Tag: Max Bosco

Over the Hump: 2/1 Weekend Preview

Friday

Amherst (13-6, 3-2) vs. Wesleyan (13-5, 2-2), 7pm, Amherst, MA

We’re kicking things off with a very interesting game out of western Mass. Wesleyan won the non-conference meeting between these two, but that was three weeks ago and these teams have each come a long way since. Amherst has been fairly inconsistent so far, taking down Middlebury, Hamilton, and Bates but losing to Williams and Tufts. These are all good teams mind you, but the Mammoths haven’t really found much of an identity yet and we can’t seem to figure out exactly how good they are. Senior swingman Eric Sellew ’20 suffered a shoulder injury a few weeks ago at Bates and hasn’t played since, so we’ll have to keep an eye on his status for this weekend because he had been one of the most impactful players in the league to start the season. The Cardinals, on the other hand, have won 4 in a row and have looked like a different team since their opening weekend losses to Tufts and Bates. Wesleyan has shown recently that they have an array of guys who can go off on any given night. Antone Walker ’21, Jordan James ’20, and Gabe Ravetz ’21 seem to be taking turns as the team’s leading scorer and the fact that they all play different positions is huge for the versatility of the lineup. I expect this game to be fairly low scoring, but with Sellew sidelined I think the Cardinals are going to pick up their 5th win in a row on the road in this marquee Little Three matchup.

Writer’s Pick: Wesleyan 72 – Amherst 67

Conn College (3-14, 0-4) vs. Williams (9-9, 2-3), 7pm, New London, CT

There’s never much to say about the Camels. They had a golden opportunity to seal the victory against Trinity last week but a few late missed free throws and a miracle, full-court heave by the Bantams allowed them to come away with the win. Dan Draffan ’21 and Ben McPherron ’23 have been Conn’s leading scorers all year, but they both fouled out late in the game against Trinity and had to watch both overtimes from the bench. It seems like nothing can go right for the Camels so we’ll have to keep waiting for them to put it all together. Williams has been another fairly inconsistent team this year, beating Amherst twice but blowing a 15-point lead against Hamilton and struggling in a few other conference games. Matt Karpowicz ’20 is the best center in the league but was essentially a non-factor in their last game at Middlebury, so look for him to try and get more involved this weekend. Cole Prowitt-Smith ’23 has been remarkably streaky, having flashes of looking like the most talented player in the league while also have stretches of playing completely out of control and undisciplined. I don’t see the Ephs losing this game, but they’ve got some things to figure out moving forward.

Writer’s Pick: Williams 84 – Conn 61

#22 Tufts (14-4, 4-0) vs. Bowdoin (6-11, 1-4), 7pm, Medford, MA

I’d say we pretty much know what to expect from this game too. Tufts has been one of the hottest teams in the league (although they did lose a non-conference game this week) and Bowdoin has had a fairly disappointing season thus far. The Jumbos have had a lethal scoring attack, led by talented big man Luke Rogers ’21 and senior captain Eric Savage ’20. This team already has impressive wins over Wesleyan, Hamilton, Amherst, and Bates despite having just one senior on the roster. Tufts is very talented and very explosive and they can score in a hurry. They also have the ability to really lock in on defense and their opponents often go through long stretches without scoring. The Polar Bears have not seen the same success and have been ridiculously one-dimensional this season. David Reynolds ’20 is putting up over 20 points per game, but it doesn’t really look like anyone else can contribute anything in the scoring column. Zavier Rucker ’21 is a solid point guard, but when Reynolds is the only guy you’re passing to it’s not very hard to defend. The Polar Bears may steal a win at some point this year, but this will not be the day. The Jumbos aren’t dropping this one on their home court.

Writer’s Pick: Tufts 87 – Bowdoin 71

Trinity (12-6, 2-2) vs. #10 Middlebury (17-2, 3-2), 7pm, Hartford, CT

I think this game has the potential to be interesting. The Bantams always seem to surprise us, as they did last Saturday at Conn when Christian Porydzy ’20 hit the shot of the year and Trinity managed to escape with the win. They have 4 players averaging double figures in scoring, led by reigning NESCAC Player of the Week Donald Jorden ’21, who is averaging a double double on the year. The problem, however, is that they’re going up against Middlebury. The Panthers are one of the best teams in the league and they’ve got quite a few scoring threats of their own. In fact, 5 of their players are averaging double figures in scoring and they have some of the craftiest guards in the league. Jack Farrell ’21 and Max Bosco ’21 can score almost any way, while Matt Folger ’20 is probably the biggest wing in the NESCAC and uses that to his advantage. Middlebury has already taken two losses in conference (against good teams) but they have some very impressive non-conference wins on their resume and their talent is undeniable. The Bantams could make things interesting playing in their own gym, but I think the Panthers will roll tonight.

Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 81 – Trinity 70

Bates (10-7, 2-2) vs. #5 Colby (17-0, 5-0), 7pm, Lewiston, ME

Call me biased, but this game has my pick for game of the day. We’ve talked about Colby all year long and deservedly so. Sam Jefferson ’20 is the most talented scorer we’ve seen in recent years and he’s surrounded by a bunch of dudes who can freaking shoot. The Mules are 2nd in the NESCAC in shooting percentage and 1st in 3-point percentage, while leading the league in points per game by a fairly large margin. It doesn’t matter that they only have 1 guy in their rotation over 6’4” because if you give anyone on their team the tiniest bit of space then they’ll kill you. All of that said, the Bobcats always tend to surprise us as well. They have a good recent track record against Colby and bragging rights are on the line in this CBB matchup. Bates will also have the advantage of playing in famed Alumni Gym, where they’ll play in front of a raucous crowd that is sure to play a factor in this one. Omar Sarr ’23 didn’t have his best day in their last game against Tufts, but he has a chance to really exploit the Mules’ lack of size. Aside from the low post these teams actually matchup fairly well, so my guess is that this one will come down to whoever has the ball last. There is sure to be a lot of scoring, but the hostile Alumni Gym environment is likely not something Colby has seen yet this year. All signs seem to point to a Bobcat upset.

Writer’s Pick: Bates 86 – Colby 83

Saturday

Trinity (12-6, 2-2) vs. Williams (9-9, 2-3), 3pm, Hartford, CT

This game is a lock for 2nd best game of the day. Each of these two have bounced around the bottom/middle of the league and are looking to distinguish themselves. Williams has the advantage of playing Conn the night before, so they likely won’t have to have their starters overdo it. I’m intrigued to see how the Matt Karpowicz-Donald Jorden matchup goes given that they’re two of the most talented big men in the league but play very different styles. We’ll also keep an eye on Spencer Spivy ’22 who missed a game with illness and didn’t play extended minutes in his first game back. I believe that the Ephs have the more talented lineup, but the Bantams have experience and that goes a long way. Trinity starts 5 upperclassmen who have played together for years, so they have a wealth of experience in these big conference games. Playing at home is always nice too, but I really don’t see that making enough of a difference, especially having to play Middlebury the night before. My guess is that this is a tough weekend for the Bantams…

Writer’s Pick: Williams 78 – Trinity 68

#22 Tufts (14-4, 4-0) vs. #5 Colby (17-0, 5-0), 3pm, Medford, MA

We’ve been waiting for this one for a little while now. These two have identified themselves as the top two teams in the league right at the moment and they also have each gotten some national recognition. Tufts is coming off a mid-week loss against a talented New England College squad, but that was just their 4th loss of the season and they still have yet to lose a NESCAC game. Luke Rogers ’21 is going to be the key for the Jumbos because he’ll be able to really go after Colby’s lack of size. Tufts’ backcourt has a chance to be competitive with their talented Mule counterparts, so Rogers is going to have to really make a difference. It basically seems like Tufts will have to take one of two approaches against Colby: either expect Sam Jefferson ’20 to have a big game as he always does and don’t let anyone else beat you or key in on Jefferson and make someone else beat you. So far neither of these strategies has worked for anyone yet, but it feels like the Mules have to lose at some point. The Jumbos have a lot of talent and home court advantage doesn’t hurt, so I think they’ll give Colby their first (or second) loss of the season.

Writer’s Pick: Tufts 88 – Colby 82

Conn College (3-14, 0-4) vs. #10 Middlebury (17-2, 3-2), 3pm, New London, CT

This is about as lopsided of a matchup as you’ll find in NESCAC basketball. Middlebury, a perennial power, heads south to take on a Camel team that is truly struggling at this point in the season. The Panthers really don’t have to worry about losing this game, but we should be paying much closer attention to the injury status of big man Alex Sobel ’22. Sobel is very talented and was off to a terrific start to the season when he went down with injury. The sophomore has missed the last 7 games and we have no time frame on his return. Jack Farrell ’21 is a potential POY candidate for the Panthers and will likely dominate in this one. Middlebury should head home on Saturday sitting pretty at 2-0.

Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 89 – Conn 60

Bates (10-7, 2-2) vs. Bowdoin (6-11, 1-4), 3pm, Lewiston, ME

It’ll obviously be very important to see how each of these teams do on Friday because that always has an impact on the attitude heading into the second game of the weekend. That said, it’s hard to envision Bates losing this game. The Bobcats won the first meeting between these two back in December and we have no reason to expect a different result this time. The emergence of freshman Stephon Baxter ’23 has added a huge spark to this senior-dominated backcourt and he has done a really impressive job making mature plays for the offense. Kody Greenhalgh ’20 and Jeff Spellman ’20 are as good as anyone in the NESCAC at creating their own shot and making teams really pay when left unchecked. Bowdoin likely won’t have an answer for Omar Sarr ’23 underneath and I don’t think David Reynolds ’20 will be able to shoot the Polar Bears to victory on the road in Alumni Gym. Bates will be coming off an emotional game against Colby the night before, but I think they’ll respond against Bowdoin either way.

Writer’s Pick: Bates 79 – Bowdoin 67

Sunday

Hamilton (13-6, 1-4) vs. Wesleyan (13-2, 2-2), 1pm, Clinton, NY

The final game of the weekend comes from upstate New York, where two teams who desperately need a signature win will square off to get one step closer to the NESCAC Tournament. Much like Bowdoin, Hamilton has been very one-dimensional this year. Kena Gilmour ’20 was last year’s NESCAC Player of the Year and is following that up with another stellar season, but he can’t do it all himself. Wesleyan has been nearly the opposite, with someone new stepping up each night. Antone Walker ’21 and Sam Peek ’22 have been the go-to guys around the perimeter, while Jordan James ’21 is on our Alonzo Mourning Center of the Year Award watch list. The Cardinals have a crucial matchup on Friday with Amherst so a lot will be decided then, but I think they’re going to be a little bit too much for the Continentals to handle. The trip to Hamilton is never fun, but I think Wesleyan will be happy on their ride back.

Writer’s Pick: Wesleyan 74 – Hamilton 65

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

A New Face at the Top: Power Rankings 1/16

NESCAC Basketball Power Rankings 1/16

(2) 1. #12 Colby (13-0, 2-0)

Last week: W 83-50 vs. Conn College, W 91-77 vs. Trinity
This week: @ Middlebury, @ Williams

I don’t care what the national polls say – at this point in the season, this is the best basketball team in the NESCAC. As a student at Bates, I’m not the most vehement supporter of the Mules, but it’s hard to ignore their impressive performance over the first thirteen games of the season. They’re the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, averaging a league-best 94.6 PPG. Another marker of dominance is the manner in which most of their contests were won; eleven of their thirteen wins have been by 14+ points. Some will point to their incredible three point percentage (41.9% with over 200 attempts already) as a reason why the Mules won’t keep up their first place standing, but with nearly 24 assists per game compared to just 14 turnovers, Colby is clearly taking care of the ball and finding open guys to knock down shots. They boast four of the top seventeen scorers in the conference, led by Sam Jefferson ‘20 (22.8 PPG). Noah Tyson ‘22 (13.8 PPG, 9 REB/G) opened some eyes as a freshman last season, and his quality of play has picked up against Colby’s first two conference games, tallying 16 points against Conn and 24 against Trinity. Rebounding may be a concern moving forward as the Mules tend to go with a smaller-than-average lineup, but this team is equipped with so many knockdown shooters that they can change a close game to a blowout in a blink of an eye. 

(1) 2. #5 Middlebury (15-1, 1-1)

Last week: L 81-69 @ Amherst, W 77-76 @ Hamilton
This week: vs. Colby, vs. Bowdoin

Panthers’ faithful might be a bit irked to find their squad at number two in this edition of the power rankings, but there is plenty to be excited about going forward. After a disappointing showing in both the NESCAC and NCAA Tournament(s), I am certain Coach Brown and his squad are hungry to bounce back and make a deep postseason run. Thus far, their play has garnered them a top five ranking in the national polls, with their sole blemish coming recently against Amherst in their first conference game of the season. Jack Farrell ‘21 leads a deep group of players in which five average double figures and another three chip in at least 5.5 points per game. Farrell has reached double digits in all sixteen games, including a season-high 31 against Endicott. Tommy Eastman ‘21 had a monster game against Hamilton, going for 23 points and 12 boards. If he continues to play at that level alongside Farrell, Max Bosco ‘21 and company, the Panthers have more than enough offensive firepower to upend the Mules and stake claim as the best team in the conference.

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

Last week: W 92-85 @ Wesleyan
This week: vs. Hamilton, vs. Amherst

It might be a surprise to see the Jumbos listed as high as number three on this list, but after a somewhat deflating 2018 regular season, Tufts has roared out to an impressive start. Few big men can match up with Luke Rogers ‘22, whose 15.7 PPG lead the Jumbos and his 12.7 REB/G lead all of the NESCAC. With Rogers garnering attention down low, it allows for veteran guards like Eric Savage ‘20 (14.8 PPG) and Brennan Morris ‘21 (11.7 PPG) to execute the offense at an efficient level, working inside and out to shuffle defenses around. In their opening win against Wesleyan, Rogers had another double-double (23 points to go along with 10 rebounds), and the Jumbos shot close to 55% from the field and sank 13 triples. If they can continue operating on offense in this manner while cleaning up the free throw percentage (converting only 15-24 against Wesleyan and 68% on the year), then this team will finish in the top four and garner some attention for an at-large bid when it comes time for NCAA Tournament selection. 

(4) 4. #22 Amherst (10-4, 1-1)

Last week: W 81-69 vs. Middlebury, L 72-69 vs. Williams
This week: @ Bates, @ Tufts

Don’t get me wrong – knocking off what was an undefeated Middlebury team is something that should be valued and highlighted when analyzing a team’s overall body of work.  As strong of a win as that is, however, Amherst finds themselves fourth in the power rankings due to their inconsistent play against conference foes. Their game against Wesleyan was considered a non-conference affair; however, I personally don’t consider the Cardinals as a strong opponent this season, and that loss certainly was something Amherst could have avoided heading into their conference slate. The big victory against the Panthers was followed by a loss to rival Williams, who at 7-7 is looking to be more of a bottom-half finisher in the 2019-2020 NESCAC season. Similarly to the University of Virginia, Amherst wins with its prolific defense, holding opponents to under 64 PPG. They’re 7-0 when holding opponents under 65 points, but Williams and Wesleyan were both able to get into the 70’s range. Eric Sellew ‘20 leads the team in scoring thus far in conference play, but the Mammoths need someone or two to step up from long range and bring some variety to an offense that doesn’t score a ton from deep. 

(5) 5. Hamilton (11-3, 1-1)

Last week: W 79-78 vs. Williams, L 77-76 vs. Middlebury
This week: @ Tufts, @ Bates

It’s basically Kena Gilmour ‘20 vs. everybody when talking about the Continentals. The senior is tied with Jefferson of Colby as the conference’s leading scorer at 22.8 PPG, and no one other than the senior averages double figures (for the season) for Hamilton. It’s clear the offense revolves around him as evidenced by the sheer number of shots he throws up, but thus far the plan is somewhat working. The Continentals have split two conference games (each by a single point) with that one loss coming against Middlebury. Gilmour will most certainly need help around him as his supporting cast looks vastly different than the team that guided Hamilton to the Sweet Sixteen a year ago. Eric Anderson ‘22 seems the most likely candidate to become the Robin to Gilmour’s Batman, as the sophomore is putting in 14.5 PPG in their two conference matchups to date. 

(9) 6. Bates (8-4, 1-0)

Last week: W 81-80 @ Wesleyan
This week: vs. Amherst, vs. Hamilton

It was an absolute rollercoaster of a performance, but the Bobcats managed to escape Middletown with a win over the Cardinals in their preliminary conference tilt.  Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 went from allowing a four-point play with eleven seconds remaining to give the Cardinals the lead, to then scoring a heavily-contested, game-winning layup.  An overall record of 8-4 at this point in the season is pretty solid, and that victory over Wesleyan was imperative if Bates wanted to make some noise in the ‘CAC this season. Greenhalgh joins the veteran Spellman ‘20 (15.5 PPG, 4.2 REB/G) as the two leading scorers, but there are a plethora of guys who can explode on any given night. with some major opportunities to pick up quality wins in the recent future. Stephon Baxter ‘23 is a name to watch for rookie of the year consideration; although his scoring average (8.9 PPG) doesn’t jump off the page, the point guard is a tenacious defender, takes smart shots and is hitting close to 45% of his three point attempts. Thomas Coyne ‘20 is always a threat from behind the arc, and the emergence of Omar Sarr ‘23 as a shotblocker and rebounder has helped a team lacking height tremendously. Given that their next four NESCAC games are Amherst, Hamilton, Tufts and Colby, the Bobcats have plenty of opportunities to snatch up wins against quality opponents. 

(7) 7. Trinity (10-5, 1-1)

Last week: W 84-70 @ Bowdoin, L 91-77 @ Colby
This week: vs. Wesleyan

Aside from the Bobcats, the Bantams are a secondary selection as a dark horse to finish in the top five of the league standings. They boast one of the best rebounding squads in the league and four legit scorers. One name to watch is forward Donald Jorden ‘21 – the junior is shooting over 67% from the field, and given that he only averages 11.7 PPG, I’d advocate for a higher feature role for Jorden if he’s putting the ball in the basket that frequently. The Bantams were beating Colby by seven at intermission before the Mules exploded for 54 points in the second half, so this Trinity team does have what it takes to compete with the upper echelon of this league. Defensively, the Bantams will want to tighten up, and a date with Wesleyan will provide them that test. 

(8) 8. Williams (7-7, 1-1)

Last week: L 79-78 @ Hamilton, W 72-69 @ Amherst
This week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby

This team experienced a ton of roster turnover from last year’s senior-laden team, but even with the emergence of fellow Nothing but NESCAC writer Max Karpowicz ‘20 as the team’s go-to scoring option, the Ephs struggled in their non-conference games heading into league play.  The good news is that the level of play seems to have improved quite rapidly in their games against Hamilton and Amherst. Karpowicz’s (16.0 PPG, 9.1 REB/G) 21 point-performance paced the team in their hard-fought win over Amherst. The Ephs were also missing standout freshman Cole Prowitt-Smith ‘23 (13.3 PPG), validating the win as even more impressive given their offensive woes that plagued them early on. In no way is this ranking meant to indicate that the Ephs should panic, as there are plenty of opportunities in this league to rack up significant victories; moreover, I think this is the floor for Williams, and I expect them to move up given the talent they still possess. 

(6) 9. Wesleyan (9-5, 0-2)

Last week: L 92-85 vs. Tufts, L 81-80 vs. Bates
This week: @ Trinity, vs. Conn College

The loss of Austin Hutcherson ‘21 to the University of Illinois was undoubtedly a huge blow to a Wesleyan squad that had high hopes for the 2019-2020 season. A 9-5 record is nothing to be ashamed about, but the Bates game presented an opportunity to bounce back from a close loss to Tufts. Instead, the loss at home was especially deflating given the manner in which it happened, and a non-conference loss to Johnson & Wales pushed their losing streak to three. They’ve struggled to score for the most part, averaging under 74 ppg and shooting just 41% from the field. Jordan James ‘21 and Antone Walker ‘21 form a nice scoring duo, but the Cardinals lack depth to continuously push the pace and put the ball in the basket for 60 minutes. Additionally, they’ve allowed 80+ points in each of their two conference games, something that needs to be corrected quickly. A matchup against Trinity might not allow them the chance to fix their flaws on the defensive side, but it could allow them the chance to fine tune their offense. 

(10) 10. Bowdoin (5-8, 1-1)

Last week: L 84-70 vs. Trinity, W 87-70 vs. Conn College
This week: @ Williams, @ Middlebury

Apart from its past two games, the Bowdoin offense has been a disaster. They slot in ahead of only Conn in terms of points per game, and aside from David Reynolds ‘20, no one on this team is really playing up to the standard this team needs in order for them to be a serious contender for a top-eight finish. They lost to Trin by fourteen, right after getting absolutely pounded by rival Colby 108-62 (yikes). They did end their losing streak with a much-needed 17-point victory over Conn, scoring 87 points in the process. Reynolds carried the team with 29 points, and both Sam Grad ‘21 and Manav Randhawa ‘23 chipped in with fourteen points apiece. Maybe the offense has found some sort of groove these past two games, but it seems unlikely that they can compete with the likes of Middlebury or Williams this weekend. 

(11) 11. Conn College (3-11, 0-2)

Last week: L 83-50 @ Colby, L 87-70 @ Bowdoin
This week: @ Wesleyan

This team wasn’t very good last year, and with the departure of David Labossiere ‘19, many around the league would agree that not much was expected from Conn this season.  At this point, it seems likely that they will go winless in conference play for a third consecutive year. Everything seems to be a problem: the Camels are averaging 62.8 PPG while allowing close to 75 PPG while committing close to 18 turnovers per contest.  That recipe will certainly not win you many basketball games, and in this case, the Camels have just three wins on their schedule to date. Dan Draffan ‘21 (12.4 PPG, 7.5 REB/G) and newcomer Ben McPherron ‘23 (11.6 PPG) lead the way, but both are inconsistent and McPherron only shoots an abysmal 34% from the floor. Maybe they can pull a miracle win in their remaining league games, but every league game forthcoming will be quite the challenge for these bottom-dwellers. 

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

Midd Madness: First Round NCAA Preview

Middlebury (18-7, 7-3), Lost in Quarterfinals to Tufts)

The Panthers looked like a definite NCAA tournament team after catching fire at the end of the regular season and clinching the NESCAC regular season title. However, after an early exit in the conference tournament to Tufts, they found themselves on the bubble of the at-large teams, sneaking their way in (which was no surprise) despite falling out of the top-25. 

They surprised many teams this season with the play of their sophomore guards, who are the diamond in the rough and big surprise of the Middlebury 2019 season. While the play of Jack Farrell, Max Bosco, and Griffin Kornaker bode well for the Panthers’ future, they have an immediate chance to make an impact on this year’s run to a national championship. Despite a few ugly losses this season (Tufts twice and Plattsburgh) they still built up enough of a resume with wins against Williams and Hamilton to punch their ticket for the tenth time in the last 12 years to the dance. 

How They Got Here:

Jack Farrell’s shooting is a key to a Panther victory.

After losing All-American guard Jack Daly ’18, All-American Matt St. Amour ’17, and All-NESCAC Jake Brown ’17 to graduation the last two years, it seemed that some of Midd’s magic from the past few years was gone. While those studs haven’t been replaced, the sophomore guards have ushered in a new era of Panther basketball and now have a strong foundation for years to come. Along with Bosco (25 G, 8 GS, 15.2 PPG, 35% 3-PT, 3.0 A/G), Farrell (25 G, 25 GS, 16.2 PPG, 35.9% 3-PT, 4.7 REB/G, 3.8 A/G), and Kornaker (25 G, 17 GS, 7.4 PPG, 3.7 A/G), the Panthers also boast one of the more athletic players in the conference in Matt Folger. Like Farrell, Folger started every contest in 2019 and average 15 PPG and 8.9 boards per contest. He has the most potential on the team and has been dominant each of the past two seasons. His season scoring high is 28 points and his defensive best is 16 boards. He can undoubtedly take control of any game but also had a few duds in some key losses (four points in a 80-77 L to Wesleyan and nine points in a 85-76 loss to Tufts). Their SF, Hilal Dahleh, had a quiet senior campaign, staying healthy and starting all but one game and put up 6.8 PPG in just 23 minutes. Eric McCord is the big man and a steady force down low, averaging 9.5 PPG and 9.9 REB/G, and a physical presence that should keep in check the other teams in their regional.

Folger is the most dangerous team on the floor this weekend.

How They Lose:

Midd turned in to a high-scoring team part way through the year and needs to have some shooting efficiency to knock out their competition. They play with a small lineup (three guards and a forward that often plays on the outside) and could get beat if they fail to make their way inside on offense given an opponent with elite perimeter defense. Inconsistency was the Panthers’ biggest foe this season, beating great teams and losing to poor ones. I chalk a lot of that trend up to inexperience which shouldn’t affect them as much in the tournament as they will likely play against teams with less postseason experience than them. Having said that, if they shoot 17% from deep like they did in the playoffs against Tufts, they will lose.

The Competition

#14 Nichols College Bison (25-2, 15-1, Commonwealth Coast Conference Champs)

Nichols obviously had an incredible season up to this point, losing only to Gordon and Salisbury. Gordon received votes in the last D3hoops poll and Salisbury was ranked at the time of their game against Nichols. Against NESCAC opponents, Nichols was 3-0 this year, knocking off Trinity, Tufts, and Wesleyan all by at least six points, showing that while they didn’t face many ranked opponents, they can play with teams that gave Midd a tough time. They have three double-digit scorers, with Marcos Echevarria leading the charge with 20.4 PPG and average nearly 90 PPG as a team. This will likely be a high scoring first round matchup that is by no means a cake walk for the Panthers.

Nichols is the on-paper favorite in this regional.

Emerson College Lions (16-11, 12-4, NEWMAC Champions)

It was a pretty confusing season for to analyze from the Lions as they had some brutal losses and impressive wins. They lost to both Amherst (85-62) and Tufts (87-70) by wide margins and got crushed towards the end of the regular season by #12 MIT. However, they also destroyed MIT midway through the season 84-65. After a high number of losses, the only way for Emerson to get into the NCAA tournament was to win their conference tournament which they accomplished without beating MIT, giving them an easy road to a ring. Upperclassmen guards Jack O’Connor and Geoffrey Gray both average 20.3 PPG and have the power to take this team to the promise land in any game and could be a dangerous opponent in the second round and an especially tough matchup for Midd’s young ball-handlers. 

Rowan University Prof (21-6, 13-5, NJAC Champs)

Rowan does not have a particularly strong strength of schedule but did knock off Keene State that beat Midd in a midweek contest. They have a pretty balanced lineup with four players averaging over ten PPG but nobody averaging over 15.1 or any players averaging 6.4 REB/G. How exactly did this Rowan team end up hosting over Nichols? Well, my guess is that Nichols didn’t have the facilities to host so as the quasi-two seed in this pod of the bracket, Rowan gets the cake. I believe that home field will undoubtedly give Rowan an advantage in their game(s) this weekend as they’ll likely get a reasonable crowd. They had a margin of victory under nine points this season on average, a high number of assists (15.9 per game), and a low number of rebounds per contest (39.4 per game). They could easily lose to Emerson if the Lions bring their A-game, however, they definitely will reap the benefits of some home court advantage.

Synopsis:

Midd got screwed here by the NCAA selection committee. Not only do they have to go to New Jersey when it the regional should’ve just been in Mass., but they play the best team out of the three opponents in the first round. In reality, it doesn’t matter that they have a tough first round matchup since they’d have to face Nichols in the second round anyways, so the way I see it, if they win their first round matchup, they would be heavily favored to make it to the Sweet-16. However, at this point I’d say its 50-50 that they make it past Nichols. If they have a normal shooting day from their guards and Folger on Friday I think they make it out of this pod. 

One and Done?: NESCAC Championship Quarterfinal Previews

NESCAC Championship Quarterfinal Previews

The best time of the year is here – playoff season, baby. Saturday is going to be an awesome day filled with awesome games that should be as exciting as ever. In fact, the lower seed beat the higher seed when the teams met in the regular season in three of the four first round matchups (with Williams vs. Trinity being the exception). Each of these teams will battle for the coveted automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament that is awarded to the winner of the NESCAC Championship, and it’s shaping up to be a very exciting tournament as always. The results of this tournament will have an impact on the NCAA Tournament field because the NESCAC could have anywhere from four to six teams in this year’s NCAA’s. If Colby and Wesleyan are able to steal a win or two (or even win the whole thing) then we could see some extra teams sneaking in. There’s still a lot left to play, so check out our previews for each of the quarterfinal matchups:

1. #25 Middlebury vs. 8. Tufts

Tyler Aronson and the Jumbos will have to make a little tournament magic happen if they want to pull off the upset

We start off with a very interesting matchup between Tufts and Middlebury. In their regular season matchup the Panthers traveled to Medford and were dropped on a game winning shot by Brennan Morris ’21, keeping the Jumbos in the playoff race. That game also took place a very long time ago – over a month, in fact. Middlebury is a very different team now than they were then, and the Jumbos are very, very young. The trio of Matt Folger ’20, Jack Farrell ’21, and Max Bosco ’21 are averaging a combined 46 points per game and they have been absolutely on fire for the Panthers when they’ve needed it. The Jumbos are very guard-heavy and have proved that they’re capable of getting hot, so this could be an intriguing matchup between two particularly young backcourts. It’ll also be very interesting to see what we get out of the battle down low because each of these teams boast outstanding big men. Tufts features a 6’8”, 230lb giant in Luke Rogers ’21 who hauls in rebounds at a high rate and scores better than just about any other big in the league. On the other side, Eric McCord ’19 isn’t a huge contributor scoring-wise, but he averages a league-best 9.9 rebounds per game and does an excellent job locking down opposing centers. Both of these guys had big games in their first meeting, so if one if them can do a better job defending the other this time around then their team will have a huge advantage. Middlebury has (a little) more experience and I truly do think they’re the better team in this one, so I’m going with them to move on to the semifinals next weekend.

Prediction: Middlebury 86, Tufts 77

2. #10 Hamilton vs. 7. Colby

I feel like I find myself saying this a lot but I think this could be the year for Hamilton. They’ve had an outstanding season and have looking simply dominant much of the way. Their success has earned them a home game in the first round and a rematch with one of the only three teams that beat them this season. When they met in late January the Mules were able to travel to New York and take down the Continentals on the back of Sam Jefferson ’20 who scored 29 points on 9-14 shooting including 6-10 from three-point range. Colby is a team who, similar to Tufts, is very young and has a very promising future ahead of them. The problem is that I’m not sure if they’re quite ready to compete with the experience that a team like Hamilton brings to the table. Hamilton’s top six leaders in minutes played this season are all juniors and seniors, and they’ve been terrific. Led by NESCAC Player of the Year favorite Kena Gilmour ’20, the Continentals have shot their way to first in the league in points per game second in field goal percentage during their outstanding 2018-2019 season. The Mules aren’t far behind (3rd in PPG, 5th in FG%), and they’ve had some of the hottest shooting streaks we’ve seen in the NESCAC this year. I like that Colby is young and they play like they have nothing to lose because they don’t and I think they’re going to be great in the near future. This is going to be a close game, but I think that Hamilton’s depth and experience will end up being too much for the youthful Mules.

Prediction: Hamilton 90, Colby 87

3. #11 Amherst vs. 6. Wesleyan

Austin Hutcherson hopes to lead a tournament run in just his second season 

I think that out of all the first round matchups, this is my favorite. The Little Three rivals split their regular season meetings, but the Cardinals won the official conference meeting. Wesleyan is not a particularly deep team but they’ve got a few stars that have taken them a very long way. I’d honestly be shocked if Austin Hutcherson ’21 didn’t take home a Player of the Year trophy in one of the next two years, because he has been absolutely outstanding. The league leader in points per game (20.4) has had some incredible performances this season, most recently coming in the form of a season-high 37 points on 81.3% shooting while adding 9 rebounds as well. This guy is a total stud who can light anyone up on any given night, but in the first two meetings between these two teams Hutcherson hasn’t looked quite as impressive. He totaled 25 points and 7 rebounds in those two games combined, well under his regular numbers. He’s going to play the biggest role on the Wesleyan side because if he comes to play then they’ll be very hard to stop. Amherst on the other hand plays a deeper rotation of guys and they share the scoring a bit more evenly. There’s no doubt that Grant Robinson ’21 is their go-to guy, but they have a number of players that can step up when they need to. They’re no. 11 in the country for a reason and there’s never a year when they should be taken lightly. However, star power goes a very long way in this league and Wesleyan wins the battle there. I’m going with the upset in this one.

Prediction: Wesleyan 66, Amherst 62

4. #18 Williams vs. 5. Trinity

It doesn’t bring me any joy to say this, but I’m not very excited for this one. Williams dominated Trinity in their regular season meeting and I don’t see this one being any different. The Ephs boast three of the most prolific scorers in the league in James Heskett ’19, Bobby Casey ’19, and Kyle Scadlock ’19, and these guys have now had so much experience playing in the NESCAC and NCAA Tournament over the past three seasons. The fact that Williams ended up the number four spot is very sneaky, because I still think they might be the favorites to win the whole thing. Bobby Casey ’19 is very much a candidate to win Player of the Year with his 18.5PPG (3rd in the NESCAC), 4.6AST/G (1st in the NESCAC), and 5.3REB/G. We’ve said it time and time again, but this team has a lethal combination of size and shooting ability that is nearly impossible to stop. I’m a bit surprised that Trinity ended up at 6-4 and in the fifth spot, but I certainly owe them one. They had a much better season than I predicted and Donald Jorden, Jr. ’21 has emerged as one of the top forwards in the league. Jorden is actually 4th in the league in offensive rebounds per game, so the Ephs will have to be careful not to get lazy on the defensive glass. The Bantams have had an unpredictable season so there’s no question that they could come out and prove me wrong, but I just think that Williams is too good to lose this early. Their talent and experience is really unmatched and I see them making a very deep run. Somehow I think the 4-5 matchup is the worst out of all the first round games – I don’t think this game will be very close.

Prediction: Williams 83, Trinity 61

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.

Confusion at the Top: Final Regular Season Stock Report

Stock Up

Amherst Bus Trips

Fru Che and the Mammoths are making moves.

It was quite the weekend for the Mammoths as they knocked off two of the top NESCAC teams, both victories on the road (84-79 W @ Williams; 97-93 W @ Midd). Despite uncertainty regarding their depth entering the season, they have proved to be the most consistent team in the conference in 2019 and control their own destiny to lock up the #1 seed in the NESCAC tournament. Grant Robinson and Fru Che combined for 68 points over their last two games and are constantly on the floor, playing nearly every minute, never giving their opponents a break from their attack. If they beat Hamilton this weekend, again on the road, they will be the favorites entering the postseason and will be a top national seed in the NCAA tournament. Their drive back to campus after their win at Midd must’ve been a fun one. 

Middlebury Guards

Despite a key loss to Amherst last Saturday that could’ve locked up the #1 seed for the Panthers, they still had a solid weekend with their last minute comeback win against Hamilton. This young Midd team knocked off the experienced and deep Continental team (with a pretty weak home crowd) much to my surprise. Jack Farrell and Max Bosco, both starting as sophomores, are legit DIII players and will give any team in the country a run for their money. Max Bosco made a deep, contested three in the final seconds of the game to give Midd the lead and had an impressive, quick release on the shot. Jack Farrell out dribbles opponents and is too quick to defend and is starting to find his shooting groove. They also have fellow sophomore Griffin Kornaker as the sixth man coming off of the bench to give them a hand. This stock up is about the guards, but they aren’t even the best players on the floor for the Panthers. Watch out for this team in the tournament.

Max Bosco made a good move by choosing a college in the North Pole because he has ice in his veins.

Stock Down

Eph Dominance

The reign of terror of Williams is over. I don’t even care if they win the NESCAC and NCAA tournament, an 0-2 weekend for a team with this talent is inexcusable. They really struggled against Hamilton without James Heskett who was out due to an ankle sprain but even lost two in a row to Bowdoin and Amherst with him on the floor. Williams’ losing streak is now at three games and this cold streak couldn’t be coming at a worse time. Bobby Casey is just 13-52 from deep in his last five games, good for just 25% of his massive amount of shots. The Ephs went with an unusual and big starting lineup against Hamilton on senior day, with Marcos Soto, Jake Porath, and Michael Kempton all on the floor to begin the game. It definitely hurt them to not have Henry Feinberg and Matt Karpowicz on the floor for more minutes and Kyle Scadlock was basically a non-factor in the offense. It will be fascinating to see how these preseason favorites fare in the NESCAC tournament as they might have an early exit if they play like they have the last two weeks.

Kyle Scadlock is a hugely underutilized weapon in the Ephs’ offense.

Cardinal Depth

Wesleyan is now tied for the best team in Connecticut with Trinity as both are now a surprising 6-4 in NESCAC play. Trinity has been playing much better than expected and better than they were at the beginning of the season, while Wesleyan has struggled, especially last weekend against Colby. This upset win for the Mules revealed a weakness in depth off the bench as just six players managed to score points in the contest. While Austin Hutcherson and Antone Walker had monster games, combining for 47 points, the bench shot just 4-9 as a group. They simply didn’t put up enough shots to give themselves a chance to win against a deep-ball shooting Mule team. The Mules put up 15 more threes than Wesleyan and had a 27 point advantage on such shots. Colby is likely the only team to gain such an advantage on perimeter shooting, but if Williams’ Bobby Casey gets hot, the Ephs could also take over a game in a similar way. For the Cardinals to beat a team like Colby on a hot shooting night, they will need to better distribute their scoring. 

Bowdoin/Conn/Bates

The bottom three are set for the 2019 season. It’s too bad that Bowdoin finds themselves on the outside looking in as they really could’ve given teams a challenge in the playoffs, but a crucial loss to Tufts doomed them despite a win over Williams. We will see these teams again in 2020…

Clash of the Titans: Game of the Week Preview 2/8 

Game of the Week Preview 2/8

We’ve got a battle of big guns to open the final (and biggest) weekend of NESCAC basketball this season, as the Hamilton Continentals look to knock off the high-flying Middlebury Panthers. With so much chaos surrounding the top five seeds, this game will be sure to provide some clarity into the situation. Middlebury currently occupies the number one spot in the standings due to their head-to-head win against Williams combined with have one more win than both Amherst and Hamilton (with one more game being played). The Continentals are in fourth, but a win on Friday would potentially vault them into the top two with games against Williams and Amherst remaining on the schedule. If you like offense, this is the game for you: both teams are top two in PPG and top four in FG% (I said this last week and Colby put up a dud in the second half, but second time’s the charm or something like that); at the same time, both teams rank top three in terms of defensive PPG and defensive 3PFG%, so something has to give here. With so much on the line for both teams, I expect the stars to come out and shine on the hardwood Friday night, and the result of this game will certainly be a fantastic segway into Saturday’s slate of conference games.

Jack Farrell ‘21 will look to lead the Panthers to their second NESCAC regular season championship in three years

Overview

Middlebury looked a bit shaky for the better part of the first 25 minutes of Saturday’s game against Colby, but the defense stymied Colby’s offensive weapons in the last 15 minutes and Jack Farrell ‘21 and Matt Fogler ‘20 hit some big shots as the Panthers eventually pulled away to secure a 81-68 victory. The defensive intensity the Panthers have recently displayed is quite an impressive turnaround from earlier this season, as they’ve allowed just under 56 PPG in their last four NESCAC matchups.  Middlebury was able to hold Bowdoin’s David Reynolds ‘20 to a season-low seven points on 3-14 shooting, and then limited Colby’s Sam Jefferson ‘20 to 16 points on 2-11 shooting from beyond the arc; the ability to contain the opposing team’s star player will be key on Friday as Hamilton not only boasts the best offensive unit in the ‘CAC, but arguably the front-runner for NESCAC POY in guard Kena Gilmour ‘20. The recent emergence of big man Eric McCord ‘19 only complicates matters for Hamilton’s defense, as they now have to worry about an inside presence on top of the Panther’s plethora of shooters. Farrell, Fogler, and Max Bosco ‘21, are all prolific scorers, and Midd gets plenty of help on the bench from guys like Griffin Kornaker ‘21 (8.4 PPG, 3.1 AST/G in conference play). This unit is on a roll on both sides of the floor and the Panthers will be ready come Friday to protect home court.

The Continentals needed a big bounce-back weekend after flopping against Colby two Saturdays ago, and they did so with wins against Bates and Tufts. Against the Bobcats, Hamilton was led by (you guessed it) Kena Gilmour with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Peter Hoffmann ‘19 played exceptionally well, chipping in with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Michael Grassey ‘19 capped The Big 3’s performance with 17 points and 11 rebounds of his own. The Continentals knocked down 16 triples and held Bates to just 25.9% from downtown combined with forcing 18 turnovers. The Tufts game was a slightly different story, as Hamilton was down 1 with 53 seconds left before Grassey’s layup gave the Continentals the lead with 32 seconds to play. Hamilton held off the upset-minded Jumbos despite Gilmour’s uncharacteristic poor performance (4 points, 2-10 shooting), as Hoffmann scored 22 and the bench players combined for a rather impressive 31 points. Hamilton’s defense has been rather pedestrian as of late, allowing over 81 PPG. Against Middlebury’s high-scoring unit, the Continentals will need to clamp down and run Midd’s shooters off the three point line, because the last thing they want to do is get in a shootout with the league’s best 3-point shooting teams.

Middlebury X – Factor

Eric McCord ‘19

Guys like Farrell, Bosco, and Folger are the sexy choices, but I’m opting for the big bruiser down low. On a team full of snipers, McCord is that big body center who crashes the boards and does the dirty work inside. He’s averaging a career-high 9.2 PPG to go along with 10.2 REB/G and was a monumental part of the Panthers’ last two conference wins. Against Bowdoin, McCord registered his 8th double-double of the season, chipping in 10 points to go along with 11 rebounds. The following day, the senior scored a team-high 19 points and went 8-10 from the field in Middlebury’s road win against upset-minded Colby. McCord will have his hands full dealing with Hamilton big man Andrew Knoll ‘19, but if he can replicate his performances from this past weekend, the Panthers will have a good chance to knock off Hamilton.

Hamilton X – Factor

Peter Hoffmann ‘19

Hoffmann has had a relatively disappointing senior campaign as he’s averaging a career low 12.1 PPG. His play was subpar in Hamilton’s two conference losses, as Hoffmann finished with a mere 8 points in each of the Continentals’ defeats to Wesleyan and Colby; however, the 6’6’’ G/F has shown flashes of brilliance during his past two games against Bates and Tufts, scoring a combined 43 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. His 22 point performance at Tufts was instrumental in the Continentals’ victory and kept them in the hunt for the #1 overall seed come postseason tournament time. I cannot underestimate the need for a guy like Hoffmann to have a large impact against the Panthers, and I think he’ll continue his recent success into this matchup of titans.

Final Thoughts

I’ve gone back and forth with my decision like a college football recruit before signing day (only I’m not being offered thousands of dollars of cash to make the choice) and I can’t say I’m 100% committed to one side. I will say that I don’t think home court matters a whole bunch in this league; we’ve seen plenty of teams upset at home this season, including Williams at the hands of Middlebury, Colby beating both Hamilton and Amherst, Bowdoin beating Williams, Trinity beating Wesleyan, etc. Both teams possess dynamic offenses and solid defenses capable of getting stops at the right moments. Despite Hamilton’s 19-2 record, they haven’t played a NESCAC team situated in current the top 5 with the exception of Wesleyan, whereas Middlebury has the advantage of already playing Williams on top of Wesleyan. Hamilton’s loss to Colby, coupled with close calls against Trinity and Tufts, is an indicator that this team isn’t quite as dominant as I thought they would be at the start of this season. Or maybe, it’s just a case of a team playing down to its competition. Despite all of this, I’m going to side with the Continentals and Kena Gilmour. I believe Gilmour, who should be hungry to cement his status as the league’s best player after laying an egg against Tufts, will take over this game. I expect help from the likes of Grassey, Hoffmann, and McCord, but Gilmour will be the catalyst that wills the Continentals to a massive road win and knocks Middlebury off the throne.

Writer’s Pick: Hamilton 78 – Middlebury 74

Get Ready for a Barnburner: Game of the Week Preview 2/1

Game of the Week Preview 2/1

Two of the hottest teams in the NESCAC will face off Saturday, as the Middlebury Panthers will take on the Colby Mules at Wadsworth Gymnasium. The Panthers are on a three-game winning streak, having convincingly knocked off mighty Williams before annihilating the Bantams this past Saturday. The Mules are enjoying a three-game winning streak of their own, and their last two road upsets against Amherst and Hamilton have people talking that this team might be a giant-killer as we progress further into the season. Both teams rank in the top four teams in the NESCAC in 3PFG% and PPG, so there’s sure to be some fireworks on display. A Panther win and they keep pace with Wesleyan and Amherst in the conference standings, while still in reach of WIlliams. Conversely, another Colby upset and the Mules will have essentially clinched a top eight seed for the postseason tournament. Needless to say, there’s a lot of the line for both teams in what should be a dog-fight that could come down to the wire.

Overview

The Panthers are an offensive juggernaut, and opposing defenses are still having trouble figuring out the trio of Jack Farrell, Matt Folger, and Max Bosco. All three rank in the top 12 in the NESCAC in PPG and command an offense than leads the NESCAC in scoring at 84.7 PPG; in fact, no other NESCAC team is averaging 80 PPG in conference play. The Panthers’ ball movement is exceptional (2nd in AST/G), they rebound at a high rate (3rd in offensive REB/G, 4th in defensive REB/G) and they average under 10 turnovers per contest. Simply put, this team does not beat itself, and Colby’s defense will have its hands full trying to disrupt Middlebury’s well-oiled machine of an offense. On the defensive end, the Panthers seem average, but recent performances against Williams and Trinity suggest this team might have turned the corner. Against the Ephs, Middlebury held their potent shooters to just 36.2% from the field and an eye-opening 10% from beyond the arc. They followed up that performance with annihilation of Trinity, where the Panthers allowed 38 points. Yes, you read that right – 38 points in a college basketball game. I realize Trinity has one of the worst offensive teams in the ‘CAC, but allowing a mere 38 points (22.4% from the field) against a conference opponent is extremely impressive. If they continue this type of defensive intensity come Saturday, the Panthers will walk out of Wadsworth Gymnasium with a big-time win.

Noah Tyson ’22 has made an immediate impact as a first-year

The Mules like to bombard their opponents from deep (an absurd 677 attempts from three on the season) and are the only NESCAC team to have attempted over 200 three pointers thus far in conference game – the next closest being Middlebury at 148 attempts. They shoot close to 41% as a team from downtown, and what’s more impressive is the Mules do not have a single senior who plays significant minutes. Leading the way is Sam Jefferson ‘20 (18.6 PPG, 44.1% 3PFG), Matt Hanna ‘21 (14.3 PPG, 41.7% 3PFG), and a slew of shooters all capable of knocking down the deep ball. Colby opts for a starting lineup featuring five guards instead of inserting a true center; this might be the main reason why they have a negative rebounding margin, but the strategy seems to have paid off against the likes of Amherst and Hamilton. On defense, the Mules are less impressive, ranking in the bottom half of points allowed/game and defensive 3PFG%. Similarly to Middlebury, however, Colby played much better on defense against Amherst and Hamilton. The Mammoths shot just 11.8% from deep, and the Continentals weren’t much better at 25% from three.

Middlebury X – Factor

Max Bosco ‘21

Bosco has been an integral part of Middlebury’s success over the course of the season, leading the Panthers in 3PFG%. In the past three weeks, the sophomore has elevated his game to another level; in a non-conference game against Widener, Bosco exploded for 27 points, and followed that up with a season-defining performance against Bates, where he scored 28 points and dished out five assists. After another solid performance in Middlebury’s close loss to Tufts, Bosco was inserted into the starting five in favor of Griffin Kornaker ‘21; he hasn’t looked back, and has Middlebury looking like a dangerous team come postseason time.  Middlebury knows it will get offensive production from the likes of Jack Farrell and Matt Folger, but Bosco needs to extend his hot shooting streak if the Panthers want to escape Waterville with a win.

Colby X – Factor

Sam Jefferson ‘20

Jefferson is tied for 4th in the NESCAC in PPG, and the junior only needs an inch of space to make defenders pay. He’s averaging an absurd 27.3 PPG over his last three contests, and single-handedly willed his squad to back-to-back road upsets against Amherst and Hamilton. He shot 50% from deep against the two NESCAC teams and went 17/20 from the charity stripe, showing Jefferson’s capability to burn you from long range or take it to the hole and get to the line. The outcome of the game will most likely hinge on Jefferson’s performance; the Mules are 9-1 when Jefferson scores 20+ points, including 3-0 in conference play. In their conference losses against Bates, Bowdoin and Trinity, he averaged a mere 12.3 points and shot 36.1% from the field. The Mules will definitely need some help to accompany Jefferson on Saturday, but he has to have another Amherst/Hamilton-esque performance if the Mules want to keep the winning streak alive.

Final Thoughts

I’m not a betting man, but I would expect a ton of points in Saturday’s game. Despite the recent defensive resurgence for both squads, the offenses should have plenty of space to knock down shots. Colby’s wins against Amherst and Hamilton are undoubtedly impressive, and they should have every reason to think they can do it again, this time in front of their home fans. Still, I have to side with the team with the better overall talent. The Panthers have the more refined set of shooters and have proven they can win in a multitude of ways; Colby is too reliant on the three ball and I think Middlebury will be well-prepared to guard Jefferson and Colby’s other offensive weapons. In what should be an exhilarating game, give me the Panthers to snag a hard-fought road win and stay in contention for a top seed in the NESCAC posteason tournament.

Writer’s Pick: Middlebury 88 – Colby 80