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Username Post: Buffalo        (Topic#23525)
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
11-15-19 02:11 PM - Post#291119    

The Bulls graduated a lot of players and aren't the same team that they were last year. They've lost to Dartmouth and beaten Nazareth.

One stat that really jumps out is 18-44 (41%) on FT's. Otherwise they steal the ball a lot and outrebounded Dartmouth.

Wonder who will play for Harvard. Game appears to only be on ESPN+ in US.

 
84grad 
Junior
Posts: 277

Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
11-15-19 08:43 PM - Post#291160    
    In response to HARVARDDADGRAD

Heading up tomorrow from New York. Hoping Kirkwood will play given his roots. Would be nice for Aiken to get in some action before Florida (I’ll be there too).

Very winnable game, especially if they both play.

 
84grad 
Junior
Posts: 277

Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
11-16-19 08:36 AM - Post#291178    
    In response to 84grad

Trusty NY Post has line at Harvard -1.

 
84grad 
Junior
Posts: 277

Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
11-16-19 08:44 AM - Post#291179    
    In response to 84grad

Impossible to bet on Harvard this time of year. Looks like Buffalo has enough guards that would make Kirkwood playing today particularly useful.

I guess we’ll get answers during warmups.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
11-16-19 08:51 AM - Post#291180    
    In response to 84grad

Lines are currently anywhere between -1 each way.

I wouldn’t want to be the person that has to put a line on this game. Ratings systems vary wildly on Buffalo, and ratings systems seem to be locked on a Harvard that, personnel-wise, doesn’t exist. Though at any moment the Crimson might get some of those people back.

It’ll be really hard for the Harvard team that played Siena Thursday night to win. Not sure how likely it is that the status of players would have changed in under 48 hours, either.

 
84grad 
Junior
Posts: 277

Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
11-16-19 10:17 AM - Post#291183    
    In response to mrjames

Per Jon Rothstein:

Harvard's Bryce Aiken (calf) and Noah Kirkwood (ankle) will be available for today's game against Buffalo, per a school spokesman. Seth Towns (knee) is out.

Flight up just got a whole lot better.

 
84grad 
Junior
Posts: 277

Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
11-16-19 04:31 PM - Post#291216    
    In response to 84grad

Down40-38 at half. 3-13 from 3 and 10 turnovers (although a number of them came off of good aggressive plays).

Aiken looks ready. Offense will need time to play together before it can really gel. Big fan of Kirkwood, but he’s had rare poor half defensively defending smaller player. That won’t repeat itself.

 
mobrien 
Senior
Posts: 389

Loc: New York
Reg: 04-18-17
11-16-19 05:40 PM - Post#291220    
    In response to 84grad

We really struggled staying in front of their guards with some of our bigger lineups. I know it was a homecoming game for Sakota, but his minutes came at the expense of Haskett, whose defense we really could have used. Unfortunately for us, I'm not sure if Buffalo missed a single open three in that second half — and made a few that weren't open either.

Bryce mostly looked like himself on offense. That Flagrant 1 call on him effectively ended the game though. Still too many times where everyone else just stands around and watches him. It's a balance we still haven't figured out.

We just missed a ton of close in shots and free throws in that second half.



 
84grad 
Junior
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Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
11-16-19 05:42 PM - Post#291221    
    In response to 84grad

That’s a wrap. Poor 1st half vs. Maine, poor 1st half vs. Northeastern, unimpressive vs. Siena and poor 2nd half today. Surprised Haskett sat after taking a bad shot in 1st half. Seemed like his defense would have been helpful. Buffalo shot 50% from 3, and we shot 26.1%. We did give up a lot of good looks and deserved to lose. And Buffalo hit a lot of tough 2s. Our intensity was definitely lacking compared to Buffalo.

We really do look lost on offense and injuries are only a contributing factor. Need some set plays. I would post Kirkwood close to basket. He can score or pass.

LOT of work to do.

 
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
11-16-19 06:23 PM - Post#291224    
    In response to 84grad

Good points 84.

Harvard has a history of having trouble defending the 3 and Haskett is our best defender and, at 10-15 on the season, our best 3 pt shooter. Maybe not the right game to limit his minutes?

Bryce scored 18 in 21 minutes. He came in looking to pass and the offense wasn't really in sync with that. Not a surprise that Ledlum and Bassey had trouble getting to the rim against an athletic team. Lewis had his chances but was contested. Can't make them pay when you don't make your FT's (3 for 7 by Lewis). Smaller athletic defenders cut off Baker as well.

I guess the OOC becomes what we feared, transition back for injured players and a time to get in sync. "Defense first" mentality seems to be missing.

Hopefully, they play well enough at Holy Cross next week and then they have a week of practices to prepare to make a good showing vs Texas A&M on Thanksgiving.

Seems like we've been here before.

 
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
11-16-19 10:58 PM - Post#291249    
    In response to HARVARDDADGRAD

Harvard hockey loses two underclass defensemen and top scoring forward to the NHL as well as goalie to Providence as a graduate transfer and are off to a 5-0 start, outscoring opponents 27-7. Currently #1 in Pairwise.

Similarly, Harvard women's hockey is rebuilding and off to 5-0 start.

Harvard women's basketball have PG and team leader sit the season out and have a key injury, and start 3-1 with bid win over power Cal.

Don't understand this level of play by men's basketball.

 
bradley 
PhD Student
Posts: 1842

Age: 74
Reg: 01-15-16
11-17-19 01:58 PM - Post#291282    
    In response to HARVARDDADGRAD

I remember back in 2016-17 as to the slow start of a special Tiger's team along with season ending injuries to Hans Brase and Henry Caruso. It seemed that the set up for a special season was collapsing in front of Tiger fans' eyes.

The Crimson do appear disjointed and out of step at this time but they have time to get it together with some help from the injury Gods. Amaker needs to somehow put it all the moving pieces together although sooner vs. later if there is any hope for a 2nd bid unless they lose the home game of IvyMadness which may be indeed difficult.

I understand the frustration but Harvard has a lot of talent. Expectations sometimes outweigh reality but Harvard could go on a great run similar to the Weisz/Cook's team and if only Cannady made the last second shot against ND.

Keep the faith!

 
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
11-17-19 02:22 PM - Post#291285    
    In response to bradley

Thanks. I'm in agreement, just disappointed at our inabilility to put together an entire season. Maybe Orlando will be our Battle 4 Atlantis. The 2011-12 squad was healthy from the start and 4-0 before knocking off #22 FSU. Unlikely we can repeat that in Orlando, but now that Bryce is back the squad has almost two weeks to pull it together. Beating Texas A&M is possible and would make a big difference.

The Ivy season is going to be hard to predict with wild cards such as the return of Towns and Stefanini. Princeton will be better with Schwieger and Gladson. Many rosters are really vulnerable to a key injury. Harvard could be the only squad that could lose any player on its roster and still be likely to make the Ivy Tournament.

 
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