Dane Pound

3 hours ago, Clickclack said:

Let's face it, we haven't been a competitive program since 2018 and haven't been out of the first round in the AE tourney since 2015. 

This is not accurate. We were in the AE Championship game in 2017. It's the year we opened with a win at Penn State and David Nichols set the scoring record in the opening round tournament game against Hartford.

I think at least part of the problem going into a season with no preseason or scrimmages is that our returning perimeter players (Healy, Rizzuto, Hutch) are basically catch and shoot guys. The guys who are running the offense and creating are all "new". I'm considering Jojo Anderson "new" because he hardly played last year with injuries.

I think our best backcourt is Anderson, Horton and Kelly. They can all hit outside shots and create off the dribble. If you combine them with Taylor who can post up a little, you can do somethings. 

If Lulka is out for a while, I don't know what you do in the frontcourt. Taylor battles but our defense struggles when he's at the center spot. 

Amica is the least of my concerns.

Last year we didn't have any guards who could create. This year we have plenty but have no presence inside on defense.

Still, Kelly, Horton and Taylor are well worth watching. I just don't see how we can keep playing Taylor at the 5 spot so much with basically 4 other guards or small forwards.

5 hours ago, dslyank said:

if you look at the player profiles of the transfers, every single one {except Horton who was a Juco} was basically a ROLL player at best and not single one ever averaged double figure scoring in their entire D1 careers. 

I hate to disagree with you but I'm going to. I think that's a little misleading. Both Champion and Jojo Anderson had double-digit scoring season at Loyola and NAU. Champion had two double-digit scoring seasons before getting injured last year.

One of the encouraging thing I saw from the UMBC games is that we have a least a glimmer of inside scoring. Taylor is a tough match-up for a lot of bigs and Lulka looked more like his freshman year.

I like the Doles and Lulka frontcourt. 

I also like Sam Shafer but I don't know how much more you can experiment with him at the 4 spot. It's like Horvath is shooting over a chair when he catches it down low.

1 minute ago, Dane96 said:

I’ve got an early season man crush on Jojo and Kellon.  Not ashamed to admit it. 

Kellon going coast to coast is fun.

I like the more aggressive Jojo on the drive too.

5 hours ago, McFan said:

Not bad.  Would’ve liked to have a PG in the game at the end but a decent showing.

Was thinking the same thing. I'm sure they wanted Healy and Kelly on the floor and Rizzuto had a great game but the last trip could have used a PG.

A couple of obvious defensive lapses that you don't usually see from a Will Brown team. Eight new guys playing their first game will probably give you that.

I've been wanting to see Lulka fired up or pissed off or showing some emotion and I saw that tonight.

Not sure how those really small lineups are going to fair. I thought we had our lunch eaten in the post tonight (rebounds and points.)

Being able to bring Rizzuto, Horton, Hutch and Schaefer off the bench is going to be nice.

Considering he hasn't really played in over two year, I though Jojo Anderson played pretty well.

UMBC started with an 8 point loss to Georgetown and then have won 4 straight.

Tough way to start conference, UMBC was picked second in the conference and have played a handful of games while we've played zip. Then it's off to preseason #1 Vermont.

I've been skeptical about this year and remain so. Not skeptical about the team but about there being a season.

Last week Coach K was questioning playing and travelling when public health officials are telling people not to travel. In tonight's Florida - Florida State game Keyonte Johnson collapsed and was taken to the hospital. He had tested positive for Covid earlier this year. Younger people tend to recover quickly but have been known to have heart issues after they recover.

I don't often agree with Rick Pitino but he's recommended changing March Madness into May Madness. He's hoping things are better in March and thinks the season should restart then.

My tree is coming from the same place it does every year. A big box in my attic.

12 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

Channel 13 reported both Albany men’s and women’s teams resumed on-court practice today

Maybe if there's an intersquad scrimmage they can stream it. I'd totally watch it.

Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving in all this current weirdness. Remember to box out around the dessert table and maybe, just maybe, be able to watch a little college basketball.

With no fresh games, I thought I offer this throwback to 2008. 

Albany 66

Columbia 49

Leading scoring was....

any guesses?

keep guessing...

Jerel Hastings with 15 points. I know, I never would have guessed it either. 

Weirdest thing from the box score - a team with Anthony Raffa, Logan Aronhalt and Billy Allen didn't hit a single three pointer in this game. The whole team went 0-11 from three.

VISITORS: ALBANY 3-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
03 Harris, Will........ *  1-4    0-1    0-0    0  3  3   2   2  0  1  0  0  22
11 Raffa, Anthony...... *  2-6    0-3    2-2    2  1  3   2   6  2  3  0  1  21
23 Ambrose, Tim........ *  6-11   0-3    1-1    0  3  3   1  13  1  2  0  0  23
33 Connelly, Brian..... *  2-5    0-0    7-9    1  6  7   4  11  0  2  0  1  24
54 Gifford, Brett...... *  0-0    0-0    0-0    0  3  3   2   0  0  2  0  0  15
01 Allen, Billy........    1-2    0-1    0-0    1  0  1   0   2  1  0  0  0   9
02 Aronhalt, Logan.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   2
05 Hastings, Jerel.....    6-8    0-0    3-5    1  3  4   3  15  0  0  0  0  17
12 McRae, Scotty.......    0-2    0-1    8-8    0  2  2   4   8  0  1  0  1  15
21 Johnson, Mike.......    0-4    0-0    4-4    2  5  7   1   4  2  3  0  0  21
32 Barraza, Louis......    0-3    0-2    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  2  0  0   9
42 Covington, Jimmie...    1-3    0-0    3-3    1  1  2   1   5  0  0  0  1  22
   TEAM................                         3  4  7
   Totals..............   19-48   0-11  28-32  11 31 42  20  66  6 17  0  4 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  9-23 39.1%   2nd Half: 10-25 40.0%   Game: 39.6%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  0-7   0.0%   2nd Half:  0-4   0.0%   Game:  0.0%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 13-14 92.9%   2nd Half: 15-18 83.3%   Game: 87.5%    1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Columbia 2-3
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
00 AMPIM, Asenso....... *  3-4    1-2    0-2    0  2  2   3   7  0  3  2  2  22
05 FOLEY, Patrick...... *  1-6    0-2    4-4    0  3  3   1   6  2  1  0  1  31
11 BULGER, Kevin....... *  1-4    0-2    2-2    0  0  0   1   4  0  0  0  1  13
42 SCOTT, Niko......... *  1-4    1-2    3-6    1  0  1   5   6  1  1  0  1  24
45 MILLER, Jason....... *  1-2    0-0    1-3    0  0  0   4   3  1  3  1  0  19
01 AGHO,Noruwa.........    3-8    0-3    2-2    0  4  4   2   8  5  1  1  1  23
03 JOHNSON, Matt.......    0-0    0-0    2-2    0  1  1   0   2  0  0  0  0   1
04 MATSUI, K.J.........    1-5    1-4    0-0    0  1  1   0   3  1  0  0  2  18
21 STAAB, Blaise.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  2  0  0   2
24 MASE, Issa..........    1-3    1-1    0-0    1  1  2   0   3  0  2  0  1   9
25 TREPANIER, Dan......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   2
32 EGEE, Steve.........    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   2   0  0  0  0  0   9
33 BOVA, Joe...........    2-6    1-4    0-0    0  2  2   3   5  0  0  0  0  16
41 CRIMMINS, Zack......    1-3    0-0    0-1    1  3  4   4   2  0  2  1  0  11
   TEAM................                         1  4  5
   Totals..............   15-46   5-20  14-22   4 22 26  25  49 10 15  5  9 200

Not optimistic about seeing many games and never really was. In the spring of 2020, some friends who work at a health care provider told me their headquarters would be remote until summer of 2021. That's when life would possibly begin to resemble "normal." If Covid were a plumbing issue, I would listen to plumbers. If Covid were a legal issue, I would listen to lawyers. But it's a health issue so I've listened to people in the health care industry. 

I also had a client who is younger than me (earlier 40s with no previous health conditions) get Covid. They were in a coma for a month, hospitalized for three months and then went through rehab for months to walk again. I suppose they're part of the "99% recovery" rate that people often talk about but I'll be damned if I want to bring that into my house. 

On 11/15/2020 at 2:28 PM, godanesgo99 said:

Great interview with Will Brown talking about this year's team and what he expects. He seemed pretty high on the transfers and Amica. No real talk about Hank or Lulka in the interview. 

It's a couple of days old, as it is from the first day of latest pause. So little news on the team this year, so it's great to hear some news.

 

Some great other conversations with UA people if you look at the past podcasts from this group.

Thanks for posting that. It felt good to listen to some basketball talk.

I'll be curious to see where Lulka plays if we get some games in this year. From out recruiting, it almost looks like they'll play him at the center spot and rotate with Hank. 

22 hours ago, cwdickens said:

 

I am losing faith of seeing any prospect of seeing basketball.....

Sadly, I agree. Whenever I see the odds on who's going to win a game, I think the odds should be if there's going to be a game instead.

Anyway, both the men and women were picked fourth in the preseason poll yesterday and Cam Healy was all-conference.

22 hours ago, Eli said:

@Dane Pound, another bot looks like lol. We're under attack! Duck and cover! Duck and cover!

Realized the upgrade left the registration process on the most relaxed setting. I've since tightened things up and booted some "members."

4 hours ago, cwdickens said:

I was recently told by a follow Great Dane fan that he has heard from others in the know (sources not disclosed) that the America East is waiting on the UMBC decision whether or not their school can participate in men's and women's basketball due to COVID-19 issue in the Commonwealth of Maryland, more closely the Baltimore area.  I know Towson University is skipping Spring Football in the CAA Football.  Has anyone else heard a similar story or is this just a rumor? 

I haven't heard that story/rumor but it wouldn't surprise me. I haven't been optimistic we'll be seeing games this winter but I'll happily be wrong. It's looking more and more like we're in for a long winter.

I don't know who Last Word on Sports is, but they pick us second in the AE. They also love Jarvis Doles who they pick as the AE sixth man of the year. 

https://lastwordonsports.com/basketball/2020/10/23/2020-21-america-east-basketball-preview/

You guys don't miss a trick.

Eli wasn't talking about you cwdickens. A spammer slipped through and posted some stuff. I banned their account. Thanks for the heads-up!

Offer out to Latik Murphy, a JUCO guard originally from Chicago.

On 10/14/2020 at 8:13 PM, UAalum72 said:

Is 6400 enough for a quarterfinal doubleheader? Especially if Syracuse is in our bracket? Might we have promised a screen so fans could sit on the berm, or temp endzone seats behind it? 

Syracuse will probably intentionally miss the playoffs just to avoid playing in Albany.

Thanks for the reminder. I gotta run some updates.

3 hours ago, Eli said:

 (for the record, I treat every person with respect, thank you very much.

 

Hmmm...referees and officials too?

Looks like we've added SF William Kondrat to the roster as a non-scholarship player. Kondrat is transferring in from Niagara Community College. If I'm reading it right, I think Kondrat went to the same high school as Travis Charles, so I like him already.