffs went 1-1 this week but remain ranked in my top three. A solid offense and a solid defense is obviously key, but what makes Amherst appealing is their winning culture. They’ve been here before. David Hixon’s experience and the reputation of his team’s to get better as the year goes on (Amherst won 24-straight to win the NCAA title in 2013 and 20 out of 21 before losing to Williams in the semifinals last year) earns the Lord Jeffs the benefit of the doubt. Despite a loss to Tufts, which seems to be happening to every top team, the Lord Jeffs are getting good production off the bench especially from G Jeff Racy ’17, who leads the league in three point field goals made in conference games.

3. Trinity (13-4, 3-1) Last week: 2

Winning a double OT thriller 71-69 against Williams and holding off a late Bates run gives Trinity the invaluable experience in close games come playoff time. But the Bantams won’t see the top spot in my ranks just yet. After an offensive breakout earlier in the season, the Bantams have cooled off and are ninth in points per NESCAC game.

4. Bates (11-4, 1-2) Last week: 1

The Bobcats had a difficult couple of games this past week; games that give us a better sense of who they really are. While Graham Safford ’15, who has been an integral part in the team’s success, did rest against UMPI, he and his squad were unable to get even one conference win against Amherst and Trinity. Is another late season slide in the works for Bates, or can they look to bounce back quickly against a Tufts team that has played very well as of late? While it has only been a couple of games, this week proved that the Bobcats need their entire starting five to contribute if they are going to beat the NESCAC’s elite squads.

5. Bowdoin (11-4, 3-1) Last week: 8

With the Polar Bears playing their last four games against conference opponents, they are now 3-1 in NESCAC play, tying them for first in the league standings. While a 3-1 record puts them in a good spot right now, two of those W’s came against struggling Hamilton and Conn. College teams. Don’t look now, but Bowdoin’s offense seems to be streaking, averaging 73.8 points per game in conference play. With Trinity and Middlebury among those still left to play, it will be interesting to see how Bowdoin stacks up against some of the league’s best defenses.

6. Tufts (7-7, 3-0) Last week: 11

The Jumbos, a team that was not high on my rankings last week, has proven me wrong by beating Middlebury, Amherst and Trinity in three consecutive games. Former starting PG-turned-sixth man Tarik Smith ’17 has played a huge role in their streak, shooting lights out, as well as in the clutch, hitting some big free throws against Trinity. Yes, they are 3-0 in the conference, and yes, Tufts has beaten three of the top teams in the league, but those are only three games, lets not start crowning them league champs. They are still 7-7 overall, which probably eliminates them from contending for an NCAA at-large bid already. This recent influx of offense, scoring 80+ points in four of their last six games, is bound to recede, but hey, maybe they’ve found something special this year.

7. Williams (11-5, 2-2) Last week: 5

Williams sits middle of the pack but has the pieces to get hot at any time. Recently, the Ephs played Trinity, Amherst, Colby and Bowdoin, a four-game stretch that epitomized their inability to get a consistent level of play. While Trinity and Amherst are similar, so are Colby and Bowdoin, and the Ephs were only able to win one of each. That being said, Daniel Wohl ’15 has been lights out offensively, averaging 23.2 points per game in-conference. Williams has the talent and are on the brink of finding their groove.

8. Colby (11-6, 3-1) Last week: 7

Colby is in a similar situation as Bowdoin, beating middle-of-the-road conference teams to give them a strong conference record. Chris Hudnut ’16 has been a huge factor in both scoring as well as rebounding the basketball (22.5 PPG and 11.5 RPG in-conference), which has helped the Mules get off to this fast start within the NESCAC. Colby has tallied the most points per game in-conference, but Wesleyan was the only opponent that is among the top half of the league in defensive scoring. We’ll know if Colby is for real after they go through the gauntlet of Bowdoin, Amherst and Trinity.

9. Wesleyan (12-5, 1-2) Last week: 6

Wesleyan is a team that looked promising early on has had a tough couple of games against Amherst and Middlebury. In both losses the offense struggled, scoring only 46 and 60 points, respectively. Their high-powered three point shooting was non-existent, while frequent turnovers halted any offensive flow. What a shame for a team that got off to an unprecedented start this season, winning 10 games faster than any team in program history. Facing Conn, Bates and Tufts in the next three games, Wesleyan needs to rediscover their offensive production.

10. Conn College (7-8, 0-3) Last week: 10

Conn is in a similar position to Hamilton, losing their last four games. Statistically ranked tenth offensively and eighth defensively in NESCAC games, the playoffs seem unlikely for the Camels. It might be time to adopt the spoiler role for the Camels. Wesleyan, Tufts and Bates are their next three opponents, and they can disrupt the league with every conference win they get.

11. Hamilton (10-6, 0-4) Last week: 9

Nothing seems to be going right for the Continentals, especially within the last four games. In these four NESCAC games, Hamilton has failed to get a win. Starting the season 7-0 in all non-conference games says one of two things; the NESCAC is much higher quality basketball than the upstate New York teams, or Hamilton’s game has lost its touch. I think it’s safe to say that both previous statements hold some amount of truth. While the playoffs are a pipe dream right now, don’t count Hamilton out to play spoiler against some “on the cusp” teams late in the season.

Amateur Hour is Over, Conference Play is Here: The Weekend Preview 1/9

The Bates bench is excited about the conference season beginning. So should you. (Courtesy of Bates College)

We only get five weekends of NESCAC conference basketball. Heck, I am only in session to watch my beloved Bowdoin Polar Bears for three home conference games, and the first one of those is not until February 8! Unlike most other conference schedules that see teams play each other twice, the NESCAC only gives you one shot at every team meaning every game takes on extra importance.

When all five games tip off at 7 PM tonight, it will usher in one of the most open conference seasons in years. Though we lack any official Las Vegas odds in the NESCAC, nobody should feel very confident about their chances right now. Which also means that almost everybody should feel at least a little bit confident about their chances right now.

This is going to be fun. Here is your weekend preview.

Three Players to Watch

1. Point Guard Mike Greenman ’17 (Williams): The sophomore has a knack for finding his way into the biggest moments on the court. Against Trinity and Amherst Greenman will have to initiate the offense and pressure the defense by getting into the lane. Often Greenman is not the person who ends up finishing plays but rather intends to attract defenders for others. When he drives to pass, he opens up space and driving lanes for star seniors Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 and Dan Wohl ’15. The downside to Greenman’s ability to get into the lane is that he turns the ball over at the third highest rate in the NESCAC at 3.7 turnovers per game. Defensively, Greenman will likely not guard Jaquann Starks ’16 on Friday but rather match up with the other guard on the floor.

2. Center Zuri Pavlin ’17 (Conn College): The Camels are one of the youngest teams in the NESCAC so it will be interesting to see how they fare in the first weekend of NESCAC play. Pavlin is a double-double machine and the best player for Conn. This weekend he gets to play two of the premier centers in the NESCAC in John Swords ’15 from Bowdoin and Chris Hudnut ’16 from Colby. Last season against those two teams Pavlin scored only 12 points combined. He will need to score way more points than that if there is any way for Conn to spring an early upset on two teams that have had some significant struggles so far.

3. Shooting Guard Lucas Hausman ’16 (Bowdoin): The Polar Bear offense often goes through long droughts within games. Hausman is the best player on Bowdoin at creating his own shot. While the 6’3″ guard is barely 170 pounds dripping wet, he can get to the basket because of his athleticism. He scored 28 points Tuesday at Bridgewater State and is now the leading scorer for Bowdoin with 15.6 points per game. That game Tuesday saw Bowdoin blow an 18 point first half lead and then a nine point lead in the final 4:59 of regulation. The Polar Bears are very thin after their starting five so they need their stars to come through every game. Hausman has taken up the mantle of the leading scorer, and he will need to score often and efficiently.

Top Three Games to Watch

There is not enough time or space for us to preview every single game that is going on this weekend. So while the depth of the league means almost every game is worth tuning into, every week we will go in-depth on the three most important games.

3. Friday 7:00 PM: Colby (7-5) at Wesleyan (10-2)

The NESCAC opener for these teams will tell us a lot about two teams that are part of that upwardly mobile NESCAC middle-class. Do not let Colby’s 7-5 record make you think that this is not a good team. All but one of their losses is a “good” one, if there is such a thing, and they have quality victories over Bowdoin and Husson. Wesleyan is coming in on a six game winning streak, and one of their two losses was in overtime to Williams.

The Colby offense revolves around Chris Hudnut ’16, the talented big man who has taken his game to yet another level this season. For Wesleyan the emergence of Joseph Kuo ’17 means that the Cardinals now have a player capable of matching up with Hudnut while Rashid Epps ’16 can shift to the power forward position. Epps could be primed for a big game one year after having Hudnut shut him down. He will have Sam Willson ’16 on him in what could be a mismatch for Colby because of Epps physicality.

Colby has had to battle injuries that has robbed them of much of their depth. Wesleyan has seen their roles sort themselves out into a clear starting five.

Matchup to Watch: Wesleyan Points in the Paint vs. Colby Defense

Let’s be clear that Colby’s weakness is their defense. They are allowing the second most points per game in the NESCAC. The weird thing about their defensive struggles is that they have occurred despite teams shooting only 26.7 percent from three. Overall teams are shooting 41.5 percent against Colby, the third highest percentage in the league. Opponents have been getting in the paint and scoring with way too much ease. Wesleyan has changed this season from a three point heavy team to a more inside-out oriented team around Epps and Kuo. They are going to look to get the ball into the paint early and often until Colby proves that they can keep Wesleyan off the boards.

2. Friday 7:00 PM Middlebury (9-0) at Bates (9-2)

These were the last two remaining undefeated teams in the NESCAC before Bates lost two games right before New Year’s. Bates is possibly the best team that Middlebury will have faced all year, and the Bobcats are lucky to get Middlebury at home. Last year Bates beat Middlebury at Pepin Gym in what turned out to be their only NESCAC victory. The loss came back to haunt Middlebury as it was a major strike against them for an NCAA at-large bid.

The point guard match-up between Graham Safford ’15 and Jake Brown ’17 will be fun to watch. Brown is difficult to stay in front of, and Safford will have to be careful not to get into foul trouble. Bates coach Jon Furbush is likely to ask Mike Boornazian ’16 to matchup with Dylan Sinnickson ’15. Boornazian has the size and quickness to give Sinnickson problems. Bates also likes to occasionally go to a 1-3-1 zone, but given the shooters that Middlebury has, it might be difficult to defend them with a zone. On the other end the trio of Safford, Boornazian, and Billy Selmon ’15 on the perimeter is dangerous. All three are capable of getting to the basket or spotting up for three.

Do not sleep on the impact that both benches could have. Adam Philpott ’15 and Mike Newton ’16 can be a steadying force off the bench for Bates. Philpott in particular was the difference Tuesday against Brandeis with 12 big points. No one player on the Middlebury bench has jumped out for most the season, but Nick Tarantino ’18 might be emerging at just the right time. He has averaged 9.5 PPG in the two games since break and could be a crucial big body for Middlebury (see below).

One crucial thing that benefits Middlebury is that Bates begins classes on Monday so not many students will be back for the game. A lot of Lewiston community members will likely be there, but the Panthers are not walking into the fearsome Alumni Gym we usually see.

Matchup to Watch: Delpeche Brothers vs. Middlebury Frontcourt

The clear weakness of Middlebury is their front-court. Connor Huff ’16 has done a wonderful job filling in at center. However, expecting the 6’4″ Huff to stop one of the Delpeches is foolish. Six-foot eight Matt Daley ’16 is back after missing Middlebury’s first seven games. Yet he only played five minutes Tuesday night so it would be surprising if he played extensive minutes tonight. Sinnickson will be crucial in keeping Bates off of the offensive boards, a place where the Bobcats have feasted on opponents. Malcolm Delpeche ’17 enjoyed his best game of the year against Middlebury last season with 17 points and nine rebounds. Now both he and his brother Marcus are in the starting lineup. Unless they get into foul trouble, Middlebury might have a hard time keeping the Delpeches from making plays like this dunk Marcus had against Emory.

1. Amherst (8-2) at Williams (9-3)

We already went in-depth on this game in our look at preview so go take a look there for our analysis.

Young and Talented: Freshman Update

Those who watched ESPN last night saw Duke beat Wisconsin, the second ranked team in the country, in large part because their three freshmen played great. Of course, the NESCAC is not littered with future first round NBA draft picks, but that doesn’t mean that some freshmen can’t come in and contribute right away. Below are some of the players that are already making an impact.

Johnny McCarthy '18 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics) — Johnny McCarthy ’18 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Johnny McCarthy- #10- G- Amherst

McCarthy is a 6-5, 190-pound guard, who played for Noble & Greenough School in Massachusetts. McCarthy has the ability to take the ball into the paint and will finish with either a smooth turn around jump shot or go up strong to the glass. His game fits in nicely in the Jeffs’ offense and hopefully he can fill the shoes of Tom Killian ’14. McCarthy has been playing so well that he is even generating some Player of the Year buzz. In his first four games with Amherst, he has been very impressive, averaging 14 points per game, shooting 55.3% from the field and 35.7% behind the arc. In addition, he has hauled in 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game and he is only improving. After an impressive debut on November 18, dropping 17 points in 33 minutes, he played an efficient game on November 22 against Mount Ida, going 7-9 from the floor with 16 points and 6 boards. You might expect to see some turnovers from a college freshman, but McCarthy only had one turnover in his first three games. It is looking like a bright future for McCarthy in NESCAC basketball.

Lee Messier- #21- G- Connecticut College

Messier is a 6-3, 175-pound guard, who played for the Tilton School in New Hampshire. Messier has been a shooter since day one and especially loves the three pointer. He has the ability to run the break and find gaps in the defense. His shot is similar to that of Steph Curry, a guard for the Golden State Warriors. He has a quick release, allowing him to get his shot off from outside the arc, as well as in traffic. His highlight tape from high school is basically a two-minute video of him hitting a barrage of threes and pull-up jumpers.

His college highlight tape is starting to look very similar. In his first four games, Messier has already dropped in 11 threes, going 6-10 in his second game. He currently averages 14.2 ppg and shoots 37.9% from three. His deadly shooting ability will free up room in the paint for another standout freshman and big man from Conn, Isaiah Robinson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBzh20uKsQ8

Isaiah Robinson- #33- F- Connecticut College

Robinson is a 6-5, 225-pound forward, who played for the Salisbury School in Connecticut. He is a big man with a nice mid-range jump shot, and once he gets in down on the block, there are not many players big enough to stop him from going up strong for two points. This season for the Camels, Robinson has averaged 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, shooting 48.8% from the field. On November 20, he dropped 25 points and came away with 7 rebounds in 48 minutes against Yeshiva. If he can clean up some of his turnovers, he will be a tough player to stop in the paint.

Vincent Pace (Courtesy of My Central Jersey)

Vincent Pace- #13- G- Tufts

Pace is a 6-5, 185-pound guard, who played for the Bridgewater School in New Jersey. He is a smart player, who can defend well on the ball and can be trusted to set the tempo while running the offense. At the beginning of the season, Pace was projected to become a breakout player, and he has certainly played at a high level, living up to the hype. His playing time and his play have improved as the season has progressed. He put up 12 and 13 points respectively in his previous two outings. Before a tough game last night, after five games, he was averaging 7.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3 assists, some solid numbers for this Jumbo, who also had four steals in a tough loss against MIT on November 25. We will have to wait and see if Pace can continue to play at the level of a breakout player.

Conn College Team Preview: Camels Bring Youth and Talent

Departed Senior Matt Vadas '15 (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics) — Departed Senior Matt Vadas ’14 (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics)

Editors Note: This article was written by Josh Moss ’18, a Conn College student.

Connecticut College Camels

2013-2014 Season: 9-14 (2-8 NESCAC), 10th in the NESCAC, missed NESCAC tournament

Head Coach: Tom Satran, 13th season, 117-169 (40.9 percent), Connecticut College Class of 1994

Starters Returning: 3

G Bo McKinley ’16

F/C Zuri Pavlin ’17

F Colin Pascoe ’17

Breakout Player: F/C Zuri Pavlin ’17

Pavlin was overshadowed last year as a freshman somewhat by Hunter Sabety ’17 and Duncan Robinson ’17, but he could be primed for a big season after the departure of all-time NESCAC leading scorer Matt Vadas ’14. He set a program single season rebounding record with 249 rebounds. He ranked first in the NESCAC in rebounding with 10.8 boards per game, and he was the only player to average double digits. He also showed his talent on offense averaging 10.5 points per game, and it is believed that he is the first Camel men’s basketball player to average a double-double in his rookie season. Now that he is the centerpiece on both ends of the court, Pavlin is ready to battle it out with all the other talented young centers in the league.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Bo McKinley (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics)

G Bo McKinley ’16

The junior dished out 3.8 assists per game to rank seventh in the NESCAC, but will have to take on a bigger scoring role after only averaging 8.2 points per game. He went 30-75 from three point distance (40 percent) while making a seamless transition from the 2-guard spot to the point in a breakout sophomore season. He is a leader on a young team and was voted team captain.

Zuri Pavlin (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics)

F/C Zuri Pavlin ’17

You already got a good idea of what Pavlin can do since he is our breakout player. The sophomore should be ready to make a jump after getting his rookie year under his belt.

Colin Pascoe (Courtesy of Conn College Athletics)

F Colin Pascoe ’17

Pascoe is the final sure fire starter for the Mules, and he will have to play a much bigger role this year. He started five games last year and averaged 4.5 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game. He plays a similar position to what Vadas did last year so his minutes should go way up.

The other two starting positions are wide open for right now because of all the young players on the roster.

Everything Else:

Last year, Pavlin had an immediate impact in the post while Vadas enjoyed the finest year of his prolific playing career. McKinley made a seamless shift to the point. Aside from their two NESCAC wins, the Camels dropped a 64-61 heartbreaker to Middlebury at the buzzer and were within two possessions in the final two minutes against NCAA Divisin-III runner up, Williams, before they lost a 98-90 decision to the Ephs on February 14.

The Camels have the potential to be a Cinderella story with their young talent. They are looking to turn heads and definitely could make a surprise run into the NESCAC tournament. We will see how this team meshes after losing Vadas.

Who will step up for the Camels this season? Pavlin and Pascoe will be aided in the frontcourt by the big 6’7’’ transfer Daniel Janel ’17 from Adelphi University. Guard Alex Hall ’17 is a solid shooter who could pick up some of Vadas’ production. He averaged 5.1 points in just 15.6 minuter per game of playing time. He netted 15 threes and poured in 21 points in matchup against Mitchell on February 11.

The team will look to push the tempo with young guns like Isaiah Robinson ’18 (Lynn, Mass., Salisbury School), Justin Holmes ’18 (Malibu, Calif., Malibu HS), Lee Messier ’18 (Narragansett, R.I., Tilton School), and Aaron Swenson ’18 (Waltham, Mass., Middlesex School). The first game is this Saturday November 15 against Framingham St. in the Connecticut College Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament. Opening tip is set for 6:00pm.

Also, the team has used a winter break trip to bond and learn more about the game while training in some historic venues. Last year, the Camels took a trip to North Carolina and even had a chance to practice at Duke.