Hoops preview: Bobcat men and women look for strong finales
LEWISTON, Maine — With both the men’s and women’s basketball teams from Bates College entering the last weekend of regular season play at 6-1 in NESCAC games, the possibilities are wide open: either team, or both, could earn the top seeds in the upcoming NESCAC playoffs and host the semifinals and finals in two weeks. Conversely, if they don’t take care of business this weekend, both teams could find themselves with road games in the first round of the playoffs next weekend.
The women’s team wraps up the regular season with home games against Amherst tonight and Trinity tomorrow. Both games will be webcast on BatesCast.com.
The men’s team, meanwhile, not only is resigned to the road this weekend, but goes up against what could be the top two teams in the league: Amherst (19-2), ranked ninth in Division III by D3Hoops.com, and Trinity (16-4), whose power trio of Kino Clarke, Tyler Rhoten and Pat Martin collectively averages 50 points per game. Bates, Trinity and Amherst all sit tied atop the NESCAC entering tonight’s game, each at 6-1.
Tonight’s men’s game at Amherst will be broadcast on WAMH-FM, and tomorrow’s game at Trinity will be carried on WRTC-FM. BatesCast.com will have both broadcasts available via webcast, courtesty of those two stations.
Here’s a quick look ahead at this weekend’s home basketball games:
Bates women (15-7, 6-1 NESCAC) vs. Amherst College (9-12, 4-3 NESCAC)
Tipoff: Friday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m. at Alumni Gym
Webcast: BatesCast.com
Outlook: Entering the last weekend of the regular season, four teams sit atop the NESCAC standings with six league wins apiece: Bates, Bowdoin, Williams and Wesleyan. Five teams have two NESCAC wins or less. In the middle sits Amherst, with four wins, the only team with any chance of taking away hosting privileges from any of the top four. Needless to say, the Jeffs need to win here tonight to keep that hope alive.
Team Leaders:
Scoring – Amherst: Stefanie Reiff (9.7 ppg), Jenny Muller (9.4), Kristein Morin (7.7), Julie Smith (7.1), Shaina Pollack (7.0); Bates: Meg Coffin (17.3), Matia Kostakis (12.1), Jackie Powers (9.5), Val Beckwith (8.7), Sarah Barton (8.1).
Rebounding – Amherst: Katie Latham (6.1 rpg), Yasmine Harik (5.1), Julie Smith (4.3); Bates: Meg Coffin (10.2), Matia Kostakis (7.2), Sarah Barton (4.8).
Assists – Amherst: Kristine Morin (2.4 apg), Jenny Muller (2.2), Shaina Pollack (1.8); Bates: Sarah Barton (6.9), Meg Coffin (2.1), Becca Buckler (2.0).
Field Goal Percentage – Amherst: Julie Smith (.643), Katie Latham (.505), Stefanie Reiff (.475); Bates: Meg Coffin (.571), Val Beckwith (.483), Matia Kostakis (.409).
3-Point Percentage – Amherst: Shaina Pollack (.327), Jenny Muller (.302), Anne-Claire Roesch (.273); Bates: Sarah Barton (.429), Mary Hart .393), Matia Kostakis (.333).
Free Throw Percentage – Amherst: Amanda Otieno (1.000), Susannah Ludwig (1.000), Julie Smith (.813); Bates: Kyla Decato (.833), Matia Kostakis (.827), Sarah Barton (.805).
Bates women (15-7, 6-1 NESCAC) vs. Trinity College (7-13, 2-5 NESCAC)
Tipoff: Saturday, Feb. 11, 3 p.m. at Alumni Gym
Webcast: BatesCast.com
Outlook: Much will be determined this afternoon on campuses across New England, as far as the upcoming NESCAC women’s basketball playoffs are concerned: who will host a first-round playoff game, who’s in and who’s out, who’s the top seed. But the immediate task at hand for Bates is thwarting current NESCAC Player of the Week Sarah Cox and the visiting Bantams.
Team Leaders:
Scoring – Trinity: Sarah Cox (18.1 ppg), Leigh Melanson (12.8), Catherine Maher (11.3), Mary Lennick (5.4), Deirdre Savageau (5.2); Bates: Meg Coffin (17.3), Matia Kostakis (12.1), Jackie Powers (9.5), Val Beckwith (8.7), Sarah Barton (8.1).
Rebounding – Trinity: Sarah Cox (6.7 rpg), Leigh Melanson (5.8), Jasmine Johnson (5.1); Bates: Meg Coffin (10.2), Matia Kostakis (7.2), Sarah Barton (4.8).
Assists – Trinity: Mary Lennick (4.6 apg), Catherine Maher (2.8), Sarah Cox (2.4); Bates: Sarah Barton (6.9), Meg Coffin (2.1), Becca Buckler (2.0).
Field Goal Percentage – Trinity: Leigh Melanson (.431), Jasmine Johnson (.423), Catherine Maher (.417); Bates: Meg Coffin (.571), Val Beckwith (.483), Matia Kostakis (.409).
3-Point Percentage – Trinity: Deirdre Savageau (.357), Leigh Melanson (.333), Catherine Maher (.326); Bates: Sarah Barton (.429), Mary Hart .393), Matia Kostakis (.333).
Free Throw Percentage — Trinity: Sarah Cox (.825), Mary Lennick (.808), Leigh Melanson (.727); Bates: Kyla Decato (.833), Matia Kostakis (.827), Sarah Barton (.805).