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!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
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.
Monday, November 30, 2009
A November To....Puzzle About
What do you think about November? What does anyone think about November?
It's hard to completely evaluate at this point. For one thing, the Mocs were without four players for most of the month. Dante Harvey came back for the last three games, but was clearly not himself. Troy Cage, Ty Patterson, and Chris Early are all still out.
What did I expect before the month began? I expected 3-3. That's exactly where we are. So, why the disappointment? Mainly because when I said 3-3, I had the Mocs losing to ETSU and beating Texas-Pan America.
Once the Mocs beat ETSU, it was hard to not expect 4-2. We all thought that the Mocs were on their way.
They have not played well away from home yet. But this team is young. As these players come back, the Mocs will continue to improve all the way up until January. So their struggles were not completely surprising.
Still, Keegan Bell did not dominate the way many thought he would. He has yet to turn into the true offensive force that he probably needs to be to have this team be very successful. It is also obvious that Jeremy Saffore has some offensive shortcomings at this point. DeAntre Jefferson is a better offensive weapon, but he has shown a little bit of an effort problem at times that has had him sitting on the bench more than he would like. Ridge McKeither has been as good as advertised offensively, but appears to be struggling a little bit on the defensive end. Ricky Taylor has been off for the most part until the win over Longwood.
The biggest problem I saw over the course of the two games in San Padre Island was on the boards. They were outrebounded by two teams that were significantly smaller than them. That signals an effort problem to me. That's not good. That's the thing that I don't like to see. I hope the Mocs can get that turned around.
Can the Mocs turn it around? Absolutely. For the one millionth time (probably literally), there are a lot of injuries and suspensions, and ETSU has beaten College of Charleston, Appalachian State, and Arkansas. The Mocs beat the Bucs, so we should have no reason to fear any team in the SoCon. That being said, the Mocs are a long way from being where they need to be.
But if we have learned anything from John Shulman over the years, it is that they will be playing good basketball by March. This team will grow, and they will be a good team come March, even if they aren't there right now.
It's hard to completely evaluate at this point. For one thing, the Mocs were without four players for most of the month. Dante Harvey came back for the last three games, but was clearly not himself. Troy Cage, Ty Patterson, and Chris Early are all still out.
What did I expect before the month began? I expected 3-3. That's exactly where we are. So, why the disappointment? Mainly because when I said 3-3, I had the Mocs losing to ETSU and beating Texas-Pan America.
Once the Mocs beat ETSU, it was hard to not expect 4-2. We all thought that the Mocs were on their way.
They have not played well away from home yet. But this team is young. As these players come back, the Mocs will continue to improve all the way up until January. So their struggles were not completely surprising.
Still, Keegan Bell did not dominate the way many thought he would. He has yet to turn into the true offensive force that he probably needs to be to have this team be very successful. It is also obvious that Jeremy Saffore has some offensive shortcomings at this point. DeAntre Jefferson is a better offensive weapon, but he has shown a little bit of an effort problem at times that has had him sitting on the bench more than he would like. Ridge McKeither has been as good as advertised offensively, but appears to be struggling a little bit on the defensive end. Ricky Taylor has been off for the most part until the win over Longwood.
The biggest problem I saw over the course of the two games in San Padre Island was on the boards. They were outrebounded by two teams that were significantly smaller than them. That signals an effort problem to me. That's not good. That's the thing that I don't like to see. I hope the Mocs can get that turned around.
Can the Mocs turn it around? Absolutely. For the one millionth time (probably literally), there are a lot of injuries and suspensions, and ETSU has beaten College of Charleston, Appalachian State, and Arkansas. The Mocs beat the Bucs, so we should have no reason to fear any team in the SoCon. That being said, the Mocs are a long way from being where they need to be.
But if we have learned anything from John Shulman over the years, it is that they will be playing good basketball by March. This team will grow, and they will be a good team come March, even if they aren't there right now.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Post Game Shower- Longwood
Click on the title to go to the ESPN.com boxscore.
The Mocs 74-70 win over Longwood was a mixed bag. For example, let's look at the bad things first.
The Mocs were outrebounded again by a much smaller team team. This time, it was a 40-36 rebounding disadvantage. Most frustrating, they gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Lancers. That is almost unacceptable. In fact, I again chalk that up to lack of desire and effort. While the desire and the effort were better today in a lot of ways, that is not a good indication.
Today, the Mocs did make 16 of 22 free throws, or 72.7 percent. That shows that the focus was there better today than yesterday. Yesterday they lost by 11 while making 40 percent of their free throws. If they had made 75 percent yesterday, they would have lost by just four, which would have made the final minutes at least interesting.
It was a back and forth game. It was never out of hand in either direction. In fact, Longwood's early 9-0 lead may have been the only time the whole game that either team should have really felt good about things until the end.
For all those people that thought the Mocs offense was the problem, they certainly improved on THAT today. They shot 49 percent from the field, and made 50 percent of their threes. The biggest problem was the 22 turnovers, but they narrowed that down to just nine in the second half, which is why the second half seemed so much better.
Ridge McKeither had a couple of moments that he simply took over the game. He scored eight straight at one point and ended with 19. Ricky Taylor finally had another good game, ending with 21.
Dante Harvey is pressing. He has scored just one point in three games. Also, unless there is an injury that I have not heard about yet, why did DeAntre Jefferson not play more than seven minutes? He had been the player who had been playing the best lately. He barely saw the floor today. Neither did Jasper Williams, who played just four minutes, and Dontay Hampton, who was in there just six.
Keegan Bell was not absolutely brilliant. He scored just five points. But he did dish out eleven assists and come up with three steals. He has it in him, but he is still clearly working off the rust.
Should the Mocs be pleased to beat Longwood by four? No, of course not. But this team was really struggling to play even a decent game away from home. Just coming up with a win and getting that moneky off our back was huge.
Sometimes just coming up with a win supercedes how it is done. The Mocs needed a win as badly as they have ever needed one. They got that.
If you had told me before the season that we would be 3-3 after November, I would have taken it. I was afraid of 2-4. I was hoping for 4-2. I thought we would go 3-3. Of course, I thought we would lose to ETSU and beat UTPA. Due to the different results in those two games, the 3-3 is pretty bittersweet. But I'll take it.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Mocs head to Jacksonville State on Tuesday night at 7:00. For those people that think the Gamecocks should be an easy win, Jacksonville State lost by just three at Georgia yesterday. They are 2-3, but their lone D1 win is a 22 point beatdown of Georgia Southern. Again, with the Mocs not having much success away from home, and not having won a true road game yet, this will be a very big challenge to the Mocs.
GO MOCS!
The Mocs 74-70 win over Longwood was a mixed bag. For example, let's look at the bad things first.
The Mocs were outrebounded again by a much smaller team team. This time, it was a 40-36 rebounding disadvantage. Most frustrating, they gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Lancers. That is almost unacceptable. In fact, I again chalk that up to lack of desire and effort. While the desire and the effort were better today in a lot of ways, that is not a good indication.
Today, the Mocs did make 16 of 22 free throws, or 72.7 percent. That shows that the focus was there better today than yesterday. Yesterday they lost by 11 while making 40 percent of their free throws. If they had made 75 percent yesterday, they would have lost by just four, which would have made the final minutes at least interesting.
It was a back and forth game. It was never out of hand in either direction. In fact, Longwood's early 9-0 lead may have been the only time the whole game that either team should have really felt good about things until the end.
For all those people that thought the Mocs offense was the problem, they certainly improved on THAT today. They shot 49 percent from the field, and made 50 percent of their threes. The biggest problem was the 22 turnovers, but they narrowed that down to just nine in the second half, which is why the second half seemed so much better.
Ridge McKeither had a couple of moments that he simply took over the game. He scored eight straight at one point and ended with 19. Ricky Taylor finally had another good game, ending with 21.
Dante Harvey is pressing. He has scored just one point in three games. Also, unless there is an injury that I have not heard about yet, why did DeAntre Jefferson not play more than seven minutes? He had been the player who had been playing the best lately. He barely saw the floor today. Neither did Jasper Williams, who played just four minutes, and Dontay Hampton, who was in there just six.
Keegan Bell was not absolutely brilliant. He scored just five points. But he did dish out eleven assists and come up with three steals. He has it in him, but he is still clearly working off the rust.
Should the Mocs be pleased to beat Longwood by four? No, of course not. But this team was really struggling to play even a decent game away from home. Just coming up with a win and getting that moneky off our back was huge.
Sometimes just coming up with a win supercedes how it is done. The Mocs needed a win as badly as they have ever needed one. They got that.
If you had told me before the season that we would be 3-3 after November, I would have taken it. I was afraid of 2-4. I was hoping for 4-2. I thought we would go 3-3. Of course, I thought we would lose to ETSU and beat UTPA. Due to the different results in those two games, the 3-3 is pretty bittersweet. But I'll take it.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Mocs head to Jacksonville State on Tuesday night at 7:00. For those people that think the Gamecocks should be an easy win, Jacksonville State lost by just three at Georgia yesterday. They are 2-3, but their lone D1 win is a 22 point beatdown of Georgia Southern. Again, with the Mocs not having much success away from home, and not having won a true road game yet, this will be a very big challenge to the Mocs.
GO MOCS!
Pre-Game Meal- Longwood
LIKELY STARTERS
Longwood (0-6)
G Martiz Washington (6-0 So)
G Kevin Swecker (6-1 Sr)
G EJ Dawson (6-2 Sr)
F Dana Smith (6-5 Sr)
F Billy Robinson Jr (6-7 Sr)
Mocs (2-3, 0-0)
G- Keegan Bell (6-1 RSo)
G- Josh Odem (6-5 Fr)
F- Ridge McKeither (6-5 Jr)
F- DeAntre Jefferson (6-8 Jr)
C- Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
NOTE: I don’t see how you don’t start Jefferson at this point. He’s playing better than anyone else on the team right now. It’s a big lineup, but a combination that might be worth trying.
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here’s a link to the Longwood Lancers men’s basketball athletic site- http://www.longwoodlancers.com/index.aspx?path=mbasket
The Lancers are being outrebounded by an average of 41-31 per game. This has been a major source of frustration for the Lancers so far this year. They are shooting just 39.4 percent from the field, and 24.3 percent from three point range.
Antwan Carter is the team’s leading scorer, despite the fact that he comes off the bench. He’s playing just under 25 minutes per game, and scoring 16.0 points per game. Dana Smith is averaging 14.5 points per game. Carter is also garnering 6 rebounds per game, while Smith is pulling down 7 per game.
Aaron Mitchell was supposed to be one of the Lancers star players. However, Mitchell has fallen on hard times and not started the last two games (being replaced by Washington in the starting five). Mitchell is shooting just 26 percent and 7.7 percent from three point range. He can not seem to find the range yet.
The best three point shooter for a player who has more than ten attempts on the season is Kevin Swecker, who is shooting 27.6 percent (8 for 29) from three point range. This team is really struggling from three point range.
The Lancers are forcing 15.3 turnovers per game, while committing 14.2. Those are better than expected numbers from a team that is 0-6.
The Lancers are a decent free throw shooting team. They are making exactly 70 percent on the season. The problem is that they do not get to the line very often, going there just fifteen times per game.
ANALYSIS
At this point, the key may be if the Mocs come up with the desire to play or not. The Mocs were outrebounded by a much smaller Texas-Pan America team. Longwood is just as outmanned in terms of height as the Broncos. The Mocs will need to dominate the boards if they want to come away with the win.
The Mocs have the size advantage. Jefferson, Saffore, and McKeither will need to be great from down low and take advantage of the edge that they have. Alexander Starling (of Bethune-Cookman) had a solid game down low in Friday’s game. The Mocs will need a similar performance.
The Mocs are shooting just 29.4 percent from three point range. That is not good. This is not a good shooting team. The Mocs are shooting 41.4 percent from the field. So they should be taking more shots from closer, where they perform much better.
The Mocs are turning the ball over 19.2 times per game. The Lancers have not been great at forcing turnovers, but the Mocs have been more than willing to give it up this year. They will need to try to keep possession of the ball.
Yesterday, the Mocs put the full court press on the Broncos, and it did not seem to work. In fact, it seemed to cause the Mocs foul problems to some degree, and the need to play a lot of different guys. Sam Watson is seeing a lot of playing time for a walk on. He did play well yesterday, however. So the questions about his playing time have been answered to some degree. Still, the Mocs full court pressure did not pay dividends and maybe they should lay off against this Lancers team and see what happens.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- Will we play with a little heart, desire, and focus, or will we take this whole trip off?
- Can the Mocs score in their halfcourt offense?
- Will the Mocs pound the ball inside? If so, will they be able to make the free throws that will inevitably come?
- Will Bell take over a game, like he should be capable of doing?
PREDICTION
Whew. I’m scared to pick this one. Yesterday’s horrific performance is still fresh in my mind. Yet, I just have a hard time imagining that the Mocs play like THAT again. This is a team that people are starting to downgrade drastically, and that may be a mistake. After all, they beat ETSU, who beat College of Charleston, Appalachian State, and Arkansas. Winning away from home is always the hardest thing for a young team to learn to do. Maybe today is the day. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Mocs 64, Longwood 63.
Longwood (0-6)
G Martiz Washington (6-0 So)
G Kevin Swecker (6-1 Sr)
G EJ Dawson (6-2 Sr)
F Dana Smith (6-5 Sr)
F Billy Robinson Jr (6-7 Sr)
Mocs (2-3, 0-0)
G- Keegan Bell (6-1 RSo)
G- Josh Odem (6-5 Fr)
F- Ridge McKeither (6-5 Jr)
F- DeAntre Jefferson (6-8 Jr)
C- Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
NOTE: I don’t see how you don’t start Jefferson at this point. He’s playing better than anyone else on the team right now. It’s a big lineup, but a combination that might be worth trying.
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here’s a link to the Longwood Lancers men’s basketball athletic site- http://www.longwoodlancers.com/index.aspx?path=mbasket
The Lancers are being outrebounded by an average of 41-31 per game. This has been a major source of frustration for the Lancers so far this year. They are shooting just 39.4 percent from the field, and 24.3 percent from three point range.
Antwan Carter is the team’s leading scorer, despite the fact that he comes off the bench. He’s playing just under 25 minutes per game, and scoring 16.0 points per game. Dana Smith is averaging 14.5 points per game. Carter is also garnering 6 rebounds per game, while Smith is pulling down 7 per game.
Aaron Mitchell was supposed to be one of the Lancers star players. However, Mitchell has fallen on hard times and not started the last two games (being replaced by Washington in the starting five). Mitchell is shooting just 26 percent and 7.7 percent from three point range. He can not seem to find the range yet.
The best three point shooter for a player who has more than ten attempts on the season is Kevin Swecker, who is shooting 27.6 percent (8 for 29) from three point range. This team is really struggling from three point range.
The Lancers are forcing 15.3 turnovers per game, while committing 14.2. Those are better than expected numbers from a team that is 0-6.
The Lancers are a decent free throw shooting team. They are making exactly 70 percent on the season. The problem is that they do not get to the line very often, going there just fifteen times per game.
ANALYSIS
At this point, the key may be if the Mocs come up with the desire to play or not. The Mocs were outrebounded by a much smaller Texas-Pan America team. Longwood is just as outmanned in terms of height as the Broncos. The Mocs will need to dominate the boards if they want to come away with the win.
The Mocs have the size advantage. Jefferson, Saffore, and McKeither will need to be great from down low and take advantage of the edge that they have. Alexander Starling (of Bethune-Cookman) had a solid game down low in Friday’s game. The Mocs will need a similar performance.
The Mocs are shooting just 29.4 percent from three point range. That is not good. This is not a good shooting team. The Mocs are shooting 41.4 percent from the field. So they should be taking more shots from closer, where they perform much better.
The Mocs are turning the ball over 19.2 times per game. The Lancers have not been great at forcing turnovers, but the Mocs have been more than willing to give it up this year. They will need to try to keep possession of the ball.
Yesterday, the Mocs put the full court press on the Broncos, and it did not seem to work. In fact, it seemed to cause the Mocs foul problems to some degree, and the need to play a lot of different guys. Sam Watson is seeing a lot of playing time for a walk on. He did play well yesterday, however. So the questions about his playing time have been answered to some degree. Still, the Mocs full court pressure did not pay dividends and maybe they should lay off against this Lancers team and see what happens.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- Will we play with a little heart, desire, and focus, or will we take this whole trip off?
- Can the Mocs score in their halfcourt offense?
- Will the Mocs pound the ball inside? If so, will they be able to make the free throws that will inevitably come?
- Will Bell take over a game, like he should be capable of doing?
PREDICTION
Whew. I’m scared to pick this one. Yesterday’s horrific performance is still fresh in my mind. Yet, I just have a hard time imagining that the Mocs play like THAT again. This is a team that people are starting to downgrade drastically, and that may be a mistake. After all, they beat ETSU, who beat College of Charleston, Appalachian State, and Arkansas. Winning away from home is always the hardest thing for a young team to learn to do. Maybe today is the day. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Mocs 64, Longwood 63.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Post Game Shower- Texas-Pan America
Click on the title to be taken to the boxscore.
I've been struggling for the last few hours to come up with the words to express the frustration that I feel over losing this game.
This. Was. Humbling.
There's really no other way to put it. It's not that I thought we couldn't lose to the Broncos. I thought it was possible. But it's that I thought that we could come up with a way to score on them. We had a huge size advantage on them. Yet, for some reason, we couldn't score for most of the game against them. We didn't seem to be trying to pound it inside.
The foul trouble did not help matters any. In fact, it hurt matters drastically. But there are really just a few places to put this blame.
Focus. And hustle. We did not rebound well, especially given their size. We also did not shoot free throws well. That is a sign of lack of focus and lack of desire. The Broncos outrebounded the Mocs 45-38, after being outrebounded by double digits heading into the game. The Mocs had been shooting 74 percent from the free throw line, but only made 8 of 20 (40 percent) in this one.
(I know. I'm using "we" and some people don't like that. But sometimes I say we when talking positively, so I certainly don't want to stop using it now.)
Now, how carried away should we get with this? Let's remember- this bunch did beat East Tennessee State. Yes, the same Bucs team that beat College of Charleston, Appalachian State, and Arkansas. This team also has a world of injuries still. The team will look very different come January.
The Mocs have clearly not learned how to win away from home. That's something that takes time. This was a completely frustrating afternoon of basketball. I'd like to think that the Mocs can turn it around tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 against Longwood. But right now, I'm having a hard time imagining it.
If I'm looking for a bright spot, it was the first half stretch where Saffore came up with a couple of blocks and also came up with a basket. Also, DeAntre Jefferson scored 12 points with nine rebounds, and made 4 of 5 free throws.
Make no mistake- this one hurt.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Mocs will take on the Lancers in a battle of unusual team nicknames tomorrow afternoon. The Lancers are 0-6 on the season, but have played almost everyone close. The Mocs have played so poorly lately, they could desperately use just a nice solid performance. Hopefully, the focus and desire are there tomorrow afternoon. That's all I'm looking for at this point.
I've been struggling for the last few hours to come up with the words to express the frustration that I feel over losing this game.
This. Was. Humbling.
There's really no other way to put it. It's not that I thought we couldn't lose to the Broncos. I thought it was possible. But it's that I thought that we could come up with a way to score on them. We had a huge size advantage on them. Yet, for some reason, we couldn't score for most of the game against them. We didn't seem to be trying to pound it inside.
The foul trouble did not help matters any. In fact, it hurt matters drastically. But there are really just a few places to put this blame.
Focus. And hustle. We did not rebound well, especially given their size. We also did not shoot free throws well. That is a sign of lack of focus and lack of desire. The Broncos outrebounded the Mocs 45-38, after being outrebounded by double digits heading into the game. The Mocs had been shooting 74 percent from the free throw line, but only made 8 of 20 (40 percent) in this one.
(I know. I'm using "we" and some people don't like that. But sometimes I say we when talking positively, so I certainly don't want to stop using it now.)
Now, how carried away should we get with this? Let's remember- this bunch did beat East Tennessee State. Yes, the same Bucs team that beat College of Charleston, Appalachian State, and Arkansas. This team also has a world of injuries still. The team will look very different come January.
The Mocs have clearly not learned how to win away from home. That's something that takes time. This was a completely frustrating afternoon of basketball. I'd like to think that the Mocs can turn it around tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 against Longwood. But right now, I'm having a hard time imagining it.
If I'm looking for a bright spot, it was the first half stretch where Saffore came up with a couple of blocks and also came up with a basket. Also, DeAntre Jefferson scored 12 points with nine rebounds, and made 4 of 5 free throws.
Make no mistake- this one hurt.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Mocs will take on the Lancers in a battle of unusual team nicknames tomorrow afternoon. The Lancers are 0-6 on the season, but have played almost everyone close. The Mocs have played so poorly lately, they could desperately use just a nice solid performance. Hopefully, the focus and desire are there tomorrow afternoon. That's all I'm looking for at this point.
Bethune-Cookman Takes Down Longwood
Click on the article title to go to the boxscore provided by ESPN.com.
Bethune-Cookman upset Longwood on Friday afternoon 66-62. The Wildcats improved to 2-3, while Longwood dropped to 0-5.
If the Mocs win, they will face Bethune-Cookman at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. If the Mocs lose, they will face the Lancers at 12:30.
Reed scored 21, while Starling scored 18. The Wildcats were playing a very tight game the whole way, sticking close, before pulling out the win at the end of the game.
We'll see which team the Mocs face tomorrow. Either would be a decent challenge.
Bethune-Cookman upset Longwood on Friday afternoon 66-62. The Wildcats improved to 2-3, while Longwood dropped to 0-5.
If the Mocs win, they will face Bethune-Cookman at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. If the Mocs lose, they will face the Lancers at 12:30.
Reed scored 21, while Starling scored 18. The Wildcats were playing a very tight game the whole way, sticking close, before pulling out the win at the end of the game.
We'll see which team the Mocs face tomorrow. Either would be a decent challenge.
Pregame Meal- Texas-Pan America
LIKELY STARTERS
Texas-Pan America (0-5, 0-0)
G- Jared Maree (6-3 So)
G- Ben Smith (6-3 Sr)
G- Nick Weiermiller (6-1 Jr)
G- Julius Hearn (6-0 Jr)
F- Luis Valera (6-7 Sr)
Mocs (2-2, 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)
F- Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
EDIT: According to a Chattanooga Times-Free Press article, Dante Harvey will be starting today. It said that he would be starting in place of Ricky Taylor, who I had already removed from the starting lineup. If this is based on the Missouri starting lineup, that would mean Harvey is in, and McKeither is out. We'll see.
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here is the Texas-Pan America Broncos Men’s Basketball website- http://www.utpabroncs.com/sports/m-baskbl/txpa-m-baskbl-body.html.
The Broncos have started the same five in each game so far this year. They lost to Louisiana Tech in their opener at home, then lost their road games to Lamar, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Missouri, and Mississippi State. They have been outscored by an average of 25.2 points per game, 81.8-56.6. They have been outrebounded by about twelve per game, and are shooting just 36.3 percent from the floor and 59.5 percent from the free throw line. They are shooting 30.9 percent from three point range. Opponents are shooting 54.1 percent from the floor. Of course, the Broncos only start one player over 6-3, so that can play a huge role in how their opponents have been shooting against them.
The Broncos are members of the newly formed Great West Conference. It does not currently have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They do have an automatic bid to the CBIT, though. Nick Weiermiller was preseason first team all conference. Nathan Hawkins and Ben Smith were named to the honorable mention all conference team. The team was picked to finish last in the conference.
No player is currently scoring in double figures. Luis Valera leads the team in points with 8.4 per contest. He is shooting 52.8 percent from the floor. He also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 5.2 per game. Weiermiller has been struggling so far this year, despite the preseason expectations. He is shooting just 28.1 percent from the field and averaging 6.2 points per game. Hawkins has also not been great off the bench. He is averaging just 6.0 points per game, and has made just 2 of 13 free throws.
The Broncos are averaging just 16.6 turnovers per game, which is pretty solid given that they have already played Missouri and Mississippi State. We all know that the Tigers force a lot of turnovers. They turned the ball over just 22 times against Mizzou.
ANALYSIS
The Mocs have not played well away from home so far this year, with two underperforming losses to Richmond and Missouri. They will need to show up at South Padre Island if they want to beat Texas-Pan America.
Ricky Taylor has been in an awful slump lately for the Mocs. Everyone got excited by his first performance against Tennessee Wesleyan, and then a decent showing against Virginia Intermont. Since the D1 competition started up, he has been ice cold.
The Mocs have been outrebounding their opponents by an average of 3.5 per game, which is very good. They also have really improved their free throw shooting, as they are up to 74.1 percent from the charity stripe. The problem has been turnovers, as they have committed 19.8 per game. The Broncos defense has not forced a lot of turnovers, though. Keegan Bell should be able to control the ball better and he needs to be a force in this game.
Shulman has been messing with the starting lineup for the Mocs. Based on performance, I think the starting lineup listed above will be it. However, don’t be surprised if DeAntre Jefferson gets the start. He needed to be benched for a game after that showing against Richmond, but he played with much more enthusiasm against Missouri.
The problem for the Mocs could be if Weiermiller suddenly finds himself. He is capable of putting up big numbers and has been ice cold so far this year. If he starts shooting lights out, then the Broncos could have a shot at putting together a nice performance. It seems like the Mocs are always giving up a career night to someone, and Weiermiller could be that guy. Ben Smith made 5 of 12 from three point range against Missouri.
The key for the Mocs will be rebounding. They have a big size advantage. Not just with Jefferson, McKeither, and Saffore, but even out on the perimeter. The Mocs will need to have a big rebounding edge in this game, or else Texas-Pan America may hang around.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- Can Ricky Taylor snap out of his 4 for 25 slump over the last three games?
- Will the Mocs perform away from home?
- What will the starting lineup be?
PREDICTION
The Mocs have more talent. They certainly have more size. They are not as experienced as the Broncos though. The Mocs need to convince themselves that they are capable of winning a game away from home. The Broncos have some talented shooters that have not been hot shooting as of late. If they start heating up, then the Mocs could find themselves in some trouble. Still, even if that happens, Bell and the guys down low should be able to find their points. The Mocs should win this one fairly comfortably if they just play their game. Mocs 84, Texas-Pan America 71.
Texas-Pan America (0-5, 0-0)
G- Jared Maree (6-3 So)
G- Ben Smith (6-3 Sr)
G- Nick Weiermiller (6-1 Jr)
G- Julius Hearn (6-0 Jr)
F- Luis Valera (6-7 Sr)
Mocs (2-2, 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)
F- Jeremy Saffore (7-1 RJr)
EDIT: According to a Chattanooga Times-Free Press article, Dante Harvey will be starting today. It said that he would be starting in place of Ricky Taylor, who I had already removed from the starting lineup. If this is based on the Missouri starting lineup, that would mean Harvey is in, and McKeither is out. We'll see.
KNOW THY OPPONENT
Here is the Texas-Pan America Broncos Men’s Basketball website- http://www.utpabroncs.com/sports/m-baskbl/txpa-m-baskbl-body.html.
The Broncos have started the same five in each game so far this year. They lost to Louisiana Tech in their opener at home, then lost their road games to Lamar, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Missouri, and Mississippi State. They have been outscored by an average of 25.2 points per game, 81.8-56.6. They have been outrebounded by about twelve per game, and are shooting just 36.3 percent from the floor and 59.5 percent from the free throw line. They are shooting 30.9 percent from three point range. Opponents are shooting 54.1 percent from the floor. Of course, the Broncos only start one player over 6-3, so that can play a huge role in how their opponents have been shooting against them.
The Broncos are members of the newly formed Great West Conference. It does not currently have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They do have an automatic bid to the CBIT, though. Nick Weiermiller was preseason first team all conference. Nathan Hawkins and Ben Smith were named to the honorable mention all conference team. The team was picked to finish last in the conference.
No player is currently scoring in double figures. Luis Valera leads the team in points with 8.4 per contest. He is shooting 52.8 percent from the floor. He also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 5.2 per game. Weiermiller has been struggling so far this year, despite the preseason expectations. He is shooting just 28.1 percent from the field and averaging 6.2 points per game. Hawkins has also not been great off the bench. He is averaging just 6.0 points per game, and has made just 2 of 13 free throws.
The Broncos are averaging just 16.6 turnovers per game, which is pretty solid given that they have already played Missouri and Mississippi State. We all know that the Tigers force a lot of turnovers. They turned the ball over just 22 times against Mizzou.
ANALYSIS
The Mocs have not played well away from home so far this year, with two underperforming losses to Richmond and Missouri. They will need to show up at South Padre Island if they want to beat Texas-Pan America.
Ricky Taylor has been in an awful slump lately for the Mocs. Everyone got excited by his first performance against Tennessee Wesleyan, and then a decent showing against Virginia Intermont. Since the D1 competition started up, he has been ice cold.
The Mocs have been outrebounding their opponents by an average of 3.5 per game, which is very good. They also have really improved their free throw shooting, as they are up to 74.1 percent from the charity stripe. The problem has been turnovers, as they have committed 19.8 per game. The Broncos defense has not forced a lot of turnovers, though. Keegan Bell should be able to control the ball better and he needs to be a force in this game.
Shulman has been messing with the starting lineup for the Mocs. Based on performance, I think the starting lineup listed above will be it. However, don’t be surprised if DeAntre Jefferson gets the start. He needed to be benched for a game after that showing against Richmond, but he played with much more enthusiasm against Missouri.
The problem for the Mocs could be if Weiermiller suddenly finds himself. He is capable of putting up big numbers and has been ice cold so far this year. If he starts shooting lights out, then the Broncos could have a shot at putting together a nice performance. It seems like the Mocs are always giving up a career night to someone, and Weiermiller could be that guy. Ben Smith made 5 of 12 from three point range against Missouri.
The key for the Mocs will be rebounding. They have a big size advantage. Not just with Jefferson, McKeither, and Saffore, but even out on the perimeter. The Mocs will need to have a big rebounding edge in this game, or else Texas-Pan America may hang around.
QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERED
- Can Ricky Taylor snap out of his 4 for 25 slump over the last three games?
- Will the Mocs perform away from home?
- What will the starting lineup be?
PREDICTION
The Mocs have more talent. They certainly have more size. They are not as experienced as the Broncos though. The Mocs need to convince themselves that they are capable of winning a game away from home. The Broncos have some talented shooters that have not been hot shooting as of late. If they start heating up, then the Mocs could find themselves in some trouble. Still, even if that happens, Bell and the guys down low should be able to find their points. The Mocs should win this one fairly comfortably if they just play their game. Mocs 84, Texas-Pan America 71.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
San Padre Island Invitational- Longwood vs. Bethune-Cookman
The Longwood Lancers are 0-5, while the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats are 1-3. The Lancers have played very close, hard fought games against Virginia, Navy, Columbia, and Richmond, despite falling in all of them. Old Dominion hammered them pretty solidly. The Wildcats were hammered by Old Dominion and VCU, but lost a sixteen point game to Mississippi State. Their win came over Edward Waters, a non-D1 team.
So where do we begin with the first game of the San Padre Island Invitational? The game begins at 1:00 Eastern. That's where. The game is available (with Bethune-Cookman announcers) here.
LIKELY STARTERS
Longwood (0-5, 0-0)
G Martiz Washington (6-0 So)
G Kevin Swecker (6-1 Sr)
G EJ Dawson (6-2 Sr)
F Dana Smith (6-5 Sr)
F Billy Robinson Jr (6-7 Sr)
Bethune-Cookman (1-3, 0-0)
G CJ Reed (6-3 So)
G Stanley Elliott (6-3 So)
G Jerry Jones (6-2 So)
F Tyrel Adams (6-6 Jr)
C Alexander Starling (6-9 Sr)
Here's a quick look at Longwood.
Martiz Washington just took Aaron Mitchell's starting spot in the last game. Mitchell is shooting 8.3 percent from three point range and 27.3 percent from the field. That's not good. Dana Smith is averaging 14.6 points per game and 6.8 rebounds. Antwan Carter is not a starter, but he leads the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game, and 6.2 rebounds. They've been outrebounded by an average of nine per game. The Lancers are only shooting 39.7 percent from the field, and 23.2 percent from three point range, while their opponents are shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three point range.
Here's a quick look at Bethune-Cookman.
The Wildcats are led by Alexander Starling. He's shooting 61 percent from the floor. He is averaging 11.8 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. CJ Reed is the team's leading scorer, with 17.5 points per game. Reed also leads the team in assists with 16 of the team's 32. They are losing the rebound battle by just 1.5 per game, which is not too bad considering the competition. They have not been shooting well (40.6 percent), but they are holding their opponents down as well, to just 42.4 percent shooting. They have been playing slightly better than you might expect.
FINAL ANALYSIS
This should be a pretty interesting match-up. If you just casually look at the boxscores, Longwood appears to be a big favorite, but those don't seem to quite indicate everything. The stats seem to tell a little bit different story. However, Edward Waters may be helping Bethune-Cookman out a bit. Bethune-Cookman will have a hard time containing Carter. Reed could explode for Bethune-Cookman. The shooting will not be particularly good in this one, I expect. In the end, Longwood wins, in an interesting game. Longwood 71, Bethune-Cookman 64.
So where do we begin with the first game of the San Padre Island Invitational? The game begins at 1:00 Eastern. That's where. The game is available (with Bethune-Cookman announcers) here.
LIKELY STARTERS
Longwood (0-5, 0-0)
G Martiz Washington (6-0 So)
G Kevin Swecker (6-1 Sr)
G EJ Dawson (6-2 Sr)
F Dana Smith (6-5 Sr)
F Billy Robinson Jr (6-7 Sr)
Bethune-Cookman (1-3, 0-0)
G CJ Reed (6-3 So)
G Stanley Elliott (6-3 So)
G Jerry Jones (6-2 So)
F Tyrel Adams (6-6 Jr)
C Alexander Starling (6-9 Sr)
Here's a quick look at Longwood.
Martiz Washington just took Aaron Mitchell's starting spot in the last game. Mitchell is shooting 8.3 percent from three point range and 27.3 percent from the field. That's not good. Dana Smith is averaging 14.6 points per game and 6.8 rebounds. Antwan Carter is not a starter, but he leads the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game, and 6.2 rebounds. They've been outrebounded by an average of nine per game. The Lancers are only shooting 39.7 percent from the field, and 23.2 percent from three point range, while their opponents are shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three point range.
Here's a quick look at Bethune-Cookman.
The Wildcats are led by Alexander Starling. He's shooting 61 percent from the floor. He is averaging 11.8 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. CJ Reed is the team's leading scorer, with 17.5 points per game. Reed also leads the team in assists with 16 of the team's 32. They are losing the rebound battle by just 1.5 per game, which is not too bad considering the competition. They have not been shooting well (40.6 percent), but they are holding their opponents down as well, to just 42.4 percent shooting. They have been playing slightly better than you might expect.
FINAL ANALYSIS
This should be a pretty interesting match-up. If you just casually look at the boxscores, Longwood appears to be a big favorite, but those don't seem to quite indicate everything. The stats seem to tell a little bit different story. However, Edward Waters may be helping Bethune-Cookman out a bit. Bethune-Cookman will have a hard time containing Carter. Reed could explode for Bethune-Cookman. The shooting will not be particularly good in this one, I expect. In the end, Longwood wins, in an interesting game. Longwood 71, Bethune-Cookman 64.
I'm Thankful For....
Things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving.
I'm thankful....
1) that the SoCon Tourney was in Chattanooga last March.
2) that College of Charleston upset Davidson, thus making us play the Cougars when they were playing their fourth game in four days.
3) that Thabeet will NOT be there to greet us when the Mocs make it back to the NCAA basketball tournament this year.
4) that Steph Curry spent time in the SoCon, thus making the whole conference profile that much higher, and make it that much easier to recruit top talent.
5) that Jimmy Fallon picked us to cheer for, for whatever reason.
6) that John Shulman is our coach.
7) that Ridge McKeither and Josh Odem picked us.
8) for all the Mocs basketball players.
9) that Jurick and Banks (not to mention Wattad) will all be here next year.
10) that we have eased up the schedule a little bit this year from the last two years.
11) that Ty Patterson, Dante Harvey, Troy Cage, and Chris Early should all be back in the fold by the time we play Georgia Tech at home.
12) for my family, especially our newest addition on this, her one week birthday.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there, whether you are a Mocs fan or not! Enjoy it and enjoy eating. Don't eat too much!
I'm thankful....
1) that the SoCon Tourney was in Chattanooga last March.
2) that College of Charleston upset Davidson, thus making us play the Cougars when they were playing their fourth game in four days.
3) that Thabeet will NOT be there to greet us when the Mocs make it back to the NCAA basketball tournament this year.
4) that Steph Curry spent time in the SoCon, thus making the whole conference profile that much higher, and make it that much easier to recruit top talent.
5) that Jimmy Fallon picked us to cheer for, for whatever reason.
6) that John Shulman is our coach.
7) that Ridge McKeither and Josh Odem picked us.
8) for all the Mocs basketball players.
9) that Jurick and Banks (not to mention Wattad) will all be here next year.
10) that we have eased up the schedule a little bit this year from the last two years.
11) that Ty Patterson, Dante Harvey, Troy Cage, and Chris Early should all be back in the fold by the time we play Georgia Tech at home.
12) for my family, especially our newest addition on this, her one week birthday.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there, whether you are a Mocs fan or not! Enjoy it and enjoy eating. Don't eat too much!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Ding Dong The Witch is Dead!
DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD! THE WICKED WITCH IS DEAD!!!
Davidson is 1-4 after their win over Fredonia State tonight. People in the SoCon are shocked! The Wildcats are dead!
Calm down everyone.
The Wildcats are far from dead. Davidson's losses were to Butler, South Florida, LaSalle, and Penn State. That is not murderer's row, but it is a decent set of losses.
The Wildcats are young and inexperienced, just as our Mocs are. They will be better. They will improve with each passing game. The Wildcats have a tough schedule still ahead. Rhode Island, Gonzaga, Massachusetts, Cornell, and Penn still are in the future for Bob McKillop's team. So this team could continue to struggle all the way into conference play.
All that being said, Davidson fans seem to be shrugging off the start and saying that there is nothing to be concerned about. The Wildcats are going to steamroll to another SoCon title. Here's the problem with that thinking- Davidson is not quite as good as they have been in recent years. The rest of the SoCon is certainly not worse, and may be better. Davidson did not win the tournament last year (and that was not Chattanooga' home court advantage fault), so how they can expect to roll to the title this year is beyond me.
Is Davidson one of the favorites come SoCon Tourney time? Absolutely. They are one of the SoCon's better teams, or will be by tournament time. Should Davidson fans be convinced that they are going to roll without any problem with the SoCon? Absolutely not.
To quote another movie, "They're only mostly dead." And that is still an overstatement.
Davidson is 1-4 after their win over Fredonia State tonight. People in the SoCon are shocked! The Wildcats are dead!
Calm down everyone.
The Wildcats are far from dead. Davidson's losses were to Butler, South Florida, LaSalle, and Penn State. That is not murderer's row, but it is a decent set of losses.
The Wildcats are young and inexperienced, just as our Mocs are. They will be better. They will improve with each passing game. The Wildcats have a tough schedule still ahead. Rhode Island, Gonzaga, Massachusetts, Cornell, and Penn still are in the future for Bob McKillop's team. So this team could continue to struggle all the way into conference play.
All that being said, Davidson fans seem to be shrugging off the start and saying that there is nothing to be concerned about. The Wildcats are going to steamroll to another SoCon title. Here's the problem with that thinking- Davidson is not quite as good as they have been in recent years. The rest of the SoCon is certainly not worse, and may be better. Davidson did not win the tournament last year (and that was not Chattanooga' home court advantage fault), so how they can expect to roll to the title this year is beyond me.
Is Davidson one of the favorites come SoCon Tourney time? Absolutely. They are one of the SoCon's better teams, or will be by tournament time. Should Davidson fans be convinced that they are going to roll without any problem with the SoCon? Absolutely not.
To quote another movie, "They're only mostly dead." And that is still an overstatement.
So, Can I Complain About Shulman?
People say that I am too high on Shulman as the coach. People complain that the Mocs lose by 40 points to teams. People complain about his substituion pattern.
I really don't. I think Coach Shulman has done a tremendous job as the head basketball coach. After Mack McCarthy left, the Mocs had not been to an NCAA Tournament since 1997. Then Shulman showed up and the Mocs went in 2005 and 2009. How can anyone complain about that?
However, it has become increasingly clear that there is one problem with Shulman coached teams. I will do more research on this as the years progress to find out if it is just my perception or if it is reality. However, I feel like the Mocs really struggle on the road or on a neutral court under Shulman.
Dating back to his first season, the Mocs are 7-12 (.368) on neutral courts. That is not good. In 2004-05, they lost to Wake Forest in their lone neutral court game. In 2005-06, they lost to Holy Cross and Davidson, but beat Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Mount St. Mary's, College of Charleston, and Appalachian State. In 2006-07, they lost to Towson and Davidson, and beat Wofford and Prairie View A&M. In 2007-08, they lost to Southern Illinois, South Alabama, and Elon, and beat UC-Irvine. In 2008-09, they lost to Memphis, USC, Fairfield, and Connecticut.
How about the road record? According to GoMocs.com, he is 23-43 (.348) in road games following the loss to Missouri. That may not be fair, though. After all, the Mocs play a lot of games like the one against Missouri where they are clear underdogs. So let's look at the SoCon road record.
2004-05 4-4
2005-06 3-4
2006-07 3-6
2007-08 4-6
2008-09 4-6
So the Mocs have never had a winning road record against the SoCon since Shulman has been there. He is 18-26 (.409). The Mocs are a combined 25-38 (.397) on neutral courts and against the SoCon on the road. These are really not good records.
His home SoCon record has been great, especially when you include the SoCon Tournaments that have been played in Chattanooga.
2004-05 9-2
2005-06 5-2
2006-07 3-6
2007-08 9-1
2008-09 10-3
That gives a total of 36-14 (.720). Clearly, that is an excellent winning percentage and should be lauded. And I give him a ton of credit for being able to win at home.
I know that winning on the road is tough and is not easy to do. Still, this is where Shulman could really turn a corner. Somehow, the Mocs seem to lack the mental punch to be able to get over the top in these road games. When they get punched, they don't seem able to get back up off the mat. At home, they do that. On the road, not so much.
So, am I complaining about Shulman? Only partially. As everyone knows that talks to me, I am a Shulman supporter. However, I have come to expect to see different teams at home than show up on the road. I'd like to see a little bit of improvement in that. I'm sure Shulman feels the same way.
If you have a question about it, the Mocs are 161-214 (.429) on the road. So Shulman is below average in road games in terms of Mocs D1 basketball history. I have not gone back and compared McCarthy of Arnold (much less Lebo or Dickerson) individually to Shulman. So there may be some facts that would be uncovered if I did that. I don't know which side of the debate they would favor.
I really don't. I think Coach Shulman has done a tremendous job as the head basketball coach. After Mack McCarthy left, the Mocs had not been to an NCAA Tournament since 1997. Then Shulman showed up and the Mocs went in 2005 and 2009. How can anyone complain about that?
However, it has become increasingly clear that there is one problem with Shulman coached teams. I will do more research on this as the years progress to find out if it is just my perception or if it is reality. However, I feel like the Mocs really struggle on the road or on a neutral court under Shulman.
Dating back to his first season, the Mocs are 7-12 (.368) on neutral courts. That is not good. In 2004-05, they lost to Wake Forest in their lone neutral court game. In 2005-06, they lost to Holy Cross and Davidson, but beat Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Mount St. Mary's, College of Charleston, and Appalachian State. In 2006-07, they lost to Towson and Davidson, and beat Wofford and Prairie View A&M. In 2007-08, they lost to Southern Illinois, South Alabama, and Elon, and beat UC-Irvine. In 2008-09, they lost to Memphis, USC, Fairfield, and Connecticut.
How about the road record? According to GoMocs.com, he is 23-43 (.348) in road games following the loss to Missouri. That may not be fair, though. After all, the Mocs play a lot of games like the one against Missouri where they are clear underdogs. So let's look at the SoCon road record.
2004-05 4-4
2005-06 3-4
2006-07 3-6
2007-08 4-6
2008-09 4-6
So the Mocs have never had a winning road record against the SoCon since Shulman has been there. He is 18-26 (.409). The Mocs are a combined 25-38 (.397) on neutral courts and against the SoCon on the road. These are really not good records.
His home SoCon record has been great, especially when you include the SoCon Tournaments that have been played in Chattanooga.
2004-05 9-2
2005-06 5-2
2006-07 3-6
2007-08 9-1
2008-09 10-3
That gives a total of 36-14 (.720). Clearly, that is an excellent winning percentage and should be lauded. And I give him a ton of credit for being able to win at home.
I know that winning on the road is tough and is not easy to do. Still, this is where Shulman could really turn a corner. Somehow, the Mocs seem to lack the mental punch to be able to get over the top in these road games. When they get punched, they don't seem able to get back up off the mat. At home, they do that. On the road, not so much.
So, am I complaining about Shulman? Only partially. As everyone knows that talks to me, I am a Shulman supporter. However, I have come to expect to see different teams at home than show up on the road. I'd like to see a little bit of improvement in that. I'm sure Shulman feels the same way.
If you have a question about it, the Mocs are 161-214 (.429) on the road. So Shulman is below average in road games in terms of Mocs D1 basketball history. I have not gone back and compared McCarthy of Arnold (much less Lebo or Dickerson) individually to Shulman. So there may be some facts that would be uncovered if I did that. I don't know which side of the debate they would favor.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Look Ahead- Two San Padre Games...
So let's take a quick look at the three opponents that are in our bracket at San Padre Island.
Texas-Pan America is 0-5. They lost to Louisiana Tech, Lamar, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Missouri, and Mississippi State. Lamar is the only one they have come closer than eighteen points against. They lost to them by five on the road. Missouri beat them 100-44. Louisiana Tech was their lone home game, an 18 point loss.
Longwood is 0-5. They lost to Virginia, Navy, Old Dominion, Columbia, and Richmond. They lost to Richmond 65-52. Old Dominion was the only team that has beaten them by more than thirteen points, a 39 point loss. Navy was their lone home game, a three point loss.
Bethune-Cookman is 1-3. They lost to VCU, Old Dominion, and Mississippi State. They beat Edward Waters by 19 in their lone home game. VCU beat them by 26, Old Dominion by 31, and Mississippi State by 16.
So, it looks to me like Longwood may be the best team in the bunch. They certainly have played some fairly quality competition close. Of course, the only team with a D-1 win is Chattanooga's over East Tennessee State. This will not be easy for the Mocs. They should not underestimate this bracket. This is a young team still trying to feel their way out when they are playing away from home. The Mocs need two wins very badly though, for their own psyche and for the mindset of the fans back home. This is as important as two games could be at this point in the season for the Mocs.
GO MOCS!
Texas-Pan America is 0-5. They lost to Louisiana Tech, Lamar, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Missouri, and Mississippi State. Lamar is the only one they have come closer than eighteen points against. They lost to them by five on the road. Missouri beat them 100-44. Louisiana Tech was their lone home game, an 18 point loss.
Longwood is 0-5. They lost to Virginia, Navy, Old Dominion, Columbia, and Richmond. They lost to Richmond 65-52. Old Dominion was the only team that has beaten them by more than thirteen points, a 39 point loss. Navy was their lone home game, a three point loss.
Bethune-Cookman is 1-3. They lost to VCU, Old Dominion, and Mississippi State. They beat Edward Waters by 19 in their lone home game. VCU beat them by 26, Old Dominion by 31, and Mississippi State by 16.
So, it looks to me like Longwood may be the best team in the bunch. They certainly have played some fairly quality competition close. Of course, the only team with a D-1 win is Chattanooga's over East Tennessee State. This will not be easy for the Mocs. They should not underestimate this bracket. This is a young team still trying to feel their way out when they are playing away from home. The Mocs need two wins very badly though, for their own psyche and for the mindset of the fans back home. This is as important as two games could be at this point in the season for the Mocs.
GO MOCS!
Box Score and More Analysis
The box score will be taken to by clicking on the title.
Keegan Bell sounds great on the postgame show. He talked about the importance of getting better and that at some point, the team needs to grow up. They need to work harder in practice. I love the attitude Bell has.
The team has not grown up yet, but they are still gelling. He seems to think that will happen at some point. Bell is also blaming himself. He said he needs to look more to score, and that he needs to be more aggressive himself.
"We have to grow up. We have to grow up. I know we're young, but we have to grow up."
Beautiful. I love the attitude. He's turning into a real team leader.
Keegan Bell sounds great on the postgame show. He talked about the importance of getting better and that at some point, the team needs to grow up. They need to work harder in practice. I love the attitude Bell has.
The team has not grown up yet, but they are still gelling. He seems to think that will happen at some point. Bell is also blaming himself. He said he needs to look more to score, and that he needs to be more aggressive himself.
"We have to grow up. We have to grow up. I know we're young, but we have to grow up."
Beautiful. I love the attitude. He's turning into a real team leader.
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