MBB: Landmark Conference

[ronk]

What a game b/w Drew and Scranton ....Drew was up 20-3 at one point and Scranton took a lead into half time on a 60 foot buzzer beater by Boken. I think they finished the first half on a 33-11 run. If you have an hour and half to kill go find this game on the Drew Athletic Website archive. Who needs Oklahoma-Kansas when you have Scranton-Drew?

Scranton guts it out by 6 or so after giving the lead back in the second half.

Royals' bench outscored Drew's by 12-4 or about the difference in the outcome. Drew's Mike Klinger looks like he's back to all-conference status from the injury list.

[saratoga]

Swish3:
Watched the game from Baltimore & add me to the list as very impressed by the quality of the commentators & video production.
Nice to actually hear the play by play match up with what's taking place on the court.
Well done!

[Swish3]

Thanks, saratoga!

Glad Scranton was able to hang on for the win last night...if they could beat Susquehanna tomorrow, that would be huge!

[Pat Coleman]

The Freeman Center was definitely a huge upgrade over Ratcliffe Gymnasium, although CNU's home court advantage took a bit of a ding...it was tough to beat the Captains at Ratcliffe during the Woollum era.  I think the best crowd/atmosphere I've seen at the Freeman Center was the first year it opened...CNU was playing William Paterson and Horace Jenkins for the right to go to the final four.  You were there, right Pat?

Yea, that's correct. Fifteen years ago now.

[Swish3]

Hard to believe it was that long ago...unfortunately, CNU hasn't played in a game of that magnitude since...those games are hard to come by, especially at home.

[saratoga]

Susquehanna clearly the better team in many ways.
A shame B. Boken will go out as a senior this year with probably no post season other than a one & done in the Landmark playoffs.

[CardsFan]

So I realize we're only 5 games into the conference, but is Susquehanna just gonna run away with this?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

No... they will take a hit or two and things will remain close... but I'd be surprised the tournament is on their home court.

[ronk]

So I realize we're only 5 games into the conference, but is Susquehanna just gonna run away with this?

1st hiccup tomorrow w MMA.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

So I realize we're only 5 games into the conference, but is Susquehanna just gonna run away with this?

I think they will run away with it, but they'll lose one or two. They're good and deep, but they rely on shooting and no team goes a whole season without a bad shooting night or two.

[ronk]

So I realize we're only 5 games into the conference, but is Susquehanna just gonna run away with this?

I think they will run away with it, but they'll lose one or two. They're good and deep, but they rely on shooting and no team goes a whole season without a bad shooting night or two.

I saw only the final third of last night's game but they played good defense in that time; most Scranton shots  were well-contested.

[CardsFan]

So I realize we're only 5 games into the conference, but is Susquehanna just gonna run away with this?

I think they will run away with it, but they'll lose one or two. They're good and deep, but they rely on shooting and no team goes a whole season without a bad shooting night or two.

I saw only the final third of last night's game but they played good defense in that time; most Scranton shots  were well-contested.

I would be surprised if they run the table, as mentioned they rely heavily on outside shooting and there will be some game where their shooting is off, but I just wonder if it will matter. CUA and Scranton are both technically 3 games behind them. Like d-mac said, at this point I'd be very surprised if Susquehanna doesn't finish 1st.

[CardsFan]

The ultimate game of two halves today in DC. Drew really ambushed the Cardinals with three-pointers in the first 20 minutes, hitting 9. CUA went into the break trailing 44-38 and seemingly without any answers on how to stop Drew's guards, especially Mike Klinger, who had 17 in the first half. After probably being ripped by the coaches in the locker room, the Cards came out in the second half and played really intense defense and held Drew to 4-26 shooting.

Bryson Fonville returned from sitting out the game Thursday night and came within 1 rebound and 1 assist of a triple-double.

Absolutely vital win for the Cards today with road games against Scranton and Juniata as their next two.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Unbelievable game in Towson today. Both teams shot at least 55% (off the top of my head). Goucher was unconscious at one point from outside. Goucher lead by 13 in the second half, but just couldn't hold on. And then a dumb foul (sorry for Goucher folk reading this...), I do mean dumb foul with 3.3 seconds left gave Boken a chance at the line that I think nearly everyone in the building knew he would.

Goucher is learning to win... this would have been helpful in that educational process. It will still be a good lesson, but it will take more time.

Only frustration I had with Scranton... why do they keep going away from Boken? Something that shocked me in Vegas last year was the long periods of time that the Royals would not even try run their offense through Boken inside after clear proof it was working. Today was de... ja... vu. At one point in the second half, Boken and Vitkus got into an incredible inside-outside game that got Scranton rolling and back into the game (not that they were out of the game, but made it close). They even got the guards to look inside first. Then it disappeared. Gone. Nothing.

Boken is an incredible player and still got his points tonight, but the reason Scranton struggles against really good teams and doesn't move very far in the NCAA tournament in the last three years is because they just can't go with what works. Boken works. He is an All-American who can hurt a team multiple ways including passing off to guys like Vitkus who find themselves open due to the defensive interest in Boken. I would be running the offense through Boken until a defense proves they can stop him... and then point towards any number of other weapons like Vitkus, Doolan, Thomas, etc. (Danzig wasn't much of a factor today).

Unfortunately, I don't see myself keeping Scranton in my Top 25 this week... but I will continue to watch the Royals to see how things progress. The Landmark is probably a two-bid league with an outside chance at three if Scranton and Catholic can avoid unneeded losses to the bottom 2/3s of the conference.

[ronk]

Unbelievable game in Towson today. Both teams shot at least 55% (off the top of my head). Goucher was unconscious at one point from outside. Goucher lead by 13 in the second half, but just couldn't hold on. And then a dumb foul (sorry for Goucher folk reading this...), I do mean dumb foul with 3.3 seconds left gave Boken a chance at the line that I think nearly everyone in the building knew he would.

Goucher is learning to win... this would have been helpful in that educational process. It will still be a good lesson, but it will take more time.

Only frustration I had with Scranton... why do they keep going away from Boken? Something that shocked me in Vegas last year was the long periods of time that the Royals would not even try run their offense through Boken inside after clear proof it was working. Today was de... ja... vu. At one point in the second half, Boken and Vitkus got into an incredible inside-outside game that got Scranton rolling and back into the game (not that they were out of the game, but made it close). They even got the guards to look inside first. Then it disappeared. Gone. Nothing.

Boken is an incredible player and still got his points tonight, but the reason Scranton struggles against really good teams and doesn't move very far in the NCAA tournament in the last three years is because they just can't go with what works. Boken works. He is an All-American who can hurt a team multiple ways including passing off to guys like Vitkus who find themselves open due to the defensive interest in Boken. I would be running the offense through Boken until a defense proves they can stop him... and then point towards any number of other weapons like Vitkus, Doolan, Thomas, etc. (Danzig wasn't much of a factor today).

Unfortunately, I don't see myself keeping Scranton in my Top 25 this week... but I will continue to watch the Royals to see how things progress. The Landmark is probably a two-bid league with an outside chance at three if Scranton and Catholic can avoid unneeded losses to the bottom 2/3s of the conference.

It could be 3 bids if Juniata or Catholic wins the AQ.

All you Royals' fans(NEPAFAN and me) who signed up for them going 5-1 for this 6-game stretch in 11 days and 3 road trips have to be happy with the way it worked out. 2 tough games next week @ MMA & home with Catholic.

My personal standings for playoff contention:

Susquehanna - +1
Scranton        - 0
Drew              - 0
Catholic         - -1
Juniata           - -1

Big games next week:
Jun-Sus     Wed
Catholic Scr   Sat
Sus-Drew      Sat