Although they may count the same in the standings, all NESCAC games are not created equal.
When the Jumbos hook up with the Conn College Camels on Saturday in this weekend's NESCAC doubleheader at Cousen's Gym, it will be personal.
"We have a little bit of revenge on our minds because they were one of our two [NESCAC] losses last year, so this game means a little more than some of the other ones," coach Bob Sheldon said.
Indeed, when the Jumbos face the Camels, they will have the bitter memory of last season's 74-73 last-second upset on their minds. This year, on its home floor, the team hopes the results will be different.
"As a team, we feel like they caught us on an off-night last year, playing at their place," sophomore Jeremy Black said. "You can always look back and say there were some tough calls, but we could've won, we should've won, and we didn't. So I think we definitely want to go out there and prove a point that we're the better team."
Although the Camels sit at 1-3 in the NESCAC and 11-7 overall, they still represent a challenge. They field big guards and 6'6" big man Charles Stone, who averages over 15 points and seven rebounds per game.
But the 12-4 Jumbos have an emerging big man of their own in senior tri-captain Dan Martin. Martin is averaging 17.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and has elevated his play this season to lead the team in scoring, rebounds, blocks and shooting percentage.
"Dan Martin's been exceptional," Sheldon said. "He's been everything we could've asked for this year. He's been a leader on and off the court. He's a leader in the stats column. He had big shoes to fill [in replacing the departed Reggie Stovell], but I think he's filled them."
Martin has added an inside presence to a team wealthy in perimeter shooters, keeping defenses honest and opening things up for the team's snipers on the outside. He has become the Jumbos' go-to-guy and Sheldon expects to feed him the ball often this weekend.
"We like to go inside and then have it come out to the shooters if we can," Sheldon said. "Dan's been playing so well that we try to go to him every time and give him a touch."
Black and junior tri-captain guard Dave Shepherd look for Martin even more against smaller teams. They will have just that opportunity in the Jumbos' first weekend game of the weekend, a Friday match-up against Wesleyan.
When the Cardinals hit Cousens Gym, they will still be looking for their first NESCAC victory of the season. At 0-4 in league play and 6-10 overall, part of their problem has been a lack of size.
"Wesleyan is a little bit smaller and they try to attack with their guards," Sheldon said. "They play man-to-man [defense]. I think we'll have a big height advantage so we'll be able to pound the ball inside on them."
With the Cardinals' poor record, it would be easy for the Jumbos to overlook them. The team doesn't expect that to happen, however, as it is fired up by last weekend's last-second heartbreaking loss to Williams.
"I expect us to be ready," Black said. "We had a tough loss against Williams. I feel like guys are still bitter about the way that game ended and I think we're going to be ready."
With the game, the Jumbos will hit the halfway point of their NESCAC season. Facing the pair of league games this weekend, the team's conference record stands at 2-2
"I feel we're in the top half of the NESCAC, but the Williams loss is going to hurt us and so is the Bowdoin one," Sheldon said. "I think it's going to be very close. We have our destiny in our hands because hopefully we will be 4-2 coming out of this weekend and we've got the two best teams [4-0 Bates and 3-0 Trinity] left on the schedule. It's going to be a test."
