(12-19-2014 10:49 AM)TribeNiner Wrote:  

(12-19-2014 10:32 AM)62Indian Wrote:  

(12-19-2014 09:53 AM)TribeNiner Wrote:  

(12-19-2014 09:17 AM)NC Tribe Wrote:  I attended the CoC game at UNCC. Fabulous shooting by both teams. Charlotte has some real trouble guarding screens, W&M would have a field day from outside against them. Charleston could be a tough out for the Tribe.

Charlotte tends to go under screens which allows the shooter an open shot. The 49ers need to get better at fighting through those. Thornton would love to shoot against that kind of D. Charlotte has a TON of talent and basically relies on that to outlast other teams.

With that said, Charlotte's 3-point D looked much improved in the game last night. I would say to watch them in the Georgetown game on Saturday, but I'm sure the Charlotte guys will be gassed after playing overtime on Tuesday, a late game last night, and then going to DC for a game on Saturday.

The Washington College game tonight doesn't thrill me. I don't like playing these non-DI games and they don't count in your RPI, etc. The next game, however, is a big one. The job that Jeff Jones has done in Norfolk in such a short amount of time is nothing short of astounding, to me. The Monarchs haven't played the toughest schedule to date (48th ranked SOS), but they are 8-1 with wins over LSU, VCU, UR, etc. Jeff Jones has really been impressive, thus far.

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These games against DII/III opponents immediately after the Fall/Winter Exam break are basically scrimages with fans in attendence. Tony learned early in his W&M tenure that scheduling a D-I quality opponent immediately after the Exam break was a recipe for disaster.

I agree that it's harder to win those games, but since there really isn't a chance for an at-large bid out of the CAA, I'd rather play better opponents and try to make the team better. Further, if there ever is a chance for an at-large out of the CAA, then we would NEED to play those types of opponents. I don't really see the downside to an OOC loss to a good team. OOC doesn't mean anything from a conference perspective/getting into the NCAA tournament, and if we happen to be able to run the table OOC, then we give ourselves the best opportunity for possibly pulling in an at-large. Our win against MD in 09-10 was during December. We can always play the "what-if" game if we'd played and beaten a D-I school rather than Vassar in mid-December.

Still, I really do think a loss to George Washington or Davidson, for instance, is more beneficial to the team than a win over Bluefield College.

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"Practice Games" against an inferior opponent can, and DO make a team better - that is why ALL College and University teams at ALL levels play two to five such games each year, many of which are closed to fan attendence.

The only game that means anything to the Tribe is the finals game of the CAA Tourney. The Tribe will never get an at-large bid to the NCAA Tourney unless their season record is 30 - 1 [with the one loss being the finals of the CAA Tourney.]

The win over Maryland was on Dec 30, after defeating Vasser [which is a Girls School] on Dec 19. This season, we play UNC on Dec 30 and play ODU on Dec 22. If the Tribe wins BOTH of these away games, our RPI will be just fine - but we will still have to win the CAA tourney to go to the NCAAs.

I didn't like adding the Bluefield game in November but the D-II game right after exams is fine to get the team back into the swing of things after a 2 week layoff. It is not good to have 2 of those games though and this I think is the first year we have done that. Did we lose a team that we were supposed to play and needed to go to Bluefield to find a replacement?

Overall our OOC schedule is strong when we take out the D-II games so I don't mind 1. We have Florida and UNC from BCS conferences and then ODU (projected end of year forecast RPI 48 by rpiforecast.com),Wofford (projected 61), Richmond (projected (87), and High Point (current 84 projected 155) to go along with the weaker Howard, Rice, and WIU games. That makes our projected OOC SOS #38 (including CAA games would be 122) tops in the CAA so it is a good OOC schedule. Just would like 1 fewer D-II game.

Note also that we only had 3 home D-I OOC games this year (Howard, Wofford, and WIU) and 6 away games so it helps for more home games.

(12-19-2014 12:14 PM)tribe_pride Wrote:  I didn't like adding the Bluefield game in November but the D-II game right after exams is fine to get the team back into the swing of things after a 2 week layoff. It is not good to have 2 of those games though and this I think is the first year we have done that. Did we lose a team that we were supposed to play and needed to go to Bluefield to find a replacement?

Overall our OOC schedule is strong when we take out the D-II games so I don't mind 1. We have Florida and UNC from BCS conferences and then ODU (projected end of year forecast RPI 48 by rpiforecast.com),Wofford (projected 61), Richmond (projected (87), and High Point (current 84 projected 155) to go along with the weaker Howard, Rice, and WIU games. That makes our projected OOC SOS #38 (including CAA games would be 122) tops in the CAA so it is a good OOC schedule. Just would like 1 fewer D-II game.

Note also that we only had 3 home D-I OOC games this year (Howard, Wofford, and WIU) and 6 away games so it helps for more home games.

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The game vs Bluefield was a last minute addition, fill-in, and if I may say, "practice game" before traveling to Rice. At the time, Rice was viewed as a pretty meaningful game. Also, it was another early home for Tribe fans to see this years team in action.

Virginia 76, Harvard 27....Harvard just 1 field goal in 1st half, ties NCAA record...just wow!

Wow that's embarrassing for Harvard. I think you could launch a half court shot on each possession and score more than 8 points in the first half.

(12-21-2014 02:35 PM)hktribefan Wrote:  Wow that's embarrassing for Harvard. I think you could launch a half court shot on each possession and score more than 8 points in the first half.

Funny you say that because Kentucky was beating UCLA 41-7 at half yesterday.

(12-21-2014 02:35 PM)hktribefan Wrote:  Wow that's embarrassing for Harvard. I think you could launch a half court shot on each possession and score more than 8 points in the first half.

That is great! The only way it could be better if it was 100-27

And that is with 20 players on the team

Wofford got clobbered at WVU yesterday.

CAA overall had a poor night. Charleston lost badly and two teams, JMU and Northeastern, lost OT games. Towson, which started 7-1 against very low end competition, lost at Navy and is now dropping like a rock.

To my eye, still appears the Tribe along with Hofstra and Northeastern are top tier in this years CAA.

(12-21-2014 02:16 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  Virginia 76, Harvard 27....Harvard just 1 field goal in 1st half, ties NCAA record...just wow!

I believe this was Harvard's first game coming off of a 14 day Exam break.............................................

Lost a little respect for Jeff Jones tonight, playing at home against Mt. St. Mary's. ODU up 61-23 at the 9:58 mark in the 2nd half, 64-25 at 6:01, and still waited until the 4 minute mark to pull his starters at 66-29. No doubt that Jones hoped for and expected a more competitive game against MSM, to allow his starters to shake the rust off after a week layoff, and prior to starting CUSA play against Charlotte, but expected a little more sportsmanship. Essentially similar game to what we had against Western Illinois, except starters all pulled by the 7:50 mark. Nature of sports these days I guess.....

Interesting to see one-time Tribe recruit 6'8" Andrew Smeathers, suited up for MSM, after transferring from 2 years at Butler. Don't think he'd have seen any time here.

Going back and comparing total minutes of starters in ODU/MSM, our game against WIU, as well as, UVA's game against Harvard, they all seem relatively equal in reduced minutes. Despite today's threat of quick comebacks with the 3 pointer, guess I'm just showing my age in expecting bench crews to get even more playing time in those situations.

(12-29-2014 09:59 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  Lost a little respect for Jeff Jones tonight, playing at home against Mt. St. Mary's. ODU up 61-23 at the 9:58 mark in the 2nd half, 64-25 at 6:01, and still waited until the 4 minute mark to pull his starters at 66-29. No doubt that Jones hoped for and expected a more competitive game against MSM, to allow his starters to shake the rust off after a week layoff, and prior to starting CUSA play against Charlotte, but expected a little more sportsmanship. Essentially similar game to what we had against Western Illinois, except starters all pulled by the 7:50 mark. Nature of sports these days I guess.....

Interesting to see one-time Tribe recruit 6'8" Andrew Smeathers, suited up for MSM, after transferring from 2 years at Butler. Don't think he'd have seen any time here.

Obviously a Coach Jamian Christian connection there with the "one time Tribe recruit" now playing for "The Mount". Christian was a pretty good recruiter for W&M and, I believe, was instrumental in recruiting Marcus Thornton, of course, he also "recruited" Ben Wilkes to leave the Tribe and to join him on the coaching staff at MSM.

SBU would be great all-sports addition.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...n/related/

(12-30-2014 04:51 PM)nogretheogre Wrote:  SBU would be great all-sports addition.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...n/related/

I've heard that Hofstra will never ever let that happen

Hens with their first win. Big upset over A-10 St.Bonnie.

(12-30-2014 05:05 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(12-30-2014 04:51 PM)nogretheogre Wrote:  SBU would be great all-sports addition.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...n/related/

I've heard that Hofstra will never ever let that happen

It might now, since the schools are finally playing each other again. http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400597687

Northeastern comes from 13 back to take first lead with winning 3 pointer against Richmond, 58-57.
Spiders finish 1-2 against CAA...Should have been 0-3.

Not much to learn from Northeastern's win over Delaware. It still counts as a road win. Nice win for Hofstra today as well.

Hofstra only shot about 30% on FG at UNCW today - but went 28-43 from the FT line.

How many road teams get 43 foul shots???

UNC is dismantling Clemson on ESPN right now. Maybe puts our game into some perspective.