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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:
Georgetown stats
Georgetown game notes
Georgetown looks to bounce back against American (HoopsWorld)
Eagles Try to Put Game Faces Back on for Hoyas (Washington Post)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/ncaa/wires/12/28/2060.ap.bkc.american.s.shockers.0790/ (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.
BONUS LINKS:
St. Francis (NY) stats
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:
Long Beach St. stats
Long Beach St. tournament notes
Record shooting night way too much for Long Beach State (S.F. Chronicle)
49ers go into Bear den for tourney (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).
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Bucknell, Navy, previews
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Friday, December 28, 2007
Editor's note: Updated at 4:57 p.m. to correct the schedule -- Thanks, Bill, for the heads up!
Two teams in action today as teams get back in action following the holiday.American, coming off its big win at Maryland, will try for another shocker when it travels across town to take on No. 5 Georgetown. Bucknell travels across the country to face North Dakota State in the first round of Cal's Golden Bear Classic, while Lehigh is at home against Monmouth in a battle of the Hawks.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE: One of two Division I schools other than Bucknell to go by the nickname "Bison," N.D. State has never faced With a pair of 1,000-point scorers in the lineup and a third guy set to join the 1,000-point club sometime in January, North Dakota State likes to push tempo and score the basketball. The Bison, who are still in the transitional stage of their move to Division I, come in at 6-5, averaging 83 points per game.
Thousand-point scorers Ben Woodside (5-11 jr. guard) and Brett Winkelman (6-6 jr. forward) lead the offense. The pair are the highest scoring two-player combo in all of Division I. Woodside, the CBS Sports pick as the preseason Summit League player of the year and the league's official player of the month in Nov., is averaging 23 points per game. Winkelman, who earned Summit player of the week honors after a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double against Colorado State in N.D. State's last game (Dec. 15). Woodside has three 30-point games to his credit this season, Winkelman has two.
Junior Guard Mike Nelson (6-4) is currently 58 points shy of 1,000. Nelson (14.7 ppg) is the best three-point shooter of the bunch, hitting treys at a 46.6 percent rate. Woodside and Winkelman each are shooting the rock better than 40 percent from the arc.
N.D. State shoots the ball well (46.5 percent from the field, 38.7 percent on threes), but also allows opponents to do the same. Foes have connected on 48.3 percent from the field against N.D. State, 37.2 percent on three-pointers.
BONUS LINKS:
N.D. State stats
Livestats
N.D. State game notes
Tourneys lack glitz, but keep action (SF Chronicle)
Bison meet Bison (The Forum)
Winter (fast) break (East Bay Express)
SCOUTING MONMOUTH: It's Hawks at Mountain Hawks, with the Hawks of Monmouth the decided underdog. Monmouth (2-9) comes in riding a six-game losing streak, its last win coming well over a month ago, when it beat Charlotte in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Coupled with a win over Wichita State in the same tournament, things looked promising then for Monmouth. The back-to-back wins gave them a 2-3 record, with the losses coming at Colgate, at Seton Hall in overtime and against Notre Dame in the first round of the Paradise Jam.
Since then, though, the wheels have come off. The Hawks are shooting 37.5 percent as a team, 30.3 percent from three point range, while opponents are hitting at a 45.5 percent clip (36.1 percent from the arc). Monmouth is being outrebounded by almost 10 boards per game and averages nearly 16 turnovers.
Sophomore guard Jhamar Youngblood (6-1) is the only Monmouth player averaging in double figures (14.7 ppg).
BONUS LINKS:
Monmouth stats
Monmouth game notes
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Two teams in action today as teams get back in action following the holiday.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE: One of two Division I schools other than Bucknell to go by the nickname "Bison," N.D. State has never faced With a pair of 1,000-point scorers in the lineup and a third guy set to join the 1,000-point club sometime in January, North Dakota State likes to push tempo and score the basketball. The Bison, who are still in the transitional stage of their move to Division I, come in at 6-5, averaging 83 points per game.
Thousand-point scorers Ben Woodside (5-11 jr. guard) and Brett Winkelman (6-6 jr. forward) lead the offense. The pair are the highest scoring two-player combo in all of Division I. Woodside, the CBS Sports pick as the preseason Summit League player of the year and the league's official player of the month in Nov., is averaging 23 points per game. Winkelman, who earned Summit player of the week honors after a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double against Colorado State in N.D. State's last game (Dec. 15). Woodside has three 30-point games to his credit this season, Winkelman has two.
Junior Guard Mike Nelson (6-4) is currently 58 points shy of 1,000. Nelson (14.7 ppg) is the best three-point shooter of the bunch, hitting treys at a 46.6 percent rate. Woodside and Winkelman each are shooting the rock better than 40 percent from the arc.
N.D. State shoots the ball well (46.5 percent from the field, 38.7 percent on threes), but also allows opponents to do the same. Foes have connected on 48.3 percent from the field against N.D. State, 37.2 percent on three-pointers.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MONMOUTH: It's Hawks at Mountain Hawks, with the Hawks of Monmouth the decided underdog. Monmouth (2-9) comes in riding a six-game losing streak, its last win coming well over a month ago, when it beat Charlotte in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Coupled with a win over Wichita State in the same tournament, things looked promising then for Monmouth. The back-to-back wins gave them a 2-3 record, with the losses coming at Colgate, at Seton Hall in overtime and against Notre Dame in the first round of the Paradise Jam.
Since then, though, the wheels have come off. The Hawks are shooting 37.5 percent as a team, 30.3 percent from three point range, while opponents are hitting at a 45.5 percent clip (36.1 percent from the arc). Monmouth is being outrebounded by almost 10 boards per game and averages nearly 16 turnovers.
Sophomore guard Jhamar Youngblood (6-1) is the only Monmouth player averaging in double figures (14.7 ppg).
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Bucknell, Lehigh, previews
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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 w00t.
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:
Maryland stats
Maryland game notes
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:
Dartmouth stats
Dartmouth game notes
Gametracker
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:
Siena stats
Siena game notes
Albany Times Union Siena page
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:
Drexel stats
Drexel game notes
Philly.com Drexel page
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:
UMES stats
UMES game notes
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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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At the start of the season, you'd have looked at this game on the schedule and said this would be a good night to get some Christmas shopping done. That would have been before Lafayette and Mount St. Mary's combined to win 12 of their last 13 games.
Stephen Miller of the Morning Call (link below) says Andrew Brown, who sat out the win at Towson with plantar fasciitis might be back for this one. Paul Cummins' hyperextended knee is "day to day."
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mount was 9-4 a month ago following a 66-45 home loss to American. Since then, they have won six in a row. Jeremy Goode (5-9 soph.) and 6-0 senior Chris Vann both averaged 15.4 ppg. Vann is the shooter -- he is hitting 46.8 percent from the arc. Will Howard, a 6-4 sophomore, is also averaging in double figures at 10.6 ppg.
The win streak is Mount's longest in more than 10 years and its second longest since they moved to Division I in 1988 )MSM won 15 straight during the 1995-96 season).
Defense has been the key to the win streak. Opponents have shot 37.4 percent and have averaged under 60 ppg in that six-game stretch.
BONUS LINKS:
Mount St. Mary's stats
Mount St. Mary's
Stephen Miller's column (Morning Call -- includes Lehigh items)
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Stephen Miller of the Morning Call (link below) says Andrew Brown, who sat out the win at Towson with plantar fasciitis might be back for this one. Paul Cummins' hyperextended knee is "day to day."
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mount was 9-4 a month ago following a 66-45 home loss to American. Since then, they have won six in a row. Jeremy Goode (5-9 soph.) and 6-0 senior Chris Vann both averaged 15.4 ppg. Vann is the shooter -- he is hitting 46.8 percent from the arc. Will Howard, a 6-4 sophomore, is also averaging in double figures at 10.6 ppg.
The win streak is Mount's longest in more than 10 years and its second longest since they moved to Division I in 1988 )MSM won 15 straight during the 1995-96 season).
Defense has been the key to the win streak. Opponents have shot 37.4 percent and have averaged under 60 ppg in that six-game stretch.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Lafayette, Lehigh, previews
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007
It's the 43rd meeting between Cornell and Bucknell tonight in Lewisburg. The Bison have won the last four matchups to even the all-time series at 21-21. As an aside, the Patriot League holds a 6-4 lead in the season series with the Ivy League, though Cornell is 2-1 vs. Patriot teams.
SCOUTING CORNELL: The Big Red travel down Route 15 following a 17-day layoff for finals. Before the break, Cornell (4-2) had a three-game win streak snapped by Colgate (76-73).
Cornell will get the services of 7-footer Jeff Foote for the first time, for this game. But don't expect the former St. Bonaventure walk-on, who became eligible at the end of the first semester, to be a key to the game.
It's not the Big Red's interior attack that Bucknell needs to stop, it's the three-point shooters. Cornell is averaging almost 10 treys per game and leads the nation with its 48-percent accuracy from the arc.
Ryan Wittman, a 6-6 sophomore, leads the Big Red with 15.3 ppg. Louis Dale, a 5-11 guard, is scoring 14.5 points and dishing 7.3 assists per game. Collin Robinson, a 6-0 junior, is also scoring in double figures at 13.0 ppg. Robinson, who comes off the bench, has averaged 15 points in Cornell's last four games.
BONUS LINKS:
Cornell stats
Cornell game notes
Cornell basketball blog
Cornell vs. Bucknell preview (Ithaca Journal)
CU's Gore still searching for sharpshooting touch (Ithaca Journal)
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SCOUTING CORNELL: The Big Red travel down Route 15 following a 17-day layoff for finals. Before the break, Cornell (4-2) had a three-game win streak snapped by Colgate (76-73).
Cornell will get the services of 7-footer Jeff Foote for the first time, for this game. But don't expect the former St. Bonaventure walk-on, who became eligible at the end of the first semester, to be a key to the game.
It's not the Big Red's interior attack that Bucknell needs to stop, it's the three-point shooters. Cornell is averaging almost 10 treys per game and leads the nation with its 48-percent accuracy from the arc.
Ryan Wittman, a 6-6 sophomore, leads the Big Red with 15.3 ppg. Louis Dale, a 5-11 guard, is scoring 14.5 points and dishing 7.3 assists per game. Collin Robinson, a 6-0 junior, is also scoring in double figures at 13.0 ppg. Robinson, who comes off the bench, has averaged 15 points in Cornell's last four games.
BONUS LINKS:
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American will have a tough time extending its two-game win streak when it travels to Dayton while Lafayette, winners of five of its last six, looks to pick up where it left off before finals when it travels to Towson to meet an old East Coast Conference rival.
SCOUTING DAYTON: You might call Dayton (8-1) the High Flyers. UD has not lost in over a month, winning seven in a row, including games on the road at Holy Cross and Louisville.
The Flyers shoot almost 48 percent from the field, including just under 40 percent from three-point range, and are outscoring opponents by more than 10 points per game.
Guard Brian Roberts (6-2) and 6-8 freshman forward Chris Wright give Dayton a potent inside-outside combination. Roberts averages 18.7 ppg, and is shooting 52.6 percent from the field, including 48.2 percent from downtown. Wright scores 13.2 ppg and grabs 7.1 rebounds while shooting 62.7 percent from the field.
BONUS LINKS:
Dayton stats
Dayton game notes
Rivals.com game preview
Dayton Daily News UD page
SCOUTING TOWSON: Pat's Cats, as the billboards around the Baltimore area call them, have struggled to find their stroke. Towson is shooting 38.9 percent from the field, 25.3 percent from three-point range.
The Tigers have been off 10 days following an overtime win over Niagara that snapped a three-game losing streak that began with a loss at Navy. Towson also lost at home earlier this season to Bucknell.
Junior Hairston, a 6-8 junior, is a force to be reckoned with inside, averaging 13.8 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Rodney Spruill, a 6-4 sophomore, also averages in double figures with 11.8 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
Towson stats
Towson game notes
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SCOUTING DAYTON: You might call Dayton (8-1) the High Flyers. UD has not lost in over a month, winning seven in a row, including games on the road at Holy Cross and Louisville.
The Flyers shoot almost 48 percent from the field, including just under 40 percent from three-point range, and are outscoring opponents by more than 10 points per game.
Guard Brian Roberts (6-2) and 6-8 freshman forward Chris Wright give Dayton a potent inside-outside combination. Roberts averages 18.7 ppg, and is shooting 52.6 percent from the field, including 48.2 percent from downtown. Wright scores 13.2 ppg and grabs 7.1 rebounds while shooting 62.7 percent from the field.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING TOWSON: Pat's Cats, as the billboards around the Baltimore area call them, have struggled to find their stroke. Towson is shooting 38.9 percent from the field, 25.3 percent from three-point range.
The Tigers have been off 10 days following an overtime win over Niagara that snapped a three-game losing streak that began with a loss at Navy. Towson also lost at home earlier this season to Bucknell.
Junior Hairston, a 6-8 junior, is a force to be reckoned with inside, averaging 13.8 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Rodney Spruill, a 6-4 sophomore, also averages in double figures with 11.8 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Lafayette, previews
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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:
San Diego State stats
San Diego State game notes
A role player at El Camino, Sprink returns as Navy leader (North County Times)
More than usual, San Diego a Navy town this week (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:
Wake Forest stats
Wake Forest game notes
Prosser trying to maintain positive outlook (Daily Item)
Prosser's son to pay visit this weekend (Winston-Salem Journal)
WFU is running itself ragged (Winston-Salem Journal)
NON BU-WAKE LINKS:
Idle Mids pleased with basketball progress (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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Thursday, December 13, 2007
A scouting report on Florida Gulf Coast University follows a brief history lesson.
Some places have strategic plans that call for slow, steady growth. Other places take a decidedly more hurried approach. Florida Gulf Coast University is definitely among the latter.
Founded in 1997, the school started its athletics program in 200, became a full-fledged NCAA Division II member in 2004 and began recruiting players for a move to Division I shortly thereafter.
In its first season as a D-I school, the 3-8 Eagles have seven seniors on the roster. Five of the seven are transfers, three from other D-I schools, two from jucos. The three juniors on the roster are all transfers, two from D-I institutions. Sophomore Reed Baker is also a D-I transfer (Michigan). For those keeping score at home, that is six D-I transfers on the roaster. There are also four juco transfers and another guy who transferred from a D-III school
SCOUTING FLORIDA GULF COAST: The Eagles are, in a word, big. The smallest guy in FGCU's starting lineup is 6-4, the rest are 6-6 or taller. Senior Casey Wohlieb, a 6-7 transfer from Marshall, is the leading scorer at 14.6 ppg. Ball State transfer Landon Adler is averaging 14.4 ppg. The 6-9 junior also leads the team in rebounds at 8.4 per game. Adam Liddell, a 6-7 senior transfer from Purdue, also averages in double figures at 10.9 ppg.
Looking for weaknesses? look no further than the defensive end of the floor, FGCU is allowing opponents to shoot almost 50 percent (49.2) from the field. The Eagles surrender 70.3 ppg.
That does not bode well for a team that barely shoots 40 percent (40.4) and struggles from the free throw line (57.6 percent).
One thing is certain, FGCU has its road game preparation routine down pat. Only one of the Eagles' 11 games have been at home. This is the eighth game of a nine-game road stretch for FGCU, which has only three non-conference home games on its schedule .
BONUS LINKS:
FCGU game notes
FCGU stats
Men's hoops on the road (News-Press)
Forward advancing his game (News-Press)
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Some places have strategic plans that call for slow, steady growth. Other places take a decidedly more hurried approach. Florida Gulf Coast University is definitely among the latter.
Founded in 1997, the school started its athletics program in 200, became a full-fledged NCAA Division II member in 2004 and began recruiting players for a move to Division I shortly thereafter.
In its first season as a D-I school, the 3-8 Eagles have seven seniors on the roster. Five of the seven are transfers, three from other D-I schools, two from jucos. The three juniors on the roster are all transfers, two from D-I institutions. Sophomore Reed Baker is also a D-I transfer (Michigan). For those keeping score at home, that is six D-I transfers on the roaster. There are also four juco transfers and another guy who transferred from a D-III school
SCOUTING FLORIDA GULF COAST: The Eagles are, in a word, big. The smallest guy in FGCU's starting lineup is 6-4, the rest are 6-6 or taller. Senior Casey Wohlieb, a 6-7 transfer from Marshall, is the leading scorer at 14.6 ppg. Ball State transfer Landon Adler is averaging 14.4 ppg. The 6-9 junior also leads the team in rebounds at 8.4 per game. Adam Liddell, a 6-7 senior transfer from Purdue, also averages in double figures at 10.9 ppg.
Looking for weaknesses? look no further than the defensive end of the floor, FGCU is allowing opponents to shoot almost 50 percent (49.2) from the field. The Eagles surrender 70.3 ppg.
That does not bode well for a team that barely shoots 40 percent (40.4) and struggles from the free throw line (57.6 percent).
One thing is certain, FGCU has its road game preparation routine down pat. Only one of the Eagles' 11 games have been at home. This is the eighth game of a nine-game road stretch for FGCU, which has only three non-conference home games on its schedule .
BONUS LINKS:
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007
This morning's readaround looks to the future will recruiting news and a glance at a couple of Bucknell's upcoming opponents.
Lehigh has announced its three-man recruiting class, Brett Reed's first as head coach of the Mountain Hawks. One that Reed did not land is Westfield, Va. guard Maurice Hubbard, who says the bond built when Billy Taylor was recruiting him to play at Lehigh is behind his decision to follow Taylor to Ball State.
Another one that got away is 6-5 Mike Shanahan of Norwin H.S. in Western Pa. A two-sport star, Shanahan turned some heads in the summer when he announced he would give up football in college to concentrate on hoops. He made official visits to Bucknell and some other mid-majors. But when high school football season rolled around, Shanahan decided to stick with football instead. Now he has committed to play football at Pitt.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Bucknell will end a 12-day layoff for finals Sunday when it visits Wake Forest, which is currently in the midst of an 8-day finals break of its own. The Demon Deacons, under former Army coach Dino Gaudio, have struggled in the fall semester to get their running game in gear
Looking further ahead , Ohio, currently 6-2, with the losses coming at Holy Cross and at the buzzer to Temple, will visit Bucknell Jan. 2, Before that, the Bobcats have a stretch of big games followed by a 10-day break before their trip to Lewisburg.
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Labels: Bucknell, Lehigh, notebook, previews
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Sunday, December 09, 2007
For the next eight days, your Patriot League hoops fix will come from one place: West Point, N.Y. While everybody else is off taking finals this week, Army plays a pair of home games, beginning this afternoon when Quinnipiac visits in a Northeast-Patriot matchup.
The Patriot League's combined 6-9 record against the Northeast Conference. makes you wonder about the RPI, since the Patriot is No. 23 (down another spot) in the latest conference RPI calculations. The Northeast's conference ranking is 27.
Four of the six remaining games between the two conferences are on Northeast home courts. That makes Army holding serve against Quinnipiac a key to any chance the league has of salvaging the series.
SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC: The 3-4 Bobcats come in 3-4, winners of two of their last three games, including a 92-88 overtime win at Lehigh, the Bobcats only road win thus far (1-2). The loss in that stretch also was an overtime game at home against Brown.
The Bobcats won at home against St. Francis (NY) their last time out. Demario Anderson, a 6-4 transfer from Central Connecticut, posted a 25-point, 11 rebound double-double, his second of the season, in the win. Anderson averages 20.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Evann Baker (12 ppg), a 6-3 freshman guard, is also averaging in double figures. Baker is an efficient (6 for 12) three-point shooter.
Quinnipiac shoots 45.6 percent as a team and holds opponents to 43.3 percent shooting. But the Bobcats are still being outscored by almost 3 points per game. The Bobcats favor a faster pace (78.6 ppg), but they give uo a lot of points (opponents averaging 80.1 ppg).
BONUS LINKS
Quinnipiac stats
Quinnipiac game notes
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The Patriot League's combined 6-9 record against the Northeast Conference. makes you wonder about the RPI, since the Patriot is No. 23 (down another spot) in the latest conference RPI calculations. The Northeast's conference ranking is 27.
Four of the six remaining games between the two conferences are on Northeast home courts. That makes Army holding serve against Quinnipiac a key to any chance the league has of salvaging the series.
SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC: The 3-4 Bobcats come in 3-4, winners of two of their last three games, including a 92-88 overtime win at Lehigh, the Bobcats only road win thus far (1-2). The loss in that stretch also was an overtime game at home against Brown.
The Bobcats won at home against St. Francis (NY) their last time out. Demario Anderson, a 6-4 transfer from Central Connecticut, posted a 25-point, 11 rebound double-double, his second of the season, in the win. Anderson averages 20.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Evann Baker (12 ppg), a 6-3 freshman guard, is also averaging in double figures. Baker is an efficient (6 for 12) three-point shooter.
Quinnipiac shoots 45.6 percent as a team and holds opponents to 43.3 percent shooting. But the Bobcats are still being outscored by almost 3 points per game. The Bobcats favor a faster pace (78.6 ppg), but they give uo a lot of points (opponents averaging 80.1 ppg).
BONUS LINKS
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Saturday, December 08, 2007
With the Trailing 4-3 in the season series with the Ivy League knotted at 4-4, the Patriot League's Lehigh Valley contingent has a chance to give the PL the lead with a sweep of two Ivy-Patriot matchups today. Harvard visit Lehigh while Lafayette buses east on I-78 for a visit to Columbia.
EDITOR'S NOTE: We missed the Colgate win at Cornell in updating the series numbers in the original post. Thanks Ken Doak for the catch.
SCOUTING HARVARD: Look behind Harvard's 4-5 record. There is more than meets the eye. Among the five losses are games at Stanford, at Providence, at Holy Cross and against U.S. Santa Barbara on a neutral floor. The wins include a 62-51 thumping of coach Tommy Amaker's old team, Michigan.
The Crimson prefer a faster pace than Lehigh. They are averaging 71.1 points per game. Harvard shoots 47.3 percent from the field as a team, 36.8 percent from three-point range. They also give up points -- opponents are shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 40.1 percent from the arc, and scoring over 77 points per game.
Drew Housman led the Crimson with 14.7 points per game. The 6-0 junior is a sniper from the arc, knocking down 54.5 percent of the threes he tries. Overall he is shooting 47.4 percent from the field.
Also in double figures are 6-2 sophomore Jeremy Linn (11.7 ppg), 6-2 junior Andrew Pusar (10.8 ppg, 63.1 percent from the field) and 5-9 junior Evan Harris (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg). Pat Magnarelli, a 6-7 sophomore, leads the team in rebounds (6.4 per game) and is shooting 56.7 percent from the field. Reserve Dan McGeary, a 6-1 sophomore, is a three-point shooter off the bench. McGeary leads Harvard is made threes (17) and attempts (44),
BONUS LINKS:
Harvard stats
Harvard game notes
Harvard Crimson basketball page (student paper)
SCOUTING COLUMBIA: This will be a good road test for the improving Leopards. Columbia is 3-5, but it has been ob the road its last seven games, going 3-4 in that stretch, including a win Tuesday at Wagner its last time out.
John Baumann, a 6-7 senior, is the only Lion averaging in double figures. Baumann is scoring 16.8 points per game and grabbing a team-best 6.3 rebounds.
Columbia is shooting 37.7 percent from the field as a team. Opponents are shooting 41.1 percent against the Lions.
BONUS LINKS:
Columbia stats
Columbia game notes
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EDITOR'S NOTE: We missed the Colgate win at Cornell in updating the series numbers in the original post. Thanks Ken Doak for the catch.
SCOUTING HARVARD: Look behind Harvard's 4-5 record. There is more than meets the eye. Among the five losses are games at Stanford, at Providence, at Holy Cross and against U.S. Santa Barbara on a neutral floor. The wins include a 62-51 thumping of coach Tommy Amaker's old team, Michigan.
The Crimson prefer a faster pace than Lehigh. They are averaging 71.1 points per game. Harvard shoots 47.3 percent from the field as a team, 36.8 percent from three-point range. They also give up points -- opponents are shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 40.1 percent from the arc, and scoring over 77 points per game.
Drew Housman led the Crimson with 14.7 points per game. The 6-0 junior is a sniper from the arc, knocking down 54.5 percent of the threes he tries. Overall he is shooting 47.4 percent from the field.
Also in double figures are 6-2 sophomore Jeremy Linn (11.7 ppg), 6-2 junior Andrew Pusar (10.8 ppg, 63.1 percent from the field) and 5-9 junior Evan Harris (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg). Pat Magnarelli, a 6-7 sophomore, leads the team in rebounds (6.4 per game) and is shooting 56.7 percent from the field. Reserve Dan McGeary, a 6-1 sophomore, is a three-point shooter off the bench. McGeary leads Harvard is made threes (17) and attempts (44),
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING COLUMBIA: This will be a good road test for the improving Leopards. Columbia is 3-5, but it has been ob the road its last seven games, going 3-4 in that stretch, including a win Tuesday at Wagner its last time out.
John Baumann, a 6-7 senior, is the only Lion averaging in double figures. Baumann is scoring 16.8 points per game and grabbing a team-best 6.3 rebounds.
Columbia is shooting 37.7 percent from the field as a team. Opponents are shooting 41.1 percent against the Lions.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Lafayette, Lehigh, previews
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Friday, December 07, 2007
Hurry, get your tickets now, before they sell out. The Jacksonville Dolphins are in town and American is hoping to lure a big crowd into Bender, where it has been averaging 1,168 fans per game, with free pizza for the first 500 students and foam fingers for the first 2,000 fans. "Tickets," says the AU Web site, "are limited." Is Artis Gilmore making a comeback? Who are these Dolphins that will lure such throngs to this game?SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE: The Dolphins head to the nation's capital for a pair of games as part of a four-game road swing. After tonight's visit to Bender, they will stay in town to pick up a check Sunday from Georgetown.
Jacksonville got off to a 3-0 start, but has dropped its last four in a row. Even the 3-0 start is a little suspect. One of those wins was by just 7 points over Concordia (NY), a Division II school.
The Dolphins' roster is young, and on the small side. There are six freshmen, three sophomores and just one guy -- a 6-10 freshman from Poland -- taller than 6-7.
The leading scorer is 5-10 Ben Smith, a sophomore who averages 16.6 points per game. Forwards Lehmon Colbert (13.7 ppg, 6 rpg), a 6-7 sophomore, and 6-7 junior Marcus Allen (11.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg) also score in double figures.
As a team, Jacksonville shoots 42 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from the arc and turns the ball over 18.4 times per game. Opponents are shooting 46 percent against the Dolphins.
BONUS LINKS:
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Thursday, December 06, 2007
The Black Knights of the Hudson travel down river to take on winless NJIT in tonight's only game involving Patriot League teams.
SCOUTING NJIT: Here is all you really need to know about the Highlanders: Their 0-9 record is one of the bright spots on their stats sheet.
In just their second season at the Division I level, NJIT is being outscored by an average of over 26 points per game. The Highlanders are being outrebounded by 6 per game and average 21.4 turnovers. They have turned the ball over 193 times thus far, while dishing for just 86 assists.
As a team, NJIT is shooting under 40 percent from the field (35.6 percent), and under 30 percent (28.9) from the arc. They also struggle at the free throw line, where they shoot just 59.1 percent.
Nesho Milosevic leads the Highlanders, averaging 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Kraig Peters averages 10.3 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
NJIT stats
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SCOUTING NJIT: Here is all you really need to know about the Highlanders: Their 0-9 record is one of the bright spots on their stats sheet.
In just their second season at the Division I level, NJIT is being outscored by an average of over 26 points per game. The Highlanders are being outrebounded by 6 per game and average 21.4 turnovers. They have turned the ball over 193 times thus far, while dishing for just 86 assists.
As a team, NJIT is shooting under 40 percent from the field (35.6 percent), and under 30 percent (28.9) from the arc. They also struggle at the free throw line, where they shoot just 59.1 percent.
Nesho Milosevic leads the Highlanders, averaging 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Kraig Peters averages 10.3 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
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Wednesday, December 05, 2007
It has been a good start to the week for Patriot League teams, which have gone 4-1 so far, including two wins over Atlantic 10 sides. Lafayette will try to pick up a Big East scalp at Rutgers tonight in the only game where the Patriot League team will be the underdog. Colgate and lehigh both faces foes with only one win thus far. Colgate travels down scenic Route 12B to visit Binghamton, while Lehigh plays host to Stony Brook.
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON: Binghamton wrapped up a three-game road swing Saturday with a loss at Rider, the Bearcats fifth straight setback. It is the longest losing streak in the school's brief Division I history.
Defense is a problem for the 1-6 Bearcats. Opponents are shooting 49.7 percent from the field, including 37.4 percent from three-point range. Offense has not been overly impressive, either. Binghamton is shooting 42.5 percent as a team, and is under 30 percent (28.9) from the arc.
Richard Forbes, a 6-0 senior guard, leads Binghamton in scoring at 16 ppg. Lazur Trifunovic, a 6-8 sophomore from Serbia, averages 15.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
BONUS LINKS:
Binghamton stats
SCOUTING RUTGERS: A 5-2 Big East team, on the road; sounds like a mismatch for Lafayette. But look closer. While the Leopards are certainly the underdogs, Rutgers season to date offers little to intimidate Lafayette. Those five wins include such name opponents as North Carolina Central, North Dakota State and Tennessee Tech. It also includes close scrapes at home against Dartmouth (by 5( and Princeton (by 4). One of the losses was to Florida, but the other came at St. Peter's.
Unlike senior-laden Lafayette, the Scarlet Knights are not real experienced. The roster includes six freshmen, just one senior.
Junior JR Inman, a 6-9 forward, leads Rutgers with 16.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Freshman Corey Chandler, a 6-2 guard, is the only other guy in double figures, averaging 10.4 ppg.
Rutgers has been playing tough defense, holding foes to 38.9 percent shooting from the field (35.9 percent from the arc). The Knights are shooting 41.1 percent, and struggle from three-point range, hitting 26.5 percent.
BONUS LINKS:
Rutgers stats
Rutgers game notes
Rutgers-Lafayette men's basketball scouting report (Courier News)
NJ.com Rutgers site
RAC 'em up (Rutgers blog)
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: The Seawolves are coming off their first win of the season, at home against Dartmouth. That win came after an 0-6 start that included an 0-4 record on the road and losses at American and at home to Lafayette in OT.
Stony Brook is shooting 37.9 percent as a team, 26.7 percent from three-point range. The opposition has shot 43 percent (31.6 from the arc.
A pair of fifth-year seniors lead Stony Brook in scoring. Rickey Lucas (6-4) averages 11.6 ppg. Mitchell Beauford (5-11) is hitting for 10.7 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
Stony Brook stats
Stony Brook game notes
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SCOUTING BINGHAMTON: Binghamton wrapped up a three-game road swing Saturday with a loss at Rider, the Bearcats fifth straight setback. It is the longest losing streak in the school's brief Division I history.
Defense is a problem for the 1-6 Bearcats. Opponents are shooting 49.7 percent from the field, including 37.4 percent from three-point range. Offense has not been overly impressive, either. Binghamton is shooting 42.5 percent as a team, and is under 30 percent (28.9) from the arc.
Richard Forbes, a 6-0 senior guard, leads Binghamton in scoring at 16 ppg. Lazur Trifunovic, a 6-8 sophomore from Serbia, averages 15.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING RUTGERS: A 5-2 Big East team, on the road; sounds like a mismatch for Lafayette. But look closer. While the Leopards are certainly the underdogs, Rutgers season to date offers little to intimidate Lafayette. Those five wins include such name opponents as North Carolina Central, North Dakota State and Tennessee Tech. It also includes close scrapes at home against Dartmouth (by 5( and Princeton (by 4). One of the losses was to Florida, but the other came at St. Peter's.
Unlike senior-laden Lafayette, the Scarlet Knights are not real experienced. The roster includes six freshmen, just one senior.
Junior JR Inman, a 6-9 forward, leads Rutgers with 16.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Freshman Corey Chandler, a 6-2 guard, is the only other guy in double figures, averaging 10.4 ppg.
Rutgers has been playing tough defense, holding foes to 38.9 percent shooting from the field (35.9 percent from the arc). The Knights are shooting 41.1 percent, and struggle from three-point range, hitting 26.5 percent.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: The Seawolves are coming off their first win of the season, at home against Dartmouth. That win came after an 0-6 start that included an 0-4 record on the road and losses at American and at home to Lafayette in OT.
Stony Brook is shooting 37.9 percent as a team, 26.7 percent from three-point range. The opposition has shot 43 percent (31.6 from the arc.
A pair of fifth-year seniors lead Stony Brook in scoring. Rickey Lucas (6-4) averages 11.6 ppg. Mitchell Beauford (5-11) is hitting for 10.7 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Colgate, Lafayette, Lehigh, previews
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Tuesday, December 04, 2007
WIth finals looming, Holy Cross faces an end of semester test tonight at Saint Joe's.
BY CHRIS A. COUROGEN
Of Hoop Time
It is quiet inside Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, or at least as quiet as it can get with a basketball workout going on.
Ralph Willard is putting his Holy Cross team through its morning shootout, final preparation for tonight's game with the St. Joe's Hawks. Willard runs his club through the scouting report, reviewing what to expect from the Hawks on each end of the floor. He know he has to get the instructions across now. In a few hours, it won't be this quiet.
Matter of fact, it will be loud as hell inside the band box on Hawk Hill. Communications, other than at timeouts, will be difficult at best, impossible if the home team gets on a run and fuels the fever in the stands.
"The crowd energizes them," says Willard, who brought the Crusaders here for an NIT game in 2005. "They are 10 points better in here."
Ten points better for a team that took Syracuse to the limit in the Carrier Dome is pretty tough. Ten points better for a team that is 4-2, with the two looses coming by three at Syracuse and by five in overtime to Gonzaga (here in the fieldhouse), means a true challenge for the 6-1 Crusaders, coming off their first loss of the season.
"Tonight will be a good measuring stick for us," Willard says. "You're not going to face a tougher environment."
Nor will HC face many tougher teams. Saint Joe's is big, quick, athletic, well-coached -- everything but deep. The Hawks only run seven guys in their rotation. But those seven are pretty good.
Ahmad Nivins is as athletic a big man as the Crusaders will face, a 6-9 first team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Big Five pick who is shooting 65.2 percent from the field and scoring 15.7 points per game. For good measure, he also leads the Hawks in rbounding with 8.3 per game.
Guard Darrin Govens, a 6-1 sophomore who followed Jameer Nelson's path from Chester, Pa. to City Line Ave., hits 41.7 percent from the arc and averages 13.8 ppg.
Junior Tasheed Carr, a 6-4 Iowa State transfer, is dishing out over 7 assists per game and still finds time to score 9.7 points per contest. Rob Ferguson, a 6-8 senior, is another Hawk with three-point range. His average of 9.0 ppg will probably sneak into double figures when he find the touch from the arc that enabled him to shoot 42.9 percent there last season. Sooner or later you have to think he will heat up and improve his current 25-percent mark.
And then there is 6-10 senior Pat Calathes, a matchup nightmare at the three for Saint Joe's.
"Calathes is the real key," says Willard. "He does so many things. He is 6-11 and he runs the floor like a gazelle.. He posts you up, shoots threes."
Stopping him won't be a one-man job. It will take concerted effort by the Crusaders zone to know where Calathes is at all times. It will also take Tim Clifford staying out of foul trouble and on the floor so the perimeter defenders can pressure St. Joe's on the arc.Clifford's size and strength can help neutralize Nivins, but not from the bench.
The Crusaders can't let this turn into an up and down affair. If they watched any film of Bucknell's recent wins over the Hawks, they will have noticed St. Joe's can tend towards impatience when forced to strap it up and play a halfcourt game.
"If we let them get in transition, we have no chance," Willard says.
Another key will be maintaining focus if the Crusaders get a lead. That has been a problem. HC has been up by double figures in every game, but has struggled with its end game.
"We lose focus with leads. We haven't learned to play with the lead yet, to put people away," says Willard.
Despite its 6-1 record, Willard still is not convinced about this ballclub.
"We're doing some things very well, but we are not very good yet," said Willard.
Willard is anxious to get this one, and finals, out of the way. What looked like a tremendously long time between games when the schedule came out looks a whole lot better given where his team is at right now. After tonight, the 'Saders have 18 days off until they travel to Siena on Dec. 22. After that it is another week off before facing Sacred Heart.
"I didn't like it at first," Willard says. "Looking at it now with our team, it's a positive. It will give us a lot of time to improve on things we are not good at."
The Crusaders will practice every other day during finals, which begin Saturday, then will have a full week before the Siena game and another week off after that.
Which suits the coach just fine.
Says Willard, "We need a lot of practice right now."
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BY CHRIS A. COUROGEN
Of Hoop Time
It is quiet inside Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, or at least as quiet as it can get with a basketball workout going on.
Ralph Willard is putting his Holy Cross team through its morning shootout, final preparation for tonight's game with the St. Joe's Hawks. Willard runs his club through the scouting report, reviewing what to expect from the Hawks on each end of the floor. He know he has to get the instructions across now. In a few hours, it won't be this quiet.
Matter of fact, it will be loud as hell inside the band box on Hawk Hill. Communications, other than at timeouts, will be difficult at best, impossible if the home team gets on a run and fuels the fever in the stands.
"The crowd energizes them," says Willard, who brought the Crusaders here for an NIT game in 2005. "They are 10 points better in here."
Ten points better for a team that took Syracuse to the limit in the Carrier Dome is pretty tough. Ten points better for a team that is 4-2, with the two looses coming by three at Syracuse and by five in overtime to Gonzaga (here in the fieldhouse), means a true challenge for the 6-1 Crusaders, coming off their first loss of the season.
"Tonight will be a good measuring stick for us," Willard says. "You're not going to face a tougher environment."
Nor will HC face many tougher teams. Saint Joe's is big, quick, athletic, well-coached -- everything but deep. The Hawks only run seven guys in their rotation. But those seven are pretty good.
Ahmad Nivins is as athletic a big man as the Crusaders will face, a 6-9 first team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Big Five pick who is shooting 65.2 percent from the field and scoring 15.7 points per game. For good measure, he also leads the Hawks in rbounding with 8.3 per game.
Guard Darrin Govens, a 6-1 sophomore who followed Jameer Nelson's path from Chester, Pa. to City Line Ave., hits 41.7 percent from the arc and averages 13.8 ppg.
Junior Tasheed Carr, a 6-4 Iowa State transfer, is dishing out over 7 assists per game and still finds time to score 9.7 points per contest. Rob Ferguson, a 6-8 senior, is another Hawk with three-point range. His average of 9.0 ppg will probably sneak into double figures when he find the touch from the arc that enabled him to shoot 42.9 percent there last season. Sooner or later you have to think he will heat up and improve his current 25-percent mark.
And then there is 6-10 senior Pat Calathes, a matchup nightmare at the three for Saint Joe's.
"Calathes is the real key," says Willard. "He does so many things. He is 6-11 and he runs the floor like a gazelle.. He posts you up, shoots threes."
Stopping him won't be a one-man job. It will take concerted effort by the Crusaders zone to know where Calathes is at all times. It will also take Tim Clifford staying out of foul trouble and on the floor so the perimeter defenders can pressure St. Joe's on the arc.Clifford's size and strength can help neutralize Nivins, but not from the bench.
The Crusaders can't let this turn into an up and down affair. If they watched any film of Bucknell's recent wins over the Hawks, they will have noticed St. Joe's can tend towards impatience when forced to strap it up and play a halfcourt game.
"If we let them get in transition, we have no chance," Willard says.
Another key will be maintaining focus if the Crusaders get a lead. That has been a problem. HC has been up by double figures in every game, but has struggled with its end game.
"We lose focus with leads. We haven't learned to play with the lead yet, to put people away," says Willard.
Despite its 6-1 record, Willard still is not convinced about this ballclub.
"We're doing some things very well, but we are not very good yet," said Willard.
Willard is anxious to get this one, and finals, out of the way. What looked like a tremendously long time between games when the schedule came out looks a whole lot better given where his team is at right now. After tonight, the 'Saders have 18 days off until they travel to Siena on Dec. 22. After that it is another week off before facing Sacred Heart.
"I didn't like it at first," Willard says. "Looking at it now with our team, it's a positive. It will give us a lot of time to improve on things we are not good at."
The Crusaders will practice every other day during finals, which begin Saturday, then will have a full week before the Siena game and another week off after that.
Which suits the coach just fine.
Says Willard, "We need a lot of practice right now."
Labels: Holy Cross, previews
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Out of the frying pan, into the fire for Holy Cross, which comes off a home loss to Dayton to travel to Hawk Hill for a meeting with Saint Hoseph's that ought to be the Crusaders' toughest challenge to date. Elswhere, Howard is at American.
SCOUTING SAINT JOE'S: The Hawks are the second straight top notch Atlantic 10 side on HC's schedule. Saint Joe's comes in 4-2, the two losses coming to Gonzaga in overtime and to Syracuse, by three, in the Carrier Dome.
Center Ahmad Nivins is an athletic 6-9 specimin who could might give Tim Clifford fits. Nivins, a first team All-A-10 and All Big Five pick as a sophomore, the junior is averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Pat Calathes is a matchup nightmare, a 6-10 senior swingman with three-point range. Calathes is not afraid to shoot the three-ball, he is averaging almost two treys per game. A third-team All A-10 pick as a sophomore, Calathes also earned second team All Big Five accolades. Calathes has been good for 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game thus far.
Darrin Govens (6-1 soph.), the latest Saint Joe's point guard from Chester, is hitting 41.7 percent from the arc, scoring 13.8 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
Saint Joe's stats
Saint Joe's game notes
SCOUTING HOWARD: The Bison (3-5) are coming off a loss to Hampton in a game in which Howard managed just 31 points. Howard's record includes a win over Navy. As a team, teh Bison are shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 25.4 percent from three-point range. Opponents are hitting at a 45.4 percent rate overall, 34.3 percent on three-pointers. Howard turns the ball over 18.6 times per game and is being out rebounded by 10 per game and outscored by 18.2 points per game.
Eugene Myatt is the only Bison in double figures. Myatt avrages 17.8 ppg, shooting 50.9 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from the arc.
BONUS LINKS:
Howard stats
Howard game notes
Box score
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SCOUTING SAINT JOE'S: The Hawks are the second straight top notch Atlantic 10 side on HC's schedule. Saint Joe's comes in 4-2, the two losses coming to Gonzaga in overtime and to Syracuse, by three, in the Carrier Dome.
Center Ahmad Nivins is an athletic 6-9 specimin who could might give Tim Clifford fits. Nivins, a first team All-A-10 and All Big Five pick as a sophomore, the junior is averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Pat Calathes is a matchup nightmare, a 6-10 senior swingman with three-point range. Calathes is not afraid to shoot the three-ball, he is averaging almost two treys per game. A third-team All A-10 pick as a sophomore, Calathes also earned second team All Big Five accolades. Calathes has been good for 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game thus far.
Darrin Govens (6-1 soph.), the latest Saint Joe's point guard from Chester, is hitting 41.7 percent from the arc, scoring 13.8 ppg.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING HOWARD: The Bison (3-5) are coming off a loss to Hampton in a game in which Howard managed just 31 points. Howard's record includes a win over Navy. As a team, teh Bison are shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 25.4 percent from three-point range. Opponents are hitting at a 45.4 percent rate overall, 34.3 percent on three-pointers. Howard turns the ball over 18.6 times per game and is being out rebounded by 10 per game and outscored by 18.2 points per game.
Eugene Myatt is the only Bison in double figures. Myatt avrages 17.8 ppg, shooting 50.9 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from the arc.
BONUS LINKS:
Box score
Labels: American, Holy Cross, previews
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Monday, December 03, 2007
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.
BONUS LINKS:
LaSalle stats
LaSalle game notes
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mounts picked up their first win Saturday, handling Loyola (Md.) with relative ease, 70-58. 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:
Mount stats
Mount game notes
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.
BONUS LINKS:
NJIT stats
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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.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mounts picked up their first win Saturday, handling Loyola (Md.) with relative ease, 70-58. 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.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Bucknell, Lehigh, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
If you are a longtime reader of Hoop Time, you might have noticed the absence of any mentions this season of the old Hoop Time-Basketball U challenge. After having to e-mail the it to our buddy Jake three seasons in a row, the Ivies have retired the mythical traveling trophy and, frankly, given the lack of matchups between the top teams in the two leagues, we have lost interest.
For those who still care, the Ivies lead the series 4-1 this season, and will look to pad that advantage in two meetings tonight. If the Patriot League is going to make a move, this would be a good time to do it. The league's top team thus far, Holy Cross, is at home against Yale and Lafayette hosts a young Penn team that thus far has been a shadow of Quakers past.
Elsewhere, Marist visits Bucknell in the most interesting non Ivy-Patriot game of the evening. Army travels to Hartford and Quinnipiac is at Lehigh.
SCOUTING PENN: The Quakers come in 2-4 after winning two of their last three, including Saturday over Navy. From a Penn perspective, a game with another Patriot League team -- especially Lafayette -- is just what they need to get back on track. Penn has won its last 28 in a row against Patriot teams, including eight straight against Lafayette. All time the Quakers lead the series with the Leopards 37-3.
A caveat: all three Lafayette wins have come in Easton. This is just the second game outside its cozy Palestra for a young Penn team that is still searching for an identity. Glenn Miller has used 10 different players in his starting lineup so far; nne guys -- including four freshmen -- have scored in double figures at least once.
Senior Brian Grandieri is the only Quaker to start all six games. Grandieri leads Penn in scoring, averaging 15.2 ppg. Freshman Tyler Bernardini has reached double figures the last three games and is averaging 10.2 ppg
BONUS LINKS:
Penn stats (pdf)
Penn game notes
Penn radio broadcast
Seeing spots
SCOUTING YALE: Throw out that 1-3 record. You can't judge the Bulldogs by that cover. The trhee losses, all on the road, came against UMass, Stanford and UCLA.
This will be a good test for the Crusaders. Yale is an experienced side that starts four seniors and a junior. They have an inside presence in 6-11, 240-pound Matt Kyle (13.5 ppg) that should be a challenge for Tim Clifford and good size elsewhere. Senior Caleb Holmes (12.3 ppg) is a 6-6 swingman who is shooting 57.1 percent from the field and even better -- 64.3 percent -- from the arc. Nick Holmes, another 6-6 senior, is also a threat to step outside for a three.
And then there is Eric Plato, a first team All-ivy pick last season who was CollegeInsider.com's Ivy MVP as a junior. Plato's numbers -- 34.7 percent from the field, 34.5 from three-point range -- likely reflect those big conference opponents concentrating on keeping him in check. Despite that attention, he is still averaging 12.8 ppg.
Perhaps the biggest weakness the Bulldogs have is depth. The rotation goes nine deep, but the lions share of the minutes are spread among seven guys.
BONUS LINKS:
Yale stats
Yale game notes
SCOUTING MARIST: The Red Foxes appear to be getting things together since opening the season 1-3. Marist has won its last two, following last week's win over Colgate by coming from 17 down to knock off Richmond.
Syracuse transfer Louie McCroskey, a 6-5 senior, is averaging 11.3 ppg since returning from a three-game suspension at the start of the season. Sharing the scoring lead is 6-1 freshman Jay Gavin. Spongy Benjamin, a 6-7 senior, is an inside weapon, averaging 10.3 ppg and a team-high 7.8 rebounds.
The Red Foxes are shooting 43.8 percent from the field while allowing opponents to connect at a 44.4 percent rate. Marist and its foes are both shooting 40.4 percent from the arc.
Marist should be used to close games. Its last four have been decided by a combined 13 points, including an overtime loss to Temple.
BONUS LINKS:
Marist stats
Marist game notes
SCOUTING HARTFORD: The Hawks are 3-4 after winning their last two at the Las Vegas Invitational. Losses include games at Louisville and Brigham Young.
Defense is the key for Dan Leibowitz's team. In his second season as head coach, the former John Chaney assistant has Hartford holding opponents to 42.4 percent shooting from the field while forcing over 20 turnovers per game.
Hartford's weaknesses? They don't shoot too well themselves (42.8 percent from the field) and a smallish roster with just one guy taller than 6-7 has been outrebounded by an average of 11.5 per game.
Sophomore Joe Zeglinski (6-0) leads Hartford with 13.5 ppg. Also in double figures are 6-6 junior Warren McLendon (12.3 ppg) and 6-2 junior Jaret Von Rosenberg (10.6 ppg).
BONUS LINKS:
Hartford stats
Livestats
Hartford coach Dan Leibowitz's blog
SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC: The 1-3 Bobcats score 72 points per game. But they don't do a very good job at the other end, allowing foes to score 77 per contest.
The offense has pretty much been a one-man show. Central Connecticut transfer Demario Anderson leads the Northeast Conference with his 21.5 ppg average. Anderson comes in off a big week where he scored 25 in a loss to New Hampshire and 29 in a loss to Maine. Anderson also grabbed 10 rebounds against the Black Bears.
Freshman Evann Baker had a breakout game in the loss to New Hampshire, going 9 for 9 from the field en route to a 25 points performance,
BONUS LINKS:
Quinnipiac game notes
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For those who still care, the Ivies lead the series 4-1 this season, and will look to pad that advantage in two meetings tonight. If the Patriot League is going to make a move, this would be a good time to do it. The league's top team thus far, Holy Cross, is at home against Yale and Lafayette hosts a young Penn team that thus far has been a shadow of Quakers past.
Elsewhere, Marist visits Bucknell in the most interesting non Ivy-Patriot game of the evening. Army travels to Hartford and Quinnipiac is at Lehigh.
SCOUTING PENN: The Quakers come in 2-4 after winning two of their last three, including Saturday over Navy. From a Penn perspective, a game with another Patriot League team -- especially Lafayette -- is just what they need to get back on track. Penn has won its last 28 in a row against Patriot teams, including eight straight against Lafayette. All time the Quakers lead the series with the Leopards 37-3.
A caveat: all three Lafayette wins have come in Easton. This is just the second game outside its cozy Palestra for a young Penn team that is still searching for an identity. Glenn Miller has used 10 different players in his starting lineup so far; nne guys -- including four freshmen -- have scored in double figures at least once.
Senior Brian Grandieri is the only Quaker to start all six games. Grandieri leads Penn in scoring, averaging 15.2 ppg. Freshman Tyler Bernardini has reached double figures the last three games and is averaging 10.2 ppg
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING YALE: Throw out that 1-3 record. You can't judge the Bulldogs by that cover. The trhee losses, all on the road, came against UMass, Stanford and UCLA.
This will be a good test for the Crusaders. Yale is an experienced side that starts four seniors and a junior. They have an inside presence in 6-11, 240-pound Matt Kyle (13.5 ppg) that should be a challenge for Tim Clifford and good size elsewhere. Senior Caleb Holmes (12.3 ppg) is a 6-6 swingman who is shooting 57.1 percent from the field and even better -- 64.3 percent -- from the arc. Nick Holmes, another 6-6 senior, is also a threat to step outside for a three.
And then there is Eric Plato, a first team All-ivy pick last season who was CollegeInsider.com's Ivy MVP as a junior. Plato's numbers -- 34.7 percent from the field, 34.5 from three-point range -- likely reflect those big conference opponents concentrating on keeping him in check. Despite that attention, he is still averaging 12.8 ppg.
Perhaps the biggest weakness the Bulldogs have is depth. The rotation goes nine deep, but the lions share of the minutes are spread among seven guys.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MARIST: The Red Foxes appear to be getting things together since opening the season 1-3. Marist has won its last two, following last week's win over Colgate by coming from 17 down to knock off Richmond.
Syracuse transfer Louie McCroskey, a 6-5 senior, is averaging 11.3 ppg since returning from a three-game suspension at the start of the season. Sharing the scoring lead is 6-1 freshman Jay Gavin. Spongy Benjamin, a 6-7 senior, is an inside weapon, averaging 10.3 ppg and a team-high 7.8 rebounds.
The Red Foxes are shooting 43.8 percent from the field while allowing opponents to connect at a 44.4 percent rate. Marist and its foes are both shooting 40.4 percent from the arc.
Marist should be used to close games. Its last four have been decided by a combined 13 points, including an overtime loss to Temple.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING HARTFORD: The Hawks are 3-4 after winning their last two at the Las Vegas Invitational. Losses include games at Louisville and Brigham Young.
Defense is the key for Dan Leibowitz's team. In his second season as head coach, the former John Chaney assistant has Hartford holding opponents to 42.4 percent shooting from the field while forcing over 20 turnovers per game.
Hartford's weaknesses? They don't shoot too well themselves (42.8 percent from the field) and a smallish roster with just one guy taller than 6-7 has been outrebounded by an average of 11.5 per game.
Sophomore Joe Zeglinski (6-0) leads Hartford with 13.5 ppg. Also in double figures are 6-6 junior Warren McLendon (12.3 ppg) and 6-2 junior Jaret Von Rosenberg (10.6 ppg).
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC: The 1-3 Bobcats score 72 points per game. But they don't do a very good job at the other end, allowing foes to score 77 per contest.
The offense has pretty much been a one-man show. Central Connecticut transfer Demario Anderson leads the Northeast Conference with his 21.5 ppg average. Anderson comes in off a big week where he scored 25 in a loss to New Hampshire and 29 in a loss to Maine. Anderson also grabbed 10 rebounds against the Black Bears.
Freshman Evann Baker had a breakout game in the loss to New Hampshire, going 9 for 9 from the field en route to a 25 points performance,
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Army, Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, previews
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
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:
Howard stats
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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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Monday, November 26, 2007
The Crusaders host an Ohio U. team that currently is holding the No. 5 spot in the RPI. Even though at this point, the RPI means little -- especially for a team that has played only two games like Ohio -- this looks to be the toughest test to date for Holy Cross. Also on tap tonight, Colgate travels to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, American visits Mount St. Mary's and Lehigh plays host to winless NJIT.
SCOUTING OHIO: The Bobcats have been idle since a Nov. 17 win over Cornell. That win was one of two over teams favored to win their conference for the 2-0 Bobcats, who also have a win over New Mexico State in their opener.
This will be the first trip out of Athens, Ohio for the Bobcats this season. Picked to finish third in the Mid American Conference this season, OU has three returning starters and three juco transfers on the roster.
Jerome Tillman, a 6-6 junior, was an All-MAC pick a year ago and the MAC Report Online player of the year. He is averaging 20.5 points and 8 rebounds per game, shooting 59.3 percent from the field. Tillman has range to the arc, where he has hit 3 of 6 thus far.
Senior Leon Williams, a second team All-MAC pick last season, is shooting 63.2 percent from the field and averaging a 17 point-10 rebound double-double.
Junior guard Justin Orr (6-6), who sat out last season after transferring from Murray State is shooting 55.6 percent and averaging 14 ppg and juco transfer Michael Allen, who did not play in the opener, came within an assist of a double-double with 11 points and 9 helpers off the bench against Cornell. Juco transfer Bert Whittington IV has started the first two games at the point.
BONUS LINKS:
Ohio stats
Ohio game notes (pdf)
Ohio has double threat at point guard (Athens Messenger)
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME: In a word, the Irish are big. Ten of the 14 guys on the Fighting Irish roster are 6-7 or taller. That size is reflected in ND's stats. Neither of the Irish's top two scorers are three-point threats. Both are 6-8 or bigger.
Sophomore Luke Harangody, a 6-8 forward, is averaging 18.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, shooting 58.8 percent from the field. Senior Rob Kura, a 6-9 forward, averages 14 points and 7.2 rebounds. Kyle McAlarney, a 6-0 sophomore, is the leading offensive threat in the backcourt, averaging 10.6 ppg.
The Irish are shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from the arc, averaging 75.6 points per game. Opponents are shooting 37.1 percent from the field and scoring 59.2 ppg.
Notre Dame is averaging 8 free throws per game more than their foes and 9 rebounds per game more than the opposition. Their two losses, which came by a combined 5 points, came at the hands of Baylor and Georgia Tech in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The wins have come over Long Island, Monmouth and Youngstown State. In other words, they have beaten the teams they have been expected to.
BONUS LINKS:
ND stats
Gametracker
Notre Dame nation
Black and Green (ND hoops blog)
Preview:Colgate (ND Insider)
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The 0-3 Mounts are coming off a game in which they shot 56 percent from the field and still lost by 12. It has been that kind of year for Mount St. Mary's, which was 11 for 21 at the foul line in that game, an 85-73 loss at James Madison. On the season, the Mounts are 22 for 42 at the charity stripe.
Adding to those woes is the fact they have been getting to the line almost 10 fewer times per game than their opponents and have been outrebounded by an average of 10 per game.
Senior guard Chris Vann (6-0) is a potent scorer, averaging 20.3 ppg. Vann, who has scored in double figures nine straight games dating to last season, was 5 for 5 from the arc against James Madison. On the season he is shooting 50 percent from three-point range.
Will Holland, a 6-4 sophomore, is averaging 12 ppg, including a 25-point performance in a loss to George Washington. Point guard Jeremy Goode, a 5-9 sophomore, is averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 assists per game.
As a team, MSM is shooting 43 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range. Opponents are shooting 49.7 percent from the field against the Mounts, 39 percent from the arc.
BONUS LINKS:
MSM stats
MSM game notes
SCOUTING NJIT:
SCOUTING NJIT: The Highlanders are 0-5, coming off a 73-50 loss Saturday to American in a game in which the Highlanders turned the ball over 26 times. thus far in their second season at the Division I level. Leading scorer Kraig Peters, a 6-4 senior, is the only guy averaging in double figures, scoring 10.2 ppg.
Opponents are holding NJIT to 35.8 percent shooting from the field while lighting up the Highlanders' defense at a 51.4 percent rate, including 42.7 percent from three-point range.
BONUS LINKS:
NJIT stats
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SCOUTING OHIO: The Bobcats have been idle since a Nov. 17 win over Cornell. That win was one of two over teams favored to win their conference for the 2-0 Bobcats, who also have a win over New Mexico State in their opener.
This will be the first trip out of Athens, Ohio for the Bobcats this season. Picked to finish third in the Mid American Conference this season, OU has three returning starters and three juco transfers on the roster.
Jerome Tillman, a 6-6 junior, was an All-MAC pick a year ago and the MAC Report Online player of the year. He is averaging 20.5 points and 8 rebounds per game, shooting 59.3 percent from the field. Tillman has range to the arc, where he has hit 3 of 6 thus far.
Senior Leon Williams, a second team All-MAC pick last season, is shooting 63.2 percent from the field and averaging a 17 point-10 rebound double-double.
Junior guard Justin Orr (6-6), who sat out last season after transferring from Murray State is shooting 55.6 percent and averaging 14 ppg and juco transfer Michael Allen, who did not play in the opener, came within an assist of a double-double with 11 points and 9 helpers off the bench against Cornell. Juco transfer Bert Whittington IV has started the first two games at the point.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME: In a word, the Irish are big. Ten of the 14 guys on the Fighting Irish roster are 6-7 or taller. That size is reflected in ND's stats. Neither of the Irish's top two scorers are three-point threats. Both are 6-8 or bigger.
Sophomore Luke Harangody, a 6-8 forward, is averaging 18.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, shooting 58.8 percent from the field. Senior Rob Kura, a 6-9 forward, averages 14 points and 7.2 rebounds. Kyle McAlarney, a 6-0 sophomore, is the leading offensive threat in the backcourt, averaging 10.6 ppg.
The Irish are shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from the arc, averaging 75.6 points per game. Opponents are shooting 37.1 percent from the field and scoring 59.2 ppg.
Notre Dame is averaging 8 free throws per game more than their foes and 9 rebounds per game more than the opposition. Their two losses, which came by a combined 5 points, came at the hands of Baylor and Georgia Tech in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The wins have come over Long Island, Monmouth and Youngstown State. In other words, they have beaten the teams they have been expected to.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The 0-3 Mounts are coming off a game in which they shot 56 percent from the field and still lost by 12. It has been that kind of year for Mount St. Mary's, which was 11 for 21 at the foul line in that game, an 85-73 loss at James Madison. On the season, the Mounts are 22 for 42 at the charity stripe.
Adding to those woes is the fact they have been getting to the line almost 10 fewer times per game than their opponents and have been outrebounded by an average of 10 per game.
Senior guard Chris Vann (6-0) is a potent scorer, averaging 20.3 ppg. Vann, who has scored in double figures nine straight games dating to last season, was 5 for 5 from the arc against James Madison. On the season he is shooting 50 percent from three-point range.
Will Holland, a 6-4 sophomore, is averaging 12 ppg, including a 25-point performance in a loss to George Washington. Point guard Jeremy Goode, a 5-9 sophomore, is averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 assists per game.
As a team, MSM is shooting 43 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range. Opponents are shooting 49.7 percent from the field against the Mounts, 39 percent from the arc.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING NJIT:
SCOUTING NJIT: The Highlanders are 0-5, coming off a 73-50 loss Saturday to American in a game in which the Highlanders turned the ball over 26 times. thus far in their second season at the Division I level. Leading scorer Kraig Peters, a 6-4 senior, is the only guy averaging in double figures, scoring 10.2 ppg.
Opponents are holding NJIT to 35.8 percent shooting from the field while lighting up the Highlanders' defense at a 51.4 percent rate, including 42.7 percent from three-point range.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lehigh, previews
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
Lafayette hosts Central Connecticut in Sunday's only game.
SCOUTING CCSU: Central Connecticut coms in at 1-3 after snapping a three-game losing streak with an overtime win Tuesday over Binghamton.
Through its first three games, Tristan Blackwood. a 6-0 senior, has led the Blue Devils with 15.8 points. Joe Seymore, a 6-2 soph., averages 11 ppg.
The Blue Devils have allowed opponents to shoot 45.3 percent while connecting at a 43.1 percent rate themselves. Opponents have been outrebounding CCSU by 5 boards per game.
This is one game where lack of size should be no problem for Lafayette. CCSU's roster includes nobody taller than 6-6
BONUS LINKS:
CCSU stats (through 3 games)
CCSU game notes (pdf, includes updated stats
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SCOUTING CCSU: Central Connecticut coms in at 1-3 after snapping a three-game losing streak with an overtime win Tuesday over Binghamton.
Through its first three games, Tristan Blackwood. a 6-0 senior, has led the Blue Devils with 15.8 points. Joe Seymore, a 6-2 soph., averages 11 ppg.
The Blue Devils have allowed opponents to shoot 45.3 percent while connecting at a 43.1 percent rate themselves. Opponents have been outrebounding CCSU by 5 boards per game.
This is one game where lack of size should be no problem for Lafayette. CCSU's roster includes nobody taller than 6-6
BONUS LINKS:
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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:
Wagner game notes
Wagner stats
These Bison freshmen got game (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:
Presbyterian-Army game day
Presbyterian stats
Presbyterian game notes
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 100-85 loss to Virginia.
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:
Penn stats (pdf)
Penn roster
Cavaliers cruise past the Quakers (Philly Inquirer)
Soft Pretzel Logic (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:
NJIT stats
Gametracker
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH: The Big Green are a young 1-3 team with just two seniors and five freshmen on the roster. 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 game notes
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 100-85 loss to Virginia.
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 the roster. 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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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:
Maryland stats
Threes outside Terps range (Baltimore Sun)
Terps' Dupree making progress (Wash. Moonie)
Terps look to shake slump against Lehigh (Wash. Post)
SCOUTING SETON HALL: The Midhsipmen's first opponent in the Philly portion of the Philly Hoop Group Classic 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:
Seton Hall stats
Seton Hall's Garcia at best off bench (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 Philly Hoop Group Classic 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
The unbeaten Raiders host Marist in a BracketBusters rematch in the only game on the Patriot League slate tonight.
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' loss to Temple in the seventh place consolation game. McCroskey scored 18 points in his Marist debut, which was delayed three games 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:
Marist stats
Marist still a force in basketball (Times Herald-Record)
Louie McCroskey returns to CNY - with Marist (Syracuse Post-Standard)
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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' loss to Temple in the seventh place consolation game. McCroskey scored 18 points in his Marist debut, which was delayed three games 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:
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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, three other Cornell players average (stats are pdf file) in double figures.
BONUS LINKS:
Men's basketball hosts Army (Cornell Sun)
Cornell Basketball Blog
Cornell game notes
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:
Morgan State radio
Morgan State stats
Morgan State game notes
Bears looking to clip Eagles in home opener (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' loss to Temple in the seventh place consolation game. McCroskey scored 18 points in his Marist debut, which was delayed three games 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:
Marist stats
Marist still a force in basketball (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:
Men's basketball gets shots to fall, runs record to 3-0 on season (The Retriever)
UMBC game notes
UMBC stats
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 Danes roster 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:
U Albany-Lehigh previw (Albany Times Union blog)
Albany stats
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:
Canisius road trip blog
Canisius game notes
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:
Harvard Crimson (student paper) men's basketball page
Harvard statistics
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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, three other Cornell players average (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' loss to Temple in the seventh place consolation game. McCroskey scored 18 points in his Marist debut, which was delayed three games 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 Danes roster 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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Sunday, November 18, 2007
Two games on today's schedule, highlighted by the first matchup of the season between a Patriot League team and a team in the Top 25. That matchup fits 2-0 Bucknell against 1-0 Villanova, in a 5 p.m. start at the ski lodge. Earlier in the afternoon, 1-2 American hosts winless Stony Brook. Game time at Bender is 2 p.m.
SCOUTING VILLANOVA: The No. 24 ranked Wildcats opened the season with a 86-64 win over Stony Brook. Shane Clark, a 6-7 junior forward, led the 'Nova scoring with 25 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Fellow junior Dante Cunningham (6-8) added 14 points and freshman guard Malcolm Grant had 16 off the bench.
The Wildcats have no seniors, but their roster is filled with talented underclassmen, like 6-2 sophomore guard Scottie Reynolds, the guy expected to lead Nova this season. Reynolds had 13 points and 6 assists against Stony Brook. If he looks to take the scoring into his own hands, he is capable. A member of the U.S. Pan-American Games team this summer, Reynolds is considered the Wildcats best perimeter shooter. Last season's Big East Rookie of the Year, Reynolds put up 40 on UConn as a freshman.
BONUS LINKS:
Gametracker
Villanova game notes
This year, Wildcats are Scottie Reynolds' team (Phila. Inquirer)
(Vegotsky) expands his range (Bucks County Courier Times)
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: The Seawolves come in 0-3, their latest loss a 53-52 setback against Maryland-Eastern Shore. This is one team where American's small backcourt should not have a huge matchup problem. Two of Stony Brook's three leading scorers are 5-11 guards redshirt junior Mitchell Beauford (10.7 ppg) and junior Michael Tyree (12.0 ppg). Ricky Lucas, a 6-4 redshirt junior, is Stony Brooks' top scorer at 13 ppg.
BONUS LINKS
Stony Brook stats
Stony Brook game notes
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SCOUTING VILLANOVA: The No. 24 ranked Wildcats opened the season with a 86-64 win over Stony Brook. Shane Clark, a 6-7 junior forward, led the 'Nova scoring with 25 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Fellow junior Dante Cunningham (6-8) added 14 points and freshman guard Malcolm Grant had 16 off the bench.
The Wildcats have no seniors, but their roster is filled with talented underclassmen, like 6-2 sophomore guard Scottie Reynolds, the guy expected to lead Nova this season. Reynolds had 13 points and 6 assists against Stony Brook. If he looks to take the scoring into his own hands, he is capable. A member of the U.S. Pan-American Games team this summer, Reynolds is considered the Wildcats best perimeter shooter. Last season's Big East Rookie of the Year, Reynolds put up 40 on UConn as a freshman.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: The Seawolves come in 0-3, their latest loss a 53-52 setback against Maryland-Eastern Shore. This is one team where American's small backcourt should not have a huge matchup problem. Two of Stony Brook's three leading scorers are 5-11 guards redshirt junior Mitchell Beauford (10.7 ppg) and junior Michael Tyree (12.0 ppg). Ricky Lucas, a 6-4 redshirt junior, is Stony Brooks' top scorer at 13 ppg.
BONUS LINKS
Stony Brook stats
Labels: American, Bucknell, previews
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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 Nickelberry has turned things around in a hurry at Hampton. In his second year, the Pirates are favored 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 Maryland and Kent State. Their win came at home against Tulsa.
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 held opponents to 40.9 percent shooting from the field.
BONUS LINKS:
Out to make an impression (Hampton preview from The (Newport News) Daily Press)
Clifford points way for Crusaders (Boston Herald)
SCOUTING TEXAS- SAN ANTONIO:Picked to finish fifth 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 against Texas. Gibson is averaging 16.5 points and 7 rebounds per game. junior Travis Gabbidon (6-7), one of eight juco transfers on the roster, 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 shooting 34.4 percent from the field thus far. Sure the 26.7 percent night against the Longhorns did not help. But UTSA only shot 41.2 percent (33.3 percent in the first half) against D-III Hardin-Simmons. That is a continuation of a theme set by last season'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:
UTSA game notes
SCOUTING KENNESAW STATE: The Owls come in at 1-2 after picking up their first win 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 shooting 39.2 percent 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:
KSU coach Tony Lingle's Web site
Gametracker
The (Atlantic) Sun also rises: Tiny conference sticks it to the big boys (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:
St. Francis stats
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SCOUTING HAMPTON: Former Willard assistant Nickelberry has turned things around in a hurry at Hampton. In his second year, the Pirates are favored 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 Maryland and Kent State. Their win came at home against Tulsa.
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 held opponents to 40.9 percent shooting from the field.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING TEXAS- SAN ANTONIO:Picked to finish fifth 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 against Texas. Gibson is averaging 16.5 points and 7 rebounds per game. junior Travis Gabbidon (6-7), one of eight juco transfers on the roster, 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 shooting 34.4 percent from the field thus far. Sure the 26.7 percent night against the Longhorns did not help. But UTSA only shot 41.2 percent (33.3 percent in the first half) against D-III Hardin-Simmons. That is a continuation of a theme set by last season'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 first win 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 shooting 39.2 percent 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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Friday, November 16, 2007
Two more games against Northeast Conference foes tonight, with Long Island at Army and Fairleigh Ridiculous Dickinson at Lafayette. But our favorite matchup tonight takes place in Kennesaw, Ga., where Colgate looks to go to 3-0 against a chuck-and-duck Southland Conference team from southwest Texas.
SCOUTING TEXAS STATEFor a school we'd never heard of before Colgate announced its schedule, these guys sure have a lot of traditions. Our favorite of the bunch, hands down, being The Texas Strutters
Did you know:
This is a huge school, 28,132 students
Boko the bobcat was the 2006 United Spirit Association Collegiate Nationals championship mascot of the year
The Strutters have performed on every major television network, a national television commercial, appeared in two U.S. Presidential inaugurations, five motion pictures, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, MTV's TRL, and 17 countries spanning 4 continents, including being the first U.S. dance team to perform in the People's Republic of China.
Of course the reason Texas State might sound unfamiliar is because for years it was known as Southwest Texas State. The name changed in 2003. The Bobcats tradition in hoops has fallen on hard times recently. They were 9-20 last season. That sounds bad until you realize it was three times as many games as they won in 2005-2006. But over the years they can boast two trips to the NCAA Tournament and an NAIA National title
Picked to finish sixth in the six-team West division of the Southland Conference, Texas State's roster includes four starters from the team that went 1-13 away from home last season. Junior forward Brandon Bush (6-7) led the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.2 rpg) last season and through two games is leading both categories again (20 ppg, 9 rpg). Brandon Thomas, a 6-3 senior guard, is averaging 13.5 ppg and 6.5 rebounds. Juco transfer Brent Benson is averaging 10.5 ppg off the bench.
Of course all those stats came in games against something called Huston-Tillotson (NAIA) and Dallas Baptist (D-II). Texas State averaged 100 ppg in those two matchups. This will be the Bobcats first game against a Division I team.
Second-year coach Doug Davalos prefers an up-tempo, full-court style. Last year it t resulted in Texas State averaging 77.6 points per game. The downside was that opponents averaged 85.4 ppg against the Bobcats.
BONUS LINKS:
Blue Ribbon preview
Bobcats begin Davalos era (TSU release includes coach's comments on all players)
Texas State fight song (mp3)
SCOUTING LONG ISLAND Picked to finish last in the 11-team Northeast Conference, the Blackbirds are coming off a 10-19 season in which they were 4-12 on the road. LIU opened the season Monday with an 82-50 loss at Notre Dame. Senior Kellen Allen, a 6-7 frontcourt type, led LIU with 16 points in the loss. Freshman Kyle Johnson, a 6-3 guard, added 12.
Here is a look at the Blackbirds from an NEC preseason release:
BONUS LINKS:
NEC team-by-team previews (pdf)
LIU game notes
SCOUTING FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON Picked ninth in the NEC, the Knights are 0-2 after a pair of 20-point losses in the preseason NIT at Syracuse. FDU dropped an 86-66 decision to Saint Joe's in its opener, and followed that with an 88-66 loss to Siena in the consolation round.
Through two games, FDU is shooting 42.2 percent from the field and allowing opponents to shoot at a 57.6 percent clip. Manny Ubilla (16 ppg), a 6-2 senior guard, leads four Knights averaging in double figures. Bernell Murray, a 5-9 senior, and 6-3 sophomore Sean Baptiste each are averaging 14 ppg. Freshman John Galvin (6-8) averages 10 ppg. Murray and Ubilla are the assists leaders (4.9 apg each); Baptiste (6 rpg) leads the team's rebounders.
From that same NEC release:
FDU game notes
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SCOUTING TEXAS STATEFor a school we'd never heard of before Colgate announced its schedule, these guys sure have a lot of traditions. Our favorite of the bunch, hands down, being The Texas Strutters
Did you know:
Of course the reason Texas State might sound unfamiliar is because for years it was known as Southwest Texas State. The name changed in 2003. The Bobcats tradition in hoops has fallen on hard times recently. They were 9-20 last season. That sounds bad until you realize it was three times as many games as they won in 2005-2006. But over the years they can boast two trips to the NCAA Tournament and an NAIA National title
Picked to finish sixth in the six-team West division of the Southland Conference, Texas State's roster includes four starters from the team that went 1-13 away from home last season. Junior forward Brandon Bush (6-7) led the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.2 rpg) last season and through two games is leading both categories again (20 ppg, 9 rpg). Brandon Thomas, a 6-3 senior guard, is averaging 13.5 ppg and 6.5 rebounds. Juco transfer Brent Benson is averaging 10.5 ppg off the bench.
Of course all those stats came in games against something called Huston-Tillotson (NAIA) and Dallas Baptist (D-II). Texas State averaged 100 ppg in those two matchups. This will be the Bobcats first game against a Division I team.
Second-year coach Doug Davalos prefers an up-tempo, full-court style. Last year it t resulted in Texas State averaging 77.6 points per game. The downside was that opponents averaged 85.4 ppg against the Bobcats.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING LONG ISLAND Picked to finish last in the 11-team Northeast Conference, the Blackbirds are coming off a 10-19 season in which they were 4-12 on the road. LIU opened the season Monday with an 82-50 loss at Notre Dame. Senior Kellen Allen, a 6-7 frontcourt type, led LIU with 16 points in the loss. Freshman Kyle Johnson, a 6-3 guard, added 12.
Here is a look at the Blackbirds from an NEC preseason release:
Looking for a return to prominence, a significant personnel facelift has given sixth year head coach Jim Ferry the opportunity to flip the reset switch and take the Long Island program in a new direction this coming season.NOTE: We'd have preferred to link to this, as well as the section of the same release dealing with Fairleigh Dickinson below. But that would require folks to download an 11-page pdf and scroll through it to find the LIU and FD parts. For NEC fans, or those who want to know more about other NEC teams, here is the link
With star guard James Williams - the face of the Blackbirds in recent years and the 17th-leading scorer in NEC history with 1,710 points - and two of his key cohorts now graduated, Ferry improved the team’s athleticism in the offseason with a number of pivotal additions to the lineup who will complement a cast of veteran returnees.
Long Island’s experience lies in its frontcourt, anchored by seniors Eugene Kotorobai, Paska Morkeliunas and Kellen Allen. One of the NEC’s top three-point threats the last two years, the 6’5” Kotorobai drilled 52 shots from beyond the arc and ranked sixth in the league with a 40.0 percent success rate from outside the arc in 2006-07. He is also the team’s leading returning scorer (9.7 ppg) and rebounder (6.5 rpg). Morkeliunas (4.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg) is a rugged interior defender who at 6’7”, 230 lbs., has an innate ability to draw fouls in the paint. Last season, he went to the line 109 times, the second-highest figure on the team despite averaging just over 16 minutes per game. Long Island’s low-post offense will be bolstered with the return of 6’7” Allen, a jump hook specialist who missed the last 18 games of the 2006-07 campaign with an injury. When healthy, Allen averaged 4.8 ppg and converted 56.5 percent of his shot opportunities. Sophomore Aurimas Adomaitis, the team’s biggest player at 6’8” and 235 lbs., started 21 games in a promising freshman campaign, averaging 6.0 ppg and 3.2 rpg. Junior forward Albert Forbes, who has suffered through two injury plagued seasons and has yet to suit up for the Blackbirds, will provide depth up front.
Sophomore Jaytornah Wisseh and junior Tyrone Mattison will push the tempo in the team’s ultra-swift backcourt. Wisseh displayed tremendous upside for Long Island last season when he was tabbed to the all-NEC Rookie team. A freewheeling penetrator, Wisseh often seemed unguardable in one-on-one situations and served notice of his skills with back-to-back 20+ point outings in early February, including a career-best 29-point effort at Sacred Heart. He averaged 8.7 ppg on the season and led the team with 3.0 apg. Manning the point, Mattison often deferred on offense to Williams and fellow graduate Aubin Scott, but should come into his own this season with two years under his belt. Extremely quick coast-to-coast, Mattison contributed 6.3 ppg and 2.0 spg as a sophomore.
Ferry wasted little time replenishing his backcourt with the addition of 6’1” shooter David Hicks during last fall’s signing period. A Minnesota native, Hicks prepped at South Kent in Connecticut in 2006-07. During the spring, Ferry added 5’11” Nehemiah Weicks out of the California JUCO ranks. Weicks is versatile enough to play either guard position and like Hicks, can stroke it from the outside. The Blackbirds also received a commitment from 6’4” forward Ron Manigault, a New York City native who played two years at the City College of San Francisco. The cousin of local playground legend Earl “The Goat” Manigault, he has the versatility to play any of four positions and will add some grit to the Blackbird lineup. LIU landed another urban recruit in 6’7” forward Ike Udanoh, a Detroit native whose natural athleticism and aggressiveness on the boards will serve him well in an up-tempo atmosphere. Ferry completed his recruiting class in the summer with the addition of two more guards, 6’3” Kyle Johnson out of Ontario, Canada and 6’1” Alan Mozee from Oklahoma City.
Long Island By The Numbers
Quick Facts
2006-07 Overall Record: 10-19
2006-07 NEC Record/Finish: 6-10/10th
NEC Tournament Finish: Did not qualify
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/6
2006-07 Final RPI: 310
Games Decided By 5 Points or Less: 5-5
NEC Record
Last Two Years: 15-21 (.417)
Last Three Years 25-29 (.463)
Last Four Years: 29-43 (.403)
Last Five Years: 36-54 (.400)
Overall Record
Last Two Years: 22-35 (.386)
Last Three Years 36-50 (.419)
Last Four Years: 44-69 (.389)
Last Five Years: 53-88 (.376)
Leading Returning Scorers
Eugene Kotorobai: 9.7 ppg
Jaytornah Wisseh: 8.7 ppg
Tyrone Mattison: 6.3 ppg
Leading Returning Rebounders
Eugene Kotorobai: 6.5 rpg
Paska Morkeliunas: 3.7 rpg
Aurimas Adomaitis: 3.2 rpg
Leading Returning Assists
Jaytornah Wisseh: 3.0 apg
Tyrone Mattison: 2.0 apg
Kellen Allen: 0.8 apg
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON Picked ninth in the NEC, the Knights are 0-2 after a pair of 20-point losses in the preseason NIT at Syracuse. FDU dropped an 86-66 decision to Saint Joe's in its opener, and followed that with an 88-66 loss to Siena in the consolation round.
Through two games, FDU is shooting 42.2 percent from the field and allowing opponents to shoot at a 57.6 percent clip. Manny Ubilla (16 ppg), a 6-2 senior guard, leads four Knights averaging in double figures. Bernell Murray, a 5-9 senior, and 6-3 sophomore Sean Baptiste each are averaging 14 ppg. Freshman John Galvin (6-8) averages 10 ppg. Murray and Ubilla are the assists leaders (4.9 apg each); Baptiste (6 rpg) leads the team's rebounders.
From that same NEC release:
With 25th year head coach Tom Green at the helm of the Fairleigh Dickinson program, one thing is for certain: regardless of the team’s roster turnover from year-to-year, it is impossible to dismiss the Knights as a contender in the NEC. Despite losing a pair of all-stars and a dominating big man, the Knights quickly regrouped last season, scoring a non-conference win at Seton Hall in November. During league play, FDU stayed near the top of the standings for much of the season before fading somewhat down the stretch to finish tied for fourth in the NEC.BONUS LINKS:
Green, the winningest coach in conference history, will face a new set of challenges this coming season with the departure of first team all-NEC forward Andre Harris and do-everything swingman Michael Peeples, who combined for nearly 31 points per outing a year ago. If Green has any chance at adding to his league record four NEC titles, it will hinge on his ability to incorporate yet another fresh set of faces into the rotation.
Carrying the load for the Knights will be the sterling backcourt of junior Cameron Tyler and senior Manny Ubilla. Tyler blossomed in his sophomore year into one of the top point guards in the conference. His ability to draw defenders with his athletic attacks to the hoop created open shots for teammates - Ubilla in particular - and made for some stunning scoring flurries for the 6’0” New York City product. Tyler finished second on the club with 14.3 ppg, added 4.4 rpg and finished third in the conference with 5.1 apg. Ubilla stepped right into a feature role for the Knights last season, averaging 11.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 2.9 apg, while displaying a deadly touch from the outside. He hit 63 three-pointers and made 39.6 percent of his attempts on the year to rank in the NEC top-ten in both categories. Ubilla, a 6’3” catch-and-shoot specialist, hit a number of big shots on the year, including a dagger at the buzzer to stop Garden State rival Monmouth in a televised game last February. Reinforcing the backcourt for FDU is veteran Bernell Murray and sophomore Sean Baptiste. A dependable point guard, Murray (3.7 ppg) has a tremendous amount of big-game experience and as a senior is the last link to the Knights’ 2005 NEC Championship team. A physical player who is unafraid of contact and can get to the line, Baptiste (4.6 ppg) was a valuable contributor off the bench for the Knights in 2006-07.
With the loss of Harris and Peeples, along with starting center Jordan Ingram, Green will have to retool a front line headed by 6’6” senior Eric Hazard. One of the league’s best at spotting up from the three-point stripe, Hazard (5.3 ppg) provided instant offense off the bench last year, but could be moved into a more prominent role this coming season. The Jersey native made nearly 80 percent of his shots from long range and his 41.2 percent conversion rate ranked fourth in the NEC. Look for sophomore forward Bryan Lytle and 7’0” English import Lawrence Brown, a sophomore center, to crack the rotation as well.
While Green added five to members to the Knights’ cast in the offseason, he was clearly looking toward the future with his additions. Three of the recruits are New Jersey products who will sit out the 2007-08 season, including 6’1” junior guard Eric Moore, who averaged 12.5 ppg, 2.3 apg and buried 75 three-pointers in 21 starts for Buffalo a year ago. He led the Mid-American Conference in three-point field goal production, averaging 2.7 per game. Another transfer who will sit out this year is burly 6’8” forward Alvin Mofunanya, who played two years at Saint Joseph’s. Freshman guard Anthony Jeune contributed 17.0 ppg his senior year at Camden Catholic, but will be redshirt in 2007-08 after sustaining serious injury in February. Freshman John Galvin, a 6’8” forward, will immediately bolster the frontcourt after a terrific scholastic career at Weston (CT), where he earned All-State status last season and graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,902 points. In 2006-07, he averaged 24.0 ppg and 15.0 rpg. Freshman Jordan Stasyszyn, a 6’3” shooting guard, will give the Knights yet another three-point marksman. As a senior at Carlisle (PA), he hit 10 treys in a playoff game and 110 on the year as he averaged 24.0 ppg.
FDU By The Numbers
Quick Facts
2006-07 Overall Record: 14-16
2006-07 NEC Record/Finish: 9-9/Tie-4th
NEC Tournament Finish: Lost in quarterfinals
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/4
2006-07 Final RPI: 233
Games Decided By 5 Points or Less: 9-10
NEC Record
Last Two Years: 23-13 (.639)
Last Three Years 36-18 (.667)
Last Four Years: 47-25 (.653)
Last Five Years: 56-34 (.622)
Overall Record
Last Two Years: 34-28 (.548)
Last Three Years 54-41 (.568)
Last Four Years: 71-53 (.573)
Last Five Years: 86-67 (.562)
Leading Returning Scorers
Cameron Tyler: 14.3 ppg
Manny Ubilla: 11.9 ppg
Eric Hazard: 5.3ppg
Leading Returning Rebounders
Cameron Tyler: 4.4 rpg
Manny Ubilla: 4.3 rpg
Eric Hazard: 2.3 rpg
Leading Returning Assists
Cameron Tyler: 5.1 apg
Manny Ubilla: 2.9 apg
Bernell Murray: 1.5 apg
Labels: Army, Colgate, Lafayette, previews
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Thursday, November 15, 2007
The bender faithful wiull get their first glimpse of the new look Eagles when they meet winless Fairfield in tonight's home opener.
SCOUTING FAIRFIELD: The 0-2 Stags play a second straight Patriot League opponent, coming into Bender off a 67-54 loss at home to Holy Cross. Fairfield has struggled on offense, getting only one guy into double figures in its first two games. Against HC, that guy was Yorel Hawkins, who scored 11 points. Mike Evanovich, who came off the bench in both games, is the only Stag averaging in double figures (12.5 ppg) -- thanks to his 20-point showing in the season opening loss at Wake Forest.
BONUS LINKS:
Fairfield stats
Fairfield game notes
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SCOUTING FAIRFIELD: The 0-2 Stags play a second straight Patriot League opponent, coming into Bender off a 67-54 loss at home to Holy Cross. Fairfield has struggled on offense, getting only one guy into double figures in its first two games. Against HC, that guy was Yorel Hawkins, who scored 11 points. Mike Evanovich, who came off the bench in both games, is the only Stag averaging in double figures (12.5 ppg) -- thanks to his 20-point showing in the season opening loss at Wake Forest.
BONUS LINKS:
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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:
Towson game notes
Williams plays through pain (Towerlight)
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS: Opened with 72-66 win over Kevin (son of HC coach Ralph) Willard's Iona team. Picked second 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 the opener.
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:
RMU game notes
Pittsburgh Tribune Review matchup
Post-Gazette game preview
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review RMU story archive
RRMU embraces lofty expectationse (Pitt. Post-Gazette)
Robert Morris hopes Langhurst is ready to guide the offense (Pitt. Post-Gazette)
Colonials getting defensive in basketball practice
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 81-78 loss 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 72-66 win over Kevin (son of HC coach Ralph) Willard's Iona team. Picked second 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 the opener.
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 81-78 loss 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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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
It's Patriot vs. MAAC across the board tonight, with American at Loyola (Md.), Holy Cross at Fairfield and Colgate at Canisius.
SCOUTING LOYOLA: Picked as co-favorites in the MAAC, the Greyhounds come in 1-1, with an 89-68 home win over Penn their last time out. Coach Jimmy Patsos shuffled his starting lineup after Loyola dropped its opener at Towson, 83-69, inserting 6-1 sophomore Brett Harvey, last season's starter at the point, along with 5-11 freshman Brian Rudolph and 6-7 forward Michael Tuck, last season's MAAC sixth man of the year.
Rudolph responded by dishing out 9 assists and Tuck put up 18 points against Penn. Marquis Sullivan, a 6-1 junior guard who went to the bench, scored 13 points off the bench. Joe Miles, a 6-0 transfer from Marshall, also moved to the bench. Miles played the same 25 minutes he did in the opener, scoring 9 points off the bench after posting 11 as a starter against Towson. The biggest difference was the diminished role of 6-10 senior center Hassan Fofana, who played just 2 minutes against Penn after starting and playing 14 against Towson.
The Greyhounds will look to play a style fitting their name, pressing full court and running. THe roster is full of athletic guys, including a bunch of transfers from high major programs.
Leading scorer Gerald Brown (22 ppg), last year's MAAC leading scorer, came from Providence. Fofana played at Maryland. Omari Isreal, a 6-8 senior who, along with Brown, has started both games, began his career at Notre Dame.
Sullivan played his high school ball at Archbishop Spalding, the Maryland school that produced Bucknell's Justin Castleberry and Holy Cross' Lawrence Dixon. Associate coach Brian Blaney is the son of former Holy Cross head coach and current UConn assistant George Blaney.
BONUS LINKS:
Loyola preview from The Examiner
Loyola stats
Gametracker
SCOUTING FAIRFIELD: Four players who started for Fairfield in an overtime loss to Holy Cross last season are back in the starting lineup for the Stags this season. Sophomore forward Greg Nero scored a career-high 23 for the Stags in that game, part of a six-game stretch to start the season that Nero led Fairfield in scoring and one of his 16 double figures games last year. Point guard Jonathan Han, who averaged 4.5 assists per game as a sophomore, had a career-high 8 assists against the Crusaders. Forward Anthony Johnson, a 6-8 sophomore and 6-4 sophomore swingman Devin Johnson are also back for the Stags, who start two juniors and three sophomores.
None of the starters reached double figures in Fairfield's season-opening 85-60 loss at Wake Forest. The only Stag to do so in the opener was 6-9 junior Mike Evanovich, who was 6-7 from the field, including 5-5 from the arc in his first game for Fairfield after sitting out a season following his transfer from Iowa State.
Fairfield shot 19 of 49 from the floor against Wake, but were 10 for 16 from 3-point range. Twenty-three turnovers undid any edge the Stags might have gained by outrebounding the DemonDeacons (36-30).
The Stags were picked a tie for sixth in the 10-team MAAC in the league's preseason poll.
BONUS LINKS:
Han ignites Fairfield men (Conn. Post)
Livestats
SCOUTING CANISUS:
In a word, the Griffs are young. Second-year coach Tom Parrotta's roster includes seven true freshmen and just one senior. Add a juco tranfer to the mix, and the fact that its Canisius' first game, and it is tough to get a read on the team, which is picked ninth in the MAAC preseason poll.
Pawel Malesa, the team's lone senior, is a 6-6 guard who averaged 13.2 minutes and 6.3 points per game last season. The native of Poland dropped 40 pounds in the offseason while improving his conditioning and quickness. Malesa is a 3-point shooter. He hit 34.7 percent from the arc last year, which is damned near the only place he shoots from. Of 61 made shots, 52 were treys.
Canisius has a pair of juniors. Shaun James, a 6-8 London, England native by way of Barton Junior College in Kansas. He played in 29 games, starting eight for the Griffs last season. Willie Hassell is a 5-8 shooter recruited from Mineral Area Junior College to be a scorer for the Griffs. Hassell was a third team NJCAA All-American pick last season.
Three sophomores started at least 13 games last season: Menghe a'Nyam, Jovan Robinson and Frank Turner. Turner averaged 36.1 minutes, tops on the team, and 11.9 points per game, earning co-rookie of the year honors in the MAAC.
Among the freshmen, Elton Frazier, a 6-5 forward, is The Sporting News' pick as the MAAC's top newcomer.
BONUS LINKS:
Canisus season preview (GgGriffs.com)
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SCOUTING LOYOLA: Picked as co-favorites in the MAAC, the Greyhounds come in 1-1, with an 89-68 home win over Penn their last time out. Coach Jimmy Patsos shuffled his starting lineup after Loyola dropped its opener at Towson, 83-69, inserting 6-1 sophomore Brett Harvey, last season's starter at the point, along with 5-11 freshman Brian Rudolph and 6-7 forward Michael Tuck, last season's MAAC sixth man of the year.
Rudolph responded by dishing out 9 assists and Tuck put up 18 points against Penn. Marquis Sullivan, a 6-1 junior guard who went to the bench, scored 13 points off the bench. Joe Miles, a 6-0 transfer from Marshall, also moved to the bench. Miles played the same 25 minutes he did in the opener, scoring 9 points off the bench after posting 11 as a starter against Towson. The biggest difference was the diminished role of 6-10 senior center Hassan Fofana, who played just 2 minutes against Penn after starting and playing 14 against Towson.
The Greyhounds will look to play a style fitting their name, pressing full court and running. THe roster is full of athletic guys, including a bunch of transfers from high major programs.
Leading scorer Gerald Brown (22 ppg), last year's MAAC leading scorer, came from Providence. Fofana played at Maryland. Omari Isreal, a 6-8 senior who, along with Brown, has started both games, began his career at Notre Dame.
Sullivan played his high school ball at Archbishop Spalding, the Maryland school that produced Bucknell's Justin Castleberry and Holy Cross' Lawrence Dixon. Associate coach Brian Blaney is the son of former Holy Cross head coach and current UConn assistant George Blaney.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING FAIRFIELD: Four players who started for Fairfield in an overtime loss to Holy Cross last season are back in the starting lineup for the Stags this season. Sophomore forward Greg Nero scored a career-high 23 for the Stags in that game, part of a six-game stretch to start the season that Nero led Fairfield in scoring and one of his 16 double figures games last year. Point guard Jonathan Han, who averaged 4.5 assists per game as a sophomore, had a career-high 8 assists against the Crusaders. Forward Anthony Johnson, a 6-8 sophomore and 6-4 sophomore swingman Devin Johnson are also back for the Stags, who start two juniors and three sophomores.
None of the starters reached double figures in Fairfield's season-opening 85-60 loss at Wake Forest. The only Stag to do so in the opener was 6-9 junior Mike Evanovich, who was 6-7 from the field, including 5-5 from the arc in his first game for Fairfield after sitting out a season following his transfer from Iowa State.
Fairfield shot 19 of 49 from the floor against Wake, but were 10 for 16 from 3-point range. Twenty-three turnovers undid any edge the Stags might have gained by outrebounding the DemonDeacons (36-30).
The Stags were picked a tie for sixth in the 10-team MAAC in the league's preseason poll.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING CANISUS:
In a word, the Griffs are young. Second-year coach Tom Parrotta's roster includes seven true freshmen and just one senior. Add a juco tranfer to the mix, and the fact that its Canisius' first game, and it is tough to get a read on the team, which is picked ninth in the MAAC preseason poll.
Pawel Malesa, the team's lone senior, is a 6-6 guard who averaged 13.2 minutes and 6.3 points per game last season. The native of Poland dropped 40 pounds in the offseason while improving his conditioning and quickness. Malesa is a 3-point shooter. He hit 34.7 percent from the arc last year, which is damned near the only place he shoots from. Of 61 made shots, 52 were treys.
Canisius has a pair of juniors. Shaun James, a 6-8 London, England native by way of Barton Junior College in Kansas. He played in 29 games, starting eight for the Griffs last season. Willie Hassell is a 5-8 shooter recruited from Mineral Area Junior College to be a scorer for the Griffs. Hassell was a third team NJCAA All-American pick last season.
Three sophomores started at least 13 games last season: Menghe a'Nyam, Jovan Robinson and Frank Turner. Turner averaged 36.1 minutes, tops on the team, and 11.9 points per game, earning co-rookie of the year honors in the MAAC.
Among the freshmen, Elton Frazier, a 6-5 forward, is The Sporting News' pick as the MAAC's top newcomer.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Colgate, Holy Cross, previews
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Monday, November 12, 2007
Army and Lafayette hit the road tonight for a pair of games that look like pretty even matchups. The Black Knights will be in Connecticut to take on Sacred Heart, while the Leopards are across the sound facing Stony Brook.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART: The preseason favorites in the Northeast Conference didn't look very good in an 82-71 loss at Yale. Connecticut Post beat writer William S. Paxton said Sacred Heart "looked like a team that hadn't played in six months . . . had no flow on offense . . . seemed uncomfortable playing with each other" and had no defensive presence in the paint.
In scrimmages, Sacred Heart coach Dave Bike says the team shoots the lights out. That did not show in the Yale game. SH went 4 for 21 from the arc, 27 of 77 overall.
The bright spot was Ryon Howard, a 6-6 junior forward, who posted a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double. He appears to be as close to a post presence Sacred Heart has. The Pioneers have only two guys taller than 6-7 on the roster. That pair played a combined 11 minutes, scoring 2 points and grabbing 4 rebounds against Yale. Since the Sacred Heart SID's recap of that game talks about how Yale was able to exploit the Pioneers inside, that lack of playing time tells you pretty much all you need to know about the duo.
It is probably worth noting Sacred Heart was voted the NEC preseason favorite before its top returning scorer -- power forward Joey Henley -- tore up a knee playing for the school's football team. Henley will miss the entire season.
BONUS LINKS:
Sacred Heart game notes
Sacred Heart audio Webcast
Gametracker
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: This is not a bad matchup for the Leopards. Picked to finish seventh in the eight team America East Conference, Stony Brook is a lot like Lafayette, a smallish, perimeter-oriented team. Only one starter is taller than 6-4, only one other guy in the top 9 of coach Steve Pikiell's rotation tops 6-6.
Stony Brook opened its season Saturday with an 86-64 loss at Villanova. The Seawolves lack of an inside presence was obvious by Villanova's 35-19 edge on the boards (Box score).
The Seawolves are dangerous on the perimeter, though. Against Villanova they shot 51.2 percent (21-41) from the field, including 9 for 21 at the 3-point arc. Juco transfer Michael Tyree, a 5-11 guard from N.J., led the Stony Brook scoring with 18 points, including three 3-pointers, in 16 minutes of action. Ricky Lucas, a 6-4 junior guard, and Mitchell Beauford each added 13.
Beauford and Lucas, two of four returning starters, have had past success against Patriot League teams. Lucas put up 20 against Navy last season. Beauford had 13 against the Mids and 20 against Colgate.
BONUS LINKSS:
Newsday's Stony Brook season preview
Three keys for Stony Brook (Newsday)
Gametracker
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SCOUTING SACRED HEART: The preseason favorites in the Northeast Conference didn't look very good in an 82-71 loss at Yale. Connecticut Post beat writer William S. Paxton said Sacred Heart "looked like a team that hadn't played in six months . . . had no flow on offense . . . seemed uncomfortable playing with each other" and had no defensive presence in the paint.
In scrimmages, Sacred Heart coach Dave Bike says the team shoots the lights out. That did not show in the Yale game. SH went 4 for 21 from the arc, 27 of 77 overall.
The bright spot was Ryon Howard, a 6-6 junior forward, who posted a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double. He appears to be as close to a post presence Sacred Heart has. The Pioneers have only two guys taller than 6-7 on the roster. That pair played a combined 11 minutes, scoring 2 points and grabbing 4 rebounds against Yale. Since the Sacred Heart SID's recap of that game talks about how Yale was able to exploit the Pioneers inside, that lack of playing time tells you pretty much all you need to know about the duo.
It is probably worth noting Sacred Heart was voted the NEC preseason favorite before its top returning scorer -- power forward Joey Henley -- tore up a knee playing for the school's football team. Henley will miss the entire season.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: This is not a bad matchup for the Leopards. Picked to finish seventh in the eight team America East Conference, Stony Brook is a lot like Lafayette, a smallish, perimeter-oriented team. Only one starter is taller than 6-4, only one other guy in the top 9 of coach Steve Pikiell's rotation tops 6-6.
Stony Brook opened its season Saturday with an 86-64 loss at Villanova. The Seawolves lack of an inside presence was obvious by Villanova's 35-19 edge on the boards (Box score).
The Seawolves are dangerous on the perimeter, though. Against Villanova they shot 51.2 percent (21-41) from the field, including 9 for 21 at the 3-point arc. Juco transfer Michael Tyree, a 5-11 guard from N.J., led the Stony Brook scoring with 18 points, including three 3-pointers, in 16 minutes of action. Ricky Lucas, a 6-4 junior guard, and Mitchell Beauford each added 13.
Beauford and Lucas, two of four returning starters, have had past success against Patriot League teams. Lucas put up 20 against Navy last season. Beauford had 13 against the Mids and 20 against Colgate.
BONUS LINKSS:
Labels: Army, Lafayette, previews
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
(Originally posted Fri. at 7:40 a.m., Updated with additional links at 9:23 a.m. Sat.)
A busy day ahead, with five league teams opening the season. Interesting matchups abound, with Lehigh visiting Ivy favorite Cornell, Bucknell and Holy Cross hosting top flight mid major programs Albany and Hofstra and Army at rebuilding Minnesota. Rounding out the slate is new-look American at Saint Francis Pa. Here's the scouting reports.
SCOUTING CORNELL: Lehigh has a tough opener tomorrow night, traveling to what could be snowy Ithaca, N.Y. to take on Ivy favorite Cornell. The Big Red went 16-12 last season, playing with a roster full of talented freshmen. That young, but experienced Big Big Red roster is bolstered by the return of star guard Adam Gore, the 2005-06 Ivy rookie of the year who missed all of last season after blowing out a knee in an opening game win over Northwestern, a trio of transfers who might seem eerily familiar to Lehigh fans. One is a 7-foot project and another, 6-5 dunker Andre Williams, who shares his name with the Morning Call's Lehigh beat writer and spent a year at a Texas juco. The athloetic 6-5 four man ended up at Blinn Jr. College after changing his mind not once, but twice, about his original commitments when the head coaches at Brown, and then Charleston, left for greener pastures after he had committted. The best of the three, though, might be 6-foot guard Collin Robinson, who landed in Ithaca after leaving Tim Floyd's Southern Cal program.
BONUS LINKS:
Cornell basketball blog
Lehigh depending on a Hall of a player (Morning Call)
Lehigh walking into the unknown (Ithaca journal)
SCOUTING ALBANY: The Albany Times Union has a good look at Bucknell's first opponent, the University of Albany Danes. The short version: The Danes are a lot like Bucknell, a team that has gotten used to winning and now looks to see if it can maintain that lifestyle after losing two all-league players, including one of the best in school history. The longer version: The Danes are bigger than last year, with nine guys 6-5 or taller, stronger and more athletic. And they will play a lot of zone to cover up some of their defensive liabilities, according to coach Will Brown. The full version is right here.
BONUS LINKS:
TU columnist Mark (not the steroids slugger) McGuire on Albany's scheduling
Bison adjust on the run (Daily Item)
Danes testing their bite and fight (Times Union)
New year, same goals (Bucknellian)
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (PA.): After finishing last in the Northeast Conference the past two seasons, the Red Flash are expected to move to the middle of the NEC pack this season. The good news for coach Bobby Jones is that he has all five starters back. The bad news: that same group lost 15 in a row en route to an 8-21 season a year ago. Those losses included a 73-63 AU comeback win in Bender in a game that AU trailed by 18 in at one point. Optimism comes from having won four of their last five and the return of sophomore Devin Sweetney and junior Chris Berry. Sweetney's 13.0 ppg were tops among NEC freshmen a year ago. He also pulled 7.7 rpg. Alongside on the wing will be Chris Berry, a junior who averaged 11.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg. Berry averaged 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds as a sophomore.
BONUS LINKS:
St. Francis game notes
SFU radio broadcast
SCOUTING MINNESOTA: Minnesota has a new coach and new optimism after going a miserable 9-22 last season. Tubby Smith arrives with a streak of 14 straight 20-win seasons and 14-straight NCAA Tournament appearances in his last three stops (Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky). He inherits a depleted roster. Four players transferred when the Golden Gophers changed coaches, three others are recovering from injuries. With senior guard Lawrence McKenzie nursing a groin pull, freshman point guard Al Nolen Jr. showed a penchant for scoring with a 6-for-6 from the field, 7-for-7 from the line, 24 points showing in an exhibition win over D-II Southwest Minnesota State. McKenzie, the seventh-leading scorer in the Big Ten last season, set a school record with 78 threes last season. An Oklahoma transfer, he is one of three Gophers who have played in the NCAA Tournament, having been to the dance with the Sooners. The other two were freshmen when Minnesota last got a bid. No word on the Gophers' site on the status of McKenzie for the Army game.
BONUS LINKS:
Army aiming high in hoops (Times Herald-Record)
Gophers tread long road back (Detroit Free Press)
Gophers feeling good, aiming high under Tubby's tutelage (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
Tubby's time is here, but how fast can Gophers get better?... (AP)
SCOUTING HOFSTRA: With 6-4 backcourt recruit Ameer Brown watching from the Hart Center bleachers, Holy Cross will open with its BracketBusters rematch against Hofstra. Picked to finish fifth in the tough Colonial Athletic Conference, Hofstra fell 10 points shy of earning a spot in the preseason Mid Major Top 25, ranking an unofficial 27th in the poll. Despite the loss of backcourt stars Loren Stokes and Carlos Rivera from last season's team, Hofstra might be bigger and deeper than they were a year ago, according to NY Daily News writer Sean Brennan. Hofstra will be led by high-scoring 6-3 guard Antoine Agudio, a returning first team all league and preseason player of the year pick who averaged over 20 ppg last season. Agudio put up 25 points last week in Hofsta's exhibition win over a Rollie Massimino coached NAIA school (Northwood). While HC will have its hands full with Agudio, Hofstra will start a 6-10 redshirt freshman Greg Washington at center. If he cannot contain Patriot League preseason player of the year Tim Clifford, it could be a long bus ride back to Long Island for the Pride.
BONUS LINKS:
Hofstra game notes | CAA Zone
CAA Insider
A couple of big pieces gone (Boston Globe)
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A busy day ahead, with five league teams opening the season. Interesting matchups abound, with Lehigh visiting Ivy favorite Cornell, Bucknell and Holy Cross hosting top flight mid major programs Albany and Hofstra and Army at rebuilding Minnesota. Rounding out the slate is new-look American at Saint Francis Pa. Here's the scouting reports.
SCOUTING CORNELL: Lehigh has a tough opener tomorrow night, traveling to what could be snowy Ithaca, N.Y. to take on Ivy favorite Cornell. The Big Red went 16-12 last season, playing with a roster full of talented freshmen. That young, but experienced Big Big Red roster is bolstered by the return of star guard Adam Gore, the 2005-06 Ivy rookie of the year who missed all of last season after blowing out a knee in an opening game win over Northwestern, a trio of transfers who might seem eerily familiar to Lehigh fans. One is a 7-foot project and another, 6-5 dunker Andre Williams, who shares his name with the Morning Call's Lehigh beat writer and spent a year at a Texas juco. The athloetic 6-5 four man ended up at Blinn Jr. College after changing his mind not once, but twice, about his original commitments when the head coaches at Brown, and then Charleston, left for greener pastures after he had committted. The best of the three, though, might be 6-foot guard Collin Robinson, who landed in Ithaca after leaving Tim Floyd's Southern Cal program.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ALBANY: The Albany Times Union has a good look at Bucknell's first opponent, the University of Albany Danes. The short version: The Danes are a lot like Bucknell, a team that has gotten used to winning and now looks to see if it can maintain that lifestyle after losing two all-league players, including one of the best in school history. The longer version: The Danes are bigger than last year, with nine guys 6-5 or taller, stronger and more athletic. And they will play a lot of zone to cover up some of their defensive liabilities, according to coach Will Brown. The full version is right here.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (PA.): After finishing last in the Northeast Conference the past two seasons, the Red Flash are expected to move to the middle of the NEC pack this season. The good news for coach Bobby Jones is that he has all five starters back. The bad news: that same group lost 15 in a row en route to an 8-21 season a year ago. Those losses included a 73-63 AU comeback win in Bender in a game that AU trailed by 18 in at one point. Optimism comes from having won four of their last five and the return of sophomore Devin Sweetney and junior Chris Berry. Sweetney's 13.0 ppg were tops among NEC freshmen a year ago. He also pulled 7.7 rpg. Alongside on the wing will be Chris Berry, a junior who averaged 11.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg. Berry averaged 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds as a sophomore.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING MINNESOTA: Minnesota has a new coach and new optimism after going a miserable 9-22 last season. Tubby Smith arrives with a streak of 14 straight 20-win seasons and 14-straight NCAA Tournament appearances in his last three stops (Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky). He inherits a depleted roster. Four players transferred when the Golden Gophers changed coaches, three others are recovering from injuries. With senior guard Lawrence McKenzie nursing a groin pull, freshman point guard Al Nolen Jr. showed a penchant for scoring with a 6-for-6 from the field, 7-for-7 from the line, 24 points showing in an exhibition win over D-II Southwest Minnesota State. McKenzie, the seventh-leading scorer in the Big Ten last season, set a school record with 78 threes last season. An Oklahoma transfer, he is one of three Gophers who have played in the NCAA Tournament, having been to the dance with the Sooners. The other two were freshmen when Minnesota last got a bid. No word on the Gophers' site on the status of McKenzie for the Army game.
BONUS LINKS:
SCOUTING HOFSTRA: With 6-4 backcourt recruit Ameer Brown watching from the Hart Center bleachers, Holy Cross will open with its BracketBusters rematch against Hofstra. Picked to finish fifth in the tough Colonial Athletic Conference, Hofstra fell 10 points shy of earning a spot in the preseason Mid Major Top 25, ranking an unofficial 27th in the poll. Despite the loss of backcourt stars Loren Stokes and Carlos Rivera from last season's team, Hofstra might be bigger and deeper than they were a year ago, according to NY Daily News writer Sean Brennan. Hofstra will be led by high-scoring 6-3 guard Antoine Agudio, a returning first team all league and preseason player of the year pick who averaged over 20 ppg last season. Agudio put up 25 points last week in Hofsta's exhibition win over a Rollie Massimino coached NAIA school (Northwood). While HC will have its hands full with Agudio, Hofstra will start a 6-10 redshirt freshman Greg Washington at center. If he cannot contain Patriot League preseason player of the year Tim Clifford, it could be a long bus ride back to Long Island for the Pride.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: American, Army, Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lehigh, previews
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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 roster, 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." Picked to finish 10th in the 11-team NEC, the Monmouth game notes 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. reports 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: Monmouth-Colgate livestats
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' mature starting five 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 Vinson 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 Picked to finish 3rd in the NEC. Wagner coach Mike Deane is also a seasoned vet. Deane, who needs six wins to reach the 400-wins plateau, has taken three other teams to the NCAA Tournament in his career.
BONUS LINKS: Wagner game notes | 'Pards out to prove pickers wrong (Morning Call) | Gametracker
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 school without a conference, and a team with next to know media coverage (the local paper reprints Longwood press releases for its "sports report"). The Lancers return two starters and two guys who played significant minutes from last season's 9-22 team that took the Mids to OT last season in Farmville. 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 expected to start 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. Last season Longwood averaged less than 1,000 fans per game.
BONUS LINK: Livestats
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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 roster, 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." Picked to finish 10th in the 11-team NEC, the Monmouth game notes 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. reports 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: Monmouth-Colgate livestats
BONUS LINKS: Wagner game notes | 'Pards out to prove pickers wrong (Morning Call) | Gametracker
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 school without a conference, and a team with next to know media coverage (the local paper reprints Longwood press releases for its "sports report"). The Lancers return two starters and two guys who played significant minutes from last season's 9-22 team that took the Mids to OT last season in Farmville. 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 expected to start 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. Last season Longwood averaged less than 1,000 fans per game.
BONUS LINK: Livestats
Labels: Colgate, Lafayette, Navy, previews
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Thursday, November 08, 2007
Here's what has been happening while we have been fighting off the flu bug this week:
Utica does Hamilton -- Seems like once or twice each season the Utica paper bothers to cover Colgate. One of those times is this preview of the Red Raiders season.
Bracketeering -- ESPN is offering up Joe Lunardi's preseason look at the 65 teams to make the NCAA Tournament as a free preview of its "insider coverage." Lunardi picks Holy Cross to win the league, saying: The league's Dangerfield -- Ed Laubach, the former sporst editor at the Express-Times, comes out of retirement for a column previewing Lafayette's Leopards, a team Laubach says is drawing motivation from its lack of respect.
50 ways to view the season -- Included in Ed Barkowitz's Philly Daily News column on 50 things to ponder as hoops season starts: More on Griffin -- The AP preview of the Bucknell season says in the absence of Chris McNaughton, Donald Brown and Abe Badmus, it is Griffin's turn to lead the Bison.
Dadging the 'Saders -- How bad did UConn want to avoid playing Holy Cross in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament? Bad enough to agree to shuffle off to Buffalo next season.
Speaking of Holy Cross -- In case you missed it, the Crusaders bounced back from that exhibition loss to Rhode Island College by bouncing UMass-Lowell Tuesday night. Tim Clifford led the way with 16 points, 5 boards and 6 blocks. (Box score)
Another recruit for AU -- The Boca Raton News reports Mike Technow of Boca Raton H.S. will commit to play for American. BRHS is expected to send three players to DI schools this season. Technow is a 6-9 center. You can find more on him on his prep team's home page (if you have the patience for it to load). He played AAU hoops for the Barton Ballas.
Long look at Army -- Anticipating Saturday's Minnesota home opener against the Black Knights. Scout.com takes a very detailed look at this year's Army squad.
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57. HOLY CROSS. The Crusaders were 13-1 in Patriot League play last season. This season's race figures to be tighter, but Holy Cross has enough to repeat.
25. The return of 6-11 center Tim Clifford is a prime reason Holy Cross is expected to defend its Patriot League crown. Bucknell, which will look to senior John Griffin (St. Joseph's Prep) after losing three starters, and Colgate should be the top challengers to Holy Cross.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews, recruiting
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Thursday, November 01, 2007
It is a little tough to take seriously a Patriot League preview story that talks about Bucknell's Darren Mastropaolo playing a prominent role without mentioning that his season is in jeopardy after tearing up a knee during the summer.
Sure, there was no mention of Mastropaolo's injury in most of the preview magazines on the newsstands (Blue Ribbon being the prominent exception), but those pubs have early summer deadlines. The Sports Network, on the other hand, is a Web based service and its league preview comes after Mastropaolo's situation was discussed at the league's media day.
This thing is, simply put, a sorry excuse for a preview. The Holy Cross capsule makes no mention of the questions on the wings. The American portion does not even include the phrase "junior college." There is talk of Lafayette's futility without talk of their scholarship situation and the Navy preview says nothing about how the Mids lost three key would-be returning players, including two starters.
The worst part is that this mediocrity will show up as gospel on other sites because several mainstream media players buy syndicated content from TSN.
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Sure, there was no mention of Mastropaolo's injury in most of the preview magazines on the newsstands (Blue Ribbon being the prominent exception), but those pubs have early summer deadlines. The Sports Network, on the other hand, is a Web based service and its league preview comes after Mastropaolo's situation was discussed at the league's media day.
This thing is, simply put, a sorry excuse for a preview. The Holy Cross capsule makes no mention of the questions on the wings. The American portion does not even include the phrase "junior college." There is talk of Lafayette's futility without talk of their scholarship situation and the Navy preview says nothing about how the Mids lost three key would-be returning players, including two starters.
The worst part is that this mediocrity will show up as gospel on other sites because several mainstream media players buy syndicated content from TSN.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Friday, October 19, 2007
(Updated with additional links at 7:51 a.m.)
Here's what others are saying about Thursday's Patriot League basketball media day:
In Stephen Miller's overview of the league, which appears in the Morning Call. there is a Fran O'Hanlon quote that pretty much sums up why people are still picking Holy Cross and Bucknell at the top of the league despite their heavy graduation losses. Says O'Hanlon" "I thought last year maybe the league would come back a little bit and be more competitive. To a certain extent [it was]. American was right there at times. Colgate and Army and Navy obviously took major steps last year, but it didn't translate into competing with Bucknell and Holy Cross. So I'm reluctant to say it's going to change."
The Examiner looks at Navy and concludes the Mids "will go as far as Greg Sprink carries" them.
Alexander Pyles did some blogging on CSTV's Hang Time blog from the ESPN Zone in Baltimore. Pyles, who must have sat close to the door, where the wireless actually worked, compiled a handful of posts from the event.
David Ginsburg of the AP threw together a story based on the preseason poll and the very generic comments the coaches made before the individual interview sessions.
We'll update this in the morning.
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Here's what others are saying about Thursday's Patriot League basketball media day:
We'll update this in the morning.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
NOTE: Griffin audio bug is fixed
Our audio of all the coaches making their comments malfunctioned. Lucky for you.
To be honest, nobody really said anything much of interest anyhow. Most of the conversation centered on tips for dealing with the insomnia coaches tend to suffer.
Had the recorder captured it all, we'd have suggested saving the money you'd spend on the sleep aid CD Ralph Willard recommends by just playing back the audio of the coaches media day comments.
We will file a media day notebook later this evening, but in the meantime, here are interviews with Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard, Bucknell coach Pat Flannery and Bucknell guard John Griffin.
Patriot League Media Day Interviews
Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard
Bucknell coach Pat Flannery
Bucknell guard John Griffin
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Our audio of all the coaches making their comments malfunctioned. Lucky for you.
To be honest, nobody really said anything much of interest anyhow. Most of the conversation centered on tips for dealing with the insomnia coaches tend to suffer.
Had the recorder captured it all, we'd have suggested saving the money you'd spend on the sleep aid CD Ralph Willard recommends by just playing back the audio of the coaches media day comments.
We will file a media day notebook later this evening, but in the meantime, here are interviews with Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard, Bucknell coach Pat Flannery and Bucknell guard John Griffin.
Patriot League Media Day Interviews
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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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Wednesday, October 17, 2007
You don't have to buy the book to see the Patriot League previews we wrote for Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
Blue Ribbon has a deal with ESPN.com that makes all eight team previews, plus the rest of Blue Ribbon's content (previews of all 328 Division I teams) available to folks who subscribe to the WWLIS' insider services.
To tease folks into subscribing, they are offering a free look at our look at Holy Cross.
If you prefer a hard copy of your reference materials, you can order the book online, or by calling 866-805-BALL (2255).
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Blue Ribbon has a deal with ESPN.com that makes all eight team previews, plus the rest of Blue Ribbon's content (previews of all 328 Division I teams) available to folks who subscribe to the WWLIS' insider services.
To tease folks into subscribing, they are offering a free look at our look at Holy Cross.
If you prefer a hard copy of your reference materials, you can order the book online, or by calling 866-805-BALL (2255).
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Sunday, October 14, 2007
Looking for a quick fix for your basketball jones before the afternoon's NFL action kicks off. We have it here, with a quick preview of the league and a little catching up with old friends.
Gone but not forgotten (Part I): Down in the Lehigh Valley, former Express-Times sports editor Ed Laubach is supposed to be retired. But that doesn't stop him from popping out the occasional column, like one this morning bemoaning the lack of hoops excitement on six out of eight Patriot League campuses. In the process, Ed takes a quick look around the league and sizes up each team's prospects for the coming season.
Gone but not forgotten (Part II): Last time we checked in with Adonal Foyle, the Colgate grad, and only Patriot League to ever make it in the NBA, was looking for work after being left go by the Golden State Warriors. Foyle's new employer is the Orlando Magic, which is preparing to head to China for some exhibition action. Writers on the Magic beat knew who to turn to when looking to file a story about the trip; as one writer put it, Foyle is "the kind of deep thinker who usually sticks out in an NBA locker room the way Bill O'Reilly would at a rap concert." The Lakeland Ledger also checked in with Foyle for some socio-economic perspective on the trip.
Gone but not forgotten (Part III): Would any post catching up on the whereabouts of folks affiliated with Patriot League hoops be complete without an update on the whereabouts of Hoop Time icon Neil Fingleton? (Hint: The guy is 7-7, maybe you should throw another couple of shrimp on the barbie).
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Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Saturday, October 13, 2007
Fall has finally arrived here in the Northeast. Temperatures have dropped into the 40s the last few nights, a marked difference from even a week ago when the girls of Team Hoop Time were playing in the water as the parents washed cars for a team fundraiser.
The weather is not all that feels different.
It's starting to feel like hoops time. With the season fast approaching, our weekly "open gyms" have taken a turn towards getting ready for our winter league schedule. More team concepts. a little less individual skills work. We are not alone. As Lehigh's release noting the start of practice points out, the college season is less than a month away.
The Morning Call picked up a wire story this morning about former Lehigh coach Billy Taylor. Looks like he will have a tough season ahead in his first year at Ball State. He just kicked two guys off the team for violating unspecified team rules. Four other scholarship players had already left the team since Taylor arrived in August, two seeking transfers, and two others Taylor dismissed. Sounds like he inherited quite a mess, but Taylor ought to be the kind of guy that can straighten things out there if the school gives him a few seasons to do the job. Good luck Billy.
That same article mentions one of the points of emphasis with officials this season will be a quicker whistle for technicals on coaches for sideline behavior. Good luck Pat.
Speaking of the Bison, over on Scout.com's Louisville "Card Chronicle" site, they are calling the Nov. 18 Bucknell at Villanova game one of the top 50 Big East out of conference games of the season.
And in keeping with the season draws near theme of this post, a reminder that Patriot League hoops media day will be Thursday at the WWLIS zone in Charm City. We're expecting to go heavy with the audio content from that gathering, with plans to post all the coaches' comments and selected player interviews. Expect that stuff to start arriving here Thursday afternoon, as quickly as we can get the audio files posted.
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The weather is not all that feels different.
It's starting to feel like hoops time. With the season fast approaching, our weekly "open gyms" have taken a turn towards getting ready for our winter league schedule. More team concepts. a little less individual skills work. We are not alone. As Lehigh's release noting the start of practice points out, the college season is less than a month away.
The Morning Call picked up a wire story this morning about former Lehigh coach Billy Taylor. Looks like he will have a tough season ahead in his first year at Ball State. He just kicked two guys off the team for violating unspecified team rules. Four other scholarship players had already left the team since Taylor arrived in August, two seeking transfers, and two others Taylor dismissed. Sounds like he inherited quite a mess, but Taylor ought to be the kind of guy that can straighten things out there if the school gives him a few seasons to do the job. Good luck Billy.
That same article mentions one of the points of emphasis with officials this season will be a quicker whistle for technicals on coaches for sideline behavior. Good luck Pat.
Speaking of the Bison, over on Scout.com's Louisville "Card Chronicle" site, they are calling the Nov. 18 Bucknell at Villanova game one of the top 50 Big East out of conference games of the season.
And in keeping with the season draws near theme of this post, a reminder that Patriot League hoops media day will be Thursday at the WWLIS zone in Charm City. We're expecting to go heavy with the audio content from that gathering, with plans to post all the coaches' comments and selected player interviews. Expect that stuff to start arriving here Thursday afternoon, as quickly as we can get the audio files posted.
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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:
San Diego Jose power forward picks Bucknell: 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.
Ralph will stick around a while longer: Good news in Worcester; Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard has agreed to a five-year contract extension.
'Saders in a capsule: College Hoops net tabs Holy Cross to win the league in its preseason look at the Crusaders.
Navy gets another guard: 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 the piece reads "Who can catch Bucknell and Holy Cross?"
Andy Glockner points out that over the past three seasons, BU and HC are a combined 80-4 against the rest of the conference, including league tournament games.
Glockner speculates it could be a two-horse race again this season, with Colgate as the darkhorse. His WWLIS colleague, bracketologist Joe Lunardi, had Holy Cross penciled in on his preseason dance card, projecting the Crusaders as a 14 seed.
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The headline on the piece reads "Who can catch Bucknell and Holy Cross?"
Andy Glockner points out that over the past three seasons, BU and HC are a combined 80-4 against the rest of the conference, including league tournament games.
Glockner speculates it could be a two-horse race again this season, with Colgate as the darkhorse. His WWLIS colleague, bracketologist Joe Lunardi, had Holy Cross penciled in on his preseason dance card, projecting the Crusaders as a 14 seed.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Salukis have been to the Big Dance before. But then, so has Ralph Willard.
One of the biggest differences between these two teams is experience.
Not only do the Salukis have twice as many seniors (4-2) as Holy Cross, but two of their four are fifth-year guys, redshirting being a common practice at SIU (the roster also includes two second-year freshmen, two-third-year sophomores and three fourth year juniors. And most of the Salukis have been here before since Southern Illinois has made the NCAA Tournament six seasons in a row.
Tony Young, a fifth-year senior, added some perspective to that experience.
"I think maturity level is the big difference for us," said Young. "Before we came in knowing we won't win, but having the outlook that if we lose, we'll be back next year, having something to look forward to as far as getting ready for next year, but with it being our last year, it really just hits you, the fact of reality that once you lose it's all over with."
Contrast that with Holy Cross, which made it to the tournament three years in a row between 2001 and 2003, but has not been back since any players on the current roster arrived on Mt. St. James.
"When we were coming over here we had about three police escorts and I was like, Coach, we've got escorts, he said, if you would have made it to the tournament a couple more times, you would have known that," laughed HC guard Torey Thomas, one of the Crusaders two seniors.
Five of the Salukis have even won a game in the tournament, beating 10th seeded Saint Mary's in 2005 when they entered the first round in Oklahoma City as a No. 7 seed.
Being the higher seed this time won't change their approach, Tatum and Young both said.
"I definitely think we have the same mind set as we had the year before and the year before that, no matter what seed we are. We go in and fight every day in practice, we go in and work hard and we compete and I think fourth seed or 10 seed or 12 seed, we're going to go play the same," Tatum said.
"As far as being a favorite, you look at every game the same because going into the NCAA tournament, anyone could lose at any day, so you can't come in and think that just because you're a favorite that you're automatically going to win or you can't disrespect your opponents. I think the big thing is to stay level headed and play our hardest," Young added.
Having been here before is a definite advantage for the Salukis.
"It definitely makes a big difference that they've been here. The experience is always key," said Thomas.
That experience edge is limited to the players. Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard has been to five NCAA Tournaments -- including three with the Crusaders -- and three NITs.Salukis coach Chris Lowery would have been a freshman in college when Willard first coached a team (Western Kentucky in 1993) to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Holy Cross will rely on Willard's experience, and his game plan, to even things with Southern Illinois.
"Coach Willard is a great Coach, he's been doing this for a long time, he's been at every level of college and the NBA. We've been trying to take a lot from his experience, he's been here with Holy Cross three times and with other teams so we try to look to him for guidance and I think he's done a really good job this week in preparing us for this situation and leading us with his experience and he's a great asset in this game because he's our leader and he's our coach and hopefully he can steer us in the right path," Simmons said.
"Experience is definitely something that they have on their side. It's a definite advantage for them. But we've developed a game plan and we're going to go out there and try and execute our game plan. We're really focusing ourselves in doing what we do best. Southern Illinois is a very good team and they are really experienced but we're going to concentrate on executing our game plan and playing the way Holy Cross plays," said Simmons.
Added Thomas: "Coach Willard is a great coach in this situation, you've got a chance to prepare, plenty of days to prepare for a team for one game and I feel like he's always got a great game plan to help us to a victory in that regard. He's going to help us play to our strengths and try to help us make them play to their weaknesses."
Willard said having a precise game plan will make it easier for his team to focus and avoid some of the distractions that come with playing on the game's grandest stage.
"This is the NCAA, but it's also another basketball game. We compartmentalize the game into sections. We come with a very detailed game plan, so I think by concentrating on the little things, I think you can tend to block out the surroundings and the so-called stature of the stage or the magnitude of the stage. So I think our guys, I know the two seniors, this won't bother them at all. Some of the young guys, it may have an effect, but again, we pa so much attention to detail and concentrate on that so much, I don't think the stage will be that big a factor," Willard said.
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One of the biggest differences between these two teams is experience.
Not only do the Salukis have twice as many seniors (4-2) as Holy Cross, but two of their four are fifth-year guys, redshirting being a common practice at SIU (the roster also includes two second-year freshmen, two-third-year sophomores and three fourth year juniors. And most of the Salukis have been here before since Southern Illinois has made the NCAA Tournament six seasons in a row.
Tony Young, a fifth-year senior, added some perspective to that experience.
"I think maturity level is the big difference for us," said Young. "Before we came in knowing we won't win, but having the outlook that if we lose, we'll be back next year, having something to look forward to as far as getting ready for next year, but with it being our last year, it really just hits you, the fact of reality that once you lose it's all over with."
Contrast that with Holy Cross, which made it to the tournament three years in a row between 2001 and 2003, but has not been back since any players on the current roster arrived on Mt. St. James.
"When we were coming over here we had about three police escorts and I was like, Coach, we've got escorts, he said, if you would have made it to the tournament a couple more times, you would have known that," laughed HC guard Torey Thomas, one of the Crusaders two seniors.
Five of the Salukis have even won a game in the tournament, beating 10th seeded Saint Mary's in 2005 when they entered the first round in Oklahoma City as a No. 7 seed.
Being the higher seed this time won't change their approach, Tatum and Young both said.
"I definitely think we have the same mind set as we had the year before and the year before that, no matter what seed we are. We go in and fight every day in practice, we go in and work hard and we compete and I think fourth seed or 10 seed or 12 seed, we're going to go play the same," Tatum said.
"As far as being a favorite, you look at every game the same because going into the NCAA tournament, anyone could lose at any day, so you can't come in and think that just because you're a favorite that you're automatically going to win or you can't disrespect your opponents. I think the big thing is to stay level headed and play our hardest," Young added.
Having been here before is a definite advantage for the Salukis.
"It definitely makes a big difference that they've been here. The experience is always key," said Thomas.
That experience edge is limited to the players. Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard has been to five NCAA Tournaments -- including three with the Crusaders -- and three NITs.Salukis coach Chris Lowery would have been a freshman in college when Willard first coached a team (Western Kentucky in 1993) to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Holy Cross will rely on Willard's experience, and his game plan, to even things with Southern Illinois.
"Coach Willard is a great Coach, he's been doing this for a long time, he's been at every level of college and the NBA. We've been trying to take a lot from his experience, he's been here with Holy Cross three times and with other teams so we try to look to him for guidance and I think he's done a really good job this week in preparing us for this situation and leading us with his experience and he's a great asset in this game because he's our leader and he's our coach and hopefully he can steer us in the right path," Simmons said.
"Experience is definitely something that they have on their side. It's a definite advantage for them. But we've developed a game plan and we're going to go out there and try and execute our game plan. We're really focusing ourselves in doing what we do best. Southern Illinois is a very good team and they are really experienced but we're going to concentrate on executing our game plan and playing the way Holy Cross plays," said Simmons.
Added Thomas: "Coach Willard is a great coach in this situation, you've got a chance to prepare, plenty of days to prepare for a team for one game and I feel like he's always got a great game plan to help us to a victory in that regard. He's going to help us play to our strengths and try to help us make them play to their weaknesses."
Willard said having a precise game plan will make it easier for his team to focus and avoid some of the distractions that come with playing on the game's grandest stage.
"This is the NCAA, but it's also another basketball game. We compartmentalize the game into sections. We come with a very detailed game plan, so I think by concentrating on the little things, I think you can tend to block out the surroundings and the so-called stature of the stage or the magnitude of the stage. So I think our guys, I know the two seniors, this won't bother them at all. Some of the young guys, it may have an effect, but again, we pa so much attention to detail and concentrate on that so much, I don't think the stage will be that big a factor," Willard said.
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We rolled into the parking lot of the Super 8 off exit 152 of Interstate 70 in a driving rainstorm, arriving around 2 a.m., thrilled to find a cheap bed with wireless Internet.
It's about an hour from here to Columbus, where Holy Cross will be the last of the eight teams to take the podium for the afternoon press conferences. The Crusaders are on at 6:30 p.m.
We'll start updating from Nationwide Arena later this morning, with notes, mood and color. Southern Illinois will meet the media around 4. We will have a complete report, with Salukis press conference audio, shortly after.
In the meantime, here are a few links to help you kill time while you countdown to today's tip-offs:
NCAA Pants Party: Southern Illinois-Holy Cross (Deadspin)
Salukis get right to business in Columbus (The Southern)
It's time to put an end to this fruitless crusade (Boston Globe)
NCAA Davids gain on Goliath (Journal Gazxette)
Southern Man (Beacon News)
HC needs a whole (Telegram & Gazette)
When two won't do (Wichita Eagle)
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It's about an hour from here to Columbus, where Holy Cross will be the last of the eight teams to take the podium for the afternoon press conferences. The Crusaders are on at 6:30 p.m.
We'll start updating from Nationwide Arena later this morning, with notes, mood and color. Southern Illinois will meet the media around 4. We will have a complete report, with Salukis press conference audio, shortly after.
In the meantime, here are a few links to help you kill time while you countdown to today's tip-offs:
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Part two of our scouting report on Southern Illinois looks at the Saluki's bench and a little on the style SIU likes to play.
Southern Illinois definitely has an edge in numbers off the bench. The Salukis go 10 deep, with five guys making contributions from the pine.
How much an advantage that is Friday night remains to be seen. If Holy Cross stays out of foul trouble, it should not be too big a factor in round one. Should HC advance and have to play again Sunday, their short, seven (and a half) man rotation could result in some weary legs late in the game. In round one, coming off a week's rest, that should not be too much of a factor.
Keep in mind, it is not like Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas are not used to playing a lot of minutes by now.
SIU does not get a lot of scoring from its bench, but the way it plays defense, it does not need extra scoring. The three guards and two big men who see time off the bench give Salukis coach Chris Lowery the flexibility to give the five starters a blow here and there to keep them fresh.
The first guard off the bench is 6-3 redshirt sophomore Wesley Clemmons. Clemmons plays 16.2 minutes per game, averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He is capable of scoring more, as evidenced by the 12 point night he had against Western Kentucky and the 11 he scored against Saint Mary's, a game in which he was 3 for 4 from the arc.
Clemmons is not afraid to shoot the three, though he connected on only 28.9 percent of his shots outside the arc.
“He’s a fighter, and he’ll get down there and mix it up with those guys. He’s not afraid to get his nose knocked off,” Lowery
Tony Boyl;e, a 6-8, 235-pound redshirt sophomore if the first big man off the bench. Boyle is known as a tough defender.
"He is one of our tough guys that gets the rebounds, the fouls and all the dirty work," Clemmons said.
Boyle plays 11.4 minutes per game, averaging 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
He is also prone to foul trouble. Boye played in every game this season, picking up 71 personals in 375 minutes of action. That is better then 5 per 40 minutes.
Jamaal Foster is a 6-10 redshirt junior who is the other big man off the bench. Foster is not much of a scoring threat. In 161 minutes, he has taken only 12 shots (making 6).
Foster played AAU ball with starters Jamaal Tatum and Randal Falkeron the Saint Luis Eagles team that won the July 2002 Nike Supershowcase in Orlando
Tyrone Green and Joshua Bone are two other backcourt types who see regular playing time.
Green is a left-handed 6-3 junior juco transfer who can play the point When Tatum had to sit out the first regular season game as part of his punishment for a DUI arrest, Green got the start. Best known as a defensive specialist, Green averages 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game.
Bone is a highly touted freshman who sat out nine games this season after breaking a bone in his right foot. Since coming back, he has had one turnover through 177 minutes. Bone was nearly redshirted after the injury, but started to come on in practice in December. Although he has not been a big scorer, Bone is not afraid to shoot the three, as evidenced by his 8 for 29 showing at the arc, which accounts for more than half his 15 made shots and more than 50 percent of Bone's 45 attempts.
How they play: Here is a quick scouting report on the Salukis' style, excerpted from a Kieran Darcy, ESPN story reprinted in the Saluki's game notes:
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Southern Illinois definitely has an edge in numbers off the bench. The Salukis go 10 deep, with five guys making contributions from the pine.
How much an advantage that is Friday night remains to be seen. If Holy Cross stays out of foul trouble, it should not be too big a factor in round one. Should HC advance and have to play again Sunday, their short, seven (and a half) man rotation could result in some weary legs late in the game. In round one, coming off a week's rest, that should not be too much of a factor.
Keep in mind, it is not like Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas are not used to playing a lot of minutes by now.
SIU does not get a lot of scoring from its bench, but the way it plays defense, it does not need extra scoring. The three guards and two big men who see time off the bench give Salukis coach Chris Lowery the flexibility to give the five starters a blow here and there to keep them fresh.
The first guard off the bench is 6-3 redshirt sophomore Wesley Clemmons. Clemmons plays 16.2 minutes per game, averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He is capable of scoring more, as evidenced by the 12 point night he had against Western Kentucky and the 11 he scored against Saint Mary's, a game in which he was 3 for 4 from the arc.
Clemmons is not afraid to shoot the three, though he connected on only 28.9 percent of his shots outside the arc.
“He’s a fighter, and he’ll get down there and mix it up with those guys. He’s not afraid to get his nose knocked off,” Lowery
Tony Boyl;e, a 6-8, 235-pound redshirt sophomore if the first big man off the bench. Boyle is known as a tough defender.
"He is one of our tough guys that gets the rebounds, the fouls and all the dirty work," Clemmons said.
Boyle plays 11.4 minutes per game, averaging 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
He is also prone to foul trouble. Boye played in every game this season, picking up 71 personals in 375 minutes of action. That is better then 5 per 40 minutes.
Jamaal Foster is a 6-10 redshirt junior who is the other big man off the bench. Foster is not much of a scoring threat. In 161 minutes, he has taken only 12 shots (making 6).
Foster played AAU ball with starters Jamaal Tatum and Randal Falkeron the Saint Luis Eagles team that won the July 2002 Nike Supershowcase in Orlando
Tyrone Green and Joshua Bone are two other backcourt types who see regular playing time.
Green is a left-handed 6-3 junior juco transfer who can play the point When Tatum had to sit out the first regular season game as part of his punishment for a DUI arrest, Green got the start. Best known as a defensive specialist, Green averages 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game.
Bone is a highly touted freshman who sat out nine games this season after breaking a bone in his right foot. Since coming back, he has had one turnover through 177 minutes. Bone was nearly redshirted after the injury, but started to come on in practice in December. Although he has not been a big scorer, Bone is not afraid to shoot the three, as evidenced by his 8 for 29 showing at the arc, which accounts for more than half his 15 made shots and more than 50 percent of Bone's 45 attempts.
How they play: Here is a quick scouting report on the Salukis' style, excerpted from a Kieran Darcy, ESPN story reprinted in the Saluki's game notes:
"“Disrupt” is the perfect word to describe what Southern Illinois does to teams defensively. The Salukis don’t apply a full-court team press, but Lowery has his point guard, Bryan Mullins, pick up the opposing team’s point guard and defend him the full length of the floor. That can really wear a point guard down and make it difficult for a team to get into its offense. And once a team manages to get into its half-court offense against SIU, it’s under constant pressure. Each Salukis defender gets right up in his man’s grill when he has the ball. Virtually every pass is contested, let alone every shot. It’s rare to see a team get a clean, uncontested shot against Southern Illinois.Leftovers: Tatum got his hair cut and dreadlocks done with roommate Falker in April, 2004. Neither have cut it since . . . only three opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Salukis this season . . . Southern Illinois shoots 69.3 percent from the free throw line for the season, but the Salukis are better during crunch time, making 71.4 percent in the last two minutes of regulation . . . the Salukis are 4-9 all-time in NCAA Tournament games . . . SIU has now strung together six straight 20-win seasons . . . All five starters and the top eight in Lowery's rotation are the same guys who filled those roles on last year's SIU team, which lost in the first round.
And on the offensive end, Lowery’s Salukis are extremely disciplined as well. You’ll rarely see them take a quick or forced shot. They’ll pass the ball around the perimeter looking for an open jumper or for their big men inside, using the majority of the 35-second shot clock in the process. That wears teams down too, having to play defense for that long."
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A quick survey of the best of the rest of the Web on Holy Cross-Southern Illinois and other items of interest.
Apparently, in addition to the usual bracket-based contests, there are folks who draft fantasy teams for the NCAA Tournament. ProFantasySports.com lists Holy Cross guards Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, along with Southern Illinois' Jamaal Tatum in its fantasy draft guide to guards in the tournament. They also list the Salukis' Randal Falker in their look at tournament forwards,claiming "Falker should be able to shut down the paint against Holy Cross." Maybe. Or maybe these folks will end up looking silly for failing to include Tim Clifford on their list of centers. If Clifford can stay out of foul trouble, he will be an awful tough matchup for the Salukis.
Elsewhere:
Simmons gets shot to dance (Times Herald-Record)
SIU Salukis: Building Blocks (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
McCarthy makes it to the dance (Sun Chronicle)
Mids not thrilled with exclusions, seedings (A good Kyle Whelliston piece on a bunch of ABC TV Web sites)
Torey Thomas helps Holy Cross into NCAA Tournament (Stamford Advocate)
Thomas the 'mayor' of Holy Cross (Journal News)
A healthy Doherty boosts HC chances (Telegram & Gazette)
Clifford a center of attention (Boston Herald)
Meet Mr. Falker (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Crush your bracket: West Region (Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer calls HC his Cinderella)
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Apparently, in addition to the usual bracket-based contests, there are folks who draft fantasy teams for the NCAA Tournament. ProFantasySports.com lists Holy Cross guards Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, along with Southern Illinois' Jamaal Tatum in its fantasy draft guide to guards in the tournament. They also list the Salukis' Randal Falker in their look at tournament forwards,claiming "Falker should be able to shut down the paint against Holy Cross." Maybe. Or maybe these folks will end up looking silly for failing to include Tim Clifford on their list of centers. If Clifford can stay out of foul trouble, he will be an awful tough matchup for the Salukis.
Elsewhere:
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A quick look at the Southern Illinois starting five (includes bonus links)
When Holy Cross looks at film of Southern Illinois, they might feel a little like they are looking in a mirror.
The Salukis, the top-ranked team in the Mid-Major Top 25, are a defense-first kind of team with a pair of top-notch guards, a capable big man and a roster of quality role players. Just like Holy Cross, Southern Illinois is ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense. Matter of fact, the Salukis' 56.5 points against per game rank even higher (No. 3) that Holy Cross, which is No. 9 on that list (57.4 ppg).
Also like the Crusaders, Southern Illinois' roster features a pair of first team all-league picks, one of whom was the Missouri Valley's player of the year, the other earning honors as the MVC's top defender.
When you break down the Holy Cross roster, the first guy you talk about is Keith Simmons. His counterpart for the Salukis is 6-2 guard Jamaal Tatum, the MVC player of the year. Tatum, who served a three-game suspension at the beginning of the season related to an off-season DUI arrest, averages 15 points per game, tops on the team. Tatum, a 44.3 percent shooter) leads Southern Illinois in three-pointers with 64 (on 154 tries - 41.6 percent). A little under half of his shots (154 of 352 come from the arc).
Tatum's player of the year award came in close balloting, with two other players finishing within 5 points in the voting. Third in that vote was his own teammate, Randall Falker, a 6-7 junior who was named the defensive player of the year thanks in no small part to his MVC-leading 70 blocked shots. Falker's 2.1 blocks per game ranks No. 39 nationally. By comparison, HC center Tim Clifford ranks No. 52 with 1.9 per game (52 total blocks). Falker's game is more than just blocking shots, he averages 12.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game. He has posted seven double-doubles this season and shoots 60.1 percent from the field, all his shots coming inside the arc.
The third double figures scorer for the Salukis is Matt Shaw, a 6-7 junior who averages 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. A 47-percent shooter, Shaw has step-out range, hitting 35.7 percent from the three-point arc. Stopping him might be the key to beating Southern Illinois. When Shaw scores 15 points, the Salukis are 9-0. Keeping him off the boards is also a key; SIU is 15-0 in games where Shaw grabbed six or more rebounds.
Both teams have outstanding point guards, but unlike HC's Torey Thomas, the Salukis' Bryan Mullins is not a big scorer. The 6-2 sophomore is more a dish-off kind of guy with an assists to turnover ratio of nearly 2 to 1 (120 a-62 to). Like Thomas, Mullins is a tough defender. Mullins led the MVC in steals while earning freshman of the year honors last season and a team-high 46 steals this season. Like Falker, Mullins was namded to the MVC's all-defensive team.
Also accorded that honor was SIU's fifth starter, 6-0 senior Tony Young. Young also plays a little offense, averaging 9.8 points per game while hitting 37.9 percent of his three-point tries. A fifth-year senior and a 1,000-point scorer, Young is the NCAA career leader in games played with 135. A win over Holy Cross would allow Young to tie Darren Brook's school record of 106 career wins. The Salukis are 105-30 in games Young has played.
One other thing the Salukis have in common with Holy Cross is strong academic performance. Though the Salukis 67 percent graduation rate lags HC's tournament best 86-percent, Tatum is an Academic All-America pick and Mullins and Shaw joined him on the MVC's All-Academic team.
We will look at the rest of the Salukis' rotation tomorrow.
DOG BITES: Missouri Valley coach of the year Chris Lowery, who is 34, is the youngest coach in the tournament again. He was also the baby of the bunch in 2005 and 2006 . . . SIU is one of 12 schools to qualify for the last six NCAA Tournaments . . . . the other 11 include the likes of Arizona, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pittsburgh,
Texas and Wisconsin.. . . Five of those six trips to the dance have come as an at-large team . . . Southern Illinois has never played a Patriot League team . . . The Salukis have beaten Colgate and Navy each once in games in the 1980s, before the Patriot League was formed . . . Only one team has scored 70 points against SIU (W. Kentucky, in a game SIU won 75-70 at WKU) . . . The Salukis have held 7 Division I opponents under 50 points
SIU roster | SIU stats | SIU schedule/results
BONUS LINKS:
Highest Grad Rate in Tourney: Holy Cross (Comcast SportsNet)
Cinderella? Give a shout to the Salukis (AP)
Bracket breakdown (AP)
Lowery refuses to speak 'I' word (AP)
A word or two about the games (Peoria Journal-Star)
Moonlight engagement for men (Telegram & Gazette)
A look at Southern Illinois vs. Holy Cross (Telegram & Gazette)
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When Holy Cross looks at film of Southern Illinois, they might feel a little like they are looking in a mirror.
The Salukis, the top-ranked team in the Mid-Major Top 25, are a defense-first kind of team with a pair of top-notch guards, a capable big man and a roster of quality role players. Just like Holy Cross, Southern Illinois is ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense. Matter of fact, the Salukis' 56.5 points against per game rank even higher (No. 3) that Holy Cross, which is No. 9 on that list (57.4 ppg).
Also like the Crusaders, Southern Illinois' roster features a pair of first team all-league picks, one of whom was the Missouri Valley's player of the year, the other earning honors as the MVC's top defender.
When you break down the Holy Cross roster, the first guy you talk about is Keith Simmons. His counterpart for the Salukis is 6-2 guard Jamaal Tatum, the MVC player of the year. Tatum, who served a three-game suspension at the beginning of the season related to an off-season DUI arrest, averages 15 points per game, tops on the team. Tatum, a 44.3 percent shooter) leads Southern Illinois in three-pointers with 64 (on 154 tries - 41.6 percent). A little under half of his shots (154 of 352 come from the arc).
Tatum's player of the year award came in close balloting, with two other players finishing within 5 points in the voting. Third in that vote was his own teammate, Randall Falker, a 6-7 junior who was named the defensive player of the year thanks in no small part to his MVC-leading 70 blocked shots. Falker's 2.1 blocks per game ranks No. 39 nationally. By comparison, HC center Tim Clifford ranks No. 52 with 1.9 per game (52 total blocks). Falker's game is more than just blocking shots, he averages 12.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game. He has posted seven double-doubles this season and shoots 60.1 percent from the field, all his shots coming inside the arc.
The third double figures scorer for the Salukis is Matt Shaw, a 6-7 junior who averages 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. A 47-percent shooter, Shaw has step-out range, hitting 35.7 percent from the three-point arc. Stopping him might be the key to beating Southern Illinois. When Shaw scores 15 points, the Salukis are 9-0. Keeping him off the boards is also a key; SIU is 15-0 in games where Shaw grabbed six or more rebounds.
Both teams have outstanding point guards, but unlike HC's Torey Thomas, the Salukis' Bryan Mullins is not a big scorer. The 6-2 sophomore is more a dish-off kind of guy with an assists to turnover ratio of nearly 2 to 1 (120 a-62 to). Like Thomas, Mullins is a tough defender. Mullins led the MVC in steals while earning freshman of the year honors last season and a team-high 46 steals this season. Like Falker, Mullins was namded to the MVC's all-defensive team.
Also accorded that honor was SIU's fifth starter, 6-0 senior Tony Young. Young also plays a little offense, averaging 9.8 points per game while hitting 37.9 percent of his three-point tries. A fifth-year senior and a 1,000-point scorer, Young is the NCAA career leader in games played with 135. A win over Holy Cross would allow Young to tie Darren Brook's school record of 106 career wins. The Salukis are 105-30 in games Young has played.
One other thing the Salukis have in common with Holy Cross is strong academic performance. Though the Salukis 67 percent graduation rate lags HC's tournament best 86-percent, Tatum is an Academic All-America pick and Mullins and Shaw joined him on the MVC's All-Academic team.
We will look at the rest of the Salukis' rotation tomorrow.
DOG BITES: Missouri Valley coach of the year Chris Lowery, who is 34, is the youngest coach in the tournament again. He was also the baby of the bunch in 2005 and 2006 . . . SIU is one of 12 schools to qualify for the last six NCAA Tournaments . . . . the other 11 include the likes of Arizona, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pittsburgh,
Texas and Wisconsin.. . . Five of those six trips to the dance have come as an at-large team . . . Southern Illinois has never played a Patriot League team . . . The Salukis have beaten Colgate and Navy each once in games in the 1980s, before the Patriot League was formed . . . Only one team has scored 70 points against SIU (W. Kentucky, in a game SIU won 75-70 at WKU) . . . The Salukis have held 7 Division I opponents under 50 points
SIU roster | SIU stats | SIU schedule/results
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Friday, March 09, 2007
Five seniors will bow out in a final between two teams they have built into fierce rivals.
Bucknell vs. Holy Cross for all the marbles. What else is new?
It's like a broken record, which for those of you too young to remember vinyl, is a little like a CD that skips, stuck on the same note over and over and over again.
For those who prefer their pop culture references from the world of film, think Groundhog Day.
Like last season, and the season before that, the Bison and the Crusaders will meet on the Friday before Selection Sunday to decide who will represent the Patriot League in the Big Dance.
Only one thing is certain: somebody's streak is going to end. Holy Cross has won 17 straight games in the Hart Center. Bucknell has won 14 in a row and eight straight league tournament games.
For the five seniors on the rosters of the two teams, it is a fitting ending to an era that has made the Bucknell-Holy Cross rivalry arguably the best in the league.
Whather or not it stays that way when these five seniors graduate, taking with them a combined collection of hardware that includes a player of the year, two preseason POY selections, two all-rookie picks, two defensive player of the years, three (and counting) all-tournament team picks and a combined nine all-league choices.
There have been a lot of very good groups of seniors to pass through the league. This year's bunch, led by these five guys -- Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas of Holy Cross, and Chris McNaughton, Abe Badmus and Donald Brown would rank up there with the best.
The past three years, they have been a part of a two-team league dominance that has been almost unprecedented in league history. In that stretch, Bucknell and Holy Cross are a combined 81-3 against the rest of the league, 59-1 the last two seasons and 30-0 this season alone.
These seniors have, in many ways, been the vanguard of what many are expecting to become a better and better conference now that scholarships are being offered across the board. In fact, the Bucknell seniors are the school's first scholarship class.
These five seniors have also been a part of the only three postseason wins in league history.
By any measure shy of championships, Holy Cross' seniors have had extremely successful careers. In the past three years, they have only lost six games in Patriot League competition -- including a 6-2 mark thus far in league tournament action.
But without a win in this afternoon's final, Simmons and Thomas will graduate with a hollow feeling. Five of those six conference losses over the past thee seasons came against Bucknell. Two of those came in the conference finals.
It has been Bucknell that has stood between them and the dance.
If HC should lose, they are guaranteed a spot in the NIT by virtue of being the league's top seed. There is considerable speculation that Bucknell's name recognition would land them in the consolation ball should they lose in the final, but that is not guaranteed.
Much has changed since the two teams first met back in January in Worcester. There have been some big changes since the two met three weeks ago in Lewisburg, too.
The biggest change has been the return of Bucknell's Donald Brown, who missed seven games due to a broken bone in his shooting (right) hand. Brown was not in uniform when Bucknell handed HC its only league loss in Sojka Pavilion.
Since he returned, Brown has posted two straight 15-points, 9-rebounds games coming off the bench in relief of Darren Matsropaolo, who regained his starting job at the four while Brown was out.
With McNaughton and Mastropaolo, Bucknell dominated inside the last meeting. Brown should add to that edge.
It's worth mentioning Tim Clifford was in foul trouble in that game. Holy Cross needs the 6-10 junior to stay on the floor in the final.
Player of the Year, Keith Simmons, scored 15 for Holy Cross in that loss, but he was effectively shutdown in the second half by the defense of Bucknell's Abe Badmus.
After the game, both HC coach Ralph Willard and his point guard, Thomas, spoke of the need to let the 6-5 Simmons post up against the 6-0 Badmus in that matchup. It will be interesting to see if that is part of the gameplan this afternoon.
Having Brown back on the floor might allow Bucknell to stay with more of its matchup zone since he is quicker to get out on perimeter shooters than Mastropaolo.
None of that will surprise Holy Cross. They know what Bucknell will try to do, just like the Bison have a pretty good idea what the Crusaders' plans will be. This is the 12th time the seniors on these two teams have met since they started their college careers. There are no secrets.
Beyond that, any preview of this game becomes repetitive. Want to know what to expect, just look through the history of this rivalry over the past three seasons. It is all right here:
FLASHBACKS:
2007 Game 1: Box score | Game story | Preview
2007 Game 2: Box score | Game story | Preview
2005 Championship: Box score | Game story | Preview
2006 Championship: Box score | Game story | Preview
PREVIEW LINKS:
Bison-Crusaders by the numbers
HC ready for showdown (Telegram & Gazette)
Clifford key man today (Telegram & Gazette)
HC eyes new ened to familiar tale (Boston Herald)
Bucknell, Holy Cross meet in PL final (Daily Item)
Players from all over contribute to Bucknell's success (Daily Item)
PL's top teams victims of their own success (Daily Item)
Up for grabs: Bison, Crusaders duel again in league’s glamour game (Sun-Gazette)
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Bucknell vs. Holy Cross for all the marbles. What else is new?
It's like a broken record, which for those of you too young to remember vinyl, is a little like a CD that skips, stuck on the same note over and over and over again.
For those who prefer their pop culture references from the world of film, think Groundhog Day.
Like last season, and the season before that, the Bison and the Crusaders will meet on the Friday before Selection Sunday to decide who will represent the Patriot League in the Big Dance.
Only one thing is certain: somebody's streak is going to end. Holy Cross has won 17 straight games in the Hart Center. Bucknell has won 14 in a row and eight straight league tournament games.
For the five seniors on the rosters of the two teams, it is a fitting ending to an era that has made the Bucknell-Holy Cross rivalry arguably the best in the league.
Whather or not it stays that way when these five seniors graduate, taking with them a combined collection of hardware that includes a player of the year, two preseason POY selections, two all-rookie picks, two defensive player of the years, three (and counting) all-tournament team picks and a combined nine all-league choices.
There have been a lot of very good groups of seniors to pass through the league. This year's bunch, led by these five guys -- Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas of Holy Cross, and Chris McNaughton, Abe Badmus and Donald Brown would rank up there with the best.
The past three years, they have been a part of a two-team league dominance that has been almost unprecedented in league history. In that stretch, Bucknell and Holy Cross are a combined 81-3 against the rest of the league, 59-1 the last two seasons and 30-0 this season alone.
These seniors have, in many ways, been the vanguard of what many are expecting to become a better and better conference now that scholarships are being offered across the board. In fact, the Bucknell seniors are the school's first scholarship class.
These five seniors have also been a part of the only three postseason wins in league history.
By any measure shy of championships, Holy Cross' seniors have had extremely successful careers. In the past three years, they have only lost six games in Patriot League competition -- including a 6-2 mark thus far in league tournament action.
But without a win in this afternoon's final, Simmons and Thomas will graduate with a hollow feeling. Five of those six conference losses over the past thee seasons came against Bucknell. Two of those came in the conference finals.
It has been Bucknell that has stood between them and the dance.
If HC should lose, they are guaranteed a spot in the NIT by virtue of being the league's top seed. There is considerable speculation that Bucknell's name recognition would land them in the consolation ball should they lose in the final, but that is not guaranteed.
Much has changed since the two teams first met back in January in Worcester. There have been some big changes since the two met three weeks ago in Lewisburg, too.
The biggest change has been the return of Bucknell's Donald Brown, who missed seven games due to a broken bone in his shooting (right) hand. Brown was not in uniform when Bucknell handed HC its only league loss in Sojka Pavilion.
Since he returned, Brown has posted two straight 15-points, 9-rebounds games coming off the bench in relief of Darren Matsropaolo, who regained his starting job at the four while Brown was out.
With McNaughton and Mastropaolo, Bucknell dominated inside the last meeting. Brown should add to that edge.
It's worth mentioning Tim Clifford was in foul trouble in that game. Holy Cross needs the 6-10 junior to stay on the floor in the final.
Player of the Year, Keith Simmons, scored 15 for Holy Cross in that loss, but he was effectively shutdown in the second half by the defense of Bucknell's Abe Badmus.
After the game, both HC coach Ralph Willard and his point guard, Thomas, spoke of the need to let the 6-5 Simmons post up against the 6-0 Badmus in that matchup. It will be interesting to see if that is part of the gameplan this afternoon.
Having Brown back on the floor might allow Bucknell to stay with more of its matchup zone since he is quicker to get out on perimeter shooters than Mastropaolo.
None of that will surprise Holy Cross. They know what Bucknell will try to do, just like the Bison have a pretty good idea what the Crusaders' plans will be. This is the 12th time the seniors on these two teams have met since they started their college careers. There are no secrets.
Beyond that, any preview of this game becomes repetitive. Want to know what to expect, just look through the history of this rivalry over the past three seasons. It is all right here:
FLASHBACKS:
2007 Game 1: Box score | Game story | Preview
2007 Game 2: Box score | Game story | Preview
2005 Championship: Box score | Game story | Preview
2006 Championship: Box score | Game story | Preview
PREVIEW LINKS:
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Breaking down the Bucknell-Holy Cross matchup is as easy as 1 - 2 - 1,199.
0 -- Number of times, in the 16-year history of the league, a team seeded lower than No. 2 won the Patriot League championship
1 -- Number of teams who have ever won three Patriot League titles in a row (Holy Cross)
2 -- Consecutive championships for Bucknell heading into this game
3 -- Losses by the two teams combined to other league teams over the past three seasons (the two are a combined 81-3 against the rest of the league in that span)
4 -- Total number of league titles won by HC, the most by any team in the league. This is also Bucknell's 4th appearance in the league championship game
5 -- Combined number of seniors on the two team's rosters
6 -- Number of Bucknell wins in the 10 meetings between the two in league tournament play
7 -- National ranking of Holy Cross' 57.1 points allowed per game scoring defense. BUcknell has allowed 57.2 ppg.
8 -- Number of Patriot League championship games HC has played, number of consecutive league tournament wins for Bucknell coming into this one, Regular season losses for both teams
9 -- All-time Bucknell wins against Holy Cross in the Hart Center, also number of Bucknell losses to Holy Cross in Hart all-time
10 -- Bucknell road wins this season
11 -- This will be the 11th all-time tournament meeting between Bucknell and Holy Cross
12 -- This will be the 12th time the two team's seniors have faced each other in their four seasons
13 -- Straight Patriot League games in which Bucknell has outscored the opposition in the paint (Bucknell has done so 15 of 16 games this season. In the 15th it was even 22-22 in the first game against HC)
14 -- in a row, Bucknell's current win streak
14.5 -- points per game averaged by HC senior Keith Simmons in nine career PL tournament games
15 -- times this season HC has reached double figures in steals
16 -- times Simmons has led the Crusaders in scoring this season
17 --Straight wins in the Hart Center by Holy Cross, a school mark
17.2 -- points per game averaged by Simmons, tops in the league
18 -- Tournament wins by BU coach Pat Flannery, most in league history
19 -- Bucknell wins in 23 games where they out-rebounded the opponent
20 -- Bucknell wins in 21 games where they shot more free throws than the opponent
22 -- Bucknell wins this season
24 -- Holy Cross wins this season
43 -- Consecutive double figures scoring games by Simmons
44 -- Number of times the two teams have met (Bucknell leads series 25-19)
53 -- Straight games Bucknell has not allowed a PL foe to score 70 points
66 -- Holy Cross' ranking in the RPI
77 -- Wins in Hart center by HC since start of the 2000-2001 season. HC is 77-12 in Hart in that stretch
78 -- Bucknell's RPI
87 -- School record number of wins by Bucknell's current senior class
123 -- Career games played HC point guard Torey Thomas, 2nd on HC's all-time list
124 -- Career games played by the guy ahead of Thomas on that list, Crusaders' guard Keith Simmons, and by Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, who now holds the BU school record
137 -- Career blocked shots by HC center Tim Clifford (second all-time at HC, ninth all-time in PL)
156 -- League best all-time wins by Bucknell (156-68 -- .696 in 17 seasons)
158 -- wins as head coach of Holy Cross in eight seasons by Ralph Willard (158-88)
191 -- Career three-pointers by Simmons (2nd all-time at HC)
619 -- Combined career wins for Flannery (317) and Willard (302)
1,199 -- Minutes played this season by Thomas, breaking his own school record set last season
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0 -- Number of times, in the 16-year history of the league, a team seeded lower than No. 2 won the Patriot League championship
1 -- Number of teams who have ever won three Patriot League titles in a row (Holy Cross)
2 -- Consecutive championships for Bucknell heading into this game
3 -- Losses by the two teams combined to other league teams over the past three seasons (the two are a combined 81-3 against the rest of the league in that span)
4 -- Total number of league titles won by HC, the most by any team in the league. This is also Bucknell's 4th appearance in the league championship game
5 -- Combined number of seniors on the two team's rosters
6 -- Number of Bucknell wins in the 10 meetings between the two in league tournament play
7 -- National ranking of Holy Cross' 57.1 points allowed per game scoring defense. BUcknell has allowed 57.2 ppg.
8 -- Number of Patriot League championship games HC has played, number of consecutive league tournament wins for Bucknell coming into this one, Regular season losses for both teams
9 -- All-time Bucknell wins against Holy Cross in the Hart Center, also number of Bucknell losses to Holy Cross in Hart all-time
10 -- Bucknell road wins this season
11 -- This will be the 11th all-time tournament meeting between Bucknell and Holy Cross
12 -- This will be the 12th time the two team's seniors have faced each other in their four seasons
13 -- Straight Patriot League games in which Bucknell has outscored the opposition in the paint (Bucknell has done so 15 of 16 games this season. In the 15th it was even 22-22 in the first game against HC)
14 -- in a row, Bucknell's current win streak
14.5 -- points per game averaged by HC senior Keith Simmons in nine career PL tournament games
15 -- times this season HC has reached double figures in steals
16 -- times Simmons has led the Crusaders in scoring this season
17 --Straight wins in the Hart Center by Holy Cross, a school mark
17.2 -- points per game averaged by Simmons, tops in the league
18 -- Tournament wins by BU coach Pat Flannery, most in league history
19 -- Bucknell wins in 23 games where they out-rebounded the opponent
20 -- Bucknell wins in 21 games where they shot more free throws than the opponent
22 -- Bucknell wins this season
24 -- Holy Cross wins this season
43 -- Consecutive double figures scoring games by Simmons
44 -- Number of times the two teams have met (Bucknell leads series 25-19)
53 -- Straight games Bucknell has not allowed a PL foe to score 70 points
66 -- Holy Cross' ranking in the RPI
77 -- Wins in Hart center by HC since start of the 2000-2001 season. HC is 77-12 in Hart in that stretch
78 -- Bucknell's RPI
87 -- School record number of wins by Bucknell's current senior class
123 -- Career games played HC point guard Torey Thomas, 2nd on HC's all-time list
124 -- Career games played by the guy ahead of Thomas on that list, Crusaders' guard Keith Simmons, and by Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, who now holds the BU school record
137 -- Career blocked shots by HC center Tim Clifford (second all-time at HC, ninth all-time in PL)
156 -- League best all-time wins by Bucknell (156-68 -- .696 in 17 seasons)
158 -- wins as head coach of Holy Cross in eight seasons by Ralph Willard (158-88)
191 -- Career three-pointers by Simmons (2nd all-time at HC)
619 -- Combined career wins for Flannery (317) and Willard (302)
1,199 -- Minutes played this season by Thomas, breaking his own school record set last season
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Sunday, March 04, 2007
Coaches love to trot out the cliche about how hard it is to beat a team three times. We'll see if it matters in this afternoon's Patriot League semifinals.
To many fans and observers, the first two rounds of the tournament are viewed as mere window dressing, necessary but not necessarily needed warmups to the highly anticipated main event -- a third straight league final between Bucknell and Holy Cross.
Don't try convincing American and Army that they are just items on the Big Two's checklists, though. Both underdogs will enter this afternoon's games with reason to believe they are capable of pulling off an upset.
No. 4 American at No. 1 Holy Cross (matchup), 2 p.m. -- American wants to take advantage of its third chance to knock off Holy Cross, it will need to find a way to limit the Crusaders' second chances. In a 69-64 overtime loss Jan. 20 at home, and again in Worcester 11 days later, in a 58-47 loss, American's downfall came on the glass. Specifically at the Holy Cross offensive end.
The Eagles held HC to 38.7 percent shooting in the first game and were even tougher in the second, limiting the 'Saders to a 34.7 percent field goal shooting night. But Holy Cross had 12 offensive rebounds and a 12-2 edge in second chance points in the game at AU and 16 offensive boards leading to an 18-2 advantage in second chance points in the rematch. That has been the biggest difference between the two.
Travis Lay might provide some help there. Lay has seen his minutes off the bench increase down the stretch and he has responded by averaging 8 boards per game over the last four.
Holy Cross' all-league junior center Tim Clifford has a long history of big games against American. Expect Jeff Jones to abandon his usual philosophy of trying to guard the post man to man in favor of a scheme that provides his big men some help on Clifford down low.
Jones would like nothing more than to get a strong game out of 6-11 senior Paulius Joneliunas, who has played well down the stretch. Joneliunas is shooting 63.2 percent (12 of 19) over the last four games.
In the backcourt, AU's Andre Ingram has been an effective defender against Keith Simmons. In two games against AU, Simmons has averaged 12.5 points per game, well below his average of over 17 ppg. In the first meeting, Simmons didn't reach double figures in regulation, scoring 6 of his 14 points from the foul line in overtime.
Of course even if they slow down the Crusaders offense, American will still need to generate enough offense to put up more points than HC. The Eagles have plenty of weapons, and if Ingram and Arvydas Eitutavicius both manage to get going from the arc, they could be tough to stop.
That is easier said than done against a Holy Cross defense that has been the stingiest in the league this season. In the two regular season games, AU shot a combined 40.2 percent while turning the ball over 37 times.
A few extra nuggets about this one:
It will be the third time the two schools have met in the league tournament; the first time they have met prior to the finals. HC has won both previous postseason encounters.
HC leads the series 12-3, including wins in the last six meetings in Worcester, where AU has won once in 7 tries.
Holy Cross is 12-0 in the Hart Center this season and has won 16 in a row there dating back to last season.
Ironman Torey Thomas was expected to play less minutes this season once Pat Doherty returned, but sometime in the first half he should break his own HC school record for minutes played. Thomas needs just 8 minutes to equal his own mark of 1,166 set last season.
The number one seed has never failed to advance to the championship game of the Patriot League tournament.
No. 6 Army at No. 2 Bucknell (matchup), 3:30 p.m. -- After taking the Bison to the wire in the regular season finale, the Black Knights should come into Sojka a heckuva lot more confident than they were when they left after the first meeting between the two.
The Bison jumped out to an 18-2 lead in that first game, and led 43-15 at the half before coasting home.
The rematch at West Point was considerably closer, tied 19-19 in the final minute before Bucknell pulled out the 54-49 decision.
Army hit 9 treys in that second game. If they light it up from the arc again, who knows what might happen.
Aside from the change in game sites, there is another big difference between this afternoon and that regular season finale -- Donald Brown. The Bison senior was in street clothes, waiting for clearance to return from a broken hand, when the two teams played at West Point. Brown came back in the first round of the tournament and looked like he had not missed a beat, scoring 15 points and grabbing 9 rebounds.
Brown was 4 for 5 from the field, with 12 points and 8 rebounds in just 27 minutes of action in the first meeting with Army. His return adds to a huge Bucknell advantage in the frontcourt.
The Black Knights are playing with house money. Almost nobody expected them to finish higher than last in the regular season and few thought they would get past Lehigh in the first round. Yet a resurgent season and a blown call later, here they are, in the league semifinals for just the third time in 17 seasons of Patriot League play.
Bucknell needs to start strong and establish control from the start. Put Army in a hole early and that confidence will start to wane. Let the nothing-to-lose underdogs hang around and gain confidence, who knows what might happen. Just ask either school's women's teams.
Choice tidbits from the two team's gamenotes:
The Bison hold a 36-14 lead in the series, which dates to 1929.
Bucknell has won 14 in a row against Army and 35 of 39 meetings between the two in Patriot League play.
In tournament play, Bucknell is 5-1 against Army, the loss coming in a first round upset in 1995, when Bucknell was a No. 2 seed and Army No. 7. Army finished that season 4-10 in league play, the same record it posted this year.
Bucknell is looking to extend its current win streak to 14 games, the longest in -one-season steak in school history
The Bison are looking for their 35th straight home win against Patriot League opponents
No current Bison is averaging in double figures against Army for their career. Chris McNaughton, who has averaged 9.8 points per game in nine games against Army, has Bucknell's best career numbers against the Black Knights. Abe Badmus, who will also be facing Army for the 10th time, has the Bison's best single-game showing -- a 15-point game the last time the two met.
Army's Jarrell Brown scored 25 against the Bison at Christl Arena last season.
the two teams met in the first round last season, with Bucknell pulling out a 59-47 win in a game they led by just 1 point with 10 minutes to go before using a 14-0 run to gain separation
Army's win at Lehigh in the first round snapped a 10-game tournament losing streak
That win also snapped a 10-game road losing streak for Army and an 11-game losing streak in road league games.
Sun-Gazette preview
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To many fans and observers, the first two rounds of the tournament are viewed as mere window dressing, necessary but not necessarily needed warmups to the highly anticipated main event -- a third straight league final between Bucknell and Holy Cross.
Don't try convincing American and Army that they are just items on the Big Two's checklists, though. Both underdogs will enter this afternoon's games with reason to believe they are capable of pulling off an upset.
No. 4 American at No. 1 Holy Cross (matchup), 2 p.m. -- American wants to take advantage of its third chance to knock off Holy Cross, it will need to find a way to limit the Crusaders' second chances. In a 69-64 overtime loss Jan. 20 at home, and again in Worcester 11 days later, in a 58-47 loss, American's downfall came on the glass. Specifically at the Holy Cross offensive end.
The Eagles held HC to 38.7 percent shooting in the first game and were even tougher in the second, limiting the 'Saders to a 34.7 percent field goal shooting night. But Holy Cross had 12 offensive rebounds and a 12-2 edge in second chance points in the game at AU and 16 offensive boards leading to an 18-2 advantage in second chance points in the rematch. That has been the biggest difference between the two.
Travis Lay might provide some help there. Lay has seen his minutes off the bench increase down the stretch and he has responded by averaging 8 boards per game over the last four.
Holy Cross' all-league junior center Tim Clifford has a long history of big games against American. Expect Jeff Jones to abandon his usual philosophy of trying to guard the post man to man in favor of a scheme that provides his big men some help on Clifford down low.
Jones would like nothing more than to get a strong game out of 6-11 senior Paulius Joneliunas, who has played well down the stretch. Joneliunas is shooting 63.2 percent (12 of 19) over the last four games.
In the backcourt, AU's Andre Ingram has been an effective defender against Keith Simmons. In two games against AU, Simmons has averaged 12.5 points per game, well below his average of over 17 ppg. In the first meeting, Simmons didn't reach double figures in regulation, scoring 6 of his 14 points from the foul line in overtime.
Of course even if they slow down the Crusaders offense, American will still need to generate enough offense to put up more points than HC. The Eagles have plenty of weapons, and if Ingram and Arvydas Eitutavicius both manage to get going from the arc, they could be tough to stop.
That is easier said than done against a Holy Cross defense that has been the stingiest in the league this season. In the two regular season games, AU shot a combined 40.2 percent while turning the ball over 37 times.
A few extra nuggets about this one:
No. 6 Army at No. 2 Bucknell (matchup), 3:30 p.m. -- After taking the Bison to the wire in the regular season finale, the Black Knights should come into Sojka a heckuva lot more confident than they were when they left after the first meeting between the two.
The Bison jumped out to an 18-2 lead in that first game, and led 43-15 at the half before coasting home.
The rematch at West Point was considerably closer, tied 19-19 in the final minute before Bucknell pulled out the 54-49 decision.
Army hit 9 treys in that second game. If they light it up from the arc again, who knows what might happen.
Aside from the change in game sites, there is another big difference between this afternoon and that regular season finale -- Donald Brown. The Bison senior was in street clothes, waiting for clearance to return from a broken hand, when the two teams played at West Point. Brown came back in the first round of the tournament and looked like he had not missed a beat, scoring 15 points and grabbing 9 rebounds.
Brown was 4 for 5 from the field, with 12 points and 8 rebounds in just 27 minutes of action in the first meeting with Army. His return adds to a huge Bucknell advantage in the frontcourt.
The Black Knights are playing with house money. Almost nobody expected them to finish higher than last in the regular season and few thought they would get past Lehigh in the first round. Yet a resurgent season and a blown call later, here they are, in the league semifinals for just the third time in 17 seasons of Patriot League play.
Bucknell needs to start strong and establish control from the start. Put Army in a hole early and that confidence will start to wane. Let the nothing-to-lose underdogs hang around and gain confidence, who knows what might happen. Just ask either school's women's teams.
Choice tidbits from the two team's gamenotes:
Sun-Gazette preview
Labels: Army, AU, BU, HC, previews
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Wednesday, February 28, 2007
March Madness starts in February this year. Here is a look at tonight's first round Patriot League playoff contests:
No. 6 Army at No. 3 Lehigh 7 p.m. (matchup) -- Looking for tonight's upset special? here's your game. Army (14-15, 4-10) comes in losers of eight of its last nine, the only win in that span coming at home against last place Lafayette. After a strong start filled with promise, including a 3-2 start to the conference season, the Black Knights seemed to slide into the abyss.
So what makes anybody think a team that has won just twice on the road all season can pull off an upset against a Lehigh team that was 9-3 this season in Stabler?
For starters, there is Army's win in the first meeting between the two. The Black Knights held Jose Olivero to 7 points in that one. In other words, they know first hand that if you shut down Olivero, Lehigh is beatable.
Of course they also know what happens when Olivero does go off. Lehigh's all-league senior put up 30 on Army when they met earlier this month in Stabler.
In a strange way, that ought to give Army some confidence. Even with Olivero combining with freshman point guard Marquis Hall for 50 points in that game, the Black Knights kept it close much of the way before falling by 11. The Black Knights (2-16 all time in the league tournament) come in knowing that if they can just limit Olivero to somewhere around his 16.6 ppg average, they should have a shot at winning their third-ever tournament game and at advancing for the first time since 1996.
At that point, Lehigh's only home setbacks all season had come on a disputed call in the final seconds of a 1-point loss to Columbia and in a 5-point loss to Navy three days before Army came to town.
That Navy loss put a crack in the Mountain Hawks' air of home invincibility. It was shattered in the last week of the season, with Bucknell and Holy Cross both coming into Stabler to pick up wins. Add a Feb. 18 loss at last place Lafayette to the mix and you have a reeling team that comes into the post season having lost three in a row.
Here is an interesting stat to ponder as you consider the possibilities of tonight's game: In a nine-game stretch beginning with a loss at Bucknell Jan. 23, Lehigh has shot
36 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range. That bodes well for a low scoring, defense minded team like Army.
One thing that has changed since the two teams last met is the return of 6-10 senior Jason Mgebroff to the Lehigh lineup. If Mgebroff can regain his form of earlier in the season, before the stress fracture that left him out of action for 13 games, he could be a huge presence against an Army team that is not real strong in the post. There has been no sign of that Mgebroff in the four games since he has returned, though. In those four, Mgebroff has scored a total of 8 points, 5 coming in an overtime win at Colgate.
Army men face Lehigh in quarterfinals tonight (Times Herald-Record)
No. 8 Lafayette at No. 1 Holy Cross 7 p.m. (matchup) -- The Leopards put a scare in the Crusaders back in their conference opener in Easton. That might give Lafayette some confidence, but it also is likely to help make certain Holy Cross doesn't look past the last-place Leopards. No top seed has ever lost in the first round of the league tournament, and it is not likely to happen tonight. Note: The game can be heard on Sirius satellite radio on channel 140.
HC takes first step to the dance (Telegram & Gazette)
No. 7 Navy at No. 2 Bucknell 7 p.m. (matchup) -- There are a lot of streaks on the line for Bucknell, which is looking to win 13 in a row for the first time under Pat Flannery. The Bison have won 33 straight Patriot League games in Sojka Pavilion, six straight league tournament games and have won five straight games against Navy.
There is also a streak the Bison are looking to end. They are 0-3 all time against the Midshipmen in PL Tournament games.
If Navy's shots are falling and Bucknell's are not, this could be close. That was the situation when the two met in Sojka earlier this season. With Navy making eight treys while Bucknell hit just two, the Mids kept it tight throughout before falling 59-51.
Since then, though, Bucknell has won 13 out of 14 while Navy has gone 4-9. Even though three of those wins came in the last six games, the Mids' resurgent season should end tonight.
Worth noting: There are tickets available for this one. They can be purchased online or at the Langone Center box office up until 5 p.m. or at the door at Sojka beginning at 5.
No. 5 Colgate at No. 4 American, 7:30 p.m. (matchup) -- Watch out for the AU Eagles, who come into the tournament on a roll, winners of their last four in a row. American started the season strong, winning seven of their first nine. As losses began to pile up, Jeff Jones began tinkering with his lineup in an effort to reverse that trend.
It didn't work, but late in the season Jones smartened up and went back to the lineup that had been successful early and AU put together a surge that secured a homecourt game in the first round.
Since joining the league, American has never lost in the first round of the tournament. The Eagles won both regular season games against the Raiders, who limp into the postseason losers of four of their last five.
The loser gets out its golf clubs. The winner gets a bus ride to Worcester. Hard to say which is the better deal. Note: You can listen to this one on Sirius 143.
American dreaming (The Washington Moonie)
BONUS LINK:
The Sports Network Patriot League Tournament preview
Tournament schedule and team capsules (Times Herald-Record)
Talent gap narrowing in Patriot League (Jake Felix in the Sun-Gazette)
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No. 6 Army at No. 3 Lehigh 7 p.m. (matchup) -- Looking for tonight's upset special? here's your game. Army (14-15, 4-10) comes in losers of eight of its last nine, the only win in that span coming at home against last place Lafayette. After a strong start filled with promise, including a 3-2 start to the conference season, the Black Knights seemed to slide into the abyss.
So what makes anybody think a team that has won just twice on the road all season can pull off an upset against a Lehigh team that was 9-3 this season in Stabler?
For starters, there is Army's win in the first meeting between the two. The Black Knights held Jose Olivero to 7 points in that one. In other words, they know first hand that if you shut down Olivero, Lehigh is beatable.
Of course they also know what happens when Olivero does go off. Lehigh's all-league senior put up 30 on Army when they met earlier this month in Stabler.
In a strange way, that ought to give Army some confidence. Even with Olivero combining with freshman point guard Marquis Hall for 50 points in that game, the Black Knights kept it close much of the way before falling by 11. The Black Knights (2-16 all time in the league tournament) come in knowing that if they can just limit Olivero to somewhere around his 16.6 ppg average, they should have a shot at winning their third-ever tournament game and at advancing for the first time since 1996.
At that point, Lehigh's only home setbacks all season had come on a disputed call in the final seconds of a 1-point loss to Columbia and in a 5-point loss to Navy three days before Army came to town.
That Navy loss put a crack in the Mountain Hawks' air of home invincibility. It was shattered in the last week of the season, with Bucknell and Holy Cross both coming into Stabler to pick up wins. Add a Feb. 18 loss at last place Lafayette to the mix and you have a reeling team that comes into the post season having lost three in a row.
Here is an interesting stat to ponder as you consider the possibilities of tonight's game: In a nine-game stretch beginning with a loss at Bucknell Jan. 23, Lehigh has shot
36 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range. That bodes well for a low scoring, defense minded team like Army.
One thing that has changed since the two teams last met is the return of 6-10 senior Jason Mgebroff to the Lehigh lineup. If Mgebroff can regain his form of earlier in the season, before the stress fracture that left him out of action for 13 games, he could be a huge presence against an Army team that is not real strong in the post. There has been no sign of that Mgebroff in the four games since he has returned, though. In those four, Mgebroff has scored a total of 8 points, 5 coming in an overtime win at Colgate.
No. 8 Lafayette at No. 1 Holy Cross 7 p.m. (matchup) -- The Leopards put a scare in the Crusaders back in their conference opener in Easton. That might give Lafayette some confidence, but it also is likely to help make certain Holy Cross doesn't look past the last-place Leopards. No top seed has ever lost in the first round of the league tournament, and it is not likely to happen tonight. Note: The game can be heard on Sirius satellite radio on channel 140.
No. 7 Navy at No. 2 Bucknell 7 p.m. (matchup) -- There are a lot of streaks on the line for Bucknell, which is looking to win 13 in a row for the first time under Pat Flannery. The Bison have won 33 straight Patriot League games in Sojka Pavilion, six straight league tournament games and have won five straight games against Navy.
There is also a streak the Bison are looking to end. They are 0-3 all time against the Midshipmen in PL Tournament games.
If Navy's shots are falling and Bucknell's are not, this could be close. That was the situation when the two met in Sojka earlier this season. With Navy making eight treys while Bucknell hit just two, the Mids kept it tight throughout before falling 59-51.
Since then, though, Bucknell has won 13 out of 14 while Navy has gone 4-9. Even though three of those wins came in the last six games, the Mids' resurgent season should end tonight.
Worth noting: There are tickets available for this one. They can be purchased online or at the Langone Center box office up until 5 p.m. or at the door at Sojka beginning at 5.
No. 5 Colgate at No. 4 American, 7:30 p.m. (matchup) -- Watch out for the AU Eagles, who come into the tournament on a roll, winners of their last four in a row. American started the season strong, winning seven of their first nine. As losses began to pile up, Jeff Jones began tinkering with his lineup in an effort to reverse that trend.
It didn't work, but late in the season Jones smartened up and went back to the lineup that had been successful early and AU put together a surge that secured a homecourt game in the first round.
Since joining the league, American has never lost in the first round of the tournament. The Eagles won both regular season games against the Raiders, who limp into the postseason losers of four of their last five.
The loser gets out its golf clubs. The winner gets a bus ride to Worcester. Hard to say which is the better deal. Note: You can listen to this one on Sirius 143.
BONUS LINK:
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, February 25, 2007
For four years, Andrew has been a loyal Lehigh fan. This afternoon, when the Mountain Hawks take on Holy Cross (matchup), Andrew figures he will be one of the few students who will show up to honor the team's four soon-to-be-graduating seniors.
The game will determine the top seed for the postseason. The visitors are a possible NCAA Tournament team. Yet it seems as though, short of a free keg behind the south basket, nothing draws the Lehigh's students to the games.
Interestingly, the Morning Call had a story on this same topic this morning. They seemed to cast much of the blame on Stabler's location, about three miles from the main campus. But that is bullshit. You don't see Big Five kids staying away from the Palestra just because they need to catch a bus to get there. And how can the distance issue be reconciled with the fact there were more Bucknell students than Lehigh students on hand Wednesday night?
It seems Andrew's insight, in an e-mail he sent last week, is a little more on target. No, the distance to Stabler does not help matters, he says, but the problem is deeper than that.
Here is the text of his e-mail:
In fact, one of the students quoted in the Morning Call piece refers to it as one of the worst conferences in the country, oblivious to the fact that the Patriot's RPI ranks it solidly in the middle of the Division I pact; conveniently forgetting the first round NCAA wins the league's representative has posted the last two NCAA Tournaments.
Those of us with longer memories can recall big crowds and a full student section back in the Dozie Mbonu-Bob Krizansky era. Of course Lehigh was winning consistently back then.
It is no coincidence that Bucknell's attendance jumped when they started beating big name teams like Pitt, Kansas and Syracuse. When Lehigh does that, and there is no reason they can't if they can keep Billy Taylor on board, the fans will find their way back to Stabler.
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The game will determine the top seed for the postseason. The visitors are a possible NCAA Tournament team. Yet it seems as though, short of a free keg behind the south basket, nothing draws the Lehigh's students to the games.
Interestingly, the Morning Call had a story on this same topic this morning. They seemed to cast much of the blame on Stabler's location, about three miles from the main campus. But that is bullshit. You don't see Big Five kids staying away from the Palestra just because they need to catch a bus to get there. And how can the distance issue be reconciled with the fact there were more Bucknell students than Lehigh students on hand Wednesday night?
It seems Andrew's insight, in an e-mail he sent last week, is a little more on target. No, the distance to Stabler does not help matters, he says, but the problem is deeper than that.
Here is the text of his e-mail:
I have seen talk on various boards around the league and on Hoop Time about the lack of the Lehigh student section, and I felt the need to chime in. I am currently a senior out here, and must say that the situation is sad.Not a lot to add, but since Andrew asked if I had any thoughts, we will point out that aside from that 2003-04 team, it has been a very long time since Lehigh has had a winner. And that team, by losing in the play-in game, might have done more to hurt the cause than help it, giving the impression that Patriot League basketball is a weak sister league.
About four years ago a group of sophomores started regularly attending games and painted themselves (the L-E-H-I-G-H guys, you refer to them as). In the beginning they were usually the only students at the games, but word grew around campus that basketball games can be fun, and the team was starting to play a lot better, so some (stress some) students started to join them. Over the next few years, it turned into a nice student section that would travel to Maryland for the league tournament, up to Colgate for a game, up to HC a few times, over to Army and BU, and even having a better showing than the Zoo-Crew in their building. (Actually in one of your posts from two years ago, you commented on the presence of the Lehigh student at Lafayette in that game we lost).
Unfortunately, most of the original L-E-H-I-G-H guys have graduated, leaving me (although I never paint myself) and maybe about 8 other regulars. Most Lehigh students who do come will sit behind us and not really get into the game anymore. The atmosphere at Stabler is nothing less than depressing this season. I think it is a combination of the team not performing that well and these guys graduating. Another thing to look at is the distance that we must travel to get over to the game. If I am not mistaken, I think all Patriot League arenas are within walking distance of where most students live. You know this is not the case at Lehigh. Ultimately, this kills attendance. On top of that, the Athletic Department shows no commitment to Lehigh basketball. Very rarely do they promote a big game in ways that go beyond a few fliers around their building and outside the ticket office. We never get campus wide e-mails like HC students do. The student paper is a joke, when it comes to LU sports.
The whole situation is a mess out here, which is unfortunate. We have a great, young coach who is an unbelievable recruiter. We have the best freshmen in the league (by far) and possibly the player of the year (although his last few games may indeed hurt him). Students should want to see this team play and actively cheer them on. They really are missing something thousands of other students are getting across the country exciting college basketball.
Hopefully I was able to shed a little light on this mess. I don t see things changing at all in the near future. For senior day on Sunday, being at 1PM, my guess is most LU students will be hung over, and not show up. Those that do will show up at about 1:15, missing the chance to honor Jose, Jason, Kyle, and Adam. Next week, for the 1st round of the tourney, expect a student crowd half of what was there for Bucknell. From there, it is up to the team to try to win at an arena (most likely Bucknell) where more than a handful of students give a bleep about their team.
Do you have any thoughts?
*by the way, if you do post this on your site, do not hold me responsible for poor grammar or spelling. I should have written this on a word file and sent it to you, but I just typed it into this little box...which is tough to proof read...i didn't think I would ramble on this long, but I wanted to get a lot of things off my chest.
In fact, one of the students quoted in the Morning Call piece refers to it as one of the worst conferences in the country, oblivious to the fact that the Patriot's RPI ranks it solidly in the middle of the Division I pact; conveniently forgetting the first round NCAA wins the league's representative has posted the last two NCAA Tournaments.
Those of us with longer memories can recall big crowds and a full student section back in the Dozie Mbonu-Bob Krizansky era. Of course Lehigh was winning consistently back then.
It is no coincidence that Bucknell's attendance jumped when they started beating big name teams like Pitt, Kansas and Syracuse. When Lehigh does that, and there is no reason they can't if they can keep Billy Taylor on board, the fans will find their way back to Stabler.
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Saturday, February 24, 2007
Lehigh is the No. 3 seed. American is No. 4 and Lafayette is No. 8, everything else remains to be determined as we head into the final two days of the regular season.
We won't know the No. 1 seed until tomorrow, when Holy Cross visits Lehigh. Bucknell needs the Crusaders to stumble in Betghlehem to gain the top seed, regardless of the outcome of its game at Army this afternoon (matchup).
The game has more meaning for Army, which avoids facing either Bucknell or Holy Cross in the first round if it wins today.
The winner of this afternoon's Navy at Colgate game (matchup) also avoids playing at one of the top two seeds in the first round.
But who ends up where, against whom, depends on the combination of today's two games.
Here's a breakdown (hopefully one that won't need as many revisions as yesterday's did):
COLGATE: Win today and the Raiders are the No. 5 seed, regardless of what Army does. If Army and Colgate both lose, the Raiders are the No. 6 seed by virtue of a season sweep against the Black Knights. If Army wins and Colgate loses, Colgate drops to the No. 7 seed.
ARMY: If Army wins and Colgate loses, Army becomes the No. 5 seed. If Army and Navy both lose, Army is the No. 6 seed by virtue of a tiebreaker edge on Navy (a win over American).
NAVY: If the Mids and Army both win, Navy gets the No. 6 seed. If the Mids win and Army loses, Navy is No. 5.
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We won't know the No. 1 seed until tomorrow, when Holy Cross visits Lehigh. Bucknell needs the Crusaders to stumble in Betghlehem to gain the top seed, regardless of the outcome of its game at Army this afternoon (matchup).
The game has more meaning for Army, which avoids facing either Bucknell or Holy Cross in the first round if it wins today.
The winner of this afternoon's Navy at Colgate game (matchup) also avoids playing at one of the top two seeds in the first round.
But who ends up where, against whom, depends on the combination of today's two games.
Here's a breakdown (hopefully one that won't need as many revisions as yesterday's did):
COLGATE: Win today and the Raiders are the No. 5 seed, regardless of what Army does. If Army and Colgate both lose, the Raiders are the No. 6 seed by virtue of a season sweep against the Black Knights. If Army wins and Colgate loses, Colgate drops to the No. 7 seed.
ARMY: If Army wins and Colgate loses, Army becomes the No. 5 seed. If Army and Navy both lose, Army is the No. 6 seed by virtue of a tiebreaker edge on Navy (a win over American).
NAVY: If the Mids and Army both win, Navy gets the No. 6 seed. If the Mids win and Army loses, Navy is No. 5.
Labels: Army, BU, CU, Navy, previews
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Friday, February 23, 2007
(Updated with bonus links and some editing at 9:51 a.m.; additional edits made at 10:54 a.m.))
We already know who will be the home teams in the first round of the playoffs. Who the visitors will be gets finalized this weekend, beginning tonight when Lafayette visits American. (matchup)
American has already clinched a home spot in the first round. A win tonight, coupled with a Holy Cross win at Lehigh Sunday, would give AU the No. 3 seed for the tournament, not that there appears to be much of an edge gained by moving from No. 4 to No. 3. means nothing. EDITORS NOTE: Thanks to the folks who caught this one ... Lehigh swept that season series and owns the tiebreaker over AU).
A Lafayette loss leaves the Leopards in the No. 8 seed. A win, coupled with a Colgate loss Saturday against Navy, would move the 'Pards to No. 7. The only real difference for Lafayette would be the psychological boost of not finishing last -- either way they play on the road against either Holy Cross or Bucknell.
It makes a bigger difference to the eventual No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, who both probably would prefer to face Lafayette in the first round.
Here is a look, best we have been able to figure, at the various tiebreaking scenarios that could play out over the weekend:
Holy Cross 12-1 at Lehigh (Sunday) -- Win and the Crusaders get the No. 1 seed, a lossand a Bucknell win at Army would drop HC to No. 2 behind the Bison. EDITOR'S NOTE: Bucknell grad Manny Perez is first to e-mail pointing out that if both Bucknell and Holy Cross would lose, Bucknell would gain the top seed by virtue of its sweep of the season series with Lehigh. Good catch Manny, thanks!)
Bucknell 12-1 at Army (Saturday) -- Bison can finish no lower than the No. 2 seed. Would be No. 1 if HC loses at Lehighand BU wins at Army (see above)
Lehigh 7-6 home vs. Holy Cross (Sunday) --A win clinches Has clinched the No. 3 seed. A loss and an American win tonight against Lafayette would drop Lehigh to the No. 4 seed behind AU courtesy of AU's better RPI (192 - 240)
American 6-7 home vs. Lafayette (tonight) --Can finish no worse than Is No. 4.
Navy 4-9 at Colgate (Saturday) -- If Navy wins and Army loses to Bucknell, Navy becomes the No. 5 seed. If Navy and Army both win, Army's win over Bucknell would boost Army past the Mids on the basis of the second tiebreaker -- comparison of records. If Navy loses, it becomes more complicated. A Navy loss and a Lafayette win would leave the Mids in the No. 7 spot, ahead of the Leopards by virtue of sweeping the season series. If Army also loses, the Black Knights still have the tiebreaker edge for the No. 6 seed by virtue of a win over American, which swept Navy.
Army 4-9 home vs. Bucknell (Saturday) --Army cannot finish eighth. In the event of an Army loss and a Lafayette win, the Black Knights would hold the RPI tiebreaker edge. If Colgate also loses, Army drops to No. 8 since the tiebreaker would be record against the other teams involved in the multiple-tie. Colgate would be 3-1 against Lafayette and Army, Lafayette 2-2 and Army 1-3. If Lafayette wins and Army and Navy lose, Navy (3-1 by viture of sweeping Lafayette) gets the No. 6 spot, Army (2-2) is seventh, Lafayette stays in eighth.
Colgate 4-9 home vs. Navy (Sat.) -- A win makes the Raiders the No. 5 seed. A loss, coupled with a Lafayette win at AU, would drop Colgate to the No. 8 seed since the Raiders were swept by American. If Army also loses, see the three-way tie scenario above.
Lafayette 3-10 at American (tonight) -- A trip to either Bucknell or Holy Cross is inevitable for the 'Pards. A Lafayette loss leaves them in the No. 8 spot. A win and losses by Colgate and Army would move them to No. 7. A win with a Navy loss
BONUS LINKS:
Neutral sites might be way to go for tournament league tournament (Andre Williams in the Morning Call)
O'Hanlon has always been a winner; now he has the record to prove it (more from Andre)
Tom Housenick's weekly hoops column is first to hand out some league honors (Tom's Daily Item column filled to the brim this week with looks at the men's and women's sides of the league)
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We already know who will be the home teams in the first round of the playoffs. Who the visitors will be gets finalized this weekend, beginning tonight when Lafayette visits American. (matchup)
American has already clinched a home spot in the first round. A win tonight
A Lafayette loss leaves the Leopards in the No. 8 seed. A win, coupled with a Colgate loss Saturday against Navy, would move the 'Pards to No. 7. The only real difference for Lafayette would be the psychological boost of not finishing last -- either way they play on the road against either Holy Cross or Bucknell.
It makes a bigger difference to the eventual No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, who both probably would prefer to face Lafayette in the first round.
Here is a look, best we have been able to figure, at the various tiebreaking scenarios that could play out over the weekend:
Holy Cross 12-1 at Lehigh (Sunday) -- Win and the Crusaders get the No. 1 seed, a loss
Bucknell 12-1 at Army (Saturday) -- Bison can finish no lower than the No. 2 seed. Would be No. 1 if HC loses at Lehigh
Lehigh 7-6 home vs. Holy Cross (Sunday) --
American 6-7 home vs. Lafayette (tonight) --
Navy 4-9 at Colgate (Saturday) -- If Navy wins and Army loses to Bucknell, Navy becomes the No. 5 seed. If Navy and Army both win, Army's win over Bucknell would boost Army past the Mids on the basis of the second tiebreaker -- comparison of records. If Navy loses, it becomes more complicated. A Navy loss and a Lafayette win would leave the Mids in the No. 7 spot, ahead of the Leopards by virtue of sweeping the season series. If Army also loses, the Black Knights still have the tiebreaker edge for the No. 6 seed by virtue of a win over American, which swept Navy.
Army 4-9 home vs. Bucknell (Saturday) --
Colgate 4-9 home vs. Navy (Sat.) -- A win makes the Raiders the No. 5 seed. A loss, coupled with a Lafayette win at AU, would drop Colgate to the No. 8 seed since the Raiders were swept by American. If Army also loses, see the three-way tie scenario above.
Lafayette 3-10 at American (tonight) -- A trip to either Bucknell or Holy Cross is inevitable for the 'Pards. A Lafayette loss leaves them in the No. 8 spot. A win and losses by Colgate and Army would move them to No. 7. A win with a Navy loss
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The first round playoff sites have been determined. Semifinal sites, barring major first round upsets, are already set. So what are the six teams involved in the three games on tap tonight playing for?
For Bucknell and Holy Cross, the answer is simple. The two are deadlocked for first place, with the highest seed gaining the homecourt edge in the league final, should it get that far.
For Holy Cross, that means avoiding a slip up tonight when they host Colgate (matchup). Win this one and win Sunday at Lehigh and the top seed is theirs, no matter what Bucknell does. The Raiders gave the Crusaders a battle in Hamilton last month. The Crusaders trailed by 10 in the second half of that one and needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds left to pull off a 58-55 win.
Tonight, in Worcester, in front of a Hart Center crowd that out to be whipped into a frenzy during the pregame festivities honoring the team's two standout seniors -- Simmons and point guard Torey Thomas -- the Crusaders should have no trouble getting into the game from the start.
Bucknell, of course, needs to win tonight at Lehigh (matchup), Saturday at Army and also needs someone to knock off Holy Cross.
Lehigh, with the No. 3 seed locked up, would love to win its last two home games to send a message to the frontrunners prior to the start of the playoffs. Bucknell had an easy time of it against the Mountain Hawks in Lewisburg last month. Two big differences this time around (besides the change in venue): Lehigh did not have Jason Mgebroff last time the two met. Bucknell did have Donald Brown.
Brown was not even wearing a wrap on his broken right hand Saturday when Bucknell took on Towson. But he was still in street clothes and there has been no indication he is ready to return just yet. He was a big factor in the first meeting, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.
Mgebroff has not put up any impressive numbers in his two games back after sitting out over two months with stress fractures in a leg. But the 6-10 senior went 11 minutes Sunday against Lafayette. Part of those minutes might have been because of the foul trouble the rest of Lehigh's lineup got into against the Leopards.
We'll see tonight if Mgebroff is in good enough shape to go extended minutes and make a difference against Bucknell or if he is still playing back into shape for the postseason.
The evening's third game is probably the most significant in terms of first round pairings. Lafayette travels to Army (matchup), with the winner escaping last place in the league standings. Lafayette, with a win here and some help from its friends, could actually finish as high as fifth, avoiding a first round matchup at Bucknell or Holy Cross. The Leopards win over Lehigh would give them a tiebreaker edge over Colgate if the two finish tied for a spot.
The avoid-HC-or-BU scenarios are less favorable to Army, which also has to beat Bucknell Saturday for any chance of that happening. Even then, the Black Knights need some help since Colgate swept the regular season series between the two teams, giving the Raiders any tiebreaker scenarios.
If Army wins out, and Colgate beats Navy Saturday, the Black Knights would tie the Mids for sixth, and would have the tiebreaker edge by virtue of a win over Bucknell.
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For Bucknell and Holy Cross, the answer is simple. The two are deadlocked for first place, with the highest seed gaining the homecourt edge in the league final, should it get that far.
For Holy Cross, that means avoiding a slip up tonight when they host Colgate (matchup). Win this one and win Sunday at Lehigh and the top seed is theirs, no matter what Bucknell does. The Raiders gave the Crusaders a battle in Hamilton last month. The Crusaders trailed by 10 in the second half of that one and needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds left to pull off a 58-55 win.
Tonight, in Worcester, in front of a Hart Center crowd that out to be whipped into a frenzy during the pregame festivities honoring the team's two standout seniors -- Simmons and point guard Torey Thomas -- the Crusaders should have no trouble getting into the game from the start.
Bucknell, of course, needs to win tonight at Lehigh (matchup), Saturday at Army and also needs someone to knock off Holy Cross.
Lehigh, with the No. 3 seed locked up, would love to win its last two home games to send a message to the frontrunners prior to the start of the playoffs. Bucknell had an easy time of it against the Mountain Hawks in Lewisburg last month. Two big differences this time around (besides the change in venue): Lehigh did not have Jason Mgebroff last time the two met. Bucknell did have Donald Brown.
Brown was not even wearing a wrap on his broken right hand Saturday when Bucknell took on Towson. But he was still in street clothes and there has been no indication he is ready to return just yet. He was a big factor in the first meeting, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.
Mgebroff has not put up any impressive numbers in his two games back after sitting out over two months with stress fractures in a leg. But the 6-10 senior went 11 minutes Sunday against Lafayette. Part of those minutes might have been because of the foul trouble the rest of Lehigh's lineup got into against the Leopards.
We'll see tonight if Mgebroff is in good enough shape to go extended minutes and make a difference against Bucknell or if he is still playing back into shape for the postseason.
The evening's third game is probably the most significant in terms of first round pairings. Lafayette travels to Army (matchup), with the winner escaping last place in the league standings. Lafayette, with a win here and some help from its friends, could actually finish as high as fifth, avoiding a first round matchup at Bucknell or Holy Cross. The Leopards win over Lehigh would give them a tiebreaker edge over Colgate if the two finish tied for a spot.
The avoid-HC-or-BU scenarios are less favorable to Army, which also has to beat Bucknell Saturday for any chance of that happening. Even then, the Black Knights need some help since Colgate swept the regular season series between the two teams, giving the Raiders any tiebreaker scenarios.
If Army wins out, and Colgate beats Navy Saturday, the Black Knights would tie the Mids for sixth, and would have the tiebreaker edge by virtue of a win over Bucknell.
Labels: Army, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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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.
Matchup
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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.
Matchup
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Sunday, February 18, 2007
(Full post includes bonus link)
Could an upset be brewing down in the Lehigh Valley?
Lafayette still has a remote shot at avoiding one of the top two seeds in the first round. For that to happen, though, the Leopards have to win out, beginning with this afternoon's game against third-place Lehigh (matchup).
It's not beyond the realm of possibility. The Leopards have a history of upsetting the Mountain Hawks in Kirby. Matter of fact, last year was the only time in the past five seasons that Lehigh escaped Easton with a W.
Lehigh has already clinched a first round home game and cannot improve upon that scenario. The Hawks have two huge home games in the coming week, hosting Bucknell and Holy Cross in games they hope to use to make a statement about their postseason prospects. So we have a team that is 3-12 on the road, playing for nothing and looking ahead to its next two games.
Toss in the unpredictable nature of a rivalry game like Lehigh-Lafayette and the ingredients for an upset are there.
The question is whether or not Fran O'Hanlon's team, in the midst of a five-game slide, is capable of putting it all together. If they are able to shoot the ball the way they did against Bucknell and Holy Cross in Kirby, that is a distinct possibility.
Game time is noon on ESPNU and the local Lafayette Sports Network.
BONUS LINK:
AU is so close, yet so far away (John Feinstein in the Washington Post)
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Could an upset be brewing down in the Lehigh Valley?
Lafayette still has a remote shot at avoiding one of the top two seeds in the first round. For that to happen, though, the Leopards have to win out, beginning with this afternoon's game against third-place Lehigh (matchup).
It's not beyond the realm of possibility. The Leopards have a history of upsetting the Mountain Hawks in Kirby. Matter of fact, last year was the only time in the past five seasons that Lehigh escaped Easton with a W.
Lehigh has already clinched a first round home game and cannot improve upon that scenario. The Hawks have two huge home games in the coming week, hosting Bucknell and Holy Cross in games they hope to use to make a statement about their postseason prospects. So we have a team that is 3-12 on the road, playing for nothing and looking ahead to its next two games.
Toss in the unpredictable nature of a rivalry game like Lehigh-Lafayette and the ingredients for an upset are there.
The question is whether or not Fran O'Hanlon's team, in the midst of a five-game slide, is capable of putting it all together. If they are able to shoot the ball the way they did against Bucknell and Holy Cross in Kirby, that is a distinct possibility.
Game time is noon on ESPNU and the local Lafayette Sports Network.
BONUS LINK:
AU is so close, yet so far away (John Feinstein in the Washington Post)
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Saturday, February 17, 2007
With just one day to get ready, Holy Cross takes on Hostra in the BracketBusters.
Preparation is the key for a team like Holy Cross when it takes on top teams from other conferences. Patriot League teams don't have the athletes to just throw the ball out and run with the big horses. Instead, teams like the Crusaders, and Bucknell, have found their out of conference successes by playing a maddening style of tough defense, mixing looks and forcing teams to play a style the opponents find uncomfortable.
Time for preparation before HC's BracketBusters game Saturday afternoon at Hofstra has been extremely limited though, causing a concern for Crusaders coach Ralph Willard. Willard expected to have two full days to get his team ready to face the high-flying Pride.
Then came this week's winter storm and the 'Saders susequent planes, trains and rental vans adventure that resulted in Wednesday's game at Navy being pushed back a day, upsetting Holy Cross' preparation rhythm.
"I thought we'd have (Thursday and Friday) to prepare for Hofstra. Unfortunately the weather screwed us up," WIllard said after beating Navy THursday.
The Crusaders flew out immediately after Thursday's game, heading straight to New York for the Hofstra game. Plans called for fil study Friday morning, a 2:30 practice at Hofstra in the afaternoon, then more film, to be followed with yet more film at breakfast Saturday prior to the 3 p.m. tip on ESPNU.
The one day of preparation situation took its toll on Holy Cross in its pre-conference schedule. Hc found itself in that situation five times -- six if you count the fact that one of the two days between the Yale and Dayton games was spent in transit. Holy Cross lost four of those six and barely held off a weak Delaware team for a two-point victory in one of the two it won.
Prep for the game began on the plane after the Navy game. Immediately after the Navy game, Willard reported, "We have nothing in place. We haven't even looked at Hofstra."
When Willard looks at the Pride, here is what he will see: A three-guard outfit that likes to get up and down the floor. The complete antithesis to the pace HC will try to impose.
Hofstra averages over 73 points per game. With guards like Loren Stokes, Antoine Agudio and Carlos Rivera, the more shots the better. Stokes, a senior who averages 21.1 points per game, is a 2,000-point scorer who needs just 35 more to become the school's second leading scorer all-time.
Agudio averages 20.4 ppg, making Hofstra the only team in the nation with two 20-point scorers in its lineup.
Rivera, a senior like Stokes, is also a career 1,000-point scorer. Rivera averages 11.7 points per game.
Along with 6-5 forward Zygis Sestokas, who averages 7.6 points per game, they give the Pride four guys who are not afraid to shoot the three-pointer. Sestokas hits treys ata 45.4 percent clip. Agudio, who has made 84 treys already, knocks them down at 42.5 percent. As a team, Hofstra shoots 39.5 percent from the arc.
Where Hofstra is not so strong is in the frontcourt. The tallest starter is 6-7 Mike Davis-Sabb, who will have his hands full with HC's 6-10 Tim Clifford. Clifford tuned up for this one with a 33-point afternoon in Annapolis on Thursday.
Clifford can be a big factor in this game if he stays out of foul trouble. As long as he is anchoring the inside, the Crusaders perimeter defenders can push up on the Hofstra shooters knowing help is there if they get beaten on penetration. Without Clifford clogging the middle, the seams in HC's zones will seem far more inviting.
If Clifford can establish some inside offense, it will also make a big difference. Torey Thomas and Keith Simmons ought to be able to hold their own with the Hofstra guards. If Clifford comes to play, the paint could be where HC finds its advantage.
To take full advantage of Clifford's presence, the Crusaders need to dictate pace. The big junior is too slow to be a factor if this game becomes an end-to-end foot race. The Crusaders need to force Hofstra to play a halfcourt game.
Whether of not they will be able to do that with one day to get ready, remains to be seen.
"That is a big part of us being good -- preparation, defensive preparation. . . . It would have been OK if we had played Wednesday," said Willard. "We've got our work cut out for us."
Matchup
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Preparation is the key for a team like Holy Cross when it takes on top teams from other conferences. Patriot League teams don't have the athletes to just throw the ball out and run with the big horses. Instead, teams like the Crusaders, and Bucknell, have found their out of conference successes by playing a maddening style of tough defense, mixing looks and forcing teams to play a style the opponents find uncomfortable.
Time for preparation before HC's BracketBusters game Saturday afternoon at Hofstra has been extremely limited though, causing a concern for Crusaders coach Ralph Willard. Willard expected to have two full days to get his team ready to face the high-flying Pride.
Then came this week's winter storm and the 'Saders susequent planes, trains and rental vans adventure that resulted in Wednesday's game at Navy being pushed back a day, upsetting Holy Cross' preparation rhythm.
"I thought we'd have (Thursday and Friday) to prepare for Hofstra. Unfortunately the weather screwed us up," WIllard said after beating Navy THursday.
The Crusaders flew out immediately after Thursday's game, heading straight to New York for the Hofstra game. Plans called for fil study Friday morning, a 2:30 practice at Hofstra in the afaternoon, then more film, to be followed with yet more film at breakfast Saturday prior to the 3 p.m. tip on ESPNU.
The one day of preparation situation took its toll on Holy Cross in its pre-conference schedule. Hc found itself in that situation five times -- six if you count the fact that one of the two days between the Yale and Dayton games was spent in transit. Holy Cross lost four of those six and barely held off a weak Delaware team for a two-point victory in one of the two it won.
Prep for the game began on the plane after the Navy game. Immediately after the Navy game, Willard reported, "We have nothing in place. We haven't even looked at Hofstra."
When Willard looks at the Pride, here is what he will see: A three-guard outfit that likes to get up and down the floor. The complete antithesis to the pace HC will try to impose.
Hofstra averages over 73 points per game. With guards like Loren Stokes, Antoine Agudio and Carlos Rivera, the more shots the better. Stokes, a senior who averages 21.1 points per game, is a 2,000-point scorer who needs just 35 more to become the school's second leading scorer all-time.
Agudio averages 20.4 ppg, making Hofstra the only team in the nation with two 20-point scorers in its lineup.
Rivera, a senior like Stokes, is also a career 1,000-point scorer. Rivera averages 11.7 points per game.
Along with 6-5 forward Zygis Sestokas, who averages 7.6 points per game, they give the Pride four guys who are not afraid to shoot the three-pointer. Sestokas hits treys ata 45.4 percent clip. Agudio, who has made 84 treys already, knocks them down at 42.5 percent. As a team, Hofstra shoots 39.5 percent from the arc.
Where Hofstra is not so strong is in the frontcourt. The tallest starter is 6-7 Mike Davis-Sabb, who will have his hands full with HC's 6-10 Tim Clifford. Clifford tuned up for this one with a 33-point afternoon in Annapolis on Thursday.
Clifford can be a big factor in this game if he stays out of foul trouble. As long as he is anchoring the inside, the Crusaders perimeter defenders can push up on the Hofstra shooters knowing help is there if they get beaten on penetration. Without Clifford clogging the middle, the seams in HC's zones will seem far more inviting.
If Clifford can establish some inside offense, it will also make a big difference. Torey Thomas and Keith Simmons ought to be able to hold their own with the Hofstra guards. If Clifford comes to play, the paint could be where HC finds its advantage.
To take full advantage of Clifford's presence, the Crusaders need to dictate pace. The big junior is too slow to be a factor if this game becomes an end-to-end foot race. The Crusaders need to force Hofstra to play a halfcourt game.
Whether of not they will be able to do that with one day to get ready, remains to be seen.
"That is a big part of us being good -- preparation, defensive preparation. . . . It would have been OK if we had played Wednesday," said Willard. "We've got our work cut out for us."
Matchup
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Bison needs a way to deal with Neal.
Any talk about Towson begins with guard Gary Neal. It usually does not go far past the 6-4 senior, either. The rest of Towson's roster reminds you of the former major league executive who once questioned the need to pay a whole roster of minor league players so you have guys for the four or five actual prospects to throw the ball to.
Averaging over 25 points per game, Neal is the primary, secondary and tertiary option in almost everything Toswon runs on offense. The No. 4 scorer in the nation, Neal has scored in double figures in all 27 of Towson's games, going over 20 in 20 of those. Eight times he has scored 30 or more. His season high is 41.
Forget anbout your run of the mill 1,000-point scorers. This guy has done it twice -- at two different schools (he scored 1,000 at LaSalle before transferring). Only two other guys have ever done that.
Neal is a 45.1 percent shooter, an impressive stat considering close to half his shots come from the three-point arc, where he has made 83 of 245 (33.9 percent).
"The guy can make incredible shots from long distances. He can make them off the catch. He makes them off the dribble. He doesn’t feel the pressure of any defense. When he misses, it’s normally not that the defense made him miss. He just happened to miss the shot,” said George Mason coach Jim Larranaga.
Neal is not without a supporting cast.
Abraham Dennard, a 6-8 senior forward, averages 11.1 points per game, much coming on garbage from Neal's missed shots. A third of his 6.4 rebounds per game come on the offensive glass. Dennard will step out from time to time to jack up a three. Let him. He is 9 for 40 on the season.
Also up front is Tommy Breaux, a 6-9, 210-pounder who doubles as a tight end for the Tigers football team. Breaux is a 61.9 percent shooter and has blocked 57 shots.
Point guard C.C. Williams, averages 4.1 assists per game, most coming when he throws the ball to Neal.
Coaching the Tigers is Pat Kennedy, a guy whose star has faded considerably since his heady days at Florida State. In the first 13 years of his head coaching career, through stops at Iona and Florida State. Kennedy's teams posted just one non-winning season in that stretch, making 10 trips to the postseason, including a Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight with the Seminoles.
The last 13 years have been a different story. In 1994, a season removed from the Elite Eight appearance, Kennedy began s stretch of three straight losing seasons. After a trip to the NIT finals in 1997, Kennedy moved on to DePaul, where he sandwiched three losing seasons around two postseason appearances (2nd round NIT in 1999, first round NCAA in 2000). The other 10 seasons, including his first two at Towson, have been below .500.
If Kennedy's team is going to finish .500 or above this season, it probably needs a win at Bucknell. Towson is 13-13, with conference games at Old Dominion and home against Drexel remaining on its Colonial Athletic Conference slate.
This is not the game the Bison had hoped for when they penciled in a rare non-conference home game for this date. Bucknell was hoping to be playing a highly regarded opponent on national television. Sort of like last year's Northern Iowa game, but at home in Sojka Pavilion.
Instead they draw a .500 poor sister from the CAA. The sort of conference they'd hoped for, not the sort of team. Those CAA teams -- the Virginia Commonwealths, the Drexels, the Hofstras -- they all are playing teams that didn't bust their brackets in the first four games of the season.
In the midst of a tough conference race, this sort of game screams watch out for a letdown. For a team like Towson, struggling for its first winning season in a while, a shot at a team with Bucknell's recent reputation is a chance to gain some respect.
Where does Bucknell's motivation come from? Face it, in a lot of ways, this game is meaningless. It won't have anything to do with the Bison's chance of getting into the Big Dance. Given their current RPI and record, it is not likely to make much difference on possible seeding should the Bucknell with the Patriot League title.
Enter the age-old end of season motivator -- Senior Day. Sending out this team's three seniors -- Chris McNaughton, Abe Badmus and the injured Donald Brown -- with a win and a place in Bison history should be more than enough spark.
Limited tickets are available. They will go on sale at noon at Sojka Pavilion. It would be a shame if their fellow students don't pack the building for McNaughton, Badmus and Donald Brown, who are currently share the school record with the Class of 1987 for most wins by one class (82).
The Bison can't let the emotion of the afternoon influence their style of play. They need to guard against getting into an up and down affair with Towson. A key to Bucknell's recent success has been the ability to dictate pace. With Neal likely to jack shots up from anywhere at anytime, it will be important to be patient on the offensive end. The last thing Pat Flannery wants to see is his team playing chuck and duck, trying to outscore the Tigers.
Expect the Bison to use Abe Badmus to try to slow down Neal, especially on the perimeter. The key phrase there is "slow down." You don't stop a guy like Neal. He is going to get his points. The key is to make him work very hard to get them. Make him work hard to get the ball, and make him work hard to get his shots.
On offense, Bucknell continues to get good balance between its big guys inside and its guards. Badmus has picked up his offense the last several games -- one of the keys in their current nine-game win streak.
Another key has been McNaughton, who seems to have shaken the funk that enveloped him early in the season. McNaughton has been a man on fire, scoring in double figures each of the last eight games while stepping up his rebounding.
John Griffin has emerged as a steady scoring option, too. Griffin has pushed his scoring average up into double figures (10.2 ppg) over the past few weeks.
This will not be the last home game for the three seniors. The Bison are guaranteed a home game in the first round of the league playoffs and will also host in the semifinals if they advance. They are also still in contention for the top seed and a chance to host the final.
With two tough road games next week, Bucknell wants a strong showing in the regular season home finale to feed the momentum down the stretch.
Matchup | Tom Housenick column (Daily Item)
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Any talk about Towson begins with guard Gary Neal. It usually does not go far past the 6-4 senior, either. The rest of Towson's roster reminds you of the former major league executive who once questioned the need to pay a whole roster of minor league players so you have guys for the four or five actual prospects to throw the ball to.
Averaging over 25 points per game, Neal is the primary, secondary and tertiary option in almost everything Toswon runs on offense. The No. 4 scorer in the nation, Neal has scored in double figures in all 27 of Towson's games, going over 20 in 20 of those. Eight times he has scored 30 or more. His season high is 41.
Forget anbout your run of the mill 1,000-point scorers. This guy has done it twice -- at two different schools (he scored 1,000 at LaSalle before transferring). Only two other guys have ever done that.
Neal is a 45.1 percent shooter, an impressive stat considering close to half his shots come from the three-point arc, where he has made 83 of 245 (33.9 percent).
"The guy can make incredible shots from long distances. He can make them off the catch. He makes them off the dribble. He doesn’t feel the pressure of any defense. When he misses, it’s normally not that the defense made him miss. He just happened to miss the shot,” said George Mason coach Jim Larranaga.
Neal is not without a supporting cast.
Abraham Dennard, a 6-8 senior forward, averages 11.1 points per game, much coming on garbage from Neal's missed shots. A third of his 6.4 rebounds per game come on the offensive glass. Dennard will step out from time to time to jack up a three. Let him. He is 9 for 40 on the season.
Also up front is Tommy Breaux, a 6-9, 210-pounder who doubles as a tight end for the Tigers football team. Breaux is a 61.9 percent shooter and has blocked 57 shots.
Point guard C.C. Williams, averages 4.1 assists per game, most coming when he throws the ball to Neal.
Coaching the Tigers is Pat Kennedy, a guy whose star has faded considerably since his heady days at Florida State. In the first 13 years of his head coaching career, through stops at Iona and Florida State. Kennedy's teams posted just one non-winning season in that stretch, making 10 trips to the postseason, including a Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight with the Seminoles.
The last 13 years have been a different story. In 1994, a season removed from the Elite Eight appearance, Kennedy began s stretch of three straight losing seasons. After a trip to the NIT finals in 1997, Kennedy moved on to DePaul, where he sandwiched three losing seasons around two postseason appearances (2nd round NIT in 1999, first round NCAA in 2000). The other 10 seasons, including his first two at Towson, have been below .500.
If Kennedy's team is going to finish .500 or above this season, it probably needs a win at Bucknell. Towson is 13-13, with conference games at Old Dominion and home against Drexel remaining on its Colonial Athletic Conference slate.
This is not the game the Bison had hoped for when they penciled in a rare non-conference home game for this date. Bucknell was hoping to be playing a highly regarded opponent on national television. Sort of like last year's Northern Iowa game, but at home in Sojka Pavilion.
Instead they draw a .500 poor sister from the CAA. The sort of conference they'd hoped for, not the sort of team. Those CAA teams -- the Virginia Commonwealths, the Drexels, the Hofstras -- they all are playing teams that didn't bust their brackets in the first four games of the season.
In the midst of a tough conference race, this sort of game screams watch out for a letdown. For a team like Towson, struggling for its first winning season in a while, a shot at a team with Bucknell's recent reputation is a chance to gain some respect.
Where does Bucknell's motivation come from? Face it, in a lot of ways, this game is meaningless. It won't have anything to do with the Bison's chance of getting into the Big Dance. Given their current RPI and record, it is not likely to make much difference on possible seeding should the Bucknell with the Patriot League title.
Enter the age-old end of season motivator -- Senior Day. Sending out this team's three seniors -- Chris McNaughton, Abe Badmus and the injured Donald Brown -- with a win and a place in Bison history should be more than enough spark.
Limited tickets are available. They will go on sale at noon at Sojka Pavilion. It would be a shame if their fellow students don't pack the building for McNaughton, Badmus and Donald Brown, who are currently share the school record with the Class of 1987 for most wins by one class (82).
The Bison can't let the emotion of the afternoon influence their style of play. They need to guard against getting into an up and down affair with Towson. A key to Bucknell's recent success has been the ability to dictate pace. With Neal likely to jack shots up from anywhere at anytime, it will be important to be patient on the offensive end. The last thing Pat Flannery wants to see is his team playing chuck and duck, trying to outscore the Tigers.
Expect the Bison to use Abe Badmus to try to slow down Neal, especially on the perimeter. The key phrase there is "slow down." You don't stop a guy like Neal. He is going to get his points. The key is to make him work very hard to get them. Make him work hard to get the ball, and make him work hard to get his shots.
On offense, Bucknell continues to get good balance between its big guys inside and its guards. Badmus has picked up his offense the last several games -- one of the keys in their current nine-game win streak.
Another key has been McNaughton, who seems to have shaken the funk that enveloped him early in the season. McNaughton has been a man on fire, scoring in double figures each of the last eight games while stepping up his rebounding.
John Griffin has emerged as a steady scoring option, too. Griffin has pushed his scoring average up into double figures (10.2 ppg) over the past few weeks.
This will not be the last home game for the three seniors. The Bison are guaranteed a home game in the first round of the league playoffs and will also host in the semifinals if they advance. They are also still in contention for the top seed and a chance to host the final.
With two tough road games next week, Bucknell wants a strong showing in the regular season home finale to feed the momentum down the stretch.
Matchup | Tom Housenick column (Daily Item)
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While Colgate plays Marist for BracketBusters pride, the winners of this afternoon's Army at Navy game get a star to place on their varsity letters, signifying a win over their archrivals. That is not all that is at stake this afternoon in Annapolis, though.
The odds are pretty well stacked against either team gaining a first round home game in the playoffs. Both teams are 13-13, 3-8 in league play, tied at the moment for the next-to-last spot in the standings.
That makes this one very important to either school's hopes of winning a game in the postseason for the first time in years. The bottom two teams are headed to Worcester or Lewisburg. Aside from the length of the bus ride involved, both destinations spromise a similar fate.
The team that finishes in sixth place, though, has hope. That team is likely ticketed for Bethlehem and a first round matchup with Lehigh. Not an easy task, but certainly one with a more realistic possibility of pulling off an upset. Navy just won there last week.
Matchup | http://www.examiner.com/a-570685~Navy_looks_to_right_ship_against_Army.html
Colgate at Marist -- The Raiders will try to slow down the host Red Foxes in this BracketBusters game in Poughkeepsie. It won't be an easy task. Marist is 20-7, 12-4 in the MAAC. The Red Foxes, who are riding a five-game win streak, are 11-1 at home, averaging 75 points per game, with four guys scoring in double figures.
Leading the attack is 6-2 guard Jared Johnson, who is scoring 18.8 points and dishing off 8.6 assists per game. As a team, Marist shoots 46.1 percent from the floor.
Colgate, on the other hand, has been an offensive disaster zone. The Raiders (9-16, 4-8 in the Patriot) average 57.4 points per game, ranking them 320th out of 325 Division I schools. Colgate is No. 305 in field goal percentage, shooting 39.9 percent as a team.
Matchup | The Circle
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The odds are pretty well stacked against either team gaining a first round home game in the playoffs. Both teams are 13-13, 3-8 in league play, tied at the moment for the next-to-last spot in the standings.
That makes this one very important to either school's hopes of winning a game in the postseason for the first time in years. The bottom two teams are headed to Worcester or Lewisburg. Aside from the length of the bus ride involved, both destinations spromise a similar fate.
The team that finishes in sixth place, though, has hope. That team is likely ticketed for Bethlehem and a first round matchup with Lehigh. Not an easy task, but certainly one with a more realistic possibility of pulling off an upset. Navy just won there last week.
Matchup | http://www.examiner.com/a-570685~Navy_looks_to_right_ship_against_Army.html
Colgate at Marist -- The Raiders will try to slow down the host Red Foxes in this BracketBusters game in Poughkeepsie. It won't be an easy task. Marist is 20-7, 12-4 in the MAAC. The Red Foxes, who are riding a five-game win streak, are 11-1 at home, averaging 75 points per game, with four guys scoring in double figures.
Leading the attack is 6-2 guard Jared Johnson, who is scoring 18.8 points and dishing off 8.6 assists per game. As a team, Marist shoots 46.1 percent from the floor.
Colgate, on the other hand, has been an offensive disaster zone. The Raiders (9-16, 4-8 in the Patriot) average 57.4 points per game, ranking them 320th out of 325 Division I schools. Colgate is No. 305 in field goal percentage, shooting 39.9 percent as a team.
Matchup | The Circle
Labels: Army, CU, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
It's looking like an Oreo cookie kind of night in the Patriot League tonight. The two league co-leaders take on two of the teams at the bottom of the standings, but the good stuff is the two game involving the four teams in the middle.
In Hamilton, Lehigh will face Colgate (matchup) looking for its seventh straight win over Colgate. A win would give the Mountain Hawks a three game lead over the Raiders in the win column and a virtual lock on a first round home game in the playoffs since Lehigh will have swept the season series with the Raiders and American, who sit in a tie for fourth place heading into tonight's action.
Lehigh's notes indicate senior center Jason Mgebroff will return to the lineup in the next week after being out since December due to a stress fracture in one of his legs. Whether that means as soon as tonight, Saturday's rivalry game at Lafayette, or a Willis Reed-like inspirational return at home against Bucknell or Holy Cross remains to be seen.
The Raiders are almost as bad at home (4-8) as Lehigh has been on the road (2-12). They have shown a particular knack for losing close games on their own floor. Colgate is 1-4 at home in league games, the four losses coming by a combined 18 points. including one loss in overtime.
In the nation's capital, American, still alive in the home-game hunt thanks to Colgate's Sunday blunder, hosts an Army five (matchup) that is barely clinging to its home for the first round life. After a promising 3-2 start in league play, the Black Knights have hit an 0-5 wall. Army probably has to go 4-0 down the stretch, starting tonight, to have a chance of hosting in round one. That would make them .500 in the league, which might just do it, given the mediocrity of the bottom five-eighths of the conference.
AU, with two more conference games after tonight, would be in good shape for a home game with a win tonight, especially coupled with a Colgate loss. The Eagles have the most favorable schedule of the teams battling for that fourth spot, with a home game against Lafayette and a visit to Navy left following tonight.
In Lewisburg, Bucknell will look to solidify the momentum of its win over Holy Cross when last place Lafayette comes calling (matchup). The Leopards gave the Bison a battle in Easton last month. In Solka Pavilion, where Bucknell has can close out another unbeaten home league slate with a win, it should not be anywhere near as close.
This is the part of the season when Bucknell traditionally plays its best basketball. Since that win in Easton, the Bison have compiled an eight-game win streak. The only way it does not make it nine in a row is if they get caught got looking past the Leopards. A simple two-word message on the chalkboard should suffice. In big, orange letters, it should say "Central Arkansas."
Wrapping up the four-game slate tonight is Holy Cross visiting the Midshipmen of Navy (matchup). Navy's five-game losing streak is history. In its place, a two-game win streak that began with a confidence building win at Lehigh.
The Mids are always an upset threat thanks to their five-man perimeter-oriented attack. Navy fires up half its shots from outside the arc. If a couple Mids get two or three in the same game, they could put up a lot of points.
Of course you can tell by Navy's 11-12 record in games against Division I teams, that has not happened a lot this season. And it would be asking a lot for it to happen against a team that plays defense the way Holy Cross does. Add in the extra motivation the Crusaders should have after losing at Bucknell and HC's huge edge in the frontcourt, and an upset seemes even more unlikely.
Should HC need extra motivation, it can look back two seasons to when Bucknell lost at American, then followed it with a loss at Navy, two setbacks that resulted in the Bison being forced to go on the road for the tournament final.
As the Crusaders know all too well, that scenario ended up working out OK for Bucknell. But HC would far prefer to sleep in its own beds throughout the playoffs. With senior leaders like Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, don't expect the Crusaders to lose focus on the prize.
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In Hamilton, Lehigh will face Colgate (matchup) looking for its seventh straight win over Colgate. A win would give the Mountain Hawks a three game lead over the Raiders in the win column and a virtual lock on a first round home game in the playoffs since Lehigh will have swept the season series with the Raiders and American, who sit in a tie for fourth place heading into tonight's action.
Lehigh's notes indicate senior center Jason Mgebroff will return to the lineup in the next week after being out since December due to a stress fracture in one of his legs. Whether that means as soon as tonight, Saturday's rivalry game at Lafayette, or a Willis Reed-like inspirational return at home against Bucknell or Holy Cross remains to be seen.
The Raiders are almost as bad at home (4-8) as Lehigh has been on the road (2-12). They have shown a particular knack for losing close games on their own floor. Colgate is 1-4 at home in league games, the four losses coming by a combined 18 points. including one loss in overtime.
In the nation's capital, American, still alive in the home-game hunt thanks to Colgate's Sunday blunder, hosts an Army five (matchup) that is barely clinging to its home for the first round life. After a promising 3-2 start in league play, the Black Knights have hit an 0-5 wall. Army probably has to go 4-0 down the stretch, starting tonight, to have a chance of hosting in round one. That would make them .500 in the league, which might just do it, given the mediocrity of the bottom five-eighths of the conference.
AU, with two more conference games after tonight, would be in good shape for a home game with a win tonight, especially coupled with a Colgate loss. The Eagles have the most favorable schedule of the teams battling for that fourth spot, with a home game against Lafayette and a visit to Navy left following tonight.
In Lewisburg, Bucknell will look to solidify the momentum of its win over Holy Cross when last place Lafayette comes calling (matchup). The Leopards gave the Bison a battle in Easton last month. In Solka Pavilion, where Bucknell has can close out another unbeaten home league slate with a win, it should not be anywhere near as close.
This is the part of the season when Bucknell traditionally plays its best basketball. Since that win in Easton, the Bison have compiled an eight-game win streak. The only way it does not make it nine in a row is if they get caught got looking past the Leopards. A simple two-word message on the chalkboard should suffice. In big, orange letters, it should say "Central Arkansas."
Wrapping up the four-game slate tonight is Holy Cross visiting the Midshipmen of Navy (matchup). Navy's five-game losing streak is history. In its place, a two-game win streak that began with a confidence building win at Lehigh.
The Mids are always an upset threat thanks to their five-man perimeter-oriented attack. Navy fires up half its shots from outside the arc. If a couple Mids get two or three in the same game, they could put up a lot of points.
Of course you can tell by Navy's 11-12 record in games against Division I teams, that has not happened a lot this season. And it would be asking a lot for it to happen against a team that plays defense the way Holy Cross does. Add in the extra motivation the Crusaders should have after losing at Bucknell and HC's huge edge in the frontcourt, and an upset seemes even more unlikely.
Should HC need extra motivation, it can look back two seasons to when Bucknell lost at American, then followed it with a loss at Navy, two setbacks that resulted in the Bison being forced to go on the road for the tournament final.
As the Crusaders know all too well, that scenario ended up working out OK for Bucknell. But HC would far prefer to sleep in its own beds throughout the playoffs. With senior leaders like Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, don't expect the Crusaders to lose focus on the prize.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Sunday, February 11, 2007
and nobody sees it happen, would there be a game?
(includes Sunday readaround bonus links)
Two teams who were expected to be contenders at the start of the season find themselves left to battle for a chance to host a first round game when American visits Colgate this afternoon.
The game (matchup) will be shown on ESPNU, which probably means nobody will see how empty Colgate's gym is, though there is always the possibility that Colgate students, seeking 15 seconds of fame and shamed by their student paper, will don face paint and full Raider regalia to masquerade as basketball fans.
There is a lot riding on this game. American is one game back of Colgate in the standings. An AU win would pull them even with the Raiders in the race for the fourth and final home spot in the playoffs, and would give the Eagles a tiebreaker edge by virtue of a season's sweep in the head-to-head matchup.
A Colgate win would give them a two-game leg up on the rest of the conference with three games to play. Since those three remaining games include Lehigh and a visit to Holy Cross, that cushion could be very important to the Raiders chances of hosting another game for their students to not attend.
BONUS LINKS:
Determined to succeed (Pat Doherty profile from the Scranton Times-Tribune)
Home Court (Jen Toland of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette looks at Ralph Willard's (and Bill Bibbons') better half)
CSTV's Kyle Whelliston wannabes visited Bucknell for Friday's Holy Cross game and say Sojka had the "highest decibel per fan level" encountered on their Hoops Odyssey. Because of their kind words about the Patriot League, we won't post comments on their sloppy dress or lack of a comb.
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(includes Sunday readaround bonus links)
Two teams who were expected to be contenders at the start of the season find themselves left to battle for a chance to host a first round game when American visits Colgate this afternoon.
The game (matchup) will be shown on ESPNU, which probably means nobody will see how empty Colgate's gym is, though there is always the possibility that Colgate students, seeking 15 seconds of fame and shamed by their student paper, will don face paint and full Raider regalia to masquerade as basketball fans.
There is a lot riding on this game. American is one game back of Colgate in the standings. An AU win would pull them even with the Raiders in the race for the fourth and final home spot in the playoffs, and would give the Eagles a tiebreaker edge by virtue of a season's sweep in the head-to-head matchup.
A Colgate win would give them a two-game leg up on the rest of the conference with three games to play. Since those three remaining games include Lehigh and a visit to Holy Cross, that cushion could be very important to the Raiders chances of hosting another game for their students to not attend.
BONUS LINKS:
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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 (matchup), 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 (matchup), 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.
Patriot League teams jockeying for tourney seeds (Friday's Morning Call)
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The biggest of the two has Army visiting Lehigh (matchup), 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 (matchup), 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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Friday, February 09, 2007
Here I am again right where I know I shouldn't be
I've been caught inside this trap too many times
I must've walked these steps and said these words a thousand times before
It seems like I know everybody's lines.
The whole league is better. It's not just Bucknell and Holy Cross anymore. Yeah, right.
That's what everybody tried to tell us back in November, when the whole league was 0-0 and tied in the standings. They kept it up throughout December, when teams like Army and Navy raced out to impressive records that had all the credibility of a house of cards. When Bucknell started out 0-4, and Holy Cross followed with a four-game losing streak of its own during a 2-5 month of December, it was hard not to wonder if it was true.
So why is it that David Bromberg song keeps running through my head on this fine, frigid February morning?
The answer to that one is pretty obvious. If you need a hint, click here.
Yes, there is more parity in the Patriot League. The bottom of the league is definitely better. Army is vastly improved. Navy is better. Lafayette is a slightly different story, but now that he has scholarships, give Fran O'Hanlon a recruiting class of two and they will get better in a hurry.
But the middle of the league is still the middle. Colgate remains an enigma, a team seemingly full of under performing talent and a coach that would be on the hot seat if there enough fans interested in the team to generate some heat and any media covering the team to write about it.
American is once again a talented roster -- this year you can even add the adjective "experienced" to that description -- that seems to lack chemistry and the mental toughness it takes to win close games.
Lehigh is still there in third, telling everybody it can win the league, but once again lacking the necessary big man to back those boasts (a caveat: if Jason Mgebroff is able to come back and play at the level he was at before being hurt in December, the Mountain Hawks could be a very different team down the stretch).
Which leaves us where we have been the last two seasons, getting set for another matchup between the Bison and the Crusaders with league championship implications.
Winning this game all but clinches the homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs for Holy Cross. Mathematically, a two-game lead with three to play is not insurmountable. Realistically, though, Bucknell has a better chance of the Easter bunny bringing them a championship than it has of Holy Cross losing all three down the stretch. Since Easter does not come until April 8, it seems they'd best take matters in their own hands tonight.
Even if Bucknell wins, Holy Cross is still in the driver's seat thanks to the RPI tiebreaker, which would kick in if both teams finish 13-1. The Crusaders are far enough ahead of Bucknell in those rankings to have a lock on the higher number under that scenario. But HC still has to run a three-game gauntlet that includes suddenly dangerous Colgate and a trip to Bethlehem to face a Lehigh team that likely will have Mgrebroff back by then.
In other words, win here and Bucknell's beacon of hope still flickers.
That would seem to mean all the pressure is on Bucknell. It's not.
Holy Cross is chasing history, and haunted by it a little, too. The Crusaders are trying to become just the second team in 17 seasons of Patriot League play to run the conference table. To do it, they need to win tonight in Sojka Pavilion, something nobody on the current roster has done, something nobody in the league has done in Bucknell's last 31 home games.
There is also the pressure of the Crusaders' 12-game win streak, the second longest in the nation (behind Florida's 15).
Of course all the talk about pressure probably will mean very little when the two teams take the floor, unless you mean the defensive pressure both will look to apply. The two teams come in ranked 1-2 in scoring defense, with Holy Cross less than a point per game better in that category.
Bucknell will be without Donald Brown, who remains out with a broken hand suffered at Colgate. The Bison have gone 2-0 in his absence.
While they certainly will miss the presence of their leading scorer and the league's top rebounder, Darren Mastropaolo, who started on both of the Bison's NCAA Tournament teams, is a more than capable fill in.
For Bucknell, the keys to this one are pretty simple. On offense, they need to knock down some shots from the perimeter to keep Holy Cross from ganging up on Chris McNaughton in the paint. Abe Badmus did not score a point when HC beat the Bison in Worcester earlier this season. If that happens again, Bucknell will be in trouble.
On defense, they have to keep Torey Thomas and Keith Simmons away from the basket. Easier said than done. Guard penetration killed the Bison in the first game, not just in terms of scoring, but also by getting Brown and McNaughton into foul trouble. McNaughton only played 22 minutes, and scored only 4 points, in Worcester. Bucknell needs a lot more from him tonight.
Holy Cross won't make that easy. The Crusaders big men are strong inside defenders and they will get a lot of help from the guards. Simmons and Thomas both have the kind of jet pack quickness that allows them to dig down and still recover when the ball is kicked out.
A big (pardon the pun) key for the Crusaders will be center Tim Clifford. Like McNaughton, Clifford was in early foul trouble in the first game, going scoreless in just 9 minutes before the intermission. In the second half he went 5 for 6 from the field and pulled won 6 of his team-high 8 rebounds. If he plays like that the whole game tonight, it could be a long night for Bucknell.
For those who doubt how big this rivalry has become, here are a few factoids lifted straight from Bucknell's game notes:
Matchup | Bucknell notes | HC notes | AP | Telegram & Gazette | Boston Herald | College Hoops Net
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I've been caught inside this trap too many times
I must've walked these steps and said these words a thousand times before
It seems like I know everybody's lines.
-- David Bromberg
The whole league is better. It's not just Bucknell and Holy Cross anymore. Yeah, right.
That's what everybody tried to tell us back in November, when the whole league was 0-0 and tied in the standings. They kept it up throughout December, when teams like Army and Navy raced out to impressive records that had all the credibility of a house of cards. When Bucknell started out 0-4, and Holy Cross followed with a four-game losing streak of its own during a 2-5 month of December, it was hard not to wonder if it was true.
So why is it that David Bromberg song keeps running through my head on this fine, frigid February morning?
The answer to that one is pretty obvious. If you need a hint, click here.
Yes, there is more parity in the Patriot League. The bottom of the league is definitely better. Army is vastly improved. Navy is better. Lafayette is a slightly different story, but now that he has scholarships, give Fran O'Hanlon a recruiting class of two and they will get better in a hurry.
But the middle of the league is still the middle. Colgate remains an enigma, a team seemingly full of under performing talent and a coach that would be on the hot seat if there enough fans interested in the team to generate some heat and any media covering the team to write about it.
American is once again a talented roster -- this year you can even add the adjective "experienced" to that description -- that seems to lack chemistry and the mental toughness it takes to win close games.
Lehigh is still there in third, telling everybody it can win the league, but once again lacking the necessary big man to back those boasts (a caveat: if Jason Mgebroff is able to come back and play at the level he was at before being hurt in December, the Mountain Hawks could be a very different team down the stretch).
Which leaves us where we have been the last two seasons, getting set for another matchup between the Bison and the Crusaders with league championship implications.
Winning this game all but clinches the homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs for Holy Cross. Mathematically, a two-game lead with three to play is not insurmountable. Realistically, though, Bucknell has a better chance of the Easter bunny bringing them a championship than it has of Holy Cross losing all three down the stretch. Since Easter does not come until April 8, it seems they'd best take matters in their own hands tonight.
Even if Bucknell wins, Holy Cross is still in the driver's seat thanks to the RPI tiebreaker, which would kick in if both teams finish 13-1. The Crusaders are far enough ahead of Bucknell in those rankings to have a lock on the higher number under that scenario. But HC still has to run a three-game gauntlet that includes suddenly dangerous Colgate and a trip to Bethlehem to face a Lehigh team that likely will have Mgrebroff back by then.
In other words, win here and Bucknell's beacon of hope still flickers.
That would seem to mean all the pressure is on Bucknell. It's not.
Holy Cross is chasing history, and haunted by it a little, too. The Crusaders are trying to become just the second team in 17 seasons of Patriot League play to run the conference table. To do it, they need to win tonight in Sojka Pavilion, something nobody on the current roster has done, something nobody in the league has done in Bucknell's last 31 home games.
There is also the pressure of the Crusaders' 12-game win streak, the second longest in the nation (behind Florida's 15).
Of course all the talk about pressure probably will mean very little when the two teams take the floor, unless you mean the defensive pressure both will look to apply. The two teams come in ranked 1-2 in scoring defense, with Holy Cross less than a point per game better in that category.
Bucknell will be without Donald Brown, who remains out with a broken hand suffered at Colgate. The Bison have gone 2-0 in his absence.
While they certainly will miss the presence of their leading scorer and the league's top rebounder, Darren Mastropaolo, who started on both of the Bison's NCAA Tournament teams, is a more than capable fill in.
For Bucknell, the keys to this one are pretty simple. On offense, they need to knock down some shots from the perimeter to keep Holy Cross from ganging up on Chris McNaughton in the paint. Abe Badmus did not score a point when HC beat the Bison in Worcester earlier this season. If that happens again, Bucknell will be in trouble.
On defense, they have to keep Torey Thomas and Keith Simmons away from the basket. Easier said than done. Guard penetration killed the Bison in the first game, not just in terms of scoring, but also by getting Brown and McNaughton into foul trouble. McNaughton only played 22 minutes, and scored only 4 points, in Worcester. Bucknell needs a lot more from him tonight.
Holy Cross won't make that easy. The Crusaders big men are strong inside defenders and they will get a lot of help from the guards. Simmons and Thomas both have the kind of jet pack quickness that allows them to dig down and still recover when the ball is kicked out.
A big (pardon the pun) key for the Crusaders will be center Tim Clifford. Like McNaughton, Clifford was in early foul trouble in the first game, going scoreless in just 9 minutes before the intermission. In the second half he went 5 for 6 from the field and pulled won 6 of his team-high 8 rebounds. If he plays like that the whole game tonight, it could be a long night for Bucknell.
For those who doubt how big this rivalry has become, here are a few factoids lifted straight from Bucknell's game notes:
Game time is 7 p.m. on ESPNU and Sirius 107.The Bison and Crusaders have combined to win five of the last six Patriot League titles, and they are the only two league teams to have won in the postseason (Bucknell in the 2005 and 2006 NCAA Tournaments, Holy Cross in the 2005 NIT). These two teams have met 10 times in 16 Patriot League Tournaments, including three times in the championship game. Bucknell defeated Holy Cross in the 2005 and 2006 title tilts, while the Crusders topped the Bison in the final in 1993. Excluding games against each other, Bucknell and Holy Cross are a combined 71-3 against the rest of the Patriot League since the start of the 2004-05 season. The Bison have not lost to a PL team other than the Crusaders since Jan. 30, 2005 at Navy. The Bison and Crusaders had never met until the formation of the Patriot League in 1990-91, but in 16 years since then they have clashed 43 times, an average of 2.6 meetings per year. Bucknell had won four straight and six of the last seven in the series before Holy Cross ended that streak with a 65-60 win at the Hart Center earlier this season. Bucknell now leads the series 24-19. Bucknell is 11-7 against Holy Cross in Lewisburg, including 4-1 at Sojka Pavilion.
Matchup | Bucknell notes | HC notes | AP | Telegram & Gazette | Boston Herald | College Hoops Net
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Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Lehigh looks to keep its lock on third when it hosts Navy, while Colgate could take over the lead in the race for the fourth and final first round home game when it visits Lafayette.
The Mountain Hawks open a two-game service academies homestand against the Midshipmen (matchup) needing to keep winning to have any shot of more than one home game in the playoffs. At 5-3 in the league, Lehigh pins its hopes of moving up to one of the top two seeds on the fact that it closes the regular season at home against second-place Bucknell and league-leading Holy Cross. Lehigh has good reason to be optimistic. The Hawks are 8-1 in Stabler this season, the lone loss coming on a disputed call in the final seconds.
Navy comes in riding a five-game losing streak, falling below .500 on the season with Saturday's home loss against Bucknell. Navy's upset hopes ride on their three-point shooting. That does not bode well against the Mountain Hawks, who are one of the league's top defensive sides, in Stabler, one of the toughest places to shoot in the league.
Mids dealing with growing pains (Examiner)
Colgate at Lafayette (matchup): In the crazy, mixed-up world that is the bottom half of the Patriot League, this battle between 5-14 Colgate and 8-15 Lafayette actually is a pretty important game. Somebody among a group of five teams currently below .500 in league play is actually goiung to have its mediocrity rewarded with a first round home game in the playoffs.
Lafayette could do itself, and the rest of the league, a huge favor by knocking off Colgate. Nobody, with the possible exception of Colgate's own players, wants to go to Hamilton if they can avoid it. Yet despite being absolutely horrible most of the season, the Raiders (3-6 in the league) could take the lead in the race for that final host spot with a win here.
On the other hand, Lafayette (2-6 Patriot) could make it a four-team logjam if it can join the three conference wins club tonight in Kirby. That is certainly a realistic possibility. The Leopards already own a 71-65 road win over Colgate.
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The Mountain Hawks open a two-game service academies homestand against the Midshipmen (matchup) needing to keep winning to have any shot of more than one home game in the playoffs. At 5-3 in the league, Lehigh pins its hopes of moving up to one of the top two seeds on the fact that it closes the regular season at home against second-place Bucknell and league-leading Holy Cross. Lehigh has good reason to be optimistic. The Hawks are 8-1 in Stabler this season, the lone loss coming on a disputed call in the final seconds.
Navy comes in riding a five-game losing streak, falling below .500 on the season with Saturday's home loss against Bucknell. Navy's upset hopes ride on their three-point shooting. That does not bode well against the Mountain Hawks, who are one of the league's top defensive sides, in Stabler, one of the toughest places to shoot in the league.
Colgate at Lafayette (matchup): In the crazy, mixed-up world that is the bottom half of the Patriot League, this battle between 5-14 Colgate and 8-15 Lafayette actually is a pretty important game. Somebody among a group of five teams currently below .500 in league play is actually goiung to have its mediocrity rewarded with a first round home game in the playoffs.
Lafayette could do itself, and the rest of the league, a huge favor by knocking off Colgate. Nobody, with the possible exception of Colgate's own players, wants to go to Hamilton if they can avoid it. Yet despite being absolutely horrible most of the season, the Raiders (3-6 in the league) could take the lead in the race for that final host spot with a win here.
On the other hand, Lafayette (2-6 Patriot) could make it a four-team logjam if it can join the three conference wins club tonight in Kirby. That is certainly a realistic possibility. The Leopards already own a 71-65 road win over Colgate.
Labels: CU, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Everybody is talking about Friday's Holy Cross-Bucknell rematch, but first they both have to get by tough road opponents tonight.
It's a classic trap situation for both teams. Both are coming off emotional wins Saturday -- Holy Cross's winter homecoming thrashing of Lafayette and Bucknell's big win at Navy in its first game without senior leader Donald Brown -- and headed into a game with potential league championship implications. But if either lets down, or if looks past tonight to even sneak a peek at the other, Friday's ESPNU matchup could end up taking on a very different context.
Holy Cross throttled Army when they met in Worcester back on Jan. 10, winning by 24 points. It would be understandable if a bunch of 20-year-old kids would take Army lightly in the rematch (matchup). It could also be fatal to HC's championship dreams. The Black Knights are a very different team in West Point, where they are 9-2 on the season.
Ralph Willard knows the danger. In 2002, his team went into West Point one game before a big showdown with American and came out with a loss that eventually forced it to go on the road for the league final against AU. All worked out in the end for the Crusaders, who won the second of its three titles under Willard by beating the Eagles in Bender. But nobody wants to have to win the championship final on someone else's floor.
No need to harken back to that 2002 slip-up to make the point about needing to stay focused in a tough road game in an empty gym. Willard can simply remind his team what happened two weeks ago in its last trip to New York, when they needed a Keith Simmons three-pointer at the end of the game to get past Colgate.
Bucknell faces a similar challenge at American (matchup). The Bison didn't win by a big margin when the two met in Lewisburg, but they did win pretty convincingly.
The Bison were dominant inside, but allowed Au to knock down 7 threes in the second half to keep it close. If the Eagles are able to shoot like that at home tonight, it could be a very long night for Bucknell.
Bucknell's defense has improved considerably since the two met back on Jan. 10. We'll see how much it has improved tonight.
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It's a classic trap situation for both teams. Both are coming off emotional wins Saturday -- Holy Cross's winter homecoming thrashing of Lafayette and Bucknell's big win at Navy in its first game without senior leader Donald Brown -- and headed into a game with potential league championship implications. But if either lets down, or if looks past tonight to even sneak a peek at the other, Friday's ESPNU matchup could end up taking on a very different context.
Holy Cross throttled Army when they met in Worcester back on Jan. 10, winning by 24 points. It would be understandable if a bunch of 20-year-old kids would take Army lightly in the rematch (matchup). It could also be fatal to HC's championship dreams. The Black Knights are a very different team in West Point, where they are 9-2 on the season.
Ralph Willard knows the danger. In 2002, his team went into West Point one game before a big showdown with American and came out with a loss that eventually forced it to go on the road for the league final against AU. All worked out in the end for the Crusaders, who won the second of its three titles under Willard by beating the Eagles in Bender. But nobody wants to have to win the championship final on someone else's floor.
No need to harken back to that 2002 slip-up to make the point about needing to stay focused in a tough road game in an empty gym. Willard can simply remind his team what happened two weeks ago in its last trip to New York, when they needed a Keith Simmons three-pointer at the end of the game to get past Colgate.
Bucknell faces a similar challenge at American (matchup). The Bison didn't win by a big margin when the two met in Lewisburg, but they did win pretty convincingly.
The Bison were dominant inside, but allowed Au to knock down 7 threes in the second half to keep it close. If the Eagles are able to shoot like that at home tonight, it could be a very long night for Bucknell.
Bucknell's defense has improved considerably since the two met back on Jan. 10. We'll see how much it has improved tonight.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, HC, previews
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Saturday, February 03, 2007
Holy Cross tries to stay on top while the rest of the league jostles for playoff position in a trio of games today.
The biggest game of the day takes place in the nation's capital, where Lehigh (9-14 overall, 4-3 Patriot) takes on host American (11-10, 3-4) (matchup) in a game (7:30 p.m., Sirius 181) that is close to a must win for the Eagles if they hope to host a first round game in the postseason playoffs.
Lehigh is not mathematically eliminated from the regular season championship, but they are realistically out of contention. Second-place, and the possibility of two home playoff games, is still within the Mountain Hawks grasp. If they can beat the two teams ahead of them in the standings (Holy Cross and Bucknell) at home, and HC beats the Bison in Lewisburg, Lehigh would have a tiebreaker edge (the win over HC) over the Bison should both win out.
For that to happen, though, Lehigh needs to win on the road, something it has done just once in 11 games. It won't be easy in bender, where American's only loss this season came in overtime to Holy Cross.
Senior center Jason Mgebroff out since mid-December with a stress fracture in a leg, has returned to Lehigh's practice, but is unlikely to be available tonight. The Hawks got by without him in Stabler -- barely -- pulling out a 51-49 win on a Phil Andersen putback with less than three seconds to play.
American shot 26.1 percent in that game. Lehigh's seven-foot sophomore John Gourlay scored 10 points. Don't expect either performance to be repeated.
Examiner preview
Lafayette at Holy Cross (matchup) -- The Crusaders, riding a nine-game win streak, are unbeaten in conference play heading into this evening's sold-out Hart Center rematch with Lafayette. Their first league win came in Easton over Lafayette in a game that was still in question late in the second half.
It should not have been. But after building a 15-point lead, the Crusaders exhaled, allowing the hot-shooting Leopards to make a game of it down the stretch. It took HC 84 points to put away Lafayette, an uncharacteristic showing for Ralph Willard's defense first club. That's the most HC scored all season and around 20 more than it has averaged in six other league wins.
The way Lafayette shot the ball (56.8 percent from the field) against the 'Saders zone, it needed nearly all those points to escape with the W.
With Pat Doherty having since returned from his broken hand, HC probably could muster even more offense if need be. But expect a different style at Hart, where Holy Cross is 8-0 this season. Lafayette's only road conference win came at Colgate. They will need to repeat their 56.8 percent shooting to stay in the game in Worcester, something that is highly unlikely.
Colgate at Army (matchup) -- The Raiders won in overtime the first meeting in Hamilton. It won't be easy to repeat that feat in Christl Arena, where the Black Knights are 9-1 this season.
Army (13-9, 3-4) needs a win to stay in the mix for a home playoff game. Colgate (7-13, 2-5) needs a win to try to get into that mix.
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The biggest game of the day takes place in the nation's capital, where Lehigh (9-14 overall, 4-3 Patriot) takes on host American (11-10, 3-4) (matchup) in a game (7:30 p.m., Sirius 181) that is close to a must win for the Eagles if they hope to host a first round game in the postseason playoffs.
Lehigh is not mathematically eliminated from the regular season championship, but they are realistically out of contention. Second-place, and the possibility of two home playoff games, is still within the Mountain Hawks grasp. If they can beat the two teams ahead of them in the standings (Holy Cross and Bucknell) at home, and HC beats the Bison in Lewisburg, Lehigh would have a tiebreaker edge (the win over HC) over the Bison should both win out.
For that to happen, though, Lehigh needs to win on the road, something it has done just once in 11 games. It won't be easy in bender, where American's only loss this season came in overtime to Holy Cross.
Senior center Jason Mgebroff out since mid-December with a stress fracture in a leg, has returned to Lehigh's practice, but is unlikely to be available tonight. The Hawks got by without him in Stabler -- barely -- pulling out a 51-49 win on a Phil Andersen putback with less than three seconds to play.
American shot 26.1 percent in that game. Lehigh's seven-foot sophomore John Gourlay scored 10 points. Don't expect either performance to be repeated.
Examiner preview
Lafayette at Holy Cross (matchup) -- The Crusaders, riding a nine-game win streak, are unbeaten in conference play heading into this evening's sold-out Hart Center rematch with Lafayette. Their first league win came in Easton over Lafayette in a game that was still in question late in the second half.
It should not have been. But after building a 15-point lead, the Crusaders exhaled, allowing the hot-shooting Leopards to make a game of it down the stretch. It took HC 84 points to put away Lafayette, an uncharacteristic showing for Ralph Willard's defense first club. That's the most HC scored all season and around 20 more than it has averaged in six other league wins.
The way Lafayette shot the ball (56.8 percent from the field) against the 'Saders zone, it needed nearly all those points to escape with the W.
With Pat Doherty having since returned from his broken hand, HC probably could muster even more offense if need be. But expect a different style at Hart, where Holy Cross is 8-0 this season. Lafayette's only road conference win came at Colgate. They will need to repeat their 56.8 percent shooting to stay in the game in Worcester, something that is highly unlikely.
Colgate at Army (matchup) -- The Raiders won in overtime the first meeting in Hamilton. It won't be easy to repeat that feat in Christl Arena, where the Black Knights are 9-1 this season.
Army (13-9, 3-4) needs a win to stay in the mix for a home playoff game. Colgate (7-13, 2-5) needs a win to try to get into that mix.
Labels: Army, AU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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Friday, February 02, 2007
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 (matchup) (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.
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Bonus link: Tom Housenick's college hoops column (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 (matchup) (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.
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Bonus link: Tom Housenick's college hoops column (Daily Item)
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
There are two things Bucknell can count on when they meet Colgate tonight in Hamilton: (matchup) Snow and a small crowd.
A week ago we'd have added Colgate shooting poorly to that list. That was before the Raiders surprised the heck out of everybody by knocking down 53.7 percent of their on the road at Navy.
Odds still favor an off night. That was the only game (against a Division I foe) Colgate shot over 50 percent since Dec. 2. It's a feat they have accomplished just four times all season. It seems far more likely Colgate will shoot under 40 percent, something they have done in 9 of their past 13 games.
Even after the outburst at Navy, the Raiders remain the league's worst offensive team (last in scoring and field goal percentage).
That does not bode well against Bucknell, which is the league's top defense (first in scoring and field goal percentage defense.)
These two just played 10 days ago in Lewisburg, with Bucknell holding Colgate to 36 points in a 50-36 win.
A week ago you'd also have said you could count on Bucknell getting little, if any, offensive production from point guard Abe Badmus. But Badmus broke out of a season-long slump in two games last week, suddenly finding both range and confidence in his jumper. Badmus hit a pair (out of four) of three-pointers against Lehigh and followed that with a three for three at the arc night against Army. When that happens, Bucknell becomes a very scary offensive team.
If the Bison get production on the perimeter, it makes it even harder to stop Donald Brown and Chris McNaughton inside.
Despite all the factors that seem to point to Bucknell, the Bison still need to be sure to avoid the Hamilton trap. (Read Ralph Willard's thoughts on Hamilton -- scroll down to his Jan. 25 entry). Just ask Holy Cross, which needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds to go to pull out a 58-55 win at Colgate last week.
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A week ago we'd have added Colgate shooting poorly to that list. That was before the Raiders surprised the heck out of everybody by knocking down 53.7 percent of their on the road at Navy.
Odds still favor an off night. That was the only game (against a Division I foe) Colgate shot over 50 percent since Dec. 2. It's a feat they have accomplished just four times all season. It seems far more likely Colgate will shoot under 40 percent, something they have done in 9 of their past 13 games.
Even after the outburst at Navy, the Raiders remain the league's worst offensive team (last in scoring and field goal percentage).
That does not bode well against Bucknell, which is the league's top defense (first in scoring and field goal percentage defense.)
These two just played 10 days ago in Lewisburg, with Bucknell holding Colgate to 36 points in a 50-36 win.
A week ago you'd also have said you could count on Bucknell getting little, if any, offensive production from point guard Abe Badmus. But Badmus broke out of a season-long slump in two games last week, suddenly finding both range and confidence in his jumper. Badmus hit a pair (out of four) of three-pointers against Lehigh and followed that with a three for three at the arc night against Army. When that happens, Bucknell becomes a very scary offensive team.
If the Bison get production on the perimeter, it makes it even harder to stop Donald Brown and Chris McNaughton inside.
Despite all the factors that seem to point to Bucknell, the Bison still need to be sure to avoid the Hamilton trap. (Read Ralph Willard's thoughts on Hamilton -- scroll down to his Jan. 25 entry). Just ask Holy Cross, which needed a Keith Simmons three with 20 seconds to go to pull out a 58-55 win at Colgate last week.
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
After a few weeks of ties up and down the Patriot League standings, things will shake out a little today.
For the first time all season, somebody will be alone at the bottom. Last place will be decided in Annapolis, where Navy hosts Colgate in a battle of 1-5 teams (matchup). Meanwhile, American visits Lafayette in a matchup of a pair of 2-4 clubs (matchup).
The winner of the AU-LC game could find itself suddenly tied for the all-important fourth spot in the standings, pending the outcome of tonight's Army at Bucknell matchup. A Bucknell win would leave Army tied with that AU-LC winner for the number four spot -- a spot magnified in importance this season by the league's higher seed homecourt playoffs system that has replaced the league's post-season tournament to determine the conference championship and what will likely be just one bid to the NCAA Tournament.
That Army-Bucknell game is the spotlight contest of the day. Army, coming off a loss at Lafayette on Wednesday after three-straight wins in West Point, needs bounce-back win to stay above .500 and even with Lehigh for third place in the standings. A loss and suddenly, despite their strong start in conference play, the Black Knights are back to battling just to stay out of the second division.
For Bucknell, the story is pretty simple. Win their 31st straight home conference game and keep pace one game behind Holy Cross, which has yet to visit Sojka this season.
In Easton, Lafayette will look to shoot its way past an American team that looked like a contender early in the season, but found itself needing a win over Navy Wednesday to stay out of the cellar. Conventional wisdom would tell you American's big, deep frontcourt should be a tremendous edge for the Eagles. But aside from up and down Brayden Billbe, production from those big guys have been mediocre at best.
If Lafayette can lure AU's gunners into a shootout, it could be another long bus ride home for American, which is 0-3 on the road in league play.
In Annapolis, Billy Lange's young Midshipmen badly need a win to stem the bleeding. After a promising 9-3 start, Navy has dropped 7 of its last 9, including its last three. Colgate, which has lost five straight and eight of its last 9, could be the first aid Navy needs. The Raiders rank 314th (out of 325) nationally in scoring and 294th in field goal percentage (40.3 percent).
Of course Bavy is just above Colgate in the league rankings for field goal percentage (41.5 percent, 263 nationally). Two areas where Navy has a big edge are at the foul line and behind the arc. Navy ranks 9th nationally in free throw percentage (76.1 percent, tops in the league); Colgate is last in the league at 69.5 percent (140 nationally). Navy is second in the league and No. 25 in the nation in three-pointers per game (8.4 per); Colgate is last in the league and 316 out of 325 nationally with 4.2 per game.
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For the first time all season, somebody will be alone at the bottom. Last place will be decided in Annapolis, where Navy hosts Colgate in a battle of 1-5 teams (matchup). Meanwhile, American visits Lafayette in a matchup of a pair of 2-4 clubs (matchup).
The winner of the AU-LC game could find itself suddenly tied for the all-important fourth spot in the standings, pending the outcome of tonight's Army at Bucknell matchup. A Bucknell win would leave Army tied with that AU-LC winner for the number four spot -- a spot magnified in importance this season by the league's higher seed homecourt playoffs system that has replaced the league's post-season tournament to determine the conference championship and what will likely be just one bid to the NCAA Tournament.
That Army-Bucknell game is the spotlight contest of the day. Army, coming off a loss at Lafayette on Wednesday after three-straight wins in West Point, needs bounce-back win to stay above .500 and even with Lehigh for third place in the standings. A loss and suddenly, despite their strong start in conference play, the Black Knights are back to battling just to stay out of the second division.
For Bucknell, the story is pretty simple. Win their 31st straight home conference game and keep pace one game behind Holy Cross, which has yet to visit Sojka this season.
In Easton, Lafayette will look to shoot its way past an American team that looked like a contender early in the season, but found itself needing a win over Navy Wednesday to stay out of the cellar. Conventional wisdom would tell you American's big, deep frontcourt should be a tremendous edge for the Eagles. But aside from up and down Brayden Billbe, production from those big guys have been mediocre at best.
If Lafayette can lure AU's gunners into a shootout, it could be another long bus ride home for American, which is 0-3 on the road in league play.
In Annapolis, Billy Lange's young Midshipmen badly need a win to stem the bleeding. After a promising 9-3 start, Navy has dropped 7 of its last 9, including its last three. Colgate, which has lost five straight and eight of its last 9, could be the first aid Navy needs. The Raiders rank 314th (out of 325) nationally in scoring and 294th in field goal percentage (40.3 percent).
Of course Bavy is just above Colgate in the league rankings for field goal percentage (41.5 percent, 263 nationally). Two areas where Navy has a big edge are at the foul line and behind the arc. Navy ranks 9th nationally in free throw percentage (76.1 percent, tops in the league); Colgate is last in the league at 69.5 percent (140 nationally). Navy is second in the league and No. 25 in the nation in three-pointers per game (8.4 per); Colgate is last in the league and 316 out of 325 nationally with 4.2 per game.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, Laf, Navy, previews
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Friday, January 26, 2007
Remember Bill Raynor and Sal Mentesana? Raynor coached at Holy Cross prior to Ralph Willard. Mentesana was Billy Taylor's predecessor at Lehigh.
Raynor is still coaching hoops; he heads the program at someplace called Mass bay Community College. Mentesana is on the side of a milk carton, at least as far as a quick Google on his name is concerned.
Sal was a clothes horse, better known for his success in those best dressed coaches playoffs than the success of his teams at Lehigh. Likewise, there is a reason Raynor is now coaching at a community college. Raynor took over for George Blaney and after two winning seasons, went into a three-straight losing seasons spiral that ended with his firing. Mentesana took over a horrible program at Lehigh and arguably made it worse, barely winning 25 percent of his games in six seasons.
You might wonder: Why the history lesson? What does this have to do with tonight's Lehigh at Holy Cross game? (9 p.m., ESPNU -- Harrisburg area fans can catch it at Damon's off I-81 at Progress Ave.)
Good question. Simple answer: just to give you a little perspective on how this series has gone over the years, especially in games played in Worcester. Over the years, these two have met 21 times in the Hart Center. Lehigh has won but three of those 21 games.
Raynor and Mentesana? They were the coaches the last time Lehigh won in Worcester. That was back in the 1997-98 seasons. Lehigh's Mountain Hawk mascot was still in diapers Want more perspective? Lehigh senior Jose Olivero and Holy Cross senior Keith Simmons would have been in seventh grade the last time the Mountain Hawks won there.
Since then, Holy Cross has won 10 in a row over Lehigh in Worcester, including tournament wins there the last two seasons. That underscores the importance of this game from Lehigh's perspective. With two league losses already, for Lehigh to have a realistic chance of gaining the regular season title and the homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, they must win tonight.
Win here, and win out -- not totally unrealistic since Lehigh will have the two teams it has lost to, Army and Bucknell, and Holy Cross all at home in Stabler Arena in the second half of the conference schedule. The Mountain Hawks have lost just once in Stabler this season, and that came at the last second on a disputed call. Add the expected return of center Jason Mgebroff and Lehigh's second half prospects look even brighter.
Lose here, and the Mountain Hawks almost certainly will need a lot of help to get to the top of the Patriot League heap. Even if it holds serve in Stabler the second go-round, three losses would mean they need two others to knock off Holy Cross. Realistically, one of those two could come when Holy Cross is at Bucknell. But that would mean Lehigh needs somebody else to beat the Bison.
Sure there is a strong possibility, maybe even a probability, that one of the top two will stumble elsewhere on the road - just look how tough it was for Holy Cross to get past the gang-that-can't-shoot-straight in Hamilton Tuesday night. But the Mountain Hawks are no lock on the road, either. They already lost at Army and have just one win outside of Stabler all season.
While we are dealing in reality here, we should probably mention that breaking that 10-game losing streak in Worcester tonight might not be impossible, but no sane person would put money on the Hawks without being spotted significant points.
With Mgebroff out, the formula for beating Lehigh is pretty obvious. Cut off the headband and the body dies too. Bucknell was the latest team to shut down Jose Olivero, holding him to 9 points Tuesday night. It was the fourth time Olivero has been held below double figures this season. The Hawks are 0-4 in those games.
Marquis Hall is having a splendid freshman season, but he is not the kind of guy who can carry a team. Not yet, anyhow. Kyle Neptune is also capable of putting up nice numbers. But Olivero is the engine that drives the Lehigh machine, and without Mgebroff's inside presence, that is not enough -- not against teams with legitimate big men.
Skinny Phil Anderson has done a decent job playing out of position in Mgebroff's absence. But Anderson has struggled against teams with true centers, and Holy Cross' Tim Clifford is as true a center as there is in the league. Clifford might not be as quick as Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, but he is probably even more a nightmare matchup for Anderson, given his sheer size and strength.
Lehigh has a guy big enough to matchup with Clifford in 7-foot sophomore John Gourlay. But Gourlay is still very raw, and no match for Clifford. The over-under on Gourlay fouling out if he plays against Clifford is probably less than 10 minutes.
Holy Cross' depth up front does not stop with Clifford. Even if Clifford gets in foul trouble himself, sophomore Greg McCarthy and freshman Eric Meister both would still give the Crusaders and edge in the post.
That inside dominance will make it awfully tough for Olivero to get off -- especially against the Crusaders zone, which makes getting to the basket mighty tough. Olivero shoots just 30 percent from three-point range.
Lehigh's best hope probably lies in turning it into a low-scoring defensive struggle. If the Hawks can keep it close enough to have a shot at stealing it at the end, they could pull off the upset.
That is not beyond the realm of possibility. As well as Holy Cross has played, they have had a knack for letting folks either stick around, or get back into games. Three of HC's last four wins were by 5 points or less, including one in overtime -- the Saders' third OT win of the season.
Is an upset possible? Definitely. Is it likely? Probably not.
Matchup | Morning Call
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Raynor is still coaching hoops; he heads the program at someplace called Mass bay Community College. Mentesana is on the side of a milk carton, at least as far as a quick Google on his name is concerned.
Sal was a clothes horse, better known for his success in those best dressed coaches playoffs than the success of his teams at Lehigh. Likewise, there is a reason Raynor is now coaching at a community college. Raynor took over for George Blaney and after two winning seasons, went into a three-straight losing seasons spiral that ended with his firing. Mentesana took over a horrible program at Lehigh and arguably made it worse, barely winning 25 percent of his games in six seasons.
You might wonder: Why the history lesson? What does this have to do with tonight's Lehigh at Holy Cross game? (9 p.m., ESPNU -- Harrisburg area fans can catch it at Damon's off I-81 at Progress Ave.)
Good question. Simple answer: just to give you a little perspective on how this series has gone over the years, especially in games played in Worcester. Over the years, these two have met 21 times in the Hart Center. Lehigh has won but three of those 21 games.
Raynor and Mentesana? They were the coaches the last time Lehigh won in Worcester. That was back in the 1997-98 seasons. Lehigh's Mountain Hawk mascot was still in diapers Want more perspective? Lehigh senior Jose Olivero and Holy Cross senior Keith Simmons would have been in seventh grade the last time the Mountain Hawks won there.
Since then, Holy Cross has won 10 in a row over Lehigh in Worcester, including tournament wins there the last two seasons. That underscores the importance of this game from Lehigh's perspective. With two league losses already, for Lehigh to have a realistic chance of gaining the regular season title and the homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, they must win tonight.
Win here, and win out -- not totally unrealistic since Lehigh will have the two teams it has lost to, Army and Bucknell, and Holy Cross all at home in Stabler Arena in the second half of the conference schedule. The Mountain Hawks have lost just once in Stabler this season, and that came at the last second on a disputed call. Add the expected return of center Jason Mgebroff and Lehigh's second half prospects look even brighter.
Lose here, and the Mountain Hawks almost certainly will need a lot of help to get to the top of the Patriot League heap. Even if it holds serve in Stabler the second go-round, three losses would mean they need two others to knock off Holy Cross. Realistically, one of those two could come when Holy Cross is at Bucknell. But that would mean Lehigh needs somebody else to beat the Bison.
Sure there is a strong possibility, maybe even a probability, that one of the top two will stumble elsewhere on the road - just look how tough it was for Holy Cross to get past the gang-that-can't-shoot-straight in Hamilton Tuesday night. But the Mountain Hawks are no lock on the road, either. They already lost at Army and have just one win outside of Stabler all season.
While we are dealing in reality here, we should probably mention that breaking that 10-game losing streak in Worcester tonight might not be impossible, but no sane person would put money on the Hawks without being spotted significant points.
With Mgebroff out, the formula for beating Lehigh is pretty obvious. Cut off the headband and the body dies too. Bucknell was the latest team to shut down Jose Olivero, holding him to 9 points Tuesday night. It was the fourth time Olivero has been held below double figures this season. The Hawks are 0-4 in those games.
Marquis Hall is having a splendid freshman season, but he is not the kind of guy who can carry a team. Not yet, anyhow. Kyle Neptune is also capable of putting up nice numbers. But Olivero is the engine that drives the Lehigh machine, and without Mgebroff's inside presence, that is not enough -- not against teams with legitimate big men.
Skinny Phil Anderson has done a decent job playing out of position in Mgebroff's absence. But Anderson has struggled against teams with true centers, and Holy Cross' Tim Clifford is as true a center as there is in the league. Clifford might not be as quick as Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, but he is probably even more a nightmare matchup for Anderson, given his sheer size and strength.
Lehigh has a guy big enough to matchup with Clifford in 7-foot sophomore John Gourlay. But Gourlay is still very raw, and no match for Clifford. The over-under on Gourlay fouling out if he plays against Clifford is probably less than 10 minutes.
Holy Cross' depth up front does not stop with Clifford. Even if Clifford gets in foul trouble himself, sophomore Greg McCarthy and freshman Eric Meister both would still give the Crusaders and edge in the post.
That inside dominance will make it awfully tough for Olivero to get off -- especially against the Crusaders zone, which makes getting to the basket mighty tough. Olivero shoots just 30 percent from three-point range.
Lehigh's best hope probably lies in turning it into a low-scoring defensive struggle. If the Hawks can keep it close enough to have a shot at stealing it at the end, they could pull off the upset.
That is not beyond the realm of possibility. As well as Holy Cross has played, they have had a knack for letting folks either stick around, or get back into games. Three of HC's last four wins were by 5 points or less, including one in overtime -- the Saders' third OT win of the season.
Is an upset possible? Definitely. Is it likely? Probably not.
Matchup | Morning Call
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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 (matchup). 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 (matchup).
BONUS LINKS:
Morse keeps shooting (Centre Daily Times)
We knew Holy Cross star Torey Thomas when . . . (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 (matchup). 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 (matchup).
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: AU, Laf, Navy, previews
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Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The two teams currently tied for second in the league standings meet tonight in Lewisburg while the team they are chasing tries to avoid a trap in snowy Hamilton.
Most fans around the league, at least those who don't bleed Brown and Yellow, would probably tell you Bucknell is the favorite tonight against Lehigh (matchup) -- especially at home in Sojka Pavilion, where the Bison have won 29 straight league games.
Those Lehigh fans would ask, with good reason, why? Take a look at the league's team statistics. You'll have a tough time finding categories where Bucknell ranks ahead of the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh tops the league in scoring offense, field goal percentage and rebounding margin and ranks second in field goal percentage defense.
Bucknell is fourth in scoring defense, seventh in scoring offense, seventh in field goal percentage defense, seventh at both ends of the floor in three-point shooting.
So what makes the Bison the favorite? Bucknell fans might say those stats are skewed by the Bison's tough out of conference schedule. But guess what -- while it did not look as strong on paper prior to the start of the season, the strength of Lehigh's non-conference schedule ranks second in the league (No. 147 nationally), just behind Holy Cross (142). Bucknell (189) is third in the league in that category.
Still, until Lehigh beats Bucknell or Holy Cross on the road, it just is not going to get the respect of the rest of the league's followers. That has been the Mountain Hawks downfall in recent years. The Hawks have not won at Holy Cross since 1998. Their recent history at Bucknell is a little better. Lehigh spoiled the opening of Sojka Pavilion in 2003 with a 60-56 win. But that was the year before Bucknell began offering scholarships.
For Lehigh to move beyond the esoteric world of number crunchers and stats freak and gain mainstream respect as a legitimate contender, it needs to establish superiority of the floor, not the stats sheet. And it needs to win some games on the road.
Thus far that has been tough for the Mountain Hawks. While Lehigh is within a few seconds and a disputed call of being perfect in Stabler Arena, it is also just a win at Navy away from being winless outside of its own concrete shed.
They keys here are the usual ones for both teams. Bucknell needs to exploit what should be a big advantage close to the basket, especially with Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff still sidelined by a stress fracture in his leg. Mgebroff is expected to miss another two to three weeks.
In his stead, sophomore Phil Anderson has been a capable fill-in, but he has yet to face a frontline the quality of Bucknell's. If Chris McNaughton stays out of foul trouble -- anything but a given this season -- the trio of McNaughton, Donald Brown and Darren Mastropaolo give Bucknell a huge edge up front.
Lehigh needs to get Jose Olivero going. The Mountain Hawks leading scorer has been held to single digits three times this season, including two of Lehigh's last three road games. The Mountain Hawks are 0-3 when Olivero does not reach double figures.
Looking for a key matchup -- try the point, where Lehigh's super frosh Marquis Hall meets Bucknell senior Abe Badmus. Hall is averaging 10 ppg and comes in off a 24-point showing against Lafayette. Badmus is one of the league's top defenders when he stays out of foul trouble (like McNaughton, that has been a challenge). Badmus has never been a big offensive threat, but two of the three games in which he has scored 15 or more in his career have come against Lehigh.
Holy Cross at Colgate (matchup) -- Forget how bad Colgate has been shooting the ball. Forget the Raiders are last in the league and Holy Cross first. The temperature outside Cotterell Court will be in the mid-teens. The attendance inside won't be a whole lot higher. Neither will be the mathematical odds of Colgate winning this game, but therein lies the makings of a classic trap game.
The challenge for Holy Cross, which has had trouble staying focused through entire games, is more mental than physical. Coming off an OT win in front of a packed Bender Arena, heading into a big ESPNU matchup Friday with Lehigh, the Crusaders need to find a way to get themselves up for this one if they want to stay alone atop the standings.
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Most fans around the league, at least those who don't bleed Brown and Yellow, would probably tell you Bucknell is the favorite tonight against Lehigh (matchup) -- especially at home in Sojka Pavilion, where the Bison have won 29 straight league games.
Those Lehigh fans would ask, with good reason, why? Take a look at the league's team statistics. You'll have a tough time finding categories where Bucknell ranks ahead of the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh tops the league in scoring offense, field goal percentage and rebounding margin and ranks second in field goal percentage defense.
Bucknell is fourth in scoring defense, seventh in scoring offense, seventh in field goal percentage defense, seventh at both ends of the floor in three-point shooting.
So what makes the Bison the favorite? Bucknell fans might say those stats are skewed by the Bison's tough out of conference schedule. But guess what -- while it did not look as strong on paper prior to the start of the season, the strength of Lehigh's non-conference schedule ranks second in the league (No. 147 nationally), just behind Holy Cross (142). Bucknell (189) is third in the league in that category.
Still, until Lehigh beats Bucknell or Holy Cross on the road, it just is not going to get the respect of the rest of the league's followers. That has been the Mountain Hawks downfall in recent years. The Hawks have not won at Holy Cross since 1998. Their recent history at Bucknell is a little better. Lehigh spoiled the opening of Sojka Pavilion in 2003 with a 60-56 win. But that was the year before Bucknell began offering scholarships.
For Lehigh to move beyond the esoteric world of number crunchers and stats freak and gain mainstream respect as a legitimate contender, it needs to establish superiority of the floor, not the stats sheet. And it needs to win some games on the road.
Thus far that has been tough for the Mountain Hawks. While Lehigh is within a few seconds and a disputed call of being perfect in Stabler Arena, it is also just a win at Navy away from being winless outside of its own concrete shed.
They keys here are the usual ones for both teams. Bucknell needs to exploit what should be a big advantage close to the basket, especially with Lehigh's Jason Mgebroff still sidelined by a stress fracture in his leg. Mgebroff is expected to miss another two to three weeks.
In his stead, sophomore Phil Anderson has been a capable fill-in, but he has yet to face a frontline the quality of Bucknell's. If Chris McNaughton stays out of foul trouble -- anything but a given this season -- the trio of McNaughton, Donald Brown and Darren Mastropaolo give Bucknell a huge edge up front.
Lehigh needs to get Jose Olivero going. The Mountain Hawks leading scorer has been held to single digits three times this season, including two of Lehigh's last three road games. The Mountain Hawks are 0-3 when Olivero does not reach double figures.
Looking for a key matchup -- try the point, where Lehigh's super frosh Marquis Hall meets Bucknell senior Abe Badmus. Hall is averaging 10 ppg and comes in off a 24-point showing against Lafayette. Badmus is one of the league's top defenders when he stays out of foul trouble (like McNaughton, that has been a challenge). Badmus has never been a big offensive threat, but two of the three games in which he has scored 15 or more in his career have come against Lehigh.
Holy Cross at Colgate (matchup) -- Forget how bad Colgate has been shooting the ball. Forget the Raiders are last in the league and Holy Cross first. The temperature outside Cotterell Court will be in the mid-teens. The attendance inside won't be a whole lot higher. Neither will be the mathematical odds of Colgate winning this game, but therein lies the makings of a classic trap game.
The challenge for Holy Cross, which has had trouble staying focused through entire games, is more mental than physical. Coming off an OT win in front of a packed Bender Arena, heading into a big ESPNU matchup Friday with Lehigh, the Crusaders need to find a way to get themselves up for this one if they want to stay alone atop the standings.
Labels: BU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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Sunday, January 21, 2007
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.
Matchup | Times Herald-Record | The Examiner
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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.
Matchup | Times Herald-Record | The Examiner
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Saturday, January 20, 2007
With Army-Navy on hold until Sunday, there are just three games on tap today, all involving matchups between the early season haves and early season have-nots.
Colgate at Bucknell ESPNU, Sirius 123 (matchup) -- Bucknell's 23-game league win streak came to an end last week in Worcester. Their 28-game streak of league wins at home is still intact.
Colgate is the worst shooting team in the league, barely hitting over 40 percent on the season (40.9). Normally you would not think of Sojka Pavilion as a good place for a team that shoots poorly to visit. But here is one of the most surprising stats of the season: Bucknell ranks next to last in the league in field goal percentage defense (44.3 percent).
The biggest concern for Bucknell is Colgate's Jon Simon, who went off for 28 points Wednesday at Lehigh. Simon's 8 three-pointers kept the Raiders in that game right to the end. The Bison have had a knack for letting teams hits enough threes to stick around.
Expect a few more folks cheering Colgate than normal. Raiders guard Willie Morse is from State College H.S., 45 minutes out Route 45 from Lewisburg. The State College H.S. team will take on Hazleton -- coached by Bucknell grad Mike Joseph -- in Sojka following the BU-CU game.
Holy Cross at American (matchup) -- Holy Cross returns to the road after a three-game homestand, looking to solidify its hold on first place. The Crusaders are on a roll, having won six in a row -- including a 4-0 start in league play -- and seven of their last eight.
American is hoping a return to Bender will stop the bleeding. After a 7-2 start, AU has gone 2-7 in its last 9 games, including a 1-3 start in league play. Despite their struggles, the Eagles are still 6-0 at home this season.
Two years ago, HC's Tim Clifford had his coming out party at Bender with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double in a short-notice first start after Nate Lufkin rolled an ankle at Navy two days earlier. Clifford followed that up with a 27-point effort against AU in Worcester last season that still stands as his career-high.
If Clifford is going to have a big scoring day against AU this afternoon, it probably will come at the free throw line. American has a boatload of frontcourt players and Jeff Jones will probably throw them all at Clifford in an effort to keep him in check.
What Jones doesn't have is anybody who can match up with Keith Simmons (who in the league does?). The best AU can hope for in the backcourt is to get enough scoring from Andre Ingram and Arvydas Eitutavicius to even Simmons out.
Lafayette at Lehigh (matchup) -- The league's highest scoring offense hosts the league's worst scoring defense in a meeting of the two archrivals from the Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh needs a win to keep pace with Bucknell for second place in the league standings. Lafayette is currently tied with Navy, American and Colgate for last place -- all at 1-3. Stabler Arena is not the place you want to visit needing a win. The Mountain Hawks are 7-1 at home and just a second or two and a questionable whistle from being unbeaten there.
In their own building, the Leopards have shown the ability to shoot enough threes to hang with two of the league's best. To get a win here, they will need to show they can do it on the road and that they can maintain it for 40 minutes -- something they were unable to do at home against HC and Bucknell.
Talk about Lehigh personnel usually starts with Jose Olivero. But Marquis Hall and Kyle Neptune are also three-point threats, capable of shredding Lafayette's zone from the perimeter if their shots are falling. Inside, Skinny Phil (Anderson) has scored in double figures three straight games and has the kind of matchup against Lafayette's undersized front line to do it a fourth time here.
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Colgate at Bucknell ESPNU, Sirius 123 (matchup) -- Bucknell's 23-game league win streak came to an end last week in Worcester. Their 28-game streak of league wins at home is still intact.
Colgate is the worst shooting team in the league, barely hitting over 40 percent on the season (40.9). Normally you would not think of Sojka Pavilion as a good place for a team that shoots poorly to visit. But here is one of the most surprising stats of the season: Bucknell ranks next to last in the league in field goal percentage defense (44.3 percent).
The biggest concern for Bucknell is Colgate's Jon Simon, who went off for 28 points Wednesday at Lehigh. Simon's 8 three-pointers kept the Raiders in that game right to the end. The Bison have had a knack for letting teams hits enough threes to stick around.
Expect a few more folks cheering Colgate than normal. Raiders guard Willie Morse is from State College H.S., 45 minutes out Route 45 from Lewisburg. The State College H.S. team will take on Hazleton -- coached by Bucknell grad Mike Joseph -- in Sojka following the BU-CU game.
Holy Cross at American (matchup) -- Holy Cross returns to the road after a three-game homestand, looking to solidify its hold on first place. The Crusaders are on a roll, having won six in a row -- including a 4-0 start in league play -- and seven of their last eight.
American is hoping a return to Bender will stop the bleeding. After a 7-2 start, AU has gone 2-7 in its last 9 games, including a 1-3 start in league play. Despite their struggles, the Eagles are still 6-0 at home this season.
Two years ago, HC's Tim Clifford had his coming out party at Bender with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double in a short-notice first start after Nate Lufkin rolled an ankle at Navy two days earlier. Clifford followed that up with a 27-point effort against AU in Worcester last season that still stands as his career-high.
If Clifford is going to have a big scoring day against AU this afternoon, it probably will come at the free throw line. American has a boatload of frontcourt players and Jeff Jones will probably throw them all at Clifford in an effort to keep him in check.
What Jones doesn't have is anybody who can match up with Keith Simmons (who in the league does?). The best AU can hope for in the backcourt is to get enough scoring from Andre Ingram and Arvydas Eitutavicius to even Simmons out.
Lafayette at Lehigh (matchup) -- The league's highest scoring offense hosts the league's worst scoring defense in a meeting of the two archrivals from the Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh needs a win to keep pace with Bucknell for second place in the league standings. Lafayette is currently tied with Navy, American and Colgate for last place -- all at 1-3. Stabler Arena is not the place you want to visit needing a win. The Mountain Hawks are 7-1 at home and just a second or two and a questionable whistle from being unbeaten there.
In their own building, the Leopards have shown the ability to shoot enough threes to hang with two of the league's best. To get a win here, they will need to show they can do it on the road and that they can maintain it for 40 minutes -- something they were unable to do at home against HC and Bucknell.
Talk about Lehigh personnel usually starts with Jose Olivero. But Marquis Hall and Kyle Neptune are also three-point threats, capable of shredding Lafayette's zone from the perimeter if their shots are falling. Inside, Skinny Phil (Anderson) has scored in double figures three straight games and has the kind of matchup against Lafayette's undersized front line to do it a fourth time here.
Labels: AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, previews
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
An old-fashioned full slate of Wednesday night games are on tap tonight.Bucknall at Lafayette (matchup)-- Bucknell would like nothing better than to start a new league win streak after having its 23-game run end at Holy Cross. It won't be as easy to do that as some might expect. The Bison have a tremendous edge inside, but Lafayette probably won't play a lick of man defense and its zone can make it tough to take advantage of that edge in the post. That is especially so if Bucknell can't knock down a enough threes to force the Leopards to guard the perimieter.
On the other hand, Lafayette is one of the league's best perimeter shooting teams and Bucknell has had trouble defending the three in each of its three league games thus far. There won't be many, if any, easy road games in this league and if the threes are falling for the Leopards, this could be an upset.Daily Item preview
American at Army (matchup)-- The Black Knights are full of confidence after their win over Lehigh Saturday. They will need to play a similar game to beat American for the first time since the Eagles joined the league. That means finding offense from places besides Jarrell Brown and Matt Bell, shutting down Andre Ingram the way they shut down Jose Olivero and keeping Chris Walker out of foul trouble.
For American, which entered the season with realistic hopes of being a contender in the league, a win here is pretty much required if they want to regain that status. The Eagles cannot afford to fall to 1-3 in league play with Holy Cross on tap Saturday. The area where AU should have an edge is in the frontcourt. That edge will magnify if they can put Walker on the bench with foul problems. The trouble is, though American ought to have a real advantage around the basket with its deep, and big, front line, that has been an area that has been inconsistent and underperforming for the Eagles all season. Army hoops on the rise (Lawrence (Kans.) Journal-World)
Navy at Holy Cross (matchup)-- Like every other team in the league, Navy has no match for Keith Simmons. Like most, it also has no match for Tim Clifford. Navy's hopes for an upset probably depend on two things -- getting incredibly hot from the arc and hoping the Crusaders have a post-Bucknell letdown.
Given the way HC plays defense, the former is not likely. Given HC's tendancy to lose focus when it gets ahead in games, it is not beyond the realm of possibility they could have a mental lapse in this situation. There is, though, a very wide gap here between possible and probable -- especially in Worcester.
Colgate at Lehigh (matchup)-- The Mountain Hawks are less than a second away from being unbeaten at home. The Raiders are only a few seconds removed from being winless in the league. Don't expect it to be easy for the Mountain Hawks -- not much has been this season. But Colgate has trouble shooting against weak defenses in cozy barns. In Stabler, which has never been known as a great place for visiting teams to shoot, against a Lehigh team that emphasizes defense, the Raiders struggles from the field aren't likely to be cured tonight. It won't be any surprise if this one is determined at the foul line, and jump-shooting Colgate seldom wins those kinds of battles. It's not that the Raiders can't shoot free throws. They just don't seem to get many opportunities to go to the line. That is not likely to change on the road -- especially not in Stabler.
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On the other hand, Lafayette is one of the league's best perimeter shooting teams and Bucknell has had trouble defending the three in each of its three league games thus far. There won't be many, if any, easy road games in this league and if the threes are falling for the Leopards, this could be an upset.
American at Army (matchup)-- The Black Knights are full of confidence after their win over Lehigh Saturday. They will need to play a similar game to beat American for the first time since the Eagles joined the league. That means finding offense from places besides Jarrell Brown and Matt Bell, shutting down Andre Ingram the way they shut down Jose Olivero and keeping Chris Walker out of foul trouble.
For American, which entered the season with realistic hopes of being a contender in the league, a win here is pretty much required if they want to regain that status. The Eagles cannot afford to fall to 1-3 in league play with Holy Cross on tap Saturday. The area where AU should have an edge is in the frontcourt. That edge will magnify if they can put Walker on the bench with foul problems. The trouble is, though American ought to have a real advantage around the basket with its deep, and big, front line, that has been an area that has been inconsistent and underperforming for the Eagles all season.
Navy at Holy Cross (matchup)-- Like every other team in the league, Navy has no match for Keith Simmons. Like most, it also has no match for Tim Clifford. Navy's hopes for an upset probably depend on two things -- getting incredibly hot from the arc and hoping the Crusaders have a post-Bucknell letdown.
Given the way HC plays defense, the former is not likely. Given HC's tendancy to lose focus when it gets ahead in games, it is not beyond the realm of possibility they could have a mental lapse in this situation. There is, though, a very wide gap here between possible and probable -- especially in Worcester.
Colgate at Lehigh (matchup)-- The Mountain Hawks are less than a second away from being unbeaten at home. The Raiders are only a few seconds removed from being winless in the league. Don't expect it to be easy for the Mountain Hawks -- not much has been this season. But Colgate has trouble shooting against weak defenses in cozy barns. In Stabler, which has never been known as a great place for visiting teams to shoot, against a Lehigh team that emphasizes defense, the Raiders struggles from the field aren't likely to be cured tonight. It won't be any surprise if this one is determined at the foul line, and jump-shooting Colgate seldom wins those kinds of battles. It's not that the Raiders can't shoot free throws. They just don't seem to get many opportunities to go to the line. That is not likely to change on the road -- especially not in Stabler.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Saturday, January 13, 2007
Three games on tap today. We'll be at West Point, getting our first look at Army when it hosts Lehigh (matchup). The Black Knights' strong start has come nearly to a halt with five losses in the Black Knights' last six games, including an 0-2 start -- both on the road -- in league play.
Army (10-7) badly needs a win at home in Christl to regain some of the momentum of its 9-2 start. Lehigh (7-11) finally won a road game -- its first of the season -- at Navy Wednesday. The Mountain Hawks win here and suddenly their horrid start is an object looking smaller in the rear view mirror.
Army's Jarrell Brown and Lehigh's Jose Olivero are two of the league's top offensive forces, but the key to this one will probably be in the paint, where Army's burly freshman Chris Walker will match up with a Lehigh frontline that is still without Jason Mgebroff. Skinny Phil Anderson has played well enough to keep the Hawks from getting dominated inside in Mgebroff's absence. Here he could have a chance to do even more if Walker can't stay out of the foul trouble that has plagued him in recent games.
Also on tap today: Lafayette looks to improve to 2-1 in conference play at Navy (matchup), which is still looking for its first league win. Whoever hits the most jumpers wins.
American, reeling after two straight losses to open league play and six setbacks in its last seven, tries to get back on track when it hosts Colgate's gang that can't shoot straight (matchup). Colgate has lost four of its last five and has shot over 40 percent once in its last eight games.
BONUS LINK:
Hometown Hero: Donald Brown (Newsday)
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Army (10-7) badly needs a win at home in Christl to regain some of the momentum of its 9-2 start. Lehigh (7-11) finally won a road game -- its first of the season -- at Navy Wednesday. The Mountain Hawks win here and suddenly their horrid start is an object looking smaller in the rear view mirror.
Army's Jarrell Brown and Lehigh's Jose Olivero are two of the league's top offensive forces, but the key to this one will probably be in the paint, where Army's burly freshman Chris Walker will match up with a Lehigh frontline that is still without Jason Mgebroff. Skinny Phil Anderson has played well enough to keep the Hawks from getting dominated inside in Mgebroff's absence. Here he could have a chance to do even more if Walker can't stay out of the foul trouble that has plagued him in recent games.
Also on tap today: Lafayette looks to improve to 2-1 in conference play at Navy (matchup), which is still looking for its first league win. Whoever hits the most jumpers wins.
American, reeling after two straight losses to open league play and six setbacks in its last seven, tries to get back on track when it hosts Colgate's gang that can't shoot straight (matchup). Colgate has lost four of its last five and has shot over 40 percent once in its last eight games.
BONUS LINK:
Labels: Army, AU, CU, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Friday, January 12, 2007
It's round one of what has become the league's top rivalry tonight in Worcester; the two teams that own four of the last five league titles in the debut of the Patriot League's new ESPNU package.
As has become the norm over the last few years, this one is expected to be a dandy. Holy Cross has the better overall record, coming in at 11-6. Bucknell, which had a rough 0-4 start against some very tough competition, has battled back to 8-7. Factor in the fact the Bison had only two home games in the non-conference part of the schedule, and any edge of Holy Cross' better record seems pretty slight.
Both come in riding four-game win streaks. Both are off to 2-0 starts in league play.Both return a lot of familiar faces from the teams that met in the conference tournament title game the past two seasons. The two have met six times in the past two seasons, with Bucknell holding a 5-1 edge in that span, including wins in the last four.
That means nothing tonight. Although a lot of faces are the same, these are two very different teams. Kevin Hamilton is playing pro ball in Poland; Charles Lee in Israel. In their absence, Keith Simmons and Donald Brown have emerged as two of the top players in the league.
Both are matchup nightmares. Bucknell doesn't have a guard who can handle Simmons (17.8 ppg), who, at 6-5, is a real force to be reckoned with. Simmons can beat you off the dribble, and has the capability to rain threes. He is also a ferocious rebounder (5.8 rpg) and a tenacious defender.
Brown poses different, but similar, problems for HC. Brown's 11.5 ppg average is not impressive as a raw number. But after being held in singe digits in three of BU's first four games, Brown started coming into his own when he left the three spot for the four. In his last four games, Brown has averaging 16 ppg over Bucknell's last four games. He will be more than a handful for Holy Cross' Alex Vander Baan if the 'Saders are forced to play man-to-man.
The way these two teams play defense, though, individual matchups tend to get minimized. Both play a lot of zone, be it Bucknell's matchup or Holy Cross' variety of 2-3 packages, which start out in a straight 2-3 and switch to matchup midway through a possession. The Crusaders also sprinkle in some 1-3-1 from time to time. Both teams also give their big men a lot of help down low, whether it comes from the other side of the paint or from guards digging down.
One key for Bucknell will be the perimeter shooting of John Griffin and Jason Vegotsky. Both have struggled a little of late and rare has been the game were both were on at the same time. The Bison don't have to hit 11 threes like they did against Xavier. But they probably will need more than the 2.5 threes they have averaged in their first two PL games.
On the other hand, if Simmons gets going from the arc, and gets some help outside from Torey Thomas and Pat Doherty -- or even Kyle Cruze, who can't be ignored (just look at the LaSalle box), it could be a long night for the Bison.
Another key for both teams will be keeping their big men out of foul trouble. That is especially true for Holy Cross, which suffers a big drop off at the post when Tim Clifford leaves the floor. Clifford is averaging 10.1 points per game and his 6-10, 279-pound frame provides an imposing defensive presence in the middle - when he is there. His 29 blocked shots lead the league. The problem has been, Clifford has not been there nearly as much as Ralph Willard would like. The big junior has been averaging 3.94 fouls per game and has fouled out six times.
Fouls have been a problem for Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, too. The preseason PL Player of the Year, who has been playing more aggressively on offense of late, will command a lot of attention when he is on the floor. You don't need an elephant's memory to recall what McNaughton did in the Hart Center two seasons back in the league championship final. McNaughton has averaged 12 ppg against Holy Cross over the first three years of his career. But like Clifford, he needs to be on the floor, not sitting next to Pat Flannery on the bench, to make an impact. McNaughton's foul troubles have not been as bad statistically as Clifford's (3 fouls per game, 1 disqualification). But those numbers don't tell the whole story. A more telling stat might be McNaughton's 26.8 minutes per game.
Bucknell point guard Abe Badmus has also struggled to stay out of foul trouble at times. The defensive drop-off from Badmus to anybody who comes off the bench in his stead is considerable. Slowing Torey Thomas (12.7 ppg) will be tough enough with Badmus on the floor.
In theory, the starting lineups are pretty even. With Simmons and Thomas, Holy Cross has an edge in the backcourt. McNaughton and Brown do the same for Bucknell up front. Bucknell does have a significant edge in depth. The Bison bring Darren Mastropaolo, a two-year starter, off the bench to spell Brown and McNaughton. Rob Thomas and Justin Castleberry are the first two subs in the backcourt. All three are capable of scoring. Mastropaolo is actually a defensive upgrade when he plays the five in place of McNaughton.
Pat Doherty has returned after missing six games with a broken hand, giving Holy Cross much-needed help in the backccourt. In addition to allowing Thomas an occasional breather at the point, Doherty is a sniper on the arc and a tough defender on the perimeter. Eric Meister is a solid frontcourt player, but he is just a freshman. Not quick enough to guard Brown and not big enough to stop McNaughton, HC is in trouble if he has to play a lot of minutes. Ditto for Greg McCarthy, who has made great strides as a sophomore, but has yet to show the ability to defend a post man of McNaughton's caliber. Colin Cunningham has given the Crusaders minutes, but not a lot else, on the wing.
Chances are very little will be determined by the outcome of this one. These two have again separated themselves from the rest of the league and barring an upset come tournament time, are likely to settle nothing until the second Friday in March. That said, a Bucknell win here would give the Bison a leg up in their quest to three-peat since tonight's game is in Worcester. If Bucknell wins, Holy Cross almost has to win in Lewisburg on Feb. 9 to have a shot at the homecourt edge throughout this year's league tournament, which in reality is more a playoff than a tournament.
NOTABLE: Bucknell has won six of the last seven between the two ... before that, HC won five of the previous six . . . Most surprising pre-game stat: Bucknell has a 9-8 edge all-time in games played at the Hart Center . . . Or maybe not -- that number came from the HC game notes, Bucknell's notes say the two are even at 9-9 in Hart . . . Bucknell is 11-11 all-time in hart when you include league tournament games against foes other than HC . . . HC is 5-0 at Hart this season and has not lost a league game there since losing to Bucknell on Feb. 11 of last year . . . HC has won 9 in a row in Hart since then . . . The Crusaders have only lost at home to league opponents twice in the past two seasons . . . Bucknell has both those wins, the other coming in the 2005 title game . . . Bucknell is 6-2 since Flannery switched his starting lineup, moving Brown to the four and inserting Vegotsky on the wing (with Mastropaolo, a two-year starter, now coming off the bench) . . . The Bison are 8-3 since Thanksgiving weekend . . . Holy Cross is 6-5 in its last 11, a span that includes 9 games away from Worcester . . . A Bucknell win would be the Bison's 24th in a row against league teams and the school's 1,200th all-time
Matchup | HC notes (pdf) | BU notes (pdf) | Telegram & Gazette | Daily Item
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As has become the norm over the last few years, this one is expected to be a dandy. Holy Cross has the better overall record, coming in at 11-6. Bucknell, which had a rough 0-4 start against some very tough competition, has battled back to 8-7. Factor in the fact the Bison had only two home games in the non-conference part of the schedule, and any edge of Holy Cross' better record seems pretty slight.
Both come in riding four-game win streaks. Both are off to 2-0 starts in league play.Both return a lot of familiar faces from the teams that met in the conference tournament title game the past two seasons. The two have met six times in the past two seasons, with Bucknell holding a 5-1 edge in that span, including wins in the last four.
That means nothing tonight. Although a lot of faces are the same, these are two very different teams. Kevin Hamilton is playing pro ball in Poland; Charles Lee in Israel. In their absence, Keith Simmons and Donald Brown have emerged as two of the top players in the league.
Both are matchup nightmares. Bucknell doesn't have a guard who can handle Simmons (17.8 ppg), who, at 6-5, is a real force to be reckoned with. Simmons can beat you off the dribble, and has the capability to rain threes. He is also a ferocious rebounder (5.8 rpg) and a tenacious defender.
Brown poses different, but similar, problems for HC. Brown's 11.5 ppg average is not impressive as a raw number. But after being held in singe digits in three of BU's first four games, Brown started coming into his own when he left the three spot for the four. In his last four games, Brown has averaging 16 ppg over Bucknell's last four games. He will be more than a handful for Holy Cross' Alex Vander Baan if the 'Saders are forced to play man-to-man.
The way these two teams play defense, though, individual matchups tend to get minimized. Both play a lot of zone, be it Bucknell's matchup or Holy Cross' variety of 2-3 packages, which start out in a straight 2-3 and switch to matchup midway through a possession. The Crusaders also sprinkle in some 1-3-1 from time to time. Both teams also give their big men a lot of help down low, whether it comes from the other side of the paint or from guards digging down.
One key for Bucknell will be the perimeter shooting of John Griffin and Jason Vegotsky. Both have struggled a little of late and rare has been the game were both were on at the same time. The Bison don't have to hit 11 threes like they did against Xavier. But they probably will need more than the 2.5 threes they have averaged in their first two PL games.
On the other hand, if Simmons gets going from the arc, and gets some help outside from Torey Thomas and Pat Doherty -- or even Kyle Cruze, who can't be ignored (just look at the LaSalle box), it could be a long night for the Bison.
Another key for both teams will be keeping their big men out of foul trouble. That is especially true for Holy Cross, which suffers a big drop off at the post when Tim Clifford leaves the floor. Clifford is averaging 10.1 points per game and his 6-10, 279-pound frame provides an imposing defensive presence in the middle - when he is there. His 29 blocked shots lead the league. The problem has been, Clifford has not been there nearly as much as Ralph Willard would like. The big junior has been averaging 3.94 fouls per game and has fouled out six times.
Fouls have been a problem for Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, too. The preseason PL Player of the Year, who has been playing more aggressively on offense of late, will command a lot of attention when he is on the floor. You don't need an elephant's memory to recall what McNaughton did in the Hart Center two seasons back in the league championship final. McNaughton has averaged 12 ppg against Holy Cross over the first three years of his career. But like Clifford, he needs to be on the floor, not sitting next to Pat Flannery on the bench, to make an impact. McNaughton's foul troubles have not been as bad statistically as Clifford's (3 fouls per game, 1 disqualification). But those numbers don't tell the whole story. A more telling stat might be McNaughton's 26.8 minutes per game.
Bucknell point guard Abe Badmus has also struggled to stay out of foul trouble at times. The defensive drop-off from Badmus to anybody who comes off the bench in his stead is considerable. Slowing Torey Thomas (12.7 ppg) will be tough enough with Badmus on the floor.
In theory, the starting lineups are pretty even. With Simmons and Thomas, Holy Cross has an edge in the backcourt. McNaughton and Brown do the same for Bucknell up front. Bucknell does have a significant edge in depth. The Bison bring Darren Mastropaolo, a two-year starter, off the bench to spell Brown and McNaughton. Rob Thomas and Justin Castleberry are the first two subs in the backcourt. All three are capable of scoring. Mastropaolo is actually a defensive upgrade when he plays the five in place of McNaughton.
Pat Doherty has returned after missing six games with a broken hand, giving Holy Cross much-needed help in the backccourt. In addition to allowing Thomas an occasional breather at the point, Doherty is a sniper on the arc and a tough defender on the perimeter. Eric Meister is a solid frontcourt player, but he is just a freshman. Not quick enough to guard Brown and not big enough to stop McNaughton, HC is in trouble if he has to play a lot of minutes. Ditto for Greg McCarthy, who has made great strides as a sophomore, but has yet to show the ability to defend a post man of McNaughton's caliber. Colin Cunningham has given the Crusaders minutes, but not a lot else, on the wing.
Chances are very little will be determined by the outcome of this one. These two have again separated themselves from the rest of the league and barring an upset come tournament time, are likely to settle nothing until the second Friday in March. That said, a Bucknell win here would give the Bison a leg up in their quest to three-peat since tonight's game is in Worcester. If Bucknell wins, Holy Cross almost has to win in Lewisburg on Feb. 9 to have a shot at the homecourt edge throughout this year's league tournament, which in reality is more a playoff than a tournament.
NOTABLE: Bucknell has won six of the last seven between the two ... before that, HC won five of the previous six . . . Most surprising pre-game stat: Bucknell has a 9-8 edge all-time in games played at the Hart Center . . . Or maybe not -- that number came from the HC game notes, Bucknell's notes say the two are even at 9-9 in Hart . . . Bucknell is 11-11 all-time in hart when you include league tournament games against foes other than HC . . . HC is 5-0 at Hart this season and has not lost a league game there since losing to Bucknell on Feb. 11 of last year . . . HC has won 9 in a row in Hart since then . . . The Crusaders have only lost at home to league opponents twice in the past two seasons . . . Bucknell has both those wins, the other coming in the 2005 title game . . . Bucknell is 6-2 since Flannery switched his starting lineup, moving Brown to the four and inserting Vegotsky on the wing (with Mastropaolo, a two-year starter, now coming off the bench) . . . The Bison are 8-3 since Thanksgiving weekend . . . Holy Cross is 6-5 in its last 11, a span that includes 9 games away from Worcester . . . A Bucknell win would be the Bison's 24th in a row against league teams and the school's 1,200th all-time
Matchup | HC notes (pdf) | BU notes (pdf) | Telegram & Gazette | Daily Item
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Tuesday, January 09, 2007
You could probably count the number of Tuesday night conference games in league history on one hand. Maybe, two. Maybe even a few more. We're not going to try digging through records to tell an exact number, but we know there have not been many.
Since its inception as a basketball conference in 1990, the Patriot League has been primarily a Wednesday-Saturday league. Sure there was that brief flirtation with the Ivy-like Friday-Sunday itinerary, but Tuesdays have seldom been a night for league games.
That changes a little this season, thanks to the league's new Friday night WWLISU telecasts. To give the teams in those TV matchups two days of preparation, what would have been Wednesday night games involving those teams have been moved up a day.
Since Bucknell is at Holy Cross in this week's highly anticipated debut of the ESPNU league game of the week, that means the Bison and Crusaders each play tonight.
Both are at home, Bucknell hosting American (matchup) and Holy Cross entertaining Army (matchup).
It would be crazy to call the second league game of the season a must-win, but for all four teams, in a way it is. Conventional wisdom has it teams hoping to wina conference crown must hold serve at home. For BU and HC, the implication is obvious.
Veteran-laden American has title hopes, too. It also already has one loss after laying a sub-30 percent shooting egg at Lehigh. Even though the Eagles first two games are on the road, an 0-2 start is hardly the path to a championship.
Army is also on the road for the second straight game, and also looking for a first league win. While nobody expects the Black Knights to be a title contender, a lot of folks, especially in West Point, have hopes of moving up from its customary spot at the bottom of the league. An 0-2 start in the conference (along with 5 losses in 6 games) might result in significant damage to the confidence Army built with its 9-2 start.
American-Bucknell preview (Daily Item)
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Since its inception as a basketball conference in 1990, the Patriot League has been primarily a Wednesday-Saturday league. Sure there was that brief flirtation with the Ivy-like Friday-Sunday itinerary, but Tuesdays have seldom been a night for league games.
That changes a little this season, thanks to the league's new Friday night WWLISU telecasts. To give the teams in those TV matchups two days of preparation, what would have been Wednesday night games involving those teams have been moved up a day.
Since Bucknell is at Holy Cross in this week's highly anticipated debut of the ESPNU league game of the week, that means the Bison and Crusaders each play tonight.
Both are at home, Bucknell hosting American (matchup) and Holy Cross entertaining Army (matchup).
It would be crazy to call the second league game of the season a must-win, but for all four teams, in a way it is. Conventional wisdom has it teams hoping to wina conference crown must hold serve at home. For BU and HC, the implication is obvious.
Veteran-laden American has title hopes, too. It also already has one loss after laying a sub-30 percent shooting egg at Lehigh. Even though the Eagles first two games are on the road, an 0-2 start is hardly the path to a championship.
Army is also on the road for the second straight game, and also looking for a first league win. While nobody expects the Black Knights to be a title contender, a lot of folks, especially in West Point, have hopes of moving up from its customary spot at the bottom of the league. An 0-2 start in the conference (along with 5 losses in 6 games) might result in significant damage to the confidence Army built with its 9-2 start.
Labels: Army, AU, BU, HC, previews
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Saturday, January 06, 2007
After two months of getting ready, the only games that will really count are about to begin.
Forget that preseason talk about this being the Patriot League's year for two bids. Those possibilities dimmed when Bucknell lost its opener at Albany and any flickers of hope were extinguished by Holy Cross' agonizing shorthanded road trip through Syracuse, Dayton and Duke.
There is not a team in the league with a prayer of an at large bid, so the league championship will be, as it always has been, for all the marbles.
With this year's funky Division Three style all games on home courts tournament, that makes the regular season even more important. Just look at Lehigh to understand the significance. The Mountain Hawks can't win a road game, but are withing 0.4 seconds and one point of being unbeatable at home. Think anybody wants to visit Stabler in March with their season on the line?
With the kind of parity there seems to be in the league this year, a team that defends its own house and goes .500 on the road ought to stand a pretty fair chance of hosting at least one tournament game. It might not take a lot more than that and some tiebreaker magic to give a team the home court throughout the tournament.
Even though late in the season folks tend to forget what happened in January, the games played today will have just as much bearing on tournament seeding as the games played on the final weekend of the regular season.
Today's games will also start to establish the league's pecking order. If American wants to be a contender, it is going to have to be able to win games like it faces tonight, on the road against a shorthanded but still tough Lehigh team. If Navy wants to prove its nice start is for real, there is no better place to do it than on two-time defending champ Bucknell's floor. Army can prove it is ready to escape the league cellar with a win at Colgate.
We'll start the season in Easton, with a Holy Cross-Lafayette women's-men's double dip. A full gameblog for the men's game won't be possible due to deadline constraints for the Worcester T&G, but we will try to post some halftime notes, with the full game story and postgame audio following the men's game.
Might even pop in over at Stabler on the way back from Easton to catch some of that American at Lehigh game, listening to Navy at Bucknell on Sirius 147.
Here is a quick look at today's league openers:
Army at Colgate, 1 p.m.: (matchup) Most places a hostile home crowd is the reason behind the home court advantage. In Hamilton, it seems the opposite. Opposing teams seem to struggle to get into the game when playing in a glorified high school gym in front of an audience (dare you call it a crowd?) so small you can count the noses during a timeout. That should be no problem for Army, which is used to small crowds.
This is Army's chance to make a "No basement for us" kind of statement. It's Colgate's chance for a fresh start after a horrid non-conference run. These two met in West Point to open league play last season, with Colgate a 71-58 winner. We'll see how far Army has come since then.
Holy Cross at Lafayette, 4 p.m.: (matchup) Shorthanded Holy Cross might be even shorter-handed for this one. Junior off guard Kyle Cruze suffered a scratched cornea in Wednesday's win at Boston U. With a short rotation due to a rash of injuries, Ralph Willard has been employing a lot of 2-3 zone of late. It will be interesting to see if Lafayette, which has a host of perimeter snipers, can shoot the Crusaders out of that zone D.
Expect Holy Cross to look inside to Tim Clifford early and often in this one. Lafayette has no match for the 6-10 junior. If Clifford plays well, it will open a lot up for Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas. But Clifford has been spotty all season and an off night could mean a much-tougher-than-anticipated battle for HC, especially if Lafayette starts knocking down the threes.
Navy at Bucknell, 7 p.m.: (matchup) This is the Mids chance to show its 10-5 start is for real. Navy's record certainly looks better than Bucknell's 6-7 start, but two of the wins came against Division Three schools and only two came against teams with RPIs in the top 200 (Stony Brook -- 181, William and Mary -- 192). Navy has show it can win outside of Alumni Hall, going 3-3 on the road in non-conference play. But this won't be a trip to NJIT or Longwood. Bucknell is riding a 21-game league win streak and has not lost a league game at home since March of 2003, winning 26 in a row at home against league foes. Navy has never won in Sojka Pavilion and has not won in Lewisburg since February of 2001. But this is not the same Bucknell team that set those standards. this game will tell us a lot about both teams. Is Navy legit? Are the Bison at home still the gold standard in the league despite their sub .500 non-conference record?
The matchups on the perimeter might be a slight edge to Navy if their jump shots are falling. But 6-10 freshman Trey Stanton will have his hands full against Bucknell senior Chris McNaughton and the Mids don't have any real match for Donald Brown. All in all, an interesting opener for both.
American at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.: (matchup) Lehigh has been near perfect at home (5-1, the loss coming by 1 point). But without Jason Mgebroff, the Mountain Hawks could be over-matched by American's bigs inside. Lehigh will need a big game from Jose Olivero, who is due after two straight 7-point showings. Prior to those two off nights, Olivero had 20 straight double figures games. While AU seems to have the personnel edge, it still has not proven it is mentally tough enough to go into a hostile place and grind out a win, which is what it takes to win on the road in conference play. AU ended a four-game skid with a win Tuesday at home over Saint Francis (Pa.). They will need to play even better to extend their modest win streak to two.
BONUS LINKS: Knights (10-5) among early surprises as league schedule opens (Times Herald-Record)
Navy clashes with establishment (Annapolis Capital)
Time to break down the fun conferences (Kyle on ESPN.com)
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Forget that preseason talk about this being the Patriot League's year for two bids. Those possibilities dimmed when Bucknell lost its opener at Albany and any flickers of hope were extinguished by Holy Cross' agonizing shorthanded road trip through Syracuse, Dayton and Duke.
There is not a team in the league with a prayer of an at large bid, so the league championship will be, as it always has been, for all the marbles.
With this year's funky Division Three style all games on home courts tournament, that makes the regular season even more important. Just look at Lehigh to understand the significance. The Mountain Hawks can't win a road game, but are withing 0.4 seconds and one point of being unbeatable at home. Think anybody wants to visit Stabler in March with their season on the line?
With the kind of parity there seems to be in the league this year, a team that defends its own house and goes .500 on the road ought to stand a pretty fair chance of hosting at least one tournament game. It might not take a lot more than that and some tiebreaker magic to give a team the home court throughout the tournament.
Even though late in the season folks tend to forget what happened in January, the games played today will have just as much bearing on tournament seeding as the games played on the final weekend of the regular season.
Today's games will also start to establish the league's pecking order. If American wants to be a contender, it is going to have to be able to win games like it faces tonight, on the road against a shorthanded but still tough Lehigh team. If Navy wants to prove its nice start is for real, there is no better place to do it than on two-time defending champ Bucknell's floor. Army can prove it is ready to escape the league cellar with a win at Colgate.
We'll start the season in Easton, with a Holy Cross-Lafayette women's-men's double dip. A full gameblog for the men's game won't be possible due to deadline constraints for the Worcester T&G, but we will try to post some halftime notes, with the full game story and postgame audio following the men's game.
Might even pop in over at Stabler on the way back from Easton to catch some of that American at Lehigh game, listening to Navy at Bucknell on Sirius 147.
Here is a quick look at today's league openers:
Army at Colgate, 1 p.m.: (matchup) Most places a hostile home crowd is the reason behind the home court advantage. In Hamilton, it seems the opposite. Opposing teams seem to struggle to get into the game when playing in a glorified high school gym in front of an audience (dare you call it a crowd?) so small you can count the noses during a timeout. That should be no problem for Army, which is used to small crowds.
This is Army's chance to make a "No basement for us" kind of statement. It's Colgate's chance for a fresh start after a horrid non-conference run. These two met in West Point to open league play last season, with Colgate a 71-58 winner. We'll see how far Army has come since then.
Holy Cross at Lafayette, 4 p.m.: (matchup) Shorthanded Holy Cross might be even shorter-handed for this one. Junior off guard Kyle Cruze suffered a scratched cornea in Wednesday's win at Boston U. With a short rotation due to a rash of injuries, Ralph Willard has been employing a lot of 2-3 zone of late. It will be interesting to see if Lafayette, which has a host of perimeter snipers, can shoot the Crusaders out of that zone D.
Expect Holy Cross to look inside to Tim Clifford early and often in this one. Lafayette has no match for the 6-10 junior. If Clifford plays well, it will open a lot up for Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas. But Clifford has been spotty all season and an off night could mean a much-tougher-than-anticipated battle for HC, especially if Lafayette starts knocking down the threes.
Navy at Bucknell, 7 p.m.: (matchup) This is the Mids chance to show its 10-5 start is for real. Navy's record certainly looks better than Bucknell's 6-7 start, but two of the wins came against Division Three schools and only two came against teams with RPIs in the top 200 (Stony Brook -- 181, William and Mary -- 192). Navy has show it can win outside of Alumni Hall, going 3-3 on the road in non-conference play. But this won't be a trip to NJIT or Longwood. Bucknell is riding a 21-game league win streak and has not lost a league game at home since March of 2003, winning 26 in a row at home against league foes. Navy has never won in Sojka Pavilion and has not won in Lewisburg since February of 2001. But this is not the same Bucknell team that set those standards. this game will tell us a lot about both teams. Is Navy legit? Are the Bison at home still the gold standard in the league despite their sub .500 non-conference record?
The matchups on the perimeter might be a slight edge to Navy if their jump shots are falling. But 6-10 freshman Trey Stanton will have his hands full against Bucknell senior Chris McNaughton and the Mids don't have any real match for Donald Brown. All in all, an interesting opener for both.
American at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.: (matchup) Lehigh has been near perfect at home (5-1, the loss coming by 1 point). But without Jason Mgebroff, the Mountain Hawks could be over-matched by American's bigs inside. Lehigh will need a big game from Jose Olivero, who is due after two straight 7-point showings. Prior to those two off nights, Olivero had 20 straight double figures games. While AU seems to have the personnel edge, it still has not proven it is mentally tough enough to go into a hostile place and grind out a win, which is what it takes to win on the road in conference play. AU ended a four-game skid with a win Tuesday at home over Saint Francis (Pa.). They will need to play even better to extend their modest win streak to two.
BONUS LINKS:
Labels: Army, AU, BU, CU, HC, Laf, Leh, Navy, previews
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Wednesday, January 03, 2007
One last night of non-conference tune-ups, with two games on tap tonight.
Keith Simmons and Holy Cross is at 3-8 Boston U. (matchup). The Terriers record is a little deceptive. They have lost four in a row, but three of those games were decided by a combined 8 points. The losses came to the likes of St. Joe's, St. John's (in OT), Rhode Island and UMass.
In the other game, Cornell, which has lost four in a row and six of its last seven, is at Colgate (matchup), which has lost four of its last five.
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Keith Simmons and Holy Cross is at 3-8 Boston U. (matchup). The Terriers record is a little deceptive. They have lost four in a row, but three of those games were decided by a combined 8 points. The losses came to the likes of St. Joe's, St. John's (in OT), Rhode Island and UMass.
In the other game, Cornell, which has lost four in a row and six of its last seven, is at Colgate (matchup), which has lost four of its last five.
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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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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 (matchup) -- 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
The final game of 2006 has some significance for the whole league. An Army win over visiting Sacred Heart (matchup) would keep the Patriot League above .500 in non-conference play this season. League teams are currently a combined 55-54 after a rough stretch of late. Since Dec. 21, league teams have been a combined 5-17, potting a damper on a strong start.
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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 (matchup), taking on an Aztecs team that is 10-3 despite turnover problems, while Bucknell tries to salvage its visit to Poughkeepsie with a win over 3-8 Northern Illinois in the Marist Classic consolation game (matchup).
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 (matchup). Yale, 1-2 against Patriot League teams, looks to even that record when it visits Navy (matchup).
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 (matchup) 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 (matchup), taking on an Aztecs team that is 10-3 despite turnover problems, while Bucknell tries to salvage its visit to Poughkeepsie with a win over 3-8 Northern Illinois in the Marist Classic consolation game (matchup).
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 (matchup). Yale, 1-2 against Patriot League teams, looks to even that record when it visits Navy (matchup).
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 (matchup) 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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Friday, December 29, 2006
Four games involving Patriot League teams tonight.
We will be back in Philly for Holy Cross vs. Niagara (matchup) in the second round of the LaSalle Invitational round robin (matchup). Note: Do to the 8 p.m. start time and the need to make deadline for the Telegram & Gazette, there will be no live gameblog tonight.
Other matchups: Bucknell meets Central Arkansas (matchup) in the opening round of the Pepsi Marist Classic, Colgate faces George Washington (matchup) in the Cable Car Classic consolation game and Lehigh looks for its first road win at Monmouth (matchup).
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We will be back in Philly for Holy Cross vs. Niagara (matchup) in the second round of the LaSalle Invitational round robin (matchup). Note: Do to the 8 p.m. start time and the need to make deadline for the Telegram & Gazette, there will be no live gameblog tonight.
Other matchups: Bucknell meets Central Arkansas (matchup) in the opening round of the Pepsi Marist Classic, Colgate faces George Washington (matchup) in the Cable Car Classic consolation game and Lehigh looks for its first road win at Monmouth (matchup).
Labels: BU, CU, HC, Leh, previews
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
The short holiday break ends with five teams back in action tonight.
It is a schedule full of challenges, with the Patriot League teams likely to be considered underdogs in all five games.
If Holy Cross were healthy, that might not be the case. But with a depleted rotation, the Crusaders will have their hands full with LaSalle, the team they face in the first of a three-in-three days trip to LaSalle's Explorer Classic (matchup).
We'll be there for our first look at HC, when they take on the Explorers (and for Friday's game with Niagara and Saturday's matchup with Delaware), who come in 6-3, with really only one impressive opponent on their schedule to date -- Villanova, which beat the Explorers at LaSalle in a Philadelphia Big Five matchup. LaSalle also lost at home to UMBC and on a neutral floor against Coppin State.
Young and inexperienced, prone to turnovers, LaSalle is the sort of team Holy Cross usually feasts upon when it is at full strength.
LaSalle is led by freshman forward Rodney Green, a 6-5 hometown Philly kid who is averaging 16 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Green is all about the paint. He has only taken four threes all season and has yet to make one. Inside the arc, though, he is tough to stop, shooting 62.4 percent from the field.
Green is one of five freshmen in LaSalle's nine-man rotation. All five stand between 6-5 and 6-7, which is pretty much the case for the entire rotation, except 6-1 junior guard Darnell Harris, the Explorers' second leading scorer at 14.7 ppg, and 6-8 starter Mike St. John, the only senior in the rotation.
Freshman Sherman Diaz has been the team's defensive stopper. A 6-5 forward, Diaz leads the Explorers in blocks (15) and steals (11).
Colgate is also in a tournament tonight, taking on host Santa Clara (matchup) in the first round of the Cable Car Classic (S.F. Chronicle tournament preview). The 9-4 Broncs are ranked No. 17 in the Mid Major Top 25. Waiting in the second round for the Raiders will be either 7-2 George Washington or 11-1 Air Force, which is in the Top 25 in both major polls (No. 23 AP, No. 17 ESPN-USA Today).
American takes on its second straight ACC foe when it meets 7-3 Virginia (matchup). It's a homecoming of sorts for Jeff Jones, who played and coach at UVa. Jones' return to Charlottsville is the storyline in all the papers covering the Wahoos (AP | Daily Press | Charlottesville Daily Progress | Richmond Times-Dispatch | Roanoke Times | Fredericksburg Freelance-Star).
Army, which lost at Notre Dame last time out, faces another difficulty test at 11-2 Michigan (matchup) and
Hard to image saying this, but perhaps the weakest opponent for a league team tonight is Temple, which hosts Lafayette (matchup). The Owls are 5-4 in their first season under former Penn coach Fran Dunphy. It is the 12th straight season Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon has faced off against his old boss' teams. The other 11, of course, were against Penn, which despite being an Ivy League power, was never as athletic as this Temple team. It will be a toigh task for the Leopards, who will be without Jamaal Hillard (stress fracture in a foot, out another 2-4 weeks) and 6-7 freshman Jesper Andersson (sprained ankle). Lafayette freshman forward Andre Hines is also questionable with a stomach virus. (Morning Call preview -- includes some HC notes)
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It is a schedule full of challenges, with the Patriot League teams likely to be considered underdogs in all five games.
If Holy Cross were healthy, that might not be the case. But with a depleted rotation, the Crusaders will have their hands full with LaSalle, the team they face in the first of a three-in-three days trip to LaSalle's Explorer Classic (matchup).
We'll be there for our first look at HC, when they take on the Explorers (and for Friday's game with Niagara and Saturday's matchup with Delaware), who come in 6-3, with really only one impressive opponent on their schedule to date -- Villanova, which beat the Explorers at LaSalle in a Philadelphia Big Five matchup. LaSalle also lost at home to UMBC and on a neutral floor against Coppin State.
Young and inexperienced, prone to turnovers, LaSalle is the sort of team Holy Cross usually feasts upon when it is at full strength.
LaSalle is led by freshman forward Rodney Green, a 6-5 hometown Philly kid who is averaging 16 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Green is all about the paint. He has only taken four threes all season and has yet to make one. Inside the arc, though, he is tough to stop, shooting 62.4 percent from the field.
Green is one of five freshmen in LaSalle's nine-man rotation. All five stand between 6-5 and 6-7, which is pretty much the case for the entire rotation, except 6-1 junior guard Darnell Harris, the Explorers' second leading scorer at 14.7 ppg, and 6-8 starter Mike St. John, the only senior in the rotation.
Freshman Sherman Diaz has been the team's defensive stopper. A 6-5 forward, Diaz leads the Explorers in blocks (15) and steals (11).
Colgate is also in a tournament tonight, taking on host Santa Clara (matchup) in the first round of the Cable Car Classic (S.F. Chronicle tournament preview). The 9-4 Broncs are ranked No. 17 in the Mid Major Top 25. Waiting in the second round for the Raiders will be either 7-2 George Washington or 11-1 Air Force, which is in the Top 25 in both major polls (No. 23 AP, No. 17 ESPN-USA Today).
American takes on its second straight ACC foe when it meets 7-3 Virginia (matchup). It's a homecoming of sorts for Jeff Jones, who played and coach at UVa. Jones' return to Charlottsville is the storyline in all the papers covering the Wahoos (AP | Daily Press | Charlottesville Daily Progress | Richmond Times-Dispatch | Roanoke Times | Fredericksburg Freelance-Star).
Army, which lost at Notre Dame last time out, faces another difficulty test at 11-2 Michigan (matchup) and
Hard to image saying this, but perhaps the weakest opponent for a league team tonight is Temple, which hosts Lafayette (matchup). The Owls are 5-4 in their first season under former Penn coach Fran Dunphy. It is the 12th straight season Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon has faced off against his old boss' teams. The other 11, of course, were against Penn, which despite being an Ivy League power, was never as athletic as this Temple team. It will be a toigh task for the Leopards, who will be without Jamaal Hillard (stress fracture in a foot, out another 2-4 weeks) and 6-7 freshman Jesper Andersson (sprained ankle). Lafayette freshman forward Andre Hines is also questionable with a stomach virus. (Morning Call preview -- includes some HC notes)
Labels: Army, AU, CU, HC, Laf, previews
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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) (matchup). 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 (matchup)in a 1 p.m. tip.
On the other side of town, Navy visits Georgetown (matchup), 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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Friday, December 22, 2006
The Lehigh Valley contingent will carry the patriot League flag into action tonight, with Lafayette playing host to Mount Saint Mary's while Lehigh is at Rutgers.
For Lehigh, which has not won away from Stabler Arena this season, the challenge of taking on a Big East team got even tougher with the loss of senior center Jason Mgebroff. With 7-foot sophomre John Gourlay also out with an injury, Billy Taylor will have to use skinny 6-9 Phillip Anderson at the five.
Rutgers' J.R. Inman is 6-9 and leads the Scarlet Knights in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (7 rpg). But after that, Rutgers is not real big. Freshman Hamady N'Diaye is 6-11 with tremendous upside, but the native of Senegal is still learning the game. Senior Adrian Hill (6-8) starts and averages 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds.
It has been an interesting season for normally defensive-minded Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks are averaging over 72 points per game. Rutgers, on the other hand, has just one guy (Inman) averaging in double figures and is scoring 62.2 points per game.
As we wrote in the Lehigh preview for Blue Ribbon, with Jose Olivero, Lehigh always has a punchers chance.
Matchup | Scarlet Nation preview
Mount St. Mary's at Lafayette -- (Matchup) A winnable game for the Leopards, who have won four of their last five after an 0-5 start. Admittedly, two of those wins have been against Division 3 teams, and the Leopards had trouble putting D3 Kings away their last time out. But from afar we tend to view that as a rare situation where Lafayett might actually have taken an opponent lightly.
Mount St. Mary's comes in 2-8, with losses in six of its past seven, including a 59-46 loss at home to American. The Mount has yet to win in 6 games away from Knott Arena.
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For Lehigh, which has not won away from Stabler Arena this season, the challenge of taking on a Big East team got even tougher with the loss of senior center Jason Mgebroff. With 7-foot sophomre John Gourlay also out with an injury, Billy Taylor will have to use skinny 6-9 Phillip Anderson at the five.
Rutgers' J.R. Inman is 6-9 and leads the Scarlet Knights in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (7 rpg). But after that, Rutgers is not real big. Freshman Hamady N'Diaye is 6-11 with tremendous upside, but the native of Senegal is still learning the game. Senior Adrian Hill (6-8) starts and averages 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds.
It has been an interesting season for normally defensive-minded Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks are averaging over 72 points per game. Rutgers, on the other hand, has just one guy (Inman) averaging in double figures and is scoring 62.2 points per game.
As we wrote in the Lehigh preview for Blue Ribbon, with Jose Olivero, Lehigh always has a punchers chance.
Matchup | Scarlet Nation preview
Mount St. Mary's at Lafayette -- (Matchup) A winnable game for the Leopards, who have won four of their last five after an 0-5 start. Admittedly, two of those wins have been against Division 3 teams, and the Leopards had trouble putting D3 Kings away their last time out. But from afar we tend to view that as a rare situation where Lafayett might actually have taken an opponent lightly.
Mount St. Mary's comes in 2-8, with losses in six of its past seven, including a 59-46 loss at home to American. The Mount has yet to win in 6 games away from Knott Arena.
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
Holy Cross hosts George Mason in the marquee game of a strong three-game bill for Patriot League teams tonight that also includes a reality check for Army.
One of the first signs of how good George Mason was going to be last season might have been the 33-point hurt they put on Holy Cross down in Fairfax, Va.
At the time, Mason's 71-38 win over the 'Saders seemed more like a horrendous night for HC than any sort of Mason statement. Of course at the time, the 'Saders were a struggling team that didn't look at all like the ballclub they became by the end of the season. Given the rash of injuries HC was experiencing, that wide final margin seemed more an indication of the Crusaders' woes than Mason's excellence. Nobody dreamt three months later Mason would be in the Final Four.
The team coming into Worcester's DCU Center tonight is not that same Mason team. Jai Lewis, Lamar Butler, and Tony Skinn are gone, Those three -- all fifth-year seniors last season -- combined for 54 points against HC last season. Also gone is Cross' Kevin Hamilton, who the Patriots managed to hold to 11 points on 3 for 12 shooting. Keith Simmons' cramping problems, which were in full effect around this time last year, are also gone (though thankfully for HC, Simmons remains and seems to be OK despite having to wear a brace on the knee he sprained at Duke).
Some things are the same, though. Just like last year, the Crusaders are experiencing a rash of injuries. Pat Doherty is out -- again -- this time with a hand injury instead of the foot problems that sidelined him last season). Lawrence Dixon's surgically repaired knee has been balking and at last report, freshman Andrew Keister was awaiting the results of a scan to determine if he has a stress fracture in one of his legs. No word on the status of Dixon and Keister in the HC game notes.
One place HC appears to have an advantage is in the frontcourt. Tim Clifford will be easily the biggest dude in the paint. Clifford had a big night in Tuesday's loss at Providence and ought to be able to do the same if A) Mason tries to play him straight-up in man and B) If the quickness of Mason's 6-7 Will Thomas doesn't get Clifford into foul trouble. That will be a matchup to keep an eye on.
With Doherty and Dixon out, the Crusaders don't have a lot of perimeter firepower. This would be a nice spot for sophomore Colin Cunningham to step up.
As for mason, while they are clearly not the team they were a year ago, it would be foolhardy to dismiss their 4-4 record. Take a look at those losses: Duke, Creighton, Wichita State and Bucknell.
One edge for HC: this is Mason's first time out after an 11-day break for finals. Two patterns HC must break: 1) Mason has alternated wins and losses all season and teh Patriots lost last time out (at Duke). 2) Their own three-game losing streak (and four losses in their last five, albeit all against major conference opponents).
Also worth noting: Mason senior Gabe Norwaood and HC freshman Eric Meister both come from the same State College (Pa.) High School. That is also the alma mater of Colgate's Willie Morse.
Matchup | Boston Globe (on Mason)
Army at No. 20 Notre Dame -- A reality check for Army against a team that appears to be trying to win the Patriot League title.
The Black Knights' 9-2 start has gotten them a mention in the "others receiving" category of the AP Poll. But as nice as it is to see Army finally winning games, how they stack up against the rest of the league is still a big question mark. They have played a string of nobodies since losing to Missouri in the second game of the season. Suffice to say ND is not a SUNY Division 3 team.
Then again, nobody is really sure how good the 9-1 Irish are. Since losing their opener against Butler, ND has run off nine straight wins, a streak that started with a win over Lafayette and includes another win over Lehigh. The Irish also have wins over Alabama and Maryland.
Worth noting: In 2004, a horrendous Army team was up on ND 23-7 early. Doubt the Irish will take the Black Knights lightly.
Matchup | South Bend Tribune | Fort Wayne Journal Sentinel | Fighting Irish Insider | Protrade
Colgate at UC Riverside -- In a 10 p.m. (eastern) nightcap, the Raiders try to get back to .500 against a University of California at Riverside team that is 3-7 and in the midst of a five-game losing streak, albeit against some pretty tough competition.
Matchup
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One of the first signs of how good George Mason was going to be last season might have been the 33-point hurt they put on Holy Cross down in Fairfax, Va.
At the time, Mason's 71-38 win over the 'Saders seemed more like a horrendous night for HC than any sort of Mason statement. Of course at the time, the 'Saders were a struggling team that didn't look at all like the ballclub they became by the end of the season. Given the rash of injuries HC was experiencing, that wide final margin seemed more an indication of the Crusaders' woes than Mason's excellence. Nobody dreamt three months later Mason would be in the Final Four.
The team coming into Worcester's DCU Center tonight is not that same Mason team. Jai Lewis, Lamar Butler, and Tony Skinn are gone, Those three -- all fifth-year seniors last season -- combined for 54 points against HC last season. Also gone is Cross' Kevin Hamilton, who the Patriots managed to hold to 11 points on 3 for 12 shooting. Keith Simmons' cramping problems, which were in full effect around this time last year, are also gone (though thankfully for HC, Simmons remains and seems to be OK despite having to wear a brace on the knee he sprained at Duke).
Some things are the same, though. Just like last year, the Crusaders are experiencing a rash of injuries. Pat Doherty is out -- again -- this time with a hand injury instead of the foot problems that sidelined him last season). Lawrence Dixon's surgically repaired knee has been balking and at last report, freshman Andrew Keister was awaiting the results of a scan to determine if he has a stress fracture in one of his legs. No word on the status of Dixon and Keister in the HC game notes.
One place HC appears to have an advantage is in the frontcourt. Tim Clifford will be easily the biggest dude in the paint. Clifford had a big night in Tuesday's loss at Providence and ought to be able to do the same if A) Mason tries to play him straight-up in man and B) If the quickness of Mason's 6-7 Will Thomas doesn't get Clifford into foul trouble. That will be a matchup to keep an eye on.
With Doherty and Dixon out, the Crusaders don't have a lot of perimeter firepower. This would be a nice spot for sophomore Colin Cunningham to step up.
As for mason, while they are clearly not the team they were a year ago, it would be foolhardy to dismiss their 4-4 record. Take a look at those losses: Duke, Creighton, Wichita State and Bucknell.
One edge for HC: this is Mason's first time out after an 11-day break for finals. Two patterns HC must break: 1) Mason has alternated wins and losses all season and teh Patriots lost last time out (at Duke). 2) Their own three-game losing streak (and four losses in their last five, albeit all against major conference opponents).
Also worth noting: Mason senior Gabe Norwaood and HC freshman Eric Meister both come from the same State College (Pa.) High School. That is also the alma mater of Colgate's Willie Morse.
Matchup | Boston Globe (on Mason)
Army at No. 20 Notre Dame -- A reality check for Army against a team that appears to be trying to win the Patriot League title.
The Black Knights' 9-2 start has gotten them a mention in the "others receiving" category of the AP Poll. But as nice as it is to see Army finally winning games, how they stack up against the rest of the league is still a big question mark. They have played a string of nobodies since losing to Missouri in the second game of the season. Suffice to say ND is not a SUNY Division 3 team.
Then again, nobody is really sure how good the 9-1 Irish are. Since losing their opener against Butler, ND has run off nine straight wins, a streak that started with a win over Lafayette and includes another win over Lehigh. The Irish also have wins over Alabama and Maryland.
Worth noting: In 2004, a horrendous Army team was up on ND 23-7 early. Doubt the Irish will take the Black Knights lightly.
Matchup | South Bend Tribune | Fort Wayne Journal Sentinel | Fighting Irish Insider | Protrade
Colgate at UC Riverside -- In a 10 p.m. (eastern) nightcap, the Raiders try to get back to .500 against a University of California at Riverside team that is 3-7 and in the midst of a five-game losing streak, albeit against some pretty tough competition.
Matchup
Labels: Army, CU, HC, previews
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
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.
Matchup | Cincinnati Post preview | Cincinnati Enquirer preview
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.
Matchup | Cincinnati Post preview | Cincinnati Enquirer preview
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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Tuesday, December 19, 2006
While some others are cutting their pre-conference teeth on Division 3 mush, Holy Cross and Colgate are biting off more challenging fare. (Full post includes readaround links)
The Crusaders return from a 12-day break for finals to meet Providence of the Big East at the Friar's Dunkin Donuts Center (matchup). Most would consider a Holy Cross win an upset, but we're not so sure that is accurate. Although the Friars are 7-2, their schedule has not been impressive. The Friars do sport a decent (49) RPI, but HC -- at 37 -- ranks higher.
Providence lost its only road game of the season, at Florida (86-67). Although they have wins at the Dunk was over Boston College and George Washington, the rest of the schedule has been a steady diet of New England mid-major road kills. Even those have not all gone as planned for Tim Welsh's team. The other loss was against Brown.
That game, a 51-41 final, was played at the type pace Holy Cross prefers, and Brown is not nearly as good at imposing that style on foes as the Crusaders are.
Add the RPI differences and that Brown game to the Crusaders past history of relative success against Providence and a 'Saders win would would not be nearly as big an upset as it will seem to the unknowing masses when they see the score. The Crusaders have played Providence in Providence 32 times and have won 11 of those. That is a pretty decent rate of winning on the road against a major conference team. The two have traded wins over their last five meetings, with Providence winning by 6 the last time they played (2000).
Of course if Keith Simmons is not at full speed, it changes everything. Simmons sprained his knee in the Crusaders' last game (at Duke). Last word out of Worcester was that he was unable to practice. HC coach Ralph Willard has not updated his Web site since that Dec. 12 post and there is no mention of any injuries in the HC game notes (pdf).
Kevin McNamara breaks it down in today's Providence Journal (you need to sign in to read the ProJo, feel free to use our old hotmail address -- hoop_time@hotmail.com and the password: hooptime). For another look, try the Pawtucket Times' preview (no sign-in in needed).
Colgate at Arizona State -- (matchup
| Az. Republic preview ) A pair of 4-4 teams meet in the desert. Colgate comes in off a nine-day break for finals, having lost at Syracuse its last time out. ASU played Saturday, losing by 18 at Xavier, the Sun Devils' second straight setback. They also have suffered home losses to Northern Arizona and Portland State.
It's a homecoming game for Colgate senior Jon Simon, the team's leading scorer. Simon is from Phoenix. Also home for the pre-holidays is Raiders sophomore Daniel Waddy, who comes from Tuscon.
Readaround links:
Patriot-News hoops writer David Jones breaks down the Patriot League in a column today.
Morning Call beat guy Stephen Miller profiles Lafayette's undersized four-man Matt Betley
Mike Garvey, of the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, thinks Lafayette is nicknamed the "Cougars." get past that glaring miscue and his story about Division 3 King's excitement over the prospect of playing the D-1 LEOPARDS Wednesday night is an interesting read.
If there had not been a direct link posted from the Holy Cross message board, I am not sure I'd have discovered this hidden gem from Kyle Whelliston. It's a breakdown of Patriot League school's hoops budgets. You can also check out a complete D-1 spending ranking. While you are there, check this on-the-money analysis of the college hoops world.
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The Crusaders return from a 12-day break for finals to meet Providence of the Big East at the Friar's Dunkin Donuts Center (matchup). Most would consider a Holy Cross win an upset, but we're not so sure that is accurate. Although the Friars are 7-2, their schedule has not been impressive. The Friars do sport a decent (49) RPI, but HC -- at 37 -- ranks higher.
Providence lost its only road game of the season, at Florida (86-67). Although they have wins at the Dunk was over Boston College and George Washington, the rest of the schedule has been a steady diet of New England mid-major road kills. Even those have not all gone as planned for Tim Welsh's team. The other loss was against Brown.
That game, a 51-41 final, was played at the type pace Holy Cross prefers, and Brown is not nearly as good at imposing that style on foes as the Crusaders are.
Add the RPI differences and that Brown game to the Crusaders past history of relative success against Providence and a 'Saders win would would not be nearly as big an upset as it will seem to the unknowing masses when they see the score. The Crusaders have played Providence in Providence 32 times and have won 11 of those. That is a pretty decent rate of winning on the road against a major conference team. The two have traded wins over their last five meetings, with Providence winning by 6 the last time they played (2000).
Of course if Keith Simmons is not at full speed, it changes everything. Simmons sprained his knee in the Crusaders' last game (at Duke). Last word out of Worcester was that he was unable to practice. HC coach Ralph Willard has not updated his Web site since that Dec. 12 post and there is no mention of any injuries in the HC game notes (pdf).
Kevin McNamara breaks it down in today's Providence Journal (you need to sign in to read the ProJo, feel free to use our old hotmail address -- hoop_time@hotmail.com and the password: hooptime). For another look, try the Pawtucket Times' preview (no sign-in in needed).
Colgate at Arizona State -- (matchup
| Az. Republic preview ) A pair of 4-4 teams meet in the desert. Colgate comes in off a nine-day break for finals, having lost at Syracuse its last time out. ASU played Saturday, losing by 18 at Xavier, the Sun Devils' second straight setback. They also have suffered home losses to Northern Arizona and Portland State.
It's a homecoming game for Colgate senior Jon Simon, the team's leading scorer. Simon is from Phoenix. Also home for the pre-holidays is Raiders sophomore Daniel Waddy, who comes from Tuscon.
Readaround links:
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Monday, December 18, 2006
The only game tonight features SUNY Maritime at Army in another exciting game mismatch. Army could beat up on the sea scouts when the Black Knights couldn't beat anybody else. This one could get ugly. No sense linking to the matchup -- nothing in there about Maritime.
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Saturday, December 16, 2006
Two games on tap this afternoon; one that actually matters. Bucknell ends a 12-day break for finals with a trip to Ithaca to meet Cornell in the annual battle of the 'nells. Also back in action: Army hosting Division 3 SUNY Purchase.
Ealier in the season, the Bucknell-Cornell matchup looked a lot more interesting. Cornell won three of its first four, including an opening-night win over Northwestern of the Big Ten. The Big Red also beat Army in that span (the loss came at Lehigh). But star guard Adam Gore went down for the season with a torn ACL on Nov. 14 and since the, Cornell has struggled, going 2-4.
Cornell's record could be a little deceiving, though. Toss out a 19-point loss at Lehigh, and the three other losses came by a combined 8 points, the widest margin being a 5-point overtime loss at William & Mary the last time out (Dec. 2).
Bucknell has won the last three meetings between the two, including an 83-39 shellacking last season that you can bet Cornell would love to avenge.
SUNY-Purchase at Army matchup
Crews has Army basketball on winning track (Times Herald-Record)
Bonus link:
HE BLEEDS GREEN: Heinsohn has always been true to Celtics (Patriot-Ledger)
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Ealier in the season, the Bucknell-Cornell matchup looked a lot more interesting. Cornell won three of its first four, including an opening-night win over Northwestern of the Big Ten. The Big Red also beat Army in that span (the loss came at Lehigh). But star guard Adam Gore went down for the season with a torn ACL on Nov. 14 and since the, Cornell has struggled, going 2-4.
Cornell's record could be a little deceiving, though. Toss out a 19-point loss at Lehigh, and the three other losses came by a combined 8 points, the widest margin being a 5-point overtime loss at William & Mary the last time out (Dec. 2).
Bucknell has won the last three meetings between the two, including an 83-39 shellacking last season that you can bet Cornell would love to avenge.
Bonus link:
Labels: Army, BU, HC, previews
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Monday, December 11, 2006
The Lehigh Valley is the center of the Hoop Time universe tonigh with two games on tap: resurgent Lafayette looks to continue its three-game win streak when it hosts Columbia (matchup) and Division 3 Haverford visits Lehigh (matchup). That is it until Saturday as finals get into full swing across the league.
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Friday, December 08, 2006
Three Patriot League teams in action today -- all on the road. Lehigh, still looking for its first road win, is at Miami (Fla.) (matchup), Colgate makes its annual visit to Syracuse (matchup, preview) and American seeks to continue the Patriot League's domination of Yale (matchup).
BONUS LINKS:
SU should be cranky for annual brush with Colgate (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Colgate at a glance (Syracuse Post-Standard)
With King out, team must step up, (Miami coach) Haith says (Sun-Sentinel)
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BONUS LINKS:
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Thursday, December 07, 2006
Two games tonight. Easily the headliner is Penn at Navy, the Mids at home on Pearl Harbor Day (PHD link is to a day job piece I highly reccomend) for their truest test of the young season. The Quakers (4-3) are still adjusting to new coach Glen Miller, but they are still one of the top teams in the Ivy League with a bonafide shot at returning to the NCAA Tournament for the third straigh time (and fifth time in six years). We will know a lot more about the Mids after this one. Listen on Sirus 107 at 8 Eastern.
Also on the schedule, former Bucknell assistant Don Friday takes his Division III Lycoming team to Easton for a game with Lafayette (matchup).
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Also on the schedule, former Bucknell assistant Don Friday takes his Division III Lycoming team to Easton for a game with Lafayette (matchup).
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