Nope, February was not a wildly successful one. The Mocs were just 3-5, with wins over Georgia Southern, Furman, and Samford, and losses to Davidson, Western Carolina, Appalachian State, Georgia Tech, and Wofford.
But really, the record could be forgiven if not for the blowout loss at home against Wofford on Senior Night.
That loss sticks out like a sore thumb. The flu and suspensions helped knock off the Mocs on the road against Western Carolina and Appalachian State, and maybe even against Georgia Tech to some degree. Davidson beat us, but we were in that game in the second half.
But the Wofford game was another humiliation. How many of these do we have to suffer through?
All-in-all the month has to get a solid C. The Mocs did not win the North, and I feel like they would have if the flu had not struck for the trips to Western Carolina and Appalachian State. The game against Georgia Tech showed the Mocs could hang with an ACC team. The Furman performance may have been the Mocs best one of the year. Samford and Georgia Southern were nice wins. Hard to give that lower than a C. If not for the sickness, then the Mocs would have gotten a lower grade. But with how tough the schedule was, this was a solid showing.
With March looming, there is clearly a lot on the line. The Mocs have to get more consistent as they go out and face the rest of the SoCon in Chattanooga this weekend. If they play some consistent, good basketball, then the Mocs could easily find themselves in the NCAA Tournament. And that has been the goal all along.
GO MOCS!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Three Point Play
1)The best Thursday match-up? Davidson-UNCG. That game should be compelling. The Wildcats are the clear favorite, but the Spartans played well in Chattanooga earlier this year. Davidson also lost in the first round of the tournament last year to a team they should have beaten. So this game should be wildly entertaining. And it's the first game of the day. It just doesn't get any better than that.
2) Jeff Jackson should be Coach of the Year, but I'd say that over the last week he's done nothing to endear himself to his fanbase. The Paladins losses have really put a damper on them. If they wind up going out early, and struggling next year, like they probably will, Jackson may be in trouble. It could be interesting.
3) Donald Sims points for the tournament could be very interesting. Sims could be out in the first round, and has a good enough team to make it all the way to the championship game. It just depends on your perspective of how far the Mountaineers go. That's why it is such an interesting question about Sims for the tiebreaker of the SoCon Tournament Pick 'Em on MocFans. Could be very interesting?
2) Jeff Jackson should be Coach of the Year, but I'd say that over the last week he's done nothing to endear himself to his fanbase. The Paladins losses have really put a damper on them. If they wind up going out early, and struggling next year, like they probably will, Jackson may be in trouble. It could be interesting.
3) Donald Sims points for the tournament could be very interesting. Sims could be out in the first round, and has a good enough team to make it all the way to the championship game. It just depends on your perspective of how far the Mountaineers go. That's why it is such an interesting question about Sims for the tiebreaker of the SoCon Tournament Pick 'Em on MocFans. Could be very interesting?
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tournament Pick 'Em Contest!
Feel free to click on the title of this post, and head on over to MocFans and pick the whole tournament! There's no prizes, nothing to be won, but it should be fun. Fans from all schools are welcome and encouraged to participate. The more varying opinions on different schools that are present, the more fun the contest will be!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Separating the Contenders from the Pretenders
This year, the Southern Conference teams can be divided into five easy to digest groups. As we head into the tournament, let's look at where each team falls and what each category even is. Teams in each category are listed in alphabetical order.
THE FAVORITE
The team that Vegas favors
Collge of Charelston- People around the SoCon don't seem to think they will win due to their checkered Tournament past. But the fact is that if you went to Vegas and bet, the Cougars would be the favorite. There's also little doubt that the Cougars have the most talented team. Could they finally break through and get it done? Possibly. But they are the clear favorite.
THE CHALLENGERS
The other teams with the byes
Chattanooga- The Mocs are at home, and have earned a first round bye. Given the tournament's past, that bye makes a huge difference. The Mocs have plenty of talent- but lack consistency. This team beat Furman by nearly 20 points on Monday, and then lost to Wofford by nearly 40 on Wednesday. Who knows which team will show up?
Western Carolina- The Catamounts won the North on Saturday with their home win over College of Charleston. They will be a very tough out in this tournament. They have enough talent to pull it off. They just need to come out and play good basketball. They will have a tough quarterfinal match-up against either Davidson or UNC-Greensboro, and if they get by that, could be facing Wofford.
Wofford- The reigning champs are peeking at the right time. They hammered Samford, Chattanooga, and Furman in their final three SoCon games. They are very good. They are not deep, but the bye makes that a little less important. A match-up with Donald Sims and Appalachian State in the quarters looms, so who knows. But the Terriers are very good.
THE SLEEPERS
Teams without byes that still have a reasonable chance to win it
Applachian State- The Mountaineers have Donald Sims and Omar Carter, and that gives them a shot in any game they play. This team is capable of making a big run in the SoCon with that offensive firepower. They could become the first team ever to win four games in four days.
Davidson- The Wildcats are the league's hottest team having won nine out of their last ten games. The early season struggles prevented them from getting a bye, but they could easily become the first team ever to win four games in four days. The coaching doesn't hurt things either.
Furman- One of the league's pleasant surprises has really struggled in their last three games. Last week at this time I considered Furman to be the team I was going to pick to win the tournament. Now, I'm not sure they can get by Samford on Friday. If they can get back to how they were playing, they could win four games in four days. But this team played the last week like a team that was not handling pressure well.
THE DARKHORSES
Teams that could get hot and get to the championship game
Elon- The Phoenix always seem to play their best basketball in the tournament. A couple of years ago they got all the way to the championship game from the BBIT. They played Davidson reasonably close in the championship game that year as well. This team has some offensive weapons, and is tough enough to pose some problems to any opponent.
UNC-Greensboro- The Spartans started playing better towards the middle, though they still struggled a bit at the end. But when you watch them play, they look like a team that could get hot shooting and make a run. They aren't the best team, by any stretch, but a couple of upsets in the tourney and finding themselves in the title game? Why not?
THE NO CHANCES
Teams that may win a game and be pleased
Georgia Southern- This team is the worst team in the league, but have been playing a bit better lately. They are athletic and could upset Appalachian State on Day One. But it is almost impossible to imagine them having anything left in the tank to win a second game.
Samford- The Bulldogs unique offensive style always makes them tough to play, so no one really wants to see them in the tournament. They are capable of beating Furman. But it is hard to imagine them getting further than that, although they have nearly beaten the Mocs twice.
The Citadel- The Bulldogs have Cameron Wells which makes them capable of pulling off an upset or two in the tournament. But, outside of the second half at Western Carolina, they have been the worst team in the conference over the last few weeks. They may pull off a first round win, but I wouldn't count on it.
THE FAVORITE
The team that Vegas favors
Collge of Charelston- People around the SoCon don't seem to think they will win due to their checkered Tournament past. But the fact is that if you went to Vegas and bet, the Cougars would be the favorite. There's also little doubt that the Cougars have the most talented team. Could they finally break through and get it done? Possibly. But they are the clear favorite.
THE CHALLENGERS
The other teams with the byes
Chattanooga- The Mocs are at home, and have earned a first round bye. Given the tournament's past, that bye makes a huge difference. The Mocs have plenty of talent- but lack consistency. This team beat Furman by nearly 20 points on Monday, and then lost to Wofford by nearly 40 on Wednesday. Who knows which team will show up?
Western Carolina- The Catamounts won the North on Saturday with their home win over College of Charleston. They will be a very tough out in this tournament. They have enough talent to pull it off. They just need to come out and play good basketball. They will have a tough quarterfinal match-up against either Davidson or UNC-Greensboro, and if they get by that, could be facing Wofford.
Wofford- The reigning champs are peeking at the right time. They hammered Samford, Chattanooga, and Furman in their final three SoCon games. They are very good. They are not deep, but the bye makes that a little less important. A match-up with Donald Sims and Appalachian State in the quarters looms, so who knows. But the Terriers are very good.
THE SLEEPERS
Teams without byes that still have a reasonable chance to win it
Applachian State- The Mountaineers have Donald Sims and Omar Carter, and that gives them a shot in any game they play. This team is capable of making a big run in the SoCon with that offensive firepower. They could become the first team ever to win four games in four days.
Davidson- The Wildcats are the league's hottest team having won nine out of their last ten games. The early season struggles prevented them from getting a bye, but they could easily become the first team ever to win four games in four days. The coaching doesn't hurt things either.
Furman- One of the league's pleasant surprises has really struggled in their last three games. Last week at this time I considered Furman to be the team I was going to pick to win the tournament. Now, I'm not sure they can get by Samford on Friday. If they can get back to how they were playing, they could win four games in four days. But this team played the last week like a team that was not handling pressure well.
THE DARKHORSES
Teams that could get hot and get to the championship game
Elon- The Phoenix always seem to play their best basketball in the tournament. A couple of years ago they got all the way to the championship game from the BBIT. They played Davidson reasonably close in the championship game that year as well. This team has some offensive weapons, and is tough enough to pose some problems to any opponent.
UNC-Greensboro- The Spartans started playing better towards the middle, though they still struggled a bit at the end. But when you watch them play, they look like a team that could get hot shooting and make a run. They aren't the best team, by any stretch, but a couple of upsets in the tourney and finding themselves in the title game? Why not?
THE NO CHANCES
Teams that may win a game and be pleased
Georgia Southern- This team is the worst team in the league, but have been playing a bit better lately. They are athletic and could upset Appalachian State on Day One. But it is almost impossible to imagine them having anything left in the tank to win a second game.
Samford- The Bulldogs unique offensive style always makes them tough to play, so no one really wants to see them in the tournament. They are capable of beating Furman. But it is hard to imagine them getting further than that, although they have nearly beaten the Mocs twice.
The Citadel- The Bulldogs have Cameron Wells which makes them capable of pulling off an upset or two in the tournament. But, outside of the second half at Western Carolina, they have been the worst team in the conference over the last few weeks. They may pull off a first round win, but I wouldn't count on it.
Three Point Play
1) Potential tournament match-up I'm most excited about? How about Wofford-Western Carolina in the semis? They are the two hottest teams in the SoCon right now- especially if you take out one horrific half by Western Carolina against The Citadel. Those two teams are playing great basketball, and I honestly think that the winner of that game would become the favorite to win the tournament.
2) The great thing about this year's tournament is that there are seven teams that finished with winning records in SoCon play. That means that there are seven teams that have to feel pretty good about their chances in the tourney. The four teams that get byes are the teams that are most likely to win it obviously. But Friday will be interesting just because of the fact that Appalachian State, Davidson, and Furman (all teams that think they have a real shot at winning the thing) all will be playing. Should be a nice first day.
3) Western Carolina, Wofford, and Elon all clinched their higher seeds on the final day. All these teams benefit from it- probably no one more than Wofford, who got the bye which they would not have gotten if they had lost at Furman. Elon also benefits. Instead of playing Davidson, they get The Citadel in the first round. That's much better for the Phoenix.
2) The great thing about this year's tournament is that there are seven teams that finished with winning records in SoCon play. That means that there are seven teams that have to feel pretty good about their chances in the tourney. The four teams that get byes are the teams that are most likely to win it obviously. But Friday will be interesting just because of the fact that Appalachian State, Davidson, and Furman (all teams that think they have a real shot at winning the thing) all will be playing. Should be a nice first day.
3) Western Carolina, Wofford, and Elon all clinched their higher seeds on the final day. All these teams benefit from it- probably no one more than Wofford, who got the bye which they would not have gotten if they had lost at Furman. Elon also benefits. Instead of playing Davidson, they get The Citadel in the first round. That's much better for the Phoenix.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
SoCon Power Rankings
Through the end of the regular season:
1) College of Charleston
2) Wofford
3) Western Carolina
4) Chattanooga
5) Davidson
6) Furman
7) Appalachian State
8) Elon
9) The Citadel
10) UNC-Greensboro
11) Samford
12) Georgia Southern
ANALYSIS: The top two are set. The next five are basically done by drawing names out of a hat. The next four are pretty similar to that as well. The bottom team is clearly Georgia Southern, even though they did beat The Citadel just a week ago. Furman got clobbered by Chattanooga and Wofford, and nearly lost to Samford a week ago. That's why they fell. Appalachian State did beat College of Charleston, but so did Davidson, Chattanooga, and Western Carolina who are ahead of them. Western is playing really well right now, and Davidson gets the bump because of their current hot stretch. Davidson did beat Chattanooga, but also finished two full games behind them. One game can be accounted for by the tougher divisional competition, but the second game is still out there. We'll sort this out much better with a tournament. There are seven teams that can win it- in particular the top four, all of whom have byes, which has proven so important over the years.
1) College of Charleston
2) Wofford
3) Western Carolina
4) Chattanooga
5) Davidson
6) Furman
7) Appalachian State
8) Elon
9) The Citadel
10) UNC-Greensboro
11) Samford
12) Georgia Southern
ANALYSIS: The top two are set. The next five are basically done by drawing names out of a hat. The next four are pretty similar to that as well. The bottom team is clearly Georgia Southern, even though they did beat The Citadel just a week ago. Furman got clobbered by Chattanooga and Wofford, and nearly lost to Samford a week ago. That's why they fell. Appalachian State did beat College of Charleston, but so did Davidson, Chattanooga, and Western Carolina who are ahead of them. Western is playing really well right now, and Davidson gets the bump because of their current hot stretch. Davidson did beat Chattanooga, but also finished two full games behind them. One game can be accounted for by the tougher divisional competition, but the second game is still out there. We'll sort this out much better with a tournament. There are seven teams that can win it- in particular the top four, all of whom have byes, which has proven so important over the years.
Tournament Schedule
FRIDAY
2:00 (4S) Davidson vs. (5N) UNC-Greensboro
4:30* (3N) Appalachian State vs. (6S) Georgia Southern
7:00 (3S) Furman vs. (6N) Samford
9:30* (4N) Elon vs. (5S) The Citadel
SATURDAY
2:00 (1N) Western Carolina vs. Davidson/UNC-Greensboro
4:30* (2S) Wofford vs. Appalachian State/Georgia Southern
7:00 (2N) Chattanooga vs. Furman/Samford
9:30* (1S) College of Charleston vs. Elon/The Citadel
SUNDAY
6:00 First Semifinal (SportSouth)
8:30* Second Semifinal (SportSouth)
MONDAY
9:00 Championship Game (ESPN2)
* means that time is approximate- the game will begin thirty minutes following the end of the previous game.
2:00 (4S) Davidson vs. (5N) UNC-Greensboro
4:30* (3N) Appalachian State vs. (6S) Georgia Southern
7:00 (3S) Furman vs. (6N) Samford
9:30* (4N) Elon vs. (5S) The Citadel
SATURDAY
2:00 (1N) Western Carolina vs. Davidson/UNC-Greensboro
4:30* (2S) Wofford vs. Appalachian State/Georgia Southern
7:00 (2N) Chattanooga vs. Furman/Samford
9:30* (1S) College of Charleston vs. Elon/The Citadel
SUNDAY
6:00 First Semifinal (SportSouth)
8:30* Second Semifinal (SportSouth)
MONDAY
9:00 Championship Game (ESPN2)
* means that time is approximate- the game will begin thirty minutes following the end of the previous game.
Battle of North vs. South
NORTH at SOUTH
South 17, North 7
SOUTH at NORTH
North 14, South 10
NORTH vs. SOUTH
South 27, North 21
ANALYSIS: That comes out to South winning 56.3% of the time. Is that what you would have expected before the season? Not me. I thought the South would win over 60% and quite possibly as high as 67% (which would have been 32-16). So the North has turned out to be more competitive in this than expected. Also, on an interesting note, College of Charleston lost just four games, and three of them were to North teams. Admittedly, they may not have been putting forth the greatest effort against Western and Appy with the division clinched, but still the Cougars lost three times to North teams. The North teams are far closer than the average fan thinks to the South. The tournament should be interesting to watch in this regard as well. The South is clearly better- make no mistake. The South should win at least two on Day One, and could easily steal a third and maybe even a fourth if Georgia Southern pulls out a miracle. We'll just have to wait and see.
South 17, North 7
SOUTH at NORTH
North 14, South 10
NORTH vs. SOUTH
South 27, North 21
ANALYSIS: That comes out to South winning 56.3% of the time. Is that what you would have expected before the season? Not me. I thought the South would win over 60% and quite possibly as high as 67% (which would have been 32-16). So the North has turned out to be more competitive in this than expected. Also, on an interesting note, College of Charleston lost just four games, and three of them were to North teams. Admittedly, they may not have been putting forth the greatest effort against Western and Appy with the division clinched, but still the Cougars lost three times to North teams. The North teams are far closer than the average fan thinks to the South. The tournament should be interesting to watch in this regard as well. The South is clearly better- make no mistake. The South should win at least two on Day One, and could easily steal a third and maybe even a fourth if Georgia Southern pulls out a miracle. We'll just have to wait and see.
Mocs 77, Samford 72 OT
The Mocs had Omar Wattad struggling to go 1 of 9 from three point range. He scored a mere 9 points.
DeAntre Jefferson and Chris Early were in foul trouble and combined for just 16 points.
Jeremy Saffore, Dontay Hampton, and Troy Cage scored a total of 13 points.
Ricky Taylor scored his usual- 14 points. It just seems like he always scores right in that range.
But tonight was the night that Keegan Bell reasserted himself. Not only did he have five assists and no turnovers, but he scored 25 points, made six three pointers, and was the offensive key to the game.
And Early wasn't exactly useless. He came up with three gigantic steals and came up with nine mammoth rebounds. Saffore and Jefferson both came up with six rebounds, as the Mocs outrebounded Samford by 14.
The Mocs did not stop Samford's offense particularly. The Bulldogs shot 45.5% from the floor, and 41.7% from three point range. They shut them down on the offensive glass (an area Samford does not excel at anyway), and held them to three offensive rebounds.
The Mocs also only turned the ball over thirteen times. That's a positive sign moving forward.
The Mocs did not win the North Division in the end. Western Carolina beat College of Charleston and won the division. The Mocs will play the winner of Furman-Samford on Saturday night in the quarters, with a possible date with College of Charleston looming in the semifinals. It is going to be a tough road to get to the SoCon Championship Game, much less win it.
But they got to 12-6 in SoCon play.
More analysis of the regular season will be coming up this week.
GO MOCS!
DeAntre Jefferson and Chris Early were in foul trouble and combined for just 16 points.
Jeremy Saffore, Dontay Hampton, and Troy Cage scored a total of 13 points.
Ricky Taylor scored his usual- 14 points. It just seems like he always scores right in that range.
But tonight was the night that Keegan Bell reasserted himself. Not only did he have five assists and no turnovers, but he scored 25 points, made six three pointers, and was the offensive key to the game.
And Early wasn't exactly useless. He came up with three gigantic steals and came up with nine mammoth rebounds. Saffore and Jefferson both came up with six rebounds, as the Mocs outrebounded Samford by 14.
The Mocs did not stop Samford's offense particularly. The Bulldogs shot 45.5% from the floor, and 41.7% from three point range. They shut them down on the offensive glass (an area Samford does not excel at anyway), and held them to three offensive rebounds.
The Mocs also only turned the ball over thirteen times. That's a positive sign moving forward.
The Mocs did not win the North Division in the end. Western Carolina beat College of Charleston and won the division. The Mocs will play the winner of Furman-Samford on Saturday night in the quarters, with a possible date with College of Charleston looming in the semifinals. It is going to be a tough road to get to the SoCon Championship Game, much less win it.
But they got to 12-6 in SoCon play.
More analysis of the regular season will be coming up this week.
GO MOCS!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Samford Preview: New Life
The preview will not be especially long for this game. I'm saving up my best adjective, noun mixes for the SoCon Tournament.
The Mocs looked like they were out of the SoCon North race as late as the second half of the Western Carolina-The Citadel game. And then, suddenly, new life. The Citadel rallied from 21 down to stun a significantly better Western Carolina team at their place. And now, the Mocs need to just beat Samford at Samford and see Western get beaten at home by College of Charleston and the Mocs will win the SoCon North outright. An amazing twist of fate.
Samford has locked up the six seed from the North and will battle the loser of the Furman-Wofford game on Friday of the SoCon Tournament. The Bulldogs began 2-1 in the SoCon. Since then, they have gone 2-12. They won at Georgia Southern by eight and at home against Elon by just two. However, they lose to Wofford twice during that stretch, once by 38, which is not exactly easy to accomplish, and once by just 13, which the Mocs have proven is nearly impossible to do. (Heavy sigh)
Samford is one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. They rank 344th in the country. Of course, Wofford ranked lower than 300th, and the Mocs have not been able to outrebound them either time they played them.
Jeffrey Merritt is the only Bulldog averaging in double digits with 10.5 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. But the most dangerous player on the Bulldogs is Josh Bedwell. He shoots nearly 42 percent from three point range. He is either on or off. When he is hitting his shots, he can be a dangerous player. He is almost as likely to put up over 20 points (3 times) as he is to put up zero points (4 times this year).
We all know that Samford plays a very unique style of offense that makes you defend for a full 35 seconds. The Mocs will be required to be one hundred percent focused on the task at hand to guard this Bulldogs team.
KEYS TO THE GAME
--Rebounding. Mocs must dominate the boards against a poor rebounding team to pull off the road win.
--Focus. Maybe it was good to lose to Wofford? At least for this game? If the Mocs had won, it is possible that the focus would not have been there quite as strong for this game. And you can't defend this Samford team without focus. Let's hope Coach Shulman has their focus now.
--Shooting. The Mocs have to shoot better than they did against Wofford or they may not make it out of the 30s because of the pace of the game.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS WIN
--Hope like crazy that Western loses to CofC.
--Celebrate a solid 12-6 SoCon record.
--Look forward to the SoCon Tourney and start analyzing the Mocs potential first round match-ups.
--Be pleased about 8-2 against the SoCon North.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS LOSE
--Be frustrated about finishing second in the SoCon North.
--Wonder if there is a good match-up in the SoCon Tourney for the Mocs at this point.
--Sigh, take a deep breath, go to bed, try to rest up in preparation for the SoCon Tourney, and remember that tomorrow is another day.
LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG
--Keegan Bell will show lots of heart playing in his hometown and will have one of his best games.
--The Mocs will rebound better.
--Samford will come out a little flat with nothing left on the line for them except for pride.
--Mocs 64, Samford 53. The Mocs have plenty on the line, and Samford has nothing on the line. If the Mocs don't play with more energy than Samford here, then it will be a really bad sign for the SoCon Tournament for the Mocs. They will come out with more energy. The question is- will the shots fall? If they do, the Mocs will win this one relatively easily. If they don't, the Mocs will be in for a battle to the very end- one they most likely come up short in.
GO MOCS!
The Mocs looked like they were out of the SoCon North race as late as the second half of the Western Carolina-The Citadel game. And then, suddenly, new life. The Citadel rallied from 21 down to stun a significantly better Western Carolina team at their place. And now, the Mocs need to just beat Samford at Samford and see Western get beaten at home by College of Charleston and the Mocs will win the SoCon North outright. An amazing twist of fate.
Samford has locked up the six seed from the North and will battle the loser of the Furman-Wofford game on Friday of the SoCon Tournament. The Bulldogs began 2-1 in the SoCon. Since then, they have gone 2-12. They won at Georgia Southern by eight and at home against Elon by just two. However, they lose to Wofford twice during that stretch, once by 38, which is not exactly easy to accomplish, and once by just 13, which the Mocs have proven is nearly impossible to do. (Heavy sigh)
Samford is one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. They rank 344th in the country. Of course, Wofford ranked lower than 300th, and the Mocs have not been able to outrebound them either time they played them.
Jeffrey Merritt is the only Bulldog averaging in double digits with 10.5 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. But the most dangerous player on the Bulldogs is Josh Bedwell. He shoots nearly 42 percent from three point range. He is either on or off. When he is hitting his shots, he can be a dangerous player. He is almost as likely to put up over 20 points (3 times) as he is to put up zero points (4 times this year).
We all know that Samford plays a very unique style of offense that makes you defend for a full 35 seconds. The Mocs will be required to be one hundred percent focused on the task at hand to guard this Bulldogs team.
KEYS TO THE GAME
--Rebounding. Mocs must dominate the boards against a poor rebounding team to pull off the road win.
--Focus. Maybe it was good to lose to Wofford? At least for this game? If the Mocs had won, it is possible that the focus would not have been there quite as strong for this game. And you can't defend this Samford team without focus. Let's hope Coach Shulman has their focus now.
--Shooting. The Mocs have to shoot better than they did against Wofford or they may not make it out of the 30s because of the pace of the game.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS WIN
--Hope like crazy that Western loses to CofC.
--Celebrate a solid 12-6 SoCon record.
--Look forward to the SoCon Tourney and start analyzing the Mocs potential first round match-ups.
--Be pleased about 8-2 against the SoCon North.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS LOSE
--Be frustrated about finishing second in the SoCon North.
--Wonder if there is a good match-up in the SoCon Tourney for the Mocs at this point.
--Sigh, take a deep breath, go to bed, try to rest up in preparation for the SoCon Tourney, and remember that tomorrow is another day.
LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG
--Keegan Bell will show lots of heart playing in his hometown and will have one of his best games.
--The Mocs will rebound better.
--Samford will come out a little flat with nothing left on the line for them except for pride.
--Mocs 64, Samford 53. The Mocs have plenty on the line, and Samford has nothing on the line. If the Mocs don't play with more energy than Samford here, then it will be a really bad sign for the SoCon Tournament for the Mocs. They will come out with more energy. The question is- will the shots fall? If they do, the Mocs will win this one relatively easily. If they don't, the Mocs will be in for a battle to the very end- one they most likely come up short in.
GO MOCS!
Flu And Alive
The Mocs are alive in the SoCon North race thanks to Western Carolina's stunning loss to The Citadel yesterday.
And I'm still alive despite a battle with the flu. I'm starting to feel better. But that is the reason for the lack of posts in the last 36 hours. I'll be providing full coverage of the weekend's action...assuming that my kids illness does not take over...
GO MOCS!
And I'm still alive despite a battle with the flu. I'm starting to feel better. But that is the reason for the lack of posts in the last 36 hours. I'll be providing full coverage of the weekend's action...assuming that my kids illness does not take over...
GO MOCS!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Three Point Play
1) After the Mocs terrible performance against Wofford, the Terriers remind everyone why they are the defending champs, and the Mocs show that they are more than capable of blowing the tournament even at home. The Mocs are good enough to win the tourney, but so is Wofford. Can the Terriers beat Furman at Furman and earn the bye? If they do, they might become the favorite come tourney time.
2) Western Carolina now has a chance to clinch the North with a win at home against The Citadel. The Catamounts are huge favorites to come up with the win over the struggling Bulldogs. That would lock the Mocs into a two seed. The Catamounts could wind up playing Wofford in the semis if they can come up with the number one seed from the North. Then again, Wofford could wind up playing the Mocs in the second round if Furman beats Wofford on Saturday.
3) Another chance for a win for Georgia Southern? Maybe. They are at home against UNCG tonight. The Eagles could come up with home wins over Elon and UNCG and get to three SoCon wins. That would give a lot of momentum to the Eagles. They could have a lot of momentum heading into the first round game against Appalachian State in the SoCon Tourney. That could make things interesting.
2) Western Carolina now has a chance to clinch the North with a win at home against The Citadel. The Catamounts are huge favorites to come up with the win over the struggling Bulldogs. That would lock the Mocs into a two seed. The Catamounts could wind up playing Wofford in the semis if they can come up with the number one seed from the North. Then again, Wofford could wind up playing the Mocs in the second round if Furman beats Wofford on Saturday.
3) Another chance for a win for Georgia Southern? Maybe. They are at home against UNCG tonight. The Eagles could come up with home wins over Elon and UNCG and get to three SoCon wins. That would give a lot of momentum to the Eagles. They could have a lot of momentum heading into the first round game against Appalachian State in the SoCon Tourney. That could make things interesting.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wofford 97, Mocs 58
I am sick and don't feel good. Is that related to the way the Mocs played tonight? Probably not, but it sure didn't help me feel any better the way the Mocs played.
They couldn't make shots, and they were dominated on the boards. How do the Mocs get dominated on the boards by one of the worst rebounding teams in the SoCon consistently? It doesn't make sense, but it now has happened twice in two games.
The Mocs chances of getting the number one seed from the North now are pretty small. The five "best" players for the Mocs (Bell, Wattad, Taylor, Early, and Jefferson) scored 38 points on 14 of 44 shooting, and 6 of 25 shooting from three point range.
I almost wonder if Wattad and Taylor never got into the game since they didn't start. That is not an excuse, but it seems like Senior Night was hurt by Troy Cage and Jeff Smith starting.
I don't know what to make of this. Yet again, the Mocs look like they are in trouble. The tournament starts in a week and a half. And they look as lost as they ever have.
GO MOCS!
They couldn't make shots, and they were dominated on the boards. How do the Mocs get dominated on the boards by one of the worst rebounding teams in the SoCon consistently? It doesn't make sense, but it now has happened twice in two games.
The Mocs chances of getting the number one seed from the North now are pretty small. The five "best" players for the Mocs (Bell, Wattad, Taylor, Early, and Jefferson) scored 38 points on 14 of 44 shooting, and 6 of 25 shooting from three point range.
I almost wonder if Wattad and Taylor never got into the game since they didn't start. That is not an excuse, but it seems like Senior Night was hurt by Troy Cage and Jeff Smith starting.
I don't know what to make of this. Yet again, the Mocs look like they are in trouble. The tournament starts in a week and a half. And they look as lost as they ever have.
GO MOCS!
Three Point Play
1) The Wofford game means nothing tomorrow night to them. They have to beat Furman to get the second seed from the South. Doesn't matter what happens against the Mocs- only the Furman-Wofford game matters. The Mocs could jump into first in the North Division if they win, but Western Carolina will still control their own destiny.
2) Chris Long of Elon won the player of the week award for the SoCon. Long scored 30 points. He had a tremendous game against UNCG. The Phoenix needs guys like Long to step up if they are going to get anywhere in the SoCon Tournament. This could be a great first step for the Phoenix. Is there any way Long can keep this up throughout the SoCon Tourney?
3) Who would have thought that the North would still have a shot to beat the South in the head-to-head match-ups heading into the final eleven conference games of the year? The North has been better than expected this year, even though it still seems like the perception is that the North is not any good. After reading things like that the second place team in the North would be lucky to have a better record in conference play than the fifth place team from the South, it really has been a pleasant surprise as the season has played out.
2) Chris Long of Elon won the player of the week award for the SoCon. Long scored 30 points. He had a tremendous game against UNCG. The Phoenix needs guys like Long to step up if they are going to get anywhere in the SoCon Tournament. This could be a great first step for the Phoenix. Is there any way Long can keep this up throughout the SoCon Tourney?
3) Who would have thought that the North would still have a shot to beat the South in the head-to-head match-ups heading into the final eleven conference games of the year? The North has been better than expected this year, even though it still seems like the perception is that the North is not any good. After reading things like that the second place team in the North would be lucky to have a better record in conference play than the fifth place team from the South, it really has been a pleasant surprise as the season has played out.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wofford Preview: Senior Night
It's the last home game ever for three seniors when the Mocs take the floor on Wednesday night against Wofford. Well, the last home game that is not in the SoCon Tournament or a postseason tournament of any kind.
Jeff Smith, Jeremy Saffore, and DeAntre Jefferson will be remembered, as they will probably start in this showdown. That means that Bell, Jefferson, Saffore, Smith, and either Wattad or Taylor will probably start this game for the Mocs.
The Mocs turned a 26 points loss into a 16 point win when they battled Furman on Monday night. They will try to turn a 32 point loss at Wofford into a win on Wednesday night.
Noah Dahlman is one of the top players in the conference. He shoots 62.1% from the floor and scores 20.3 points per game. He also averages 5.4 rebounds per game. This guy is very dangerous, and was the main reason that the Terriers won the SoCon Tournament last year. He is trying to be the reason that the Terriers have another March to remember this year, his final one.
Cameron Rundles also averages in double figures with 13.4 points per game. He shoots 40% from three point range and averages 2.6 assists per game. Jamar Diggs averages 12.4 points per game to go with 3.2 assists per game. Kevin Giltner is shooting 41% from three point range, and Brad Loesing is shooting 39.7% from three point range. Tim Johnson leads the conference in rebounding, with 8.7 rebounds per game.
Wofford is 30th in the nation in field goal percentage, and 87th in points per game. They are 311th in rebounds per game.
In the first match-up, Diggs, Rundles, and Dahlman combined for 69 of the Terriers 88 points. They also outrebounded the Mocs by seven, even though Wofford is in the bottom part of the country in rebounding, and the Mocs are ranked 22nd in the country. Wofford shot 57.6% from the field against the Mocs the first time around.
The Mocs played their best defense of the year against Furman on Monday night. They could use another great defensive and rebounding night.
KEYS TO THE GAME
--Rebound. The Mocs rebounded on Monday night against Furman. They did not rebound against Wofford the first time around. If the Mocs rebound well, they will be in this game until the end.
--Guarding Dahlman, Rundles, and Diggs. Make someone else beat you if you are the Mocs. They scored 69 of their 88 points in the first meeting. Loesing, Johnson, and Giltner are dangerous but the keys is Dahlman Rundles, and Diggs.
--Bell's play. He's been turning the ball over too much lately. He needs to stop the turnovers and start to show the Keegan Bell that was so good early in SoCon play.
--Chris Early's energy. He brought it Monday night. Bring it again.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS WIN
--Be very pleased to have avenged both embarrassing road SoCon losses.
--Wonder if there is any way the Mocs can still squeak out the SoCon North title.
--Celebrate 9-0 at home in SoCon play.
--Remember the best moments of Jeff Smith, Jeremy Saffore, and DeAntre Jefferson.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS LOSE
--Hope that Wofford ends up in the other half of the bracket in the SoCon Tournament.
--Wonder why the Mocs are so up and down.
--Remember the best moments of Jeff Smith, Jeremy Saffore, and DeAntre Jefferson.
--Sigh, take a deep breath, go to sleep, and remember that tomorrow is another day.
LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG
--Wattad and Taylor will combine for at least 40 points.
--Early will score in double figures.
--Rundles, Diggs, and Dahlman will score over 50 points.
--The Mocs will dominate the boards.
--Mocs 77, Wofford 68. The Mocs will take over the boards and that will be the main reason that they will win this game. Bell will be better than he has been lately. This is going to be a close game, but the Mocs will find a way to get it done.
GO MOCS!
Jeff Smith, Jeremy Saffore, and DeAntre Jefferson will be remembered, as they will probably start in this showdown. That means that Bell, Jefferson, Saffore, Smith, and either Wattad or Taylor will probably start this game for the Mocs.
The Mocs turned a 26 points loss into a 16 point win when they battled Furman on Monday night. They will try to turn a 32 point loss at Wofford into a win on Wednesday night.
Noah Dahlman is one of the top players in the conference. He shoots 62.1% from the floor and scores 20.3 points per game. He also averages 5.4 rebounds per game. This guy is very dangerous, and was the main reason that the Terriers won the SoCon Tournament last year. He is trying to be the reason that the Terriers have another March to remember this year, his final one.
Cameron Rundles also averages in double figures with 13.4 points per game. He shoots 40% from three point range and averages 2.6 assists per game. Jamar Diggs averages 12.4 points per game to go with 3.2 assists per game. Kevin Giltner is shooting 41% from three point range, and Brad Loesing is shooting 39.7% from three point range. Tim Johnson leads the conference in rebounding, with 8.7 rebounds per game.
Wofford is 30th in the nation in field goal percentage, and 87th in points per game. They are 311th in rebounds per game.
In the first match-up, Diggs, Rundles, and Dahlman combined for 69 of the Terriers 88 points. They also outrebounded the Mocs by seven, even though Wofford is in the bottom part of the country in rebounding, and the Mocs are ranked 22nd in the country. Wofford shot 57.6% from the field against the Mocs the first time around.
The Mocs played their best defense of the year against Furman on Monday night. They could use another great defensive and rebounding night.
KEYS TO THE GAME
--Rebound. The Mocs rebounded on Monday night against Furman. They did not rebound against Wofford the first time around. If the Mocs rebound well, they will be in this game until the end.
--Guarding Dahlman, Rundles, and Diggs. Make someone else beat you if you are the Mocs. They scored 69 of their 88 points in the first meeting. Loesing, Johnson, and Giltner are dangerous but the keys is Dahlman Rundles, and Diggs.
--Bell's play. He's been turning the ball over too much lately. He needs to stop the turnovers and start to show the Keegan Bell that was so good early in SoCon play.
--Chris Early's energy. He brought it Monday night. Bring it again.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS WIN
--Be very pleased to have avenged both embarrassing road SoCon losses.
--Wonder if there is any way the Mocs can still squeak out the SoCon North title.
--Celebrate 9-0 at home in SoCon play.
--Remember the best moments of Jeff Smith, Jeremy Saffore, and DeAntre Jefferson.
WHAT I'LL DO IF THE MOCS LOSE
--Hope that Wofford ends up in the other half of the bracket in the SoCon Tournament.
--Wonder why the Mocs are so up and down.
--Remember the best moments of Jeff Smith, Jeremy Saffore, and DeAntre Jefferson.
--Sigh, take a deep breath, go to sleep, and remember that tomorrow is another day.
LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG
--Wattad and Taylor will combine for at least 40 points.
--Early will score in double figures.
--Rundles, Diggs, and Dahlman will score over 50 points.
--The Mocs will dominate the boards.
--Mocs 77, Wofford 68. The Mocs will take over the boards and that will be the main reason that they will win this game. Bell will be better than he has been lately. This is going to be a close game, but the Mocs will find a way to get it done.
GO MOCS!
RPI Rankings
According to RealTimeRPI.com:
1) College of Charleston 64
2) Furman 115
3) Wofford 144
4) Davidson 150
5) Western Carolina 161
6) Appalachian State 192
7) Chattanooga 198
8) Elon 265
9) Samford 281
10) The Citadel 301
11) UNC-Greensboro 303
12) Georgia Southern 339
SoCon Rank: 19
Predicted Overall Record: 16-15
Predicted SoCon Record: 12-6
GO MOCS!
1) College of Charleston 64
2) Furman 115
3) Wofford 144
4) Davidson 150
5) Western Carolina 161
6) Appalachian State 192
7) Chattanooga 198
8) Elon 265
9) Samford 281
10) The Citadel 301
11) UNC-Greensboro 303
12) Georgia Southern 339
SoCon Rank: 19
Predicted Overall Record: 16-15
Predicted SoCon Record: 12-6
GO MOCS!
KenPom Rankings
According to KenPom.com:
1) College of Charleston 66
2) Wofford 129
3) Furman 146
4) Davidson 147
5) Western Carolina 182
6) Appalachian State 227
7) Elon 244
8) Chattanooga 257
9) UNC-Greensboro 284
10) The Citadel 285
11) Samford 311
12) Georgia Southern 325
SoCon Rank: 21
Predicted Overall Record: 16-15
Predicted SoCon Record: 12-6
GO MOCS!
1) College of Charleston 66
2) Wofford 129
3) Furman 146
4) Davidson 147
5) Western Carolina 182
6) Appalachian State 227
7) Elon 244
8) Chattanooga 257
9) UNC-Greensboro 284
10) The Citadel 285
11) Samford 311
12) Georgia Southern 325
SoCon Rank: 21
Predicted Overall Record: 16-15
Predicted SoCon Record: 12-6
GO MOCS!
Three Point Play
1) College of Charleston clinched the SoCon South Division on Monday night with the win over Samford. So, what happens now as they go on the road to take on Appalachian State and Western Carolina? Will they be motivated to win them both? The Mocs were in this situation back in 2009, and lost both of the games at Western Carolina and Appalachian State. The Cougars probably find a way to come up with a split in these battles. But they are going to the NIT even if they don't win the SoCon Tournament.
2) UNC-Greensboro lost another close battle. When will they come up with a close win again? The Spartans are now in big trouble in the battle for the fourth seed in the North. They need Elon to lose to both Davidson and Georgia Southern, and the Spartans need to win both of them to get the fourth seed. I still maintain that they are not a team anyone wants to see opposite them in the bracket in their first game. If they really do get the fifth seed from the North, that means a first round battle with Davidson, and if they win, a battle with the number one seed from the North next, either Western Carolina or Chattanooga. They should be involved in a very exciting first round game.
3) Suddenly, Wofford-Chattanooga has no meaning to the Terriers. If the Terriers win, they still have to beat Furman to get the two seed from the South. If the Terriers lose, they have to beat Furman to get the two seed from the South. It doesn't make any difference. The winner of the Furman-Wofford game on Saturday is definitely getting the two seed from the South following the Paladins loss tonight. Western Carolina can clinch the North Division by Thursday if the Mocs lose to Wofford on Wednesday and the Catamounts beat The Citadel on Thursday night. If the Mocs win on Wednesday, then the North Division will come down to the final day. The Mocs will have to beat Samford and have Western Carolina lose to College of Charleston to win the division. If the Mocs one more game, and Western wins one more game, then Western clinches the North. The three great races heading into the final week became much clearer after tonight's games.
2) UNC-Greensboro lost another close battle. When will they come up with a close win again? The Spartans are now in big trouble in the battle for the fourth seed in the North. They need Elon to lose to both Davidson and Georgia Southern, and the Spartans need to win both of them to get the fourth seed. I still maintain that they are not a team anyone wants to see opposite them in the bracket in their first game. If they really do get the fifth seed from the North, that means a first round battle with Davidson, and if they win, a battle with the number one seed from the North next, either Western Carolina or Chattanooga. They should be involved in a very exciting first round game.
3) Suddenly, Wofford-Chattanooga has no meaning to the Terriers. If the Terriers win, they still have to beat Furman to get the two seed from the South. If the Terriers lose, they have to beat Furman to get the two seed from the South. It doesn't make any difference. The winner of the Furman-Wofford game on Saturday is definitely getting the two seed from the South following the Paladins loss tonight. Western Carolina can clinch the North Division by Thursday if the Mocs lose to Wofford on Wednesday and the Catamounts beat The Citadel on Thursday night. If the Mocs win on Wednesday, then the North Division will come down to the final day. The Mocs will have to beat Samford and have Western Carolina lose to College of Charleston to win the division. If the Mocs one more game, and Western wins one more game, then Western clinches the North. The three great races heading into the final week became much clearer after tonight's games.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Mocs 75, Furman 59
The Mocs played their best game in a while to come up with this win over one of the two teams that I consider the favorite in the SoCon Tournament tonight. It was a dominating performance. Furman never really got close in the second half.
The Mocs shot 48.9% from the floor against the best defensive team in the conference. They held the Paladins (who shot over 50% in Greenville earlier this year) to 38.6% shooting. They outrebounded the Paladind by fourteen. They turned the ball over twelve times, which is not an outrageous total.
This game featured Chris Early rising to his stardom. He scored 23 points and had eight rebounds. Keegan Bell scored 14 points and had four assists, while Omar Wattad also had 14 and Ricky Taylor had eleven. Those four played brilliantly in this game. DeAntre Jefferson only had five points and three rebounds, but the big man had three assists, which is a big key for him going forward.
You want me to nitpick? Fine- I will. They let Noah States make 8 of 10 shots. Bell turned the ball over five times, which is unacceptable, and was not how he was playing just a couple of weeks ago.
But it's hard to nitpick when Jordan Miller and Amu Saaka combine to shoot 4 of 23 from the floor, score 12 points and eight rebounds. The Mocs defense was tremendous, and it was an all-around team effort. The Mocs rebounding effort was there, and they had 13 assists on 22 made baskets. Not bad.
The Mocs are still tied for the North Division lead with a home game against Wofford and a trip to Samford left on the schedule. Western Carolina hosts The Citadel and College of Charleston, who will have nothing to play for when they play the Catamounts other than momentum going into the tournament. So Western Carolina's road seems relatively easy. Can the Mocs come up with the division title? Even if they don't, can they just get to 13-5 and be tied for the second best record in the conference behind College of Charleston?
The Mocs played great basketball tonight. The hustle and energy was there. The Mocs are now 8-0 against SoCon teams at home. With the tournament coming to Chattanooga in about a week and a half, the Mocs have to feel pretty good. They needed a win like this- and they needed to performance like this against a Furman team that hammered them earlier.
People are going to start fearing the Mocs if they play like this over the last week. The Blackout was a success. The Mocs are finally playing up to their potential.
GO MOCS!
The Mocs shot 48.9% from the floor against the best defensive team in the conference. They held the Paladins (who shot over 50% in Greenville earlier this year) to 38.6% shooting. They outrebounded the Paladind by fourteen. They turned the ball over twelve times, which is not an outrageous total.
This game featured Chris Early rising to his stardom. He scored 23 points and had eight rebounds. Keegan Bell scored 14 points and had four assists, while Omar Wattad also had 14 and Ricky Taylor had eleven. Those four played brilliantly in this game. DeAntre Jefferson only had five points and three rebounds, but the big man had three assists, which is a big key for him going forward.
You want me to nitpick? Fine- I will. They let Noah States make 8 of 10 shots. Bell turned the ball over five times, which is unacceptable, and was not how he was playing just a couple of weeks ago.
But it's hard to nitpick when Jordan Miller and Amu Saaka combine to shoot 4 of 23 from the floor, score 12 points and eight rebounds. The Mocs defense was tremendous, and it was an all-around team effort. The Mocs rebounding effort was there, and they had 13 assists on 22 made baskets. Not bad.
The Mocs are still tied for the North Division lead with a home game against Wofford and a trip to Samford left on the schedule. Western Carolina hosts The Citadel and College of Charleston, who will have nothing to play for when they play the Catamounts other than momentum going into the tournament. So Western Carolina's road seems relatively easy. Can the Mocs come up with the division title? Even if they don't, can they just get to 13-5 and be tied for the second best record in the conference behind College of Charleston?
The Mocs played great basketball tonight. The hustle and energy was there. The Mocs are now 8-0 against SoCon teams at home. With the tournament coming to Chattanooga in about a week and a half, the Mocs have to feel pretty good. They needed a win like this- and they needed to performance like this against a Furman team that hammered them earlier.
People are going to start fearing the Mocs if they play like this over the last week. The Blackout was a success. The Mocs are finally playing up to their potential.
GO MOCS!
SoCon Standings
NORTH
1) Western Carolina 11-5
2) Chattanooga 11-5
3) Appalachian State 8-8
4) Elon 6-10
5) UNC-Greensboro 5-11
6) Samford 4-13
SOUTH
1) College of Charleston 14-2
2) Wofford 12-4
3) Furman 12-5
4) Davidson 8-8
5) The Citadel 5-11
6) Georgia Southern 1-15
1) Western Carolina 11-5
2) Chattanooga 11-5
3) Appalachian State 8-8
4) Elon 6-10
5) UNC-Greensboro 5-11
6) Samford 4-13
SOUTH
1) College of Charleston 14-2
2) Wofford 12-4
3) Furman 12-5
4) Davidson 8-8
5) The Citadel 5-11
6) Georgia Southern 1-15
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