Weekend in Detroit

[McFan]

I like him, but stat line of the night (not Aronhalts 5-23) Blake Metcalf:

 

5 minutes

5 fouls

and all 0's. No RB's, TO's, points, nothing.

 

What kind of QB rating is that?

 

You're missing the boat McFan, statline of the night is John Puk 7 boards, 4 blocks (and I think he may have had more) in 40 minutes holding his own down low against Eli Holman (most of his damage came against others). We need him healthy, because he can anchor a defense. We need Blake and his energy in spot minutes, but we don't need him to stay on the floor, we need Puk to.

No, I understand. I've watched a lot of basketball, and absent intentional fouls at the end of games, I've never seen that stat line before.

[AmericaEasterBunny]

What Black does is put pressure on the D, something Iati can't do. In the AE, I'd like to see Iati backup Black.

 

 

 

Iati reminds me of a Joey-Accaoui-type back-up point guard. Comes in to relieve the starter, can shoot if needed, good energy...and they are both very short!

[Clickclack]

Opinion questions:

 

1. Who had the best game for UA?

Tim Ambrose, to bad he fouled out.

2. Who played the worst?

Hard to say, I'd probably say Logan just because he was so off with his shot, missed a couple of FT's.

3. Who should have played (more) but didn't?

Everyone played or just about everyone, most many minutes.

 

4. Who should have played less?

????

 

 

5. Most impressive performance - by whom and why?

I would say Ambrose and Devlin, with Puk right on their heals. What Puk did won't show up on the stat sheet but he clogged the middle and intimidated people.

 

 

6. One thing you saw that made you optimistic about the season. (Or more than one thing.)

This team continues to score pretty good. 43% from the field 52% from beyond the arc, last year we couldn't score, it was like pulling teeth. Even in the Iona game we shot and scored well. Once Black returns full time I'd like to see the pace pick up.

 

7. Most important area of improvement needed.

FT shooting (judging on this game) FT's cost us the game today IMO. We missed 10, I know they missed 16 but if we took care of our business we would have won. Also I'd like to see improvement on the perimeter defensively especially the corner three's. Interior D seems solid although at times they over commit or collapse on a driver leaving someone open along the baseline but I'd like to see an improvement on the perimeter. The offense is pretty good at this stage. I know we don't score a lot of points but that has to do more with the pace we play at.

[AmericaEasterBunny]

Opinion questions:

4. Who should have played less?

????

 

 

 

Were you confused by the question or were you unsure of the answer? If it was the former, a better way for me to put it would be: Who should have sat on the bench because they sucked? (But that wouldn't be very P.C.!) Example answer: Metcalf.

 

Thanks for your answers!

[Clickclack]

Opinion questions:

4. Who should have played less?

????

 

 

 

Were you confused by the question or were you unsure of the answer? If it was the former, a better way for me to put it would be: Who should have sat on the bench because they sucked? (But that wouldn't be very P.C.!) Example answer: Metcalf.

 

Thanks for your answers!

 

Metcalf would be that guy but he played only 5 minutes...not sure how much less he could have played.

[AmericaEasterBunny]

Opinion questions:

4. Who should have played less?

????

 

 

 

Were you confused by the question or were you unsure of the answer? If it was the former, a better way for me to put it would be: Who should have sat on the bench because they sucked? (But that wouldn't be very P.C.!) Example answer: Metcalf.

 

Thanks for your answers!

 

Metcalf would be that guy but he played only 5 minutes...not sure how much less he could have played.

 

 

Why did he play so few minutes? Was he just fouling a lot or was it for some other reason (that you could deduce)?

[AmericaEasterBunny]

Also, I take back my pessimism about Puk. Forty minutes and only one foul! From what's being said on the board, he really does seem to have potential. Sorry I doubted you, kid!

[Clickclack]

Opinion questions:

4. Who should have played less?

????

 

 

 

Were you confused by the question or were you unsure of the answer? If it was the former, a better way for me to put it would be: Who should have sat on the bench because they sucked? (But that wouldn't be very P.C.!) Example answer: Metcalf.

 

Thanks for your answers!

 

Metcalf would be that guy but he played only 5 minutes...not sure how much less he could have played.

 

 

Why did he play so few minutes? Was he just fouling a lot or was it for some other reason (that you could deduce)?

 

Kept fouling, the overwhelmed him inside.

[Doc]

Post Game thoughts up on Purple and Gold Nation: http://pagn.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/do-you-believe-in-moral-victories/

[Dane Pound]

I'm not sure who was in the game when Metcalf got his fouls. I did think when Puk got his so quick the other night against Iona that when the opposing guards are able to easily get by our guards the big guys are going to get fouls. It's not always their fault just because they end with the ugly stat line. Although that might not have been the case tonight - we aren't likely to see a front court (I hope) like this again.

 

Most of the principals from tonight have to be beat. Hopefully they can rally in under 24 hours after an emotional double OT.

 

I appreciated how hard this team battled tonight.

[Eli]

I didn't watch the game or read many of these posts, but from the PAGN review...

 

DID I NOT SAY WE SHOULD PLAY BILLY ALLEN!?

 

I'm telling you! That kid has the brains! He might not be the most athletic kid, and might be a streaky shooter, but I LOVE his defensive composure and how he knows where to be. Dude should have played in ALL our games. Plain and simple.

[YO DAMIEN]

Upset with outcome, but loved the effort. This team showed some fight that I thought was absent until last night. Puk clearly played his best game yet, though I was a little puzzled that he got so many minutes given his injury and this being game 1 of back-to back-to back. You'd have to think we see little to no action from him today. Black played efficiently I thought given that his only action was 13 mins in the opener which was a couple weeks ago. He is clearly still hurting though and was limping towards the end of the game, a tough effort, but again you'd think he's resting up today and seeing reduced time tomorrow. I sure hope logan can find some sort of consistency too, because him alternating 28 points with 5-23 shooting is really going to hold this team back offensively. I'm not saying he should stop being aggressive, just at some point when you're on your way to 5-23 you should realize we now have 3 legitimate scoring threats. I see no team in conference that can stop all of the "little 3" (I forgot who used this term yesterday, but I like it), so as long as we don't shoot ourselves in the foot by letting one of them miss 18 shots, this theoretically could be a potent 3 pronged attack. Enough negativity, good effort guys, keep working!

[Dane Pound]

Looking ahead to Niagara tonight, they are a 5 point favorite. One common opponent - Georgia Tech. They lost to GT by almost the exact score we did. Last night against Bowling Green they only essentially played 7 guys, four of their starters played 32 minutes or more.

 

I have to imagine we'll see heavy doses of Metcalf, Watts, Billy Allen and Lindfors tonight.

[UAalum72]

Niagara leading scorer Antoine Mason sat out with a sore foot and sophomore post player Eric Williams couldnt go because of a bad knee. I didn't listen to Rodger's halftime show when he talked to Mihalic, but the Niagara coach said we're better than he thought.

 

Niagara Gazette

 

Times-Union staff reports

[bob87]

Can someone explain why the Times Union hates UA basketball? FIVE articles on the Siena game and none on Albany's double overtime game? I know they are three-time MAAC champs, but still...

 

Short answer is because the paper and the sports editor suck.

Longer answer is as everyone knows the TU paid to put their name on the building that LCC plays in so they are trying to get a "return on their investment" at any expense instead of doing what good newspapers are supposed to which is cover stories as they deserve to be covered.