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mountainred 
Masters Student
Posts: 509

Age: 57
Loc: Charleston, WV
Reg: 04-11-10
11-11-12 02:15 PM - Post#134665    

28 to go.

Solid, if expected, win over a young, mid-level MAC squad in Western Michigan (63-55). The defense was extremely aggressive, especially in contesting shots (13 blocks). The Broncos shot only 30%, but it's too early to know how much of that was Cornell's D v. WMU's offense and it being the first game of the season.

Galel Cancer had his best game with Cornell: 10 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover. Some of his points came on the same kind of low percentage drives into traffic as last season, only this time he hit the shot. Still, 7 assists to 1 turnover is encouraging; he did not have a day like that last season.

Nolan Cressler had an impressive debut with six three-pointers in eight attempts. Not a lot else in the stat line, but I will take 20 points in 18 minutes every night. He was the only freshman to take the floor, though my understanding is Bunce is hurt.

Gray, Miller and Peck were a combined 7 for 28 from the field, though Shonn did have 6 blocks and 6 rebounds. I'm going to take it as a good sign that Big Red can win with that kind of shooting from those guys.

One concern is that the team still loves them a three point shot as they took 25 (or roughly 40% of all their shots). And other than Cressler, they were a combined 2 of 17.


 
pennhoops 
Postdoc
Posts: 2470

Reg: 11-21-04
11-12-12 09:47 AM - Post#134700    
    In response to mountainred

Don't know if I'd call WMU midlevel MAC (Pomeroy mid-200s) but it is a solid start, Cressler especially. There's a lot of skill there but the question remains of whether or not it can be harnessed/focused. I think it solidifies Cornell's spot along with Penn as the most variable Ivy; I'd probably give Cornell an edge in terms of returning talent (and thus maybe a slightly higher ceiling this season) but both are mainly potential right now, so it's hard to peg down either one with much certainty.

 
mountainred 
Masters Student
Posts: 509

Age: 57
Loc: Charleston, WV
Reg: 04-11-10
11-12-12 10:20 AM - Post#134705    
    In response to pennhoops

Kenpom is predicting an 8-8 record for WMU in the MAC; that is about as mid-level as you get.

Agreed that Cornell and Penn have the biggest deltas between best-case and worst-case scenarios. Should be entertaining this season watching both teams.

 
pennhoops 
Postdoc
Posts: 2470

Reg: 11-21-04
11-12-12 10:35 AM - Post#134706    
    In response to mountainred

Hanner has them at 7-9 - but then he's pretty negative on Penn, too.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
11-12-12 10:41 AM - Post#134707    
    In response to mountainred

The 8-8 projection is more of a function of the unbalanced schedules (5 of the MAC's 6 best teams are in the other division) than it is a stamp of approval of WMU as an average MAC team.

WMU projects to be among the below-average pack of MAC schools that could finish anywhere from 6th to 12th.

That being said, it was a good home win to start the season - a game that a Top 200 team has to have and Cornell got it done. The Big Red isn't going to post raw defensive ratings in the 70s all season, but hopefully it won't continue to be that poor offensively.

The big one is Wednesday. If Cornell matches Bona possession for possession (and if it can continue it's stifling defense), that would be a huge positive step for the Big Red.

 
IvyBballFan 
Masters Student
Posts: 479

Age: 77
Loc: Central Florida
Reg: 11-19-09
11-12-12 03:34 PM - Post#134739    
    In response to mrjames

  • mrjames Said:
The big one is Wednesday. If Cornell matches Bona possession for possession (and if it can continue its stifling defense), that would be a huge positive step for the Big Red.


Yes, I think you are correct. It might even be a better opportunity for the Big Red than most suspect.

The Nicholson-less Bonnies are projected to slip a couple notches from last year's lofty perch. They already allowed a weak Bethune-Cookman group to be within six with <3min left Fri night in Olean, before putting them away.

Though SB's got a soph seven-footer plugging the middle, in their first road game of the year, this one could easily go all the way down to the wire.

And, I'll bet it'll end up in the low-60's, too.

 
mountainred 
Masters Student
Posts: 509

Age: 57
Loc: Charleston, WV
Reg: 04-11-10
11-12-12 04:26 PM - Post#134749    
    In response to IvyBballFan

  • IvyBballFan Said:
  • mrjames Said:
The big one is Wednesday. If Cornell matches Bona possession for possession (and if it can continue its stifling defense), that would be a huge positive step for the Big Red.


Yes, I think you are correct. It might even be a better opportunity for the Big Red than most suspect.

The Nicholson-less Bonnies are projected to slip a couple notches from last year's lofty perch. They already allowed a weak Bethune-Cookman group to be within six with <3min left Fri night in Olean, before putting them away.

Though SB's got a soph seven-footer plugging the middle, in their first road game of the year, this one could easily go all the way down to the wire.

And, I'll bet it'll end up in the low-60's, too.



The 7-footer could be a problem. By the end, WMU was having success just lobbing the ball in to Whittington down on the block and letting him work.

The next two games could be telling. Bona is a winnable game, but St. Peter's could be tough based on their win over Rutgers, despite their Kenpom rating in the low 200's. I am looking forward to watching a game on something other than Redcast.

And until I see evidence of more Big Red offense, I hope the game is in the low 60's.

 
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