Tag / Roger Williams

by Matt Noonan

New England Basketball Weekend Watch (Friday, Jan. 17th)

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By Matt Noonan | @NoontimeNation 

Happy Friday, everyone – hope you are all staying warm on this bone-chilly (and windy) day in Boston.

Did I hear there was some snow in the forecast for tomorrow? When does the warm weather arrive?

Well, while we anxiously wait for temperatures that we had a week ago, let’s dish out a brand new ‘New England Basketball: Weekend Watch’ with some thoughts on a few local D-III games.

Colby College at Middlebury College (Friday, Jan. 17th at 7 p.m.): A battle between our top two teams in this week’s Noontime Top 10 Men’s Basketball Poll.

The Mules of Colby enter the contest riding an impressive 13-game winning streak – they extended that streak last weekend with back-to-back wins over Connecticut College and Trinity College. Sam Jefferson is one of two players in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) averaging 22.8 points per game – he will certainly be a player to watch on Friday evening, as well as someone the Panthers will need to locate when he is on the court.

As for the Panthers, they enter this marquee matchup with a 15-1 mark – they lost last weekend to Amherst College but rebounded the following day with a one-point win over Hamilton College. Tommy Eastman highlighted the Blue and White’s win over the Continentals – similar to Jefferson, he will also be a player to watch in this contest.

Noontime’s Prediction: I think the Panthers’ win over Hamilton provided them with some momentum that not only helped them against Albertus Magnus earlier this week but should assist them to make a few more plays than Colby, especially down the stretch. Middlebury will beat Colby, 81-78. 

Tufts University at Amherst College (Saturday, January 18th at 3 p.m.): It may be too early to call this a ‘must-win’ game for both teams, but as two of the top three women’s basketball teams in the NESCAC, this is a VERY important contest.

Since falling to Emmanuel College last month, the Mammoths have won 11-straight – they will attempt to make it 12-straight wins when they host Bates College this evening with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.

Amherst’s Madeline Eck was named the conference’s player of the week on Monday – she entered the week averaging 15.6 points per game. The senior guard, who has played and started in all 15 games this season, has converted 72.1 percent of her free throws while averaging seven caroms per contest.

First-year coach Jill Pace has enjoyed a very successful start with the Jumbos, who enter this weekend riding a 14-game winning streak. Before Tufts visits Amherst on Saturday, they will travel to Hamilton on Friday for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

Tufts opened conference play last week with a 78-60 win over Wesleyan University – it was a game that featured a double-double of 28 points and 10 rebounds by Erica DeCandido. DeCandido will be a player to watch on the Powder Blue and White against the Mammoths on Saturday.

Noontime’s Prediction: This will be a good test for both teams, but Amherst has been impressive since falling to the Saints and should find a way to beat the Jumbos on their home court by a score of 63-57. 

Time for some ‘extra picks’ for the weekend! 

MBB: Tufts (MBB) over Hamilton (Jan. 17th): After falling to Suffolk University earlier this week, the Jumbos will find a way to bounce back against the Continentals before hosting the Mammoths on Saturday afternoon.

MBB: Emmanuel College over Lasell University (Jan. 18th): Coach Danny Lawson and the Saints should continue their recent momentum at home against the Lasers and score their first conference win of 2020.

WBB: Smith College over Emerson College (Jan. 18th): The Pioneers scored an impressive road win earlier this week against the Ephs of Williams College and should be able to continue that momentum on the other side of the state against the Lions.

MBB: Endicott College over Roger Williams (Jan. 18th): The Gulls have rebounded nicely since falling to Nichols College earlier this month with back-to-back wins over Curry College and Gordon College. Look for a big game on Saturday from Keith Brown and Jalen Echevarria.

WBB: Rhode Island College over UMass Boston (Jan. 18th): RIC appears to be the team to beat in the Little East Conference (LEC) – they enter Saturday’s match-up riding an 11-game winning streak. RIC’s Willcia McBorrough will be the player to watch in this contest.

WBB: Westfield State over Bridgewater State (Jan. 18th): After surrendering 101 points to Framingham State last weekend, the Owls have rebounded with some important conference wins over Fitchburg State and Worcester State. Look for Blue and White to extend their current winning streak to three games on Saturday.

WBB: Eastern Nazarene at Mitchell College (Jan. 18th): The Lions appear to be the team to beat (and watch) in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) – this has the making of a potential postseason preview.

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by Matt Noonan

New England D-III Hoops Notebook: Brandeis, Emmanuel Score Impressive Mid-Week Victories

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By Matt Noonan | @NoontimeNation 

For the first time since 2005, the Emmanuel College women’s basketball team scored a win over the top team in Division III as the Saints beat Amherst College last night by a score of 60-55.

The Saints, who beat Bowdoin College 14 years ago when they were the top team in D-III, were led by Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, who recorded a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds. The Cambridge, Massachusetts native connected on 10 of 20 shots from the field, while sinking five of eight freebies.

Emmanuel led Amherst, 23-19, at the break – they would outscore the Mammoths, 26-19, in the final session to secure their fourth win of the season.

The setback snapped an early three-game winning streak for the Mammoths, which scored early-season wins against Babson College, Ithaca College, and New Jersey City. Amherst is scheduled to face Eastern Connecticut on Saturday before heading to Las Vegas, Nevada three weeks later to compete in the D3Hoops.com Classic.

Emmanuel, which has won four of seven contests thus far, visits MIT on Saturday before hosting Rhode Island College next Monday, December 9th. The win over the Mammoths should provide the Blue and Gold with some momentum heading into their next two contests before heading to Nevada, as well, to compete in two days of the D3Hoops Classic at the end of the month.

Keep your eyes on Ramirez-Tejeda over the next few weeks – the senior guard is averaging 20.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Additionally, she is averaging 2.9 assists per game and sinking 64.4 percent of her free throws.

Brandeis University scored an exciting 99-88 overtime win last night against Babson, thanks to a pair of impressive performances by Hannah Nicholson (19 points and 16 rebounds) and Camila Casanueva (19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists).

The Judges outscored the Beavers, 25-14, in the extra session – Brandeis utilized an 8-2 run to begin the overtime period, which provided them enough momentum to secure their fifth win of the season.

Brandeis has enjoyed a successful start to its 2019-20 campaign – they won their Tip-Off Tournament early last month with wins against Framingham State and Nichols College while scoring non-conference wins over Roger Williams and Salem State. The Judges’ lone setback came against Tufts University late last month – the Jumbos outscored Brandeis, 41-29, in the second half to secure an 81-77 win.

The Judges will visit Clark University and Johnson & Wales later this week before hosting Becker College next Monday.

Since falling to New England College last month, the WPI men’s basketball team has looked unstoppable as they have now won seven consecutive contests, including a 72-62 win on Tuesday against Tufts.

WPI’s Garrett Stephenson stuffed the stat sheet against the Jumbos with a game-high 21 points to go along with six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Colin McNamara contributed 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Reid Walker added 10 points, three rebounds, and one assist.

The Engineers will attempt to stretch their winning streak to eight games on Saturday when they visit Albertus Magnus for a 5 p.m. tip-off.

WPI has scored some impressive regional victories thus far against Tufts, Salem State, Fitchburg State, Eastern Connecticut, and Brandeis. After their visit to the Falcons, WPI will be off for the holidays before visiting Framingham State on Saturday, January 4th for its final non-conference clash.

As of this morning, the Engineers are the only New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) team that has won eight games thus far. Babson has won all six of its contests, while Springfield College has won five-straight.

Speaking of the Beavers, they host Amherst this evening with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Babson has been a team to watch thus far, but Wednesday’s meeting with the Mammoths will certainly be a good test for the Green and White.

Following their non-conference clash with the Mammoths, Babson will compete in the New England Big 4 Challenge this weekend – their first game is against Salem State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Big 4 Challenge is always a fun tournament to watch – the two day, the four-game tournament features Babson, Tufts, Brandeis, and Salem State.

by Matt Noonan

Western New England Secures Our New England D-III Women’s Team of the Month

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Emily Farrell and Meghan Orbann have been two players to watch on Western New England this season. (PHOTO COURTESY: Chris Marion)

By NoontimeSports.com | @NoontimeNation 

Western New England has enjoyed a very successful start to its 2019-20 season.

The Golden Bears have won six of seven contests and head into their final week of the semester with some serious momentum. And that momentum, as well as their impressive play has earned WNE our Noontime Sports Women’s Basketball Team of the Month honor for November.

WNE secured the fourth spot in our weekly Top 10 New England D-III Women’s Basketball Poll yesterday for the second-straight week following a post-Thanksgiving Day win over Roger Williams.

Before their win over the Hawks, the Golden Bears picked-up some impressive regional wins against Babson College, Eastern Connecticut State, UMass Dartmouth, and Worcester State.

WNE’s lone loss of the season came early last month against Springfield College.

This week, the Golden Bears will look to conclude the first semester with two more wins when they host Salve Regina University on Wednesday, December 4th before visiting Endicott College on Saturday, December 7th. Following their visit to Beverly, Massachusetts, the Golden Bears will be off until the first week of January when they host Westfield State.

WNE is currently third in field goal percentage (38.6%) in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), but first in free throw percentage (75.9%). Meghan Orbann is seventh in the conference in points per game (13.1), while Emily Farrell is tied for eighth with 13.0 points per game.

Players to Watch on Western New England: 

  • Meghan Orbann: The senior is averaging a career-best 13.1 points per game – she has tallied 92 points in seven games this season on 29 of 69 shooting … Orbann has converted 14 of 31 three-pointers and has pulled down 45 rebounds … Through seven contests, Orbann has recorded 14 steals and 13 assists.
  • Emily Farrell: The senior guard is averaging 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in seven contests this season … Farrell is second on the team in points (91) and third in rebounds (33) … She leads the Golden Bears with 30 assists and is tied for second with eight steals.
  • Courtney Carlson: Carlson is third on the team in points (9.9), rebounds (4.7), and assists (2.0) per game … The senior forward’s 9.9 points per game is currently a career-best … Through seven contests, Carlson has recorded 32 rebounds, 14 assists, and 14 steals.
by Matt Noonan

D3 Basketball: Men’s Top 10 Poll (Monday, Nov. 25th, 2019)

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By NoontimeSports.com | @NoontimeNation

Amherst College remained our top team in our latest Noontime Sports Top 10 Men’s Basketball Poll, while Hamilton College and Middlebury College each moved-up.

Nichols College remains a team to watch – the Bison, who checked-in second last week, moved down two spots, but remain a squad to keep an eye on heading into next month’s contest against Trinity College.

Colby College and WPI joined our poll this week, checking-in eighth and ninth, respectively. Colby has scored some impressive wins thus far and will certainly be a squad to watch this weekend when the Mules tip-off against New Jersey City and Kean.

New England D-III Basketball Men’s Top 10 Week Three Poll| Monday, Nov. 25th, 2019

1. Amherst College

3-0, 0-0 NESCAC

Last Week: No. 1
2. Middlebury College 5-0, 0-0 NESCAC Last Week: No. 3
3. Hamilton College 4-0, 0-0 NESCAC Last Week: No. 4
4. Nichols College  4-0, 0-0 CCC Last Week: No. 2
5. Springfield College 5-0, 0-0 NEWMAC Last Week: No. 5
6. Tufts University 4-0, 0-0 NESCAC Last Week: No. 7 
7. Babson College 5-0, 0-0 NEWMAC Last Week: No. 9 
8. Colby College 5-0, 0-0 NESCAC Last Week: Not Ranked
9. WPI  5-1, 0-0 NEWMAC Last Week: Not Ranked
10. Williams College 3-1, 0-0 NESCAC Last Week: No. 8 

ON THE RISE: Albertus Magnus, Brandeis University, Emmanuel College, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams, and UMass Dartmouth

Previous Polls: Preseason Poll |Week One| Week Two 

by Matt Noonan

D3 Basketball: Men’s Top 10 Poll (Monday, Nov. 18th, 2019)

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By NoontimeSports.com | @NoontimeNation

For the third-straight week, Amherst College remained the top team in New England followed Nichols College (second) and Middlebury College (third).

The Mammoths of Amherst will play their first game on Tuesday, November 19th when they visit Lasell College before facing Elmira on Friday, November 22nd.

Springfield College, UMass Dartmouth, and New England College joined our poll following some impressive wins by all three squads.

Finally, Babson College, Tufts University, and Williams College each moved-up.

New England D-III Basketball Men’s Top 10 Week Two Poll| Monday, Nov. 18th, 2019

1. Amherst College

0-0, 0-0 NESCAC

Last Week: No. 1

2. Nichols College

2-0, 0-0 CCC

Last Week: No. 2

3. Middlebury College

2-0, 0-0 NESCAC

Last Week: No. 3

4. Hamilton College 

2-0, 0-0 NESCAC

Last Week: No. 5

5. Springfield College

4-0, 0-0 NEWMAC

Last Week: Not Ranked

6. UMass Dartmouth

4-0, 0-0 LEC

Last Week: Not Ranked 

7. Tufts University

1-0, 0-0 NESCAC

Last Week: No. 7

8. Williams College

2-0, 0-0 NESCAC

Last Week: No. 8
9. Babson College 4-0, 0-0 NESCAC Last Week: No. 10

10. New England College

2-1, 0-0 NEC

 Last Week: Not Ranked

ON THE RISE: Albertus Magnus, Brandeis University, Colby College, Endicott College, Fitchburg State, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams, Salem State, Suffolk University, Wesleyan University, and WPI 

Previous Polls: Preseason Poll |Week One