Tag: Omar Sarr

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

It’s Not Cold Up North: Stock Report 1/21

Stock Report 1/21

Stock up

Bates’ turnaround from last year

The Bobcats have gotten off to a very fine start in 2020 and sit at 3rd place in the NESCAC right now with a record of 2-1. What makes their 2-1 record more impressive is the fact that they’ve already played Wesleyan, Amherst, and Hamilton who have been some of the best teams in the league over the last several years. This is in stark contrast to last season when Bates finished 7-18 overall and just 3-7 in NESCAC play. One of the biggest catalysts behind the hot start in league play has been freshman Omar Sarr ’23. In conference play, Sarr is leading the NESCAC in both rebounds and blocks per game and he has really made his presence felt in the paint thus far. Fellow rookie Stephon Baxter ’23 has also been a huge addition to this year’s squad. The defensive spark that he brings off the bench is huge for Bates and allows Coach Furbush to mess around a bit with some of his defensive matchups. Baxter is also lightning quick and has displayed an impressive ability to create his own shot and make tough finishes. The addition of these two guys combined with elevated play from their loaded senior backcourt has made the Bobcats do a complete 180 this season and they now find themselves looking down at most of the league.

Sam Jefferson’s POY case

In non-conference play, Jefferson got off to one of the most incredible statistical starts to a season we’ve ever seen in the NESCAC. The question at that point was whether he could continue this elite level of play in their most crucial games against their most talented opponents. His numbers in their opening NESCAC weekend against Conn College and Trinity weren’t jaw dropping, but they also didn’t need him to perform as much because they handled those games with relative ease. This past weekend, however, Jefferson stepped up when it really mattered. On the road at Middlebury and Williams, Jefferson put up 55 points on 19-27 shooting, including 9-16 from 3-point land. These are star-caliber numbers and he delivered them against two of the very best teams in the league on the road in a pivotal weekend for the Mules. I’ve been hesitant to say too much about Jefferson until we got a chance to see him go up against stronger teams, but he this weekend he came through and then some. He has helped make Colby the team to beat right now, even beyond the NESCAC…

Colby’s national relevance

The Mules are now up to #5 in the nation with a 15-0 start to the season including 4-0 in NESCAC play. It feels like every week we’re waiting on them to have an off shooting night and have their lack of size haunt them, but every week they prove us wrong. Middlebury isn’t necessarily the biggest team in the league (although they aren’t small), but Williams is one of the biggest and Colby handled them just the same. The Mules have 4 players averaging double figures in scoring and they lead the NESCAC in field goal percentage (2nd in 3-point percentage), points, assists, steals, and blocks per game. Right now this is the best team with the best player in the best conference in America and it’s their spot to lose. Colby still has Bates, Bowdoin, Tufts, Hamilton, Amherst, and Wesleyan left on their NESCAC schedule so there’s a lot of basketball left to play, but at the moment it looks like the road to the NESCAC Championship runs through Waterville.

Stock down

Kena Gilmour star power

The reigning NESCAC Player of the Year had a rough weekend with the rest of the Continental squad, dropping games at Tufts and at Bates. Gilmour had 26 points on Friday against a nationally ranked Tufts team, but he shot just 9-22 so not exactly the most efficient night. On Saturday at Bates he was relatively nonexistent, except for a flurry of 3-pointers early in the second half. He really didn’t look very involved in the offense and the team simply couldn’t do it without him. He had a good weekend the weekend before and helped lead a furious comeback to steal a win against Williams, so hopefully this weekend was just a bump in the road. Hamilton has yet to prove that they can win when Gilmour doesn’t perform, so he’s going to have to be playing at a very high level to keep the Continentals in contention. This is a very different team than last year in Clinton. 

Amherst’s consistency

This is somewhat a testament to the fact that the Mammoths are the class of the NESCAC year in and year out, but they haven’t really seemed to hit their stride yet in 2020. They started off very strong taking down previously undefeated Middlebury, then followed that up by losing to Williams at home the very next day. This past weekend they put together a nice win at Bates and turned around on Saturday to get crushed by Tufts. Eric Sellew ’20 suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of the game against Bates and didn’t play against Tufts so we’ll have to keep an eye on how long he’s out given that he has probably been the Mammoths’ most efficient player this year. Grant Robinson ’21 hasn’t been as dominant as he was last year and Fru Che ’21 has had some relatively quiet scoring nights as well. All that said, Amherst still isn’t in a terrible spot right now. They’re one of the 4 teams tied for 4th place at 2-2 in league play and they’re past the hardest part of the schedule so far. Their last 6 games are against Hamilton, Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Colby, Trinity, and Conn College so they have a very real chance of closing out the year 4-2 or 5-1 which would likely earn them a home game in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs. You can never count out the Purple and White.

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

NESCAC Basketball Power Rankings 1/16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Size Matters: Bates Men’s Basketball Preview 2019-2020

Bates College Bobcats

2018-2019 Record: 7-17 (3-7 NESCAC), did not qualify for NESCAC Tournament

2019-2020 Projected Record: 12-12 (4-6 NESCAC)

Key Losses: C Nick Lynch, G Max Hummel, F Brandon Galloway

Projected Starting Lineup:

G: Jeff Spellman ’20 (15.4 PPG, 5.0 REB/G, 4.1 AST/G)

Last season Spellman made the leap from good to great. He saw his already solid scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers increase and he established himself as one of the most explosive guards in the league. This guy can beat anyone off the dribble and is able to create his own shot with ease, making him the go-to guy when they need a basket. The only danger for Spellman this year is that he tries to do too much on his own. He’s the best player on the team hands down, but he’s got 14 other guys on the roster who are capable of holding their own at this level, too. If the Bobcats get over-reliant on Spellman’s ability, their offense will get predictable and very easy to stop. If he can do his part to create looks for other guys on the team then opponents will be forced to respect the other options and Spellman, in turn, will benefit.

G: Nick Gilpin ’20 (5.5 PPG, 3.2 REB/G, 2.9 AST/G)

Filling the obligatory “coach’s son” role, Gilpin is the steady hand on the team. The point guard doesn’t always fill out the stat sheet, but he always has an impact on the game. Coming into this season, Gilpin had played in 73 career basketball games at Bates and started 65 of them – this kid has seen it all. His numbers have remained relatively steady over the course of his career, which makes it easy to know what you’re going to get out of him but hard to know what areas he can really improve in. At first glance it sort of seems like he should be scoring more. He definitely is a pass-first point guard, but he’s shot over 40% from the field in his career and over 40% from beyond the arc, as well. With that being said, he has never averaged more than 6.1 points per game in a single season during his career, so it makes you wonder why he’s not shooting more. If he can increase his scoring output just a tad to complement Spellman in the backcourt, then this will be a very challenging team to stop.

G/F: James Mortimer ’21 (5.7 PPG, 2.3 REB/G)

Mortimer will play one of the most important roles this season for Bates. At 6’4” and 185lbs, Morty is one of the only guys that can match up physically with some of the bigger wings that they’ll see from teams like Hamilton or Williams. He’s got the quickness to beat guys off the dribble and the strength and athleticism to go strong to the rim and absorb contact through the finish. He’ll also be asked to rebound at a higher level this season given that the Bobcats were dead last in rebounding a year ago. Like Gilpin, Mortimer’s numbers have remained largely the same in the early part of his career so if Bates is going to get better this year it’ll have to start with more production from guys like Morty.

F: Andrew Snoddy ’22 (7.1 PPG, 3.8 REB/G, 50.5% FG)

Unfortunate injury ended Snoddy’s freshman campaign, but he looked very good in his short time. His lanky build distracts from the fact that Snoddy has some pretty legit athleticism and he’ll jump through the roof when you’re least expecting it. It’ll be tough for him to match up physically with some of the bigger wings as well, but he has the athleticism to do it. Shooting over 50% from the field is an excellent sign of production, but it’s a bit deceiving because he was only 3-19 from 3-point land. If he’s able to expand his range this year then teams will have a very difficult time preventing the Bobcats from spreading the floor and shooting them out of the gym. Snoddy will also need to step up on the glass this year because there really isn’t anyone on the roster who has had rebounding success in the past and rebounding was easily their biggest weakness from last season.

C: Kenny Aruwajoye ’22 (2.3 PPG, 2.9 REB/G)

There will likely be no one who is asked to take a bigger step forward this year than Kenny. He played sparingly as a freshman, mostly just filling in when C Nick Lynch needed a break. Now he’s the most experienced center on the roster and he’ll have to match up with the likes of Matt Karpowicz from Williams and Luke Rogers from Tufts. Defense and rebounding will be the focus for Aruwajoye because if he can negate the effects of some of the league’s top centers, the rest of the team will take it from there. His touch around the rim is getting better by the day and if he can prove that he’s capable of knocking down a 10-12 footer when left open then that opens up a world of options for the Bobcat offense. Fortunately Coach Furbush brought in a few freshmen big men so Aruwajoye will get to rest when he needs it, but he’ll still be asked to shoulder the majority of the low-post workload.

Everything Else:

The 2019-2020 season looks to be a very interesting one for the Bobcats. They’ve seen success in the recent past, but struggled last season and failed to qualify for postseason play for the second consecutive year. After the graduation of the Delpeche twins in 2017, Bates has had a hard time finding a solid replacement down low, and have subsequently seen huge dips in their rebounding numbers. It seems that Coach Furbush has finally been able to address this problem by bringing in Jacob Iwowo ’23, Omar Sarr ’23, and Cam Riley ’23, who stand at 6’7”, 6’8”, and 6’9”, respectively. Iwowo is a bit skinnier and isn’t a true center, but Riley has a similar build to Matt Karpowicz of Williams and projects to be a very fine center if he can stay in shape enough to make it up and down the court all game. Sarr is also a big body that can anchor the post, but he possesses a bit more athleticism than Riley, which means that they may even be able to put the two of them on the court together if they want to go with a bigger lineup.

Given that size has been their problem, Bates has a number of experienced guards coming off the bench. Tom Coyne ’20 is one of the deadliest sharpshooters in the league and he usually ends up doing quite a bit of scoring for the Bobcats, playing over 20 minutes per game despite not being in the starting lineup. Kody Greenhalgh ’20 also brings a wealth of experience and athleticism, playing a similar style to Jeff Spellman ’20. He can knock down a three, get to the rim, and defend at a high level, making him an excellent spark of energy off the bench. Freshman Stephon Baxter ’23 also adds a dynamic playmaker to the backcourt, as he has the quickness and basketball IQ to see significant playing time in his rookie season.

This is one of those “off years” for Bates, where they only have 4 home conference games as opposed to 6 road games. Only Amherst, Hamilton, Bowdoin, and Colby will have the pleasure of dealing with the raucous Bobcat crowd that sits within arm’s reach of the players on the court. Speaking of which, I’m going to take a quick moment to discuss the newly labeled student section in Alumni Gym. Bates has added a banner reading, “’Cats Clutter” that hangs directly over the student section behind the far basket in their gym, and it’s actually sort of a bummer for two key reasons. The first reason being that the best spot to sit from a fan’s perspective is not at the end of the court (granted someone has to sit there), but in the corner of the gym adjacent to the student section where if you sit in the front row you have to be careful that you don’t trip a player or referee running down the side line. It’s a lot of fun being so close to the court that no one can hear the chirping going on besides the fans and the players they’re going after. The second (and more important) reason is the fact that “The Litter Box” is clearly a better and more appropriate name for the fan section. It still covers the cat metaphor that they were going for while more aptly describing the array of individuals that chose to attend the basketball games. Would you rather get heckled for 40 minutes by a gathering of felines or by a collection of rowdy fans who openly call themselves pieces of crap? I rest my case.

Either way this is sure to be a fun year for Bates as they look to get back to their winning ways. They’ve got a good mix of seasoned vets and developing youngsters, which should serve them well as the season progresses. The biggest foreseeable issue is the lack of post experience: the Bobcats now have 3 true centers on their roster but 2 of them are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. Division III basketball isn’t known for having dominant big men, but the NESCAC is the exception. Nearly every school in the conference has a guy or two that are 6’8”+ and can bang around down low with the best of them. It will come down to how quickly the freshmen can develop because if they can add productive minutes, even in short stints, then the experienced backcourt should be able to take them where they need to go. However much success they have in grooming their big men will likely define the direction that their season will go.