Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Dec. 8

What Happened Last Week: December in the Ivy League doesn’t get much more eventful than this. Yale upset Connecticut for the league’s biggest regular-season win in a couple years; Harvard survived double overtime at Vermont despite a scoring controversy (more below); and the conference was a perfect 8-0 over the weekend. That offset a much gloomier beginning, in which Columbia, Dartmouth and Princeton lost to foes ranked outside KenPom’s top 300. Continue reading “Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Dec. 8” →

Three Thoughts: Fairfield 56, Quinnipiac 52 (OT) (Fairfield edition)

Quinnipiac senior Ousmane Drame (photo courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics)

Monday was indeed very blue for Fairfield, who lost a big lead at home to Bucknell and lost brutally in overtime. At that time, they were 2-5, losers of five of six, and were staring at Manhattan and Quinnipiac to open the MAAC season, surely with visions of last season’s 7-25 (and 4-16 in MAAC play) record dancing in their heads.

 Tuesday was gray and Wednesday, too, as Fairfield struggled to make things right in practice. But by the second half on Friday, Fairfield fans were able to be in love with their team as they handled Manhattan fairly easily in the MAAC opener. By Sunday, the Stags were atop the conference as again they went to overtime, but this time put the brutal loss on Quinnipiac, 56-52, even after the three big men that play the most minutes for them had all fouled out.

Continue reading “Three Thoughts: Fairfield 56, Quinnipiac 52 (OT) (Fairfield edition)” →

Behind Eatherton, Huskies’ Offense Bounces Back

Northeastern’s offense entered Saturday in a slump. After averaging 1.11 points per possession en route to a 4-0 start, including a win at Florida State, the Huskies failed to crack .90 ppp in any of their next three games against UMass, Fairfield and Harvard.

But against Western Michigan at Matthews Arena, Northeastern kicked its offense back into high gear. Continue reading “Behind Eatherton, Huskies’ Offense Bounces Back” →

Three Thoughts: Central Connecticut 56, Hartford 47

Howie Dickenman, at 68 years young, has been dealt some tough hands the last couple of seasons at Central Connecticut. This, his 19th at the table with CCSU, looked like it could hold some winning cards,none more valuable than his ace, senior Kyle Vinales, who was a first-team preseason pick and the leading returning career scorer in the conference.

But just two weeks before the regular season began, Vinales was arrested after an altercation with his girlfriend and subsequently suspended indefinitely. The Blue Devils lost their first seven games, and were down to just nine players in uniform with starting point guard (and another senior) Malcolm McMillan out injured heading into Saturday’s short drive to Hartford. They also learned earlier in the week that Vinales would not return, leaving school completely, ending his collegiate career on an unfortunate note.

Continue reading “Three Thoughts: Central Connecticut 56, Hartford 47” →