Tag: Matt Hanna

Not Just Happy to Be Here: Hoboken Regional Preview

#12 Colby (24-3, 8-2, at-large bid)

This was a bit of a different year for NESCAC Basketball with no one team looking dominant and the conference “only” getting three teams into the NCAA Tournament. Although they may not have won the NESCAC, it’s hard to argue that anyone else had a better season start to finish than the Mules. Colby raced off to an 18-0 start behind the excellent play of Sam Jefferson ’20 who looked like he might run away with the Player of the Year Award before he went down with an ankle injury in their game against Hamilton. This team only features one frontcourt player, so their strategy is basically to speed the game up to get out in transition and shoot a lot of three pointers. This has mostly worked for them, particularly since their lone big man Dean Weiner ’20 has really elevated his play recently, matching up against some of the conference’s elite bigs. Colby has never appeared in the NCAA Tournament, so we’re about to find out if they’re truly ready for the biggest spotlight.

How They Got Here

Sam Jefferson ’20 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

As I just mentioned, the Mules got off to a blazing hot start at 18-0 and climbing as high as 5th in the national rankings. Losses to Tufts and Amherst late in the year dropped them to 2nd in the NESCAC by the end of the regular season, earning them a home game against 7th-seeded Bates in the quarterfinals. This game became an instant classic as the Bobcats failed to seal the win late and big shots by Alex Dorion ’20, Will King ’23, and Matt Hanna ’21 allowed Colby to walk away victorious. They followed this up with yet another thrilling matchup with Amherst, coming from behind to eke out a 4-point win to advance to their first NESCAC Championship. Although they ended up on the wrong side of yet another ridiculously exciting, double overtime contest against Tufts, the committee awarded their efforts with an at-large bid and a trip to Hoboken for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

How They Lose

I feel like I’ve been saying it all year, but the recipe for a Colby defeat doesn’t seem that complicated. They only have one true big man and they rely heavily on the three-ball, so you’d think that a team with a bit of size who slows the game down would be able to put the Mules to rest. That said, this strategy hasn’t exactly worked for everyone who’s tried it. Amherst employed this very technique in the semifinals but Colby was able to grind out a low-scoring win in come-from-behind fashion. The Mules also use about 7-8 guys per game and Coach Strahorn really rides his starters, so I can envision fatigue catching up to them a bit, particularly for Dean Weiner ’20 since he’ll likely be asked to play more minutes than he’s used to in order to matchup with opposing big men. These all seem like very likely ways for Colby to lose, but it really hasn’t been that easy this year. Only two teams all season have been able to defeat the Mules, so I don’t anticipate them being an easy matchup for whoever they go up against. 

The Competition

Christopher Newport (21-6, 9-1, at-large bid)

(Courtesy of CNU Athletics)

The Captains earned at at-large bid out of the Capital Athletic Conference where they were pretty dominant all year. Their only conference losses were at the hands of York College, once in the regular season and once in the conference championship. York is also an excellent team that has a chance to make a run in the tournament, so these aren’t particularly bad losses. Their non-conference schedule was also pretty loaded, as all but one of their losses came to teams that are also in the NCAA Tournament. The scoring duties are led by junior Jason Aigner ’21 who’s averaging 13.9 points per game while shooting over 45% from beyond the arc. He’s aided by senior forward Dalon McHugh II ’20, who’s putting up 12.3 points and hauling in nearly 8 rebounds per game. CNU has some guys with size who could give Colby trouble, but they aren’t regular members of the rotation so it’ll be interesting to see if they stick with what they’ve been doing or if they decide to overpower the Mules with some size off the bench. Either way I think this will be a good matchup, but I don’t see Colby’s season ending tonight.

Writer’s Pick: Colby 86 – Christopher Newport 80

The Other Two

Stevens (23-4, 12-2, MAC Freedom Champions)

(Courtesy of Stevens Athletics)

Stevens is somewhat of an enigma given that they come from a relatively weak region, but there’s no doubt that this team can play. They blew threw the MAC Freedom Tournament, winning the title game in convincing fashion en route to becoming a host for the first two rounds of NCAAs. This team has some experience playing against the nation’s best, as they defeated #6 Johns Hopkins early in the year and battled to close defeats against #1 Swarthmore and #21 Middlebury as well. The Ducks are led by the trio of Spencer Cook ‘20, Alec DiPietrantonio ‘21, and Kevin Florio ‘20, each of whom average double digits in scoring. Cook shoots the three at a nearly 50% clip, so you can bet that teams will key in on him and make sure to always get a hand in his face. They’ve been tested before so you know they’ll be tough, but given that they haven’t played a particularly tough schedule since before the New Year, it’s hard to know exactly what we’ll see from them.

Nichols (20-8, 12-4, CCC Champions)

(Courtesy of Nichols Athletics)

The Bison are easily the weakest team in this region and I really don’t anticipate them getting past day one. They had a great run last season making it all the way to the Elite 8, but they lost quite a bit to graduation and really haven’t been the same team at all this year. They’ve got some experience with NESCAC teams as they took down Trinity and lost to both Tufts and Hamilton earlier this year, plus they earned a win early in the year over New England College who’s also an NCAA Tournament team. After finishing second in their conference during the regular season, Nichols defeated top-seeded Endicott in a thriller to earn the automatic bid into the tournament. DeAnte Bruton ’20 is as versatile a scorer as any, posting 22.3 points per game and big man Matt Morrow ’21 has been a beast this year, averaging a double double with 15.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Jaekwon Spencer ’22 chips in 12.6 points per game of his own, but outside of these three guys there isn’t a ton of damage to be done. They have the pieces to make some games interesting, but this is a tough region and I don’t think Nichols has the fire power to consistently keep up with some of these other schools.

Disrespected No More: Medford Regional Preview

#20 Tufts (21-6, 9-2, NESCAC Champions)

Tufts secured their first NESCAC Championship in program history this past weeked, surviving a grueling double-overtime game against Colby in what will surely go down as an instant classic.  Despite leading by as many as seventeen points late in the first half, the Jumbos simply could not put away the feisty Mules; maintaining a nine-point advantage with just under eight minutes remaining in regulation, Tufts allowed the visitors to surge ahead on a 15-2 run, capped off by Sam Jefferson’s three-ball with 2:51 on the clock. With the Jumbos trailing by one with eleven ticks left, a missed layup by senior leader Eric Savage ‘20 seemed to signal a potential sour ending in the team’s journey to capture a NESCAC Championship on their own floor.  However, Savage was given an opportunity to redeem himself after Matt Hanna ‘21 calmly knocked down two free throws to stretch Colby’s advantage to three with six seconds remaining. The decision made by Coach Damien Strahorn to not foul was quite puzzling (although it is easier to say this behind a keyboard and not in the heat of the moment), but it nevertheless came back to bite the Mules as Savage drained a triple to send the game to overtime. The teams traded leads back-and-forth during the first few minutes, and Savage once again came up big with another three-ball to knot the game at 83 with 52 seconds left.  The Mules answered thanks to Will King’s layup, but it was the Jumbos who once again refused to quit; Savage’s missed jumper was followed up by Dylan Thoerner ‘23, who was fouled with virtually zeros on the game clock. In arguably the most intense atmosphere the rookie had experienced in his playing career to this date, Thoerner cooly sunk both free throws to force double overtime. In the final five minutes, big man Luke Rogers ‘21 gave the Jumbos the lead for good with a layup followed by a successful three-point play, and with a plethora of converted free throws down the stretch, the Tufts’ players, coaches and fans erupted with joy as the seconds ran down, knowing they had finally emerged victorious. 

How they Got Here

Luke Rogers ’21 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)

All roads to success for the Jumbos lead through the duo of Savage and Rogers, who averaged a combined 32.7 ppg during the regular season.  The two compliment each other very well, as opposing teams are normally left with no choice but to provide help defense with whoever is guarding Rogers down low, allowing for extra driving lanes and an extended perimeter to shoot from for Savage and the rest of the Jumbos’ sharpshooters. The veteran leadership from Savage, the only senior on the Jumbos’ roster, is extremely impressive considering where the Jumbos are now compared to a season ago. Despite flashing glimpses of their potential such as their shocking upset against top-seeded Middlebury in the NESCAC Quarterfinals, the 2019 season saw Tufts finish just 12-14 with a 4-6 record in-conference. The maturation and focus that was required of this team in order to regularly compete at the highest level was met with open arms, and the reward is the team’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2016.

While the offense certainly had its moments, the defense was key concerning Tufts’ successful path to securing a regional host.  The Jumbos boast one of the stingiest defensive units in the conference, allowing opponents to shoot just 41% from the field. They don’t force a ton of turnovers (12.4 per game) but rather grind down opponents by keeping them outside the paint, leaving defenses frustrated after forcing contested shot after shot.  And despite the lack of turnovers as a whole, steals have not been a problem to come by; all the guards have very active hands, constantly pressuring the ball-handlers and making life as uncomfortable as possible for the opposition.

How they Lose

The Jumbos certainly have flaws on both sides of the ball. On the offensive end, poor free-throw shooting has plagued this team all season long.  Quite frankly, it is a minor miracle they lost just six games while shooting 64% from the line as a team. Amongst the nine members of the team who average twelve minutes or more during a contest, only three of them (Brennan Morris ‘21 – 84.5%, Tyler Aronson ‘22 – 83.1%, and Thoerner – 78.3%) are reliable from the charity stripe. The other six? 56.3%. I have mentioned this in the past, but Rogers in particular can be exploited for his poor shooting efforts (79-171 from the free throw line this season, good for 46.2%) late in games as teams begin to foul intentionally. 

Another common factor that seems to reoccur when the Jumbos drop a contest is the number of fouls the team picks up. As good as the defensive unit is, Tufts leads the NESCAC in fouls committed by a considerable margin with nearly 21 fouls per game. This essentially means that not only will the respective opponent experience a bonus opportunity in each half of the contest, but (more than likely) they will eclipse ten fouls and get to the double bonus. As Tufts heads to the Big Dance, opposing teams with deeper rosters will look to use the Jumbos’ aggressiveness against them and draw contact in order to pile up both the fouls on Tufts and the free throw attempts. Being in a familiar environment, however, should be beneficial for the NESCAC Champions, who have lost just one game in front of their faithful supporters this calendar year.

**Speaking of faithful supporters, shame on Johns Hopkins for hosting a regional and barring fans from partaking in the event. At the very least, the University should have notified the NCAA about their stance regarding the coronavirus and public sporting events sooner, so that the next highest seed could host and this type of situation would not occur. Cowards, all of you. 

The Competition

Western Connecticut St. (20-7, 12-4, Little East Conference Champions)

(Courtesy of LEC Athletics)

The champs out of the Little East Conference started out slow, losing three out of four conference games in early January; however, they caught fire and closed out the season winning ten of eleven, including seven in a row.  While the offense is nothing out of this world, the Colonials boast an extremely deep roster – thirteen players average at least eight minutes a game. Three players average double figures, led by senior forward Fenton Bradley ‘20 (16.1 PPG, 6.3 REB/G). Ahmod Privott ‘22 (10.6 PPG), Jaheim Young ‘23 (10.3 PPG), and first-team all name selection Legend Johnson ‘21 (8.6 PPG) round out the top scoring threats for Western Connecticut St. In all honesty, the Jumbos should have no problem taking care of the Colonials: after all, Bradley is the team’s tallest player at 6’7’’, and even if he were to limit Rogers in some fashion, the Colonials’ supporting cast severely lacks the height and size to continuously bang down low.  I expect a bit of nerves from the Jumbos to begin, but by the second half, things should start flowing. Give me the Jumbos by 15+. 

Writer’s Pick: Tufts 78 – Western Connecticut 62

The Other Two: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (23-4, 17-1, at-large bid)

(Courtesy of RPI Athletics)

If Tufts advances to the round of 32, Rensselaer looks like the odds-on favorite to be their next opponent. Prior to falling to Ithaca College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was previously the 24th-ranked team in the nation. After an 0-2 start to the season, RPI thoroughly dominated their schedule and only dropped two contests the rest of the way (both to Ithaca College). The tone-setter for this squad is most certainly their defense, allowing a mere 60.6 PPG. Tufts will most certainly have their work cut out for them on the offensive end, as the Engineers force over 16 turnovers per game. Similarly to Western Connecticut St., the offensive unit will not strike a ton of fear into Tufts’ hearts, but they do possess a slew of players that can create their own shots. Patrick Mahoney ‘21 leads all scorers on the Engineers with 15.1 points per contest and chips in with 5.7 rebounds/game. Mason Memmelaar ‘22 (13.2 PPG, 5.5 REB/G) and Dom Black ‘22 (11.4 PPG, 6.2 REB/G) round out the other two reliable scorers, while Johnny Angbazo (43.5% from three) ‘23 and Will Rubin ‘23 (9.2 PPG, 39.1% from three) will absolutely knock down shots if not given the proper attention. 

New England College (21-6, 10-2, New England Collegiate Conference Champions)

(Courtesy of NECC Athletics)

The Pilgrims enter the NCAA Tournament in brilliant form, winners of ten straight (seven of those by double digits).  What’s more is that they already own a victory over the Jumbos, a 59-56 defensive battle that saw Tufts turn the ball over 23 times. The game was quite uncharacteristic for both teams involved, but was especially so for the Pilgrims, who average close to 90 points per game. New England College features five different players who average double figures, led by Izaiah Winston-Brooks ‘20 (18.0 PPG, 5.3 REB/G) and Jamal Allen ‘22 (15.0 PPG).  They love to drive into the lane and get to the free throw line, averaging right around 16 attempts per game. The defense is below average, allowing over 80 points a game and struggles to rebound the ball. It really is quite puzzling that Tufts fell to a team with this poor of a defensive unit, but upon realizing this was a non-conference meeting during the normal conference slate, the sloppy play is not totally surprising. If they meet again, Tufts should be able to re-enforce their defensive superiority and limit the Pilgrims’ talented weapons, but this is certainly a team to keep an eye on as a potential sleeper in this regional. 

The Old and the New: Colby vs. Amherst Semifinal Preview

#2 Colby (23-2, 8-2) vs. #3 Amherst (18-7, 7-3), 7pm, Medford, MA

Overview

The Mammoths come into this game very hot, winning 7 of 8 games over the past month. Recently they have been led by emerging star Garrett Day ’21 who is averaging over 20 points per game during this stretch and has now found himself a spot in the starting lineup. Historically Amherst has made their living by playing fundamentally sound basketball, being careful with the ball and playing gritty, hard-nosed defense. Well, this year is no exception. Right now the Mammoths allow the fewest points of anyone in the league and they turn the ball over less than anyone besides Middlebury. In their first meeting Amherst held Colby – the league’s highest scoring team by a large margin – to just 69 points on 37.5% shooting, however they also turned the ball over 22 times. They also shot 58.9% from the floor in that game, which is their second highest single-game shooting percentage of the season. Last time around the Mammoths may have been able to shoot their way out of some carelessness with the ball, but I expect them to put extra emphasis on sticking to their game plan and not let the Mules speed the game up too much.

I don’t think it’s fair to say that Colby has struggled recently, but things definitely haven’t been all sunshine and rainbows over the past few weeks like they were at the start of the season. The Mules are still 5-2 over their last 7 games, but when you get off to an 18-0 start any loss makes it look like you’re slowing down. One of the biggest question marks in this game is the status of Sam Jefferson ’20, who went down with an ankle injury 3 weeks ago against Hamilton. Jefferson is one of the most efficient and talented players in the league and still has a realistic shot at winning NESCAC Player of the Year despite missing several games. He didn’t play at all over the 4 games after his injury, but last weekend Coach Strahorn tried sending him out there during the Mules’ triple overtime victory over Bates in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately Jefferson immediately had to go back to the bench because it essentially looked like he was playing on one leg. If Coach Strahorn thought that there was a chance Jefferson could play last week, perhaps an extra week of rest and healing is all it will take for him to at least be able to contribute a good chunk of minutes. Colby has an array of guards who can spread the floor and shoot the crap out of the ball, but Sam Jefferson ’20 is an important piece of the puzzle and they certainly haven’t been the same team without him.

Amherst X-Factor

F Eric Sellew ’20 (13.3 PPG, 6.9 REB/G, 3.4 AST/G, 53.6% FG, 23 MIN/G)

(Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

There’s no doubt that Sellew is the X-Factor for the Mammoths in this one. Colby’s number one problem is that they lack size, so the fact that Sellew is 6’7” means that he should feast on the glass all night. He’s also a versatile scorer and his long wingspan makes him very difficult to guard around the basket. A shoulder injury in mid-January sidelined him for a few games, but it seems as though he’s back to full health. In their first meeting with the Mules Sellew struggled a bit, turning the ball over 7 times and only grabbing 4 rebounds (he did score 15 points). Amherst still won that game, but they can’t expect the same result if Sellew isn’t at his very best. With his injury in the rear-view mirror, he’s ready to lead the Mammoths to yet another deep postseason run.

Colby X-Factor

G Will King ’23 (9.7 PPG, 4.6 REB/G, 5.8 AST/G, 50% FG)

(Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

King could not have picked a better time to have his best game of the season, netting 32 points, hauling in 11 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists in the Mules triple overtime victory over Bates in the NESCAC Quarterfinals. This guy has been one of the most impressive rookies in the league all season, but if he’s able to elevate his play even more in the postseason then Colby is primed for a deep playoff run. King is the NESCAC leader in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, so we know he has great court vision and he’s careful with the ball. He’s also the tallest player in the starting lineup (albeit 6’5”), so he’ll need to continue hitting the boards to help with rebounding duties. His points per game average is a bit deceiving because he started the year off a bit slow scoring wise. Over the last 15 games he has reached double figures 10 times, most recently with his 32-point outburst last weekend. With everything else he does on the court, if King can increase his scoring totals then he’s going to really make an impact down the stretch.

Final Thoughts

Obviously the health of Sam Jefferson ’20 is a huge factor in this one, but I expect it to be a battle either way. NESCAC Tournament games have a flare for the dramatic and no one knows that better than these two teams who are both coming off overtime quarterfinal matchups. Garrett Day ’21 has emerged as the star over the second half of the season for Amherst and he’s been very hot as of late, but they’ll need guys like Fru Che ’21 and Josh Chery ’20 to step up as well if they want to keep up with Colby’s high octane offense. The Mules’ five-man backcourt of Jefferson, Noah Tyson ’22, Matt Hanna ’21, Alex Dorion ’20, and Will King ’23 can score on you in a hurry, but they had a season-low shooting percentage in their first go around against the Mammoths. Conversely, Amherst had their second highest field goal percentage of the season last time against the Mules. I wouldn’t bet on either of those happening again, particularly since they’ve each seen each other once and have made some adjustments heading into this meeting. Colby’s reliance on the 3-ball makes them really hard to trust in the postseason, even with a 23-2 record over the course of the season. Combine that with Jefferson’s status being up in the air, I think the third-seeded Mammoths are the favorites in this one.

Writer’s Pick: Amherst 83 – Colby 78

Love (And Postseason Hope) Is in the Air: Weekend Preview 2/14

Friday

Hamilton (14-8, 2-6) vs. Conn College (4-18, 0-8), 7pm, Clinton, NY

Because of their loss last weekend to Bowdoin, Hamilton must win both their games this weekend in order to even possibly qualify for the postseason tournament; if Bates and/or Bowdoin wins one game, Hamilton will be eliminated regardless of their outcomes. The Continentals wouldn’t have been in this position had they not blown a 23-point lead in the second half of their game against the Polar Bears, but they’ll need to shake that one off and take the Camels seriously in order to move on to Saturday and keep their postseason hopes alive. It’s already been established that Kena Gilmour ‘20 is the heart and soul of this team as he’s the only player averaging double figures, but someone else really has to step up during these last two games as a reliable second scorer. Even if it’s the Gilmour show again, Hamilton can get away with it against Conn, although it won’t be as comfortable of a win as they’d like it to be.

Writer’s Pick: Hamilton 78, Conn 69

Amherst (16-6, 6-2) vs. Trinity (15-7, 5-3), 7pm, Amherst, MA

With both teams having already locked down postseason spots, this game remains crucial for seeding purposes. After last week’s impressive sweep of both Bowdoin and Colby, the Mammoths are just half a game behind the Mules and have an opportunity to leap them for the second seed. Conversely, a slip-up against Trinity would allow the Bantams to surpass them, so it’s safe to say this one will be a hotly-contested matchup. Trinity rebounded from their beatdown against Tufts by absolutely throttling the slumping Bobcats. Nick Seretta ‘20, Colin Donovan ‘21, and the rest of the Bantams’ bench ran the show, pouring in 65 points. It should be a tight and hotly-contested affair early, and while Trinity has had a slew of impressive victories during the course of the season, Amherst currently has the hotter hand and will deliver a huge win in front of their home crowd.

Writer’s Pick: Amherst 77, Trinity 68

#12 Colby (20-2, 7-2) vs. Wesleyan (13-9, 2-6), 7pm, Waterville, ME

The Mules have now lost conference games in consecutive weeks, officially eliminating them from obtaining the number one seed in the postseason tournament. Even in their close win against Hamilton this past Friday, the Mules struggled to put together a complete effort and record a convincing win. Most of their problems have (surprisingly) come on the offensive end in recent games, including their 72-61 win against Bates on Tuesday evening. The Mules shot just 39% from the field, with multiple major contributors struggling (Matt Hanna ‘21, Noah Tyson ‘22 and Alex Dorion ‘20 a combined 5-26 from three). Thankfully for Colby, their defense saved the day with fantastic perimeter defense. At 2-6 in conference play, the Cardinals would need to win out and have some help in order to steal that final seed. Having dropped four consecutive conference games, however, doesn’t instill much confidence in me to believe they can actually achieve this. We don’t know the status of Jefferson, but I expect the Mules to bounce back regardless and shake off those offensive woes. 

Writer’s Pick: Colby 88, Wesleyan 75

#10 Middlebury (19-3, 5-3) vs. #18 Tufts (18-4, 8-0), 7pm, Middlebury, VT

Tufts has already secured the title of regular season champions, but this match-up poses real threats to their unblemished conference record.  Similarly to the Mules, the Panthers like to spread opponents out; however, they have some more height to combat star big man Luke Rogers ‘21 with the duo of Matt Folger ‘20 and Ryan Cahill ‘21 (still waiting on the return of big man Alex Sobel ‘22). The defense has started to show signs of tightening things up, and the offense drained fourteen triples in their last game against Wesleyan. As for the Jumbos, don’t think that this game is meaningless because they’ve already wrapped up the top seed for the conference tournament. Despite having accomplished that in addition to a victory over the Mules, the Jumbos are slotted eighteen in the national polls, a distant third behind #12 Colby and #10 Middlebury. Tufts will surely feel disrespected and motivated to leave Pepin Gym with a resounding victory. It feels like we’ve been waiting for Tufts to finally drop a game in conference play, and I think we might just see it today as they venture outside the confines of Medford. Rogers and veteran guard Eric Savage ‘20 will surely make this a game, but I think the Panthers put together another well-rounded performance to give the Jumbos their first conference loss. 

Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 83, Tufts 76

Williams (11-11, 4-4) vs. Bates (11-11, 3-5) 7pm, Williamstown, MA

Last week’s win against Wesleyan was significant because it locked down a top eight seed for Williams. Where they will finish, however, is anyone’s guess. Currently occupying the sixth seed, the Ephs are one game behind the four seed, and conversely are one and a half games ahead of Bowdoin for the eight spot. They’ve had their ups-and-downs this season, but this game might just come down to how effective our Nothing But NESCAC brethren Matthew Karpowicz ‘20 is. Coach App surely has seen the numbers Luke Rogers put up against the Bobcats and will try to recreate offensive sets for his big man similar to how the Jumbos featured theirs. For the Bobcats, it’s been tough sledding on offense end these past two games, and that’s not a great sign considering the Ephs are second in the NESCAC in points allowed per game. Bates needs just a single win in one of their next two games to automatically qualify for the conference tourney, but with the potential absence of sharp-shooter Kody Greenhalgh ‘20, another poor shooting night could derail those hopes.

Writer’s Pick: Williams 71, Bates 65

Saturday

Amherst (16-6, 6-2) vs. Conn College (4-18, 0-8), 3pm, Amherst, MA

Onto the Saturday slate, where Amherst really should have no problem dealing with a Conn team that seems primed to go winless in conference play for the third consecutive year. The Mammoths seem to have been motivated upon their disappearance from the Top 25 rankings back in mid-January; most notably, they’ve found a real groove on offense, averaging 84.8 ppg over their past five contests. That’s a scary statistic for the rest of the NESCAC given that Amherst also boasts the league’s top defensive unit. 

Writer’s Pick: Amherst 83, Conn College 62

Hamilton (14-8, 2-6) vs. Trinity (15-7, 5-3), 3pm, Clinton, NY

Not to overlook the Conn game, but this match-up right here is essentially do-or-die for the Continentals.  Under the presumption that Hamilton beats Conn, even if they win against Trinity, they may not make the conference tournament if Bates wins one game or if Bowdoin defeats Wesleyan. However, they surely don’t have a chance if they drop this contest against the Bantams, so they’ll need to rally together on Senior Day because everyone wants to see Gilmour work his magic in the postseason. Unfortunately for the Continentals’ faithful, I just don’t see enough consistency out of this team to merit a victory over a better caliber opponent. Take the over on Gilmour’s points, but the Bantams will grind down the home team and leave New York victorious.

Writer’s Pick: Trinity 77, Hamilton 72

Williams (11-11, 4-4) vs. #18 Tufts (18-4, 8-0), 3pm, Williamstown, MA

Whether they win or lose against Middlebury on Friday, the The Jumbos will be weary from their game against the Panthers as they hit the road again to take on the Ephs.  This match-up pits the two best big men in the conference against one another in Rogers and Karpowicz. Karpowicz might have the experience, but Rogers has been more of a force on the glass and has the surrounding shooters to allow for more isolation plays. The Eph defense will keep this one close for a half or so, but give me the Jumbos to conclude their end-of-season road trip with a quality victory. 

Writer’s Pick: Tufts 74, Williams 64

#10 Middlebury (19-3, 5-3) vs. Bates (11-11, 3-5), 3pm, Middlebury, VT

On paper this appears as if it could be a bloodbath given the way both teams are trending, but circle this one as a hangover game for the Panthers.  I really do think they defeat Tufts on Friday, and if they do, then I fully expect a sluggish start against a Bates team that could very well be playing for their playoff lives on Saturday. That kind of desperation, coupled with a more relaxing vibe on Senior Day after an important home victory the previous night is a recipe for a bit of chaos. Key cogs in the offense such as Stephon Baxter ‘23 and Jeff Spellman ‘20, haven’t shot well recently, but with some added adrenaline it’s very possible the offense starts knocking down shots.  I’m not saying Bates will win, but I believe this one will be much closer than most people believe. Middlebury scrapes by with a win, and Bates still makes the tournament with Hamilton’s loss to Trin.

Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 83, Bates 78

Sunday

Bowdoin (8-15, 3-6) vs. Wesleyan (13-9, 2-6), 3pm, Brunswick, ME

Winners of two of their past three, the Polar Bears are currently holding onto the last remaining spot in the conference tournament. They must defeat Wesleyan, however, as a loss would in all likelihood bounce them out. A huge piece of Bowdoin’s run has been star David Reynolds ‘20. The senior poured in 33 points in their remarkable overtime comeback against Hamilton, and can get hot very quickly from just about anywhere on the floor. Wesleyan doesn’t really have a defined, go-to scorer like how Bowdoin has Reynolds, although Antone Walker ‘21 and Jordan James 21 form a nice duo. Still, it’s hard not to believe the Polar Bears will rise up on Senior Day in the most important game of their season, and behind David Reynold’s 25+ points, Bowdoin will finally secure a playoff berth in a thrilling win.

Writer’s Pick: Bowdoin 79, Wesleyan 76

Better Late Than Never: Power Rankings 2/8

(3) 1. #21 Tufts (16-4, 6-0)

Last week: W 85-73 vs. Bowdoin, W 80-67 vs. Colby
This week: @ Trinity, @ Conn

This one shouldn’t be much of a surprise- the Jumbos cemented themselves as the current big dog of the NESCAC after handing Colby their first loss of the season. They have been getting it done with the play of their big man Luke Rogers ’21, who had 19 and 12 against Colby on Saturday, and Eric Savage ’20, who had a ridiculous stat line the night before against Bowdoin- 13-17 from the field and 5-5 from deep to finish with 35 points. Sophomore Tyler Aronson ’22 is another offensive talent that needs to be addressed in any opponent’s defensive gameplan. As Cam mentioned in this week’s stock report, Tufts guarded Colby probably better than any team has all season. Starters Noah Tyson ’22, Matt Hanna ’21, and Sam Jefferson ’20 combined for 17 points- a stat that made it awfully tough for Colby to win. With Tufts being the only Boston-area NESCAC and also having the largest enrollment, many of the recruiting pieces are there. We could be witnessing the start of a dynasty with this team. They visit a tough Trinity team Friday night in what should be a good one. 

(1) 2. #9 Colby (18-1, 6-1)

Last week: W 101-84 @ Bates, L 80-67 @ Tufts
This week: vs. Hamilton, vs. Amherst

The Mules finally drop out of the top spot in our rankings after their hot shooting was dampened by Tufts. A big reason for the loss was Tufts’ defensive gameplan- they did not allow Sam Jefferson ’20 to even take a shot in the first half, and he only finished with 3 points. He’s been their big scorer up to this point, so he’ll have to learn to adjust and find other shooters when teams focus on him. Tufts also took advantage of Colby’s lack of size and out-rebounded them by 20, in large part thanks to Luke Rogers ’21. The good news for the Mules is that they finish their conference slate with four straight home games. There’s no doubt that they can win all four, but Tufts showed that a team with a strong big man and a good defensive gameplan can give Colby major problems. 

(7) 3. Trinity (14-6, 4-2)

Last week: W 82-76 vs. Middlebury, W 73-60 vs. Williams
This week: vs. Tufts, vs. Bates

Trin’s upperclassmen-laden rotation is finally starting to play to potential, which is a scary thought for everyone else in the conference. Last weekend, Trinity took down Middlebury and Williams- two teams that blew them out just last season. Between Donald Jorden’s dominance on the boards, Colin Donovan’s elite shooting, and Kyle Padmore ’20 being the frontrunner for DPOY, all the pieces we know the Bantams have are starting to come together. In their past three games, Donovan shot 10-19 from deep, and as Cam mentioned, Jorden has been impossible to box out- 15.6 rebounds per game! This has helped the Bantams’ offense keep up with their traditionally physical and aggressive defense that gave Williams’ inexperienced guards fits. They have two more opportunities to defend their home court this week, as they host an equally hot Tufts team followed by Bates. 

(4) 4. Amherst (14-6, 4-2)

Last week: W 75-53 vs. Wesleyan
This week: @ Bowdoin, @ Colby

The Mammoths (and Middlebury too, for that matter) are knocking hard at the 3 spot, but they’ll be at 4 for now just because their wins last weekend didn’t come against opponents that were as strong as Trinity’s. They looked good against Wesleyan shooting 15-27 from three, but their two losses to Williams hurt their ranking and I know they hurt the hearts of Mammoth faithful even more. Amherst hasn’t really found their go-to guy yet, but we know from their past few conference games that guys like Garrett Day ’21, Grant Robinson ’21 and Fru Che ’21 can give you buckets on any given night. With Bowdoin and Conn College being two of Amherst’s last few games, they’ll likely still salvage a solid NESCAC record despite not being the alpha of the conference as they often are. We’re not sure what their postseason will look like quite yet, but we do know that the Mammoths have been a power for too long to be counted out. 

(2) 5. #13 Middlebury (18-3, 4-3)

Last week: L 82-76 @ Trinity, W 77-61 @ Conn
This week: @ Wesleyan

The Panthers didn’t have a great road trip to Connecticut, taking a loss to Trinity on Friday night and then only being up by one against Conn College before pulling away to win by 16 the next day. Earlier in the year, it wouldn’t have been fathomable for the latter matchup to be that close at all, but Midd has definitely fallen back towards the pack after a hot start. One bright spot for the Panthers has been Tommy Eastman ’21, who went 9-14 from the floor for 22 points with 12 rebounds against Trinity followed by 20 more the next day. Outside of Eastman, the shooting needs to improve for Midd to make a deep postseason run and justify their national ranking. Going a combined 8-43 from deep on the weekend for a team with that much talent is inexcusable. Every team has bad shooting nights sometimes and Midd will likely rebound in a big way at some point over their last three conference games, but there’s got to be a sense of urgency moving forward if the Panthers want a shot at a national bid. 

(8) 6. Williams (10-11, 3-4)

Last week: W 71-62 @ Conn, L 73-60 @ Trinity
This week: @ Wesleyan

The road continues to be rocky for the Ephs. Their NESCAC slate over the weekend included a single-digit (!!) win over Conn, and a loss to Trinity in which the Bantams put the game away early in the second half. Additionally, they suffered a loss this Monday to Yeshiva…a school I had to Google because I had honestly never heard of it before. The story continues to be that the younger guards cannot consistently match the strong inside play of Matt Karpowicz ’20. We know that guys like Cole Prowitt-Smith ’23 and Jovan Jones ’22 can play, but they just don’t seem to be playing with the cohesiveness of last year’s veteran unit. Karpowicz held his own against Donald Jorden in Hartford with 15 and 12, but the team’s 17 turnovers and 5-24 three-point shooting showed both the strength of Trinity’s defense and the inexperience of the Ephs. Going 2 for 2 against Amherst on the year always feels good, but Williams could really use a win on Friday against Wesleyan to solidify their playoff positioning. 

(5) 7. Hamilton (14-6, 2-4)

Last week: W 78-67 vs. Wesleyan
This week: @ Colby, @ Bowdoin

The 7-9 spots are just as messy as the 3-6. Hamilton gets the 7 this week, but that’s not to say that a lot more wasn’t expected out of them coming into this season. We all know how good Kena Gilmour ’20 is, but it’s his senior year so what that means is that teams have finally started to do a better job gameplanning for him. He’s still been putting the ball in the basket, but not at the rate that earned him Player of the Year last season. We have yet to see one of his teammates step up and become that consistent second scoring option when Gilmour is being double teamed or smothered by a strong defender. Hamilton also can’t afford any more random defensive lapses like the one they had on January 18, when they gave up 98 points to Bates. The Continentals are making the long trip to Maine this weekend to take on Bowdoin and Colby, and they’re in trouble if they don’t come back having won at least one of those games. 

(9) 8. Wesleyan (13-7, 2-4)

Last week: L 75-53 @ Amherst, L 78-67 @ Hamilton
This week: vs. Williams, vs. Middlebury

Sorry to Cardinals fans, but this team just has not been very exciting since Austin Hutcherson transferred to Illinois. It has to be disheartening to lose by 20 in your conference game against Little Three foe Amherst when you beat them earlier in the season. They followed that game up with a tough loss to a very beatable Hamilton team. Like Amherst, Wes is a team still kind of looking to find their identity. They’ve got guys like Antone Walker ’21 and Jordan James ’20 who will give you 10 or 15 a game, but that just hasn’t been enough for the Cardinals to be a force. The Cards have a tough four-game stretch to end the season, with Williams and Middlebury at home this weekend and a road trip to Maine with Colby and Bowdoin to finish out. My prediction is that their one-point loss to Bates earlier this year will come back to haunt them come postseason play. 

(10) 9. Bowdoin (7-13, 2-5)

Last week: L 85-73 @ Tufts, W 78-73 @ Bates
This week: vs. Amherst, vs. Hamilton

Bowdoin’s win last week over Bates may not be turning any heads at the top of the league, but it vaulted them from a clear second-to-last rank into the muddled pack of teams battling for the final seeds. They have a shot at getting one of these last spots, but it will be tough with them having played one more game than many of the teams they’re battling. Their best hope will be if David Reynolds ’20 and Sam Grad ’20 both go off in the same game…for a few games. Keep an eye on their games against Hamilton and Wesleyan to see how the lower seeds will sort themselves out. 

(6) 10. Bates (10-9, 2-4) 

Last week: L 101-84 vs. Colby, L 78-73 vs. Bowdoin
This week: @ Conn, @ Trinity

The Bobcats are being placed below their other two-win counterparts because it was a surprise that Bowdoin beat anyone besides Conn in the conference, but they made it happen against Bates. You would think this team has another run of good basketball left in them due to their abundance of seniors, but we have not seen them put together a consistent stretch of winning this season. We know they can put up big points every now and then (98 against Hamilton), but the loss to Bowdoin has has to hurt. The insult to injury for the Bobcats is that they finish their conference slate with five away games. Bates will likely be battling for one of the last few playoff spots.

(11) 11. Conn College (4-16, 0-6)

Last week: L 71-62 vs. Williams, L 77-61 vs. Middlebury
This week: vs. Bates, vs. Tufts

While Conn may still be searching for that ever-so-elusive conference win, they have at least been competitive lately. Things continued to look up after their heartbreaking double overtime loss to Trinity- the Camels only lost by 9 to Williams and were within one of Middlebury at halftime. Trust the process. At this point, I wouldn’t totally count out the possibility of a win in their last three games. I’m not saying it’s likely, but Conn’s last few performances have given me faith. Freshman Ben McPherron ’23 has been a player to watch, averaging 12.1 ppg on the season. A few more strong showings will cool down coach Tim Sweeney’s seat a bit once the season concludes. 

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

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. 

Final Regular Season Power Rankings

March is Overrated, “February Frenzy” is Upon Us – Power Rankings 2/13

Chaos doesn’t even begin to describe this week’s edition of the Power Rankings. Heck, we didn’t even know that Midd was the #1 seed until last night! In these past two weeks, we’ve witnessed the unexpected: Williams tumbling out of the top three? Yup. Trinity catching fire late while Wesleyan sinks like a stone? Sure. Amherst blitzing past everyone in their path? Check. These two weeks have proven that any of the top eight teams in the postseason tournament have the ability to get hot and win the entire thing, which makes for an extremely entertaining set of games. It’s also an indicator that the teams we consider to be a part of the upper echelon of NESCAC basketball are nowhere near safe, even in their opening games. Without further ado, here’s my interpretation of the madness.

(5) 1. #11 Amherst (20-3, 7-2)

At this very moment, no team is hotter than the Mammoths. Winning six straight conference games until last night was no easy task, especially considering the volatile nature of the NESCAC this season. Their two most impressive wins of the season came last weekend; on Friday, the Mammoths traveled to Williamstown and secured a season-sweep of rival Williams, and if that wasn’t enough, they followed up that performance with a road win against Middlebury. Grant Robinson ‘21 (19.0 PPG last two games) and Fru Che ‘21 (15.0 PPG last two games) paced the Amherst attack, and bench players Garrett Day ‘21 and C.J. Bachmann ‘19 reach double figures in both contests. What’s more impressive is Amherst is a team that usually grinds down teams with its defense, but against the Panthers they proved they can outscore teams by dropping 97 points.  Even with their loss to Hamilton last night, I’d still consider Amherst as the front-runner for the NESCAC Championship.

(3) 2. #25 Middlebury (18-6, 7-3)

If the Panthers had defeated the Mammoths on Saturday, they would have clinched regular season crown; instead, they had to wait for Hamilton to knock off Amherst. A weekend split between Hamilton and Amherst is nothing to be ashamed of, however, and the Panthers’ win against the Continentals was massive in the sense that the result ensured they would earn a top two seed for the postseason tournament. Jack Farrell’s ‘21 18 points paced Middlebury against the Continentals, but it was sharpshooter Max Bosco ‘21 who sunk a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to give the Panthers their seventh conference win. The Panther defense that had been brilliant in recent games was non-existent in their matchup with Amherst, as Middlebury allowed a season-high 97 points, including 56 in the second half. The Panthers will now turn their focus to their matchup against Tufts in the first round of the postseason tournament and will be expected to advance.

(4) 3. #10 Hamilton (20-6, 6-3)

The Continentals bounced back from their heartbreaking defeat against the Panthers with huge wins against Williams and against Hamilton. Those wins cemented their place as the two seed for the postseason tournament. Kena Gilmour ‘20 was sensational, registering 25 points, six rebounds and four assists, as three other players joined him with double figures in the scoring department. Hamilton also held the Ephs to just 7-23 from beyond the arc and forced 16 turnovers in the process. The Continentals have really picked up the quality of their play in recent games even with the one blemish against Middlebury, and they’ll be undoubtedly one of the favorites in the NESCAC tournament and possibly beyond.

(1) 4. #18 Williams (19-5, 6-4)

What on Earth is going on in Williamstown? No one would have predicted the former #2 team in the country to endure a three-game losing streak this late in the season and plummet to #18 in the national rankings. After defeating Colby, the Ephs and the rest of the NESCAC community were left stunned when Bowdoin’s Sam Grad ‘21 nailed a game-winning three in overtime. This past weekend, Williams lost to rival Amherst, and if that wasn’t bad enough, their second-leading scorer, James Heskett ‘19, tweaked his ankle and missed their regular season finale against Hamilton. Word on the street is he should be ready to go in their quarterfinal matchup, and he’ll be needed because Bobby Casey ‘19 cannot do it all by himself, despite averaging 21.0 PPG over their last three. The Ephs might want to focus their attention on the whole defensive thing: They’ve allowed opposing teams to shoot 52.2% in the past three games, including 44.7% from downtown.

(9) 5. Trinity (17-7, 6-4)

After getting absolutely pounded by Williams and Middlebury by a combined 71 points (ouch), Trinity was sitting at 2-4 in conference with just four games remaining. Their win against in-state rival Wesleyan completely re-energized this squad, and the Bantams rattled off three straight  conference wins against Conn, Tufts and Bates to soar up the standings into fifth place. Their most recent win against Tufts was the most impressive sans the upset against Wesleyan, as the Bantams dominated the Jumbos from start to finish en route to an emphatic 20 point victory. Four players reached double-digits, led by Donald Jorden Jr.’s ‘21 20 point, 10 rebound performance. Trinity now has plenty of momentum heading into their quarterfinal matchup, and the league’s fourth best defense will have to be ready to shut down a Williams team that hung 85 on them last time out.

(2) 6. Wesleyan (16-8, 6-4)

Even with the loss to Tufts, Wesleyan looked like it was in position to snag a top three seed. They had a very favorable remaining schedule and already boasted wins against Middlebury, Hamilton and Amherst. Then came the loss to Trinity, but hey, the Cardinals only shot 19% from deep and when you have an in-state rivalry game, anything can happen. Next up was a non-conference loss to Amherst; not a huge deal considering Amherst is a great squad and it was only a one point loss, but concerning because Austin Hutcherson ‘21 struggled to score for the third consecutive game. Stopping the bleeding after the Amherst loss was essential in order for the Cardinals to hold on to a top three seed; well, the Cardinals responded by going down 26 points – at halftime – to Colby, and despite a frantic comeback, the deficit was too large to overcome. Hutcherson had a horrific first half (5 points, 2-11 from the field) before finding his stroke in the final twenty minutes, and only one player (Sam Peek ‘22) contributed off the Cardinals’ bench. Hutcherson (37 points) and Wesleyan bounced back the following day by annihilating Bowdoin, but the damage from their recent defeats was done and Wesleyan fell in the standings to simply a middle-tier team. Don’t get me wrong: Wesleyan certainly has the capability to make a deep run in the postseason, but the shine from their blazing start has worn off and those three losses severely hampered their quest  an NCAA at-large selection. Winning the tournament might be the only way we see Hutcherson, Jordan Bonner ‘19, and company make it to the Big Dance.

(6) 7. Colby (17-7, 5-5)

If I’m being completely honest, I have no idea what to think of this team. Colby has some of the strongest wins in league play (@ Amherst, @ Hamilton, and this past Friday, @ Wesleyan). Against the Cardinals, Matt Hanna ‘21 (19 points) led the offensive assault as the Mules drained 18 three’s, and freshman sensation Noah Tyson ‘22 recorded a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) while knocking down four triples of his own. Their performance against Conn on Saturday, however, was much less exciting, as the Mules were unable to finish off the only winless NESCAC squad until the very waning minutes. Sam Jefferson ‘20 (20 points, carried an offense that hit only 39.7% of their shots, 21.1% from deep, and a head-scratching 58.3% from the charity stripe. As strong as some of their wins are, the Mules do own losses against both Bates and Bowdoin, so maybe it’s just an instance of Colby playing to the level of their competition? If so, it’s good news that this team will open up the NESCAC tournament against the #2 seed, Hamilton.

(7) 8. Tufts (11-13, 4-6)

On February 1st, The Jumbos sat one game ahead of Bowdoin for the eighth seed in the NESCAC standings with three games to play. One win in those three games would have ensured their participation in postseason ball. Well, the Jumbos proceeded to get whacked by Amherst, lose a close one to Hamilton, and get annihilated yet again, this time by Trinity. Luckily, the Jumbos own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Polar Bears, so despite their three-game losing streak, Tufts lives to see another day. In their most recent loss to Trinity, Eric Savage ‘20 led the Jumbos with 20 points and big man Luke Rogers ‘21 (14 points, 11 rebounds) added yet another double-double to the stat sheet, but the defense (or lack thereof) is a real cause of concern for Coach Sheldon and his team. Tufts is dead last in defensive PPG, FG% and 3PFG%. The boys in brown and blue have a lot of work to do this week in order to prepare for their first round matchup.

(10) 9. Bowdoin (15-9, 4-6)

The win against Conn gave the Polar Bears a real shot at snagging the seventh seed from Colby (due to their head-to-head victory over the Mules back in January), as long as they could beat a Wesleyan team in full nosedive mode. The Polar Bears trailed by nine at half, and were eventually run out of the gym as they saw their postseason hopes fade away in what was surely one of their worst performances of the season. They shot just 36.2%, and David Reynolds ‘20 and Jack Simonds ‘19 combined to shoot just 9-26 from the field. The defense was porous to say the least, allowing Austin Hutcherson to explode for 37 points as he and the Cardinals hit at a 54.5% clip on the day. What’s more, the Polar Bears committed 19 fouls, leading to 26 free throw attempts for Wesleyan. All in all, the poor performance will certainly leave a bitter taste for Polar Bear fans, who will have to wait until next season to see if their squad can make the postseason dance.

(8) 10. Bates (7-17, 3-7)

I really thought the Bobcats were going to make a late push for a playoff spot, but they ran out of gas and dropped their last three league games. Defending the long ball has been a weak spot for Bates all season, and it was evident in their losses against Hamilton and Trinity. Despite forcing 21 turnovers against the Continentals, the Bobcats allowed them to sink 16 triples, and the Bantams drained 13 of their own in what proved to be the difference in a tightly-contested contest. Center Nick Lynch ‘19 capped off his career with a 20-point performance against Trinity before fouling out with 1:12 left, and Jeff Spellman ‘20 came alive with 14 points in the second half, helping erase an 11 point deficit with under five minutes and claw within one point. With the season over for the ‘Cats, there’s plenty to look forward to as Spellman, Kody Greenhalgh ‘20, Tom Coyne ‘20 and Nick Gilpin ‘20 will all return for the 2019-2020 season; the biggest concern will be filling the role of Lynch (13.4 PPG, 7.3 REB/G).

(11) 11. Conn (7-17, 0-10)

The Camels had nothing to play for this weekend, but credit this team for fighting hard until the very last whistle of their 2018-2019 season. They could have easily folded against Bowdoin and Colby knowing that they were effectively eliminated from postseason ball, but they made the Maine schools earn their wins. Unfortunately, we’re not here to hand out participation trophies, and Conn’s valiant performances does not mask the fact that the Camels have not won a NESCAC game since February 10th, 2017 (a streak that has extended to 21 consecutive games). It does not help that Conn will graduate David Laboissiere ‘19, a prolific scorer who ended a fantastic career with combined 34 points over the two contests. On the bright side, the Camels only graduate three seniors, and forward Dan Draffan ‘21 (21.0 PPG last two games) and company will hope to erase the Camels’ woes on the hardwood next season.