(02-16-2018 07:18 AM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Snowden with some lazy passes then a turnover by Jones late in the game otherwise the Dukes took real good care of the ball. To me the big play was late in regulation- Dukes had the lead and got a couple of offensive rebounds. Lewis should have took the ball out and reset. The clock is important there. I can't fault their aggression but as that was happening I was screaming at the TV. Lewis is a star and Banks played well also . Jacobs was solid too. Tough loss to a solid Charleston team.

I still say we can win it all at the tournament. During the half time of the W&M game last night the CAA Commissioner was talking about the CAA and mentioned that JMU is at the bottom but they have a really good team and anybody can win on any given night. We need to remember that we don't always have to throw up 3's get the 2.

(02-15-2018 09:14 PM)JacksonHall Wrote:  JMU beat this team all night. These refs were the worst I've seen in a long time. Guessed at calls in at lazy way instead of watching. Dukes can win the tournament though. Can play with anyone in this league

I agree about the refs. They called a lot of fouls against us that were not fouls and there were alot of bumps from Charleston on us that were not called. Officiating hurt us!

(02-15-2018 09:39 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  There are still important CAA games left in the next 10 days. The bottom 5 seeds play each other often so there could be some shuffling in the Keener round invitees. I don’t think JMU is locked in yet but they need a lot of help from Elon, UNCW, Drexel, and Delaware.

The Keener round is a deathwish for any team hoping to pull off some March Madness. 4 wins in 4 days as an underdog each game. Very low odds of that happening.

4 wins in 4 days BUT, they have all day to rest their legs on Monday before the semis and all day on Tuesday to rest their legs before the CHampionship game. WE CAN WIN THIS

(02-16-2018 08:14 AM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  

(02-15-2018 09:14 PM)JacksonHall Wrote:  JMU beat this team all night. These refs were the worst I've seen in a long time. Guessed at calls in at lazy way instead of watching. Dukes can win the tournament though. Can play with anyone in this league

I agree on the refs, at least for a long stretch in the second half, when they called 7 more fouls on us than COC. (Hey Refs! we are the home team, is there some kind of conspiracy going on?) That was key in a close ball game when we have 6 players with 3 or more fouls and COC has just 3. Hard to continue to play your best D when 3 guys have four fouls, and are trying to stay in the game.

IMO the key moment was with less than 2 minutes and a 2 point lead, Stuckey had the ball out on top, it was obvious that we had no idea what to do. He looks at the bench and hands it off to Jones who also didn't know, I am yelling Time Out! Time Out! Too late, Jones lowers the ball and gets it snatched away. Critical Turnover at the 1:33 mark. COC ties it up and we never score again in regulation and head to OT.

Anyway I enjoy watching this team play and compete. Lewis's complete game might be in the top ten category. Banks, I love me some Banks when he puts his nose down and dribble penetrates and finishes. He's got to stay out of foul trouble. Jacobs looks in better shape as the season moves on and has lost the deer in the headlight look and seems much more confident on the floor.

Prior to the game when I heard some others lament that we were playing the top team, I said it doesn't matter, we can play with anyone. We just got to be a bit better at the end.

One more thought. The crowd last night was in the game early and really appreciated the continued gutsy effort, that this team puts out, play after play.

Some observations...

1. Agree with roadwarrior. The crowd last night was terrific. One more home game left. I'm hopeful more students and fans will get out to the Convo and get behind this team one last time this season. They are a fun group to watch and give max effort. The future is certainly bright.

2. CoC made a good hire with Earl Grant. He went 9-24/3-15 finishing last in the CAA in his first year. Second year was some good progression finishing 7th with a 17-14/8-10 record. It was year 3 a season ago when they broke through with a 25-10/14-4 record, finishing 2nd in the CAA and qualifying for the NIT. Grant won the CAA COTY award a year ago and now has his Cougs on a 9-game winning streak and sitting atop the league with a little over a week left. Let's hope we see similar progression by Lou Rowe and his troops in Years 3 and 4.

3. If anybody questioned whether Matt Lewis would be CAA ROTY, I think he answered those questions last night. What a performance! In CAA games, he is averaging scoring 17.3 ppg, grabbing 3.7 boards (as a point guard!), 32 assists to 21 TO's and 1 steal a game. He is also 86% at the FT line in CAA games. And, the best part is he will get better. His 3PT% in CAA games is 35.5%. Many collegiate players see their 3PT% rise each season. He has a good stroke and is very capable of being a 40+% shooter from outside the arc. The last CAA ROTY for the Dukes was Julius Wells in 2009.

4. Rowe needs to land an active post player in this spring's signing period. Preferably a high schooler who can contribute some next year, but also develop against Phillips and/or Wilson in practice. A JUCO or Grad Transfer will be fine too, but I'd like to see this program build with HS kids if possible. Alanzo Frink would look really good in a purple uni...just sayin'.

5. The team who is free falling in the CAA right now is Elon. They not only have lost 6 of their last 8, but they are getting the beejeezus beat out of them of late. They lost by 24 at UNCW last night and by 19 at home to Hofstra before that. They are 6th in the CAA and out of the Keener Invitational...for now. They have games coming up at Delaware, at CoC, and home vs Northeastern before hosting us in the rescheduled game. I can see them losing these next 3 and being 6-11 when we come to town.

6. Random observation...going back 9 games to Towson's Jan. 19 home win over Drexel, they have alternated W's and L's each game since then...i.e., W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W...they won last night at home over the CAA's current basement dweller, Delaware, by 2 points (67-65). Btw, Delaware has now lost 9 straight, though there is no quit in those guys as their close loss last night indicates. Maybe the referenced pattern will continue as they are due for a loss now. The Dukes are very capable of going on the road and sweeping the season series. I am convinced that every JMU game will go down to the wire (even if we are up by double digits). I fully expect the Good Guys to be within a possession with a minute to go tomorrow night.

7. Towson should be favored around 9-10 points using Sagarin's as a predictor for the opening line. I'll be all over the Dukes getting that many points in a game we could very well win outright. JMU has not won a road league game though our guys have come so freaking close multiple times. Hopefully, the Good Guys will get over the hump tomorrow. It would be a confidence builder prior to the CAAT if the guys can prove to themselves they can win away from the Convo.

8. I wouldn't mind seeing these 5 guys on the court together for at least 25 minutes each game from here on out... Lewis, Mosley, Banks, Jacobs, Phillips. Note, all 5 of those guys return next year.

9. CAAT is going to be fun. There is a razor's thin difference between the top and bottom of the league this year (as was seen in the Convo last night). CoC and NE are the definite favorites, but UNCW, JMU and Drexel are dangerous teams - all right now pegged in the KI.

10. Chealey went 1 of 10 from the field last night and scored 6 of his 8 pts going 6 of 6 at the line. Tip of the cap to Riller as he torched us with 32 and of course the game winning 3 at the end of OT (which to his credit he was well-guarded it appeared to me...he just hit a big shot...has been a theme against us too many times this season...hopefully these close losses will turn into wins in Year 3 under Rowe).

(02-16-2018 09:00 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Some observations...

1. Agree with roadwarrior. The crowd last night was terrific. One more home game left. I'm hopeful more students and fans will get out to the Convo and get behind this team one last time this season. They are a fun group to watch and give max effort. The future is certainly bright.

2. CoC made a good hire with Earl Grant. He went 9-24/3-15 finishing last in the CAA in his first year. Second year was some good progression finishing 7th with a 17-14/8-10 record. It was year 3 a season ago when they broke through with a 25-10/14-4 record, finishing 2nd in the CAA and qualifying for the NIT. Grant won the CAA COTY award a year ago and now has his Cougs on a 9-game winning streak and sitting atop the league with a little over a week left. Let's hope we see similar progression by Lou Rowe and his troops in Years 3 and 4.

3. If anybody questioned whether Matt Lewis would be CAA ROTY, I think he answered those questions last night. What a performance! In CAA games, he is averaging scoring 17.3 ppg, grabbing 3.7 boards (as a point guard!), 32 assists to 21 TO's and 1 steal a game. He is also 86% at the FT line in CAA games. And, the best part is he will get better. His 3PT% in CAA games is 35.5%. Many collegiate players see their 3PT% rise each season. He has a good stroke and is very capable of being a 40+% shooter from outside the arc. The last CAA ROTY for the Dukes was Julius Wells in 2009.

4. Rowe needs to land an active post player in this spring's signing period. Preferably a high schooler who can contribute some next year, but also develop against Phillips and/or Wilson in practice. A JUCO or Grad Transfer will be fine too, but I'd like to see this program build with HS kids if possible. Alanzo Frink would look really good in a purple uni...just sayin'.

5. The team who is free falling in the CAA right now is Elon. They not only have lost 6 of their last 8, but they are getting the beejeezus beat out of them of late. They lost by 24 at UNCW last night and by 19 at home to Hofstra before that. They are 6th in the CAA and out of the Keener Invitational...for now. They have games coming up at Delaware, at CoC, and home vs Northeastern before hosting us in the rescheduled game. I can see them losing these next 3 and being 6-11 when we come to town.

6. Random observation...going back 9 games to Towson's Jan. 19 home win over Drexel, they have alternated W's and L's each game since then...i.e., W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W...they won last night at home over the CAA's current basement dweller, Delaware, by 2 points (67-65). Btw, Delaware has now lost 9 straight, though there is no quit in those guys as their close loss last night indicates. Maybe the referenced pattern will continue as they are due for a loss now. The Dukes are very capable of going on the road and sweeping the season series. I am convinced that every JMU game will go down to the wire (even if we are up by double digits). I fully expect the Good Guys to be within a possession with a minute to go tomorrow night.

7. Towson should be favored around 9-10 points using Sagarin's as a predictor for the opening line. I'll be all over the Dukes getting that many points in a game we could very well win outright. JMU has not won a road league game though our guys have come so freaking close multiple times. Hopefully, the Good Guys will get over the hump tomorrow. It would be a confidence builder prior to the CAAT if the guys can prove to themselves they can win away from the Convo.

8. I wouldn't mind seeing these 5 guys on the court together for at least 25 minutes each game from here on out... Lewis, Mosley, Banks, Jacobs, Phillips. Note, all 5 of those guys return next year.

9. CAAT is going to be fun. There is a razor's thin difference between the top and bottom of the league this year (as was seen in the Convo last night). CoC and NE are the definite favorites, but UNCW, JMU and Drexel are dangerous teams - all right now pegged in the KI.

10. Chealey went 1 of 10 from the field last night and scored 6 of his 8 pts going 6 of 6 at the line. Tip of the cap to Riller as he torched us with 32 and of course the game winning 3 at the end of OT (which to his credit he was well-guarded it appeared to me...he just hit a big shot...has been a theme against us too many times this season...hopefully these close losses will turn into wins in Year 3 under Rowe).

proud of our team and I still have confidence that we will win it all come tournament time - Grant - sounds like our Rowe but I think next year we will be no. 1 during the season we have a lot of talent and we play great defense - it takes a team and all of the coaches to be winners - we got what it takes and with the new convo coming recruiting should be good

You had two freshmen combine to score 50. Do you think you had done that before?

(02-16-2018 08:14 AM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  

(02-15-2018 09:14 PM)JacksonHall Wrote:  JMU beat this team all night. These refs were the worst I've seen in a long time. Guessed at calls in at lazy way instead of watching. Dukes can win the tournament though. Can play with anyone in this league

I agree on the refs, at least for a long stretch in the second half, when they called 7 more fouls on us than COC. (Hey Refs! we are the home team, is there some kind of conspiracy going on?) That was key in a close ball game when we have 6 players with 3 or more fouls and COC has just 3. Hard to continue to play your best D when 3 guys have four fouls, and are trying to stay in the game.

IMO the key moment was with less than 2 minutes and a 2 point lead, Stuckey had the ball out on top, it was obvious that we had no idea what to do. He looks at the bench and hands it off to Jones who also didn't know, I am yelling Time Out! Time Out! Too late, Jones lowers the ball and gets it snatched away. Critical Turnover at the 1:33 mark. COC ties it up and we never score again in regulation and head to OT.

Anyway I enjoy watching this team play and compete. Lewis's complete game might be in the top ten category. Banks, I love me some Banks when he puts his nose down and dribble penetrates and finishes. He's got to stay out of foul trouble. Jacobs looks in better shape as the season moves on and has lost the deer in the headlight look and seems much more confident on the floor.

Prior to the game when I heard some others lament that we were playing the top team, I said it doesn't matter, we can play with anyone. We just got to be a bit better at the end.

I have enjoyed watching this team. I appreciate their grittiness.

Glad to see local RVA Duke Jacobs feeling more comfortable and confident but cringed both times late in game when he fired up treys.

It does look like at times they need to settle down instead of rushing a shot.

Instead of hollering at the TV last night at the end of regulation and OT I was hollering at my phone since I was streaming it on CAA TV.

(02-16-2018 09:49 AM)EvanJ Wrote:  You had two freshmen combine to score 50. Do you think you had done that before?

Good observation.

Sherm Dillard dropped 38 on Valdosta State during his freshman season ('74). I don't know if any other freshmen chipped in 12 more though.

(02-16-2018 09:00 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Some observations...

1. Agree with roadwarrior. The crowd last night was terrific. One more home game left. I'm hopeful more students and fans will get out to the Convo and get behind this team one last time this season. They are a fun group to watch and give max effort. The future is certainly bright.

2. CoC made a good hire with Earl Grant. He went 9-24/3-15 finishing last in the CAA in his first year. Second year was some good progression finishing 7th with a 17-14/8-10 record. It was year 3 a season ago when they broke through with a 25-10/14-4 record, finishing 2nd in the CAA and qualifying for the NIT. Grant won the CAA COTY award a year ago and now has his Cougs on a 9-game winning streak and sitting atop the league with a little over a week left. Let's hope we see similar progression by Lou Rowe and his troops in Years 3 and 4.

3. If anybody questioned whether Matt Lewis would be CAA ROTY, I think he answered those questions last night. What a performance! In CAA games, he is averaging scoring 17.3 ppg, grabbing 3.7 boards (as a point guard!), 32 assists to 21 TO's and 1 steal a game. He is also 86% at the FT line in CAA games. And, the best part is he will get better. His 3PT% in CAA games is 35.5%. Many collegiate players see their 3PT% rise each season. He has a good stroke and is very capable of being a 40+% shooter from outside the arc. The last CAA ROTY for the Dukes was Julius Wells in 2009.

4. Rowe needs to land an active post player in this spring's signing period. Preferably a high schooler who can contribute some next year, but also develop against Phillips and/or Wilson in practice. A JUCO or Grad Transfer will be fine too, but I'd like to see this program build with HS kids if possible. Alanzo Frink would look really good in a purple uni...just sayin'.

5. The team who is free falling in the CAA right now is Elon. They not only have lost 6 of their last 8, but they are getting the beejeezus beat out of them of late. They lost by 24 at UNCW last night and by 19 at home to Hofstra before that. They are 6th in the CAA and out of the Keener Invitational...for now. They have games coming up at Delaware, at CoC, and home vs Northeastern before hosting us in the rescheduled game. I can see them losing these next 3 and being 6-11 when we come to town.

6. Random observation...going back 9 games to Towson's Jan. 19 home win over Drexel, they have alternated W's and L's each game since then...i.e., W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W...they won last night at home over the CAA's current basement dweller, Delaware, by 2 points (67-65). Btw, Delaware has now lost 9 straight, though there is no quit in those guys as their close loss last night indicates. Maybe the referenced pattern will continue as they are due for a loss now. The Dukes are very capable of going on the road and sweeping the season series. I am convinced that every JMU game will go down to the wire (even if we are up by double digits). I fully expect the Good Guys to be within a possession with a minute to go tomorrow night.

7. Towson should be favored around 9-10 points using Sagarin's as a predictor for the opening line. I'll be all over the Dukes getting that many points in a game we could very well win outright. JMU has not won a road league game though our guys have come so freaking close multiple times. Hopefully, the Good Guys will get over the hump tomorrow. It would be a confidence builder prior to the CAAT if the guys can prove to themselves they can win away from the Convo.

8. I wouldn't mind seeing these 5 guys on the court together for at least 25 minutes each game from here on out... Lewis, Mosley, Banks, Jacobs, Phillips. Note, all 5 of those guys return next year.

9. CAAT is going to be fun. There is a razor's thin difference between the top and bottom of the league this year (as was seen in the Convo last night). CoC and NE are the definite favorites, but UNCW, JMU and Drexel are dangerous teams - all right now pegged in the KI.

10. Chealey went 1 of 10 from the field last night and scored 6 of his 8 pts going 6 of 6 at the line. Tip of the cap to Riller as he torched us with 32 and of course the game winning 3 at the end of OT (which to his credit he was well-guarded it appeared to me...he just hit a big shot...has been a theme against us too many times this season...hopefully these close losses will turn into wins in Year 3 under Rowe).

Great observations.....I agree 100% with #8. This has been made possible as Jacobs has really come on in the last month. I just don't get Snowden, his game seems really odd for a senior where he just makes really odd plays at critical times or just disappears for long stretches. He would be very frustrating for a coach (hit clutch FTs). I also think at this point, barring foul trouble at guard, less Joey is a good thing (@15 min per game).

I will be glad to move on from the remaining Brady guys after this season.

But after last night this team should be confident that they can play with anyone in the CAA.

I think ramone plays a great game, he is typically a good rebounder and a pretty good defender. I dont mind him playing most of a game, but for the love of God, he is the least clutch free throw shooter, maybe ever. I wouldn't have him in the game if we are trying to protect a lead. He is just too much of a liability as a FT shooter, as seen in the last two games.

Ramone played with 0 energy last night. Looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. Rowe pulled him minutes into the game because it was apparent to everyone. I'm on board with more Lewis, Mosley, Banks, Jacobs, Phillips.

My main gripe right now with Snowden and McLean is they try too often to draw charges when playing straight up D would be just fine. Particularly in crucial moments late in games when I'd rather us just attempt to force a tough shot than putting it in the refs hands. When you are UNCheat or Rutgers-Durham (or maybe Charleston or Northeastern in our league right now), then you get those calls (unfortunately). Not when you are struggling to get to double digit wins.

I *do* appreciate guys trying to draw charges when warranted and the guts it takes to do it. I just don't think it is wise in the last 2-3 minutes when the game is very tight (read: one possession or tied). I also would like to see Rowe learn from his game management mistakes and improve in the last minute of games.

For example, double/trap the most likely guy the opponent is going to. Lewis hit a jumper with a minute left in OT last night to give us a 2-pt lead. Now, Rowe did NOT have the luxury of getting a timeout (though I guess he could have called one after Lewis hit the jumper...we had 2 to burn), but CoC came right back down and who did they go to? Riller of course. Dude had 27 pts before he drove to the basket and scored a way-too-easy tying layup at the rim. Wish we would have doubled/trapped him to force him to get the ball over to someone else. Might that other player have scored or even hit a 3 to go ahead? Of course, but that's the chance you take.

I have no beef about the 3-pt shot at the end as I thought it was defended well and Riller just hit a tough shot. We've proven over and over that we can play 39 minutes. It's that last minute that is the difference in us being about 10-4 in the CAA right now instead of 4-10. Hopefully, that will improve as we move forward...as well as avoiding getting into these situations in the first place by burying the opponents well before the last minute.

(02-15-2018 08:35 PM)s2dsayer Wrote:  

(02-15-2018 08:31 PM)jmufan2008 Wrote:  

(02-15-2018 08:13 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  anyone else getting a "stream not available"?

Yup. Not sure what the deal is. Watching live stats instead...

yeah me too

I tried multiple times to watch the second half and gave up. Couldn't listen to the feed either. Saw where we blew another late lead. Boy, is that disappointing. We're not positioned to win the tournament, especially having to play 4 games in 4 days. Have we won 4 straight games all season? This, to me, is about building for next season. The best teams during the regular season, especially in the CAA, are the ones that win the tournament.

One other observation: Teams must focus on stopping Mosley in the scouting report. That's probably one of the main reasons he gets shut down during so many first halves, only to return with a vengeance in the second half. Need to figure that one out.

(02-15-2018 01:04 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  http://www.sportingnews.com/amp/ncaa-bas...ssion=true

I have not followed college basketball that closely the last couple of seasons probably, but my impressions are that there are smaller differences between high majors and mid majors, despite the assertions this article makes and the accompanying NCAA haul every spring for the high majors. Just off the top of my head, one and dones help even the playing field because most of the very best players, and difference makers, only stay one season (whereas years ago, that wasn't the case). Two, because of AAU ball, kids are more prepared to play right away across all levels. Three, who's to say a player in the top 100 is that much better than someone in the next 100 or the 100 after that? Within the top 100, maybe 10 or 15 guys will have respectable NBA careers and guys will make the league outside of the top 100. To bolster my arguments, we've seen mid-majors make deep NCAA runs, including all the way to the title game, although many others have been screwed over by not even being invited to the tournament in the first place. What we continue to see is the playing fields being slanted towards the "big boys" as money corrupts the process. Speaking of corruption, read the other day that something like three dozen top level programs could get caught up in the FBI recruiting scandal.

I think at this point, its a pick your poison for teams at the guard position, banks, lewis and mosley can easily go for 20 each. I really think our post presence needs a massive upgrade. Phillips is serviceable, but he would be much better if he had a killer instinct and a few more lbs. I'd like to see him complemented with a very hungry Freshman or transfer with a big motor. Frink could be that guy.

Wilson can be that guy, but needs some body transformation to avoid the fatigue.

(02-16-2018 10:44 AM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  I think ramone plays a great game, he is typically a good rebounder and a pretty good defender. I dont mind him playing most of a game, but for the love of God, he is the least clutch free throw shooter, maybe ever. I wouldn't have him in the game if we are trying to protect a lead. He is just too much of a liability as a FT shooter, as seen in the last two games.

No doubt, he would be sitting next to me on the bench late in games

(02-16-2018 08:12 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  

(02-15-2018 08:13 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  anyone else getting a "stream not available"?

I got so provoked with the streaming last night. The CAA has done a horrible job of games on tv in football and basketball this year.

a couple games ago I started watching on Firefox instead of chrome and it's worked fine ever since. The Chrome viewing was total crap

(02-16-2018 01:11 PM)JacksonHall Wrote:  

(02-16-2018 08:12 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  

(02-15-2018 08:13 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  anyone else getting a "stream not available"?

I got so provoked with the streaming last night. The CAA has done a horrible job of games on tv in football and basketball this year.

a couple games ago I started watching on Firefox instead of chrome and it's worked fine ever since. The Chrome viewing was total crap

Speaking of TV and streaming, there is a survey JMU Athletics has out there for folks to enter their opinions... (scroll down a bit)

https://twitter.com/JMUSports