Following a 2?2 performance over winter break, the men's basketball team will look to improve on its overall 8?7 record in games against NESCACbottom?dwellers Wesleyan and Conn. College. The Cardinals and Camels will come to Cousens Gymnasium this weekend, both riding multiple?game losing streaks.
The past 10 days have been a roller?coaster ride for the Jumbos, falling in close games to Williams and Middlebury before traveling to Maine and defeating Bowdoin and Colby in back?to?back games last weekend.
Despite struggling at times earlier in the season, coach Bob Sheldon's squad is confident about this weekend's contests.
"The level of intensity [against Williams and Middlebury] set the standard for our team going forward," said sophomore guard Ben Ferris, who ranks eighth in the NESCAC with 6.7 rebounds per game. "We then played very well against Bowdoin, a good team, and took care of business against Colby. So overall, we have a lot of confidence going into the weekend."
Despite having a sub?par7?9 record, Wesleyan enters Friday night's matchup against the Jumbos averaging a solid 73.8 points per game, good for fourth in the conference. Conn. College, meanwhile, has the NESCAC's leading scorer, Matt Vadas, who puts up just over 21 points per game on 43.4 percent shooting.
The games will hinge on the Jumbos' ability to play tough defense to slow down the two high?powered offenses.
"The keys against Wesleyan are going to be defending their ball screens effectively and being physical," Ferris said. "I don't know too much about Conn. College other than the fact [that] the leading scorer in the NESCAC is on their team, so I'm guessing if we slow him down we will have a great chance for success."
