Sam Grad – Nothing But NESCAC

Better Late Than Never: Power Rankings 2/8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(6) 10. Bates (10-9, 2-4)

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

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

(11) 11. Conn College (4-16, 0-6)

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

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

A 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

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 15^th-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 9^th 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.

Big Shoes to Fill: Bowdoin Men’s Basketball Preview 2019-2020

Bowdoin College Polar Bears

2018-2019 Record: 15-9 (4-6 NESCAC), did not qualify for NESCAC Tournament

2019-2020 Projected Record: 9-15 (1-9 NESCAC)

Key Losses: G Jack Bors, F Jack Simonds, F Hugh O’Neil

Projected Starting Lineup:

G: Zavier Rucker ’21 (12.3 PPG, 3.4 REB/G, 3.4 AST/G, 50% FG)

Easily the most efficient player on the roster, Rucker returns for his third season as the point guard of this team. Given that he has the ball more than anyone else, Rucker has done a nice job in his career of minimizing turnovers and only taking high-percentage shots. This helped him shoot over 50% from the field over the first two years of his career…but there is a catch. First his first two seasons in Brunswick, Rucker was surrounded by Jack Simonds, David Reynolds, and Hugh O’Neil – the team’s top three scorers. Reynolds is still there, but losing O’Neil and Simonds means that Rucker is going to be asked to score a bit more this season. It seems as though scoring is not his first instinct, but he does have the ability when he needs it so he’ll have to improve at creating shots for himself if Bowdoin is going to keep up with some of the higher scoring teams in the conference.

G: Taiga Kagitomi ’22 (1.7 PPG, 1.8 REB/G, 12.3 MPG)

This is an interesting year for Kagitomi because he is being thrust into a starting role after seeing very little action as a freshman. The southpaw has good size for a guard and is very skilled at finishing around the rim, however his jump shot is still a bit of a work in progress as he is 3-17 in his career from beyond the arc. This is going to be an important point of emphasis because the Polar Bears could use all the scoring they can get. He’s also going to be tasked with defending some of the most physical players in the NESCAC, so we’ll have to keep an eye on his wear and tear throughout the course of the season. Kagitomi has the size, athleticism, and skillset to be successful in this league, he just needs to see the minutes in order to reach his full potential.

G: David Reynolds ’20 (17.6 PPG, 4.7 REB/G, 1.5 AST/G)

Reynolds is the most prolific scorer on this team and one of the most elite scorers in the league. He has been top-10 in the NESCAC in scoring since his sophomore year and he continues to prove why he’s a force to be reckoned with. The most glaring issue with Reynolds is that all he really does is shoot. His assist numbers have been largely unimpressive and his rebounding totals are nothing to write home about given his size and athleticism. He needs to realize that he doesn’t need to be the one taking the shot every time down the court because that makes their offense insanely predictable. Bowdoin could really benefit from Reynolds looking more for open teammates and hitting the glass hard, because losing Simonds and O’Neil is a huge hit for this team and they need production anywhere they can get it. Reynolds has the talent to be one of the best players in the conference, but to this point in his career he has been very one-dimensional. If he can diversify his skillset a bit more this season that will directly translate into more wins for the Polar Bears.

F: Sam Grad ’21 (6.1 PPG, 2.2 REB/G, 49% FG)

Grad has a chance to be one of the most impactful players for Bowdoin this season. At 6’7”, 222lbs, he has as much size as anyone in this league, but he’s not even a true center for this team. Admittedly he’s not the fastest guy up and down the court, but Grad is a terrific rebounder and his shooting ability allows the Polar Bears to spread the court and force opponents to respect the 3-ball. With the graduation of Hugh O’Neil, Grad will be asked to spend a bit more time defending opposing bigs and playing in the post, so we’ll find out how comfortable he is playing on the inside. There really isn’t much else to say about Grad other than the fact that much like the rest of the roster, he’s going to really have to step up in order to keep Bowdoin competitive. Their lineup this year isn’t particularly deep, so Grad is going to have to increase productivity while simultaneously playing more minutes – is it even possible to ask more of someone?

F: Xander Werkman ’23 (DNP)

Clearly the biggest mystery in this starting lineup is Werkman given that he’s a freshman. That said, Coach Gilbride clearly sees something in him because he has already made his way into the starting lineup early in the season. Werkman is a very interesting case because he’s listed at 6’7”, 195lbs, but his high school recruiting profiles list him as being between 230 and 240, so this guy has clearly whipped himself into shape in preparation for his rookie season. This means that Werkman likely has experience playing in the post, which will be crucial for a team that lacks a true inside presence. So far he has been very efficient shooting-wise, shooting 50% from the field and 50% from deep (albeit with just 4 attempts). This type of efficiency will have to continue and it seems as though Werkman has the ability to do this, but it’s still very early in the season. He doesn’t seem like too much of a threat at this point, but things can change very quickly as he starts to find a comfort level with NESCAC basketball.

Everything Else:

At 4-4, the Polar Bears are not off to quite the start they would’ve hoped for, but there is still a very long way to go. They’ve shown what they’re capable of by battling down the stretch against no. 12 nationally ranked Babson. Losing Simonds, O’Neil, and Jack Bors is going to be very difficult to overcome, but they still return Zavier Rucker ’21 and David Reynolds ’20, two of the most talented players in the NESCAC. This year will really depend on what the rest of the team brings to the table. In recent years they’ve had the firepower to compete with the class of the league, but lacked a considerable amount of depth. Now they find themselves searching for the next generation of talent in Brunswick.

One of the only returning players that saw substantial time last season is Stephen Ferraro ’20. Ferraro is a 5’10” guard who can handle the ball and sees the court very well, so they’ll need his steady hand in the backcourt to help ease a bit of the burden off of Rucker. At this point his biggest flaw is that he hasn’t been able to prove that he can knock down the deep ball, which is a problem when you’re less than 6 feet. He’s going to have to expand his range to have improved success this year on the offensive end. Drew Gagnon ’20 is another senior who hasn’t played a ton over the course of his career, but he’s a lanky wing who can certainly provide value, especially with his ability to shoot. Rookie Jack Shea ’23 is really the only other guy who has seen consistent time this year, so they’ll depend on his defensive ability and skills around the rim to add a bit more depth to their lineup.

Right now it’s hard to envision where Bowdoin will end up, but the trend has not been positive so far. They are noticeably suffering the losses of their key seniors from 2018-2019 and haven’t yet found guys who are ready to step into these roles. If Reynolds and Rucker continue to be the only guys who can produce, it will be a very long season. 8 games is a small sample size and I anticipate that the Polar Bears will surprise us once or twice, but I don’t see them making a run and they’ll likely have to battle just to qualify for the NESCAC Tournament. They only have 2 more games before conference play begins, so hopefully they’ll be able to fine-tune a few things to at least have a chance to be competitive with the most challenging portion of their schedule.

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.

Bowdoin Polar Bears 2019 Basketball Season Preview

Chomping At The Bit: Bowdoin Polar Bears’ Men’s Basketball Season Preview

Jack Simonds has had a great career and it will be fun to see how it finishes.

Bowdoin 2017- 2018 Record: 15-9 (4-6), lost to Amherst in NESCAC Quarterfinals

Projected 2018-2019 Record: 13-11 (5-5)

Key Losses:

G Liam Farley ‘18 (10.1 PPG, 44.1% 3PFG)

Polar Bears Starting Lineup:

G Zavier Rucker ‘21 (7.7 PPG, 3.8 REB/G, 3.4 AST/G, 1.1 STL/G)

Rucker had an immediate impact for the Polar Bears, starting 22 of Bowdoin’s 23 games as a true freshman. The first thing I noticed when glossing over Rucker’s stats was how well he shot with such few attempts; despite averaging a meager 4.7 shots per game, Rucker posted a 57.4% clip from the field, including 41.7% from beyond the arc. I would imagine Coach Gilbride told Rucker he’d like to see his sophomore guard take on a more aggressive role in the offense, and through the first three games of the 2018-2019 season, he’s been absolutely superb. He’s averaging 19 PPG (a scorching 71% field goal percentage), to go along with a team-leading 6.0 AST/G. Rucker is also averaging more than four free throws a game, another indicator he’s attacking the rim frequently. One of the most improved players in the NESCAC so far, if Rucker continues to put up these kinds of numbers, the Polar Bears will be a dangerous opponent come league play.

F Jack Simonds ‘19: (15.0 PPG, 5.4 REB/G, 3.0 AST/G)

Simonds saw a slight decrease in offensive production after coming off fantastic freshman and sophomore seasons, but still finished as the Polar Bears’ second leading scorer and rebounder. The scoring numbers still aren’t quite up to par with years past (12.7 PPG), but the 6’6’’ senior has more than doubled his rebounding average from last season, securing more than 11 per game. While I don’t expect Simonds to continue averaging a double-double come season’s end, the emergence of a second rebounder is critical for the Polar Bears, who finished last season in the bottom half of the NESCAC in rebounding.

G/F David Reynolds ‘20: (15.4 PPG, 4.7 REB/G, 1.7 AST/G)

Through the first thirteen games of the 2017-2018 season, Reynolds served as the Polar Bears’ sixth-man, sans one non-conference tilt with Westfield St. He tallied double digits in eleven of those games off the bench, at which point Coach Gilbride inserted him into the starting five. Reynolds finished the season just ahead of Simonds as the team’s leading scorer, earning a spot on the 2nd Team All-Conference list in the process. At 6’5’’ and weighing 202 lbs, Reynolds is a rangy, athletic guard/forward hybrid who can use his height advantage to bully smaller defenders and his speed to blow by bigger ones. He’s not afraid to bomb away from beyond the arc either, averaging over nine 3PT/G this season, connecting on 42.9% of them. He’s scored 26, 24, and 26 through his first three games this season, and the latter two were done with less than 25 minutes spent on the court. Needless to say, this man can shoot the rock, and must to continue to do so once the games really start to matter.

C Hugh O’Neil ‘19: (9.6 PPG, 8.8 REB/G, 56.9% FG)

O’Neil is that energetic bruiser everyone likes to have on their team but hates to play against. The senior registered a team-leading six double-doubles last season, most notably a monster 22 point, 15 rebound performance against rival Colby. At 6’7’’, O’Neil certainly isn’t the tallest center in the league, but he is the main reason Bowdoin finished third in the ‘CAC in defensive rebounding. He’s currently averaging a double-double through the first three games of this young season (10.7 PPG, 10.0 REB/G), and it seems like he won’t have to worry about being the Polar Bears’ only source of rebounding, as Simonds seems to have accepted the challenge in assisting in that department.

G Jack Bors ‘19: 5.8 PPG, 82.4% FT

Last season, Bors started the first thirteen games before switching roles with David Reynolds. At the time, Bowdoin only had two starters averaging double digits, so Reynolds was added to the starting five to inject some life into the offense. Bors saw his minutes drop and with it, his production. This season, the senior is off to a rough start, averaging just 3.0 PPG and shooting an abysmal 16.7% from the field. Bors has the capability and the talent to turn it around quick, but the Polar Bears have other options off the bench as an alternative if he continues to struggle.

Breakout Player:

G Sam Grad 21’ (4.8 PPG, 57.5% FG)

Grad got some burn as a freshman last season, and I think he can really blossom into a solid two-way guard for Bowdoin. He’s already posted double figures twice in three tries, but it’s at the defensive end where he could pose a problem for opposing guards. Standing at 6’7’’, Grad is extremely tall and lanky for his position, which will most certainly help clog passing lates and disrupt shots. Bowdoin allowed opposing NESCAC teams to shoot nearly 36% from three this past season, and if they want to make some noise in the ‘CAC, they’ll need production from their bench on both sides of the ball. Grad looks like he could be that guy.

Everything Else:

While three of the five starters on Bowdoin are seniors, all but one of their bench players are underclassmen. I’d consider Sam Grad as the cream of the crop from the bench; however, there are others who can most certainly make an immediate impact. One such player is Taiga Kagitomi ‘22. The freshman from Tokyo played for Japan in the 2017 FIBA Junior World Cup, which featured college stars like RJ Barrett (Duke), Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga) and Payton Pritchard (Oregon). Kagitomi might not have played a ton in the tourney, but gained valuable experience nonetheless. In fact, he’s already logged significant minutes for the Polar Bears, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see his raw talent reflected in the stat column as the season progresses.

David Reynolds and company have a lot of senior leadership giving them a distinct advantage over many other NESCAC teams.

Defensively, Bowdoin was average at best in total rebounding, but did lead the league in offensive rebounds allowed; however, they were last in blocked shots, ahead of only Conn in turnovers forced, and allowed conference opponents to shoot around 42% from the field. The Polar Bears will need to do more than just crash the boards in order to compete with the upper echelon teams in the NESCAC, and it starts with creating more havoc on defense.

Offensively, the one glaring issue Bowdoin has had thus far is turnovers. Despite the 2-1 overall record, the Polar Bears rank near the bottom of te NESCAC with a -7 turnover differential per game, (18 TO/G and only forcing 11 TO/G). In their 90-65 win vs. Worcester St., Bowdoin committed 21 turnovers, and it’s not just the young players who are the main culprit; two of the starters (Bors and Reynolds) are committing 2.3 TO/G. They’ll definitely need to clean up the sloppy ball handling before conference play, or else they’ll struggle to replicate their top-eight finish.

On the positive side, the Polar Bears are setting the nets ablaze. They lead the ‘CAC in 3PT% and sit second in FG%. Will Bowdoin continue to average 96 PPG? Probably not. However, this torrid offensive pace is especially good to build confidence, especially for the underclassmen. Additionally, the more inexperienced teammates can become acclimated to the pace of college basketball. I predicted the Polar Bears to finish one game better in-conference than last season’s record, but would not be surprised if they finish as good as 6-4 or as bad as 3-7. It mainly depends on the offensive production; will David Reynolds continue to put up prolific scoring numbers? Can Rucker and company consistently provide offensive reinforcement when facing teams like Hamilton, Williams, Amherst, etc.? I think the Polar Bears have an upset or two in them, but I also see them cancelling out those performances by losing a game they’re favored in. Nonetheless, this isn’t a team that you’d want to play come tourney time (just ask last year’s Amherst squad).