There’s a reason the Springfield College men’s basketball team plays such a hard early-season schedule, and that’s to get ready for what really matters – conference play.
So throw out the Pride’s 4-8 overall record as pretty much meaningless as they open competition in the tight New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference on Wednesday night at Babson.
On the men’s side, there are only seven teams in the NEWMAC as Wellesley, Smith and Mount Holyoke are all-women schools, and based on the recent past, SC could finish anywhere.
“It’s been that way the last couple of seasons,” Springfield head coach Charlie Brock said. “Last year, it came down to the last game of the season to determine third, fourth, fifth and sixth places. I know MIT’s got a Division I transfer, and Coast Guard has a new coach, and I think it’s been the high quality of coaching that has made the NEWMAC so competitive.”
Brock likes the way his team is progressing. The Pride outlasted SUNY-Purchase 66-61 in the championship of the Naismith Classic Sunday night at Blake Arena.
“Our front line is pretty solid, we have decent size and height,” Brock said after the game. “And our guards are coming along. Billy Harkins (a junior transfer) played very well tonight.”
On the watch list is rebounding. Springfield is averaging 38 rebounds per contest while allowing 43.2.
“Rebounding is always an issue for us, sometimes we’re pretty good at it,” Brock added. “And having patience is something we need to do. We have to take good shots, get that open look.”
Pat CreanOne fellow who isn’t afraid to shoot is senior Ryan Blackmon, who put SUNY-Purchase in a big hole early with a flurry of 3-pointers. Blackmon finished with 24 points.
Up front, senior forward Pat Crean adds experience and stability. Crean leads the Pride in scoring with 17.3 points per game, and is also averaging 6.5 rebounds. Matt Cavalieri is the top rebounder with an 8.2 average while second in scoring with 14.9 points per game.
SC has played only four games at home, where it is 2-2.
Although the Springfield women (4-7) lost to Western Connecticut 59-37 in the Naismith final, it was no disgrace. The Colonials (9-2) are a Division III powerhouse that qualified for the NCAA tournament last year with an at-large bid. Amanda Teel, the Colonials’ incredible center, pulled down a Naismith tourney record 21 rebounds in the title game.
Less noticeable, but still outstanding, was junior guard Karli Spera, who quietly runs the team from the point. She does attract a lot of attention when she throws up one of her beautiful high-arcing 3-pointers, two of which went in against SC. Spera is gritty and sure-handed, averaging only three turnovers per game against five assists.
“It was big for us to win this tournament to start off the second half,” Spera said. “We have pretty good depth.”
Spera added that the Colonials are looking to get back to the NCAA tournament after letting a late lead get away in falling to Brandeis last season.
The Springfield women are back in conference action at home Thursday night against Babson.
The first Naismith tournament was on the men’s side in 1988 with Springfield taking a first-round double overtime contest against Colgate 73-71. SC then lost in the championship to St. Peter’s 84-57. The last SC men’s championship came in 2008, with Crean named as the most valuable player.
The women’s Naismith tournament began in 1996 with Springfield ripping RPI 73-27 in the title contest. SC’s Michelle Stano was the MVP.
WESTFIELD STATE:
The Owls were delighted in the recent naming of senior cornerback Josh Mathieu and junior punter Chris Stengel to the
2009 All-America football team. Mathieu made it to the first team while Stengel was an honorable mention. Mathieu is only the second player in the 28-year history of Westfield football to gain first-team All America honors .¤.¤. Freshman center Matt Devine averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds to earn a spot on the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference men’s basketball weekly honor roll.
WNEC:
The women’s basketball team (6-3), which beat Lasell 79-66 Tuesday night, has been led by senior guard Kailah Al-Darraji, who has converted 46.3 of her shots from the field. She also has a team-high 18 three-pointers. The men’s team (4-5) is paced by Rick Johnson of Springfield with 20.6 points per game and a field-goal percentage of 52.6. The Golden Bears are at Westfield State on Thursday night. Both WNEC teams are home Saturday for a doubleheader against Curry.
UMASS:
The UMass women’s basketball team (6-8) plays its final non-conference game Wednesday night at 5:30 against Harvard at the Mullins center in the first game of a doubleheader with the men’s squad. Harvard is 7-4, and is 5-0 against in-state teams. The Crimson were 19-10 last season, finishing second in the Ivy League to Dartmouth.
AWAY AT SCHOOL:
Worcester State women’s basketball senior Reilly O’Keefe of Warren made the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference weekly honor roll after hauling down 10 rebounds in a 52-36 victory over Mount Holyoke.