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Division III basketball (Posting Up) => Women's Basketball => Region 7 women's basketball => Topic started by: David Collinge on November 23, 2004, 04:59:39 PM

Title: WBB: North Coast Athletic Conference
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2004, 04:59:39 PM
That's a shame, Misc.  I hope Oberlin is able to round up some more players and get through the season.  

On the brighter side, Hiram's women opened their season with two convincing wins.  I don't know anything about the strength of their opposition (Wilson and Trinity of DC), but two wins for the team picked to finish 9th is definitely a good start.  Allegheny (vs. Alfred & Marietta) and Kenyon (Anderson and ONU) also opened their campaigns 2-0 this weekend.  Everyone else (except the Yeowomen) opened up spitting a pair.

On the strength of their performance in the Nan Nichols Classic, Albion enters the top 25 poll at #24 this week.  No NCAC teams received any votes again this week.

Title: NCAC
Post by: Miscellaneous on November 23, 2004, 08:24:09 PM
Wow, go Hiram.  I've seen them play against the Lady Crimson quite a few times and they've never put up any type of fight.  It'll be nice to see a fresh team fighting for some top place honors.  Hopefully Hiram can keep the momentum going.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2004, 10:50:27 PM
Kenyon moves to 3-0, defeating Bethany 66-46 tonight.  Way to go, Ladies!  

Defending champion Wittenberg drops to 1-2 with a 72-62 loss to defending OAC champ Baldwin-Wallace.

Washington & Jefferson upends Allegheny 57-54.  I saw W&J play this weekend against Pitt-Bradford (unfortunately I missed their loss to Albion).  They have a dominating player in Leigh Sulkowski, but otherwise they looked less than their preseason ranking (#25) would suggest.  It would have been a nice win for the Gators, however.  Allegheny falls to 2-1.

Denison downs Thiel 65-43 to run their record to 2-1.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2004, 11:01:03 PM
Misc., and anyone else who might be lurking out there (especially you, Witt4Ever), I'm headed out of town for the holiday and don't plan to be posting until next Monday at the earliest.  So good luck to all NCAC teams this week, and have a happy, healthy, hearty Thanksgiving my friend(s)!
Title: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on November 23, 2004, 11:55:49 PM
Wilson was ranked 404 out of 411 last year in the Massey Ratings. Trinity DC was 379.
Title: NCAC
Post by: Miscellaneous on November 24, 2004, 10:39:01 AM
Even though you probably won't see this until you get back, Happy Holidays, DC - and anyone else out there who reads this thread.

Congrats to the Yeowomen on picking up win #1.  Just when I had given up hope, Oberlin picks up an impressive win over Blufton.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 01, 2004, 09:25:46 AM
Wooster knocks off Allegheny, 63-59, to open their NCAC slate.  I had a good feeling about this game, and I think it confirms that the Scots can compete for the title this year.  Unfortunately I couldn't attend, thanks to the flu that I brought back from New Jersey with me.  With Michelle Hall out nursing a tender ankle, Carly Loehrke led the Scots with 18 pts. and 13 rebounds.  Courtney Steding also had a double-double for the Gators, with 10 pts. and 12 caroms.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 02, 2004, 09:37:35 AM
Wittenberg drops to 1-4 by losing to Denison 63-59.  Although they've played a tough non-conference schedule (losses to Howard Payne, B-W and #5 Capital), 1-4 is a slow start by any measure.  Plus, they're now 0-1 in the conference, and ran the table last year.  

Kenyon stays unbeaten (4-0) by squeezing past Earlham 61-59.  OWU downs Oberlin 77-67; any info on that game, Misc?  Seems closer than expected.  Kenyon, Denison, OWU, and Wooster share the early conference lead at 1-0, with Hiram yet to play a conference game.

(Message edited by dcollinge on December 2, 2004)
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 05, 2004, 12:01:26 AM
Wooster drops out of the conference lead group, dropping an ugly 50-45 decision to unbeaten Kenyon today in Gambier.  As an indication of the quality of play, there were 3 more rebounds than points today.  Wooster held Kenyon to 25.8% shooting and led by six at the half, but failed to take advantage, shooting a miserable 18.5% in the second half.  Combined the two squads made 12 baskets on 57 brick-heaves in the 2nd half.  And it wasn't the defense; they combined for just 16/32 free throw shooting in the second.  Kenyon's Katy Zeanah led all, um, scorers, hitting a respectable 8/15 from the floor en route to 19 points.  She also had 13 rebounds, six blocks, and four steals; a heck of a stat line in a game where the rest of the stats make you want to take up counted cross-stitch.

Elsewhere, Denison beats Allegheny 55-46, and OWU dumps Hiram 70-46.  The Big Red and Bishops maintain their shares of the conference lead along with the Ladies.  Allegheny drops to a disappointing 0-2.  Wittenberg was idle.  

And Oberlin defeats Earlham 58-54; no doubt Miscellaneous is still out celebrating!
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2004, 10:59:57 PM
Another tough loss for the homestanding Scots tonight, 60-56 at the hands of the Westminster Titans.  Still a bit under the weather, all I have is the box score to go on.  Shooting was a bit better, as the Scots hit 31% (30% from the arc).  Carly Loehrke had a monster game with 14 points (4/9 shooting), 14 rebounds and 5 blocks.  Natalie Barone added 13 points, and Michelle Hall chipped in 6 pts. and 8 boards off the bench.

All of Westminster's scoring came from their starting five, with three players in double figures.  

The good news for Scots fans is the return to the lineup of senior point guard and co-captain Molly Rallo.  Molly got three minutes in her return to the active roster tonight, 5 days ahead of schedule.  I hope all is well with her knee.

The Scots travel to Grove City on Wednesday before returning to NCAC action on Saturday at Earlham.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 09, 2004, 11:19:06 AM
Scots drop another heartbreaker, this time at Grove City, 71-69.  I won't bother with the recap since I think I am talking to myself.

Elsewhere in non-conference action:
Hiram 64, Chatham 45
Franklin 68, Earlham 56
Ohio Northern 69, Denison 51

Hiram sure plays a lot of teams I've never heard of.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2004, 07:56:54 PM
Wooster snaps its three game losing streak, defeating Earlham in Richmond 76-66.  The Scots were led once again by Carly Loehrke, this time with a career high 26 points on 11/13 shooting.  Carly also grabbed seven rebounds, and leads the Scots in both categories on the season, averaging 14.3 points and 9.9 caroms in just over 31 minutes.  She's having quite a season.  Earlham was led by Guin Summerton with 16 and Chelsea Caywood with 13 and 9 boards.

Elsewhere, Wittenberg grabs its first conference win, 67-43 over Oberlin, and Denison remains unbeaten in NCAC play, upending Hiram 56-47.  Denison shares the league lead with Kenyon at 3-0, while OWU sits a half-game back at 2-0.
Title: NCAC
Post by: Rallo on December 14, 2004, 02:30:42 AM
David, thanks for being so supportive of the Scots, it's good to know we have people out there like you.  I just wanted to say that Wooster is definitely the up and coming team and look out for us to show the NCAC what we are really made of.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2004, 10:21:55 PM
Thanks.  I'm looking forward to getting back to some games after the first, and in particular seeing you (personally) play for the first time.  In the meantime, good luck on exams and enjoy your trip to NYC!

Funny, I thought I had posted a note like this earlier today.  Losing my mind, I guess!
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2004, 12:00:20 PM
In the first game of their "See the Ball Drop" tour of New York City, Wooster defeats John Jay (2-7) by the ridiculous score of 72-18.  Wooster moves to 4-5 and looks to even their season record today against CCNY (1-7).

Elsewhere, Earlham drops to 2-7, losing to sixth-ranked DePauw 84-47; Allegheny moves over .500 by defeating Mt. Union 81-64; Wittenberg defeats Centre 67-46 to move to a still-disappointing 4-5; and Kenyon (8-1) stays red hot, dropping St. Lawrence 56-42 in a tournament in Phoenix.  Kenyon's only loss was by just two points to Notre Dame (Ohio), who by comparison beat Wooster by 28 just the other day.
Title: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on December 30, 2004, 02:36:31 PM
Is that a reference to Times Square or to the quality of their opponents' ball-handling? :-)
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2004, 11:44:58 PM
, Pat.  Hey, I'm glad somebody (besides Molly) is reading this drivel!

Relatively speaking, CCNY provided a much sterner test this afternoon, falling to the Scots by just 35, 61-26.  I guess the basketball in New York is not as good as the shopping, or even the taxi driving for that matter!  

Wittenberg moves to .500 by defeating Hanover 66-60; OWU drops Westminster (Pa.) 65-56, and Allegheny nips JCU 69-67.

Now, back to conference action!
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 08, 2005, 10:18:23 PM
Just back from an excellent college basketball game, but a heartbreaker for my Scots, losing 68-62 to Ohio Wesleyan.  This was pretty much a two- to four-point game throughout the second half, but Wooster just couldn't get over the hump.  OWU applied full-court pressure for most of the game, and it was effective, as the Scots turned the ball over repeatedly on mishandled or misaimed skip passes.  Wooster played the second half without Molly Rallo; it appeared that her knee tightened up after a hard fall in the first period.  Carly Loehrke didn't seem to be playing with any fire either; I think she ended up with six points and was not a major part of the offense.  I hope there is nothing wrong with Carly.  Considering that these two key performers contributed below their capabilities, the Scots did well to stay close the whole game.  

A key sequence was in the last 15 seconds of the first half.  Down two, Wooster had the ball with a chance to tie going into the half.  But OWU stole the ball, picked up a foul, made one free throw and rebounded the second, and promptly nailed a three.  Just that fast a chance to tie became a six-point halftime deficit.  Still, the Scots managed to claw back into the game, briefly taking the lead midway through the second, but just couldn't get it done.  

I want to single out two players for praise.  Alexis Louttit played very well in the relatively few minutes she saw.  She worked hard for position under the glass, and came away with six first-half points.  She also was active on defense and looked pretty good to me.  I was particularly impressed with sophomore Maria Gonzales, who provided a much-needed spark off the bench in both halves.  She plays with great fire, handles the ball well, passes crisply, has a nice soft jumper, and plays outstanding in-your-face defense.  She really impressed me tonight.

And I swear, it wasn't because Alexis and Maria went to my high school! :-)

OWU, losers to Kenyon by 23 last night, moves to 3-1 in the conference, while Wooster drops to 3-2.  

Elsewhere, Kenyon (5-0) prevailed in the showdown of conference leaders, defeating Denison (4-1) 49-44 at Gambier; Wittenberg (3-1) upended Allegheny (1-4) 66-55 in Meadville; and Hiram (1-3) got off the schneid, dropping visiting Earlham (0-5) 51-39.  Oberlin (1-4 after losing to Wooster 91-81 on Weds.) had a non-conference game I'm too lazy to check up on.

(Message edited by dcollinge on January 8, 2005)
Title: NCAC
Post by: KenyonLadyPride on January 12, 2005, 12:02:55 AM
The Kenyon Ladies are doing awesome this year and I am so proud of them after the tough year they had last year with only 8 healthy players! I think they have real potential to do some great things this year...Keep it up Ladies and beat Witt tomorrow!
Title: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on January 12, 2005, 01:19:25 AM
It's a good thing the department didn't pull the plug on the undersized roster the way Macalester did.
Title: NCAC
Post by: KenyonLadyPride on January 13, 2005, 12:22:37 AM
Looks like I jinxed my Ladies with my posting.  Oops!  Witt took it to 'em it looks like.  The Ladies will bounce back though, I am sure.
Title: NCAC
Post by: KenyonLadyPride on January 27, 2005, 07:45:02 PM
Way to go Ladies!  Big win against Witt!
Title: NCAC
Post by: waterboy on February 09, 2005, 10:56:59 PM
I'm bored, so I'm going to post and see how long it lasts on this board.   A miracle in the making, Scots pull off the upset over the Ladies 68-61 in Timken.  A large difference in the stats, though, considering Scots shot 28 foul shots to Kenyon's 11.  Carly Loerhke converted all 12 of her free throws and led the way with 20, while Beth Besancon chipped in with 15.  Dana Halicki led the Ladies with 20.  Next up is Witt, who beat down the Scots 79-43 in Timken earlier this year.

How bout the Gators though?  Bouncing back from an 0-3 start in the NCAC to tie for second at 9-4.  Very typical though, as they tend to start slow and finish strong.  Sets up an interesting match up with Kenyon this weekend.
Title: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2005, 10:10:20 PM
Just back from Wooster's home finale, won by Denison.  I'm sorry that I haven't been able to keep up the way I did early in the season; RL hit just a little and forced me to drop one of the balls I was juggling and this one was it.  I did continue to enjoy Fighting Scot basketball in silence, however.  Tonight was an emotional game as the team said goodbye to seniors Alexis Loutit, Sara Perry, and Molly Rallo.  All three started, even Rallo whose knee injury has kept her sidelined of late.  It game me a chance to give her a standing ovation when she was pulled at the first whistle.  Thanks for an enjoyable season of hoops, ladies, and good luck in the NCAC tournament!
Title: NCAC
Post by: waterboy on February 22, 2005, 10:35:36 AM
Here are my picks for All-NCAC:

First Team:
Carly Loehrke, Woo
Katy Zeanah,Ken
Emma Woodward, Den
Kelly Heil, OWU
Kristen Sheffield, Den
Kathy Hittle, Witt

Second Team
Christina Briboneria, OBE
Nicole Burford, OBE
Erica Brizendine, OWU
Courtney Steding, ALL
Meredith McDonough, ALL

HM
Lisa Vanderkolk, EAR
Cassie Bedard, HIR
Beth Besancon, WOO
Dana Halicki, Ken
Emilie Schmid, WIT

I think Heil takes POTY based on her performance this season in becoming the NCAC's all-time leading scorer.  The problem with this list is the parody between all the teams in the conference.  Briboneria is leading the league in scoring, but I think she's a second-teamer because of where Oberlin finished.  Kenyon, All, and Witt are so balanced it's hard to give them first team selections, but I think it works out with each team having two reps besides Earlham and Hiram.
Title: NCAC
Post by: d-mac on February 27, 2005, 05:33:14 PM
It is time to find out who is in... and who is out.
Whose bubble has been burst and who is wearing Cinderella's glass slippers.
It's Selection Sunday... and tonight there will be a special "Hoopsville" as the 2005 NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Brackets are announced... LIVE on our air!
The Road to Salem and Virginia Beach officially starts tonight!


It plans to be a huge night... as 50 womens and 48 mens teams are officially invited to the dance and a chance at a national title.

Some teams already know they are going (thanks to winning their conferences) and some think they are going, but there are always surprises.

So tonight, we will break it all down. Starting at 8:30 PM EST, we will take a look at who is definitely in, who might make it, who will be disappointed, and what match-ups you might want to look forward to seeing later in the week.

Then at 10:00 PM EST... we will broadcast LIVE the Women's Selection Show so you can find out when we do... the 50 teams on the Road to Virginia Beach.

That will be followed by the Men's Selection Show at 10:30 PM EST - when 48 teams find out what their Road to Salem will be like.

After those selections... we will go over it with a fine-tooth comb and find out who we think are the surprises!

And throughout the show, we will hear from different regions with live reports and talk to coaches that have made surprising moves into the tournament.

Of course, you can listen in thank to Goucher College.
We suggest you try and use the low-bandwith signal which will require you to have Real Player and selection the 28K version of the show.
At the same time, you can listen to the Broadcastmonsters.com version, using Windows Media Player (go to the "Hoopsville" page for more information).

And you can share your opinions and questions with us, live on the air.
email - hoopsville@d3hoops.com  
AOL IM - Hoopsville2000

And for more information... check out the "Hoopsville" website (www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville)!

Again... it all starts tonight at 8:30 PM EST.
Title: NCAC
Post by: Witt4ever on February 27, 2005, 11:28:34 PM
http://www.ncaasports.com/images/ncaasports/brackets/d3_bkw_bracket_2005.pdf
Title: NCAC
Post by: d-mac on March 01, 2005, 04:22:40 PM
It's time for the Big Dance... the teams are selected... the games are scheduled... and now 48 men's and 50 women's teams will take to the court this weekend with the same goal... a national title.
But who will win? The tournament previews are tonight on "Hoopsville"!!!


Sunday night we were live when the teams were selected and we found out who was in and out. The women's bracket was done relatively well... the men's bracket seems to be a bit of a disappointment.

But now we are looking ahead at the big games this weekend. From now on its win or go home.

One of those men's teams that is one of the hottest in the nation is #17 Gustavus Adulphus... who is riding an 18-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament. The Gusties now will take on Lawrence on Thursday and could face the defending National Champs, UW-Stevens Point on Saturday. So, what might Mark Hanson be thinking. We will hear from him tonight and how his team has recovered from their 4-5 start to the season.

Now... the NCAA doesn't seed the Men's and Women's Brackets... but we will!
Tonight, live on the air, we will seed the men's and women's brackets according to how we see it and how we think the NCAA was thinking. So you can get an idea of who the NCAA thinks are the top teams and who might be hosting games in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 (Regionals).

And there are new #1 teams in both the Men's and Women's Top-25 this week... but barely. UW-Stevens Point is just points ahead of Amherst on the men's side. And on the women's, it is just a point between Scranton and Bowdoin.

We will breakdown the final regular season Top-25 and try and figure out what the voters were thinking. Along with pointing out how not all of the Top-25 made the tournament.

And of course, we will have live regional reports from around the nation and take your questions and comments live on the air.

So come join us online and LIVE from 8PM - 10PM Eastern!

"Hoopsville": only place where you can listen or chat about Division III Basketball in the nation.

Go to the "Hoopsville" page for information on how you can listen in and chat with us live!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: witt4ever on November 11, 2005, 12:04:35 AM
--------------------------------------------------

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: witt4ever on December 04, 2005, 12:13:46 PM
Wittenberg 83
Oberlin 37

Wooster 70
Earlham 59

Ohio Wesleyan 82
Hiram 69

Kenyon 64
Allegheny 58

Denison 65
Bluffton 45
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 21, 2006, 11:12:18 PM
How about those Witt women?  It wasn't pretty, but a solid, come from behind 57-54 win over OWU.  Keeps them in first over Allegheny.

Still would like to see a little more consistency out of them, but they still have time to solidify everything before tournament time.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: witt4ever on February 18, 2006, 06:40:07 PM
Wittenberg wins regular season title outright with a 59-46 win over Wooster



;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 20, 2006, 11:41:58 PM
Sadly, I think we may be the only two on these boards who care...
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: witt4ever on February 24, 2006, 08:19:37 AM
Both semifinal games will be broadcast by Wittenberg.

Denison v Allegheny @ 5:30pm

Wittenberg  v Kenyon @ 7:45pm

Link to the broadcast:

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/broadcast/



------------------------
Denison 59
Allegheny 42
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 03, 2006, 08:07:43 PM
Both the coaches and media agree that the NCAC is a two-team race this season, with Denison expected to edge out Wittenberg for top honors.  Both groups see a clear second tier, consisting of Allegheny, Kenyon, and OWU. 

Coaches poll:
1. Denison (7)...79
2. Wittenberg (2)..77
3. Allegheny...54
4. Kenyon...53
5. Ohio Wesleyan...50
6. Wooster...35
7. Oberlin...26
8. Earlham...19
9. Hiram...17

Media poll:
1. Denison (14)...182
2. Wittenberg (6)...177
3. Allegheny...133
4. Kenyon (2)...128
5. Ohio Wesleyan...120
6. Wooster...91
7. Earlham...64
8. Oberlin...56
9. Hiram...33

Good luck to all nine squads!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2006, 11:12:15 AM
Tipoff weekend is here, and at Wooster that means the Nan Nichols Classic.  Not exactly a stellar field, Olivet takes on Thiel on Saturday at 1pm, followed by Lake Erie vs. Wooster at 3.  That game figures to be a real "friends and relatives" game, and I'll wager that even those friends and relatives in attendance will probably have personal radios tuned to the other major Ohio-based sporting event that afternoon.  Of course I mean the D3 cross country championships in West Chester!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2006, 12:48:59 AM
Congratulations to two senior standouts on reaching the 1,000 point milestone here in the first week of the season:

* Wooster's Carly Loehrke scored her thousandth point as part of a 34-point, 16-rebound barrage as Wooster topped Thiel 78-65 to win the Nan Nichols Classic on Sunday.  For her efforts, Loehrke was named the first NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for this season.
* Denison's Kristen Sheffield drained a three pointer early in the second half tonight to reach 1,000 for her career.  Sheffield finished with 13 as the defending NCAC champs easily disposed of Bethany 66-49, moving to 2-1 on the young season.

Congratulations to Carly and Kristen!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: gowoo on November 24, 2006, 04:49:16 PM
Jessie Oram of Oberlin just went over the 1,000 point mark as well for her career.
Congrats as well to her!!!! :D
Should be a fun year this year in the NCAC: lots of great seniors and lots of outstanding freshmen too!!!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 24, 2006, 07:30:18 PM
Thanks for that addition, gowoo.  I'm sorry I overlooked Jessie, and I add my congratulations as well.  :)

Here's a link to the Oberlin press release. (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2006-2007/wbb_bluffton_112106.html)  Oram scored 24 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and added 4 steals and two blocks as Oberlin defeated Bluffton 76-68.  Oberlin is now 2-1 on the season, suffering only a one-point loss to Mitchell at Vassar's tournament.  Oram did not play in that game, and has not started the two games since, despite starting all 23 games she played in last season while leading the Yeowomen in scoring, rebounds, and blocked shots, and being named to the all-NCAC second team.  Do you know why she's not (yet) starting?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: gowoo on November 25, 2006, 10:33:47 PM
Don't know why Jessie is sitting.  ???
She's a great kid, hope she's OK!!!!!
Conference play starts next week: can't wait to see how the field shakes out.
Good luck to all of the teams (and especially to Wooster!!!)  ;)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2006, 08:42:52 PM
Jessie's feat may have escaped my notice, but it didn't escape the notice of the league office, which today named her the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt):
QuoteNovember 27, 2006

Oberlin's Jessie Oram (New York, NY/Beqcon), a 6-0, senior center, led
the Yeowomen to a 76-68 win over Bluffton, scoring a game-high 24 points
and tying for the team lead with seven rebounds, two blocks and four
assists. She was 10-of-18 (.556) from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4
from the free throw line. Oram contributed 22 of her 24 points in the
second half to hand Oberlin the come-from-behind win. She became the
fifth player in Yeowomen history to reach the 1,000-point plateau
(1,018).

Once again, congratulations! 

So far this season, you've had to reach the 1000-point milestone to be named Player of the Week, and in the case of Kristen Sheffield, even that wasn't good enough.  That's a tough sorority to break into!  :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 05, 2006, 10:40:04 AM
This week's conference player of the week is junior guard Hilary Gowins.  Ms. Gowins poured in 38 points in two games, including 9/16 shooting from the arc, as Kenyon split games with Muskingum and Allegheny.  Congratulations! Link (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2006, 09:50:55 PM
Congratulations to Katie Kestler of Allegheny, the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for the week ending 12/10.  She scored 23 in a win over Westminster, then contributed 13 points and 8 rebounds as the Gators completed a bi-gender sweep of Ohio Wesleyan.  Allegheny is in an early first-place tie for the conference lead with pre-season co-favorites Denison and Wittenberg (each 2-0). 

It was a good week to be a Gator hoopster; not only did both teams beat OWU, but both provided the NCAC Player of the Week (Ryan Hollihan for the men).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Witt4ever on December 20, 2006, 09:52:10 PM
Good win tonight by the Tigers, defeating previous unbeaten #12 Wilmington
77-68. Wilmington goes to 8-1, while the Tigers are 5-4.

The Tigers led 38-30 at the half but trailed by 3 with 15:00 to go.
Tigers finally were able to keep their turnovers down, compared with Wilmington committing 25.

4 Tigers were in double figures:
Rachel Clark-Haggy led with 17
Kristin Donawerth with 15
Katie Gregorevich and Gina Carney with 12

Kathy Hittle grabbed 10 rebounds with her 9pts.


http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/06-07statistics/witw1220.htm
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: coachscore on December 29, 2006, 07:55:59 AM
Witt has a nice win over #12 ranked Wilmington last week..Now prepares for a possible BW matchup on Saturday in the finals of their holiday tourney....
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 03, 2007, 11:34:01 PM
Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan senior Rachel Messaros, named the NCAC Player of the Week for the holiday period.  Rachel averaged 23 points per game in leading the Bishops to the title in their own Bishop Tournament with wins over North Central and Ohio Dominican.  NCAC Women's POTW (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 05, 2007, 10:35:37 PM
Witt holds a 12 point lead over Hiram with 2 days and about 15 minutes to go.  Of course, the two days is because of tonight's power outage at Hiram with about 15 minutes remaining in the game. 

The game will resume on Sunday after the Wabash-Hiram men's game, scheduled for a 2 pm tip.  Therefore, Witt's weekend now goes Hiram-Allegheny-Hiram.  I would hate to be on the bus for that one - long trip made even longer.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 09, 2007, 05:14:19 PM
Congratulations (again) to Denison's Kristin Sheffield, the NCAC Women's Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for the first week of January.  Sheffield, a strong contender for conference player of the year, added 28 points and 23 rebounds to her season stats as the Big Red defeated Kenyon and Ohio Wesleyan to claim sole possession of first place.  Sheffield is also closing in on her 300th career blocked shot, a milestone reached by only 13 other women in D3 basketball history.  She may well achieve this honor tomorrow at Wooster.  Good luck, Kristin!  :) 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 15, 2007, 01:28:19 PM
NCAC current standings, through games of 1/15:

Denison 7-0 (13-3)
Wittenberg 5-1 (8-6)
Allegheny 4-2 (10-4)
Kenyon 3-3 (6-9)...Ladies have wins over both OWU and COW
Ohio Wesleyan 3-3 (8-7)
Wooster 3-3 (8-7)
Oberlin 1-5 (5-8)...Yeowomen have a win over Hiram
Hiram 1-5 (5-9)
Earlham 1-6 (2-14)
Wabash 0-0 (0-0)

These standings include two games from Saturday unreported by the schools on the Scoreboard (http://www.d3hoops.com/schedule.php?date=2007-01-13&team=womens) page:  Wooster 72, Hiram 64, and Ohio Wesleyan 69, Earlham 48.

This week's games:
Wednesday 1/17
Denison (7-0) at Wittenberg (5-1) 7:30pm
Oberlin (1-5) at Allegheny (4-2) 6:00pm
Wooster (3-3) at Kenyon (3-3) 6:00pm
Ohio Wesleyan (3-3) at Hiram (1-5) 7:30pm
Earlham and Wabash idle

Saturday 1/20
Hiram (1-5) at Denison (7-0) 2:00pm
Wittenberg (5-1) at Ohio Wesleyan (3-3) 2:00pm
Allegheny (4-2) at Kenyon (3-3) 1:00pm
Oberlin (1-5) at Earlham (1-6) 1:00pm
Wooster and Wabash idle

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 15, 2007, 01:31:36 PM
The NCAC Women's Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) this week is Wittenberg's senior guard Gina Carney.  Carney tossed in 30 points in helping the Tigers to consecutive 30-point wins over Hiram and Earlham.  Congratulations to Gina!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Witt4ever on January 17, 2007, 12:17:09 PM
Just a reminder about tonight's video broadcast of the game between Witt and Denison.

https://secure.stretchinternet.com/wlive.php?user=wit&id=12256
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 18, 2007, 01:00:19 AM
Denison senior forward Kristin Sheffield recorded her 37th and 38th blocked shots of the season tonight as Denison won at Wittenberg 63-50.  Sheffield now has 300 blocks in her All-American career, becoming just the 14th D3 women's player ever to reach that milestone (unless someone else has done it over the past 10 days.)  Sheffield added 14 points and 11 rebounds as DU extended their NCAC lead to three full games over Witt and Allegheny, 78-55 winners over Oberlin (1-6) tonight.

Congratulations to Kristin Sheffield and to the Big Red!  :)

Scores and updates standings:
Denison 63, Wittenberg 50
Allegheny 78, Oberlin 55
Kenyon 58, Wooster 51
OWU 96, Hiram 54

Denison 8-0 (14-3)
Wittenberg 5-2 (8-7)...Tigers have a win over Allegheny
Allegheny 5-2 (11-4)
Kenyon 4-3 (7-9)...Ladies have a win over OWU
OWU 4-3 (9-7)
Wooster 3-4 (8-8)
Oberlin 1-6 (5-9)...Yeowomen have a win over Hiram
Hiram 1-6 (5-10)...Terriers have a win over Earlham
Earlham 1-6 (2-14)
Wabash DNP
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 20, 2007, 08:42:54 PM
Saturday scores and updates standings:
OWU 61, Wittenberg 51
Allegheny 69, Kenyon 62
Earlham 72, Oberlin 57
Denison 64, Hiram 32

Denison 9-0 (15-3)
Allegheny 6-2 (12-4)
OWU 5-3 (10-7)...Bishops have a win over Wittenberg
Wittenberg 5-3 (8-8)
Kenyon 4-4 (7-10)...Ladies have a win over OWU
Wooster 3-4 (8-8)
Earlham 2-6 (3-14)
Oberlin 1-7 (5-10)...Yeowomen have a win over Hiram
Hiram 1-7 (5-11)
Wabash DNP

Wednesday schedule:
Denison (9-0) at Earlham (2-6)
Wooster (3-4) at Allegheny (6-2)
Ohio Wesleyan (5-3) at Oberlin (1-7)
Kenyon (4-4) at Hiram (1-7)
Wittenberg and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 22, 2007, 01:41:25 PM
This week's NCAC Women's Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) is Earlham's Shontavia Davis, selected for her 21 point, 7 rebound, 7 assist performance in the Hustlin' Quakers win over Oberlin Sat.  Davis, a first-year student, becomes the first underclasswoman to win the award this season.  Congratulations, Shontavia!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 24, 2007, 10:58:03 PM
Wednesday scores and updates standings:
Denison 57, Earlham 39
Wooster 77, Allegheny 71 (OT)
Ohio Wesleyan 75, Oberlin 45
Kenyon 77, Hiram 58
Wittenberg and Wabash are idle
Four road wins...how 'bout that!

Denison 10-0 (16-3)
Allegheny 6-3 (12-5)...Gators have a win over OWU
OWU 6-3 (11-7)
Wittenberg 5-3 (8-8)
Kenyon 5-4 (8-10)
Wooster 4-4 (9-8)
Earlham 2-7 (3-15)
Oberlin 1-8 (5-12)...Yeowomen have a win over Hiram
Hiram 1-8 (5-12)
Wabash DNP

Saturday schedule:
Kenyon (5-4) at Denison (10-0)
Allegheny (6-3) at OWU (6-3)...second place on the line in Delaware
Oberlin (1-8) at Wittenberg (5-3)
Wooster (4-4) at Earlham (2-7)
Hiram and Wabash are idle...Hiram hosts Lake Erie Sunday
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 27, 2007, 10:44:29 PM
Weekend scores and updates standings:
Denison 50, Kenyon 39
OWU 66, Allegheny 39
Wittenberg 68, Oberlin 45
Wooster 71, Earlham 59
Hiram 61, Lake Erie 50 (Sun.)

Denison 11-0 (17-3)
OWU 7-3 (12-7)
Wittenberg 6-3 (9-8)
Allegheny 6-4 (12-6)
Wooster 5-4 (10-8)
Kenyon 5-5 (8-11)
Earlham 2-8 (3-16)
Hiram 1-8 (6-12)
Oberlin 1-9 (5-13)
Wabash DNP

Tuesday schedule:
Earlham (2-8) at OWU (7-3)
Wittenberg (6-3) at Kenyon (5-5)
Hiram (1-8) at Allegheny (6-4)
Oberlin (1-9) at Wooster (5-4)
Denison and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 29, 2007, 02:13:02 PM
Congratulations go out to Wooster's Beth Besancon Sidle, this week's NCAC Women's Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt).  Beth filled in the nets for 24 points, including 6 three-pointers, as the Scots upset Allegheny in Meadville and got back into the race to host a conference playoff game.  Congratulations, Beth!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 29, 2007, 11:00:42 PM
In something that may have been long overdue, Denison received 4 votes in this week's top 25, placing them near the bottom of the "others receiving votes" category.  I guess it takes a 13-game win streak for an NCAC team to get any love.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 29, 2007, 11:22:03 PM
DU actually had 5 points last week as well, but point taken.  I'd like to see the Big Red get a little more national respect, but I'd rather see them win a couple of games in the NCAAs.

I'm planning to be at Kenyon tomorrow for the Witt/Kenyon game.  Will I see you there?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 30, 2007, 10:50:32 AM
As a matter of fact you will.  John and myself will both be making the trip.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 30, 2007, 12:26:01 PM
I'll say hello, if I end up going.  Today's new layer of snow has given me pause, considering that my route to Gambier is mostly on county roads. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 30, 2007, 10:32:33 PM
Tuesday scores and updated standings:
OWU 74, Earlham 40
Kenyon 50, Wittenberg 41
Allegheny 60, Hiram 52
Wooster 66, Oberlin 63

Denison 11-0 (17-3)
OWU 8-3 (13-7)
Allegheny 7-4 (13-6)
Wittenberg 6-4 (9-9)...Tigers have a win over Scots
Wooster 6-4 (11-8)
Kenyon 6-5 (9-11)
Earlham 2-9 (3-17)
Hiram 1-9 (6-13)
Oberlin 1-10 (5-14)
Wabash DNP

Friday schedule:
Denison (11-0) at Oberlin (1-10)
OWU (8-3) at Wooster (6-4)
Allegheny (7-4) at Earlham (2-9)
Hiram (1-9) at Wittenberg (6-4)
Kenyon and Wabash are idle

Saturday schedule:
Wooster (6-4) at Denison (11-0)
Allegheny (7-4) at Wittenberg (6-4)
Oberlin (1-10) at Kenyon (6-5)
Hiram (1-9) at Earlham (2-9)
OWU and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 31, 2007, 11:21:30 AM
Here's how the NCAC teams stack up in the NCAA's overall statistics (http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/rankings?sportCode=WBB) (through games of 1/28):

Scoring Offense: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (#1 DePauw 80.6)
Scoring Defense: #37 Denison 52.6 (Howard Payne 43.6)
Scoring Margin: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (Howard Payne +32.1)
Field Goal %: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (DePauw 48.8%)
Field Goal % Defense: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (Mary Washington 29.7%)
Free Throw %: #45 Ohio Wesleyan 72.0%; #49 Denison 71.8% (Bridgewater [Va.] 78.1%)
Rebound Margin: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (Johns Hopkins +13.6)
Three-pt. FG per game: #9 Kenyon 6.9; #13 Ohio Wesleyan 6.8; #31 Allegheny 6.3 (Illinois Wesleyan 9.4)
Three-pt. FG %: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (DePauw 41.8%)
Assists per game: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (DePauw 19.6)
Blocked Shots per game: #30 Denison 4.8; #42 Allegheny 4.3 (Simpson 8.4)
Steals per game: #38 Wittenberg 13.1 (Centenary [NJ] 18.1)
Turnovers per game: [no NCAC teams in top 50] (Thomas (Me.) 13.4)
Personal Fouls per game: #29 Denison 14.6 (Newbury 11.1)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 31, 2007, 11:37:15 AM
Here's where the top NCAC players stand (if at all) in the NCAA rankings through 1/28:

Points per game: #48 Cassie Bedard, Hiram, 17.9 (Lindsay Ippel, Millikin, 25.6)
Rebounds per game: [no NCAC players in top 50] (Ashley Yeast, Monmouth [IL] 13.1)
Assists per game: [no NCAC players in top 50] (Symbri Tuttle, McMurry, 8.5)
Blocked Shots per game: #8 Jennifer Latronica, Allegheny, 3.0; #42 Kristin Sheffield, Denison, 2.2 (Ashley Katch, Simpson, 5.1)
Steals per game: [no NCAC players in top 50] (Imani Hafiz, Rutgers-Camden, 4.9)
Field Goal %: #9 Carly Loehrke, Wooster, 58.7% (Lindsay Ippel, Millikin, 64.7%)
Free Throw %: #44 Jessica Oram, Oberlin, 83.1% (Jody Trapp, Baruch, 94.6%)
Three-pt. Field Goal %: #32 Alisha Moreno, Kenyon 39.0% (Tracy Hartwig, Buena Vista, and Tori Huggins, Hendrix, 50.0%)
Three-pt. Field Goals per game: #18 Katie Kestler, Allegheny, 2.7; #39 Alisha Moreno, Kenyon, 2.4 (Melissa Beyruti, Kean, 3.7)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: pufin on February 01, 2007, 08:43:57 AM
Thank you, David, for keeping things up to date here. I saw that the Wooster women won the other night, and also that they had a over-.500 NCAC record. I perused the not-so-up-to-date NCAC page for standings without much luck. Then I remembered: DC talks to himself on the NCAC women's page. I came here and found everything I was looking for.

Even though I can contribute nothing of substance here, know that what you write is read and appreciated.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 02, 2007, 10:21:06 PM
Friday scores and updated standings:
Denison 82, Oberlin 66
Wooster 62, OWU 57
Allegheny 60, Earlham 57
Wittenberg 67, Hiram 31
Kenyon and Wabash are idle

Denison 12-0 (18-3)
OWU 8-4 (13-8)...Bishops and Gators split their season series
Allegheny 8-4 (14-6)
Wittenberg 7-4 (10-9)...Tigers have a win over Scots
Wooster 7-4 (12-8)
Kenyon 6-5 (9-11)
Earlham 2-10 (3-18)
Hiram 1-10 (6-14)
Oberlin 1-11 (5-15)
Wabash DNP

Saturday schedule:
Wooster (7-4) at Denison (12-0)
Allegheny (8-4) at Wittenberg (7-4)
Oberlin (1-11) at Kenyon (6-5)
Hiram (1-10) at Earlham (2-10)
OWU and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 03, 2007, 09:50:18 AM
As always, great work DC.  Given all the games last night, and the fact that the NCAC only updates stats Sunday and Thursday, I shall be using this as my game notes today in regards to conference standings.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2007, 10:26:35 AM
Well, given that, I guess I should be able to decide who is in second place and who is in third, since you're playing one of them tonight.  But I can't remember if the tiebreaker is "best win" or "worst loss."  If it is "best win," then OWU is second, having beaten #4 Wittenberg Jan. 20 while Allegheny lost to your Tigers Jan. 6.  If it is "worst loss," then Allegheny is second, as they lost to #1 Denison, #2/3 OWU, #4 Witt, and #5 Wooster, while OWU has losses to #1 Denison, #2/3 Allegheny, #5 Wooster, and #6 Kenyon.

But I think the tiebreaker is "best win," which breaks OWU's way right now.

A couple of big games tonight, at least on paper.  Wooster can really move into contention by beating Denison, but that's a longshot.  Kenyon should win easily and move into a tie with Wooster...and the Ladies swept the Scots.  An Allegheny win puts them back in 2nd, dropping Witt into a 3-way tie with Wooster and Kenyon, assuming the predictable results, and the tiebreakers establish that order as Kenyon-Witt-Woo.  If Witt wins, they move into a 2nd place tie with OWU, with the Bishops owning the tiebreaker, and the Gators falling back to 4th (assuming Wooster loses; if Wooster wins, they'd be in a 3-way tie with Witt and OWU for 2nd, and as each of teams is 1-1 against the others--Witt beat Woo, Woo beat OWU, OWU beat Witt--the tiebreaker would actually favor the Scots by virtue of the win over DU that makes all this possible.)

And of course Hiram plays Earlham in the Battle For Seventh.  Hiram won in Ohio a month ago by 12; I'm sure Earlham has been looking forward to the rematch. :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 03, 2007, 11:07:08 AM
Denison can clinch the top seed with a win today, right?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2007, 11:53:10 AM
I guess that's right; they're up 4 with 4 to play.  I suppose they may have already clinched the top seed via possible tie-breakers with OWU/Allegheny/Witt/Wooster (the only teams that could end up at 12-4, which is DU's worst-case scenario), but I'm much too lazy to run those possibilities with Oberlin still ahead on DU's schedule.  ;)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2007, 11:22:06 PM
Saturday scores and updated standings:
Denison 81, Wooster 48
Wittenberg 71, Allegheny 47
Kenyon 75, Oberlin 57
Earlham 71, Hiram 45
OWU and Wabash are idle

Denison 13-0 (19-3)
OWU 8-4 (13-8)...Bishops have a win over Tigers
Wittenberg 8-4 (11-9)
Allegheny 8-5 (14-7)
Kenyon 7-5 (10-11)...Ladies swept the Scots
Wooster 7-5 (12-9)
Earlham 3-10 (4-18)
Hiram 1-11 (6-15)
Oberlin 1-12 (5-16)
Wabash DNP

Wednesday schedule:
Kenyon (7-5) at Ohio Wesleyan (8-4)
Wittenberg (8-4) at Earlham (3-10)
Allegheny (8-5) at Wooster (7-5)
Oberlin (1-12) at Hiram (1-11)
Denison and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 04, 2007, 01:05:01 AM
Congratulations to the Denison Big Red, who today have secured the conference regular season championship for the first time in NCAC history.   :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 05, 2007, 11:09:24 AM
Congrats to Denison as well.  I wouldn't be surprised if one of their players got POTW to sort of honor the team's accomplishment, but I would hope that Katie Gregorevich from Witt gets it: in 3 games this week, she had a total of 60 points, 23 boards, 2 blocks, and 2 steals as the Tigers went 2-1 to get back into a tie for second in the conference.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 05, 2007, 11:52:21 AM
Your first instinct was correct:
QuoteFebruary 4, 2007

Denison senior Kristen Sheffield (Dublin, OH/Scioto) helped the Big Red
clinch their first NCAC Championship, and the number one seed in the
upcoming NCAC Tournament, as she led her team past Oberlin, 82-66, and
Wooster, 81-48, posting a combined 35 points and 14 rebounds in the two
games.
Read more at http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt

Congratulations to Kristen, the first two-time PoTW winner (men or women) this season.  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 05, 2007, 12:00:08 PM
Congrats to Kristen indeed, because she did have a solid week.  But, just given how the full release was worded, providing her season/career stats, it definitely seems like they felt like they HAD to pick someone from Denison.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 07, 2007, 10:45:52 PM
Wednesday scores and updated standings:
Kenyon 56, Ohio Wesleyan 49...OWU falls from 2nd to 5th
Wittenberg 58, Earlham 55...Tigers move into 2nd
Allegheny 64, Wooster 55
Oberlin 61, Hiram 56
Denison and Wabash are idle
*** NOTE: 4 road winners! ***


Denison 13-0 (19-3)
Wittenberg 9-4 (12-9)
Allegheny 9-5 (15-7)
Kenyon 8-5 (11-11)...Ladies swept the Bishops
OWU 8-5 (13-9)
Wooster 7-6 (12-10)
Earlham 3-11 (4-19)
Oberlin 2-12 (6-17)
Hiram 1-12 (6-16)
Wabash DNP

Weekend schedule:
Friday
Ursuline 85, Oberlin 82
Saturday
Denison (13-0) at Allegheny (9-5)
Ohio Wesleyan (8-5) at Wittenberg (9-4)
Earlham (3-11) at Kenyon (8-5)
Wooster (7-6) at Hiram (1-12)
Oberlin and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 11:48:34 AM
Denison comes in at #3 in the first Great Lakes Regional ranking. 

Quote from: Pat Coleman in the Daily DoseGreat Lakes
1 Calvin 12-0 18-1
2 DePauw 12-2 19-2
3 Denison 17-2 19-3
4 Wilmington 16-3 18-3
5 Hope 13-2 18-2
6 Baldwin-Wallace 16-4 17-4

Maybe we can get some NCAA home games down in Livingston Gym?  I'd love to see that.  Go Big Red!

Interesting to see DPU as a Great Lakes team.  On the men's side, their conference affiliation (SCAC) places them in the South.  There are several conferences that have exceptions to the rule that all conference members are in the same region (e.g. UAA, AMCC) but the SCAC is not one of them.  Evidently on the women's side, the exception has been granted (I haven't bothered to download the women's Handbook yet.)  DPU beat Denison 73-64 in November; that probably accounts for their being ahead of DU despite a worse in-region win % (DPU probably has a stronger QoWI, too.)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 08, 2007, 02:19:32 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 11:48:34 AM
Denison comes in at #3 in the first Great Lakes Regional ranking. 

Quote from: Pat Coleman in the Daily DoseGreat Lakes
1 Calvin 12-0 18-1
2 DePauw 12-2 19-2
3 Denison 17-2 19-3
4 Wilmington 16-3 18-3
5 Hope 13-2 18-2
6 Baldwin-Wallace 16-4 17-4

Has Calvin always been an all-sports powerhouse on the women's side?  They were the top team in the volleyball and soccer Great Lakes region polls at the end of this season as well.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 03:09:35 PM
Still more about Denison:

Congratulations to DU's sophomore guard Ellen O'Brien for being named to D3Hoops.com's Team of the Week (http://www.d3hoops.com/tow/) for the week ending Feb. 4.   :)  NCAC players seem to earn this honor only rarely, which I think (or hope) is largely a function of a dearth of nominations.

Quote from: jscwittfan on February 08, 2007, 02:19:32 PM
Has Calvin always been an all-sports powerhouse on the women's side? 

Beats me.  Maybe somebody in the busier MIAA room can answer that.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: oldknight on February 08, 2007, 05:14:50 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 03:09:35 PM
Still more about Denison:

Congratulations to DU's sophomore guard Ellen O'Brien for being named to D3Hoops.com's Team of the Week (http://www.d3hoops.com/tow/) for the week ending Feb. 4.   :)  NCAC players seem to earn this honor only rarely, which I think (or hope) is largely a function of a dearth of nominations.

Quote from: jscwittfan on February 08, 2007, 02:19:32 PM
Has Calvin always been an all-sports powerhouse on the women's side? 

Beats me.  Maybe somebody in the busier MIAA room can answer that.

Calvin's women's teams have been more mercurial than the men (spare me the jokes about hormones). I don't know all the women's sports teams at Calvin that well but the women's cross country teams have been very good in recent years winning at least one national championship in the last few years (I haven't spent the time yet to look it up), have been runnersup at least once, and finished either 3rd or 4th this year.  The soccer team had an outstanding team this year losing in OT to Messiah in the quarterfinal round and I believe that was Calvin's only loss of the season. The women's basketball team has had some fine players and some good teams going back to the 70's but they had some very poor years as well. It seems to me that only a few years ago they had a couple of teams won only about 5 or 6 games--something unheard of with the men. The current men's BB team is 13-8 and by their standards that's a very poor year. I think the best NCAA finish by the Lady Knights (in basketball) was in 2000 when they lost in the sectional final. That was the same year the men were national champs. Calvin's men's and women's cross country and track teams have been very good, especially in recent years with the male cross team winning another national championship this fall. I believe that makes it 4 of the last 6 years that they have won the national championship. It helps having a former Olympic competitor heading your cross country team and another former Olympian as head coach of your track team. This year's women's BB team is a solid club with a lot of very good athletes. In fact, I think Calvin's women's BB program really went on the upswing with the hiring of their current coach, John Ross. It's a team anchored by center Lisa Winkle, one of those multisport athletes who is simply good at any athletic endeavor she trys. In addition to being a great post player she is an excellent hurdler who I saw many times in high school against my kids' high school. The women's volleyball team has had some recent success. They have gotten some pretty good players out of Iowa, an area of the country that turns out a lot of good high school volleyball players.

Now David, where's my cup of coffee? ;)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 05:23:54 PM
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F4%2F45%2FA_small_cup_of_coffee.JPG%2F300px-A_small_cup_of_coffee.JPG&hash=506eec06d6dc96a1e34bd6c0791abb86a1147441)

And in case you don't take it black...

(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hope.edu%2Fimg%2Ffieldhouse%2F05ddevosconstruct145.jpg&hash=d1a934c96f39212bbf00b06760cef80c404fa8f5)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: oldknight on February 08, 2007, 05:28:00 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 05:23:54 PM
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F4%2F45%2FA_small_cup_of_coffee.JPG%2F300px-A_small_cup_of_coffee.JPG&hash=506eec06d6dc96a1e34bd6c0791abb86a1147441)

And in case you don't take it black...

(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hope.edu%2Fimg%2Ffieldhouse%2F05ddevosconstruct145.jpg&hash=d1a934c96f39212bbf00b06760cef80c404fa8f5)

I knew I'd regret asking. ;)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dark Knight on February 08, 2007, 05:30:01 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 08, 2007, 03:09:35 PM
Still more about Denison:

Congratulations to DU's sophomore guard Ellen O'Brien for being named to D3Hoops.com's Team of the Week (http://www.d3hoops.com/tow/) for the week ending Feb. 4.   :)  NCAC players seem to earn this honor only rarely, which I think (or hope) is largely a function of a dearth of nominations.

Quote from: jscwittfan on February 08, 2007, 02:19:32 PM
Has Calvin always been an all-sports powerhouse on the women's side? 

Beats me.  Maybe somebody in the busier MIAA room can answer that.

As oldknight said, Calvin's women's teams haven't been as consistent as the men's teams. This year's soccer team, which ended up rated #5, was their best ever. (No losses by the way, and just one tie.) The swimming team this year is their best ever. The volleyball team that ended up in the elite 8 (I think) was their best ever. And the basketball team, currently rated #2 or #3, is their best ever.

In short, no. Only the cross country team (#3 in the nation) and track/field teams are regularly national contenders.

All of those teams are losing key seniors.


Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: sac on February 08, 2007, 05:34:49 PM
http://miaa.org/commcup/index.html
scroll down a little

Calvin currently leads the women's side of the MIAA all-sports trophy by 2 points.  They are having an outstanding year overall.    I'm sure their track team will do very well at Nationals as well.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2007, 09:04:50 PM
The CoSIDa Academic All-District teams have been named, and although I can't find a single source listing for our district ("our" district being Ohio and four other non-NCAC states), I do know that at least three NCAC women's players have been selected:  Wittenberg's Kathy Hittle (2nd team) along with Denison's Kristen Sheffield and Wooster's Carly Loehrke (3rd team.)  If I find more, I'll add them to this list.

Congratulations to these fine student athletes!  They are what makes D3 basketball the very special game that it is.   :)

Wittenberg press release (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/02_09.html)
Denison press release (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/db/site/newsreleases/wb/20070208_2316.html)
Wooster press release (http://athletics.wooster.edu/mb/news/2006-07/all_district.php)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 10, 2007, 06:33:58 PM
...and down goes Denison!!!

Saturday scores and updated standings:
Allegheny 55, Denison 48...Gators stay in the hunt for the #2 seed
Wittenberg 70, Ohio Wesleyan 54...Bishops tumble from 2nd to 6th in one week
Kenyon 47, Earlham 39
Wooster 73, Hiram 60
Oberlin and Wabash are idle


Denison 13-1 (19-4)
Wittenberg 10-4 (13-9)
Allegheny 10-5 (16-7)
Kenyon 9-5 (12-11)
Wooster 8-6 (13-10)...Scots have a win over the Bishops
OWU 8-6 (13-10)
Earlham 3-12 (4-20)
Oberlin 2-12 (6-17)
Hiram 1-13 (6-17)
Wabash DNP

Wednesday schedule:
Oberlin (2-12) at Denison (13-1)...postponed, rescheduled for Thursday
Kenyon (9-5) at Wittenberg (10-4)...postponed, rescheduled for Thursday
Allegheny (10-5) at Hiram (1-13)...postponed, rescheduled for Thursday
Wooster (8-6) at Ohio Wesleyan (8-6)...postponed, no makeup date announced
Earlham and Wabash are idle

Saturday schedule:
Ohio Welseyan (8-6) at Denison (13-1)
Wittenberg (10-4) at Wooster (8-6)
Hiram (1-13) at Kenyon (9-5)
Earlham (3-12) at Oberlin (2-12)
Allegheny and Wabash are idle
*** END REGULAR SEASON ***
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 10, 2007, 11:16:39 PM
Playoff update, based on how I think the tiebreakers work:

Denison has clinched the #1 seed

#2-#4 seeds:
Wittenberg clinches the #2 seed with a win over Kenyon Weds. or a win over Wooster coupled with a Kenyon loss to Hiram Sat.  In these cases Allegheny would be #3 and Kenyon #4, regardless of AC/Hiram outcome
Allegheny clinches the #2 seed with a win over Hiram Weds. plus a Witt loss to Kenyon plus either a) Witt loss to Wooster or b) Kenyon win over Hiram.  In these cases Kenyon would be #3 and Witt #4.
Kenyon clinches the #2 seed with two wins plus a Hiram win over Allegheny, which would make Witt #3 and Allegheny #4.
There is a remote possibility of a 4-way tie for 2nd at 10-6: this happens if
a) Witt loses twice, and
b) Hiram wins twice, and
c) either Wooster or OWU wins twice.
Should that happen, the seeds 2-5 would I think be
#2 Kenyon, #3 Witt, #4 Alleg, #5 Wooster or OWU
There are also scenarios where Wooster or OWU moves up to the #4 seed (perhaps higher), like for instance if Kenyon loses twice and Woo or OWU wins twice, but it's much too late to think much about that!  Maybe tomorrow...:)

#5-#6 seeds:
Wooster is the #5 seed if they win Weds. at OWU; OWU is the #5 seed if they win out; Wooster is the #5 seed if they beat Witt and OWU loses to Denison Sat.; and OWU is the #5 seed if Wooster loses twice.

#7 seed:
Earlham is #7 if they win Sat.
Oberlin is #7 if they win out, or if Hiram wins out.
Hiram can't be the #7 seed under any circumstance.

#8 seed:
Hiram is eliminated if they lose either of their remaining games, or if Oberlin splits their remaining games.
Hiram gets the #8 seed only if they win out and Oberlin either wins twice or loses twice.
Otherwise, the #8 seed is either Earlham or Oberlin, see "#7 seed."

Wow, do I have a headache.  :P
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 11, 2007, 11:59:05 AM
Kenyon has a tie-breaker advantage on both Wooster and OWU, so for either of these teams to pass the Ladies, they'd have to win twice and have Kenyon lose twice.  That would put Wooster or OWU into the #4 seed, drop Kenyon to #5, and leave the loser of Woo/OWU in #6.

Wooster loses tie-breakers to all three teams ahead of them (Kenyon and Witt due to season sweeps, Allegheny due to their victory over Denison; I am assuming that best-win is the tie-breaker.)  Therefore, for the Scots to do better than the #5 seed, they'd have to finish with a better record than one of the teams ahead of them.  The only possibility is Kenyon, outlined above, so Wooster can do no better than #4 (and needs two tough wins plus a huge upset by Hiram for that to happen.)

OWU loses tie-breakers to Kenyon (sweep), but probably wins tie-breakers with both Witt and Allegheny.  In each case, the teams split.  Allegheny's win over Denison is neutralized by an OWU win over the Big Red, a necessary condition for a tie between AC and OWU.  The tie-breaker would then be performance against Witt, which swept Allegheny.  As for OWU/Witt, the OWU win over DU that makes a tie possible tips the tie-breaker to the Bishops.  A three-way tie between Allegheny, Kenyon, and OWU at 10-6 (with Witt at 11-5) falls in that order on head-to-head results (AC 3-1, KC 2-2, OWU 1-3).  A Witt/OWU/Gheny tie falls in that order, but that still leaves OWU in #4 because Kenyon would be #2 with 11 wins (to avoid being part of that tie.)  And a four-way tie, I think, goes to Kenyon with a 4-2 head-to-head record; OWU would either be#5 because they have the worst head-to-head of the 4 (2-4), or #4 because once Kenyon is granted the #2 seed, a three-way tie without them falls Witt-OWU-AC as above.  (The 4 head to head records are KC 4-2, Witt 3-3, AC 3-3, OWU 2-4.  Thus h-t-h does completely order a 4-way tie, but it does ensure that KC is #2.  Whether it also ensures that OWU is #5, or just lease the three not-Kenyons still tied, I don't know.)

In short, the only way for OWU to earn the #3 seed is to end up in a tie for third at 10 wins with either Witt or Allegheny (but not both).  OWU can be #4 by ending up in a three-way tie with Witt and AC (behind Kenyon), or by winning twice while Kenyon loses twice.  But again, for OWU to even be in the conversation for a home seed, they have to win twice, including a win at Denison, and then get some help.

I think we can pretty much count on Wooster and OWU to be the #5 and #6 seeds, with the home games in Granville, Gambier, Springfield, and Meadville.

You know, by the time I figure all of this out, it'll be Wednesday and the teams will have figured it out on the court!  :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 13, 2007, 05:56:35 PM
Congratulations to Kenyon's Alisha Moreno for being named NCAC Women's Player of the Week for the week ending Feb. 11. 

http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt 

I confess that Alisha is one of my favorite players in this league, so I'm especially happy to see her win this award.  She's an excellent shooter and floor general, and plays tenacious defense.  She's just downright fun to watch.  Congratulations, Alisha! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 14, 2007, 09:29:45 AM
http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/02_14.html

Both Wittenberg games tonight have been postponed due to weather.  They will now take place Thursday at the same schedule times (women at 6, men at 8 or 30 minutes after the women's game).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 15, 2007, 10:15:06 PM
Thursday scores and updated standings:
Denison 72, Oberlin 50...Oberlin clinches #8 seed, will meet Denison in conf. quarterfinal
Wittenberg 55, Kenyon 39...Tigers clinch #2 seed, will face Earlham in conf. quarterfinal
Allegheny 91, Hiram 50...Gators clinch #3 seed; Hiram eliminated from tournament contention
Ohio Wesleyan 63, Wooster 56...Scots eliminated from contention for a top 4 seed
Earlham and Wabash are idle

Denison 14-1 (20-4)
Wittenberg 11-4 (14-9)...Tigers swept the Gators
Allegheny 11-5 (17-7)...regular season complete
Kenyon 9-6 (12-12)...Ladies swept the Bishops
OWU 9-6 (14-10)
Wooster 8-7 (13-11)
Earlham 3-12 (4-20)
Oberlin 2-13 (6-18)
Hiram 1-14 (6-18)
Wabash DNP

Saturday schedule:
Ohio Wesleyan (8-6) at Denison (13-1)
Wittenberg (10-4) at Wooster (8-6)
Hiram (1-13) at Kenyon (9-5)...Ladies clinch #4 seed with win or OWU loss
Earlham (3-12) at Oberlin (2-12)
Allegheny and Wabash are idle
*** END REGULAR SEASON ***
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2007, 12:54:02 AM
Here's where the tournament stands:
#1 seed and conference champion: Denison
#2 seed: Wittenberg (owns tiebreaker by virtue of season sweep of Allegheny)
#3 seed: Allegheny
#4 seed: see below
#5 seed: see below
#6 seed: see below
#7 seed: Earlham (owns tiebreaker based on "best win" theory: Earlham beat Kenyon, Oberlin's best win would be over Earlham, splitting the season series and forcing the tie)
#8 seed: Oberlin (owns tiebreaker by virtue of season sweep of Hiram)
Eliminated: Hiram, Wabash

#4-#5-#6 seeds:

Here's Saturday's 8 possible results, and the resulting 4-5-6 seeds:
KC win-OWU win-COW win: KC-OWU-COW
KC win-OWU win-COW loss: KC-OWU-COW

KC win-OWU loss-COW win: KC-coin toss for #5
KC win-OWU loss-COW loss: KC-OWU-COW
KC loss-OWU win-COW win: OWU-KC-COW
KC loss-OWU win-COW loss: OWU-KC-COW
KC loss-OWU loss-COW win: KC-coin toss for #5
KC loss-OWU loss-COW loss: KC-OWU-COW


EDITED to indicate what actually happened.
Title: Wittenberg Coach Wins 400th
Post by: coachscore on February 16, 2007, 10:52:17 PM
Congrats to Coach Pam Smith on her 400th win when the Tigers beat Kenyon 55-39 last night in Springfield...
Here's the link:
http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/02_15.html
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 17, 2007, 12:20:52 AM
I add my congratulations to Coach Smith!   :)

Here's hoping she gets to continue to celebrate being at 400 wins through the weekend. ;)  (Letting my true colors slip just a wee bit there.)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 17, 2007, 10:43:07 PM
Saturday scores and final standings:
Denison 66, Ohio Weselyan 56
Wooster 70, Wittenberg 56
Kenyon 72, Hiram 46
Oberlin 69, Earlham 63
Allegheny and Wabash are idle

Denison 15-1 (21-4)
Wittenberg 11-5 (14-10)...Tigers swept the Gators
Allegheny 11-5 (17-7)
Kenyon 10-6 (13-12)
OWU 9-7 (14-11)...Bishops and Scots tied for 5th; OWU wins coin toss for #5 seed
Wooster 9-7 (14-11)
Earlham 3-13 (4-21)...EC wins #7 seed based on "best win" (over #4 Kenyon)
Oberlin 3-13 (7-18)
Hiram 1-15 (6-19)
Wabash DNP

NCAC Quarterfinals (Tuesday):
#8 Oberlin at #1 Denison...Big Red swept series 82-66 (a) and 72-50 (h)
#7 Earlham at #2 Wittenberg...Tigers swept series 70-40 (h) and 58-55 (a)
#6 Wooster at #3 Allegheny...Scots won at Meadville 77-71 (OT); Gators won at Wooster 64-55
#5 Ohio Wesleyan at #4 Kenyon...Ladies swept series 62-57 (h) and 56-49 (a)

Congratulations and good luck to all tournament teams!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2007, 01:34:10 PM
There may not be anyone out there but Josh, but still I want to call your attention to the game played by the Kenyon Ladies yesterday.  Box Score. (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x24553.xml)  There are only two seniors on the Ladies' roster this year, and they basically don't play much (Liz Narducci averaged 10.5 minutes in her first 21 games, while Amy Thurber played 82 minutes in 15 games.)  Yesterday, on Senior Day, they each got their first starts of the season, which is to be expected, even though the game had huge playoff implications.  What you wouldn't expect, or at least I didn't expect, was that they'd stay in the game, and each make significant contributions.  Narducci played 22 minutes and contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds, while Thurber tossed in 6 points and had two blocked shots in 21 minutes of action.  And it didn't stop there.  Every player on the roster played at least 7 minutes, and they were meaningful minutes--everyone played in the first half.  It was clear, to me at least, that Coach Helfant was going to honor her seniors and recognize her bench today, and if that put the game at risk, so be it.  Of course it didn't, as the opponent was already-eliminated Hiram, and the Ladies were too deep, too talented, and too tall for the Terriers, no matter which Ladies were playing.  I suppose that, if the game had been in doubt in the last 10 minutes, Coach Helfant would have relied more heavily on her key players, but she could afford transfer minutes from the likes of Anne Dugan (14 mins., vs. average of 29.2), Laurel Stokes (13/22.0) and Megan Smith (11/16.8 ) to bench denizens Patty Hace (11 mins., vs. 7.1 mpg before yesterday), Laura Goehrke (9 mins. yesterday, 50 for the season), and Rachael Levy (7 mins. yesterday, 16 for the season.)  And kudos to her for doing so.  I'm sure it was a memorable game for these players, and I'm glad I was there to support them.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2007, 04:09:36 PM
Let's open the floor of this empty hall to the debate over all-NCAC teams.

Three mortal locks for 1st team, and the main contenders for POY have to be:
Kristen Sheffield, Denison--under the "best player on the best team" theory, and she's the best player Denison ever had.  12.0 ppg [6th in NCAC], 7.4 rpg [5th], .454 fg % [4th], .422 3pt. fg% [3rd], 2.2 blks/gm [2nd]
Carly Loehrke, Wooster--better stats, but a 5th place team.  14.1 ppg [4th], 8.0 rpg [tie-1st], .614 fg% [1st by .061, and 4th nationally], 1.60 blks/gm [3rd]
Jessie Oram, Oberlin--great stats, but an 8th place team.  15.4 ppg [2nd], 7.6 rpg [4th], .431 fg% [6th], .775 ft% [2nd], 1.33 blks/gm [4th]

Other 1st team possibilities:
Cassie Bedard, Hiram--17.6 ppg [1st], 6.3 rpg [10th], .430 fg% [7th], .730 ft% [6th], 1.12 blks/gm [tie-8th]
Alyssa Clark, Oberlin--11.9 ppg [7th], 8.0 rpg [tie-1st], .413 fg% [10th], 4.32 apg [1st], 1.96 spg [5th]...but a/to of 0.87, last among players with 2.0 apg or higher
Katie Gregorevich, Wittenberg--11.2 ppg [10th], 6.0 rpg [12th], .482 fg % [3rd], .650 ft% [10th]
Katie Kestler, Allegheny--12.9 ppg [5th], .424 fg % [9th], 2.75 apg [7th], .368 3pt. fg% [6th], 1.29 a/to [5th]
Rachel Messaros, OWU--14.5 ppg [3rd], .426 fg% [8th], .762 ft% [3rd], .363 3pt. fg% [7th]

Anyone have other candidates?  Now, now, hold it down, don't everyone speak one at a time!  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 18, 2007, 05:03:34 PM
I would put Bedard as a lock over Oram, simply because of the fact that the teams finished close in the standings, and 2+ ppg is a huge leap.  I agree that Sheffield is a lock, and will most likely get POY.  Loehrke will be first team, as should Katie Gregorevich (especially because she stepped it up during the conference season).

While I like Messaros to be the fifth, let me throw in a sleeper pick: Anne Dugan of Kenyon.  9th in scoring (11.2), 14th in rebounding (5.8), 4th in steals (2.16), tied for 8th in blocks (1.12).  May not have the best numbers, but if you look at last year, the All-NCAC team was one player from each of the top 4 teams, than an outsider (last year, it was Loehrke as the sleeper).  If that logic stays true, you could see Sheffield, Gregorevich, Kestler, Dugan, and possibly Bedard, although I would probably swap Kestler out of there.

My First Team picks: Sheffield, Gregorevich, Bedard, Messaros, Loehrke
Second Team: Kestler, Oram, Clark, Dugan, Kathy Hittle (WIT)
Honorable Mention: Too wide open to call, but I would hope Rachel Clark-Haggy of Witt gets some consideration (she may be more deserving than Hittle, but Kathy has the recognition from last year to help).  I would also expect to see Carolyn Simpson (DEN) here.

Newcomer: Shontavia Davis (Earlham), with Kym Wenz (WOO) a close 2nd
Coach: Sara Lee (DEN)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2007, 05:18:26 PM
You've seen a lot more NCAC women's hoops than I have, but I've probably seen more of Kenyon than you.  Anne Dugan underwhelms me in the extreme.  She plays with so little passion that I sometimes wonder where her mind is.  She's tall (Kenyon has a lot of height) and has a nice touch, but I can't see her anywhere near the 1st team.  If Kenyon gets a representative based on finishing 4th, I think it's Alisha Moreno, who I think is their most valuable player (and a point guard to run this post-oriented all-NCAC team.)  But Kenyon, much like Wittenberg, plays as a team, making it hard to single out one or two players for conference honors.  That's the opposite of Wooster, Oberlin, and Hiram, as standout examples.  Kenyon's best (as in most talented) player is probably Eva George, and her stats are nowhere.

I only saw Hiram once, and it was yesterday when they were just going through the motions.  But I was entirely unimpressed with Cassie Bedard.  I was hoping to see something special, but I didn't.  I realize it's not fair to judge her based on one meaningless end-of-a-frustrating-season game, but that's partly why I prefer Jessie Oram to her (another reason is Oram's slightly better stat line.)

Of course Sara Lee is the Coach of the Year...nobody doesn't like her.  ::) :D

I'd expect to see Ellen O'Brien (Denison) mentioned somewhere as well. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2007, 05:20:07 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on November 03, 2006, 08:07:43 PM
Both the coaches and media agree that the NCAC is a two-team race this season, with Denison expected to edge out Wittenberg for top honors.  Both groups see a clear second tier, consisting of Allegheny, Kenyon, and OWU. 

Coaches poll:
1. Denison (7)...79
2. Wittenberg (2)..77
3. Allegheny...54
4. Kenyon...53
5. Ohio Wesleyan...50
6. Wooster...35
7. Oberlin...26
8. Earlham...19
9. Hiram...17

Media poll:
1. Denison (14)...182
2. Wittenberg (6)...177
3. Allegheny...133
4. Kenyon (2)...128
5. Ohio Wesleyan...120
6. Wooster...91
7. Earlham...64
8. Oberlin...56
9. Hiram...33

Good luck to all nine squads!

How about that!  The media went 9-for-9, and even called the post-season OWU/Wooster coin toss correctly!  :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 19, 2007, 05:40:48 PM
Congratulations to Wooster senior Carly Loehrke, who joins Denison's Kristen Sheffield as the only two-time winners of the NCAC Player of the Week award this season.

http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt

Carly dropped 33 points and rerieved 17 rebounds last week against Ohio Wesleyan and Wittenberg.  Congratulations, Carly!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 20, 2007, 10:49:21 PM
The home teams all recorded comfortable victories in the NCAC quarterfinals:

#1 Denison 94, #6 Oberlin 63
#2 Wittenberg 83, #7 Earlham 52
#3 Allegheny 59, #6 Wooster 42
#4 Kenyon 54, #5 Ohio Wesleyan 44

The semifinals and finals will be played Friday and Saturday at Livingston Gymnasium, Denison University.
#1 Denison takes on #4 Kenyon...Denison won 62-49 (a) and 50-39 (h)
#2 Wittenberg opposes #3 Allegheny...Witt won 59-50 (a) and 71-47 (h)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 20, 2007, 11:33:29 PM
Just an ugly, ugly game in Gambier tonight.  Here's some stats to savor, but please keep a barf bag handy.
* OWU 1st half FG %: 17.9% (5/28), and 0/13 from the arc (that's 0.0%)
* Kenyon 1st half FG %: 28.1% (9/32), but 4/12 (33.3%) from the arc, which was good enough to give the Ladies a comfortable lead for most of the second 10 mins.
* I don't think OWU hit their first jumper until more than 18 minutes of the 1st half had elapsed. 
* Kenyon managed to connect on just 3 FGs in the first 10:55 of the game, but that was enough to give them a seven-point lead (8-1).
* For the game, OWU had 16 field goals and 19 turnovers.  Yeeowch.  Even their free throw shooting (46.2%) sucked.

How's this for some individual lines:
                                 TOT-FG  3-PT               REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
30 Steffi Graf......... *       0-9      0-5     0-0     4     1    5   1    0  3  2     0   0  34
Graf, OWU's second-leading scorer, needed to step up in the absence of Rachel Messaros (in street clothes).  She didn't. 
34 Anne Dugan.......... *  1-11      1-2      4-4     2    7    9   3     7  1  3     1   3  29
...and she played for the winning team.  ::)  Most of the rebounds seemed to be late, after the outcome was decided.  The free throws were clutch, though.

What a terrible way for OWU's seniors (Emily Lloyd, OWU's leading scorer at 14, and Messaros) to end their careers--especially Messaros, who had to watch this disaster helplessly from the bench.  :-\

Kenyon's really going to have to play better to have a chance against the Big Red on Friday.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 20, 2007, 11:48:36 PM
Ouch.  That all kinda hurt to read.  Thanks for keeping us in the loop on the Women's side of the NCAC, David.

Maybe Steffi Graf should've stuck with tennis?   ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 22, 2007, 10:41:07 PM
It occurs to me that Denison is sitting pretty for a Pool C bid if needed.  How cool would it be to get two NCAC women's teams into the tournament?  Of course my choice would be Kenyon, but losing at home to Kenyon is a 4-point QoWI game and that could hurt the Big Red.  But a loss by DU in the finals to either Witt or 'Gheny would probably get them both in. 

Go Ladies!!!
and if not,
Go Gator-Tigers!!!
:D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 22, 2007, 11:33:56 PM
Is there a readily-available women's QoWI?  I've seen hundreds of different interpretations on what the men's side looks like, but nothing on the women's side.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 22, 2007, 11:40:47 PM
Sure; http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=2920.105

The women's site is in many ways a mirror image of the men's, only with a lot less hand-wringing.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 22, 2007, 11:48:51 PM
Wow, I didn't realize Denison was going to be that high (#33) in the country.

Even as a Witt person, I'm assuming the Big Red will win the tourney this weekend, but if not, I would seriously hope that they get a look for the tourney.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 22, 2007, 11:56:22 PM
Quote from: jscwittfan on February 22, 2007, 11:48:51 PM
Wow, I didn't realize Denison was going to be that high (#33) in the country.

Even as a Witt person, I'm assuming the Big Red will win the tourney this weekend, but if not, I would seriously hope that they get a look for the tourney.

I assume you'll be there in Granville; if so, I'd appreciate a brief recap of the games, since obviously I can't rationalize going.  Scotsbrod might appreciate it too, as he's going to the OAC men's soiree in Bexley. 

I wish the conference would stagger these tournaments so people like me could get to both.  It seems a little unfair to the women, if you ask me.  Good luck this weekend, at least to your women's team.  ;) :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 23, 2007, 09:38:50 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 22, 2007, 11:56:22 PM
I assume you'll be there in Granville; if so, I'd appreciate a brief recap of the games, since obviously I can't rationalize going.  Scotsbrod might appreciate it too, as he's going to the OAC men's soiree in Bexley. 

I wish the conference would stagger these tournaments so people like me could get to both.  It seems a little unfair to the women, if you ask me.  Good luck this weekend, at least to your women's team.  ;) :D

Will do on the updates.  I'll be there for Witt's game and (if Witt wins) the first half of the Kenyon-Denison game, unless the team's plans change.

I do agree on the staggering.  While I'm not sure if there's anything they could do about the semifinals, I know (simply because a bunch of us had this convo the other day) that the championship games used to be staggered - women's at 2 or 3, and then the men's at 7.  Not sure why the change was made this time.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 23, 2007, 10:21:05 PM
Women's Semifinal Results:

Allegheny 54
Witt 49

Kenyon 44
Denison 62

Witt played downright awful tonight.  Top 3 scorers coming in went a combined 2-20 in the first half, Tigers missed at least 5 wide open layups, and also went a dreadful 11-23 from the free throw line.  Allegheny led by as many as 13/14, and Witt cut it down to 6, but poor shooting did them in.  Allegheny feasibly could have won by a lot more, but they were below 35% shooting for the game.

Only saw the first 3 possesions of the Denison game, but it was Big Red 3, nothing for Kenyon, Big Red 3.  If things work out like they did tonight, Denison will win tomorrow in a romp . . .
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2007, 10:45:44 PM
Tough night for Wittenberg across the board.  :-\

Thanks for the update.  Now, just because you're a senior and both of your basketball teams have (probably) seen the ends of their seasons, you're not excused from Posting Up duty.  Stick around!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 24, 2007, 12:03:41 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 23, 2007, 10:45:44 PM
Tough night for Wittenberg across the board.  :-\

Thanks for the update.  Now, just because you're a senior and both of your basketball teams have (probably) seen the ends of their seasons, you're not excused from Posting Up duty.  Stick around!  :)

Will do indeed!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 24, 2007, 12:22:43 AM
Good to keep you along, jscwittfan!  Thanks for the readout on the women's side of things.

David, Denison is a Pool C for the women regardless??  Allegheny would need to win to make the tourney?  Correct?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 24, 2007, 01:18:36 PM
Quote from: scotsbrod on February 24, 2007, 12:22:43 AM
Good to keep you along, jscwittfan!  Thanks for the readout on the women's side of things.

David, Denison is a Pool C for the women regardless??  Allegheny would need to win to make the tourney?  Correct?

Allegheny certainly needs to win to get in; with a loss they're at .692 with a QoWI of 9.192. 

Denison benefits from the chance to play Allegheny (.731 if they win) rather than Witt, who would have been at .640 had they won the tournament.  The Big Red already sit at .875 and 10.417 in the latest QoWI run; a loss drops them to .840 and 10.240.  They look like a pretty safe Pool C bet to me.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 24, 2007, 02:33:43 PM
Great players step it up in the big games.  Denison's all-everything Kristen Sheffield last night scored 12 points, recorded 6 blocked shots, dished 3 assists, and single-handedly outrebounded the entire Kenyon team with a mind-blowing 22 rebounds.  (Kenyon is credited with 29 boards, but 8 of them--5 offensive--are "TEAM" rebounds, whatever they are; probably some missed free throws, airballs, and such.)  She could probably take home the tournament MVP award without suiting up tonight.  Carolyn Simpson and Tammy Hoch contributed 13 and 11 points respectively to the winners, with Hoch adding 4 steals to the tally.

At the other end, Kenyon's Alisha Moreno probably had her worst game of the season last night, misfiring on 9 or 10 three point attempts, and matching her 3 assists with 3 turnovers.  In fact nobody in purple seems to have played well last night, except for a player I've taken a couple of swipes at in here: Anne Dugan.  Dugan kept Kenyon in the game with her career-high 23 points on 8/17 shooting (3/6 from the arc) and was a perfect 4 of 4 on free throws.  Dugan also led the Ladies with 3 steals and 5 rebounds (second only to TEAM's 8 boards.)  Besides Dugan, however, the Ladies were a woeful 8 of 42 shooting (19.0%) from the floor and 2 of 16 (12.5%) from the arc.  Brittany Clair's free throw at 9:00 of the 1st half was the lone point producd by the KC bench on the evening.  I can't say I'm sorry I missed this game.  :-\

Box score and play-by-play (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/wb/wb07/ncacw2.html)

Congratulations and best wishes to Kenyon seniors Liz Narducci and Amy Thurber. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 24, 2007, 09:22:38 PM
Denison wins NCAC tourney over Allegheny 63-47.  Denison wins their third consecutive NCAC Tournament Championship

Tournament MVP: Kristen Sheffield (DEN)
ALL Tournament Team: T. Hoch (DEN), J. Latronica(ALL), Anne Dugan (KEN), K. Gregorevich (WIT), K. Kestler (ALL)

Congrats to Denison - do the NCAC proud!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 26, 2007, 10:08:22 AM
Tough draw for Denison, as they get Hope in the first round.  Game will be played at DePauw, who will play Transylvania.

Interesting that both NCAC teams have Transylvania in their little portion of the bracket...
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2007, 03:08:12 PM
Tough?  I'll say.  Here I was hoping DU would get to host a regional, and instead they have to play a top 10 team, with the #11 team at home on deck should they win.  Tough way to build national credibility.  Go get 'em, Big Red!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 27, 2007, 05:58:39 PM
http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wballncac07.pdf

Congratulations to Kristen Sheffield, named the NCAC Player of the Year today by vote of the conference head coaches.  Joining Sheffield on the 7-woman first team are (alphabetically) Wittenberg's Katie Gregoreivich, Allegheny's Katie Kestler, Carly Loerhke of Wooster, Rachel Messaros of OWU, Kenyon's Alisha Moreno, and Oberlin's Jessie Oram.  Gregorevich and Moreno are juniors, while the others are seniors.  Loehrke and Sheffield are repeat first-teamers from last year; Sheffield is a four-time all NCAC honoree, as was second-teamer and NCAC scoring champion Cassie Bedard of Hiram.

In all, the selections were led by first-place Denison (4 selections, including POY Sheffield and Coach of the Year Sara Lee) and Wooster, who finished in a fifth-place tie but still garnered four selections, including co-Newcomer of the Year Kym Wenz (sharing the award with Earlham's Shontavia Davis.)

Congratulations to all of these great players (and to Coach Lee as well)!   :)

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 27, 2007, 06:40:35 PM
My sleeper pick snuck onto the honorable mention team!  Moral victory!

Congrats to all the honorees, including the 3 from Witt (Gregorevich, Clark-Haggy, and Hittle).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 27, 2007, 07:02:50 PM
I wasn't going to gloat, but Alisha Moreno on the first team with Anne Dugan relegated to HM...never question me on matters of Kenyon hoops!  ;D  (Although I didn't see Hilary Gowins' selection to the 2nd team coming...:P)

Kenyon is going to have three all-conference players in their starting lineup next November.  They're my pre-pre-preseason pick for the 2008 NCAC title.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 28, 2007, 09:16:06 PM
Here's how our teams and players fared in the final NCAA statistical rankings:

Team rankings:
Team defense: Denison 52.9 ppg (#29) [Howard Payne, 45.2 ppg]
Scoring margin: Denison +13.8 ppg (#33) [Howard Payne, +29.7 ppg]
FG % defense: Denison 34.9% (#47) [Mary Washington, 29.7%]
Free throw %: Ohio Wesleyan 73.0% (#30); Denison 72.1% (#42) [Bridgewater (Va.) 77.6%]
Rebound margin: Denison +6.7 (#40) [Johns Hopkins, +12.7]
Three-point FG per game: Ohio Wesleyan 6.6 (#11); Kenyon 6.6 (#14); Denison 6.4 (#24); Allegheny 6.1 (#40) [Grinnell, 9.1]
Three-point FG %: Oberlin 34.8% (#30) [DePauw, 40.7%]
Assists per game: Denison 15.6 (#48) [Randoplh-Macon, 19.2]
Blocked shots per game: Denison 5.1 (#21); Allegheny 4.2 (#47) [Simpson, 8.5]
Turnovers per game: Kenyon 16.9 (#45) [St. Benedict, 13.3]
Personal fouls per game: Denison 14.1 (#20) [Newbury, 11.1]

Individual rankings:
Blocked Shots per game: Jennifer Latronica, Allegheny 2.5 (#25); Kristen Sheffield, Denison 2.4 (#28) [Ashley Katch, Simpson, 5.0]
Field goal %: Carly Loehrke, Wooster 60.0% (#3) [Lindsay Ippel, Millikin, 65.8%]
Three-point FG %: Kristen Sheffield, Denison 43.1% (#10); Alisha Moreno, Kenyon 38.1% (#35) [Ali Meckey, Juniata, 46.6%]
Three-point FG per game: Katie Kestler, Allegheny 2.6 (#23); Alisha Moreno, Kenyon 2.4 (#34) [Mallory Heydorn, Ill. Wesleyan, 3.7]

Congratulations to all of these players and teams; you make us proud to be your fans!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: roaring0506 on March 02, 2007, 06:51:57 PM
Denison 82
Hope 66
Final
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Witt4ever on March 02, 2007, 07:34:58 PM
Way to go Big Red!

;D

http://www.denison.edu/athletics/db/site/newsreleases/wb/20070302_2369.html
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 02, 2007, 10:28:24 PM
You took the words right out of my mouth, W4E, except I was going to say it this way:

Way To Go, BIG RED!!!

;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on March 03, 2007, 12:55:22 AM
Wow.  I knew Denison was good, but I never expected whooping up on the defending national champs in the first round.

Way to make the NCAC proud Big Red - keep up the great work!!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 03, 2007, 11:06:05 PM
All good things must come to an end... :'(

http://www.denison.edu/athletics/db/site/newsreleases/wb/20070303_2376.html

It sounds like the Big Red played well but just couldn't get over the hump against a battle-tested DePauw team playing on their home floor.  But many, many congratulations to Denison on a great season and for upping the NCAC's profile on the national scene just a little bit.  I certainly hope to see Denison break through into the final top 25 based on these two performances.

How about this little tidbit from Craig Hicks' game recap:
Quote from: Craig HicksSheffield followed with 11 points but as been the norm throughout her illustrious career she kept the statistician busy, grabbing 16 rebounds while blocked five shots and adding four assists and two steals. Sheffield leaves Denison with 1,349 points, 921 rebounds, 336 blocks, 195 assists and 105 steals. She is the school's all-time leader in rebounding, blocks, 3-point field goals made and in games played.
Congratulations, best wishes, and farewell to the NCAC Player of the Year and the best women's basketball player in Denison histroy.  Sounds like she really gave it her all tonight, as she also played very tough defense on DePauw's superstar Liz Bondi.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on March 14, 2007, 11:29:36 AM
http://www.d3hoops.com/all-region/07/glakewom.htm

Congratulations are in order to both Denison's Kristin Sheffield and Allegheny's Katie Kestler, who were named to the All Great Lakes Region third team.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 14, 2007, 11:42:13 AM
My congratulations as well to Kristen and Katie.  :)  I'm a wee bit disappointed; I had hoped that Kristen would place higher, and that Carly Loehrke would sneak on to the list, but that doesn't diminish their accomplishments.  Plus, with the way the NCAC dominated the men's All-Region team (7 of fifteen spots, including coach and player of the year,) I can't complain!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 20, 2007, 10:51:59 PM
One final note of congratulations to Coach Lee and the Denison Big Red, NCAA regular season and tournament champions, vanquisher of the defending national champions, loser to the current national champs by just 8 points on their home court, and now first-time members of the D3Hoops.com top 25 poll!  The Big Red checked in at #23 in the final poll.  A great end to an historic season in Granville.   :) 8) :)

But I'm still picking Kenyon for the NCAC title next season.  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Old Pro on May 19, 2007, 05:18:22 PM
What's with Hiram??

They had a strong candidate or two, and went a different direction. No desire to improve?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on June 08, 2007, 12:02:55 PM
Wittenberg has posted their 2007-08 schedule:
http://www5.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule07-08.html
The highlight is a Dec. 15 matchup at defending national champion DePauw.  The Tigers open the campaign at the Johns Hopkins tournament, and welcome Manchester, Carnegie Mellon, and John Carroll to their own Zimmerman Classic in late December.

Kenyon's schedule is out as well:
http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x23822.xml
The Ladies will tangle with Final Four participant Washington U. in the Bears' tournament around Thanksgiving, and will also participate in tourneys at Brandeis (season-opening) and Otterbein (between the holidays).

Allegheny's schedule is also posted:
http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/results.php
The Gators welcome Bluffton, Grove City, and Marietta to Meadville to open the season tournament-style, and also will appear in tournaments at Salisbury U. (late Nov.) and perennial power Baldwin-Wallace (late Dec.)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Nonbiased Observer on June 27, 2007, 05:08:44 PM
Condolences to the folks at Wittenberg.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on June 27, 2007, 08:09:17 PM
For those who do not yet know, Wittenberg head coach Pam Smith passed away last night after a long fight with cancer.  She was 47.

Here is the official Wittenberg press release, which also includes a link to a message board where thoughts can be left.

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/06_27.html

It's still hard to talk about this, so I'll simply repost my message from that board here:

Pam Smith, in a way, played a big role in both the beginning and the end of my Wittenberg career.  She was the first coach that I ever met while working for the athletic department, and the relationship built that day lasted throughout my four years at Witt.  I am proud to say that I worked with Pam and and for Pam, and enjoyed every moment I got to speak with her, whether it was on air after a game or simply in passing.  She gave me so many opportunities to be a part of her basketball family, and I will forever be grateful.  It seems odd now that the last member of the faculty/staff I spoke to and hugged before graduation this May was Pam - an embrace and farewell I will never forget, much like the person who gave it.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Li'l Giant on June 27, 2007, 08:45:48 PM
My deepest condolences to all of you in the Witt family on your loss.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on June 27, 2007, 08:56:33 PM
Oh, my, what terrible news.  Rest in peace, Coach Smith, and my condolences to all who were close to her.  I'm deeply saddened today.  :'(
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on July 20, 2007, 10:47:56 PM
2007-08 schedule update:

NCAC:
Allegheny:  men  (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/menbb/results.php)(complete); women (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/results.php)
Denison (not posted)
Earlham (not posted)
Hiram (not posted)
Kenyon:  men  (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x23821.xml)(complete); women (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x23822.xml)
Oberlin (not posted)
Ohio Wesleyan (not posted)
Wabash (not posted)
Wittenberg:  men  (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/schedule07-08.html)(complete); women (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule07-08.html)
Wooster:  men (not posted); women  (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/schedule.php)(complete)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on August 17, 2007, 05:37:14 PM
Pam Evans Smith '82 Memorial Scholarship Established To Honor Former Coach, Administrator (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/08_15.html) (Wittenberg.edu)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on September 05, 2007, 08:01:56 PM
Wittenberg Names '98 Grad Sarah Jurewicz New Women's Basketball Head Coach

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/09_05.html (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/09_05.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on September 05, 2007, 11:15:58 PM
Congratulations, welcome back, and best wishes to Coach Jurewicz.  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on September 08, 2007, 11:22:33 AM
Jennifer Reimer has stepped down as Allegheny's coach (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7313/womenbb_entry) and accepted a similar position at Case Western Reserve University.  The all-time winningest coach in Allegheny history, she departs with a career record of 120-68 (.638), taking over a program that was 0-12 in the ultra-competitive UAA last season. 

First year assistant coach Kate Costanzo (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/coaches.php) takes over on an interim basis while the school conducts a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.

Congratulations and best wishes to both of these women.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on September 27, 2007, 02:22:06 PM
2007-08 NCAC Women's Basketball schedules:

Allegheny (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/results.php)
Denison (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/2007_08_women_s_basketball_sched.html)
Earlham (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2007-08/schedule/index.html)
Hiram (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Kenyon (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x23822.xml)
Oberlin (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/schedule.html)
Ohio Wesleyan (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Wabash (does not participate)
Wittenberg (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule07-08.html)
Wooster (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/schedule.php)

I am ready!  You go girls!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 15, 2007, 09:57:36 PM
The first two 2007-08 rosters are posted, so let’s take a look.

Kenyon (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x4954.xml) brings back the top six scorers from their 14-13 (10-6 NCAC) squad of a year ago, a team that reached the NCAC semifinal round.  The only non-returnees are graduated role players Liz Narducci and Amy Thurber, and sophomore post Megan Smith (4.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, in 16.1 mpg with 5 starts.)  The remainder of the squad returns, bringing with them 88.4% of the scoring, 84.2% of the rebounding, and 85.2% of the minutes.  The ’07-’08 Ladies will be led on the floor by three all-conference returnees:
Returning starters Eva George (sr., P, 8.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Laurel Stokes (so., G, 4.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and sixth-woman Brittany Clair (sr., G, 5.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg) complete an imposing roster of upperclass threats.

Six first-year players join the Ladies this fall, including two players standing 5’10” (Kathleen Williams/Pickerington Central and Sam Reichenbach/Long Island Schreiber), as well as 5’0” guard Brittany Currey from my own hometown of Millersburg.  Kenyon also brings in a new assistant coach, Kati Todd, a 2007 graduate of Capital, where she was a two-time all-OAC player and 1,000 point scorer.  Todd replaces 2002 KC graduate Erin O'Neill and joins 13th-year head coach Suzanne Helfant and 9th-year assistant Matt Wilbur on the Kenyon sideline.

I had the honor of sitting beside a number of the Ladies at the Kenyon/Allegheny football game this past Saturday (while they had the pleasure of not knowing me from Adam), and they looked like a tight, ready group to me.  I certainly expect the Ladies to be a major factor in the NCAC race this winter.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 15, 2007, 10:52:01 PM
The other posted roster is Oberlin's (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/roster.html), but I'm going to hold off on my analysis as I try to get a question or two answered.  So you're just gonna have to wait!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on October 15, 2007, 11:56:54 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on October 15, 2007, 10:52:01 PM
The other posted roster is Oberlin's (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/roster.html), but I'm going to hold off on my analysis as I try to get a question or two answered.  So you're just gonna have to wait!  :)

Oh, the suspense!  Ha ha
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 21, 2007, 05:51:52 PM
Oberlin’s preliminary roster is posted (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/roster.html).  I’ve exchanged e-mails with Head Coach Christa Champion, and she emphasized that this roster, which was posted before practice even began, is subject to change, and I caution the reader to bear this in mind.  (I assume this is more or less true for all teams in the conference, at least until the opening games in November, but it’s good to be reminded of this.)

Oberlin enters the season needing to replace three-fifths of their starting lineup, including the all but irreplaceable Jessica Oram.  Jessie, a two-time all-NCAC honoree and 1,000 point scorer, was first or second on the team in most categories, including scoring (15.4), rebounding (7.4), blocked shots (1.36), free throw percentage (.780), and minutes played (30.9).  Also not returning are starting guards Monica Zell and Kira Rivera, who combined to provide 12.9 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.1 steals per game last season.  Consequently, the Yeowomen figure to rely heavily on junior guard Alyssa Clark, the NCAC leader in assists (4.3) as well as the team’s leading rebounder (7.8 rpg) and second-best scorer (11.7 ppg), and 6’2” senior center Roneisha Kinney, who averaged 9.0 ppg and 6.8 rpg with team-best .451 FG% a year ago. 

The Yeowomen return 10 upperclasswomen, including six players who averaged at least 8.5 minutes per game, as well as three players standing 6’2” or taller (6’3” soph. C/F Fran Holoman and 6’2” jr. C January Baker, in addition to Kinney).    The roster also includes three first-year players, all guards, who hope to see significant playing time.  Overall, the team must replace 50.1% of its scoring, 36.5% of its rebounding, and 45.5% of its minutes from last year’s seventh-place (7-19/3-13) squad.  The Yeowomen have a challenging non-conference schedule which begins on the home floor of the 2005 national champions, Hope College, in just under 4 weeks’ time.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 21, 2007, 06:50:24 PM
Denison University (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_roster.html) had a season for the ages last year, winning the NCAC regular season and tournament championships, ousting defending national champion Hope College, and falling to eventual champion DePauw by a scant 8 points in the second round of the national tournament.  Overall the Big Red compiled a 25-5 record, including a 15-1 NCAC slate, and were ranked 23rd in the final D3Hoops.com poll. 

The 2006-07 Big Red were a senior-dominated squad, however, and return just four of the ten players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game last season.  Denison must find a way to replace two all-conference performers, including 2007 NCAC Player of the Year and 4-time all-NCAC honoree Kristin Sheffield.  Kristen, the all-time top rebounder in DU history, led last year's squad in scoring (12.3), rebounding (8.2), blocked shots (2.4), 3-point FG % (.420), and minutes played (26.7).  She was joined at the baccalaureate ceremony by two-time all-NCAC honoree Tammy Hoch (6.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg), starter Caitlin Krupka (7.4 ppg, 2.6 apg), and key reserve Lauren Vashaw

Fortunately for DU fans, two of the four key returnees are all-conference players: juniors Carolyn Simpson (6'0" post), all-conference in each of her first two seasons in Granville (10.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and point guard Ellen O'Brien (7.3 ppg, 3.9 apg), the conference leader in A/TO last season (1.75).  Joining them are junior wing Sarah Perrine (7.1 ppg, 16.4 mpg) and 6'0" senior post Mimi Pierson, as well as six other upperclasswomen; combined, these ten returnees contributed 55.0% of the scoring, 55.8% of the rebounding, and 56.8% of the minutes played. 

2007 NCAC Coach of the Year Sara Lee has recruited a class of eight first-years from six states to complement the returnees.  Denison opens the season Nov. 16 vs. Salisbury in Arlington, VA, and has a key non-conference game Dec. 1 when 2007 national runner-up Washington Univ. visits Granville.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 26, 2007, 07:56:09 PM
NCAC Media Day for both men's and women's basketball is set for Nov. 1.  The conference website has also been updated with capsule outlooks (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wb.html) for each squad.  Check it out.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 30, 2007, 03:39:53 PM
2006-07 NCAC runner-up Allegheny (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/roster.php) opens the new season without the services of five '07 graduates (two of them all-conference performers), three other reserves, and its all-time winningest head coach, Jennifer Reimer (now the head coach at Case Western Reserve).  Just four veterans of the 2006-07 team, two of them starters, return to inaugurate the Kate Costanzo era in Meadville.  Junior G/F Stephanie Wolf is the top returnee in most categories, including scoring (10.1 ppg), rebounding (6.4), assists (3.5), steals (2.1), blocked shots (0.7), and minutes (30.0).  The other returning starter is junior guard Hilary Collins (2.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.3 apg), who will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore Brittany Bell (6.4 ppg, 1.6 apg), the top returning three-point shooter (.418).  5'9" F/C Emilie Simone (3.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 13.1 mpg) should start in the frontcourt.  Collectively, these four players accounted for 38.3% of the scoring, 38.7% of the rebounding, and 43.6% of the minutes on last season's team.

The balance of the roster, which is devoid of seniors, is made up of two juniors (guard Jessica Morelli and 5'10" F/C Jennifer Robinson) who do not appear in the scorebooks of the past two seasons, and six first-years.  According to Coach Costanzo (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7516/womenbb_entry), "[t]here are a couple players I think can come in and challenge for immediate playing time – the rest I feel can provide solid depth for us." 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 30, 2007, 04:15:16 PM
Ohio Wesleyan (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb08ros.html) opens the 2007-08 campaign with 10 letterwomen, including the top three rebounders of a year ago as well as all-conference honoree Steffi Graf, the team's top returning scorer at 9.8 ppg.  Longtime head coach Nan Carney-DeBord has added eight first-years and four upperclasswomen in an effort to improve on last year's 14-12/9-7 team which finished fifth and lost to Kenyon in the first round of the NCAC tournament.

Collectively, the returning players contributed 59.6% of the scoring, 77.6% of the rebounding, and 67.0% of the minutes on last year's team.  Aside from Graf, the top returnees are 5'9" senior wing Lindsey Macklin (4.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.4 A/TO), 5'10" senior post Kelli Lester (7.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg), and 6'1" junior post Laurel Lawson (6.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 blocks/gm).  Graf and Macklin each started 22 games last season, while Lester and Lawson started 27 games between them.  The Bishops need to replace all-conference starters Rachel Messaros (14.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Emily Lloyd (9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg), but appear to have the veterans and depth to make a run for a top four seed in the 2008 NCAC tournament.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 30, 2007, 05:30:32 PM
Last season, Wooster  (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/roster.php)posted a winning record (14-12/9-7) for the first time in fourteen years.  That team had contributions from twenty players over the course of the season, thirteen of them appearing in at least 10 games.  However, as the saying goes, that was then, and this is now. 

The 2007-08 Scots roster includes just eleven players, three of them first-years.  The eight returnees are led by sophomore guard Kym Wenz (11.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg), the conference co-Newcomer of the Year a season ago and the team's only returning starter.  The only other returnees who contributed significant minutes to last year's team are 6'0" sophomore C Kaitlin Krister (2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 11.1 mpg), sophomore guard Priscilla Staples (1.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 11.3 mpg), and junior guard Meredith Wilson (2.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 8.8 mpg).  Collectively, the eight veterans accounted for just 28.8% of the scoring, 23.8% of the rebounding, and 28.9% of the minutes last season.

The Scots will have to find ways to replace the contributions of three-time all-conference honoree Carly Loehrke (graduated) as well as graduated starters Beth Besancon-Sidle and Maria Gonzalez, and all-conference starting point guard Winnie Adrien (transfer to Ithaca College.)  Among the first-years, Hannah Kerkian-Winton of Wadsworth (listed as 5'11" in the roster and 6'1" in the season outlook (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/outlook.php)) appears to have the best chance at significant playing time.  All in all, it looks like it might be a difficult season in Wootown.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 30, 2007, 05:50:21 PM
As of this writing, there are no rosters posted for Wittenberg (15-11/11-5, tied for 2nd last year), Earlham (4-22/3-13, tied for 7th place), or Hiram (6-19/1-15, last place).  I'll copy the blurbs from the conference website:
QuoteChange at the top has also occurred at Wittenberg and emotions run high as the Tigers take the court for the first time since 1986 without Pam Smith at the helm. Former Tiger standout Sarah Jurewicz takes over for her mentor with 12 returning letterwinners, but just one starter from last year's 15-11 squad that tied for second in the North Coast. Leading the list of returning players is senior post Katie Gregorevich, a first team All-NCAC honoree last season after averaging 11.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Helping with leadership will be senior post Ali Rohlfs, a player who has started 40 games over the past two seasons.

Three of the nine returning players for Earlham received conference recognition last year. Sophomore guard Shontavia Davis was a Co-Newcomer of the year, while senior guard Whitney McBurrows and sophomore forward Tasha Merrill were both all-conference selections. Senior Samantha Lurie returns to the team after missing the second half of last season studying off campus.

Hiram is the third team with new leadership heading into the 2007-08 season as Andrea Preston takes over. The Terriers have 10 returning players and one starter to work with. Hiram hopes returning players Brittany Mayle and Stephanie Zunic can lead the team to an improvement from their ninth place conference standing.

Based on my brief analysis of the other six, posted above, and trying to get in before the media day vote in a couple of days, here's my prediction for the 2007-08 standings:
1. Kenyon
2. Denison
3. Ohio Wesleyan
4. Wittenberg
5. Allegheny
6. Earlham
7. Oberlin
8. Wooster
9. Hiram
I reserve the right to change these if there are any significant surprises in the missing rosters.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 01, 2007, 01:02:28 PM
Here's what the head coaches think: (http://www.northcoast.org/bkbmediaday/coach0708.pdf)

1.  Denison [6]...76
2.  Kenyon [2]...67
3.  Wittenberg [1]...64
4.  Ohio Wesleyan...59
5.  Allegheny...42
6.  Wooster...32
7.  Earlham...28
8.  Oberlin...23
9.  Hiram...14

Speaking only for myself, I hope they're right and I'm wrong about Wooster.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 01, 2007, 04:31:27 PM
The media forecasts (http://www.northcoast.org/bkbmediaday/bkbpolls0708.pdf) a virtual dead heat at the top:

1.  Kenyon (9)...164
2.  Denison(9)...163
3.  Wittenberg (1)...140
4.  Ohio Wesleyan (1)...124
5.  Allegheny...96
6.  Wooster...79
7.  Oberlin...57
8.  Earlham...54
9.  Hiram...23

Media members submit their ballots after the conference call, so these results may in some way reflect the strength of the presentations of the head coaches.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on November 02, 2007, 07:26:02 PM
Awesome news out of Wittenberg today.  I was hoping that this was something the school would do.

HPERC Court to Be Renamed After Pam Evans Smith (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/2007/11_02.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 12, 2007, 09:01:22 PM
Here's a preseason look at the Wooster women's team by Zach Bollinger of the Wooster Daily Record:

Wooster Women will have a Whole New Look (http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/2842441)


Elsewhere...

Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan senior Steffi Graf who was recently named to the academic all-District first team in volleyball (http://64.233.167.104/u/owu?q=cache:MfbLK-oupfQJ:bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/vb07acad.html+steffi+graf&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us&ie=UTF-8).  Being a first-teamer means she is eligible for consideration for the academic all-America team.  Graf is an English major with a 3.81 GPA while performing at a very high level in (at least) two varsity sports. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 16, 2007, 11:30:31 PM
Tonight's NCAC action:

Bluffton 70, Allegheny 56 (at Allegheny)
Denison 54, Salisbury 40 (at Marymount)...Big Red outscore Gulls 35-17 in 2nd half
Franklin 70, Earlham 56 (at Rose-Hulman)
Kenyon 64, Wesleyan 54 (at Brandeis)...Alisha Moreno 18 points, 5/7 from downtown
#4 Hope 93, Oberlin 44...ouch
Thomas More 75, Ohio Wesleyan 45...ouch

Tomorrow's slate:
Marietta at Allegheny
Denison vs. New Jersey (at Marymount)
Earlham at Rose-Hulman
Kenyon at #14 Brandeis
Oberlin vs. Rochester (MI) (at Hope)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. Dubuque (at Wilmington)
Misericordia at Wooster
Hiram women open on Nov. 21
Wittenberg women open on Nov. 20


Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on November 17, 2007, 10:21:25 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on November 16, 2007, 11:30:31 PM
Wittenberg women open on Nov. 20

DC, you're still closer to the NCAC scene than I, so maybe you have an answer for my question.  I know that the Witt women were originally scheduled for a tournament this weekend at Johns Hopkins.  Any word on why the Tigers are no longer in it?  I'm assuming it has to do with the adjustment period after losing Pam, but I was just wondering if you had heard anything about that.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2007, 11:37:16 AM
Quote from: jscwittfan on November 17, 2007, 10:21:25 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on November 16, 2007, 11:30:31 PM
Wittenberg women open on Nov. 20

DC, you're still closer to the NCAC scene than I, so maybe you have an answer for my question.  I know that the Witt women were originally scheduled for a tournament this weekend at Johns Hopkins.  Any word on why the Tigers are no longer in it?  I'm assuming it has to do with the adjustment period after losing Pam, but I was just wondering if you had heard anything about that.

I hadn't noticed that, Josh.  I see that Wittenberg has only a 23-game schedule this season.  I guess you're right about the adjustment period, which I'm sure was tough administratively as well as emotionally, but I don't know any more about it that you do.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2007, 11:09:00 PM
Today in the NCAC:

Kenyon 67, #14 Brandeis 62 (at Brandeis)  ;D :) :-* 8) :D  GO LADIES!!!
Oberlin 74, Rochester (MI) 58 (at Hope)  ;D
Allegheny 69, Marietta 47  8)
Ohio Wesleyan 72, Dubuque 53 (at Wilmington)  :)
Misericordia 65, Wooster 64 (at Wooster)  :'(
New Jersey 66, Denison 53   :-[
Rose-Hulman 59, Earlham 36  :(

Huge, huge, huge win for Kenyon.  Anne Dugan scored 26 on 10/17 shooting as was named to the all-tournament team.  Alisha Moreno (9 today, 18 yesterday) was named tournament MVP.  Recap (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26005.xml); box score (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26003.xml).

I was at the Wooster game, and was very pleasantly surprised with the Scots.  They had a 4-point lead with 00:40 left, and after blowing that still had the ball with 00:10 left and a good look at the hoop by Kym Wenz.  It didn't work out, but they played excellent defense and with great passion, so there's lots of good to take away.  Wenz scored 19 on 8/14 shooting, but the rest of the team was ice cold (16/46, .348), and that's why they lost.  Box score (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2007-08/misericordia.php).


Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 18, 2007, 05:59:09 PM
Today in the NCAC:
Gwynedd-Mercy 82, Denison 69...Big Red slips to 1-2,  No details available at this time.
Fredonia St. 61, Wooster 55...box (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2007-08/fredonia.php).  Kaitlin Krister (13 pts, 11 reb.) had a great game, but Kym Wenz (6 pts. on 2/11 shooting) had a lousy one.  It looks like both Kaitlin and Kym need to be present and accounted for for Wooster to have a chance.

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 20, 2007, 12:10:12 PM
Congratulations to Kenyon's Alisha Moreno, who added an NCAC Player of the Week award (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26014.xml) to her burgeoning trophy case this week.  Alisha was also named the MVP of the Brandeis Tip-Off tournament, won by the Ladies, on the strength of her 27 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and three steals.  I'll get my first look at Alisha and the 2007-08 Ladies this evening against Ohio Northern up in Ada; stop by and say hello if you are there.  Congratulations, Alisha!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 20, 2007, 11:37:46 PM
Well, it was just a miserable night.  I drove 2 hours to have the privilege to sit in Ohio Northern's drafty barn of a gym, listen to the ONU fans ride the refs all night, and watch the Kenyon Ladies play poorly and lose 68-57.  Kenyon started the game executing well on both ends of the floor, and opened up an 18-9 lead by the 8:40 mark of the 1st half, but then the wheels came off and it was all ONU from that point forward.  On the offensive end, ONU effectively took Alisha Moreno and Eva George out of the game, and nobody else was able to hit their shots with any consistency.  On defense, Kenyon continually was beaten to the hoop along the baseline and in the paint.  Some of the credit is due to ONU's effective ball movement in their screen-based offense, but Kenyon simply gave up too many layups and open 8 footers to have any chance to win.  These are reflected in the shooting stats for the game:  ONU hit 25 of 37 (67.6%) after starting 3/19, while Kenyon started by hitting 8 of their first 13 shots, then just 13 of 42 (31%) the rest of the way.  Add to this that Kenyon turned the ball over 14 times and was beaten to nearly every loose ball (Kenyon led in rebounds 34-29, but keep in mind the enormous shooting disparity), and you end up on the wrong end of an 11-point margin.

To make matters worse, I had the displeasure of having to listen to the ONU supporters berating the referees all night.  There was not a single call made against ONU that did not meet with vociferous objection from the ONU fans in attendance, as if in their considered opinion ONU's players committed no fouls and no turnovers on the evening.  I'm not exaggerating: every single call.  It was tiresome in the extreme, especially when you consider that their team led for the entire second half and was firmly in control of the game for most of it.  I simply can't understand why people go to the trouble of attending if they dislike the game so much.  I attend games because I love the game and I want to show my support for the players on both teams.   It should be and usually is a positive experience for me; If I wanted to be a crotchety old jerk and have a miserable time, I could stay at home.  Maybe tonight I should have.  :-\

Box score. (http://www.onusports.com/WHoops/Boxes/wbb03.html)

Elsewhere, Wittenberg opened their season by defeating Mt. St. Joseph 66-52, but Allegheny fell to Washington & Jefferson 58-44, Bluffton upended Earlham 75-49, and John Carroll thumped Oberlin 87-53, and the NCAC went just 1-4 on the night. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2007, 10:45:46 PM
Ohio Wesleyan easily dismantled an aggressive but undertalented Frostburg St. squad tonight, 82-48, in the first round of the 'Hoops for Hope' Classic in Delaware.  Their reward is a date tomorrow afternoon with #20 Capital, vanquishers of Carnegie Mellon by a deceptively close 77-39 score. 

OWU looked very good, moving the ball crisply, rebounding well, and shooting with poise, but they were not challenged by their opponents who mostly just flailed their arms on defense and bumped around like blindwomen on offense.  Tomorrow's game will be an entirely different story, and OWU will have their hands full and then some with a tall and talented Capital squad.  OWU had lots of height, with four players at 5-11 or better, and they tried to take advantage by continually lobbing the ball into the post.  Unfortunately, they were generally unable to make that play work, either overthrowing the lob (resulting in a turnover or a post too deep under the hoop) or telegraphing it (resulting in a steal or batted pass).  If it didn't work much against the waterbugs of Frostburg, it won't work at all against the tall, talented, and athletic Captial squad.  Still, if OWU plays to their ability, they can certainly give Cap a game.  I'm considering returning for that game tomorrow, eschewing the sure-to-be-a-massacre Denison at Capital men's game that I'm in town for.

OWU is not the only NCAC squad set to test their mettle against a national power, as Kenyon will take on #6 Wash U. tomorrow in St. Louis.  Elsewhere in the NCAC tomorrow, Denison takes on New Jersey City U. (at Marietta), Allegheny visits Mt. Union, Earlahm travels to Mt. St. Joseph, and Hiram faces Carlow (Pa.) Univ. at Ursuline's tournament.  Here's hoping for a 6-0 day!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NCAC4Life on November 24, 2007, 07:48:17 PM
DC,  You called it.    OWU  takes down Capital 71-61 in Delaware.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 24, 2007, 08:25:27 PM
Well, I didn't exactly call it, but I'm very pleased and only a little surprised with the result!  :) 

Another game I didn't exactly call is Kenyon's double OT loss at #6 Wash U., 78-75.  It looks like the Ladies really step it up against nationally ranked opponents.  Good thing, since they have another one tomorrow in #12 Luther, upset losers to Carleton in the other McWilliams Classic semifinal.

Denison upended NJCU 80-56 away down south in Marietta and will face Thiel tomorrow.

Elsewhere, Mt. Union flattened Allegheny, 77-55, Mt. St. Joseph dropped Earlham, 89-69, and Hiram lost to Carlow 73-71.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 25, 2007, 08:31:23 PM
Today's scores:
Denison 76, Thiel 58 (Denison, 3-2, wins the Marietta College Turkey Shoot)
Ursuline 65, Hiram 48 (Hiram falls to 0-3)
#12 Luther 66, Kenyon 45 (Luther's first win of the season, Kenyon falls to 2-3)
Wooster 72, Lake Erie 68 (Wooster's first win, Kym Wenz with 26 points and 10 boards)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2007, 03:35:30 PM
Congratulations go out to this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt), Denison junior center Carolyn Simpson.  Carolyn scored 35 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against New Jersey City and Thiel, for which she was also named MVP of the Turkey Shoot Tournament at Marietta College.  Congratulations, Carolyn!

In the new D3Hoops.com Top 25 poll, Ohio Wesleyan is the lone NCAC team to receive votes, garnering 11 votes, enough for the would-be placement of #38.  OWU's 10-point victory over then-#20 Capital helped push the Crusaders out of the top 25.  Denison, which had 6 votes in the preseason poll, failed to receive any notice in this week's voting.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2007, 07:35:54 PM
Quote from: jscwittfan on November 17, 2007, 10:21:25 AMI know that the Witt women were originally scheduled for a tournament this weekend at Johns Hopkins.  Any word on why the Tigers are no longer in it?  I'm assuming it has to do with the adjustment period after losing Pam, but I was just wondering if you had heard anything about that.

I'm starting to wonder how widespread these sorts of last-minute changes are.  According to my records, Ohio Wesleyan was originally scheduled to play at Thomas More this evening, but that game has vanished from both schedules.  OWU now has a 24-game schedule, but TMU's schedule has the full 25-game slate.  I don't know what happened; perhaps TMU overscheduled, or maybe they just were able to replace this game, I don't know. 

[I'm not complaining, since the Bishops already ran into the Saints (at the Wilmington tournament) and came up a whopping 30 points short.]
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on November 27, 2007, 07:54:37 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on November 27, 2007, 07:35:54 PM
Quote from: jscwittfan on November 17, 2007, 10:21:25 AMI know that the Witt women were originally scheduled for a tournament this weekend at Johns Hopkins.  Any word on why the Tigers are no longer in it?  I'm assuming it has to do with the adjustment period after losing Pam, but I was just wondering if you had heard anything about that.

I'm starting to wonder how widespread these sorts of last-minute changes are.  According to my records, Ohio Wesleyan was originally scheduled to play at Thomas More this evening, but that game has vanished from both schedules.  OWU now has a 24-game schedule, but TMU's schedule has the full 25-game slate.  I don't know what happened; perhaps TMU overscheduled, or maybe they just were able to replace this game, I don't know. 

[I'm not complaining, since the Bishops already ran into the Saints (at the Wilmington tournament) and came up a whopping 30 points short.]

That does make you wonder.  I mean, I know there were plenty of times during my 4 years at Witt that starting times were changed, but I rarely remember games simply disappearing from the schedule.  Now we're seeing it on a (somewhat) consistent basis in basketball, and I know it happened for the final few games of Witt's volleyball season as well.  A recent trend in overscheduling, or a trend that has always been there, but just now getting noticed?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2007, 08:56:36 PM
With that OWU/Thomas More game no longer a reality, the only NCAC game tonight was in Oberlin, where the Yeowomen were casually tossed aside by Baldwin-Wallace, 87-37.  B-WC scored the game's first 8 points, and had opened up a 21-point lead before 12 minutes had elapsed.  Oberlin was led by Alyssa Clark with 13 points and 6 rebounds; B-WC got 14 points and 11 boards from Selena Eskinazi-Budge and 14 more points from Amanda Mondrach.  Oberlin falls to 1-3, with their next game at Wooster next Wednesday.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 28, 2007, 11:43:33 PM
Tonight's scores:
Earlham 74, St. Mary-of-the-Woods 61...the lone NCAC bright spot tonight
Muskingum 56, Kenyon 49
Thiel 63, Hiram 54
Wilmington 82, Wittenberg 60
Westminster 64, Wooster 54

I was at New Concord, where I witnessed a game that made me physically ill (the cheesburger on the drive down may have been a factor, too.)  Maybe it's the fact that Kenyon has yet to play a home game, or maybe it's the tough schedule they have played so far, or maybe my dashing good looks make them swoon so much that they can't concentrate (that's probably not it), but for the life of me I can't visualize how this team beat Brandeis and took Wash U. to 2 OTs on their home courts.  Tonight, the Ladies rebounded as if they were literally afraid to touch (or be touched by) the ball, and on offense they committed more turnovers than Pillsbury.  The saving grace was their defense, and as we know, defense wins championships.  Their defense was smothering, but in all other regards Kenyon played miserably for about 25 minutes (they were on a point-a-minute pace for the first 31 minutes); and yet they were never down by more than 15 points, and Anne Dugan actually had an open look at a three-pointer that would have given Kenyon the lead with 0:37 left.  Justice, however, would not allow the shot to fall and give Kenyon an ill-gotten win. 

At the 14:52 mark of the 2nd period, Muskingum's Jessica McKenzie (14 pts, 13 boards) sank a layup to give the Fish a 39-24 lead.  At that point in the game, Musky had outrebounded the Ladies by a stomach-upsetting 31-17 margin and, despite having been forced into 16 turnovers, had taken 3 more FG attempts and made 5 more baskets than Kenyon.  It was Kenyon's defense that had kept the game even this close, and then they really turned on the jets.  Between the Kenyon timeout at 14:49 and Dugan's missed jumper at 0:37, Kenyon outrebounded their opponents 13-12 (6 of them on the offensive glass) and forced 15 Muskingum turnovers, including 5 steals.  Kenyon got off 21 shots in that period to just 15 for the Fish, and made 9 of them, including 3 in a row starting at 2:26, cutting a 9-point lead to 4.  But in the end, 25 minutes of throwing the ball away and admiring rebounds from a distance led to a hole too deep to dig out of.

Perhaps the only bright spot for Kenyon was the play of first-year Kathleen Williams, who was forced into the post when senior Eva George committed two fouls in the first 71 seconds of the game.  She grabbed 6 of the 17 rebounds prior to the Kenyon wake-up call.  Williams gave Kenyon its only presence in the paint--that is, until the magical 15-minute mark, when it seemed that something told senior Anne Dugan that it was time to wake up and show these folks how to play this here game.  Down the stretch, Dugan grabbed 5 of her 7 rebounds, scored all 7 of her points, had 3 steals, 1 block, and 1 assist, and was the principle source of inspiration for the team.  But her comparative absence in the first 25 minutes, especially when considering that George was on the bench most of that time, was a key factor in creating the insurmountable deficit.

Oh well.  Kenyon finally gets their home opener a week from tomorrow, but the competition doesn't get any easier.  The Ladies will take on Mt. Vernon Nazarene, the local NAIA D2 which is out to a 5-1 start to their season.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 30, 2007, 05:09:46 PM
In the opening game of the Salisbury tournament this afternoon, Allegheny gave third-ranked Messiah all it could handle, but fell by a 71-57 score.  The final 14-point margin was the largest of the game, and the Gators trailed by just two at the half.  Emilie Simone led the Gators (1-4) with 20 points, capably assisted by Stephanie Wolf's 11 points, 11 boards, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks.  Allegheny will face Shenandoah in the consolation game tomorrow afternoon.  Recap and box score. (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7767/womenbb_entry)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 01, 2007, 07:26:04 PM
I think the players at perennial power and ninth-ranked Wash U. are believers in NCAC hoops.  A week after being taken to double OT by Kenyon, today they got all they could handle from Denison before pulling out an 87-76 victory.  Both teams shot the ball well, with the Bears canning 50% of their attempts and the Big Red nailing 56.3% of theirs.  Both teams were also on fire from the arc, hitting a matching 45.5% (WashU 5/1, Denison 10/22.)  The difference was found in the turnover column, where the Big Red committed 18, resulting in 19 Bear points, versus just 7 TOs from WUSTL leading to 4 Denison points, none of them after the half.  As a result of the turnover margin, Wash U. got 14 more field goal attempts, and even hot shooting can't overcome a disadvantage like that.  Denison was led by Haley Dahlgard with 17 points,  Carolyn Simpson with 13 points and 6 boards, and Ellen O'Brien with a career-high 12 assists.  Overall, Denison recorded 21 assists on 27 made baskets, an astounding 77.8% that indicates that the offense was performing effectively, when they weren't turning it over, that is.

Elsewhere in the NCAC,
Hiram 73, Ursuline 63...First win for the Terriers, who were led by Ashely Drum with 24
Allegheny 87, Shenandoah 54...Gators expand a 10-point halftime lead into a blowout at Salisbury U.
Case Western Reserve 74, Ohio Wesleyan 61...Spartans led by 14 at the half.  Bishops got to within 3 at 9:18 but Case scored the next seven points and OWU never again got closer than 9.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 03, 2007, 06:36:48 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 01, 2007, 07:26:04 PM
Hiram 73, Ursuline 63...First win for the Terriers, who were led by Ashely Drum with 24

Congratulations to Hiram's sophomore forward Ashley Drum, the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for the week ending Dec. 2.  Ashley had a 30-point week in the Terriers' loss to Thiel and subsequent win over Ursuline.  Congratulations, Ashley!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 05, 2007, 11:53:32 PM
The conference season opened this evening at three sites, and all three hosts left the gym winners, two of them in nailbiting fashion.

Ohio Wesleyan (1-0, 4-2) 63, Earlham (0-1, 1-5) 61...Stacy Aaron nails a game-winning three with 0:02.9 left.  Recap and box score (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb1205.html).
Wooster (1-0, 2-3) 72, Oberlin (0-1, 1-4) 69...Scots bench outscores Yeowomen 37-2.  Recap and box score (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/oberlin.php).
Allegheny (1-0, 3-4) 61, Hiram (0-1, 1-5) 39...Terriers 0/11 from the arc.  Recap and box score (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7784/womenbb_entry).

Kenyon hosts Mt. Vernon Nazarene in non-conference play tomorrow, then a full slate of games is on tap for Saturday:
Allegheny (1-0) at Kenyon (0-0)
Wittenberg (0-0) at Denison (0-0)
Oberlin (0-1) at Earlham (0-1)
OWU (1-0) at Hiram (0-1)
Wooster at Case Western Reserve (non-conference)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2007, 11:05:29 PM
Another day, another heartbreak.  I'm just back from Kenyon, where the Ladies played very well but still fell to Mt. Vernon Nazarene, 78-75.  MVNU, an NAIA school that plays in the tough American Mideast Conf., moves to 9-1 while Kenyon falls to 2-5.  However, it's worth noting that Kenyon's opponents so far this season have a composite record of 34-12 (pending tonight's results.)

I don't have much to complain about.  MVNU abused Kenyon's interior defense all night, especially in the second half when the Cougars shot 60.7%, but otherwise the Ladies played pretty well.  They shot well (45.8%), passed well (16 assists on 27 made baskets), rebounded reasonably well (the Ladies were outrebounded by 8, but considering that MVNU shot a high percentage, that's not too bad) and didn't make too many mistakes handling the ball (they committed 21 turnovers, but 13 of these were steals).  Generally, they went toe to toe with what seemed to me a superior team and came out bloodied but unbowed.  They actually could have pulled it out were it not for two absolutely horrendous calls that went against them in the final minutes.  But poor, or at least unpredictable, officiating is just one of the hazards you have to work around, so I refuse to blame the refs.

Kenyon had five players, all seniors, reach double figures, led by Alisha Moreno (18 pts., 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and 6 turnovers), who hit her first four threes (all in the first half, two of them from well beyond the arc), but then went cold from the field; the same story can be told for the whole team, which hit 8/15 from the arc in the first, but just 2/8 in the second.  Anne Dugan, Eva George, and Brittany Clair each tossed in 13 points, with Dugan grabbing a team-leading 7 boards.  Hillary Gowins added 11, and had a chance at a game-tying three from the corner but released it a split-second too late (it missed anyway).   Box score. (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26084.xml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2007, 09:17:43 PM
Today in the NCAC:

Kenyon (1-0) 55, Allegheny (1-1) 52 at Gambier
Wittenberg (1-0) 81, Denison (0-1) 73 at Granville
Earlham (1-1) 76, Oberlin (0-2) 54 at Richmond
OWU (2-0) 62, Hiram (0-2) 44 at Hiram
Case Western Reserve 64, Wooster (1-0) 51 at Cleveland (non-conference)

The women take a break from conference play until Jan. 4.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on December 08, 2007, 11:38:04 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 08, 2007, 09:17:43 PM
Wittenberg (1-0) 81, Denison (0-1) 73 at Granville

Definitely a pleasant surprise from the Tiger women today, as not only do they pull off the upset over Denison, but they do it IN GRANVILLE.  That is a huge momentum and confidence booster for this team, and hopefully it is a sign of good things to come for the rest of the season.  4 Tigers in double digit scoring (Leali, Boardman, Gregorevich, Rohlfs), plus the return to the lineup (albeit limited) of Kristin Donawerth, are all excellent for Wittenberg.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 10, 2007, 09:12:23 PM
Congratulations, felicitations, and all best wishes go to Wittenberg's sophomore guard Victoria Leali, this week's recipient of the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) award.    Leali was honored for her career-high 19 points in the Tigers' win at defending champion Denison.  Well done, Victoria!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2007, 09:37:24 PM
LaRoche 52, Oberlin (1-6) 41.  Recap and box score (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/laroche.html).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 12, 2007, 08:20:30 PM
Ohio Northern 72, Ohio Wesleyan 55.  Box (http://www.onusports.com/WHoops/Boxes/wbb08.html).

OWU shot 55% in the first half, but permitted ONU six more shots at the hoop, allowing the PBs to grab a 3 point halftime lead.  Then in the second it was Katie-bar-the-door, as ONU blistered the nets at a 66.7% clip, including a perfect 4/4 from the arc.  Twenty-seven Bishop turnovers probably didn't help much, either.  Jenny Markle led the Polar Bears with 18 points on six-of-six shooting from the arc. :o OWU was led by Steffi Graf's 16 and Lindsey Macklin's 14.  Macklin's 5 rebounds was good enough to lead the team; that's what happens when your opponent never misses!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 13, 2007, 08:48:22 PM
Penn St.-Behrend 67, Hiram 56. (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/news/article.php?id=1538)

Hiram, which hit just 31.4% of their field goal attempts on the night, was led by sophomores Brittany Mayle (15 points) and Sam DiCello (13 points and 9 boards.) 

The second half saw a combined 57 field goal attempts (just 18 of them successful) and 30 personal fouls, leading to 39 free throws (27 of them successful.)  I must say I'm glad I wasn't there to witness it.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2007, 10:17:30 PM
Wooster 73, Ursuline 60. (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2007-08/ursuline.php)

For some reason, I thought this game was to be played tomorrow, so I didn't go. >:(  What I didn't see is Coach Lisa Campanell Komara's 100th victory at Wooster (248th overall in 24+ seasons).  Congratulations, coach!  As usual, Wooster was led by sophomores Kym Wenz (24 pts., including 5/7 shooting from the arc, along with 7 rebounds and 4 steals) and Kaitlin Krister (18 points, 9/14 shooting), with an additional contribution from first-year Taylor Keegan, 5/6 from the floor including 4/4 from downtown for 16 points, a new career high.  Overall, the Scots were one hoop shy of 50%, and one hoop better than 50% from the arc, while holding Ursuline to 37.5% shooting, including a chilly 28% in the second half.  Wooster is now 3-4 and is off until their year-ending boondoggle trip to Kalamazoo (who needs the Bahamas, anyway? ;)) where they'll face Rose-Hulman and the homestanding Hornets.

Elsewhere,
Bluffton 78, Oberlin 53 (http://bluffton.edu/sports/womensbasketball/2008/12-14-wb.htm).  The Beavers forced 28 turnovers, and at the other end nailed a school-record 14 treys, outscoring the Yeowomen by 33 from the arc.  Oberlin was led by twin 10-point outings by Liz Thompson and Roneisha Kinney.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 15, 2007, 05:04:56 PM
Today's schedule:
Wittenberg at DePauw has been postponed and rescheduled for Monday (12/17) at 3pm.
Earlham at Anderson has been postponed; no make-up date has been announced

Denison 78, IU-Southeast 76 (http://www.hanover.edu/docs//athletics/hwb-duis.htm) (at Hanover)
Denison (4-4) had a 12-point lead at the half and held off their hot-shooting NAIA foes to grab the win.  The Big Red got a Big Game from their Big Post, Carolyn Simpson, with 19 points and 11 boards.  First-year Haley Dahlgard (6'1") added 16, while Ellen O'Brien and Leslie Marshall chipped in 10 apiece.  DU hot better than half of their shots (51.7%) and outrebounded the Grenadiers 35-26, helping to overcome 20 turnovers.

Hiram 63, LaRoche 60. (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/news/article.php?id=1540)
Hiram (2-7) held a 13-point lead with 20:03 left, but the Redhawks (7-2) were able to eat away at the lead until they tied the game inside the final minute.  However, the Terriers stabilized and held off LaRoche from the free throw line.  Hiram outshot (45.8% to 38.6%) and outrebounded (33 to 22) their hosts, but committed twice as many turnovers (22 to 11) leading to a 24-2 Redhawk advantage in points off turnovers.  Hiram's superior depth was the difference, as Hiram had 11 players score and held a 20 point advantage in bench points.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2007, 04:40:24 PM
Hanover defeats Denison 80-76 in overtime this afternoon at Hanover.

Denison trailed from the time I tuned in (midway through the 1st) until about 4:00 left in the game, when they took and held the lead.  However, Hanover forced a turnover and drained a three with about 0:25 left, tying the game at 67.  Leslie Marshall failed on a game-winning shot just prior to the horn, but scored 7 of DU's 9 points in the overtime.  Hanover, holding a two-point lead, missed a free throw with 0:51 left in the OT, but got the offensive rebound, killed some clock, missed another shot, and got another offensive rebound.  Carolyn Simpson was then forced to foul (out), and the Panthers cashed in on the free throws for the final margin.  Denison drops to 4-5.  :-\
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2007, 07:37:42 PM
While updating my schedule for the Top 25, I ran across a familiar name a couple of times:  Wittenberg.

The Tigers (2-1) have a chance to make some national noise this week, with a weather-delayed game at #7 DePauw on Monday afternoon followed by a Wednesday matchup with unbeaten and tenth-ranked Thomas More at Pam Evans Smith Arena. 

Other NCAC games this week:
Earlham (2-5) has a busy week, hosting Kalamazoo Monday and Ohio Northern Saturday, sandwiching a game at Heidelberg on Wednesday.  Plus Earlham has to try to find a date to play their postponed game at Anderson.
Allegheny (3-5) has the only other action this week, traveling to Westminster on Thursday.

Everyone else is off until at least the year's final weekend, when Allegheny, Kenyon, Wooster, and OWU participate in tournaments in Cleveland, Columbus, Kalamazoo, and South Padre Island, respectively.  "One of these things is not like the other one..." :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 17, 2007, 05:48:45 PM
DePauw 92, Wittenberg 69 (http://www.depauw.edu/ath/wbasket/index.asp?id=20579)

Witt had the game tied as late as 14:16 of the second half, but DPU scored the next 12 and 23 of the next 28 for the victory in the weather-delayed matchup of Tigers.  Katie Gregorevich led all scorers with 24 on 9/13 shooting.  DPU held significant statistical advantages in rebounding (48-35), turnovers (12-21), and second half shooting (58.8% to 37.5%).

Kalamazoo 84, Earlham 77 (OT) (http://www.kzoo.edu/sports/wb/wb07-08/wbstats07-08/1217eckz.htm)

Tied at the half, and tied again at the end of regulation, Earlham was unable to make a field goal in the overtime and fell at home.  Senior guard Samantha Lurie had a huge game with 29 points and 12 boards, 5 of them offensive.  Sophomore guard Shontavia Davis added 20 points, 11 of them from the free throw line.  Earlham outrebounded the Hornets 48-43, but committed 25 turnovers and shot just 36.4%.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 19, 2007, 06:51:20 PM
Thomas More 56, Wittenberg 53
(http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/thomasmore.html)
Witt fought hard in a game that was nearly stastically even and was back and forth for the last 10 minutes.  It came down to Katie Gardner at the line, down two with 0:02.x left, but she missed the first.  After a timeout to set up the what-do-we-do-now play, she was victimized by a teammate's lane violation, forcing Victoria Leali to foul TMC's Alex Gee on the inbound.  She made one, and the desperation three to tie was off the top of the backboard.

It was a defensive struggle, with more turnovers (42, 21 each) than made baskets (39, 1 hoop advantage to Witt).  Witt shot 32.8% but held TMC to 35.8% and outrebounded their unbeaten opponents by 7, 45-38.  The difference was in three-pointers made (4 to 2) and free throws made (14 to 11), just more evidence that the game could have gone either way.  Katie Gregorivich led the Tigers with 18 points and 9 rebounds; first-time starter Katherine Hueter failed to score, but grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.   A tough loss, but a great effort from Coach Jurewicz and the Tigers.

Heidelberg 78, Earlham 50 (http://www.heidelberg.edu/sites/herald.heidelberg.edu/files/121907wb.htm)

The 'Berg led by double figures for the final 30 minutes as they coast to the victory in Tiffin.  Earlham shot 33.3%, committed 19 turnovers, and was outrebounded by an eye-popping 26 boards (57-31), which is not a recipe that will produce many wins.  Earlham's scoring, such as it was, was balanced, with all six who scored tallying between 7 and 10 points.  EC falls to 2-7 on the season, while Heidelberg, which earlier this season beat Hiram by 25, improves to 4-4.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 20, 2007, 07:55:14 PM
Allegheny 65, Westminster 60 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7813/womenbb_entry)

The Gators led this one pretty much wire to wire, leading at the half by 7.  Westminster got back to even midway through the second half, and never trailed by more than 5 down the stretch, but the Gators were not going to be headed and pulled out the road win.  Allegheny scored its last 10 points from the free throw line, canning 18/20 on the evening.  Stephanie Wolf scored 16 (8-8 from the line) and pulled down 10 boards.  Emilie Simone led 'Gheny with 19 points.  Both teams shot 42.x%, with 'Gheny grabbing 4 more boards than the Titans.  Allegheny improves to 4-5 on the season.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 23, 2007, 09:33:58 AM
Ohio Northern 73, Earlham 59 (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2007-08/press_releases/pr122207.html)

Earlham kept it reasonably close throughout, which is not bad against a 9-2 team that beat Kenyon by 11 and OWU by 17.  Whitney McBurrows had 18 to lead the 2-8 Quakers.

Happy holidays to all! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 28, 2007, 11:17:44 PM
Around the NCAC tonight:
Ohio Wesleyan 74, Adrian 67 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb1228.html) (at South Padre Island, Tex.)
St. Mary's (IN) 77, Kenyon 66 (at Otterbein)
Calvin 79, Allegheny 47 (at Baldwin-Wallace)
Carnegie Mellon 78, Wittenberg 74 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/kiwanis07/gamestory2.html) (at Wittenberg)

Tomorrow's games:
OWU vs. Ripon (at S. Padre Is.)
Franklin vs. Kenyon (at Otterbein)
Hanover vs. Allegheny (at B-W)
Manchester at Wittenberg
Wooster vs. Rose-Hulman (at Kalamazoo)
Muskingum at Denison
Hiram at Lake Erie
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2007, 12:23:53 AM
Good news:
Ohio Wesleyan 59, Ripon 38 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb1229.html) (at S. Padre Island)...OWU grabs the South Padre Island Shootout title in a blowout.
Kenyon 65, Franklin 58 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26126.xml) (at Otterbein)...Anne Dugan went wild for about 7 second-half minutes, dominating both ends of play, and that was the difference in a game that was essentially tied for the other 33 minutes. 

Bad news (the less said about these, the better):
Muskingum 69, Denison 49 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_muskingum_st.html) (at Denison)
Hanover 69, Allegheny 48 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7815/womenbb_entry) (at Baldwin-Wallace)
Lake Erie 88, Hiram 69 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/news/article.php?id=1542) (at Lake Erie)
Manchester 61, Wittenberg 52 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/kiwanis07/gamestory5.html) (at Wittenberg)
Rose-Hulman 64, Wooster 49 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2007-08/rose-hulman.php) (at Kalamazoo)

Wooster takes on Kalamazoo tomorrow afternoon.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2007, 09:26:12 PM
Wooster 93, Kalamazoo 92 (2 OT (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/kzoo.php), at Kalamazoo)

Wow!  The game was tied at 40 at halftime, but as predicted by the Kzoo radio crew, the Hornets came out flat after the break, and Wooster quickly had a double-digit advantage.  Then Kzoo stepped up the pressure and whittled away at the lead until they caught the Scots with 1:17 remaining.  After an exchange of threes, the game went to overtime.  The hosts scored the first four points of the first overtime, but failed to seal the deal at the free throw line.  Kzoo then scored the first five points of the second OT, and held that lead until first-year Taylor Keegan drained a three with 0:06 remaining to give the Scots the victory.

It seems to be a fitting end to a game that saw the Fighting Scots nail an amazing sixteen treys in 29 attempts (55.2%), including four of six in the overtimes.  Meredith Wilson set a school record with seven threes, leading to 24 points.  Kym Wenz was 4 of 5 from the arc and had a team-best 30 points and 8 rebounds.  Keegan, a first-year, chipped in 15 on 4/7 long-ball shooting, including the game winner.  The Kzoo side of the ledger was dominated by Nyemade Cooper, who set school records for rebounds (22, including 12 on the offensive glass) and free throw attempts (23) and makes (15).  You could say she had a triple-double, with 33 points, 12 offensive rebounds, and 10 defensive rebounds. 

Overall, Wooster shot 46.7%, with the imbalance of 41.3% inside the arc and 55.2% outside it, while holding the Hornets to 36.1% (52% in the first half, but just 27.7% thereafter).  Kzoo dominated the glass, 54-38, and committed 10 fewer fouls; in fact, Wooster had two players foul out.  Kzoo held a 27-point advantage from the free throw line, but it was not quite enough to overcome Wooster's 30-point edge in three-pointers.

Wooster improves to 4-5 on the season, and will tip off 2008 in Granville on Friday against the defending conference champion Denison Big Red.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 02, 2008, 11:31:09 PM
Marietta 80, Oberlin 54 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/marietta.html)

Quote from: Christa Champion"We have been working on some things we were able to do tonight, but we are not quite there yet. We played with a lot of heart, and we are almost ready to play at a successful level."
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 04, 2008, 11:02:45 PM
Denison 82, Wooster 56 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_big_red_fin.html) (at Granville)
Wooster found themselves out of position and unprepared for the National Anthem, which was performed (on tape) with tremendous grace and beauty by a group of Denison co-eds.  And that pretty much summed up the game that followed, especially the decisive first eight minutes thereof.  A simple glance at the boxscore paints a picture of Wooster's defense:  Denison shot 47.9% (60% in the 1st half), grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, and committed just 11 turnovers.  It's a shame, too, because Wooster's Kym Wenz just might be the best player in the conference.  She's athletic, strong, has a good shot, knows where to position herself for a rebound, and sees the whole floor.  Like Carly Loehrke before her, though, she gets just about zero help, and can't win the game by herself.  It's hard to evaluate Denison based on this one game, since they were not challenged at all and cruised to an easy victory.  They did receive balanced scoring, however, as four Big Red scored 16 points apiece.  Each team is now 1-1 in conference play.

Elsewhere,
Kenyon 55, Ohio Wesleyan 48 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26131.xml) (at Delaware)...15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals for Anne Dugan
Wittenberg 82, Allegheny 51 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/allegheny.html) (at Springfield)...Tigers outrebound Gators 48-32, collect 18 steals, and outshoot the Gators 52.2% to 28.8%, all of which led to an advantage in field goals of 20. 
Hiram 70, Earlham 58 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/news/article.php?id=1544) (at Richmond)...Four Terriers in double figures, including a double-double (10/10) from Ashley Drum

Saturday's schedule:
Allegheny (1-2) at Earlham (1-2)
Hiram (1-2) at Wittenberg (2-0)
Kenyon (2-0) at Oberlin (0-2)
Ohio Wesleyan (2-1) at Wooster (1-1)
Denison (1-1) is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 04, 2008, 11:45:16 PM
Belated congratulations to OWU senior win Steffi Graff, named the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) back on Sunday.  She was honored for her performance in leading the Bishops to the championship of the South Padre Island Shootout.  Congratulations, Steffi!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 05, 2008, 03:36:05 PM
Wittenberg 74, Hiram 56...Tigers unable to shake pesky Terriers until the closing minutes, but they score the last 9 points of the game to secure the win. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 05, 2008, 07:31:22 PM
Nice little roll for the Tigers.  With a road win over Denison already in the bag, it looks like the Tigers are making an early statement in the conference.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 05, 2008, 11:02:19 PM
Complete results:
Wittenberg 74, Hiram 56 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/hiram.html) (at Springfield)
Kenyon 76, Oberlin 43 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26132.xml) (at Oberlin)
Ohio Wesleyan 61, Wooster 48 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0105.html) (at Wooster)
Allegheny 71, Earlham 67 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7829/womenbb_entry) (at Richmond)

Current standings:
Kenyon (3-0)
Wittenberg (3-0)
OWU (3-1)
Denison (1-1)
Allegheny (2-2)
Wooster (1-2)
Earlham (1-3)
Hiram (1-3)
Oberlin (0-3)
Wabash...DNP

Wednesday's games:
Wooster at Kenyon
Denison at Ohio Wesleyan
Earlham at Wittenberg
Oberlin at Kalamazoo...(Tuesday 1/8)
Hiram and Allegheny are idle

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 07, 2008, 12:15:33 PM
Leading Kenyon to a 3-0 start in conference play, Kenyon's Alisha Moreno has been named the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for the second time this season.  Alisha dropped in better than half of her three-point attempts, scoring 24 points and handing out eight assists in victories at OWU and Oberlin.  Earning two POTW plaques in one season is a rare honor, but Alisha is certainly a rare talent.  Congratulations, Li!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 09, 2008, 11:36:11 PM
Kenyon 62, Wooster 49 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/kenyon.php) (at Gambier)...Ladies overcome a very shaky first half and an outstanding game from Wooster's Kaitlin Krister to stay tied atop the conference standings with...
Wittenberg 78, Earlham 62 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/earlham.html) (at Springfield)...Witt gets a career-high 24 points from Stephanie Boardman; Earlham shoots 4/29 in the first half
Denison 68, Ohio Wesleyan 63 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_du_earns_ke.html) (at Delaware)...Bishops lose a second home contest to a top contender, severely damaging their own title chances

Non-conference game from Tuesday:
Kalamazoo 69, Oberlin 53 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/kalamazoo.html) (at Kalamazoo)

Updated conference standings:
Kenyon 4-0 NCAC / 7-6 overall
Wittenberg 4-0 / 5-5
Denison 2-1 / 6-6
Ohio Wesleyan 3-2 / 8-5
Allegheny 2-2 / 5-8
Wooster 1-3 / 4-8
Hiram 1-3 / 3-9
Earlham 1-4 / 2-11
Oberlin 0-3 / 1-10
Wabash...DNP

Saturday's games:
Earlham at Kenyon
Wittenberg at Oberlin
Denison at Hiram
Ohio Wesleyan at Allegheny
Wooster is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 13, 2008, 03:38:20 AM
Saturday slate, no surprises:
Kenyon 71, Earlham 46 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26153.xml) (at Gambier)...Earlham shoots 25%, Kenyon grabs 58 rebounds
Wittenberg 66, Oberlin 48 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/oberlin.html) (at Oberlin)...Nine Tigers score, spoiling a fine 17-point, 9-board, 3-block effort from Oberlin's Roneisha Kinney
Denison 77, Hiram 53 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_denison_dis.html) (at Hiram)...Four Big Red players in double figures, led by first-years Shaina Kaiser (14) and Haley Dahlgard (13)
Ohio Wesleyan 77, Allegheny 52 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0112.html) (at Meadville)...Steffi Graf: 24 points (9/15 including 3 treys), 5 boards, 4 assists

Updated standings:
Kenyon 5-0 / 8-6
Wittenberg 5-0 / 6-5
Denison 3-1 / 7-6
Ohio Wesleyan 4-2 / 9-5
Allegheny 2-3 / 5-9
Wooster 1-3 / 4-8
Hiram 1-4 / 3-10
Earlham 1-5 / 2-12
Oberlin 0-4 / 1-11
Wabash...DNP

Wednesday's games:
Kenyon at Wittenberg...First place on the line
Denison at Wooster
Allegheny at Oberlin
OWU, Hiram, Earlham, Wabash all idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 14, 2008, 03:02:21 PM
In helping Denison to key wins over Hiram and OWU, Ellen O'Brien becomes the second Big Red junior to earn NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) accolades.  O'Brien contributed 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists in the two wins.  Congratulations, Ellen!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 16, 2008, 09:13:28 PM
In what was a back and forth game, Kenyon scores the last 11 points to turn a late 1 point deficit into a 10 point victory over Wittenberg.  Kenyon has 4 in double figures, led by Alisha Moreno with 19.  Wittenberg gets a big 28 points and 14 rebounds from Katie Gregorevich, but the Tigers are done in by some lackluster 3 point shooting, going 4-19 from behind the arc, as well as 23 turnovers.  Tough game overall for Victoria Leali, who went 1-7 from the field with 4 turnovers (including 2 in the final 90 seconds).

Kenyon moves into first place in the NCAC with a conference record of 6-0 (9-6 overall).  Wittenberg falls to 5-1 in the conference, and back to .500 for the season at 6-6.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 16, 2008, 10:59:14 PM
Oberlin 71, Allegheny 68 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7861/womenbb_entry) (at Oberlin)...You can stick a fork in the Gators this season, as J.J. Jumper (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/releases/2007-2008/JJJumper.html) wills the Yeowomen to the upset.
Denison 82, Wooster 55 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/wooster011608.html) (at Wooster)...Big Red keep pace with front-running Kenyon, cruising to the easy victory over the hapless Scots
Kenyon 70, Wittenberg 60 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/kenyon.html) (at Springfield)...see above.  Ladies have now won on the home courts of two key rivals, OWU and Witt.  They play at Denison next Weds.

Updated standings:
Kenyon 6-0 / 9-6
Wittenberg 5-1 / 6-6
Denison 4-1 / 8-6
Ohio Wesleyan 4-2 / 9-5
Allegheny 2-4 / 5-10
Wooster 1-4 / 4-9
Hiram 1-4 / 3-10
Oberlin 1-4 / 2-11
Earlham 1-5 / 2-12
Wabash...DNP

Saturday's lineup:
Kenyon at Allegheny
Oberlin at Denison
Ohio Wesleyan at Earlham
Wooster at Hiram
Wittenberg is idle; plays at Capital Mon. in a big non-conference test
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 19, 2008, 10:03:30 PM
Saturday:
Kenyon 59, Allegheny 57 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26166.xml) (at Meadville)...17 apiece from Hilary Gowins and Anne Dugan and 10 assists from Alisha Moreno help stave off the upset bid
Denison 82, Oberlin 59 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_strong_first.html) (at Granville)...Everything Denison tried worked, including Ellen O'Brien's half-court buzzer-beating trey to end the first half
Ohio Welseyan 66, Earlham 47 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0119.html) (at Richmond)...Another game never in doubt
Wooster 66, Hiram 63 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/hiram.php) (at Hiram)...Trailing by 6 with 2:37 left, Scots score the game's final nine points to pull out the road win

Updated standings:
Kenyon 7-0 / 10-6
Wittenberg 5-1 / 6-6
Denison 5-1 / 9-6
Ohio Wesleyan 5-2 / 10-5
Wooster 2-4 / 5-9
Allegheny 2-5 / 5-11
Hiram 1-5 / 3-11
Oberlin 1-5 / 2-12
Earlham 1-6 / 2-13
Wabash...DNP

Upcoming games:
Monday:
Wittenberg at Capital
Heidelberg at Oberlin

Wednesday:
Kenyon at Denison
Wittenberg at Earlham
Hiram at Oberlin
Wooster at Bluffton
Allegheny, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 22, 2008, 12:14:17 AM
Capital 85, Wittenberg 83 (2 OT) (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/capital.html) (at Bexley)

Now that was a helluva game.  The first half was so thoroughly dominated by Capital that the only thing that could distract me from my crossword puzzle was my interest in seeing the reactions from the assemblage of OWU women's team members, there scouting their Saturday opponent.  By halftime, I'm sure they were dreaming of easy victory over an unathletic and disorganized team.  Witt went to the half with 10 turnovers, a rebound deficit of better than 2:1 (26-12), and just nine field goals, and were frankly lucky to be trailing by just 14. 

Then in the locker room, the imposter Tigers switched uniforms with the real ones, who came blazing out of the locker room with a whole new attitude.  Little by little they ate away at the deficit, led by Ali Rohlfs' 20 second half points.  Rohlfs came into the game shooting .318 from the field and a putrid .147 from the arc, but hit 6/8 overall and 2/3 from long-range in the second half.  She complemented that career performance with a 6/6 tab from the free throw line.  Witt also got 11 points from Katie Gregorevich in the second half; together, the two senior posts matched Capital's offensive output in the second half.

Much like their male counterparts Saturday, the Witt women got even for the first time within the final minute of regulation, forcing a clearly spent Capital team into a highly unanticipated overtime.  Midway through the first OT period, Gregorevich fouled out, and although Witt was able to regroup and force a second OT on Carrie Dyer's jumper, they couldn't maintain the momentum and finally succumbed. 

I expect that the Tigers, although disappointed, will be able to take heart in their ability to come all the way back against a pretty good team (Cap is now 11-5, having snapped a 3 game losing streak, all at home) after being so soundly thrashed in the first period.

Elsewhere,
Heidelberg 69, Oberlin 58 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/Heidelberg.html) (at Oberlin)...Double double-doubles from Roneisha Kinney (18 & 13) and Alyssa Clark (17 & 10) were not enough to overcome the...Student Princes? Student Princesses?  Judging from a quick skimming of their press releases, I guess the women go by "the Berg."  Ick.  :P
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 22, 2008, 07:35:58 PM
Official Press Release Regarding Next Saturday's Dedication Ceremony

Wittenberg To Dedicate Pam Evans Smith Arena Feb. 2 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2008releases/01_22.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 24, 2008, 10:51:27 AM
Okay, so I had about a half-hour's work into a post updating the race last last night when my ISP crapped out.  >:(  So here's an abbreviated version.

Kenyon 72, Denison 65 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26258.xml) (at Granville)...Check out Anne Dugan's line: 23 points, including 8 of 8 from the line; 9 rebounds; 4 assists; 4 steals; 0 turnovers.  Add to that 13 second-half points (on 4 of 5 from the arc) from Hilary Gowins, and 20 assists on 24 baskets, and you get a Kenyon team that will be mighty hard to dislodge from the top of the standings.  Kenyon has now won on the home courts of each of its main rivals: OWU, Wittenberg, and now the defending champs.  Carolyn Simpson notched a double-double (22 and 12) in a losing effort.  Denison also had assists on all but 4 hoops, recording 19 assists on 23 hoops.  This must have been a beautiful game.
Wittenberg 80, Earlham 52 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/earlham2.html) (at Richmond)...Witt grabs sole possession of second place, staying within striking distance of the Ladies, with an easy victory over the Quakers.
Oberlin 63, Hiram 44 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/Hiram1.html) (at Oberlin)...After a perhaps closer-than-expected loss to 9-7 Heidelberg Monday, Christa Champion was quoted as follows: "My team played great.  We did some new things today and used some different plays that I think will really help us out when we get back into conference play."  She wasn't kidding, as Oberlin raced to an 18-point halftime lead and never let up on the Terriers, holding them to 28.8% shooting.  Alyssa Clark had her second double-double of the week, scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 boards to lead the Yeowomen.
Bluffton 60, Wooster 42 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/bluffton.php)...Wooster, playing without Kym Wenz for reasons unbeknownst to me, scored just 11 first-half points and had almost twice as many turnovers as baskets (28 to 15) on the evening in falling to the Beavers in non-conference action.

Updated standings:
Kenyon 8-0 / 11-6
Wittenberg 6-1 / 7-7
Denison 5-2 / 9-7
Ohio Wesleyan 5-2 / 10-5
Wooster 2-5 / 5-9
Allegheny 2-5 / 5-11
Oberlin 2-5 / 3-13
Hiram 1-6 / 3-12
Earlham 1-7 / 2-14
Wabash...DNP

Saturday's slate:
Oberlin at Kenyon
Wittenberg at Ohio Wesleyan
Denison at Allegheny
Earlham at Wooster
Hiram and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 24, 2008, 10:57:06 AM
Belated congratulations to Oberlin's Katie Thompson, named the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for the week ending Jan. 20.  Thompson, a first-year guard, scored 20 points in a perfect shooting performance (6 of 6 floor, 5 of 5 line) in the Yeowomen's upset of Allegheny last Wednesday.  Congratulations, Katie! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 26, 2008, 08:53:27 PM
Saturday action:
Kenyon 78, Oberlin 61 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26266.xml) (at Gambier)...Ninth straight victory for the league-leading Ladies.  Senior Patty Hace's 13 points led 14 Kenyon scorers.
Ohio Wesleyan 87, Wittenberg 73 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0126.html) (at Delaware)...OWU was in control for most of this very, very chippy game.  There were several hard fouls and occasional bursts of temper which marred an otherwise exciting game.  OWU had four scorers reach double figures, overcoming a fairly dominant performance from Witt's all-conference post Katie Gregorevich (25 pts., 9 reb.)  Nice to catch up with Tigerup07, now assistant SID for Witt and still the Voice of the (Lady) Tigers.
Denison 60, Allegheny 50 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/wb_allegheny12608.html) (at Meadville)...Denison moves into a three-way tie for second place behind Carolyn Simpson's 18 point, 14 board effort.  Allegheny could only muster five second-half field goals.
Wooster 57, Earlham 54 (OT) (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/earlham.php) (at Wooster)...With Kym Wenz out nursing a knee ailment, Scot junior Meredith Wilson stepped up, nailing a buzzer-beating three to send the game to OT and another trey with 0:01.7 remining to win the game.  Wilson ended up with 19 points, complemented by soph. Kaitlin Krister's 17, and offsetting the double-double (20/10) effort from the EC's junior Tasha Merrill.  There must have been some tongues dragging at the end of this one, as just 15 players saw action with seven of them logging at least36 minutes.

Standings:
Kenyon 9-0 / 12-6
Wittenberg 6-2 / 7-8
Denison 6-2 / 10-7
Ohio Wesleyan 6-2 / 11-5
Wooster 3-5 / 6-9
Allegheny 2-6 / 5-12
Oberlin 2-6 / 3-14
Hiram 1-6 / 3-12
Earlham 1-8 / 2-15
Wabash...DNP

Coming up Wednesday:
Kenyon at Hiram
Denison at Wittenberg
Oberlin at Ohio Wesleyan
Allegheny at Wooster
Earlham and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 26, 2008, 09:46:54 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 26, 2008, 08:53:27 PM
Nice to catch up with Tigerup07, now assistant SID for Witt and still the Voice of the (Lady) Tigers.

Hey now, I wouldn't say still, ha ha. I would say "new."  In all seriousness though, John has been doing a great job with the games I've been able to listen to this year.  He's come so far since being my softball color commentator . . . tear, sniff, sob.

Big loss for the Tigers today, even though I can't say it was really unexpected.  OWU always plays them extremely tough at home (Witt lost up there last year as well), but with 2 losses in their last 3, Witt really needs to turn things around.  No small task either, as they get Denison at home on Wednesday, and you know Denison will want revenge for the early-season loss to the Tigers in Granville.  Hopefully they can find a way to beat the Big Red again, and gain some momentum heading into Saturday's arena dedication ceremony/showdown with Wooster.

And, is anyone playing better lately than Katie Gregorevich? Another 25+ point game, and one board away from another double-double.  Very impressive stuff.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 26, 2008, 10:19:31 PM
Quote from: jscwittfan on January 26, 2008, 09:46:54 PMHopefully they can find a way to beat the Big Red again, and gain some momentum heading into Saturday's arena dedication ceremony/showdown with Wooster.

Ha!  Some showdown.  ::) 

Prediction: Katie Gregorevitch will be 1st team all-conference, along with Carolyn Simpson, Steffi Graf, Alisha Moreno, and Anne Dugan.  Kym Wenz might have cracked that lineup had she not gotten injured.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 28, 2008, 11:09:46 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 26, 2008, 08:53:27 PM
Wooster 57, Earlham 54 (OT) (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/recaps/2007-08/earlham.php) (at Wooster)...With Kym Wenz out nursing a knee ailment, Scot junior Meredith Wilson stepped up, nailing a buzzer-beating three to send the game to OT and another trey with 0:01.7 remining to win the game.  Wilson ended up with 19 points[...]

On account of these heroics, Meredith has been named this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt).  Congratulations!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on January 30, 2008, 09:06:36 PM
Witt does what would have been unthinkable at the beginning of the season, finishing the sweep of Denison with a 65-55 victory.  19 big points off the bench from Stephanie Boardman, as well as another solid performance (14 points, 7 boards) from Katie Gregorevich.  Denison is led by the 17 points and 15 points (respectively) of Carolyn Simpson and Haley Dahlgard.  Witt moves to 7-2 in the conference, while Denison falls to 6-3, a full game and a half (figuring in the tiebreaker) behind the Tigers.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 30, 2008, 11:11:28 PM
Elsewhere,
Kenyon 66, Hiram 43 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26287.xml) (at Hiram)...Ladies hold Pups to 32.7% shooting and force 25 turnovers, while on the other end they got scoring contributions from 13 players.
Ohio Wesleyan 86, Oberlin 35 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0130.html) (at Delaware)...Everything Hiram did poorly, Oberlin did worse:  shooting 23.7% and giving the ball away 31 times.  At least only 12 Bishops got into the scorebook.
Allegheny 65, Wooster 48 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7916/womenbb_entry) (at Wooster)...Brittany Bell goes 6 of 8 from beyond the arc for 20 points, while Wooster continues to feel the absence of Kym Wenz (bone bruise).

Standings:
Kenyon 10-0 / 13-6
Ohio Wesleyan 7-2 / 12-5
Wittenberg 7-2 / 8-8
Denison 6-3 / 10-8
Allegheny 3-6 / 6-12
Wooster 3-6 / 6-10
Oberlin 2-7 / 3-15
Hiram 1-7 / 3-13
Earlham 1-8 / 2-15
Wabash...DNP

Saturday's games:
Ohio Wesleyan at Kenyon
Wooster at Wittenberg (Dedication of Pam Evans Smith Arena (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2008releases/01_22.html))
Hiram at Denison
Earlham at Oberlin
Allegheny and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 02, 2008, 05:28:04 PM
Wittenberg's coverage of the Pam Evans Smith Arena Dedication Ceremony

Press Release and Video Coverage (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/2008/multimedia/pam_smith/)

Game Recap (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/wooster.html) (Witt defeats Wooster 67-35, including Katie Gregorevich scoring her 1,000th point)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 02, 2008, 11:17:59 PM
Congratulations to Witt on a great win on a great day.  :)

Elsewhere,
Kenyon 57, Ohio Wesleyan 54 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26296.xml) (at Gambier)...Also a great win.  OWU came out aggressively dictating the tempo and shooting the lights out, racing to leads of 12-2 and 20-7.  Kenyon slowly climbed back into the match, only to fall victim to another OWU run that left the Bishops ahead 35-23.  At this point the Ladies became more patent on offense, working for better shots, and got just a step quicker on defense, closing the gap to 36-31 at the break.  Kenyon continued their climb back throughout the second half, a half in which OWU was held to 24.1% shooting (after hitting 57.1% in the 1st).  The Ladies gained their first lead at 9:53, and extended to a 5-point lead soon thereafter, but never could shake the Bishops, who had the game tied inside the final minute.  Then Alisha Moreno, quiet for most of the game, buried a three from the corner for the final margin.  Eva George had a career afternoon, with 17 points and 13 rebounds, almost single-handedly keeping the Ladies in the game in the first half.  Anne Dugan also contributed a double-double with 13 & 10.  OWU had three in double figures, led by first-year post Kayla Gordon's 16.
Denison 62, Hiram 40 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_second_half.html) (at Granville)...Leading by just 4 at the break, Denison held Hiram to 15 second-half points on 22.6% shooting, including 0/10 from the arc.  Carolyn Simpson recorded a double-double, leading the Bg Red with 18 points and 11 boards.
Oberlin 70, Earlham 64 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/Earlham2.html) (at Oberlin)...Oberlin held a six-player EC squad to 32% shooting, whle draining 50% of their second-half shots (57.1% from the arc) to overcome a one-point halftime deficit.  Alicia Smith led the Yeowomen with 26 points, including 4 treys and 8/10 from the line.

Standings:
Kenyon 11-0 / 14-6
Wittenberg 8-2 / 9-8
Denison 7-3 / 11-8
Ohio Wesleyan 7-3 / 12-6
Allegheny 3-6 / 6-12
Wooster 3-7 / 6-11
Oberlin 3-7 / 4-15
Hiram 1-8 / 3-14
Earlham 1-9 / 2-16
Wabash...DNP

Upcoming schedule: This is that one crazy week each year when the women play on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Tuesday's games:
Wittenberg at Kenyon
Denison at Earlham
Wooster at Ohio Wesleyan
Allegheny at Hiram
Oberlin and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 04, 2008, 02:35:04 PM
Congratulations to this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt), Allegheny sophomore Brittany Bell.  As noted above, Bell had a great shooting game at Wooster, scoring a career-high 20 points which included six successful three-pointers.  Congratulations, Brittany!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 05, 2008, 10:26:03 PM
Kenyon ends the game on a 16-0 run, erasing a 3 point Wittenberg lead in the process to win 73-60.  Wittenberg gets 21 points and 9 boards from Katie Gregorevich, but go cold when it matters most, failing to score in the final 5:33 in the game (and going without a field goal for the final 6:30).  Carrie Dyer and Stephanie Boardman reach double-digits in scoring for Witt with 13 and 10 points, respectively, while Kenyon was led by 23 from Anne Dugan, 19 from Eva George, and 13 from 13 from Hilary Gowins.

Witt falls back to .500 overall 9-9 and 8-3 in conference.  Kenyon moves to 15-6 overall, and a big 12-0 in the NCAC, which, if my math is correct, puts them within one game of clinching at least a share of the conference title.

Elsewhere...

Denison beats Earlham 79-60
OWU beats Wooster 91-57 (too bad this couldn't have been the men's score!)
Allegheny defeats Hiram 69-61

So, the standings...

Kenyon 12-0 / 15-6
Wittenberg 8-3 / 9-9
Denison 8-3 / 12-8
Ohio Wesleyan 8-3 / 13-6
Allegheny 4-6 / 7-12
Oberlin 3-7 / 4-15
Wooster 3-8 / 6-12
Hiram 1-9 / 3-15
Earlham 1-10 / 2-17
Wabash...DNP
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 05, 2008, 10:48:29 PM
A bloodless coup!  ;D

Kenyon is really making a statement.  The NCAC women's Final Four will very probably be at Kenyon with Denison, OWU, and Witt as the contenders.  Kenyon already beat all three on the road in the first half, now each one takes their turn in Gambier. 

First up was OWU, which tried to run away and hide, forcing the tempo from the tip and building a huge lead.  Kenyon, overloaded with senior leadership, righted the ship after about 10 minutes and slowly ate into the Bishop lead, finally overtaking them late in the game and holding them off down the stretch.

Next was Witt.  This was a completely different game, with Kenyon playing an outstanding first half at both ends and building a 13-point halftime lead.  Then Witt came out of the locker room and erased that deficit, and more, in just 11 minutes, with beautiful passing and outstanding rebounding (Witt won the battle of the boards 42-31, and had 16 big offensive rebounds.)  But once again the seniors kept their cool, and playing with poise and confidence they were able to stop the Tiger momentum.  Then shots that rimmed out in the first 11 minutes fell true, while at the Witt end there was an extra hand slapping at each pass and raised in the hand of each shooter, and the shots that had been going in were rimming out.  It wasn't a large difference, but it was enough, and 16 points later Kenyon had their 12th straight win.  (Interesting to note that in both of this year's matchups, Witt hit the 60-point mark with the lead, then failed to score again, as Kenyon closed the two games on 11- and 16-point runs.)

Denison gets their shot next Wednesday, then all three teams (after very probably dispensing with their first-round opponents in the NCAC tournament) will reconvene at Tomsich Arena to decide the NCAC title and NCAA bid.  And despite Kenyon's regular-season dominance, any one of those four teams could win it.  It's going to be a great ride.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 05, 2008, 11:04:45 PM
In the meantime, here's the weekend schedule:

Friday:
Ohio Wesleyan at Denison
Wittenberg at Allegheny
Wooster at Oberlin
Earlham at Hiram
Kenyon and Wabash are idle

Saturday:
Kenyon at Wooster
Denison at Oberlin
Wittenberg at Hiram
Earlham at Allegheny
Ohio Wesleyan and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 08, 2008, 12:06:11 PM
Congratulations to OWU's Steffi Graf, who has been named to the District IV Academic All-District basketball team (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/bb08acad.html).  Steffi is a standout in two sports as well as the classroom, having also been selected for the Academic All-District team in volleyball.  Congrats, Steffi!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 08, 2008, 11:25:29 PM
Denison 61, Ohio Wesleyan 41 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_denison_com.html) (at Granville)...All Denison from start to finish in this one.  I've seen a lot of the Bishops this season, and I've never seen either Steffi Graf or Kelli Lester play as poorly as they both did tonight.   DU outshot the Bishops 49.0% to 22.6% (and 52.0% to 16.1% in the decisive first half) and outrebounded OWU 45-36.  OWU was a dreadful 1 of 19 from beyond the arc, most of them bricks or airballs.  About the only thing they did well was execute a full-court press which gave the Big Red fits (Denison turned the ball over 25 times, many of them as a result of pressure.)  Denison put four in double figures, led by Katie St. Clair's 17, and got another double-double, her sixth of the season, from Carolyn Simpson (12 & 10.)  Denison moves into a tie for second with Witt, but having been swept by the Tigers, they're essentially in third.  Kenyon coach Suzanne Helfant, whose team faces the Big Red next week, was in attendance charting the home team.
Wittenberg 76, Allegheny 75 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/allegheny2.html) (at Meadville)...Witt keeps pace with Denison in the battle for 2nd place, overcoming a 7-point deficit over the last 9 minutes.  Carrie Dyer led the Tigers with a career-high 22.
Oberlin 64, Wooster 63 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/Wooster2.html) (At Oberlin)...First-year Syrea Thomas drained a three-pointer with 0:02 left to give the Yeowomen the homecourt victory.  Wooster had led by as many as 10 points in the second half, and the winning basket gave OC their only lead of the final 15:00.
Earlham 73, Hiram 64 (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2007-08/press_releases/pr020808.html) (at Hiram)...The Quakers snap a 13-game losing streak with their second NCAC win and first road win of the season, in the process passing the Terriers in the battle for the 8th and final playoff spot.  Hiram led by 12 at the break but were held to 25.7% shooting in the 2nd by the Quaker Sextet, who torched their own nets at a 51.9% clip to stage the comeback.

Updated standings:
Kenyon 12-0 / 15-6
Wittenberg 9-3 / 10-9
Denison 9-3 / 13-8
Ohio Wesleyan 8-4 / 13-7
Allegheny 4-7 / 7-13
Oberlin 4-7 / 5-15
Wooster 3-9 / 6-13
Earlham 2-10 / 3-17
Hiram 1-10 / 3-16
Wabash...DNP

Tomorrow's games:
Kenyon at Wooster
Denison at Oberlin
Wittenberg at Hiram
Earlham at Allegheny
Ohio Wesleyan and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2008, 12:08:55 PM
The NCAC women and their fans are "Thinking Pink" (http://northcoastconference.blogspot.com/2008/02/womens-basketball-thinks-pink.html) this week, starting with three games last night.  At Denison, the Big Red women came out for warmups in pink personalized t-shirts, and the first 100 students in attendance were also given "Think Pink" t-shirts.  Student volunteers collected donations for the Susan G. Komen Foundation (http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm).  There was also a raffle for an ipod at halftime.  Despite being a Friday night, the student section was the largest I've seen in Granville this season.  Photo Gallery. (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_think_pink_p.html)

Allegheny is having a "Think Pink" weekend as the two westernmost conference teams visit Meadville.  Last night, donations for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund (http://www.wbca.org/kayyowwbcacancerfund.asp) were collected, and a moment of silence was observed for Wittenberg's Pam Evans Smith, who lost her battle with cancer last year.  More collections will be solicited at today's contest with Earlham.

Oberlin also solicited donations for the Kay Yow Fund and raffled off a pink ipod, among other prizes, at their game vs. Wooster last night.

More "Think Pink" activities are scheduled for the following venues:
Wednesday: Wooster (vs. Hiram), Wittenberg (vs. OWU), Kenyon (vs. Denison)
Saturday: Hiram (vs Oberlin), Ohio Wesleyan (vs. Allegheny), Earlham (vs. Kenyon)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2008, 11:05:05 PM
Today's action:
Kenyon 66, Wooster 46 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26345.xml) (at Wooster)...Kenyon's just a lot more talented and athletic than the Scots, especially with Kym Wenz still in her warm-ups, but Wooster played stout defense and hustled hard the whole game, and Kenyon was never really able to get comfortable.  Still the Ladies played everyone who made the trip, and with the win captured at least a share of the regular season NCAC title.  Anne Dugan, inexorably headed toward the NCAC Player of the Year trophy, led the Ladies with 18 points in 29 minutes.
Denison 74, Oberlin 47 (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/Denison2.html) (at Oberlin)...Denison never trailed as they stayed alive in the conference race.  Oberlin junior Alyssa Clark recorded a double-double with 12 boards and 16 points, including the 1,000th point of her college career.  Congratulations, Alyssa!  Denison had four in double figures, led for the second straight night by Katie St. Clair, whose 22 give her 39 points for the weekend on 16 of 22 shooting.
Wittenberg 86, Hiram 63 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/hiram2.html) (at Hiram)...Wittenberg seems to have a different leading scorer every night; tonight it was Stephanie Boardman with 23 on 8/12 shooting.  Both teams shot around 50%, but the Tigers forced 31 Terrier turnovers leading to a 20 shot advantage in field goal attempts.  Witt also stays alive in the race, although Kenyon has the tiebreaker advantage on the Tigers.
Allegheny 75, Earlham 60 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7967/womenbb_entry) (at Meadville)...Allegheny took control early, and led by 25 midway through the second half, then withstood a couple of Quaker runs to record the victory.  Brittany Bell, the reigning conference Player of the Week, led the Gators with 20 points, 18 of them on another half-dozen three pointers.

Updated standings:
Kenyon 13-0 / 16-6
Wittenberg 10-3 / 11-9
Denison 10-3 / 14-8
Ohio Wesleyan 8-4 / 13-7
Allegheny 5-7 / 8-13
Oberlin 4-8 / 5-16
Wooster 3-10 / 6-14
Earlham 2-11 / 3-18
Hiram 1-11 / 3-17
Wabash...DNP

Wednesday's games--every one key for final conference positioning:
Denison at Kenyon
Ohio Wesleyan at Wittenberg
Oberlin at Allegheny
Hiram at Wooster
Earlham and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 10, 2008, 11:30:53 AM
Thinking back on this last night, I believe that Kenyon has now cinched the top seed in the tournament.  They could end up tied with Wittenberg, with Denison, or with both, but Kenyon has the tie-breaker advantage in all of these scenarios:
* They swept Wittenberg
* They would have split with Denison, but have the better "best win" by virtue of having beaten Witt, which Denison could not do
* They would hold a 3-1 record in the head-to-head among the threesome, with Witt at 2-2 and Denison at 1-3

So congratulations to the Ladies, although I'll reserve my major applause for (if and) when they clinch the outright title.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 10, 2008, 08:20:43 PM
Congratulations to Wittenberg's Carrie Dyer, this week's NCAC Player of the Week. (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt)  Carrie poured in 53 points and snatched 20 rebounds in three games this week, and also contributed 8 assists.  Brava, Carrie! 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 11, 2008, 03:08:04 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 10, 2008, 08:20:43 PM
Brava, Carrie! 

Nice use of "Brava," DC.  I always get annoyed hearing people say "Bravo" to a female performer, and always figured I was the only one.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 11, 2008, 09:38:41 PM
Whoa, someone besides DC and I on the women's boards!  Are you lost, KB?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 11, 2008, 10:44:30 PM
Quote from: jscwittfan on February 11, 2008, 09:38:41 PM
Whoa, someone besides DC and I on the women's boards!  Are you lost, KB?

Nah, I come over here and read/lurk.  Don't post though because I don't go to see the women play ever, so I never really feel like I have anything to add to the conversation.  (And based on how on-topic my above post was, I think we can agree that's pretty much true.   ;D ::) )


Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 11, 2008, 10:47:06 PM
I should also say that at times this season I've felt like I've been talking to myself on the OAC men's board...so dropping by the women's side of the boards reminds me that that board is far from the least active on the site.   :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 13, 2008, 11:56:22 PM
Kenyon wraps up their third NCAC regular season title, while OWU and Hiram throw monkey wrenches into the standings.

Kenyon 69, Denison 48 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26359.xml) (at Gambier)...20 points on 8/11 shooting (4/7 from the arc) from Alisha Moreno, and 11 from Anne Dugan, including her 1,000th point in her career (becoming just the seventh Lady to accomplish this goal), were too much for the defending champions.  Kenyon, winners of 14 straight overall, moves to 14-0 in the conference with home-and-home sweeps of each of their main rivals.  CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NCAC CHAMPIONS, THE KENYON LADIES! :) :) :)
Ohio Wesleyan 63, Wittenberg 62 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0213.html) (at Springfield)...In the first of two crucial OWU/Witt games tonight (both won in nailbiting fashion by the Bishops), Kelli Lester scored the game's final three points on a jumper and a free throw, providing the upset and season sweep for the Bishops.  Lester tossed in 16 points, one of four Bishops in double figures, and clutched a team-high seven boards.  The leading scorer was frosh Pam Quigney, who came off the bench to connect on 8 of 11 shots for 19 points.
Allegheny 73, Oberlin 52 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/7987/womenbb_entry) (at Meadville)...A 23-4 first-half spurt gave the Gators a double-digit lead that they'd hold throughout the second half.  Emilie Simone led the home team with 19 points, while Stephanie Wolf chipped in 10 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Hiram 69, Wooster 62 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/news/article.php?id=1597) (at Wooster)...Hiram ends a nine-game slide and climbs back into the playoff picture with the road win over the fading Scots.  Hiram had three in double figures, led by sophomore Alex Dellas' 22.  Wooster got another good game out of sophomore Kaitlin Krister (22 points, 10 boards, 3 blocks), but it wasn't enough.

Standings:
Kenyon 14-0 / 17-6
Wittenberg 10-4 / 11-10
Denison 10-4 / 14-9
Ohio Wesleyan 9-4 / 14-7
Allegheny 6-7 / 9-13
Oberlin 4-9 / 5-17
Wooster 3-11 / 6-15
Earlham 2-11 / 3-18
Hiram 2-11 / 4-17
Wabash...DNP

The battle for second place now gets real interesting, as Denison swept OWU, OWU swept Wittenberg, and Witt swept Denison.  Add in each team's two losses to Kenyon, and you have the four losses each team now has.  Thus, if each of the three teams win out, there will be a series of coin flips to determine the second, third, and fourth seeds.  Not that it matters much, since all three are highly likely to win their first-round games no matter the pairings (no team in 5th thru 9th has beaten any team in the top 4 this season), and unless Kenyon should unthinkably lose to the 8th seed a week from Tuesday, they'll host the conference Final Four.  Here are the remaining games for the 2nd place contenders:
Witt: at Wooster, vs. Oberlin (idle next Weds.)
Denison: vs. Earlham, vs. Allegheny (idle this Saturday)
OWU: vs. Allegheny, at Oberlin, vs. Hiram

Saturday's games:
Kenyon at Earlham
Wittenberg at Wooster
Allegheny at Ohio Wesleyan
Oberlin at Hiram
Denison and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2008, 06:27:34 PM
Kenyon 60, Earlham 46 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26372.xml) (at Richmond)...Fifteen straight wins for the Ladies, whose starters mostly saw limited action in this one.
Wittenberg 82, Wooster 52 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/wooster2.html) (at Wooster)...Wooster plays at Earlham next Saturday, and the final playoff slot may be on the line.
Ohio Wesleyan 69, Allegheny 57 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0216.html) (at Delaware)...Bishops keep their share of the crazy three-way tie for second place.
Hiram 57, Oberlin 54 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/news/article.php?id=1602) (at Hiram)...Hiram moves out of the cellar--and into 7th place. 

Standings (corrected 2/17):
Kenyon 15-0 / 18-6
Wittenberg 11-4 / 12-10
Denison 10-4 / 14-9
Ohio Wesleyan 10-4 / 15-7
Allegheny 6-8 / 9-14
Oberlin 4-10 / 5-18
Hiram 3-11 / 5-17
Wooster 3-11 / 6-17
Earlham 2-12 / 3-20
Wabash...DNP

Wednseday's slate:
Hiram at Kenyon...senior night for six Kenyon seniors; I wonder which one doesn't get to start?
Oberlin at Ohio Wesleyan...senior night for six OWU seniors; I wonder which one doesn't get to start?
Earlham at Denison...senior night at Denison, too, but they have just two seniors...watch out for the Big Red next season
Wooster at Allegheny...it would be senior night in Meadville, too, but there are NO seniors on AC's squad (and just one for Wooster)
Wittenberg and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 17, 2008, 07:47:43 PM
Taking a closer look at the tournament:
Kenyon has clinched the #1 seed.  As the top 4 teams have yet to lose any games to the bottom 5, I think it's reasonable to assume that OWU, Witt, and Denison will all win out and finish in the three-way tie for second, resulting in a drawing of lots for seeds 2-4.

Allegheny looks to be in good shape for the #5 seed; they'd have to lose twice and have Oberlin win twice to end up tied, and as Oberlin finishes with Witt and OWU, that just ain't gonna happen.  Oberlin, however, appears to have all but clinched a playoff slot (there is a far-fetched scenario in which they end up tied for 7th with both Wooster and Earlham at 4-12, and I'm not sure how that would play out, but it's so unlikely as to not merit further consideration.)

Here's what the bottom 4 have left:
Oberlin (4-10): vs. OWU, at Witt
Hiram (3-11): at Kenyon, at OWU
Wooster (3-11): at Gheny, at Earlham
Earlham (2-12): at Denison, vs. Wooster

Both Oberlin and Hiram will lose their final two games, barring a large upset.  Wooster will probably lose at 'Gheny, and Earlham will surely lose in Granville.  So pending the result of that Woo at EC game next weekend, the standings will likely be
Oberlin 4-12
Wooster 3-12
Hiram 3-13
Earlham 2-13

If Wooster wins that game, Hiram would be the 8 seed, and Wooster and Oberlin would be tied for the #6.  They split on the regular season, but I think Oberlin would hold the tie-breaker by virtue of their victory over Allegheny on Jan. 16.

If Earlham wins that game, Oberlin would be the 6 seed, and the other three would all be tied at 3-13.  They will have each split with the other two, and in each case the third conference win would have been Oberlin, with whom they all split, with Oberlin winning a home and losing on the road in each case.  I think that means another three-way coin toss.  That would be a tough way to miss out on the tournament, even a tournament where it's all but certain that the #7 and #8 seeds will lose in the first round anyway.

Should Wooster manage to win this Weds. at Allegheny, they'd be in the catbird seat for the #6 seed.  But let's cross that bridge when--and if--we come to it.

Wabash was eliminated from tournament contention in 1832.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 17, 2008, 08:02:01 PM
Congratulations to OWU's senior post Kelli Lester, whose heroics at Wittenberg on Wednesday led to her being named the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) for the penultimate week of the season.  Kelli is the second Bishop to earn this award this season, the other being classmate Steffi Graf.  Congratulations, Kelli!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: ECHOOPER on February 19, 2008, 08:22:58 AM
You have to give it up to the Earlham ladies for not giving up on the season, especially with only playing with 8 players.  That was until Samantha Lurie tore her ACL, and is struggling playing less than one minute saturday.  This was a team that asked a player to leave for conduct detrimental.  Players playing sick, and they only have 4 healthy players which two of those see limited action.  I commend this team on not giving up on the season and still have a chance to make the tourney.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 20, 2008, 11:37:39 PM
I give it up for all of the women's players who toil in near-obscurity in our great conference.  I'm proud of all of them, at all nine schools.
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allemoticons.com%2FAvatars%2Fclap2.gif&hash=e8b540eb031a1423c66d132ea6c5a9988739397e)

Tonight's action:
Kenyon 62, Hiram 50 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26395.xml) (at Gambier)...On an emotional Senior Night, in an elaborately decorated gym, the Ladies wrapped up their first unbeaten conference campaign since 1997.  Kenyon won this game with stout defense, holding their guests to 32% shooting and forcing 20 turnovers.  Kenyon's offense misfired all night, with missed jumpers, botched layups, and errant passes, but they put together a nice run at the end of the first half to open a 14-point halftime lead, and another spurt midway through the second period to put the game on ice.  Thousand-point scorer Anne Dugan added yet another double-double to her resume, scoring 10 points and grabbing 15 boards.  Three other seniors scored in double figures; in fact, the six honorees contributed all but 9 of the points as well as 34 rebounds.
Denison 97, Earlham 41 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/women_s_basketball_big_red_rou.html) (at Granville)...Denison came out hitting on all cylinders, nailing 63% of their first half shots, including six treys, and never looked back as they coasted to the victory.  Six Big Red players scored in double figures, including 10 pt., 13 board effort from first-year Lindsay Henry.
Ohio Wesleyan 78, Oberlin 49 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0220.html) (at Oberlin)...I apologize for mistaking the location of this game in my post above. First-year Pam Quigney seems to have found her stroke just in time for the tournament.   Tonight she hit 9 of 13 attempts, including six treys, for a game-high 28 points.  Senior Steffi Graf added 18 on 6 of 9 shooting, which came in handy, considering the rest of the team was a dreadful 10 of 44 (22.7%) on the night (4/19 from the arc, where Quigney and Graf were 10/16).  Oberlin got a solid 15 point, 13 board game from Roneisha Kinney in the losing effort.
Allegheny 60, Wooster 47 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/8028/womenbb_entry) (at Meadville)...'Gheny roared out to a 24-point halftime lead, then withstood the second-half comeback effort by the visiting Scots to cinch the #5 seed in the upcoming tournament.  The Gators won behind balanced scoring (four Gators in double figures) and defense (forcing 24 Wooster turnovers, including 13 steals).

Standings:
Kenyon 16-0 / 19-6
Wittenberg 11-4 / 12-10
Denison 11-4 / 15-9
Ohio Wesleyan 11-4 / 16-7
Allegheny 7-8 / 10-14
Oberlin 4-11 / 5-19
Hiram 3-12 / 5-18
Wooster 3-12 / 6-18
Earlham 2-13 / 3-21
Wabash...DNP

Saturday's season-ending slate:
Oberlin at Wittenberg
Allegheny at Denison
Hiram at Ohio Wesleyan
Wooster at Earlham
Kenyon and Wabash are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2008, 11:52:57 PM
The NCAC coaches select first- and second-team All Conference selections, seven women per team, with an honorable mention tacked on that, among other things, ensures that all nine teams are represented.  I plan to compile and publish my own all-conference teams in here next week, as well as my choices for Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Coach of the Year, and I invite anyone reading this to join in.  Actually, some of these are no-brainers; I can list six of my first-team players off the top of my head, as well as two of my three overall awards.  But I'll reserve the final list until I can devote a little more effort to it.

Women's individual stats--all games (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/07-08stats/CONFLDRS.HTM#conf.wki)
Women's individual stats--conference games only (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/07-08stats/CONFONLY.HTM#conf.wki)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Witt4ever on February 23, 2008, 05:59:21 PM
Tournament bracket:

http://www.northcoast.org/wb/ncacwbrkt08.pdf
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2008, 10:36:29 PM
Today's slate:
Allegheny 67, Denison 59 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/8039/womenbb_entry) (at Granville)...The Gators become the first team not in the top 4 to beat a top 4 team this season, and by doing so they break up what otherwise would have been an unbreakable three-way tie for 2nd.  Denison drops to the #4 slot, and will face the #5 Gators again on Tuesday in Granville.  IIRC, it was 'Gheny that spoiled Denison's perfect conference season late last season as well.  (EDIT: it was (http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=726.msg673418#msg673418).)  Allegheny was led by their probable all-conference representatives Stephanie Wolf (17 points, 6 boards, 5 assists) and Brittany Bell (16 points including four more treys).  Denison was even or nearly even in most statistical categories, but could not overcome 22 turnovers that led to 25 Gator points.  Tuesday's rematch will also be a rematch of last season's conference championship game, won by the Big Red 63-47.
Ohio Wesleyan 94, Hiram 48 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0223.html) (at Delaware)...OWU does their part, and with Denison losing, OWU grabs the #2 seed by virtue of their season sweep of Wittenberg.  Like the Big Red, the Bishops' reward is to face this afternoon's opponent in a rematch on Tuesday, which will tip 30 minutes after the OWU men's quarterfinal game (also against Hiram).  OWU outshot their guests 50.8% to 34.5%, and forced 28 Terrier turnovers (sounds yummy!) while giving it up just 12 times.  Six Bishops scored in double figures, led by Kayla Gordon, making her bid for NCAC Newcomer of the Year with 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting. 
Wittenberg 68, Oberlin 52 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/07-08gamestories/oberlin2.html) (at Springfied)...Wittenberg grabs a share of second place and will open tournament play as the #3 seed, hosting...stop me if you've heard this before...their Saturday opponent, #6-seeded Oberlin in a Tuesday rematch.  The Tigers got another double-double (17 pts., 10 reb., both game highs) from all-conference no-brainer Katie Gregorevich, plus a combined 31 points from sophomores Stephanie Boardman and Carrie Dyer.  At the other end, Oberlin was held to 35.2% shooting and had 21 turnovers (vs. 19 baskets and just 5 assists.)
Earlham 64, Wooster 55 (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2007-08/press_releases/pr022308.html) (at Richmond)...In a game where neither team shot particularly well (both about one of three from the field and three of four from the line), Earlham won by shooting more often, both from the floor (59 attempts to Wooster's 51) and the line (24 attempts to 15).  Earlham forced 21 Scot turnovers while giving it up just 8 times, leading to a 26-10 advantage in points off turnovers.  Tasha Merrill led the Quakers with 20 points, including 8 of 9 from the free throw line, while Wooster was led by Kaitlin Krister's double-double (17 & 10).  Wooster's luck didn't get any better after the game, when the NCAC exhausted the tie-breakers between the three 3-13 teams, and seeded them Hiram #7, Earlham #8, and Wooster #9, evidently by the casting of lots.  Wooster thus misses out on the tournament while Earlham is rewarded with a trip to Gambier to face the 16-0 league champions from Kenyon.

Final conference standings and tournament seeds:
1. Kenyon 16-0 / 19-6
2. (tie) Ohio Wesleyan 12-4 / 17-7 (seeded #2)
2. (tie) Wittenberg 12-4 / 13-10 (seeded #3)
4. Denison 11-5 / 15-10
5. Allegheny 8-8 / 11-14
6. Oberlin 4-12 / 5-20
7. (tie) Hiram 3-13 / 5-19 (seeded #7)
7. (tie) Earlham 3-13 / 4-21 (seeded #8)
7. (tie) Wooster 3-13 / 6-19 (misses tournament)
10. Wabash DNP

Tuesday's quarterfinals:
#8 Earlham at #1 Kenyon, 8:00pm
#5 Allegheny at #4 Denison, 7:30pm
#6 Oberlin at #3 Wittenberg, 8:00pm
#7 Hiram at #2 Ohio Wesleyan, 8:00pm

The games at Gambier, Springfield, and Delaware will all tip off 30 minutes after the conclusion of the men's quarterfinal games, each scheduled to tip at 6:00pm. 

Good luck to all teams this week!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 24, 2008, 04:57:53 PM
Here's my choices for the all-conference awards:

Coach of the Year: It's tough to overlook the incredible job that Sarah Jurewicz has done at Wittenberg, taking over the program under the most terrible circumstances and forging a second-place 12-4 season.  But I have to go with Kenyon's Suzanne Helfant, who took a fourth-place team not only to the top of the standings but an undefeated season.

Player of the Year: Anne Dugan, Kenyon.  Among the league leaders in eight categories, from scoring (3rd) to rebounding (6th) to steals (1st) to free throw shooting (1st), Dugan really can do it all.  Several times this season she simply took over the game at both ends of the floor.  Although there were other players who put up great stats, most notably scoring champion Katie Gregorevich, nobody has the whole package that Dugan has.

Newcomer of the Year: A really tough call, but I'm going with OWU's Kayla Gordon over Denison's Haley Dahlgard.  Gordon provided a strong post presence on the offensive end for the Bishops, scoring 11.6 per game on 50.7% shooting.  Dahlgard was effective both scoring (10.8 ppg, 36.7% from the arc) and handling the ball (2.1 apg, 1.43 A/TO).  I look for great careers from both of these athletes.

First team (listed alphabetically):
Anne Dugan, senior, Kenyon
Steffi Graf, senior, Ohio Wesleyan
Katie Gregorevich, senior, Wittenberg
Alisha Moreno, senior, Kenyon
Ellen O'Brien, junior, Denison
Carolyn Simpson, junior, Denison
Stephanie Wolf, junior, Allegheny

Second team (listed alphabetically):
Brittany Bell, sophomore, Allegheny
Stephanie Boardman, sophomore, Wittenberg
Haley Dahlgard, first-year, Denison
Kayla Gordon, first-year, Ohio Wesleyan
Roneisha Kinney, senior, Oberlin
Kaitlin Krister, sophomore, Wooster
Tasha Merrill, junior, Earlham

Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically):
Alyssa Clark, junior, Oberlin
Eva George, senior, Kenyon
Kelli Lester, senior, Ohio Wesleyan
Meredith Wilson, junior, Wooster
Stephanie Zunic, junior, Hiram
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 24, 2008, 05:14:56 PM
In addition to the great honor of being selected to my all-conference second team (;)), Tasha Merrill also picks up the honor of being the last regular-season winner of the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.txt) award.  Tasha, who has been a warrior in a very difficult situation in Richmond all season, helped lift her team into the NCAC tournament with her 20-point effort against Wooster Saturday.  Congratulations, Tasha!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2008, 11:58:48 AM
Here's a quick comparison of the actual final standings with the ones predicted by the coaches, media (http://www.northcoast.org/bkbmediaday/bkbpolls0708.pdf), and me (http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=726.msg792981#msg792981):


      Team            Actual            Coaches            Media            Me      
   Kenyon      1      2      1      1   
   Ohio Wesleyan      2      4      4      3   
   Wittenberg      2      3      3      4   
   Denison      4      1      2      2   
   Allegheny      5      5      5      5   
   Oberlin      6      8      7      7   
   Hiram      7      9      9      9   
   Earlham      7      7      8      6   
   Wooster      7      6      6      8   
We were all pretty close, being slightly too optimistic about Denison and slightly too pessimistic about Hiram and Oberlin.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on February 26, 2008, 10:40:51 PM
Unlike their male counterparts, the Witt women win their quarterfinal game tonight, defeating Oberlin 79-49.  5 Tigers hit double figures in scoring, unsurprisingly led by 21 from sure-NCAC first teamer Katie Gregorevich.  They await the winner of tomorrow's postponed OWU/Hiram tilt.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2008, 11:51:02 PM
Elsewhere...
Kenyon 73, Earlham 45 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26424.xml) (at Gambier)...Kenyon got out to a 43-13 halftime lead that was more dominant than it sounds.  Considering Earlham's short bench (8 players dressed, 6 played in the first 38 minutes) and the enormous gap in talent and athleticism, this game looked like the varsity playing a game against an intramural team.  I give major props to Earlham's players for gutting out a long season and managing to pull down a few wins; they never had a chance tonight, and they knew it.  It looked like everyone on both teams had a good time.
Denison 75, Allegheny 66 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/wb_ncacquarterfinals08.html) (at Granville)...The Big Red rallied from a halftime deficit to avenge their defeat from Saturday.  Denison got balanced scoring, with five players in double figures, to offset the game-high 21 points from Allegheny's Emilie Simone.  First-year Shaina Kaiser was Denison's top scorer with 16, going 6 of 6 from the floor and 4 of 5 from the line. 

Inclement weather prevented the Hiram squads (both men and women) from making the trip to Delaware, forcing a postponement of the OWU/Hiram doubleheader until tomorrow.  The winner of that game will square off with Wittenberg Friday at Kenyon, with Denison facing the host Ladies in the nightcap.  Kenyon handled the Big Red in both meetings this year, including a 69-48 waxing in Gambier just two weeks ago.  However, it's worth keeping in mind that no current Denison player has lost an NCAC tournament game in her career.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 28, 2008, 12:49:10 AM
Ohio Wesleyan 94, Hiram 49 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2007-08/wbb0227.html) (at Delaware)...OWU, unable to match their 46-point margin of victory from Saturday, had to settle for the 45-point victory tonight.  All kidding aside, it wasn't really all that bad.  Despite the fresh memories from their waxing four days ago, the Terriers hung basically even with their hosts for the first 10 minutes or so, before OWU's superior everything (size, speed, shooting, depth, athleticism, etc.) began to take its toll.  The OWU starters mostly sat and watched the second half as the reserves and scrubs played, including some inspirational moments from seldom-used senior Summer Quesenberry, who contributed seven points in five minutes of action in her final home-floor appearance.  OWU got scoring contributions from 13 players, led by Laurel Lawson's 13 points.  Hiram finishes the season with a 5-20 mark, while OWU advances to face Wittenberg in the conference Final Four that we all saw coming two months ago.

Friday's games:
6:00--#3 Wittenberg (14-10) vs. #2 Ohio Wesleyan (18-7)
8:00--#4 Denison (16-10) vs. #1 Kenyon (20-6)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Witt4ever on February 29, 2008, 10:29:37 AM
To watch the NCAC tourney:

http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x26430

Click the teamline logo, on the left, and enter any of the 4 teams playing to access broadcast.

----------------

also this route for both men and women's games:

http://www.teamline.cc/teampage?teamcode=1061
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 01, 2008, 12:16:00 AM
It may be a cliche, but it's very tough to beat a good team three times in one season.

Wittenberg 61, Ohio Wesleyan 45 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/07-08statistics/witw0229.htm) (at Gambier)...The Bishops couldn't do it.  In fact, they never had a chance.  Wittenberg roared out of the gate, scored the game's first eight points, and never looked back.  This was a perfect storm of a game, with Wittenberg playing well on both ends while OWU played easily the worst of the seven games I've seen them in this season.  Last year at this time, OWU came to Kenyon to play in the tournament and, led by Steffi Graf, played poorly (http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=726.msg681594#msg681594); history repeated itself tonight as the all-conference wing was just 2 of 9, recording 6 points (all after the game was decided) and 2 rebounds.  As a team OWU was held to a dreadful 24.2% shooting, allowing them to get walloped despite taking fifteen more shots than their opponents.  On the other side, the Tigers committed a shocking 31 turnovers, but when they held on, they scored, nailing 51.1% of their field goal attempts on the evening.  Stephanie Boardman led the way with 19 points on 8 for 9 shooting, and three other Tigers joined her in double figures.  No Tiger had as many as 10 rebounds, but collectively they dominated the glass 47-29.  All in all it was a very impressive night for Wittenberg.

Denison 43, Kenyon 41 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/wb_ncacsemifinals08.html) (at Gambier)...Kenyon couldn't do it, either, but they sure gave it the old college try.  As the score suggests, this was a defensive battle from the get-go.  Neither team was able to reach the 30% shooting threshold on the evening.  Kenyon had the shot they wanted over and over and just couldn't hit it.  All-conference performers Alisha Moreno and Hilary Gowins, who were #1 and #3 in 3-pointers (and #5 and #7 in 3PFG%) in the conference this season, combined to go 0-13 from the arc.  I doubt if that's ever happened before, and it couldn't have happened at a worse time, as inside artists Anne Dugan and Eva George had a battle on their hands with Denison's Carolyn Simpson and Haley Dahlgard all night.  Denison, conversely, had a difficult time finding good looks against the Ladies' suffocating defense, turning the ball over 21 times, but owned the glass (46-35) which led to a decisive 12-3 edge from the free throw line.  Denison was led Sarah Perrine's 12 points, while Eva George topped Kenyon's list with 10.

So the careers of twelve outstanding seniors come to an end tonight, as the two most experienced teams fall.  Congratulations and thanks go out to Kenyon's Brittany Clair, Anne Dugan, Eva George, Hilary Gowins, Patty Hace, and Alisha Moreno; and OWU's Malley Adamsky, Kathleen Cooper, Steffi Graf, Kelli Lester, Lindsay Macklin, and Summer Quesenberry.  I've had a great time watching you play, and I think I speak for all NCAC fans when I wish each of you the best of success.

Tomorrow night the team with the most championships squares off against the team with the last three.  It's worth keeping in mind that no Denison player currently in uniform has ever lost an NCAC tournament game.  However, Wittenberg defeated Denison twice in the regular season, 81-73 in December and 65-55 in January.  Of course, OWU had beaten Witt twice before tonight, and Kenyon had beaten the Big Red twice as well.  Like I said, it may be a cliche, but it's very tough to beat a good team three times in one season.

Good luck to both teams.  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on March 01, 2008, 08:22:21 AM
I feel like Witt has someone looking over their shoulders through all of this.  An NCAC tournament title would be an incredible way to end this season.  Here's hoping the Tigers can do it!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 01, 2008, 10:54:11 PM
Well, folks, it happened again.  This was a weekend to be 0-2 against your opponents.  Or maybe it was just a weekend to be Denison, like it has been every tournament weekend for the past four years.

Denison 66, Wittenberg 55 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/wb_ncacfinal08.html) (at Gambier)

Congratulations to the DENISON BIG RED on their fourth consecutive NCAC Tournament Championship! 

Denison won this title with defense, holding both their weekend opponents under 30% shooting.  The Big Red shot just 30.0% themselves on the weekend (32.2% tonight), but it was enough to send them back to the NCAAs.  Denison enjoyed a 6-point edge in three-point shooting (not surprising, given that they took a staggering 26 three-point shots, hitting just seven) and a five-point advantage from the free throw line to account for the final margin.  Wittenberg won the battle of the boards, 52-42, and had a healthy 15 assists on 20 made baskets, but in the end it appears to have been poor shooting that did them in. 

Witt was led by sophomores Carrie Dyer and Stephanie Boardman, both of whom were named to the All-Tournament team.  Dyer's team-highs in scoring (17) and rebounding (12) gave her 28 & 18 on the weekend, while Boardman added 10 points and 9 boards, giving her 29 & 14.

Denison got double-figure scoring from four players, led by junior and All-Tournament selection Ellen O'Brien's 18 points and 5 assists.  Her classmate Carolyn Simpson contributed a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards.  Junior Sarah Perrine was named Tournament MVP for her 21-point, 9-rebound performance.  First-year Shaina Kaiser was also selected to the All-Tournament team, having recorded 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals in two games.  (The final member of the All-Tournament team was Kenyon's Anne Dugan.)

Denison now waits to find out on Monday who and where they will play in the NCAA.  Wittenberg goes home, having had a very successful season under difficult circumstances; they can and should be very proud of what they have accomplished.  Congratulations and best wishes especially to seniors Katie Gregorevich, Ali Rohlfs, and Ellie Stonecash.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 03, 2008, 11:17:34 AM
Denison will open NCAA tournament play at DePauw, where they will face the defending national champions.

Hey, no sweat: been there, done that (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/big_red_ousts_defending_cham-2369.html). ;D

Go Big Red!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 05, 2008, 12:15:55 PM
The NCAC All-Conference team (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wballncac.html) has been announced.  The first team is exactly how I projected it would be further up this page (here (http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=726.msg875950#msg875950)), and the Player and Coach of the Year are Kenyon's Anne Dugan and Suzanne Helfant, again as I expected.  My only slip-up was not forseeing that OWU's Kayla Gordon and Denison's Haley Dahlgard would share the Newcomer of the Year Award (I gave it to Gordon).  I was somewhat less successful with the second team (which has 10 members!) and HMs, but all of the coaches' selections are very deserving.

Player of the Year: Anne Dugan, Kenyon
Coach of the Year: Suzanne Helfant, Kenyon
Co-Newcomers of the Year: Haley Dahlgard, Denison, and Kayla Gordon, Ohio Wesleyan

First team (listed alphabetically):
Anne Dugan, senior, Kenyon
Steffi Graf, senior, Ohio Wesleyan
Katie Gregorevich, senior, Wittenberg
Alisha Moreno, senior, Kenyon
Ellen O'Brien, junior, Denison
Carolyn Simpson, junior, Denison
Stephanie Wolf, junior, Allegheny

Second team (listed alphabetically):
Stephanie Boardman, sophomore, Wittenberg
Eva George, senior, Kenyon
Kayla Gordon, first-year, Ohio Wesleyan
Hilary Gowins, senior, Kenyon
Roneisha Kinney, senior, Oberlin
Kaitlin Krister, sophomore, Wooster
Tasha Merrill, junior, Earlham
Sarah Perrine, junior, Denison
Emilie Simone, sophomore, Allegheny
Stephanie Zunic, junior, Hiram

Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically):
Brittany Bell, sophomore, Allegheny
Carrie Dyer, sophomore, Wittenberg
Kelli Lester, senior, Ohio Wesleyan
Whitney McBurrows, senior, Earlham
Meredith Wilson, junior, Wooster


Congratulations to these outstanding women!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jscwittfan on March 05, 2008, 08:00:45 PM
Nice to see Carrie Dyer get an HM nod, especially after the knee injury that ended her season last year.

Best of luck to Denison this weekend.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 07, 2008, 11:43:59 PM
The Big Red go down fighting, but alas they do go down to the defending national champs, 70-53 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/wb_depauwncaa08.html).  Congratulations to Coach Lee and the Big Red on yet another great season, and thanks to all of you women (and men!) that make NCAC women's hoops the great game that it is.  See you in the fall!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 09, 2008, 09:43:23 PM
Oberlin head coach Christa Champion has resigned.  I don't know if she's leaving the coaching game, but the press release (http://www.oberlin.edu/athletic/varsity/w_basketball/archive/2007-2008/Champion.html) quotes Oberlin AD Joe Karlgaard as wishing her well as she "begins a new chapter in her professional life."  I, too, wish her the best in whatever her future brings, and I also wish Oberlin success in finding a capable replacement.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 11, 2008, 02:35:04 PM
More post-season honors in Gambier:
Congratulations go out to Kenyon senior and NCAC Player of the Year Anne Dugan, who is a finalist for inclusion in the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team (http://www.wbca.org/releases/DIIISFCAATFinalistsPR2008.htm).  Five finalists in each of 8 regions were selected, amounting to All-Region teams.  Dugan is one of the Region 6 honorees, along with players from Hope, Thomas More, Wilmington, and Westminster.  Congratulations, Anne!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on August 02, 2008, 09:32:25 PM
Former Oberlin standout Jessie Oram is now playing basketball with the Warrandyte Venom in Australia.  Her team competes in Div. 1 of Victoria's BigV League (http://www.bigv.com.au/), where they just completed the regular season in second place with a 15-5 record.  They are now competing in the league semi-finals, leading the best-of-three series with the Werribee She-Devils 1-0 on the strength of a 62-61 win at Werribee on Saturday.  Jessie has been blogging about her experiences (http://afterd3sports.blogspot.com/) down under, along with fellow Oberlin grad Seth Binder, who is playing baseball in Germany.  It's a very good read (well-written, as you might expect from a couple of Obies) and worth a look.  Good luck to Jessie in the playoffs.

Back in Ohio, Oberlin has hired Kerry Jenkins as the new head women's basketball coach (http://www.goyeo.com/coaches.aspx?rc=5&path=wbball).  Jenkins, a 1996 Amherst grad, was an assistant coach at Vermont for the past three seasons.  He replaces Christa Champion, who resigned following the 2007-08 season, and I wish his every success with the Yeowomen this season.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on August 23, 2008, 12:09:58 PM
Jessie Oram's Warrandyte Venom reached the championship round in the Big V Division One tournament, but there they were decisively beaten by regular season champs Diamond Valley.  After leading the final game by 8 at the half, they made just five second-half FGs and were outscored 48-18.  Jessie, whose minutes increased in tournament play, contributed 10 points and 10 boards in about 42 minutes over the two-game championship series.  Congratulations to Jessie on a successful campaign down under.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on September 12, 2008, 08:10:39 PM
Congratulations to 2008 OWU graduate Summer Quesenberry, who has just been named as the assistant coach for the women's basketball program at Vassar College (http://athletics.vassar.edu/index.php?action=fullnews&id=1973).  The Brewers were just 5-17 last season (1-13 in the Liberty League), but perhaps Summer can take some of that Nan Carney-DeBord magic with her to Poughkeepsie.  Good luck, Summer!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 06, 2008, 10:24:24 PM
Today was Media Day in the NCAC.  Seven of the loop's coaches and sixteen of 20 media members agree that the team to beat is four-time defending conference tournament champion Denison.  Both polls agree that Wittenberg and Ohio Wesleyan will provide the stiffest competition to the Big Red, with defending champion Kenyon tabbed to finish fourth.  While Witt, OWU, and Kenyon each suffered key graduation losses, Denison returns nearly intact with all five starters, three of them all-conference honorees in 2007-08.  The Media Day press release can be found here (http://www.northcoast.org/bkbmediaday/bkbpolls0809.pdf).

I hope to have a team-by-team preview posted here within the next 10 days or so.  If anyone reading this has any inside information (injuries, key frosh, etc.) that would help my analysis, I'd appreciate a note.  You can PM me on this site, or shoot me an email to dacollinge [at] yahoo [dot] com.  Requests for confidentiality will be scrupulously adhered to. 

EDIT: Here is a brief league preview by Dan Brown of the Wooster Daily Record. (http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4461924)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 12, 2008, 03:29:22 PM
NCAC team-by-team preview (part 1):

ALLEGHENY (11-15 overall, 8-8 NCAC, 5th in NCAC last season)
Returning starters: 5
Returning letterwinners: 12

The Gators, winners of the first five NCAC championships, appear to be well-positioned to make a run at their first title since 1989.  The NCAC's top scoring offense from a season ago (69.7 ppg) returns nearly intact, returning over 95% of their scoring, rebounding, assists, and minutes.  Three of those returnees were all-NCAC performers a season ago, including do-everything senior Stephanie Wolf (11.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG), who led the loop in steals and was third in assists in 2007-08 while earning first-team all-NCAC accolades.  The NCAC's best full-season three-point shooter, junior Brittany Bell (.466, 10.1 PPG), returns, as does junior Emilie Simone, the team's leading scorer (11.8 PPG) and second rebounder (5.2 RPG).  The vertically-challenged Gators were the NCAC's worst rebounding team (33.7 RPG) last season, but help is on the way from 5'11" frosh Liz McMichael and 6'0" junior forward Lauren Donahoe, a transfer from D-1 St. Francis (PA), where she saw action in 26 games last season, starting two.   Head coach Kate Costanzo, who served as the interim coach last season, has laid out a difficult slate for her Gators, with but three non-conference home games overall and just one home game between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day—and that game is against defending conference champion Kenyon. 

Projected starters:
G Hilary Collins (5'6" senior)
G Laura Magnelli (5'8" sophomore)
G Brittany Bell (5'6" junior)
G/F Stephanie Wolf (5'8" senior)
F/C Emilie Simone (5'9" junior)


DENISON (18-11, 11-5, 4th)
Returning starters: 5
Returning letterwinners: 10

Deep, experienced, tall, and talented, the four-time defending tournament champions enter the 2008-09 campaign as the conference favorites, according to both the coaches and media.  All five starters return, including three-time all-NCAC performer Carolyn Simpson, who was in the conference's top 5 in scoring (12.8, 5th), rebounding (8.4, 2nd), FG% (.517, 3rd), and blocks (1.93, 1st) last season.  The Big Red's potent offense (68.0 PPG) will again be led by two-time all-NCAC honoree and conference assist leader (5.24) Ellen O'Brien.   One of O'Brien's targets will be sophomore Haley Dahlgard, the NCAC's co-Newcomer of the Year last season and, at 6'1" with a team-leading 50 treys, a true inside/outside threat.  Overall, 88% of the offense and 91% of the rebounding return, with the missing points and boards belonging chiefly to role players and so-called "garbage time."  As if all that weren't enough, the Big Red add 5'6" senior guard Caitlin Graessle, a transfer from Capital who averaged 9.6 PPG as a starter for the 20-7 Crusaders a season ago.  Six frosh also join the program, looking to find a way to elbow into a senior-dominated roster that appears poised to make yet another run at the conference title. 

Projected starters:
G Ellen O'Brien (5'5" senior)
G Caitlin Graessle (5'6" senior)
W Sarah Perrine (5'8" senior)
W Haley Dahlgard (6'1" sophomore)
P Carolyn Simpson (6'1" senior)


EARLHAM (4-22, 3-13, T7th)
Returning starters: 3
Returning letterwinners: 5

Earlham had a tough season last year, playing just nine women, one of whom (leading scorer Shontavia Davis) missed the final 11 games of the campaign.  Just five of those players return this season, although the Quakers' lone all-conference honoree, senior forward Tasha Merrill (12.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG), is among them.  Joining Merrill are senior guard Tracy Hill, the NCAC's leading offensive rebounder (3.8 per game) despite standing just 5'6", and junior guard Jayana Sims, whose 3.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game were good for fourth and third in the NCAC, respectively.  The four departing players take with them 50% of the scoring, 39% of the rebounding, and 42% of the minutes played, which means that the nine frosh who join the program this year will have plenty of opportunities to make an immediate impact. 

Projected starters:
G Jayana Sims (5'4" junior)
G Katy Buda (5'4" junior)
G/F Tracy Hill (5'6" senior)
F Tasha Merrill (5'11" senior)
C Erin Litchfield (5'9" frosh)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 12, 2008, 08:10:45 PM
NCAC team-by-team preview (part 2):

HIRAM (5-20, 3-13, T7th)
Returning starters: 3
Returning letterwinners: 8

Hiram opens the season with a roster of just 10 women, looking to replace 43% of the offense and 35% of the rebounding from last season.  Head coach Andrea Preston played a very deep bench last season, with 11 women averaging double figures in minutes played.  Six of those eleven return for the 2008-09 campaign, and all six started at least 4 games last year.  Hiram will rely on that experience, as among the missing is senior Staphanie Zunic, a second-team all-NCAC performer.  The top returnee is junior guard Brittany Mayle, who led the team in scoring at 11.0 PPG and is coming off an injury that cost the second half of her sophomore season.  She'll be joined by juniors Alex Dellas (6.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 17 starts), Karris Kandel (2.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 15 starts), and Ashley Drum (5.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 7 starts) and sophomore Caitlyn Ruese (5.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 10 starts).  With no seniors and just two first-years, the days of the long bench appear to be over in Hiram.

Projected starters:
G Brittany Mayle (5'8" junior)
G Karris Kandel (5'7" junior)
F Caitlyn Ruese (5'11" sophomore)
F Alex Dellas (6'0" junior)
F Ashley Drum (6'0" junior)


KENYON (20-7, 16-0, 1st)
Returning starters: 1
Returning letterwinners: 8

Behind six seniors, Kenyon had a magical run through the conference season last year.  Without those six seniors, four of them all-NCAC performers, the Ladies enter a new chapter in their history.  The eight returning letterwomen bring with them just 22% of last year's offense, 39% of the rebounding, and 20% of the assists, as well as just 29% of the playing time.  The lone returning starter is junior Laurel Stokes, who will team up in the backcourt with sophomore Kat Powers to try to fill the very large shoes left behind by Alisha Moreno and Hilary Gowins, both multiple-time all-conference performers.  An even taller task (no pun intended) falls to sophomore Kathleen Williams, who along with juniors Rachel Levy and Laura Goehrke must find a way to replace NCAC Player of the Year Anne Dugan and her running mate Eva George.  Eight frosh join the program, and several of them are likely to be called upon to contribute in their first year.  Another addition to the program is new assistant coach Katy Zeanah, a three-time first team all-NCAC performer, returning to Gambier after two years in her native New Orleans.

Projected starters:
G Laurel Stokes (5'9" junior)
G Kat Powers (5'8" sophomore)
P Kathleen Williams (5'10" sophomore)
P Rachel Levy (6'0" junior)
P Laura Goehrke (6'1" junior)


OBERLIN (5-21, 4-12, 6th)
Returning starters: 4
Returning letterwinners: 10

New head coach Kerry Jenkins inherits a team on the rise, one that has moved up in terms of wins and conference standing each of the past three years, and one that returns nearly intact.  The Yeowomen must replace all-NCAC honoree and leading scorer Roneisha Kinney (11.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG), but all other key contributors return.  Oberlin will be led by senior guard Alyssa Clark, the conference's only returning 1,000-point career scorer (1,045 career points, 10.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.2 APG last season).  Aside from Clark, the Yeowomen return 8 players who averaged 9.0 minutes per game or better last season, including junior guard Alicia Smith, whose 31.3 minutes per game ranked third in the NCAC.  Three seniors rejoin the team after taking off last season to focus on their studies; these include 6'3" January Baker and 6'0" Maggie Casey, who will team with 6'3" junior Fran Holoman and 5'11" junior Emily Chu Finkel in trying to replace Kinney in the post.  With recruiting no doubt disrupted by the coaching change, Oberlin has just one newcomer (5'7" guard Rhianna Rey), but with lots of experienced players, the Yeowomen should be deep enough to continue to climb towards the top half of the conference.

Projected starters:
G Alyssa Clark (5'8" senior)
G Alicia Smith (5'5" junior)
G Syrea Thomas (5'5" sophomore)
F Liz Thompson (5'9" junior)
C Fran Holoman (6'3" junior)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 12, 2008, 09:30:14 PM
NCAC team-by-team preview (part 3):

OHIO WESLEYAN (18-8, 12-4, T2nd)
Returning starters: 1
Returning letterwinners: 7

OWU enters the season having to replace six key contributors who collectively provided 54% of the scoring, 57% of the rebounds, and 84% of the assists, as well as 61% of the playing time and 80% of the starts.  The lone returning starter, NCAC co-Newcomer of the Year Kayla Gordon, leads a group of four returnees that averaged at least 10 minutes per game in Nan Carney-DeBord's deep rotation.  As a first-year, Gordon was the Bishops' second-leading scorer at 10.6 PPG, and recorded the fourth-best FG% in the NCAC (.502).  Looking to feed her the ball will be PG Pam Quigney, who is also a threat to just shoot it from downtown; she connected on 42.5% of her treys last season, fifth-best in the conference.  This is a young team, with just one senior and two juniors.  Eight frosh join the program, with several of them expected to provide immediate contributions.  The top plebes to watch appear to be 5'9" wing Lea Mackenbach, 5'8" guard Lisa Wall, a hometown girl, and 6'0" post Dany Finck.

Projected starters:
G Pam Quigney (5'6" sophomore)
W Rachel Seibel (5'7" junior)
W Tyler Cordell (5'11" sophomore)
P Katie Hamilton (6'0" senior)
P Kayla Gordon (5'11" sophomore)


WITTENBERG (15-11, 12-4, T2nd)
Returning starters: 3
Returning letterwinners: 10

Newly promoted head coach Sarah Jurewicz (she was the interim coach last season) enters her second season with a lot of experienced players, but trying to find a way to replace one of the best players in Tiger history, three-time all-NCAC honoree Katie Gregorevich.  Gregorevich exchanged her team-leading 15.9 PPG and 7.0 RPG for a diploma this spring, leaving the paint to junior all-NCAC post Stephanie Boardman, whose .638 FG% set a new school and conference record.  The Tigers have plenty of experience outside the paint, including all-conference performer Carrie Dyer (8.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG) on the wing.  Wittenberg has the luxury of two experienced point guards in Victoria Leali, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in February, and Kristin Donawerth.  Overall the returning Tiger veterans accounted for 58% of the scoring, 62% of the rebounds, 67% of the assists, and two-thirds of the playing time.  Eight frosh join the program, bringing the pre-season roster to 22 players—Wittenberg is perhaps the only NCAC program to run a junior varsity. 

Projected starters:
G Kristin Donawerth (5'6" senior)
W Elise Jenkins (5'7" junior)
W Carrie Dyer (5'9" junior)
W Katherine Hueter (5'11" sophomore)
P Stephanie Boardman (5'11" junior)


WOOSTER (6-19, 3-13, T7th)
Returning starters: 4
Returning letterwinners: 7

Wooster, losers of their last nine games in 2007-08, figures to be much improved in 2008-09.  The perennially young Scots return four starters, including junior guard Kym Wenz.  Despite missing the final 12 games of last year's campaign, Wenz led the NCAC is scoring (17.5) and is one of the top three-point shooting threats in the nation (.523 last season, which would have been second-best in D3 had she qualified statistically.)  Complimenting Wenz will be the Scots' two returning all-NCAC performers, senior G Meredith Wilson and junior C Kaitlin Krister.  Both Wilson and Krister stepped up when Wenz went down, contributing more than 51% of the offense down the stretch.  Overall, the Scots return 84% of the offense and 81% of the rebounding, including the top five scorers and rebounders, although junior Taylor Keegan (6.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG) will miss the fall semester while she studies abroad.  Wooster must find a way to replace the production of PG Priscilla Staples (2.6 APG, 1.12 A/TO), although junior Colleen Goodwillie (1.9 APG, 1.07 A/TO) appears to more than capable of leading what could be a fairly potent offense.  The Scots add ten first-year players, including 6'2" Christina Cruce and four others standing 5'9" or taller.

Projected starters:
G Colleen Goodwillie (5'6" junior)
G Kym Wenz (5'7" junior)
G Meredith Wilson (5'9" senior)
F Becca Hartsock (5'8" junior)
C Kaitlin Krister (6'0" junior)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 12, 2008, 09:39:35 PM
My pre-season predictions:
1.  Denison
2.  Wittenberg
3.  Allegheny
4.  Ohio Wesleyan
5.  Kenyon
6.  Wooster
7.  Oberlin
8.  Earlham
9.  Hiram

All-conference first team:
Stephanie Wolf, Allegheny
Ellen O'Brien, Denison
Carolyn Simpson, Denison
Alyssa Clark, Oberlin
Kayla Gordon, Ohio Wesleyan
Carrie Dyer, Wittenberg
Stephanie Boardman, Wittenberg
Kym Wenz, Wooster

For comparison's sake, here's the coaches and media polls:
Coaches:
1. Denison
2. Wittenberg
3. OWU
4. Kenyon
5. Allegheny
6. Wooster
7. Hiram
8. Oberlin
9. Earlham
Media:
1. Denison
2. Wittenberg
3. OWU
4. Kenyon
5. Allegheny
6. Wooster
7. Oberlin
8. Hiram
9. Earlham

Good luck to all of the coaches and players!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 21, 2008, 02:18:43 PM

Good luck--and safe travels--to all!

EDIT:  Here's the results--NCAC goes 4-3 on the evening:
Wittenberg 95, Salem 66...Tigers will play Peace tomorrow
Washington & Jefferson 67, Kenyon 44...Ladies will play Otterbein tomorrow
St. Mary's 70, OWU 60...Bishops face Anderson tomorrow
Allegheny 50, Waynesburg 49...Gators host Mt. Union tomorrow
Denison 70, Juniata 55...Big Red take on Wilmington tomorrow
Hiram 61, Ursuline 59
Trine 83, Earlham 40...Quakers tackle Franklin tomorrow
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2008, 10:53:18 PM
Today's results:
Mt. Union 74, Allegheny 63
Wilmington 88, Denison 62
Franklin 85, Earlham 58
Otterbein 67, Kenyon 54
Whitman 75, Oberlin 36
Anderson 69, OWU 62
Wittenberg 69, Peace 54
Wooster 77, Pitt-Bradford 71

Tomorrow's games:
Oberlin at Macalester
Manchester at Wooster
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2008, 05:48:59 PM
Today's results:
Macalester 85, Oberlin 43
Manchester 64, Wooster 60

Seven teams in action on Tuesday:
Allegheny at Washington & Jefferson
Denison at Muskingum
Bluffton at Earlham
Capital at Kenyon
John Carroll at Oberlin
Ohio Wesleyan at Franklin
Wittenberg at Ohio Northern
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 25, 2008, 10:54:58 PM
It's always disappointing to watch the team you root for lose at Muskingum.  Their gym is like a shrine to the decades-long mediocrity of Muskie athletics.  They have a banner for each sport, listing the years in which Muskingum has won an OAC crown.  With the notable exception of softball, in which they are dominant, these banners recount a staggering amount of futility.  In most sports, the last conference title was in the 1980s or even earlier.  All of the banners, except softball, have lots and lots of blank space on them.  If I were a Muskingum athlete, I'd be pretty embarrassed.  So it hurts a little more when the NCAC's odds-on favorite goes into that gym and leaves with an 'L.'

Such was the case with Denison tonight, bested 70-64 by the Muskies.  This was a game that the Big Red could have, and probably should have, won, but they had no answer for Tiffany Youel and her school-record 37 points.  Both teams started slowly, but Denison was able to build a 6 point lead in the first 5+ minutes, then expand it to as much as 12, only to ease up and let Muskingum go on a 14-3 run to get right back in the game.  DU then sleepwalked through the first ten minutes of the second half, watching a one-point lead turn into 13 point deficit at the 9:40 mark.  It was only then that the Big Red got their edge back, and they got it from an unlikely source: a couple of breathtakingly horrible calls by one ref.  Re-inspired, Denison went on a 15-2 run over the next 5:13 to tie the game.  The rest of the way it was nip and tuck, but the visitors were never able to regain the lead and eventually had the clock slip away.

The game's stats were pretty even--Musky had slim edges in FG% (38%-37%), rebounds (41-39), and turnovers (9-10)--and Muskingum had almost as many fouls (15) as did the Big Red (18).  But the circumstances of those fouls were completely different.  Under Denison's hoop, the refs let the home team throw their opponents around like rag dolls, leading to 9 steals by the hosts, while at the opposite end, the least contact would invariably send a Muskie to the line.  The Muskies were a calm 19 of 22 from the line, while Denison attempted just 10 free throws all night (making 7). 

Special mention has to be made of the performance by Ms. Youel.  After misfiring on her first three long-range attempts in the first half she found her range, hitting six straight bombs from the arc, or well beyond it--on one play, she just calmly dribbled up the center of the court and let fly from at least 25 feet before anyone was even paying attention.  Muskingum did an excellent job of setting screens to get her open on the perimeter, but she didn't need them, as she was hitting even with a hand in her face.  DU did a better job keeping her bottled up in the second, thereby opening up the paint a bit for her teammates.  Unable to get anything going from the arc, she did her damage at the stripe, hitting 6 of 7 with a very smooth stroke.  She was complimented by a double-double by teammate Jessica McKenzie, with 22 points and 14 boards.  Both of these women will reach the 1,000 point milestone in the near future: Youel is now at 991, while McKenzie is at 959 for her career.

Still, if Denison had played a full 40 minutes, neither the officials not the otherworldly play of Tiffany Youel would have overcome them.  They have only themselves to blame.  Haley Dahlgard led the visitors with 14 points, all of them in the first half.  Denison falls to 1-2 and next faces Marietta in the Big Red's home opener next Wednesday.  Box (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw1125.html); recap (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/wb_muskingum08.html).

Elsewhere around the NCAC:
Washington & Jefferson 73, Allegheny (1-2) 68
Bluffton 81, Earlham (0-3) 59
Capital 77, Kenyon (0-3) 41
John Carroll 94, Oberlin (0-3) 39
Franklin 83, Ohio Wesleyan (0-3) 79
Wittenberg (3-0) 52, Ohio Northern 44
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2008, 03:45:43 PM
Congratulations to Wittenberg junior Stephanie Boardman, named as the first NCAC Women's Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) for this season.  Boardman, the MVP of the season-opening Jackie Ammons Memorial Tournament at Peace College, poured in 52 points as the Tigers cruised to the tournament title.  Stephanie added a team-high 12 points in Witt's impressive win at ONU on Tuesday.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 29, 2008, 12:30:39 AM
A nearly full slate of games on tap this afternoon and evening, with only the Denison Big Red getting the day off:
* Both Allegheny and Hiram will be participating in the 24th Annual Jim Meagle Turkey Shoot Tournament at Marietta College.  Hiram kicks things off with the host Pioneers, followed by Allegheny taking on Penn St.-Beaver.  Despite the presence of conference foes, this is a regular tournament (i.e., not classic format), making it possible for an Allegheny-Hiram non-conference matchup on Sunday.
* Ohio Wesleyan hopes to get off the schneid against Notre Dame (O.) in the Olivet College Thanksgiving Tournament.  The other participants are Carnegie Mellon and the host Comets, one of whom will be privy to the Bishops' Sunday sermon.
* Wittenberg puts their 3-0 record on the line in Wilmington's Fred Raizk Thanksgiving Tournament, where they will face Bethany College Saturday and either Pitt-Bradford or the host Quakers on Sunday.  Both Bethany and Pitt-Bradford participated in Wooster's Nan Nichols Classic last weekend, where they finished third and fourth, respectively, so there's good reason to anticipate a Witt/Wilma matchup on Sunday.  Such a game would provide a good early measuring stick for the conference race, given that Wilmington dumped Denison last weekend by 26 points.

In non-tournament action,
* Earlham hosts Mt. St. Joseph;
* Kenyon travels to Thiel;
* Oberlin visits LaRoche; and
* Wooster welcomes Bluffton.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 29, 2008, 07:56:27 PM
Allegheny 77, Penn St.-Beaver 67...Four Gators in double figures, led by Britni Mohney's 17 and Emilie Simone's double double (16/11).  'Gheny faces host Marietta tomorrow.
Marietta 78, Hiram 56...Hiram with 20 turnovers and -12 rebound margin; Brittany Mayle leads with 16 points.  Hiram will play Penn St.-Beaver tomorrow.
OWU 86, Notre Dame 78...Pam Quigney with 32 and Kayla Gordon with 30 to lead the Bishops to their first win of the season.
Mt. St. Joseph 71, Earlham 64...Tasha Merrill scores 22, and first-year Nikki Darrett adds 18 plus 9 rebounds.
Thiel 72, Kenyon 62...Four Ladies in double figures, but turnovers remain a big problem.
Bluffton 73, Wooster 70...Career game for Kaitlin Krister with 26 points, 11 boards, 3 steals.
Wittenberg 75, Bethany 50...Witt scores game's first 12 points and never look back.  Tigers led by posts Sarah Watson (17 points) and Stephanie Boardman (13 points/13 boards).  Witt will face unbeaten Wilmington tomorrow.
LaRoche 60, Oberlin 53
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 30, 2008, 07:28:49 PM
Today's results:
Wilmington 82, Wittenberg 74...This one reads (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/gamestories/08-09gamestories/wilmington.html) like it was a good game.  Witt is still having turnover problems (21 yesterday, 25 more today) and could not hope to overcome Kortney Kim's school-record 45 points.  But Witt did have the lead late (66-60) and, FWIW, did better at Wilmington than Denison did last week (88-62).
Allegheny 64, Marietta 53...Gators win the Turkey Shoot Tournament behind a double-double (15/10) from tournament MVP Jill Gregory.
Penn St.-Beaver 73, Hiram 67 (at Marietta)...Caitlyn Ruese's double-double (16/11) was not enough to keep the Terriers from a fourth-place Turkey Shoot finish.
OWU 97, Olivet 75...Bishops claim the Olivet Thanksgiving Tournament title with ease.  Tyler Cordell had 25 on 8/12 shooting, while tournament MVP Pam Quigney added 16 to give her 48 for the weekend.

Two more non-conference games (Oberlin at Heidelberg on Monday and Wittenberg at Baldwin-Wallace on Tuesday) before Wednesday's conference openers.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 01, 2008, 03:14:29 PM
Congratulations to OWU's sophomore guard Pam Quigney, this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Quigney tallied 79 points in three games, leading the Bishops to their first two wins of the season. 
Edit: it seems that the conference couldn't locate a photo of Pam.  Here's one from the OWU website, taken last season when she still sported #12:
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbishops.owu.edu%2Fimages%2Fquigney3.jpg&hash=63f9b29de03051e5d2e2eadfc8ab5e9f8be8c799) (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/pow1201.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 01, 2008, 09:50:03 PM
Despite Alyssa Clark scoring 28 on 10 of 20 shooting (4 of 8 from the arc), Heidelberg sends Oberlin to their fifth straight defeat tonight, 74-65, in Tiffin.  The Yeowomen scored the game's first six points and led by as many as nine until the Berg ended the half on a 9-2 run, slicing the Oberlin lead to just two points.  A 14-2 Heidelberg run opened the second half, but Oberlin battled back to within two points on a Katie Thompson triple with 11:18 remaining.  The locals pushed the lead back out to as many as 9 with 5:52 remaining, and Oberlin answered with a 9-2 run over the next 3:35, capped by a trey from Clark.  Heidelberg's Stacy Richard answered with a three-pointer of her own, and the hosts sealed the deal with five free throws and two fast break layups down the stretch.  For the game, the Yeowomen hit a respectable 37% from the arc, including 6 of 13 after the break, but were just 15 of 48 (31%) inside it.  Heidelberg was no better, held to 32% shooting by the Oberlin defense, but they outscored their guests by 10 points from the free throw line, and that was the difference.  Box (http://www.heidelberg.edu/sites/herald.heidelberg.edu/files/120108wb.htm).  Oberlin returns home to open NCAC play against Wooster on Wednesday.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 02, 2008, 11:06:18 PM
Wittenberg stepped up in class tonight to take on Baldwin-Wallace, and came up on the short end of a 77-57 decision.  The Yellow Jackets got out to a quick two touchdown lead an maintained it for most of the the rest of the contest.  B-W had an answer for everything the Tigers tried on offense, and found numerous holes in the Tiger D, leading to a 22-point halftime advantage.  In the decisive first half, the Jackets shot a blistering 63%, connecting from inside and out (4/8 from the arc), while holding the Tigers to just 35%, allowing 8 field goals but forcing 13 turnovers.  Wittenberg ended up shooting just 29% for the game, but that number was dragged down by 2/17 desperation shooting in the last 5 minutes (1/12 from the arc).  Witt committed 22 turnovers, but most of these were of the "forced" variety (B-W recorded 9 steals on the night.)  The visitors had the better of play through most of the second half, but it was not enough to make a significant dent in the Jacket lead (Witt never got closer than 14 after the half.)  Make no mistake, Baldwin-Wallace is several notches above the best that the NCAC has to offer.  Box (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw1202.htm); recap (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/gamestories/08-09gamestories/baldwinwallace.html). 

On Saturday, we take the first large step towards deciding just who is the best that the NCAC has to offer when Denison travels to Springfield to face Wittenberg.  In the meantime, NCAC competition begins tomorrow night with games at Earlham, Hiram and Oberlin as well as two more non-conference tilts:
NCAC games:
Allegheny at Hiram
OWU at Earlham
Wooster at Oberlin
Non-conference games:
Marietta at Denison
Case Western Reserve at Kenyon
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 03, 2008, 10:56:27 PM
Tonight's results:
Hiram 68, Allegheny 62...not sure what to make of this score, considering that 'Gheny beat two teams that beat Hiram this past weekend.  This could be a bad loss for the Gators, or it could signify that Hiram is getting better.
Wooster 74, Oberlin 57...career-best 33 points from Kym Wenz, who was 6-for-11 from the arc.  Oberlin gets a double-double (10/10) from January Baker, but shoots just 21% in the second half.
OWU 97, Earlham 44...Bishops put four in double figures, including a double-double (11/13) from Kayla Gordon.  22-0 run during the first half made the outcome academic.
Case 60, Kenyon 46...Ladies with 24 more turnovers, right on their season average.  Looks like Coach Helfant is tinkering with the lineup, looking for an answer.
Denison 74, Marietta 63...Come-from-behind victory at home against a team that 'Gheny beat on the road by 11...and 'Gheny lost to Hiram (who lost to Marietta by 22).  So much for the "comparative scores game."

Standings:
Ohio Wesleyan 1-0 (3-3 overall)
Hiram 1-0 (2-2)
Wooster 1-0 (2-2)
Wittenberg 0-0 (4-2)
Denison 0-0 (2-2)
Kenyon 0-0 (0-5)
Allegheny 0-1 (3-3)
Earlham 0-1 (0-5)
Oberlin 0-1 (0-5)

Saturday's games:
Hiram at OWU
Denison at Wittenberg
Kenyon at Allegheny
Earlham at Oberlin
Case Western Reserve at Wooster
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: woosterbooster on December 05, 2008, 12:28:35 AM
See, this is the major difference between men's and women's sports.  There are NO women in here!

It's not so much the difference in skill levels or athleticism on the playing fields.  It's the lack of a serious following by women, especially away from the grandstands.  Where are the partisan discussions that permeate men's sports (albeit too often to too high a degree)?  They just don't seem to exist, even as we begin to get into a third generation of the existence of women's and girl's athletic teams.  I like watching women's sports, and a certain proportion of male sportsfans do, but where is the interest from those women that participate, or participated, in arguing whose team is better, or which shooting guard can best bury the three?  It still ain't happening.

Prove me wrong, ladies! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2008, 03:46:10 PM
Denison gets the key road victory at Wittenberg, 58-54.  Big Red dominated the first half, leading by 11 at the break, but the Tigers clawed back into the game on the back of tenacious defense that contributed to icy Denison shooting.  Witt actually took a 1-point lead a couple of times down the stretch, but was unable to seal the deal.  Denison was led by Ellen O'Brien with 14 points (12 in the first half) and 4 assists, while Wittenberg got huge games from Stephanie Boardman (22 points, 13 boards) and Katherine Hueter (12 pts, 8 rebounds, 4 assists).  Box. (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw1206.htm)

Oberlin nips Earlham, 52-50.  More than half of Earlham's shots came from downtown, but they hit just 8 of them (27%) when what they needed was nine.  Alyssa Clark led the Yeowomen with 17 points and 10 boards, while Earlham's Nikki Darrett had a huge game with 23 points and 12 rebounds.  Box. (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW1206.HTM)

Allegheny rebounds from their unexpected loss to Hiram to knock off winless Kenyon, 51-47, at Meadville.  The Ladies held the Gators to a measly 29% shooting, but committed 22 turnovers and 21 fouls, leading to a Gator surplus in field goal (+5) and free throw (+17) attempts. Allegheny outscored Kenyon by 13 at the line, as the Gators committed just 12 fouls, leading to a mere four free throws for the Ladies.  Kenyon actually scored the game's first seven points, expanding their lead to as many as 10 before settling for a six-point halftime advantage.  Allegheny made a couple of runs, which were countered by Kenyon, until Hillary Collins nailed a three-pointer with 3:06 remaining to give the hosts their first lead of the day.  The Gators then hit five free throws while holding their guests to 1-for-5 shooting down the stretch to claim the victory. Box (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw1206.htm).

OWU takes down Hiram 78-50.  The Bishops shot 48% while holding the Terriers to 26% shooting.  Kayla Gordon (17 pts., 9 reb.) led four Bishops in double figures.  Hiram got points from all 10 players who saw action, but none had more than Tiffany Shields' 11.  Box. (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw1206.htm)

In the lone non-conference game of the day, Case Western Reserve defeated Wooster 89-73 at Timken Gym.  The Scots led by 13 points about 5 minutes into the second half, and then CWRU exploded for a game-ending 47-18 run, with the final score matching the game's largest lead.  The usual suspects led the Scots on the scoreboard: Kym Wenz 20, Kaitlin Krister 19, Meridith Wilson 13.  Woster shot 49% overall, but turned the ball over 21 times (vs. 14 for the Spartans) and allowed Case to sink more free throws than the Scots attempted, the classic formula for victory. 

Standings:
Ohio Wesleyan 2-0 (4-3 overall)
Denison 1-0 (3-2)
Wooster 1-0 (2-3)
Allegheny 1-1 (4-3)
Hiram 1-1 (2-3)
Oberlin 1-1 (1-5)
Wittenberg 0-1 (4-3)
Kenyon 0-1 (0-6)
Earlham 0-2 (0-6)

There are no more conference games until January.  This week's non-conference slate includes:
Mon: Allegheny at Penn St.-Behrend
Wed: Allegheny at Grove City
Wed: Denison at Bethany
Thu: Oberlin at Ursuline
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: woosterbooster on December 07, 2008, 04:10:17 PM
Not that I believe anyone will read this but Collinge, but here are some observations after watching Case Western at Wooster.

1.  Wooster really needs to use a more staggered approach to substituting.  With a serious lack of depth, it's imperative that they keep at least two starters on the floor at all times, and preferably three.  Sitting four, or worse yet five, of them down at the same time is why they are giving up monstrous runs that lead directly to the loss of ballgames.  I've seen it before, and I saw it again yesterday.  By the time they got their first string back into the game, not only had Case regained their lost confidence, but their whole team had lost theirs, and the game was gone.

No starter needs to have reduced minutes.  As a matter of fact, the minutes of starting point guard Keshia Butler and Deanna Pickett (who needs to be the fifth starter) should be increased.

Example of players on the court by clock increments:

20-16: Krister, Wenz, Wilson, Butler, Pickett.
16-13: Wenz, Wilson, Butler (resting Krister and Pickett).
13-10: Wenz, Krister, Pickett ( resting Wilson and Butler).
10-7: Krister, Wilson, Butler (resting Wenz and Pickett).
7-4: Wenz, Pickett (resting Krister, Wilson, and Butler).
4-0: Krister, Wenz, Wilson, Butler, Pickett.

Using the same pattern for both halves would give the following minutes to the starters:
Krister: 28
Wenz: 34
Wilson: 28
Butler: 28
Pickett: 28

Wenz could (and probably should) be pulled for a quick break sometime during her 10 minute stretch, which is the longest that anyone would be consecutively on the court.  Other minor adjustments can be made based upon the stamina of the individuals, how they're playing, foul trouble, and the game situation.  But that's the idea, that being that there is never a really weak team, and especially a lack of some scoring threats, on the floor.

2. When the game is over, the game is over.  If you're down by fifteen points with a couple of minutes to go, call off the dogs, and STOP FOULING!  You aren't going to catch up, nobody can.  Accept the loss and show good sportsmanship by allowing the game to end.   
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2008, 09:45:57 PM
Allegheny gets a double double-double (with sprinkles, please!) from Lauren Donahoe (19/10) and Stephanie Wolf (10/13) and drops Penn St.-Behrend 75-65.  The Gators shot 41%, nearly all of them from inside the arc (whatever happened to Brittany Bell, anyway?), and overcame a breathtaking 36 turnovers (20 of them steals) to post the road win.  The Gators held the Lions to just 32% shooting, forced 27 turnovers, and won the battle of the boards by a staggering +24.  'Gheny moves to 5-3 and next travels to Grove City for a contest Wednesday.  Box (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw1208.htm); recap (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/9174/womenbb_entry).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 09, 2008, 05:26:51 PM
Wooster sharpshooter Kym Wenz has been honored with the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) award for Dec. 8.  Wenz poured in 33 points and grabbed 5 steals in the Scots' victory at Oberlin, and added another 20 points in Wooster's loss to Case.  Congratulations, Kym!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 10, 2008, 11:55:43 PM
Tonight's unpleasant non-conference action:
Grove City 54, Allegheny 51...The Gators trailed by 11 at the half, but managed to force a tie which lasted inside the final minute of play, but an old-fashioned three-point play gave the Wolverines the lead, and two free throws iced it.  Allegheny shot just 29% in the first half while their hosts canned 52% of their shots.  For the evening, the Gators shot at a 37% clip, failed to sink a three-pointer all night (whatever happened to Brittany Bell, anyway?), and recorded a paltry 3 assists on 22 buckets.  They did force 23 turnovers and held GCC to 33% shooting during their second-half comeback, but it came up just short.  Recap (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/9183/womenbb_entry); box (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw1210.htm).

Bethany 76, Denison 63...Geez, DU is one enigmatic ballclub.  I've seen Bethany twice, and they're not a good basketball team.  Wittenberg punished the Bison by 25 points less than two weeks ago, before losing--at home--to the Big Red.  Frankly, Bethany is an opponent that Denison should beat with ease, but instead they were outscored by better than a point per minute for most of the first half.  After missing 71% of their first-half shots, including making just one of 10 treys, Denison put together a 16-2 run over a 5:47 span in the 2nd half, cutting the lead to just four, but the comeback ran out of steam and the Bison gradually pulled away.  The Big Red had three players score in double figures, led by senior post Carolyn Simpson, whose 16 points included her 1,000th career point.  Congratulations, although I'm certain she'd have preferred her achievement to have been under happier circumstances.  Recap (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/wb_bethany08.html); box (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw1210.html#GAME.BOX).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 13, 2008, 11:21:47 PM
Tonight:
Kenyon 54, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 52...Ladies get off the schneid, and they do it on the home court of an unbeaten NAIA school.  Go figger...
Thiel 51, Hiram 37...Terriers shoot just 24%, and their leading scorer (Tiffany Shields) had just 7 points.
Earlham at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, no score reported.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2008, 06:48:46 PM
Today:
Wooster 74, Pine Manor 30...what can be said about a game like this?  PMC (1-6) shot under 20%, missed 10 of 14 free throws, surrendered 66 rebounds, and allowed 40 Scot points in the paint.  Wooster turned the ball over a shocking 26 times, but the Gators could only muster 6 points off those turnovers.  Kym Wenz (20) and Kaitlin Krister (11) outscored PMC all by themselves; Wenz also racked up 10 rebounds and 5 steals.

Yesterday:
Still no result from the Earlham/SMWC game.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2008, 05:40:38 PM
THIS JUST IN...
Saturday's result: Earlham 84, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College 73....details [probably not] forthcoming, film at 11!

Elsewhere (and elsewhen):
Worcester St. 82, Wooster 63...although I suppose it's not out of the realm of possibility that those scores got mixed up along the line. ;) Kym Wenz had 22, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the arc, and frosh post Christina Cruce had her second consecutive career-best performance with 16 points.  Worcester St. trailed by 1 at the half but shot better than 58% in the second to seize the win.  Also pivotal were the results from the free throw line, where WSC was 13 for 17 while COW was a piteous 4 of 11 (and just 1/6 in the second half).  Box. (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/worcester.php)
Bluffton 58, Hiram 57...trailing by nine at the half, Hiram came all the way back to grab the lead with 0:08 left...only to be thwarted by a pair of free throws with 0:03 remaining.  The Terriers had three players score in double figures, abetted by Caitlyn Ruese's 9 points and 12 rebounds.  Box. (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/hirw1216.htm)
Adrian 76, Earlham 49...Tasha Merrill scored 15 and grabbed 10 boards, but it wasn't enough against the now 6-1 Bulldogs.  The Quakers made a healthy 56% of their shots taken inside the arc, but just 19% of those from beyond it...and they took roughly the same number of each (27 and 26, respectively).  Adrian's shooting was both better (48% overall, 52% from downtown) and more selective (21 treys, 41 two-pointers), and that spells victory.  Between them, these two teams misfired on 20 of 29 free throws...!  Box. (http://adrianbulldogs.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2008-2009/1216acec.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2008, 06:05:50 PM
Earlham may not report scores, but the do nominate players, and this week one of their nominees has been homored as the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  First-year Nikki Darret copped the award by virtue of her 22-point second half at SMWC, leading the Quakers to their first win of the season.  Congratulations, Nikki!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 19, 2008, 12:06:59 AM
Tonight:
Pitt-Greensburg 82, Allegheny 62...'Gheny gets 22 from Stephanie Wolf but can't overcome 57% shooting by the 9-1 Bobcats.  The Gators shot a respectable 43%, but made just three baskets from beyond the arc...say, whatever happened to Brittany Bell, anyway?
Ohio Wesleyan 95, Otterbein 86...this was a great one.  The halftime score was 51-51, if that tells you anything.  Otterbein shot 55% overall and had four double figure scorers, but OWU also had four in double figures and hit 49% of their attempts.  The difference was that OWU dominated the glass (39-27, 17-9 on the offensive glass) and that Ott finally went cold down the stretch (they hit just 1 of 8 treys in the second half.)  Ott had a beautiful 24 assists on 38 baskets, while OWU was almost as effective with 19 assists on 33 hoops.  This was not a game of poor defense, it was rather a combination of excellent offense and hot shooting, and a joy to watch.  OWU's Kayla Gordon led all scorers with 31 on 10-of-14 shooting (3/3 from the arc, 8/8 from the stripe), and was also the game's top rebounder with 11 (6 offensive).  Otterbein's Laura Roth recorded an unusual double-double with 26 points and 11 assists.  Box. (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw1218.htm)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 20, 2008, 07:39:29 PM
Today:
Anderson 71, Earlham 60...the EC led 57-55 with 6:42 left before the wheels came off.  Tasha Merrill had 23 points and 8 boards to lead the Quakers, who went 8 for 27 from the arc.  I'm interested to see this team play to try to figure out why they take so many threes.  In the first nine games, they've averaged 23.1 three-point attempts per game, which is more than 42% of their total FG attempts.  The thing is, they're not very good at it, hitting just 24%.  Is this a pseudo-Grinnell strategy, or does it suggest troubles getting the ball into the post?  Inquiring minds want to know! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: woosterbooster on December 23, 2008, 12:24:28 AM
With courts now having multiple three-point lines, there is quite a bit of confusion out there.  The Earlham players may be feeling, after successfully working the ball across so many demarcations, that they MUST BE in the paint, when actually they've only crossed over the NBA, men's NCAA, and international three-point lines.  A sad state of affairs, if you ask me, which I'm sure nobody will.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 24, 2008, 07:32:04 PM
To Wooster Booster and the other thousands of you that constitute the silent majority of my readership, I wish the happiest of holidays.  May your new year be filled with buzzer-beaters, behind-the-back assists, and Brittany Bell sightings.  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: woosterbooster on December 25, 2008, 02:34:22 PM
Happy Holidays, DC.  May the new year show an upturn to the economy but a continued downturn to the fate of the Wittenberg men hoopsters.  And here's hoping that you decide to broaden your basketball horizons with sightings of Samantha P., Jena S., and even the current version of your neighboring Hiland Hawks at the CintheC.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on December 25, 2008, 04:54:23 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 24, 2008, 07:32:04 PM
To Wooster Booster and the other thousands of you that constitute the silent majority of my readership, I wish the happiest of holidays.  May your new year be filled with buzzer-beaters, behind-the-back assists, and Brittany Bell sightings.  :)

Merry Christmas, David!

signed,

one of the silent majority :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: woosterbooster on December 25, 2008, 11:11:34 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on December 25, 2008, 04:54:23 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 24, 2008, 07:32:04 PM
To Wooster Booster and the other thousands of you that constitute the silent majority of my readership, I wish the happiest of holidays.  May your new year be filled with buzzer-beaters, behind-the-back assists, and Brittany Bell sightings.  :)

Merry Christmas, David!

signed,

one of the silent majority :D

Aww, I seen you in action in the Political Forum.  You ain't that silent. :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on December 25, 2008, 11:13:32 PM
Quote from: Wooster Booster on December 25, 2008, 11:11:34 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on December 25, 2008, 04:54:23 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 24, 2008, 07:32:04 PM
To Wooster Booster and the other thousands of you that constitute the silent majority of my readership, I wish the happiest of holidays.  May your new year be filled with buzzer-beaters, behind-the-back assists, and Brittany Bell sightings.  :)

Merry Christmas, David!

signed,

one of the silent majority :D

Aww, I seen you in action in the Political Forum.  You ain't that silent. :)

Merry Christmas to you, too, WooBoo! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 28, 2008, 12:54:47 AM
Staten Island 74, Denison 64 (at San Diego)...The Big Red trailed by 13 at the half, but pulled themselves back into the contest, forcing a tie on three separate occasions, the last with 3:54 remaining.  But down the stretch DU missed five straight field goal attempts and four consecutive free throws, allowing the Dolphins to cruise out to a ten-point lead while simultaneously running out the clock.  Shaina Kaiser and Sarah Perrine led the Big Red with 20 and 19 points, respectively, and Carolyn Simpson ripped down 16 rebounds, but the Granvillians turned the ball over 28 times and shot just 53% (9/17) from the line.  Denison returns to action on Monday when they face tourney host Point Loma Nazarene.  Box. (http://www.pointloma.edu/Assets/PLNU/Athletics/Women$!27s+Basketball/2008Box/Surf+2.htm)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 28, 2008, 02:52:12 PM
Westfield St. 72, Kenyon 64...Despite 21 steals leading to a +20 FGA margin, Kenyon falls to the hot-shooting and non-fouling Owls.  The Ladies' advantage in shots attempted resulted in just a two-point edge, as Westfield St. shot a blistering 54% from the floor.  The foul discrepancy (18-10) was converted by the Owls into a +10 margin at the free throw line.  The good news is that the game was over before noon, leaving the Ladies plenty of time to enjoy a sunny 78 degree Daytona Beach afternoon.  Dark clouds, in the form of #10 Amherst, loom on tomorrow's forecast, however.  Box. (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28454.xml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 29, 2008, 02:56:16 AM
Five games on Monday:
Denison at Point Loma Nazarene
Kenyon vs. Amherst (at Daytona Beach)
Heidelberg at OWU
Mt. St. Joseph at Wittenberg
Wooster at Westminster
I'll be traveling all day, and won't be able to provide my customary updates until Tuesday.  So please, just sit quietly, with your hands folded on your desks, and wait patiently until I return. :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2008, 01:53:08 PM
Quickies:
OWU 89, Heidelberg 76 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw1229.htm)...Four in double figures (Quigney 19) and +17 on the boards for the Bishops, who face 8-1 Washington & Jefferson this afternoon.
Wittenberg 67, Mt. St. Joseph 55 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/zimw2.htm)...Tigers shot poorly (34%, 2/14 from the arc) but forced 32 turnovers and scored 25 from the line.  Tigers take on UW-Oshkosh tonight.
Westminster 62, Wooster 60 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/westminster.php)...Scots end the game on a 16-2 run, but it was not quite enough to overcome a 16-point deficit at 5:28.  Kym Wenz had 18 points to lead all scorers.
Point Loma Nazarene 91, Denison 49 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw1229.html#GAME.BOX)...PLNU is ranked #11 in NAIA-I, so this result is hardly a surprise.  DU was outshot 51% to 28%, and Shaina Kaiser's 10 points were enough to make her the top-scoring visitor.  The Big Red close out their San Diego tour with Hanover this afternoon.
Amherst 66, Kenyon 36 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28459.xml)...The Ladies limp home from Daytona with a 1-8 record after getting waxed by the tenth-ranked Lord Jeffs.  Kenyon made just 13 baskets on the afternoon (24%) while committing 25 turnovers.  None of the Ladies could manage more than Kathleen Williams' seven points.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2008, 11:03:17 PM
Tonight around the NCAC:
Washington & Jefferson 62, Ohio Wesleyan 50 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw1230.htm)...Bishops shoot just 30% in dropping the Hoops for Hope Classic championship game at Branch Rickey Arena.  Kayla Gordon had 16, and Tyler Cordell added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
UW-Oshkosh 63, Wittenberg 60 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/zimw4.htm)...Witt got out to an early 8-point lead, but a subsequent 24-5 Titan run put the Tigers in an 11-point halftime hole.  Witt then started the second half with a 14-2 outburst to regain the lead, and it remained close from that point (14:52) forward, with three ties and three lead changes and neither team leading by more than five.  Witt outrebounded their guests by 11 and shot 38% from the floor, including 7 threes (37%) which may be a season high, but connected on just two of their last 10 field goal attempts down the stretch, allowing Oshkosh to escape with the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic championship.
Hanover 66, Denison 63 (http://www.hanover.edu/docs/athletics/surf5.htm)...Denison goes 0-3 in San Diego and, perhaps even worse, has to leave that beautiful city to return to Granville.  Outrebounded by a breathtaking 60-33 margin (22-9 on the offensive glass), the Big Red still managed to get off only four fewer shots than their opponents, and scored as many points from the field as did the Panthers, by virtue of hitting nine treys to Hanover's 1.  The game was decided at the free throw line, where DU was a woeful 8/17.  Denison had three scorers in double figures, led by Carolyn Simpson's 14, but could not overcome the titanic performance of Hanover's Molly Martin, who recorded 25 points and 19 rebounds.
Mt. Union 75, Hiram 46 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/hirw1230.htm)...Another big rebounding differential (+22 for MUC), and this time it was the difference.  MUC shot more often (+7) and more accurately (39% to 31%), and for good measure made more free throws (16) than Hiram attempted (13).  No Hiram player broke into double figures in any category other than 'minutes played;' Caitlyn Ruese had the top stat line with 9 points and 7 rebounds.
Defiance 86, Earlham 66 (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2008-09/stats/erlw1230.html)...Although firing up threes with much less frequency than normal (16, of which 3 were successful), the results were the same for the Quakers, who drop to 1-9 on the season.  Earlham did manage to match their guests in two-pointers made (EC was 22/38, DC was 22/54), which I think confirms that this was a good change in strategy.  However, although Defiance was an unimpressive 41% inside the arc, they were a crazy 52% outside it, draining 11 treys along with any hope the EC had of being competitive.  The Yellow Jackets led from the opening gun, but the Quakers kept the game close for the first quarter, trailing by just 3 at the 10:43 mark.  However, Defiance went on a 16-4 run over the next six-plus minutes, led by 13 at the half, and Earlham never got within 10 again.  Tasha Merrill poured in 22 points to lead all scorers.

Well, that wasn't a lot of fun to type.  Maybe 2009 will be kinder to our student-athletes... :-\
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 31, 2008, 03:50:55 PM
January brings a return to conference action, so here's an update of the conference and overall standings:

Ohio Wesleyan 2-0 / 6-4
Wooster 1-0 / 3-5
Denison 1-0 / 3-6
Allegheny 1-1 / 5-5
Hiram 1-1 / 2-6
Oberlin 1-1 / 1-7
Wittenberg 0-1 / 5-4
Kenyon 0-1 / 1-8
Earlham 0-2 / 1-9

Our collective non-conference record is a disturbing 20-47 (.299), with nine more non-conference games scheduled in January.  But first, a weekend of conference action is on tap, including a pair of games that could determine whether Wooster will be a factor in this race:
Friday:
Earlham at Allegheny
Denison at Wooster
Wittenberg at Hiram
OWU at Kenyon
Oberlin is idle
Saturday:
Wittenberg at Allegheny
Earlham at Hiram
Oberlin at Kenyon
Wooster at OWU
Denison is idle

Good luck to all teams, and happy new year to everybody!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 03, 2009, 12:14:50 AM
Finals:
Allegheny 72, Earlham 64 (http://www.allegheny.edu/cgi-bin/mt/mt-view.cgi/5/entry/9216/womenbb_entry)...Tasha Merrill had 27, including her 1,000th career point, but the Gators had four in double figures, led by Hilary Collins' 18.  No boxscore is available, so I can't continue to rag on 'Gheny for not using Brittany Bell.  :)
Denison 81, Wooster 66 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/woow0102.html#GAME.BOX)...DU used a 17-4 run midway through the second half to break open a close game.  Shaina Kaiser had 32 points, hitting 10 of 12 field goal attempts and all eight free throws.  Wooster's Kaitlin Krister posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 boards.
Kenyon 71, OWU 58 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28462.xml)...in the upset of the night, Kenyon shows that they're not going to cede their championship trophy without a fight.  KC had a +14 rebounding advantage, including a whopping 26 offensive rebounds, and held their guests to 32% shooting.  Kathleen Williams recorded a career-high 19 points to go along with 12 boards to lead the Ladies.
Wittenberg 63, Hiram 51 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0102.htm)...Wittenberg scored the last five points before halftime to open up an 11 point lead, then held the pesky Terriers at bay over the second 20:00 to record the win.  Despite a +9 rebounding advantage, Witt actually had eight fewer field goal attempts, but outshot their hosts 42%-30%.  Rachel Dixon's double-double (19/10) led the Tigers in the scorebook.  I had a chance to catch up with old friend John Strawn at the game.  John, now the assistant SID at Louisiana-Lafayette, was back in town for the holidays and took up his old chair in the Witt play-by-play booth.  Best wishes to John.

Standings:
Denison 2-0 / 4-6
Ohio Wesleyan 2-1 / 6-5
Allegheny 2-1 / 6-5
Wittenberg 1-1 / 6-4
Wooster 1-1 / 3-6
Kenyon 1-1 / 2-8
Oberlin 1-1 / 1-7
Hiram 1-2 / 2-7
Earlham 0-3 / 1-10

Saturday's games:
Wittenberg at Allegheny
Earlham at Hiram
Oberlin at Kenyon
Wooster at OWU
Denison is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 03, 2009, 11:10:51 PM
Wittenberg 60, Allegheny 52 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0103.htm)...Tied at the half, there were five lead changes and four ties before Victoria Leali drained a three with 12:24 left, giving the Tigers a 5-point lead.  Jill Gregory responded with a layup, but that was as close as the Gators would get the rest of the way.  Allegheny still has no outside game*, and were badly outrebounded (-17, -10 in the second half), making catch-up a difficult proposition.  Witt got big games from Stephanie Boardman (19 pts., 9 reb., 3 steals) and Carrie Dyer (15 pts., 8 reb., 9/10 from the line incl. 8/8 in the second half).
*I guess it's time to retire my running Brittany Bell gag; she's still not playing, and I guess nobody is ever going to tell me why. 
Ohio Wesleyan 66, Wooster 52 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0103.htm)...OWU rights the ship with a comfortable win over the visiting Scots.  The Bishops' lead reached 11 on Pam Quigney's trey at 7:52 of the 1st, and Wooster was only able to get within single digits when Meredith Wilson hit a three just before the half.  OWU opened the second half with a steal by Tyler Cordell, leading to a Quigney layup, and OWU was never threatened again.  Quigney led all scorers with 27, including 5/10 from the arc, and Katie Hamilton added a double-double (13/11).  Wooster was led as usual by their dynamic duo, Kym Wenz (23 pts., 11 reb.) and Kaitlin Krister (14/10), but could only get 15 pts. and 10 reb. collectively from the other 9 players who saw action.
Kenyon 67, Oberlin 43 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28468.xml)...Kenyon cruised to an easy victory tonight, providing further evidence that they've put their woeful non-conference season behind them and are focusing on their title defense.  After falling behind by 10 at the half, Oberlin came out ice-cold in the second, making just two baskets in the final 20:00, principally against Kenyon's second team.  Alyssa Clark was held mostly in check, but still managed a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.  On the other side, Kenyon got a very balanced effort with eleven players in the scorebook (led by Laurel Stokes' 14 points, most if not all in the first half) and no player over 23 minutes.
Hiram 70, Earlham 58 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/hirw0103.htm)...Same old same old for Earlham, who shot 54.5% from inside the arc and just 12.5% from outside, but still took 24 treys (42% of their shots.)  Hiram, by contrast, was only good on 38% of their inside shots, but hit six treys (32%) and used a +9 turnover margin to create nine more field goal attempts than their guests.  Balanced scoring was the order of the day: each team had three in double figures, but nobody had more than Tasha Merrill.  The Terriers recorded 16 assists on their 24 baskets, while the Quakers had 13 assists on their 21 hoops, suggesting either a well-played game or a generous scorekeeper.

Standings:
Denison 2-0 / 4-6
Ohio Wesleyan 3-1 / 7-5
Wittenberg 2-1 / 7-4
Kenyon 2-1 / 3-8
Allegheny 2-2 / 6-6
Hiram 2-2 / 3-7
Wooster 1-2 / 3-7
Oberlin 1-2 / 1-8
Earlham 0-4 / 1-11

This week's games:
Monday: Oberlin at Bryn Mawr
Tuesday: Oberlin at Haverford
Wednesday:
Ohio Wesleyan at Denison
Wittenberg at Earlham
Kenyon at Wooster
Penn St.-Behrend at Allegheny
Hiram at Case Western Reserve
Oberlin is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 05, 2009, 10:56:24 PM
Oberlin 53, Bryn Mawr 47 (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0105.HTM)...trailing by 15 at the half, the Yeowomen came roaring back to stun the Owls and their 76 fans.  Oberlin stepped up the defensive pressure after the intermission, forcing the Owls to turn the ball over twice for every basket made (14 turnovers, 7/28 shooting).  The Yeowomen had a +6 rebounding advantage in the 2nd, including an 11-3 edge on the offensive glass, leading to 10 second-chance points, and were fouled 12 times, leading to 16 charity points.  Alyssa Clark had a huge second half with 18 points and 8 boards, giving her a double-double with 25 and 12.  Little-used Emily Chu Finkel came off the bench to grab 11 rebounds, while Syrea Thomas contributed 11 points including 7-of-9 from the free throw line.  Oberlin continues their midwinter trip down the Main Line tomorrow at Haverford.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 05, 2009, 11:06:45 PM
Kenyon's Kathleen Williams posted a double-double, including a career high 19 points, in leading Kenyon to a victory over Ohio Wesleyan Friday, and today was rewarded as the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Kathleen added another 8 points in limited minutes against Oberlin on Saturday, giving her weekly totals of 27 points and 14 rebounds.  Congratulations on the honor, Kathleen!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 06, 2009, 09:16:29 PM
Oberlin 72, Haverford 64 (OT) (http://www.goyeo.com/news/2009/1/6/WBB_0106093608.aspx?tab=)...Oberlin pulls out a thriller at Haverford, a game which went to OT on a Haverford buzzer-beater off an inbounds play with 0:02 in regulation.  Taking the momentum into the OT, the Fords raced out to a six-point lead, their largest of the game, only to see the Yeowomen finish the game on a 14-0 run to complete a perfect Main Line trip.  The Yeowomen were led by Syrea Thomas' 26 points, which included 5/8 shooting from the arc, with an additional 21 mostly late-game points and seven assists from Alyssa Clark.  Emily Chu Finkel notched her second straight huge game with 12 rebounds, 9 points (despite a 3/12 free throw performance), and a huge assist on Clark's three that gave the Yeowomen the OT lead. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 07, 2009, 11:37:46 PM
Denison 70, Ohio Wesleyan 59 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0107.html#GAME.BOX)...The Big Red take a chokehold on the top spot, with wins over both of main contenders: first Wittenberg, and now OWU.  Denison got balanced scoring, getting 40 points from their bench while the Bishops could muster just 5.  The Big Red were also on fire from downtown, draining 10 of 21 treys, including 3 of 5 from Shaina Kaiser, the game's leading scorer with 18.  Three other DU players reached double figures, all of them off the bench, and while Carolyn Simpson was held to just 4 points, she compensated by ripping down 13 rebounds.  Katie Hamilton had her second straight huge game for the Bishops, scoring 15 points and grabbing 18 boards including 8 on the offensive glass.
Wittenberg 78, Earlham 59 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0107.htm)...Good things happen when you get 63 rebounds, especially when 35 of them are on the offensive end.  They happened tonight at Earlham as Witt kept pace with Denison in an easy win over the Quakers.  Carrie Dyer, who has played her way into the starting lineup, led a very balanced Tiger attack with 14 points and 10 boards.  Nikki Darrett (20) and Tasha Merrill (16) were the top scorers for the hosts, but the rest of the squad could only contribute 23 points on 7 for 21 shooting.
Wooster 56, Kenyon 48 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/kenyon.php)...In a defensive struggle at Wooster that featured more turnovers (46) than baskets (37), the Scots used their superior height to end the Ladies' modest two-game winning streak.  Neither team could break the 40% shooting mark (COW 38.5%, KC 34%) and treys were scarce (COW 2/7, KC 3/18), but Wooster was able to out score their guests by 10 in the paint and by 3 at the line, more than enough to secure the victory.  Wooster was led by the usual suspects, Kym Wenz (23 points, 6 boards, 6 assists) and Kaitlin Krister (16 points, 6 boards, 3 blocks), while Kenyon got 17 points from Kat Powers.
Penn St.-Behrend 64, Allegheny 63 (http://www.behrend.psu.edu/athletics/wbball/TAS/allw0107.htm)...The Gators drop a heartbreaker in Erie.  'Gheny had a huge 51-27 rebounding edge and shot 43% on the night, but Behrend recorded 18 steals and 13 other Gator turnovers, evening up the FG attempted stat, and Behrend's shooting percentage (44%) was just as good as their guests.  So what was the difference?  Behrend sank five threes (in 11 attempts), while 'Gheny was treyless in just two attempts.  :-X  Jill Gregory led the Gators qith 19, while Emilie Simone contributed 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Case Western Reserve 69, Hiram 52 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/stats/w-basketball/hirw0107.htm)...Case shot just a little better (41%-35%), rebounded just a little better (42-39), took care of the ball just a little better (19-21), dished the ball just a little better (17-13), and shot free throws a whole heckuva lot better (14 of 22 vs. 6 of 14).  In fact, this game was tight for the last 35 minutes, with Hiram outscoring the Spartans 52-49 over that period.  Unfortunately, the game was underway for 4:43 before anyone told the Terriers about it, a span which saw Case run out to a fuhgeddaboudit 20-0 lead.  Jess Cowan led the visitors with 14 points on 4 of 9 shooting.

Standings:
Denison 3-0 / 5-6
Wittenberg 3-1 / 8-4
Ohio Wesleyan 3-2 / 7-6
Allegheny 2-2 / 6-7
Wooster 2-2 / 4-7
Hiram 2-2 / 3-8
Kenyon 2-2 / 3-9
Oberlin 1-2 / 3-8
Earlham 0-5 / 1-12

This weekend's games:
Friday:  Wooster at Ursuline
Saturday:
Hiram at Denison
Oberlin at Wittenberg
Allegheny at Ohio Wesleyan
Kenyon at Earlham
Wooster is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 10, 2009, 12:09:23 AM
Quote from: top of this very boardDavid Collinge and 0 Guests are viewing this topic.
Nevertheless...

Ursuline 66, Wooster 63 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/ursuline.php)...The Scots led by 4 at the half and extended the lead to 9 with 11:43 left, then Usruline went on a 21-6 run over the next 7:13, capped off by a technical on the Wooster bench.  The Scots clawed back, closing to within one point with 0:52 left, then Samantha Justice stole the ball and had a chance to give the visitors the lead, but her jumper with 0:10 remaining went awry, allowing the Arrows to escape with the victory.  Kym Wenz led the Wooster scoring with 20, and while Kaitlin Krister was held six and a half points below her season average, she was still a force with 13 rebounds and five assists. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 10, 2009, 10:48:53 AM
Sports and weather on the 8's...
Hiram at Denison...postponed until 1pm Sunday
Oberlin at Wittenberg...postponed until 3pm Sunday
As far as I can tell, the Allegheny at OWU game is still on (1pm), although the men's game at OWU (vs. Hiram) has been postponed, as has Allegheny's swim meet at Hiram.  If it gets played, it will be streamed live on OWU's website (http://bishops.owu.edu/).
It appears that the Kenyon at Earlham women's/men's doubleheader (1pm/3pm) is still on.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 10, 2009, 03:46:20 PM
Ohio Wesleyan 72, Allegheny 56 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0110.htm)...The shorthanded Gators gave a game effort but couldn't overcome the homestanding Bishops.  Allegheny was missing Brittany Bell, of course, and also senior leaders Stephanie Wolf and Hilary Collins, who were injured when they collided with one another during Wednesday's game vs. Behrend.  Still, the Gators played outstanding defense, making life difficult for the OWU offense for most of the first half.  Not difficult enough, however, as the Bishops were able to knock down 28% of their shots, including 3 points, in establishing a 7 point halftime lead.  After the half, OWU's depth and inside advantage came to the fore as the Bishops secured the win.  Katie Hamilton continued her recent run of strong games with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks.  Tyler Cordell contributed a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards, and added 6 assists to boot.  Jill Gregory led the Gators with 17 points, and Shannon Culbreath contributed 11 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive glass.
Kenyon 69, Earlham 52 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28481.xml)...Kenyon hit just one in three shots in limping to a halftime tie with the last-place Quakers, but the second half was a whole 'nother story.  The second-half Ladies blistered the nets at a 58% clip, including a 4/8 performance from the arc, and ran away for the easy victory.  Kenyon got 39 points from their bench, including career-highs from first-years Suzanne Kahle (19) and Andrea Pohly (17).  Laurel Stokes, a three-year starter, also notched a career-high with 19 points.  Earlham's scoring came primarily from Tasha Merrill (15) and Nikki Darrett (14), but they combined to shoot 8 for 25, including 2 for 9 from the arc.  The Quakers collectively were 4 of 24 (17%) on three-pointers, with such shots comprising nearly 40% of the offense.  Have I mentioned that it's tough to win when the thing you do worst is the thing you do most?

Standings:
Denison 3-0 / 5-6
Wittenberg 3-1 / 8-4
Ohio Wesleyan 4-2 / 8-6
Kenyon 3-2 / 4-9
Wooster 2-2 / 4-7
Hiram 2-2 / 3-8
Allegheny 2-3 / 6-8
Oberlin 1-2 / 3-8
Earlham 0-6 / 1-13

Sunday's (makeup) games:
Hiram at Denison
Oberlin at Wittenberg
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 11, 2009, 07:43:43 PM
Two fairly non-competitive games today, with little elaboration required:
Denison 81, Hiram 53 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0111.html#GAME.BOX)...Hiram scored the game's first four points, but the conference leaders scored the next 13 and the Terriers never caught back up.  They actually closed the gap to five points on a few occasions, the latest being at 15:17 of the 2nd period, but an 11-2 DU run over the next five minutes sealed the deal.  Denison got scoring contributions from eleven players, led by Shaina Kaiser and Sarah Perrine, each with 15.  Hiram's Ashley Drum led all scorers with 17 on a nice 8/12 shooting afternoon.
Wittenberg 81, Oberlin 41 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0111.htm)...It took the Tigers a little longer than the Big Red to shake their opponents, as the game was tied after seven and a half minutes, but when they got the lead for good, they never looked back.  Wittenberg finished the half on a 26-10 run, then blew out their guests in a big second half.  Doing Denison one better, Witt got twelve women into the scorebook, led by a huge 24 point, 13 rebound effort from Stephanie Boardman.  Alyssa Clark contributed 17 points and 8 boards for the Yeowomen.

Standings:
Denison 4-0 / 6-6
Wittenberg 4-1 / 9-4
Ohio Wesleyan 4-2 / 8-6
Kenyon 3-2 / 4-9
Wooster 2-2 / 4-7
Allegheny 2-3 / 6-8
Hiram 2-3 / 3-9
Oberlin 1-3 / 3-9
Earlham 0-6 / 1-13

Wednesday's games:
Wooster at Denison
Wittenberg at Kenyon
Oberlin at Allegheny
Hiram at Carnegie Mellon
Ohio Wesleyan and Earlham are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 12, 2009, 11:35:09 PM
Congratulations to Denison's Sarah Perrine, this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Perrine shot a fabulous 81% from the field in posting 31 total points in wins over OWU and Hiram, helping the Big Red stay atop the conference chase.  Congratulations, Sarah!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 14, 2009, 08:05:59 PM
NCAC Women's Hoops...all the posts, none of the infighting!  :)

Kenyon 45, Wittenberg 44 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28491.xml)...As frigid as it was outside the KAC tonight, it was even icier around the baskets inside Tomsich Arena, at least the basket on the eastern wall (which happens to be an exterior wall...hmm...).  In the first half, Wittenberg barely disturbed the frozen twine, connecting on just four of 27 attempts.  Kenyon bolted to a 9-0 lead which expanded to 23-7, but had trouble hanging on to the icy rock (14 turnovers) and led by just 9 at the half.  After changing ends, Wittenberg's defense put Kenyon in the deep freeze, as the Ladies were able to drain just a single field goal in the final 12-plus minutes, and just six for the half.  It was enough to put the Tigers back in the game, but not quite enough to secure the victory as the Ladies limped home with a wire-to-wire victory.  The offenses, which combined for 17 more turnovers than baskets, were so stagnant that the game's co-leading scorers were Wittenberg's Victoria Leali and Sarah Watson with just 10 each.  Both teams were short-handed, as Kenyon was missing leading scorer Kat Powers and frosh Morgan Korinek, while Rachel Dixon and Allie Leopard sat out for Witt. 
Denison 77, Wooster 45 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0114.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison shut down the Kym Wenz (13 pts. on 5-13 shooting) and Kaitlin Krister (7 pts., 4 rebounds) show, and Wooster hasn't demonstrated that they can win any other way.  Denison outshot Wooster 44%-33%, outrebounded the Scots by 10, and forced 21 turnovers leading to 19 points.  Three Big Red players scored in double figures, including a big night from Carolyn Simpson, who had 10 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks.
Allegheny 34, Oberlin 33 (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0114.HTM)...No, that's not the halftime score.  There were just 24 total points scored in the second half as the two teams combined to shoot 10 for 62 (16%).  I'm glad I wasn't there!  Allegheny, still playing without Stephanie Wolf, Hilary Collins, and Brittany Bell, scored the game's first four points, then watched Oberlin go on a 17-0 run to lead by 13 with just over 8 minutes gone.  Oberlin would, however, make just one more first-half field goal and shoot just 13% for the balance of the game, as the Gators (who torched the nets at a 22% clip) were able to get back to within one at the half.  The Gators made their last field goal with 6:22 remaining, a trey by Jill Gregory, breaking a 31-all tie, but Oberlin remained dormant until a January Baker layup with 0:07 left.  No doubt flabbergasted by this offensive outburst by the Yeowomen, Allegheny promptly turned the ball over, but Alyssa Clark's last-gasp layup was, appropriately enough, another miss.  Clark did record 39% of her team's offensive output with 13 points, while Emilie Simone (15) had 44% of the Gator tally.  There was no shortage of rebounds; the game's top rebounder was the suddenly resurgent Emily Chu Finkel with 15, including 6 offenisve rebounds--although none of those offensive boards were converted into Oberlin points.  Lauren Donahoe had 12 caroms to lead Allegheny, one better than Emilie Simone, who recorded a double-double.
Carnegie Mellon 70, Hiram 53 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/stats/w-basketball/hirw0114.htm)...I guess Pennsylvania (and Gambier...ed) is where NCAC teams go to miss baskets.  The Terriers got 15 apiece from Jess Cowan and Pamela Spencer, but the rest of the team combined to underperform both Oberlin and Allegheny, making just 7 of 36 shots (19%).  The Tartans, who only made a third of their own shots, had a huge 63-37 advantage on the boards, including 29 offensive rebounds leading to 23 second chance points and a 42-18 advantage on points in the paint.  CMU had two players record double-doubles (Jacki Cortese with 17 pts. and 13 boards, and Rachelle Roll with 12 and 20) and, after trailing 5-4 early on, never trailed again.

Standings:
Denison 5-0 / 7-6
Wittenberg 4-2 / 9-5
Ohio Wesleyan 4-2 / 8-6
Kenyon 4-2 / 5-9
Allegheny 3-3 / 7-8
Wooster 2-3 / 4-8
Hiram 2-3 / 3-10
Oberlin 1-4 / 3-10
Earlham 0-6 / 1-13

Saturday's games:
Denison at Oberlin
Earlham at OWU
Allegheny at Kenyon
Hiram at Wooster
Wittenberg is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 17, 2009, 10:49:26 PM
Denison 64, Oberlin 41 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/obew0117.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison, leading by just one at the half, opens the second half with a 16-2 run to put this game on ice.  The Big Red shot just 22% in the first, but improved that to 42% in the second, while limiting Oberlin to 23% second-half shooting.  DU also converted +11 rebounding and +8 turnover advantages into a +12 edge in shots taken, and hit a sizzling 18 of 22 free throws.  The victors also recorded 16 assists on just 19 baskets.  Denison had three players in double figures, including another big game from senior post Varolyn Simpson (11 pts., 8 of 10 from the line, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks.)  Oberlin was led by Alyssa Clark with 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Ohio Wesleyan 84, Earlham 60 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0117.htm)...The Bishops raced out to a 19-point halftime advantage and despite shooting just 30% after the break, never led by less than 17 in securing the home-court win.  OWU recorded 18 steals and outrebounded the Quakers by 11, and on the other end notched 19 assists on 32 hoops.  Tyler Cordell was 10 of 15 from the floor for a game-high 24 points, and added 6 rebounds and four assists.  Kayla Gordon had a huge game with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 assists.  Tasha Merrill led the EC with 18 points and seven boards.
Allegheny 58, Kenyon 52 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28497.xml)...Similar to Denison, Allegheny used a 16-3 run at the start of the second half to break open a close game, then held off the scrappy Ladies the rest of the way in Gambier.  Allegheny applied a smothering full-court defense that gave Kenyon fits all afternoon.  Still shorthanded, the Gators did see the return of Stephanie Wolf, who recorded 14 points and 8 rebounds in 36 tough minutes.  Jill Gregory led the Gator attack with 21 points, shooting 6 of 9 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line.  Shannon Culbreath hustled her way to a game-high 13 rebounds.  Kenyon, also shorthanded, got Kat Powers back into the lineup, but for just 10 mostly ineffective minutes.  Kathleen Williams was the only reliable scoring threat for the Ladies, tossing in 15 points on 7/14 shooting.  Suzanne Kahle added 10 points and 4 assists.
Wooster 70, Hiram 61 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/hiram.php)...Following the same pattern as Denison and Allegheny, Wooster opened the second half with a 12-2 run that erased a three-point deficit, then survived several Terrier runs to hang on for the victory.   Kym Wenz was not at her best, shooting just 6 for 18 from the floor, but made up for it with a 12-for-15 performance from the line, giving her 26 points to go along with 11 rebounds.  Kaitlin Krister was just one carom short of a double-double herself, with 17 points and 9 boards.  Hiram's Ashley Drum came off the bench to get her own double-double (13 pts., 12 reb.), while three other Terriers scored in double figures.  Both teams were efficient moving the ball, as Wooster recorded 17 assists on 22 baskets, while Hiram was credited with 13 assists on 21 hoops.

Standings:
Denison 6-0 / 8-6
Ohio Wesleyan 5-2 / 9-6
Wittenberg 4-2 / 9-5
Allegheny 4-3 / 8-8
Kenyon 4-3 / 5-10
Wooster 3-3 / 5-8
Hiram 2-4 / 3-11
Oberlin 1-5 / 3-11
Earlham 0-7 / 1-14

This week's schedule, with a few non-conference games for added flavor:
Monday:  Carnegie Mellon at Oberlin
Wednesday:
Denison at Kenyon
Earlham at Wittenberg
Oberlin at Hiram
Wilmington at OWU
Wooster at Lake Erie
Allegheny is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 19, 2009, 09:11:08 PM
For the second time this season, the NCAC has tabbed Wooster's Kym Wenz as the Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Kym poured in 39 points in two games this week, which would be a huge week for most anyone else but actually reduced Kym's scoring average to 21.0.  Still that's good enough to lead the loop by 3.6 ppg.  Kym matched her league-leading 3.0 steals per game average with 6 steals vs. Hiram and Denison.and also ranks in the league's top 10 in five other offensive categories as she puts together another outstanding season.  Congratulations, Kym!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 22, 2009, 12:07:18 AM
 :-[
I forgot all about that CMU-Oberlin game Monday, which was won by CMU 52-47 (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0119.HTM).  Sorry.

Moving on...
Denison 71, Kenyon 49 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/kenw0121.html#GAME.BOX)...Down 6-2 early, Denison held the Ladies without a field goal during a 17-2 run over the ensuing 8:30, and Kenyon never got closer than 7 the rest of the way.  Carolyn Simpson had a huge night with 16 points and 14 boards, while teammate Katie St. Clair just missed a double-double of her own with 16 and 9.  KC's Kathleen Williams had 14 points and 10 rebounds, but overall the Ladies were outshot 45% to 26% and outrebounded 48-36.
Wittenberg 73, Earlham 64 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0121.htm)...Wittenberg has had a nasty habit this season of falling into an early hole and playing catch-up, but this really takes the cake.  When the horn sounded ending the first half, the scoreboard showed 1-14 Earlham with a 37-29 lead on the 9-5 Tigers.  The Quakers, who have caught a certain amount of grief from these quarters for taking too many threes, connected on a blistering 6 of 13 in the first half, including four of six by Katy Buda.  With Wittenberg having to respect the longball, Earlham was also proficient inside, knocking down eight of 11 shots with five assists.  The Tigers had a good shooting half themselves, hitting 42% including 3 treys, enabling them to stay in touch with the red-hot Quakers.  After the half, Witt inherited the hot end of the court, hitting better than 51% of their second-half shots, while holding the rapidly cooling Quakers to 36% and just a single three-pointer.  EC took a two point lead on Tasha Merrill's trey with 9:04 left before halftime, and held the lead for the next 16 minutes, until a Victoria Leali trey capped a 14-5 Witt run to begin the half and gave Witt the lead.  The lead changed hands a couple of times before Carrie Dyer's layup at 8:45 put the Tigers on top for good.  Leali and Dyer led a balanced scoring attack with 14 and 12, respectively, and Dyer added a game-high 7 rebounds.  Buda ended up with 20 points, including 5-of-9 shooting from the arc, and Tasha Merrill led all scorers with 23 points to go along with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. 
Hiram 65, Oberlin 49 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/hirw0121.htm)...Hiram dominated the paint with a +13 rebound margin, 32 points in the paint, and 17 second-chance points, and knocked down six three-pointers to fend off the Yeowomen.  Hiram recorded 17 assists on 24 baskets, and converted 18 Oberlin turnovers into 18 Terrier points.  Jess Cowan led the victors with 12, while Ashley Drum contributed 11 points and 10 boards.  Alyssa Clark led the Yeowomen in three categories with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Wilmington 70, Ohio Wesleyan 59 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0121.htm)...OWU fell behind by 17 at the half and trailed by 25 with 11:32 to go before mounting a roaring comeback to at least make a game of it.  The Bishops scored the next 10 points and held the Quakers to just four field goals over the last 11:32 (one a buzzer-beater), but there just wasn't enough time to overtake the 12-4 Quakers.  Tyler Cordell led OWU with 18 points on 5 of 7 shooting and 7 of 8 from the stripe, while Kayla Gordon grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. 
Lake Erie 68, Wooster 43 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/lakeerie.php)...The Storm scored the game's first 12 points, and it was all downhill from there for the Fighting Scots.  Wooster turned the ball over 25 times leading to 28 LEC points, and the Scots were outscored in the paint by a decisive 36-8 margin.  Kym Wenz and Kaitlin Krister were held to just seven points between them.  First-year Keshia Butler was the Scots' leading scorer with 8, while Lake Erie had three players score 15 points or better. 

Standings:
Denison 7-0 / 9-6
Wittenberg 5-2 / 10-5
Ohio Wesleyan 5-2 / 9-7
Allegheny 4-3 / 8-8
Wooster 3-3 / 5-9
Kenyon 4-4 / 5-11
Hiram 3-4 / 4-11
Oberlin 1-6 / 3-13
Earlham 0-8 / 1-15

Saturday's games:
Allegheny at Denison
OWU at Wittenberg
Wooster at Earlham
Kenyon at Oberlin
Mt. St. Joseph at Hiram
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 24, 2009, 06:30:47 PM
Denison 73, Allegheny 53 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0124.html#GAME.BOX)...The Big Red led the whole way, and enjoyed a 20+ point lead for the last quarter as they cruised to victory.  DU shot an even 50% on the afternoon, including a 10-for-20 performance from the arc, while holding the visiting Gators to just 34.5%.  Shaina Kaiser led all scorers with 15 points, and Ellen O'Brien notched 6 assists, raising her average to almost 4.2 apg with a better than 3-to-1 assists to turnover ratio.  Carolyn Simpson grabbed eight rebounds, pushing her career total over the 700 mark; she becomes just the third Big Red player to record 1,000 points and 700 rebounds in her career.  Allegheny welcomed back Hilary Collins for the first time in over three weeks, and she responded with 8 points in 12 minutes of action.  Shannon Culbreath came off the bench to snatch a game-high 9 rebounds, giving her 45 boards in her last five games.
Wittenberg 73, Ohio Wesleyan 72 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0124.htm)...Katherine Hueter, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds, hit a runner in the lane with 0:03 remaining to give Wittenberg yet another come-from-behind victory.  With the win, the Tigers move past the Bishops into sole possession of second place.  After a game-opening bucket by Witt's Rachel Dixon, OWU got a pair of layups to take the lead, expanding it to eleven at the half.  The Tigers regained the lead on a Carrie Dyer jumper with 7:11 remaining, setting up a stretch run that saw four ties and 12 lead changes with the teams never separated by more than 3 points.  The Bishops took their last lead on a hoop-and-harm by Rachel Seibel with 0:09 left, but she missed the free throw, which became one of Stephanie Boardman's 9 rebounds and gave Witt a chance to run the winning play.  Boardman had a career-high 31 points on 13 for 22 shooting, while OWU got a big afternoon from Pam Quigney (23 points, 6 boards.)  Witt got a season-best 51% shooting afternoon, negating +5 advantages for OWU in both rebounding and turnover margin; the Bishops took ten more shots but made four fewer than their opponents.
Wooster 66, Earlham 50 (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2008-09/stats/erlw0124.html)...The first half was a series of runs: 9-0 Wooster, 11-0 Earlham, then 11-0 Wooster, all leading up to an 8 point Scot lead at the half.  After trading baskets for the first 7:00 of the second period, Wooster started building their lead and eased to the road victory.  Kym Wenz had another huge game with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists; three other Scots contributed 10 or 11 points apiece.  Earlham returned to their usual plan of taking half of their shots from beyond the arc, but today they were as proficient from long range (24%, 21 points) as from inside (29%, 16 points).  Tasha Merrill contributed 16 points to the tally, while Tracy Hill was the game's top rebounder with 11. 
Kenyon 55, Oberlin 27 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28620.xml)...Oberlin's shooting woes continue as the Ladies hold the Yeowomen to just 20% this afternoon and just 11 first-half points in notching the road victory.  Kenyon could only manage 29% shooting themselves, but it was more than enough to ring up double-digit margins in each half.  Kenyon got scoring contributions from 14 players, led by Laura Goehrke's 13, while Taylor Lenci donated 6 assists to the cause.  Oberlin, which had 25 turnovers vs. just nine baskets, had no players score more than 5 points or two baskets.
Hiram 72, Mt. St. Joseph 63 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/hirw0124.htm)...The Terriers won this free-throw shooting festival, hitting 28 of their 32 attempts (87.5%) while the Lions could manage just 15 of 20 (75%).  Hiram was outshot from the floor by a 42%-35% margin and was outrebounded by 8, but took excellent care of the ball (9 turnovers vs. 21 for MSJ, and 14 assists on 20 baskets), allowing the free throws to be decisive.  Ashely Drum matched her season high with 17 points, while Brittany Mayle (15 points) and Jess Cowan (12) combined to go 18-for-18 from the line.

Standings:
Denison 8-0 / 10-6
Wittenberg 6-2 / 11-5
Ohio Wesleyan 5-3 / 9-8
Wooster 4-3 / 6-9
Kenyon 5-4 / 6-11
Allegheny 4-4 / 8-9
Hiram 3-4 / 5-11
Oberlin 1-7 / 3-14
Earlham 0-9 / 1-16

Wednesday's Games:
Wittenberg at Denison
Ohio Wesleyan at Oberlin
Wooster at Allegheny
Hiram at Kenyon
Earlham is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 26, 2009, 05:06:08 PM
Hiram's junior pivot Ashley Drum is this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Ashley had a double-double against Oberlin and a game-high 17 points vs. MSJ to lead the Terriers to a 2-0 week.  Congratulations, Ashley!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 27, 2009, 04:42:50 PM
The Columbus Dispatch published a laudatory article by Mark Znidar about the NCAC last Thursday, focusing on the conference's leadership role in ensuring equity for women's athletics.  As NCAC Commissioner Dennis Collins points out, "[p]roviding opportunities for women was the biggest thing for the [formation of the] NCAC."  This is a goal that the conference has pursued throughout its 25 year existence, Wabash College notwithstanding. 

Link to the article (http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/01/22/ncac_25_years.ART_ART_01-22-09_C1_76CJSGD.html).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 28, 2009, 10:09:25 AM
The Denison doubleheader (Wittenberg women, Earlham men) is off (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/); the women's game will be held tomorrow, while the men's game is still up in the air.
Kenyon's games with Hiram (men at Hiram, women at Gambier) are off (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28638.xml) until tomorrow; the women will tip at 7:30 while the men's tip is TBA.
The Oberlin/OWU games (men at Delaware, women at Oberlin) and the Wooster/Allegheny games (men at Wooster, women at Meadville) are still on at the moment, or at least none of the websites have announced a postponement.

UPDATE:
All men's and women's games are now off for tonight and rescheduled for tomorrow night.  (http://www.northcoast.org/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 29, 2009, 10:56:19 PM
Denison 74, Wittenberg 51 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0129.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison makes a statement while grabbing a three-game lead in the conference standings, throttling second place Wittenberg to earn the season sweep.  Leading by just five at the half, the Big Red went on a 20-4 run, and the Tigers never got closer than 19 points the rest of the way.  Denison shot a respectable 42% in the first 20:00, then scorched the second half nets at a 55% clip while holding their guests to 36% accuracy on the evening.  DU's leading scorer, Shaina Kaiser, again led the Big Red with 21 on 9/14 shooting.  NCAC assists and A/TO leader Ellen O'Brien padded both stats, recording a dozen assists vs. just a single turnover; Denison as a team had 21 assists on 30 baskets.  Witt was even more efficient, with 18 assists on their 21 hoops.  Witt's Stephanie Boardman, the league leader in FG%, hit seven of 10 shots for 15 points to lead the Tigers.
Ohio Wesleyan 74, Oberlin 60 (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0129.HTM)...The Bishops stay even with Wittenberg in the battle for second place, withstanding a late Yeowoman run to notch the road victory.  OWU led by 16 at the half, backed by eight first-half treys (four by Pam Quigney), then stretched the lead to 21 with 6:50 remaining.  Oberlin got back into contact with a 9-0 run over the next four-plus minutes, but the Bishops calmly hit their last eight free throws to ice the victory.  Quigney ended up with 19 points, including 5/7 from the arc, while Kayla Gordon led the victors with 21.  Oberlin, which outrebounded their guests by 13, got a double-double from thousand-point scorer Alyssa Clark (25 pts., 12 reb.)
Allegheny 66, Wooster 45 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0129.htm)...The Gators used a huge second half to pound the Scots and slip past them in the conference standings.  After a back-and-forth first half (four lead changes, six ties) in which neither team led by more than six, Wooster got back to within two on a Meridith Wilson trey with 17:20 left.  The Gators then scored fifteen of the next 17 points, then followed that up with a 12-1 run that erased any doubt as to the outcome.  In that decisive second half, Allegheny netted 53% of their shots including 3 of 5 from the arc; they recorded nine assists and seven steals against just five turnovers; and held the Fighting Scots to just eight baskets (26%) while forcing nine turnovers.  Emilie Simone and Jill Gregory paced the Gator attack with matching 16-point efforts, while holding NCAC scoring leader Kym Wenz to just 12 points, eight below her average.  Kaitlyn Krister notched a double-double with twelve points and eleven rebounds, enough to push her into the conference lead in rebounding.
Kenyon 56, Hiram 55 (OT) (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28645.xml)...Kenyon was outshot (40% to 31%) and outrebounded (44-39) but still came away with the nailbiting victory in Gambier.  Neither team was able to build lead larger than eight points all evening.  Hiram, which led at the half by one, led for most of the second half by small margins, but the Ladies got even on a layup by Kathleen Williams with 4:13 remaining.  Williams dropped in another layup, putting the finishing touches on a 21-10 run and giving Kenyon a three-point edge with 2:11 left, but Hiram's Brittany Mayle answered with a trey, and the game was headed to an extra session.  Kenyon got a three-pointer from first-year Suzanne Kahle to take a one-point lead, then stymied the Terriers over the final 2:09 for the victory.  Williams led all scorers with 17 and added nine rebounds.  Hiram got 10 points from reigning NCAC Player of the Week Ashley Drum, and a huge 10 point, 15 rebound evening from Alex Dellas, but in the end could not overcome 26 turnovers as the Ladies take over fourth place in the conference standings.

Standings:
Denison 9-0 / 11-6
Wittenberg 6-3 / 11-6
Ohio Wesleyan 6-3 / 10-8
Kenyon 6-4 / 7-11
Allegheny 5-4 / 9-9
Wooster 4-4 / 6-11
Hiram 3-5 / 5-12
Oberlin 1-8 / 3-15
Earlham 0-9 / 1-16

Saturday's games:
Denison at Hiram
Wittenberg at Wooster
Kenyon at OWU
Oberlin at Earlham
Allegheny is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 31, 2009, 08:23:29 PM
Denison 83, Hiram 64 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/hirw0131.html#GAME.BOX)...In an afternoon of interesting results, this one is strictly according to Hoyle.  After a back-and-forth first 16:00, Denison closed the half on a 10-0 run, giving them an eight point advantage, then patiently worked the advantage to as much as 25 before settling for the 19 point victory.  Carolyn Simpson led the Big Red with 22 points and 8 rebounds, while Jess Cowan had 16 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Hiram scoresheet.  Denison had another excellent ballhandling performance, committing just eight turnovers while recording 19 assists.
Wooster 75, Wittenberg 67 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/witt.php)...In the afternoon's biggest surprise, Wooster used 54% shooting and a 20-7 run midway through the second half to dispose of archrival Wittenberg and join a five-way tie (in the loss column) for second place in the conference.  The Fighting Scots shot a blistering 61% in the first half, and forced 14 Witt turnovers leading to 23 points, but found themselves with just a four-point halftime lead, thanks in part to Wittenberg's dominance on the boards.  The Tigers recorded 23 first-half rebounds, including 13 on the offensive glass leading to 12 second-chance points.  Wooster had more success on the boards after the break (18-17 Witt) and got a dominant performance in the paint by Kaitlyn Krister, whose 16 second-half points were part of an 18-10 Scot advantage in the paint.  Krister ended up one rebound shy of yet another double-double, recording 21 points and 9 boards, while Kym Wenz had 26 points (10 for 10 from the line) and 5 steals, adding to her conference lead in both categories.  Stephanie Boardman headlined the Tiger scoresheet with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Kenyon 73, Ohio Wesleyan 72 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28656.xml)...The defending champions survived a thriller in Delaware, earning a season sweep of the Battling Bishops and putting both teams into the second place mix.  The game was fast-paced and rough-edged from the outset, with neither team able to establish a firm grasp on the lead.  Kenyon'g guards were able to get the ball inside to Kathleen Williams, who used her strength and finesse to roll in nine of 11 shots for 18 points, as well as score for themselves from the arc.  Suzanne Kahle, Elana Carlson, and Laurel Stokes combined to go 8 for 17 from the arc, score 34 points, and record ten assists.  On the other end, Katie Hamilton had a huge afternoon with 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Kayla Gordon had another big game, scoring 21 points including five three-pointers.  However, both Hamilton and Gordon misfired on potential game-winning shots in the final seconds and Kenyon escaped the chippy final moments with the victory.  Overall, Kenyon hit on 48% of their field goal attempts while holding OWU to just 37%, while rebounding (OWU 38-36) and turnovers (Kenyon 16-15) were nearly even.
Oberlin 76, Earlham 73 (OT) (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0131.HTM)...Trailing by 12 with 5:46 remaining, the Yeowomen rallied to force overtime and then push Earhlam to the brink of elimination from tournament contention.  In the overtime period, The Quakers were unable to connect from the floor, but used five free throws to grab a 73-72 lead with 0:24 left.  Syrea Thomas gave Oberlin the lead with a three-pointer with 0:14 left, and a Quaker turnover on the ensuing possession sealed the victory for the visitors.  Oberlin had four scorers in double figures, including double-doubles from Thomas (12 pts. and 10 reb.) and Fran Holoman (18/10), and dominated the glass by a 47-33 margin, including 23 offensive rebounds.  Earlham was led by Tasha Merrill (15 pts. but just 3 of 14 from the floor) and Katy Buda, whose 14 points included three buckets in the final 3:12 of regulation, Earlham's last three baskets of the game. 

Standings:
Denison 10-0 / 12-6
Kenyon 7-4 / 8-11
Wittenberg 6-4 / 11-7
Ohio Wesleyan 6-4 / 10-9
Allegheny 5-4 / 9-9
Wooster 5-4 / 7-11
Hiram 3-6 / 5-13
Oberlin 2-8 / 4-15
Earlham 0-10 / 1-17

This Wednesday is National Girls & Women in Sports Day (http://www.aahperd.org/ngwsdcentral/), celebrating 30 years of Title IX.  Unfortunately, this coming weekend is when Allegheny and Hiram make the long trip to Earlham and Wittenberg, which is always done as a two-game road trip (Fri. & Sat.), and as a consequence the weekday games are moved from Weds. to Tues.  So we'll be celebrating NGWSD a day early, with the following slate of games that will start to break up the second-place logjam:
Earlham at Denison
Kenyon at Wittenberg
OWU at Wooster
Hiram at Allegheny
Oberlin is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 02, 2009, 08:52:31 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 31, 2009, 08:23:29 PM
Oberlin 76, Earlham 73 (OT) (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0131.HTM)...Syrea Thomas gave Oberlin the lead with a three-pointer with 0:14 left, and a Quaker turnover on the ensuing possession sealed the victory for the visitors.  Oberlin had four scorers in double figures, including double-doubles from Thomas (12 pts. and 10 reb.) and Fran Holoman (18/10)
Thomas' first career double-double not only netted a victory for her team, it also netted her the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) award.  Congratulations, Syrea!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2009, 11:04:01 PM
Denison 90, Earlham 51 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0203.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison never trailed and dominated every aspect of this game.  Try these on for size: Rebounds--DU 47-29.  Points in the paint--DU 62-26.  Fast break points--DU 22-2.  The Big Red hit 51% of their shots, recorded assists on two-thirds of their baskets, had more steals (13) than turnovers (11), and blocked nine Quaker shots.  Everyone played at least three minutes, and 15 DU players scored, led by Haley Dahlgard's 15.  Tasha Merrill, held well below her average, still led the EC with 11 points.
Kenyon 71, Wittenberg 57 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28691.xml)...Kenyon completes the season sweep at Wittenberg, sending the Tigers to their third straight defeat.  Kenyon's fourth consecutive victory puts them firmly into second place; they're still tied in the loss column with OWU, but the Ladies also swept the Bishops.  Wittenberg held the KC starting five to a measly 17 points, but got burned by frosh Morgan Korinek and Suzanne Kahle off the bench.  Korinek, recently back in uniform after missing nearly a month with a foot injury, led the visitors with a career best 25 points and seven rebounds.  She hit seven of her nine shots and added eleven free throws.  Kahle also had a career high, hitting five of six three-pointers en route to 24 points.  Witt led for most of the first half, until Kahle drained back-to-back three pointers to give KC a two-point lead inside the final minute.  The Tigers regained the lead and went to the locker room up by one, but surrendered it for good on another Kahle trey four minutes later.  KC built the lead up as high as 20 before settling for the two-touchdown victory.  Both teams shot equally well, with each squad making 22 hoops in 54 attempts (41%); the key difference was that nine of the Ladies' baskets were from beyond the arc, six more than their hosts.  Kenyon also connected on more free throws (18-26) than the Tigers attempted (10-17).  Wittenberg was led in scoring by Stephanie Boardman's 17, and got a double-double from Carrie Dyer (13 pts., 10 reb.)
Ohio Wesleyan 84, Wooster 67 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0203.htm)...For all but about six and a half minutes of this contest, it was a battle with Wooster actually having a slight advantage.  But it was those six and a half minutes that rendered the rest of the game moot.  Starting at the 17:36 mark of the first half, the Bishops extended a narrow 11-8 lead into a 35-8 laugher.  The twenty-four point run seemed like the same play over and over: a Wooster miss (or turnover), followed by an OWU runout leading to an uncontested fast break layup or wide open three-pointer.  Wooster finally managed to stop the bleeding with eleven minutes left, then outscored their guests by ten over the remaining 31 minutes, miraculously drawing to within ten points midway through the second half.  But consecutive treys by Tyler Cordell (2) and Rachel Seibel built the lead back to 17, and OWU was able to ease into the locker room with the win.  OWU shot 53% in the decisive first half, including seven treys, then withstood a Wooster 55% shooting barrage, including five of nine from the arc, in the second.  The Bishops were led by Pam Quigney's 22 points and got another outstanding game from Kayla Gordon, who had 19 points (including five treys), 10 rebounds, and four steals.  Kym Wenz recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but Kaitlyn Krister, who struggled with foul trouble courtesy of Katie Hamilton (18 pts., 9 reb., 3 blocks), was held to just six points and six boards.  Wooster's leading scorer was Taylor Keegan with 14.
Hiram 63, Allegheny 60 (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/stats/w-basketball/hirw0203.htm)...Hiram completed the surprise season sweep, overcoming a 13-point deficit to overhaul the Gators.  Allegheny opened the game on an 11-2 run and shot 50% en route to a 10-point halftime lead.  After Hilary Collins (17 pts.) opened the second half with a trey, Hiram scored 15 of the next nineteen points to close to within a bucket.  Allegheny briefly built the lead back to seven on another Collins trey with 7:33 left, but the Gators didn't make another field goal until Collins' hit another three at the horn.  In the meantime, Hiram connected on five of their last seven attempts, grabbing their first lead with 4:10 remaining on a layup by Ashley Drum, two of her game-best 23 points.  A free throw by AC's Lauren Donahoe re-tied the game, but Jess Cowan (14 pts.) responded with a three-pointer that gave Hiram the lead for good.  The Terriers blistered the nets at a 62% clip in the second half, while Allegheny hit a chilly 25%, negating a +11 advantage in field goal attempts.

Standings:
Denison 11-0 / 13-6
Kenyon 8-4 / 9-11
Ohio Wesleyan 7-4 / 11-9
Wittenberg 6-5 / 11-8
Allegheny 5-5 / 9-10
Wooster 5-5 / 7-12
Hiram 4-6 / 6-13
Oberlin 2-8 / 4-15
Earlham 0-11 / 1-18

This weekend's games:
Friday
Denison at OWU
Allegheny at Wittenberg
Oberlin at Wooster
Hiram at Earlham
Kenyon is idle

Saturday
Oberlin at Denison
Wooster at Kenyon
Hiram at Wittenberg
Allegheny at Earlham
OWU is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 06, 2009, 05:08:19 PM
Many congratulations to Denison seniors Ellen O'Brien and Sarah Perrine for being named to the the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for District 4, College Div.  Both were named to the third team.  O'Brien is a double major in Psychology and Sport Management, and carries a 3.63 GPA, while Perrine is a biology major with a GPA of 3.88.  This award recognizes excellence both on the court and in the classroom, and is a very great honor.  Many congratulations!

DU Press Release (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/wb_acaalldistrict09.html)
CoSIDA Press Release (http://www.cosida.com/documents/2009/2/5/09womensbasketball.pdf) (pdf)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 07, 2009, 12:11:05 AM
Denison 76, OWU 71 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/owuw0206.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison prevails in a tough battle at Delaware, and clinches at least a share of the NCAC title.  Denison had fits with OWU's defenese all evening, and most especially with their press in the last few minutes of the game, and had an uncharacteristic 19 turnovers, but still managed to hit 46% of their shots (54% in the second half).  Shaina Kaiser provided the offensive spark for the Big Red, hitting from inside (6 for 9) and outside (4 for 6) the arc while piling up 30 points.  Despite game-long taunting by the OWU student section, Ellen O'Brien was her usual unflappable self, recording six steals and six assists without a single turnover, and contributing 14 points.  OWU got another huge game from Katie Hamilton, who helped put DU's Carolyn Simpson (9 pt.s, 8 reb.) on the bench with foul trouble and took advantage of her absence to score 18 points, grab 15 rebounds, and record four of OWU's nine blocked shots, but the rest of OWU's offense suffered from off-target shooting and a Denison hand on every pass.  Kayla Gordon, a strong candidate for NCAC Player of the Year, was a non-factor, hitting just two treys and missing badly on several more, until she hit back-to-back threes to cut a DU 7-point lead to just one with 2:17 remaining.  Kaiser answered with a three-ball of her own off another pinpoint pass by O'Brien, and the senior point guard secured the win with three free throws in the final 0:30.  Denison now holds a four-game lead on second-place Kenyon with four games to play; Kenyon could theoretically catch the Big Red, and in so doing would earn a season split with their rivals, so the tournament #1 seed may still be in play--it's too late to research tiebreakers for so unlikely a scenario!  In any case, Denison can now do no worse than tie for the conference championship, so congratulations to the Big Red!
Allegheny 58, Wittenberg 52 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0206.htm)...Allegheny scores the huge road victory, moving into fourth place while handing the sliding Tigers their fourth consecutive loss.  The Gators shot 53% and forced 15 Tiger turnovers in the first half, and still trailed by four at the break, due in part to a 20-8 rebounding advantage and in part to 12-of-13 free throw shooting for the hosts.  The free throw balance was redressed after the half, as Witt made just two of four second half attempts, while Allegheny was awarded 15 tries, making 11.  The second-half shooting was also roughly equal, with Witt holding a 39%-36% advantage, but 'Gheny did a better job on the boards (20-15 Witt) and a much better job handling the ball (6 turnovers vs. 16 more for Witt, giving the Tigers 31 for the contest), and that turned into five extra field goal attempts, just enough to secure the victory.  Hilary Collins topped Allegheny's stat page with 19 points, four assists, and three steals.  Witt's Rachel Dixon recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Tigers in both categories.
Oberlin 68, Wooster 62 (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0206.HTM)...Oberlin scored the last eight points of the contest, all on free throws, to erase a late Wooster lead and record the mild upset over the Scots at Timken Gym.  After Keshia Butler gave Wooster a 62-60 lead with a layup at 1:33 remaining, the Scots missed four shots, committed a turnover and five fouls; during that span Oberlin didn't even attempt a field goal, but grabbed three of those four Wooster misses and paraded to the free throw line, where they connected on eight of 10 tries to notch the win.  Alyssa Clark was held to just four field goals in 16 attempts, but more than made up for it by nailing all 14 free throws she attempted, giving her 25 points to go along with 14 rebounds.  On the other end, Wooster's Kym Wenz had a miserable 2-for-12 shooting performance for a measly (for her) nine points.  Kaitlin Krister led the Scots with 14 points and seven rebounds, while first-year Kinsey Walker contributed 10 points, her first double-figure effort of her career.  Wooster only committed 13 turnovers, but made just two three-pointers while surrendering seven to the Yeowomen.  Oberlin won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Scots 44-33 including a 15-11 edge on the offensive boards.
Earlham 65, Hiram 51 (http://www.earlham.edu/athletics/content/sports/women/basketball/2008-09/stats/erlw0206.html)...In another mild upset, Earlham ran out to a big halftime lead and held on to record their first conference victory of the season.  The game was back and forth for the first 10 minutes, then the Quakers edged out to a 23-19 lead with just under 4:00 left.  Earlham then got back-to-back triples as part of a half-ending 11-2 run, and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half.  Earlham committed just 10 fouls on the evening, while Hiram's 19 fouls sent the Quakers to the free throw line 24 times, resulting in a nine-point advantage for the hosts.   Earlham also decisively outrebounded their guests, 43-31, and marginally outshot the Terriers, 39%-35%.  Tracy Hill had a career night for the EC, with 20 points on 9 of 14 shooting, together with 17 rebounds, seven of them on the offensive glass.  Hiram's Jess Cowan also had a career-high 20 points to lead the Terriers.

Standings:
Denison 12-0 / 14-6
Kenyon 8-4 / 9-11
Ohio Wesleyan 7-5 / 11-10
Allegheny 6-5 / 10-10
Wittenberg 6-6 / 11-9
Wooster 5-6 / 7-13
Hiram 4-7 / 6-14
Oberlin 3-8 / 5-15
Earlham 1-11 / 2-18

Saturday's games:
Oberlin at Denison
Wooster at Kenyon
Hiram at Wittenberg
Allegheny at Earlham
OWU is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 07, 2009, 11:21:13 PM
Congratulations to the 2008-09 NCAC Champions, the Denison Big Red!

Denison 82, Oberlin 47 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0207.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison clinches the conference title and tournament #1 seed with the easy home victory over the Yeowomen.  The Big Red shot 56% in the first half, including a 6 of 14 performance from beyond the arc, and took a 19 point lead into the locker room.  Neither team could hit anything after the intermission.  However, Denison grabbed an astounding 41 rebounds in the second half alone, enabling them to take a ridiculous 47 shots.  Despite hitting just 26% of them, DU was able to score 40 second-half points and win the game--and the conference--by a very comfortable margin.  For the game, Denison put up a "system"-like 79 shots, hitting 30 (38%), and destroyed their guests on the glass by a 61-35 margin (29-11 on the offensive end).  With most of the regulars sitting for long portions of the second half, Denison got contributions from everyone in uniform.  Carolyn Simpson topped the charts with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks in 24 minutes, while Caitlyn Graessle scored a point for each of her 16 minutes of action.  At the other end, Alyssa Clark chipped in 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Yeo in both categories. 
Kenyon 72, Wooster 59 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28740.xml)...Kenyon ran past an ice-cold Wooster team in the first half, then held on for the home victory.  Wooster was held without a field goal for the first 7:10 of the contest, and Kenyon tacked on a 12-2 stretch a couple of minutes later to open up a double-digit lead at the 8:05 mark of the opening period.  Wooster, which finished the half with just seven field goals (25%), was never again able to get the deficit under eight points.  With post Kathleen Williams in early foul trouble, first-year Morgan Korinek stepped up and had a dominant game in the low post, scoring 18 points on 8-12 shooting and grabbing three offensive rebounds, while at the other end helping to hold Kaitlin Krister to just five points on two of seven shooting and five rebounds in 27 foul-plagued minutes.  Taylor Lenci had an excellent game all over the court, with seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals.  Suzanne Kahle added 15 points including three buckets from beyond the arc.  Wooster's Kym Wenz was held mostly in check in the first half, hitting just two of nine shots, missing all four of her three-pointers.  She came alive in the second half, scoring 16 of her game-high 25 points on six of nine shooting, but mostly it was too little, too late.
Allegheny 88, Earlham 65 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0207.htm)...After an exciting 90-point first half which features a combined 58% shooting performance by the two teams, Allegheny put the defensive clamps on Earlham, holding the Quakers to just nine second-half baskets while running away with the road victory, grabbing a share of third place in the bargain.  The Gators outrebounded their hosts 36-28 (19-9 on the offensive glass) and forced 22 turnovers while committing just 7 themselves.  These advantages turned into a +25 margin in shots attempted, and 'Gheny cashed in, hitting better than 50% on the afternoon.  Allegheny got 23 points from Jill Gregory and 16 apiece from Stephanie Wolf and Emilie Simone; these three combined to hit 24 of 44 shots (55%), dish 9 assists, and grab 16 rebounds.  Earlham, which shot an even 50% for the game but just 36% after the intermission, had four players in double figures, led by Nikki Darrett's 15.  The two teams combined for just 15 personal fouls leading to just 14 free throws in what must have been a quickly-played game.
Wittenberg 74, Hiram 46 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0207.htm)...Wittenberg snaps their four-game losing streak by thrashing the Terriers in Springfield.  Wittenberg, which never trailed in the contest, opened up a ten-point lead in the first 8:30, then used an 11-0 run to push the lead to 25 before settling for a 20-point halftime edge.  Hiram was unable to shave more than a bucket off that lead in the second half as the Tigers cruised to the victory.  Stephanie Boardman had 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting to lead the Tigers, who recorded 19 assists (on 27 baskets) while committing just 12 turnovers.  The Tigers also outrebounded their foes 44-32, led by Rachel Dixon's nine boards.  Ashley Drum led the Terriers with 14 points.

Standings:
Denison 13-0 / 15-6
Kenyon 9-4 / 10-11
Ohio Wesleyan 7-5 / 11-10
Allegheny 7-5 / 11-10
Wittenberg 7-6 / 12-9
Wooster 5-7 / 7-14
Hiram 4-8 / 6-15
Oberlin 3-9 / 5-16
Earlham 1-12 / 2-19

This week's games--please note the special Tuesday affair:
Tuesday:  Allegheny at Oberlin
Wednesday:
Kenyon at Denison
Wittenberg at OWU
Wooster at Hiram
Earlham is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2009, 05:14:13 PM
Although Denison has won the last four NCAC Tournaments, this season's team is just the second to win the (regular-season) conference championship.  (The other was 2006-07, when Ellen O'Brien, Carolyn Simpson, et al., were sophomores.)  One of the biggest reasons that Denison has been able to get through their first 13 conference games unscathed is sophomore guard Shania Kaiser, this week's honoree as the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Kaiser poured in 30 points in the Big Red's victory at OWU, and now ranks first on the squad and fourth in the NCAC in scoring at 15.3 ppg in conference games.  A deadeye shooter from anywhere on the court, Shaina ranks first in the NCAC in field goal percentage (.565), first in three-point field goal % (.553), and second in free throw % (.857) in conference action.  Congratulations to Shaina on this latest honor!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 10, 2009, 10:34:41 PM
Allegheny 78, Oberlin 61 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0210.htm)...Allegheny used a very balanced attack to prevail in a rough-and-tumble game at Oberlin.  After building an early 12-2 lead, the first half momentum surged back and forth until the Gators settled for an 11-point lead at the break.  Allegheny maintained their double-digit advantage throughout the second half, with the lead reaching 20 at one point.  The Gators, who shot 50% or better in each half, had five scorers in double figures, led by Jill Gregory's 18.  Laura Magnelli chipped in 14 on a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor, including three triples.  Oberlin stalwart Alyssa Clark led all scorers with 25, and also notched six rebounds, five steals, and four assists in her 39 minutes.  There were 29 personal fouls called, and perhaps 29 others that went uncalled as the action under the rims was physical all evening.

Standings:
Denison 13-0 / 15-6
Kenyon 9-4 / 10-11
Allegheny 8-5 / 12-10
Ohio Wesleyan 7-5 / 11-10
Wittenberg 7-6 / 12-9
Wooster 5-7 / 7-14
Hiram 4-8 / 6-15
Oberlin 3-10 / 5-17
Earlham 1-12 / 2-19

Wednesday's games:
Kenyon at Denison
Wittenberg at OWU
Wooster at Hiram
Earlham is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 11, 2009, 12:02:30 AM
The NCAC Tournament field is all but set.  By my reckoning, the only way Earlham can avoid finishing in 9th place is if the following two things happen:
a) Earlham wins their final three games (@ Kenyon, vs. Denison, @ Wooster), AND
b1) Oberlin loses their final three games (Hiram, @ OWU, Wittenberg) OR
b2) Hiram loses their final four games (Wooster, @ Oberlin, Kenyon, OWU) AND Oberlin beats either OWU or Witt (or both)

If a) and b1) were to occur, Earlham would finish 4-12 and Oberlin 3-13.  That's necessary because Oberlin holds the tie-breaker, having swept the Quakers.
If a) and b2) were to occur, both Earlham and Hiram would finish 4-12, while Oberlin would be 5-11 or 6-10.  Earlham, which split with Hiram, would win the tie-breaker by virtue of having beaten Denison, a necessary condition for this scenario to occur.  Oberlin needs that extra win to avoid a three-way tie at 4-12, a tie that would disfavor the Quakers on the basis of head-to-head records.  In that scenario, Oberlin (3-1 in head to head matchups) would be 7th, Hiram (2-2) would be 8th, and Earlham (1-3) ninth.

The chances of any of these pro-Earlham scenarios coming true are fairly remote, so Hiram and Oberlin should be fairly comfortable at this point.  The other six teams (from Denison to Wooster) have already earned tickets to the tournament, with Denison as the #1 seed and the others still jockeying for position.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 12, 2009, 12:50:29 AM
Denison 70, Kenyon 45 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0211.html#GAME.BOX)...The battle between the NCAC's top two teams wasn't a battle at all, as the league champs cruise to the home victory.  The Big Red shot just 31% in the first half, but held their guests to a lowly 22% in grabbing a 7-point halftime lead.  After the break, it was all Big Red, as they connected on 47% of their attempts while the Ladies stayed ice cold at 29%.  Carolyn Simpson had another huge evening, recording 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting, grabbing 16 rebounds, blocking six shots, and notching four assists and three steals.  At the other end, frosh Morgan Korinek and Suzanne Kahle led the Ladies with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while scoring leader Kathleen Williams was held to just two points on 1-of-8 shooting.
Ohio Wesleyan 64, Wittenberg 53 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0211.htm)...In a first half that featured just two referees, OWU took full advantage in racing out to a 16-point halftime edge.  Slapping, bumping, and flopping at every opportunity, the Bishops harried the Tigers into 16 first-half turnovers that turned into 22 OWU points, while conceding just 3 turnovers (resulting in no points) themselves.  With the full compliment of referees in the second half, Wittenberg's play improved, drawing to within four points inside the final 2:00, but the Tigers couldn't complete the comeback.  OWU had four scorers in double figures, led by the twin 15-point efforts of Pam Quigney and Katie Hamilton.  Witt, which had a +10 rebounding advantage, got a double-double from Stephanie Boardman (13 points, 11 boards).  Katherine Hueter contributed a game-high 14 rebounds, but only recorded six points on 2-for-12 shooting.
Wooster 67, Hiram 55 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/hiram2.php)...Hiram scored the first five points of the game, but quickly thereafter found themselves trailing 10-5 and then 19-9.  The Terriers righted the ship long enough to close within a point at 19-18, but the Scots closed the half on a 17-5 run to take command of the game.  Wooster stretched their lead out to 22 at the 6:58 mark of the second half.  A 15 point Hiram run over the next 5+ minutes made things mildly interesting, but at that point the well ran dry and Wooster was able to hang on for the road victory.  The Scots shot 43.5% for the game and made six of their eight three-point attempts, while holding Hiram to 35% overall and 19% from the arc.  Hiram committed just nine turnovers, but the resourceful Scots turned those into 19 points, while surrendering just 9 Hiram points on their 13 turnovers.  Kym Wenz was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line in notching a game-best 25 points, while Kaitlin Krister was one carom short of a double-double with 17 points and 9 rebounds.  Hiram's Ashley Drum made seven of her 11 shots and led the Terriers with 16 points.

Standings:
Denison 14-0 / 16-6
Kenyon 9-5 / 10-12
Allegheny 8-5 / 12-10
Ohio Wesleyan 8-5 / 12-10
Wittenberg 7-7 / 12-10
Wooster 6-7 / 8-14
Hiram 4-9 / 6-16
Oberlin 3-10 / 5-17
Earlham 1-12 / 2-19

Saturday's games:
Earlham at Kenyon
OWU at Allegheny
Wooster at Wittenberg
Hiram at Oberlin
Denison is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 12, 2009, 04:00:09 PM
Let's take a quick look at some potential tie-breakers.

Two-way ties:
1] Kenyon (9-5) vs. Allegheny (8-5):  The Gators swept the Ladies this season.
2] Kenyon vs. OWU (8-5): The Ladies swept the Bishops this season.
3] Allegheny vs. OWU: OWU won the first game, so they earn the tie-breaker with a win Satuday.  If 'Gheny wins the rematch on Saturday, it will depend on where this pairing finishes in the standings.  If they are tied for second, or for third behind Kenyon, the Gators have the tie-breaker, chiefly by virtue of their common results vs. Kenyon.  After that, it gets a bit complicated, and may depend on Allegheny's results vs. Wooster (Wed.) and Denison, but it seems to me that 'Gheny prevails in most scenarios.
4] Kenyon vs. Wittenberg (7-7): Kenyon swept Witt.
5] Allegheny vs. Wittenberg: I can't find a scenario that favors Witt, although I suppose one is possible that I haven't cooked up.
6] OWU vs. Wittenberg: The only way Witt wins this tie-breaker is if a) OWU loses their upcoming games to both Allegheny and Hiram, and b) Hiram finishes ahead of Wooster in the standings. 
7] Wooster (6-7) vs. Wittenberg: If Wooster beats Witt on Saturday, they claim the tie-breaker.  If not, I think the only scenario that leans Wooster's way is if these teams finish tied for 3rd behind Kenyon.
8] Wooster vs. OWU:  OWU by virtue of a season sweep.
9] Wooster vs. Allegheny: If Allegheny wins next Weds., they sweep.  If not, their superior result vs. Kenyon will surely claim the tie-breaker.
10] Wooster vs. Kenyon: Wooster needs to win out for this to happen, which implies a victory over Allegheny.  That really complicates matters.  If these two finish in third behind 'Gheny, Wooster wins the tie-breaker.  If they finish in third behind OWU, Kenyon wins the tie-break.  If they finish tied for second, Wooster wins if 'Gheny is alone in 4th place, while Kenyon wins all other conceivable scenarios. (corrected from earlier post)
11] Wooster vs. Hiram (4-9): Wooster swept the Terriers.
12] Wittenberg vs. Hiram: The Tigers also swept Hiram.
13] Hiram vs. Oberlin (3-10): The Terriers won the first game, and can claim the sweep on Satuday.  If not, they still earn the tie-breaker by having one more win vs. teams higher in the standings than the Yeowomen will have.  (Hiram swept 'Gheny, while Oberlin beat Wooster one time.)  Each team has two games remaining with teams that will finish ahead of them, which won't impact this tiebreaker.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 12, 2009, 04:16:58 PM
Continuing:

Three-way ties:
1] Kenyon, OWU, and Allegheny: If 'Gheny beats the Bishops on Saturday, the order of finish would be Allegheny, Kenyon, OWU.  If OWU prevails Saturday, it will depend on whether Wittenberg or Wooster finishes higher in the standings.  If it is Witt, then the order is Kenyon, OWU, Allegheny; if it is Wooster, it would be 'Gheny, Kenyon, OWU.
2] Kenyon, OWU, and Wittenberg: Kenyon wins the tie-breaker, and OWU and Witt would then be decided as above.
3] Allegheny, Kenyon, and Wittenberg: in that order, based on head-to-head results.
4] OWU, Wittenberg, and Allegheny: If OWU wins Saturday, this tie would fall out as listed.  If the Gators win, they earn the tie-breaker based on common results vs. Kenyon (and Denison), with the resulting OWU/Witt tie broken as above.
5] Allegheny, Kenyon, and Wooster: Allegheny wins this tie.  If the Gators beat Wooster on Weds., the order of finish is as shown; otherwise the Scots edge in ahead of the Ladies.
6] Kenyon, OWU, and Wooster: as shown.
7] Allegheny, OWU, and Wooster: a real mess, since 'Gheny still has a game remaining with each of these teams.  I think Wooster finishes third in every possible scenario, but otherwise I'll abstain on this one.
8] Kenyon, Wooster, and Wittenberg:  Witt will get the lowest seed of this threesome in all scenarios.  If Witt beats Wooster on Saturday, Kenyon wins the tie-breaker, with the order as shown.  If Wooster wins that game, Witt gets seeded third among the group, and the Kenyon/Wooster tie-breaker is decided as above.
9] Allegheny, Wooster, and Wittenberg: another mess, since Wooster has games remaining with each.  Abstain.
10] OWU, Wooster, and Wittenberg: OWU wins this tie-breaker, and the winner of Saturday's Woo/Witt game finishes second.

[whew!]

I hope that's substantially correct.  I think I'll take a pass on the potential four-way and five-way ties. :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 14, 2009, 07:27:18 PM
Results from THINK PINK weekend:
(I wanted to do the whole post in PINK, but you can see from this that it would be illegible.)

Kenyon 67, Earlham 44 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28821.xml)...Kenyon stays a half-game ahead of hard-charging Allegheny, while Earlham is officially eliminated from tournament contention.  The Ladies took control of this game early on, racing out to a sixteen-point halftime lead, then coasted home for the victory as the whole roster saw action.  Kenyon's defense held Earlham to 32% shooting and forced 25 Quaker turnovers, including 18 steals.  Laurel Stokes had a good afternoon, scoring 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, while adding a team-best nine rebounds.  Kathleen Williams added 15 points and four steals to the tally.  Earlham's Tasha Merrill was held to 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting.
Allegheny 59, OWU 51 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0214.htm)...The Gators win their fourth straight game to move into sole possession of third place, a full game ahead of the Bishops.  The first half was a back-and-forth affair with five lead changes and six ties; the Gators took a two-point edge into the locker room behind Emilie Simone's 11 points.  OWU went briefly back in front early in the second half, but a 13-0 Gator run over the next five minutes, with contributions from five different AC scorers, gave the hosts a lead that was never again less than seven points.  For the game, Allegheny shot 42% while holding their guests to 30% shooting--this despite OWU's 24 offensive rebounds.  Allegheny only played eight women, but four of them scored at least 10 points, led by Simone's 15.  Stephanie Wolf recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block.  For OWU, Tyler Cordell had 14 points, and Katie Hamilton added a double-double (10/10), but leading scorer Pam Quigney was held to just 5 points on a un-Quigney-like 2-for-10 afternoon.
Wittenberg 69, Wooster 54 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0214.htm)...Avenging a defeat from two weeks ago, Wittenberg came out on fire, hitting nine of their first 14 shots and building a 15 point lead before ten minutes were gone.  Despite making five three-pointers in the second half, the Scots were unable to get any closer than a 7-point deficit the rest of the way, after which the Tigers added the exclamation point, closing the game on an 8-0 run.  After hitting at a 56% clip in the first half, Witt settled for 46% shooting for the afternoon, while holding Wooster to just 37% overall and just 31% inside the arc.  Wittenberg also dominated the paint, outscoring the Scots 34-10, and forced 22 Wooster turnovers (11 steals) which they converted into 23 points.  Stephanie Boardman led the Tiger attack with 17 points, while Rachel Dixon added 14 points and 9 rebounds.  Katherine Heuter (6) and Carrie Dyer (5) combined for 11 of Witt's 17 assists on just 23 baskets.  Wooster got 14 points from Meredith Wilson, who was 4-of-7 from the arc, but both Kym Wenz (12 points) and Kaitlin Krister (6 points, 4 rebounds) were held well below their averages.  Wenz did contribute five assists, and frosh Keshia Butler had six, giving Wooster 13 assists on their 19 hoops. 
Hiram 78, Oberlin 58 (http://www.goyeo.com/custompages/stats/WBB/Women%27s%20Basketball%20Stats/2008-09/OBEW0214.HTM)...Hiram shut down Oberlin in the first half, then outscored the Yeowomen in a high-flying second half to earn the season sweep and pull within a game of sixth-place Wooster.  The Terriers held their hosts to just 18 first-half points on 21% shooting, and opened up a 14 point halftime lead.  After the half, the Terriers hit a scorching 52% of their field goals, including four of seven from long range, while Oberlin committed 19 personal fouls, leading to 18 more Terrier points from the stripe.  Oberlin improved their shooting to 32% and rang up 40 second-half points, but could get no closer than nine points before falling back.  Hiram had four in double figures, led by Jess Cowan's 20 points, while Oberlin's Alyssa Clark led all scorers with 26 points on just nine of 24 shooting.  Cowan also contributed seven of Hiram's 14 assists on their 21 baskets.

Standings:
Denison 14-0 / 16-6
Kenyon 10-5 / 11-12
Allegheny 9-5 / 13-10
Ohio Wesleyan 8-6 / 12-11
Wittenberg 8-7 / 13-10
Wooster 6-8 / 8-15
Hiram 5-9 / 7-16
Oberlin 3-11 / 5-18
Earlham 1-13 / 2-20

This week's games:
Monday: Capital at Wittenberg
Wednesday:
Denison at Earlham
Kenyon at Hiram
Allegheny at Wooster
Oberlin at OWU
Wittenberg is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2009, 11:27:29 AM
Congratulations to Hiram's Ashley Drum, named today as the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) for the second time in the past four weeks.  The junior post totaled 30 points on 61% shooting as Hiram split games with Wooster and Oberlin.  Congratulations, Ashley!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2009, 09:35:26 PM
Capital 61, Wittenberg 53 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0216.htm)...Same story, different day for the Tigers, who fell behind early and trailed by as many as 19 in the second half, before embarking on a furious comeback to make a game of it.  Three times in the last 90 seconds the Tigers got within two possessions, but Capital hit six late free throws to hold off their hosts and secure career victory #500 for head coach Dixie Jeffers.  Capital, the OAC frontrunners, forced 23 Tiger turnovers and held Witt to 33% shooting.  Witt had been hitting at just a 26% clip en route to that 19-point deficit with 7:24 remaining, but then hit seven of their last 12 field goal attempts, five of them from long range, to give the Crusaders quite a scare.  Capital, which shot 44% on the evening, was led by Caitlin Elsass' 19 points on 8-for 13 shooting.  Wittenberg outrebounded their guests by a 42-30 margin and grabbed 17 offensive boards, but only had 12 second-chance points (to Capital's eight).  The Tigers had a balanced scoring effort with four players scoring eight or nine points but nobody in double figures; Stephanie Boardman's nine points and seven rebounds were both team-leading totals. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2009, 11:47:59 PM
Denison 69, Earlham 46 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0218.html#GAME.BOX)...When #1 meets #9 this late in the season, things like this happen.  By the time the first half came to a merciful end, the scoreboard read Denison 44 Eearlham 14.  The Quakers could only manage five baskets in the first half (17%); Denison had more than that from beyond the arc.  Playing mostly with reserves (Ellen O'Brien was the only DU player with more than 21 minutes of action), Denison was outscored 32-25 in the second half, but still coasted home with their 14th consecutive victory.  Caitlin Graessle led the victors with 13 points in just 16 minutes, while Carolyn Simpson contributed 10 points and nine of DU's 49 rebounds.  Tasha Merrill was EC's top scorer with 13 points.
Kenyon 51, Hiram 45 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28841.xml)...Kenyon clinched no worse than a tie for second place by prevailing in a see-saw battle at Hiram.  Trailing by 4 with 7:07 left, the Ladies went on a 10-2 run over the next four-plus minutes to grab a four-point lead of their own, then converted four of five free throws--with the miss converted into a putback bucket by Kathleen Williams--to hold off the homestanding Terriers.  Kenyon first-year Elana Carlson nailed four of five second-half treys for a game-high 15 points, a total matched by Hiram's Ashley Drum, who also contributed seven rebounds, four of them on the offensive glass.  Kenyon, the conference's top defensive team in terms of points and FG%, held the Terriers to 33% shooting and just 18% from beyond the arc, while winning the rebounding battle 38-32. 
Allegheny 61, Wooster 53 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0218.htm)...Allegheny held off a late Wooster rally to record their fifth straight win and keep pace with Kenyon in the race for second place.  Leading by just two at the half, the visiting Gators opened up a 14-point lead with just under eight minutes remaining.  Wooster responded with an 11-2 run, cutting the margin to five with 2:49 left, but the Scots were unable to cut the deficit any further as the Gators hit four of six free throws and a pair of layups to secure the win.  Emilie Simone had 17 points to lead the balanced Gator attack, augmented by Stephanie Wolf's double-double (10 pts., 10 reb.) and three other players with eight points or better.  Wooster got 19 from Kym Wenz, the conference's leading scorer, a huge 16 point, 13 rebound game from Kaitlin Krister, and ten points from Taylor Keegan, but the rest of the roster could only manage a collective eight points on 3-for-22 shooting.  Despite the loss, Wooster clinched at least a share of 6th place and the #6 seed in the conference tournament, by virtue of Hiram's loss to Kenyon.
OWU 87, Oberlin 67 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0218.htm)...The Bishops chinched no worse than a share of 4th place by cruising past the Yeowomen at Branch Rickey Arena.  Oberlin scored the game's first four points, but OWU answered with 40 of their own over the next 15 minutes, opening up a 16 point lead that fell back to 13 at the half.  The Bishops opened the second half on a 9-2 run, and although Oberlin responded with a 7-0 run of their own, the Yeowomen never again got the deficit under 12 points.  Oberlin shot 42% from the field and actually made two more baskets than their opponents, but were victimized by 10 OWU treys (in 29 attempts, 34.5%) and a blistering 25-of-26 performance by the Bishops at the free throw line.  OWU got huge games from Katie Hamilton (21 points, 9 rebounds), Kayla Gordon (17 pts., 10 reb.), and Tyler Cordell (18 pts., 8 reb., and 9 assists).  Syrea Thomas led three Yeowomen in double figures with 17 pts., but leading scorer Alyssa Clark, who ranks third in the NCAC at 16.2 ppg in conference action, was held scoreless, although she did contribute six assists. 

Standings:
Denison 15-0 / 17-6
Kenyon 11-5 / 12-12
Allegheny 10-5 / 14-10
Ohio Wesleyan 9-6 / 13-11
Wittenberg 8-7 / 14-10
Wooster 6-9 / 8-16
Hiram 5-10 / 7-17
Oberlin 3-12 / 5-19
Earlham 1-14 / 2-21

Saturday's games:
Denison at Allegheny
OWU at Hiram
Wittenberg at Oberlin
Earlham at Wooster
Kenyon is idle
END REGULAR SEASON
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 19, 2009, 12:02:23 AM
Seeding update:

#1: Denison, who will host Oberlin in the quarterfinals Tuesday.
#2/#3:  If Allegheny defeats Denison on Saturday, they will be the #2 seed and host Hiram.  Otherwise Kenyon is #2 and AC is #3, set to host Wooster.
#4/#5:  OWU is #4 if any of the following Saturday results come true: 1) OWU defeats Hiram; 2) Oberlin defeats Wittenberg; or 3) Wooster defeats Earlham.  If all of those results break Wittenberg's way, I confess I'm not certain what would happen.  OWU and Witt split their games, and have the same composite record vs. the teams ahead of them in the standings.  The third tie-breaker is to compare results against the next-best finisher.  In this scenario, that would be Wooster and Hiram in a tie for 6th, with the tie-breaker favoring Wooster.  Now, what I'm not sure of is whether Wooster and Hiram would be considered as a tandem (because they'd be tied) or individually, starting with Wooster, who has a tie-breaker advantage over Hiram.  If it is the latter, OWU wins the tie-breaker, having swept Wooster while Witt split with the Scots.  If it is the former, both Witt and OWU had a composite 3-1 record vs. Wooster and Hiram, and the process would continue.  In that case it would continue undecided right through the standings, resulting in a coin toss to determine seeding.  (If anyone knows the answer for sure, please shoot me a PM or an email at dacollinge [at] yahoo [dot] com.)  In any case, these two teams will meet in the first round of the tournament, and it's very likely if not certain that the game will be at OWU.
#6: Wooster, who swept Hiram and would thus own the tie-breaker with the Terriers if necessary.
#7: Hiram
#8: Oberlin
Earlham has failed to qualify for the tournament.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2009, 05:11:26 PM
Today's scores:
Denison 78, Allegheny 64 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/allw0221.html#GAME.BOX)...Denison got double-doubles from seniors Katie St. Clair (16/11) and Carolyn Simpson (12/10) and finish out the regular season in style as the undefeated NCAC champions.  The Big Red also got double-figure scoring from seniors Ellen O'Brien (14) and Caitlin Graessle (12) as well as sophomore and team leading scorer Shaina Kaiser (11).  Denison hit better than 50% (15/29) in opening a 13-point halftime lead, then held the Gators to just 31% shooting in the second half, maintaining an advantage of at least 8 points throughout the half.  Two of Allegheny's seniors also scored in double figures, getting 13 points and 8 rebounds from Stephanie Wolf and 12 points from Hilary Collins.  With the loss, which snapped a 5-game winning streak, Allegheny slips to third in the final standings and will host sixth-place Wooster in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
OWU 64, Hiram 55 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0221.htm)...OWU used a huge first half to take control of the game and move into a third-place tie in the final conference standings.  The Bishops scored 20 of the game's first 25 points, and after Hiram closed to within 9, ended the half on a seven-point run to lead 36-20.  Hiram hit 8 of 13 three point attempts in the second half, including three apiece from first-year Tiffany Shields and junion Pamela Spencer, but could get no closer than the final margin of nine points.  The Terriers won the rebounding battle 46-39, but were held to just 32% shooting, turning the ball over 21 times.  Senior post Katie Hamilton, who has been the Bishops' MVP down the stretch, led the way with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and five assists, with sophomores Pam Quigney and Tyler Cordell pitching in a dozen points apiece.  Spencer led the Terriers with a career-best 18 points, all on three-pointers.  Today would have been Senior Day at Hiram, but the Terriers have no seniors on the roster.
Wittenberg 91, Oberlin 50 (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/statistics/08-09statistics/witw0221.htm)...The Tigers spoiled Senior Day for Oberlin's four seniors, overwhelming the Yeowomen at Philips Gym this afternoon.  After a back and forth first four minutes, the Tigers seized control with a 13-0 run, propelling them to a 15-point halftime edge.  In the second half, the Yeowomen were again able to hang with their guests for about four minutes, but thereafter it was all Wittenberg, who used a 22-5 run to establish a 33-point lead just inside the 10:00 mark and then coasted home with the lopsided victory.  The Tigers destroyed their hosts on the boards, recording a 60-32 rebounding advantage that held Oberlin to just five second-chance points.  The Tigers were also more opportunistic, scoring 23 points off 14 OC turnovers (while surrendering just two points from their own 13 TOs) and recording 22 assists led by Katherine Hueter's 7.  Wittenberg shot 45% and connected on eight of 15 three-pointers, while their defense limited Oberlin to 27% shooting overall and 28% from the arc.  Stephanie Boardman led the Tigers with 19 points, while Oberlin got a game-best 16 points from senior Kira Rivera. 
Earlham 63, Wooster 55 (http://athletics.wooster.edu/wb/boxes/2008-09/earlham2.php)...In a game that only Leonard Pinth-Garnell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_TV_show_sketches#Leonard_Pinth-Garnell) could appreciate, last-place finisher Earlham ended their season on a winning note, besting the sixth-place Scots at Timken Gym.  After a first half in which the teams combined to shoot just 18 for 63 (29%) and ended with Earlham holding a four-point lead, the Quakers came out and played with confidence, scoring thirteen consecutive points to establish a 14-point lead with just five minutes gone in the second half.  Earlham maintained a mid-teens lead until Wooster finally came to life in the last six minutes, but the visitors connected on just enough free throws down the stretch to hold the Scots at bay.  Free throw shooting was the difference in the game, as Wooster actually made more field goals than their opponents but were outscored by a 20-6 margin from the stripe.  First-year Nikki Darrett led the way with 17 points, hitting nine of 12 free throws, and also contributed 12 rebounds.  Junior Katy Buda drained five treys for 15 points.  First-year Sarah Abboud hit four big treys down the stretch for a team-high 12 points.  Kaitlin Krister grabbed 10 rebounds but was held scoreless by Tasha Merrill's defense until the final 3:26, settling for four points.  NCAC scoring champion Kym Wenz was held to 11 points on 3/16 shooting, but did manage to score her 1,000th career point in the first half. 

Final Standings:
1. Denison 16-0 (18-6)
2. Kenyon 11-5 (12-12)
3. (tie) Allegheny 10-6 (14-11)
3. (tie) Ohio Wesleyan 10-6 (14-11)
5. Wittenberg 9-7 (15-10)
6. Wooster 6-10 (8-17)
7. Hiram 5-11 (7-18)
8. Oberlin 3-13 (5-20)
9. Earlham 2-14 (3-21)

Allegheny and OWU split their season series.  Allegheny earns the #3 seed by virtue of the second tie-breaker: "Combined win-loss record with all teams above tied teams."  Allegheny's record vs. Denison and Kenyon was 2-2; OWU's was 0-4.

Tuesday's Quarterfinal pairings, sites, and tip times:
Oberlin at Denison 7:30pm
Hiram at Kenyon 7:30pm
Wooster at Allegheny 7:30pm
Wittenberg at Ohio Wesleyan 6:00pm (followed by the men's quarterfinal between OWU and Allegheny)

note: this is the first time since joining the NCAC in 1989-90 that Wittenberg has not hosted a quarterfinal matchup
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2009, 05:56:07 PM
Here's a comparison of the coaches' and media polls, my predictions (http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=726.msg978630#msg978630), and the actual results:


      Team            Actual            Coaches            Media            Me      
   Denison      1      1      1      1   
   Kenyon      2      4      4      5   
   Allegheny      3      5      5      3   
   OWU      3      3      3      4   
   Wittenberg   5      2      2      2   
   Wooster      6      6      6      6   
   Hiram      7      7      8      9   
   Oberlin      8      8      7      7   
   Earlham      9      9      9      8   

We all sold short on Kenyon and held Wittenberg too long.  I claim some credit for picking Allegheny to finish 3rd, but I missed the boat on Hiram.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2009, 09:27:41 PM
The final conference-only stats are posted at northcoast.org (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/08-09stats/CONFONLY.HTM):

Scoring: Wooster's Kym Wenz was the scoring champion, averaging 19.3 ppg to easily outdistance Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman (16.4) and Oberlin's Alyssa Clark (14.7). 

Rebounding:  Carolyn Simpson of league champion Denison was the top glass cleaner with 9.4 rpg, edging out OWU's Katie Hamilton (9.2) and Oberlin's Alyssa Clark (8.8.)  Hamilton was far and away the leading offensive rebounder at 3.9 rpg, well ahead of Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman 3.4.  Simpson (6.38) and Clark (6.25) topped the defensive rebounding charts.

Assists:  Denison's Ellen O'Brien and OWU's Tyler Cordell each recorded 76 assists for an average of 4.75 per game.  Hiram's Kelsey Durichko was a distant third at 3.44.

Steals:  Syrea Thomas of Oberlin led the way in this category with 2.56 steals per game.  Allegheny's Stephanie Wolf (2.43) was second, followed by Oberlin's Alyssa Clark and OWU's Tyler Cordell at 2.31.

FG%:  Hiram's Ashley Drun connected at a rate of .529 to become the league's top shooter.  Denison's Shaina Kaiser (.516) and Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman (.515) also made better than half their shots in conference play.

FT%:  Pam Quigney of OWU missed just three of her 40 attempts (.925) to lead the league in this category.  Wooster's Kym Wenz, with more than twice as many attempts, was second at .848, while Denison's Shaina Kaiser was third at .846.

3PFG%:  Denison's Shaina Kaiser was the only long-range shooter to make better than half of her attempts, hitting 25 of 46 attempts (.543).  Teammate Katie St. Clair (.488) and OWU's Kayla Gordon (.459) followed Kaiser in the standings.  Gordon made 39 treys, the most in the NCAC, with Wooster's Kym Wenz (29) and Gordon's teammate Pam Quigney (27) rounding out the top three.

A/TO:  Ellen O'Brien, who ranks second nationally in this category, dominated the NCAC with a ratio of 5.85 assists for each of her 13 turnovers.  Wooster's Keshia Butler was a distant second at 1.72, with Hiram's Kelsey Durichko third at 1.49.

Blocked shots:  Oberlin's January Baker was far and away the top shot blocker, recording 36 blocks in her 14 conference games (2.57).  Denison's Carolyn Simpson (1.88) was second, with Baker's teammate Fran Holoman (1.50) third.

Minutes played:  Oberlin's Alyssa Clark averaged better than 35 minutes per conference game to lead this category.  She edged Earlham's Tasha Merrill (34.50) and Allegheny's Stephanie Wolf (34.07) for the Ironwoman crown.

Congratulations all around!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2009, 11:36:55 PM
Voting by the coaches on the year-end awards begins on Monday, and this year I do not envy them the task.  Last year (http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=726.msg884539#msg884539) I found this to be a relatively easy task, but this year it is maddeningly difficult.  Just as an example of how tough this is, the player I had penciled in as Player of the Year last week at this time I don't even have on the first team anymore, through no fault of her own.  I think there's at least eight players for whom I can make compelling cases as POY, with none really standing out from the rest.  The same is true for the Newcomer of the Year category, which is further complicated by the presence of a couple of upperclass transfers among the field of frosh.  I've looked at the stats every which way, and factored in such intangibles I think are relevant, and here's what I've reluctantly come up with.

All-Conference Selections:
First Team (listed alphabetically):
Stephanie Boardman, junior post, Wittenberg
Alyssa Clark, senior guard, Oberlin
Kayla Gordon, sophomore post, Ohio Wesleyan
Katie Hamilton, senior post, Ohio Wesleyan
Ellen O'Brien, senior guard, Denison
Carolyn Simpson, senior post, Denison
Kym Wenz, junior guard, Wooster

Second Team (listed alphabetically):
Tyler Cordell, sophomore wing, Ohio Wesleyan
Shaina Kaiser, sophomore wing, Denison
Kaitlin Krister, junior center, Wooster
Pam Quigney, sophomore guard, Ohio Wesleyan
Emilie Simone, junior forward/center, Allegheny
Kathleen Williams, sophomore post, Kenyon
Stephanie Wolf, senior guard/forward, Allegheny

Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically):
Ashley Drum, junior forward, Hiram
Carrie Dyer, junior wing, Wittenberg
Jill Gregory, sophomore guard, Allegheny
Tasha Merrill, senior forward, Earlham
Laurel Stokes, junior guard, Kenyon

Player of the Year:  As I say above, I could make the case for any of my first-team selections, and one or two of my second-teamers as well.  Boardman, Clark, and Wenz are great all-around players who were absolutely indispensable to their team's success this year.  Simpson is nearly unstoppable in the post.  Gordon may be the best all-around player in the conference, and Hamilton was probably the best player down the stretch.  But by the slightest of margins, I'm going with Denison's Ellen O'Brien, who I see as the most important reason Denison was able to dominate the NCAC this season.  Her achievements don't necessarily show up in the stats, but she's the catalyst on both the offense and defense, leading the loop in assists and assist/turnover ratio (she had an insane 13 turnovers in 16 conference games), while ranking fifth in steals.  She averaged only 7.4 points per game, but with nearly five assists per game added in, she was responsible for something in the neighborhood of 20 points in the average contest.  Rather than relying on one or two stars, Denison was able to spread the ball around, play the hot hand, and take advantage of defensive mismatches all season, and Ellen's rock-steady play at the point made that possible. 

Newcomer of the Year:  Again, there's lots of candidates here.  Caitlin Graessle at Denison and Lauren Donahoe at Allegheny transferred in as upperclasswomen and made immediate and significant impacts on their teams.  Hiram's Kelsey Durichko and Wooster's Keshia Butler were among the league leaders in assists (3rd and 5th, respectively) and A/TO (3rd and 2nd), helping to stabilize their offenses.  Kenyon's Suzanne Kahle provided instant offense from the arc as well as tenacious defense for the Ladies.  None of the newcomers, however, had a bigger impact than Earlham's Nikki Darrett.  The 5'6" Darrett ended up among the conference leaders in four statistical categories: scoring (12.9, 10th), rebounding (5.5, 16th), FG% (.767, 8th), and steals (2.0, 8th), indicative of a solid all-around game.  She also took some of the defensive pressure off of Tasha Merrill and played some outstanding defense herself.  Overall, she ranked 2nd on her team in scoring, rebounding, three-pointers, and assists, and led the team in steals and free throws made.

Coach of the Year:  Kenyon and Ohio Wesleyan each graduated six seniors last season, with seven of those 12 earning all-conference recognition, and yet both teams were right in the thick of things again this season, finishing 2nd and 3rd.  These performances are a testament to the outstanding coaching of Suzanne Helfant and Nan Carney DeBord.  But how on earth do you go against the team that finished 16-0, even if they were the prohibitive favorites?  I know I can't.  No matter how good your players are, it takes an outstanding coaching effort to rack up a perfect conference record, and that's what Denison got out of Sara Lee this season. 

So that's what I've come up with.  There's lots of other players that deserve recognition that I couldn't squeeze in, and I feel bad about that.  But I'd be happy to go to war with any twelve of these 20 players (including Darrett), with Coach Lee leading the way.  And I feel good about that.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: ECHOOPER on February 23, 2009, 08:06:14 AM
David,
How do you have Tasha Merrill as a Honorable Mention player?  She is fourth in the conference in scoring, top 15 in rebounds, 11th in field goal percentage, and 6th in free throws.  Some of the players that you have on the second team are behind Merrill in those categories. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2009, 10:28:08 AM
I have a lot of respect for Tasha Merrill, and applaud her for her great career at the EC.  I had her on my second team last season.  However, when looking at conference-only stats (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/08-09stats/CONFONLY.HTM) (which is what I go by), apart from being fourth in scoring (tied with OWU's Pam Quigney), the only other places she registers among the conference leaders is free throw percentage (also 4th), 3 pointers made (t-12th), blocked shots (t-4th), and minutes played (2nd)--and I don't put a lot of weight on those latter three categories.  She didn't finish among the top 20 rebounders (although both Tracy Hill and Nikki Darrett did) or top 15 in FG% (where Hill was 5th).  Not that it's a litmus test, but every one of my second teamers except Quigney was in the conference's top 20 in both scoring and rebounding and was among the league leaders in at least one other key stat such as FG% or FT% (Quigney registered in six categories I look closely at.)  Tasha had another great year, but I think the players I selected had at least marginally better seasons.  Thanks for your comment.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2009, 12:48:09 PM
One of those second-teamers, Allegheny's Emilie Simone, was honored today by becoming the final NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  Emilie scored 30 points on 50% shooting and added 13 rebounds this week as the Gators clinched third place and the #3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.  For the season, Simone finished among the top 15 in the NCAC in scoring (10.8 ppg), rebounding (5.6 rpg), defensive rebounding (4.0 rpg), FG% (.443), and blocked shots (1.06 bpg).  Congratulations, Emilie!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: ECHOOPER on February 23, 2009, 12:48:48 PM
Did you ever have the opportunity to see her play?  Stats do not always tell the story.  About the last month of the season she was facing double teams almost the whole game.  So the coaches have more respect for her.  So the coaches will probably have her higher than honorable mention.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2009, 12:57:36 PM
Quote from: ECHOOPER on February 23, 2009, 12:48:48 PM
Did you ever have the opportunity to see her play?  Stats do not always tell the story.  About the last month of the season she was facing double teams almost the whole game.  So the coaches have more respect for her.  So the coaches will probably have her higher than honorable mention.
Yes, I saw Earlham at Wooster on Saturday (I saw every team in the NCAC this season), and I was very impressed with Tasha's play, especially her defense on Kaitlin Krister.  I'm sorry you think I am disrespecting her by putting her on my HM squad.  As I said in the original post, I found it to be very difficult to sort out the top players, and I would not be displeased at all if the coaches give her a second-team billing.  She's very deserving of whatever honors come her way.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 25, 2009, 12:45:03 AM
Quarterfinal scores:
#1 Denison 99, #8 Oberlin 47 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0224.html#GAME.BOX)...Unlike the chaotic men's tournament, the women's quarterfinals went strictly according to Hoyle.  Only one game even figured to be competitive, and this wasn't it.  With three minutes gone and the visiting Yeowomen leading by one, Denison embarked on a 18-0 run that was followed shortly thereafter by an 18-2 run, at which point the 13th straight NCAC tournament victory for the Big Red was a foregone conclusion.  By the time the dust settled, DU's big contributors had all stepped up:  Carolyn Simpson had 23 points and 13 boards, Shaina Kaiser had 18 points with three treys, and Ellen O'Brien had five more assists and three more steals, and another turnover-free game.  Syrea Thomas led Oberlin with ten points.  Alyssa Clark had nine points and four rebounds, and ends her Oberlin career as the all-time leading rebounder with 746 boards, besting Dee Wells' 14-year-old standard by 27 caroms.  She also had 1,416 career points (13.7 ppg), just 277 points shy of the Oberlin record.  Congratulations, Alyssa!
#2 Kenyon 64, #7 Hiram 48 (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28868.xml)...Hiram had no answer for Kathleen Williams, and as a result Kenyon gets the opportunity to answer Allegheny's season sweep.  Williams consistently worked into position in the post, got a feed from outside, and converted the hoop.  She was 9 of 15 on the evening for a career-high 23 points, with six of those buckets the conversion of assists from five of her teammates.  She also led all rebounders with nine, including four offensive caroms.  Overall, the Ladies shot at a 47% rate and recorded 15 assists on their 22 buckets.  Still, it was defense that brought the Ladies to the dance, however, and that defense held Hiram to just 32% shooting and forced 17 turnovers to secure the victory.  Hiram, which has no seniors on the roster, ends their season with a record of 7-19.
#3 Allegheny 62, #6 Wooster 45 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0224.htm)...This game was still tied with 10:00 remaining in the first half, but it wouldn't be for long, as the Gators had already embarked on what would be a 9-0 run that would lead to a 15-point halftime advantage.  After the half, Allegheny would slowly build on their lead and put the game out of reach by connecting on 13 of 14 second-half free throws.  Lauren Donahoe and Laura Magnelli led the balanced scoring effort with 14 apiece, and they also combined for 11 rebounds.  Senior Stephanie Wolf added 11 points (9 for 10 from the line), 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Wooster's Kym Wenz also had 14 points, giving her 483 for the season, the second-highest total in Wooster history.  Wooster's lone senior, Meredith Wilson, departs with 128 three-point baskets, three shy of Wooster's career record.
#4 Ohio Wesleyan 67, #5 Wittenberg 61 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0224.htm)...It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Wittenberg completely dominated the first half, hitting 63% of their shots including thee of four from the arc, while recording six steals and holding their hosts to just 32% shooting--and even that was only because of a four-for-seven performance from long range.  Trailing 40-23, OWU came out of the locker room and seized control with a 10-0 run that blossomed into a 25-4 spurt that gave the Bishops a lead they would not relinquish.  The roles were nearly reversed in the second half, with OWU connecting on 55% of their shots while holding Witt to just 23%.  Outscored 18-4 in the pain in the opening stanza, the Bishops pounded their guests inside by a 28-10 count in the second.  After surrendering the lead, Wittenberg righted the ship and stayed within five points until the final seconds, but the Tigers lacked the scoring punch needed to overtake OWU, and Tyler Cordell nailed two late free throws to seal the victory.  Cordell recorded 19 points, including six of six from the line, to lead four Bishops in double figures, and also contributed 4 assists and three steals.  Wittenberg was led by senior Rachel Dixon's 16, thirteen of which were before halftime, and the remainder on a three-ball that cut the OWU lead to just two with 1:05 remaining.  Wittenberg's only other senior, Katie Gardner, finished her career with two points and four rebounds. 

Semifinals Friday at Denison:
#2 Kenyon vs. #3 Allegheny, 6:00pm (Allegheny swept the season series, 51-47 and 58-52)
#1 Denison vs. #4 Ohio Wesleyan, 8:00pm (Denison swept the season series, 70-59 and 76-71)

Last year, we also had two semifinals in which one team had swept the other in the regular season, and in both cases the sweep-ee got their revenge on the sweep-er.  I'm just sayin'...
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 27, 2009, 11:11:49 PM
OWU 80, Denison 66 (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0809/denw0227.htm)...For the first time since 2004, when Carolyn Simpson, Ellen O'Brien & co. were just starting to think about maybe applying to Denison, the Big Red will not win the NCAC tournament.  A huge game by Tyler Cordell, who was a high school freshman in 2004, made sure of that.  Cordell had 18 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in leading her team to the championship game while snapping Denison's 16-game win streak.  The four-time defending champs started out hitting five of their first nine shots, opening up an early five-point lead, but OWU answered with a 9-2 run capped by a Kayle Gordon layup to grab the lead.  The Bishops expanded their advantage to seven with 7:04 left in the half, but Denison then scored eight straight to regain the lead.  That lead was short-lived, however (just 0:21, in fact), as a short jumper from Cordell put the visitors back in front to stay.  OWU ended the half on a 12-3 run to take an eight-point edge into the locker room.  Denison whittled the lead down to four in the first four minutes of the second half, only to see OWU embark on 9-0 run to take control of the game; the Big Red could get no closer than six the rest of the way.  Besides Cordell, OWU got big games from Pam Quigney (21 points including three treys) and Katie Hamilton, the team's lone senior who had 16 points (12 on free throws), nine rebounds, and three blocks.  Denison's Carolyn Simpson and Ellen O'Brien ended their stellar careers with excellent games; Simpson led DU with 16 points and nine rebounds, while O'Brien contributed nine points, seven assists, and (as usual) zero turnovers. 
Allegheny 47, Kenyon 45 (http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/womenbb/0809/html/allw0227.htm)...Trailing 43-26 with less than 11:00 left in the game, Kenyon finally found those cans of spinach (http://www.ultimatecoupons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/popeye.jpg) and exploded for a 19-0 run to grab an improbable two-point lead with 2:10 remaining.  Bloodied but unbowed, Allegheny answered with a Jill Gregory layup, then a Lauren Donahoe block, giving the Gators the ball with the score tied and the clock at 0:35.  After a timeout, 'Gheny was able to work the clock down to 0:08 before cashing in when Stephanie Wolf found Emilie Simone in the paint for a layup.  After a quick timeout, Kenyon set up Taylor Lenci, but her jumper missed as the clock expired, and the third-seeded Gators had survived.  Simone ended up as the Gators' leading scorer with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Wolf contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists.  Kenyon's Kathleen Williams led all scorers with 20, hitting eight of her 15 shots, and like all of her teammates will be back for another season next year.

Saturday's game:
#3 Allegheny vs. #4 Ohio Wesleyan, 7pm (at Denison)
These teams split their season series, with the Bishops winning at home on Jan. 10, 72-56 (both Stephanie Wolf and Hilary Collins were injured and missed this game), and Gators prevailing 59-51 two weeks ago in Meadville. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on February 28, 2009, 12:42:49 PM
Did not see that coming. I know OWU is always well-coached but Denison seemed to be firing on an extra cylinder of late.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 28, 2009, 09:19:53 PM
Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan, NCAC Tournament Champions with a 73-65 victory over Allegheny tonight in Granville.  I have no details yet; when I get them, I'll post my recap, but it probably won't be until tomorrow.  In the meantime, Bishops fans, celebrate, and plan your trip to the NCAAs!  :)


Ohio Wesleyan 73, Allegheny 65 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0228.htm)...OWU, which never trailed, took control early, opening up a 10-point lead in the first 7:30, forcing an Allegheny timeout.  When play resumed, the Gators went on the attack, tying up the game with a 14-4 run over six minutes.  The teams then matched mini-runs as the momentum ebbed and flowed, and when the horn sounded, the Bishops held a two-point lead.  OWU scored the first six points of the second half, and extended their lead to a dozen when Hannah Coughlin stole the ball from Hilary Collins and got the ball to Tyler Cordell, who fed Pam Quigney for a layup with 11:27 remaining.  Thenceforward the two teams matched nearly shot for shot, and the final margin was as close as the Gators would get.  For the evening, OWU shot a robust 46% vs. 39% for Allegheny, and the Bishops outrebounded their foes by a 43-34 count.  However, OWU was only able to outscore the Gators by two points from the field, due in large part to Allegheny's superior three-point shooting (7 of 12).  The difference in the game was at the free throw line, where OWU made more tosses (14 of 19) than Allegheny attempted (8 of 12).  Cordell capped off a brilliant weekend with a 16-point, 7-assist evening, netting her the tournament MVP award.  Katie Hamilton scored 18, including hitting eight of nine free throws, and Pam Quigney added 15; both joined Cordell on the All-Tournament team.  Stephanie Wolf was Allegheny's lone representative on that team, honored after she tallied 18 points, 8 rebounds, and four assists.  Jill Gregory shared scoring honors with Wolf and Hamilton, hitting three treys on her way to 18 points.  The remainder of the All-Tournament team consisted of Kenyon's Kathleen Williams and Denison's Carolyn Simpson.

Allegheny finishes the season with a 16-12 mark and bids farewell to seniors Stephanie Wolf, Hilary Collins, and Jessica Morelli, a class that compiled a 64-44 record, 42-22 in conference play, and earned two trips to the NCAC tournament championship game. 

OWU improves to 17-11 and will return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002.  Although the Bishops will be considered something of a longshot in the NCAAs, coach Nan Carney-DeBord has experience guiding Cinderella to the ball.  In 2002, OWU entered the tournament with a 19-7 record and was a single point away (http://www.d3hoops.com/terrehaute/02/round3/sluowu.htm) from the sectional finals; and the previous year, an unranked 21-7 Bishops team soared through the bracket to a third-place national finish (http://www.d3hoops.com/danbury/01/index.html).  A warning to whoever the bracket places in OWU's path: overlook the Bishops at your peril!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 02, 2009, 11:29:31 AM
It's never easy for the NCAC rep in the NCAA tournament.  The past two seasons, Denison had to face Hope and DePauw, both defending national champs at the time.  While OWU will not have to face Howard Payne, their task is no less difficult, as the Bishops will travel to Bloomington, IL to face unbeaten and top-ranked Illinois Wesleyan in the first round on Friday.  Good luck to the Bishops!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 02, 2009, 08:32:12 PM
NCAC athletes among the final NCAA statistical leaders (http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/rankings?sportCode=WBB):

Scoring:  Kym Wenz, Wooster, 18.6 (36th)
Blocked Shots per game:  January Baker, Oberlin, 2.58 (22nd)
Free Throw %:  Pam Quigney, OWU, .901 (6th)
Three-point FG %:  Kayla Gordon, OWU, .445 (6th)
Assist/turnover ratio:  Ellen O'Brien, Denison, 4.37 (2nd)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 05, 2009, 02:12:04 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 21, 2009, 11:36:55 PMJust as an example of how tough this is, the player I had penciled in as Player of the Year last week at this time I don't even have on the first team anymore, through no fault of her own.

That player, Shaina Kaiser of Denison, was today named the NCAC Player of the Year (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wballncac.html), so maybe I should have stuck with my first idea!  :D  Kenyon first-year Morgan Korinek was selected as Newcomer of the Year, while Nan Carney-DeBord, coach of the tournament champion OWU squad, has been honored as the Coach of the Year for the seventh time in her 23 years in Delaware. 

Here's the All-NCAC teams (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wballncac.html), listed alphabetically:

First team:
Stephanie Boardman, Wittenberg
Shaina Kaiser, Denison
Ellen O'Brien, Denison
Pam Quigney, OWU
Carolyn Simpson, Denison
Kym Wenz, Wooster
Stephanie Wolf, Allegheny

Second team:
Alyssa Clark, Oberlin
Tyler Cordell, OWU
Carrie Dyer, Wittenberg
Kayla Gordon, OWU
Kaitlin Krister, Wooster
Tasha Merrill, Earlham
Kathleen Wiliams, Kenyon

Honorable mention:
Ashley Drum, Hiram
Jill Gregory, Allegheny
Katie Hamilton, OWU
Sarah Perrine, Denison
Emilie Simone, Allegheny

Congratulations to all of these tremendous scholar-athletes!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 07, 2009, 12:50:47 AM
Illinois Wesleyan 80, Ohio Wesleyan 51 (http://bishops.owu.edu/2008-09/owuw0306.htm)...Well, this is what is liable to happen when you draw the undefeated, #1-ranked team for your first-round opponent.  The Bishops canned six treys in the first half, allowing them to stay in contact with the Titans, but the Titans used a 22-4 run to expand their 11-point halftime lead into an insurmountable 29-point bulge with 12:21 remaining in the game.  IWU made better than 62% of their second-half attempts, while holding OWU to just 26% shooting, including a 1-for15 performance from the arc.  The Bishops bow out with a 17-12 record, but graduate only Katie Hamilton, who led the Bishops in her final game with 15 points and two blocks.  .  The Bishops should return four starters, three of them all-conference honorees, and will be among the favorites in next season's NCAC race.  In the meantime, congratulations to Coach Carney-DeBord and her Bishops on a fine season!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 17, 2009, 09:52:49 PM
Congratulations to Wooster's Kym Wenz for being named to the D3Hoops.com All-Great Lakes (http://www.d3hoops.com/all-region/09/glakewom.htm) second team.  Kym is the only NCAC women's player so honored this year.  Way to go, Kym!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Old Pro on May 12, 2009, 10:30:46 AM
I understand that Earlham's President came out this week and said that he is considering a move to another conferemce and expects his teams to win at least half of their games. Everyone knows how tough the NCAC Conference is! However, in the case of Earlham WBB, two former coaches set the bar for them; Coach Butcher & Coach Rhu. Coach Butcher had double figure wins in four of her six seasons while coach Rhu had the best record in program history. However, the last five seasons have been tough to say the least; 19-107 & 9-68 in the NCAC? WOW! I guess my point is that the two coaches mentioned above seemed to be good recruiters! I realize that Earlham is a tough academic institution. Maybe they sould look at their recruiting plan as opposed to jumping to another conference first!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 07, 2009, 01:09:53 PM
Despite significant graduation losses, Denison still rates a mention in the DIII News preseason Top 25 poll (http://www.smallcollegehoops.com/Home_files/2009Top25.pdf) (PDF).  The Big Red, who do have the reigning NCAC Player of the Year to build around, are listed second in the (non-alphabetical) "Others to Watch" column.  Washington U. in St. Louis is the preseason #1, ahead of defending champion George Fox and #3 Hope.  Other Great Lakes teams in the rankings include DePauw (#7), Capital (#8), Calvin (#20), and Baldwin-Wallace (#22).  I'm not sure how useful such rankings are before practice has even begun, but it's always nice to get a little national cred no matter how iffy it may be.  Go Big Red!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 15, 2009, 01:35:37 PM
Well, I guess it's hail and farewell to Earlham after this season.  They haven't been too successful in athletics lately, but it's a great school with high ideals, and they'll be a credit to the HCAC as they were to the NCAC. 

Barring other membership changes, that brings up to a manageable eight-team league for women's sports, and will do away with those east-west trips (where Allegheny and Hiram would play at Wittenberg and Earlham on consecutive days, and vice-versa) that played havoc with the women's hoops schedules.  Now the men's teams will inherit the 9-team problems the women have put up with for so long, and that alone might be the impetus for seeking a new tenth member.  Of course, I can think of another solution... :-X
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 15, 2009, 07:47:33 PM
Denison's hoops teams get a pre-season pep talk from Bill Bradley. (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/mens/basketball/0910/bill_bradley09.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 16, 2009, 02:21:14 PM
I just got word from a reliable source that the 2010-11 conference schedules have been released to the schools, and that they are double-round-robin for both men and women, with no "Big Trip" weekends for either.  There will be an increased number of men/women double-headers in an effort to hold down travel costs, which is good for fans but can be uncomfortable for players having half the bus space they're used to.  (I note that Earlham has been doing this for some time.)  The men will have bye dates in their conference schedules, since only eight of the nine teams can play conference games on a given night.  The women will play a 14-game season concentrated on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and will have two extra non-conference games available.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 05, 2009, 02:33:32 AM
With the regular season swiftly approaching, and in the absence of the now-defunct "media day," here's my quick-and-dirty pre-season look at the conference.  This is based solely on perusing the websites of the nine schools and does not reflect any knowledge whatsoever of what may be going on in camp.

A recap of last season's final standings:
1. Denison 16-0 (18-6)
2. Kenyon 11-5 (12-12)
3. (tie) Allegheny 10-6 (14-11)
3. (tie) Ohio Wesleyan 10-6 (14-11) (won conference tournament)
5. Wittenberg 9-7 (15-10)
6. Wooster 6-10 (8-17)
7. Hiram 5-11 (7-18)
8. Oberlin 3-13 (5-20)
9. Earlham 2-14 (3-21)

After back-to-back seasons with a team running the table (in 2007-08 it was Kenyon), I'm looking for a much more suspenseful campaign this year.  I think there's not much potential separation between the top five teams, with any of them capable of taking the title--especially if some first-years step up.

That said, here's my official predictions for the final standings:
1. Ohio Wesleyan
2. Kenyon
3. Denison
4. Wittenberg
5. Allegheny
6. Wooster
7. Hiram
8. Earlham
9. Oberlin

Kenyon returns virtually intact, and they swept OWU last season, but I think the Bishops have just enough firepower coming back to hold off the Ladies.  Denison, whose graduation losses dwarf those of the other contenders, should fall back to the pack a bit.  Wittenberg loses two starters but returns a deep and experienced team with a genuine star in Stephanie Boardman.  Allegheny will struggle to replace Stephanie Wolf but also brings back a good deal of experience.  Wooster and Hiram lost little and nothing, respectively, to graduation, but have a lot of ground to cover to catch up with the contenders.  Earlham will struggle to replace Tasha Merrill, but Oberlin has to replace nearly everyone and opens their campaign with just nine women, four of them first-years.

Team-by-team comments to follow.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 05, 2009, 03:00:48 AM
Allegheny (14-11, 10-6, 3rd place, lost in tourney finals to OWU):
Stephanie Wolf was 1st or 2nd on the team in most offensive categories and by my observation was the heart and soul of this team.  She will be impossible to replace.  However, the cupboard is far from bare, as three starters, two of them all-conference honorees, return.  In all, six key contributors to last year's success will be back, led by top scorer Jill Gregory.  All-around player Emilie Simone is one of four seniors who will provide the leadership that should keep the Gators in the hunt all season.  And Brittany Bell, one of the NCAC's top three-ballers and a favorite of this column, is back on the roster after missing all but one minute of last year's campaign.

Denison (18-6, 16-0, 1st place, lost in tourney semifinals to OWU):
The Big Red was a team primed for success last year, and they were well on the way to achieving it before being derailed by OWU in the tournament.  Now they have to regroup and find a way to replace the contributions of national A/TO leader Ellen O'Brien, 4-time all-conference honoree Carolyn Simpson, and three other major contributors.  Fortunately, Coach Sara Lee has a good foundation to build on: reigning conference Player of the Year Shaina Kaiser, as well as former co-Newcomer of the Year Haley Dahlgard.  Still, Denison must replace more than half of their offense, rebounding, and minutes, and with their key competitors facing much less severe problems in this regard, a little backward regression can be expected.

Earlham (3-21, 2-14, 9th place, did not qualify for tournament):
The Quakers depended heavily on second-team all-conference star Tasha Merrill, but she's now gone to graduation.  However, Coach Lianna Couts employed an egalitarian strategy behind Merrill, with the result that she has six returning veterans with significant starting experience.  Sophomore Nikki Darrett, second on the team in both scoring (behind Merrill) and rebounding (behind the departed Tracy Hill), will be expected to step up for this experienced but still young squad.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 05, 2009, 03:32:37 AM
Hiram (7-18, 5-11, 7th place, lost in tourney quarterfinals to Kenyon):
Hiram, a team that definitely got better as the season progressed, returns 100% intact for the new season.  The Terriers employed a very balanced attack, with seven players getting at least 9 starts apiece, and eight players scoring between 4.8 and 9.3 points per game.  Those team-leading 9.3 points belonged to Ashley Drum, an all-conference honoree who will be one of five seniors trying to take the Terriers to the next step--a "first division" finish in the conference standings.

Kenyon (12-12, 11-5, 2nd place, lost in tourney semifinals to Allegheny):
Kenyon, undefeated conference champions in 2007-08, opened last season by bidding farewell to six outstanding seniors and then getting off to a miserable 1-8 start.  Then, behind leading scorer Kathleen Williams, conference Newcomer of the Year Morgan Korinek, and a very balanced and defense-oriented attack, they righted the ship and claimed a fairly surprising (to me, at least) second place finish.  This season, they have only to replace part-time performer Suzanne Kahle, returning about 90% of their offense and 95% of their rebounding, so hopes should be high for a return to the top spot for the Ladies.  Much like Hiram, Kenyon's veterans include eight players with nine or more starts apiece, and four players between 7.5 and 9.9 ppg.  The team balance even extends to the ages of the players, with two seniors, four juniors, and three sophomores among the key returnees.  Kenyon should be in the race down to the wire.

Oberlin (5-20, 3-13, 8th place, lost in tourney quarterfinals to Denison):
Unfortunately for the Yeowomen, the narrative changes here.  Not only does Oberlin have to find a way to replace Alyssa Clark, their leader in nearly every category, but eight other players as well.  Collectively, these nine accounted for nearly three-quarters of the offense and two-thirds of the rebounding.  The 2009-10 Yeowomen will feature just five upperclasswomen, and just three players who averaged in double figures in minutes per game a year ago.  The top returnee is junior Syrea Thomas, whose 8.8ppg were good for second on the squad.  She'll be joined by senior Emily Chu-Finkel, whose game improved dramatically last season, leading to 17 starts and 4.8 rebounds per contest.  Beyond these two, however, the scenario looks fairly grim.  The program speaks effusively about their four recruits, and this praise had better be warranted if Oberlin hopes to escape the conference cellar.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 05, 2009, 04:04:49 AM
Ohio Wesleyan (14-11, 10-6, t-3rd place, won conference tournament):
OWU was a fairly erratic team last year, playing with spurts of outstanding play mixed with dead periods, and playing with their hearts on their sleeves.  It all came together for a dominating run through the conference tournament, and that experience as well as another year of maturity should help the Bishops make a serious run at the conference title this year.  Coach Nan Carney-DeBord has only to replace the contributions of Katie Hamilton; a not insignificant loss, as she was the squad's top rebounder and an all-conference honoree.  Still, the four returning starters and their bench support accounted for over 80% of the scoring and rebounding, so the loss is by no means insurmountable.  The Bishops have the luxury of three all-conference performers returning to the court: 1st team honoree Pam Quigney and second teamers Tyler Cordell and Kayla Gordon, who were the top three scorers on this high-scoring team, as well as the top three rebounders behind Hamilton.  Unlike most of the other teams in the NCAC, OWU tends to stick with a set line-up, which means that their rivals may have more experience in the 6th through 8th (wo)man positions;  but while players like Dany Finck and Lea Mackenbach didn't get the starts, they did get the playing time, and should be sufficiently able to compliment an extremely talented starting unit.  Expect OWU to battle Kenyon and perhaps Denison and/or Wittenberg for the conference podium this season.
Note: OWU has not posted a 2009-10 roster; I am assuming that all underclasswomen will return for this season.

Wittenberg (15-10, 9-7, 5th place, lost to OWU in conference quarterfinals):
Perennial power Wittenberg fell out of the top four for the first time since joining the NCAC with a disappointing 9-7 campaign, but have the means at hand not only to bounce back but to seriously threaten for the conference title this year.  The Tigers do have to replace two starters lost to graduation, Katie Gardner and Rachel Dixon, but return a deep and talented squad that accounted for about 85% of the scoring and rebounding.  Leading the way is first-team all-conference performer Stephanie Boardman, the team leader in scoring (16.1), rebounding, steals, and FG%.  She will be complimented by second-team all-conference honoree Carrie Dyer and six other veterans who averaged at least 10 minutes per game for at least 19 games apiece.  With potentially six seniors on the roster, leadership should not be a problem, so I look for Wittenberg to at least return to their long-standing tradition of hosting a conference quarterfinal.
Note: Wittenberg has not posted a 2009-10 roster; I am assuming that all underclasswomen will return for this season.

Wooster (8-17, 6-10, 6th place, lost to Allegheny in conference quarterfinals):
Wooster is yet another team that returns largely intact, with four returning starters and veterans accounting for about 90% of their statistical output from last season.  As has been the case for several years now, the Scots' fortunes rise and fall on the play of all-conference honorees Kym Wenz (1st team) and Kaitlin Krister (2nd team), two of Wooster's seven seniors.  Wenz' 18.6ppg scoring average was far and away the best in the conference last year, and she was ably supported by Krister's production of 12.3ppg and 8.2 rpg.  Behind this dynamic duo is a deep roster including six more players who averaged at least 11 minutes of action in at least 21 games.  Added to this mix is the return of point guard Priscilla Staples, who sat out last year but started 21 games as a sophomore in 2007-08, and three first-years, including two who measure out at six feet or better.  If all goes according to plan, Wooster has the talent and depth to make a run at a top five finish this season.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 05, 2009, 06:44:43 PM
The coaches poll, which is all that remains of what once was "Media Day," was released while my power was out today.  Here is the link (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wb.html), but to remove any suspense, the coaches agreed with my selections (http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=726.msg1123613#msg1123613) right down the line--or was it I who agreed with them?  ???

Coaches Poll:
1. Ohio Wesleyan (7)...78
2. Kenyon...64
3. Denison (2)...61
4. Wittenberg...57
5. Allegheny...48
6. Wooster...39
7. Hiram...29
8. Earlham...15
9. Oberlin...14
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 06, 2009, 06:22:17 PM
Congratulations to Wooster's Kym Wenz for being recognized as a preseason All-American (http://www.d3hoops.com/all-american/womenpreseason10.htm) by D3hoops.com.  Here's hoping you can live up to this honor, and maybe even go it one (or two or three) better!  Congratulations, Kym! ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 12, 2009, 05:58:12 PM
Wittenberg senior Carrie Dyer's father Bob, a Wooster alum, has thrown his support behind the Wittenberg Tiger in the Wooster/Wittenberg Mascot Face-Off, with disastrous results for his diploma.  See video at http://www.mascotfaceoff.com/.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 15, 2009, 01:24:31 PM
Two games on tap for today.  Defending (regular season) champion Denison gets underway in less than an hour in the first half of an opening day women/men doubleheader, hosting Trine.  (Live Stats) (http://live.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/xlive.htm).   Interesting to note that the Big Red open the post-Ellen era with a frosh--Serafina Nuzzo--starting at the point.  Hiram sends its five returning starters to the floor in Cincinnati at 3:00 to face Mt. St. Joseph.  Good luck to the Big Red and Terriers; let's get this season off to a 2-0 start!

Wooster tips off their season tomorrow evening when they welcome John Carroll to Timken Gymnasium, then Hiram faces their second opponent of the early season in Bluffton on Wednesday.  Next weekend will see every team but the Terriers in action, with the six remaining teams tipping off their seasons on Friday.

Good luck to everyone; let's have a great season!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 15, 2009, 06:16:54 PM
Not the start I was hoping for:
Trine 80, Denison 64
Mt. St. Joseph 84, Hiram 72
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2009, 01:08:30 AM
John Carroll adds to the NCAC's early-season woes, holding off Wooster in the Scots' home opener, 85-82.  Kym Wenz tossed in a career-high 35 points, and Jessica Wingen added a double-double in her first collegiate game, but it was not enough.  Actually, this isn't a terrible result against a team that went 9-9 in the rugged OAC last year and is picked to finish 5th in that loop (vs. Wooster's being picked 6th in the NCAC).  But, a loss is a loss; next up is Hiram, who travels to Bluffton on Wednesday.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2009, 08:59:20 PM
The bad news is that I've discovered the first flaw in my composite schedule; Allegheny had their home opener tonight, and I didn't have that in my spreadsheet.

The good news is that the Gators won it, 61-49 over Grove City.  Emilie Simone led the way with 14 points and 10 boards.  Way to go, Gators!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 18, 2009, 03:01:49 AM
Kenyon coach Suzanne Helfant discusses her team, her schedule, and her view of the league race, in her first podcast interview of the season.  This is really good stuff, and if you're interested in KC hoops or the NCAC at all, you should give it a click.

The Suzanne Helfant Show (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x30544.xml).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 19, 2009, 01:33:21 AM
Bluffton rides a wave of hot shooting (58% for the evening) to a 79-67 victory over Hiram tonight in Bluffton.  The Terriers got a team effort on the offensive end, with nine players in the scorebook, led by Alex Dellas' 12 points, and committed just a dozen turnovers, but there's just so much you can do when your opponent can't miss the bucket.  (For the record, Hiram shot a respectable 39%.)  Hiram drops to 0-2 and will next suit up in ten days at Mt. Union College.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 20, 2009, 05:03:22 PM
If there are no more mistakes on my composite schedule (and honestly, who's here to find them?), here's this weekend's action:

Today:
Pitt-Greensburg at Allegheny...Allegheny 58, Pitt-Greensburg 57 (final score was AC's only lead of the night; frosh Heidi Goeller with a putback at 1:40 for the win)
Denison vs. Webster (at Anderson)...Denison 89, Webster 74
Franklin at Earlham (Quakers' season opener)...Franklin 69, Earlham 54
Kenyon vs. Grove City (at Penn St.-Behrend, Ladies' season opener)...Kenyon 59, GCC 52 (OT)
Oberlin at Bluffton (Yeowomen's season opener)...Bluffton 70, Oberlin 50
OWU vs. Centenary (at Hunter College, Bishops' season opener)...OWU 91, Centenary 87 (OT)
Wittenberg vs. Robert Morris-Springfield (at Hope, Tigers' season opener)...Witt 66, RMC 53

5-2--not bad! :)

Tomorrow:
Denison vs. Muskingum (at Anderson)...Denison 73, Muskingum 57
Manchester at Earlham...Earlham 67, Manchester 62
Kenyon vs. Fredonia St (at Penn St.-Behrend)...Kenyon 70, Fredonia St. 52
Oberlin vs. St. Mary's (at Bluffton)...St. Mary's 74, Oberlin 37
OWU at Hunter College...OWU 77, Hunter 71...Nan Carney-DeBord's 400th career coaching victory--congratulations, Coach! :)
Wittenberg at Hope...Hope 80, Wittenberg 49
Franciscan at Wooster...Wooster 80, Franciscan 38...Scots scored the game's first 35 points and led 42-5 at halftime.  :o

Back-to-back 5-2 days!  :) :)

Sunday:
Westfield St. at Allegheny...Westfield St. 68, Allegheny 54
Mt. Union at Wooster...Mt. Union 64, Wooster 55

10-6 for the weekend.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on November 22, 2009, 01:03:09 AM
David, you seem so lonely in here - just wanted to assure you that at least one person pretty regularly reads your stuff! :)

I was very worried that IWU was getting the women's Final Four a year too late (we graduated 3 really talented senior starters last spring), but Saturday evening #6 IWU took down #1 WashU - I'm back to very hopeful!  (Though we also beat #1 WashU in the regular season last year, only to have them knock us out in the Elite Eight. :()  Does the NCAC have any teams I should be watching for on the national scene?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2009, 01:20:31 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on November 22, 2009, 01:03:09 AMDoes the NCAC have any teams I should be watching for on the national scene?
Okay, how do I answer that and stay positive?

If by "national scene" you mean "top 25 poll," consider that we had undefeated conference champions each of the past two seasons, and in neither case did they receive so much as a single vote in the top 25 poll.  Such is our national profile.  The only NCAC contender that has a tough enough non-conference schedule to make a voter take notice is Wittenberg, and look what happened to them yesterday.  Barring an undefeated season by OWU or perhaps Kenyon, you won't see an NCAC team tickling the poll this year.

If instead you mean "NCAA tournament," well, neither of those 16-0 teams even made the tournament, as both lost in the NCAC tournament semifinals, and we don't get any Pool C love here.  The team favored by all to win the NCAC this season, Ohio Wesleyan, is practically the same team that got soundly beaten by IWU last season in the NCAA's first round.  And OWU was on a serious roll at that time.

What we have here is a very competitive and spirited conference race, with the conference title really being the ultimate prize. 

Hey, at least we're not Franciscan! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on November 22, 2009, 02:22:34 PM
I only fairly recently started paying much attention to women's bball, so (aside from a few of the perennial top teams) I just don't really know the strength of the various conferences.  That is such a contrast to the national stature in men's bball of Woo and Witt (and sometimes Wabash and OWU); any obvious reason(s) for such a disparity?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2009, 03:58:25 PM
Why does the NCAC dominate in Swimming?  Who can answer such questions?

One factor is surely the looming presence of the OAC in the battle for recruits.  Dixie Jeffers' Capital teams have been dominant for many years, and both Wilmington and Baldwin-Wallace have rich traditions as well.  NCAC teams tend not to fare too well against OAC opponents on the floor, and that probably extends to the recruiting trail as well.

Ohio Wesleyan was in the Final Four as recently as 2001, and WIttenberg reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2004.  

The NCAC has the two winningest men's basketball programs in D3 history; that's a tough standard for the women to measure up to.  
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on November 22, 2009, 06:25:15 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on November 22, 2009, 03:58:25 PM
Why does the NCAC dominate in Swimming?  Who can answer such questions?

One factor is surely the looming presence of the OAC in the battle for recruits.  Dixie Jeffers' Capital teams have been dominant for many years, and both Wilmington and Baldwin-Wallace have rich traditions as well.  NCAC teams tend not to fare too well against OAC opponents on the floor, and that probably extends to the recruiting trail as well.

Ohio Wesleyan was in the Final Four as recently as 2001, and WIttenberg reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2004.  

The NCAC has the two winningest men's basketball programs in D3 history; that's a tough standard for the women to measure up to.  

Oh, totally agree.  Overall, the CCIW women have no where near the 'profile' of the men.  Until recently, the CCIW was the Big Ten of the 1970s - Wheaton, Millikin, and the 6 dwarfs.  (I'd have to look it up for sure, but I think between them they had every single title for the first 20 years of CCIW women's competition, and usually the other one was 2nd.)  Mia Smith has created a national power in Bloomington out of no tradition whatsoever.

Since I have so little knowledge of women's bball history, I'm happy to see the NCAC has some positive history.  Seems to make it more likely they could get it back.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2009, 03:25:47 PM
Tuesday's slate:
Washington & Jefferson at Allegheny (2-1)
Earlham (1-1) at Bluffton...we're certainly seeing a lot of Bluffton this November
Ohio Northern at Kenyon (2-0)
John Carroll at Ohio Wesleyan (2-0)
Wittenberg (1-1) at Capital
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 24, 2009, 04:29:36 PM
Just a heads-up that today's ONU/Kenyon game (5:30 tip) will be videocast live (and without charge) from Kenyon's website (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml).  In fact, Kenyon plans to provide video coverage of every Ladies home game this season (Lords, too).  Brava, KC!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 24, 2009, 04:47:36 PM
OWU junior Tyler Cordell, the MVP of Hunter College Tipoff tournament, has been named the first recipient of the NCAC Player of the Week  (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html)Award for the 2009-10 season.  Tyler had 38 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists in leading the Bishops to the tournament title.  Congratulations, Tyler!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 24, 2009, 07:18:06 PM
Kenyon 58, Ohio Northern 55...A nice defense-first win for the Ladies in their home opener.  Morgan Korinek and Kathleen Williams led a balanced scoring attack with 12 apiece--Morgan was 6 of 9 from the floor, while Kathleen made 8 free throws in 12 attempts.  Kenyon forced 21 turnovers, held the Polar Bears to 34% shooting, and generally harassed their foes into bad passes and bad shot attempts.  Kenyon moves to 3-0 on the young season.

Washington & Jefferson 53, Allegheny 39...The Gators came out ice cold, hitting just 5 of 23 first half field goal attempts, but were down just 5 points at the half.  However, a half-opening 11-1 run by the Presidents sealed the outcome.  For the evening, the homestanding Gators connected on just 28% of their field goal attempts, and a woeful 57% of their free throws.  Allegheny's record evens up at 2-2 with the loss.

Ohio Wesleyan 80, John Carroll 67...The high-octane OWU offense put up 53 in the first half to lead by 18, and coasted to the victory.  JCU scored the game's final seven points--against the end of the OWU bench--to make the score somewhat respectable.  Four OWU starters scored in double figures, led by sixteen apiece from Kayla Gordon and Tyler Cordell.  Dany Finck could only manage 14 points, but compensated with 15 rebounds.  Like Kenyon, the Bishops stay perfect at 3-0.

Bluffton 79, Earlham 75...Bluffton completes a sweep of the predicted bottom third of the NCAC, thanks to a 19-6 run early in the second half that converted an Earlham lead to a double-digit deficit.  The EC managed to cut an eight-point Bluffton lead with 0:31 left to just 3, but couldn't get over the final hump.  Nikki Darrett led four Quakers in double figures with 17.  Earlham falls to 1-2.

#22 Capital 55, Wittenberg 49 (OT)...Heartbreaker for the Tigers, who fall to their I-70 rivals at the Cap Center.  Witt dominated the glass, as usual, but could only turn 18 offensive rebounds into just eight second-chance points.  Making just one of sixteen attempts from the arc didn't help, either, and the hosts made more free throws (17) than Witt attempted (13).  Still, this was a nailbiter throughout, as the final score was the largest lead that either team held.  Stephanie Boardman, in her first action of the year, led the Tigers with 15 on 6 of 10 shooting, and contributed 8 rebounds.  Wittenberg drops to 1-2.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 25, 2009, 11:58:22 PM
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my thousands of loyal readers!  :-*  See you on Saturday, when we have a nearly full slate on tap:

Allegheny vs. D'Youville (at St. John Fisher)...Allegheny 68, D'Youville 49
Denison at Chatham*...Denison 71, Chatham 69
Hiram at Mt. Union...MUC 90, Hiram 52
Kenyon vs. Carnegie Mellon (at Chatham)*...Kenyon 58, CMU 47
Oberlin at Marietta...'Etta 76, Oberlin 69
OWU at Pitt-Johnstown...UPJ 73, OWU 61
Cedarville at Wittenberg...Cedarville 75, Wittenberg 63
Wooster at Case Western Reserve...CWRU 78, Wooster 46
Earlham is idle

*Note that backyard rivals Kenyon and Denison are sharing the floor in this holiday classic in Pittsburgh.  It is a "classic" format, so, win or lose, they won't meet on Sunday.  Still, it's a good scouting opportunity in advance of their first meeting, Dec. 9 in Gambier.

Sunday's lineup:
Allegheny at St. John Fisher...Fisher 83, Allegheny 72
Denison vs. Carnegie Mellon (at Chatham)...Denison 76, CMU 57
Kenyon at Chatham...Kenyon 70, Chatham 64
Oberlin vs. Thiel (at Marietta)...Thiel 75, Oberlin 63

Overall 5-7, thanks mostly to the Chatham University Thanksgiving Classic.  I guess those Pittsburghers will think twice before inviting NCAC Powerhouses to their tournaments next time! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 29, 2009, 05:07:23 PM
This week in the NCAC:
Conference action kicks off this Wednesday when Wooster travels northeast to face Allegheny in Meadville.  That same evening Kenyon will bus up to University Circle to face Case Western Reserve.  Then on Thursday, Oberlin attempts to pick up where Denison and Kenyon left off, traveling to Carnegie Mellon to face the Tartans.   We close the week on Saturday with a full slate of action, featuring four conference games (OWU at Allegheny, Denison at Hiram, Oberlin at Earlham, and Wittenberg at Wooster) as well as one more OAC/NCAC tilt (Baldwin-Wallace at Kenyon.) 
Have a good week, everyone!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 30, 2009, 09:11:42 PM
Congratulations to Denison junior Shaina Kaiser, this week's NCAC Player of the Week.  Shaina had 56 points, including a career-best 32 against Carnegie Mellon, at the Chatham Thanksgiving Classic, leading the Big Red to two wins.  This week's trophy will find a home in her dorm room next to her NCAC Player of the Year trophy, awarded last season.  Congratulations and keep up the good work, Shaina!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 02, 2009, 08:16:20 PM
Case Western Reserve ends Kenyon's perfect season 61-48 in Cleveland.  Kenyon trailed by just 3 at the half but went ice cold, shooting just 27% in a 19-point second period.

Allegheny seizes the early conference lead by virtue of a 68-55 victory over Wooster.  The difference in the game was mainly from the free throw line, where Allegheny hit 15 of 20 chances, versus a 5-for-9 performance for the Scots.  Jill Gregory led three Gators in double figures with 21.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 03, 2009, 09:08:29 PM
After dropping back-to-back games to NCAC titans Kenyon and Denison, Carnegie Mellon gets a measure of revenge tonight, dropping Oberlin 72-47 in Pittsburgh.  Syrea Thomas gave her all for the Yeowomen, recording 16 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough to save Oberlin.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 04, 2009, 11:05:21 PM
Five games on tap for tomorrow, four of them conference games, and two of them with LIVE VIDEO!!! (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.criterionforum.org%2Fforum%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Feusa_clap.gif&hash=58c9d09f87bbd0001327fe2361d77a4bc2c28f6c)  Who needs football? ::)

OWU (3-1, 0-0) at Allegheny (4-3, 1-0), 1pm (Live Stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/index.aspx?tab=basketball2&path=wbball))
Oberlin (0-5, 0-0) at Earlham (1-2, 0-0), 1pm (Live Stats (http://sidearmstats.com/earlham/wbball/index.htm))
Baldwin-Wallace (3-2) at Kenyon (5-1, 0-0), 1pm (Live Stats, Audio, and VIDEO (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml))
Denison (4-1, 0-0) at Hiram (0-3, 0-0), 2pm (Live Stats, Audio, and VIDEO (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html))
Wittenberg (1-3, 0-0) at Wooster (1-4, 0-1), 2pm (Live Stats and Audio (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) + Wittenberg audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/sportsnetwork/))
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 05, 2009, 02:55:12 PM
OWU 62, Allegheny 59...OWU comes back to nip the Gators and post a key road win.  The Gators led by five at the half and still held a one-point advantage with 2:22 left, but the Bishops closed the game on a 6-2 run to hold off their hosts.  OWU got a huge game from sophomore post Dany Finck, who contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds.  Pam Quigney added 15 points, including the only made three-pointer the Bishops enjoyed all day (in 14 attempts).  Allegheny was led by Jill Gregory's 17 points, assisted by Emilie Simone with 14 points and 8 rebounds.  'Gheny outshot the Bishops 41% to 37%, but got five fewer attempts thanks to OWU's +10 advantage on the glass.  They also saw much less of the free throw line with just five attempts (making four) to OWU's 13 (making eleven.) 

Oberlin 68, Earlham 52...The visiting Yeowomen notch their first win of the season, hitting a sizzling 52% of their shots in downing Earlham.  First-year Allison Anderson had a dream outing, recording a rare triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, and had five steals to boot.  Earlham got a 14-point, 8-rebound effort from first-year Jessica Wooden.

Baldwin-Wallace 57, Kenyon 44...Trailing by 4 at the half, B-W opened the second period with a 22-2 run and Kenyon could never recover.  The Ladies doggedly cut the margin to as low as six with 3:02 left, but that's where the Kenyon comeback (and, coincidentally, the videocast) cut out.  Morgan Korinek had 11 points and eight rebounds, and her frontcourt mate Kathleen Williams contributed 8 points and nine boards.  Olivia French's 14 points led a balanced Yellow Jacket attack, while Catherine Spisak added 8 points and 13 rebounds.

Denison 79, Hiram 62...The homestanding Terriers got out to a quick 10-4 advantage, but the Big Red used runs of eight and eleven points to put things back in order and ease out of Price Gymnasium with the victory.  DU got scoring contributions from eleven players, four of them in double figures, led by Shaina Kaiser and Lucy Follansbee with 15 apiece.  Overall the Big Red shot 53% from the field and made six of 15 attempts from the arc.  Hiram, held to just 34% shooting, was led by Ashley Drum's 19 points and Alex Dellas' 10 rebounds.

Wittenberg 61, Wooster 53...Wittenberg stepped off the delayed bus and immediately started hammering the host Scots, building an early 25-10 lead, but the Scots managed to fight back and turn this into a competitive game.  Wooster even managed to take the lead with 10:30 remaining, but the Tigers responded with a 9-0 run and stayed well clear of the Scots the rest of the way.  Stephanie Boardman recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and was complimented by double-figure efforts from Elise Jenkins (14) and Katherine Hueter (12).  Wooster had a familiar-looking box score: 19 from Kym Wenz and 12 from Kaitlin Krister, with nobody else scoring more than four points.

Updated standings:
Denison 1-0 conference, 5-1 overall
OWU 1-0, 4-1
Wittenberg 1-0, 2-3
Oberlin 1-0, 1-5
Allegheny 1-1, 4-4
Kenyon 0-0, 5-2
Earlham 0-1, 1-3
Hiram 0-1, 0-4
Wooster 0-2, 1-5
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 07, 2009, 04:10:07 PM
Looking to build momentum after notching their first victory over the weekend, Oberlin will travel to University Circle to take on Case Western Reserve tonight at 7pm.   Then tomorrow Earlham looks to recover from their defeat by the Yeowomen, traveling to Goshen to take on the Maple Leafs at 7pm.

There doesn't seem to be any live coverage available for either game, not even Live Stats.   :(
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 07, 2009, 05:56:35 PM
In what was probably the closest thing to a slam dunk we'll ever see in NCAC women's hoops, the conference today selected Oberlin first-year Allison Anderson as its Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  All Anderson did was record a breathtaking triple-double (with five steals) in Oberlin's victory at Earlham.  She also had an eight-point, seven-rebound, four-assist game against Carnegie Mellon, and played all 80 minutes of the two games.  Congratulations, Allison, well done!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 07, 2009, 09:07:17 PM
Case Western Reserve 71, Oberlin 60...Syrea Thomas' 29 points, which included seven treys, and a furious rally from 24 points down, were not enough as the Yeowomen become CWRU's third straight NCAC victim.  Allison Anderson followed up her huge Saturday with a 15-point, seven-assist evening.  Case has one more game left in this run through their former conference, as they will travel to face Hiram on the 16th.  After that, case will next play at Wittenberg's year-end tournament, with a chance to face the host Tigers on the second day, Dec. 30.  Oberlin, which falls to 1-6 with the loss, next will lace 'em up on Friday when they host Ursuline.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2009, 05:54:12 PM
It appears that there will be live audio available for tonight's 7pm game between Earlham and Goshen.  Now, now, settle down, control yourselves you unruly mob.   ;) Click here to listen. (http://www.teamline.cc/sportpage?teamcode=1026&eventcode=7)

UPDATE:
To those of you who took advantage of this option, I offer my condolences.  
Goshen 86, Earlham 55
Nothing to see here, folks, please, move along, step lively now... :-X
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2009, 09:21:23 PM
Okay, let's concentrate on the Wednesday games, including one conference game, a crucial one at that:
Denison (1-0, 5-1) at Kenyon (0-0, 5-2), 7:30pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Talk about your 'Must See T-V'...

Two non-conference games round out the slate:
Washington & Jefferson (5-1) at OWU (4-1) 6pm -- Live Stats and Video (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 1 of a women/men doubleheader (men face Capital)
Hiram (0-4) at Grove City (2-4) 7:30pm -- Live Stats (http://www2.gcc.edu/sports/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 09, 2009, 06:54:45 PM
A campus-wide power outage at Kenyon, caused by high winds, has forced the postponement of tonight's KC/DU game until tomorrow at 7:30pm.  Link (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x31033.xml)

Washington & Jefferson 65, Ohio Wesleyan 54...Probably the best team on OWU's schedule, the Presidents took the Bishops completely out of their offense, forcing OWU to rely on defended threes and dribble drives.  Unfortunately, the hosts could get neither to work, shooting just 12.5% from "international waters" (tip o' the cap to OWU announcers Ryan and Matt Yoder for this one) and 32% overall.  At the other end, W&J continually found holes in the Bishop defense, shooting 43% and coasting to the relatively easy road victory.

Grove City 60, Hiram 36...Hiram made 15 baskets, but turned the ball over 25 times, and that's a recipe for disaster.  The Wolverines shot the ball more accurately (41% to 31%) and much more frequently (64 to 49 attempts) en route to a comfortable home victory.  Brittany Mayle led the Terrier attack with a paltry 8 points.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 10, 2009, 08:22:28 PM
Denison 63, Kenyon 61...
I'm watching the Denny/Kenny game (led by Kenny, 26-25 at the half), and am struck by how little these teams resemble their immediate predecessors.  Two seasons ago, this game was like an All-Star game, with NCAC superstars like Alisha Moreno, Ellen O'Brien, Carolyn Simpson, and Anne Dugan crowding the floor.  It was truly "the beautiful game."  Nowadays things have changed.  There's still two superstars (Shaina Kaiser--who took the game over in the last four minutes of the half, leading Denison on a 12-1 run--and Morgan Korinek are two of the conference's best players), but mostly I'm watching a couple of deep, well-coached, but not very athletic teams slug it out.  Already there's been 20 turnovers and more bricked shots than in a season's worth of DU/KC games earlier in the decade.  It's not that these teams aren't good--they are (NCAC-good, anyway), and as long as Sara Lee and Carolyn Helfant are around, that's going to be the case.  But these teams are good because they work so hard at being good, not because basketball comes naturally to them.

Kenyon's once and future point guard Taylor Lenci is still hobbling around in street clothes and crutches.

Denison gritted their way back from 12-point first half and 10-point second half deficits to grab the crucial road win, 63-61.  The Big Red did most of the work at the free throw line, connecting on 15 of 18 chances (14/15 in the 2nd period) and outscoring the Ladies by eight via this method.  Trailing virtually the entire game, Denison grabbed the lead with 2:21 left and extended it to five points with 1:26 remaining.  Kenyon managed to cut the lead back to two, and had the ball with 0:11 left, but a botched inbounds pass spelled doom for the Ladies.  The aforementioned Kaiser and Korinek led their teams with 23 and 21 points, respectively.  Denison's 6th straight victory brings them to 2-0 in NCAC play and 6-1 overall, while Kenyon drops to 0-1/5-3 with their third consecutive defeat.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2009, 04:30:32 PM
Tonight's Allegheny at Fredonia St. game has been postponed due to snow.  The game will be made up Sunday at 2pm.

A reasonably light weekend schedule:
Friday:
Ursuline (3-8) at Oberlin (1-6), ~8pm -- Live Stats, Audio, Video (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- Believe it or not, this is Oberlin's home opener.  The tip is set for 30 minutes after the Yeomen's game vs. Alma (6pm) is complete

Saturday -- featuring three conference games:
Kenyon (0-1, 5-3) at Hiram (0-1, 0-5), 1pm -- Live Stats, Audio, Video (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Earlham (0-1, 1-4) at Ohio Wesleyan (1-0, 4-2), 2pm -- Live Stats and Video (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Wittenberg (1-0, 2-3) at Oberlin (1-0, 1-6), 2pm -- Live Stats, Audio, Video (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- note the quick turnaround time for the Yeowomen...
Ursuline (3-8) at Wooster (1-5), 3pm -- Live Stats (http://www.wooster.edu/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) -- ...as well as for the Arrows, who have two bus rides that Oberlin hasn't got

Sunday:
Allegheny (4-4) at Fredonia St. (3-2), 2pm -- no live coverage?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2009, 09:55:28 PM
Ursuline 65, Oberlin 55...Both Syrea Thomas (5/18) and Allison Anderson (4/16) were ice cold, and that's a situation that Oberlin can't survive.  The rest of the team did their part, hitting 38% on 13/34 shooting , but it wasn't enough to offset the problems from the key offensive players.  Oberlin led 35-25 with 1:49 left in the first half, but made only one basket in the next 11 minutes as the Arrows roared back to take a 48-38 lead.  An 8-1 mini-run brought the Yeo back to within three, but then the OC guns went silent again, this time for a game-deciding seven-plus minutes which saw Ursuline open up a 63-49 lead with 1:18 left.  On the bright side, Anderson recorded another double-double, with 11 points and 10 assists; in true Wayne Gretzky fashion, she either scored or assisted on 14 of Oberlin's 22 baskets.  Fellow first-year Kelly Warlich led the way with 18 points on 7/16 shooting (4/12 from the arc) and 8 boards, whle Thomas added 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 12, 2009, 02:57:57 PM
Kenyon 67, Hiram 53...Kenyon survives a huge scare from the winless Terriers to record their first conference win.  The Ladies were firmly in control of this one for the first three quarters, building a 19-point lead with 11:08 remaining, at which point the homestanding Terriers came to life.  Over the next eight minutes Hiram ripped off a 16-1 run to make this a contest.  Unfortunately for the Pup faithful, the comeback ran out of steam, as Kenyon scored 14 of the game's final 18 points to secure the victory.  Morgan Korinek recorded a double-double (17 pts., 10 boards) to lead the Ladies, while Hiram's typically balanced attack was topped by Caitlyn Ruese's 11 points.

Wittenberg 76, Oberlin 57...These teams played more or less toe-to-toe for the first half, with Wittenberg clinging to a five-point lead with 0:56 left in the period.  By the time Oberlin connected again from the field, nearly six minutes had elapsed and the Tigers had roared out to a 20-point lead that they'd generally maintain over the final 15 minutes.  Witt shot 44% from the field and held a +16 rebound advantage while holding Oberlin's first-year phenom Allison Anderson scoreless.  Stephanie Boardman notched an impressive double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, more than counteracting Syrea Thomas' own double-double (19 & 10).  

OWU 79, Earlham 71 (OT)...This one was a struggle from the get-go, but the Bishops slowly wore down their guests, opening their largest lead (11 points) with 3:31 remaning.  However, at that point the EC switched to a smaller lineup and scored the last 11 points in regulation to force the unlikely OT.  The Bishops, who missed their last six shots of the 2nd period, stayed cold early in the OT, as the Quakers capped a 13-0 run, grabbing their first lead of the game, 69-67, just over a minute into the extra session.  OWU finally shook off the doldrums, though as they connected on their last four shots, including two clutch threes from Kayla Gordon, and closed out the contest on a 12-2 run.  EC first-year Whitney Sparkman had the game of her short career, hitting 13 of 15 shots from the floor for 27 points to lead all scorers.  OWU countered with 20 from sophomore post Dany Finck, augmented by 19 from Gordon and 13 from Tyler Cordell.  Earlham had fits with OWU's pressure defense all afternoon, committing 33 turnovers, but stayed in the game behind to 51% shooting, thanks mostly to Sparkman's parade of bunnies in the paint.  

Wooster 72, Ursuline 66...Kym Wenz; that's all you need to know.  Already sitting on a 30-point afternoon, and with her team trailing by one with about 90 seconds left, the senior All-American drained a three to give her team the lead, then promptly stole the ball and converted a layup to ensure the victory.  To cap things off, she converted a couple free throws, scoring the final seven points of the game single-handedly.  Wenz finished with 37 points, more than half of her team's total, on 12/22 shooting, including six threes in ten tries.  She also recorded seven rebounds and seven steals.  Overall, the Scots shot 40% from the field and 48% from the arc, while forcing 20 Arrow turnovers.

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 6-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 5-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-3
Kenyon 1-1, 6-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-4
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-5
Earlham 0-2, 1-5
Hiram 0-2, 0-6
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 13, 2009, 05:59:29 PM
Fredonia St. 68, Allegheny 60...Trailing by 8 at the half, the Gators scored the next 11 points to take the lead.  The game then see-sawed back and forth for most of the rest of the way.  With 1:07 left, Allegheny cut what had been a 7-point Blue Devil lead to 3, then Lauren Donahoe stole the ball and had a chance to make it a one-point game with 0:57 left...but missed the layup.  Their last bullet fired, the Gators didn't score again as Fredonia salted the game away with the game's last five points.  Fredonia overwhelmed 'Gheny on the boards, 59-27, but committed 30 turnovers (to just 13 for the Gators), leading to a surprising advantage in shots attempted (66-61) for the visitors.  However, the Pennsylvanians connected on just 22 of those shots, a shooting percentage that was higher only than the temperature.  Jill Gregory led Allegheny with 17 points.

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 6-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 5-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-3
Kenyon 1-1, 6-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-5
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-5
Earlham 0-2, 1-5
Hiram 0-2, 0-6

Interesting (to me) how reasonable those standings already look, just 2 games into the season.  Compare the men's side, where Denison and Hiram presently share the conference lead with Wooster, and OWU is bringing up the rear (with Kenyon and Oberlin).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2009, 04:37:33 PM
Another week, and another easy choice for NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html).  This time, the honor goes to Wooster's All-America senior guard Kym Wenz for her career-best 37-point, seven steal performance against Ursuline on Saturday.  Congratulations, Kym! :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2009, 10:49:27 PM
With all the conference action wrapped up for the holidays, we have a couple of non-conference tilts for your Tuesday pleasure:

Bethany (3-5) at Denison (6-1), 6pm -- Live Audio (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html) -- Game 1 of a Bethany/Denison double-header; the men's game promises Live Stats, so I'd check to see if they'll have it for the women as well.
Waynesburg (2-4) at Kenyon (6-3), 7:30 pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 15, 2009, 07:19:07 PM
Denison 61, Bethany 48...Trailing 19-10 midway through the first period, the Big Red ripped off what would end up as a 27-3 run to open up a double-digit lead that they'd not relinquish as Denison cruised to their seventh straight victory.  Turnovers were the story of the game, as DU committed just ten while forcing 23 Bison giveaways.  Denison overcame ice-cold shooting from the arc, hitting just 2/17 (12%) for the game, by hitting more than half of their shots inside the arc (26/51, 51%).  Haley Dahlgard, who hit both of the DU treys, led all scorers with 18 points.

Kenyon 70, Waynesburg 53...In the first half, Kenyon would build a decent lead, only to have the Yellow Jackets cut it back to 3 or so, and this pattern continued for the first 20:00, at which point Kenyon led 30-27.  Waynesburg couldn't keep it up in the second half, however, as Kenyon dominated, building a double-digit lead by the mid-half point and maintaining it the rest of the way.  Both teams were sloppy, with more combined turnovers (49) than buckets (47), and in point of fact, it was a pretty dull game.  When Kenyon wasn't giving the ball away, they were scoring, hitting at a sizzling 58% clip.  Morgan Korinek was her usual sharp self, connecting on 8 of 10 attempts from the field for a game-high 19 points.

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 7-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 5-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-3
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-5
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-5
Earlham 0-2, 1-5
Hiram 0-2, 0-6
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2009, 01:05:59 PM
Two more games tonight, one non-conference and one ex-conference:

Case Western Reserve (6-1) at Hiram (0-6), 7pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- Spartans have won six straight, the last three over members of their former conference, while Terriers have (obviously) lost six straight.
Wooster (2-5) at Defiance (4-4), 7:30 6pm -- Live Stats (http://www.defianceathletics.com/wbasketball/schedule/25/635/)

------------------------------
Clearly, I had the tip time wrong for the Scots game, as it was already over when I tuned in.  And I'm not sorry I missed it:
Defiance 77, Wooster 63...Kym Wenz suffered through a 5-for-20, 12-point evening, and while her teammates picked up the slack (notably, Kaitlin Krister with 19 points and 12 boards), it wasn't enough.  The game stayed close for the first nine minutes or so, but Defiance used a 10-0 run to open an 18-point halftime lead, and Wooster couldn't get closer than a dozen the rest of the way.  Although they held a large lead for most of the game, the margin of victory for the Yellow Jackets is accounted for in the free throw discrepancy, as Defiance hit 22 free throws (of 32 attempts), versus just 7 (of 9) for the Scots.  (Wooster was whistled for 23 fouls, to just 15 for the Jackets; if I were a conspiracy theorist, well...but, alas, I'm not.)

Case Western Reserve 85, Hiram 56..."Turnover: Hiram."  That two-word phrase by itself constituted about 20% of the audio portion of tonight's videocast.  The five of us who were tuned in (give a shout if you're reading this) are going to hear that phrase in our sleep tonight.  "Turnover: Hiram."  The Terriers had unending difficulty with the Spartan defense, committing 30 turnovers, leading to a +14 advantage in shots attempted for the rampaging visitors, despite being outrebounded by 9.  Case put those extra attempts to good use, too, hitting 45% overall and 50% (10/20) from the arc.  "Turnover: Hiram."  The Terriers' attack was both balanced (10 scorers) and anemic (35% shooting, nobody with more than 9 points.)  "Turnover: Hiram."  

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 7-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 5-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-3
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-5
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-6
Earlham 0-2, 1-5
Hiram 0-2, 0-7
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 18, 2009, 01:52:03 PM
A rare busy Friday schedule on tap:
Carnegie Mellon (4-3) at Hiram (0-7), 6pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Alma (1-7) at Wooster (2-6), 6pm -- Live Stats (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule)
Bethany (3-6) at OWU (5-2), 7pm DELAYED to 8:15pm -- Live Stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)

----------------------------

Needing a day off from commentary, I'll just report the scores.  Sorry.
Carnegie Mellon 59, Hiram 53
Alma 65, Wooster 59
OWU 58, Bethany 45

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 7-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 6-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-3
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-5
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-5
Hiram 0-2, 0-8
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 18, 2009, 09:34:53 PM
Saturday affairs:
Earlham (1-5) at Anderson (3-5), 1pm -- no coverage that I can locate
Hiram (0-8) at Thiel (2-6), 7pm -- no coverage that I can locate
Wittenberg (3-3) at #10 Thomas More (7-0), 1pm -- Live Stats and Audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html)

----------------

Thos. More 70, Wittenberg 55
Anderson 70, Earlham 51
Thiel 52, Hiram 48

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 7-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 6-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-4
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-5
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-6
Hiram 0-2, 0-9
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 20, 2009, 01:57:05 PM
Two final games before the holiday break both scheduled for Monday.

Alma (2-8) at Ohio Wesleyan (6-2), 3pm -- Live Stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- the finish of a three-city Ohio tour for the Scots, who beat Wooster Friday and lost at John Carroll Saturday.
St. Mary-of-the-Woods (3-5) at Earlham (1-6), 7pm -- Live Stats and Audio (http://goearlham.com/index.aspx) -- SMWC is a USCAA member and will host the Quakers in a return game on Jan. 12.

I'll be traveling tomorrow, so score reports may be delayed.  After these games, the conference as a whole will be off until next Monday, 12/28.

----------------

OWU easily holds off Alma, 81-58.  Kayla Gordon was 10 for 17 producing a game-high 25 points, while Tyler Cordell added 18 points, 6 steals, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Earlham holds St. Mary-of-the-Woods scoreless for the last 2:43, and draws to within one with 1:15 left, and despite forcing two SMWC turnovers, can't get that last point, falling to the Pomeroys 75-74.  Jessica Wooden led four Quakers in double figures with 17.

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 7-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 7-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-4
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-5
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-7
Hiram 0-2, 0-9
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 22, 2009, 02:20:43 PM
So, to all of my loyal but silent readers, as well as anyone else who stumbles in here, I wish a happy holiday season, whether your holiday is Christmas, Hannukah, Kwaanza, the Solstice, Festivus, or just days off of work or school.  And if you are traveling, please be safe.  See you next week!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 28, 2009, 01:51:54 PM
The current weather in Meadville is 20 degrees with light snow, whereas in Daytona Beach it is partly cloudy and 62.  That said, here's today's schedule.

Denison (7-1) vs. Rose-Hulman (1-8) at Westerville, 1pm -- Live Stats and Audio (Otterbein) (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html)
Allegheny (4-5) vs. Tufts (8-1) at Daytona Beach, 2pm -- Live Stats and Video (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)

-----------------------

No problems so far for the Big Red, who took a 36-17 halftime lead, with three players already in double figures.  Not satisfied with that, Sara Lee's troops put the hammer down early in the second half, quickly extending the lead to 30, and didn't let up as they smoked the Engineers by a 71-38 score.  Everybody played, but none played better than Shaina Kaiser, who recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.  DU held Rose to just 21% shooting while forcing 21 turnovers.

Allegheny is having done to them what Denison did unto others, trailing the Jumbos 51-25 late in the first half (the "live" stats went dead with 2:23 remaining.)  It would seem that the Gators made a late run to make the final score, 83-69, a respectable one.  I wouldn't know, however, since Embry-Riddle (the host school) is another of those that think that ultra-gimmicky versions of Live Stats, with court schematics and bouncing basketballs and such, are really cool even if they don't work.  Today's failed twice, as noted above and with 7:xx left in the 2nd.  I am thankful for the ability to follow games remotely via live stats (to say nothing of audio or [free] videocasts), but it does me no good if the service fails, as these fancy-schmanzy versions of Live Stats routinely do.  Harumph.  [/rant]

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 8-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 7-2
Wittenberg 2-0, 3-4
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-6
Oberlin 1-1, 1-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-7
Hiram 0-2, 0-9
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 28, 2009, 04:06:58 PM
We have a busy schedule tomorrow, which you may (or may not, as the case may be) be able to follow with the links below:

Allegheny (4-6) vs. Carroll (4-4) at Daytona Beach, noon -- Live Stats & Video (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Denison (8-1) vs. Hanover (6-3) at Otterbein, 1pm -- Live Stats and Audio (Otterbein) (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html) -- Hanover's record does not include their game this evening vs. Otterbein
Grove City (4-4) at Wittenberg (3-4), 2:15pm -- Live Audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/kiwanis09/) -- Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic
Hiram (0-9) at Salem St. (3-4), 5pm -- Live Video (http://www.pennatlantic.com/main.php?tableName=event&fileName=results&recordId=&module=event-results&orderBy=&searchIt=yes&sport=0&month=0&day=01&year=2009&conferenceId=33&schoolId=0)
Olivet (1-9) at Ohio Wesleyan (7-2), 6pm -- Live Stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Bishop Classic/Hoops for Hope Tournament
Heidelberg (3-7) at Oberlin (1-8), 7pm -- Live Stats and Video (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- Heidelberg is 3-0 at home and 0-7 on the road
Earlham (1-7) at Mt. St. Joseph (5-6), 7:30pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://www.msjsports.com/wbasketball/schedule/12/1039/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 29, 2009, 01:44:38 PM
Carroll 87, Allegheny 56...It seems that the Gators forgot to pack their defense for their Florida trip, as for the second time in two days an opponent hung a 50-spot on them in the first half.  For the game the Pioneers hit a blazing 58% of their shots, including an 8/12 showing from the arc, while the Gators had to settle for 38% shooting and nine misses from international waters.  'Gheny recorded a paltry four assists on their 22 baskets.  Jill Gregory led the Pennsylvanians with 13 points, one of three Gators in double figures.

Denison vs. Hanover...The Live Stats spent much of the game frozen in place, and the audio would only play sound bites lasting exactly one second.  First rate stuff, Otterbein! I wish I understood why Live Stats has such a high failure rate.  Anyway...
Denison 72, Hanover 69...a short jumper from Shaina Kaiser with 0:08 remaining gave Denison the lead, and a turnover with 0:03 on the clock put the thriller on ice for the Big Red.  DU had a 5-point halftime lead, but surrendered the lead with 11:29 remaining on a layup that would be the first of 12 lead changes down the stretch.  Kaiser led the Big Red with 25 points and seven rebounds, while first-year point guard Serafina Nuzzo chipped in 19 points to go along with 5 assists. 

Wittenberg 54, Grove City 36...Wittenberg had such an abundance of defense that they easily could have loaned some to Allegheny.  Grove City, who has a win at Washington & Jefferson on their resume, could only connect on 26% of their shots--and none of their 14 three-pointers--and registered just two first-half touchdowns.  Stephanie Boardman notched a double-double (19 & 10) in her 27 minutes.  Witt will next face Case Western Reserve, who continued their surprising season with a 68-66 victory over Wilmington, in tomorrow's Zimmerman classic title game.

Salem St. 59, Hiram 30...Well, 16% shooting from the field is just not going to get it done.  Hiram had the perfect storm of awfulness in their box score today:  just 10 points at the half, overall 52% from the line, 8% from the arc, outrebounded by seven, 23 turnovers, and no player with more than 6 points, in addition to the above-quoted stat.  Let's just chalk this one up and move forward.

Olivet 65, OWU 62...Oh, my.  Trailing 32-20 at the half, I'm sure the Bishop locker room was a distinctly unpleasant place.  After the break, OWU managed to erase the deficit within the first 9 minutes, but could never shake the pesky Comets.  Then the unthinkable happened: with 5:36 left, Olivet embarked on an 11-2 run, turning a 3-point deficit to a 6-point lead they'd not relinquish.  OWU's problem was depth: each of their four main threats scored in double figures (Tyler Cordell's 16 leading the tally), but the rest of the roster combined for a measly seven points on 3/12 shooting.  Olivet overcame 31 turnovers by shooting 52% and forcing 24 OWU giveaways.  (score corrected; tip o' the cap to OC_SID)

Oberlin 65, Heidelberg 62...That's more like it!  Oberlin scores the game's final five points to keep the 'Berg "perfect" on the road.  Syrea Thomas had a big game, scoring 28 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and making 6 steals.  Kelly Warlich added 18 points and 8 boards, while Allison Anderson contributed 8 assists and 9 rebounds.  Overall, the stats were pretty even, with free throws providing the margin of victory: the Yeowomen were 9 of 10, while the 'Berg missed half of their eight chances at the stripe. 

Mt. St. Joseph 79, Earlham 51...MSJ controlled this one throughout, never trailing while shooting 56% and holding a +12 rebound margin.  The EC, which hit just 31% of their shots, were led by ten-point efforts from Jayana Sims and Starr Gary. 

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 9-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 7-3
Wittenberg 2-0, 4-4
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-7
Oberlin 1-1, 2-8
Wooster 0-2, 2-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-8
Hiram 0-2, 0-10
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: OC_SID on December 29, 2009, 10:11:50 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 29, 2009, 01:44:38 PM
Olivet 63, OWU 60...Oh, my.  Trailing 32-20 at the half, I'm sure the Bishop locker room was a distinctly unpleasant place.  After the break, OWU managed to erase the deficit within the first 9 minutes, but could never shake the pesky Comets.  Then the unthinkable happened: with 5:36 left, Olivet embarked on an 11-2 run, turning a 3-point deficit to a 6-point lead they'd not relinquish.  OWU's problem was depth: each of their four main threats scored in double figures (Tyler Cordell's 16 leading the tally), but the rest of the roster combined for a measly seven points on 3/12 shooting.  Olivet overcame 31 turnovers by shooting 52% and forcing 24 OWU giveaways.  
The final was actually 65-62 ... Olivet's Olivia Yarrell had a career-high 29 points on 14-of-16 shooting ... Missed her first shot and then made 14 consecutive baskets before missing her final shot.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 29, 2009, 10:27:17 PM
Thanks for the correction, OC.  I sometimes get confused trying to cover so many games at once!  Good luck tomorrow against CMU and ODU.

----------------

Speaking of tomorrow, here's the action:
Franklin at OWU, 1pm -- Live Stats and Video (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html) -- Hoops for Hope Classic consolation game
Hiram vs. Nichols at Salem St., 1pm -- no coverage -- Salem St. Tournament consolation game
Westminster at Wooster, 2:30pm -- Live Stats (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule)
Case Western Reserve at Wittenberg, 4:30pm -- Live Stats and Audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/kiwanis09/) -- Zimmerman Classic championship game

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2009, 03:01:01 PM
Franklin 82, OWU 76...OWU's lack of depth was their downfall in this over-officiated game.  The Bishops' main scoring threats were all in foul trouble for much of the second half; Kayla Gordon only saw 18 minutes of action, while Dany Finck logged just 27 minutes.  Their absence helped pave the way for Franklin's Heather Harper to tie the tournament scoring record, set just last night by Olivet's Olivia Yarrell against these same post-defense-deficient Bishops, with 29 points on 10/14 shooting.  With "the franchise," as they are known by the webcasting Yoder brothers, all spending significant time on the bench, the bench needed to step up, but again they failed to be of much help, contributing only 15 points (from just two players), just four of them in the second half.  OWU had a one-point halftime lead and expanded it to nine in the first five minutes of the second period, but a 10-0 Franklin run turned the tide.  OWU briefly re-took a two-point lead, but a bucket and two free throws by Harper put the Grizzlies back on top with 10:26 left, and they were never headed again.

BREAKING NEWS!
Hiram 52, Nichols 49...The box score suggests that Hiram is a team that knows how to win, despite this being their first of the season.  The game was close throughout; neither team had a lead larger than 5 at any point.  Hiram took a two-point lead on a Brittany Mayle trey with 14:30 left, and were never headed again.  Nichols managed to forge a few ties, the latest being with 5:44 left, but each time the Terriers had the answer.  Mayle led the victors with 18 points .  Congratulations to the Terriers!

Wooster 69, Westminster 48...The Scots had a slender two-point lead at the half, and the Titans were still within 5 with less than seven minutes to play.  That's when Wooster exploded, ending the game on a 21-5 run to secure their third victory of the season.  Kym Wenz' shooting touch was mostly cold, but she compensated by spending copious amounts of time at the free throw line, where she was 10 of 13 leading to her game-high 23 points.  Wenz also contributed five of Wooster's 19 steals; the Scots had a 26-4 edge in points off turnovers.  Wooster also had an advantage in points in the paint (30-20), despite being outrebounded by nine (41-50).

The final score of the Wittenberg/Case Western Reserve game was 60-58, but search me who won.  I missed most of the second half, and I wish I hadn't!  Evidently there was some scoring error at the table, wherein a Witt basket was credited to CWRU, so the final score on the scoreboard in the arena, which I gather is the official one, is
CWRU 60, Wittenberg 58; however, the Live Stats shows the opposite result.  It's all very confusing.  I think I'll wait for the official release to appear at Wittenberg.edu before making further comment.  But they're handing out the trophies now, and it's Case that's packing up the hardware, so I guess they are the champions.  UPDATE:  There's no mention of the kerfuffle in Ryan Maurer's write-up (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/kiwanis09/gamestory7.html), as I should have expected, since Ryan and Coach Jurewicz are all about winning and losing with dignity.  In her post-game interview, Coach J. talked about missed opportunities and what the Tigers can take away from the game, and that's the way it should be.  Thumbs up to the Witt program.

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 9-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 7-4
Wittenberg 2-0, 4-5
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-7
Oberlin 1-1, 2-8
Wooster 0-2, 3-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-8
Hiram 0-2, 1-10
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2009, 09:23:16 PM
Just one more game in 2009, and what better way is there to spend New Year's Eve?

Earlham (1-8) at Adrian (3-4), 2pm -- Live Stats (http://adrianbulldogs.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/adri-w-baskbl-sched.html)

Five games on Saturday, so people, please, stay sober. (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fparty-smiley-7500.gif&hash=ccd02c09ccd3c14c04583429bed9ffb27d77539e)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 31, 2009, 12:32:04 AM
Here's the Springfield News-Sun on the Wittenberg game and misfortune:
Scoring Mistake Costs Witt Women a Victory (http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/wittenberg-university-tigers/scoring-mistake-costs-witt-women-a-victory-471316.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 31, 2009, 03:56:34 PM
Adrian 71, Earlham 64...Father Time gives the Quakers one more good thwack on the noggin on his way out the door for the year.  Down by 14 late in the first half, the EC fought back to within six by the half, and actually took a brief 2-point lead five minutes into the second.  The visitors hung around for another five minutes, but a 17-4 Adrian run over the next four minutes turned a tie game into a victory lap for the Michiganders.  Nikki Darrett's 22 points led all scorers, while Starr Gary recorded a double-double with 11 pts. & 10 reb. 

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 9-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 7-4
Wittenberg 2-0, 4-5
Kenyon 1-1, 7-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-7
Oberlin 1-1, 2-8
Wooster 0-2, 3-7
Earlham 0-2, 1-9
Hiram 0-2, 1-10

Happy New Year, one and all! (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fparty-smiley-7681.gif&hash=054cd5ee8ba2c7d14be0f80ce8ce47744e0ccfc7) (http://planetsmilies.net)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 02, 2010, 12:21:17 AM
Saturday's slate--you go, girls!  :)

Muskingum at Kenyon, 2pm ~3pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- The men's game, scheduled for noon, was delayed due to late-arriving officials
Marygrove at Oberlin, 2pm -- Live Stats, Audio, and Video (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Denison at Heidelberg, 3pm -- Live Stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html) -- reminder that Heidelberg, although just 3-8 on the season, is unbeaten at home
Ohio Northern at Wittenberg, 3pm -- Live Stats and Audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html) -- Let's count 'em all this time, shall we?  ;D
Wooster at Trine, 3pm -- Live Audio (http://88xradio.com/sports.php)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 02, 2010, 03:34:09 PM
Marygrove 60, Oberlin 53...The Yeowomen were in control of this game for most of the first 33 minutes, at the end of which they held a five-point lead.  However, Marygrove subsequently went on a 9-0 run and held the homestanders to a mere four points the rest of the way to claim the victory.  With Syrea Thomas and Allison Anderson held mostly in check, Oberlin looked to Kelly Warlich and Emily Chu Finkel, and they responded; Warlich recorded 18 points and nine boards, while Chu Finkel had a double double with 11 and 11.

Ohio Northern 56, Wittenberg 49...Perhaps fighting an emotional hangover from their travails earlier in the week, Witt slumped out to a 14-2 deficit.  The Tigers righted the ship, but never got any closer than three the rest of the way.  Witt shot just 31% (and only made three of 22 treys) and turned the ball over 17 times, contributing to their downfall.  Stephanie Boardman managed 13 points to lead the Tigers.

Kenyon 77, Muskingum 59...Close at the half (32-29), the Ladies rolled over their guests in the second half en route to a convincing victory.  Kenyon hit 45% and dominated the glass with a +20 advantage.  Morgan Korinek's 16 points led five Ladies with ten or more points.

Denison 70, Heidelberg 59...The Big Red, down nine early, end Heidelberg's home winning streak with a comfortable victory in Tiffin.  Shaina Kaiser was uncharacteristically cold from the floor (3/10) but collected 11 points from the free throw line and led the visitors with 18.  DU held their hosts to under 30% shooting and forced 23 turnovers, and although Heidelberg had a huge +20 rebounding margin, including 30 offensive boards, they couldn't take advantage, scoring 19 second-chance points, only three more than Denison. 

Trine 52, Wooster 50...Aiming to control Wooster's Special K's, Trine got it half right, and it was just enough.  Kym Wenz got her points, scoring 22, but Kaitlin Krister was held scoreless as the former Tri-State scored the come-from-behind victory.

Updated standings:
Denison 2-0 conference, 10-1 overall
OWU 2-0, 7-4
Wittenberg 2-0, 4-6
Kenyon 1-1, 8-3
Allegheny 1-1, 4-7
Oberlin 1-1, 2-9
Wooster 0-2, 3-8
Earlham 0-2, 1-9
Hiram 0-2, 1-10
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 03, 2010, 08:10:55 PM
I'm afraid I've been remiss in my making notice of the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html), and overlooked the Dec. 21 winner, OWU's Kayla Gordon.  Kayla was recognized for her 19-point, 9-board performance against Bethany.  Congratulations & my apologies, Kayla!

Today, she is joined as the weekly award winner by Hiram's Brittany Mayle, whose 18-point outburst led her team to their first victory of the season on Wednesday.  Congratulations, Brittany!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 04, 2010, 05:46:35 PM
This weekend is the first Big TripTM weekend of the season, as Hiram and Allegheny will travel west to visit Earlham and Wittenberg.  During those weeks, the mid-week game day is shifted to Tuesday, and so we have a full slate of games tomorrow.

Allegheny (1-1) at Oberlin (1-1), 7pm -- Live Everything (http://www.goyeo.com/) (stats, audio, video)
Kenyon (1-1) at Earlham (0-2), 7:30pm -- Live stats and audio (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
OWU (2-0) at Wooster (0-2), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) -- at some point, Wooster's Woo91 (http://www3.wooster.edu/woo91/) is going to start audio-streaming Wooster women's games; check here (http://www3.wooster.edu/woo91/) to see if this is one of them
Wittenberg (2-0) at Denison (2-0), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html); Live audio (Witt) (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/sportsnetwork/) -- this is the game to attend, if you are in the area
Hiram (0-2) is idle

The other Big TripTM weekend is Feb. 5-6.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 05, 2010, 09:21:11 PM
Three unexpectedly close games, and one unexpected blowout:

Allegheny 80, Oberlin 69 (OT)...Brittany Bell had ten of her 24 points in the overtime, as 'Gheny finally took command of a game that had been nip and tuck throughout.  Shannon Culbreath had an interesting game, contributing 13 boards and five assists without scoring.  Allison Anderson's 23 and Kelly Warlich's double-double (16&10) led the Yeowomen.

Ohio Wesleyan 70, Wooster 60...The Bishops led most of the way, but couldn't get any breathing room as Wooster used a rare balanced effort to stay close.  Taylor Keegan was a surprise scoring leader for the Scots with 14, as Kym Wenz and Kaitlin Krister were held to 11 apiece.  On the other side of the scorer's table, it was the usual suspects as both Tyler Cordell and Pam Quigney had 20-point games (21 for Cordell). 

Wittenberg 79, Denison 58...Mind you, this game was at Denison.  Wittenberg pounded the glass (+13), clamped down on DU's scorers (Kaiser 6, Dahlgard 2, overall 31% shooting), and got a career game from Katherine Hueter with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.  Wittenberg seizes the early momentum in the conference race from the Big Red, who saw their 10-game win streak come to an end.

Kenyon 66, Earlham 60...Kenyon was in control of this game for most of its duration, but Earlham refused to be put away and kept fighting right to the end.  EC actually outscored the Ladies by 14 in the second half, but ran out of time before they could complete their comeback.  Morgan Korinek led the way with a 15 point, 13 rebound effort.  Earlham got 18 apiece from Starr Gary and Nikki Darrett, with Darrett's 10 rebounds also giving her a double-double, but got little contribution out of the rest of the roster.

Updated standings:
OWU 3-0 conference, 8-4 overall
Wittenberg 3-0, 5-6
Denison 2-1, 10-2
Kenyon 2-1, 9-3
Allegheny 2-1, 5-7
Oberlin 1-2, 2-10
Hiram 0-2, 1-10
Wooster 0-3, 3-9
Earlham 0-3, 1-10
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 07, 2010, 04:01:43 PM
Weather permitting, here's Friday's schedule:

Allegheny (2-1) at Earlham (0-3), 6pm -- Live stats and audio (http://goearlham.com/index.aspx)
Hiram (0-2) at Wittenberg (3-0), 7:30pm -- Live Everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html)
OWU (3-0) at Oberlin (1-2), 7:30pm -- Live Everything (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- Pushed back from 7pm in anticipation of poor weather
Wooster (0-3) at Denison (2-1), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html)
Kenyon (2-1) is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 08, 2010, 07:42:51 PM
Earlham 75, Allegheny 69...the first big standings-shaking upset of the season takes place in Richmond as the Quakers take a thriller.  Earlham held the Gators scoreless for a 4 1/2 minute stretch of the second half, using a 13-0 run to build an 11-point lead with just over 5:00 left, and although 'Gheny got as close as two down the stretch, the Quakers never again ceded the lead.  The EC shot a blistering 53% overall and 57% from the arc, and controlled the boards 38-22.  Nikki Darrett led four Quakers in double figures with 15 points, enhanced by nine rebounds and four assists.  Jill Gregory's game-high 23 points were in a losing cause.

OWU 69, Oberlin 54...Oberlin led for most of the first half and well into the second, but OWU's pressure defense eventually proved to be too much for the short-handed Yeowomen.  Tyler Cordell led the victors with 22, while Kayla Gordon added 15 points and 13 boards.  Oberlin got 15 & 12 from Emily Chu Finkel, and nine points and nine assists from Allison Anderson.  Oberlin led by one with 9:18 left, but could only manage six more points as the Bishops pulled away for the victory.

Wittenberg 63, Hiram 57...Witt survives the upset bid in Springfield.  Down by a dozen midway through the first, Hiram battled back to take the lead in the second, setting up a nip-and-tuck battle down the stretch.  Amy Geisman tied the game with a jumper with 1:27 left, but Hiram missed their last four shots while the Tigers were scoring the game's final six points for the victory.  Hiram kept Stephanie Boardman mostly in check (9 points on 3/11 shooting, with 11 boards), but for the second straight game Katherine Heuter stepped up, this time scoring 17 points (twelve of them in the first half) and grabbing nine rebounds.  Brittany Mayle led the visitors with 14.  Wittenberg outrebounded their guests by a 53-25 margin, limiting the Terriers to just four second-chance points, but Hiram compensated by taking care of the ball (7 turnovers) while forcing 19 Wittenberg miscues, leading to a 14-2 Hiram advantage in points off turnovers.

Denison.edu has been down most of the evening, so it may be a while before we get a score and/or report from the DU/Wooster game.  UPDATE: It's back up now, and holy cow...
Wooster 72, Denison 59...Somebody clearly has mixed some kryptonite in DU's Gatorade lately.  Tonight the Big Red failed to apply Rule #1 of Playing Wooster: Don't Let Kym Wenz Beat You.  Wenz went ape on DU tonight, hitting nine of 18, including four threes, and added ten free throws for a total of 32.  Kym also chipped in 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and three steals.  Denison clung to a one-point halftime lead, but Woo's Taylor Keegan buried a three to open the second period, and the Scots were never headed, leading by as many as 20 points before allowing the Big Red to creep a little closer in the final minutes.  Outrebounded by 10, Wooster held Denison to just 29% shooting, and the hosts helped out by missing more than half of their 23 free throws.  The Scots, on the other hand, shot 42% (47% from the arc) and made a respectable two-thirds of their free throws.  Shaina Kaiser had 17 in a losing effort.

Updated -- and transfigured -- standings:
OWU 4-0 conference, 9-4 overall
Wittenberg 4-0, 6-6
Kenyon 2-1, 9-3
Denison 2-2, 10-3
Allegheny 2-2, 5-8
Wooster 1-3, 4-9
Earlham 1-3, 2-10
Oberlin 1-3, 2-11
Hiram 0-3, 1-11
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 08, 2010, 09:50:21 PM
Saturday's action:
Allegheny (2-2) at Wittenberg (4-0), 2pm -- Live Everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html)
Hiram (0-3) at Earlham (1-3), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://goearlham.com/index.aspx)
Denison (2-2) at OWU (4-0), ~7:30pm -- Live Everything (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 2 of a men/women doubleheader between these rivals
Kenyon (2-1) at Wooster (1-3), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://www.wooster.edu/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) -- Kenyon seems to believe that there'll be audio and video (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) from Wooster as well, but alas! they're wrong.
Oberlin (1-3) is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 09, 2010, 03:45:07 PM
Wittenberg 73, Allegheny 63...Witt continues to separate from the non-OWU pack with a key win in Springfield.  The Tigers used their inside superiority to wear out a path to the free throw line, where their 18-of-23 performance provided more than the margin of victory.  Stephanie Boardman led the way with 23 points and 11 boards, with Carrie Dyer contributing 20 points.  'Gheny, which only saw the free throw line six times, got 14 from Emilie Simone to lead their balanced attack.

Hiram 74, Earlham 68...The Terriers, who trailed by eleven at the half, came roaring out of the locker room and built a lead as large as eight, then held off the homestanding Quakers to record their first conference victory.  Hiram shot 45% and got 23 points from Brittany Mayle, while outrebounding the EC 44-35 and holding the Quakers to 35% shooting.  EC's Starr Gary and Nikki Darrett tossed in 22 points apiece, but the rest of the roster could add just 24 points (11 of those by Whitney Sparkman.)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 09, 2010, 09:47:41 PM
The two late games were both thrillers, made somewhat more thrilling on my end by their being preceded by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/09/national/main6076932.shtml)!  Still kind of in a daze...

Kenyon 53, Wooster 50...Kenyon led comfortably in the first half, going to the locker room up 13, and then withstood a furious Wooster comeback in the second.  The Scots actually took the lead with 3:45 left, and it went back and forth until a Morgan Korinek layup with 1:53 left gave the Ladies the lead for good.  The Scots missed their final three chances in those last two minutes, including a three-point shot by Kym Wenz with 0:03 left that would have sent the game to OT.  Wenz ended up as top scorer with 19, while Kenyon's Kat Powers had 11 to lead three Ladies in double figures.  Neither team shot the ball well (KC 32%, COW 37%); the difference in the game was that Kenyon forced 20 Wooster turnovers leading to 22 points (vs. 12 KC turnovers=>14 COW points).

OWU 62, Denison 57...The Bishops keep pace with Wittenberg while the Big Red drop their third straight and fall below .500 in conference play.  Although they never led by more than seven, the Bishops were able to maintain the lead throughout most of the game, including the final 11:38.  Defenses dominated, as neither team reached 40% shooting (DU 34%, OWU 39%) and both were ice-cold from the arc (DU 25%, OWU 16%).  OWU did a better job handling the ball, though, committing just 11 turnovers to Denison's 16, leading to a +13 advantage in points off turnovers.  Dany Finck had a career day with 29 points on 13 of 19 shooting.  DU got at least 7 points from six players, led by Shaina Kaiser's 12 (with 10 rebounds.)

Updated standings:
OWU 5-0 conference, 10-4 overall
Wittenberg 5-0, 7-6
Kenyon 3-1, 10-3
Denison 2-3, 10-4
Allegheny 2-3, 5-9
Oberlin 1-3, 2-11
Hiram 1-3, 2-11
Wooster 1-4, 4-10
Earlham 1-4, 2-11
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 10, 2010, 10:42:47 PM
Congratulations to this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html), Wittenberg's Katherine Hueter.  Hueter's career day at Denison (29 points, 14 rebounds) helped propel Witt to a 3-0 week and a perch at the top of the league standings.  Congrats, Katherine!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 12, 2010, 02:29:23 PM
On non-conference game this evening:

Earlham at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, 7pm -- no live coverage

Revenge time for the EC:  SMWC defeated the Quakers 75-74 on 12/21 in Richmond. (http://goearlham.com/news/2009/12/22/WBB_1222092156.aspx?path=wbball)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 12, 2010, 11:47:36 PM
SMWC 84, Earlham 56...I don't have any details, and to be frank about it, I don't want any details.  :(

Updated standings:
OWU 5-0 conference, 10-4 overall
Wittenberg 5-0, 7-6
Kenyon 3-1, 10-3
Denison 2-3, 10-4
Allegheny 2-3, 5-9
Oberlin 1-3, 2-11
Hiram 1-3, 2-11
Wooster 1-4, 4-10
Earlham 1-4, 2-12
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 13, 2010, 01:54:40 PM
Moving right along...

Denison (2-3) at Oberlin (1-3), 7pm -- Live Everything (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Hiram (1-3) at Wooster (1-4), 7:30pm -- Live Stats (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule)
OWU (5-0) at Kenyon (3-1), ~8pm -- Live Everything (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) -- Game 2 of a men/women doubleheader
Allegheny, Earlham, and Wittenberg are idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 13, 2010, 08:35:19 PM
Denison 69, Oberlin 26...Clearly, Denison is tired of losing.  The stingy DU defense allowed 15 first-half points, and then really clamped down.  On the evening, Oberlin could only make eight field goals, a measly 14%, shooting just five of 41 (12%) inside the arc, while DU hit a cool 44%.  Everyone with a red uniform played, but nobody played a lot.  Shaina Kaiser was the highest of 12 Big Red scorers with 13 points in 25 minutes.  Congratulations to Denison head coach Sara Lee, as according to DU SID Craig Hicks (http://twitter.com/DenisonSports), this was her 300th career victory.

Wooster 52, Hiram 48...With the Wooster men winning a thriller at Allegheny, the distaff Scots provide no less of a thrill.  Kaitlin Krister gave Wooster the lead with 6:33 left, and apart from one tie, the Scots held on for the final six nailbiting minutes, never again leading by more than four.  Hiram held Kym Wenz relatively in check, as the All-American hit just four of 14 shots en route to 14 points, but the Terriers couldn't take advantage as Wooster held them to just 27% field goal shooting.  Krister had just six points, but compensated with 15 rebounds, while Hiram was led by Brittany Mayle's 11 point, 8-board game.

OWU 73, Kenyon 68...With a tie score, the game and shot clocks running out, and OWU struggling to find a shot against Kenyon's stout defense, someone missed an assignment and left Kayla Gordon wide open from the right wing.  That's something you don't do in this league, and Gordon made the Ladies pay by draining the three with 0:13 left.  After a final Kenyon turnover, two free throws sealed the big road win for the front-running Bishops.  Gordon ended up with 19, two fewer than her teammate Pam Quigney, while KC's Morgan Korinek led all scorers with 22.  Kenyon dominated the glass by a 47-30 count and kept OWU's Dany Finck on the sidelines with foul trouble (she played just nine minutes); aside from that final defensive lapse, what probably cost the Ladies most was an inability to cash in on their enormous free throw advantage, hitting just 15 of 26 (vs. five in just eight attempts for OWU.)  On the bright side for KC, they got Taylor Lenci back onto the active roster, and just in the nick of time as starting point guard Katie Adlam is down with mononucleosis.

Updated standings:
OWU 6-0 conference, 11-4 overall
Wittenberg 5-0, 7-6
Kenyon 3-2, 10-4
Denison 3-3, 11-4
Allegheny 2-3, 5-9
Wooster 2-4, 5-10
Oberlin 1-4, 2-12
Hiram 1-4, 2-12
Earlham 1-4, 2-12
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 15, 2010, 08:56:07 PM
Saturdaction kicks off with the Game of the Year so far:

Wittenberg (5-0) at Ohio Wesleyan (6-0), 1pm -- Live Everything (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) including Live Tweet-chatting (http://twitter.com/StreamOWUSports) with the Yoder Bros. at Rickey Arena
Kenyon (3-2) at Allegheny (2-3), 1pm -- Live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Oberlin (1-4) at Hiram (1-4), 1pm -- Live Everything (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Earlham (1-4) at Wooster (2-4), ~3pm -- Live stats (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) and audio (http://www3.wooster.edu/woo91/index.html) (hopefully) -- Game 2 of a men/women doubleheader

Denison (3-3) is idle.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 16, 2010, 04:56:14 PM
Today's finals, sorry to say that I have no time for commentary:

Wittenberg 83, OWU 80
Wooster 67, Earlham 57
Allegheny 55, Kenyon 46
Oberlin 62, Hiram 53

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 6-0 conference, 8-6 overall
OWU 6-1, 11-5
Denison 3-3, 11-4
Kenyon 3-3, 10-5
Allegheny 3-3, 6-9
Wooster 3-4, 6-10
Oberlin 2-4, 3-12
Hiram 1-5, 2-13
Earlham 1-5, 2-13
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 17, 2010, 11:06:32 PM
Wittenberg cops the coveted Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) trophy for the second consecutive week, with the hardware, tiara, and Turtle Wax this week going to senior Stephanie Boardman.  Boardman dominated the paint, scoring 33 points to lead the Tigers to an 83-80 victory over OWU in a first-place showdown.  Congratulations, Stephanie!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 20, 2010, 01:44:42 PM
Today's action:
Earlham (1-5) at Denison (3-3), 6pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html) -- game 1 of doubleheader (DU men vs. OWU at 8)
OWU (6-1) at Hiram (1-5), 6pm -- Live everything (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- game 1 of a doubleheader (HC men vs. 'Gheny at 8)
Wooster (3-4) at Oberlin (2-4), 6pm -- Live everything (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- game 1 of an OC/COW doubleheader (men's game at 8)
Kenyon (3-3) at Wittenberg (6-0), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html)

Allegheny (3-3) is idle.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 20, 2010, 08:17:09 PM
Lots of extra effort around the league tonight, but in the end it all played out according to Hoyle.

Denison 68, Earlham 38...DU used a 10-0 run midway through the first period to break open a close game, then laid the smackdown on the EC in the second as the Big Red cruised to victory.  Denison held the Quakers to 31% shooting, dominated the glass (+10), and forced 23 turnovers leading to 26 points.  Shaina Kaiser connected on 9 of 15 shots to lead all scorers with 19, while EC's Nikki Darrett was just one bucket behind with 17.

OWU 71, Hiram 68 (OT)...The Terriers pushed their guests to the limit, but came up just that short.  OWU needed the extra five minutes just to reach their season scoring average, as Hiram held OWU to just 35% shooting; at the other end, the Terriers repeatedly cashed in on their opportunities from the foul line, hitting a sizzling 19 of 21 to keep the game in doubt.  The Bishops controlled the OT period, hitting half of their shots and forcing three Hiram turnovers to escape with the win.  Brittany Mayle was a perfect 10-for-10 from the line, leading to a game-high 21 points for Hiram.  Pam Quigney hoisted up 24 shots on the evening, and enough of them (six) went in to give her a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards.

Wooster 68, Oberlin 64 (OT)...In another thriller, Wooster squandered a game-opening 23-5 run but survived to force the extra session.  Kym Wenz sank a quick three to open the OT, and Wooster never trailed again.  Wenz ended up with 25 points, but had to take 27 shots--and go 6/6 from the line--to get there.  Wenz also grabbed 10 rebounds, one of three Scots to record a double-double; Kaitlin Krister had 12 points and 16 boards, while Kristen Schwartz had 13 points and 10 boards.  At the other end, superfrosh Allison Anderson was nearly unstoppable, recording 28 points, 8 steals, 7 rebounds, and six assists in 34 highly effective minutes.  Syrea Thomas and Kelly Warlich each chipped in 14 points, with Warlich contributing 12 rebounds as well. 

Wittenberg 61, Kenyon 56 (OT)...A white knuckle game is decided by three knucklehead Kenyon turnovers in the final 30 seconds of overtime as Kenyon gift-wraps the win for the Tigers.  Wittenberg led throughout the first 30 minutes, but most of that time the margin was slight.  A fastbreak layup by Kathleen Williams gave the Ladies their first lead with 9:06 remaining, and there were five ties and two lead changes down the stretch.  In the OT, Wittenberg used their strength on the offensive glass to take and hold a lead, but still led by just one slim point prior to Kenyon's uncharacteristic self-destruction.  Carrie Dyer led four Tigers in double figures with 17, while Kenyon's Morgan Korinek contributed a 12 &12 double-double. 

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 7-0 conference, 9-6 overall
OWU 7-1, 12-5
Denison 4-3, 12-4
Allegheny 3-3, 6-9
Wooster 4-4, 7-10
Kenyon 3-4, 10-6
Oberlin 2-5, 3-13
Hiram 1-6, 2-14
Earlham 1-6, 2-14
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 22, 2010, 07:51:44 PM
Saturday's festivities:

Hiram (1-6) at Kenyon (3-4), 1pm -- Live everything (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- game 1 of a women/men doubleheader
Allegheny (3-3) at Denison (4-3), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html)
Oberlin (2-5) at Wittenberg (7-0), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html)
OWU (7-1) at Earlham (1-6), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://goearlham.com/index.aspx)

Wooster (4-4) is idle.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 23, 2010, 03:50:25 PM
Scores now, recaps later if I can find the time.

Kenyon 57, Hiram 44
Wittenberg 75 Oberlin 58...Congratulations to Stephanie Boardman, who reached 1,000 career points today.
Denison 57, Allegheny 55
OWU 72, Earlham 50

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 8-0 conference, 10-6 overall
OWU 8-1, 13-5
Denison 5-3, 13-4
Kenyon 4-4, 11-6
Wooster 4-4, 7-10
Allegheny 3-4, 6-10
Oberlin 2-6, 3-14
Hiram 1-7, 2-15
Earlham 1-7, 2-15
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 24, 2010, 08:26:19 PM
Congratulations to OWU's Tyler Cordell, this week's NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) and the first two-time recipient of this season.  The junior guard averaged better than 20 ppg in two Bishop wins this week, helping keep her team just a half-game back of rampaging Wittenberg in the standings.  Between them, the Bishops (3) and Tigers (2) have captured five of the nine POTW awards this season, a situation that reflects their two-pronged dominance of the league so far this year.  Congratulations (again), Tyler!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 26, 2010, 07:13:22 PM
Wednesday's action, including a key rivalry game at Livingston Gym:

Oberlin (2-6) at Allegheny (3-4), 6pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 1 of a women/men doubleheader
Wittenberg (8-0) at Earlham (1-7), 6pm -- Live audio (Witt) (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html) -- Game 1 of a women/men doubleheader
Wooster (4-4) at Hiram (1-7), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Kenyon (4-4) at Denison (5-3), ~8pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html) -- Game 2 of a men/women doubleheader


Ohio Wesleyan (8-1) is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 27, 2010, 11:06:03 PM
Sorry, it has been--and continues to be--a busy day for me.

Here's the finals:
Denison 75, Kenyon 69
Hiram 64, Wooster 63
Allegheny 70, Oberlin 49
Wittenberg 66, Earlham 61

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 9-0 conference, 11-6 overall
OWU 8-1, 13-5
Denison 6-3, 14-4
Allegheny 4-4, 7-10
Kenyon 4-5, 11-7
Wooster 4-5, 7-11
Oberlin 2-7, 3-15
Hiram 2-7, 3-15
Earlham 1-8, 2-16
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 29, 2010, 07:33:00 PM
What better way to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day (http://www.aahperd.org/nagws/programs/ngwsd/)* than to attend the women's basketball game nearest you?  Furthermore, anyone within 500 miles of Springfield, O. that has the least interest in NCAC hoops needs to be at The Pam at 2pm.  No excuses.  Plenty of good seats still available.  Be there.

Earlham (1-8) at Oberlin (2-7), 1pm -- Live everything (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- Game 1 of a women/men doubleheader
OWU (8-1) at Wittenberg (9-0), 2pm -- Live everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html) -- Game 1 of a DH, men vs. Allegheny follows
Denison (6-3) at Wooster (4-5), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.wooster.edu/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule) -- game 1 of a day/night DH (men's game at 7:30)--eat a Coccia House pizza between games!
Allegheny (4-4) at Kenyon (4-5), ~3pm -- Live everything (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Game 2 of a DH, men vs. Wabash at 1pm

Hiram (2-7) is idle.

*Officially, NGWSD is Feb. 3, but not everyone has a home game that day.  Stay Strong, Play On!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 30, 2010, 02:57:12 PM
Oberlin 57, Earlham 51
Wittenberg 62, OWU 56--Tigers put the regular season title into lockdown.
Denison 68, Wooster 46
Kenyon 59, Allegheny 51 (OT)

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 10-0 conference, 12-6 overall
OWU 8-2, 13-6
Denison 7-3, 15-4
Kenyon 5-5, 12-7
Allegheny 4-5, 7-11
Wooster 4-6, 7-12
Oberlin 3-7, 4-15
Hiram 2-7, 3-15
Earlham 1-9, 2-17
   
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 01, 2010, 08:16:32 PM
Congratulations this week go out to Kenyon sophomore Morgan Korinek, winner of the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) award for the last week in January.  Morgan recorded her fourth and fifth consecutive double-double games this week, piling up 36 points and 23 rebounds in two games.  Congratulations, Morgan!

----------------------------------------

Although Wednesday is the official National Girls and Women in Sports Day (http://www.aahperd.org/nagws/programs/ngwsd/) nationwide, it is an off day in the NCAC, as this weekend is the second of the two Big Trip weekends.  Consequently, the conference is in action three days this week: Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.  Here's the slate for Tuesday's celebration of National Groundhogs in Burrows Day:

Denison (7-3) at Wittenberg (10-0), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html)
Hiram (2-7) at Allegheny (4-5), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Oberlin (3-7) at Ohio Wesleyan (8-2), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html)
Wooster (4-6) at Kenyon (5-5), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 02, 2010, 09:11:27 PM
Wittenberg 67, Denison 63...Tigers just keep on rollin'; could we have our third (different) unbeaten champion in three seasons?
Allegheny 68, Hiram 53
Kenyon 55, Wooster 42
OWU 78, Oberlin 65

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 11-0 conference, 13-6 overall
OWU 9-2, 14-6
Denison 7-4, 15-5
Kenyon 6-5, 13-7
Allegheny 5-5, 8-11
Wooster 4-7, 7-13
Oberlin 3-8, 4-16
Hiram 2-8, 3-16
Earlham 1-9, 2-17
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 04, 2010, 11:12:46 PM
Back-to-back action this weekend for everyone not located within 5 miles of state route 661:

Friday:
Earlham (1-9) at Allegheny (5-5), 6pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Wittenberg (11-0) at Hiram (2-8), 7:30pm -- Live everything, including your choice of audio (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) (nice of Hiram to provide a link to Witt's audiocast!)
Kenyon (6-5) at Oberlin (3-8), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Wooster (4-7) at OWU (9-2), ppd., no make-up date announced
Denison (7-4) is idle

Saturday (updated records with Friday's results):
Earlham (1-10) at Hiram (2-9), 2pm -- Live everything (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Wittenberg (12-0) at Allegheny (6-5), ~3pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 2 of a DH, men vs. Kenyon at 1pm
Oberlin (3-9) at Wooster (4-7), 7:30pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule)
OWU at Denison, ppd. until Sunday
Kenyon is idle

Sunday:
OWU (9-2) at Denison (7-4), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 05, 2010, 09:47:44 PM
Okay, so I guess that you people who don't live in Paradise are having some weather today.  Let me see if I can make some sense of the goings-on:

Kenyon 73, Oberlin 53
Wittenberg 83, Hiram 62
Allegheny 71, Earlham 46
Wooster at Ohio Wesleyan, PPD--make up date TBA

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 12-0 conference, 14-6 overall
OWU 9-2, 14-6
Denison 7-4, 15-5
Kenyon 7-5, 14-7
Allegheny 6-5, 9-11
Wooster 4-7, 7-13
Oberlin 3-9, 4-17
Hiram 2-9, 3-17
Earlham 1-10, 2-18

All of tomorrow's games are on, as far as I know.  With Wittenberg and Earlham already in-territory in the northeast, they might as well play.  Good luck and safe travels to all.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 06, 2010, 01:33:51 PM
The game between OWU and Denison has been postponed until Sunday (2pm) due to a power outage in Granville.
(Deluding myself that anyone is reading this...) The Earlham/Hiram game will in fact have live video like normal.  Links updated above.

Upset alert!!!  Allegheny leads Wittenberg 29-26, early in the second half.  BUT...Witt has outscored the Gators by 12 in the second half; they lead by 8 with about 3 minutes to go.

Finals:
Hiram 65, Earlham 58 (OT)
Wittenberg 69, Allegheny 57
Wooster 70, Oberlin 58

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 13-0 conference, 15-6 overall...Magic number is 1
OWU 9-2, 14-6
Denison 7-4, 15-5
Kenyon 7-5, 14-7
Allegheny 6-6, 9-12
Wooster 5-7, 8-13
Oberlin 3-10, 4-18
Hiram 3-9, 4-17
Earlham 1-11, 2-19...Quakers are on the brink of elimination
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 07, 2010, 03:52:03 PM
Super Sunday final:
OWU 76, Denison 69.  OWU hit about 2/3 of their first half shots and raced out to an 11-point halftime lead.  Denison got right back into it in the second half, tying the game with 7:38 left.  A couple of Shaina Kaiser free throws tied it up again with 4:21 left, but a 9-2 OWU run over the next three minutes put the game on ice.  "The Franchise" was the story again; Tyler Cordell led the way with 23 points and 8 assists, complimented by 19 points apiece from Kayla Gordon and Pam Quigney.  Kaiser and Serafina Nuzzo wach had 19 for the Big Red, with Nuzzo adding 13 boards and 5 assists.  OWU stays mathematically alive for the conference title.

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 13-0 conference, 15-6 overall...Magic number is 1
OWU 10-2, 15-6
Denison 7-5, 15-6
Kenyon 7-5, 14-7
Allegheny 6-6, 9-12
Wooster 5-7, 8-13
Hiram 3-9, 4-17
Oberlin 3-10, 4-18
Earlham 1-11, 2-19...Quakers are on the brink of elimination

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 07, 2010, 11:53:45 PM
The Wooster-at-Ohio Wesleyan game, postponed by snow on Friday, has been rescheduled for Monday 2/15 at 7:30pm.  That's about as good a solution as we could've had, as OWU has an off day the previous Saturday and Wooster has an off day the following Wednesday.

--------------------------------

Longtime readers of this space (yeah, right) had to have seen this one coming for a couple of years now...
Congratulations and felicitations to Allegheny senior guard and posting board mascot Brittany Bell, the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) for the week ending Feb. 7.  Bell was sizzling from her customary position beyond the arc this week, draining 11 treys in 21 attempts over three games, two of them wins for the Gators in their effort to keep pace with Denison and Kenyon in the battle for homecourt advantage in the quarterfinals.  Way to go, Brittany!  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2010, 09:37:46 PM
For your Wednesday hooping pleasure:

Hiram (3-9) at Ohio Wesleyan (10-2), 6pm -- Live everything (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- game 1 of a DH, men vs. Wabash to follow
Wittenberg (12-0) at Kenyon (7-5), 6pm -- Live everything (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- game 1 of a DH, men vs, Denison to follow
Allegheny (6-6) at Wooster (5-7), 7:30pm -- Live stats and audio (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Winter-Sports/Womens-Basketball/2009-10-Schedule)
Denison (7-5) at Earlham (1-11), 7:30pm -- media blackout? (http://goearlham.com/index.aspx)

Oberlin (3-10) is idle.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 10, 2010, 09:07:18 PM
Finals...
Wittenberg 56, Kenyon 48...as Witt owns the tiebreaker with OWU, they clinch the regular season title and #1 seed with the win.  Congratulations, Wittenberg!
OWU 63, Hiram 49
Wooster 66, Allegheny 58...minor upset
Earlham 71, Denison 68...major upset

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 14-0 conference, 16-6 overall...Champions
OWU 11-2, 16-6
Denison 7-6, 15-7
Kenyon 7-6, 14-8
Allegheny 6-7, 9-13
Wooster 6-7, 9-13
Hiram 3-10, 4-18
Oberlin 3-10, 4-18
Earlham 2-11, 3-19...EC stays alive for the #8 seed
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 13, 2010, 11:27:06 AM
Get yer Saturday games right here!  Hot, fresh, and delicious!

Earlham (2-11) at Kenyon (7-6), 2pm -- Live stats and audio (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Like every game at this point, a must-win for both teams
Wooster (6-7) at Wittenberg (14-0), 2pm -- Live everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html) -- Can Kym Wenz & co. keep Witt from being the third unbeaten champion in three years?
Hiram (3-10) at Oberlin (3-10), 2pm -- Live everything (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- A win for either would be a big step towards securing the #7 seed, which is on the opposite side of the bracket from Wittenberg
Denison (7-6) at Allegheny (6-7), 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- both teams looking to secure a top 4 seed and home game in the quarterfinals

OWU (11-2) is idle...nothing to play for anyway, as they have the #2 seed wrapped up.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 13, 2010, 02:49:04 PM
HEADS UP:
Wooster leads Wittenberg by 5 at the half; Kym Wenz has 17 points, while Stephanie Boardman has 3 fouls.  
GETTIN' SERIOUS NOW
Wooster leads by 9 with about 4 minutes to go.  I wish I could recommend the viseo, but it shows the empty end of the floor almost as often as the busy one.   ::)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 13, 2010, 03:40:52 PM
Scots get it done:  Wooster 74, Wittenberg 61.  Kym Wenz with 35 points on 13/18 shooting, also nine rebounds.  Prediction: Player of the Week...again.  Carrie Dyer had 24 but got little help; Stephanie Boardman, fighting foul trouble, never got untracked and finished with just 5 points on five shots.

Other finals:
Kenyon 60, Earlham 41
Oberlin 57, Hiram 45
Denison 63, Allegheny 54

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 14-1 conference, 16-7 overall...Clinched #1 seed
OWU 11-2, 16-6...Clinched #2 seed; swept by Wittenberg; could still share conf. title, which requires Earlham to beat Witt
Denison 8-6, 16-7...Only way for DU to finish lower than fourth is to lose out, have Wooster win out, and have Kenyon win (at least) once
Kenyon 8-6, 15-8...KC can finish anywhere from 3rd to 6th, although 6th is a longshot
Wooster 7-7, 10-13...Woo was swept by Kenyon, but wins tiebreaker with either Denison or Allegheny
Allegheny 6-8, 9-14...AC's gets the #4 seed only if they win out and Denison, Kenyon, and Wooster all lose out; chance of that happening = 0.05%
Oberlin 4-10, 5-18...OC has clinched a playoff berth
Hiram 3-11, 4-19...HC's magic number is 1
Earlham 2-12, 3-20...EC loses tiebreakers with everyone, so must win out (@Witt, Woo) while Hiram loses twice (@OWU, @OC)

A very quick look at the tiebreakers for 3-6:
Denison vs. Kenyon ==> Denison (sweep)
Denison vs. Wooster ==> Wooster ("best win": Witt today)
Denison vs. Gheny ==> Denison (sweep)
Kenyon vs. Wooster ==> Kenyon (sweep)
Kenyon vs. Gheny ==> Gheny ("best win": OWU next week, which must happen for this tie to occur)
Wooster vs. Gheny ==> Wooster ("best win": Witt today)
Denison, Kenyon, Wooster ==> in that order (head to head)
Denison, Gheny, Kenyon ==> in that order (head to head Denison sweep, then Gheny over Kenyon as above)
Kenyon, Gheny, Wooster ==> in that order (head to head)
4-way tie:  Denison, Kenyon, Wooster, Gheny (head to head, then Wooster over Gheny as above)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 14, 2010, 08:07:04 PM
Don't forget your President's Day Special:

Wooster (7-7) at OWU (11-2), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)

A game that, in the wake of Wooster's upset of Wittenberg Saturday, suddenly has significance in the conference race.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 15, 2010, 08:49:26 PM
On again, off again:
Tonight's Wooster at OWU game has been re-postponed because of a re-snowstorm.  No makeup date has been announced, and those are in pretty short supply now.  OWU plays Weds; both teams play Sat.; and they're both in the quarterfinals Tuesday.  Perhaps Friday, Wooster can stop en route to Earlham?

----------

Wooster's Kym Wenz can use the day off to rearrange her trophy case; she now has to make room for yet another NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) trophy.  It's her second this season and who-knows-how-manyth of her sterling career.  Wenz scored 22 against Allegheny, but who remembers that after the butt-kicking she administered to Wittenberg on Saturday, connecting on 13 of 18 shots for 35 points.  In so doing, she scored her 1500th career point, just the second Fighting Scot and 15th player in NCAC history to reach this milestone.  Congratulations, Kym!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: fantastic50 on February 16, 2010, 11:25:01 AM
Wooster-OWU will be made up on Friday night.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2010, 09:10:23 PM
Thanks, Professor.  Who knew I had readers?  :)

Here's the Wednesday slate, if this new Ice Age will permit:

Earlham (2-12) at Wittenberg (14-1), 6pm -- Live everything (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule09-10.html) -- Game 1 of a doubleheader; men vs. Wabash to follow
Kenyon (8-6) at OWU (11-2), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Allegheny (6-8) at Hiram (3-11), 7:30pm -- Live everything (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Oberlin (4-10) at Denison (8-6), 7:30pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html)
Wooster (7-7) is idle

They're all big games, in one way or another.  If Wittenberg beats Earlham, the Tigers will clinch the outright title while eliminating the Quakers from tournament consideration.  Kenyon, Denison, and Allegheny are all still battling for the precious top 4 seeds, while Hiram is chasing Oberlin for the Wittenberg-avoiding #7 seed.  OWU, with no tournament seeding concerns, can fine-tune their machine for the postseason.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on February 16, 2010, 09:20:00 PM
Only you could spin a 2-12 team AT a 14-1 team as a 'big game'! :D

(Of course, if it was the Indianapolis Colts, they'd rest their varsity for the post-season, and just play the JV!  Except unlike the 14-0 Colts, Witt would probably still win. ;))
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 17, 2010, 09:11:41 PM
NFL references being utterly lost on me, I'll just move on to the scores:

Wittenberg 71, Earlham 57...final congratulations to the Tigers for wrapping up the undisputed conference title!
Allegheny 69, Hiram 55...nevertheless, Hiram clinches the final playoff spot as Earlham is eliminated
Denison 86, Oberlin 52
OWU 72, Kenyon 55

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 15-1 conference, 17-7 overall...Champs & #1 seed
OWU 12-2, 17-6...#2 seed
Denison 9-6, 17-7...very probably #3 seed; see below
Kenyon 8-7, 15-9
Wooster 7-7, 10-13
Allegheny 7-8, 10-14
Oberlin 4-11, 5-19...#7 seed (swept Hiram)
Hiram 3-12, 4-20...#8 seed
Earlham 2-13, 3-21...EC is eliminated

So two of Tuesday's quarterfinals are set:
#7 Oberlin at #2 OWU
#8 Hiram at #1 Wittenberg
#3 at #6 and #4 at #5 are still wide open, although Denison will be one of the two hosts.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: fantastic50 on February 17, 2010, 09:37:25 PM
If I understand the breakdown of the tiebreakers correctly, then the Scots need all of the following, to get a home game next Tuesday...
1) Wins at OWU and at Earlham this weekend
2) Denison beats Hiram
3) Kenyon loses to Oberlin

If all of the above happen, then Wooster is seeded #3.  If not, they'll be #5 or #6.

It has been 13 years since the Scots made it to the weekend portion of the conference tournament, so I'm hoping for a quarterfinal win, whether home or away.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 17, 2010, 09:55:13 PM
Quote from: fantastic50 on February 17, 2010, 09:37:25 PM
If I understand the breakdown of the tiebreakers correctly, then the Scots need all of the following, to get a home game next Tuesday...
1) Wins at OWU and at Earlham this weekend
2) Denison beats Hiram
3) Kenyon loses to Oberlin

If all of the above happen, then Wooster is seeded #3.  If not, they'll be #5 or #6.
Yes, I believe that is correct.  In your scenario, Wooster would be the 3 seed with Denison #4.  In all other scenarios, Denison is the #3.  I've corrected my post above.  Thanks.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2010, 09:40:52 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 13, 2010, 03:40:52 PM
A very quick look at the tiebreakers for 3-6:
Denison vs. Kenyon ==> Denison (sweep)
Denison vs. Wooster ==> Wooster ("best win": Witt today)
Denison vs. Gheny ==> Denison (sweep)
Kenyon vs. Wooster ==> Kenyon (sweep)
Kenyon vs. Gheny ==> Gheny ("best win": OWU next week, which must happen for this tie to occur)
Wooster vs. Gheny ==> Wooster ("best win": Witt today)
Denison, Kenyon, Wooster ==> in that order (head to head)
Denison, Gheny, Kenyon ==> in that order (head to head Denison sweep, then Gheny over Kenyon as above)
Kenyon, Gheny, Wooster ==> in that order (head to head)
4-way tie:  Denison, Kenyon, Wooster, Gheny (head to head, then Wooster over Gheny as above)

I wanted to make some small revisions here because I was applying the wrong tie-breaker: the NCAC uses a "modified best win" format as the #2 tie-breaker (behind head-to-head).  "Modified best win" looks at the aggregate results against all teams ahead of the tied teams.  It doesn't change the outcome of the process, just how that outcome is arrived at.  So for those ties that are not fully resolved by head-to-head results, here's the actual story:
Denison vs. Wooster ==> Teams split.  If they're tied, it's at 9-7 (with Kenyon at 8-8), and the only teams ahead are Witt and OWU.  Wooster's record against them would be 2-2 while DU's would be 0-4.  Wooster wins this tie.
Kenyon vs. Gheny ==> Teams split.  If they're tied, it's at 8-8.  Witt, OWU, and Denison would be above them, and Wooster might be, too.  So:
  Kenyon vs. Gheny(1): records vs. Witt, OWU, & Denison: Kenyon 0-6, Gheny 1-5 (they need to beat OWU for this tie to happen).  Gheny wins this tie.
  Kenyon vs. Gheny(2): add Wooster to the mix: Kenyon 2-6, Gheny 2-6.  Move to the next tiebreaker, with is unmodified best win.  The best win for either would be the Gheny win over OWU Saturday that makes this tie happen.  So Gheny wins this tie too, and thus wins any tie with Kenyon.
Wooster vs. Gheny ==>  Teams split.  Tie could be at 8-8 or at 7-9.
  Wooster vs. Gheny (8-8)==> They're tied for 5th behind Witt, OWU, Denison, and Kenyon.  Gheny would be 2-6 against this group.  Wooster could be either 3-5 or 2-6.  If 2-6, we move to best win, and that goes to Wooster by virtue of having beaten Wittenberg.
  Wooster vs. Gheny (7-9)==> Still tied for 5th behind the same group.  Gheny would be 1-7 and Wooster 2-6.  So Wooster wins any tie with Gheny.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 18, 2010, 10:33:34 PM
So, while OWU may not have anything specific to play for (aside from a 'W'), they will be the opposition in two huge games this weekend.  The first is the twice-postponed matchup with the Fighting Scots, now set for Friday:

Wooster (7-7) at OWU (12-2), 5:30pm -- Live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- please note the unusual starting time (which means I'll miss it entirely; it'll be over long before I'm home from work--if they finally manage to get it played!)

Then's Saturday's season-capping slate looks like this:
Hiram (3-12) at Denison (9-6), 2pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/0910/wb_schedule09.html)
Oberlin (4-11) at Kenyon (8-7), 2pm -- Live everything (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Wooster (7-8) at Earlham (2-13), ~3pm -- Live audio and stats (http://goearlham.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball) -- Game 2 of an EC/COW doubleheader, men at 1pm -- Earlham's final conference game ever :'(
Allegheny (7-8) at OWU (13-2), ~5pm -- Live everything (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 2 of an AC/OWU doubleheader, men at 3pm

Wittenberg (15-1), fittingly, is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 19, 2010, 08:42:39 PM
This afternoon's score:
OWU 81, Wooster 61...Scots are eliminated from the race for #4 and will be on the road next Tuesday.

Updated standings:
Wittenberg 15-1 conference, 17-7 overall...Champs & #1 seed...yes Virginia, they had a 24-game schedule
OWU 13-2, 18-6...#2 seed
Denison 9-6, 17-7...#3 seed
Kenyon 8-7, 15-9...either #4 or #5
Allegheny 7-8, 10-14...can be #4, #5, or #6
Wooster 7-8, 10-14...either #5 or #6
Oberlin 4-11, 5-19...#7 seed (swept Hiram)
Hiram 3-12, 4-20...#8 seed (swept Earlham)
Earlham 2-13, 3-21...EC is eliminated

#4-#6 seeds:
If Allegheny loses to OWU, the seeding will be #4 Kenyon, #5 Wooster, #6 Allegheny, regardless of the outcomes of the Kenyon/Oberlin and Wooster/Earlham games.
If Allegheny wins and:
a) Kenyon wins and Wooster loses: #4 Kenyon, #5 Allegheny, #6 Wooster
b) Kenyon and Wooster both win: #4 Kenyon, #5 Wooster, #6 Allegheny
c) Kenyon loses and Wooster wins: #4 Kenyon, #5 Allegheny, #6 Wooster
d) Kenyon and Wooster both lose: #4 Allegheny, #5 Kenyon, #6 Wooster

Kenyon clinches the #4 seed and final quarterfinal home game if they defeat Oberlin *or* if Allegheny loses to OWU *or* (oddly enough) if both Wooster and Allegheny win.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 20, 2010, 03:43:09 PM
Finals:

Denison 85, Hiram 35...#3 Denison makes a pre-tournament statement.
Kenyon 62, Oberlin 48...Kenyon wins the #4 seed.
Wooster 72, Earlham 69...Scots trailed by 8 at the half and by 1 inside the final minute.

Seedings/pairing are now set, regardless of the OWU/Allegheny game:
#8 Hiram at #1 Wittenberg...Tigers swept the season series
#7 Oberlin at #2 OWU...Bishops swept the season series
#6 Allegheny at #3 Denison...Big Red swept the season series
#5 Wooster at #4 Kenyon...Ladies swept the season series

OWU is murdering Allegheny...final score of the final game of the regular season is 100-62 for the Bishops.

Final standings:
Wittenberg 15-1 conference, 17-7 overall
OWU 14-2, 19-6
Denison 10-6, 18-7
Kenyon 9-7, 16-9
Allegheny 7-9, 10-15
Wooster 8-8, 11-14
Oberlin 4-12, 5-20
Hiram 3-13, 4-21
Earlham 2-14, 3-22
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2010, 09:08:13 PM
For the second straight week, the NCAC Player of the Week (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wbpow.html) award will remain on the Hill, as last week's winner, Kym Wenz, needs only to attend practice to pass the hardware off to this week's honoree, senior post Kaitlin Krister.  Krister, who together with Wenz created a devastating one-two punch for the Scots over the past four years, averaged a double-double in her two games this week, and contributed 11 assists and 10 blocks leading the Scots to a fifth-place finish.  Krister, who averaged just over ten points per game during the conference season, finishes the campaign as the NCAC's leading defensive rebounder and shot blocker.  Congratulations, Kaitlin!

-----------------------

The tale of the tape for POTW, whatever it may be worth:
Despite dominating the league, Wittenberg's POTW haul was less than that of two of their rivals, as OWU and Wooster led the way with three trophies apiece.  Wittenberg had two, Earlham was shut out, and each of the other squads won one apiece.  Wooster senior Kym Wenz and OWU junior Tyler Cordell were each honored twice.  Just under half of the trophies were bestowed upon seniors, while Oberlin's Allison Anderson was the only first-year to wear the laurels.  Congratulations (again) to all, and to everyone who made this another great season of NCAC women's hoops!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2010, 09:40:49 PM
Here's a quick look at some of the statistical leaders (conference only) for the 2009-10 season:

Scoring champion: Kym Wenz, senior, Wooster, for the second consecutive year.  She averaged 20.4 ppg, a little more than one ppg better than last season and two ppg ahead of the runner-up (also for the second straight year), Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman.
Top rebounder:  Kenyon sophomore Morgan Korinek, last season's Newcomer of the Year, by about a third of a rebound per game over Wooster's Kaitlin Krister (8.9 vs. 8.6).  Krister was the loop's top defensive rebounder (6.3), and Wittenberg junior Katherine Hueter topped the offensive rebounding charts (3.3).
Assists: Freshman sensation Allison Anderson of Oberlin produced a league-leading 92 assists, 0.24 apg better than OWU's Tyler Cordell.
Steals: Again it was Allison Anderson making it happen on both ends of the floor for the Yeowomen.  Her 3.63 spg was nearly a full steal per game better than the runner-up, Kenyon's Morgan Korinek.
Assist to Turnover Ratio: OWU's under-the-radar senior Lauren Gentene was the only NCAC player to have more than twice as many assists as turnovers, clocking in at 2.19.  (Although that's a fine performance, it's a reminder of just how special last year's A/TO champ was, as Denison's Ellen O'Brien had nearly six assists for each of her 13 turnovers.)
Shooting percentages:  The best overall field goal percentage belongs to Kenyon's Morgan Korinek, who connected on just under 60% of her shots this season, easily outdistancing Wittenberg's Carrie Dyer.  Pam Quigney, OWU's sophomore floor leader, was the most accurate shooter from the arc at 44.2%, just ahead of Kym Wenz (43.9%), who was far and away the conference's top free throw shooter (83.1%).
Three point baskets: Allegheny senior Brittany Bell, after a year lost to injury, reclaims the title she won as a sophomore and almost won as a frosh.  Her 2.8 threes per game was enough to top the ubiquitous Kym Wenz by .12.
Blocked shots: Wooster senior Kaitlin Krister swatted away better than 2.3 shots per conference game, easily topping this list.
Minutes per game: Allison Anderson led the contingent of Oberlin Yeo-warriors who finished in three of the top four spots for stamina.  Anderson hardly sat, averaging nearly 39.4 minutes per game, ahead of teammates Syrea Thomas (39.2) and Kelly Warlich (35.8), as well as (you guessed it) Kym Wenz (36.5).
Scoring and rebounding: Five players finished in the league's top ten in both scoring and rebounding.  In rough order of magnitude:
> Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman--2nd in scoring (18.3), 5th in rebounding (7.6)
> Kenyon's Morgan Korinek--T7th in scoring (14.6), 1st in rebounding (8.9)
> Wittenberg's Carrie Dyer--4th in scoring (15.2), 6th in rebounding (7.3)
> Denison's Shaina Kaiser--T7th in scoring (14.6), 9th in rebounding (6.4)
> Oberlin's Kelly Warlich--10th in scoring (12.9), 7th in rebounding (6.6)

Congratulations to these outstanding performers!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2010, 08:38:53 PM
Mild upset alert:  OWU leads Oberlin 40-37 with 12:40 left to play in their quarterfinal.  Live Stats. (http://bishops.owu.edu/BishopLive/wbb/live.html)

Also please see the new poll I've posted.  Please vote!

--------------------

Bishops get a scare, but survive, 60-56.
Denison gets no scare at all, beating Allegheny 80-58.  Next up: Denison vs. OWU.

Morgan Korinek blocks a putback by Jessica Wingen as the clock expires, Kenyon slips by Wooster 48-47.
Wittenberg leads Hiram by 15 midway through the second period.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: fantastic50 on February 23, 2010, 09:14:46 PM
The Scots had a chance to advance to the NCAC semifinals for the first time in 14 years, but missed two shots on their last possession, and Kenyon won by a single point. 

Congrats to the Wooster women on an improved season, with an 8-8 regular-season NCAC record.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2010, 09:29:26 PM
Wittenberg wins, 59-43.

Semifinals, Friday at Wittenberg:
Denison vs. OWU, 6pm
Kenyon vs. Wittenberg, 8pm

A tasty weekend is in store for NCAC fans!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 24, 2010, 08:40:51 PM
The voting in my poll is going about how I expected it would... :-\
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: pennstghs on February 25, 2010, 10:54:15 AM
Don't worry David.......I helped out.

The award hands down should go to Boardman. Best Player on Best Team is the deciding factor this year
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NoDinZone on February 25, 2010, 03:24:35 PM
First off, David thanks for everything you put into this.

Now, regarding the POY.  I give it to Kym Wenz for being the best player in the league.  Nobody had more to do with their team's position in the standings than this young lady.  21 ppg, 5+ rbpg, almost 50% behind the arc on 150+ attempts.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2010, 08:41:52 PM
Tonight's semifinal matched up the team that won this tournament four straight times starting in 2005 against the team that dethroned them last year, and it turned out to be no contest; Denison got their revenge on the defending champions by a score of 86-57.  DU opened up a 13-point halftime lead and then ran away and hid after the break to advance to Saturday's championship game.  2008-09 NCAC Player of the Year Shaina Kaiser had one of her best games of the year at the right time, recording a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, also contributing four assists.  Christina Myers led all scorers with 21 points.  Denison recorded more assists (22) than OWU had field goals (20).  At the other end, the Big Red totally shut down "The Franchise," holding Tyler Cordell, Kayla Gordon, and Pam Quigney to a combined 19 points on just 6-of-30 shooting.  DU also owned the boards, outrebounding the Bishops by eleven, leading to an eleven-point advantage in 2nd chance points and a +22 in points in the paint.  It looks to have been an old-fashioned whuppin'; the Big Red clearly has their eyes on the prize that they claimed their own for much of this decade.

At the half in game 2, conference champion Wittenberg is tied with Kenyon, 25-25.  Clearly a game being played at Kenyon's preferred pace, the Ladies have forced 16 Tiger turnovers in the first 20 minutes.  Kenyon has, however, been largely unable to take advantage of the extra possessions, actually making two fewer field goals than their hosts, despite taking seven more shots.  The superstars Stephanie Boardman and Morgan Korinek have 10 points apiece at the break.
UPDATE:  Kenyon opened up a quick 9-point lead in the second, but Wittenberg (helped in large part by a series of missed KC free throws) has clawed back into the game, and just shy of the 8:00 mark retakes the lead (42-41) on a three by Katherine Hueter.
UPDATE: 2:09 to go, the score is tied at 51, and folks, this is a hell of a game.
UPDATE: Wittenberg is making the plays down the stretch, and Kenyon's shooting woes are coming back to haunt them.  Witt leads by 4 with 0:41 left and Elise Jenkins at the free throw line.
UPDATE: Kat Powers drains her fourth three-pointer of the game to pull the Ladies back to within a bucket; 56-54 Witt, 0:25 left.
UPDATE: Jenkins hits two clutch FTs with 0:24 left to give the Tigers the two-possession margin, and Kenyon fails to score again.  Witt wins 60-54 and advances to face Denison.  Carrie Dyer led a balanced attack with 16 points, and Katherine Hueter had 13 to go with 10 rebounds.  Morgan Korinek finished with 15 points and 10 boards for the crestfallen Ladies. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 27, 2010, 07:30:42 PM
Denison is picking up where they left off, sprinting out to a 10-point lead midway through the first half.  The Big Red are cold from the arc (1 of 6) but molten inside (9 of 13), while the Tigers are just plain cold (6 of 18).  Now with 6:31 left in the 1st, its 26-18 in favor of the visitors from Granville.

DEEP TEAMS: in the first 15 minutes, Sara Lee has sent 11 of her troops into the fray, while Sarah Jurewicz has used 10 of her Tigers.

WITT ON A RUN: Wittenberg has scored the last 7 points and has cut the Big Red lead to 26-23, 5:06 1st, as Sara Lee calls a time out.

IT WAS AN EFFECTIVE TIMEOUT: Denison is on a post-timeout 14-2 run, including the last 10 points of the half, and has gone to the locker room with their biggest lead of the game: 40-25.  Shaina Kaiser has a dozen on 5-7 shooting, as well as seven rebounds.  Serafina Nuzzo is just a notch behind with 11 and 6.  Stephanie Boardman has been kept well in check, with just three points (1 of 7 from the floor) and a single rebound.  DU has hit almost half of their shots (16 of 33), while Witt is hitting just a third of theirs (10 of 30.)

COMEBACK TIME?  Denison pushed the lead to 18 immediately after the half, but they've recently gone cold, and the Tigers are on a 7-0 run to get back to within 11.  DU leads 47-36, 14:03 left and another Big Red timeout.

COUNTERPOINT:  Witt cut the lead to 9 before Denison came to and re-extended the lead with an 11-4 run.  At the moment, the Big Red enjoy a not-quite-comfortable two-touchdown lead, 61-47 with 7:43 left.

NOT-QUITE-COMFORTABLE, INDEED: A 9-2 Wittenberg run reduces the DU lead back to 9.  Is 5:27 enough time to complete the comeback?

UNDER PRESSURE:  Denison has missed seven of their last eight field goal attempts.  Wittenberg is as close as they've been in a long, long time: 64-58, 3:25.  Timeout, Denison.

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE:  DU is still missing, but now so are the Tigers, missers of their last three.  Two precious (to Witt) minutes elapse without a score change.

GONNA BE A GREAT FINISH:  Witt finally breaks the ice with a Carrie Dyer layup, and at the other end Shaina Kaiser misses.  Elise Jenkins gets the rebound, and Witt takes the timeout, trailing by just four points (64-60) with 1:22 left.

THRUST, PARRY:  Dyer misses a layup, Kaiser grabs the board (her 10th, with 19 points), and DU takes time, up four and inside a minute from a return to the NCAAs.

FREE THROWS AREN'T FREE:  After a couple of fouls to get into the bonus, Serafina Nuzzo misses the front end, and Sarah Watson grabs the rebound.  Kristen Meyer sends Jenkins to the line, and she hits both to cut the margin to just a deuce.  Jenkins and Meyer then reverse roles to put the DU lead back to four, but Boardman responds with a layup from Dyer's feed.  Watson fouls Kyli Parker with 0:27 left, and she hits the first before Witt calls timeout.  67-64 DU, 0:27 with Parker at the line for a second free throw.

DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME:  Parker hits the second, but Watson answers with a trey to cut the lead to one.  Katherine Hueter fouls Parker, and she hits two more with 0:11 left; the lead is 3.  Sarah J. takes a timeout to draw up the surely-a-three-pointer play.  Hueter (3 of 5) and Watson (2 of 5) have all five of Witt's triples, and both are on the floor.

DENISON IS BACK! The play is for Hueter, but she can't make it good, and Denison escapes Springfield with a 70-67 win, another NCAC Tournament championship, and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.  Congratulations to the Big Red (who, ahem, I picked to win this thing *pats self on back*)

GREAT SEASON FOR THE TIGERS:  Unhearalded in the preseason after a 5th place finish last year, Sarah J. and the Tigers had a wonderful year, including a 15-1 NCAC Championship.  Stephanie Boardman (17 points tonight) and Carrie Dyer (13) are very likely to accept first-team all-NCAC accolades in their senior seasons, and seniors Elise Jenkins, Kellsea Vasileff, and Amber Lough also contributed to the great comeback of Tiger basketball.  Congratulations to the Tigers!

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, MY FRIEND:  Denison takes home the tournament hardware for the fifth time in six seasons, a real tribute to Coach Sara Lee.  Shaina Kaiser ended up as the game's MVP with her 19-point, 10-board, 7-assist performance.  First-year Serafina Nuzzo added 14 points and 7 rebounds, while Haley Dahlgard added ten rebounds.  Denison, whose only two seniors are role players, is poised to springboard off of this victory to success in the NCAAs and in the 2010-11 season in the NCAC.  Congratulations again to Coach Lee and the victorious Big Red!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 27, 2010, 08:57:10 PM
Tigers had a great season and made a valiant attempt at a comeback.  Congratulations to them and their coach on a great season. 

Congratulations to the Big Red.  Way to hang on with the free throws at the end.  Good luck in the tournament!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 27, 2010, 10:14:33 PM
Shaina Kaiser was not just the MVP of tonight's championship game, she was named the MVP of the whole tournament.  Joining Kaiser on the all-Tournament team were her teammate Serafina Nuzzo, Wittenbergers Katherine Hueter and Carrie Dyer, Kenyon's Morgan Korinek, and OWU's Pam Quigney.  Congratulations to all six!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 01, 2010, 09:04:54 PM
Good luck to Denison in the first round as they will travel to Holland, MI to face #4 Hope College.  A very tall order, taking on the 27-1 Flying Dutchmen, but think positive!  We can do this!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 02, 2010, 08:40:16 PM
Holy Smokes!  Not one but two finalists for the Josten's Award (http://www.d3hoops.com/) from our poky little conference!  Many, many congratulations and best wishes for Stephanie Boardman and Kym WenzYou go girls!!!  I'm very, very proud of you.  (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 03, 2010, 10:01:38 PM
You voted, and the coaches listened:  congratulations to Stephanie Boardman for being named the Player of the Year in the NCAC.  The other "of the Year" awards were kinda no-brainers, as Sarah Jurewicz was named Coach of the Year and Allison Anderson was given the Newcomer of the Year award (as well as a berth on the second team).  Congratulations to these honorees, as well as all of the all-NCAC award recipients (http://www.northcoast.org/wb/wballncac10.pdf):

1st team (must have been a tie for 7th):
Stepahnie Boardman and Carrie Dyer, Wittenberg
Kym Wenz and Kaitlin Krister, Wooster
Shaina Kaiser, Denison (2008-09 POY)
Tyler Cordell, OWU
Morgan Korinek, Kenyon
Jill Gregory, Allegheny

2nd team:
Kayla Gordon and Pam Quigney, OWU
Katherine Hueter, Wittenberg
Allison Anderson, Oberlin
Brittany Mayle, Hiram
Emilie Simone, Allegheny
Kathleen Williams, Kenyon

HM:
Brittany Bell, Allegheny
Nikki Darrett, Earlham
Dany Finck, OWU
Christina Myers, Denison
Syrea Thomas, Oberlin
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 05, 2010, 09:11:09 PM
All good things must come to an end, and Denison's 2009-10 season is no exception.  Hope ousted the Big Red by a 68-40 count.  The final score was a little more lopsided than the game, as DU trailed by 13 at the half and by 18 with 5:24 left.  However, Denison failed to score again after that point, allowing the Dutch to finish the game on a 10-0 run.  Denison could only manage 24% shooting while Hope blazed away at a 55% clip.  Shaina Kaiser led the Ohioans with 12 points and 7 rebounds.  The Big Red finish with an excellent 21-8 record and outstanding prospects for the 2010-11 season.  Congratulations, DU!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 17, 2010, 08:52:08 PM
More congratulations to Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman and Wooster's Kym Wenz, both named to the D3hoops.com All-Great Lakes First Team.  Both are also solid contenders for All-America honors, as evidenced by their status as co-finalists for the Josten's Trophy.  I don't know how many times I've been honored to say "congratulations" to these two over the past four years, nor how many more times I'll be able to say it in the days ahead, but WAY TO GO STEPHANIE AND KYM, we're very proud of you and your accomplishments in NCAC-land!  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 20, 2010, 12:34:30 PM
And another...
Both Boardman and Wenz have been named to the State Farm Coaches All-America team (http://www.wbca.org/releases/2010DIIISFCAATPR.html), earning Honorable Mention accolades (all they have is a 10-woman first team, and HM).  Congratulations, again!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 29, 2010, 08:17:48 PM
Oberlin great Ann Gilbert and Wooster legend Nan Nichols among five to be inducted into Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. (http://www.northcoast.org/news/OhioBKBHOF10.html)(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on April 16, 2010, 08:17:31 PM
Coaching change at Wooster: Lisa Campanell Komara steps aside (she will head up Wooster's inaugural women's golf season) and four-year assistant Ashley Reid is promoted to head coach of the women's basketball program.  Press release here (http://www.wooster.edu/en/Athletics/Athletics-News/2010/April/Womens-Basketball-News-2009-10-Reid-Announcement) (and here (http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2010/04/16/wooster-shuffles-athletics-staff-changes-coaches.html).)  Congratulations and best wishes to both ladies!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on June 09, 2010, 10:53:33 AM
BIG shift in the balance of power in the conference, starting in the 2011-12 season, announced today (http://www.northcoast.org/news/DePauwtoNCAC.html). 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on June 09, 2010, 11:45:45 AM
Agreed -- for all the talk about football, I think women's basketball is the biggest issue and it will lead D3hoops when I get a break here at work.

Unless Hope announces its MBB coach.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on June 09, 2010, 03:30:18 PM
Here's hoping that a rising tide does indeed lift all boats.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: DPU3619 on June 12, 2010, 04:55:18 PM
This is probably the sport that I'm most excited about in this move, honestly.  DePauw has run into Denison a handful of times and Witt once over the past five or six years with a great deal of success. 

It's definitely a dynamic changer in the scope of the NCAC.  I wonder where the Witt's and OWU's of the world fit in compared to where Trinity and Oglethorpe have been and where Centre is going.  Very interesting stuff to chew on...
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on August 12, 2010, 12:06:18 PM
Welcome to new Oberlin assistant coach Jody Burrows (http://www.goyeo.com/news/2010/8/12/WBB_0812103456.aspx?tab), who comes to the Yeowomen from her alma mater, Northeastern, where she was a standout player and most recently an assistant coach.  Congratulations and good luck, Coach Burrows!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on August 24, 2010, 11:23:23 AM
The DePauw, the student newspaper, interviews four Tiger student-athletes on their perception of DPU's impending move to the NCAC.  One of the interviewees is junior forward Katie Aldrich.  It's a good read. (http://media.www.thedepauw.com/media/storage/paper912/news/2010/08/21/Sports/Conference.Shuffle.Four.Athletes.Thoughts.On.Upcoming.Transition.To.Ncac-3924773.shtml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on August 30, 2010, 11:44:48 PM
Tired of the offseason yet?  Yeah, me too.  Take a moment to check out the Wittenberg Women's Basketball Blog (http://light.wittenberg.edu/blog/wbasketball/) (or "Wittenblog"), with recent entries including a list (but no discussion) of the eight frosh on the pre-season roster and Katherine Hueter's thoughts as she enters her final year at Springfield. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 04, 2010, 09:45:06 PM
The pre-season coaches' poll has been tabulated and released. (http://www2.northcoast.org/wbasketball/index)  Defending tournament champion Denison sits atop the ranking, barely outpolling Ohio Wesleyan, with defending champion Wittenberg and Kenyon following closely behind.   

1. Denison (4) 58
2. OWU (2) 56
3. Wittenberg (1) 46
4. Kenyon (1) 45
5. Allegheny 32
6. Oberlin 20
7. Wooster 17
8. Hiram 14
(reminder that Earlham is now in the HCAC, and DePauw doesn't join us until next season.)

I haven't done any research yet for this season, and by the look of this poll, perhaps I should.  Because while OWU looks strong and Witt and Kenyon are always a threat, the Big Red looks like a juggernaut to me, and the top of this poll is much more tightly bunched than I expected.  I hope the coaches are right and that we have a well-played, hotly-contested conference race.  Good luck to all eight squads!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: fantastic50 on November 09, 2010, 02:45:29 PM
Wooster will be in rebuilding mode this year, having lost their two leading scorers to graduation, including All-American Kym Wenz.  Ashley Reid, formerly a Wooster assistant coach, is taking over the helm from Lisa Campanell Komara, who will be leading Wooster's new women's golf program. 

Additionally, Samantha Justice, last year's starting point guard, will not be returning to the team, by her own choice.  She is a junior pursuing a demanding double major, in biochemistry and mathematics, and has chosen to put more time toward preparation for grad school.  Sam is a strong student who has already been involved in on-campus laboratory research, and will likely be headed directly into a PhD program after graduation.

My guess is that Keshia Butler (also a junior math major) will be the starting point guard, unless one of the newcomers has made an impressive showing in pre-season practice.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 11, 2010, 03:10:16 PM
Thanks for that update, Professor.  Good luck to Sam and Keshia.  I was a junior math major once upon a time, but I flamed out of that rugged discipline--and I didn't have the added pressure of varsity basketball, to say nothing of a biochem double major!  :o

New-look Wooster is the only NCAC squad opening up on Opening Day, as they will travel to University Heights to take on John Carroll on Monday.  Four more squads hit the hardwood on Tuesday, three of them against our friends from the OAC:
* Defending champion Wittenberg hosts Baldwin-Wallace
* Pre-season favorite Denison hosts Heidelberg
* Kenyon travels to Muskingum
* Ohio Wesleyan hosts Notre Dame of Ohio

Allegheny and Oberlin will open their campaigns on Friday.  Hiram is reaching the end of its fall term, and won't start play until after exams and Thanksgiving have come and gone.

Good luck to all teams!  (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 15, 2010, 06:13:22 PM
Tonight's Wooster/JCU game, which tips at 7:30pm, will be webcast (http://www.jcusports.com/) by John Carroll University.

--------------------------

Pretty inauspicious debut for the Scots, who get hammered by a count of 82-51.  Wooster turns the ball over 30 times and commits 19 fouls.  Kristen Schwartz had a big game in a losing effort, grabbing 17 rebounds to go along with 13 points.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 15, 2010, 11:02:43 PM
I've had my attention drawn to the Kenyon Ladies, by virtue of the season's first Suzanne Helfant show (http://media.stretchinternet.com:8080/files/kenyon/custom/kenyon-11723.mp3).  One of the things she discusses is that this year's squad has less size (both in terms of tall and big players) than last year, an observation which sent me to the roster (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x4954.xml).  Sure enough, two-time all-NCAC performer and presumptive senior Kathleen Williams is not listed.  I have no idea why she's not on the squad, and Coach Helfant didn't discuss it, but it's going to be tough for the Ladies to replace Kathleen's 9.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg, both second-best on the team.  Best wishes to Kathleen, wherever she is!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 16, 2010, 11:48:35 AM
Preseason top 4 teams tip it off tonight!

1. Denison hosts Heidelberg, 7:30pm -- Audio & live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
2. OWU hosts Notre Dame of Ohio, 5:30pm -- Video & live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
3. Wittenberg hosts Baldwin-Wallace, 7:00pm -- Audio & live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
4. Kenyon visits Muskingum, 7:00pm -- Audio & live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)

Go Big Red, Bishops, Tigers, and Ladies!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 16, 2010, 08:05:16 PM
OWU drops the opener to Notre Dame, 75-64.  Pam Quigney had 20, while Kayla Gordon added 12 points, 10 boards, and five blocks.
Wittenberg led by six at the break, but got blitzed in the second half by a 44-20 count, as B-W coasts home with a 70-52 win.  Frosh Ashanta Robinson had 18 points on 7-10 shooting, and Sarah Watson had a double-double (10-10), but an uncharacteristic 27 turnovers spelled doom for the Tigers.
Kenyon recorded a nice come-from-behind 60-53 win at Muskingum, holding the Fish to 33% shooting and outrebounding the Aquatic Critters by 7.  Morgan Korinek picked up where she left off, recording 19 points and 12 boards.  Kayla Ernst added 15 points for the Ladies.
Denison withstands a furious comeback from Heidelberg and records a 65-59 victory, giving the NCAC a 2-1 edge over their OAC counterparts on the evening. :)  Lucy Follansbee led a deep, balanced effort with 15 points and 10 boards.  Denison had 16 assists and just nine turnovers; how Sara Lee is that?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 18, 2010, 03:53:19 PM
Everybody except Hiram is going to be in action this weekend, and that includes me, so I want to get the links posted now.

Friday:
Marietta at Allegheny, 6pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball)
Denison vs. Bethany (at Washington & Jefferson), 6pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Kenyon at Bluffton, 8pm -- Live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Oberlin vs. Spalding (at Mt. St. Joseph), 2pm -- Live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&tab=basketball2)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. St. Vincent (at Wilmington), 8pm -- Looks like no coverage, but check here (http://www2.wilmington.edu/news/WC-to-host-Hampton-Inn--SuitesDamons-Grill-Tip-Off-Tournament.cfm) or here (http://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/women/2010-11/schedule?date=20101119)
Wittenberg vs. Fontbonne (at Adrian), 8pm -- Live audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule10-11.html)

Saturday:
Alfred or Waynesburg at Allegheny, 1pm or 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball)
Denison at Washington & Jefferson, 4pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Kenyon vs. Albion or Brescia (at Bluffton), 1pm or 3pm -- Live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Oberlin vs. Mt. St. Joseph or St. Mary-of-the-Woods (at MSJ), 3pm or 5pm -- Live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&tab=basketball2)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. Defiance or Wilmington (at Wilmington), 1pm or 3pm -- Live audio (http://www2.wilmington.edu/news/WC-to-host-Hampton-Inn--SuitesDamons-Grill-Tip-Off-Tournament.cfm) if vs. Wilma
Wittenberg vs. Adrian or North Park (at Adrian), 1pm or 3pm -- Live audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule10-11.html)
Thiel at Wooster, 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)

Sunday:
SUNY-Geneseo or Trine at Wooster, 1pm or 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 19, 2010, 12:02:16 PM
Going off-topic for a moment to mention my favorite part of college sports: the ESPN the Magazine/COSIDA Academic All-America Teams.  Today we get to celebrate that Wittenberg defender Kelly Foley and Wooster striker Paige Piper were named Academic All-Americans (http://www.cosida.com/news.aspx?id=2978), on the 2nd and 3rd teams (respectively) in the College Division for women's soccer.  Both have double majors and GPAs north of 3.9.  This is Kelly's second such award in her outstanding college career, while Paige, only a sophomore, will have two more chances for this honor.  Congratulations, ladies, you should be very proud! (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 19, 2010, 09:22:33 PM
Quick results:
Allegheny 80, Marietta 79
Denison 84, Bethany 62
Spalding 63, Oberlin 54
Kenyon 67, Bluffton 56
Wittenberg 70, Fontbonne 51
St. Vincent 92, OWU 53

4-2 on the evening, which is great, but  :o what happened to the Bishops?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 19, 2010, 10:12:35 PM
Saturday (revised):
Waynesburg at Allegheny, 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball)
Denison at Washington & Jefferson, 4pm -- Live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Kenyon vs. Brescia (at Bluffton), 3pm -- Live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Oberlin at Mt. St. Joseph, 1pm  -- Live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&tab=basketball2)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. Defiance (at Wilmington), 1pm  -- probably no coverage (http://www2.wilmington.edu/news/WC-to-host-Hampton-Inn--SuitesDamons-Grill-Tip-Off-Tournament.cfm)
Wittenberg vs. North Park (at Adrian), 3pm -- Live audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/schedule10-11.html)
Thiel at Wooster, 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)

---------------------

Oberlin 68, MSJ 58 -- Allison Anderson was one rebound from a triple-double (18 pts., 10 assists, 9 boards)
OWU 76, Defiance 63 -- Bishops get off the schneid behind 22 & 9 from Kayla Gordon
Waynesburg 71, Allegheny 68 -- Gators lead virtually throughout, but a 12-4 Yellow Jacket run over the final 4:38 is decisive.
Brescia 57, Kenyon 53 -- A 15-2 Brescia run early in the second period put the Ladies in a ten point hole.  Kenyon fought back, and had the ball down by just two with 0:07 left, but Brescia got a key steal to seal the game.  Morgan Korinek led the Ladies with 19 points and ten boards.
Wittenberg 70, North Park 64 -- Sarah Watson was dominant, with 26 pts. (incl. 3/5 from the arc and 9/11 from the line) to compliment 12 rebounds.
Wooster 59, Thiel 50 -- Scots are led by Karley Walker's 17 pts. (3/5 from the arc) and Kristen Schwartz' double-double (13 pts., 10 reb.)
Denison 67, Washington & Jefferson 51 -- DU scored the game's first 10 points and never looked back.  22 Big Red assists on 25 Big Red baskets.  

A solid 5-2 day, as the NCAC moves out to a somewhat surprising 11-7 non-conference record.

-------------------------------

Sunday:
SUNY-Geneseo at Wooster, 3pm -- Live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 21, 2010, 05:48:34 PM
Leading by just two at the half, SUNY-Geneseo nearly doubled up Wooster in the second period and romped to the Nan Nichols Classic title with a 66-46 victory.  The Scots shot the ball well in the first 20:00, hitting at a 46% clip, but then went ice cold after halftime, making just 8 second-half shots in 27 attempts.  Geneseo wasn't much better, hitting just 31% for the game, but they got 18 more attempts, thanks to Wooster's courteous 26 turnovers.  Keshia Butler led all scorers with 14, while Jessica Wingen led the Scots with 11 boards.

NCAC falls to 11-8 on the non-conference season.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: fantastic50 on November 21, 2010, 07:53:28 PM
The Wooster-Geneseo game was closer than what the final score would indicate.  It was tied with less than eight minutes remaining, but the Knights had a 20-0 run to close the game.  Junior guard Keshia Butler has a nice game, leading the Scots with 14 points, and also had 5 assists.  Butler and freshman guard Karley Walker (who scored a team-high 17 yesterday against Thiel) both made the all-tournament team.  While I don't Scots contending in the NCAC this year, they do look better than expected at this point in the season, given their inexperience.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2010, 06:22:28 PM
Tuesday games:

Kenyon at Ohio Northern, 5:30pm -- Live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Allegheny at Washington & Jefferson, 6:00pm -- no coverage
Denison at Trine, 6:00pm -- Audio (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Bluffton at Oberlin, 7:00pm -- Video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/index.aspx?tab=basketball2&path=wbball)
Heidelberg at Ohio Wesleyan, 7:00pm -- Live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Capital at Wittenberg, 7:00pm -- Audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 23, 2010, 08:47:12 PM
Scores:

Allegheny 77, W&J 73
ONU 73, Kenyon 58
Bluffton 68, Oberlin 51
OWU 77, Heidelberg 76
Capital 72, Wittenberg 64
Denison 64, Trine 29  :o

3-3 on the evening, 14-11 on the season.

Next games are not until Saturday--Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 26, 2010, 10:18:41 PM
Saturday games, featuring everyone but Wittenberg, including Hiram's season opener:

Oberlin at Earlham, 1pm -- audio and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Carnegie Mellon at Denison, 2pm -- audio and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Hiram at Westminster, 2pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Chatham at Kenyon, 2pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Allegheny at St. Vincent, 6pm -- video (http://athletics.stvincent.edu/schedule.aspx?path=wbball)
Ohio Wesleyan at Caltech, 7pm -- no coverage
Wooster vs. Washington & Jefferson (at Marietta), 8pm -- video and live stats (http://pioneers.marietta.edu/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2010, 03:53:57 PM
Oberlin 85, Earlham 68 -- Could Allison Anderson (http://www.d3hoops.com/awards/tow/2010-11/week1) be the best player in the NCAC?  Today's line: 19 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds.
Denison 91. CMU 44 -- Where does one begin?  DU hit nearly 60% of their shots, +16 on the glass, four players in double figures, etc. etc.
Kenyon 68, Chatham 45 -- 1-2 punch of post players Kayla Ernst (17 & 6) and Morgan Korinek (12 & 8) too much
Hiram 67, Westminster 64 (OT) -- Terriers never trailed in regulation, but Titans scored the last five points to force OT.  Jessica Cowan had 25 pts. and 9 boards to lead Hiram to the win in their season opener.
St. Vincent 70, Allegheny 33 -- Any hope of an NCAC Clean Sweep Saturday were dashed when the Gators were held scoreless for the first 9:48 of the second half.
OWU 81, Caltech 55 -- No details yet, but I was anticipating a larger margin than "just" 26 here.
Washington & Jefferson 69, Wooster 54 -- W&J gets their first win of the campaign by forcing 27 turnovers and holding the Scots to 35% shooting.  Wooster will face host Marietta in the consolation game tomorrow.

A robust 5-2 on the day.  (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)  NCAC composite record: 19-13.  
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2010, 10:32:29 PM
Sunday's games:

Wooster at Marietta, 1pm -- Video and live stats (http://pioneers.marietta.edu/)
Chatham at Denison, 2pm -- Audio and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Penn St. Behrend at Hiram, 2pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Carnegie Mellon at Kenyon, 2pm -- Video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Ohio Wesleyan at Occidental, 5pm -- live stats (http://www.oxyathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 28, 2010, 02:45:51 PM
Marietta 93, Wooster 77 -- This game was won at the line, where the Pioneers converted 34 Wooster fouls into 39 points, an advantage of 26 points.  Wooster got balanced scoring with three in double figures led by Suvi Puripattarapan with 15.  
Hiram 72, Penn St.-Behrend 66 -- Down by 13 early on, the Terriers patiently crawled back into the game and held off the Lions for the win.  Jessica Cowan had a second big game in two days, notching 21 points and nine boards.
Denison 51, Chatham 46 -- The Big Red struggled with a team that was flattened by Kenyon yesterday, but hung on for the victory.  DU survived a miserable 30% shooting afternoon and uncharacteristically had 15 turnovers vs. just seven assists.
Kenyon 78, Carnegie Mellon 68 -- The Ladies struggled with a team that was crushed by Denison yesterday, trailing for much of the afternoon before pulling away late for the deceptive ten-point victory margin.  Four Ladies reached double figures, led by Morgan Korinek's 19.
Occidental 64, Ohio Wesleyan 58 -- Like Hiram, OWU got into a deep hole early on, with the Tiger lead extending to 18 shortly after halftime.  Unlike Hiram, the Bishops were unable to bring it all the way back, snapping their three-game winning streak.  Pam Quigney and Kayla Gordon contributed 20 and 18 points, respectively, as well as nine rebounds apiece.  

Some nervous moments, but a winning day overall at 3-2, bringing the conference tally to a gratifying 22-15.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 28, 2010, 06:52:08 PM
Just one game Monday, as Allegheny travels deep into coal oil country to take on Pitt-Bradford for a 7pm tip.  No live coverage.

------------------------

This just in from the home of Marilyn Horne and Zippo lighters: Allegheny 70, UPB 68.  Sounds like it was a good one, but alas! I am bereft of details.

With Wooster and Hiram set to tip off conference play on Wednesday, the suddenly formidable NCAC sits at a composite 20-13.  Who needs DePauw?  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 30, 2010, 10:01:33 PM
Wednesday games:
Conference:
Hiram at Wooster, 6:00pm -- live stats (http://livestats.prestosports.com/wooster/)
Non-conference:
Otterbein at Oberlin, 6:00pm -- audio/video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&tab=basketball2)
Wittenberg at Mt. Union, 7:00pm -- audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
John Carroll at Allegheny, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Case Western Reserve at Kenyon, 7:30pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 01, 2010, 12:34:44 PM
Five Minutes with Morgan Korinek. (http://northcoastconference.blogspot.com/2010/12/five-minutes-with.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 01, 2010, 09:14:42 PM
Hiram 62, Wooster 58...Scots drop the conference home opener, a game that Wooster actually led by 17 at one point. The Scots led by 11 before going into a nearly 8 minute second-half scoring drought, during which time Hiram turned a 39-28 deficit into a 45-39 lead, and the Scots never led again.  Reigning NCAC Player of the Week Jess Cowan (http://www2.northcoast.org/basketball/potw/2010) was held to just two points, but Calysia Smyers picked up the slack with 17 points.

Elsewhere, the OAC dominated our heroines tonight, but Kenyon topped a former OAC/former NCAC opponent:
Otterbein 77, Oberlin 45
Mt. Union 75, Wittenberg 62
John Carroll 88, Allegheny 82
Kenyon 58, CWRU 47

Current NCAC standings:
Hiram 1-0
Allegheny 0-0
Denison 0-0
Kenyon 0-0
Oberlin 0-0
Ohio Wesleyan 0-0
Wittenberg 0-0
Wooster 0-1

NCAC non-conference record: 21-16
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 03, 2010, 02:33:18 PM
One non-conference game this afternoon, tipping in about 30 minutes:

OWU vs. Elmhurst, 3pm (at Washington U. in St. Louis) -- video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)

---------------------

Elmhurst comes away with the victory over the road-weary Bishops, 64-54.   The Blue Jays dominance of the glass (+25, including 21 offensive boards) which led to an 18-point advantage in points in the paint, was too much to overcome.  Tyler Cordell led OWU with 21 points.

NCAC composite: 21-17.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 03, 2010, 11:59:45 PM
One more conference opener tomorrow, and a nearly full slate of non-cons:

NCAC contest:
Wittenberg at Allegheny, 1pm -- Audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) and live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
By the way, let me interrupt this message to give kudos to Wittenberg's SID operation.  Several conference members don't provide any live coverage for their women's team, while Witt has a radio crew for all games home and away.  Bravo!

Non-cons:
Carnegie Mellon at Oberlin, 1pm -- Video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Denison at Case Western Reserve, 2pm -- no coverage
Hiram at Marygrove (MI), 2pm -- live audio (http://www.marygrovemustangs.com/schedule/8/2.php)
Kenyon at Baldwin-Wallace, 2pm -- Audio and live stats (http://www.bw.edu/athletics/)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. U. of New England, 3pm (at Washington U. in St. Louis) -- video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Wooster is idle
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 04, 2010, 01:35:55 PM
Tipoff of the CMU/Oberlin game is evidently being delayed by the non-presence of the officials.  Overheard on the webcast: the officials thought the game was scheduled for 7pm.  This could be a lengthy delay...!

UPDATE:  Okay, it looks like we're set to start now.  The officials make their first appearance on the court, and receive an ovation from the fans in attendance.  Unfortunately (for me), the delay means I'll be off to work before this one is complete.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 04, 2010, 08:07:52 PM
Allegheny tops Wittenberg, 81-78 in Meadville, in each team's conference opener.  Starting the game with a couple of technical free throws (???), the Tigers led for nearly all of the game's first 34 minutes.  The Gators crawled back into it and took the lead with just under six minutes left, expanding that lead to eight with a 19-5 run that peaked with 2:35 remaining.  Wittenberg hung tough, but the hosts were able to make just enough free throws (4 of 9 down the stretch) to hold onto the lead into the clubhouse.  Jill Gregory led the victors with a 22 & 10 double-double, complemented by 18 points apiece from Heidi Goeller and Erica Restich.  Katherine Hueter had a double-double (14 & 10) for the Tigers, who also got 19 from Kim Replogle.  

Elsewhere,
CMU 65, Oberlin 58
Denison 72, CWRU 69
Hiram 72, Marygrove 54
B-WC 73, Kenyon 63
UNE 81, OWU 62

NCAC non-conference record 23-19.

Conference standings:
Allegheny 1-0
Hiram 1-0
Denison 0-0
Kenyon 0-0
Oberlin 0-0
Ohio Wesleyan 0-0
Wittenberg 0-1
Wooster 0-1
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2010, 12:55:14 PM
One non-conference game on tap for tonight:

Case Western Reserve at Oberlin, 7pm -- audio/video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/)

I'll report on this one tomorrow afternoon (Eastern time) if nobody beats me to it.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 07, 2010, 04:06:30 AM
Night owl update:

I believe I'm ready to anoint Allison Anderson as the best player in the NCAC.  Tonight (er, last night) she poured in 38 points, including hitting 13 of 14 free throws, and added five assists and four steals in 45 minutes of non-stop action, leading the Yeowomen to a 79-78 OT victory over CWRU.  Oberlin, which trailed for just sixteen seconds of regulation, led by 15 at the break and by 20 with 16:37 left when Case began to whittle away at the lead.  Oberlin still enjoyed a 13 point advantage with 5:39 left, but the Spartans ended regulation on an 18-5 run, forcing the overtime on a layup by Erin Hollinger (who led Case with 20) with 0:22 left.  Case scored two of the first three buckets in OT, but two of Anderson's free throws at 2:41 gave the Yeowomen a lead they'd not relinquish.  First-year Ashley Young added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Yeo, who become the third NCAC squad to defeat the Spartans this week.  Next up for Case will be Wooster, but they have nearly two weeks to regroup before that matchup.

NCAC composite record keeps improving:  24-19.  You go girls!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 07, 2010, 02:03:27 PM
Tonight's scheduled matchup of Allegheny and Buffalo State in Buffalo has been postponed due to weather.  No makeup date has yet been announced.

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 07, 2010, 10:00:24 PM
Wednesday games:

One conference game:
Oberlin at Kenyon, 6pm -- video, audio, live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)

Four non-cons:
Denison at Thiel, 6:30pm -- no coverage
OWU at Capital, 7pm -- whatever coverage there may be can be accessed here (http://www.oac.org/GAMEDAYCENTRAL.shtml)
Wooster at Ursuline, 7pm -- no coverage
Grove City at Hiram, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2010, 08:35:08 PM
Kenyon 68, Oberlin 47 -- Kenyon took advantage of Oberlin's lack of depth and ice-cold shooting to post the easy victory in Gambier tonight.  Post players Morgan Korinek and Kayla Ernst each contributed 16 to the winning effort.  OC's Allison Anderson led all scorers with 17, but she and Kelly Warlich (13) provided almost all of the Yeowomen's offense, as six Oberlin players provided all but 2 of the minutes played.

Elsewhere,
Denison 79, Thiel 44
Capital 74, OWU 61
Grove City 74, Hiram 63...closer than it looks, GCC scored the game's last 7 points in the final 0:38
Ursuline 73, Wooster 61

Conference standings:
Allegheny 1-0
Hiram 1-0
Kenyon 1-0
Denison 0-0
Ohio Wesleyan 0-0
Oberlin 0-1
Wittenberg 0-1
Wooster 0-1

Non-con takes a beating and slips to 25-22.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2010, 09:30:59 PM
Having failed on Tuesday, Allegheny tries to get a game in with another Upstate team tomorrow, facing Fredonia St. at 6pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/).  Drive safely!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 10, 2010, 12:12:30 AM
Allegheny tops Fredonia comfortably, 86-65, behind Jill Gregory's 17 points, the last two of which pushed her to and above the 1,000 point mark for her career.  Congratulations, Jill!

NCAC composite: 26-22.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 10, 2010, 12:15:26 AM
The Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame has announced that it will induct, posthumously, longtime Wittenberg head coach Pam Evans Smith at their dinner in May.  Although the Hall is just six years old, it's a little difficult to imagine how it took this long to get around to this obvious honor, but better late than never.  Congratulations to Coach Smith and to all of her players and assistants in her storied career!  Story at wittenberg.edu. (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2010releases/12_06.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 10, 2010, 11:14:45 AM
Two more non-cons tonight:

Oberlin at Ursuline, 7pm -- Video (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Wittenberg at Trine, 7:30pm -- Audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)

---------------------------

I have good news, and I have bad news:
The good news:  Wittenberg 69, Trine 38
The bad news: Usruline 83, Oberlin 68

Now 27-23.  Still above .500!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2010, 12:28:49 AM
Two conference games on tap for Saturday, both of them openers of M/W doubleheaders:

Hiram at Denison, 1pm -- audio and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html) -- bring an item of non-perishable food for the Licking County Food Pantry and gain free admission to the doubleheader!
Wooster at OWU, 1pm -- audio/video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2010, 10:53:42 PM
Ohio Wesleyan 78, Wooster 68 -- "The Franchise" struts its stuff, hearkening back to last season.  Kayla Gordon records a double-double (11 & 12), Tyler Cordell pours in 24 to go along with 8 assists and 4 steals, and Pam goes all Quigney on the Scots with 32 points on 14/23 shooting, including 12/16 from inside the arc.  Wooster's own three-pronged attack nearly kept pace, getting 22 apiece from Kristen Schwartz and Jessica Wingen to go along with 16 from Karley Walker, but the Presbyterians could only muster 18 other points (vs. just 21 from OWU).  Both team shot lights-out, with OWU at 48% and Wooster at 51%, but OWU got off 10 additional shots thanks to 22 Wooster turnovers.  

Denison 102, Hiram 54 -- Denison got significant minutes from everyone but the popcorn vendor in this one, and still added two touchdowns to their lead after the half.  The first team torched the nets at a 59% clip in establishing a 34-point halftime lead, only to be outdone by their back-benchers, who hit a sizzling 62.5% in the second half.  Both halves were well on the right side of 50% from the arc as well, finishing at 61% .  Five DU players ended up in double figures, with Shaina Kaiser leading the way with 20.  DU punished the Pups on the glass as well, recording a +15 margin, as well as with their quickness, forcing 23 turnovers that led to 22 points.  Denison, as usual, had an admirable performance in the A/TO category, recording 27 assists (on 43 hoops)--with 8 players getting at least one assist--to just 11 turnovers.  Tiffany Shields led Hiram with 21, but DU shut down Jess Cowan (8 pts.) and no other Terrier could break the 4-point mark.  

Conference standings:
Allegheny 1-0
Denison 1-0
Kenyon 1-0
Ohio Wesleyan 1-0
Hiram 1-1
Oberlin 0-1
Wittenberg 0-1
Wooster 0-2
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 13, 2010, 09:42:37 PM
Denison rates a mention on the front page of D3hoops.com (http://www.d3hoops.com/landing/index), as an article about the Big Red's fast start makes the "What We're Reading" list.   Now let's see if we can rate a mention on this page (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2010-11/week2) of the site.  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2010, 02:10:15 PM
There were two NCAC/PrAC matchups on the schedule for tonight, but one has already been postponed:

Denison at Grove City, 7pm -- live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
Waynesburg at Hiram, postponed (http://thehiramcollege.net/news/?p=7671)

Speaking of postponements, no word has yet reached this office of a rescheduling of the Buffalo St./Allegheny game, postponed a week ago.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 15, 2010, 12:21:14 AM
Denison knocks off Grove City, 63-53, to go to 10-0 on the season.  Shaina Kaiser scored 21, moving her into 5th place on DU's all-time scoring list.  Serafina Nuzzo was just two assists from a triple-double, with 10 points, 11 boards, and eight assists. 

Non-con record: 28-23.  I'm eating this up with a spoon!  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2010, 12:59:59 AM
Thursday, take two on Waynesburg v. Hiram:

Waynesburg at Hiram, 7pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2010, 10:21:47 PM
The 6-1 Yellow Jackets come into chilly Hiram and escape with a 73-68 victory.  Hiram held a 5-point lead with about 3 minutes left, but their guests ended the game on a 12-2 run to grab the road W.  Tiffany Shields led the Terriers with 20, while Emily Smerchansky drained five three-pointers en route to a career-high 17 points. 

NCAC non-con: 28-24.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 16, 2010, 10:26:37 PM
Two NCAC teams hit the road for holiday tournaments beginning Friday:

Wittenberg vs. Kalamazoo, 6pm (at Hope College, Holland MI) -- audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) and live stats (http://www.hope.edu/athletics/)
Allegheny at Defiance, ~8pm -- video and live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 17, 2010, 10:35:34 PM
Chalk up two for the Good Guys!

Wittenberg 65, K'zoo 53 -- The Tigers got double-doubles from veterans Sarah Watson (16 & 12) and Katherine Hueter (15 & 10) to swat the Hornets.  Neither team shot well (Witt 35%, Kzoo 34%) and both bricked a lot of free throws (they combined to make 18 of 34 attempts); the Tigers prevailed by scoring slightly better at the line (+8) and by somehow getting seven more attempts than their opponents (I say "somehow" because the turnover and rebounding stats, both offensive and defensive, were essentially even.)

Allegheny 103, Defiance 100 (OT) -- Now that's a score!  Gheny wins this one with a stellar come-from-behind effort.  The Gators trailed by 14 at the half and by 12 with 15:00 left before leveling an 18-4 barrage over 3:05 to take their first lead of the ballgame.  Neither team could break free after that, with the lead passing back and forth until a missed free throw by DC's Erica King at 0:04 forced the OT.  Defiance scored on a fastbreak off the OT tip, but Allegheny scored on each of their first three OT possessions, and never trailed again.  Heidi Goeller, who fouled out midway through the extra period, led five Gators in double figures with 26.

That brings us to 30-24 as a conference!  Woo-hoo!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 17, 2010, 11:08:40 PM
Saturday's action, all non-conference:

Kenyon at Waynesburg, 2pm -- audio and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Wooster at Bluffton, 2pm -- live stats (http://bluffton.edu/sports/womensbasketball/2011/schedule.html)
Allegheny vs. Indiana Wesleyan, ~3pm (at Defiance) -- live stats (http://www.defianceathletics.com/wbasketball/hcprtourney10/)
Wittenberg at Hope, ~3pm -- audio (H) and live stats (http://www.hope.edu/athletics/); audio (W) (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 18, 2010, 03:49:25 PM
Bluffton 73, Wooster 56...Lights-out shooting by the Scots was undone by excessive turnovers
Kenyon 64, Waynesburg 52...Morgan Korinek 22 & 12

Both 'Gheny and Witt are being pounded by nationally-ranked opponents at the half.  (Hope is #2 in D3; Ind. Wes. was #4 in NAIA-2 until this week, when they inexplicably dropped out of the voting altogether.)

Hope 69, Wittenberg 48...not much you can do when the #2 team in the nation hits 50% and forces 25 turnovers.  Sarah Watson (13) was the only Tiger in double figures.
Indiana Wesleyan 89, Allegheny 58...Worse still, the Wildcats hit 56% of their shots and had a +9 turnover margin.  Allegheny got 17 from Ann Ryan.

Non-con record: 31-27.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 19, 2010, 12:31:30 PM
Two more non-cons about to tip:

Hiram at Thiel, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.thielathletics.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball)
Case Western Reserve at Wooster, 2pm -- live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 19, 2010, 03:29:34 PM
Hiram 66, Thiel 42...Close at the half, Hiram took the ball and went home in the second.  Tiffany Shields had 15 & 10 for the Pups.
CWRU 81, Wooster 49...This one was never close, just another brick in the construction of Wooster's long season.  Kristen Schwartz went for 16 & 7 for the Scots.  CWRU snaps a three-game losing streak against NCAC foes.

Non-con: 32-28.  :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 19, 2010, 03:31:21 PM
Hiram laces 'em up for the third time in five days tomorrow:

Bluffton at Hiram, 6pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 20, 2010, 11:50:08 PM
Hiram 74, Bluffton 55 -- Another big game from Tiffany Shields, who had 25.  Chelsea Kovach knocked down five treys en route to 21 points.

NCAC record: 33-28.  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 21, 2010, 01:25:57 AM
All of the NCAC women's teams are now done for the holidays.  The next scheduled games are on the 28th, when Denison and Kenyon head for snowbird destinations (Daytona Beach and Las Vegas, respectively) to participate in holiday tournaments (Kenyon is participating in the D3hoops.com Classic!)  Allegheny is done for an even longer spell; their next game is scheduled for Jan. 5 at OWU.

So I probably won't be posting much in here for the next week.  Happy holidays to all (both?) of you out there in Silent Majority Land! (https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb371%2Fdacollinge%2Fsanta-smiley-ho-ho-ho.gif&hash=503e5b0476880a762eb2a7da308360022d858399)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Wydown Blvd. on December 21, 2010, 02:11:22 AM
Merry Christmas D. Collinge!!!  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 21, 2010, 11:06:35 PM
Thanks, Wydown.  BTW, did I ever tell you that I used to live very close to your nom de keyboard, on Delmar in U. City?  It always twinges a little part of my memory when I see a post with your autograph.

I interrupt the solitude of the Christmas holidays to take note of the fact that Denison has endured another Top 25 poll without a single vote.  :( That is all, you can go back to your eggnog now.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on December 21, 2010, 11:31:55 PM
Merry Christmas, David.

(I hope Wydown and I are not the entire "both" of your readership! :D)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 27, 2010, 10:30:39 PM
Kenyon is participating in the D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas this week, but it appears that the weather-related travel problems have forced the Ladies to delay their participation.  Their opening game, scheduled against #1 Amherst for Tuesday, has been canceled (not sure which team, or both, had the problem).  Kenyon will now take on Bates on Weds. and St. Norbert on Thursday.

No word yet whether Denison has made it safely to Daytona Beach for their snowbird tourney.  Or rather, I have not heard that they have not made it.  The Big Red are scheduled to take on Susquehanna tomorrow morning:

Denison vs. Susquehanna, 11:45am (at Daytona Beach) -- video and live stats (http://daytona.embryriddlesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11500&ATCLID=205031850), as far as I can tell (their schedule calls for video of DU/SU men's basketball, but there is no such game, DU men are playing Buena Vista)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 28, 2010, 03:17:14 PM
After a back-and-forth first half that ended in a tie, unbeaten Denison put a hammerlock on Susquehanna and ran away to a 67-53 victory.  The Big Red held the Crusaders to just 18 second-half points on 4/22 (18%) shooting.  Serafina Nuzzo, usually the assist queen, picked up the scoring mantle today and led all scorers with 21, making 9 of 17 shots.  DU got points out of 10 players, and rebounds from 11. 

Next up for the Big Red at the Land of Magic Classic is York (Pa.):

Wednesday's games:
Denison vs. York (PA), noon (at Daytona Beach) -- video($) and live stats (http://daytona.embryriddlesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11500&ATCLID=205031850)
Hanover at Wittenberg, 2:15pm -- audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
Kenyon vs. Bates, 5pm (at Las Vegas) -- video($) and live stats (http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2010/12/heading-to-las-vegas)
Bluffton at Ohio Wesleyan, 8pm -- video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)

NCAC non-conference record stands at 34-28.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 29, 2010, 04:48:23 PM
Denison 58, York (Pa.) 31 -- Denison returns from Florida with their perfect record intact, having fine-tuned their defense with two dominating performances.  Today, the Big Red held York to a total of 11 field goals in 40 minutes (23%), forced 22 turnovers, including 11 steals, and outrebounded the Spartans by 15.  Shaina Kaiser and Serafina Nuzzo led the victors with 12 & 10 points, respectively.

Hanover 64, Wittenberg 60 -- The Tigers led the unbeaten Panthers at the half, 33-26.  By the time Wittenberg got their 34th point, however, nearly half of the remaining time had elapsed, and Hanover was up by 8 and not looking back.  The visitors stretched their lead to 16 at 3:59, before Witt closed the game on a 15-3 run to make the final score respectable.  Witt hit 58% in the first half, but could only connect seven times (23%) after the break.  Katherine Hueuter led a balanced attack with 12 points.

Bates 76, Kenyon 60 -- The Ladies kept pace in the first half, trailing by just 4, but couldn't maintain after the break.  Bates hit 10 of 19 three-pointers, while Kenyon could only hit 29% of theirs and 37% of their overall shots.  Maureen Hirt hit all five of Kenyon's treys, finishing with a game-high 22 points.

OWU 83, Bluffton 62 -- The Franchise had the Bison outscored by themselves until the closing minutes.  Pam Quigney ended up with 28, ably assisted by 17 from Kayla Gordon and 15 from Tyler Cordell.  OWU's reward?  A date with #2 Hope tomorrow.  (Bluffton's punishment?  The consolation game against #4 WashU.)

Non-con record moves to 36-30.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 29, 2010, 10:12:29 PM
Busy slate for Thursday:

Kenyon vs. St. Norbert, 3pm (at Las Vegas) -- video($) (http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2010/12/heading-to-las-vegas) and live stats (try here (http://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/women/2010-11/schedule?date=20101230))
Hope at OWU, 3pm -- video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2)
Mt. St. Joseph at Wittenberg, 4:30pm -- audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
Defiance at Wooster, 6pm -- live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)
Hiram at Washington & Jefferson, 7pm -- no coverage
Oberlin at Heidelberg, 7pm -- no coverage
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2010, 09:12:05 PM
Brief recaps today, sorry.

St. Norbert 50, Kenyon 45 -- KC held 8-1 Norbs to 27% shooting, but allowed 37 free throws, which the Green Knights made just enough of (22) to win.

Hope 85, OWU 58 -- The Franchise were all in double figures again (Gordon 18, Quigney 16, Cordell 12), but Hope is just our of our league.  Hope handled Wittenberg with similar ease, and likely will get our champion in round 1 or 2 of the NCAAs.

Wittenberg 71, Mt. St. Joseph 54 -- Witt connects on 54% of their shots while holding MSJ to 36%.

Defiance 53, Wooster 38 -- Scots' struggles continue.  When your A/TO is .24 (8 assists, 33 turnovers), chances are you will struggle.

Hiram 50, Washington & Jefferson 38 -- WashJeff is certainly struggling, too, just 4-6 on the year and 1-3 against the NCAC.  Hiram wins despite shooting just 25% because a) WJ was worse (24%), b) Hiram took care of the ball (just 6 turnovers), and c) they played good D (16 WJ turnovers, including 8 Hiram steals).

Heidelberg 69, Oberlin 58 -- Heidelberg's first win on the season is a come-from-behind job, as Oberlin led by 2 at the break.  A2 continues to impress with 17 points, 8 assists, and 7 boards, but Oberlin as a team got outshot (42% to 36%) and outrebounded (42-37, including 17 second-chance points for the 'Berg.)

Non-con record slips to 38-34.  :-\
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 30, 2010, 09:15:35 PM
Two New Year's Eve games:

Hiram at Carnegie Mellon, 1pm -- video and live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Adrian at Oberlin, 5pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 31, 2010, 02:33:48 PM
Hiram 63, Carnegie Mellon 55 -- I got to see parts of this game, and those parts featured Hiram with much better ball movement on offense and much more aggressive (and effective) zone play on defense than the Tartans.  This is a squad that has improved a lot under Andrea Preston.  Chelsea Kovach and Jess Cowan led a typically balanced scoring attack with 13 apiece.

Adrian 65, Oberlin 60 -- Down 13 with about 8 minutes left, The Yeowomen reeled off twelve straight points to close within one, but could not get over the hump as the Bulldogs hit seven of 10 free throws down the stretch to hold on.  A2, now being openly touted for NCAC POY by Oberlin SID Mike Mancini (http://www.goyeo.com/news/2010/12/31/WBB_1231102927.aspx?tab=), led all scorers with 22 and all assisters with 7.

Happy New Year!  We're off until the 3rd, resting for a few days on our 39-35 laurels. :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 02, 2011, 06:01:14 PM
Back in action tomorrow!

Oberlin at Kalamazoo, 6pm -- audio and live stats (http://kzoo.edu/sports/wb/wb10-11/wbschd10-11.html)
Wooster at Earlham, 6pm -- no coverage

Tuesday, Hiram will be playing at CWRU, and there's two more non-conference games scheduled for Jan. 25.  Plus there's the indefinitely postponed Allegheny/Buffalo St. game.  One victory in any of these games will clinch at least a .500 finish, and a winning record if the Gheny game is not rescheduled (which I strongly suspect will be the case).

So, especially tomorrow, Go Yeo and Go Scots!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 03, 2011, 10:39:25 PM
Go Yeo and Go Scots!!!!
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi717.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fww173%2Fprestonjjrtr%2FSmileys%2F1sm180congrat.gif&hash=4eb72b41b2cd74ee6053c1f3db3cf57e9a4c41cf)

Oberlin 60, Kalamazoo 45 -- Kelly Warlich poured in 23, including a torrid 5 of 6 from the arc, and Oberlin held the Hornets to just 15 first-half points.  A2 had a quiet shooting night, just 6 points on 2 of 8 shooting, but contributed 9 of Oberlin's 18 assists (on 24 baskets.)

Wooster 78, Earlham 68 -- Taylor Keegan had a perfect shooting night, including 5/5 from the arc, scoring 19 points as Wooster kept the Quakers winless on the season.  The Scots had four scorers in double figures, hitting slightly more than half of their shots (26/51) and slightly less than half of their treys (10/21).

With the doubleheader sweep, the NCAC moves to 41-35 against all comers, and is assured of a winning season as a conference.
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi717.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fww173%2Fprestonjjrtr%2FSmileys%2F1sm180congrat.gif&hash=4eb72b41b2cd74ee6053c1f3db3cf57e9a4c41cf)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 03, 2011, 11:16:12 PM
Tomorrow's game:

Hiram at Case Western Reserve, 7pm -- live stats (http://www.case.edu/athletics/varsity/sports_women/wbasketball/schedule.htm) -- CWRU is 5-5 overall, but just 1-3 against teams from their former conference
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 04, 2011, 12:37:16 PM
Denison's hot start has captured the attention of at least some of the D3hoops.com Top 25 voters.  The Big Red make their poll debut (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2010-11/week5) (for this season) this week with 21 votes, making them the effective #28 (tie).  Denison's highest-ever (and only) ranking in the 12-year history of this poll was #23, achieved in the final poll after the 2006-07 season, which was also the most recent appearance in the Top 25 by an NCAC member (not including DePauw).  The highest ranking achieved by our conference was by Ohio Wesleyan, who ended the 2000-01 season with a #6 ranking and a trip to the Final Four.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 04, 2011, 08:35:17 PM
CWRU 60, Hiram 44 -- Hiram shot a paltry 19% for the game and committed 19 turnovers.

41-36.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 05, 2011, 03:09:55 AM
Wednesday brings a return to conference play:

Allegheny at OWU, 6pm -- video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA1) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Oberlin at Wittenberg, 6pm -- audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Kenyon at Denison, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)

Hiram and Wooster are idle.

As a reminder, here's the current conference standings, unchanged since Dec. 11:
Conference standings:
Allegheny 1-0
Denison 1-0
Kenyon 1-0
Ohio Wesleyan 1-0
Hiram 1-1
Oberlin 0-1
Wittenberg 0-1
Wooster 0-2
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 06, 2011, 01:07:13 AM
Denison 72, Kenyon 69 -- In what may be the best rivalry in the NCAC, Kenyon had their backyard neighbors on the ropes, leading by 13 with less than 8 minutes to go.  After a DU timeout, the game changed completely, as the homestanding Big Red went on a 22-4 run to seize a 5 point lead with just 22 seconds remaining.  A three-pointer by Maureen Hirt at 0:15 gave the Ladies hope, but Serafina Nuzzo nailed two critical free throws with 0:13 left to restore the two-possession lead and ice the victory.  Shaina Kaiser led all scorers with 27, while she and Nuzzo combined for 11 of DU's 18 assists (on 28 hoops).  Hirt was Kenyon's top scorer at 22, while Kayla Ernst (20 & 11) and Morgan Korinek (15 & 10) each recorded double-doubles.

OWU 92, Allegheny 86 -- The Bishops led for most of this game, but a late run by the Gators gave them a one-point lead with 3:00 left.  OWU responded with a 10-0 run to cinch the crucial home victory.  Kayla Gordon had an unstoppable 29-point game, hitting 11 of her 15 shots, while Tyler Cordell added 26 on a barely less-impressive 12 of 18.  Overall, the Bishops shot 49% to 'Gheny's 46%.  The Gators were led by 21 from Jill Gregory and a double-double (16 & 10) from Daryl Ford.

Wittenberg 67, Oberlin 56 -- In the third exciting game of the night, Wittenberg overcame a three-point deficit with 5:23 left with a 9-0 run that blossomed into an 18-4 game-ending run.  Sarah Watson (20 & 8) and Katherine Hueter (19 & 11) provided a tough one-two punch for the Tigers, while Oberlin's Allison Anderson was held relatively in check with 12 points, six boards, and six assists.

Updated Conference standings:

Denison 2-0
Ohio Wesleyan 2-0
Allegheny 1-1
Kenyon 1-1
Hiram 1-1
Wittenberg 1-1
Oberlin 0-2
Wooster 0-2
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 07, 2011, 10:34:31 PM
Saturday's slate:

Kenyon at Allegheny, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 1 of W/M doubleheader
Oberlin at Wooster, 2pm -- live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule)
Hiram at Wittenberg, 3pm -- audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) -- Game 1 of W/M doubleheader
Denison at OWU, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- first place on the line
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 07, 2011, 11:19:09 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on December 30, 2010, 09:12:05 PM
Hope 85, OWU 58 -- The Franchise were all in double figures again (Gordon 18, Quigney 16, Cordell 12), but Hope is just our of our league.  Hope handled Wittenberg with similar ease, and likely will get our champion in round 1 or 2 of the NCAAs.

Defiance 53, Wooster 38 -- Scots' struggles continue.  When your A/TO is .24 (8 assists, 33 turnovers), chances are you will struggle.


DC- I drop in here from time to time to read and catch up on the women...and those two points jumped out at me.  Hard to have much tournament success when you run into the absolute cream of the crop right off the bat.  Have NCAC women's teams ever been sent East/South and managed to avoid something like the Hope draw?

And 8 assists against 33 turnovers...ouch.   :-[
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 08, 2011, 08:31:56 AM
In the past several years, our champion has been fed a steady diet of top 5 teams in the first round--primarily Hope and DePauw, with Illinois Wesleyan getting the honor last season.  But Denison did beat Hope in 2007 when the Dutch were #5 and the defending national champ.  In the second round, they gave DePauw a good game at home, and DPU went on to the title. 

To get a more favorable draw this season, we'll probably need DU to run the table and win the conference tournament. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 08, 2011, 07:50:40 PM
No time for big recaps tonight, sorry.

Kenyon 68, Allegheny 56 -- Gators led by 4 at the break but were outshot 53% to 31% in the second period.

Oberlin 71, Wooster 41 -- A 17-4 run to open the second half ended this game.  OC outshot COW 50% to 25% for the game; in fact, Oberlin's second half output (42 points) beat Wooster's entire game.

Wittenberg 71, Hiram 64 -- Wire to wire for the Tigers, but still a close game for most of the contest.  Balance:  Witt has five between 9 and 15 points, Hiram has five between 8 and 11.  Three Tigers missed double-doubles by one rebound apiece (Hueter 15, Watson 14, Replogle 13).

Denison 76, OWU 64 -- OWU leads 34-32 at the half.  DU has a jaw-dropping 10 turnovers.  UPDATE: DU on an 18-6 run to start the half, leads 50-40, 11:xx left.  Since halftime, DU has one TO, OWU has 8.  UPDATE:  OWU couldn't get any closer than 7 after that, and Denison, with the key road win, moves into sole possession of the conference lead.  Nicole Coggins led all scorers with 17, while Serafina Nuzzo had 11 of Denison's 22 assists (on 31 buckets.)  The Franchise were all in double figures (Gordon 15, Cordell 15, Quigney 12) for OWU.  In fact, each team had four players in double figures; the difference in the game is that the rest of the players contributed 24 points for the Big Red vs. just 12 for the Bishops.  DU also cleaned up on the glass, 41-27, including 9 from Shaina Kaiser (to complement her 12 points and four assists.)

Updated standings:
Denison 3-0
Kenyon 2-1
Ohio Wesleyan 2-1
Wittenberg 2-1
Allegheny 1-2
Hiram 1-2
Oberlin 1-2
Wooster 0-3
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 11, 2011, 12:18:29 AM
The new top 25 poll (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2010-11/week6) is out, and Denison moves up to #21!  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 11, 2011, 08:00:54 PM
Back in action Wednesday!

Allegheny at Hiram, 6pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wooster at Kenyon, 6pm -- audio/video and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Wittenberg/Kenyon men's game follows immediately
Denison at Oberlin, 7:30pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&tab=basketball2)
Ohio Wesleyan at Wittenberg, 7:30pm -- audio and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 12:34:42 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 11, 2011, 12:18:29 AM
The new top 25 poll (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2010-11/week6) is out, and Denison moves up to #21!  ;D

Good for them!

I see that the Saturday match-up is a M/W doubleheader with Wooster.  I think the schools might both go .500 on the day...
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on January 12, 2011, 01:01:06 AM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 12:34:42 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 11, 2011, 12:18:29 AM
The new top 25 poll (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2010-11/week6) is out, and Denison moves up to #21!  ;D

Good for them!

I see that the Saturday match-up is a M/W doubleheader with Wooster.  I think the schools might both go .500 on the day...


Highly likely. ;)

That brings to mind a possible discussion topic: while men's and women's teams certainly do not necessarily track in tandem, can anyone recall a greater contrast that Wooster's undefeated, #1 ranked men's team and their 2-11 women's team?

Since athletic departments tend to rise or fall somewhat together, I've wracked my brain and cannot think of a more extreme difference at any level or in any sport (though I suspect there must be some I'm forgetting or unaware of).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on January 12, 2011, 01:22:25 AM
Well I quickly found two similar (though probably not quite as extreme) examples from my own IWU.  In the mid-80s, women's bball was not yet a conference sport, and the men were a conference, but not a national, power.  In 1983-84, the men were 17-11, but won the CCIW with a 14-2 record; the women were 0-20 (ouch! :P).  In 1985-86, the men were 19-10, again winning the CCIW at 14-2; the women were 2-18.

Of course, the last 3-4 years the Titan women could look down their noses at the Titan men! :D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on January 12, 2011, 08:20:56 AM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 12:34:42 AM

That brings to mind a possible discussion topic: while men's and women's teams certainly do not necessarily track in tandem, can anyone recall a greater contrast that Wooster's undefeated, #1 ranked men's team and their 2-11 women's team?

Since athletic departments tend to rise or fall somewhat together, I've wracked my brain and cannot think of a more extreme difference at any level or in any sport (though I suspect there must be some I'm forgetting or unaware of).

Great topic, kb.  I have one that's close.  How about the 1996-97 Sara Lee-led DU women at 1-23 and the DU men that year at 19-7?

As far as the departments moving in tandem, though, the men haven't quite moved with the women.  If my comparisons are correct, the W/L records have been the inverse every year since then but one, 2004-05, when both men and women last had winning seasons together. 

The women are off to another outstanding year.  I see a .500 Saturday as well!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on January 12, 2011, 07:11:03 PM
QuoteGreat topic, kb.

Sorry about that, Mr. Y!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 12, 2011, 08:17:31 PM
Allegheny 78, Hiram 64 -- Visiting Gators outshot (43%-33%) and outrebounded (54-37) their hosts, and put five players in double figures, led by Daryl Ford's 16 point, 11 rebound evening.

Kenyon 85, Wooster 40 -- Wooster made all of three baskets in the second half, ending the game with more than twice as many turnovers (25) as hoops (12.)  Kenyon hit 48% from the field, outrebounded their guests 47-25, and had more steals (13) than turnovers (12.)

Denison 65, Oberlin 35 -- Battle of the POTY candidates: Kaiser 16 pts. 9 reb. 4 ast.; Anderson DNP.

OWU 65, Wittenberg 53 -- OWU led by 14 with 3:10 left when Witt scored 8 straight to put a scare into their guests.  Undaunted, OWU calmly scored the game's next, and last, six points, to keep pace with Kenyon in second place.

Updated standings:
Denison 4-0
Kenyon 3-1
Ohio Wesleyan 3-1
Wittenberg 2-2
Allegheny 2-2
Hiram 1-3
Oberlin 1-3
Wooster 0-4
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:08:14 PM
Addendum to previous claims that Wooster/Denison will split 50/50 on Saturday:

I'll give the Big Red better than 50/50 odds of ending up with a larger overall point total.  It seems that the difference between DU's women and Wooster's women might be an order of magnitude larger than the difference between DU's men and Wooster's men...
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 12, 2011, 10:17:26 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:08:14 PM
Addendum to previous claims that Wooster/Denison will split 50/50 on Saturday:

I'll give the Big Red better than 50/50 odds of ending up with a larger overall point total.  It seems that the difference between DU's women and Wooster's women might be an order of magnitude larger than the difference between DU's men and Wooster's men...
Denison has a very long roster.  Shaina Kaiser, Serafina Nuzzo, and co. may be selling popcorn in the lobby during the second half on Saturday.  DU can probably name their own score, but I wouldn't be surprised if that score is in the +30 range and not 107-32.

It still might be enough to outdo the Wooster men.  (Typed with fresh memories of the 2OT game of Feb. 2009 (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/20100725bf7gjc).)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:35:06 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 12, 2011, 10:17:26 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:08:14 PM
Addendum to previous claims that Wooster/Denison will split 50/50 on Saturday:

I'll give the Big Red better than 50/50 odds of ending up with a larger overall point total.  It seems that the difference between DU's women and Wooster's women might be an order of magnitude larger than the difference between DU's men and Wooster's men...
Denison has a very long roster.  Shaina Kaiser, Serafina Nuzzo, and co. may be selling popcorn in the lobby during the second half on Saturday.  DU can probably name their own score, but I wouldn't be surprised if that score is in the +30 range and not 107-32.

It still might be enough to outdo the Wooster men.  (Typed with fresh memories of the 2OT game of Feb. 2009 (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/20100725bf7gjc).)

Yeah, selling popcorn in the lobby is more or less what the Scots men were able to do tonight with the Yeomen.  And that did serve to keep the margin more in the 30ish range when they clearly could've pushed it out farther.

Still, I too don't see the Wooster men as 30+ point favorites on Denison's home court.  So overall point advantage favors Denison.  Maybe they should work out an arrangement to have the DU women lend some over.   ;)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on January 12, 2011, 11:34:42 PM
Another contender for the gender-disparity discussion.  Millikin's women (2005 national champions, and on the fringes of the Top 25 this year) are 10-4; the men are arguably the worst CCIW team in the last half century, now 1-12 and basically getting blown out by everyone - including being held to 29 points by Adrian.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on January 13, 2011, 08:46:10 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:08:14 PM
Maybe they should work out an arrangement to have the DU women lend some over.   ;)

Instead of points, give us one of your bench guys over 6'6" for the whole game. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 14, 2011, 03:54:59 PM
Here's this week's upcoming games.  I probably won't be in here much between now and Wednesday, so I'll go ahead and post both game days.

Saturday 1/15:
Wooster at Denison, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
OWU at Hiram, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wittenberg at Kenyon, 2pm -- audio/video and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Allegheny at Oberlin, ~3pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- Game 2 of a doubleheader; men vs. Kenyon at 1pm

Wednesday 1/19:
Denison at Wittenberg, 6pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) -- Game 1 of a doubleheader, men vs. Wabash follows
Oberlin at OWU, 6pm -- Audio/video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wooster at Allegheny, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Kenyon at Hiram, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 15, 2011, 07:50:34 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:35:06 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 12, 2011, 10:17:26 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 12, 2011, 10:08:14 PM
Addendum to previous claims that Wooster/Denison will split 50/50 on Saturday:

I'll give the Big Red better than 50/50 odds of ending up with a larger overall point total.  It seems that the difference between DU's women and Wooster's women might be an order of magnitude larger than the difference between DU's men and Wooster's men...
Denison has a very long roster.  Shaina Kaiser, Serafina Nuzzo, and co. may be selling popcorn in the lobby during the second half on Saturday.  DU can probably name their own score, but I wouldn't be surprised if that score is in the +30 range and not 107-32.

It still might be enough to outdo the Wooster men.  (Typed with fresh memories of the 2OT game of Feb. 2009 (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/20100725bf7gjc).)

Yeah, selling popcorn in the lobby is more or less what the Scots men were able to do tonight with the Yeomen.  And that did serve to keep the margin more in the 30ish range when they clearly could've pushed it out farther.

Still, I too don't see the Wooster men as 30+ point favorites on Denison's home court.  So overall point advantage favors Denison.  Maybe they should work out an arrangement to have the DU women lend some over.   ;)

Women's final
Wooster 61
Denison 73

Men's final
Wooster 72
Denison 64

Well, both games end up closer than anticipated, with the Wooster women and the Denison men putting a bit of a scare into their unbeaten and favored opponents.  Impressive performances by the underdogs, especially the Woo women, whose 14 turnovers were a season low and whose 44% shooting beat out their male counterparts, who didn't even manage to hit at a 40% clip on the day.

Denison does end the day winning the combined score, but barely.  Denison 137, Wooster 133.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 16, 2011, 01:37:59 PM
Quick score/standing update:

Denison 73, Wooster 61 -- happy to eat my words on this one; great effort by the Scots!
Wittenberg 74, Kenyon 65 -- huge road win for the Tigers
Allegheny 71, Oberlin 45 -- A2 misses her second straight game
OWU 79, Hiram 68 -- Bishops move into solo 2nd place

Updated standings:
Denison 5-0
Ohio Wesleyan 4-1
Allegheny 3-2
Kenyon 3-2
Wittenberg 3-2
Hiram 1-4
Oberlin 1-4
Wooster 0-5

Wednesday 1/19:
Denison at Wittenberg, 6pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) -- Game 1 of a doubleheader, men vs. Wabash follows
Oberlin at OWU, 6pm -- Audio/video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wooster at Allegheny, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Kenyon at Hiram, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on January 16, 2011, 04:55:48 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 16, 2011, 01:37:59 PM
Denison 73, Wooster 61 -- happy to eat my words on this one; great effort by the Scots!

Shaina Kaiser photo featured on D3hoops:

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2011/01/wrapup-jan15-women

BTW - point guard Serafina Nuzzo DNP - perhaps accounting for the score being more respectable for the Scots.  On the other hand, the Wooster men had a full complement, but weren't quite all there.  An excellent showing by both DU teams in my book!  Keep it up ladies!!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: overlooked on January 17, 2011, 09:38:12 AM
Does anyone know the rules of practicing against a mens scout team?    I heard it could be only three men and once a week.   Is this accurate?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on January 17, 2011, 12:22:36 PM
Male practice players must be eligible and have a season of competition available in the sport in question.

This is from the NCAA web site:

QuoteAt the 2008 NCAA Convention, Division III approved legislation stating the use of male practice players in a women's team sport is permitted only in the traditional segment in the women's sport for one practice per week and that the number of male practice players involved during any particular practice may not exceed half the number of student-athletes of a typical starting unit in that sport (rounded up). For example, there could be up to three male practice players practicing with the women's basketball team since a starting unit would be made up of five student-athletes.

By the way, some conferences prohibit the use of male practice players altogether. The PAC is one of them, according to a conference handbook I saw in researching this answer. I do not know if the NCAC has any restrictions.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 19, 2011, 07:32:28 PM
Denison 60, Wittenberg 49 -- DU opens a large first half lead, then withstands a Wittenberg run, picking up yet another key road win over a title challenger.  

OWU 66, Oberlin 62 (OT) -- FLASH -- OWU, at home, is struggling with Oberlin.  Oberlin had a good look at a potentially winning basket, but couldn't convert, and we're going to overtime in Delaware!  OWU survived the overtime, helped out when A2 fouled out.  Kayla Gordon also fouled out, with 2:05 left in regulation, on what became a 4-point play by Syrea Thomas (19 points) to tie the game.   Tyler Cordell had 23 points to lead all scorers.

Hiram 68, Kenyon 59 -- FLASH -- Kenyon is struggling at Hiram.  With 9:01 left, Hiram is leading by a crisp 11 points, 44-33.  Kenyon is hitting just 20% from the field so far.  Kenyon ended up at 29%, but never got closer than 6 after that.  Hiram, on the other hand, shot 45%, actually scoring more field goals (24 to 21) despite taking 20 fewer shots (53-73).  Tiffany Shields led all scorers with 24.

Allegheny 80, Wooster 46 -- 'Gheny crushes the Scots on the glass, 53-38, and has five scorers in double figures.

Updated standings:
Denison 6-0
Ohio Wesleyan 5-1
Allegheny 4-2
Kenyon 3-3
Wittenberg 3-3
Hiram 2-4
Oberlin 1-5
Wooster 0-6
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 21, 2011, 01:54:17 PM
Allegheny's game at Buffalo St., originally scheduled for Dec. 7, appears to have been canceled, as it no longer appears on either team's schedule (not even on Dec. 7).  

Saturday's games, with video from everywhere except Wooster ::):

OWU at Kenyon, 1pm -- audio/video and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Allegheny at Denison, 1pm -- video and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html) -- game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wittenberg at Wooster, 2pm -- audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) (Witt) and live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule) -- essentially, game 1 of a tripleheader (jayvee men at 5:30, varsity men at 7:30)
Hiram at Oberlin, ~3pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- follows immediately after OC/Wabash men's game (tips at 1pm)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 22, 2011, 03:00:48 PM
Denison 79, Allegheny 59 -- Both teams were tight to begin the game, but the Gators were tighter as Denison struggled to an early 10-1 lead.  'Gheny got back into the game and only trailed at six at the half, and briefly took the lead in the second half.  But Denison then woke up and sprinted to the finish line to extend their streak to 18 straight.  Shaina Kaiser, the key catalyst in the late-game runaway at both ends of the floor, finished with 21.

Kenyon 75, OWU 52 -- Atoning for their shocking loss at Hiram, Kenyon throws a monkey wrench into the battle for second place, shutting down the Bishops with their trademark defense.  Kenyon forced 22 turnovers (13 steals), outrebounded the Bishops 37-29, and held their guests to 36% shooting (20/55).  On the other end, Kenyon was a sizzling 49% (29/59), with Kayla Ernst and Maureen Hirt tossing in 25 and 18, respectively.  And Morgan Korinek had a healthy stat line: 9 points, 10 boards, 4 steals, 3 assists, and 1 block.  

Wittenberg 61, Wooster 46 -- Neither team lead by more than 3 points in the first 31 minutes of this one.  Trailing by one with 9:17 remaining, Wittenberg embarked on a game-clinching 10-0 run, expanding it to 20-3 while holding the Scots to a lone field goal over the next eight-plus minutes.  Katherine Hueter had a double-double, with 14 points and 16 boards, as did Jessica Wingen (15 & 10) for the Scots.

Hiram 61, Oberlin 58 -- A statistically even game decided by Hiram's long-range shooting; each team made the same number of field goals, but Hiram connected nine times from the arc, vs. just five times for the Yeowomen.  Oberlin had 20 from Kelly Warlich and 17 from A2 while Hiram had a balanced scoring effort led by Tiffany Shields' 12.  Warlich and Shields each had ten rebounds as well.

Updated standings:
Denison 7-0
Ohio Wesleyan 5-2
Allegheny 4-3
Kenyon 4-3
Wittenberg 4-3
Hiram 3-4
Oberlin 1-6
Wooster 0-7
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 24, 2011, 09:18:50 PM
Denison moves up to #15 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 poll... ;D ..where they are now one spot ahead of DePauw.  :o

Talk about throwing down the gauntlet!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 25, 2011, 03:06:57 PM
The conference takes a break tomorrow, giving teams a chance to sneak in a last non-conference game.  Two teams are doing just that tonight.

Wittenberg at Cedarville, 7pm -- video and live stats (http://yellowjackets.cedarville.edu/); audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) (W)
Hiram at Ursuline, 7pm -- audio (http://www.ursuline.edu/Athletics/ucsportsnetwork/)

As far as I can tell, these are the final two non-conference games of the season in the NCAC.  Our composite record stands at 41-36.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 26, 2011, 02:15:19 AM
Cedarville 72, Wittenberg 61 -- This, despite Katharine Hueter's huge 22-point, 11-board, 4-steal, 3-assist evening.  Cedarville is ranked 15th in NAIA-II.

Hiram 70, Ursuline 68 -- Tiffany Shields scored the last two of her game-high 20 points on free throws with nine seconds remaining, and the Terrier defense prevented Ursuling from getting a potential game-tying or -winning shot off on the ensuing possession.

The NCAC ends the season with a stellar 42-37 record in non-conference action.  Way to go, girls!  ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 26, 2011, 09:32:16 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 24, 2011, 09:18:50 PM
Denison moves up to #15 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 poll... ;D ..where they are now one spot ahead of DePauw.  :o

Talk about throwing down the gauntlet!

It'll be fun when this becomes the insta-rivalry next year, yes?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 26, 2011, 10:05:53 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 26, 2011, 09:32:16 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 24, 2011, 09:18:50 PM
Denison moves up to #15 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 poll... ;D ..where they are now one spot ahead of DePauw.  :o

Talk about throwing down the gauntlet!

It'll be fun when this becomes the insta-rivalry next year, yes?
I hope so.  DePauw is a national power and has been for some time.  Denison is a newcomer to the upper echelon of D3 hoops, and will be losing two key seniors in Shaina Kaiser and Haley Dahlgard.  Ever since the announcement that DPU is joining our conference, I've been hoping that the effect will be of the proverbial rising tide lifting all boats.  Not only Denison but OWU, Wittenberg, Kenyon, and/or Allegheny could take that extra step and be competitive with DePauw and, by extension, the elite teams in D3.  Let's hope that happens.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 28, 2011, 06:59:55 PM
Three doubleheaders tomorrow in the northeast corner of the conference--a great day to get out there and catch some hoops!

OWU at Allegheny, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wittenberg at Oberlin, 1pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Denison at Hiram, 2pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Kenyon at Wooster, 2pm -- live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 29, 2011, 07:13:20 PM
Just scores today, folks.  Sorry.  :-[

Allegheny 92, OWU 82 -- Both teams move into a three-way tie for 2nd place (with Kenyon)
Denison 65, Hiram 49 -- Denison moves out to a 3-game lead
Oberlin 67, Wittenberg 64 -- Oberlin's first win over the Tigers in (exactly) 11 years
Kenyon 66, Wooster 54 -- At least Wooster has been competitive lately

Updated standings at the season's midpoint:
Denison 8-0
Allegheny 5-3
Kenyon 5-3
Ohio Wesleyan 5-3
Wittenberg 4-4
Hiram 3-5
Oberlin 2-6
Wooster 0-8
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on January 30, 2011, 01:08:51 AM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 26, 2011, 10:05:53 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on January 26, 2011, 09:32:16 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on January 24, 2011, 09:18:50 PM
Denison moves up to #15 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 poll... ;D ..where they are now one spot ahead of DePauw.  :o

Talk about throwing down the gauntlet!

It'll be fun when this becomes the insta-rivalry next year, yes?
I hope so.  DePauw is a national power and has been for some time.  Denison is a newcomer to the upper echelon of D3 hoops, and will be losing two key seniors in Shaina Kaiser and Haley Dahlgard.  Ever since the announcement that DPU is joining our conference, I've been hoping that the effect will be of the proverbial rising tide lifting all boats.  Not only Denison but OWU, Wittenberg, Kenyon, and/or Allegheny could take that extra step and be competitive with DePauw and, by extension, the elite teams in D3.  Let's hope that happens.

It would be nice to see, indeed...especially since this is a conference where a major part of the chartering/formation of the conference was rooted in elevating women's sports to equal status with men's sports.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on January 31, 2011, 09:08:49 PM
Denison inches up to #14, gaining 36 poll points as then-#12 Rochester drops past them to #18.  DU barely held off #15 DePauw, which closed to within 3 points of the Big Red.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 01, 2011, 12:22:44 PM
Nice piece on Denison (http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/02/01/bkc-ohio-insider-2-1-art-gsabfreu-1.html) in the Columbus Dispatch today.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 01, 2011, 12:37:15 PM
With Denison, Hiram, and Wittenberg closed today due to their not being located in sunny California snow, tomorrow's schedule is entirely at risk of postponement:

OWU at Denison, 6pm -- video and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html) -- Game 1 of a doubleheader, men vs. Wabash to follow
Wooster at Hiram, 6pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Kenyon at Wittenberg, 6pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Oberlin at Allegheny, ~8pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 2 of a M/W doubleheader

UPDATE: Wabash at Denison has been postponed.  If the OWU at Denison game is still on, I expect it will be moved to a 7:30pm tip.  I'll update as events warrant.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 02, 2011, 01:03:56 PM
All of tonight's games have now been postponed, and almost every campus is closed today (somehow, it seems that Allegheny is still open).  Everything is pushed back to Thursday, and be prepared to see at least some games postponed again to Monday.

OWU at Denison, 5:30pm -- video and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html) -- Game 1 of a doubleheader, men vs. Wabash to follow
Wooster at Hiram, 6pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Kenyon at Wittenberg, 6pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader -- Postponed to 5pm Friday 2/4
Oberlin at Allegheny, ~8pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 2 of a M/W doubleheader

Note the new tip time for OWU/Denison.  I haven't verified that all of the coverages listed will still be in effect.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 02, 2011, 03:28:52 PM
First Regional Rankings: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/category/ncaa-stuff/regional-rankings/
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 02, 2011, 03:31:18 PM
So Denison, who by the way is now #9 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, starts out as #2 in the Great Lakes regional ranking, trailing only national #1 Thomas More.  This augurs well for a possible Granville regional, should the Big Red continue their unbeaten ways.  It also should give DU fans hope that a Pool C bid might be available, should the Big Red stumble in the conference tournament. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2011, 12:47:18 PM
Tonight's re-scheduled Kenyon at Wittenberg game has once again been rescheduled, this time for Friday at 5pm.  Everything else, at least as of now, is still on.  See the schedule and coverages above.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2011, 02:07:26 PM
Congratulations to all-conference performers Shaina Kaiser (Denison) and Kayla Gordon (OWU), each named today to the Academic All-District Third Team for District IV by CoSIDA.  Each carries a high GPA in a double major, standout performers both on the court and in the classroom.  Way to go, Shaina and Kayla! :)

Release (pdf) (http://www.case.edu/athletics/varsity/sports_women/wbasketball/stats/2010-11/Images/2010_11_AAA_WBB_All_District%5B1%5D%205.pdf)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 03, 2011, 11:16:41 PM
Denison 75, OWU 45 -- Can you say "statement game?"  The league-leaders led from the outset and never led by less than 20 after making the first basket of the second half.  DU shot 45% on the night while holding their guests to 31% overall and a miserable 5 for 23 in the second half.  DU was also +10 on the boards (and +5 on second-chance points) and +9 on turnovers (and +10 on points off turnovers).  Shaina Kaiser had 20 points and six assists.  OWU's Tyler Cordell led all scorers with 24.

Allegheny 80, Oberlin 37 -- With just over 10 minutes elapsed in the first half, the Gators enjoyed a 23-0 lead, as the Yeowomen missed their first 14 field goal attempts.  That was enough, but 'Gheny proceeded to outscore their guests by 20 more points over the last three quarters.  Oberlin finished the game hitting just 20% of their shots, turning the ball over on as many possessions as they made a basket (and the turnover total, 14, was modest, given the score.)  Allegheny, by contrast, shot a blistering 63% in the first half, and although they cooled off dramatically in the second (28%), they'd already banked more than enough points in 20 minutes (50) to secure the win.  First-year Erica Restich had 18 points and ten boards to lead the victors.  Allison Anderson was held to 4 points on a miserable 1-for-22 night, although she did kick in seven assists on Oberlin's 14 baskets.

Hiram 64, Wooster 60 -- Hiram completes the season sweep, moving two games ahead of Oberlin and potentially tying Wittenberg for 5th place (should the Tigers lose to Kenyon tomorrow).  The Terriers won this game by taking better care of the ball than their guests, committing just six turnovers to the Scots' 16 and realizing a +9 margin in points off turnovers.  Wooster actually outshot the Pups, 38% to 30%, and also narrowly won the rebounding battle, 39-37.  Wooster, who was led by Taylor Keegan's 18 points on five treys, is getting closer to that first NCAC victory under coach Ashley Reid.  Hiram had better balance, putting four scorers in double figures, with honors going to Chelsea Kovach, who had 13 points and nine boards.

Updated standings, pending tomorrow's Wittenberg/Kenyon game:
Denison 9-0
Allegheny 6-3
Kenyon 5-3
Ohio Wesleyan 5-4
Wittenberg 4-4
Hiram 4-5
Oberlin 2-7
Wooster 0-9
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 04, 2011, 06:58:22 PM
Wittenberg 61, Kenyon 51 -- Witt led by 11 at the end of an ugly first half, but Kenyon used its trademark defense to pull back into a tie.  From there forward, Witt used its own defense plus some excellent work on the offensive glass to pull away for the victory.  The Tigers got another huge game from Katherine Hueter, who notched 16 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.  Morgan Korinek also had a double-double, with 10 pts. and 13 boards, but she was just 4/13 from the floor, part of an overall 27% shooting effort by the Ladies.

Updated standings:
Denison 9-0
Allegheny 6-3
Kenyon 5-4
Ohio Wesleyan 5-4
Wittenberg 5-4
Hiram 4-5
Oberlin 2-7
Wooster 0-9
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 04, 2011, 07:06:30 PM
Saturday's games:

Denison at Wooster, noon -- live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule) -- Game 1 of a doubleheader, men vs. Wabash to follow
Hiram at OWU, 1pm -- live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Allegheny at Wittenberg, 4pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Kenyon at Oberlin, 4pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 05, 2011, 11:27:43 PM
Denison 61, Wooster 46 -- This game was played more or less evenly for 27 minutes, but it's a 40-minute game.  In a 13 minute stretch of the first half (from 14:58 to 1:55), Denison outscored the Scots 22-3, leading to a 32-15 halftime lead and a second half played on cruise control.  DU shot a pedestrian 36% on the afternoon, but controlled the boards (+10), grabbing nearly half of the rebounds available at their own end.  Shaina Kaiser again led the way for the Big Red with 18 points and seven boards.  Kristin Schwartz notched 14 for the Scots, playing just 16 minutes.

OWU 78, Hiram 50 -- This one got away in the first half, when Tyler Cordell made twice as many baskets (6) as the entire Hiram team.  Hiram ended the half with a 10% shooting effort and a 22-point deficit, and, like Denison before them, OWU was able to play the final 20 minutes as a glorified practice.  Cordell finished with 25, one of four Bishops in double figures, which also included a double-double (12 & 10) from Kayla Gordon.

Allegheny 79, Wittenberg 75 -- Allegheny used a 15-0 run early in the game to take control, and never trailed again, withstanding another big Witt comeback down the stretch.  Trailing by 12 with about 10 minutes left, the Tigers chipped away at the lead little by little, eventually drawing even with 1:38 left on a triple by Katharine Hueter.  After an exchange of baskets, the Gators went 4-for-4 from the line while Witt was misfiring on two treys.  Both teams appear to have been both hot and sloppy; Allegheny connected on 53% of their shots, but committed 20 turnovers, while Witt hit on 49% and had 19 TOs.  Numerically, the game was decided beyond the arc, where AC was 7 of 16 while WU was just 2 of 9.  Each team had four scorers in double figures, with overall honors going to 'Gheny's Heidi Goeller with 22.

Kenyon 70, Oberlin 60 -- Kenyon led wire to wire in this one, extending the lead to 27 at the 9:40 mark of the second period.  Oberlin outscored their road-weary guests 23-6 the rest of the way, but it was too little, too late--the final score was as close as the Yeo would get.  KC's Andrea Pohly had a blistering 17 points in 16 minutes, pouring in five of six from long distance.  OC's Allison Anderson recovered from her miserable Thursday with a 16-point, six-assist outing.

Updated standings:
Denison 10-0
Allegheny 7-3
Kenyon 6-4
Ohio Wesleyan 6-4
Wittenberg 5-5
Hiram 4-6
Oberlin 2-8
Wooster 0-10
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2011, 02:50:22 AM
Four doubleheaders today!  Get thee to a gymnasium!  All links are valid for both games, except for the Wooster audio link (men only).

Hiram at Allegheny: women 6pm, men ~8pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/)
Denison at Kenyon: men 6pm, women ~8pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
Wooster at Oberlin: men 6pm, women ~8pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/); audio (http://wkvx.com/) (W; men only)
Wittenberg at Ohio Wesleyan: women 6pm, men ~8pm -- video and live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2); audio (http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/wit.portal#) (W)

Oops!  Got the tip times mixed up at Gambier.  Just to clarify, the men play first at Kenyon and Oberlin, while the women play first at Allegheny and OWU.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2011, 05:41:30 PM
Denison dips to #4 in the latest GL regional rankings, slipping behind Hope and Calvin.  Although I can't pinpoint what happened this week to cause such a shakeup, I will admit that this looks a little more reasonable.  Home NCAA games at Livingston Gym look a lot less likely now.  DU is just going to have to keep proving it on the court.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 09, 2011, 07:58:19 PM
Allegheny 67, Hiram 55...Hiram gave the Gators a battle, holding a lead as late as 14:17 in the second, but 'Gheny steadily pulled away after that.  Neither team shot well, with the hosts holding a 32%-24% edge, and the Gators prospered at the free throw line, sinking 27 of 30 attempts.  Erica Restich led all scorers with 19, while Heidi Goeller contributed a double-double (14 & 11).  Hiram got their usual balanced effort, with ten Terriers scoring between 1 and 11 points.

OWU 75, Wittenberg 69...OWU roared out of the gate, taking early leads of 7-0 and 12-3 and pushing the lead to as many as 18 before settling for a 12-point halftime lead.  Witt fought their way back into the match, tying the game at 4:54 on a layup by Lauren Cassel, but the Tigers could never wrest the lead from their hosts.  OWU got 54 points from the Usual Suspects (Cordell 21, Quigney 20, Gordon 14) and overcame a -13 on the boards to secure the win.  Jaclyn Willoughby led the Tigers with 17 points and nine boards.

Denison 74, Kenyon 67...This was a nip and tuck game throughout the second half, but Denison executed better down the stretch to stay unbeaten.  Shaina Kaiser had 21 as DU shot 56% on the night.  Kenyon had four in double figured (Ernst 17) but shot only ("only") 41%.  Denison clinches at least a share of the NCAC Championship--congratulations!

Wooster 66, Oberlin 57 (OT)...Congratulations to the Scots, getting the first NCAC win of the Ashley Reid era.  Wooster shot 39% and were torrid from the free throw stripe, hitting 20 of 21.  Oberlin, which didn't make quite so many trips to the line (10/12), took more than half of their field goal attempts from long distance, making about a third of them from either distance (32% 3pFG%, 35% overall.)  Wooster's Jessica Wingen and Oberlin's Syrea Thomas were co-high scorers with 19.

Updated standings:
Denison 11-0
Allegheny 8-3
Ohio Wesleyan 7-4
Kenyon 6-5
Wittenberg 5-6
Hiram 4-7
Oberlin 2-9
Wooster 1-10
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 11, 2011, 08:29:33 PM
Saturday's action:

Denison at Allegheny, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/) -- Game 1 of W/M doubleheader
Kenyon at OWU, 1pm -- live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Game 1 of W/M doubleheader
Oberlin at Hiram, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html)
Wooster at Wittenberg, 2pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) -- Game 1 of tripleheader; men's JV at 5:30 and varsity at 7:30
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 12, 2011, 07:21:49 PM
Denison 78, Allegheny 55 -- Congratulations to the 2010-11 NCAC Champions, the Denison Big Red!  Once again DU comes up big in a big road game, clinching the outright title while relegating the Gators into a second-place tie.  Denison jumped out to a 13-point halftime lead, then clamped down on 'Gheny, holding the Gators to just 27% shooting in the second period.  Serafina Nuzzo led five of the Big Red in double figures today, with 16 points to go along with six assists and just one turnover.  Heidi Goeller led the hosts with an even dozen.

Oberlin 64, Hiram 49 -- Oberlin rebounded from their loss to Wooster, holding Hiram to just 20% shooting in opening up an 11-point halftime lead.  Hiram could get no closer than seven after the break, which was immediately followed by a game-clinching 16-6 run by the Yeo.  Syrea Thomas had 18 to lead the victors, with Kelly Warlich adding 16 points and a dozen rebounds.  Jess Cowan's 12 points and 12 rebounds led the typically balanced Terrier attack.

OWU 78, Kenyon 67 -- The Bishops blew up the usually stalwart Kenyon defense, scoring 55 second-half points on 62% shooting to move into a second-place tie with Allegheny.  Kenyon actually led by 16 at the break, holding OWU to 29% shooting while connecting on 50% of their own attempts.  OWU forced 22 KC turnovers, converting them into 26 points, a 15-point advantage on their guests.  The Bishops also dominated the paint, outscoring the Ladies 40-20 under the hoop.  Kayla Gordon and Tyler Cordell led the way with 26 and 23 points, respectively.  Maureen Hirt, who hit half of her 8 three-point attempts, took high honors for Kenyon with 17.

Wittenberg 79, Wooster 50 -- Katharine Hueter, Witt's lone senior, celebrated Senior Day by dominating the Scots, recording 19 points, 10 rebounds, and eight steals as the Tigers moved into a fourth-place tie with Kenyon.  Wittenberg forced 27 Wooster turnovers, fifteen of them steals, and outshot the Scots 43%-36% overall and 44% to 20% outside the arc.  Jaclyn Willoughby also contributed 19 points, while Taylor Keegan was the high scorer for Wooster with 14.

Updated standings:
Denison 12-0
Allegheny 8-4
Ohio Wesleyan 8-4
Kenyon 6-6
Wittenberg 6-6
Hiram 4-8
Oberlin 3-9
Wooster 1-11
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 15, 2011, 09:37:06 AM
Denison moves up to #11 in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, staying one place ahead of DePauw.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2011, 09:59:56 AM
Tonight's Pink Zone games, promoting breast cancer awareness:

Allegheny at Wooster, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://livestats.prestosports.com/wooster/)
Hiram at Kenyon, 7:30pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml)
OWU at Oberlin, 7:30pm -- video and live stats (http://www.goyeo.com/)
Wittenberg at Denison, ~8pm -- video and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html); audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) (Witt) -- Game 2 of a doubleheader, men vs. OWU at 6pm
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 16, 2011, 03:36:51 PM
Week 3 Regional Rankings are out: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2011/02/16/ncaa-2011-regional-rankings-week-3/
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2011, 05:09:38 PM
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 16, 2011, 03:36:51 PM
Week 3 Regional Rankings are out: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2011/02/16/ncaa-2011-regional-rankings-week-3/
Denison remains #4 in the region.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: sumfun on February 16, 2011, 06:05:11 PM
Shouldn't be a problem.  They ought to get the automatic bid from winning conference tourney?   The interesting thing will be where the NCAA places them and will they have to play Hope or Thomas More early in the tourney.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2011, 06:10:04 PM
The #1 seed rarely wins the conference tournament, at least lately.  Who knows why.  I think Denison is in fairly good shape for a Pool C bid if they need it, although nothing is guaranteed.  I'm more interested in whether they will get to host a regional if they finish the season 28-0.  Being #4 in the region, and prospectively #3 (assuming that at least one MIAA squad will slip behind them by losing in their tournament), makes it touch and go.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2011, 09:16:07 PM
It may be a moot point, however, as Wittenberg has had Denison's number all night tonight...

Elsewhere,
Kenyon 70, Hiram 58...Kayla Ernst with 17
Allegheny 65, Wooster 46...Erica Restich with 24
OWU 64, Oberlin 49...OWU trailed by 1 at the half.  Pam Quigney with 19 & 10.

Denison takes their first lead of the evening on a three-point play by Christina Myers, off a beautiful pass from Shaina Kaiser, with 0:39.8 left.  DU's defense then forces a held ball (arrow to Witt) and then a turnover with 0:19 left.  Serafina Nuzzo hits two FTs with 0:17.9 left and DU extends the lead to 3.  Witt fails to score on their next possession, and two more Nuzzo FTs seal the game in Denison's favor, 62-60.  Myers and Nuzzo lead with 13 points apiece, the same total as Witt's co-leaders Sarah Watson and Jaclyn Willoughby.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: sumfun on February 16, 2011, 09:39:52 PM
Good teams win, even when they are having a bad night.  Good come back win for Denison.  Wittenberg gave their all.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 16, 2011, 09:53:20 PM
Updated standings:
Denison 13-0
Allegheny 9-4
Ohio Wesleyan 9-4
Kenyon 7-6
Wittenberg 6-7
Hiram 4-9
Oberlin 3-10
Wooster 1-12

Seedings for the conference tournament:
#1: Denison
#2-#3: Gheny and OWU split.  Gheny plays at Kenyon Sat., while OWU travels to Wooster.  If Allegheny loses, OWU is the #2 seed.  If they both win, it looks like it'll come down to a coin toss, as the teams split with each other, lost twice each to Denison, and each split with Kenyon and swept everybody else.
#4-#5: Wittenberg holds the tiebreaker (swept the Ladies), and would be the #4 if they beat Hiram while Kenyon loses to Allegheny.  Otherwise Kenyon is the #4.  These teams will meet in the quarterfinals.
#6-#7: If Oberlin and Hiram are tied, it means that Oberlin beat Denison on Saturday, at Denison, while Hiram was losing to Wittenberg at home.  If so, that victory over DU would make Oberlin the #6 (by virtue of being 2-8 vs. the top 5 while Hiram is 1-9.)  Otherwise Hiram is the #6.
#8: Wooster
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 19, 2011, 11:29:30 AM
Final day of the regular season, and every game has an impact on the final standings:

Allegheny at Kenyon, 1pm -- video, audio, and live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Wittenberg at Hiram, 1pm -- live stats (http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/womenssports/basketball/schedule.html); audio (http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/) (W) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Oberlin at Denison, 2pm -- audio and live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html)
OWU at Wooster, 5:30pm -- live stats (http://www.woosterathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/schedule) -- Game 1 of a W/M doubleheader
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 19, 2011, 02:35:55 PM
Wittenberg 72, Hiram 61 -- Lauren Cassel leads Witt with 17 points and a dozen rebounds.  The Witt 'D' held Hiram to just 33% shooting and controlled the boards by a 46-33 margin.

Kenyon 73, Allegheny 44 -- Kenyon's defense dictated the game, recording 16 steals and holding the Gators to 33% shooting.  Morgan Korinek led the way with 15 points and 13 boards.  With the victory, Kenyon secures a fourth-place finish for themselves and the tournament #2 seed for OWU.

Denison 86, Oberlin 62 -- Denison puts the finishing touches on a 25-0/16-0 masterpiece, easily handling Oberlin today.  Any lingering doubts there may be about the NCAC Player of the Year were also put to rest, as Shaina Kaiser dominated with 28 points (9/11 shooting), 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Oberlin fails to catch Hiram for the #6 seed, and will face #2 OWU on Tuesday.

The tournament seedings are now decided, before tonight's OWU/Wooster game (during which I will be at work; recap will be late tonight).
Tuesday quarterfinals:
#8 Wooster at #1 Denison (Denison swept the season series)
#7 Oberlin at #2 OWU (OWU swept the season series)
#6 Hiram at #3 Allegheny (Allegheny swept the season series)
#5 Wittenberg at #4 Kenyon (Wittenberg swept the season series)
OWU will be the only conference school to host a quarterfinals doubleheader.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 19, 2011, 06:23:48 PM
A great regular season for the Big Red.  Hopefully they can cap it off with an NCAC tournament to match and an automatic qualifier.  Shaina Kaiser is definitely a top candidate for Player of the Year.

Keep it going Big Red!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 20, 2011, 01:45:25 AM
The final game of the regular season went to OWU by a 66-59 count over Wooster.

Here's the final standings:
1. Denison 14-0
2. Ohio Wesleyan 10-4
3. Allegheny 9-5
4. Kenyon 8-6
5. Wittenberg 7-7
6. Hiram 4-10
7. Oberlin 3-11
8. Wooster 1-13
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 20, 2011, 02:32:40 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on November 04, 2010, 09:45:06 PM
The pre-season coaches' poll has been tabulated and released. (http://www2.northcoast.org/wbasketball/index)  Defending tournament champion Denison sits atop the ranking, barely outpolling Ohio Wesleyan, with defending champion Wittenberg and Kenyon following closely behind.   

1. Denison (4) 58
2. OWU (2) 56
3. Wittenberg (1) 46
4. Kenyon (1) 45
5. Allegheny 32
6. Oberlin 20
7. Wooster 17
8. Hiram 14
(reminder that Earlham is now in the HCAC, and DePauw doesn't join us until next season.)

I haven't done any research yet for this season, and by the look of this poll, perhaps I should.  Because while OWU looks strong and Witt and Kenyon are always a threat, the Big Red looks like a juggernaut to me, and the top of this poll is much more tightly bunched than I expected.  I hope the coaches are right and that we have a well-played, hotly-contested conference race.  Good luck to all eight squads!
(emphasis added)

The coaches did a pretty good job with the pre-season poll.  They underestimated Allegheny and Hiram a bit, and overestimated Wittenberg and perhaps OWU (at least vis-a-vis Denison), but generally it was a pretty accurate look.  I didn't do a preseason prediction this year, but at the risk of sounding too self-congratulatory, I did see the Denison steamroller coming a little more clearly than the coaches did.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 21, 2011, 05:15:22 PM
Tuesday Quarterfinals:

#8 Wooster at #1 Denison, 7:30pm -- video, live stats (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_schedule10.html) -- Big Red swept the season series, 73-61 at Wooster (1/15) and 61-46 at Granville (2/5)
#5 Wittenberg at #4 Kenyon, 7:30pm -- video, audio, live stats (http://athletics.kenyon.edu/x28386.xml) -- Tigers swept the season series, 74-65 at Gambier (1/15) and 61-51 at Springfield (2/4)
#6 Hiram at #3 Allegheny, 7:30pm -- live stats (http://www.alleghenysports.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball) -- Gators swept the season series, 78-64 at Hiram (1/12) and 67-55 at Meadville (2/9)
#7 Oberlin at #2 OWU, ~8pm (follows men's game vs. Hiram) -- video, live stats (http://bishops.owu.edu/winske.html#FA2) -- Bishops swept the season series, 66-62 (OT) at Delaware (1/19) and 64-49 at Oberlin (2/16)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 22, 2011, 09:37:58 PM
#1 Denison 75, #8 Wooster 40 ... Denison overcomes a sluggish first half and wipes out the Scots 47-18 after the break to advance to the semifinals.  Shaina Kaiser was just 3 of 12 shooting and still recorded a base-nine double-double (9 points, 9 rebounds).  DU controlled the glass and had a +10 advantage in turnovers.  Haley Dahlgard led all scorers with 16, while Serafina Nuzzo added 12 points and six assists.

#4 Kenyon 70, #5 Wittenberg 59 ... Kenyon avenged a season sweep at the paws of the Tigers thanks to a huge game from frosh sensation Maureen Hirt.  Hirt canned five treys en route to 29 points, and also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.  Katherine Hueter, Witt's lone senior, ends her career with a solid game, recording 12 points, eight boards, five assists, and three steals.

#3 Allegheny 86, #6 Hiram 72 ... The Gators dominated the glass, leading to a +7 shot advantage, and they made good on that advantage by shooting 45% on the evening, making wight more field goals than their guests.  Hiram stayed in the game from behind the arc, draining 11 three-balls, but Allegheny used a 14-3 run midway through the second half to break open the close game.  Jill Gregory, one of five 'Gheny seniors, had 19 points and a dozen rebounds.  Tiffany Shields poured in 28 in a losing effort for the Terriers.  

#2 OWU 67, #7 Oberlin 60 ... OWU survives another upset bid from the Yeowomen.  Trailing by 15 at the break, Oberlin cut the lead to 8, only to see the Bishops re-establish a 16-point edge with about 9:00 left.  Oberlin then scored the next 7 points, whittling the lead down to 4 with under 4:00 to go.  Twice the Yeo stole the ball and had a shot to get to within a single possession, but twice they misfired, and OWU was able to ice the game and advance to the semifinals.  Syrea Thomas ends her outstanding Oberlin career with 28 points, while Kayla Gordon extends her outstanding OWU career with 24.

So the quarterfinals go according to Hoyle, and the top four seeds will rendezvous in Granville on Friday!

#2 OWU vs. #3 Allegheny, 6pm -- season series split, OWU winning 92-86 at Delaware (1/5) and Allegheny winning 92-82 in Meadville (1/29)
#1 Denison vs. #4 Kenyon, 8pm -- Denison swept the season series, winning 72-69 in Granville (1/5) and 74-67 in Gambier (2/9)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 23, 2011, 04:30:17 PM
Final Regional Rankings before Selection Sunday: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/category/ncaa-stuff/regional-rankings/
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 23, 2011, 07:29:07 PM
Denison moves up to #3 in the regional ranking, passing Calvin.  

Here's Denison's NCAC Tournament website (http://www.denison.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/1011/wb_ncactourney11.html).  Tip times and links to video and live stats are included.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 24, 2011, 08:37:41 PM
I expect these to be two great semi-final games.  Allegheny and OWU split this year, each winning at home.  I think these two are pretty evenly matched and it will probably come down to shooting percentage in this one more than anything else.

Denison won both meetings with Kenyon, but by margins of only 3 and 7 points.  The crowd will undoubtedly be raucous, so home court advantage will hopefully allow the Big Red to prevail for a third time.  But as they say, it's awfully hard to beat a team three times in a season.  I'll be glued to both broadcasts. 

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 24, 2011, 08:52:30 PM
Without bothering to go back and look it up, my recollection (or impression) is that, no matter how dominant the league champ has been lately, they struggle in the tournament.  Considering that, and how tough Kenyon has played Denison this season (much tougher than anyone else in the league), and how well coached Kenyon is, especially on defense, I think this is a game with major upset potential.  I wish I could be there!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: seventiesraider on February 25, 2011, 01:04:31 PM
Wow, back to back Semi's and final. That's a tough assignment for any squad
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 25, 2011, 06:51:05 PM
At the half in the first game, it's Allegheny 45 OWU 31.  Three players in double figures for the Gators.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 25, 2011, 07:50:07 PM
Great game.  While it looked like Allegheny would control this one all the way, OWU battled back to within 1 point on hot 3 pt shooting.  The Gators hung on late, though, and pulled out a high scoring 90-84 win.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2011, 12:07:16 AM
Denison wins the second semifinal, 80-72.  DU took an eight point lead into the locker room at halftime, then opened the second period on a 16-5 run that established a double-digit lead.  Although the Ladies rallied down the stretch, they were unable to get closer than seven.  Shaina Kaiser had 20 points, seven boards, five assists, and four steals for the victors.  Morgan Korinek contributed 16 points and 13 boards in a losing effort.  Kenyon put four starters in double figures, but got just seven points in 49 minutes from their bench.  Denison, by contrast, had seven players contribute at least seven points apiece, with the bench contributing 32 points and 70 minutes.  DU shot at least 50% in each half, ending up at 51% for the game, while KC languished at 39%, despite grabbing 18 offensive rebounds.  Kenyon won the battle of the boards 43-29 and had five more field goal attempts, but clanked 15 of their 17 three-point attempts.

Denison advances to face Allegheny in tomorrow's championship game, scheduled to tip at 7pm. 
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 26, 2011, 10:42:28 AM
Both semi's were great games with comebacks being mounted in the second halves of both.  OWU got to within one point and it looked like Allegheny might fold.  They kept their cool, though, and pulled away.

Kenyon made a strong run too.  The gap was just too large to close - having to come back from 19 down - and Denison too consistent.  Looking forward to tonight's final!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2011, 08:41:19 PM
Denison dominates the second half, and cruises to the the NCAC Tournament Championship tonight, with a final score of 72-54 over Allegheny.  Leading by just three at the half, DU came out of the locker room on fire, quickly extending the lead to 10 (17:06) then 19 (11:02) and eventually 23 (6:34) before settling for the 18-point victory.  DU shot 46%, held the Gators to 33%, and controlled the glass 44-34.  Shaina Kaiser, surely the MVP of the tournament as well as POY of the conference, stayed hot with a 20 point, eight rebound effort, while Serafina Nuzzo added nine points, seven boards, and seven assists.  Heidi Goeller poured in a game-high 23 and grabbed nine caroms in a losing effort.

Congratulations to Denison, NCAC regular season and tournament champions, perfect at 28-0, and now awaiting what will surely be a home regional at Livingston Gym next weekend.  Way to go, Big Red!
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 26, 2011, 10:26:57 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 26, 2011, 08:41:19 PM
Congratulations to Denison, NCAC regular season and tournament champions, perfect at 28-0, and now awaiting what will surely be a home regional at Livingston Gym next weekend.  Way to go, Big Red!
(https://www.d3boards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetsmilies.net%2Fhappy-smiley-8769.gif&hash=aeb289e67220f3813c231bcf5c375101dc1b9252)

I was wondering about this, and hoping that the DU women will earn some hosting rights. It'd be great to have a couple NCAC teams make some noise in the Big Dance this year!

Congrats to the Denison Women on the tremendous season to date. 28-0 is immensely impressive against any schedule, and I know they'll represent the NCAC well in the tourney.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 26, 2011, 11:32:38 PM
All-tournament team:

Shaina Kaiser, Denison (MVP)
Haley Dahlgard, Denison
Serafina Nuzzo, Denison
Heidi Goeller, Allegheny
Kayla Gordon, OWU
Morgan Korinek, Kenyon
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 27, 2011, 04:47:09 PM
It looks like Calvin's victory over Hope last night helps Denison's chance of hosting.  Anything can happen, but I think the chances are very good.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 28, 2011, 03:22:17 PM
Well, ouch!  28-0 isn't worth what it used to be.  Denison has to go on the road (to Hope) and face the defending national champions (WUSTL) in the first round.  Same old, same old.  Go make a statement, Big Red!

This regional contains four of the top 11 teams in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.  Talk about your bracket of death!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: pbsjr9 on February 28, 2011, 05:36:32 PM
Amazing.....Can't believe Denison didn't get the host! What gives????
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Mr. Ypsi on February 28, 2011, 05:40:55 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 28, 2011, 03:22:17 PM
Well, ouch!  28-0 isn't worth what it used to be.  Denison has to go on the road (to Hope) and face the defending national champions (WUSTL) in the first round.  Same old, same old.  Go make a statement, Big Red!

This regional contains four of the top 11 teams in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.  Talk about your bracket of death!

The women's committee has never had a 'bracket of death' anywhere near the men's 2-3 years ago (TEN of the top 11 teams in the same quarter of the field :o), but that sure is a 'pod of death'! ;)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: ohiofan1954 on February 28, 2011, 07:44:27 PM
I real shame that Denison didn't get home games. Still Go Big Red.

david
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on February 28, 2011, 08:37:44 PM
Disappointing, but we shall overcome! ;D
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dutchfan on February 28, 2011, 10:42:28 PM
As a Hope fan I thnk that both Denison and Hope should be hosting. As much as I don't want Calvin in our pod (They beat us twice), the NCAA should have put Calvin in Hope's pod and had Denison host  Calvin's pod.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on February 28, 2011, 11:01:10 PM
I think Sara Lee has a huge coaching job on her hands this week.  First, she has to take the disappointment and anger that surely is bubbling inside the DU players and turn that into a controlled positive force.  Then she has to make sure that the Big Red understand that they can hang with these giants of small college hoops.  I'm sure that they've had DePauw in the backs of their minds all season, but having to face Wash U. and then potentially Hope on their home court might seem overwhelming, especially if you were anticipating a much easier draw on your own floor.  I've seen Wash U. on video (vs. Case), and based on that one game alone, I'm sure that Denison can play with them.  Coach Lee has four days to convince the DU players, deep down to their souls, that they can beat any and all of these great teams, starting with the Bears. 

Go Big Red!  You can do this!  Get the respect you've earned!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: kiltedbryan on February 28, 2011, 11:10:01 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 28, 2011, 03:22:17 PM
Well, ouch!  28-0 isn't worth what it used to be.  Denison has to go on the road (to Hope) and face the defending national champions (WUSTL) in the first round.  Same old, same old.  Go make a statement, Big Red!

This regional contains four of the top 11 teams in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.  Talk about your bracket of death!

All the best of luck to Denison. I think they may well have gotten the worst draw of the entire tournament, men or women.

But at least, as my brother pointed out, none of the other three teams can be happy with their draw either. From a tournament perspective, it's always frustrating when the opening two rounds will force matchups better situated for the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds.

Best of luck to Denison...knock them all off then angle to host for the second weekend!!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 01, 2011, 11:39:34 AM
Tom Wilson of the Newark Advocate writes about Denison and their tournament draw (http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20110301/SPORTS/103010316/1006/SPORTS/Denison-reward-perfect-year-women-s-basketball-Having-go-through-former-champs).

Quote from: Tom WilsonSenior Shaina Kaiser, who was selected as the NCAC Player of the Year and tournament most valuable player, leads a balanced attack with a 16.5 scoring average.
He clearly knows something we don't. :)

DU moves up to #10 in the final regular-season D3hoops.com poll.  Wash U. is #12, DePauw #8, Hope #4.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: sac on March 01, 2011, 11:49:22 AM
Does anyone know if Denison submitted paperwork to host?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 01, 2011, 11:51:20 AM
I don't know for sure, but there's no reason why they wouldn't have.  Coach Lee was clearly hoping that they'd be selected to host, and I'm sure she knows if the paperwork was submitted.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: bballfan13 on March 01, 2011, 03:18:41 PM
Quote from: Dutchfan on February 28, 2011, 10:42:28 PM
As a Hope fan I thnk that both Denison and Hope should be hosting. As much as I don't want Calvin in our pod (They beat us twice), the NCAA should have put Calvin in Hope's pod and had Denison host  Calvin's pod.
Dutchfan, I definitely agree with your thinking that Hope's pod is the toughest in the tournament.  I don't think anyone would disagree there. But I don't agree with just switching Denison and Calvin and having Denison host. Why would the committee have Hope host Calvin when Calvin beat them 2 out of 3 s, has a better in region winning percentage, and similar SOS.

What about the argument for Denison to host Hope's pod?

I'm just trying to understand your logic, not trying to provoke anything.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NW Hope Fan on March 01, 2011, 05:01:38 PM
Quote from: kiltedbryan on February 28, 2011, 11:10:01 PM
Quote from: David Collinge on February 28, 2011, 03:22:17 PM
Well, ouch!  28-0 isn't worth what it used to be.  Denison has to go on the road (to Hope) and face the defending national champions (WUSTL) in the first round.  Same old, same old.  Go make a statement, Big Red!

This regional contains four of the top 11 teams in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.  Talk about your bracket of death!

All the best of luck to Denison. I think they may well have gotten the worst draw of the entire tournament, men or women.

But at least, as my brother pointed out, none of the other three teams can be happy with their draw either. From a tournament perspective, it's always frustrating when the opening two rounds will force matchups better situated for the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds.

Best of luck to Denison...knock them all off then angle to host for the second weekend!!

Hope and Denison have an equally difficult draw as they both would have to potentially beat four top ten teams to make the final four. The "only" difference is the home court advantage Hope has... Which I'll agree, is fairly substantial.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dutchfan on March 01, 2011, 06:01:57 PM
Quote from: bballfan13 on March 01, 2011, 03:18:41 PM
Quote from: Dutchfan on February 28, 2011, 10:42:28 PM
As a Hope fan I thnk that both Denison and Hope should be hosting. As much as I don't want Calvin in our pod (They beat us twice), the NCAA should have put Calvin in Hope's pod and had Denison host  Calvin's pod.
Dutchfan, I definitely agree with your thinking that Hope's pod is the toughest in the tournament.  I don't think anyone would disagree there. But I don't agree with just switching Denison and Calvin and having Denison host. Why would the committee have Hope host Calvin when Calvin beat them 2 out of 3 s, has a better in region winning percentage, and similar SOS.

What about the argument for Denison to host Hope's pod?

I'm just trying to understand your logic, not trying to provoke anything.

Hope lost to Calvin twice (once on a Buzzer beater) by a grand total of 3 points. Both of those games were at Calvin who hosted the conference tournament because of a coin flip. Hope beat Calvin once at Hope by a total of 22. Calvin may have the better in-region wining percent (by a whopping 2.9%) but Hope has four more in-region wins. But the greatest reason that Hope could be the host...
We all know that the NCAA selection committee makes absolutely no sense.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: bballfan13 on March 01, 2011, 06:11:11 PM
Quote from: Dutchfan on March 01, 2011, 06:01:57 PM
Quote from: bballfan13 on March 01, 2011, 03:18:41 PM
Quote from: Dutchfan on February 28, 2011, 10:42:28 PM
As a Hope fan I thnk that both Denison and Hope should be hosting. As much as I don't want Calvin in our pod (They beat us twice), the NCAA should have put Calvin in Hope's pod and had Denison host  Calvin's pod.
Dutchfan, I definitely agree with your thinking that Hope's pod is the toughest in the tournament.  I don't think anyone would disagree there. But I don't agree with just switching Denison and Calvin and having Denison host. Why would the committee have Hope host Calvin when Calvin beat them 2 out of 3 s, has a better in region winning percentage, and similar SOS.

What about the argument for Denison to host Hope's pod?

I'm just trying to understand your logic, not trying to provoke anything.

Hope lost to Calvin twice (once on a Buzzer beater) by a grand total of 3 points. Both of those games were at Calvin who hosted the conference tournament because of a coin flip. Hope beat Calvin once at Hope by a total of 22. Calvin may have the better in-region wining percent (by a whopping 2.9%) but Hope has four more in-region wins. But the greatest reason that Hope could be the host...
We all know that the NCAA selection committee makes absolutely no sense.

Although I don't necessarily agree with you about the point differentials, as a win is a win and points scored is never taken into account, I will definitely agree that the selection committee does not make much sense and leaves many people confused.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: sumfun on March 01, 2011, 10:15:42 PM
I don't think this selection committee meets in person, but does conference call.  Can you see them saying, "This pod will get them talking." Plus we all know that the NCAA likes the DeVos Center and they draw great local crowds.  Not a real reason, but I'm sure played in their thinking.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 02, 2011, 01:06:29 PM
NCAC All-Conference Teams Announced:

Player of the Year: Shaina Kaiser, Denison
Newcomer of the Year: Erica Restich, Allegheny
Coach of the Year: Sara Lee, Denison

First Team:
Tyler Cordell, OWU
Kayla Ernst, Kenyon
Heidi Goeller, Allegheny
Katherine Hueter, Wittenberg
Shaina Kaiser, Denison
Serafina Nuzzo, Denison
Pam Quigney, OWU

Second Team:
Allison Anderson, Oberlin
Nicole Coggins, Denison
Kayla Gordon, OWU (four-time all-NCAC performer)
Jill Gregory, Allegheny
Morgan Korinek, Kenyon
Erica Restich, Allegheny
Sarah Watson, Wittenberg

Honorable Mention:
Jess Cowan, Hiram
Kelsey Durichko, Hiram
Maureen Hirt, Kenyon
Kat Powers, Kenyon
Syrea Thomas, Oberlin
Jessica Wingen, Wooster

Congratulations to all!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on March 04, 2011, 11:09:30 AM
Merged this post in here.
Title: Re: Denison Gets the Short End of the Stick - Again!
Post by: Hwbb on March 04, 2011, 11:28:23 AM
Quote from: GoDeacs on March 04, 2011, 11:05:57 AM
With the 2011 D3 basketball "championship" tournament pairings, we once again see the biased pairings that ensure certain teams wind up in the Final Four, and others are deliberately given an unfair shake.

It seems that Denison is one of the latter teams, and it's become a regular occurrance over the last several years. 

This year, Denison set a NCAC and school record by going 28-0.  They also won their league tournament.  And they were ranked in the top 10 for the first time in school history.

One might think that the Big Red would be given a pairing that was reflective of their success.  Not so.  Instead, they are "rewarded" for their remarkable achievements by being plopped into a "pod" where there are 3 previous National Champions.  And they get the privilege of playing the defending National Champions in their first game.   

This is one of only three teams in D3 to go undefeated this year, yet they are penalized. 

It seems to me that a top 10 team would logically be a regional 2 or 3 seed, and would therefore play a lower seed in the first round.  But this is not the case.  For whatever reason, Denison is punished (once again) and forced to play a higher seed.   Not to mention the fact that they are forced to travel to the site of their first-round games, instead of being a host.

This was confusing to me at first, since I'm more familiar with actual seeding in actual tournaments with actual rules and a semblance of fairness.  But after some research, I understand it now.

There is no 'seeding' in D3!  Instead, all the teams' names are printed on a small strip of paper, the names are thrown into a hat, and then drawn.  Then, the 'committee' then gets to play with them until they're satisfied that their favorites get the best matchups.   That's the way it seems to me.

I suppose the NCAA thinks Denison should be grateful just to get a bid.

No wonder one of the same old teams win the 'championship' (in name only...) year in and year out.  It's all a sham. 

The NCAA should be embarrassed.   But they will stand there with big grins on their faces as another one of their hand-picked group "wins" it all again.

And most importantly, how unfortunate for a group of true student-athletes that they have to be treated so unfairly.  Some life lesson, huh?

-GoDeacs




Three years ago, Hope was wrestling with the same issues Denison is now. That year (2008), its team was undefeated, ranked #1 or #2 in all the polls, yet was sent on the road for all its tourney games (and eventual Elite-8 loss to the other consensus #1-#2 team in their gym.) That team's senior class went 110-10 over its four years of play, including a national title, yet never played a home tournament game, despite its record and ranking. Yes, Hope got the inexplicable nod from the committee this year. But not too long ago, it was on the other end of the committee's work. Doubt that's much consolation to Denison today; it's intended only to be a small window into the mystery that is all-too-often the D3 tourney.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GuyFormerlyPSBBG on March 04, 2011, 11:32:48 AM
GoDeacs:

Glad see you are very passionate about Denison.  Yes there are no published rankings, but there is a thought process that does go into these rankings.  Unlike, d1 there is a "500 mile" rule that takes over in most cases.  The regional rankings do take a huge role in "ranking" teams for the NCAA tournament.  I assure you that Denison's  ranking for the NCAA tournament is probably higher than Washington U.  The last rankings for the women's regional ranking had Denison #3 and Wash U #6 in their ranking groups.  Wash U, probably barely got into the tournament with that ranking. (They might have moved up in the last unpublished rankings.)  Yes the pod is tough, but the regional rankings support it.

Denison should be a host, but they were either not selected (which sucks, for lack of a better word) or they didn't file the paper work to host.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong on this?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on March 04, 2011, 07:33:24 PM
Congratulations to Wash U on their 71-55 win and to the Big Red women for a fine season to be proud of.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: sac on March 05, 2011, 12:18:25 AM
Quote from: GuyFormerlyPSBBG on March 04, 2011, 11:32:48 AM
GoDeacs:

Glad see you are very passionate about Denison.  Yes there are no published rankings, but there is a thought process that does go into these rankings.  Unlike, d1 there is a "500 mile" rule that takes over in most cases.  The regional rankings do take a huge role in "ranking" teams for the NCAA tournament.  I assure you that Denison's  ranking for the NCAA tournament is probably higher than Washington U.  The last rankings for the women's regional ranking had Denison #3 and Wash U #6 in their ranking groups.  Wash U, probably barely got into the tournament with that ranking. (They might have moved up in the last unpublished rankings.)  Yes the pod is tough, but the regional rankings support it.

Denison should be a host, but they were either not selected (which sucks, for lack of a better word) or they didn't file the paper work to host.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong on this?

My thinking is this was a geographical decision to a host school that also had a very solid resume.  Throw in the NCAA's term of 'fiscal responsibility' and you probably are close to the bulls-eye on why Hope was selected over Denison.

I don't know the attendance for Wash/Denison but the Hope/DePauw game had 2022 and there's a pretty good chance that was the highest or close to the highest in the tournament for tonight.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 16, 2011, 11:08:01 PM
The NCAC is very well represented on the D3hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region team (http://www.d3hoops.com/awards/all-region/2010-11/greatlakes-women).  The North Coast contingent is led by Regional Coach of the Year Sara Lee of Denison, who is joined on the team by her senior standout and two-time NCAC Player of the Year Shaina Kaiser (1st team selection) and her outstanding sophomore point guard Serafina Nuzzo (2nd team) who finished the season ranked fifth nationally in A/TO ratio.  Rounding out the NCAC contingent is OWU senior Pam Quigney (3rd team), the second-leading scorer in the conference this season.  Congratulations to all of these outstanding award-winners!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 20, 2011, 01:00:10 PM
Further congratulations to Shaina Kaiser for being named to the D3hoops.com All-America team (http://www.d3hoops.com/awards/all-americans/women/2011) (4th team)!  A great honor to cap a great senior season in Granville.  Congratulations, Shaina!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 22, 2011, 01:10:31 AM
The final Top 25 poll is out. (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2010-11/final)  Denison ends up the season at #18, which is a great accolade for the team to add to their rich treasure chest of accomplishments this season.  Congratulations again, Big Red, and thanks for doing the NCAC proud!

And welcome to the NCAC to the #16-ranked DePauw Tigers!  Two NCAC teams in the final top 25 is a tradition I could get used to!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on April 19, 2011, 08:43:45 PM
Denison scores another victory, convincing Nan Carney-DeBord '80 to come back to Granville and take over as AD (http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2011/04/denison-coach-takes-ad-job).  Her assistant at OWU, Stacey Ungashick Reed, will take over the Bishops program for the 2011-12 season, after which OWU will fill the position permanently.  Congratulations to both coaches!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on September 15, 2011, 07:45:34 PM
Five Minutes With... (http://northcoastconference.blogspot.com/2011/09/five-minutes-with-nan-carney-debord.html) former OWU basketball coach and current Denison AD Nan Carney-DeBord. Worth the time.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on September 27, 2011, 05:56:21 PM
Former NCAC scoring champion and MVP of OWU's "Cinderella" Final Four team, Jessica Viertlboeck '01, will be inducted into OWU's Athletic Hall of Fame this Saturday. Congratulations, Jessica!  Story at Bishops.OWU.edu (http://bishops.owu.edu/2011-12/hof11.html).

Viertlboeck...hmm...wouldn't that be "quarterback" auf Deutsch?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on October 30, 2011, 07:53:16 PM
Here we go! The preseason top 25 (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2011-12/index) is out, and for the first time in....well, history, there are two NCAC teams among the top dozen! DePauw starts the season ranked #10, while defending champion Denison will lace 'em up as the #12 team in D3.  These teams combined to finish 53-5 last season, but as they say, past results are no guarantee of future performance. Good luck to all nine squads!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 03, 2011, 07:16:21 PM
The NCAC coaches have spoken, and what they said was this: "DePauw." In today's Coaches' Poll, the new Tigers on the block nabbed first-place votes from every coach but their own (Coach Huffman voted for Denison), establishing the Indianans as solid favorites in their first NCAC season. Defending champion Denison follows in second, followed by Kenyon, Allegheny, and Wittenberg at fairly regular intervals, indicating a reasonable consensus among the coaches for these top 5 positions. OWU, Hiram, Oberlin, and Wooster round out the pre-season predictions.

Coaches' Poll (http://www2.northcoast.org/sites/default/files/mbasketball/bball%20poll%2011-12.pdf) (.pdf)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 14, 2011, 01:29:53 PM
The 2011-2012 season tips off tomorrow night, highlighted by four NCAC/OAC battles:

Grove City at Allegheny
Denison at Bethany
Hiram at Marietta
Muskingum at Kenyon (I'll be there!)
Oberlin at LaRoche
Wittenberg at Baldwin-Wallace
John Carroll at Wooster

OWU opens on Wednesday, while DePauw's NCAC debut is reserved until Friday

Now, don't think I'm a Trekkie or anything, but I like to start a new season of women's basketball with Seven of Nine playing!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 16, 2011, 12:29:46 AM
Kenyon starts the season strongly, easily dispatching Muskingum (a program that has given the Ladies fits in recent years) 79-59. Kenyon's vaunted defense looked to be in mid-season form right from the tip, as it took the Fish nearly five minutes to get on the board and 20 minutes just to get 16 points. Good defense is a given in Gambier, but a 71-point effort on Opening Day was more than a little surprising. It took senior leader Morgan Korinek a little while to get untracked, but when she did, she was unstoppable in the paint, finishing with 22 points and causing havoc in the post at both ends of the floor all night. Muskingum never really threatened; they did manage to cut the lead to seven midway through the second half, but a subsequent 9-2 run by the Ladies shut that door fairly quickly. It's difficult to draw too many conclusions from one game in a new season, but with one notable exception (senior Amanda Dobbins, 18 nifty points and 13 strong boards), Muskingum doesn't seem to have any good players, or at least any players who can handle the kind of defensive pressure Kenyon gives you for 40 minutes. That's likely to change the next time KC laces 'em up, as they will face Eastern (16-9 last year) and possibly perennial power Wilmington this weekend.

Elsewhere:
Allegheny 71, Grove City 56
Denison 69, Bethany 61
Marietta 73, Hiram 58
John Carroll 60, Wooster 53
LaRoche 66, Oberlin 52
Baldwin-Wallace 56, Wittenberg 53

NCAC non-conference record: 3-4
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 16, 2011, 01:09:36 PM
Ohio Wesleyan has a chance to bring the NCAC back to .500 when they tip off the Reed era at Heidelberg tonight.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2011, 12:57:57 AM
...and so they do!

OWU 63, Heidelberg 55

NCAC non-conference record: 4-4
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 17, 2011, 03:31:32 PM
Friday games, everyone but Wooster playing:

Westminster at Allegheny
Denison vs. Baldwin-Wallace (at Manchester)
DePauw vs. Albion (at Franklin)
Hiram at Penn St. Erie, the Behrend College
Kenyon vs. Eastern (at Wilmington)
Kalamazoo at Oberlin
Ohio Wesleyan at Mt. St. Joseph
Wittenberg vs. Baruch (at Rochester)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 18, 2011, 10:51:39 PM
Friday results, keeping us right at .500:

Allegheny 65, Westminster 63
Baldwin-Wallace 64, Denison 63 ... snaps a 29-game regular season win streak for the Big Red
DePauw 59, Albion 48
PSU-Behrend 53, Hiram 43
Eastern 62, Kenyon 58
Oberlin 61, Kalamazoo 40
OWU 61, Mt. St. Joseph 57
Baruch 79, Wittenberg 73

NCAC non-conference record: 8-8

Saturday games:
Misericordia at Allegheny
Denison at Manchester
DePauw at Franklin
Hiram vs. Bethany (at PSU-Behrend)
Kenyon vs. Thiel (at Wilmington)
OWU vs. Capital (at MSJ)
Wittenberg vs. SUNY-New Paltz (at Rochester)
NW Ohio at Wooster
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 19, 2011, 10:57:35 PM
A pretty solid 6-2 day:

Denison 81, St. Mary's (Ind.) 74 ... time for a new streak?
Wittenberg 65, New Paltz St. 62
Hiram 69, Bethany (W.V.) 54
Kenyon 82, Thiel 62
Wooster 78, Northwestern Ohio 70
Capital 56, Ohio Wesleyan 38 ... Capital roughed up Hope yesterday, so they're probably pretty good this year
Allegheny 61, Misericordia 59
Franklin 52, DePauw 47

NCAC non-conference record: 14-10  :)

Just one Sunday game, as Wooster hosts Muskingum.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 20, 2011, 07:36:02 PM
Muskingum finishes off the weekend dropping the host Scots 57-46.

NCAC non-conference record: 14-11
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: woosterbooster on November 21, 2011, 12:56:00 PM
Wooster's roster shows five freshmen.  Of these, after three games, only one has played more than three minutes, total.  That would be Danielle Spinden, who has logged 31 minutes and already shown herself to be a good rebounder with twelve.

But one freshmen, playing ten minutes a game, on what is likely a poor team, is not much of a recruiting job.  It appears to me that the fortunes of the Wooster women's team are not on the rise at all, despite any sort of "attitude" change.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 21, 2011, 11:50:26 PM
Busy Tuesday in the NCAC:

Washington & Jefferson at Allegheny
Thiel at Denison
Ohio Northern at Kenyon
Oberlin at Bluffton
Ohio Wesleyan at John Carroll
Wittenberg at Capital
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2011, 11:49:31 PM
Tuesday results:

John Carroll 77, Ohio Wesleyan 71
Wash. & Jeff. 75, Allegheny 71
Denison 65, Thiel 58
ONU 60, Kenyon 55
Oberlin 68, Bluffton 56
Capital 49, Wittenberg 38

Disappointing 2-4, bringing us close to .500 at 16-15.

Next game is not until Friday, so Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 26, 2011, 01:19:27 AM
Mt. Union dumps Allegheny this afternoon by a 92-44 count. You read that right, and the less said about it, the better. :)

NCAC slips to 16-16 on the non-conference season, but redemption is at hand with 6 games on tap for Saturday:

Allegheny vs. Waynesburg (at Mt. Union)
Denison vs. Carnegie Mellon (at Case Western Reserve in the UAA/NCAC Challenge)
DePauw vs. Illinois Wesleyan (at Washington U. in St. Louis)
Westminster at Hiram
Kenyon at Case Western Reserve (UAA/NCAC Challenge)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. Otterbein (at Ohio Northern)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 26, 2011, 08:48:30 PM
Not a bad day at all:

Kenyon 68, Case 63
Hiram 66, Westminster 55
DePauw 67, Ill. Wesleyan 54
Allegheny 84, Waynesburg 74
Denison 63, Carnegie Mellon 58
Otterbein 65, Ohio Wesleyan 50

A 5-1 day brings us back to 21-17 for the season. And we take a 2-0 lead in the UAA/NCAC Challenge.  :)

Sunday's games:
Denison at Case Western (UAA/NCAC Challenge)
DePauw at Washington Univ. in St. Louis
Thiel at Hiram
Kenyon vs. Carnegie Mellon (at CWRU, UAA/NCAC Challenge)
Earlham at Oberlin
Ohio Wesleyan at Ohio Northern
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 27, 2011, 06:58:35 PM
A big win counterbalances a big upset:

Kenyon 87, Carnegie Mellon 72
Earlham 57, Oberlin 44...ouchie.
Hiram 61, Thiel 59
Ohio Northern 64, Ohio Wesleyan 42
Case Western Reserve 56, #12 Denison 53...double ouchie. But we still win the UAA/NCAC Challenge 3-1
DePauw 69, Washington University in St. Louis 57

Wash.U. was ranked #7 in the nation and still celebrating coach Nancy Fahey's 600th career win when #10 DePauw stole the win...on the Bears' home floor, no less!  That's the second huge NCAC victory on that floor in a week, as it is the site where Wittenberg won the 2011 national championship in volleyball. It's a good floor for Tigers, I guess!

NCAC non-conference record: 24-20.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 29, 2011, 11:32:01 AM
The new poll is out. (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2011-12/week1) Not surprisingly, Denison's stay in the top 25 is a short one, falling into the "also receiving votes" category after a relatively rough 4-2 start. DePauw stays more or less where they were, dropping one spot to #11 but gaining 29 points. The Tigers were upset by Franklin (now #22) but made amends by winning the tournament at WashU by beating two then-top 25 teams (#17 IWU, now ARV, and #7 WashU, now #12).

Four other Great Lakes squads are ranked--#4 Calvin, #9 Mt. Union, #24 Hope, and #25 Capital--and two others (Thomas More and St. Vincent) are right on the periphery. Baldwin-Wallace, Otterbein, and Transylvania were also in the ARV category, all south of Denison at would-be #34.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 30, 2011, 01:00:24 AM
Today the sun rises on conference play. Like always, the sun rises in the east:
Wooster at Allegheny

Most of the rest of the league kicks off on Saturday (Kenyon's first league game is not until Pearl Harbor Day), leaving time for several more warmups this evening:
Millikin at DePauw
Heidelberg at Kenyon
Oberlin at Otterbein
Earlham at Wittenberg
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 30, 2011, 11:26:46 PM
Allegheny eases past Wooster, 57-56, to take the early conference lead.
Elsewhere:
Kenyon 71, Heidelberg 49
DePauw 64, Millikin 41
Otterbein 60, Oberlin 45
Wittenberg 80, Earlham 65

NCAC non-conference record: 27-21. Not too shabby.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 03, 2011, 03:28:31 PM
The early showdown for NCAC supremacy goes DePauw's way, while Wooster moves to 0-2 by a collective 2 points:

Depauw 58, Denison 45
Hiram 54, Wooster 53
Wittenberg 67, Oberlin 50
Allegheny 60, OWU 45

Conference standings:
Allegheny 2-0
DePauw 1-0
Hiram 1-0
Wittenberg 1-0
Kenyon 0-0
Denison 0-1
Oberlin 0-1
OWU 0-1
Wooster 0-2
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2011, 09:55:27 AM
Two games on the schedule for this evening:
Allegheny at SUNY-Fredonia
Bluffton at Wooster
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2011, 10:02:48 AM
New Top 25 (http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/index):
DePauw moves up to #9 and is the highest-ranked team with a loss.
Denison loses the support they had and is now absent from the voting.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 06, 2011, 09:08:47 PM
Fredonia dumps Allegheny, 77-62.
Bluffton trumps Wooster, 53-50.

NCAC non-conference records slumps to 27-23.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 08, 2011, 12:52:01 AM
Tonight's scores:

Oberlin 73, Hiram 60
Kenyon 66, Wittenberg 62
Denison 66, OWU 58

Updated standings:
Allegheny 2-0
DePauw 1-0
Kenyon 1-0
Denison 1-1
Hiram 1-1
Oberlin 1-1
Wittenberg 1-1
OWU 0-2
Wooster 0-2
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 09, 2011, 08:37:25 PM
Carnegie Mellon 69, Oberlin 46

NCAC non-conference record slips to 27-24.

Saturday's schedule:
Oberlin at Allegheny
OWU at DePauw
Wooster at CWRU
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 11, 2011, 12:57:13 AM
Allegheny 74, Oberlin 59
DePauw 79, Ohio Wesleyan 52
Case 68, Wooster 37

Getting perilously close to .500, ladies. Now at 27-25.

Conference race:
Allegheny 3-0
DePauw 2-0
Kenyon 1-0
Denison 1-1
Hiram 1-1
Wittenberg 1-1
Oberlin 1-2
Wooster 0-2
OWU 0-3
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 14, 2011, 08:21:07 PM
I'm a day late with these, but happily not a dollar short:

Denison 66, Grove City 45
Allegheny 91, Mt. Aloysius 89

Back up to 29-25.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 17, 2011, 07:54:53 PM
Kenyon drubs Hiram 63-40. Ladies move to 7-2 and are looking pretty good early on.

Updated conference standings:
Allegheny 3-0
DePauw 2-0
Kenyon 2-0
Denison 1-1
Wittenberg 1-1
Hiram 1-2
Oberlin 1-2
Wooster 0-2
OWU 0-3

Thomas More sinks Wittenberg 78-62 as the NCAC slips to 29-26 in non-conference action. Our next games are on Monday and Tuesday, days I am unlikely to be able to post scores in here.  Here's the lineup:
Monday:
Hiram at Waynesburg
Kenyon vs. Maryville (TN) at Transylvania
Wooster at Albion
Tuesday:
DePauw vs. Hanover at Wilmington
Wooster at Trine
Kenyon vs. TBA (Transy or St. Mary-of-the-Woods) at Transylvania
Wednesday:
DePauw vs. TBA (Wilma or Kalamazoo) at Wilmington
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on December 21, 2011, 09:11:42 PM
Okay, let's fill in the blanks together. All I know so far, thanks to email updates from Hugh Howard and Marty Fuller, is that Wooster lost twice and Kenyon won twice.

Monday:
Waynesburg 58, Hiram 54
Kenyon 66, Murvul 56
Albion 73, Wooster 41 (gulp!)
Tuesday:
DePauw 72, Hanover 38 (zounds!)
Trine 69, Wooster 56
Kenyon 49, Transylvania 45
Wednesday:
DePauw 64, Wilmington 59

4-3 overall, thanks to #9 DePauw and Kenyon, putting us at 33-29.

The loop now goes on hiatus for just over a week, reconvening next Thursday with games at Denison (Hanover), DePauw (Alma), OWU (Penn St.-Du Bois [pronounced DOO-Boys, no really, it is]), and Wittenberg (Rose-Hulman). Don't our programs know what a "snowbird" is? Hiram will be the only snowdogs this season as they will head to the Southland that same day for games at Occidental (12/30) and Chapman (12/31). In the meantime, Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays, ladies!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on March 04, 2012, 11:32:27 AM
Congratulations to DePauw on a great first season in the NCAC. They sailed to the conferece regular-season and tournament crowns, before sadly being upset in the second round of the NCAAs at home. Still it was an outstanding season and one to be proud of. Go Tigers!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: mark_reichert on June 07, 2012, 06:22:07 PM
It took looking at the IWU Athletic Calender since the schedule isn't up yet, but the fourth team for the IWU Women's 2012 Tip Off Tournament appears to be Coe College, in Cedar Rapids IA.

YMMV, but I think close losses to Final Four bound teams two years running makes them a fit opponent for the first year in which all of the rotating host teams (Depauw, IWU, WashU) have a national championship.  In fact, half of the last six.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on October 24, 2012, 05:28:42 PM
The D3hoops.com women's basketball preseason Top 25 is out:

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2012/10/womens-preseason-top-25
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NotNexttoUganda on October 31, 2012, 11:59:10 AM
So, is there anyone in the league that can challenge Depauw? It seems to me that Depauw has a stranglehold on the NCAC in Field Hockey and Women's Basketball--which is interesting--it certainly challenges the rest of the NCAC to get better...somehow.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on October 31, 2012, 03:55:36 PM
I had hoped last year that Denison would but it didn't pan out. Denison lost five NCAC games last year, though, so it wasn't just because DePauw entered the league.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NotNexttoUganda on November 01, 2012, 03:26:16 PM
Quote from: Pat Coleman on October 31, 2012, 03:55:36 PM
I had hoped last year that Denison would but it didn't pan out. Denison lost five NCAC games last year, though, so it wasn't just because DePauw entered the league.

League Preview can be found here. http://www2.northcoast.org/basketball/pollrelease/2012-13 (http://www2.northcoast.org/basketball/pollrelease/2012-13)

Depauw picked to finish first, followed by Denison, and then Kenyon and Wittenberg. I'd be surprised if Kenyon found a way to sneak past Denison for that second spot--Denison is one of those teams that Kenyon just hasn't been able to solve. The last time that Kenyon beat Denison was on February 13, 2008. It'll be interesting to see what happens this year, as Kenyon seems to get close to winning, but can't quite do the job.

Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: gordonmann on November 25, 2012, 05:59:45 PM
Courtesy of Illinois Wesleyan's online video, I just watched DePauw blitz the defending national champions 75-52. 

The Tigers seized control of the game late in the first half and led by as many as 32 points in the second half. Illinois Wesleyan couldn't generate any consistent offense out of their press, which is the Titans' M.O.  They looked frustrated with atypical turnovers and missed layups. Despite playing at home, the stands were empty and IWU didn't get any momentum early in the second half when the Titans had a chance to make a game of it.

But take nothing away from DePauw because the Tigers looked great. Early in the game, the Tigers broke the Titans' press and either waited too long to turn the press break into transition points or settled for mid-range jumpers. But the Tigers adjusted, their forwards became more aggressive and DePauw looked like the better transition team for much of the game.

Walker is a really nice point guard who handled the IWU press well. A good scorer and ball distributor, too. Trees is a nice shooter with a quick release.

Alex Gassaway is a smooth player. She made some nice moves around the rim, including a fade away jumper that would've made Dirk Nowitzki smile.  Ellie Pearson played solid defense and, once she became more aggressive, the Tigers' whole offense opened up.  If Gassaway and Pearson continue to play well, this will be a very formidable team.

Hopefully the NCAC opponents can push the Tigers this year. DePauw challenged itself with Washington U., Illinois Wesleyan and Messiah still to come.  But weeks of lopsided games won't prepare the Tigers for the NCAA tournament grind.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Roundball999 on November 25, 2012, 06:12:58 PM
Quote from: gordonmann on November 25, 2012, 05:59:45 PM
Courtesy of Illinois Wesleyan's online video, I just watched DePauw blitz the defending national champions 75-52. 

The Tigers seized control of the game late in the first half and led by as many as 32 points in the second half. Illinois Wesleyan couldn't generate any consistent offense out of their press, which is the Titans' M.O.  They looked frustrated with atypical turnovers and missed layups. Despite playing at home, the stands were empty and IWU didn't get any momentum early in the second half when the Titans had a chance to make a game of it.

But take nothing away from DePauw because the Tigers looked great. Early in the game, the Tigers broke the Titans' press and either waited too long to turn the press break into transition points or settled for mid-range jumpers. But the Tigers adjusted, their forwards became more aggressive and DePauw looked like the better transition team for much of the game.

Walker is a really nice point guard who handled the IWU press well. A good scorer and ball distributor, too. Trees is a nice shooter with a quick release.

Alex Gassaway is a smooth player. She made some nice moves around the rim, including a fade away jumper that would've made Dirk Nowitzki smile.  Ellie Pearson played solid defense and, once she became more aggressive, the Tigers' whole offense opened up.  If Gassaway and Pearson continue to play well, this will be a very formidable team.

Hopefully the NCAC opponents can push the Tigers this year. DePauw challenged itself with Washington U., Illinois Wesleyan and Messiah still to come.  But weeks of lopsided games won't prepare the Tigers for the NCAA tournament grind.

Saw much of the game and agree with your assessment.  DePauw showed how to exploit the flaws in the run and jump.  They're also a very good shooting team so a gambling defense is going to result in open shots/makes as long as DePauw stays discplined.  Still, for the 1st 10-15 minutes the Titans showed how good thay can be.  For the first bit of the game the IWU press didn't really result in turnovers but it did repeatedly leave DePauw with little shot clock to run their offense.  Once DePauw got comfortable with the press and turned aggressive, they put the game away.

I don't see DePauw having much of a challenge in the conference.  I've seen Denison twice so far, they were picked 2nd in the preseason conference rankings, and while they are solid I don't see them threatening DePauw.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: gordonmann on November 26, 2012, 11:38:17 AM
Roundball:

Agree on IWU. I noticed the athleticism and depth of IWU at forward during the first 10 minutes. I don't take too much away from yesterday's game for the Titans other than they just had a really off game.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: mark_reichert on November 26, 2012, 03:03:13 PM
Quote from: gordonmann on November 25, 2012, 05:59:45 PM
Hopefully the NCAC opponents can push the Tigers this year. DePauw challenged itself with Washington U., Illinois Wesleyan and Messiah still to come.  But weeks of lopsided games won't prepare the Tigers for the NCAA tournament grind.

So, did you see Depauw's game against WashU on Saturday?  The disparity of personal fouls was 20 for WashU and 13 for Depauw, but the free throw attempts were 5 for WashU and 29 for Depauw.  Depauw wasn't any less aggressive as shown by the difference in turnovers and points off of turnovers.  Slicker at hiding the fouls or timing them?  It's games like that I wished I had some way of objectively grading the referees because from my seat in the Shirk Center there didn't appear to that much difference in the play between the two teams.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: gordonmann on November 27, 2012, 11:17:17 AM
Mark:

No, I didn't see Saturday's game. I had football playoff duty in Dover, Delaware so I can't comment on the referees, though I did see the foul shot discrepancy.

DePauw needs games like that one against Washington U. because those are the kinds of games they will have to win in the tournament.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: GoRed on January 02, 2013, 07:57:19 PM
Great interview with Nicole Coggins in Las Vegas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbVRY-kxzt0&list=PL2O_uY7lJEsI1u1qm-tlZlEBoViEmkPNN&index=10

Sounds like she has a great future in bio research, too.  Go Big
Red!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NotNexttoUganda on January 17, 2013, 05:44:27 AM
Going to be interesting to see if Kenyon can knock of Depauw in Gambier when the two teams meet.

Seems to be Depauw is the class of the Conference once again--they're the class of the nation, but Kenyon is doing a good job of cleaning things up in second place right now. Is there any chance that Kenyon could earn an at large if they run through the conference, only losing to Depauw?
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: NotNexttoUganda on January 17, 2013, 05:51:57 AM
On a side note, Kenyon is 13-4, 3 of their 4 losses have come to teams ranked in the top 11, Depauw, Simpson, and Ohio Northern. That's a pretty darn good season if you ask me. The only other loss came to Cabrini, at the Land of Magic Classic--where Kenyon showed up late due to a snowstorm.

I dunno. Was wondering what it took to get an at-large, and whether Kenyon could get one, unless they somehow beat Depauw--which is not outside the realm of possibility--they only lost to Depauw by 10 on Depauw's home court. If Maureen Hirt and Kayla Ernst get hot, Kenyon has a pretty good shot at winning.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: gordonmann on March 16, 2013, 04:12:24 PM
We've released our list of All-Americans. Congratulations to Alex Gasaway and Kris Huffman.

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2013/03/womens-all-americans
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: FCGrizzliesGrad on March 16, 2013, 08:51:17 PM
Congrats DePauw on the title. Excellent season and doing Indiana proud. :)
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: pbrooks3 on March 16, 2013, 08:53:07 PM
Congratulations to Kris Huffman & the DePauw Tigers on another national championship tonight. Pearson and Walker went out on a high note for sure. I had been a doubter during the season thinking the schedule had not challenged enough, but I have been proven wrong again.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: mark_reichert on March 16, 2013, 10:25:33 PM
Quote from: pbrooks3 on March 16, 2013, 08:53:07 PM
Congratulations to Kris Huffman & the DePauw Tigers on another national championship tonight. Pearson and Walker went out on a high note for sure. I had been a doubter during the season thinking the schedule had not challenged enough, but I have been proven wrong again.

Congratulations as well.  The most challenging game was in November as it has frequently been since the Tip Off Tournament started in the 1999-2000 season.  This makes two years in a row, three of the last four, four of the last seven in which a Tip Off host has been NCAA champion.  They've been a participant in the championship game in the last five and six of the last seven.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: mark_reichert on November 28, 2013, 05:24:12 PM
Over in the women's CCIW area, this reply to a post of mine prompted me to do the research to give the info below:

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on November 25, 2013, 07:59:20 PM
I've always admired the guts of whichever team joins the IWU/WashU/DePauw tourney.  I haven't attempted to check, but I wonder how many times that team has avoided 4th place?

Three times: Illinois College,  Kalamazoo, Central (Iowa) College.   There's been 14 tournaments, one time there wasn't a 4th team, and 10 times the 4th team has gone 0-2.  IWU has gone 0-2 twice and WashU once.

1999-00 Washington University 2-0, IWU, Depauw 1-1, Beloit 0-2
2000-01 Washington University 2-0, Depauw, Illinois College 1-1, IWU 0-2
2001-02 Washington University 2-0, IWU, Depauw 1-1, Thomas More 0-2
2002-03 Washington University 2-0, IWU, Depauw 1-1, Illinois College 0-2
2003-04 Washington University 2-0, IWU, Depauw 1-1, Illinois College 0-2
2004-05 Washington University 2-0, Depauw, Kalamazoo 1-1, IWU 0-2
2005-06 Washington University 2-0, IWU, Depauw 1-1, Coe College 0-2
2006-07 IWU 2-0, Depauw, Central (Iowa) College 1-1, Washington University 0-2
2007-08 Depauw 2-0, IWU, Washington University 1-1, Olivet 0-2
2008-09 IWU 2-0, Depauw, Washington University 1-1, Central (Iowa) College  0-2     
2009-10 IWU 2-0, Depauw, Washington University 1-1, Central (Iowa) College  0-2

2010-11 IWU, Depauw, Washington University 1-1 (no fourth team, round robin)

2011-12 Depauw 2-0, IWU, Washington University 1-1, Hendrix 0-2
2012-13 Depauw 2-0, IWU, Washington University 1-1, Coe 0-2

The Bears haven't gone 2-0 since the year before Depauw won its first championship, though it was IWU that went 2-0 that year.  Also, the three teams had a history of playing each other before the tournament started.  WashU is listed as playing both at the start of the year the three years prior to the tournament and one or the other for quite a few years before that.

Illinois College is making its fourth appearance this year breaking the tie with Central (Iowa).
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: mark_reichert on November 30, 2013, 11:15:16 AM
The tournament involving WashU, IWU, and Depauw for this year starts this afternoon and is being called the Midwest Challenge.  Here is the link for Live stats and video streaming:

http://www.depauw.edu/athletics/womens/basketball/midwestchallenge/
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 23, 2014, 02:48:22 PM
The final week of the regular season is upon us and already teams are on the bubble hoping to qualify for the NCAA national championships and that can also mean some upsets. So tonight, we focus on the bubble and who has to get it done this week in conference tournaments. We will be talking to Ohio Wesleyan WBB coach Stacey Lobdell about their upset of #1 DePauw along with the following guests:

- Rhodes WBB coach Matt Dean
- Emory MBB coach Jason Zimmerman
- Lyndon State MBB coach Joe Krupinski
- Wheaton (MA) WBB coach Melissa Hodgdon
- UW-Stevens Point WBB coach Shirley Egner
- Baruch WBB coach Machli Joseph
- MSOE MBB coach Brian Miller

We will also feature a special #whyd3 story from York (Pa.) women's basketball you have to see.

Show starts at 7 PM EST and will run until at least 9:30 tonight.

You can tune in here: www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2013-14/feb23 (http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2013-14/jan12)

Don't forget you can ask us or our guests questions via social media:
- Twitter (@d3hoopsville (http://www.twitter.com/d3hoopsville) and #Hoopsville)
- Facebook (www.facebook.com/Hoopsville (http://www.facebook.com/Hoopsville))
- Email (hoopsville@d3hoops.com)

Thanks and enjoy the show!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 04, 2015, 02:19:26 PM
DePauw and Denison lead the way in the 2015-16 preseason coaches poll. The Tigers earned 6 first-place votes from the nine coaches, with the other three opting for the Big Red. Defending conference tournament champions Wittenberg finished a distant third in the voting.http://www.northcoast.org/sports/wbkb/2015-16/releases/coachespoll
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 19, 2015, 05:15:26 PM
Wooster's off to a 2-0 start, which may not seem too exciting until you consider that they were 1-24 last season. They do, however, own Geneva, dropping them by 12 last night, 364 days after dumping the Golden Tornadoes by 16.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: David Collinge on November 22, 2015, 08:00:54 PM
Don't look now, but the Scots are an astonishing 4-0!
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jaybird44 on November 25, 2015, 11:59:16 AM
Wash-U will host the Midwest Challenge tournament this weekend at the Fieldhouse.  Good early-season barometer matchups that will give the teams a good look at what they are doing well, and what needs improvement.

Saturday:  DePauw vs. Illinois Wesleyan, 1 pm CDT (both teams 2-1)/Wash-U (2-1) vs. Illinois College (3-0), 3:00
Sunday:  Consolation game 1:00, Championship game 3:00

The national championship pedigrees of Wash-U, DePauw, and Illinois Wesleyan are well-known, but don't sleep on Illinois College--the Lady Blues have had two winning seasons in a row and bring a bumper crop of height to the Fieldhouse--6 players at 5'11" or 6'.  3 more at 5'10".

Should be fun to watch in person, or join me at http://bearsports.wustl.edu and click on "Live Games" for your game of choice.
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on January 24, 2016, 05:02:50 PM
Despite technical problems over the last few weeks, Sunday's edition of Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com) has not been derailed by Mother Nature's rath! Three-feet of snow and still we will get two-hours of the show all thanks to that wonderful home studio.

Tonight, Dave McHugh talks to programs who are storming the competition right now. Whether in the midst of long winning streaks or dominating their conference, these programs are making the turn at five weeks to go in pretty good shape.

You can tune into Hoopsville tonight starting at 7:00 PM ET right here: http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2015-16/jan24

Guest include (in order):
- Cherise Galasso, WPI women's coach
- Gabby Lisella, No. 22 Rowan women's coach
- Kris Huffman, DePauw women's coach (WBCA Center Court)
- Mike McGrath, No. 12 Chicago men's coach
- Bert West, East Texas Baptist men's coast It isn't easy to coach at any level. It is a joy to coach Division III says many a coach. Some enjoy it on their way up the ladder, others on their way closer to retirement, and others as their passion.

You can also tune into the podcast(s) after the show has aired:
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville (http://www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville)
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hoopsville/id1059517087 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hoopsville/id1059517087)

And don't forget you can always interact with us:
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Twitter: @d3hoopsville (http://www.twitter.com/d3hoopsville) or #Hoopsville
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Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com
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Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Pat Coleman on February 10, 2016, 02:39:15 PM
Alright, folks -- the NCAA's first women's basketball regional rankings are posted. Check out the full list from D3hoops.com:
http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2016/02/10/first-2016-regional-rankings-released-today/
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on January 18, 2018, 04:55:47 PM
It is already the midway point of January. In a month's time, we will be looking at conference tournaments and discussing who has a chance to make the NCAA tournaments. However, there is still a lot of basketball to be played and many teams are starting to take the turn into the second half of conference play.

On Thursday's edition of Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com), Dave will chat with a number of guests to get a landscape of where things are in Division III. The conversation will include checking in at the NCAA Convention where legislation will be voted on by DIII members and conferences on whether to start the season a week earlier.

Dave then talks to some of the hotter teams in the country. Two women's programs (ranked and unranked) who are leading their respective conferences and looking to build on recent success. Also two men's programs one of which is not in the spotlight as much as they traditionally are along with a program we haven't talked to in a number of years.

This week's WBCA Center Court will feature a women's coach who is doing what she can to spread the word about women's basketball including giving more of her time to make sure her colleagues are taken care of and heard.

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. You can watch the show LIVE starting at 7:00 p.m. ET here: http://bit.ly/2DmSR9D

You can also send your questions to the show and have them featured on the Hoopsville Mailbag segment. Email them to hoopsville@d3hoops.com.

Guests include (in order of appearance):
- James Wagner, CSAC Assistant Commissioner
- Bobby Hurley, Stevens men's coach
- Kris Huffman, No. 9 DePauw women's coach
- Polly Thomason, Texas-Dallas women's coach (WBCA Center Court)
- Matt Logie, No. 7 Whitworth men's coach
- Ashlee Rogers, Marymount women's coach

You can also tune into the podcast(s) after the show has aired:
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hoopsville/id1059517087

Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville (http://www.twitter.com/d3hoopsville) or #Hoopsville
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Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 07, 2018, 02:39:49 PM
Women's first regional rankings of the season are out: http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2018/02/women-regional-rankings-first
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 14, 2018, 03:10:12 PM
New women's regional rankings: http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2018/02/women-regional-rankings-second
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 21, 2018, 03:02:43 PM
The NCAA released the third set of women's basketball regional rankings with few changes from last week's version. This is the final set that we'll see before the Tournament bracket is released on Monday. Full list here: http://d3hoops.com/notables/2018/02/women-regional-rankings-third

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Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on December 03, 2018, 02:35:29 AM
(https://cdn.prestosports.com/action/cdn/img/mw=710/cr=n/d=j5e7f/air603b6yr9p3t16.jpg)

The carnage continues!

Ok, maybe some hyperbole there, but it doesn't take away from the fact nine men's Top 25 teams lost (account for 12 losses). Even the women are taking more losses this time of year than maybe we are used to from that Top 25 group. Five more took losses this past week, granted some were to other Top 25 opponents.

What could the second Top 25 poll of the season look like when it's released Monday evening? What other teams are surprising or maybe flying under the radar?

Join Dave McHugh as he's returned from his soccer soiree to recap another incredible week of Division III basketball. Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com) will air at a special time on Monday - starting at 11:00 am Eastern.

McHugh will be joined by a few teams stealing the spotlight early in the season. Plus, Ryan Scott helps Dave get back up to speed and tries to read the tea leaves ahead of the latest Top 25.

Dave will also talk to the latest coach to join the 600-win club. DePauw women's coach Kris Huffman talks about the accomplishment and this season's seemingly low-octane squad.

Oh ... and we get the sights and sounds of a game between UW-River Falls and St. Thomas from US Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, in Minneapolis.

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. You can watch Monday's special episode live right here: http://bit.ly/2DXh0ma

If you have questions about Division III basketball, feel free to send them and we will answer them on a the show. Email them to hoopsville@d3hoops.com or use any of the social media options to the right.

Guests Schedule (order subject to change):
- Mark Morefield, No. 25 UMHB women's coach
- Kris Huffman, No. 21 DePauw women's coach
- Josh Merkel, No. 17 Randolph-Macon men's coach
- Ryan Scott, D3hoops.com Around the Nation columnist

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts instead, you can get access to them or subscribe one of the three following ways (click on the images when necessary):
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Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on January 24, 2019, 05:12:08 PM
(https://cdn.prestosports.com/action/cdn/img/mw=710/cr=n/d=lusa4/54y1rrzkhahuuavu.jpg)

Suddenly the end of January is upon us! Where has the season gone? We are past the halfway point, conference action is now in it's second go-around (for most), and the matter of regional rankings and conference tournaments is becoming more real.

Teams who have had unbelievable starts, but have not faltered, are now in the spotlight. The question is no longer "can they keep this up?" But rather, the question has become, "how did they get this good?" Tonight, we ask versions of that last question.

Thursday on Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com), We will hear from St. Thomas who hasn't been the MIAC dominator the last few years, but is back on top in a far more competitive conference. Oswego men have already knocked the SUNYAC boss, Plattsburgh off the pedestal. And Southern Virginia women have startled the entire conference. We find out how a first-year coach with no Division III experience has shocked everyone.

Plus, we chat with Oberlin's women's coach who has not only preached diversity, but created an environment for his program and the conference that reiterates open and safe environments. It has also thrust the team high into the NCAC race.

Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com) is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. Thursday's edition will air live starting at 7:00 p.m. ET here: http://bit.ly/2FXlhXN (or via Facebook Live and Periscope simulcasts).

If you have questions about Division III basketball, feel free to send them and we will answer them on a the show. Email them to hoopsville@d3hoops.com or use any of the social media below.

Guests Schedule (order subject to change):
- John Tauer, No. 7 St. Thomas men's coach
- Jason Leone, Oswego State men's coach
- Kerry Jenkins, Oberlin women's coach (WBCA Center Court)
- Matt Wardenburg, Southern Virginia women's coach
- James Wagner, CSAC Assistant Commissioner (NCAA Convention report)

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts, choose your favorite avenue to listen and/or subscribe via the the following four avenues (click on the images when necessary):
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Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 06, 2019, 02:41:39 PM
First women's regional rankings are out: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2019/02/women-regional-rankings-first
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 13, 2019, 02:55:55 PM
Regional Rankings Week 2 released: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2019/02/women-regional-rankings-second
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 20, 2019, 03:03:46 PM
The new NCAA Division III women's basketball regional rankings are posted: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2019/02/women-regional-rankings-third
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 06, 2020, 01:52:05 AM
The Division III basketball regular season has officially entered it's final month. Where has the time gone?

Seems like a perfect time to take a break for lunch. Chat about what is ahead and teams which have positioned themselves well to still be playing next month.

Thursday on Hoopsville (at a special time), we chat with not only a few of Top 25 programs, but also a team that has seemingly come out of nowhere to be contending in one of the more difficult conferences.

Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com) is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. You can watch Thursday's show LIVE starting at 12:00 pm ET in the following ways:
- Main page: www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville
- Show page: http://bit.ly/36ZYxAo (or www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2019-20/feb6)
- Facebook Live Simulcast: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
- YouTube Simulcast: www.youtube.com/d3hoopsville
- Team1 Sports: www.team1sports.com/Hoopsville/
- Team1 Sports app (https://team1sports.com/) (Android TV, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Roku) - you will either find it under the "live" section or search for the Hoopsville channel
Sunday's show primarily covers the Atlantic, Central, South, and Northeast Regions. All men's coaches appear in the NABC Coach's Corner. And all guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline.

Thursday's show primarily covers the East, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and West Regions. All men's coaches appear in the NABC Coach's Corner. And all guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline.

If you have questions about Division III basketball, feel free to send them and we will answer them on a the show. Email them to hoopsville@d3sports.com (notice, we fixed our email system with a slightly different email!) or use any of the social media options to the right.

Donate with PayPal button

Guests Schedule (order subject to change):
- Pat McKenzie, No. 2 St. John's men's coach
- Nate Davis, No. 19 Gettysburg women's coach
- Kris Huffman, No. 4 DePauw women's coach
- Jim Bechtel, SUNY Potsdam men's coach.

Please also consider helping us out. We are accepting donations to show - which many of you have asked about. We have an initial goal to hit $5,000 by Feb. 16. We are currently at $2,330.20.

To donate, click our PayPal link here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BSRFLPUJQ9MKL&source=url

And thank you for your contributions.

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts, choose your favorite avenue to listen and/or subscribe via the the following four avenues (click on the images when necessary):
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville


 
   
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We also have the podcast now on Tune-In (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/Hoopsville-p1153539/) and others coming. We will update them once we have better abilities to do so.

Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville (http://www.twitter.com/d3hoopsville) or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3hoops.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/d3hoopsville
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 12, 2020, 03:33:27 PM
Women's first Regional Rankings released.

https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2020/02/women-regional-rankings-first
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 19, 2020, 03:07:06 PM
The second week Regional Rankings are out: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2020/02/women-regional-rankings-second
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 26, 2020, 02:21:37 PM
Women's third regional rankings are out: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2020/02/women-regional-rankings-third
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on July 01, 2020, 09:09:42 PM
(https://cdn.prestosports.com/action/cdn/img/mw=710/cr=n/d=ct7yu/5etuonp82pdix8za.jpg)

First, we apologize for the "June Podcast" showing up in early July. Computer problems caused havoc this month. Sadly, it delayed our production plans for several weeks, but we are calling this our June edition all the same.

When the season came to a sudden close, it left a lot of unfinished business on our end. We didn't have national champions to talk to, but we also had a lot of news to cover. This podcast we take some time to do some catching-up with the season's number one men's team and the Jostens Trophy winners - with Gordon Mann and Ryan Scott picking up the interviewing responsibilities.

And we all know the coronavirus has changed everything this year, but how close to home has it hit you? We talk to one coach who experienced it himself first hand while also having his wife be diagnosed with COVID-19 days after giving birth to their first child.

Guests include:
- Matt Airy, Aurora men's coach
- Sydney Kopp, No. 11 DePauw's Jostens Trophy winner (interviewed by Gordon Mann)
- Kena Gilmour, Hamilton's Jostens Trophy winner (interviewed by Ryan Scott)
- Landry Kosmolski, No. 1 Swarthmore men's coach

Oh, did we mention the Hoopsville Notebook? It is a jam-packed notebook this edition. Plenty of notes regarding coaching hires and changes, athletic decisions per COVID-19, Regional Ranking updates, and much more.

Dave also takes the time to say goodbye to Chris Wenzler, Sports Information Director at John Carroll University, who lost his 26-month battle with cancer. This month's show is dedicated in his honor.

You can listen to the podcast here: https://bit.ly/38i86Nc

Hoopsville (http://www.d3hoopsville.com) broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2020-21 when we will restart the video shows.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to interact with the show, feel free to send them to hoopsville@d3sports.com or use any of the social media options available.

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts, choose your favorite avenue to listen and/or subscribe via the the following four avenues (click on the images when necessary):
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville


 
   
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We also have the podcast now on Tune-In (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/Hoopsville-p1153539/) and others coming. We will update them once we have better abilities to do so.

Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville (http://www.twitter.com/d3hoopsville) or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3sports.com
Hoopsville Season Archive: www.team1sports.com/Hoopsville
YouTube: www.youtube.com/d3hoopsville
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: jaybird44 on October 29, 2020, 11:11:11 PM
It seems that I have been the only member of the only (unofficial) fall sport at WashU, with my 100-mile ultramarathon attempt earlier this month to promote the fight for a cure during Rett Syndrome Awareness Month.  That attempt fell a bit short in miles and fundraising, so I'm going into overtime to try and reach $5,000 in donations.

Rett Gets Rocked 50K for $5K will commence Friday, October 30 at 8 pm Central, and end at 8 am Halloween morning.  Counting donations received (thanks to retired WashU men's basketball coach Mark Edwards and his wife Mary, and to Mike McGrath and his  University of Chicago men's basketball program for their donations!) and those yet to be sent and processed, I am at $4,440.53.  Very, very close to my goal...which will fund a researcher's work for a month.  Wouldn't it be cool if he or she cracked the code for a cure of Rett syndrome, on our dime?!

I reached 86 miles in my "Rett Gets Rocked Virtual Ultra Weekend" October 3-4.  I'm very proud of that result, but there's more work to be done.  Proceeds from the event will be split between Rettsyndrome.org (the only national organization spearheading research and providing resources for affected patients and their families) and the Rett Spectrum Clinic--a collaboration between the WashU School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Rett syndrome is a rare, non-inherited neurological disorder that is caused by a gene mutation in the brain.  It primarily affects girls (1 in every 10,000 girls develop Rett).  It strikes typically when a child is 6-18 months old, and it has the characteristics of ALS, autism, epilepsy, and Parkinson's...all rolled into one sinister disorder.  It takes away the child's ability to move and communicate. 

In essence, Rett does to a child what Lucy in the "Peanuts" comic strip does to Charlie Brown when he tries to kick the football that she is holding.  The only difference is that Charlie Brown can get back up to try again.  Those who are afflicted with Rett syndrome don't get another chance to enjoy a vibrant life.

Researchers are working to re-engineer the gene mutation that turns on Rett, so it can be forever turned off.  Four drug therapies are in the FDA review pipeline, with one (trofanitide) one level away from review.  And, iPad tablets with retinal scan technology are giving those with Rett a voice they haven't had since they were toddlers.

The full court press on Rett is paying off.  You can help keep the pressure on Rett, by going to my Rett Racers donation page:  https://rettracer.everydayhero.com/us/rett-gets-rocked-2020

Thanks for your time and consideration, and hopefully there will be basketball to play and broadcast at the start of 2021!

Jay Murry
Play-By-Play Announcer, Washington University in St. Louis
Event Director, Rett Gets Rocked 50K for $5K
Title: Re: NCAC
Post by: Jester1390 on November 01, 2020, 11:40:27 PM
Jay

it looks like rose-hulman might be trying to be in the washington U tournament I heard they might be having a bubble for multiple teams to come. Do you know anything on where they are at.
Title: Re: WBB: North Coast Athletic Conference
Post by: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 24, 2022, 05:24:40 PM
(https://cdn.prestosports.com/action/cdn/img/mw=710/cr=n/d=7twpu/z39bugp32053poh2.jpg)

Thursday on Hoopsville, we catch up with a number of teams which realize they have to keep winning this week if they want to keep playing next week. "There is no more next game ..."

There are plenty of guests to talk to, so we are jamming them into a super-sized show. Some have quietly emerged on top, or near the top, of their conference races and hope to use home court advantage to win an automatic bid. Others knowing they have to win to make sure to keep playing this season. And one coach who shows that there is a lot of things that are important during basketball season.


Guests include (order subject to change):

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the NABC Studio. All guests appear on the BlueFrame Technology (http://www.blueframetech.com) Hoopsville Hotline.

Watch the show here: www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2021-22/feb24