MBB: USA South Conference

[CaptJ]

OK, here is a perdiction.  I am going to shock everyone and change my tune somewhat.  I think that CNU will beat Top-25 St. Mary's (MD).  Captains usually play to the level of the competition and I think they will do that and this time pick up the upset win.

Almost.

Yeah, but even though the guys played hard it's still a loss.  I really wanted this game.  We actually led by a point in OT but then the wheels fell off.  Good game, Captains.  You played with heart and guts.  Keep that up and this season is going to end very favorably.

GO CAPTAINS!!

[CaptJ]

Captains could have easily won the game in regulation with a few breaks going their way.  Altogether, a very good effort.  Including the coach.  He put together a gameplan that almost resulted in a huge upset.  Until we lose again I will table my "FIRE CJ" efforts.  I hope it lasts all year.

Where, oh where, is Mike Green?  He missed one shot in 5 minutes of play.  That is the entirety of his stats... 5 minutes, 0-1 on FG attempts.  NO rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, or fouls.  He was a solid 2nd team all-conference last year and this year he is well out of the running for even honorable mention.  One CNU fan here has said that he can only go to his right offensively.  Have the other teams focused in on this limitation this year?  It looks like it.

Paul Going has obviously been summarily FIRED from the team this year.  He is getting NO minutes now, even in games when we really need help at the point.  Hector and Xavier combined for more turnovers than assists in this game.  I suspect that it was their intensity that CJ wanted in this game, even though it came with some mistakes.  I think that is also why Taylor got the start instead of Theo Baker.  Theo came in and gave us a good spark though. 

GO CAPTAINS!!!

[CNUHoops2010]

A real gutsy performance for CNU who deserved better at the end.  A missed free throw with 14 seconds left could have given CNU the lead and then Xavier's 35' bomb at the end of regulation caught a lot of the front rim but bounced off.

St. Mary's ran with three quick guards who torched the Captains and a couple of 6'7/6'8 post players who were then spelled by a couple of 6'6/6'5 backups.  It's no wonder we were outrebounded by 14 and gave up 18 on the O glass.  Hector, Greene and Conley were mismatched from the start.  Good teams tend to expose your weaknesses and our lack of size and quickness were on display.  Mark held his own but Greene gave up 4 inches and CJ quickly went to the bullpen for the taller and stronger Brian Hermann who had a good game and basically didn't come out the rest of the way.  Farris was not on the bench and Clarkson only appeared at the end of OT.  I'm still surprised CJ hasn't figured out how to utilize that kid's size and athletic leaping ability to our advantage this year.  We could have used it on the boards last night.

#23 Griffin and all the SM guards repeatedly gave CNU fits on both ends.  SM guards made more free throws than our entire team shot.  Xavier is the only guy with the necessary quickness to take anybody off his dribble but he seemed to have a lot of trouble reversing the ball from his bandaged right hand to his left.  I think Going could have helped but he appears to be buried deep in CJ's pooch house. 

Despite the loss, CNU should take a lot of confidence away from this game.  They were able to play 43 solid minutes against a bigger faster team.  With five conference games left, I think CNU is still a team that can get on a roll.  You really don't want to play them since you have no idea which team will show up.  If last night's team shows up the rest of the way then it could be very interesting.

[D-BAT]

6-1       10-9 ... NCW
5-3       8-13 ... SU
4-3       9-10 ... CNU
4-4       7-12 ... AU
3-5       9-11 ... FC
2-5       9-11 ... GB
2-5       2-17 ... MU


WOW ... only 1 team over .500 ball.  Does not look to bright for the USA-South overall for this season.

[CaptJ]

6-1       10-9 ... NCW
5-3       8-13 ... SU
4-3       9-10 ... CNU
4-4       7-12 ... AU
3-5       9-11 ... FC
2-5       9-11 ... GB
2-5       2-17 ... MU


WOW ... only 1 team over .500 ball.  Does not look to bright for the USA-South overall for this season.

You didn't really just post that, did you?  Did you just log on for the first time this season and not bother to read any of the previous posts?  And BTW, most on this forum would say that it doesn't look too good for the USASAC this year.

[CaptJ]

Something is really troubling me.  CNU is 1-3 in OT games this year.  It seems to me that a team that is essentially a .500 team might get a lot of OT games.  Certainly more than a team that is undefeated, or one that is winless.  But I see this as another indication that we play to the level of the competition.  Why don't we hit the jumper or convert the free throw that will win it in regulation?  And why don't we win it once we do go into the extra period?  Are we content that we have demonstrated that we can play with the team, so we ease up?  Don't we have the requisite killer instinct?   

[HornetFan4Life]

Something is really troubling me.  CNU is 1-3 in OT games this year.  It seems to me that a team that is essentially a .500 team might get a lot of OT games.  Certainly more than a team that is undefeated, or one that is winless.  But I see this as another indication that we play to the level of the competition.  Why don't we hit the jumper or convert the free throw that will win it in regulation?  And why don't we win it once we do go into the extra period?  Are we content that we have demonstrated that we can play with the team, so we ease up?  Don't we have the requisite killer instinct?   

Maybe you guys just aren't that good? CNU is a quality program but its a down year.  They are young and there isn't a Barton type kid on the roster.  Blasingame and Baker just don't seem interested at times. Green was overated last year and reality has hit. Other than Parham nobody scores from the PG position. Its just not CNU's year.  I do see a bright future for Capin, he should be doing a little bit more transferring from a D-1 program though.

[CaptJ]

Maybe you guys just aren't that good? CNU is a quality program but its a down year. 

No question about it being a down year but I think that our guys are better than they have shown.  They have been underachievers this year.  We have played to the level of the competition.  Teams that aren't very good aren't competitive against the really good teams, but those are the teams we've played best against this year.  However, when we play teams that (I think) are not as good, we play to their level and sometimes lose those games.  I have news for you, the Captains have more skill than your Hornets but we got swept by them this year.  That's what bothers me. 

The good news is that MAYBE they can correct that.  They COULD start playing as a team.  They MIGHT begin to fight every second and every play of the game.  If they do that I believe we will still end up as the conference rep in the NCAA tournament.

OK, I just remembered something  If the CNU players read these posts I want you to do something for me.  Watch the motivation speech by Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday.  "The inches we need are everywhere around us."    Here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk
  It might be a football speech but it applies to all sports and to life.

[HornetFan4Life]

Maybe you guys just aren't that good? CNU is a quality program but its a down year. 

No question about it being a down year but I think that our guys are better than they have shown.  They have been underachievers this year.  We have played to the level of the competition.  Teams that aren't very good aren't competitive against the really good teams, but those are the teams we've played best against this year.  However, when we play teams that (I think) are not as good, we play to their level and sometimes lose those games.  I have news for you, the Captains have more skill than your Hornets but we got swept by them this year.  That's what bothers me. 

The good news is that MAYBE they can correct that.  They COULD start playing as a team.  They MIGHT begin to fight every second and every play of the game.  If they do that I believe we will still end up as the conference rep in the NCAA tournament.

OK, I just remembered something  If the CNU players read these posts I want you to do something for me.  Watch the motivation speech by Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday.  "The inches we need are everywhere around us."    Here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk
  It might be a football speech but it applies to all sports and to life.

CNU does not have more skill or talent than SU....sorry to tell you that.  Maybe a little more depth but when you look at the top 6 or 7 players for each team I'm going with the Hornets.

[CaptJ]

Of course you think so.  I respect that.  And it's easy to think that way after what was probably the first ever sweep of CNU in the regular season.

You mentioned that the Hornets have more talent at the top 6 or 7 but maybe not as much depth.  That brings up a good question.  Is the depth that CNU has being utilized fully?  We don't seem to be able to figure out who our best 6 or 7 guys are.  My thought is... who cares who they are?  I have seen many teams with similar depth play a very frantic style with lots of substitutions.  A style where 10 guys each get 20 minutes of PT per game.  Maybe that is what we need to do.... run the heck out of our opponents.  Just a thought.

[CaptJ]

Until we lose again I will table my "FIRE CJ" efforts.  I hope it lasts all year.

Well, that didn't last very long.  FIRE CJ WOOLLUM!!!

Bishops stalling now with 90 seconds on the clock and a 14 point lead over the Captains.  I'm going back to bed.

FIRE CJ WOOLLUM!

GO CAPTAINS!!!

[CaptJ]

CNU is now 0-7 this year when trailing at the half.  I put that on the coach.   

CNU now 9-11, 4-4.

FIRE CJ!

GO CAPTAINS!!

[CaptJ]

16-6 advantage for NCW on the offensive glass.  That and the turnovers (15 in 2nd half) were the difference in this game.  Captains played hard but were just not ready.  Thinking ahead about the Superbowl maybe?  Worried about the drive home?  I saw that there is a big blizzard covering the east coast.

OK, I'm really going back to bed now.  It's 5AM here.  I can't believe I woke up to listen to this game.  I won't do that again.

FIRE CJ!

GO CAPTAINS!!

[CNUHoops2010]

Listened to the game and reviewed the stats but it's tough to comment without actually seeing the action.  As J said, several things stand out.  (-10) on the O glass and (-8) in turnovers means you won't win games giving the other guys an extra 18 possessions.  CNU actually outshot NCW from the field, 3 point and the line.  Unfortunately, it doesn't matter when you take 15 less shots and 7 fewer FT's.

I've been critical all season regarding the lineup and the in game strategies so why stop now.  CNU has 5 guys on the roster that are a legitimate 6'5 or bigger including three at 6'8.  You are getting pounded on the glass (especially offense) and your response is to go smaller???  Out of these five big guys, 2 don't play and the other three get 69 minutes or a little more than half the game each.  Small and quick will sometimes do the trick unless your players just don't have the skill sets to dribble, pass, catch, shoot and score around bigger guys.  Playing 3 and 4 guard sets has hurt us offensively and on the boards all season and it happened again yesterday.

So here is my prediction.  Remaining conference wins against Ferrum, Greensboro and MU leave CJ with 499 wins.  A devastating first round upset loss against Ferrum ends the CNU season and leaves CJ with the entire off season to contemplate why small and quick didn't do the trick.

PS.  I'm rooting for the Saints today.

[LTBB1971]

That's 6 wins in a row for NCWC, all against Conference foes.  I'm not completely sold they are very good.  Only game I was able to see live was at CNU which they lost.  Nevertheless, that puts them at 7-1 in Conference and 11-9 overall sitting pretty. 

Next up is an awful Greensboro team coming in Rocky Mount on Wednesday.  "Should" be an easy win.  Will have to play better team defense than what they played vs CNU.  Cannot allow other teams to shot over 50%.