MBB: Landmark Conference

[Matt Letourneau]

Catholic 70 Drew 46

RJ Dixon 20 points on 8-12 shooting.  Catholic shot 55% for the game, but had just 7 free throw attempts to Drew's 15.  Damn officials.  (JUST KIDDING people!)

[saratoga]

SUSIDDAD: Eli Londo... any further questions?

[hoopit123]

If you say we are determining our first-team all conference team based on TONIGHT'S performance, then i guess you have to sign up harvey pannell as well.....or does that suddenly create problems?

[hoopit123]

juniata gets sloshed by moravian? yikes.

well i guess that along with usmma's 'statement' at goucher basically solidifies the playoff picture.  longggggg trip to LI.

[Matt Letourneau]

It wasn't at Goucher, it was at USMMA. 

Catholic at USMMA tomorrow for 1st place.  Good luck Cardinals.

[saratoga]

What Eli has accomplished is not about tonight...it's about what he's done all year, game in & game out.
If he hadn't come back for his medical redshirt year, Scranton wouldn't have 5 wins. This kid is there each & every game & steps up rather than disappears in the big games. Considering 4 knee operations...I think he's earned the recognition he's finally getting.
No offense to SS but, he was in lala land all night...in the meantime, Eli was putting up over 30 points, rebounding, blocking shots & making one incredable steal as the Crusaders were trying to roll the ball upcourt until he decided to lay out, steal the ball & pass to a team mate.
Not sure how to really say this but, Susquehanna has unbelievable talent yet they continue to lose. The Royals have average talent at best but, continue to win. The game tonight was almost like watching a re-run of Hoosiers 2010. Team basketball will almost always trump the individual crap...great win for the Royals. No time to read the press clippings...one game at a time.

[NEPAFAN]

Agreed. SU is underachieving and coach has Scranton playing well. Funny every time a SU fan slights a player on here they go off!

Also noticed Danzig started 4 guards last night..,

[saratoga]

I just want to clarify my previous statement...I don't want to imply Susquehanna did not play team ball last night, they did. It's just that they have far more individual talent than Scranton yet seem to have stretches where nothing goes right & consequently, these funks are getting them in a hole they sometimes can't get out of. The Crusaders had a ton of assists last night...over 20 I believe, so they are passing the ball to teammates in good spots. The Royals just have a way of hitting a 3 when they need it or coming up with a block or hitting their free throws & combined with some D they are winning...it may not be as pretty & slick & polished as some teams but, at the end of the night they still have the W.
Right now, with the personel on the floor, Scranton is playing as good as they possibly can. They have some very serious holes to fill before they can be considered for Prime Time however, I'm just happy for the way they've turned it around & are currently playing the game.

[hoopit123]

touch to agree with what you say.   please dont forget that SU is playing 2 seniors and a bunch of freshmen.  you cant honestly expect all these freshmen to come in these big games ont he road and RUN THE SHOW.  however, as a side note, pannell basically did jsut that.  impressive for a freshman on that stage. 

for a team full of freshmen to be inconsistent and thus underachieving is not that odd---so much so that it is almost unfair to call it underachieving.  these are just 18 year olds for the most part!

[hoopit123]

"yet they continue to lose"

they are a playoff team, over .500... tough to say 'continue'

you are speaking as if this young Su team was EXPECTED to go into scnraton and win this game...and appear as though you are upset and disgusted that they did not.  i honestly cant tell you the last time SUhas won at scranton.  lets cut some slack.   you should more so be EXPECTING scranton to protect their home court---and they did.   why is SU at fault and accused of underachieving now?
---just imagine if scranton had lost!!! good grief, we wouldnt hear the end of it about how scranton is underachieveing, cant protect home court, danzig's gotta go, etc etc....and you know that is true.

[saratoga]

hoopit123: Let's not get too theatrical with your posts.
Read what I've stated...how you can even begin to imply that I was "upset" or "disgusted" that SU did not win is a pretty big leap into the realm of poetic license.
Obviously you do have some nice freshmen but, you also have a senior point, an experienced 2, a junior transfer & some other kids with experience that get minutes.
The reality is many of us have only read these wild press clippings of how great SU is from some of the teams faithful on this site. Perhaps from reading how SU was going to dominate so much, our (my) expectations were a bit higher than they should have been.
However, my comments clearly stated that SU did play well against Scranton as proven by over 20 assists. I further added that they simply went into a period where things went out of whack offensively & there were lapses on the defensive end. These are the unfortunate trademarks of inexperience.
As far as Scranton protecting the "home turf"...that's a given. If you are expecting to win conference titles & hopefully move on, that better be priority number one. The Royals, as I also stated, are playing as well as they can with the limited talent they have. Coach Danzig & his staff have directed a remarkable turnaround from where this season could have headed 1 month ago. The problem I have had & will continue to have until I see something different is the inability of Scranton to fill the obvious holes they have with talented kids that can step in & play & contribute right away. This has been an issue at the point since Randy Arnold graduated 2 years ago & continues to be an issue inside where more athletic & taller kids continue to make the job of kids like Eli & Luke Hawk that much more difficult. Rather than being additional players that can rebound, they are in the tough position of being the primary source each & every night.
I've also stated that I'm sure Coach Danzig tries his best to fill these obvious voids but...
Bottom line, I never said SU was underachieving in any post. However, early on they were winning & played F&M very tough in Lancasrer & did take care of a very good Stockton team. Since then their fortunes have hit a bump in the road & the Royals, who looked awful early on are now playing as good as they possibly can.
As we approach the playoffs, the reality is any of the 4 teams in can win. The degree of seperation is pretty fine & the home team certainly should have the advantage. However, if there is a number 4 seed that can sneak up & knock off the # 1...I & a few others think the Crusaders have the talent to do so. Whether they do or not for whatever reason is the million dollar question.
 

[ronk]

   As of now, I have the playoff spots clinched by MMA, Scranton, CUA, and Susquehanna. Goucher would lose a tiebreaker with Susquehanna by virtue of Susquehanna beating Scranton(a higher victory than Goucher's 2nd defeat of Juniata.
  I have MMA finishing 1 or 2, Scranton 1, 2, or 3, Catholic 2,3, or 4, and Susquehanna 3 or 4. The proof is left as an exercise for the student. I assume the tiebreaker is head-to-head followed by record against other teams starting with 1 thru 8.
  For Royals fans, all remaining Landmark games will either be at home or videocast by their opponents on the road, starting with the Mardi Gras game at Catholic Tuesday.

[NEPAFAN]

The winner of the Scranton-Catholic game is likely to clinch the 2nd seed and host the other team in the first round of the playoff.  Big time game, let's see who rises to the occasion.

[Matt Letourneau]

Anybody going to make the trip.

I'm going to try to go, although it might take 2 hours just to get across town.  DC is a mess.

[ronk]

 I'm leaving now with a stop at the gym on the way.