I actually think (through my purple glasses) that JMU is likely to separate themselves from most of the CAA hoops teams this season. I am very bullish on this team- year 2 a ton of talent and depth, more normal off season and lead up to the regular season. I think this team takes another (possibly big) step this season.

(10-19-2021 08:06 AM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  I actually think (through my purple glasses) that JMU is likely to separate themselves from most of the CAA hoops teams this season. I am very bullish on this team- year 2 a ton of talent and depth, more normal off season and lead up to the regular season. I think this team takes another (possibly big) step this season.

I'm not there yet, but hope that is the case. I see us the favorite, with a very likely top 2 or 3 finish. I see us as competitive in the CAA this year, as last. I just hope we take a step forward in CAAT play this year, unlike last year.

Mettlen reporting that JMU acquitted themselves well in today’s closed scrimmage at Richmond. 5 quarters and JMU won 3 and lost the other two by a bucket. 2 starters were held out with minor injuries (expected back Monday) and the team didn’t shoot well but their defense and pace gave the experienced Spiders trouble.

(10-23-2021 08:47 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Mettlen reporting that JMU squirted themselves well in today’s closed scrimmage at Richmond. 5 quarters and JMU won 3 and lost the other two by a bucket. 2 started were held out with minor injuries (expected back Monday) and the team didn’t shoot well but their defense and pace have the experienced Spiders trouble.

JMU "squirted" themselves well?

(10-23-2021 08:58 PM)s2dsayer Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 08:47 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Mettlen reporting that JMU squirted themselves well in today’s closed scrimmage at Richmond. 5 quarters and JMU won 3 and lost the other two by a bucket. 2 started were held out with minor injuries (expected back Monday) and the team didn’t shoot well but their defense and pace have the experienced Spiders trouble.

JMU "squirted" themselves well?

Haha weird autocorrect - it was supposed to be acquitted.

Defensive effort and intensity is the one thing you can control on the basketball court, and it's damn time we had a team that gave a crap on that side of the court.

(10-24-2021 09:28 PM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  Defensive effort and intensity is the one thing you can control on the basketball court, and it's damn time we had a team that gave a crap on that side of the court.

Agreed was mantra of my Hall of fame HS coach. The one thing you can always control is your intensity on defense and if you do that you will always be in the game.

Good article in the Richmond Times on Charles Falden. Coach By says he has been very impressive. Article states his career 3 point FG % is over 40%. He went to LC Bird in Richmond. I believe Former early 1980’s Duke Keith Bradley went there as well.

I saw Falden at the last home football game and he has a solid filled out frame. If he hits his career average for 3pt percentage and plays physical defense, then he will play a lot and maybe even start as a veteran presence. As small as this team is, they will need some deadly shooting skill from 3 to be a champion.
Hoping Hodge can live up to all of coach’s hype from last year saying he was the best shooter on the team.

Getting 2 guys shooting 40% from downtown will help overcome some rebounding issues that are sure to arise against teams with decent interior size.

When was the last year JMU had 2 40% shooters from 3? Maybe the 2015 team that tied for first with with Curry and Cabarkapa?

Just received the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. A few notes:

They pick JMU to finish second behind Northeastern in the Colonial this season.

3 CoC 4 Hofstra 5 Delaware 6 Elon 7 Drexel 8 Towson 9 W&M 10 UNCW

JMU and NE are the only CAA schools with top 3 front courts and backcourts according to their rankings.

I think the CAA could be pretty tough this year. A lot of returnees (some super seniors like Jalen Ray and James Butler who have both killed JMU in the past as examples ) coupled with an influx of talent - Charleston and Pat Kelsey brought in a ton, Towson brought in some guys. Northeastern may have lost their best player but they have everyone else back and added some intriguing veteran transfers.

Some other predictions of note:

Mason- picked 10 out of 14 in the A10
Virginia - picked 5th out of 15 in the Acc
Odu- picked 3rd in Cusa East division

Georgia State and Louisiana picked 1 and 2 in the Sun Belt

The Naples Tournament that the Dukes are playing in before Thanksgiving:

Kent State - picked 5th of 12 in the Mac
Wright State- picked 2nd of 12 in the Horizon
GW- picked 12th of 14 in the A-10
East Tennessee- picked 4th of 10 in Southern
Murray State- picked 3rd of 10 in the Ohio Valley
Missouri State- picked 4th of 10 in the Missouri Valley
Long Beach State- picked 8th of 10 in Big West

Some former JMU guys:

Wilson is prominently discussed as part of Ohio (picked to finish 2nd)
Banks is discussed as part of the core group for UTC (picked to finish first)
Christmas is discussed as a potential impact transfer at Longwood (picked to finish in the middle)
Parker is mentioned as backcourt depth for Cleveland State (picked to finish first)
Taylor is mentioned as roster depth for Cal Poly (picked to finish last)

(10-26-2021 11:27 AM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Just received the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. A few notes:

They pick JMU to finish second behind Northeastern in the Colonial this season.

3 CoC 4 Hofstra 5 Delaware 6 Elon 7 Drexel 8 Towson 9 W&M 10 UNCW

JMU and NE are the only CAA schools with top 3 front courts and backcourts according to their rankings.

I think the CAA could be pretty tough this year. A lot of returnees (some super seniors like Jalen Ray and James Butler who have both killed JMU in the past as examples ) coupled with an influx of talent - Charleston and Pat Kelsey brought in a ton, Towson brought in some guys. Northeastern may have lost their best player but they have everyone else back and added some intriguing veteran transfers.

Some other predictions of note:

Mason- picked 10 out of 14 in the A10
Virginia - picked 5th out of 15 in the Acc
Odu- picked 3rd in Cusa East division

Georgia State and Louisiana picked 1 and 2 in the Sun Belt

The Naples Tournament that the Dukes are playing in before Thanksgiving:

Kent State - picked 5th of 12 in the Mac
Wright State- picked 2nd of 12 in the Horizon
GW- picked 12th of 14 in the A-10
East Tennessee- picked 4th of 10 in Southern
Murray State- picked 3rd of 10 in the Ohio Valley
Missouri State- picked 4th of 10 in the Missouri Valley
Long Beach State- picked 8th of 10 in Big West

Some former JMU guys:

Wilson is prominently discussed as part of Ohio (picked to finish 2nd)
Banks is discussed as part of the core group for UTC (picked to finish first)
Christmas is discussed as a potential impact transfer at Longwood (picked to finish in the middle)
Parker is mentioned as backcourt depth for Cleveland State (picked to finish first)
Taylor is mentioned as roster depth for Cal Poly (picked to finish last)

Awesome write up. Really looking forward to watching the guys this year and making it to a few games. If we could make a deep run in the Naples tournament I think the team will be battle tested for the CAA tourney.

Just bought season tickets in section 108. From what I saw in the arena seat picker application there are not a lot of seats left.

(10-27-2021 09:22 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  Just bought season tickets in section 108. From what I saw in the arena seat picker application there are not a lot of seats left.

You’re located in NoVa right? You’ll make the trek to/fro every home game? That’s dedication.

(10-27-2021 09:22 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  Just bought season tickets in section 108. From what I saw in the arena seat picker application there are not a lot of seats left.

You're right, I got mine a couple weeks ago and there weren't many left at all. I'll be nearby in 109. I also won't be making all of the games so if there is any true Dukes fan looking for 2 tix and a parking (FREE) pass just drop me a message.

(10-28-2021 01:38 AM)Dignan Wrote:  

(10-27-2021 09:22 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  Just bought season tickets in section 108. From what I saw in the arena seat picker application there are not a lot of seats left.

You’re located in NoVa right? You’ll make the trek to/fro every home game? That’s dedication.

Yes and no...I have s house in Harrisonburg and "live" in Harrisonburg but I have had apartments elsewhere for years, Charlotte, Atlanta, Raleigh, DC...

WFH trends are allowing me to be in HBG more.

I bleed purple but have wondered a bit over the past 5 years. I am trying to make it up to the admin for making a conference move.

I will buy season tickets (I expect a price hikes) and will attend as many games as I can. Looks like the new ticket App makes it east to transfer tickets to others if I can't make a game via phone ticketing (good on you JMU, one less think to ***** about).

My plan is too ***** none (I have enough for a lifetime) and buy tickets/gear and donate to the DC as much as I can...

looks like we have a athletics home to be proud of and support and hopefully grow

Hmmm, at CAA hoops media day JMU was picked 4th in the league. I thought the league might pick them higher than national publications which also had them 4th.
JMU has 4 starters back and tied for first in the abbreviated regular season with Northeastern, yet gets picked 4th.
Northeastern has 3 starters back, yet gets picked 2nd.

Delaware picked #1, but I don’t think anyone is a favorite. Kind of like last year this is a mediocre one bid league and any of the 10 teams could win it. I’m kind of glad JMU isn’t picked high so coach can use the disrespect card and JMU can play as the underdog early in the conference season.

Gonna be tons of one possession games in the CAA this year. It won’t be great basketball necessarily, but it will be very competitive every night against every team.
Get your tickets sports fans. We are in an expensive arena just waiting for people to fill it up.
Home court advantage will be critical in these closely contested games.

https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/colo...22-preview

3 man weave has JMU as tops in the conference. They are big on Molson.

Perhaps the best named blog or whatever I’ve seen yet.

Pick n Roll would be good too, but likely taken I’d bet.

Per Mettlen JMU won their closed scrimmage with Norfolk State by 14 and were up by 21 until they emptied the bench.

(10-28-2021 09:46 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/colo...22-preview

3 man weave has JMU as tops in the conference. They are big on Molson.

Interesting that those guys pick JMU first in the CAA, and the league (plus Athlon and Lindy’s) pick them 4th.

The difference appears to be they think Molson is a stud 1st teamer and the conference thinks he is honorable mention.
We’ll see. He wasn’t much at Seton Hall and was a volume shooter at Canisius. He will have to get much better to be 1st team CAA.

I’ve got my eye on Ihenacho. He bay not be polished this year as a Sophomore, but he was a stat sheet stiffer at North Dakota as a Freshman. If he improves along the normal trajectory of an underclassman, then we have a key piece to winning.

Only 10 days away from the start of the season and the most wonderful time of the year…the crossover of football and basketball.