Thanks for the info, WUH.  One of the Brandeis links says internet is down on  campus.

Anyone else having trouble with Brandeis video or stats feed?  I can't seem to get.  Thanks.

Quote from: hugenerd on December 19, 2010, 08:11:59 PM

Quote from: David Collinge on December 19, 2010, 08:08:49 PM

Quote from: hugenerd on December 19, 2010, 04:37:17 PM

Quote from: David Collinge on December 19, 2010, 04:31:16 PM
I watched a bit of the Case/Hiram game, and was a little surprised to see how effective Hiram's pressure defense was.  Case seemed to have no clue how to handle it, and it resulted in many turnovers and easy buckets for the Terriers.

Is it an issue with the talent of the guards then, or game preparation?

I can't really tell much from 2500 miles away, based on a few minutes of video shot from inside the student workout center high above Horsburgh.  What I can say is that I'm more familiar with Hiram, a very aggressive and athletic team, and although they deserve a fair amount of credit for forcing the turnovers, other teams they have faced have not had as much difficulty with Hiram's press.  It looked to me like CWRU had no plan to attack it, they'd just inbound it more or less like normal and watch the receiver get trapped while providing insufficient help.  If there were any set press-breaking plays available, it sure didn't look like they were used.

David, you dont give yourself enough credit, it sounds like you made a pretty educated assessment from 2500 miles away, in just a few minutes...

I've watched CWRU a couple of times.  In addition to turnovers, I think they need to improve on defense, shot selection and movement on offense.  They give up a lot of points, take a lot of 3s, and don't seem to cut or drive to the basket.



fixing quote formatting...dc

Below is CWRU's preview of this year's team.  Looks very good, at least on paper.  Lots of returning contributors as well as the newcomers discussed.   


The 2009-10 Spartans won 14 games for only the fourth time in school history and won more University Athletic Association (UAA) games than any Spartan team.  The 2010-11 club is looking to build upon those accomplishments and has a strong nucleus of veterans leading the way.  The Spartans return four starters and seven of their top eight scorers from last season.  Among the upperclassmen returning for Case Western Reserve are senior wing Reid Anderson (Avon Lake, OH), senior center Eric Duerr (Gibsonia, PA), and junior forward Tom Summers (Murrysville, PA).  All three players earned All-UAA honors in 2009-10.  "Our returning players are both talented and experienced," said Coach Sean McDonnell.  "Our team's success this season will hinge on their leadership both on and off the court."

Reid Anderson will lead the scoring attack on the perimeter for the Spartans after finishing 3rd in the UAA with 15.1 ppg last season.  "Reid is as talented offensively as any perimeter player in America," said McDonnell.  "We have very high expectations for him this year."  Anderson was named Second Team All-UAA in 2009-10.  Joining Anderson on the wing is one of the Spartans' most versatile players, senior Alex Hildebrandt (Akron, OH), who started 24 games in 2009-10.

Leading the Spartans' frontcourt will be Tom Summers and Eric Duerr.  Summers finished 2nd in the UAA in rebounding (10.2) and 5th in scoring (14.2) while being named Second Team All-UAA in 2009-10.  "Tom had a great season for us last year," said McDonnell.  "He was one of the best rebounding forwards in the country and should have an outstanding year for us."  Duerr carries a 3.97 GPA as a Biology/Pre-Med major and earned Third Team Academic All America honors from ESPN The Magazine in 2009-10.  Duerr was named Honorable Mention All-UAA after leading the UAA in blocked shots (44) while scoring 10.3 ppg.  "Not only is Eric an outstanding player," said McDonnell, "he is a great ambassador for our program and the University."  Joining Duerr and Summers upfront is sophomore Evan Tsudis (Pittsburgh, PA) who played in all 25 gam es as a freshman in 2009-10.

Sophomore Robert Scott (Paoli, PA) should be a key contributor to the Spartans' backcourt this year.  One of the team's most versatile players, Scott played all three perimeter positions in 2009-10 and will do so again this season.  "Robert has a chance to be a very good player," noted McDonnell.  "He is very aggressive offensively and if his turnovers are kept in-check, he should have a nice season for us."  Senior 3-point shooting specialist Colin Mulholland (Jacksonville, FL), sophomore guard Brian Curth (Darien, CT), and sophomore guard Tim Maleski (Franklin, PA) will add depth to the Spartans' backcourt as well. 

The Spartans attracted six newcomers to University Circle this season.  Joining the Spartans' backcourt are guards Mark Bentley (Downers Grove, IL), Mike Byrne (Newton, PA), Tim Chung (Cypress, CA), and Ron Fudala (Uniontown, PA).  On the wing, sophomore Austin Fowler (Bloomfield Hills, MI) brings both size and versatility after playing last year at NCAA Division I St. Francis University in Loretto, PA.  Finally, David Thompson (Plano, TX) will add skill and athleticism to the Spartans' frontcourt.  "We are pleased with this year's newcomers," said McDonnell.  "They will push our returning players and make us better."

The 2010-11 schedule is highlighted by 11 competitive non-conference games and 14 UAA contests.  The second annual Stephanie Tubbs-Jones Memorial Tournament will be played on November 19 – 20 and this year's participants include Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Washington & Jefferson College, and Wilmington College.  The sixth annual Bill Sudeck Holiday Tournament will be played on December 29 – 30 and features Earlham College, Geneva College, and Kalamazoo College.  "Once again we have two great fields for our home tournaments," McDonnell noted.  The Spartans will travel to John Carroll University after Thanksgiving for a tournament on November 27 – 28.  Traditional local rivals Baldwin-Wallace College, Denison University, Hiram College, Kenyon College, and Oberlin College comprise the remaining non-UAA games on the Spartans' sc hedule.  As always, the UAA will feature many of the top NCAA Division III teams in America.  "We expect the level of competition to be very high in the UAA," noted McDonnell.