Tag Archives: Marcus McDermott

Feb 22 2012

Mass College Hoops Recap: Babson 62, Wheaton 58

By Matt Noonan 

BABSON PARK, MA – With 6.4 seconds remaining in the second half, as well as a two-point advantage, Babson College junior Alex Rudolph marched to the free throw line, and sank two of the biggest shots in his collegiate career, which helped the Beavers prevail against Wheaton College in the NEWMAC quarterfinals, 62-58.

“I’m not going to lie to you and say there wasn’t pressure, but you fight your whole life, your whole career, you work to get to moments like that and I’m just glad I hit them,” said Rudolph, who turned in 19 points, and six rebounds.

Babson College head coach Stephen Brennan, who’s patrolled the Beavers sideline for the past 17 years, was quite shocked that this particular contest was won by Rudolph’s two free throws, especially since his squad struggled from the charity stripe, and connected on 11-of-24 attempts.

“We didn’t really talk much about the free throws, but [Alex] has been playing with great confidence. He was player of the week [in] the NEWMAC last week, and he’s just stepped up his competitive level to a new one,” said Brennan.

Brennan continued by saying, “It was great that he was willing to step up and make those because we had some other guys who didn’t.”

Rudolph jumpstarted Babson’s offense with a jump shot before sophomore Matt Palazini sank a three-pointer, and freshman David Mack recorded a layup to give the Beavers a comfortable, 8-0 advantage.

Wheaton junior Cliften Desravines, (14 points, nine rebounds, four blocks) eventually got the Lyons on the board with two made free throws at 13:16, which ended a scoring drought of seven consecutive missed shots. Desravines then added a layup before senior Brendan Degnan, (13 points) sank two back-to-back free throws, which cut the deficit to 12-6.

“I just thought that at least at that point, we could have very easily been down 13 or 14 or 15 [points], so our defense really helped us stay close, and I thought Cliff gave us a big lift off the bench to get us some baskets, to get us going a little bit midway in the first half,” said Wheaton head coach Brian Walmsley.

“I thought Desravines played much better than he’s ever played against us,” said Brennan. “He did a good job spinning and finishing over our big guys.”

The Lyons then added a few more points from the free throw line before freshman John Wickey and Randolph sank back-to-back trifectas late in the first frame, which gave Babson a 30-24 lead at intermission.

“We just came out with a lot of intensity [in the first half],” said Rudolph. “Coach was preaching ‘energy’ before the game, and we just tried to come out, play as hard as we could on defense.”

Wickey and junior Marcus McDermott ballooned Babson’s lead to 34-26 before Wheaton’s defense ramped up its pressure and helped the offense come within three-points of the Beavers, as freshman Eddie Capstick connected from beyond the arc at 13:30, which made the score, 41-38.

Babson’s offense then exploded with a triple and two layups from sophomore Connor Boyen before Wheaton senior Anthony Weeks, (12 points) responded with two critical free throws that started a rally for the Lyons.

Degnan added a pair at the free throw line before Desravines and sophomore Will Bayliss made a few layups, which was followed by an enormous three-pointer from Weeks, as well as few free throws, too.

“We know Babson is a tremendous defensive team, and it was going to be a struggle to score against them, but our guys kept fighting and fighting,” said Walmsley, who was proud of his team’s second half play.

McDermott halted the Lyons comeback with a three-pointer, which was followed up with two made free throws by Mack to make it 60-53.

Babson’s lead was soon erased by a trifecta and two free throws from Degnan, which brought Wheaton within two-points. Yet, Weeks fouled Rudolph on the ensuing possession to stop the clock, but that didn’t stop Rudolph from making two free throws that secured the win for the Green and White.

“It got a little close for my liking, but it was a good team effort, [and] we had a lot of guys step up off the bench,” said Brennan.

The Beavers will look to keep their March Madness hopes alive when they travel to Cambridge on Saturday to face the top-ranked MIT Engineers at 1:00pm.

“MIT’s obviously a great team, but we thought we really had them in our last game at MIT, and we’re excited to get another shot at them,” said Rudolph

Jan 18 2012

Recap: Babson College 96, Coast Guard 81 (Men’s Basketball)

By Rory Duyon 

BABSON PARK, MA – Since starting the season 7-0, wins and points have been tough to come by for the Babson Beavers men’s basketball team, who exploded for a 96-81 win over Coast Guard on Wednesday, which was their highest output in a 40 minute game since December 29, 2009, when they tallied 98 points against Becker College.

Junior Marcus McDermott led all scorers with a season high 21 points, while junior Alex Rudolph scored 18 points, which is the most he’s scored all season.

Babson’s sophomore Matt Palazini was the catalyst in the opening minutes with a trio of threes in a 45-second span to open a 22-8 first half lead. He finished the game with 14 points, while senior Matt Florio registered 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, as well as a pair of steals, and no turnovers.

“He’s a tough kid,” said Babson College head coach Stephen Brennan. “He’s often under appreciated, but [Florio] is as important as anybody on this team”

Babson led by double digits for most of the game, but Coast Guard made a 16-4 second half run, which included a fade away by freshman David Anderson to cut the Babson lead to 64-58 with 11 minutes to play.

The Beavers shot a season high 58.3% (35/60) en route to a 96-point effort that trumped their second highest total of the season by 19 points.

The Bears got 20 points off the bench from sophomore Kevin Sowers, who returned to the lineup after sitting for two games with a back injury.

The Beavers improve to 2-3 in NEWMAC play and Coast Guard drops to 0-5. Babson visits Wheaton on Saturday as they try to get back to [.500]. The Bears will return to the court on Wednesday, Jan. 25, when they host Wheaton College for a 7:30pm tip-off.

Dec 8 2011

Amherst College Fends Off Babson College, 61-50

By Rory Duyon 

BABSON PARK, MA — Moral victories don’t count in the standings, as Babson head coach Stephen Brennan said after a 61-50 loss to Amherst College on Thursday, but there’s something to be said for hanging with the No. 2 squad in the country, despite shooting only 25% from the field for most of the game.

A late second half Amherst run put this game out of reach, but with 13 minutes to play, it was a one possession game, as the Beavers held the Lord Jeffs of Amherst to 30.6 points under their season average.

“We’ve got to make more shots. We had lay ups we missed, we missed a lot of threes, we’ve got to make plays,” said Brennan. “We’re right there, we’re a very good defensive team, they’re the number two team in the country, but there’s no moral victory.”

The Amherst trio of Willy Workman, Aaron Toomey and Taylor Barrise was held to 21 total points, less than half of their combined average, while David Waller, Jeff Holmes and Peter Kaasila scored 29 points.

“Jeff [Holmes] really stepped up with the offensive rebounds,” said Amherst head coach David Hixon. “He made some good plays. Pete [Kaasila] played big, he’s coming off a sprained ankle, but [David Kalema] made some great plays with his quickness too.”

Babson trailed 4-0 after seven-and-a-half minutes until Matt Florio put his team on the board with a layup, (he led all scorers with 15 points). Amherst made five of their first 26 shots before hitting four of their last five in the first half to take a 24-20 lead at the break.

Amherst opened a double-digit lead in the second half, but a 10-2 run got Babson to within three points. At that point, Amherst overpowered Babson with a 21-7 run of their own, as Kalema scored nine points in that particular stretch to help put the game out of reach.

Russell Braithwaite and Marcus McDermott struggled from the field all night. They combined for just 13 points, including three baskets by Brathwaite in the final two minutes.

Babson protected the ball quite well by recording just 13 turnovers in a span of 40 minutes, but they only connected on 19-of-61 shots.

The Beavers [7-3] head into a three-week layoff with three losses in a row. They will return to the hardwood on December 30 in California when they visit Claremont McKenna.

Dec 8 2011

Massachusetts College Basketball — Tremendous Thursday Picks

Can Willy Workman work his way past the Babson College defense on Thursday? (Photo Credit: Amherst College Athletics)

By Matt Noonan

There are two marque matchups to watch this evening across the state of Massachusetts in regards to Division III hoops, and while many will be glued to Harvard-UConn, here’s a two other games to follow too.

Amherst College at Babson College – The Beavers lost their November momentum this past weekend against Tufts University and Brandeis, but seemed determined to end their two-game losing streak against Amherst College. However, the Lord Jeffs haven’t lost a game all season, and are described as one of the most explosive offensive units in Division III. Babson’s junior guard Marcus McDermott talked about getting “his game” back on track Wednesday, and certainly, the Beavers will need their leading scorer to match the efforts of junior Willy Workman and sophomore Aaron Toomey for Amherst.

Prediction – The Lord Jeffs have scored 81 points or more this season through seven games, so if the Beavers are going to be successful, they’re going to have to force Amherst College to play their game. Amherst College 91 – Babson College 70

Salem State University at MIT – The Engineers are on a roll, and there’s a reason why they’ve won nine games this season, and it’s because of their focus and dedication. If MIT’s junior guard Mitchell Kates is “on,” then expect the Engineers to roll to victory, but don’t expect the Vikings to lie down. Salem State’s most recent contest resulted in a loss against Tufts, yet don’t expect them to dwell on it, especially if junior guard Justin Nieves scores early and often.

Prediction – Not to show any NEWMAC, (New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference) bias, but I think the Engineers might have just that one extra player who’ll help them secure the victory. MIT 78 – Salem State 70

Dec 7 2011

Catching Up With The Babson College Beavers Men’s Basketball Team

By NoontimeSports.com 

BABSON PARK, MA — On Wednesday, Noontime Sports’s Matt Noonan had the chance to catch up with Babson College’s men’s basketball head coach Stephen Brennan, as well as juniors Marcus McDermott and Russell Braithwaite to talk about their season thus far, and their upcoming contest against Amherst College on Thursday.

Head Coach Stephen Brennan:  

 

Marcus McDermott and Russell Braithwaite: 

 

 

Dec 1 2011

Massachusetts College Basketball – Division III/November Team

Wheaton College's Brendan Degnan has been a major component for the Lyons this season! (Photo Credit: Wheaton College Athletics)

By NoontimeSports.com 

The first official month of Division III college basketball in Massachusetts is officially in the books, and now it’s time to look back at some of the great individual performances from the past few weeks.

Here’s a list of some of the men and women that earned our monthly honors, enjoy.

Men’s Basketball

Brendan Degnan (Wheaton College, Senior) – The senior guard has been a lightning rod for the Lyons this season, and certainly is one of the major reasons why Wheaton has experienced a great deal of success. Degnan finished the month of November with 85 points, 26 rebounds, eight assists and eight steals, as well as led the Lyons in points against Wheelock College and Emerson College, but only mustered five points against the team’s most recent opponent, Mount Ida.

Russell Braithwaite (Babson College, Junior) – The Beavers haven’t lost a game all season, and a major reason for that is due to Mr. Braithwaite’s play, who currently leads the team with 36 rebounds and 78 points. He’s also registered 10 steals too, and has one block through six games.

Marcus McDermott (Babson College, Junior) –McDermott is tied with teammate Braithwaite for total points, (78 points), but leads the team with 18 assists. McDermott led the Beavers with 19 points against Curry College on Monday, and will continue to be a major asset, especially against Emerson College, Tufts University and Amherst College in December.

Max Kaim (Wheelock College, Senior) – Kaim has helped the Wildcats offense and defense, but also leads the squad with 72 points through five games. He’s recorded 17 rebounds, 14 assists and 11 steals.

James Klemm (Williams College, Junior) – Klemm is off to a fast start, and leads the Ephs offense with 72 points, (14.4 points per game). He’s also tallied 21 rebounds, seven assists and four rebounds. His best game of the season thus far came against Wesleyan, as Klemm led the squad with 21 points, as well as contributed one rebound and two assists.

Willy Workman (Amherst College, Junior) – Mr. Workman has been a workhorse for the Lord Jeffs this season, and is averaging 16.3 points per game. He’s recorded 12 assists, 11 steals and three blocks, and has pulled down 11 defensive rebounds.

Noel Hollingsworth (MIT, Senior) – After six games this season, the senior center currently leads the squad with 98 points, and 20 offensive rebounds. He’s complimented the efforts of teammates Will Tashman and Mitchell Kates, who’ve also helped the Engineers remain undefeated.   

Can anyone stop Fitchburg State's Amy Fahey? (Photo Credit: Fitchburg State Athletics)

 

Women’s Basketball

Nicki Wurdeman (Babson College, Senior) – The pre-season All-American has been a major reason the Beavers are off to another successful start this season. Despite dropping their only contest of the month to Williams College, Wurdeman leads Babson with 82 points, and is tied with Kathleen King for 40 rebounds. Through four games, she’s handed out seven assists, and has recorded six steals and five blocks.

Kathleen King (Babson College, Senior) – It’s no surprise that King made this list, as she’s been a major reason for helping her team with points, (63), assists, (11) and rebounds, (40).

Sarah Collins (Babson College, Junior) –The junior forward has certainly complimented King and Wurderman’s play quite well. Through four games, Collins has scored 54 points, and leads the team with 12 blocks.

Jill Greenberg (Williams College, Senior) – The former Westwood High School Wolverine has done quite well this season, and not only leads the Ephs in minutes played, but has also recorded 65 points, 14 assists, and 18 rebounds.

Megan Robertson (Amherst College, Freshman) – The former Philips-Andover Academy star has excelled quite well at Amherst, and despite not starting four games, she currently leads the team with 54 points and 26 rebounds. She’s averaging roughly 19.8 minutes per game and could be added to the starting line-up soon, especially if her numbers remain consistent.

Rosa Drummond (Smith College, Sophomore) – The two-sport athlete is off to an amazing start. She’s registered 91 points in five games, along with 27 rebounds and 13 steals. The Pioneers have won five games this season, and certainly she’s a reason why her team has experienced a great deal of success.    

Amy Fahey (Fitchburg State, Sophomore) - Fahey has been “on fire” through five games, and leads the Falcons with 142 points. Yet, despite averaging 28.4 points per game, she’s also recorded 49 rebounds, seven steals and seven assists. 

Nov 29 2011

Massachusetts College Basketball – Division III Poll

By NoontimeSports.com 

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s officially time to unveil our weekly Division III Massachusetts hoops poll. Here’s some the teams that have experienced a great deal of success over the past few weeks, as well as a few squads that have either dipped or been added.

As usual, we encourage fans, athletes, coaches and spectators to email us their thoughts toward our polls and college basketball coverage, (NoontimeSports@gmail.com).

Men’s Basketball  

1.) Amherst College [3-0] (Last Week No.1) – For the third week in a row, the Lord Jeffs remain atop our poll, and will look to keep their three-game winning streak alive on Tuesday evening when they travel to Lasell College. Afterward, Amherst will head to Springfield College for the Pioneer Classic, and wins against the Pride and Owls of Westfield State would be rather impressive.

2.) MIT [5-0] (Last Week No. 2) – The Engineers are fast, athletic and certainly, the real deal. Against Suffolk University this past weekend, junior Mitchel Kates helped MIT secure the Engineers fifth win of their season. After the game, head coach Larry Anderson described Kates as MIT’s equivalent of Tom Brady. The Engineers will look to keep their winning ways going against Emerson College on Tuesday.

3.) Williams College [3-1] (Last Week No. 3) – The Ephs have rebounded quite well since losing their second game of the season to Salem State. Two back-to-back wins have helped Williams keep pace with Amherst, but a win against RPI on Tuesday is somewhat a must, especially since MIT beat them earlier this month.

4.) Babson College [6-0]  (Last Week No. 5) – The Beavers jumped up to the fourth spot in our poll after finishing their November slate undefeated. Former Milton High School guard Marcus McDermott has been a major reason Babson College has experienced a great deal of success, especially since he leads the squad with 78 points. The Green and White will hit the road for three critical contests before returning home to face Amherst College.

5.) WPI [4-0] (Last Week No. 4) – Freshman Marco Coppola has been the spark behind WPI’s four game winning streak, especially since he’s recorded 70 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 rebounds over the past few weeks. The Engineers will resume play on Thursday when they travel to Lasell College.

Women’s Basketball:

1.) Amherst College (No. 1) – The Lord Jeffs continue to be the number one women’s squad to watch this season, and certainly, they can remain atop our poll with three more wins against Keene State, Lehman and Emmanuel. Also, Shannon Finucane, Kim Fiorentino and Lem Atanga McCormick led Amherst with 11 points each against Mount Holyoke last week.

2.) Williams College [4-0] (No. 2) – Wins against Springfield College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts were important, but now, the Ephs need to prepare themselves for a talented Bridgewater State squad that could hand them their first loss of the season. We’ll see what happens, but expect the Ephs to beat the Bears on Friday, and keep their undefeated streak alive.

3.) Babson College [3-1] (No. 3) – It’s been nine days since Judy Blinstrub’s squad has played a game, but on Wednesday, they’ll return to action against a struggling WPI squad in Worcester. Consider this a must-win, especially so the Beavers can begin to distance themselves in the NEWMAC, (New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference) standings.  

4.) Smith College [4-0] (No. 5) – The Pioneers keep on winning, and can end the month of November undefeated with a victory against Mount Holyoke College. Rosa Drummond has been a major part of the team’s success, and has recorded 74 points, 24 rebounds, and 11 steals over the past few weeks. Also, Ellie Giles has helped the Pioneers in the rebounding department, as she’s snagged 33 boards, (8 offensive, 25 defensive), as well as leads the team with six blocks.

5.) Fitchburg State [5-0] (Last Week/Not Ranked) – Three of their five wins have come on the road against Curry College, University of Massachusetts (Boston), and Nichols College, but victories against Clark University and Maine Maritime are quite impressive and won’t go unnoticed. Sophomore forward Amy Fahey is averaging 28.4 points and 9.8 rebound per game, and is certainly one of the reasons why the Falcons have experienced a great deal of success thus far.

Nov 28 2011

Babson Wins Sixth In A Row, Beats Curry College, 70-60

By Rory Duyon 

BABSON, PARK — You’re probably not surprised to hear that a Babson College basketball team is undefeated. Yet, you might be surprised to hear that the team I’m referring to is the men’s squad, who defeated the Curry College Colonels at Staake Gymnasium on Monday night by a score of 70-60.

After a hot start that featured a 12-0 run to give Babson a 17-10 lead less than six and a half minutes into the game, the Beavers stumbled and allowed Sedale Jones and Colonels back in. Jones, who originally played at UMass, finished with a team high 24 points.

“I didn’t think we defended well in the first half,” said Beavers head coach Stephen Brennan. “We let [Jones] dominate the ball and we played behind guys in the post rather than three quarters and they got too many easy looks.”

Babson didn’t make a field goal in the final 4:32 of the half, but thanks to four free throws, they grabbed a 32-31 lead at the break.

Marcus McDermott had just two points in the first half, but he would finish the game with 19.

“In the second half he steps it up. He’s got a lot of ability when he focuses on every play instead of when he gets mad,” quipped Brennan with a smile.

McDermott scored 11 of the Beavers last 13 points on the evening. In addition to his strong finish on Monday night, he was instrumental in scoring 7-of-12 points in the final seven minutes of last Tuesday’s win against Lasell.

McDermott isn’t consciously saving his best for last. “It’s not on purpose,” said Marcus.  “I guess it just comes when it comes. This team is really good and we pick each other up.”

Russell Brathwaite added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Matt Palazini chipped in 13 points on 4-of-9 from three point range.

The [6-0] start for the Beavers is their best start since beginning [7-0] in ’02. They will visit Emerson, (0-3, hosting MIT Tuesday) on Thursday before playing in the New England Big 4 Challenge this weekend at Salem State.

Curry, now [1-3], and opens its conference schedule at Nichols College on Wednesday.

Nov 18 2011

Massachusetts College Basketball – Babson Beavers Sweep Brandies and Framingham State

By Rory Duyon 

BABSON PARK, MA — The Babson men’s basketball team opened the home half of their schedule with a win over Framingham State in a 61-59 thriller at Staake Gymnasium. The Ladies did their part as well, opening the doubleheader with a 64-35 blowout over Brandeis.

Babson 61 – Framingham State 59 (Men’s Basketball):

It was the very definition of a team effort for the Babson men, who had 10 players in the scoring column, but it had its share of scary moments. The Beavers led by as many as 14 points, 50-36 with 14:00 remaining in the second half, but as coach Stephen Brennan said after the game, “[they] started playing not to lose.”

Framingham started to slowly chip away at the lead before ripping off a 9-0 run to get within a point at 53-52 on a basket in the paint by Allen Saint-Surin. The teams traded two point baskets down the stretch until Framingham’s returning leading scorer Marcus Mclaurin sank a three to tie it up, 59-59 with a minute to go.

Coming out of a timeout, Babson junior Marcus McDermott took matters into his own hands, attacking the hoops for a tough go ahead layup. Framingham had a number of tries at the equalizer, but Matt Palazini, playing with four fouls, took a charge to turn the ball over once, while Andre Santana put back rimmed in and out as time expired.

The Beavers improve to [2-0] on the young season with the win. They will play Connecticut College on Saturday in Rhode Island at the Roger Williams Tournament.

Babson 64 – Brandies 35 (Women’s Basketball):

It was business as usual for the Babson women, who made quick work of Brandeis, starting the game on an 18-1 run. Brandeis cut into the lead by the break and got as close as seven points. Junior Sarah Collins had a monster first half for the Beavers.  After 20 minutes she was nearly on pace for a quadruple double with five points, 5 rebounds, six blocks and four steals. Foul trouble would eventually take her off that pace, but she played a tremendous game.

With the score 26-19 in the first minute of the second half, Brandeis turned up the heat with a 17-3 run to break the game open. Nicki Wurdeman went on a 9-0 run of her own. She finished with a double-double, which entailed 19 points and 11 rebounds, (6 offensive).  Classmate Kathleen King led all scorers with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

The Lady Beavers upped their record to [2-0], while Brandeis fell to [1-1].

Babson travels to Williamstown, MA for the Williams Tip Off Tournament where they will play Tufts University on Saturday and Williams College on Sunday.