MBB: USA South Conference

SU97 · January 20, 2007, 06:42:56 PM

SU holds on to win 86-82 over Averett. SU jumped out to a big lead and then in the second half Averett gained back ground. Should have been a bger margin of victory, but SU continues to drop the ball at the stripe. Our center lead the team in free-throw percentage, which is never a good sign... Moktar (not sure on the spelling, hope the Monarch English Dept. doesn't deduct karma points here) was huge in the first half and ended the game with 32 points. JLawrence continued to dominate underneath with 14 boards (SU donminated the glass with 45 rebounds compared to Averett's 33). We finally got some support outside shooting to open up things underneath. Good win for the Hornets!

On a side note, I do feel very bad for Averett. They are a quality team and have a bunch of talent. It is a shame that their guards are hurt. This would be an entirely different situation for the conference had those guys been healthy. I was very impressed with them even with the loss.

sludge · January 20, 2007, 08:31:45 PM

Quote from: CNU85 on January 20, 2007, 11:28:29 AM
I'll beat Narch to it...

"too" instead of "to"

Happy Narch??

Et tu, CNU?

PrideSportBBallGuy · January 20, 2007, 09:16:35 PM

What are everyone's thoughts. The only spread I did get exactly right was the MU MC game. I don't know what everyone's picks would have been but I think did fairly well on the games in terms of the spreads. I did not forsee SU beating AU though. How were all the games today.

PrideSportBBallGuy · January 20, 2007, 11:03:41 PM

Just to give a heads up. I think after next weekends games, I know it won't clinch a conference winner. I do think it makes it very hard the rest of the way. In my power rankings, it is harder to change spots game after game. Just my opinion that means the conference places are being determined. I just think next weekend will settle the rankings and we will have a good idea where each team will finish.

notamensa · January 20, 2007, 11:24:23 PM

Quote from: notamensa on January 19, 2007, 03:32:01 PM
i have a request for the cnu fans. im going home for the weekend and will miss the ferrum game. if you would post your impressions of the game i would be very appreciative.

what do you say, guys? impressions?

narch · January 20, 2007, 11:56:46 PM

Quote from: PrideSportBBallGuy on January 20, 2007, 09:16:35 PM
What are everyone's thoughts. The only spread I did get exactly right was the MU MC game. I don't know what everyone's picks would have been but I think did fairly well on the games in terms of the spreads. I did not forsee SU beating AU though. How were all the games today.

good job on the mu/mc spread, and calling a tight game for cnu/fc...you're rankings are still flawed, but that's not a bad day of predictions

i disagree completely on the first half "sealing the deal" unless gc holds a 3 or more game edge...still a lot of hoops to be played

SU97 · January 21, 2007, 12:21:16 PM

Quote from: PrideSportBBallGuy on January 20, 2007, 11:03:41 PM
Just to give a heads up. I think after next weekends games, I know it won't clinch a conference winner. I do think it makes it very hard the rest of the way. In my power rankings, it is harder to change spots game after game. Just my opinion that means the conference places are being determined. I just think next weekend will settle the rankings and we will have a good idea where each team will finish.

I have to echo Narch's thoughts. If CNU beats GC next weekend, then the whole thing is up for grabs in the second half - especially with CNU hosting GC in the last week of the season in Newport News.

PrideSportBBallGuy · January 21, 2007, 12:37:35 PM

Before we even think about this weekend we have to take a look at AU and CNU in the middle of the week. If CNU wins that will give AU 3 losses in the conference half way through the conference schedule. Yeah they can win out and still win because that is what it took last year 9 wins 3 losses. With 3 losses and half the conference left, AU still has to play CNU and GC again, and a very dangerous NCWC team twice. Also SU again. I think the AU-CNU game is a must win for AU. If they have any hopes of winning the conference.

Flat out, AU won't win the conference if they lose to CNU in the middle of the week.

I think with that said after next weekend we will see where teams stand.

SU97 · January 21, 2007, 12:55:09 PM

Bad news for the Hornets out of Winchester this weekend, and no I'm not talking about the snow falling right now... Onyie Onunaku was not in uniform in Shingleton Gym yesterday, which means he will not return to the SU lineup this year. At the beginning of the year I really thought SU had a shot at one of the top two slots in the conference and a legit chance at the conf. tourney. Now, I think we will need to get one of the guards to go on a hot streak from outside to give JLawrence a little space underneath to make a run in the conf. tournament.

Oh, and SU will need to do something about shooting 67% as a team from the free throw line.

SU97 · January 21, 2007, 01:02:17 PM

Quote from: PrideSportBBallGuy on January 21, 2007, 12:37:35 PM
Before we even think about this weekend we have to take a look at AU and CNU in the middle of the week. If CNU wins that will give AU 3 losses in the conference half way through the conference schedule. Yeah they can win out and still win because that is what it took last year 9 wins 3 losses. With 3 losses and half the conference left, AU still has to play CNU and GC again, and a very dangerous NCWC team twice. Also SU again. I think the AU-CNU game is a must win for AU. If they have any hopes of winning the conference.

Flat out, AU won't win the conference if they lose to CNU in the middle of the week.

I think with that said after next weekend we will see where teams stand.

I don't see AU beating CNU this week, unless they are back to 100%. The way I see things evolving is that CNU vs. GC will set up a very competitive second half because there will be a couple teams within reach. The only way this senario doesn't go down would be for CNU to drop both the AU and GC game.

notamensa · January 21, 2007, 01:08:56 PM

Quote from: PrideSportBBallGuy on January 21, 2007, 12:37:35 PMFlat out, AU won't win the conference if they lose to CNU in the middle of the week.

arent you forgetting that regular season records only determine the conference tourney seedings? au certainly has the talent to heal up and blow through the tourney even if they lose a half dozen more games before then.

SU97 · January 21, 2007, 01:12:32 PM

I have not seen GC play this year, and looking at their stats this morning I see that comparing them to the team from last year wouldn't help at all. Each of the top 4 scorers look to be JUCO transfers and GC looks to have a lot of size. Not sure how they match up to CNU. I would think that at some point the CNU fans have to had seen GC during the 87 game CNU-GC-FISK series of 2006. What do the CNU fans think about how they match up with GC?

SU97 · January 21, 2007, 01:15:51 PM

Quote from: notamensa on January 21, 2007, 01:08:56 PM
Quote from: PrideSportBBallGuy on January 21, 2007, 12:37:35 PMFlat out, AU won't win the conference if they lose to CNU in the middle of the week.
arent you forgetting that regular season records only determine the conference tourney seedings? au certainly has the talent to heal up and blow through the tourney even if they lose a half dozen more games before then.

A healthy Averett squad would be nasty in the tourney... There was a reason they were ranked as high as #11 in the country.

Rikki_Tikki_Tavi · January 21, 2007, 01:41:25 PM

This year's CNU team is very different than in years past. I think we've all gotten used to the teams that tend to blow out the dregs of the conference and win the tougher games at home and find a way to win the tougher games on the road. This year's is very different in that they lack depth and are not as keen on the defensive end. This could be a year where CNU fans end up with ulcers and heart attacks. With the way they played yesterday in its one-point win, winning games at home is must. They led by as many as 12 i think in the second half, but Ill tell ya, Ferrum showed a lot of grit and determination to come into the Freeman Center off a huge home win over Greensboro and play as well as they did. I totally forgot about Tuesday's game, glad someone mentioned it, because I was beginning to look into the weekend's games at Methodist and Greensboro. Tuesday definitely is a must win for the Captains, going into next weekend's road trip with a 3-1 record is very imperative.

Rikki_Tikki_Tavi · January 21, 2007, 01:47:11 PM

The one thing that needs to get going for the Captains is Davon Barton's shooting. He is doing very well distributing the ball, as evidenced by his top 3 national ranking in assists per game, but going 5-for-15 against Piedmont, 2-for-12 against NCW and 4-for-16 against Ferrum isnt him. Im not sure what it is, if its confidence or he's just in a slump, he needs to get his shooting back on track. Korey has played VERY well over the past four games and I hope he continues his trek, as is Donta. Ed has been very quiet since the Shenandoah game and almost looks lost out there. Mark has been his usual steady self, despite not starting yesterday, he still managed to grab six boards and swat five shots in 18 minutes of play. Theo to me is the one that needs to get back his touch. I think he began to find it yesterday when he scored 16 on a solid shooting effort (5-of-7 overall, 2-of-3 from deep and 4-of-4 from the line). One player off the bench who's given a nice spark in the last two games has been the play of Kelvin Franklin. He's come in and played much bigger than his 6-3 frame and has been a very pleasant surprise. This kid can jump thru the roof and has done a great job. Im looking forward to Tuesday's game and listening to Saturday and Sunday's contests on the radio.