This one hurts a little bit though.
It will help the SoCon tremendously to come up with an early season win over an ACC opponent on the road. However, couldn't someone other than College of Charleston provide it for me?
I do not like CofC. Not one bit. They are the team I view as our biggest rival. And they go to Maryland tomorrow night. On ESPNU. 7:00. You can watch it. You can root for the SoCon and the help to our overall profile. Or you can root for the Cougars to fall on their face- because that's always fun.
I'll be rooting for the Cougars. It's what needs to happen for the SoCon, which the Mocs need desperately. It should be a pretty good game, as one of the conference favorites hits the road.
I'll also be watching just to get a view of what the Cougars look like this year. And to watch some basketball for the first time this year!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
OOC Opponents
We'll try to take a weekly look at the Mocs Out of Conference Opponents and what they have coming up schedule-wise. That means, that the nine known D-1 out of conference opponents and the other two teams from the Dr Pepper Classic will be examined.
Let's look at the schedules:
Tennessee
Nov 12 Chattanooga
November 16 Vs. Belmont in the Preseason NIT
November 17 Vs. Arkansas State/Missouri State in Preseason NIT
Austin Peay
Nov 12 at Saint Louis
Nov 15 at Chattanooga
Nov 18 at Lipscomb
Kennesaw State
Nov 12 GEO Southwestern
Nov 15 Georgia Tech
Nov 17 Chattanooga
Marshall
Nov 12 West Virginia Tech
Nov 15 Glenville State
Louisville
Nov 16 Butler
Jackson State
Nov 12 at TCU
Nov 15 at UCF
Nov 18 at Baylor
FIU
Nov 12 Florida Memorial
Nov 15 Barry
Nov 18 Florida State
Murray State
Nov 15 ETSU
Nov 17 at Ole Miss
Georgia State
Nov 16 at McNeese State
Nov 19 Troy
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Nov 13 Northeastern State
Nov 15 Texas A&M
Nov 17 at Oklahoma State
Georgia Tech
Nov 12 Charleston Southern
Nov 15 at Kennesaw State
Nov 17 Albany
Nov 19 Niagara
These are all the games that happen between now and November 19.
Austin Peay is a team that the Mocs play twice. The Mocs will only play one of Georgia State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Dr Pepper Classic (hopefully the winner of the game, unless the Mocs lose to Montreat).
Montreat and Reinhardt are the two non-D1s that the Mocs are playing. I will not be keeping track of their results and schedule- at least not on a weekly basis.
Two of our future opponents play each other this week, when Georgia Tech heads to Kennesaw State, in a big game for the Owls. Given that the Mocs play the Owls in a week, this is an interesting game to keep an eye on. The Yellow Jackets will have played them just two days before.
It is also interesting to keep an eye on ESPN2 when Louisville hosts Butler. That will be the opener of the new arena in Louisville. The Cardinals are not a great team, apparently. But if they could take out Butler, that may change my opinion.
GO MOCS!
Let's look at the schedules:
Tennessee
Nov 12 Chattanooga
November 16 Vs. Belmont in the Preseason NIT
November 17 Vs. Arkansas State/Missouri State in Preseason NIT
Austin Peay
Nov 12 at Saint Louis
Nov 15 at Chattanooga
Nov 18 at Lipscomb
Kennesaw State
Nov 12 GEO Southwestern
Nov 15 Georgia Tech
Nov 17 Chattanooga
Marshall
Nov 12 West Virginia Tech
Nov 15 Glenville State
Louisville
Nov 16 Butler
Jackson State
Nov 12 at TCU
Nov 15 at UCF
Nov 18 at Baylor
FIU
Nov 12 Florida Memorial
Nov 15 Barry
Nov 18 Florida State
Murray State
Nov 15 ETSU
Nov 17 at Ole Miss
Georgia State
Nov 16 at McNeese State
Nov 19 Troy
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Nov 13 Northeastern State
Nov 15 Texas A&M
Nov 17 at Oklahoma State
Georgia Tech
Nov 12 Charleston Southern
Nov 15 at Kennesaw State
Nov 17 Albany
Nov 19 Niagara
These are all the games that happen between now and November 19.
Austin Peay is a team that the Mocs play twice. The Mocs will only play one of Georgia State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Dr Pepper Classic (hopefully the winner of the game, unless the Mocs lose to Montreat).
Montreat and Reinhardt are the two non-D1s that the Mocs are playing. I will not be keeping track of their results and schedule- at least not on a weekly basis.
Two of our future opponents play each other this week, when Georgia Tech heads to Kennesaw State, in a big game for the Owls. Given that the Mocs play the Owls in a week, this is an interesting game to keep an eye on. The Yellow Jackets will have played them just two days before.
It is also interesting to keep an eye on ESPN2 when Louisville hosts Butler. That will be the opener of the new arena in Louisville. The Cardinals are not a great team, apparently. But if they could take out Butler, that may change my opinion.
GO MOCS!
TFP- Ex-manager redshirts as UTC player
Click on the title for the link to the story.
Drew Baker is going to redshirt. Shulman seems to think that with an extra year of seasoning and adding muscle that he will be capable of playing a big role for the Mocs.
Admittedly, I have not seen Baker much, but in reading this article, the way they were describing his game reminded me some of Brandon Born. By the way, that's a compliment, because Born is one of my all-time favorite Mocs. I have a basketball signed by him that I got when I was an impressionable teenager. It is still what I clutch during every Mocs game that I watch on TV or listen to on the radio. Baker probably isn't quite that talented, but we'll have to wait and see.
Maybe Watson could use a redshirt year too. I have no idea what all goes into these decisions beyond need, but maybe a redshirt year for Watson would help him grow into a little bit stronger and better player. Not sure that he can redshirt though, now that he has played in the exhibition game.
Drew Baker is going to redshirt. Shulman seems to think that with an extra year of seasoning and adding muscle that he will be capable of playing a big role for the Mocs.
Admittedly, I have not seen Baker much, but in reading this article, the way they were describing his game reminded me some of Brandon Born. By the way, that's a compliment, because Born is one of my all-time favorite Mocs. I have a basketball signed by him that I got when I was an impressionable teenager. It is still what I clutch during every Mocs game that I watch on TV or listen to on the radio. Baker probably isn't quite that talented, but we'll have to wait and see.
Maybe Watson could use a redshirt year too. I have no idea what all goes into these decisions beyond need, but maybe a redshirt year for Watson would help him grow into a little bit stronger and better player. Not sure that he can redshirt though, now that he has played in the exhibition game.
Sweet November
Wait! Did I really just allude to a chick flick starring Keanu Reeves? In a basketball blog? What's wrong with me?
Clearly, I am in desperate need of some basketball (and maybe some football, too, but I certainly have had plenty of that over the last two plus months...but it has been a long time since Saturday).
The season is almost here. Let's look at the Mocs schedule for this month.
Nov 12 at Tennessee
Nov 15 Austin Peay
Nov 17 at Kennesaw State
Nov 20 at Marshall
Nov 22 at Louisville
Nov 24 Jackson State
Nov 27 at Florida International
Toughest Game- at Tennessee. After the Vols loss to Indianapolis last night, maybe this isn't the toughest game. But this is a team that is projected by everyone to be in the Tournament, and I have seen no lower than an 8 seed. Considering that no other team is projected to be that high of a seed, the Vols are still the toughest task. Playing on the road against all those athletes, coming off a loss that should have them focused, and desperate to get the real season started will be incredibly difficult. The Mocs will need to play their best game to win.
Easiest Game- Jackson State. Don't get carried away- this is not an easy game. Jackson State is the SWAC favorites. The Tigers are a good team and are far from a guaranteed victory. But given Shulman's road record, it is almost impossible to count any road game as the easiest game. The other home game is against Austin Peay, and that could hardly be counted as the easiest game. Yes, the Tigers are good- and that just shows how daunting of a schedule this November schedule really is.
Most Important Game- at Kennesaw State. This team is picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Sun, which is not a perfect position. That's why this game is so important to the Mocs. Yes, Kennesaw lost an exhibition game to LaGrange as well. The Owls view the Mocs as a game they need to win as well. That's part of what makes this important. If the Mocs can come up with a split against Tennessee and Austin Peay in their first two games, then a win here would put them over .500 heading into the tough road games against Marshall and Louisville. That will be critical to confidence for the Mocs in the next two games.
Setting the Bar- What should the Mocs record be this month? It's tough to know for sure. Louisville is beatable as they are a middle of the pack Big East team. Austin Peay is one of the better teams in the Ohio Valley Conference, but that one is at home. Jackson State is a very winnable home game. Isiah Thompson, er..., Thomas will have his FIU team ready to play, if he can get his mind off the Knicks for a few hours, but they are not unbeatable by any stretch of the imagination. Tennessee seems vulnerable after losing to D-II Indianapolis on Monday. Kennesaw State is not great. Marshall is good, but not top level good. So, every game is winnable. But every game is capable of being lost too. Set the bar at 3-4, with two home wins and a win over Kennesaw State. The Mocs could also use not getting hammered by Tennessee or Louisville to create some buzz in the city. A 5-2 mark with relativley close losses to Tennessee and Louisville would leave the Mocs feeling like it was a Sweet November...ouch. Alluding to that blasted chick flick again!
Clearly, I am in desperate need of some basketball (and maybe some football, too, but I certainly have had plenty of that over the last two plus months...but it has been a long time since Saturday).
The season is almost here. Let's look at the Mocs schedule for this month.
Nov 12 at Tennessee
Nov 15 Austin Peay
Nov 17 at Kennesaw State
Nov 20 at Marshall
Nov 22 at Louisville
Nov 24 Jackson State
Nov 27 at Florida International
Toughest Game- at Tennessee. After the Vols loss to Indianapolis last night, maybe this isn't the toughest game. But this is a team that is projected by everyone to be in the Tournament, and I have seen no lower than an 8 seed. Considering that no other team is projected to be that high of a seed, the Vols are still the toughest task. Playing on the road against all those athletes, coming off a loss that should have them focused, and desperate to get the real season started will be incredibly difficult. The Mocs will need to play their best game to win.
Easiest Game- Jackson State. Don't get carried away- this is not an easy game. Jackson State is the SWAC favorites. The Tigers are a good team and are far from a guaranteed victory. But given Shulman's road record, it is almost impossible to count any road game as the easiest game. The other home game is against Austin Peay, and that could hardly be counted as the easiest game. Yes, the Tigers are good- and that just shows how daunting of a schedule this November schedule really is.
Most Important Game- at Kennesaw State. This team is picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Sun, which is not a perfect position. That's why this game is so important to the Mocs. Yes, Kennesaw lost an exhibition game to LaGrange as well. The Owls view the Mocs as a game they need to win as well. That's part of what makes this important. If the Mocs can come up with a split against Tennessee and Austin Peay in their first two games, then a win here would put them over .500 heading into the tough road games against Marshall and Louisville. That will be critical to confidence for the Mocs in the next two games.
Setting the Bar- What should the Mocs record be this month? It's tough to know for sure. Louisville is beatable as they are a middle of the pack Big East team. Austin Peay is one of the better teams in the Ohio Valley Conference, but that one is at home. Jackson State is a very winnable home game. Isiah Thompson, er..., Thomas will have his FIU team ready to play, if he can get his mind off the Knicks for a few hours, but they are not unbeatable by any stretch of the imagination. Tennessee seems vulnerable after losing to D-II Indianapolis on Monday. Kennesaw State is not great. Marshall is good, but not top level good. So, every game is winnable. But every game is capable of being lost too. Set the bar at 3-4, with two home wins and a win over Kennesaw State. The Mocs could also use not getting hammered by Tennessee or Louisville to create some buzz in the city. A 5-2 mark with relativley close losses to Tennessee and Louisville would leave the Mocs feeling like it was a Sweet November...ouch. Alluding to that blasted chick flick again!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Final Thought on the Night- GET TO TBA!
Thompson Boiling Arena still has tickets available for only $11 for the Mocs trip to Knoxville on Friday night at 9:00. Get there if you can! The Mocs can use the support. I'll be at a wedding in Maryland- but I'll be there in spirit! GO MOCS!
One More Note on the Vols
Did anyone else forget? Syracuse got beaten last year by LeMoyne at home in an exhibition game.
Syracuse wound up a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament- and got beaten by Butler in the Sweet Sixteen. So, don't overreact to one game. The Vols could still be plenty good. Actually, the Orange were ranked in the low 20s last year in the preseason as well. It is kind of eery actually.
That being said, hope Shulman saw the zone that was used and may even give it a try.
GO MOCS!
Syracuse wound up a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament- and got beaten by Butler in the Sweet Sixteen. So, don't overreact to one game. The Vols could still be plenty good. Actually, the Orange were ranked in the low 20s last year in the preseason as well. It is kind of eery actually.
That being said, hope Shulman saw the zone that was used and may even give it a try.
GO MOCS!
Vols Fall to D-II Indianapolis Ahead of Friday's Opener
Ummm...25 turnovers. Click on the link if you really want to know the horrors that the Vols faced.
The Vols committed 25 turnovers, and despite leading by eight at halftime, lost. They gave up fifteen straight points to start the second half, where the Vols missed five shots and committed six turnovers. Ouch.
Scotty Hopson played just nine minutes (partly due to foul trouble), and Brian Williams took just one shot. In other words, the odds are that this team looks very different on Friday night.
The good news for the Mocs- some of the things that won't change. The Vols shot just 50 percent from the free throw line. With a team that should have dominated the boards, they won that battle by only eight. Plus, those 25 turnovers compared to 15 assists. Also, the Vols shot only 24 percent from three point range.
What does all that mean? The Vols could easily struggle to shoot from outside, and from the free throw line. They seem to have a tendency towards committing turnovers. The question against the Mocs will be if they can pound the ball inside and if they can attack the boards with a vengeance.
It's good and bad for the Mocs. The Vols could be more focused- but their confidence could also be shaken. Or they may just not be that good. We'll have to wait until Friday to see.
Of course, maybe Bruce Pearl thought this was a barbecue and he told the players not to tell anyone that they were playing, so they kept on trying to hide every time one of the fans looked at them. That would explain the turnovers and why Hopson liked to hide on the bench.
The Vols committed 25 turnovers, and despite leading by eight at halftime, lost. They gave up fifteen straight points to start the second half, where the Vols missed five shots and committed six turnovers. Ouch.
Scotty Hopson played just nine minutes (partly due to foul trouble), and Brian Williams took just one shot. In other words, the odds are that this team looks very different on Friday night.
The good news for the Mocs- some of the things that won't change. The Vols shot just 50 percent from the free throw line. With a team that should have dominated the boards, they won that battle by only eight. Plus, those 25 turnovers compared to 15 assists. Also, the Vols shot only 24 percent from three point range.
What does all that mean? The Vols could easily struggle to shoot from outside, and from the free throw line. They seem to have a tendency towards committing turnovers. The question against the Mocs will be if they can pound the ball inside and if they can attack the boards with a vengeance.
It's good and bad for the Mocs. The Vols could be more focused- but their confidence could also be shaken. Or they may just not be that good. We'll have to wait until Friday to see.
Of course, maybe Bruce Pearl thought this was a barbecue and he told the players not to tell anyone that they were playing, so they kept on trying to hide every time one of the fans looked at them. That would explain the turnovers and why Hopson liked to hide on the bench.
The 2010-2011 Most Important Player
Who is the Mocs Most Important Player as they head into this year? It's a little bit of a complex question.
You could easily go with Keegan Bell and his 3 of 13 three point shooting in an exhibition game. Bell is a point guard and needs to make plays as a point guard. His eagerness to shoot sometimes bothers me a bit. But Bell is probably the most talented player on the floor.
Omar Wattad and Troy Cage might be the two most athletic players. Ricky Taylor and Josh Odem might be the two best potential "scorers." When they are on, they can fill up the basket. Chris Early has as much potential as anyone. Jahmal Burroughs had as good of a night as anyone in the exhibition game.
But at this point, there is one player who seems to stand above the others. DeAntre Jefferson is apparently going to be the man in the middle for the Mocs. He needs to BE the man in the middle. If he could consistently get a double-double, then that would be golden for the Mocs. If he gets a double-double, the Mocs should be able to win that game. If he doesn't, the Mocs could be in real trouble.
The Mocs need that presence in the middle. It could be Jeremy Saffore, but based on the Tennessee Wesleyan game, he will not be playing nearly as much as Jefferson. That makes Jefferson all the more important to this team. Watch and see how the Mocs do when he collects a double-double. That will probably be the most important individual statistic to watch.
Without Ridge McKeither and the other Mocs that left, hopefully the team will play more as a team. THAT is the real key to making the whole difference in winning and losing this year. THAT is the most important thing. The players need to stop caring about themselves, and care more about the team. If that doesn't happen, the Mocs will struggle to win the games necessary to advance to the NCAA Tournament this year and Shulman may be done. If they come together and play as a real team, they could have a surprisingly good season- maybe even winning 20+ games.
GO MOCS!
You could easily go with Keegan Bell and his 3 of 13 three point shooting in an exhibition game. Bell is a point guard and needs to make plays as a point guard. His eagerness to shoot sometimes bothers me a bit. But Bell is probably the most talented player on the floor.
Omar Wattad and Troy Cage might be the two most athletic players. Ricky Taylor and Josh Odem might be the two best potential "scorers." When they are on, they can fill up the basket. Chris Early has as much potential as anyone. Jahmal Burroughs had as good of a night as anyone in the exhibition game.
But at this point, there is one player who seems to stand above the others. DeAntre Jefferson is apparently going to be the man in the middle for the Mocs. He needs to BE the man in the middle. If he could consistently get a double-double, then that would be golden for the Mocs. If he gets a double-double, the Mocs should be able to win that game. If he doesn't, the Mocs could be in real trouble.
The Mocs need that presence in the middle. It could be Jeremy Saffore, but based on the Tennessee Wesleyan game, he will not be playing nearly as much as Jefferson. That makes Jefferson all the more important to this team. Watch and see how the Mocs do when he collects a double-double. That will probably be the most important individual statistic to watch.
Without Ridge McKeither and the other Mocs that left, hopefully the team will play more as a team. THAT is the real key to making the whole difference in winning and losing this year. THAT is the most important thing. The players need to stop caring about themselves, and care more about the team. If that doesn't happen, the Mocs will struggle to win the games necessary to advance to the NCAA Tournament this year and Shulman may be done. If they come together and play as a real team, they could have a surprisingly good season- maybe even winning 20+ games.
GO MOCS!
TFP- Shulman Stiill Solid With UTC
Click on the title to go to a link for the story. The most telling line of the story:
AD Rick Hart: "Coach Shulman does a great job and has been a great ambassador for UTC athletics, and I expect that to continue.”
If Hart likes Shulman, then there is little chance of him going anywhere. Then again, sometimes this is known as "The Vote of Confidence of Death." Sometimes guys get a vote of confidence right before they get canned. So who knows?
AD Rick Hart: "Coach Shulman does a great job and has been a great ambassador for UTC athletics, and I expect that to continue.”
If Hart likes Shulman, then there is little chance of him going anywhere. Then again, sometimes this is known as "The Vote of Confidence of Death." Sometimes guys get a vote of confidence right before they get canned. So who knows?
Shulman: "Let's Sit Here- OUCH! THAT'S HOT!!!"
Not that Coach John Shulman ever sits down- which is a good thing, because if he did, he would burn his rear end. That's how hot his seat is.
This could easily be a recurring theme on this blog throughout the year, so I want to state my position from the beginning and where I am coming from.
I have liked Shulman from the beginning. I think he's a good man, who does a lot for the community and genuinely cares about the young men he is trying to raise up. I also believe that he has taken us to two NCAA Tournament appearances, something his two predecessors can not claim.
The grass is always greener, though. People always think finding a new coach is the answer to all the ills. Look at Bruce Pearl at UTK and how he has made a difference in their team. That's true. Pearl has turned it around- and he is also now working without a contract and hoping there are not any more barbecues that he hosted where he told people not to talk about it.
The similarities with UTK are striking. After all, Huesman has really gotten people excited about Mocs football, and people think the same thing could happen for the basketball program. So let's look at UTK. When Pearl entered, the Vols turned it around, and instantly people started hollering for Phil Fulmer's head roll as football coach, thinking a new coach could make a difference. Despite the fact that they went to the SEC Championship Game just the year before, and no team had been to more SEC Championship Games from the East since the "slump" began in 2001, Fulmer was let go. They hired the hot young coach- who left the program with some recruiting scandal, and off to date the hot blonde in southern California. Now, the Vols are suffering through one of their worst football seasons ever. That may not have worked out so well for the Vols.
And another program I have grown familar with is Kentucky, since I live in Lexington. They ran off (not fired, but ran off) a good man in Tubby Smith thinking they could do better, despite going to the Elite Eight many many times in his tenure. They hired (allegedly) a drunken buffoon who (again allegedly) enjoyed the company of co-eds. After missing the NCAA Tournament and losing to Gardner-Webb and VMI, the Wildcats had to fire him, which prompted him to go to a golf course at 3:00 AM. Now they have Calipari, who has done well, but has not taken them any further than Tubby was taking them, and gotten them in some potential trouble with the NCAA.
So things do not always work out for the better for teams that fire coaches. The grass is not always greener. It doesn't always make the most sense.
That being said, Shulman could definitely be in trouble in Chattanooga if this season is not at least mildly successful. The two losing seasons have not sat well with the fans. The football team has not drawn less than 10,000 to a home game this year. The basketball team draws that over three home games. Yes, football is more popular and has larger attendances generally, but for this proud program, that is not a good standard.
The feeling around Chattanooga is that he subs too frequently, plays too many players, and the team gets beaten in road games, and gets blown out by the best teams on the schedule.
For Shulman, it is advised that he not get blown out by Tennessee right off the bat. A nice 15 point loss would do the trick. Or a win. A blowout loss would really get the vultures swirling. Can the Mocs prevent that? Shulman better hope so.
He doesn't sit down much during the games, but his seat is hot. But it is nothing a couple of wins can't fix.
HEAT-O-METER (on a scale of 1-10): 7.5 It's more than warm, but it is not red hot. Have a great month and it goes down under 5. Have an awful 0-7 start in November, and it jumps to a 10. It's unclear how this all plays out yet. We'll start to find out this week.
This could easily be a recurring theme on this blog throughout the year, so I want to state my position from the beginning and where I am coming from.
I have liked Shulman from the beginning. I think he's a good man, who does a lot for the community and genuinely cares about the young men he is trying to raise up. I also believe that he has taken us to two NCAA Tournament appearances, something his two predecessors can not claim.
The grass is always greener, though. People always think finding a new coach is the answer to all the ills. Look at Bruce Pearl at UTK and how he has made a difference in their team. That's true. Pearl has turned it around- and he is also now working without a contract and hoping there are not any more barbecues that he hosted where he told people not to talk about it.
The similarities with UTK are striking. After all, Huesman has really gotten people excited about Mocs football, and people think the same thing could happen for the basketball program. So let's look at UTK. When Pearl entered, the Vols turned it around, and instantly people started hollering for Phil Fulmer's head roll as football coach, thinking a new coach could make a difference. Despite the fact that they went to the SEC Championship Game just the year before, and no team had been to more SEC Championship Games from the East since the "slump" began in 2001, Fulmer was let go. They hired the hot young coach- who left the program with some recruiting scandal, and off to date the hot blonde in southern California. Now, the Vols are suffering through one of their worst football seasons ever. That may not have worked out so well for the Vols.
And another program I have grown familar with is Kentucky, since I live in Lexington. They ran off (not fired, but ran off) a good man in Tubby Smith thinking they could do better, despite going to the Elite Eight many many times in his tenure. They hired (allegedly) a drunken buffoon who (again allegedly) enjoyed the company of co-eds. After missing the NCAA Tournament and losing to Gardner-Webb and VMI, the Wildcats had to fire him, which prompted him to go to a golf course at 3:00 AM. Now they have Calipari, who has done well, but has not taken them any further than Tubby was taking them, and gotten them in some potential trouble with the NCAA.
So things do not always work out for the better for teams that fire coaches. The grass is not always greener. It doesn't always make the most sense.
That being said, Shulman could definitely be in trouble in Chattanooga if this season is not at least mildly successful. The two losing seasons have not sat well with the fans. The football team has not drawn less than 10,000 to a home game this year. The basketball team draws that over three home games. Yes, football is more popular and has larger attendances generally, but for this proud program, that is not a good standard.
The feeling around Chattanooga is that he subs too frequently, plays too many players, and the team gets beaten in road games, and gets blown out by the best teams on the schedule.
For Shulman, it is advised that he not get blown out by Tennessee right off the bat. A nice 15 point loss would do the trick. Or a win. A blowout loss would really get the vultures swirling. Can the Mocs prevent that? Shulman better hope so.
He doesn't sit down much during the games, but his seat is hot. But it is nothing a couple of wins can't fix.
HEAT-O-METER (on a scale of 1-10): 7.5 It's more than warm, but it is not red hot. Have a great month and it goes down under 5. Have an awful 0-7 start in November, and it jumps to a 10. It's unclear how this all plays out yet. We'll start to find out this week.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Postgame Quotes
Most telling quotes:
Shulman:
"Typical exhibition game, we did not play very well. We will find our identities 8-for-38 three-point shooting is not our identity. We weren't very prepared playing against the zone defense."
"We have practiced since October 15th and that was maybe our third time in the arena, that is not an excuse because we are much better shooters than that."
Cage:
"It helps us realize where we are as a team. We just turned it over too much. These problems let us know what we need to do in practice."
Love the quotes- let's see some results next Friday in TBA at 9:00 PM!
GO MOCS!
Shulman:
"Typical exhibition game, we did not play very well. We will find our identities 8-for-38 three-point shooting is not our identity. We weren't very prepared playing against the zone defense."
"We have practiced since October 15th and that was maybe our third time in the arena, that is not an excuse because we are much better shooters than that."
Cage:
"It helps us realize where we are as a team. We just turned it over too much. These problems let us know what we need to do in practice."
Love the quotes- let's see some results next Friday in TBA at 9:00 PM!
GO MOCS!
Mocs 82, Tennessee Wesleyan 52
It is very difficult to judge a game that you don't watch or listen to. Having access to neither one, it's hard for me to make any real judgements about this game.
But looking at the boxscore, I think it is safe to make a few assumptions.
Because, you know what happens when you assume. And I don't care if you call me that.
The win is nice, 82-52. Here are the gripes, looking at the boxscore. First of all, turnovers. Seriously, 16 turnovers and only 17 assists? Against Tennessee Wesleyan? When are the Mocs going to get control of this? The Mocs always seem to turn the ball over too much. And it annoys me. To no end. STOP TURNING THE BALL OVER! Troy Cage lead the way with five turnovers and Josh Odem had three coming off the bench. The good news, Keegan Bell had only one in 28 minutes. It's good when your point guard doesn't turn the ball over at least.
Another thing that frustrates me is shooting a ton of threes. I like to see an inside presence. I know that in the SoCon, the game is guard dominated. I know that the Mocs need to live with guard domination. But I just don't understand when a team shoots 69 shots and 38 of them are threes. That's 55.1% of the shots the Mocs took last night. That is a ton of threes. The bigger problem? They only made eight, or 21.1% of their threes. Not good. Bell lead the way, going just 3 of 13.
Finally, WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PRACTICE FREE THROWS!?!?!?!?! Nothing annoys me more than teams that miss free throws. Shooting 14 of 27 is unacceptable. What in the name of Chad Copeland is going on here? I'm not in on the practices, but I have to ask, do the Mocs practice free throws consistently under Shulman? Because it seems like we are never a great free throw shooting team under Shulman. Maybe a little practice will go a long way in that regard. I can only hope.
Now onto more positive things. The Mocs outrebounded TWC, but not total domination. They won the battle on the boards 51-39. DeAntre Jefferson lead the way with 12 rebounds and twelve points. Omar Wattad lead the team with 14 points. Jahmal Burroughs was a pleasant surprise with 13 points.
Many Moc fans complain about the number of players that Shulman plays. Well, this box score should please them. Only eight guys played double digit minutes in an exhibition blowout. Jeremy Saffore (considered one of the more important players that will come off the bench) played just eight minutes. The eternally frustrated Mocs fans were annoyed by how much Sam Watson played last year. He too played just eight minutes. Jeff Smith and Dontay Hampton each played just six.
The starting lineup was Bell, Cage, Wattad, Early, and Jefferson. It looks to me (by looking at the stats) that this is going to be the starting five. Throw Taylor, Odem, and Burroughs in there- and that looks like the eight man rotation. And it looks strong. Probably Hampton and Saffore sneak in minutes too, but those may be the ten players that see playing time, and Hampton's and Saffore's could be limited. That is if Shulman sticks with the minute distribution that he had in this game.
We now have to wait until next Friday to see what the Mocs bring to the table against a big time foe in Knoxville against the Vols.
GO MOCS!
But looking at the boxscore, I think it is safe to make a few assumptions.
Because, you know what happens when you assume. And I don't care if you call me that.
The win is nice, 82-52. Here are the gripes, looking at the boxscore. First of all, turnovers. Seriously, 16 turnovers and only 17 assists? Against Tennessee Wesleyan? When are the Mocs going to get control of this? The Mocs always seem to turn the ball over too much. And it annoys me. To no end. STOP TURNING THE BALL OVER! Troy Cage lead the way with five turnovers and Josh Odem had three coming off the bench. The good news, Keegan Bell had only one in 28 minutes. It's good when your point guard doesn't turn the ball over at least.
Another thing that frustrates me is shooting a ton of threes. I like to see an inside presence. I know that in the SoCon, the game is guard dominated. I know that the Mocs need to live with guard domination. But I just don't understand when a team shoots 69 shots and 38 of them are threes. That's 55.1% of the shots the Mocs took last night. That is a ton of threes. The bigger problem? They only made eight, or 21.1% of their threes. Not good. Bell lead the way, going just 3 of 13.
Finally, WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PRACTICE FREE THROWS!?!?!?!?! Nothing annoys me more than teams that miss free throws. Shooting 14 of 27 is unacceptable. What in the name of Chad Copeland is going on here? I'm not in on the practices, but I have to ask, do the Mocs practice free throws consistently under Shulman? Because it seems like we are never a great free throw shooting team under Shulman. Maybe a little practice will go a long way in that regard. I can only hope.
Now onto more positive things. The Mocs outrebounded TWC, but not total domination. They won the battle on the boards 51-39. DeAntre Jefferson lead the way with 12 rebounds and twelve points. Omar Wattad lead the team with 14 points. Jahmal Burroughs was a pleasant surprise with 13 points.
Many Moc fans complain about the number of players that Shulman plays. Well, this box score should please them. Only eight guys played double digit minutes in an exhibition blowout. Jeremy Saffore (considered one of the more important players that will come off the bench) played just eight minutes. The eternally frustrated Mocs fans were annoyed by how much Sam Watson played last year. He too played just eight minutes. Jeff Smith and Dontay Hampton each played just six.
The starting lineup was Bell, Cage, Wattad, Early, and Jefferson. It looks to me (by looking at the stats) that this is going to be the starting five. Throw Taylor, Odem, and Burroughs in there- and that looks like the eight man rotation. And it looks strong. Probably Hampton and Saffore sneak in minutes too, but those may be the ten players that see playing time, and Hampton's and Saffore's could be limited. That is if Shulman sticks with the minute distribution that he had in this game.
We now have to wait until next Friday to see what the Mocs bring to the table against a big time foe in Knoxville against the Vols.
GO MOCS!
Go to the Game!
You probably won't do it if you are reading this blog, but the Mocs open their season tonight in exhibition fashion against Tennessee-Wesleyan. Who will start? That remains to be seen, though the best guess is Bell, Wattad, Cage, Early, and Jefferson, with Taylor, Odem and Saffore the first players off the bench.
We'll post more after the game. Unfortunately, I will not be there, as I am up here in the North Pole/Kentucky. I'll keep up with the game, along with posting some comments on the upcoming season in the coming posts.
Let's put it this way. At tipoff tonight, there will be 193 hours until the Mocs tip it off in Knoxville. Can't wait for basketball season!
GO MOCS!
We'll post more after the game. Unfortunately, I will not be there, as I am up here in the North Pole/Kentucky. I'll keep up with the game, along with posting some comments on the upcoming season in the coming posts.
Let's put it this way. At tipoff tonight, there will be 193 hours until the Mocs tip it off in Knoxville. Can't wait for basketball season!
GO MOCS!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Reboot
So, last year didn't go as planned on any front. In November, I greeted my first daughter to the world, and was in school full time getting my MBA last year. So I wound up not having the time necessary to devote to this blog. But this year, I am hoping to devote plenty of time to this blog, and I think I'll be able to. So I'm going to reboot this blog, and devote a lot of time to this blog.
We'll begin over the next week previewing the coming season. I'll look at the schedule and the roster and the pressure that is facing Shulman, along with tomorrow night's exhibition game.
I don't live in Chattanooga, so I follow them from afar, which means I don't always have the most up to date information, but I'm going to make it to several games this year and listen to all the rest, and watch any on the internet that I can get my hands on. So there you go.
GO MOCS!
We'll begin over the next week previewing the coming season. I'll look at the schedule and the roster and the pressure that is facing Shulman, along with tomorrow night's exhibition game.
I don't live in Chattanooga, so I follow them from afar, which means I don't always have the most up to date information, but I'm going to make it to several games this year and listen to all the rest, and watch any on the internet that I can get my hands on. So there you go.
GO MOCS!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Post Game Shower- Mississippi Valley State
Click on the title to be taken to the boxscore for the game on ESPN.com.
So, maybe that is how Ty Patterson will effect a game. Patterson lead the starters with 16 points in his first game back. Ricky Taylor lead all Mocs with 22.
The Mocs 22 point win was a dominant performance. They jumped out to a big early lead, and never looked back against the Delta Devils. They made 41 percent from three point range. The Mocs also won the rebounding war 34-26.
Keegan Bell only had eight points, but he did have ten assists.
This was the first time the Mocs had played like that since the Virginia Intermont game. The Mocs jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
Jeremy Saffore came off the bench for the first time. DeAntre Jefferson, Ridge McKeither, Patterson, Bell, and Josh Odem were the five starters. Taylor, Saffore, and Chris Early all played ten plus minutes.
The Mocs can be a very good team. With Patterson back, this team suddenly looks like they have real potential. Sure, the win at Jacksonville State was good, and the win against Longwood was nice, but this win was impressive. This was probably the best win since the East Tennessee State game.
Can the Mocs actually put together back-to-back good games? Can it happen? They'll need it. This was a stepping stone win. But a stepping stone win is sure better than a loss.
LOOKING AHEAD
Georgia Tech is coming to twon Monday night on Fox Sports. Get ready. Get to the game. This is the home game we all should be waiting for. Can't wait for a shot at a ranked ACC team at home. The Yellow Jackets are the clear favorites, but the Mocs should be fired up for this one. They could use a big home crowd.
GO MOCS!
So, maybe that is how Ty Patterson will effect a game. Patterson lead the starters with 16 points in his first game back. Ricky Taylor lead all Mocs with 22.
The Mocs 22 point win was a dominant performance. They jumped out to a big early lead, and never looked back against the Delta Devils. They made 41 percent from three point range. The Mocs also won the rebounding war 34-26.
Keegan Bell only had eight points, but he did have ten assists.
This was the first time the Mocs had played like that since the Virginia Intermont game. The Mocs jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
Jeremy Saffore came off the bench for the first time. DeAntre Jefferson, Ridge McKeither, Patterson, Bell, and Josh Odem were the five starters. Taylor, Saffore, and Chris Early all played ten plus minutes.
The Mocs can be a very good team. With Patterson back, this team suddenly looks like they have real potential. Sure, the win at Jacksonville State was good, and the win against Longwood was nice, but this win was impressive. This was probably the best win since the East Tennessee State game.
Can the Mocs actually put together back-to-back good games? Can it happen? They'll need it. This was a stepping stone win. But a stepping stone win is sure better than a loss.
LOOKING AHEAD
Georgia Tech is coming to twon Monday night on Fox Sports. Get ready. Get to the game. This is the home game we all should be waiting for. Can't wait for a shot at a ranked ACC team at home. The Yellow Jackets are the clear favorites, but the Mocs should be fired up for this one. They could use a big home crowd.
GO MOCS!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Postgame Shower- Elon
Click on the title to find a boxscore for the game on ESPN.com.
That hurt. Again.
Two steps forward. One step back.
The Mocs beat Longwood and Jacksonville State, but then come up with this clunker at home.
Elon is a threat to score. When they are hot shooting, they score in bunches. That's happened every time they've won this year. They've scored big points. So once Elon was scoring, I was scared.
The Phoenix always play the Mocs very close. The Mocs simply can't beat Elon consistently. It drives me crazy. Why? Why? Why?
Josh Odem played very well. Jeremy Saffore also played decently. However, Keegan Bell played awful. Five assists were good-four turnovers were not. Two points was not. Chris Long and TJ Douglas made 9 of 20 threes on the night off the bench for the Phoenix.
And so it happened again. Another very frustrating night for the Mocs against Elon. It is bound to happen at least once a year it seems.
The team is inconsistent. Chris Early finally played, and played reasonably well. Ty Patterson should be back by Saturday, maybe Monday. This team is going to get it together. They just need to get all the pieces together, and they need to mature as a team. That maturity will come.
Just so everyone knows- I apologize for not being here updating this on Saturday night. This was my finals week...very busy! But after this week, things will calm down substantially. Get ready for a lot of posts!
LOOKING AHEAD
Mississippi Valley State is up Saturday at 2:00. The game will be in McKenzie Arena. They are 1-7 on the season. They beat Champion Baptist College. That is their only win. It was also their only home game. Arkansas beat them last Saturday night 91-54. The Delta Devils schedule has been brutal- I watched them play Gonzaga earlier this year. They played the Zags close. That is not an awful team that lost to Gonzaga. They have some talent and athleticism. They lost by just 18 to a Gonzaga team that is in the Top Twenty-Five.
That hurt. Again.
Two steps forward. One step back.
The Mocs beat Longwood and Jacksonville State, but then come up with this clunker at home.
Elon is a threat to score. When they are hot shooting, they score in bunches. That's happened every time they've won this year. They've scored big points. So once Elon was scoring, I was scared.
The Phoenix always play the Mocs very close. The Mocs simply can't beat Elon consistently. It drives me crazy. Why? Why? Why?
Josh Odem played very well. Jeremy Saffore also played decently. However, Keegan Bell played awful. Five assists were good-four turnovers were not. Two points was not. Chris Long and TJ Douglas made 9 of 20 threes on the night off the bench for the Phoenix.
And so it happened again. Another very frustrating night for the Mocs against Elon. It is bound to happen at least once a year it seems.
The team is inconsistent. Chris Early finally played, and played reasonably well. Ty Patterson should be back by Saturday, maybe Monday. This team is going to get it together. They just need to get all the pieces together, and they need to mature as a team. That maturity will come.
Just so everyone knows- I apologize for not being here updating this on Saturday night. This was my finals week...very busy! But after this week, things will calm down substantially. Get ready for a lot of posts!
LOOKING AHEAD
Mississippi Valley State is up Saturday at 2:00. The game will be in McKenzie Arena. They are 1-7 on the season. They beat Champion Baptist College. That is their only win. It was also their only home game. Arkansas beat them last Saturday night 91-54. The Delta Devils schedule has been brutal- I watched them play Gonzaga earlier this year. They played the Zags close. That is not an awful team that lost to Gonzaga. They have some talent and athleticism. They lost by just 18 to a Gonzaga team that is in the Top Twenty-Five.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Pregame Meal- Elon
LIKELY STARTERS
Elon Phoenix (2-6, 0-1)
G Josh Bonney (5-10 Jr)
G Devan Carter (6-1 Sr)
G Drew Spradlin (6-5 So)
F Roger Dugas (6-8 Fr)
F Adam Constantine (6-9 Sr)
Mocs (4-3, 0-0)
G Keegan Bell (6-1 RSo)
G Josh Odem (6-5 Fr)
F Jeff Smith (6-5 RJr)
F Ridge McKeither (6-5 Jr)
C Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here is a link to Elon’s basketball front page- http://www.elonphoenix.com/team.aspx?sid=mbb
The Phoenix always struggle to put points on the board consistently and their defense is always tough. In the Phoenix two wins, however, they have averaged outscoring their opponents 95.5-77. In their six losses, they have been outscored by an average of 70.7-50.8. The low came on Thursday, when Samford hammered them, 55-31. They allowed just 55 points, and yet could not make the game remotely close.
The Phoenix best player is probably Adam Constantine. It’s hard to believe he is still there. It feels like he has been around since Elon entered the SoCon to me. He is averaging 10.5 points per game, and 6.9 rebounds per game. He is shooting 53.8 percent from the floor.
Drew Spradlin and Josh Bonney are the team’s two leading scorers. Bonney is averaging 14.5 points per game, while Spradlin is averaging 10.8. They are the motors to the offense. Bonney leads the team with nearly five assists per game. Spradlin is shooting 38.5 percent from three point range.
The leading three point shooter is Terrance Birdette. He is shooting 61.9 percent (13 of 21) from three point range. He can fill it up when he gets to play.
The Phoenix have been outrebounded by six boards per game. They also have forced on average just under fifteen turnovers a game, while committing nearly fourteen. They are shooting 38.5 percent from the field as a team, while allowing opponents to shoot 48.3 percent from the field. This team has been getting hammered defensively as well as offensively so far this year. It’s only getting worse, too. Samford shot 50 percent from the floor, while Elon shot 26 percent from the floor in the most recent game. It was a humiliating performance by the Phoenix on Thursday night.
BREAKDOWN
The Mocs are shooting just 43.4 percent from the floor. With the way Elon’s defense has allowed other teams to shoot, the Mocs will need to shoot better.
Keegan Bell played brilliantly against Jacksonville State and was the key reason they won the game. With six assists a game, and 9.7 points per game, he is the engine that makes the Mocs go. Going against Bonney should be an incredibly interesting match-up. Bell has an advantage, but it is not a dynamic one.
Ricky Taylor has started to play well again in the Mocs last two wins. He has come off the bench in both games. He’s averaging 10.3 points per game overall. Most of that has occurred these last two games. The guard is playing much better when a little bit of pressure is taken off. Will he start tonight?
Ridge McKeither is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game, but the Mocs on the whole are getting outrebounded by just under half a rebound per game. They have not been rebounding well lately.
Elon has been getting outrebounded for most of the year. The Phoenix will need to rebound well to stick around in this game.
The Mocs defense has been good throughout the year so far. They allow too many made three pointers, even though opponents are only shooting 34.3 percent from long range against them. The Phoenix will need to find ways to score.
Constantine will play a key role against Saffore, and Bonney’s match-up with Bell is also key. Those two player match-ups will go a long way to determining this game. If Elon can’t find ways to score, then they will have a tough time winning this game.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- How will the Mocs play in their first home game since the ETSU game back on November 17?
- Will Bell put together another huge game?
- Can Taylor keep the pressure off in a home game?
- Will the Mocs be able to put a dagger into Elon early in the game?
PREDICTION
The Mocs need to try to bury Elon early in the game. They have a chance to take the Phoenix out of it early by getting out to a double digit lead quickly. This Elon team does not appear to be a team that can come back from a big deficit. Of course, the Mocs may not be able to jump out to a big lead either. They have not been able to jump on team’s early very well. They need to tonight in a big home game. This is the Southern Conference opener, so this is really the biggest game of the year until January. They need this one to continue on their goal to get a first round bye in the SoCon Tournament. Elon will play the Mocs closer than many people expect for a while, like they always seem to. The Phoenix will stick within single digits until the final ten minutes, when they will run out of gas. Mocs 71, Elon 55.
Elon Phoenix (2-6, 0-1)
G Josh Bonney (5-10 Jr)
G Devan Carter (6-1 Sr)
G Drew Spradlin (6-5 So)
F Roger Dugas (6-8 Fr)
F Adam Constantine (6-9 Sr)
Mocs (4-3, 0-0)
G Keegan Bell (6-1 RSo)
G Josh Odem (6-5 Fr)
F Jeff Smith (6-5 RJr)
F Ridge McKeither (6-5 Jr)
C Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here is a link to Elon’s basketball front page- http://www.elonphoenix.com/team.aspx?sid=mbb
The Phoenix always struggle to put points on the board consistently and their defense is always tough. In the Phoenix two wins, however, they have averaged outscoring their opponents 95.5-77. In their six losses, they have been outscored by an average of 70.7-50.8. The low came on Thursday, when Samford hammered them, 55-31. They allowed just 55 points, and yet could not make the game remotely close.
The Phoenix best player is probably Adam Constantine. It’s hard to believe he is still there. It feels like he has been around since Elon entered the SoCon to me. He is averaging 10.5 points per game, and 6.9 rebounds per game. He is shooting 53.8 percent from the floor.
Drew Spradlin and Josh Bonney are the team’s two leading scorers. Bonney is averaging 14.5 points per game, while Spradlin is averaging 10.8. They are the motors to the offense. Bonney leads the team with nearly five assists per game. Spradlin is shooting 38.5 percent from three point range.
The leading three point shooter is Terrance Birdette. He is shooting 61.9 percent (13 of 21) from three point range. He can fill it up when he gets to play.
The Phoenix have been outrebounded by six boards per game. They also have forced on average just under fifteen turnovers a game, while committing nearly fourteen. They are shooting 38.5 percent from the field as a team, while allowing opponents to shoot 48.3 percent from the field. This team has been getting hammered defensively as well as offensively so far this year. It’s only getting worse, too. Samford shot 50 percent from the floor, while Elon shot 26 percent from the floor in the most recent game. It was a humiliating performance by the Phoenix on Thursday night.
BREAKDOWN
The Mocs are shooting just 43.4 percent from the floor. With the way Elon’s defense has allowed other teams to shoot, the Mocs will need to shoot better.
Keegan Bell played brilliantly against Jacksonville State and was the key reason they won the game. With six assists a game, and 9.7 points per game, he is the engine that makes the Mocs go. Going against Bonney should be an incredibly interesting match-up. Bell has an advantage, but it is not a dynamic one.
Ricky Taylor has started to play well again in the Mocs last two wins. He has come off the bench in both games. He’s averaging 10.3 points per game overall. Most of that has occurred these last two games. The guard is playing much better when a little bit of pressure is taken off. Will he start tonight?
Ridge McKeither is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game, but the Mocs on the whole are getting outrebounded by just under half a rebound per game. They have not been rebounding well lately.
Elon has been getting outrebounded for most of the year. The Phoenix will need to rebound well to stick around in this game.
The Mocs defense has been good throughout the year so far. They allow too many made three pointers, even though opponents are only shooting 34.3 percent from long range against them. The Phoenix will need to find ways to score.
Constantine will play a key role against Saffore, and Bonney’s match-up with Bell is also key. Those two player match-ups will go a long way to determining this game. If Elon can’t find ways to score, then they will have a tough time winning this game.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- How will the Mocs play in their first home game since the ETSU game back on November 17?
- Will Bell put together another huge game?
- Can Taylor keep the pressure off in a home game?
- Will the Mocs be able to put a dagger into Elon early in the game?
PREDICTION
The Mocs need to try to bury Elon early in the game. They have a chance to take the Phoenix out of it early by getting out to a double digit lead quickly. This Elon team does not appear to be a team that can come back from a big deficit. Of course, the Mocs may not be able to jump out to a big lead either. They have not been able to jump on team’s early very well. They need to tonight in a big home game. This is the Southern Conference opener, so this is really the biggest game of the year until January. They need this one to continue on their goal to get a first round bye in the SoCon Tournament. Elon will play the Mocs closer than many people expect for a while, like they always seem to. The Phoenix will stick within single digits until the final ten minutes, when they will run out of gas. Mocs 71, Elon 55.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Post Game Shower- Jacksonville State
Click on the title of this article to go to the boxscore for the game on ESPN.com.
Yes. This was satisfying.
After the loss that I called "humbling" to Texas-Pan America last Friday, this win felt just as good. After all, the Mocs were underdogs, playing on the road, where they had not performed well, against a team that had already hammered Georgia Southern and should have beaten Georgia. To win this game 80-71 is about as exilirating as it gets when playing a non-major program in December.
That was Keegan Bell. That was who we had been waiting for. He had 17 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and just two turnovers. He made 9 of 10 free throws. The Mocs as a team made 78.3 percent of their free throws in this one.
Ricky Taylor played great off the bench again. He scored 13 (with four of the Mocs six three pointers), had eight rebounds, and three assists. Taylor seems to be more comfortable coming off the bench at this point. If that's how he is more comfortable, how can we argue with it?
Jeff Smith played very well, too. He scored eleven points and had four rebounds. Josh Odem made a lot of big shots on his way to thirteen points.
Everything did not come up roses for the Mocs, though. They lost the rebounding battle 36-30 to a team that is probably not as big as they are. This is not a good sign. But clearly the focus was there today. The free throw shooting was sparkling, and they only committed ten turnovers, after committing four before the first media timeout.
The other major problem for the Mocs was that Dante Harvey, just back from one injury, went out with another injury. Coach Shulman said after the game that Harvey may have fractured his wrist. That would be fairly devastating to a team that is finally starting to get everyone on the floor.
Ridge McKeither did not have his best night. He scored seven points and had six rebounds. He appeared to take a step back tonight.
There are still puzzling things to me. Jasper Williams started a game earlier in the year. Tonight, he played one minute. DeAntre Jefferson has been a solid offensive weapon so far this year. Tonight, he played nine minutes. That is the second time in two games that he has not played double digits in minutes.
But, it is hard to be critical of much. On the night, the Mocs shot 49.1 percent from the floor. Fans have complained of poor offensive performance. This was a Gamecocks team that was allowing 43.4 percent shooting from the floor to start the year. So the Mocs played excellent on offense against a decent defensive team.
It's easy to forget that Jefferson and McKeither are both junior college transfers. JC transfers rarely look great before January. McKeither has looked very good so far for the most part, and Jefferson appears to me to be playing well, at least on the offensive end. Let's not forget that they will look even better during the second half of the season, more than likely.
All in all, this was a good night for Chattanooga basketball. The Mocs are 4-3, and are back to playing better basketball. The big early lead was erased, which was not good, but the Mocs responded well to the close game late. This was a big game for the Mocs to win, in a game that the Mocs could have easily folded in.
A LOOK AHEAD
No matter what anyone says, this was not the biggest game of the week. Obviously. The biggest game is still to come. The Mocs will be at home on Saturday night at 7:30 to take on the Elon Phoenix in the SoCon opener. Elon is just 2-5 at the moment, with a road win over Lipscomb and a home win over Farleigh Dickinson-Florham. The Phoenix lost Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Hofstra, Yale, and UNC-Wilmington. They will play at Samford on Thursday before taking on the Mocs Saturday night in their second SoCon game. The Phoenix always seem to be a tough out in conference play, especially for the Mocs. The Mocs will need to be on top of their game and have a nice home crowd supporting them to get this very important win.
Yes. This was satisfying.
After the loss that I called "humbling" to Texas-Pan America last Friday, this win felt just as good. After all, the Mocs were underdogs, playing on the road, where they had not performed well, against a team that had already hammered Georgia Southern and should have beaten Georgia. To win this game 80-71 is about as exilirating as it gets when playing a non-major program in December.
That was Keegan Bell. That was who we had been waiting for. He had 17 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and just two turnovers. He made 9 of 10 free throws. The Mocs as a team made 78.3 percent of their free throws in this one.
Ricky Taylor played great off the bench again. He scored 13 (with four of the Mocs six three pointers), had eight rebounds, and three assists. Taylor seems to be more comfortable coming off the bench at this point. If that's how he is more comfortable, how can we argue with it?
Jeff Smith played very well, too. He scored eleven points and had four rebounds. Josh Odem made a lot of big shots on his way to thirteen points.
Everything did not come up roses for the Mocs, though. They lost the rebounding battle 36-30 to a team that is probably not as big as they are. This is not a good sign. But clearly the focus was there today. The free throw shooting was sparkling, and they only committed ten turnovers, after committing four before the first media timeout.
The other major problem for the Mocs was that Dante Harvey, just back from one injury, went out with another injury. Coach Shulman said after the game that Harvey may have fractured his wrist. That would be fairly devastating to a team that is finally starting to get everyone on the floor.
Ridge McKeither did not have his best night. He scored seven points and had six rebounds. He appeared to take a step back tonight.
There are still puzzling things to me. Jasper Williams started a game earlier in the year. Tonight, he played one minute. DeAntre Jefferson has been a solid offensive weapon so far this year. Tonight, he played nine minutes. That is the second time in two games that he has not played double digits in minutes.
But, it is hard to be critical of much. On the night, the Mocs shot 49.1 percent from the floor. Fans have complained of poor offensive performance. This was a Gamecocks team that was allowing 43.4 percent shooting from the floor to start the year. So the Mocs played excellent on offense against a decent defensive team.
It's easy to forget that Jefferson and McKeither are both junior college transfers. JC transfers rarely look great before January. McKeither has looked very good so far for the most part, and Jefferson appears to me to be playing well, at least on the offensive end. Let's not forget that they will look even better during the second half of the season, more than likely.
All in all, this was a good night for Chattanooga basketball. The Mocs are 4-3, and are back to playing better basketball. The big early lead was erased, which was not good, but the Mocs responded well to the close game late. This was a big game for the Mocs to win, in a game that the Mocs could have easily folded in.
A LOOK AHEAD
No matter what anyone says, this was not the biggest game of the week. Obviously. The biggest game is still to come. The Mocs will be at home on Saturday night at 7:30 to take on the Elon Phoenix in the SoCon opener. Elon is just 2-5 at the moment, with a road win over Lipscomb and a home win over Farleigh Dickinson-Florham. The Phoenix lost Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Hofstra, Yale, and UNC-Wilmington. They will play at Samford on Thursday before taking on the Mocs Saturday night in their second SoCon game. The Phoenix always seem to be a tough out in conference play, especially for the Mocs. The Mocs will need to be on top of their game and have a nice home crowd supporting them to get this very important win.
Early and Cage Updates
It appears that Chris Early has been medically cleared to play. This is very good news for the Mocs. Odds are that he does not play tonight, but will play against Elon at home Saturday night. This is huge for the Mocs.
Also, Troy Cage has not been medically cleared to play. It appears that John Shulman is looking into getting him a sixth year of eligibility to get him a medical redshirt year. This is bad news for the Mocs, but could be good news in the long run.
Analysis is pretty simple here. Early is a very good addition that would really help the Mocs get on track if he comes in and is ready to play against Elon. Watching Dante Harvey struggle coming back from injury makes me wonder if Early will be capable of getting ready to play effectively by then. Let's hope he is.
As for Cage, this is not good that he may need to sit out for a while, but the team could get much better with him next year and the following year. It may work out just fine in the long run for this team.
GO MOCS! Beat the Cocks!
Also, Troy Cage has not been medically cleared to play. It appears that John Shulman is looking into getting him a sixth year of eligibility to get him a medical redshirt year. This is bad news for the Mocs, but could be good news in the long run.
Analysis is pretty simple here. Early is a very good addition that would really help the Mocs get on track if he comes in and is ready to play against Elon. Watching Dante Harvey struggle coming back from injury makes me wonder if Early will be capable of getting ready to play effectively by then. Let's hope he is.
As for Cage, this is not good that he may need to sit out for a while, but the team could get much better with him next year and the following year. It may work out just fine in the long run for this team.
GO MOCS! Beat the Cocks!
Pregame Meal- Jacksonville State
8:00 Tuesday, December 1
LIKELY STARTERS
Mocs (3-3, 0-0)
G- Keegan Bell (6-1 RSo)
G- Josh Odem (6-5 Fr)
G- Jeff Smith (6-5 RJr)
F- Ridge McKeither (6-5 Jr)
C- Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
Jacksonville State (2-3, 0-0)
G- Jay-R Strowbridge (6-0 RJr)
G- Jeremy Bynum (6-3 Jr)
G- Trenton Marshall (6-5 Jr)
F- Stephen Hall (6-5 So)
F- Sean Thurston (6-7 Jr)
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here’s a link to the Jacksonville State men’s basketball site. http://www.jsugamecocksports.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
Jacksonville State is 2-3, with back-to-back road losses to Southeast Louisiana and Georgia. The Georgia loss was a three point loss. The Gamecocks are 2-1 at home, hammering West Alabama and Georgia Southern, but getting obliterated by 25 by UAB.
This Gamecocks team is a hard working team that gets a lot of rebounds. They have outrebounded their opponents by nearly four boards a game. They shoot 47.4 percent from the field, 36 percent from three point range, and 73.1 percent from the free throw line. This team can shoot the ball well. They also only commit 12.6 turnovers per game.
These stats all indicate one thing- this team is disciplined, smart, and hard-working. That will make them dangerous in any situation. They will be a tough out in the OVC this year. They have really started to turn that corner.
Jay-R Strowbridge is a transfer from Nebraska. He is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game. He is also third on the team in assists. He is a great free throw shooter (85.7 percent) and an OK three point shooter (36.4 percent).
However, junior college transfer Trenton Marshall has been the team’s best player so far. He is averaging 17.4 points per game. He also leads the team with ten steals. He is shooting 84.2 percent from the free throw line, while making 37.5 percent from three point range. This guy has been a real impact player for the Gamecocks early on.
Stephen Hall and Nick Murphy are the other players that average double digits for the Gamecocks. Both of them play big. Hall is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 56.8 percent from the field. He is averaging 11.2 points per game. Murphy is averaging 11.8 points per game while getting 6.3 rebounds and shooting 63 percent from the field. Hall is making 72.2 percent of his free throws, while Murphy is shooting 68.4 percent on his free throws.
The Gamecocks defense has been OK too. Opponents are shooting 43.4 percent from the floor, while making 35.4 percent of their threes. However, they commit a lot of shooting fouls. Opponents are shooting 22.2 free throws per game. Also, the Gamecocks do not force a lot of turnovers, forcing just 12.2 per game.
ANALYSIS
The Mocs biggest problem has been that they have not been able to keep from turning over the basketball. They are averaging 19.7 per game. Of course, the Gamecocks don’t force a lot of turnovers. So, that may be one of the biggest questions that needs to be answered quickly. Will the Gamecocks be able to force Keegan Bell and the rest of his teammates into some turnovers?
The Mocs offense has not been overly efficient either, shooting just 42.5 percent from the field. The Gamecocks defense has been good, so this may not bode well for the Mocs offense.
It will be a very interesting match-up to watch Nebraska transfer Strowbridge go against Vanderbilt transfer Bell. The two will probably be matched up on each other for a lot of the game, so that may be the match-up that defines the game.
The Mocs have averaged outrebounding their opponents by half a rebound a game. However, at his point, it is difficult to call them a good rebounding team. They did not do well rebounding against Texas-Pan America or Longwood over the weekend. With the Gamecocks having strength in rebounding, the Mocs could really have their hands full in that department.
Ridge McKeither and Josh Odem are the only two Mocs averaging in double digits, but it is obvious that the most important player for the Mocs is probably Ricky Taylor, whether he starts or not. Taylor scored well against Virginia Intermont and Longwood, and the Mocs offense just seems to look better when Taylor is playing well.
Dante Harvey has not looked as he has tried to work himself back into the lineup. He is clearly pressing at this point. Hopefully, he can pull himself together and take a deep breath and just make plays. That’s what the Mocs need from him.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- Can Bell respond to the challenge and take over the game (mentally and physically)?
- Will DeAntre Jefferson get more playing time?
- How is the Mocs psyche for a tough road game?
- Will the Mocs be able to protect the basketball?
- Can the Mocs rebound the ball?
PREDICTION
Well, this one was marked as a question mark in the preseason, and there seems to be little reason to feel too differently about it now. The Mocs disappointing performance in Texas has left them feeling some pressure from the fan base, despite it being early in the season. How will they respond to that pressure? Jacksonville State played well at home in two games, and they played very well against Georgia last week. The Mocs will need to protect the ball, otherwise they will have no shot against this team. They need every possession they can get. The Mocs will also need to rebound better than they have been. I’d love to pick the Mocs, but just can’t do it in this situation. Jacksonville State 78, Chattanooga 72.
LIKELY STARTERS
Mocs (3-3, 0-0)
G- Keegan Bell (6-1 RSo)
G- Josh Odem (6-5 Fr)
G- Jeff Smith (6-5 RJr)
F- Ridge McKeither (6-5 Jr)
C- Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
Jacksonville State (2-3, 0-0)
G- Jay-R Strowbridge (6-0 RJr)
G- Jeremy Bynum (6-3 Jr)
G- Trenton Marshall (6-5 Jr)
F- Stephen Hall (6-5 So)
F- Sean Thurston (6-7 Jr)
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here’s a link to the Jacksonville State men’s basketball site. http://www.jsugamecocksports.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
Jacksonville State is 2-3, with back-to-back road losses to Southeast Louisiana and Georgia. The Georgia loss was a three point loss. The Gamecocks are 2-1 at home, hammering West Alabama and Georgia Southern, but getting obliterated by 25 by UAB.
This Gamecocks team is a hard working team that gets a lot of rebounds. They have outrebounded their opponents by nearly four boards a game. They shoot 47.4 percent from the field, 36 percent from three point range, and 73.1 percent from the free throw line. This team can shoot the ball well. They also only commit 12.6 turnovers per game.
These stats all indicate one thing- this team is disciplined, smart, and hard-working. That will make them dangerous in any situation. They will be a tough out in the OVC this year. They have really started to turn that corner.
Jay-R Strowbridge is a transfer from Nebraska. He is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game. He is also third on the team in assists. He is a great free throw shooter (85.7 percent) and an OK three point shooter (36.4 percent).
However, junior college transfer Trenton Marshall has been the team’s best player so far. He is averaging 17.4 points per game. He also leads the team with ten steals. He is shooting 84.2 percent from the free throw line, while making 37.5 percent from three point range. This guy has been a real impact player for the Gamecocks early on.
Stephen Hall and Nick Murphy are the other players that average double digits for the Gamecocks. Both of them play big. Hall is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 56.8 percent from the field. He is averaging 11.2 points per game. Murphy is averaging 11.8 points per game while getting 6.3 rebounds and shooting 63 percent from the field. Hall is making 72.2 percent of his free throws, while Murphy is shooting 68.4 percent on his free throws.
The Gamecocks defense has been OK too. Opponents are shooting 43.4 percent from the floor, while making 35.4 percent of their threes. However, they commit a lot of shooting fouls. Opponents are shooting 22.2 free throws per game. Also, the Gamecocks do not force a lot of turnovers, forcing just 12.2 per game.
ANALYSIS
The Mocs biggest problem has been that they have not been able to keep from turning over the basketball. They are averaging 19.7 per game. Of course, the Gamecocks don’t force a lot of turnovers. So, that may be one of the biggest questions that needs to be answered quickly. Will the Gamecocks be able to force Keegan Bell and the rest of his teammates into some turnovers?
The Mocs offense has not been overly efficient either, shooting just 42.5 percent from the field. The Gamecocks defense has been good, so this may not bode well for the Mocs offense.
It will be a very interesting match-up to watch Nebraska transfer Strowbridge go against Vanderbilt transfer Bell. The two will probably be matched up on each other for a lot of the game, so that may be the match-up that defines the game.
The Mocs have averaged outrebounding their opponents by half a rebound a game. However, at his point, it is difficult to call them a good rebounding team. They did not do well rebounding against Texas-Pan America or Longwood over the weekend. With the Gamecocks having strength in rebounding, the Mocs could really have their hands full in that department.
Ridge McKeither and Josh Odem are the only two Mocs averaging in double digits, but it is obvious that the most important player for the Mocs is probably Ricky Taylor, whether he starts or not. Taylor scored well against Virginia Intermont and Longwood, and the Mocs offense just seems to look better when Taylor is playing well.
Dante Harvey has not looked as he has tried to work himself back into the lineup. He is clearly pressing at this point. Hopefully, he can pull himself together and take a deep breath and just make plays. That’s what the Mocs need from him.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- Can Bell respond to the challenge and take over the game (mentally and physically)?
- Will DeAntre Jefferson get more playing time?
- How is the Mocs psyche for a tough road game?
- Will the Mocs be able to protect the basketball?
- Can the Mocs rebound the ball?
PREDICTION
Well, this one was marked as a question mark in the preseason, and there seems to be little reason to feel too differently about it now. The Mocs disappointing performance in Texas has left them feeling some pressure from the fan base, despite it being early in the season. How will they respond to that pressure? Jacksonville State played well at home in two games, and they played very well against Georgia last week. The Mocs will need to protect the ball, otherwise they will have no shot against this team. They need every possession they can get. The Mocs will also need to rebound better than they have been. I’d love to pick the Mocs, but just can’t do it in this situation. Jacksonville State 78, Chattanooga 72.
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