The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Northeastern (123) is currently 2-5, with wins over Central Conn. (268) and Georgetown (23). By the way, Georgetown was leading 40-26 with 17:51 left in the 2nd half. Georgetown was heavily favored, but the momentum started to shift toward Northeastern with 14 minutes left in the game. Northeastern won 63-56.

Losses have been to Boston U. (122), Stony Brook (110), Charlotte (76), FSU (35), and VCU (24). FSU only beat them by two points.

Their only home game, to date, was the Central Conn. game. However, their next two games are home games - Wednesday against Harvard (34) and Saturday against UAB (104).

UAB beat Northeastern by 20 points at The Bart last season, 83-63. Northeastern went on to win the CAA with a 14-4 record, and finished 20-13. Their 20-point loss to UAB was their largest loss, although UAT beat them by 19 in the first round of the NIT.

KenPom.com has Northeastern finishing in 3rd place in the CAA this season at 10-6 (15-15). Drexel (52) is projected to win the CAA this season.

Right now, Pomeroy has Harvard favored by 3 over Northeastern on Wednesday, and Northeastern favored by 4 points over UAB on Saturday.

Thanks a lot. Now I have to freak out over these stats until Saturday. Why couldn't you wait until the day before!?

For real though, this is could prove to be a good win if they TCB in conference. This is our first true road test as well.

This could also prove to be a loss if we don't TCB

David Walker, 6-6 176 So, has played 96.4% of their first seven games. That ranks 4th nationally. He has their highest FT% at 82.4% (14-17). However, four players have shot more FT's. Speaking of FT%, Northeastern is ranked 297th at 64.2%. UAB is 99th at 72.4%.

Chad Frazier still leads UAB in FT% at 82.4% (56-68). However, I'm most impressed with Rod Rucker's FT%. He has hit 78.4% of his free throws so far (40-51). He started out poorly last season, and finished at 57.6%. I believe it was the weakest part of his game last season. It's obvious that he has been working hard to improve his free throw shooting, and it's important to the team's success because he goes to the line a lot.

(12-03-2013 11:55 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  It's obvious that he has been working hard to improve his free throw shooting...

And it's affecting his field goal shooting.

(12-03-2013 12:19 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 11:55 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  It's obvious that he has been working hard to improve his free throw shooting...

And it's affecting his field goal shooting.

Something sure is affecting his field goal shooting. Rod is only hitting 35% of his 2-pointers right now. Last season he made 48.8% of them. BTW, the next 3-pointer Rod hits................will be his first one at UAB. He was 0-7 last season and is 0-4 this season.

From http://www.liverpi.com

Northeastern
Conference: CAA
Expected RPI: 111.1
Current RPI: 141
Expected SOS: 108
Current SOS: 41
Current Record: 2-5
Expected Record: 16-14
Current Conf Record: 0-0
Expected Conf Record: 10-6
Expected Record vs RPI 1-25: 1-1
Expected Record vs RPI 26-50: 1-2
Expected Record vs RPI 51-100: 2-4
Expected Record vs RPI 101-200: 5-4
Expected Record vs RPI 200+: 8-2
Current OOC Record: 2-5
Expected OOC Record: 6-8
Expected OOC RPI: 114
Expected OOC SOS: 30

I suspect it is the taller players he is playing against.

He still has been a workhorse & a very valuable part of the team.

(12-03-2013 12:49 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I suspect it is the taller players he is playing against.

He still has been a workhorse & a very valuable part of the team.

Absolutely.

But I thought he was going to kill us with his poor shooting in the UNC game. Thankfully, his rebounding and aggressiveness made up for it and he did make a couple of big-time shots in the clutch when it mattered most.

Northeastern plays their home games in Matthews Arena. It has a capacity of 5,065, which is only the 231st largest in D-1.

Although renovated several times, Matthews Arena has quite a history. The Celtics used to play there, as well as the Bruins and Whalers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthews_Arena

(12-03-2013 12:53 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 12:49 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I suspect it is the taller players he is playing against.

He still has been a workhorse & a very valuable part of the team.

Absolutely.

But I thought he was going to kill us with his poor shooting in the UNC game. Thankfully, his rebounding and aggressiveness made up for it and he did make a couple of big-time shots in the clutch when it mattered most.

I agree with both of you. Rucker is one of my favorite players on this team.

Meanwhile Swing is approaching Mike Davis Jr numbers from three point range. I saw him pass up several threes against UNC that the old Swing would have taken. I am wondering if his missing is affecting his confidence.

(12-03-2013 01:12 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Meanwhile Swing is approaching Mike Davis Jr numbers from three point range. I saw him pass up several threes against UNC that the old Swing would have taken. I am wondering if his missing is affecting his confidence.

He likes to dunk the ball now.

(12-03-2013 12:40 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 12:19 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 11:55 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  It's obvious that he has been working hard to improve his free throw shooting...

And it's affecting his field goal shooting.

Something sure is affecting his field goal shooting. Rod is only hitting 35% of his 2-pointers right now. Last season he made 48.8% of them. BTW, the next 3-pointer Rod hits................will be his first one at UAB. He was 0-7 last season and is 0-4 this season.

I would guess that a lot of that has to do with having new teammates that also score, which has drastically changed the shots he's asked to take

(12-03-2013 01:12 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Meanwhile Swing is approaching Mike Davis Jr numbers from three point range. I saw him pass up several threes against UNC that the old Swing would have taken. I am wondering if his missing is affecting his confidence.

I'd say that having to defend much smaller/quicker guards may be affecting his stamina and shots.

Rucker takes very difficult shots. He either shoots mid range jumpers that don't go in, or he drives hard to the basket and tries to shoot over or around usually much larger defenders. He also is battling for offensive boards and trying to finish second chance shots against the same monsters down low. Ergo his bad shooting percentage. He's made up for a lot of it by his free throw shooting. I'd like to see his "effective shooting percentage," taking into account his high freethrow %.

Regardless of how bad he shoots, I've seen VERY few players play as hard as he does. He's an absolute beast.

(12-03-2013 01:55 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 12:40 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 12:19 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 11:55 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  It's obvious that he has been working hard to improve his free throw shooting...

And it's affecting his field goal shooting.

Something sure is affecting his field goal shooting. Rod is only hitting 35% of his 2-pointers right now. Last season he made 48.8% of them. BTW, the next 3-pointer Rod hits................will be his first one at UAB. He was 0-7 last season and is 0-4 this season.

I would guess that a lot of that has to do with having new teammates that also score, which has drastically changed the shots he's asked to take

I don't know which players did it , but there are at least a couple who slammed the ball on short jumpers and lay ups so that the ball went over the basket entirely or hit the backboard with such force that the bounce carried it over the basket back onto the court. There seemed to be a paucity of "touch" in making close to the basket shots. Maybe the players don't practice them since the glamour shots are 3 pointers or "slam dunks". I have never seen a "short jumper (floater) shot" contest or one featuring lay ups on TV but they make up a lot of the actual game scoring opportunities.

(12-03-2013 02:06 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  There seemed to be a paucity of "touch" in making close to the basket shots.

UNC was pretty great at it. Fortunately we won by sheer effort and will, but they made a lot of pretty shots from midrange and closer. I'm not talking about layups. Little turnarounds and floaters.

(12-03-2013 02:05 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Regardless of how bad he shoots, I've seen VERY few players play as hard as he does. He's an absolute beast.

He'll end up with 30 points one night by shooting 100 shots and getting all of his own rebounds.