Congrats to Coast Guard as NEWMAC champs and to members of the NEWMAC POY, 1st, and 2nd teams. wow - POY voting sure kept the controversy going between JB and AC!

I must rally to the defense of Springfield (hey I am Pridefan) and question why they weren't better represented beyond Gibbs.  Nothing against Prebeck, but just check his NEWMAC only stats (their non-conference schedule is a cupcake compared to Springfield ( Williams, Trinity, RIC twice..) and he trails Daly for example in almost every category(who led the Pride in scoring,rebounding,blocked shots,FT's) and who outplayed Prebeck handily in their matchups.

Oh well, glad NEWMAC has 2 teams in the dance and wish them well!

Aw come on T990, don't leave me hanging....which NEWMAC team did you feel was attempting to make it a wrestling match/....

You don't know anything about Craig Johnson as a person , you weren't there, you didn't even see it - I enjoy your posts but am disappointed you would play judge and jury.

I'm a Springfield fan so defending CGA / C. Johnson is not personal for me.  Let's be honest....C. Johnson's foot speed is not quite up to JB's and an awkward collision wouldn't surprise me.  Isn't C. Johnson the guy who didn"t play last year because he took a year off to go somewhere on a faith based trip?...doesn't sound to me like a dirty player. Again, not my guy...

As for the below quote - You've never seen somebody get hit or undercut, fall awkwardly, and have their head bounce off the floor?...we've all seen it happen. We just don't know the medical outcome.

Quote from: baseballguy on Yesterday at 03:45:02 pm
I But I have honestly never heard of anyone at any level getting a severe concussion in a basketball game (I have played a lot of basketball, I played in the UAA in undergrad, I was a grad assitant in the NEWMAC for a year, I am a big college and NBA fan), I just cannot fathom how somebody would land "akwardly" and get a severe concussion.   

Quote from: LyonFan on February 26, 2008, 09:45:43 PM
>>Babson-Springfield is a real toss up, but if forced I go with Springfield - a lot depends on how the game is officiated, whether Strawson is allowed to use his arm-bar to creat space in the post.  SO, I say WPI, CGA, Springfield and Wheaton advance.  Others?

I completely agree that the refs will have a huge effect on close matchups....like Babson vs Springfield, Clark vs Wheaton.  Last time, it was comical how inconsistent they were and several players both ways got foul trouble.

I agree with your predictions.  CGA depends heavily on the 3 ball and I don't see them as consistent as Coppola for example so don't be surprised if they stumble if somebody extends their D and has widebodies to bother Johnson/Prebeck.

Quote from: LyonFan on February 21, 2008, 06:37:42 PM
I could not tell if WPI was that good or my Lyons were that dysfunctional, but that was the worst drubbing I have ever seen, at any level.  It seemed like the few shots WPI missed they managed to get the offensive board, while Wheaton was experimenting with the Duke spread offense, which ended up in a lot of (futile) one-on-one attempts

LyonFan - your post made me check the score and boxscore for Wheaton vs WPI.  Wow - just throw that one away and hopefully they can forget about it and play well in the tourney (like they did yesterday in another tough close loss ).

The Pride lost to CGA yesterday because they basically left the guards WIDE open for 3's. Give CGA's credit - they nailed 'em. Sowers and Johnson shot 9 of 16 from beyond the arc and scored 20 and 22 respectively. CGA's front line didn't do a lot but they did just enough.

Now its Pride vs Babson at Babson. Last time, we were without Blackmon for the entire game and Crean for half of it because of their ejection in the Wheaton game.  With both of them back, hopefully we'll play like we're capable and Brock will adjust to their constant zone D.

Lastly, kudos to the Pride seniors for their recognition at their last home game.  Nice of Brock to start Moreau and both Daly and Gibbs played well.

The Pride gutted out a tough win down the stretch today vs Wheaton after an ugly 2nd half scuffle got Crean and Blackmon tossed for Springfield and Coppola for Wheaton. Credit the Pride bench for stepping up because Strawson and Gibbs were also handicapped by 4 fouls each. Some rookies got thrown right into the fire and did well.

The scuffle started when Crean cut threw the lane and was greeted by Coppola with a raised elbow.  He responded by tossing down Coppola and then everybody swarmed around them.  Apparently Blackmon threw an air punch and got tossed too. It took FOREVER for the refs to make their decisions - makes you wonder if they really saw everything.

Both teams had to finish the last 14 mins without key players.  Once Wheaton got behind, they didn't have the Coppola 3 pt weapon and it showed.  Prior to the ejections, it was a close, tough game.

What is the rule for an ejection - can you play the next game? 

Quote from: atnwriter on February 10, 2008, 08:01:16 PM
Ask, and ye shall receive

http://d3hoops.com/dailydose/2008/02/10/rant-pre-game-music

Thanks - nicely done.

Springfield vs WPI today should be another tough NEWMAC battle. As LyonsFan says often and correctly, anybody can beat anybody in the NEWMAC. 

Quote from: atnwriter on February 10, 2008, 04:27:38 PM
[

Pridefan...I don't have a problem with "Hit the road, Jack" as I think that's done in fun (it's done frequently in the big leagues). I prefer victory celebration songs, but I don't consider this terribly egregious.

I do agree with you regarding some of the language...I was telling the Hoopsville host last night that I thought it was time to write something about this subject for "Around the Nation."

I agree that Hit The Road Jack isn't that terribly aggregious and I didn't bother to post after that one...maybe I was overly sensitive on that one after a close tough loss.

Clark's haltime Rap lyrics left me shaking my head as I looked around at the kids in the stands.  Hopefully, they didn't pay attention.

You have one vote for a reminder article.  Hopefully Clark's AD will read it.

Quote from: LyonFan on February 10, 2008, 03:01:12 PM
<<Babson got a lot of breaks from the officials which, in my opinion, really helped to determine the final outcome.  One official called the last play an and-one, but was over-ruled and it was called a charge.  Wish I had the film to share.  Congrats to Springfield on winning on a last second heave - they used up Wheaton's karma with Clarke, who won on an Alexander 40-footer at the buzzer earlier this season. 

I still say that on any given night, any NEWMAC team is capable of beating any other - although WPI has certainly earned their first place position.

I agree that its a very even league and your point about the officials is especially important since many games will go right down to the wire.  Hope the zebras are on top of their game this year!...games will be determined by calls in the last 2 mins. 

Anybody know how refs are assigned during the tourney?  Hopefully, the best ones are assigned - however they decide "best".

Quote from: Allworld41 on February 10, 2008, 01:44:25 PM
Pride Fan, are you 60 years old?

It's college basketball, it's fun, it's fun to twist the knife a little when you can, the easy answer if you think it's classless is simply "win more"

no one says boo when they lose

I'd say the same thing if we were 20-0 and my team played it......

Plenty of college fans have fun and still show some class....and some don't.

Wheaton down by 22 and coming back to lead?.....they're never out of a game with Coppola's 3 pt weapon.  Box score says he hit 7 0f 13 try's and by now everybody knows what he's capable of .

That must have been a fun game to watch but disappointing to lose after battling back from 22 down.

On a different note, is it just me or are some schools showing incredibly BAD taste with their songs being played during warmups and post game? For example, Wheaton playing "Hit the road jack and don't you come back no more..." when they win is classless, Clark's rap lyrics during yesterdays halftime warmup was downright fowl.  NEWMAC schools have a pre-game announcement about sportmanship by the fans - the schools should look in the mirror and rethink their "music" choices....

WOW - 2OT, 3 buzzer beater win for Springfield over Clark today!

Great comeback win by Dan White buzzer beater to tie in regulation, 2 pt buzzer beater by Gibbs to send into 2nd OT, and half court buzzer beater by Gibbs to win!

Daly was awesome throughout - 31 pts, 18 rebounds - to lead the Pride.

Crean and Gibbs both played well.  Gibbs has 2 game winners in a row - Mr. Clutch!

Nice bench contributions which bodes well for the stretch run. Pride are now 4-4 in NEWMAC and playing well.

Jimmy B was in street clothes last night but nobody knows why he didn't play.

Springfield again played good D holding them to 60 pts.  Admittingly, they're a different team without JB but Soumare had to get his pts from FT's and Johnson had to hit 3's. Mroz shot well from 3 but Crean's driving fouled him out.

Springfield's balanced attack caused problems - especially when Daly got hot in the 2nd half.  Daly and Strawson were tough down low. Gibbs and Crean were tough outside.  They deserved to win but Gibbs had to make a tough driving and 1 layup with 2 secs left to win it.

What a wild Wheaton vs Springfield game yesterday. Lyons race out to 11 - 0 lead and the Pride go on 22 -6 run to lead by 5.  With 12:40 to go Pride are up by 11 only to have Lyons tie it on 1 of 2 FT's with 6 secs left
( absolutely horrible, bail out call I might add - with 6 secs left it shouldn't be a call where everybody's asking "what did he do" ). OK - got that off my chest - I'd be interested in your take on that call.

Lyons raced to quick 4 pt OT lead and nailed 8 0f 8 FT's when needed to gut out a tought win = tough loss for the Pride.

That said, to answer your question - yep, wow that Coppola kid can sure shoot a LONG range 3!  I was impressed - he shot 6 of 8 from 3 and some were WAY out there.  You simply can't let him have an open look even if he's 5 ft behind the arc....live and learn.

As a team, Wheaton made 25 of 28 FT's = Ballgame! Compare that to Springfield only getting 19 FT's, and having 4 of 5 starters with 4 or more fouls - that hurts.

Answer to your last question about starters looking tired - 3 guys played 41 mins, another 39, and the last 35. YUP, they worked their butts off so I give them credit.

Fun game to watch and can't wait for the rematch.

Thanks for the feedback on Wheaton.  DiGionna coming back should help ( and I'm glad he's recovered so he can finish out his sr year  - he, and everyone, deserves a good finish ).

Starting 3 frosh is tough for a while - that probably explains a lot about their struggles despite Coppola's great stats.  3 frosh starters and keeping turnovers usually don't go together....if Springfield had more depth, I'd say throw a press at those frosh guards!

You're right about anybody in the NEWMAC winning on any given night. Springfield's been in every game and looking more confident each night. Coach Brock seems more upbeat this year too!