Massachusetts College Basketball: Saturday D3Hoops Scoreboard
Photo Credit: Images.Picturehunt.com
By NoontimeSports.com
There were some rather intriguing Division III college basketball games in Massachusetts on Saturday, and here is a quick wrap from the day’s action.
Men’s Basketball
Wheelock 70, Mitchell 63 – The Wildcats picked up their sixth consecutive win on the road Saturday, thanks to Bashir Hudson, who tallied 17 points and 13 rebounds. Wheelock has won six of their last seven games, and currently resides in second place in the NECC behind Becker College, who is 14-4 overall and 9-0 against conference foes.
MIT 80, Coast Guard 55 – The Engineers picked up their 18th win of the season by holding the Bears to just 24 second half points. Noel Hollingsworth led all scorers with 23 points, and 11 rebounds.
Amherst 61, Trinity 30 – Amherst College finished off its four-game road swing with another impressive victory against Trinity. The Lord Jeffs have now won 17 games, and are 6-0 in NESCAC play.
Middlebury 80, Williams 79 – The Ephs took the Panthers to the wire, but wound up earning their second consecutive loss. Taylor Epley led all scorers with 26 points.
Springfield 65, WPI 63 (OT) – The Pride outscored the Engineers, 8-6 in the extra frame to secure their 13th overall win, and fifth NEWMAC victory. Alex Berthiaume turned in 21 points for Springfield, while Matt Carr led WPI with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Women’s Basketball
Amherst 66, Trinity 44 – The Lord Jeffs earned their 38th consecutive victory, as well as their 19th of the season. Caroline Stedman led the Lord Jeffs with 16 points, while Lem Atanga McCormick added 14 points. Megan Robertson led all players with 11 rebounds. Amherst has now won 30 consecutive conference matches.
Williams 86, Middlebury 56 – Jennie Harding helped the Ephs overcome their loss on Wednesday with 23 points, while Jill Greenberg added 14 points, and eight assists in the team’s 17th win of the season.
Babson 85, Mount Holyoke 36 – The Beavers held the Lyons to 17 points in the first half, and 19 in the second, which secured the win, as well as their eighth consecutive victory, too.
Tufts 64, Bates 52 – Liz Moynihan finished the game with 14 points and three rebound, which helped the Jumbos earn their 17th victory of the season, and sixth consecutive win.
Smith 61, Wheaton 50 – The Pioneers picked up their 14th victory of the season, as well as their ninth conference victory against the Lyons in Northampton. Wheaton’s Abbie Brickley ended the game with 18 points, while Devon Quattrocchi led Smith with 12 points.
Catching Up With The Hockey East
By NoontimeSports.com
The countdown to the Boston Beanpot and Hockey East semi-finals/finals is on.
However, before we drop the puck at the TD Garden, let’s take a trip around the state of Massachusetts, and check in with the various Hockey East men’s ice hockey teams.
Boston College (15-10-1) – The men sporting maroon and gold picked up a dramatic win on Friday, as they defeated the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, 4-3 at Kelley Rink. BC has now won 15 games this season, and will look to earn their 16th victory on Saturday when they travel to Durham for a 7:00pm face-off. The Eagles are currently tied atop the Hockey East standings with Boston University and Maine for 84 goals scored.
Boston University (15-7-1) – Against the University of Maine, Boston University’s defense faltered, as the Black Bears registered two third period goals, which secured the win, as well as their 13th victory of the season. The loss marks BU’s first of the month, but they’ll look to snap their one-game skid on Saturday when they once again host Maine for a 7:30pm face-off.
Merrimack College (13-5-5) – It’s been a few days since the Warriors last defeated University of New Hampshire in overtime, but on Sunday, Merrimack will return to the ice when they host Providence College for a matinee clash in North Andover. Senior goaltender Joe Cannata has earned 12 wins between the pipes this season, and is averaging 26 saves per game. Against the Friars in December, Cannata registered a loss, but managed to record 34 saves despite allowing two goals.
Northeastern University (9-11-3) – The men’s hockey team finally registered their first win in January, as the Huskies manhandled Vermont, 8-3. They’ll face the Catamounts on Saturday, and would certainly like to return to Boston with at least 10 overall wins. Junior goaltender Chris Rawlings has recorded 660 saves this season, but as allowed 55 goals in 22 games, while freshman forward Ludwig Karlsson (nine goals, 13 assists) and junior forward Steve Quailer, (eight goals, 14 assists) lead the team with 22 points.
University of Massachusetts/Amherst (9-9-5) – The Minutemen have won nine games this season, which include five against various conference foes. However, they’re currently riding a one-game losing streak, as the River Hawks defeated the Minutemen in Lowell on Friday, 4-2. They’ll look to rebound on Saturday evening when they welcome UMass-Lowell to Amherst. The Minutemen have won two consecutive contests at home in January, and are 4-1-2 this season against Hockey East teams at the Mullins Center.
University of Massachusetts/ Lowell (15-7-0) – The River Hawks have improved drastically this season. They’re currently sporting a 15-7 overall record, and have won 10 of 16 games against conference foes this season. They’ve won five conference games on the road this season, but can they muster a sixth, especially at the Mullins Center on Saturday? We’ll see.
Kevin Garnett’s “Bar Fight” Thoughts
By NoontimeSports.com
In case you haven’t had a chance to see this particular video, then watch it! Here is Kevin Garnett talking about Thursday’s “bar fight” against Orlando.
Daily Noontime – January 27, 2012
The Boston Celtics rallied to defeat the Orlando Magic on Thursday, 91-83! (Photo Credit: TheState.com)
By NoontimeSports.com
Good Friday morning to everyone, and welcome into yet another edition of the Daily Noontime. Here are some headlines and news to kick-start the weekend!
* The Boston Celtics overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to defeat the Orlando Magic, 91-83 in Florida on Thursday. Paul Pierce tallied a team-high 24 points, while E’Twaun Moore recorded 16 points off the bench. Also, Boston held Orlando to just eight points during the final frame.
* The Celtics have now won three consecutive contests, and will look to earn their ninth overall win on Friday when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to the TD Garden for a 7:30pm tip.
* The Boston Red Sox officially announced the signing of outfielder Cody Ross on Thursday, and according to sources, he signed a one-year deal with $3 million.
* According to the USA Today - New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork expressed to the media recently that he’s going to give his best effort against the New York Giants next weekend in Super Bowl XLVI, as well as dedicate his play to his parents. Wilfork’s parents both past away when he was a college star at the University of Miami, and certainly, he’s going to be thinking of them during the entire game.
Mass College Hoops Recap: Wheelock 71, Elms 60 (OT)
By Matt Noonan
CHESTNUT HILL, MA – Chalk up another win for the men dressed in blue, yellow and white, (Wheelock College), as the Wildcats defeated the Elms College Blazers on Thursday, 71-60 in overtime.
Sophomore Bunky Williams connected on four critical free throws during the extra frame, which secured the Wildcats fifth consecutive victory, as well as their ninth overall win, too.
“I [knew] we were going to get it done in overtime with our great defense,” said Williams.
“From day one, he wanted to defend at such a high level, and it really makes a big difference,” said Wheelock College head coach Matt LeVangie. “He had so much confidence in his defense that he was able to make those steals, and turn [them] into free throws. And he concentrates at a really high level, and I’m just happy that confidence and hard work is paying off.”
Wheelock’s defense was definitely the reason why they earned their second overtime victory of the season, as they held Elms scoreless during the five-minute period. The Blazers attempted 11 shots, but only tallied one point off a free throw shot by freshman Kenneth Lockett.
Senior Kyle Pierce led all scorers with 19 points, while Wheelock senior Eric Rice tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds.
The Wildcats also received some help from senior Max Kaim, who registered 11 points, two assists, two steals, and three rebounds, too.
Wheelock has now won five of their last six contests, and will look to keep their winning ways going on Saturday when they travel to Mitchell College for another critical NECC conference contest, while Elms will host Lesley.
“These guys need to enjoy [this win]. They earned that right to enjoy it with their family, and they need to turn the page when we [come together] tomorrow,” said LeVangie. “We’re going down [to Mitchell] on Saturday, and they’re loaded to bear, and I told these guys, ‘you might have a target on your back.’ Teams are starting to take notice of you, [and] it’s a big deal.”
The head coach continued by complimenting the Wildcats effort by saying, “I think for us, it’s just turning that page and being ready, being set and mentally focused for tomorrow at practice.”
Babson’s Young Spotlighted In Boston Globe
By NoontimeSports.com
On Thursday, the Boston Globe released an intriguing piece on Babson College freshman Erin Young, who exploded for 28 points last weekend against Coast Guard.
Young registered eight three-pointers in that particular game, and is the current percentage leader for trifectas in the NEWMAC.
Babson currently remains the top squad in the conference, and will return to the court on Saturday when they host Mount Holyoke for a 1:00pm tip-off.
Catching Up With BU, Harvard and Northeastern Men’s Hoops
By Brian Willwerth
It’s time for our weekly look at the men’s basketball teams at Harvard University, Boston University and Northeastern University.
16-2. That’s what Tommy Amaker’s record is at Harvard this season.
The Crimson beat Dartmouth last Saturday to extend their winning streak to four games. They’re tied atop the Ivy League standings with Yale and Penn, with a big road test against the Bulldogs coming up on Friday night. The stats don’t lie for Harvard. The Crimson are ranked either 1st or 2nd in the Ivy League in just about every team category: points per game, team defense, free throw percentage, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, the list goes on and on. As long as Harvard doesn’t stumble, I think they deserve to be in the NCAA tournament.
Moving to Commonwealth Ave., the Terriers are red-hot right now. They’ve won seven in a row to move into a tie for first place atop the America East. The latest victory: a 35-point blowout victory over UMBC Tuesday night at The Roof.
It’s easy to look at the 83 points and say the offense is clicking, which it is. But the defense is the reason BU is on a roll. During their seven-game streak, the Terriers have allowed more than 60 points only once, (against Maine on 1/11). Offensively, senior Darryl Partin continues to impress. After his 17-point performance Tuesday night against the Retrievers, he’s moved into the top-20 in scoring in the country as of Thursday. He’s ranked #16, and averaging just under 20 ppg.
Next up for BU: a big, nationally-televised game Friday night against Stony Brook. The Terriers won the first meeting at home; can they do it again on the Seawolves’ home court?
After dropping back-to-back road games to Drexel and Old Dominion, Northeastern appeared to be heading to its third straight defeat Wednesday night. But the Huskies came back from a five-point deficit in the final 30 seconds against Delaware, and won it on Joel Smith’s bucket with one second left on the clock.
It’s the second time this season Smith has beaten the Buzzer; his last-second shot sank Vermont on December 30th. NU is now 6-4 in the CAA. Still, the Huskies have fallen off the pace a bit in the conference because of the previous two losses. They’re now in the middle of the pack. Their next game is against Hofstra on Saturday afternoon at Matthews Arena.
VIDEO: Amherst at Williams Final Seconds
By NoontimeSports.com
Here is a quick video package from Wednesday’s Williams-Amherst men’s basketball tilt, which features the final seconds of the game.
VIDEO: Williams-Amherst Coaches Take
By NoontimeSports.com
After Wednesday’s contest between Amherst College and Williams College concluded, Noontime Sports caught up with both men’s head basketball coaches, David Hixon (A) and Mike Maker (W).
Mass College Hoops Recap: Amherst 67, Williams 65 (Men’s)
By Matt Noonan
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – In case you haven’t subscribed to this so-called, “Amherst-Williams rivalry,” now’s the time.
In an epic dogfight on Wednesday evening in the northwestern part of the state of Massachusetts, the Lord Jeffs pulled out an epic 67-65 victory when sophomore Aaron Toomey, (16 points, three rebounds, three assists) sank two back-to-back free throws with less than five seconds remaining in regulation, which secured their 16th victory of the season.
“Every time you beat Williams at Williams or beat Williams in general, it’s always a big to do,” said Amherst head coach David Hixon. “
“It was certainly a slugfest, and two proud programs going toe-to-toe,” said Williams’ head coach Mike Maker.
Amherst began the game as they usually do with a few buckets, but Williams answered by finishing the half with 12 shots from the field.
Toomey led Amherst with 11 points in the first half, which included one three-pointer, and four free throws, as the Lord Jeffs entered the locker room with a 39-31 advantage.
“He’s great with the ball in his hands, he gets fouled a lot, he makes free throws, he wins games, so you trust him,” said Hixon, when asked to describe the play of Toomey.
However, once the second half began, Amherst’s offensive spark faded, which allowed Williams to begin an impeccable comeback.
Sophomore Michael Mayer helped the Ephs begin this “journey” with a layup, which was followed by a trifecta from sophomore Hayden Rooke-Ley.
The Ephs continued to chip away at the lead and came within three points when senior Brian Emerson slammed home a monstrous dunk with 5:19 remaining, which electrified the hometown crowd.
Yet, Amherst somehow found a way to rebuild their lead when junior Peter Kaasila, (16 points, six rebounds) added a layup before he sank a few free throws. Toomey added a handful of free throws, too, but Williams once again showed their resiliency when sophomore Taylor Epley connected on one of two foul shots, which tied the game, 65-65 with 14 seconds left.
Toomey then drew a foul during the closing seconds after Epley’s free throw, and made both of his free throws, despite a timeout that occurred between the first and second shot, which helped his team earn their first victory of the season against Williams College.
“[This] is something we haven’t done in close games this year so far, but we came out tonight, and the past week, we’ve had great practices, we’ve really came together as a team, and through that, we came together as a team at this game, and although we were missing shots early in the half,” said Toomey. “It’s all about 20 minutes, 40 minutes the whole game, 20 minutes in the second half, and that’s what it’s all about.”
“Our guys didn’t quit,” said Maker. “We have great kids, and I think they represent the program and institution the way it richly deserves to be presented and they’re not going to quit, down double-digits, and deep into the second half and to make a run like that on that talented of a basketball team [is quite impressive]. We had our opportunities to win, but the ball didn’t bounce our way.”
Amherst will cap off their four-game road trip on Saturday at Trinity, while Williams will head to Middlebury; both games are slated for 4:00pm.
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