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Thursday, November 08, 2007
Here's what has been happening while we have been fighting off the flu bug this week:
Utica does Hamilton -- Seems like once or twice each season the Utica paper bothers to cover Colgate. One of those times is this preview of the Red Raiders season.
Bracketeering -- ESPN is offering up Joe Lunardi's preseason look at the 65 teams to make the NCAA Tournament as a free preview of its "insider coverage." Lunardi picks Holy Cross to win the league, saying: The league's Dangerfield -- Ed Laubach, the former sporst editor at the Express-Times, comes out of retirement for a column previewing Lafayette's Leopards, a team Laubach says is drawing motivation from its lack of respect.
50 ways to view the season -- Included in Ed Barkowitz's Philly Daily News column on 50 things to ponder as hoops season starts: More on Griffin -- The AP preview of the Bucknell season says in the absence of Chris McNaughton, Donald Brown and Abe Badmus, it is Griffin's turn to lead the Bison.
Dadging the 'Saders -- How bad did UConn want to avoid playing Holy Cross in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament? Bad enough to agree to shuffle off to Buffalo next season.
Speaking of Holy Cross -- In case you missed it, the Crusaders bounced back from that exhibition loss to Rhode Island College by bouncing UMass-Lowell Tuesday night. Tim Clifford led the way with 16 points, 5 boards and 6 blocks. (Box score)
Another recruit for AU -- The Boca Raton News reports Mike Technow of Boca Raton H.S. will commit to play for American. BRHS is expected to send three players to DI schools this season. Technow is a 6-9 center. You can find more on him on his prep team's home page (if you have the patience for it to load). He played AAU hoops for the Barton Ballas.
Long look at Army -- Anticipating Saturday's Minnesota home opener against the Black Knights. Scout.com takes a very detailed look at this year's Army squad.
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57. HOLY CROSS. The Crusaders were 13-1 in Patriot League play last season. This season's race figures to be tighter, but Holy Cross has enough to repeat.
25. The return of 6-11 center Tim Clifford is a prime reason Holy Cross is expected to defend its Patriot League crown. Bucknell, which will look to senior John Griffin (St. Joseph's Prep) after losing three starters, and Colgate should be the top challengers to Holy Cross.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews, recruiting
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Thursday, November 01, 2007
It is a little tough to take seriously a Patriot League preview story that talks about Bucknell's Darren Mastropaolo playing a prominent role without mentioning that his season is in jeopardy after tearing up a knee during the summer.
Sure, there was no mention of Mastropaolo's injury in most of the preview magazines on the newsstands (Blue Ribbon being the prominent exception), but those pubs have early summer deadlines. The Sports Network, on the other hand, is a Web based service and its league preview comes after Mastropaolo's situation was discussed at the league's media day.
This thing is, simply put, a sorry excuse for a preview. The Holy Cross capsule makes no mention of the questions on the wings. The American portion does not even include the phrase "junior college." There is talk of Lafayette's futility without talk of their scholarship situation and the Navy preview says nothing about how the Mids lost three key would-be returning players, including two starters.
The worst part is that this mediocrity will show up as gospel on other sites because several mainstream media players buy syndicated content from TSN.
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Sure, there was no mention of Mastropaolo's injury in most of the preview magazines on the newsstands (Blue Ribbon being the prominent exception), but those pubs have early summer deadlines. The Sports Network, on the other hand, is a Web based service and its league preview comes after Mastropaolo's situation was discussed at the league's media day.
This thing is, simply put, a sorry excuse for a preview. The Holy Cross capsule makes no mention of the questions on the wings. The American portion does not even include the phrase "junior college." There is talk of Lafayette's futility without talk of their scholarship situation and the Navy preview says nothing about how the Mids lost three key would-be returning players, including two starters.
The worst part is that this mediocrity will show up as gospel on other sites because several mainstream media players buy syndicated content from TSN.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Friday, October 19, 2007
(Updated with additional links at 7:51 a.m.)
Here's what others are saying about Thursday's Patriot League basketball media day:
In Stephen Miller's overview of the league, which appears in the Morning Call. there is a Fran O'Hanlon quote that pretty much sums up why people are still picking Holy Cross and Bucknell at the top of the league despite their heavy graduation losses. Says O'Hanlon" "I thought last year maybe the league would come back a little bit and be more competitive. To a certain extent [it was]. American was right there at times. Colgate and Army and Navy obviously took major steps last year, but it didn't translate into competing with Bucknell and Holy Cross. So I'm reluctant to say it's going to change."
The Examiner looks at Navy and concludes the Mids "will go as far as Greg Sprink carries" them.
Alexander Pyles did some blogging on CSTV's Hang Time blog from the ESPN Zone in Baltimore. Pyles, who must have sat close to the door, where the wireless actually worked, compiled a handful of posts from the event.
David Ginsburg of the AP threw together a story based on the preseason poll and the very generic comments the coaches made before the individual interview sessions.
We'll update this in the morning.
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Here's what others are saying about Thursday's Patriot League basketball media day:
We'll update this in the morning.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
More news, notes and quotes from Thursday's Patriot League basketball media day:
M*A*S*H -- Not a lot of talk about injuries from most of the coaches, but Bucknell's Pat Flannery and Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard did have some medical woes to talk about.
Flannery confirmed senior post man Darren Mastropaolo will not be ready any time soon. Flannery said Mastropaolo is working hard to rehab the knee he injured this summer, but has not begun to run on it yet. Flannery said there is no timetable for Mastropaolo's possible return. Bucknell guard John Griffin, in a separate interview, said the Bison are hopeful Mastropaolo might be able to get back for the second half of the Patriot League season. Griffin said he doesn't think Mastropaolo wants to take a medical redshirt, saying he thinks Mastropaolo wants to graduate with his classmates.
Holy Cross has two guys currently out of practice for medical reasons. Sophomore Andrew Keister has suffered another stress fracture in his leg and it appears his future is in question. Willard said there are concerns Keister, who survived childhood leukemia, may have some fragility in his bones due to the radiation treatments he underwent when he was ill. For now, the 6-9 forward is out at least six weeks.
Lawrence Dixon also has yet to practice for HC. Dixon's surgically repaired knee is structurally fine, Willard said, but he is having back and hamstring problems. Willard said it is possible Dixon's troubles could be related to favoring the injured knee.
"Lawrence could really help our basketball team if he can get healthy," Willard said.
QUOTABLE -- From the coaches opening comments:
"We have a lot of fresh faces coming in hoping to compete for some playing time." -- American coach Jeff Jones, whose roster includes six new players, including four junior college transfers
"We have a lot of young players. Nine of our 13 are in either the freshman or sophomore class." -- Lehigh coach Brett Reed, who is new to the head coach job himself
"We certainly hope to be an improved basketball team this year . . . we have lots of room for improvement." -- Colgate coach Emmett Davis
"What we found out in Europe is we graduated two really special leaders . . . we have a lot of work to do." -- HC's Ralph Willard
"We have more guys coming back this year than we have ever had." -- Army coach Jim Crews
"We don't know a lot right now. But we do have one kid -- Jarrell Brown -- who puts the ball in the bucket." -- Crews
"you can't even land in Mississippi. You have to land in Memphis." == Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon on the leopards trip to Mississippi State, part of nine straight road games after playing five of their first six at home
"Nobody's divulging names." -- Bucknell coach Pat Flannery, commenting on the generic remarks of the other coaches
"We are who we are, and you know who we are. We're not hard to figure out." -- Flannery on his Bison
"I don't feel like our program is young anymore." -- Navy coach Billy Lange on his experienced underclassmen
Those were the best offered. Told you they were pretty generic.
MAKING POINTS -- Expect Griffin to start the season at the point for Bucknell, but the pre-season all-league pick could end up sliding to the two if freshman Daryl Shazier develops quickly. Shazier played for the highly competitive Boo Williams AAU program in Virginia and is accustomed to high level competition, something that should speed his adjustment to the college game.
"We didn't bring him in to sit," said Flannery.
At Holy Cross, freshman Andrew Beinert was expected to back up Pat Doherty at the point this season, but difficulties finding adequate scoring from the wings could force Willard to move him to the two. Willard said that is not his preference, but he may be forced to do it.
Scoring from the wings, said Willard, "Is still (HC's) biggest question mark. That was our big bugaboo in Europe. We didn't score from the wing at all."
In August, before heading on the overseas trip, Willard spoke of the possibility of playing Alex Vander Baan at the three some. Those plans appear to be scrapped. Willard said Vander Baan is just not comfortable enough putting teh ball on the floor against smaller defenders.
STEPPING OUT -- Thus far in practice, Holy Cross' best perimeter shooter has been 6-10 senior center Tim Clifford.
"Tim may be the best three-point shooter we have on the team," said Willard.
Expect Clifford to look to spot up on the arc when trailing the break. He will also step out to shoot the three in half-court sets, Willard said.
"Tim has made the three an important part of who he is as a basketball player," Willard said.
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M*A*S*H -- Not a lot of talk about injuries from most of the coaches, but Bucknell's Pat Flannery and Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard did have some medical woes to talk about.
Flannery confirmed senior post man Darren Mastropaolo will not be ready any time soon. Flannery said Mastropaolo is working hard to rehab the knee he injured this summer, but has not begun to run on it yet. Flannery said there is no timetable for Mastropaolo's possible return. Bucknell guard John Griffin, in a separate interview, said the Bison are hopeful Mastropaolo might be able to get back for the second half of the Patriot League season. Griffin said he doesn't think Mastropaolo wants to take a medical redshirt, saying he thinks Mastropaolo wants to graduate with his classmates.
Holy Cross has two guys currently out of practice for medical reasons. Sophomore Andrew Keister has suffered another stress fracture in his leg and it appears his future is in question. Willard said there are concerns Keister, who survived childhood leukemia, may have some fragility in his bones due to the radiation treatments he underwent when he was ill. For now, the 6-9 forward is out at least six weeks.
Lawrence Dixon also has yet to practice for HC. Dixon's surgically repaired knee is structurally fine, Willard said, but he is having back and hamstring problems. Willard said it is possible Dixon's troubles could be related to favoring the injured knee.
"Lawrence could really help our basketball team if he can get healthy," Willard said.
QUOTABLE -- From the coaches opening comments:
"We have a lot of fresh faces coming in hoping to compete for some playing time." -- American coach Jeff Jones, whose roster includes six new players, including four junior college transfers
"We have a lot of young players. Nine of our 13 are in either the freshman or sophomore class." -- Lehigh coach Brett Reed, who is new to the head coach job himself
"We certainly hope to be an improved basketball team this year . . . we have lots of room for improvement." -- Colgate coach Emmett Davis
"What we found out in Europe is we graduated two really special leaders . . . we have a lot of work to do." -- HC's Ralph Willard
"We have more guys coming back this year than we have ever had." -- Army coach Jim Crews
"We don't know a lot right now. But we do have one kid -- Jarrell Brown -- who puts the ball in the bucket." -- Crews
"you can't even land in Mississippi. You have to land in Memphis." == Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon on the leopards trip to Mississippi State, part of nine straight road games after playing five of their first six at home
"Nobody's divulging names." -- Bucknell coach Pat Flannery, commenting on the generic remarks of the other coaches
"We are who we are, and you know who we are. We're not hard to figure out." -- Flannery on his Bison
"I don't feel like our program is young anymore." -- Navy coach Billy Lange on his experienced underclassmen
Those were the best offered. Told you they were pretty generic.
MAKING POINTS -- Expect Griffin to start the season at the point for Bucknell, but the pre-season all-league pick could end up sliding to the two if freshman Daryl Shazier develops quickly. Shazier played for the highly competitive Boo Williams AAU program in Virginia and is accustomed to high level competition, something that should speed his adjustment to the college game.
"We didn't bring him in to sit," said Flannery.
At Holy Cross, freshman Andrew Beinert was expected to back up Pat Doherty at the point this season, but difficulties finding adequate scoring from the wings could force Willard to move him to the two. Willard said that is not his preference, but he may be forced to do it.
Scoring from the wings, said Willard, "Is still (HC's) biggest question mark. That was our big bugaboo in Europe. We didn't score from the wing at all."
In August, before heading on the overseas trip, Willard spoke of the possibility of playing Alex Vander Baan at the three some. Those plans appear to be scrapped. Willard said Vander Baan is just not comfortable enough putting teh ball on the floor against smaller defenders.
STEPPING OUT -- Thus far in practice, Holy Cross' best perimeter shooter has been 6-10 senior center Tim Clifford.
"Tim may be the best three-point shooter we have on the team," said Willard.
Expect Clifford to look to spot up on the arc when trailing the break. He will also step out to shoot the three in half-court sets, Willard said.
"Tim has made the three an important part of who he is as a basketball player," Willard said.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, notebook
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We will have more from today's Media Day festivities later. In the meantime, here is a look at how the voting went for the major preseason honors.
The league's coaches and sports information directors voted in the preseason all-league balloting and the preseason poll. Just for fun, we also will list how we saw things back in August when we put together our previews for Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
LEAGUE FORECAST:
2007 PreSeason All-League Selections
G- John Griffin, Sr. Bucknell
C- Tim Clifford, Sr., Holy Cross
G- Jarrell Brown, Sr., Army
G- Marquis Hall, So., Lehigh
G- Greg Sprink, Sr., Navy
Preseason Player of the Year
Tim Clifford, Sr., Holy Cross
Preseason Poll
1. Holy Cross (10 first place votes) 91 points
2. Bucknell (5) 85
3. Colgate (1) 62
4. Lehigh 56
5. American 49
6. Army 42
7. Navy 34
8. Lafayette 29
For comparison purposes, here is how I saw the league and the preseason honors in Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook:
BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Holy Cross
2. Bucknell
3. Lehigh
4. Army
5. American
6. Colgate
7. Navy
8. Lafayette
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
G-Jarell Brown, SR, Army
C-Tim Clifford, SR, Holy Cross
G-Greg Sprink, SR, Navy
G-Marquis Hall, SO, Lehigh
G-John Griffin, SR, Bucknell
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jarell Brown, SR, Army
NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR
Andrew Beinert, FR, Holy Cross
Todd O'Brien, FR, Bucknell
I will tell you the standings prediction is a roll of the dice. Matter of fact, I can't remember ever having less faith in my preseason prognostications. As several coaches pointed out today, nobody knows what American has this season. Colgate has as much talent as anyone, but I have a hard time picking them higher based on the simple fact they had a lot of talent the last two seasons and failed to live up to expectations. Army might be a stretch at fourth, but they have as good a shot at being in the upper division as any of the teams I ranked 3 through 6.
We shall see.
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The league's coaches and sports information directors voted in the preseason all-league balloting and the preseason poll. Just for fun, we also will list how we saw things back in August when we put together our previews for Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
LEAGUE FORECAST:
2007 PreSeason All-League Selections
G- John Griffin, Sr. Bucknell
C- Tim Clifford, Sr., Holy Cross
G- Jarrell Brown, Sr., Army
G- Marquis Hall, So., Lehigh
G- Greg Sprink, Sr., Navy
Preseason Player of the Year
Tim Clifford, Sr., Holy Cross
Preseason Poll
1. Holy Cross (10 first place votes) 91 points
2. Bucknell (5) 85
3. Colgate (1) 62
4. Lehigh 56
5. American 49
6. Army 42
7. Navy 34
8. Lafayette 29
For comparison purposes, here is how I saw the league and the preseason honors in Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook:
BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Holy Cross
2. Bucknell
3. Lehigh
4. Army
5. American
6. Colgate
7. Navy
8. Lafayette
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
G-Jarell Brown, SR, Army
C-Tim Clifford, SR, Holy Cross
G-Greg Sprink, SR, Navy
G-Marquis Hall, SO, Lehigh
G-John Griffin, SR, Bucknell
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jarell Brown, SR, Army
NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR
Andrew Beinert, FR, Holy Cross
Todd O'Brien, FR, Bucknell
I will tell you the standings prediction is a roll of the dice. Matter of fact, I can't remember ever having less faith in my preseason prognostications. As several coaches pointed out today, nobody knows what American has this season. Colgate has as much talent as anyone, but I have a hard time picking them higher based on the simple fact they had a lot of talent the last two seasons and failed to live up to expectations. Army might be a stretch at fourth, but they have as good a shot at being in the upper division as any of the teams I ranked 3 through 6.
We shall see.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, October 14, 2007
Looking for a quick fix for your basketball jones before the afternoon's NFL action kicks off. We have it here, with a quick preview of the league and a little catching up with old friends.
Gone but not forgotten (Part I): Down in the Lehigh Valley, former Express-Times sports editor Ed Laubach is supposed to be retired. But that doesn't stop him from popping out the occasional column, like one this morning bemoaning the lack of hoops excitement on six out of eight Patriot League campuses. In the process, Ed takes a quick look around the league and sizes up each team's prospects for the coming season.
Gone but not forgotten (Part II): Last time we checked in with Adonal Foyle, the Colgate grad, and only Patriot League to ever make it in the NBA, was looking for work after being left go by the Golden State Warriors. Foyle's new employer is the Orlando Magic, which is preparing to head to China for some exhibition action. Writers on the Magic beat knew who to turn to when looking to file a story about the trip; as one writer put it, Foyle is "the kind of deep thinker who usually sticks out in an NBA locker room the way Bill O'Reilly would at a rap concert." The Lakeland Ledger also checked in with Foyle for some socio-economic perspective on the trip.
Gone but not forgotten (Part III): Would any post catching up on the whereabouts of folks affiliated with Patriot League hoops be complete without an update on the whereabouts of Hoop Time icon Neil Fingleton? (Hint: The guy is 7-7, maybe you should throw another couple of shrimp on the barbie).
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Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Colgate has landed a verbal from an Albany area swingman.
The Albany Times-Union reports Brett Marfurt, a 6-4 guard from Guilderland H.S. chose the Raiders over Bucknell, Lehigh and Yale. He also had offers from Princeton, Harvard and William and Mary.
A power forward in high school play, Marfurt averaged 17.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg as a junior. Of course there is not a lot of demand for 6-4 power forwards. But Marfurt improved his stock by playing guard with his AAU club, the Nike=sponsored Albany City Rocks.
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The Albany Times-Union reports Brett Marfurt, a 6-4 guard from Guilderland H.S. chose the Raiders over Bucknell, Lehigh and Yale. He also had offers from Princeton, Harvard and William and Mary.
A power forward in high school play, Marfurt averaged 17.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg as a junior. Of course there is not a lot of demand for 6-4 power forwards. But Marfurt improved his stock by playing guard with his AAU club, the Nike=sponsored Albany City Rocks.
Labels: CU, recruiting
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Tuesday, October 02, 2007
The league and the WWLIS have announced a 13-game television package for the upcoming season. Included is the conference tournament final, which will assume its customary Friday happy hour slot on ESPN2.
The Feb. 16 Holy Cross at Bucknell men's game will also be shown on the deuce.
The rest of the package, which includes a trio of women's games, will be on ESPNU.
Click the full post link to read the official press release.he 2007-08 Patriot League men's basketball schedule will feature eight regular-season men's games on ESPNU and one on ESPN2, as well as the Championship game on March 14 at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2, it was announced Tuesday by Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich.
"We are pleased to once again feature Patriot League basketball games, including our Championship for men's and women's basketball, on the ESPN networks," said Femovich. "It is exciting that a regular-season matchup between Holy Cross and Bucknell, our past two champions, will be showcased on ESPN2 this year."
The ESPNU schedule also includes two Patriot League women's basketball regular-season games and the Championship contest on March 12.
The men's basketball season opens up on ESPNU, with Navy traveling to Bucknell for a7 p.m. tip-off on Jan. 11. Bucknell and Holy Cross will face off on the ESPN networks for both of their regular-season matchups, with a Jan. 18 game in Worcester at 9 p.m. on ESPNU and a Feb. 16 contest in Lewisburg at 6 p.m on ESPN2.
The ESPNU schedule features three Friday night games, four Sunday tip-offs at Noon and one Saturday contest. Two weekends will include a pair of Patriot League matchups. Lehigh visits Holy Cross on Feb. 2 at Noon and Army travels to Bucknell on Feb. 3 at Noon, while American is at Colgate at Noon on Feb. 17, one day after the Holy Cross/Bucknell tilt on ESPN2.
On the women's side, Holy Cross visits Bucknell for a Noon tip-off on Jan. 20 and Army is at Navy on Jan. 27. The Army-Navy game will be shown live on ESPN360.com and on a taped-delayed basis at 6:30 p.m.
2008 Patriot League Men's Basketball Schedule on ESPN2/ESPNU
Fri., Jan. 11: Navy at Bucknell, 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 18: Bucknell at Holy Cross, 9 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 27: Army at Navy, Noon
Sat., Feb. 2: Lehigh at Holy Cross, Noon
Sun., Feb. 3: Army at Bucknell, Noon
Sun., Feb. 10: Lehigh at American, Noon
Sat., Feb. 16: Holy Cross at Bucknell (ESPN2), 6 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 17: American at Colgate, Noon
Fri., Feb. 29: Holy Cross at Lehigh, 9 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 14: Championship Game (ESPN2), 4:30 p.m.
2008 Patriot League Women's Basketball Schedule on ESPNU
Sun., Jan. 20: Holy Cross at Bucknell, Noon
Sun., Jan. 27: Army at Navy, 2:30 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 12: Championship Game, TBA
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The Feb. 16 Holy Cross at Bucknell men's game will also be shown on the deuce.
The rest of the package, which includes a trio of women's games, will be on ESPNU.
Click the full post link to read the official press release.he 2007-08 Patriot League men's basketball schedule will feature eight regular-season men's games on ESPNU and one on ESPN2, as well as the Championship game on March 14 at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2, it was announced Tuesday by Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich.
"We are pleased to once again feature Patriot League basketball games, including our Championship for men's and women's basketball, on the ESPN networks," said Femovich. "It is exciting that a regular-season matchup between Holy Cross and Bucknell, our past two champions, will be showcased on ESPN2 this year."
The ESPNU schedule also includes two Patriot League women's basketball regular-season games and the Championship contest on March 12.
The men's basketball season opens up on ESPNU, with Navy traveling to Bucknell for a7 p.m. tip-off on Jan. 11. Bucknell and Holy Cross will face off on the ESPN networks for both of their regular-season matchups, with a Jan. 18 game in Worcester at 9 p.m. on ESPNU and a Feb. 16 contest in Lewisburg at 6 p.m on ESPN2.
The ESPNU schedule features three Friday night games, four Sunday tip-offs at Noon and one Saturday contest. Two weekends will include a pair of Patriot League matchups. Lehigh visits Holy Cross on Feb. 2 at Noon and Army travels to Bucknell on Feb. 3 at Noon, while American is at Colgate at Noon on Feb. 17, one day after the Holy Cross/Bucknell tilt on ESPN2.
On the women's side, Holy Cross visits Bucknell for a Noon tip-off on Jan. 20 and Army is at Navy on Jan. 27. The Army-Navy game will be shown live on ESPN360.com and on a taped-delayed basis at 6:30 p.m.
2008 Patriot League Men's Basketball Schedule on ESPN2/ESPNU
Fri., Jan. 11: Navy at Bucknell, 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 18: Bucknell at Holy Cross, 9 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 27: Army at Navy, Noon
Sat., Feb. 2: Lehigh at Holy Cross, Noon
Sun., Feb. 3: Army at Bucknell, Noon
Sun., Feb. 10: Lehigh at American, Noon
Sat., Feb. 16: Holy Cross at Bucknell (ESPN2), 6 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 17: American at Colgate, Noon
Fri., Feb. 29: Holy Cross at Lehigh, 9 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 14: Championship Game (ESPN2), 4:30 p.m.
2008 Patriot League Women's Basketball Schedule on ESPNU
Sun., Jan. 20: Holy Cross at Bucknell, Noon
Sun., Jan. 27: Army at Navy, 2:30 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 12: Championship Game, TBA
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy
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Thursday, September 20, 2007
Jim Mower, a 6-3 wing out of Philadelphia's Saint Joseph's Prep has committed to Lafayette.
Mower, who averaged 14 points per game as a junior, chose the Leopards over Colgate. The second team All Catholic League pick also had offers from Hartford, New Hampshire, Niagara and Quinnipiac.
According to the Philly Daily News, the decision basically came down to Lafayette's proximity to civilization.
Saint Joe's Prep is also the alma mater of Bucknell guard John Griffin.
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Mower, who averaged 14 points per game as a junior, chose the Leopards over Colgate. The second team All Catholic League pick also had offers from Hartford, New Hampshire, Niagara and Quinnipiac.
According to the Philly Daily News, the decision basically came down to Lafayette's proximity to civilization.
Saint Joe's Prep is also the alma mater of Bucknell guard John Griffin.
Labels: CU, Laf, recruiting
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Wednesday, August 15, 2007
ESPN.com has begun its summer ShootAround look at the nation's Division I hoops conferences. Yesterday they featured the Patriot League.
The headline on the piece reads "Who can catch Bucknell and Holy Cross?"
Andy Glockner points out that over the past three seasons, BU and HC are a combined 80-4 against the rest of the conference, including league tournament games.
Glockner speculates it could be a two-horse race again this season, with Colgate as the darkhorse. His WWLIS colleague, bracketologist Joe Lunardi, had Holy Cross penciled in on his preseason dance card, projecting the Crusaders as a 14 seed.
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The headline on the piece reads "Who can catch Bucknell and Holy Cross?"
Andy Glockner points out that over the past three seasons, BU and HC are a combined 80-4 against the rest of the conference, including league tournament games.
Glockner speculates it could be a two-horse race again this season, with Colgate as the darkhorse. His WWLIS colleague, bracketologist Joe Lunardi, had Holy Cross penciled in on his preseason dance card, projecting the Crusaders as a 14 seed.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The only former Patriot League player to play in the NBA is looking for a new job after having his contract bought out by the Golden State Warriors.
Adonal Foyle, who led Colgate to back-to-back league titles in 1995 and 1996, was Golden State's all-time leading shotblocker, but according to a report in the Examiner, his defensive style of play was a bad fit for the Don Nelson's up and down style of play. After averaging nearly 24 minutes per game in 2005-2006, Foyle's minutes dropped to under 10 per game last season.
Foyle, who was in the midst of a seven-year, $42 million contract signed prior to the 2004-05 season, becomes an unrestricted free agent. No word on how much of the approximately $18 million remaining on his contract he received in the buyout. He is expected to sign with another team, most likely one with a style that better suits Foyle's defensive skills.
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Adonal Foyle, who led Colgate to back-to-back league titles in 1995 and 1996, was Golden State's all-time leading shotblocker, but according to a report in the Examiner, his defensive style of play was a bad fit for the Don Nelson's up and down style of play. After averaging nearly 24 minutes per game in 2005-2006, Foyle's minutes dropped to under 10 per game last season.
Foyle, who was in the midst of a seven-year, $42 million contract signed prior to the 2004-05 season, becomes an unrestricted free agent. No word on how much of the approximately $18 million remaining on his contract he received in the buyout. He is expected to sign with another team, most likely one with a style that better suits Foyle's defensive skills.
Labels: CU
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Monday, August 13, 2007
Former Colgate captain Jeremy Ballard has left Emmett Davis' staff to take a job as an assistant at Tulsa.
The 26-year-old Ballard has been an Colgate assistant the past three seasons. The Tulsa World says Ballard is replacing a guy named Todd Smith, who was just hired in May to replace former Navy standout Hassan Booker on Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik's staff. Booker left the staff after last season to pursue a career in private business.
Wojcik is a former Navy player and served as an assistant at his alma mater to Don Devoe. Davis was also a member of Devoe's staff.
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The 26-year-old Ballard has been an Colgate assistant the past three seasons. The Tulsa World says Ballard is replacing a guy named Todd Smith, who was just hired in May to replace former Navy standout Hassan Booker on Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik's staff. Booker left the staff after last season to pursue a career in private business.
Wojcik is a former Navy player and served as an assistant at his alma mater to Don Devoe. Davis was also a member of Devoe's staff.
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Friday, August 03, 2007
With the equivalent of four starters back, you might expect Colgate to turn its schedule up a notch this season. Think again.
The Raiders 2007-2008 slate is short on big names. But it is also short on home games, which could mean a healthy non-conference RPI if the Raiders have some success outside of the Patriot League this fall.
Aside from the annual sacrificial lamb appearance in the Carrier Dome, the only major conference opponents on the schedule are Notre Dame (Nov. 26) and perennial Big Ten doormat Penn State (Dec. 23).
According to Colgate's Web site, that Penn State game will be played in Philadelphia. The Raiders' summer prospectus just says "at Penn State." PSU has not yet released its schedule, but there are no games listed the day before or day after on 'Gate's schedule, so it does not appear to be part of any tournament. Unless the game is part of some sort of doubleheader or a format similar to the annual BB&T Classic in D.C., it seems odd that the game would be in Philly. While Penn State would love to be able to draw a crowd in the City of Brotherly Love, the Nits have a long way to go before they can expect to sell enough tickets there to pay the light bill at the Wachovia Center, or even the old Spectrum.
The rest of Colgate's non-league schedule consists of road games at the likes of Canisius, Cornell (which ought to be pretty good this season), Binghamton, New Hampshire and Harvard. The Raiders will also travel to Kennesaw State for a tournament. The matchups are not announced, but the other two teams there will be Jacksonville State and Texas State.
Home games include Monmouth, a BracketBusters return game with Marist, Dartmouth, Maine and a BracketBusters Saturday game with North Carolina Central, which apparently means Colgate will not take part in the ESPN extravagansa this year. Previous reports said all eight league teams would be in this season's BracketBusters.
The Raiders return three starters -- guard Daniel Waddy and the Chones brothers, swingman Kyle and four man Kendall -- and 11 letterwinners, including junior guard Kyle Roemer, who was a starter as a freshman before missing last season due to a knee injury.
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The Raiders 2007-2008 slate is short on big names. But it is also short on home games, which could mean a healthy non-conference RPI if the Raiders have some success outside of the Patriot League this fall.
Aside from the annual sacrificial lamb appearance in the Carrier Dome, the only major conference opponents on the schedule are Notre Dame (Nov. 26) and perennial Big Ten doormat Penn State (Dec. 23).
According to Colgate's Web site, that Penn State game will be played in Philadelphia. The Raiders' summer prospectus just says "at Penn State." PSU has not yet released its schedule, but there are no games listed the day before or day after on 'Gate's schedule, so it does not appear to be part of any tournament. Unless the game is part of some sort of doubleheader or a format similar to the annual BB&T Classic in D.C., it seems odd that the game would be in Philly. While Penn State would love to be able to draw a crowd in the City of Brotherly Love, the Nits have a long way to go before they can expect to sell enough tickets there to pay the light bill at the Wachovia Center, or even the old Spectrum.
The rest of Colgate's non-league schedule consists of road games at the likes of Canisius, Cornell (which ought to be pretty good this season), Binghamton, New Hampshire and Harvard. The Raiders will also travel to Kennesaw State for a tournament. The matchups are not announced, but the other two teams there will be Jacksonville State and Texas State.
Home games include Monmouth, a BracketBusters return game with Marist, Dartmouth, Maine and a BracketBusters Saturday game with North Carolina Central, which apparently means Colgate will not take part in the ESPN extravagansa this year. Previous reports said all eight league teams would be in this season's BracketBusters.
The Raiders return three starters -- guard Daniel Waddy and the Chones brothers, swingman Kyle and four man Kendall -- and 11 letterwinners, including junior guard Kyle Roemer, who was a starter as a freshman before missing last season due to a knee injury.
Labels: CU, scheduling
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Friday, April 27, 2007
Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon and Colgate coach Emmett Davis will be looking to fill openings on their staffs.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Andy Toole, an O'Hanlon assistant last season, is expected to join Mike Rice's staff at Robert Morris.
Rice,by the way, was a captain on the Fordham team that won the inaugural Patriot League championship in 1991 and began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater while the rams were still in the league.
Colgate assistant Kevin Curley has also landed a new job. Curley has been named the new head coach at Division III McDaniel (formerly Western Maryland) College.
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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Andy Toole, an O'Hanlon assistant last season, is expected to join Mike Rice's staff at Robert Morris.
Rice,by the way, was a captain on the Fordham team that won the inaugural Patriot League championship in 1991 and began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater while the rams were still in the league.
Colgate assistant Kevin Curley has also landed a new job. Curley has been named the new head coach at Division III McDaniel (formerly Western Maryland) College.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2007
A Colgate coach looks for a new job, Jeff Jones lands a high school player, former HC assistants have a reunion and the Lehigh Valley contingent looks to catch Holy Cross and Bucknell. But the biggest news: after a slow couple of weeks, there finally is some news.
Down in the Lehigh Valley, Corky Blake of the Express-Times probably has had some extra time on his hands since the weather has been wiping out spring sports events on an almost daily basis. Taking advantage of the free time, Corky checks in with a look at off-season workouts at Lehigh and Lafayette.
Emmett Davis still has a job, which is testament to either the Colgate administration's remarkable patience with the league's most disappointing program the last few years or the simple fact that nobody in Hamilton gives a rat's rump about basketball. But one of Davis' assistants is looking to escape Hamilton's frozen tundra for a Division III job below the Mason-Dixon line.
Speaking of assistants on the move, here is one from our Where have you gone? department. A pair of former Ralph Willard assistants have joined Tom Moore's staff at Quinnipiac.
Jeff Jones has another recruit. This one is not a juco player. Steve Luptak, a 6-3 guard from Munster, Indiana has made a verbal commit to American and is expected to sign next week. The scouting report on Luptak, who averaged 12.4 ppg his senior season: "If you were the best player on an opposing team, you knew Luptak would be inside your jersey."
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Thursday, March 01, 2007
It remains to be seen who actually gets the better end of this one, but American advaned to a semifinals meeting with top-seed Holy Cross with a 59-44 win over Colgate.
The win gives American (16-13) a long bus ride to Worcester. Colgate (10-19), on the other hand, can get out its golf clubs, which is not a bad alternative when your campus includes a beautiful Robert Trent Jones course.
Then again, unless the Raiders can shoot a heckuva lot straighter than they do with a basketball, Seven Oaks might just be another source of frustration for Colgate, which lived up to its reputation as one of the poorest shooting teams in the nation with its 30 percent performance in front of 924 fans in Bender Arena last night. The Raiders were 15 of 50 from the field, including 1 of 15 from the arc.
Kendall Chones was the only Colgate player to reach double figures, coming off the bench for 12 points. All-league guard Jon Simon ended his career with a 3 for 12 night, connecting just once from the arc in seven tries.
American didn't shoot a lot better in the first half, going 9 for 23 (39.1 percent) from the field while taking a 24-20 halftime lead. But AU shot 48 percent in the second half to finish the night at 21 of 48 (43.8 percent), including 3 of 12 from the arc. The Eagles opened the second half by building a 12-point lead with an 11-3 spurt and Colgate never got closer than 8 the rest of the way.
Andre Ingram led American with 16 points. Arvydas Eitutavicius added 15. Sign of the coming apocalypse: Paulius Joneliunas also reached double figures, finishing with 12 points.
The win was American's sixth straight opening round victory.
Box score | Quotes | Washington Post
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The win gives American (16-13) a long bus ride to Worcester. Colgate (10-19), on the other hand, can get out its golf clubs, which is not a bad alternative when your campus includes a beautiful Robert Trent Jones course.
Then again, unless the Raiders can shoot a heckuva lot straighter than they do with a basketball, Seven Oaks might just be another source of frustration for Colgate, which lived up to its reputation as one of the poorest shooting teams in the nation with its 30 percent performance in front of 924 fans in Bender Arena last night. The Raiders were 15 of 50 from the field, including 1 of 15 from the arc.
Kendall Chones was the only Colgate player to reach double figures, coming off the bench for 12 points. All-league guard Jon Simon ended his career with a 3 for 12 night, connecting just once from the arc in seven tries.
American didn't shoot a lot better in the first half, going 9 for 23 (39.1 percent) from the field while taking a 24-20 halftime lead. But AU shot 48 percent in the second half to finish the night at 21 of 48 (43.8 percent), including 3 of 12 from the arc. The Eagles opened the second half by building a 12-point lead with an 11-3 spurt and Colgate never got closer than 8 the rest of the way.
Andre Ingram led American with 16 points. Arvydas Eitutavicius added 15. Sign of the coming apocalypse: Paulius Joneliunas also reached double figures, finishing with 12 points.
The win was American's sixth straight opening round victory.
Box score | Quotes | Washington Post
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Wednesday, February 28, 2007
March Madness starts in February this year. Here is a look at tonight's first round Patriot League playoff contests:
No. 6 Army at No. 3 Lehigh 7 p.m. (matchup) -- Looking for tonight's upset special? here's your game. Army (14-15, 4-10) comes in losers of eight of its last nine, the only win in that span coming at home against last place Lafayette. After a strong start filled with promise, including a 3-2 start to the conference season, the Black Knights seemed to slide into the abyss.
So what makes anybody think a team that has won just twice on the road all season can pull off an upset against a Lehigh team that was 9-3 this season in Stabler?
For starters, there is Army's win in the first meeting between the two. The Black Knights held Jose Olivero to 7 points in that one. In other words, they know first hand that if you shut down Olivero, Lehigh is beatable.
Of course they also know what happens when Olivero does go off. Lehigh's all-league senior put up 30 on Army when they met earlier this month in Stabler.
In a strange way, that ought to give Army some confidence. Even with Olivero combining with freshman point guard Marquis Hall for 50 points in that game, the Black Knights kept it close much of the way before falling by 11. The Black Knights (2-16 all time in the league tournament) come in knowing that if they can just limit Olivero to somewhere around his 16.6 ppg average, they should have a shot at winning their third-ever tournament game and at advancing for the first time since 1996.
At that point, Lehigh's only home setbacks all season had come on a disputed call in the final seconds of a 1-point loss to Columbia and in a 5-point loss to Navy three days before Army came to town.
That Navy loss put a crack in the Mountain Hawks' air of home invincibility. It was shattered in the last week of the season, with Bucknell and Holy Cross both coming into Stabler to pick up wins. Add a Feb. 18 loss at last place Lafayette to the mix and you have a reeling team that comes into the post season having lost three in a row.
Here is an interesting stat to ponder as you consider the possibilities of tonight's game: In a nine-game stretch beginning with a loss at Bucknell Jan. 23, Lehigh has shot
36 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range. That bodes well for a low scoring, defense minded team like Army.
One thing that has changed since the two teams last met is the return of 6-10 senior Jason Mgebroff to the Lehigh lineup. If Mgebroff can regain his form of earlier in the season, before the stress fracture that left him out of action for 13 games, he could be a huge presence against an Army team that is not real strong in the post. There has been no sign of that Mgebroff in the four games since he has returned, though. In those four, Mgebroff has scored a total of 8 points, 5 coming in an overtime win at Colgate.
Army men face Lehigh in quarterfinals tonight (Times Herald-Record)
No. 8 Lafayette at No. 1 Holy Cross 7 p.m. (matchup) -- The Leopards put a scare in the Crusaders back in their conference opener in Easton. That might give Lafayette some confidence, but it also is likely to help make certain Holy Cross doesn't look past the last-place Leopards. No top seed has ever lost in the first round of the league tournament, and it is not likely to happen tonight. Note: The game can be heard on Sirius satellite radio on channel 140.
HC takes first step to the dance (Telegram & Gazette)
No. 7 Navy at No. 2 Bucknell 7 p.m. (matchup) -- There are a lot of streaks on the line for Bucknell, which is looking to win 13 in a row for the first time under Pat Flannery. The Bison have won 33 straight Patriot League games in Sojka Pavilion, six straight league tournament games and have won five straight games against Navy.
There is also a streak the Bison are looking to end. They are 0-3 all time against the Midshipmen in PL Tournament games.
If Navy's shots are falling and Bucknell's are not, this could be close. That was the situation when the two met in Sojka earlier this season. With Navy making eight treys while Bucknell hit just two, the Mids kept it tight throughout before falling 59-51.
Since then, though, Bucknell has won 13 out of 14 while Navy has gone 4-9. Even though three of those wins came in the last six games, the Mids' resurgent season should end tonight.
Worth noting: There are tickets available for this one. They can be purchased online or at the Langone Center box office up until 5 p.m. or at the door at Sojka beginning at 5.
No. 5 Colgate at No. 4 American, 7:30 p.m. (matchup) -- Watch out for the AU Eagles, who come into the tournament on a roll, winners of their last four in a row. American started the season strong, winning seven of their first nine. As losses began to pile up, Jeff Jones began tinkering with his lineup in an effort to reverse that trend.
It didn't work, but late in the season Jones smartened up and went back to the lineup that had been successful early and AU put together a surge that secured a homecourt game in the first round.
Since joining the league, American has never lost in the first round of the tournament. The Eagles won both regular season games against the Raiders, who limp into the postseason losers of four of their last five.
The loser gets out its golf clubs. The winner gets a bus ride to Worcester. Hard to say which is the better deal. Note: You can listen to this one on Sirius 143.
American dreaming (The Washington Moonie)
BONUS LINK:
The Sports Network Patriot League Tournament preview
Tournament schedule and team capsules (Times Herald-Record)
Talent gap narrowing in Patriot League (Jake Felix in the Sun-Gazette)
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No. 6 Army at No. 3 Lehigh 7 p.m. (matchup) -- Looking for tonight's upset special? here's your game. Army (14-15, 4-10) comes in losers of eight of its last nine, the only win in that span coming at home against last place Lafayette. After a strong start filled with promise, including a 3-2 start to the conference season, the Black Knights seemed to slide into the abyss.
So what makes anybody think a team that has won just twice on the road all season can pull off an upset against a Lehigh team that was 9-3 this season in Stabler?
For starters, there is Army's win in the first meeting between the two. The Black Knights held Jose Olivero to 7 points in that one. In other words, they know first hand that if you shut down Olivero, Lehigh is beatable.
Of course they also know what happens when Olivero does go off. Lehigh's all-league senior put up 30 on Army when they met earlier this month in Stabler.
In a strange way, that ought to give Army some confidence. Even with Olivero combining with freshman point guard Marquis Hall for 50 points in that game, the Black Knights kept it close much of the way before falling by 11. The Black Knights (2-16 all time in the league tournament) come in knowing that if they can just limit Olivero to somewhere around his 16.6 ppg average, they should have a shot at winning their third-ever tournament game and at advancing for the first time since 1996.
At that point, Lehigh's only home setbacks all season had come on a disputed call in the final seconds of a 1-point loss to Columbia and in a 5-point loss to Navy three days before Army came to town.
That Navy loss put a crack in the Mountain Hawks' air of home invincibility. It was shattered in the last week of the season, with Bucknell and Holy Cross both coming into Stabler to pick up wins. Add a Feb. 18 loss at last place Lafayette to the mix and you have a reeling team that comes into the post season having lost three in a row.
Here is an interesting stat to ponder as you consider the possibilities of tonight's game: In a nine-game stretch beginning with a loss at Bucknell Jan. 23, Lehigh has shot
36 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range. That bodes well for a low scoring, defense minded team like Army.
One thing that has changed since the two teams last met is the return of 6-10 senior Jason Mgebroff to the Lehigh lineup. If Mgebroff can regain his form of earlier in the season, before the stress fracture that left him out of action for 13 games, he could be a huge presence against an Army team that is not real strong in the post. There has been no sign of that Mgebroff in the four games since he has returned, though. In those four, Mgebroff has scored a total of 8 points, 5 coming in an overtime win at Colgate.
No. 8 Lafayette at No. 1 Holy Cross 7 p.m. (matchup) -- The Leopards put a scare in the Crusaders back in their conference opener in Easton. That might give Lafayette some confidence, but it also is likely to help make certain Holy Cross doesn't look past the last-place Leopards. No top seed has ever lost in the first round of the league tournament, and it is not likely to happen tonight. Note: The game can be heard on Sirius satellite radio on channel 140.
No. 7 Navy at No. 2 Bucknell 7 p.m. (matchup) -- There are a lot of streaks on the line for Bucknell, which is looking to win 13 in a row for the first time under Pat Flannery. The Bison have won 33 straight Patriot League games in Sojka Pavilion, six straight league tournament games and have won five straight games against Navy.
There is also a streak the Bison are looking to end. They are 0-3 all time against the Midshipmen in PL Tournament games.
If Navy's shots are falling and Bucknell's are not, this could be close. That was the situation when the two met in Sojka earlier this season. With Navy making eight treys while Bucknell hit just two, the Mids kept it tight throughout before falling 59-51.
Since then, though, Bucknell has won 13 out of 14 while Navy has gone 4-9. Even though three of those wins came in the last six games, the Mids' resurgent season should end tonight.
Worth noting: There are tickets available for this one. They can be purchased online or at the Langone Center box office up until 5 p.m. or at the door at Sojka beginning at 5.
No. 5 Colgate at No. 4 American, 7:30 p.m. (matchup) -- Watch out for the AU Eagles, who come into the tournament on a roll, winners of their last four in a row. American started the season strong, winning seven of their first nine. As losses began to pile up, Jeff Jones began tinkering with his lineup in an effort to reverse that trend.
It didn't work, but late in the season Jones smartened up and went back to the lineup that had been successful early and AU put together a surge that secured a homecourt game in the first round.
Since joining the league, American has never lost in the first round of the tournament. The Eagles won both regular season games against the Raiders, who limp into the postseason losers of four of their last five.
The loser gets out its golf clubs. The winner gets a bus ride to Worcester. Hard to say which is the better deal. Note: You can listen to this one on Sirius 143.
BONUS LINK:
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, February 25, 2007
Navy shot the ball much better than Colgate, but the Raiders got enough extra shots to overcome the Mids and claim the No. 5 seed for the postseason.
Led by Greg Sprink, who poured in 29 points, the Midshipmen hit 48.1 percent (25 of 52) of their shots, including 6 of 13 from the three-point arc. Colgate shot just 42.3 percent (22 of 52 overall, 7 of 19 from the arc). But the Raiders posted a 38-22 edge on the boards, including a 16-6 advantage on the offensive glass, which they turned into a 23-8 margin in second chance points.
Jon Simon's 24 points sparked the Raiders, who led by as many as 12 points in each half, but needed to hit 6 for 6 at the foul line to seal the win after Sprink pulled navy to within 2 at 62-60 on a jumper with 1:19 to play.
Kyle Chones added 14 points and 7 rebounds for Colgate. Kendall Chones had 10 points and 6 boards.
Kaleo Kina joined Sprink in double figures for Navy with 13 points.
The loss makes Navy the No. 7 seed for the playoffs. The Mids (14-15 overall, 4-10 Patriot) will be at Bucknell or Holy Cross for the first round. Colgate (10-18, 5-9) gains the No. 5 seed with the win. The Raiders open the postseason at American.
Box score | AP
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Led by Greg Sprink, who poured in 29 points, the Midshipmen hit 48.1 percent (25 of 52) of their shots, including 6 of 13 from the three-point arc. Colgate shot just 42.3 percent (22 of 52 overall, 7 of 19 from the arc). But the Raiders posted a 38-22 edge on the boards, including a 16-6 advantage on the offensive glass, which they turned into a 23-8 margin in second chance points.
Jon Simon's 24 points sparked the Raiders, who led by as many as 12 points in each half, but needed to hit 6 for 6 at the foul line to seal the win after Sprink pulled navy to within 2 at 62-60 on a jumper with 1:19 to play.
Kyle Chones added 14 points and 7 rebounds for Colgate. Kendall Chones had 10 points and 6 boards.
Kaleo Kina joined Sprink in double figures for Navy with 13 points.
The loss makes Navy the No. 7 seed for the playoffs. The Mids (14-15 overall, 4-10 Patriot) will be at Bucknell or Holy Cross for the first round. Colgate (10-18, 5-9) gains the No. 5 seed with the win. The Raiders open the postseason at American.
Box score | AP
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Saturday, February 24, 2007
Lehigh is the No. 3 seed. American is No. 4 and Lafayette is No. 8, everything else remains to be determined as we head into the final two days of the regular season.
We won't know the No. 1 seed until tomorrow, when Holy Cross visits Lehigh. Bucknell needs the Crusaders to stumble in Betghlehem to gain the top seed, regardless of the outcome of its game at Army this afternoon (matchup).
The game has more meaning for Army, which avoids facing either Bucknell or Holy Cross in the first round if it wins today.
The winner of this afternoon's Navy at Colgate game (matchup) also avoids playing at one of the top two seeds in the first round.
But who ends up where, against whom, depends on the combination of today's two games.
Here's a breakdown (hopefully one that won't need as many revisions as yesterday's did):
COLGATE: Win today and the Raiders are the No. 5 seed, regardless of what Army does. If Army and Colgate both lose, the Raiders are the No. 6 seed by virtue of a season sweep against the Black Knights. If Army wins and Colgate loses, Colgate drops to the No. 7 seed.
ARMY: If Army wins and Colgate loses, Army becomes the No. 5 seed. If Army and Navy both lose, Army is the No. 6 seed by virtue of a tiebreaker edge on Navy (a win over American).
NAVY: If the Mids and Army both win, Navy gets the No. 6 seed. If the Mids win and Army loses, Navy is No. 5.
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We won't know the No. 1 seed until tomorrow, when Holy Cross visits Lehigh. Bucknell needs the Crusaders to stumble in Betghlehem to gain the top seed, regardless of the outcome of its game at Army this afternoon (matchup).
The game has more meaning for Army, which avoids facing either Bucknell or Holy Cross in the first round if it wins today.
The winner of this afternoon's Navy at Colgate game (matchup) also avoids playing at one of the top two seeds in the first round.
But who ends up where, against whom, depends on the combination of today's two games.
Here's a breakdown (hopefully one that won't need as many revisions as yesterday's did):
COLGATE: Win today and the Raiders are the No. 5 seed, regardless of what Army does. If Army and Colgate both lose, the Raiders are the No. 6 seed by virtue of a season sweep against the Black Knights. If Army wins and Colgate loses, Colgate drops to the No. 7 seed.
ARMY: If Army wins and Colgate loses, Army becomes the No. 5 seed. If Army and Navy both lose, Army is the No. 6 seed by virtue of a tiebreaker edge on Navy (a win over American).
NAVY: If the Mids and Army both win, Navy gets the No. 6 seed. If the Mids win and Army loses, Navy is No. 5.
Labels: Army, BU, CU, Navy, previews
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Friday, February 23, 2007
(Updated with bonus links and some editing at 9:51 a.m.; additional edits made at 10:54 a.m.))
We already know who will be the home teams in the first round of the playoffs. Who the visitors will be gets finalized this weekend, beginning tonight when Lafayette visits American. (matchup)
American has already clinched a home spot in the first round. A win tonight, coupled with a Holy Cross win at Lehigh Sunday, would give AU the No. 3 seed for the tournament, not that there appears to be much of an edge gained by moving from No. 4 to No. 3. means nothing. EDITORS NOTE: Thanks to the folks who caught this one ... Lehigh swept that season series and owns the tiebreaker over AU).
A Lafayette loss leaves the Leopards in the No. 8 seed. A win, coupled with a Colgate loss Saturday against Navy, would move the 'Pards to No. 7. The only real difference for Lafayette would be the psychological boost of not finishing last -- either way they play on the road against either Holy Cross or Bucknell.
It makes a bigger difference to the eventual No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, who both probably would prefer to face Lafayette in the first round.
Here is a look, best we have been able to figure, at the various tiebreaking scenarios that could play out over the weekend:
Holy Cross 12-1 at Lehigh (Sunday) -- Win and the Crusaders get the No. 1 seed, a lossand a Bucknell win at Army would drop HC to No. 2 behind the Bison. EDITOR'S NOTE: Bucknell grad Manny Perez is first to e-mail pointing out that if both Bucknell and Holy Cross would lose, Bucknell would gain the top seed by virtue of its sweep of the season series with Lehigh. Good catch Manny, thanks!)
Bucknell 12-1 at Army (Saturday) -- Bison can finish no lower than the No. 2 seed. Would be No. 1 if HC loses at Lehighand BU wins at Army (see above)
Lehigh 7-6 home vs. Holy Cross (Sunday) --A win clinches Has clinched the No. 3 seed. A loss and an American win tonight against Lafayette would drop Lehigh to the No. 4 seed behind AU courtesy of AU's better RPI (192 - 240)
American 6-7 home vs. Lafayette (tonight) --Can finish no worse than Is No. 4.
Navy 4-9 at Colgate (Saturday) -- If Navy wins and Army loses to Bucknell, Navy becomes the No. 5 seed. If Navy and Army both win, Army's win over Bucknell would boost Army past the Mids on the basis of the second tiebreaker -- comparison of records. If Navy loses, it becomes more complicated. A Navy loss and a Lafayette win would leave the Mids in the No. 7 spot, ahead of the Leopards by virtue of sweeping the season series. If Army also loses, the Black Knights still have the tiebreaker edge for the No. 6 seed by virtue of a win over American, which swept Navy.
Army 4-9 home vs. Bucknell (Saturday) --Army cannot finish eighth. In the event of an Army loss and a Lafayette win, the Black Knights would hold the RPI tiebreaker edge. If Colgate also loses, Army drops to No. 8 since the tiebreaker would be record against the other teams involved in the multiple-tie. Colgate would be 3-1 against Lafayette and Army, Lafayette 2-2 and Army 1-3. If Lafayette wins and Army and Navy lose, Navy (3-1 by viture of sweeping Lafayette) gets the No. 6 spot, Army (2-2) is seventh, Lafayette stays in eighth.
Colgate 4-9 home vs. Navy (Sat.) -- A win makes the Raiders the No. 5 seed. A loss, coupled with a Lafayette win at AU, would drop Colgate to the No. 8 seed since the Raiders were swept by American. If Army also loses, see the three-way tie scenario above.
Lafayette 3-10 at American (tonight) -- A trip to either Bucknell or Holy Cross is inevitable for the 'Pards. A Lafayette loss leaves them in the No. 8 spot. A win and losses by Colgate and Army would move them to No. 7. A win with a Navy loss
BONUS LINKS:
Neutral sites might be way to go for tournament league tournament (Andre Williams in the Morning Call)
O'Hanlon has always been a winner; now he has the record to prove it (more from Andre)
Tom Housenick's weekly hoops column is first to hand out some league honors (Tom's Daily Item column filled to the brim this week with looks at the men's and women's sides of the league)
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We already know who will be the home teams in the first round of the playoffs. Who the visitors will be gets finalized this weekend, beginning tonight when Lafayette visits American. (matchup)
American has already clinched a home spot in the first round. A win tonight
A Lafayette loss leaves the Leopards in the No. 8 seed. A win, coupled with a Colgate loss Saturday against Navy, would move the 'Pards to No. 7. The only real difference for Lafayette would be the psychological boost of not finishing last -- either way they play on the road against either Holy Cross or Bucknell.
It makes a bigger difference to the eventual No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, who both probably would prefer to face Lafayette in the first round.
Here is a look, best we have been able to figure, at the various tiebreaking scenarios that could play out over the weekend:
Holy Cross 12-1 at Lehigh (Sunday) -- Win and the Crusaders get the No. 1 seed, a loss
Bucknell 12-1 at Army (Saturday) -- Bison can finish no lower than the No. 2 seed. Would be No. 1 if HC loses at Lehigh
Lehigh 7-6 home vs. Holy Cross (Sunday) --
American 6-7 home vs. Lafayette (tonight) --
Navy 4-9 at Colgate (Saturday) -- If Navy wins and Army loses to Bucknell, Navy becomes the No. 5 seed. If Navy and Army both win, Army's win over Bucknell would boost Army past the Mids on the basis of the second tiebreaker -- comparison of records. If Navy loses, it becomes more complicated. A Navy loss and a Lafayette win would leave the Mids in the No. 7 spot, ahead of the Leopards by virtue of sweeping the season series. If Army also loses, the Black Knights still have the tiebreaker edge for the No. 6 seed by virtue of a win over American, which swept Navy.
Army 4-9 home vs. Bucknell (Saturday) --
Colgate 4-9 home vs. Navy (Sat.) -- A win makes the Raiders the No. 5 seed. A loss, coupled with a Lafayette win at AU, would drop Colgate to the No. 8 seed since the Raiders were swept by American. If Army also loses, see the three-way tie scenario above.
Lafayette 3-10 at American (tonight) -- A trip to either Bucknell or Holy Cross is inevitable for the 'Pards. A Lafayette loss leaves them in the No. 8 spot. A win and losses by Colgate and Army would move them to No. 7. A win with a Navy loss
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Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, February 22, 2007
A senior night crowd of 3,178 enjoyed the show as the Crusaders improved to 11-0 this season in Hart.
Poor Colgate. Even when they shoot the ball well, they still get blown out.
The Raiders, one of the worst shooting teams in all of Division I, hit 22 of 43 (51.2 percent) of their shotsand still were no match for Holy Cross, dropping a 68-57 decision on Senior Night at the Hart Center.
The win is HC's 15th straight in Hart. As has been the case in most of the other 14, seniors Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas led the way.
Simmons, the odds-on favorite for the Patriot League's Player of the Year honor, scored 18 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, made 4 steals, blocked a shot and dished off 3 assists. Being a home game, Simmons did not have to drive the bus.
Thomas added 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals for the Crusaders, who can clinch the homecourt advantage for the league final with a win Sunday at Lehigh.
Also in double figures for Holy Cross were center Tim Clifford (14 points) and forward Alex Vander Baaan (11 points, 5 reb., 5 asst.).
Jon Simon had 17 points and Kendall Chones added 14 for Colgate, which could end up seeded last and back in Worcester for the first round of the playoffs if it loses to Navy, American loses to Lafayette and Army knocks off Bucknell Saturday.
Holy Cross took control of the game with a 10-1 run prior to the half, then extended its 33-24 halftime lead to as many as 23 before Colgate used a meaningless late run to make the final look closer than the game really was.Box score | Telegram & Gazette
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Poor Colgate. Even when they shoot the ball well, they still get blown out.
The Raiders, one of the worst shooting teams in all of Division I, hit 22 of 43 (51.2 percent) of their shotsand still were no match for Holy Cross, dropping a 68-57 decision on Senior Night at the Hart Center.
The win is HC's 15th straight in Hart. As has been the case in most of the other 14, seniors Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas led the way.
Simmons, the odds-on favorite for the Patriot League's Player of the Year honor, scored 18 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, made 4 steals, blocked a shot and dished off 3 assists. Being a home game, Simmons did not have to drive the bus.
Thomas added 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals for the Crusaders, who can clinch the homecourt advantage for the league final with a win Sunday at Lehigh.
Also in double figures for Holy Cross were center Tim Clifford (14 points) and forward Alex Vander Baaan (11 points, 5 reb., 5 asst.).
Jon Simon had 17 points and Kendall Chones added 14 for Colgate, which could end up seeded last and back in Worcester for the first round of the playoffs if it loses to Navy, American loses to Lafayette and Army knocks off Bucknell Saturday.
Holy Cross took control of the game with a 10-1 run prior to the half, then extended its 33-24 halftime lead to as many as 23 before Colgate used a meaningless late run to make the final look closer than the game really was.Box score | Telegram & Gazette
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The first round playoff sites have been determined. Semifinal sites, barring major first round upsets, are already set. So what are the six teams involved in the three games on tap tonight playing for?
For Bucknell and Holy Cross, the answer is simple. The two are deadlocked for first place, with the highest seed gaining the homecourt edge in the league final, should it get that far.
For Holy Cross, that means avoiding a slip up tonight when they host Colgate (matchup). Win this one and win Sunday at Lehigh and the top seed is theirs, no matter what Bucknell does. The Raiders gave the Crusaders a battle in Hamilton last month. The Crusaders trailed by 10 in the second half of that one and needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds left to pull off a 58-55 win.
Tonight, in Worcester, in front of a Hart Center crowd that out to be whipped into a frenzy during the pregame festivities honoring the team's two standout seniors -- Simmons and point guard Torey Thomas -- the Crusaders should have no trouble getting into the game from the start.
Bucknell, of course, needs to win tonight at Lehigh (matchup), Saturday at Army and also needs someone to knock off Holy Cross.
Lehigh, with the No. 3 seed locked up, would love to win its last two home games to send a message to the frontrunners prior to the start of the playoffs. Bucknell had an easy time of it against the Mountain Hawks in Lewisburg last month. Two big differences this time around (besides the change in venue): Lehigh did not have Jason Mgebroff last time the two met. Bucknell did have Donald Brown.
Brown was not even wearing a wrap on his broken right hand Saturday when Bucknell took on Towson. But he was still in street clothes and there has been no indication he is ready to return just yet. He was a big factor in the first meeting, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.
Mgebroff has not put up any impressive numbers in his two games back after sitting out over two months with stress fractures in a leg. But the 6-10 senior went 11 minutes Sunday against Lafayette. Part of those minutes might have been because of the foul trouble the rest of Lehigh's lineup got into against the Leopards.
We'll see tonight if Mgebroff is in good enough shape to go extended minutes and make a difference against Bucknell or if he is still playing back into shape for the postseason.
The evening's third game is probably the most significant in terms of first round pairings. Lafayette travels to Army (matchup), with the winner escaping last place in the league standings. Lafayette, with a win here and some help from its friends, could actually finish as high as fifth, avoiding a first round matchup at Bucknell or Holy Cross. The Leopards win over Lehigh would give them a tiebreaker edge over Colgate if the two finish tied for a spot.
The avoid-HC-or-BU scenarios are less favorable to Army, which also has to beat Bucknell Saturday for any chance of that happening. Even then, the Black Knights need some help since Colgate swept the regular season series between the two teams, giving the Raiders any tiebreaker scenarios.
If Army wins out, and Colgate beats Navy Saturday, the Black Knights would tie the Mids for sixth, and would have the tiebreaker edge by virtue of a win over Bucknell.
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For Bucknell and Holy Cross, the answer is simple. The two are deadlocked for first place, with the highest seed gaining the homecourt edge in the league final, should it get that far.
For Holy Cross, that means avoiding a slip up tonight when they host Colgate (matchup). Win this one and win Sunday at Lehigh and the top seed is theirs, no matter what Bucknell does. The Raiders gave the Crusaders a battle in Hamilton last month. The Crusaders trailed by 10 in the second half of that one and needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds left to pull off a 58-55 win.
Tonight, in Worcester, in front of a Hart Center crowd that out to be whipped into a frenzy during the pregame festivities honoring the team's two standout seniors -- Simmons and point guard Torey Thomas -- the Crusaders should have no trouble getting into the game from the start.
Bucknell, of course, needs to win tonight at Lehigh (matchup), Saturday at Army and also needs someone to knock off Holy Cross.
Lehigh, with the No. 3 seed locked up, would love to win its last two home games to send a message to the frontrunners prior to the start of the playoffs. Bucknell had an easy time of it against the Mountain Hawks in Lewisburg last month. Two big differences this time around (besides the change in venue): Lehigh did not have Jason Mgebroff last time the two met. Bucknell did have Donald Brown.
Brown was not even wearing a wrap on his broken right hand Saturday when Bucknell took on Towson. But he was still in street clothes and there has been no indication he is ready to return just yet. He was a big factor in the first meeting, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.
Mgebroff has not put up any impressive numbers in his two games back after sitting out over two months with stress fractures in a leg. But the 6-10 senior went 11 minutes Sunday against Lafayette. Part of those minutes might have been because of the foul trouble the rest of Lehigh's lineup got into against the Leopards.
We'll see tonight if Mgebroff is in good enough shape to go extended minutes and make a difference against Bucknell or if he is still playing back into shape for the postseason.
The evening's third game is probably the most significant in terms of first round pairings. Lafayette travels to Army (matchup), with the winner escaping last place in the league standings. Lafayette, with a win here and some help from its friends, could actually finish as high as fifth, avoiding a first round matchup at Bucknell or Holy Cross. The Leopards win over Lehigh would give them a tiebreaker edge over Colgate if the two finish tied for a spot.
The avoid-HC-or-BU scenarios are less favorable to Army, which also has to beat Bucknell Saturday for any chance of that happening. Even then, the Black Knights need some help since Colgate swept the regular season series between the two teams, giving the Raiders any tiebreaker scenarios.
If Army wins out, and Colgate beats Navy Saturday, the Black Knights would tie the Mids for sixth, and would have the tiebreaker edge by virtue of a win over Bucknell.
Labels: Army, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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Sunday, February 18, 2007
It is not often you can shoot under 42 percent from the field and still win by almost 20 points. Playing against Colgate, one of the nation's worst offensive teams, Marist did just that.
Give the Red Foxes credit. They now have 21 wins. They sit atop the MAAC and have a good chance of making the NCAA Tournament. But before anybody in Poughkeepsie gets too excited about the defense Marist played in Saturday's 63-47 BracketBusters win over Colgate, you should know what you saw Saturday in the McCann Center was pretty much what we have seen all season from the Raiders in the Patriot League.
“We’ve been getting better, game by game. Tonight, they only had 20 points in the second half," Marist junior Ryan Stilphen told the Poghkeepsie Journal. “If we can hold teams to 20 points in a half, we’re going to win a lot of basketball games.”
If you could play Colgate more often, you could probably do just that.
Holding Colgate to 29.2 percent (7 of 24) shooting in the second half, 34 percent (17 of 50) for the game is pretty much what happens on a nightly basis. That is why the Raiders are ranked 305 out of 325 Division I schools in field goal percentage.
Holding Colgate under 50 points? More old hat. It has happened seven times already, three times in the Patriot League. This is the No. 320 scoring team in the nation we're talking about.
Colgate actually had a 7 point lead midway through the first half. But Marist (21-7) went ahead with a 9-0 run and extended its lead to 31-27 at the half. The gang that can't shoot straight never could not recover.
Jon Simon (10 points) was the only guy in double figures for the Raiders (9-17), who were 7 of 14 at the free throw line..
Will Whittington led Marist with 15 points, all on three-pointers (he was 5 for 12 at the arc). Stilphen and Wilfred Benjamin each added 12 for the Red Foxes, who were 20 of 48 from the field (41.7 percent). Marist was 16 of 19 at the foul line and outrebounded Colgate 40-26.
Box score | Poghkeepsie Journal (gamer) | Poughkeepsie Journal (blog) | Poughkeepsie Journal (sidebar) | Poughkeepsie Journal (photo gallery)
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Give the Red Foxes credit. They now have 21 wins. They sit atop the MAAC and have a good chance of making the NCAA Tournament. But before anybody in Poughkeepsie gets too excited about the defense Marist played in Saturday's 63-47 BracketBusters win over Colgate, you should know what you saw Saturday in the McCann Center was pretty much what we have seen all season from the Raiders in the Patriot League.
“We’ve been getting better, game by game. Tonight, they only had 20 points in the second half," Marist junior Ryan Stilphen told the Poghkeepsie Journal. “If we can hold teams to 20 points in a half, we’re going to win a lot of basketball games.”
If you could play Colgate more often, you could probably do just that.
Holding Colgate to 29.2 percent (7 of 24) shooting in the second half, 34 percent (17 of 50) for the game is pretty much what happens on a nightly basis. That is why the Raiders are ranked 305 out of 325 Division I schools in field goal percentage.
Holding Colgate under 50 points? More old hat. It has happened seven times already, three times in the Patriot League. This is the No. 320 scoring team in the nation we're talking about.
Colgate actually had a 7 point lead midway through the first half. But Marist (21-7) went ahead with a 9-0 run and extended its lead to 31-27 at the half. The gang that can't shoot straight never could not recover.
Jon Simon (10 points) was the only guy in double figures for the Raiders (9-17), who were 7 of 14 at the free throw line..
Will Whittington led Marist with 15 points, all on three-pointers (he was 5 for 12 at the arc). Stilphen and Wilfred Benjamin each added 12 for the Red Foxes, who were 20 of 48 from the field (41.7 percent). Marist was 16 of 19 at the foul line and outrebounded Colgate 40-26.
Box score | Poghkeepsie Journal (gamer) | Poughkeepsie Journal (blog) | Poughkeepsie Journal (sidebar) | Poughkeepsie Journal (photo gallery)
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Saturday, February 17, 2007
While Colgate plays Marist for BracketBusters pride, the winners of this afternoon's Army at Navy game get a star to place on their varsity letters, signifying a win over their archrivals. That is not all that is at stake this afternoon in Annapolis, though.
The odds are pretty well stacked against either team gaining a first round home game in the playoffs. Both teams are 13-13, 3-8 in league play, tied at the moment for the next-to-last spot in the standings.
That makes this one very important to either school's hopes of winning a game in the postseason for the first time in years. The bottom two teams are headed to Worcester or Lewisburg. Aside from the length of the bus ride involved, both destinations spromise a similar fate.
The team that finishes in sixth place, though, has hope. That team is likely ticketed for Bethlehem and a first round matchup with Lehigh. Not an easy task, but certainly one with a more realistic possibility of pulling off an upset. Navy just won there last week.
Matchup | http://www.examiner.com/a-570685~Navy_looks_to_right_ship_against_Army.html
Colgate at Marist -- The Raiders will try to slow down the host Red Foxes in this BracketBusters game in Poughkeepsie. It won't be an easy task. Marist is 20-7, 12-4 in the MAAC. The Red Foxes, who are riding a five-game win streak, are 11-1 at home, averaging 75 points per game, with four guys scoring in double figures.
Leading the attack is 6-2 guard Jared Johnson, who is scoring 18.8 points and dishing off 8.6 assists per game. As a team, Marist shoots 46.1 percent from the floor.
Colgate, on the other hand, has been an offensive disaster zone. The Raiders (9-16, 4-8 in the Patriot) average 57.4 points per game, ranking them 320th out of 325 Division I schools. Colgate is No. 305 in field goal percentage, shooting 39.9 percent as a team.
Matchup | The Circle
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The odds are pretty well stacked against either team gaining a first round home game in the playoffs. Both teams are 13-13, 3-8 in league play, tied at the moment for the next-to-last spot in the standings.
That makes this one very important to either school's hopes of winning a game in the postseason for the first time in years. The bottom two teams are headed to Worcester or Lewisburg. Aside from the length of the bus ride involved, both destinations spromise a similar fate.
The team that finishes in sixth place, though, has hope. That team is likely ticketed for Bethlehem and a first round matchup with Lehigh. Not an easy task, but certainly one with a more realistic possibility of pulling off an upset. Navy just won there last week.
Matchup | http://www.examiner.com/a-570685~Navy_looks_to_right_ship_against_Army.html
Colgate at Marist -- The Raiders will try to slow down the host Red Foxes in this BracketBusters game in Poughkeepsie. It won't be an easy task. Marist is 20-7, 12-4 in the MAAC. The Red Foxes, who are riding a five-game win streak, are 11-1 at home, averaging 75 points per game, with four guys scoring in double figures.
Leading the attack is 6-2 guard Jared Johnson, who is scoring 18.8 points and dishing off 8.6 assists per game. As a team, Marist shoots 46.1 percent from the floor.
Colgate, on the other hand, has been an offensive disaster zone. The Raiders (9-16, 4-8 in the Patriot) average 57.4 points per game, ranking them 320th out of 325 Division I schools. Colgate is No. 305 in field goal percentage, shooting 39.9 percent as a team.
Matchup | The Circle
Labels: Army, CU, Navy, previews
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Colgate would have no luck at all.
Latest example: last night's overtime loss to visiting Lehigh.
It was the Raiders' second straight overtime loss at home. The 56-53 setback is Colgate's fifth loss by six or less points in six league home games.
This one may have been their ticket south for the first round of the league playoffs. With two games left in league play, Colgate is in fifth place, a full game behind AU, which won Wednesday at home (over Army).
Colgate lost despite Willie Morse' career 18 points, 6 rebounds night. Kyle Chones added 17 points and 6 more boards. Marc Daniels had a team-high 8 rebounds for the Raiders, who outrebounded Lehigh 45-36.
A typical poor Colgate shooting night in front of 407 announced fans in Hamilton. The Raiders went 19 of 54 (35.2 percent) from the field, 10 for 23 from the arc. Even free throws (5 for 11) were a struggle.
Lehigh was led by Jose Olivero's 16 points. Olivero added 6 rebounds. Marquis Hall finished with 14, including the three-pointer with 10 seconds to go in regulation that tied it at 49-49, forcing overtime.
Jason Mgebroff returned to the floor for Lehigh, going 2 for 2 with 1 rebound and 1 turnover in a seven-minute stretch of his 6-10 legs. It was Mgebroff's first action since being diagnosed in December with stress fractures in a leg.
Zahir Carrington pulled down19correction: 10 rebounds for Lehigh, which won on the road for just the third time this season.
The Hawks shot 34.5 percent (19 of 55) from the field, 6 of 14 from three-point range. Lehigh was 12 for 21 at the charity stripe.
Box score | Morning Call
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Latest example: last night's overtime loss to visiting Lehigh.
It was the Raiders' second straight overtime loss at home. The 56-53 setback is Colgate's fifth loss by six or less points in six league home games.
This one may have been their ticket south for the first round of the league playoffs. With two games left in league play, Colgate is in fifth place, a full game behind AU, which won Wednesday at home (over Army).
Colgate lost despite Willie Morse' career 18 points, 6 rebounds night. Kyle Chones added 17 points and 6 more boards. Marc Daniels had a team-high 8 rebounds for the Raiders, who outrebounded Lehigh 45-36.
A typical poor Colgate shooting night in front of 407 announced fans in Hamilton. The Raiders went 19 of 54 (35.2 percent) from the field, 10 for 23 from the arc. Even free throws (5 for 11) were a struggle.
Lehigh was led by Jose Olivero's 16 points. Olivero added 6 rebounds. Marquis Hall finished with 14, including the three-pointer with 10 seconds to go in regulation that tied it at 49-49, forcing overtime.
Jason Mgebroff returned to the floor for Lehigh, going 2 for 2 with 1 rebound and 1 turnover in a seven-minute stretch of his 6-10 legs. It was Mgebroff's first action since being diagnosed in December with stress fractures in a leg.
Zahir Carrington pulled down
The Hawks shot 34.5 percent (19 of 55) from the field, 6 of 14 from three-point range. Lehigh was 12 for 21 at the charity stripe.
Box score | Morning Call
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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
It's looking like an Oreo cookie kind of night in the Patriot League tonight. The two league co-leaders take on two of the teams at the bottom of the standings, but the good stuff is the two game involving the four teams in the middle.
In Hamilton, Lehigh will face Colgate (matchup) looking for its seventh straight win over Colgate. A win would give the Mountain Hawks a three game lead over the Raiders in the win column and a virtual lock on a first round home game in the playoffs since Lehigh will have swept the season series with the Raiders and American, who sit in a tie for fourth place heading into tonight's action.
Lehigh's notes indicate senior center Jason Mgebroff will return to the lineup in the next week after being out since December due to a stress fracture in one of his legs. Whether that means as soon as tonight, Saturday's rivalry game at Lafayette, or a Willis Reed-like inspirational return at home against Bucknell or Holy Cross remains to be seen.
The Raiders are almost as bad at home (4-8) as Lehigh has been on the road (2-12). They have shown a particular knack for losing close games on their own floor. Colgate is 1-4 at home in league games, the four losses coming by a combined 18 points. including one loss in overtime.
In the nation's capital, American, still alive in the home-game hunt thanks to Colgate's Sunday blunder, hosts an Army five (matchup) that is barely clinging to its home for the first round life. After a promising 3-2 start in league play, the Black Knights have hit an 0-5 wall. Army probably has to go 4-0 down the stretch, starting tonight, to have a chance of hosting in round one. That would make them .500 in the league, which might just do it, given the mediocrity of the bottom five-eighths of the conference.
AU, with two more conference games after tonight, would be in good shape for a home game with a win tonight, especially coupled with a Colgate loss. The Eagles have the most favorable schedule of the teams battling for that fourth spot, with a home game against Lafayette and a visit to Navy left following tonight.
In Lewisburg, Bucknell will look to solidify the momentum of its win over Holy Cross when last place Lafayette comes calling (matchup). The Leopards gave the Bison a battle in Easton last month. In Solka Pavilion, where Bucknell has can close out another unbeaten home league slate with a win, it should not be anywhere near as close.
This is the part of the season when Bucknell traditionally plays its best basketball. Since that win in Easton, the Bison have compiled an eight-game win streak. The only way it does not make it nine in a row is if they get caught got looking past the Leopards. A simple two-word message on the chalkboard should suffice. In big, orange letters, it should say "Central Arkansas."
Wrapping up the four-game slate tonight is Holy Cross visiting the Midshipmen of Navy (matchup). Navy's five-game losing streak is history. In its place, a two-game win streak that began with a confidence building win at Lehigh.
The Mids are always an upset threat thanks to their five-man perimeter-oriented attack. Navy fires up half its shots from outside the arc. If a couple Mids get two or three in the same game, they could put up a lot of points.
Of course you can tell by Navy's 11-12 record in games against Division I teams, that has not happened a lot this season. And it would be asking a lot for it to happen against a team that plays defense the way Holy Cross does. Add in the extra motivation the Crusaders should have after losing at Bucknell and HC's huge edge in the frontcourt, and an upset seemes even more unlikely.
Should HC need extra motivation, it can look back two seasons to when Bucknell lost at American, then followed it with a loss at Navy, two setbacks that resulted in the Bison being forced to go on the road for the tournament final.
As the Crusaders know all too well, that scenario ended up working out OK for Bucknell. But HC would far prefer to sleep in its own beds throughout the playoffs. With senior leaders like Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, don't expect the Crusaders to lose focus on the prize.
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In Hamilton, Lehigh will face Colgate (matchup) looking for its seventh straight win over Colgate. A win would give the Mountain Hawks a three game lead over the Raiders in the win column and a virtual lock on a first round home game in the playoffs since Lehigh will have swept the season series with the Raiders and American, who sit in a tie for fourth place heading into tonight's action.
Lehigh's notes indicate senior center Jason Mgebroff will return to the lineup in the next week after being out since December due to a stress fracture in one of his legs. Whether that means as soon as tonight, Saturday's rivalry game at Lafayette, or a Willis Reed-like inspirational return at home against Bucknell or Holy Cross remains to be seen.
The Raiders are almost as bad at home (4-8) as Lehigh has been on the road (2-12). They have shown a particular knack for losing close games on their own floor. Colgate is 1-4 at home in league games, the four losses coming by a combined 18 points. including one loss in overtime.
In the nation's capital, American, still alive in the home-game hunt thanks to Colgate's Sunday blunder, hosts an Army five (matchup) that is barely clinging to its home for the first round life. After a promising 3-2 start in league play, the Black Knights have hit an 0-5 wall. Army probably has to go 4-0 down the stretch, starting tonight, to have a chance of hosting in round one. That would make them .500 in the league, which might just do it, given the mediocrity of the bottom five-eighths of the conference.
AU, with two more conference games after tonight, would be in good shape for a home game with a win tonight, especially coupled with a Colgate loss. The Eagles have the most favorable schedule of the teams battling for that fourth spot, with a home game against Lafayette and a visit to Navy left following tonight.
In Lewisburg, Bucknell will look to solidify the momentum of its win over Holy Cross when last place Lafayette comes calling (matchup). The Leopards gave the Bison a battle in Easton last month. In Solka Pavilion, where Bucknell has can close out another unbeaten home league slate with a win, it should not be anywhere near as close.
This is the part of the season when Bucknell traditionally plays its best basketball. Since that win in Easton, the Bison have compiled an eight-game win streak. The only way it does not make it nine in a row is if they get caught got looking past the Leopards. A simple two-word message on the chalkboard should suffice. In big, orange letters, it should say "Central Arkansas."
Wrapping up the four-game slate tonight is Holy Cross visiting the Midshipmen of Navy (matchup). Navy's five-game losing streak is history. In its place, a two-game win streak that began with a confidence building win at Lehigh.
The Mids are always an upset threat thanks to their five-man perimeter-oriented attack. Navy fires up half its shots from outside the arc. If a couple Mids get two or three in the same game, they could put up a lot of points.
Of course you can tell by Navy's 11-12 record in games against Division I teams, that has not happened a lot this season. And it would be asking a lot for it to happen against a team that plays defense the way Holy Cross does. Add in the extra motivation the Crusaders should have after losing at Bucknell and HC's huge edge in the frontcourt, and an upset seemes even more unlikely.
Should HC need extra motivation, it can look back two seasons to when Bucknell lost at American, then followed it with a loss at Navy, two setbacks that resulted in the Bison being forced to go on the road for the tournament final.
As the Crusaders know all too well, that scenario ended up working out OK for Bucknell. But HC would far prefer to sleep in its own beds throughout the playoffs. With senior leaders like Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, don't expect the Crusaders to lose focus on the prize.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Monday, February 12, 2007
There is a video clip showing just how Colgate managed to blow its game against American Sunday.
If you go to the ESPNU homepage, you will see a video box on the right. Underneath, click on the American-Colgate link below the men's basketball heading.
That will bring you to a clip of the postgame show, which includes American coach Jeff Jones discussing the play and a replay of how it happened.
Basically it was the old sneak a man in behind the guy guarding the inbounder play. Arvydas Eitutavicius got beside Kyle Chones, who followed the inbounds passer when the passer ran the baeline and never saw Eitutavicius until after he'd flattened him and been called for the foul.
"We thought we'd give it a shot. We didn't think it would work," Jones told Bob Socci in the interview.
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If you go to the ESPNU homepage, you will see a video box on the right. Underneath, click on the American-Colgate link below the men's basketball heading.
That will bring you to a clip of the postgame show, which includes American coach Jeff Jones discussing the play and a replay of how it happened.
Basically it was the old sneak a man in behind the guy guarding the inbounder play. Arvydas Eitutavicius got beside Kyle Chones, who followed the inbounds passer when the passer ran the baeline and never saw Eitutavicius until after he'd flattened him and been called for the foul.
"We thought we'd give it a shot. We didn't think it would work," Jones told Bob Socci in the interview.
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As usual, we will update this evening with the latest Mid Major Top 25. In the meantime, here are a few links to help you kill a little time as you ease into the work week:
The back of the Holy Cross women's warm-up tops says "Hail our colors." Andre Williams of The Morning Call says Hail Lehigh's Hall.
Coaches always warn you not to look past the next game. We aren't playing, so here are a few sites where Bucknell and Holy Cross fans can scout their BracketBusters opponents: CAA official site | CAA Insider.com | CAA Hoops Blog | CAA Zone | The Lions' Den (Hofstra)
Not wanting both of Colgate's fans to feel left out, here is a report on Marist's win Sunday over Iona
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The Raiders seemed to have a win over American in the bag after taking the lead with 0.2 seconds to play.
Since the rule book states a player cannot catch and shoot the ball with less than 0.3 on the clock, the only way the Raiders, up 51-49 after Dan Gentile tipped in a Jon Simon miss, could not win in that situation seemed to be the improbable possibility of a length of the court pass being tipped in at the other end.
Of course that assumed the Raiders were smart enough to avoid fouling somebody on the inbounds play, an assumption that proved erroneous when Arvydas Eitutavicius managed to draw a foul before the ball was even inbounded.
Eitutavicius made both free throws to send it to overtime, where AU made 11 more foul shots (on 12 tries) to pull out an improbable 64-58 road win.
If Colgate finds itself on a long bus ride -- and to get anywhere from Hamilton it is a long ride -- come Feb. 28, they can look back on this one as why. Not just because of what happened to at the end of regulation, either. The Raiders had an 11-point lead at one point in the second half and could not hold it.
A win would have given the Raiders a two-game lead in the race for the fourth, and final, home spot in the first round of the playoffs. Instead, Colgate (9-15 overall, 4-7 Patriot) is now tied with American (12-13, 4-7), with the Eagles holding the tiebreaker edge by virtue of a head-to-head sweep.
American also has an easier schedule down the stretch. The Eagles' three remaining league opponents are have sub .500 league records. American is home against Army and Lafayette and plays one road game -- at Navy. Colgate has two home games left -- Lehigh and Navy -- and has to travel to Worcester to face Holy Cross.
Aside from the late-game blunder, it was a typical cold shooting Colgate performance (19 of 57, 33.3 percent) in front of a typical Hamilton crowd (523). Not even the usual lure of television cameras could entice the Colgate student body to make the trek down the hill through the snow to watch.
Eitutavicius finished with 13 points, all in the second half, to share team honors with point guard Derrick Mercer. Linas Lekavicius added 12 points and Andre Ingram had 11 for the Eagles, who went 20 of 52 from the field (38.5 percent).
AU made just two three-pointers (8 tries), but was 22 of 24 from the foul line. Colgate was 7 for 21 from the arc, 13 of 16 at the line.
Simon led Colgate with 19 points. It took him 20 shots (6 makes) to get those 19, though. Kyle Chones added 16 and his brother Kendall had 12.
The win was No. 100 for Jeff Jones at American.
Box score | AP
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Since the rule book states a player cannot catch and shoot the ball with less than 0.3 on the clock, the only way the Raiders, up 51-49 after Dan Gentile tipped in a Jon Simon miss, could not win in that situation seemed to be the improbable possibility of a length of the court pass being tipped in at the other end.
Of course that assumed the Raiders were smart enough to avoid fouling somebody on the inbounds play, an assumption that proved erroneous when Arvydas Eitutavicius managed to draw a foul before the ball was even inbounded.
Eitutavicius made both free throws to send it to overtime, where AU made 11 more foul shots (on 12 tries) to pull out an improbable 64-58 road win.
If Colgate finds itself on a long bus ride -- and to get anywhere from Hamilton it is a long ride -- come Feb. 28, they can look back on this one as why. Not just because of what happened to at the end of regulation, either. The Raiders had an 11-point lead at one point in the second half and could not hold it.
A win would have given the Raiders a two-game lead in the race for the fourth, and final, home spot in the first round of the playoffs. Instead, Colgate (9-15 overall, 4-7 Patriot) is now tied with American (12-13, 4-7), with the Eagles holding the tiebreaker edge by virtue of a head-to-head sweep.
American also has an easier schedule down the stretch. The Eagles' three remaining league opponents are have sub .500 league records. American is home against Army and Lafayette and plays one road game -- at Navy. Colgate has two home games left -- Lehigh and Navy -- and has to travel to Worcester to face Holy Cross.
Aside from the late-game blunder, it was a typical cold shooting Colgate performance (19 of 57, 33.3 percent) in front of a typical Hamilton crowd (523). Not even the usual lure of television cameras could entice the Colgate student body to make the trek down the hill through the snow to watch.
Eitutavicius finished with 13 points, all in the second half, to share team honors with point guard Derrick Mercer. Linas Lekavicius added 12 points and Andre Ingram had 11 for the Eagles, who went 20 of 52 from the field (38.5 percent).
AU made just two three-pointers (8 tries), but was 22 of 24 from the foul line. Colgate was 7 for 21 from the arc, 13 of 16 at the line.
Simon led Colgate with 19 points. It took him 20 shots (6 makes) to get those 19, though. Kyle Chones added 16 and his brother Kendall had 12.
The win was No. 100 for Jeff Jones at American.
Box score | AP
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Sunday, February 11, 2007
and nobody sees it happen, would there be a game?
(includes Sunday readaround bonus links)
Two teams who were expected to be contenders at the start of the season find themselves left to battle for a chance to host a first round game when American visits Colgate this afternoon.
The game (matchup) will be shown on ESPNU, which probably means nobody will see how empty Colgate's gym is, though there is always the possibility that Colgate students, seeking 15 seconds of fame and shamed by their student paper, will don face paint and full Raider regalia to masquerade as basketball fans.
There is a lot riding on this game. American is one game back of Colgate in the standings. An AU win would pull them even with the Raiders in the race for the fourth and final home spot in the playoffs, and would give the Eagles a tiebreaker edge by virtue of a season's sweep in the head-to-head matchup.
A Colgate win would give them a two-game leg up on the rest of the conference with three games to play. Since those three remaining games include Lehigh and a visit to Holy Cross, that cushion could be very important to the Raiders chances of hosting another game for their students to not attend.
BONUS LINKS:
Determined to succeed (Pat Doherty profile from the Scranton Times-Tribune)
Home Court (Jen Toland of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette looks at Ralph Willard's (and Bill Bibbons') better half)
CSTV's Kyle Whelliston wannabes visited Bucknell for Friday's Holy Cross game and say Sojka had the "highest decibel per fan level" encountered on their Hoops Odyssey. Because of their kind words about the Patriot League, we won't post comments on their sloppy dress or lack of a comb.
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(includes Sunday readaround bonus links)
Two teams who were expected to be contenders at the start of the season find themselves left to battle for a chance to host a first round game when American visits Colgate this afternoon.
The game (matchup) will be shown on ESPNU, which probably means nobody will see how empty Colgate's gym is, though there is always the possibility that Colgate students, seeking 15 seconds of fame and shamed by their student paper, will don face paint and full Raider regalia to masquerade as basketball fans.
There is a lot riding on this game. American is one game back of Colgate in the standings. An AU win would pull them even with the Raiders in the race for the fourth and final home spot in the playoffs, and would give the Eagles a tiebreaker edge by virtue of a season's sweep in the head-to-head matchup.
A Colgate win would give them a two-game leg up on the rest of the conference with three games to play. Since those three remaining games include Lehigh and a visit to Holy Cross, that cushion could be very important to the Raiders chances of hosting another game for their students to not attend.
BONUS LINKS:
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
Colgate didn't shoot well, but it shot well enough to down even colder Lafayette.
Andrew Brown's three-pointer at the buzzer fell short, leaving the Leopards (8-16 overall, 2-7 Patriot) on the short end of a 54-51 score and in last place in the Patriot League. The win vaults suddenly surging Colgate (9-14, 4-6) into sole possession of fourth place.
In the rock-paper-scissors world that everybody not named Holy Cross and Bucknell lives in, had it won, Lafayette actually would have had the lead for that all-important No. 4 seeding, which brings with it a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
But the Leopards, usually sold shooters in Kirby, struggled from the field, going an atypical 16 for 51 (31.4 percent), making only 4 of 19 three-point tries.
The win was Colgate's third in their past four games. All three wins have come on the road. The Raiders won despite another in what has become a series of bad shooting nights. Colgate was 18 for 48 (37.5 percent) from the field, 9 of 24 from three-point range.
Jon Simon, who was 0 for 5 inside the arc and 0 for 2 at the foul line, hit 5 of 9 three-pointers for 15 points, leading all scorers. Kyle Chones turned in an 11-points, 11-rebound double-double for the Raiders.
Bilal Abdullah led Lafayette with 14 points. Ted Detmer came off the bench to post a 12-12 double-double, with 2 blocks and 4 steals. Brown finished with 10 for the Leopards, who can climb out of last place with a win Saturday over visiting Navy.
Colgate could actually climb into a tie with Lehigh for third if the Mountain Hawks lose Saturday to Army and the Raiders win at home Sunday against American. Army beat Lehigh in West Point in the first game between the two.
Box score | Morning Call | Express Times
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Andrew Brown's three-pointer at the buzzer fell short, leaving the Leopards (8-16 overall, 2-7 Patriot) on the short end of a 54-51 score and in last place in the Patriot League. The win vaults suddenly surging Colgate (9-14, 4-6) into sole possession of fourth place.
In the rock-paper-scissors world that everybody not named Holy Cross and Bucknell lives in, had it won, Lafayette actually would have had the lead for that all-important No. 4 seeding, which brings with it a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
But the Leopards, usually sold shooters in Kirby, struggled from the field, going an atypical 16 for 51 (31.4 percent), making only 4 of 19 three-point tries.
The win was Colgate's third in their past four games. All three wins have come on the road. The Raiders won despite another in what has become a series of bad shooting nights. Colgate was 18 for 48 (37.5 percent) from the field, 9 of 24 from three-point range.
Jon Simon, who was 0 for 5 inside the arc and 0 for 2 at the foul line, hit 5 of 9 three-pointers for 15 points, leading all scorers. Kyle Chones turned in an 11-points, 11-rebound double-double for the Raiders.
Bilal Abdullah led Lafayette with 14 points. Ted Detmer came off the bench to post a 12-12 double-double, with 2 blocks and 4 steals. Brown finished with 10 for the Leopards, who can climb out of last place with a win Saturday over visiting Navy.
Colgate could actually climb into a tie with Lehigh for third if the Mountain Hawks lose Saturday to Army and the Raiders win at home Sunday against American. Army beat Lehigh in West Point in the first game between the two.
Box score | Morning Call | Express Times
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Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Lehigh looks to keep its lock on third when it hosts Navy, while Colgate could take over the lead in the race for the fourth and final first round home game when it visits Lafayette.
The Mountain Hawks open a two-game service academies homestand against the Midshipmen (matchup) needing to keep winning to have any shot of more than one home game in the playoffs. At 5-3 in the league, Lehigh pins its hopes of moving up to one of the top two seeds on the fact that it closes the regular season at home against second-place Bucknell and league-leading Holy Cross. Lehigh has good reason to be optimistic. The Hawks are 8-1 in Stabler this season, the lone loss coming on a disputed call in the final seconds.
Navy comes in riding a five-game losing streak, falling below .500 on the season with Saturday's home loss against Bucknell. Navy's upset hopes ride on their three-point shooting. That does not bode well against the Mountain Hawks, who are one of the league's top defensive sides, in Stabler, one of the toughest places to shoot in the league.
Mids dealing with growing pains (Examiner)
Colgate at Lafayette (matchup): In the crazy, mixed-up world that is the bottom half of the Patriot League, this battle between 5-14 Colgate and 8-15 Lafayette actually is a pretty important game. Somebody among a group of five teams currently below .500 in league play is actually goiung to have its mediocrity rewarded with a first round home game in the playoffs.
Lafayette could do itself, and the rest of the league, a huge favor by knocking off Colgate. Nobody, with the possible exception of Colgate's own players, wants to go to Hamilton if they can avoid it. Yet despite being absolutely horrible most of the season, the Raiders (3-6 in the league) could take the lead in the race for that final host spot with a win here.
On the other hand, Lafayette (2-6 Patriot) could make it a four-team logjam if it can join the three conference wins club tonight in Kirby. That is certainly a realistic possibility. The Leopards already own a 71-65 road win over Colgate.
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The Mountain Hawks open a two-game service academies homestand against the Midshipmen (matchup) needing to keep winning to have any shot of more than one home game in the playoffs. At 5-3 in the league, Lehigh pins its hopes of moving up to one of the top two seeds on the fact that it closes the regular season at home against second-place Bucknell and league-leading Holy Cross. Lehigh has good reason to be optimistic. The Hawks are 8-1 in Stabler this season, the lone loss coming on a disputed call in the final seconds.
Navy comes in riding a five-game losing streak, falling below .500 on the season with Saturday's home loss against Bucknell. Navy's upset hopes ride on their three-point shooting. That does not bode well against the Mountain Hawks, who are one of the league's top defensive sides, in Stabler, one of the toughest places to shoot in the league.
Colgate at Lafayette (matchup): In the crazy, mixed-up world that is the bottom half of the Patriot League, this battle between 5-14 Colgate and 8-15 Lafayette actually is a pretty important game. Somebody among a group of five teams currently below .500 in league play is actually goiung to have its mediocrity rewarded with a first round home game in the playoffs.
Lafayette could do itself, and the rest of the league, a huge favor by knocking off Colgate. Nobody, with the possible exception of Colgate's own players, wants to go to Hamilton if they can avoid it. Yet despite being absolutely horrible most of the season, the Raiders (3-6 in the league) could take the lead in the race for that final host spot with a win here.
On the other hand, Lafayette (2-6 Patriot) could make it a four-team logjam if it can join the three conference wins club tonight in Kirby. That is certainly a realistic possibility. The Leopards already own a 71-65 road win over Colgate.
Labels: CU, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, February 04, 2007
Checked out all yesterday's games and still crave more hoops? Here are few other items of interest.
Tom Housenick of The Daily Item spent his spare time between Friday night's Bucknell-Navy men's game and yesterday afternoon's women's game between the same two schools to put together a column on the Donald Brown situation.
Navy beat guy Bill Wagner does a nice job covering the Mids for the Annapolis Capital. Often it goes unmentioned here because the paper does not update its Web site until late in the day, well after we have finished our updates. Here is his account of Friday night's game.
You need a lot of institutional memory to recall the play of Holy Cross center Jim Nairus, an academic all-American who was a first-team all league pick and also made the all-tournament team back when this thing of ours began in 1991. A guy who has that kind of recall is Holy Cross play-by-play man Bob Fouracre, who has called over 2,500 HC games in his 37 years behind the mic. Both are set to enter the Holy Cross athletics hall of fame in May.
Army's freshman center, Chris Walker, Saturday got some ink back home in Georgia in a little where-are-they-now type piece from the Gwinnett Daily Post.
We don't cover much of the ladies' side of the league. Matter of fact, aside from the HC games we cover for the Telegram & Gazette and the occasional Bucknell women's game with the daughters, we pay next to no attention to the women's games. Time constraints and a lack of media coverage make it impossible to keep up with the whole league, so we didn't know (Celtics player) Wally Szczerbiak's little sister Wendy played for Lehigh until we read Bill Doyle's column in today's Telegram & Gazette.
If you are looking to catch up on the women's side of the league, here's a quick primer: Bucknell is in first place following a win Saturday at Navy. Defending champion Army is one game back after beating Colgate. Longtime league powerhouse Holy Cross has struggled after losing its top two point guards to knee injuries, but seems to be starting to pick up the pieces after a win Saturday over Lafayette that got the Crusaders back to .500 after a 1-4 start in league play.
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Labels: Army, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Navy
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Originally posted Sat., 5 p.m.; updated with links at 9:31 a.m.)
Ever wonder why Army and Colgate draw so few fans for their games? Maybe it's because too many folks have watched a game like the one the two played Saturday afternoon.
Thankfully, only 432 were forced to suffer through what was passed off as a Division I basketball game in Christl Arena. Colgate's 42-38 win was as ugly as they come.
How ugly was it? Consider this:
Colgate won despite shooting 30.2 percent from the field (13 of 43)
Army shot even worse, going 14 of 51 (27.5 percent
Neither team managed to make more than 8 field goals in either half (Army had 8 in the second)
Both teams had more turnovers than field goals -- Army turning it over 15 times, Colgate topping that with 17
After the first 5 minutes, the score was 2-0, a bucket by Army's Matt Bell at the 19:05 mark accounting for the only scoring
That was the only points Army scored in the first 9:39 of the game
During that span, Colgate scored all of three points -- all on a three-point play by Kyle Chones at the 14:56 mark
Army's 38 points were the fewest by a league team all season
Colgate's 42 ties for the third lowest offensive output on that list
If the game had a saving grace, it was the fact that it was competitive right to the end. Tied at 38-38 after a Jarell Brown bucket with 1:03 to play, Colgate scored what proved to be the game-winner when Army's Matt Bell partially blocked a Jon Simon shot, deflecting the ball to the Raiders' Marc Daniels, who put it home with 25 seconds to play.
Army had a chance to tie it, but Bell missed a jumper and Colgate's Daniel Waddy made a pair of free throws to seal it.
Box score | AP | Times Herald-Record
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Ever wonder why Army and Colgate draw so few fans for their games? Maybe it's because too many folks have watched a game like the one the two played Saturday afternoon.
Thankfully, only 432 were forced to suffer through what was passed off as a Division I basketball game in Christl Arena. Colgate's 42-38 win was as ugly as they come.
How ugly was it? Consider this:
If the game had a saving grace, it was the fact that it was competitive right to the end. Tied at 38-38 after a Jarell Brown bucket with 1:03 to play, Colgate scored what proved to be the game-winner when Army's Matt Bell partially blocked a Jon Simon shot, deflecting the ball to the Raiders' Marc Daniels, who put it home with 25 seconds to play.
Army had a chance to tie it, but Bell missed a jumper and Colgate's Daniel Waddy made a pair of free throws to seal it.
Box score | AP | Times Herald-Record
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Saturday, February 03, 2007
Holy Cross tries to stay on top while the rest of the league jostles for playoff position in a trio of games today.
The biggest game of the day takes place in the nation's capital, where Lehigh (9-14 overall, 4-3 Patriot) takes on host American (11-10, 3-4) (matchup) in a game (7:30 p.m., Sirius 181) that is close to a must win for the Eagles if they hope to host a first round game in the postseason playoffs.
Lehigh is not mathematically eliminated from the regular season championship, but they are realistically out of contention. Second-place, and the possibility of two home playoff games, is still within the Mountain Hawks grasp. If they can beat the two teams ahead of them in the standings (Holy Cross and Bucknell) at home, and HC beats the Bison in Lewisburg, Lehigh would have a tiebreaker edge (the win over HC) over the Bison should both win out.
For that to happen, though, Lehigh needs to win on the road, something it has done just once in 11 games. It won't be easy in bender, where American's only loss this season came in overtime to Holy Cross.
Senior center Jason Mgebroff out since mid-December with a stress fracture in a leg, has returned to Lehigh's practice, but is unlikely to be available tonight. The Hawks got by without him in Stabler -- barely -- pulling out a 51-49 win on a Phil Andersen putback with less than three seconds to play.
American shot 26.1 percent in that game. Lehigh's seven-foot sophomore John Gourlay scored 10 points. Don't expect either performance to be repeated.
Examiner preview
Lafayette at Holy Cross (matchup) -- The Crusaders, riding a nine-game win streak, are unbeaten in conference play heading into this evening's sold-out Hart Center rematch with Lafayette. Their first league win came in Easton over Lafayette in a game that was still in question late in the second half.
It should not have been. But after building a 15-point lead, the Crusaders exhaled, allowing the hot-shooting Leopards to make a game of it down the stretch. It took HC 84 points to put away Lafayette, an uncharacteristic showing for Ralph Willard's defense first club. That's the most HC scored all season and around 20 more than it has averaged in six other league wins.
The way Lafayette shot the ball (56.8 percent from the field) against the 'Saders zone, it needed nearly all those points to escape with the W.
With Pat Doherty having since returned from his broken hand, HC probably could muster even more offense if need be. But expect a different style at Hart, where Holy Cross is 8-0 this season. Lafayette's only road conference win came at Colgate. They will need to repeat their 56.8 percent shooting to stay in the game in Worcester, something that is highly unlikely.
Colgate at Army (matchup) -- The Raiders won in overtime the first meeting in Hamilton. It won't be easy to repeat that feat in Christl Arena, where the Black Knights are 9-1 this season.
Army (13-9, 3-4) needs a win to stay in the mix for a home playoff game. Colgate (7-13, 2-5) needs a win to try to get into that mix.
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The biggest game of the day takes place in the nation's capital, where Lehigh (9-14 overall, 4-3 Patriot) takes on host American (11-10, 3-4) (matchup) in a game (7:30 p.m., Sirius 181) that is close to a must win for the Eagles if they hope to host a first round game in the postseason playoffs.
Lehigh is not mathematically eliminated from the regular season championship, but they are realistically out of contention. Second-place, and the possibility of two home playoff games, is still within the Mountain Hawks grasp. If they can beat the two teams ahead of them in the standings (Holy Cross and Bucknell) at home, and HC beats the Bison in Lewisburg, Lehigh would have a tiebreaker edge (the win over HC) over the Bison should both win out.
For that to happen, though, Lehigh needs to win on the road, something it has done just once in 11 games. It won't be easy in bender, where American's only loss this season came in overtime to Holy Cross.
Senior center Jason Mgebroff out since mid-December with a stress fracture in a leg, has returned to Lehigh's practice, but is unlikely to be available tonight. The Hawks got by without him in Stabler -- barely -- pulling out a 51-49 win on a Phil Andersen putback with less than three seconds to play.
American shot 26.1 percent in that game. Lehigh's seven-foot sophomore John Gourlay scored 10 points. Don't expect either performance to be repeated.
Examiner preview
Lafayette at Holy Cross (matchup) -- The Crusaders, riding a nine-game win streak, are unbeaten in conference play heading into this evening's sold-out Hart Center rematch with Lafayette. Their first league win came in Easton over Lafayette in a game that was still in question late in the second half.
It should not have been. But after building a 15-point lead, the Crusaders exhaled, allowing the hot-shooting Leopards to make a game of it down the stretch. It took HC 84 points to put away Lafayette, an uncharacteristic showing for Ralph Willard's defense first club. That's the most HC scored all season and around 20 more than it has averaged in six other league wins.
The way Lafayette shot the ball (56.8 percent from the field) against the 'Saders zone, it needed nearly all those points to escape with the W.
With Pat Doherty having since returned from his broken hand, HC probably could muster even more offense if need be. But expect a different style at Hart, where Holy Cross is 8-0 this season. Lafayette's only road conference win came at Colgate. They will need to repeat their 56.8 percent shooting to stay in the game in Worcester, something that is highly unlikely.
Colgate at Army (matchup) -- The Raiders won in overtime the first meeting in Hamilton. It won't be easy to repeat that feat in Christl Arena, where the Black Knights are 9-1 this season.
Army (13-9, 3-4) needs a win to stay in the mix for a home playoff game. Colgate (7-13, 2-5) needs a win to try to get into that mix.
Labels: Army, AU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Bucknell forward Donald Brown will have x-rays this afternoon on the wrist he injured in Tuesday's win at Colgate.
Brown's injury occurred when he was fouled by Colgate's Kyle Chones while going to the hoop during the second half of Bucknell's 56-53 win.
The extent of the injury is not yet known. Bucknell sports information director Jon Terry said Brown's wrist was "pretty sore after the game" and that the Bison star would have it x-rayed this afternoon. Terry said he believed the x-rays are primarily precautionary, but he has not gotten yet gotten a report from the trainers on Brown's status.
According to Terry, Chones appeared to be trying to knock the ball out of Brown's hand on the play. Chones got some of the ball, along with Brown's wrist.
"It was a hard foul, but I wouldn't call it dirty," Terry said.
We will update with a further report on the extent of Brown's injury when it becomes available.
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Brown's injury occurred when he was fouled by Colgate's Kyle Chones while going to the hoop during the second half of Bucknell's 56-53 win.
The extent of the injury is not yet known. Bucknell sports information director Jon Terry said Brown's wrist was "pretty sore after the game" and that the Bison star would have it x-rayed this afternoon. Terry said he believed the x-rays are primarily precautionary, but he has not gotten yet gotten a report from the trainers on Brown's status.
According to Terry, Chones appeared to be trying to knock the ball out of Brown's hand on the play. Chones got some of the ball, along with Brown's wrist.
"It was a hard foul, but I wouldn't call it dirty," Terry said.
We will update with a further report on the extent of Brown's injury when it becomes available.
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Dwon 17-2 at the start of the game, Bucknell rallied for a big lead, then held on for a 56-53 win at Colgate.
Colgate opened the game with a 7-0 run and hit 6 of the first 7 shots, thrilling the announced crowd of 523 as it built a 15-point lead in the first six minutes of the game. While the Raiders were (dare we say Red) hot, Bucknell was ice cold and out of sync, going 1 for 6 with 5 turnovers on its first 11 possessions.
The Bison settled in after that, pulling to within 4 late in the half before Willie Morse hit a Colgate three to make it 26-19 at the break.
Colgate was still up 8 after a Jon Simon three with 16:52 to play. Then Jason Vegotsky hit a three-pointer to spark a 16-0 Bucknell run that was capped by another Vegotsky trey 6:29 later.
The Bison pushed the lead to 13, where it was after an Abe Badmus layup made it 50-37 with 5:57 to play. That was the last Bucknell field goal until the final seconds, when Stephen Tyree broke free for a layup off an inbounds play after Simon (22 points) hit his sixth three-pointer of teh game to cut Bucknell's lead to 54-53 with 5.2 seconds left.
Mcnaughton led Bucknell with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Badmus also had 12 for the Bison.
Colgate finished the game 19 of 42 from the field (45.2 percent), 9 of 18 from the arc. It was the third straight game Colgate shot better than 40 percent after failing to reach that threshold in 9 of 11 games prior to this stretch.
Bucknell shot 43.2 percent from the field (19 of 44), 4 of 15 from three-point range. The Bison, who outscored the Raiders 20-6 in the paint, held a 31-25 edge on the boards, including a 10-5 advantage on the offensive glass.
The inside strength paid off at the foul line, too. Bucknell made 21 trips to the stripe, knocking down 14. Colgate only shot 10 free throws, making 6.
Box score | Daily Item
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Colgate opened the game with a 7-0 run and hit 6 of the first 7 shots, thrilling the announced crowd of 523 as it built a 15-point lead in the first six minutes of the game. While the Raiders were (dare we say Red) hot, Bucknell was ice cold and out of sync, going 1 for 6 with 5 turnovers on its first 11 possessions.
The Bison settled in after that, pulling to within 4 late in the half before Willie Morse hit a Colgate three to make it 26-19 at the break.
Colgate was still up 8 after a Jon Simon three with 16:52 to play. Then Jason Vegotsky hit a three-pointer to spark a 16-0 Bucknell run that was capped by another Vegotsky trey 6:29 later.
The Bison pushed the lead to 13, where it was after an Abe Badmus layup made it 50-37 with 5:57 to play. That was the last Bucknell field goal until the final seconds, when Stephen Tyree broke free for a layup off an inbounds play after Simon (22 points) hit his sixth three-pointer of teh game to cut Bucknell's lead to 54-53 with 5.2 seconds left.
Mcnaughton led Bucknell with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Badmus also had 12 for the Bison.
Colgate finished the game 19 of 42 from the field (45.2 percent), 9 of 18 from the arc. It was the third straight game Colgate shot better than 40 percent after failing to reach that threshold in 9 of 11 games prior to this stretch.
Bucknell shot 43.2 percent from the field (19 of 44), 4 of 15 from three-point range. The Bison, who outscored the Raiders 20-6 in the paint, held a 31-25 edge on the boards, including a 10-5 advantage on the offensive glass.
The inside strength paid off at the foul line, too. Bucknell made 21 trips to the stripe, knocking down 14. Colgate only shot 10 free throws, making 6.
Box score | Daily Item
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Bucknell will entertain old East Coast Conference rival Towson while Colgate will be at Marist in the ESPN BracketBusters.
For the Bison and the Tigers, it is a return to the 1980s, when the two were both members of the now-defunct East Coast Conference. The two have met 23 times, most recently in 1992 (an 85-72 Bucknell win in old Davis Gym), with the Bison holding a 15-8 edge in the series.
Towson is currently 11-11 overall, 5-6 in the tough Colonial Athletic Conference, with a Ken Pomeroy RPI calculated at 155.
The two have played one common opponent -- George Mason, which beat Towson 73-44 at Mason and lost to Bucknell 60-57 in the BB&T Classic in Washington D.C.
While the game is hardly the exciting matchup Bucknell drew last season when it played at Northern Iowa in one of the BracketBusters televised games, it does bring with it the promise of a Baltimore area game next season when the Bison make the return trip to Towson. That area is a hotbed for Bucknell alums, who used to give the Bison close to a homecourt advantage for ECC Tournament games played at the Towson Center.
Colgate will be on the road for its BracketBusters contest, playing in Poughkeepsie against the Red Foxes of Marist. Colgate's RPI of 271 will hardly benefit Marist, which is currently 15-6 overall, 8-3 in the MAAC, with an RPI of 128.
The lone common opponent of the two is Canisius, which beat Colgate (78-73) in Hamilton and lost in Poughkeepsie (80-73).
The two would have one more common opponent in Bucknell had the Bison not laid an egg against Central Arkansas in the first round of Marist's holiday tournament, preventing what would had been a much-anticipated matchup in the final.
A Bucknell-Marist matchup in the BracketBusters would certainly be more attractive than either of the scheduled games, but both schools were preordained as host teams for the event.
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For the Bison and the Tigers, it is a return to the 1980s, when the two were both members of the now-defunct East Coast Conference. The two have met 23 times, most recently in 1992 (an 85-72 Bucknell win in old Davis Gym), with the Bison holding a 15-8 edge in the series.
Towson is currently 11-11 overall, 5-6 in the tough Colonial Athletic Conference, with a Ken Pomeroy RPI calculated at 155.
The two have played one common opponent -- George Mason, which beat Towson 73-44 at Mason and lost to Bucknell 60-57 in the BB&T Classic in Washington D.C.
While the game is hardly the exciting matchup Bucknell drew last season when it played at Northern Iowa in one of the BracketBusters televised games, it does bring with it the promise of a Baltimore area game next season when the Bison make the return trip to Towson. That area is a hotbed for Bucknell alums, who used to give the Bison close to a homecourt advantage for ECC Tournament games played at the Towson Center.
Colgate will be on the road for its BracketBusters contest, playing in Poughkeepsie against the Red Foxes of Marist. Colgate's RPI of 271 will hardly benefit Marist, which is currently 15-6 overall, 8-3 in the MAAC, with an RPI of 128.
The lone common opponent of the two is Canisius, which beat Colgate (78-73) in Hamilton and lost in Poughkeepsie (80-73).
The two would have one more common opponent in Bucknell had the Bison not laid an egg against Central Arkansas in the first round of Marist's holiday tournament, preventing what would had been a much-anticipated matchup in the final.
A Bucknell-Marist matchup in the BracketBusters would certainly be more attractive than either of the scheduled games, but both schools were preordained as host teams for the event.
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There are two things Bucknell can count on when they meet Colgate tonight in Hamilton: (matchup) Snow and a small crowd.
A week ago we'd have added Colgate shooting poorly to that list. That was before the Raiders surprised the heck out of everybody by knocking down 53.7 percent of their on the road at Navy.
Odds still favor an off night. That was the only game (against a Division I foe) Colgate shot over 50 percent since Dec. 2. It's a feat they have accomplished just four times all season. It seems far more likely Colgate will shoot under 40 percent, something they have done in 9 of their past 13 games.
Even after the outburst at Navy, the Raiders remain the league's worst offensive team (last in scoring and field goal percentage).
That does not bode well against Bucknell, which is the league's top defense (first in scoring and field goal percentage defense.)
These two just played 10 days ago in Lewisburg, with Bucknell holding Colgate to 36 points in a 50-36 win.
A week ago you'd also have said you could count on Bucknell getting little, if any, offensive production from point guard Abe Badmus. But Badmus broke out of a season-long slump in two games last week, suddenly finding both range and confidence in his jumper. Badmus hit a pair (out of four) of three-pointers against Lehigh and followed that with a three for three at the arc night against Army. When that happens, Bucknell becomes a very scary offensive team.
If the Bison get production on the perimeter, it makes it even harder to stop Donald Brown and Chris McNaughton inside.
Despite all the factors that seem to point to Bucknell, the Bison still need to be sure to avoid the Hamilton trap. (Read Ralph Willard's thoughts on Hamilton -- scroll down to his Jan. 25 entry). Just ask Holy Cross, which needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds to go to pull out a 58-55 win at Colgate last week.
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A week ago we'd have added Colgate shooting poorly to that list. That was before the Raiders surprised the heck out of everybody by knocking down 53.7 percent of their on the road at Navy.
Odds still favor an off night. That was the only game (against a Division I foe) Colgate shot over 50 percent since Dec. 2. It's a feat they have accomplished just four times all season. It seems far more likely Colgate will shoot under 40 percent, something they have done in 9 of their past 13 games.
Even after the outburst at Navy, the Raiders remain the league's worst offensive team (last in scoring and field goal percentage).
That does not bode well against Bucknell, which is the league's top defense (first in scoring and field goal percentage defense.)
These two just played 10 days ago in Lewisburg, with Bucknell holding Colgate to 36 points in a 50-36 win.
A week ago you'd also have said you could count on Bucknell getting little, if any, offensive production from point guard Abe Badmus. But Badmus broke out of a season-long slump in two games last week, suddenly finding both range and confidence in his jumper. Badmus hit a pair (out of four) of three-pointers against Lehigh and followed that with a three for three at the arc night against Army. When that happens, Bucknell becomes a very scary offensive team.
If the Bison get production on the perimeter, it makes it even harder to stop Donald Brown and Chris McNaughton inside.
Despite all the factors that seem to point to Bucknell, the Bison still need to be sure to avoid the Hamilton trap. (Read Ralph Willard's thoughts on Hamilton -- scroll down to his Jan. 25 entry). Just ask Holy Cross, which needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds to go to pull out a 58-55 win at Colgate last week.
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
For one afternoon in Annapolis, the Raiders looked like the team most folks expected them to be. Of course the "other" Raiders have played so bad this season, all it did was lift them out of a tie for last place.
Kyle Chones was the only Raider in double figures, finishing with 13. But Colgate (7-13 overall, 2-5 Patriot) got 31 points from its bench and shot 53.7 percent from the field, beating Navy 66-58 in the Mids' Alumni Hall.
It was the first time Colgate shot 50 percent or better against a Division I team since a Dec. 2 loss to Harvard. The Raiders came in having shot better than 40 percent just three times in their past 12 games, ranked No. 294 out of 325 Division I teams nationally in field goal percentage.
Adding insult to Navy's injury, the Raiders delivered the spanking without Kendall Chones and Alex Woodhouse, both of whom missed the game due to unspecified illness.
Greg Sprink had 23 points on 9 of 14 shooting for Navy (11-11, 1-6), which has now lost four in a row and eight of its last 10 after a promising 9-3 start. The Mids shot 19 of 47 (40.4 percent) from the field. Take away Sprink and the rest of the Navy team shot 30.3 percent from the field.
Box score
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Kyle Chones was the only Raider in double figures, finishing with 13. But Colgate (7-13 overall, 2-5 Patriot) got 31 points from its bench and shot 53.7 percent from the field, beating Navy 66-58 in the Mids' Alumni Hall.
It was the first time Colgate shot 50 percent or better against a Division I team since a Dec. 2 loss to Harvard. The Raiders came in having shot better than 40 percent just three times in their past 12 games, ranked No. 294 out of 325 Division I teams nationally in field goal percentage.
Adding insult to Navy's injury, the Raiders delivered the spanking without Kendall Chones and Alex Woodhouse, both of whom missed the game due to unspecified illness.
Greg Sprink had 23 points on 9 of 14 shooting for Navy (11-11, 1-6), which has now lost four in a row and eight of its last 10 after a promising 9-3 start. The Mids shot 19 of 47 (40.4 percent) from the field. Take away Sprink and the rest of the Navy team shot 30.3 percent from the field.
Box score
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After a few weeks of ties up and down the Patriot League standings, things will shake out a little today.
For the first time all season, somebody will be alone at the bottom. Last place will be decided in Annapolis, where Navy hosts Colgate in a battle of 1-5 teams (matchup). Meanwhile, American visits Lafayette in a matchup of a pair of 2-4 clubs (matchup).
The winner of the AU-LC game could find itself suddenly tied for the all-important fourth spot in the standings, pending the outcome of tonight's Army at Bucknell matchup. A Bucknell win would leave Army tied with that AU-LC winner for the number four spot -- a spot magnified in importance this season by the league's higher seed homecourt playoffs system that has replaced the league's post-season tournament to determine the conference championship and what will likely be just one bid to the NCAA Tournament.
That Army-Bucknell game is the spotlight contest of the day. Army, coming off a loss at Lafayette on Wednesday after three-straight wins in West Point, needs bounce-back win to stay above .500 and even with Lehigh for third place in the standings. A loss and suddenly, despite their strong start in conference play, the Black Knights are back to battling just to stay out of the second division.
For Bucknell, the story is pretty simple. Win their 31st straight home conference game and keep pace one game behind Holy Cross, which has yet to visit Sojka this season.
In Easton, Lafayette will look to shoot its way past an American team that looked like a contender early in the season, but found itself needing a win over Navy Wednesday to stay out of the cellar. Conventional wisdom would tell you American's big, deep frontcourt should be a tremendous edge for the Eagles. But aside from up and down Brayden Billbe, production from those big guys have been mediocre at best.
If Lafayette can lure AU's gunners into a shootout, it could be another long bus ride home for American, which is 0-3 on the road in league play.
In Annapolis, Billy Lange's young Midshipmen badly need a win to stem the bleeding. After a promising 9-3 start, Navy has dropped 7 of its last 9, including its last three. Colgate, which has lost five straight and eight of its last 9, could be the first aid Navy needs. The Raiders rank 314th (out of 325) nationally in scoring and 294th in field goal percentage (40.3 percent).
Of course Bavy is just above Colgate in the league rankings for field goal percentage (41.5 percent, 263 nationally). Two areas where Navy has a big edge are at the foul line and behind the arc. Navy ranks 9th nationally in free throw percentage (76.1 percent, tops in the league); Colgate is last in the league at 69.5 percent (140 nationally). Navy is second in the league and No. 25 in the nation in three-pointers per game (8.4 per); Colgate is last in the league and 316 out of 325 nationally with 4.2 per game.
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For the first time all season, somebody will be alone at the bottom. Last place will be decided in Annapolis, where Navy hosts Colgate in a battle of 1-5 teams (matchup). Meanwhile, American visits Lafayette in a matchup of a pair of 2-4 clubs (matchup).
The winner of the AU-LC game could find itself suddenly tied for the all-important fourth spot in the standings, pending the outcome of tonight's Army at Bucknell matchup. A Bucknell win would leave Army tied with that AU-LC winner for the number four spot -- a spot magnified in importance this season by the league's higher seed homecourt playoffs system that has replaced the league's post-season tournament to determine the conference championship and what will likely be just one bid to the NCAA Tournament.
That Army-Bucknell game is the spotlight contest of the day. Army, coming off a loss at Lafayette on Wednesday after three-straight wins in West Point, needs bounce-back win to stay above .500 and even with Lehigh for third place in the standings. A loss and suddenly, despite their strong start in conference play, the Black Knights are back to battling just to stay out of the second division.
For Bucknell, the story is pretty simple. Win their 31st straight home conference game and keep pace one game behind Holy Cross, which has yet to visit Sojka this season.
In Easton, Lafayette will look to shoot its way past an American team that looked like a contender early in the season, but found itself needing a win over Navy Wednesday to stay out of the cellar. Conventional wisdom would tell you American's big, deep frontcourt should be a tremendous edge for the Eagles. But aside from up and down Brayden Billbe, production from those big guys have been mediocre at best.
If Lafayette can lure AU's gunners into a shootout, it could be another long bus ride home for American, which is 0-3 on the road in league play.
In Annapolis, Billy Lange's young Midshipmen badly need a win to stem the bleeding. After a promising 9-3 start, Navy has dropped 7 of its last 9, including its last three. Colgate, which has lost five straight and eight of its last 9, could be the first aid Navy needs. The Raiders rank 314th (out of 325) nationally in scoring and 294th in field goal percentage (40.3 percent).
Of course Bavy is just above Colgate in the league rankings for field goal percentage (41.5 percent, 263 nationally). Two areas where Navy has a big edge are at the foul line and behind the arc. Navy ranks 9th nationally in free throw percentage (76.1 percent, tops in the league); Colgate is last in the league at 69.5 percent (140 nationally). Navy is second in the league and No. 25 in the nation in three-pointers per game (8.4 per); Colgate is last in the league and 316 out of 325 nationally with 4.2 per game.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, Laf, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Crusaders escape with a win to stay atop the league standings.
In a game that featured 12 ties and 11 lead changes, Keith Simmons hit a three-pointer with 20 seconds left to give Holy Cross a 58-55 come-from-behind win over Colgate in front of an announced crowd of 543 in frigid Hamilton.
Simmons' game-winner capped a HC comeback from a deficit as big as 10 points in the second half. Colgate was up 47-37 after a Daniel Waddy free throw with 10:49 to play. Holy Cross responded with a 12-0 run to take a 49-47 lead with 5:31 left. There were 4 lead changes and 4 ties from that point on.
The temperatures outside were nearly equalled by the frigid shooting inside Cotterell Court. Holy Cross went 19 of 48 (39.6 percent) from the field, falling below 40 percent from the field for the third game in a row.
Colgate, which had shot above 40 percent just twice in 11 games coming in, managed to hit 17 of 40 from the field (42.5 percent), including 8 of 16 from the three-point arc. But the Raiders turned the ball over 16 times and Holy Cross had 10 offensive rebounds, which led to 12 second chance points. Colgate had just 5 offensive boards and scored only 3 points off those.
The result, Holy Cross had 8 more attempted shots than Colgate and two more makes.
Simmons finished with 16 points, a team-high 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Tim Clifford added 18 and Torey Thomas had 11 for HC, which improved to 15-6 overall, 6-0 in league play.
Jon Simon led Colgate with 22 points, including 5 three-pointers. No other Colgate player reached double figures.
Box score | Telegram & Gazette
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In a game that featured 12 ties and 11 lead changes, Keith Simmons hit a three-pointer with 20 seconds left to give Holy Cross a 58-55 come-from-behind win over Colgate in front of an announced crowd of 543 in frigid Hamilton.
Simmons' game-winner capped a HC comeback from a deficit as big as 10 points in the second half. Colgate was up 47-37 after a Daniel Waddy free throw with 10:49 to play. Holy Cross responded with a 12-0 run to take a 49-47 lead with 5:31 left. There were 4 lead changes and 4 ties from that point on.
The temperatures outside were nearly equalled by the frigid shooting inside Cotterell Court. Holy Cross went 19 of 48 (39.6 percent) from the field, falling below 40 percent from the field for the third game in a row.
Colgate, which had shot above 40 percent just twice in 11 games coming in, managed to hit 17 of 40 from the field (42.5 percent), including 8 of 16 from the three-point arc. But the Raiders turned the ball over 16 times and Holy Cross had 10 offensive rebounds, which led to 12 second chance points. Colgate had just 5 offensive boards and scored only 3 points off those.
The result, Holy Cross had 8 more attempted shots than Colgate and two more makes.
Simmons finished with 16 points, a team-high 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Tim Clifford added 18 and Torey Thomas had 11 for HC, which improved to 15-6 overall, 6-0 in league play.
Jon Simon led Colgate with 22 points, including 5 three-pointers. No other Colgate player reached double figures.
Box score | Telegram & Gazette
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Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The two teams currently tied for second in the league standings meet tonight in Lewisburg while the team they are chasing tries to avoid a trap in snowy Hamilton.
Most fans around the league, at least those who don't bleed Brown and Yellow, would probably tell you Bucknell is the favorite tonight against Lehigh (matchup) -- especially at home in Sojka Pavilion, where the Bison have won 29 straight league games.
Those Lehigh fans would ask, with good reason, why? Take a look at the league's team statistics. You'll have a tough time finding categories where Bucknell ranks ahead of the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh tops the league in scoring offense, field goal percentage and rebounding margin and ranks second in field goal percentage defense.
Bucknell is fourth in scoring defense, seventh in scoring offense, seventh in field goal percentage defense, seventh at both ends of the floor in three-point shooting.
So what makes the Bison the favorite? Bucknell fans might say those stats are skewed by the Bison's tough out of conference schedule. But guess what -- while it did not look as strong on paper prior to the start of the season, the strength of Lehigh's non-conference schedule ranks second in the league (No. 147 nationally), just behind Holy Cross (142). Bucknell (189) is third in the league in that category.
Still, until Lehigh beats Bucknell or Holy Cross on the road, it just is not going to get the respect of the rest of the league's followers. That has been the Mountain Hawks downfall in recent years. The Hawks have not won at Holy Cross since 1998. Their recent history at Bucknell is a little better. Lehigh spoiled the opening of Sojka Pavilion in 2003 with a 60-56 win. But that was the year before Bucknell began offering scholarships.
For Lehigh to move beyond the esoteric world of number crunchers and stats freak and gain mainstream respect as a legitimate contender, it needs to establish superiority of the floor, not the stats sheet. And it needs to win some games on the road.
Thus far that has been tough for the Mountain Hawks. While Lehigh is within a few seconds and a disputed call of being perfect in Stabler Arena, it is also just a win at Navy away from being winless outside of its own concrete shed.
They keys here are the usual ones for both teams. Bucknell needs to exploit what should be a big advantage close to the basket, especially with Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff still sidelined by a stress fracture in his leg. Mgebroff is expected to miss another two to three weeks.
In his stead, sophomore Phil Anderson has been a capable fill-in, but he has yet to face a frontline the quality of Bucknell's. If Chris McNaughton stays out of foul trouble -- anything but a given this season -- the trio of McNaughton, Donald Brown and Darren Mastropaolo give Bucknell a huge edge up front.
Lehigh needs to get Jose Olivero going. The Mountain Hawks leading scorer has been held to single digits three times this season, including two of Lehigh's last three road games. The Mountain Hawks are 0-3 when Olivero does not reach double figures.
Looking for a key matchup -- try the point, where Lehigh's super frosh Marquis Hall meets Bucknell senior Abe Badmus. Hall is averaging 10 ppg and comes in off a 24-point showing against Lafayette. Badmus is one of the league's top defenders when he stays out of foul trouble (like McNaughton, that has been a challenge). Badmus has never been a big offensive threat, but two of the three games in which he has scored 15 or more in his career have come against Lehigh.
Holy Cross at Colgate (matchup) -- Forget how bad Colgate has been shooting the ball. Forget the Raiders are last in the league and Holy Cross first. The temperature outside Cotterell Court will be in the mid-teens. The attendance inside won't be a whole lot higher. Neither will be the mathematical odds of Colgate winning this game, but therein lies the makings of a classic trap game.
The challenge for Holy Cross, which has had trouble staying focused through entire games, is more mental than physical. Coming off an OT win in front of a packed Bender Arena, heading into a big ESPNU matchup Friday with Lehigh, the Crusaders need to find a way to get themselves up for this one if they want to stay alone atop the standings.
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Most fans around the league, at least those who don't bleed Brown and Yellow, would probably tell you Bucknell is the favorite tonight against Lehigh (matchup) -- especially at home in Sojka Pavilion, where the Bison have won 29 straight league games.
Those Lehigh fans would ask, with good reason, why? Take a look at the league's team statistics. You'll have a tough time finding categories where Bucknell ranks ahead of the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh tops the league in scoring offense, field goal percentage and rebounding margin and ranks second in field goal percentage defense.
Bucknell is fourth in scoring defense, seventh in scoring offense, seventh in field goal percentage defense, seventh at both ends of the floor in three-point shooting.
So what makes the Bison the favorite? Bucknell fans might say those stats are skewed by the Bison's tough out of conference schedule. But guess what -- while it did not look as strong on paper prior to the start of the season, the strength of Lehigh's non-conference schedule ranks second in the league (No. 147 nationally), just behind Holy Cross (142). Bucknell (189) is third in the league in that category.
Still, until Lehigh beats Bucknell or Holy Cross on the road, it just is not going to get the respect of the rest of the league's followers. That has been the Mountain Hawks downfall in recent years. The Hawks have not won at Holy Cross since 1998. Their recent history at Bucknell is a little better. Lehigh spoiled the opening of Sojka Pavilion in 2003 with a 60-56 win. But that was the year before Bucknell began offering scholarships.
For Lehigh to move beyond the esoteric world of number crunchers and stats freak and gain mainstream respect as a legitimate contender, it needs to establish superiority of the floor, not the stats sheet. And it needs to win some games on the road.
Thus far that has been tough for the Mountain Hawks. While Lehigh is within a few seconds and a disputed call of being perfect in Stabler Arena, it is also just a win at Navy away from being winless outside of its own concrete shed.
They keys here are the usual ones for both teams. Bucknell needs to exploit what should be a big advantage close to the basket, especially with Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff still sidelined by a stress fracture in his leg. Mgebroff is expected to miss another two to three weeks.
In his stead, sophomore Phil Anderson has been a capable fill-in, but he has yet to face a frontline the quality of Bucknell's. If Chris McNaughton stays out of foul trouble -- anything but a given this season -- the trio of McNaughton, Donald Brown and Darren Mastropaolo give Bucknell a huge edge up front.
Lehigh needs to get Jose Olivero going. The Mountain Hawks leading scorer has been held to single digits three times this season, including two of Lehigh's last three road games. The Mountain Hawks are 0-3 when Olivero does not reach double figures.
Looking for a key matchup -- try the point, where Lehigh's super frosh Marquis Hall meets Bucknell senior Abe Badmus. Hall is averaging 10 ppg and comes in off a 24-point showing against Lafayette. Badmus is one of the league's top defenders when he stays out of foul trouble (like McNaughton, that has been a challenge). Badmus has never been a big offensive threat, but two of the three games in which he has scored 15 or more in his career have come against Lehigh.
Holy Cross at Colgate (matchup) -- Forget how bad Colgate has been shooting the ball. Forget the Raiders are last in the league and Holy Cross first. The temperature outside Cotterell Court will be in the mid-teens. The attendance inside won't be a whole lot higher. Neither will be the mathematical odds of Colgate winning this game, but therein lies the makings of a classic trap game.
The challenge for Holy Cross, which has had trouble staying focused through entire games, is more mental than physical. Coming off an OT win in front of a packed Bender Arena, heading into a big ESPNU matchup Friday with Lehigh, the Crusaders need to find a way to get themselves up for this one if they want to stay alone atop the standings.
Labels: BU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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Sunday, January 21, 2007
Bison's inside attack, its own cold shooting, more than Colgate can handle (Updated with links at 7:55 a.m.)
By ERIC THOMAS
Special to Hoop Time
For the first 4:56 of live game action, nothing but frustration could be found on the face of Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery.
The Bison sideline boss watched his team play careless, turnovers, shots weren't falling, good looks were all around, but nothing was dropping.
The Bison faced an early 6-0 hole, which might not look like much, but when you have more turnovers than field goal attempts in that stretch, it feels deeper than it really is.
But, Bucknell did what Bucknell has had to do a lot of lately, rally from behind.
Key three pointers by Abe Badmus and Jason Vegotsky fueled a late first half charge, and the inside play of Chris McNaughton and Donald Brown was too much in the second half as the Bison defeated Colgate 50-36 at Sojka Pavilion Saturday afternoon.
It was Bucknell's 29th consecutive home win, and the fifth straight over the Raiders. More importantly, the Bison picked up their 10th and kept pace one game back of Holy Cross in the league standings at 4-1.
Oh, and don't forget about that Bison defense either. Bucknell held Colgate scoreless for a seven minute stretch of the first half.
It wasn't just the seven minute stretch that frustrated Raiders head coach Emmett Davis, it was the entire late first half and second half performance; Repeated looks late that didn't fall, turnovers, being out-rebounded by the Bison,
"Bucknell got to the ball quicker," said Davis. "I thought they did that throughout the second half. They were just quicker to the loose balls and we didn't shoot the ball from three or anywhere for that matter very well. When you shoot the ball that poorly and you score that number of points its hard to beat anybody."
McNaughton had only three field goal attempts in the first half, but finally ended the early drought when he connected in the paint on a beautiful pass from Brown. It was the start of something big. Over half of Bucknell's 50 points came in the paint.
Colgate's Daniel Waddy responded by giving the Red Raiders the lead at 12-10 with 4:46 to play, but Badmus connected from deep the next trip down the floor for the Bison to give them lead they would hold the rest of the way.
A minute later, Vegotsky, hit from the right wing to extend the lead, and then on the next Bison possession hit his only other basket, a three-pointer from the left wing for a 19-14 lead with 2:38 to play in the first half.
"What we started doing was rebounding a little bit better and we got ourselves going a little bit," Flannery said.
The Bison defense clamped down on Colgate in the second half, holding them to 6-of-17 shooting and overall held the Raiders to a dismal 26-percent for the game. Colgate also went 0-14 from the arch for the contest.
"I thought we did a real good job defensively," said Flannery. "I thought the big difference as the game went along, the things they were doing to Donald Brown, he really showed a lot of maturity tonight and really did a great job adjusting to the way they were playing him. Chris has really been playing well and hard and I really like what our upper classmen did tonight."
The Bison immediately went to McNaughton to start the second half and that started a stretch of 16 points in the paint in 15 minutes. All other Bison points in that stretch came via the free throw line because of the position Brown, McNaughton and reserve forward Darren Mastropaolo had inside against a lesser Raiders interior defense.
"I just relied on my teammates because I knew they were capable of making plays and I just let the game come to me," Brown said.
McNaughton acknowledged that it was tough inside, but repeatedly, he was able to seal on the baseline or in the lane and beat his man to the bucket for high percentage shots.
"They have some pretty physical guys in there trying to play me one-on-one. It's always tough playing Colgate, you know it's going to be a physical game," McNaughton said. "I think we just have to do a good job of playing physical ourselves, I think we can play physical."
Flannery should be pleased with the play of his underclassmen as well. He put a rotation on the floor that consisted of Justin Castleberry, Stephen Tyree and Patrick Behan early in the first half. Castleberry struggled, but Tyree and Behan combined 2-of-4 shooting and played 18 minutes. Tyree's tip-in off a Brown miss gave the Bison a 23-16 first half lead and caused the near sellout crowd to erupt for the freshman.
"Certainly, defensively we weren't giving them a lot of looks," Flannery said. "Offensively the right guys got the ball."
McNaughton led the Bison with 12, Brown added 11 and six rebounds. Kendall Chones led Colgate with nine.
Notes: The Bison held the rebound advantage 35-21. . .Colgate as a team had just five assists and turned the ball over 13 times. John Griffin did not have an assist and had one turnover. . . he is among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio . . . the 36 points allowed by the Bison were the fewest since January 18th of last season when they gave up 32 to Lafayette . . . Jon Simon, who hit eight 3-pointers against Lehigh was held to 2-of-11 shooting and was 0-of-5 from the arch . . . It was the ninth time in 11 games Colgate failed to shoot 40 percent from the floor . . . Colgate's Willie Morse was a DNP in front of a crowd that included early arrivals for a high school nightcap between his alma mater State College and a Hazleton team coached by BU grad Mike Joseph . . . Morse sat after missing most of the past week's practices with the flu
Box score | Photo Gallery | Daily Item
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By ERIC THOMAS
Special to Hoop Time
For the first 4:56 of live game action, nothing but frustration could be found on the face of Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery.
The Bison sideline boss watched his team play careless, turnovers, shots weren't falling, good looks were all around, but nothing was dropping.
The Bison faced an early 6-0 hole, which might not look like much, but when you have more turnovers than field goal attempts in that stretch, it feels deeper than it really is.
But, Bucknell did what Bucknell has had to do a lot of lately, rally from behind.
Key three pointers by Abe Badmus and Jason Vegotsky fueled a late first half charge, and the inside play of Chris McNaughton and Donald Brown was too much in the second half as the Bison defeated Colgate 50-36 at Sojka Pavilion Saturday afternoon.
It was Bucknell's 29th consecutive home win, and the fifth straight over the Raiders. More importantly, the Bison picked up their 10th and kept pace one game back of Holy Cross in the league standings at 4-1.
Oh, and don't forget about that Bison defense either. Bucknell held Colgate scoreless for a seven minute stretch of the first half.
It wasn't just the seven minute stretch that frustrated Raiders head coach Emmett Davis, it was the entire late first half and second half performance; Repeated looks late that didn't fall, turnovers, being out-rebounded by the Bison,
"Bucknell got to the ball quicker," said Davis. "I thought they did that throughout the second half. They were just quicker to the loose balls and we didn't shoot the ball from three or anywhere for that matter very well. When you shoot the ball that poorly and you score that number of points its hard to beat anybody."
McNaughton had only three field goal attempts in the first half, but finally ended the early drought when he connected in the paint on a beautiful pass from Brown. It was the start of something big. Over half of Bucknell's 50 points came in the paint.
Colgate's Daniel Waddy responded by giving the Red Raiders the lead at 12-10 with 4:46 to play, but Badmus connected from deep the next trip down the floor for the Bison to give them lead they would hold the rest of the way.
A minute later, Vegotsky, hit from the right wing to extend the lead, and then on the next Bison possession hit his only other basket, a three-pointer from the left wing for a 19-14 lead with 2:38 to play in the first half.
"What we started doing was rebounding a little bit better and we got ourselves going a little bit," Flannery said.
The Bison defense clamped down on Colgate in the second half, holding them to 6-of-17 shooting and overall held the Raiders to a dismal 26-percent for the game. Colgate also went 0-14 from the arch for the contest.
"I thought we did a real good job defensively," said Flannery. "I thought the big difference as the game went along, the things they were doing to Donald Brown, he really showed a lot of maturity tonight and really did a great job adjusting to the way they were playing him. Chris has really been playing well and hard and I really like what our upper classmen did tonight."
The Bison immediately went to McNaughton to start the second half and that started a stretch of 16 points in the paint in 15 minutes. All other Bison points in that stretch came via the free throw line because of the position Brown, McNaughton and reserve forward Darren Mastropaolo had inside against a lesser Raiders interior defense.
"I just relied on my teammates because I knew they were capable of making plays and I just let the game come to me," Brown said.
McNaughton acknowledged that it was tough inside, but repeatedly, he was able to seal on the baseline or in the lane and beat his man to the bucket for high percentage shots.
"They have some pretty physical guys in there trying to play me one-on-one. It's always tough playing Colgate, you know it's going to be a physical game," McNaughton said. "I think we just have to do a good job of playing physical ourselves, I think we can play physical."
Flannery should be pleased with the play of his underclassmen as well. He put a rotation on the floor that consisted of Justin Castleberry, Stephen Tyree and Patrick Behan early in the first half. Castleberry struggled, but Tyree and Behan combined 2-of-4 shooting and played 18 minutes. Tyree's tip-in off a Brown miss gave the Bison a 23-16 first half lead and caused the near sellout crowd to erupt for the freshman.
"Certainly, defensively we weren't giving them a lot of looks," Flannery said. "Offensively the right guys got the ball."
McNaughton led the Bison with 12, Brown added 11 and six rebounds. Kendall Chones led Colgate with nine.
Notes: The Bison held the rebound advantage 35-21. . .Colgate as a team had just five assists and turned the ball over 13 times. John Griffin did not have an assist and had one turnover. . . he is among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio . . . the 36 points allowed by the Bison were the fewest since January 18th of last season when they gave up 32 to Lafayette . . . Jon Simon, who hit eight 3-pointers against Lehigh was held to 2-of-11 shooting and was 0-of-5 from the arch . . . It was the ninth time in 11 games Colgate failed to shoot 40 percent from the floor . . . Colgate's Willie Morse was a DNP in front of a crowd that included early arrivals for a high school nightcap between his alma mater State College and a Hazleton team coached by BU grad Mike Joseph . . . Morse sat after missing most of the past week's practices with the flu
Box score | Photo Gallery | Daily Item
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Saturday, January 20, 2007
With Army-Navy on hold until Sunday, there are just three games on tap today, all involving matchups between the early season haves and early season have-nots.
Colgate at Bucknell ESPNU, Sirius 123 (matchup) -- Bucknell's 23-game league win streak came to an end last week in Worcester. Their 28-game streak of league wins at home is still intact.
Colgate is the worst shooting team in the league, barely hitting over 40 percent on the season (40.9). Normally you would not think of Sojka Pavilion as a good place for a team that shoots poorly to visit. But here is one of the most surprising stats of the season: Bucknell ranks next to last in the league in field goal percentage defense (44.3 percent).
The biggest concern for Bucknell is Colgate's Jon Simon, who went off for 28 points Wednesday at Lehigh. Simon's 8 three-pointers kept the Raiders in that game right to the end. The Bison have had a knack for letting teams hits enough threes to stick around.
Expect a few more folks cheering Colgate than normal. Raiders guard Willie Morse is from State College H.S., 45 minutes out Route 45 from Lewisburg. The State College H.S. team will take on Hazleton -- coached by Bucknell grad Mike Joseph -- in Sojka following the BU-CU game.
Holy Cross at American (matchup) -- Holy Cross returns to the road after a three-game homestand, looking to solidify its hold on first place. The Crusaders are on a roll, having won six in a row -- including a 4-0 start in league play -- and seven of their last eight.
American is hoping a return to Bender will stop the bleeding. After a 7-2 start, AU has gone 2-7 in its last 9 games, including a 1-3 start in league play. Despite their struggles, the Eagles are still 6-0 at home this season.
Two years ago, HC's Tim Clifford had his coming out party at Bender with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double in a short-notice first start after Nate Lufkin rolled an ankle at Navy two days earlier. Clifford followed that up with a 27-point effort against AU in Worcester last season that still stands as his career-high.
If Clifford is going to have a big scoring day against AU this afternoon, it probably will come at the free throw line. American has a boatload of frontcourt players and Jeff Jones will probably throw them all at Clifford in an effort to keep him in check.
What Jones doesn't have is anybody who can match up with Keith Simmons (who in the league does?). The best AU can hope for in the backcourt is to get enough scoring from Andre Ingram and Arvydas Eitutavicius to even Simmons out.
Lafayette at Lehigh (matchup) -- The league's highest scoring offense hosts the league's worst scoring defense in a meeting of the two archrivals from the Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh needs a win to keep pace with Bucknell for second place in the league standings. Lafayette is currently tied with Navy, American and Colgate for last place -- all at 1-3. Stabler Arena is not the place you want to visit needing a win. The Mountain Hawks are 7-1 at home and just a second or two and a questionable whistle from being unbeaten there.
In their own building, the Leopards have shown the ability to shoot enough threes to hang with two of the league's best. To get a win here, they will need to show they can do it on the road and that they can maintain it for 40 minutes -- something they were unable to do at home against HC and Bucknell.
Talk about Lehigh personnel usually starts with Jose Olivero. But Marquis Hall and Kyle Neptune are also three-point threats, capable of shredding Lafayette's zone from the perimeter if their shots are falling. Inside, Skinny Phil (Anderson) has scored in double figures three straight games and has the kind of matchup against Lafayette's undersized front line to do it a fourth time here.
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Colgate at Bucknell ESPNU, Sirius 123 (matchup) -- Bucknell's 23-game league win streak came to an end last week in Worcester. Their 28-game streak of league wins at home is still intact.
Colgate is the worst shooting team in the league, barely hitting over 40 percent on the season (40.9). Normally you would not think of Sojka Pavilion as a good place for a team that shoots poorly to visit. But here is one of the most surprising stats of the season: Bucknell ranks next to last in the league in field goal percentage defense (44.3 percent).
The biggest concern for Bucknell is Colgate's Jon Simon, who went off for 28 points Wednesday at Lehigh. Simon's 8 three-pointers kept the Raiders in that game right to the end. The Bison have had a knack for letting teams hits enough threes to stick around.
Expect a few more folks cheering Colgate than normal. Raiders guard Willie Morse is from State College H.S., 45 minutes out Route 45 from Lewisburg. The State College H.S. team will take on Hazleton -- coached by Bucknell grad Mike Joseph -- in Sojka following the BU-CU game.
Holy Cross at American (matchup) -- Holy Cross returns to the road after a three-game homestand, looking to solidify its hold on first place. The Crusaders are on a roll, having won six in a row -- including a 4-0 start in league play -- and seven of their last eight.
American is hoping a return to Bender will stop the bleeding. After a 7-2 start, AU has gone 2-7 in its last 9 games, including a 1-3 start in league play. Despite their struggles, the Eagles are still 6-0 at home this season.
Two years ago, HC's Tim Clifford had his coming out party at Bender with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double in a short-notice first start after Nate Lufkin rolled an ankle at Navy two days earlier. Clifford followed that up with a 27-point effort against AU in Worcester last season that still stands as his career-high.
If Clifford is going to have a big scoring day against AU this afternoon, it probably will come at the free throw line. American has a boatload of frontcourt players and Jeff Jones will probably throw them all at Clifford in an effort to keep him in check.
What Jones doesn't have is anybody who can match up with Keith Simmons (who in the league does?). The best AU can hope for in the backcourt is to get enough scoring from Andre Ingram and Arvydas Eitutavicius to even Simmons out.
Lafayette at Lehigh (matchup) -- The league's highest scoring offense hosts the league's worst scoring defense in a meeting of the two archrivals from the Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh needs a win to keep pace with Bucknell for second place in the league standings. Lafayette is currently tied with Navy, American and Colgate for last place -- all at 1-3. Stabler Arena is not the place you want to visit needing a win. The Mountain Hawks are 7-1 at home and just a second or two and a questionable whistle from being unbeaten there.
In their own building, the Leopards have shown the ability to shoot enough threes to hang with two of the league's best. To get a win here, they will need to show they can do it on the road and that they can maintain it for 40 minutes -- something they were unable to do at home against HC and Bucknell.
Talk about Lehigh personnel usually starts with Jose Olivero. But Marquis Hall and Kyle Neptune are also three-point threats, capable of shredding Lafayette's zone from the perimeter if their shots are falling. Inside, Skinny Phil (Anderson) has scored in double figures three straight games and has the kind of matchup against Lafayette's undersized front line to do it a fourth time here.
Labels: AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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Thursday, January 18, 2007
Jon Simon was 8 for 11 from the three-point arc, but it was not enough to lift Colgate over the Mountain Hawks.
Simon's 28-point night included a 35-footer at the buzzer. But it was rendered meaningless by a Jose Olivero free throw with 1.1 seconds to play that gave Lehigh a 4-point cushion.
Lehigh's 60-59 win was its seventh in eight home games this season and its seventh in a row at home in league play, dating to last season.
Kendall Chones added 12 points for the Raiders, who shot over 40 percent (21 of 49 - 42.9 percent) for just the second time in 10 games. The loss was the sixth in the last seven games for Colgate (6-11 overall, 1-3 Patriot).
Olivero lead Lehigh with 20 points. Kyle Neptune added 11 and Skinny Phil Anderson added 10. It was Anderson's third straight double-figures effort.
Neither team shot particularly well at the free throw line. Colgate was 8 for 16 at the stripe; Lehigh 11 for 18. But Olivero, who was 9 for 11 at the line, made the one that mattered most.
Box score | Express-Times | Morning Call
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Simon's 28-point night included a 35-footer at the buzzer. But it was rendered meaningless by a Jose Olivero free throw with 1.1 seconds to play that gave Lehigh a 4-point cushion.
Lehigh's 60-59 win was its seventh in eight home games this season and its seventh in a row at home in league play, dating to last season.
Kendall Chones added 12 points for the Raiders, who shot over 40 percent (21 of 49 - 42.9 percent) for just the second time in 10 games. The loss was the sixth in the last seven games for Colgate (6-11 overall, 1-3 Patriot).
Olivero lead Lehigh with 20 points. Kyle Neptune added 11 and Skinny Phil Anderson added 10. It was Anderson's third straight double-figures effort.
Neither team shot particularly well at the free throw line. Colgate was 8 for 16 at the stripe; Lehigh 11 for 18. But Olivero, who was 9 for 11 at the line, made the one that mattered most.
Box score | Express-Times | Morning Call
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
An old-fashioned full slate of Wednesday night games are on tap tonight.Bucknall at Lafayette (matchup)-- Bucknell would like nothing better than to start a new league win streak after having its 23-game run end at Holy Cross. It won't be as easy to do that as some might expect. The Bison have a tremendous edge inside, but Lafayette probably won't play a lick of man defense and its zone can make it tough to take advantage of that edge in the post. That is especially so if Bucknell can't knock down a enough threes to force the Leopards to guard the perimieter.
On the other hand, Lafayette is one of the league's best perimeter shooting teams and Bucknell has had trouble defending the three in each of its three league games thus far. There won't be many, if any, easy road games in this league and if the threes are falling for the Leopards, this could be an upset.Daily Item preview
American at Army (matchup)-- The Black Knights are full of confidence after their win over Lehigh Saturday. They will need to play a similar game to beat American for the first time since the Eagles joined the league. That means finding offense from places besides Jarrell Brown and Matt Bell, shutting down Andre Ingram the way they shut down Jose Olivero and keeping Chris Walker out of foul trouble.
For American, which entered the season with realistic hopes of being a contender in the league, a win here is pretty much required if they want to regain that status. The Eagles cannot afford to fall to 1-3 in league play with Holy Cross on tap Saturday. The area where AU should have an edge is in the frontcourt. That edge will magnify if they can put Walker on the bench with foul problems. The trouble is, though American ought to have a real advantage around the basket with its deep, and big, front line, that has been an area that has been inconsistent and underperforming for the Eagles all season. Army hoops on the rise (Lawrence (Kans.) Journal-World)
Navy at Holy Cross (matchup)-- Like every other team in the league, Navy has no match for Keith Simmons. Like most, it also has no match for Tim Clifford. Navy's hopes for an upset probably depend on two things -- getting incredibly hot from the arc and hoping the Crusaders have a post-Bucknell letdown.
Given the way HC plays defense, the former is not likely. Given HC's tendancy to lose focus when it gets ahead in games, it is not beyond the realm of possibility they could have a mental lapse in this situation. There is, though, a very wide gap here between possible and probable -- especially in Worcester.
Colgate at Lehigh (matchup)-- The Mountain Hawks are less than a second away from being unbeaten at home. The Raiders are only a few seconds removed from being winless in the league. Don't expect it to be easy for the Mountain Hawks -- not much has been this season. But Colgate has trouble shooting against weak defenses in cozy barns. In Stabler, which has never been known as a great place for visiting teams to shoot, against a Lehigh team that emphasizes defense, the Raiders struggles from the field aren't likely to be cured tonight. It won't be any surprise if this one is determined at the foul line, and jump-shooting Colgate seldom wins those kinds of battles. It's not that the Raiders can't shoot free throws. They just don't seem to get many opportunities to go to the line. That is not likely to change on the road -- especially not in Stabler.
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On the other hand, Lafayette is one of the league's best perimeter shooting teams and Bucknell has had trouble defending the three in each of its three league games thus far. There won't be many, if any, easy road games in this league and if the threes are falling for the Leopards, this could be an upset.
American at Army (matchup)-- The Black Knights are full of confidence after their win over Lehigh Saturday. They will need to play a similar game to beat American for the first time since the Eagles joined the league. That means finding offense from places besides Jarrell Brown and Matt Bell, shutting down Andre Ingram the way they shut down Jose Olivero and keeping Chris Walker out of foul trouble.
For American, which entered the season with realistic hopes of being a contender in the league, a win here is pretty much required if they want to regain that status. The Eagles cannot afford to fall to 1-3 in league play with Holy Cross on tap Saturday. The area where AU should have an edge is in the frontcourt. That edge will magnify if they can put Walker on the bench with foul problems. The trouble is, though American ought to have a real advantage around the basket with its deep, and big, front line, that has been an area that has been inconsistent and underperforming for the Eagles all season.
Navy at Holy Cross (matchup)-- Like every other team in the league, Navy has no match for Keith Simmons. Like most, it also has no match for Tim Clifford. Navy's hopes for an upset probably depend on two things -- getting incredibly hot from the arc and hoping the Crusaders have a post-Bucknell letdown.
Given the way HC plays defense, the former is not likely. Given HC's tendancy to lose focus when it gets ahead in games, it is not beyond the realm of possibility they could have a mental lapse in this situation. There is, though, a very wide gap here between possible and probable -- especially in Worcester.
Colgate at Lehigh (matchup)-- The Mountain Hawks are less than a second away from being unbeaten at home. The Raiders are only a few seconds removed from being winless in the league. Don't expect it to be easy for the Mountain Hawks -- not much has been this season. But Colgate has trouble shooting against weak defenses in cozy barns. In Stabler, which has never been known as a great place for visiting teams to shoot, against a Lehigh team that emphasizes defense, the Raiders struggles from the field aren't likely to be cured tonight. It won't be any surprise if this one is determined at the foul line, and jump-shooting Colgate seldom wins those kinds of battles. It's not that the Raiders can't shoot free throws. They just don't seem to get many opportunities to go to the line. That is not likely to change on the road -- especially not in Stabler.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, January 14, 2007
Three new starters in 70-48 loss at American couldn't change the fact the Raiders can't shoot.
Colgate coach Emmett Davis started Trevaron Vinson (12 points), Willie Morse and freshman ben Johnson in an attempt to find someone other than Kendall Chones (16 points) and Jon Simon to put the ball in the basket. It only gave the Raiders more of the same. Colgate made just 5 field goals in the first half en route to another ugly shooting performance, finishing 14 of 48 (29.2 percent), with 2 treys on 9 tries from the arc. It was the eighth time in nine games Colgate shot below 40 percent from the field.
This one effectively ended in the first half, when American used a 12-0 run to break open a 13-10 game. The Eagles lead was never below 11 after that.
Andre Ingram's 24-points led 11 AU players who scored and tied his season high. The Eagles were no offensive juggernaut, going 27 of 62 (43.5 percent from the field. But Au turned it over just 8 times, dished out 19 assists (5 for Derrick Mercer) and outrebounded Colgate 43-32, including a 12-7 edge on offensive boards.
It's just the second W in the last eight games and the first conference win of the season for AU (9-8 overall, 1-2 PL), which opened league play with two road games. Colgate (6-10, 1-2) lost for the fifth time in six games.
Box score | AP
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Colgate coach Emmett Davis started Trevaron Vinson (12 points), Willie Morse and freshman ben Johnson in an attempt to find someone other than Kendall Chones (16 points) and Jon Simon to put the ball in the basket. It only gave the Raiders more of the same. Colgate made just 5 field goals in the first half en route to another ugly shooting performance, finishing 14 of 48 (29.2 percent), with 2 treys on 9 tries from the arc. It was the eighth time in nine games Colgate shot below 40 percent from the field.
This one effectively ended in the first half, when American used a 12-0 run to break open a 13-10 game. The Eagles lead was never below 11 after that.
Andre Ingram's 24-points led 11 AU players who scored and tied his season high. The Eagles were no offensive juggernaut, going 27 of 62 (43.5 percent from the field. But Au turned it over just 8 times, dished out 19 assists (5 for Derrick Mercer) and outrebounded Colgate 43-32, including a 12-7 edge on offensive boards.
It's just the second W in the last eight games and the first conference win of the season for AU (9-8 overall, 1-2 PL), which opened league play with two road games. Colgate (6-10, 1-2) lost for the fifth time in six games.
Box score | AP
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Saturday, January 13, 2007
Three games on tap today. We'll be at West Point, getting our first look at Army when it hosts Lehigh (matchup). The Black Knights' strong start has come nearly to a halt with five losses in the Black Knights' last six games, including an 0-2 start -- both on the road -- in league play.
Army (10-7) badly needs a win at home in Christl to regain some of the momentum of its 9-2 start. Lehigh (7-11) finally won a road game -- its first of the season -- at Navy Wednesday. The Mountain Hawks win here and suddenly their horrid start is an object looking smaller in the rear view mirror.
Army's Jarrell Brown and Lehigh's Jose Olivero are two of the league's top offensive forces, but the key to this one will probably be in the paint, where Army's burly freshman Chris Walker will match up with a Lehigh frontline that is still without Jason Mgebroff. Skinny Phil Anderson has played well enough to keep the Hawks from getting dominated inside in Mgebroff's absence. Here he could have a chance to do even more if Walker can't stay out of the foul trouble that has plagued him in recent games.
Also on tap today: Lafayette looks to improve to 2-1 in conference play at Navy (matchup), which is still looking for its first league win. Whoever hits the most jumpers wins.
American, reeling after two straight losses to open league play and six setbacks in its last seven, tries to get back on track when it hosts Colgate's gang that can't shoot straight (matchup). Colgate has lost four of its last five and has shot over 40 percent once in its last eight games.
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Hometown Hero: Donald Brown (Newsday)
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Army (10-7) badly needs a win at home in Christl to regain some of the momentum of its 9-2 start. Lehigh (7-11) finally won a road game -- its first of the season -- at Navy Wednesday. The Mountain Hawks win here and suddenly their horrid start is an object looking smaller in the rear view mirror.
Army's Jarrell Brown and Lehigh's Jose Olivero are two of the league's top offensive forces, but the key to this one will probably be in the paint, where Army's burly freshman Chris Walker will match up with a Lehigh frontline that is still without Jason Mgebroff. Skinny Phil Anderson has played well enough to keep the Hawks from getting dominated inside in Mgebroff's absence. Here he could have a chance to do even more if Walker can't stay out of the foul trouble that has plagued him in recent games.
Also on tap today: Lafayette looks to improve to 2-1 in conference play at Navy (matchup), which is still looking for its first league win. Whoever hits the most jumpers wins.
American, reeling after two straight losses to open league play and six setbacks in its last seven, tries to get back on track when it hosts Colgate's gang that can't shoot straight (matchup). Colgate has lost four of its last five and has shot over 40 percent once in its last eight games.
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Labels: Army, AU, CU, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, January 11, 2007
The gang that can't shoot straight hosted the gang that couldn't miss last night in Hamilton. The outcome was predictable.
When another team comes into your gym and knocks down 63.9 percent (23 of 36) of its shots, you're going to have a tough time satisfying your 521 fans, which is exactly what happened in Lafayette's 71-65 win at Colgate last night.
The Leopards started with a 13-0 run and led by 15 after shooting 71.4 (15 of 21) percent from the field in the first half and held that margin well into the second half before Colgate chipped away to get back into the game. The Raiders pulled to within 2 (65-63) with 40 seconds left, but Lafayette hit their free throws down the stretch to hold off the charge.
Colgate came out of the gate colder than a Hamilton night, going 8 for 28 (28.6 percent) from the field the first half -- 1 of 8 (7.7 percent) from the arc. The Raiders finished 21 of 54 (38.9 percent) from the field, 5 of 22 (22.7 percent) from the arc. It was the seventh time in eight games the Raiders shot under 40 percent.
Bilal Abdullah led Lafayette with 16. Everest Schmidt (12) and Ted Detmer (11) also reached double figures for the Leopards (7-10 overall, 1-1 Patriot).
Jon Simon led Colgate (6-9, 1-1) with 24. Kendall Chones added 13 and had 6 rebounds. Colgate outrebounded the 'Pards 31-23, including 19 offensive boards, which kept them in the game.
Box score | AP
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When another team comes into your gym and knocks down 63.9 percent (23 of 36) of its shots, you're going to have a tough time satisfying your 521 fans, which is exactly what happened in Lafayette's 71-65 win at Colgate last night.
The Leopards started with a 13-0 run and led by 15 after shooting 71.4 (15 of 21) percent from the field in the first half and held that margin well into the second half before Colgate chipped away to get back into the game. The Raiders pulled to within 2 (65-63) with 40 seconds left, but Lafayette hit their free throws down the stretch to hold off the charge.
Colgate came out of the gate colder than a Hamilton night, going 8 for 28 (28.6 percent) from the field the first half -- 1 of 8 (7.7 percent) from the arc. The Raiders finished 21 of 54 (38.9 percent) from the field, 5 of 22 (22.7 percent) from the arc. It was the seventh time in eight games the Raiders shot under 40 percent.
Bilal Abdullah led Lafayette with 16. Everest Schmidt (12) and Ted Detmer (11) also reached double figures for the Leopards (7-10 overall, 1-1 Patriot).
Jon Simon led Colgate (6-9, 1-1) with 24. Kendall Chones added 13 and had 6 rebounds. Colgate outrebounded the 'Pards 31-23, including 19 offensive boards, which kept them in the game.
Box score | AP
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Sunday, January 07, 2007
The Chones brothers carried the Raiders in the league opener for both teams.
Colgate snapped its three-game win streak and its streak of six straight games shooting under 40 percent from the field in a game allegedly played in front of a season-high crowd of 625 fans in Hamilton. But the win probably tells us more about Army than it does about Colgate.
The Black Knights came in at 10-5 against an admittedly weak schedule. Had they been able to shoot better at the foul line, they would have left Hamilton 11-6. But Army, which actually outscored Colgate from the field, was just 13 of 21 at the line, while Colgate hit 18 of 22. Among the Army misses were a pair from freshman Chris Walker at the end of overtime that would have forced a second extra session.
While the loss confirms Army is not yet ready to contend in the league, the nature of it also seems to confirm suspicions about Colgate. Walker is Army's only legitimate post presence and he played only 15 minutes due to foul trouble, and the Raiders still needed OT and missed Army free throws to win at home.
After trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, Army battled back to take a 63-62 lead on a three from Jarrell Brown, who finished with 30 points, including 8 three-pointers, both career highs.
The Black Knights got a turnover on the next Colgate possession, but squandered the chance to solidify the lead when Marcus Nelson (3 for 9) missed a jumper with the shot clock about to expire.
Army got another stop on Colgate's next possession, but not the rebound, Actually, they got two stops, and failed to get two rebounds. Alex Woodhouse got the second offensive rebound of the possession for Colgate, was fouled and made both to put Colgate back up.
Matt Bell (18 points) put Army back up one with a layup at the other end. But Woodhouse was fouled again, and made one of two to tie it.
Both teams missed potential game-winners in the last 31 seconds of OT.
Colgate opened the overtimes with a 7-0 run, then yielded a 6-0 Army run. Jon Simon made one of two at the line to give the Raiders a 2 point lead with 17 seconds left in OT.
Army went for the win, with Corban Bates putting up a three with 3 seconds left. Bates missed, but Walker got the rebound and was fouled by Kendall Chones with 1 second left, but could not extend the game further.
Kyle Chones led Colgate with 16 points. Kendall Chones added 15 and grabbed 8 rebounds. Woodhouse, making his first start of the season, added 12 and Daniel Waddy had 10.
Colgate managed to end its sub-40-percent streak thanks to a 13 for 26 effort in the first half. In the second half the Raiders reverted to form, going 9 of 25 from the field (36 percent), 1 of 5 from the arc. The Raiders finished 25 of 57 (43.9 percent) with 5 treys on 15 tries.
Army shot 25 of 51 (49 percent), 8 of 18 from three-point range.
Box score | AP | Utica O-D
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Colgate snapped its three-game win streak and its streak of six straight games shooting under 40 percent from the field in a game allegedly played in front of a season-high crowd of 625 fans in Hamilton. But the win probably tells us more about Army than it does about Colgate.
The Black Knights came in at 10-5 against an admittedly weak schedule. Had they been able to shoot better at the foul line, they would have left Hamilton 11-6. But Army, which actually outscored Colgate from the field, was just 13 of 21 at the line, while Colgate hit 18 of 22. Among the Army misses were a pair from freshman Chris Walker at the end of overtime that would have forced a second extra session.
While the loss confirms Army is not yet ready to contend in the league, the nature of it also seems to confirm suspicions about Colgate. Walker is Army's only legitimate post presence and he played only 15 minutes due to foul trouble, and the Raiders still needed OT and missed Army free throws to win at home.
After trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, Army battled back to take a 63-62 lead on a three from Jarrell Brown, who finished with 30 points, including 8 three-pointers, both career highs.
The Black Knights got a turnover on the next Colgate possession, but squandered the chance to solidify the lead when Marcus Nelson (3 for 9) missed a jumper with the shot clock about to expire.
Army got another stop on Colgate's next possession, but not the rebound, Actually, they got two stops, and failed to get two rebounds. Alex Woodhouse got the second offensive rebound of the possession for Colgate, was fouled and made both to put Colgate back up.
Matt Bell (18 points) put Army back up one with a layup at the other end. But Woodhouse was fouled again, and made one of two to tie it.
Both teams missed potential game-winners in the last 31 seconds of OT.
Colgate opened the overtimes with a 7-0 run, then yielded a 6-0 Army run. Jon Simon made one of two at the line to give the Raiders a 2 point lead with 17 seconds left in OT.
Army went for the win, with Corban Bates putting up a three with 3 seconds left. Bates missed, but Walker got the rebound and was fouled by Kendall Chones with 1 second left, but could not extend the game further.
Kyle Chones led Colgate with 16 points. Kendall Chones added 15 and grabbed 8 rebounds. Woodhouse, making his first start of the season, added 12 and Daniel Waddy had 10.
Colgate managed to end its sub-40-percent streak thanks to a 13 for 26 effort in the first half. In the second half the Raiders reverted to form, going 9 of 25 from the field (36 percent), 1 of 5 from the arc. The Raiders finished 25 of 57 (43.9 percent) with 5 treys on 15 tries.
Army shot 25 of 51 (49 percent), 8 of 18 from three-point range.
Box score | AP | Utica O-D
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Saturday, January 06, 2007
After two months of getting ready, the only games that will really count are about to begin.
Forget that preseason talk about this being the Patriot League's year for two bids. Those possibilities dimmed when Bucknell lost its opener at Albany and any flickers of hope were extinguished by Holy Cross' agonizing shorthanded road trip through Syracuse, Dayton and Duke.
There is not a team in the league with a prayer of an at large bid, so the league championship will be, as it always has been, for all the marbles.
With this year's funky Division Three style all games on home courts tournament, that makes the regular season even more important. Just look at Lehigh to understand the significance. The Mountain Hawks can't win a road game, but are withing 0.4 seconds and one point of being unbeatable at home. Think anybody wants to visit Stabler in March with their season on the line?
With the kind of parity there seems to be in the league this year, a team that defends its own house and goes .500 on the road ought to stand a pretty fair chance of hosting at least one tournament game. It might not take a lot more than that and some tiebreaker magic to give a team the home court throughout the tournament.
Even though late in the season folks tend to forget what happened in January, the games played today will have just as much bearing on tournament seeding as the games played on the final weekend of the regular season.
Today's games will also start to establish the league's pecking order. If American wants to be a contender, it is going to have to be able to win games like it faces tonight, on the road against a shorthanded but still tough Lehigh team. If Navy wants to prove its nice start is for real, there is no better place to do it than on two-time defending champ Bucknell's floor. Army can prove it is ready to escape the league cellar with a win at Colgate.
We'll start the season in Easton, with a Holy Cross-Lafayette women's-men's double dip. A full gameblog for the men's game won't be possible due to deadline constraints for the Worcester T&G, but we will try to post some halftime notes, with the full game story and postgame audio following the men's game.
Might even pop in over at Stabler on the way back from Easton to catch some of that American at Lehigh game, listening to Navy at Bucknell on Sirius 147.
Here is a quick look at today's league openers:
Army at Colgate, 1 p.m.: (matchup) Most places a hostile home crowd is the reason behind the home court advantage. In Hamilton, it seems the opposite. Opposing teams seem to struggle to get into the game when playing in a glorified high school gym in front of an audience (dare you call it a crowd?) so small you can count the noses during a timeout. That should be no problem for Army, which is used to small crowds.
This is Army's chance to make a "No basement for us" kind of statement. It's Colgate's chance for a fresh start after a horrid non-conference run. These two met in West Point to open league play last season, with Colgate a 71-58 winner. We'll see how far Army has come since then.
Holy Cross at Lafayette, 4 p.m.: (matchup) Shorthanded Holy Cross might be even shorter-handed for this one. Junior off guard Kyle Cruze suffered a scratched cornea in Wednesday's win at Boston U. With a short rotation due to a rash of injuries, Ralph Willard has been employing a lot of 2-3 zone of late. It will be interesting to see if Lafayette, which has a host of perimeter snipers, can shoot the Crusaders out of that zone D.
Expect Holy Cross to look inside to Tim Clifford early and often in this one. Lafayette has no match for the 6-10 junior. If Clifford plays well, it will open a lot up for Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas. But Clifford has been spotty all season and an off night could mean a much-tougher-than-anticipated battle for HC, especially if Lafayette starts knocking down the threes.
Navy at Bucknell, 7 p.m.: (matchup) This is the Mids chance to show its 10-5 start is for real. Navy's record certainly looks better than Bucknell's 6-7 start, but two of the wins came against Division Three schools and only two came against teams with RPIs in the top 200 (Stony Brook -- 181, William and Mary -- 192). Navy has show it can win outside of Alumni Hall, going 3-3 on the road in non-conference play. But this won't be a trip to NJIT or Longwood. Bucknell is riding a 21-game league win streak and has not lost a league game at home since March of 2003, winning 26 in a row at home against league foes. Navy has never won in Sojka Pavilion and has not won in Lewisburg since February of 2001. But this is not the same Bucknell team that set those standards. this game will tell us a lot about both teams. Is Navy legit? Are the Bison at home still the gold standard in the league despite their sub .500 non-conference record?
The matchups on the perimeter might be a slight edge to Navy if their jump shots are falling. But 6-10 freshman Trey Stanton will have his hands full against Bucknell senior Chris McNaughton and the Mids don't have any real match for Donald Brown. All in all, an interesting opener for both.
American at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.: (matchup) Lehigh has been near perfect at home (5-1, the loss coming by 1 point). But without Jason Mgebroff, the Mountain Hawks could be over-matched by American's bigs inside. Lehigh will need a big game from Jose Olivero, who is due after two straight 7-point showings. Prior to those two off nights, Olivero had 20 straight double figures games. While AU seems to have the personnel edge, it still has not proven it is mentally tough enough to go into a hostile place and grind out a win, which is what it takes to win on the road in conference play. AU ended a four-game skid with a win Tuesday at home over Saint Francis (Pa.). They will need to play even better to extend their modest win streak to two.
BONUS LINKS: Knights (10-5) among early surprises as league schedule opens (Times Herald-Record)
Navy clashes with establishment (Annapolis Capital)
Time to break down the fun conferences (Kyle on ESPN.com)
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Forget that preseason talk about this being the Patriot League's year for two bids. Those possibilities dimmed when Bucknell lost its opener at Albany and any flickers of hope were extinguished by Holy Cross' agonizing shorthanded road trip through Syracuse, Dayton and Duke.
There is not a team in the league with a prayer of an at large bid, so the league championship will be, as it always has been, for all the marbles.
With this year's funky Division Three style all games on home courts tournament, that makes the regular season even more important. Just look at Lehigh to understand the significance. The Mountain Hawks can't win a road game, but are withing 0.4 seconds and one point of being unbeatable at home. Think anybody wants to visit Stabler in March with their season on the line?
With the kind of parity there seems to be in the league this year, a team that defends its own house and goes .500 on the road ought to stand a pretty fair chance of hosting at least one tournament game. It might not take a lot more than that and some tiebreaker magic to give a team the home court throughout the tournament.
Even though late in the season folks tend to forget what happened in January, the games played today will have just as much bearing on tournament seeding as the games played on the final weekend of the regular season.
Today's games will also start to establish the league's pecking order. If American wants to be a contender, it is going to have to be able to win games like it faces tonight, on the road against a shorthanded but still tough Lehigh team. If Navy wants to prove its nice start is for real, there is no better place to do it than on two-time defending champ Bucknell's floor. Army can prove it is ready to escape the league cellar with a win at Colgate.
We'll start the season in Easton, with a Holy Cross-Lafayette women's-men's double dip. A full gameblog for the men's game won't be possible due to deadline constraints for the Worcester T&G, but we will try to post some halftime notes, with the full game story and postgame audio following the men's game.
Might even pop in over at Stabler on the way back from Easton to catch some of that American at Lehigh game, listening to Navy at Bucknell on Sirius 147.
Here is a quick look at today's league openers:
Army at Colgate, 1 p.m.: (matchup) Most places a hostile home crowd is the reason behind the home court advantage. In Hamilton, it seems the opposite. Opposing teams seem to struggle to get into the game when playing in a glorified high school gym in front of an audience (dare you call it a crowd?) so small you can count the noses during a timeout. That should be no problem for Army, which is used to small crowds.
This is Army's chance to make a "No basement for us" kind of statement. It's Colgate's chance for a fresh start after a horrid non-conference run. These two met in West Point to open league play last season, with Colgate a 71-58 winner. We'll see how far Army has come since then.
Holy Cross at Lafayette, 4 p.m.: (matchup) Shorthanded Holy Cross might be even shorter-handed for this one. Junior off guard Kyle Cruze suffered a scratched cornea in Wednesday's win at Boston U. With a short rotation due to a rash of injuries, Ralph Willard has been employing a lot of 2-3 zone of late. It will be interesting to see if Lafayette, which has a host of perimeter snipers, can shoot the Crusaders out of that zone D.
Expect Holy Cross to look inside to Tim Clifford early and often in this one. Lafayette has no match for the 6-10 junior. If Clifford plays well, it will open a lot up for Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas. But Clifford has been spotty all season and an off night could mean a much-tougher-than-anticipated battle for HC, especially if Lafayette starts knocking down the threes.
Navy at Bucknell, 7 p.m.: (matchup) This is the Mids chance to show its 10-5 start is for real. Navy's record certainly looks better than Bucknell's 6-7 start, but two of the wins came against Division Three schools and only two came against teams with RPIs in the top 200 (Stony Brook -- 181, William and Mary -- 192). Navy has show it can win outside of Alumni Hall, going 3-3 on the road in non-conference play. But this won't be a trip to NJIT or Longwood. Bucknell is riding a 21-game league win streak and has not lost a league game at home since March of 2003, winning 26 in a row at home against league foes. Navy has never won in Sojka Pavilion and has not won in Lewisburg since February of 2001. But this is not the same Bucknell team that set those standards. this game will tell us a lot about both teams. Is Navy legit? Are the Bison at home still the gold standard in the league despite their sub .500 non-conference record?
The matchups on the perimeter might be a slight edge to Navy if their jump shots are falling. But 6-10 freshman Trey Stanton will have his hands full against Bucknell senior Chris McNaughton and the Mids don't have any real match for Donald Brown. All in all, an interesting opener for both.
American at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.: (matchup) Lehigh has been near perfect at home (5-1, the loss coming by 1 point). But without Jason Mgebroff, the Mountain Hawks could be over-matched by American's bigs inside. Lehigh will need a big game from Jose Olivero, who is due after two straight 7-point showings. Prior to those two off nights, Olivero had 20 straight double figures games. While AU seems to have the personnel edge, it still has not proven it is mentally tough enough to go into a hostile place and grind out a win, which is what it takes to win on the road in conference play. AU ended a four-game skid with a win Tuesday at home over Saint Francis (Pa.). They will need to play even better to extend their modest win streak to two.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Friday, January 05, 2007
You kept hearing it throughout the preseason: The Patriot League is better top to bottom this year. This week's HOOP TIME NOTEBOOK asks the simple question: is it really?
Sure seemed that way at the beginning of December when league teams were 29-25 against non-conference Division I foes, with a conference RPI of 14.
But over the last two weeks, league teams have gone 10-20, dropping their RPI as a conference to 19, one spot behind the Ivy League, which won the season series between the two leagues again this year. The PL actually held a 7-3 lead in the series heading into December before the Ivies won 9 of the last 10.
Granted the conference RPI for the Patriot League has improved in each of the past four seasons, from 26 in 2003 to 23 in 2004 to 21 last season to 19 this. But the league's measuring stick has long been the Ivy League and the Ancient 8 has a conference RPI of 18, not surprising since the Ivies did so well head-to-head against the Patriots.
On that basis it is hard to say the league is much better. On the other hand, if you look strictly at RPI, the bottom of the league does appear to be significantly stronger. Nobody is ranked below 300 in the RPI and only teams are above 251. Last season four teams finished above 250.
The top of the Patriot League, though, is off. Bucknell was No. 42 last season. This season only one PL team, Holy Cross (97) has an RPI better than 100. Bucknell has returned to the pack. Holy Cross is good, but banged up and not very deep. There appears to be more parity in the league this season, but it would probably be a stretch to say the league is actually better top to bottom. Thus far it seems more like the top and the bottom are meeting in the middle.
THE LEAGUE AT A GLANCE: Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the season to date for league teams.
AMERICAN (8-6, RPI 211)
Best win: 81-74 over 6-6 Loyola (RPI 222) -- AU's only win over a team with an RPI better than 260
Worst loss: 81-79 (OT) at 6-11 (4-11 vs. D-I) Longwood (266) less than a month after beating the Lancers by 11 at home
Biggest surprise: Yet to come; we predict Georgetown transfer Cornelio Guibunda's raw athloetic talent will allow him some impressive performances off the bench in league play
Biggest disappointment: Big things have been expected from 6-11 senior center Paulius Joneliunas since he transferred from South Carolina prior to his junior season but thus far he has not delivered on those expectations.
ARMY (10-5, 8-5 vs. D-I, RPI 211)
Best win: 62-53 over 7-6 Hartford (175)
Worst loss: Home vs. 5-7 Cornell (213)
Biggest surprise: Army's record and RPI. This is the first time since the 2002 season the Black Knights RPI is out of the 300+ range
Biggest disappointment: Senior center Jimmy Sewell who has gone from being a starter as a sophomore to a 6-11 pine jockey with 5 DNPs thus far this season. For a team with only two freshmen taller than 6-7 on the roster, Sewell's failure to develop has been a big (no pun intended) negative.
BUCKNELL (6-7, RPI 134)
Best win: 68-67 at 10-4 Xavier (47) ... it's also the league's best win
Worst loss: 50-48 to a Central Arkansas team with one other D-I win and an RPI (298) out of the 300s only because of beating Bucknell ... it's the league's worst loss
Biggest surprise: The emergence of sophomore guard Justin Castleberry as a key part of Pat Flannery's rotation
Biggest disappointment: Take your pick: Chris McNaughton's sub-50 percent shooting and sub-double figures scoring; The students (and townies) who failed to show up for the Northern Iowa game at Sojka; Donald Brown's inability to adjust to playing the three, which has hurt the Bison on defense by taking a tough defender (Darren Mastropaolo) out of the starting lineup. Brown has been Bucknell's best player since moving to the four, but without him matching up on opponent three-men and sans Mastropaolo, the Bison are not as strong defensively; the late-game collapse against Albany in the season opener; or (our pick) the loss to Central Arkansas.
COLGATE (5-8, 4-8 D-I, RPI 282)
Best win: The Raiders really have no good wins. As close as they get is a 53-47 win over a Leon Pattman-less Dartmouth team that looks better than it was at the time due to Dartmouth's improvement since getting Pattman back in the lineup
Worst loss: 52-36 at 6-7 (5-7 vs. D-I) Arizona State (278)
Biggest surprise: The inability of a team full of alleged shooters to shoot the ball. Colgate has been under 40 percent from the field each of its last six games and on the season is shooting 40.4 percent against D-I teams
Biggest disappointment: That 4-8 record against D-I teams. Colgate is either doing less with more than anybody in the league, or its talent level has been tremendously overrated
HOLY CROSS (9-6, RPI 97)
Best win: 65-57 over 7-5 Siena (78)
Worst loss: 67-61 to 7-7 Niagara, a team with a misleading 244 RPi due to the absence of star Carron Fisher early in the season. Niagara is 6-1 since his return. The disappointment is not losing to Niagara as much as it is the way it happened -- blowing an 11-point, second-half lead
Biggest surprise: Kyle Cruze's emergence as a starter on the wing after the injuries to Pat Doherty and Lawrence Dixon
Biggest disappointment: Those injuries, along with a season-ending injury to freshman Andrew Keister
LAFAYETTE (6-9, 4-9 D-I, RPI 251)
Best win: 76-70 at 4-8 (3-8 D-I) Wagner (283)
Worst loss: 86-51 at 5-9 UMBC (204)
Biggest surprise: 6-4 junior Matt Betley's emergence as the team's top scorer after switching to the four, where he way undersized
Biggest disappointment: The stress fracture in Jamaal Hilliard's foot that is expected to cost him at least 2-4 weeks.
LEHIGH (5-11, 3-11 D-I, RPI 288)
Best win: 72-63 over Sacred Heart (6-7, 145)
Worst loss: 71-55 at Quinnipiac (334), a team with one other win over D-I opposition
Biggest surprise: Jason Mgebroff's strong showing before being sidelined with stress fractures. The 6-11 senior, whose sophomore and junior seasons were all but a washout, was averaging 10.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg before he got hurt.
Biggest disappointment: Megebroff's stress fractures, which will force him to miss 6-8 weeks
NAVY (10-5, 8-5 D-I, RPI 159)
Best win: 87-76 over 5-8 Stony Brook (187)
Worst loss: 74-59 at home to Yale (248), which has just one other D-I win
Biggest surprise: The play of 6-10 freshman Trey Stanton, who has started every game and is averaging 8.8 ppg
Biggest disappointment: In the preseason, Navy coach Billy Lange said 6-9 junior center Ben Biles was "going to have to give us some time." Biles has only played in four games, with just four rebounds and a turnover to break up the zeroes after his name on the stat sheet.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Not a lot of changes from what we predicted when we wrote the Blue Ribbon previews in the summer, though one team has dropped like a rock:
1) Bucknell -- Bison remain the favorite for the regular season title, but a two- or even three-way tie for the regular season would not be a surprise.
2) Holy Cross -- If healthy, HC would probably have been mentioned ahead of Bucknell. If Pat Doherty and Lawrence Dixon come back and contribute, they might be the favorite come tourney time even if they are the No. 2 seed
3) American -- The Eagles are deep, experienced and posess a lot of offensive weapons. Still need the big men to play big when they face quality big men and the whole team needs to be tougher defensively
4) Army -- Defensive effort was never a problem. Size and offense was. Jarell Brown and Matt Bell give the Black Knights as good a scoring duo in the backcourt as there is in the league. Freshman Chris Walker has given them a presence in the paint.
5) Lehigh -- With Mgebroff healthy, the Mountain Hawks would rank a spot, maybe two, higher. If he regains his early season form when he returns, Lehigh could be the tournament dark horse.
6) Navy -- Billy Lange's team has made great strides but is still missing the inside punch needed to take the pressure off the perimeter shooters.
7) Lafayette -- Another team that is improved, but still lacks an inside presence. Matt Betley will not be a matchup problem for guys like Donald Brown, Bryan White, Kendall Chones or Alex Vander Baan; but they will probably be a matchup problem for him.
8) Colgate -- after two seasons of overrating the underachieving Raiders, we are ready to concede we may have been wrong about the level of talent in Hamilton -- on the floor and on the sidelines.
MIDSEASON HONORS: Player of the year: Keith Simmons, HC -- nobody is playing better right now
Rookie of the Year: Marquis Hall, Leh -- the Mountain Hawks freshman point guard tops a very strong group of freshmen
Coach of the Year: Has anybody done a better job than Jim Crews? We don't think so.
Non-Con All PL team: (the five best players, regardless of position) Simmons, Andre Ingram (AU), Jose Olivero (Leh), Donald Brown (BU), Jarell Brown (Army)
FRIDAY READAROUND:
Army, Navy are biggest surprises in Patriot non-conference games (Morning Call)
Leopards lo ok to leap to the top (Express-Times)
Hawks ready to reach their potential (Express-Times)
Navy ship ahead of schedule under Lange (Daily Item)
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Sure seemed that way at the beginning of December when league teams were 29-25 against non-conference Division I foes, with a conference RPI of 14.
But over the last two weeks, league teams have gone 10-20, dropping their RPI as a conference to 19, one spot behind the Ivy League, which won the season series between the two leagues again this year. The PL actually held a 7-3 lead in the series heading into December before the Ivies won 9 of the last 10.
Granted the conference RPI for the Patriot League has improved in each of the past four seasons, from 26 in 2003 to 23 in 2004 to 21 last season to 19 this. But the league's measuring stick has long been the Ivy League and the Ancient 8 has a conference RPI of 18, not surprising since the Ivies did so well head-to-head against the Patriots.
On that basis it is hard to say the league is much better. On the other hand, if you look strictly at RPI, the bottom of the league does appear to be significantly stronger. Nobody is ranked below 300 in the RPI and only teams are above 251. Last season four teams finished above 250.
The top of the Patriot League, though, is off. Bucknell was No. 42 last season. This season only one PL team, Holy Cross (97) has an RPI better than 100. Bucknell has returned to the pack. Holy Cross is good, but banged up and not very deep. There appears to be more parity in the league this season, but it would probably be a stretch to say the league is actually better top to bottom. Thus far it seems more like the top and the bottom are meeting in the middle.
THE LEAGUE AT A GLANCE: Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the season to date for league teams.
AMERICAN (8-6, RPI 211)
Best win: 81-74 over 6-6 Loyola (RPI 222) -- AU's only win over a team with an RPI better than 260
Worst loss: 81-79 (OT) at 6-11 (4-11 vs. D-I) Longwood (266) less than a month after beating the Lancers by 11 at home
Biggest surprise: Yet to come; we predict Georgetown transfer Cornelio Guibunda's raw athloetic talent will allow him some impressive performances off the bench in league play
Biggest disappointment: Big things have been expected from 6-11 senior center Paulius Joneliunas since he transferred from South Carolina prior to his junior season but thus far he has not delivered on those expectations.
ARMY (10-5, 8-5 vs. D-I, RPI 211)
Best win: 62-53 over 7-6 Hartford (175)
Worst loss: Home vs. 5-7 Cornell (213)
Biggest surprise: Army's record and RPI. This is the first time since the 2002 season the Black Knights RPI is out of the 300+ range
Biggest disappointment: Senior center Jimmy Sewell who has gone from being a starter as a sophomore to a 6-11 pine jockey with 5 DNPs thus far this season. For a team with only two freshmen taller than 6-7 on the roster, Sewell's failure to develop has been a big (no pun intended) negative.
BUCKNELL (6-7, RPI 134)
Best win: 68-67 at 10-4 Xavier (47) ... it's also the league's best win
Worst loss: 50-48 to a Central Arkansas team with one other D-I win and an RPI (298) out of the 300s only because of beating Bucknell ... it's the league's worst loss
Biggest surprise: The emergence of sophomore guard Justin Castleberry as a key part of Pat Flannery's rotation
Biggest disappointment: Take your pick: Chris McNaughton's sub-50 percent shooting and sub-double figures scoring; The students (and townies) who failed to show up for the Northern Iowa game at Sojka; Donald Brown's inability to adjust to playing the three, which has hurt the Bison on defense by taking a tough defender (Darren Mastropaolo) out of the starting lineup. Brown has been Bucknell's best player since moving to the four, but without him matching up on opponent three-men and sans Mastropaolo, the Bison are not as strong defensively; the late-game collapse against Albany in the season opener; or (our pick) the loss to Central Arkansas.
COLGATE (5-8, 4-8 D-I, RPI 282)
Best win: The Raiders really have no good wins. As close as they get is a 53-47 win over a Leon Pattman-less Dartmouth team that looks better than it was at the time due to Dartmouth's improvement since getting Pattman back in the lineup
Worst loss: 52-36 at 6-7 (5-7 vs. D-I) Arizona State (278)
Biggest surprise: The inability of a team full of alleged shooters to shoot the ball. Colgate has been under 40 percent from the field each of its last six games and on the season is shooting 40.4 percent against D-I teams
Biggest disappointment: That 4-8 record against D-I teams. Colgate is either doing less with more than anybody in the league, or its talent level has been tremendously overrated
HOLY CROSS (9-6, RPI 97)
Best win: 65-57 over 7-5 Siena (78)
Worst loss: 67-61 to 7-7 Niagara, a team with a misleading 244 RPi due to the absence of star Carron Fisher early in the season. Niagara is 6-1 since his return. The disappointment is not losing to Niagara as much as it is the way it happened -- blowing an 11-point, second-half lead
Biggest surprise: Kyle Cruze's emergence as a starter on the wing after the injuries to Pat Doherty and Lawrence Dixon
Biggest disappointment: Those injuries, along with a season-ending injury to freshman Andrew Keister
LAFAYETTE (6-9, 4-9 D-I, RPI 251)
Best win: 76-70 at 4-8 (3-8 D-I) Wagner (283)
Worst loss: 86-51 at 5-9 UMBC (204)
Biggest surprise: 6-4 junior Matt Betley's emergence as the team's top scorer after switching to the four, where he way undersized
Biggest disappointment: The stress fracture in Jamaal Hilliard's foot that is expected to cost him at least 2-4 weeks.
LEHIGH (5-11, 3-11 D-I, RPI 288)
Best win: 72-63 over Sacred Heart (6-7, 145)
Worst loss: 71-55 at Quinnipiac (334), a team with one other win over D-I opposition
Biggest surprise: Jason Mgebroff's strong showing before being sidelined with stress fractures. The 6-11 senior, whose sophomore and junior seasons were all but a washout, was averaging 10.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg before he got hurt.
Biggest disappointment: Megebroff's stress fractures, which will force him to miss 6-8 weeks
NAVY (10-5, 8-5 D-I, RPI 159)
Best win: 87-76 over 5-8 Stony Brook (187)
Worst loss: 74-59 at home to Yale (248), which has just one other D-I win
Biggest surprise: The play of 6-10 freshman Trey Stanton, who has started every game and is averaging 8.8 ppg
Biggest disappointment: In the preseason, Navy coach Billy Lange said 6-9 junior center Ben Biles was "going to have to give us some time." Biles has only played in four games, with just four rebounds and a turnover to break up the zeroes after his name on the stat sheet.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Not a lot of changes from what we predicted when we wrote the Blue Ribbon previews in the summer, though one team has dropped like a rock:
1) Bucknell -- Bison remain the favorite for the regular season title, but a two- or even three-way tie for the regular season would not be a surprise.
2) Holy Cross -- If healthy, HC would probably have been mentioned ahead of Bucknell. If Pat Doherty and Lawrence Dixon come back and contribute, they might be the favorite come tourney time even if they are the No. 2 seed
3) American -- The Eagles are deep, experienced and posess a lot of offensive weapons. Still need the big men to play big when they face quality big men and the whole team needs to be tougher defensively
4) Army -- Defensive effort was never a problem. Size and offense was. Jarell Brown and Matt Bell give the Black Knights as good a scoring duo in the backcourt as there is in the league. Freshman Chris Walker has given them a presence in the paint.
5) Lehigh -- With Mgebroff healthy, the Mountain Hawks would rank a spot, maybe two, higher. If he regains his early season form when he returns, Lehigh could be the tournament dark horse.
6) Navy -- Billy Lange's team has made great strides but is still missing the inside punch needed to take the pressure off the perimeter shooters.
7) Lafayette -- Another team that is improved, but still lacks an inside presence. Matt Betley will not be a matchup problem for guys like Donald Brown, Bryan White, Kendall Chones or Alex Vander Baan; but they will probably be a matchup problem for him.
8) Colgate -- after two seasons of overrating the underachieving Raiders, we are ready to concede we may have been wrong about the level of talent in Hamilton -- on the floor and on the sidelines.
MIDSEASON HONORS: Player of the year: Keith Simmons, HC -- nobody is playing better right now
Rookie of the Year: Marquis Hall, Leh -- the Mountain Hawks freshman point guard tops a very strong group of freshmen
Coach of the Year: Has anybody done a better job than Jim Crews? We don't think so.
Non-Con All PL team: (the five best players, regardless of position) Simmons, Andre Ingram (AU), Jose Olivero (Leh), Donald Brown (BU), Jarell Brown (Army)
FRIDAY READAROUND:
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, notebook
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Thursday, January 04, 2007
The second largest Cotrell Court crowd of the season watched Colgate drop a 64-53 decision to visiting Cornell.
The Raiders failed to impress the crowd of 522 (no, we are not missing any digits) with an icy shooting performance that led to their fifth loss in the past six games.
How bad has Colgate been shooting the ball of late? Consider this: Against Cornell the Raiders shot 36.7 percent from the field. That is actually their best shooting effort in the past six games and more than 10 percent better than the 26.5 percent they shot against Santa Clara last time out.
The Raiders made only 6 field goals in the first half (on 23 tries -- 26.1 percent), falling behind 23-17. Colgate shot better in the second half, hitting 12 of 26 (46.2 percent). But they allowed Cornell to shoot 52.6 percent after the break, including 5 of 6 from three point range. For good measure, Cornell went 16 for 16 at the foul line in the half.
Colgate led early, holding a 9-2 lead at the 14:53 mark of the first half. Then came a drought of almost 9 minutes, during which Cornell took the lead for good with an 11-0 run.
Jon Simon led Colgate with 22 points. Kendall Chones added 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Box score | AP | Ithaca Journal
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The Raiders failed to impress the crowd of 522 (no, we are not missing any digits) with an icy shooting performance that led to their fifth loss in the past six games.
How bad has Colgate been shooting the ball of late? Consider this: Against Cornell the Raiders shot 36.7 percent from the field. That is actually their best shooting effort in the past six games and more than 10 percent better than the 26.5 percent they shot against Santa Clara last time out.
The Raiders made only 6 field goals in the first half (on 23 tries -- 26.1 percent), falling behind 23-17. Colgate shot better in the second half, hitting 12 of 26 (46.2 percent). But they allowed Cornell to shoot 52.6 percent after the break, including 5 of 6 from three point range. For good measure, Cornell went 16 for 16 at the foul line in the half.
Colgate led early, holding a 9-2 lead at the 14:53 mark of the first half. Then came a drought of almost 9 minutes, during which Cornell took the lead for good with an 11-0 run.
Jon Simon led Colgate with 22 points. Kendall Chones added 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Box score | AP | Ithaca Journal
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Wednesday, January 03, 2007
One last night of non-conference tune-ups, with two games on tap tonight.
Keith Simmons and Holy Cross is at 3-8 Boston U. (matchup). The Terriers record is a little deceptive. They have lost four in a row, but three of those games were decided by a combined 8 points. The losses came to the likes of St. Joe's, St. John's (in OT), Rhode Island and UMass.
In the other game, Cornell, which has lost four in a row and six of its last seven, is at Colgate (matchup), which has lost four of its last five.
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Keith Simmons and Holy Cross is at 3-8 Boston U. (matchup). The Terriers record is a little deceptive. They have lost four in a row, but three of those games were decided by a combined 8 points. The losses came to the likes of St. Joe's, St. John's (in OT), Rhode Island and UMass.
In the other game, Cornell, which has lost four in a row and six of its last seven, is at Colgate (matchup), which has lost four of its last five.
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Saturday, December 30, 2006
Colgate's offensive woes continued in the consolation game of the Cable Car Classic.
One night after scoring just 39 points in a firs-round loss to Santa Clara, the Raiders scored only 42 in a 75-42 loss to George Washington 75.
For the second straight night, Kendall Chones was the only Colgate player in double figures. Chones finished with 12. Teammate Dan Gentile added 8. No other Raider scored more than 4.
Also for the second straight night, leading scorer Jon Simon managed only one field goal. Simon was 1 for 11, 1 for 9 from the arc. In the two games of the tournament, Simon went a combined 2 for 15.
Simon was not the only Colgate player struggling to find his range. The Raiders fell behind by 22 at the half after making only 4 field goals (on 18 shots, 22.2 percent) the first 20 minutes. Colgate, which went the last 8:52 of the half without a field goal, also turned the ball over 14 times in the first half.
The turnovers improved in the second half. The shooting did, too -- barely. The Raiders were 9 for 31 after the intermission (29 percent), finishing the game at 26.5 percent from the field with 2 treys on 16 attempts.
Down 38-16 at the break, Colgate cut it to 20 on a Tim Pounds bucket to open the second half. GW answered with an 8-0 run and Colgate never got closer than 22 the rest of the way.
Box score | AP
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One night after scoring just 39 points in a firs-round loss to Santa Clara, the Raiders scored only 42 in a 75-42 loss to George Washington 75.
For the second straight night, Kendall Chones was the only Colgate player in double figures. Chones finished with 12. Teammate Dan Gentile added 8. No other Raider scored more than 4.
Also for the second straight night, leading scorer Jon Simon managed only one field goal. Simon was 1 for 11, 1 for 9 from the arc. In the two games of the tournament, Simon went a combined 2 for 15.
Simon was not the only Colgate player struggling to find his range. The Raiders fell behind by 22 at the half after making only 4 field goals (on 18 shots, 22.2 percent) the first 20 minutes. Colgate, which went the last 8:52 of the half without a field goal, also turned the ball over 14 times in the first half.
The turnovers improved in the second half. The shooting did, too -- barely. The Raiders were 9 for 31 after the intermission (29 percent), finishing the game at 26.5 percent from the field with 2 treys on 16 attempts.
Down 38-16 at the break, Colgate cut it to 20 on a Tim Pounds bucket to open the second half. GW answered with an 8-0 run and Colgate never got closer than 22 the rest of the way.
Box score | AP
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Friday, December 29, 2006
Four games involving Patriot League teams tonight.
We will be back in Philly for Holy Cross vs. Niagara (matchup) in the second round of the LaSalle Invitational round robin (matchup). Note: Do to the 8 p.m. start time and the need to make deadline for the Telegram & Gazette, there will be no live gameblog tonight.
Other matchups: Bucknell meets Central Arkansas (matchup) in the opening round of the Pepsi Marist Classic, Colgate faces George Washington (matchup) in the Cable Car Classic consolation game and Lehigh looks for its first road win at Monmouth (matchup).
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We will be back in Philly for Holy Cross vs. Niagara (matchup) in the second round of the LaSalle Invitational round robin (matchup). Note: Do to the 8 p.m. start time and the need to make deadline for the Telegram & Gazette, there will be no live gameblog tonight.
Other matchups: Bucknell meets Central Arkansas (matchup) in the opening round of the Pepsi Marist Classic, Colgate faces George Washington (matchup) in the Cable Car Classic consolation game and Lehigh looks for its first road win at Monmouth (matchup).
Labels: BU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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While Holy Cross was winning at LaSalle, the other four Patriot League teams in action last night struggled
Temple 96, Lafayette 73 -- Marcus Harley had 23 for Lafayette, but the rest of the team struggled on offense. Take away Harley's 9 for 14 effort from the field and the rest of the Leopards shot 13 for 48 (27 percent). Harley was 5 of 7 on three-point tries; the rest of the 'Pards 4 for 21 (19 percent).
Temple, on the other hand, had four guys in double figures, three with 20 or more points, led by Dustin Salisbury's 26. The Owls went 29 for 56 (51.8 percent) from the field and were 10 for 22 (45.5 percent) from three-point range. The Owls also outrebounded Lafayette 44-31.
Lafayette managed to stick around for the first five minutes, leading 12-11 at the 15:15 mark of the first half. But Temple went on an 8-0 run to take the lead and never looked back. The Owls pushed the lead to 50-37 at the half and led by as many as 28 in the second half.
Box score | AP | Philly Inquirer | Philly Daily News | Morning Call | Express Times
Michigan 62, Army 50 -- Michigan coach Tommy Amaker started a whole new five, using three freshmen and two sophomores against Army. It was not pretty, but it got the Wolverines a W.
Jarrell Brown had 22 for Army, shooting 9 of 19 from the field, but he had little offensive support with senior guard Matt Bell out of the lineup with an unspecified injury. Bell sat for the first time after 93 consecutive starts. Without Bell, Army went 19 of 54 (35.2 percent) from the field.
The Black Knights defense did a good job, holding Michigan to 17 of 46 (37 percent) shooting from the field. In the second half, Army allowed only 5 Michigan field goals (5 of 19, 26.3 percent). But the Wolverines went 21 for 25 at the foul line while Army went to the line just 9 times, making 8.
Box score | AP | Go Blue Wolverine | Detroit Free Press | Detroit News
Santa Clara 53, Colgate 39 -- In the Cable Car Classic, Kendall Chones had 11 points for Colgate. The remaining four starters for Colgate combined for 6, including 3 for Jon Simon, the team's leading scorer coming in who averaged 11 per game.
Colgate went 15 for 44 (34.1 percent) from the field and was outrebounded 33-22.
Santa Clara shot well in the first half (13 of 25, 52 percent) to build a 31-18 lead at the break, then held on with defense in the second half.
Colgate will face George Washington tonight in the consolation game.
Box score | AP | San Jose Mercury News
Virginia 91, American 70 -- Virginia used first half runs of 11-2 and 10-0 to build a 42-19 halftime lead and cruised from there, spoiling the return of American coach Jeff Jones, who played and coached at UVa.
Andre Ingram had 14 points and Paulius Joneliunas added 10 for the Eagles, who shot 7 for 24 (24.1 percent) in the first half, making just one of 12 three-pointers (8.3 percent).
Box score | AP | Charlottesville Daily Progress (gamer) | Charlottesville Daily Progress (column) | Roanoke Times | Fredericksburg Freelance Star | Richmond Times Dispatch
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Temple 96, Lafayette 73 -- Marcus Harley had 23 for Lafayette, but the rest of the team struggled on offense. Take away Harley's 9 for 14 effort from the field and the rest of the Leopards shot 13 for 48 (27 percent). Harley was 5 of 7 on three-point tries; the rest of the 'Pards 4 for 21 (19 percent).
Temple, on the other hand, had four guys in double figures, three with 20 or more points, led by Dustin Salisbury's 26. The Owls went 29 for 56 (51.8 percent) from the field and were 10 for 22 (45.5 percent) from three-point range. The Owls also outrebounded Lafayette 44-31.
Lafayette managed to stick around for the first five minutes, leading 12-11 at the 15:15 mark of the first half. But Temple went on an 8-0 run to take the lead and never looked back. The Owls pushed the lead to 50-37 at the half and led by as many as 28 in the second half.
Box score | AP | Philly Inquirer | Philly Daily News | Morning Call | Express Times
Michigan 62, Army 50 -- Michigan coach Tommy Amaker started a whole new five, using three freshmen and two sophomores against Army. It was not pretty, but it got the Wolverines a W.
Jarrell Brown had 22 for Army, shooting 9 of 19 from the field, but he had little offensive support with senior guard Matt Bell out of the lineup with an unspecified injury. Bell sat for the first time after 93 consecutive starts. Without Bell, Army went 19 of 54 (35.2 percent) from the field.
The Black Knights defense did a good job, holding Michigan to 17 of 46 (37 percent) shooting from the field. In the second half, Army allowed only 5 Michigan field goals (5 of 19, 26.3 percent). But the Wolverines went 21 for 25 at the foul line while Army went to the line just 9 times, making 8.
Box score | AP | Go Blue Wolverine | Detroit Free Press | Detroit News
Santa Clara 53, Colgate 39 -- In the Cable Car Classic, Kendall Chones had 11 points for Colgate. The remaining four starters for Colgate combined for 6, including 3 for Jon Simon, the team's leading scorer coming in who averaged 11 per game.
Colgate went 15 for 44 (34.1 percent) from the field and was outrebounded 33-22.
Santa Clara shot well in the first half (13 of 25, 52 percent) to build a 31-18 lead at the break, then held on with defense in the second half.
Colgate will face George Washington tonight in the consolation game.
Box score | AP | San Jose Mercury News
Virginia 91, American 70 -- Virginia used first half runs of 11-2 and 10-0 to build a 42-19 halftime lead and cruised from there, spoiling the return of American coach Jeff Jones, who played and coached at UVa.
Andre Ingram had 14 points and Paulius Joneliunas added 10 for the Eagles, who shot 7 for 24 (24.1 percent) in the first half, making just one of 12 three-pointers (8.3 percent).
Box score | AP | Charlottesville Daily Progress (gamer) | Charlottesville Daily Progress (column) | Roanoke Times | Fredericksburg Freelance Star | Richmond Times Dispatch
Labels: Army, AU, CU, games, Laf
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
The short holiday break ends with five teams back in action tonight.
It is a schedule full of challenges, with the Patriot League teams likely to be considered underdogs in all five games.
If Holy Cross were healthy, that might not be the case. But with a depleted rotation, the Crusaders will have their hands full with LaSalle, the team they face in the first of a three-in-three days trip to LaSalle's Explorer Classic (matchup).
We'll be there for our first look at HC, when they take on the Explorers (and for Friday's game with Niagara and Saturday's matchup with Delaware), who come in 6-3, with really only one impressive opponent on their schedule to date -- Villanova, which beat the Explorers at LaSalle in a Philadelphia Big Five matchup. LaSalle also lost at home to UMBC and on a neutral floor against Coppin State.
Young and inexperienced, prone to turnovers, LaSalle is the sort of team Holy Cross usually feasts upon when it is at full strength.
LaSalle is led by freshman forward Rodney Green, a 6-5 hometown Philly kid who is averaging 16 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Green is all about the paint. He has only taken four threes all season and has yet to make one. Inside the arc, though, he is tough to stop, shooting 62.4 percent from the field.
Green is one of five freshmen in LaSalle's nine-man rotation. All five stand between 6-5 and 6-7, which is pretty much the case for the entire rotation, except 6-1 junior guard Darnell Harris, the Explorers' second leading scorer at 14.7 ppg, and 6-8 starter Mike St. John, the only senior in the rotation.
Freshman Sherman Diaz has been the team's defensive stopper. A 6-5 forward, Diaz leads the Explorers in blocks (15) and steals (11).
Colgate is also in a tournament tonight, taking on host Santa Clara (matchup) in the first round of the Cable Car Classic (S.F. Chronicle tournament preview). The 9-4 Broncs are ranked No. 17 in the Mid Major Top 25. Waiting in the second round for the Raiders will be either 7-2 George Washington or 11-1 Air Force, which is in the Top 25 in both major polls (No. 23 AP, No. 17 ESPN-USA Today).
American takes on its second straight ACC foe when it meets 7-3 Virginia (matchup). It's a homecoming of sorts for Jeff Jones, who played and coach at UVa. Jones' return to Charlottsville is the storyline in all the papers covering the Wahoos (AP | Daily Press | Charlottesville Daily Progress | Richmond Times-Dispatch | Roanoke Times | Fredericksburg Freelance-Star).
Army, which lost at Notre Dame last time out, faces another difficulty test at 11-2 Michigan (matchup) and
Hard to image saying this, but perhaps the weakest opponent for a league team tonight is Temple, which hosts Lafayette (matchup). The Owls are 5-4 in their first season under former Penn coach Fran Dunphy. It is the 12th straight season Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon has faced off against his old boss' teams. The other 11, of course, were against Penn, which despite being an Ivy League power, was never as athletic as this Temple team. It will be a toigh task for the Leopards, who will be without Jamaal Hillard (stress fracture in a foot, out another 2-4 weeks) and 6-7 freshman Jesper Andersson (sprained ankle). Lafayette freshman forward Andre Hines is also questionable with a stomach virus. (Morning Call preview -- includes some HC notes)
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It is a schedule full of challenges, with the Patriot League teams likely to be considered underdogs in all five games.
If Holy Cross were healthy, that might not be the case. But with a depleted rotation, the Crusaders will have their hands full with LaSalle, the team they face in the first of a three-in-three days trip to LaSalle's Explorer Classic (matchup).
We'll be there for our first look at HC, when they take on the Explorers (and for Friday's game with Niagara and Saturday's matchup with Delaware), who come in 6-3, with really only one impressive opponent on their schedule to date -- Villanova, which beat the Explorers at LaSalle in a Philadelphia Big Five matchup. LaSalle also lost at home to UMBC and on a neutral floor against Coppin State.
Young and inexperienced, prone to turnovers, LaSalle is the sort of team Holy Cross usually feasts upon when it is at full strength.
LaSalle is led by freshman forward Rodney Green, a 6-5 hometown Philly kid who is averaging 16 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Green is all about the paint. He has only taken four threes all season and has yet to make one. Inside the arc, though, he is tough to stop, shooting 62.4 percent from the field.
Green is one of five freshmen in LaSalle's nine-man rotation. All five stand between 6-5 and 6-7, which is pretty much the case for the entire rotation, except 6-1 junior guard Darnell Harris, the Explorers' second leading scorer at 14.7 ppg, and 6-8 starter Mike St. John, the only senior in the rotation.
Freshman Sherman Diaz has been the team's defensive stopper. A 6-5 forward, Diaz leads the Explorers in blocks (15) and steals (11).
Colgate is also in a tournament tonight, taking on host Santa Clara (matchup) in the first round of the Cable Car Classic (S.F. Chronicle tournament preview). The 9-4 Broncs are ranked No. 17 in the Mid Major Top 25. Waiting in the second round for the Raiders will be either 7-2 George Washington or 11-1 Air Force, which is in the Top 25 in both major polls (No. 23 AP, No. 17 ESPN-USA Today).
American takes on its second straight ACC foe when it meets 7-3 Virginia (matchup). It's a homecoming of sorts for Jeff Jones, who played and coach at UVa. Jones' return to Charlottsville is the storyline in all the papers covering the Wahoos (AP | Daily Press | Charlottesville Daily Progress | Richmond Times-Dispatch | Roanoke Times | Fredericksburg Freelance-Star).
Army, which lost at Notre Dame last time out, faces another difficulty test at 11-2 Michigan (matchup) and
Hard to image saying this, but perhaps the weakest opponent for a league team tonight is Temple, which hosts Lafayette (matchup). The Owls are 5-4 in their first season under former Penn coach Fran Dunphy. It is the 12th straight season Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon has faced off against his old boss' teams. The other 11, of course, were against Penn, which despite being an Ivy League power, was never as athletic as this Temple team. It will be a toigh task for the Leopards, who will be without Jamaal Hillard (stress fracture in a foot, out another 2-4 weeks) and 6-7 freshman Jesper Andersson (sprained ankle). Lafayette freshman forward Andre Hines is also questionable with a stomach virus. (Morning Call preview -- includes some HC notes)
Labels: Army, AU, CU, HC, Laf, previews
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Conference play begins in less than two weeks, and early indications are this should be one of the most competitive seasons in Patriot League history.
There have been plenty of seasons of parity in the league. In 1994, four teams finished the regular season at 9-5 in conference play, resulting in a pair of semifinals decided by a total of 5 points (including one overtime game) and a final that Navy won at home by 2 (over Colgate the year before Adonal Foyle arrived). That was the only season a team with five league losses managed to claim the top seed for the tournament. (An interesting note: That season Navy placed nobody on the first or second All-Patriot teams despite being the top seed).
The next two seasons Colgate won the conference, but each year the Raiders finished with three losses in conference play and needed a tiebreaker to gain top seed for the postseason.
In 2002, American won the regular season despite four conference setbacks, with four other teams over .500 in league play.
Looking around the league, it would not be surprising to see this year's regular season champs with four or even five losses. With the marked improvement at both of the service academies, Lafayette is the closest thing to a gimme in the league, and Fran O'Hanlon's Leopards have always had a knack, even in their down years, for pulling off an upset or two at home.
Here are a few team-by-team thoughts, done in alphabetical order (so please Lehigh fans, no hate mail for listing the Mountain Hawks seventh):
AMERICAN: A veteran team with a proven star in Andre Ingram, a talented point guard in Derrick Mercer, scoring off the bench in Arvydas Eitutavicius and as much size up front as anybody in the league, the Eagles 7-4 start has done nothing to take away from their preseason status as a contender.
Paulius Joneliunas and Brayden Billbe already can claim the titles of the league's biggest frontcourt and the frontcourt with the most unusual names. If they can also rank among the league's toughest, this could be teh Eagles year.
Cornelio Guibunda is as athletic as they come in the Patriot League, but still lacks polish. It will be interesting to see how far his athleticism can take him in league play. If he is a factor off the bench, AU's threesome could potentially challenge Bucknell's trio of Chris McNaughton, Donald Brown and Darren Mastropaolo as the league's best three-man rotation in the frontcourt.
ARMY: Dramatically better, the 9-3 Black Knights have already won more games than they did the last three seasons combined. Jarrell Brown might be the best offensive player in the league. Matt Bell is healthy and back to form. And freshman Chris Walker's 6-8 presence in the middle gives Army the legitimate post player it has lacked in Jim Crews first four seasons. It's worth noting that although Walker is a freshman, he had the equivalent of a redshirt season at Army's prep school last year. Walker is one of seven players on the Army roster who have spent a year at USMAPS, making the Black Knights a more mature team than the roster might indicate at first glance.
No doubt the 9-3 record reflects more than just Army being better. The wins have come against a mix of weak Division I and mediocre Division III sides. Still, Army will be a tough out this season, especially in Christl Arena.
BUCKNELL: The Bison need to sweep two games at Marist's tournament this weekend to avoid entering conference play below .500. That will be a challenge; Marist, Bucknell's likely opponent in the final (assuming the Bison get past a very weak Central Arkansas team in the opener), is unbeaten at home, 8-3 with two wins over top 100 RPI teams.
Even a game below .500 in the preseason, the Bison are probably still the favorite to win the league. The level of competition Bucknell has faced is clearly a notch above most of the rest of the league and all but two of their non-conference games have been away from home. Bucknell's wins over George Mason and Xavier are easily the league's best wins to date.
That said, this is definitely not the Bucknell juggernaut of the past two seasons. They have been inconsistent on both sides as Pat Flannery has struggled to find a set rotation. The inability of Donald Brown to adjust to playing the three has kept Flannery from being able to put his best five players on the floor at the same time, a problem that has been exacerbated by guys like Chris McNaughton and Abe Badmus getting into foul trouble. Badmus also has to begin contributing more on offense. He has the ability to get into the paint with dribble penetration, but has seemed to lack the confidence to finish when he gets there. If Badmus would start getting himself to the foul line instead of sending opponents there, it would be a huge plus.
COLGATE: Home losses to sub-.500 teams like Stony Brook and Canisius have folks around the league wondering if it is possible they have misjudged the level of talent on the Raiders roster. The injury loss of a guy like Kyle Roemer certainly has not helped. But Roemer's spot on the wing was a spot where Colgate seemed to have a lot of depth. In fact, in the preseason the bigger problem facing coach Emmett Davis seemed to be finding enough minutes for all his perimeter talent.
On paper, Colgate seemed to have the talent to contend for the league title. On the floor they have seemed like it will be a challenge for them to finish ahead of the service academies in the league standings. Until somebody other than Jon Simon starts to perform well on a consistent basis, Colgate will continue to struggle.
HOLY CROSS: When healthy, the Crusaders starting five is as good as any in the league. But Holy Cross has not been healthy and the lack of depth exposed by the latest rash of injuries is taking its toll. At this point HC seems two healthy players away from being the league favorite and a Keith Simmons injury away from going the complete opposite direction.
Pat Doherty will return during conference play, but how effective will he be down the stretch after missing almost all of last season to his foot problems and now a month or so of this season to the broken hand. Lawrence Dixon's knee has his status for the remainder of the season in doubt. The only good news about freshman Andrew Keister's stress fracture is that he has only played four games and should be eligible for a medical redshirt.
Simmons' sprained knee should be O.K for conference play if he does not reinjure it, but the reappearance of his cramping problems in the 'Saders last game (George Mason) is a huge concern. With the limited bench Ralph Willard has available, anything that greatly limits Simmons' minutes will be a real problem. And then there is Torey Thomas, who is playing 40 minutes a game on a knee not fully recovered from off-season surgery.
As long as Simmons and Thomas can still walk, Holy Cross will remain one of the top teams in the league. Without them, things could get ugly in a hurry in Worcester.
LAFAYETTE: Scholarships finally arrived in Easton, but it will take more than one recruiting class for the 'Pards to catch up to folks who have had them for years. Six-seven freshman Jesper Andersson has emerged as a threat on the wing, adding to a plethora of outside shooters available to O'Hanlon, but up front the Leopards are as thin as cheap wrapping paper. Matt Betley has given a yeoman's effort as an undersized (6-4) four, but how he will hold up to the constant banging against bigger, stronger guys over the course of the season remains to be seen.
At their best, Lafayette can rain threes. When they don't fall though, the 'Pards are in trouble because they just are not big enough or strong enough to get it done on the boards, as evidenced by the way they have been outrebounded to the tune of almost 10 per game.
The good news for Lafayette fans: Wait until next year actually means something for the 'Pards, who ought to quickly become competitive when O'Hanlon has the talent to compete.
LEHIGH: Just when it seemed Jason Mgebroff was finally realizing the potential he showed as a freshman, the Mountain Hawks big man got hurt. He will return around the second half of the conference schedule, but without him, a young Lehigh team will struggle to compete inside with some of the better frontcourts in the league.
Lucky for Lehigh, those "better frontcourts" are not a commodity much of the conference is blessed with. Luckier still, it was not Jose Olivero who got hurt. At the risk of seeming redundant, as long as the Mountain Hawks have Olivero, they always will have a chance of shooting down any team in the league.
Freshman point guard Marquis Hall has more than lived up to high expectations, giving Lehigh, when Mgebroff is healthy, as good a first five as there is in the league. Depth remains a big question mark though. Add in an inability to win on the road and the Mountain Hawks appear to have their work cut out for them if they want to remain ahead of Army and navy, ;et alone if they want to challenge the league's top teams.
NAVY: Like Army, the Mids are markedly better. Also like Army, their nine non-conference wins thus far have included two over Division III foes and none against any real quality foes. Six of the seven wins over D-Is came against teams with RPI's over 200.
The similarities with their archrivals don't end there. Like Army, Navy has benefited from the presence of a freshman in the post. In this case it is 6-10 Trey Stanton who has filled the void in the middle.
Greg Sprink continues to show he is one fo the league's top offensive threats. Kaleo Kina and Corey Johnson combine with Sprink to form a very good backcourt.
Alumni Hall continues to be one of the league's toughest road venues. The Midshipmen are unlikely to contend for the championship, but they likely will have a lot to say about who will.
All in all, it is shaping up like a very competitive year for a conference that certainly appears to be on its way up.
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There have been plenty of seasons of parity in the league. In 1994, four teams finished the regular season at 9-5 in conference play, resulting in a pair of semifinals decided by a total of 5 points (including one overtime game) and a final that Navy won at home by 2 (over Colgate the year before Adonal Foyle arrived). That was the only season a team with five league losses managed to claim the top seed for the tournament. (An interesting note: That season Navy placed nobody on the first or second All-Patriot teams despite being the top seed).
The next two seasons Colgate won the conference, but each year the Raiders finished with three losses in conference play and needed a tiebreaker to gain top seed for the postseason.
In 2002, American won the regular season despite four conference setbacks, with four other teams over .500 in league play.
Looking around the league, it would not be surprising to see this year's regular season champs with four or even five losses. With the marked improvement at both of the service academies, Lafayette is the closest thing to a gimme in the league, and Fran O'Hanlon's Leopards have always had a knack, even in their down years, for pulling off an upset or two at home.
Here are a few team-by-team thoughts, done in alphabetical order (so please Lehigh fans, no hate mail for listing the Mountain Hawks seventh):
AMERICAN: A veteran team with a proven star in Andre Ingram, a talented point guard in Derrick Mercer, scoring off the bench in Arvydas Eitutavicius and as much size up front as anybody in the league, the Eagles 7-4 start has done nothing to take away from their preseason status as a contender.
Paulius Joneliunas and Brayden Billbe already can claim the titles of the league's biggest frontcourt and the frontcourt with the most unusual names. If they can also rank among the league's toughest, this could be teh Eagles year.
Cornelio Guibunda is as athletic as they come in the Patriot League, but still lacks polish. It will be interesting to see how far his athleticism can take him in league play. If he is a factor off the bench, AU's threesome could potentially challenge Bucknell's trio of Chris McNaughton, Donald Brown and Darren Mastropaolo as the league's best three-man rotation in the frontcourt.
ARMY: Dramatically better, the 9-3 Black Knights have already won more games than they did the last three seasons combined. Jarrell Brown might be the best offensive player in the league. Matt Bell is healthy and back to form. And freshman Chris Walker's 6-8 presence in the middle gives Army the legitimate post player it has lacked in Jim Crews first four seasons. It's worth noting that although Walker is a freshman, he had the equivalent of a redshirt season at Army's prep school last year. Walker is one of seven players on the Army roster who have spent a year at USMAPS, making the Black Knights a more mature team than the roster might indicate at first glance.
No doubt the 9-3 record reflects more than just Army being better. The wins have come against a mix of weak Division I and mediocre Division III sides. Still, Army will be a tough out this season, especially in Christl Arena.
BUCKNELL: The Bison need to sweep two games at Marist's tournament this weekend to avoid entering conference play below .500. That will be a challenge; Marist, Bucknell's likely opponent in the final (assuming the Bison get past a very weak Central Arkansas team in the opener), is unbeaten at home, 8-3 with two wins over top 100 RPI teams.
Even a game below .500 in the preseason, the Bison are probably still the favorite to win the league. The level of competition Bucknell has faced is clearly a notch above most of the rest of the league and all but two of their non-conference games have been away from home. Bucknell's wins over George Mason and Xavier are easily the league's best wins to date.
That said, this is definitely not the Bucknell juggernaut of the past two seasons. They have been inconsistent on both sides as Pat Flannery has struggled to find a set rotation. The inability of Donald Brown to adjust to playing the three has kept Flannery from being able to put his best five players on the floor at the same time, a problem that has been exacerbated by guys like Chris McNaughton and Abe Badmus getting into foul trouble. Badmus also has to begin contributing more on offense. He has the ability to get into the paint with dribble penetration, but has seemed to lack the confidence to finish when he gets there. If Badmus would start getting himself to the foul line instead of sending opponents there, it would be a huge plus.
COLGATE: Home losses to sub-.500 teams like Stony Brook and Canisius have folks around the league wondering if it is possible they have misjudged the level of talent on the Raiders roster. The injury loss of a guy like Kyle Roemer certainly has not helped. But Roemer's spot on the wing was a spot where Colgate seemed to have a lot of depth. In fact, in the preseason the bigger problem facing coach Emmett Davis seemed to be finding enough minutes for all his perimeter talent.
On paper, Colgate seemed to have the talent to contend for the league title. On the floor they have seemed like it will be a challenge for them to finish ahead of the service academies in the league standings. Until somebody other than Jon Simon starts to perform well on a consistent basis, Colgate will continue to struggle.
HOLY CROSS: When healthy, the Crusaders starting five is as good as any in the league. But Holy Cross has not been healthy and the lack of depth exposed by the latest rash of injuries is taking its toll. At this point HC seems two healthy players away from being the league favorite and a Keith Simmons injury away from going the complete opposite direction.
Pat Doherty will return during conference play, but how effective will he be down the stretch after missing almost all of last season to his foot problems and now a month or so of this season to the broken hand. Lawrence Dixon's knee has his status for the remainder of the season in doubt. The only good news about freshman Andrew Keister's stress fracture is that he has only played four games and should be eligible for a medical redshirt.
Simmons' sprained knee should be O.K for conference play if he does not reinjure it, but the reappearance of his cramping problems in the 'Saders last game (George Mason) is a huge concern. With the limited bench Ralph Willard has available, anything that greatly limits Simmons' minutes will be a real problem. And then there is Torey Thomas, who is playing 40 minutes a game on a knee not fully recovered from off-season surgery.
As long as Simmons and Thomas can still walk, Holy Cross will remain one of the top teams in the league. Without them, things could get ugly in a hurry in Worcester.
LAFAYETTE: Scholarships finally arrived in Easton, but it will take more than one recruiting class for the 'Pards to catch up to folks who have had them for years. Six-seven freshman Jesper Andersson has emerged as a threat on the wing, adding to a plethora of outside shooters available to O'Hanlon, but up front the Leopards are as thin as cheap wrapping paper. Matt Betley has given a yeoman's effort as an undersized (6-4) four, but how he will hold up to the constant banging against bigger, stronger guys over the course of the season remains to be seen.
At their best, Lafayette can rain threes. When they don't fall though, the 'Pards are in trouble because they just are not big enough or strong enough to get it done on the boards, as evidenced by the way they have been outrebounded to the tune of almost 10 per game.
The good news for Lafayette fans: Wait until next year actually means something for the 'Pards, who ought to quickly become competitive when O'Hanlon has the talent to compete.
LEHIGH: Just when it seemed Jason Mgebroff was finally realizing the potential he showed as a freshman, the Mountain Hawks big man got hurt. He will return around the second half of the conference schedule, but without him, a young Lehigh team will struggle to compete inside with some of the better frontcourts in the league.
Lucky for Lehigh, those "better frontcourts" are not a commodity much of the conference is blessed with. Luckier still, it was not Jose Olivero who got hurt. At the risk of seeming redundant, as long as the Mountain Hawks have Olivero, they always will have a chance of shooting down any team in the league.
Freshman point guard Marquis Hall has more than lived up to high expectations, giving Lehigh, when Mgebroff is healthy, as good a first five as there is in the league. Depth remains a big question mark though. Add in an inability to win on the road and the Mountain Hawks appear to have their work cut out for them if they want to remain ahead of Army and navy, ;et alone if they want to challenge the league's top teams.
NAVY: Like Army, the Mids are markedly better. Also like Army, their nine non-conference wins thus far have included two over Division III foes and none against any real quality foes. Six of the seven wins over D-Is came against teams with RPI's over 200.
The similarities with their archrivals don't end there. Like Army, Navy has benefited from the presence of a freshman in the post. In this case it is 6-10 Trey Stanton who has filled the void in the middle.
Greg Sprink continues to show he is one fo the league's top offensive threats. Kaleo Kina and Corey Johnson combine with Sprink to form a very good backcourt.
Alumni Hall continues to be one of the league's toughest road venues. The Midshipmen are unlikely to contend for the championship, but they likely will have a lot to say about who will.
All in all, it is shaping up like a very competitive year for a conference that certainly appears to be on its way up.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, notebook
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Friday, December 22, 2006
With a crowd of only 352 at the U.C. Riverside Student Rec Center, Colgate must have felt right at home while beating the host Highlanders, 59-56.
Kendall Chones scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 6 rebounds for the Raiders, who improved to .500 (5-5) with the win. Willie Morse added 14 points, a career-high, off the bench for Colgate.
The game was close throughout, featuring six lead changes and five ties. Colgate led by one, 24-23, at the half, and managed to extend its lead to 11 in the second half before UC Riverside battled back to take a 54-53 lead with 1:22 to play on a three-pointer by Henrick Thomsen.
An Alex Woodhouse jam at the other end put Colgate back on top and a three-pointer and a foul shot by Morse (along with a Highlanders' missed three at the buzzer) were enough to preserve that lead.
Neither team shot well. Colgate was 22 for 61 (36.1 percent) from the field, 4 of 15 from the arc. UC Riverside hit 21 of 64 (32.8 percent), 3 of 15 from three-point range.
Jon Simon, the raiders leading scorer, was limited to 4 points on 2 of 8 shooting. Simon was 0 for 5 from the three-point arc.
Box score | AP | Press-Enterprise
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Kendall Chones scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 6 rebounds for the Raiders, who improved to .500 (5-5) with the win. Willie Morse added 14 points, a career-high, off the bench for Colgate.
The game was close throughout, featuring six lead changes and five ties. Colgate led by one, 24-23, at the half, and managed to extend its lead to 11 in the second half before UC Riverside battled back to take a 54-53 lead with 1:22 to play on a three-pointer by Henrick Thomsen.
An Alex Woodhouse jam at the other end put Colgate back on top and a three-pointer and a foul shot by Morse (along with a Highlanders' missed three at the buzzer) were enough to preserve that lead.
Neither team shot well. Colgate was 22 for 61 (36.1 percent) from the field, 4 of 15 from the arc. UC Riverside hit 21 of 64 (32.8 percent), 3 of 15 from three-point range.
Jon Simon, the raiders leading scorer, was limited to 4 points on 2 of 8 shooting. Simon was 0 for 5 from the three-point arc.
Box score | AP | Press-Enterprise
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
Holy Cross hosts George Mason in the marquee game of a strong three-game bill for Patriot League teams tonight that also includes a reality check for Army.
One of the first signs of how good George Mason was going to be last season might have been the 33-point hurt they put on Holy Cross down in Fairfax, Va.
At the time, Mason's 71-38 win over the 'Saders seemed more like a horrendous night for HC than any sort of Mason statement. Of course at the time, the 'Saders were a struggling team that didn't look at all like the ballclub they became by the end of the season. Given the rash of injuries HC was experiencing, that wide final margin seemed more an indication of the Crusaders' woes than Mason's excellence. Nobody dreamt three months later Mason would be in the Final Four.
The team coming into Worcester's DCU Center tonight is not that same Mason team. Jai Lewis, Lamar Butler, and Tony Skinn are gone, Those three -- all fifth-year seniors last season -- combined for 54 points against HC last season. Also gone is Cross' Kevin Hamilton, who the Patriots managed to hold to 11 points on 3 for 12 shooting. Keith Simmons' cramping problems, which were in full effect around this time last year, are also gone (though thankfully for HC, Simmons remains and seems to be OK despite having to wear a brace on the knee he sprained at Duke).
Some things are the same, though. Just like last year, the Crusaders are experiencing a rash of injuries. Pat Doherty is out -- again -- this time with a hand injury instead of the foot problems that sidelined him last season). Lawrence Dixon's surgically repaired knee has been balking and at last report, freshman Andrew Keister was awaiting the results of a scan to determine if he has a stress fracture in one of his legs. No word on the status of Dixon and Keister in the HC game notes.
One place HC appears to have an advantage is in the frontcourt. Tim Clifford will be easily the biggest dude in the paint. Clifford had a big night in Tuesday's loss at Providence and ought to be able to do the same if A) Mason tries to play him straight-up in man and B) If the quickness of Mason's 6-7 Will Thomas doesn't get Clifford into foul trouble. That will be a matchup to keep an eye on.
With Doherty and Dixon out, the Crusaders don't have a lot of perimeter firepower. This would be a nice spot for sophomore Colin Cunningham to step up.
As for mason, while they are clearly not the team they were a year ago, it would be foolhardy to dismiss their 4-4 record. Take a look at those losses: Duke, Creighton, Wichita State and Bucknell.
One edge for HC: this is Mason's first time out after an 11-day break for finals. Two patterns HC must break: 1) Mason has alternated wins and losses all season and teh Patriots lost last time out (at Duke). 2) Their own three-game losing streak (and four losses in their last five, albeit all against major conference opponents).
Also worth noting: Mason senior Gabe Norwaood and HC freshman Eric Meister both come from the same State College (Pa.) High School. That is also the alma mater of Colgate's Willie Morse.
Matchup | Boston Globe (on Mason)
Army at No. 20 Notre Dame -- A reality check for Army against a team that appears to be trying to win the Patriot League title.
The Black Knights' 9-2 start has gotten them a mention in the "others receiving" category of the AP Poll. But as nice as it is to see Army finally winning games, how they stack up against the rest of the league is still a big question mark. They have played a string of nobodies since losing to Missouri in the second game of the season. Suffice to say ND is not a SUNY Division 3 team.
Then again, nobody is really sure how good the 9-1 Irish are. Since losing their opener against Butler, ND has run off nine straight wins, a streak that started with a win over Lafayette and includes another win over Lehigh. The Irish also have wins over Alabama and Maryland.
Worth noting: In 2004, a horrendous Army team was up on ND 23-7 early. Doubt the Irish will take the Black Knights lightly.
Matchup | South Bend Tribune | Fort Wayne Journal Sentinel | Fighting Irish Insider | Protrade
Colgate at UC Riverside -- In a 10 p.m. (eastern) nightcap, the Raiders try to get back to .500 against a University of California at Riverside team that is 3-7 and in the midst of a five-game losing streak, albeit against some pretty tough competition.
Matchup
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One of the first signs of how good George Mason was going to be last season might have been the 33-point hurt they put on Holy Cross down in Fairfax, Va.
At the time, Mason's 71-38 win over the 'Saders seemed more like a horrendous night for HC than any sort of Mason statement. Of course at the time, the 'Saders were a struggling team that didn't look at all like the ballclub they became by the end of the season. Given the rash of injuries HC was experiencing, that wide final margin seemed more an indication of the Crusaders' woes than Mason's excellence. Nobody dreamt three months later Mason would be in the Final Four.
The team coming into Worcester's DCU Center tonight is not that same Mason team. Jai Lewis, Lamar Butler, and Tony Skinn are gone, Those three -- all fifth-year seniors last season -- combined for 54 points against HC last season. Also gone is Cross' Kevin Hamilton, who the Patriots managed to hold to 11 points on 3 for 12 shooting. Keith Simmons' cramping problems, which were in full effect around this time last year, are also gone (though thankfully for HC, Simmons remains and seems to be OK despite having to wear a brace on the knee he sprained at Duke).
Some things are the same, though. Just like last year, the Crusaders are experiencing a rash of injuries. Pat Doherty is out -- again -- this time with a hand injury instead of the foot problems that sidelined him last season). Lawrence Dixon's surgically repaired knee has been balking and at last report, freshman Andrew Keister was awaiting the results of a scan to determine if he has a stress fracture in one of his legs. No word on the status of Dixon and Keister in the HC game notes.
One place HC appears to have an advantage is in the frontcourt. Tim Clifford will be easily the biggest dude in the paint. Clifford had a big night in Tuesday's loss at Providence and ought to be able to do the same if A) Mason tries to play him straight-up in man and B) If the quickness of Mason's 6-7 Will Thomas doesn't get Clifford into foul trouble. That will be a matchup to keep an eye on.
With Doherty and Dixon out, the Crusaders don't have a lot of perimeter firepower. This would be a nice spot for sophomore Colin Cunningham to step up.
As for mason, while they are clearly not the team they were a year ago, it would be foolhardy to dismiss their 4-4 record. Take a look at those losses: Duke, Creighton, Wichita State and Bucknell.
One edge for HC: this is Mason's first time out after an 11-day break for finals. Two patterns HC must break: 1) Mason has alternated wins and losses all season and teh Patriots lost last time out (at Duke). 2) Their own three-game losing streak (and four losses in their last five, albeit all against major conference opponents).
Also worth noting: Mason senior Gabe Norwaood and HC freshman Eric Meister both come from the same State College (Pa.) High School. That is also the alma mater of Colgate's Willie Morse.
Matchup | Boston Globe (on Mason)
Army at No. 20 Notre Dame -- A reality check for Army against a team that appears to be trying to win the Patriot League title.
The Black Knights' 9-2 start has gotten them a mention in the "others receiving" category of the AP Poll. But as nice as it is to see Army finally winning games, how they stack up against the rest of the league is still a big question mark. They have played a string of nobodies since losing to Missouri in the second game of the season. Suffice to say ND is not a SUNY Division 3 team.
Then again, nobody is really sure how good the 9-1 Irish are. Since losing their opener against Butler, ND has run off nine straight wins, a streak that started with a win over Lafayette and includes another win over Lehigh. The Irish also have wins over Alabama and Maryland.
Worth noting: In 2004, a horrendous Army team was up on ND 23-7 early. Doubt the Irish will take the Black Knights lightly.
Matchup | South Bend Tribune | Fort Wayne Journal Sentinel | Fighting Irish Insider | Protrade
Colgate at UC Riverside -- In a 10 p.m. (eastern) nightcap, the Raiders try to get back to .500 against a University of California at Riverside team that is 3-7 and in the midst of a five-game losing streak, albeit against some pretty tough competition.
Matchup
Labels: Army, CU, HC, previews
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
There is ugly, and then there is Colgate's 52-36 loss at Arizona State.
Imagine holding your opponent to 7 first half field goals and still trailing by 8 at the break. That was Colgate's fate.
Of course when you only make 5 field goals yourself, odds are you will be behind at the break. Colgate went 5 for 22 (22.7 percent) in a half that saw them hold Arizona State to three field goals in the last 10 minutes of the half and still fall further behind.
It was an 11-8 Arizona State lead when Daniel Waddy showed off for the friends back home with a dunk at the 10:09 mark. Colgate would not get another field goal until Kyle Chones laid one in with 10 seconds left in the half.
ASU was not exactly on fire during that stretch. Serge Angounou hit three treys, spread apart far enough for him to have actually spent a few minutes on the bench between the last two, to account for all of the Sun Devils' 9-0 (dare we call it a run) spurt.
Colgate's offensive ineptitude did not end there. Trailing 20-12 at the break, the Raiders came out and scored on their first possession after the intermission. Kendall Chones' jumper with 19:03 to play answered an ASU basket and kept the margin at 8, But by the time Colgate scored again -- a Kendall Chones layup at the 11:19 mark, they were down 25 thanks to a 16-2 ASU run.
Phoenix-native Jon Simon had 15 for Colgate before fouling out in his return to his home state. Nobody else scored more than 7 for the Raiders.
It was Arizona State's best defensive effort since Harry Truman was president. The last time a Colgate team had a worse offensive night, the current team was either unborn or in diapers (35 points in a loss to Hartford in their 1-24 1985-86 season).
Box score | AP | East Valley Tribune | Devils Digest | Arizona Republic
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Imagine holding your opponent to 7 first half field goals and still trailing by 8 at the break. That was Colgate's fate.
Of course when you only make 5 field goals yourself, odds are you will be behind at the break. Colgate went 5 for 22 (22.7 percent) in a half that saw them hold Arizona State to three field goals in the last 10 minutes of the half and still fall further behind.
It was an 11-8 Arizona State lead when Daniel Waddy showed off for the friends back home with a dunk at the 10:09 mark. Colgate would not get another field goal until Kyle Chones laid one in with 10 seconds left in the half.
ASU was not exactly on fire during that stretch. Serge Angounou hit three treys, spread apart far enough for him to have actually spent a few minutes on the bench between the last two, to account for all of the Sun Devils' 9-0 (dare we call it a run) spurt.
Colgate's offensive ineptitude did not end there. Trailing 20-12 at the break, the Raiders came out and scored on their first possession after the intermission. Kendall Chones' jumper with 19:03 to play answered an ASU basket and kept the margin at 8, But by the time Colgate scored again -- a Kendall Chones layup at the 11:19 mark, they were down 25 thanks to a 16-2 ASU run.
Phoenix-native Jon Simon had 15 for Colgate before fouling out in his return to his home state. Nobody else scored more than 7 for the Raiders.
It was Arizona State's best defensive effort since Harry Truman was president. The last time a Colgate team had a worse offensive night, the current team was either unborn or in diapers (35 points in a loss to Hartford in their 1-24 1985-86 season).
Box score | AP | East Valley Tribune | Devils Digest | Arizona Republic
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Tuesday, December 19, 2006
While some others are cutting their pre-conference teeth on Division 3 mush, Holy Cross and Colgate are biting off more challenging fare. (Full post includes readaround links)
The Crusaders return from a 12-day break for finals to meet Providence of the Big East at the Friar's Dunkin Donuts Center (matchup). Most would consider a Holy Cross win an upset, but we're not so sure that is accurate. Although the Friars are 7-2, their schedule has not been impressive. The Friars do sport a decent (49) RPI, but HC -- at 37 -- ranks higher.
Providence lost its only road game of the season, at Florida (86-67). Although they have wins at the Dunk was over Boston College and George Washington, the rest of the schedule has been a steady diet of New England mid-major road kills. Even those have not all gone as planned for Tim Welsh's team. The other loss was against Brown.
That game, a 51-41 final, was played at the type pace Holy Cross prefers, and Brown is not nearly as good at imposing that style on foes as the Crusaders are.
Add the RPI differences and that Brown game to the Crusaders past history of relative success against Providence and a 'Saders win would would not be nearly as big an upset as it will seem to the unknowing masses when they see the score. The Crusaders have played Providence in Providence 32 times and have won 11 of those. That is a pretty decent rate of winning on the road against a major conference team. The two have traded wins over their last five meetings, with Providence winning by 6 the last time they played (2000).
Of course if Keith Simmons is not at full speed, it changes everything. Simmons sprained his knee in the Crusaders' last game (at Duke). Last word out of Worcester was that he was unable to practice. HC coach Ralph Willard has not updated his Web site since that Dec. 12 post and there is no mention of any injuries in the HC game notes (pdf).
Kevin McNamara breaks it down in today's Providence Journal (you need to sign in to read the ProJo, feel free to use our old hotmail address -- hoop_time@hotmail.com and the password: hooptime). For another look, try the Pawtucket Times' preview (no sign-in in needed).
Colgate at Arizona State -- (matchup
| Az. Republic preview ) A pair of 4-4 teams meet in the desert. Colgate comes in off a nine-day break for finals, having lost at Syracuse its last time out. ASU played Saturday, losing by 18 at Xavier, the Sun Devils' second straight setback. They also have suffered home losses to Northern Arizona and Portland State.
It's a homecoming game for Colgate senior Jon Simon, the team's leading scorer. Simon is from Phoenix. Also home for the pre-holidays is Raiders sophomore Daniel Waddy, who comes from Tuscon.
Readaround links:
Patriot-News hoops writer David Jones breaks down the Patriot League in a column today.
Morning Call beat guy Stephen Miller profiles Lafayette's undersized four-man Matt Betley
Mike Garvey, of the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, thinks Lafayette is nicknamed the "Cougars." get past that glaring miscue and his story about Division 3 King's excitement over the prospect of playing the D-1 LEOPARDS Wednesday night is an interesting read.
If there had not been a direct link posted from the Holy Cross message board, I am not sure I'd have discovered this hidden gem from Kyle Whelliston. It's a breakdown of Patriot League school's hoops budgets. You can also check out a complete D-1 spending ranking. While you are there, check this on-the-money analysis of the college hoops world.
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The Crusaders return from a 12-day break for finals to meet Providence of the Big East at the Friar's Dunkin Donuts Center (matchup). Most would consider a Holy Cross win an upset, but we're not so sure that is accurate. Although the Friars are 7-2, their schedule has not been impressive. The Friars do sport a decent (49) RPI, but HC -- at 37 -- ranks higher.
Providence lost its only road game of the season, at Florida (86-67). Although they have wins at the Dunk was over Boston College and George Washington, the rest of the schedule has been a steady diet of New England mid-major road kills. Even those have not all gone as planned for Tim Welsh's team. The other loss was against Brown.
That game, a 51-41 final, was played at the type pace Holy Cross prefers, and Brown is not nearly as good at imposing that style on foes as the Crusaders are.
Add the RPI differences and that Brown game to the Crusaders past history of relative success against Providence and a 'Saders win would would not be nearly as big an upset as it will seem to the unknowing masses when they see the score. The Crusaders have played Providence in Providence 32 times and have won 11 of those. That is a pretty decent rate of winning on the road against a major conference team. The two have traded wins over their last five meetings, with Providence winning by 6 the last time they played (2000).
Of course if Keith Simmons is not at full speed, it changes everything. Simmons sprained his knee in the Crusaders' last game (at Duke). Last word out of Worcester was that he was unable to practice. HC coach Ralph Willard has not updated his Web site since that Dec. 12 post and there is no mention of any injuries in the HC game notes (pdf).
Kevin McNamara breaks it down in today's Providence Journal (you need to sign in to read the ProJo, feel free to use our old hotmail address -- hoop_time@hotmail.com and the password: hooptime). For another look, try the Pawtucket Times' preview (no sign-in in needed).
Colgate at Arizona State -- (matchup
| Az. Republic preview ) A pair of 4-4 teams meet in the desert. Colgate comes in off a nine-day break for finals, having lost at Syracuse its last time out. ASU played Saturday, losing by 18 at Xavier, the Sun Devils' second straight setback. They also have suffered home losses to Northern Arizona and Portland State.
It's a homecoming game for Colgate senior Jon Simon, the team's leading scorer. Simon is from Phoenix. Also home for the pre-holidays is Raiders sophomore Daniel Waddy, who comes from Tuscon.
Readaround links:
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Sunday, December 10, 2006
The basketball gods were not smiling on the Patriot League Saturday. Lehigh and Colgate both lost, not unexpectedly, to big time schools. American's loss to Yale was somewhat less anticipated.
Yale 70, American 53 -- Casey Hughes put Yale ahead with a alley-oop dunk 11 seconds into the second half and Yale never again trailed, ending AU's four-game win streak and Yale's six-game losing streak.
American led 29-28 at the half. But Hughes' dunk was followed by six more Yale points, part of a 10-0 run that spanned the intermission. AU closed to within 4 with 11:10 on the clock, but Yale answered with a three-pointer and the Bulldogs lead was never fewer than 6 points the rest of the way.
Yale shot 15 of 29 (51.7 percent), including 4 of 8 from the three-point arc, in the second half. Au was under 40 percent from the field each half, finishing 19 of 55 (34.5 percent) overall, 3 of 18 (16.7 percent) from the arc.
The Bulldogs dominant inside, outscoring AU 28-10 in the paint and outrebounding the Eagles 44-32. Yale had 15 offensive boards, yielding 14 second-chance points. Brayden Billbe lead AU in rebounds with 6, despite his fouling out in just 16 minutes of playing time.
In Billbe's stead, Georgetown-transfer Cornelio Guibunda saw an extended run and hit a career-high 13 points. Arvydas Eitutavicius led AU with 14 points. Andre Ingra added 10.
It was Yale's first win over a Division I team this season. The Bulldogs lost at home to Bucknell and Holy Cross during their losing streak.
Box score | AP | New Haven Register
(21) Syracuse 79, Colgate 52 -- Colgate managed to hang around for a half, then Syracuse turned on the jets. At the break it was 35-30 Syracuse. But while the Orangemen came out on fire and hit 64 percent of their shots (16 of 25) in the second half, including 8 of 14 from the arc, Colgate managed to make but 8 of the 31 (25.8 percent) shots it put up in the second half.
The Raiders were 1 of 10 from three-point range in the second half, 2 of 16 for the game.
Kyle Chones led Syracuse with a career-high 18 points. Jon Simon, who averaged 14.3 ppg coming in, was held to 5 points on 2 for 11 shooting and Kendall Chones managed just one point, almost 10 below his average.
The win was Syracuse's 41st in a row over Colgate, the longest such streak in the nation.
Box score | AP | Syracuse Post-Standard | Utica Observer-Dispatch
Miami (FL) 79, Lehigh 58 -- The Mountain Hawks managed to hang with the Hurricanes for a half, trailing 36-33 at the break, but could not keep pace with the ACC school in the second.
"We simply ran out of gas," said Lehigh coach Billy Taylor, who again juggled his starting lineup, with Phil Anderson replacing Bryan White at the strong forward spot, which has been a revolving door for Lehigh.
Lehigh's offense was not the problem. The Hawks shot 50 percent (24 of 48) from the field and were 7 of 18 (38.9 percent) from the arc. But Miami shot even better, going 50 percent (14 of 28) from the field the first half, 55.6 percent in the second (15 of 27). Miami also outrebounded Lehigh 33-23 and went 12 for 21 at the foul line. Lehigh shot only 6 free throws, making 3.
Jason Mgebroff led the Hawks with 12 points. Jose Olivero added 11 for Lehigh, which is still looking for its first win away from Stabler Arena.
Box score | AP | Sun-Sentinel | Miami Herald | Canes Time
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Yale 70, American 53 -- Casey Hughes put Yale ahead with a alley-oop dunk 11 seconds into the second half and Yale never again trailed, ending AU's four-game win streak and Yale's six-game losing streak.
American led 29-28 at the half. But Hughes' dunk was followed by six more Yale points, part of a 10-0 run that spanned the intermission. AU closed to within 4 with 11:10 on the clock, but Yale answered with a three-pointer and the Bulldogs lead was never fewer than 6 points the rest of the way.
Yale shot 15 of 29 (51.7 percent), including 4 of 8 from the three-point arc, in the second half. Au was under 40 percent from the field each half, finishing 19 of 55 (34.5 percent) overall, 3 of 18 (16.7 percent) from the arc.
The Bulldogs dominant inside, outscoring AU 28-10 in the paint and outrebounding the Eagles 44-32. Yale had 15 offensive boards, yielding 14 second-chance points. Brayden Billbe lead AU in rebounds with 6, despite his fouling out in just 16 minutes of playing time.
In Billbe's stead, Georgetown-transfer Cornelio Guibunda saw an extended run and hit a career-high 13 points. Arvydas Eitutavicius led AU with 14 points. Andre Ingra added 10.
It was Yale's first win over a Division I team this season. The Bulldogs lost at home to Bucknell and Holy Cross during their losing streak.
Box score | AP | New Haven Register
(21) Syracuse 79, Colgate 52 -- Colgate managed to hang around for a half, then Syracuse turned on the jets. At the break it was 35-30 Syracuse. But while the Orangemen came out on fire and hit 64 percent of their shots (16 of 25) in the second half, including 8 of 14 from the arc, Colgate managed to make but 8 of the 31 (25.8 percent) shots it put up in the second half.
The Raiders were 1 of 10 from three-point range in the second half, 2 of 16 for the game.
Kyle Chones led Syracuse with a career-high 18 points. Jon Simon, who averaged 14.3 ppg coming in, was held to 5 points on 2 for 11 shooting and Kendall Chones managed just one point, almost 10 below his average.
The win was Syracuse's 41st in a row over Colgate, the longest such streak in the nation.
Box score | AP | Syracuse Post-Standard | Utica Observer-Dispatch
Miami (FL) 79, Lehigh 58 -- The Mountain Hawks managed to hang with the Hurricanes for a half, trailing 36-33 at the break, but could not keep pace with the ACC school in the second.
"We simply ran out of gas," said Lehigh coach Billy Taylor, who again juggled his starting lineup, with Phil Anderson replacing Bryan White at the strong forward spot, which has been a revolving door for Lehigh.
Lehigh's offense was not the problem. The Hawks shot 50 percent (24 of 48) from the field and were 7 of 18 (38.9 percent) from the arc. But Miami shot even better, going 50 percent (14 of 28) from the field the first half, 55.6 percent in the second (15 of 27). Miami also outrebounded Lehigh 33-23 and went 12 for 21 at the foul line. Lehigh shot only 6 free throws, making 3.
Jason Mgebroff led the Hawks with 12 points. Jose Olivero added 11 for Lehigh, which is still looking for its first win away from Stabler Arena.
Box score | AP | Sun-Sentinel | Miami Herald | Canes Time
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Friday, December 08, 2006
Three Patriot League teams in action today -- all on the road. Lehigh, still looking for its first road win, is at Miami (Fla.) (matchup), Colgate makes its annual visit to Syracuse (matchup, preview) and American seeks to continue the Patriot League's domination of Yale (matchup).
BONUS LINKS:
SU should be cranky for annual brush with Colgate (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Colgate at a glance (Syracuse Post-Standard)
With King out, team must step up, (Miami coach) Haith says (Sun-Sentinel)
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BONUS LINKS:
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Thursday, December 07, 2006
Holy Cross gave Duke a scare and Lehigh lost a heart breaker at Princeton as league teams broke even in games against Division I opponents Wednesday night. The news was better for Army and American.
(7) Duke 57, Holy Cross 45 -- For 20 minutes Holy Cross was in control -- of the tempo and, to some extent, of the game. Forcing 12 turnovers and holding Duke to 8 of 25 shooting in the first half, the Crusaders were up 28-22 at the half.
"They took control of the tempo of the game and made us play every possession," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. "Their defense was not a pressing defense, but it forced us into standing."
Holy Cross stayed in the game for a while after the intermission, too. With 14:07 to play, HC was still up 4 after a Tim Clifford layup and after Clifford blocked Lance Thomas' shot at the other end, the 'Saders had a three-on-one break at the other end, with a chance to push the lead to 6.
Then came two charges. The first was of the personal foul variety, a whistle on Lawrence Dixon trying to finish the break. The second charge came in the form of Duke's 16-2 run that carried the Blue Devils from 4 down to a double digits lead. HC never got closer the 8 the rest of the way.
In the end, Duke simply wore the shorthanded Crusaders down. Pat Doherty, who moved into the starting lineup next to Torey Thomas at guard, played 33 minutes. That was the least minutes by any HC starter other than center Tim Clifford, who fouled out after 22 minutes of action.
After shooting 10 for 22 (45.5 percent) from the field in the first half, Holy Cross scored only 17 points in the second, shooting 7 for 24 (29.2 percent). Duke, in the meantime, went 11 for 18 (61.1 percent) in the second half.
As HC coach Ralph Willard told Jen Toland of the T&G:
Box score | Game notes | Duke quotes | Duke photo gallery | AP Photo gallery | AP wrap | AP gamer | Telegram & Gazette (gamer) | T&G notebook | Durham Sun-Herald | Wilmington (NC) Star-Journal | Greensboro News-Record | Winston-Salem Journal
Princeton 44, Lehigh 43 -- Princeton freshman Marcus Schroeder hit a free throw with no time left to give Princeton a win in its first home game, keeping Lehigh winless on the road. It was Princeton's 23rd straight win over Lehigh.
Schroeder was fouled while taking a desperation shot as time ran out (maybe after, according to Corky Blake of the Express-Times, but there was no TV replay available to check) after gathering in an offensive rebound.
Lehigh led 23-16 at the half, and played good enough defense in the second to win, holding Princeton to 7 for 18 (38.9 percent) shooting. But five of Princeton's seven field goals were three-pointers and the Tigers got to the foul line 14 times in the half, making 9. Lehigh was 9 for 14 at the line for the entire game.
The Mountain Hawks' problems came at the offensive end. Lehigh went 16 for 49 (32.7 percent) from the field and made only 2 (of 11) three-pointers. Leading scorer Jose Olivero was held to 10 points on 4 for 17 shooting and freshman point guard Marquis Hall did not make a shot (on 4 tries).
Strong forward Bryan White, back into the starting five as Billy Taylor struggles to find the right guy for that spot, did not even take a shot, his box score line a row of zeroes, save his 2 rebounds and 2 fouls.
Kyle Neptune led Lehigh scorers with 15 points. Center Jason Mgebroff turned in a 12-points, 11-rebounds double-double.
Box score | AP | Daily Princetonian | Trentonian | Trenton Times | Morning Call | Express-Times
Army 60, N.J.I.T. 40 -- Freshman Chris Walker posted his first career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lead Army to the win.
Matt Bell added 12 points and Jarrell Brown 19 for the Black Knights (7-2). The seven wins is the most in a single season for Army under coach Jim Crews.
Box score | Army recap
American 85, Howard 75 -- American started the game up 1-0 and was never tied, never trailed in improving to 7-2, its best start in 25 years. The Eagles began with a lead thanks to an Andre Ingram free throw after Howard got hit with a technical for dunking during pregame warmups.
Ingram went on to put up 21 points, going 7 for 9 from the field, 3 of 4 from the arc.
Ingram was not the only one making shots for AU. Arvydas Eitutavicius had 17 first-half points en route to a 23-point showing. Eitutavicius was 6 for 6 at the foul line, extending his made free throws streak to 27 in a row. Derrick Mercer added 9 points and dished 8 assists for AU, which shot 59.6 percent from the field (31-52 and outrebounded Howard 42-23.
Paulius Joneliunas also in double figures for Au with 13 points.
Box score | AP | Washington Post
Colgate 82, Elmira 34 -- Everybody ran, everybody scored. Who cares?
Box score | Colgate wrap
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(7) Duke 57, Holy Cross 45 -- For 20 minutes Holy Cross was in control -- of the tempo and, to some extent, of the game. Forcing 12 turnovers and holding Duke to 8 of 25 shooting in the first half, the Crusaders were up 28-22 at the half.
"They took control of the tempo of the game and made us play every possession," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. "Their defense was not a pressing defense, but it forced us into standing."
Holy Cross stayed in the game for a while after the intermission, too. With 14:07 to play, HC was still up 4 after a Tim Clifford layup and after Clifford blocked Lance Thomas' shot at the other end, the 'Saders had a three-on-one break at the other end, with a chance to push the lead to 6.
Then came two charges. The first was of the personal foul variety, a whistle on Lawrence Dixon trying to finish the break. The second charge came in the form of Duke's 16-2 run that carried the Blue Devils from 4 down to a double digits lead. HC never got closer the 8 the rest of the way.
In the end, Duke simply wore the shorthanded Crusaders down. Pat Doherty, who moved into the starting lineup next to Torey Thomas at guard, played 33 minutes. That was the least minutes by any HC starter other than center Tim Clifford, who fouled out after 22 minutes of action.
After shooting 10 for 22 (45.5 percent) from the field in the first half, Holy Cross scored only 17 points in the second, shooting 7 for 24 (29.2 percent). Duke, in the meantime, went 11 for 18 (61.1 percent) in the second half.
As HC coach Ralph Willard told Jen Toland of the T&G:
"We really labored in the second half, probably because we had too many guys playing too many minutes."Keith Simmons led HC with 13 points. Simmons also had 4 steals and 7 rebounds. Torey Thomas, who was held to 6 points, had 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals. But Simmons (5 TO) and Thomas (9 TO) combined for 14 of the Crusaders' 20 turnovers.
Box score | Game notes | Duke quotes | Duke photo gallery | AP Photo gallery | AP wrap | AP gamer | Telegram & Gazette (gamer) | T&G notebook | Durham Sun-Herald | Wilmington (NC) Star-Journal | Greensboro News-Record | Winston-Salem Journal
Princeton 44, Lehigh 43 -- Princeton freshman Marcus Schroeder hit a free throw with no time left to give Princeton a win in its first home game, keeping Lehigh winless on the road. It was Princeton's 23rd straight win over Lehigh.
Schroeder was fouled while taking a desperation shot as time ran out (maybe after, according to Corky Blake of the Express-Times, but there was no TV replay available to check) after gathering in an offensive rebound.
Lehigh led 23-16 at the half, and played good enough defense in the second to win, holding Princeton to 7 for 18 (38.9 percent) shooting. But five of Princeton's seven field goals were three-pointers and the Tigers got to the foul line 14 times in the half, making 9. Lehigh was 9 for 14 at the line for the entire game.
The Mountain Hawks' problems came at the offensive end. Lehigh went 16 for 49 (32.7 percent) from the field and made only 2 (of 11) three-pointers. Leading scorer Jose Olivero was held to 10 points on 4 for 17 shooting and freshman point guard Marquis Hall did not make a shot (on 4 tries).
Strong forward Bryan White, back into the starting five as Billy Taylor struggles to find the right guy for that spot, did not even take a shot, his box score line a row of zeroes, save his 2 rebounds and 2 fouls.
Kyle Neptune led Lehigh scorers with 15 points. Center Jason Mgebroff turned in a 12-points, 11-rebounds double-double.
Box score | AP | Daily Princetonian | Trentonian | Trenton Times | Morning Call | Express-Times
Army 60, N.J.I.T. 40 -- Freshman Chris Walker posted his first career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lead Army to the win.
Matt Bell added 12 points and Jarrell Brown 19 for the Black Knights (7-2). The seven wins is the most in a single season for Army under coach Jim Crews.
Box score | Army recap
American 85, Howard 75 -- American started the game up 1-0 and was never tied, never trailed in improving to 7-2, its best start in 25 years. The Eagles began with a lead thanks to an Andre Ingram free throw after Howard got hit with a technical for dunking during pregame warmups.
Ingram went on to put up 21 points, going 7 for 9 from the field, 3 of 4 from the arc.
Ingram was not the only one making shots for AU. Arvydas Eitutavicius had 17 first-half points en route to a 23-point showing. Eitutavicius was 6 for 6 at the foul line, extending his made free throws streak to 27 in a row. Derrick Mercer added 9 points and dished 8 assists for AU, which shot 59.6 percent from the field (31-52 and outrebounded Howard 42-23.
Paulius Joneliunas also in double figures for Au with 13 points.
Box score | AP | Washington Post
Colgate 82, Elmira 34 -- Everybody ran, everybody scored. Who cares?
Box score | Colgate wrap
Labels: Army, AU, CU, games, HC, Leh
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Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Following a rare night off for all league teams, five games on tap tonight.
Topping the bill is Holy Cross at Duke on ESPN2. The Crusaders with their hands full (and then some) playing their fourth road game in 10 days against No. 7 Duke (matchup, preview) in front of the Cameron Crazies, a bunch HC coach Ralph Willard calls "a student section against which all others are measured." It's a challenge for even the top teams in the nation, let alone one with both leg and rotation issues; Duke has won 46 straight games in Cameron against nonconference opponents.
PREVIEWS: Durham Herald Sun | Devils Den (Scout.com) | AP
Another one to watch involves Lehigh, still looking for a road win, at Princeton (matchup), worth watching if only to check out the matchup between the Mountain Hawks' outstanding freshman point guard Marquis Hall and Princeton freshman Marcus Schroeder, one of three freshman starting for Princeton.
Elsewhere, it's NJIT at Army, American crosstown at Howard and Division III Elmira at Colgate
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Topping the bill is Holy Cross at Duke on ESPN2. The Crusaders with their hands full (and then some) playing their fourth road game in 10 days against No. 7 Duke (matchup, preview) in front of the Cameron Crazies, a bunch HC coach Ralph Willard calls "a student section against which all others are measured." It's a challenge for even the top teams in the nation, let alone one with both leg and rotation issues; Duke has won 46 straight games in Cameron against nonconference opponents.
PREVIEWS: Durham Herald Sun | Devils Den (Scout.com) | AP
Another one to watch involves Lehigh, still looking for a road win, at Princeton (matchup), worth watching if only to check out the matchup between the Mountain Hawks' outstanding freshman point guard Marquis Hall and Princeton freshman Marcus Schroeder, one of three freshman starting for Princeton.
Elsewhere, it's NJIT at Army, American crosstown at Howard and Division III Elmira at Colgate
Labels: Army, AU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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Monday, December 04, 2006
You thought the only e-mails we get are those black market viagara spams and forwarded jokes from the brother-in-law. You thought wrong. We get lots of e-mails. The ones think you will find interesting, along with the ones we can think of a smarmy reply to, we share with you from time to time. Here's what some folks have written about since the start of the season:
Matt from Bucknell writes:
First of all, my compliments to the Bucknellian (Matt is a staffer there). The past two seasons you guys have really picked it up in terms of your coverage of the Bison. In the not so distant past, a place reserved for The Bucknellian along press row was a place you could sit your laptop case because nobody ever sat in it.
You were there Saturday, Matt. Surely you could have checked off one or two on the excuse list.
Bottom line, we don't care much for excuses. Not from the musicians in recitals or the acolyte for the candlelight service. We don't care about finals that are five days away, or papers, or studying, and neither do the folks at real basketball schools.
You don't find some Dukie saying he didn't spend the week before the Carolina game in Krzyzewskiville because they could watch the game on TV.
Bottom line (and when you get out in the real world Matt, you'll learn it is all about the bottom line): The Bucknell students (and the townie types who did not use their seats, too) left their team down when they perhaps needed them most.
This was a big game, and given the team's early season record, was one where they really needed all the support their fans could bring. And where were all those kids with the old Bison's Sixth Man" T-shirts?
I remember a game back in old Davis Gym where a Colgate player once told me it was so loud they couldn't hear their play calls. Sojka was nowhere near that level Saturday. Heck, those studious types could have brought their books to the gym to study, it was probably quieter than the library.
You are right, the ticket system at BU is broken. We've written about that before, and probably will again. But BU officials assure me all the student allotment was claimed prior to the game. All that were left Saturday were about 100 Northern Iowa returned. This time the problem was not getting tickets in the students' hands, it was getting the student to hand them back.
As for them showing up in the spring, we will see. If the Bison get on a roll and are competing for the league title, crowds will probably come, at least for perceived big games.
The true sign of being a hoops hotbed, though, is showing up even when things are not going your way.
observer@lehigh.edu writes:
A couple of observations:
1) I have my doubts about your e-mail address. I suspect most Lehigh students can spell "handicap". They probably can spell "probably" too.
2) Though I never saw the Sporting News hoops preview, I did glance at the USA Today special edition. Having been in this business a little while, let me explain to you about braintrusts at newspaper sports departments: They don't exist. At least not in the manner you seem to think they do. In all likelihood, the so-called brain trust that made their picks is one guy. More than likely one guy who has never covered a single Patriot League game. I promise you in all the years I have covered the league, I have yet to see anyone from Sporting News on the press row seating chart. Can't recall anyone from USA Today either, though it is possible they have covered a game or two somewhere along the line.
Besides, who ya gonna believe? Them or the greatest mind ever to handicap the Patriot League?
Mike from Lehigh wrote:
(In response to comments wondering about the absence of sophomore center John Gourlay and freshman forward Paul Bayer from the box score after the Swarthmore debacle.)
Even though I am the greatest mind to ever handicap the Patriot League, I am not all knowing. So I put the question to another Mike from Lehigh -- Mike Stagnitta, the Hawks' hoops contact in the sports information office. Here is what that Mike told us about Gourlay and Bayer:
Joe (who might be from D.C.) asks:
Something tells me I was just there for the Bucknell-Mason game is not the answer you are looking for. I suspect Joe is an American fan who wants to know if I am coming to see the Eagles.
The short answer to that part of the question is: yes. In addition to last week's trip to Emmittsburg, Md. to see AU take on Mount Saint Mary's, our tentative plans have us heading to D.C. for six AU games -- seven if I get my Christmas shopping done in time to get to College Park (close enough) for the Maryland game Dec. 23.
As for what games I actually see, while certainly not on a pace to break Kyle's 100-games mark, the plans for the season are pretty ambitious. I have covered eight-and-a-half so far, and expect to see over 30 more before the league tournament ends, including at least two days where we are hoping to take in two games the same day.
Basically, our strategy is to get to as many games as we can, with proximity and importance of the game as the two biggest determining factors.
Hope that answers your questions.
Thomas Walker of Atlanta, Ga. writes:
And you would say that even if he were not your son, right?
Actually, I am eager to see Walker play since this is not the first time I have heard from his dad. I recall a nice message following a post about Army's prep school last season.
Seems everybody is anxious to see Army, wondering if they are for real of playing a weak schedule.
Reality is probably in the middle, but right now, anyhow, they are making a certain preseason pundit who suggested the Black Knights would escape the basement look like the greatest mind ever to handicap the Patriot League.
Ken (who we think is a BU fan) writes:
When I talked to Emmitt Davis in August for the Blue Ribbon previews, that was how he referred to Pounds (sophomore eligibility). Pounds is also listed as a sophomore on the roster in the Patriot League media guide and on the Colgate Web site.
I thought I understood the explanation, which was similar to the Chones brothers, except Pounds left school (for one semester if memory serves) due to a personal situation at home, not due to academics.
Before typing anything authoritative, though, we decided to check in with Bob Cornell, the Raiders SID. His answer was a surprise:
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Matt from Bucknell writes:
Some reasons for low attendance by the students (thought it was certainly more than half-full in their sections):Dear Matt:
1. It is the end of the semester. There is a ton of work to turn in before exams and then exams themselves start on Thursday.
2. There was a live feed of the game being broadcast around campus. People could do work and watch the game that way.
3. The ticket policy distribution by the University has not been great. It is still struggling to find the best way to do it. Also, there were was not a lot of advertisement for the game - at least not in the past week or so.
4. When it was announced that there were left over tickets, it was only posted on the athletics' Web site, which a lot of students probably don't use. It was said that there were less than 150 tickets left, and this was not announced until yesterday evening. There was no general e-mail announcement.
5. The wrestling and track teams both had events today. Both teams are large supporters of the basketball program and account for a bunch of the missing seats.
6. There were some musical recitals today, as well as the football team awards banquet. Also, the school is in the midst of having its three candlelight Christmas services. The students who participate sacrifice a lot of time for it over the last few days and the next few days. Time has to give somewhere.
That all being said, yes attendance was less than it should have been. I was sad to see it less than full, but that happens. The place will fill up again once league play gets going and the spring semester starts up.
First of all, my compliments to the Bucknellian (Matt is a staffer there). The past two seasons you guys have really picked it up in terms of your coverage of the Bison. In the not so distant past, a place reserved for The Bucknellian along press row was a place you could sit your laptop case because nobody ever sat in it.
You were there Saturday, Matt. Surely you could have checked off one or two on the excuse list.
Bottom line, we don't care much for excuses. Not from the musicians in recitals or the acolyte for the candlelight service. We don't care about finals that are five days away, or papers, or studying, and neither do the folks at real basketball schools.
You don't find some Dukie saying he didn't spend the week before the Carolina game in Krzyzewskiville because they could watch the game on TV.
Bottom line (and when you get out in the real world Matt, you'll learn it is all about the bottom line): The Bucknell students (and the townie types who did not use their seats, too) left their team down when they perhaps needed them most.
This was a big game, and given the team's early season record, was one where they really needed all the support their fans could bring. And where were all those kids with the old Bison's Sixth Man" T-shirts?
I remember a game back in old Davis Gym where a Colgate player once told me it was so loud they couldn't hear their play calls. Sojka was nowhere near that level Saturday. Heck, those studious types could have brought their books to the gym to study, it was probably quieter than the library.
You are right, the ticket system at BU is broken. We've written about that before, and probably will again. But BU officials assure me all the student allotment was claimed prior to the game. All that were left Saturday were about 100 Northern Iowa returned. This time the problem was not getting tickets in the students' hands, it was getting the student to hand them back.
As for them showing up in the spring, we will see. If the Bison get on a roll and are competing for the league title, crowds will probably come, at least for perceived big games.
The true sign of being a hoops hotbed, though, is showing up even when things are not going your way.
observer@lehigh.edu writes:
What up Big Dog?Dear Observer:
While you are proabably the greatest mind ever to handicapp the Patriot League...The brain trusts at USA Today and the Sporting News have released their own PL predictions and have a much more favorable outlook for Lehigh. I understand you have great disdain for our school's basketball program, but I still don't know why. Lose the bias, gain some respect.
A couple of observations:
1) I have my doubts about your e-mail address. I suspect most Lehigh students can spell "handicap". They probably can spell "probably" too.
2) Though I never saw the Sporting News hoops preview, I did glance at the USA Today special edition. Having been in this business a little while, let me explain to you about braintrusts at newspaper sports departments: They don't exist. At least not in the manner you seem to think they do. In all likelihood, the so-called brain trust that made their picks is one guy. More than likely one guy who has never covered a single Patriot League game. I promise you in all the years I have covered the league, I have yet to see anyone from Sporting News on the press row seating chart. Can't recall anyone from USA Today either, though it is possible they have covered a game or two somewhere along the line.
Besides, who ya gonna believe? Them or the greatest mind ever to handicap the Patriot League?
Mike from Lehigh wrote:
(In response to comments wondering about the absence of sophomore center John Gourlay and freshman forward Paul Bayer from the box score after the Swarthmore debacle.)
Gourlay was wearing a suit on the bench, and Bayer was missing from the bench. However, I'm not sure what ails either player.Dear Mike:
Even though I am the greatest mind to ever handicap the Patriot League, I am not all knowing. So I put the question to another Mike from Lehigh -- Mike Stagnitta, the Hawks' hoops contact in the sports information office. Here is what that Mike told us about Gourlay and Bayer:
Gourlay is out with an injury right now (foot). He played in the Notre Dame game and re-aggravated it, so he sat out the last two games last week. He's day-to-day, and will hopefully return soon. As for Bayer, he is no longer on the team. He has asked for and has been granted permission to transfer.As they say at the day job; Now you know.
Joe (who might be from D.C.) asks:
I just wanted to ask what games do you actually see? Are you coming down to DC at all?Dear Joe:
Something tells me I was just there for the Bucknell-Mason game is not the answer you are looking for. I suspect Joe is an American fan who wants to know if I am coming to see the Eagles.
The short answer to that part of the question is: yes. In addition to last week's trip to Emmittsburg, Md. to see AU take on Mount Saint Mary's, our tentative plans have us heading to D.C. for six AU games -- seven if I get my Christmas shopping done in time to get to College Park (close enough) for the Maryland game Dec. 23.
As for what games I actually see, while certainly not on a pace to break Kyle's 100-games mark, the plans for the season are pretty ambitious. I have covered eight-and-a-half so far, and expect to see over 30 more before the league tournament ends, including at least two days where we are hoping to take in two games the same day.
Basically, our strategy is to get to as many games as we can, with proximity and importance of the game as the two biggest determining factors.
Hope that answers your questions.
Thomas Walker of Atlanta, Ga. writes:
Enjoyed your comeback and early ROY post. Bell is going to have a sensational senior season for Army, being 100% healthy now. For ROY Hall is definitely the front-runner. I submit another candidate for your consideration if the team's record significantly improves: Army s Chris Walker (7.7 ppg, 4.3 rbg through 3 games). He's not going to put up sensational numbers his freshman year, because the offense Army runs is designed to get Bell and Brown the bulk of the shots, but his inside presence will help B & B get better shots than last year, and he is a difference-maker defensively.Dear Thomas:
And you would say that even if he were not your son, right?
Actually, I am eager to see Walker play since this is not the first time I have heard from his dad. I recall a nice message following a post about Army's prep school last season.
Seems everybody is anxious to see Army, wondering if they are for real of playing a weak schedule.
Reality is probably in the middle, but right now, anyhow, they are making a certain preseason pundit who suggested the Black Knights would escape the basement look like the greatest mind ever to handicap the Patriot League.
Ken (who we think is a BU fan) writes:
Very interesting piece on the Colgate game. I do have one question. On a couple of occasions, you have mentioned that Tim Pounds has sophomore eligibility. I know he chose not to play last year and under NCAA regulations would have three more years. However, Patriot League regulations ban redshirting, so why would he still be allowed three more years if he voluntarily chose not to play? (According to some Colgate people I have talked to, it was not a case of any injury.) I'd be interested in any feedback you could provide. Thanks.Ken:
When I talked to Emmitt Davis in August for the Blue Ribbon previews, that was how he referred to Pounds (sophomore eligibility). Pounds is also listed as a sophomore on the roster in the Patriot League media guide and on the Colgate Web site.
I thought I understood the explanation, which was similar to the Chones brothers, except Pounds left school (for one semester if memory serves) due to a personal situation at home, not due to academics.
Before typing anything authoritative, though, we decided to check in with Bob Cornell, the Raiders SID. His answer was a surprise:
He's still on schedule to graduate in Spring 2008 and therefore only has this year (06-07) and next year (07-08) of eligibility remaining.Cue the day job jingle.
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Sunday, December 03, 2006
(Updated at 7:53 a.m. with new links)
Lafayette ended a losing streak, Lehigh stayed unbeaten at home and Army kept a winning streak going. The news for Colgate and Holy Cross was not as good.
Lafayette 72, St. Peter's 69 -- Freshman Jesper Andersson hit six three-pointers en route to a career-best 18 points. But it was Ted Detmer's trey with 1.4 on the clock that proved to be the game-winner for Lafayette, which snapped a six-game losing streak.
Lafayette hit a total of 15 threes. That was the difference in a game in which both teams had 25 field goals and 7 free throws. Saint Peter's finished with 12 treys.
Bilal Abdullah and Andrew Brown were left out of Lafayette's starting lineup for the first time this season, replaced by Paul Cummins and Marcus Harley. Abdullah responded with 14 points, Brown with 11 points and 8 assists.
Box score | AP | Express-Times
Army 63, Citadel 55 -- Army shot 48.8 percent (20 of 41) for the game, 55 percent (11 of 20) in the second half when they battled back to pull out the win.
The Black Knights were up 32-24 at the intermission, but Citadel started the second half with a 13-0 run and was up as many as 8 points (46-38 with 12:34 to play) before Army stormed back.
Jarrell Brown with 23 points to lead Army. Matt Bell added 17 and freshman Chris Walker was 5 for 7 from the field, 11 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
Box score | AP
Harvard 76, Colgate 64 -- Colgate shot 50 percent at home and still lost to Harvard. It didn't hurt Harvard to shoot 16 of 25 (64 percent) in the second half. The Crimson's 22 of 29 showing at the foul line also a factor in a game where Colgate shot only a dozen (making 6) free throws all afternoon.
Kendall Chones was 10 for 11 from the field for 21 points to lead Colgate. Jon Simon added 14 and Daniel Waddy had 12 for the Raiders.
Colgate was whistled for 22 fouls (to 12 for Harvard), including 5 on starting center Marc Daniels, who managed to last but 13 minutes against Harvard's Brian Cusworth, who finished with 23 points on 9 for 12 shooting.
Box score | AP
Dayton 69, Holy Cross 53 -- No way of telling when the last time a team shot 59.5 percent from the field against the defensive minded Crusaders, but it is not the kind of thing that happens very often (Minnesota was the last team to shoot 60 percent against HC ... 12-4-2004).
The Crusaders led 29-27 at the intermission, but wilted in the second half, making just 6 field goals (on 22 tries, 27.3 percent). Dayton opened the half with a 13-3 run and never looked back.
Keith Simmons with 15 to lead HC. Torey Thomas with 13.
Box score | AP | Telegram & Gazette | Dayton Daily News (gamer) | Dayton Daily News (notes)
Lehigh 55, Central Conn. St. 52 -- Marquis Hall hit a pullup jumper with 57 seconds to go to help Lehigh stay unbeaten at home despite shooting only 39.5 percent from the field. Hall's J gave the Hawks the lead for just the second time in the second half.
Jose Olivero led Lehigh with 14 points. Kyle Neptune added 12 points and 9 rebounds. The Hawks outrebounded CCSU 36-27 and had a huge edge at the foul line, where they went 16 for 23. CCSU only shot 9 free throws, making 4.
Box score | AP
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Lafayette ended a losing streak, Lehigh stayed unbeaten at home and Army kept a winning streak going. The news for Colgate and Holy Cross was not as good.
Lafayette 72, St. Peter's 69 -- Freshman Jesper Andersson hit six three-pointers en route to a career-best 18 points. But it was Ted Detmer's trey with 1.4 on the clock that proved to be the game-winner for Lafayette, which snapped a six-game losing streak.
Lafayette hit a total of 15 threes. That was the difference in a game in which both teams had 25 field goals and 7 free throws. Saint Peter's finished with 12 treys.
Bilal Abdullah and Andrew Brown were left out of Lafayette's starting lineup for the first time this season, replaced by Paul Cummins and Marcus Harley. Abdullah responded with 14 points, Brown with 11 points and 8 assists.
Box score | AP | Express-Times
Army 63, Citadel 55 -- Army shot 48.8 percent (20 of 41) for the game, 55 percent (11 of 20) in the second half when they battled back to pull out the win.
The Black Knights were up 32-24 at the intermission, but Citadel started the second half with a 13-0 run and was up as many as 8 points (46-38 with 12:34 to play) before Army stormed back.
Jarrell Brown with 23 points to lead Army. Matt Bell added 17 and freshman Chris Walker was 5 for 7 from the field, 11 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
Box score | AP
Harvard 76, Colgate 64 -- Colgate shot 50 percent at home and still lost to Harvard. It didn't hurt Harvard to shoot 16 of 25 (64 percent) in the second half. The Crimson's 22 of 29 showing at the foul line also a factor in a game where Colgate shot only a dozen (making 6) free throws all afternoon.
Kendall Chones was 10 for 11 from the field for 21 points to lead Colgate. Jon Simon added 14 and Daniel Waddy had 12 for the Raiders.
Colgate was whistled for 22 fouls (to 12 for Harvard), including 5 on starting center Marc Daniels, who managed to last but 13 minutes against Harvard's Brian Cusworth, who finished with 23 points on 9 for 12 shooting.
Box score | AP
Dayton 69, Holy Cross 53 -- No way of telling when the last time a team shot 59.5 percent from the field against the defensive minded Crusaders, but it is not the kind of thing that happens very often (Minnesota was the last team to shoot 60 percent against HC ... 12-4-2004).
The Crusaders led 29-27 at the intermission, but wilted in the second half, making just 6 field goals (on 22 tries, 27.3 percent). Dayton opened the half with a 13-3 run and never looked back.
Keith Simmons with 15 to lead HC. Torey Thomas with 13.
Box score | AP | Telegram & Gazette | Dayton Daily News (gamer) | Dayton Daily News (notes)
Lehigh 55, Central Conn. St. 52 -- Marquis Hall hit a pullup jumper with 57 seconds to go to help Lehigh stay unbeaten at home despite shooting only 39.5 percent from the field. Hall's J gave the Hawks the lead for just the second time in the second half.
Jose Olivero led Lehigh with 14 points. Kyle Neptune added 12 points and 9 rebounds. The Hawks outrebounded CCSU 36-27 and had a huge edge at the foul line, where they went 16 for 23. CCSU only shot 9 free throws, making 4.
Box score | AP
Labels: Army, CU, games, HC, Laf, Leh
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Saturday, December 02, 2006
Two marquee contests top today's six-game slate. In Lewisburg, Bucknell hosts 5-1 Northern Iowa in a return game from last season's BracketBusters. Then tonight, Holy Cross is at Dayton in a battle of two teams with one loss each. Live video of the HC-Dayton game, by the way, will be available for free from Dayton's Web site.
Here are today's matchups: UNI at BU | Army at Citadel | Harvard at 'Gate | Laf. at St. Peter's | Central Conn. at Leh. | HC at Dayton
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Here are today's matchups: UNI at BU | Army at Citadel | Harvard at 'Gate | Laf. at St. Peter's | Central Conn. at Leh. | HC at Dayton
Labels: Army, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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Thursday, November 30, 2006
League teams had a good night Wednesday, going 5-0 in non-conference competition.
Holy Cross 63, Yale 58 -- With leading scorer Keith Simmons in foul trouble, Pat Doherty stepped up Wednesday night for Holy Cross, draining all four three-pointers he fired en route to a career-high 18-points. Doherty, who missed nearly all of last season with a foot injury, played 32 minutes, easily his most playing time since beginning his comeback. He also had 4 assists and 3 steals.
Simmons also was in double figures with 12 points, despite playing only 27 minutes. Simmons came into the game averaging better than 34 minutes per game.
The Crusaders led by 8 (28-20) at the half, after holding Yale to 36 percent shooting from the field. But the Bulldogs made a game of it in the second half, heating up to make 13 of 22 (59.1 percent) in the second.
Holy Cross struggled at the foul line much of the game, going 13 for 22. When they needed them, though, they made their foul shots, going 7 for 10 at the chairty stripe after Yale cut the lead to 3 late in the game.
Box score | AP | Telegram & Gazette | Yale Daily News | New Haven Register
Bucknell 60, St. Francis (PA) 56 -- A big comeback win on the road for the Bison, who won in Loretto for the first time since 1999.
Down as many as 15 in the second half, after shooting just 29.2 percent from the field in the first half, the Bison closed to within 8 with just under three minutes left. A three-point play by Donald Brown and a three-point shot by John Griffin cut it to 2. St. Francis' Bassirou Dieng hit a pair of free throws to stretch the lead back to 4, but that would be the last points SF would score.
Jason Vegotsky (11 points) hit a three to make it a one-point game, and following another defensive stop, Chris McNaughton hit a little hook shot with 40 seconds left to give Bucknell the lead for the first time all night.
Abe Badmus (10 points) had a key deflection and made three free throws in the final 26 seconds to seal the win for the Bison, who held Saint Francis to five field goals in the second half (5 of 22, 22.7 percent) after letting the Red Flash go 11 for 21 (52.4 percent) in the first.
Bucknell had a similar turnaround, going 7 of 24 (29.2 percent) in the first half, 13 of 25 (52 percent) in the second.
Box score | AP | Daily Item | Sun-Gazette | Altoona Mirror | Johnstown Tribune Democrat
Lehigh 96, Swarthmore 33 -- Every Mountain Hawk that got into the game scored, but curiously two guys did not play in a game won by 63 points: 7-foot sophomore John Gourlay and 6-5 freshman winger Paul Bayer. Bayer has not played at all this season, the only Hawk with that distinction. Gourlay has played in six of Lehigh's nine games.
Nothing in Lehigh's notes mentions either being injured.
Box score | AP
Colgate 80, Quinnipiac 71 -- Junior Daniel Waddy poured in a career-high 27 points to lead the Raiders to their second straight win. The transfer from St. Mary's also had 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the 'Gate, which has won back-to-back games for the firs time since this time last season, when they beat Dartmouth and Princeton in successive games.
Jon Simon added 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Tim Pounds also in double figures with 10 points.
Colgate's other transfer, sophomore Willie Morse, did not play due to an unspecified injury suffered in Monday's win over Binghamton. He is listed as day to day.
Box score | AP
American 75, NJIT 50 -- The Lithuanian contingent took care of business for AU. Arvydas Eitutavicius led the Eagles with 20 points. Fellow Lithuanians Linas Lekavicius (16) and Paulius Joneliunas (12) were also in double firgures for AU, which broke open a close game with an 8-0 run at the start of the second half.
Defense was the difference in the second half. After letting NJIT shoot 50 percent (12 of 24) in the opening stanza, the Eagles held the Highlanders to 7 field goals in the second (7 of 20, 35 percent).
Derrick Mercer also added 13 points for American, which won despite a scoreless night by the team's leading scorer, senior guard Andre Ingram. Ingram was 0 for 4 from the field, with 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 23 minutes. It was the first time in 95 career games Ingram went without scoring.
Box score | AP
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Holy Cross 63, Yale 58 -- With leading scorer Keith Simmons in foul trouble, Pat Doherty stepped up Wednesday night for Holy Cross, draining all four three-pointers he fired en route to a career-high 18-points. Doherty, who missed nearly all of last season with a foot injury, played 32 minutes, easily his most playing time since beginning his comeback. He also had 4 assists and 3 steals.
Simmons also was in double figures with 12 points, despite playing only 27 minutes. Simmons came into the game averaging better than 34 minutes per game.
The Crusaders led by 8 (28-20) at the half, after holding Yale to 36 percent shooting from the field. But the Bulldogs made a game of it in the second half, heating up to make 13 of 22 (59.1 percent) in the second.
Holy Cross struggled at the foul line much of the game, going 13 for 22. When they needed them, though, they made their foul shots, going 7 for 10 at the chairty stripe after Yale cut the lead to 3 late in the game.
Box score | AP | Telegram & Gazette | Yale Daily News | New Haven Register
Bucknell 60, St. Francis (PA) 56 -- A big comeback win on the road for the Bison, who won in Loretto for the first time since 1999.
Down as many as 15 in the second half, after shooting just 29.2 percent from the field in the first half, the Bison closed to within 8 with just under three minutes left. A three-point play by Donald Brown and a three-point shot by John Griffin cut it to 2. St. Francis' Bassirou Dieng hit a pair of free throws to stretch the lead back to 4, but that would be the last points SF would score.
Jason Vegotsky (11 points) hit a three to make it a one-point game, and following another defensive stop, Chris McNaughton hit a little hook shot with 40 seconds left to give Bucknell the lead for the first time all night.
Abe Badmus (10 points) had a key deflection and made three free throws in the final 26 seconds to seal the win for the Bison, who held Saint Francis to five field goals in the second half (5 of 22, 22.7 percent) after letting the Red Flash go 11 for 21 (52.4 percent) in the first.
Bucknell had a similar turnaround, going 7 of 24 (29.2 percent) in the first half, 13 of 25 (52 percent) in the second.
Box score | AP | Daily Item | Sun-Gazette | Altoona Mirror | Johnstown Tribune Democrat
Lehigh 96, Swarthmore 33 -- Every Mountain Hawk that got into the game scored, but curiously two guys did not play in a game won by 63 points: 7-foot sophomore John Gourlay and 6-5 freshman winger Paul Bayer. Bayer has not played at all this season, the only Hawk with that distinction. Gourlay has played in six of Lehigh's nine games.
Nothing in Lehigh's notes mentions either being injured.
Box score | AP
Colgate 80, Quinnipiac 71 -- Junior Daniel Waddy poured in a career-high 27 points to lead the Raiders to their second straight win. The transfer from St. Mary's also had 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the 'Gate, which has won back-to-back games for the firs time since this time last season, when they beat Dartmouth and Princeton in successive games.
Jon Simon added 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Tim Pounds also in double figures with 10 points.
Colgate's other transfer, sophomore Willie Morse, did not play due to an unspecified injury suffered in Monday's win over Binghamton. He is listed as day to day.
Box score | AP
American 75, NJIT 50 -- The Lithuanian contingent took care of business for AU. Arvydas Eitutavicius led the Eagles with 20 points. Fellow Lithuanians Linas Lekavicius (16) and Paulius Joneliunas (12) were also in double firgures for AU, which broke open a close game with an 8-0 run at the start of the second half.
Defense was the difference in the second half. After letting NJIT shoot 50 percent (12 of 24) in the opening stanza, the Eagles held the Highlanders to 7 field goals in the second (7 of 20, 35 percent).
Derrick Mercer also added 13 points for American, which won despite a scoreless night by the team's leading scorer, senior guard Andre Ingram. Ingram was 0 for 4 from the field, with 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 23 minutes. It was the first time in 95 career games Ingram went without scoring.
Box score | AP
Labels: AU, BU, CU, games, HC, Leh
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Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Five games on tap tonight: Holy Cross gets a slight breather, visiting Yale before jumping back into the fire Saturday at Dayton. From there the Crusaders, who will play four road games in an 11-day stretch, head to Duke, with a game at Providence awaiting Dec. 19 after a break for finals. Crusaders need to avoid the trap game here.
Another tough one tonight is Bucknell's visit to St. Francis (Pa.). The Bison upperclassmen won't take the Red Flash lightly. The last time the two met, St. Francis beat Bucknell in Sojka (70-65 on Nov. 22, 2004) in the game that gave birth to this site. That was Bucknell's only home loss that season.
The Bison need a win to build off of the win at Yale as they head into a key weekend with back-to-back games against Northern Iowa and George Mason. Like Holy Cross, they cannot look past tonight's foe. St. Francis has won the last two meetings of these two and the Bison are 4-6 all-time in Loretto, where they have not won since Dec. 1, 1999.
Colgate is at home, hosting a 2-2 Quinnipiac team that lost two members when they were arrested Friday. American hosts a 2-4 NJIT team that does have wins over Rider and Manhattan. Lehigh is also home, against Div. 3 Swarthmore.
MATCHUPS: HC at Yale | BU at SF (Pa.) | Quinnipiac at 'Gate | NJIT at AU | Swarthmore at Lehigh
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Another tough one tonight is Bucknell's visit to St. Francis (Pa.). The Bison upperclassmen won't take the Red Flash lightly. The last time the two met, St. Francis beat Bucknell in Sojka (70-65 on Nov. 22, 2004) in the game that gave birth to this site. That was Bucknell's only home loss that season.
The Bison need a win to build off of the win at Yale as they head into a key weekend with back-to-back games against Northern Iowa and George Mason. Like Holy Cross, they cannot look past tonight's foe. St. Francis has won the last two meetings of these two and the Bison are 4-6 all-time in Loretto, where they have not won since Dec. 1, 1999.
Colgate is at home, hosting a 2-2 Quinnipiac team that lost two members when they were arrested Friday. American hosts a 2-4 NJIT team that does have wins over Rider and Manhattan. Lehigh is also home, against Div. 3 Swarthmore.
MATCHUPS: HC at Yale | BU at SF (Pa.) | Quinnipiac at 'Gate | NJIT at AU | Swarthmore at Lehigh
Labels: AU, BU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Lehigh and Holy Cross each had chances to play giant killer Monday night. Both fell short. Colgate, which will get its chance to pull an upset when it makes its annual trip to the Carrier Dome in two weeks, stayed home to down Binghamton.
Notre Dame 93, Lehigh 87 -- Billy Taylor trotted out a new starting lineup and put a scare in his alma mater. But the Fighting Irish were able to wear the Hawks down in the second half.
Lehigh led by as many as 13 points early and was up 46-44 at the half after Jose Olivero's three-pointer at the buzzer. olivero had 18 of his career-high 32 points in the first half.
Kyle Neptune added 22 for Lehigh, going 9 for 14 from the field, including 4 for 4 from the arc.
The Hawks shot 51.4 percent in the first half and were even hotter -- 65.2 percent --- in the second. But that was not enough to overcome a tremenndous Notre Dame edge at the foul line. Somehow, despite leading most of the way, Lehigh only shot one free throw the entire first half. Notre Dame shot 16 in the first half, and 17 in the second, finishing 26 for 33 from the stripe. Lehigh shot 9 free throws all night, making 6.
No Hawks fouled out, but center Jason Mgebroff was limited to 16 minutes, finishing with 4 fouls. Mgebroff's absence was notable given that he scored 9 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in his limited action.
Without Mgebroff, Lehigh was outmanned up front. Freshman Zahir Carrington replaced junior Bryan White in the starting lineup. Neither was particularly effective. Carrington scored 5 points and had 1 rebound and 3 steals in 24 minutes. White played 20 minutes, going 0 for 5 from the field with 7 rebounds.
Notre Dame outrebounded the Mountain Hawks 32-24, including a 12-6 edge on the offensive glass. ND scored 17 second chance points.
Box score | AP | South Bend Tribune
(17) Syracuse 72, Holy Cross 64 -- A slow start doomed the Crusaders, who managed to get within 5, with the ball, with 30 seconds to play, but never could fully recover from a deficit that was as much as 18 points in the first half.
Syracuse went 1 for 9 with 10 turnovers in the first 8-and-a-half minutes and managed only scored 7 of its 19 points in the final two minutes of the half.
The problems were mostly on offense. Defensively, HC held Syracuse to 38.9 percent from the field in the first half and still trailed 31-19 at the break.
Keith Simmons led HC with 22 points, 16 in leading the second half charge. Simmons was 9 for 18 from the field. Colin Cunningham, whose three-pointer to cut the Syracuse lead to 2 with 30 seconds to go was blocked, had 11 points for the Crusaders.
Torey Thomas, plagued with foul trouble, was 2 for 11 from the field, 0 for 3 from the arc before fouling out after 37 minutes. Center Tim Clifford's foul trouble was more extreme. The Crusaders' 6-10 junior managed only 16 minutes before fouling out with 5 points and 1 board.
Holy Cross did hold an edge on the boards, outrebounding Syracuse 39-32. The 'Saders had 17 offensive boards, but managed only 14 second chance points. Syracuse scored 22 points off HC's 18 turnovers.
Depth was definitely and issue for HC in this one. Three starters (Alex Vander Baan, Simmons and Thomas) played 37 minutes or more. Cunningham finished with 4 fouls, likely the explanation for him only playing 29 minutes. Of the 43 minutes HC got from its bench, 27 came from freshman Eric Meister (5 reb., 4 pts. in 19 minutes) and sophomore Greg McCarthy, who split Cliffords 24 unplayed minutes. Syracuse's bench outscored HC's 24-12.
HC's foul troubles were reflected in the free throw stats. Syracuse was 26 for 35 at the line. Holy Cross shot 19, making 14.
Box score | AP | Syracuse Post-Standard (gamer) | Syracuse Post-Standard (sidebar) | Worcester T&G | Rochester Democrat & Chronicle | Utica Observer-Dispatch
Colgate 78, Binghamton 70 -- Jon Simon scored 23 points on 8 for 16 shooting from the field (4-8 3pt) to lead Colgate to its second win. Colgate shot 56 percent in the second half to pull away after being tied 31-31 at the half.
Lineup change for Colgate: fifth-year senior Marc Daniels replaced Kyle Chones in the starting five.
Kendall Chones also in double figures with 12 points.
Box score | AP | Press & Sun-Bulletin
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Notre Dame 93, Lehigh 87 -- Billy Taylor trotted out a new starting lineup and put a scare in his alma mater. But the Fighting Irish were able to wear the Hawks down in the second half.
Lehigh led by as many as 13 points early and was up 46-44 at the half after Jose Olivero's three-pointer at the buzzer. olivero had 18 of his career-high 32 points in the first half.
Kyle Neptune added 22 for Lehigh, going 9 for 14 from the field, including 4 for 4 from the arc.
The Hawks shot 51.4 percent in the first half and were even hotter -- 65.2 percent --- in the second. But that was not enough to overcome a tremenndous Notre Dame edge at the foul line. Somehow, despite leading most of the way, Lehigh only shot one free throw the entire first half. Notre Dame shot 16 in the first half, and 17 in the second, finishing 26 for 33 from the stripe. Lehigh shot 9 free throws all night, making 6.
No Hawks fouled out, but center Jason Mgebroff was limited to 16 minutes, finishing with 4 fouls. Mgebroff's absence was notable given that he scored 9 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in his limited action.
Without Mgebroff, Lehigh was outmanned up front. Freshman Zahir Carrington replaced junior Bryan White in the starting lineup. Neither was particularly effective. Carrington scored 5 points and had 1 rebound and 3 steals in 24 minutes. White played 20 minutes, going 0 for 5 from the field with 7 rebounds.
Notre Dame outrebounded the Mountain Hawks 32-24, including a 12-6 edge on the offensive glass. ND scored 17 second chance points.
Box score | AP | South Bend Tribune
(17) Syracuse 72, Holy Cross 64 -- A slow start doomed the Crusaders, who managed to get within 5, with the ball, with 30 seconds to play, but never could fully recover from a deficit that was as much as 18 points in the first half.
Syracuse went 1 for 9 with 10 turnovers in the first 8-and-a-half minutes and managed only scored 7 of its 19 points in the final two minutes of the half.
The problems were mostly on offense. Defensively, HC held Syracuse to 38.9 percent from the field in the first half and still trailed 31-19 at the break.
Keith Simmons led HC with 22 points, 16 in leading the second half charge. Simmons was 9 for 18 from the field. Colin Cunningham, whose three-pointer to cut the Syracuse lead to 2 with 30 seconds to go was blocked, had 11 points for the Crusaders.
Torey Thomas, plagued with foul trouble, was 2 for 11 from the field, 0 for 3 from the arc before fouling out after 37 minutes. Center Tim Clifford's foul trouble was more extreme. The Crusaders' 6-10 junior managed only 16 minutes before fouling out with 5 points and 1 board.
Holy Cross did hold an edge on the boards, outrebounding Syracuse 39-32. The 'Saders had 17 offensive boards, but managed only 14 second chance points. Syracuse scored 22 points off HC's 18 turnovers.
Depth was definitely and issue for HC in this one. Three starters (Alex Vander Baan, Simmons and Thomas) played 37 minutes or more. Cunningham finished with 4 fouls, likely the explanation for him only playing 29 minutes. Of the 43 minutes HC got from its bench, 27 came from freshman Eric Meister (5 reb., 4 pts. in 19 minutes) and sophomore Greg McCarthy, who split Cliffords 24 unplayed minutes. Syracuse's bench outscored HC's 24-12.
HC's foul troubles were reflected in the free throw stats. Syracuse was 26 for 35 at the line. Holy Cross shot 19, making 14.
Box score | AP | Syracuse Post-Standard (gamer) | Syracuse Post-Standard (sidebar) | Worcester T&G | Rochester Democrat & Chronicle | Utica Observer-Dispatch
Colgate 78, Binghamton 70 -- Jon Simon scored 23 points on 8 for 16 shooting from the field (4-8 3pt) to lead Colgate to its second win. Colgate shot 56 percent in the second half to pull away after being tied 31-31 at the half.
Lineup change for Colgate: fifth-year senior Marc Daniels replaced Kyle Chones in the starting five.
Kendall Chones also in double figures with 12 points.
Box score | AP | Press & Sun-Bulletin
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Monday, November 27, 2006
How good is Holy Cross? After his team got spanked by Bucknell on Saturday, Yale head coach James Jones told a reporter the Crusaders, who visit the Bulldogs Wendesday, are probably the best team in the league.
Certainly their record would indicate that, but skeptics point out HC has spent the first two weeks of the season tuning up at home against the weakest part of its schedule. Four of the Crusaders'five games have been at the Hart Center. None of the five teams HC has beaten have a winning record. Combined the five are 6-19.
The next five are a different story. In fact, the next five-- beginning tonight at Syracuse -- are almost the mirror opposite -- five road games, four against teams with winning records. Only Yale (1-3) fails to measure up during that stretch. And a rested Yale, in New Haven, just two nights after a road trip to Syracuse, will not be an easy task. The four other opponents in the next five have a combined record of 18-3, the three losses spread neatly, one apiece, among Dayton, Duke and Providence.
A win over any of those four would get HC over that close-but-no-cigar-hump it could not quite get past against the likes of Kansas, Kentucky and Marquette in years past.
The challenge won't be hanging with the likes of Syracuse, Dayton, Duke and Providence. The Crusaders starting five has the talent to play with those guys. The tough part is avoiding being worn down in the second half by teams that are deeper, stronger and more athletic.
Suffice to say we will no a lot more about Holy Cross when this stretch is over than we know right now.
Elsewhere, Binghamton is at Colgate, Lehigh has a big-name foe of its own, with Billy Taylor taking the Hawks home to face his alma mater, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in South Bend, and we get our first chance to see American when they travel up 270 to Emmittsburg to take on Mount Saint Mary's.
MATCHUPS: HC at Syracuse | Bing. at Colgate | Leh. at ND | AU at MSM
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Certainly their record would indicate that, but skeptics point out HC has spent the first two weeks of the season tuning up at home against the weakest part of its schedule. Four of the Crusaders'five games have been at the Hart Center. None of the five teams HC has beaten have a winning record. Combined the five are 6-19.
The next five are a different story. In fact, the next five-- beginning tonight at Syracuse -- are almost the mirror opposite -- five road games, four against teams with winning records. Only Yale (1-3) fails to measure up during that stretch. And a rested Yale, in New Haven, just two nights after a road trip to Syracuse, will not be an easy task. The four other opponents in the next five have a combined record of 18-3, the three losses spread neatly, one apiece, among Dayton, Duke and Providence.
A win over any of those four would get HC over that close-but-no-cigar-hump it could not quite get past against the likes of Kansas, Kentucky and Marquette in years past.
The challenge won't be hanging with the likes of Syracuse, Dayton, Duke and Providence. The Crusaders starting five has the talent to play with those guys. The tough part is avoiding being worn down in the second half by teams that are deeper, stronger and more athletic.
Suffice to say we will no a lot more about Holy Cross when this stretch is over than we know right now.
Elsewhere, Binghamton is at Colgate, Lehigh has a big-name foe of its own, with Billy Taylor taking the Hawks home to face his alma mater, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in South Bend, and we get our first chance to see American when they travel up 270 to Emmittsburg to take on Mount Saint Mary's.
MATCHUPS: HC at Syracuse | Bing. at Colgate | Leh. at ND | AU at MSM
Labels: AU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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Saturday, November 25, 2006
You hear the phrase a lot this weekend: "Home for the Holidays." Whoever came up with this one knows little about Patriot League hoops. With the notable exception of Holy Cross, which is hosting William and Mary this afternoon, nobody is home for the holidays. They are off to exotic locations like Miami, Cincinnati, New Haven, Providence, Boston or Philly. That AU at Xavier game in Cincinnati is probably the most interesting matchup on the slate. But it is a 500-mile road trip from here and we have never been fond of cinnamon in our chili, much less our chili over macaroni. New Haven, on the other hand, offers a less interesting matchup. But it's less than half the drive and the pizza alone is worth the trip, so we're off to this afternoon's Bucknell-Yale game.We'll update this afternoon (wonder if Sally's has wireless these days?). meanwhile, here are today's matchups:
AU at Xavier | Lehigh at Harvard | Army at Brown | Bucknell at Yale | W&M at HC | Lafayette at Miami | Navy at Villanova
BONUS LINK: Coach Ralph recaps Harvard and scouts W&M
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Friday, November 24, 2006
HOOP TIME NOTEBOOK
The last time Bucknell was in New Haven, they arrived with a sub-.500 record. They battled their way to a 73-65 win over Yale in overtime and went on to win 11 in a row en route to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
That is not to say Bucknell is headed back to the tournament if they win at Yale. Pat Flannery is still trying to figure out how his pieces fit. By the time league play begins in January, Flannery will have his answers, for good or ill.
The point is simply that despite an 0-4 start, it is way too early to be counting the Bison out of anything. Those four losses have been to opponents with a combined record of 12-2. None of the four losses have been by more than 10 points. Two came in overtime, each by 3 points. The Bison even had decent leads in each, leads that wilted under rotation problems still to be resolved. Some combinations that have played thus far have really struggled to score. That has not been helped by the constant foul trouble the Bison have found, which has forced Bison coach Pat Flannery to use guys in roles he perhaps had not planned.
None of the foul trouble has been more troublesome than that being experienced by6-11 senior center Chris McNaughton, who has found it difficult to stay on the floor for any extended stretches. The lack of run has hurt McNaughton's offense. He has found it difficult to find a rhythm in most games.
Meanwhile, the development of juniors Darren Mastropaolo and Andrew Morrison has done a lot to solidify the frontline rotation. Mastropaolo's ability to score in the post combines well with Morrison's ability to shoot the jumper when McNaughton comes out of the game and Mastropaolo slides over to the five.
Donald Brown's problems adjusting to the small forward role are another problem. Unless Brown starts hitting a few jumpers occasionally, at least enough of them to force people to guard him 10 feet from the basket, Rob Thomas and Jason Vegotsky will need to play a lot at the three, just to give Flannery some scoring options. Problem is, Thomas (6-3) and Vegotsky (6-2) are more third guards than small forwards. They lack Brown's size (6-6) and athleticism to defend bigger threes. Charles Lee (6-3) could get away with it because of his strength and athleticism.
Of course a lot of these pieces are easier to fit into place if McNaughton snaps out of the funk he has been in and point guard Abe Badmus finds some comfort offensively.
Badmus seems to be struggling with his role. Flannery insists Badmus has the offensive game to do the things being asked of him this season -- namely more scoring. But Badmus has seemed conflicted in that role. After three seasons unselfishly finding others for their shot, Badmus seems hesitant to take his own, especially early in the shot clock. Too many possessions have begun with Badmus passing on open jumpers and ended with him turning the ball over after desperately driving into a help defense double-team as the shot clock winds down.
If Badmus starts taking those open looks (and knocking a few down) earlier in the clock, it will open things up for the Bison inside. Badmus might also think about trying to finish on more of those drives. He is strong enough, and has the springs, to take it to the rack against bigger men. Might even draw few fouls, which could have the added benefit of forcing opponents to be more guarded in their aggressive physical defensive tactics employed against the Bison big men (especially McNaughton).
With McNaughton and Badmus both seemingly in a funk, it begs the question: Are they a little burned out? The two have spent the last two summers with national teams. Badmus was point guard for the Nigerian national team in 2005 when the D'Tigers qualified for the 2006 World Championships and was the last guy cut before the D'Tigers left for Japan this summer. McNaughton was also one of the last two cut from the German team that played in Japan. He played internationally with Germany's World University Games team in the summer of 2005.
Bucknell's schedule lightens considerably following the four games in eight days stretch that starts at Yale and ends with nest weekend's back to back games against Northern Iowa and George Mason. The Bison only have five games the remaining 28 days of the year. Maybe the lighter schedule and the lighter practice schedule during finals will help rejuvenate them.
We shall see.
In the meantime, it is definitely not a one-team league in the Patriot this season.
Here's some news and notes from elsewhere:
BIG MAN IS BACK: Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff is a big guy. At 6-10, 275-pounds, Mgebroff showed tremendous promise as a freshman, averaging 7 points per game. As a sophomore, Mgebroff started 27 games, and averages 8.7 ppg. Small progress, especially in a league without many quality big men, but at least some progress.
Last season, though, Mgebrioff was like the holes of those donuts he was rumored to be so fond of. He left nothing in the middle for Lehigh. Reports from Bethlehem indicated Mgebroff reported overweight and out of shape when practice began. A foot injury early in the season did not help matters any. Whatever the reasons, whatever the spin, the bottom line was simple. After starting 43 games his first two seasons, Mgebroff found himself unable to beat out a stiff like Mike Fischman for the starting center job. Mgebroff's minutes dropped from an average of over 22 per game his first two seasons to 12.9 per game as a junior. His scoring (3.7 ppg) and rebounding (2.4 rpg) were career lows. Averaging better than 54 percent shooting from the field his first two seasons, Mgebroff plummeted to a 44 percent showing as a junior.
So far this season, Mgebroff is showing signs of finally fulfilling the promise exhibited his freshman season, when he scored 42 points in three league tournament games, making the All-Tournament team and helping Lehigh to the title. Through six games, Mgebroff, who looks slimmer, and much quicker, than he did last season, is averaging 12.7 ppg and shooting 73 percent from the field. He is also grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game, by far a career mark should it hold up over the course of the season. his scoring and rebounding numbers are tops among league big men thus far.
Last season, Mgebroff scored in double figures one time against Division I opposition, scoring 10 against Lafayette. This season, Mgebroff reached double figures in each of the Mountain Hawks' first four contests, missing a combined total of just five shots from the field during that stretch.
HOME COOKING: Holy Cross has started the season 4-0 for the first time in the Ralph Willard era. The Crusaders will look to go to 5-0 for the first time since 1988-89 Saturday when they host William and Mary. The only unbeaten team in the league, Holy Cross is also the only team that has played three home games to date. Bucknell and Lafayette, the two teams with the worst records in the league, have played just one home game each.
Navy may have the most impressive early season record when homecourts are factored into the equation. The 4-1 Mids have yet to play in Alumni Hall. Navy's lone "home" game was played at the ShowPlace Arena in nearby Upper Marlboro, Md. because some Fillipino dance troupe was appearing in Alumni Hall that night.
NO SWEAT: Keith Simmons does not seem to be sweating those cramping problems that hobbled the Holy Cross winger last season. Through four games, Simmons is averaging 34.5 minutes per game. His 18.8 points per game are second in the league only to Lehigh's Jose Olivero. Simmons 6.2 rebounds per game are tied for fourth.
In the Patriot League, only teammate Torey Thomas (37 mpg) is averaging more minutes than Simmons.
NO MINUTES: Notable for their lack of early season playing time: Army's John Moonshower, who showed a lot of promise the end of last season, has played a total of two minutes, appearing in three of Army's five games. One-time starter Jimmy Sewell has also played in just three games for the Black Knights. Sewell has produced 2 rebounds and 2 points in his eight minutes of action.
Georgetown-transfer Cornelio Guibunda, touted as one of the nation's top recruits when he signed with the Hoyas out of high school, has appeared in two of American's four-games, playing 7 minutes and totaling two free throws, a turnover and a steal.
NOT SEEING DOUBLE: Only one team has nobody averaging in double figures scoring. That team is Bucknell, which is led by Darren Mastropaolo and Jason Vegotsky, each averaging 9.8 ppg. Lafayette, led by Matt Betley (12.4 ppg) is the only other team without at least two players averaging in double figures.
Lehigh leads the way with three players averaging in doubles -- Jose Olivero (league leading 20.2 ppg), Jason Mgebroff (12.7 ppg) and Kyle Neptune (11.3 ppg).
TAKING OFFENSE: Think of Billy Taylor-coached you think of defense first. The Hawks have consistently been among the league's top defensive teams under Taylor, and pride themselves on that style of play.
So it might come as a little surprise to notice the Mountain Hawks are averaging a league-leading 73.3 ppg and giving up 75 ppg, second most allowed in the league.
NAVY ON THE LINE: The Mids are hitting an impressive 66.5 percent from the foul line thus far. Much of the credit for that league-leading stat goes to plebes Trey Stanton (12 for 12) and T.J. Topercer, who are a combined 23 of 24. Sophomore guard Kaleo Kina (16 for 18) has also been impressive.
CAN'T MISS: Speaking of good free throw shooting, five league players have yet to miss from the charity stripe. In addition to Stanton, HC center Tim Clifford is 10 for 10, Bucknell guard John Griffin is 9 for 9. Colgate bench guys Willie Morse (8 for 8) and Alex Woodhouse (4 for 4) also have not missed.
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The last time Bucknell was in New Haven, they arrived with a sub-.500 record. They battled their way to a 73-65 win over Yale in overtime and went on to win 11 in a row en route to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
That is not to say Bucknell is headed back to the tournament if they win at Yale. Pat Flannery is still trying to figure out how his pieces fit. By the time league play begins in January, Flannery will have his answers, for good or ill.
The point is simply that despite an 0-4 start, it is way too early to be counting the Bison out of anything. Those four losses have been to opponents with a combined record of 12-2. None of the four losses have been by more than 10 points. Two came in overtime, each by 3 points. The Bison even had decent leads in each, leads that wilted under rotation problems still to be resolved. Some combinations that have played thus far have really struggled to score. That has not been helped by the constant foul trouble the Bison have found, which has forced Bison coach Pat Flannery to use guys in roles he perhaps had not planned.
None of the foul trouble has been more troublesome than that being experienced by6-11 senior center Chris McNaughton, who has found it difficult to stay on the floor for any extended stretches. The lack of run has hurt McNaughton's offense. He has found it difficult to find a rhythm in most games.
Meanwhile, the development of juniors Darren Mastropaolo and Andrew Morrison has done a lot to solidify the frontline rotation. Mastropaolo's ability to score in the post combines well with Morrison's ability to shoot the jumper when McNaughton comes out of the game and Mastropaolo slides over to the five.
Donald Brown's problems adjusting to the small forward role are another problem. Unless Brown starts hitting a few jumpers occasionally, at least enough of them to force people to guard him 10 feet from the basket, Rob Thomas and Jason Vegotsky will need to play a lot at the three, just to give Flannery some scoring options. Problem is, Thomas (6-3) and Vegotsky (6-2) are more third guards than small forwards. They lack Brown's size (6-6) and athleticism to defend bigger threes. Charles Lee (6-3) could get away with it because of his strength and athleticism.
Of course a lot of these pieces are easier to fit into place if McNaughton snaps out of the funk he has been in and point guard Abe Badmus finds some comfort offensively.
Badmus seems to be struggling with his role. Flannery insists Badmus has the offensive game to do the things being asked of him this season -- namely more scoring. But Badmus has seemed conflicted in that role. After three seasons unselfishly finding others for their shot, Badmus seems hesitant to take his own, especially early in the shot clock. Too many possessions have begun with Badmus passing on open jumpers and ended with him turning the ball over after desperately driving into a help defense double-team as the shot clock winds down.
If Badmus starts taking those open looks (and knocking a few down) earlier in the clock, it will open things up for the Bison inside. Badmus might also think about trying to finish on more of those drives. He is strong enough, and has the springs, to take it to the rack against bigger men. Might even draw few fouls, which could have the added benefit of forcing opponents to be more guarded in their aggressive physical defensive tactics employed against the Bison big men (especially McNaughton).
With McNaughton and Badmus both seemingly in a funk, it begs the question: Are they a little burned out? The two have spent the last two summers with national teams. Badmus was point guard for the Nigerian national team in 2005 when the D'Tigers qualified for the 2006 World Championships and was the last guy cut before the D'Tigers left for Japan this summer. McNaughton was also one of the last two cut from the German team that played in Japan. He played internationally with Germany's World University Games team in the summer of 2005.
Bucknell's schedule lightens considerably following the four games in eight days stretch that starts at Yale and ends with nest weekend's back to back games against Northern Iowa and George Mason. The Bison only have five games the remaining 28 days of the year. Maybe the lighter schedule and the lighter practice schedule during finals will help rejuvenate them.
We shall see.
In the meantime, it is definitely not a one-team league in the Patriot this season.
Here's some news and notes from elsewhere:
BIG MAN IS BACK: Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff is a big guy. At 6-10, 275-pounds, Mgebroff showed tremendous promise as a freshman, averaging 7 points per game. As a sophomore, Mgebroff started 27 games, and averages 8.7 ppg. Small progress, especially in a league without many quality big men, but at least some progress.
Last season, though, Mgebrioff was like the holes of those donuts he was rumored to be so fond of. He left nothing in the middle for Lehigh. Reports from Bethlehem indicated Mgebroff reported overweight and out of shape when practice began. A foot injury early in the season did not help matters any. Whatever the reasons, whatever the spin, the bottom line was simple. After starting 43 games his first two seasons, Mgebroff found himself unable to beat out a stiff like Mike Fischman for the starting center job. Mgebroff's minutes dropped from an average of over 22 per game his first two seasons to 12.9 per game as a junior. His scoring (3.7 ppg) and rebounding (2.4 rpg) were career lows. Averaging better than 54 percent shooting from the field his first two seasons, Mgebroff plummeted to a 44 percent showing as a junior.
So far this season, Mgebroff is showing signs of finally fulfilling the promise exhibited his freshman season, when he scored 42 points in three league tournament games, making the All-Tournament team and helping Lehigh to the title. Through six games, Mgebroff, who looks slimmer, and much quicker, than he did last season, is averaging 12.7 ppg and shooting 73 percent from the field. He is also grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game, by far a career mark should it hold up over the course of the season. his scoring and rebounding numbers are tops among league big men thus far.
Last season, Mgebroff scored in double figures one time against Division I opposition, scoring 10 against Lafayette. This season, Mgebroff reached double figures in each of the Mountain Hawks' first four contests, missing a combined total of just five shots from the field during that stretch.
HOME COOKING: Holy Cross has started the season 4-0 for the first time in the Ralph Willard era. The Crusaders will look to go to 5-0 for the first time since 1988-89 Saturday when they host William and Mary. The only unbeaten team in the league, Holy Cross is also the only team that has played three home games to date. Bucknell and Lafayette, the two teams with the worst records in the league, have played just one home game each.
Navy may have the most impressive early season record when homecourts are factored into the equation. The 4-1 Mids have yet to play in Alumni Hall. Navy's lone "home" game was played at the ShowPlace Arena in nearby Upper Marlboro, Md. because some Fillipino dance troupe was appearing in Alumni Hall that night.
NO SWEAT: Keith Simmons does not seem to be sweating those cramping problems that hobbled the Holy Cross winger last season. Through four games, Simmons is averaging 34.5 minutes per game. His 18.8 points per game are second in the league only to Lehigh's Jose Olivero. Simmons 6.2 rebounds per game are tied for fourth.
In the Patriot League, only teammate Torey Thomas (37 mpg) is averaging more minutes than Simmons.
NO MINUTES: Notable for their lack of early season playing time: Army's John Moonshower, who showed a lot of promise the end of last season, has played a total of two minutes, appearing in three of Army's five games. One-time starter Jimmy Sewell has also played in just three games for the Black Knights. Sewell has produced 2 rebounds and 2 points in his eight minutes of action.
Georgetown-transfer Cornelio Guibunda, touted as one of the nation's top recruits when he signed with the Hoyas out of high school, has appeared in two of American's four-games, playing 7 minutes and totaling two free throws, a turnover and a steal.
NOT SEEING DOUBLE: Only one team has nobody averaging in double figures scoring. That team is Bucknell, which is led by Darren Mastropaolo and Jason Vegotsky, each averaging 9.8 ppg. Lafayette, led by Matt Betley (12.4 ppg) is the only other team without at least two players averaging in double figures.
Lehigh leads the way with three players averaging in doubles -- Jose Olivero (league leading 20.2 ppg), Jason Mgebroff (12.7 ppg) and Kyle Neptune (11.3 ppg).
TAKING OFFENSE: Think of Billy Taylor-coached you think of defense first. The Hawks have consistently been among the league's top defensive teams under Taylor, and pride themselves on that style of play.
So it might come as a little surprise to notice the Mountain Hawks are averaging a league-leading 73.3 ppg and giving up 75 ppg, second most allowed in the league.
NAVY ON THE LINE: The Mids are hitting an impressive 66.5 percent from the foul line thus far. Much of the credit for that league-leading stat goes to plebes Trey Stanton (12 for 12) and T.J. Topercer, who are a combined 23 of 24. Sophomore guard Kaleo Kina (16 for 18) has also been impressive.
CAN'T MISS: Speaking of good free throw shooting, five league players have yet to miss from the charity stripe. In addition to Stanton, HC center Tim Clifford is 10 for 10, Bucknell guard John Griffin is 9 for 9. Colgate bench guys Willie Morse (8 for 8) and Alex Woodhouse (4 for 4) also have not missed.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, notebook
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Thursday, November 23, 2006
A tough night Wednesday for Patriot League teams, going 0-2 with Lehigh losing at Quinnipiac and Colgate losing at home to Canisius.
Quinnipiac 71, Lehigh 55 -- Quinnipiac pretty much dominated Lehigh, especially in the second half when they blew open what was a two-point game at the half.
Lehigh's usually steady backcourt struggled. Freshman point guard Marquis Hall looked like a freshman, turning it over five times while going just 2 for 10 from the field, finishing with 5 points.
Jose Olivero had his usual double figures night -- 17 points on 6 for 14 shooting. But like Hall, Olivero had five turnovers. Kyle Neptune finished with 14 points and a game-high 9 rebounds
All total, Lehigh had 18 turnovers, leading to 29 Quinnipiac points.
Quinnipiac had the better of Lehigh in the front court, too. Jason Mgebroff turned in a pedestrian 1 for 3 night, finishing with 2 points in just 18 minutes of action after sitting much of the first half with foul trouble.
Quinnipiac shot 54.5 percent in the decisive second half and outrebounded Lehigh 38-28 for the game. The Bobcats scored 30 points in the paint, to just 12 for Lehigh.
Box score | AP | New Haven Register
Canisius 78, Colgate 73, OT -- In a back and forth game with 12 ties and nine lead changes, Canisius pulled away in the overtime, thanks to Chuck Harris, who scored 8 of Canisius' 12 overtime points (and 8 of his 13 in the game).
Colgate was up 70-66 after four straight Daniel Waddy free throws early in the extra period. Then Harris got things going with a layup and a jumper, wrapped around a made free throw by Colgate's Tim Pounds, cutting it to one. Then Harris assisted on a three-pointer by Corey Herring (22 points) to give Canisius the lead for good.
Waddy, who scored 9 of his 11 points at the foul line (he went 1 for 5 from the field), had a chance to make it a three point game with 17 seconds left in regulation, but hit only one of two free throws. That left the door open for Canisius to send it to OT on a Darnell Wilson layup with one second in regulation.
Kendall Chones led Colgate with 18 points, 8 coming from 10 trips to the foul line. Jon Simon also had 18 for Colgate (1-2).
The Raiders turned the ball over 27 times, leading to 21 Canisius points.
Box score | AP
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Quinnipiac 71, Lehigh 55 -- Quinnipiac pretty much dominated Lehigh, especially in the second half when they blew open what was a two-point game at the half.
Lehigh's usually steady backcourt struggled. Freshman point guard Marquis Hall looked like a freshman, turning it over five times while going just 2 for 10 from the field, finishing with 5 points.
Jose Olivero had his usual double figures night -- 17 points on 6 for 14 shooting. But like Hall, Olivero had five turnovers. Kyle Neptune finished with 14 points and a game-high 9 rebounds
All total, Lehigh had 18 turnovers, leading to 29 Quinnipiac points.
Quinnipiac had the better of Lehigh in the front court, too. Jason Mgebroff turned in a pedestrian 1 for 3 night, finishing with 2 points in just 18 minutes of action after sitting much of the first half with foul trouble.
Quinnipiac shot 54.5 percent in the decisive second half and outrebounded Lehigh 38-28 for the game. The Bobcats scored 30 points in the paint, to just 12 for Lehigh.
Box score | AP | New Haven Register
Canisius 78, Colgate 73, OT -- In a back and forth game with 12 ties and nine lead changes, Canisius pulled away in the overtime, thanks to Chuck Harris, who scored 8 of Canisius' 12 overtime points (and 8 of his 13 in the game).
Colgate was up 70-66 after four straight Daniel Waddy free throws early in the extra period. Then Harris got things going with a layup and a jumper, wrapped around a made free throw by Colgate's Tim Pounds, cutting it to one. Then Harris assisted on a three-pointer by Corey Herring (22 points) to give Canisius the lead for good.
Waddy, who scored 9 of his 11 points at the foul line (he went 1 for 5 from the field), had a chance to make it a three point game with 17 seconds left in regulation, but hit only one of two free throws. That left the door open for Canisius to send it to OT on a Darnell Wilson layup with one second in regulation.
Kendall Chones led Colgate with 18 points, 8 coming from 10 trips to the foul line. Jon Simon also had 18 for Colgate (1-2).
The Raiders turned the ball over 27 times, leading to 21 Canisius points.
Box score | AP
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