MBB - Game 23/Conference Game 8 - vs UMBC, Broadview Center, Albany, NY Saturday, February 3, 2024, 7:00 PM

[cwdickens]

The Big Purple Game Day has arrived, nothing in today's Times Union about playing less one on one basketball.

Do not let UMBC's conference record (1-6) fool you, in general they have played America East teams very close and are capable of beating us unless we beat ourselves first.

UALBANY MEN’S BASKETBALL

Marshall a key player for Danes

 

By Pete Dougherty

Jim Franco/Times Union archive

UAlbany’s Amar’e Marshall is second on the team in scoring (17.1 points per game), rebounding (5.0), assists (2.0), steals (1.9) and minutes (31.2).

ALBANY — Given what Amar’e Marshall has done on the basketball court this season, it is hard to believe a criticism he heard before arriving at the University at Albany.

“A lot of coaches would have said I was probably out of shape in high school,” Marshall said.

Really? A 6-foot-4 redshirt sophomore from Montclair, N.J., Marshall has been everything the Great Danes hoped for when he transferred in from Hofstra. He is second on the team in scoring (17.1 points per game), rebounding (5.0), assists

(2.0), steals (1.9) and minutes

(31.2).

But out of shape? That characteristic definitely hasn’t followed him to UAlbany.

“I thought Amar’e would be a double-digit scorer,” Danes coach Dwayne Killings said. “He’s always been a gifted scorer throughout his career, going back to AAU. That was his rep. The part that surprised me, he’s a runner. He runs the floor well. He gets out before dunks, finds shots.”

“I’m just taking pride in that now, doing extra sprints after practice,” Marshall said. “It definitely translated to the game, and that’s what you guys see out there.”

Marshall will be a key player as UAlbany (11-11, 3-4 America East) heads down the stretch of the America East season, beginning Saturday night against Maryland-Baltimore County (6-16, 1-6).

He scored 20 points Thursday night in the Danes’ 81-59 loss at Vermont — the 19th time in 22 games he has been in double figures — but was one of the few healthy starters. Sophomore Marcus Jackson will be sidelined “a few weeks,” according to Killings, by a hand injury. Sophomore Jonathan Beagle was limited to a career-low eight minutes “because he wasn’t feeling great.”

Point guard Sebastian Thomas, the team’s leading scorer (18.2), gutted his way through a lower-back injury against Vermont but was 1-for-12 from the field. Whatever the Danes can get from Marshall will be valuable as they aim for a top-four conference finish and a home playoff game.

“When you watch him, as a guy that in all reality is a sophomore in college — he redshirted one year, didn’t play a lot last year — what he’s doing today, what you really get excited about is what he’s going to do tomorrow and a week after that, the month after that,” Killings said. “I’m pleased with his play, and he’s very coachable, he’s very positive. He wants to be good.”

He was the first of five players who arrived via the transfer portal. Thomas (Rhode Island), Tyler Bertram (Charlotte), Muneer Newton (William Penn) and Marcus Filien (Cornell) have had varying degrees of success to help UAlbany erase memories of last season’s 8-23 record.

“When I entered the portal,” Marshall said, “it was where I felt comfortable at, because that’s what I wanted coming out of recruitment in high school. My big thing on entering the portal this time, I would just go wherever I was wanted and wherever they’re going to use me the most. That, and my relationship with D.K. (Killings) and all the other coaches, was great. They’ve got a lot of confidence in me; all the guys have got a lot of confidence in me.”

“He’s a very talented player,” Thomas said. “He can still go to another level. He’s one of the best players in our league. I’m just happy for him.”

UALBANY VS. UMBC

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Broadview Center, Albany

TV/Radio: ESPN+ (streaming), WTMM 104.5 FM

[alum73]

No Beagle

[Dane96]

No dressed and Killjngs will address the media about it after the game.  Never good. 
 

if beagle is a healthy scratch and not having any mental issues, killings should cut him.  Full stop. Can’t  have rebellions.   No player is above the team. 

Edited February 4 by Dane96

[Clickclack]

Beagle while a good offensive player, is immature and aweful on defense. If he's gone...so long! Unless there is a health issue or something else very personal and not related to basketball...move on. 

If there is life stuff going on and the kid is dealing with something unrelated to basketball, wish him the best otherwise, like D said, no one is above team. Move along!

[Dane96]

Just messaged with someone who said Beagle isn’t even in the building (also told click the same). Wyland reporting the same.  
 

I had some time to sleep on my Vermont rant. And I’m still not sold on Killings as a head coach, recruiter and lead assistant yeah. 
 

With that in mind, he’s got 6-7 guys he can still build around if they stay.  If they do, he need to get an anchor big in the middle and a stretch four.  After that, a backup pg and back up wing.  You can do well with that group. 

[Clickclack]

1 minute ago, Dane96 said:

Just messaged with someone who said Beagle isn’t even in the building (also told click the same). Wyland reporting the same.  
 

I had some time to sleep on my Vermont rant. And I’m still not sold on Killings as a head coach, recruiter and lead assistant yeah. 
 

With that in mind, he’s got 6-7 guys he can still build around if they stay.  If they do, he need to get an anchor big in the middle and a stretch four.  After that, a backup pg and back up wing.  You can do well with that group. 

And a 2 months defensive clinic class. 

[Dane96]

Bertram is unconscious off of screens. Thomas playing  smart and not forcing.  Want more of little and reddish (overall) both are matchup nightmares when they are on and they need more game time to get consistency. 

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

16 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

Beagle while a good offensive player, is immature and aweful on defense. If he's gone...so long! Unless there is a health issue or something else very personal and not related to basketball...move on. 

If there is life stuff going on and the kid is dealing with something unrelated to basketball, wish him the best otherwise, like D said, no one is above team. Move along!

What happened with Beagle? 

[Clickclack]

2 minutes ago, BestDaneSinceHamlet said:

What happened with Beagle? 

Went out at UVM with no apparent injury, did not go back into game or come out at all. Today not dressed, and DK said will speak to his status after the game. Looks like kid either quit or getting tossed off team, not sure. 

Edited February 4 by Clickclack

[UA1882]

have tried this year to only comment after the game.  So that I can watch the whole game and make my assessment then.  

However, this team is HORRENDOUS on defense.  They don't want to play it or care to play it.  

Newton is a 10 minute a game guy tops ....tops.... they need to play extremely small and run without Beagle. 

Edited February 4 by UA1882

[Clickclack]

2 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

have tried this year to only comment after the game.  So that I can watch the whole game and make my assessment then.  

However, this team is HORRENDOUS on defense.  They don't want to play it or care to play it.  

Newton is a 10 minute a game guy tops ....tops.... they need to play extremely small and run without Beagle. 

This has been evident all season...

[Dane96]

2 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

have tried this year to only comment after the game.  So that I can watch the whole game and make my assessment then.  

However, this team is HORRENDOUS on defense.  They don't want to play it or care to play it.  

Newton is a 10 minute a game guy tops ....tops.... they need to play extremely small and run without Beagle. 

Can’t like this post enough. It’s AAU basketball at its finest. 

[Dane96]

Clown show on defense, and it’s a slight to clowns.  45 points to UMBC?!

[UA1882]

24 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

Just messaged with someone who said Beagle isn’t even in the building (also told click the same). Wyland reporting the same.  
 

I had some time to sleep on my Vermont rant. And I’m still not sold on Killings as a head coach, recruiter and lead assistant yeah. 
 

With that in mind, he’s got 6-7 guys he can still build around if they stay.  If they do, he need to get an anchor big in the middle and a stretch four.  After that, a backup pg and back up wing.  You can do well with that group. 

I disagree about the 6-7 guys.  If you can't play defense then you can't play for me. Keep the guys who play defense.  If they all walk, I don't care.  2 years left after this year with Killings. 

[Dane96]

3 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

I disagree about the 6-7 guys.  If you can't play defense then you can't play for me. Keep the guys who play defense.  If they all walk, I don't care.  2 years left after this year with Killings. 

Fair point    But is it because they can’t play or there is no defense taught