January 12, 2014, 4:00 pm
Middlebury (6-5, 0-1) vs. Tufts (6-5, 0-0)
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Over the past three seasons, there has been a clear cream of the NESCAC crop. Between the 2010-2013 seasons, Middlebury, Amherst and Williams combined for eight top-three finishes and all three conference championships. This year a handful of squads look to crash the championship party, and one team poised to do so is the Tufts Jumbos.

Three years ago the Jumbos were a mediocre squad, going 4-5 in conference, suffering blowouts to the NESCAC’s top teams. The next season, 2011-2012, Tufts improved to 6-4 in conference in a down year for Williams, placing fourth in the league, but still failed to compete with Middlebury and Amherst.

Finally, in 2012-2013, Tufts gave a top team a scare, losing by a point when Middlebury’s James Jensen swatted a last second jumper. The Jumbos’ only conference losses last season came against Middlebury and Williams at home and on the road at Amherst. In their third straight postseason appearance, Tufts again fell to Amherst on the road, 80-64, in the NESCAC Semifinals. They finished the year at 17-9 overall and 7-3 in conference, the most conferences victories for the program since 2004-2005. Tufts is finally putting Titletown on the D3 basketball map (there’s your shameless plug of Boston sports for the week)

Now in his 26th season at the helm of the Jumbos, head coach Bob Sheldon has turned out some impressive recruiting classes over the past decade, which has helped the team reach their current level of relevance. Junior Ben Ferris earned NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors his first season on campus in 2011-2012. That year he tallied 9.6 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game and 1.3 assists. Last year, as a sophomore, the 6’ 3” guard led the squad in scoring, rebounding, 3-pointers made and steals.

Sheldon’s recruiting prowess continued in 2012-2013 as he brought in the 6’ 8” Massachusetts native Tom Pelleschi to play center. Pelleschi played well early on, but truly emerged once NESCAC play began. While averaging 13.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game during conference play and shooting at a 57% clip, Pelleschi did enough not only to win NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors (the second straight Jumbo to do so), but also to earn the distinction of D3Hoops.com Northeast Region Rookie of the Year.

Unfortunately, Pelleschi’s career may have come to a sudden end. The dynamic center suffers from an enlarged aorta that will certainly keep him away from the court for the 2013-2014 season and leaves his playing future in significant doubt.

So, the question on the court for the Jumbos at the outset of conference play is how to replace the production of one of the league’s most talented returning centers.

As in the past two seasons, Sheldon has relied on some talented freshman to shoulder a significant load. Only three freshmen will don the baby blue and brown in Medford this year, but two of them stand amongst the league’s tallest. The 6’ 8” Hunter Sabety hails from Oceanside, NY and Drew Madsen, though listed as a 6’ 7” forward, will be among the league’s tallest big men as well. Sabety in particular fits the void left by Palleschi. At 240 pounds, he can bruise underneath but will still bring a good amount of athleticism, and turned down a slew of D1 offers in favor of Tufts. And Sabety has a penchant for winning. As a four-year varsity player and three-year starter, Sabety accrued an 88-33 record and led his high school to a Division 3 State Championship last season. Palleschi has been involved with the team and done his best to bring the young big men along.

Sabety has been everything Coach Sheldon had hoped for and more to start the year. Eleven games into his college career, Sabety is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder despite only playing 20.6 minutes per game, and is a defensive force, racking up 2.3 blocks per game, fourth among NESCAC big men.

The Jumbos frontcourt has been bolstered by the emergence of 6’ 7” senior Tommy Folliard. The Richmond, VA native has more than doubled his scoring from last season, from 5.6 to 12.3, and is a remarkable 21-38 from deep (55%).

Additionally, with a hip stress fracture keeping last year’s leading scorer, Ben Ferris, sidelined until after the new year, 5’ 10” 170 lbs point guard Tarik Smith has logged significant minutes. In 20 minutes per game off the bench, Smith has helped senior Oliver Cohen handle point guard duties and has been deadly efficient from the floor, scoring 10 point per game on 49% shooting and 47% from behind the arc.

Though losing their two men in the middle with the injury to Palleschi and the graduation of Scott Anderson, the Jumbos have returned a dynamic backcourt, where Ferris is joined by sophomore Stephen Haladyna. The 6’5” Haladyna was third on the team in scoring last season, dropping 10.2 per game. What’s more, Oliver Cohen, who logged more minutes than any other returner from last year and led the team in assists, has stepped right back into his point guard role, and leads the team with 5 assists per game. Additionally, the voluntary departure of would-be junior guard CJ Moss, who played over 23 minutes per game last year and started in all 17 of his appearances, put more pressure on the team’s returning guards. Haladyna and Cohen were expected to shoulder the load early on for the Jumbos with the injury to Ferris and departure of Moss, but an injury of his own kept Haladyna to just six games before the new year. The Jumbos have gotten backcourt production from a long list of names, including the team’s second-leading scorer, senior Kwame Firempong, and from sophomore Ryan Spadaford, who’s played under 20 minutes per game off the bench but has racked up over 10 points per game and is shooting above 50%.

In the team’s first game since the break, the Jumbos (6-5) lost on the road to Rhode Island College (7-5). But, the good news for Coach Bob Sheldon is that he finally got a look at the rotation that will carry the Jumbos through conference play, barring further injuries. Haladyna took the court for the first time in weeks, and Ferris for the first time all year, playing 28 minutes. Both showed signs of rust, but there is no question of their ability once they get in a rhythm.

At the season’s outset, the loss of Palleschi seemed like a monstrous void to fill. But with the emergence of Folliard and the instant success of Sabety, accompanied by the legion of experienced and inexperienced guards playing big minutes and producing for the Jumbos, Tufts seems to be rounding into form at the perfect time, before their first conference matchup with Middlebury in central VT. The biggest issue for Tufts thus far has been defense. Though fourth in the league in scoring, Tufts is also fourth-to-last in points allowed. Hopefully for the Jumbos, the return of Ferris will improve their perimeter defense that will have an affect on all other parts of their game. What’s more, if Sabety can refrain from the foul trouble he’s often gotten himself into, he is poised to make a Palleschi-esque leap in terms of production in conference play and potentially earn the Jumbos’ third straight NESCAC Rookie of the Year honor. Tufts will need continued strong play from the frontcourt to complement their guards if they hope to make the team’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2005-2006 and dethrone the triumvirate of Middlebury, Amherst and Williams.

Aaron Liebowitz of the Tufts Daily contributed to this post

Through its first 10 games this season the Middlebury men’s basketball team is 6-4 and decidedly mediocre. Just how atypical has this season been in the context of recent history? Prior to this season, Middlebury had gone five straight seasons without dropping a game in the first semester of play. And to find the last time the Panthers lost four games before the start of NESCAC play, you have to go back to the 2004 season when Middlebury finished 6-18. It’s safe to say that things have not gone according to plan for Jeff Brown and the 2013-14 Panthers.

But while the problem—Middlebury’s ghastly shooting woes—is easily diagnosed, the root of the problem, and therefore any tangible solutions, are far more difficult to identify. It is especially hard to explain the team’s struggles because, in the context of the season, they do not make very much sense. The Panthers went into the break following their most impressive offensive performance of the season—an 89-84 win over Skidmore in a hostile environment. In that game, Middlebury shot 47 percent from the floor—and 54 percent in the second half—while making 10-22 threes and 23 of 27 free throws, including all 14 attempts in the second half. In the two games since then, the Panthers have shot 30 percent (30-114) from the floor and have made just 7 of their 36 (19%) three point attempts. Many different theories for the team’s struggles have been suggested, some of which are worth exploring in further detail.

POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS

1) Middlebury lost too much from last year’s team
The team’s struggles early in the year illuminate just how impressive the consistency Andrew Locke, Ryan Sharry, Nolan Thompson, Jake Wolfin, Peter Lynch and many others brought to the program was. Of all the many achievements those players accomplished, their ability to compete on a nightly basis with every team they faced is one for which they should always be remembered. Of the 10 games the class of 2013 lost in their final three seasons at Middlebury, they were within a possession with less than minute to play. But while the 2013-14 team has lacked that level of consistency (and really any at all to this point), the issues go far beyond what the team lost in Thompson, Wolfin and Lynch. Jeff and I agree that last year’s team missing those three players likely would have produced better performances against Salve Regina and Plattsburgh State and, especially in the case of the former, likely won the game in spite of their absence. This iteration of the Panthers is far too talented to lose to Salve Regina and Plattsburgh in the manner that they did. While some degree of inconsistency was expected from this team given the number of inexperienced players upon whom it would rely, consecutive lackluster performances of this magnitude where the loss was all but determined with three minutes left in the game cannot be explained away by the absences of Thompson, Wolfin and Lynch.

2) Lack of effort
Though the Panthers have looked flat in each of the past two games, it’s hard to attribute that to a lack of effort. While the offense has tanked, the Panthers have turned in two of their best defensive performances of the season in the losses. Green Mountain aside, Middlebury held Salve Regina and Plattsburgh to the third and first lowest scoring outputs, respectively, of any opponent they’ve played and held both teams to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor. If the belief that defensive intensity is a strong indicator of effort, then it is impossible to fault the Panthers for their effort over the past two games.

3) Missing offensive identity
Tuesday’s game was basketball torture if you enjoy watching clean, well-run sets in the half court. The Middlebury offense stagnated for long stretches of time, with little or meaningless ball movement and a dearth of touches inside for bigs Matt Daley and Jack Roberts. Joey Kizel had a tremendous first half (10 points on 3-4 shooting), but struggled in the second half, making just one of six shot attempts while turning the ball over twice and recording just one assist. The struggles were not unique to Kizel, but indicative of the team’s play overall. The Panthers are struggling from a lack of spacing offensively, though it’s difficult to say whether the poor shooting is causing spacing problems or vice versa. Given Middlebury’s play at Skidmore and the quality attempts they took (and missed) against Salve Regina, i’m inclined to believe that their shooting woes have affected their spacing and not the other way around. Which brings us to…

4) Bad luck
Any stretch of wins or losses is usually aided or exacerbated by luck, good and bad. In both losses, the Panthers missed a multitude of shots, both near the basket and from distance that they would normally make. Teams don’t often go through team-wide struggles all at the same time, as the Panthers have in their first two games back from winter break. As a team they will regress toward the mean from beyond the arc (they can’t shoot 19 percent the rest of the season, though they’re shooting just 34 percent on the season) and certain players/lineups will emerge as the season progresses and the team finds its rhythm. Having said that, it’s impossible to attribute the way Middlebury lost to luck. In a one-possession game, luck can play a huge role; it cannot account for consecutive losses by an average of 11.5 points. Furthermore, in the past, Jeff Brown’s teams have overcome stretches of bad luck, either by winning ugly or giving themselves a chance to win and falling short. Thus far, this team has not been able to do that consistently, with a number of these factors playing a role in their performance over the past week.

SOLUTIONS

While it would be nearly impossible for the Panthers to continue to play as poorly as they have, that provides little reassurance for a team that must play by far its best basketball over the toughest part of its schedule to have any hope of challenging for a NESCAC title and a bid to the NCAA tournament. (Thinking big picture for a moment, short of winning the NESCAC tournament and receiving the automatic qualifier, Middlebury likely needs to go 8-2 or 9-1 and advance to at least the NESCAC semifinals, but more likely the finals, to have any chance of making the NCAA Tournament).

How is that going to happen? Well, for one, some consistency shooting the ball would go a long way, both because it is highly beneficial in and of itself, but also because if Kizel, Merryman and St. Amour can stretch the floor they would clear space for Daley, Roberts and James Jensen to operate in the post. Daley in particular looked effective when he got touches in Tuesday’s game and should play a bigger role as he returns to form. Dylan Sinnickson’s return, which could happen tonight, should also provide a considerable boost for Middlebury’s offense. Sinnickson hasn’t played since November 16, when he scored 22 points in Middlebury’s 96-89 win over Baruch after taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. In addition to providing greater athleticism and dynamism on the break, Sinnickson appeared to provide Middlebury with another three-point threat, having made five of his seven three-point attempts this season, including four of five against Baruch.

Sinnicksnon’s return gives Jeff Brown another offensive weapon to mix and match in different lineups and maximizing the production of different players on the floor will be a considerable challenge going forward. In Tuesday’s game against Plattsburgh, the Panthers made their run in the second half with Kizel, Jake Brown, Nate Bulluck, Daley and Roberts on the floor—a five-man lineup that may not have logged any minutes previously. Though the lineup played incredibly effectively together—particularly on the defensive end—coach Brown went back to his starters shortly after, only to watch Plattsburgh extend its lead back to double digits. Balancing when to play the best players versus the best lineup is an incredibly difficult task for any coach (and of course there’s no guarantee that the Brown-Kizel-Bulluck-Daley-Roberts lineup would have continued to be successful), but given the make up of this team (both in terms of its depth and its issues with consistency) Jeff Brown will have to be masterful in his understanding of when to ride certain lineups and when to go back to rely on his more conventional game plan.

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

Four pre-NESCAC losses have not inspired a great deal of confidence in this team’s ability to beat quality opponents (and they face one tonight in Bates), but those losses have not adversely affected Middlebury’s chances of achieving its goals in conference play, which tips off tonight. In Bates (7-4), the Panthers face a team that can beat opponents in a variety of ways, in large part due to the emergence of 6’1” guard Graham Safford who has erupted as a NESCAC Player of the Year candidate in his junior season. Safford is second in the NESCAC in scoring, averaging nearly 22 points per game on 49/40/75 shooting splits to go along with 5.7 assist per game as he assumed most of the ball handling duties in point guard Luke Matarazzo’s absence. He’s complemented by 6’5” guard/forward Mike Boornazian, who has been more efficient, if less prolific, than Stafford, averaging 18.5 points per game, while compiling a shooting line of 50/43/80.

Unfortunately for the Bobcats, the offensive well just about runs dry after their pair of elite scorers with no other player averaging more than 8.4 points per game. On the other end, however, the Delpeche twins (freshmen Malcolm and Marcus—6’8” and 6’7”, respectively) provide rim protection (both average more than a block per game while playing fewer than 20 minutes per game) for a Bates team that is holding opponents to 67 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting from the floor. Much like Middlebury should see an improvement offensively from the return of Dylan Sinnickson, the Bobcats will be bolstered by Mattarazzo’s reintroduction into the lineup. Undersized at 5’9”, Matarazzo relies on his ball handling and quickness to beat defenders off the dribble and typically uses penetration to set up teammates rather than find his own shot. He gave the Panthers fits a year ago when Middlebury played at Bates; depending on his game-readiness (he played just 14 minutes in the Bobcats’ loss to Brandeis on Tuesday), he could provide a matchup issue again, though the Panthers should be better prepared to check him with the quickness of Jake Brown.

Bates will provide a strong test of Middlebury’s ability to execute in the half court. The Bobcats are averaging just 13.6 turnovers per game and have the athletes and speed to slow the Panthers down on the break. Where Bates is vulnerable is its lack of front court depth. The Bobcats rely on a trio of freshmen (the Delpeches and 6’7” center Max Eaton) to check opposing front courts, which is an area Middlebury should be able to exploit with consistent touches for Jensen, Daley and Roberts—though they’ve struggled to generate looks inside consistently. Currently the Panthers appear to be ill-equipped to attempt to match Safford and Boornazian in a backcourt shoot out, but after a week of miserable play, we expect the Panthers to get more out of Kizel, St. Amour and co.

After a devastating start to 2014, Middlebury must right itself tonight against Bates. This is unchartered territory for the Panthers, who are both immensely talented, but also sitting on the precipice of a lost season. How they perform tonight will speak volumes about the remainder of their season.

January 7, 2014, 7:30 pm
Middlebury (6-3) vs. Plattsburgh State (6-2)

Nine games in to the 2013-14 schedule, the Panthers are in a low place. Thanks to an ugly loss against Salve Regina last weekend — the worst we game have ever seen Middlebury play — they already have their most regular season losses since 2008-09, and are unranked in the D3Hoops.com Top 25 for the first time since the 2009-10 preseason. That said, this team is focused on being at its best for conference play, which starts Friday. Tonight’s game against Plattsburgh State represents the last chance to build some confidence and find an identity against a tough opponent before squaring off with Bates and Tufts this weekend. In a welcome reprieve after two months of excess traveling, this matchup will be at home.

Plattsburgh’s two losses have been by a combined seven points, and they look likely to once again contend for the SUNYAC championship. Plattsburgh has made the NCAA Tournament five times in the past eight seasons. Last year, Middlebury came away with a 80-73 win over the Cardinals behind 42 combined points (14-21 FG) from seniors Nolan Thompson and Peter Lynch.

Projected Starters
G Chris Manning – 6’0″ Senior – 4.6 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.4 spg 56/27/40
G Shamoy McIntosh – 6’2″ Junior – 15.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 36/32/76, reigning SUNYAC player of the week
G John Perez – 6’3″ Senior – 10.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 59/X/62
G Jordan Moody – 6’2″ Junior – 11.8 ppg, 53/46/74
F Shavar Fields – 6’6″ Senior – 13.9 ppg, 4/8 rpg 58/X/78

Key Reserves
F Ezra Hodgson – 6’6″ Junior – 5.4 ppg, 40/32/67
G Mike Mitchell – 5’7″ Junior – 7.2 ppg, 55/60/83

McIntosh presents the biggest challenge and is coming off of a 22 point (7-13 FG), 7 rebound performance. Fields appears to have won the starting spot from Hodgson with his high level of offensive production (25 points per 40 minutes). Middlebury should have significant height advantages at the three and four. Manning’s 3.4 steals per game are impressive and suggest Joey Kizel might have to stay in the game and at the point for close to 40 minutes.

Key to the Game

Dylan Sinnickson and Matt Daley – Though we have no word from the team, we expect both of these guys to play for the first time in the new year. When projecting the rest of the season, nothing is more important than the play of Sinnickson and Daley. Two very capable players who have worked hard to improve their games heading into this season but have made inconsistent contributions, Middlebury needs them both clicking to make a play for the conference title. If they do play, it will be the first game in which Middlebury’s top seven players — Kizel, St. Amour, Merryman, Jensen, Roberts, Daley, Sinnickson — are all healthy. How they play tonight is likely to dictate the outcome but will also tell us a lot about how far this team can go in NESCAC play.

J-term is upon us, and that means Pepin is going to be filled to the brim for NESCAC basketball season (last year, Middlebury led the NESCAC in home attendance). For most attendees, this week’s slate of home games (January 7 vs. Plattsburgh, January 10 vs. Bates, January 12 vs. Tufts) will be the first look at this year’s team. Luckily for you, we’ve been watching this year’s team since they were scrimmaging in September. Here’s a viewer’s guide to the 2013-14 roster for the casual fan.

(15) JOEY KIZEL – You know Joey Kizel. Middlebury’s star point guard, a preseason First Team All-American, the captain has already established himself as an all-time Middlebury great. His late game heroics are legendary, and a few more magic moments are surely in store for his senior season.

(33) JAMES JENSEN – A relentless fighter and a tremendous athlete, the senior thrives in the big home game environment. On defense, he will match up against point guards, centers, and everyone in between. When the team’s offense stagnates, Jensen attacks the basket, unmatched in his ability to finish and get to the free throw line.

(55) JACK ROBERTS – Middlebury’s senior enforcer in the middle, the 6’8″ Roberts is at his best playing defense on the block. Watch his balance and timing as he stifles opposing big men.

(11) MATT ST. AMOUR – A Vermonter from Missisquoi Valley High School, the freshman St. Amour is the face of the future. The two-time Vermont Player of the Year, and career 2,000-point scorer, turned down a guaranteed roster spot from UVM (D1) to come here. He is as talented of a player as this program has ever seen.

(24) HUNTER MERRYMAN – Merryman burst onto the scene last year with his scorching hot outside shooting. Now a junior, Merryman boasts a complete offensive game and can create his own shot just about anywhere on the court.

(22) NATE BULLUCK – Bulluck, a senior, is a core reserve for this team who was set back with a knee injury last January. He comes off the bench, can guard top scorers, has a nice outside shot, is effective at drawing fouls when he attacks the basket.

(23) MATT DALEY – A sophomore who hardly played last season, Daley is the next star in the Middlebury front court. Long enough to play center, but dangerous enough facing the basket to play on the perimeter, Daley can take over a game when everything is clicking. His play will largely determine Middlebury’s success this season.

(41) DYLAN SINNICKSON – Sinnickson is an exceptional outside shooter with a high release point. The 6’5″ junior missed all of last season with a broken arm, and will have to work his way back into the rotation after missing seven games earlier this winter. The best athlete on the team, if Sinnickson gets into the open court on a fast break, he will bring the house down.

(35) JAKE NIDENBERG – Nidenberg, a sophomore, was one of the pleasant surprises of the fall semester. He finds ways to score with a nice post game, underrated athleticism, and good touch around the basket.

(5) JAKE BROWN – The nephew of head coach Jeff Brown, Jake has earned a spot as the back-up point guard as a freshman. At this point in his career, it’s hard to know if any given possession of his will produce a highlight-reel pass, acrobatic reverse layup, or careless turnover. The growing pains will continue, but he can make you forget about them pretty quickly when he is on point.

(43) CHRIS CHURCHILL – In and out of the rotation this fall, the junior is still inconsistent on offense, but can affect the opponents’ offensive rhythm with his size and rebounding ability.

(10) CONNOR HUFF – A sophomore wingman, Huff has has earned a spot on the periphery of the rotation with a nice outside jumper, gritty defense, and improvement handling the ball.

(14) DEAN BRIERLEY – Good at everything but not great at anything, the junior can be counted on to provide steady offense and defense on the perimeter, but won’t see big minutes unless he takes his outside shooting up a notch.

(13) HENRY PENDERGAST – Though the sophomore’s progress was slowed by an early season knee injury, Pendergast will see some opportunities to run the point. He is long and athletic for his position, a strong passer, and can explode to the rim when he drives.

(25) BRYAN JONES – Much like Matt Daley last year, we know Jones is a talented freshman and is going to be a big part of the future, but there might not be room for him in the rotation this season. He is going to make quite a complement to Brown and St. Amour as their class develops.

(2) ALBERT NASCIMENTO – Recovering from injury, Nascimento’s opportunities will be limited given the logjam at the guard position. If he gets in the game, his 3-point shooting can provide a spark. The senior’s energy will be felt no matter what.

(21) LUIS ALVAREZ – Now in his fifth year with the program, Alvarez is a veteran presence at the end of the bench. He has seen more Middlebury wins than any other player and is doing what he can so that this team can live up to the gold standard that has been set by his former teammates.

(45) LIAM NAUGHTON – A freshman walk-on with Middlebury roots, humble confidence, and an automatic mid-range jumper, this kid is going to make the most of what he is given.

(31) EAMON CUDDY – Recovering from knee problems, Cuddy might not see the court in 2013-14. The junior is a big weapon who can score in the post and will surprise people if he ever gets healthy enough to play.

More: Preseason Player Profiles, NBA Comparisons, Official Roster

Middlebury plays for the first time in nearly a month today, traveling to Rhode Island to play Salve Regina (6-2). This will be the Panthers’ seventh road game in just nine games so far this season, before they play three in a row at Pepin to tip off the NESCAC schedule. The Seahawks, who have yet to lose at home this season, provide a formidable test for Middlebury, which must avoid a New Years hangover to improve to 7-2 on the season.

Salve Regina has not played a particularly impressive schedule thus far, with its two losses coming to Division II Bryant University and perennial powerhouse Rhode Island College, which has struggled out of the games, but is the only Division III team with a longer NCAA Tournament streak than Middlebury. The Seahawks have otherwise handled their schedule with relative ease, including an impressive blowout win over Connecticut College in which Salve Regina held the Camels to just 34 points. While that defensive performance is an outlier, it isn’t a fluke—the Seahawks hold their opponents to just 62.5 points per game (29th in the country). Salve Regina also holds a considerable rebounding advantage over their opponents, though that is aided by the fact that they hold their opponents to less than 41 percent from the floor. The Seahawks other notable victory (for Middlebury fans anyway) was an eight-point win over Wentworth, who are coached by former Jeff Brown assistant, Arlen Galloway.

Projected Starters
Barrett Hanlon, 5’10” sophomore guard — 16.8 ppg, 55/24/71 shooting, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.6 spg
Patrick Dinneen, 6’2” senior guard — 14.6 ppg, 45/39/64, 1.4 spg
Jeff Bielefeld, 6’4” senior forward — 12 ppg, 55/–/61, 8.1 rpg
Josh Hohlfelder 6’5” senior forward — 7.8 ppg, 55/42/67, 3.9 rpg
Nicholas Bates 6’4” freshman forward — 5.4 ppg, 38/08/67 5.1 rpg

Much like other nonconference teams the Panthers have faced, Salve Regina has limited size—something the Panthers have been very effective at exploiting with Jack Roberts on the defensive end affecting shots and Matt Daley getting good looks at the basket on the other end. Defensively, the Panthers will need to slow down Hanlon and Dinneen, a pair of explosive guards. The matchup will test both Joey Kizel and Matt St. Amour on the defensive end and, given the guard heavy play, will likely mean considerable minutes for Jake Brown.

For Middlebury, leaving Rhode Island with a win, and their fifth road win in seven tries, will mean controlling the glass on both ends of the floor and dictating the tempo. The Panthers like to run—and will do so if they force turnovers—but should have a considerable advantage in their half-court sets. Turnovers or failure to execute, the latter of which has been an issue at times early in the season, will prolong the game and force Middlebury to work harder than necessary.

Some rust is expected following the winter recess, but Middlebury is too big and too talented not to put Salve Regina away convincingly. After a season-building win at Skidmore in their last game, road woes should not slow the Panthers who have just two more games remaining before the start of NESCAC play and must quickly rediscover the rhythm their form. Interior players like James Jensen, Jake Nidenberg, Daley and Roberts should see heavy touches in the post, opening up looks on the perimeter for Kizel, St. Amour and others.

After a long hiatus, it’s time to play basketball again with NESCAC play nearly upon us.