These conferences have an average Adjusted Efficiency Margin between 6.00 and 8.00, which is roughly equivalent America East or the Big Sky or maybe even the Big South. Continue reading “Realignment Conferences 26 Through 24”
Hofstra ended a six game slide and got back in the win column with a 78-73 victory over Northeastern Saturday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex in Hempstead, NY. Continue reading “Hofstra Gets Back In The Win Column With Victory Over Northeastern”
BOSTON – Tis the era of analytics in sports and in basketball. I love them. You probably love them if you’re reading this. But, as any coach, hip or not, will tell you, there are few things more frustrating or tougher to work around than a team that can’t make shots.
Drexel is 3-22 after a 70-60 loss to Northeastern Saturday afternoon, their 10th straight defeat, and they now stand at 1-13 in conference. But, by 3-22 standards, the Dragons are still pretty good, even if that’s the worst backhanded compliment ever. Down 15 at the half, Drexel showed what might have been in the second half, scoring 1.24 points per possession and mounting a comeback that worried Northeastern (14-13, 6-8) a bit before falling.
Continue reading “Northeastern 70, Drexel 60: Is There A Way To Repeat For Huskies?”
Three times at Matthews Arena on Thursday night, Hofstra had the ball with a chance to win as the clock expired. Three times, the Pride’s shots didn’t fall. But when the visitors got an opportunity to win by playing defense, they came through, stopping Northeastern on a key possession to earn a thrilling 96-92, triple-overtime victory. Continue reading “Hofstra Wins Triple-Overtime Thriller At Northeastern”
ELON, N.C. – In the age of data and analytics, the precise benefits of senior leadership and home-court advantage remain somewhat elusive. Although I’m sure there are skeptics out there, most people are pretty sure they exist, it’s just a matter to what degree.
Northeastern stands to be a pretty good test case for the senior data this season. The Huskies graduated star Scott Eatherton from last year’s squad that won the CAA and nearly knocked off Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament, but return almost everyone else of consequence, including seniors David Walker, Quincy Ford, and Zach Stahl.
Continue reading “Northeastern 86, Elon 79: Senior Leadership Paces Huskies”
The first half of this game was weird, man.
Things went haywire 90 seconds in, when the shot clock at Harvard’s end of Matthews Arena malfunctioned. Two minutes of game time later, it was done for good; a second, portable clock was hauled out to the baseline, with the PA announcer counting down every time it reached 10. Continue reading “Northeastern Cruises Past Harvard”
This year’s CAA season was a rollercoaster from the start, but in the end the preseason favorite will be dancing. Northeastern earned its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1991 with a 72-61 win over William & Mary, thanks to the Huskies’ hottest shooting performance of the season.
Northeastern struggled to an 11-21 record last year in large part became it lacked outside shooting, but there were signs this season would be different right from the start. David Walker and T.J. Williams improved their accuracy, while newcomers gave the Huskies new options. Rookie Devon Begley shot 48% from long range off the bench, including big shots in Sunday’s win over UNC Wilmington. Caleb Donnelly, a walk-on who was playing club ball two years ago, hit 54% and scored in double figures in the semifinals and finals.
But the Huskies’ biggest addition was a familiar face — forward Quincy Ford, who missed most of the 2013-14 season after having back surgery. Ford shot treys in high volume at a 36% clip this season, pairing that with an ability to drive from the perimeter and use his 6’8” length inside. Behind Ford’s 22 points (including four threes), Northeastern led wire to wire in the championship game, making 12 of 20 three-pointers for an effective field goal percentage of 73%.
William & Mary was on the wrong end of a Northeastern explosion before — a 75-64 loss in February, in which the Huskies scored 1.44 points per possession. As in that game, the Tribe made the score close with a late rally — a 16-0 run to pull within six points I the final minute — but their hole was too deep.
The Tribe, famously, has never made an NCAA tournament, a streak that will extend at least one more year. Fate seemed to be in their favor after a last-second, double-overtime victory over Hofstra in the semifinals, but luck ran out against the Huskies’ shooting. 2,000-point scorer Marcus Thornton, who had 20 points and five assists Monday, will finish his illustrious career in the NIT.
Northeastern, meanwhile, will taste the Big Dance for the first time in a generation. With an experienced lineup, a balanced offense and a tendency to get hot, the Huskies could be a sneaky upset pick in March.
As John showed yesterday, the CAA Tournament is up for grabs. Thanks to a balanced league with four co-champions, as well as the CAA’s neutral-site format, nobody won more than 26% of the 10,000 simulations, and six teams had at least a 10% chance of making the finals. Here’s the case for each of the top six seeds — and the others — heading into this evening’s first round. Continue reading “The Case For Every CAA Tournament Contender”
Will William & Mary make its first ever NCAA tournament? It’s a fair question to ask in the wide open CAA tournament in Baltimore. Continue reading “10,000 Sims: CAA Tournament”
When it visited William & Mary last month, Northeastern shot 2-20 from beyond the arc, its worst performance of the season. Without those outside shots, the Huskies couldn’t keep up with the hosts’ high-powered offense, losing 74-58. But in Wednesday’s rematch at Matthews Arena, needing a win to stay in the hunt for the CAA title, Northeastern’s shooting rebounded with a vengeance. Continue reading “Northeastern Tops William & Mary In Shootout”
NYC Buckets Archive 