MBB: USA South Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Okay +1 to the Hornets!
HBU was #625 in Massey Ratings in 2007, behind #624 Brockport State and even #604 Maryville TN.

beating m'ville would be a quality win...hbu is close to m'ville according to massey, so it's a quality win

[narch]

glad you liked that, ralph...i've got to find some way to prove my point

we'll find out a lot about the monarchs in the coming weeks as they finish up the non-conference portion of their schedule- check this out:

Dec. 2 - LaGrange
Dec. 5 - @ #3 Guilford
Dec. 15 - @ Maryville
Dec. 29 - @ Piedmont
Dec. 30 - vs. Maryville @ Piedmont
Jan. 2 - @ #5 Virginia Wesleyan
Jan. 6 - @ LaGrange
Jan. 12 - Piedmont

let's review - 2 road games against top 5 teams - 2 road games against m'ville...never easy - 2 games against a talented team led by an all-american post player and one of the best pg's in the region...oh, and they're coached by a former mu assistant - a nice little road trip to lagrange, ga to face a dangerous panthers team...whew...if the monarchs can go 4-4 in this slate of games, i'll feel REALLY good about this team

go monarchs!

[CNU85]

Yikes....CNU lost again. 0-3 to start the year. I think it's first 0-3 start in history...and CNU hoops goes back to the 60's.

It's gonna be a looooong year!!

85...
Hope for some talent in the stands to make the games interesting!
What ever happened to that #24 kid from last year?

Not looking too good this year, so far. I had to resort to chatting with Bruce hornsby at the last game I went to.  The #24 kid - not sure about him. Rumor has it he grew his hair long and is partying as hard as USAF pilots!

[batteredbard]

I think this is the third different board to rip on E&H system so I think I may have to drive up the 2 hours and catch these guys live. LaGrange coaches didn't even want to talk about the game they lost 142-122 to them. If I could give a +1 to narch I would because finally somebody broke down the system understandably, so take an IOU till I post myself up there

Any coincidence that USAC hq is at MU and the Monarchs are playing so many GSAC teams this year? I really want to get down there to Piedmont and see MU and FC take on Maryville and Piedmont but its so likely to overlap with a good bowl trip ...    In my fervent little imagination that weekend looks like a future northern division vs southern division conference weekend, say circa 2009?

Since Im still catching up on the USAC in basketball how in the world did SU go 1-11 last season with both Lawrence and Onunaku on the floor? Was there that much lack of supporting cast?

[SU97]

Since Im still catching up on the USAC in basketball how in the world did SU go 1-11 last season with both Lawrence and Onunaku on the floor? Was there that much lack of supporting cast?

Onyie got hurt early in december last year and ended up with a medical redshirt. Same with 2 guard Johns. 

Unfortunately it left JLawrence all by himself and nobody to help.  Coaching staff made some significant personnel changes and went out and recruited a bunch of new faces.  Some of those kids are getting some decent playing time.

[SU97]

some monarchs put up huge numbers, including mcbryde who had 35 points and 15 boards -

System or no system, that's a hell of a game.

[SU97]

just got back from the first pick-up basketball game i've ever seen count in the standings  

mu wins going away, 142-119 - i've now seen the system on tv and in person and can say this...i don't think you can win consistently jacking up that many threes and giving up uncontested layups (although i will say that ehc didn't take as many 3's as i thought they would) - the monarchs shot 67% from the floor tonight and had probably 7 or 8 dunks - ehc did force mu into 33 turnovers, but they committed 25 themselves - they didn't look as comfortable running as mu did, and they do it every night - the monarchs really figured things out in the second half and had a field day, shooting 72% in the half - what they figured out was that ehc was sending 3 at the ball to trap...mu just got the ball to the middle of the court and ran a 3 on 2 break, at which point ehc played the pass, so the monarch ball handler just finished with a pull-up - on those occassions that they played the ball, the monarchs got dunks or layups - it really looked like mu was running drills in the second half...kinda crazy, but very entertaining

You know, it sounds like all offense NO DEFFENSE...  I think SU must have been running that for 10 years...     

[SU97]

Not looking too good this year, so far. I had to resort to chatting with Bruce hornsby at the last game I went to. 

CNU85 - I really wanted to say something crafty about Hornsby not finding "the range" at CNU because you guys are struggling from 3-point, but I just couldn't figure out the right words...  I'm losing my edge...

Didn't he play with The Dead for awhile?

Hey, I realized that without PSBBG on here I missed GC winning the CNU tourney.  85 did you see them play?  Thoughts?

[old_lion]

2 games against a talented team led by an all-american post player and one of the best pg's in the region...oh, and they're coached by a former mu assistant -

Narch,

Thanks for the love ...

[CNU85]

Not looking too good this year, so far. I had to resort to chatting with Bruce hornsby at the last game I went to. 

CNU85 - I really wanted to say something crafty about Hornsby not finding "the range" at CNU because you guys are struggling from 3-point, but I just couldn't figure out the right words...  I'm losing my edge...

Didn't he play with The Dead for awhile?

Hey, I realized that without PSBBG on here I missed GC winning the CNU tourney.  85 did you see them play?  Thoughts?

Actually it was a "Classic", not  a  tournament. The difference being, the games were already determined. CNU and GC would not have met under any circumstances. Which is a good thing because CNU isn't ready for conference play yet. It was possible for 2 teams to be 2-0 that weekend. I wasn't there. I was scoring brownie points with the wife. It was our anniversary so we headed up towards the mountains and Skyline Drive. Now, I get to escape the weekend of the D3football Stagg Bowl in 2 weeks!!

[old_lion]

I really want to get down there to Piedmont and see MU and FC take on Maryville and Piedmont but its so likely to overlap with a good bowl trip ...   

Come on down, Bard ... Demorest is lovely this time of year. 

It's Methodist and Averett (not Ferrum) taking on Maryville and Piedmont ... so, hopefully, we'll have some good games.
http://www.maryvillecollege.edu/athletics/schedule-mn-basketball.asp?sportNameID=5&sy=6

[narch]

some monarchs put up huge numbers, including mcbryde who had 35 points and 15 boards -

System or no system, that's a hell of a game.

no doubt...t-mac really hustled last night and played like he wanted every rebound and loose ball - that type of game really suits him...he's a great athlete who has a nose for the ball, can run all day and knows how to finish...now he just has to learn how to harness those skills and put them to use in the monarch system - i've said this before...the sky is the limit for mcbryde...he could be a legit poty candidate if he worked hard every night and started doing the little things it takes to be a great basketball player - i haven't seen that from him yet, but i got a little glimpse last night...i hope to see more in the future

while watching the game last night, i was thinking...i think the top 6 for the monarchs are as talented as i've seen in a while - lehmann is a really solid pg who shoots well enough to force teams to respect his shot - winstead is rock solid at the 2...very steady and has a great basketball iq - i'm very impressed with leumichael smith...i thought losing bascom would really hurt mu, but i think smith is every bit as good offensively and he's a better athlete (i'm not sure he's as good defensively...jury's still out) - shuford is a beast on the boards and will be a double-double machine this season - i've mentioned mcbryde's talent...let's see if he realizes his potential and mcdade is a lot like dragan but more athletic and maybe a better shoooter...hopefully he's a better defender, as well - the big questions are, can 2 or three more guys step up and be solid contributors and can this team survive the brutal schedule ahead

[CNU85]

Narch,

Looks like the next 7 games before conference play will be a true test for MU. The Monarchs opponents this year each won less than 10 games last year with the exception of E&H which had 14. The next 7 games look very tough for you guys! A true test before tipping off against Greensboro - your favorite team!

[old_lion]

some monarchs put up huge numbers, including mcbryde who had 35 points and 15 boards -

System or no system, that's a hell of a game.

Actually, no ... that's a fairly typical game for the opposing team's big man, whose job it is to stand all alone on the other end of the floor and lay it up when E&H's five guys who are chasing the ball don't steal it.

Check out the opponent's composite #s ... they are averaging 63% from the field and 54 rebounds per game against The System.  Wow ...
http://www.ehc.edu/teamphotos/2007/11/2007112620560940/teamcume.htm

If you or I could get 20 to 25 minutes at the 5 spot against the system ... either of us could probably put up 20 and 10!  I'm only slightly kidding ... 

[batteredbard]

I really want to get down there to Piedmont and see MU and FC take on Maryville and Piedmont but its so likely to overlap with a good bowl trip ...   

Come on down, Bard ... Demorest is lovely this time of year. 

It's Methodist and Averett (not Ferrum) taking on Maryville and Piedmont ... so, hopefully, we'll have some good games.
http://www.maryvillecollege.edu/athletics/schedule-mn-basketball.asp?sportNameID=5&sy=6

I stand corrected  - was looking at the wrong spot on my handcrafted schedule showing this years USAC vs GSAC games. And I might because I'd love to see Baldwin scorch somebody besides Maryville or LaGrange for a change. Depends on those pesky Vols and where they go and what that means for who has to go to the Music City Bowl this year.