We can start a new thread for this game. We have a home game Thursday against the conference's best team. UNCW is getting votes in the top 25. In my opinion they are not a top 25 team, but are definitely a top 40 team. I fully expect them to lose only 1-2 games in conference for the season. This is not one of them.
UNCW is all about pressure and forcing turnovers. This does not bode well for our dragons who have been quite willing to turn the ball over. My guess is we will run and gun and see how many possessions we can get. I think the smarter play is to force them to play in the half court against a zone defense. My guess is we have over 20 turnovers in this one and far too many easy buckets for the seahawks.
UNCW- 94
DU- 73
I'm hoping to catch this game just to see this UNCW team in action. Don't think Drexel stands much of a chance, but I'm hoping Spiker is preaching this as a learning opportunity.
First off, welcome jcohen. Always good to see new members.
Secondly, the line this morning was UNCW -11 so vegas thinks blowout too
Wow. I don't remember ever seeing Drexel as more than a 10 point dog before at home. Not that I pay that close attention. That means that Vegas things that the dub is really about 14-15 points better.
(01-05-2017 07:42 AM)J.B. Wrote: [ -> ]Wow. I don't remember ever seeing Drexel as more than a 10 point dog before at home. Not that I pay that close attention. That means that Vegas things that the dub is really about 14-15 points better.
Which I think is reasonable. They are a matchup nightmare for our squad this season. Unless UNCW gets stuck in the snow and the game still goes on, I really do not see much of a route to victory in this one, unless we magically just stop turning the ball over and break their press for easy baskets.
I am predicting a shockers 85-81 Drexel Win! Take it to the Drexel Credit Union :)
Not a quick start for the home team. 24-7 UNCW
49-26 at the half. Nothing all that surprising, really. This UNCW team is just real damn good.
(01-05-2017 07:53 PM)jcohen42 Wrote: [ -> ]49-26 at the half. Nothing all that surprising, really. This UNCW team is just real damn good.
They are good but lets not give them too much credit. We made the game look really easy for them with all of the easy buckets and layup we gave them. We did not take care of the ball and we making some really silly pass attempts. Not sure why we think on semi fast breaks (against a team that is used to running) a bounce pass across the lane is ever going to work. Have a lot to clean up still. Free throws we atrocious again. Will be hard to make this a competitive game in the second half. Ingram is having a heck of a season though. Kid can't seem to miss anything he throws up.
The way this UNCW plays is probably pretty close to what Spiker's goal is. Need to see a little DU defense in this second half. Also, need to see Rodney go to the underhand free throw shooting method. If anybody needed to, they could just play Hack-a-Rod.
I guess it could be worse. Delaware was trailing by 40 at half time to an NU team that Drexel should have beaten. I can't ever remember a halftime deficit that bad, EVER.
(01-04-2017 03:42 PM)dan10 Wrote: [ -> ]We can start a new thread for this game. We have a home game Thursday against the conference's best team. UNCW is getting votes in the top 25. In my opinion they are not a top 25 team, but are definitely a top 40 team. I fully expect them to lose only 1-2 games in conference for the season. This is not one of them.
UNCW is all about pressure and forcing turnovers. This does not bode well for our dragons who have been quite willing to turn the ball over. My guess is we will run and gun and see how many possessions we can get. I think the smarter play is to force them to play in the half court against a zone defense. My guess is we have over 20 turnovers in this one and far too many easy buckets for the seahawks.
UNCW- 94
DU- 73
Points for score accuracy.
A rough one overall, but nice to see them fight it out. Hopefully we can see more play like that out of Moran. He hasn't done much recently.
It has been a rough start to conference play for the AE4 with a combined record of 1-11 with the one win being Hofstra over Delaware. Northeastern has maintained a little pride for the North although two of their wins were also against other northern teams.
Speaking of Northeastern, hitting that clutch 3 against us must have given Bolden Brace a little boost in confidence. Before that shot he was 4-35 from three, tonight he hit 5 of 6 against the Blue Chickens.
(01-05-2017 05:50 PM)Dragon For Life Wrote: [ -> ]I am predicting a shockers 85-81 Drexel Win! Take it to the Drexel Credit Union :)
Sir, I'm sorry but your check bounced.
I stopped watching after halftime. Glad we appeared to play better in the second half, long way to go. I did not realize a team could shoot FT's worse than during many of the Bruiser years, though. 15-26? Sheesh. Sometimes it is the simple things in this game that can go a long way to success, and taking advantage of free points should be top on that list for any team.
(01-06-2017 07:18 AM)dan10 Wrote: [ -> ]I stopped watching after halftime. Glad we appeared to play better in the second half, long way to go. I did not realize a team could shoot FT's worse than during many of the Bruiser years, though. 15-26? Sheesh. Sometimes it is the simple things in this game that can go a long way to success, and taking advantage of free points should be top on that list for any team.
I just looked at the FT numbers and they're really bad. All of the big men need a lot of work at the line. I thought Rodney was doing pretty well most of the year and then he hit a major funk. His PCT is down to .657 which won't cut it for a guy who drives to the basket. The guy who really needs to step it up though, it Lee. He's only at .628, and for a guy of his size, he's GOT to do a better job of knocking them down.
I know things don't work out like this but, we shot 9/16 from the line in the first half. If you make 12 instead, our run in the second half gets the game to two possessions instead of three. Rodney has never been a great foul shooter, but he was decent last year at 67%. Think it's a bit mental with all of them right now.
Watched the Coach Spiker press conference to see if there was any mention of the verbal kerfuffle that took place towards the end of the first half. Whatever was reported back to him from the guys during the stoppage as the double technicals were assessed got him really fired up. They then came out from the locker room a little later than normal after halftime and played a much better half of basketball. Whatever happened, I hope the team remembers it and uses it as motivation for the rest of the season, especially the return trip down to ILM.
Speaking of the press conference, it was the first I've watched under the new regime, and I have to say, I'm very impressed. If you haven't seen it, or seen any, check it out:
https://www.facebook.com/DrexelMensBaske...784505331/
Dragonscast Wrote:@uncwmenshoops has an incredibly talented team, but I lost respect over the lack of class they showed at Drexel tonight. -NI
Does anyone know what prompted this tweet from Dragonscast?
(01-06-2017 09:32 AM)Water Boy Wrote: [ -> ]Dragonscast Wrote:@uncwmenshoops has an incredibly talented team, but I lost respect over the lack of class they showed at Drexel tonight. -NI
Does anyone know what prompted this tweet from Dragonscast?
No idea but I am guessing it had to do with whatever transpired right before halftime. I dont think it could have been from fans, it is appeared as if there were only about 5 there from UNCW
I'm guessing it's what I alluded to in my post. With just under a minute to go in the first half, Drexel grabbed a defensive board and CJ Bryce committed a foul. DU was in the bonus, and during the walk to the other end for the foul shot, Overton ended up jawing with the UNCW bench and needed to be physically taken away by his teammates. Obviously, Tyshawn said something because he and Bryce ended up getting T'd up. After Drexel returned to the bench area, an irate Spiker started yelling at the UNCW bench as he walked towards it and had to be brought back to the Drexel bench. After a couple of minutes sorting everything out, the refs brought Spiker and Keatts together in front of the scorer's table, Spiker said something to Keatts (looked like he was explaining what one of the DU players told him had caused the commotion) and they shook hands, went back to their benches and play resumed. I sit in the East Stands, so I couldn't overhear anything, perhaps somebody else (or Timer if he's floating around) could provide more details.
Or wait for the next podcast, as I'm sure it will be discussed.
ETA: You can watch sequence here:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/drexe...Type=video Scroll to the 56 minute mark