MBB: NESCAC

D3BBALL · February 15, 2026, 02:42:10 PM

Bates hanging in against Tufts. Down 6 at half. Pouye needs to come alive in 2nd half, pretty much a non factor in first half.

deiscanton · February 15, 2026, 09:25:56 PM

Quote from: NEhoops on February 06, 2026, 03:51:46 PMDoes the Northeast region seem down this year?

Per NPI - UAA (1) and NESCAC (2) are the top conferences.

Looks like the following are the only non-NESCAC teams in the at-large conversation:

Endicott - I think they are in even if they don't win the CNE tournament; beat Tufts early in the season and lost to Colby

WPI - trending in the right direction for an at-large regardless of the NEWMAC tournament results; lost to Tufts and beat Middlebury; beat Babson twice

Babson - Also in the NEWMAC and just behind WPI per the NPI rankings; beat Tufts and lost to Trinity; beat Brandeis

Brandeis - I likely see them playing themselves out of the at-large conversation; they still have a tough UAA stretch of Emory, Chicago, Wash U and NYU; beat Bowdoin and lost to Conn

NEHoops-- As of February 15, 2026, your prediction of Brandeis playing themselves out of the at-large conversation seems very spot on right now. Not only because of your tough stretch predicted, but also because Brandeis got grinded up alive by the last 4 consecutive UAA road games that they just played. Brandeis needed to go at least 2-2 or 3-1 in the last 4 UAA games just concluded to remain realistically in the playoff conversation-- however, Brandeis has just lost the last 2 Sunday road games at CWRU and at Rochester-- one of which based on previous seasons the Judges should have won. Brandeis was favored at both CWRU and at Rochester, but got upset in both games. CWRU and Rochester had no realistic shot of making the tournament and were only playing the role of spoilers to cut down the number of at-large bids that the UAA was going to get.

With Friday's road loss at Emory, Brandeis went 1-3 in the UAA in the past 2 weeks, and is now on their longest losing streak of the season at 3 games lost in a row. Given the UAA, it wouldn't be too surprising if Brandeis lost out the remainder of the season like they did last year when the Judges also lost the last 3 games of the regular season as well. If that situation repeats itself, Brandeis would end the season on a 6 game losing streak.

As of this evening's projections, D3Datacast has the UAA only getting 3.33 at-large bids, with Brandeis only getting an at-large bid in 345 of the 1,000 end of season computer simulations. Brandeis, according to D3Datacast is now at NPI rank position #40 with an unofficial NPI value of 60.631-- among the first 4 out teams right now.

http://d3datacast.com/conference-ratings/UAA

The same D3Datacast run also has NESCAC getting 3.96 at-large bids. Trinity (CT), Tufts, Wesleyan, and Amherst are safely in, with Bates getting an at-large bid in 865 of the 1,000 computer simulations in which Bates lost in next week's NESCAC quarterfinals. Should Bates win next Saturday, Bates gets an at-large bid in all computer simulations right now. Bates is currently at NPI rank #32 with an NPI value of 62.134, according to D3Datacast, which would get it the 16th at-large pick if selections were made today:

http://d3datacast.com/conference-ratings/nescac

See also, for current D3Datacast DIII men's basketball unofficial tournament projections--

http://d3datacast.com/NPI/mbb-projections

CWM_42 · February 16, 2026, 11:33:04 AM

I have a question for the Bates crowd. The announcer said during yesterday's Tufts-Bates game that the Bobcats will be playing at Underhill Arena next season. What is the reasoning behind this? Thank you.

D3BBALL · February 16, 2026, 12:12:52 PM

Quote from: CWM_42 on February 16, 2026, 11:33:04 AMI have a question for the Bates crowd. The announcer said during yesterday's Tufts-Bates game that the Bobcats will be playing at Underhill Arena next season. What is the reasoning behind this? Thank you.

I believe they are doing renovations.

lumbercat · February 16, 2026, 12:18:39 PM

Bates will be beginning construction on a new athletic/fitness facility which be connected to Alumni Gym. It was decided that the character of Alumni Gym should be preserved but renovated. Bates will play in Underhill Hockey Arena next year which will be converted for Basketball while the renovation project for Alumni Gym commences.

CWM_42 · February 16, 2026, 12:20:08 PM

Thank you.

lumbercat · February 16, 2026, 12:24:32 PM

New Bates President VERY supportive of Athletics.

nescac1 · February 16, 2026, 12:57:44 PM

Glad to hear Bates is preserving alumni gym. I imagine they find a way to increase fan capacity, but I also hope they maintain as much as possible one of the coolest environments in D3 hoops.

Nescac indoor athletics facilities are definitely undergoing a major collective upgrade over the past few years and on into the next ten.

D3BALL13 · February 16, 2026, 01:36:39 PM

Watched Tufts vs Bates in person yesterday. Bates played them very well, but had some crucial mistakes to close out the game. I am not sure what the play calls were down the stretch but that could have very well costed them an at large bid depending on how next week goes. Babacar is talented but seems out of rhythm at times, especially against teams that can match his size. Tufts is very good and love to play through Gyimesi and Bernstein in the post. I do feel like they lack that go to scorer which could hurt them ion the NESCAC and NCAA tourney, but who knows, with that size and athleticism they can match up against anyone.

D3BBALL · February 16, 2026, 02:53:27 PM

Quote from: D3BALL13 on February 16, 2026, 01:36:39 PMWatched Tufts vs Bates in person yesterday. Bates played them very well, but had some crucial mistakes to close out the game. I am not sure what the play calls were down the stretch but that could have very well costed them an at large bid depending on how next week goes. Babacar is talented but seems out of rhythm at times, especially against teams that can match his size. Tufts is very good and love to play through Gyimesi and Bernstein in the post. I do feel like they lack that go to scorer which could hurt them ion the NESCAC and NCAA tourney, but who knows, with that size and athleticism they can match up against anyone.

Yes it was a fun game to watch. As the announcers for the game said, when Tufts was able to get Bates to play half court offense, they had a hard time against the tufts defense. When they ran or got the ball up the court quickly Bates seemed to have the advantage. Question a number of coaching decisions by Bates. O'Leary was their best player on both ends in the second half, yet never really touched the ball the last 5 minutes. Pouye should not be getting the ball 20+ feet from the hoop, he was much better when he started on the block or foul line. Bates fought back from either 14 or 11 point deficit in the 2nd half to take a 3 point lead with less than 5 minutes to go. They then had 2 opportunities to increase the lead, missed both, then a foul on a make, game tied, they never recovered. Use a time out. Bates coach needs to play his best players the last 5 minutes. Did design a nice play for Coyne off inbounds play, that would have been for the lead with a minute to go.

Might be just like last year, no quarter final upsets.
Bates at Amherst and they have never won their, 0-18 changes. Yikes.
Wesleyan going to be looking for payback against Conn.
Tufts too physical for Colby. Civello will need to have a 20+ point game along with 12+ rebounds.
Trinity just blew out Bowdoin. Bowdoin will probably have to play their best game, even that might not be enough. A bowdoin player was ejected from the game, either for fighting or flagrant foul, with all their injuries not going to help if he is suspended for the next game. He gives them some size off the bench. Does anyone know the rules??

NEhoops · February 16, 2026, 03:32:19 PM

deiscanton - I hope I didn't speak it into existence. The UAA (like the NESCAC) is such a difficult league. Every game is valuable, and a win or two would definitely move them up the board.

Contrary to the simulations, I still feel like the season will be over for the loser of the Amherst/Bates game. I hope for the sake of the league that I'm wrong and they both get in.

If they lose to Amherst on Saturday, Bates will have lost 4 of their final 5 games.

Stickthe3 · February 17, 2026, 10:46:03 AM

Now that the regular season is over, here are my league awards:

First team
Henry Vetter, Trinity
Jarrel Okorougo, Trinity
Ray Cuevas, Bowdoin
Zach Wolinski, Wesleyan
Scott Gyimesi, Tufts
Sam Pohlman, Wesleyan
Dan Civello, Colby

Second team
Babacar Pouye, Bates
James LaFrance, Conn College
Elias Chin, Amherst
Drew Lazarre, Trinity
Jon Medley, Tufts
Dylan Reilly, Tufts
Elias Espinosa, Conn College

Player of the Year
Henry Vetter, Trinity. This really comes down to the fact I think he is the best player on one of the best teams in the league/country. He does everything well and is the catalyst for that team. It was a toss up between him and Okorougo, but I think Vetter does a little bit more overall so I'm going with HV with JO getting DPOY.

Defensive Player of the Year
Jarrel Okorougo, Trinity

Rookie of the Year
KJ Neville, Amherst

Coach of the Year
Joe Reilly, Wesleyan

For POTY, I could not give it to Cuevas, who is an unbelievable offensive talent but was on a 5-5 team and the 6 seed. I think there is certainly a team element that is necessary for that award. He would be my Offensive Player of the Year if the award was given.

The last 3 on the second team could be fluid with other honorable mention guys such as Poulton, Coyne, Watson, Hammond among some others.

My player of the year rankings would go:
1. Vetter
2. Okorougo
3. Gyimesi
4. Cuevas

nescac1 · February 17, 2026, 11:09:28 AM

I agree with Stickthe3's first team selections. Pouye is a VERY tough omission, but I think with Civello's late-season surge I'd agree that he edges out Pouye for the last spot.

The second team will definitely feature some surprises behind Lazarre, Chin, Pouye and Espinosa, who I think are locks (or with Espinosa close to a lock). Chris Hammond, Jackson Rein, Max Poulton, Garrett Keyhani, Josh Bernstein and Brady Coyne all at least warrant some consideration as well and any of them could knock off Medley, Reilly or Lafrance, depending on how the post-season goes. I think Reilly, while a strong three-and-d role player, is a major stretch on an all-league team over, really, any of those guys I listed, with a 10-3-1 stat line on 39/38/58 splits.

I've already made my Cuevas case for POTY. Agree with you on Okorougo, Neville and Reilly. Really good year for coach candidates though, and Sears in particular deserves consideration if Amherst gets to the NESCAC finals. But Reilly coaching Wesleyan to first place after an up-and-down non-league season and losing two all-American guards is just a remarkable job.

D3BBALL · February 17, 2026, 12:35:12 PM

Here are mine, little different on each team:

Can't put either Pouye or Civello on first team. Pouye maybe injury set him back but just wasn't consistent enough to be on first team and Civello scored it well, but he is not in the top 20 in rebounding for conference games, sorry can't be the biggest or second biggest player in the league and average only 4 rebounds per game and doesn't affect the game defensively. I moved Lazarre up to first team, could have gone with Reilly as well. Watching Lazarre shut down Cuevas, made the difference.

First team
Henry Vetter, Trinity
Jarrel Okorougo, Trinity
Ray Cuevas, Bowdoin
Zach Wolinski, Wesleyan
Scott Gyimesi, Tufts
Sam Pohlman, Wesleyan
Drew Lazarre, Trinity

Can't put Lafrance on 2nd team, shot 34% from the field and 25% from 3 in conference, just not good enough, especially on the 8th place team. I went with Hauser, Wesleyan deserves a 3rd player and he does a little of everything and shot .500 from the field and 46 from 3, in conference play. Took off Medley and added O'Leary. Watched him play 3 times this year, tough, makes solid decisions, guarded every position and shot 46% from 3, 6th in league in assists, but he is one of about 5 others you could put in.

Second team
Dan Civello, Colby
Babacar Pouye, Bates
Elias Chin, Amherst
Dylan Reilly, Tufts
Elias Espinosa, Conn College
Fritz Hauser, Wesleyan
Sean O'Leary, Bates

Player of the Year
Went with Pohlman, in the 2 biggest games of the year against Tufts and Trinity he was the best player on the court. He is not the best/most talented player in the league, maybe not on his team. But in big games this year he affected the game in the most important category, winning, which for me equates to POY. Vetter and Okorougo right behind Pohlman. I would be OK with any 3 winning.
I agree on Vetter, he is the best/most talented player in the league, and I think he showed what it meant to win this year as took the exact number of shots (10/game) this year in conference play compared to last year, and all his percentages are up. But they came in 3rd in the league. And couldn't beat Wesleyan or Tufts, when they could have won either game.

Defensive Player of the Year
Drew Lazarre or Jarrel Okorougo, Trinity - I'm going with Lazarre. Could be a split vote here, I think Lazarre is going to get votes, either are deserving.
.
Rookie of the Year
KJ Neville, Amherst

Coach of the Year
Marlon Sears, Amherst - No one had this team going 7-3, started 0-2 losing to Trinity and Wesleyan. Totally changed the way he coached, team has little size, they beat Tufts, beat Wesleyan out of conference and almost beat them at Wesleyan. Only bad loss against Williams at Williams. Joe Reilly, (I think is the best coach in the league), had a great year, but I think I had them picked 3rd team preseason. But he has way more talent than Amherst. Sears deserves this. Won't matter what happens in playoffs, as voting is done beforehand.

My player of the year rankings would go:
1A. Pohlman
1B. Vetter
1C. Okorougo
4. Gyimesi

nescac1 · February 17, 2026, 02:00:23 PM

I would not say O'Leary is quite an all-league guy but he is a definite contender for the "glue guy" award this year for energy guys who have a disproportionate impact on success relative to their stats.

I'd say that list includes him, Drew Martin, Ricardo Nieves, Dylan Watson (borderline overqualified for this category but I'll include him), Jackson Cormier, Trevor McDonald, and Benedek Maly.