MBB: Landmark Conference

[Matt Letourneau]

Well, well well....Goucher beats Susquehanna.

Down 95, Catholic outlasted Juniata 71-66.  Tough game--I tried to keep track online.  Juniata was hot from 3 early and led by 1 at halftime.  Game went back and for and Juniata did lead by 1 late until Catholic got a few stops and capitalized.

Juniata played great defense and absolutely collapsed around Banzhof.  Catholic's going to need other guys to really step up and prove that htey can beat you.  Tonight they got just enough from RJ Dixon--I think he had 16 or so (he's been playing well).  Catholic basically won this game on the boards though--they outrebounded Juniata by a HUGE margin.

[BCannon]

Matt, for someone who didn't get a chance to really pay attention to the game you basically said everything I was going to. I think Juniata had their best defensive showing of the season tonight, which I think bodes well for them moving on. JB was having to fight physical double and triple teams all night and Dixon was huge for them especially down the stretch. He hit 2-3 threes in the 2nd half that swung the momentum back in the Cards favor each time right when I was thinking JC could make a run. I was extremely impressed with his play. When the game was on the line and CUA needed a basket JB got the position down low got to the foul line and converted giving CUA the lead with a lil more then a minute to go for good. And as you said this game was won on the boards, CUA had a number of 2nd chance opps. Great game to watch. JC is going to be in the playoff hunt this yr.   

[hoopit123]

having not been able to watch or follow live stats for su, i really have not much to say.   just seems like another case of inconsistency.... lets get it together?yikes.     

as for catholic, im not surprised to hear what i did.   a defense collapsing on JB and REQUIRING others to win the game.    it appears  tonite that dixon did so.   will this always occur? that is the question.   good fight by juniata though.   

as for su....who knows? we lost to juniata then beat #13 team in country in stockton...so who knows?  we can only hope for a similar rebound and have cua sleep on them and get surprised     ayyyiyi

[NEPAFAN]

Testing something out here guys...


Goucher USMMA +22.5 tonight vs. Susquehanna Scranton. Who has cash?

[saratoga]

I'll take the Royals in this one. Not saying they'll win...just not going to lose by that margin.
Susquehanna fans take note...two years ago the Royals started the Landmark off with the very same 0-3 start...by the time conference play & the playoffs had ended, they were champs.
The Royals will need great games from just about everyone...including the bus driver to win this afternoon.
MMA: 74/ Scranton: 59.

[NEPAFAN]

I'll take the Royals in this one. Not saying they'll win...just not going to lose by that margin.
Susquehanna fans take note...two years ago the Royals started the Landmark off with the very same 0-3 start...by the time conference play & the playoffs had ended, they were champs.
The Royals will need great games from just about everyone...including the bus driver to win this afternoon.
MMA: 74/ Scranton: 59.

Toga,


Trying the reverse karma thing , since Goucher knocked off SU last night.

[hoopit123]

FT tally last night, cua vs. juniata.

cua: 24
juniata: 11

although many find it ridiculous, there really are consistently lopsided FT numbers...and numbers dont lie!

[lefty2]

FT tally last night, cua vs. juniata.

cua: 24
juniata: 11

although many find it ridiculous, there really are consistently lopsided FT numbers...and numbers dont lie!

Numbers may not lie, but you can make them say what you want to hear sometimes.

You've got to take into consideration the context of the game - style of play, score, free throw % (make the front end, get more shots).

[Matt Letourneau]

I'll have plenty more to say, but suffice to say that if anybody has the right to whine about officiating in the CUA-SUS game, its Catholic. 

I had a bad feeling after SUS lost to Goucher that they'd come out strong today, and that they did.  Very impressive.  I have no clue how that team lost the night before.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Matt - they lost to a much improved Goucher team who is currently leading Juniata by 9 points. Goucher has improved leaps and bounds since the debacle against Marymount over a month ago. The young players have really stepped up and made a difference. Can they continue... we shall see.

[ronk]

I'll have plenty more to say, but suffice to say that if anybody has the right to whine about officiating in the CUA-SUS game, its Catholic. 

Matt,
   My friend officiated your game so I'll probably be able to get his version of the proceedings. I was watching Scranton-MMA at the time so I didn't see Sus-CUA.
  Ist time I've seen Ryan Samuel play-impressive, everything we'd want in a PG; played under control, yet took over when his team needed it in the last 6 minutes.
  Zach Ashworth didn't seem to play last few minutes and I couldn't tell why. 

[Matt Letourneau]

Matt - they lost to a much improved Goucher team who is currently leading Juniata by 9 points. Goucher has improved leaps and bounds since the debacle against Marymount over a month ago. The young players have really stepped up and made a difference. Can they continue... we shall see.

I didn't mean that to disparage Goucher as much as say that if Susquehanna played as well as they did tonight against everyone, they'd be pretty close to undefeated.  

Actually, they remind me of Marymount back in the day, only with more talent and discipline.  But that same edge.  

It was an odd game.  Spenser squared was quite obviously benched in the first half...didn't play.  And the Crusaders struggled.  CUA led by 6, half of which was a long 3 at the buzzer by RJ Dixon.  Still, it was looking pretty good for the Cardinals.  A key moment occured right as the teams were walking off the court, when one of the Crusaders spiked the ball in frustration after the 3--in between a bunch of Catholic players--and Howes said something to the official--who reacted like his mother had been insulted or something--and proceeded to screw the Cardinals every chance he got for the entire second half.  In the first two minutes alone he called two moving screens, which had been going on the whole game on both sides--the second one wasn't even a legit call--causing turnovers that helped fuel the SUS run.  3 minutes into the second half, Catholic had 6 fouls, almost all of which were called by the same ref that Howes complained to who reacted so angrily, and all but one, maybe 2 of them--were questionable calls that had not been called in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Susquehanna bench was going nuts, jumping all around, including on the court, and I was getting increasingly furious that the officials were looking the other way.  Finally, after a Catholic assistant complained they issued a meek warning.  Things started to get out of head, so they nailed #52 for throwing an elbow before a play started and Susquehanna calmed down a little bit with the Marymount impersonation.

But I digress. When Spencer came into the game, Susquehanna was a different team.  In some ways it was brilliant--like bringing in your ace pitcher in the 6th inning.  Catholic had finally started to settle down after a terrible offensive drought, but they had no answer for Spencer defensively, who came out with something to prove and immediately starting hitting shots all over the floor.

But once again, Catholic's got to find another consistent scorer and that was the problem.  Banzhaf had a very quiet 20 points...nailed a couple of 3's but really couldn't get anything going inside because Susquehanna relentlessly doubled him.   Unlike last night, Dixon was cold--except for his buzzer beater--and the only guy who really had anything going was Holmes, the backup point guard who I think is really going to be special.  Darrell Carrol tried valiantly to take the pressure of of Jason and take advantage of the double, with some success, but for some reason tonight CUA really struggled with Susquehanna's full court trap.  That puzzled me some because I've seen them effectively beat that in previous games.  Working with less time on the offensive end (because it was taking them the full 10 seconds to get the ball up the court) really hurt them.

32 free throw attempts for Susquehanna tonight (vs Catholic's 28).  Catholic also got outrebounded and shot 32% from 3 and had 19 turnovers.

So a tough night for the Cardinals.  And so it goes...

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Matt - first off, didn't think you were disparaging the Gophers... just wanted to point out that they were much improved. And after tonight's win, the Gophers actually have a two-game winning streak and have won three of the last four. Goucher has only had three two-game winning streaks in the past five seasons. The last time they won three in a row or more... 2004-2005 season - also their last winning season. And the team hasn't won a weekend series once in the Landmark - until this weekend.

Anyway... Goucher is TIED with Scranton and Catholic for second in the conference... unreal!

Though, I wish I could get down to DC next weekend for the CUA/MMA game... but I doubt I can see that and get back to Goucher for our game in time.

Also... as for the "moving screens"... I know that is a major point of emphasis this year (saw a lot of calls early on before at least Goucher figured how to stop moving. And while I realize I wasn't at the game... don't be surprised if those fouls are called.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Oh.. and from what I learned... Spenser Spencer was officially benched for the first half... apparently due to something after the Goucher game on Friday night. (I wasn't there... just heard word.)

[Matt Letourneau]

On the moving screens--right--but you call 2 on back to back posessions on the same kid (one of which didn't appear to even be a moving screen)--right off the bat in the 2nd half after you've just had a run in with the coach?  And there wasn't a single other moving screen called the entire game?

I wasn't born yesterday, not even the day before.

If they want to start calling that, fine, but...not like that.

Yeah, he pretty clearly was benched for something.  And when he came back in, it was a huge lift for them--and he came out with a huge chip on his shoulder.   Can't say he didn't back it up--17 points in 14 minutes.  Some of those were on "bad" shots--ie, low percentage jumpers that were defended.  Didn't matter.

Yup, Goucher is deft. a factor now.  Glad CUA got a win on them early.  I REALLY hope I can make the trip up there at the end of the year--its always fun.