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Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate (L 63-75)
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ETSUfan1 Offline
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Post: #1
Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate (L 63-75)
Date: February 10th, 2014

Time: 7:00 PM

Opponent: USC-Upstate (13-11, 7-5 ASUN)

Place: MSHA Athletic Center

Television: None

Webcast: ASun.tv (Free)

Radio online: ETSUBucs.com (Free)

USCU 2013-2014 Schedule

USCU 2013-2014 Roster
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2014 09:06 PM by ETSUfan1.)
02-09-2014 06:15 AM
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swvabucsfan Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
In one sense, we could hardly know know USCU better - the core of the team has been the same for 3 years. But in another sense, we have no clue what version of that team will show up in the Dome.

For the third game in a row we will be playing a team that we know well – unathletic slow and scrappy UNK that defends tenaciously but can’t score; short but physical and high scoring Lipscomb, with no D. And now – the big, athletic front line of USCU that can kick your butt. Or not show up.

Go by the stats and USCU is up there with Mercer and FGCU – with a 2nd in the ASun +6.4 rebounding margin in conference play, a 3rd place +5.3 scoring margin in conference, 3rd in the ASun in field goal percentage at .448, 1st in the ASun in field goal percentage defense at .398 (it’s hard to score in the paint against their athletic bigs).

This is the most inconsistent team in the ASun. You can’t count on them to do the expected on any given night. They can drop a game to a weak UNC Asheville team and beat South Carolina the next night. They can beat Virginia Tech, and lose to an indifferent Winthrop team the next game. They can drop 5 road games in a row in the ASun – but power past Virginia Tech and South Carolina on the road. They can lose their best guard, leading scorer, 3 point shooter and assist man Ty Greene – and go out and CRUSH league leading Mercer, and win their first ASun road game at NKU the night after. They have actually been playing better without Greene, as if some combination of losing him and the approaching ASun tournament had been a wake up call for the Spartans.

So we know exactly who we’ll be facing – the same guys we’ve played for 3 years now. We just don’t know what version of the team will show up.

Front Court: Sr. Torrey Craig, 6’6” 215 (35.1 min., 7.6 reb.; 15.8 ppg on .402 from the field, .295 from 3 and .543 from the line); 6’8” 246 Sr. Ricardo Glenn (29.6 min., 9.1 reb., 12.2 ppg on .667 from the field); Sr. Jodd Maxey, 6’8” 200 (25.2 min., 5.1 rpg, 8.2 ppg on .571 from the field). These 3 Seniors are the heart of the team, and have been for 3 years now. Craig is the quintessential USCU player – NBA body and athleticism, who can scorch you for 30 or disappear. He’s only .318 from 3 in conference, but he keeps firing them up for 2 makes per game. He has not developed at all these last 3 years, and may have regressed a little. It’s hard to score inside against these guys, and hard to get rebounds. Lester will have a hard time taking it inside, and Jalen will get swatted away on a lot of the drives that worked against Lipscomb. It’s one thing to blow past their weak guards – quite another to finish at the rim against their long athletic front court.

Back Court: 6’4” 200 Jr. Fred Miller 6’2 185 (23.8 min., 8.7 ppg on .397 from 3 in conference), 6’2 165” Jr. Mario Blessing (18.7 min., 2.3 ppg, .333 from 3) 6’0” 170 Fr. Karim Mawuenyega (15.3 min. 4.5 ppg, .444 from 3 on only 1 make per game). Without Ty Greene this team is weak from 3 (but will keep firing them up - excluding Greene's stats they are .317 from 3 with 5.3 makes per game), and weak from the free throw line, with only Fred Miller and Mario Blessing shooting over 64%. Exclude the injured Greene and they are 64% as a team from the line, with 5 or 6 less made free throws per game than the Bucs (77.9% in conference play).

Bench: Sr. 6’7” 220 Babatunde Olumuyiwa (8.0 min, 2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg) Rs-Fr 6’10” Michael Buchanan (9.3 min, 2.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg) 6’5” 245 So. Shunquez Stephens (15.4 min., 3.0 ppg); 6'5" 185 Fr. Josh Cuthbertson (11.2 min., 3 ppg, 1.3 rpg). Olumuyiwa, an athletic super leaper, has hurt us some before, but seems to be fading away this year

This team CAN play well on the road – just ask the VA Tech, South Carolina or UNK. But more often than not in the ASun, they haven’t, going 1-5 in conference away games - and being the only conference team thus far to lose at Kennesaw. We need to push the ball up the court hard for transition scores, after made baskets as well as turnovers. They are hard to score on in the half court. We need Hunter to play smart and avoid foul trouble (and for Murry to protect him) and Lukas to give us some hard, physical minutes. He won’t win beauty contests against these athletes – but he needs to play them tough anyway. And we need to pressure the heck out of their guards and generate turnovers. Drive at them, get fouled and make free throws. We have a big advantage at the line.

Defend the house and we’ll be in a strong position to close out this season well.
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2014 02:29 PM by swvabucsfan.)
02-09-2014 10:40 AM
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bucfan81 Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
(02-09-2014 10:40 AM)swvabucsfan Wrote:  In one sense, we could hardly know know USCU better - the core of the team has been the same for 3 years. But in another sense, we have no clue what version of that team will show up in the Dome.

For the third game in a row we will be playing a team that we know well – unathletic slow and scrappy UNK that defends tenaciously but can’t score; short but physical and high scoring Lipscomb, with no D. And now – the big, athletic front line of USCU that can kick your butt. Or not show up.

Go by the stats and USCU is up there with Mercer and FGCU – with a 2nd in the ASun +6.4 rebounding margin in conference play, a 3rd place +5.3 scoring margin in conference, 3rd in the ASun in field goal percentage at .448, 1st in the ASun in field goal percentage defense at .398 (it’s hard to score in the paint against their athletic bigs).

This is the most inconsistent team in the ASun. You can’t count on them to do the expected on any given night. They can drop a game to a weak UNC Asheville team and beat South Carolina the next night. They can beat Virginia Tech, and lose to an indifferent Winthrop team the next game. They can drop 5 road games in a row in the ASun – but power past Virginia Tech and South Carolina on the road. They can lose their best guard, leading scorer, 3 point shooter and assist man Ty Greene – and go out and CRUSH league leading Mercer, and win their first ASun road game at NKU the night after. They have actually been playing better without Greene, as if some combination of losing him and the approaching ASun tournament had been a wake up call for the Spartans.

So we know exactly who we’ll be facing – the same guys we’ve played for 3 years now. We just don’t know what version of the team will show up.

Front Court: Sr. Torrey Craig, 6’6” 215 (35.1 min., 7.6 reb.; 15.8 ppg on .402 from the field, .295 from 3 and .543 from the line); 6’8” 246 Sr. Ricardo Glenn (29.6 min., 9.1 reb., 12.2 ppg on .667 from the field); Sr. Jodd Maxey, 6’8” 200 (5.1 rpg, 8.2 ppg on .571 from the field). These 3 Seniors are the heart of the team, and have been for 3 years now. Craig is the quintessential USCU player – NBA body and athleticism, who can scorch you for 30 or disappear. He’s only .295 from 3 in conference, but he keeps firing them up for 2 makes per game. He has not developed at all these last 3 years, and may have regressed a little. It’s hard to score inside against these guys, and hard to get rebounds. Lester will have a hard time taking it inside, and Jalen will get swatted away on a lot of the drives that worked against Lipscomb. It’s one thing to blow past their weak guards – quite another to finish at the rim against their long athletic front court.

Back Court: 6’4” 200 Jr. Fred Miller 6’2 185 (23.8 min., 8.7 ppg on .397 from 3 in conference), 6’2 165” Jr. Mario Blessing (18.7 min., 2.3 ppg, .333 from 3) 6’0” 170 Fr. Karim Mawuenyega (15.3 min. 4.5 ppg, .444 from 3 on only 1 make per game). Without Ty Greene this team is weak from 3 (but will keep firing them up), and weak from the free throw line, with only Fred Miller and Mario Blessing shooting over 64%.

Bench: Sr. 6’7” 220 Babatunde Olumuyiwa (8.0 min, 2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg) Rs-Fr 6’10” Michael Buchanan (9.3 min, 2.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg) 6’5” 245 So. Shunquez Stephens (15.4 min., 3.0 ppg). Olumuyiwa, an athletic super leaper, has hurt us some before, but seems to be fading away this year

This team CAN play well on the road – just ask the VA Tech, South Carolina or UNK. But more often than not in the ASun, they haven’t. We need to push the ball up the court hard for transition scores, after made baskets as well as turnovers. They are hard to score on in the half court. We need Hunter to play smart and avoid foul trouble (and for Murry to protect him) and Lukas to give us some hard, physical minutes. He won’t win beauty contests against these athletes – but he needs to play them tough anyway. And we need to pressure the heck out of their guards and generate turnovers. Drive at them, get fouled and make free throws. We have a big advantage at the line.

Defend the house and we’ll be in a strong position to close out this season well.
These things are a prescription for the things we must do to win this game Monday night.
02-09-2014 10:47 AM
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shampoo Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
We've got three wins straight, albeit against the weaker teams of the conference, and have won five of the last six contests. The second half against Kennesaw, the same at UNK, and an overall solid win at Lipscomb, for the most part, suggest a resurging sense of purpose after more demoralizing at the hands of Mercer. Time to bring this rollercoaster season home; we need wins against Upstate and Stetson, sandwiching a tight performance against FGCU to show we can hang in the top three proper. A home win against FGCU would be phenomenal and would show real opportunity for the tournament, but it's improbable. Upstate will set the tone for FGCU and becomes all the more important. Two losses early in the week could facilitate another Stetson upset at home, which would sorely damper tournament prospects.

From there, we can't expect a road win at Upstate if we lose at home first, and we need to win 4/6 games coming up to EARN 3rd place. Getting hot at tournament time is not a plan, though a must; we need to scrap and build friction for a spark NOW. Home is where the hearth is.
(This post was last modified: 02-09-2014 12:03 PM by shampoo.)
02-09-2014 12:02 PM
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Bucfaithful Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
I'll never forget going to Spartanburg during Craig's freshman year to watch the Bucs play Upsate. Craig led the way in an Upstate win and looked like the best player on the floor--and that floor included Mike Smith. I thought at that time that Craig could become a fringe NBA player, like Kevin Murphy of Tennessee Tech. As swvabucsfan pointed out, Craig has regressed. If he would've made incremental improvements throughout his career, I suspect he would be on the margins of some NBA draft boards. Nevertheless, Craig presents a matchup problem and is still a tough cover. He worries me.

Our staples this year have been outstanding free throw shooting and ball control (we lead the ASUN in both stats): We owe a great deal to our improvement this year to these two measures. To win this game, I think the key predictor will be forced turnovers. If we can force 10 TO's or more, we win this game. Just a hunch.
(This post was last modified: 02-09-2014 12:28 PM by Bucfaithful.)
02-09-2014 12:28 PM
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Bucfaithful Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
In thinking about the strong points of this year's team, I think Petey deserves more credit than he's been given. Solid, not spectacular, Petey has contributed 20 pass-first minutes this season. He's delivered better than 2:1 assist/TO ratio, 1 spg, and 2 rpg. On a team filled with backcourt scoring, we haven't needed Petey to score (that wouldn't be his strength, anyway), but we have needed steady leadership at the point. Moreover, in an offense predicated on transition and one-on-one play, his assists numbers look even more impressive. In short, he's played his role well.
(This post was last modified: 02-09-2014 12:42 PM by Bucfaithful.)
02-09-2014 12:42 PM
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shampoo Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
(02-09-2014 12:42 PM)Bucfaithful Wrote:  In thinking about the strong points of this year's team, I think Petey deserves more credit than he's been given. Solid, not spectacular, Petey has contributed 20 pass-first minutes this season. He's delivered better than 2:1 assist/TO ratio, 1 spg, and 2 rpg. On a team filled with backcourt scoring, we haven't needed Petey to score (that wouldn't be his strength, anyway), but we have needed steady leadership at the point. Moreover, in an offense predicated on transition and one-on-one play, his assists numbers look even more impressive. In short, he's played his role well.

Contrast that with last season where KGG was our primary ball handler. Having a true PG handle at least half of the responsibility has taken tremendous pressure off KGG and allowed him to focus on rebounding and shooting. He still creates his own shots most of the time, but it's less urgent and happens more naturally. Notice the drop in turnovers, but also the improvement in passing/assists from KGG. He's not having to force a game he's not meant for.
02-09-2014 01:19 PM
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BucsFan Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
It may be of no concern but noticed that Petey McClain tweeted about a possible ankle injury this morning.

https://twitter.com/1_petey/statuses/432544762780860417
02-09-2014 03:22 PM
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Post: #9
RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Glad to see Petey in the lineup. Was worried about his ankle
02-10-2014 07:07 PM
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ETSUfan1 Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Horrible start. Good little run there to get back in it.
02-10-2014 07:27 PM
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Buc'ed_Up Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
No one is boxing out. Every shot upstate takes Craig just flies in and grabs a rebound
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2014 07:41 PM by Buc'ed_Up.)
02-10-2014 07:41 PM
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BucMania Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Are we taking naps in the locker room to start each half?
02-10-2014 08:21 PM
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ETSUfan1 Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
I guess the Bucs are still in the locker room.
02-10-2014 08:21 PM
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Bucster Offline
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Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Not looking good right now. Down 15
02-10-2014 08:40 PM
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Buc'ed_Up Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
unbearable
02-10-2014 08:42 PM
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ETSUfan1 Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Upstate is way more athletic.
02-10-2014 08:43 PM
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Bucster Offline
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Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Way to blow a big game Murry.
02-10-2014 08:44 PM
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etsubuc Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
At the end of the day- we all know that we are not going to the post season. So, really all I cared about was having 1 home conference tournament playoff game. I don't think after today's loss and Thursday's sure loss that we will have that game.
02-10-2014 08:44 PM
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BucMania Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Awful awful awful 2nd half. No life.
02-10-2014 08:46 PM
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Buccaneerlover Offline
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RE: Official Game Thread: USC-Upstate
Games like this should cost Bartow his job.

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02-10-2014 08:48 PM
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