Hartford Game Thread

[Dane Pound]

One of the things I most liked seeing last night was that guys knew where their next pass was going before they caught the ball against the press. They punished Hartford several times when they tried to press in the second half that way. A nice contrast from earlier in the season when they didn't handle it as well.

 

Agree with Haggy about the announcer and the pep band going at the same time. Probably hard to coordinate that but my vote goes to that pep band as well. A few thoughts on the ingame promotions:

 

I was never a big fan of the grocery grab promotion (where someone straps on the laundry basket) but since it's now only toilet paper and they've taped the roll it's become more entertaining.

 

The name of the "family shootout" promotion always makes me laugh. It sounds like to me like a Soprano holiday that went totally wrong.

[Clickclack]

I saw Tim Ambrose at the game, he sat in the student section by the entrance into the CUE. Also hung out quite a bit near or in the hallway leading into the locker room. He looked like he was pretty comfortable with the team as he was chilling with them in the "tunnel" and was cheering them on coming out and they acknowledged him by bumping into him etc. Just an observation.

[GODANESGO]

I saw Tim Ambrose at the game, he sat in the student section by the entrance into the CUE. Also hung out quite a bit near or in the hallway leading into the locker room. He looked like he was pretty comfortable with the team as he was chilling with them in the "tunnel" and was cheering them on coming out and they acknowledged him by bumping into him etc. Just an observation.

 

He picked up one of our RACC Rowdies t-shirts as well. Looks like a good kid, excited to see him play next year.

[haggyland]

Maybe it was a charge, they wouldn't shoot those.

 

On that tenth foul I think it was a charge, but I couldn't say anything for certain the other times. Thanks for keeping my eyes open.

[UAalum72]

Maybe it was a charge, they wouldn't shoot those.

 

On that tenth foul I think it was a charge, but I couldn't say anything for certain the other times. Thanks for keeping my eyes open.

Your question finally forced me to look up 'player control foul' - a foul committed by the person in control of the ball. No foul shot is awarded, ball changes possession. Example: defender doesn't have established position (so it's not a charge), but dribbler moves into him faster than defender can get out of the way, or dribbler pushes him with his forearm.

 

Anyone more expert than me can elaborate.

[haggyland]

I was never a big fan of the grocery grab promotion (where someone straps on the laundry basket) but since it's now only toilet paper and they've taped the roll it's become more entertaining.

 

DP, I remembered what you posted about the "Grocery Grab", and was thinking about it tonight while watching Pittsburgh-Villanova. In a classic NCAA moment the game was delayed 5-10 minutes because Villanova had a version of the grocery grab where a student was flinging lettuce heads into a cart, and when he missed, the lettuce exploded all over the court. Classic material.

[Dane Pound]

I watched that game also. You'd think big-time programs would have some fancy in-game promotions but ours are better. I too enjoyed watching the guys in suits out on the floor picking up pieces of lettuce off the floor.

[UA_MA_2000]

I agree with the earlier comment about UAlbany doing a better job against the press in the game against Hartford. I noticed a difference in how quickly we passed the ball against Hartford as compared to when we played Brown. Though we got past the press in Brown (and, indeed, Brown relinquished their use of the press in that game because we beat it), it took us longer to figure it out. From what I remember from my playing days, one beats a press with quick passing, quick perimeter passing, and, when coming up the court, having the center or another big man cut to the middle of the court to accept the pass, who can then funnel the ball up further to another small forward or shooting guard who should be streaking up the lines (or already in position up court).