MBB: USA South Conference

Started by CNU85, March 16, 2005, 12:28:10 PM

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captj

Quote from: narch on January 23, 2006, 09:09:05 AM
Quote from: captj on January 22, 2006, 06:39:35 PMI'm guessing that BEFORE the game this afternoon most of you USASAC guys on this board were (for the first time ever) pulling for CNU to win and keep the Cougars within reach.  I'm wondering... now that it's over are you glad that we won?

yes, and here is why...every team now has at least 1 loss, meaning nobody has run away...plus, au has now played 5 conference games and being 5-0 would have meant a 2.5 game or better lead on every team...gotta keep everybody bunched up as long as possible

That's the obvious.  I just wondered if maybe you're concerned that maybe there is a new monster in the conference?  I think CNU made a HUGE statement by beating the team that most were beginning to think was the best in the conference (and beating them in THEIR gym).  I wish that we didn't have to wait a week to play your guys, narch.  We're obviously playing very well.  Basketball is a game of momentum, and this season the mo has definitely shifted to CNU.

captj

Quote from: narch on January 23, 2006, 09:09:05 AM
here is my pre-analysis of the game tonight...if the monarchs don't win, they will NOT win the usasac (or a share of the usasac) for the 4th straight year...i just don't think a team with 2 home conference losses will win the title

I'd say that is a pretty good assumption.  It's too bad that your guys get the Bishops after they have a humiliating loss.  They could be really fired up at the chance to beat the defending conference champs and get back on track, so to speak. 

But maybe Greensboro showed us all something... how to stop the Hall/Arrington attack.  After going off for 36 and 27 against CNU they go a combined 3 for 24 against Greensboro.  Go figure. 

Monarch96

Wow the monarchs are struggling. this is a huge game for themon monday vs. NCW.  getting beat by 40 in a non-conference game during your conference season is never good and to travel all the way to maryville to do it makes it worse.  I hope grant can start making some shots. that kid can really shoot, i wonder what's going on.  the stat that jumps out was 4 assist and 24 turnovers vs. maryville. must be alot of one on one plays.

narch

Quote from: Monarch96 on January 23, 2006, 01:44:02 PMI hope grant can start making some shots. that kid can really shoot, i wonder what's going on.  the stat that jumps out was 4 assist and 24 turnovers vs. maryville. must be alot of one on one plays.

the other number that jumps out at me is a 4, as well...just 4 shots for seth thomas - i like grant's shot...it looks PRETTY when it leaves his hands, but the fact is, he's never shot a high percentage (last 3 years he's shot 38%/40% as a frosh, 37%/30% as a soph, 41%/32% as a jr and now is at 33%/29%) - thomas, on the other hand is at 49%/43% right now...he NEEDS to be more assertive and shoot more

captj

#1009
NCWesleyan wins at Methodist by 10.  Stick a fork in the Monarchs.  I am totally shocked.

ISoar

Whats that sound?.......Is that the wheels falling off?

No,  A little Ducttape here, the right motivation there, the season could still be bright...well, brightER.  The guys just need to pull together.  Right now MethCo needs to understand everyone has fun when they're winning, but its hard to win when you're not having fun.  Watch great teams.  Watch the faces of their players.  They're going hard, they're confidant, and they're having a good time.  I don't think thats happening right now. (not that I can see the faces) But from what I understand nobodys dishing out fun, everyone's on a different page.  (where are you?  "I'm in the glossary, where are you?"  What? I'm still in the preface). 

And I can understand it a little, High at the Start, get worked by a few teams, lose a few guys, theres some insider issues there, but the rest of the conf is only going to see Last Year's Champs, and theyre going to try to make them This Years Chumps.  Anyways, it's time for bed, I got class in the morning.

captj

You're right, Soar.  It sure doesn't look good, but things COULD turn around.  But you know what?  It has to happen RIGHT NOW.  The season is actually winding down already.  The Monarchs almost need to win out just to end up with a record over .500, and of the 8 conference games remaining, 5 of them are away games.  This weekend at CNU and Shenandoah could put the lights out for good on the season that "could still be bright".

Here's what I am concerned about; that when MC arrives in Newport News this Saturday they will be as fired up to win as NCW was when they came into your place last night.  Do the MC players BELIEVE that they can win out the remaining games?  We'll see on Saturday.

captj

MC's surprising season has me wondering about the wisdom of such a brutal non-conference schedule.  Does "what what doesn't kill us" really make us stronger?  You would think that with an experienced team (like MC) a tough schedule WOULD make them better, at least that's the common wisdom.  But maybe it just isn't true.

I still think CNU needs to play a tougher non-conference schedule, but I'm glad that we didn't have MC's.  Certainly not this year with so many new faces.

narch

i didn't post last night to try to get a little separation from the game and my emotions - monarchs really played well the last 5 minutes of the first half to pull away and lead by 4 at the break, then stretched that lead a little (to 7 at one point) in the first 10 minutes of the second half and led by 6 with just under 10 minutes left...then things started to go astray for the monarchs - ncwc got back those 6 points with a quickness, and didn't look back - the monarchs looked very tired and out of breath, especially grant - he spent all night running around guarding lenny hall AND he carried the offensive load for the monarchs last night while playing 39 minutes...tough thing to do, and i thought that was one of the differences in the game...grant took a couple of shots toward the end that looked like shots a very tired player would take, and he started playing defense with his hands on hall, sending lenny to the stripe 16 times - other monarchs seemed a bit fatigued, as well - maybe this is why the monarchs have had difficulty closing out games in the 2nd half...maybe they aren't in great shape??

ncwc is VERY athletic and VERY long, but they're really a 2 man show with hall and arrington (#2 played well in spurts inside for them, as well and had 12 points) - the monarchs forced hall and arrington to shoot poorly from the field (combined 13-37), but they do such a great job of getting to the line and converting there that they combined to go 19-21 from the line - lenny got 30 and arrington got 21 - lenny certainly wasn't the same player i remember seeing last year - those guys, especially hall, really force officials to make a lot of calls - hall seems to lean into his defender on EVERY shot attempt, looking for the contact and foul - i'd like to see the officials call an offensive foul or eat their whistle on those plays, as it seemed to me that hall was initiating the contact, but that's tough for an official to do when the defender is moving with the offensive player and there is contact - 9 times out of 10 the offensive player is going to get the call, and hall really takes advantage of that - and he makes a team pay by converting a very high percentage of those ft's...i was impressed with his play

i'm not sure if the wheels are falling off or if you can put a fork in the monarchs, but this is an IMPORTANT weekend - mc NEEDS to win 2 road games against good teams to stay in the hunt

lastly, congrats to eugene grant on reaching the 1000 point mark!

game story
box score
fayetteville observer story

GO MONARCHS!

cnufan

I agree with you narch about NCW being a two-man show with Hall and Arrington. Can you honestly tell me that Arrington is a legit D3 freshman?? Do you think he belongs at a higher level?? I do!! That kid can play!! But I think as those two go, NCW goes. Perfect example is against us and you and then at Greensboro. The two combined to go 3-for-24 at GC and against us they were a combined 17-of-35 and 24-of-28 from the free throw line. Im guessing now opposing teams cant let the two of them get to the stripe cause they both are outstanding free throw shooters. At one point I said to someone let Arrington get his and shut everyone else down but if you cant shut them both than look out!! (Reminds me of William Paterson in 2001, sorry CNU fans, hated to bring that back up!!)

Thoughts?

cnufan

PS Narch - Where was Shuford?? I heard he didnt show up till late in the first half. Class?? Military?? Just curious.

Monarch96

Tough loss and very tough weekend ahead for Monarchs.  Coach Smith started the small lineup on monday with thomas at 4. It's good to see Grant come out a little more aggressive, but thomas still is not shooting enough. Their seniors has got to step up and demand the ball and have a big weekend if they want a chance to turn this season around. 
Congrats to Grant on his 1000, wish that kid was having a better senior year. He is a great kid and extremely hard worker. 
Scary thought for you Narch what happens when those two leave Grant and Thomas.  McDonald is talented and it appears he would be their go to player as a sophmore, is this a correct assessment?

Monarch96

Isoar the monarchs could use you right now, go in there and rally the troops

narch

Quote from: Goose13 on January 24, 2006, 11:13:02 AM
PS Narch - Where was Shuford?? I heard he didnt show up till late in the first half. Class?? Military?? Just curious.

uniform...i saw him running out of the gym with a green uni on (everyone else had a yellow uni on) and about 20 minutes later he came back in with the same uniform as the rest of the team

i think arrington is right where he belongs - he wasn't overly impressive - he's athletic as all get out, but he takes some really bad shots and he disappeared for long stretches last night, not to mention the poor shooting % (6-17, 4-12)  - i'm sure he's at ncwc for a reason, and i'll bet it has something to do with limited options, but i don't think he's some kind of super freak who doesn't belong in division 3 - there isn't a HUGE gap between d2 and d3 talent (monarch96 and hoopshops can probably attest to that) and he's NOT a d1 player - the biggest difference between d2 and d3 teams is depth of talent, not individual talent

96...i don't even want to think about life w/o thomas and grant quite yet - i think fred mcdonald and travis mcbryde both have a bright future for the monarchs - it's unfortunate that mc was unable to land a couple of high quality big men (other than mcbryde) in the last few recruiting classes - i know the staff was chasing some good ones...ben strong who ended up at guilford (and is leading the odac in scoring right now) and a couple of quality student-athletes that passed up winning for dollars at uncp - i'd feel much better if one or two of those guys were in the rotation and getting regular pt for the monarchs so that they were in position to take a larger role in the future, but they aren't, so the coaches have to work to bring some kids who can make an impact QUICKLY into the fold next year...still too much season left to start thinking about next year - i saw enough out of the monarchs to know the talent and ability is there, it just needs to be uncovered for 40 minutes

and, yes, isoar would be tremendously appreciated this year (although i think he was very much UNDERAPPRECIATED last year...including by me :))

captj

Another bad sign... Monarch fans talking about next year.