Thoroughbred basketball falls in tournament play

Posted by Katie Peverada

The men's basketball team entered the Liberty League title with hopes of winning their third straight league title, but the Hobart Statesmen had other plans. The Statesmen rode a 58.7 percent shooting percentage in route to a 77-72 victory over the Thoroughbreds. Freshman Tanner Brooks led Skidmore with 22 points, and Aldin Medunjanin '16 added 21 of his own to go with eight assists. As a team, Skidmore went 24-of-50 shooting, and spotted Hobart an early eight-point lead. Skidmore took the lead back with a 13-4 run, but Hobart countered with an 11-2 run. Brooks was able to pull the score to 40-34 when he scored five of the final seven points before the end of the first half. Skidmore was able to tie the game and keep the score close throughout the second half, never trailing by more than five points. Sakhile Sithole '13 used a two-point play plus a foul shot to give the Thoroughbreds a one-point lead, but it would be their last of the game. Hobart's Stefan Thompson and Joe Gibbons combined to make the final six free throws to give the Statesmen the 71-67 win. Considering the Thoroughbreds began the season with eight new faces and had to replace last year's top five scorers, their final record of 15-11 is promising for next year.

The women's basketball team faced off against the St. Lawrence Saints for the right to play for the Liberty League title, but a 12-1 Saints' run in the last few minutes of the game secured their 58-44 victory. Dani DeGregory '16 led the Thoroughbred charge with 17 points, 15 coming in the second half, while Angela Botiba '15 added seven. Amber Holgate '16 and Molly McLaughlin '15 each had six. The Saints opened the game with seven straight points and never trailed during the game. The Thoroughbreds struggled from the floor, shooting 29.8 percent from the field and not scoring in the last 6:58 of the first half. Skidmore never gave up, though, as several times they pulled within reach. Three times in the final 10:11 they pulled within four points, but each time the Saints countered back with the next score. Jordyn Wartts '14 used a layup at the 10:11 mark to make it 35-31 in favor of St. Lawrence, but Cassie St. Hilaire came back with a three-pointer. With 7:48 remaining Skidmore made it 38-34. A layup by Molly Gile '13 with 6:43 remaining made it 40-36, but that was the closest the Thoroughbreds were able to get. Skidmore finishes the season with a record of 12-14 overall and 10-6 in league play.

Blackhawks off to a record-breaking start

Posted by Katie Peverada

During Sunday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Chicago Blackhawks' color commentator Eddie Olczyk joked that there was a "perfect storm" brewing in Chicago. One-third of the way through the NHL season the Blackhawks are still undefeated, with a record of 18-0-3. Missing from Chicago's record is a loss in regulation or overtime. However, technically the Hawks do have three losses coming in shootouts. They've also set a record by starting the season with earning at least a point in 19 straight games. So while Olcyzk's comments aren't completely accurate, they aren't that far from the truth.
One reason for Chicago's early season success is depth at the forward position. After struggling to find a supporting class for their nucleus of stars the past two seasons, Chicago has finally found the right players. The depth that the Blackhawks have at forward is enviable across the league and has allowed them to set a record for starting a season by earning at least a point in 21 consecutive games.
It's the growth of young players like Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw that is sparking the Blackhawks run. Saad, at only 20 years old, is playing on the first line, and while his point production doesn't show it (3 G, 0 A), he is creating space and time for Hossa (9 G, 6 A) and Toews (7 G, 8 A). Andrew Shaw's development has added depth at center for the Hawks. Last year Shaw split time between the AHL and the NHL and saw time as a fourth-line winger. This year, Shaw is centering Viktor Stalberg and Bryan Bickell on the third line as well as playing wing on the first-team power play. Marcus Kruger, a fourth-line center, has quickly become one of the best penalty-killers in the league, a category in which the Hawks rank second, killing 88.7 percent of their penalties. Jamal Mayers, Brandon Bollig, and Daniel Carcillo all offer valuable skills - fighting, shot-blocking, penalty-killing - that are making it difficult for Joel Quenneville to choose which player to put in the line-up each night. The mainstays are still producing as well. After two disappointing seasons, Patrick Kane is in the top five in the league with 25 points, and Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp continue to be consistent contributors.
On defense, last year's trade deadline acquisition of Johnny Oduya, one that flew under the radar, is paying huge dividends. Since joining the team, the Blackhawks are 28-3-10 in the regular season and playoffs with Oduya in the lineup. His partner Niklas Hjalmarsson is fifth in the league with 49 blocked shots. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook remain one of the top defensive pairs in the league, and Nick Leddy is quietly developing into one of the top young defenseman in the league, wowing people with his skating ability. Leddy plays on the third defensive pairing with whomever Quenneville chooses to put in the lineup. When Seabrook was injured for two games, Sheldon Brookbrank seamlessly stepped into the first-pairing role with Keith.
Quenneville has shown confidence in all of his players by not worrying about what line the opposing team has on the ice. On more than one occasion, he's had his fourth line out on the ice against the other team's top line. One reason for this confidence could be knowing that one of the top 10 goaltenders in the league will always be behind them, no matter which goalie he chooses to start.
Yes, that's correct. Both of the Blackhawks' goaltenders are in the top 10 in the league. Starter Corey Crawford has bounced back after a sophomore slump to put up a 1.46 Goals Against Average, first in the league, and a .931 Save Percentage, second in the league. When Crawford, who is among the early names being mentioned for the Vezina Award, went down with an injury two weeks ago, backup Ray Emery stepped in and put up four straight wins and now stands at 9-0 on the season. His 2.02 GAA and .927 save percentage are both good enough for eighth in the league.
The Blackhawks are churning on all cylinders right now, and they lead the Central Division by 12 points. They've earned a 39 out of a possible 42 points. They will lose eventually, as they aren't perfect. For example, the power play still leaves something to be desired, as they sit at 12th place, albeit with a respectable 18.2 percent conversion rate.
But while other teams, like the New York Rangers, struggle with injuries and replacing key players, the Blackhawks have a treasure trove of players waiting to step in and contribute to the storm.

NBA Talk: Will the Lakers see the playoffs?

Posted by Andrew Shi

It's now after All-Star weekend and the playoffs will be upon us soon enough. The demanding question, as it has been for the past few months is: Will the Lakers make the playoffs? They just ended a three game win streak, having beat the Celtics, Trailblazers and Mavericks, and they're 11-5 in the past 16 games. They're three games behind the eighth seed team in the West, the Houston Rockets and three and a half behind the seventh place Utah Jazz.

It is well within the realm of possibilities that the Lakers seize a playoff seed, and usurping the Jazz for seventh place seems a reasonable task. It has taken a while for the team to get into their rhythm, and it's not yet certain if they are yet in it, but Dwight Howard and Steve Nash are both finally putting up the numbers they were brought on board for.

The Lakers are now fourth in rebounds and sixth in points scored --although eighth in points allowed. The Rockets are second in scoring but their young front court hardly compares to that of the Lakers. Utah is 11th in points scored and 16th in rebounds, but the difference in average rebounds is only three. While they have a front court that matches up well with the Lakers, their backcourt falls way short.

If the Lakers are to make the playoffs, the team most likely to leave is the Rockets. Despite having impressive talent, like many young teams they need a year or two before they gain the experience and chemistry to seriously compete in the off season, although the Jazz could just as easily exit early. Their play of late has been slightly inconsistent, and they too had a slow start in season. However, the Lakers have more to consider than just beating the Rockets or Jazz out for a slot.

Both Portland and Dallas are hanging on to the playoff picture, one and two games behind the Lakers, and four and five behind the rockets, respectively. With Dirk Nowitski back in the picture, starting again, and finally putting up his usual all-star numbers, the Mavericks are making a threatening move for a seed. The Trailblazers for much of the season had held a playoff seed, or hovered at ninth, but a recent seven game slide has left them at 10th.

The West this year is stuffed with highly competitive teams. If the Lakers were in the East they would hold the eighth seed. There are still about 30 games left in the season, and anything could happen. It would come with no surprise if the Lakers made the offseason and either the Rockets or Jazz, or both, exited early.

The next question is: How far will the Lakers make it? Hopefully for them, Pau returns from his injury sooner than later.

All stars, no play

Posted by Katie Peverada

On Sunday night, Arian Foster tweeted "There is no defense being played. This is a disgrace! They should cancel the nba [sic] all-star game!" Foster, a running back for the Houston Texans, brought up an excellent point with his tweet. Why is there such a hullabaloo surrounding the lack of defense and overall effort in the NFL all-star game when the NBA all-star game is just as defenseless?
For the past few years, much to do has been made about the NFL Pro Bowl becoming nothing more than players accepting a free trip to Hawaii in exchange for running a few plays at half-speed. This is all assuming that they accept an invitation , as many of the top vote-getters bow out, citing injury.
The 2012 Pro Bowl especially lacked defense, with Brandon Marshall's unbelievable six catches, four of which went for touchdowns. There were four total punts in the 2012 game, and all of them came from the NFC side. This, coupled with the previous few all-star games, led the league and commissioner Roger Goodell to seriously consider cancelling the 2013 Pro Bowl.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending upon which way you look at it, the 2013 edition was played at the insistence of the NFL Players Association. The game itself did nothing to quell the thoughts swirling around that the Pro Bowl should be cancelled. However, there was a marked improvement in the overall effort of the players. The great Peyton Manning commanded his fellow players to put forth more effort, and results followed. Take the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, J.J. Watt, who split his pinkie finger open to the point that it required stitches. Splitting a finger open isn't something that occurs at half-speed.
But is a bloody pinkie finger enough to convince the league to keep the game going? Doubtful. The NFC outscored the AFC 62-35. It was again an offensive show that was easy to tune out. However, if the NFL wants to cancel the game based on the score, then it should look at Foster's tweet.
Foster was referencing the NBA All-Star game, which the West won 143-138. In the current season, the Houston Rockets lead the league in points-per-game, averaging 106.13. They are allowing their opponents 103.29 points-per-game, which is the second highest in the league. There is a substantial difference between the score of an average NBA game and the All-Star game. However, there are no calls to get rid of the game recognizing the best players in the NBA.
There is one large difference between the NFL and the NBA all-star games and most professional sports leagues all-star games for that matter. The NBA weekend features a slate of other competitions, ranging from a slam-dunk contest to a celebrity all-star game. This is where the NFL should open its eyes.
Even leagues that are less popular overall hold successful all-star weekends. The NHL has two days of competition with the Super Skills Challenge and then the actual game. Major League Baseball holds the Home Run Derby the night before its all-star game. For the record, the NFL used to hold a skills competition, but did away with it for some reason in 2007.
The NFL is far and away the most prosperous professional sports league in the United States, but it fails to grasp the idea that the fans are more interested in the things they don't normally get to see. There are 256 regular-season games in an NFL season, but fans are left to speculate who the fastest receiver is or which kicker is the most accurate

Thoroughbreds take on the postseason

Posted by Katie Peverada

As of last weekend, the men's and women's basketball teams and men's ice hockey all knew that the playoffs were within reach. Some bids were locked up, while others had to be earned.
Ice hockey faced off against Castleton State College for the fourth seed in the ECAC East playoffs. Unfortunately, the Thoroughbreds were on the losing end of a 5-2 score. Senior Zach Menard scored a short-handed breakaway goal for the Thoroughbreds and Thomas Park '15 deflected a puck in for the second goal. With a final record of 11-12-2, Skidmore skates into the playoffs with the sixth seed. This means traveling to play third seed Babson College on Feb. 23., which is actually good news for the Thoroughbreds. With victories of 4-2 and 2-0 over Babson earlier in the season, Skidmore is looking for its third straight victory in order to extend their playoff campaign.
Men's basketball went into their two-game weekend in hopes of securing a Liberty League playoff spot in order to defend their league title. On Friday night the Thoroughbreds did just that with a 67-56 win over Vassar in order to clinch a playoff spot. Connor Merrill '15 had a game-high 18 points to pace the Thoroughbreds while Aldin Medunjanin '16 contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds. Skidmore went into Saturday night's game against RPI knowing that a win secured the third seed but a loss meant the fourth seed. RPI came ready to play and beat the Thoroughbreds 73-66 despite a 17-point effort from Sakhile Sithole '13. Skidmore now looks forward to taking on top-seed Hobart in first-round Liberty League action. In two games against Hobart this season, Skidmore has gone 0-2. The first loss came in overtime 67-66, and the other came in regulation 65-51.
Women's basketball went into the weekend with a playoff spot already locked up. Despite a game-high 21 points from Angela Botiba '15, the team dropped its first game to Vassar 64-57. On Saturday, the Thoroughbreds took on RPI looking to improve its seeding for the Liberty League playoffs. Unfortunately, the Thoroughbreds lost by 3, with a score of 64-61. Botiba had another strong game with 18 points, while Jordyn Wartts '14 and Dani DeGregory '16 both had 11 points. Despite two losses on the weekend, third-seeded Skidmore will take on St. Lawrence, a team they are 1-1 against this season.

Men's swimming and diving wins Vassar College Sprint Invitational

Posted by Katie Peverada Jacob Nathan '15 swept the diving events to lead the Thoroughbreds to the title at the Vassar College Sprint Invitational on Feb. 9. As a team, Skidmore accumulated 495 points, soundly defeating New Paltz, which had 400 points, and host Vassar, which had 343 points. Nathan won the three and two-meter dives, while Charlie Bullis '16 came in third on the one-meter. Nathan was recognized as a Liberty League Performer of the Week for his efforts. Jesse Adler '13 contributed to the team victory by winning the 100-meter backstroke, claiming third in the 100 IM, and taking second in the 50-meter backstroke. Mario Hyman '16 won the 100-meter free and placed second in the 100-meter fly. Skidmore was very strong in the relays, with the team of Tim Brodsky '14, Logan Jones '15, Andrew Becker '13 and Hyman combining to win the 200-meter free relay. Becker and Brodsky added to their individual successes as they earned second place finishes in the 400 IM and 50-meter free, respectively. Skidmore is now looking ahead to the UNYSCSA Championship meet, which will be held at Ithaca College Feb. 20-23.

The greatest team you've never heard of

Posted by Katie Peverada

Last weekend, a Division I hockey team won its 38th consecutive game, extending the record even further past the previous best of 21 straight victories. The team is 30-0 and has only trailed in a game five times all season. Despite outscoring their opponents 168 to 127, this team is going unnoticed.
The University of Minnesota's women's hockey team is, arguably, the most underrated and dominant team the country has ever seen. Admittedly, the University of Wisconsin went 30-0-2 between 2010 and 2011, but that includes two ties. This Golden Gophers team is undefeated, having not even been pushed to overtime since their last loss a year ago, a 2-1 defeat to the University of North Dakota.
These women aren't just winning games because they get a lucky bounce from the puck. They are completely dominating. Their smallest margin of victory? Two goals, which has only happened twice against Wisconsin and in their most recent game, a 5-3 victory over Ohio State University.
Freshman forward Hannah Brandt is second in the nation in scoring, with 26 goals and 41 assists through 30 games played. Her 67 total points would, in any other year, put her in the running for the Patty Kazmir award (the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy Award in football or the Hobey Baker Award in men's ice hockey).
The only person in front of her? Amanda Kessel, junior forward from Minnesota. Kessel, the younger sister of NHL star Phil Kessel, has 40 goals and 49 assists through 29 games played. She leads the nation with 89 points in 29 games, which means she is averaging over three points a game. Kessel is threatening to break the scoring record that Natalie Darwitz set during the 2004-2005 season, when she scored 42 goals and added 72 assists in 40 games, good enough for 2.85 points a game. Darwitz, by the way, played for Minnesota as well.

Senior goaltender Noora Rooty heads up the defensive brigade, leading the nations with 28 victories and 10 shutouts, allowing just over one goal per game. With a win over Minnesota-Duluth on Feb. 2, Rooty set the NCAA career record for victories with 101. She even has one assist on the year. In any other year she too would be in the running for the Kazmir award. The team as a whole has only given up 11 power-play goals.

For a team averaging 5.6 goals per game while only allowing .90 goals per game, they are not getting nearly enough respect. Sure, the women's hockey world has recognized their hard work, as they have not been ranked below the top spot in the USCHO.com poll since March 5, 2012. The USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine has ranked the Gophers number one since March 13 of last year.

The Gophers are still at least eight games away from winning their second consecutive national title, but they looked poised to repeat. The team recently clinched the WCHA Conference title at the earliest point in the season a team has ever won it. With three players in the top 20 in the country for scoring, the defense playing lights-out, and the special teams unit scoring more short-handed goals than they are giving up, another title is very possible. It won't just be the women's hockey world recognizing their accomplishments. They might even make it on Sports Center.

NBA Talk: This year's dark horses

Posted by Andrew Shi

The Nuggets currently hold fourth place in the West, in front of the Grizzlies and Warriors, yet more playoff chatter involves the latter two. The Nuggets just ended a nine game winning streak, starting it off with wins against the Thunder, the Pacers, the Rockets and Bulls, all current play-off contenders, yet no one seems to notice.

The Indiana Pacers are third in the East redeeming themselves after a loss to the Nuggets by trampling the Heat, the Bulls and the Hawks, the latter two in back-to-back games, and yet no one considers them a threat.

Both of these teams have been playoff contenders in recent years, and both are positioned to hold home-court in the playoffs, yet between the two teams, only one player will appear in the All-Star game on Feb. 17:Paul George of the Pacers. Perhaps that's why the two teams lack publicity; they lack the perennial All-Stars that play for the big name teams, even the ones that are ranked below the Nuggets and Pacers such as the Celtics, the Lakers, the Nets and the Grizzlies.

What's odd about that is that many of these players, including Ty Lawson, Andre Iguodala, Kenneth Faired and Danilo Gallinari of the Nuggets and David West, George Hill, Roy Hibbert and Danny Granger (pre-injury) of the Pacers, are all capable of putting up All-Star worthy numbers, but sacrifice the statistics that gain them the attention of the fans who vote for the starters of the All-Star game to provide their teammates with a better look on shots. Similarly, neither team has a designated go-to scorer, which means that no single player is recording twenty-plus points.

This lack of a star, though, is what makes these teams that much better. The pressure to carry the team is spread amongst five or six players who by no means could single-handedly lead a team too, but have now played together for long enough that their team chemistry redeems a lack of superstardom and allows domination of the courts.

Both of these teams are currently excelling at their respective winning strategies. The Nuggets are currently third in the league for most points scored per game, but 5th in points allowed. Clearly the focus of their game is on their offense. This probably seems obvious, but there is a distinction between the Nuggets' type of basketball and that of the Pacers, who are 28th in the league for points allowed, but have the second best defense. While they may be trailing in points scored per game, by focusing on preventing their opponents from making their shots, they can afford to take and make less of their own. It should also be noted that the Nuggets and Pacers are respectively first and second in rebounds.

While neither team has an obvious superstar that gains their teams the publicity necessary to put teams on the radars of the press or potential new fans, other NBA teams are certainly watching nervously as these two teams push for their first championship.

Right now only five teams are being seriously considered as championship contenders: the Heat, the Knicks, the Spurs, the Thunder and the Clippers, with the additional possibility of the Bulls once Derrick Rose returns. NBA fans should prepare to be shocked as the Nuggets and the Pacers, two dark horses, compete as veritable challengers in the offseason.

Skidmore celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day: A large group of girls from throughout the community were the beneficiares of Skidmore's celebration

Posted by Katie Peverada

Some were dressed in shorts and t-shirts, while others went with jeans and sneakers. Just looking at them, you would think the group was dressed for an average Saturday of wherever mom or dad took them. However, the group of about 120 girls stormed the courts of Skidmore on Feb. 2 in order to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. No matter their attire, all were ready to participate in the festivities.
Seven years ago, Skidmore College established a day of clinics in order to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day and the monumental Title IX amendment. Every year, almost all of the women's athletic teams participate, allowing each girl who attends the opportunity to take part in several sports.
This year, the tennis, lacrosse, softball, soccer, field hockey, and volleyball teams all participated. The girls, who were in grades three to eight, spent 20 minutes at each station. Some of the girls were first time participants in the sport at a station, while others were seasoned veterans. Each group had varying skill levels, but each group brought high levels of enthusiasm. After the clinics, the girls shared lunch with Skidmore student-athletes, who were as equally as excited to share their experiences and inspire the younger girls.
The participants may not have had an in-depth understanding of what they were celebrating, but they were the beneficiaries of what National Girls and Women in Sports Day is all about. Started in 1987 to remember Flo Hyman, an Olympic volleyball player, NGWSD is intended to raise awareness of women's athletics and achievements in sports.
There continues to be an ongoing struggle for equal access for women in sports, but events like this one at Skidmore, in communities across the country, are working to continue to chip away at the barriers. If the success of Skidmore's event is any indication of what is going on around the country, then the sports world is in good hands.

Welcome back, NHL: The professional hockey season is finally underway

Posted by Katie Peverada

For most people, Christmas 2012 took place on Dec. 25. For myself and other hockey fans, it took place on Jan. 6. I awoke that morning to the greatest present a girl could ask for: hockey. The lockout of the National Hockey League came to an end in the wee hours of the morning on Jan. 6, marking the resolution of a 119-day labor dispute, which began on Sept. 15. The true time between games, though, was 235 days, with most players, outside the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings, not having played in front of a crowd in an even longer amount of time. This, of course, left fans, coaches and owners worried about the level of play that would be seen. Predictably, it was going to be fast-paced, as the condensed 48-game schedule would magnify any losing streak, but what would the play be like? Would the NHL be the same in such a short season? The short answer is yes.

For one, the scoring got of to a record-setting pace. Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks started the season with four multi-goal games in a row - breaking a 96-year-old record. He now leads the league with nine goals. The Buffalo Sabres' Thomas Vanek opened his season with a five-point game in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers and then, five games later, with another five points against the Boston Bruins. Vanek leads the league in points with a total of 19 through eight games played.

The goaltending thus far has also been superb. Martin Brodeur recorded his 120^th career shut out, ensconcing himself even further into the record books. In seven games played, the Ottawa Senators' Craig Anderson is the owner of a 0.99 goals against average. Jaroslav Halak of the St. Louis Blues has already posted two shut outs in five of his starts. And the Dallas Stars' Kari Lehtonen has, arguably, already made the save of the season, sweeping his glove hand behind his back to snatch a puck destined for the back of the net.

The Chicago Blackhawks started the season off by winning six straight games before losing in a shootout, and still have not lost in regulation or overtime. The San Jose Sharks' seven straight victories placed them in second. Teams expected to be competing for Lord Stanley, like the Flyers and the New York Rangers, find themselves in the basement of the league. Teams said to be too young or lacking talent are right at the top, as the perennially bad New York Islanders are sitting pretty at fifth in the Eastern Conference, and the Edmonton Oilers three straight number one draft picks are finally paying off.

Even the officials have gotten off to a fantastic start. If you sit down to watch a game, you can expect to see icings called much more closely than in years past. On the face-offs, they're taking a stand and not hesitating to kick players out for trying to get an advantage over their opponents with a tie-up.

But there has to be somethingmissing from the 82-game season, right? Wrong. As always, some teams are failing to reach expectations while others are exceeding them. Of course, some players are off to a burning start. Is there a goalie controversy? The Vancouver Canucks have one. An unproductive superstar? See Ovechkin, Alexander. Contract holdouts? P.K. Subban has that one covered. A cutthroat battle for the playoffs heating up in February? Check.

This lockout-limited season is playing out quite nicely, and fans are getting everything they would get in a regular season. Except the thirty-four missing games. 

Skidmore skates back to .500: Thoroughbreds fall to UMass-Boston, shut out Babson

Posted by Katie Peverada

The Skidmore Thoroughbreds skated away with a win and loss this weekend, falling to the University of Massachusetts-Boston Beacons with a score of 6-4 but bouncing back quickly to shutout Babson College 3-0.
On Friday night, the Thoroughbreds looked poised to upset the 12th ranked Beacons, jumping out to an early 1-0 lead just 19 seconds in to the game when David Limoges '15 put the puck past Zack Andrews of UMass. The Beacons responded just 13 seconds later with a goal of their own, and the rest of the first period was played at the score of 1-1. Ben Freiberg '16 turned away 17 first period shots, while the offense only put up 4 shots in the entire first period.
Skidmore started the next period with another bang, working hard in the corners and on the blue line to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Brendan Cottam '13 benefited from the hard work at the 2:26 mark when he lifted the puck into the back of the net. The assists went to Chris Powers '14 and Ondrej Krajnak '16. Skidmore continued to create a lot of opportunities throughout the period, but were continually shutdown by the strong goaltending of Zack Andrews. The Beacons scored two in the period, as Jeremy Finger muscled by the Thoroughbreds to slip one in for the tie, and Kit Sitterley put the Beacons on top 3-2. Skidmore's greatest opportunity came with 1:06 remaining when the Thoroughbreds stormed into the zone on a three versus one, but missed the net with the shot. That play was indicative of the entire game for Skidmore, as the Thoroughbreds got pucks into the zone but struggled to hit the net with shots.
Vlad Gavrik '14 added a third period goal to tie the score at 3-3, but the Beacons responded with two of their own, continually out-skating the Thoroughbreds. Skidmore's final tally came from Krajnak when he tipped in a slap shot from Brad Schuler '14. Michael Kuhn would add an empty net goal to put the final score at 6-4. Freiberg stopped 36 shots in the loss, but his play was much better than the score indicates.
Freiberg continued his strong play the next game as he stopped all 21 shots he faced to record the first shutout of his career. The Thoroughbreds recovered from the previous nights loss and improved to 10-10-2 overall. The first period went scoreless, but Dave Dupuis '14 put Skidmore on the board first. Dupuis benefited from the hard work of Dalton Weinstein '14, who rushed the puck up the ice and got it Dupuis who put it past Zeke Testa. Brad Schuler '14 closed out the scoring of the second period when he put home a goal at the 10:59 mark. Zach Menard '13 scored an empty net goal with 2:13 remaining in the third period. Schuler finished with two points, with Erik Nilsson '15, Ondrej Krajnak '16 and Anders Gunderson '15 getting assists on the night.
Next weekend, the Thoroughbreds travel to the state of Vermont to fight for a position in the ECAC East playoffs against St. Michael's and Norwich University.

NBA Talk: One star too many

Posted by Andrew Shi

When it was announced over the summer that Steve Nash had been traded to the Lakers for four future draft picks, teams throughout the league shuddered at the thought of having Nash, as effective as ever, joining the premier Los Angeles team. Then, when Dwight Howard was traded to the Lakers, most everyone expected the Lakers in the finals.

The Lakers line up was formidable: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. Even former all-star Antwan Jamison had joined the team to come off the bench. It then, of course, came as a surprise when the Lakers quickly accumulated a losing record. They now sit at 10th place in the Western Conference with a 23-26 record and 15 games behind the first ranked San Antonio Spurs.

In defense of the Lakers, they have been plagued with injury, and when they have played together they have shown dominance, but recently coach D'Antoni regulated Gasol to come off the bench because he and Howard show ill compatibility. Although not entirely his fault, Gasol is so far producing numbers well below last season, from 17.4 points to 12.8 points per game, and 10.4 rebounds to 7.9. His rated player efficiency has plummeted from 23.3 to 15.91, from eighth place last season to 112 this season. To be fair, he's not the only one on the Lakers to see their ratings drop. Dwight has gone from fourth 36th and Nash has travelled from 33rd to 92nd. The only star of the show to demonstrate any consistent efficiency is, of course, the perennial all-star candidate, Kobe, who has moved one place up to 11th with a score of 22.88 from 21.4. Still, there seems to be some unknown factor that is hindering their domination. D'Antoni thought it was Howard and Gasol. Perhaps he was correct, in which case an obvious answer is a trade.

Pau Gasol is a highly valuable player, but not more so than a healthy Dwight Howard and likely worth a lot more in a trade than off the bench. The Lakers aren't getting any younger, Gasol is 32, Steve Nash is 38 (and turns 39 on February 7th) and Kobe is 34, and has said in the past that he plans to retire at 36, when his current contract expires. Howard was meant to prudently empower the Lakers with youth. Trading Gasol could do more of the same.

There are three teams that the Lakers should target in a trade for Gasol.

One: Gasol for Ryan Anderson of the New Orleans Hornets and a second-round pick. Anderson is a sharp-shooter from the three and of recent, the most-improved player. Coming off the bench for the Hornets he has a player efficiency of 19.46, rating him at 36.

Two: Gasol, Jordan Hill and a second round pick for Josh Smith and Johan Petro. Josh Smith has rumored to wish for a trade. Smith and Howard were childhood friends and are still close. It's likely that their chemistry would be much stronger than Howard's with Gasol

Three: Gasol for Bargnani. Bargnani, the once coveted big man that was to save the Raptors has consistently expressed contempt for his team and a desire to be moved. How well Bargnani would work in Los Angeles is an unknown. Throwing a bunch of stars together clearly doesn't work and a similar problem as the existing one may emerge. Yet, Bargnani does have unbelievable potential and, on paper, a Howard-Bargnani frontcourt might very well be the best in the league.

The Lakers may also want to consider trading Gasol for much lesser forwards from teams that are currently rebuilding and could use the prowess of Gasol and in the process gain some high draft picks. Look at Cleveland Cavalier's recently obtained Mareese Spreights, or the Sacramento King's Jason Thomas.

All in all, management should consider trading Gasol. As of late though, the Lakers have gone on an inspiring win streak that is tepidly igniting the hopes once held at the beginning of the season. Perhaps it would be best to follow this season through, and hold off any trades until the summer, when Howard's contract expires, and the knowledge that Gasol can still be there to hold down the frontcourt will be more comforting than ever.

NBA Talk: What's next for the Celtics?

Posted by Andrew Shi

For the past month, the Celtics have been an epicenter of trade talk. Bogged down with inconsistent play, six-game win streaks followed by six-game losing streaks, and headed by a notoriously astute and merciless General Manager, Danny Ainge, it was always likely that someone was to be moved. Now, All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. To compound the Celtics' problems, their playoff seed seems just as fragile, as they barely hang onto the eight seed. With a month left until the February trade deadline, it seems certain that a trade is imminent.

The Celtics under Doc Rivers have been notorious for an impregnable defense. Their hardened defense has always provided compensation for average scoring. Still it hasn't counterbalanced the fact that Boston is currently 29th (out of 30) in rebounding and 26th in shot blocks. As important as these statistics are, they can't be extrapolated to tell the whole story, but watching any of their current games will exhibit haplessness at the rim that provides easy second-chance points for the opponent.

What Boston needs most is a true big man. Currently, they have Garnett playing the role, but having played the four a majority of his career, and not being as aggressive or powerful as he was in his prime (he's 36), he is ill-suited for the role.

Several names have been connected to the Celtics, the two most prominent are Demarcus Cousins, of the Sacramento Kings, and Josh Smith, of the Atlanta Hawks. Although Smith isn't a center, if he could start at the four and KG at the five, the Celtics would have one of the most dominant and dangerous front courts that would undoubtedly catapult the team up the rebound rankings, and easily the conference rankings as well. The same can be said if Cousins starts at center and Rivers plays KG in his natural four. Both players will be hard bargains, but if any man can achieve this kind of trade it's Ainge, and to do so he should put any player on the table but five: Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger.

Rondo is possibly the best point guard in the NBA and will be the star of the show when Pierce and KG retire. Bradley is one of the toughest defenders and an expert at guarding the perimeter, he is also only in his third year. Sullinger has been one of the few bright spots in the Celtics' unimpressive season thus far. He has in the last ten games averaged 8.1 points and 7.9 points coming off the bench. On both ends of the floor he has demonstrated commendable tenacity, and as a rookie he will only get better. These three will form a solid core to build around in the next few years when the Celtics truly begin to rebuild.

Pierce and KG are off the table for slightly different, but equally legitimate reasons. Pierce has never played on another team, and it doesn't even seem that Ainge would have the ruthlessness to trade him away when he only has two or three years left in the league. Still, Pierce is the leading scorer for the Celtics with 18.7 per game, and now that forward Rudy Gay has been traded to the Raptors, there are no other high caliber small forwards on the market to exchange for Pierce. Garnett, meanwhile, has in his contract a no-trade clause, so regardless of Ainge's wishes, he's not going anywhere.

With Brandon Bass, Jeff Green, Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Leandro Barbosa and seven-foot rookie Fab Melo, Ainge should be able to convince either Sacramento or Atlanta to trade for two or three of these above average players along with a few future draft picks. The Kings have a lackluster bench which could be greatly improved with several of these players. The Hawks starting shooting guard, Louis Williams also recently tore his ACL, and the team could be interested in either Courtney Lee or Jason Terry as a temporary replacement.

It won't be an easy task by any means, but the Celtics need to do something, and fast if they wish to see the playoffs this year.

Liberty League Honors: The Liberty League Honors from the week of Dec. 3

Posted by Billie Kanfer

Tanner Brooks '16 and Connor Merrill '15 of the Men's Basketball team were recognized by the Liberty League for their performances during a 2-0 week. Brooks was named Rookie of the Week for the second time this season after averaging 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in wins over Castleton and Cobleskill. Merrill was named to the weekly honor for the third straight week. He averaged 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Skidmore is 5-1 on the season and travels to Middlebury Dec. 8. for its next match up. 

Skidmore Heads into a Weekend Showdown with Middlebury Riding High: Wilson Gibbons on the Skidmore Men's Basketball Team

Posted by Wilson Gibbons

The men's basketball team, after losing its first game of the season, has now won its last five relying heavily on underclassmen this season.

Perhaps to the surprise of their opponents, the all-freshman starting backcourt of Aldin Medunjanin '16 and Tanner Brooks '16, have not missed a beat. Many wrote off this team due to the high roster turnover from last season, but they are rapidly proving they can play with anyone.

Brooks was recently awarded the Liberty League Rookie of the Week for the second time this season. He submitted a 24-point, four-assist performance against Castleton College and followed it up with a solid 18-point, five-assist game against SUNY Cobleskill. Both games resulted in a win for the Thoroughbreds.

However, the victory over Cobleskill came at a high price as Brooks tore his meniscus in the process, although he remains hopeful about his return.

"I have to get surgery on Friday, but the good news is it should be a quick recovery, hopefully two weeks," Brooks said. "I should be back after winter break for league play."

Medunjanin stepped up in Brooks' absence, notching 26 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out seven assists in a come-from-behind win against SUNY Oneonta. The Thoroughbreds will need stellar performances like that to continue as they move forward.

Still, Connor Merrill '15, who currently leads the team in scoring and rebounding, sees room for improvement.

"We're not near where we should be," Merrill said. "We haven't played our best game yet, we still have a lot of things to work on."

The improvements will have to come fast as the College is set to face defending NESCAC champion Middlebury College on Saturday, Dec. 8. The Panthers are currently ranked third in the nation according to d3hoops.com. They have a total of eight players on their roster who are 6'6" and above, as compared to just one for Skidmore. Obviously, rebounding will be a huge concern heading into Saturday's game.

"We've got to rebound," Merrill said. "[This game] is going to be a slow-paced, grind it out, who's tougher than who type of game."

Despite, or perhaps because of, Skidmore's youth, they remain wholly optimistic about their chances.

Skidmore Skates to .500 from the Weekend: Skidmore moves to 5-3-2 after competition from Norwich and St. Michael's

Posted by Katie Peverada

Despite jumping out to an early lead just one minute and two seconds into the game, the Thoroughbreds fell to the nationally ranked Norwich University Cadets to the tune of 7-3.
Skidmore looked ready to produce an upset when Ondrej Krajnak '16 fired the first shot of the game past Norwich's Matic Marinsek to get the scoring started. This was followed up by a few nice saves from Spencer Sodokoff '15, who fought off a slap-shot from the top of the circle, stoned a Norwich skater who had blown by the defense, and stuck his leg out to prevent a wrap-around goal.
Norwich finally fought back when, 12:29 into the period, their own Travis Janke took a rebound from a Tory Allan shot and lofted it over Sodokoff's head. Norwich's Dean Niezgoda followed this up with a goal of his own when he won the puck on the sideboard, took it to the net uncontested and backhanded it in. The final goal of the first period came from Norwich's Pier-Olivier Cotnoir, whose slap shot from the top of the circle beat Sodokoff.
Skidmore overcame its three-goal lapse and quickly tied the game up at the beginning of the second period. David Limoges '15, assisted by Erik Nilsson '15 and Zach Menard '13, scored on the power play 2:44 into the period. Just 12 seconds later, Dave Dupuis '14 was fed in front of the net by Limoges and Brendan Cottam '13.
Dupuis calmly roofed the puck into the top right corner with a well-placed shot. That would be the final Thoroughbred tally, though, as the Cadets went on to score four unanswered goals. With 8:06 into the period, Norwich's Kyle Thomas took the puck in on a two-versus-one and fired the shot past the outstretched legs of Brad Cray '15, who was in for Sodokoff.
Norwich's Cotnoir would add his second goal of the game when teammate Chris Duszynski stole the puck from Skidmore near the hash mark and fed him in front of the net. The final two Norwich goals came at 14:40 and 18:45, when Norwich's Janke deflected a shot from teammate Corey Hale and when Niezgoda walked in and ripped a short-handed shot from above the circle that nicked the crossbar and went in. No. 2 Norwich moved to 6-0 in the league and 8-0 overall.
While Skidmore as a team failed to create quality-scoring chances, there were a couple of key plays to keep the Thoroughbreds in the game. Phil Buonocore '14 played a hard and physical game with some thundering body checks. Midway through the third period, Cray had a series of close-range saves to keep the game close.
On Saturday, Sodokoff led the Thoroughbred charge, stopping 19 shots to earn the first shutout of his career against the Purple Knights of St. Michael's College. Sodokoff faced two SMC power plays in the second, but a series of nice saves and timely defending helped preserve the lead. The lone goal came in the closing seconds of the first period when Menard scored the only goal Skidmore would need. Jack Even '16 and Vlad Gavrik'14 started the play with a series of quick passes, and eventually found Menard who put it past St. Michael's Dave Donzanti. Despite Donzanti's 20-save effort, the Purple Knight's fell to 1-6 in the league and 2-7 overall.
Skidmore now stands at 5-3-2 overall and 4-3-1 in the ECAC East, good for second place. The Thoroughbreds return to action away on Dec. 7 against Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont.

Skidmore Ranks in GolfWeek Poll

Posted by Katie Peverada

The 10-man Skidmore golf team has gained national recognition for its achievements during the fall season. The Golf Coaches Association of America voted the Thoroughbreds the No. 15 team in all of Division III in the GolfWeek/Nike Golf Division III Poll. Oglethorpe University was voted No. 1, with Methodist coming in at No. 2.

The Skidmore golf team competed in four tournaments throughout the months of September and October, coming away with two wins. The team's first-place finishes came at the Tim Brown Invitational, on their home course, and at the Liberty League Championship qualifying tournament.

The team also finished second out of 25 at the Middlebury Duke Nelson Invite and then ventured down to Florida where they finished a respectable ninth out of 18 at the GolfWeek Invite. Anthony DiLisio '13, with three top-five finishes, and John McCarthy '13, with three top-ten finishes, have helped lead the charge for the Thoroughbreds. For more information, click here.

Liberty League Honors of the Week: The Liberty Leauge recognizes three Skidmore Athletes for their outstanding performances

Posted by Billie Kanfer

Three student athletes received recognition for their performances this past week on behalf of the Liberty League.

Women's basketball player Ella Scheuerell '16 was named Rookie of the Week and Logan Frederick '13 was named to the weekly honor roll. Scheuerell scored a game-high of 16 points, helping the Thoroughbreds secure a 56-54 win at Potsdam. Frederick scored 14 points. The Thoroughbreds are 1-2 overall and will be hosting the Albany College of Pharmacy this Thursday Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.

Connor Merrill '15 of Men's basketball was selected to the weekly honor roll for the second straight week. Merrill scored 19 points with 11 rebounds; both were all career-highs in a 76-43 win over Southern Vermont. The Thoroughbreds are 3-1 and after the latest win over Castleton with a final score of 106-85. The team returns to the court on Thursday Nov. 29 away to face SUNY Cobleskill.

Athlete Interview: Women's Volleyball Seniors: Paulina Phelps sits down with the four seniors to reminisce about their experiences

Posted by Paulina Phelps

Sitting down with seniors Carolyn Bottelier, Samantha Friedman, Maureen Mahoney and Mallory Mendelsohn of the volleyball team, I could not have anticipated the enthusiasm and passion the girls would use to talk about their team.

The amount of gratitude the girls expressed for their mentors, however, proved to be the most resonant part of our conversation. In expressing their gratitude, the girls showed me how sports teams really are families and how motivation can come from many different sources.  

PP: How is senior year feeling so far? Can you give any advice to soon to be seniors on ways to prepare/what to expect?

All: We didn't anticipate that we would constantly be reminded that this is our last year. We all went abroad, so right before leaving we felt antsy to go and upon coming home, antsy to get back. We all have big projects, like different types of capstones. The great thing about senior year though, is that your academic life is very tailored to what you want at Skidmore; all of the work you are doing is for things you want to be studying. On top of schoolwork, we have one week left of the season, which is also scary.

Senior year is altogether a different feel; you are constantly reminded that the real world looms ahead. It definitely feels like time is flying by.

PP: What positions do you all play?

Maureen: Back row. Player with the first touch whose main responsibilities include digging hard hits from the other side and receiving the serve pass to the setter.

Carolyn: Right side hitter. A high impact hitter on the court who also acts as a setter. It is a very versatile position

Samantha: Libero. The player that stays in the game the entire game [never affected by rotation]. The main responsibility of the libero is to pass the ball well to their teammates so the team can run the offense.

Mallory: Setter. Player that sets up the hitter and calls plays for where the hitter should go.

PP: How would you describe the dynamic of the women's volleyball team at Skidmore?

All: Phenomenal. We started with four seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman. This year especially, we are a very tight knit group. Any volleyball team has a very different dynamic than a standard sports team. The team isn't exclusive in that it becomes a "clique." Our coaches Hilda and Jerry are married and are like parents to all of us, which makes for a very close team. They are involved in our lives outside of volleyball but they aren't over involved which is what every kid wants from a parent.

PP: How is the team doing so far this season? How is fall season different from spring?

All: We are doing fantastically. This season we were 27 and 6. We are currently ranked number one in our league and are hosting the league championships the weekend of Nov. 2 which hasn't happened for a few years and is a really big deal!

PP: What do you feel is the team's greatest strength? What do you feel is your greatest strength as a player? What do you feel is your team's greatest weakness?

All: We love each other so much so we want to be there and want to be pushing each other and ourselves. When that mental energy comes it's on. The energy and positivity is contagious and the dynamic we have on the team makes it easy to share that positive cohesion on the team.

Also, our coach Hilda is so driven. We have never met someone with more tenacity than her. She is the strongest woman we know and she pushes us with her presence alone.

Our biggest weakness would be that we've always been a weak team early on in the season, until we are beat by a good team.

PP: How has it been balancing studies as well as athletics?

All: It forces you to time-manage yourself. For example, sacrifices are made on behalf of other extracurricular activities like not singing in an a cappella group. 

PP: What do you enjoy to do when you're not in season?

All: Knitting and doing other crafts of sorts! Going to the movies is always nice. Also, hanging out with people we don't get to see during season.

PP: In your opinion does the school support athletics enough?

All: We think sports shouldn't be supported more than any other extracurricular. That said we've been frustrated with the under representation of our team on Skidmore's campus. However, we are very appreciative and gracious to those who have supported the team! 

PP: Anything else you would like to say?

All: We would just like to express our gratitude to our coaches. Hilda is so important to us and we are so grateful for all that she has given us!

Reader's note:

After the team's final tournament, the Skidmore Volleyball earned its second straight and eighth overall NCAA Division III Tournament bid earlier this month. Skidmore received an at-large bid after falling to Clarkson in the Liberty League Championship match.

Thoroughbred Hockey Falls to the Pilgrims, Triumphs Over the Hawks: The Thoroughbreds lose home opener, rebound next night to go .500 on the weekend

Posted by Katie Peverada The Thoroughbreds opened the scoring at 2:43 when Nick Mannarino '15 scored the first goal of his career, but New England College (NEC) bounced back, scoring three unanswered goals. The first came from NEC's Ben MacLaughlin at the 5:16 mark. The second came when NEC's Jonathan Boxill and Jesse Ostring dug the puck out of the corner and worked it up to James O'Reilly who put the puck top-shelf to take the lead. Just 36 seconds later a NEC's Jacob Andersson shot beat the outstretched glove of Brad Cray '15 for what would prove to be the game-winning goal. The Thoroughbreds started the second period by peppering NEC's Shawn Sirman with 3 shots in 30 seconds. Their hard work was rewarded when 4:04 into the period Skidmore took a 3-on-2 into the offensive zone and T.J. Schneider '15 put the shot low on Sirman's blocker side for what would prove to be Skidmore's final tally. NEC went on to add two more goals, with one coming from a Samuli Turunen breakaway and the other from Jonathan Boxill on an empty net. Despite the loss, there were a handful of bright moments for the Thoroughbreds. In the third period, Cray stood tall in net with timely saves and controlled rebounds, seldom allowing the Pilgrims a follow-up shot. Halfway through the third he slid across the crease to make a nice save, and thirty seconds later he gloved a shot from the top of the circle. Offensively, Thoroughbreds failed to capitalize on quality scoring chances, a lot of which were created by Schneider. In the waning minutes, shots hit posts, pucks bounced across the crease and there was even a breakaway, but none of these resulted in goals. The final buzzer rang with a final score of 5-2, but the Thoroughbreds didn't have much time to dwell on their loss. The next night, the team brushed off two goals in the first 10 minutes and scored four unanswered goals on their way to a 5-4 victory over the Hawks of St. Anselm College. Initially, the Thoroughbreds defense looked shaky, as it was unable to clear the rebounds in front of Spencer Sodokoff '15. This resulted in an early 2-0 deficit, but the team quickly turned it around and seized control. At 11:31 in the first period, David Limoges '15 stole the puck in the neutral zone and carried it in on St. Anselm's Robert Kang, decking to his blocker side and calmly lofting the puck into the net with his backhand. St. Anselm's Liam McKillop completed his hat trick to end the first period, but the Thoroughbreds came out ready to fight in the second. Ben Freiberg '16, in for Sodokoff, made a nice save 1:03 in, allowing them to take the puck back down the ice where Erik Nilsson '15 stuffed it in for a goal. Four minutes later, Vlad Gavrik '14 rushed up the ice and ripped low a shot that Brad Schuler '14 redirected into the net to make it 3-3. Freiberg remained strong in the cage, making two nice saves as the second period winded down. The Thoroughbreds started the third period the way they ended the second when Jack Even '16 fired a slap-shot blocker side for the first goal of his Thoroughbred career. Just under six minutes later, Brendan Cottam '13 dug the puck out from the corner and carried it around the circle, flicking his shot over the goalie's shoulder for the final Thoroughbred goal. The Hawks would add a power play goal with 7:16 left, for a final score of 5-4. There were several nice plays and individual efforts from the Thoroughbreds throughout the game. Freiberg started the third period with a flurry of saves and remained strong throughout, with a great kick-save coming with 11 seconds left. Limoges had multiple steals on the game, creating several offensive opportunities. Dalton Weinstein '14 did an excellent job on the forecheck, with Nilsson also creating quality-scoring chances.