Co-Conspirators
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Talk Hoops
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
Official Sites
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Notes and observations from American's loss at Maryland, recorded for posterity as it happened this afternoon in the Comcast Center.
After a slow start -- for us, not the game -- after conflicting directions sent us a half-dozen places before we could find our game credentials, we are finally booted up and ready to go here at Marlyand's Comcast Center.
Through the first seven minutes, AU hanging right with the Terps, despite having trouble with Maryland's full court pressure early. Maryland jumped out to a quick 9-5 lead, but after a quick AU timeout, the Eagles right back in it, thanks in no small part to Andre Ingram, who has 10 of AU's first 12 points, including two treys.
To stay in it, though, AU will need to start doing a better job on the glass. Maryland got three shots its first possession and has been dominating the boards.
At the second media timeout, its AU 18, Maryland 16, 10:36 to go in the half.
Fouls are mounting for AU, they get their 7th at the 9:56 mark. Ingram with two is on the bench. Maryland with two team fouls at this point.
Not sure how long Jeff Jones can afford to sit Ingram. Other than a couple nice penetration layups by Derrick Mercer, offense has been scarce for the rest of the Eagles.
Expect the Lithuanian duo of Eitutavicius and Lekavicius to try to pick up the slack. They have acounted for the last four AU points. AU 21, Md. 21, 7:24 to go in the half.
A pair of back door layups, the first by Eitutavicius, the second by Paulis Joneliunas, gets Gary Williams off the bench for a quick time out. AU up 27-25. 5:30 to play first half.
Interesting use of the instant replay in the Comcast Center scoreboard. Whenever there is a call against the Terps, like a pair of charges that have wiped out Martyland baskets, the instant replay quickly brings a roar from the crowd.
When AU's Brayden Billbe has a shot blocked that sure looked like an uncalled goaltend, or when two, maybe even three, Eagles get hammered on an offensive possession that results in three shots, but no points, there is no reply to even watch.
Still, with 3:48 to go in the first half, AU up 27-26.
With 3:41 to go in the half, Jones rolls the dice with Ingram and sends him back on the floor, replacing Eitutavicius, who just got his second foul, the team's 9th.
AU getting no breaks from this ACC crew.
Just that quick, Maryland gets on a run, scoring 12 straight points to take a 37-27 lead with 1:40 to go in the half.
AT THE HALF:
Ingram scores at the buzzer to cut Maryland's lead to 37-31, AU scoring the last four points of the half -- the other coming on a tough layup by Mercer on the break after a steal.
Mercer, who stands 5-9 on his tip-toes, now with 6 points, all in the paint among Maryland's trees.
Ingram leading all scorers with 14 points in just 13 minutes of action.
AU shooting 50 percent from the floor (14 of 28) with 2 treys on 5 tries. Maryland 14 of 29, 3 for 6 at the arc.
Both teams with 11 turnovers in the first half. Maryland better at converting those, has scored 18 off AU giveaways. Au has 15 off Maryland turnovers.
The biggest differences right now: Maryland with a 19-12 edge on the boards -- including 7 offensive. The Terps also have been to the foul line 9 times, making 6; AU has shot two free throws, making one.
Scoreboard watching: Navy trails Georgetown by 10, 33-23, at the half.
Catching up on some tidbits missed by arriving on press row just moments before the tip: The Comcast Center is maybe three-quarters full, with a huge block of red seats empty at the one end, presumably where the students usually sit.
Despite break, Maryland's pep band is out in full force. That's the difference between real hoops schools and wannabes like Penn State, where break usually means a high school band in free t-shirts filling in for the departed college students.
Second half to follow.
Maryland's first bucket of the second half comes on a slam following am AU giveaway. After an empty possession for AU, a three=pointer puts the Terps back up by 11.
Hard as it is to believe, the refs actually called a travel on Maryland at the 17:02 mark. Most of the game they have been allowed drives that NBA players would envy. The last time somebody around here carried a ball that far, he was wearing a Redskins uniform.
At the other end, an Eitutavicius bucket that would have cut the lead to 10 (maybe nine if he converted a free throw) is wiped out by an official away from the play, who comes in to overrule the guy under the basket, turning potential AU three-point play into Eitutavicius' third personal and another AU turnover.
Meanwhile, D.J. Strawberry is heating up at the arc. His back-to-back threes (part of three treys in a row by the Terps) have pushed the Maryland lead to 48-33 with 15:34 to play.
With 13:09 to go, Jeff Jones inserts Garrison Carr in an effort to find some offense. The Eagles have scored only 5 points through the first 7 minutes of the second half.
It is not the turnovers killing AU on offense as much as it is Maryland's lack thereof. AU has just two giveaways, but Maryland only has two, also, and the Terps are making shots, forcing AU to play halfcourt offense instead of getting some points in transition.
The result, American's shooting percentage has plummeted to 38 percent for the game. Do the math at home for the second half -- AU is 2 for 14 so far. that is why the score is Maryland 56, AU 38 with 11:22 to play.
Elliott from Basketball U. is seated next to us. At the last timeout, he observed, "It's like watching ninth graders against seventh graders."
After Ingram hits his fourth trey of the game, he has more than half AU's points (22 of 43). Ingram is 8 for 14 from the field; the rest of the Eagles a combined 10 for 33.
With 8:18 to go, it's Maryland 57, American 43.
If you have never been to the Comcast Center, you ought to try to catch a game there some time. It is a beautiful facility, seating 17, 950 without sacrificing that close to the court feel for most of the seats. The seating areas behind the one baskets is a steep single deck, with an upper deck on the sidesand behind the other basket.
One nice feature is a little hidden from most of the crowds who enter from the front of the building. In a hallway that leads to the Terps' weight room and wrestling facility, the wall is lined with the center of the floors from the Final Fours where the Maryland men's and women's teams won national title.
The media is behind one basket on risers, much like they were in Cole Field House, with premium seats for high-rollers along courtside.
AU is trying to sneak back into this one. A little 10-3 run has cut the Maryland lead to 57-46 with 6:55 to play.
AU is getting nothing in the paint. The trio of Cornelio Guibunda, Brayden Billbe and Paulis Joneliunas has a combined 8 points on 4 of 15 shooting. Maryland has blocked 9 shots.
Maryland up 66-52 as the crowd empties with 1:38 to play.
AU fans looking for a moral victory (and you know Jeff Jones is not), Gary Williams still has three starters on the floor with a minute to go.
FINAL SCORE: Maryland 66, AU 54
After a slow start -- for us, not the game -- after conflicting directions sent us a half-dozen places before we could find our game credentials, we are finally booted up and ready to go here at Marlyand's Comcast Center.
Through the first seven minutes, AU hanging right with the Terps, despite having trouble with Maryland's full court pressure early. Maryland jumped out to a quick 9-5 lead, but after a quick AU timeout, the Eagles right back in it, thanks in no small part to Andre Ingram, who has 10 of AU's first 12 points, including two treys.
To stay in it, though, AU will need to start doing a better job on the glass. Maryland got three shots its first possession and has been dominating the boards.
At the second media timeout, its AU 18, Maryland 16, 10:36 to go in the half.
Fouls are mounting for AU, they get their 7th at the 9:56 mark. Ingram with two is on the bench. Maryland with two team fouls at this point.
Not sure how long Jeff Jones can afford to sit Ingram. Other than a couple nice penetration layups by Derrick Mercer, offense has been scarce for the rest of the Eagles.
Expect the Lithuanian duo of Eitutavicius and Lekavicius to try to pick up the slack. They have acounted for the last four AU points. AU 21, Md. 21, 7:24 to go in the half.
A pair of back door layups, the first by Eitutavicius, the second by Paulis Joneliunas, gets Gary Williams off the bench for a quick time out. AU up 27-25. 5:30 to play first half.
Interesting use of the instant replay in the Comcast Center scoreboard. Whenever there is a call against the Terps, like a pair of charges that have wiped out Martyland baskets, the instant replay quickly brings a roar from the crowd.
When AU's Brayden Billbe has a shot blocked that sure looked like an uncalled goaltend, or when two, maybe even three, Eagles get hammered on an offensive possession that results in three shots, but no points, there is no reply to even watch.
Still, with 3:48 to go in the first half, AU up 27-26.
With 3:41 to go in the half, Jones rolls the dice with Ingram and sends him back on the floor, replacing Eitutavicius, who just got his second foul, the team's 9th.
AU getting no breaks from this ACC crew.
Just that quick, Maryland gets on a run, scoring 12 straight points to take a 37-27 lead with 1:40 to go in the half.
AT THE HALF:
Ingram scores at the buzzer to cut Maryland's lead to 37-31, AU scoring the last four points of the half -- the other coming on a tough layup by Mercer on the break after a steal.
Mercer, who stands 5-9 on his tip-toes, now with 6 points, all in the paint among Maryland's trees.
Ingram leading all scorers with 14 points in just 13 minutes of action.
AU shooting 50 percent from the floor (14 of 28) with 2 treys on 5 tries. Maryland 14 of 29, 3 for 6 at the arc.
Both teams with 11 turnovers in the first half. Maryland better at converting those, has scored 18 off AU giveaways. Au has 15 off Maryland turnovers.
The biggest differences right now: Maryland with a 19-12 edge on the boards -- including 7 offensive. The Terps also have been to the foul line 9 times, making 6; AU has shot two free throws, making one.
Scoreboard watching: Navy trails Georgetown by 10, 33-23, at the half.
Catching up on some tidbits missed by arriving on press row just moments before the tip: The Comcast Center is maybe three-quarters full, with a huge block of red seats empty at the one end, presumably where the students usually sit.
Despite break, Maryland's pep band is out in full force. That's the difference between real hoops schools and wannabes like Penn State, where break usually means a high school band in free t-shirts filling in for the departed college students.
Second half to follow.
Maryland's first bucket of the second half comes on a slam following am AU giveaway. After an empty possession for AU, a three=pointer puts the Terps back up by 11.
Hard as it is to believe, the refs actually called a travel on Maryland at the 17:02 mark. Most of the game they have been allowed drives that NBA players would envy. The last time somebody around here carried a ball that far, he was wearing a Redskins uniform.
At the other end, an Eitutavicius bucket that would have cut the lead to 10 (maybe nine if he converted a free throw) is wiped out by an official away from the play, who comes in to overrule the guy under the basket, turning potential AU three-point play into Eitutavicius' third personal and another AU turnover.
Meanwhile, D.J. Strawberry is heating up at the arc. His back-to-back threes (part of three treys in a row by the Terps) have pushed the Maryland lead to 48-33 with 15:34 to play.
With 13:09 to go, Jeff Jones inserts Garrison Carr in an effort to find some offense. The Eagles have scored only 5 points through the first 7 minutes of the second half.
It is not the turnovers killing AU on offense as much as it is Maryland's lack thereof. AU has just two giveaways, but Maryland only has two, also, and the Terps are making shots, forcing AU to play halfcourt offense instead of getting some points in transition.
The result, American's shooting percentage has plummeted to 38 percent for the game. Do the math at home for the second half -- AU is 2 for 14 so far. that is why the score is Maryland 56, AU 38 with 11:22 to play.
Elliott from Basketball U. is seated next to us. At the last timeout, he observed, "It's like watching ninth graders against seventh graders."
After Ingram hits his fourth trey of the game, he has more than half AU's points (22 of 43). Ingram is 8 for 14 from the field; the rest of the Eagles a combined 10 for 33.
With 8:18 to go, it's Maryland 57, American 43.
If you have never been to the Comcast Center, you ought to try to catch a game there some time. It is a beautiful facility, seating 17, 950 without sacrificing that close to the court feel for most of the seats. The seating areas behind the one baskets is a steep single deck, with an upper deck on the sidesand behind the other basket.
One nice feature is a little hidden from most of the crowds who enter from the front of the building. In a hallway that leads to the Terps' weight room and wrestling facility, the wall is lined with the center of the floors from the Final Fours where the Maryland men's and women's teams won national title.
The media is behind one basket on risers, much like they were in Cole Field House, with premium seats for high-rollers along courtside.
AU is trying to sneak back into this one. A little 10-3 run has cut the Maryland lead to 57-46 with 6:55 to play.
AU is getting nothing in the paint. The trio of Cornelio Guibunda, Brayden Billbe and Paulis Joneliunas has a combined 8 points on 4 of 15 shooting. Maryland has blocked 9 shots.
Maryland up 66-52 as the crowd empties with 1:38 to play.
AU fans looking for a moral victory (and you know Jeff Jones is not), Gary Williams still has three starters on the floor with a minute to go.
FINAL SCORE: Maryland 66, AU 54
Help Hoop Time
Archive
• • November 2005
• December 2005
• January 2006
• February 2006
• March 2006
• April 2006
• May 2006
• June 2006
• July 2006
• August 2006
• September 2006
• October 2006
• November 2006
• December 2006
• January 2007
• February 2007
• March 2007
• April 2007
• May 2007
• June 2007
• July 2007
• August 2007
• September 2007
• October 2007
• November 2007
Feeds
©2006 Hoop Time. All rights reserved.