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Sunday, January 06, 2008
The Mids and Longwood were even at intermission. Then the Mids got busy and blew out the visitors from Farmville.
After a 24.1 percent (7-29) first half from the field that included just 2 threes on 11 tries, the Midshipmen found themselves tied at 23-23 when the first half ended. When the second half started, it was a different story.
The Mids, who broke the game open early in the half with a 21-4 run, were even-Steven 50 percent shooters after the break, hitting 14 of 28 from the field, 5 of 10 from Chick and Ruth's.
Greg Sprink finished with his first double-double of the season -- 21 points and 11 boards. Kaleo Kina added 18 and Chris Harris added 18 and dished out 5 assists without turning the ball over.
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After a 24.1 percent (7-29) first half from the field that included just 2 threes on 11 tries, the Midshipmen found themselves tied at 23-23 when the first half ended. When the second half started, it was a different story.
The Mids, who broke the game open early in the half with a 21-4 run, were even-Steven 50 percent shooters after the break, hitting 14 of 28 from the field, 5 of 10 from Chick and Ruth's.
Greg Sprink finished with his first double-double of the season -- 21 points and 11 boards. Kaleo Kina added 18 and Chris Harris added 18 and dished out 5 assists without turning the ball over.
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Thursday, January 03, 2008
The four guards in Navy's starting lineup combined for 70 of the Midshipmen's 84 points in an 84-55 pounding Wednesday of winless NJIT (0-16).
NJIT's Nesho Milosevic exposed Navy's inside weakness, with a 25-point, 10-rebound double double. Milosevic was 9 for 11 from the field. But the rest of his team was 13 for 44 (29.5 percent), which was no match for Navy's firepower.
Kaleo Kina led the Mids with 23 points. Greg Sprink added 19, Chris Harris (5 of 6 from the arc) had 18 and Romeo Garcia added 10. As a team, Navy shot 55.6 percent (30-54) from the field, 11 of 23 from three-point range.
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NJIT's Nesho Milosevic exposed Navy's inside weakness, with a 25-point, 10-rebound double double. Milosevic was 9 for 11 from the field. But the rest of his team was 13 for 44 (29.5 percent), which was no match for Navy's firepower.
Kaleo Kina led the Mids with 23 points. Greg Sprink added 19, Chris Harris (5 of 6 from the arc) had 18 and Romeo Garcia added 10. As a team, Navy shot 55.6 percent (30-54) from the field, 11 of 23 from three-point range.
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Sunday, December 30, 2007
Greg Sprink and Kaleo Kina combined to score 56 points, including nearly every key basket in Navy's 85-83 win Saturday at St. Francis (NY).
Had there been any kind of a crowd on hand in Brooklyn Heights, we might have tried for some sort of "Navy pair beats full house" headline. But only 278 hardy souls witnessed Sprink's 33-point performance.
It was the most points by a Midshipmen since Dec. 22, 2005, when Sprink put up 34 against Brown. The total was not the most impressive part of Sprink's performance. It wasn't his 11 buckets on 18 shots that made the difference as much as the timing of those makes, especially on three of his four three-pointers (on 9 tries).
Navy took tghe lead nine seconds into the game on a Kina three-pointer and never trailed. Four times St. Francis managed to pull even. Three of those four times, it was Sprink who answered to keep Navy on top.
The two times the Terriers tied the game in the second half, Sprink hit a three to put Navy back in the lead. The last time came after SF tied the game at 68-68 with 4:08 to play. That was when Sprink responded with not one, but two threes, back to back, followed by a layup for a one-man 8-0 run that kept the Mids ahead the rest of the way.
The assist on both those threes came from Kina, who finished with 6 dishes and 6 boards to go with his 23 points. Back in the starting lineup, Kina also had three steals in 38 minutes of action.
St. Francis closed to within 3 at 76-73 with a minute to play, but Navy held the Terriers off by hitting 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch. Sprink was 5 for 6 in that span, Kina 2 for 2.
The win, on the heels of last week's win at Maryland-Eastern Shore, gives Navy (5-8) back-to-back wins for the first time this season. With 0-13 New Jersey Institute of Technology (Jan. 2) and 2-12 Longwood (Jan. 5) both set to visit Annapolis next week, the Mids could be riding a four-game win streak when they open conference play Jan. 11 at Bucknell.
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Had there been any kind of a crowd on hand in Brooklyn Heights, we might have tried for some sort of "Navy pair beats full house" headline. But only 278 hardy souls witnessed Sprink's 33-point performance.
It was the most points by a Midshipmen since Dec. 22, 2005, when Sprink put up 34 against Brown. The total was not the most impressive part of Sprink's performance. It wasn't his 11 buckets on 18 shots that made the difference as much as the timing of those makes, especially on three of his four three-pointers (on 9 tries).
Navy took tghe lead nine seconds into the game on a Kina three-pointer and never trailed. Four times St. Francis managed to pull even. Three of those four times, it was Sprink who answered to keep Navy on top.
The two times the Terriers tied the game in the second half, Sprink hit a three to put Navy back in the lead. The last time came after SF tied the game at 68-68 with 4:08 to play. That was when Sprink responded with not one, but two threes, back to back, followed by a layup for a one-man 8-0 run that kept the Mids ahead the rest of the way.
The assist on both those threes came from Kina, who finished with 6 dishes and 6 boards to go with his 23 points. Back in the starting lineup, Kina also had three steals in 38 minutes of action.
St. Francis closed to within 3 at 76-73 with a minute to play, but Navy held the Terriers off by hitting 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch. Sprink was 5 for 6 in that span, Kina 2 for 2.
The win, on the heels of last week's win at Maryland-Eastern Shore, gives Navy (5-8) back-to-back wins for the first time this season. With 0-13 New Jersey Institute of Technology (Jan. 2) and 2-12 Longwood (Jan. 5) both set to visit Annapolis next week, the Mids could be riding a four-game win streak when they open conference play Jan. 11 at Bucknell.
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Saturday, December 29, 2007
Coming off last week's win at Maryland, American travels across town to take on No. 5 Georgetown this afternoon in the feature game of the day. Navy is also on the road, traveling to Saint Francis (NY) and Bucknell looks to salvage its trip to the West Coast when it faces Long Beach State in the consolation game of Cal's Golden Bear Classic.
SCOUTING GEORGETOWN: The No. 5 ranked Hoyas come into the game at 8-1 after suffering their first loss of the season at No. 2 Memphis. If you are looking for a one-word description of Georgetown, that word might be "balanced." Leading scorer Roy Hibbert, a 7-2 senior with an NBA future, leads the Hoyas in scoring, averaging 12 ppg. Sophomore DaJuan Summers (6-8) averages 11.8 ppg. They are the only Hoyas averaging in double figures, but three others are averaging 9.2 ppg or better.
Georgetown plays lockdown defense, as evidenced by opponents 35.9 percent shooting against the Hoyas. That number drops to 28.3 percent at the arc. Opponents are scoring 55.7 points per game, a number inflated by the 85 Memphis posted. Alabama (60) is the only other team to score above the 50s against the Hoyas.
On offense, G-town is efficient, scoring 73.8 ppg while shooting 51.4 percent as a team, 38.8 percent from three-point range. Hibbert tops the Georgetown shooters, connecting on 62.3 percent of his attempts. His 7 rebounds per game are one reason the Hoyas outrebound opponents by almost 7 boards. Hibbert also averages 2.2 rejections.
BONUS LINKS:
(HoopsWorld)
(Washington Post)
(SI.com)
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (NY): The word small can be used multiple ways in describing the Terriers. There is the small roster, with just one guy taller than 6-7, the small crowd expected for the game (SF has averaged 435 fans for its first four home games), and the small number of wins the 3-9 Terriers have managed thus far.
All three wins have come at home, where SF is 3-1, with victories over Hartford, Hofstra and Fairfield.
Robert Hines, a 6-5 senior, is the Terriers leading scorer (16.4 ppg). Jamaal Womackm a 5-8 senior, is also in double figures at 11.4 ppg. Neither is shooting 40 percent from the field, which helps explain Saint Francis' 28.3 percent shooting as a team.
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SCOUTING LONG BEACH STATE: The defending Big West champions are 3-7 following Friday's 102-65 loss to Cal. The 49ers gave up 16 three-pointers in the loss.
Long Beach State is 0-6 away from home under first-year coach Dan Monson, who came to LBS after stints at Minnesota and Gonzaga.
Fresno State transfer Donovan Morris (6-3 junior) leads the 49ers in scoring (16 ppg) and rebounding 6.1 rpg). Junior Brian Freeman (9.1 ppg), a 6-10 juco transfer, is shooting 63 percent from the field and has three-point range (5-7).
BONUS LINKS:
(S.F. Chronicle)
(Long Beach Press-Enterprise)
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SCOUTING GEORGETOWN: The No. 5 ranked Hoyas come into the game at 8-1 after suffering their first loss of the season at No. 2 Memphis. If you are looking for a one-word description of Georgetown, that word might be "balanced." Leading scorer Roy Hibbert, a 7-2 senior with an NBA future, leads the Hoyas in scoring, averaging 12 ppg. Sophomore DaJuan Summers (6-8) averages 11.8 ppg. They are the only Hoyas averaging in double figures, but three others are averaging 9.2 ppg or better.
Georgetown plays lockdown defense, as evidenced by opponents 35.9 percent shooting against the Hoyas. That number drops to 28.3 percent at the arc. Opponents are scoring 55.7 points per game, a number inflated by the 85 Memphis posted. Alabama (60) is the only other team to score above the 50s against the Hoyas.
On offense, G-town is efficient, scoring 73.8 ppg while shooting 51.4 percent as a team, 38.8 percent from three-point range. Hibbert tops the Georgetown shooters, connecting on 62.3 percent of his attempts. His 7 rebounds per game are one reason the Hoyas outrebound opponents by almost 7 boards. Hibbert also averages 2.2 rejections.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (NY): The word small can be used multiple ways in describing the Terriers. There is the small roster, with just one guy taller than 6-7, the small crowd expected for the game (SF has averaged 435 fans for its first four home games), and the small number of wins the 3-9 Terriers have managed thus far.
All three wins have come at home, where SF is 3-1, with victories over Hartford, Hofstra and Fairfield.
Robert Hines, a 6-5 senior, is the Terriers leading scorer (16.4 ppg). Jamaal Womackm a 5-8 senior, is also in double figures at 11.4 ppg. Neither is shooting 40 percent from the field, which helps explain Saint Francis' 28.3 percent shooting as a team.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING LONG BEACH STATE: The defending Big West champions are 3-7 following Friday's 102-65 loss to Cal. The 49ers gave up 16 three-pointers in the loss.
Long Beach State is 0-6 away from home under first-year coach Dan Monson, who came to LBS after stints at Minnesota and Gonzaga.
Fresno State transfer Donovan Morris (6-3 junior) leads the 49ers in scoring (16 ppg) and rebounding 6.1 rpg). Junior Brian Freeman (9.1 ppg), a 6-10 juco transfer, is shooting 63 percent from the field and has three-point range (5-7).
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Labels: American, Bucknell, Navy, previews
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Thursday, December 27, 2007
It was a happy holiday season for American and Lafayette, as both teams went into the Christmas break with momentum. When the Eagles knocked off Maryland, 67-59, on Saturday, it marked the first victory for a Patriot League school against any ACC opponent since 2001. The Leopards won a pair of road games against Towson and Mount St. Mary's during the week. For their efforts, Lafayette junior Andrew Brown and freshman Deirunas Visockas earned Patriot League Anaconda Player and Rookie of the Week honors.
Patriot League Men's Basketball Release - 12.26.07
Anaconda Player of the Week (Dec. 17-23)
Andrew Brown, Lafayette Jr., G, 5'11, 175, Littleton, Colo./Heritage
After sitting out the Dec. 19 game at Towson with a nagging heel injury, Brown returned to the lineup with a career-high 32 points and a school-record nine three-pointers in Lafayette's 76-72 win over Mount St. Mary's on Friday. Brown hit six three-pointers in the first half as Lafayette built a 20-point halftime lead, and nailed three in the second half. His final three-pointer came with 27 seconds left and provided the final margin. The nine three-pointers topped the previous school record of eight held by three players (Larry Spigner, Tyson Whitfield and Brown who hit eight against Holy Cross last season). He made 11-of-16 shots overall, and 9-of-14 from three-point range. Brown leads Lafayette and is second in the Patriot League with 18.0 points per game. He has made 40 three-pointers and is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. Brown earns his first-ever Anaconda Player of the Week nod, and the first for a Lafayette men's basketball student-athlete since 2005-06.
Anaconda Rookie of the Week (Dec. 17-23)
Deirunas Visockas, Lafayette Fr., G, 6'3, 185, Los Angeles, Calif./University
Visockas poured in 14 points, including four three-pointers, in Lafayette's 79-69 overtime victory over Towson on Wednesday. He connected on a three-pointer and a layup as Lafayette outscored Towson, 17-7, in the extra session. He made 5-of-9 shots and 4-of-8 three-pointers in the game. Visockas also chipped in by making his only shot of the game, a three-point field goal, in Lafayette's 76-72 win over Mount St. Mary's on Friday. He leads the Patriot League in three-point shooting at 55 percent for the season (11-of-20). Visockas earns his first Anaconda Rookie of the Week honor.
Patriot League Notebook
American's Big Win Highlights Solid Weekend
Six years to the day after they recorded the Patriot League's first and only win over an ACC team, the American Eagles accomplished the feat again with a 67-59 triumph over Maryland on Saturday. Derrick Mercer had 18 points in the game, and American led by at least five points throughout the second half as it knocked off Maryland for the first time in 80 years and 14 meetings. American recorded the only other win over an ACC opponent when it knocked off Florida State on Dec. 22, 2001 in its first season of competition as a Patriot League member. The Eagles were not the only team to come through over the weekend, as Lafayette, Navy and Army also recorded victories. The Leopards beat Mount St. Mary's, 76-72, for their third win in a row, while Army won its second straight with a 59-56 triumph over Dartmouth. Navy beat Maryland-Eastern Shore, 85-61. Holy Cross, Bucknell and Colgate all fell on the road, with the Crusaders losing at Siena, 84-77, in overtime.
Back in Action After Christmas Break
All eight Patriot League teams have off for Christmas break from Monday-Thursday, but seven of the squads return to the court beginning on Friday. And once again, the schedule will be road-heavy with seven of the eight games away from home. Bucknell plays North Dakota State in the Golden Bear Classic at Cal. The Bison will also take the court on Saturday against either Cal or Long Beach State. Lehigh returns from its 20-day layoff to host Monmouth on Friday. In addition to Bucknell's game on Saturday, American is at No. 8 Georgetown and Navy visits St. Francis (N.Y.). The week concludes with three games on Sunday, with Colgate at New Hampshire, Holy Cross at Sacred Heart and Lafayette at Robert Morris.
Patriot League Teams on Record Pace
With a 47-39 record, the Patriot League is on pace for it best-ever non-League mark. The top record thus far, and only winning mark, came in a 54-53 effort in the 2000-01 season. Last season was the only other campaign at the .500 mark in non-League action, as the Patriot League's 60 wins were the most in its 17-year history. The 47 non-League wins are already the seventh-highest total in Patriot League history, which is made even more impressive being the first season of an all Division I schedule for the League. Patriot League teams still have 31 games remaining to boost the win total, as well as any postseason competition. The remaining strech will be difficult, however, as 21 of the 31 games will be played away from home and games against Georgetown, Pittsburgh and Mississippi State are left.
Don't Adjust Your Eyes
A quick glance at the Patriot League statistics would be enough to give anyone a "Brown" out. The surname Brown appears prominently in the League leaderboard, as Army's Jarell Brown and Lafayette's Andrew Brown appear right next to each other in multiple categories. Jarell leads the League in scoring with 19.6 ppg, while Andrew is second with 18.0 ppg. Both players are tied for third in three-point field goal percentage at 50 percent, and Andrew has a slight lead over Jarell for the top spot in three-pointers made per game. They are both in the top ten in overall field goal percentage and foul shooting. Each player does get to avoid the other "Brown" in some categories. Andrew is seventh in assists, and Jarell is eighth in rebounding and third in steals.
Time to GET SIRIUS
The Patriot League has once again partnered with SIRIUS Satellite Radio to broadcast select men's basketball games for the 2007-08 season. The League has three games set for January's schedule, beginning with Holy Cross traveling to Lafayette in the season opener on Jan. 12. In addition to regular-season coverage, all seven games of the 2008 Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament will be aired. Bucknell's visit to Holy Cross will be broadcast on Jan. 18, and the Bison's matchup at home against Colgate on Jan. 26 will wrap up the January schedule. Lehigh's matchup with Princeton on Jan. 6 will also be broadcast on SIRIUS. The schedule of Patriot League games for February will be announced at a later date. For an updated listing of all SIRIUS games and channels involving Patriot League teams, see page 5 of this release or www.patriotleague.com.
Holy Cross at No. 7 in Mid-Major top 25
Saturday's loss at Siena didn't do too much damage to Holy Cross in the The defending Patriot League champions fell from fifth to No. 7 in the latest rankings released on Monday. American garnered two points in the poll after its win over Maryland on Saturday, and also picked up a vote in the AP Top 25. While Holy Cross is the only Patriot League team to earn a ranking this season, American, Colgate and Bucknell have now all appeared in the receiving votes category.
Four in the top 200 in RPI
Four Patriot League teams found a spot in the top 200 in the updated Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report, with one more falling just outside the group. Holy Cross checks in at No. 52 with a 7-2 overall record. The Crusaders' only losses came against No. 18 Dayton and No. 31 Siena. Lafayette made a significant jump after beating Towson and Mount St. Mary's last week, as the Leopards are all the way up to No. 142 with an 8-3 record. Colgate checks in at No. 174, while Bucknell is No. 194. American's victory over Maryland helped it move up to No. 201 in the rankings. The Patriot League ranks No. 21 among 31 Division I conferences.
Finally Some Company in the Road Win Column
After 34 days of standing alone, another conference finally joined the Patriot League with at least one road victory for all of its members. The Horizon League became the second conference to accomplish the feat when Wright State won at CS-Fullerton on Saturday. The Patriot League set the mark on Nov. 17 when Lehigh won at St. Francis (Pa.). Six of the eight Patriot League schools have at least two road victories, and five have three road wins or more. The Patriot League has a 22-23 record in true road games.
Team Notebooks
American: The Eagles posted an impressive week in two tough road venues, knocking off Maryland, 67-59, on Saturday after losing a close game at Dayton, 63-56, on Wednesday...The victory over the Terps was just the second for a Patriot League team over an ACC opponent...American notched the other win, knocking off Florida State on Dec. 22, 2001...It was the first time in 80 meetings and 14 seasons that the Eagles knocked off the Terps...Derrick Mercer led the way with 18 points, while Bryce Simon had a career-high 17 and Brian Gilmore added 12...The Eagles closed the first half with a 10-3 run to take a 25-20 halftime lead...They held Maryland without a field goal for a 10:33 stretch of the first half...It was their 11th halftime lead in 12 contests this season...They opened the lead to nine early in the second half, and led by anywhere from five to 12 points the rest of the way...The Eagles hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final 43 seconds to seal the win....American held a 40-33 rebounding edge...Garrison Carr scored a career-high 26 points against Dayton...Carr connected on 9-of-19 shots overall, and nailed a career-high seven three-pointers on 14 attempts...Carr's seven treys tied for fourth-most in a game in American history...The two games this week started a seven-game road swing which goes into the first two contests of League play...It continues at No. 8 Georgetown at 1 p.m. on Saturday in a game shown on MASN...The Eagles are celebrating the 25th anniversary of defeating the fifth-ranked Hoyas on Dec. 15, 1982.
Army: The Black Knights returned to the court after an exam break and won their second game in a row with a 59-56 triumph over Dartmouth on Saturday...Army trailed, 49-43, with 8:38 left before outscoring the Big Green, 16-7, the rest of the way...Doug Williams had a season-high 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Marcus Nelson and Jarell Brown each had 10...Army shot 47.8 percent for the game, while limiting Dartmouth to 37.5 percent shooting...Nelson gave Army the lead for good by hitting both ends of a 1-and-1 with 59 seconds to play...The Black Knights are now 4-1 in games decided by five-or-fewer points...Army has won four of its last five games and ends the 2007 portion of its schedule at 6-5...It is the first time the squad has been above the .500 mark since Feb. 10 of last season....Army has now won 21 games in the last two seasons after winning 20 total games from 2002-06...The Black Knights are currently 2-1 on a five-game homestand, and return to action on Jan. 2 against Brown.
Bucknell: The Bison fell at Drexel, 65-53, to complete a 1-1 record for the week...They also notched an 88-75 victory over Cornell on Wednesday...Bucknell struggled in the first half and trailed, 34-15, at the break against Drexel...They would get no closer than eight points in the second half...John Griffin had 11 points in the game, while G.W. Boon added 10...The Bison committed a season-low 11 turnovers...They set a Sojka Pavilion record with their highest scoring output in the last 85 games against Cornell...They had a 47-30 lead by halftime, and the 47 points are the most in a half this season...Griffin scored a career-high 27 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range...Justin Castleberry equaled a career high with 18 points, while Josh Linthicum had a career-high 12...Bucknell returns to action Friday against North Dakota State in the first round of the Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley, Calif...They will face either Cal or Long Beach State on Saturday.
Colgate: Colgate dropped a pair of tough road contests last week, falling at Penn State, 66-48, on Sunday and losing a regional matchup at Syracuse, 87-59, on Tuesday... Alex Woodhouse had eight points and nine rebounds against Penn State, while Kendall Chones notched nine points...The Raiders cut a 16-point deficit down to five early in the second half, but Penn State answered with an 18-6 run to put the game away...Colgate held Penn State to 38.1 percent shooting...Freshman Mike Venezia scored 11 points in his first collegiate action against Syracuse...Venezia injured his knee in preseason drills, and just returned to the lineup for the Raiders...Kyle Roemer and Chones both scored in double figures with 10 points apiece...The Raiders have played five games of a six-game road swing thus far, and have a 2-3 mark with this week's defeats as well as a loss at Notre Dame...The road swing wraps up on Sunday at New Hampshire.
Holy Cross: The Crusaders suffered a tough loss in their first game in two and a half weeks as they fell at Siena, 84-77, in overtime...Tim Clifford led the way with 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and also pulled down six rebounds...Holy Cross trailed by 10 early in the second half and was down seven with a minute to go, but rallied to force overtime...Clifford nailed two three-pointers in the final 12 seconds, including the game-tying shot as time expired in regulation...Holy Cross missed its first six shots in the extra session as Siena built a five-point lead...Colin Cunningham and Pat Doherty each had 15 points, while Alex Vander Baan had 13...No other player had more than five points, and only six players scored in the game...The Crusaders fell to seventh in Monday's College Insider.com Mid-Major top 25 after the loss...Holy Cross returns to action on Sunday when it travels to Sacred Heart.
Lafayette: The Leopards recorded a pair of impressive road wins, knocking off Mount St. Mary's, 76-72, on Friday and defeating Towson, 79-69, in overtime on Wednesday...Andrew Brown scored a career-high 32 points and made a school-record nine three-pointers in the win over Mount St. Mary's...His final three-pointer came with 27 seconds left and provided the final margin...The nine three-pointers topped the previous school record of eight held by three players (Larry Spigner, Tyson Whitfield and Brown who hit eight against Holy Cross last season)...The Leopards led by as many as 22 points in the first half and held a 45-25 advantage at halftime...Mount St. Mary's put together a 21-4 run to trim the Lafayette lead to 69-66 with 3:03 remaining...Lafayette shot 55 percent for the game, the Leopards' second-best shooting night of the season.....Five players scored in double figures in the win over Towson, with Bilal Abdullah, Deirunas Visockas and Matt Betley all notching 14...Abdullah played 41 minutes and recorded his first double-double of the season with a career-high 13 rebounds, while Betley notched nine rebounds...Lafayette trailed by seven with just over nine minutes to play, and did not tie the score until Michael Gruner scored with 8.1 seconds left...Abdullah and Visockas hit key three-pointers as Lafayette outscored Towson, 17-7, in overtime...Lafayette has played three of the five overtime games for Patriot League teams this year, and is the only team to win in the extra session....Lafayette has hit 10 or more three-pointers in 10 consecutive games...The Leopards have won three games in a row, and are 3-1 on the first four contests of an eight-game road stretch...The Leopards travel to Robert Morris on Sunday.
Lehigh: The Mountain Hawks return from a 20-day layoff to complete their three-game home stretch on Friday against Monmouth...Lehigh's layoff for finals and the holidays is its longest since the inception of Patriot League play in 1990...Lehigh stayed sharp with a 99-48 win in an exhibition against Briarcliff on Friday...They had 30 assists on 39 field goals in the game...Marquis Hall and Bryan White have emerged as individual stars for Lehigh...Hall is second in the Patriot League in assists (5.1), first in assist/turnover ratio (2.55;51/20), and ninth in scoring (13.7 ppg)...White averages a League-best 8.3 rebounds per game, and is only 13 shy of 500 boards for his career.
Navy: The Midshipmen split a pair of road games last week, downing Maryland-Eastern Shore, 85-61, on Saturday after falling to San Diego State, 86-76, on Monday...Kaleo Kina scored 20 points and Chris Harris had 19 in the win over UMES...Navy took a 41-23 lead at halftime, and shot 50.8 percent for the game...The 24-point victory was Navy's largest against a Division I foe since a 73-47 win over Morgan State on Dec. 8, 2006...Greg Sprink led the way with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting against San Diego State...The Mids were done in by a 13-0 Aztec run late in the contest...Sprink has 1,346 career points, good for 11th in Navy history and 27th in Patriot League annals...Navy's 29 three-pointers during the last two games are tied for the most in school history during a two-game span. Navy also hit 29 combined three-pointers against Fordham (9) and Mount St. Mary's (20) on Nov. 24-27, 1990...The trio of Harris, Kina and Sprink are averaging 53.3 ppg between them in the last three games...The Mids have shot over 45.0 percent in three of their last four games, after accomplishing the feat just twice in the first eight games...Navy returns to action on Saturday at St. Francis (N.Y.), looking to win consecutive games for the first time this year.
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Patriot League Men's Basketball Release - 12.26.07
Anaconda Player of the Week (Dec. 17-23)
Andrew Brown, Lafayette Jr., G, 5'11, 175, Littleton, Colo./Heritage
After sitting out the Dec. 19 game at Towson with a nagging heel injury, Brown returned to the lineup with a career-high 32 points and a school-record nine three-pointers in Lafayette's 76-72 win over Mount St. Mary's on Friday. Brown hit six three-pointers in the first half as Lafayette built a 20-point halftime lead, and nailed three in the second half. His final three-pointer came with 27 seconds left and provided the final margin. The nine three-pointers topped the previous school record of eight held by three players (Larry Spigner, Tyson Whitfield and Brown who hit eight against Holy Cross last season). He made 11-of-16 shots overall, and 9-of-14 from three-point range. Brown leads Lafayette and is second in the Patriot League with 18.0 points per game. He has made 40 three-pointers and is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. Brown earns his first-ever Anaconda Player of the Week nod, and the first for a Lafayette men's basketball student-athlete since 2005-06.
Anaconda Rookie of the Week (Dec. 17-23)
Deirunas Visockas, Lafayette Fr., G, 6'3, 185, Los Angeles, Calif./University
Visockas poured in 14 points, including four three-pointers, in Lafayette's 79-69 overtime victory over Towson on Wednesday. He connected on a three-pointer and a layup as Lafayette outscored Towson, 17-7, in the extra session. He made 5-of-9 shots and 4-of-8 three-pointers in the game. Visockas also chipped in by making his only shot of the game, a three-point field goal, in Lafayette's 76-72 win over Mount St. Mary's on Friday. He leads the Patriot League in three-point shooting at 55 percent for the season (11-of-20). Visockas earns his first Anaconda Rookie of the Week honor.
Patriot League Notebook
American's Big Win Highlights Solid Weekend
Six years to the day after they recorded the Patriot League's first and only win over an ACC team, the American Eagles accomplished the feat again with a 67-59 triumph over Maryland on Saturday. Derrick Mercer had 18 points in the game, and American led by at least five points throughout the second half as it knocked off Maryland for the first time in 80 years and 14 meetings. American recorded the only other win over an ACC opponent when it knocked off Florida State on Dec. 22, 2001 in its first season of competition as a Patriot League member. The Eagles were not the only team to come through over the weekend, as Lafayette, Navy and Army also recorded victories. The Leopards beat Mount St. Mary's, 76-72, for their third win in a row, while Army won its second straight with a 59-56 triumph over Dartmouth. Navy beat Maryland-Eastern Shore, 85-61. Holy Cross, Bucknell and Colgate all fell on the road, with the Crusaders losing at Siena, 84-77, in overtime.
Back in Action After Christmas Break
All eight Patriot League teams have off for Christmas break from Monday-Thursday, but seven of the squads return to the court beginning on Friday. And once again, the schedule will be road-heavy with seven of the eight games away from home. Bucknell plays North Dakota State in the Golden Bear Classic at Cal. The Bison will also take the court on Saturday against either Cal or Long Beach State. Lehigh returns from its 20-day layoff to host Monmouth on Friday. In addition to Bucknell's game on Saturday, American is at No. 8 Georgetown and Navy visits St. Francis (N.Y.). The week concludes with three games on Sunday, with Colgate at New Hampshire, Holy Cross at Sacred Heart and Lafayette at Robert Morris.
Patriot League Teams on Record Pace
With a 47-39 record, the Patriot League is on pace for it best-ever non-League mark. The top record thus far, and only winning mark, came in a 54-53 effort in the 2000-01 season. Last season was the only other campaign at the .500 mark in non-League action, as the Patriot League's 60 wins were the most in its 17-year history. The 47 non-League wins are already the seventh-highest total in Patriot League history, which is made even more impressive being the first season of an all Division I schedule for the League. Patriot League teams still have 31 games remaining to boost the win total, as well as any postseason competition. The remaining strech will be difficult, however, as 21 of the 31 games will be played away from home and games against Georgetown, Pittsburgh and Mississippi State are left.
Don't Adjust Your Eyes
A quick glance at the Patriot League statistics would be enough to give anyone a "Brown" out. The surname Brown appears prominently in the League leaderboard, as Army's Jarell Brown and Lafayette's Andrew Brown appear right next to each other in multiple categories. Jarell leads the League in scoring with 19.6 ppg, while Andrew is second with 18.0 ppg. Both players are tied for third in three-point field goal percentage at 50 percent, and Andrew has a slight lead over Jarell for the top spot in three-pointers made per game. They are both in the top ten in overall field goal percentage and foul shooting. Each player does get to avoid the other "Brown" in some categories. Andrew is seventh in assists, and Jarell is eighth in rebounding and third in steals.
Time to GET SIRIUS
The Patriot League has once again partnered with SIRIUS Satellite Radio to broadcast select men's basketball games for the 2007-08 season. The League has three games set for January's schedule, beginning with Holy Cross traveling to Lafayette in the season opener on Jan. 12. In addition to regular-season coverage, all seven games of the 2008 Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament will be aired. Bucknell's visit to Holy Cross will be broadcast on Jan. 18, and the Bison's matchup at home against Colgate on Jan. 26 will wrap up the January schedule. Lehigh's matchup with Princeton on Jan. 6 will also be broadcast on SIRIUS. The schedule of Patriot League games for February will be announced at a later date. For an updated listing of all SIRIUS games and channels involving Patriot League teams, see page 5 of this release or www.patriotleague.com.
Holy Cross at No. 7 in Mid-Major top 25
Saturday's loss at Siena didn't do too much damage to Holy Cross in the The defending Patriot League champions fell from fifth to No. 7 in the latest rankings released on Monday. American garnered two points in the poll after its win over Maryland on Saturday, and also picked up a vote in the AP Top 25. While Holy Cross is the only Patriot League team to earn a ranking this season, American, Colgate and Bucknell have now all appeared in the receiving votes category.
Four in the top 200 in RPI
Four Patriot League teams found a spot in the top 200 in the updated Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report, with one more falling just outside the group. Holy Cross checks in at No. 52 with a 7-2 overall record. The Crusaders' only losses came against No. 18 Dayton and No. 31 Siena. Lafayette made a significant jump after beating Towson and Mount St. Mary's last week, as the Leopards are all the way up to No. 142 with an 8-3 record. Colgate checks in at No. 174, while Bucknell is No. 194. American's victory over Maryland helped it move up to No. 201 in the rankings. The Patriot League ranks No. 21 among 31 Division I conferences.
Finally Some Company in the Road Win Column
After 34 days of standing alone, another conference finally joined the Patriot League with at least one road victory for all of its members. The Horizon League became the second conference to accomplish the feat when Wright State won at CS-Fullerton on Saturday. The Patriot League set the mark on Nov. 17 when Lehigh won at St. Francis (Pa.). Six of the eight Patriot League schools have at least two road victories, and five have three road wins or more. The Patriot League has a 22-23 record in true road games.
Team Notebooks
American: The Eagles posted an impressive week in two tough road venues, knocking off Maryland, 67-59, on Saturday after losing a close game at Dayton, 63-56, on Wednesday...The victory over the Terps was just the second for a Patriot League team over an ACC opponent...American notched the other win, knocking off Florida State on Dec. 22, 2001...It was the first time in 80 meetings and 14 seasons that the Eagles knocked off the Terps...Derrick Mercer led the way with 18 points, while Bryce Simon had a career-high 17 and Brian Gilmore added 12...The Eagles closed the first half with a 10-3 run to take a 25-20 halftime lead...They held Maryland without a field goal for a 10:33 stretch of the first half...It was their 11th halftime lead in 12 contests this season...They opened the lead to nine early in the second half, and led by anywhere from five to 12 points the rest of the way...The Eagles hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final 43 seconds to seal the win....American held a 40-33 rebounding edge...Garrison Carr scored a career-high 26 points against Dayton...Carr connected on 9-of-19 shots overall, and nailed a career-high seven three-pointers on 14 attempts...Carr's seven treys tied for fourth-most in a game in American history...The two games this week started a seven-game road swing which goes into the first two contests of League play...It continues at No. 8 Georgetown at 1 p.m. on Saturday in a game shown on MASN...The Eagles are celebrating the 25th anniversary of defeating the fifth-ranked Hoyas on Dec. 15, 1982.
Army: The Black Knights returned to the court after an exam break and won their second game in a row with a 59-56 triumph over Dartmouth on Saturday...Army trailed, 49-43, with 8:38 left before outscoring the Big Green, 16-7, the rest of the way...Doug Williams had a season-high 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Marcus Nelson and Jarell Brown each had 10...Army shot 47.8 percent for the game, while limiting Dartmouth to 37.5 percent shooting...Nelson gave Army the lead for good by hitting both ends of a 1-and-1 with 59 seconds to play...The Black Knights are now 4-1 in games decided by five-or-fewer points...Army has won four of its last five games and ends the 2007 portion of its schedule at 6-5...It is the first time the squad has been above the .500 mark since Feb. 10 of last season....Army has now won 21 games in the last two seasons after winning 20 total games from 2002-06...The Black Knights are currently 2-1 on a five-game homestand, and return to action on Jan. 2 against Brown.
Bucknell: The Bison fell at Drexel, 65-53, to complete a 1-1 record for the week...They also notched an 88-75 victory over Cornell on Wednesday...Bucknell struggled in the first half and trailed, 34-15, at the break against Drexel...They would get no closer than eight points in the second half...John Griffin had 11 points in the game, while G.W. Boon added 10...The Bison committed a season-low 11 turnovers...They set a Sojka Pavilion record with their highest scoring output in the last 85 games against Cornell...They had a 47-30 lead by halftime, and the 47 points are the most in a half this season...Griffin scored a career-high 27 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range...Justin Castleberry equaled a career high with 18 points, while Josh Linthicum had a career-high 12...Bucknell returns to action Friday against North Dakota State in the first round of the Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley, Calif...They will face either Cal or Long Beach State on Saturday.
Colgate: Colgate dropped a pair of tough road contests last week, falling at Penn State, 66-48, on Sunday and losing a regional matchup at Syracuse, 87-59, on Tuesday... Alex Woodhouse had eight points and nine rebounds against Penn State, while Kendall Chones notched nine points...The Raiders cut a 16-point deficit down to five early in the second half, but Penn State answered with an 18-6 run to put the game away...Colgate held Penn State to 38.1 percent shooting...Freshman Mike Venezia scored 11 points in his first collegiate action against Syracuse...Venezia injured his knee in preseason drills, and just returned to the lineup for the Raiders...Kyle Roemer and Chones both scored in double figures with 10 points apiece...The Raiders have played five games of a six-game road swing thus far, and have a 2-3 mark with this week's defeats as well as a loss at Notre Dame...The road swing wraps up on Sunday at New Hampshire.
Holy Cross: The Crusaders suffered a tough loss in their first game in two and a half weeks as they fell at Siena, 84-77, in overtime...Tim Clifford led the way with 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and also pulled down six rebounds...Holy Cross trailed by 10 early in the second half and was down seven with a minute to go, but rallied to force overtime...Clifford nailed two three-pointers in the final 12 seconds, including the game-tying shot as time expired in regulation...Holy Cross missed its first six shots in the extra session as Siena built a five-point lead...Colin Cunningham and Pat Doherty each had 15 points, while Alex Vander Baan had 13...No other player had more than five points, and only six players scored in the game...The Crusaders fell to seventh in Monday's College Insider.com Mid-Major top 25 after the loss...Holy Cross returns to action on Sunday when it travels to Sacred Heart.
Lafayette: The Leopards recorded a pair of impressive road wins, knocking off Mount St. Mary's, 76-72, on Friday and defeating Towson, 79-69, in overtime on Wednesday...Andrew Brown scored a career-high 32 points and made a school-record nine three-pointers in the win over Mount St. Mary's...His final three-pointer came with 27 seconds left and provided the final margin...The nine three-pointers topped the previous school record of eight held by three players (Larry Spigner, Tyson Whitfield and Brown who hit eight against Holy Cross last season)...The Leopards led by as many as 22 points in the first half and held a 45-25 advantage at halftime...Mount St. Mary's put together a 21-4 run to trim the Lafayette lead to 69-66 with 3:03 remaining...Lafayette shot 55 percent for the game, the Leopards' second-best shooting night of the season.....Five players scored in double figures in the win over Towson, with Bilal Abdullah, Deirunas Visockas and Matt Betley all notching 14...Abdullah played 41 minutes and recorded his first double-double of the season with a career-high 13 rebounds, while Betley notched nine rebounds...Lafayette trailed by seven with just over nine minutes to play, and did not tie the score until Michael Gruner scored with 8.1 seconds left...Abdullah and Visockas hit key three-pointers as Lafayette outscored Towson, 17-7, in overtime...Lafayette has played three of the five overtime games for Patriot League teams this year, and is the only team to win in the extra session....Lafayette has hit 10 or more three-pointers in 10 consecutive games...The Leopards have won three games in a row, and are 3-1 on the first four contests of an eight-game road stretch...The Leopards travel to Robert Morris on Sunday.
Lehigh: The Mountain Hawks return from a 20-day layoff to complete their three-game home stretch on Friday against Monmouth...Lehigh's layoff for finals and the holidays is its longest since the inception of Patriot League play in 1990...Lehigh stayed sharp with a 99-48 win in an exhibition against Briarcliff on Friday...They had 30 assists on 39 field goals in the game...Marquis Hall and Bryan White have emerged as individual stars for Lehigh...Hall is second in the Patriot League in assists (5.1), first in assist/turnover ratio (2.55;51/20), and ninth in scoring (13.7 ppg)...White averages a League-best 8.3 rebounds per game, and is only 13 shy of 500 boards for his career.
Navy: The Midshipmen split a pair of road games last week, downing Maryland-Eastern Shore, 85-61, on Saturday after falling to San Diego State, 86-76, on Monday...Kaleo Kina scored 20 points and Chris Harris had 19 in the win over UMES...Navy took a 41-23 lead at halftime, and shot 50.8 percent for the game...The 24-point victory was Navy's largest against a Division I foe since a 73-47 win over Morgan State on Dec. 8, 2006...Greg Sprink led the way with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting against San Diego State...The Mids were done in by a 13-0 Aztec run late in the contest...Sprink has 1,346 career points, good for 11th in Navy history and 27th in Patriot League annals...Navy's 29 three-pointers during the last two games are tied for the most in school history during a two-game span. Navy also hit 29 combined three-pointers against Fordham (9) and Mount St. Mary's (20) on Nov. 24-27, 1990...The trio of Harris, Kina and Sprink are averaging 53.3 ppg between them in the last three games...The Mids have shot over 45.0 percent in three of their last four games, after accomplishing the feat just twice in the first eight games...Navy returns to action on Saturday at St. Francis (N.Y.), looking to win consecutive games for the first time this year.
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy, notebook
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Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Midshipmen made 14 three-pointers in an 85-61 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Kaleo Kina had three of those Navy treys, finishing with 20 points to lead the Midshipmen (4-8). Four came from Chris Harris (15 points) and two more from Greg Sprink (15 points, 9 rebounds).http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
The Mids were 30 for 59 (50.8 percent) overall, shooting worse from close range than outside the arc. The Mids were 14 of 25 (56 percent) from long range.
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Kaleo Kina had three of those Navy treys, finishing with 20 points to lead the Midshipmen (4-8). Four came from Chris Harris (15 points) and two more from Greg Sprink (15 points, 9 rebounds).http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
The Mids were 30 for 59 (50.8 percent) overall, shooting worse from close range than outside the arc. The Mids were 14 of 25 (56 percent) from long range.
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Friday, December 21, 2007
5:29 p.m. -- Due to a technical glitch, the previews did not publish this morning.Finals are over. A five-game pre-holiday slate on tap today. Can I get a .
Good matchups, too. American at Maryland, Albany at Siena and Bucknell at Drexel are the top attractions. The Defense Department is also busy today, with Dartmouth visiting Army and Navy across the bay at Maryland-Eastern Shore.
SCOUTING MARYLAND: This is a beatable Maryland team, as Ohio U. showed in the Terps' last outing. Maryland is 6-5, only one of those wins against a fellow high-major (Illinois). Northeastern took Maryland to OT earlier this season. They also have a win over Lehigh. maryland will also host Holy Cross ion January.
Three guys in double figures for the Terps: Greivis Vasquez (15.5 ppg), James Gist (13.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and Eric Hays (11.5 ppg). Maryland shoots 43.8 percent from the field and holds opponents to 38.4 percent shooting.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH: The Big Green comes to West Point with a 5-5 record, just one of those wins coming away from home. That win, by the way, came at Colgate.Dartmouth foes are shooting 47 percent and scoring over 70 ppg against the Green.
Alex Barnett (16.1 ppg, 41.2 percent from the arc) and Devon Mosley (13.9 ppg) lead Dartmouth's scoring.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING SIENA: The 5-3 Saints are 3-0 at home under former Lehigh coach Fran McCaffery, who is in his third season at Siena. McCaffery's tenure at Lehigh was back in 1985-88, well before the Patriot League began play, so he doesn't have that experience against Lehigh to draw on. But you can bet he has talked to another former Lehigh head coach, Billy Taylor, a former McCaffery assistant, for a report on Holy Cross. Siena's wins include one over then No. 20 Stanford and the Saints played Syracuse within single digits in the Carrier Dome.
Four guys in double figures for the high-scoring Saints, who are scoring 81.4 ppg. Junior All-MAAC pick Kenny Hasbrouck (6-3) is averaging 17.6 ppg. Sophomore Alex Franklin, a 6-5 force inside, shooting 61.3 percent from the field, averaging 17 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Edwin Ubiles, a 6-6 sophomore, hits at a 41.2 percent clip from the arc while scoring 16.3 ppg and 6-foot sophomore Ronald Moore is scoring 10.8 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING DREXEL: The Dragons count on their defense. They have to. They can't score. Currently riding a four-game losing streak, Drexel averages less than 58 points per game. During the losing streak, they scored more than 60 only in last week's 64-51 loss at Temple.
Drexel shoots 42.3 percent from the field as a team and turns the ball over 19.2 times per game. They do play tough defense. Opponents are shooting 39.1 percent against the Dragons.
Senior center Frank Elegar is a force inside. A second-team All-CAA pick last season, Elegar averages 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor. Tramaybe Hawthorne, a 6-foot junior, is the main perimeter threat, averaging 11.8 ppg. Freshman Geral Colds (5-11) is a three-point shooter off the bench, averaging 10.3 ppg. To stop Colds, force him inside the three-point line, or foul him. He shoots 39.5 percent from the field, but 46.2 percent from the arc, 47.6 percent from the free throw line.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING UMES: Navy is not good enough to look past anybody, but if there is a team on its schedule that will tempt the Mids to take them for granted, the 2-10 Hawks might be it.
UMES is shooting 33 percent from the field and allowing opponents to score 76.7 ppg. Opposing teams are shooting 47.2 percent against UMES and outrebounding the Hawks by 9 per game.
Perhaps the most telling stat is Ed Tyson's 26 percent field goal shooting. Despite that bricklaying, Tyson is still second on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg). Marc Davis averages 19 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
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Good matchups, too. American at Maryland, Albany at Siena and Bucknell at Drexel are the top attractions. The Defense Department is also busy today, with Dartmouth visiting Army and Navy across the bay at Maryland-Eastern Shore.
SCOUTING MARYLAND: This is a beatable Maryland team, as Ohio U. showed in the Terps' last outing. Maryland is 6-5, only one of those wins against a fellow high-major (Illinois). Northeastern took Maryland to OT earlier this season. They also have a win over Lehigh. maryland will also host Holy Cross ion January.
Three guys in double figures for the Terps: Greivis Vasquez (15.5 ppg), James Gist (13.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and Eric Hays (11.5 ppg). Maryland shoots 43.8 percent from the field and holds opponents to 38.4 percent shooting.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH: The Big Green comes to West Point with a 5-5 record, just one of those wins coming away from home. That win, by the way, came at Colgate.Dartmouth foes are shooting 47 percent and scoring over 70 ppg against the Green.
Alex Barnett (16.1 ppg, 41.2 percent from the arc) and Devon Mosley (13.9 ppg) lead Dartmouth's scoring.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING SIENA: The 5-3 Saints are 3-0 at home under former Lehigh coach Fran McCaffery, who is in his third season at Siena. McCaffery's tenure at Lehigh was back in 1985-88, well before the Patriot League began play, so he doesn't have that experience against Lehigh to draw on. But you can bet he has talked to another former Lehigh head coach, Billy Taylor, a former McCaffery assistant, for a report on Holy Cross. Siena's wins include one over then No. 20 Stanford and the Saints played Syracuse within single digits in the Carrier Dome.
Four guys in double figures for the high-scoring Saints, who are scoring 81.4 ppg. Junior All-MAAC pick Kenny Hasbrouck (6-3) is averaging 17.6 ppg. Sophomore Alex Franklin, a 6-5 force inside, shooting 61.3 percent from the field, averaging 17 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Edwin Ubiles, a 6-6 sophomore, hits at a 41.2 percent clip from the arc while scoring 16.3 ppg and 6-foot sophomore Ronald Moore is scoring 10.8 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING DREXEL: The Dragons count on their defense. They have to. They can't score. Currently riding a four-game losing streak, Drexel averages less than 58 points per game. During the losing streak, they scored more than 60 only in last week's 64-51 loss at Temple.
Drexel shoots 42.3 percent from the field as a team and turns the ball over 19.2 times per game. They do play tough defense. Opponents are shooting 39.1 percent against the Dragons.
Senior center Frank Elegar is a force inside. A second-team All-CAA pick last season, Elegar averages 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor. Tramaybe Hawthorne, a 6-foot junior, is the main perimeter threat, averaging 11.8 ppg. Freshman Geral Colds (5-11) is a three-point shooter off the bench, averaging 10.3 ppg. To stop Colds, force him inside the three-point line, or foul him. He shoots 39.5 percent from the field, but 46.2 percent from the arc, 47.6 percent from the free throw line.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING UMES: Navy is not good enough to look past anybody, but if there is a team on its schedule that will tempt the Mids to take them for granted, the 2-10 Hawks might be it.
UMES is shooting 33 percent from the field and allowing opponents to score 76.7 ppg. Opposing teams are shooting 47.2 percent against UMES and outrebounding the Hawks by 9 per game.
Perhaps the most telling stat is Ed Tyson's 26 percent field goal shooting. Despite that bricklaying, Tyson is still second on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg). Marc Davis averages 19 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Holy Cross, Navy, previews
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Three minutes out of 40. That was the difference Monday night in the Midshipmen's 86-76 loss at San Diego State.
With Greg Sprink impressing his friends and family from back home in California with a lights-out shooting display and Chris Harris dropping precision bombs from the arc, Navy played right with the Aztecs most of the game.
The Mids were ahead 37-35 at the half and stretched the lead to 43-35 by scoring the first six points of the second half. Even after SDSU used a 12-2 run to take the lead, the Mids stuck around. It was still tied at 61-61 with 7:55 to play when the Aztecs took off on a 13-0 run that decided the game.
It happened quick; in three seconds less than three minutes actually. It was a stretch where Navy, which shot 49.2 percent (29-59) from the field and hit 15 of 33 threes, went 0 for 5, including three straight misses from the arc. SDSU hit three treys in the same span, and had three offensive rebounds, including two on the three-shot possession that capped the run.
Navy battled, but could not get closer than 9 the rest of the way against an Aztecs side that shot 51.8 percent (29-58) from the field and went to the foul line 30 times (making 23). SDSU held a 39-21 edge on the boards.
Granted Navy's perimeter style of play is not real conducive to getting to the foul line, but you might suspect a little home cooking (we say suspect because, still tired from Sunday's travel odyssey, we dozed off early and missed most of the CSTV broadcast) in a game when the visitors from the opposite coast don't shoot a single free throw in the first half and don't get to the line for the first time until there are less than four minutes left on the clock. The Mids finished 3 for 4 from the line.
Sprink, who came in shooting 32.1 percent from the field, proved the old adage about shooters needing to keep shooting by finishing with 26 points on 11 for 14 shooting, all three misses coming outside the arc (4 for 7). Harris added six threes and 22 points and Kaleo Kina chipped in with 11 for the Mids (3-8).
Louisville transfer Lorrenzon Wade led five Aztecs in double figures with 18 points.
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With Greg Sprink impressing his friends and family from back home in California with a lights-out shooting display and Chris Harris dropping precision bombs from the arc, Navy played right with the Aztecs most of the game.
The Mids were ahead 37-35 at the half and stretched the lead to 43-35 by scoring the first six points of the second half. Even after SDSU used a 12-2 run to take the lead, the Mids stuck around. It was still tied at 61-61 with 7:55 to play when the Aztecs took off on a 13-0 run that decided the game.
It happened quick; in three seconds less than three minutes actually. It was a stretch where Navy, which shot 49.2 percent (29-59) from the field and hit 15 of 33 threes, went 0 for 5, including three straight misses from the arc. SDSU hit three treys in the same span, and had three offensive rebounds, including two on the three-shot possession that capped the run.
Navy battled, but could not get closer than 9 the rest of the way against an Aztecs side that shot 51.8 percent (29-58) from the field and went to the foul line 30 times (making 23). SDSU held a 39-21 edge on the boards.
Granted Navy's perimeter style of play is not real conducive to getting to the foul line, but you might suspect a little home cooking (we say suspect because, still tired from Sunday's travel odyssey, we dozed off early and missed most of the CSTV broadcast) in a game when the visitors from the opposite coast don't shoot a single free throw in the first half and don't get to the line for the first time until there are less than four minutes left on the clock. The Mids finished 3 for 4 from the line.
Sprink, who came in shooting 32.1 percent from the field, proved the old adage about shooters needing to keep shooting by finishing with 26 points on 11 for 14 shooting, all three misses coming outside the arc (4 for 7). Harris added six threes and 22 points and Kaleo Kina chipped in with 11 for the Mids (3-8).
Louisville transfer Lorrenzon Wade led five Aztecs in double figures with 18 points.
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Monday, December 17, 2007
Talk about luck, or maybe a lack thereof: Navy gets a trip to San Diego, leaves Annapolis with a winter nor'easter bearing down, and arrives in usually sunny southern California to find foggy skies and highs barely reaching the 60s.
That's about 20 degrees warmer than forecast for Annapolis today, but hardly what you hope for when you head to a place like San Diego at the holidays.
The good news: they leave after tonight's game with San Diego State before the rain starts to fall for the rest of the week. The bad news, the forecast for tonight's game is worse than the weather in either locale.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE: Coached by Steve Fisher, who won a national title at Michigan, the Aztecs are, in a nutshell, a deep, talented side that can shoot the lights out. Three guys average in double figures, three others are 8.4 points per game or better, and that is without 6-7 Tim Shelton, who was averaging 10 ppg when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
When Shelton went down, the Aztecs (8-2) barely skipped a beat. Freshman Billy White (6-8) stepped into the starting lineup and is shooting 64.3 percent from the field and averaging 8.4 ppg.
Lorenzo Wade, a junior who started his college career at Louisville, is a 6-9 leaper who is considered one of the top defensive players in the Mountain West Conference. The All-MWC pick is also an offensive force, shooting 50 percent from the field, 43.3 percent from the arc and averaging a team-high 14 ppg.
Juco transfer Kelvin Davis (6-3) is scoring 11.6 ppg while shooting 54.2 percent from the floor and 45.2 percent from the arc and 6-5 junior Kyle Span scores 12.3 ppg while shooting 44.8 percent from downtown (43.5 percent overall).
Junior Ryan Anderson is another big kid (6-8) who can score the ball. The Marquette transfer is averaging 9.8 ppg.
As a team, San Diego State is scoring 71.6 points per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field as a team (39 percent from three-point range).
The defense is not horrible, either. Opponents are shooting 42.5 percent while averaging 61.9 ppg.
The Aztecs have won 10 in a row at home. One caveat about their record: None of the wins are particularly impressive and they lost the two games they played against top-caliber foes (Cal and St. Mary's).
BONUS LINKS:
(North County Times)
(San Diego Union-Tribune)
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That's about 20 degrees warmer than forecast for Annapolis today, but hardly what you hope for when you head to a place like San Diego at the holidays.
The good news: they leave after tonight's game with San Diego State before the rain starts to fall for the rest of the week. The bad news, the forecast for tonight's game is worse than the weather in either locale.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE: Coached by Steve Fisher, who won a national title at Michigan, the Aztecs are, in a nutshell, a deep, talented side that can shoot the lights out. Three guys average in double figures, three others are 8.4 points per game or better, and that is without 6-7 Tim Shelton, who was averaging 10 ppg when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
When Shelton went down, the Aztecs (8-2) barely skipped a beat. Freshman Billy White (6-8) stepped into the starting lineup and is shooting 64.3 percent from the field and averaging 8.4 ppg.
Lorenzo Wade, a junior who started his college career at Louisville, is a 6-9 leaper who is considered one of the top defensive players in the Mountain West Conference. The All-MWC pick is also an offensive force, shooting 50 percent from the field, 43.3 percent from the arc and averaging a team-high 14 ppg.
Juco transfer Kelvin Davis (6-3) is scoring 11.6 ppg while shooting 54.2 percent from the floor and 45.2 percent from the arc and 6-5 junior Kyle Span scores 12.3 ppg while shooting 44.8 percent from downtown (43.5 percent overall).
Junior Ryan Anderson is another big kid (6-8) who can score the ball. The Marquette transfer is averaging 9.8 ppg.
As a team, San Diego State is scoring 71.6 points per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field as a team (39 percent from three-point range).
The defense is not horrible, either. Opponents are shooting 42.5 percent while averaging 61.9 ppg.
The Aztecs have won 10 in a row at home. One caveat about their record: None of the wins are particularly impressive and they lost the two games they played against top-caliber foes (Cal and St. Mary's).
BONUS LINKS:
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Saturday, December 15, 2007
It's going to be a crazy day or two around here. After Team Hoop Time plays this morning, the girls will travel (please snow, hold off!) to Lewisburg for tonight's Penn State-Bucknell women's game, where they will scrimmage at halftime.
Then it's back down Routes 11 &15 for an hour or two of shut-eye before heading to Baltimore (insert another plea to the weather gods here) to catch a flight to North Carolina for the Bucknell-Wake Forest game.
That won't leave much time tomorrow for posting the Wake scouting report, so we're doing it this morning. You will also find a few non-BU-Wake links at the end, too.
Now repeat after us: Snow, snow, go away. Come again on a school day (the kids insisted we add that last part).
SCOUTING WAKE FOREST: It is not easy to get a handle on the Demon Deacons, who come in with a 5-3 record. Wake has lost three of its last four, but those three losses were all on the road, against the likes of Charlotte, Vanderbilt and Georgia.
The only victory you would call a quality win came Nov. 26 at Iowa. The other four wins came against Fairfield and three Division I transitional teams -- North Carolina Centeral, USC Upstate and Winston-Salem State.
Dino Gaudio, in his first season as Wake's head coach, is no stranger to Patriot League fans. Gaudio, who was an assistant to Skip Prosser, took over after Prosser's sudden and unexpected death this summer. Gaudio was head coach at Army from 1993 to 1997. Gaudio's teams went 14-38 in league play, but three of those wins came against Bucknell, including a shocker in the first round of the 1995 league tournament.
One of the story lines for the game is Skip Prosser's son Mark, who is a Bucknell assistant (see links below).
Wake is a young team, with five freshmen and five sophomores (including 6-10 redshirt soph reserve David Weaver). The highly touted freshman class includes 6-8 freshman James Johnson, who leads the Demon Deacons in scoring (13.3 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg). L.D. Williams, a 6-4 sophomore guard, also averages in double figures (10.8 ppg).
Center Kyle Visser, who took advantage of Bucknell foul trouble to score 26 points in Wake's 86-83 OT win in Lewisburg last season, is graduated. But 6-2 junior guard Harvey Hale (20 points vs. BU last year) and 6-0 sophomore guard Ishmael Smith (14) are still around. Hale is averaging 9.9 ppg with four games in double figures. Smith has reached double figures in the last three games, raising his average to 8.0 ppg.
Center Chris McFarland, a 7-foot sophomore from Illinois by way of Worcester Academy, has bee inconsistent since joining the starting lineup six games ago. Against Iowa, McFarland scored 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. He also scored 12 against USC Upstate. In the last two games, though, McFarland has totalled 2 points and 5 rebounds.
Expect a defensive type of game. Wake only shoots 40 percent from the field (29.5 percent from the arc), but they have held opponents to 39.3 percent from the field (32.2 percent on threes). The Demon Deacons turn the ball over 16 times per game, but they average 10.1 steals and force opponents into 21 turnovers per contest.
BONUS LINKS:
(Daily Item)
(Winston-Salem Journal)
(Winston-Salem Journal)
NON BU-WAKE LINKS:
(Annapolis Capital)
Parkview's Gyawu made right call (Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Colgate recruit Yaw Gyawu)
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Then it's back down Routes 11 &15 for an hour or two of shut-eye before heading to Baltimore (insert another plea to the weather gods here) to catch a flight to North Carolina for the Bucknell-Wake Forest game.
That won't leave much time tomorrow for posting the Wake scouting report, so we're doing it this morning. You will also find a few non-BU-Wake links at the end, too.
Now repeat after us: Snow, snow, go away. Come again on a school day (the kids insisted we add that last part).
SCOUTING WAKE FOREST: It is not easy to get a handle on the Demon Deacons, who come in with a 5-3 record. Wake has lost three of its last four, but those three losses were all on the road, against the likes of Charlotte, Vanderbilt and Georgia.
The only victory you would call a quality win came Nov. 26 at Iowa. The other four wins came against Fairfield and three Division I transitional teams -- North Carolina Centeral, USC Upstate and Winston-Salem State.
Dino Gaudio, in his first season as Wake's head coach, is no stranger to Patriot League fans. Gaudio, who was an assistant to Skip Prosser, took over after Prosser's sudden and unexpected death this summer. Gaudio was head coach at Army from 1993 to 1997. Gaudio's teams went 14-38 in league play, but three of those wins came against Bucknell, including a shocker in the first round of the 1995 league tournament.
One of the story lines for the game is Skip Prosser's son Mark, who is a Bucknell assistant (see links below).
Wake is a young team, with five freshmen and five sophomores (including 6-10 redshirt soph reserve David Weaver). The highly touted freshman class includes 6-8 freshman James Johnson, who leads the Demon Deacons in scoring (13.3 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg). L.D. Williams, a 6-4 sophomore guard, also averages in double figures (10.8 ppg).
Center Kyle Visser, who took advantage of Bucknell foul trouble to score 26 points in Wake's 86-83 OT win in Lewisburg last season, is graduated. But 6-2 junior guard Harvey Hale (20 points vs. BU last year) and 6-0 sophomore guard Ishmael Smith (14) are still around. Hale is averaging 9.9 ppg with four games in double figures. Smith has reached double figures in the last three games, raising his average to 8.0 ppg.
Center Chris McFarland, a 7-foot sophomore from Illinois by way of Worcester Academy, has bee inconsistent since joining the starting lineup six games ago. Against Iowa, McFarland scored 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. He also scored 12 against USC Upstate. In the last two games, though, McFarland has totalled 2 points and 5 rebounds.
Expect a defensive type of game. Wake only shoots 40 percent from the field (29.5 percent from the arc), but they have held opponents to 39.3 percent from the field (32.2 percent on threes). The Demon Deacons turn the ball over 16 times per game, but they average 10.1 steals and force opponents into 21 turnovers per contest.
BONUS LINKS:
NON BU-WAKE LINKS:
Labels: Bucknell, Colgate, Navy, previews
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Monday, December 10, 2007
Holy Cross moves up four spots in this week;s Mid-Major Top 25, plus the usual Monday evening stuff.
The Crusaders' win at Saint Joe's must have ompressed some voters. It was enough to bump Holy Cross up to No. 6 in the . Colgate back in the others receiving votes category with 3 points.
The Saint Joe's win apparently also impressed one voter in on of the . Holy Cross with a single vote in this week's AP Poll. No mention of the Crusaders in the ESPN-USA Today poll.
Elsewhere, here is this week's memo from the league office in Center Valley:
Patriot League Men's Basketball Release - 12.10.07
At this time last week, Patriot League teams were teetering right around the .500 mark for the season with a 30-29 record in non-League action. But after a 10-3 performance that included winning records on every day but one last week, the Patriot League now has a 40-32 mark for the season.
Anaconda Player of the Week
John Griffin, Bucknell Sr., G, 6'1, 185, Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Joseph's Prep
Griffin scored a game-high 21 points, including the winning free throws with eight seconds left to play, to lift Bucknell past La Salle, 67-66, on Monday and win Patriot League Anaconda Player of the Week honors. Griffin scored 14 of his points after halftime as Bucknell rallied from a 16-point deficit, and hit a big 3-pointer with 4:04 left that sparked the team's game-ending 12-2 run. In addition to his 21 points, Griffin added three rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots, and he did not commit a turnover in 37 minutes of action. Griffin scored 20 or more points for the third time this season. The Preseason All-League pick leads Bucknell and is ninth in the Patriot League with 13.3 ppg for the season. Griffin earns his first-career Anaconda Player of the Week honor.
Anaconda Rookie of the Week
Andrew Beinert, Holy Cross Fr., G, 6'2, 175, Floral Park, N.Y./Chaminade
Beinert scored 10 points and dished out four assists with three rebounds as Holy Cross won at Saint Joseph's, 71-66. He connected on 3-of-6 shots from the field, including his only three-pointer, and made 3-of-4 foul shots. Beinert set new career marks for points and assists. He earned his first Rookie of the Week nod.
Patriot League Notebook
Strong Showing for the Week
At this time last week, Patriot League teams were teetering right around the .500 mark for the season with a 30-29 record in non-League action. But after a 10-3 performance that included winning records on every day but one last week, the Patriot League now has a 40-32 mark for the season. The League posted a 7-2 record in mid-week games, and American kept it going by rallying for a 52-50 victory over Jacksonville on Friday. Lehigh and Lafayette came through with victories over Harvard and Columbia, respectively, on Saturday to give the Patriot League five consecutive wins against Ivy League opponents and a 6-4 mark against the Ancient Eight this season. Sunday was the only day with a losing mark, as Army narrowly fell to Quinnipaic, 58-54. A pair of victories over Atlantic 10 teams highlighted the action earlier in the week, as Bucknell rallied past La Salle on Monday and Holy Cross posted an impressive win at Saint Joseph's on Tuesday.
Patriot League Teams on Record Pace......
With a .541 winning percentage (40-32), the Patriot League is on pace for it best-ever non-League mark. The top record thus far, and only winning mark, came in a 54-53 effort in the 2000-01 season. Last season was the only other campaign at the .500 mark in non-League action, as the Patriot League's 60 wins were the most in its 17-year history. The 40 non-League wins are already the 11th-highest total in Patriot League history, which is made even more impressive being the first season of an all Division I schedule for the League. Patriot League teams still have 45 games remaining to boost the win total, as well as any postseason competition.
......But There's a Long Road Ahead
While Patriot League teams are on a record-setting pace, there will be plenty of heavy lifting required to maintain the early-season success. Thirty-two of the final 45 non-League games will be played on the road, with trips to top 25 teams Georgetown and Pittsburgh and challenging matchups against the likes of Syracuse, Dayton, Maryland and Wake Forest. Bucknell will play in the Golden Bear Classic at Cal, and travel for its BracketBuster game. Lafayette and American have their entire remaining non-League schedule on the road, while Holy Cross and Colgate play four of their six games away from home. The Patriot League does have an 18-16 record in true road games, and five teams are at or above .500 in those contests.
From the Court to the Books
Seven of the eight Patriot League schools have entered their break in the schedule to focus on final exams. Army is the only team still playing in the early part of the week, as it takes on Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday before its exam schedule begins. Here are the institutional exam dates for all of the Patriot League schools: American = Dec. 10-15; Army = Dec. 15-22; Bucknell = Dec. 6-13; Colgate = Dec. 10-14; Holy Cross = Dec. 8-15; Lafayette = Dec. 11-18; Lehigh = Dec. 11-19; Navy = Dec. 7-14.
Early RPI Returns
The RPI may not mean much at this point of the season, but a few Patriot League teams have to like their standing so far. In Monday's Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report, Holy Cross checks in at No. 40 with its 7-1 overall record. The Crusaders' only loss came against Dayton, which placed No. 8 in the ratings. Colgate's 6-3 start earned it the second position for Patriot League teams, at No. 163 overall. Bucknell also made the top 200 at No. 194. The Patriot League ranks No. 22 among 31 Division I conferences in RPI rating.
Class of 2012
Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lehigh and American have put out releases for next year's incoming freshman recruits. For the Bison, forward Enoch Andoh (San Jose, Calif.), guard Bryan Cohen (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) and forward Probese Leo (Houston, Texas) will join the fold. Holy Cross has guards R.J. Evans (Salem, Conn.) and Devin Brown (Randallstown, Md.) set to join the program. At Lehigh, Head Coach Brett Reed's first-ever recruiting class consists of forward John Adams (San Jose, Calif.), wing Jordan Hamilton (Seattle, Wash.) and center/forward Justin Maneri (Saddle Brook, N.J.). Forwards Stephen Lumpkins (San Mateo, Calif.) and Mike Technow (Boca Raton, Fla.) are both set to join American.
Patriot League in the NCAA Statistics
If the NCAA statistics are any indicator, Patriot League teams have excelled at playing defense and shooting from three-point range this season. Army's Jarell Brown is still the most visible Patriot League player in the individual statistics. The League's leading scorer ranks 19th in the country with 21.6 ppg, and is fourth with 4.4 three-pointers per game and 11th with a 52.6 three-point field goal percentage. He has company on the three-point lists, with Lafayette's Andrew Brown and American's Garrison Carr in the top 30 nationally with 3.4 makes per game and Andrew Brown ranking 36th with a 47.0 percentage from three-point land. Lafayette is fourth in the country with 10.7 three-pointers per game, and Colgate is fourth with a 45.8 three-point percentage. Lafayette and Lehigh are in the top 25 in three-point percentage. Holy Cross, American and Bucknell fare well in defensive statistics. The Crusaders are eighth in scoring defense at 55.3 ppg, while American and Bucknell are in the top 50. Both Holy Cross and Bucknell are in the top 50 in field goal percentage defense. Holy Cross is 23rd in rebounding margin. The Crusaders and Eagles are also in the top 30 in free throw percentage.
Still the Only One
When Lehigh won at St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 17, the Patriot League became the first of 31 Division I conferences to have all of its teams record at least one road victory this season. Three weeks later, the Patriot League is still the only one to accomplish the feat. Lehigh's home win over St. Peter's on Nov. 14 made the League the second conference to have every team record at least one win over a Division I opponent. The SEC beat the Patriot League to the mark by day.
Team Notebooks
American
The Eagles completed a 2-0 week with a come-from-behind, 52-50, win over Jacksonville on Friday...They were down by seven points with 3:41 to play, but came back to tie the score with 1:33 left...Brian Gilmore hit the game-winning free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining...Gilmore had a career-high 13 points, while Derrick Mercer led the Eagles with 17...American also had a 66-54 home victory over Howard on Tuesday...It was the 1,000th win in the 82-year history of the program...The Eagles now have a 1,001-947 (.514) record in the program's history... American trailed by 11 points in the first half, but rallied to take a 34-30 lead at halftime...They pulled away with a 10-0 run to start the second half, and led comfortably the rest of the way...Four Eagles were in double figures, led by Garrison Carr with 17...American is now 4-0 this season when four or more players score in double-digits...American completed its three-game homestand with a 2-1 record...The Eagles are off for their exam period from Dec. 10-15, and do not return until a Dec. 19 trip to Dayton which kicks off a seven-game road swing.
Army
Army saw its two-game winning streak come to an end with a 58-54 loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday...Quinnipiac scored the final eight points of the game, with game-winning points on free throws with 10 seconds to play...Jarell Brown was the only Army player in double figures, with 22 points...15 of Brown's points came in the second half...Brown has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games, and leads the Patriot League with 21.6 ppg...He is the only Black Knight to score in double figures in the last three games...Brown was 5-of-8 from three-point range, and has made at least five three-pointers in five of the last six games...The Black Knights also posted a 54-44 triumph at NJIT on Thursday...Brown led the team with 23 points and also notched six rebounds...Josh Miller had nine points, a career-high eight rebounds and six assists...Army opened the game with a 14-0 run and would lead by at least nine points throughout the contest...Army forced 23 NJIT turnovers, including 16 in the first half...Army's wins over VMI and NJIT were its first back-to-back victories since January of 2007...The Black Knights finished a three-game road trip with a 2-1 mark...Army is in action Thursday against Florida Gulf Coast in the second of a five-game homestand.
Bucknell
The Bison snapped a four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, rallying for a 67-66 win over La Salle on Monday...The Bison finished the game on a 12-2 run, culminating with John Griffin's two game-winning free throws with eight seconds left...Bucknell trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, and by nine with five minutes to play before the final run....Griffin led the way with 21 points, while Justin Castleberry and Patrick Behan both set career highs with 18...Griffin had 14 points in the second half, and did not commit a turnover in 37 minutes of action...He scored 20 or more points for the third time this season...The trio accounted for 57 of Bucknell's 67 points and 21 of 26 field goals...Freshman Todd O'Brien had six rebounds and three blocks to go with four points...He has multiple blocked shots in every game this season, and at least six rebounds in the past four contests...It was the first meeting against La Salle since 1982-83, and first Bison victory since 1979-80, which was Head Coach Pat Flannery's senior year...Bucknell's exam period runs from Dec. 6-13, and the Bison are back in action on Sunday at Wake Forest.
Colgate
The Raiders won their second game in a row with a 73-55 victory at Binghamton on Wednesday...They improved to 2-1 on their season-long six-game road trip, and 4-1 on the road for the season...Colgate wins its sixth game of the season on Dec. 5th, after taking until Jan. 6 to win their sixth game last year ...Colgate had a two-point lead at halftime before taking control in the second half....Kyle Roemer had 21 points to lead four Raiders in double figures...He was Colgate's leading scorer for the ninth straight game...Kendall Chones had 15 points and eight boards, while Tim Pounds had 14 and Daniel Waddy finished with 10...Alex Woodhouse blocked a career-high five shots and notched eight rebounds...Colgate shot 52 percent from the field, while holding Binghamton to 33 percent shooting...Colgate is off until Dec. 18 at Syracuse because of final exams from Dec. 10-14...The road swing wraps up at Penn State on Dec. 23 and at New Hampshire on Dec. 30.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders rebounded from their first loss of the season with an impressive 71-66 victory at Saint Joseph's on Tuesday...The Crusaders opened the game with a 12-0 run, and took an 18-2 lead...The lead grew as large as 18 points (27-9)...They held the Hawks without a field goal for the first 15 minutes of the game, and without a two-point field goal for the entire first half...Saint Joseph's closed to within five points with two minutes left, but Holy Cross made 5-of-7 seven free throws down the stretch to seal the win....Tim Clifford and Alex Vander Baan each had 16 points and seven rebounds...Vander Baan hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final minute...Kyle Cruze had 13 points and six assists, while freshman Andrew Beinert had a career-high 10 points and four assists...The Crusaders had 22 assists on 25 made field goals, and shot 50 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from three-point range...Holy Cross has its exams period from Dec. 8-15 and does not play again until Dec. 22 at Siena.
Lafayette
Lafayette rebounded from a loss at Rutgers with a 78-64 triumph at Columbia...Andrew Brown scored a season-high 22 points in the win, connecting on 8-of-14 shots and 6-of-10 from three-point range...He hit six three-pointers for the first time this season....Lafayette shot a season-high 57.4 percent from the floor at Columbia, topping their previous best mark against Penn (52.6) on Nov. 28...Lafayette doled out a season-best 22 assists at Columbia, equaling the team's mark vs. FDU (11/16)...Paul Cummins matched his season high with 12 points, while Ted Detmer had a season-high 11...Earlier in the week, Lafayette beat NJIT, 81-56, and lost at Rutgers, 90-79...Five Lafayette players scored in double figures in the loss to Rutgers, led by Brown with 17...Lafayette led by as many as 35 points against NJIT...Every player who was dressed hit at least one field goal in the game...Lafayette won four straight games for the first time since notching seven in a row in the 2003-04 season...The Leopards started 5-2 for the first time since 1999-00...The Leopards are 1-1 on the first two games of an eight-game road swing...They will not play this week while taking final exams but return to action on Dec. 19 at Towson.
Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks won a pair of home games last week, with a 70-61 win over Harvard on Saturday...Lehigh trailed 33-22 at halftime before rallying for the win with a 48-28 second-half advantage....Lehigh used an 11-0 run to take a 54-49 lead with 6:23 to play...Marquis Hall led the way with 17 points, while Zahir Carrington had 14...The Mountain Hawks connected on 22-of-24 foul shots...With the win Lehigh pulled even at .500 for the first time after ten games since the 2003-04 season...The Mountain Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak with a 76-61 win against Stony Brook on Wednesday in the first of a three-game homestand...Dave Buchberger scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting in his first-ever start...Hall had a career-high 10 assists without any turnovers...Bryan White had 10 rebounds in each contest, and averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds in the two games...White is 13 rebounds shy of 500 for his career...Lehigh breaks for exams from Dec. 11-19, and does not return to complete its three-game home stretch until Dec. 28 against Monmouth...Lehigh's 20-day layoff for finals and the holidays is its longest since the inception of Patriot League play in 1990.
Navy
The Mids dropped a home contest to Mount St. Mary's, 62-58, on Monday...Navy held Mount St. Mary's to 27.9 percent shooting from the field, but shot only 32.7 percent itself, with a 4-of-22 effort from three-point range...It was the lowest shooting percentage for a Navy opponent since Feb. 28, 2004 (Army)...Navy fell behind 13-0 in the contest...The Mids held Mount St. Mary's to 4-of-26 shooting in the second half, and without a field goal for the final 7:19...Kaleo Kina and Greg Sprink each had 16 points, while Chris Harris scored 15...No other player had more than four points...Sprink had nine rebounds, while Kina had seven and Adam Teague notched eight...Kina played 27 minutes without a turnover, the first time since Jan. 22, 2006 that he did not commit a turnover...Sprink scored in double figures for the 66th time in his career...Navy breaks for its exam period that spans from December 7-14, and returns to the court when it travels to San Diego State on Dec. 17.
BONU LINK:
In his , Ralph Willard recaps Holy Cross' win at Saint Joe's and wonders who put together a schedule that includes just two games over a span of 25 day
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The Crusaders' win at Saint Joe's must have ompressed some voters. It was enough to bump Holy Cross up to No. 6 in the . Colgate back in the others receiving votes category with 3 points.
The Saint Joe's win apparently also impressed one voter in on of the . Holy Cross with a single vote in this week's AP Poll. No mention of the Crusaders in the ESPN-USA Today poll.
Elsewhere, here is this week's memo from the league office in Center Valley:
Patriot League Men's Basketball Release - 12.10.07
At this time last week, Patriot League teams were teetering right around the .500 mark for the season with a 30-29 record in non-League action. But after a 10-3 performance that included winning records on every day but one last week, the Patriot League now has a 40-32 mark for the season.
Anaconda Player of the Week
John Griffin, Bucknell Sr., G, 6'1, 185, Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Joseph's Prep
Griffin scored a game-high 21 points, including the winning free throws with eight seconds left to play, to lift Bucknell past La Salle, 67-66, on Monday and win Patriot League Anaconda Player of the Week honors. Griffin scored 14 of his points after halftime as Bucknell rallied from a 16-point deficit, and hit a big 3-pointer with 4:04 left that sparked the team's game-ending 12-2 run. In addition to his 21 points, Griffin added three rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots, and he did not commit a turnover in 37 minutes of action. Griffin scored 20 or more points for the third time this season. The Preseason All-League pick leads Bucknell and is ninth in the Patriot League with 13.3 ppg for the season. Griffin earns his first-career Anaconda Player of the Week honor.
Anaconda Rookie of the Week
Andrew Beinert, Holy Cross Fr., G, 6'2, 175, Floral Park, N.Y./Chaminade
Beinert scored 10 points and dished out four assists with three rebounds as Holy Cross won at Saint Joseph's, 71-66. He connected on 3-of-6 shots from the field, including his only three-pointer, and made 3-of-4 foul shots. Beinert set new career marks for points and assists. He earned his first Rookie of the Week nod.
Patriot League Notebook
Strong Showing for the Week
At this time last week, Patriot League teams were teetering right around the .500 mark for the season with a 30-29 record in non-League action. But after a 10-3 performance that included winning records on every day but one last week, the Patriot League now has a 40-32 mark for the season. The League posted a 7-2 record in mid-week games, and American kept it going by rallying for a 52-50 victory over Jacksonville on Friday. Lehigh and Lafayette came through with victories over Harvard and Columbia, respectively, on Saturday to give the Patriot League five consecutive wins against Ivy League opponents and a 6-4 mark against the Ancient Eight this season. Sunday was the only day with a losing mark, as Army narrowly fell to Quinnipaic, 58-54. A pair of victories over Atlantic 10 teams highlighted the action earlier in the week, as Bucknell rallied past La Salle on Monday and Holy Cross posted an impressive win at Saint Joseph's on Tuesday.
Patriot League Teams on Record Pace......
With a .541 winning percentage (40-32), the Patriot League is on pace for it best-ever non-League mark. The top record thus far, and only winning mark, came in a 54-53 effort in the 2000-01 season. Last season was the only other campaign at the .500 mark in non-League action, as the Patriot League's 60 wins were the most in its 17-year history. The 40 non-League wins are already the 11th-highest total in Patriot League history, which is made even more impressive being the first season of an all Division I schedule for the League. Patriot League teams still have 45 games remaining to boost the win total, as well as any postseason competition.
......But There's a Long Road Ahead
While Patriot League teams are on a record-setting pace, there will be plenty of heavy lifting required to maintain the early-season success. Thirty-two of the final 45 non-League games will be played on the road, with trips to top 25 teams Georgetown and Pittsburgh and challenging matchups against the likes of Syracuse, Dayton, Maryland and Wake Forest. Bucknell will play in the Golden Bear Classic at Cal, and travel for its BracketBuster game. Lafayette and American have their entire remaining non-League schedule on the road, while Holy Cross and Colgate play four of their six games away from home. The Patriot League does have an 18-16 record in true road games, and five teams are at or above .500 in those contests.
From the Court to the Books
Seven of the eight Patriot League schools have entered their break in the schedule to focus on final exams. Army is the only team still playing in the early part of the week, as it takes on Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday before its exam schedule begins. Here are the institutional exam dates for all of the Patriot League schools: American = Dec. 10-15; Army = Dec. 15-22; Bucknell = Dec. 6-13; Colgate = Dec. 10-14; Holy Cross = Dec. 8-15; Lafayette = Dec. 11-18; Lehigh = Dec. 11-19; Navy = Dec. 7-14.
Early RPI Returns
The RPI may not mean much at this point of the season, but a few Patriot League teams have to like their standing so far. In Monday's Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report, Holy Cross checks in at No. 40 with its 7-1 overall record. The Crusaders' only loss came against Dayton, which placed No. 8 in the ratings. Colgate's 6-3 start earned it the second position for Patriot League teams, at No. 163 overall. Bucknell also made the top 200 at No. 194. The Patriot League ranks No. 22 among 31 Division I conferences in RPI rating.
Class of 2012
Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lehigh and American have put out releases for next year's incoming freshman recruits. For the Bison, forward Enoch Andoh (San Jose, Calif.), guard Bryan Cohen (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) and forward Probese Leo (Houston, Texas) will join the fold. Holy Cross has guards R.J. Evans (Salem, Conn.) and Devin Brown (Randallstown, Md.) set to join the program. At Lehigh, Head Coach Brett Reed's first-ever recruiting class consists of forward John Adams (San Jose, Calif.), wing Jordan Hamilton (Seattle, Wash.) and center/forward Justin Maneri (Saddle Brook, N.J.). Forwards Stephen Lumpkins (San Mateo, Calif.) and Mike Technow (Boca Raton, Fla.) are both set to join American.
Patriot League in the NCAA Statistics
If the NCAA statistics are any indicator, Patriot League teams have excelled at playing defense and shooting from three-point range this season. Army's Jarell Brown is still the most visible Patriot League player in the individual statistics. The League's leading scorer ranks 19th in the country with 21.6 ppg, and is fourth with 4.4 three-pointers per game and 11th with a 52.6 three-point field goal percentage. He has company on the three-point lists, with Lafayette's Andrew Brown and American's Garrison Carr in the top 30 nationally with 3.4 makes per game and Andrew Brown ranking 36th with a 47.0 percentage from three-point land. Lafayette is fourth in the country with 10.7 three-pointers per game, and Colgate is fourth with a 45.8 three-point percentage. Lafayette and Lehigh are in the top 25 in three-point percentage. Holy Cross, American and Bucknell fare well in defensive statistics. The Crusaders are eighth in scoring defense at 55.3 ppg, while American and Bucknell are in the top 50. Both Holy Cross and Bucknell are in the top 50 in field goal percentage defense. Holy Cross is 23rd in rebounding margin. The Crusaders and Eagles are also in the top 30 in free throw percentage.
Still the Only One
When Lehigh won at St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 17, the Patriot League became the first of 31 Division I conferences to have all of its teams record at least one road victory this season. Three weeks later, the Patriot League is still the only one to accomplish the feat. Lehigh's home win over St. Peter's on Nov. 14 made the League the second conference to have every team record at least one win over a Division I opponent. The SEC beat the Patriot League to the mark by day.
Team Notebooks
American
The Eagles completed a 2-0 week with a come-from-behind, 52-50, win over Jacksonville on Friday...They were down by seven points with 3:41 to play, but came back to tie the score with 1:33 left...Brian Gilmore hit the game-winning free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining...Gilmore had a career-high 13 points, while Derrick Mercer led the Eagles with 17...American also had a 66-54 home victory over Howard on Tuesday...It was the 1,000th win in the 82-year history of the program...The Eagles now have a 1,001-947 (.514) record in the program's history... American trailed by 11 points in the first half, but rallied to take a 34-30 lead at halftime...They pulled away with a 10-0 run to start the second half, and led comfortably the rest of the way...Four Eagles were in double figures, led by Garrison Carr with 17...American is now 4-0 this season when four or more players score in double-digits...American completed its three-game homestand with a 2-1 record...The Eagles are off for their exam period from Dec. 10-15, and do not return until a Dec. 19 trip to Dayton which kicks off a seven-game road swing.
Army
Army saw its two-game winning streak come to an end with a 58-54 loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday...Quinnipiac scored the final eight points of the game, with game-winning points on free throws with 10 seconds to play...Jarell Brown was the only Army player in double figures, with 22 points...15 of Brown's points came in the second half...Brown has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games, and leads the Patriot League with 21.6 ppg...He is the only Black Knight to score in double figures in the last three games...Brown was 5-of-8 from three-point range, and has made at least five three-pointers in five of the last six games...The Black Knights also posted a 54-44 triumph at NJIT on Thursday...Brown led the team with 23 points and also notched six rebounds...Josh Miller had nine points, a career-high eight rebounds and six assists...Army opened the game with a 14-0 run and would lead by at least nine points throughout the contest...Army forced 23 NJIT turnovers, including 16 in the first half...Army's wins over VMI and NJIT were its first back-to-back victories since January of 2007...The Black Knights finished a three-game road trip with a 2-1 mark...Army is in action Thursday against Florida Gulf Coast in the second of a five-game homestand.
Bucknell
The Bison snapped a four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, rallying for a 67-66 win over La Salle on Monday...The Bison finished the game on a 12-2 run, culminating with John Griffin's two game-winning free throws with eight seconds left...Bucknell trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, and by nine with five minutes to play before the final run....Griffin led the way with 21 points, while Justin Castleberry and Patrick Behan both set career highs with 18...Griffin had 14 points in the second half, and did not commit a turnover in 37 minutes of action...He scored 20 or more points for the third time this season...The trio accounted for 57 of Bucknell's 67 points and 21 of 26 field goals...Freshman Todd O'Brien had six rebounds and three blocks to go with four points...He has multiple blocked shots in every game this season, and at least six rebounds in the past four contests...It was the first meeting against La Salle since 1982-83, and first Bison victory since 1979-80, which was Head Coach Pat Flannery's senior year...Bucknell's exam period runs from Dec. 6-13, and the Bison are back in action on Sunday at Wake Forest.
Colgate
The Raiders won their second game in a row with a 73-55 victory at Binghamton on Wednesday...They improved to 2-1 on their season-long six-game road trip, and 4-1 on the road for the season...Colgate wins its sixth game of the season on Dec. 5th, after taking until Jan. 6 to win their sixth game last year ...Colgate had a two-point lead at halftime before taking control in the second half....Kyle Roemer had 21 points to lead four Raiders in double figures...He was Colgate's leading scorer for the ninth straight game...Kendall Chones had 15 points and eight boards, while Tim Pounds had 14 and Daniel Waddy finished with 10...Alex Woodhouse blocked a career-high five shots and notched eight rebounds...Colgate shot 52 percent from the field, while holding Binghamton to 33 percent shooting...Colgate is off until Dec. 18 at Syracuse because of final exams from Dec. 10-14...The road swing wraps up at Penn State on Dec. 23 and at New Hampshire on Dec. 30.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders rebounded from their first loss of the season with an impressive 71-66 victory at Saint Joseph's on Tuesday...The Crusaders opened the game with a 12-0 run, and took an 18-2 lead...The lead grew as large as 18 points (27-9)...They held the Hawks without a field goal for the first 15 minutes of the game, and without a two-point field goal for the entire first half...Saint Joseph's closed to within five points with two minutes left, but Holy Cross made 5-of-7 seven free throws down the stretch to seal the win....Tim Clifford and Alex Vander Baan each had 16 points and seven rebounds...Vander Baan hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final minute...Kyle Cruze had 13 points and six assists, while freshman Andrew Beinert had a career-high 10 points and four assists...The Crusaders had 22 assists on 25 made field goals, and shot 50 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from three-point range...Holy Cross has its exams period from Dec. 8-15 and does not play again until Dec. 22 at Siena.
Lafayette
Lafayette rebounded from a loss at Rutgers with a 78-64 triumph at Columbia...Andrew Brown scored a season-high 22 points in the win, connecting on 8-of-14 shots and 6-of-10 from three-point range...He hit six three-pointers for the first time this season....Lafayette shot a season-high 57.4 percent from the floor at Columbia, topping their previous best mark against Penn (52.6) on Nov. 28...Lafayette doled out a season-best 22 assists at Columbia, equaling the team's mark vs. FDU (11/16)...Paul Cummins matched his season high with 12 points, while Ted Detmer had a season-high 11...Earlier in the week, Lafayette beat NJIT, 81-56, and lost at Rutgers, 90-79...Five Lafayette players scored in double figures in the loss to Rutgers, led by Brown with 17...Lafayette led by as many as 35 points against NJIT...Every player who was dressed hit at least one field goal in the game...Lafayette won four straight games for the first time since notching seven in a row in the 2003-04 season...The Leopards started 5-2 for the first time since 1999-00...The Leopards are 1-1 on the first two games of an eight-game road swing...They will not play this week while taking final exams but return to action on Dec. 19 at Towson.
Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks won a pair of home games last week, with a 70-61 win over Harvard on Saturday...Lehigh trailed 33-22 at halftime before rallying for the win with a 48-28 second-half advantage....Lehigh used an 11-0 run to take a 54-49 lead with 6:23 to play...Marquis Hall led the way with 17 points, while Zahir Carrington had 14...The Mountain Hawks connected on 22-of-24 foul shots...With the win Lehigh pulled even at .500 for the first time after ten games since the 2003-04 season...The Mountain Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak with a 76-61 win against Stony Brook on Wednesday in the first of a three-game homestand...Dave Buchberger scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting in his first-ever start...Hall had a career-high 10 assists without any turnovers...Bryan White had 10 rebounds in each contest, and averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds in the two games...White is 13 rebounds shy of 500 for his career...Lehigh breaks for exams from Dec. 11-19, and does not return to complete its three-game home stretch until Dec. 28 against Monmouth...Lehigh's 20-day layoff for finals and the holidays is its longest since the inception of Patriot League play in 1990.
Navy
The Mids dropped a home contest to Mount St. Mary's, 62-58, on Monday...Navy held Mount St. Mary's to 27.9 percent shooting from the field, but shot only 32.7 percent itself, with a 4-of-22 effort from three-point range...It was the lowest shooting percentage for a Navy opponent since Feb. 28, 2004 (Army)...Navy fell behind 13-0 in the contest...The Mids held Mount St. Mary's to 4-of-26 shooting in the second half, and without a field goal for the final 7:19...Kaleo Kina and Greg Sprink each had 16 points, while Chris Harris scored 15...No other player had more than four points...Sprink had nine rebounds, while Kina had seven and Adam Teague notched eight...Kina played 27 minutes without a turnover, the first time since Jan. 22, 2006 that he did not commit a turnover...Sprink scored in double figures for the 66th time in his career...Navy breaks for its exam period that spans from December 7-14, and returns to the court when it travels to San Diego State on Dec. 17.
BONU LINK:
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy, notebook
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Tuesday, December 04, 2007
(Originally posted Mon. at 10:28 p.m, links added at 7:19 a.m.)
Poor shooting doomed any chance Navy might have had of overcoming the early 13-point lead it spotted Mount Saint Mary's in Monday night's 62-58 loss.
You'd have thought somebody opened the big door to Alumni Hall -- the one they call the elephant door -- and left it open. It was that cold. The two teams combined to shoot 30.2 percent from the field (35-116), going 8 for 38 (21 percent) from three-point range.
Navy actually had the better field goal stats -- 18 of 55 (32.7 percent), 4 of 22 from the arc. Mount Saint Mary's finished 17 of 61 (27.9 percent), also with 4 treys (on 16 attempts. The difference came at the foul line, where getting 12 more shots resulted in just enough more points to pull out the four-point win. MSM went 24 for 35 at the free throw line. Navy shot 23 foul shots, making 18.
The Mids were 0 for 7 with 5 turnovers in the first 5:39 of the game, allowing the Mount to build a 13-0 lead before Kaleo Kina hit a jumper to end Navy's drought. navy battled back to within a point, cutting the deficit to 30-29 on a pair of Chris Harris free throws with 1:37 to go in the half. Jason Loughry's jumper with three seconds to go until the break gave MSM a 32-29 lead at the half, Navy never got closer the rest of the way.
Greg Sprink led Navy with 16 points and 9 rebounds, but the 6-5 senior was 0 for 9 from the arc, 5 for 19 overall. Kina added 16 points and 7 boards off the bench and Harris finished with 15.
Navy got outrebounded by a 51-37 margin. MSM had 19 offensive boards.
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Poor shooting doomed any chance Navy might have had of overcoming the early 13-point lead it spotted Mount Saint Mary's in Monday night's 62-58 loss.
You'd have thought somebody opened the big door to Alumni Hall -- the one they call the elephant door -- and left it open. It was that cold. The two teams combined to shoot 30.2 percent from the field (35-116), going 8 for 38 (21 percent) from three-point range.
Navy actually had the better field goal stats -- 18 of 55 (32.7 percent), 4 of 22 from the arc. Mount Saint Mary's finished 17 of 61 (27.9 percent), also with 4 treys (on 16 attempts. The difference came at the foul line, where getting 12 more shots resulted in just enough more points to pull out the four-point win. MSM went 24 for 35 at the free throw line. Navy shot 23 foul shots, making 18.
The Mids were 0 for 7 with 5 turnovers in the first 5:39 of the game, allowing the Mount to build a 13-0 lead before Kaleo Kina hit a jumper to end Navy's drought. navy battled back to within a point, cutting the deficit to 30-29 on a pair of Chris Harris free throws with 1:37 to go in the half. Jason Loughry's jumper with three seconds to go until the break gave MSM a 32-29 lead at the half, Navy never got closer the rest of the way.
Greg Sprink led Navy with 16 points and 9 rebounds, but the 6-5 senior was 0 for 9 from the arc, 5 for 19 overall. Kina added 16 points and 7 boards off the bench and Harris finished with 15.
Navy got outrebounded by a 51-37 margin. MSM had 19 offensive boards.
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Monday, December 03, 2007
It's an anniversary edition of the HOOP TIME NOTEBOOK.
A little over three years ago, we decided to kill a free evening by driving to Lewisburg to see the Bison play St. Francis.
The actual date was Nov. 22, 2004. A date that will only live in infamy for as long as we keep this site going, assuming we remember each year to remind you.
We were not actually covering that game. Plans were to get a look at the Bison in advance of some freelance gigs later in the season, say hello to some old friends, stop for a beverage with my brother on the way home.
There were no plans to write about that game as we drove north along the Susquehanna River on U.S. Routes 11&15. Matter of fact, there were not even any plans for this Web site, which was born that night. Those plans came together on the drive home.
Thank, or blame -- depending how you view this site -- Bucknell Sports Information Director Jon Terry. Terry was sort of the site muse. After the game, I told JT it was a shame I didn't have anyplace to write about the game. Terry's response: "You ought to start a Web site or something."
At 1:27 the next morning, the was up on the newest concept to carry the Hoop Time name.
Since then, the Hoop Time Notebook has been an irregular feature of the site. Here is the latest version:
MUM'S THE WORD: One of the casualties of this year's officiating point of emphasis on bench decorum apparently is the dialogue coaches and officials used to carry on during games. Despite the high-profile coach rants and outbursts that get noticed by most fans, coaches and officials used to have an open line of communications during games. Refs would routinely offer coaches an explanation of calls, especially confusing ones like the one made around the eight-minute mark of the second half in Bucknell's loss to Saint Francis.
That was when Devin Sweetney collided with Bucknell defenders on his way to the rack, drawing a whistle and an initial signal that Sweetney was being called for an offensive charge. The official who made the initial call also signaled Sweetney's basket did not count. But then, for some unknown reason, Sweetney went to the foul line and completed a three-point play.
Even Bucknell coach pat Flannery was in the dark. Asked after the game about the call, Flannery said, "I don't know what happened there,"
The refs would have explained it to the coach last season. This season, though, "There's no dialogue, no conversation," Flannery said.
RULES INTERPRETATION: In our story from that game, we mentioned the lack of a technical foul on Saint Francis when Marquis Ford tried to take Chris Berry's spot at the free throw line for a crucial one-and-one in the final 30 seconds. The rule covering such shenanigans does give the officials an out on such plays. The interpretation in the rule book states:
The officials don't have access to a team's stats during the game, so they would not have realized that Ford might have been motivated to try the switcheroo by the fact that Berry is a 57.1 percent free throw shooter. But you do have to wonder why it took Bucknell players and coaches drawing their attention to the switch for the officials to notice. It is not like Berry -- who stands 6-4 -- and the 5-11 Ford look alike, or have similar jersey numbers (Berry wears a single digit -- 5, Ford sports 11).
RATINGS DROP: With about a month left in non-conference play, the Patriot League is going to have to do some scrambling if it wants to continue its trend of moving up in the conference RPI rankings. The league's standing has improved in each of the last three seasons, going from No. 26 in 2004 to 23 in 2005, 21 in 2006 and No. 17 last season. As recently as two weeks ago, the Patriot League was up to No. 13. Since then it has dropped like a
FADE AWAY: When American failed to hold a halftime Saturday against UMBC, it was not the first time this season it had happened. Not the second, either. The Eagles have simply not been a very good second half team.
Three of AU's four losses came in games they led at the break. They trailed by two in the other.
The problem seems to be at both ends of the floor. American scores fewer points after intermission and gives up more. In eight games thus far, the Eagles have scored 274 first half points. That is 67 more than opponents have scored. Second half has been a different story, with opponents scoring 288 points and American 243 -- 31 less than they score in first halves.
INDECISIVE: While previewing the Army-VMI game, we mentioned the Keydets had used a different starting lineup every game. VMI coach Duggar Baucom is not the only coach who is having a hard time settling on a first five. In coverage of Central Connecticut's win Saturday over Lehigh, the Hartford Currant's Tom Yantz points out:
Bucknell, after starting the same five for the first five games, replaced juniors Justin Castleberry and Josh LInthicum with freshmen Daryl Shazier and Todd O'Brien. Four guys have started all seven Holy Cross games.Sophomore Eric Meister started in place of forward Alex Vander Baan in one game when Vander Baan was injured. A similar situation exists at American, where four guys have started every game and Cornelio Guibunda has started in seven of the eight. Colgate and Lehigh have been even more consistent, the same five starting every game.
At the other end of the spectrum, Navy has used eight men as starters. Lafayette has used nine,
BLOCK PARTY: With his four blocks against St, Francis on Saturday, Bucknell center Todd O'Brien how has 17 blocked shots. The 6-11 freshman from New Holland, Pa has multiple blocks in every game thus far. His average of 2.8 blocks per game leads the Patriot League by over a block per game. Holy Cross senior Tim Clifford, who owns the Crusaders' career blocks mark (currently sitting at 155), is averaging 1.7 per game.
As prolific O'Brien has been, he is not on pace to challenge the Bison single-season record of 100 set by Mike Butts as a senior in 1989. At O'Brien's current pace of 2.8 blocks per game, the Bison would need to advance to the Sweet Sixteeen for him to reach Butts' single-season mark.
A little sobering perspective: To reach Adonal Foyle's single-season Patriot league record of 190, O'Brien would need 64 games at his current pace.
PADDING THE NUMBERS: When Navy hit 28 of 55 from the field (season-high 50.9 percent) against Towson, it marked just the third time all season the Midshipmen shot better than 40 percent in a game. It was the first time the Mids shot better than 50 percent since the season-opener at Longwood, when they hit 50.8 percent. Navy shot 47.2 percent in the loss to Texas-San Antonio. In Navy's other six games, their best night was against Robert Morris, when they hit 39.7 percent. Their showing against Towson brought the Mids season field goal numbers above 40 percent, improving from 39.2 percent to 40.4 percent.
BOMBS AWAY: Last season Lafayette set a school record 256 three-pointers, hitting 8.5 per game, a rate that ranked 25th nationally. At their current pace, the Leopards will shatter that mark this season. Lafayette is hitting 10.8 treys per game, a pace that would give them 354 for the season if they maintain it. The Leopards have hit 65 threes thus far, 18 more than they had last season after six games. Three-pointers account for 40.8 percent of all Lafayette scoring. Of 341 shots Lafayette has put up from the field, 159 (47 percent) have come from behind the arc, where they are hitting at a 40.9 percent clip. Although threes account for just 41.9 percent of all made Navy field goals, 52 percent of the Mids scoring from the field comes from the arc. Navy has scored 195 points on threes, 180 on two-point shots and 102 at the foul line.
ICE, ICE, BAY-BEE: When the girls of Team Hoop Time went 2 for 24 from the field in season-opening loss to the Carlisle Thunder, it was hard to imagine a colder shooting effort might be going on elsewhere. But when some of the girls got to Sojka Pavilion that evening to watch the Bucknell men play, they found out they didn't shoot so bad after all. At least not compared to what happened that same afternoon in the Bucknell women's game at Marist.
Women hate when you use the adjective 'frigid' to describe anything but the weather, but what else would you call Bucknell's 0 for 28 start in that game. The Bison trailed 19-0 before getting on the scoreboard with a free throw 9:55 into the game. They went 14:31 before finally getting their first field goal, a Kristina Collymore jumper at the 5:29 mark.
Box score
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A little over three years ago, we decided to kill a free evening by driving to Lewisburg to see the Bison play St. Francis.
The actual date was Nov. 22, 2004. A date that will only live in infamy for as long as we keep this site going, assuming we remember each year to remind you.
We were not actually covering that game. Plans were to get a look at the Bison in advance of some freelance gigs later in the season, say hello to some old friends, stop for a beverage with my brother on the way home.
There were no plans to write about that game as we drove north along the Susquehanna River on U.S. Routes 11&15. Matter of fact, there were not even any plans for this Web site, which was born that night. Those plans came together on the drive home.
Thank, or blame -- depending how you view this site -- Bucknell Sports Information Director Jon Terry. Terry was sort of the site muse. After the game, I told JT it was a shame I didn't have anyplace to write about the game. Terry's response: "You ought to start a Web site or something."
At 1:27 the next morning, the was up on the newest concept to carry the Hoop Time name.
Since then, the Hoop Time Notebook has been an irregular feature of the site. Here is the latest version:
MUM'S THE WORD: One of the casualties of this year's officiating point of emphasis on bench decorum apparently is the dialogue coaches and officials used to carry on during games. Despite the high-profile coach rants and outbursts that get noticed by most fans, coaches and officials used to have an open line of communications during games. Refs would routinely offer coaches an explanation of calls, especially confusing ones like the one made around the eight-minute mark of the second half in Bucknell's loss to Saint Francis.
That was when Devin Sweetney collided with Bucknell defenders on his way to the rack, drawing a whistle and an initial signal that Sweetney was being called for an offensive charge. The official who made the initial call also signaled Sweetney's basket did not count. But then, for some unknown reason, Sweetney went to the foul line and completed a three-point play.
Even Bucknell coach pat Flannery was in the dark. Asked after the game about the call, Flannery said, "I don't know what happened there,"
The refs would have explained it to the coach last season. This season, though, "There's no dialogue, no conversation," Flannery said.
RULES INTERPRETATION: In our story from that game, we mentioned the lack of a technical foul on Saint Francis when Marquis Ford tried to take Chris Berry's spot at the free throw line for a crucial one-and-one in the final 30 seconds. The rule covering such shenanigans does give the officials an out on such plays. The interpretation in the rule book states:
When the attempt by A2 is due to a justifiable misunderstanding, there shall be no penalty. The error shall be corrected under Rule 2-11. When it is reasonable to believe that A2 knew that A1 was the designated shooter, a direct technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be called.In other words, the question is, should Ford, who was looking for a pass from Berry when Bucknell's Stephen Tyree wrapped his arms around Ford out near midcourt, have known that he was not the shooter. Or was it reasonable for him to think he was the one who was fouled after seeing the obvious play in front of him and catching a pass after the whistle had blown.
The officials don't have access to a team's stats during the game, so they would not have realized that Ford might have been motivated to try the switcheroo by the fact that Berry is a 57.1 percent free throw shooter. But you do have to wonder why it took Bucknell players and coaches drawing their attention to the switch for the officials to notice. It is not like Berry -- who stands 6-4 -- and the 5-11 Ford look alike, or have similar jersey numbers (Berry wears a single digit -- 5, Ford sports 11).
RATINGS DROP: With about a month left in non-conference play, the Patriot League is going to have to do some scrambling if it wants to continue its trend of moving up in the conference RPI rankings. The league's standing has improved in each of the last three seasons, going from No. 26 in 2004 to 23 in 2005, 21 in 2006 and No. 17 last season. As recently as two weeks ago, the Patriot League was up to No. 13. Since then it has dropped like a
FADE AWAY: When American failed to hold a halftime Saturday against UMBC, it was not the first time this season it had happened. Not the second, either. The Eagles have simply not been a very good second half team.
Three of AU's four losses came in games they led at the break. They trailed by two in the other.
The problem seems to be at both ends of the floor. American scores fewer points after intermission and gives up more. In eight games thus far, the Eagles have scored 274 first half points. That is 67 more than opponents have scored. Second half has been a different story, with opponents scoring 288 points and American 243 -- 31 less than they score in first halves.
INDECISIVE: While previewing the Army-VMI game, we mentioned the Keydets had used a different starting lineup every game. VMI coach Duggar Baucom is not the only coach who is having a hard time settling on a first five. In coverage of Central Connecticut's win Saturday over Lehigh, the Hartford Currant's Tom Yantz points out:
"Central Connecticut coach Howie Dickenman used his sixth different starting lineup in game No. 7 Saturday."That got us wondering about starting lineups around the league.
Bucknell, after starting the same five for the first five games, replaced juniors Justin Castleberry and Josh LInthicum with freshmen Daryl Shazier and Todd O'Brien. Four guys have started all seven Holy Cross games.Sophomore Eric Meister started in place of forward Alex Vander Baan in one game when Vander Baan was injured. A similar situation exists at American, where four guys have started every game and Cornelio Guibunda has started in seven of the eight. Colgate and Lehigh have been even more consistent, the same five starting every game.
At the other end of the spectrum, Navy has used eight men as starters. Lafayette has used nine,
BLOCK PARTY: With his four blocks against St, Francis on Saturday, Bucknell center Todd O'Brien how has 17 blocked shots. The 6-11 freshman from New Holland, Pa has multiple blocks in every game thus far. His average of 2.8 blocks per game leads the Patriot League by over a block per game. Holy Cross senior Tim Clifford, who owns the Crusaders' career blocks mark (currently sitting at 155), is averaging 1.7 per game.
As prolific O'Brien has been, he is not on pace to challenge the Bison single-season record of 100 set by Mike Butts as a senior in 1989. At O'Brien's current pace of 2.8 blocks per game, the Bison would need to advance to the Sweet Sixteeen for him to reach Butts' single-season mark.
A little sobering perspective: To reach Adonal Foyle's single-season Patriot league record of 190, O'Brien would need 64 games at his current pace.
PADDING THE NUMBERS: When Navy hit 28 of 55 from the field (season-high 50.9 percent) against Towson, it marked just the third time all season the Midshipmen shot better than 40 percent in a game. It was the first time the Mids shot better than 50 percent since the season-opener at Longwood, when they hit 50.8 percent. Navy shot 47.2 percent in the loss to Texas-San Antonio. In Navy's other six games, their best night was against Robert Morris, when they hit 39.7 percent. Their showing against Towson brought the Mids season field goal numbers above 40 percent, improving from 39.2 percent to 40.4 percent.
BOMBS AWAY: Last season Lafayette set a school record 256 three-pointers, hitting 8.5 per game, a rate that ranked 25th nationally. At their current pace, the Leopards will shatter that mark this season. Lafayette is hitting 10.8 treys per game, a pace that would give them 354 for the season if they maintain it. The Leopards have hit 65 threes thus far, 18 more than they had last season after six games. Three-pointers account for 40.8 percent of all Lafayette scoring. Of 341 shots Lafayette has put up from the field, 159 (47 percent) have come from behind the arc, where they are hitting at a 40.9 percent clip. Although threes account for just 41.9 percent of all made Navy field goals, 52 percent of the Mids scoring from the field comes from the arc. Navy has scored 195 points on threes, 180 on two-point shots and 102 at the foul line.
ICE, ICE, BAY-BEE: When the girls of Team Hoop Time went 2 for 24 from the field in season-opening loss to the Carlisle Thunder, it was hard to imagine a colder shooting effort might be going on elsewhere. But when some of the girls got to Sojka Pavilion that evening to watch the Bucknell men play, they found out they didn't shoot so bad after all. At least not compared to what happened that same afternoon in the Bucknell women's game at Marist.
Women hate when you use the adjective 'frigid' to describe anything but the weather, but what else would you call Bucknell's 0 for 28 start in that game. The Bison trailed 19-0 before getting on the scoreboard with a free throw 9:55 into the game. They went 14:31 before finally getting their first field goal, a Kristina Collymore jumper at the 5:29 mark.
Box score
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy, notebook
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Three league teams in action tonight, all on their home floors. Navy looks to win its second in a row when it hosts Mount Saint Mary's tonight. Lafayette looks for its third straight win against NJIT and Bucknell tries to end a three-game losing streak when LaSalle visits Sojka Pavilion.
SCOUTING LaSALLE: The Explorers come in 3-2, riding a two-game win streak. They have been in every game they have played. In fact, they have had at least an 8-point lead at some point in all five games and have led all five at the half. The Explorers have outscored the opposition 170-137 in first halves, but have been outscored 185-152 after the intermission.
Senior Darnell Harris (6-1) leads LaSalle in scoring with 13.8 ppg. A career-1,000-point scorer, Harris is a three-point shooter, hitting better (41.3 percent) from the arc than he is overall (34.9 percent). Soph Rodney Green(6-5) is just behind at 13.4 ppg. An Atlantic-10 All-Rookie pick last season, Green is shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range.
Inside, LaSalle is getting a strong contribution from the 6-8 Williams twins, Jerrell and Terrell, who are combining for 12 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in 35 shared minutes per contest.
Sophomore Ruben Guillandeaux led the team in assists last season. Guillandeaux has missed the Explorer's first five games and is listed as questionable for this one.
With Guillandeaux out, LaSalle has been turning the ball over more than 18 times per game. The Explorers shoot 40.9 percent from the field, holding opponents to 39.4 percent. LaDalle has outrebounded its foes by better than 6 per game.
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SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mounts picked up their first win Saturday, handling Loyola (Md.) with relative ease, . Among their four losses to open the season was one at American.
Chris Vann leads all Mount scorers with his 17 ppg average. Jeremy Goode has been the leading scorer the last three games and stands just behind Vann at 16.3 ppg. Will Holland also averages in double figures (10.6 ppg.)
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING NJIT: Last time we checked in on the Highlanders, they were dropping Thanksgiving weekend games to American and Lehigh. Since then, 0-8 NJIT has lost two more.
The Highlanders are being outscored by an average of 26.5 points per game, outrebounded by almost 8 per game and average 21 turnovers. Opponents are shooting 50.1 percent against NJIT and holding the Highlanders to 36.2 percent from the field.
Junior Nesho Milosevic, a 6-8 forward from Montenegro, is the only Highlander averaging in double figures at 11.5 ppg. Kraig Peters, a 6-4 senior, is scoring 9.9 ppg.
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SCOUTING LaSALLE: The Explorers come in 3-2, riding a two-game win streak. They have been in every game they have played. In fact, they have had at least an 8-point lead at some point in all five games and have led all five at the half. The Explorers have outscored the opposition 170-137 in first halves, but have been outscored 185-152 after the intermission.
Senior Darnell Harris (6-1) leads LaSalle in scoring with 13.8 ppg. A career-1,000-point scorer, Harris is a three-point shooter, hitting better (41.3 percent) from the arc than he is overall (34.9 percent). Soph Rodney Green(6-5) is just behind at 13.4 ppg. An Atlantic-10 All-Rookie pick last season, Green is shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range.
Inside, LaSalle is getting a strong contribution from the 6-8 Williams twins, Jerrell and Terrell, who are combining for 12 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in 35 shared minutes per contest.
Sophomore Ruben Guillandeaux led the team in assists last season. Guillandeaux has missed the Explorer's first five games and is listed as questionable for this one.
With Guillandeaux out, LaSalle has been turning the ball over more than 18 times per game. The Explorers shoot 40.9 percent from the field, holding opponents to 39.4 percent. LaDalle has outrebounded its foes by better than 6 per game.
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SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mounts picked up their first win Saturday, handling Loyola (Md.) with relative ease, . Among their four losses to open the season was one at American.
Chris Vann leads all Mount scorers with his 17 ppg average. Jeremy Goode has been the leading scorer the last three games and stands just behind Vann at 16.3 ppg. Will Holland also averages in double figures (10.6 ppg.)
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SCOUTING NJIT: Last time we checked in on the Highlanders, they were dropping Thanksgiving weekend games to American and Lehigh. Since then, 0-8 NJIT has lost two more.
The Highlanders are being outscored by an average of 26.5 points per game, outrebounded by almost 8 per game and average 21 turnovers. Opponents are shooting 50.1 percent against NJIT and holding the Highlanders to 36.2 percent from the field.
Junior Nesho Milosevic, a 6-8 forward from Montenegro, is the only Highlander averaging in double figures at 11.5 ppg. Kraig Peters, a 6-4 senior, is scoring 9.9 ppg.
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Labels: Bucknell, Lehigh, Navy, previews
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Friday, November 30, 2007
Greg Sprink only took four shots all night. He only made one. The way Kaleo Kina and Adam Teague played off the Navy bench, though, it hardly mattered.
With their senior leader and leading scorer finding it tough to get things going against Towson, Kina and Teague stepped up big time, leading the Mids to a 73-59 win that snapped Navy's three-game losing streak.
Sure their scoring was important. Kina was 7 for 12 from the field with a pair of threes for a game-high 17 points and Teague hit four from the arc to finish with 12. But it was the rest of their lines that shows how important they were to the Mids (3-6) in this one.
Let's start with rebounds -- 8 each, sharing team honors. Their performance was a big reason why Navy was able to outrebound (39-31) a bigger, more athletic Towson team that came in averaging almost four boards per game more than its opponents.
Also impressive was the unselfish nature of their play. Each of the 10 Midshipmen who played more than a minute got in on the scoring, in no small partt due to Kina (6) and Teague's combined 11 assists.
Of course it is not tough to pick up assists when your team is shooting the ball well, and the Mids were doing just that, especially in the second half. The Mids led from the start, taking a 2-o lead when Ben Biles made a pair of freebies after he was fouled trying to put back a Sprink miss on the opening possession.
Towson (3-3) tied it twice, the last time coming with 4:32 to go in the first half before Navy pulled out to a 34-29 lead at the break. The Mids then put the game away midway through the second half with a 16-4 run that built a double-digit lead that stayed in the teens the rest of the way.
Navy shot the lights out in that second half, hitting 14 of 21 (58.3 percent), including 5 (of eight) threes (62.5 percent). The Mids were 28 of 55 (50.9 percent) for the game, with 8 treys (20 attempts).
The Midsa also played a little defense, holding Towson to 34.5 percent (20-58) shooting from the field, 3 of 14 from three-point range.
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With their senior leader and leading scorer finding it tough to get things going against Towson, Kina and Teague stepped up big time, leading the Mids to a 73-59 win that snapped Navy's three-game losing streak.
Sure their scoring was important. Kina was 7 for 12 from the field with a pair of threes for a game-high 17 points and Teague hit four from the arc to finish with 12. But it was the rest of their lines that shows how important they were to the Mids (3-6) in this one.
Let's start with rebounds -- 8 each, sharing team honors. Their performance was a big reason why Navy was able to outrebound (39-31) a bigger, more athletic Towson team that came in averaging almost four boards per game more than its opponents.
Also impressive was the unselfish nature of their play. Each of the 10 Midshipmen who played more than a minute got in on the scoring, in no small partt due to Kina (6) and Teague's combined 11 assists.
Of course it is not tough to pick up assists when your team is shooting the ball well, and the Mids were doing just that, especially in the second half. The Mids led from the start, taking a 2-o lead when Ben Biles made a pair of freebies after he was fouled trying to put back a Sprink miss on the opening possession.
Towson (3-3) tied it twice, the last time coming with 4:32 to go in the first half before Navy pulled out to a 34-29 lead at the break. The Mids then put the game away midway through the second half with a 16-4 run that built a double-digit lead that stayed in the teens the rest of the way.
Navy shot the lights out in that second half, hitting 14 of 21 (58.3 percent), including 5 (of eight) threes (62.5 percent). The Mids were 28 of 55 (50.9 percent) for the game, with 8 treys (20 attempts).
The Midsa also played a little defense, holding Towson to 34.5 percent (20-58) shooting from the field, 3 of 14 from three-point range.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The number three was a recurring theme in the Midshipmen's 75-65 loss at Howard Tuesday night.
Missed three-pointers played a big role in the loss, Navy's third in a row. The Mids led 31-30 after a first half in which they hit 5 treys (out of 15 attempts). But after the break, Navy was 3 for 13 from the arc, the biggest of those 10 misses coming with 32 seconds to play and Howard up by three, 68-65.
That was when Adam Teague, who hit two big threes down the stretch to keep Navy in the game, including one to pull the Mids to within three, could not come up with a third three of the half after freshman Mark Veazey stole and inbounds pass to give Navy a chance to tie.
The Mids trailed by as many as 10 in the second half, thanks in no small part to missing the first seven threes they shot. Greg Sprink broke the ice with 3:38 to play, pulling the Mids within one and Teague connected 37 seconds later to tie it at 59-59.
Howard responded with a 9-2 spurt to build a 68-62 lead, which proved to be enough of a cushion to give the Bison their third win of the season after they hit 5 for 5 from the foul line in the final 28 seconds. The first of those five free throws capped an old-fashioned three-point play after Jevon Smith rebounded Teague's miss and went the length of the court for a layup and one. Smith finished with 16 points, leading four Howard players in double figures.
The Bison shot 49.1 percent (26-53) from the field, including an efficient 4 for 9 from the arc. Howard outrebounded Navy 45-30, but helped the Mids stay in the contest by turning the ball over 20 times.
Sprink led Navy with 18 points. But the Mids senior captain was just 4 for 13 from the field, 1 for 6 from the arc. Sprink, who sat much of the first half after picking up two fouls, scored 16 of his points after the break. Teague hit half of Navy's eight three-pointers to finish with 16 points off the bench.
The Mids shot 31.4 percent (21-61) from the field. Navy opened the second half by making 2 of its first 15 shots, finishing the half 10 of 36 (27.8 percent). Their second half struggles were not just from three-point range.
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Missed three-pointers played a big role in the loss, Navy's third in a row. The Mids led 31-30 after a first half in which they hit 5 treys (out of 15 attempts). But after the break, Navy was 3 for 13 from the arc, the biggest of those 10 misses coming with 32 seconds to play and Howard up by three, 68-65.
That was when Adam Teague, who hit two big threes down the stretch to keep Navy in the game, including one to pull the Mids to within three, could not come up with a third three of the half after freshman Mark Veazey stole and inbounds pass to give Navy a chance to tie.
The Mids trailed by as many as 10 in the second half, thanks in no small part to missing the first seven threes they shot. Greg Sprink broke the ice with 3:38 to play, pulling the Mids within one and Teague connected 37 seconds later to tie it at 59-59.
Howard responded with a 9-2 spurt to build a 68-62 lead, which proved to be enough of a cushion to give the Bison their third win of the season after they hit 5 for 5 from the foul line in the final 28 seconds. The first of those five free throws capped an old-fashioned three-point play after Jevon Smith rebounded Teague's miss and went the length of the court for a layup and one. Smith finished with 16 points, leading four Howard players in double figures.
The Bison shot 49.1 percent (26-53) from the field, including an efficient 4 for 9 from the arc. Howard outrebounded Navy 45-30, but helped the Mids stay in the contest by turning the ball over 20 times.
Sprink led Navy with 18 points. But the Mids senior captain was just 4 for 13 from the field, 1 for 6 from the arc. Sprink, who sat much of the first half after picking up two fouls, scored 16 of his points after the break. Teague hit half of Navy's eight three-pointers to finish with 16 points off the bench.
The Mids shot 31.4 percent (21-61) from the field. Navy opened the second half by making 2 of its first 15 shots, finishing the half 10 of 36 (27.8 percent). Their second half struggles were not just from three-point range.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
The latest Mid-Major Top 25, plus news from the home office in Center Valley.
The Crusaders move up three spots to No. 10 in this week's . Bucknell and Colgate still getting a few votes.
Patriot League Men's Basketball Release - 11.26.07 (Condensed version)
With breaks for final exams and the Christmas season looming in December, Patriot League teams will pack plenty of games into the last week of November action. It starts with four contests on Monday, highlighted by Holy Cross hosting Ohio and Colgate making a trip to Notre Dame. Also, Lehigh hosts NJIT and American is at Mount St. Mary's. Navy is at Howard in Tuesday's only action, but five games highlight the Wednesday slate. Holy Cross and Lehigh host their second game of the week, with the Crusaders playing Yale and the Mountain Hawks taking on Quinnipiac. Lafayette and Bucknell are at home against Penn and Marist, respectively, while Army is at Hartford. Navy wraps up the weekday games by hosting Towson on Thursday.
Player of the Week
Jarell Brown, Army Sr., G, 6'2, 183, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel
Brown put up the best single-game scoring effort for a Patriot League player this year and tied his career high with 30 points in a loss against Cornell on Tuesday, and followed it up with 26 points in a win over Presbyterian on Saturday to earn his fourth-career Anaconda Player of the Week honor, and first this season. He notched eight three-pointers in the win against Presbyterian, good for second on Army's all-time single-game list and just one off the school record. Brown averaged 28.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, two assists and two steals per game for the week, and shot the ball extremely well. He connected on 60 percent (18-30) of his shots from the field and 65 percent (13-20) from three-point range, and hit on 87.5 percent (7-8) of his foul shots. Brown accounted for 39.7 percent of Army's offense in the two games, while taking 28 percent of the shot attempts. He scored at least 11 points in each of the four halves he played in the week, and has now scored 26 points or more in three of Army's five games this season. Brown is now only 10 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark for his career.
Rookie of the Week
Rob Keefer, Lehigh Fr., G, 6'3, 185, North Wales, Pa./Abington Friends
Keefer earns his second consecutive Rookie of the Week honor after averaging seven points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist in Lehigh's losses to Albany and Maryland. His performance against the Terrapins was especially strong, as Keefer scored a career-high 12 points and totaled a career-high six rebounds against the ACC contender. Keefer has started every game for Lehigh, and leads all Patriot League freshmen with 8.0 ppg. He leads all Lehigh freshmen in points, minutes and rebounds.
Patriot League Notebook
Leopards Pick up a Pair
Lafayette was picked to finish in last place in the Patriot League preseason poll, but showed that it has the potential to prove the doubters wrong with a pair of home victories last week. They knocked off UMBC, 87-84, in overtime on Tuesday and rolled to a 71-54 triumph against Central Connecticut State on Sunday. A high-powered offense has ignited a 3-2 start to the season. The Leopards lead the Patriot League with 79.2 points per game for the year, and also post a League-high 15 assists and 10.8 three-pointers per contest. Andrew Brown leads the team with 17.0 ppg, and seven players average six points per game or more. That scoring depth was evident when seven different Lafayette players scored in double figures in the two victories last week. Brown was the only one to notch a double-digt total in both games, with five players reaching the mark against UMBC. Lafayette tries to post a three-game winning streak at home against Penn on Wednesday.
A tough weekend
While Lafayette's victory over Central Connecticut State capped off the weekend action, Patriot League teams were only able to garner three wins in eight games from Friday-Sunday. Navy had a couple of close calls in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, but lost to Seton Hall, 79-75, and to Penn, 71-67. Bucknell, Colgate and Lehigh also suffered losses. But the weekend action produced victories for Army and American. The Black Knights got 26 points from Jarell Brown in a 63-58 win over Presbyterian, while the Eagles had a convincing all-around performance in a 73-50 victory at NJIT.
Milennium Men
Navy's Greg Sprink continues to add to his point total as the only active 1,000-point scorer in the Patriot League. Sprink notched 45 points in two contests over the weekend, and sits 34th in Patriot League annals with 1,267 career points. He is one of 56 players to score at least 1,000 points in League history, and is second in the Patriot League with 19.3 ppg for the year. He'll have the company of one more player in the 1,000-point club soon. Army's Jarell Brown put up a huge week with 56 total points in games against Cornell and Presbyterian, and is now just 10 points away from 1,000 for his career. Brown is averaging 18.2 ppg for the season.
Still the Only One
When Lehigh won at St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 17, the Patriot League became the first of 31 Division I conferences to have all of its teams record at least one road victory this season. More than a week later, the Patriot League is still the only one to accomplish the feat. Lehigh's home win over St. Peter's on Nov. 14 made the League the second conference to have every team record at least one win over a Division I opponent. The SEC beat the Patriot League to the mark by day.
Team Notebooks
American
The Eagles split a pair of games on the road last week, knocking off NJIT, 73-50, on Saturday and losing at Morgan State, 62-54, on Tuesday...Garrison Carr averaged 16.5 ppg in the two contests, and is fourth in the Patriot League with 17.7 ppg for the year...He leads all Patriot League players with 26 three-point field goals made for the season, and already has five more treys than he did all of last year...He is shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc...Derrick Mercer is sixth in the Patriot League with 16.0 ppg, making the Eagles the only team in the League with two players averaging more than 15 points per contest...Mercer is in the top five in the League in assists, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and assist/turnover ratio...Carr, Mercer, Frank Borden and Travis Lay all scored in double figures in the win against NJIT...The Eagles forced 26 turnovers in the game, while only committing 11 of their own...American concludes its three-game road trip with a visit to Mount St. Mary's on Monday, then returns home to face UMBC on Saturday.
Army
The Black Knights went 1-1 last week, notching their first home victory in a 63-58 triumph over Presbyterian on Saturday and losing, 93-78, at Cornell on Tuesday...The win over Presbyterian snapped a two-game losing skid...Jarell Brown scored 30 points in the loss to Cornell, the highest single-game total for a Patriot League player this season....Brown scored 26 in the win over Presbyterian, and hit on 18-of-30 shots in the two games, including 13-of-20 from three-point range...He hit eight three-pointers against Presbyterian, which ranked second on Army's single-game list...He moved into sole possession of third place on Army's career three-pointers list with 170...Josh Moonshower scored a career-high 16 points against Presbyterian...Guard Josh Miller has tied or set a career-high in assists in the last four games, and notched seven in the win over Presbyterian...Miller leads the Patriot League in assists, and is in the top 15 in scoring and rebounds...Army played the Presbyterian game without two of its top big men, Doug Williams and Chris Walker ...They are on the road twice this week, at Hartford on Wednesday and at VMI on Saturday.
Bucknell
Bucknell fell to 2-2 on the season with a 64-55 loss at Wagner on Saturday in its only game of the week...The Bison trailed 29-13 at halftime after making only 5-27 shots in the first half (1-11 from 3-point range), but they scored 42 points in the second half and closed within seven on three occasions... Patrick Behan scored a career-high 17 points in the loss...Freshman guard Darryl Shazier had a solid day with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while classmate Todd O'Brien notched eight points and six boards...O'Brien also had three blocks in the game, and leads the Patriot League with 11 blocked shots through four games...The Bison lead the League with 4.75 blocks per contest...John Griffin hit two 3-pointers, giving him 153 for his career...Griffin needs one more trey to reach the top five on Bucknell's all-time list...Griffin and Behan lead the Bison and are tied for seventh in the Patriot League with 14.5 ppg...Bucknell returns home for the first time since Nov. 10 when it takes on Marist on Wednesday to kick off a three-game homestand...They also play St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday and La Salle on Dec. 3.
Colgate
The Raiders came into the week with an unblemished record, but suffered their first two defeats with a 61-60 loss to Marist on Wednesday and 81-76 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday...Marist scored on a putback with seven seconds left for the victory, while Colgate led Dartmouth by one point with less than five minutes to play...Kyle Roemer was the high scorer in both games, and recorded a career-high 26 points against Dartmouth...He averaged 20.5 ppg for the week, and connected on all 11 foul shots...Roemer leads the Patriot League with 20.2 ppg for the season...Kendall Chones had 20 points against Dartmouth, the fourth time in his career that he has scored 20 or more in a game...Daniel Waddy chipped in with 15 points in the game and Willie Morse had nine, but the other six players to see action totaled only six points...Colgate kicks off a long six-game road swing on Monday at Notre Dame...The Raiders will also become the third Patriot League team to visit Cornell on Saturday, and will not play at home until after the New Year.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders only played once last week, and made the most of their outing by beating Harvard, 80-69, on Tuesday...It was the first time that any opponent scored more than 54 points against them, but the Crusaders still lead the Patriot League with 55.5 points per game allowed....They also lead the League in scoring margin, free throw percentage, field goal percentage defense and rebounding margin...Harvard fought back to tie the score at 62 with 5:56 to play, but the Crusaders answered with a 10-0 run to put the game away...Tim Clifford scored 22 points for the second consecutive game, and now leads the team with 13.5 ppg for the season...Alex Vander Baan had 18 points and eight rebounds, while Adam May had a career-high 16 points and six boards...Vander Baan leads the Patriot League with 8.5 rebounds per game...The Crusaders play the remainder of a four-game homestand this week, putting their undefeated record on the line with games against Ohio on Monday, Yale on Wednesday and Dayton at the DCU Center in Worcester on Saturday.
Lafayette
The Leopards were the only Patriot League team to complete a 2-0 week and moved to 3-2 overall with an 87-84 win in overtime over UMBC on Tuesday and a 71-54 victory over Central Connecticut State on Sunday afternoon....Andrew Brown had a team-high point total in both games, scoring 15 against UMBC and 17 against CCSU...Bilal Abdullah had 16 points against CCSU and Paul Cummins added 12, and seven different Lafayette players scored in double figures in at least one of the two games this week, with Brown doing it in both... ..Lafayette hit 12-of-25 three-pointers against CCSU, and 10-of-25 against UMBC for a 44 percent clip from long range for the week...The victory over UMBC avenged an 86-51 loss last season...Lafayette hosts Penn on Wednesday, then is off for the weekend until hosting NJIT on Monday...After that game, the Leopards will play their final eight non-League games on the road and not return home until they play Holy Cross in the League opener on Jan. 12.
Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks had a tough week on the road, losing 78-66 at Albany on Tuesday and 72-51 at Maryland on Friday...Freshman Rob Keefer scored a career-high 12 points and pulled down six rebounds against Maryland...He has started every game for Lehigh, and leads all Patriot League freshman with 8.0 ppg...Matt Szalachowski tied Keefer for the team lead with 12 points against Maryland, and four different Lehigh players scored in double figures in the two games last week...Zahir Carrington (14) and Bryan White (12) both did it against Albany...The Mountain Hawks lead the Patriot League in assist/turnover ratio, due in large part to Marquis Hall leading the League with twice as many assists as turnovers (18/9)...Bryan White is in the top five in the League in rebounds, blocks and steals...After playing four of its first five games on the road, Lehigh plays five of the next six at home...They host NJIT on Monday and Quinnipiac on Wednesday of this week, before traveling to Central Connecticut State on Saturday.
Navy
The Mids won, 71-60, over Canisius on Wednesday before dropping a pair of heartbreakers over the weekend at the Philly Hoop Group Classic...They had a 16-point first-half lead before falling to Seton Hall, 79-75, and also lost to Penn, 71-67, after holding a halftime advantage...Greg Sprink averaged 20.7 ppg and 5.7 rpg for the week, and was even better in Philadelphia with 22.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg in the two contests...Sprink set a career-high in steals with four against Canisius, then matched it against Seton Hall...He has scored in double figures in every game this year, and has 22 career 20-point games...Navy's 37 three-point attempts against Seton Hall were the second most in school history...The Mids connected on 13 of the 37 shots...Navy shot just 74-of-207 (35.7 percent) in three games during the week...They grabbed 45 offensive rebounds in the three contests...Brian Richards scored a career-high 15 points against Canisius and then grabbed a career-high nine rebounds against Seton Hall...Navy's bench has scored at least 27 points in all seven games this year...The Mids concludes a busy, nine-game Novemeber by playing at Howard on Tuesday and at home against Towson on Thursday...They play Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 3, then have two weeks off before their next action at San Diego State on Dec. 17
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The Crusaders move up three spots to No. 10 in this week's . Bucknell and Colgate still getting a few votes.
Patriot League Men's Basketball Release - 11.26.07 (Condensed version)
With breaks for final exams and the Christmas season looming in December, Patriot League teams will pack plenty of games into the last week of November action. It starts with four contests on Monday, highlighted by Holy Cross hosting Ohio and Colgate making a trip to Notre Dame. Also, Lehigh hosts NJIT and American is at Mount St. Mary's. Navy is at Howard in Tuesday's only action, but five games highlight the Wednesday slate. Holy Cross and Lehigh host their second game of the week, with the Crusaders playing Yale and the Mountain Hawks taking on Quinnipiac. Lafayette and Bucknell are at home against Penn and Marist, respectively, while Army is at Hartford. Navy wraps up the weekday games by hosting Towson on Thursday.
Player of the Week
Jarell Brown, Army Sr., G, 6'2, 183, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel
Brown put up the best single-game scoring effort for a Patriot League player this year and tied his career high with 30 points in a loss against Cornell on Tuesday, and followed it up with 26 points in a win over Presbyterian on Saturday to earn his fourth-career Anaconda Player of the Week honor, and first this season. He notched eight three-pointers in the win against Presbyterian, good for second on Army's all-time single-game list and just one off the school record. Brown averaged 28.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, two assists and two steals per game for the week, and shot the ball extremely well. He connected on 60 percent (18-30) of his shots from the field and 65 percent (13-20) from three-point range, and hit on 87.5 percent (7-8) of his foul shots. Brown accounted for 39.7 percent of Army's offense in the two games, while taking 28 percent of the shot attempts. He scored at least 11 points in each of the four halves he played in the week, and has now scored 26 points or more in three of Army's five games this season. Brown is now only 10 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark for his career.
Rookie of the Week
Rob Keefer, Lehigh Fr., G, 6'3, 185, North Wales, Pa./Abington Friends
Keefer earns his second consecutive Rookie of the Week honor after averaging seven points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist in Lehigh's losses to Albany and Maryland. His performance against the Terrapins was especially strong, as Keefer scored a career-high 12 points and totaled a career-high six rebounds against the ACC contender. Keefer has started every game for Lehigh, and leads all Patriot League freshmen with 8.0 ppg. He leads all Lehigh freshmen in points, minutes and rebounds.
Patriot League Notebook
Leopards Pick up a Pair
Lafayette was picked to finish in last place in the Patriot League preseason poll, but showed that it has the potential to prove the doubters wrong with a pair of home victories last week. They knocked off UMBC, 87-84, in overtime on Tuesday and rolled to a 71-54 triumph against Central Connecticut State on Sunday. A high-powered offense has ignited a 3-2 start to the season. The Leopards lead the Patriot League with 79.2 points per game for the year, and also post a League-high 15 assists and 10.8 three-pointers per contest. Andrew Brown leads the team with 17.0 ppg, and seven players average six points per game or more. That scoring depth was evident when seven different Lafayette players scored in double figures in the two victories last week. Brown was the only one to notch a double-digt total in both games, with five players reaching the mark against UMBC. Lafayette tries to post a three-game winning streak at home against Penn on Wednesday.
A tough weekend
While Lafayette's victory over Central Connecticut State capped off the weekend action, Patriot League teams were only able to garner three wins in eight games from Friday-Sunday. Navy had a couple of close calls in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, but lost to Seton Hall, 79-75, and to Penn, 71-67. Bucknell, Colgate and Lehigh also suffered losses. But the weekend action produced victories for Army and American. The Black Knights got 26 points from Jarell Brown in a 63-58 win over Presbyterian, while the Eagles had a convincing all-around performance in a 73-50 victory at NJIT.
Milennium Men
Navy's Greg Sprink continues to add to his point total as the only active 1,000-point scorer in the Patriot League. Sprink notched 45 points in two contests over the weekend, and sits 34th in Patriot League annals with 1,267 career points. He is one of 56 players to score at least 1,000 points in League history, and is second in the Patriot League with 19.3 ppg for the year. He'll have the company of one more player in the 1,000-point club soon. Army's Jarell Brown put up a huge week with 56 total points in games against Cornell and Presbyterian, and is now just 10 points away from 1,000 for his career. Brown is averaging 18.2 ppg for the season.
Still the Only One
When Lehigh won at St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 17, the Patriot League became the first of 31 Division I conferences to have all of its teams record at least one road victory this season. More than a week later, the Patriot League is still the only one to accomplish the feat. Lehigh's home win over St. Peter's on Nov. 14 made the League the second conference to have every team record at least one win over a Division I opponent. The SEC beat the Patriot League to the mark by day.
Team Notebooks
American
The Eagles split a pair of games on the road last week, knocking off NJIT, 73-50, on Saturday and losing at Morgan State, 62-54, on Tuesday...Garrison Carr averaged 16.5 ppg in the two contests, and is fourth in the Patriot League with 17.7 ppg for the year...He leads all Patriot League players with 26 three-point field goals made for the season, and already has five more treys than he did all of last year...He is shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc...Derrick Mercer is sixth in the Patriot League with 16.0 ppg, making the Eagles the only team in the League with two players averaging more than 15 points per contest...Mercer is in the top five in the League in assists, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and assist/turnover ratio...Carr, Mercer, Frank Borden and Travis Lay all scored in double figures in the win against NJIT...The Eagles forced 26 turnovers in the game, while only committing 11 of their own...American concludes its three-game road trip with a visit to Mount St. Mary's on Monday, then returns home to face UMBC on Saturday.
Army
The Black Knights went 1-1 last week, notching their first home victory in a 63-58 triumph over Presbyterian on Saturday and losing, 93-78, at Cornell on Tuesday...The win over Presbyterian snapped a two-game losing skid...Jarell Brown scored 30 points in the loss to Cornell, the highest single-game total for a Patriot League player this season....Brown scored 26 in the win over Presbyterian, and hit on 18-of-30 shots in the two games, including 13-of-20 from three-point range...He hit eight three-pointers against Presbyterian, which ranked second on Army's single-game list...He moved into sole possession of third place on Army's career three-pointers list with 170...Josh Moonshower scored a career-high 16 points against Presbyterian...Guard Josh Miller has tied or set a career-high in assists in the last four games, and notched seven in the win over Presbyterian...Miller leads the Patriot League in assists, and is in the top 15 in scoring and rebounds...Army played the Presbyterian game without two of its top big men, Doug Williams and Chris Walker ...They are on the road twice this week, at Hartford on Wednesday and at VMI on Saturday.
Bucknell
Bucknell fell to 2-2 on the season with a 64-55 loss at Wagner on Saturday in its only game of the week...The Bison trailed 29-13 at halftime after making only 5-27 shots in the first half (1-11 from 3-point range), but they scored 42 points in the second half and closed within seven on three occasions... Patrick Behan scored a career-high 17 points in the loss...Freshman guard Darryl Shazier had a solid day with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while classmate Todd O'Brien notched eight points and six boards...O'Brien also had three blocks in the game, and leads the Patriot League with 11 blocked shots through four games...The Bison lead the League with 4.75 blocks per contest...John Griffin hit two 3-pointers, giving him 153 for his career...Griffin needs one more trey to reach the top five on Bucknell's all-time list...Griffin and Behan lead the Bison and are tied for seventh in the Patriot League with 14.5 ppg...Bucknell returns home for the first time since Nov. 10 when it takes on Marist on Wednesday to kick off a three-game homestand...They also play St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday and La Salle on Dec. 3.
Colgate
The Raiders came into the week with an unblemished record, but suffered their first two defeats with a 61-60 loss to Marist on Wednesday and 81-76 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday...Marist scored on a putback with seven seconds left for the victory, while Colgate led Dartmouth by one point with less than five minutes to play...Kyle Roemer was the high scorer in both games, and recorded a career-high 26 points against Dartmouth...He averaged 20.5 ppg for the week, and connected on all 11 foul shots...Roemer leads the Patriot League with 20.2 ppg for the season...Kendall Chones had 20 points against Dartmouth, the fourth time in his career that he has scored 20 or more in a game...Daniel Waddy chipped in with 15 points in the game and Willie Morse had nine, but the other six players to see action totaled only six points...Colgate kicks off a long six-game road swing on Monday at Notre Dame...The Raiders will also become the third Patriot League team to visit Cornell on Saturday, and will not play at home until after the New Year.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders only played once last week, and made the most of their outing by beating Harvard, 80-69, on Tuesday...It was the first time that any opponent scored more than 54 points against them, but the Crusaders still lead the Patriot League with 55.5 points per game allowed....They also lead the League in scoring margin, free throw percentage, field goal percentage defense and rebounding margin...Harvard fought back to tie the score at 62 with 5:56 to play, but the Crusaders answered with a 10-0 run to put the game away...Tim Clifford scored 22 points for the second consecutive game, and now leads the team with 13.5 ppg for the season...Alex Vander Baan had 18 points and eight rebounds, while Adam May had a career-high 16 points and six boards...Vander Baan leads the Patriot League with 8.5 rebounds per game...The Crusaders play the remainder of a four-game homestand this week, putting their undefeated record on the line with games against Ohio on Monday, Yale on Wednesday and Dayton at the DCU Center in Worcester on Saturday.
Lafayette
The Leopards were the only Patriot League team to complete a 2-0 week and moved to 3-2 overall with an 87-84 win in overtime over UMBC on Tuesday and a 71-54 victory over Central Connecticut State on Sunday afternoon....Andrew Brown had a team-high point total in both games, scoring 15 against UMBC and 17 against CCSU...Bilal Abdullah had 16 points against CCSU and Paul Cummins added 12, and seven different Lafayette players scored in double figures in at least one of the two games this week, with Brown doing it in both... ..Lafayette hit 12-of-25 three-pointers against CCSU, and 10-of-25 against UMBC for a 44 percent clip from long range for the week...The victory over UMBC avenged an 86-51 loss last season...Lafayette hosts Penn on Wednesday, then is off for the weekend until hosting NJIT on Monday...After that game, the Leopards will play their final eight non-League games on the road and not return home until they play Holy Cross in the League opener on Jan. 12.
Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks had a tough week on the road, losing 78-66 at Albany on Tuesday and 72-51 at Maryland on Friday...Freshman Rob Keefer scored a career-high 12 points and pulled down six rebounds against Maryland...He has started every game for Lehigh, and leads all Patriot League freshman with 8.0 ppg...Matt Szalachowski tied Keefer for the team lead with 12 points against Maryland, and four different Lehigh players scored in double figures in the two games last week...Zahir Carrington (14) and Bryan White (12) both did it against Albany...The Mountain Hawks lead the Patriot League in assist/turnover ratio, due in large part to Marquis Hall leading the League with twice as many assists as turnovers (18/9)...Bryan White is in the top five in the League in rebounds, blocks and steals...After playing four of its first five games on the road, Lehigh plays five of the next six at home...They host NJIT on Monday and Quinnipiac on Wednesday of this week, before traveling to Central Connecticut State on Saturday.
Navy
The Mids won, 71-60, over Canisius on Wednesday before dropping a pair of heartbreakers over the weekend at the Philly Hoop Group Classic...They had a 16-point first-half lead before falling to Seton Hall, 79-75, and also lost to Penn, 71-67, after holding a halftime advantage...Greg Sprink averaged 20.7 ppg and 5.7 rpg for the week, and was even better in Philadelphia with 22.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg in the two contests...Sprink set a career-high in steals with four against Canisius, then matched it against Seton Hall...He has scored in double figures in every game this year, and has 22 career 20-point games...Navy's 37 three-point attempts against Seton Hall were the second most in school history...The Mids connected on 13 of the 37 shots...Navy shot just 74-of-207 (35.7 percent) in three games during the week...They grabbed 45 offensive rebounds in the three contests...Brian Richards scored a career-high 15 points against Canisius and then grabbed a career-high nine rebounds against Seton Hall...Navy's bench has scored at least 27 points in all seven games this year...The Mids concludes a busy, nine-game Novemeber by playing at Howard on Tuesday and at home against Towson on Thursday...They play Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 3, then have two weeks off before their next action at San Diego State on Dec. 17
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy
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The 2-5 Mids travel to nearby Washington D.C. tonight to face the 2-4 Bison of Howard.
SCOUTING HOWARD: Howard's record is a little deceptive. The Bison's losses include Virginia, Duquesne, a decent Loyola (Md.) team and, most recently, a 72-53 setback against Robert Morris in the Philly Hoop Group Classic. One of the two wins came in the early rounds of that tournament, an 80-68 win over that Penn team that beat Navy its last time out.
Eugene Myatt, a 6-5 junior, leads Howard in scoring, averaging 20 points per game. Myatt is shooting 54.8 percent from the field, including 42.1 percent from three-point range.
The only other Bison averaging in double figures is 6-3 freshman Kyle RIley (10 ppg), whose status for tonight's game is unclear. Riley, who has played in three games, starting one, but has not appeared in Howard's last two games due to an ankle sprain. No word on Howard's site on his status for tonight's game.
Howard is also without the services of starting point guard Julius Hearn (knee) and could be without forward Randy Hampton, who suffered a possible fracture of his right thumb in the Bison's loss to Loyola.
The Bison are shooting 41 percent as a team, 25.7 percent from the arc. Opponents are shooting 48.3 percent overall, 36.7 percent from three-point range and outrebounding the Bison by 12 per game.
BONUS LINKS:
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SCOUTING HOWARD: Howard's record is a little deceptive. The Bison's losses include Virginia, Duquesne, a decent Loyola (Md.) team and, most recently, a 72-53 setback against Robert Morris in the Philly Hoop Group Classic. One of the two wins came in the early rounds of that tournament, an 80-68 win over that Penn team that beat Navy its last time out.
Eugene Myatt, a 6-5 junior, leads Howard in scoring, averaging 20 points per game. Myatt is shooting 54.8 percent from the field, including 42.1 percent from three-point range.
The only other Bison averaging in double figures is 6-3 freshman Kyle RIley (10 ppg), whose status for tonight's game is unclear. Riley, who has played in three games, starting one, but has not appeared in Howard's last two games due to an ankle sprain. No word on Howard's site on his status for tonight's game.
Howard is also without the services of starting point guard Julius Hearn (knee) and could be without forward Randy Hampton, who suffered a possible fracture of his right thumb in the Bison's loss to Loyola.
The Bison are shooting 41 percent as a team, 25.7 percent from the arc. Opponents are shooting 48.3 percent overall, 36.7 percent from three-point range and outrebounding the Bison by 12 per game.
BONUS LINKS:
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
For the second night in a row, the Midshipmen failed to hold a lead in the Palestra, dropping a 71-67 decision to Penn in the consolation game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic.
Friday night the Mids (2-5) led by 15 against Seton Hall, which eventually went on to defeat Virginia for the bracket championship. Saturday it was an 8-point margin that didn't hold up.
Navy led Penn (2-4) by eight in the first half before settling for a 26-23 advantage at the intermission. Penn came out after the break and went on a 14-2 run, but Navy responded with a 12-0 run of its own, and had a 55-54 lead with 3:14 to play. But after Penn's Tyler Bernardini (15 points) hit a jumper to give the Quakers the lead, the Mids turned the ball over their next two trips down the floor. Penn converted both opportunities, builing its lead to 60-55, then held on down the stretch.
The Mids never got closer than 4 the rest of the way, though they had their chances to make it a one-possession game. The best of those chances came with 32 seconds left, when Greg Sprink (22 points) stole an inbounds pass under the Navy basket, but missed a tough reverse layup try with his back to the basket.
Kaleo Kina (12) and Chris Harris (11) joined Sprink in double figures for Navy, which shot 30.6 percent (22-72) from the field and was 5 for 28 from the arc. Penn went 19 for 46 from the field, 3 of 12 from the arc, and had a huge edge at the foul line. The Quakers shot 42 free throws, making 30. Navy only got to the line 23 times, making 18. Navy was whistled for 32 fouls, Penn 20.
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Friday night the Mids (2-5) led by 15 against Seton Hall, which eventually went on to defeat Virginia for the bracket championship. Saturday it was an 8-point margin that didn't hold up.
Navy led Penn (2-4) by eight in the first half before settling for a 26-23 advantage at the intermission. Penn came out after the break and went on a 14-2 run, but Navy responded with a 12-0 run of its own, and had a 55-54 lead with 3:14 to play. But after Penn's Tyler Bernardini (15 points) hit a jumper to give the Quakers the lead, the Mids turned the ball over their next two trips down the floor. Penn converted both opportunities, builing its lead to 60-55, then held on down the stretch.
The Mids never got closer than 4 the rest of the way, though they had their chances to make it a one-possession game. The best of those chances came with 32 seconds left, when Greg Sprink (22 points) stole an inbounds pass under the Navy basket, but missed a tough reverse layup try with his back to the basket.
Kaleo Kina (12) and Chris Harris (11) joined Sprink in double figures for Navy, which shot 30.6 percent (22-72) from the field and was 5 for 28 from the arc. Penn went 19 for 46 from the field, 3 of 12 from the arc, and had a huge edge at the foul line. The Quakers shot 42 free throws, making 30. Navy only got to the line 23 times, making 18. Navy was whistled for 32 fouls, Penn 20.
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Saturday, November 24, 2007
Four Patriot League teams in action on this Saturday afternoon, with a fifth taking the court later in the evening. Afternoon matchups include Bucknell and Colgate trying to bounce back from their first losses of the season. The Bison are on Staten Island to face Wagner, Colgate home hosting Dartmouth. Army hosts Division I newcomer Presbytarian and American is at second-year D-I NJIT. Navy will face Penn tonight on the Quakers' home floor in a consolation game of the Philly Hoops Classic.
SCOUTING WAGNER: The 2-2 Seahawks are coming off an 88-81 win over William and mary that snapped a two-game slide. Wagner's other win came over Lafayette in their opener.
This is a veteran Wagner team that starts three seniors and a pair of redshirt juniors. Durrel Vinson, a 6-7 senior, leds the scoring (18 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Mark Porter, a 6-2 senior, averages 13 points and a team-high 5 assists. Also averaging in double figures ate 6-2 redshirt junior Joey Mundweiler (11.3 ppg) and 6-5 redshirt junior Jamal Smith (10 ppg). The first starter, 607 senior James Ulrich, averages 8.5 ppg.
The Seahawks are shooting 44.1 percent from the field, just 27.1 percent from the arc. Opponents are shooting 44.1 percent against Wagner,40.4 percent from three-point range.
BONUS LINKS:
(Daily Item)
SCOUTING PRESBYTERIAN: The Blue Hose are 0-6 in their first season at the Division I level. Opponents have been shooting 51.2 percent from the field against Presbytarian, 44.6 percent from the arc.
Pat Kiscaden is the only Presbytarian player averaging in double figures. The 6-3 senior is scoing 15.7 ppg, shooting 60.8 percent from the field, 61.4 percent from three-point range. As a team, the Blue Hose are shooting 42.3 percent from the field and being outrebounded by an average of 6 per game.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING PENN: These are not your father's Quakers, or your big brother's, or anybody else's who has followed Penn in recent years. Under second-year coach Glenn Miller, Penn opened the season 0-3, picked up a win over The Citadel, then resumed losing Friday with a .
Brian Grandieri (6-4 senior) was the Quakers leading scorer through the first four games (their stats have not been updated as we post this) at 15.8 ppg. Nobody else was in double figures. Freshman Remy Cofield scored 20 against Virginia. That was 20 more points than the 6-4 Cofield had scored through the Quakers first four games. In facvt, prior to the Virginia game, he had only played 19 minutes.
One problem for Penn thus far has been defending the arc. Opponents shot 46.9 percent from the field in the first four games, 51.3 percent from three-point range.
The Quakers are without 6-4 sophomore Darren Smith, who is out for the season after breaking his right knee in the opener against Drexel. Grandieri is the only Quaker to start every game thus far for Penn. Miller had used 10 different starters prior to the Virginia game,
BONUS LINKS:
(pdf)
(Philly Inquirer)
(Philly.com sports producer Jonathan Tannenwald's sports blog -- he game blogged from the Friday's Philly Classic games and knowing Jonathan -- a Penn grad -- he will likely have a lot on this game today)
SCOUTING NJIT: The Highlanders are 0-4 thus far in their second season at the Division I level. No NJIT player is averaging in double figures. Leading scorer Kraig Peters, a 6-4 senior, is scoring 9.5 ppg.
Opponents are holding NJIT to 33.7 percent shooting from the field while lighting up the Highlanders' defense at a 52.4 percent rate, including 42.9 percent from three-point range.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH: The Big Green are a young 1-3 team with just two seniors and five freshmen on . Alex Barnett, a 6-6 junior, leads Dartmouth in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Barnett is shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
DeVon Mosley, a 6-1 junior, is also in double figures at 13.3 ppg. As a team, Dartmouth is shooting 39 percent from the field while allowing opponents to hit at a 45.3 percent clip.
BONUS LINKS:
Dartmouth stats
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SCOUTING WAGNER: The 2-2 Seahawks are coming off an 88-81 win over William and mary that snapped a two-game slide. Wagner's other win came over Lafayette in their opener.
This is a veteran Wagner team that starts three seniors and a pair of redshirt juniors. Durrel Vinson, a 6-7 senior, leds the scoring (18 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Mark Porter, a 6-2 senior, averages 13 points and a team-high 5 assists. Also averaging in double figures ate 6-2 redshirt junior Joey Mundweiler (11.3 ppg) and 6-5 redshirt junior Jamal Smith (10 ppg). The first starter, 607 senior James Ulrich, averages 8.5 ppg.
The Seahawks are shooting 44.1 percent from the field, just 27.1 percent from the arc. Opponents are shooting 44.1 percent against Wagner,40.4 percent from three-point range.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING PRESBYTERIAN: The Blue Hose are 0-6 in their first season at the Division I level. Opponents have been shooting 51.2 percent from the field against Presbytarian, 44.6 percent from the arc.
Pat Kiscaden is the only Presbytarian player averaging in double figures. The 6-3 senior is scoing 15.7 ppg, shooting 60.8 percent from the field, 61.4 percent from three-point range. As a team, the Blue Hose are shooting 42.3 percent from the field and being outrebounded by an average of 6 per game.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING PENN: These are not your father's Quakers, or your big brother's, or anybody else's who has followed Penn in recent years. Under second-year coach Glenn Miller, Penn opened the season 0-3, picked up a win over The Citadel, then resumed losing Friday with a .
Brian Grandieri (6-4 senior) was the Quakers leading scorer through the first four games (their stats have not been updated as we post this) at 15.8 ppg. Nobody else was in double figures. Freshman Remy Cofield scored 20 against Virginia. That was 20 more points than the 6-4 Cofield had scored through the Quakers first four games. In facvt, prior to the Virginia game, he had only played 19 minutes.
One problem for Penn thus far has been defending the arc. Opponents shot 46.9 percent from the field in the first four games, 51.3 percent from three-point range.
The Quakers are without 6-4 sophomore Darren Smith, who is out for the season after breaking his right knee in the opener against Drexel. Grandieri is the only Quaker to start every game thus far for Penn. Miller had used 10 different starters prior to the Virginia game,
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING NJIT: The Highlanders are 0-4 thus far in their second season at the Division I level. No NJIT player is averaging in double figures. Leading scorer Kraig Peters, a 6-4 senior, is scoring 9.5 ppg.
Opponents are holding NJIT to 33.7 percent shooting from the field while lighting up the Highlanders' defense at a 52.4 percent rate, including 42.9 percent from three-point range.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH: The Big Green are a young 1-3 team with just two seniors and five freshmen on . Alex Barnett, a 6-6 junior, leads Dartmouth in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Barnett is shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
DeVon Mosley, a 6-1 junior, is also in double figures at 13.3 ppg. As a team, Dartmouth is shooting 39 percent from the field while allowing opponents to hit at a 45.3 percent clip.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Navy, previews
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The Midshipmen led by as many as 15 points, but could not stop Seton Hall from rallying for a 79-75 win.
Two quick Seton Hall runs did the Mids in. The first came midway through the second half. Navy was holding a 58-55 lead when the Pirates scored 19 unanswered points to take the lead for good. During the 3:47 stretch the Mids went scoreless, Navy was 0 for 5 from the field and turned the ball over 4 times.
The second Seton Hall spurt came late, after the Mids had gotten back to within 1 at 69-68 with 4:24 left to play. Over the next 4:08, Navy managed just one Greg Sprink free throw while Seton Hall outscored them 8-1 to put the game away. The Mids were 0 for 4 from the field, including two possessions where they managed offensive rebounds and second chance shots, and turned it over three times during that late stretch.
Sprink finished with 23 points, but the 6-5 senior was just 7 for 21 from the field. Sprink has struggled the past two games for the Mids, going 12 for 42 (28.6 percent) from the field.
Adam Teague had six threes and 18 points off the bench for Navy. Chris Harris also reached double figures with 11 points before fouling out.
The Mids shot 25 for 66 (35.1 percent) from the field, including 13 of 37 from the arc, and turned the ball over 22 times
Seton Hall was 26 for 64 (40.6 percent) from the arc, with four treys (on 23 attempts). The Pirates went to the foul line 40 times, making 23, Navy was 12 of 19 at the line.
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Two quick Seton Hall runs did the Mids in. The first came midway through the second half. Navy was holding a 58-55 lead when the Pirates scored 19 unanswered points to take the lead for good. During the 3:47 stretch the Mids went scoreless, Navy was 0 for 5 from the field and turned the ball over 4 times.
The second Seton Hall spurt came late, after the Mids had gotten back to within 1 at 69-68 with 4:24 left to play. Over the next 4:08, Navy managed just one Greg Sprink free throw while Seton Hall outscored them 8-1 to put the game away. The Mids were 0 for 4 from the field, including two possessions where they managed offensive rebounds and second chance shots, and turned it over three times during that late stretch.
Sprink finished with 23 points, but the 6-5 senior was just 7 for 21 from the field. Sprink has struggled the past two games for the Mids, going 12 for 42 (28.6 percent) from the field.
Adam Teague had six threes and 18 points off the bench for Navy. Chris Harris also reached double figures with 11 points before fouling out.
The Mids shot 25 for 66 (35.1 percent) from the field, including 13 of 37 from the arc, and turned the ball over 22 times
Seton Hall was 26 for 64 (40.6 percent) from the arc, with four treys (on 23 attempts). The Pirates went to the foul line 40 times, making 23, Navy was 12 of 19 at the line.
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Friday, November 23, 2007
It's major conference Friday for the Patriot League, with Lehigh visiting Maryland of teh Atlantic Coast Conference and Navy meeting Seton Hall of the Big East at the Palestra in Philly,
SCOUTING MARYLAND: The Terps come into this one on a two-game losing streak, dropping contests with UCLA and Missouri after opening with wins over North Florida, Hampton and Northeastern.
Turnovers have plagued Maryland -- they average almost 22 per game. They also don't shoot real well (43.1 percent), especially from three-[point range (25.7 percent). Opponents have averaged 68.2 points per game while shooting 38.3 percent from teh field against Maryland, which guards the arc well (opponents are 24.8 percent from three-point range).
Maryland's offense, as those three-pointer stats might tell you, has come mainly in the paint. Galvis Vasquez, a 6-6 sophomore from Venezuela, leads the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and is second in rebounding (6.4 rpg). he likes to shoot from the arc, but has struggled there, going 5 of 29 thus far. James Gist, a 6-9 senior, averages 15.4 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Bambale Osby (6-8 sr.) averages 12.2 points and 6.2 boards.
BONUS LINKS:
(Baltimore Sun)
(Wash. Moonie)
(Wash. Post)
SCOUTING SETON HALL: The Midhsipmen's first opponent in the Philly portion of the comes in at 3-0 with overtime wins over Monmouth and Robert Morris and a win over Loyola (Md.) in their last outing.
The Pirates are a high-scoing ballclub averaging 98 points per contest. Even if you factor out the 31 points scored in overtime, that still figures out to almost 88 per 40 minutes.
Seton Hall has five guys averaging in double figures, led by 6-0 senior guard Eugene Harvey (23.3 ppg). Perhapos surprisingly, given his size and position, Harvey is not a three-point threat. He has only tried four shots from the arc, making one. His shooting percentage (54.1 percent from the field) and teh fact that he is averaging 12 trips to the foul line per game, suggest he is more of a take you off the dribble penetrator. His 5.3 assists per game suggest he is as adept at kicking the ball out to open shooters as he is at finishing himself.
Among those Harvey might find on the perimeter are 6-2 senior Jamar Nutter (13.3 ppg), a 45.5 percent shooter from the arc, and 6-5 freshman Jeremy Hazell, who comes off the bench to score13.7 ppg while shooting 44 percent from three-point range.
Swingman Brian Laing, a 6-5 senior, is averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 boards per game. John Garcia, a 6-9 sophomore, carries a 10 ppg average and grabs 8 caroms per game.
BONUS LINKS:
(Star-Ledger)
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SCOUTING MARYLAND: The Terps come into this one on a two-game losing streak, dropping contests with UCLA and Missouri after opening with wins over North Florida, Hampton and Northeastern.
Turnovers have plagued Maryland -- they average almost 22 per game. They also don't shoot real well (43.1 percent), especially from three-[point range (25.7 percent). Opponents have averaged 68.2 points per game while shooting 38.3 percent from teh field against Maryland, which guards the arc well (opponents are 24.8 percent from three-point range).
Maryland's offense, as those three-pointer stats might tell you, has come mainly in the paint. Galvis Vasquez, a 6-6 sophomore from Venezuela, leads the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and is second in rebounding (6.4 rpg). he likes to shoot from the arc, but has struggled there, going 5 of 29 thus far. James Gist, a 6-9 senior, averages 15.4 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Bambale Osby (6-8 sr.) averages 12.2 points and 6.2 boards.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING SETON HALL: The Midhsipmen's first opponent in the Philly portion of the comes in at 3-0 with overtime wins over Monmouth and Robert Morris and a win over Loyola (Md.) in their last outing.
The Pirates are a high-scoing ballclub averaging 98 points per contest. Even if you factor out the 31 points scored in overtime, that still figures out to almost 88 per 40 minutes.
Seton Hall has five guys averaging in double figures, led by 6-0 senior guard Eugene Harvey (23.3 ppg). Perhapos surprisingly, given his size and position, Harvey is not a three-point threat. He has only tried four shots from the arc, making one. His shooting percentage (54.1 percent from the field) and teh fact that he is averaging 12 trips to the foul line per game, suggest he is more of a take you off the dribble penetrator. His 5.3 assists per game suggest he is as adept at kicking the ball out to open shooters as he is at finishing himself.
Among those Harvey might find on the perimeter are 6-2 senior Jamar Nutter (13.3 ppg), a 45.5 percent shooter from the arc, and 6-5 freshman Jeremy Hazell, who comes off the bench to score13.7 ppg while shooting 44 percent from three-point range.
Swingman Brian Laing, a 6-5 senior, is averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 boards per game. John Garcia, a 6-9 sophomore, carries a 10 ppg average and grabs 8 caroms per game.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Lehigh, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
(Originally posted Tues. at 9:51 p.m, links added at 7:319 a.m.)
Billy Lange shook up the Midshipmen's starting lineup and shook out a 71-60 win over Canisius, ending a three-game losing streak.
Brian Richards, a 6-9 junior who toiled on Navy's jayvee squad all of his freshman and most of his sophomore seasons, got his first varsity start and made the most of it. Richards, one of three changes in the first five and one of two players making their first career start, scored 15 points and grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds, five on the offensive glass.
Richards boardwork was a big part of the Navy win. The Mids only shot 39.1 percent from the field (27-69), and made just 4 of 12 from the three-point arc. But Navy held a 42-36 edge on the boards, with 16 of those rebounds on the offensive glass.
Defense had a little to do with it, too. The Mids forced 30 Canisius turnovers. That offset the edge the Golden Griffins had from the floor. Canisius shot better, hitting 45.1 percent from the field. But they only took 51 shots (making 23). Canisius was 7 for 21 at the arc, but just 7 of 14 at the foul line.
In addition to taking 18 more shots from the field, Navy went to the line 19 times, connecting on 13.
Greg Sprink led the scoring for Navy, which broke open a 49-49 tie on a Sprink free throw with 6:56 to go and pulled away from there.
Kaleo Kina, replaced in the starting lineup by 6-4 freshman Romeo Garcia, responded with 10 points and three steals off the bench. The third change in the Navy starting five came at center, where Ben Biles reclaimed his starting spot after having lost it to 6-10 freshman Jeremy Wilson last time out.
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Billy Lange shook up the Midshipmen's starting lineup and shook out a 71-60 win over Canisius, ending a three-game losing streak.
Brian Richards, a 6-9 junior who toiled on Navy's jayvee squad all of his freshman and most of his sophomore seasons, got his first varsity start and made the most of it. Richards, one of three changes in the first five and one of two players making their first career start, scored 15 points and grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds, five on the offensive glass.
Richards boardwork was a big part of the Navy win. The Mids only shot 39.1 percent from the field (27-69), and made just 4 of 12 from the three-point arc. But Navy held a 42-36 edge on the boards, with 16 of those rebounds on the offensive glass.
Defense had a little to do with it, too. The Mids forced 30 Canisius turnovers. That offset the edge the Golden Griffins had from the floor. Canisius shot better, hitting 45.1 percent from the field. But they only took 51 shots (making 23). Canisius was 7 for 21 at the arc, but just 7 of 14 at the foul line.
In addition to taking 18 more shots from the field, Navy went to the line 19 times, connecting on 13.
Greg Sprink led the scoring for Navy, which broke open a 49-49 tie on a Sprink free throw with 6:56 to go and pulled away from there.
Kaleo Kina, replaced in the starting lineup by 6-4 freshman Romeo Garcia, responded with 10 points and three steals off the bench. The third change in the Navy starting five came at center, where Ben Biles reclaimed his starting spot after having lost it to 6-10 freshman Jeremy Wilson last time out.
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The season's busiest night to date is on tap with a seven six-game slate. Two games, Army at Cornell and Harvard at Holy Cross, pit Patriot League teams against Ivies. Also on the slate are tough tests for Lehigh (at Albany), Colgate (home vs. Marist), American (at Morgan State), Lafayette (hosting UMBC). Rounding out the schedule is Canisus at Navy. EDITOR'S NOTE: It happens every year, at least once; we go by the composite schedule in the league's media guide and then find out later the date or time for a game has been changed, or listed incorrectly. The Marist-Colgate game is Wednesday, not tonight. The Marist scouting report is here anyhow, if you are interested.)
SCOUTING CORNELL: The Big Red (1-1) has been an offensive juggernaut through two games, averaging 88 points per game. They also give up points by the bushel -- 102 in their most recent outing, a 102-89 loss to Ohio and 83 in their 87-83 opening win over Lehigh.
Jason Hartford (18.5 ppg) , a 6-9 forward with three-point range, leads Cornell. Hartford is also the Big Red's top rebounder (6.5 per game). Guard Ryan Wittman is averaging 16 ppg and is 8 for 12 from the arc in two games. Louis Dale, a 5-11 sophomore, sets up the scoring. Dale is averaging 9.5 assists per game.
Cornell has won eight in a row against Army. Junior Brian Keefer scored 23 in a Cornell win over Army last season and has averaged 16 ppg in two careeer games against the Big Red. But Army probably does not have to worry about him this time. In two games, Keefer has a DNP in one and played 3 minutes in the other.
The Black Knights have plenty of other folks to be concerned about, though. In addition to hartford and Wittman, (stats are pdf file) in double figures.
BONUS LINKS:
(Cornell Sun)
SCOUTING MORGAN STATE: The Bears are 2-1 headed into their home opener against American. Included in their wins is a 77-53 win at Saint Francis (Pa.). AU also has a win at Saint Francis. Morgan State's other win came over Ohio Valley, a Division II team (77-66) in the consolation round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Storrs regional. That followed a 69-65 loss to UConn in the opener.
Coached by former Cal coach Todd Bozeman, the Bears are led by Reggie Holmes, a 6-4 sophomore guard who averages 17 ppg. Holmes is 11 for 19 from the arc in three games. Marquise Kately (6-5 junior forward) averages 13.7 ppg and Jamar Smith (6-2 senior guard) averages 12.3 ppg. In the paint, 6-9 senior Boubacar Coly is averaging almost a double-double at 9.3 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Morgan State is shooting only 43.5 percent from the field as a team, but they have held opponents to 41.7 percent.
BONUS LINKS:
(Examiner)
SCOUTING MARIST: The Red Foxes are 1-3 after dropping three straight at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament. Marist's first two losses came without the services of senior guard Louie McCroskey, a 6-5 senior guard who played all 40 minutes in the Red Foxes' in the seventh place consolation game. McCroskey scored 18 points in his Marist debut, which was for either violating team rules or due to questions about his academic eligibility -- depending which story you read.
Spongy Benjamin, a 6-7 senior, averages 11 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for Marist.
BONUS LINKS:
(Times Herald-Record)
SCOUTING UMBC: The Retrievers are 3-0 for the first time since 2002 following a 70-68 win at Richmond. How they are undefeated is a bit of a mystery. UMBC is shooting 42.3 percent from the field and allowing opponents to shoot 47 percent. But the Retrievers are hotting better from the arc (43.6 percent) than from two-point range and have been getting to the foul line an average of 10 times more per game than their opponents.
UMBC only goes seven deep, which ought to translate into a legs issue at some point if they keep playing at the pace they have been (75.7 ppg). Whether that will be a problem against a Lafayette team that tends to sub in waves remains to be seen -- it is still early in the season.
Four players average in double figures for UMBC. Senior Brian Hodges (6-3) leads the way with 17.7 ppg. Coppin State transfer Darryl Proctor, a 6-4 junior, averages 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. James Madison transfer Cavell Johnson (6-8 senior) is averaging almost a double-double at 15.3 points and 9 boards and 6-2 senior guard Ray Barbosa, another James Madison transfer, is scoring 11.3 per game.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for Barbosa, an Allentown native who reportedly considered Lehigh before settling on UMBC when he decided to leave James Madison. Little used 5-8 senior guard Jay Greene is also a Lehigh Valley native (Whitehall HS).
BONUS LINKS:
(The Retriever)
SCOUTING ALBANY: The Great Danes are 2-1 after losing their opener 55-42 at Bucknell. Since then, the Danes have posted wins at Central Connecticut and, most recently, at home over Columbia in a game where they held the Lions to 38 points (70-38).
Defense is Albany's calling card thus far. The Danes are shooting just 42.7 percent from the field and have just two players averaging in double figures (Brian Lillis, 6-5 guard, and Jon Iati, a 5-9 senior guard both average 12.7 ppg), but they have held opponents to 34 percent shooting from the field and just 15 percent shooting from the arc.
The includes nine guys 6-5 or taller. Their starting fibe goes 6-8, 6-8, 6-7, 6-5, 6-5. That helps explain why opponents are having such difficulty from the perimeter. Lehigh guard Marquis Hall, the Mountain Hawks' leading scorer, will be giving away six inches to whichever guard Albany coach Will Brown decided to play on him (either Lillis or 6-5 Jerel Hastings.
BONUS LINKS:
previw (Albany Times Union blog)
SCOUTING CANISIUS: The Golden Griff are 0-2 and coming off the worst loss in school history (93-40 at Penn State). Canisius also failed to score 50 in a season-opening loss to Colgate.
Freshman Elton Frazier posted a 13-13 double-double at Penn State. He leads Canisus in scoring (10 ppg) and rebounds (9 rpg.)
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING HARVARD: Tommy Amaker's Crimson are 2-2 after winning their last two over Northwestern State and Mercer. Harvard opened with losses to Stanford and UC Santa Barbara.
Four players are averaging in double figures for Harvard, led by 6-0 junior Drew Houseman (14.3 ppg) and 6-2 sophomore Jeremy Lin (13.8 ppg). Senior guard Andrew Pusar averages 11.5 ppg and 6-9 junior Evan Harris averages 11 ppg and shares the team lead in rebounding with 7.3 rpg.
BONUS LINKS:
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SCOUTING CORNELL: The Big Red (1-1) has been an offensive juggernaut through two games, averaging 88 points per game. They also give up points by the bushel -- 102 in their most recent outing, a 102-89 loss to Ohio and 83 in their 87-83 opening win over Lehigh.
Jason Hartford (18.5 ppg) , a 6-9 forward with three-point range, leads Cornell. Hartford is also the Big Red's top rebounder (6.5 per game). Guard Ryan Wittman is averaging 16 ppg and is 8 for 12 from the arc in two games. Louis Dale, a 5-11 sophomore, sets up the scoring. Dale is averaging 9.5 assists per game.
Cornell has won eight in a row against Army. Junior Brian Keefer scored 23 in a Cornell win over Army last season and has averaged 16 ppg in two careeer games against the Big Red. But Army probably does not have to worry about him this time. In two games, Keefer has a DNP in one and played 3 minutes in the other.
The Black Knights have plenty of other folks to be concerned about, though. In addition to hartford and Wittman, (stats are pdf file) in double figures.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MORGAN STATE: The Bears are 2-1 headed into their home opener against American. Included in their wins is a 77-53 win at Saint Francis (Pa.). AU also has a win at Saint Francis. Morgan State's other win came over Ohio Valley, a Division II team (77-66) in the consolation round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Storrs regional. That followed a 69-65 loss to UConn in the opener.
Coached by former Cal coach Todd Bozeman, the Bears are led by Reggie Holmes, a 6-4 sophomore guard who averages 17 ppg. Holmes is 11 for 19 from the arc in three games. Marquise Kately (6-5 junior forward) averages 13.7 ppg and Jamar Smith (6-2 senior guard) averages 12.3 ppg. In the paint, 6-9 senior Boubacar Coly is averaging almost a double-double at 9.3 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Morgan State is shooting only 43.5 percent from the field as a team, but they have held opponents to 41.7 percent.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MARIST: The Red Foxes are 1-3 after dropping three straight at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament. Marist's first two losses came without the services of senior guard Louie McCroskey, a 6-5 senior guard who played all 40 minutes in the Red Foxes' in the seventh place consolation game. McCroskey scored 18 points in his Marist debut, which was for either violating team rules or due to questions about his academic eligibility -- depending which story you read.
Spongy Benjamin, a 6-7 senior, averages 11 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for Marist.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING UMBC: The Retrievers are 3-0 for the first time since 2002 following a 70-68 win at Richmond. How they are undefeated is a bit of a mystery. UMBC is shooting 42.3 percent from the field and allowing opponents to shoot 47 percent. But the Retrievers are hotting better from the arc (43.6 percent) than from two-point range and have been getting to the foul line an average of 10 times more per game than their opponents.
UMBC only goes seven deep, which ought to translate into a legs issue at some point if they keep playing at the pace they have been (75.7 ppg). Whether that will be a problem against a Lafayette team that tends to sub in waves remains to be seen -- it is still early in the season.
Four players average in double figures for UMBC. Senior Brian Hodges (6-3) leads the way with 17.7 ppg. Coppin State transfer Darryl Proctor, a 6-4 junior, averages 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. James Madison transfer Cavell Johnson (6-8 senior) is averaging almost a double-double at 15.3 points and 9 boards and 6-2 senior guard Ray Barbosa, another James Madison transfer, is scoring 11.3 per game.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for Barbosa, an Allentown native who reportedly considered Lehigh before settling on UMBC when he decided to leave James Madison. Little used 5-8 senior guard Jay Greene is also a Lehigh Valley native (Whitehall HS).
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ALBANY: The Great Danes are 2-1 after losing their opener 55-42 at Bucknell. Since then, the Danes have posted wins at Central Connecticut and, most recently, at home over Columbia in a game where they held the Lions to 38 points (70-38).
Defense is Albany's calling card thus far. The Danes are shooting just 42.7 percent from the field and have just two players averaging in double figures (Brian Lillis, 6-5 guard, and Jon Iati, a 5-9 senior guard both average 12.7 ppg), but they have held opponents to 34 percent shooting from the field and just 15 percent shooting from the arc.
The includes nine guys 6-5 or taller. Their starting fibe goes 6-8, 6-8, 6-7, 6-5, 6-5. That helps explain why opponents are having such difficulty from the perimeter. Lehigh guard Marquis Hall, the Mountain Hawks' leading scorer, will be giving away six inches to whichever guard Albany coach Will Brown decided to play on him (either Lillis or 6-5 Jerel Hastings.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING CANISIUS: The Golden Griff are 0-2 and coming off the worst loss in school history (93-40 at Penn State). Canisius also failed to score 50 in a season-opening loss to Colgate.
Freshman Elton Frazier posted a 13-13 double-double at Penn State. He leads Canisus in scoring (10 ppg) and rebounds (9 rpg.)
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING HARVARD: Tommy Amaker's Crimson are 2-2 after winning their last two over Northwestern State and Mercer. Harvard opened with losses to Stanford and UC Santa Barbara.
Four players are averaging in double figures for Harvard, led by 6-0 junior Drew Houseman (14.3 ppg) and 6-2 sophomore Jeremy Lin (13.8 ppg). Senior guard Andrew Pusar averages 11.5 ppg and 6-9 junior Evan Harris averages 11 ppg and shares the team lead in rebounding with 7.3 rpg.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy, previews
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Monday, November 19, 2007
Highlights from the latest memo from the home office in Bethlehem:
Team Notebooks
American
American earned its first home victory of the season with a 64-56 triumph over Stony Brook on Sunday afernoon...Earlier in the week, the Eagles lost a pair of games to MAAC teams falling at Loyola (Md.), 71-67, on Tuesday and losing their home opener to Fairfield, 60-52, on Thursday...Derrick Mercer nearly notched a triple-double in the win against Stony Brook, recording 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists....Mercer played every minute of all three games last week...He moved into the American top 10 with 266 career assists...Garrison Carr averaged over 17 points for the week...Both players are tied for the team lead with 18.2 ppg for the season...American's two-game losing streak that was snapped Sunday was its longest since last February....The Eagles are back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Morgan State.
Army
The Black Knights fell in their home opener to Long Island, 64-54, on Friday...They got into the win column for the first timewith a 64-49 triumph at Sacred Heart on Monday...Jarell Brown starred against Sacred Heart, scoring 26 points on 9-of-16 from the field and 6-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc...Brown's six three-pointers against the Pioneers tied for 10th on the Army single-game list ... It was the 17th game of his career with at least 20 points...Brown has not been held to less than 10 points in consecutive games since the start of the 2005-06 season, though he was held to four in the loss to Long Island...He is now only 66 points shy of 1,000 for his career...The Black Knights' overcame a 10-point first-half deficit in the win against Sacred Heart. It was their first double-digit comeback in a victory since Dec. 2, 2005 at Columbia...Army has made at least one three-pointer in 174 straight games...With the win against Sacred Heart, Army is now 13-3 in the Jim Crews Era when holding teams to less than 50 points...Kenny Brewer, Josh Miller and John Moonshower all set or tied career highs in points against LIU...The Black Knights are back on the road Tuesday at Cornell.
Bucknell
Bucknell scored a solid non-League win with a 71-57 triumph at Towson on Wednesday, and just missed an upset with a 70-64 loss at No. 23/24 Villanova on Sunday...The Bison led Villanova by eight points at halftime, and had a nine-point edge early in the second half...The game was tied inside 4:00 to play, but the Wildcats pulled it out in the end... Bucknell set a school record with 15 3-pointers in the game, six coming from John Griffin and four from Patrick Behan...Griffin had his first two 20-point games last week, recording 21 against Towson and topping it with 22 against Villanova....Griffin had 17 in the first half against the Wildcats...He has 151 career three-pointers, and needs only three more to enter the Bucknell top five...Behan tied his career high with 16 points against the Wildcats...Justin Castleberry equaled his career high with 16 points in the win at Towson, scoring all 16 in the second half...Freshman G.W. Boon had 11 points in 14 minutes against Villanova...The Bison shot 25-for-54 (.463) from the arc in the two games last week....Bucknell is off until Saturday when it travels to Wagner.
Colgate
Colgate rolled off an impressive week, winning the 100 Club Classic with wins over Texas State and host Kennesaw State over the weekend and recording a 61-47 victory at Cansisus on Tuesday...They are at 4-0 for the first time as a Patriot League member, and the first time overall since 1979-80...Colgate's win at Canisius was its first since 1946-47, breaking a string of 13 consecutive road losses to the Golden Griffins...Kyle Roemer was named MVP of the 100 Club Classic after recording 24 points in the win over Texas State and 25 in the championship game victory over Kennesaw State...Roemer moved into seventh place in school history with 121 three-point field goals made...Tim Pounds had a career-high 19 points in the win over Texas State, and Ben Jonson had a career-high 15 in the win over Kennesaw State...Both players were named to the All-Tournament team...The Raiders play the last Patriot League game before Thanksgiving, hosting Marist on Wednesday night.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders moved their record to 3-0 with a 60-52 win at Hampton on Saturday...They won both games on the road last week, knocking off Fairfield 67-54 on Tuesday...They have held all three opponents under 55 points this season, and are allowing only 51 points per game overall...Colin Cunningham had a career-high in points (17) against Fairfield, and in assists (5) against Hampton....Cunningham connected on all 11 of his foul shots during the week...Freshman Andrew Beinert scored the first two points of his career against Fairfield, and connected on a pair of three-pointers againt Hampton....Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Tim Clifford tallied a game-high 22 points in the win at Hampton....The Crusaders held the Pirates to 15-of-49 (30.6 percent) shooting in the win...They are back in action Tuesday night at home against Harvard.
Lafayette
The Leopards notched their first win of the season in overtime with a 76-68 triumph at Stony Brook on Monday, then fell to Fairleigh Dickinson, 98-92, on Friday at home...Lafayette trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half against Stony Brook...Andrew Brown sent the Stony Brook game to overtime with a basket with 17 seconds to play, and scored all of his 21 points in the second half and overtime...Brown followed that with an 18-point, four-assist effort against Fairleigh Dickinson to average 19.5 ppg for the week...Freshman Deirunas Visockas had a breakout game against FDU with 15 points in just 15 minutes, and shot 5-of-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range...Lafayette had four players in double digits for the first time since Jan. 11, 2006 in the win over Stony Brook, then did it again in the loss to FDU...Brown and Bilal Abdullah were in double figures in both games, while Matt Betley, Michael Gruner, Jeff Kari and Visockas all had a game of 10 points or more...Lafayette is at home on Tuesday against UMBC.
Lehigh
Lehigh got its overall record to 2-1 with a pair of wins this week, knocking off St. Peter's, 60-56, at home on Wednesday for First-Year Head Coach Brett Reed's first win and won at St. Francis (Pa.) 71-66 on Saturday...Marquis Hall came up huge in both games, hitting the game-winning shot with 49 seconds to play for a 57-56 lead and scoring the final seven Lehigh points in the last 1:24 against St. Peter's and scoring six points in the final 2:39 and hitting a go-ahead and eventual game-winning three-pointer with 1:04 to play against St. Francis (Pa.)...Hall averaged 18.5 ppg in the two games, and leads the Mountain Hawks with 18.0 ppg for the season...Senior Bryan White has pulled down a total of 44 rebounds in his last four games, including two games of double-digit boards this season...Lehigh beat St. Peter's for the first time ever, and knocked off St. Francis (Pa.) for the first time since 1986...Lehigh won its first home opener since 2002...The win at St. Francis (Pa.) was Lehigh's first non-league road victory sine January 2, 2006 when the Mountain Hawks defeated Columbia...This is the earliest that Lehigh has been above .500 since 2002-03...The Mountain Hawks go to Albany on Tuesday.
Navy
The Mids dropped a pair of games last week, losing at Texas-San Antonio 77-67 on Saturday after falling, 93-77, to Robert Morris in their home opener on Wednesday...Greg Sprink led the way with 19 points, four assists and three rebounds against Robert Morris, and totaled 13 points against Texas-San Antonio...Freshman Mark Veazey notched seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks against Robert Morris...Navy outrebounded its first foe since Jan. 6, 2007, in the loss to Texas-San Antonio, a span of 18 games. The last opponent Navy outrebounded was Bucknell in the Patriot League opener a year ago...Navy's 15 offensive rebounds against UTSA were the most since recording 17 against Colgate on Feb. 25, 2006...Navy's bench is shooting 49.5 percent this year and is averaging 33.0 points per game...Navy fired just 12 three-point shots, making five against UTSA. The 12 three-point attempts are the fewest since shooting just 11 against American on Feb. 23, 2006. The five made three-pointers are the fewest since making three in that same game...Navy has a busy week, hosting Canisus on Tuesday before playing in the Philly Classic on Friday against Seton Hall and Saturday against Penn or Virginia...Games are being played at the Palestra.
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Team Notebooks
American
American earned its first home victory of the season with a 64-56 triumph over Stony Brook on Sunday afernoon...Earlier in the week, the Eagles lost a pair of games to MAAC teams falling at Loyola (Md.), 71-67, on Tuesday and losing their home opener to Fairfield, 60-52, on Thursday...Derrick Mercer nearly notched a triple-double in the win against Stony Brook, recording 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists....Mercer played every minute of all three games last week...He moved into the American top 10 with 266 career assists...Garrison Carr averaged over 17 points for the week...Both players are tied for the team lead with 18.2 ppg for the season...American's two-game losing streak that was snapped Sunday was its longest since last February....The Eagles are back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Morgan State.
Army
The Black Knights fell in their home opener to Long Island, 64-54, on Friday...They got into the win column for the first timewith a 64-49 triumph at Sacred Heart on Monday...Jarell Brown starred against Sacred Heart, scoring 26 points on 9-of-16 from the field and 6-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc...Brown's six three-pointers against the Pioneers tied for 10th on the Army single-game list ... It was the 17th game of his career with at least 20 points...Brown has not been held to less than 10 points in consecutive games since the start of the 2005-06 season, though he was held to four in the loss to Long Island...He is now only 66 points shy of 1,000 for his career...The Black Knights' overcame a 10-point first-half deficit in the win against Sacred Heart. It was their first double-digit comeback in a victory since Dec. 2, 2005 at Columbia...Army has made at least one three-pointer in 174 straight games...With the win against Sacred Heart, Army is now 13-3 in the Jim Crews Era when holding teams to less than 50 points...Kenny Brewer, Josh Miller and John Moonshower all set or tied career highs in points against LIU...The Black Knights are back on the road Tuesday at Cornell.
Bucknell
Bucknell scored a solid non-League win with a 71-57 triumph at Towson on Wednesday, and just missed an upset with a 70-64 loss at No. 23/24 Villanova on Sunday...The Bison led Villanova by eight points at halftime, and had a nine-point edge early in the second half...The game was tied inside 4:00 to play, but the Wildcats pulled it out in the end... Bucknell set a school record with 15 3-pointers in the game, six coming from John Griffin and four from Patrick Behan...Griffin had his first two 20-point games last week, recording 21 against Towson and topping it with 22 against Villanova....Griffin had 17 in the first half against the Wildcats...He has 151 career three-pointers, and needs only three more to enter the Bucknell top five...Behan tied his career high with 16 points against the Wildcats...Justin Castleberry equaled his career high with 16 points in the win at Towson, scoring all 16 in the second half...Freshman G.W. Boon had 11 points in 14 minutes against Villanova...The Bison shot 25-for-54 (.463) from the arc in the two games last week....Bucknell is off until Saturday when it travels to Wagner.
Colgate
Colgate rolled off an impressive week, winning the 100 Club Classic with wins over Texas State and host Kennesaw State over the weekend and recording a 61-47 victory at Cansisus on Tuesday...They are at 4-0 for the first time as a Patriot League member, and the first time overall since 1979-80...Colgate's win at Canisius was its first since 1946-47, breaking a string of 13 consecutive road losses to the Golden Griffins...Kyle Roemer was named MVP of the 100 Club Classic after recording 24 points in the win over Texas State and 25 in the championship game victory over Kennesaw State...Roemer moved into seventh place in school history with 121 three-point field goals made...Tim Pounds had a career-high 19 points in the win over Texas State, and Ben Jonson had a career-high 15 in the win over Kennesaw State...Both players were named to the All-Tournament team...The Raiders play the last Patriot League game before Thanksgiving, hosting Marist on Wednesday night.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders moved their record to 3-0 with a 60-52 win at Hampton on Saturday...They won both games on the road last week, knocking off Fairfield 67-54 on Tuesday...They have held all three opponents under 55 points this season, and are allowing only 51 points per game overall...Colin Cunningham had a career-high in points (17) against Fairfield, and in assists (5) against Hampton....Cunningham connected on all 11 of his foul shots during the week...Freshman Andrew Beinert scored the first two points of his career against Fairfield, and connected on a pair of three-pointers againt Hampton....Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Tim Clifford tallied a game-high 22 points in the win at Hampton....The Crusaders held the Pirates to 15-of-49 (30.6 percent) shooting in the win...They are back in action Tuesday night at home against Harvard.
Lafayette
The Leopards notched their first win of the season in overtime with a 76-68 triumph at Stony Brook on Monday, then fell to Fairleigh Dickinson, 98-92, on Friday at home...Lafayette trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half against Stony Brook...Andrew Brown sent the Stony Brook game to overtime with a basket with 17 seconds to play, and scored all of his 21 points in the second half and overtime...Brown followed that with an 18-point, four-assist effort against Fairleigh Dickinson to average 19.5 ppg for the week...Freshman Deirunas Visockas had a breakout game against FDU with 15 points in just 15 minutes, and shot 5-of-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range...Lafayette had four players in double digits for the first time since Jan. 11, 2006 in the win over Stony Brook, then did it again in the loss to FDU...Brown and Bilal Abdullah were in double figures in both games, while Matt Betley, Michael Gruner, Jeff Kari and Visockas all had a game of 10 points or more...Lafayette is at home on Tuesday against UMBC.
Lehigh
Lehigh got its overall record to 2-1 with a pair of wins this week, knocking off St. Peter's, 60-56, at home on Wednesday for First-Year Head Coach Brett Reed's first win and won at St. Francis (Pa.) 71-66 on Saturday...Marquis Hall came up huge in both games, hitting the game-winning shot with 49 seconds to play for a 57-56 lead and scoring the final seven Lehigh points in the last 1:24 against St. Peter's and scoring six points in the final 2:39 and hitting a go-ahead and eventual game-winning three-pointer with 1:04 to play against St. Francis (Pa.)...Hall averaged 18.5 ppg in the two games, and leads the Mountain Hawks with 18.0 ppg for the season...Senior Bryan White has pulled down a total of 44 rebounds in his last four games, including two games of double-digit boards this season...Lehigh beat St. Peter's for the first time ever, and knocked off St. Francis (Pa.) for the first time since 1986...Lehigh won its first home opener since 2002...The win at St. Francis (Pa.) was Lehigh's first non-league road victory sine January 2, 2006 when the Mountain Hawks defeated Columbia...This is the earliest that Lehigh has been above .500 since 2002-03...The Mountain Hawks go to Albany on Tuesday.
Navy
The Mids dropped a pair of games last week, losing at Texas-San Antonio 77-67 on Saturday after falling, 93-77, to Robert Morris in their home opener on Wednesday...Greg Sprink led the way with 19 points, four assists and three rebounds against Robert Morris, and totaled 13 points against Texas-San Antonio...Freshman Mark Veazey notched seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks against Robert Morris...Navy outrebounded its first foe since Jan. 6, 2007, in the loss to Texas-San Antonio, a span of 18 games. The last opponent Navy outrebounded was Bucknell in the Patriot League opener a year ago...Navy's 15 offensive rebounds against UTSA were the most since recording 17 against Colgate on Feb. 25, 2006...Navy's bench is shooting 49.5 percent this year and is averaging 33.0 points per game...Navy fired just 12 three-point shots, making five against UTSA. The 12 three-point attempts are the fewest since shooting just 11 against American on Feb. 23, 2006. The five made three-pointers are the fewest since making three in that same game...Navy has a busy week, hosting Canisus on Tuesday before playing in the Philly Classic on Friday against Seton Hall and Saturday against Penn or Virginia...Games are being played at the Palestra.
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy
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A quick look at some news and numbers from around the league.
NO RUST ON ROEMER: One of the questions for Colgate entering the season was how effective Kyle Roemer would be after missing the Raiders last 32 games over the past two seasons due to injuries. Conventional wisdom was that it would take Roemer at least a few games to shake off the rust accumulated after missing the final three games of the 2005-06 season with a concussion and all 29 of last season with an ankle injury.
The answer is: no time at all. Roemer is averaging a league-best 20 points per game through Colgate's first four outings. The 6-3 redshirt (medical) junior, who averaged 10.7 ppg through his first two seasons, has scored 15, 16, 24 and 25 in four games thus far. The 25 against Kennesaw State Saturday broke his career-high set the night before against Texas State. The two 20-point games equalled the number of 20-point performances Roemer recorded in the first 54 games of his career.
This far, Roemer is shooting 40 percent from three-point range, with 12 of his 26 field goals coming from the arc.
BROWN OUT: Big things are expected this season from Army's Jarrell Brown, but through three games, Brown's offense has been hit or miss -- and more miss than hit. Sandwiched around his 26-point outburst against Sacred Heart are a 5-point night in the opener at Minnesota and a 4-point showing in last week's loss to Long Island.
Brown, who scored 20 points in 11 games last season and reached double figures in 26 of the Black Knights' 31 contests, averaged 16.9 points per game last season, shooting 41.8 percent from the field. He is shooting just 34.3 percent this season, and his average is down to 11.7 ppg, tied with teammate Kenny Brewer, who is averaging 11.7 ppg off the bench. Brewer has arguably been Army's best offensive player. He is shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.
SMALL BALL: American coach Jeff Jones was looking to add some size to his lineup after the graduation Brayden Billbe and Paulius Jonelius when he went the juco route in recruiting. But after a 1-2 start, Jones went smaller in the Eagles' win Sunday over Stony Brook. Cornelius Guibunda, the 6-9 junior transfer from Georgetown, who started the first three games, was relegated to the bench. His place in the starting lineup was taken by 6-5 Jordan Nichols. Guibunda played only 3 minutes against Stony Brook.
GROWING PAINS: Navy, on the other hand, has tried to go bigger this season, starting a pair of 6-10 guys in all four games. Freshman Mark Veazey has started all four games. Fellow freshman Jeremy Wilson, another 6-10 guy, started in Navy's most recent contest, replacing 6-10 senior Ben Biles in the starting five But the added size has not resulted in an added presence in the paint. Navy has been outrebounded by an average of more than 6 boards per game. The lack of an inside attack is a big reason why opponents have made 82 free throws (on 115 tries) thus far, while Navy has only shot 78 (54 made).
Navy's 1-3 start can't be blamed entirely on the big men, though. The Mids are also averaging 20.3 turnovers per game.
NAVY'S NOT ALONE: Through three games, 1-2 Lafayette has also had inside problems. The Leopards are shooting almost two percentage points (43.2-41.3) better than their opponents and have hit twice as many threes (32-15, Lafayette shooting 39.5 percent, foes 26.3 from the arc). But the 'Pards are 1-3. The slow start is primarily due to being outrebounded on average by 10 boards per game (44.3-34.3). It has not helped that opponents have made 77 of 106 free throws and Lafayette has only shot 83 foul shots (making 54).
YOU ARE WHO YOU PLAY: It is still way too early to take the RPI rankings seriously, but the early numbers do give you a peak at both the relative strength of the league's teams, and to perhaps a greater extent, the strength of the schedules they have played. Bucknell, which was No. 1 last week, slipped, but not far, after Sunday's loss to Villanova. The Bison are No. 6 in the RPI as of Monday morning. Holy Cross is up to No. 11 after beating Hampton and Colgate is also in the top 64, checking in at No. 58. Navy is the only other team in the top 200 (barely), checking in at 197. Other league teams and their RPI; Lehigh - 200, American - 276, Army - 324 and Lafayette - 325. As a conference, the Patriot now ranks No. 18 out of the nation's 32 (including independents) Division I leagues.
NO SURPRISES: Pat Flannery was not surprised Bucknell played Villanova so tough Sunday. Even though the Bison team that beat Kansas had lost by 38 in the ski lodge the last time Bucknell visited the Main Line, and the Bucknell team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament the next year lost by 19 at home, and even though Bucknell's rotation included only one senior and three freshmen, there was no intimidation factor.
"We have some players. We're not coming down here without any players," said Flannery. "Now when we come into a Villnova, there is not that awe, not that wow."
Villanova coach Jay Wright agreed: "I don't think anybody here is surprised. Anybody who saw the halftime score (Bucknell 35, Villanova 27) was not surprised. They do it to everybody. They are just that good."
YOUNG GUNS: You know Bucknell has three freshmen in the rotation, and two of their three seniors out of action due to injuries. But here is another number that emphasizes just how young and inexperienced the Bison are: 38. That is how many starts the dozen guys who have dressed for Bucknell this season had between them when the season started. All 38 of those, by the way, belonged to senior John Griffin.
BLOCK PARTY: Bucknell freshman Todd O'Brien blocked two more shots against Villanova, giving him three straight games with multiple blocks and eight total rejections through the first three games of his career. O'Brien's average of 2.7 blocks per game ranks tops in the league and 39th in the nation. That pace would have been tops in the Patriot League in nine of the past 16 seasons.
As a team, Bucknell had three blocks against Villanova, giving the Bison three or more in three games this season, equalling the number of times they blocked three in a game all of last season.
FOUL MOOD: Holy Cross center Tim Clifford has fouled out twice already in the Crusaders' first three games. Clifford has now been disqualified in 17 games in his career. Clifford's pace of 8.8 fouls per 40 minutes this season is even higher than his career pace of 5.4 fouls per 40 minutes. As a freshman, Clifford averaged 6.3 fouls per 40 minutes. That number dipped to 5.5 per 40 as a sophomore and 4.9 40 last season.
Since Clifford has averaged 15 points and 7.3 rebounds per 40 minutes over his career, his ability to stay on the floor longer could pay huge dividends for Holy Cross.
LEAGUE LEADERS: Conference leaders in selected categories through Sunday with their NCAA rank in parentheses:
Scoring: Kyle Roemer, Colgate -- 20 ppg (tie 72)
Rebounding: Bryan White, Lehigh -- 10.7 rpg (tie 30)
Blocked shots: Todd O'Brien, Bucknell -- 2.7 bpg (39)
3 pt. FG pct.: G.W. Boon, Bucknell; Michael Gruner, Lafayette -- 50 percent (tie 150)
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NO RUST ON ROEMER: One of the questions for Colgate entering the season was how effective Kyle Roemer would be after missing the Raiders last 32 games over the past two seasons due to injuries. Conventional wisdom was that it would take Roemer at least a few games to shake off the rust accumulated after missing the final three games of the 2005-06 season with a concussion and all 29 of last season with an ankle injury.
The answer is: no time at all. Roemer is averaging a league-best 20 points per game through Colgate's first four outings. The 6-3 redshirt (medical) junior, who averaged 10.7 ppg through his first two seasons, has scored 15, 16, 24 and 25 in four games thus far. The 25 against Kennesaw State Saturday broke his career-high set the night before against Texas State. The two 20-point games equalled the number of 20-point performances Roemer recorded in the first 54 games of his career.
This far, Roemer is shooting 40 percent from three-point range, with 12 of his 26 field goals coming from the arc.
BROWN OUT: Big things are expected this season from Army's Jarrell Brown, but through three games, Brown's offense has been hit or miss -- and more miss than hit. Sandwiched around his 26-point outburst against Sacred Heart are a 5-point night in the opener at Minnesota and a 4-point showing in last week's loss to Long Island.
Brown, who scored 20 points in 11 games last season and reached double figures in 26 of the Black Knights' 31 contests, averaged 16.9 points per game last season, shooting 41.8 percent from the field. He is shooting just 34.3 percent this season, and his average is down to 11.7 ppg, tied with teammate Kenny Brewer, who is averaging 11.7 ppg off the bench. Brewer has arguably been Army's best offensive player. He is shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.
SMALL BALL: American coach Jeff Jones was looking to add some size to his lineup after the graduation Brayden Billbe and Paulius Jonelius when he went the juco route in recruiting. But after a 1-2 start, Jones went smaller in the Eagles' win Sunday over Stony Brook. Cornelius Guibunda, the 6-9 junior transfer from Georgetown, who started the first three games, was relegated to the bench. His place in the starting lineup was taken by 6-5 Jordan Nichols. Guibunda played only 3 minutes against Stony Brook.
GROWING PAINS: Navy, on the other hand, has tried to go bigger this season, starting a pair of 6-10 guys in all four games. Freshman Mark Veazey has started all four games. Fellow freshman Jeremy Wilson, another 6-10 guy, started in Navy's most recent contest, replacing 6-10 senior Ben Biles in the starting five But the added size has not resulted in an added presence in the paint. Navy has been outrebounded by an average of more than 6 boards per game. The lack of an inside attack is a big reason why opponents have made 82 free throws (on 115 tries) thus far, while Navy has only shot 78 (54 made).
Navy's 1-3 start can't be blamed entirely on the big men, though. The Mids are also averaging 20.3 turnovers per game.
NAVY'S NOT ALONE: Through three games, 1-2 Lafayette has also had inside problems. The Leopards are shooting almost two percentage points (43.2-41.3) better than their opponents and have hit twice as many threes (32-15, Lafayette shooting 39.5 percent, foes 26.3 from the arc). But the 'Pards are 1-3. The slow start is primarily due to being outrebounded on average by 10 boards per game (44.3-34.3). It has not helped that opponents have made 77 of 106 free throws and Lafayette has only shot 83 foul shots (making 54).
YOU ARE WHO YOU PLAY: It is still way too early to take the RPI rankings seriously, but the early numbers do give you a peak at both the relative strength of the league's teams, and to perhaps a greater extent, the strength of the schedules they have played. Bucknell, which was No. 1 last week, slipped, but not far, after Sunday's loss to Villanova. The Bison are No. 6 in the RPI as of Monday morning. Holy Cross is up to No. 11 after beating Hampton and Colgate is also in the top 64, checking in at No. 58. Navy is the only other team in the top 200 (barely), checking in at 197. Other league teams and their RPI; Lehigh - 200, American - 276, Army - 324 and Lafayette - 325. As a conference, the Patriot now ranks No. 18 out of the nation's 32 (including independents) Division I leagues.
NO SURPRISES: Pat Flannery was not surprised Bucknell played Villanova so tough Sunday. Even though the Bison team that beat Kansas had lost by 38 in the ski lodge the last time Bucknell visited the Main Line, and the Bucknell team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament the next year lost by 19 at home, and even though Bucknell's rotation included only one senior and three freshmen, there was no intimidation factor.
"We have some players. We're not coming down here without any players," said Flannery. "Now when we come into a Villnova, there is not that awe, not that wow."
Villanova coach Jay Wright agreed: "I don't think anybody here is surprised. Anybody who saw the halftime score (Bucknell 35, Villanova 27) was not surprised. They do it to everybody. They are just that good."
YOUNG GUNS: You know Bucknell has three freshmen in the rotation, and two of their three seniors out of action due to injuries. But here is another number that emphasizes just how young and inexperienced the Bison are: 38. That is how many starts the dozen guys who have dressed for Bucknell this season had between them when the season started. All 38 of those, by the way, belonged to senior John Griffin.
BLOCK PARTY: Bucknell freshman Todd O'Brien blocked two more shots against Villanova, giving him three straight games with multiple blocks and eight total rejections through the first three games of his career. O'Brien's average of 2.7 blocks per game ranks tops in the league and 39th in the nation. That pace would have been tops in the Patriot League in nine of the past 16 seasons.
As a team, Bucknell had three blocks against Villanova, giving the Bison three or more in three games this season, equalling the number of times they blocked three in a game all of last season.
FOUL MOOD: Holy Cross center Tim Clifford has fouled out twice already in the Crusaders' first three games. Clifford has now been disqualified in 17 games in his career. Clifford's pace of 8.8 fouls per 40 minutes this season is even higher than his career pace of 5.4 fouls per 40 minutes. As a freshman, Clifford averaged 6.3 fouls per 40 minutes. That number dipped to 5.5 per 40 as a sophomore and 4.9 40 last season.
Since Clifford has averaged 15 points and 7.3 rebounds per 40 minutes over his career, his ability to stay on the floor longer could pay huge dividends for Holy Cross.
LEAGUE LEADERS: Conference leaders in selected categories through Sunday with their NCAA rank in parentheses:
Scoring: Kyle Roemer, Colgate -- 20 ppg (tie 72)
Rebounding: Bryan White, Lehigh -- 10.7 rpg (tie 30)
Blocked shots: Todd O'Brien, Bucknell -- 2.7 bpg (39)
3 pt. FG pct.: G.W. Boon, Bucknell; Michael Gruner, Lafayette -- 50 percent (tie 150)
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy, notebook
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Sunday, November 18, 2007
(Originally posted Sat, at 11:33 p.m., links added at 7:12 a.m.)
Navy's 77-67 loss to Texas-San Antonio was billed as a dress rehersal for the Alamodome, which hosts this season's Final Four.
It won't go down, though, as a night the Midshipmen will want to remember. The Midshipmen turned the ball over 27 times and saw their best player limited to 21 minutes of action by foul trouble.
Greg Sprink, the Patriot League's top returning scorer, fouled out with 13 points, which might have translated into a pretty decent night had he been able to play more than 21 minutes. Sprink was not the only one to hear the whistle a lot. Guard Chris Harris also fouled out, lasting only 13 minutes, and Kaleo Kina (10 points) and Clif Colbert (14 off the bench) each finished with four personals.
The Mids were hit with 27 fouls all together. Another 23 were whistled on UTSA. UTSA went to the line 32 times, making 23. That is 11 more makes and 13 more attempts than Navy managed.
The prime beneficiary of the officials' whistles was UTSA freshman Devin Gibson, who scored 14 of his game-high 19 by going 14 of 18 from the chairty stripe. Gibson also had 7 assists and 7 of UTSA's 16 steals.
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Navy's 77-67 loss to Texas-San Antonio was billed as a dress rehersal for the Alamodome, which hosts this season's Final Four.
It won't go down, though, as a night the Midshipmen will want to remember. The Midshipmen turned the ball over 27 times and saw their best player limited to 21 minutes of action by foul trouble.
Greg Sprink, the Patriot League's top returning scorer, fouled out with 13 points, which might have translated into a pretty decent night had he been able to play more than 21 minutes. Sprink was not the only one to hear the whistle a lot. Guard Chris Harris also fouled out, lasting only 13 minutes, and Kaleo Kina (10 points) and Clif Colbert (14 off the bench) each finished with four personals.
The Mids were hit with 27 fouls all together. Another 23 were whistled on UTSA. UTSA went to the line 32 times, making 23. That is 11 more makes and 13 more attempts than Navy managed.
The prime beneficiary of the officials' whistles was UTSA freshman Devin Gibson, who scored 14 of his game-high 19 by going 14 of 18 from the chairty stripe. Gibson also had 7 assists and 7 of UTSA's 16 steals.
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Saturday, November 17, 2007
Two teams look to stay unbeaten tonight in a four-game schedule of non-conference matchups. The most intriguing is Holy Cross' visit to Hampton, where Ralph Willard faces Kevin Nickelberry in a mentor-protege coaching matchup. Also on tap, Colgate takes on Kennesaw State in the finals of Kennesaw's tournament, Navy plays in the Alamo Dome against Texas-San Antonio and Lehigh heads across Pa. to face St. Francis.
SCOUTING HAMPTON: Former Willard assistant has turned things around in a hurry at Hampton. In his second year, the Pirates are to win the MEAC title.
The Pirates are led by 6-1 senior guard Rashard West, a first team All-MEAC pick last season (and again this preseason) who led the conference in scoring last year (17.8 ppg). West is averaging 21.7 ppg thus far.
Vincent Simpson (6-1 soph.), last season's starter at the point, is averaging 18.3 ppg off the bench. Simpson is part of a stellar sophomore class that also includes preseason second team All-MEAC picks 6-8 Matthew Pilgrim (10.3 ppg) and 6-8 Michael Freeman (6.3 ppg), last year's MEAC rookie of the year.
Don't let Hampton's 1-2 record fool you. The two losses, both by six points, were on the road at and . Their win came at home against .
And don't let opponents scoring 67.3 ppg make you think the Pirates don't play defense. Despite the faster-paced, attacking style Nickelberry prefers, Hampton has shooting from the field.
BONUS LINKS:
(Hampton preview from The (Newport News) Daily Press)
(Boston Herald)
SCOUTING TEXAS- SAN ANTONIO:Picked to in the West Division of the Southland Conference (ahead of only Texas State), the Roadrunners certainly did not live up to their nickname their last time out, scoring only 37 points in a loss to No. 15 Texas. UTSA is either 1-1, or 0-1, depending how you view it. On its Web site, UTSA says 1-1, counting a win over Division III Hardin-Simmons. Hardin-Simmons' site calls that game an exhibition. You be the judge.
Freshman Devin Gibson posted a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds . Gibson is averaging 16.5 points and 7 rebounds per game. junior Travis Gabbidon (6-7), one of eight juco transfers on , averages 11.5 ppg.
This is one offensively challenged team. That low point total against Texas does not appear to be just a matter of the Roadrunners moving up in class for a buy game. UTSA is from the field thus far. Sure the 26.7 percent night against the Longhorns did not help. But UTSA only (33.3 percent in the first half) against D-III Hardin-Simmons. That is a continuation of a theme set by 's 7-22 team, which shot 40.4 percent from the field and averaged only 57.1 ppg.
This is being billed as an Alamodome dress rehearsal for the spring's Final Four, though a more apt billing might be to call it a game between two teams in a big empty building. UTSA drew only 1,593 fans for its home opener. That won't translate well in the 20,000-seat dome.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING KENNESAW STATE: The Owls come in at 1-2 after picking up their in Friday's opening round against Jacksonville State. Shuan Stegall, a 6-7 senior, had 19 points and 12 boards in that win. Stegall is averaging a double-double (16 ppg/10.5 rpg) through three games. Ronnell Wooten, a 6-4 senior who was a second team All-Atlantic Sun pick last season, is averaging 12.3 ppg and 6-7 freshman Tanner Jacobs averages 10.3 ppg. The Owls are from the field, while opponents are hitting at a 53.8 percent clip. Jacksonville State shot over 50 percent against KSU, so it is not just a matter of stats skewed by losses to Western Kentucky and Auburn. But the Owls inside game gave them a 46-34 edge on the boards -- including 16 offensive rebounds -- and they went to the line 32 times (making 20) while Jacksonsville was a woeful 4 for 17 at the charity stripe.
BONUS LINKS:
(Sporting News)
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (PA): The Red Flash are 0-3 thus far, including a season-opening loss at home against American. Sophomore Devin Sweetney leads the Red Flash with 11 points per game. Junios Grant Surprenant is a 6-5 threat from the perimeter. Surprenantis averaging 10 ppg and is 8 for 12 from the arc thus far. Bassirou Dieng, a 6-9 junior from Senegal, also averages in double figures at 10.7 ppg. Junior Chris Berry averages 9.7 ppg and a team-high 6 rebounds per game. Defense has been a problem for the Red Flash. Opponents are shooting 46.8 percent, including 39.2 from thee-point range and averaging more than 75 points per game.
BONUS LINKS:
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SCOUTING HAMPTON: Former Willard assistant has turned things around in a hurry at Hampton. In his second year, the Pirates are to win the MEAC title.
The Pirates are led by 6-1 senior guard Rashard West, a first team All-MEAC pick last season (and again this preseason) who led the conference in scoring last year (17.8 ppg). West is averaging 21.7 ppg thus far.
Vincent Simpson (6-1 soph.), last season's starter at the point, is averaging 18.3 ppg off the bench. Simpson is part of a stellar sophomore class that also includes preseason second team All-MEAC picks 6-8 Matthew Pilgrim (10.3 ppg) and 6-8 Michael Freeman (6.3 ppg), last year's MEAC rookie of the year.
Don't let Hampton's 1-2 record fool you. The two losses, both by six points, were on the road at and . Their win came at home against .
And don't let opponents scoring 67.3 ppg make you think the Pirates don't play defense. Despite the faster-paced, attacking style Nickelberry prefers, Hampton has shooting from the field.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING TEXAS- SAN ANTONIO:Picked to in the West Division of the Southland Conference (ahead of only Texas State), the Roadrunners certainly did not live up to their nickname their last time out, scoring only 37 points in a loss to No. 15 Texas. UTSA is either 1-1, or 0-1, depending how you view it. On its Web site, UTSA says 1-1, counting a win over Division III Hardin-Simmons. Hardin-Simmons' site calls that game an exhibition. You be the judge.
Freshman Devin Gibson posted a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds . Gibson is averaging 16.5 points and 7 rebounds per game. junior Travis Gabbidon (6-7), one of eight juco transfers on , averages 11.5 ppg.
This is one offensively challenged team. That low point total against Texas does not appear to be just a matter of the Roadrunners moving up in class for a buy game. UTSA is from the field thus far. Sure the 26.7 percent night against the Longhorns did not help. But UTSA only (33.3 percent in the first half) against D-III Hardin-Simmons. That is a continuation of a theme set by 's 7-22 team, which shot 40.4 percent from the field and averaged only 57.1 ppg.
This is being billed as an Alamodome dress rehearsal for the spring's Final Four, though a more apt billing might be to call it a game between two teams in a big empty building. UTSA drew only 1,593 fans for its home opener. That won't translate well in the 20,000-seat dome.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING KENNESAW STATE: The Owls come in at 1-2 after picking up their in Friday's opening round against Jacksonville State. Shuan Stegall, a 6-7 senior, had 19 points and 12 boards in that win. Stegall is averaging a double-double (16 ppg/10.5 rpg) through three games. Ronnell Wooten, a 6-4 senior who was a second team All-Atlantic Sun pick last season, is averaging 12.3 ppg and 6-7 freshman Tanner Jacobs averages 10.3 ppg. The Owls are from the field, while opponents are hitting at a 53.8 percent clip. Jacksonville State shot over 50 percent against KSU, so it is not just a matter of stats skewed by losses to Western Kentucky and Auburn. But the Owls inside game gave them a 46-34 edge on the boards -- including 16 offensive rebounds -- and they went to the line 32 times (making 20) while Jacksonsville was a woeful 4 for 17 at the charity stripe.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (PA): The Red Flash are 0-3 thus far, including a season-opening loss at home against American. Sophomore Devin Sweetney leads the Red Flash with 11 points per game. Junios Grant Surprenant is a 6-5 threat from the perimeter. Surprenantis averaging 10 ppg and is 8 for 12 from the arc thus far. Bassirou Dieng, a 6-9 junior from Senegal, also averages in double figures at 10.7 ppg. Junior Chris Berry averages 9.7 ppg and a team-high 6 rebounds per game. Defense has been a problem for the Red Flash. Opponents are shooting 46.8 percent, including 39.2 from thee-point range and averaging more than 75 points per game.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Colgate, Holy Cross, Lehigh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, November 15, 2007
Robert Morris used a first half run to take control of the game and another in the second half to put it away, downing the Midshipmen 93-77.
After Navy led early, RMU took the lead for good with a 12-2 run. The Mids kept it close for a while, trailing by just 5 (42-37) at the half. But down by 6 with 13:51, the Mids hit the skids, going 0 for 4 from the field, 0 for 2 from the foul line and turning the ball over 6 times to help Robert Morris (2-0) put together a 12-0 run that cemented the win.
A.J. Jackson scored 22 to lead four RMU players in double figures.
Greg Sprink led Navy with 19. Derek Young had 15 and Scott Brooks added 12 for the Mids (1-2).
Robert Morris shot 44.9 percent from the field (31-69), including 8 treys on 27 tries. They also grabbed the carom on 17 of their own misses, leading to 27 second chance points and a 50-28 margin on the boards. The Colonials domination inside was further evidenced by their 42-28 edge in points in the paint.
Navy was 23 for 58 from the field (39.7 percent), its second straight game shooting under 40 percent.
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After Navy led early, RMU took the lead for good with a 12-2 run. The Mids kept it close for a while, trailing by just 5 (42-37) at the half. But down by 6 with 13:51, the Mids hit the skids, going 0 for 4 from the field, 0 for 2 from the foul line and turning the ball over 6 times to help Robert Morris (2-0) put together a 12-0 run that cemented the win.
A.J. Jackson scored 22 to lead four RMU players in double figures.
Greg Sprink led Navy with 19. Derek Young had 15 and Scott Brooks added 12 for the Mids (1-2).
Robert Morris shot 44.9 percent from the field (31-69), including 8 treys on 27 tries. They also grabbed the carom on 17 of their own misses, leading to 27 second chance points and a 50-28 margin on the boards. The Colonials domination inside was further evidenced by their 42-28 edge in points in the paint.
Navy was 23 for 58 from the field (39.7 percent), its second straight game shooting under 40 percent.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Bucknell visits its old East Coast Conference rival Towson in the marquee matchup on a three-game night. Also on tap: Navy hosts Robert Morris and Lehigh is at home against St. Peter's.
SCOUTING TOWSON: The good news for Bucknell, Gary Neal is gone. Granted Neal didn't do much against the Bison in last year's BracketBusters meeting, at least not when it mattered, but he was a dangerous scoring machine, capable of going off at moment's notice.
The bad news for the Bison, one of the new faces in Towson's lineup might be even scarier, if his performance in the Tigers' 83-69 spanking of a pretty fair Loyola club is any indication.
The name Bucknell fans hope they won't remember after tonight is Junior Hairston, a 6-8 junior forward who sat out last season after transferring from the College of Charleston. In his first game in a Towson uniform, Hairston went off for 26 points and 21 rebounds. Included in those boards were 11 on the offensive glass. For good measure, Hairston, who by the way has three-point range on his jumper, also blocked three shots.
Also in double figures for Towson in the opener were 6-4 swingman Rodney Spruill (12 points and 5 assists) and 6-3 junior guard Rocky Coleman (15 points). Senior guard C.C. Williams, who scored 12 against Bucknell last season, dished off 7 assists against Loyola. Coleman started in place of junior Vernon Carr, who missed the Loyola game with a shoulder injury. Carr was expected to be the starter at the point, allowing Williams to move to the wing. Carr is listed as questionable for tonight's game. Williams played despite a back injury.
The returning starter at center, 6-8 Tommy Breaux, missed last year's game at Bucknell due to an illness and will miss this year's as well. Breaux, a wide receiver on Towson's football team, suffered a foot injury in the Tigers' third gridiron game of the season against UMass and is still rehabbing.
This appears to be a deeper Towson team. Two guys who used to be starters are now coming off the bench. In addition to Breaux, the team's active career leader in blocks who missed last year's meeting with Bucknell due to illness, 6-0 senior Jonathan Reese, the Tigers active career leader in rebounds and made field goals, and 6-1 junior Tim Crossin, their active career three-pointers leader, are all reserves these days.
The game marks a return to what have been happy hunting grounds over the years for the Bison, who have not played in the Towson Center since the Charlie Woollum era (1991), but back in the old East Coast Conference Days, the Towson Center was like a home away from home for Bucknell, which has a large alumni base in the Baltimore area. The Bison earned their first two trips to the NCAA Tournament with wins there (1987 over Towson and 1989 over Lafayette in ECC finals). Over the years, Bucknell is 8-6 against the Tigers there.
BONUS LINKS:
(Towerlight)
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS: Opened with over Kevin (son of HC coach Ralph) Willard's Iona team. in the Northeast Conference behind Sacred Heart. Guard Jeremy Chappell, a starter last year. came off the bench to lead RMU with 20 points. RMU's first-year coach, former Pitt assistant Mike Rice says Chappell might move back into the starting lineup, though he likes the offensive spark Chappell brings off the bench.
Chappell is one of four returning starters from last season's 17-11 team. Tony Lee, a 6-0 senior guard, is the top returning scorer. A 1,000-point career scorer, Lee averaged 16.9 ppg last year, earning second team All-NEC honors. Lee had 7 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in .
Lee and A.J. Jackson, a 6-6 senior forward, were both preseason all-conference picks. Jackson, who had 16 points against Iona, needs 11 to reach 1,000 for his career.
Freddie Harris, a 6-9 senior, returns at center for the Colonials.
One place RMU is inexperienced is at the point. Starter Jimmy Langhurst played in only 4 conference games as a freshman, tallying a total of 11 minutes of action. Langhurst, who is not a true point guard, is supposedly the best shooter on the team, though he was 0 for 5 (0-4 from the arc) against Iona.
Rice's biggest concern entering the season was defense, something not emphasized by his predecessor. Against Iona, the Colonials had 12 steals and held the Gaels to 24 for 59 (40.7) from the field. But they did not defend the arc very well. Iona was 10 for 19 there.
BONUS LINKS:
(Pitt. Post-Gazette)
(Pitt. Post-Gazette)
SCOUTING ST. PETER'S: The lowly Peacocks are picked to finish dead last in the 10-team MAAC. Opened season by blowing a 12-point lead in an at UMBC.
The Peacocks are a guard-oriented team. Only one guy on the roster, 6-8 freshman center Ryan Bacon (a starter) is taller than 6-7. Three of the four guys who scored in double figures against UMBC were guards. Raul Orta, a 6-5 senior, led the scoring with 19. Darrell Lampley, a 5-0 freshman, came off the bench for 15, including three treys and 5-11 redshirt freshman Nick Leon added 11. Another freshman, 6-2 Wesley Jackson, hit a trio of three-pointers off the bench.
St. Peter's top returnee is 6-7 senior forward Todd Sowell. Sowell, a preseason third team all-league pick, averaged 13 points and 8.5 boards last season. Sowell had 11 points and 8 rebounds against UMBC.
In the opener, St. Peter's shot 51.5 percent (29-56) from the field, including 10 of 21 threes. They held UMBC to a 40-percent night (24-66) from the field, 6 for 13 at the arc. But they committed 28 fouls, sending the Peacocks to the line 37 times, where they made 27 to pull out the win.
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SCOUTING TOWSON: The good news for Bucknell, Gary Neal is gone. Granted Neal didn't do much against the Bison in last year's BracketBusters meeting, at least not when it mattered, but he was a dangerous scoring machine, capable of going off at moment's notice.
The bad news for the Bison, one of the new faces in Towson's lineup might be even scarier, if his performance in the Tigers' 83-69 spanking of a pretty fair Loyola club is any indication.
The name Bucknell fans hope they won't remember after tonight is Junior Hairston, a 6-8 junior forward who sat out last season after transferring from the College of Charleston. In his first game in a Towson uniform, Hairston went off for 26 points and 21 rebounds. Included in those boards were 11 on the offensive glass. For good measure, Hairston, who by the way has three-point range on his jumper, also blocked three shots.
Also in double figures for Towson in the opener were 6-4 swingman Rodney Spruill (12 points and 5 assists) and 6-3 junior guard Rocky Coleman (15 points). Senior guard C.C. Williams, who scored 12 against Bucknell last season, dished off 7 assists against Loyola. Coleman started in place of junior Vernon Carr, who missed the Loyola game with a shoulder injury. Carr was expected to be the starter at the point, allowing Williams to move to the wing. Carr is listed as questionable for tonight's game. Williams played despite a back injury.
The returning starter at center, 6-8 Tommy Breaux, missed last year's game at Bucknell due to an illness and will miss this year's as well. Breaux, a wide receiver on Towson's football team, suffered a foot injury in the Tigers' third gridiron game of the season against UMass and is still rehabbing.
This appears to be a deeper Towson team. Two guys who used to be starters are now coming off the bench. In addition to Breaux, the team's active career leader in blocks who missed last year's meeting with Bucknell due to illness, 6-0 senior Jonathan Reese, the Tigers active career leader in rebounds and made field goals, and 6-1 junior Tim Crossin, their active career three-pointers leader, are all reserves these days.
The game marks a return to what have been happy hunting grounds over the years for the Bison, who have not played in the Towson Center since the Charlie Woollum era (1991), but back in the old East Coast Conference Days, the Towson Center was like a home away from home for Bucknell, which has a large alumni base in the Baltimore area. The Bison earned their first two trips to the NCAA Tournament with wins there (1987 over Towson and 1989 over Lafayette in ECC finals). Over the years, Bucknell is 8-6 against the Tigers there.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS: Opened with over Kevin (son of HC coach Ralph) Willard's Iona team. in the Northeast Conference behind Sacred Heart. Guard Jeremy Chappell, a starter last year. came off the bench to lead RMU with 20 points. RMU's first-year coach, former Pitt assistant Mike Rice says Chappell might move back into the starting lineup, though he likes the offensive spark Chappell brings off the bench.
Chappell is one of four returning starters from last season's 17-11 team. Tony Lee, a 6-0 senior guard, is the top returning scorer. A 1,000-point career scorer, Lee averaged 16.9 ppg last year, earning second team All-NEC honors. Lee had 7 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in .
Lee and A.J. Jackson, a 6-6 senior forward, were both preseason all-conference picks. Jackson, who had 16 points against Iona, needs 11 to reach 1,000 for his career.
Freddie Harris, a 6-9 senior, returns at center for the Colonials.
One place RMU is inexperienced is at the point. Starter Jimmy Langhurst played in only 4 conference games as a freshman, tallying a total of 11 minutes of action. Langhurst, who is not a true point guard, is supposedly the best shooter on the team, though he was 0 for 5 (0-4 from the arc) against Iona.
Rice's biggest concern entering the season was defense, something not emphasized by his predecessor. Against Iona, the Colonials had 12 steals and held the Gaels to 24 for 59 (40.7) from the field. But they did not defend the arc very well. Iona was 10 for 19 there.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ST. PETER'S: The lowly Peacocks are picked to finish dead last in the 10-team MAAC. Opened season by blowing a 12-point lead in an at UMBC.
The Peacocks are a guard-oriented team. Only one guy on the roster, 6-8 freshman center Ryan Bacon (a starter) is taller than 6-7. Three of the four guys who scored in double figures against UMBC were guards. Raul Orta, a 6-5 senior, led the scoring with 19. Darrell Lampley, a 5-0 freshman, came off the bench for 15, including three treys and 5-11 redshirt freshman Nick Leon added 11. Another freshman, 6-2 Wesley Jackson, hit a trio of three-pointers off the bench.
St. Peter's top returnee is 6-7 senior forward Todd Sowell. Sowell, a preseason third team all-league pick, averaged 13 points and 8.5 boards last season. Sowell had 11 points and 8 rebounds against UMBC.
In the opener, St. Peter's shot 51.5 percent (29-56) from the field, including 10 of 21 threes. They held UMBC to a 40-percent night (24-66) from the field, 6 for 13 at the arc. But they committed 28 fouls, sending the Peacocks to the line 37 times, where they made 27 to pull out the win.
Labels: Bucknell, Lehigh, Navy, previews
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Monday, November 12, 2007
Drexel's Frank Elegar is the best big man in the CAA. Navy is a team that lacks a true presence in the post. Even Stevie Wonder could have seen where Sunday's Philly Classic matchup was heading.
Behind Elegar's 24-point, 14-rebound double-double, Drexel built an early 20-point lead and put away the Midshipmen 86-70. Elegar dished off assists on Drexel's first two scores. Then with the score tied at 4-4, he slammed back an offensive rebound to give Drexel the lead for good. The dunk was just Elegar getting started. He went on to score Drexel's next 7 points and had 13 by the time the teams went to the locker rooms at intermission with the Dragons boasting a 49-29 advantage.
Elegar was also a force at the defensive end, his four blocks contributing to a Drexel defensive effort that held Navy to a 26 for 71 (36.6 percent) night from the field. The Mids fired up 30 3-point tries, connecting on 9.
Drexel went 29 for 57 (50.9 percent) from the field, 5 for 16 at the arc, and had a huge advantage at the foul line. With Elegar leading the way 12-15 free throws), the Dragons went to the stripe 37 times, making 23. Navy only shot 15 foul shots, connecting on 9.
Chris Harris led the Mids with 16 points. Greg Sprink added 13 and grabbed 8 rebounds. Kaleo Kina and 6-10 freshman Mark Veazey each added 10 for Navy. Veazey was 5 for 7 from the floor, with 6 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in 21 minutes of action.
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Behind Elegar's 24-point, 14-rebound double-double, Drexel built an early 20-point lead and put away the Midshipmen 86-70. Elegar dished off assists on Drexel's first two scores. Then with the score tied at 4-4, he slammed back an offensive rebound to give Drexel the lead for good. The dunk was just Elegar getting started. He went on to score Drexel's next 7 points and had 13 by the time the teams went to the locker rooms at intermission with the Dragons boasting a 49-29 advantage.
Elegar was also a force at the defensive end, his four blocks contributing to a Drexel defensive effort that held Navy to a 26 for 71 (36.6 percent) night from the field. The Mids fired up 30 3-point tries, connecting on 9.
Drexel went 29 for 57 (50.9 percent) from the field, 5 for 16 at the arc, and had a huge advantage at the foul line. With Elegar leading the way 12-15 free throws), the Dragons went to the stripe 37 times, making 23. Navy only shot 15 foul shots, connecting on 9.
Chris Harris led the Mids with 16 points. Greg Sprink added 13 and grabbed 8 rebounds. Kaleo Kina and 6-10 freshman Mark Veazey each added 10 for Navy. Veazey was 5 for 7 from the floor, with 6 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in 21 minutes of action.
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The season's first Hoop Time Notebook takes a look at the opening weekend that was.
SIZE MATTERS: In the first half of American's win at Saint Francis, 5-11 (on his tiptoes) Garrison Carr was en fuego, going 5 for 7 from the arc and scoring 17 points. In the second, Carr was 0 for 3 from 3-point range, scoring just 4 points. The difference? Saint Francis coach Bobby Jones subbed for the 5-10 guy guarding Carr (Marquis Ford), putting 6-foot-3 junior Kyle Jackson on Carr.
“(Jackson) is athletic and big enough physically and he was able to pose some problems for Carr,” said Jones.
Patriot League coaches already know the kid is a stone-cold sniper when he gets an open look. But with Carr playing limited minutes the last two seasons, that might not have shown up in the Red Flash scouting report. Expect Carr to see a lot of that sort of treatment once film of his first half show in Loretto gets around.
LINEUP SURPRISES: Phil Anderson was a starter most of last season for Lehigh, filling in at center for Jason mgebroff after Mgebroff went down with stress fractures in his leg. But it was sophomore Zahir Carrington who got the starting nod at center against Cornell. Anderson, who averaged almost 19 minutes per game last season, played just 10 against the Big Red. That's less than half the time immoblie 7-footer John Gourlay got off the Lehigh bench.
Other Lehigh rotation notes -- freshman Rob Keefer started on one wing for the Mountain Hawks, finishing with 6 points on 3 for 8 shooting in 25 minutes of action. Freshman Prentice Small also saw 25 minutes of action, scoring 13 points before fouling out.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Even by Holy Cross' high defensive standards, what the Crusaders did against Hofstra's offense was mighty impressive. The Crusaders held the Pride to a 13 of 49 (26.5 percent) night from the field. Even more impressive: take away Hofstra star Antoine Agudio's 28 points and the rest of the Pride lineup was 4 for 26 (15.4 percent. During one stretch the Crusaders held Hofstra without a field goal for over 18 minutes.
WELL SAID: From Cormac Gordon's Staten Island Advance story on Friday night's Wagner-Lafayette game: . . . just in case you had forgotten what level of collegiate sports we're talking about here, the game was pushed from a 7 p.m. start to an 8:30 start to make room at Kirby for a women's volleyball game. Think that happens in the ACC?
BIG NUMBER GUYS: Top performances on the season's opening weekend:
Scoring: Greg Sprink, Navy, 28 vs. Longwood; Derrick Mercer, American, 22 and garrison Carr, American, 21 both vs. St. Francis (Pa.)
Rebounds: Alex Vander Baan, HC, 15 vs. Hofstra; Stephen Tyree, BU, 13 vs. Albany; Bryan White, Lehigh, 12 vs. Cornell
Assists: Andrew Brown, Lafayette, 7 vs. Wagner
Double-Doubles: Vander Baan (10 points, 15 reb.); White (16 points, 12 reb.)
REMATCH: The Bucknell-Albany game was the last in a two-year contract between the two schools, which have a combined four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last three seasons. Bucknell's win avenged an opening night loss at Albany last season and gave the Bison a 4-2 series lead all-time against the Danes.
"I don't know if we will start a new (series). That is up to (Bucknell coach) Pat (Flannery). I'd like to continue it," said Albany coach Will Brown after the game.
Flannery sounded amenable to that suggestion. "I don't know why not. Albany is not too bad of a trip," he said.
The Bison mentor did suggest a few changes, though, most notably the idea that the next contract start with a game in Sojka Pavilion. Flannery might also prefer the game to be a week or two later in the season.
"If these two teams are going to be as good as they have been, it's a tough opener," Flannery said.
POINT OF VIEW::
“In the first half, we did not have the defensive focus that we should have.”
St. Francis coach Bobby Jones, after his team fell behind 27-7 at the start of its home loss to American
““In the first half, we were like we were in a boxing match, and we stunned them.””
AU coach Jeff Jones, same game
CONFERENCE VS. CONFERENCE
Patriot League teams went 5-3 against non-conference foes over the weekend. Here are the results vs. other conferences played, with the Patriot's 2006-07 record against that conference.
America East: 1-0 (3-3)
Independents: 1-0 (5-1)
Ivy League: 0-1 (8-11)
Big Ten" 0-1 (0-3)
CAA: 1-0 (5-2)
Northeast Conference: 2-1 (8-2)
TOGETHER AGAIN: Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, stars of last season's Holy Cross league championship team, are sticking together as they begin their professional careers overseas. The two are teammates on Turkish first division club Kepez Bld. Thomas joined his old running mate in Turkey after starting his pro career with Kormand, a Hungarian club. Kepez is 2-4 overall, 1-1 since Thomas joined the roster. Simmons is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 16 ppg. You can follow the club in English .
GETTING HIS KICKS: Lafayette recruit Ryan Willen of Missouri's Cape Girardeau Notre Dame has a state championship on his resume . . . in soccer. Willen, a 6-8 frontcourt type who helped Notre Dame to a second place finish in the state basketball playoffs last season, and assisted on another to lead ND to a 4-1 win over Smithville in Saturday's Class II state championship game in St. Louis.
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SIZE MATTERS: In the first half of American's win at Saint Francis, 5-11 (on his tiptoes) Garrison Carr was en fuego, going 5 for 7 from the arc and scoring 17 points. In the second, Carr was 0 for 3 from 3-point range, scoring just 4 points. The difference? Saint Francis coach Bobby Jones subbed for the 5-10 guy guarding Carr (Marquis Ford), putting 6-foot-3 junior Kyle Jackson on Carr.
“(Jackson) is athletic and big enough physically and he was able to pose some problems for Carr,” said Jones.
Patriot League coaches already know the kid is a stone-cold sniper when he gets an open look. But with Carr playing limited minutes the last two seasons, that might not have shown up in the Red Flash scouting report. Expect Carr to see a lot of that sort of treatment once film of his first half show in Loretto gets around.
LINEUP SURPRISES: Phil Anderson was a starter most of last season for Lehigh, filling in at center for Jason mgebroff after Mgebroff went down with stress fractures in his leg. But it was sophomore Zahir Carrington who got the starting nod at center against Cornell. Anderson, who averaged almost 19 minutes per game last season, played just 10 against the Big Red. That's less than half the time immoblie 7-footer John Gourlay got off the Lehigh bench.
Other Lehigh rotation notes -- freshman Rob Keefer started on one wing for the Mountain Hawks, finishing with 6 points on 3 for 8 shooting in 25 minutes of action. Freshman Prentice Small also saw 25 minutes of action, scoring 13 points before fouling out.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Even by Holy Cross' high defensive standards, what the Crusaders did against Hofstra's offense was mighty impressive. The Crusaders held the Pride to a 13 of 49 (26.5 percent) night from the field. Even more impressive: take away Hofstra star Antoine Agudio's 28 points and the rest of the Pride lineup was 4 for 26 (15.4 percent. During one stretch the Crusaders held Hofstra without a field goal for over 18 minutes.
WELL SAID: From Cormac Gordon's Staten Island Advance story on Friday night's Wagner-Lafayette game: . . . just in case you had forgotten what level of collegiate sports we're talking about here, the game was pushed from a 7 p.m. start to an 8:30 start to make room at Kirby for a women's volleyball game. Think that happens in the ACC?
BIG NUMBER GUYS: Top performances on the season's opening weekend:
Scoring: Greg Sprink, Navy, 28 vs. Longwood; Derrick Mercer, American, 22 and garrison Carr, American, 21 both vs. St. Francis (Pa.)
Rebounds: Alex Vander Baan, HC, 15 vs. Hofstra; Stephen Tyree, BU, 13 vs. Albany; Bryan White, Lehigh, 12 vs. Cornell
Assists: Andrew Brown, Lafayette, 7 vs. Wagner
Double-Doubles: Vander Baan (10 points, 15 reb.); White (16 points, 12 reb.)
REMATCH: The Bucknell-Albany game was the last in a two-year contract between the two schools, which have a combined four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last three seasons. Bucknell's win avenged an opening night loss at Albany last season and gave the Bison a 4-2 series lead all-time against the Danes.
"I don't know if we will start a new (series). That is up to (Bucknell coach) Pat (Flannery). I'd like to continue it," said Albany coach Will Brown after the game.
Flannery sounded amenable to that suggestion. "I don't know why not. Albany is not too bad of a trip," he said.
The Bison mentor did suggest a few changes, though, most notably the idea that the next contract start with a game in Sojka Pavilion. Flannery might also prefer the game to be a week or two later in the season.
"If these two teams are going to be as good as they have been, it's a tough opener," Flannery said.
POINT OF VIEW::
“In the first half, we did not have the defensive focus that we should have.”
St. Francis coach Bobby Jones, after his team fell behind 27-7 at the start of its home loss to American
““In the first half, we were like we were in a boxing match, and we stunned them.””
AU coach Jeff Jones, same game
CONFERENCE VS. CONFERENCE
Patriot League teams went 5-3 against non-conference foes over the weekend. Here are the results vs. other conferences played, with the Patriot's 2006-07 record against that conference.
America East: 1-0 (3-3)
Independents: 1-0 (5-1)
Ivy League: 0-1 (8-11)
Big Ten" 0-1 (0-3)
CAA: 1-0 (5-2)
Northeast Conference: 2-1 (8-2)
TOGETHER AGAIN: Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, stars of last season's Holy Cross league championship team, are sticking together as they begin their professional careers overseas. The two are teammates on Turkish first division club Kepez Bld. Thomas joined his old running mate in Turkey after starting his pro career with Kormand, a Hungarian club. Kepez is 2-4 overall, 1-1 since Thomas joined the roster. Simmons is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 16 ppg. You can follow the club in English .
GETTING HIS KICKS: Lafayette recruit Ryan Willen of Missouri's Cape Girardeau Notre Dame has a state championship on his resume . . . in soccer. Willen, a 6-8 frontcourt type who helped Notre Dame to a second place finish in the state basketball playoffs last season, and assisted on another to lead ND to a 4-1 win over Smithville in Saturday's Class II state championship game in St. Louis.
Labels: American, Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Navy, notebook, recruiting
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
Greg Sprink went off for 28 points to lead the Midshipmen to an 88-72 win at Longwood.
Sprink, who also led Navy (1-0) with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, scored 17 of his points in the first half, helping Navy build a 21-point lead late in the half before settling for a 49-33 edge at the break. Longwood never got within single digits the rest of the way.
The 6-5 senior finished 9 for 19 from the field, including 3 treys (on 9 tries). One of only three players got to the foul line all night for the Mids, Sprink went 7 for 8 at the stripe.
Chris Harris (12 points) and Kaleo Kina (11) and Adam Teague (11) also double figures in the romp. Kina also had a team-high 5 steals, leading a Mids defense that forced 22 turnovers, leading to 25 points.
As a team, Navy shot 50.8 percent from the field (33-65), and hit 13 of 29 (44.8 percent) from the arc, posting 21 asssists. The Mids were 9 for 11 at the foul line.
Defensively they held Longwood to 43.5 percent (27-62) shooting from the floor, 5-18 (27.8 percent) from the arc.
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Sprink, who also led Navy (1-0) with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, scored 17 of his points in the first half, helping Navy build a 21-point lead late in the half before settling for a 49-33 edge at the break. Longwood never got within single digits the rest of the way.
The 6-5 senior finished 9 for 19 from the field, including 3 treys (on 9 tries). One of only three players got to the foul line all night for the Mids, Sprink went 7 for 8 at the stripe.
Chris Harris (12 points) and Kaleo Kina (11) and Adam Teague (11) also double figures in the romp. Kina also had a team-high 5 steals, leading a Mids defense that forced 22 turnovers, leading to 25 points.
As a team, Navy shot 50.8 percent from the field (33-65), and hit 13 of 29 (44.8 percent) from the arc, posting 21 asssists. The Mids were 9 for 11 at the foul line.
Defensively they held Longwood to 43.5 percent (27-62) shooting from the floor, 5-18 (27.8 percent) from the arc.
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Friday, November 09, 2007
The 2007-2008 season tips off tonight with a trio of games -- Colgate hosting Monmouth, Wagner at Lafayette and Navy at Longwood. Here is a look at the first three non-league opponents of the season.
SCOUTING MONMOUTH: After six straight winning seasons, including three that culminated with a trip to the big dance, Monmouth suffered through a tough 12-18 season last year, failing to even make the Northeast Conference tournament one year after winning the league title. Hard to say whether the Hawks will be better this season, but for certain they will be different. Only two players who saw significant time last year -- NEC rookie of the year Jhamar Youngblood and junior guard Whitney (I have an Ivy League name) Coleman. The rest of the , which includes no seniors and just a pair of juniors, consists of "our players who saw occasional-to-minuscule action and five who haven't played one second of college basketball." in the 11-team NEC, the Monmouth say the Hawks, who have not started a freshman since 2000, will open with a smallish three-guard lineup of Youngblood, Coleman and three guys -- a redshirt freshman and two true frosh -- seeing their first collegiate action. from Monmouth's exhibition win over William Paterson and a closed scrimmage with Lafayette say the Hawks are pressing and trapping more than they have in the past.
BONUS LINK:
Scouting Wagner -- The Seahawks are the mirror opposite of their NEC mates from New Jersey. If you look up inexperienced in the NEC hoops dictionary and find a Monmouth team picture, you'd probably find a pic of Wagner under the word experienced. The Seahawks' includes 6-7 fifth-year senior Durrell Vinson and four guys (including two redshirt juniors) who are in their fourth season at Wagner. Lafayette knocked off the Seahawks in last season's opener on Staten Island, but did not play in that one. The 2005-2006 NEC all-league first team pick sat out last season after being involved in a dormitory altercation. If he approaches his 2005-06 form, when he averaged nearly a double-double per game, he should make an impact for the Seahawks, who are in the NEC. Wagner coach Mike Deane is also a seasoned vet. Deane, who to reach the 400-wins plateau, has taken three other teams to the NCAA Tournament in his career.
BONUS LINKS: | (Morning Call) |
SCOUTING LONGWOOD: Still giddy over its big gridiron win last weekend, Navy opens the hoops season at Longwood, a school in its first season as a full-fledged Division I team. Longwood is a , and a team with next to know media coverage (the local paper reprints Longwood press releases for its ""). The and two guys who played significant minutes from last season's 9-22 team that took the Mids to OT last season in . It is the first of two meetings between the two. Longwood will visit Annapolis in January. It could be an interesting matchup between two teams shy on legitimate post players. Both are just one guy over 6-6. They are calling for a "whitewash" in Willett Hall. That is what is called a "whiteout" elsewhere -- all fans please wear white. Hard to say how intimidating it might be, though. Longwood averaged less than 1,000 fans per game.
BONUS LINK:
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SCOUTING MONMOUTH: After six straight winning seasons, including three that culminated with a trip to the big dance, Monmouth suffered through a tough 12-18 season last year, failing to even make the Northeast Conference tournament one year after winning the league title. Hard to say whether the Hawks will be better this season, but for certain they will be different. Only two players who saw significant time last year -- NEC rookie of the year Jhamar Youngblood and junior guard Whitney (I have an Ivy League name) Coleman. The rest of the , which includes no seniors and just a pair of juniors, consists of "our players who saw occasional-to-minuscule action and five who haven't played one second of college basketball." in the 11-team NEC, the Monmouth say the Hawks, who have not started a freshman since 2000, will open with a smallish three-guard lineup of Youngblood, Coleman and three guys -- a redshirt freshman and two true frosh -- seeing their first collegiate action. from Monmouth's exhibition win over William Paterson and a closed scrimmage with Lafayette say the Hawks are pressing and trapping more than they have in the past.
BONUS LINK:
BONUS LINKS: | (Morning Call) |
SCOUTING LONGWOOD: Still giddy over its big gridiron win last weekend, Navy opens the hoops season at Longwood, a school in its first season as a full-fledged Division I team. Longwood is a , and a team with next to know media coverage (the local paper reprints Longwood press releases for its ""). The and two guys who played significant minutes from last season's 9-22 team that took the Mids to OT last season in . It is the first of two meetings between the two. Longwood will visit Annapolis in January. It could be an interesting matchup between two teams shy on legitimate post players. Both are just one guy over 6-6. They are calling for a "whitewash" in Willett Hall. That is what is called a "whiteout" elsewhere -- all fans please wear white. Hard to say how intimidating it might be, though. Longwood averaged less than 1,000 fans per game.
BONUS LINK:
Labels: Colgate, Lafayette, Navy, previews
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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 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 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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Sunday, October 21, 2007
A couple otheer stories from Thursday's media day showed up after we'd already done Friday's update.
Billy Wagner does a great job covering Navy for the Annapolis Capital. Too bad they never post his stuff on their Web site until late in the day after we have updated. Wags says the Mids are to be picked seventh in the league.
Basketball U's Elliot Smilowitz checks in with a on Lehigh coach Brett Reed. For those who don't subscribe to Basketball U., this one apparently is being offered for free.
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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 , 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 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 from the event.
David Ginsburg of the AP threw together 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 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 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 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 of 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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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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Monday, September 10, 2007
It has been a hectic time lately here at Hoop Time's world headquarters. Between chasing down coaches for Blue Ribbon Collage Basketball Yearbook preview stories, covering the ongoing saga of the biggest mass arrest in Harrisburg history for the day job, and trapping the squirrels that are eating the tomatoes in our garden, we've barely had time to check our e-mail, let alone to keep up with the news from around the league. Here's what we missed:
: The Bison will beef up their front line next year with the addition of Enoch Andoh, a 6-8, 245-pounder out of San Diego Jose's Archbishop Mitty H.S. Andoh is one of three Mitty players who have committed to D-I schools.
: Good news in Worcester; Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard has agreed to a five-year contract extension.
: College Hoops net tabs Holy Cross to win the league in its preseason look at the Crusaders.
: Jordan Sugars, a 6-3 shooter from Millbrook H.S. in northwestern Virginia has committed to Navy.
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Labels: BU, HC, Navy, previews, 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 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 , projecting the Crusaders as a 14 seed.
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The headline on 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 , projecting the Crusaders as a 14 seed.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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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 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 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 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 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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Thursday, July 12, 2007
Not much excitement in the Naval Academy's schedule for the coming season.
Despite Billy Lange's comment that the Midshipmen face the "most balanced and hardest " since he has been Navy's coach, there is not a lot to get excited about. Just four teams on the Mids' slate reached the postseason last year, and they will only play three of the four.
Penn and Virginia are part of the field for the Philly Classic, where Navy will meet Seton Hall in the first round. The Quakers and the Wahoos both went to the big dance last season, but Navy will only meet one of them in the tournament since those two meet in the first round.
Other postseason teams on the slate are NIT first round loser Drexel, which should be one of the most challenging games on the schedule, and San Diego State, another NIT participant last season.
The San Diego State game is a good bit of scheduling, giving the Mids a double bonus by getting Greg Sprink a homecoming game three days before Navy's football team is expected to play in the Pointsettia Bowl (they are contractually in if they win six games) in San Diego.
The Drexel game, along with a home game against Robert Morris, is actually part of the eight-team Philly Classic, which is being billed as a .
While the schedule lacks major conference names, it makes a lot of sense. Like last season's slate, it gives Lange's young squad a chance to develop some confidence in the non-conference portion and should also allow the Mids to build a respectable RPI before opening league play.
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Despite Billy Lange's comment that the Midshipmen face the "most balanced and hardest " since he has been Navy's coach, there is not a lot to get excited about. Just four teams on the Mids' slate reached the postseason last year, and they will only play three of the four.
Penn and Virginia are part of the field for the Philly Classic, where Navy will meet Seton Hall in the first round. The Quakers and the Wahoos both went to the big dance last season, but Navy will only meet one of them in the tournament since those two meet in the first round.
Other postseason teams on the slate are NIT first round loser Drexel, which should be one of the most challenging games on the schedule, and San Diego State, another NIT participant last season.
The San Diego State game is a good bit of scheduling, giving the Mids a double bonus by getting Greg Sprink a homecoming game three days before Navy's football team is expected to play in the Pointsettia Bowl (they are contractually in if they win six games) in San Diego.
The Drexel game, along with a home game against Robert Morris, is actually part of the eight-team Philly Classic, which is being billed as a .
While the schedule lacks major conference names, it makes a lot of sense. Like last season's slate, it gives Lange's young squad a chance to develop some confidence in the non-conference portion and should also allow the Mids to build a respectable RPI before opening league play.
Labels: Navy, scheduling
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Friday, June 29, 2007
Billy Lange has finalized his incoming recruiting class. The Midshipmen will add five new faces to their defection-depleted roster, four of whom will be eligible to play this season.
The include two centers, a 6-10 true freshman and a 6-9 kid who spent a stash year redshirting at Navy's prep school. Lange hopes both can contribute immediately for the post challenged Mids, who lost two of their big men, including all-rookie pick Tret Stanton, in the off season.
The Middies also are adding another Navy prep stashee, a 6-4 swingman, another 6-4 kid out of high school and point guard O.J. Avworo, an Idaho transfer who will not be eligible to play this season.
Another point guard, Steve Silverthorne of Woodson H.S. in Northern Virginia, has announced his plans to attend USNAPS this season with plans to play for the Mids next season.
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The include two centers, a 6-10 true freshman and a 6-9 kid who spent a stash year redshirting at Navy's prep school. Lange hopes both can contribute immediately for the post challenged Mids, who lost two of their big men, including all-rookie pick Tret Stanton, in the off season.
The Middies also are adding another Navy prep stashee, a 6-4 swingman, another 6-4 kid out of high school and point guard O.J. Avworo, an Idaho transfer who will not be eligible to play this season.
Another point guard, Steve Silverthorne of Woodson H.S. in Northern Virginia, has announced his plans to attend USNAPS this season with plans to play for the Mids next season.
Labels: Navy, recruiting
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Monday, June 18, 2007
The Patriot League all-rookie forward Trey Stanton is the latest to leave Billy Lange's program. Stanton's decision seems to more than offset the decision of an Idaho point guard to transfer to the academy.
For Stanton, the decision came down to the military commitment. Stanton Billy Wagner:
Stanton was a late bloomer, who began his high school career as a 6-3 guard. While he had yet to develop much of a post game, Stanton was comfortable on the perimeter and had three-point range (37 treys, 34.9 percent from the arc) on his jumper.
In addition to Stanton, 6-8 sophomore Bobby Fenske has also decided to leave Navy's program. Senior point guard Corey Johnson previously announced he was giving up basketball and is trying to earn a spot in the defensive secondary with the Navy football team.
Stanton's decision deflates a little of the excitement from last week's announcement that guard O.J. Avworo planned to transfer to Annapolis from Idaho.
Avworo, a 6-0 point out of Texas, he decided to leave Idaho, where he had started 24 games and played 28 minutes per game last season, because:
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For Stanton, the decision came down to the military commitment. Stanton Billy Wagner:
"It's just that I realized during the past year that the military wasn't for me. I couldn't see myself as a Naval officer for five years."An all-rookie choice last year, the 6-10 Stanton was the most accomplished member of Navy's 2006 recruiting class, starting 29 of 30 games, averaging 28.4 minutes. His 8 points per game were third on the team, his 3.9 boards were topped only by Greg Sprink (4.8 rpg).
Stanton was a late bloomer, who began his high school career as a 6-3 guard. While he had yet to develop much of a post game, Stanton was comfortable on the perimeter and had three-point range (37 treys, 34.9 percent from the arc) on his jumper.
In addition to Stanton, 6-8 sophomore Bobby Fenske has also decided to leave Navy's program. Senior point guard Corey Johnson previously announced he was giving up basketball and is trying to earn a spot in the defensive secondary with the Navy football team.
Stanton's decision deflates a little of the excitement from last week's announcement that guard O.J. Avworo planned to transfer to Annapolis from Idaho.
Avworo, a 6-0 point out of Texas, he decided to leave Idaho, where he had started 24 games and played 28 minutes per game last season, because:
I was not surrounded by the type of players I wanted to be associated with and I did not feel I would accomplish all the things I set out to accomplish while in college.Avworo will sit out this season, but has three years of eligibility remaining.
Labels: Navy, recruiting
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Friday, June 08, 2007
John Corrigan, a 6-6 rising senior at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg, Pa., has accepted Billy Lange's offer to play his college hoops at the Naval Academy.
According to , Corrigan has a 4.2 GPA and plans to major in pre-med. He averaged 11.1 points per game last season for a sub-.500 Crusaders team.
Corrigan chose Navy over Princeton, Lehigh, Lafayette, Columbia and Yale.
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According to , Corrigan has a 4.2 GPA and plans to major in pre-med. He averaged 11.1 points per game last season for a sub-.500 Crusaders team.
Corrigan chose Navy over Princeton, Lehigh, Lafayette, Columbia and Yale.
Labels: Navy, recruiting
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Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Any spare time we found the last few weeks was spent tying flies and getting ready for our annual fishing trip. Here's a look at a few tidbits we missed while doing the stuff most fly fishermen do during hoops season.
Bison to host Albany in their home opener. According to , the Danes will visit Lewisburg Nov. 10. The game is the second half of a home and home series that started last season at Albany.
Sad . Former Navy coach and player Dave Smalley has passed away after a battle with cancer. Smalley was 72. Joe Gross, the longtime sports editor at the Capital in Annapolis, shares some memories of Smalley in .
Just back from his team's , Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon will serve as a during the U.S. team trials for the Pan American Games. Head coach for the U.S. team, by the way, will be Bucknell grad Jay Wright, the Villanova head coach.
American has recruiting class, leading to the question: Are any juco players left to sign with any other schools? O.K., that is a slight exaggeration. But Jeff Jones's six incoming players include a total of four from the juco ranks.
Lehigh is also , all from the prep ranks. Four are scholarship kids, two, including another 7-foot project, are invited walk-ons. The most curious signing is a 5-8 point guard, Prentice Small, from Long Island, given the Mountain Hawks' outstanding point guard Marquis Hall will be just a sophomore. Hall is a fine three-point shooter, but he is just 5-11. Even in the Patriot League, there won't be many times Billy Taylor will be able to get away with playing the two together, as Jeff Jones discovered with Derrick Mercer and Garrison Carr.
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Labels: AU, BU, Laf, Leh, Navy, recruiting, scheduling
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Monday, March 26, 2007
Navy has gained a commit from an Indiana big man.
Nate Kasper, a 6-8 frontcourt type from Wheeler (Ind.) High School he will play his college hoops at Navy.
Kasper won't provide immediate help. He is ticketed for aredshirt prep year at the Naval Academy Prep School in Rhode Island. Stashing players at NAPS for a year of seasoning was a key to Don Devoe's success at Navy. Army coach Jim Crews has been using the same tactic to some success at West Point, where seven of the 20 players on this season's roster were guys who spent a year at USMAPS.
Lange has not been able to utilize the prep school advantage in his first few seasons at Navy because he has needed to add his recruits to the immediate mix in hopes of improving the Midshipmen's squad. Now, with a roster filled with underclassmen -- only one senior, little used forward Calvin White, graduates this spring -- Lange has the luxury of stockpiling prospects at the prep school.
Kasper for Wheeler, which lost in its regional semis. He finished his high school career with 1,170 points.
From the sound of things, Kasper fits the mold of recent Navy big man recruits. He likes to step out to shoot the three.
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Nate Kasper, a 6-8 frontcourt type from Wheeler (Ind.) High School he will play his college hoops at Navy.
Kasper won't provide immediate help. He is ticketed for a
Lange has not been able to utilize the prep school advantage in his first few seasons at Navy because he has needed to add his recruits to the immediate mix in hopes of improving the Midshipmen's squad. Now, with a roster filled with underclassmen -- only one senior, little used forward Calvin White, graduates this spring -- Lange has the luxury of stockpiling prospects at the prep school.
Kasper for Wheeler, which lost in its regional semis. He finished his high school career with 1,170 points.
From the sound of things, Kasper fits the mold of recent Navy big man recruits. He likes to step out to shoot the three.
Labels: Navy
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Thursday, March 15, 2007
Billy Wagner of the Navy point guard Corey Johnson has left the team, with plans to join the Midshipmen's football team his senior season.
A junior, Johnson averaged 9.5 ppg in an injury plagued sophomore season. His numbers were down this year (5.8 points per game), but Johnson started all 30 games and only Greg Sprink played more minutes.
A two-time all-state pick as an Indiana high schooler, Johnson reportedly turned down football offers from Big Ten schools to pursue hoops at the Naval Academy. He is expected to work at defensive back when Navy begins its spring drills later this month.
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A junior, Johnson averaged 9.5 ppg in an injury plagued sophomore season. His numbers were down this year (5.8 points per game), but Johnson started all 30 games and only Greg Sprink played more minutes.
A two-time all-state pick as an Indiana high schooler, Johnson reportedly turned down football offers from Big Ten schools to pursue hoops at the Naval Academy. He is expected to work at defensive back when Navy begins its spring drills later this month.
Labels: Navy
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Thursday, March 01, 2007
(Originally posted Wed. at 9:36 p.m., updated with links at 8:37 a.m.)
Bison have little trouble dispatching Navy in the first round.By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
Donald Brown hadn't played a game in nearly a month. The way he played Wednesday night against Navy, you'd never have guessed it.
Showing very few signs of any rust from his 28-day exile due to a broken hand, Brown picked right up where he left off, playing like the first team all-league pick he should have been to help Bucknell to a 62-43 first round Patriot League tournament win over Navy.
There was no easing Brown back into the rotation by Bucknell coach Pat Flannery. The only concession to Brown's having missed the last seven games was that he came off the bench instead of starting. Once he checked in at the 16:54 mark of the first half, to a loud ovation from the 3,049 fans in Sojka Pavilion, Brown went right to work.
Any questions about how he might feel about contact were answered about a minute later when he set a bone-jarring backcourt screen on Navy's Chris Harris. Seconds later he made a nice baseline move for a dunk that was wiped off because of a foul on Adam teague before the shot, but Brown's presence was established.
Brown's first bucket in over 30 days came at the 14:31 mark on a little runner in the lane. By halftime he scored three more. By the end of the game, Brown had put in 15 points, snared a game-high 9 rebounds, blocked two shots and made two steals in a 27-minute stint.
"The way Donald was playing, it was a no-brainer," said Flannery, when asked about the extended minutes after the long layoff. "Donald certainly gave us a big spark."
That was evident during the 18-2 Bucknell run at the end of the half that basically put the game away. During that stretch, which came over the final 6:32 of the half, Brown scored 4 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, blocked a shot, made a steal and also had an assist on a John Griffin three-pointer.
"He is a great player. Obviously he had a huge impact on the game," said Navy coach Billy Lange.
It was vintage Brown, skying for rebounds, chasing down loose balls, pogoing around the basket for putbacks. The only sign of the layoff came when he bricked a free throw off the side of the glass, not even hitting the rim. By the end of the game, though, he showed the hand was not affecting his touch, draining a foul line jumper and hitting one of two at the line late in the game.
"I was just so excited to be be out there," said Brown, who gave the crowd a scare when he banged the hand hard off the press row table while blocking a Navy shot from deep in the left corner, just after he had removed the protective pad he was wearing on the back of his hand.
"I hit it pretty hard, but it didn't bother me. I guess the bone is healed. It's a good sign," said Brown.
For Bucknell, yes. For the rest of the league, definitely not. During Brown's absence the Bison won all seven games they played, extending their win streak to 12 in a row. And Brown was not the only star in the Bison's 13th straight victory, their longest win streak since 1919.
Chris McNaughton, who was not denied a first team all-league berth when the voting was announced Monday, was not easily denied going to the bucket against Navy. McNaughton was 5 for 9 from the field, at least two of his misses coming when he was blatantly fouled but got no whistle. McNaughton finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Jason Vegotsky, who hit a pair of threes to open the game, also reached double figures for the Bison, finishing with 10 points. Abe Badmus came up a point shy of double figures, scoring 9 while dishing out 5 assists and making 4 steals.
"We happened to run into a team that is playing very well," said Lange. "Our game plan kind of fell apart for us a little bit."
Of course for Navy, the game plan always includes plenty of three-pointers. When they don't fall, it never bodes well for the Mids, and in the first half against Bucknell, only two of 16 found the bottom of the arc. During Bucknell's decisive run, Navy went the entire 6:38 without a field goal, its lone points coming on a pair of free throws by Kaleo Kina (12 points) with 35 seconds to go in the half. During that span, the Mids were 0 for 6 from the field, five of the misses coming from the arc. They also had five of their 21 turnovers in that stretch.
"We contested them We went out and contested. Every shot is not going to go in when you do that," said Flannery.
Matter of fact, for Navy, two of every three they took refused to fall. The Mids hit 6 of 26 (23.1 percent) in the first half, 16 of 48 in the game. Navy was 7 of 26 from the arc, three of those in a breif second half flurry that cut Bucknell's lead from 27 to 16 points with 9:48 to play.The Mids would get no closer.
Bucknell stays home for the second round, hosting Army, which upset Lehigh 47-46 on a last second buzzer beater in Bethlehem. Sunday's game will have a 3:30 p.m. start.
| Postgame audio (Lange, Kina, Flannery, McNaughton, D. Brown) | |
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Bison have little trouble dispatching Navy in the first round.By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
Donald Brown hadn't played a game in nearly a month. The way he played Wednesday night against Navy, you'd never have guessed it.
Showing very few signs of any rust from his 28-day exile due to a broken hand, Brown picked right up where he left off, playing like the first team all-league pick he should have been to help Bucknell to a 62-43 first round Patriot League tournament win over Navy.
There was no easing Brown back into the rotation by Bucknell coach Pat Flannery. The only concession to Brown's having missed the last seven games was that he came off the bench instead of starting. Once he checked in at the 16:54 mark of the first half, to a loud ovation from the 3,049 fans in Sojka Pavilion, Brown went right to work.
Any questions about how he might feel about contact were answered about a minute later when he set a bone-jarring backcourt screen on Navy's Chris Harris. Seconds later he made a nice baseline move for a dunk that was wiped off because of a foul on Adam teague before the shot, but Brown's presence was established.
Brown's first bucket in over 30 days came at the 14:31 mark on a little runner in the lane. By halftime he scored three more. By the end of the game, Brown had put in 15 points, snared a game-high 9 rebounds, blocked two shots and made two steals in a 27-minute stint.
"The way Donald was playing, it was a no-brainer," said Flannery, when asked about the extended minutes after the long layoff. "Donald certainly gave us a big spark."
That was evident during the 18-2 Bucknell run at the end of the half that basically put the game away. During that stretch, which came over the final 6:32 of the half, Brown scored 4 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, blocked a shot, made a steal and also had an assist on a John Griffin three-pointer.
"He is a great player. Obviously he had a huge impact on the game," said Navy coach Billy Lange.
It was vintage Brown, skying for rebounds, chasing down loose balls, pogoing around the basket for putbacks. The only sign of the layoff came when he bricked a free throw off the side of the glass, not even hitting the rim. By the end of the game, though, he showed the hand was not affecting his touch, draining a foul line jumper and hitting one of two at the line late in the game.
"I was just so excited to be be out there," said Brown, who gave the crowd a scare when he banged the hand hard off the press row table while blocking a Navy shot from deep in the left corner, just after he had removed the protective pad he was wearing on the back of his hand.
"I hit it pretty hard, but it didn't bother me. I guess the bone is healed. It's a good sign," said Brown.
For Bucknell, yes. For the rest of the league, definitely not. During Brown's absence the Bison won all seven games they played, extending their win streak to 12 in a row. And Brown was not the only star in the Bison's 13th straight victory, their longest win streak since 1919.
Chris McNaughton, who was not denied a first team all-league berth when the voting was announced Monday, was not easily denied going to the bucket against Navy. McNaughton was 5 for 9 from the field, at least two of his misses coming when he was blatantly fouled but got no whistle. McNaughton finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Jason Vegotsky, who hit a pair of threes to open the game, also reached double figures for the Bison, finishing with 10 points. Abe Badmus came up a point shy of double figures, scoring 9 while dishing out 5 assists and making 4 steals.
"We happened to run into a team that is playing very well," said Lange. "Our game plan kind of fell apart for us a little bit."
Of course for Navy, the game plan always includes plenty of three-pointers. When they don't fall, it never bodes well for the Mids, and in the first half against Bucknell, only two of 16 found the bottom of the arc. During Bucknell's decisive run, Navy went the entire 6:38 without a field goal, its lone points coming on a pair of free throws by Kaleo Kina (12 points) with 35 seconds to go in the half. During that span, the Mids were 0 for 6 from the field, five of the misses coming from the arc. They also had five of their 21 turnovers in that stretch.
"We contested them We went out and contested. Every shot is not going to go in when you do that," said Flannery.
Matter of fact, for Navy, two of every three they took refused to fall. The Mids hit 6 of 26 (23.1 percent) in the first half, 16 of 48 in the game. Navy was 7 of 26 from the arc, three of those in a breif second half flurry that cut Bucknell's lead from 27 to 16 points with 9:48 to play.The Mids would get no closer.
Bucknell stays home for the second round, hosting Army, which upset Lehigh 47-46 on a last second buzzer beater in Bethlehem. Sunday's game will have a 3:30 p.m. start.
| Postgame audio (Lange, Kina, Flannery, McNaughton, D. Brown) | |
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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. () -- 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.
(Times Herald-Record)
No. 8 Lafayette at No. 1 Holy Cross 7 p.m. () -- 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.
(Telegram & Gazette)
No. 7 Navy at No. 2 Bucknell 7 p.m. () -- 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 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. () -- 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.
(The Washington Moonie)
BONUS LINK:
(Times Herald-Record)
(Jake Felix in the Sun-Gazette)
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No. 6 Army at No. 3 Lehigh 7 p.m. () -- 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. () -- 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. () -- 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 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. () -- 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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Tuesday, February 27, 2007
A little light reading to help you pass time at work while you count down the minutes to Wednesday's playoff openers.
(Express-Times) Corky Blake looks at the tournament prospects of the league's Lehigh Valley contingent.
(AP) Genaro Armas previews the Bucknell-Navy matchup. Take the comments on Donald Brown's return with a grain of salt. Pat Flannery seemed to be bluffing during the conference call when he said the Bison won't know if Brown can play Wednesday until they saw him practice for the first time on Monday. Armas was not there Saturday after the BU-Army game when Brown told Tom Housenick of the Daily Item and I that he had returned to practice, already had some contact with the hand he had broken, and was ready to play when the tournament gets underway.
(Times Herald-Record) -- Talk about a newspaper that just doesn't get the reality of the times. The Times Herald-Record seems to cling to some notion that they can sell more papers by imitating the down-Hudson big boys like the NY Post and The Daily News and covering the heck out of the New York city pro scene. In an era when the mantra in the industry is local, local, local, their solution to declining circulation has been a cutback on their local college sports coverage. They don't even staff most Army games anymore. In this case, rather than allow Ken McMillan to write a story just about the Patriot League, they lump it all in one package with women's stuff, local jucos, Marist -- 10 teams at all. Anyhow, there is enough good Patriot League stuff in the story to make it well worth a click, even if you have to wade through the SUNY-Orange coverage to find it.
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Labels: Army, BU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy
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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.
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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.
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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 ().
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 () 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 ().
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 () 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. ()
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:
(Andre Williams in the Morning Call)
(more from Andre)
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. ()
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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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
American will open the playoffs at home after clinching the fourth seed with a win at Navy.
Four guys hit in double figures for the Eagles (14-13 overall, 6-7 Patriot) in the 71-60 win in Annapolis. Andre Ingram led AU with 16 points. Derrick Mercer added 15, Linas Lekavicius had 12 and Arvydas Eitutavicius finished with 10 for AU.
The Eagles shot 53.5 percent(23 of 43) from the field, including 5 of 13 from three-point range. AU was 20 for 26 at the foul line.
Navy struggled from the field, hitting just 19 of 57 (35.3 percent). Take Greg Sprink, who led all scorers with 23 points, out of the Navy box score and the rest of the Mids shot 298 percent from the field (13 of 46). Navy was 8 for 30 from the arc, 14 for 19 at the foul line. Sprink accounted for 9 of the made free throws (and 11 of the shots taken).
Freshman Trey Stanton, who came off the bench for the first time all season, had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Stanton, who has started in each of Navy's 27 pervious games, yielded his spot in the lineup to Calvin White for Senior Night at Alumni Hall.
Navy was within two late in the first half when American went on a 10-3 run to go into the intermission up 27-18. The Eagles then opened the second half with a 7-0 run and never led by less than 9 points the rest of the way.
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Four guys hit in double figures for the Eagles (14-13 overall, 6-7 Patriot) in the 71-60 win in Annapolis. Andre Ingram led AU with 16 points. Derrick Mercer added 15, Linas Lekavicius had 12 and Arvydas Eitutavicius finished with 10 for AU.
The Eagles shot 53.5 percent(23 of 43) from the field, including 5 of 13 from three-point range. AU was 20 for 26 at the foul line.
Navy struggled from the field, hitting just 19 of 57 (35.3 percent). Take Greg Sprink, who led all scorers with 23 points, out of the Navy box score and the rest of the Mids shot 298 percent from the field (13 of 46). Navy was 8 for 30 from the arc, 14 for 19 at the foul line. Sprink accounted for 9 of the made free throws (and 11 of the shots taken).
Freshman Trey Stanton, who came off the bench for the first time all season, had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Stanton, who has started in each of Navy's 27 pervious games, yielded his spot in the lineup to Calvin White for Senior Night at Alumni Hall.
Navy was within two late in the first half when American went on a 10-3 run to go into the intermission up 27-18. The Eagles then opened the second half with a 7-0 run and never led by less than 9 points the rest of the way.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Three teams have already clinched home games in the first round of the Patriot League playoffs. American can claim the final spot with a win at Navy tonight.
Navy (14-13 overall, 4-8 Patriot), which has won three of its last four, is also still alive in the race for that home spot. Currently one game back, the Mids could claim that spot with a win tonight and a win Saturday at Colgate. In that scenarion, Navy would win the tiebreaker with AU by virtue of the Mids win at Lehigh.
American (13-13, 5-7) has won 12 of the last 13 between these two, including a 55-46 home win on Jan. 24. Navy 's only win in that 13-game stretch was last season in Annapolis.
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Navy (14-13 overall, 4-8 Patriot), which has won three of its last four, is also still alive in the race for that home spot. Currently one game back, the Mids could claim that spot with a win tonight and a win Saturday at Colgate. In that scenarion, Navy would win the tiebreaker with AU by virtue of the Mids win at Lehigh.
American (13-13, 5-7) has won 12 of the last 13 between these two, including a 55-46 home win on Jan. 24. Navy 's only win in that 13-game stretch was last season in Annapolis.
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Sunday, February 18, 2007
(Originally posted Sat, at 5:07 p.m., links added at 6:53 a.m.)
The Midshipmen's leading scorer posted all of his 19 points in the second half of Navy's win over Army.
Sprink, who did not score until he made a free throw with 13:30 to play, didn't make his first field goal until the 5:35 mark. But he got hot late, hitting a pair of treys in the final 3:47 to help Navy build an 8 point lead. Then Sprink went 6 for 6 at the foul line in the final minute to preserve the advantage.
Trey Stanton added 15 for Navy and Kaleo Kina chipped in with 14 for the Mids (14-13 overall, 4-8 Patriot). Navy was 21 of 44 (47.7 percent) from the field, 12 of 24 on threes. The Midshipmen shot 31 free throws, making 22.
Army was 23 of 48 from the field (47.9 percent), 4 of 9 from the arc, 18 of 28 at the foul line.
Jarrell Brown had 18 points to lead Army. Matt Bell and Doug Williams each added 16 for the Black Knights, who lost their seventh in a row. After startting conference play at 3-2, Army (13-14, 3-9) has now dropped into seventh place in the eight-team league.
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The Midshipmen's leading scorer posted all of his 19 points in the second half of Navy's win over Army.
Sprink, who did not score until he made a free throw with 13:30 to play, didn't make his first field goal until the 5:35 mark. But he got hot late, hitting a pair of treys in the final 3:47 to help Navy build an 8 point lead. Then Sprink went 6 for 6 at the foul line in the final minute to preserve the advantage.
Trey Stanton added 15 for Navy and Kaleo Kina chipped in with 14 for the Mids (14-13 overall, 4-8 Patriot). Navy was 21 of 44 (47.7 percent) from the field, 12 of 24 on threes. The Midshipmen shot 31 free throws, making 22.
Army was 23 of 48 from the field (47.9 percent), 4 of 9 from the arc, 18 of 28 at the foul line.
Jarrell Brown had 18 points to lead Army. Matt Bell and Doug Williams each added 16 for the Black Knights, who lost their seventh in a row. After startting conference play at 3-2, Army (13-14, 3-9) has now dropped into seventh place in the eight-team league.
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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.
| 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.
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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.
| 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.
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Labels: Army, CU, Navy, previews
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Friday, February 16, 2007
(Originally posted Thurs., 6:52 p.m., links added at 8:31 a.m.)
Crusaders start fast, romp past Midshipmen.
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
It took Holy Cross over 24 hours to make the trip to Annapolis. When they got there, the Crusaders had to wait another 21 hours to play their scheduled game, which was postponed due to their winter storm-related travel woes. It took the Crusaders considerably less time to dispatch of the Midshipmen once they finally took the court.
Behind a career-effort from center Tim Clifford, the Crusaders jumped out to a big lead early and cruised to a 68-40 win in a late-afternoon matinee in Alumni Hall.
Holy Cross (20-7 overall, 11-1 Patriot) looked like a team in a hurry to put this wild road trip from winter storm hell behind them, opening the game with a 9-0 run that they built into a 23-4 advantage before the Mids made their second field goal of the game.
“I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if we'd have any legs after riding five and a half hours on a train,” said Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard.
Not to worry. Holy Cross came out hot on offense while its defense made the Midshipmen (13-13, 3-8) look like they were among the 60,000 folks in the Annapolis area still without power following Tuesday's storm.
The Mids were 1 for 12 with 9 turnovers before their leading scorer, Greg Sprink, hit a layup with 7:32 to play in the first half to account for Navy's second field goal.
“It was obvious from the start we weren't going to shoot the ball well,” said Navy coach Billy Lange.
It was equally obvious Clifford would. By the time Sprink made that layup, Clifford already had scored 15 points and blocked a pair of shots. Sprink's bucket cut HC's early lead to 17 points (23-6). Navy cut the lead to 15 twice late in the first half before going to the intermission down 36-18.
At that point, Clifford'd 21 points were more than the whole Navy team combined. Clifford scored a dozen more in the second half before calling it an early night. When Clifford sat down with 6:23 to play, he had a career-high 33 points. At that point the Navy team has scored 36.
Lange's game plan called for the same defense the Midshipmen used to limit Clifford to 6 points when the two teams met a month ago in Worcester – double teams from the weak side, guards pinching down, anything to make Holy Cross beat them from the outside.
“We didn't do what we were supposed to do (against Clifford). We were going to play the paint first and make them throw it around the perimeter,” Lange said.
Instead, “The game started and it looked like we never practiced,” Lange said.
All afternoon, Holy Cross found the entry passes to Clifford with ease. Clifford heaped abuse from there, knocking down 12 of 19 from the field, including 1 for 1 from the three-point arc. He was also was a perfect 8 for 8 at the foul line, blocked four shots and grabbed four rebounds – all in just 29 minutes of action.
“Tim Clifford had a huge game,” said Willard, who was pleased with his team's ball movement, which led to 21 assists on 24 field goals.
Even though Navy has no legitimate post player to match up with him in the paint, Clifford insisted his big night was not by design. It just sort of happened that way.
“We've always been good at getting the ball to the hot hand. I had the hot hand tonight,” Clifford said. “It just happened that way.”
Keith Simmons added 10 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, but the way Holy Cross played defense, the 'Saders barely needed more offense than that provided by Clifford.
Holy Cross held Navy to 12 field goals, tying the Mids' all-time single-game low. The Midshipmen's 40 points were the sixth fewest they have scored in a game since the school began keeping records in 1953. Navy's 25 percent (12 of 48) shooting from the field was its fourth coldest shooting night ever. Add it together, and toss in Holy Cross' 68-point, the second most the Mids have allowed in league play this season, and you have the makings of a 28-point shellacking that was the second widest margin of defeat Navy has ever suffered at home.
Navy's leading scorer, Greg Sprink, was held to 6 points, more than 10 below his average. T.J. Topercer's 8 points off the bench made him the Mids' top scorer. Like his teammates, Sprink had more turnovers (3) than field goals (he was 2 for 7 from the field). As a team, Navy turned the ball over twice as often (24 times) as it put it in the hole.
After the game, Lange said he didn't know if the one-day delay had taken any edge off of his team, but he was pretty sure he could answer for Holy Cross.
“It didn't affect them,” Lange said.
| Notebook | Postgame audio (Billy Lange, Ralph Willard) |
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Crusaders start fast, romp past Midshipmen.
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
It took Holy Cross over 24 hours to make the trip to Annapolis. When they got there, the Crusaders had to wait another 21 hours to play their scheduled game, which was postponed due to their winter storm-related travel woes. It took the Crusaders considerably less time to dispatch of the Midshipmen once they finally took the court.
Behind a career-effort from center Tim Clifford, the Crusaders jumped out to a big lead early and cruised to a 68-40 win in a late-afternoon matinee in Alumni Hall.
Holy Cross (20-7 overall, 11-1 Patriot) looked like a team in a hurry to put this wild road trip from winter storm hell behind them, opening the game with a 9-0 run that they built into a 23-4 advantage before the Mids made their second field goal of the game.
“I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if we'd have any legs after riding five and a half hours on a train,” said Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard.
Not to worry. Holy Cross came out hot on offense while its defense made the Midshipmen (13-13, 3-8) look like they were among the 60,000 folks in the Annapolis area still without power following Tuesday's storm.
The Mids were 1 for 12 with 9 turnovers before their leading scorer, Greg Sprink, hit a layup with 7:32 to play in the first half to account for Navy's second field goal.
“It was obvious from the start we weren't going to shoot the ball well,” said Navy coach Billy Lange.
It was equally obvious Clifford would. By the time Sprink made that layup, Clifford already had scored 15 points and blocked a pair of shots. Sprink's bucket cut HC's early lead to 17 points (23-6). Navy cut the lead to 15 twice late in the first half before going to the intermission down 36-18.
At that point, Clifford'd 21 points were more than the whole Navy team combined. Clifford scored a dozen more in the second half before calling it an early night. When Clifford sat down with 6:23 to play, he had a career-high 33 points. At that point the Navy team has scored 36.
Lange's game plan called for the same defense the Midshipmen used to limit Clifford to 6 points when the two teams met a month ago in Worcester – double teams from the weak side, guards pinching down, anything to make Holy Cross beat them from the outside.
“We didn't do what we were supposed to do (against Clifford). We were going to play the paint first and make them throw it around the perimeter,” Lange said.
Instead, “The game started and it looked like we never practiced,” Lange said.
All afternoon, Holy Cross found the entry passes to Clifford with ease. Clifford heaped abuse from there, knocking down 12 of 19 from the field, including 1 for 1 from the three-point arc. He was also was a perfect 8 for 8 at the foul line, blocked four shots and grabbed four rebounds – all in just 29 minutes of action.
“Tim Clifford had a huge game,” said Willard, who was pleased with his team's ball movement, which led to 21 assists on 24 field goals.
Even though Navy has no legitimate post player to match up with him in the paint, Clifford insisted his big night was not by design. It just sort of happened that way.
“We've always been good at getting the ball to the hot hand. I had the hot hand tonight,” Clifford said. “It just happened that way.”
Keith Simmons added 10 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, but the way Holy Cross played defense, the 'Saders barely needed more offense than that provided by Clifford.
Holy Cross held Navy to 12 field goals, tying the Mids' all-time single-game low. The Midshipmen's 40 points were the sixth fewest they have scored in a game since the school began keeping records in 1953. Navy's 25 percent (12 of 48) shooting from the field was its fourth coldest shooting night ever. Add it together, and toss in Holy Cross' 68-point, the second most the Mids have allowed in league play this season, and you have the makings of a 28-point shellacking that was the second widest margin of defeat Navy has ever suffered at home.
Navy's leading scorer, Greg Sprink, was held to 6 points, more than 10 below his average. T.J. Topercer's 8 points off the bench made him the Mids' top scorer. Like his teammates, Sprink had more turnovers (3) than field goals (he was 2 for 7 from the field). As a team, Navy turned the ball over twice as often (24 times) as it put it in the hole.
After the game, Lange said he didn't know if the one-day delay had taken any edge off of his team, but he was pretty sure he could answer for Holy Cross.
“It didn't affect them,” Lange said.
| Notebook | Postgame audio (Billy Lange, Ralph Willard) |
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Notes and observations from courtside at this afternoon's late matinee in Annapolis.
The officiating crew working this afternoon's game is not the one originally assigned to work this contest. The postponement and weather related travel woes forced assigners to scramble to put together crews.
One of the three working this game said a high school ref worked Wednesday night's ESPN game between No. 2 Ohio State and Penn State when the the third official assigned to the game could not make it through the snow to State College.
The Mids were 0 for 3 with 4 turnovers on their first seven possessions, falling behind 9-0 before making its first field goal -- a T.J. Topercer three at the 16:32 mark of the first half.
Between Topercer's bucket and the next media timeout, which came at the 11:46 mark, Navy was 0 for 4 with three more turnovers. The Mids did manage a free throw in that stretch. In the same span, Holy Cross added 10 more points for a 19-4 lead. Seven of the 10 came from Tim Clifford, who had 11 points in the first 9:10 of the game. The Crusaders opened the game shooting 8 of 13 (61.5 percent) from the floor.
By the time Greg Sprink made Navy's second field goal of the game, Navy had gone 7:55 without a field goal. The Mids, between Topercer's trey and Sprink's layup, were 0 for 8 with 5 more turnovers. After Sprink's bucket cut the Holy Cross lead to 23-6, Navy was 2 for 13 from the field with 9 turnovers. In that same stretch, Clifford was 6 for 8 with 15 points, two blocks and a steal.
The Mids missed four more shots before Bryce Brigham scored their third field goal of the half, a three that resulted in a four-point play when he was fouled in the act by Eric Meister.
At the media timeout with 2:59 to play first half, Holy Cross was 12 for 21 (57.1 percent) from the field. Clifford (7 for 9) has 17 points. Navy was 4 for 19, 21.1 percent. Brigham, with two treys and 7 points, was the only Mid with more than one basket.
A 5-foot jumper from the left baseline with about 45 seconds to go in the half gave Clifford 21 points at the half, one shy of his whole game season high of 22 at Harvard back on Nov. 21. Keith Simmons (10 points) was also in double figures at the break.
FIRST HALF STATS: HC 15 of 26 (57.7 percent) from the field; 3-9 on three-pointers, 3-4 at the foul line. Navy 5 of 23 (21.7 percent), 4 of 10 threes, 4-5 FT. Turnovers: HC 10, Navy 11. Rebounds: HC 19, Navy 11.
Navy's 5 of 23 first half shooting is identical to its first half the last time HC visited Alumni Hall. HC led 35-15 in that one at the break.
The Crusaders scrambled out of Alumni Hall in a hurry after the game, headed for the airport and an 8 p.m. flight to New York . . . Holy Cross will spend Friday wrapping film sessions at their Long Island hotel around a 2:30 practice at Hofstra to prepare for Saturday's BracketBusters game . . . The win was Holy Cross' 17th in a row over Navy, the longest such streak in the league . . . just one of the last 12 HC wins in the series has been by a single-digit margin
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One of the three working this game said a high school ref worked Wednesday night's ESPN game between No. 2 Ohio State and Penn State when the the third official assigned to the game could not make it through the snow to State College.
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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 () 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 () 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 (). 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 (). 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 () 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 () 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 (). 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 (). 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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Sunday, February 11, 2007
After weeks of teams sharing last place in the league standings, Lafayette no longer shares those undesirable digs after losing at home to Navy.
It was the Greg Sprink show Saturday in Easton. The Navy junior poured in 29 points to lead the Midshipmen to a 70-63 win over Lafayette and out of what had been a crowded cellar in the Patriot League.
The win, Navy's second in a row, moves the Mids (13-12 overall, 3-7 Patriot) into a tie with their archrivals from the U.S. Military Academy for sixth place, with the possibility it could become a three-way tie for fifth, pending the outcome of this afternoon's American-Colgate game in Hamilton.
It was Billy Lange's first coaching win in the Kirby Center and the first time Navy has won two in a row against Division I teams since the first week of December.
For Lafayette (8-17, 2-6) the loss extends their current skid to four straight setbacks with a visit to Bucknell looming Wednesday. The Leopards have lost 10 of their last 12.
Lafayette led early, jumping out to a 16-6 lead. Navy responded with a 19-3 run and never trailed the rest of the way. Lafayette cut the deficit to 2 twice in the second half but never managed to get the stop-and-score needed to get even.
As you'd expect in a game between two perimeter oriented teams that like to jack it up from the three-point arc, it was won by the team that shot the ball better. In a rarity for Lafayette, the Leopards dominated the boards, grabbing 40 rebounds to 30 for Navy, an holding an 11-4 edge on the offensive glass. But 19 Lafayette turnovers (to 12 for Navy) pretty much negated any edge in possessions.
Both teams fired up 52 shots from the field and 23 free throws. Predictably. half of the 104 combined shots came from outside the arc. The difference in the contest: Navy made three more field goals, including two more threes. The Mids were 19 for 52 from the field (42.3 percent), 10 of 23 (43.5 percent) from three-point range. Lafayette shot 29 treys, making 8 (27.6 percent). Overall, Lafayette was 19 of 52 (36.5 percent) from the field.
Matt Betley led the Leopards with a 16 point, 10-board double-double. It was Betley's second double-double of the season, the other coming when the two teams met earlier this season in Annapolis. Bilal Abdullah added 13 points and 9 rebounds for Lafayette. Andrew brown finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
Kaleo Kina added 10 points for Navy, which hosts Holy Cross Wednesday.
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It was the Greg Sprink show Saturday in Easton. The Navy junior poured in 29 points to lead the Midshipmen to a 70-63 win over Lafayette and out of what had been a crowded cellar in the Patriot League.
The win, Navy's second in a row, moves the Mids (13-12 overall, 3-7 Patriot) into a tie with their archrivals from the U.S. Military Academy for sixth place, with the possibility it could become a three-way tie for fifth, pending the outcome of this afternoon's American-Colgate game in Hamilton.
It was Billy Lange's first coaching win in the Kirby Center and the first time Navy has won two in a row against Division I teams since the first week of December.
For Lafayette (8-17, 2-6) the loss extends their current skid to four straight setbacks with a visit to Bucknell looming Wednesday. The Leopards have lost 10 of their last 12.
Lafayette led early, jumping out to a 16-6 lead. Navy responded with a 19-3 run and never trailed the rest of the way. Lafayette cut the deficit to 2 twice in the second half but never managed to get the stop-and-score needed to get even.
As you'd expect in a game between two perimeter oriented teams that like to jack it up from the three-point arc, it was won by the team that shot the ball better. In a rarity for Lafayette, the Leopards dominated the boards, grabbing 40 rebounds to 30 for Navy, an holding an 11-4 edge on the offensive glass. But 19 Lafayette turnovers (to 12 for Navy) pretty much negated any edge in possessions.
Both teams fired up 52 shots from the field and 23 free throws. Predictably. half of the 104 combined shots came from outside the arc. The difference in the contest: Navy made three more field goals, including two more threes. The Mids were 19 for 52 from the field (42.3 percent), 10 of 23 (43.5 percent) from three-point range. Lafayette shot 29 treys, making 8 (27.6 percent). Overall, Lafayette was 19 of 52 (36.5 percent) from the field.
Matt Betley led the Leopards with a 16 point, 10-board double-double. It was Betley's second double-double of the season, the other coming when the two teams met earlier this season in Annapolis. Bilal Abdullah added 13 points and 9 rebounds for Lafayette. Andrew brown finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
Kaleo Kina added 10 points for Navy, which hosts Holy Cross Wednesday.
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Saturday, February 10, 2007
After last night's big showdown in Lewisburg, some might view today's pair of Patriot League games as afterthoughts. But both have seedings significance.
The biggest of the two has Army visiting Lehigh (), needing a win to complete a series sweep of the Mountain Hawks and to keep its hopes of a first round home game in the playoffs alive.
The last time the two met, Army pulled off a mild upset at West Point. That loss dealt a serious blow to Lehigh's hopes of winning the regular season title, or of at least sharing it by splitting with Bucknell and Holy Cross. Those hopes were dealt another blow with a home loss against Navy Wednesday. With Bucknell and HC still looming in the Hawks' final four games (not to mention visits to Colgate and always dangerous archrival Lafayette), Lehigh needs a win here to maintain its cushion over Colgate and the rest of the pack for third place and a home game in the first round.
A loss would put Lehigh at 5-5 and in serious danger of losing its hold on a home playoff game.
Army, a game behind Colgate in the win column for fourth, with Colgate owning a season sweep tiebreaker edge, simply cannot afford a loss if it wants to stay home for the first round.
Today's other game, Navy at Lafayette (), has less at stake. Neither team has much of a shot at finishing in the top four. But the winner would have a leg up on avoiding a potential bus ride to Worcester should Hc finish with the top seed. It would also have a shot at sneaking into sixth, which would bring a much greater chance of winning a first round game in the playoffs.
(Friday's Morning Call)
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The biggest of the two has Army visiting Lehigh (), needing a win to complete a series sweep of the Mountain Hawks and to keep its hopes of a first round home game in the playoffs alive.
The last time the two met, Army pulled off a mild upset at West Point. That loss dealt a serious blow to Lehigh's hopes of winning the regular season title, or of at least sharing it by splitting with Bucknell and Holy Cross. Those hopes were dealt another blow with a home loss against Navy Wednesday. With Bucknell and HC still looming in the Hawks' final four games (not to mention visits to Colgate and always dangerous archrival Lafayette), Lehigh needs a win here to maintain its cushion over Colgate and the rest of the pack for third place and a home game in the first round.
A loss would put Lehigh at 5-5 and in serious danger of losing its hold on a home playoff game.
Army, a game behind Colgate in the win column for fourth, with Colgate owning a season sweep tiebreaker edge, simply cannot afford a loss if it wants to stay home for the first round.
Today's other game, Navy at Lafayette (), has less at stake. Neither team has much of a shot at finishing in the top four. But the winner would have a leg up on avoiding a potential bus ride to Worcester should Hc finish with the top seed. It would also have a shot at sneaking into sixth, which would bring a much greater chance of winning a first round game in the playoffs.
Labels: Army, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
Navy uses three-pointers to shoot down Lehigh.
Holy upset Batman, Navy beat Lehigh in Stabler Arena. The cellar dwelling Midshipmen came into the Mountain Hawks spacious concrete shed and left the 962 fans groping to find their way to the exits after shooting out the lights in a 70-65 win.
It was just the second home loss of the season for Lehigh (16-15, 5-4 Patriot), which saw its chances of catching Bucknell or Holy Cross for one of the top two seeds sverely damaaged after this one. It was Navy's first road league win.
Navy (12-12, 2-7) did it by building a 17-point lead and holding on. Up 39-28 at the half after hitting 7 treys and holding Lehigh to 29.6 percent (8 of 27) shooting in the half, the Mids stretched the lead to 55-38 on a Kaleo Kina three-pointer with 13:14 to play.
Lehigh battled back, getting as close as 3, but the Hawks could not get over the hump, despite Navy making just one free throw in the final nine minutes.
If there was a flaw in Navy's performance, that would be it. The best free throw shooting team in the league struggled at the line, making just 12 of 22 foul shots. The Mids might have been better off if the refs had allowed them to shoot their free throws from the three-point arc. They were 12 of 21 (57.1 percent) there. Navy actually shot better outside the arc than inside (11 of 20, 55 percent making them 23 of 41 56.1 percent overall).
Lehigh went 6 for 19 (31.6 percent) on three-pointers, 19 of 54 (35.2 percent) overall. The Hawks were 21 of 32 from the foul line.
The Mountain Hawks owned a 37-26 edge on the boards, and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to 4 for Navy.
Trey Stanon Led Navy with 16 points. Kina added 16 and GReg Sprink had 10 points for the Mids, who scored 70 points against a Division I foe for the first time since they did it against Howard back on Dec. 4.
Bryan White had a monster night in a losing cause, putting up an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double. The 15 rebounds were a career high. Jose Olivero added 24 points for Lehigh.
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Holy upset Batman, Navy beat Lehigh in Stabler Arena. The cellar dwelling Midshipmen came into the Mountain Hawks spacious concrete shed and left the 962 fans groping to find their way to the exits after shooting out the lights in a 70-65 win.
It was just the second home loss of the season for Lehigh (16-15, 5-4 Patriot), which saw its chances of catching Bucknell or Holy Cross for one of the top two seeds sverely damaaged after this one. It was Navy's first road league win.
Navy (12-12, 2-7) did it by building a 17-point lead and holding on. Up 39-28 at the half after hitting 7 treys and holding Lehigh to 29.6 percent (8 of 27) shooting in the half, the Mids stretched the lead to 55-38 on a Kaleo Kina three-pointer with 13:14 to play.
Lehigh battled back, getting as close as 3, but the Hawks could not get over the hump, despite Navy making just one free throw in the final nine minutes.
If there was a flaw in Navy's performance, that would be it. The best free throw shooting team in the league struggled at the line, making just 12 of 22 foul shots. The Mids might have been better off if the refs had allowed them to shoot their free throws from the three-point arc. They were 12 of 21 (57.1 percent) there. Navy actually shot better outside the arc than inside (11 of 20, 55 percent making them 23 of 41 56.1 percent overall).
Lehigh went 6 for 19 (31.6 percent) on three-pointers, 19 of 54 (35.2 percent) overall. The Hawks were 21 of 32 from the foul line.
The Mountain Hawks owned a 37-26 edge on the boards, and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to 4 for Navy.
Trey Stanon Led Navy with 16 points. Kina added 16 and GReg Sprink had 10 points for the Mids, who scored 70 points against a Division I foe for the first time since they did it against Howard back on Dec. 4.
Bryan White had a monster night in a losing cause, putting up an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double. The 15 rebounds were a career high. Jose Olivero added 24 points for Lehigh.
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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 () 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.
(Examiner)
Colgate at Lafayette (): 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 () 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 (): 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 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 .
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. 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 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 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 . Defending champion Army is one game back after . 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 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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Friday, February 02, 2007
Bucknell showed no sign of slowing down without its leading scorer in the lineup.
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
Donald who?
That seemed to be Bucknell's attitude as they pasted Navy 78-63 Friday night in Alumni Hall.
It was the Bison's first game without their leading scorer and the league's leading rebounder -- Donald Brown -- who broke his right hand in Tuesday's win over Colgate. For one night, anyhow, he was hardly missed.
Darren Mastropaolo, who lost his starting job to Brown early in the second, stepped in and put up Brown like numbers. Other Bison picked up their games as well.
Brown was averaging 11.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game when he got hurt. Mastropaolo's numbers against Navy: 12 points and 7 rebounds. Brown also leads the Patriot League in field goal percentage. Mastropaolo went 5 for 5.
"Darren is the kind of kid that will take it on himself with Donald out. He will say to himself coming in he will get this many more rebounds and this many more points," said Bucknell coach Pat Flannery. "That's a kid that started on two NCAA Tournament teams."
That point was not lost on Navy coach Billy Lange, who pointed out even with Brown out, Chris McNaughton, Abe Badmus, John Griffin and Mastropaolo were still in the lineup.
"Those four kids were on the floor when they beat Kansas. They don't come into a game thinking they can't win without Donald Brown," Lange said. "They just played other guys. They didn't do anything different. They just keep doing what they do -- playing Bucknell basketball."
In this game that meant finding a nice blend of inside power and outside finesse on offense, playing stingy defense and treating the boards like they had annexed Alumni hall.
Mastropaolo and McNaughton simply overmatched Navy's young, thin frontcourt. McNaughton added 13 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Between the pair they had five offensive boards -- one more than the entire Navy team.
On the perimeter, John Griffin led the offense with a team-high 15 points, including four of Bucknell's 11 three-pointers. Griffin also dished off six assists, turning the ball over only once.
On the boards, Bucknell held a commanding 40-22 edge, including a 12-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
Lange tried to downplay that. "Rebounding can be a misleading stat at times," he said.
But there was nothing misleading about the way Bucknell dominated in the paint. Navy finished with 10 points in the paint, but most of those came when the outcome was already decided. In the first half, the Mids scored 28 points before Clif Colbert made a layup for their first points from closer than the foul line. Navy's first 24 points came on six three-pointers, two shots within a foot of the arc and one 10-foot jumper by Greg Sprink, who was going away from the basket when he shot it.
Early on, the threes were enough. The Mids hit 6 of 10 in the first 11 minutes, using the treys to build a lead of as many as 8 points.
"It seemed like every shot they tok was going down," Griffin said. "When those threes were going down, I figured it has to stop sooner or later."
It did, and when the threes stopped falling on a regular basis, the Mids lost their lead in a hurry. Bucknell battled back to take a 39-37 lead at the half, then blitzed the Mids with an 18-6 run to start the second half.
"I didn't think in the first half we were getting a hand up. We weren't closing out on the shooters. We did a much better job in the second half closing out, making them think about it instead of getting a set look," said Flannery.
The difference was reflected in the box score. After Navy shot 12 for 27 (44.4 percent) in the first half, they cooled off to 9 for 26 (34.6 percent) in the second. The 7 for 15 (48.7 percent) three-point shooting of the first half dropped to 6 of 17 (35.3 percent) after the break.
At the same time, Bucknell, after a solid 14 for 29 (48.3 percent) first half, stepped up its offense after the intermission, knocking down 11 of 21 (52.4 percent), including 6 of 10 from the arc.
The win is Bucknell's second in a row and third in the past four games in Alumni Hall, which used to be a house of horror for the Bison. Prior to the past four seasons, Bucknell had not won a game at Navy under Flannery, going 0 for his first 12 trips to Annapolis.
It is also Bucknell's sixth straight win, a season-long streak.
Navy lost for the fifth game in a row, extending its longest skid of the season.
| Notebook | Postgame audio (Billy Lange, Pat Flannery, John Griffin) | | | (video)
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By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
Donald who?
That seemed to be Bucknell's attitude as they pasted Navy 78-63 Friday night in Alumni Hall.
It was the Bison's first game without their leading scorer and the league's leading rebounder -- Donald Brown -- who broke his right hand in Tuesday's win over Colgate. For one night, anyhow, he was hardly missed.
Darren Mastropaolo, who lost his starting job to Brown early in the second, stepped in and put up Brown like numbers. Other Bison picked up their games as well.
Brown was averaging 11.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game when he got hurt. Mastropaolo's numbers against Navy: 12 points and 7 rebounds. Brown also leads the Patriot League in field goal percentage. Mastropaolo went 5 for 5.
"Darren is the kind of kid that will take it on himself with Donald out. He will say to himself coming in he will get this many more rebounds and this many more points," said Bucknell coach Pat Flannery. "That's a kid that started on two NCAA Tournament teams."
That point was not lost on Navy coach Billy Lange, who pointed out even with Brown out, Chris McNaughton, Abe Badmus, John Griffin and Mastropaolo were still in the lineup.
"Those four kids were on the floor when they beat Kansas. They don't come into a game thinking they can't win without Donald Brown," Lange said. "They just played other guys. They didn't do anything different. They just keep doing what they do -- playing Bucknell basketball."
In this game that meant finding a nice blend of inside power and outside finesse on offense, playing stingy defense and treating the boards like they had annexed Alumni hall.
Mastropaolo and McNaughton simply overmatched Navy's young, thin frontcourt. McNaughton added 13 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Between the pair they had five offensive boards -- one more than the entire Navy team.
On the perimeter, John Griffin led the offense with a team-high 15 points, including four of Bucknell's 11 three-pointers. Griffin also dished off six assists, turning the ball over only once.
On the boards, Bucknell held a commanding 40-22 edge, including a 12-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
Lange tried to downplay that. "Rebounding can be a misleading stat at times," he said.
But there was nothing misleading about the way Bucknell dominated in the paint. Navy finished with 10 points in the paint, but most of those came when the outcome was already decided. In the first half, the Mids scored 28 points before Clif Colbert made a layup for their first points from closer than the foul line. Navy's first 24 points came on six three-pointers, two shots within a foot of the arc and one 10-foot jumper by Greg Sprink, who was going away from the basket when he shot it.
Early on, the threes were enough. The Mids hit 6 of 10 in the first 11 minutes, using the treys to build a lead of as many as 8 points.
"It seemed like every shot they tok was going down," Griffin said. "When those threes were going down, I figured it has to stop sooner or later."
It did, and when the threes stopped falling on a regular basis, the Mids lost their lead in a hurry. Bucknell battled back to take a 39-37 lead at the half, then blitzed the Mids with an 18-6 run to start the second half.
"I didn't think in the first half we were getting a hand up. We weren't closing out on the shooters. We did a much better job in the second half closing out, making them think about it instead of getting a set look," said Flannery.
The difference was reflected in the box score. After Navy shot 12 for 27 (44.4 percent) in the first half, they cooled off to 9 for 26 (34.6 percent) in the second. The 7 for 15 (48.7 percent) three-point shooting of the first half dropped to 6 of 17 (35.3 percent) after the break.
At the same time, Bucknell, after a solid 14 for 29 (48.3 percent) first half, stepped up its offense after the intermission, knocking down 11 of 21 (52.4 percent), including 6 of 10 from the arc.
The win is Bucknell's second in a row and third in the past four games in Alumni Hall, which used to be a house of horror for the Bison. Prior to the past four seasons, Bucknell had not won a game at Navy under Flannery, going 0 for his first 12 trips to Annapolis.
It is also Bucknell's sixth straight win, a season-long streak.
Navy lost for the fifth game in a row, extending its longest skid of the season.
| Notebook | Postgame audio (Billy Lange, Pat Flannery, John Griffin) | | | (video)
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Notes and observations from Bucknell's 78-63 win at Navy
If you have not seen Navy's offense, it really is different. There is nobody in the low post, only occasionally someone in the high post. Basically they put five guys around the arc, then make cuts from one side of the arc to the other. There is very little in terms of trying to make cuts actually towards the basket. instead, they throw it around the outside, then usually fire up a three.
Even their two-pointers tend to be long jumpers. Of Navy's first 24 points, the closest shot was from 10-feet. The rest were either threes -- six of them -- or within a foot of the arc.
Talk about good anticipation. On John Griffin's first personal foul, which came with 12:26 to go in the first half, the ref actually blew the whistle before Griffin made contact. The call was correct, but premature.
Somebody ought to clue the Patriot League folks on a secret Major League Soccer learned long ago. When your building is far from full for a TV game, try to make sure you fill the seats on the side opposite the cameras to create the illusion of a bigger crowd. Navy reserves the first four rows at center court for brass and they are only about half full, which doesn't look good on TV.
Speaking of TV, is it true the U in ESPNU stands for Unavailable? Don't have the stats, but it doesn't seem ESPNU is available in many more homes than CSTV was. That doesn't mean it has not been a good move for the league shifting networks. The ESPN branding does present a stronger image and unlike CSTV, ESPNU does not force games to be played at odd times so it can show women's curling.
A Clif Colbert layup with 5:47 to go in the first half marked Navy's first points in the paint, after their first 28 came outside or at the foul line.
Bucknell had two buckets wiped out in the first half. The first came on a questionable charge on Justin Castleberry. The second came on an offensive interference call on Chris McNaughton, who tipped in a Jason Vegotsky miss. The refs ruled the ball was still in the cylinder when McNaughton touched it.
That call brought a furious protest from Pat Flannery, who was nearly to halfcourt when assistant Nathan Davis reeled him back in.
The officials stopped the game and checked a replay on a monitor at the scoring table. On the scoreboard video screen, it appeared the officials got the call right.
It has been total domination on the boards by Bucknell in the first half. The Bison hold a 22-11 edge on the boards, with 8 offensive caroms to 1 for Navy.
HALFTIME STATS:
Bucknell 39, Navy 37
Scoring: Bucknell -- John Griffin 8, Stephen Tyree and Chris McNaughton 7 each, Jason Vegotsky 6
Navy -- Greg Sprink 10, Adam Teague 6
Shooting: Bucknell 14 for 29 (48.3 percent) 5 for 12 on threes
Navy -- 12 of 27 (44.4 percent), 7 of 15 threes
Points in the paint: Bucknell 16, Navy 4
Turnovers: Bucknell 9, Navy 5
Points off Turnovers: Bucknell 11, Navy 14
The answer to who would pick up Donald Brown's minutes appears to be Patrick Behan. Behan has been part of a three-man rotation with McNaughton and Mastropaolo in the 4 and 5 spots.
Stephen Tyree played 12 minutes in the first half, picking up a career-high already with 7 points on 3 for 3 shooting. That is one of the answers to who will pick up some of Brown's scoring. He also has 4 rebounds, answering that part of the Brown question.
Navy was 6 of 10 from the arc the first 11 minutes, 1 for 5 after that.
SECOND HALF
If the game comes down to the wire, somebody will look back at what happened when Abe Badmus was at the foul line with 15:11 to go in the half. Badmus missed the free throw and the rebound was tipped out of bounds. The refs stopped play when the clock showed 15:06 and reset it to 15:08, meaning the carom and tip took 3 seconds. No word on whether or not Navy had borrowed Duke's clock guy for the night.
Bucknell opened the second half with an 11-3 run and stretched it to 18-6 over the first 7 minutes of the half. All six of Navy's points came on threes by freshman guard Chris Harris, who added another at the 12:18 mark to account for all 9 of the Mids points in the half. At that point, Navy was shooting 3 for 9 in the half, 7 of the shots being threes. Bucknell was 7 for 10 in that span, 3 of 5 at the arc.
Navy's Greg Sprink joined the Midshipmen's 1,000-points club with a three at the 8:52 mark of the second half.
Navy might be in last place in the standings, but its pep band is easily tops in the league. It's all brass, save the drummer on a trap kit -- not a woodwind in sight. Alumni Hall's new scoreboard is also the best in the league. The video screen actually looks like television, unlike that low def. thing in the corner of Bucknell's Sojka Pavilion. It hangs above the middle of the floor, offering every fan a good view and they are great about showing replays. All in all, it just adds to the first class feel of Alumni Hall. Your tax dollars at work, eh?
Bucknell walk-on George Medrano scored the first points of his career on a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left.
Bucknell's 78 points were the second most allowed by the Mids this season. Only Penn (79) has scored more.
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Even their two-pointers tend to be long jumpers. Of Navy's first 24 points, the closest shot was from 10-feet. The rest were either threes -- six of them -- or within a foot of the arc.
That call brought a furious protest from Pat Flannery, who was nearly to halfcourt when assistant Nathan Davis reeled him back in.
The officials stopped the game and checked a replay on a monitor at the scoring table. On the scoreboard video screen, it appeared the officials got the call right.
HALFTIME STATS:
Bucknell 39, Navy 37
Scoring: Bucknell -- John Griffin 8, Stephen Tyree and Chris McNaughton 7 each, Jason Vegotsky 6
Navy -- Greg Sprink 10, Adam Teague 6
Shooting: Bucknell 14 for 29 (48.3 percent) 5 for 12 on threes
Navy -- 12 of 27 (44.4 percent), 7 of 15 threes
Points in the paint: Bucknell 16, Navy 4
Turnovers: Bucknell 9, Navy 5
Points off Turnovers: Bucknell 11, Navy 14
Stephen Tyree played 12 minutes in the first half, picking up a career-high already with 7 points on 3 for 3 shooting. That is one of the answers to who will pick up some of Brown's scoring. He also has 4 rebounds, answering that part of the Brown question.
SECOND HALF
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We'll find out a lot about the Bucknell Bison tonight in Annapolis.
A lot of people wrote off the preseason favorites in the Patriot League when they stumbled to an 2-5 start. The media stopped treating them as darlings. Many of their own classmates stopped coming out to home games. At times it seemed the only people who still thought they had a chance of making a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament were their own players and coaches.
After that start, things began to look up for Bucknell. A win over George Mason in the BB&T Classic seemed to right the listing BU ship. Since then, Bucknell has gone 11-3. Toss out the loss to Central Arkansas, and the Bison have played pretty good basketball. The other two losses were both on the road -- at Texas Tech and at league-leading Holy Cross.
It is probably no coincidence that the winning started when coach Pat Flannery switched his starting lineup, benching junior Darren Mastropaolo to allow Donald Brown to move to his natural position at the four.
The move allowed Brown, the team's sixth man the past two seasons, to blossom. The 6-6 senior from Long Island leads the league in rebounding and field goal percentage and leads the team in scoring.
Bucknell sports information director Jon Terry like to mimic those UPS commercials in his game notes, headlining a section on Brown's contributions "What can Brown do for you."
Now Terry is going to have to add a new category: "What can you do without Brown." Brown suffered a broken bone in his right (shooting) hand in Tuesday's win over Colgate and is out of the rotation indefinitely.
Brown's absence ups the intrigue for tonight's Bucknell at Navy game () (9 p.m., ESPNU - Sirius 155). Navy's 1-6 conference record makes it seem like a mismatch on paper, but Brown's absence could cause some mismatchs on the floor.
The three-point happy Midshipmen play the game very differently than most teams. Billy Lange's play-the-cards-dealt-ya style has no legitimate post presence. The most recent version of Navy's starting lineup has added 6-8 freshman Bobby Fenske to the mix. But the added height has not changed the Midshipmen's style of play.
Like fellow freshman starter 6-10 Trey Stanton, Fenske is a skinny perimeter guy, not a low post banger. Almost half his shots thus far have come from the three-point arc, as have more than half of Stanton's.
It's like that up and down the Navy lineup. Leading scorer Greg Sprink (16.5 ppg) takes 12 shots a game; at least 6 of them from the arc. All together, 48.5 percent of Navy's shots this season have come from three-point range.
That is why Brown's absence could prove critical. When the two teams met earlier this season in Lewisburg, it was Brown who helped take Sprink out of the game in the second half.
Bucknell is fortunate to have an experienced guy like Mastropaolo to plug into the starting five. Mastropaolo is a tenacious defender who has shown flashes of being able to score in the paint. Against a team like Navy, without strong post defenders, it is not unreasonable to expect Mastropaolo to be able to pick up much of the offensive slack for Brown.
But Mastropaolo is more a stay at home post defender, lacking Brown's speed and quickness. That could cause Bucknell problems defending on the perimeter. Navy's three-point shooting percentage is the lowest in the league, but that doesn't mean they can't knock them down if nobody is there to put a hand in their face.
Don't expect Pat Flannery to try to simply overpower Navy with inside offense. The duo of Mastropaolo and center Chris McNaughton out to be able to dominate in the paint, at least if the Bison guards hit enough jumpers to keep Navy from being able to double and triple down all night. But Flannery always looks at defensive matchups first. He is not about to sacrifice at the defensive end, running the risk of swapping two-point baskets for Navy treys.
Patrick Behan should be the first guy off the bench up front. The 6-8 freshman has appeared in 19 of Bucknell's 21 games and ought to match up better against Navy's big guys than he does against stronger, in-the-paint types.
Freshman Stephen Tyree has seen increased minutes in recent games and could play a key role here. Flannery has repeatedly said Tyree has the potential to be the best defensive player he has had at Bucknell. While Tyree is not at that level yet, his length and quickness could be a key to slowing Navy on the arc.
Sophomore Josh Linthicum is another guy who might have an opportunity. The 6-11 Linthicum was expected to get more minutes this season, but between Brown moving back to the four and his own struggles at the defensive end early in the season, those minutes have not materialized. If he is able to take advantage of the opportunity Brown's absence presents, it will be a big plus for the Bison both the remainder of this season and next season, when McNaughton and Brown will both have graduated.
Another guy who could get a shot at redemption is 6-3 junior Rob Thomas, whose minutes diminished when Justin Castleberry emerged as Flannery's first guard off the bench. Offense has never been Thomas' problem. If he can harness some of his quickness and athleticism at the other end, he could find himself back in the rotation.
The bottom line is pretty simple: Brown's injury can be either a problem or an opportunity. If somebody steps up to take advantage of the opportunity it presents, it won't be a problem. If not, Bucknell could start to slide towards the middle of the Patriot League pack.
Despite Navy's record, this was not going to be an easy game even with a healthy Brown. Annapolis has never been kind to the Bison. A win tonight would make Bucknell the first team in the league to win 150 conference games. But it would be just their fifth in 18 games in Alumni Hall. Even the NCAA Tournament Bison two seasons ago lost in Annapolis. Prior to winning their last season, Bucknell was 1-13 there under Flannery.
NOTE: Harrisburg area fans can catch the game at Damons off the Progress Ave. exit of I-81 in Susquehanna Twp.
Bonus link: (Daily Item)
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A lot of people wrote off the preseason favorites in the Patriot League when they stumbled to an 2-5 start. The media stopped treating them as darlings. Many of their own classmates stopped coming out to home games. At times it seemed the only people who still thought they had a chance of making a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament were their own players and coaches.
After that start, things began to look up for Bucknell. A win over George Mason in the BB&T Classic seemed to right the listing BU ship. Since then, Bucknell has gone 11-3. Toss out the loss to Central Arkansas, and the Bison have played pretty good basketball. The other two losses were both on the road -- at Texas Tech and at league-leading Holy Cross.
It is probably no coincidence that the winning started when coach Pat Flannery switched his starting lineup, benching junior Darren Mastropaolo to allow Donald Brown to move to his natural position at the four.
The move allowed Brown, the team's sixth man the past two seasons, to blossom. The 6-6 senior from Long Island leads the league in rebounding and field goal percentage and leads the team in scoring.
Bucknell sports information director Jon Terry like to mimic those UPS commercials in his game notes, headlining a section on Brown's contributions "What can Brown do for you."
Now Terry is going to have to add a new category: "What can you do without Brown." Brown suffered a broken bone in his right (shooting) hand in Tuesday's win over Colgate and is out of the rotation indefinitely.
Brown's absence ups the intrigue for tonight's Bucknell at Navy game () (9 p.m., ESPNU - Sirius 155). Navy's 1-6 conference record makes it seem like a mismatch on paper, but Brown's absence could cause some mismatchs on the floor.
The three-point happy Midshipmen play the game very differently than most teams. Billy Lange's play-the-cards-dealt-ya style has no legitimate post presence. The most recent version of Navy's starting lineup has added 6-8 freshman Bobby Fenske to the mix. But the added height has not changed the Midshipmen's style of play.
Like fellow freshman starter 6-10 Trey Stanton, Fenske is a skinny perimeter guy, not a low post banger. Almost half his shots thus far have come from the three-point arc, as have more than half of Stanton's.
It's like that up and down the Navy lineup. Leading scorer Greg Sprink (16.5 ppg) takes 12 shots a game; at least 6 of them from the arc. All together, 48.5 percent of Navy's shots this season have come from three-point range.
That is why Brown's absence could prove critical. When the two teams met earlier this season in Lewisburg, it was Brown who helped take Sprink out of the game in the second half.
Bucknell is fortunate to have an experienced guy like Mastropaolo to plug into the starting five. Mastropaolo is a tenacious defender who has shown flashes of being able to score in the paint. Against a team like Navy, without strong post defenders, it is not unreasonable to expect Mastropaolo to be able to pick up much of the offensive slack for Brown.
But Mastropaolo is more a stay at home post defender, lacking Brown's speed and quickness. That could cause Bucknell problems defending on the perimeter. Navy's three-point shooting percentage is the lowest in the league, but that doesn't mean they can't knock them down if nobody is there to put a hand in their face.
Don't expect Pat Flannery to try to simply overpower Navy with inside offense. The duo of Mastropaolo and center Chris McNaughton out to be able to dominate in the paint, at least if the Bison guards hit enough jumpers to keep Navy from being able to double and triple down all night. But Flannery always looks at defensive matchups first. He is not about to sacrifice at the defensive end, running the risk of swapping two-point baskets for Navy treys.
Patrick Behan should be the first guy off the bench up front. The 6-8 freshman has appeared in 19 of Bucknell's 21 games and ought to match up better against Navy's big guys than he does against stronger, in-the-paint types.
Freshman Stephen Tyree has seen increased minutes in recent games and could play a key role here. Flannery has repeatedly said Tyree has the potential to be the best defensive player he has had at Bucknell. While Tyree is not at that level yet, his length and quickness could be a key to slowing Navy on the arc.
Sophomore Josh Linthicum is another guy who might have an opportunity. The 6-11 Linthicum was expected to get more minutes this season, but between Brown moving back to the four and his own struggles at the defensive end early in the season, those minutes have not materialized. If he is able to take advantage of the opportunity Brown's absence presents, it will be a big plus for the Bison both the remainder of this season and next season, when McNaughton and Brown will both have graduated.
Another guy who could get a shot at redemption is 6-3 junior Rob Thomas, whose minutes diminished when Justin Castleberry emerged as Flannery's first guard off the bench. Offense has never been Thomas' problem. If he can harness some of his quickness and athleticism at the other end, he could find himself back in the rotation.
The bottom line is pretty simple: Brown's injury can be either a problem or an opportunity. If somebody steps up to take advantage of the opportunity it presents, it won't be a problem. If not, Bucknell could start to slide towards the middle of the Patriot League pack.
Despite Navy's record, this was not going to be an easy game even with a healthy Brown. Annapolis has never been kind to the Bison. A win tonight would make Bucknell the first team in the league to win 150 conference games. But it would be just their fifth in 18 games in Alumni Hall. Even the NCAA Tournament Bison two seasons ago lost in Annapolis. Prior to winning their last season, Bucknell was 1-13 there under Flannery.
NOTE: Harrisburg area fans can catch the game at Damons off the Progress Ave. exit of I-81 in Susquehanna Twp.
Bonus link: (Daily Item)
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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.
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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.
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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 (). Meanwhile, American visits Lafayette in a matchup of a pair of 2-4 clubs ().
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 . 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 (). Meanwhile, American visits Lafayette in a matchup of a pair of 2-4 clubs ().
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 . 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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Thursday, January 25, 2007
There are reasons American and Navy were tied for last in the league heading into last night's game.
One of those was on full display during the Eagles 55-46 win over the Midshipmen in Bender Arena.
The two teams combined to go 30 of 99 (30.3 percent) from the floor in a game decided at the foul line.
American was not exactly stellar at the charity stripe, shooting just 60 percent from the line. But the Eagles (18 of 30) got to the stripe 18 more times than Navy, negating the Mids 11 of 12 performance.
Take either team off the line and put a defender on them and the results differed dramatically. American was 16 for 53 (30.2 percent) from the field, 5 of 22 from three-point range. Navy shot 14 for 46 (30.4 percent) from the field, 7 of 24 at the arc.
Andre Ingram led the Eagles with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Brayden Billbe added 11 points off the bench.
Greg Sprink was the only Mid in double figures, finishing with 16 points and 9 boards.
Billbe was one of three usual starters benched at the beginning of this one. Looking for better matchups against Navy's perimeter-oriented offense, Jeff Jones inserted Arvydas Eitutavicius, 6-5 soph Jordan Nichols and little used 6-5 senior Sekou Lewis -- who had played in only 9 of the first 19 games, averaging 2.7 minutes -- into the starting five. Out of the lineup were Billbe, Linas Lekavicius and Travis Lay. It was the first time all season and the second time in two seasons Billbe and Lekavicius did not start.
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One of those was on full display during the Eagles 55-46 win over the Midshipmen in Bender Arena.
The two teams combined to go 30 of 99 (30.3 percent) from the floor in a game decided at the foul line.
American was not exactly stellar at the charity stripe, shooting just 60 percent from the line. But the Eagles (18 of 30) got to the stripe 18 more times than Navy, negating the Mids 11 of 12 performance.
Take either team off the line and put a defender on them and the results differed dramatically. American was 16 for 53 (30.2 percent) from the field, 5 of 22 from three-point range. Navy shot 14 for 46 (30.4 percent) from the field, 7 of 24 at the arc.
Andre Ingram led the Eagles with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Brayden Billbe added 11 points off the bench.
Greg Sprink was the only Mid in double figures, finishing with 16 points and 9 boards.
Billbe was one of three usual starters benched at the beginning of this one. Looking for better matchups against Navy's perimeter-oriented offense, Jeff Jones inserted Arvydas Eitutavicius, 6-5 soph Jordan Nichols and little used 6-5 senior Sekou Lewis -- who had played in only 9 of the first 19 games, averaging 2.7 minutes -- into the starting five. Out of the lineup were Billbe, Linas Lekavicius and Travis Lay. It was the first time all season and the second time in two seasons Billbe and Lekavicius did not start.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2007
(Includes bonus links)
After last night's twofer Tuesday, two more on tap tonight in the Patriot League. The headliner is Army, leaving West Point for the first time in two weeks to visit the hard luck Leopards of Lafayette.
Army has a chance to claim a share of third place when it visits Easton tonight (). The Black Knights, coming off three-straight wins at home, would actually have a tiebreaker edge over Lehigh for the number three seed if they win in Kirby, thanks to a win over the Mountain Hawks.
It won't be easy. Army is 2-6 on the road this season. Lafayette is just 3-5 at home, but those losses include games against Holy Cross and Bucknell, both of which the Leopards managed to hang in all the way to the end.
Lafayette can play with anybody in the league when its shots are falling and unlike Holy Cross or Bucknell, Army won't present the Leopards with a huge mismatch in the frontcourt.
Meanwhile, down in the Nation's Capital, somebody will emerge from the cellar when 1-4 American hosts 1-4 Navy ().
BONUS LINKS:
(Centre Daily Times)
(Slam)
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After last night's twofer Tuesday, two more on tap tonight in the Patriot League. The headliner is Army, leaving West Point for the first time in two weeks to visit the hard luck Leopards of Lafayette.
Army has a chance to claim a share of third place when it visits Easton tonight (). The Black Knights, coming off three-straight wins at home, would actually have a tiebreaker edge over Lehigh for the number three seed if they win in Kirby, thanks to a win over the Mountain Hawks.
It won't be easy. Army is 2-6 on the road this season. Lafayette is just 3-5 at home, but those losses include games against Holy Cross and Bucknell, both of which the Leopards managed to hang in all the way to the end.
Lafayette can play with anybody in the league when its shots are falling and unlike Holy Cross or Bucknell, Army won't present the Leopards with a huge mismatch in the frontcourt.
Meanwhile, down in the Nation's Capital, somebody will emerge from the cellar when 1-4 American hosts 1-4 Navy ().
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: AU, Laf, Navy, previews
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Monday, January 22, 2007
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| Jim Crews donned desert fatigues for the Navy game. Read about it and see the Times Herald-Record's . |
Army did not get much offense Sunday afternoon in Christl Arena. Only Matt Bell (16 points, 3 three-pointers) reached double figures for the Black Knights, who shot 39.2 percent (20 of 51) from the field. But the way they defended, they didn't need much.
Holding Navy to 28.6 percent shooting from the field, Army improved to 3-2 in league play, gaining a two-game advantage in the race for the fourth, and final, home game slot in the postseason Patriot League Tournament.
Navy hit just 16 of 56 shots from the field. Over half of those shots (29) were three-point tries. Only six of those treys found their mark.
Greg Sprink led all scorers with 19 points, on 6 for 16 shooting. Sprink was 3 for 9 from the arc, the biggest miss coming at the buzzer with a chance to tie after Bell left the door open by missing the first of two free throws with 4.5 second to go.
Sprink took the inbounds pass, dribbled the length of the floor and had a good look from 25-feet out on the left side. But his attempt to send the game to overtime rimmed out, giving Army the win in the first meeting of the season between the two for the fourth season in a row.
Sprink's missed three capped a half in which Navy made just 7 of 31 shots from teh field (22.6 percent).
Navy killed Corban Bates once again came up big against the Midshipmen. Bates scored 6 of his 8 points on back-to-back possessions, both after coming up with key offensive rebounds. The first led to an old-fashioned three-point play on a putback and a foul shot that put the Black Knights on top for good. The second was a new-fangled three-ball after another offensive rebound, giving Army a 47-43 lead with 4:09 to play.
The Midshipmen got within two three times down the stretch, the last time on a Sprink trey with 6 seconds left that made it 52-50, Army. That proved to be Navy's only field goal in the last 5:02 of the game.
The win, Army's third in a row (all at home), ups the Black Knights record to 13-7 overall. It's the first time Army has won 13 games since the 1986-87 season. Navy has now dropped 6 of its last 8 since starting the season 9-3.
The crowd of 3,904 was the largest for an Army home game since 5,125 showed up for a Feb. 28, 2004 Navy game and was literally more than 10 times the size of the crowd that showed up earlier in the week (390) for a win over American.
Army closes out the first half of the conference schedule with two games this week on the road -- Wednesday at Lafayette and Saturday at Bucknell. Navy is at American Wednesday, then hosts Colgate Saturday.
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BONUS LINK: (interview from Basketball U., done before the Army game)
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Sunday, January 21, 2007
Army-Navy takes on added importance this season
In recent seasons, games between Army and Navy have rarely had anything other than bragging rights at stake. Occasionally these games have determined which team finishes out of last place, but rarely has anyone given any thought to the postseason seeding consequences of a game between the academies.
That changes here. For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the two academies both go into today's game (Noon, ESPNU - Sirius 107) with winning records. While neither is likely to ultimately challenge for the conference title, both are very much in the hunt for a top four seeding and first round game at home in the league tournament.
If early season form holds, there is at least one spot in the upper division of the league standings up for grabs. There could be more. Lehigh is currently tied for third with Bucknell, but the Mountain Hawks have struggled on the road and are at Bucknell and at Holy Cross next week. Bucknell plays five of its last seven in the league on the road.
Army, which beat Lehigh in West Point already, currently has a slight leg up on the rest of the league for the fourth spot. A win here gives the Black Knights a 3-2 league record and two games up on the four one-win teams at the bottom of the league.
Navy is one of those one-win teams. The Midshipmen have scuffled since starting the season 9-3, and sorely need a win to, pardon the pun, right their ship. Despite their slow conference start, a win at Army would put the Mids in a tie for that fourth home-game spot, with a significant edge in the head-to-head tiebreaker since the Black Knights must visit Annapolis in the second half of the conference season.
The two teams are fairly evenly matched. Each boasts a pair of high scoring wingers -- Navy's Greg Sprink and Kaleo Kina, Army's Jarrell Brown and Matt Bell. Each has a first-year guy in the post -- Army's Chris Walker, Navy's Trey Stanton. Both have veteran point guards -- Navy junior Corey Johnson, Army senior Marcus Nelson.
The game is at West Point, in what should be decent sized crowd (for a change) in Christl Arena. Not that it necessarily will make a difference. Last season the two split, each winning on the other's floor.
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In recent seasons, games between Army and Navy have rarely had anything other than bragging rights at stake. Occasionally these games have determined which team finishes out of last place, but rarely has anyone given any thought to the postseason seeding consequences of a game between the academies.
That changes here. For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the two academies both go into today's game (Noon, ESPNU - Sirius 107) with winning records. While neither is likely to ultimately challenge for the conference title, both are very much in the hunt for a top four seeding and first round game at home in the league tournament.
If early season form holds, there is at least one spot in the upper division of the league standings up for grabs. There could be more. Lehigh is currently tied for third with Bucknell, but the Mountain Hawks have struggled on the road and are at Bucknell and at Holy Cross next week. Bucknell plays five of its last seven in the league on the road.
Army, which beat Lehigh in West Point already, currently has a slight leg up on the rest of the league for the fourth spot. A win here gives the Black Knights a 3-2 league record and two games up on the four one-win teams at the bottom of the league.
Navy is one of those one-win teams. The Midshipmen have scuffled since starting the season 9-3, and sorely need a win to, pardon the pun, right their ship. Despite their slow conference start, a win at Army would put the Mids in a tie for that fourth home-game spot, with a significant edge in the head-to-head tiebreaker since the Black Knights must visit Annapolis in the second half of the conference season.
The two teams are fairly evenly matched. Each boasts a pair of high scoring wingers -- Navy's Greg Sprink and Kaleo Kina, Army's Jarrell Brown and Matt Bell. Each has a first-year guy in the post -- Army's Chris Walker, Navy's Trey Stanton. Both have veteran point guards -- Navy junior Corey Johnson, Army senior Marcus Nelson.
The game is at West Point, in what should be decent sized crowd (for a change) in Christl Arena. Not that it necessarily will make a difference. Last season the two split, each winning on the other's floor.
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Thursday, January 18, 2007
Holy Cross overcame a 28-percent first half shooting effort to trounce Navy 61-42.
The Crusaders were up just 1 point, 20-19, at the intermission, after going 7 for 25 from the field the first 20 minutes. The second half was a different story, for HC anyhow. Holy Cross opened the half with an 11-0 run and never looked back, hitting 14 of 21 (66.7 percent) from the field in the second half to win going away.
Defense was a constant for the Crusaders in both halves.No Navy player managed to reach double figures, Correction: Adam Teague scored 17 for the Mids. Navy's leading scorer, Greg Sprink, was held to 8 points -- less than half his 16.6 ppg average. Navy 911-8 overall, 1-3 Patriot) was 15 of 47 (31.9 percent) from the field.
Keith Simmons led Holy Cross with 22 points, his fourth 20-point effort in HC's past five games. Alex Vander Baan added 13 and Torey Thomas had 10 for the Crusaders (13-6, 4-0). The win was the sixth in a row for HC, which heads to American Saturday after going 3-0 in their three-game homestand.
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The Crusaders were up just 1 point, 20-19, at the intermission, after going 7 for 25 from the field the first 20 minutes. The second half was a different story, for HC anyhow. Holy Cross opened the half with an 11-0 run and never looked back, hitting 14 of 21 (66.7 percent) from the field in the second half to win going away.
Defense was a constant for the Crusaders in both halves.
Keith Simmons led Holy Cross with 22 points, his fourth 20-point effort in HC's past five games. Alex Vander Baan added 13 and Torey Thomas had 10 for the Crusaders (13-6, 4-0). The win was the sixth in a row for HC, which heads to American Saturday after going 3-0 in their three-game homestand.
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
An old-fashioned full slate of Wednesday night games are on tap tonight.Bucknall at Lafayette ()-- 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.
American at Army ()-- 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. (Lawrence (Kans.) Journal-World)
Navy at Holy Cross ()-- 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 ()-- 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 ()-- 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 ()-- 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 ()-- 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
It was a balmy 65 degress out Saturday in Annapolis, but it was much colder inside Alumni Hall.
Two teams that live and die by the jump shot hooked up in Annapolis and neither distinguished itself from the field. But Navy got to the foul line 25 times and made 20 to beat Lafayette 60-44.
Coming in, the two teams were No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in three-pointers made per game. You would not have known it watching this game. Lafayette was 5 for 25 from the arc, part of an overall 16 for 52 (30.8 percent) effort that would have looked even worse if not for Matt Betley's 8 for 12 night.
Take Betley, who finished with a 19-point, 12-rebound double double, out of the equation and Lafayette was 8 for 40 (20 percent) from the field. Betley also shot half of Lafayette's 14 free throws, making 3 of his 7. Lafayette was 7 of 14 as a team.
Navy was barely better from the field -- 17 of 54 (34 percent), 6 of 20 at the arc. But in addition to their free throw shooting, the Mids forced 24 Lafayette turnovers.
Greg Sprink led the Midshipmen with 23 points, thanks to a 10 for 10 night at the charity stripe. Adam Teague was also in double figures with 10 points for Navy (11-7 overall, 1-2 PL).
The only place in the box score Lafayette (7-11, 1-2) had an edge was in rebounding (40-37).
It gets no easier for either team. Lafayette hosts Bucknell Wednesday while Navy will be at Holy Cross.
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Two teams that live and die by the jump shot hooked up in Annapolis and neither distinguished itself from the field. But Navy got to the foul line 25 times and made 20 to beat Lafayette 60-44.
Coming in, the two teams were No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in three-pointers made per game. You would not have known it watching this game. Lafayette was 5 for 25 from the arc, part of an overall 16 for 52 (30.8 percent) effort that would have looked even worse if not for Matt Betley's 8 for 12 night.
Take Betley, who finished with a 19-point, 12-rebound double double, out of the equation and Lafayette was 8 for 40 (20 percent) from the field. Betley also shot half of Lafayette's 14 free throws, making 3 of his 7. Lafayette was 7 of 14 as a team.
Navy was barely better from the field -- 17 of 54 (34 percent), 6 of 20 at the arc. But in addition to their free throw shooting, the Mids forced 24 Lafayette turnovers.
Greg Sprink led the Midshipmen with 23 points, thanks to a 10 for 10 night at the charity stripe. Adam Teague was also in double figures with 10 points for Navy (11-7 overall, 1-2 PL).
The only place in the box score Lafayette (7-11, 1-2) had an edge was in rebounding (40-37).
It gets no easier for either team. Lafayette hosts Bucknell Wednesday while Navy will be at Holy Cross.
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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 (). 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 (), 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 (). Colgate has lost four of its last five and has shot over 40 percent once in its last eight games.
BONUS LINK:
(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 (), 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 (). Colgate has lost four of its last five and has shot over 40 percent once in its last eight games.
BONUS LINK:
Labels: Army, AU, CU, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, January 11, 2007
The cure for Lehigh's road woes proved to be a visit to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.
After 11 straight losses outside of breezy Stabler Arena this season, Lehigh (7-11 overall, 2-0 Patriot) picked up its first road win of the season last night, a 71-61 win at Navy. The win ends a road losing streak of 14 games dating to last season.
The Mountain Hawks did it by combining their customary tough defense with a page from Navy's offensive playbook, knocking down 10 three-points (on 20 tries) while holding Navy to 40.8 percent shooting (20 of 49) from the field.
Kyle Neptune (17 points) had four of the Lehigh treys. Jose Olivero (17) and Marquis Hall (13) each added three. "Skinny Phil" Anderson added 10. Bryan White added 8 and pulled down 7 rebounds.
Kaleo Kina was the only guy in double figures for the Mids (10-7, 0-2). Greg Sprink, who played only 6 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, was held to 9. It was just the third time this season Sprink failed to reach double figures.
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After 11 straight losses outside of breezy Stabler Arena this season, Lehigh (7-11 overall, 2-0 Patriot) picked up its first road win of the season last night, a 71-61 win at Navy. The win ends a road losing streak of 14 games dating to last season.
The Mountain Hawks did it by combining their customary tough defense with a page from Navy's offensive playbook, knocking down 10 three-points (on 20 tries) while holding Navy to 40.8 percent shooting (20 of 49) from the field.
Kyle Neptune (17 points) had four of the Lehigh treys. Jose Olivero (17) and Marquis Hall (13) each added three. "Skinny Phil" Anderson added 10. Bryan White added 8 and pulled down 7 rebounds.
Kaleo Kina was the only guy in double figures for the Mids (10-7, 0-2). Greg Sprink, who played only 6 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, was held to 9. It was just the third time this season Sprink failed to reach double figures.
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Sunday, January 07, 2007
Bucknell's 59-51 win over Navy was the Bison's 27th straight home league win and their 22nd straight league win overall. It also kept Navy 0-for-Sojka Pavilion.
Donald Brown continued his standout play for the Bison, scoring 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting and pulling down 9 rebounds. Chris McNaughton added 12 points on 5 of 8 from the field and John Griffin scored 11 points and dished out 8 assists without a turnover.
The Bison held the Mids to 41.9 percent shooting (18 of 43) from the field, but Navy stayed in the game by making 8 (of 24) threes, while Bucknell was 2 of 13 from the arc. Bucknell didn't help itself at the free throw line, either, going 15 of 27 there, 10 of 18 in the second half.
Greg Sprink led Navy with 18 points. Sprink worked hard for those points. He was 5 of 15 from the field, 3 of 10 on thre-point tries.
Navy led 21-16 with 6:14 to play in the first half, but went 1 of 5 (all three-pointers) the rest of the half while Bucknell took the lead with a 12-3 run.
After the Mids closed to 30-29 early in the second half, the Bison had a 7-0 run to reestablish control. Navy never got closer than 5 the rest of the way.
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Donald Brown continued his standout play for the Bison, scoring 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting and pulling down 9 rebounds. Chris McNaughton added 12 points on 5 of 8 from the field and John Griffin scored 11 points and dished out 8 assists without a turnover.
The Bison held the Mids to 41.9 percent shooting (18 of 43) from the field, but Navy stayed in the game by making 8 (of 24) threes, while Bucknell was 2 of 13 from the arc. Bucknell didn't help itself at the free throw line, either, going 15 of 27 there, 10 of 18 in the second half.
Greg Sprink led Navy with 18 points. Sprink worked hard for those points. He was 5 of 15 from the field, 3 of 10 on thre-point tries.
Navy led 21-16 with 6:14 to play in the first half, but went 1 of 5 (all three-pointers) the rest of the half while Bucknell took the lead with a 12-3 run.
After the Mids closed to 30-29 early in the second half, the Bison had a 7-0 run to reestablish control. Navy never got closer than 5 the rest of the way.
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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.: () 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.: () 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.: () 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.: () 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: (Times Herald-Record)
(Annapolis Capital)
(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.: () 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.: () 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.: () 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.: () 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.
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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)
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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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Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Freshman Trey Stanton comes up big late in the Mids overtime win at NJIT.
First Stanton slid across the lane to block a shot that could have cost Navy the game at the end of regulation. Then he hit a pair of three-pointers to help Navy escape with a 52-50 OT win in Newark.
The win was Navy's first in four games against Division I opponents since a double OT win Dec. 4 over Howard and the Mids' third OT victory this season.
Greg Sprink hit a pair of free throws for the game-winning points after NJIT tied it at 50-50 in the extra session. Sprink finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for the Mids (10-5), who are at Bucknell Saturday in the conference opener for both teams.
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First Stanton slid across the lane to block a shot that could have cost Navy the game at the end of regulation. Then he hit a pair of three-pointers to help Navy escape with a 52-50 OT win in Newark.
The win was Navy's first in four games against Division I opponents since a double OT win Dec. 4 over Howard and the Mids' third OT victory this season.
Greg Sprink hit a pair of free throws for the game-winning points after NJIT tied it at 50-50 in the extra session. Sprink finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for the Mids (10-5), who are at Bucknell Saturday in the conference opener for both teams.
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Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Four teams get their final non-conference tune-ups tonight. All four would seem to have a chance to get a win. In some cases, who does and who doesn't might tell us a lot about the state of the league heading into conference play.
Beginning of December, we wrote "Things are looking up around here." But Patriot League teams are 6-17 since Dec. 21. At the start of last month, the league was 29-25 against non-conference Division I foes, with a conference RPI of 14.
Starting the New Year, the league is 47-54 against D-I opponents, with an RPI of 18, just ahead of the Ivy League -- which means this season's Hoop Time-Basketball U. Challenge series actually means something. League tams have six games left against out of conference opponents before league play begins Saturday. Three of those involve Ivy League foes. The Patriot League trails the season series 9-8 and needs a sweep to claim the mythical crystal trophy (The Ivy League would keep the virtual trophy if the series ties).
Here are the relative RPIs of individual teams (then) and now:
American -- (116) 212
Army -- (120) 132
Bucknell -- (195) (144)
Colgate -- (267) 270
Holy Cross -- (90) 99
Lafayette -- (265) 243
Lehigh -- (254) 288
Navy -- (77) 145
These last six non-conference games (aside from the three BracketBusters games in February) offer the entire league a couple final opportunities to set its RPI for the season.
Aside from the RPI considerations, every team has its own particular reasons why it badly needs a win in these games. For some it's a chance to stem the bleeding. For others it's an important confidence builder for a young team.
Here's a glance at the four games being played tonight:
Army at Dartmouth () -- Dartmouth (4-7) is not what you'd call a tough out. Not even at home. The Green are 2-2 at home, including a loss to Colgate. Army won twice on the road early in the season (and two on neutral floors), but it has not done it lately. The home win over Sacred Heart showed the Black Knights psyche did not suffer from the losses at Michigan and Notre Dame. A road-win and a two-game win streak heading into their opener at Colgate on Saturday.
Navy at NJIT () -- Stop the bleeding. It's been nearly a month since the Midshipmen (9-5) beat a Division I foe. Since a Dec. 4 double-OT win over Howard, the Mids are 0-3 against D-I teams. NJIT (2-11) could be just what the Mids need to regain some confidence heading to Lewisburg Saturday.
Columbia at Lehigh () -- Another team that has not beaten a Division I opponent in a while, the Mountain Hawks will look to stay perfect in Stabler against a 7-5 Columbia team that is 1-4 on the road. Lehigh, which last beat a D-I on Dec. 2 (Central Conn.), is 0-4 against D-Is since then. Certainly keeping their home record unbeaten would be a tremendous confidence boost for the Hawks prior to hosting American Saturday.
Saint Francis (Pa.) at American () -- The Eagles come home looking to heal after losing four in a row, all on the road. Saint Francis (4-8) is 1-4 on the road. The Red Flash won in Bender the last time they visited AU (2003). American a perfect 4-0 in Bender thus far this season.
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Beginning of December, we wrote "Things are looking up around here." But Patriot League teams are 6-17 since Dec. 21. At the start of last month, the league was 29-25 against non-conference Division I foes, with a conference RPI of 14.
Starting the New Year, the league is 47-54 against D-I opponents, with an RPI of 18, just ahead of the Ivy League -- which means this season's Hoop Time-Basketball U. Challenge series actually means something. League tams have six games left against out of conference opponents before league play begins Saturday. Three of those involve Ivy League foes. The Patriot League trails the season series 9-8 and needs a sweep to claim the mythical crystal trophy (The Ivy League would keep the virtual trophy if the series ties).
Here are the relative RPIs of individual teams (then) and now:
American -- (116) 212
Army -- (120) 132
Bucknell -- (195) (144)
Colgate -- (267) 270
Holy Cross -- (90) 99
Lafayette -- (265) 243
Lehigh -- (254) 288
Navy -- (77) 145
These last six non-conference games (aside from the three BracketBusters games in February) offer the entire league a couple final opportunities to set its RPI for the season.
Aside from the RPI considerations, every team has its own particular reasons why it badly needs a win in these games. For some it's a chance to stem the bleeding. For others it's an important confidence builder for a young team.
Here's a glance at the four games being played tonight:
Army at Dartmouth () -- Dartmouth (4-7) is not what you'd call a tough out. Not even at home. The Green are 2-2 at home, including a loss to Colgate. Army won twice on the road early in the season (and two on neutral floors), but it has not done it lately. The home win over Sacred Heart showed the Black Knights psyche did not suffer from the losses at Michigan and Notre Dame. A road-win and a two-game win streak heading into their opener at Colgate on Saturday.
Navy at NJIT () -- Stop the bleeding. It's been nearly a month since the Midshipmen (9-5) beat a Division I foe. Since a Dec. 4 double-OT win over Howard, the Mids are 0-3 against D-I teams. NJIT (2-11) could be just what the Mids need to regain some confidence heading to Lewisburg Saturday.
Columbia at Lehigh () -- Another team that has not beaten a Division I opponent in a while, the Mountain Hawks will look to stay perfect in Stabler against a 7-5 Columbia team that is 1-4 on the road. Lehigh, which last beat a D-I on Dec. 2 (Central Conn.), is 0-4 against D-Is since then. Certainly keeping their home record unbeaten would be a tremendous confidence boost for the Hawks prior to hosting American Saturday.
Saint Francis (Pa.) at American () -- The Eagles come home looking to heal after losing four in a row, all on the road. Saint Francis (4-8) is 1-4 on the road. The Red Flash won in Bender the last time they visited AU (2003). American a perfect 4-0 in Bender thus far this season.
Labels: Army, AU, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, December 31, 2006
Navy coach Billy Lange said it best: "It was just a rough night for (Navy)."
The Mids, who live and die by the jump shot, were very much alive at the half after shooting 50 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. Navy actually had the lead with less than three minutes to go in the half and was tied headed into the final minute before Yale hit a pair of quick threes to take a 37-31 halftime lead. Navy never regained the lead.
Down by three midway through the second half, Navy went without scoring for over five minutes. Yale went on a 9-0 spurt in that stretch to build its lead to double digits and the margin thayed there the rest of the way.
Navy shot 37.5 percent (9 of 24) in the second half, finishing the game 21 of 48 (43.8 percent). Yale was 24 of 46 (52.2 percent) from the field, 8 of 17 from the arc. The Bulldogs also went 18 for 26 at the foul line -- 17 of 23 in the second half. Navy shot just 12 free throws (making 9), turned the ball over 21 times and were outrebounded 33-24.
The loss is Navy's third in a row against Divsion I opposition, after starting the season 7-2. Overall the Mids are now 9-5, with a Tuesday visit to NJIT before opening league play at Bucknell Saturday.
Yale's win now gives the Ivy League a 9-8 edge in the season series with the Patriot League. Yale is 2-2 with losses to Bucknell and Holy Cross and wins over American and the Midshipmen. It was the first road win of the season for 3-8 Yale, whose other win came in its season opener against Division 3 Allegheny, a game Allegheny actually counts as an .
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The Mids, who live and die by the jump shot, were very much alive at the half after shooting 50 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. Navy actually had the lead with less than three minutes to go in the half and was tied headed into the final minute before Yale hit a pair of quick threes to take a 37-31 halftime lead. Navy never regained the lead.
Down by three midway through the second half, Navy went without scoring for over five minutes. Yale went on a 9-0 spurt in that stretch to build its lead to double digits and the margin thayed there the rest of the way.
Navy shot 37.5 percent (9 of 24) in the second half, finishing the game 21 of 48 (43.8 percent). Yale was 24 of 46 (52.2 percent) from the field, 8 of 17 from the arc. The Bulldogs also went 18 for 26 at the foul line -- 17 of 23 in the second half. Navy shot just 12 free throws (making 9), turned the ball over 21 times and were outrebounded 33-24.
The loss is Navy's third in a row against Divsion I opposition, after starting the season 7-2. Overall the Mids are now 9-5, with a Tuesday visit to NJIT before opening league play at Bucknell Saturday.
Yale's win now gives the Ivy League a 9-8 edge in the season series with the Patriot League. Yale is 2-2 with losses to Bucknell and Holy Cross and wins over American and the Midshipmen. It was the first road win of the season for 3-8 Yale, whose other win came in its season opener against Division 3 Allegheny, a game Allegheny actually counts as an .
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Saturday, December 30, 2006
It's the last five-game day of the season for Patriot League teams as non-conference play begins to wind down in anticipation of next week's conference openers.
For Lafayette and Bucknell, this will be their final non-conference tune-ups. The Leopards are at San Diego State (), taking on an Aztecs team that is 10-3 despite , while Bucknell tries to salvage its visit to Poughkeepsie with a win over 3-8 Northern Illinois in the Marist Classic consolation game ().
American, which beat Longwood handily at home back on Dec. 4, tries for a season sweep in an unusual non-conference home and home series when it visits the Lancers in a 3 p.m. start (). Yale, 1-2 against Patriot League teams, looks to even that record when it visits Navy ().
In the day's other game, Holy Cross will try to bounce back from Friday's loss to Niagara when it meets suddenly hot Delaware () in the finale of their three-game LaSalle Invitational adventure. The Blue Hens were 0-9 when they arrived Thursday in Philly for the round robin event. Now they are 2-9 after beating Niagara in the first round Thursday and the host Explorers Friday.
This will be a real test for the short-handed, leg-weary Crusaders who are 1-4 in games in which they have one day or less to prepare.
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For Lafayette and Bucknell, this will be their final non-conference tune-ups. The Leopards are at San Diego State (), taking on an Aztecs team that is 10-3 despite , while Bucknell tries to salvage its visit to Poughkeepsie with a win over 3-8 Northern Illinois in the Marist Classic consolation game ().
American, which beat Longwood handily at home back on Dec. 4, tries for a season sweep in an unusual non-conference home and home series when it visits the Lancers in a 3 p.m. start (). Yale, 1-2 against Patriot League teams, looks to even that record when it visits Navy ().
In the day's other game, Holy Cross will try to bounce back from Friday's loss to Niagara when it meets suddenly hot Delaware () in the finale of their three-game LaSalle Invitational adventure. The Blue Hens were 0-9 when they arrived Thursday in Philly for the round robin event. Now they are 2-9 after beating Niagara in the first round Thursday and the host Explorers Friday.
This will be a real test for the short-handed, leg-weary Crusaders who are 1-4 in games in which they have one day or less to prepare.
Labels: AU, BU, HC, Laf, Navy, previews
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Not arguing Bucknell belongs in the Mid Major Top 25, but will admit to being a little confused how a team can pick up a road win at Xavier and actually lose votes in the poll.
With Holy Cross' recent slide, this week's version of the has no Patriot League teams included among the Top 25. Army leads all PL vote-getters with 76 points, good for an unofficial No. 27 ranking. Navy unofficial No. 32 with 43. Holy Cross dropped out of the top 25 and received only 20 points in this week's voting. Bucknell barely in the others receiving with 2 points.
Taking nothing away from either service academy, but does anybody think the Cruaders or the Bison would not have as good, or better, records if they played Army or Navy's schedules?
It seems pretty obvious voters are paying more attention to records than who those records come against. Just look at No. 14 Akron as an example. The Zips have exactly one win over a team with a winning record -- 6-4 Binghamton. Their other six wins came against an 0-10 NAIA school (Tiffin), an 0-14 provisional Division I (Winston Salem State), 1-8 Gardner Webb, 4-6 Oral Roberts and 3-7 Saint Francis (Pa.), and 4-6 Niagara. Only one loss came against a team with a winning record -- 9-1 Nevada beat Akron at Akron. The other two losses came to Illinois Chicago (5-8) and Arkansas Little Rock (5-7).No, Akron has not played any SUNY schools. (As a couple of e-mailers have reminded us, Binghamton actually is a SUNY school, just does not use SUNY in front of its name anymore.)
Here is the best part - before losing by two to Nevada, that schedule actually had Akron ranked in the top 10. The Zips dropped from No. 9 to 14 after that loss.
Like we said, go figure.
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With Holy Cross' recent slide, this week's version of the has no Patriot League teams included among the Top 25. Army leads all PL vote-getters with 76 points, good for an unofficial No. 27 ranking. Navy unofficial No. 32 with 43. Holy Cross dropped out of the top 25 and received only 20 points in this week's voting. Bucknell barely in the others receiving with 2 points.
Taking nothing away from either service academy, but does anybody think the Cruaders or the Bison would not have as good, or better, records if they played Army or Navy's schedules?
It seems pretty obvious voters are paying more attention to records than who those records come against. Just look at No. 14 Akron as an example. The Zips have exactly one win over a team with a winning record -- 6-4 Binghamton. Their other six wins came against an 0-10 NAIA school (Tiffin), an 0-14 provisional Division I (Winston Salem State), 1-8 Gardner Webb, 4-6 Oral Roberts and 3-7 Saint Francis (Pa.), and 4-6 Niagara. Only one loss came against a team with a winning record -- 9-1 Nevada beat Akron at Akron. The other two losses came to Illinois Chicago (5-8) and Arkansas Little Rock (5-7).
Here is the best part - before losing by two to Nevada, that schedule actually had Akron ranked in the top 10. The Zips dropped from No. 9 to 14 after that loss.
Like we said, go figure.
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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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Sunday, December 24, 2006
It's really no secret: when Navy does not shoot the ball well from the perimeter, it struggles to win and against Georgetown Saturday, the Mids shot horribly.
Navy has almost as many perimeter snipers on its basketball teams as it has ships in its fleet, but none could seem to find their range in the 65-44 loss to the Hoyas in the Verizon Center. The Mids, who never led, missed 12 of its first 13 shots, including 9 from the three-point arc, setting the tone for an afternoon where they went 15 for 48 (31.3 percent) from the field, 4 for 22 from the arc.
Greg Sprink (16 points) was the only Navy player in double figures, and he was just 4 for 11 from the field.
The Mids actually didn't play too poorly on defense. Georgetown only shot 43.2 percent (19 of 44). But Navy was no match inside for the Hoyas, who dominated the boards. Georgetown's 41-18 rebounding edge only tells half the story. The Hoyas actually grabbed the carom from more of its own misses than the Mids did, pulling down 15 offensive rebounds to 11 defensive rebounds for Navy.
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Navy has almost as many perimeter snipers on its basketball teams as it has ships in its fleet, but none could seem to find their range in the 65-44 loss to the Hoyas in the Verizon Center. The Mids, who never led, missed 12 of its first 13 shots, including 9 from the three-point arc, setting the tone for an afternoon where they went 15 for 48 (31.3 percent) from the field, 4 for 22 from the arc.
Greg Sprink (16 points) was the only Navy player in double figures, and he was just 4 for 11 from the field.
The Mids actually didn't play too poorly on defense. Georgetown only shot 43.2 percent (19 of 44). But Navy was no match inside for the Hoyas, who dominated the boards. Georgetown's 41-18 rebounding edge only tells half the story. The Hoyas actually grabbed the carom from more of its own misses than the Mids did, pulling down 15 offensive rebounds to 11 defensive rebounds for Navy.
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Saturday, December 23, 2006
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The "General" barks orders back in his Indiana days |
Unless you live in a cave (and then how the heck are you here?), you know the whole storyline for this afternoon's Bucknell-Texas Tech game (4:30, ESPN2) (). Bobby Knight, love him or hate him, going for win No. 879, which would tie him with former North Carolina coach Dean Smith as the all-time winningest coach in Division 1 hoops.
A few weeks ago, this would have seemed like a "pencil it in" win for Knight. But Bucknell has recovered from its 0-4 start to win five of its last six, including picking up a big-name scalp at Xavier the Bison's last time out.
We plan to get to a TV as soon as we can this afternoon, but first we'll stop in College Park, Md., where American takes on Maryland ()in a 1 p.m. tip.
On the other side of town, Navy visits Georgetown , also a 1 p.m. tip.
A win by any one of the three league teams would be a tremendous early Christmas present for the Patriot League.
Labels: AU, BU, Navy, previews
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
Lafayette needed to use its starters to the end to get past a Division 3 team last night. Navy had no such problems against its D3 foe.
Lafayette 89, King's 80 -- Fran O'Hanlon understanably not thrilled with the defensive effort after needing to keep his starters on the floor at the end of a game against a Division 3 team. It took the 'Pards 16 three-pointers to get past the Monarchs.
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Navy 83, Washington (Md.) 37 -- Seeing what happened to Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff in a game against a D3 foe, some might wonder why Billy Lange had Greg Sprink on the floor long enough to score 27 points in this one. But a look at the box score shows Sprink only played 22 minutes. Most on the team, but not a lot. Still, with the league play right around the corner, wouldn't this have been a place for Clif Colbert to play more than 7 minutes. Or maybe give seldom-used senior Calvin White some of Sprink's minutes and save your best player for when he is needed? Just a thought.
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Lafayette 89, King's 80 -- Fran O'Hanlon understanably not thrilled with the defensive effort after needing to keep his starters on the floor at the end of a game against a Division 3 team. It took the 'Pards 16 three-pointers to get past the Monarchs.
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Navy 83, Washington (Md.) 37 -- Seeing what happened to Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff in a game against a D3 foe, some might wonder why Billy Lange had Greg Sprink on the floor long enough to score 27 points in this one. But a look at the box score shows Sprink only played 22 minutes. Most on the team, but not a lot. Still, with the league play right around the corner, wouldn't this have been a place for Clif Colbert to play more than 7 minutes. Or maybe give seldom-used senior Calvin White some of Sprink's minutes and save your best player for when he is needed? Just a thought.
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
In the rock, paper, scissors world of college hoops, Bucknell is at Xavier tonight. That is the same Xavier team that beat American by 18 last month and Arizona State by 18 last week -- the same ASU team that handled Colgate with ease last night. What will the results of this game tell us about the relative strengths of Bucknell, American and Colgate? Not a thing, but this sort of "six degrees of separation" stuff is great fodder for the message board folks.
If Bucknell's season had a soundtrack, it would have to feature Willie Nelson. This will be Bucknell's eighth game away from Sojka Pavilion, where they have played just twice all season. The Bison don't have another home game until conference play begins in January.
For Xavier, the game comas in the middle of finals week, a fluke caused by a change in the school's calendar after the game was scheduled.
Tempo will be a key in this one. Xavier has four guys averaging in double figures and likes to play at a much faster pace than Bucknell. The Musketeers average over 80 points per game at home and are shooting over 50 percent on the season in games at the Cintas Center. Bucknell will need to play two good halves -- something that has not been easy for the Bison thus far -- if they are to have any shot at scoring their first "name" win of the season.
One side note: BU coach Pat Flannery will be trying for his 300th career win in this one.
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Also on tonight's slate: Division 3 King's is at Lafayette and Navy hosts Washington -- no, not the Pac 12 Huskies --- Washington College, a D-3 from Maryland's Eastern Shore.
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If Bucknell's season had a soundtrack, it would have to feature Willie Nelson. This will be Bucknell's eighth game away from Sojka Pavilion, where they have played just twice all season. The Bison don't have another home game until conference play begins in January.
For Xavier, the game comas in the middle of finals week, a fluke caused by a change in the school's calendar after the game was scheduled.
Tempo will be a key in this one. Xavier has four guys averaging in double figures and likes to play at a much faster pace than Bucknell. The Musketeers average over 80 points per game at home and are shooting over 50 percent on the season in games at the Cintas Center. Bucknell will need to play two good halves -- something that has not been easy for the Bison thus far -- if they are to have any shot at scoring their first "name" win of the season.
One side note: BU coach Pat Flannery will be trying for his 300th career win in this one.
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Also on tonight's slate: Division 3 King's is at Lafayette and Navy hosts Washington -- no, not the Pac 12 Huskies --- Washington College, a D-3 from Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Labels: BU, Laf, Navy, previews
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Monday, December 18, 2006
Holy Cross stays at No. 18, but for the first time this season, Bucknell has dropped out of the .
The Bison are still in the "others receiving votes" category, with 34 points (unofficially No. 35). The voting in the poll rather curious in some respects. Navy, which was beaten soundly at home by Penn, received 53 points (unofficial No. 31); Penn only got 18. Army was the top others receiving team with 74 points. American also received 6.
In the : Army again received a vote in the AP poll; No Patriot League votes in the ESPN-USA Today poll.
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The Bison are still in the "others receiving votes" category, with 34 points (unofficially No. 35). The voting in the poll rather curious in some respects. Navy, which was beaten soundly at home by Penn, received 53 points (unofficial No. 31); Penn only got 18. Army was the top others receiving team with 74 points. American also received 6.
In the : Army again received a vote in the AP poll; No Patriot League votes in the ESPN-USA Today poll.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, HC, Navy
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After struggling early, Navy held Division 3 Delaware Valley scoreless for an 8 1/2 minute stretch to pull away. Those who lament the recruiting difficulties of the military academies should take note of the name of Mids' soph. , who made his debut in this one. Think a few other schools in the league would love to have a 6-8 kid stashed on a jayvee team they could add to the roster right now.
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Friday, December 15, 2006
Here are links to the latest news and notes about the Patriot League:
Tom Housenick's weekly in The Daily Item breaks down Bucknell's 3-4 start, which he blames primarily on inconsistency.
Ron Snyder checks in with a look at Navy's strong start in the . There is also a brief Navy mention in an about local college team in the Examiner's Baltimore edition.
Recruitniks everywhere can start working themselves into a lather over , a 6-8 (or 6-7, depending who is writing the story) kid from Judge Memorial, Utah's defending 3A champions. Hollingsworth has a 3.95 GPA and a desire to major in computer science and electrical engineering, and while Stanford would be his first choice, he is realistically looking at unnamed Patriot and Ivy League schools, according to Matt Thurber, writing in the Salt Lake City tribune.
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