Commonwealth Coast Conference

[deiscanton]

I am now at the halftime on replay, and was just checking the final boxscore for the complete game--

In the first half, Western New England scored 41 pts on a 59/80/75 shooting split.  (17-29 from the field, 4-5 from 3 pt range, and 3-4 from the FT line.)

Roger Williams in the first half scored 42 pts on a 45/33/80 shooting split (15-33 from the field, 8-24 from 3 pt range, and 4-5 from the FT line.)

In the second half, Western New England scored 37 pts on a 39/0/61 shooting split (13-33 from the field, 0-6 from 3 pt range, and 11-18 from the FT line.)

Roger Williams in the second half scored 36 pts on a 45/31/100 shooting split (14-31 from the field, 4-13 from 3 pt range, and a perfect 4-4 from the FT line.)

In the overtime period, Western New England scored 11 pts on a 63/0/25 shooting split (5-8 from the field, no 3 pt attempts, and 1-4 from the FT line.)

Roger Willams in the OT period scored 8 pts, all from the FT line on a 0/0/89 shooting split (0-3 from the field, 0-2 from 3 pt range, 8-9 from the FT line.)

Final ended up WNE 89, RWU 86 in overtime.

[deiscanton]

I just finished watching the replay of the stream of WNE at Roger Williams;

Just a reminder-- There was no play by play nor color commentary of this game.   Just a live court mic.

(1) With 1:06 left in the overtime period, I hear someone in the crowd, presumably a Roger Williams supporter, yell "T him up!"  I would certainly like to find out what is going on in that scene. It happened when Brian Geitner of WNE was called for a foul.  The video does not make it clear what is going on in the picture.   If this was the late British comedy panel show "Mock the Week", I would ask the panelists to caption that scene.  It would be very funny.

(2)  The most frustrating part of the stream occurred when the live court mic was turned off during the final timeout with 9 seconds left in the OT period and the mic was not turned back on.   The last 9 seconds of the game played out like a silent movie.

Anyway, a nice hard fought win on the road at Roger Williams last night, and the WNE Golden Bears are solely atop the CCC standings after 7 conference games with 11 games left to play until the CCC tournament.

[deiscanton]

CCC Conference race update--

Final from Boston, MA--

Wentworth 71, Western New England 66-- Home underdog pulls off upset and wins outright.

Going into tonight's contest, Wentworth had a 25% chance to win this game and was a +7.5 point home underdog, courtesy of Matt Snyder's D3 efficiency ratings system:

http://tomaroonandgold.blogspot.com/p/division-iii-mens-basketball-efficiency.html

Predicted scoreline tonight was WNE 74, Wentworth 67; the predicted tempo was 71 possessions per team, and the predicted over/under total was 141.5

Actual game total tonight was 137-- Under wins that one.  Game tempo played as predicted.

In other CCC action tonight-- home team listed first

1.)  Nichols 86, Curry 68-- Nichols goes to 9-2 in the CCC and moves to within 1 game of WNE in the standings.
2.)  Roger Williams 63, Suffolk 78-- Roger Williams drops to 8-3 in the CCC and stays 2 games back of WNE.

There are 7 games left to play until the Commonwealth Coast Conference tournament.

Saturday's contest in Springfield between host WNE and Nichols at 3 PM Eastern will either determine if WNE can get their 2 game lead back over the other CCC teams, or if there will be a tie for first place in the CCC standings.

[Greek Tragedy]

Nichols is looking pretty good lately. They really seem to be clicking now. Huge game Saturday at W NE. The Golden Bears took the 1st meeting at Nichols, but Matt Alectus didn't play that game.

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Final earlier today from the Alumni Healthful Living Center in Springfield, MA--

(Host team listed first)--  WNE 81, Nichols 83  (OT).   Game was tied at 71-71 at end of regulation, and needed 5 minutes of overtime to determine a final score.

The predicted scoreline for this game coming into today, courtesy of Matt Snyder's D3 net efficiency rating system:

http://tomaroonandgold.blogspot.com/p/division-iii-mens-basketball-efficiency.html

WNE 83, Nichols 80

WNE came into this game with a 62% chance to win and was a -3.5 point home favorite.  The predicted pace of the game was 81 possessions per team, and the predicted over/under total was 163.5.

Actual results:  Road underdog Nichols won the game outright.    Nichols had 81 possessions in the win, but needed an overtime period to get some of these possessions, so the game tempo was slower than predicted.  In the end, the over barely prevailed, but had the game ended in regulation, under would have won on the total.

Major hightlight of the game--

Nichols's leading scorer Matthew Alectus proved to be a game changer in the overtime period, but the game winner was scored by a driving coast to coast layup by Nichols senior Quincy Ferebee with 0.5 seconds left in the overtime period.

New state of the CCC race, with 6 games left to play until the CCC tournament.

Currently, we have a tie for first place between CCC co-leaders Nichols and WNE at 10-2 in the standings.  Roger Williams is in third place at 9-3 in the CCC, 1 game behind the co-leaders.   Standing currently at the #4 spot is Endicott at 8-4 in the CCC, 2 games back.

The rest of the CCC tournament field, if the tournament was to start today, is Suffolk in the #5 spot at 7-5 in the CCC, Wentworth in the #6 spot at 6-6 in the CCC, Salve Regina at #7 at 5-7 in the CCC, and Gordon at #8 spot at 3-9 in the CCC.

Curry and U. New England currently would not qualify for the CCC tournament, they being at #9 and #10 respectively.

At the moment, WNE still has the #1 seed in the CCC tournament based on the second tiebreaker, which is current head-to-head results between the co-leaders and the subsequent CCC teams in the rankings from first to last until a tie is broken.   WNE breaks the tie with a road win in overtime over the current third place team Roger Williams, while Nichols lost by 20 points earlier this season when it hosted Roger Williams.

Next up-- Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023-- 7:30 PM Eastern

1.)  Roger Williams at Western New England
2.)  Nichols at Endicott

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Western New England defeated Roger Williams tonight, 89-78, and improves to 11-2 in the CCC with 5 games to play before the CCC tournament.

Since WNE has now swept their series vs Roger Williams, the Golden Bears currently have the tiebreaker for the #1 seed in the CCC tournament (Roger Williams has already defeated Nichols this season) as long as Roger Williams finishes above Wentworth in the CCC standings.

Nichols is leading at Endicott, 79-74, with 2:53 to go.  If results hold, Nichols will maintain a first place tie in the CCC standings with WNE at 11-2 in the CCC.   Roger Williams will be in third place at 2 games behind the CCC co-leaders, with Endicott in 4th place at 3 games behind the CCC co-leaders with 5 games left before the CCC tournament.

Final-- Nichols 93, Endicott 78 from Beverly, MA.   Nichols remains in a first place tie with WNE with 5 games remaining before the CCC tournament.

Next up-- Games scheduled for Saturday, February 4, 2023, however extreme cold with a wind chill warning is in the forecast for Saturday.  Temperatures expected to be below zero in Massachusetts on Saturday.

1.)  Western New England at Curry
2.)  Suffolk at Nichols

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Final from Beverly, MA--  Endicott 87, Western New England 85 (OT).   Western New England drops to 12-3 in the CCC, 1/2 game behind Nichols.

Nichols can take sole possession of first place in the CCC tonight with a 1 game lead over the Golden Bears with 3 games remaining if they defeat Wentworth this evening.   Tip is coming in a few minutes from Dudley, MA.

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Final from Dudley, MA-- Nichols 82, Wentworth 70

Nichols has now taken sole possession of first place in the CCC at 13-2 in the CCC, 17-5 overall.

Western New England is now in second place in the CCC at 12-3 in the CCC, 16-5 overall. (WNE has a non-conference game at Pratt on Thursday.)

There are 3 games left to play before the CCC tournament, and here are the remaining games for the top 2 teams in the CCC:

Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023-- 3 PM Eastern tip.

1.)  University of New England at Nichols
2.)  Salve Regina at Western New England

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023-- 7:30 PM Eastern tip

1.)  Nichols at Salve Regina
2.)  Suffolk at Western New England

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023-- 3 PM Eastern tip.

1.)  Nichols at Roger Williams-- That game may determine the #1 seed in the CCC tournament, as Nichols will most likely need  to win all 3 of their remaining games to keep the #1 seed.

2.)  Western New England at Gordon

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Finals-- Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023

Nichols 104, UNE 80-- Nichols improves to 18-5, 14-2 in the CCC

WNE 82, Salve Regina 67-- WNE improves to 18-5, 13-3 in the CCC

Nichols maintains their 1 game lead in the CCC with 2 games left.   Nichols can clinch the #1 seed in the CCC tournament by winning out their remaining 2 games.

CCC action resumes on Wednesday, Feb. 15

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Finals this evening--

1.)  In Newport, RI-- Nichols 102, Salve Regina 72
2.)  In Springfield, MA-- WNE 79, Suffolk 70

Nichols improves to 15-2 in the CCC, 19-5 overall with 1 game left to play until the CCC tourney-- Remains in first place with a 1 game lead over Western New England.

WNE improves to 14-3 in the CCC, 19-5 overall with 1 game left to play until the CCC.

Nichols can clinch the #1 seed in the CCC tournament outright with a victory on Saturday at Roger Williams.

Nichols has not yet clinched the #1 seed on tiebreakers, but has a tiebreaker advantage in the CCC's second tiebreaker by virtue of going 2-0 vs current third place team Endicott, while WNE went 1-1 vs Endicott this season.

On Saturday, Nichols can clinch the #1 seed in the CCC men's tournament under any one of the following 3 scenarios:

1.)  Nichols wins at Roger Williams, (Nichols clinches outright), or

2.)  WNE loses at Gordon (Nichols clinches outright), or

3.)   Endicott defeats Salve Regina-- If Endicott wins on Saturday, the Gulls would clinch the #3 seed in the CCC tournament outright and Nichols would clinch the #1 seed on the second tiebreaker if tied for first with Western New England in the standings after Saturday.

[Greek Tragedy]

Good work. Thanks. Nichols is killing it lately. Getting hot at the right time after some early season losses.

[deiscanton]

Halftime in CCC men's action for the last day of CCC play before the conference tournament--

At Bristol, RI-- Nichols 49, Roger Williams 41.     Nichols would clinch the #1 seed in the CCC tournament if this scoreline holds.

At Wenham, MA--  WNE 36, Gordon 35

At Beverly, MA-- Salve Regina 34, Endicott 28

[deiscanton]

CCC conference race update--

Final from Beverly, MA-- Endicott 69, Salve Regina 58

With that Endicott win, Endicott has clinched the #3 seed in the CCC men's tournament.

Nichols has now clinched the #1 seed with this Endicott win today, but the other 2 games are going Nichols's way, with Nichols leading over Roger Williams, and Gordon leading over Western New England.

Updates--

Final from Bristol, RI-- Nichols 88, Roger Williams 71.   Nichols clinches the #1 seed outright and finishes 2 games ahead of Western New England in the final conference standings, because.....

Final from Wenham, MA-- Gordon 78, Western New England 72.

Gordon will still remain the #8 seed in the CCC tournament and will travel to Nichols for a quarterfinal game on Tuesday.

Eliminated from postseason:  Curry, U. of New England.

[deiscanton]

Final standings by conference record and seeding tiebreakers, if any:

1.)  Nichols-- 16-2 in CCC
2.)  WNE-- 14-4 in CCC
3.)  Endicott-- 12-6 in CCC
T-4.)  Wentworth-- 11-7 in CCC (Wentworth gets #4 seed by virtue of 1-1 split vs #2 WNE vs Suffolk's 0-2 vs WNE).
T-4.)  Suffolk-- 11-7 in CCC (Suffolk gets #5 seed)
6.)  Roger Williams-- 10-8 in CCC
7.)  Salve Regina-- 7-11 in CCC
8.)  Gordon-- 6-12 in CCC.

Eliminated from CCC postseason:

9.)  Curry-- 3-15 in CCC
10.)  U. New England-- 0-18 in CCC.

Tuesday's CCC quarterfinals:

#8 Gordon at #1 Nichols
#7 Salve Regina at #2 Western New England
#6 Roger Williams at #3 Endicott
#5 Suffolk at #4 Wentworth

[Greek Tragedy]

Nichols v W NE for the title. Best two teams in the league. To say Nichols is hitting their stride may be an understatement. 16 in a row and only 4 within single digits. Last loss was to...W NE at the beginning of the year. W NE is 7-2 after back to back losses at the end of January. They split with Nichols during the regular season. I gotta take the hot team, Nichols in a close one.