MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

I believe only narch, jdubyadubya and I went 3-0 tonight in the pick 'em.

Congrats to stillfamily for being only two points off (217) the total points for the EHC-GC game (109-106).

narch was second closest at three points off (218), algernon was third at five points (210) and I was fourth at six (209).

I vote that steely give the three of us a point for being "so close."

[hasanova]

I believe only narch, jdubyadubya and I went 3-0 tonight in the pick 'em.

Congrats to stillfamily for being only two points off (217) the total points for the EHC-GC game (109-106).

narch was second closest at three points off (218), algernon was third at five points (210) and I was fourth at six (209).

I vote that steely give the three of us a point for being "so close."

I always heard close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades!    ... but all of you were closer than my unwritten guess - I thought it would be more like 240.

[hasanova]

Guilford just posted the boxscore for the E&H game.  Here are some interesting stats:

E&H was 36/97 overall (37.1%) and 14/54 from 3-point range (25.9%). They were 30/97 on threes last time.
GC was 42/72 overall (58.3%) and attempted no threes (0/2 last time).
E&H was 20/34 on FT's (58.8%)
GC was 25/36 on FT's (69.4%).  The Quakers made 41 FT's last time.
E&H had 45 rebounds and Guilford 57 (102 total).  They had a combined record of 126 last time.

Ben Strong's line was great: a career-high 30 points on 14/16 from the floor and 2/4 from the FT line.  He also had 5 total rebounds, no fouls, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal and only 2 turnovers in 25 minutes of play.

E&H had as much as a 13 point lead and GC once led by 8.  At the end, it was nip and tuck.  Congratulations, Quakers!   Stay focused on LC for Saturday in Lynchburg.

[justafan02]

Some more pro-athletes out of the ODAC and VWC for you:

Kevin Flanagan '99 made it to AAA in the Yankees organization
Colin Roberson '05  drafted in 21st round by Florida Marlins
Jason Jarrett  '05    drafted in the 27th round by Florida Marlins
Norm Martel '00      still plays in the Chicago Whitesox organization
Chris Dotolo '91    made it to AAA in the San Francisco Gianst organization
Heath Cataulin '01   played in the Florida Marlins Organization
Adam Leed  '99       played in the Texas Rangers organization
Josh Noles   '03      played for the Hampton Roads Mariners Soccer
Josh Hill       '03       I believe played for the Mariners as well
Brian Corbo  '01     played some independent baseball
Jeb Weisman  '01    played some independent baseball
Joey Cavallo   '01    played some independent baseball
Ace Purvis      '04    played some independent baseball
Jesse Ellison   '01    played some independent baseball
I know I am missing some of the old school marlins but this is a list off the top of my head.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

I liked how Kevin Nmah started at guard for Bridgewater tonight.  Before this game, he only played in six contests averaging under six minutes a game.  Tonight against W&L he played 23 mintes, dishing out five assists and recording four thefts.  More importantly, he had no turnovers and clearly didn't try to do too much (he shot the ball only twice).

I know Leatherman is still feeling out what his starting five should be, but I think Nmah and Josh Maupin at the guards and Clay Michael and Josh Fox in the frontcourt will be formidable come conference tournament time.  The fifth starting spot is still up for grabs.  I guess it'll depend on who the Eagles play on a given night.

If they needed a third ball-handler, Michael Oblitey or Kris Cecil have done the job.  If they needed more size down low, Jay Strotman or Zach Butler was the way he went.  And if they needed a more athletic player, Andrew Cathlin stepped in as the fifth starter.

[steelyglen]

Jimmy...as I perused the pick'em standings this morning..I see you and I are tied for the lead with 173 points each...every else has 3 except > who  now matches his karma with -63. They'll learn Jim ...over time they all will learn 

[tigerfanalso]

I was at the HSC-VWC game last nite, yet another horriblel offensive performance by the Tigers. I have no idea how HSC beat VWC back in November. If those two teams played 30 times HSC would not win more than a couple. VWC seems to have some more talent, but the main difference in my opinion is the coach. VWC seems to get open looks all the time, whereas HSC hardly ever gets one. VWC will drop the ball down low and it is kicked back for an open shot, HSC never kicks the ball back out. HSC has one of the best shooters in the ODAC in Phremus and he only takes three shots last nite. HSC allowed him to be totally taken out of the offense. I know the "D" has something to do with that but ever team runs sets that will free a player for an open look; that is ever team but HSC. I just don't see things getting better in TigerLand.. Kasse can't do it all and that seems to be HSC has

[steelyglen]

Good win for the Eagles...yeah it might not have been Macon or Wesleyan but a road win in the ODAC is a valuable commodity. Bridgewater has struggled ( as have many ODAC teams) in the Warner Center in times gone by, so it was nice to see the lead built to 20 with 12 1/2 minutes to play and never come under that margin again.

I'll give W&L credit for grabbing 6 offensive rebounds in the final 34 seconds and not converting 3 3-point attempts, 2 lay-ups and 2 free throws in that same 34 seconds. Now that must have been keystone cops type action.

Now let's get a little payback and start a new winning streak against the emus on Saturday

[hasanova]

Any Tiger fans making the trip to Greensboro on Wednesday night?  (I really wish some year the schedulers would give Guilford and H-SC weekend games.  I want to go to Fleet, but it's just too hard during the week.)  H-SC and GC are now both 6-3 in the ODAC heading into the weekend.  The Quakers travel to Lynchburg and the Tigers go to Emory.  Last year, H-SC won both games over GC in OT.  I attended the game in Greensboro and, honestly, Guilford blew a lead and the Tigers hit a three at the buzzer to sent it to OT.  Agonizing!  Hopefully, as > says, the Basketball Gods will smile on the Quakers this year.  All the Hoops Deities were favoring the Tigers last year!  

[steelyglen]

HSC 53   VWC  68  Final

Tiger fans may help me understand this a little bit.  One announcer says "VWC may not be the most disciplined team in the league, they are certainly the quickest and with Brandon Adair are very impressive."  Now the other guy says prior to the above comment "Regardless of the final score, VWC does not impress me..."  Why such different reactions after a 15 point game?  Maybe those who were there could answer it because I heard the game but being there is something else.

I'm not a Tiger fan but living in the area I can tell you that the local radio station is so pro-HSC it is sad. I don't know that I have ever heard them being critical of HSC. It is always the ref's fault or some other reason why HSC lost a game.

BCeagle79...I'm not a Sydney fan by any stretch of the imagination (just ask Algernon) but I will say this, the Sydney radio guys are very knowledgable of the game, and not afraid to call a spade a spade even within their own program, and IMHO do an excellent radio broadcast  Are they "homers", sure they are, but so is every other broadcast team in the ODAC. I didn't listen to their broadcast last night, but I talk to most them on an ongoing basis (although one of them has been "snipered" I think) and they shoot pretty straight on the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the Sydney program. Besides I've been a halftime guest  

[Jacketlawyer]

I am disappointed Hampden-Sydney lost.  If someone was there, I'd like to know what happened.

[mybleedinghands]

That's 3 losses in 4 games for HSC, and damn near 4 out of 4. Whats going on over there??

[algernon]

tigerfanalso .... I think you're way too low on the Tigers and their coach.  Teams have ups and downs.  How many ODAC teams will be able to claim that they split a pair with the Marlins this year?  Maybe the Yellow Jackets will be able to claim that, but it remains to be seen.

The Tigers aren't going to finish every regular season with a 17-1 or 16-2 record.  "Back in the day" of Grimes, Fox, and company, the Tigers were 12-6 during their freshman year and 13-5 when that group was sophomores.

This team is going to have its ups and downs.  They finished off last season with an 8-3 record and began this season with an 11-0 record.  Now, with a spate of 3 losses in their last 4 games (2 of the 3 losses to Top 25 teams! - at least, when the next poll comes out), you are saying that "I just don't see things getting better in TigerLand.. Kasse can't do it all and that seems to be HSC has"?  We've seen some great play from a number of other guys this year and this team is still young.  The nucleus consists of sophomores and, while they may eventually put together a 16-2 season, it may be more reasonable to hope that this year's team will finish with a 13-5 record, or something like that, get seeded #2 or #3 in the tournament, and then win the ODAC tournament.  We can reasonably hope for that to happen, even though there are a number of teams who can reasonably hope to win the tournament.

Next Wednesday's game at Guilford will be tough.  Despite the loss of Lawhorn and Atkinson, I think that the Quakers are at least as good as they were last year when they took us to OT twice!  The ODAC schedule is a tough one and the Tigers will almost certainly lose some more regular season games.

[seminoletiger]

tigerfanalso (TFA),

I listened to the game, though the announcing crew stated that they "felt better about the Tigers than they did after the Macon game," it sounded to me like it was pretty much the same game.  I also disagreed with their assessment that the difference in the game was the 2 quick fouls on Kaase and the fact that both Kaase and Lewek rode the pine for the majority of the first half.  Again, I wasn't there, but without our two big men we were outscored by 8 in the first half and with them we were outscored by 7 in the second half.   VWC is a good, solid team, but face it, the Tigers are in an abysmal offensive slump right now.  Their hustle and effort on defense is pretty good, but I'll repeat my earlier assessment following the RMC game:  they look (and sound) lost on the offensive end of the floor.  I may be wrong but it sounded like last night that there were a lot of "guarded", not-in-control drives to the hoop, uncontrolled putbacks, very little high-lo action (ie. kick-outs to the wings), and it was very obvious that we were getting eaten up on the boards (both ends).  

Historically, the Tigers have not been as successful when they have depended on one player to handle the offense and it is really starting to bite them.  D. Prehmus:  3 shots, what's that all about  This kid is a heck of an offensive talent and must be more active on the offensive end.

BCEagle79:

Your comments are quite humorous, especially since I believe one of those announcers is a BC alum! I don't think anyone on this board would expect any more or any less from a BC radio crew on a Harrisonburg affiliate.  And for the record, these guys have received a hell of a lot of praise for their work from non-Tiger fans.  

[tigerfanalso]

Algernon

I'm not down on the Tigers nor am I down on Coach Smith but that said, something must change before the Tigers improve offensively. The game last nite was a repeat of the RMC game; the Tigers had very few open looks and the opposition had many. The open look is a function of running the sets; either we are not running the sets properly or the sets they are running are not working; either way adjustments must be made and that is where coaching comes in. The combination of a young team and an inexperienced coaching staff is not a good combo and that is what we're dealing with. I'm not down on them. With more experience on part of the team and coaching staff and think things will improve; I just don't see that happening this year... Again, I hope I'm wrong.. but I don't think I am.. Just my opinion... Go Tigers