http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Sports/a...p?ID=84754
J.C. Press, 12/22/10
Bucs ready to get down to business in Cancun tourney
By Joe Avento
Press Sports Writer
javento@johnsoncitypress.com
Murry Bartow faced the same dilemma every coach has when taking a team into a tropical climate.
While the East Tennessee State basketball team is in Cancun, Mexico, for a three-game tournament this week, Bartow wants his players and staff to enjoy the local offerings of warm weather and famous beaches.
Just not too much.
“There is a balancing act,” Bartow said. “You’d like to let them swim in the ocean, have some fun, jet ski, do the things you’d normally do on a vacation. But obviously, at the same time, you’re trying to practice, stay out of the sun and play.”
After a day and a half of sun and fun, it’s time for the Bucs to get down to business now that the games in the Cancun Governor’s Cup are about to begin. ETSU takes on Southern Mississippi today at 2:30 p.m. EST.
“It’s fun, but it’s a business trip for us,” ETSU’s Mike Smith said. “Southern Miss is a great team. We have to get ready to play. We had some time to enjoy the weather. We were looking forward to that. Ultimately, we’re trying to win the tournament.”
Other teams in the Cancun Governor’s Cup are Ole Miss, Appalachian State, Northeastern, Saint Louis, Colorado State and Texas State. ETSU and Ole Miss would meet in a rematch in the final if they both win their first two games. The Bucs fell to 4-5 with a 71-50 loss at Ole Miss in their last game.
The winner of the ETSU-Southern Miss game will face the winner of the game between Saint Louis and Northeastern in the semifinals Thursday at 2:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Friday’s championship will be played at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
Southern Miss is 7-1 and is coming off an 80-78 victory at California.
“They’re probably the best team in Conference USA,” Bartow said.
Southern Miss is led by senior forward Gary Flowers, who averages 21.7 points a game and leads Conference USA. The Eagles are ninth in the country in scoring at 83.6 points a game, hold opponents to 36 percent shooting and lead the nation in rebounding, averaging 45 per outing.
Today will mark the Bucs’ third consecutive game against a team from Mississippi. They beat Mississippi State 63-62 before the loss at Ole Miss.
“When you’re a team in the Atlantic Sun and you play an SEC team on the road, you have to play great,” Bartow said. “Everything has to go right. We thought we could win (at Ole Miss), but everything had to go right and it just didn’t.”
Not much went right for the Bucs. They missed their first nine shots, turned the ball over seven times and gave up three 3-pointers and two dunks before they put a point on the board.
When ETSU finally scored, it managed to climb back into the game, trailing by five with four minutes left in the first half. Ole Miss then scored the final nine points of the half to pad a lead that didn’t fall below double figures the rest of the way.
For the second consecutive game, ETSU played much of the game without a true point guard on the floor, and the jury remains out on a starting lineup that doesn’t include a ball-handling guard. It worked well enough at Mississippi State, but not too well at Ole Miss.
“It’s still a work in progress,” Bartow said.
Smith was the Bucs’ lone bright spot against Ole Miss, scoring 18 points, 10 of which came from the free throw line as his aggressive drives to the basket created numerous fouls. His goals in Cancun included winning the tournament — and enjoying the weather.
“Hopefully I can get some tan,” Smith said before the Bucs left for Mexico. “I’m looking pretty pale right now.”
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Official Governor's Cup Thread: Game 1 vs So.Miss(L 60-64) Game 2 vs Northeastern(L 67-77) Game 3 vs App State(W 79-51)
