MBB: USA South Conference

[CNU85]

http://www.cnusports.com/news/2010/9/14/MBB_0914102630.aspx

Looks like a tough year!

[CaptJ]

Wow, I love it.  You know what they say; "what doesn't kill us, yada, yada, yada."  So much for the argument that the good teams won't play us.  I think this is great for the team.  Even if they don't win most of their games they should still be insprired by the new coach and his commitment to doing what is required to win.  I think that by conference play we will be very, very strong.

[Pat Coleman]

Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

[CNU85]

Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

Exactly. Look for massive changes this first year. Not gonna say anything else until Midnight Madness.

[CaptJ]

Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

Absolutely.  The only thing better would be to add a D2 team every year.  We used to do that, in fact I think we beat the last D2 team we played.  I think it was VA State.

[hasanova]

Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

Absolutely.  The only thing better would be to add a D2 team every year.  We used to do that, in fact I think we beat the last D2 team we played.  I think it was VA State.

DI's and DII's that fall to a DIII have a nasty habit of not wanting to schedule you again - there's no upside for them to play a game they are expected to win and can't afford to lose.  Guilford beat DI Elon in 2006 and there hasn't been a game since!

[CaptJ]

Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

Absolutely.  The only thing better would be to add a D2 team every year.  We used to do that, in fact I think we beat the last D2 team we played.  I think it was VA State.

DI's and DII's that fall to a DIII have a nasty habit of not wanting to schedule you again - there's no upside for them to play a game they are expected to win and can't afford to lose.  Guilford beat DI Elon in 2006 and there hasn't been a game since!

Yes, of course.  It must be humiliating for those scholarship jocks to be beaten by D3 teams.  I mean, they were all high school stars but the guys now making contributions at the D3 level must have been from smaller programs or for some reason flew under the radar.  For the scholly players to lose to those guys must be hard to take.  Can't blame a coach for not wanting to expose his own shortcomings.

[hasanova]

Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

Absolutely.  The only thing better would be to add a D2 team every year.  We used to do that, in fact I think we beat the last D2 team we played.  I think it was VA State.

DI's and DII's that fall to a DIII have a nasty habit of not wanting to schedule you again - there's no upside for them to play a game they are expected to win and can't afford to lose.  Guilford beat DI Elon in 2006 and there hasn't been a game since!

Yes, of course.  It must be humiliating for those scholarship jocks to be beaten by D3 teams.  I mean, they were all high school stars but the guys now making contributions at the D3 level must have been from smaller programs or for some reason flew under the radar.  For the scholly players to lose to those guys must be hard to take.  Can't blame a coach for not wanting to expose his own shortcomings.

Exactly.  Guilford won their first 11 that year and Ben Strong went on to be POY.  GCQ and Elon were huge rivals back in the day when they were in the same conference - it's also only a 30-mile trip to the west side of Burlington.   I think the older Elon alumni found this one real tough to take!

[Pat Coleman]

With Shenandoah's move to the ODAC official, some thoughts about the USA South and the spread of the Mid-Atlantic Shuffle:

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2010/09/29/conference-shuffle-drifts-south

[CaptJ]

CAC, here we come...

[CNUHoops2010]

Two weeks left until Midnight Madness.  Rumor around the Freeman Center is that only 8 players are back from last year's playoff team.  Josh, Theo and Big Mark graduated while Going, Xavier and DaJuan are not coming back.  With only 2 seniors on this year's team, the younger guys will need to step it up early.  No predictions at this point other than to say that Coach Krikorians's new defensive oriented Captains with their up tempo offense should be competitive and fun to watch.

[usasouth50]

Ferrum seems to be lookin hot and ready to go in two weeks.  Mitchell, Crump, Henry, Edwards, Hart, English and now not sure if the rumor got out yet or not but Marcus Mayo is back and can provide this team with the firepower we need in order to win this conference.

[CaptJ]

Two weeks left until Midnight Madness.  Rumor around the Freeman Center is that only 8 players are back from last year's playoff team.  Josh, Theo and Big Mark graduated while Going, Xavier and DaJuan are not coming back.  With only 2 seniors on this year's team, the younger guys will need to step it up early.  No predictions at this point other than to say that Coach Krikorians's new defensive oriented Captains with their up tempo offense should be competitive and fun to watch.

We still have a good nucleus of players for the new coach to build on.  Herrmann, Taylor, Green and Capin all have the potential to be 1st team All-Conference.  I think that Taylor and Green will both need to evaluate their past performances and buy into Coach K's new philosophy in order to succeed, but I think that they can.  If so, watch out!  I just hope that they have all been working hard in the off-season.  That seemed like an alien concept for this program in the past.   If Coach K brings in a couple of stud freshmen or transfers, we will be very, very good. 

I'm not too sad to see Going leave the program.  I appreciate what he did for the team but he never seemed to have the maturity and confidence to be the first team CNU point guard.  Parham is a loss.  He had skills and certainly did NOT lack confidence.  I don't know a lot about him but I suspect that he might not be the right kind of player for the new program. 

I hope that Hector Feliciano-Ayala has improved this year and can be a capable starting PG.  From what I've heard about him he is an outstanding young man off the court.  Preston needs to increase his offensive skills but even if he doesn't he will be a major contributer on the glass and on defense.  As far as the other big men, Clarkson and Ferris, we shall see...

The most important addition to the teamm is Coach K.  It will be an interesting season and I wouldn't be surprised to see immediate success.  If that doesn't happen it's no big deal.  First year coaches are allowed time to initiate their systems and growing pains are expected.  I wish that I was going to be able to watch the team this year.  If there is internet streaming I will be there.  If not I will continue to watch the game through the eyes (and comments) of the radio team. 

GO CAPTAINS!!!!!  We need another banner!

[CNU85]

Midnight Madness tonight. Not sure if I'm going. Depends if my daughter and some of her friends go. It's mostly geared towards the students.

[CaptJ]

Midnight Madness tonight. Not sure if I'm going. Depends if my daughter and some of her friends go. It's mostly geared towards the students.

Go, don't go... it doesn't matter.  Just make sure that you get your hands on the rosters they pass out at the event.