d3wbbfan - To paraphrase from Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man...you're an excellent poster.

Yes indeed, that was a long post...but a good one.

I will, however, disagree with you about the me first play of Zwecker.  The statistics just don't bear you out, nor does the thought that the first years are the best three point shooters on the team.  Assist to turnover ratio aside (and Zwecker and Pritchard have the only positive ones on the team), Zwecker is also, as mentioned previously, the overall leader in assists while playing significantly fewer minutes than Renner...43% fewer minutes, actually.  Also, she is the leading three point shooter, statistically, by a long shot (pun intended).  She has taken 1 shot for every 5.15 minutes she has played, versus 1 every 4.77 minutes for Renner.  (And I am not picking on Renner, just using her for comparison).  Oh yeah, and she has nearly the same number of total rebounds as Renner, all in the reduced minutes.  While statistics don't play the game, they certainly are very good indicators of how the game is being played...that's why they are kept.

As far as Savannah Holness goes I think it is a bit unfair to single her out for not being able to guard two post players at once, and be the last line of defense for the coast to coast runs of the point guard.  Seriously?  Who wasn't she responsible for covering?  Under Gromacki's system in years past you either played tight defense on your "man", or you sat down.  He does not teach a help style of defense.  In fact you ran the risk of being pulled if you dropped off to help, and left your player alone.  That was just the way it was.  But...he also doesn't make adjustments to his defense when, like on Sunday, the team is getting beat inside.  Berube out coached him.

Four NESCAC teams make the tournament.  Tufts, Amherst, Bowdoin and Williams.  The first three are all in the same bracket with Tufts and Bowdoin hosting.  Amherts goes to Hartwick to play Springfield College, and Williams travels to Scranton to play Vassar.

I said this last year, and I'll say it again now.  Haley Zwecker can flat out play.  Why she has been relegated to coming off the bench is beyond me.  She is an excellent ball handler...She and Cheyenne Pritchard are the only guards on the team with fewer turnovers than assists.  Plus, she has the most assists on the team...while only playing 16 minutes per game.  As was already mentioned, she is their leading 3 point shooter.  And I don't believe her lack of time is due to any disciplinary reason.  I just don't get it.

Of course, I am not the college coach with the highest winning percentage in history, so...what do I know?

I was only able to watch the 2nd half of the Tufts/Amherst game.  Just a couple of quick observations.  Tufts was clearly the better team.  They killed Amherst on the boards, and while I understand the theory that you dance with the one that brought you to the dance, Gromacki's man to man defense was not getting it done.  IMO, an adjustment should have been made.  Also, it puzzles me why Haley Zwecker has ridden the bench so much this year.

Anyway...on to the NCAA's.

Unrelated note, but one that reminds us all of why these young women truly are special on the court and in the classroom...Jasmine Hardy (Amherst '13), while logging the most minutes in DIII this season, just learned that she will be graduating Magna Cum Laude, and has been named a Fulbright Scholar.  A great way to cap a great college career.

Wow.  It is easy to pick nits from the couch, but up 12 with 3 minutes to play, you've got to win that game.  The Amherst women played well above expectations all season.  They should be very proud of their accomplishments.  I agree with the earlier poster.  Up three, seconds remain, foul the dribbler.

But again.  Congratulations ladies.  You had a great year that you should be proud of.

I did actually talk a little bit with Sarah's mom last night.  It is always nice to see the graduates return.  Unfortunately, I will not be there tonight.  They'll have to muddle through without me.

Well, that game was a little closer than I like them.  While Amherst never trailed, and in my eyes were clearly the better team, there was a 4 or 5 minute stretch (maybe longer) from the middle to the later part of the second half where they just couldn't put Tufts away.  And, to Tufts credit, they never gave less than 100%.  It was a tense game to watch.  As with most of these games I think the refs did a decent job, most of the time.  There were some questionable calls both ways as there always are. 

Amherst had a little bit of foul trouble in the first half, but Savannah Holness and Haley Zwecker came in and did a really nice job while they were out there.  Marcia Voigt and Jasmine Hardy played all 40 minutes.  Four media timeouts make that a lot more do-able than normal.  In looking at the season stats, Jasmine Hardy should go over 1,000 minutes for the season.  That is a lot of basketball.

Williams squeaked it out against Ithaca...in overtime.  So the Elite Eight has two NESCAC teams still alive.  If they each win their next two games, it will be an all NESCAC final.  That would be cool.  But first, Amherst has to get by Widener today, and Williams gets Whitman.  Good luck, ladies.

I will do that...the saying hi part, not the funny hat part.  I will be on the parents side. 

If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise, I'm planning on watching the Amherst/Tufts rematch in person tonight.  If Amherst plays D like they did against Williams in the NESCAC finals they should have the upper hand.

Maine1 - Amherst's winning streak at LeFrak started January 31, 2009 with a 65-64 win over Colby.  Also, the depth is less of an issue during the tournament as the games are loaded with media timeouts...4 per half.  Foul trouble would be the biggest depth issue.

7Express - I think #2 may be the more likely answer.  The almighty $ wins again.

Amh63 - It has been nice to see the Amherst FY's get some playing time these last two games.  I do think they are true FY's still, though.  They didn't get much burn during the regular season.  I am a big fan of Haley Zwecker.  That young lady is one slick ball handler.  I was introduced to her and Cheyenne Pritchard after the Williams game.  They are both very nice kids...as they all are I suppose.  I thanked Haley for hanging in there this year, and I got the impression she gets it.  It has to be tough for these FY's as the vast majority of them were the stars that never came off the court in high school, and now they have to start all over again.  Their reward will come a lot quicker than it did for others.  There are no Juniors on this team.  They should all see major minutes next year.  It has certainly been fun to watch over these past three years that I've been paying attention.

Cheyenne, having started all year is a different story.  I think they'll be fine next year.  Meghan and Savannah will be Juniors.  Savannah has certainly proven she can play.  Cheyenne and Haley will do well.  I haven't seen much of the others, but what I have seen looks good.  None of them panic.  If they bring in a few more recruits, and maybe a transfer...who knows?

It has just been announced.  Amherst will host.  Williams will also host.  Hope will not, perhaps because the final 4 is there?

My assumption is that if Amherst beats Tufts, they would host the quarterfinals, as Catholic would have been the other potential #1 in the bracket.  I'll let you know if I get any official word that I can share.