Thursday, March 4, 2010

Video Interviews: Billy Bender and Jamie Karraker

In the last installment of player video interviews for this week, we talk with two sophomore guards for MIT: Billy Bender and Jamie Karraker.

Billy discusses his expectations going into this season, how he prepares to defend the opposing team's best players, and what has made him so successful in making shots in crunch time.

Jamie discusses how frustrating it has been having to watch his teammates from the sideline this year, when he expects to get back on the court, the similarities between this year and last year's team, and how playing a prep year at Phillips Exeter Academy has prepared him for the college game.



Video and Live Stats Available Against DeSales

Both live video and live stats will be available for this Friday's game against Desales.

Video Link

Live Stats

Four Named Academic All-Conference

In addition to the basketball honors handed out yesterday, the NEWMAC has announced this year's Academic All-Conference team. MIT players claimed four of the eight spots on the team. Adding to his Player of the Year honors, Noel Hollingsworth made the squad, along with senior Patrick Sissman and sophomores Billy Bender and Jamie Karraker.

To make the team, players must have a 4.35/5.0 and be at least a sophomore in academic standing. The full release is available at the NEWMAC website: NEWMAC Release.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Video Interviews: Devin Dee and Bradley Gampel

In this episode of player interviews, we have two guards at opposite ends of the spectrum of their playing careers. Bradley Gampel was a big part of last year's successful MIT basketball team, but is a year removed from organized basketball. Meanwhile, Devin Dee is a freshman guard, out of Hillsborough, CA, who is in his first year with the MIT team.

Brad compares this year's team to last year's team, talks about how it has been coaching this year at his former high school, and discusses how his game compares to this year's starting point guard's (Mitchell Kates).

Devin discusses balancing school, basketball, and Naval ROTC, the team's strengths, and his most memorable experience of the season.

Check back tomorrow for our final episode of video interviews for the week with Billy Bender and Jamie Karraker featured.



Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Video Interviews: Arni Lehto and Patrick Gichuiri

In today's player video interviews, we have an international flavor as we interview the two players on this year's squad who went to high school across the Atlantic.

Arni Lehto discusses basketball in his homeland of Finland, how this year's team compares to last year's team, and what the team's mentality is going into the postseason.

Patrick Gichuiri discusses basketball in his native Kenya, his favorite part of being on the MIT basketball team, and his thoughts on the team's strength going into the postseason.



Noel Hollingsworth Named NEWMAC Player of the Year; Kates Top Rookie

Sophomore Noel Hollingsworth was selected as the 2009-10 NEWMAC Player of the Year on Tuesday after guiding MIT to its first regular-season conference title in school history and a new single-season record for wins. Mitchell Kates earned additional hardware for the Engineers by being tabbed NEWMAC Rookie of the Year.

Hollingsworth, who was a four-time NEWMAC Player of the Week selection, paced the conference in scoring (20.5 ppg), rebounds (9.1), and field goal percentage (56.6%). He produced 13 double-doubles on the year, led the team in scoring in 16 games, and topped 30 points on five occasions. As MIT's second consecutive Player of the Year, Hollingsworth was also named to the All-Conference First Team.

Kates picked up Second Team All-Conference honors in addition to earning the program's third Rookie of the Year award in the last five years. Kates led the NEWMAC in assists (4.2) and steals (2.2) while leading the team in minutes played. Kates also ranked eighth in the league in scoring at 13.1 ppg.

First Team All-Conference: Noel Hollingsworth (MIT); Jeff Robinson (WPI); Mark Alexander (Clark); Matt Cavalieri (Springfield); Brian Vayda (Clark)

Second Team All-Conference: Mitchell Kates (MIT); Pat Crean (Springfield); Anthony Coppola (Wheaton); Brendan Degnan (Wheaton); Kyle Nadeau (WPI)

Official NEWMAC Release

Statistically Speaking

This is how MIT stacks up statistically in the NEWMAC and against other NCAA DIII teams across the country. Stats are for games through 2/28/2010. Only statistics in which MIT is top 2 in the NEWMAC as a team and top 10 in individual categories are listed. Note that the NCAA does not rank all categories that the NEWMAC ranks.

Team Statistics
Statistic Value NEWMAC NCAA
Scoring Defense59.317
Rebounding Margin+7.2116
Scoring Margin+11.3124
3FGM7.42165
FG%46.0199
Assists14.271109
A/TO0.891
Rebounding Defense30.31
FG% Defense40.2232
Scoring Offense70.62213
3FG% Defense32.32

Individual Statistics

Player Statistic Value NEWMAC NCAA
Noel HollingsworthScoring20.5134
Rebounds9.1161
FG%56.6165
Blocks1.383104
Mitchell KatesSteals2.15172
Assists4.23190
FG%49.46
A/TO1.207237
Scoring13.18
FT%70.010
Will TashmanFG%55.12
Rebounds7.14212
FT%70.49
Blocks0.6010
Jimmy Burke3FGM2.361107
3FG%40.45
Billy Johnson3FGM1.696345
Billy BenderRebounds5.39

MIT falls to #21 in this week's D3hoops.com poll, after losing their only game of the week in the semifinals of the NEWMAC tournament this past weekend. This is MIT's lowest ranking since Week 4 of this season when they were also ranked #21. MIT has been ranked for 11 consecutive weeks and are now 22-4 overall and 21-3 in DIII.

Full D3hoops.com Rankings Here

MIT faces DeSales in the first round of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament, to be played at William Paterson in New Jersey this Friday.

Monday, March 1, 2010

MIT Basketball NCAA Selection Reaction

Below is a clip of the MIT basketball team watching the NCAA Division III selection show. We pick up the action as the right hand side of the brackets are being announced and the tension is building as MIT awaits to see if they will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney. MIT was the last team announced because of their location on the bracket. Coach Anderson addresses his team briefly at the end of the clip.

MIT Falls to 5th in Final NE Region NCAA Rankings

The final regional rankings were released today by the NCAA, and MIT fell to the #5 ranking in the Northeast region after losing to Clark in the NEWMAC Semifinals on Saturday.

Full NCAA rankings can be found here: NCAA Release