MBB: Centennial Conference

[LustyLarryintheToilet]

RW and reserved,
not having seen St. Mary's play, i cant speak about their individual players.  Seems to me like this game will come down to who controls the pace.  My stats show that St. Mary's likes to play a fast paced game, increasing the number of possessions.  Look at their game scores, they like to play in the 70's+.  F&M on the other hand seems to play lower scoring defensive battles.  I like St. Mary's defense, but can their offense stay focused and disciplined against an athletic F&M team? 

Now how does the home factor come into play?  F&M has to play in hostile Centennial crowds (esp Collegeville), and their players have played in big games at the high school level, so i cannot imagine they will be overcome by the hostile environment.  But where a home crowd is especially vital is in two areas, discipline and rhythm on offense.  St. Mary's will need that. 

[Pat Coleman]

Quote from jamo325

Just spoke with someone "in the know" at SMCM...they sold out of their allotment of 600 tickets in less than five hours today. Should be interesting down there on Friday evening.

Certainly doesn't seem fair, when F&M only received 200.
I can understand the home team getting more tickets but this apportionment seems disproportionate.

The same ratio has been in play for a decade, if not longer and F&M benefited from it at home.

The home team gets half the tickets. The visiting teams split the other half evenly.

[docmarc]

Can I get a seat or even stand if I go down to SM on Friday or Saturday?  Do I have to scalp tickets or something?  Maybe I ought to talk with the F&M AD to find out.

Can someone please address the awful camera and audio work- it makes it very hard to follow the game online if you are not there.

[LustyLarryintheToilet]

Doc

each site is responsible for its own camera and audio work (i'm assuming, but as usual my guess is Pat will still correct me for improper use of a parenthesis or something).  In some cases there is no good place to put the camera, like at the MM gym to get a good angle.  St Mary's has a big enough gym that there should be a decent camera location. 

As for the audio, i felt the friday night audio from MM was fine.  Definitely better than some other sites.  I flicked to the UWSP game and found the color guy incredibly annoying.  and i'm pretty sure the paterson announcers were either downing red bulls or had mic issues (thats not a criticism, it was quite enjoyable).  My guess is itll be a st marys crew, but am unsure.

[crambam]

The MM camera placement wasn't that bad.  But the inability of the camera operator to follow the basketball was pretty terrible.

Hopefully it will be better at St. Mary's. 

[Pat Coleman]

St. Mary's will be staffed by a D3hoops.com crew.

[division3]

Diplomaniac...did you ever compile the final standings of those of us who predicted games this season?

[godips04]

Article about F&M's Justin Driver in the Lancaster paper.

Enjoy,

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/249652

[crambam]

What is wrong with the feed?

There are 320 viewers--so I can't see the system being overloaded.  

Also, are these St. Mary's announcers?  They seem very pro-St. Mary's.

[donho]

 The feed was awful for the first game also. You could not see anything go in the basket. Not even free throws. And live stats was about 20 minutes behind.

[crambam]

Live stats are ahead of the video feed.  I can't decide what's worth--the lousy internet video, or the lousy announcing team.  That is, if they are supposed to be neutral.

[docmarc]

Thank goodness I will be down at the game tomorrow night.  The feed once again was horrible tonight online.  Next, the stadium- water on the court, smaller number in attendance, no home team in the Elite 8 game, no bars in the City, dead college, etc.  Just a joke NCAA to choose this site for the Elite 8.

F&M finally put to rest why they are better than St. Mary's.  They proved it twice this year and yet the rankings were biased. 

Finally, F&M is playing in the 80's and higher.  Not a game I like for them but they are getting the points and Giorgio and McNally are having awesome tourneys! 

[D.B. Cooper]

Congrats to determined Dips. Hope to make it for RMC game.

Announcers were DMAC & Brett Adams (Stevenson coach out of the CAC). My major issue with the announcing was the discussion of the outstanding SMC backcourt (have seen them & they are great) but that Milligan & Brooks et al were talked about as if they were the Washington Generals, but IMHO they are at least in the same league, the descrption of McNally as glorified garbage man was unpleasant, McNally should be a 3d or 4th team All-American. They seemed to give most of the credit for the Dips gutty & smart play to Coach GRob.
Just like last year against DeSales Georgio Milligan came up huge in all facets in a game they could not have won without him.

The announcers are CAC guys and they probably had seen SMC at lot more than F&M, although they could have appeared more neutral for a balanced broadcast.

LETS GO BLUE, try for one for the left hand, I can't imagine many teams have been to 6 FF's. Plus Dips only lose one Senior that doesn't start (Admittedly Brooks is eligible to return but apparenty may not according to Lancaster New Era article 10 days ago.)

[Gregory Sager]

LETS GO BLUE, try for one for the left hand, I can't imagine many teams have been to 6 FF's.

Wittenberg has been to seven. F&M, North Park, Potsdam State, and UW-Platteville have each been to five. Williams and Illinois Wesleyan could join them, as they've each been to four and are still alive in the Elite Eight.

[Reserved Seat]

Fantastic basketball environment.  I've been following F&M since 1966 and this was the loudest I ever heard a gym.  It was almost impossible to hear.  I'd loved to see F&M's student show this much enthusiasm, even  though  I'd be deaf.  I talked to several SMCM students after the game and they were great sports.  The atmosphere will be disappointing this evening since most of the SMCM will be gone for Spring Break.
RM looked ragged last night; it took them 5 minutes to get on the board.  DeSales didn't give them much of a challenge.  Two of DeSales players can't spell.  They both think there's an i in team.  They took about 70% of the shots and infrequently passed.  RM had much better ball movement.