Quote from: deiscanton on January 07, 2025, 01:11:49 PM

Quote from: BaboNation on January 07, 2025, 12:01:48 PM

Quote from: WPI89 on January 07, 2025, 08:46:02 AMBabo - impressive - the NEWMAC will be fun - I hope we can return to a multibid conference.

It's going to be tough.  Adding the 9th team to the NEWMAC (which I was against) and then having the introduction of the NPI (which I like somewhat) reinforces the need for all teams to recruit better, schedule tougher, and win meaningful games.
Right now Babson and WPI rank 12 and 15 out of 21 potential Pool C bids.  I can't see either team feeling comfortable losing 3 more in the regular season and feeling good about their chances.  Even losing 2 more might depend on who you lose to.  Clark needs the AQ (really got hurt by Taylor being out).

Based on D3Datacast's mock run of last season's NPI numbers, both Babson and WPI would need to increase their NPI rating a few more points during conference play to either 62 or 63 to have a good chance at securing an at-large bid.  Unofficially, last year's cut line for at-large bid 21 would have been 61.18 accoring to D3Datacast. 

Some of that will take care of itself with an improvement in the winning percentage.  Looking at Babson, I could see them finishing anywhere from 18-7 to 20-5.  Their current 7-4 record, while average, comes with a Massey #6 SOS (not the official SOS).  18-7 probably means Babson needs to win the AQ. 19-6 might need a NEWMAC semi win.  20-5 should just be a matter of tournament seeding.
But Babson has a better road right now than WPI, and Clark or anyone else is going to need the AQ.

Quote from: WPI89 on January 07, 2025, 08:46:02 AMBabo - impressive - the NEWMAC will be fun - I hope we can return to a multibid conference.

It's going to be tough.  Adding the 9th team to the NEWMAC (which I was against) and then having the introduction of the NPI (which I like somewhat) reinforces the need for all teams to recruit better, schedule tougher, and win meaningful games.
Right now Babson and WPI rank 12 and 15 out of 21 potential Pool C bids.  I can't see either team feeling comfortable losing 3 more in the regular season and feeling good about their chances.  Even losing 2 more might depend on who you lose to.  Clark needs the AQ (really got hurt by Taylor being out).

Fantastic game with Babson winning in 2OT.

In their last 5 wins Babson has beaten

Brandeis (A) 5-0 at the time
WPI (H) 8-0
Case Western (N)
Wooster (A) 11-0
Trinity (H) 11-0

So proud of the squad.

Now on to the NEWMAC.

Now that was really impressive.

On paper WPI had no business going into Tufts gym and playing that well.  The matchups (particularly Bernstein and Gyimesi) didn't look favorable.

But no team in the NEWMAC is more fundamentally sound year after year than WPI (he said grudgingly).  Hounding defensive, without fouling; limiting the opposition to 1 shot; don't turn the ball over; force turnovers; solid point guard play, etc. etc.
All credit to coach Bartley.  And these guys all hit the gym.

My eyes saw a Tufts team that was unprepared to face a zone defense when it was used, and never really fully adjusted.  Looked like Bernstein was very frustrated.  WPI has always had size inside, but this year's team has more quickness and the double and triple teams down low came quick and caused havoc.

The guards on WPI looked quicker all game.  They can all put the ball on the floor and are good spot up shooters.  Callahan (like others) was giving the same up-fake on the perimeter and getting into the lane consistently.  Grad xfer Margetson is a perfect fit to their system.  Tim Reidy has come out of nowhere in his senior season.
Bledsoe has unlimited range it seems.  And junior JR Newman hasn't played yet this season.

This WPI team has been transformed from the offensive style of the last 10 years or so.  Gone (mostly) is the guy on the low block working back to the basket.  This team will shoot more 3's (by far I think) than the others.  And with Morelli playing the 5, but capable at the arc it opens the floor for cuts and other options.

Things might be different in a tournament rematch, but tonight was a signature win.  Now I just want WPI to get past Salve Regina so that they come to Babson Park next Saturday undefeated.

Tough to see Babson bow out, especially with another loss in PKs, but very proud of the squad.  Congratulations to Middlebury.  They earned it, and if it had to end with a loss I'm grateful for all Tim Peng contributed to the green and white.

Quote from: WPI89 on November 21, 2024, 08:54:40 PMBledsoe 3 with 14 seconds gets WPI past Salem State, and to 5-0!

Good stuff WPI89.  I was on Bledsoe early last year - thought he was best of a large FY class.

Some conference rosters are out.

Babson: https://babsonathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Clark: https://clarkathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Coast Guard: https://coastguardathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster

Salve Regina: https://salveathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Springfield: https://springfieldcollegepride.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

WPI: https://athletics.wpi.edu/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Speaking about Babson, there are some milestones and records that are within reach.  Coach Brennan begins his 30th season.  He's 19 wins away from #500, but given the challenging non-conference schedule I think he'll need at least one postseason NEWMAC win to get there.
Also a 7th NEWMAC championship would break the current tie with MIT.  Lastly, no team has won the conference 3 consecutive years (Babson has won the last 2).

The Babson roster numbers 19, an increase of 5 over last year, and given recent injury history much needed.  Coach Brennan called last year's injuries the most challenging of his career, often having to conduct non-contact practices.

There are 2 grad xfers this year:  Kloman from D1 Brown and Stoddard from Williams.  I think the team will have more pure point guard depth (albeit some FYs) than any time I can remember. 

Some of the FYs come with "rankings".  I don't put much stock in those.  There's too much continual work that needs to be done to be prepared for success at the next level. Not knocking the rating services.

The coaches rankings give a slight edge for Babson over Clark, with WPI @ 3.  Until I can see live action that sounds about right.  I'll be a broken record, but if MIT brings everyone back healthy the top of the conference could get very interesting.

Quote from: nescac1 on October 09, 2024, 09:27:26 AMHe is a great addition as an off-ball threat for Babson if he remains at full health.  He was understandably VERY rusty at the start of the season after an extremely long layoff from hoops, but was more and more impactful as the season went along.  He can get his shot off (due to size and insanely quick release) anytime he wants, no matter how tightly guarded, and when he is feeling it can really pour it on.  He's also effective as a back-door cutter. Over his last 13 games against a very tough slate of competition (including three NCAA games and Trinity twice) he shot 43 percent from 3 which was in line with his career average.  He should be very effective playing off Nate Amado and big-time transfer Felix Kloman. 

I agree 100% with his skill set you've described it.  But the Williams website lists his career 3 pct. at .352.  How is that close to 43 percent?  What am I missing?

Alex Stoddard is enrolled in grad school at Babson.  While I can't confirm that he'll be on the basketball roster (not yet released) it seems likely (and I'm trying to double-source my mole).  He's also got a strong start as a music producer so it should be a win-win for the young man at a business school.
He'll be in a logjam for the wing shooter position, but I can see 15-20 minutes per game depending on if his shot is dropping.  Not likely to have the impact that Baxter had as a grad xfer last year.

And credit to Nescac1 who was on this rumor earlier this summer.

Quote from: smoova on October 02, 2024, 04:14:23 PM

Quote from: BaboNation on October 02, 2024, 02:47:21 PMI don't know about other conferences, but as a fan of the NEWMAC the first year of the contract under FloSports has been a net negative.  I swore I wouldn't pay for the service, but my addiction got the best of me so I signed up for the special NEWMAC all-sports package.

My experience:

The "technical difficulties" have increased dramatically - exponentially really.  And you never really know whether you should wait for the "we're working on it" to be resolved or restart the feed, which if you do so you've got a commercial to suffer through.

You really need to use the app, because the browser version is extra fluky and doesn't support IOS from what their CS told me.

Not as easy as it used to be to toggle between games with multiple tabs open.  Now it's one at a time, and again, a commercial before the match.

The Customer Service is slow to respond (best to use the chat).

The ability to save Favorites is clunky.

My understanding (I could be wrong) was that all equipment (and cameramen?) would be supplied by FS, with the announcers (if any) supplied by the team(s).
I haven't seen any improvement in camera coverage/technology.

Other than that, everything is fantastic.  I know this is the trend, but pray your favorite conference doesn't get FS.

As the parent of a 2025 committed to a NEWMAC school, this makes me queasy ...

I don't want to be unduly critical.  It sounds like things are running better in other Flo conferences, so maybe it's mostly Year 1 transition pains. 

Good luck to your son or daughter!

Quote from: Kuiper on October 02, 2024, 12:18:04 PM

Quote from: SKUD on October 02, 2024, 10:14:02 AMThe camera is on a structure where the frame of the structure blocks
The view.

Thanks.  I've seen something similar at a few other schools, although usually just blocking the extreme corners and not as far into the field as Tufts.  The camera could toggle back and forth between the left and right side of the post and still see field, so it actually obscured action on the field rather than just the run up for the corner kick.  It felt a little like the Farmers Insurance "winning view" commercial when the ball was on the left side of one goal and the right side of the other.

I've noticed a couple of schools are using technologically advanced solutions to this problem of not being able to see the angles well.  Pomona-Pitzer and UC Santa Cruz now use a drone to show overhead shots of all corner and free kicks (and P-P didn't even have the kind of extreme blind spots other schools have).  Others use a second camera behind the goal.  It may be that the FloSports contract is helping in some cases (for P-P for instance), which would help to justify the price.

I don't know about other conferences, but as a fan of the NEWMAC the first year of the contract under FloSports has been a net negative.  I swore I wouldn't pay for the service, but my addiction got the best of me so I signed up for the special NEWMAC all-sports package.

My experience:

The "technical difficulties" have increased dramatically - exponentially really.  And you never really know whether you should wait for the "we're working on it" to be resolved or restart the feed, which if you do so you've got a commercial to suffer through.

You really need to use the app, because the browser version is extra fluky and doesn't support IOS from what their CS told me.

Not as easy as it used to be to toggle between games with multiple tabs open.  Now it's one at a time, and again, a commercial before the match.

The Customer Service is slow to respond (best to use the chat).

The ability to save Favorites is clunky.

My understanding (I could be wrong) was that all equipment (and cameramen?) would be supplied by FS, with the announcers (if any) supplied by the team(s).
I haven't seen any improvement in camera coverage/technology.

Other than that, everything is fantastic.  I know this is the trend, but pray your favorite conference doesn't get FS.

Well, Babson sure did get a familiar and prominent name as an AC.

The GOAT is back.  Not sure why he stepped away from a nice job at Villanova, but I love the idea of having him back on campus.

Welcome home Joey!

https://babsonathletics.com/news/2024/8/28/flannery-returns-to-babson-as-mens-basketball-associate-head-coach.aspx

Babson's 24-25 schedule is out very early.  They've loaded up their 9 OOC games big time, and 6 are on the road/neutral court (tournaments @ NYU and Wooster).  And the AM home game is the night before Thanksgiving and the Trinity game is during winter break, so I don't expect a lot of home court support.

While things change year to year I'd expect to see both Case Western and Trinity in the preseason top-10.

Babson also lost 2 assistant coaches in the offseason, so this will make the challenge even greater.

Here are those games with final Massey & D3Hoops rankings from 23-24:

NYU (A) (13,17)
Ithaca (N) (158,n/a)
St. Joseph's CT. (A) (26,27)
UM-Dartmouth (A) (151,n/a)
Albertus Magnus (H) (68,n/a)
Brandeis (A) (77,n/a)
Case Western (N) (9,11)
Wooster* (A) (62,n/a)
Trinity (H) (2,4)

* Assumes Wooster beats Pitt-Bradford in the opener of their holiday tournament

https://babsonathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

So proud of the Babson squad in what has been a truly challenging season.

With back-to-back conference championships they are now tied with MIT at 6 for the most all-time.  And in both championships they had to go on the road to beat the #1 and #2 seeds.  Going to the NCAA  tournament 4 years in a row also ties a program record.

It certainly didn't look promising as recently as 7 days ago with Amado out of action since January 20th and more player games missed due to injury than any in recent memory.  In one stretch they lost a starter per game in 3 straight outings and were forced to use guys like Parker Mason who himself is still working his way back.

So while watching some horrid performances against the bottom of the league, including blowout  losses by 68-38 @ Salve Regina, and 90-54 @ Springfield I struggled to stay confident that the season could be salvaged.  That said, I think when Timmy O'Toole (top rebounder) was lost for 9 games during the holiday Wisconsin trip coach Brennan probably figured at 5-5 Pool C was looking like a long shot, even though their year-end SOS was something like 10th in the country, so get the team healthy and ready for late February.  Brennan, Dorney, et al deserve all the accolades for getting this team in peak form at the right time and the postseason game plans were superb.

The usual stars deserve the lion's share of attention, but I want to single out some lesser known players who really played well down the stretch.

David Cross:  The best defensive guard on the roster had trouble staying on the court because he seemed to lose his offensive game and that in turn affected his overall play.  While never a top scorer, he was missing open looks by wide margins.  But when the calendar flipped to February he was back and his contribution on both ends was outstanding.  The job he did defending Taylor in the final was a key to victory.  30+ mpg in the 3 postseason games, when he hadn't done that once all season speaks for itself.

Tyler Lauder:  He held his own against the best 2 conference bigs in back-to-back games (Adams & McArdle).  Still just a sophomore, his offense needs work, but he denied and frustrated both guys for long stretches when it counted.  That he almost matched McArdle point for point (8 vs. 10) was an unexpected plus.

Timmy O'Toole:  Best rebounder, 2nd in steals, rotates in coverage at every position but the point.  You can overlook all he does until he's gone for 9 games and you wonder why we can't grab a rebound or shut down a forward inside.  And, like Lauder, just a sophomore.

NeJohn Fortes:  The most anticipated FY recruit, he didn't see action til mid-season due to a knee injury, but he's already worked his way into the rotation.  He provides depth for the forwards with wingspan and hops that surprise the opposition.  He looks like he's still adjusting to his dramatic increase in height (listed at 6'6") but he's a 3-level threat that is somewhat rare beyond Baxter and Amado.

Not to criticize the different D3 experts who gave Babson a small chance at the championship (the mathematical models gave them something like a 6-8% chance, and game-by-game losses by double digits) but you'd have to know that the first time they had Baxter-Amado-O'Toole-Lauder-Cross-Fortes all available at the same time was game #1 of the postseason.

Hey WPI89,

For sure the WPI defense showed up in this one.

Belated congrats to your squad.  I remarked in my last post how similar this year has started for Babson compared to last year.  Then the similarities got even eerier.
Last year Amado missed the first game between the two teams, and he was out again on Saturday.  And the final score (61-49) was the exact score of that first meeting last year.  Amado's absence might not have changed the L to a W, but at present there's no reason to believe Babson can beat top competition like WPI without him.

Again, points in the paint were a huge factor (edge WPI).  And both Callahan and Sevilla were able to penetrate to create opportunities.  Lufkin was back for his first game in limited minutes.  His experience should help.  I think Bledsoe is going to be a terrific player going forward.  His setup and stroke on the 3 is as technically sound as I've seen in recent years, and when you factor in that he's only a FY, that he can create space for his shot, and that he's canning shots in crunch time, he could have a great career.
Adams looks better than ever.  He's great at setting up down low;  he's very good at the pick and roll off the high post;  and he cleans the defensive boards while being a force on the offensive boards as well.  And he clearly loves hitting the weight room.