MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[albion4]

What  happened  to Randolph College's Zac Desgain? Is he ill or academically ineligible?  He hasn't played since January 2014.

[tigerfanalso]

 What do the Tigers need to do differently to turn this season around ? I've only seen one game (VWC) but it appears to me that HSC is better than their record would indicate.

[enjoymoreradio]

What  happened  to Randolph College's Zac Desgain? Is he ill or academically ineligible?  He hasn't played since January 2014.

I saw Randolph at VWC, and he was in a walking boot. Looking at his statistics, my guess is he injured his ankle during the Christmas road trip to Staten Island. Big loss for Randolph.

[hasanova]

What do the Tigers need to do differently to turn this season around ? I've only seen one game (VWC) but it appears to me that HSC is better than their record would indicate.

I've only seen them play once (at Guilford) as well.  They do seem like a solid team, but the truth is this - there are a lot of other good teams in the ODAC.  RMC, GC, VWC and, more recently, Randolph, Lynchburg, Shenandoah, EMU and BC can be a murderer's row.  My apologies to W&L, Roanoke and E&H, but they appear to be less competitive than the rest on a consistent basis at the moment.  Personally, I would pound the ball inside to Khobi and let him go to the hoop or make them foul him - if he's covered up (which he usually is), back out to where there should be an open man ... the Tigers have some capable shooters and people who can crash the boards!

[tigerfanalso]

Hasa

Thanks for your input. The ODAC is tough and perhaps the Tigers are where they should be based on that. Certainly, the final results will indicate just how could the Tigers are relative to the rest of the ODAC. I'm hoping for them to run the table and get back into the conversation relative to ODAC Championship and post season play and I'm also hoping for an opportunity to attend games more often.

[hasanova]

Hasa

Thanks for your input. The ODAC is tough and perhaps the Tigers are where they should be based on that. Certainly, the final results will indicate just how could the Tigers are relative to the rest of the ODAC. I'm hoping for them to run the table and get back into the conversation relative to ODAC Championship and post season play and I'm also hoping for an opportunity to attend games more often.

With seven losses, I think the Tigers will have to win the ODAC tournament unless they "win out" as you say and go at least to the ODAC championship game.  If my math is right, that would put them at 20-8 or 21-8, depending on their seed.  At 21-7 or 22-7, they would be ODAC champs anyway.  Your first hurdle is Wednesday night when the Jackets come to Fleet!

[tigerfanalso]

No kidding and RMC is not going to make it easy BUT the Tigers need to step up and play over their heads for the remainder of the season. As you stated, their record indicates they need an ODAC championship or at least a run to the championship game to get into post season play and the ODAC is not going to make that easy but I think it is doable. We'll know after the game on Wednesday. They absolutely need to win that one.

[hasanova]

No kidding and RMC is not going to make it easy BUT the Tigers need to step up and play over their heads for the remainder of the season. As you stated, their record indicates they need an ODAC championship or at least a run to the championship game to get into post season play and the ODAC is not going to make that easy but I think it is doable. We'll know after the game on Wednesday. They absolutely need to win that one.

In my opinion, the Tigers need to be in "tournament" mode right now... I see it as a "just win and advance" philosophy for them from here on out.  Assuming all games are 50/50, the odds of winning 12 in a row are .000244141 (or 1 out of 4096).   Good luck!

[Brian Hamilton]

They don't need 12 in a row.  They need enough wins for a decent ODAC touney seeding to try to win 3 or 4 in a row at the end of the season!  Going on a win streak certainly helps the confidence though.  Right now it should all be about focusing on the next game.

[hasanova]

They don't need 12 in a row.  They need enough wins for a decent ODAC touney seeding to try to win 3 or 4 in a row at the end of the season!  Going on a win streak certainly helps the confidence though.  Right now it should all be about focusing on the next game.

I know.  We discussed the "or win the ODAC tournament" piece - just throwing it out there to stimulate discussion.  I always point to the 1983 Jim Valvano-coached NC State team.  The Wolfpack was 16-10 going into the last regular season game and then won 10 straight (final regular season game, the 3-game ACC tournament over Michael Jordan's defending NCAA champion Tarheels in the semis and Ralph Sampson's Cavaliers in the finals and then 6 in a row in the NCAA tournament).  The "Phi Packa Attacka" Wolfpack won the National Championship in dramatic fashion (alley-oop or fortuitous putback of a long miss?) at the University of New Mexico over the high-flying "Phi Slamma Jamma" Cougars of the University of Houston.  It can be done!  I still get goose bumps watching Valvano run helter-skelter all over the court!

[Seatfiller]

^ yes the game was basically tied with 3 minutes to go.... unbelievable how the late baskets dropped for R-MC and then Roanoke allowed us to run the score up by fouling our top free throw shooter Sullivan twice in the closing minutes.  It would have been a "8-9 or fewer" points differential (might be off by a little on this after a couple of beers) without those particular very late intentional fouls.

Must say a big "thank you" to Roanoke College for 2 free video feeds today for Jackets fans, with announcers who did a superb job in both games.  Seems like both of our teams there today played in a great environment & those of us at home appreciate the stellar job you did to connect us to the games.

GO JACKETS!!!

I didn't get to watch the second half of the game, but I did get to watch the first half.  Roanoke had to make some crazy shots to stay in the game in the first half.  On the other end literally half of Macon's points were layups, Roanoke's defense is the worse I've seen it since 2010 when we won 4 games. We have a pretty decent team but the defense is pathetic.

[HSCDad]

From the Randolph game, it would have been hard for anyone to beat on Saturday in their gym.  They had 13 3 pointers with over a 60% average - more than 1/2 of points came from 3 pointers. Also, Randolph's free throw shooting was outstanding to the point that they did not even put any other players in place - all were behind the mid court line and not even watching their teammate shoot.  They know "their gym" well. Will be happy when they build a "big boys" gym sometime in the future.  Their new President seems to be moving the college in the right direction so hopefully that is on the drawing board.  Overall for H-SC, their plan to get the ball to Khobi is obviously a big part of their offensive plans but in the last several games, he has been double and tripled teamed.  They beat him to death in Lynchburg, Saturday, but with few fouls called. The throw backs to outside shooters is working but it seems that only one player per the most recent games was hot from the outside. Murray is doing well but the other guards and shooting forwards have a good game and then off games.  If a couple of guys were hot at the same time, they would be beating everyone.  No one has really beaten H-SC by a lot.  Not sure of the exact number of games, but I believe that on 3 or 4 of their losses, they were tied or slight lead in the closing minutes only to lose. They have good players so they should come around as the season progresses.

[tigerfanalso]

HSCDad

Thanks for your input. I'll put you in charge of the shooting. Your goal is to have 3 shooters hot each game for the rest of the season !!!! On a serious note I think the Tigers can turn it around staring tomorrow night.

[hscathletics]

Also, Randolph's free throw shooting was outstanding to the point that they did not even put any other players in place - all were behind the mid court line and not even watching their teammate shoot.

They always do that.

[ODACATS]

That's true - and the strategy looks better and better as the team's FT% improves.  Gotta hand it to Clay - he's coaching them up no matter what gym they're playing in.